Thursday, October 23, 2008

"The most famous legend of ancient China concerning eremitism is the story of the brothers Po I and Shuh Chi, sons of Wu, ruler of Gu-zhu. The father Wu favored Shih Chi to succeed him. But Shuh Chi was the younger of the two and refused to steal the privilege from his older brother. The older brother, on the other hand, could not refuse his father's wishes. To resolve their moral dilemma, the brothers fled the province, reclusing themselves in the Shou Yang mountains, where they starved to death rather than return to their father's authority."

Unless you're Kant or Confucius you'd find this "dilemma" ridiculous.

I was actually looking for the example of the official whose father committed a crime, and he resigned his commission and helped his father escape the kingdom, but this is even better.
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