BOOK II. THE THAN KUNG[1].
Section I. Part I.
1. At the mourning rites for Kung-î Kung-jze, Than Kung (was there), wearing the mourning cincture for the head. Kung-jze had passed over his grandson, and appointed one of his (younger) sons as his successor (and head of the family). Than Kung said (to himself), "How is this? I never heard of such a thing;" and he hurried to Зze-fû Po-jze at the right of the door, and said, "How is it that Kung-jze passed over his grandson, and made a (younger) son his successor?" Po-jze replied, "Kung-jze perhaps has done in this, like others, according to the way of antiquity. Anciently, king Wǎn passed over his eldest son Yî-khâo, and appointed king Wû; and the count of Wei passed over his grandson Tun, and made Yen, his (own) younger brother, his successor. Kung-jze perhaps did also in this according to the way of antiquity." Зze-yû asked Confucius (about the matter), and he said, "Nay, (the rule is to)
appoint the grandson[2]."
- ↑ On the name and divisions of this Book, see the Introduction, pp. 17, 18.
- ↑ Important as showing the rule of succession to position and property. We must suppose that the younger son, who had been made the head of the family, was by a different mother, and one whose position was inferior to that of the son, the proper heir who was dead. Of course the succession should have descended in the line of the rightful heir. Po-jze evaded the point of Than Kung's question; but Confucius did not hesitate to speak out the truth. On other matters which the paragraph might suggest we need not enter.
