Music and ceremonies are important factors in the Confucian system of government. Were the natural integrity of things left unharmed, who could make sacrificial vessels? Were white jade left unbroken, who could make the regalia of courts? Were Tao not abandoned, who could introduce charity and duty to one's neighbour? Were man's natural instincts his guide, what need would there be for music and ceremonies? Were the five colours not confused, who would practise decoration? Were the five notes not confused, who would adopt the six pitch-pipes? See chs. viii and x. Destruction of the natural integrity of things, in order to produce articles of various kinds,--this is the fault of the artisan. Annihilation of TAO in order to practise charity and duty to one's neighbour,--this is the error of the Sage. Horses live on dry land, eat grass and drink water. When pleased, they rub their necks together. When angry, they turn around and kick up their heels at each other. Thus far only do their natural dispositions carry them. But bridled and bitted, with a plate of metal on their foreheads, they learn to cast vicious looks, to turn the head to bite, to resist, to get the bit out of the mouth or the bridle into it. And thus their natures become depraved,--the fault of Poh Loh. * * * * * In the days of Ho Hsü A legendary ruler of old. the people did nothing in particular when at rest, and went nowhere in particular when they moved. Having food, they rejoiced; having full bellies, they strolled about. Such were the capacities of the people. But when the Sages came to worry them with ceremonies and music in order to rectify the form of government, and dangled charity and duty to one's neighbour before them in order to satisfy their hearts,--then the people began to develop a taste for knowledge and to struggle one with the other in their desire for gain. This was the error of the Sages. The simplicity of style, and general intelligibility of this chapter have raised doubts as to its genuineness. But as Lin Hsi Chung justly observes, its sympathetic tone in relation to dumb animals, stamps it, in spite of an undue proportion of word to thought, as beyond reach of the forger's art. CHAPTER X. OPENING TRUNKS. _Argument_:--All restrictions artificial, and therefore deceptive--Only by shaking off such fetters, and reverting to the natural, can man hope to attain. The precautions taken against thieves who open trunks, search bags, or ransack tills, consist of securing with cords and fastening with bolts and locks. This is what the world calls wit. But a strong thief comes who carries off the till on his shoulders, with box and bag to boot. And his only fear is that the cords and locks should not be strong enough! Therefore, what the world calls wit, simply amounts to assistance given to the strong thief.