ABSTRACT

It has recently been argued that in Analects 17.21, Confucius advises a disciple to do something that he, Confucius, believes to be morally wrong. According to Frederick Choo, despite believing that it is morally wrong to not properly observe the three-year mourning ritual for a deceased parent, Confucius tells Zai Wo that he should do so. Choo offers two justifications for Confucius’s doing this. In this essay, I argue that the justifications Choo offers for Confucius’s advising Zai Wo to do what he believes to be morally wrong are untenable. Indeed, I argue that Confucius does not, in fact, advise Zai Wo to do what he believes to be morally wrong. Instead, I argue that Confucius’s advice to Zai Wo in Analects 17.21 is best understood as an expression of exasperation and sarcasm.

摘要

最近有人认为，在《论语》 17.21 中，孔子建议弟子去做一些他认为在道德上是错误的事情。根据弗雷德里克·周的说法，尽管孔子认为不遵守为已故父母举行的三年哀悼仪式在道德上是错误的，但他告诉在我他应该这样做。Choo 为孔子这样做提供了两个理由。在这篇文章中，我认为秋为孔子建议在我做他认为在道德上错误的事情所提供的理由是站不住脚的。的确，我认为孔子实际上并没有建议在我做他认为在道德上是错误的事情。相反，我认为孔子在《论语》 17.21 中对载我的建议最好理解为愤怒和讽刺的表达。