Male and Female Shall not allow their hands to touch

'Shunyu Kun' said: "Is it the rule that males and females shall not allow their hands to touch in giving or receiving anything?"

Mencius replied: "It is the rule."

'Kun' asked: "If a man's sister in law be drowning, shall he rescue her with his hand or not?"

Mencius said: "He who would not rescue a drowning woman is 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 as a peculiar expediency."

'Kun' said: "The whole empire is drowning. How strange it is that you will not rescue it!"

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?"