On listening to his playing, Kongzi exclaimed, “It’s a fact!
You [Zilu] indeed lacks the proper stuff!” Ran Qiu114 was just then in attendance.
“Qiu, come here,” said Kongzi.
“Why don’t you speak to You [Zilu] as follows: ‘When the sages established musical tones, please note, they regarded the production of “sounds of the center” as being in accord with moderation. When music spread to the south, it didn’t return to the north.
The south is a land where all things grow abundantly; the north is a region of death and slaughter.
Thus, a man of quality holds fast to the center and places weight upon life as the basis of all things.
Thus, the sounds he makes are mild and remain in the middle so as to image forth life-generating qi.
He doesn’t afflict his heart with sorrow and pain; nor does he play host to violent or abandoned actions.
This is because practices that support survival lead as well to peace and happiness.
Men of petty attainments are not like this.
They hold fast to secondary things, treating them as if they were of primary importance and endeavor to be hard, as if it were the foundation of all else.
Thus, the sounds they make are harsh and thin, giving image to death and slaughter.
He doesn’t soothe his heart with harmonious and acquiescent feelings and doesn’t play host to mild and reverent actions.
Killing, let us note, is a practice conducive to disorder and destruction; it is the way of defeat.