Chapter 11
Li Rong took a sip of tea. The waiter came over and extinguished the oil lamp on the table next to him. Most of the people in the teahouse were still there. "I'm just joking. A gentleman cherishes virtue, while a villain cherishes land; a gentleman cherishes punishment, while a villain cherishes favor. [1] I am still among the villains. I only care about my family, so I am incapable of governing. As for being an official, I have no idea at the moment. How do I think I should govern?" He swallowed a soft sigh and looked up at the person sitting across from him.
Xue Heng raised his hand to add oil to the lamp. The night was thick with frost, and there were few pedestrians. Only a cool breeze blew in from the window. "The way to govern a country of a thousand chariots is to be respectful and trustworthy, frugal and loving, and to lead the people in time. There is no better way to be a ruler than this. Only then will those near be pleased and those far away come to you. [2] The Book of Songs says: 'The borders of a state are a thousand miles long, and the people are its dwelling. If there is no better way to govern than to love the people first, to be careful about the end, and to cherish the memory of the past, then the people's morality will become thicker.'"
Li Rongfang replied to Xue Heng, "I also have a question for you. Laozi said, 'The sage said, 'I do nothing, and the people will be transformed; I love tranquility, and the people will be upright; I do nothing, and the people will be prosperous; I have no desires, and the people will be simple.' I have traveled from Luzhou to Jiangdu, and then to Gusu and Nanjing. As an official, I seem to have been able to be humble in poverty and not flattering, and rich without arrogance. What can I do?"
Xue Heng slowly answered the question, "It's better to be happy in poverty and love etiquette in wealth. Ziqu, do you remember that a gentleman lives in ease and waits for his destiny? When his government is dull, his people are honest; when his government is strict, his people are lacking. The order of heaven and earth is eternal because it does not generate itself. But you and I in this world will eventually return to dust, just as morning mushrooms cannot know the new moon and full moon, and cicadas do not know spring and autumn. The way of governing is not practiced, it is like riding a raft on the sea. Half the world of governance still depends on you and me, pioneering and working hard. The discussion of success or failure is better left to future generations to judge."
Li Rong gave a bitter laugh and then sighed, "Zi Qu now knows that one can know the world without leaving home; one can see the way of heaven without looking out the window; the further one goes, the less one knows. [3] I dare not govern the people with shallow knowledge, so I have two more questions. I ask about the way to cultivate oneself. In my humble opinion, even if the world and the country can be shared equally, titles and salaries can be declined, and swords can be stepped on, is the golden mean impossible?"
Su Si had the innkeeper prepare some vegetarian dishes and brought them to the two of them. Xue Heng tasted the food and answered Li Rong's question. "Zi Qu, even a sage is difficult to find, let alone you and me," he said with a faint chuckle. "I will express my humble opinion to you, Zi Qu. When harmony is achieved, heaven and earth are in their proper places, and all things flourish. There's a saying: 'No one knows the evil of his own son, nor the greatness of his own seedling.' A gentleman also believes in looking within himself. Zi Qu, do you think this is enough for self-cultivation?"
Li Rong took the chopsticks between his fingers and drank the tea that was almost cooling, unaware of the hunger in his stomach. He replied to Xue Heng, "So a gentleman first seeks what he has within himself before seeking it in others; he does not seek what he has within himself before he denies it to others. I am afraid that over the years, he will become foolish and self-righteous, or humble and self-centered. He will violate the doctrine of the mean and the path of utmost sincerity. Without rest, there will be no endurance, and without endurance, there will be no progress. It will be even more difficult to achieve a profound and profound state, and finally reach the highest level of enlightenment."
Xue Heng continued to eat his vegetarian meal and called for another pot of hot tea. "The Way is not far from people. If a person practices the Way but distances himself from others, he cannot truly be considered the Way. Ziqu already possesses the demeanor of a gentleman, always cautious in his virtues. I would like to share another eight-character maxim with you: a gentleman must avoid four things: no will, no insistence, no stubbornness, and no ego."
Li Rong had heard these eight words, short and sharp, "Having my humble self share my worries is a blessing for Ziqu in this life. I only hope that I can know my limits and then find determination, that determination can lead to tranquility, that tranquility can lead to peace, that peace can lead to consideration, and that consideration can lead to success."
"You and I will never ruin a matter with a single word, or establish a country with a single word. I have learned from my teacher that my words are indeed taken from Lao Tzu. I have three treasures, and I hold on to them. The first is kindness, the second is frugality, and the third is not daring to be the first in the world. Unlike Ziqu, who is eager to seek the truth, he just passes through the secular world and is content with having enough food and clothing. He travels to study just to enjoy the beauty of mountains and rivers." Xue Heng replied to Li Rong's words and filled himself with hot tea. The mist was lingering in the tea, and he could not clearly see the person sitting opposite him.
Li Rong couldn't see Xue Heng's face clearly in the haze. "Heaven and earth are unkind, treating all things as straw dogs. Sages are unkind, treating the common people as straw dogs. Perhaps this is my intention in withdrawing from the world?"
Xue Heng laughed loudly upon hearing this and passed by, saying, "Zi Qu should remember the following sentence. Talking too much will lead to exhaustion. It is better to stick to the middle."[4]
Li Rong chuckled, echoing Xue Heng's sentiment, as if to acknowledge his words. From this point on, they discussed the Dao, but no longer stood beside him, and so the conversation ended. He took the teacup and drank the hot tea. He then stood up, said goodbye to Xue Heng, and made an agreement: they would travel from Yingchuan to Chang'an and wait until after mid-autumn to travel together for study.
Naturally, Su Si paid the bill before the other two, and as they parted again in front of the teahouse, they just passed each other. Su Si wasn't particularly interested in the discussion, but seeing his young master remained silent, he settled in. Li Rong walked back to the inn in this quiet atmosphere; the innkeepers had already gone to bed. He left a half-open window open for air, lit a lamp, and ground some ink to record the day's discussion.
Although Xue Heng was younger than himself, his conversations and insights revealed his breadth of mind. His teacher must have been a sage and great scholar. He was indeed fortunate to have this opportunity. It was only a chance encounter, but through their discussion, he had been able to connect with the path he sought.
That hazy feeling became more and more real, and he was on the road where he was about to go, just waiting to organize his thoughts after traveling and seeing all over the place.
The art of governing is profound but difficult, while the doctrine of the Mean is vast but unlearned. Perhaps, as Zhuozhi said, I should worry less about this. By seeing more of the scenery and people's lives in different cities, I can always learn from others' strengths. As for the difference between seeking the truth and one's true heart, it's not necessarily a matter of encountering them. While I fear I'll never find another teacher on my journey of study, making friends with Xue Zhuozhi and agreeing to travel together hasn't been entirely fruitful.
Li Rong took note of his conclusions, now understanding most of the unsolved points. He no longer pressed for answers to the remaining fragments, letting them drift away with the wind, hoping to gain insights later. As the ink smudged onto the silk, Li Rong felt as if he were revisiting a book he had read years before, with a deeper sense of understanding. However, he wasn't going to master the entire text tonight.
He sighed softly, his face expressionless. He put pen to paper, then hung the silk cloth on the table. The hot tea the shopkeeper had brought him had gone cold, but Li Rong didn't care. He drank half a cup, quenched his thirst, and sat quietly at the table, waiting for the ink to dry.
The candlelight inside the room was swayed by the wind coming in through the window, swaying left and right, casting a shadow on the figure at the table. He bent over and coughed, thinking that he might have caught a cold again, but it was just the beginning of the illness and perhaps it wouldn't be a big deal.
Outside the window, the crowds were sparse. Only the bright moon hung high in the night sky, its gradually waxing crescent casting a silvery-grey light that illuminated the city of Linyi. Since he had promised Xue Heng, Su Si and he would stay in Linyi for another two weeks longer than originally planned. There was no inconvenience in their travels, but as for what they would do in the next two weeks, they had no idea.
He waited until the ink was completely dry before folding the silk cloth neatly with his fingers and placing it in the wooden box along with the things he had previously written down. Li Rong left the dim candlelight on, undressed, and gathered his long hair before lying down under the quilt.
The innkeeper had also replaced the blanket with a thick one, and the warmth immediately made one tired. Li Rong's aches and pains hadn't completely subsided yet, so he lay flat on the couch, melting into the warmth.
After a long moment, he finally let out a faint sigh, a meaningless phrase that sounded more like a sigh. But after learning something from tonight's discussions and having friends to accompany him on his study tour tomorrow, he felt he shouldn't be sighing. He simply thought it was normal for him to be slumbering, so some silly talk was normal.
Li Rong tossed and turned for a moment, finally falling asleep to the dripping sound of a clepsydra. A chill autumn breeze lashed the thin window paper, while the occasional distant bird calls highlighted the loneliness of the northern land. He drifted off into a dreamless sleep, perhaps waking up again with all the fatigue and confusion left in his body and mind, a fresh start, a return to his former strength.
[1] From the Analects of Confucius, “A gentleman is concerned with virtue, while a villain is only concerned with a comfortable life; a gentleman governs the country with the law in mind, while a villain is greedy for small profits and only cares about his family.
[2]Shuo is a homophone of Yue.
[3] The above passage discusses the politics of a ruler and the politics of a minister. Li Rong then reiterates that he is shallow and can only manage his own family at best.
Xue Heng cited the principles of government, specifically frugality and love for the people, managing the people so that they adapt to the four seasons, and the principle that all under heaven is the king's territory and all the people are his subjects. Only by prioritizing love for the people can the people's morality be restored and the restoration of propriety be achieved.
Li Rong answered with Lao Tzu's words and asked about governing by doing nothing. Thinking of his experience in the first half of his study abroad, he saw that there were already poor people acting with integrity and rich people not being arrogant. What else could he do?
Xue Heng follows up on the next line from the "Study of the Arts" with the line, "It is better to live in peace and contentment, while the rich pursue propriety." He then asks if the other person remembers that even a gentleman in a peaceful and easy place awaits his desired fate. This, in effect, echoes Li Rong's assertion that he lacks talent. Simple governance leads to enlightenment, while overly meticulous and meticulous governance leads to unrest. He cites the principle of self-governance of heaven and earth, but then turns to the idea that life and death are predestined. It is better to follow the example of a gentleman, working diligently and leaving it to future generations to judge.
Li Rong finally ended his discussion on governing and being an official, quoting the Tao Te Ching to imply that his own heart was unstable, so he turned to the next topic.
[4] Li Rong then raised the second question: in self-cultivation, the doctrine of the mean is the best, but the doctrine of the mean is difficult, and he wanted to know the solution.
Xue Heng responded that even sages found it difficult to be moderate, and talked about the benefits of moderation. In the end, he came up with the argument of looking within oneself, that is, self-reflection for gentlemen.
Li Rong pointed out the origin of looking within oneself, but he was still afraid that due to his lack of talent, he would stray from the right path and ultimately fail to maintain his sincerity and gain anything.
Xue Heng had encouraged Li Rong to be a gentleman, saying that the pursuit of truth comes from the heart and will never go against it. Therefore, there was no need to worry about oneself. He then specifically explained the eight characters, reminding Li Rong not to underestimate himself and encouraging himself.
Li Rong ended with a general introduction to the University, wishing both of them to gain something.
Xue Heng once joked that neither he nor Li Rong would end up ruining the country alone, which meant that he did not want to be an official and would let nature take its course in cultivating his character, being involved in the world but not talking about it.
Li Rong asked again about the Taoist unkindness, which was actually an encouragement. Going with the flow is also the act of saints and the way of heaven and earth that follows nature.
At the end, Xue Heng pointed out that in the end, one would return to the path of keeping to the middle, and that the path he and Li Rong took would lead to the same destination.
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