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192
THE TEXTS OF TÂOISM.
BK. XXXI.
BOOK XXXI. Part III. Section IX.
Yü-fd, or “The Old Fisherman?' Confucius,rambling in the forest of Zze-wei?, stopped and sat down by the Apricot altar. The disciples began to read their books, while he proceeded to play on his lute, singing as he did so. He had not half finished his ditty when an old fisherman stepped
1 See vol. xxxix, p. 159.
2 A forest or grove in the neighbourhood of the capital of Lů. Zze-wei means black silken curtains ;' and I do not know why the forest was so denominated. That I have correctly determined its position, however, may be inferred from a quotation in the Khang-hsî dictionary under the character thân (='altar') to the effect that Confucius, leaving (the capital of) Lû by the eastern gate, on passing the old apricot altar, said, “This is the altar reared by Zang Wăn-kung to solemnise covenants."' Dr. Morrison under the same thân defines the second phrase-hsing thân-ás. The place where Confucius taught,' which Dr. Williams, under hsing, has amplified into - The place where Confucius had his school. But the text does not justify so definite a conclusion. The picture which the Book raises before my mind is that of a forest, with a row or clump of apricot trees, along which was a terrace, having on it the altar of Zang Wăn-kung, and with a lake or at least a stream near to it, to which the ground sloped down. Here the writer introduces us to the sage and some of his disciples, on one occasion, when they were attracted from their books and music by the appearance of the old fisherman. I visited in 1873, not far from the Confucian cemetery, a ruined building caled 'the College of Ka-Sze,' which was pointed out as the site of the School of Confucius. The place would suit all the demands of the situation in this Book.
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