Li Lou I · Passage 17 / 28 · 孟子 4A.17
Mencius 4A.17: the drowning sister-in-law and discretion
The drowning sister-in-law case to show that ritual is not rigid formalism. The principle stays fixed, but fitting action in emergencies may require discretion.
淳于髡曰：「男女授受不親，禮與？」孟子曰：「禮也。」曰：「嫂溺則援之以手乎？」曰：「嫂溺不援，是豺狼也。男女授受不親，禮也。嫂溺援之以手者，權也。」曰：「今天下溺矣，夫子之不援，何也？」曰：「天下溺，援之以道；嫂溺，援之以手。子欲手援天下乎？」
Chun Yu Kun said, 'Is it the rule that males and females shall not allow their hands to touch in giving or receiving anything?' Mencius replied, 'It is the rule.' Kun asked, 'If a man's sister-in-law be drowning, shall he rescue her with his hand?' Mencius said, 'He who would not so rescue the drowning woman is a wolf. For males and females not to allow their hands to touch in giving and receiving is the general rule; when a sister-in-law is drowning, to rescue her with the hand is a peculiar exigency.' Kun said, 'The whole kingdom is drowning. How strange it is that you will not rescue it!' Mencius answered, 'A drowning kingdom must be rescued with right principles, as a drowning sister-in-law has to be rescued with the hand. Do you wish me to rescue the kingdom with my hand?'
Priority note
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Central question
Why does Mencius use the drowning sister-in-law case to discuss ritual and flexibility?
Direct answer
Because he wants to show that ritual does not exist to trap people inside form. When an emergency threatens the very goods ritual serves, one must return to the principle and act accordingly.
First principle
Principles and rules are not identical. Principles orient; rules govern normal cases. When the normal rule would violate the principle, one must move back to the principle itself.
Why it matters
This is a core Mencian passage on the relation between moral rule and discretionary judgment, with clear relevance to ethical dilemmas and edge cases.
Further reading
What this passage is doing
This is passage 17 of 28 in Li Lou I. The cleanest entry point is "Is it the rule that males and females…". In context, it works as part of Mencius's argument about self-examination, disorder, and keeping the way and can be read alongside Humane government / kingly way.
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Li Lou I often approaches disorder through self-examination and the standards for keeping the way.
Related principles
Citation note
The key distinction is between ritual and discretion, not a blanket permission slip for exceptions. Without that distinction, the passage gets abused.