Chapter 7.
On personal cultivation as dependent on the rectification of the mind.
1. What is meant by, "The cultivation of the person depends on rectifying the mind," may be thus illustrated:-- If a man be under the influence of passion, he will be incorrect in his conduct. He will be the same, if he is under the influence of terror, or under the influence of fond regard, or under that of sorrow and distress.
2. When the mind is not present, we look and do not see; we hear and do not understand; we eat and do not know the taste of what we eat.
3. This is what is meant by saying that the cultivation of the person depends on the rectifying of the mind.
Chapter 8.
The necessity of cultivating the person, in order to the regulation of the family.
1. What is meant by "The regulation of one's family depends on the cultivation of his person," is this:-- men are partial where they feel affection and love; partial where they despise and dislike; partial where they stand in awe and reverence; partial where they feel sorrow and compassion; partial where they are arrogant and rude. Thus it is that there are few men in the world who love and at the same time know the bad qualities of the object of their love, or who hate and yet know the excellences of the object of their hatred.
2. Hence it is said, in the common adage,"A man does not know the wickedness of his son; he does not know the richness of his growing corn."
3. This is what is meant by saying that if the person be not cultivated, a man cannot regulate his family.
Chapter 9.
On regulating the family as the means to the well-ordering of the State.
1. What is meant by "In order rightly to govern the State, it is necessary first to regulate the family," is this:-- It is not possible for one to teach others, while he cannot teach his own family. Therefore, the ruler, without going beyond his family, completes the lessons for the State. There is filial piety:-- therewith the sovereign should be served. There is fraternal submission:-- therewith elders and superiors should be served. There is kindness:-- therewith the multitude should be treated.
2. In the Announcement to K'ang, it is said, "Act as if you were watching over an infant." If a mother is really anxious about it, though she may not hit exactly the wants of her infant, she will not be far from doing so. There never has been a girl who learned to bring up a child, that she might afterwards marry.
3. From the loving example of one family a whole State becomes loving, and from its courtesies the whole State becomes courteous while, from the ambition and perverseness of the One man, the whole State may be led to rebellious disorder;-- such is the nature of the influence. This verifies the saying, "Affairs may be ruined by a single sentence; a kingdom may be settled by its One man."
4. Yâo and Shun led on the kingdom with benevolence and the people followed them. Chieh and Châu led on the kingdom with violence, and people followed them. The orders which these issued were contrary to the practices which they loved, and so the people did not follow them. On this account, the ruler must himself be possessed of the good qualities, and then he may require them in the people. He must not have the bad qualities in himself, and then he may require that they shall not be in the people. Never has there been a man, who, not having reference to his own character and wishes in dealing with others, was able effectually to instruct them.
5. Thus we see how the government of the State depends on the regulation of the family.
6. In the Book of Poetry, it is said, "That peach tree, so delicate and elegant! How luxuriant is its foliage! This girl is going to her husband's house. She will rightly order her household." Let the household be rightly ordered, and then the people of the State may be taught.
7. In the Book of Poetry, it is said, "They can discharge their duties to their elder brothers. They can discharge their duties to their younger brothers." Let the ruler discharge his duties to his elder and younger brothers, and then he may teach the people of the State.
8. In the Book of Poetry, it is said, "In his deportment there is nothing wrong; he rectifies all the people of the State." Yes; when the ruler, as a father, a son, and a brother, is a model, then the people imitate him.
9. This is what is meant by saying, "The government of his kingdom depends on his regulation of the family."