Yang Hu’s Gift of a Pig
In the thirty-second year of Duke Zhao of Lu (510 BCE), the exiled duke fell ill and died at Qianhou in the state of Jin. At that time, Ji Pingzi, who was in power in Lu, installed Duke Zhao’s younger brother as the new ruler, known as Duke Ding of Lu. In the fifth year of Duke Ding’s reign (505 BCE), Ji Pingzi passed away, and his son, Ji Sunsi, inherited the position of prime minister, becoming known as Ji Huanzi. Yang Hu, a retainer of the Ji family, had once denied the 17-year-old Confucius entry to a banquet at the Ji residence. Thirty years later, the power of the Ji family, a hereditary minister clan, had fallen into Yang Hu’s hands, exemplifying what Confucius described as “retainers holding the fate of the state.” Yang Hu imprisoned Ji Huanzi and released him only after coercing him into submission.
At the time, Confucius was also facing setbacks in the state of Qi and decided to return to Lu. By then, Confucius had gained considerable renown and attracted even more disciples, with many traveling from distant places to study under him. Eager to win Confucius over to consolidate and enhance his own position, Yang Hu repeatedly sought an audience with him, but Confucius deliberately avoided meeting him. Left with no other option, Yang Hu devised a plan to exploit the prevailing customs of the time to force a meeting. According to tradition, if a senior official sent a gift to a scholar-official who was not home to receive it in person, the scholar-official was obliged to visit the official’s home to express his gratitude. Thus, Yang Hu took advantage of Confucius’s absence to send him a roasted suckling pig, thereby compelling Confucius to come to his home to thank him.
Confucius, aware of Yang Hu’s intentions, waited for a time when Yang Hu was not home to pay his visit. Unexpectedly, he encountered Yang Hu on his way back. Yang Hu said to Confucius, “Come, let me speak with you.” Confucius remained silent. Yang Hu continued, “Can a person be considered benevolent if they possess virtue and talent yet allow the affairs of the state to fall into disarray?” Without waiting for Confucius to answer, he added, “Surely, such a person cannot be called benevolent! Can a person be considered wise if they desire to serve in office yet repeatedly miss their opportunities? Surely, they cannot be called wise! Time passes day by day, and the years wait for no one!” Only then did Confucius reply, “I do intend to take office.”
However, Confucius ultimately adhered to his principles and convictions, believing that “in a state with moral order, it is a disgrace to be poor and humble; in a state without moral order, it is equally a disgrace to be wealthy and noble.” He famously said, “Wealth and honour attained through unrighteousness are to me as fleeting clouds.” Since Lu was then governed by treacherous officials, Confucius refrained from taking office under Yang Hu’s rule.
Later, Zigong asked him, “Suppose there is a precious piece of jade here. Should it be stored away in a cabinet, or should it be sold to a merchant who recognises its value?” Understanding the metaphor in Zigong’s words—whether a person of virtue and talent should live in seclusion or serve in office to realise their potential —Confucius immediately replied, “Sell it! Sell it! I am waiting for the right buyer who offers a high price.” This exchange reveals Confucius’s enduring desire to realise his aspirations, provided he could find a ruler with the discernment to recognise his worth.
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