Jin Xin II · Passage 17 / 38 · 孟子 7B.17

Mencius 7B.17: leaving Lu is not leaving Qi

Mencius contrasts Confucius's slow departure from Lu with his swift departure from Qi to show that obligation follows the thickness of relation.

孟子曰：「孔子之去魯，曰：『遲遲吾行也』，去父母國之道也。去齊，接淅而行，去他國之道也。」

mèng zǐ yuē：「kǒng zǐ zhī qù lǔ， yuē：『chí chí wú xíng yě』， qù fù mǔ guó zhī dào yě。 qù qí， jiē xī ér xíng， qù tā guó zhī dào yě。」

Mencius said, 'When Confucius was leaving Lu, he said, "I will set out by-and-by;" - this was the way in which to leave the State of his parents. When he was leaving Qi, he strained off with his hand the water in which his rice was being rinsed, took the rice, and went away - this was the way in which to leave a strange State.'

Priority note

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Central question

Why did Confucius say he would leave Lu by and by, yet leave Qi at once?

Direct answer

Because the state of one's parents carries thicker old obligations and deserves the last margin for return. A foreign state stands differently, so swift departure can be more fitting.

First principle

Proportion follows relation. If every departure is handled at the same speed, the real thickness or thinness of obligation gets erased.

Why it matters

This passage serves searches around Confucius leaving Lu, leaving Qi, and how Mencius orders departure by relation rather than uniform rule.

What this passage is doing

This is passage 17 of 38 in Jin Xin II. The cleanest entry point is "When Confucius was leaving Lu, he said, "I…". In context, it works as part of Mencius's argument about knowing words, knowing destiny, and the completion of cultivation and can be read alongside Humane government / kingly way.

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