Disciples of Confucius - Less Known Disciples

Less Known Disciples

Sima Qian here observes: 'Of the thirty-five disciples which precede, we have some details. Their age and other particulars are found in the Books and Records. It is not so, however, in regard to the fifty-two which follow.'

36. Ran Ji, styled Zi-chan (冉季, 子產 ), a native of Lu, whose place is the 11th, west, next to Bo Qian.

37. Gongzu Gouzi or simply Zi, styled Zi-zhi (公祖勾茲, 子之), a native of Lu. His tablet is the 23rd, east, in the outer court.

38. Qin Zu, styled Zi-nan (秦祖, 子南), a native of Qin. His tablet precedes that of the last, two places.

39. Qidiao Chi, styled Zi-lian (漆雕哆, 子斂), a native of Lu. His tablet is the 13th, west.

40. Yan Gao, styled Zi-jiao (顏高, 子驕). According to the 'Narratives of the School,' he was the same as Yan Ke (刻, or 剋), who drove the carriage when Confucius rode in Wei after the duke and Nan-zi. But this seems doubtful. Other authorities make his name Chan (產), and style him Zi-jing (子精). His tablet is the 13th, east.

41. Qidiao Dufu, styled Zi-you, Zi-qi and Zi-wen (漆雕徒父, 子有, 子期 and 子文), a native of Lu, whose tablet precedes that of Qidiao Chi.

42. Zeng Sichi, styled Zi-tu, or Zi-cong (壤 駟赤, 子徒, or 子從), a native of Qin. Some consider Zengsi (壤駟) to be a double surname. His tablet comes after that of No. 40.

43. Shang Zhai, styled Zi-ji and Zi-xiu (商澤, 子季 and 子秀), a native of Lu. His tablet is immediately after that of Fan Xu, No. 26.

44. Shi Zuo -shu, styled Zi-ming (石作 蜀, 子明). Some take Shizuo (石作) as a double surname. His tablet follows that of No. 42.

45. Ren Buji, styled Xuan (任不齊, 選), a native of Chu, whose tablet is next to that of No. 28.

46. Gongliang Ru, styled Zi-zheng (公良孺, 子正), a native of Qin, follows the preceding in the temples. The 'Sacrificial Canon' says:-- 'Zi-zheng was a man of worth and bravery. When Confucius was surrounded and stopped in Pu, Zi-zheng fought so desperately, that the people of Pu were afraid, and let the Master go, on his swearing that he would not proceed to Wei.'

47. Hou Chu, styled Zi-li (后 處, 子里 ), a native of Qi, having his tablet the 17th, east.

48. Qin Ran, styled Kai (秦冉, 開), a native of Cai. He is not given in the list of the 'Narratives of the School,' and on this account his tablet was put out of the temples in the ninth year of Jiajing. It was restored, however, in the second year of Yongzhang, AD 1724, and is the 33rd, east, in the outer court.

49. Gongxia Shou, styled Sheng or Zi-sheng (公夏首, 乘 or 子乘), a native of Lu, whose tablet is next to that of No. 44.

50. Xi Yongdian, styled Zi-xi (系容蒧, 子皙 ), a native of Wei, having his tablet the 18th, east.

51. Gong Jianding, styled Zi-zhong (公肩 定, 子仲 ). His nativity is assigned to Lu, to Wei, and to Jin (晉). He follows No. 46.

52. Yan Zu, styled Xiang and Zi-xiang (顏祖, 襄 and 子襄), a native of Lu, with his tablet following that of No. 50.

53. Jiao dan, styled Zi-jia (鄡 單, 子家), a native of Lu. His place is next to that of No. 51.

54. Zhu Jing-qiang, styled Zi-qiang (句 井疆, 子疆 ), a native of Wei, following No. 52.

55. Han -fu Hei, styled Zi-hei (罕 父黑, 子黑 ), a native of Lu, whose tablet is next to that of No. 53.

56. Qin Shang, styled Zi-pei (秦商, 子丕 ), a native of Lu, or, according to Zhang Xuan, of Chu. He was forty years younger than Confucius. One authority, however, says he was only four years younger, and that his father and Confucius's father were both celebrated for their strength. His tablet is the 12th, east.

57. Shen Dang, styled Zhou (申黨, 周). In the 'Narratives of the School' there is a Shen Ji, styled Zi-zhou (申續, 子周). The name is given by others as Tang (堂 and 儻) and Zu (續), with the designation Zi-zu (子續). These are probably the same person mentioned in the Analects as Shen Chang (申棖). Prior to the Ming dynasty they were sacrificed to as two, but in AD 1530, the name dang was expunged from the sacrificial list, and only that of Chang left. His tablet is the 31st, east.

58. Yan Zhipo, styled Zi-shu (顏之僕, 子叔 ), a native of Lu, who occupies the 29th place, east.

59. Yong Qi, styled Zi-qi (榮旂, 子旗 or 子祺 ), a native of Lu, whose tablet is the 20th, west.

60. Xian Chang, styled Zi-qi (縣成, 子棋 ), a native of Lu. His place is the 22nd, east.

61. Zuo Renying, styled Xing and Zi-xing (左人郢, 行 and 子行), a native of Lu. His tablet follows that of No. 59.

62. Yan Zhi, styled En (燕伋, 恩 ) a native of Qin. His tablet is the 24th east.

63: Zhang Guo, styled Zi-tu (鄭國, 子徒), a native of Lu. This is understood to be the same with the Xue Bang, styled Zi-cong (薛邦, 子從), of the 'Narratives of the School.' His tablet follows No. 61.

64. Qin Fei, styled Zi-zhi (秦非, 子之), a native of Lu, having his tablet the 31st, west.

65. Shi Zhichang, styled Zi-hang (施之常, 子恆 ), a native of Lu. His tablet is the 30th, east.

66. Yan Kuai, styled Zi-sheng (顏噲, 子聲), a native of Lu. His tablet is the next to that of No. 64.

67. Bu Shusheng, styled Zi-che (步叔乘, 子車), a native of Qi. Sometimes for Bu (步) we find Shao (少). His tablet is the 30th, west.

68. Yuan Kang, styled Zi-ji (原亢, 子籍), a native of Lu. Sima Qian calls him Yuan Kang-ji, not mentioning any designation. The 'Narratives of the School' makes him Yuan Kang (抗), styled Ji. His tablet is the 23rd, west.

69. Yue Ke, styled Zi-sheng (樂欬, 子聲), a native of Lu. His tablet is the 25th, east.

70. Lian Jie, styled Yong and Zi-yung (廉潔, 庸 and 子庸 ), a native of Wei, or of Qi. His tablet is next to that of No. 68.

71. Shuzhung Hui, styled Zi-qi (叔仲會, 子期), a native of Lu, or, according to Zhang Xuan, of Jin. He was younger than Confucius by fifty-four years. It is said that he and another youth, called Kong Xuan (孔琁), attended by turns with their pencils, and acted as amanuenses to the sage, and when Mang Wubo expressed a doubt of their competency, Confucius declared his satisfaction with them. He follows Lian Jie in the temples.

72. Yan He, styled Ran (顏何, 冉), a native of Lu. The present copies of the 'Narratives of the School' do not contain his name, and in AD 1588 Ran was displaced from his place in the temples. His tablet, however, has been restored during the Qing. It is the 33rd, west.

73. Di Hei, styled Zhe (狄黑, 晢 ), a native of Wei, or of Lu. His tablet is the 26th, east.

74. Kui Sun, styled Zi-lian (□ (kui1 刲左邦右) 巽, 子歛 ), a native of Lu. His tablet is the 27th, west.

75. Kong Zhong, styled Zi-mie (孔忠, 子蔑). This was the son, it is said, of Confucius's elder brother, the cripple Mang-pi. His tablet is next to that of No. 73. His sacrificial title is 'The ancient Worthy, the philosopher Mie.'

76. Gongxi Yuru, styled Zi-shang (公西輿如, 子上), a native of Lu. His place is the 26th, west.

77. Gongxi Dian, styled Zi-shang (公西蒧, 子上 ), a native of Lu. His tablet is the 28th, east.

78. Qin Zhang, styled Zi-kai (琴張, 子開), a native of Wei. His tablet is the 29th, west.

79. Chan Kang, styled Zi-kang (陳亢, 子亢 ), a native of Ch'an.

80. Xian Dan, styled Zi-xiang (縣亶, 子象), a native of Lu. Some suppose that this is the same as No. 53. The advisers of the Qing dynasty in such matters, however, have considered them to be different, and in 1724, a tablet was assigned to Xian Dan, the 34th, west.

The three preceding names are given in the 'Narratives of the School.'