Translations. Zigong asked Confucius, "How can the current ministers be considered virtuous?" ”
Confucius said, "I don't know. However, if you look at history, Qi has Uncle Bao and Zheng has Zipi, both of whom are wise ministers. ”
Zigong said: "Isn't the most virtuous minister of Qi State Guan Zhong, and isn't the most virtuous minister of Zheng State Zichan?" ”
You kid, you only know one thing, but you don't know the other. Do you want to talk about the wisdom of people who can recommend sages or the sages of people who are super capable? ”
Is it the wise man who recommends the virtuous? ”
That's what it is. I heard that Uncle Bao recommended Guan Zhong, and Zipi recommended Zi Chan. But I've never heard of any sages recommended by Guan Zhong and Zichan. ”
Original. Zigong asked Confucius: "Who is the virtuous of today's ministers?" ”
Confucius said: "I don't know it, the past has Uncle Bao, Zheng has Zipi, and the sage is also." ”
Zigong said: "Then Qi has no Zhong, and Zheng has no children?" ”
Zi said: "Give, you know one thing, you don't know the other, you hear that you are virtuous?" Harder for the virtuous? ”
Zigong said: "Virtuous and virtuous? ”
Zi said: "However, I heard that Uncle Bao entered the middle of the house, and I heard that the skin of the child entered the child, but I did not hear that the child of the child made progress." ”
Repair. Zigong: The surname is Duanmu, the name is given, and the word Zigong. The proud protégé of Confucius is revered as the originator of Confucian merchants.
Uncle Bao: That is, Bao Shuya, the surname of the concubine, the surname of Bao, the name of Shuya. He was Qi Huangong's teacher and recommended Guan Zhong to Qi Huangong.
Zipi: Ji surname, Han family, name tiger, word Zipi. Zheng Guo is the head of the country, one of the seven Mu Han clan. He unconditionally supported the reform of Zheng Guo in childbirth, which rejuvenated Zheng Guo.
Child: Ji surname, Gongsun, Mingqiao, the word child. The Xiangguo of Zheng Guo during the Spring and Autumn Period.
Feel. Well, Confucius was very much in favor of childbirth, so this conversation alone is actually very untrue.
So I specifically checked it, and in addition to this, this story also appeared in "Confucius's Family Language". This "Confucius's Family Language" is said to be a work of the pre-Qin period. In other words, it is possible that "Confucius's Family Language" was copied from "Shuo Yuan". I'm skeptical.
Back to the story itself, to tell the truth, Confucius is not qualified to evaluate the virtuous and foolish ministers at all, especially since these four have all served as "prime ministers" of the country and have made certain achievements. Confucius is dwarfed by them.
Of course, the ministers who can recommend the virtuous are indeed virtuous ministers. However, the indicator of recommending sages should not be regarded as the only indicator. Besides, talents of the level of Guan Zhong and Zichan are really hard to find.