Jian Wu asked Lian Shu, saying, 'I heard Jie Yu talking words which were great, but had nothing corresponding to them (in reality); once gone, they could not be brought back. I was frightened by them; they were like the Milky Way which cannot be traced to its beginning or end. They had no connexion with one another, and were not akin to the experiences of men.' 'What were his words?' asked Lian Shu, and the other replied, (He said) that 'Far away on the hill of Gu Ye there dwelt a Spirit-like man whose flesh and skin were (smooth) as ice and (white) as snow; that his manner was elegant and delicate as that of a virgin; that he did not eat any of the five grains, but inhaled the wind and drank the dew; that he mounted on the clouds, drove along the flying dragons, rambling and enjoying himself beyond the four seas; that by the concentration of his spirit-like powers he could save men from disease and pestilence, and secure every year a plentiful harvest.' These words appeared to me wild and incoherent and I did not believe them. 'So it is,' said Lian Shu. 'The blind have no perception of the beauty of elegant figures, nor the deaf of the sound of bells and drums. And is it only the bodily senses of which deafness and blindness can be predicated? There is also a similar defect in the intelligence; and of this your words supply an illustration in yourself. That man, with those attributes, though all things were one mass of confusion, and he heard in that condition the whole world crying out to him to be rectified, would not have to address himself laboriously to the task, as if it were his business to rectify the world. Nothing could hurt that man; the greatest floods, reaching to the sky, could not drown him, nor would he feel the fervour of the greatest heats melting metals and stones till they flowed, and scorching all the ground and hills. From the dust and chaff of himself, he could still mould and fashion Yaos and Shuns - how should he be willing to occupy himself with things?' A man of Song, who dealt in the ceremonial caps (of Yin), went with them to Yue, the people of which cut off their hair and tattooed their bodies, so that they had no use for them. Yao ruled the people of the kingdom, and maintained a perfect government within the four seas. Having gone to see the four (Perfect) Ones on the distant hill of Gu Ye, when (he returned to his capital) on the south of the Fen water, his throne appeared no more to his deep-sunk oblivious eyes.
Lin Yutang (1942):
Chien Wu said to Lien Shu, "I heard Chieh Yu: talk on high and fine subjects endlessly. I was greatly startled at what he said, for his words seemed interminable as the Milky Way, but they are quite detached from our common human experience."
"What was it?" asked Lien Shu.
"He declared," replied Chien Wu, "that on the Miao-ku-yi mountain there lives a divine one, whose skin is white like ice or snow, whose grace and elegance are like those of a virgin, who eats no grain, but lives on air and dew, and who, riding on clouds with flying dragons for his team, roams beyond the limit's of the mortal regions. When his spirit gravitates, he can ward off corruption from all things, and bring good crops. That is why I call it nonsense, and do not believe it."
"Well," answered Lien Shu, "you don't ask a blind man's opinion of beautiful designs, nor do you invite a deaf man to a concert. And blindness and deafness are not physical only. There is blindness and deafness of the mind. His words are like the unspoiled virgin. The good influence of such a man with such a character fills all creation. Yet because a paltry generation cries for reform, you would have him busy himself about the details of an empire!
"Objective existences cannot harm. In a flood which reached the sky, he would not be drowned. In a drought, though metals ran liquid and mountains were scorched up, he would not be hot. Out of his very dust and siftings you might fashion two such men as Yao and Shun(6). And you would have him occupy himself with objectives!"
A man of the Sung State carried some ceremonial caps to the Yu:eh tribes for sale. But the men of Yu:eh used to cut off their hair and paint their bodies, so that they had no use for such things.
The Emperor Yao ruled all under heaven and governed the affairs of the entire country. After he paid a visit to the four sages of the Miao-ku-yi Mountain, he felt on his return to his capital at Fenyang that the empire existed for him no more.
Feng Youlan (1964):
Chien Wu said to Lien Shu: "I heard from Chieh Yu some utterances that were great but could not be justifi ed. Once stated, there is no end of his tale. I was greatly startled at what he said. It seemed to be as boundless as the Milky Way. It was very improbable and far removed from human experience."
"What did he say?" asked Lien Shu.
"He said," replied Chien Wu, "far away on the mountain of Ku Yi, there lived a spiritual man. His fl esh and skin were like ice and snow. His manner was elegant and graceful as that of a maiden. He did not eat any of the fi ve grains, but inhaled the wind and drank the dew." "He rode on clouds, drove along the fl ying dragons, and thus rambled beyond the four seas."
"His spirit is compact."
"'Yet he could save things from corruption and secure every year a plentiful harvest.' I thought all these sayings were nonsense and refused to believe in them."
"Yes," said Lien Shu, "the blind have nothing to do with beauty, nor the deaf with music. There are not only physical blindness and deafness, there are also the intellectual. Of the latter you yourself supply an illustration. That man, with those virtues, would embrace all things. According to him, everything in the world is longing for peace; why should there be some who address themselves laboriously to govern the empire?"
"That man, nothing can hurt. In a flood reaching the sky, he would not be drowned. In a drought, though metals ran liquid and mountains were scorched, he would not feel hot."
"Even his dust and siftings could still fashion and mold Yao and Shun. How should he will to occupy himself with things?"
A man of the Sung state carried some ceremonial caps to the Yueh state. But the men of Yueh used to cut off their hair and paint their body, so that they had no use of such things. Yao ruled the people of the empire and maintained a perfect government within the four seas. He went to see the four sages in the distant mountain of Ku Yi. On returning to his capital south of the Fen River, he silently forgot his empire.
Burton Watson (1968):
Jian Wu said to Lian Shu, "I was listening to Jie Yu's talk— big and nothing to back it up, going on and on without turning around. I was completely dumbfounded at his words —no more end than the Milky Way, wild and wide of the mark, never coming near human affairs!" "What were his words like?" asked Lian Shu. "He said that there is a Holy Man living on faraway Gushe Mountain, with skin like ice or snow and gentle andshy like a young girl. He doesn't eat the five grains but sucks the wind, drinks the dew, climbs up on the clouds and mist, rides a flying dragon, and wanders beyond the four seas. By concentrating his spirit, he can protect creatures from sickness and plague and make the harvest plentiful. I thought this all was insane and refused to believe it." "You would!" said Lian Shu. "We can't expect a blind man to appreciate beautiful patterns or a deaf man to listen to bells and drums. And blindness and deafness are not confined to the body alone—the understanding has them, too, as your words just now have shown. This man, with this virtue of his, is about to embrace the ten thousand things and roll them into one. Though the age calls for reform, why should he wear himself out over the affairs of the world? There is nothing that can harm this man. Though floodwaters pile up to the sky, he will not drown. Though a great drought melts metal and stone and scorches the earth and hills, he will not be burned. From his dust and leavings alone, you could mold a Yao or a Shun! Why should he consent to bother about mere things?" A man of Song who sold ceremonial hats made a trip to Yue, but the Yue people cut their hair short and tattooed their bodies and had no use for such things. Yao brought order to the people of the world and directed the government of all within the seas. But he went to see the Four Masters of the faraway Gushe Mountain, [and when he got home] north of the Fen River, he was dazed and had forgotten his kingdom there.