18 THE OPERATIONS AND MANIFESTATIONS 



(20) Tradition is no law of life. — Wang Shou carried his 

 books and went to see Hsu P'ing at Chou. Hsu P'ing 

 observed that things should respond to change and circum- 

 stance. Change depended on times, so that a knowledge of 

 the times is not bound by an unchanging custom. Books 

 come from language : language comes from thought : thought 

 is imbedded in books. On hearing this Wang Shou burnt his 

 books and leapt for joy. Thus Lao Tzu says : 



THE USE OF EVERY ART AND MANY WORDS IS NOT 

 EQUAL TO MAINTAINING THE DOCTRINE OF THE 

 MIDDLE COURSE. THAT IS HAVE THE TAO. 



(21) Conserve and Concentrate the mind. — Tzu Pei, 

 Mayor of the Palace, invited Chwang Wang to a feast, which 

 he accepted. Tzu Pei was wanting in courtesy 1 



and the king did not keep the appointment. One day the 

 Mayor was standing in the courtyard and looking north 

 (towards the King) Tzu Pei said, "Ancient kings kept their 

 appointments, do you not really mean to go>? I fear your 

 servant has committed some fault. " "I have been told, "re- 

 plied the King, "that you prepared a feast for me in the 

 Ch'iang T'ai. This fairy edifice looks south on the Liao 

 mountain, at the foot of which are the waters of Fang Huang. 

 On the left is the Chiang, on the right is the Hui river. The 

 joy of such a scene would make one forget death itself. 

 Such joy is not for such an imperfect man as myself. I 

 would be afraid that I would never return were I to go." 

 As Lao Tzu says : 



NOT TO LOOK ON WHAT STIRS THE DESIRES IS 

 THE WAY TO KEEP THE MIND FROM WANDERING. 



(22) A discerning wife. — Chung Erh, the son of the Duke 

 of Tsin, in the course of his wandering life happened to pass 

 through Ts'ao, the prince of which country showed him no 

 courtesy. The wife of Hsi Fu Chi, the prince, however, said 

 to her husband: "You are not very attentive to the son of 

 the Duke of Tsin. I notice that all who accompany him are 

 able men. When they return into power they are certain to 

 come and attack Ts'ao. Why don't you pay some attention 

 to them." Tsi Fu Chi in consequence presented them with 

 a costly feast and sent a present of jade. Chung Erh took 

 the food, but declined' the jade. After returning to his coun- 

 try he organised an expedition against Ts'ao and got its sub- 

 mission. He commanded the three regiments not to enter 

 the domicile of the wife of Hsi Fu Chi : We find this principle 

 enunciated by Lao Tzti in the words : 



IN HUMILITY YOU WILL FIND SALVATION 



IN BENDING YOU WILL FIND FREEDOM 



^ome 13 words wanting in the text. 



