During his travels through various states, Confucius greatly admired King Zhao of Chu, considering him a wise and enlightened ruler who followed good advice and was not superstitious about ghosts and spirits, thus resolving to go to Chu. At that time, King Zhao of Chu also sent envoys to invite Confucius to assist him, intending to grant Confucius a fief of seven hundred square li (approximately 175 square miles) of land with its associated communities. To go from the State of Chen to the State of Chu, Confucius had to pass through the State of Cai. The roads were filled with refugees, and at night Confucius and his followers camped in the wilderness. When they reached Shangcai, a group of Wu soldiers attacked them, nearly seizing all their grain. In the following days, enduring hunger and hardship, Confucius’s party struggled through the wilderness of Chen and Cai. Then they were surrounded by others. It turned out that the high ministers of Chen and Cai, having heard of King Zhao of Chu’s intention to employ Confucius, feared that if Confucius assisted the Chu king, Chu would become even stronger, endangering their own positions as officials in Chen and Cai. It seems that the rulers of Chen and Cai were not blind to worthiness; rather, driven by selfish desires and interests, they dared not allow a worthy person to rise. They jointly mobilized troops, trapping Confucius and his disciples in the wilderness, intending to starve them to death.
Confucius and his entourage could not continue their journey, and the dry rations they carried were almost gone. After being besieged for several days, the food was quickly depleted, and they relied entirely on wild vegetables and fruits to stave off hunger. For seven straight days, none of them had a single grain of rice to eat, one after another becoming so dizzy with hunger that some were utterly exhausted and unable to stand.
However, even in such a perilous and difficult environment, Confucius still persisted in lecturing, studying, reciting, and playing the zither and singing, tirelessly teaching his disciples the Classic of Poetry, Book of Documents, Li (Ritual Propriety), and Music. This was likely one of the most arduous and dangerous experiences in the lives of Confucius and his disciples, yet their teacher remained completely at ease, causing the disciples to harbor doubts. Zi Lu (a straightforward and candid disciple), who always spoke his mind, stepped forward again. He came to Confucius angrily and asked indignantly, "Does the Junzi (Exemplary Person) also face times of hardship?"
Confucius replied calmly and deliberately: “A Junzi (Exemplary Person) remains composed and unwavering even in adversity; a Xiaoren (Petty Person), when reduced to dire straits, loses composure, becomes irritable, and abandons principles.”
Zi Lu's (a bold and outspoken disciple) questioning made Confucius realize that many of his disciples harbored discontent in their hearts, and this mood could not be allowed to persist—it had to be resolved.
Since Zi Lu (the disciple known for his courage and impulsiveness) was the first to speak, Confucius called him over first and asked: "The Classic of Poetry says: 'Neither rhinoceros nor tiger, yet we roam the barren wilds — what has brought us to this?' Is the Dao (The Way) of Ren (Benevolence) we have always upheld wrong? Have we erred in word or deed, that we now find ourselves besieged like this?"
Zi Lu (a bold and straightforward disciple of Confucius) said, "I suspect that perhaps we have not yet truly attained the state of Ren (Benevolence), which is why others do not trust us; perhaps we have also not truly attained the state of Zhi (Wisdom), which is why others are unwilling to put our teachings into practice."
Confucius was extremely dissatisfied with this response and said, "Is that the reason? Zhong You (Zi Lu, a disciple), do you think that a person with Ren (Benevolence) will surely gain trust? Then how could it be that Bo Yi and Shu Qi (two sons of the Lord of Guzhu who starved to death rather than eat the grain of Zhou) died of hunger on Shouyang Mountain after refusing to eat the grain of Zhou? If one is wise, will their ideas and principles necessarily prevail? Then how could it be that Prince Bi Gan (a virtuous minister of Shang) suffered the calamity of having his heart cut out? Therefore, a person with Ren (Benevolence) will never change their moral integrity due to temporary hardship." In Confucius's view, Bo Yi and Shu Qi "sought Ren (Benevolence) and attained it," so they could be called Ren, and Prince Bi Gan could foresee the cruel fate of King Zhou of Shang, so he could be called Zhi (Wisdom), yet none of them achieved their ambitions, because Xin (Trustworthiness) and Ren (Benevolence) also depend on timing and conditions.
After Zi Lu went out, Zi Gong (a wealthy and eloquent disciple of Confucius) entered for an audience. Confucius asked him the same question once again.
Zi Gong (a wealthy merchant and eloquent disciple of Confucius) replied: "Master, your doctrine of Ren (Benevolence) is too grand, and thus no state in the world can accommodate you. Could you perhaps lower your standards a little?" Zi Gong believed that Confucius's Way was not wrong, but was so vast and difficult to reach that it was not accepted by others. Therefore, he advised Confucius to modestly reduce it, so that his Way could become practical and easy to practice.
Zi Gong's answer was somewhat closer to Confucius's thinking compared to Zi Lu's, but it still had significant discrepancies, so Confucius remained unsatisfied, saying: "Ci, you must understand that an excellent farmer is skilled in sowing and cultivating, but cannot guarantee a bountiful harvest; an excellent craftsman possesses superb skills, but cannot cater to everyone's demands. Similarly, a Junzi (Exemplary Person) can elucidate his teachings and promote them, use laws and regulations to govern the state, and employ his political doctrines to manage subjects, but cannot ensure that the world will accept him. Now, instead of thinking about how to illuminate the doctrines you have consistently upheld, you seek only to be accepted by others. Ci, your aspirations and vision are not far-reaching enough."
After Zi Gong left, Yan Hui (Confucius's most beloved disciple) entered, and Confucius asked him the same question again. Yan Hui also believed that Confucius's Way was supremely great, having reached the highest realm, and thus was not accepted by the world. However, unlike Zi Gong, he did not advise Confucius to diminish his Way, but instead advocated persisting in promoting it. He said: "That others do not accept it is their affair. If our teachings were not sufficiently refined and clear, that would be our shame. If our teachings are already refined and they are not employed, that is the shame of the rulers of the states. When correct teachings are not accepted by others, yet one still persists in them, this all the more reveals the true character of the Junzi (Exemplary Person)!"
Yan Hui (Confucius's most beloved disciple) truly lived up to his reputation as Confucius's favorite student, for this passage captures Confucius's persistent spirit of "knowing it is impossible yet still doing it." Moreover, at a time of great difficulty, having a disciple like Yan Hui who firmly believed in his Dao (The Way) brought Confucius immense comfort, leading him to praise Yan Hui, saying: "Yan Hui, if you possessed great wealth, I would serve as your steward." By willingly offering to be Yan Hui's household manager, Confucius expressed his profound admiration for him.
During Confucius's most difficult years, his disciples remained steadfastly by his side, never abandoning him, and among them were many outstanding individuals. On one hand, this was certainly due to their deep affection for their teacher; on the other hand, it was the influence and inspiration of Confucius's personal charisma.
On the seventh day of being besieged, the high official Ye Gong (Duke of She, a regional lord of Chu State) heard that Confucius was trapped and led troops to rescue him. After defeating the soldiers who had surrounded Confucius and his disciples, he escorted them safely through Cai State to Fuhan (in present-day Xinyang County, Henan Province) in Chu State.