Yang Zhu, Chapter 13, Part 2

THE VANITY OF REPUTATION

"Kun's services in regulating the water and earthworks being impracticable, he was put to death on Mount Yu Shan.

"Yü, his son, continued his task, served his enemy, and spent all his energy on the earthworks. When a son was born to him he could not take him in his arms, nor in passing his door did he enter. His whole body became withered, his hands and feet hardened by toil. When Shun yielded the empire to him he still lived in a small house and wore only an elegant sash and a coronet. He also had to toil and slave till he died. Of all mortals he was the most overworked and fatigued.

"When King Yü died Cheng was still of tender age, and Duke Chow became Prince Regent.

"The Duke of Chow was dissatisfied, and spread evil rumours about Chow throughout the empire. Chow stayed three years in the east, caused his elder brother to be beheaded and his younger to be banished, and nearly lost his own life. Till he died he had to toil and slave.

"Of all mortals, he was the most menaced and terrorized.

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.