Chapter 178 - 133, chop him
The smell of cow dung mingled with grass was pervasive on the dirt road, and woodcutters carrying dry firewood into the city were a continuous sight, as were the ceaselessly moving ox carts carrying charcoal.
Mr. Wang said to Chen Ji and others, "Everyone, get on the carts. Chen Ji, you did work for others while distributing porridge earlier, which can be considered an indirect punishment, so you don’t need to walk anymore."
Chen Ji didn’t ask further; he simply thanked him and found a spot to sit on the flatbed cart.
Zhang Xia mounted the horse and rode Zaozao beside the ox cart, curiously asking, "Master, my father often says you defy conventions, why is that?"
Seated on the cart, Mr. Wang casually asked, "The ’Analects’ mention that a gentleman is not a vessel, how would you interpret this?"
Chen Wenzong pondered for a moment, "Zhu Zi commented: A vessel has its specific use and cannot be interchanged. A virtuous person is versatile and thus can handle all matters comprehensively, not just excelling in one skill or art. Zhu Zi said that the eminent sage believed that those who govern need not specialize in a single skill but must be all-rounded."
Mr. Wang indifferently said, "But I think Zhu Zi is wrong. The eminent sage once described Guan Zhong as ’of small capacity’, referring to his narrow-mindedness and lack of generosity. Therefore, I believe what the eminent sage meant by ’a gentleman is not a vessel’ is that a gentleman should embrace the world and be open to all rivers."
Chen Wenzong opened his mouth, pondering how to counter-argue.
Riding on the horse, Zhang Xia said, "Both explanations seem reasonable, but I prefer your interpretation, Master. I think a gentleman need not know everything from astronomy to geography, but must possess magnanimity!"
Mr. Wang smiled and said, "The so-called defiance of the classics is merely my different understanding from the wise predecessors. What I intend to teach you is not to entirely accept my views but to observe the world yourselves and form your own opinions."
Prince Jing, seated at the front of the ox cart, laughed loudly without turning back, "This is precisely why one should travel far and wide. The civil servants of our Ning Dynasty nowadays like to debate behind closed doors, endlessly discussing, merely to find evidence in the words of the wise to support their views."