Zengzi and "Not Entering Shengmu's Village": The Ethical Symbol of Zengzi in the Hanshu

Brief Introduction

Zengzi (Zeng Shen), named Shen and styled Ziyu, was a native of the State of Lu at the end of the Spring and Autumn period. He was one of the disciples of Confucius who most faithfully inherited the true teachings of the Master and was later venerated as the "Sage of Lineage" (Zongsheng), ranking as one of the Four Sages of Confucianism (Confucius, Mencius, Zengzi, and Yanzi). In the Hanshu (Book of Han), Zengzi does not appear in an independent biographical chapter; instead, he emerges as a crucial link in the orthodox lineage of Confucianism, frequently cited in the "Biographies of the Scholars of Confucianism" (Rulin Zhuan), the "Biographical Summary of Books" (Yiwen Zhi), and imperial chronicles commenting on classical studies. His most famous behavioral paradigms—such as "Confucius said: Shen is devoted. Zengzi said: This is what the Master referred to," "Zengzi rising from his seat to show respect," and "When Zengzi entered Shengmu's village, he was sure to turn his carriage around and not enter"—became core cases for Han-dynasty scholars interpreting "filial piety" (xiao), "ritual propriety" (li), and the debate on "name and reality" (ming-shi zhi bian).

Core Knowledge Points

1. The Ethical Implications of "Not Entering Shengmu's Village"

According to the Hanshu and its annotations, Zengzi's mother was named "Shengmu" (some argue it was the name of a place, "Shengmu Village," that required avoidance due to the taboo on his mother's name). When Zengzi traveled to this area, he would invariably alter his route to avoid it, never stepping inside. While this behavior superficially represents a taboo practice, its deeper implication is the extreme expression of "revering one's mother above all," reflecting how "filial piety," as the highest virtue, imposes absolute constraints on everyday actions.

2. Zengzi's Status in Han Confucianism

The Hanshu · Yiwen Zhi lists eleven chapters of the Zengzi (seven of which survive today), placing them alongside the Classic of Filial Piety (Xiao Jing) and the Analects as "commentaries on the Classics." Zengzi emphasized "vigilance when alone" (shendu), "examining oneself three times a day," and living with "constant caution." His focus on moral practice rather than metaphysical construction aligned with the Han-dynasty political need to "govern the realm through filial piety."

3. Zengzi as a Link in the Lineage from Confucius to Mencius

The Hanshu repeatedly positions Zengzi as a key intermediary between Confucius and Mencius. For instance, the "orthodox transmission" (daotong) of "Confucius—Zengzi—Zisi—Mencius," implicitly confirmed in the preface to the Hanshu · Yiwen Zhi, established Zengzi as the pivotal figure converting Confucian "psyche and nature theory" into "practical ethics."

Relationship to the Content of the Hanshu

Although records of Zengzi are scattered throughout the Hanshu, they form a rigorous network of classical scholarship:

• Hanshu · Table of Ancient and Modern Personalities: Zengzi is classified as "Upper Middle," placed alongside Confucius ("Top Upper") and Mencius ("Upper Middle"), reflecting Ban Gu's hierarchical categorization of Confucian scholars.
• Hanshu · Biographical Summary of Books: It includes the eleven chapters of the Zengzi, cross-referencing the Classic of Filial Piety to reinforce the official ideology that "filial piety is the head of all virtues."
• Hanshu · Biographies of the Scholars of Confucianism: Although Zengzi does not have a separate biography, his authority in Han political discourse is indirectly highlighted through the citation of classics by Confucian officials such as Gongsun Hong and Xiao Wangzhi.

Zengzi's act of "not entering Shengmu's village" is viewed in the context of the Hanshu not merely as personal moral fastidiousness but as a ritual exemplar of "name and reality corresponding"—where place names are tabooed because of a person, and people act according to ritual. This represents the extension of the Confucian "rectification of names" concept into spatial practice. Consequently, this anecdote has become a typical symbol for interpreting the interaction between Han classical studies, filial governance, and ritual systems, possessing high cultural retrieval value.