¹Sangjenim declared, “Although Shun is said to have exemplified the finest of filial piety, in truth he exemplified impiety most extreme.²He brought the name of his father, Gaosu, into such disrepute that people have spoken ill of Gaosu for over four thousand years. So how could Shun not be filled with deep grief?³The reigns of Yao and Shun have been celebrated as exemplars of virtuous rule, but the nine-year flood was caused by the tears of the people.⁴Yao seized his kingdom through force, and the institution of punishment began with Shun.”

⁵On another occasion, Sangjenim revealed, “For over four thousand years, it has been said that Yao’s son, Danzhu, was unworthy of being his successor. Among all the bitterness and grief of the ages, Danzhu’s was the gravest.⁶If he had indeed been unworthy of the throne, why did the court officials endorse Danzhu, praising his judgment and brilliance?⁷How could Danzhu’s demand that all should cease calling other peoples barbarians be considered garrulous and contentious?⁸His call to build a world of great unity was misinterpreted as being boisterous and aggressive.”

⁹A disciple commented, “But Yu criticized Danzhu, saying, ‘Danzhu spent days and nights without rest sailing ships on every river, drinking in his home with a large number of friends, and yearning to do away with the world.’”

¹⁰Sangjenim revealed, “To say Danzhu ‘spent days and nights without rest’ is to say that he did something diligently without rest; ¹¹to say that he ‘sailed ships on every river’ is to say that he sought to build a world of great unity; ¹²to say that he ‘drank in his home with a large number of friends’ is to say that he shared his joy with others; ¹³to say that he ‘yearned to do away with the world’ is to say that he had a vision of a different world.”