emperors Wen and Wu—princes never to be forgotten; the virtuous man yet imitates their wisdom and goodness, and like them lays the foundation of families.”
The present comfort of the people is the result of those establishments, of which they were the authors; the profit that is derived from the cultivation of the earth is also from them. Hence it is that to the latest posterity they will never be forgotten.”
The preceding is the third section and illustrates “pressing on to the utmost bounds of goodness.”
Kung-fu-tsi[1] said, “In hearing lawsuits, I am the same as another person; but I exert myself to prevent them altogether. I do not permit unreasonable and wicked men to accomplish their bad designs. Hereby a proper dread of such actions takes hold of the minds of the people. This is called the foundation of knowledge: this is called the origin of knowledge: this called the utmost bounds of knowledge.[1]”
