Chi Tsze-zan asked whether Ch...
Chi Tsze-zan asked whether Chung Yu and Zan
Ch'iu could be called great ministers.
The Master said, 'I thought you would ask about some
extraordinary individuals, and you only ask about Yu and Ch'iu!
'What is called a great minister, is one who serves his
prince according to what is right, and when he finds he cannot do
so, retires.
'Now, as to Yu and Ch'iu, they may be called ordinary
ministers.'
Tsze-zan said, 'Then they will always follow their chief;—
will they?'
The Master said, 'In an act of parricide or regicide, they
would not follow him.'
