Gao Zi II · 孟子 6B.5

Passage 05

孟mèng子zǐ居jū鄒zōu，季jì任rèn為wéi任rèn處chǔ守shǒu，以yǐ幣bì交jiāo，受shòu之zhī而ér不bú報bào。處chǔ於wū平píng陸lù，儲chǔ子zǐ為wéi相xiāng，以yǐ幣bì交jiāo，受shòu之zhī而ér不bú報bào。他tā日rì由yóu鄒zōu之zhī任rèn，見jiàn季jì子zǐ，由yóu平píng陸lù之zhī齊qí，不bú見jiàn儲chǔ子zǐ。屋wū廬lú子zǐ喜xǐ曰yuē：「連lián得dé間jiàn矣yǐ。」問wèn曰yuē：「夫fū子zǐ之zhī任rèn見jiàn季jì子zǐ，之zhī齊qí不bú見jiàn儲chǔ子zǐ，為wéi其qí為wéi相xiāng與yǔ？」曰yuē：「非fēi也yě。《書shū》曰yuē：『享xiǎng多duō儀yí，儀yí不bù及jí物wù，曰yuē不bù享xiǎng。惟wéi不bú役yì志zhì于yú享xiǎng。』為wéi其qí不bù成chéng享xiǎng也yě。」屋wū廬lú子zǐ悅yuè。或huò問wèn之zhī，屋wū廬lú子zǐ曰yuē：「季jì子zǐ不bù得dé之zhī鄒zōu，儲chǔ子zǐ得dé之zhī平píng陸lù。」

When Mencius was residing in Zou, the younger brother of the chief of Ren, who was guardian of Ren at the time, paid his respects to him by a present of silks, which Mencius received, not going to acknowledge it. When he was sojourning in Ping Lu, Chu, who was prime minister of the State, sent him a similar present, which he received in the same way. Subsequently, going from Zou to Ren, he visited the guardian; but when he went from Ping Lu to the capital of Qi, he did not visit the minister Chu. The disciple Wu Lu was glad, and said, 'I have got an opportunity to obtain some instruction.' He asked accordingly, 'Master, when you went to Ren, you visited the chief's brother; and when you went to Qi, you did not visit Chu. Was it not because he is only the minister?' Mencius replied, 'No. It is said in the Book of History, "In presenting an offering to a superior, most depends on the demonstrations of respect. If those demonstrations are not equal to the things offeredred, we say there is no offering, that is, there is no act of the will presenting the offering." This is because the things so offered do not constitute an offering to a superior.' Wu Lu was pleased, and when some one asked him what Mencius meant, he said, 'The younger of Ren could not go to Zou, but the minister Chu might have gone to Ping Lu.'