Analects 11:10

Confucius said

When Yen Yuan died, his disciples wished to give him a grand burial.

Confucius said, “That should not be done.”

The disciples did give him a grand burial.

Confucius said, “Hui treated me as his father, and I have not been able to treat him as my son. But this is not because of me—it is because of those gentlemen.”

When Yen Yuan died, the disciples wished to give him a great funeral, and the Master said, “You may not do so.”

The disciples did bury him in great style.

The Master said, “Hui behaved towards me as his father. I have not been able to treat him as my son. The fault is not mine; it belongs to you, O disciples.” L

On the death of Yen Yuan, the disciples wanted to give him a sumptuous funeral, but the Master said, “Better not.”

Nevertheless, the disciples did give him a sumptuous funeral, whereupon the Master said: “Hui looked upon me as his father, yet I have not been able to treat him as my son. The fault is not in me, but in you, my disciples.” G 102

Commentary

Though grand burials were the custom, Confucius wanted to prevent such a burial of his disciple Yen Hui.

Such a burial would certainly not be yi in this situation—it would involve the wasteful expenditure of a great deal of money, time, and resources, and would prioritize the dead over the living.

Confucius took it upon himself to do what he had the duty to do in this case, by explicitly voicing that he was against it.

But after not being obeyed, he did not take any further personal responsibility for the matter, and engage in efforts to influence others that fell outside of his personal duty.