When Zengzi (Zeng Zi) lived in Wucheng, Yue invaders approached. Someone said to him,
“The enemy is coming – why not leave?”
Zengzi replied,
“Just make sure no one stays in my house or cuts down my trees.”
After the invaders withdrew, he said,
“Repair my walls and roof – I’ll return.”
And indeed, once the threat passed, Zengzi came back.
His attendants remarked,
“The locals treat you with such loyalty and respect! Yet when danger came, you left first – setting a poor example for the people – and returned only after safety was restored. That seems inappropriate.”
His disciple Shenyou Xing (Shen Youxing) explained,
“You don’t understand. Once, I followed Zengzi and suffered a bandit raid. At that time, seventy disciples followed our teacher, yet we chose to take refuge. No one was harmed by engaging in conflict.
Meanwhile, when Zisi (Zi Si, Confucius’s grandson) resided in Wei, Qi troops invaded. Someone urged him,
“The enemy is coming – why not flee?”
Zisi replied,
“If I leave, who will stay to defend the ruler?”
Mencius commented:
“Zengzi and Zisi followed the same Way. Zengzi was a teacher – a moral elder like a father or elder brother – with no official duty to defend the state. Zisi was a minister, however humble his post, and thus bore responsibility to stand with his lord. If their positions were swapped, each would act as the other did.”
曾子居武城，有越寇。或曰：「寇至，盍去諸？」曰：「無寓人於我室，毀傷其薪木。」寇退，則曰：「修我牆屋，我將反。」寇退，曾子反。左右曰：「待先生，如此其忠且敬也。寇至則先去以為民望，寇退則反，殆於不可。」沈猶行曰：「是非汝所知也。昔沈猶有負芻之禍，從先生者七十人，未有與焉。」
子思居於衛，有齊寇。或曰：「寇至，盍去諸？」子思曰：「如伋去，君誰與守？」
孟子曰：「曾子、子思同道。曾子，師也，父兄也；子思，臣也，微也。曾子、子思易地則皆然。」
Note
This passage from Mencius: Li Lou II illustrates the Confucian ideal of contextual ethics and role-based responsibility, where moral action is shaped by one’s social position.
Sages may act differently, but their principles are one. The difference lies not in morality, but in role and responsibility. To be in a position is to fulfill its duty; not to be in it is to refrain – but the heart of benevolence remains unchanged.
Unity of moral principle
Though Zengzi fled and Zisi stayed, both acted according to righteousness.
For Confucians, the “Way” (Dao) isn’t rigid dogma but principled adaptability – as Confucius said,
“The gentleman is not bound – he follows what is right….” (Analects 4.10)
Role determines duty: The ethics of position
- Zengzi, as a teacher and moral exemplar (like a “father or elder brother”), had no political office; staying might endanger locals or lead to hostage situations.
- Zisi, as a minister – even a minor one – owed loyalty to his ruler. Thus he chose to stay and defend his lord. This reflects the Confucian ministerial ethic: shared fate in crisis.
This aligns with Confucius’ teaching:
Moral flexibility of the noble person
Mencius asserts that true virtue isn’t fixed behavior but responsiveness to context. A genuine noble person doesn’t cling to a single stance but acts rightly according to position – a hallmark of Confucian practical wisdom.
Zengzi’s Departure: Prudence, Not Cowardice
His request to protect his property wasn’t selfishness but avoiding burdening the community. Shenyou Xing’s anecdote shows Confucians neither sought protection nor expected disciples to die for them – highlighting non-violent, non-heroic self-preservation consistent with Confucius’s advice to avoid dangerous states.
Zisi’s Resolve: Political loyalty
As Confucius’s grandson, Zisi embodied the Confucian lineage. His refusal to flee was both a political duty and a defense of cultural order. Later loyalists like Wen Tianxiang drew inspiration from this ideal.
Mencius used these examples to argue that a scholar’s comings and goings must be guided by righteousness, not self-interest – neither blind martyrdom nor cynical flight.
Responsibility is tied to role. True integrity means acting wisely within one’s sphere – and respecting that others, in different roles, may rightly choose differently.
In essence:
Flight is not fear; staying is not folly. Each role carries its own righteousness. The sage’s heart is like water – taking the shape of its vessel, yet always clear.
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