As a tribute to his eminent virtue. upon which the various feudal princes mourned for three years, They did not resign their fiefs at his example. and Shên T'u Ti had the river filled up. Fearing similar ill-advised acts. For names, see pp. 6, 72. "The _raison d'être_ of a fish-trap is the fish. When the fish is caught, the trap may be ignored. The _raison d'être_ of a rabbit-snare is the rabbit. When the rabbit is caught the snare may be ignored. The _raison d'être_ of language is an idea to be expressed. When the idea is expressed, the language may be ignored. But where shall I find a man to ignore language, with whom I may be able to converse?" CHAPTER XXVII. LANGUAGE. _Argument_:--Speech, natural and artificial--Natural speech in harmony with the divine--Destiny--The ultimate cause--Purification of the soul--Illustrations. Of language put into other people's mouths, nine tenths will succeed. Of language based upon weighty authority, seven tenths. But language which flows constantly over, as from a full goblet, is in accord with God. The natural overflowings of the heart. When language is put into other people's mouths, outside support is sought. Just as a father does not negotiate his son's marriage; for any praise he could bestow would not have the same value as praise by an outsider. Thus, the fault is not mine, but that of others. Who will not believe the original speaker. To that which agrees with our own opinions we assent; from that which does not we dissent. We regard that which agrees with our own opinion as right. We regard that which differs from our opinion as wrong. Language based on weighty authority is used to bar further argument. The authorities are our superiors, our elders in years. But if they lack the requisite knowledge and experience, being our superiors only in the sense of age, then they are not our superiors. And if men are not the superiors of their fellows, no one troubles about them. And those about whom no one troubles are merely stale. Language which flows constantly over, as from a full goblet, is in accord with God. Embracing both positive and negative in ONE. Because it spreads out on all sides, it endures for all time. Without language, contraries are identical. The identity is not identical with its expression: the expression is not identical with its identity. Therefore it has been said, Language not expressed in language is not language. Constantly spoken, it is as though not spoken. Constantly unspoken, it is not as though not spoken. From the subjective point of view, there are possibilities and impossibilities, there are suitabilities and unsuitabilities. This results from the natural affinity of things for what they are and their natural antagonism to what they are not. For all things have their own particular constitutions and potentialities. Nothing can exist without these. See p. 19.