In letters he described himself as an “editor, not an author,” meaning that he had revised the works of the ancients, but had published nothing of his own.  Out of their poetry he culled three hundred odes and declared that “purity of thought” might be stamped on the whole collection.  Into a confused mass of traditional ceremonies be brought something like order, making the Chinese (if a trifle too ceremonious) the politest people on earth.  Out of their myths and chronicles he extracted a trustworthy history, and by his treatment of vice he made princes tremble, lest their heads should be exposed on the gibbet of history.  He gave much time to editing the music of the ancients, but his work in that line has perished.  This, however, cannot be regarded as a very great loss, in view of the rude condition in which Chinese music is still found.  However deficient his knowledge of the art, his passion for music was extraordinary.  After hearing a fine performance “he was unable for [Page 92] three months to enjoy his food.”  A fifth task was the editing of the Yih-King,[*] the book of divination compiled by Wen-wang.  How thoroughly he believed in it is apparent from his saying, “Should it please Heaven to grant me five or ten years to study this book, I would not be in danger of falling into great errors.”  He meant that he would then be able to shape his conduct by the calculation of chances.

[Footnote *:  This and the preceding are the Five Classics, which, like the five books of Moses, lie at the root of a nation’s religion and learning.]

Great as were his labours in laying the foundation of literary culture, the impression made by his personal intercourse and by his collected sayings has been ten-fold more influential.  They form the substance of the Four Books which, from a similar numerical coincidence, the Chinese are fond of comparing with our Four Gospels.  Confucius certainly gives the Golden Rule as the essence of his teaching.  True, he puts it in a negative form, “Do not unto others what you would not have them do to you”; but he also says, “My doctrine is comprehended in two words, chung and shu.”  The former denotes fidelity; the latter signifies putting oneself in the place of another, but it falls short of that active charity which has changed the face of the world.

It were easy to point out Confucius’ limitations and mistakes; yet on the whole his merits were such that his people can hardly be blamed for the exaggerated honours which they show to his memory.  They style him the “model teacher of all ages,” but they do not invoke him as a tutelary deity, nor do they represent [Page 93] him by an image.  Excessively honorific, their worship of Confucius is not idolatry.

MENCIUS