Zigong defends Confucius against slander. Ordinary virtuous men are mere hills one may climb, yet Confucius equals the unrivaled sun and moon. Slander cannot harm him; it only reveals the critic’s ignorance and lack of self-awareness.
Zigong warns hasty words expose ignorance and compares Confucius to unreachable heaven. He depicts Confucius’ unmatched moral governance power: people would thrive, submit and unite under his rule, making him irreplaceable.