Confucius’s disappointment with Ran Qiu
Confucius had a contentious relationship with his follower Ran Qiu, who remained in Lu after Confucius went into exile in 497 BCE and became a trusted advisor to Ji Kangzi, the chief minister and head of the Ji Family, which had usurped power from the ducal house. In this role, Ran Qiu not only revitalized the local economy but also, no doubt by a fortuitous coincidence, amassed considerable wealth for himself and Ji Kangzi.
Despite Ran Qiu’s efforts in persuading Ji Kangzi to allow Confucius to return to Lu in 484 BCE, Confucius never truly forgave him for serving under a man he considered an illegitimate ruler. This tension is evident in Chapter 14 of Book 13 of the Analects, where Confucius probes into whether Ran Qiu was involved in public or private matters at court:
When Ran Qiu returned from court, Confucius said: “What kept you so long?” Ran Qiu replied: “Government affairs.” Confucius said: “Surely you mean private affairs. If it had been government affairs, I would have heard about them, even though I’m not in office.”
冉子退朝,子曰:「何晏也?」對曰:「有政。」子曰:「其事也!如有政,雖不吾以,吾其與聞之!」
The most likely answer of course was that, like many a politician before and after him, Ran Qiu was discussing both.
Note
After returning to Lu, Confucius served as a senior advisor to the court but wielded no formal power or authority. His exasperated tone in this passage conveys his frustration and disillusionment at being sidelined in political matters despite his distinguished status.
Related Links
Leadership Lessons from Confucius: conflicts of interest
The Analects of Confucius Book 13 New English Translation