Make a predication available for comment
王之不王 and 天之蒼蒼 invite comparison as embedded predications. Their surrounding arguments remain different.
故王之不王，不為也，非不能也An embedded predication becomes the subject of a distinction.
tls · CC BY-SA 4.0 · KR1h0001_001.txt, lines 486–494天之蒼蒼Read the apparent property as the topic of the following questions.
CHANT · CC BY-SA 4.0 · KR5c0126_001.txt, lines 49–53Make the comparison explicit
王之不王 and 天之蒼蒼 invite comparison as embedded predications. Their surrounding arguments remain different.
孟子: An embedded predication becomes the subject of a distinction.
莊子: Read the apparent property as the topic of the following questions.
Why is “the king of not king” a poor starting translation for 王之不王?
It ignores the verbal force of the second 王 and the embedded predication. The surrounding contrast between 不為 and 不能 explains what is being asserted about the king.
Shared words, images, or constructions do not by themselves establish common meaning, authorship, or origin. An explicit citation is identified only where the wording itself supports it.
zimai · AI-assisted editorial notes · Editorial pilot · not independently reviewed. Original learning material: CC BY-SA 4.0. Source text, scholarly reference, and editorial interpretation remain separately attributed.