After Yan Hui died, Confucius’s disciples wanted to give him an elaborate funeral. The Master said, “You must not do that.” Nevertheless, they gave him a lavish burial. Confucius then said, “Hui regarded me as a father, yet I was not allowed to treat him as a son. It was not my doing –…
When Confucius fell seriously ill, Zilu arranged for his disciples to act as household ministers, preparing to conduct funeral rites befitting a high official. After Confucius recovered and learned what had happened, he said, “It’s been a long time since Zilu started practicing deceit! I have no ministers, yet he pretends I do. Whom…
Mencius said: “Caring for one’s parents while they are alive is not enough to be considered a truly great matter; only properly honoring them in death – through sincere mourning, respectful burial, and ongoing remembrance – constitutes a great matter indeed.”
The Mohist scholar Yi Zhi, through Xu Bi (a disciple of Mencius), requested to meet Mencius. Mencius said: “I’d be glad to see him, but I’m still unwell. Once I recover, I’ll go to him – Yi Zhi need not come!”