Lectures from the Dust of Xiangtian by Wang Baishi, Volume 1

The Master Likely referring to Gu Yanwu, mentioned on the previous page, or a general reference to a teacher. once said: "The reason why humans are different from birds and beasts is that they love their reputation." original: 好名 (hào míng). While often translated as "love of fame," in this context it refers to the ethical desire to maintain a good name and legacy. He also noted that Confucius said: "If a gentleman original: 君子 (jūnzǐ). An ideal moral person in Confucian philosophy. abandons benevolence, how can he fulfill his reputation?" and further: "The gentleman is distressed that his reputation will not be praised after his death." Even the Great Sages valued their reputation to such a degree! If the people of later generations do not love their reputations, then the petty men original: 鄙夫 (bǐfū). Low-minded or vulgar individuals who lack moral integrity. who serve the sovereign will stop at nothing to achieve their ends.

I suggest that loving one’s reputation is a natural duty within a person’s life; indeed, it is the most important matter of all. It is only because one knows how to love it that one is capable of "love" itself. If the heart’s desire to cherish its reputation is heavy, then every thought that arises and every matter handled will surely be filled with a sense of solemnity and clarity. Look throughout the world—there has never been a "good person" who did not love their reputation. Conversely, those who do not recognize reputation as something worth loving are never seen performing a single good deed.

However, the Song Confucians original: 宋儒 (Sòng rú). Referring to the Neo-Confucian scholars of the Song Dynasty (960–1279), such as Zhu Xi, who emphasized rigorous internal moral purity. argued that "acting without any purpose is righteousness, while acting with a purpose in mind is profit/selfishness." This standard of righteousness is set far too high. Even the Song Confucians themselves could not truly believe it in their hearts. By using this to judge others, they merely provide an excuse for harsh and exacting people original: 谿刻 (xīkè). Refers to people who are overly critical or mean-spirited in their moral judgments. to find fault. Has there been almost no "perfect person" since the time of the Three Dynasties? The Xia, Shang, and Zhou dynasties, viewed by Confucians as the golden age of perfect governance and virtue. As a poem by a former worthy says: "It is not that the Ancient Way hinders modern customs; it is simply that people today do not love their reputations." One must understand that the love of reputation is truly indispensable.

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In my youth, when I was reading poetry and reached the Collected Works of Du Huanhua original: 杜浣花集 (Dù Huànhuā jí). Another name for the poetry collection of Du Fu (712–770), one of China's greatest poets, who lived at Huanhua Village., I encountered the line: "The pure poems are each worthy of transmission." The meaning of this single line implies that it is easy to continue reading...