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The Master said, “If one can first rectify his own conduct, what difficulty could there be in governing? If he cannot rectify himself, how can he rectify others?”
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Ji Ziran asked, “Can Zhong You and Ran Qiu be considered great ministers?”The Master replied, “I expected you to ask about something extraordinary – instead, you ask about You and Qiu! A great minister serves his ruler according to the Way (Dao); if this is not possible, he withdraws. As for You and Qiu,…
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Mencius once asked King Xuan of Qi: “Suppose one of Your Majesty’s ministers entrusted his wife and children to a friend before traveling to Chu state. When he returned, he found them freezing and starving. What should be done about such a friend?”
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8.6Master Zeng said, “The man to whom one could with equal confidence entrust an orphan not yet fully grown or the sovereignty of a whole State, whom the advent of no emergency however great could upset – would such a one be a true gentleman? He I think would be a true gentleman indeed.”