When Yan Hui died, Confucius wept with overwhelming grief. Those accompanying him said, “You are grieving excessively.” He replied, “Am I really grieving too much? If not for someone like him, for whom else should I grieve!”
When getting into a carriage, Confucius always stood upright and firmly grasped the mounting strap. While inside the carriage, he never looked back over his shoulder, did not speak loudly, and never pointed with his finger.
When sleeping, he did not lie stiffly like a corpse; when at home, he was relaxed and unpretentious. Yet whenever he saw someone in mourning dress – even if they were close friends – he would always change his expression to one of solemnity. When encountering someone wearing a ceremonial cap or a blind…
When a friend died and had no family to care for the funeral, Confucius said, “I will handle his burial.” When friends gave gifts – even something as valuable as a carriage and horses – he would not bow in thanks unless the gift was sacrificial meat.
When Confucius entered the Grand Temple (the ancestral temple of the ruler), he asked about every detail of the rites.
When the ruler granted cooked food, Confucius would always straighten his mat and taste it first as a sign of respect. When granted raw meat, he would cook it and first offer it to his ancestors. When granted a live animal, he would raise it alive. When dining with the ruler, as soon as…