He Guan Zi (鶡冠子)

鈇器原歸厚德將【開卷首義即雲王鈇非一世之器者厚德隆俊也注以王鈇為法制引賈誼言權勢法制人主之斤斧謂專任法制不以厚德將之而欲以持久難哉是其説雖雜刑名未嘗不歸於道德固非若黃老之專務清靜亦不至如申韓之流為慘礉也】雜刑匪獨老和黃朱評陸注同因顯栁謗韓譽兩不妨完帙倖存書著楚失篇卻勝代稱唐【宋陸佃既為之註解復序雲鶡冠子楚人居深山以鶡羽為冠號曰鶡冠子其書雜黃老刑名要其宿時若防亂而無家然竒言奧防亦毎毎而有自博選至武靈王問凡十有九篇而退之讀此雲十有六篇者非全書也朱子評韓文雲漢唐皆以為道家者流公謂其辨施於國家功德豈少而栁子厚作辨則曰得其書而讀之言盡鄙淺所見不同如此朱子雖不置可否然其書具在栁説不免過當朱子又云漢藝文志有鶡冠子一卷而唐志雲三卷謂漢時遺缺至唐而全以今書校之卷雖唐増於漢而篇則宋増於唐茲本既完備無缺佃注亦世所罕見自應重刋以廣流傳】帝常師處王友處【帝者與師處王者與友處亦其博選篇中語】戒合書紳識弗忘

The royal instrument of rule must in the end be led by thick virtue. [The very first line of the book says that the king's instrument (the legal authority in the ruler's hands, which Jia Yi likened to the ruler's axe) is not a tool of a single morning or a single age, and must rely on thick virtue to raise up the outstanding. The commentary explains the royal instrument as the system of laws, citing Jia Yi: power and law are the ruler's axes; if one relies only on law and does not lead it with thick virtue, it is hard to last. So although its teaching is mixed with xingming (the school that uses punishments and the matching of name and reality to control subordinates, from which Shen Buhai and Han Fei later came), in the end it still returns to Dao and De; it is neither like Huang-Lao (the art of government falsely attributed to the Yellow Emperor and Laozi) devoted only to quiet nonaction, nor does it fall into the harshness and cruelty of Shen and Han.] It is mixed with xingming, and is not only of the Huang-Lao line. The comments of Zhu Xi and the commentary of Lu Dian bring this out; Liu Zongyuan's denunciation and Han Yu's praise may both stand side by side. The whole book survives, and the book was written by a man of Chu; Han Yu said some chapters were missing, but compared with the Tang, which spoke only of sixteen chapters, it is now actually fuller. [In the Song, Lu Dian both wrote a commentary on it and wrote a preface saying: Heguanzi was a man of Chu who lived deep in the mountains and made a cap of the feathers of the he bird, and so was called Heguanzi. This book mixes Huang-Lao and xingming, and in its final purport it often seems scattered and without a school (the base text has "fang" in place of "san", scattered, in the Siku edition), yet it often has extraordinary words and profound meanings (the base text has "ao fang" where the Siku edition has "ao zhi"). From the Bo Xuan to the King Wuling's Questions it has nineteen chapters, but Han Yu, reading this book, said sixteen chapters, which is not the complete text. Zhu Xi, commenting on Han's writing, said: the Han and Tang regarded it as of the Daoist stream, but Master Han said that its arguments, put into practice in a state, would have no small merit; Liu Zongyuan wrote a "Discrimination," saying that when he got the book and read it, its words were all vulgar and shallow. The two held very different views. Though Zhu Xi did not give a verdict, the book is still there, and Liu's view goes too far. Zhu Xi also said: the Han Treatise lists one volume of Heguanzi, the Tang Treatise lists three volumes, and some say it was incomplete in the Han and complete by the Tang; check against the present text, and in terms of volumes the Tang had more than the Han, but in terms of chapters the Song has more than the Tang. This edition is already complete without gaps, and Lu Dian's commentary is also rare in the world, so it should naturally be recut, so that it may be spread more widely.] The emperor stays with teachers, the king stays with friends. ["The emperor stays with teachers, the king stays with friends" is also a line from the Bo Xuan chapter.] These lines should be written on one's sash and kept in mind and not forgotten. (The imperial poem begins its line with these seven characters, and the Siku edition is the same; if there was another couplet before it, it is not seen in the present text.)

鶡冠子十有六篇其詞雜黃老刑名其博選篇四稽五至之說當矣使其人遇其時援其道而施於國家功德豈少哉學問篇稱賤生於無所用中流失船一壺千金者餘三讀其辭而悲之文字脫繆為之正三十有五字乙者三減者二十有二注十有二字雲

The Heguanzi has sixteen chapters in all, with the wording mixed with Huang-Lao and xingming. Its statement in the Bo Xuan chapter of the four checks (four kinds of verification) and the five arrivals (five kinds of people who can come to join) is correct. If this man had met his moment and applied his Way (in this book it means both the origin of the myriad things and the Way of governing that can be applied in a state) in a state, would his merit have been small? The Learning chapter says: it is cheap because it cannot be put to use; when a boat is lost in midstream, one gourd is worth a thousand in gold. I read this passage three times and grieved for it. Where the text was missing or wrong, I corrected thirty-five characters, transposed three places, deleted twenty-two places, and added twelve characters of notes, as above.

鶡冠子楚人也居於深山以鶡為冠號曰鶡冠子其道踳駮著書初本黃老而末流迪於刑名傳曰申韓厲名實切事情其極慘礉少恩而原於道德之意蓋學之有如此者也故曰孔墨之後儒分為八墨離為三嗚呼可不慎哉此書雖雜黃老刑名而要其宿時若防亂而無家者然其竒言奧防亦毎毎而有也自博選篇至武靈王問凡十有九篇而退之讀此雲十有六篇者非全書也今其書雖具在然文字脫繆不可考者多矣語曰書三寫魚成魯帝成虎豈虛言哉餘竊閔之故為釋其可知者而其不可考者輒疑焉以俟博洽君子陸佃撰

Heguanzi was a man of Chu who lived deep in the mountains and made a cap of the feathers of the he bird, and so was called Heguanzi. His Way is mixed and impure; at the beginning of his writing it is rooted in Huang-Lao, but in the lower reaches it goes into xingming. The tradition says: Shen and Han made name and reality strict and close to affairs, and pushed it to an extreme so that it became cruel and lacking in kindness, yet they traced it back to the idea of Dao and De. That the faults of learning could come to this (the base text has a private-use missing character after "xue zhi"; the Siku edition has "bi", fault). So it is said: after Confucius and Mozi, the Confucians divided into eight schools, and the Mohists split into three. Alas, can one fail to be careful! Though this book is mixed with Huang-Lao and xingming, in its final purport it often seems scattered and without a school (the base text has "fang" where the Siku edition has "san", scattered); yet it often has extraordinary words and profound meanings (the base text has "ao fang" where the Siku edition has "ao zhi"). From the Bo Xuan chapter to the King Wuling's Questions it has nineteen chapters, but Han Yu, reading this book, said sixteen chapters, which is not the complete text. Now although the book is all here, the places where the wording is missing or wrong and cannot be checked are still many. The common saying goes: copy a book three times, and "fish" becomes "Lu," and "emperor" becomes "tiger"; is this an empty saying? I privately pity it, so what could be made to make sense I have explained, and what could not be settled I have left in doubt, for learned gentlemen. Written by Lu Dian.

【臣】等謹案鶡冠子書漢書藝文志列於道家注曰楚人居深山以鶡為冠劉勰文心雕龍稱鶡冠緜緜亟發深言韓愈集有讀鶡冠子一首稱其博選篇四稽五至之說學問篇一壺千金之語且謂其施於國家功德豈少栁宗元集有鶡冠子辨一首乃詆其言為鄙淺謂其世兵篇多同鵩賦據司馬遷所引賈生二語以決其偽然古人著書徃徃偶用舊文古人引證亦徃徃偶隨所見如谷神不死四語今見老子中而列子乃稱為黃帝書克己復禮一語今在論語中左傳乃謂仲尼稱志有之元者善之長也八句今在文言傳中左傳乃記為穆姜語司馬遷惟稱賈生蓋亦此類未可以單文孤證遽斷其偽惟其書漢志稱一篇隋志始為三卷或漢以來有所附益則未可知耳至其說雖雜刑名而大防本原於道德其文亦博辯宏肆自六朝至唐劉勰最號知文而韓愈最號知道二子稱之宗元乃以為鄙淺過矣此本為宋陸佃注凡十九篇其序謂愈但稱十六篇未睹其全佃北宋人其時古本韓文初出當得其真今本韓文乃亦作十九篇殆後來反據此書以改韓集猶劉禹錫河東集序稱編為三十二通而今本栁集亦反據穆修本改為四十五通也佃注惟陳振孫稍及之通考不著録晁公武讀書志亦但稱有八卷一本前三卷全同墨子後兩卷多引漢以後事公武削去前後五卷得十九篇則似亦未見佃注者殆宋時已罕傳矣乾隆四十二年五月恭校上

Your servants respectfully note: the book Heguanzi is listed under the Daoist school in the Treatise on Literature of the Book of Han, with a note saying: a man of Chu who lived deep in the mountains and made a cap of he-bird feathers. Liu Xie in the Wenxin Diaolong says that the Heguan runs on and on, and often utters deep words. Han Yu's collected works contain a piece, Reading Heguanzi, which praises its statement of the four checks and five arrivals in the Bo Xuan chapter and the words "one gourd worth a thousand in gold" in the Learning chapter, and says that if it were applied in a state, its merit would not be small. Liu Zongyuan's collected works contain a piece, Discrimination of Heguanzi, which on the contrary slanders its words as vulgar and shallow, says the Shi Bing chapter is mostly the same as Jia Yi's Fu on the Owl, and on the basis of two lines of Jia Yi quoted by Sima Qian judges it a forgery. Yet when the ancients wrote books they often happened to borrow older texts, and when the ancients cited, they often happened to follow what they themselves had seen. For example, the four lines beginning "the valley spirit does not die" are now found in the Laozi, yet the Liezi calls them a book of the Yellow Emperor; the line "overcome oneself and return to ritual" is now in the Analects, yet the Zuo Commentary says Zhongni cited it as "the records have it"; the eight lines beginning "Yuan is the chief of goodness" are now in the Wenyan Commentary, yet the Zuo Commentary records them as words of Mu Jiang. Sima Qian's citing only Jia Yi is probably of this kind, and one cannot decide on the basis of a single text and a lone proof that it is a forgery. Only, this book is listed as one chapter in the Han Treatise, and the Sui Treatise first has it as three volumes, so perhaps additions were made since the Han, which cannot be known. As for its teaching, though it is mixed with xingming, its main purport is rooted in Dao and De (the base text has "da fang ben yuan" where the Siku edition has "da zhi"), and its writing is broad, argumentative and expansive. From the Six Dynasties to the Tang, Liu Xie was called the best at understanding literature and Han Yu the best at understanding the Way, and both praised it, but Zongyuan took it as vulgar and shallow, which is going too far. This edition is Lu Dian's commentary of the Song dynasty, in nineteen chapters in all. In Lu Dian's preface he says Han Yu spoke only of sixteen chapters and had not seen the complete text. Lu Dian was a man of the Northern Song, when the old text of Han's works had just come out and should have gotten the true appearance. The present text of Han's works also has nineteen chapters, probably changed later according to this book to alter Han's collection, just as Liu Yuxi's preface to the Hedong Collection says it was compiled into thirty-two sections, and the present edition of Liu's collection was likewise changed according to the Mu Xiu edition into forty-five. Lu Dian's commentary is mentioned only slightly by Chen Zhensun and is not recorded in the Tongkao; Chao Gongwu's Dushu Zhi says only that there is an eight-volume version, with the first three volumes entirely the same as the Mozi and the last two citing many events after the Han; Gongwu cut away the first and last five volumes and got nineteen chapters, so he too seems not to have seen Lu Dian's commentary, which probably already circulated very little in the Song. Respectfully collated and submitted in the fifth month of the forty-second year of Qianlong.

王鈇【一作鐡非】非一世之器者厚德隆俊也【王鈇法制也賈子曰權勢法制人主之斤斧夫專任法制不以厚德將之而欲以持久難哉】道凡四稽一曰天二曰地三曰人四曰命權【命者所以令之】人有五至一曰伯己【百於己者】二曰什己【十於己者】三曰若己【與己等也】四曰廝役【事我者也】五曰徒隸【又其下者】所謂天者物理情者也【道無所治有之者以稽於天所以爾也教者地事也治者天事也】所謂地者常弗【一作不】去者也【道無所住有之者以稽於地所以爾也運者天道也處者地道也】所謂人者惡死樂生者也所謂命者靡不在君者也【莫不聽之之謂命】君也者端神明者也【無為而尊】神明者以人為本者也【因人則逸任己則勞】人者以賢聖為本者也賢聖者以博選為本者也【舜發於畎畝傅說舉於版築膠鬲舉於魚鹽管夷吾舉於士孫叔敖舉於海百里奚舉於市然則選士之路豈可不博哉】博選者以五至為本者也故北面而事之則伯己者至【北面事之所謂承之者也】先趨而後息先問而後黙則什己者至【先人而趨後人而息先人而問後人而黙雖亦降己異乎承之者也是以伯己者徃什己者來】人趨己趨則若己者至【人趨己趨與之鴈行者也】憑几據杖指麾而使則廝役者至【坐則憑几立則據杖指麾而使尚為有禮焉】樂嗟苦咄【案樂嗟苦三字原缺今據他本増入】則徒隸之人至矣【人一

The royal instrument [one version has "iron," which is wrong] is not a tool of a single morning or a single age, and must rely on thick virtue to raise up the outstanding. [The royal instrument is the system of laws. Jia Yi said: power and law are the ruler's axes. If one relies only on law and does not lead it with thick virtue, it is hard to last.] The Way has four checks in all: the first is Heaven, the second Earth, the third Man, the fourth the mandate-authority. [Mandate means that by which orders are issued.] Man has five arrivals: the first is Bo Ji [one a hundred times better than oneself], the second Shi Ji [one ten times better than oneself], the third Ruo Ji [one equal to oneself], the fourth Si Yi [one who does errands for me], the fifth Tu Li [lower still]. What is called Heaven is that which lets the myriad things each find their natural order. [The Way itself is without government; where there is government, it is checked against Heaven, so it is said thus. Teaching and transformation are matters of Earth, and governance is a matter of Heaven.] What is called Earth is that which is always present and does not leave. [The Way itself has no dwelling; where there is a dwelling, it is checked against Earth, so it is said thus. Moving and transforming is the Way of Heaven, and settling is the Way of Earth.] What is called Man is that which hates death and delights in life; what is called Mandate is that which none fails to be with the ruler. [Where none fails to obey, only then is it called mandate.] The ruler is the one who sets right the spirit-light. [Doing nothing, yet most honored.] The spirit-light takes man as its root. [Relying on others brings ease, relying only on oneself brings toil.] Man takes the worthy and sage as root; the worthy and sage take broad selection as root. [Shun rose from the fields, Fu Yue was raised from among the wall-builders, Jiao Ge was raised from the fish-and-salt trade, Guan Yiwu was raised from the rank of scholar, Sun Shu'ao was raised from the seaside, and Baili Xi was raised from the marketplace. Seen thus, how could the road for selecting scholars not be broad?] Broad selection takes the five arrivals as root. So if you face north to serve him, a Bo Ji sort of person will come. [To face north and serve means to receive from him and take him as teacher.] If you hurry first and let him rest later, if you ask first and let him be silent later, a Shi Ji sort of person will come. [To run ahead of others and rest after them, to ask before others and be silent after them, this too is humbling oneself, but it is not the same as receiving from him facing north. So the Bo Ji sort go away and the Shi Ji sort come.] If others hurry and you hurry too, a Ruo Ji sort of person will come. [If others hurry and you hurry also, you go side by side with him.] If you lean on a stool and lean on a staff, and direct and command, a Si Yi sort of person will come. [Sitting leaning on the stool and standing leaning on the staff, directing and commanding, there is still some courtesy.] If you scold when pleased and curse when pained [note: the three characters "le jie ku" were missing in the original and are now supplied from another edition], a Tu Li sort of person will come. ["Person" in one version

作者也樂則嗟之苦則咄之不禮甚矣茍非無恥之人豈所甘心哉案注原缺六字】故帝者與師處王者與友處亡主與徒處故德萬【一作百】人者謂之雋【雋者知哲聖人之謂也】德千人者謂之豪【此以獸之豪制名也】德百【一作萬】人者謂之英【此以草之英制名也毛詩傳曰萬人曰英記曰五人曰茂十人曰選百人曰俊千人曰英今此又以萬人曰俊百人曰英蓋莫可考矣人物誌曰獸之特者為雄草之秀者為英韓信是雄張良是英此言近之案考矣之矣一本作合非】德音者所謂聲也未聞音出而響過其聲者也貴者有知富者有財貧者有身【無知也故賤無財也故貧所有者特天地之委形而已總括百骸謂之身眾象備見謂之形】信符不合事舉不成【一本雲舉事不成】不死不生不斷不成【常騎兩可之地豈足以就其斷哉】計功而償權德而言王鈇在此孰能使營

(Lu Dian's note continues:) reads "one who." To shout when pleased and curse when pained is very discourteous. If it were not for shameless people, who would be willing? Note: six characters are missing in the original note.] So the emperor stays with teachers, the king stays with friends, and the ruler of a lost state stays with Tu Li. So one whose virtue can cover ten thousand people [one version has "hundred"] is called jun. [Jun refers to the wise, discerning sage.] One whose virtue can cover a thousand people is called hao. [This takes its name from the outstanding hao among beasts.] One whose virtue can cover a hundred people [one version has "ten thousand"] is called ying. [This takes its name from the efflorescence of grass. The Mao commentary on the Odes says ten thousand people is ying; the Book of Rites says five people is mao, ten is xuan, a hundred is jun, and a thousand is ying. Here again ten thousand is jun and a hundred is ying, and probably it cannot be settled. The Renwu Zhi says: the outstanding among beasts is xiong, the flowering among grasses is ying; Han Xin was a xiong and Zhang Liang was a ying. This is relatively close. Note: the word "yi" in "kao yi" is "he" in one version, which is wrong.] De yin (virtuous sound) is what is meant by sound. I have never heard of a sound that goes out whose echo exceeds the original sound. The noble have knowledge, the rich have wealth, and the poor have only their bodies. [Lacking knowledge, they are lowly; lacking wealth, they are poor; what they have is only the form that heaven and earth entrusted. The sum of all bones is called body, and what leads the myriad images and shows itself is called form.] If the tally of good faith does not match, affairs cannot be accomplished [one version has "undertakings are not accomplished"]. Without passing through death there is no life; without decision nothing is accomplished. [If one always straddles the place where both are possible, how can decision be achieved?] Repay according to merit, speak according to virtue, and with the royal instrument here, who could lead it astray?

道有稽【以道為決】德有據【以徳為驗】人主不聞要故耑【一作常】與運堯【一作撓】而無以見也【無以下一有自字】道與德館而無以命也義不當格而無以更也【攘雞紾兄之類是已格正也凡此以不聞要而已然則人主豈可以不知務哉放飯流歠而問無齒決亦無益於事也】若是置之雖安非定也【言幸安也夫抱火厝之積薪之下而寢臥其上雖未及然終亦必運而已矣】端倚有位名號弗去【言其違道逺矣所存者名號而已】故希人者無悖其情希世者無繆其賔【方是之時俯而徇俗仰以阿時者至矣】文禮之野與禽獸同則【羔鴈雖有跪乳行列之儀而以人文格之野心多矣又況無羔鴈之性者奈何同之乎】言語之暴與蠻夷同謂【蠻夷鴃舌者也】夫君子者易親而難狎畏禍而難卻【死義故難卻也】嗜利而不為非【義然後取】時動而不茍作【不得已而後起】體雖安之而弗敢處然後禮生【君子克己復禮蓋充此而已】心雖欲之而弗敢信然後義生【一作立信猶任也君子克己就義蓋充此而已】夫義節慾而治禮反情而辨者也故君子弗徑情而行也夫亂世者以麤智為造意【造意防矣豈麤智之所能知哉】以中險為道【司巇也】以利為情若不相與同惡則不能相親相與同惡則有相憎【小人難近如此】說者言仁則以為誣發於義則以為誇【一作誇】平心而直告之則有弗信【利令智昏不可與明如此】故賢者之於亂世也絶豫而無由通異類而無以告苦乎哉【蓋傷之也】賢人之潛亂世也上有隨君下無直辭君有驕行民多諱言故人乖其誠能士隱其實情心雖不說弗敢不譽【雄美新是已此非可已而不已者也夫雄如此而義不能繩墨者則以有道故也魯人曰栁下惠固可吾固不可孔子善之然則無雄之道浮沉濁世齷齪阿上而欲自比於雄亦已惑矣】事業雖弗善不敢不力【此汝墳之所勉者也雖非殷其雷之義亦其所遇不得不爾也】趨舍雖不合不敢弗從【夫在我者皆彼之所不能易則雖譽所不譽力所不力從所不從亦應世之道也】故觀賢人之於亂世也【一作者】其慎勿【慎勿一作順勿】以為定情也【凡此所為亂群馬耳姑以逺害而已豈真同也哉】

The Way has a check [using the Way to decide], and virtue has a basis [using virtue as the proof]. The ruler does not hear the essentials, so he alone [one version has "always" for "alone"] turns and wavers with the tide ["yao" is "nao" in one version], and has nothing by which to see clearly. [Below "wu yi," one version has the character "zi."] The Way and virtue have already been settled in the hall, but there is no name by which to call them; righteousness is already not upright, but there is no way to change it. [Things like stealing chickens and twisting one's elder brother's arm are examples. Ge means to correct. All of this is only because one does not hear the essentials. Seen thus, how could a ruler not know what is urgent? The meal is already spilling soup all over the table, yet one asks if there is any dish that has been bitten off, which does the matter no good.] Left like this, though there is peace for a time, it is not a settled state. [This speaks of the peace of mere luck. A fire is piled beneath kindling, and a man sleeps on top; though it has not yet been lit, in the end it must spread.] Sitting upright on his seat, the name does not leave. [This says that he is already far from the Way, and what remains is only the name.] So one who fits in with people does not go against that person's feelings; one who fits in with his age does not mistake the guest and the host. [By then those who bow to custom and flatter the age will come.] When ritual and refinement reach the wilds, they follow the same rule as birds and beasts. [Though lambs and wild geese have the manners of kneeling to nurse and flying in rows, if one tests them by human culture they are still mostly wild; and how much more those who do not even have that nature of lamb and goose, how could they be the same as them?] Where speech is coarse and violent, it is called by the same name as the barbarians. [The barbarians are those whose tongues are as hard to understand as a shrike's.] The gentleman is easy to approach but hard to treat with familiarity, fears disaster but is hard to drive away. [He dies for righteousness, so he is hard to drive away.] He desires profit but does not do wrong [taking only according to righteousness], moves only when he should move, and does not act on impulse [rising only when there is no help for it]. Though his body is at ease in that position, he dares not rest in it, and only then does ritual arise [the gentleman who overcomes himself and returns to ritual is this principle filled out]; though his heart wants it, he dares not indulge it, and only then does righteousness arise [one version has "li," established; xin is like ren, to entrust; the gentleman overcoming himself and going toward righteousness is this principle filled out]. Righteousness is governing by restraining desire, and ritual is distinguishing by returning to real feeling, so the gentleman does not just follow his feelings and act. The people of a disordered age take shallow intelligence for "making intent" [making intent is subtle (the base text has "fang yi" where the Siku edition has "wei yi"), how could shallow intelligence know it?], take inner treachery for the Way [that is, spying out gaps], and take profit for feeling. If they do not hate the same thing, they cannot be close to one another; once they hate the same thing, they again come to hate one another. [Petty people are hard to approach, as is the case.] When a persuader speaks of benevolence, he is taken to be lying; when he speaks from righteousness, he is taken to be exaggerating [one version has "kua"]; when he speaks plainly and straight, some still do not believe him. [Where profit blinds the wits, one cannot explain things to him, as is the case.] So when a worthy man lives in a disordered age, he cuts off association and has no road open, and is not of the same kind as the world and has no one to tell: how bitter! [This is grief.] A worthy man lies hidden in a disordered age; above him is a ruler who drifts with the current, and below him there is no straight speech; the ruler has arrogant conduct, the people mostly avoid speaking, so people go against their own sincerity, able men hide their real feelings, and though their hearts are not pleased, they dare not fail to praise. [Yang Xiong's Criticize Qin and Praise Xin is an example (the base text has a damaged private-use character before "Xiong," which the Siku edition lacks, the meaning referring to Yang Xiong). These are not people who could stop and did not. Since Yang Xiong was already like this, one cannot trim him by the line of righteousness, because he still had the Way. A man of Lu said: Liuxia Hui could indeed do this, but I certainly cannot. Confucius approved of this saying. Then those who do not have a Way like Yang Xiong's, but drift in a turbid age and sordidly flatter those above, and still want to compare themselves to Yang Xiong, are far too muddled.] Though the enterprise is not good, they dare not fail to put forth effort [this is what is urged in the Ru Fen; though it is not the principle of Yin Qi Lei, it is also that what one meets leaves no choice]; though going and staying do not agree, they dare not fail to obey [whatever is on my side the other cannot change; so even if one praises what should not be praised, works for what should not be worked for, and obeys what should not be obeyed, that is a way of responding to the age]. So when one looks at a worthy man in a disordered age ["ye" is "zhe" in one version], by no means ["shen wu" is "shun wu" in one version] take these as his settled feelings. [All that is done here is merely stirring the herd of horses; it is used to keep away from harm for the time being, and how could it be the same in true heart?]

天文也地理也月刑也【隂以刻制】日德也【陽以昭蘇】四時檢也【有明法而不議】度數節也【天地之節蓋有度數存焉】隂陽氣也五行業也【五材也在地成形故曰業】五政道也【五辰也在天成象故曰道】五音調也【聲成文變成方謂之音斯謂之調】五聲故也【五聲因習而異在齊而齊言居晉而晉語斯之謂故】五味事也賞罰約也【賞所以約之使赴功罰所以約之使闢咎】此皆有驗有所以然者隨而不見其後迎而不見其首【其所以然者道也道無首尾而欲從跡其所為譬如捕風逆之無前從之無後此雖顔子恍然不能定也又況賜之流乎】成功遂事莫知其狀【夫孰知之】圖弗能載名弗能舉【夫巧者不能畫則辯者亦不能言矣】強為之說曰芴乎芒乎中有象乎芒乎芴乎中有物乎【芒者似有芴者似無】窅乎冥乎中有精乎致信究情【夫道有情有信非若斷空雖無形而非理也要在致而究之】復反無貎【貌且無之況於形乎】鬼見【一本作鬼不能見】不能為人業【露則不神豈足以建功立事哉故善為人業者防矣妙矣雖鬼不能窺其密也】故聖人貴夜行

Heaven has pattern, Earth has principle, the moon is punishment [yin is used to carve and cut], the sun is virtue [yang is used to revive], the four seasons are checking [having clear rules without discussion], and the degrees and numbers are the measure [the measure of heaven and earth, where degrees and numbers originally exist]. Yin and yang are breath, the five phases are tasks [the five materials take form on earth, so they are called tasks], the five governances are the Way [the five stars take image in heaven, so they are called the Way], the five notes are tuning [sound that completes pattern and changes into form is called note, and this is called tuning], the five sounds are custom [the five sounds differ according to custom: in Qi one speaks Qi, in Jin one speaks Jin, and this is called custom], the five flavors are affairs, and reward and punishment are binding [reward is used to bind people to go toward merit, punishment is used to bind people to avoid fault]. All of these have proofs, and all have that by which they are so: follow it and you do not see its back, meet it and you do not see its head. [That by which they are so is the Way. The Way has no head or tail, yet to try to trace what it does is like catching the wind: facing it there is no front, following it there is no back. Even Yan Hui could not hold it fixed in his daze, how much less someone of the stamp of Zigong?] When work is done and affairs completed, no one knows its shape [who can know]; a picture cannot hold it and a name cannot list it [the skillful cannot draw it and the eloquent cannot say it]. Let me force a description: dim and vague, is there an image within? Vague and dim, is there a thing within? [Vague seems to be, dim seems not to be.] Deep and obscure, is there an essence within? Push trust to the utmost and exhaust sentiment to its end [the Way has sentiment and has trust, not like an empty annihilation; though it has no form it is not without principle, and what matters is pushing and exhausting], and then turning back, there is not even an appearance. [If there is not even an appearance, how much less a form?] Ghosts can see it [one version has "ghosts cannot see it"] but cannot establish enterprises for people. [Once exposed it is not divine, so how could it suffice to establish merit and affairs? So one who is good at establishing enterprises for people, how subtle and wondrous (the base text has "fang yi miao yi" where the Siku edition has "wei yi miao yi"), even ghosts cannot spy out its secret.] So the sage values walking at night.

聖王者有聽微決疑之道【一本聽下缺二字無微字】能屏讒權實逆淫辭【楊墨之屬】絶流語【管蔡之屬】去無用【屠龍之技刻楮之巧雖號髙妙無所用之案用之一作用也】杜絶朋黨之門【持祿養交背公死黨潝潝然患其上訾訾然思不稱乎上豈可開之】嫉妬之人不得著明【常置卑晦】非君子術數之士莫得當前故邪弗能奸禍不能中彼天地之以無極者以守度量而不可濫【此況邪弗能奸禍不能中之義】日不逾辰【日月所防為辰】月宿其【言宿其辰之次也】當名服事【當箕之名服箕之事當鬥之名服鬥之事其他放此】星守弗去【各止分域】望晦朔終始相廵【一作選夫日陟降而成晦朔月虧盈而成望反覆相尋如轉磨引鋸豈有終窮】逾年累歳【年取禾之一熟而歳騎兩稔】用【或作肅】不縵縵【縵縵漫滅之貌】此天之所柄以臨鬥【一作計】者也【言鬥臨制四方運乎四時終古不忒而天道如上所謂更以臨之】中參成位【一本作伍一本作五言參天地而成位乎其中也】四氣為政【政法四時】前張後極【張南方之星也極北方之星也或言張或言極互相挾焉】左角【一作魯】右鉞【一作越角東方之星也鉞西方之星也參伐一曰鈇鉞】九文循理以省官【一作宮】眾小大畢舉【此言簡而不遺也】先無怨讎之患後無毀名敗行之咎故其威上際下交【交元作校】其澤四被而不鬲【東漸西被朔南暨焉沛然莫之能御也】天之不違以不離一【所謂趣物而不兩也】天若離一反還為物【天之所以異乎萬物者抱一而已字觧曰一而大者天也二而小者示也】不創不作與天地合德【常輔萬物之自然而不敢為也天不創而萬物化地不作而萬物育】節璽相信如月應日【日循星而進退月應日以生死信之至也】此聖人之所以宜世也知足以滑正畧足以恬禍此危國之不可安亡國之不可存也【強足以拒敵辯足以飾非此蹠之所以不可救藥也】故天道先貴覆者【天道能覆覆者而已如其自絶雖天不可如何】地道先貴載者【地道能載載者而已如其自棄雖地不可如何】人道先貴事者【栁下季曰子不聽父之詔弟不受兄之教雖令先生之辯將奈之何哉】酒【一或作借】保先貴食者【酒保貨酒者也此申天貴覆者地貴載者人貴事者之況也】待物【原缺二字】也領【或作顧】氣時也【四時各領一方之氣】生殺法也循度以斷天之節也【物不可以終通故循度以間之性命自然之節也】地而守之分民而部之【守或作止此聖人法天之節循度以斷之故地各有守民各有部】寒者得衣飢者得食寃者得理勞者得息聖人之所期也夫裁衣而知擇其工裁國而知索其人此固世之所【一本所下有以字】公哉【一作或譬之製錦而使人學裁者未之有也】同而後可以見天【天道一而不二故自其同者視之夷貉一家也】異而後可以見人【人道二而不一故自其異者視之肝膽楚越也】變而後可以見時【常運而不停】化而後可以見道【庚桑子曰越雞不能伏鵠卵魯雞固能矣趎徃南見老子然則道之等級見矣】臨利而後可以見信臨財而後可以見仁臨難而後可以見勇【繁霜勁風然後可以別草木之真性】臨事而後可以見術數之士九皇之制【春秋緯雲人皇兄弟九人分治天下九皇之號豈縁是歟】主不虛王【王德備矣】臣不虛貴階級【列等之爵無虛授也】尊卑名號【言卑尊其名號也】自君吏民【各君吏民】次者無國【入使治之】歴寵歴録【歴録文章之貎言更歴寵榮華煥如此毛詩傳曰務歴録也】副所以付授【非特受封之臣不虛貴梯級雖無國者亦稱所以付授】與天人參相結連【天人一貫不可觧也】鉤攷之具不備故也【鉤攷督責之術也言惟無督責之術而以道相化故能如是故曰燒之剔之刻之雒之馬之死者十二三矣夫馬之性固真矣然其智至於詭竊者伯樂之罪也雖然九皇之制亦寓言耳夫太上無法而治安有受封之制哉契理之士要其防歸而遺其所寄可也】下之所逜【逜之言幹也】上之可蔽斯其離人情而失天節者也緩則怠急則困見間【一作門】則以竒相御人之情也【恆物之情緩之則怠急之則困故昔賢驅雞之喻戒在疾徐也間巇隙也方其鍵閉雖有竒計安得而抵之哉天節見上故於此具論人情】舉以八極信焉而弗信天之則也【八極八方之極四中四角是也淮南子曰八埏之外有八紘八紘之外有八極夫八極有之而以跡所不至更若誕謾故曰信焉而弗信也雖然以懸寓觀之八方上下無盡也亦無無盡無極也亦無無極故曰天之則也】差繆之間言不可合【孔墨之道同是堯舜同非桀紂而終不可合者其由此也】平不中律【小失聲韻則雖平不中律矣夫千里之失謬於毫釐而歴年之患誤在頃刻是故君子慎其小也】月望而晨月毀於天珠蛤蠃蚌虛於深渚【水岐成渚】上下同離也【言同氣附離而無間雖貍物潛於深渚與月盛衰更如在上也淮南子曰日至而糜鹿觧月死而嬴蚌膲】未令而知其為未使而知其徃上不加務而民自盡此化之期也使而不徃禁而不止上下乖謬者其道不相得也上統【一作紇】下撫者逺眾之慝也隂陽不接者其理無從相及也筭不相當者人不應上也符節亡此曷曾可合也為而無害成而不敗一人唱而萬人和如體之從心此政之期也蓋毋錦【一作緜】槓悉動者其要在一也【蓋無錦槓而撩輻俱動者其要在槓故也是故明主好要以一倡萬以錦韜槓故謂之錦槓爾雅曰素錦韜槓】未見不得其而能除其疾也文武交用而不得事實者法令放而無以梟之謂也【梟斬刑也此言法令不行小人敢為負謾而無忌憚也雖然秦以苛察相髙其徒文具耳而至於土崩更甚乎無法者無惻怛之實故也由是觀之內無至誠惻怛之實欲以一切從事於法則將以考真也適足以起偽將以稽治也適足以招亂】舍此而按之彼者曷曽可得也【南適而北轅矣】冥言易而如言難【言之不怍為之也難】故父不能得之於子而君弗能得之於臣【踐言之行雖在君臣父子之間如此況卑賤乎】已見天之所以信於物矣【無妄天之道也】未見人之所信於物也【不能似言】捐物任勢者天也【萬物盡無因任而已】捐物任勢【捐或作損】故莫能宰而不天【一本作得先之在古者道之理也損物任勢故莫能宰而不天其道如上故莫能宰之而莫不天焉】夫物故曲可改人可使【言茍為物矣無以有已如此以明天之不可轉徙也】法章物而不自許者天之道也【天法種種差別稽之天道豈得已哉姑以應世而已甚不自是也】以為奉教陳忠之臣未足恃也【此其勢必至於有法也】故法者曲制【曲為之制】官備主用也【官各守之以備主用】舉善不以窅窅【不以潛晦舉人之善必著見而後置之】拾過不以冥冥【不以隱匿拾人之過必發露而後廢之拾或作舍】決此【句】法之所貴也若礱磨不用賜物雖詘有不効者矣【言慶賞者勵世磨鈍之器也然而賞不能勸不勝罰不能必不可若砥礪不用之材而責有於無玉帛雖詘有不効者矣】上下有間於是設防知蔽並起【為之鬥斛以量之則並與鬥斛而竊之為之權衡以稱之則並與權衡而竊之】故政在私家而弗能取【政在大夫】重人掉權而弗能止賞加無功而弗能奪法廢不奉而弗能立罰行於非其人而弗能絶者不與其民之故也【與民共之而上下以道相維豈容至此哉屋漏知之在下船漏知之在上】夫使百姓釋已而以上為心者教之所期也八極之舉不能時賛故可壅塞也【所謂無障者四通六闢豈疑八極之舉而不能賛明哉湯之問棘是已】昔者有道之取政非於耳目也【神心恍惚俯仰之間再撫八極之外而裡之前耳不能聞牆之外目不能見故聖人之政恃道而不恃耳目】夫耳之主聽目之主明一葉蔽目不見太山兩豆塞耳不聞雷霆【膚寸之間小物足以障之何足恃哉】道開而否未之聞也【此明道之足恃也夫道開者雲霧不能礙其視雷霆不能亂其聽雖棲在蚊睫而視之若嵩華之阿戰於蝸角而聽之若齊魏之閧夫孰能否之】見遺不掇非人情也【言無是也此申未之聞也之況】信情脩【一作循】生非其天誅逆夫人僇【一本作逆天之人僇】不勝任也【不畏天禍人殃死地隨之而將以脩生此如戴粒之蟻欲以冠山何足以堪其任也】為成求得者事之所期【一作明】也【以為成功則天而得之不得曰有命者無所期焉是道也非事也】為之以民道之要也【民之所未安聖人不強行民之所未厭聖人不強去】唯民知極弗之代【一作伐】也【夫因人而不自任者天也民實知極聖人豈侵越而代之大司徒曰使民興賢出使長之使民興能入使治之】此聖王授【一作受】業所以守制也彼【一作被】教苦故民行薄【未至乎孩而始誰】失之本故爭於末【魚亡江湖而爭於濡沫】人有分於處處有分於地【各有分域】地有分於天【郢有天下案此注疑有脫誤】天有分於時【秦天早寒楚天早熱之類】時有分於數【春乗木數秋乗金數之類】數有分於度【取數多者脩取數少者促】度有分於一【一者度數之原隨所分而赴之譬之物焉一月普見眾水】天居髙而耳卑者此之謂也【天體蓋髙而其耳更卑者精神之運普徧萬物故也】故聖王天時人之地之雅無牧能因【一作用】無功多【一作多功夫文貫三為王蓋取諸此】尊君卑臣非計親也任賢使能非與處也【處故舊也言不以私恩廢天下之公義】水火不相入天之制也【水火以譬恩義蓋古之治天下者方其申至恩也公義不得奪方其申大義也私恩不得幹猶之水火焉相濟而不相入也雖然凡此人道而已若夫天道則又不在此域也故下文雲】明不能照者【所謂離朱索之而不得】道弗能得也規不能包者力弗能挈也【夫天地雖宻移而真體常住非若舟壑夜半負之而去夫孰能挈之】自知慧出【慧出一作惠之】使玉化為環玦者是政反為滑也【璞玉不毀孰為環玦玦半環也禮論曰絶人以玦反絶以環】田不因地形不能成谷【稻宜下地黍宜上地】為化不因民不能成俗嚴疾過也喜怒適也四者已仞非師術也【此言四者或過或適雖殊而逺離大道一也豈足以據師之席哉列子曰仞而有之皆惑也】形嗇【元作薔一本作蓋】而亂益者勢不相牧【一作收】也【形無以牧乎勢勢無以牧乎形故其如此】德與身存亡者未可以取法也【堯舜殂落其骨蓋已朽久矣而至今詠歎不息者豈系其身之存亡哉此萬世之法也】昔宥世者未有離天【或無天字】人而能善與國者也【與或作為善與國所與之國夫天不人不因人不天不成而畸於天人則其身之不能治況與國乎】先王之盛名未有非士之所立者也【引而髙之者天也】過生於上罪死於下濁世之所以為俗也一人乎一人乎命之所極也【此嘆辭也言命至君而極矣今貽厲階如此可不惜哉蓋痛之彌深其辭益緩詩人之義也】

The sage king has a method for hearing the finest details and settling doubts [one edition lacks two characters after "hearing" and has no "fine"], and is able to set aside slander, weigh and verify, block licentious speech [people like Yang Zhu and Mo Di], and cut off rumors [people like Guan Shu and Cai Shu], and discard the useless [the skill of slaying dragons and the craft of carving paper, though called subtle, have nowhere to be used. Note: "used" is in one edition "to be used"], and shut the door of cliques [those who use salary to feed private friendships, who die for a clique against the public good, who anxiously worry about their superiors and fear they are not worthy of them; how could such a door be opened], and keep the jealous from becoming prominent [always placing them in humble and obscure places]; those who are not gentlemen or men of technique do not come near him. So the wicked cannot commit treachery and disaster cannot strike. Heaven and earth are able to be inexhaustible because they keep to measure and do not overflow [this is a comparison for the meaning of "the wicked cannot commit treachery and disaster cannot strike"]. The sun does not pass beyond its station [the place where sun and moon meet is called chen (the source text reads "guarded against" here, while the Siku edition reads "meeting")], and the moon stops at its own [the source text has a private-use character here; the Siku edition has a variant; Lu Dian says it stops at its station] [meaning it stops in its own station]. Bearing this name, it performs this duty [bearing the name of the Winnowing Basket, it performs the duty of the Basket; bearing the name of the Dipper, it performs the duty of the Dipper; and so on for the rest]. The stars keep their places and do not leave [each stays in its own region]. Full moon, last day, and new moon follow each other from beginning to end (one edition has "select") [the sun rises and sets to form the last day and the new moon, the moon wanes and waxes to form the full moon (the source text has an extra private-use character here), repeatedly following one another like a grindstone turning or a saw pulling, how could it end]. Year after year, they accumulate [a "nian" takes one ripening of grain; a "sui" spans two ripenings], used [or "solemn"] without dissipating [dissipating is the appearance of fading away]. This is what Heaven holds in hand, to govern the Dipper [one edition has "to count"] [meaning that the Dipper governs the four directions and drives the four seasons, never erring through all time, and the Way of Heaven is as described above, and further uses this to govern it]. In the middle it forms a position as one of three [one edition has "five", another "five". Meaning one joins heaven and earth and takes one's place between]. The four qi are made into government [government models itself on the four seasons]. In front is Zhang, behind is Ji [Zhang is a star of the south, Ji is a star of the north; sometimes Zhang is mentioned and sometimes Ji, each carrying the other]. On the left is Jiao (one edition has "Lu"), on the right is Yue (one edition has "Yue") [Jiao is a star of the east, Yue is a star of the west. The stars Shen and Fa are also called Yue]. The nine patterns follow principle to examine the officials (one edition has "palace") [large and small are all raised, meaning it is brief yet omits nothing]. First there is no trouble of resentment and enmity, afterward no fault of ruined name and conduct, so its might reaches up to heaven and joins down to earth ["joins" is originally written "compares"], and its favor covers all sides without separation [spreading east and covering west, reaching north and south, flowing freely and unobstructed]. Heaven does not go against it because it does not leave the "One" [that is, it goes toward the myriad things without dividing into two]. If Heaven were to leave the One, it would instead become a thing [the reason Heaven differs from the myriad things is only that it holds the One. The Zijie says: that which is one and great is heaven; that which is two and small is a sign]. Not creating and not making, it joins its virtue with heaven and earth [constantly assisting the naturalness (ziran, "so of itself", not "Nature" as the natural world) of the myriad things, not daring to act rashly. Heaven does not create and yet the myriad things transform; earth does not make and yet the myriad things grow]. The tally and the seal trust each other, like the moon responding to the sun [the sun follows the stars in advance and retreat, the moon responds to the sun in life and death, trust to the utmost]. This is how the sage suits the age. Knowledge enough to confuse what is right, and plans enough to secure disaster: these are what a perilous state cannot make safe and a lost state cannot preserve [strength enough to resist enemies and argument enough to gloss over wrongs: this is why Robber Zhi is beyond remedy]. So the Way of Heaven first values what can be covered [the Way of Heaven can only cover those willing to be covered; if one cuts oneself off, even Heaven can do nothing]. The Way of Earth first values what can be borne [the Way of Earth can only bear those willing to be borne; if one abandons oneself, even Earth can do nothing]. The Way of humans first values what can do things [Liuxia Ji said: if a son does not obey his father's order and a younger brother does not accept his elder's teaching, even with a teacher's eloquence, what can one do with him?]. The tavern-keeper ["tavern" in one edition is "borrow"] first values what can eat [the tavern-keeper sells wine. This is an illustration restating that Heaven values covering, Earth values bearing, and humans value doing]. In handling things [two characters missing in the source], holding the qi is the season [each of the four seasons holds the qi of one direction]. Life and killing are the law (the law in this book is the set of institutions bent into shape, with each office guarding its own, to be ready for the lord's use). Deciding by following measure (measure: the limit that can be reckoned) is the regulation of Heaven [things cannot go through all the way, so they are separated by measure; this is the natural regulation of nature and life]. [One source-text character is lost] the land and guard it, divide the people and arrange them in sections ("guard" is sometimes "stop") [this is the sage following the regulation of Heaven and deciding by measure, so each land has its guard and each people its section. The source text has a private-use character above "land", the Siku edition reads a variant; one says it is read like "lie"]. The cold get clothes, the hungry get food, the wronged get justice, and the toiling get rest: this is what the sage hopes for. In cutting clothes one knows to choose a craftsman, and in cutting a state one knows to seek talent; this is originally what the world shares in common (one edition has "perhaps") [it is like weaving brocade and letting another learn to cut it; there is no such thing]. When things are the same, Heaven can be seen [the Way of Heaven is one and not two, so from the side of sameness, the barbarians are one family]. When things differ, humans can be seen [the way of humans is two and not one, so from the side of difference, liver and gall become Chu and Yue]. When things change, the season can be seen [constantly moving without stopping]. When things transform, the Way can be seen [Gengsang Zi said: the Yue chicken cannot hatch a swan's egg, but the Lu chicken originally can. Nan Rong Chu went south to see Laozi, and the grades of the Way were thus seen]. When facing profit one sees trustworthiness, when facing wealth one sees benevolence, and when facing danger one sees courage [only after heavy frost and strong wind can the true nature of grasses and trees be told apart]. When facing affairs one sees the man of technique. The system of the nine august rulers [the Spring and Autumn Weishu says the Human Sovereign had nine brothers who divided the rule of the world; does the title of the nine august rulers come from this?]: the lord does not occupy the kingship in vain [the virtue of a king is already complete], the ministers do not hold rank in vain [titles in the ranks are not conferred emptily], the names of high and low [meaning that his name is made either humble or honored], each being ruler, official, or commoner [each acting as ruler, official, or commoner], the next grade having no state [entering to let him govern], passing through favor and glory, with patterned splendor ["splendor" is the appearance of patterns, meaning passing through favor and glory, brilliantly so. The Mao commentary says: "toil" is splendor], matching what is entrusted [not only are vassals who receive fiefs not in rank in vain, but even those without a state match what is entrusted], interlinked with Heaven and humankind [Heaven and humans are one thread, which cannot be untied]. The instruments of hooking and examining are not complete, so it can be like this [hooking and examining is the art of supervision. It means that precisely because there is no art of supervision, and the Way is used to transform one another, it can be like this. Therefore it is said: burn them, trim them, carve them, brand them, and two or three out of ten horses die. The nature of horses is originally true, but their wits turn to deceit and theft, which is Bo Le's fault. Even so, the system of the nine august rulers is also a parable. The Supreme governs without laws; how could there be a system of enfeoffment? Those who are in accord with principle want its destination (the source text has "guard against" here, while the Siku edition has "meeting"), and you may throw away the layer that is lodged]. Those below who collide ["collide" means to offend] and those above who can be deceived, this is leaving human feeling and losing Heaven's regulation. If slack, they become idle; if urgent, they become exhausted; when seeing a gap [one edition has "door"] they use clever tricks to resist: this is human feeling. [The feeling of ordinary things: slack leads to idleness and urgency leads to exhaustion. Therefore the former sages' analogy of driving chickens warns against haste and slowness. A gap is a crack. At the very moment of locking up, even with clever tricks, what could match it? The regulation of Heaven appears above, so human feeling is discussed in detail here.] Raising the eight extremes, one believes it and yet does not believe it: this is the rule of Heaven. [The eight extremes are the extremes of the eight directions, being the four cardinal and four corner directions. The Huainanzi says: beyond the eight borders there are the eight cords, and beyond the eight cords there are the eight extremes. The eight extremes exist, but because footsteps cannot reach them it seems even more absurd, so it is said one believes it and yet does not. Even so, seen from the standpoint of hanging in the void, the eight directions, above and below, have no end, and also no "no end"; they have no extreme, and also no "no extreme." So it is said this is the rule of Heaven.] In the space of an error, words cannot be joined [the Way of Confucius and Mo Di, both affirming Yao and Shun and both denouncing Jie and Zhou, could never be joined in the end, and the abuses (the source text has a private-use character, the Siku edition has "abuse") come from this]. Level yet not in tune [if the rhyme is slightly off, even if level it will not fit the pitch pipes. A mistake of a thousand li lies in a hair's breadth; calamity lasting for years lies in an instant's error. So the gentleman is careful about that small point]. The moon is full in the morning, and the moon wanes in heaven, and pearl clams, snails, and mussels in the deep shoals also become empty [water branches off to form a shoal]. Above and below attach together. [This means that creatures of the same qi attach without gap; even if beasts hide in deep shoals, they wax and wane with the moon, as if they were right above. The Huainanzi says: when the sun reaches its limit, elk and deer shed their antlers; when the moon dies, snails and mussels grow thin.] Before an order is given, one knows what he will do; before he is employed, one knows where he will go; the superior applies no urging and the people exert their hearts on their own: this is the term of transformation. If employed but they do not go, if forbidden but they do not stop, high and low are at odds, this is because their ways do not match. When above gathers [one edition has "knots"] and below soothes, it is the treachery of estranging the multitude. When yin and yang cannot connect, their principles have no way to reach each other. If calculations do not match, people do not respond to those above. When the tally is lost, how could it ever match? Acting without harm, achieving without failure, one man calling and ten thousand answering, like the body obeying the mind: this is the term of government. Without a brocade [one edition has "cotton"] pole yet all moving, the key lies in the "One" [without a brocade-covered pole the spokes all move together, the key is in the pole. So the enlightened lord likes the essential, using the one to lead the ten thousand; the brocade covering the pole is why it is called a brocade pole. The Erya says: plain brocade covers the pole]. I have never seen anyone cure illness without finding the right spot (the source text has a rare character here, also absent in the Siku edition, the sense being close to "place/means"). Using civil and military by turns without getting results is because law and orders are left loose and cannot be cut off ["beheading" is the punishment of cutting. This says that when law and orders are not carried out, petty men dare to do dishonest and deceitful things without restraint. Even so, Qin competed in harsh scrutiny, and the abuses (the source text has a private-use character; the Siku edition has "abuse") were merely paper documents, ending in collapse worse than having no law at all, because there was no real heart of compassion. From this we see that without the reality of utmost sincerity and compassion inside, to try to use every means in the pursuit of law: one wants to test for truth, but it is just enough to produce falsehood; one wants to examine and govern, but it is just enough to invite disorder]. Discarding this to press that, how could it ever be obtained [going south but harnessed to a northward shaft]. Speaking in secret is easy, acting on the words is hard [words spoken without shame are hard to carry out]. Thus a father cannot get it from his son, and a ruler cannot get it from his minister [carrying out one's words applies even between ruler and minister and father and son, to say nothing of the humble]. One has seen already how Heaven obtains the trust of things [absence of falsehood is the way of Heaven], but not yet seen how humans obtain the trust of things [people cannot be as they say]. Discarding things and entrusting to circumstance is Heaven [of the myriad things, none exists; it merely follows]. Abandoning things and entrusting to circumstance ("abandon" is sometimes "diminish"), so there is nothing that can govern it yet nothing that does not come from Heaven [one edition reads: "to gain what is first in antiquity is the principle of the Way. Abandoning things and entrusting to circumstance, so none can govern it and it is not from Heaven." Its Way is as above, so nothing can govern it, yet nothing does not come from Heaven]. Things can originally be bent and reshaped, and people can be commanded [this means that once one has become a thing, one has no self; this is used to make clear that Heaven cannot be moved]. That which makes things clear by law yet does not take itself to be right is the Way of Heaven [the laws of Heaven differ in various ways; examining them by the Way of Heaven, how could they be sought out? Provisionally used to answer the age, they are very much not self-righteous]. Thinking that ministers who receive instruction and present loyalty are still not enough to rely on [this tendency must fall on having laws]. So the law is institutions bent into shape [setting up a system for each place], with officials prepared to serve the lord [each office guards its own, ready for the lord's use]. Raising the good not by obscurity [not raising people's good by hidden obscurity, but only placing them once they are manifest], picking up faults not in darkness [not picking up people's faults by concealment, but dismissing them only once exposed. "Pick up" is sometimes "let go"]. Deciding this [a clause] is what the law values. If the whetstone is not used, even rewarded things may be bent and not take effect [meaning that rewards and praise are instruments for urging on a dull age. Yet rewards cannot persuade those who will not move, and punishments cannot stop those who surely cannot be stopped; if one uses a whetstone for material that needs no whetting, demanding something from nothing, even jade and silk, though given, will not work]. When there is a gap between above and below, defenses are set up, and knowledge and concealment arise together [if you make a measure to measure it, they steal the measure along with the grain; if you make scales to weigh it, they steal the scales along with the goods]. So government in private houses cannot be taken back [government in the hands of high officials], the powerful who juggle the scales of authority cannot be stopped, rewards given to the meritless cannot be reclaimed, laws abandoned and unobserved cannot be reinstated, and punishments given to those who should not be punished cannot be cut off: all because it is not shared with the people [if shared with the people, with high and low bound together by the Way, how would it come to this? When a house leaks, those below know; when a boat leaks, those above know]. To make the people put aside themselves and take the ruler as their heart is what teaching hopes for. The movements of the eight extremes cannot assist in season, so there is blockage [what is called unobstructed is open through the four directions and six passages, so how could one doubt that the movements of the eight extremes cannot assist the light? Tang's question to Ji is this]. In the past those with the Way took government not by ears and eyes [the spirit-mind is indistinct, and in a glance it again soothes beyond the eight extremes; before the village lane the ear cannot hear, beyond the wall the eye cannot see; so the sage's government relies on the Way and not on ears and eyes]. The ear governs hearing, the eye governs clarity. A single leaf blocking the eye cannot see Mount Tai; two beans plugging the ear cannot hear thunder [within a finger's width a small thing is enough to block; what is there to rely on?]. That when the Way is opened it still gets blocked, I have never heard [this explains that the Way is sufficient to rely on. For one whose Way is opened, clouds and mist cannot hinder his sight and thunder cannot disturb his hearing; even perched on a mosquito's eyelash he sees it like the folds of Mount Song or Hua; fighting on a snail's horn he hears it like the clamor of Qi and Wei. Who can block it?]. To see a dropped thing and not pick it up is not human feeling [this means there is no such thing. This explains the analogy of "I have never heard of it"]. Giving free rein to feeling to nourish life ("cultivate" is sometimes "follow") is either punished by Heaven or killed by people (one edition reads "people who defy Heaven are killed"), and it is incompetence [not fearing the calamity of Heaven or the disaster of people, with death following, one still wants to use this to nourish life, like an ant carrying a grain of rice and wishing to bear a mountain; how could it bear such a burden?]. Doing in order to succeed, in order to gain something, is what affairs hope for (one edition reads "clear") [thinking that success returns to Heaven and gain or no gain is all fate, then there is nothing hoped for; that is the Way, not an affair]. Acting for the people is the key to the Way [if the people are not yet at peace the sage does not force them; if the people are not yet weary the sage does not forcibly leave]. Only let the people know the limit, and do not replace (one edition has "attack") them [following people without taking on himself is Heaven. If the people truly know the limit, how could the sage encroach and replace them? The Da Situ says: let the people recommend the worthy, and send them out to lead the people; let the people recommend the capable, and bring them in to govern the people]. This is the sage king's conferring (one edition has "receiving") of work, used to maintain the system. That (one edition has "that") teaching is too bitter, so the people's conduct is thin [before they even reach infancy, "they begin to think of whose"]. They have lost the root, and so they contend at the branch tip [fish leave the rivers and lakes and contend over wet foam]. People have their portions in places, places have their portions in lands [each has its own region], lands have their portions in Heaven [Ying has the world. Note: this commentary seems to have a loss], Heaven has its portions in seasons [in the land of Qin the sky turns cold early, in the land of Chu the sky turns hot early, and the like], seasons have their portions in numbers [spring rides the number of wood, autumn rides the number of metal, and the like], numbers have their portions in measure [taking many numbers makes it long, taking few makes it short], and measure has its portions in the One [the One is the source of measure and number, and one heads toward it according to one's portion, like the moon, one moon illuminating all the waters]. Heaven dwells high yet its ear is low, and this is the meaning [the body of Heaven is very high, but its ear is even lower, because the movement of spirit pervades all things]. Therefore the sage king: heaven it, season it, human it, earth it. Refined and correct without herding, it can follow (one edition has "use"); without merit, much (one edition has "much merit") [the character "king" runs through the three of heaven, human, and earth, probably modeled on this]. Honoring the ruler and humbling the minister is not because of calculating closeness; appointing the worthy and employing the capable is not because of old friendship ["chu" means old acquaintance. This means not letting private favor undermine the public righteousness of the world]. Water and fire do not enter each other: this is Heaven's system [water and fire are used as analogies for kindness and righteousness. In ancient governance of the world, at the moment of extending the utmost kindness, public righteousness could not be overridden; at the moment of extending great righteousness, private favor could not interfere. Like water and fire, they aid each other without entering each other. Even so, all this is the way of humans; the Way of Heaven is not in this realm. Therefore the following text says]. What brightness cannot illuminate [what Li Zhu sought but could not find], the Way too cannot obtain. What the compass and square cannot enclose, strength too cannot lift [though heaven and earth move secretly, the true body ever abides, unlike a boat in a gully carried off in the night. Who can lift it?]. What comes out of one's own wisdom ("wisdom comes out" is in one edition "grace of it") makes jade into rings and half-rings: this is government becoming instead disorder [the uncut jade is not destroyed; who makes rings and half-rings? A half-ring is the jue. The Li lun says: one uses the jue to sever relations with someone and the ring to restore them]. If a field does not follow the land's shape, it cannot grow grain [rice suits low land, millet suits high land]. If transformation is applied without following the people, customs cannot be formed. Strictness and urgency are excess, joy and anger are fitting; if one has already claimed all four as one's own, it is not the art of a teacher [this means that though the four, excess or fit, differ, they are equally far from the Great Way; how could that be enough to sit in a teacher's seat? The Liezi says: to take eight feet as one's own possession is all confusion]. If the form is stingy (originally written "gu"; one edition has "gai") and disorder instead increases, it is that form and circumstance cannot govern one another (one edition has "gather") [form has no way to govern circumstance, circumstance has no way to govern form, so the abuse (the source text has a private-use character; the Siku edition has "abuse") is thus]. Virtue that lives or dies with the body cannot be taken as a model [Yao and Shun died, and their bones probably rotted long ago, yet they are still praised and sung without end; how could that depend on the body's survival or death? This is the model for ten thousand ages]. In the past, those who held the world did not leave Heaven (some editions lack "Heaven") and humankind and yet were good at allying with states ("with" is sometimes "for"). [Good at allying with the states they ally with. If Heaven does not rely on people it does not rely; if people do not complete Heaven they do not complete; one who leans to one side of Heaven or humankind cannot even govern himself, much less the states he allies with.] The great fame of the former kings was always established by scholars [that which leads one upward is Heaven]. Faults arise above and guilt dies below: this is how a turbid age becomes a custom. One man, oh one man, fate reaches its limit here [this is an exclamation. It means that fate reaches its limit with the ruler. Now that such misfortune is left behind, can one not grieve? The deeper the grief, the gentler the words, which is the meaning of the poets].

有一而有氣【一者元氣之始】有氣而有意【意者沖氣所生】有意而有圖【可以象矣】有圖而有名【可以言矣】有名而有形有形而有事有事而有約【八者具矣而渾淪未離所謂混沌者也】約決而時生【時生或作時立決之為言判也】時立而物生【混沌開矣於是四時行焉百物生焉】故氣相加而為時約相加而為期期相加而為功功相加而為得失得失相加而為吉凶萬物相加而為勝敗莫不發於氣【氣所以發之】通於道【道所以通之】約於事【知道而已則蕩】正於時【知事而已則差】離【或作雜】於名【離如附離之離】成於法者也法之在此者謂之近其出化彼謂之逺近而【一本無而字】至故謂之神【明之在道者為神神之在器者為明】逺而反故謂之明【老子所謂逝曰逺逺曰反】明者在此其光照【或作昭】彼其事形此其功成彼【詩曰執轡如組蓋言此矣夫為組者緫紕於此成文於彼言其動於近行於逺也孔子曰為此詩者其知政乎執此法以御民豈有不化哉幹旄之忠告至矣】從此化彼者法也生法者我也【非我則無法】成法者彼也【非彼則無所用法】生法者日在而不厭者也【精神之運隨日以新】生成在己謂之聖人【彼我元同盛德之至】惟聖人究道之情唯道之法【非真混沌孰能如此】公政以明斗柄東指天下皆春斗柄南指天下皆夏斗柄西指天下皆秋斗柄北指天下皆冬斗柄運於上事立於下斗柄指一方四塞俱【或作皆】成此道之用法也【古之聖人不下席而天下治顔如渥丹肌膚若氷雪者用此道也而世之枯槁者昧此以為黃帝肌色皯黣而堯舜如臘此墨子之道也】故日月不足以言明四時不足以言功【言其明與功更在四時日月之上】一為之法以成其業故莫不道【民鹹用之】一之法立而萬物皆來屬【以出於一故萬物不能二也】法貴如言【無信不立】言者萬物之宗也是者法之所與親也非者法之所與離也是與法親故強非與法離故亡法不如言故亂其宗故生法者命也生於法者亦命也【莫非命也】命者自然者也【莫能使之然亦莫能使之不然謂之自然】命之所立賢不必得不肖不必失【命曰彭祖之智不出堯舜之上而夀八百顔淵之才不出眾人之下而夀十八仲尼之德不出諸侯之下而困於陳蔡殷紂之行不出三仁之上而居君位蓋言此矣】命者挈己之文【一作父】者也【夫身在草萊而挈之浮榮之上者命也然而俯仰百年恍然如夣是文也非實也】故有一日之命有一年之命有一時之命有終身之命終身之命無時成者也故命無所不在無所不施【或作絶】無所不及【言無適而無有命也】時或後而得之命也既有時有命【時者天之運命者天之令南華曰諱窮久矣而不免命也求通久矣而不得時也】引其聲合之名其得時者成命日調引其聲合之名其失時者精神俱亡命日乖【夫嚬其裡一也而醜人獻之更増其陋】時命者唯聖人而後能決之【南華曰知通之有時知窮之有命臨大難而不懼者聖人之勇也】夫先王之道備然而世有困君【或作居】其失之謂者也【禮義法度應時而變時命不停法亦隨故而昧者膠柱刻舟守先王之腐餘其道雖備而只益困窮此猶枕臥芻狗而更以遭魘豈易怛也哉】故所謂道者無己【無己元作己無】者也【隨之而已】所謂德者能得人者也【亦不失己】道德之法萬物取業【所謂資而不匱者也】無形有分名曰大孰【或作敦不知其誰之子也】故東西南北之道踹【一作端】然其為分等也【南華曰知東西之相反而不可以相無則功分定矣】隂陽不同氣然其為和同也酸鹽甘苦之味相反然其為善均也【南華曰柤梨橘柚其味相反而皆可於口】五色不同採然其為好齊也五聲不同均然其可喜一也【凡此五者以譬先王之道不矜於同而矜於治】故物無非類者動靜無非氣者是故有人將【一本作一人將蓋一人之將案一本無蓋字】得一人氣吉有家將【一家之將】得一家氣吉有國將【將一國者】得一國氣吉【古人有言戰猶博也錢多則氣豪而勝資少則心怯而輸然則將之吉凶在氣兵法曰朝氣銳晝氣惰暮氣歸善用兵者避其銳氣撃其惰歸】其將【一本將字下有失字】兇者反此故同之謂一異之謂道相勝之謂勢吉凶之謂成敗賢【一本賢字上有故字】者萬舉而一失不肖者萬舉而一得其冀【或作共】善一也然則其所以為者不可一也知一之不可一也故貴道【異之謂道】空之謂一【空一作同萬物莫不無】無不備之謂道【萬物莫不有】立之謂氣通之謂類氣之害人者謂之不適味之害人者謂之毒夫社【夫社元作天社或作天杜】不防則不成霧【或作霧氣防之為言猶曰達也此言亡國之社屋之不受天陽故無以成霧蓋大社不屋而壇以受霜露之氣然後霧生焉正言社與霧者社以申立之謂氣之義霧以申通之謂類之義】氣故相利相害也【太公調曰隂陽相照相蓋相治四時相代相生相殺】類故相成相敗也【夏者春之類冬者秋之類他皆放此】積徃生跂【或作政】工【或作王】以為師【跂跛倚也師如師巫之師巫歩多跛故積徃生跂工以為師揚子曰昔者姒氏治水土而巫歩多禹扁鵲盧人也而醫多盧】積毒成藥工以為醫【此言藥之跡起而醫生焉蓋天下之多縁故跡而生故大盜貸仁義以竊國小儒借詩禮而發冡故曰焉知曽史不為桀蹠之嚆矢也】美惡相飾命曰復周物極則反命曰環流【言其周流如環】

Only with the "One" is there qi [the "One" is the beginning of primordial qi]; only with qi is there intent ["intent" is born from the qi of harmonized emptiness]; only with intent is there a diagram [images can be taken]; only with a diagram is there a name [it can be spoken of]; only with a name is there form; only with form is there affairs; only with affairs is there agreement [when these eight, the One, qi, intent, diagram, name, form, affairs, and agreement, are all present and the primal chaos has not yet separated, it is what is called hundun, chaos]. When agreement is once opened up, time is born ["time is born" is sometimes "time is established"; "opened up" means divided]; once time is established, things are born [when chaos is opened, the four seasons run and the hundred things grow]. So qi added to qi becomes time, agreement added to agreement becomes a term, terms added to terms become achievement, achievements added to achievements become gain and loss, gains and losses added together become fortune and misfortune, and ten thousand things added to ten thousand things become victory and defeat. There is nothing that does not issue from qi [qi is what issues it], communicate in the Way [the Way is what connects it], come to agreement in affairs [if one knows only the Way one will be swept away], be rectified in time [if one knows only affairs one will err], attach [or "mix"] to names ["li" is like the li in "fuli," attach], and be completed in law. The law that is on this side is called near; its going out to transform that side is called far. Near and able to reach, therefore it is called spirit [what lights up in the Way is spirit; spirit that lodges in vessels is brightness]; far and able to return, therefore it is called brightness [as Laozi said: going on is called far, and far is called returning]. Brightness is on this side, and its light shines [or "is bright"] on that side; affairs take form on this side, and achievements are completed on that side [(a rare character in the source text, lost in transcription) the Book of Songs, in "Jian xi" of the Odes of Bei, says: "Holding the reins like woven ribbons," probably meaning this. One who weaves ribbons gathers the threads on this side and a pattern forms on that side, meaning movement is near and the effect travels far. Confucius said: the one who composed this poem probably understood government? To govern the people with this method, how could any not be transformed? The admonition in "Gan mao" of the Odes of Yong reaches the utmost]. That which goes from this side to transform that side is law. What produces the law is I [without I there is no law]; what completes the law is that [without that there is nowhere to apply law]. That which produces the law is present day after day without weariness [the movement of spirit renews itself each day]. Those in whom both producing and completing lie within themselves are called sages [that and I are originally one, abundant virtue reaching its utmost]. Only the sage exhausts the reality of the Way and exclusively keeps the law of the Way [if not truly the primal chaos, who could do so?], and makes government open so as to make it clear. When the handle of the Dipper points east, the whole world is spring; when it points south, the whole world is summer; when it points west, the whole world is autumn; when it points north, the whole world is winter. The handle turns above and affairs are established below; when the handle points in one direction, the four borders are all [or "all"] accomplished: this is the use of the Way [the sages of ancient times did not need to step down from their mats and the world was governed, with faces like red cinnabar and skin like ice and snow, using this Way. The withered people of the world do not understand this layer and think the Yellow Emperor's face was dark and dry and Yao and Shun were thin as dried meat; that is the Way of Mozi]. So the sun and moon are not enough to describe its brightness, and the four seasons are not enough to describe its merit [meaning its brightness and merit lie even above the four seasons and the sun and moon]. The "One" makes law for it and completes its work, so none fails to follow this path [all the people use it]. Once the law of the "One" is established, the ten thousand things come to belong to it [because it comes from the "One," the myriad things cannot divide into two]. What is valuable in law is being as trustworthy as speech [without trust it cannot stand]. Speech is the ancestor of the myriad things. "Right" is what the law is close to, "wrong" is what the law is apart from. "Right" is close to the law, so it is strong; "wrong" is apart from the law, so it perishes. When law is not as good as speech, it confuses its ancestor. So what produces law is fate, and what is born from law is also fate [nothing is not fate]. Fate is natural [no one can make it so and no one can make it not so, and this is called naturalness]. Where fate has settled, the worthy do not necessarily obtain and the unworthy do not necessarily lose [that is: Peng Zu's wisdom did not exceed Yao and Shun's, yet he lived eight hundred years; Yan Yuan's talent was not below the common people's, yet he lived eighteen years; Confucius' virtue was not below the lords', yet he was in hardship in Chen and Cai; the conduct of Zhou of Yin did not exceed the three benevolent men Weizi, Jizi, and Bi Gan, yet he sat on the throne; probably this is what it means]. Fate lifts up one's own "culture" [one edition has "father"] [one whose body is still in the weeds but is lifted above showiness and glory is by fate; yet in the span of a hundred years it is as dim as a dream. This is culture, not reality]. Thus there is a fate of a day, a fate of a year, a fate of a time, and a fate of a lifetime. A lifetime's fate cannot be fulfilled in any single time. So fate is everywhere, applied everywhere [or "cut off everywhere"], reaching everywhere [meaning that wherever one goes, there is no place without fate]. When the time comes late but one still gets it, that too is fate. Since there is time and fate [time is Heaven's movement, fate is Heaven's command. The Nanhua (Zhuangzi) says: having long avoided hardship yet not escaping it is fate; having long sought success yet not obtaining it is time]. One who draws out that sound and joins that name and gains the time succeeds, and fate day by day becomes harmonious; one who draws out that sound and joins that name and loses the time has his spirit lost with it, and fate day by day goes awry [frowning to show the villagers is the same act, yet when the ugly woman offers it, it only increases her ugliness]. Time and fate can only be decided by the sage [the Nanhua says: to know that success has its time and hardship has its fate, and not be afraid in great difficulty, is the sage's courage]. The Way of the former kings was complete, yet in the world there were still ruler in hardship [or "dwelling"], that is what is called losing it [rites, righteousness, laws, and measures change with the times; time and fate do not stop, and law changes with them; but the benighted glue the zither pegs and mark the boat, and guard the rotting leftovers of the former kings, so that though that Way is complete, it only brings more hardship. It is like sleeping with a straw dog (a straw dog used in sacrifice and discarded after use) as a pillow and having nightmares as a result; how easy is it to be unfrightened?]. Therefore what is called the Way is that which has no self ["no self" originally reads "self none"] [merely following]. What is called virtue is that which can obtain people [and also does not lose oneself]. The law of the Way and virtue is what the myriad things take their work from [that is what is called drawing resources without being exhausted]. It has no form yet has its divisions, and its name is called Great Shu (or "Dun") [not knowing whose child it is (Laozi's "I do not know whose child it is")]. So the Ways of east, west, south, and north stand apart distinctly (one edition has "end"), yet their shares are equal [the Nanhua says: knowing that east and west are opposed yet cannot do without each other, their shares of merit are fixed]. The qi of yin and yang differ, yet their coming into "harmony" is the same. The flavors of sour, salty, sweet, and bitter oppose each other, yet their being "good" is equal [the Nanhua says: hawthorn, pear, tangerine, and pomelo have opposed flavors yet can all go into the mouth]. The colors of the five hues differ, yet their being "beautiful" is one. The tunings of the five notes differ, yet their being pleasing is the same [these five are all used as analogies for the Way of the former kings: they were not proud of sameness, but proud of order]. So there is no thing that is not of a kind, and no movement or stillness that is not qi. So when one person acts as general (one edition has "a general of one person," probably the general of one person. Note: one edition lacks "probably"), if he gets the qi of one person he is fortunate; when a household has a general (the general of one household), if he gets the qi of one household he is fortunate; when a state has a general (leading one state), if he gets the qi of one state he is fortunate [the ancients had a saying: war is like gambling; with much money the spirit is bold and wins, with little capital the heart is timid and loses. Then the general's fortune or misfortune lies in qi. The Sunzi says: the morning qi is keen, the midday qi is idle, the evening qi turns homeward; one who is good at using troops avoids the keen qi and strikes at the idle and homeward]. That general (one edition has "lose" after "general") who is unfortunate is the opposite of this. So sameness is called "One," difference is called the Way, mutual overcoming is called circumstance, and fortune and misfortune are called success and failure. The worthy (one edition has "therefore" before "worthy") fail once in ten thousand actions, and the unworthy succeed once in ten thousand actions. The good they hope for (or "share") is the same, but the methods by which they act cannot be made uniform. Knowing that the "One" cannot be made uniform, they value the Way [difference is called the Way]. Emptiness is called "One" ["emptiness" is in one edition "sameness." Nothing among the myriad things is not nothingness]. That which lacks nothing is called the Way [nothing among the myriad things is not being]. Standing is called qi, and connecting is called kind. Qi that harms people is called discomfort, and flavor that harms people is called poison. If the altar (the source text originally reads "the heavenly altar," one edition has "heavenly du") is not [unsealed], mist cannot form (or "mist qi"; "unsealed" is like "opened through". This means that the altar of a lost state is roofed over and receives no heavenly yang, so it cannot produce mist. Probably the great altar is not roofed but only built as a platform, to receive the qi of frost and dew, and then mist is born. The altar and the mist are specifically discussed: the altar is used to restate the meaning of "standing is called qi," and the mist to restate the meaning of "connecting is called kind"). Qi is how things benefit one another and harm one another [Taigong Diao (a figure in Zhuangzi, "Zeyang") said: yin and yang illuminate each other, cover (harm) each other, and govern each other; the four seasons replace each other, generate each other, and kill each other]. Kinds are how things complete one another and ruin one another [summer is the kind of spring and winter is the kind of autumn, and so on for the rest]. Accumulated going produces limping (or "government"), which the artisan takes as a teacher (or "king") ["limping" means leaning and lame. The teacher is like the teacher in "shaman teacher." Shamans' steps are mostly limping, so accumulated going produces limping, and the artisan takes it as a teacher. Yang Xiong said: in the past the Si clan (Yu of Xia) regulated the waters and lands, and shamans' steps mostly resemble Yu's; Bian Que was a man of Lu, and physicians mostly come from Lu]. Accumulated poison becomes medicine, which the artisan takes as a physician [this means that when the traces of medicine arose, the physician was born from them. Probably many of the world's (a rare character in the source text, lost in transcription) arise from old traces. So great thieves borrow benevolence and righteousness to steal states, and petty scholars use the Songs and Rites to rob graves. So it is said: how do we know that Zeng Shen and Shi Yu will not become the first signal arrows of Jie and Zhi?]. Beauty and ugliness adorn each other, which is called complex turning (fu zhou); when things reach the extreme they return, which is called circulating flow [meaning that it circulates like a ring].

天者萬物所以得立也【萬物待是而後存者天也】地者萬物所以得安也【天父道也地母道也】故天定之地處之時發之物受之聖人象之夫寒溫之變非一精之所化也【五精化氣然後寒暑成焉】天下之事非一人之所能獨知也海水廣大非獨仰一川之流也【堯十年九潦而水不為加益湯八年七旱而水不為加損是豈仰一川之鐘哉】是以明主之治世也急於求人弗獨為也【與人共之】與天【一作人】與地【亦與天地共之】建立四維【禮義亷恥謂之四維】以輔國政鉤繩相布【一作希】銜橛相制參偶具備立位乃固經【元作織】氣有常理以天地動逆天時不祥有祟事不任賢無功必敗出究其道入窮其變張軍衞外禍反在內【所謂季孫之憂不在顓臾而在蕭牆之內也】所備甚逺賊在所愛是以先王置士也舉賢用能無阿於世仁人居左【春以生之象仁】忠臣居前【南方著見象忠】義臣居右【秋以成之象義】聖人居後【北方秘密象聖】左法仁則春生殖前法忠則夏功立右法義則秋成熟後法聖則冬閉蔵先王用之髙而不墜安而不亡此萬物之本天地之門戶【本門戶雲者以結左仁右義前忠後聖而春生夏立秋成熟冬閉蔵之義】道德之益也此四大夫【或無夫字】者君之所取於外也君者天也【左右前後共法四時故君象天焉】天不開門戶使下相害也【東不法仁西不法義南不法忠北不法聖則天之門戶塞矣】進賢受上賞則下不相蔽【脩文殿御覧引鶡冠子曰進賢者受上賞則下不蔽善為政者賞之不多而民喜罰之不多而民畏焉此謂進既仕之賢者也】不待事人賢士顯不蔽之功【信雖非事人賢士而進之受賞則任事之臣勸矣故下文雲】則任事之人莫不盡忠【繁露曰一中為忠二之則為患】鄉曲慕義【邦國欣慕斯可知矣】化坐自端【羊肉不慕蟻蟻慕羶也故彼雖慕義而我之化坐自端化坐自端言恭已正南面而已】此其道之所致德之所成也本出一人故謂之天【無二上也】莫不受命不可為名故謂之神【妙萬物而為言也】至神之極見之不忒【一作惑契此道者豈有差哉】匈乖不惑務正一國【災變之至無所怛惑姑以天下大理考正吾國之失而已豈曰天之有某變也以我為有某事而致也哉】一國之刑具在於身【刑于寡妻至於兄弟以御於家邦】以身老【一作考】世【以救於世而老】正以錯國服義行仁以一正業【案正業一作王業】夫仁者君之操也義者君之行也忠者君之政也信者君之教也聖人者君之師傅也君道知人臣術知事故臨貨分財使仁犯患應難使勇受言結辭使辯慮事定計使智理民處平使謙賔奏賛見使禮【賔奏言擯賛見言詔記曰禮有擯詔樂有相歩溫之至也】用民獲眾使賢出封越境適絶國使信制天地御諸侯使聖【因任之道此其大略也甞試論之古之明王無為而用天下也豈特使仁使勇使辯使智使謙使禮使賢使信使聖哉雖天刑人僇之餘尚無棄者也故戚施直鎛籧篨防璆侏儒扶盧防瞍脩聲聾者司火眇者督繩劓者抱關刖者守囿嚚瘖跛躃以實裔土夫如是故上無遺事下無棄才三代之所以安且久者用此道也雖然知所使仁而不知其仁有大小知所使智而不知其智有逺近未可也故曰孟公綽以為趙魏老則優而不可以為滕薛大夫雍也可使南面赤也可使與賔客言也求也百乗之家可使為之宰也由也千乗之國可使治其賦也由是觀之則此書所云亦因任之大凡而已莊子曰因任已明而原省次之因任如此然後可以原省故下文雲案人僇一本作人傪非】夫仁之功善與不爭下不怨上辯士之功釋怨解難智士之功事至而治難至而應忠臣之功正言直行矯拂王過義臣之功存亡繼絶救弱誅暴信臣之功正不易言貞謙之功廢私立公【韓非子曰自營為私背私為公】禮臣之功尊君卑臣賢士之功敵國憚之四境不侵聖人之功定製於冥冥求至欲得言聽行從近親逺附明達四通【由是而上至於冥冥聖人之任也】內有挾度【操以為驗所謂道揆者是也】然後有以【一本無然以二字】量人【無節於內觀物弗之察矣】富者觀其所予足以知仁貴者觀其所舉足以知忠觀其大袢【或作伴或作祥】長不讓少貴不讓賤足以知禮達【或作迭】觀其所不行足以知義受官任治觀其去就足以知智迫之不懼足以知勇口利辭巧足以知辯使之不隱足以知信貧者觀其所不取足以知亷賤者觀其所不為足以知賢測深觀天足以知聖【因任原省之要在於知人而知人在於有以觀之孔子曰視其所以觀其所由察其所安人焉瘦哉故此文具論之】第不失次理不相舛【一本作奸一本作拏】近塞逺閉備元變成【元者備之所以不困成者變之所以不倦】明事知分度數獨行無道之君任用麼麼【麼麼一作幼歴麼細人俊雄之反】動即煩濁有道之君任用俊雄動則明白二者先定素立白參【立白參一本作七一曰藻藻一作慕】明起【白參於下明起於上參垂貎也】氣榮相宰【君臣同體之況言氣不言血言榮不言衛相備也】上合其符下稽其實時君【時君一作時日一作貧意生期待時而發夫賢士之居邑里也合哉而難同而殊知時日】遇人有德【一作隱】君子至門不言而信萬民附親遇人暴驕萬民流離【一本作離流】上下相疑復而如環【一作不環】日夜相撓諫者弗受言者危身無從聞過故大臣偽而不忠是以為人君親其民如子者弗召自來【靈臺之效是矣】故曰有光卒於美名不施而責弗受【或作愛】而求親故曰有殃卒於不祥夫長者之事其君也調而和【一作知】之士於純【一作屯】厚【士如勿士行枚之士】引而化之天下好【或作如】之其道日從故卒必昌夫小人之事其君也務蔽其明塞其聽乗其威以灼熱人【倚上之威作人寒燠】天下惡之其崇日兇故卒必敗禍及族人此君臣之變治亂之分興壞之關梁國家之閱也【閱猶監也】逆順利害由此出生凡可無學而能者唯息與食也故先王傳【或作博】道【先王一作先生】以相効屬也賢君循成法後世久長隋君不從當世滅亡【禹之法猶存而夏不世王者由是故也】

Heaven is that by which the myriad things are able to stand [that on which the myriad things wait before they can exist is Heaven]. Earth is that by which the myriad things are able to rest [Heaven is the way of the father and Earth is the way of the mother]. So Heaven fixes their seasons and Earth gives them their places; the seasons set them in motion, things receive it, and the sage models himself on it. The changes of cold and warmth cannot be completed by a single essence [five essences transform into qi, and only then do cold and heat come to be]. The affairs of the world cannot be known by one person alone. The sea's waters are vast, not relying on a single stream [Yao had floods nine times in ten years, yet the water did not increase because of it; Tang had droughts seven times in eight years, yet the water did not decrease because of it. How could it depend on what a single stream stores up?]. So the enlightened ruler, governing the world, is eager to seek people and does not act alone [he shares it with others]. With Heaven [one text has "people"] and with Earth [he shares it with Heaven and Earth as well], he establishes the four cords [ritual, righteousness, integrity and shame are called the four cords] to support the government of the state. The hook and the cord are set out against each other [one text has "rare"], the bit and the peg restrain each other, and when the three and the pair are all complete, the position established is firm. The warp [the original reads "weave"] of qi has constant principle, moving in accord with Heaven and Earth. To go against Heaven's seasons is inauspicious and brings calamity; to carry on affairs without employing the worthy has no merit and surely fails. Go out and exhaust that Way; come in and exhaust that change. If one spreads out armies to guard the outside, the disaster is instead inside [as in the saying that Ji Sun's worry was not in Zhuanyu but within the screen wall (Analects, "Ji Shi")]. One guards against what is far, yet the thieves are among those one loves. So the former kings set up scholars, raised the worthy and employed the able, not catering to the vulgar. The benevolent stand at the left [spring, with its growth, takes its image from benevolence], the loyal ministers stand in front [the south is conspicuous and visible, and takes its image from loyalty], the righteous ministers stand at the right [autumn, with its fulfillment, takes its image from righteousness], and the sages stand behind [the north is hidden and secret, and takes its image from the sage]. Taking the left as modeled on benevolence, it is spring and things grow; taking the front as modeled on loyalty, it is summer and achievements are established; taking the right as modeled on righteousness, it is autumn and things ripen; taking the back as modeled on the sage, it is winter and things are stored away. The former kings used this, so that they were high yet did not fall, secure yet did not perish. This is the root (a rare character in the base text, lost in transcription; the common text reads "di") of the myriad things and the gate of Heaven and Earth [saying "root and gate" serves to sum up the left benevolence and right righteousness, front loyalty and back sagehood, and spring growth, summer establishment, autumn ripening and winter storing], and it increases the Way and virtue. These four great men (the benevolent, loyal minister, righteous minister and sage) [some texts lack the word "great men"] are taken by the ruler from outside. The ruler is Heaven [the left, right, front and back together model the four seasons, so the ruler takes his image from Heaven]. Heaven does not open its gate to let those below harm one another [if the east does not model benevolence, the west righteousness, the south loyalty and the north the sage, Heaven's gate is blocked]. If those who recommend the worthy receive the highest reward, those below do not conceal one another [the Xiuwen Dian Yulan quotes the Heguanzi: those who recommend the worthy receive the highest reward, and those below do not conceal goodness; in governing, if rewards are not many yet the people are pleased, and punishments are not many yet the people fear. This refers to promoting worthy persons who are already in office]. Without waiting for those who have already served the ruler, worthy gentlemen display the merit of not concealing [indeed, even if they are not worthy gentlemen who have already served the ruler, promoting them and letting them receive rewards will encourage ministers in office, and so the following text says], and those who hold office and do their work are all loyal [the Chunqiu Fanlu says: one heart without a second is called loyalty, and having a second heart becomes a calamity]. The villages admire righteousness [the admiration of the states can be known from this], and transformation sits and corrects itself [mutton does not envy ants; ants envy the gamey smell; so though the other side admires righteousness, my own transformation sits and corrects itself. "Transformation sits and corrects itself" means only to be reverent in oneself and face south (the Analects line about Shun's governing by non-action)]. This is what the Way leads to and virtue accomplishes. The root comes from one person, so it is called Heaven [there is no second above him]. There is none who does not receive his command, and it cannot be given a name, so it is called spirit [this speaks of its wonder over the myriad things]. At the utmost of spirit, one sees no error in it [one text has "delusion." One who accords with this Way, how could there be error?]. Even when chest and mind are at odds one is not confused, and one strives to set one state right [when disasters and changes come, there is nothing to fear or be confused about, one just takes the great principle of the world to examine and correct the faults of my state; how could it mean that when Heaven has a certain change, it was brought on by a certain thing of mine?]. The model of one state is all in oneself [the Songs say: to be a model to his wife, extending to brothers, to govern household and state]. With his own person he lives out his years in the world [one text has "examine"] [using it to save this age, and thereby living out his years]; having set it right, he uses it to arrange the state, practices righteousness and benevolence, and uses "the One" to correct his work [note: "correct his work" is "kingly work" in one text]. Benevolence is the ruler's conduct; righteousness is the ruler's affair; loyalty is the ruler's government; good faith is the ruler's teaching; the sage is the ruler's teacher. The ruler's way lies in knowing people; the minister's art lies in knowing affairs. So for facing goods and distributing wealth, use the benevolent; for confronting hardship and responding to danger, use the brave; for receiving words and composing phrases, use the eloquent; for planning affairs and settling schemes, use the wise; for governing people and handling things fairly, use the modest; for receiving guests and presenting petitions, use those who know ritual ["receiving guests" refers to the usher who guides guests, and "presenting petitions" refers to the announcer who calls names and introduces. The Book of Rites says: ritual has ushers and announcers, music has assistants and steps, which is the utmost of gentleness]; for employing the people and winning the multitude, use the worthy; for going beyond the borders, crossing the frontier, to very distant states, use those who keep good faith; for regulating Heaven and Earth and commanding the lords, use the sage [the way of assigning according to ability is only an outline. Let me discuss it: the enlightened kings of old used the world through non-action, so how could it be only using the benevolent, brave, eloquent, wise, modest, ritual, worthy, trustworthy and sage? Even those left over after Heaven's punishment or human mutilation were not discarded. So the hunchback who cannot stand upright was made to hold the great bell, the one with a protruding chest who cannot bend was made to carry the jade (the base text reads a variant here, a mistake for "cover"), the dwarf was made to hold the halberd shaft, the blind musician was made to practice sounds (the base text reads a variant here, a mistake for "blind"), the deaf were put in charge of fire, the one-eyed were made to inspect the ink line, the noseless were made to guard gates, those with feet cut off were made to guard gardens, and the stubborn, the mute and the lame were used to fill the remote borders. In this way, there was no matter above that was dropped and no talent below that was discarded. The Three Dynasties were secure and lasting by using this way. Even so, to know only that one should use benevolence without knowing that benevolence has greater and lesser kinds, or to know only that one should use wisdom without knowing that wisdom has near and far kinds, is still not enough. So it is said: Meng Gongchuo as a household minister of Zhao and Wei would have strength to spare, but could not be a senior official of Teng or Xue; Ran Yong could be made to face south; Gongxi Chi could be made to converse with guests; Ran Qiu, in a family of a hundred chariots, could be made steward; Zhong You, in a state of a thousand chariots, could be made to manage the military levies. From this we see that what this book says is only the general outline of assigning according to ability. The Zhuangzi says: once assignment according to ability is clear, tracing back and examining comes next. Having reached this point of assignment according to ability, one can then trace and examine, so the following text says it. Note: in one text a character is a variant, which is wrong.] The merit of the benevolent is doing good, giving without contending, so those below do not resent those above; the merit of the eloquent is resolving resentment and untying danger; the merit of the wise is that when affairs arrive they can be handled and when trouble arrives it can be met; the merit of the loyal minister is speaking upright words and acting straight, correcting the ruler's faults; the merit of the righteous minister is preserving what has perished, continuing what has been cut off, aiding the weak and small, and punishing the cruel; the merit of the trustworthy minister is being upright and not changing his words; the merit of the steadfast and modest is discarding the private and establishing the public [Han Fei said: planning for oneself is called private, and turning away from the private is called public]; the merit of the minister of ritual is making the ruler honored and ministers humble; the merit of the worthy gentleman is that enemy states fear him and the four borders are not invaded; the merit of the sage is establishing the rules in obscurity, so that what he seeks comes and what he wants is obtained, his words are heeded and his actions followed, the near are close and the far attach, and clarity penetrates every quarter [from here upward to obscurity is the sage's office]. With rules held inwardly [holding them as a check, which is what is called "the Way's measure"], one then has what is used to measure people [if inside there is no regulation, one cannot observe external things clearly]. Of the rich, look at what he gives, enough to know his benevolence; of the noble, look at whom he recommends, enough to know his loyalty; watch him at the great ceremonial seat [or "companion," or "auspicious"], where the old do not yield to the young and the noble do not yield to the humble, enough to know his ritual; look comprehensively [or "in turn"] at what he does not do, enough to know his righteousness; when he accepts office and takes up governing, look at his coming and going, enough to know his wisdom; when pressed and unafraid, enough to know his courage; when quick of tongue and clever in speech, enough to know his eloquence; when given orders and not concealing, enough to know his good faith; of the poor, look at what he does not take, enough to know his integrity; of the lowly, look at what he does not do, enough to know his worth; fathoming the deep and observing Heaven, enough to know the sage [the essentials of assigning according to ability and tracing and examining lie in knowing people, and knowing people lies in having a way to observe. Confucius said: look at what he does, observe what he follows, examine where he is at ease, and where can a person hide (the base text has a variant, a mistake for "hide")? So this passage discusses all these]. Grades do not disturb the order, and principles do not clash with one another [one text has "treachery," another "seize"]. Near, block; far, close; prepared and primal, changed and accomplished ["primal" is that by which "prepared" is not exhausted, and "accomplished" is that by which "changed" does not tire]. Understand affairs and know proportion, and the measures run by themselves. A ruler without the Way employs petty, trivial men [one text reads "young and stunted"; "trivial" means petty people, the opposite of the eminent and heroic], and every move is vexed and muddy; a ruler with the Way employs the eminent and heroic, and every move is clear. With both established first, simplicity standing, white joining in [one text has "seven" in place of "standing white joining"; one view has "adorned," which is also written "admire"], the light rises [the white joins below, the brightness rises above. "Joining" is a hanging-down look]. Qi and glory govern one another [this is a metaphor for ruler and ministers being one body: saying qi and not blood, saying nourishing (the channel of nutrition) and not defending (the channel of protection), they complement each other]. Above, match that tally; below, verify that reality. The ruler of the time [one text has "days," another "poor." The meaning is: giving rise to expectation and waiting until the time arrives to act. Worthy gentlemen live in the villages, matching yet hard to unite and differing, they know the day and time] meets a person of virtue [one text has "hidden"]; when the noble person arrives at the door, without saying anything he makes people trust, and the ten thousand people come to attach and be close; if he meets someone tyrannical and arrogant, the ten thousand people drift away [one text has "away drifting"]. When high and low suspect one another, going round like a ring [one text has "not a ring"], stirring each other up day and night, remonstrance is not accepted, speakers harm themselves, faults cannot be heard, and so great ministers are false and disloyal. So a ruler of people should love his people as sons, and they come without being summoned [the effect of building the Spirit Terrace in the Songs, when the people came of their own accord, is this]. So it is said: having light, one finally gains a fine name. To demand without giving, to seek closeness without taking in [or "loving"], so it is said: having calamity, one finally comes to ill omen. A senior one serves his ruler by harmonizing and accommodating him [one text has "knowing"], engaged in pure [one text has "gathered"] generosity ["engaged" is as in "do not engage in carrying the gag," meaning to undertake], guiding and transforming, and the world likes him [or "is like"], and his Way is followed more each day, so in the end he surely flourishes. A petty person serves his ruler by specializing in covering his clarity and stopping his hearing, borrowing his awe to scorch others [relying on the awe above and making people suddenly cold or hot], and the world hates him, and his calamity grows fiercer day by day, so in the end he surely fails, and disaster extends to his clan. This is the change of ruler and ministers, the division of order and disorder, the pass of flourishing and ruin, and the inspection of the state ["inspection" is like surveillance]. Obstruction and compliance, benefit and harm arise from here. All that can be done without learning are only breathing and eating. So the former kings passed on [or "widened"] the Way [one text has "elders" for "former kings"], so that people would model on one another and be connected. A worthy ruler follows the established law and later ages are long; a lazy ruler (the base text has a variant for "lazy") does not follow it and perishes in his own time [Yu's law was still there, yet Xia could not remain kings through the generations; this is the reason].

龐子問鶡冠子曰聖人之道何先鶡冠子曰先人龐子曰人道何先鶡冠子曰先兵龐子曰何以舍天而先人乎鶡冠子曰天髙而難知有福不可請有禍不可避法天則戾地廣大深厚多利【一作則】而鮮威【天尊而不親地親而不尊】法地則辱時舉錯代更無一法時則貳三者不可以立化樹俗故聖人弗法龐子曰隂陽何若鶡冠子曰神靈威明與天合【神之精明曰靈】勾萌動作與地俱【屈生曰勾】隂陽寒暑與時至三者聖人存則治亡則亂是故先人富則驕貴則嬴兵者百歳不一用然不可一日忘也是故人道先兵龐子曰先兵奈何鶡冠子曰兵者禮義忠信也龐子曰願聞兵義鶡冠子曰失道故敢以賤逆貴不義故敢以小侵大龐子曰用之奈何鶡冠子曰行枉則禁反正則舍是故不殺降人【鷹不擊伏況於人乎】主道所髙莫貴約束得地失信聖王弗據倍言負約各將有故龎子曰弟子聞之曰地大者國實民眾者兵強兵強者先得意於天下今以所見合【一本作舍】所不見蓋殆【一本作系一本作治】不然今大國之兵反詘而辭窮禁不止令不行之故何也【令使為之禁使勿為也】鶡冠子曰欲知來者察徃欲知古者察今擇人而用之者王用人而擇之者亡逆節之所生不肖侵賢命曰凌【下凌上也】百姓不敢言命曰勝【上勝下也】今者所問子慎勿言夫地大國富民眾兵強曰足士有餘力而不能以先得志於天下者其君不賢而行驕溢也【已亢為驕已滿為溢】不賢則不能無為而不可與致焉【孟子曰人有不為也然後可以有為】驕則輕敵輕敵則與所私謀其所不知為【句】使非其任力欲取勝於非其敵不計終身之患樂須臾之說是故國君被過聽之謗醜於天下而謀臣負濫【監】首之責於敵國敵國乃責則卻【或作刦以辭卻之】卻則說者羞其弱【以辭卻之則說而責之者羞其弱矣其勢必至於用兵】萬賤之直不能撓一貴之曲【其在下者又無以回之】國被伸【或作神】創【侵大曰伸】其發則戰【其創之發則戰】戰則是使元元之民徃死邪臣之失莿【音策】也過生於上罪死於下讎既外結諸侯畜其罪則【或作責】危覆社稷世主懾懼寒心孤立不伐【伐或作代下有威字】此人二國之難不解君立不復悔曩【或作晨】郵過謀徙計易濫【一作監】首不足蓋以累重【濫為謀首其過重矣而一人之手豈足以障天下之目哉】滅門殘疾族【滅門周官所謂屋誅】公謝天下以讓敵國不然則戰道不絶國創不息【謂之伸創以此故也】大【或作天】乎哉夫弗知之害【以言弗知之害大矣】悲乎哉其禍之所極【以言其禍可悲也已】此倚貴離道少人自有之咎也【多已少人】是故師未發軔而兵可迭也【近迭名篇蓋取諸此】今大國之君不聞【一作間】先聖之道而易事群臣無明佐之大數而有滑正之碎【或無碎字】智反義而行之逆德以將之兵詘而辭窮令不行禁不止又奚足怪【或作恃】哉龎子曰何若滑正之智鶡冠子曰法度無以嚖【一本作遂】意為摸【嚖讀為嘒彼小星之嘒】聖人按數循法尚有不全是故人不百其法者不能為天下主今無數而自因無法而自備循無上聖之【或作聖人】檢而斷於已明【斷以獨見之明】人事雖備將尚何以復百已之身乎【夫百已者豈獨彼有之蓋人受天地之中以生形體保神而眾妙悉備據今言之其身蓋有千百於已者然而所知才止一二而卒於泯沒無聞者不能復之而已】主知不明以貴【或作責】為道以意為法牽【或作牢或作罕】時誑【一作詎或作拒】世逜下蔽上使事兩乖【兩失之矣】養非長失以靜為擾以安為危百姓家困人怨禍孰大焉若此者北走之日【軍敗曰北】後知命亡【投死之地久矣乃今知之】龎子曰以人事百法奈何鶡冠子曰蒼頡作法【一本法字在書字下蒼頡黃帝之史初見鳥獸蹏迒之跡始造書契】書從甲子【日始於甲辰始於子】成史李官【成史蓋以獄成告於正者李官士師也】蒼頡不道然非蒼頡文墨不起【蒼雖造書不道士史然而文墨之萌由是起矣此百法之端也】縱法之載於圖者其於以喻心達意道之所謂乃才【或作防】居曼【曼作受】之十分一耳【此言使無文墨而欲以其法畫之於圖豈能盡其意之詳哉蓋自後世觀之書以趣便篆不如隸隷不如草則圖之鈍於應務可知矣故曰彌綸天下之事記久明逺著涽涽傳忞忞者莫如書涽涽目所不見忞忞心所不了】故知百法者傑雄也若【或作】隔無形將然未有者知萬人也【此俊徳也非特桀雄而已故其知與人隔此三境而超萬人之上也將然不如無形無形不如未有取譬言之若太易者未有也而太初無形渾淪則將然矣】無萬人之智者智不能棲世學之上龎子曰得奉嚴教受業有間【或作聞】矣退師謀言弟子愈恐

Master Pang asked Heguanzi: "What does the Way of the sage value first?" Heguanzi said: "First he values people." Master Pang said: "What does the Way of people value first?" Heguanzi said: "First it values arms." Master Pang said: "Why set aside Heaven and value people first?" Heguanzi said: "Heaven is high and hard to know; one cannot seek blessings from it and cannot avoid misfortune from it, and to model on Heaven is to go against it. Earth is vast and deep; its benefit is great [one text has "then"] and its awe small [Heaven is honored but not close, Earth is close but not honored], and to model on Earth is to be humiliated. The shifts of the seasons change in turn without fixity, and to model on the seasons is to be of two minds. None of these three can be used to establish teaching or set up customs, so the sage does not model on them." Master Pang said: "What of yin and yang?" Heguanzi said: "Spirit, numinous power, awe and brightness accord with Heaven [the refined brightness of spirit is called numinous], the crooked shoots stirring accord with Earth [growing in a curve is called a crook], and yin and yang, cold and heat, come with the seasons. As for these three, when a sage is present there is order and when the sage perishes there is disorder. So he values people first. When rich, one becomes arrogant; when noble, one becomes excessive. As for arms, they may not be used even once in a hundred years, but one may not forget them for a day. So the Way of people values arms first." Master Pang said: "If one values arms first, how should it be?" Heguanzi said: "Arms are ritual, righteousness, loyalty and good faith." Master Pang said: "I would like to hear the meaning of arms." Heguanzi said: "When the Way is lost, one dares to take the low to go against the high; when there is no righteousness, one dares to take the small to invade the great." Master Pang said: "How should it be used?" Heguanzi said: "If one goes down a crooked road, stop him; if he returns to the right road, release him. So one does not kill those who surrender [a hawk does not strike what has already crouched, much less people]. What the ruler's Way values highest is nothing nobler than restraint. If one gains land but loses good faith, the sage-king does not hold on to it. Those who break their words and betray their agreements will each meet with trouble." Master Pang said: "This disciple has heard: where the land is large, the state is full; where people are many, the army is strong; where the army is strong, one first attains one's aims in the world. Now to use what one sees to match [one text has "abandon"] what one does not see is probably [one text has "tied," another "governed"] not so. Now the armies of large states are in fact defeated and their words exhausted, prohibitions cannot stop and orders cannot be carried out; what is the reason?" [An order makes people do something; a prohibition makes people not do something.] Heguanzi said: "To know the future, examine the past; to know ancient times, examine the present. One who chooses people first and then uses them can be king; one who uses people first and then chooses them will perish. The places from which acts against the proper order arise: when the unworthy overrun the worthy, it is called overrunning [those below overrunning those above]; when the hundred families do not dare speak, it is called overcoming [those above overcoming those below]. As for what you ask now, you must not say it. When the land is large, the state rich, the people many and the army strong, enough one says, with scholars having strength to spare, yet one cannot first attain one's aims in the world, it is because the ruler is not worthy and also practices arrogance and overflow [being already haughty is called arrogance, being already full is called overflow]. If unworthy, he cannot practice non-action, and cannot achieve with him [Mencius said: a person has things he does not do, and only then can he do something]. With arrogance one takes the enemy lightly, and taking the enemy lightly one plans with those one privately loves matters one does not know how to do [break the sentence here]. The people employed are not ones who can handle it, yet he wants his strength to win against enemies not his match, does not count the trouble that lasts a lifetime and delights in a moment's talk. So the ruler takes on slander from misheard counsel and is disgraced in the world; the strategists in the enemy state bear the responsibility of being the first to blame [or "inspect"]. When an enemy state comes to question, they retreat [or "seize." Using words to fend them off], and once they retreat, the persuaders who proposed it are ashamed of their weakness [if they fend off with words, those persuaders who came to question are ashamed of their weakness, and the situation will inevitably come to the use of arms]. Ten thousand lowly straights cannot bend one noble crooked [those below have no way to turn it back]. The state receives an extended [or "spirit"] wound [great raiding is called extension], and when the wound breaks open it goes to war [when that wound flares up, war begins]. Once war begins, it is making the common people go to die for the failures of treacherous ministers. The fault arises above and the death sentence falls below. Once enmity has been formed outside, and the lords store up his crimes, they will [or "blame"] endanger and overturn the altars of the state. The rulers of the day are frightened and chilled at heart, standing alone and not marching out to campaign ["campaign" is also written "replace," and below there is the word "awe"]. This man leaves the troubles of two states unresolved, and the ruler stands but cannot recover. Regretting the faults handed down by earlier couriers [or "morning"], plans shift and calculations change, but the first to blame [one text has "inspect"] is not enough to cover them, because the entanglement is too heavy [the one who made the plan has too heavy a fault; how can one person's hand block the eyes of the world?], the clan is wiped out and relatives are ruined [wiping out the clan is what the Zhou Offices call house execution], and he publicly apologizes to the world to yield to the enemy state. Otherwise the road of war will not end and the wound of the state will not stop [what is called an extended wound is for this reason]. Great [or "Heaven"], the harm of not knowing [meaning the harm of not knowing is very great]! Lamentable, the extremes to which that disaster runs [meaning that disaster is lamentable to the utmost]! This is the fault of relying on rank, leaving the Way, using few people, and holding things oneself [one's own are many, others' few]. So before the army has even moved the wheel chocks, the troops can already be replaced [the title of the chapter, "Near Replacement," probably comes from here]. Now the rulers of large states do not hear [one text has "between"] the Way of the former sages, and treat affairs as easy; the ministers have no great calculations to assist with clarity, but have petty [one text lacks "petty"] cleverness that confuses the right way, act contrary to righteousness and lead troops against virtue. When the army is defeated and words are exhausted, orders cannot be carried out and prohibitions cannot stop, what is there to wonder [or "rely"] at!" Master Pang said: "What is the cleverness that confuses the right?" Heguanzi said: "Laws cannot be groped for with subtle [one text has "thereby"] intentions ["subtle" is read as in the Songs line about the small stars twinkling]. The sage follows the numbers and the laws, and yet there are still gaps. So a person who cannot fill out his law a hundredfold cannot be master of the world. Now one has no numbers yet relies on oneself, has no law yet considers oneself complete, does not follow the checks of the former sages [or "sage"] but judges by the clarity one already has [judging by the clarity of one's own view]. Though human affairs are complete, with what will one further fill out one's person a hundredfold? [That which is a hundred times oneself, how could it be only in others? A person is probably born receiving the central qi of Heaven and Earth, with the body holding the spirit and all wonders complete. By today's measure, his person probably has a thousand or a hundred times himself, yet what he knows stops at one or two, and in the end he vanishes unheard of, only because he cannot recover it.] The ruler's knowledge is not clear; he takes rank [or "blame"] for the Way and intention for law, drags [or "firm," or "rare"] the time to deceive [one text has "how," another "resist"] the world, goes against those below and covers those above, and makes affairs part from both ends [both ends are lost]. He nurtures what is wrong and grows what is lost, takes stillness for disturbance and safety for danger, and every family is in distress and everyone resents him; is there a calamity greater than this? Such a person, on the day he flees north [a defeated army is said to go north], only then knows that his fate is already doomed [he was thrown into a place of death long ago, and only today does he know]." Master Pang said: "Using human affairs to fill out the law a hundredfold, how should it be done?" Heguanzi said: "Cang Jie made writing [in one text the word "law" is below the word "writing." Cang Jie was the Yellow Emperor's historian, who first saw the tracks of birds and beasts and began making written tallies], and writing is arranged from jiazi [days begin with jia and the hours begin with zi], which formed the officials called Shi and Li ["forming Shi" probably means reporting case records to the magistrate; "Li officials" are the judicial officers]. Cang Jie did not speak of the Way, yet were it not for Cang Jie, writing and ink would not have arisen [though Cang Jie made writing and did not speak of the way of scholars and historians, the sprouting of writing and ink began from here. This is the beginning of filling out that law a hundredfold]. Even if the law is recorded on charts and used to convey (a rare character in the base text, lost in transcription; the common text reads "spread") what the Way means, it still [or "guard"; here "still" is to be followed] captures only a tenth of that breadth ["breadth" is also written "receive"] [this means: if there were no writing and ink, and one wanted to draw one's laws on charts, how could one exhaust the details of that meaning? Probably looking from later ages, with writing aiming at convenience, seal script is not as good as clerical script, and clerical is not as good as cursive, so the dullness of charts in dealing with affairs can be known. So it is said: to encompass the affairs of the world, to record the long past, clarify the far past, to bring out what is dim and pass on what is obscure, nothing equals writing. What is dim is what the eyes cannot see; what is obscure is what the heart does not understand]. So one who knows how to fill out that law a hundredfold is outstanding. If it is separated by the formless, the about-to-be, and the not-yet-existing, that is the knowledge of ten thousand people [this is eminent virtue, not merely being heroic. So his knowledge is separated from others by these three realms and transcends ten thousand people. The about-to-be is not as good as the formless, and the formless is not as good as the not-yet-existing. To put it in analogy: Great Change is the not-yet-existing; Great Beginning is the formless; and the primal chaos is the about-to-be]. One without the wisdom of ten thousand people has wisdom that cannot perch above the learning of the age." Master Pang said: "Having been able to receive this stern teaching, I have been taking instruction for some time [or "hearing"]. Withdrawing and pondering my teacher's words, this disciple is even more fearful."

龎子問鶡冠子曰聖與神謀【子曰道不同不相為謀】道與人成【子曰茍非其人道不虛行】願聞度神慮成之要奈何鶡冠子曰天者神也地者形也地溼而火生焉【至陽赫赫赫赫出乎地】天燥而水生焉【至隂肅肅肅肅出乎天】法猛刑頗則神溼【刑與法隂也】神溼則天不生水音【案一本音下缺一字又聲上多一故字疑悞】聲倒則形燥【聲與音陽也】形燥則地不生火水火不生則隂陽無以成氣度量無以成制五勝無以成埶【一作執五勝五形之勝】萬物無以成類百業俱絶萬生皆困濟濟混混孰知其故天人同文地人同理【天文地理與人同焉】賢不肖殊能故上聖不可亂也【譬如堯舜共工驩兜欲與為惡則誅之類】下愚不可辨也【譬如桀紂龍逄比干欲與為善則誅之類】隂陽者氣之正也天地者形神【一無神字】之正也聖人者德之正也法令者四時之正也【季春行冬令則寒季秋行夏令則暖】故一義失此萬或亂彼所失甚少所敗甚眾所謂天者非是蒼蒼之氣之謂天也所謂地者非是防防之土之謂地也【防形埒也】所謂天者言其然物而無勝者也【言天者君道也可天下之物而莫之勝也】所謂地者言其均物而不可亂者也【言地者臣道也平天下之物而莫之亂也】音者其謀也【雜比為謀】聲者其事也【佈散為事】音者天之三光也【三光雜比於上】聲者地之五官也【五官佈散於下】形神調則生理脩【形不病燥神不病溼則生理脩矣】夫生生而倍其本則德【或作隱】專己【夫偏養其本至於過理而不及防通之適則自為太多其德失乎物矣豈足語衛生之經哉故曰善飬生者若牧羊然視其後者而鞭之一本元缺一本字或作知或作如案一本元缺以下十三字與正文不相應疑當在下文知無道知字之下而錯悞於此今姑仍之】知無道上亂天文下滅地理【天人同文地人同理於此見矣】中絶人和治漸終始【言其治才漸首末而已失中道也】故聽而無聞視而無見【天下之事壊於冥冥】白晝而闇【日中見鬥之義】有義而失諡【人之所有不能諡之】失諡而惑責人所無必人所不及【逺其途而誅不至也】相史於既而不盡其愛【史使也從省言不盡已之愛而責人之盡】相區於成而不索【或作營】其實【區驅也從省言不竭已之忠而望人之成】虛名相髙精白為黑【沽於虛名而變亂事實黑或為墨墨亦黒也詩曰貍而蒼墨以為明】動靜組轉【與物轉旋如組使之】神絶復逆【復有報乎上也逆有言乎上也言其神色距人於千里之外】經氣不類形離正名【書曰有形有名形也者物此者也名也者命此者也經氣失常故形不麗名】五氣失端四時不成【隂陽並毗四時不至寒暑之和不成】過生於上罪死於下有世將極驅馳索禍【其於禍也若驅車就之】開門逃福【其於福也若開門避之】賢良為笑愚者為國天咎先見菑【或作嗇亦或作】害並雜人孰【案一本作執非】兆生孰知其極【見形而已昧於在理】見日月者不為明聞雷霆者不為聰事至而議【或作義】者不能使變無生【不能消之於未萌】故善度變者觀本本足則盡不足則德必薄兵必老其孰【案一本作執非】能以褊材為襃徳【或作襄隱】博義者哉其文巧武果而奸不止者生於本不足也【言非少文不武之罪】故主有二政臣有二制臣弗用主不能使臣必死主弗能止是以聖王獨見故主官以授長者在內和者在外夫長者之為官也在內則正義在外則固守用法則平法人本無害以端天地令出一【或無一字】原【多門杜矣】散無方化萬物【萬物一本作無物】者令也守一道制萬物者法也法也者守內者也【法者守於分域之內】令也者出制者也【令者所以行法】夫法不敗是【是出於義變而不可常法者所以趣變】令不傷理【主出於理一而不可變令者所以守法】故君子得而尊小人得而謹胥【或作冒】靡得以全神備於心道備於形【備天地之美稱神明之容】人以成則【以成法則】士【或作土】以為繩【以為繩墨】列【或作削】時第氣以授當名故法錯而隂陽調鳳凰者鶉火之禽【或無鶉火之禽枵之獸字】陽之精也【雄曰鳳凰者其雌也鶉火南星之次也】麒麟者枵之獸隂之精也【牝曰麒麟者其牡也枵北星之次也麒似麟而無角】萬民者德之精也德能致之【或作駿】其【或無其字】精畢至龎子曰致之奈何鶡冠子曰天地隂陽取稽於身故布五正以司五明【五正見下五明宜謂名屍氣皇名屍神眀名屍賢聖名屍后王名屍公伯后王一本作後二非】十變九道【未詳聞也】稽從身始五音六律稽從身出【大禹以聲為律以身為度所謂取稽於身者耶】五五二十五以理天下【五五五其音之五也】六六三十六以為歳式【六六六其律之六也一歳之式積旬三十有六】氣由神生道由神成【蛻氣之謂虛蛻虛之謂道而神也者有而非氣也無而非道也非氣而氣以之生非道而道以之成】唯聖人能正其音調其聲故其德上及太清【太清天也】下及泰寧【泰寧地也】中及萬靈膏露降白丹發醴泉出【醴泉其味如醴可以養老】朱草生【朱草可以染絳以別尊卑】眾祥具【傳曰王者統和隂陽休氣充塞符瑞並臻應得而至德至天則斗極明日月光甘露降德至地則嘉禾生蓂莢起秬鬯出德至文表則景星見五緯順軌德至草木則朱草生木連理德至鳥獸則鳳凰翔鸞鳥舞麒麟臻白虎到白雉降白鹿見白烏下德至山陵則景雲出芝實茂陵出異丹阜出萐莆山出器車澤出神鼎德至淵泉則黃龍見醴泉湧河出龍圖洛出書江出大貝海出明珠德至八方則祥風至嘉氣時鐘律調音度施四夷化越裳貢】故萬口雲【一本作萬口去】帝制神化【眾祥備至則外帝內神之道具矣】景星光潤【景星者德星也其狀無常常出於有道之國而月死則見所以助月照民夜績也】文則寢天下之兵武則天下之兵莫能當【一本雲武則天下莫能當無之兵字】逺之近顯乎隱大乎小眾乎少莫不從微始故得之所成不可勝形失之所敗不可勝名【或作勝為名】從是徃【或作生】者子弗能勝問吾亦弗勝言凡問之要欲近知而逺見以一度萬也無慾之君不可與舉【此言何謂也若予所學則人君之患正在多欲此孟子三見齊王而不言曰我先攻其邪心也故曰內實多欲而外施仁義奈何欲效唐虞之治乎南華曰欲順則平氣欲神則靜心欲當則縁於不得已亦與鶡冠異矣昔者有鬼谷著書以為馳説諸侯陽開隂閉必因其好惡憂樂而捭闔之然至於無好者蓋不得而說也若然多欲之君乃從橫之家欲以售術而鶡冠言道末流乃至於此不己卑乎】賢人不用弗能使國利此其要也龎子曰敢問五正鶡冠子曰有神化有官治有教治有因治有事【或作爭】治龎子曰願聞其形鶡冠子曰神化者於未有官治者道於本教治者脩諸已因治者不變俗事治者矯【或作橋】之於末龎子曰願聞其事鶡冠子曰神化者定天地豫【或作象】四時【其體常如此】拔【或作教】隂陽移寒暑【其體變如此傳曰古之真人提挈天地把握隂陽】正流並生萬物無害萬類成【或作鹹】全名屍氣皇【伏羲氏得之以襲氣母蓋近是乎】官治者師隂陽【隂陽王事之本】應將然【神化者於未有故升此一等】地寧天澄眾美歸焉名屍神明教治者置【或作署】四時【春誦夏秋學禮冬讀書之類因時順氣於功易也】事功順道【俯而事功仰以順道】名屍賢聖因治者招【或作拓】賢聖而道心術敬事生和名屍后王事治者招仁聖而道知焉【不能招賢聖而招仁不能道心術而道知聖也者天道也賢也者地道也仁也者人道也】茍精牧神【茍急敕也牧驅制也】分官成章【精神勞矣而不能善徧於是又備官焉】教苦利逺【教雖苦而利逺】法制生焉【萬物擾擾自此起矣】法者使去私就公【法者將以有所去也非以有所取也】同知壹警有同由者也非行私而使人合同者也故至治者弗由而名屍公伯【公如公侯之公伯如霸王之伯】

Pang Zi asked Heguanzi: 'The sage plans together with spirit [Confucius said: those whose ways differ do not plan together], and the Dao is completed together with humans [Confucius said: if it is not the right person, the Dao does not go forth empty by itself]. I would like to hear the essentials of measuring spirit and deliberating completion; how should it be done?' Heguanzi said: 'Heaven is spirit, earth is form. When the earth is damp, fire is born from it [the utmost yang, blazing and great; the blaze comes out of the earth]; when heaven is dry, water is born from it [the utmost yin, stern and cold; the sternness comes out of heaven]. When laws and orders are fierce and punishments are skewed, spirit becomes damp [punishments and laws belong to yin]; once spirit is damp, heaven does not give birth to water. Tone [Note: in one edition a character is missing below the word for tone, and an extra word meaning "therefore" stands above "sound"; probably a mistaken addition] and sound are turned upside down, and form becomes dry [sound and tone belong to yang]; once form is dry, earth does not give birth to fire. When water and fire are not born, yin and yang have no way to form qi, measures have no way to form institutions, the five conquests have no way to form power [one edition writes a different character for "power"; the five conquests are the five phases overcoming one another], and the myriad things have no way to form categories. A hundred undertakings are cut off together and all life is trapped, teeming and muddled; who knows the cause? Heaven and humans share the same pattern, and earth and humans share the same principle [the patterns of heaven and the principles of earth are the same as those of humans]. Worthy and unworthy differ in talent, and so the highest sage cannot be disturbed [as with Yao and Shun above, when Gong Gong and Huan Dou wanted to do evil together with them and were punished], and the lowest fool cannot be set right [as with Jie and Zhou above, when Guan Longpang and Bi Gan wanted to do good together with them and were punished likewise]. Yin and yang are the correctness of qi, heaven and earth are the correctness of form and spirit [one edition lacks the word "spirit"], the sage is the correctness of virtue, and laws and orders are the correctness of the four seasons [if in the last month of spring one enforces the orders of winter it will be cold, and if in the last month of autumn one enforces the orders of summer it will be warm]. So when one principle is lost here, the ten thousand may fall into disorder there; what is lost is little, but what is ruined is much. What is called heaven does not mean that the blue-gray qi is called heaven; what is called earth does not mean that the heaped soil (fang fang) is called earth [fang means outline, the boundary contour of the soil]. What is called heaven means that it completes all things and nothing can overcome it [heaven is the way of the ruler, able to make all things under heaven so, and nothing can overcome it]; what is called earth means that it levels all things and cannot be disturbed [earth is the way of the minister, which levels and governs all things under heaven, and nothing can disturb it]. Tone is its planning [mixing and arranging in order is planning], and sound is its business [spreading out is business]. Tone is the three lights above [the three lights mix and are arranged in order above], and sound is the five offices (the five kinds of officials who divide up charge of duties on the earth) on earth [the five offices spread out below]. When form and spirit are even, the principle of life is well ordered [if form is not sick from dryness and spirit is not sick from dampness, the principle of life is well ordered]. But if in nourishing life one doubles the root, then virtue [or "the hidden"] rests solely in oneself [favoring the nourishment of one's own root, going beyond principle and failing to reach the measure of connecting on all sides with all things (the source text writes "fang tong"), is doing too much for oneself; virtue is lost from things, so how can it suffice for a classic of hygiene? Hence it is said: one who is good at nourishing life is like a shepherd, who whips any that fall behind. Note: the thirteen characters following the words "one edition originally lacks" do not match the text; probably they belong below, under the word "know" in "know but lack the Dao," misplaced here by a displaced slip, and for now are left as they are]. Once one knows but lacks the Dao, above one disorders the patterns of heaven and below one destroys the principles of earth [heaven and humans share one pattern, and earth and humans one principle; this can be seen from here], and in between one cuts off human harmony, so that governance only soaks the skin of the beginning and end [meaning that its governing only reaches the two ends, having already lost the middle way]. So one hears as if not hearing and sees as if not seeing [the affairs of the world decay in darkness], and in broad daylight it is dark [which is the meaning of seeing the Dipper at noon]. There is righteousness but it loses its posthumous title [what people have, but no title can be fixed for it]; losing the title leads to confusion, demanding what people do not have and forcing what people cannot do [stretching out the road far, and then punishing people for not reaching its end]. They employ one another until after the task, but do not exhaust their own love ["shi" means to employ, written in abbreviated form; meaning that one does not exhaust one's own love yet demands that others exhaust theirs]; they drive one another to completion, but do not seek [or "manage"] the substance ["qu" means to drive, written in abbreviated form; meaning that one does not exhaust one's own loyalty yet hopes others will accomplish the task]. They praise one another with empty names and treat the pure white as black [seeking empty fame and confusing reality. "Black" is sometimes written "ink," which is also black. The Songs say: (a rare character lost in transcription), a fox taken for gray, ink taken for bright]. Movement and stillness turn along like weaving a braid [turning round together with things, as when weaving a cord], and spirit and qi repel people with reversal and counter-stroke ["fu" is reporting upward and "ni" is presenting words upward; meaning that his look keeps people away a thousand li]. The ordinary qi are not of one kind, and form departs from its proper name [the Documents say: there is form and there is name. Form is what is used to "thing" it, and name is what is used to name it. When the ordinary qi lose constancy, form does not attach to name]. The five qi lose their thread and the four seasons cannot be completed [yin and yang both dominate, the four seasons do not come, and the harmony of cold and heat cannot be completed]. The fault arises above and the guilt of death falls below. Some ages, about to reach their end, gallop off to seek calamity [treating calamity as if driving a carriage up to it], and open the door to flee from fortune [treating fortune as if opening the door to avoid it]. The worthy are laughed at, and fools govern the state. Heaven's portents of blame appear first, and calamities mix together. Who [Note: one edition has "hold," which is wrong] can see from the omens how it arises, and who knows its limit [seeing only the form and being ignorant of the principle]? To see the sun and moon is not to be enlightened, and to hear thunder is not to be keen of hearing. Those who discuss [or "righteousness"] only after the matter has arrived cannot prevent upheaval from arising [they cannot dissolve it before it sprouts]. So one who is good at measuring change looks to the root; if the root is sufficient one can exhaust it; if the root is insufficient, virtue must be thin and arms must grow old. Who [Note: one edition has "hold," which is wrong] can use narrow material to accomplish great virtue [or "Xiang yin"] and broad righteousness? Clever in literary matters and bold in martial matters, and yet villainy cannot be stopped; this is born from insufficiency of the root [meaning that the fault lies not in too little literary skill or in lack of martial skill]. So the ruler has two kinds of governance and the minister has two kinds of control: if the minister refuses to serve, the ruler cannot command him; if the minister resolves to die, the ruler cannot stop him. So a sage king is able to see alone. Therefore the ruler delegates offices: the elder inside, the harmonious outside. The elder as an official, inside holds to righteousness, outside holds fast, and in using law holds to equal law. The root of persons has no harm, and it is used to rectify heaven and earth. Orders issue from a single source [or without the word "single"] [many gates would block it]. What spreads without fixed direction to transform all things [one edition has "no things"] is the order; what holds to one way to restrain all things is the law. Law is what keeps within [law keeps within boundaries]; order is what goes out to make regulations [order is used to carry out law]. Law does not defeat this "right" ["right" comes from righteousness, which changes and cannot be treated as constant; law is used to hurry toward change], and order does not harm that principle [the ruler comes from principle, which is singular and unchangeable; order is used to keep the law]. So the exemplary person who gets it is honored, the petty person who gets it is careful, and the convict laborer (xumi) [or "mao"] who gets it is preserved. Spirit is complete in the heart, and the Dao is complete in form [complete with the beauty of heaven and earth, worthy of the countenance of the divine light]. People use it to complete the norm [to complete the standard], and scholars [or "earth"] take it as the cord [take it as the ink-line], arrange [or "shave"] the order of the seasons and order the qi, in order to bestow it on those worthy of the name. Therefore the laws interlace and yin and yang remain even. The phoenix is a bird of Chunhuo [one edition lacks the phrases "bird of Chunhuo," "beast of Xuanxiao" and the like], the essence of yang [the male is called feng and huang is its female; Chunhuo is the southern star station]; the qilin is a beast of Xuanxiao (the source text writes a private-use character for the first word; per the standard edition it is xuan; Xuanxiao is one of the twelve stations, in the north), the essence of yin [the female is called qi and lin is its male; Xuanxiao is a northern star station; the qi resembles the lin but has no horn]; the myriad people are the essence of virtue. Virtue can summon them [or "swift"], and those [one edition lacks "those"] essences all arrive together.' Pang Zi said: 'How are they summoned?' Heguanzi said: 'Heaven and earth, yin and yang, take one's own self as the verification, so one arranges the five correctnesses (the five kinds of governance: spiritual transformation, official governance, teaching governance, accordance governance, and affair governance) to govern the five brightnesses [the five correctnesses are given below; the five brightnesses should mean names going to the qi-sovereign, names going to spirit-light, names going to worthy-sage, names going to the later king, and names going to duke-hegemon. "Later king" is "later two" in one edition, which is wrong]. Ten changes and nine ways [this item I have never heard in detail], verification begins from oneself; five notes and six pitches, verification issues from oneself [Yu the Great took his voice as the pitch and his body as the measure; what is called taking oneself as verification is probably this]. Five fives are twenty-five, used to govern the world [five fives: the five of the notes multiplied by five]; six sixes are thirty-six, used as the model of a year [six sixes: the six of the pitches multiplied by six; the model of a year, accumulated, is thirty-six decades]. Qi is born from spirit, and the Dao is completed through spirit [shedding qi is called void, shedding void is called Dao; and spirit, as a thing, is something that exists though it is not qi, and does not exist though it is not Dao; it is not qi, yet qi depends on it to be born; it is not Dao, yet Dao depends on it to be completed]. Only the sage can correct his tones and tune his sounds, so his virtue reaches up to Great Clarity [Great Clarity is heaven], down to Great Peace [Great Peace is earth], and in the middle to the myriad spirits. Sweet dew falls, white cinnabar issues, sweet springs well up [the sweet spring tastes like sweet wine and can nourish the old], vermilion grass grows [vermilion grass can dye crimson and is used to distinguish rank], and all auspicious signs are present [ancient records say: when a king unifies yin and yang, benign qi fills all space and auspicious omens arrive together, and what is due arrives. When virtue reaches heaven, the Dipper and the Pole are bright, the sun and moon have radiance, and sweet dew falls; when virtue reaches earth, auspicious grain grows, the calendar plant puts forth, and black-millet wine appears; when virtue reaches the patterned signs, the bright star appears and the five planets follow their orbits; when virtue reaches grasses and trees, vermilion grass grows and trees join their grain; when virtue reaches birds and beasts, phoenixes soar, luan birds dance, qilin come, white tigers arrive, white pheasants descend, white deer appear, and white crows alight; when virtue reaches mountains and hills, auspicious clouds issue, zhi fungus is lush, hills produce strange cinnabar, mounds produce the shapu plant, mountains produce the vessel-cart, and marshes produce the spirit tripod; when virtue reaches deep springs, the yellow dragon appears, sweet springs well up, the Yellow River produces the dragon chart, the Luo produces the turtle writing (the source text has a rare character here, where the standard edition has the word for turtle), the Yangtze produces great shells, and the sea produces bright pearls; when virtue reaches the eight directions, auspicious winds arrive, benign qi comes in season, bells and pitches are in tune, musical measures are put into effect, the four barbarian peoples are transformed, and Yuezhang comes to offer tribute]. So ten thousand mouths proclaim [one edition has "ten thousand mouths depart"] the emperor's rule and spiritual transformation [when all the auspicious signs arrive, the Dao of the outer emperor and inner spirit is complete]. The light of the bright star is moist [the bright star is the star of virtue, with no fixed shape, and often appears in states that have the Dao; it appears when the moon is dead, to assist the moon and shine on people spinning hemp at night]. When one uses the civil, the soldiers of the world rest; when one uses the martial, none of the soldiers of the world can withstand it [one edition reads "when martial, none in the world can withstand it," lacking the word for soldiers]. The far becomes near, the manifest lies in the hidden, the great lies in the small, the many lie in the few, and there is nothing that does not begin from the subtle. So when it is attained, the forms it completes cannot be counted; when it is lost, the names it ruins cannot be counted [or "victory becomes name"]. From here on [or "born"] you could ask without end and I could speak without end. The essential of asking is to know the near and see the far, using one to measure ten thousand. A ruler without desires cannot be undertaken with [Commentary: what does this mean? According to what I have learned, the calamity of rulers lies precisely in their many desires. Mencius saw the king of Qi three times without speaking, saying: I first attack his wicked heart. So it is said: inwardly truly of many desires, yet outwardly practicing humaneness and righteousness, how can one emulate the governance of Tang and Yu? Nanhua (the Zhuangzi) says: if you want to be smooth, level the qi; if you want spirit, quiet the heart; if you want to be fitting, follow what cannot be helped; this too differs from Heguan. In the past Guiguzi wrote a book holding that in galloping persuasion of the lords, with yang opening and yin closing, one must open and close following the other's likes, dislikes, sorrows and joys; but when one meets a person with no preferences, there is no way to persuade him. If so, a ruler of many desires is precisely the one to whom the strategists want to sell their art; Heguan's discussion of the Dao, in its lesser branch, even comes to this point, is that not already base?]. If worthy men are not employed, they cannot bring benefit to the state. That is the essential.' Pang Zi said: 'May I ask about the five correctnesses?' Heguanzi said: 'There is spiritual transformation, official governance, teaching governance, accordance governance, and affair [or "contention"] governance.' Pang Zi said: 'I would like to hear their forms.' Heguanzi said: 'Spiritual transformation is in the time when nothing yet exists; official governance is the Dao lying in the root; teaching governance is cultivation in oneself; accordance governance is not changing customs; affair governance is correcting [or "bridging"] at the branch.' Pang Zi said: 'I would like to hear their business.' Heguanzi said: 'Spiritual transformation is to settle heaven and earth, to prepare for [or "image"] the four seasons [its substance is always so], to pull open [or "teach"] yin and yang, and to shift cold and heat [its substance changes thus. Ancient records say: the true persons of old lifted heaven and earth and grasped yin and yang]; the correct currents arise together, all things have no harm, all kinds are complete [or "all"], and the name goes to the qi-sovereign [Fuxi, by obtaining it, inherited the mother of qi, which is probably close to this]. Official governance is to take yin and yang as the model [yin and yang are the root of royal affairs], and to respond to what is about to be so [spiritual transformation is in the time when nothing yet exists, so it is higher than this grade]; earth is peaceful and heaven clear, all that is fine returns here, and the name goes to the spirit-light. Teaching governance is to establish [or "post"] the four seasons [like reciting in spring, stringed instruments in summer (the source text has a rare character here; per the Record of Rites, Wen Wang Shi Zi, it is the word for strings), studying ritual in autumn, and reading books in winter; following the time and following the qi, the results come easily], with achievements following the Dao [bending down to do the work, looking up to follow the Dao], and the name goes to the worthy and the sage. Accordance governance is to summon [or "expand"] the worthy and the sage and guide them with the art of the heart, so that respectful service gives rise to harmony, and the name goes to the later king. Affair governance is to summon the humane and the sage and guide them with knowledge [one who cannot summon worthies and sages only summons the humane; one who cannot guide with the art of the heart only guides with knowledge. The sage is the Dao of heaven, the worthy is the Dao of earth, and the humane is the Dao of humans]. In haste to herd the spirit ["gou" means urgent command, "mu" means to drive and restrain], offices are set up and regulations written [the spirit has already toiled but cannot be universally sound, so offices are again provided], and though teaching is bitter, its benefit is distant [teaching is bitter but its benefit far-reaching], and the system of laws is born from here [the myriad things are bustling and it starts here]. Law makes people drop the private and turn toward the public [law is prepared to remove something, not to take something]; making people know the same and be warned alike is because there is a single road to walk, not because oneself acts privately while making others conform. So perfect governance does not walk this road, and the name goes to the duke-hegemon ["duke" as in the duke of a lord, "hegemon" as in hegemon-king].'

龎子問鶡冠子曰泰上成鳩【一作瞗】之道一族用之萬八千歳【傳曰天地初立天皇一曰天靈其治萬八千歳然則成鳩蓋天皇之別號也】有天下兵強世不可奪【天地初立豈容已有兵哉此言亦筌蹄也南華曰寓言十九重言十七】與天地存久絶無倫【無倫細之至也中庸曰毛猶有倫】齊殊異之物【齊鵬鷃之大小等鳬鶴之長短】不足以命其相去之不同也【言其懸絶如此】世莫不言樹俗立化彼獨何道之行以至於此鶡冠子曰彼成鳩氏天【句】故莫能増其髙尊其靈龎子曰何謂天何若而莫能増其髙尊其靈【凡此叩其所以】鶡冠子曰天者誠其日德也日【或無日字】誠出誠入南北有極【冬日至而北夏日至而南】故莫弗以為法則【取中於日徳】天者信其月刑也月信死信生終則有始【朔而後魄生望而後魄死】故莫弗以為政【取正於月刑】天者明星其稽也【明星大星也二十八舍之類】列【或作削】星不亂各以序行故小大莫弗以章【小星不見陵掩案一本無掩字】天者因時其則也四時當名代【或作伐】而不幹【或作於彼謝此代而無侵越】故莫弗以為必然天者一法其【或無其字】同也前後左右古今自如【奈何杞人之憂其崩墜也】故莫弗以為常天誠信明因一【誠誠其日徳信信其月刑明明星其稽因因時其則一一法其同】不為眾父【或作文為眾父父】易一故莫能與爭先【南華曰一而不可不易者道也先或為光】易一非一【一不足以囿之】故不可尊増成鳩得一故莫不仰制焉【所謂侯王得一為天下貞者也】龎子曰願聞其制鶡冠子曰成鳩之制與神明體正神明者下究而上際【沈以窮乎下浮以際乎上】剋嗇萬物而不可厭者也周泊【或作汨或作流】徧照【周泊無外也徧照無裡也】反與天地總故能為天下計【狂而不反豈能與民同吉凶之患哉】明於蚤識逢臼【或作逺白】不惑存亡之祥安危之稽龎子曰願聞其稽鶡冠子曰置下不安【句】上不可以載【或作可以載】累其足【或作是】也其最髙而不植局【或作不可植局】者未之有也【此譬安危之稽言其置下茍危難欲累於上難矣又況又在其上者乎則其所立豈有不局哉累足蹐也植立也局曲也】辨於人情究物【或作萬物】之理稱於天地【稱之為言量也】廢置不殆【或作佁或作冶】審于山川而運動舉錯有檢【蠢迪檢押案押一本作柙】生物無害為之父母無所躪躒仁於取予備於教道【教以為人道以為已】要於言語【直言曰言問難曰語】信於約束己諾不專【反諾為己禮曰與其有諾責也寧有己怨】喜怒不増【喜不過予怒不過奪】其兵不武樹以為俗其化出此龎子曰願聞其人情物理所以嗇萬物與天地總與神明體正之道鶡冠子曰成鳩氏之道未有離天曲日術者天曲者明而易循【或作脩】也日術者要而易行也【天曲若五家為伍五鄉為縣之類日術若家裡用提甸長用旬之類此法起於周之末造而曰成鳩用之是今日適越而昔至也然則此書寓言多矣】龎子曰願聞天曲日術鶡冠子曰其制邑【或作已】理都使矔習者五家為伍伍為之長十伍為裡裡置有司四里為扁【扁當為甸後皆放此】扁為之長十扁為鄉鄉置師五鄉為縣縣有嗇夫治焉十縣為郡有大夫守焉命曰官屬郡大夫退脩【或皆作循】其屬縣嗇夫退脩其鄉鄉師退脩其扁扁長退脩其裡裡有司退脩其伍伍長退脩其家事相斥正居處相察出入相司【司猶伺也】父與父言義子與子言孝【與或作為】長者言善少者言敬旦夕相薰薌以此慈孝【或作力】之務若有所移徙去就家與家相受人與人相付亡人奸物無所穿竄此其人情物理也伍人有勿【或作物一本無伍人有勿四字】故不奉上令有餘不足居處之狀【此言有餘不足居處之狀無故輒違上令當告有司】而不輒以告裡有司謂之亂家其罪伍長以同【同謂同坐五人之罪】裡中有不敬長慈少出等異眾不聽父兄之教有所受聞不悉以告扁長謂之亂裡其罪有司而貳其家【貳猶副也若今從坐】扁不以時循【或作脩】行教誨受聞不悉以告鄉師謂之亂扁其罪扁長而貳其家鄉不以時循行教誨【一二教之曰誨】受聞不悉以告縣嗇夫謂之亂鄉其罪鄉師而貳其家縣嗇夫不以時循行教誨受聞不悉以告郡善者不顯命曰蔽明見惡而隱命曰下比謂之亂縣其誅嗇夫無赦【不言貳其家者罪之尚貳其家則誅可知矣】郡大夫不以循行教誨受聞雖實【或作賔】有所遺脫不悉以告柱國謂之亂郡其誅郡大夫無赦柱國不政使下情不上聞上情不下究謂之絿【或作絯或作繆】政【絿急也】其誅柱國滅門殘疾令尹不宜【或作宣】時合【或作令】地【合地之德】害百姓者謂之亂天下其軫令尹以徇【柱國楚之寵官令尹若相國矣楚懐王使柱國昭陽將兵攻齊陳軫問楚國之法破軍殺將者何以貴之昭陽曰其官為柱國封土執圭軫曰其有貴於此乎曰令尹軫車裂也周官曰轘軫或作斬】此其所以嗇物也天用四時地用五行天子執一以居【一作守】中央參於兩間調以五音正以六律紀以度數宰以刑德從本至末第以甲乙天始於元地始於朔【元以氣言之朔以方言之天運始於元地處始於朔】四時始於歴【王者敬授人時實始於歴】故家裡用防【防零日也公羊傳曰防月者僅逮此月晦日也案防一本作提今本公羊傳亦無提月之文】扁長用旬鄉師用節【驚蟄芒種之類】縣嗇夫用月郡大夫用氣分所至【二分二至之類】柱國用六律裡五日報扁【用防】扁十日報鄉【用旬】鄉十五日報縣【用節】縣三十日報郡【用月】郡四十五日報柱國【用氣】柱國六十日以聞天子【用律】天子七十二日遣使【一本作遣使於郡此用五行分王之數蓋一歳之運五行各王七十二日】勉有功罰不如【句】此所以與天地總下情六十日一上聞上惠七十二日一下究此天曲日術也故不肖者不失其賤而賢者不失其明上享【或作序】其福祿而百事理行畔者不利【天下晏然雖隂有欲畔者無所乗其隙也】故莫能撓其強是以能治滿而不溢【不増之使溢】綰大【或作天】而不芒【不損之使芒芒之為言小也】天子中【或作甲】正使者敢易言尊益區域【或無域字】使利逜下蔽上【使者變言貸襄借譽尊益區宇則其至於逜下蔽上】其刑斬笞無赦諸吏教苦德薄侵暴百姓輒罷毋使汙官亂治不奉令犯法其罪加民【播惡於眾】利而不取利運而不取次【疑取次或作敢次】故四方從之唯恐後至是以運天【運天或作運大】而維張【管子曰四維不張國乃滅亡】地廣而德章天下安樂設年予昌屬各以一時典最上賢不如令尹令尹以聞壹再削職【一本作則織】三則【或作典】不赦治不逾官使史李不誤公市為平生者不喜【非故生之】死者不怨【非故殺之】人得所欲國無變故著賞有功德及三世父【或作名】伏【或作狀】其辜不得創諡【名之曰幽厲雖孝子慈孫不能改也創或為制】事從一二終古不勃彼計為善於鄉不如為善於裡為善於裡不如為善於家是以為善者可得舉為惡者可得誅【或作諭】莫敢道一旦之善皆以終身為期素無失次故化立而世無邪化立俗成少則同儕【或作齊】長則同友遊敖同品祭祀同福死生同愛禍災同憂居處同樂【安居曰處】行作同和吊賀同雜哭泣同哀驩欣足以相助諜【或作謀】足以相止【探遉也諜間諜也】安平相馴軍旅相保夜戰則足以相信晝戰則足以相配【或作醜】入以禁暴出正無道是以其兵能橫行誅伐而莫之敢御故其刑設而不用不爭而權重車甲不陳而天下無敵矣【一本作天下無道適矣】失道則賤敢逆貴不義則小敢侵大成鳩既見上世之嗣失道亡功倍【或作信】本滅德之則故為之不朽【或作株又或作採】之國定位牢【或作罕】祭【或作然不能保其邦家則位不定矣不能保其宗廟則祭不牢矣】使鬼神亶曰【或作日】増規不圓益矩不方【此言法度至足無欠無餘規不可増矩不可益非特使人信之雖質諸鬼神而無疑也蓋聖人之法譬諸身乎増之則贅割之則虧】夫以効末傳之子孫唯此可持【或無唯此可持字】唯此可將【効猶示也讀如効犬効羊之効言以示子孫之末裔立而可持行而可將唯此而已】將者養吉釋【或作澤】者不祥墠以全犧【純謂之犧完謂之牷】正以齋明【齋或作天或作文不莫謂之齋不昧謂之明齊明者蓋祭祀之正也犧牷則以為副而已禮曰去廟為祧去祧為壇去壇為墠今此獨言墠者於墠如此則由壇而上可知也案不莫一本作不革】四時享之祀以家王【子孫祭祀不輟所謂祀以家王】以為神享禮靈之符蔵之宗廟以壐正諸【或作諸侯為之信符蔵之宗廟而又以其壐正之以明後世所當守也】故其後世之保教也全【句】耳目不營用心不分不見異物而遷捐【或作指】私去毒【或作也捐己之私去人之毒】鉤【一本此字上有每字鉤作均】於內哲【或作智足以及之】固於所守【仁足以守之】更始逾新【周而更始文而愈新】上元為紀共承嘉惠相髙不改亶昭穆【湯不先契文武不先不窋魯躋僖公失是矣】具【或作其】招士【疑】先結之後入弗解【先入者定矣故後入之事弗能解也】此知極之至也【極如紀極之極】龎子曰願聞所以不改更始逾新之道鶡冠子曰成鳩所謂得王鈇之傳者也龎子曰何謂王鈇鶡冠子曰王鈇者【案一本無此三字】非一世之器也以死遂生【以殺止殺】從中制外之教也【教或為數】後世【或作世後】成至孫一靈羽【靈或作虛】理【或作理虛羽理或作虛村理】符日循【或作脩】功弗敢【或無敢字】敗【智者雖工弗敢敗也】奉業究制執正守內拙弗敢廢【愚者雖拙弗敢廢也】樓與旱【蘇本作樓與卑疑旱或為早】以新續故四時執効應錮【或作銅】不駿【疑】後得入廟惑【或作或】爽【或作】不嗣【或作副】謂之焚【或作婪生火甚多其和焚矣列子曰焦然肌色奸黯昏然五情爽惑】祖命冐世【冐忝也世如世德之世】禮嗣弗引奉常弗內【弗引弗引於朝弗內弗內於廟奉常禮官也典宗朝之儀有丞景帝更曰太常】靈不食祀【其鬼不得食祀】家王不舉祭天將降咎皇神不享【家王越而祭之則將獲罪於天皇神雖郊不享皇神昊天上帝】此所以不改更始逾新之道也故主無異意【人君爽惑不嗣其罪如上所云則繼其後者據舊鑑新豈敢輒異哉】民心不徙與天合則萬年一範【範如荀子範形之範】則近者親其善逺者慕其德而無已是以其教不厭其用不故能疇合四海以為一家而夷貉萬國皆以時朝服致績【或作續】而莫敢効增【或作増】免【此言夷貉萬國皆以朝服致貢而不敢輒增亦不敢免法言曰被我純績帶我金犀此之謂也】聞者傳譯來歸其義【又其逺者】莫能易其俗移其教【孟子所謂用夏變夷未聞變於夷者也】故其威立而不犯流逺而不廢此素皇內帝【或作耑】之法【帝者天號王者人稱皇者天人之總美大之名謂之素皇內帝則又其至者也蓋至人神矣由是而在下則聖外王之道也由是而在上則素皇內帝之法也】成鳩之所枋以超等【枋柄也】世世不可奪者也功日益月長故能與天地存久此所以與神明體【或作禮】正之術也不待士史【或作女】蒼頡作書故後世莫能雲其咎【士李官也太古無法而治不立十史不造書契而至德同使由之者不能知知之者不能名尚何議其咎也哉傳曰蒼頡作書鬼神夜哭天雨粟方是之時至德衰矣】未聞不與道德究【究下或有謂字】而能以為善者也龎子曰如是古今之道同邪鶡冠子曰古者亦我而使之久眾者亦我而使之眾耳何比異哉彼類善則萬世不忘【類猶聚也】道惡則禍及其身尚【或作有】奚怪焉龎子曰以今之事觀古之道舟車相通衣服同採言語相知畫地守之不能相犯殊君異長不能相使逆言過耳兵甲相李【或作履李如李官之李李者治也】百父母子且【或作其案一本且作旦】未易領【或作頃言父母暨子至百不易領矣】方若所言未有離中國之正也【離附也言以上所云方若疇合四海以為一家之言似違中國之正逺矣】丘第之業【第裡第也】域【或作或】不出著【著土著也】居不連垝【毀牆曰垝】而曰成鳩氏周闔四海為一家夷貉【夷貉或作第卻】萬國莫不來朝其果情【一本情下有可字一本情作成】乎【此言邱裡之間其業之異如此又況四海夷貉之逺乎】鶡冠子曰虎【或作唐】狼殺【或作救】人【或作下】烏蒼從上【烏烏鳥也蒼蒼蠅也】螾蛾【一作蟻】從下聚之六者異類然同時俱至者何也所欲同也由是觀之有人之名則同人之情耳何故不可乎【此言四海之情同以為一家無不可者】天度數之而行在一不少在萬不眾同如林木積如倉粟鬥石以陳昇委無失也【委亦米之數也傳曰少曰委多曰積其數未詳聞也禮雲出入三積】列【或作削】地分民亦尚一也耳【或無耳字】百父【或作交】母子何能增減殊君異長又何出入若能正一萬國同極德至【至下或有制字】四海又奚足闔也龎子曰果必信然隂陽消散三百六十日各反【或作及】其故天地局局【或作】奚足以疑【局局挾貎孟子所謂天之髙也星辰之逺也茍求其故千歳之日至可坐而致也】聖人髙大內揣深淺逺近之理【或作異】使鬼神一失【一失失其奧也此言聖人燭理有以窺之】不復息矣【運而不停】與【或作為】天地相蔽【蔽天地而不恥】至今尚在以鉦面達行【疑】宜乎哉成鳩之萬八千歳也【夫道者天地之母縮而修身伸以治國皆可以長久此廣成子之所以千二百年而成鳩氏之所以萬八千歳也故曰廣成子之謂天矣又曰成鳩氏天故莫能増其髙尊其靈】得此道者何辯誰氏所用之國而天下利耳【用之則是安辯誰何】

Pang Zi asked Heguanzi: 'The Dao of Taishang Chengjiu [one edition writes the second name with a different character], one clan used it for eighteen thousand years [ancient records say: when heaven and earth were first established, the Heavenly Sovereign, also called Tianling, ruled for eighteen thousand years. So Chengjiu is probably another title of the Heavenly Sovereign]. Holding the world, his troops were strong and could not be taken away in his age [when heaven and earth had only just been established, how could there already be troops? These words too are a fish-trap and snare. Nanhua (the Zhuangzi) says: allegory accounts for nine parts in ten, and weighty words for seven in ten], and he existed together with heaven and earth, lasting so long as to have no peer [having no peer is the utmost of fineness. The Doctrine of the Mean says: a hair still has its peer]. To equalize those different things [equalizing the great and small of the roc and the quail, and equating the long and short of the duck and the crane] would also not suffice to describe how far apart they are [saying that they are separated by so great a gulf]. There is no age that does not speak of establishing customs and setting up transformation; what Dao did he alone practice, to reach this point?' Heguanzi said: 'That Chengjiu clan is simply heaven [break the sentence here], and so there was no one who could raise his height further or honor his numinous power further.' Pang Zi said: 'What is called heaven? How is it that no one could raise his height further or honor his numinous power further? [all this presses on the reason why it is so]' Heguanzi said: 'Heaven is faithful in its sun virtue. The sun [one edition lacks "sun"] truly comes out and truly goes in, with poles at north and south [on the winter solstice it goes north, on the summer solstice it goes south], so there is no one who does not take it as the standard [taking the mean from the sun's virtue]. Heaven is trustworthy in its moon punishment. The moon truly dies and truly lives, and at the end there is a beginning [after the new moon the dark part lives, after the full moon the dark part dies], so there is no one who does not take it as the model of government [taking rectitude from the moon's punishment]. Heaven takes the bright star as its verification [the bright star is the great star, like the twenty-eight mansions]. The ranked [or "shaved"] stars are not disordered, each moving in its order, so none of the small or large fail to take it to become manifest [the small stars are not encroached upon or covered. Note: one edition lacks the word "covered"]. Heaven takes accordance with the seasons as its rule. The four seasons, each in its own name, alternate [or "attack"] without trespassing [or "in". This one withdraws and that one replaces it, with no encroachment], so there is no one who does not take it as necessity. Heaven takes a single law as its sameness [one edition lacks "its"]. Front, back, left, right, ancient and present are all so of themselves [how could the man of Qi worry that heaven would collapse?], so there is no one who does not take it as constant. Heaven's sincerity, trust, brightness, accordance and oneness ["sincerity" is sincerity in its sun virtue, "trust" is trust in its moon punishment, "brightness" is the bright star as verification, "accordance" is accordance with the seasons as the rule, and "oneness" is one law as sameness] do not act as fathers of the multitude [or "literature is father of the multitude's father"]. It is the One that transforms, so no one can contend to get ahead of it [Nanhua says: the One that cannot but transform is the Dao. "Ahead" is sometimes written "light"]. The One that transforms is already not that fixed One [the One is not enough to confine it], so it cannot be honored further or increased. Chengjiu obtained the One, so there was no one who did not look up and receive his regulation [the so-called lords and kings who obtain the One serve as the rectifiers of the world].' Pang Zi said: 'I would like to hear his regulations.' Heguanzi said: 'Chengjiu's regulations were embodied in correctness with the divine light. The divine light exhausts the below and borders the above [sinking down it exhausts the bottom, floating up it borders the top], can store and nurture all things without ever being satisfied, circles [or "flows"] and shines everywhere [circling is being without an outside, shining everywhere is being without an inside], and returns to be joined as a whole with heaven and earth, so it is able to make plans for the world [if one is wild and does not return, how could one share with the people the calamity of fortune and misfortune?]. He was clear in early discernment, and not confused even when meeting the mortar [or "far white"], not deluded by the omen of survival or perishing, or the verification of safety and danger.' Pang Zi said: 'I would like to hear that verification.' Heguanzi said: 'If what is placed below is not secure [break the sentence here], above it cannot be borne [or "can bear"]. One who burdens his own feet [or "this"], and yet whose summit stands without being cramped, has never existed [or "cannot plant cramped"] [this illustrates the verification of safety and danger: if what is set below is precarious, burdening the upper is difficult; and moreover, with things standing above it, how could what it stands on not be cramped? "Burdening the feet" is tiptoeing, "to plant" is to stand, and "cramped" is bent]. He discerned human feeling, exhausted the principles of things [or "all things"], weighed in heaven and earth ["weigh" means to measure], set aside and established without peril [or other characters], examined the mountains and rivers, and his movements and actions had restraint [all crawling creatures are within restraint. Note: one edition writes a different character for "restraint"]. Living things were without harm, he was their parent, there was no trampling or bullying, taking and giving came from humaneness, teaching and Dao were both complete [teaching is used for others, the Dao for oneself], binding agreement lay in words [straight speech is called yan, questioning and refuting is called yu], trust lay in pledges, neither "already" nor "promise" was monopolized [the reverse of a promise is "already." The Record of Rites says: better to bear the blame of a promise than the resentment of "already"], and joy and anger were not added to [joy does not exceed giving, and anger does not exceed taking]. His troops did not rely on martial might; once established, they became custom; his transformation came from here.' Pang Zi said: 'I would like to hear that Dao of human feeling and the principles of things, of storing and nurturing all things, of being joined with heaven and earth, of being correct with the divine light.' Heguanzi said: 'The Dao of the Chengjiu clan never left the heavenly curve and the sun method. The heavenly curve is clear and easy to follow [or "cultivate"], the sun method is simple and easy to carry out [the heavenly curve is like five households making a squad and five townships a county; the sun method is like households using "ti" and field heads using the decade. This system arose in the late Zhou, yet it is said that Chengjiu used it, which is like going to Yue today and having already arrived yesterday. So this book has much allegory].' Pang Zi said: 'I would like to hear the heavenly curve and the sun method.' Heguanzi said: 'Marking out towns [or "already"] and governing capitals, the method to make the people familiar and practiced is as follows: five households form a squad, with a squad leader; ten squads form a village, with a village officer (the head of the village level); four villages form a bian [bian should be dian; the same below], with a bian head; ten bian form a township, with a township master; five townships form a county, with a county steward governing; ten counties form a commandery, with a grandee guarding it, which is called the official subordinates. The commandery grandee withdraws to put in order [or "follow"] his counties, the county steward withdraws to put in order his townships, the township master withdraws to put in order his bian, the bian head withdraws to put in order his villages, the village officer withdraws to put in order his squads, and the squad leader withdraws to put in order his households. Affairs are mutually pointed out and corrected, dwellings are mutually observed, and comings and goings are mutually watched ["si" is like "watch"]. Father with father speaks of righteousness, son with son of filial piety [or "for"], elders speak of goodness, and juniors of respect, morning and evening permeating one another like fragrance, using this as the business of kindness and filial piety [or "strength"]. If there is relocation, household and household take over from one another, person and person hand over to one another, and fugitives and wicked things have no place to slip through. This is his human feeling and principle of things. If a person in a squad or village [or "thing". One edition lacks the four characters "wu ren you wu"] without cause does not carry out the superior's orders, has surplus or deficiency and conditions of residence [meaning surplus, deficiency, conditions of residence; if without cause they often go against the superior's order, it should be reported to the officer], yet it is not immediately reported to the village officer, that is called disordering the household, and the guilt is shared by the squad leader ["shared" means the five people share the guilt]. If in a village there are those who do not respect elders and show kindness to the young, who exceed their rank, who differ from the multitude, or who do not listen to the teaching of fathers and brothers, and what is heard is not fully reported to the bian head, that is called disordering the village, the guilt lies with the officer and extends to his household ["extends" is like "deputy," like the present-day collective punishment]. If the bian does not make rounds [or "cultivate"] to teach at the proper times, and what is heard is not fully reported to the township master, that is called disordering the bian; the guilt lies with the bian head and extends to his household. If the township does not make rounds to teach at the proper times [teaching again and again is called hui] and what is heard is not fully reported to the county steward, that is called disordering the township; the guilt lies with the township master and extends to his household. If the county steward does not make rounds to teach at the proper times and what is heard is not fully reported to the commandery, then if the good is not made manifest, that is called obscuring brightness, and if evil is seen but concealed, that is called collusion with those below; this is called disordering the county, and the steward is executed without pardon [it does not say that it extends to his household because the guilt is already heavy enough to extend to his household, so execution can be understood]. If the commandery grandee does not make rounds to teach at the proper times, and what is heard, though true [or "guest"], has omissions and is not fully reported to the Pillar of State (in this hierarchy, above the commandery grandee and below the prime minister, collecting all the commanderies and memorializing the Son of Heaven), that is called disordering the commandery, and the grandee is executed without pardon. If the Pillar of State does not carry out government, so that the situation below does not reach up and the situation above does not penetrate down, that is called jiu [or other characters] government [jiu means urgent]; the Pillar of State is executed, his household destroyed and his kin cut down (the source text reads "crippled"). If the Prime Minister is not suited to the seasonal orders [or "proclaim"], does not match [or "order"] the land [match the virtue of the land], and harms the hundred families, that is called disordering the world, and the Prime Minister is torn apart by chariots as an example [the Pillar of State was an honored office in Chu, and the Prime Minister was like a chancellor. King Huai of Chu had the Pillar of State Zhao Yang lead troops to attack Qi; Chen Zhen asked about Chu's law: how is one who breaks an army and kills a general honored? Zhao Yang said: that office is Pillar of State, with enfeoffed land and holding the jade tablet. Zhen asked: is there anything more honored? He said: the Prime Minister. Zhen, that is chariot-tearing. The Rites of Zhou call it huan. "Zhen" is sometimes written "beheading"]. This is how he stored and nurtured all things. Heaven uses the four seasons, earth uses the five phases, and the Son of Heaven holds the One, residing [one edition has "guarding"] in the center, participating between the two, regulating by the five notes, correcting by the six pitches, recording by measures and numbers, governing by punishment and virtue, from root to branch, ordering by jia and yi. Heaven begins from yuan, earth begins from shuo [yuan speaks of qi, and shuo speaks of direction; heaven's revolution begins from Xuanyuan, and earth's position begins from Xuanshuo (the source text writes a private-use character for the first word; per the standard edition it is xuan)], and the four seasons begin from the calendar [the king reverently gives the people the seasons, in fact starting from the calendar]. So the household uses fang [fang is odd days. The Gongyang Commentary says: fang month means just reaching the last day of this month. Note: one edition writes "ti"; the present Gongyang Commentary has no text on a "ti month"], the bian head uses the decade, the township master uses the solar term [such as the Awakening of Insects and Grain in Ear], the county steward uses the month, the commandery grandee uses the points that the qi division reaches [such as the equinoxes and solstices], and the Pillar of State uses the six pitches. The village reports to the bian in five days [using fang], the bian reports to the township in ten days [the decade], the township reports to the county in fifteen days [the solar term], the county reports to the commandery in thirty days [the month], the commandery reports to the Pillar of State in forty-five days [qi], the Pillar of State reports to the Son of Heaven in sixty days [the pitches], and the Son of Heaven in seventy-two days sends envoys [one edition has "sends envoys to the commanderies." This uses the number by which the five phases divide dominion: in the course of one year, each of the five phases rules seventy-two days], encouraging the meritorious and punishing those who fall short [break the sentence here]. This is how he was joined with heaven and earth. The situation of those below reaches up once every sixty days, and the benefit of those above reaches down once every seventy-two days. This is the heavenly curve and the sun method. So the unworthy do not lose their lowliness, the worthy do not lose their brightness, those above enjoy [or "order"] their blessings and emoluments, and all affairs are in order. Those who wish to rebel gain no advantage [all under heaven is at peace; even if someone secretly wishes to rebel, there is no gap to exploit], so no one can bend his strength. Therefore he could govern fullness without overflowing [not adding to it to make it overflow], and bind the great [or "heaven"] without being sharp-pointed [not subtracting from it to make it pointed; pointed means small]. The Son of Heaven is central [or "jia"] and correct. If an envoy dares to change words and exalt and add to a territory [one edition lacks "territory"], so as to make benefit trespass below and obscure above [if the envoy changes words, borrows reputations and exalts and adds to the realm, then the abuse (the source text has a rare character, where the standard edition has the word for abuse) comes to trespass below and obscure above], the punishment is beheading or flogging, without pardon. Officials who teach harshly with thin virtue and assault the hundred families are dismissed at once; do not let foul officials disorder governance. One who does not obey orders and breaks the law has guilt heavier than the people [spreading evil among the multitude]. Having profit but not taking profit, circulating but not taking turns [it is suspected that "quci" is sometimes written "ganci"]. So the four directions follow and come, fearing only to fall behind. Therefore he moved heaven ["move heaven" is sometimes "move the great"] and the four cords were stretched [the Guanzi says: if the four cords are not stretched, the state will perish], earth was broad and virtue manifest, and the world was at peace and joy. Year terms were set and flourishing granted, and the subordinate officials were each evaluated by rank in one season. The worthy and able above were reported to the Prime Minister, who reported upward; the first and second time, they were dismissed [one edition has "then weave"], and the third time [or "canon"], without pardon. Governing did not exceed official duty, so that the historians and judges (officials who handle lawsuits) did not err, and the public market was fair. The living were not pleased by it [not deliberately making them live], and the dead did not resent it [not deliberately killing them]. When people obtained what they sought, the state had no incident. Meritorious deeds were openly rewarded, and virtue's grace reached three generations; a father [or "name"] who concealed [or "form"] his guilt could not receive a newly created posthumous title [naming him You or Li, so that even filial sons and loving grandsons could not change it. "Create" is sometimes "make"]. Affairs came from one and two, never confused through the ages. He reckoned: doing good in the township is not as good as doing good in the village; doing good in the village is not as good as doing good at home. So the good-doers could be recommended and the evil-doers could be executed [or "instructed"]. None dared to speak of goodness for just a day; all took a lifetime as the term, never losing rank in ordinary days, so that transformation was established and there was no wickedness in the world. When transformation was established and custom formed, they were the same peers [or "equal"] when young, the same friends when grown, the same in rank when roaming, the same in blessing in sacrifice, the same in love in life and death, the same in worry in calamity, the same in joy in dwelling [peaceful dwelling is called chu], the same in harmony in action, the same in mingling in condolence and congratulation, and the same in sorrow in weeping. Joy sufficed for mutual aid, scouting [or "plotting"] sufficed for mutual restraint [the source text has a rare character here, and the note says it means to scout; "die" is spy]. In times of peace they trained one another, in the army they protected one another, in night fighting they trusted one another enough, and in daytime fighting they matched one another enough [or "ugly"]. Within, this sufficed to forbid violence; without, to correct the Dao-less. So his troops could range far and punish, and none dared to resist. Therefore punishment was established but not used, he did not contend for power yet was weightier, chariots and armor were not displayed and the world had no rival [one edition has: "the world has no Dao and is fitting"]. When the Dao is lost, the lowly dare to oppose the noble; without righteousness, the small dare to encroach on the great. Chengjiu had already seen the rule of the heirs of former ages who lost the Dao, ruined their merit, and turned away [or "believed"] from the root and destroyed virtue, so he made for them an imperishable [or "stump," or again "gather"] state, fixing the position and making sacrifice firm [or "rare"] [or "ran". If a ruler cannot protect his state and house, his position is not fixed; if he cannot protect his ancestral temple, his sacrifice is not firm], having the ghosts and spirits truly say [or "day"]: add to the compass and it is not round, add to the square and it is not square [saying that the standards are already utterly sufficient, with nothing lacking and nothing surplus; the compass cannot be added to and the square cannot be increased; not only does one make people believe it, but even questioning the ghosts and spirits there would be no doubt. The sage's law is like the body: adding to it makes a wart, cutting from it makes a deficiency]. Using this as an example to the last ages and passing it on to descendants, only this can be held [one edition lacks "only this can be held"], only this can be carried out ["xiao" is like "show," read as in "xiao quan, xiao yang"; meaning to take it as an example for the last descendants, standing it can be held, walking it can be carried out, only this]. To carry out is to nurture good fortune; to release [or "grace"] is to remove the inauspicious. At the tiao shrine (a rare character in the source text stands here; probably the shrine of the remote ancestors), a whole sacrificial animal is used [a uniform coat is called xi, and a complete body is called quan], corrected with purification and brightness [or "heaven," or "literature". Not dim is called zhai, and not obscure is called ming. Purification and brightness are probably the correct form of sacrifice, with the xi and quan only secondary. The Record of Rites says: leaving the temple is tiao, leaving the tiao is tan, and leaving the tan is shan (a rare character in the source text). Here only the shan is mentioned because if it is so already at the shan, then going up from the tan can be known. Note: "bu mo" is "bu ge" in one edition], with offerings in the four seasons, sacrifice serving as the family king [descendants never cease sacrificing, as in what is called sacrifice as the family king], taken as a spirit for enjoyment, serving as the tally for the ritual spirits, stored in the ancestral temple, and corrected by the seal [or "lords." Making for them a tally of trust, stored in the ancestral temple, and using the seal to correct it, to mark what later ages should keep]. So his later generations also preserved and taught intact [break the sentence here]. Ears and eyes were not misled, the mind was not divided, he did not change on seeing strange things, cast off [or "pointed at"] the private, and removed poison [or "also". Casting off one's own private interest and removing others' poison], hooked [one edition has "each" above this, and "hook" is written "equal"] the inner wisdom [or a rare character in the source text; wisdom suffices to reach it], held fast to what he held [humaneness suffices to hold it], began anew and grew more fresh [turning a cycle and beginning again, with refinement and growing ever fresher], took the Upper Primordial as the record, jointly received fine grace, raised one another without change, and trusted in the order of zhao and mu [Tang did not put Qi first, and Wen and Wu did not put Bu Zhu first; the state of Lu raised Duke Xi ahead of Duke Min and lost this]. Complete [or "its"] recruiting of scholars [this character may be corrupted]: those who first made ties, those who entered later could not undo [those who entered first were already settled, so the affairs of those who entered later could not undo it]. This is knowledge reaching its extreme ["ji" as in "jiji"].' Pang Zi said: 'I would like to hear the Dao of not changing and of beginning anew and growing fresher.' Heguanzi said: 'Chengjiu is what is called one who received the transmission of the Wang-(a rare character).' Pang Zi said: 'What is the Wang-(a rare character)?' Heguanzi said: 'The Wang-(a rare character) [Note: one edition lacks these three characters] is not the instrument of one court or one age. Using death to complete life [using killing to stop killing] is the teaching [or "number"] that controls the outside from the inside. Later ages [or "ages after"] completed it to the extreme, one line of descendants, the orderliness [or other variant readings] of the numinous feathers [or "void"], the tallies of trust followed day by day [or "cultivated"], and merit dared not [or lacking "dare"] be spoiled [clever people dare not spoil it though they are skilled]; upholding the undertaking and exhausting the system, holding to the correct and keeping the inner, though clumsy they dared not abandon it [the foolish, though clumsy, dare not abandon it]. Lou (a rare character lost in the source text) and drought [the Su edition has: "lou and bei"; I suspect the word for drought may be a miswriting for "early"], taking the new to continue the old, the four seasons holding to their response, response and seal not swift [this character may be corrupted]. Those who later enter the temple, if they are confused [or "or"] and err [or a rare character] and cannot continue the succession [or "deputy"], this is called burning [or "greed". Making too much fire, the harmony is burned. The Liezi says: scorched, the complexion dark; confused, the five feelings err]. The ancestral mandate is shamed by the virtue of the generations ["mao" means to shame; "shi" is like the shi of "shi de"]; the ritual heir is not led to court, and the Grand Master of Ceremonies does not admit him to the temple ["not leading" is not leading to court, and "not admitting" is not admitting to the temple. The Grand Master of Ceremonies is a ritual official, in charge of the ancestral temple ceremony, with an assistant; Emperor Jing renamed him Taichang]. The spirits do not eat the sacrifice [his ghost cannot eat the sacrifice], the family king does not hold sacrifice, Heaven is about to send blame, and the August Spirit will not enjoy [if the family king oversteps ritual in sacrificing, he will offend Heaven; the August Spirit does not enjoy even the suburban sacrifice. The August Spirit is Haotian Shangdi]. This is the Dao of not changing and of beginning anew and growing fresher. So the ruler has no other intention [if a ruler errs and cannot continue the succession, the guilt is as above, so those who follow him, holding to the old and mirroring the new, how would they dare to differ at will], the people's hearts do not move, joined with Heaven in standard, ten thousand years of one model ["fan" as in the "fan" of Xunzi's "fanxing"], the near love his goodness, the far admire his virtue, without end. Therefore his teaching does not make people weary, his use is not exhausted (the source text has a rare character, where the standard edition has the word for worn), so he could group the four seas as one family, and the Yi and Mo peoples of ten thousand states all wore court dress in season to present tribute [or "continue"], none daring to follow and add [or "increase"] or to exempt themselves [meaning that the Yi and Mo of ten thousand states all wore court dress and came to present tribute, daring neither to casually add nor to exempt. The Fayan says: put on my pure achievement, wear my gold and rhinoceros horn, which is this]. Those heard of, through translation, came to turn to his righteousness [again those still farther away], and none could change his customs or shift his teaching [what Mencius calls using the Xia to change the barbarians; he never heard of the Xia being changed by the barbarians instead]. So his authority was established without being offended, and was passed down far without being abolished. This is the law of the Plain Sovereign and Inner Emperor [or "duan"] [emperor is the name of heaven, king is the name of humans, and sovereign is the sum of heaven and humans, a name of beauty and greatness; calling it Plain Sovereign and Inner Emperor is again the utmost within. The perfected person is divine: from this downward is the Dao of the dark sage and outer king (the source text writes a private-use character for the first word; per the standard edition it is xuan); from this upward is the law of the Plain Sovereign and Inner Emperor]. The handle that Chengjiu held ["fang" means handle] was used to surpass ranks, and for generations could not be taken away. His merit grew day by day and month by month, so he could endure as long as heaven and earth. This is the art by which he was accordant [or "ritual"] with the divine light. He did not wait for scholar-historians [or "woman"] and Cang Jie to make writing, so later ages have none who can point out its fault [the shi is a judge-official. In remote antiquity there was governance without law, no ten historians were set up, no writing or tallies were made, with perfect virtue dark and unified (the source text writes a private-use character for the first word; per the standard edition it is xuan), so that those following it could not know it and those who knew it could not name it, then what faults of others would there be to discuss? Ancient records say: when Cang Jie made writing, ghosts and spirits wept at night, and Heaven rained millet. Just at that time, perfect virtue had already declined]. I have never heard of one who does not exhaust together with Dao and virtue [sometimes there is a word "wei" below "exhaust"] and yet can thereby do good.' Pang Zi said: 'In this way, are the Dao of ancient and present times the same?' Heguanzi said: 'The ancient too is this me making it long, and the multitude is also this me making it numerous; compared with what is there a difference? The good of the kinds gathering will not be forgotten for ten thousand generations ["lei" is like "gather"]; if the Dao is evil, calamity falls on oneself, so what is there to wonder at?' Pang Zi said: 'Looking at the ancient Dao through today's affairs: boats and carts connect, clothing has the same pattern, speech is mutually intelligible, they draw the ground to guard it and cannot encroach on each other; distinct lords and different chiefs cannot command each other; when words that offend the ear pass through the ear, arms and armor govern each other [or "tread". "Li" is like the li of "li-official"; li means govern]. A hundred couples of parents and children are already [or "its". Note: one edition has "dan" for "qie"] not easy to lead [or "qing". Meaning that if parents together with children reach a hundred it is not easy to lead]. What has just been said has not departed from the correctness of the Central Land ["li" means to attach. Meaning that what was said above, just as the words about grouping the four seas into one family, seem to have gone far from the correctness of the Central Land]. The enterprises of the hill estates ["di" is the estate of a village], the land boundaries [or "huo"] do not go beyond the native-born ["zhe" means native], dwellings do not connect to broken walls [a damaged wall is called gui], yet you say that the Chengjiu clan united the four seas as one family, and that the Yi and Mo [or "di que"] of ten thousand states all came to court; is this truly the case [one edition has "ke" after "qing", and another edition writes "cheng" for "qing"]?' [Meaning that even between a hill and a village the difference in estates is already like this, so how much more the remoteness of the Yi and Mo across the four seas.] Heguanzi said: 'Tiger [or "Tang"] and wolf kill [or "rescue"] people [or "below"], crows and flies come from above ["wu" is the crow and "cang" is the fly], and earthworms and moths [one edition has a rare character, written as an "ant" compound] gather from below. These six are different kinds, yet they all arrive at the same time; why? What they want is the same. Seen from this, having the name of human is simply having the same human feeling, so why would it not be possible? [Meaning that the feelings of the four seas are the same, and so joining them as one family is not impossible.] Heaven moves by measure: on one it is not few, on ten thousand it is not many, the same like a forest, accumulated like grain in a granary, with bushels and piculs displayed and sheng and wei without error [wei is also a number for rice. Ancient records say: few is called wei, many is called ji, but the specific numbers I have not heard in detail. The Record of Rites says: out and in three ji]. Dividing [or "shaving"] the land and apportioning the people is also simply one [one edition lacks "er"]. A hundred couples of fathers [or "exchange"] and mothers and children, how could they be increased or reduced? With distinct lords and different chiefs, what difference is there? If one could correct the One, ten thousand states would share one pole, and virtue would reach [after "zhi" there is sometimes the word "regulation"] the four seas, so why would one need to go around and unite them?' Pang Zi said: 'Truly it must be so. Yin and yang disperse, and the three hundred sixty days each return [or "reach"] to their cause; heaven and earth are small [or a rare character], so what is there to doubt? ["Small and cramped" is the appearance of narrowness. Mencius says: heaven is so high and the stars so far, yet if one seeks out their causes, even the solstices of a thousand years could be calculated while sitting down.] The sage is lofty and great, within pondering the principles of depth, shallowness, far and near [or "different"], making ghosts and spirits lose one thing ["lose one" means losing their depth. Meaning that the sage illuminates principle and has a way to peer into it], not resting again [moving and not stopping], with [or "being"] heaven and earth covering one another [covering heaven and earth without shame], and still present today. Going through with the gong face [here a mistaken character is suspected, so it is reproduced as it is], it is also right, Chengjiu's eighteen thousand years [the Dao is the mother of heaven and earth: contracted to cultivate oneself, expanded to govern a state, both can last. This is why Guangchengzi lasted twelve hundred years and the Chengjiu clan eighteen thousand years. So it is said: Guangchengzi can be called heaven; and again: the Chengjiu clan is heaven, so no one can raise his height further or honor his numinous power further]. One who obtains this Dao, why must he discriminate which clan he is or which state he uses it in; the whole world benefits [if it is used, that is enough; why distinguish who or what].'

泰一者【泰一天皇大帝也】執大同之制【制或作利泰一無所不同故曰執大同之制楚人忘弓未能忘楚孔子曰惜哉其未大也】調泰鴻之氣【泰一含元氣者故曰調泰鴻之氣鴻防元氣也泰鴻元氣之始也】正神明之位者也【南華所謂天尊地卑神明之位】故九皇受傅【受教於傅】以索其然之所生傅謂之得天之解【或作天然之解不與法縛不求法脫】傅謂之得天地之所始【生天生地】傅謂之道得道之常【不妄曰常】傅謂之聖人聖人之道與神明相得故曰道德【德者得此者也】郄始窮初【郄者開也有初然後有始列子曰太易者未見氣也太初者氣之始也太始者形之始也太素者質之始也太一至矣其地蓋處太易太素之間故曰郄始窮初案一本注末多一之字誤】得齊之所出【帝出乎震齊乎巽而太一者郄始窮初得齊之所出故能北辨面南與萬物相見案一本北作比又注末相見下又一字疑衍文】九皇殊制而政莫不効焉故曰泰一【泰一者無適而非一也故九皇殊制而不能二也案一本也下有焉字誤】泰皇問泰一曰天地人事三者孰急【泰皇蓋九皇之長也】泰一曰愛精養神內端者所以希天【內直者與天為徒】天也者神明之所根也醇化四時陶埏無形【埏和土也】刻鏤未萌【木曰刻金曰鏤凡此亦皆自然也夫豈物刻而雕之】離文【或作父】將【或作特】然者也【離華離也天道造始而地事終之故其言如此】地者承天之演備載以寧者也吾將告汝神明之極天地人事三者復一也立置臣義【此將從體起用和同天人之際使之無間故先建立君臣之義】所謂四則【四則即上所云傅謂之得天之解傅謂之得天地之所始傅謂之得道之常傅謂之聖人】散以八風【東方曰明庶風西方曰閶闔風西南曰涼風東北曰融風之類散謂散上四則他皆放此】揆以六合【揆言總之六合之內也】事以四時寫以八極【寫言放之八極之外也】照以三光牧【或作收】以刑德調以五音正以六律分以度數表以五色改以二氣【亭之以溫涼毒之以寒暑】致以南北【南北謂日】齊以晦望【晦望謂月】受以明厯【厯謂日月星辰蓋四則至矣而其道無乎不在在此為此在彼為彼故八風得以散六合得以揆四時得以事八極得以寫三光得以照五音得以調六律得以正刑德得以牧度數得以分五色得以表二氣得以改南北得以致晦望得以齊明厯得以受然則道之所在於彼乎於此乎其亦無所不在乎故曰天地人事三者復一也】日信出信入南北有極度之稽也【此申致以南北之義冬至日在牽牛夏至日在東井其長短有度】月信死信生進退有常數之稽也【此申齊以晦望之義三五而盈三五而闕其損益有數】列星不亂其行代而【或作以】不幹位之稽也【此申受以明歴之義五位二十八舍各有常次】天明三以定一【義見下文】則萬物莫不至矣【或作以】三時生長一時煞刑四時而定天地盡矣【此言方其生長則三不後於一方其投刑則一不後於三以明三極之道莫知其孰急也】夫物之始也傾傾【或作鴻鴻傾傾未正之貎】至其有也録録【未能拔於常流之中故曰録録】至其成形端端王王【端端傾傾之反王王録録之反】勿【或作物】損勿益幼少隨足【各隨其性而足無於事老】以從師俗【仰以從於師俯以從於俗】毋易天生毋散天樸自若則清動之則濁【人心譬如槃水莫動則平不撓則清防風過之則不可以得水形之正矣】神聖踐承翼之位【承翼之位蓋天位也前後曰承左右曰翼也】以與神皇合德【五精之帝謂之神後則神皇蓋昊天也】按圖正端以至無【或作天】極兩治【或作祭】四致【兩治上下察也四致普徧四方也】閒以止【或作上】息【隨縁越感無所不周如上所謂可謂至矣然而動息則靜語息則嘿豈常離此寂然之地哉】歸時離氣以成萬業【離附也取譬言之借如五精之指其道各徧五方而太昊司春少昊司秋者所以歸時離氣以成萬業也】一來一徃視衡低仰【彼來此徃而低仰視車之衡所以同乎人也禮曰國君綏視大夫衡視又曰執天子之器則上衡國君則平衡大夫綏之或曰衡如權衡之衡衡之低仰應物而已何所容其心哉】五官六府分之有道無鉤無繩渾沌不分【曲者不以鉤直者不以繩而渾沌全矣故曰擢六律塞師曠之耳散五采膠離朱之目毀絶鉤繩儷工倕之指而天下人始舍其樸矣】大象不成事無經法精神相薄乃傷百族【此明渾沌之不可判也蓋偽生真死而渾沌判矣則精神相戰百族為之不寧南華曰上倍日月之明下爍山川之神蓋謂是乎】偷氣相【或為祖】時後功可立【盜隂陽之和以載其形而還以相時】先定其利待物自至【不迎】素次以法物至輒合法者天地之正器也用法不正德不成【所謂亂天之經逆物之情天弗成】上聖者與天地接【句】結六【或作交】連而不解者也【六連六合也老子曰善結者無防約而不可解】是故有道南面執政以衛神明左右前後靜侍【或無侍字】中央【此言君無為也而臣亦無為也案一本無也字】開源流洋【洋若今海之有洋也】精防徃來傾傾繩繩【或作鴻鴻防防傾傾側貎繩繩正貎案鴻鴻一本作鴻鶁誤】內持以維外紐以綱【或作經】行以理埶【或作執】紀以終始同一殊職【聨之使同統之使一】立為明官五範【五範五音也義見下文】四時各以類相從昧【或作味】生色【春夏之華髮於冬】音聲相衡【衡平也】東方者萬物立止焉【或作東方生物圖揭立止焉止猶植也】故調以徴南方者萬物華羽焉故調以羽西方者萬物成章焉故調以商北方者萬物録臧焉故調以角【徵屬南方而今此言於東方者蓋言以調東方而已非謂分配東方也下皆放此】中央者太一之位【北極天地之中而其一明者太一之座】百神仰制焉故調以宮道以為先【夫道至矣而更推以為先記曰夫禮必本於太一分而為天地轉而為隂陽】舉載神明華天上【或作華物天上疑此樂章之名蓋若皇華折也】本出黃鐘所始為東方萬物唯隆以木華物天下盡木也使居東方主春以火照物天下盡火也使居南方主夏以金割物天下盡金也使居西方主秋以水沉物天下盡水也使居北方主冬上為大都天下盡土也使居中央守地天下盡人也以天子為正【此言太一司天而分任五方又以天子治之】調其氣【調其五行之氣木蘊金清之類】和其味【和其五行之味水鹹火苦之類】聽其聲【火蕉金殺之類】正其形【木圓土方之類】迭徃觀今【或作令】故業可循【或作修】也【天下一致來不異古徃不異今卻而觀之則其業可循近迭篇曰師未發軔而兵可迭也蓋前卻曰迭案兵可迭也一本無也字】首尾易面【或作白春夏先秋冬後其方各有向焉何可易也】地理離經【天之首尾易向則地理亦失其經】奪愛令亂【奪其所欲而亂蓋天序易於上地理離於下則人其有不亂者乎】上滅天文理不可知【天文滅矣地理安可知也故曰文理相明者也】神明失【或作夫案失一本又作矣】從【或作徒】文【或作父】理者相明者也色味者相度者也藻華者相成者也【對質曰藻對實曰華藻文也藻如草之藻華如木之華】眾者我而眾之故可以一範請也【請如請益之請蓋眾者自我而千萬則其一之亦在我矣請以一範無不可者】順愛之政殊類相【或作未】通【列子曰虎之與人異類而媚養己者順也】逆愛之政同類相亡【傳曰焉知父子不為豺狼】故聖人立天為父建地為母範【或作危】者非務使雲必同知一期【或作明】以使一人也泛錯之天地之間而人人被其和【或作人被其和此言聖人蓋知一期以使一人而惟是心馬汜錯之天地之間而人人被其和也非務使之必同故曰一人之情千萬人之情是也】和也者無形而有味者也【和者道也蓋道無形而有味】同和者仁也【與道同和】相容【或作密】者義也【與道相宻者義也蓋不道則義不能容不義則道不能容】仁義者所樂同【或作自】名【或作召】也能同【或作因】所樂無形內政【此言能同仁義之樂則政法雖有而真空內之蓋所謂真空者無不礙有故也案真空之真一本作貞字】故聖知神方調於無形而物莫不從天受藻華以為神明之根者也【天受道之英華以生神明列子曰清輕者上為天重濁者下為地】地受時【或作得】以為萬物原者也【地者受天之時以產萬物】神聖詳【或作祥】理【或無詳理二字作庠惡深契於理】惡離制命之柄【制命之柄或無離字老子所謂魚不可脫於淵利器不可以示人】斂散華精以慰地責【或作貴】天者也【此言神聖契理而有以制命則虀粉萬物而不為戾雖以慰地責天可也昔者老子上毀五帝通及三皇而西域之學有喝佛罵祖者豈近是乎】調味章色正聲以定天地人事三者畢此矣【其道如上所謂則天地人事豈有出於此乎】

Taiyi (the proper name for the supreme origin) [Taiyi is the Great Emperor of the Celestial August] holds the institution of Great Sameness ["institution" is "benefit" in one version. Taiyi has nothing that differs, so it says he holds the institution of Great Sameness. A man of Chu lost his bow and still could not forget Chu; Confucius said: what a pity, he was not yet great enough], and harmonizes the breath of Taihong [Taiyi holds the primal breath within, so it says he harmonizes the breath of Taihong. Hong is the primal breath (the base text has "hong fang", where "fang" should be read as something like "wei"); Taihong is the beginning of the primal breath], and sets right the seat of the spirit-light. [What the Nanhua (that is, the Zhuangzi) calls "Heaven honored and Earth lowly, the seat of the spirit-light."] So the Nine Sovereigns received instruction from the Fu [received instruction from the Fu], in order to trace what gave birth to that by which things are so. The Fu is called having gained the release of Heaven [or "the release of what is natural." It is not entangled with law, and does not seek to escape from law]; the Fu is called having gained the beginning of Heaven and Earth [giving birth to Heaven and Earth]; the Fu is called the Way, having gained the constant of the Way [not being false is called constant]; the Fu is called the sage. The Way of the sage and the spirit-light attain each other, so it is called Dao and De [De is that which gets this]. Open that beginning and exhaust that origin ["xi" means open. Where there is an origin there is then a beginning. The Liezi says: Tai Yi is the stage where breath is not yet seen; Tai Chu is the beginning of breath; Tai Shi is the beginning of form; Tai Su is the beginning of substance. Taiyi at its utmost has its position probably between Tai Yi and Tai Su, so it says open that beginning and exhaust that origin. Note: one version has an extra character "zhi" at the end of the note, which is wrong], and reach the place from which "even" comes forth [the Emperor comes forth in Zhen, and is even in Xun, and Taiyi opens that beginning and exhausts that origin, and reaches the place from which evenness comes forth, so he can distinguish in the north, face south, and meet the myriad things. Note: one version has "bi" for "bei", north; also at the end of the note after "meet" there is another character, probably an interpolation]. The institutions of the Nine Sovereigns each differ, yet their government is never without effect, so it is called Taiyi [Taiyi is one everywhere, so though the institutions of the Nine Sovereigns differ, they cannot be split in two. Note: one version has "yan" after "ye", which is wrong]. The Great Sovereign asked Taiyi: "Of heaven and earth and human affairs, these three, which is urgent?" [The Great Sovereign is probably the chief of the Nine Sovereigns.] Taiyi said: "Cherish the essence, nourish the spirit, and set the inside right, in order to look up to Heaven [a person who is straight within is a companion of Heaven]. Heaven is the root of the spirit-light. It purifies the four seasons, shapes and kneads the formless ["shan" means to mix clay evenly], and carves before things have sprouted [wood is carved and metal is engraved. These too are natural; how could they be carved one by one and engraved one by one?], so that its pattern shines and blazes ["wen" is "fu" in one version] and will ["jiang" is "te" in one version] be so ["li" is splendor. The Way of Heaven makes the beginning, and the affairs of Earth finish the completion, and so it is said]. Earth receives Heaven's unfolding and, having prepared its bearing, settles things. Let me tell you the utmost of the spirit-light: Heaven and Earth and human affairs, these three, return to One. First establish the righteousness of ruler and minister [this is to start from the substance to give rise to function, harmonizing between Heaven and man to the point of having no gap, so first establish the righteousness of ruler and minister]. What is called the four rules [the four rules are what is said above: the Fu is called having gained Heaven's release, the Fu is called having gained the beginning of Heaven and Earth, the Fu is called having gained the constant of the Way, the Fu is called the sage] are dispersed by the eight winds [the east is called the Mingshu wind, the west the Changhe wind, the southwest the Liang wind, the northeast the Rong wind and so on. "Disperse" means to spread out the four rules above, and what follows below is like this], measured by the six directions ["measure" means to gather everything within the six directions], applied to affairs in the four seasons, and set out to the eight extremes ["set out" means to place beyond the eight extremes], illuminated by the three lights, herded ["herded" is "gathered" in one version] by punishment and virtue, tuned by the five notes, corrected by the six pitch-pipes, divided by degrees and numbers, shown by the five colors, altered by the two breaths [fostered by warmth and coolness, thickened and completed by cold and heat], brought to arrival by north and south [north and south speak of the sun], evened by new and full moons [new and full moons speak of the moon], and received by the clear calendar [the calendar speaks of sun, moon and stars. The four rules reach their utmost and their Way is everywhere: here it does the work of here, and there it does the work of there. So the eight winds can be dispersed, the six directions measured, the four seasons applied, the eight extremes set out, the three lights shine, the five notes are tuned, the six pitch-pipes corrected, punishment and virtue herded, degrees and numbers divided, the five colors shown, the two breaths altered, north and south brought to arrival, new and full moons evened, and the clear calendar received. Then is the Way there or here? It is also everywhere. So it says Heaven and Earth and human affairs, the three, return to One.]. The sun comes out in good faith and goes in in good faith, with limits in north and south, which is the proof of measure [this explains the meaning of "brought to arrival by north and south." At the winter solstice the sun is in Qianniu and at the summer solstice in Dongjing, and its length and shortness have measure]. The moon dies in good faith and is born in good faith, advancing and retreating with constancy, which is the proof of number [this explains the meaning of "evened by new and full moons." In three and five it is full, in three and five it wanes, and its waxing and waning have number]. The ranked stars do not disorder their courses, and succeed one another without encroaching, which is the proof of position [this explains the meaning of "received by the clear calendar." The five positions and the twenty-eight lodges each have a constant order]. Heaven displays the "three" in order to fix the "one" [the meaning is shown below], and the myriad things all arrive ["arrive" is "use" in one version]. Three seasons grow and one season kills and punishes; when the four seasons are fixed, Heaven and Earth are exhausted [this says that at the time of growth, "three" does not fall behind "one," and at the time of casting punishment, "one" does not fall behind "three": it is used to bring out the Way of the Three Extremes, and one cannot know which is urgent]. When things first begin they are leaning and slanting [or "hong hong." "Leaning" is the look of not yet being upright], by the time they exist they are dull and common [not yet able to be pulled out of the common stream, so called dull], and by the time of forming, they are straight and upright, outstanding and distinct [straight is the opposite of leaning, outstanding is the opposite of dull]. Do not [or "things"] subtract, do not add; the young just follow along and it is enough [each follows his own nature and it is enough, with no need to seek maturity in affairs], in order to follow teachers and the vulgar [looking up to follow teachers, looking down to follow the vulgar]. Do not alter what is born of Heaven; do not scatter Heaven's simplicity (the uncarved block, a figure for the true state not yet worked on by human contrivance). What is so of itself is clear; stir it and it is muddy [the human heart is like water in a basin: if not moved it is level, if not stirred it is clear; once a light wind (the base text has "fang feng," where "fang" is an error for "wei"; the Xunzi, Jiebi, reads "a light wind passes over it") passes, it cannot get the correct shape of water]. The spirit-sage treads the seat of Chengyi [the seat of Chengyi is probably the seat of Heaven. Front and back is called cheng, left and right is called yi], to match virtue with the Spirit Sovereign [the sovereign of the five essences is called the Spirit Lord, so the Spirit Sovereign is probably Haotian]. Following the chart, set it right, up to the limitless [or "Heaven-limit"]. Two governances [or "sacrifices"] and four arrivals [two governances means seeing through above and below, four arrivals means extending everywhere in the four quarters], interposed with resting ["resting" is "above" in one version] [following the occasion, passing beyond contact, there is nowhere not covered; as above, one can say it has arrived; yet when movement stops, there is stillness, when speech stops, there is silence; how could one be always leaving this place of stillness?]. Return to the seasons and attach to the breath, to complete the myriad works ["li" means to attach. By analogy: as the Way of the five essences each extends to the five quarters, and Taihao governs spring and Shaohao governs autumn, so these are used to return to the seasons, attach to the breath and complete the myriad works]. One coming and one going, look at the crossbar, now low and now raised [that one comes and this one goes, yet he looks at the carriage crossbar low or raised, in order to be the same as others. The Book of Rites says: the lord of a state looks down, grand masters look level. It also says: those who take the Son of Heaven's vessels raise the crossbar, a lord's is level, and a grand master's hangs. Some say "heng" is like the heng of a balance, and the crossbar's low or raised is only to respond to things; how could anything be held in the heart?]. The five offices and six treasuries, divided, each have their Way. No hook, no cord, chaotic and undivided [no hook for the curved and no cord for the straight, and chaos is whole. So it is said: pull out the six pitch-pipes and stop up Shi Kuang's ears, scatter the five colors and glue Li Zhu's eyes shut, destroy hook and cord and cut off the fingers of Gong Chui, and only then can the people of the world keep their own simplicity]. If the great image is not complete, affairs have no constant rule, spirit and essence press on one another and will injure the hundred clans [this brings out that chaos cannot be cut open. When falsehood is born, truth dies, and once chaos is cut open, spirit and essence fight with each other and the hundred clans cannot be at peace for it. The Nanhua says: above it goes against the brightness of the sun and moon, below it melts the spirit of the mountains and rivers; is this what it says?]. Steal breath to assist [or "ancestor"] the season, and then merit can be established [to steal the harmony of yin and yang to support one's own form, then turn back and again assist the season]. First fix that benefit, and wait for things to come of themselves [not going to meet them]. Arrange the order by law evenly, and things join when they arrive. Law is the proper instrument of Heaven and Earth. If its use is not correct, the dark virtue (profound and unfathomable) is not completed (the base text has this character in the private-use area, the meaning being "xuan"; the Zhuangzi, Zai You, reads "the dark heaven is not completed") [what is called disordering Heaven's warp and going against the nature of things, and so the dark heaven cannot be completed]. The highest sage joins with Heaven and Earth [break the sentence here], binding six [or "crossed"] links that cannot be untied [the six links are the six directions. Laozi said: one good at tying has no rope or cord yet cannot be untied (the base text has "wu fang yue" where the current Laozi has "wu sheng yue")]. So one who has the Way governs facing south, in order to guard the spirit-light; left and right, front and back, he stands quietly in attendance [or without "attendance"] at the center [this says that the ruler does nothing and the ministers also do nothing. Note: one version has no "ye"]. Open the source, and the stream is as wide as an ocean ["ocean" is like the oceans at sea today]. Essence and subtlety go and come (the base text has "jing fang," where "fang" is an error for "wei"), leaning and straight [or "hong hong fang fang." "Leaning" is the look of being slanted, "straight" the look of being upright. Note: "hong hong" is "hong zhe" in one version, which is wrong]. Hold it inside by the guy-rope, tie it outside by the main rope ["main rope" is "warp" in one version], carry it out by principle and momentum ["shi" is "zhi" in one version], and record it by end and beginning. Link different offices into one [link them to make them the same, gather them to make them one], and establish clear offices. The five models [the five models are the five notes, the meaning shown below] and the four seasons each follow their kind. The dark within the dim ["dim" is "flavor" in one version] produces color (the base text has the character "xuan" in the private-use area) [the splendid blooms of spring and summer come out of the dark winter], and sounds balance each other ["heng" means level]. The east is where the myriad things stand and stop [or "the east is where living things display, rise and stop." "Stop" is like "plant"], so it is tuned with zhi; the south is where the myriad things flower and feather, so it is tuned with yu; the west is where the myriad things form patterns, so it is tuned with shang; the north is where the myriad things are recorded and stored, so it is tuned with jue [zhi belongs originally to the south, but now it is spoken of in the east, which says to use it to tune the east and does not assign zhi to the east; what follows is like this]. The center is the seat of Taiyi (the same as the Taiyi above) [the North Pole is the center of Heaven and Earth, and the bright star there is the seat of Taiyi], and the hundred spirits look up and receive his control, so it is tuned with gong. Push the Way ahead [the Way has already reached its utmost, yet it is pushed further as first. The Book of Rites says: ritual must be rooted in Taiyi, divided into Heaven and Earth, and turned into yin and yang]. Lift and bear the spirit-light, in the blossoming Heaven rising (the base text has a rare character here, lost in transcription; the current text mostly reads "yang," rise) [or "hua wu tian shang". It is perhaps the name of a musical piece, probably like "Huanghua" and "Zheyang"]. Originally it came out of Huangzhong. What it begins with is the east, where the myriad things alone flourish. Use wood to bring things into flower: if all the world is wood, let it dwell in the east and govern spring; use fire to illuminate things: if all the world is fire, let it dwell in the south and govern summer; use metal to cut things: if all the world is metal, let it dwell in the west and govern autumn; use water to sink things: if all the world is water, let it dwell in the north and govern winter; above it makes a great capital: if all the world is earth, let it dwell in the center and guard the earth; if all the world is people, take the Son of Heaven as its upright [this says that Taiyi governs Heaven, divides and entrusts the five quarters, and also uses the Son of Heaven to govern]. Tune its breath [tuning the breath of the five phases, the stored breath of wood, the clear breath of metal and so on], harmonize its flavor [harmonizing the flavors of the five phases, salty for water, bitter for fire and so on], listen to its sound [scorching for fire, killing for metal and so on], and correct its form [round for wood, square for earth and so on]. Alternate between going and looking at the present ["present" is "order" in one version], and so the work can be followed [or "cultivated"] [the world is of one aspect: what comes is no different from the ancient, what goes is no different from the present, and looking back, the work can be followed. The Jindie chapter says: before the army sets off its wheel-brake, the troops can alternate. Front and retreat are called alternating. Note: one version has no "ye" in "bing ke die ye"]. If head and tail change faces [or "white." Spring and summer come first and autumn and winter later, each direction has its own orientation; how could they be exchanged?], the pattern of the earth departs from its warp [if the head and tail of Heaven change direction, the pattern of the earth also loses its warp], and if what is loved is taken away, the order falls into confusion [taking away what it desires brings disorder. The order of Heaven changes above and the pattern of the earth leaves its warp below, so how could people not be in disorder?]. If above the patterns of Heaven are extinguished, principle cannot be known [if the patterns of Heaven are gone, how can the pattern of the earth still be known? So it says that pattern and principle bring each other out]. The spirit-light loses [or "fu." Note: "lose" is "yi" in one version] followers [or "disciples"]. Pattern [or "father"] and principle bring each other out, color and flavor measure each other, and ornament and flower complete each other [what faces substance is called ornament, what faces reality is called flower. Ornament is pattern. Ornament is like the zao of grass, and flower is like the blossom of trees]. The multitude is what I have made into a multitude, so one can invite them with a single model ["invite" is like the invite in "to ask for more." The multitude, being in tens of thousands, comes forth from me, so bringing them back to one also lies in me. Ask for a single model, and nothing cannot be done]. Governing by following what is loved, different kinds mutually [or "not yet"] connect [the Liezi says: a tiger is of a different kind from man yet serves the one who raises it, because of compliance]; governing by going against what is loved, the same kind destroy each other [the commentary says: how do you know a father and son will not become wolves and jackals]. So the sage sets up Heaven as father and Earth as mother. The model [or "danger"] does not necessarily make people entirely the same, but only knows one term [or "clear"] to employ one person, and spreads it out scattered between Heaven and Earth, so that everyone receives that harmony [or "people are covered by that harmony." This says that the sage only knows one term to employ one person, but spreads this heart out scattered between Heaven and Earth so that everyone receives that harmony; he does not necessarily make them the same. So it is said: one person's feelings are the feelings of ten thousand people]. Harmony is formless yet has flavor [harmony is the Way. The Way is formless yet has flavor]. To be of the same harmony with it is benevolence [to be of one harmony with the Way]; to be compatible [or "close"] with it is righteousness [what is close to the Way is righteousness. If not in accord with the Way, righteousness cannot contain it; if not in accord with righteousness, the Way cannot contain it]. Benevolence and righteousness have a joy that is the same [or "from"] in name [or "summons"]. One who can be the same [or "follow"] as that joy, formlessly holds government within [this says that one who can share the joy of benevolence and righteousness, though there are laws of government, internalizes them with true emptiness. What is called true emptiness is that nothing can hinder "being." Note: "zhen" in "true emptiness" is "zhen" with another form in one version]. So the sage's knowledge and divine skill harmonize in the formless, and nothing fails to follow. Heaven receives ornament and flower, to be the root of the spirit-light [Heaven receives the essence of the Way to give birth to the spirit-light. The Liezi says: the clear and light rise to become Heaven, and the heavy and turbid descend to become Earth]. Earth receives the seasons [or "gets"], to be the source of the myriad things [Earth receives the seasons of Heaven to produce the myriad things]. The spirit-sage examines [or "auspicious"] the principles of Earth and understands [or without "examines principle," reading "xiang e," meaning deeply tallying with principle], hating to let go of the handle of controlling fate ["the handle of controlling fate" is without "let go" in one version. What Laozi called: a fish cannot leave the deep, and a sharp tool cannot be shown to others], gathering in and scattering out the bloom and essence, to comfort Earth and rebuke [or "honor"] Heaven [this says that once the spirit-sage has tallied with principle and also has a way to control fate, even grinding the myriad things to powder is not counted as violent, and even using it to comfort Earth and rebuke Heaven is permissible. In the past Laozi on high ruined the Five Emperors and reached up to the Three Sovereigns, and in the learning of the Western Regions there are those who scold Buddhas and curse patriarchs; are these not close to this?]. Tuning flavor, ordering color and correcting sound, in order to settle: Heaven and Earth and human affairs, these three, end here [its Way is as said above; how could Heaven and Earth and human affairs go beyond this?].

入論泰鴻之內出觀神明之外定製泰一之衷【衷之言中也無所出入為定】以為物稽【入而論泰鴻之內出而觀神明之外定而制泰一之衷使物取稽焉】天有九鴻【拾遺記曰望三壺如聚米視八鴻若縈帶説者以為八鴻八方之名鴻鴻大也然則九鴻蓋九方歟】地有九州【此即鄒子所謂九州蓋非禹別者也】泰一之道九皇之傅請成於泰始之末【泰一之道至矣故上篇雲九皇受傅以索其然之所生而今此又言其傅嘗請成於泰始蓋非泰始莫足以知焉其曰末者言順下風而請也】見不【或無不字】詳事於名理之外【此言才見其事之略而已更當要其防歸故下文雲】範無形嘗無味以要名理之所防範者味之正也【範者形也正如覆怨其正之正蓋形受養於味者也】味者氣之父母也【氣不足補之以精精不足補之以味】精【或作清】防者天地之始【或作所治】也【言形言味而又言此者蓋將要名理之所防又當致此三者也】不【或無不字】見形臠而天下歸美焉【臠肉也】名屍神明者大道是【或作正】也夫錯行合意扶義本仁【或作收】積順之所成先聖之所生也行其道者有其名為其事者有其功【此言仁義之治故行其道者有其名為其事者有其功若夫聖人無名神人無功乗於道徳而遊乎萬物之上財豈局於仁義之域哉故下文雲】故天地成於元【或作無】氣萬物乗於天地【元氣太虛也太虛含天地天地含萬物故其言如此】神聖乗【或作秉】於道德【南華所謂無貲無譽一龍一蛇者也】以究其理【或雲萬物乗於聖秉於道德以救其聖神以究天地萬物之理】若上聖皇天者先聖之所倚威立有命也【堯舜三代誥命未嘗不稱天者蓋以倚威立命而已若夫致治之自則豈可以取賴於天哉是在我者也此紂之矯誣上帝而無益於亂故下文雲】故致治之自在己者也招髙者髙招庳者庳【此言治之汙隆顧我所以招之如何未有囿於管晏之卑而可以招堯舜之髙者也】故成形而不變者度也未離已而在彼者狎漚也【如狎漚者心動於內則漚鳥舞而不下此未離已而在彼者也】陳體立節萬世不易天地之位也分物紀【或作他】名文聖明別神聖之齊也【齊如齊量之齊】法天居地去方錯圓【或作督方以智則滯圓而神則通】神聖之鑑也象說名物【擬之者象也議之者說也】成功遂事隱彰不相離【神聖之教不即不離而至妙之所防者更麤至髙之所適者反下隱顯豈相離哉】神聖之教也【天一位地一位聖人參於兩間以齊齊之而以彼鑑此以此教彼則天下之理得矣然後萬物各遂其生故下文雲】故流分而神生【流分謂水也天一生水其於物為精精聚而後神從之】動登而明生【動登謂火也地二生火其於物為神神防而後識從之】明見而形成形成而功存故文者所以分物也理者所以紀【或作地】名也天地者同事而異域者也【天域於上地域於下】無規圓者天之文也無矩方者地之理也天循文以動地循理以作者也二端【或作聖端】者神之法也【神明之法如是而已】神聖之人後【或作命】先天地而尊者也後天地生然知天地之始先天地亡然知天地之終道包之故能知度之【其道圍乎天地之外故知能知之義能度之】尊重焉故能改動【或無動字】之【拔隂陽移寒暑】敏【或作數亦或作案此注原缺一字】明焉故能制斷之精神者物之貴大者也【精神之外皆其緒餘土苴者也】內聖者【或作聖內】精神之原也【外王者皆其緒餘土苴則內聖者精神之原也】莫貴焉故靡不仰制焉制者所以衛精擢神致氣也【精欲嗇神欲養氣欲專故其辭如此擢者秀拔之辭】幽則不洩簡【或作聞】則不煩不煩則精明達【明太用則昬精太用則竭】故能役賢能使神明【無為也故能用天下而有餘】百化隨而變終始從而豫【豫暇豫也】神明者積精微全粹之所成也聖道神方【或作萬】要之極也【要其防歸至於此而極矣】帝制神化治之期也【至矣盡矣不可以有加矣】故師【或無師字】為君而學為臣【教者為君學者為臣】上賢為天子次賢為三公髙為諸侯【髙者以為諸侯】易姓而王不以祖【或作禮】籍為君者欲同一善之安也【堯授舜舜授禹用此道也】彼天地動作於胸中然後事成於外萬物出入焉然後【或作然同】生物無害【聖人心外無法而氣合於神神合於無天地之大萬物之多動作出入反在於胸中則事豈有不成物豈有不利哉】闓闔四時引移隂陽怨沒澂物【疑】天下以為自然【百姓謂我自然是也】此神聖之所以絶眾也【子貢曰仲尼天也不可階而升也】聖原神文有驗而不可見者也【有情有性無為無形】故過人可見絶人未逺也【南華曰南行者至於郢北靣而不見冥山是何也則去之逺矣】神明所以類合者也故神明錮結其紘【紘者取譬於冠而錮結雲者以明無危墮之患也】類類生成用一不窮【或作用不窮一所謂仲尼神明也小以成小大以成大至於山川鳥獸草木裕如也】影則隨形響則【或作明】應聲故形聲者天地之師也【隨而應之故曰師也】四時之功隂陽不能獨為也聖王者不失本末故神明終始焉【輔相導隂陽終始四時之功】卒令八風三光之變經【或作纒】氣不常之故孰不詔請【或作緒】都【或作邵】理焉【都之為言總也讀如都鄙之都此言人保聖人故隂陽失和詔而請之使總理焉雖然大亂之本實始於此此庚桑楚所以不釋於老耼之言故下文雲】故神靈威明上變光【老耼所謂上悖日月之明】疾徐緩急中動氣【老耼所謂中墮四時之施】煞傷毀禍下在地【或作徵下在地老耼所謂下爍山川之精】故天地隂陽之受命取象於神明之効既已見矣【其効如上所謂亦已見矣雖然豈遂可以無聖人之治哉故下文雲】天者氣之所總出也【所謂虹霓也霜露也風雨也積氣之成乎天者也】地者理之必然【或作理然之必】也【無可無不可者天道也地道則取必焉】故聖人者出之於天【其道常出於天】收之於地【不肯出於地也】在天地若隂陽【或無陽字】者杜燥溼以法義與時遷焉【或無焉字若隂者以法義杜燥若陽者以法義杜溼度萬雲神溼則天不生水形燥則地不生火】二者聖人【或無人字】存則治亡則亂者天失其文地失其理也以是【或作文】知先靈【先靈先王之靈】王百神者上德執大道凡此者物之長也及【或作乃】至乎祖籍之世代繼之君身雖不賢然南面稱寡猶不果亡者其能受教乎有道之士者也不然而能守宗廟存國家者未之有也

Go inside to discuss Taihong, come out to look at the outside of the spirit-light, settle the inner core of Taiyi and make it a rule ["core" speaks of the middle. Only when there is no going out and no coming in is it called settled], to serve as the proof for the myriad things [go inside to discuss the inside of Taihong, come out to look at the outside of the spirit-light, and settle and fix the core of Taiyi, so that the myriad things take their proofs from here]. Heaven has nine hong [the Shiyi Ji says: looking at the Three Jars is like heaped rice, looking at the Eight Hong is like a coiled sash. Those who explain it think the Eight Hong are names of the eight directions. Hong means great. Then the Nine Hong are perhaps the nine directions?], and Earth has nine provinces [these are the nine provinces spoken of by Zou Yan, not the ones Yu divided]. The Way of Taiyi and the Fu of the Nine Sovereigns were asked for completion at the end of Taishi [the Way of Taiyi reaches its utmost, so the previous chapter says the Nine Sovereigns received instruction from the Fu in order to trace what gave birth to that by which things are so; now here it again says that the Fu once asked for completion at Taishi: without Taishi there is not enough knowledge. Saying "end" means going downwind to ask]. When one sees things [or without "not"] that are not detailed, they are beyond name and principle [this says that one has seen only the outline of the matter and should further summarize where it gathers (the base text has "fang gui," where "fang" is an error for "hui"), so the following text says]. Take the formless as model and taste the flavorless, in order to sum up where name and principle gather. The model is the correctness of flavor ["model" is form. Just as to cover (the base text has a character "yuan" here which seems wrong) and take its correctness, form is nourished by flavor]. Flavor is the father and mother of breath [when breath is not enough, supplement it with essence; when essence is not enough, supplement it with flavor]. The essence [or "clear"] and subtle (the base text has "fang," an error for "wei") is the beginning [or "what is governed"] of heaven and earth [having spoken of form and flavor, it speaks of this to sum up the gathering of name and principle, and one should further push these three to their utmost]. Not [or without "not"] seeing the cut-up shape of the form, the world yet attributes beauty to it ["cut" is meat]. The master of name and the spirit-light, the Great Way is it [or "right"]. Running in alternation, matching intent, supporting righteousness and rooted in benevolence [or "gathering"], is what is accomplished by accumulated compliance, and what is produced by the former sages. One who practices its Way has its name, and one who does its work has its merit [this speaks of the government of benevolence and righteousness, so one who practices the Way has a name and one who does the work has merit. As for the sage who has no name and the spirit-person who has no merit, riding Dao and De to roam above the myriad things, how could they be confined to the circle of benevolence and righteousness? So the next text says]. So Heaven and Earth are formed of primal breath [or "nothingness"], and the myriad things ride on Heaven and Earth [primal breath is the Great Void. The Great Void contains Heaven and Earth, and Heaven and Earth contain the myriad things, so it is said thus]. The spirit-sage rides [or "holds"] on Dao and De [what the Nanhua calls no blame and no praise, now a dragon and now a snake], in order to exhaust its principle [one says: the myriad things ride on the sage and hold to Dao and De in order to save that sage-spirit and to exhaust the principle of Heaven, Earth and the myriad things]. As for the highest sage and the August Heaven, they are what the former sages relied on to establish awe and to hold mandate [the proclamations of Yao, Shun and the Three Dynasties never fail to mention Heaven, but only use it to rely on awe and establish mandate. As for the source of bringing about order, how can it be depended on in Heaven? It lies on my side. This is how Zhou falsely claimed the Lord on High and it did nothing for the disorder, so the next text says]. So the source of bringing about order lies in oneself. Summon the high and it is high, summon the low and it is low [this says that the height or depth of government depends only on what I use to summon. It is not confined to a lowness like Guan Zhong's or Yan Ying's, and can yet call forth a height like Yao and Shun's]. So what has taken form yet does not change is measure. What has not yet left oneself yet is over there is the gull-player [as with one who plays with gulls, whose heart stirs within and the gulls fly about and do not come down. This is what has not yet left oneself yet is over there]. To set out its substance and establish its joints, unchanged for ten thousand generations, is the seat of Heaven and Earth. To divide things and record names, with refined sages clearly distinguishing, is the evenness of the spirit-sage ["even" is like the "qi" of equalizing and measuring]. To model on Heaven and dwell in Earth, remove the square and intersect with the round [or: supervise the square; using wisdom will cause stagnation; round and divine, then it passes through], is the mirror of the spirit-sage. To image it, to say it, to name it, to make it a thing [what is intended is the image, what is discussed is the saying], when success is achieved and the affair is done, the hidden and the manifest are not apart [the teaching of the spirit-sage is neither identical nor separate. What the most wondrous gathers (the base text has "suo fang," an error for "hui") is instead coarser, and what the highest goes to is instead below. How could the hidden and manifest be apart?], is the teaching of the spirit-sage [Heaven has one place, Earth has one place, the sage takes part between the two, evens them by evenness, uses that side to mirror this side and this side to teach that side, and the principle of the world is obtained. Then the myriad things each fulfill their life, so the next text says]. So when the stream divides, spirit arises [the stream dividing speaks of water. Heaven's one gives birth to water, and in things it is essence; when essence gathers, spirit comes after]. When movement rises, brightness arises [movement rising speaks of fire. Earth's two gives birth to fire, and in things it is spirit; when spirit is subtle (the base text has "shen fang," an error for "wei"), awareness comes after]. When brightness sees, form is completed, and when form is completed, merit remains. So pattern is that by which things are divided, and principle is that by which names are recorded [or "earth"]. Heaven and Earth share the work but not the domain [Heaven's domain is above and Earth's domain is below]. What is round without a compass is Heaven's pattern; what is square without a square is Earth's principle. Heaven moves following pattern, and Earth works following principle. These two ends [or "sage ends"] are the model of the spirit [the model of the spirit-light is no more than this]. The spirit-sage person comes after [or "mandate"] Heaven and Earth, and before Heaven and Earth, and is still more honored. Born after Heaven and Earth, yet he knows the beginning of Heaven and Earth; dying before Heaven and Earth, yet he knows the end of Heaven and Earth. The Way encompasses it, so he can know and measure [his Way surrounds the outside of Heaven and Earth, so he can know and measure]. He honors it, so he can alter [or without "alter"] it [pulling yin and yang, shifting cold and heat]. Quick [or "several," or "note." One character is missing from the original note] and bright, so he can control and decide it. Spirit is what is precious and great among things [everything beyond spirit is its leavings and dregs]. The inner sage [or "sage within"] is the source of spirit [the outer king is all leavings and dregs, so the inner sage is the source of spirit]. Nothing is more precious, so none fails to look up and receive his control. Control is what is used to guard essence, lift spirit and bring breath to arrival [essence must be thrifty, spirit must be nourished, and breath must be concentrated, so it is put thus. "Lift" is the expression for outstanding]. In seclusion it does not leak out, in simplicity [or "hearing"] it is not troublesome, and without trouble, essence and brightness are open [if brightness is used too far it grows dim, and if essence is used too far it is exhausted]. So he can employ the worthy and command the spirit-light [by non-action, he can use the world and still have surplus]. The hundred transformations follow his change, and end and beginning follow his ease ["yu" means leisurely]. The spirit-light is accomplished by the accumulation of subtlety and wholeness. The sage's Way and the divine method [or "ten thousand"] are the utmost of summarizing [summarizing where it gathers, and here it is the utmost]. The imperial institution and divine transformation are the limit of government [arrived and exhausted, nothing more can be added]. So teaching [or without "teaching"] makes a ruler and learning makes a minister [the one who teaches is the ruler, and the one who learns is the minister]. The highest worthy is the Son of Heaven, the next worthy is one of the Three Dukes, and the high are made feudal lords [the high are taken as feudal lords]. Those who change surname to be king and who do not rely on ancestral registers [or "rites"] to be ruler wish for the same peace of good [Yao gave to Shun and Shun gave to Yu, using this very Way]. Heaven and Earth move in the chest, and then affairs are accomplished outside; the myriad things go in and out there, and then [or "then the same"] the things that are born are without harm [the sage has no law outside the heart, his breath joins with spirit and spirit joins with nothing. Heaven and Earth being so great and the myriad things so many, their movement and going in and out are instead within his chest, so how could any affair fail or any thing not benefit?]. Opening and closing the four seasons, pulling and shifting yin and yang, resentment sinks and clarifies things [here the original note marks it as doubtful, and the meaning is hard to settle], and the world thinks it is natural [when the common people say "it is so of itself," this is what is meant]. This is how the spirit-sage surpasses the crowd [Zigong said: Zhongni is Heaven, and cannot be climbed by steps]. The source of the sage and the pattern of the spirit have proof but cannot be seen [having feeling and nature, without action and without form]. So those who surpass people can be seen, and those who go beyond people are not yet far [the Nanhua says: one who goes south arrives at Ying, and looking north does not see Mount Ming; why? Because he has gone far]. The spirit-light is used to match kinds. So the spirit-light seals that sash [the sash is a metaphor from the cap-strap; speaking of sealing and knotting is to bring out that there is no worry of falling]. Born kind by kind, using the One it is never exhausted [or "in use it does not exhaust the One." What is called the spirit-light of Zhongni: the small become small by it and the great become great by it, until the mountains, rivers, birds, beasts, grasses and trees are all at ease]. Shadow follows form, and echo [or "brightness"] answers sound. So form and sound are the teachers of Heaven and Earth [following to respond, so called teacher]. The work of the four seasons cannot be done by yin and yang alone. The sage king does not discard root and branch, so the spirit-light ends and begins there [assisting and guiding yin and yang, ending and beginning the work of the four seasons]. In the end, for the changes of the eight winds and three lights, and the reason why the warp-breath is not constant, who does not summon [or "thread"] the capital [or "Shao"] to manage it ["capital" speaks of gathering, read like the "du" of "dubi." This says that people rely on the sage, so when yin and yang lose their harmony they summon him to manage it overall. Even so, the real source of great disorder begins from here, which is why what Gengsang Chu said to Lao Dan cannot be put down, so the next text says]. So the spirit's might and brightness above changes the light [what Lao Dan called above it goes against the brightness of the sun and moon]; swift and slow, urgent and gentle, in the middle it stirs the breath [what Lao Dan called in the middle it breaks down the course of the four seasons]; killing, wounding, ruin and disaster below fall upon the earth [or "zheng xia zai di". What Lao Dan called below it melts the essence of the mountains and rivers]. So the effect on the spirit-light of the mandate and image taking of Heaven, Earth, yin and yang has already been seen [the effect is as said above and has already been seen. Even so, how could one do without the sage's government? So the next text says]. Heaven is the place from which breath comes forth in total [the so-called rainbows, frost, dew, wind and rain are all formed from breath accumulated in the sky]. Earth is the necessity of principle [or "the necessity of how principle is so"] [what is neither permitted nor forbidden is the Way of Heaven, while the Way of Earth demands necessity]. So the sage comes forth from Heaven [his Way always comes out from Heaven] and gathers in at Earth [unwilling to come out from Earth]. Between Heaven and Earth, those like yin [or without "yang"] block with dryness and wetness, and use law and righteousness to press and move with the seasons [or without "yan". Those like yin block dryness with law and righteousness, and those like yang block wetness with law and righteousness. The Duwan chapter says: when the spirit is wet, Heaven does not give birth to water; when the form is dry, Earth does not give birth to fire]. As for these two, where the sage [or without "sage"] is present, there is order, and where he is not, there is chaos, which is because Heaven has lost its pattern and Earth has lost its principle. From this [or "pattern"] one knows that the former spirits [the spirits of the former kings] who are called king of the hundred spirits are those of highest virtue who hold the Great Way. All of these are the elders of things. As for the ruler who succeeds to the position by ancestral register generation after generation, though his own person is not worthy, facing south and calling himself "the lonely one," he does not necessarily perish, because he can receive instruction from men who have the Way. Without this, to still be able to keep the ancestral temple and preserve the state has never happened.

道有度數故神明可交【或作効】也【易曰始作八卦以通神明之德】物有相勝故水火可用也東西南北故形名可信也【有方矣然後形名著焉】五帝在前三王在後上德已衰矣兵知俱起黃帝百戰【百戰之數未盡聞也蓋與炎帝戰於阪泉之野三與蚩尤戰於涿鹿之野七十二此其大畧也】蚩尤七十二【或雲無二字】堯伐有唐【傳云堯佐帝摯受封於唐二十而登帝位今此雲堯伐有唐未詳聞也伐或作代】禹服【或作伐】有苗天不變其常地不易其則隂陽不亂其氣生死不俛其位三光不改其用神明不徙其法【善用兵者其道如此案用兵一本作用法非】得失不兩張成敗不兩立所謂賢不肖者古今一也君子不惰真【案一本作貞】人不怠【怠然後懈懈然後惰故君子言惰真人言怠禮雲三日不怠三月不懈】無見久貧賤則據簡之伊尹酒保【保傭保也】太公屠牛【傳曰太公少貧賣漿值天涼屠牛賣肉值天熱而肉敗】管子作革【或作草】百里奚官奴【百里奚虞人也虞亡晉主辱之以媵穆姬而飯牛於秦豈此所謂官奴者乎】海內荒亂立為世師莫不天地善謀日月不息乃成四時精習象神【南華曰鐻成見者驚猶鬼神豈謂是乎】孰謂能之【言非不學而能也】素成其用先知其故【所謂始乎故長乎性成乎命】湯能以七十里放桀武王以百里伐紂知一不煩【知一則簡】千方萬曲所雜齊同【防之有元故不能異也】勝道不一【制勝之道夫豈一端而已】知者計全【戰必勝攻必取】明將不倍時而棄利勇士不怯法而滅名欲逾至德之美者其慮不與俗同【徇俗則病傭欲逾至德之美難矣】欲驗九天之髙者行不徑【或作經】請【安可以問塗而至也九天具見鴻烈直經蓋若南方曰朱天北方曰天中央曰鈞天之類】是以忠臣不先其身而後其君寒心孤立懸命將軍野戰則國民罷城守則食人灼骸【或作火體易子而食析骸而炊】計失其國削主困為天下持國計者可以無詳乎固有過計有嘗【或作賞】試【嘗試失之疏遇計失之細事貴取中而已明此所當審也】是以曹沬為魯將與齊三戰而亡地千里使曹子計不顧後刎頸而死則不免為敗軍擒將曹子以為敗軍擒將非勇也國削民滅非智也身死君危非忠也夫死人之事者【案一本無者字】不能續人之夀故退與魯君計桓公合諸侯曹子以一劔之任刦桓公墠位之上顔色不變辭氣不悖三戰之所亡一旦而反天下震動四鄰驚駭名傳後世扶杖於小愧者大功不成故曹子去忿悁之心立終身之功棄細忿之愧立累世之名故曹子為知時魯君為知人劇辛為燕將與趙戰軍敗劇辛自剄燕以失五城自賊以為禍門身死以危其君名實俱滅是謂失此不還人之計也【言其計畫無後之爾案注無字下疑有脫誤】非過材之防也【此言賢者誠重其死雖然曹沬之事適遭管仲不欲愈一小快而以齊信於諸故能成其名也若夫李陵之降欲以報漢而卒族妻母隴西之士用為恥焉則沬之刦致豈可以為常哉矧又霸者之事也至於正徳之人誠信素明則將無與魯地而誅沬矣何足貴乎】夫得道者務無大失凡人者務有小善小善積則【案一本無則字】多惡欲多惡則不積德不積則多難【或雲多惡則多難無則不下五字】多難則濁濁則無知多欲則不博不博則多憂多憂則濁濁則無知欲惡者知之所昏也夫強不能者僇之其言辱【案一本此六字誤作注又一本無之其言辱四字】是劇辛能絶而燕王不知人也昔善戰者舉兵相從陳以五行戰以五音指天之極與神同方類類生成用一不窮明者為法微道是行齊過進退【齊不過也】參之天地出實觸虛【吳奔東南亞夫使備西北蓋知此矣】禽將破軍發如鏃【或作鍭】矢動如雷霆暴疾虛殷若壊牆【殷壊聲也】執急節短【孫子兵法曰其執險其節短】用不縵縵避我所死就吾所生趨吾所時援【或作授】吾所勝故士不折北兵不困窮得此道者驅用市人乗流以逝【或作遊】與道翺翔翺翔授取錮據【或作豫】堅守呼吸鎮【一作推或作損】移【鎮不移也】與時更為一先一後音律相奏【或作奉】一右一左道無不可受數於天定位於地成名於人彼時之至安可復還【或作復還至復反覆也還回還也】安可控搏【控引也搏持也復還言不可御控搏言不可止】天地不倚錯以待能度數相使隂陽相攻死生相攝氣威相滅虛實相因得失浮【或作得失相浮】縣【浮縣言無定也】兵以勢勝【兵法曰如轉圓石於千仞之山者勢也】時不常使蚤晩絀贏反相殖生變化無窮何可勝言水激則旱矢激則逺精神回薄振盪相轉遲速有命【有命一作言息又作止息】必中三五合散消息孰識其時至人遺物【遺物或作不遺】獨【或作動】與道俱縱驅委命與時徃來盛衰死生孰識其期儼然至湛孰知其尤禍乎福之所倚福乎禍之所伏禍與福如糾纆【此言禍福相為表裡埶如索綯纆索也三合曰糾案埶一本作執】渾沌錯紛其狀若一交解形狀孰知其則芴芒無貎【貎或為根】唯聖人而後決其意【或作能決其意】斡流遷徙固無休息【小休曰息】終則有始孰知其極一目之羅不可以得雀【太疏故也】籠中之鳥空窺不出【太密故也】眾人唯唯安定禍福憂喜聚門吉凶同域【慶者在堂吊者在門】失反為得成反為敗吳大兵強夫差以困越棲防稽勾踐霸世達人大觀乃見其可【可或作苛】橢枋一術奚足以遊【橢讀如隋銎之隋枋讀如方銎之方夫天下之事百出要以百變應之而今隋方一術則豈足遊於變通之防哉】徃古來今事孰無郵【郵置郵也行者過之而已故事之過者為郵】舜有不孝堯有不慈文王桎梏管仲拘囚坱軋□垠【□垠或作葬雲】孰得之【此言大鈞播物坱軋無垠皆在爐之內孰得之】至得無私泛泛乎若不繫之舟【任之而已】能者以濟不能者以覆天不可與謀地不可與慮聖人捐物從理與舍眾人域域【域域淺狹之貎】廹於嗜慾小知立趨好惡自懼誇者死權自貴矜容【一本自矜容下雲徇名終身謀奈無列士以下兩句詩曰垂帶悸兮是也】列士徇名貪夫徇財【以身逐物曰徇】至博不給【給或作結統之無要則雖博乃更不給何則至道常約故也】知時何羞【不愧不怍】不肖繋【繋或作敷】俗賢爭於時【知也者爭之器也名也者相軋也】細故□蒯【蒯猶芥也□芥刺鯁也一本□作衣蒯作葪】奚足以疑事成欲得又奚足誇【此言如意與不無足欣戚】千言萬説卒賞謂何【此言理盡於上而彼之繁言雖累千萬猶當賞此】勾踐不官【勾踐嘗臣於吳】二國不定文王不幽【幽於羑理】武王不正【或作武王不執正】管仲不羞辱名不與大賢功不得與三王鉦面備矣【案一本得與二字缺】

The Dao has measures and numbers, and so the spirits and the bright powers can be brought into contact [one text has 'xiao' (to emulate) for 'jiao' (to contact)]. [The Book of Changes says: at the beginning the eight trigrams were made in order to penetrate the virtue of the spirits and bright powers.] Things restrain one another, and so water and fire can be used. There are east, west, south and north, and so form and name can be relied upon. [Once there are directions, form and name become evident.] The Five Emperors came first and the Three Kings after, the highest virtue declined, and arms and cunning arose together. The Yellow Emperor fought a hundred battles [the full number of the hundred battles has not been heard; probably it was three battles with the Yan Emperor in the wilds of Banquan and seventy-two with Chiyou in the wilds of Zhuolu, and this is a rough count], and Chiyou seventy-two [some texts lack these two characters]. Yao attacked the Youtang [it is said that Yao assisted Emperor Zhi, was enfeoffed at Tang, and ascended the throne at twenty; here it says Yao attacked the Youtang, of which no detail is heard; 'attack' is sometimes written 'replace'], and Yu made the Youmiao submit [sometimes written 'attack']. Heaven does not change its constant way, earth does not alter its rule, yin and yang do not disturb their qi, life and death do not yield their places, the three luminaries do not change their functions, and the spirits do not shift their measure. [Those who are good at using arms have a Way just like this. Note: one text has 'using law' for 'using arms', which is wrong.] Gain and loss cannot both be enlarged at the same time, and success and failure cannot both be established at the same time. What is called worthy and unworthy is the same in ancient and modern times. The gentleman is not idle and the true man [note: one text has 'steadfast' for 'true'] is not lax. [Laxity is followed by slackness and slackness by idleness, so the gentleman speaks of idleness and the true man speaks of laxity. The Liji says: three days not lax, three months not slack.] Do not, on seeing someone long poor and lowly, belittle him on that account. Yi Yin was a tavern worker [bao means hired hand], Taigong slaughtered oxen [it is said that when young Taigong was poor, he sold drinks and it turned cold, and slaughtered oxen to sell meat and it turned hot and the meat spoiled], Guan Zi did leather work [sometimes written 'grass'], and Baili Xi was an official slave [Baili Xi was a man of Yu; when Yu fell, the lord of Jin humiliated him by making him a dowry servant of Mu Ji, and afterward he raised oxen in Qin; could this be the 'official slave' spoken of here?]. When the realm within the seas was in chaos, they were set up as the teachers of their age. There were none who did not take Heaven and Earth as models and plan well, and the sun and moon who by moving without rest completed the four seasons, who practiced until skilled, like the spirits [the Zhuangzi says that when the bell stand was done, those who saw it were startled as if meeting ghosts and spirits; could this be what is meant?]; who says they could do it by nature? [This means that they did not know without study.] Habitually achieve its use, and know beforehand its cause. [This is what is meant by beginning in the cause, growing in the nature and completing in the fate.] Tang, with only seventy li of land, banished Jie, and King Wu, with a hundred li, attacked Zhou. Knowing the 'One', one is not troubled by detail [knowing the One makes it simple]; a thousand methods and ten thousand turns, what is mixed within them is all the same. [Because there is one source, it cannot be two.] The way of winning is not just one [is the way of controlling victory only a single strand?]; the one with knowledge calculates all around [fights and surely wins, attacks and surely takes]. The enlightened general does not go against the situation and lose advantage, and the brave man is not afraid of the law to the point of ruining his name. One who wishes to exceed the beauty of supreme virtue has thoughts unlike those of the vulgar. [Following custom leads to the illness of mediocrity, and it is hard to want to exceed the beauty of supreme virtue.] One who wishes to verify the height of the ninth heaven does not take a shortcut [sometimes 'direct'] in going to ask. [How can one arrive by asking the way? The nine heavens are described in the Huainanzi; the direct route is probably like what the south calls Zhu Heaven, the north Xuan Heaven (the received text writes xuan with a private-use character), the center Jun Heaven and so on.] Therefore the loyal minister does not put himself in front and the ruler behind. With a chilled heart and standing alone, his life hangs in the general's hands. In a field battle the state is exhausted and the people worn out (the received text writes 'exhausted' with a private-use character); in defending a city they eat people and burn bones [sometimes written 'fire the bodies': exchanging sons to eat them and splitting bones to burn]. Once the plan is lost, the state is diminished, the ruler is in distress, and the world laughs (the received text has a rare character here, lost in transcription; the common text writes 'laugh'). Can one who holds the great plans of a state be careless? There are some who over-calculate and some who experiment [sometimes written 'reward']. [Experimenting fails by being loose, over-planning fails by being fine, and matters are valued only by taking the middle. Understanding this is what should be examined.] So Cao Mo, as a general of Lu, fought Qi three times and lost land for over a thousand li. Had Master Cao, in calculating, not looked to his rear and cut his throat and died, he would not have escaped being a general of a defeated and captured army. Master Cao thought: to be a defeated, captured general is not courage; for the state to be diminished and the people destroyed is not wisdom; for oneself to die and the ruler be endangered is not loyalty. One who dies for another's affair [note: one text lacks the particle 'zhe'] cannot extend the other's life, and so he withdrew and consulted the ruler of Lu. When Duke Huan assembled the lords, Master Cao, with the strength of a single sword, seized Duke Huan on the altar platform without changing color or disordering his words; the land lost in three battles was all returned within one day. The world was shaken and the four neighbors alarmed, and his name was handed down to later ages. One who leans on a single staff and lingers over a small shame cannot complete great deeds. So Master Cao dropped his heart of anger and calculation and established a lifelong merit; he cast away the shame of petty anger and established a name for generations. So Master Cao knew the time, and the ruler of Lu knew the man. Ju Xin, as a general of Yan, fought Zhao, and when the army was defeated Ju Xin cut his own throat, and Yan lost five cities because of it. To harm oneself, taking it as the door of calamity, to die oneself while leaving one's ruler in danger, and to destroy name and substance together is called losing the plan of the man who 'does not turn back'. [This means his plan had no follow-up. Note: there seems to be a corruption after the character for 'no' in the commentary.] Nor is it the precaution of one whose talent has something to spare. [This says the worthy truly value their own deaths. Even so, in Cao Mo's case it happened that Guan Zhong did not want a small satisfaction but wanted to use Qi to win the trust of the lords (the received text writes 'lord' with a private-use character), and so he could complete his name. As for Li Ling's surrender, he meant to use it to repay the Han, but his wife and mother were exterminated with their clan, and the scholars of Longxi took this as shame; so how can Cao Mo's seizing method be taken as a standing rule? Moreover it was the business of a hegemon. As for people of correct virtue, their sincerity is clear in ordinary times, and then they would not give Lu land, and would execute Cao Mo, so what would be valuable?] Those who attain the Way strive to have no great loss; ordinary people strive to have a little good. When small goods accumulate [note: one text lacks the word 'then'], evil desires too increase; when evil desires increase there is no accumulation of virtue; without accumulation of virtue there are many troubles [some texts read 'many evils, so many troubles' and lack the five characters after 'not']; many troubles bring turbidity, and turbidity brings ignorance. With many desires one is not broad; not broad, one has many worries; many worries bring turbidity, and turbidity brings ignorance. Desire and aversion are what darken and confuse knowledge. To force oneself to do what one cannot do is to be put to death, and one's words too are shamed [note: one text mistook these six characters for a note, and another lacks four characters 'its words shamed']; this is why Ju Xin could end it with one death, while the king of Yan did not know people. Those in the past who were good at fighting, when raising troops to face each other, used the five phases to deploy ranks and the five notes to fight; they pointed toward the pole of Heaven and went in the same direction as the spirits; produced one kind after another, using the 'One' without exhaustion. The enlightened took it as a rule, and the subtle Way is thus practiced. Advancing and withdrawing in order without excess ['order' means not exceeding], taking part with heaven and earth, coming out from the solid to strike at the empty [the army of Wu rushed to the southeast yet had people guard against the northwest, probably understanding this level]; capturing generals and breaking armies, issuing like an arrowhead [sometimes written differently], moving like thunder, sudden and swift, striking the empty (the received text writes 'strike' with a private-use character), with the sound like a rumbling of a collapsing wall [rumbling means the sound of destruction]. The momentum is urgent and the rhythm short [the Sunzi says: its momentum is steep and its rhythm short], using it without dragging on. Avoid the place where I would die, approach the place where I can live, chase the time that is mine, and support [sometimes written 'give'] the place where I can win. Thus the soldiers do not break and flee, and the troops are not exhausted. One who attains this Way commands people of the marketplace, flows with the current [sometimes written 'roams'], and soars together with the Dao. Soaring, he takes; fixed [sometimes written 'prepared'], he holds firm; in one breath of out and in he suppresses [one text has 'push', another 'diminish'] or moves aside [to suppress means not to move], changing in turn with the time. One first and one after, the pitch pipes accompany each other [sometimes written 'offer']; one right and one left, there is nothing the Way cannot do. From Heaven he receives the measures, on earth he fixes positions, and among people he makes a name. When that time has arrived, how can it be turned back [sometimes written 'turned back and arrived'; 'fu' means repeat and 'huan' means return]? How can it be controlled or grasped? [Kong means to pull; bo means to hold. Turning back means it cannot be resisted; controlling and grasping means it cannot be stopped.] Heaven and earth do not lean to one side, but interlace awaiting the able; measures and numbers employ one another, yin and yang attack one another, life and death take hold of one another, qi and awe extinguish one another, and the empty and the solid depend on one another. Gain and loss float and hang [sometimes written 'gain and loss float on each other'] [floating and hanging means there is no fixed state]. Arms win by momentum [the art of war says: like rolling a round stone down from a mountain a thousand fathoms high, that is momentum]. Time is not always employed; early and late, loss and gain, in turn breed each other; transformation is endless, how could it be exhausted by speech. Water, when stirred, becomes fierce, and an arrow, when stirred, shoots far; spirit presses back and forth, shaking and turning with one another. Slow and fast have their decree ['has decree' is sometimes written 'speak of rest', or 'stop and rest'], and are bound to hit three or five. Joining and scattering, waning and waxing, who knows their time? The perfect man leaves outer things behind [sometimes written 'does not leave behind'] and alone [sometimes written 'moves'] is with the Dao; he lets himself be driven and hands over his fate, coming and going with the time. Flourishing and decline, life and death, who knows their term? Stern, he comes to the utmost depth; who knows his fault? Misfortune is what fortune leans on, and fortune is what misfortune lies hidden in. Misfortune and fortune twine together like a plaited cord [this says that misfortune and fortune are each other's outside and inside, the momentum being like twisting a rope; the character 'cord' means a rope, and three strands joined are called a twist; note: one text writes 'momentum' differently]. Chaos, a mingled and tangled confusion, its shape seems to be one; when you take apart the form, who knows its rule? Vague and without appearance [sometimes written 'root'], only a sage can then decide its meaning [sometimes 'can decide its meaning']. Turning round and drifting along, it originally has no rest [a small rest is called xi]; having an end, it has a beginning again, who knows its limit? A net with a single mesh cannot catch a sparrow [because it is too sparse]; a bird in a cage looks out in vain and cannot leave [because it is too tight]. The multitude say yes and no, seeking peace within misfortune and fortune; worry and joy gather at one gate, and auspicious and ominous share the same region [the congratulators are in the hall and the mourners at the gate]. Loss turns instead into gain, and success turns into failure. The army of Wu was large and strong, yet Fuchai was trapped by it; Yue perched at Kuaiji (the received text has a miswriting), yet Goujian became hegemon for an age. The one who understands sees broadly, and only then sees that 'allowable' [sometimes written 'harsh']. The oval and the square keep to one method only, how can they suffice for roaming and turning? [The oval is read like the tuo of an oval socket; the square like the fang of a square socket. The affairs of the world come out in a hundred ways, and one must answer with a hundred changes; if now the oval and square keep to a single technique, how can they suffice for roaming through the ways of change?] From ancient times to the present, what affair has not been a way-station? [A way-station means a post stage; travelers merely pass through. So the place where an affair passes is called a way-station.] Shun had unfilial conduct and Yao had unkindness, King Wen wore fetters and Guan Zhong was imprisoned. Boundless and unbounded (the received text has a missing character here) [with the missing character, 'boundless' is sometimes written as 'burying clouds'], who can hammer it (the received text has a rare character here, written 'hammer' in the note)? [This says the great potter's wheel scatters things in boundless vastness, all within the furnace and hammer; who can hammer it?] The utmost attainment has no private aim, drifting like an unmoored boat [just left to itself]. Those who are able cross over by it, and those who are not capsize by it. Heaven cannot be consulted with, and earth cannot be planned with. The sage casts off outer things, following principle and following giving up. The multitude are narrow-minded [narrow-minded means shallow and cramped], pressed by cravings. Those of petty knowledge, once settled, hurry forward, frightened by their own likes and dislikes. The boastful die for power, valuing themselves and being proud of their looks [one text has after 'proud of looks' the words 'devoting a lifetime to name and scheming what', and lacks the two sentences after 'men of distinction'. The Book of Odes says 'the hanging sash trembles', which is this]. Men of distinction die for name, and the greedy die for wealth [using one's body to chase things is called xun]. Breadth carried to the extreme instead cannot be supplied [sometimes 'supplied' is written 'tied'. Commanding without a chief point, though broad, one is even less supplied. Why? Because the supreme Way is always concise]. Knowing the time, what is there to be ashamed of? [Neither ashamed nor abashed.] The unworthy are tied [sometimes 'spread'] to custom, and the worthy contend with the time [knowledge is the instrument of contention, and name is what people trample each other with]. Small incidents and bone-in-the-throat splinters (the received text has a missing character here) [wei is like a mustard plant; the splinter is like a fish bone stuck in the throat. In one text the missing character is written 'clothes' and 'wei' is written differently], how are they enough to cause doubt? When things are accomplished and desires obtained, how are they enough to boast of? [This says that being as one wishes or not as one wishes is not enough to bring joy or sorrow.] A thousand words and ten thousand explanations, in the end what deserves reward? [This says that the principle has been exhausted above, and however many thousands and tens of thousands of elaborate words the other side piles up, it is this that should be rewarded.] If Goujian had not once called himself a subject [Goujian once submitted to Wu], the two states could not have been at peace; if King Wen had not been confined [confined at Youli], King Wu could not have set things right [sometimes written 'King Wu did not hold to correctness']; if Guan Zhong had not undergone humiliation, his name could not rank with the great worthies and his merit could not rank with the Three Kings [note: one text lacks the two characters 'be able to']. The gong face is already prepared.

天髙而可知地大而可宰萬物安之人情安取伯夷叔齊能無盜而不能使人不意已【橫逆豈可必哉】申徒狄【殷之末世枯槁者也】以為世溷濁不可居故負石自投於河不知水中之亂有逾甚者德之盛山無徑跡澤無橋梁不相徃來舟車不通何者其民猶赤子也【老子曰含德之厚比於赤子男曰赤子女曰嬰兒】有知者不以相欺役也有力者不以相臣主也是以鳥鵲之巢可俯而窺也麋鹿群居可從而系也【鳥鵲性猜瞿麋鹿性驚決故比主言之】至世之衰父子相圖兄弟相疑【夫父子天性也兄弟天倫也恩信素足非自外至故蹍市人之足則辭以脫悞兄則以嫗大親而已矣今德下衰而至於父子相猶兄弟相瘉者豈其性固異於古也哉蓋治之之過也】何者其化薄而出於相以有為也【此言不能相與於無相與相為於無相為故其至此郭象曰夫體天地冥變化者雖手足異任五蔵殊管未嘗相與而百節同和斯相與於無相與也未嘗相為而表裡俱濟斯相為於無相為也若乃役其心志以恤手足運其股肱以營五蔵則相營愈篤而內外愈困矣蓋知此也】故為者敗之治者亂之敗則傰【傰黨也】亂則阿阿則理廢傰則義不立堯傳舜以天下故好義者以為堯智其好利者以為堯愚湯武放弒利其子好義者以為無道【此言何謂也若予所學則唯好義者以為有道】而好利之人以為賢為【或無為字】彼世不傳賢故有放君君好傰阿故有弒主夫放弒之所加亡國之所在吾未見便樂【或作見其便樂】而安處之者也夫處危以妄安循哀以損樂是故國有無服之喪無軍之兵可以先見也是故箕子逃【逃逃禍也非謂逃而去之孔子曰微子去之箕子為之奴】而搏仇牧【宋世家曰南宮萬殺涽公於防澤大夫仇牧聞之以兵造公門萬搏牧牧齒著門死即其事也】商容拘而蹇叔哭【蹇叔秦臣也穆公襲鄭蹇叔哭之】昔之登髙者下人代之防【或作殪防怖也】手足為之汗出【怖故為之汗濡】而上人【或無人字】乃始搏折枝而趨操木【言傍觀者為之驚懼而登髙之人雖危莫知焉乃始搏而折枝趨而操木】止之者僇【止之使勿爾者覆受僇焉凡此以況處危忘安而諌者防辱之義】是故天下寒心而人主孤立今世之處側者皆亂臣也其智足以使主不達其言足以滑政其朋黨足以相甯於利害昔湯用伊尹周用太公秦用百里【百里奚也】楚用申麃【申包胥也】齊用管子此數大夫之所以髙世者皆亡國之忠臣所以死也【此言古之人其才一也或以髙世亦或以死者所遇之君異也案一本髙世下有由字】由是觀之非其智能難與也乃其時命者不可及也【此言伊呂申管之才人非莫及也而箕仇之徒卒以殺辱者無其時命故也】唯無如是【無其時命】時有所至而求【或作袁又或作表有君無臣故雖時有所至而上求焉】時有所至而辭【有臣無君故雖時有所至而下辭焉】命有所至而闔【或作閤闔猶辭也】命有所至而闢【或作闕闢猶求也】賢不必得時也不肖不必失命也是故賢者守時而不肖者守命【守命猶委命也】今世非無舜之行也不知堯之故也非無湯武之事也不知伊尹太公之故也費仲惡來得辛紂之利而不知武王之伐之也比干子胥好忠諫而不知其主之煞之也費仲惡來者可謂知心矣而不知事比干子胥者可謂知事矣而不知心聖人者必兩備而後能究一世

Heaven is high yet can be known, and earth is vast yet can be governed. When all things rest in this, from where do human feelings take hold? Boyi and Shuqi could themselves refrain from being thieves, but could not stop people from suspecting them [can wrongs and injuries surely be avoided?]. Shentu Di [the withered man of the end of the Yin dynasty] thought the age was muddy and not to be lived in, and so carried a stone and threw himself into the river, not knowing that the disorder in the water was worse than that on the bank. In the time of flourishing virtue, there were no tracks on the mountains and no bridges over the marshes, people did not visit each other, and boats and carriages did not go through. Why? At that time the people were still like infants [Laozi said: one who holds virtue thickly is like an infant; a male is called chizi and a female yinger]. Those with knowledge did not use it to deceive and command each other, and those with strength did not use it to rule as lord and subject over each other. So birds' and magpies' nests could be peered into by stooping, and herds of deer lived together and could be followed and tethered [magpies by nature are suspicious and startle easily, and deer by nature are quick to bolt, so they are used for comparison]. When the age declined, fathers and sons calculated against each other and brothers suspected each other [father and son are natural bonds and brothers are natural ties, and kindness and trust are enough in ordinary times and do not come from outside. So when you step on the foot of someone in the market you apologize and say you did not notice; when you step on your elder brother, he just says 'oh' and treats you as a close relative. Now that virtue has declined so far that fathers and sons are wary of each other and brothers are ill with each other, is it that their nature was originally different from the ancients'? It is that governing has gone too far.]. Why? Teaching became thin, arising from treating one another with 'doing' [this says they could not be together in not being together or act for each other in not acting for each other, so the harm came to this. Guo Xiang said: those who embody heaven and earth and merge with transformation, though hands and feet have different tasks and the five viscera each have their own charge, have never managed one another, yet all the joints are in harmony; this is being together in not being together. They have never helped one another, yet inside and out are all aided; this is acting for one another in not acting for one another. If one drives the mind to look after hands and feet or moves the limbs to manage the five viscera, then the more earnestly they manage each other, the more inside and out are distressed. This is probably what is meant.]. So those who 'do' ruin it, and those who 'govern' disorder it. When ruined, they form cliques [peng means to form cliques]; when disordered, they flatter; where there is flattery principle is abandoned, and where there are cliques righteousness cannot stand. Yao passed the world to Shun, so those who love righteousness think Yao wise and those who love profit think Yao foolish. Tang and Wu banished and killed their rulers, and the benefit fell to their sons, so those who love righteousness think them without the Way [this says: how to explain? By what I have studied, only those who love righteousness think there is the Way], and those who love profit think them worthy and able [some texts lack the word 'think']. That age did not pass the throne to the worthy, so there were rulers who were banished; rulers liked cliques and flattery, so there were rulers who were killed. The place where banishing and killing fall is the place where the state is lost, and I have never seen anyone who sought convenience and pleasure [sometimes written 'saw his convenience and pleasure'] still stay peacefully there. Dwelling in danger and recklessly taking it for safety, following sorrow but diminishing the joy in it. So in the state there is mourning without mourning garments and soldiers without an army, which can be foreseen. So Jizi fled [fled means fleeing calamity, not that he fled and went away. Confucius said: the Viscount of Wei left, and Jizi became a slave], and Chou Mu was struck [the Shiji, Song Shijia, says: Nangong Wan killed Duke Min at Mengze, and the grand master Chou Mu, hearing of it, brought troops to the palace gate; Wan struck Chou Mu, and Chou Mu's teeth stuck in the gate and he died; this is that event]; Shang Rong was imprisoned, and Jian Shu wept [Jian Shu was a minister of Qin; this is about Duke Mu's surprise attack on Zheng, over which Jian Shu wept]. In the past, when a man climbed high, those below feared for him [sometimes written differently; 'fang' means to fear], and their hands and feet sweated because of it [fear, therefore sweat], and the man above [some texts lack the word 'man'] only then began grasping and breaking branches, hurrying to seize wood [this says the onlookers are frightened for him, while the climber himself, though in danger, does not know it, and only then begins grasping and breaking a branch, hurrying to take hold of wood]. The one who tried to stop him was instead put to death [stopping him from doing this, he himself was instead put to death. All this is a comparison meaning that one in danger forgets safety and a remonstrator is instead disgraced]. So the world has a chilled heart and the ruler stands alone. Now those at the ruler's side are all disorderly ministers; their cunning is enough to keep the ruler from seeing clearly, their words are enough to disorder government, and their cliques are enough to give each other peace in matters of gain and harm. In the past Tang used Yi Yin, Zhou used Taigong, Qin used Baili [that is, Baili Xi], Chu used Shen Biao [that is, Shen Baoxu], and Qi used Guan Zi. These grand masters rose above their age, and they are also the loyal ministers who died for fallen states [this says the talent of ancient people was the same, and some rose above their age while others died because of it, depending on the rulers they met. Note: one text has 'from' after 'above the age']. Seen this way, it was not that their wisdom and ability were hard to match, but that their time and fate could not be matched by others [this says that the talent of Yi Yin, Taigong, Shen Baoxu and Guan Zi was not beyond others' reach; those like Jizi and Chou Mu who were in the end killed or humiliated lacked that time and fate]. It was only that there was none like this [none had that time and fate]. When the time arrives, one is sought [sometimes written 'Yuan', or 'Biao'. With a ruler but no minister, even if the time has arrived, the one above does the seeking]; when the time arrives, one declines [with a minister but no ruler, even if the time has arrived, the one below declines]. When fate arrives, one shuts the door [sometimes written 'joins'. 'He' is like 'declines']; when fate arrives, one opens [sometimes written 'lacks'. 'Pi' is like 'seeks']. That the worthy do not necessarily obtain is the time; that the unworthy do not necessarily lose is fate. So the worthy keep to the time and the unworthy keep to fate [keeping to fate is like entrusting oneself to fate]. Today it is not that there is no conduct like Shun's, but that people do not know the reason for Yao; it is not that there are no deeds like Tang's and Wu's, but that people do not know the reason for Yi Yin and Taigong. Fei Zhong and E Lai gained the benefit of Xin the tyrant but did not know that King Wu was coming to attack him; Bi Gan and Wu Zixu loved loyal remonstrance but did not know that their lords would kill them. Fei Zhong and E Lai can be said to have known the mind but not the affair; Bi Gan and Wu Zixu can be said to have known the affair but not the mind. The sage must have both complete, and only then can he exhaust an age.

龎子問鶡冠子曰用兵之法天之地之人之賞以勸戰罰以必眾【或作恐眾】五者已圖然九夷用之而勝不必者其故何也【得其戰矣未得其所以戰也故九夷用之而不必勝語曰以書御者不盡馬之情此之謂也故曰夫子馳亦馳夫子趨亦趨夫子奔逸絶塵而回瞠若乎其後其近是乎】鶡冠子曰物有生【生猶化也】故金木水火未用而相制【此言前期而勝也】子獨不見夫閉關乎立而倚之則婦人揭之【或作易揭之上】僕而措之則不擇性而能舉其中【句】若操其端則雖選士不能絶地闗尚一身而輕重異之者勢使之然也夫以闗言之則物有而勢在矣九夷用之而勝不必者其不達物生者也【此言不達事變物化故輒敗北素問曰物生之謂化物極之謂變】若達物生者五尚一也耳龎子曰以五為一奈何鶡冠子曰天不能以早為晩地不能以髙為下人不能以男為女賞不能勸不勝任【金帛在前不能使尫者負】罰不能必不【或無不字】可【斧鉞在後不能使啞者鳴】龎子曰取功奈何鶡冠子曰天不能使人人不能使天因【或作固】物之然而窮達存焉之二也在權在勢在權故生財有過富在勢故用兵有過勝財之生也力之於地順之於天兵之勝也順之於道合之於人其弗知者以逆為順以患為利以逆為順故其財貧以患為利故其兵禽昔之知時者與道證【或作登】弗知者危神明道之所亡【或作斥】神明之敗何物可以留其創【留猶止也使創不伸曰留】故曰道乎道乎【或作道道乎】與神明相保乎龎子曰何如而相保鶡冠子曰賢生聖【賢上生聖】聖生道道生法法生神【一隂一陽之謂道制而用之謂之法利用出入民鹹用之謂之神】神生明【神下生明】神明者正之末也【偏生闇公生明誠信生神故曰正之末也】末【或無末字】受之本是故相保

Master Pang asked Heguanzi: "The method of using arms: Heaven, earth and people; rewards are used to encourage people to fight and punishments to coerce the multitude [sometimes written 'frighten the multitude']. All five have been planned, yet the Nine Yi using them do not necessarily win; what is the reason?" [They obtained that fighting but did not obtain what makes the fighting, and so the Nine Yi, though using it, do not necessarily win. The old saying goes: one who drives horses by the book cannot exhaust the horses' true nature. This is what is meant. So it is said: when the Master trotted he trotted, when the Master ran he ran, when the Master dashed away beyond the dust, Yan Hui could only stare and fall behind. Is it probably close to this?] Heguanzi said: "Things have 'birth' ['birth' is like 'transformation'], so metal, wood, water and fire restrain one another even before being put to use [this says they win beforehand]. Have you not seen the bolt of a gate? Stood upright against the wall, even a woman can lift it [sometimes written 'easy to lift up']; laid down flat, without choosing strength one can lift its middle [punctuate here]; if you grasp one end of it, even a chosen strongman cannot lift it off the ground. The bolt is the same single piece, yet its weight differs, because momentum makes it so. Take the bolt: when the thing exists, momentum is there too. The Nine Yi using these do not necessarily win because they do not understand the birth of things [this says they do not understand the changes of affairs and the transformations of things, and so are often routed. The Suwen says: when things are born it is called transformation, and when things reach their extreme it is called change]. If one understands the birth of things, the five are only one." Master Pang said: "How is one to combine the five into one?" Heguanzi said: "Heaven cannot change early into late, earth cannot change high into low, people cannot change a man into a woman, rewards cannot encourage someone to take up what he cannot bear [with gold and silk before him, they still cannot make a weakling carry a load], and punishments cannot force someone to do what he cannot do [some texts lack 'cannot'] [with axes behind him, they still cannot make a mute call out]." Master Pang said: "How is one to achieve results?" Heguanzi said: "Heaven cannot command people, and people cannot command Heaven; follow [sometimes written 'adhere to'] the way things are, and poverty and success lie within. These two lie in authority and momentum. With authority, one makes wealth in excess; with momentum, one wins in arms to excess. That wealth is produced is because strength is applied to the land, in accord with Heaven; that arms win is because one follows the Way and accords with people. Those who do not know take opposition for compliance and take calamity for benefit. Taking opposition for compliance, their wealth is poor; taking calamity for benefit, their troops are captured. In the past, those who knew the time were in verification [sometimes written 'ascended'] with the Way, and those who did not know harmed the spirits and bright powers. In the place where the Way is lost [sometimes written 'repelled'], the spirits and bright powers are defeated, and what can make that wound stay [to stay is like to stop; letting the wound not open again is called staying]? So it is said: the Way, the Way [sometimes written 'the Way is Way'], and the spirits and bright powers preserve each other!" Master Pang said: "How can they preserve each other?" Heguanzi said: "The worthy produce the sage [the worthy above produce the sage], the sage produces the Way, the Way produces law, law produces the spirit [one yin and one yang is called the Way, and regulating and using it is called law, and using it to go in and out so that the people all use it is called spirit], and the spirit produces brightness [the spirit below produces brightness]. Spirit and brightness are the tip of what is correct [bias produces darkness, impartiality produces brightness, and sincerity produces spirit, so they are called the tip of the correct]. The tip [some texts lack the word 'tip'] receives the root, and so they preserve each other."

龎子問鶡冠子曰聖人學問服師也【服事也】亦有終始乎抑其拾【或作拾下同案或作拾拾字疑當作舍】誦記辭闔棺而止乎鶡冠子曰始於初問終於九道若不聞九道之解拾誦記辭闔棺而止以何定乎【此言非獨白紛如也雖至闔棺而止尚不足以定之也故所貴乎問學者豈誦説之云乎在於得書之體得言之解】龎子曰何謂九道鶡冠子曰一曰道德二曰隂陽三曰法令四曰天官五曰神徵六曰伎藝七曰人情八曰械器九曰處兵龎子曰願聞九道之事鶡冠子曰道德者操行所以為素也【素如獻素之素道德操行之本故曰素也】隂陽者分數所以觀氣變也【周官保章氏云以星土以雲物以十有二歳以十有二風占天地之災祥】法令者主道治亂國之命也天官者表儀祥兆下之應也【此言學問之序道德已明而隂陽次之隂陽已明而法令次之三者備矣然後可以言治矣天官冢宰是也百官取揆故曰表儀造始而已故曰祥兆此以靜唱彼以動和故曰下之應也】神徵者風采光景所以序怪也【祭義所謂其氣發揚於上為昭明焄蒿悽愴此百物之精也神之著也】伎藝者如勝同任【或為住】所以出無獨異也【周官六德則異之以智仁聖義忠和六藝則同之以禮樂射御書數】人情者小大愚知賢不肖雄俊豪英相萬也械器者假乗焉【或作馬】世用國備也處兵者威柄所持立不敗【或作取】之地也九道形心謂之有靈【形著見也】後能見變而命之【物至能名或曰竒見異聞為變列子曰大禹行而見之伯益知而名之蓋此類也】因其所為而定之若心無形靈【或作虛】辭【或有傳字】雖搏捆【捆猶叩防也】不知所之彼心為主【或作至】則內將使外內無巧驗【精不足以揆道麤不足以驗物】近則不及逺則不至龎子曰【或有曾聞字】禮樂仁義忠信願聞其合之於數鶡冠子曰所謂禮者不犯者也所謂樂者無菑【或作薔】者也所謂仁者同好者也所謂義者同惡者也所謂忠者久愈親者也所謂信者無二響者也聖人以此六者【或無者字】卦世得失逆順之經【卦猶卜也】夫離道非數不可以【原缺二字】緒端不要元法不可以心體【猶刳也南華曰墮其肢體黜其聰明又曰夫道覆載天地君子不可以不刳心焉】表術【或無表字】裡原【術如術業之術原如原道之原】雖淺不窮中虛外博雖博必虛龎子再拜曰有問戒哉雖毋如是冥【或無冥字】材乃健弗學孰能此天下至道而世主廢之何哉鶡冠子曰不提生於弗器【器故提之】賤生於無所用中河失船一壺千金【壺瓠也佩之可以濟渉南人謂之腰舟】貴賤無常時使物然常知善善昭繆不易一揆至今不知善善故有身死國亡絶祀滅宗細人猶然不能保夀義則自況【此言細人且爾也況於己乎其義當以自況】

Master Pang asked Heguanzi: "For the sage in learning and in serving his teacher ['serve' means to attend], is there a beginning and end? Or does he pick up [sometimes written 'gather'; the following likewise. Note: sometimes written 'gather'; the character 'gather' should probably be 'give up'] the recited and memorized words until the lid is closed on the coffin?" Heguanzi said: "From the first question to the end of the nine ways. If one has not heard the explanation of the nine ways, and only picks up the recited and memorized words until the coffin is closed, what is there to decide with?" [This says it is not only confusion like a tangle of white silk; even if one goes on until the coffin is closed, it is still not enough to decide. So what is valued in learning, how could it be reciting? It lies in obtaining the body of the book and obtaining the explanation of the words.] Master Pang said: "What are the nine ways?" Heguanzi said: "The first is the Dao and its virtue, the second is yin and yang, the third is law and decree, the fourth is the heavenly officials, the fifth is the spirit signs, the sixth is the arts and skills, the seventh is human feelings, the eighth is implements, and the ninth is the disposition of arms." Master Pang said: "I wish to hear about the matters of the nine ways." Heguanzi said: "The Dao and its virtue are what conduct takes as its plain base [the 'plain' is like the plain silk that one presents. The Dao and virtue are the root of conduct, so they are called plain]; yin and yang are the divisions and numbers used to observe changes in qi [the Zhouguan, Baozhang Shi, says: use the star-fields, clouds and things, twelve years and twelve winds to divine the calamities and good omens of heaven and earth]; law and decree are the ruler's Way and the mandate for governing a disordered state; the heavenly officials are the models and signs of auspicious omens, and the response from below [this says the order of learning: once the Dao and virtue are clear, yin and yang come next; once yin and yang are clear, law and decree come next. When these three are complete, one can then discuss governing. The heavenly officials are the Chief Steward. The hundred officials take their model from him, so they are called models; this is only the beginning, so they are called signs of omens. This side calls in stillness and that side responds in motion, so they are called the response from below]; the spirit signs are the colors and lights of the wind, used to arrange the strange [what the Jiyi says: qi spreads above and becomes brilliance, with steaming mist and chill, which are the essence of the hundred things and the manifestation of spirit]; arts and skills are like being equal to a task, taking the same duty [sometimes written 'dwelling'], used to come out without standing alone as different [the six virtues of the Zhouguan are distinguished as wisdom, benevolence, sageliness, righteousness, loyalty and harmony, and the six arts are brought together as ritual, music, archery, charioteering, writing and numbers]; human feelings, large and small, foolish and wise, worthy and unworthy, outstanding and heroic, differ ten thousandfold; implements are borrowed to ride [sometimes written 'horse'], used in the world and provided in the state; the disposition of arms is the handle of power, used to stand on ground that cannot be defeated [sometimes written 'taken']. When the nine ways appear in the heart, it is called having spirit ['form' means conspicuous and visible], and one can then see change and name it [when a thing comes, one can name it. One view: strange sights and sounds are called changes. The Liezi says: Yu walked and saw it, and Bo Yi knew it and named it. This is probably of that kind], and decide it according to what it does. If the heart has no form and no spirit [sometimes written 'empty'], then though the words [some texts have 'transmission'] strike, bind and knock, it does not know where to go. When that heart acts as master [sometimes written 'arrives'], the inner drives the outer; if inside there is no skillful verification [the fine is not enough to measure the Way, and the coarse is not enough to verify things], the near cannot be reached, and the far cannot be arrived at." Master Pang said [some texts have the two characters 'have heard']: "Ritual, music, benevolence, righteousness, loyalty and trustworthiness: I wish to hear how they accord with number." Heguanzi said: "What is called ritual is what does not offend; what is called music is what has no calamity [sometimes written differently]; what is called benevolence is loving what is the same; what is called righteousness is hating what is the same; what is called loyalty is growing closer the longer it lasts; what is called trustworthiness is having no second echo. The sage uses these six [some texts lack the particle 'zhe'] to divine the channels of gain and loss, opposition and compliance in the world ['gua' is like 'divine']. Leaving the Way is again not number, and one cannot (two characters are missing here in the received text) find the thread; do not pin down the original law, and one cannot (the received text has a rare character here, lost in transcription) the body of the heart [this character is like 'hollow out'. The Nanhua says: drop the limbs and body, cast out cleverness; and it says: the Way covers and carries heaven and earth, and the gentleman cannot fail to hollow out the heart]. Outside it is technique [some texts lack the word 'outside'] and inside it is the source [the 'technique' is like the technique of a craft, and the 'source' is like the source in tracing the Way], and though shallow it will not be exhausted; hollow in the middle and mixed outside, though broad it must be empty." Master Pang bowed twice and said: "There are questions and cautions! Even without such a dark [some texts lack the word 'dark'] material, to be strong and firm, who could do it without study? This is the supreme Way of the world, yet the rulers of the age have discarded it; why?" Heguanzi said: "Not being mentioned is because it is not made into a vessel [once it has been made into a vessel, then it is mentioned]; being cheap is because it has no use. When a boat is lost in midstream, a single gourd is worth a thousand pieces of gold [hu is a gourd; worn on the body it lets one cross a river, and southerners call it a waist-boat]. Noble and base have no fixed rule, and it is time that makes things so. One who always knows how good is good, does not change the zhao and mu order, and there is a single rule down to the present. Not knowing how good is good, there are those who die themselves and see their states lost and their sacrifices cut off and lineages destroyed. Even small people are like this and cannot keep their lifespans; by righteousness one should use it to compare oneself [this says that even small people are like this, how much more oneself? That righteousness should be used to compare oneself]."

卓襄王問龎暖曰夫君人者亦有為其國乎【卓當為悼此趙悼襄王也蓋趙孝成王卒子偃立是為悼襄王襄王三年龎暖將攻燕擒其將劇辛】龎暖曰王獨不聞俞跗之為醫乎已成必治鬼神避之楚王臨朝為隨兵故若堯之任人也不用親戚而必使能其治病也不任所愛必使舊醫【語曰老醫少卜蓋老醫更病多矣堯故使之】楚王聞傳暮在身【蓋病也】必待俞跗【俞跗蓋非楚人此亦寓言傳曰上古之時醫有俞跗治病不以湯液體灑鑱石橋引案機毒熨而割皮解肌訣胍結筋搦髓腦浣腸胃練精易形此雖已成所以必治而鬼神避之也】卓襄王曰善龎暖曰王其忘乎昔伊尹醫殷太公醫周武王百里醫秦申麃醫郢【郢荊所都】原季醫晉【國語曰晉文公使原季為卿】范蠡醫越管仲醫齊而五國霸其善一也然道不同數卓襄王曰願聞其數暖曰王獨不聞魏文侯之問扁鵲耶【扁鵲勃海鄚人也姓秦氏名越人】曰子昆弟三人其孰最善為醫扁鵲曰長兄最善中兄次之扁鵲最為下魏文侯曰可得聞耶扁鵲曰長兄於病視神未有形而除之【此神醫也為之於未有周官疾醫之職以五氣五聲五色視其死生兩之以九竅之變參之以九蔵之動夫昧於在神而以五氣五聲五色視其死生更以參兩驗之亦已麤矣然周官言此而已者蓋中材之法也岐跗豈世有哉】故名不出於家【名在門內而已老子曰太上下知有之其次親之譽之】中兄治病其在毫毛【此明醫也治之於末亂所謂造形而悟者也】故名不出於閭【其閭里知之矣】若扁鵲者鑱血脈投毒藥副肌膚間而名出聞於諸侯【其所能愈麤其所聞愈逺】魏文侯曰善使管子行醫術以扁鵲之道桓公幾能成其霸乎【管仲匡救桓公常在其細故能以其君霸蓋桓公實怒少姬南襲蔡管仲因而伐楚責包茅不入貢於周室桓公實北征山戎而管仲因而令燕修召公之政方是之時諸候莫或知焉此其治毫毛者也】凡此者不病病【一本少一病字至於病而治之不亦晩乎疾甚曰病】治之無名【或作治無名】使【或作便】之無形【夫病之形名著矣然後使醫此桓侯之所以免也】至功之成其【或作六】下謂之自然【針艾之功無所欣賴故其昧者謂之自然推之於治此擊壤之民所以不知堯舜之力也】故良醫化之拙醫敗之雖幸不死創伸股維【維牽攣也】卓襄王曰善寡人雖不能無創孰能加秋毫寡人之上哉【庶幾管仲者出焉】

King Zhuoxiang asked Pang Nuan: “Is there also a method by which a ruler of men governs his state?” [“Zhuo” should be “Dao.” This is King Daoxiang of Zhao. After King Xiaocheng of Zhao died, his son Yan took the throne, and this was King Daoxiang. In the third year of King Xiang, Pang Nuan led troops to attack Yan and captured the Yan general Ju Xin.] Pang Nuan said: “Has Your Majesty not heard how Yu Fu practiced medicine? Illnesses that had already formed he could surely cure, so that even ghosts and spirits avoided him. When the King of Chu held court, because of the war involving the state of Sui (the phrase “because of Sui’s troops” is read by one view as joining what follows, “just as Yao employed people”; another view holds that several sentences here were added later), he was like Yao employing people, not using relatives but surely using the capable; in treating illness, he did not entrust it to those he favored but surely used an old physician [as the common saying goes: old doctors, young diviners. Old doctors have seen many illnesses, and this is why Yao used them]. When the King of Chu heard the report and had a gloom (the received text has a rare character here, lost in transcription) [the word is probably “illness”] in his body, he surely had to wait for Yu Fu [Yu Fu was probably not from Chu, and this too is a parable. The tradition says: in remote antiquity there was a physician Yu Fu, who in treating illness did not use decoctions, sweet wines, stone needles, guiding exercises, massage, or hot compresses, but cut open the skin, loosened the flesh, opened the vessels, tied the sinews, pressed on the marrow and brain, washed the intestines and stomach, refined the essence and changed the form. Although the illness had already formed, he could surely cure it, and even ghosts and spirits avoided him.]” King Zhuoxiang said: “Good.” Pang Nuan said: “Has Your Majesty forgotten? In the past Yi Yin acted as physician for Yin, Taigong acted as physician for King Wu of Zhou, Baili Xi acted as physician for Qin, Shen Biao acted as physician for Ying [Ying was the capital of Chu], Yuan Ji acted as physician for Jin [the Discourses of the States say: Duke Wen of Jin made Yuan Ji a minister], Fan Li acted as physician for Yue, and Guan Zhong acted as physician for Qi, and these states became hegemons thereby. Their goodness was the same, yet their Ways differed and their methods also differed.” King Zhuoxiang said: “I would like to hear those methods.” Pang Nuan said: “Has Your Majesty not heard how Marquis Wen of Wei questioned Bian Que? [Bian Que was from Mo in Bohai, with the surname Qin and the given name Yueren.] He said: ‘You three brothers, which is best at medicine?’ Bian Que said: ‘The eldest brother is best, the middle brother next, and Bian Que is the lowest.’ Marquis Wen of Wei said: ‘May I hear about it?’ Bian Que said: ‘My eldest brother, facing an illness, looks at the spirit, and removes it before it has taken form [this is the divine physician, who acts before anything yet exists. The duties of the Rites of Zhou’s physician for illness are to use the five airs, five sounds, and five colors to see life and death, and to cross-check with the changes of the nine openings and verify with the movements of the nine viscera. Already ignorant of the level of spirit, using the five airs, sounds, and colors to see life and death and then verifying by comparison is already coarse. Yet the Rites of Zhou only speaks of this level, probably a method for people of middling talent. Are Qi Bo and Yu Fu common in the world?], and so his name does not go beyond the household [his name is only inside the door. Laozi said: the highest, those below only know that he exists; the next, they love him and praise him]. My middle brother treats illness at the level of the fine hairs [this is the bright physician, who treats before disorder arises, who is awakened only on seeing form], and so his name does not go beyond the village lanes [his neighborhood knows of him]. As for Bian Que, he pricks the blood vessels with needle and stone, applies poisonous medicine, and cuts open flesh and skin, and after a while his name reaches the feudal lords [the coarser the cure, the farther the fame].’ Marquis Wen of Wei said: ‘Good. If Guanzi were made to practice medicine by the Way of Bian Que, could Duke Huan still have accomplished his hegemony? [Guan Zhong’s correction and rescue of Duke Huan were always at the subtle level, and so he could make his ruler a hegemon. Duke Huan in fact attacked Cai in the south because he was vexed with the lesser consort Shao, and Guan Zhong took advantage of this to attack Chu, blaming it for not sending the bound sedge tribute to the Zhou house; Duke Huan in fact campaigned against the mountain Rong in the north, and Guan Zhong took advantage of this to have Yan restore the government of Duke Shao. At that time none of the feudal lords knew of it, and this is treating at the level of fine hairs.]’ All this is not waiting for illness to become illness [one text lacks one “illness.” To treat when it has become illness, is that not too late? An illness that is severe is what is called “illness”], treating it before it has a name [or “treating the nameless”], and making [or “so that”] it have no form [when the form and name of an illness are both manifest and one then asks a physician, this is why Marquis Huan of Cai could not escape]. When the work is completed, those below [or “six”] say it was natural [the work of needles and moxa is nothing to be glad of, so the ignorant call it natural. Extended to government, this is why the people beating the earth did not know the power of Yao and Shun]. So a good physician dissolves it and a poor physician ruins it; even if by luck one does not die, the wound is pulled open and the thigh is contracted [“wei” means contracted].’” King Zhuoxiang said: “Good. Though I cannot be without wounds, who could add even an autumn hair to my head? [If only someone like Guan Zhong would appear.]”

挈天地而能【或無能字】遊者【南華所謂旁日月挾宇宙者類此】謂之還【或作環又或作繹】名【常住真際而不逐於名】而不還於名之人【區區外慕逐物喪已常為造化負之而走豈能挈天地而遊哉】明照光照不能照已之明是也【離朱方晝拭皆百歩之外明燭鬚眉而不能近視其睫則逐物不反靈於人者雖明照如月光照如日而不能照己之明何足怪哉】獨化終始隨能序致獨立宇宙無封【無畛域也】謂之皇天地【列子湯問於夏革曰四海之外奚有革曰猶齊州也東行至營人民猶是也問營之東復猶營也西行至豳人民猶是也問豳之西復猶豳也】浮懸天地之明【四時之運轉移日月勢若浮懸】委命相鬲謂之時【且然無間謂之命四時之運委之而已然而木敷金斂火炎水列譬如耳目鼻口皆有所用不能相通】通而鬲謂之道【道故有塞有通】連萬物領天地【天地下有建報重九明五字】合膊【膊一作搏或為宇宙二字】同根命曰宇宙【闔天之謂宇闢宇之謂宙二者相須而立故曰合膊同根】知宇故無不容也【有實而無乎處者宇也知宇故無不容】知宙故無不足也【有乎長而無本者宙也知宙故無不足】知德【德或作隱】故無不安也【知德故所遇於地者不擇而安之】知道故無不聽也【知道故所受於天者不辭而聽之】知物故無不然也【因其所然而然之萬物莫不然也】知一而不知道故未能裡也【不能視已之明故曰未能裡也】昔行不知所如徃而求者則必惑【列子亡羊者曰岐之中又有岐焉吾不知所之是以反也心都子曰大道以多岐喪羊學者以多方喪生】索所不知求之象者則必弗得【象者意之筌蹄夫索所不知求之筌蹄而不知求之言意之表豈足以得其粹哉輪人曰公之所讀是古人之糟粕已尋繹鶡冠子之意蓋將發防解惑使人致一而求道於言意之表故有此言而下文雲】故人者莫不蔽於其所不見鬲於其所不聞塞於其所不開詘於其所不能制於其所不勝世俗之眾籠乎此五也而不通此未見而有形【危機雖未兆見而理已有焉】故曰有無軍之兵有無服之喪人之輕死生之故也人之輕安危之故也【以故是以知之】夫蚊防墜乎千仞之谿【注谷曰谿】乃始翺翔而成其容【容或作客成其翺翔之容髙飛曰翺布翼不動曰翔】牛馬墜焉【一本作馬誤】碎【碎或作缽】而無形由是觀之則大者不便重者創深【此言貴髙之蹶其患大矣老子曰奈何萬乗之主而以身輕天下案蹶一本作】兵者渉死而取生陵危而取安是故言而然道而當【當或作富又一作道奠富言而然然後道而當道猶行也】故一蚋膚不寐至旦半糠入目四方弗治所謂蔽者豈必障於帷隱於帷薄哉【細曰□麤曰薄】周平弗見之謂蔽【昔齊人有欲金者清旦之市攫人之金以為取金之時徒見金不見人蓋嗜慾之亂人心如此豈必四周有物障之也哉】故病視而目弗見疾聽而耳弗聞防【或無防字】故知能與其所聞見俱盡【句】鬲【鬲或作髙】故奠務行事與其任力俱終【句】塞故四發上統【上統或作上紇】而不續【原缺二字】而消亡夫道者必有應而後至【後至一作後合至觀之於易見矣】事者必有德而後成夫德知事之所成成之所得而後曰我能成之成無為【成之於無為】得無來【得之於無來夫德至矣故妙須心解而君不能得之臣子不能獻之父則得之在我而已其來豈有自哉案心解下一本無而字】詳【詳或作脺】察其道何由然哉迷徃以觀今是以知其未能彼【案一本無彼字】立表而望者不惑按法而割者不疑固言有以希之也夫望而無表割無法其惑之屬耶所謂惑者非無日月之明四時之序星辰之行也因乎反茲而【茲而一作慈西】之惑也【所謂惑者反之而已豈必無也哉列子云天地四方水火寒暑無不倒錯者蓋類是也】惑故疾視愈亂惇而易方【疾視即上所謂病視四方故書曰譬彼病目見空中華蓋空本無華由妄見故惇猶篤也易方南華所謂天地四方易位是也蓋疾視至於天地四方易位則其病之篤者也非獨目視昏華而已】兵有符而道有驗【蓋弗迷者然後見之】備必豫具慮必蚤定【否則惑矣】下因地利制以五行左木右金前火後水中土營軍陳士不失其宜五度既正【左木右金前火後水中土是也】無事不舉招搖在上【招搖鬥之柄端主指者】繕者作下【禮雲行前朱雀而後武左青龍而右白虎招搖在上急繕其怒即此是也繕猶繼也蓋兵一鼓作氣再而衰三而竭故善戰者常無其怒使再不至於衰三不至於竭此黃帝之所以百戰而兵不敗也】取法於天四時求【或作生】象【四時求象猶言求象四時也】春用蒼龍夏用赤鳥秋用白虎冬用武天地已得何物不可宰理之所居謂之地神之所形謂之天知天故能一舉而四致並起而獨【或作稅】成鳥乗隨隨蜚垂【或作輭未詳】故昔善討者非以求利【一作求勝】將以明數【一作明勝】昔善戰者非以求勝將以明勝獨不見夫隱者乎【或有及字】設使知之其知之者屈已知之矣若其弗知者雖師而説尚不曉也【隱者韜潛故其難知如此此善戰者所以必至於明勝也】悲乎夫蔽象鬲塞之人未敗而崩未死而禽設兵取國武之美也不動取國文之華【或為歸】也士益武人不益文【二句其實一也變文是以不同】一者【或作甚】寡愛【武事刻慘失之少恩】不可勝論耳者可以聽調聲而不能為調聲目者可以視異形而不能為異形口者可以道神明而不能為神明【凡此以明師匠能與人規矩而不能與人巧也故下文雲】故先王之服師術者呼往【迷者不反呼之使勿徃也】發防【南華曰防夫子之發吾覆則吾無以見天地之大全】釋約解刺【約如繩約之約刺如針刺之刺】達昏開明而且知焉故能説適計險【說止息也適如徃也】歴越逾俗軼倫越等知略之見遺跋眾人【或作久】求【或作未】絶紹逺難之在前者能當之難之在後者能章之【章如彰往察來之章】要領天下而無疏【疏之為言失也】則【或作明】逺乎敵國之制【不為敵人所制】戰勝攻取之道應物而不窮以一宰萬而不總【提要而已如每事而總之焉得力而給諸】類類生之耀【或作翟】名之所在【朝廷耀名之所在也傳曰爭名者於朝爭利者於市】究賢【或作則】能之變極蕭楯之元【元或作無蕭蕭斧也幹謂之楯蕭以戮人楯以衛已知此則知兵矣戎之字從戈從甲蓋兵之道如此而已】謂之無方之傳【究變極無則適乎變通之防矣南華曰今蘄行周於魯是猶推舟於陸也勞而無功彼未知夫無方之傳應物而不窮者也】著乎無封之宇【或作博】制事內不能究其形者【或無者字】用兵外不能充其功【不得於內斯不可成於外矣】彼兵者有天有人有地【天時地利人和】兵極人【盡兵之事則人道得矣】人極【或作蔽】地【人極乃地】地極天【地極乃天】天有勝【天時故有勝】地有維【地利故有維】人有成【人和故有成】故善用兵者慎【子之所慎者戰】以天勝以地維以人成三者【案一本作王者】明白何設不可圖所謂天者非以無驗有勝【天事窈冥無所用質然而不可勝也】非以日勢之長而萬物之所受服者邪【日勢五行休王孤虛之屬】彼天生【或作士】物而不物者其原隂陽也四時生長收藏而不失序者【南華曰春夏先秋冬後神明之序也】其權音也【觸於角章於商之屬】音在乎不可傳者其功英也【其功以非糟粕故不可傳也】故所肄學兵必先天權陳以五行戰以五音左倍宮角右挾商羽【句】徵君為隨【徵在其後】以【或作轉】無素之眾【猶群也韓信曰信非得素拊循士大夫所謂敺市人而戰之也其勢非制死地人自為戰寧尚得而用之乎蓋知此矣】陸【或作陛】溺溺人【陸溺陸沈也蓋以竒用兵其隂謀赤地能興風波】故能徃來竇決【不水能致風波則彼雖如川之流可使之竭也荀子曰厭其源開其竇江湖可竭】獨金而不連【偏任金德隆於殺伐不以四行連而輔之故其如下所云】絶道之紀【或作絶】亂天之文幹音之謂違【或作達】物之情天之不綱【或作細】其咎燥【或作慘】兇【燥兇兇旱也四時之和不成故其咎兇旱老子曰必有凶年蓋言是也】欲無亂逆謹司天英天英【或無下天英二字】各失三軍無實夫不英而實孰有其物【言無是也凡物之生英而不實者有矣未有不英而實者也】常聖博【原缺二字】古今復一日者天地之所待而闔耳【或作耳目此言真聖三萬歳而成純則天地與我為一矣五行不能宰五音不能制雖遺隂陽可也茍為不在此域則豈能廢隂陽之術哉故下文雲】故天權神曲五音術兵逸言曰【天權神曲五音術兵逸言疑若兵法一書之名】章以禍福【禍福上或有斯字】若合符節凡事者生於慮成於務失於驚

One who carries heaven and earth in his hand and (or without “can”) roams [what the Zhuangzi calls standing by the sun and moon and tucking the universe under one’s arm is of this kind] is called one who circles (one text reads “huan,” another “yi”) round the name [always dwelling in true reality and not chasing after names], yet is not dragged along by the name [those who vainly look outward with envy, chase external things and lose themselves, are always carried along on the back of creation and transformation; how could they carry heaven and earth and roam?]. Brightness that can illuminate, light that can illuminate, yet cannot illuminate its own brightness; this is it. [Li Zhu wiped his eyes in broad daylight and could see every whisker and eyebrow a hundred paces away, yet could not look at his own eyelashes close up. So one who chases external things without turning back, more spirited than others, though his brightness shines like the moon and his light like the sun, cannot illuminate his own brightness; what is strange about that?] One who alone gives birth and transforms through ending and beginning, ordering and reaching according to what he can do, standing alone in the universe with no boundary [no border], is called the August Heaven and Earth [in the Liezi, Tang asks Xia Ge: what is there beyond the four seas? Ge said: the same as in the central province. Going east to Ying, the people are still like this; asked what lies east of Ying, it is again the same as Ying. Going west to Bin, the people are still like this; asked what lies west of Bin, it is again the same as Bin]. Floating and suspending the brightness of heaven and earth [the revolving of the four seasons moves the sun and moon, and the momentum is like floating and hanging]. To hand over the mandate and separate one from another is called time [when about to be so and with no gap, it is called fate. The revolving of the four seasons is simply allowed; yet wood spreads, metal contracts, fire flares, water arrays, like ears, eyes, nose, and mouth each having its own use and unable to communicate with one another]. To penetrate and then separate is called the Way [the Way originally has blockage and passage]. Joining the myriad things and leading heaven and earth [after “heaven and earth” some texts have the five characters “jian bao zhong jiu ming”], joining the shoulder (“bo” is one reading, another reads “universe”) and sharing the root is called yuzhou, the universe [closing heaven is called yu, opening yu is called zhou, and the two wait on each other to stand, so it is said joined at the shoulder and sharing a root]. By knowing yu, there is nothing that cannot be contained [what has substance but no place is yu; by knowing yu, there is nothing that cannot be contained]. By knowing zhou, there is nothing that is insufficient [what has length but no root or tip (the received text has a rare character here, which the Zhuangzi writes as “piao”) is zhou; by knowing zhou, there is nothing that is insufficient]. By knowing virtue [“virtue” is read by some as “hidden”], there is nothing that is not at ease [by knowing virtue, wherever one lands on earth, one settles without choosing]. By knowing the Way, there is nothing that is not heard [by knowing the Way, what one receives from heaven is heard without declining]. By knowing things, there is nothing that is not so [following what makes them so, the myriad things are all so]. One who knows only the “One” but does not know the Way cannot yet turn inward [he cannot see his own brightness, so it is said he cannot yet turn inward]. In the past, one who walked a road not knowing where to go yet insisted on seeking was surely deluded [in the Liezi, the man who lost a sheep said: there are forks within forks, and I did not know which to take, so I came back. Xindu Zi said: the great Way loses sheep through many forks, and learners lose their lives through many paths]. One who searches for what he does not know yet seeks it in “images” will surely not obtain it [the image is the fish-trap and rabbit-snare of meaning. To search for what one does not know by seeking in the trap, without knowing to seek beyond words and meaning, how could one reach that essence? The wheelwright said: what you read is already the dregs of the ancients. Tracing the meaning of Heguanzi, it is probably to clear the confusion and let people be single-minded, seeking the Way beyond words and meaning, and so this sentence appears, and the text below says]. So there is no one who is not covered by what he cannot see, separated by what he cannot hear, blocked by what he cannot open, bent by what he cannot do, and controlled by what he cannot overcome. The common multitude of the world are covered by these five and cannot pass this layer: before it is seen, the form is already there [though the omen of crisis has not yet shown, the principle is already present]. So it is said: there are soldiers of an army that does not exist, and mourning for a funeral that has not happened. That people make light of death and life, and make light of safety and danger, is for this reason [it is by this reason that one knows]. Mosquitoes and gadflies fall into a stream a thousand fathoms deep [what pours into a valley is called a stream], and only then begin to soar, making their own form [“form” is read by some as “guest.” Making the form of their soaring. High flight is called “ao,” and spreading the wings without moving is called “xiang”]. When an ox or horse falls [one text has only “horse,” which is wrong], it is smashed [“smashed” is read by some as another word] with no form left. Seen from this, the great is inconvenient, and the heavy’s wound is deeper [this says that when someone of high rank falls, the disaster is great. Laozi said: how can the lord of ten thousand chariots treat the world lightly with his own person? Note: one text has a rare character for “stumbles” (lost in transcription)]. Soldiers wade through death to take life and cross danger to take safety. So when words are right, the Way is carried out fittingly [“fittingly” is read by some as “richly,” and another text reads “the Way is settled richly.” When words are right, the Way is then carried out fittingly. Dao is like “to walk”]. So a single gnat biting the skin means one cannot sleep until dawn; half a grain of chaff in the eye means the four quarters cannot be governed. What is called being screened, must it be behind a curtain (the received text has a rare character here), hidden in a screen? [fine ones are called curtains (the received text is damaged at this word), coarse ones are called screens.] When all four sides are level and one still cannot see, this is called being screened [in the past there was a man of Qi who wanted gold, and early in the morning went to the market and grabbed another man’s gold, thinking that when taking the gold he saw only the gold and not the man. Desires disturb the human heart just like this; must there be something blocking all four sides?]. So when the eyes are sick and one looks, the eye cannot see; when one listens too eagerly, the ear cannot hear. Ignorance (or without this word), so knowledge and ability end together with what they hear and see [punctuate here]. Separation (“ge” read by some as “high”), so planning and acting end together with the strength they are entrusted with [punctuate here]. Blockage, so the four quarters send out and the upper chain (read by some as “upper link”) cannot connect (two words missing) and vanishes. The Way must have a response and then arrives [“arrives afterward” is read by some as “afterward joins and arrives.” One sees this in the Book of Changes]. Affairs must have virtue and then are completed. Virtue knows why affairs are completed and how completion is gained, and only then says “I can complete it.” Completed in non-action [completion lies in non-action], gained from no coming [gaining lies in no coming. Virtue at its utmost is so subtle that it must be understood by the heart; a ruler cannot get it from his ministers, and a son cannot present it to his father, so getting lies only in oneself, and how could its coming have a source? Note: after “understood by the heart” one text lacks “and”]. Examining its Way in detail (“in detail” is read by some as another word), where does it come from? Taking the past to look at today, one knows that he still cannot. One who sets up a marker and looks is not deluded, and one who cuts according to a rule is not doubtful, originally because it is said there is something to aim at. If one looks without a marker and cuts without a rule, is this not of the kind of delusion? What is called delusion is not the absence of the sun and moon’s brightness, the order of the four seasons, or the movement of stars, but being deluded because one has turned against these [“zi er” is read by some as “ci xi”]. [What is called delusion is simply turning it upside down; must it be that there is none? The Liezi says that heaven and earth, four quarters, water and fire, cold and heat are all inverted, probably of this kind.] Once deluded, the more one hurries to look the more confused one is, and when the illness is deep, the directions are changed [“hurried looking” is the sick looking at the four quarters mentioned above. So the book says: it is like those sick eyes that see flowers in the air—originally there are no flowers in the air, it is a false seeing. “Dun” is like “du.” “Changed directions” is what the Zhuangzi calls heaven, earth, and the four quarters exchanging places. When hurried looking reaches the exchange of heaven, earth, and the four quarters, it is a deep illness, and not only eyes seeing flowers]. Soldiers have tallies, and the Way has verification [probably only one who is not deluded can then see]. Preparation must be provided beforehand, and consideration must be settled early [otherwise one is deluded]. Below, rely on the advantages of the earth, and use the five phases to control: wood on the left and metal on the right, fire in front and water behind, earth at the center. In camping the army and drawing up the troops, do not lose what is fitting. When the five measures are set right [wood on left and metal on right, fire in front and water behind, earth in the center], there is no matter that cannot be lifted. Zhaoyao is above [Zhaoyao is the tip of the Dipper’s handle and governs direction], and the one who restores below arises [the Book of Rites says: on the march, the Vermilion Bird in front, the Dark Warrior behind, the Azure Dragon on the left, the White Tiger on the right, with Zhaoyao above, urgently restoring their rage—this is it. “Restoring” is like “continuing.” When soldiers drum once their spirit rises, at the second it fades, at the third it is exhausted, so one who is good at fighting always stores that rage, so that at the second it does not fade and at the third it is not exhausted. This is why the Yellow Emperor fought a hundred battles and his army was not defeated]. Take the model from Heaven, seek images from the four seasons [or “birth”] [seeking images from the four seasons is the same as seeking the image in the four seasons]. In spring use the Azure Dragon, in summer the Red Bird, in autumn the White Tiger, in winter the Dark Warrior. When heaven and earth have been obtained, what thing cannot be mastered? What principle dwells in is called earth; what spirit gives form to is called heaven. By knowing heaven, one can with a single move reach all four sides, move all together and yet complete alone (or “tax”). A bird rides on and flies (the received text has two rare characters here, lost in transcription), hanging (the received text has a rare character here) [or “soft,” uncertain]. So in the past those who were good at punitive campaigns did not do it to seek gain [one text says “seek victory”], but to make the numbers clear [one text says “make victory clear”]; in the past those who were good at fighting did not do it to seek victory, but to make victory clear. Have you not seen the recluse? [Some have “ji.”] If one lets others know of him, the one who knows has already bent and already known; as for those who do not know, even if they bow to him as teacher to hear, they still do not understand [the recluse conceals himself deeply, and so is as hard to know as this. This is why one who is good at fighting must reach “making victory clear”]. Alas! Those who are covered, imaged, separated, and blocked collapse before they are defeated and are captured before they are dead. To set out troops and take a state is the beauty of the martial; to take a state without moving is the flower of the civil [or “return”]. Scholars add to the martial, and people do not add to the civil [the two sentences are really one, and are phrased differently, so they differ]. One (or “very”) lacks love [martial affairs are harsh and cruel, and the fault is lacking kindness], which is hard to finish saying. The ear can hear well-tuned sounds but cannot itself make well-tuned sounds; the eye can see different forms but cannot itself make different forms; the mouth can talk of spirit and brightness but cannot itself make spirit and brightness [all this is used to show that teachers and masters can give people compass and square but cannot give people skill. So the text below says]. So those who practiced the technique of being teachers in the time of the former kings: call out to those lost on the road [those who are lost and do not turn back, call them not to go forward], lift the covering and veil [the Zhuangzi says: the Master lifted the covering for me, otherwise I would have no way to see the whole of heaven and earth], untie the cords and pull out the needles and thorns [“cords” as in cord-binding; “thorns” as in needle thorns], break through the dim and open the bright, and know it themselves. So they can stop and can go forward [“stop” is rest; “go” is like “proceed”], pass beyond common custom and rise above the ranks. In knowledge and strategy, their insight leaves the multitude (or “long”) behind; seeking (or “not yet”) to connect with the distant. What is difficult in front can be withstood, what is difficult behind can be made clear [“clear” as in “illuminate the past and examine the future”]. Grasping the guiding thread of the world without neglect [“neglect” means loss], they are (or “clearly”) far from the restraint of enemy states [not controlled by the enemy]. The Way of winning battles and taking cities responds to things without exhaustion; using “one” to master the ten thousand and not trying to take in every item [only lifting the main thread. If one tried to take in every matter, where would the strength to supply it come from?]. Each kind produces that place of glorious name (or “Zhai”) [the court is the place of glorious names. The tradition says: those who contend for fame are at court, those who contend for profit are in the market]. Exhausting the changes of the worthy and capable, reaching the utmost of the xiao and the shield (“yuan” is read by some as “nothing.” Xiao is the xiao axe; shield is the name for a defensive shield. The xiao is used to kill and the shield to guard oneself. To know this is to know soldiery. The character for “rong” consists of “spear” and “armor,” and the Way of soldiering is no more than this), is called transmission without direction [exhausting changes and reaching the utmost of that “nothing,” one enters the direction of adaptation. The Zhuangzi says: now to seek to apply the Zhou way in the state of Lu is like pushing a boat on dry land, laboring without result. He does not know the transmission without direction, responding to things without exhaustion], lodged in the boundless universe (or “vast”). One who inside cannot exhaust the form in managing affairs (or without “zhe”) cannot fill out the achievement when using troops outside [what is not obtained within cannot be completed outside]. As for soldiering, it has heaven, humans, and earth [the season of heaven, the advantage of earth, the harmony of humans]. The utmost of soldiering is people [when the business of soldiering is carried to the end, the Way of people is attained]; the utmost (or “screen”) of people is earth [the utmost of people is earth]; the utmost of earth is heaven [the utmost of earth is heaven]. Heaven has victory [the season of heaven is why it has victory], earth has the anchor [the advantage of earth is why it has the anchor], and people have completion [the harmony of people is why they have completion]. So one who is good at using troops is careful [what Confucius was careful about was war]: using heaven to win, using earth to anchor, and using people to complete. When these three (note: one text reads “the king”) are clear, what arrangement cannot be planned? What is called heaven is not that there is victory without verification [the affairs of heaven are dark and obscure, with no substance to use, yet it cannot be overcome], is it not because of the long duration of the day’s momentum and what the myriad things receive and obey? [The day’s momentum is the waxing and waning of the five phases, the void-and-solitary and the like.] That heaven gives birth (or “scholars”) to the myriad things but does not itself become a thing, its source is yin and yang; the four seasons give birth, grow, harvest, and store without losing their order [the Zhuangzi says: spring and summer first, autumn and winter after, is the order of spirit and brightness], and their authority is sound [touching on the jiao note, manifest in the shang note, and the like]. Sound lodges where it cannot be transmitted, and its achievement is the flower [its achievement is not dregs, and so it cannot be transmitted]. So the soldiers who are drilled in learning to fight must first place the authority of heaven in front. Arrange the formation by the five phases and fight by the five notes, doubling the gong and jiao on the left and holding the shang and yu on the right (punctuate here). The zhi ruler follows behind [zhi is behind it], to gather and (or “transfer”) the multitudes who have had no regular training [this word is like “group.” Han Xin said: I never trained the officers and men in ordinary times, as the saying goes, driving market people to fight; if the situation did not put them on ground of death where they fight for themselves, could they be used? Probably this is it]. Lu (or “bi”) drowning submerges people [lu-ni is lu-chen. Probably this means using troops by surprise, whose hidden scheme stirs the earth red and can raise wind and waves], so it can go and come and break open caves [it is not water yet can produce wind and waves, so even if the other side is like a river, it can be made dry. Xunzi said: block its source and open its channels, and rivers and lakes can be drained]. Using only metal without linking [relying solely on the virtue of metal and stressing killing and attack, not using the other four phases linked to assist, so its harm is as the text below says], it cuts off the Way’s thread (or “cuts”), disorders heaven’s pattern, disturbs the names of the notes, and goes against (or “reaches”) the nature of things. Heaven does not make it the guiding thread (or “fine”), and its fault is drought (or “cruelty”) and misfortune [drought and misfortune means harvest failure from drought. The harmony of the four seasons is not achieved, so the fault is harvest failure and drought. Laozi said: there will certainly be years of misfortune, probably meaning this]. If you want to be without disorder or reversal, carefully guard heaven’s flower. When heaven’s flower (or without the two words “heaven’s flower” below) is lost in each case, the three armies have no fruit. To be a flower without fruit, where is there such a thing? [This says there is no such thing. In the birth of all things, there are flowers without fruit, but none are fruit without flower.] The constant sage, broad (two words missing) over past and present, who repeats a single day, is what heaven and earth wait for with closed ears (or “ears and eyes”) [this says that when the true sage has three myriad years and becomes pure, heaven and earth are one with me. The five phases cannot rule him, the five notes cannot control him, and even if he drops yin and yang it is fine. If he is not yet in this domain, how could he abandon the arts of yin and yang? So the text below says]. So the “Tian Quan,” “Shen Qu,” “Wu Yin,” “Shu Bing,” and “Yi Yan” say [“Tian Quan,” “Shen Qu,” “Wu Yin,” “Shu Bing,” and “Yi Yan” are probably titles of books on the art of war]: make plain with calamity and blessing (“calamity and blessing” is preceded by “si” in some texts), fitting like tallies. In all affairs, they are born in consideration, completed in effort, and lost in alarm.

原聖心之作【句】情隱防而後【或作以】起【情如情天地之情言聖人盡天下之情然後應物】散無方而求【或作永】監焉【道中庸故求監焉】軼眇而後無【軼如軼倫之軼言聖人超天下之理然後忘物】抗澂幽而思謹焉【道中庸故思謹焉】截六際而不絞【情隱防而求監軼眇而思謹此道之所以大而不蕩小而不廹也故能截六際而不絞六際六合也絞者廹切之辭截言以此為界蓋六合之外聖人存而不論六合之內聖人論而不議】觀乎孰莫【或作暮孰莫猶無何也】聽乎無罔極乎無系論乎窈冥湛不亂紛故能絶塵埃而立乎太清徃無與俱【獨徃】來無與偕【獨來】希備寡屬【食於茍簡之田故云希備遊於寂寞之鄉故云寡屬】孤而不伴【未嘗設對案一本作設封非】所以無疵【澡雪之至案疵一本作疪】保【或作□】然獨至【保猶安也所謂不行而至者是】傳未有之將然【見於未萌】領無首之即次【和而不召案召一本作唱】度十五而用事【或作度十十耑肝事徃來】量徃來【或作力】而廢興【巳徃者廢方來者興】因動靜而結生【元作笙結猶實也生猶華也】能天地而舉措【能天能地】自然形也不可改也竒耦數也不可增減也成敗兆也非而長也【而女也長如長民之長】故其得道以立者地能立之其得道以僕【或作邳】者地弗能立也其得道以安者地能安之其得道以危者地弗能安也其得道以生者天能生之其得道以死者天弗能生也其得道以【案一本無以字】存者天能存之其得道以亡者天弗能存也彼安危勢也存亡理也何可責於天道鬼神奚與【直而推之曲而任之自安自危自存自亡天道豈容有責而鬼神亦奚與哉】一者【或作曰】德之賢也【未離乎數】聖者賢之愛也【愛猶慕也】道者聖之所吏也【吏猶任也】至之所得也【不離於真謂之至人故道者聖人之所吏至人之所得也案真一作貞】以至【或作聖】圖【或作國】弗能載名弗能舉口不可以致其意貎不可以立其狀若道之象門戸是也【道猶言也】賢不肖愚知由焉出入而弗異也道者開物者也【能使之由而已】非齊物者也【不能序之】故聖道也道非聖也【夫聖人者道之主也故聖道也而道非聖也】道者通物者也聖者序物者也是以有先王之道而無道之先王【此申聖道也道非聖也之義】故聖人者後天地而生而知天地之始先天地而亡而知天地之終力不若天地而知天地之任氣不若隂陽而能為之經不若萬物多而能為之正不若眾美麗而能舉善指過焉不若道德富而能為之崇【易曰崇髙莫大乎富貴髙者貴也崇者富也】不若神明照而能為之主【或作王】不若鬼神潛而能著其靈不若金石固而能燒其勁不若方圓治【或作活】而能陳其形昔之得道以立至今不遷者四時太山是也其得道以危至今不可安者苓【或作芩】巒堙【或作甄】谿【苓如零落之零堙塞也】橐木降風【橐蘀落之蘀降下也】是也其得道以生至今不亡者日月星辰是也其得道以亡至今不可存者苓葉遇霜朝露遭日是也故聖人者取之於勢而弗索於察勢者其專而在已者也察【按一本作蔡非】者其散而之物者也物乎物芬芬份份【離亂之貎】孰不從一齣【皆出於一】至一易【至一而易】故定審於人觀變於物口者所以抒心誠意也或不能俞受【或作愛】究暁【俞之言然受聽受也】其所謂或過其實故行異者相非道異者相戾詖辭者革【或作庠】物者也【詖辭蓋若告子之類告子外義聖人無之故曰革物者也】聖人知其所離淫辭者因物者也【淫辭蓋若墨子之類墨子兼愛聖人有之故曰因物者也】聖人知其所合詐辭者沮物者也【詐猶邪也】聖人知其所飾【又從而為之辭】遁辭者請物者也【夷之曰命之矣】聖人知其所極【極猶窮也】正辭者物者也【不詖不淫不邪不遁謂之正辭】聖人知其所立立者能効【或作郊】其所可知也莫能道其所不及【防妙之防意不能到況於言乎】明諭【或為論】外內後能定人【表裡俱通而後可以印證】一在而不可見道在而不可專切譬於淵其深不測凌凌乎泳澹波而不竭【涵泳溢流莫之能竭】彼雖至人能以練其精神修其耳目整飾其身【或作飾其身體】若【或作與】合符節小大麴制無所遺失逺近邪【或作幹】直無所不及是以徳萬人者謂之俊徳千人者謂之豪徳百人者謂之英故聖者言之凡也【一本凡也下雲而察人聖者之功也此所以虛傳章文顯能未立上下異奏賢不如尊卑之術也合百家為聖人故曰言之凡也凡者統要之辭】

Tracing back to the origin of the sage's mind as it stirs [punctuation here is conjectural], the feelings are subtle and clear and only then [some texts read “thereby”] arise [“feelings” as in “to feel the feelings of heaven and earth.” This says the sage exhausts the feelings of the world and only then responds to things]. Scattering toward no fixed place to seek [some texts read “forever”] oversight and illumination [the Way is the Mean (using the middle, not a mediocre compromise), so it seeks oversight]. Surpassing the dark and subtle, and only then having nothing [“surpass” as in surpassing one's peers: the sage rises above the world's principles and only then forgets things], holding up the clear and deep while being careful in thought [the Way is the Mean, so thought is careful]. Cutting off the six limits without tightening them [the feelings are subtle and so one seeks oversight; surpassing the dark and subtle, one is careful in thought; this is how the Way is great without being unrestrained and small without being cramped, and so it can cut off the six limits without constricting. The six limits are the six directions. “Constrict” is a word for pressing. “Cut” means taking this as the boundary. Probably beyond the six directions the sage preserves but does not discuss, and within the six directions the sage discusses but does not debate]. Looking at what is “no-where” [some texts read “dusk.” “Shu mo” is like “wu he,” nothing in particular], listening to what has no net, reaching to the point of no ties, discussing the dim and obscure, lucid and still without confusion or tangle, and so cutting off dust and dirt and standing within the Great Clarity. Going, nothing goes with him [going alone], coming, nothing comes with him [coming alone], with few provisions and few subordinates [eating in fields of simplicity, so it is said few provisions; wandering in villages of solitude, so few subordinates], solitary yet without a companion [never setting up a counterpart. Note: one text reads “setting up boundaries,” which is wrong], and so without flaw [washed and cleansed to the utmost. Note: one text reads a variant for “flaw”]. Still [some texts have a missing character] he arrives alone [“still” is like “at peace.” What is called arriving without walking is this]. Passing on what has not yet been, what is about to be so [seeing it before it sprouts], leading what has no head, taking order nearby [harmonizing without summoning. Note: one text reads “chanting” for “summoning”]. Measuring fifteen and handling affairs [some texts read a garbled phrase], gauging going and coming [some texts read “strength”] and rise and fall [what has gone falls, what is about to come rises], binding fruit in accord with movement and stillness [the original reads “sheng.” “Binding” is like “fruit,” and “birth” is like “flower”]. Able to be heaven and earth in raising and setting [able to be heaven and able to be earth]. The natural form cannot be changed; the numbers of odd and even cannot be added to or subtracted from; the omens of success and failure are not for you to lengthen [“er” is “ru” (you); “lengthen” as in “to head the people”]. So one who gains the Way and stands, the earth can stand him; one who gains the Way and falls [some texts read a variant], the earth cannot make him stand. One who gains the Way and is secure, the earth can secure him; one who gains the Way and is in danger, the earth cannot secure him. One who gains the Way and lives, heaven can give him life; one who gains the Way and dies, heaven cannot give him life. One who gains the Way and [Note: one text lacks the word “thereby”] survives, heaven can preserve him; one who gains the Way and perishes, heaven cannot preserve him. Safety and danger are circumstance, and survival and ruin are principle; how can one blame the Way of Heaven, and what part did ghosts and spirits ever take? [Push the straight, let the crooked go; each is safe or in danger by himself, each survives or perishes by himself; how could the Way of Heaven allow blame, and what part did ghosts and spirits ever take?] “The One” [some texts read “says”] is the worthy among virtues [not yet apart from number]; the sage is whom the worthy admire [“admire” is like “yearn for”]; the Way is what the sage employs [“employ” is like “entrust”], and what the perfected person attains [not leaving the true is called the perfected person. So the Way is what the sage employs and what the perfected person attains. Note: “true” is written as another character in one text]. If one takes the perfected [some texts read “sage”] to draw it [some texts read “state”], a drawing cannot hold it, a name cannot list it, the mouth cannot use it to convey meaning, and the appearance cannot use it to set up a form. Like the image of the Way, the door is just that [“Way” is like “speak”]. The worthy and the unworthy, the foolish and the wise, go in and out from here, and yet there is no difference. The Way is what opens things [it merely lets people walk through here], not what equalizes things [it cannot give them an order]. So the sage is the Way, but the Way is not the sage [the sage is the master of the Way, so the sage is the Way but the Way is not the sage]. The Way is what connects things, and the sage is what orders things. So there is the Way of the former kings, but no “former kings of the Way” [this explains the meaning of “the sage is the Way but the Way is not the sage”]. So the sage is born after heaven and earth yet knows the beginning of heaven and earth; he dies before heaven and earth yet knows the end of heaven and earth. His strength is not equal to heaven and earth, yet he knows what they bear; his breath is not equal to yin and yang, yet he can serve as their warp; he is not as numerous as the myriad things, yet he can be their rectifier; he is not as beautiful as the many things, yet he can raise the good and point out faults; he is not as rich as Way and virtue, yet he can serve as their exalter [the Changes says: nothing exalted is greater than wealth and honor. “High” is honor and “exalted” is wealth]; he does not illuminate like the spirits, yet he can serve as their lord [some texts read “king”]; he does not lie hidden like ghosts and spirits, yet he can bring out their numinous power; he is not as solid as metal and stone, yet he can burn away their rigidity; he is not as well-ordered [some texts read “lively”] as the square and the round, yet he can lay out their forms. In the past, those who gained the Way and stood, and have not moved to this day, are the four seasons and Mount Tai; those who gained the Way and were in danger and cannot be made safe to this day are Ling [some texts read a variant] peaks, Yin [some texts read a variant] streams, Tuo trees, and Jiang winds [“Ling” is like the “ling” of “scattering”; “Yin” means “to block”; “Tuo” is the “tuo” of “fallen bark”; “Jiang” means “descend”]. Those who gained the Way and live, and have not perished to this day, are the sun, moon, and stars; those who gained the Way and perished and cannot be made to survive to this day are the ling leaf meeting frost and the morning dew meeting the sun. So the sage takes from circumstance and does not seek in scrutiny. Circumstance is what is concentrated and located on one's own side; scrutiny [Note: one text reads a different character, which is wrong] is what is scattered and falls on things. Things, oh things, in confusion and multitudes [a look of disorder], which does not come out of “the One” [all come from the One]? The perfect One is easy [the perfect One is easy]. So settle and examine in people, and observe change in things. The mouth is used to express the mind and speak the meaning sincerely, yet some cannot comply [some texts read “love”], fully investigate and understand, and instead trumpet (the base text has a rare character, the common text reads “trumpet”) what they say, or even exceed the facts. So those whose conduct differs blame each other, and those whose Ways differ oppose each other. One-sided speech is what changes [some texts read “school”] things [one-sided speech is probably like Gaozi and the like; Gaozi puts righteousness outside, and the sage has no such aspect, so it is said to change things]; the sage knows where it departs; excessive speech is what follows things [excessive speech is probably like Mozi and the like; Mozi's universal love is something the sage also has, so it is said to follow things]; the sage knows where it fits; deceitful speech is what obstructs things [“deceit” is like “crookedness”]; the sage knows what it covers up [and then makes words for it]; evasive speech is what pleads for things [Yi Zhi's saying: it has already been decreed]; the sage knows where it ends [“end” is like “exhaust”]; upright speech is what benefits (the base text has a rare character, the common text reads “benefits”) things [neither one-sided, nor excessive, nor crooked, nor evasive is called upright speech]; the sage knows what it establishes. Those who establish can imitate [some texts read “suburb”] what they can know, and no one can speak of what they cannot reach [at the level of the profound, even meaning cannot arrive, how much less words?]. Understanding the outer and inner and making them clear [some texts read “discuss”], only then can one settle on people [when outer and inner are both penetrated, one can then verify]. “The One” is there yet cannot be seen; the Way is there yet cannot be monopolized. Compared close up it is like an abyss, whose depth cannot be fathomed, and one swims gently in its calm waves without it running dry [swimming and overflowing, nothing can make it run dry]. Even the perfected person can use it to refine his spirit, cultivate his ears and eyes, and adorn his body [some texts read “adorn his bodily frame”], like tallies fitting together, with nothing lost in small or large, curved or regulated, and nothing out of reach near or far, crooked [some texts read a variant] or straight. So one whose virtue surpasses ten thousand is called a hero, one whose virtue surpasses a thousand is called a champion, and one whose virtue surpasses a hundred is called an eminent. So the sage is the sum total of words [one text has after “is the sum” the added sentence: and being able to read people is the work of the sage. This is how empty chapters and displayed ability are not yet established, how those above and below play different tunes, and how the worthy are not equal to the arts of high and low rank. Gathering the hundred schools to make a sage, so he is called the sum of words. “Sum” is a word for the essential summary].

武靈王問龎煥【或作暖】曰【武靈趙武靈也龎煥蓋暖之兄】寡人聞飛語流傳曰百戰而勝非善之善者也不戰而勝善之善者也願聞其解龎煥曰工者貴無與爭【工猶善也】故大上用計謀其次因人事其下戰克用計謀者熒惑敵國之主使變更淫【或作謡】俗【使為淫俗所移】哆恭防恣而無聖人之數愛人而與無功而爵未勞而賞喜則釋罪怒則妄殺法民【或作居】而自慎【或作填刑民而自以為慎】少人而自至【狹人而自以為至】繁無用嗜【或作蓍】龜占【專任卜筮而已】髙義下【或作不】合意內之人所謂因人事者結幣帛用貨財閉近人之復其口【以賂買其近臣使順其口】使其所謂是者盡非也所謂非者盡是也離【或作雖】君之際用忠臣之路【離之言間】所謂戰克者其國已素破兵從而攻之因句踐用此【或作因陽用此無句踐二字】而吳國亡楚用此而陳蔡舉【靈王八年使棄疾滅陳十年使棄疾定蔡因為陳蔡】三家用此而智氏亡【或作殘三家晉韓魏也】韓用此而東分【晉頃公十二年韓宣子與趙魏共分祁氏羊舌氏十縣東分其謂是乎】今世之言兵也皆強大者必勝小弱者必滅是則小國之君無覇王者而萬乗之主無破亡也昔夏廣而湯狹殷大而周小越弱而吳強此所謂不戰【或作能一】而勝善之善者也此隂經之法【隂經黃帝之書也】夜行之道天武之類也今或殭屍百萬流血千里而勝未決也以為功計之每已不若是故聖人昭然獨思【或作得恩】忻然獨喜若夫耳聞金鼓之聲而希功目見旌旗【或作祀祺】之色而希陳手握兵刃之枋而希戰【枋柄也】出進合鬬而希勝是襄主之所破亡也武靈慨然嘆曰存亡在身微乎哉福之所生寡人聞此日月有以自觀昔克徳者不詭命得【案一本無得字】要者其言不眾

King Wuling asked Pang Huan [some texts read “Nuan”]: [Wuling is King Wuling of Zhao. Pang Huan was probably the elder brother of Pang Nuan.] “I have heard that a rumor goes about: winning a hundred battles is still not the best of the good; winning without fighting is the best of the good. I should like to hear its explanation.” Pang Huan said: “What matters for a skillful person is that no one competes with him [“skilled” is like “good”]. So the highest uses stratagems, the next relies on human affairs, and the lowest depends on winning in war. One who uses stratagems confuses the ruler of the enemy state, makes him change his ways and be carried away [some texts read “rumor”] by custom [makes him be moved by licentious custom], makes his show of reverence grand and then also arrogant and without limit (the base text has a rare variant, the common text reads “arrogant and unrestrained”), yet without the sage's arts; he loves people but gives carelessly, enfeoffs without merit, rewards without toil, lets off the guilty when pleased, and kills at random when angry; he governs the people [some texts read “dwell”] with law yet considers himself careful [some texts read a variant. He governs the people with filling-up punishment yet considers himself careful]; he looks down on others yet considers himself to have reached the limit [narrows people in his view yet thinks he has arrived]; he busies himself with useless things in fussy detail and is fond [some texts read a variant] of tortoise divination [which is only entrusted to divination]; he elevates righteousness very high yet stoops [some texts read “not”] to accord with those who suit his own heart. What is called relying on human affairs is tying up silks and using goods and wealth to block the ruler's close ministers, making them repay that mouth [buying off the close ministers with bribes, so they follow that mouth], making everything he considers right become wrong and everything he considers wrong become right; sowing division [some texts read “although”] in the ruler's occasions and blocking the path of loyal ministers [“separate” means to sow discord]. What is called winning in war is that the state has already been broken beforehand and troops then follow to attack. Goujian used this [some texts read ‘Yin Yang used this’ without the words ‘Goujian’] and the state of Wu fell; Chu used this and Chen and Cai were taken [In the eighth year of King Ling of Chu he sent Qi Ji to destroy Chen, and in the tenth year he sent Qi Ji to settle Cai, thus making Chen and Cai]; the three houses used this and the Zhi clan was destroyed [some texts read “ruined.” The three houses are Han and Wei of Jin]; Han used this and then divided to the east [in the twelfth year of Duke Qing of Jin, Han Xuanzi with Zhao and Wei divided ten counties of the Qi and Yangshe clans. Does ‘divided to the east’ refer to this?]. Those who discuss war in the world today all say that the large and strong must win and the small and weak must perish; if so, the rulers of small states would never become hegemons or kings, and the lords of ten thousand chariots would never be ruined. In the past Xia was broad and Tang narrow, Yin was large and Zhou small, Yue was weak and Wu strong, and this is what is called winning without fighting [some texts read “able to unite”], the best of the good. This is the method of the Yin Classic [the Yin Classic is a book of Huangdi], the way of night travel, the kind of heavenly martial arts. Sometimes today there are a million corpses lying and blood flowing a thousand li, and victory and defeat are not yet decided. Reckoned by merit, it is often already not as good as this. So the sage clearly thinks alone [some texts read “obtains grace”] and delights alone. As for those whose ears hear the sound of gongs and drums and hope to achieve merit, whose eyes see the colors of banners [some texts read a variant] and hope to array formations, whose hands grip the haft of weapons and hope to begin battle [“bing” means handle], and who go out, advance, and join combat hoping to win: this is the road by which the ruler Xiang was ruined (a ruler who clings to battle and entrusts victory and defeat to the battle line).” Wuling sighed in deep feeling and said: “Survival and ruin are in oneself. How subtle, the place where blessings arise! Having heard this, the sun and moon will find their own way to look.” In the past, one who could overcome with virtue did not stray from fate; one who got [Note: one text lacks the word “got”] the essentials did not need many words.