Jin Xin II · 孟子 7B.38

Passage 38

孟mèng子zǐ曰yuē：「由yóu堯yáo、舜shùn至zhì於wū湯tāng，五wǔ百bǎi有yǒu餘yú歲suì，若ruò禹yǔ、皋gāo陶táo，則zé見jiàn而ér知zhī之zhī；若ruò湯tāng，則zé聞wén而ér知zhī之zhī。由yóu湯tāng至zhì於wū文wén王wáng，五wǔ百bǎi有yǒu餘yú歲suì，若ruò伊yī尹yǐn、萊lái朱zhū則zé見jiàn而ér知zhī之zhī；若ruò文wén王wáng，則zé聞wén而ér知zhī之zhī。由yóu文wén王wáng至zhì於wū孔kǒng子zǐ，五wǔ百bǎi有yǒu餘yú歲suì，若ruò大dà公gōng望wàng、散sàn宜yí生shēng，則zé見jiàn而ér知zhī之zhī；若ruò孔kǒng子zǐ，則zé聞wén而ér知zhī之zhī。由yóu孔kǒng子zǐ而ér來lái至zhì於wū今jīn，百bǎi有yǒu餘yú歲suì，去qù聖shèng人rén之zhī世shì，若ruò此cǐ其qí未wèi遠yuǎn也yě；近jìn聖shèng人rén之zhī居jū，若ruò此cǐ其qí甚shèn也yě，然rán而ér無wú有yǒu乎hū爾ěr，則zé亦yì無wú有yǒu乎hū爾ěr！」

Mencius said, 'From Yao and Shun down to Tang were 500 years and more. As to Yu and Gao Yao, they saw those earliest sages, and so knew their doctrines, while Tang heard their doctrines as transmitted, and so knew them. From Tang to king Wen were 500 years and more. As to Yi Yin, and Lai Zhu, they saw Tang and knew his doctrines, while king Wen heard them as transmitted, and so knew them. From king Wen to Confucius were 500 years and more. As to Tai Gong Wang and San Yi Sheng, they saw Wen, and so knew his doctrines, while Confucius heard them as transmitted, and so knew them. From Confucius downwards until now, there are only 100 years and somewhat more. The distance in time from the sage is so far from being remote, and so very near at hand was the sage's residence. In these circumstances, is there no one to transmit his doctrines? Yea, is there no one to do so?'