________________
BOOK II. THE THAN KUNG.
SECTION I. Part I.
1. At the mourning rites for Kung-1 Kung-gze, Than Kung (was there), wearing the mourning cincture for the head. Kung-gze had passed over his grandson, and appointed one of his (younger) sons as his successor (and head of the family). Than Kung said (to himself), “How is this? I never heard of such a thing ;' and he hurried to 3ze-fd Po-zze at the right of the door, and said, • How is it that Kung-sze passed over his grandson, and made a (younger) son his successor ?' Po-zze replied, 'Kung-gze perhaps has done in this, like others, according to the way of antiquity. Anciently, king Wăn passed over his eldest son
Yi-khâo, and appointed king Wa; and the count • of Wei passed over his grandson Tun, and made
Yen, his (own) younger brother, his successor. Kung-zze perhaps did also in this according to the way of antiquity.' 3ze-yd asked Confucius (about the matter), and he said, “Nay, (the rule is to) appoint the grandson?.'
On the name and divisions of this Book, see the Introduction, pp. 17, 18.
1 Important as showing the rule of succession to position and property. We must suppose that the younger son, who had been made the head of the family, was by a different mother, and one whose position was inferior to that of the son, the proper heir who was dead. Of course the succession should have descended
Digitized by Google
