Life

Disciple of Confucius

It is uncertain which state Bu Shang came from. Different ancient sources name his birthplace variously as either Wey, Wei, or Wen (溫). Modern scholars, including Ch'ien Mu, generally believe he was from Wei. Born in 507 BC, he was 44 years younger than Confucius.

The most frequently mentioned characteristic of Bu Shang is his love of book learning, and he was well versed in the Classics. He recommended broad, committed learning, and more than a millennium after his lifetime, his phrase, "Reflect on things near at hand" (jinsi) was used as the title of one of the most important works of Neo-Confucianism, by Zhu Xi. However, he had a "tendency toward pedantry", and sometimes treated learning as "an end unto itself". While lavishing praise on him for cultural learning, Confucius mildly criticized Bu Shang for his pedantry, reminding him of the greater ultimate importance of virtuous action over learning.

The Analects and the Book of Rites record a number of Bu Shang's sayings, one of the best known being, "Life and death are a matter of Destiny; wealth and honor depend on Heaven".

Later life

Bu Shang, along with Yan Yan, Zeng Shen, You Ruo, Zhuansun Shi, and Tantai Mieming, was among the disciples of Confucius who continued teaching after the death of their Master. Bu Shang established a school at Xihe (west of the Yellow River) in the State of Wei, where he taught numerous students, including Marquess Wen of Wei (r. 445–396 BC), the ruler of the state. His other influential students included Tian Zifang (田子方), Zhai Huang (翟璜), Duangan Mu (段干木), and Wei Cheng (魏成), all high-ranking ministers of Wei.

According to tradition, Gongyang Gao and Guliang Chi, authors of the Gongyang Zhuan and the Guliang Zhuan, two of the Three Commentaries on the Spring and Autumn Annals, both studied the Spring and Autumn Annals under Bu Shang.

Bu Shang lived a long life. When his son predeceased him, he wept inconsolably and became blind.

Legacy

In Confucian temples, Bu Shang's spirit tablet is placed fifth among the Twelve Wise Ones, on the east.

During the Tang dynasty, Emperor Xuanzong posthumously awarded Bu Shang the nobility title of Marquess of Wei (魏侯). During the Song dynasty, he was further awarded the titles of Duke of Hedong (河東公) and Duke of Wei (魏公).

Bu Shang's offspring held the title of Wujing Boshi (五經博士; Wǔjīng Bóshì).

生平

子夏出身貧窮，約前483年，他來到魯國拜孔子為師。前476年他赴晉國西河（今陝西渭南）創辦了一所學堂並在那裏教書，三家分晉後該地成為魏國領土。開創的「西河學派」培育出大批經國治世的良材，並成為前期法家成長的搖籃。西河地方之人，將子夏作為孔子看待。據云《毛詩》之學，是由子夏傳下。《論語》一書疑多出於他和門人手撰。

子夏長於文學，對《詩》有深入的研究，能通其義理，著有詩序，他教人致知求仁的方法：「學識要廣，志向要堅定，凡事要細心去問，要從淺近處去思考，以類推於的遠大地方，仁道就在這裏面了。」

後人非議子夏者多由二事，一是子夏語：「學而優則仕，仕而優則學。」二是子夏為喪子而痛哭失明，不愛惜身體。

性格

《荀子》大略篇說子夏家貧，而子夏對於不能出仕的想法為：「諸侯之驕我者，吾不為臣；大夫之驕我者，吾不復見。柳下惠與後門者同衣，而不見疑，非一日之聞也。爭利如蚤甲，而喪其掌。」其性格可見一斑。《論語》中，子夏認為「死生有命，富貴在天」，又說「四海之內，皆兄弟也」。但根據《論語》，子張曾經評語子夏「拒與不可者為友」的作法太過狹隘，如果被他人所拒絕，自始則無法驕傲地拒絕他人。可見孔子弟子之中，對於子夏為人的評論有所不同。

子夏向志於學，故被孔子譽為文學第一，與子游同列。和子游一樣，子夏也是孔子晚年的得意門生。子夏對於文學造詣甚深。而據《論語》，子夏曾與孔子討論《詩經》中「巧笑倩兮，美目盼兮，素以為絢兮。」之意義。孔子以為「素以為絢兮」是全句重點，因而點評「繪事後素」。指「美目」與「巧笑」如同「繪」，而人品之「素」是基礎。子夏舉一反三而回應「禮後乎？」意近於孔子所說之「人而不仁，如禮何？」指禮如同美目巧笑，是使一個人具有氣質的外在修飾。孔子回應：「如同我從商朝之禮而開始我的研究，漸漸可以以周諸國的《詩》來討論修飾的道理了！」。

子夏的勤奮好學，在孔門弟子中亦相當突出，並因此獲得孔子的贊賞和鼓勵。子夏的對《詩經》的造詣受到承認，後世也有認為《易經》所流傳的解釋部分傳承自子夏。《史記》中的《樂書》記載「魏文侯問於子夏」，可見子夏對於周朝的音樂也有涉獵。他在孔子去世之後策劃推舉有若而未果，根據《孟子》，理由為子夏、子張、子游認為有若外表「貌似孔子」，曾子卻反對。子夏離開孔門，前往他國聚徒講學。《史記•魏世家》記載魏文侯「受子夏經藝」，可見子夏在魏國講學，而成為魏文候的老師因而名聲甚大。

評價

早在子夏追隨孔子問學之前，好談論別人是非的子貢曾問孔子，「子張與子夏相比孰賢？」孔子答曰：「子張也過，子夏也不及。」又問：「然則子張愈與？」曰：「過猶不及。」孔子的評價耐人尋味。朱熹在注這段話時說：「子張才高意廣，而好為苛難，故常過中；子夏篤信遵守，而規模狹隘，故常不及。」孔子也曾當面告誡子夏：「汝為君子儒，無為小人儒。」

歷代追封

• 唐玄宗尊之為「魏侯」

• 宋真宗加封為「河東公」

• 宋度宗又尊為「魏公」

• 明世宗嘉靖九年，改稱「先賢卜子」。