Sole Rule

AnonymousBashu Publishing House · ChinaJun 2024

2.5

Word count: 1.3K words
Chapters: 4

Summary

Ziyu was born in the age of the Warring States and grew up amid weapons and warfare, yet he alone took delight in the Way of the former kings and studied it tirelessly. Jize said to Ziyu, "A man, once born, must surely do something in the world. Now you, sir, are indifferent to worldly affairs and cultivate a useless pursuit: in your own person you win no glory, and the common people gain no benefit. I would not choose this for you, sir." Ziyu replied, "That is not as you say. The martial can advance and take; the civil can hold and preserve. The world is about to fall into turmoil, but in the end it will surely be settled. You cultivate the martial to help take it; I cultivate the civil to help hold it—is that not also acceptable? Moreover, I have no talent and no charge in military affairs; I can only preserve the heritage of my forebears and pass my years in ease."

Editor's review

"Duzhi" centers on a dialogue between Ziyu and Jize, presenting a collision between two orientations in life: cultivating the civil to preserve what is achieved and cultivating the martial to advance. Jize reproaches Ziyu by worldly standards of accomplishment, saying that Ziyu is indifferent to worldly affairs and pursues useless work, bringing no glory to himself and no benefit to the people; Ziyu calmly replies that the world will eventually settle, and just as some help to take it, others are needed to help keep it. He has no military command and can only preserve his ancestral heritage and live out his years at ease—which is also a way of conducting himself. The value of this passage is that it does not turn either side into a villain; it lets both positions stand and leaves room for judgment. The highlight is the sense of measure in Ziyu's reply—he neither denies the use of the martial nor exalts himself, only explaining the possibility of division of labor and self-preservation. For modern readers, this is a short piece of reflection on "useful and useless" and "advancing and preserving," suitable as an opening for topics such as career choices and the pace of life. It should be read slowly, with attention to the concessions and turns in the dialogue rather than rushing to take sides.

Who it's for

A good fit for

Readers interested in pre-Qin scholars' views on conducting themselves and life choices
Those considering the distinction between advancing and preserving, useful and useless
Readers who need short reflective texts for discussion or writing material
Close readers who like to grasp characters' positions through dialogue

Not a good fit for

Readers expecting a complete biography or a survey of Warring States history
Readers who want only light stories and do not wish to engage in analysis of viewpoints

Reading tips

First extract the core claims of Jize and Ziyu respectively, then summarize in one sentence the real focus of their disagreement.
As you read, ask yourself: if you lived in the Warring States period, which side would you agree with more? Base your reasons on the text.
Try replacing "taking" and "preserving" in the dialogue with concrete choices in contemporary situations to test whether its persuasiveness still holds.

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
正文一
正文二
正文三

FAQ

What does Ziyu mean by "useless work"?

From the context, Jize's accusation that Ziyu "pursues useless work" refers to the way of the former kings and civil matters that Ziyu delights in studying, which in Jize's eyes bring no glory to himself or benefit to the people. Ziyu does not deny that it is "useless" for advancement; instead he shifts the standard: the civil can preserve what is achieved. Thus "useless" is Jize's evaluation, not Ziyu's own admission.

Which side does the dialogue favor?

The text does not judge directly. Jize's reproach accords with ordinary worldly expectations, and Ziyu's answer also leaves room, acknowledging that the martial can advance while stating only that he shares the duty of preserving. Each side has its grounds, and the author leaves the judgment to the reader—which is precisely why this short note is worth rereading.

Why is Ziyu's answer said to have a sense of measure?

Ziyu does not belittle the martial; he first says "the martial can advance," then brings in "the civil can preserve," placing himself in a supporting and self-preserving position. He does not contend for superiority but only explains the division of labor, and modestly calls himself "untalented" and "without military command," with a calm tone and a clear stance.

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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.