Mencius. Book 4, Part 1, Chapter 17.
Book 4, Le Low. Part 1.
1. Shun-yu K'wan said, "Is it the rule that males and females should not allow their hands to touch in giving or receiving any thing?" Mencius replied, "It is the rule." K'wan asked, "If a man's sister-in-law be drowning, shall he rescue her with his hand?" Mencius said, "He who would not so rescue a drowning woman is a wolf. For males and females not to allow their hands to touch in giving and receiving is the general rule; when a sister-in-law is drowning, to rescue her with the hand is a peculiar exigency."
2. K'wan said, "The whole empire is drowning. How strange it is that you will not rescue it!"
3. Mencius answered, "A drowning empire must be rescued with right principles, as a drowning sister-in-law has to be rescued with the hand. Do you wish me to rescue the empire with my hand?"
Book 4, Le Low. Part 1.
1. Shun-yu K'wan said, "Is it the rule that males and females should not allow their hands to touch in giving or receiving any thing?" Mencius replied, "It is the rule." K'wan asked, "If a man's sister-in-law be drowning, shall he rescue her with his hand?" Mencius said, "He who would not so rescue a drowning woman is a wolf. For males and females not to allow their hands to touch in giving and receiving is the general rule; when a sister-in-law is drowning, to rescue her with the hand is a peculiar exigency."
2. K'wan said, "The whole empire is drowning. How strange it is that you will not rescue it!"
3. Mencius answered, "A drowning empire must be rescued with right principles, as a drowning sister-in-law has to be rescued with the hand. Do you wish me to rescue the empire with my hand?"
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Text source: The Works of Mencius. Translated by James Legge.
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