THE VANITY OF REPUTATION
YANG CHU said:
"The world praises Shun-Yu, Duke Chow, and Confucius, and condemns Chieh and Chow. Now Shun had to plough in Ho-yang and to burn tiles in Lei-tse. His four limbs had no rest, and rich food and warm clothing were unknown to him.
"His parents and his kinsfolk did not love him, and his brothers and sisters did not bear him affection.
"In his thirtieth year he was obliged to marry without telling his parents.
"When he received the empire from Yao he was already an old man and his mental powers were declining. His son Shang-Chun having no talents, he left the imperial dignity to Yü. Still he had to toil and slave till he died.
"Of all mortals he was the most pitiable and miserable.
Translator of Yang Zhu's Garden of Pleasure is Anton Forke. If you missed any posts in this series, please utilize the Yang Zhu label below.
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