1. Mencius said, "From Yaou and Shun down to T＇ang were five hundred years and more. As to Yu and Kaou-yaou,
but 流, at the same time, stigmatizes the customs as bad. 居之=居之于心者; 行之=行之于身者.
12. These are sayings of Confucius which are only found here. Such a string of them is not in the sage＇s style. 恐其乱苗,—"lest is confound the corn",=be confounded with it. So in the other phrases. 郑声,—see Con. Ana. XV, x. 紫,—see Con. Ana., X, vi, 2.
13. This par. explains the rest of the chap. The经 or "unchanging standard", is the 中道, "the right medium", which the sage himself pursues, and to which he seeks to recall others.
CHAPTER 38. ON THE TRAN**ISSION OF THE LINE OF DOCTRINE FROM YAOU TO MENCIUS＇S OWN TIME.
Compare II, Pt. II, xiii; III, Pt. II, x, et al.
1. From the commencement of Shun＇s reign to that of T＇ang＇s were 489 years,
they saw those earliest sages, and so knew their doctrines, while T＇ang heard their doctrines astransmitted, and so knew them.
2."From T＇ang to King Wan were five hundred years and more. As to E Yin and Lac Choo, they saw T＇angand knew his doctrines, while King W?n heard them as transmitted, and so knew them.
3."FromKing W?n to Confucius were five hundred years and more. As to T＇ae-kung Wang and San E-sang, they saw W?n, and so knew his doctrines while Confucius heard them as transmitted And so knew them.
4."From Confucius downwards until now, there are onlyhundred years and somewhat more. The distance in time from the sage is so far from being remote,and so very near at hand was the sage＇s residence. In these circumstances, is there no one to transmit hisdoctrines? Yea, is there no one to do so?"
while from T＇ang to the rise of the Chow dynasty were 644 years. Here, as before, II, Pt, II, xiii, Mencius uses 500 as a round number. In知之, the 之 refers to the doctrines of the sages.
2. Lao Choo is not exactly identified. Most make him the same with T＇ang＇s minister, Chung-hwuy; see the Shoo-king, IV, ii.
3. T＇ae-kung Wang,—see IV, Pt. I, xiii. Of San E-sang more can hardly be said to be known than that he was an able minister of King W?n. Choo He seems to be wrong, however, in making San, instead of San-e, to be the surname. See the 四书摭余说, in loc.
4. The concluding sentences here wonderfully vex commentators. In the "Supplemental Commentary"(翼注) are found five different interpretations of them.But all agree that Mencius somehow takes upon himself the duty and responsibility of handing down the doctrines of the sage.
The End
