Duke Ai

AnonymousBashu Publishing House · ChinaJul 2024

2.7

Word count: 1.9K words
Chapters: 2

Summary

Duke Ai asked Confucius, "I wish to discuss the scholars of my state and govern together with them. May I ask how one should select them?" Confucius replied, "Born in this present age, yet with their minds set on the ways of antiquity; living amid present customs, yet wearing the garb of antiquity—if such people nonetheless do what is wrong, will they not be few indeed?" Duke Ai said, "Then are those who wear the black cap, the hempen shoes, the sash, and tuck the tablet at the waist—are these worthy?" Confucius replied, "Not necessarily. Those who wear the dark upper robe, black lower garment, and mourning cap while riding in a chariot have no mind set on eating rich meats; those who wear the unhemmed mourning garb, straw sandals, and staff, and drink only gruel, have no mind set on wine and meat. Born in this present age, yet with their minds set on the ways of antiquity; living amid present customs, yet wearing the garb of antiquity—if such people nonetheless do what is wrong, even if there are some, will they not be few indeed?" Duke Ai said, "Excellent!"

Editor's review

The chapter "Duke Ai" records Duke Ai of Lu asking Confucius how to select the scholars of the state to govern with him. Confucius answers with the phrase "born in the present age, yet devoted to the ways of antiquity; living amid present customs, yet wearing the garb of old," and goes on to distinguish outward dress and appearance from inner aspiration. The text unfolds as a dialogue in stages: Duke Ai first asks about the method of selecting men, then questions whether those who wear the tall cap, black sash, broad belt, and tablet are worthy; Confucius uses analogies—that those in dark ceremonial dress do not crave rich food and those in hempen mourning garb do not crave wine and meat—to show that dress and bearing cannot simply be equated with virtue. Though brief, it touches on the criteria for judging men, the distinction between ancient and modern, and the difference between form and substance, making it a vivid source for understanding the pre-Qin Confucian view of selecting scholars. The 2024 Bashu Publishing House edition makes the original text accessible to readers. When reading, pay attention to the analogical reasoning in Confucius's replies and appreciate his balance between affirming devotion to the ways of antiquity and refusing to judge men by appearance.

Who it's for

A good fit for

Scholars studying pre-Qin Confucian political ethics and views on selecting scholars
Teachers and students needing short classical texts for critical-thinking practice
Enthusiasts of traditional culture interested in Confucius's question-and-answer texts

Not a good fit for

Readers seeking a systematic general history of pre-Qin thought rather than single chapters
Beginners with little classical Chinese reading experience and no annotation assistance

Reading tips

First clarify the correspondence between Duke Ai's two questions and Confucius's two replies, then grasp the argument's thread.
Focus on Confucius's analogy between garb and aspiration, and consider the practical orientation of his standard for judging men.
Read alongside chapters of the Analects on "knowing men" and "selecting scholars" to compare differences in expression.

About the publisher

Bashu Publishing House China · Founded in 1983

Bashu Publishing House is a publisher centered on collating and publishing classical Chinese cultural texts, with its main publishing areas covering classical literature, Eastern philosophy, ancient poetry, and educational classics. Its library currently holds 1,075 titles, including representative works such as Dream of the Red Chamber, the Preface to the Orchid Pavilion Gathering, Renjian Cihua, and Out to the Frontier, involving authors such as Cao Xueqin, Wang Xizhi, Wang Guowei, Wang Changling, Liu Xie, and Yan Yu. These reflect the publisher's focus on literary classics, poetry criticism, and philosophical readings. Its publishing character lies in working around ancient texts and canonical works, with attention to textual collation and presentation. Public information on its more detailed publishing background and series plans is limited; this introduction is based only on the library's book information.

版权信息
哀公第三十一

FAQ

Is "Duke Ai" a chapter of the Analects?

No. "Duke Ai" records a dialogue between Duke Ai of Lu and Confucius and belongs to another category of texts; its exact source should be determined according to the edition consulted. Readers should follow the actual arrangement in the 2024 Bashu Publishing House edition in hand and should not quote it directly as a chapter of the Analects.

Does Confucius hold that those who wear ancient dress are worthy men?

Not so. Duke Ai asks about ancient dress such as the tall cap and broad sash, and Confucius answers "not necessarily," using several analogies to show that outward dress and inner aspiration cannot be simply equated. He affirms devotion to the ways of antiquity but opposes judging men solely by cap and gown.

What can this text teach readers of ancient books today?

It reminds readers to distinguish form from substance. When reading classical texts, one should not judge content valuable merely because the diction is archaic and elegant, nor dismiss it lightly because the language is difficult; one should return to the text's argument and context to judge.

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About the author

Anonymous Author

Anonymous is not a real personal name but a general Chinese designation for authors whose names are unknown, lost, or unsigned. Neither nationality nor dates of birth and death can be verified, and available public information is limited, so the works attributed to this name are the only basis for description. The collection holds 2,078 works under Anonymous, spanning medicine, classics, historical readings, ancient poetry, classical literature, and philosophy. Representative works include The Yellow Emperor's Inner Canon: Lingshu, Mencius, The Book of Documents, Nineteen Old Poems, Complete Song Ci, and The Peacock Flies Southeast. Most of these works took shape through long transmission and editing, emerging either from collective folk creation or from authors whose names were lost over time. In ancient China, the Book of Songs, the Great Learning, and many popular storybooks and plays were signed Anonymous because their authors could not be traced. Anonymous works cross the classics, histories, philosophical writings, medical texts, and poetry; their subjects are broad, and their styles vary from archaic simplicity to clear naturalness, making them important and influential sources for understanding ancient Chinese thought, medicine, and literature.