Chinese Æsop:

There is the following traditional story: In Lu there was a dispute at law between father and son. K’ang-tzŭ wished to have them put to death, but Confucius said, "It would not be right to put them to death. Now the people have long been ignorant that lawsuits between father and son are improper. This case is the result of those in responsible positions neglecting true principles. If superiors were possessed of the proper principles, such people as these would not be." The litigants, hearing of this remark, asked that the case be dropped. K’ang-tzŭ said, "The people are governed through filial piety. Surely it would be proper to put to death one who behaves thus unfittingly as a censure for the unfilial?" Confucius said, "Not at all. Having left them without instruction, to judge their suits is to put to death the guiltless. Though the armies of a great state suffer a severe defeat, they should not be punished. If lawsuits and judgments are not supervised, ...

Kung-i Hsiu, minister of Lu, was fond of fish. A native of the state made him a present of fish, but he would not accept it. His younger brother objected, saying, "You are fond of fish; why do you not accept it?" He said, "It is precisely because I am so fond of fish that I do not accept it. If I accept the fish and lose my place as minister, I will then be unable to supply myself with fish. By not accepting and not losing my place as minister, I will long be able to supply myself with fish. In this matter I understand how to take care of myself." Truly, as Lao-tzŭ said, "Make yourself last and you will be first; put yourself outside, and you will be preserved. Is it not that he had no eye to personal advantage, and was just in this way able to accomplish his personal advantage?" The Ode says, His thoughts are without depravity. This is illustrated in the above. 公仪休相鲁而嗜鱼，一国人献鱼而不受。其弟谏曰：“嗜鱼不受，何也？”曰：“夫欲嗜鱼，故不受也。受鱼而免于相，则不能自给鱼；无受而不免于相，长自给于鱼。”此明于鱼为己者...

Duke Huan of Ch’i set up torches in the courtyard for the sake of gentlemen who might want to come to see him. For a full year no one came. Then a rustic from the eastern fields came to see him because of his skill in arithmetic. Duke Huan joked with him, saying, "Is arithmetic sufficient reason for an interview?" The villager said, "I had not thought arithmetic to be sufficient reason for an interview. I had heard that Your Highness set up torches in his courtyard so as to await gentlemen, and that for a full year not one came. Now the reason that no gentlemen came was that Your Highness is the sage ruler in the empire, and everywhere gentlemen feel they are not adequate to Your Highness. Therefore they do not come. Now arithmetic is but a wretched accomplishment, yet if Your Highness treats me with courtesy, how much the more could those with worthier accomplishments than arithmetic expect! Now Mt. T’ai does not decline pebbles and stones, nor do rivers and oceans re...

There is the following traditional story: In Sung there was a great flood. A man from Lu condoled with the Prince of Sung saying, "Heaven has sent down excessive rains, injuring the millet for sacrifices and spreading over your land, to the grief of those in charge of the government. I have been sent respectfully to condole with you." The Prince of Sung replied, "I have not practiced jên. Fasts and prohibitions have not been regulated, nor, in employing the people, has the proper time been chosen; hence Heaven has visited us with disaster. Having in addition caused you concern, I beg to acknowledge the condescension of your message." Confucius heard of this and said, "Sung is almost ready for enlightened government." A disciple said, "What do you mean?" Confucius said, "Of old Chieh and Chou did not admit their faults, and their destruction was swift indeed. Ch’êng-t’ang and King Wên knew enough to recognize their faults, and their ri...

Mêng, Prince of Ch’ang, wishing to study under Min-tzŭ, sent his carriage to go meet him. Min-tzŭ said, "Etiquette (li) demands that the pupil come to study, not that the master go to teach. If you study by having your teacher come to you, you will be unable to learn. If I go to teach you, I will be unable to influence you. Where you would say you were unable to learn if I do not go, I would say I would be unable to influence you if I did go." Mêng Prince of Ch’ang then said, "I respectfully obey your command." Next day, lifting up his robe and hastily taking a low seat, he asked to receive instruction. The Ode says, By daily progress and monthly advance. 孟尝君请学于闵子；使车往迎闵子。闵子曰：“礼有来学，而无往教。致师而学，不能学；往教，则不能化君也。君所谓不能学者也，臣所谓不能化者也。”于是孟尝君曰：“敬闻命矣。”明日、袪衣请受业。《诗》曰：“日就月将。”

When King Wu attacked the tyrant Chou, as he came to Hsing-ch’iu, the yoke on his chariot horses broke into three pieces, and rain fell for three days without stopping. King Wu was afraid and summoned T’ai-kung, to whom he said, "It seems to me that the time has not yet come when Chou can be attacked." T’ai-kung replied, "Not so. That the carriage yoke broke into three pieces means our army should be divided into three. The three days' rain without a stop was intended to wash our weapons." King Wu said, "In that case, what shall we do?" T’ai-kung said, "Love for a person reaches to the crows on his roof; hate for a person includes the very walls of his village. Let us slay all our enemies, so that none will be left over." King Wu said, "Ah, the empire is not yet established!" The Duke of Chou hastened forward and said, "Not so. Let each regulate his own home and till his own fields. Without regard for old or new, befrie...

King Chuang of Ch’u took to his bed with illness. The oracle read, "The River is the evil influence." The Great Officers said, "We beg you to make use of sacrificial animals." King Chuang said, "Stop! In antiquity, according to the sacrifices instituted by the saintly kings, a ruler did not go beyond those within his own borders in sacrificing to the spirits of hills and streams. The Sui, Chang, Chiang, and Han are the rivers Ch’u sacrifices to. Though I am devoid of virtue, it is not the River I have transgressed against." He never did perform the sacrifice, and in three days his disease was cured. Confucius heard of this and said, "It was right that King Chuang of Ch’u should be overlord. He kept within limits and held to his duties, reflecting within himself and acting consistently. Was it not indeed fitting he should be overlord?" The Ode says, Ah! Ah! He keeps within his boundaries. King Chuang is an example of this. 楚庄王寝疾，卜之，曰：“...