This line is in a chapter that draws a connection between the underlying principles of nature and the ruler’s ability to effectively manage their kingdom. The meaning of this line is that nature’s fiercest creatures are adapted to live in certain places and that they must be in those places in order to use their strength. The lesson to be drawn is that talented individuals must be given work that is well suited to their strengths, otherwise their talents will go to waste.
This article contains a translation of a passage from the Garden of Stories and an examination of the symbolism it contains.
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This is the second of a two part series about confucian ideas in the Garden of Stories. In my previous post I translated a passage about famous rulers from the Warring States period who demonstrated wisdom through three different fears. In this post I present passage where a famous advisor and diplomat, Yan Ying, gives the duke of Qi a lesson about omens.
齊景公出獵，上山見虎，下澤見蛇，歸召晏子而問之曰：「今日寡人出獵，上山則見虎，下澤則見蛇，殆所謂之不祥也。」晏子曰：「國有三不祥，是不與焉，夫有賢而不知，一不祥；知而不用，二不祥；用而不任，三不祥也；所謂不祥乃若此者也。今山上見虎，虎之室也，下澤見蛇，蛇之穴也，如虎之室，如蛇之穴而見之，曷為不祥也。
One day duke Jing of Qi went out hunting. He saw a tiger when he was up in the mountains and he saw a snake when he was down in the swamp. Upon his return he called upon master Yan and said to him:
“Today I went out hunting. On the mountain I saw a tiger and in the swamp I saw a snake. Should I consider this a bad omen?”
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