CONFUCIUS
Confucius—His merits—His imperial and ducal origin—Migration of his family from Sung to Lu—His warrior father—His quaint childish fancies—Lu officer foretells his greatness—His first pupils—His appointment as steward—His visit to Laos—No reason for mentioning this visit in history—Neither philosopher yet "great"—Lu in a quandary—Helplessness of the Emperor under Tsin, Ts'i, and Ts'u pressure—Yen-tsz sees Confucius, and discusses Ts'in's greatness—Studying the Rites at Lu-Date of Confucius' visit to Lao-tsz—Struggle of great families for popular rights— Confucius offers services to Ts'i—Examines Rites of Hia—Yen- tsz's jealousy of Confucius—Confucius back in Lu—His literary labours—His official posts and his views on law—Ts'i overborne by Wu—Ts'i's attempt at assassination defeated by Confucius' diplomacy—Treaty between Lu and Ts'i—Civil war in Lu—Confucius Premier—Successful administration—Confucius leaves Lu in disgust—His treatment in Wei state—Leaves Wei, but returns to old friend there—Confucius' suspicious visit to a lady—Leaves disgusted via Sung for Ts'ao—Visits to Cheng (mistaken for Tsz-ch'an) and Ch'en—A prey to rival ambitions—Episode of the Manchurian bustard—Revisits Wei—Arrested; solemn promise broken— Base behaviour—Starts to visit Tsin—Confucius' enemy repents— Arrangements to get Confucius back to Lu—He first visits Ts'ai- Excursion to Ts'u—Three years more in Ts'ai—T-s'u's literary status—Competition amongst princes for Confucius' services— Confucius and war—Reaches Lu after fourteen years of wandering— Confucius' travels the same as the Second Protector's—Consoles himself with literature—Popularizes history-Edits the Changes and the Odes—His history—The Tso Chwan.
CHAPTER XLV
CONFUCIUS AND LAO-TSZ
Historians had to be careful—Reverence for rulers—Confucius' feelings—His failings—All on the surface—His concealments—His artful censures—Sanctity of the classes—Confucius' meannesses and indiscretions—Allowances must be made for time and place— Tsz-ch'an quite as good a man—Reasons for permanency of Confucian system—Reasons for Lao-tsz not being mentioned—All Chinese statesman-philosophers were, or tried to be, practical—First mention of Lao-tsz's new Taoism—Lao-tsz well known 400 B.C.— State intercourse before Confucius' time—Philosophy taught by word of mouth—Cheapening of books accounts for spread of knowledge—Description of ancient books—Confucius was young when he visited Lao-tsz—Lao-t&s book in ancient character—Meagreness of details evidence of rigid truth—Obscurity of the Emperor— Difficult questions of fact answered—How Lao-tsz was visited— Proofs of genuineness—Originals must be studied by foreign critics.
CHAPTER XLVI
ORACLES AND OMENS
Consulting the oracles—The Changes, or Book of Diagrams—Ts'u and Ts'i as instructors of Chou—Tortoise augury—Consulting ancestors—Heaven's decree—Heaven's spontaneous, manifestations of favour—Astrology—Prognostication—Text of the Changes survives unmutilated—Ts'in consults oracles about moving capital— Ts'in's greatness foretold—Omens—Dies n&s—Oracles in the battlefield—Prophecy in Tsin, Ts'u, and Lu—Shuh Hiang's scepticism—Tsz-ch'an and the omen of fighting snakes—Children sing prophetic songs—"Passing on" threatened evil—Tortoise oracles in Ts'o and Wu—High status of diviners-"-Transferring" evil in Ts'u—Rivers as gods—Our own prophecies—Good faith and truth.