That can be seen from the story of Gensai KAWAKAMI., who killed Shozan with his sword but due to the shock he received at learning Shozan's personal history, never assassinated again.
彼を斬殺した河上彦斎が、後に象山の事歴を知って愕然とし、以後暗殺をやめてしまったという逸話からも、そのことを窺い知ることが出来る。