Han Fei declares his duty: speaking without understanding is unwise, silence while knowing truth is disloyal. He risks death to speak honestly for the state.
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?”
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,…
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?”
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.”