The Distinguished Man
Tzu Chung asked: What must a man do in order to be considered, distinguished?
The Master said: What do you mean by the term, distinguished?
Tzu Chung replied: I mean one whose fame fills both his own private circle and the state at large.
The master said: That is notoriety, not distinction. The man of true distinction is simple, honest, and a lover of justice and duty. He weighs men’s words and observes the expression of their faces. He is anxious to put himself below others. Such a one is truly distinguished in his private and his public life.
As to the man who is merely much talked about, he puts on an appearance of charity and benevolence, but his actions belie it. He is self-satisfied and has no misgivings. Neither in private nor in public life does he achieve more than notoriety.
Fin
