The Ultimate Deception: When Empty Form Pretends to Be True Substance

By / / authenticity, deceit, heaven, hypocrisy, ritual, substance, The Analects, truth, Zi Han IX, Zi Han IX Chapter 12, Zi Lu
Confucius rebuked Zi Lu: “Your deceit is long-standing! Having no ministers, you pretend to have them. Whom do I deceive? Heaven?”

Long has the conduct of You been deceitful! By pretending to have ministers when I have them not, whom should I impose upon? Should I impose upon Heaven?

久矣哉！由之行诈也，无臣而为有臣。吾谁欺？欺天乎？

Source: The Analects, Zi Han IX, Chapter 12

Author: Confucius

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