Teng Wen Gong II · Passage 04 / 10 · 孟子 3B.4

Mencius 3B.4: must a scholar never live

Mencius argues that when a person's work truly serves the way, receiving support is not parasitism but a valid place within social division of labor.

彭更問曰：「後車數十乘，從者數百人，以傳食於諸侯，不以泰乎？」孟子曰：「非其道，則一簞食不可受於人。如其道，則舜受堯之天下，不以為泰，子以為泰乎？」曰：「否。士無事而食，不可也。」曰：「子不通功易事，以羨補不足，則農有餘粟，女有餘布。子如通之，則梓匠輪輿皆得食於子。於此有人焉；入則孝，出則悌，守先王之道，以待後之學者，而不得食於子。子何尊梓匠輪輿而輕為仁義者哉？」曰：「梓匠輪輿，其志將以求食也。君子之為道也，其志亦將以求食與？」曰：「子何以其志為哉？其有功於子，可食而食之矣。且子食志乎？食功乎？」曰：「食志。」曰：「有人於此，毀瓦畫墁，其志將以求食也，則子食之乎？」曰：「否。」曰：「然則子非食志也，食功也。」

péng gèng wèn yuē：「hòu jū shù shí chéng， cóng zhě shù bǎi rén， yǐ chuán shí wū zhū hóu， bù yǐ tài hū？」 mèng zǐ yuē：「fēi qí dào， zé yì dān shí bù kě shòu wū rén。 rú qí dào， zé shùn shòu yáo zhī tiān xià， bù yǐ wéi tài， zǐ yǐ wéi tài hū？」 yuē：「fǒu。 shì wú shì ér shí， bù kě yě。」 yuē：「zǐ bù tōng gōng yì shì， yǐ xiàn bǔ bù zú， zé nóng yǒu yú sù， nǚ yǒu yú bù。 zǐ rú tōng zhī， zé zǐ jiàng lún yú jiē dé shí wū zǐ。 wū cǐ yǒu rén yān； rù zé xiào， chū zé tì， shǒu xiān wáng zhī dào， yǐ dài hòu zhī xué zhě， ér bù dé shí wū zǐ。 zǐ hé zūn zǐ jiàng lún yú ér qīng wéi rén yì zhě zāi？」 yuē：「zǐ jiàng lún yú， qí zhì jiāng yǐ qiú shí yě。 jūn zǐ zhī wéi dào yě， qí zhì yì jiāng yǐ qiú shí yǔ？」 yuē：「zǐ hé yǐ qí zhì wéi zāi？ qí yǒu gōng wū zǐ， kě shí ér shí zhī yǐ。 qiě zǐ shí zhì hū？ shí gōng hū？」 yuē：「shí zhì。」 yuē：「yǒu rén wū cǐ， huǐ wǎ huà màn， qí zhì jiāng yǐ qiú shí yě， zé zǐ shí zhī hū？」 yuē：「fǒu。」 yuē：「rán zé zǐ fēi shí zhì yě， shí gōng yě。」

Peng Geng asked Mencius, saying, 'Is it not an extravagant procedure to go from one prince to another and live upon them, followed by several tens of carriages, and attended by several hundred men?' Mencius replied, 'If there be not a proper ground for taking it, a single bamboo-cup of rice may not be received from a man. If there be such a proper ground, then Shun's receiving the kingdom from Yao is not to be considered excessive. Do you think it was excessive?' Geng said, 'No. But for a scholar performing no service to receive his support notwithstanding is improper.' Mencius answered, 'If you do not have an intercommunication of the productions of labour, and an interchange of men's services, so that one from his overplus may supply the deficiency of another, then husbandmen will have a superfluity of grain, and women will have a superfluity of cloth. If you have such an interchange, carpenters and carriage-wrights may all get their food from you. Here now is a man, who, at home, is filial, and abroad, respectful to his elders; who watches over the principles of the ancient kings, awaiting the rise of future learners - and yet you will refuse to support him. How is it that you give honour to the carpenter and carriage-wright, and slight him who practises benevolence and righteousness?' Peng Geng said, 'The aim of the carpenter and carriagewright is by their trades to seek for a living. Is it also the aim of the superior man in his practice of principles thereby to seek for a living?' 'What have you to do,' returned Mencius, 'with his purpose? He is of service to you. He deserves to be supported, and should be supported. And let me ask - Do you remunerate a man's intention, or do you remunerate his service.' To this Kang replied, 'I remunerate his intention.' Mencius said, 'There is a man here, who breaks your tiles, and draws unsightly figures on your walls - his purpose may be thereby to seek for his living, but will you indeed remunerate him?' 'No,' said Geng. Mencius then concluded, 'That being the case, it is not the purpose which you remunerate, but the work done.'