Zi Han

Confucius seldom spoke of profit but believed in the will of Heaven and advocated benevolence. A man from Daxiang Village remarked: "How great Confucius is! His learning is extensive, yet he lacks any specialized skill to establish his fame." When Confucius heard this, he told his disciples: "What should I devote myself to? Should I take up charioteering or archery? I think I'll choose charioteering." Confucius said: "Linen caps were prescribed by ritual. Now silk caps are used instead for economy - I follow the general practice. According to etiquette, ministers should first kowtow at the foot of the steps and then again in the hall when meeting the ruler. Now they only kowtow in the hall - this shows arrogance. Though contrary to current practice, I still insist on the proper protocol of double kowtows." Confucius abstained from four faults: arbitrary conjecture, absolute certainty, rigid obstinacy, and egotism. When confined in Kuang, Confucius said: "Since King Wen's death, has not the culture of Zhou been preserved in me? If Heaven wished to destroy this......