Shusun Wushu said to his ministers at court, “Zigong is worthier than Confucius.”
When Zifu Jingbo reported this to Zigong, Zigong replied, “Let’s make an analogy of the walls surrounding a house. My walls are only shoulder-high, so anyone passing by can peer over the top and see the elegance of the house.
“Confucius’ walls, on the other hand, are many yards taller, so unless you come in through the gate, you’ll never see the beauty of the ancestral hall or the splendor of all the buildings within. Very few people have made it through that gate, though, so it’s no surprise that Shusun Wushu would say what he said.”