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Confucianism -> Mengzi -> Teng Wen Gong I -> 5.4

徐子孟子Xu reported this reply to Mencius,
孟子 who said,
夷子赤子'Now, does Yi really think that a man's affection for the child of his brother is merely like his affection for the infant of a neighbour?
What is to be approved in that expression is simply this:
赤子 that if an infant crawling about is likely to fall into a well,
赤子 it is no crime in the infant.
Moreover, Heaven gives birth to creatures
使 in such a way that they have one root,
夷子and Yi makes them to have two roots. This is the cause of his error.
And, in the most ancient times, there were some who did not inter their parents.
When their parents died,
they took them up and threw them into some water-channel.
Afterwards, when passing by them,
they saw foxes and wild-cats devouring them,
and flies and gnats biting at them.
The perspiration started out upon their foreheads,
and they looked away, unable to bear the sight.
It was not on account of other people that this perspiration flowed.
The emotions of their hearts affected their faces and eyes,
and instantly they went home, and came back with baskets and spades and covered the bodies.
If the covering them thus was indeed right,
you may see that the filial son and virtuous man, in interring in a handsome manner their parents,
。」 act according to a proper rule.'


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