7.31 The Minister of Crime in Chen asked whether Duke Zhao of Lu knew the rites.
Master Kong said, “He knew the rites.”
When Master Kong had withdrawn, the Minister motioned Wuma Qi to come forward and said, “I have heard the saying ‘A gentleman is never partial.’ But it seems that some gentlemen are very partial indeed. His Highness married into the royal family of Wu who belong to the same clan as himself, calling her Wu Mengzi. If his Highness knew the rites, who does not know the rites?”
Wuma Qi repeated this to the Master, who said, “I am a fortunate man. If by any chance I make a mistake, people are certain to hear of it!”
陳司敗問昭公知禮乎？孔子曰：「知禮。」孔子退，揖巫馬期而進之，曰：「吾聞君子不黨，君子亦黨乎？君取於吳為同姓，謂之吳孟子。君而知禮，孰不知禮？」巫馬期以告。子曰：「丘也幸，苟有過，人必知之。」
Notes
According to the Zhou dynasty’s patriarchal system, people with the same surname were forbidden from marrying to prevent ethical confusion caused by close blood ties and maintain patriarchal order. Duke Zhao of Lu (ruler of Lu, surname Ji) married a woman from Wu (also surnamed Ji). Since same-name marriage violated ritual propriety, she was discreetly renamed “Wu Mengzi” to conceal this fact.
When questioned by Chen Sibai (a senior official of Chen, “Sibai” being an ancient judicial title), Confucius reluctantly replied that “Duke Zhao of Lu understood ritual propriety” to maintain the ruler-subject ethical principle.
Instead of directly refuting Confucius, Chen Sibai conveyed his critique through Wuma Qi (a disciple of Confucius).
Upon learning this, Confucius frankly admitted his error, implicitly expressing gratitude to Chen Sibai for pointing out his mistake rather than concealing it.
Chen Sibai challenged Confucius with the question, “Does even a gentleman form cliques?” His core accusation was that Confucius had engaged in “clique-forming and partiality” by covering up Duke Zhao of Lu’s violation of ritual norms. This quotation, however, precisely defines the essence of cliquishness. “Uniting through righteousness” means justly bringing people together based on moral principles, while “forming cliques” refers to colluding out of self-interest and partiality.
When Confucius replied that Duke Zhao “understood ritual,” he was not acting out of self-serving partiality, but rather observing the ritual propriety of “covering up for one’s ruler”.
His subsequent willingness to openly acknowledge his “mistake” further confirmed that he had no clique-forming motives, making his conduct fundamentally different from the petty person’s self-serving factionalism.
“Zigong said: ‘The faults of a gentleman are like eclipses of the sun or moon.’”(Analects 19.21)
This remark by Zigong perfectly interprets the open and unperturbed mindset reflected in Confucius’s statement, “I am fortunate – if I have any faults, people are sure to point them out.” In the incident with Chen Sibai, Confucius’s “fault” – a minor impropriety in his wording – was as obvious as a solar or lunar eclipse.
A gentleman’s fault is not a stain on his character; rather, it is proof of his integrity and transparency. The process of correcting his mistakes is even an opportunity for the elevation of his moral character – and this is the true essence of the “fortune” Confucius spoke of.
“Mencius said: ‘When Zilu was told of his mistakes, he rejoiced.’”(Mencius 3.8)
A gentleman humbly accepts criticism and correction from others, and rectifies his mistakes whenever he commits them.
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