1. Mencius said, ＇Suppose the case of the whole kingdom turning in great delight to an individual to submit to him.—To regard the whole kingdom thus turning to him in great delight but as a bundle of grass;—only Shun was capable of this. He considered that if one could not get the hearts of his parents he could not be considered a man, and that if he could not get to an entire accord with his parents, he could not be considered a son.
so true is it that perfect filial piety and fraternal duty reach to spiritual beings, and shed a light over the world, and then do we know that in the greatest music there is a harmony with heaven and earth.＇
2. Julien translates 去 by abjicere. To have that meaning, it must have been in the up. 2nd tone, which it is not. The first 乐 is y?, ＇music＇; the other two are l?h,＇to enjoy＇. 不知 is used absolutely,—＇unconsciously＇,though we might make 知 personal also,—＇we do not know＇. 足之蹈之,—＇the feet＇s stamping it＇. So the next clause.
CHAPTER 28. HOW SHUN VALUED AND EXEMPLIFIED FILIAL PIETY.
1. The first sentence is to be taken generally, and not with reference to Shun simply. It is incomplete.The conclusion would be something like—＇this would be accounted the greatest happiness and glory＇. 芥 is properly ＇the mustard plant＇, but it is sometimes, as here, only synonymous with 草. 不得, 云云,—all this is the reasoning of Shun＇s mind. 不得乎,—like 不获于, in chap. 12. 不顺, ＇not to obey＇, ＇not to accord with＇,but Ch?Hsi and others labour hard to make it out to mean,—＇to bring the parents to accord with what is right, so as to be able then fully to accord with them＇.
2. ＇By Shun＇s completely fulfilling everything by which a parent could be served, K?-sau was brought to find delight in what was good. When K?-sau was brought to find that delight, the whole kingdom was transformed. When K?-sau was brought to find that delight, all fathers and sons in the kingdom were established in their respective duties. This is called great filial piety.＇
2. Shun＇s father is known by the name of K?-sau,but both the characters denote ＇blind＇, and he was so styled, it is said, because of his mental blindness and opposition to all that was good. 豫, in the sense of ＇to be pleased＇, ＇joyful＇, understood here with a moral application. ＇All fathers and sons, &c.,＇—i.e. all sons were made to see, that, whatever might be the characters of their parents, they had only to imitate Shun, and fathers, even though they might be like K?-sau, were shamed to reformation.