Gaozi claims Yu’s music surpasses King Wen’s, citing worn bell clappers as proof. Mencius refutes him with deep gate ruts—wear stems from long use, not superior quality, warning against hasty judgments based on superficial traces.
A man confuses Wuluzi by pitting survival needs against minor rituals. Mencius rejects this unequal comparison, using gold and wood analogies, and counters with immoral extreme acts to prove ritual morality must never be discarded for self-interest.