The Confucian Analects

He fled from his enemies, and for some time he wandered about the region of the Yangtze original: Keang and Huai original: Hwae rivers, or among the mountains and by the sea-coast on the north of present-day Shandong original: Shan-tung. One day, while he was selling cakes in a market-place, his noble appearance attracted the attention of Sun Cong original: Sun Ts'ung,⁹ a young gentleman of Anqiu original: Gan-k'ew who was passing by in a carriage. When questioned by Sun Cong, Zhao Qi revealed his history. This proved to be a fortunate meeting original: rencontre for him. Sun Cong took him home and kept him hidden for several years somewhere "inside a double wall."¹⁰ It was during this time that he comforted himself in his difficult situation with literary studies. He turned to poetry, writing twenty-three compositions which he called "Songs of Adversity,"¹¹ and completed his commentary on Mencius.

Upon the fall of the Tang faction This refers to a period of political purges against scholars known as the "Partisan Prohibitions", when a political pardon original: amnesty was proclaimed, Zhao Qi emerged from his friendly confinement, only to become a victim of political intrigue once again. The first year of the reign of Emperor Ling, 168 CE, marked the beginning of an imprisonment that lasted more than ten years. However, nothing could crush his spirit or discourage his perseverance. In 185, when he had nearly reached eighty years old original: fourscore, he was as active as ever in the arena of political conflict, working loyally to support the fortunes of the declining Han dynasty. He died at last in 201 CE in Jingzhou original: King-chow, where he had gone on a mission on behalf of the emperor. Before his death, he had a tomb prepared for himself, which was long displayed (or claimed to be displayed) in what is now the district city of Jiangling original: Keang-ling in the department of Jingzhou in Hubei original: Hoo-pih.¹²

3. From this account of Zhao Qi, it is clear that his commentary on Mencius was prepared under great disadvantages. The fact that he—a fugitive in close hiding—was able to produce such a work demonstrates the depth of his reading and the knowledge he acquired in his youth. I have shared so much about him because his name belongs on the long list of illustrious men who have found comfort in times of bitter hardship through the pursuit of literature and philosophy. Regarding his method of dealing with his subject, it will be sufficient to provide his own account:

⁹ Anqiu, Sun Cong: 安丘, 孫崇. The name Anqiu still remains as a district in the department of Qingzhou (青州).

¹⁰ Inside a double wall: 複壁中.

¹¹ Songs of Adversity in twenty-three chapters: 厄屯歌二十三章.

¹² Hubei, Jingzhou Prefecture, Jiangling County: 湖北, 荆州府, 江陵縣.