Rebel Bixi invited Confucius, who intended to go despite Zilu’s protest citing his old moral rule. Confucius claimed virtuous hearts stay untainted amid corruption and refused to stay idle like a useless gourd, showing his urge to spread the Dao though he never actually went.
During the Song Dynasty, the renowned Zen master Dahui had a disciple named Daoqian. Despite years of meditation practice, Daoqian remained unenlightened. One evening, he earnestly confided in his senior brother Zongyuan about his frustration and begged for guidance.