Volume Seven

考績之法，考其所積也。天道積聚眾精以為光；聖人積聚眾善以為功；故日月之明，非一精之光也；聖人致太平，非一善之功也。明所從生，不可為源，善所從出，不可為端，量勢立權，因事制義。故聖人之為天下興利也，其猶春氣之生草也，各因其生小大，而量其多少；其為天下除害也，若川瀆之寫於海也，各順其勢傾側，而制於南北；故異孔而同歸，殊施而鈞德，其趣於興利除害，一也。是以興利之要，在於致之，不在於多少；除害之要，在於去之，不在於南北。考績絀陟，計事除廢，有益者謂之公，無益者謂之煩，?名責實，不得虛言，有功者賞，有罪者罰，功盛者賞顯，罪多者罰重，不能致功，雖有賢名，不予之賞，官職不廢，雖有愚名，不加之罰，賞罰用於實，不用於名，賢愚在於質，不在於文，故是非不能混，喜怒不能傾，奸軌不能弄，萬物各得其冥，則百官勸職，爭進其功。

The method of assessment of achievement is to assess what has been accumulated. The Way of Heaven gathers many essences to make light; the sage gathers many goods to make achievement. So the brightness of the sun and moon is not the light of one essence; the sage's attaining great peace is not the achievement of one good. From where brightness is born cannot be taken as a source; from where good comes cannot be taken as a beginning. Measure the situation, establish the scales, and set righteousness according to the matter. So when the sage creates benefit for the world, it is like spring qi producing grass, each according to the size of what is born, measuring its amount; when he removes harm for the world, it is like rivers draining into the sea, each tilting along the lay of the land and bounded by south and north. So the openings differ yet return to one place, and the bestowals differ yet the virtue is equal, all tending toward creating benefit and removing harm alike. Therefore the essential of creating benefit is delivering the benefit, not the amount; the essential of removing harm is getting rid of it, not the direction. In assessment, demotion and promotion, calculate accomplishments in order to remove useless tasks. What is beneficial is called public; what is not beneficial is called vexatious. Follow the name and demand the substance (the received text has an illegible character above "name," which should be "follow"), and do not let empty words pass. Reward those with merit and punish those with guilt. Where merit is great, reward is conspicuous; where guilt is many, punishment is heavy. If one cannot bring about achievement, even with a name for worth he is not rewarded; if an office is not neglected, even with a name for foolishness he is not punished. Reward and punishment are applied to the reality and not to the name; worth and foolishness lie in substance and not in appearance. So right and wrong cannot be confused, joy and anger cannot tilt the scale, the treacherous cannot play tricks, the ten thousand things each find their place, and the hundred officials strive in their duties and compete to present achievements.

考試之法：大者緩，小者急；貴者舒，而賤者促。諸侯月試其國，州伯時試其部，四試而一考，天子歲試天下，三試而一考，前後三考而絀陟，命之曰計。

The method of examination: the large are slow and the small are quick; the noble are relaxed and the lowly are hurried. The lords examine their states each month, the provincial chiefs examine their subordinates each season, and four examinations make one assessment. The Son of Heaven examines the world each year, and three examinations make one assessment. After three assessments in sequence, there is demotion or promotion, which is named "ji," the reckoning.

考試之法，合其爵祿，並其秩，積其日，陳其實，計功量罪，以多除少，以名定實，先內弟之，其先比二三分，以為上中下，以考進退，然後外集，通名曰進退，增減多少，有率為弟，九分三三列之，亦有上中下，以一為最，五為中，九為殿，有餘歸之於中，中而上者有得，中而下者有負，得少者，以一益之，至於四，負多者，以四減之，至於一，皆逆行，三四十二，而成於計，得滿計者絀陟之，次次每計，各逐其弟，以通來數，初次再計，次次四計，各不失故弟，而亦滿計絀陟之。

The method of examination: combine ranks and salaries, merge orders of seniority, accumulate days and months, set out the realities, calculate merits and weigh faults, use the greater to remove the lesser, and use names to fix the real. First arrange grades within (the received text's "di" is read as "di" of "grade," the same below); first compare and divide into two or three portions as upper, middle and lower, in order to examine advancing and retreating; then add up outside and call them in general advancing and retreating. Increase and decrease, more and less, have ratios as grades, divided into nine portions, arranged by threes, with upper, middle and lower in them too. Take one as the best, five as the middle, nine as the last. The surplus goes to the middle. Those above the middle have gains and those below the middle have deficits. Those with small gains are increased by one up to four; those with large deficits are reduced by four down to one, all running contrary to the grades. Three times four makes twelve, and it is completed in the "ji." Those whose numbers fill the "ji" are demoted or promoted. Each "ji" in turn follows its grades, in order to connect with the later numbers. The first second "ji" and the next four "ji" each do not lose the old grade, and they too are demoted or promoted when the "ji" is filled.

初次再計，謂上弟二也，次次四計，謂上弟三也，九年為一弟，二得九，幷去其六，為置三弟，六六得等，為置二，幷中者得三，盡去之，並三三計，得六，幷得一計，得六，此為四計也。絀者亦然。

The first second "ji" means the second of the upper grades; the next four "ji" means the third of the upper grades. Nine years make one grade. Two times gives nine, and removing six all together, one sets three grades. Six times six gives a grade, set as two. Combine the middle to give three, and remove it all. Combine the three-three "ji" to give six, combine the get-one "ji" to give six, and this is the four "ji." The demoted are likewise.

氣之清者為精，人之清者為賢，治身者以積精為寶，治國者以積賢為道。身以心為本，國以君為主；精積於其本，則血氣相承受；賢積於其主，則上下相制使；血氣相承受，則形體無所苦；上下相制使，則百官各得其所；形體無所苦，然後身可得而安也；百官各得其所，然後國可得而守也。夫欲致精者，必虛靜其形；欲致賢者，必卑謙其身，形靜志虛者，精氣之所趣也；謙尊自卑者，仁賢之所事也。故治身者，務執虛靜以致精；治國者，務盡卑謙以致賢；能致精，則合明而壽；能致賢，則德澤洽而國太平。

What is clear in qi is essence, and what is clear in people is the worthy. In governing the body, accumulating essence is the treasure; in governing a state, accumulating worthy men is the way. The body takes the heart as its root, and the state takes the ruler as its master. When essence accumulates at the root, blood and qi receive one another; when worthy men accumulate around the master, high and low restrain and employ one another. When blood and qi receive one another, the body has no pain; when high and low restrain and employ one another, the hundred officials each find their place. When the body has no pain, then the body can be at peace; when the hundred officials each find their place, then the state can be held. To draw in essence one must make the body empty and still; to draw in worthy men one must make oneself humble. When the body is still and the will is empty, it is where essence and qi gravitate; when the honored is humble and places himself low, it is whom the humane and worthy serve. So one who governs his body strives to hold emptiness and stillness to draw in essence; one who governs a state strives to exhaust humility to draw in worthy men. If he can draw in essence, he joins with brightness and lives long; if he can draw in worthy men, virtue and kindness are harmonious and the state is at great peace.

春秋曰：“王正月。”傳曰：“王者庸謂？謂文王也。曷為先言王而後言正月？王正月也。何以謂之王正月？曰：王者必受命而後王，王者必改正朔，易服色，制禮樂，一統於天下，所以明易姓非繼人，通以己受之於天也。王者受命而王，制此月以應變，故作科以奉天地，故謂之王正月也。王者改制作科奈何？曰：當十二色，歷各法而正色，逆數三而復，絀三之前，曰五帝，帝迭首一色，順數五而相復，禮樂各以其法象其宜，順數四而相復，鹹作國號，頡宮邑，易官名，制禮作樂。故湯受命而王，應天變夏，作殷號，時正白統，親夏、故虞，絀唐，謂之帝堯，以神農為赤帝，作宮邑於下洛之陽，名相官曰尹，作濩樂、制質禮以奉天。文王受命而王，應天變殷，作周號，時正赤統，親殷、故夏，絀虞，謂之帝舜，以軒轅為黃帝，推神農以為九皇，作宮邑於豐，名相官曰宰，作武樂、制文禮以奉天。武王受命，作宮邑於鄗，制爵五等，作象樂，繼文以奉天。周公輔成王受命，作宮邑於洛陽，成文武之制，作汋樂以奉天。殷湯之後稱邑，示天之變反命，故天子命無常，唯命是德慶。故春秋應天作新王之事，時正黑統，王魯，尚黑，絀夏、親周、故宋，樂宜親招武，故以虞錄親，樂制宜商，合伯子男為一等。然則其略說奈何？曰：三正以黑統初，正日月朔於營室，鬥建寅，天統氣始通化物，物見萌達，其色黑，故朝正服黑，首服藻黑，正路輿質黑，馬黑，大節綬幘尚黑，旗黑，大寶玉黑，郊牲黑，犧牲角卵，冠於阼，昏禮逆於庭，喪禮殯於東階之上，祭牲黑牡，薦尚肝，樂器黑質，法不刑有懷任新產，是月不殺，聽朔廢刑發德，具存二王之後也，親赤統，故日分平明，平明朝正。正白統奈何？

The Spring and Autumn Annals says: "The king's first month." The commentary says: "Who is meant by the king? King Wen. Why is 'king' said first and 'first month' after? Because it is the king's first month. Why is it called the king's first month? It says: a true king must first receive the mandate of Heaven and only then be king, and a true king must reform the calendar and the first day of the year, change the color of garments, and establish ritual and music, unifying the world, to show that changing the surname is not a continuation of the previous one but is received by himself from Heaven. A true king receives the mandate and becomes king, and establishes this month to answer the change, so he sets up regulations to serve Heaven and Earth, and this is why it is called the king's first month. What is it like for a true king to reform institutions and make regulations? It says: facing the twelve colors, each dynasty's calendar takes its model and determines its correct color, going against the count in cycles of three; those who were demoted from before the Three Dynasties are called the Five Emperors, the Five Emperors succeed one another, each with one color as the head, going with the count in cycles of five; ritual and music each use their own law to take images of what is fitting, going with the count in cycles of four; all must establish a national name, relocate the palace city (the received text writes "Jie palace city," where "Jie" should be "relocate"), change official titles, and establish ritual and music. So when Tang received the mandate and became king, he answered Heaven and changed Xia, made the state name Yin, at that time took the white lineage as correct, was close to Xia and took Yu as the old, demoted Tang and called him Emperor Yao, treated Shennong as the Red Emperor, built a palace city on the sunny side of Xialuo, called the office of chancellor "yin," made the music Huo and established plain ritual to serve Heaven. When King Wen received the mandate and became king, he answered Heaven and changed Yin, made the state name Zhou, at that time took the red lineage as correct, was close to Yin and took Xia as the old, demoted Yu and called him Emperor Shun, treated Xuanyuan as the Yellow Emperor, honored Shennong as one of the Nine Sovereigns, built a palace city at Feng, called the office of chancellor "zai," made the music Wu and established cultured ritual to serve Heaven. When King Wu received the mandate, he built a palace city at Hao, set ranks in five grades, made the music Xiang, and continued King Wen to serve Heaven. The Duke of Zhou, assisting King Cheng in receiving the mandate, built a palace city at Luoyang, completed the institutions of King Wen and King Wu, and made the music Zhuo to serve Heaven. That the descendants of Yin Tang were called by town shows the change of Heaven and the reversals of Heaven's mandate, so the Son of Heaven's mandate has no constant rule and is given only to the virtuous and the celebrated. So the Annals, answering Heaven, performs the affairs of a new king, at that time takes the black lineage as correct, takes Lu as king, honors black, demotes Xia, is close to Zhou and takes Song as the old; for music it is fitting to be close to the Shao and Wu, so Yu is recorded as the close kin; for the music system it is fitting to use the Shang tone, and combine earl, viscount and baron into one rank. Then what is its outline? It says: the Three Correct Times begin with the black lineage, fix the conjunction of sun and moon at the Yingshi constellation, the handle of the Dipper points to Yin, the qi of the Heaven lineage begins to flow and give birth to the ten thousand things, things show sprouting and growth, and its color is black, so at the court of the first day the robes are black, the cap ornaments on the head are black, the main carriage is black in quality, the horses are black, the ribbons and head cloths of the great festival honor black, the banners are black, the great jade is black, the victims at the suburban sacrifice are black, the horns of the victims are small like an egg, the capping ceremony is held at the eastern steps, the wedding welcome is in the courtyard, the funeral coffin rests above the eastern steps, the sacrificial victim is a black bull, the offering favors the liver, and the instruments are black in quality; the law does not apply punishment to those pregnant or newly delivered, no killing in this month, when listening to the new moon punishments cease and virtue is promoted, and the descendants of the two former kings are fully preserved. Because it is close to the red lineage, the boundary of the day is at dawn, and the court of the first day is held at dawn. What is the correct white lineage like?"

曰：正白統者，歷正日月朔於虛，鬥建醜，天統氣始蛻化物，物初芽，其色白，故朝正服白，首服藻白，正路輿質白，馬白，大節綬幘尚白，旗白，大寶玉白，郊牲白，犧牲角繭，冠於堂，昏禮逆於堂，喪事殯於楹柱之間，祭牲白牡，薦尚肺，樂器白質，法不刑有身懷任，是月不殺，聽朔廢刑發德，具存二王之後也，親黑統，故日分鳴晨，鳴晨朝正。正赤統奈何？曰：正赤統者，歷正日月朔於牽牛，鬥建子，天統氣始施化物，物始動，其色赤，故朝正服赤，首服藻赤，正路輿質赤，馬赤，大節綬幘尚赤，旗赤，大寶玉赤，郊牲騂，犧牲角栗，冠於房，昏禮逆於戶，喪禮殯於西階之上，祭牲騂牡，薦尚心，樂器赤質，法不刑有身，重懷藏以養微，是月不殺，聽朔廢刑發德，具存二王之後也，親白統，故日分夜半，夜半朝正。改正之義，奉元而起，古之王者受命而王，改制稱號正月，服色定，然後郊告天地及群神，遠追祖禰，然後布天下，諸侯廟受，以告社稷宗廟山川，然後感應一其司，三統之變，近夷遐方無有生煞者，獨中國，然而三代改正，必以三統天下，曰：三統五端，化四方之本也，天始廢始施，地必待中，是故三代必居中國，法天奉本，執端要以統天下，朝諸侯也。是以朝正之義，天子純統色衣，諸侯統衣纏緣紐，大夫士以冠參，近夷以綏，遐方各衣其服而朝，所以明乎天統之義也。其謂統三正者，曰：正者、正也，統致其氣，萬物皆應而正，統正，其餘皆正，凡歲之要，在正月也，法正之道，正本而末應，正內而外應，動作舉錯，靡不變化隨從，可謂法正也，故君子曰：“武王其似正月矣。”春秋曰：“杞伯來朝。”王者之後稱公，杞何以稱伯？春秋上絀夏，下存周，以春秋當新王。春秋當新王者奈何？曰：王者之法必正號，絀王謂之帝，封其後以小國，使奉祀之；

(He continued:) "It says: the correct white lineage fixes the conjunction of sun and moon at the Xu constellation, the Dipper handle points to Chou, the qi of the Heaven lineage begins to shed and give birth to the ten thousand things, things just sprouting, and its color is white, so at the court of the first day the robes are white, the cap ornaments on the head are white, the main carriage is white in quality, the horses are white, the ribbons and head cloths of the great festival honor white, the banners are white, the great jade is white, the victims at the suburban sacrifice are white, the horns of the victims are like a cocoon, the capping ceremony is held in the hall, the wedding welcome is in the hall, the funeral coffin rests between the pillars, the sacrificial victim is a white bull, the offering favors the lungs, and the instruments are white in quality; the law does not apply punishment to those pregnant, no killing in this month, when listening to the new moon punishments cease and virtue is promoted, and the descendants of the two former kings are fully preserved. Because it is close to the black lineage, the boundary of the day is at cockcrow, and the court of the first day is held at cockcrow. What is the correct red lineage like? It says: the correct red lineage fixes the conjunction of sun and moon at the Qianniu constellation, the Dipper handle points to Zi, the qi of the Heaven lineage begins to spread and give birth to the ten thousand things, things begin to move, and its color is red, so at the court of the first day the robes are red, the cap ornaments on the head are red, the main carriage is red in quality, the horses are red, the ribbons and head cloths of the great festival honor red, the banners are red, the great jade is red, the victims at the suburban sacrifice are reddish-brown, the horns of the victims are like chestnuts, the capping ceremony is held in the side room, the wedding welcome is at the door, the funeral coffin rests above the western steps, the sacrificial victim is a reddish-brown bull, the offering favors the heart, and the instruments are red in quality; the law does not apply punishment to the pregnant, valuing carrying within in order to nurture a minute life, no killing in this month, when listening to the new moon punishments cease and virtue is promoted, and the descendants of the two former kings are fully preserved. Because it is close to the white lineage, the boundary of the day is at midnight, and the court of the first day is held at midnight. The meaning of reforming the correct time is to arise carrying the origin. In antiquity, when a true king received the mandate and became king, he reformed institutions, titles and the first month, and once the color of garments was fixed, he made suburban sacrifices to announce to Heaven, Earth and the many spirits, remembered his ancestors and fathers from afar, and then promulgated it to the world, and the lords received it in their temples, in order to announce it to the altars of the soil and grain, the ancestral temples, mountains and rivers, and then to resonate with and unify their duties. In the change of the Three Lineages, the nearby Yi and the far regions are not governed by life and death; only the central states are so; yet in the reforms of the Three Dynasties, one must use the Three Lineages to unify the world. It says: the Three Lineages and Five Beginnings are the root of transforming the four quarters. Heaven begins to discard and begins to bestow, and Earth must wait until it is centered, so the Three Dynasties always dwelled in the central states, modeled themselves on Heaven, upheld the root, and held to the essentials to unify the world and receive the lords. So the meaning of the court of the first day is: the Son of Heaven wears robes wholly in the lineage color, the lords wear robes of the lineage color with wrapped trim and cords, grandees and scholars match it with caps, the nearby Yi use ribbons, and the far peoples come to court each in their own garments, in order to make clear the meaning of the Heaven lineage. What is meant by unifying the three correct times? It says: "zheng" is rectifying; the lineage carries its qi to them and all things respond and are rectified. When the lineage is rectified, all the rest is rectified. The essential of the year lies in the first month. Taking the Way of rectification as a model, when the root is rectified the branch responds, when the inner is rectified the outer responds, and no movement or act fails to change with it; this may be called the rectified law. So the gentleman says: "King Wu is like the first month." The Annals says: "The Earl of Qi came to court." The descendants of a true king are called Duke; why is Qi called Earl? The Annals demotes Xia above and preserves Zhou below, treating the Annals as a new king. What is it like to treat the Annals as a new king? It says: the law of a true king must rectify names, demote the king of the former dynasty and call him emperor, enfeoff his descendants with a small state and have him perform the sacrifices;

下存二王之後以大國，使服其服，行其禮樂，稱客而朝；故同時稱帝者五，稱王者三，所以昭五端，通三統也。是故周人之王，尚推神農為九皇，而改號軒轅，謂之黃帝，因存帝顓頊、帝嚳、帝堯之帝號，絀虞，而號舜曰帝舜，錄五帝以小國；下存禹之後於杞，存湯之後於宋，以方百里，爵號公，皆使服其服，行其禮樂，稱先王客而朝。春秋作新王之事，變周之制，當正黑統，而殷周為王者之後，絀夏，改號禹謂之帝，錄其後以小國，故曰：絀夏、存周，以春秋當新王。不以杞侯，弗同王者之後也；稱子又稱伯何？見殊之小國也。黃帝之先諡，四帝之後諡何也？曰：帝號必存五，帝代首天之色，號至五而反，周人之王，軒轅直首天黃號，故曰黃帝雲；帝號尊而諡卑，故四帝后諡也。帝，尊號也，錄以小何？曰：遠者號尊而地小，近者號卑而地大，親疏之義也。故王者有不易者、有再而復者、有三而復者、有四而復者、有五而復者、有九而復者，明此通天地、陰陽、四時、日月、星辰、山川、人倫，德侔天地者，稱皇帝，天佑而子之，號稱天子。故聖王生則稱天子，崩頡則存為三王，絀滅則為五帝，下至附庸，絀為九皇，下極其為民，有一謂之三代，故雖絕地，廟位祝牲，猶列於郊號，宗於代宗，故曰：聲名魂魄施於虛，極壽無疆。何謂再而復，四而復？春秋鄭忽何以名？春秋曰：“伯子男一也，辭無所貶。”何以為一？曰：周爵五等，春秋三等。春秋何三等？曰：王者以制，一商一夏，一質一文，商質者主天，夏文者主地，春秋者主人，故三等也。主天法商而王，其道佚陽，親親而多仁樸；故立嗣予子，篤母弟，妾以子貴；昏冠之禮，字子以父，別眇夫婦，對坐而食；喪禮別葬；祭禮先臊，夫妻昭穆別位；制爵三等，祿士二品；制郊宮，明堂員，其屋高嚴侈員；

(Continuing:) Below, a great state is used to preserve the descendants of the two earlier kings, letting them wear their own dress and practice their own rites and music, and they come to court as guests. Thus at one time there were five who held the title of emperor and three who held the title of king, in order to make the five origins clear and connect the three lines of rule. So the people of Zhou, becoming kings, pushed Shennong upward as one of the nine sovereigns, changed Xuanyuan's title to Yellow Emperor, preserved the imperial titles of Emperors Zhuanxu, Ku and Yao, demoted Yu and called Shun Emperor Shun, and recorded the five emperors in small states; below, they preserved the descendants of Yu in Qi and those of Tang in Song, with a hundred li of land and the title of duke, all letting them wear their own dress and practice their own rites and music, and they came to court as guests of the former kings. The Spring and Autumn Annals does the work of a new king, changing Zhou's institutions, and should take the black line as its correct beginning, with Yin and Zhou as descendants of kings, demoting Xia and changing Yu's title to emperor, recording his descendants in a small state; so it is said: demote Xia, preserve Zhou, and take the Spring and Autumn Annals as the new king. Qi is not treated as a marquisate, which is not equating it with the descendants of a king; it is called both viscount and earl, why? To show that it is a small state treated separately. The Yellow Emperor's posthumous title comes before his name, while the four emperors' titles come after, why? It is said: the imperial title must preserve five, and emperors succeed one another with Heaven's color first, and when the title reaches five it returns. When the Zhou people became kings, Xuanyuan stood at the title of Heaven's yellow color first, so he is called Yellow Emperor. The imperial title is honored while the posthumous title is lowly, so the four emperors place the posthumous title behind. The emperor is an honored title, yet is recorded in a small state, why? It is said: the distant title is honored and the land small, the near title is lowly and the land large, which is the principle of near and far. So for kings there are things that cannot be changed, things that cycle every two, every three, every four, every five, and every nine. To understand these is to penetrate heaven and earth, yin and yang, the four seasons, sun and moon, stars, mountains and rivers, and human relations. One whose virtue matches heaven and earth is called sovereign emperor, Heaven protects him and takes him as a son, and he is titled Son of Heaven. So a sage king when alive is called Son of Heaven, after his death is preserved as one of the three kings, when demoted again he becomes one of the five emperors, when lowered again to a dependent vassal he is demoted as one of the nine sovereigns, and when pushed down to the extreme he is a commoner. There is a line of one generation called the Three Dynasties; so even if the land is cut off, the temple positions, invocations and sacrificial victims are still listed under the name of the suburban sacrifice, with the great peak as ancestor; so it is said: the name, spirit and soul extend into emptiness, and the span of life has no end. What are the cycles of two and of four? In the Spring and Autumn Annals, why is Hu of Zheng called by name? The Annals say: "Earl, Viscount and Baron are one rank, and there is no demotion in the wording." Why are they one rank? It is said: the Zhou rank has five grades, while the Spring and Autumn Annals has three. Why does the Spring and Autumn Annals have three? It is said: what a king uses to set institutions is one of Shang or one of Xia, one of plainness or one of refinement. Shang's plainness is mastered by Heaven, Xia's refinement is mastered by Earth, and the Spring and Autumn Annals is mastered by Man, so there are three grades. Mastering Heaven and taking Shang as the model for kingship, his Way leans toward yang, he is close to kin and rich in benevolence and simplicity; so he establishes heirs among sons, treats full brothers generously, and concubines become honored through their sons; in marriage and capping rites, naming the son is according to the father, husband and wife are distinguished and eat facing each other; in funerals they are buried separately; in sacrifice the raw-smelling offerings come first, and husband and wife are distinguished in the arrangement of seats; ranks are set at three grades and salaried scholars at two; the suburban altar and palace are made, the Hall of Light is round, and houses are lofty, grand and round;

惟祭器員，玉厚九分，白藻五絲，衣制大上，首服嚴員；鸞輿尊，蓋法天列象，垂四鸞，樂載鼓，用錫舞，舞溢員；先毛血而後用聲；正刑多隱，親戚多諱；封禪於尚位。主地法夏而王，其道進陰，尊尊而多義節，故立嗣與孫，篤世子，妾不以子稱貴號；昏冠之禮，字子以母，別眇夫婦，同坐而食；喪禮合葬；祭禮先亨，婦從夫為昭穆；制爵五等，祿士三品；制郊宮，明堂方，其屋卑汙方，祭器方，玉厚八分，白藻四絲，衣制大下，首服卑退；鸞輿卑，法地周象載，垂二鸞，樂設鼓，用纖施舞，舞溢方；先亨而後用聲；正刑天法；封壇於下位。主天法質而王，其道佚陽，親親而多質愛，故立嗣予子，篤母弟，妾以子貴；昏冠之禮，字子以父，別眇夫婦，對坐而食；喪禮別葬，祭禮先嘉疏，夫婦昭穆別位；制爵三等，祿士二品；制郊宮，明堂內員外橢，其屋如倚靡員橢，祭器橢，玉厚七分，白藻三絲；衣長前衽，首服員轉；鸞輿尊，蓋備天列象，垂四鸞，樂桯鼓，用羽鑰舞，舞溢橢，先用玉聲而後烹；正刑多隱，親戚多赦；封壇於左位。主地法文而王，其道進陰，尊尊而多禮文，故立嗣予孫，篤世子，妾不以子稱貴號；昏冠之禮，字子以母，別眇夫妻，同坐而食；喪禮合葬，祭禮先秬鬯，婦從夫為昭穆；制爵五等，祿士三品；制郊宮，明堂內方外衡，其屋習而衡，祭器衡同，作秩機，玉厚六分，白藻三絲；衣長後衽，首服習而垂流，鸞輿卑，備地周象載，垂二鸞，樂縣鼓，用萬舞，舞溢衡；先烹而後用樂，正刑天法，封壇於左位。

(Continuing:) Only the sacrificial vessels are round, the jade is nine fen thick, the white pendant uses five threads, the clothing is wide above, and the headgear is severe and round; the luan carriage is lofty, its canopy modeled on Heaven with the stars arrayed, with four luan bells hanging down, the music uses the carried drum, tin dances are used, and the dance rows are round; first the hair and blood are offered and then the music sounds; punishments are mostly hidden and not shown, and for relatives there is much avoidance; the feng and shan sacrifices are in the upper position. Mastering Earth and taking Xia as the model for kingship, his Way advances toward yin, he honors the honored and is rich in righteous restraint; so he establishes heirs among grandsons, treats the crown prince generously, and concubines do not take honored titles through their sons; in marriage and capping rites, naming the son is according to the mother, husband and wife are distinguished and eat seated together; funerals are joint burials; in sacrifice the cooked food comes first, and wives follow husbands in determining the zhaomu order; ranks are set at five grades and salaried scholars at three; the suburban altar and palace are made, the Hall of Light is square, and houses are low, damp and square; vessels are square, the jade is eight fen thick, the white pendant uses four threads, the clothing is wide below, and the headgear is withdrawn; the luan carriage is low, taking Earth as the model and the surroundings imitating the load, with two luan bells hanging down, the music arranges drums, xian shi dances are used, and the dance rows are square; first it is cooked and then the music sounds; punishments take Heaven as their model; the altar for feng is in the lower position. Mastering Heaven and taking plainness as the model for kingship, his Way leans toward yang, he is close to kin and rich in plain affection; so he establishes heirs among sons, treats full brothers generously, and concubines become honored through their sons; in marriage and capping rites, naming the son is according to the father, husband and wife are distinguished and eat facing each other; in funerals they are buried separately, in sacrifice fine vegetables come first, and husband and wife are distinguished in the zhaomu seats; ranks are set at three grades and salaried scholars at two; the suburban altar and palace are made, the Hall of Light is round inside and oval outside, houses are round and oval like leaning forms, vessels are oval, the jade is seven fen thick, the white pendant uses three threads; the clothing's front lapel is long, and the headgear is rounded; the luan carriage is lofty, its canopy complete and modeled on Heaven with stars arrayed, four luan bells hanging down, the music uses the cheng drum, feather-and-flute dances are used, and the dance rows are oval; first the sound of jade and then cooked food; punishments are mostly hidden and not shown, and relatives are mostly pardoned; the altar for feng is in the left position. Mastering Earth and taking refinement as the model for kingship, his Way advances toward yin, he honors the honored and is rich in ritual refinement; so he establishes heirs among grandsons, treats the crown prince generously, and concubines do not take honored titles through their sons; in marriage and capping rites, naming the son is according to the mother, husband and wife are distinguished and sit together to eat; funerals are joint burials, in sacrifice black millet wine comes first, and wives follow husbands in determining the zhaomu order; ranks are set at five grades and salaried scholars at three; the suburban altar and palace are made, the Hall of Light is square inside and horizontal outside, houses are layered and horizontal, vessels are also horizontal, and zhiji implements are made; the jade is six fen thick, the white pendant uses three threads; the clothing's rear lapel is long, the headgear is layered with hanging tassels, the luan carriage is low, complete and modeled on Earth with the surroundings imitating the load, two luan bells hanging down, the music uses hung drums, wan dances are used, and the dance rows are horizontal; first it is cooked and then music is used, punishments are modeled on Heaven, and the altar for feng is in the left position.

四法修於所故，祖於先帝，故四法如四時然，終而復始，窮則反本，四法之天，施符授聖人王法，則性命形乎先祖，大昭乎王君。故天將授舜，主天法商而王，祖錫姓為姚氏，至舜形體，大上而員首，而明有二童子，性長於天文，純乎孝慈。天將授禹，主地法夏而王，祖錫姓為姒氏，至禹生髮於背，形體長，長足肵，疾行先左，隨以右，勞左佚右也，性長於行，習地明水。天將授湯，主天法質而王，祖錫姓為子氏，謂契母吞玄鳥卵生契，契先發於，性長於人倫，至湯體長專小，足左扁而右便，勞右佚左也，性長於天光，質易純仁。天將授文王，主地法文而王，祖錫姓姬氏，謂后稷母姜原，履天之跡，而生后稷，后稷長於邰土，播田五穀，至文王形體博長，有四乳而大足，性長於地文勢。故帝使禹皋論姓，知殷之德，陽德也，故以子為姓；知周之德，陰德也，故以姬為姓；故殷王改文，以男書子，周王以女書姬。故天道各以其類動，非聖人庸能明之！

Why are the four methods cultivated in the places they came from? They trace back to the former emperors, so the four methods are like the four seasons, ending and beginning again, and when exhausted they return to the root. The four methods come from Heaven, and Heaven gives a tally to the sage to serve as the king's law, and so nature and destiny take form in the earlier ancestors and shine greatly in the king. So when Heaven was about to give the mandate to Shun, making him master Heaven and take Shang as his model for kingship, his ancestors gave the surname Yao; Shun's body was wide above, his head round, and there were two pupils in his eyes, his nature excelled in the patterns of Heaven, and he was purely filial and kind. When Heaven was about to give the mandate to Yu, making him master Earth and take Xia as his model for kingship, his ancestors gave the surname Si; Yu was born from the back, his body long and his shins long, and when walking fast he stepped first with the left foot and the right followed, toiling on the left and easy on the right, his nature excelled at walking, he was familiar with the earth and clear on waters. When Heaven was about to give the mandate to Tang, making him master Heaven and take plainness as his model for kingship, his ancestors gave the surname Zi, saying that Xie's mother swallowed the egg of the dark bird and bore Xie, and Xie first appeared from [character lost in transcription], his nature excelled in human relations; Tang's body was long and specially small, his left foot flat and right foot nimble, toiling on the right and easy on the left, his nature excelled in the light of Heaven, his substance was plain and easy, and he was purely benevolent. When Heaven was about to give the mandate to King Wen, making him master Earth and take refinement as his model for kingship, his ancestors gave the surname Ji, saying that Houji's mother Jiang Yuan stepped in the footprint of Heaven and bore Houji, and Houji grew up in the land of Tai and sowed the five grains in the fields; King Wen's body was broad and long, he had four breasts and large feet, his nature excelled in the refined momentum of Earth. So the Emperor had Yu and Gao Yao discuss and settle surnames, knowing that Yin's virtue was the virtue of yang, so "Zi" was taken as the surname; knowing that Zhou's virtue was the virtue of yin, so "Ji" was taken as the surname. So the kings of Yin altered the script and wrote "zi" with the male radical, while the kings of Zhou wrote "ji" with the female radical. So the Way of Heaven moves each according to its kind; if not a sage, who could understand this!

王者制官：三公、九卿、二十七大夫、八十一元士，凡百二十人，而列臣備矣。吾聞聖王所取，儀金天之大經，三起而成，四轉而終，官制亦然者，此其儀與！三人而為一選，儀於三月而為一時也；四選而止，儀於四時而終也。三公者、王之所以自持也，天以三成之，王以三自持，立成數以為植，而四重之，其可以無失矣，備天數以參事，治謹於道之意也，此百二十臣者，皆先王之所與直道而行也。是故天子自參以三公，三公自參以九卿，九卿自參以三大夫，三大夫自參以三士，三人為選者四重，自三之道以治天下，若天之四重，自三之時以終始歲也，一陽而三春，非自三之時與！而天四重之，其數同矣。天有四時，時三月；王有四選，選三臣；是故有孟、有仲、有季，一時之情也；有上、有下、有中，一選之情也；三臣而為一選，四選而止，人情盡矣。人之材固有四選，如天之時固有四變也；聖人為一選，君子為一選，善人為一選，正人為一選，由此而下者，不足選也；四選之中，各有節也；是故天選四堤，十二而人變盡矣；盡人之變，合之天，唯聖人者能之，所以立王事也。何謂天之大經？三起而成日，三日而成規，三旬而成月，三月而成時，三時而成功；寒暑與和，三而成物；日月與星，三而成光；天地與人，三而成德；由此觀之，三而一成，天之大經也。以此為天制，是故禮三讓而成一節，官三人而成一選，三公為一選，三卿為一選，三大夫為一選，三士為一選，凡四選三臣，應天之制，凡四時之三月也。是故其以三為選。取諸天之經；其以四為制，取諸天之時；其以十二臣為一條，取諸歲之度；其至十條而止，取之天端。何謂天之端？

A king sets up offices: three dukes, nine ministers, twenty-seven grandees and eighty-one senior knights, one hundred and twenty in all, and the rank of ministers is complete. I have heard that what the sage kings took as their model was the great constant of Heaven's pattern: three risings make a completion, and four turnings make an end; the system of offices is also so, and this is its model! Three persons make one selection, modeled on three months making one season; stopping at four selections is modeled on the four seasons ending. The three dukes are what the king uses to keep himself steady. Heaven accomplishes through three, the king keeps himself steady through three, setting the completed number as the stem and stacking it again four layers, and then there can be no fault. Completing Heaven's number to test affairs means being careful of the Way in governing. These one hundred and twenty ministers are all people with whom the former kings walked the straight way. So the Son of Heaven uses the three dukes to assist himself, the three dukes use nine ministers to assist themselves, the nine ministers use three grandees to assist themselves, and the three grandees use three knights to assist themselves. Layering four times the selection of three persons, governing the world by the Way of "three" is like Heaven layering four times, and ending and beginning a year by the season of "three." With one yang there are three spring months; is it not the season of "three"! And Heaven layers four times, the numbers the same. Heaven has four seasons, each of three months; the king has four selections, each of three ministers. Hence there are first, middle and last months, which is the reality of one season; there are upper, lower and middle, which is the reality of one selection. Three ministers form one selection, and stopping at four selections exhausts human feeling. People's talents originally have four selections, just as the seasons of Heaven originally have four changes; sages form one selection, gentlemen one selection, good men one selection, upright men one selection, and those below are not enough to be selected; within the four selections each has its measure. Therefore Heaven selects four embankments, and at twelve the changes of humans are exhausted. To exhaust human changes and match them with Heaven, only a sage can do it, so it is used to establish royal affairs. What is the great constant of Heaven? Three risings make a day, three days make a regulation, three decades make a month, three months make a season, three seasons complete the work. Cold, heat and mildness: with the three, things are completed; sun, moon and stars: with the three, light is completed; Heaven, Earth and Man: with the three, virtue is completed. From this we see that three completing one is the great constant of Heaven. This is taken as Heaven's institution, so a rite makes one measure from three yieldings, and an office makes one selection from three persons: three dukes one selection, three ministers one selection, three grandees one selection, three knights one selection, in all four selections of three ministers each, answering Heaven's institution, exactly the three months of the four seasons. So taking three as a selection draws on Heaven's constant; taking four as the institution draws on Heaven's seasons; taking twelve ministers as one column draws on the year's measure; stopping at ten columns draws on Heaven's origins. What are the origins of Heaven?

曰：天有十端，十端而止已，天為一端，地為一端，陰為一端，陽為一端，火為一端，金為一端，木為一端，水為一端，土為一端，人為一端，凡十端而畢，天之數也。天數畢於十，王者受十端於天，而一條之率，每條一端以十二時，如天之每終一歲以十二月也，十者，天之數也，十二者，歲之度也，用歲之度，條天之數，十二而天數畢，是故終十歲而用百二十月，條十端亦用百二十臣，以率被之，皆合於天，其率三臣而成一慎，故八十一元士為二十七慎，以持二十七大夫，二十七大夫為九慎，以持九卿，九卿為三慎，以持三公，三公為一慎，以持天子，天子積四十慎，以為四選，選一慎三臣，皆天數也。是故以四選率之，則選三十人，三四十二，百二十人，亦天數也；以十端四選，十端積四十慎，慎三臣，三四十二，百二十人，亦天數也；以三公之勞率之，則公四十人，三四十二，百二十人，亦天數也。故散而名之，為百二十臣，選而賓之，為十二長，所以名之雖多，莫若謂之四選十二長，然而分別率之，皆有所合，無不中天數者也。求天數之微，莫若於人，人之身有四肢，每肢有三節，三四十二，十二節相持，而形體立矣；天有四時，每一時有三月，三四十二，十二月相受，而歲數終矣；官有四選，每一選有三人，三四十二，十二臣相參，而事治行矣；以此見天之數，人之形，官之制，相參相得也，人之與天多此類者，而皆微忽，不可不察也。天地之理，分一歲之變，以為四時，四時亦天之四選已，是故春者，少陽之選也，夏者，太陽之選也，秋者，少陰之選也，冬者，太陰之選也，四選之中，各有孟仲季，是選之中有選，故一歲之中有四時，一時之中有三長，天之節也。

(Continuing:) It is said: Heaven has ten origins, and stops at ten. Heaven is one origin, Earth one, yin one, yang one, fire one, metal one, wood one, water one, earth one, and man one, ten origins in all and complete, which is Heaven's number. Heaven's number is completed at ten. A king receives ten origins from Heaven and follows the ratio of one column: each column of one origin matches twelve seasons, just as Heaven uses twelve months to finish each year. Ten is Heaven's number and twelve is the year's measure. Using the year's measure to order Heaven's number, at twelve Heaven's number is complete. So ten years use one hundred and twenty months, and to order the ten origins also one hundred and twenty ministers are used; overlaying this ratio, all agree with Heaven. Its ratio is three ministers forming one unit (a group of three persons), so eighty-one senior knights make twenty-seven units, used to keep twenty-seven grandees steady; twenty-seven grandees make nine units, used to keep nine ministers steady; nine ministers make three units, used to keep three dukes steady; three dukes make one unit, used to keep the Son of Heaven steady. The Son of Heaven accumulates forty units as four selections, each selection one unit of three ministers, all Heaven's number. So computed by four selections, each selection has thirty persons, three times four is twelve, one hundred and twenty persons, also Heaven's number; by the ten origins and four selections, the ten origins accumulate forty units, each unit three ministers, three times four is twelve, one hundred and twenty persons, also Heaven's number; computed by the three dukes' labors, the rank of duke has forty persons, three times four is twelve, one hundred and twenty persons, also Heaven's number. So named separately they are one hundred and twenty ministers; selected and received as guests they are twelve chiefs. Though those used for naming are many, it is better to call them four selections and twelve chiefs; yet counted separately, all have agreement, and none fails to hit Heaven's number. To seek the fine points of Heaven's number, nothing is better than seeking it in the human body. A person's body has four limbs, each limb with three joints, three times four is twelve, and the twelve joints keep one another steady, and the body stands; Heaven has four seasons, each season three months, three times four is twelve, and the twelve months pass on to one another, and the year's number ends; offices have four selections, each selection three persons, three times four is twelve, and the twelve ministers assist one another, and the governing of affairs is carried out. From this we see Heaven's number, the human form and the system of offices testing and suiting one another. People and Heaven correspond in many such kinds, but all are subtle and elusive, and one must not fail to examine them. The principle of Heaven and Earth divides the changes of one year into four seasons, and the four seasons are Heaven's four selections. So spring is the selection of lesser yang, summer the selection of greater yang, autumn the selection of lesser yin, and winter the selection of greater yin. Within the four selections each has first, middle and last, which is selection within selection, so within a year there are four seasons, and within a season three chiefs, which is Heaven's joint.

人生於天，而體天之節，故亦有大小厚薄之變，人之氣也，先王因人之氣，而分其變，以為四選，是故三公之位，聖人之選也，三卿之位，君子之選也，三大夫之位，善人之選也，三士之位，正直之選也，分人之變，以為四選，選立三臣，如天之分歲之變，以為四時，時有三節也；天以四時之選，與十二節相和而成歲，王以四位之選，與十二臣相砥礪而致極，道必極於其所至，然後能得天地之美也。

People are born of Heaven and take Heaven's joints as their model, so they also have changes of large and small, thick and thin, which are people's qi. The former kings, following people's qi, divided its changes into four selections. So the position of the three dukes is the selection of sages; the position of the three ministers is the selection of gentlemen; the position of the three grandees is the selection of good men; the position of the three knights is the selection of the upright. Dividing human changes into four selections and establishing three ministers in each is like Heaven dividing the changes of a year into four seasons, each with three joints. Heaven uses the selection of the four seasons together with twelve joints to complete a year; the king uses the selection of the four ranks and twelve ministers to hone one another and reach the utmost. The Way must be exhausted to the place it should reach, and only then can one obtain the beauty of Heaven and Earth.

堯舜何緣而得擅移天下哉？孝經之語曰：“事父孝，故事天明。”事天與父同禮也。今父有以重予子，子不敢擅予他人，人心皆然；則王者亦天之子也，天以天下予堯舜，堯舜受命於天而王天下，猶子安敢擅以所重受於天者予他人也，天有不予堯舜漸奪之故，明為子道，則堯舜之不私傳天下而擅移位也，無所疑也。儒者以湯武為至聖大賢也，以為全道究義盡美者，故列之堯舜，謂之聖王，如法則之；今足下以湯武為不義，然則足下之所謂義者，何世之王也？曰：弗知。弗知者，以天下王為無義者耶？其有義者而足下不知耶？則答之以神農。應之曰：神農之為天子，與天地俱起乎？將有所伐乎？神農有所伐，可，湯武有所伐，獨不可，何也？且天之生民，非為王也；而天立王，以為民也。故其德足以安樂民者，天予之，其惡足以賊害民者，天奪之。詩云：“殷士膚敏，祼將於京，侯服於周，天命靡常。”言天之無常予，無常奪也。故封泰山之上，禪梁父之下，易姓而王，德如堯舜者，七十二人，王者，天之所予也，其所伐，皆天之所奪也，今唯以湯武之伐桀紂為不義，則七十二王亦有伐也，推足下之說，將以七十二王為皆不義也。故夏無道而殷伐之，殷無道而周伐之，周無道而秦伐之，秦無道而漢伐之，有道伐無道，此天理也，所從來久矣，寧能至湯武而然耶！夫非湯武之伐桀紂者，亦將非秦之伐周，漢之伐秦，非徒不知天理，又不明人禮，禮，子為父隱惡，今使伐人者，而信不義，當為國諱之，豈宜如誹謗者，此所謂一言而再過者也。君也者，掌令者也，令行而禁止也，今桀紂令天下而不行，禁天下而不止，安在其能臣天下也！果不能臣天下，何謂湯武弒？

By what right could Yao and Shun hand the world to others on their own authority? The Classic of Filial Piety says: "Serve your father with filial piety, and your service to Heaven is clear." Serving Heaven and serving a father are the same rite. Now when a father gives what he values to his son, the son does not dare to give it to others on his own authority, and everyone's heart is the same; then the king is also the son of Heaven, and Heaven gave the world to Yao and Shun, and Yao and Shun received the mandate from Heaven and ruled the world, just as a son, how could he dare to give to others, on his own authority, what he valued and received from Heaven? There was a reason Heaven did not give to Yao and Shun but gradually took away; once the way of being a son is understood, there is nothing doubtful about Yao and Shun not privately handing down the world and moving the throne on their own authority. Confucians take Tang and Wu as the supremely sage and greatly worthy, regarding them as complete in righteousness and utmost in beauty, and so they rank them with Yao and Shun, call them sage kings, and take them as models. Now if you regard Tang and Wu as unrighteous, then what you call righteousness is which generation's king? It is said: I do not know. Does not knowing mean that you think none of the kings of the world had righteousness? Or that some had righteousness and you do not know? Then he answers with Shennong. Reply to him: when Shennong was Son of Heaven, did he rise together with Heaven and Earth, or did he conduct campaigns? If Shennong's campaigns were acceptable, why are Tang's and Wu's campaigns alone not acceptable? Moreover Heaven gave birth to the people, not for the sake of a king; and Heaven established the king for the sake of the people. So one whose virtue is enough to make the people secure and happy, Heaven gives to him; one whose evil is enough to harm the people, Heaven takes from him. The Book of Songs, Greater Odes, King Wen, says: "The scholars of Yin were fine and quick, performed the libation and assisted at the Zhou capital; being lords of Zhou they served; the mandate of Heaven is not constant." This says that Heaven does not constantly give to anyone or constantly take from anyone. So those who made the feng sacrifice on Mount Tai and the shan sacrifice at Liangfu, who changed the surname, became king, and whose virtue was like Yao and Shun, were seventy-two in number. A king is one whom Heaven gives; those he attacked were all ones whom Heaven took from. If one regards only Tang's and Wu's attack on Jie and Zhou as unrighteous, then the seventy-two kings also had campaigns; setting aside your theory, all seventy-two kings would be regarded as unrighteous. So Xia lacked the Way and Yin attacked it, Yin lacked the Way and Zhou attacked it, Zhou lacked the Way and Qin attacked it, Qin lacked the Way and Han attacked it. The one who has the Way attacking the one who lacks it is Heaven's principle, which has been so for a very long time; could it be that it began with Tang and Wu! Those who criticize Tang and Wu's attack on Jie and Zhou will also criticize Qin's attack on Zhou and Han's attack on Qin, not only not knowing Heaven's principle but also not understanding human ritual. By ritual, a son conceals his father's evil; now to have the attacker convicted of unrighteousness should be avoided for the sake of the state; how can one speak like a slanderer? This is called one sentence committing two faults. A ruler is one who controls commands, so that when orders are given they are carried out and when bans are set they stop. Now Jie and Zhou gave orders to the world that were not carried out and set bans that did not stop; how could they still subject the world to them! If they could really not subject the world, how can one say Tang and Wu murdered their rulers?

率得十六萬國，三分之，則各度爵而制服，量祿而用財，飲食有量，衣服有制，宮室有度，畜產人徒有數，舟車甲器有禁；生有軒冕之服位貴祿田宅之分，死有棺槨絞衾壙襲之度。雖有賢才美體，無其爵，不敢服其服；雖有富家多貲，無其祿，不敢用其財。天子服有文章，不得以燕公以朝，將軍大夫不得以燕將軍大夫以朝官吏，命士止於帶緣，散民不敢服雜採，百工商賈不敢服狐貉，刑餘戮民不敢服絲玄纁乘馬，謂之服制。

Roughly one hundred and sixty thousand states were obtained, divided into three parts, and each is to measure ranks and set dress, weigh salaries and use wealth. Food and drink have measure, clothing has regulation, palaces and houses have limits, livestock and retinue have numbers, and boats, carriages, armor and implements have prohibitions. While alive there are limits of dress and position with carriage and cap, honored salary, fields and houses; after death there are regulations for coffin and outer coffin, binding cloths, quilts, tomb and burial clothes. Even those with worthy talent and fine looks, without the corresponding rank, do not dare to wear that dress; even those from rich families with much wealth, without the corresponding salary, do not dare to use that wealth. The Son of Heaven's dress has patterned decoration and may not be used at leisure; dukes use it to attend court; generals and grandees may not use it at leisure; generals and grandees use it to meet officials. Titled scholars are limited to belt and trim; ordinary people do not dare to wear mixed-color embroidered clothing; artisans and merchants do not dare to wear fox and badger fur; people who have been punished or humiliated do not dare to wear silk or black-and-dark garments, and do not dare to ride horses. This is called the dress system.

孔子曰：“不患貧而患不均。”故有所積重，則有所空虛矣。大富則驕，大貧則憂，憂則為盜，驕則為暴，此眾人之情也。聖者則於眾人之情，見亂之所從生，故其制人道而差上下也，使富者足以示貴而不至於驕，貧者足以養生而不至於憂，以此為度而調均之，是以財不匱而上下相安，故易治也。今世棄其度制，而各從其欲，欲無所窮，而俗得自恣，其勢無極，大人病不足於上，而小民羸瘠於下，則富者愈貪利而不肯為義，貧者日犯禁而不可得止，是世之所以難治也。

Confucius said: "Do not worry about poverty; worry about inequality." So where there is heavy accumulation, there is emptiness elsewhere. Too rich makes one proud, too poor makes one worried. Worry leads to theft, pride leads to violence; this is the feeling of the multitude. The sage, following the multitude's feelings and seeing where disorder arises, set up the human way and graded high and low, so that the rich are enough to show honor yet not become proud, and the poor are enough to support life yet not become worried, using this as a measure to even things out, so wealth is not scarce, high and low are at peace, and so it is easy to govern. Now the age has abandoned that system and each follows desire; desire has no end, customs are allowed to indulge themselves, and the momentum has no limit: the great men above suffer from insufficiency, and the small people below are thin and withered, so the rich become more greedy for profit and unwilling to practice righteousness, and the poor daily violate prohibitions and cannot be stopped, which is why the age is hard to govern.

孔子曰：“君子不盡利以遺民。”詩云：“彼其遺秉，此有不歛穧，伊寡婦之利。”故君子仕則不稼，田則不漁，食時不力珍，大夫不坐羊，士不坐犬。詩曰：“採葑採菲，無以下體，德音莫違，及爾同死。”以此防民，民猶忘義而爭利，以亡其身。天不重與，有角不得有上齒，故已有大者，不得有小者，天數也。夫已有大者，又兼小者，天不能足之，況人乎！故明聖者象天所為為制度，使諸有大奉祿，亦皆不得兼小利、與民爭利業，乃天理也。

Confucius said: "The gentleman does not take all the profit but leaves some for the common people." The Book of Songs, Lesser Odes, Great Fields, says: "There the dropped sheaf, here the ears left ungathered, are the widow's profit." So a gentleman who holds office does not farm, who farms does not fish, at meals does not strive for delicacies, a grandee does not sit while slaughtering a sheep, and a knight does not sit while slaughtering a dog. The Book of Songs, Odes of Bei, Valley Wind, says: "In gathering turnips and radishes, do not discard the roots; if fine words are not forgotten, I will be with you until death." With this the people are guarded against, yet they still forget righteousness and fight for profit, to the point of destroying themselves. Heaven does not give twice: those with horns do not also have upper teeth, so one who already has the large does not also have the small, which is Heaven's number. One who already has the large and also holds the small cannot be satisfied even by Heaven, how much less by humans! So the wise and sage take the image of Heaven's works to set institutions, so that those with large salaries may not also take small profits and compete with the people for the profit of their livelihoods, which is Heaven's principle.

凡百亂之源，皆出嫌疑纖微，以漸寖稍長，至於大。聖人章其疑者，別其微者，絕其纖者，不得嫌，以蚤防之。聖人之道，眾堤防之類也，謂之度制，謂之禮節，故貴賤有等，衣服有制，朝廷有位，鄉黨有序，則民有所讓而不敢爭，所以一之也。書曰：“轝服有庸，誰敢弗讓，敢不敬應？”此之謂也。

In general the roots of the hundred kinds of disorder all come from suspicion and the tiny, which gradually soak in and slowly grow until they become great. The sage marks out what is doubtful, distinguishes what is fine, and cuts off the minute, not letting suspicion stand, in order to guard against it early. The Way of the sage is like the many embankments, called regulation and called ritual measure. So when the honored and humble have ranks, clothing has regulation, the court has places, and the villages have order, the people have something to yield to and do not dare to contend, which unifies them. The Book of Documents says: "Carriages and robes have constant rules; who dares not yield, who dares not respond with reverence?" This is what it means.

凡衣裳之生也，為蓋形暖身也，然而染五采、飾文章者，非以為益冗膚血氣之情也，將以貴貴尊賢，而明別上下之倫，使教前行，使化易成，為治為之也。若去其度制，使人人從其欲，快其意，以逐無窮，是大亂人倫而靡斯財用也，失文采所遂生之意矣。上下之倫不別，其勢不能相治，故苦亂也；嗜慾之物無限，其勢不能相足，故苦貧也。今欲以亂為治，以貧為富，非反之制度不可。古者天子衣文，諸侯不以燕，大夫衣綧，士不以燕，庶人衣縵，此其大略也。

In general clothing arose to cover the body and warm the person; but dyeing it in five colors and adorning it with patterns is not because it benefits the feelings of skin and blood, but to honor those who should be honored and respect the worthy, and to make the order of high and low plain, so that teaching comes first and moral influence is easily achieved; it was made for the sake of government. If that system is removed and everyone follows desire and indulges his own mind in chasing the endless, it greatly disorders human relations and exhausts these resources, and loses the original meaning for which patterns arose. If the order of high and low is not distinguished, the situation cannot govern one another, so there is suffering from disorder; if things of desire have no limit, the situation cannot satisfy one another, so there is suffering from poverty. Now to turn disorder into order and poverty into wealth, the institutions must be reversed. In ancient times the Son of Heaven wore patterned clothing, and the lords did not use it for leisure; grandees wore plain clothing, and knights did not use it for leisure; commoners wore unpatterned silk. This is the outline.

春秋曰：“會宰周公。”又曰：“公會齊侯、宋公、鄭伯、許男、滕子。”又曰：“初獻六羽。”傳曰：“天子三公稱公，王者之後稱公，其餘大國稱侯，小國稱伯、子、男。”凡五等，故周爵五等，士三品，文多而實少；春秋三等，合伯、子、男為一爵，士二品，文少而實多。春秋曰：“荊。”傳曰：“氏不若人，人不若名，名不若字。”凡四等，命曰附庸，三代共之。然則其地列奈何？曰：天子邦圻千里，公、侯百里，伯七十里，子、男五十里，附庸：字者方三十里，名者方二十里，人氏者方十五里。春秋曰：“宰周公。”傳曰：“天子三公。”“祭伯來。”傳曰：“天子大夫。”“宰渠伯糾。”傳曰：“下大夫。”“石尚。”傳曰：“天子之士也。”“王人。”傳曰：“微者，謂下士也。”凡五等。春秋曰：“作三軍。”傳曰：“何以書？譏，何譏爾？古者、上卿、下卿，上士、下士。”凡四等，小國之大夫與次國下卿同，次國大夫與大國下卿同，大國下大夫與天子下士同，二十四等，祿八差，有大功德者受大爵土，功德小者受小爵土，大材者執大官位，小材者受小官位，如其能宣，治之至也。故萬人者曰英，千人者曰俊，百人者曰傑，十人者曰豪，豪傑俊英不相陵，故治天下如視諸掌上。其數何法以然？曰：天子分左右五等，三百六十三人，法天一歲之數，五時色之象也；通佐十上卿與下卿，而二百二十人，天庭之象也；倍諸侯之數也。諸侯之外佐四等，百二十人，法四時六甲之數也；通佐五與下，而六十人，法日辰之數也。佐之必三三而相復何？曰：時三月而成，大辰三而成象。諸侯之爵或五何？法天地之數也，五官亦然。然則立置有司分指數奈何？曰：諸侯，大國四軍，古之制也，其一軍以奉公家也。凡口軍三者何？曰：大國十六萬口，而立口軍三。何以言之？

The Spring and Autumn Annals says: "Met the Chief Minister Duke of Zhou." It also says: "The Duke met the Marquis of Qi, the Duke of Song, the Earl of Zheng, the Baron of Xu and the Viscount of Teng." It also says: "For the first time six rows of feather dancers were offered." The commentary says: "The Three Dukes of the Son of Heaven are called duke, the descendants of kings are called duke, the other great states are marquis, and small states are earl, viscount and baron." In all there are five grades, so the Zhou ranks have five grades and scholars have three classes, with more form and less substance; the Spring and Autumn Annals has three grades, combining earl, viscount and baron into one rank, with scholars in two classes, with less form and more substance. The Spring and Autumn Annals says: "Jing." The commentary says: "Using a clan name is not as good as using 'people,' using 'people' is not as good as using a name, and using a name is not as good as using a courtesy name." In all there are four grades, named dependent vassals, which the Three Dynasties share. Then how is their land ordered? It is said: the Son of Heaven's royal domain is a thousand li, dukes and marquises a hundred li, earls seventy li, viscounts and barons fifty li; dependent vassals: those called by courtesy name thirty li, those called by name twenty li, those called by "people" or clan fifteen li. The Spring and Autumn Annals says: "Chief Minister Duke of Zhou." The commentary says: "One of the Son of Heaven's Three Dukes." "The Earl of Ji came." The commentary says: "A grandee of the Son of Heaven." "Zai Qubo Jiu." The commentary says: "A lower grandee." "Shi Shang." The commentary says: "A knight of the Son of Heaven." "The king's man." The commentary says: "A lowly person, meaning a lower knight." In all there are five grades. The Spring and Autumn Annals says: "Made three armies." The commentary says: "Why is it written? It is criticism. What is criticized? In ancient times there were upper ministers and lower ministers, upper knights and lower knights." In all there are four grades. A grandee of a small state is the same as a lower minister of a secondary state, a grandee of a secondary state is the same as a lower minister of a great state, and a lower grandee of a great state is the same as a lower knight of the Son of Heaven, twenty-four grades in all, with eight differences in salary. Those with great merit and virtue receive great rank and great land; those of small merit and virtue receive small rank and small land; great talents are given great official posts and small talents small posts, as their abilities should be expressed; this is the utmost of governing. So one who surpasses ten thousand is called ying, one who surpasses a thousand is called jun, one who surpasses a hundred is called jie, and one who surpasses ten is called hao. Hao, jie, jun and ying do not overstep one another, and so governing the world is like looking at something in the palm of one's hand. What do these numbers take as their model? It is said: the Son of Heaven has five grades to the left and right, three hundred and sixty-three persons, modeled on the number of days in Heaven's year, the image of the colors of the five seasons; with the assistants of ten upper and lower ministers, in all two hundred and twenty persons, the image of the heavenly court, double the number of the lords. The lords' outer assistants have four grades, one hundred and twenty persons, modeled on the four seasons and the six jia; with the assistants of the five and below, in all sixty persons, modeled on the number of days and double hours. The assistants must cycle in threes by threes; why? It is said: one season completes with three months, and the great chen forms an image in threes. Why are the lords' ranks sometimes five? Modeled on the number of Heaven and Earth, as are the five offices. Then how are officials established and quotas assigned? It is said: for lords, a great state has four armies, which was the ancient system, one of them used to serve the ducal house. In general to establish three armies by population, why? It is said: a great state has one hundred and sixty thousand people, and three population-armies are established. On what basis is this said?

曰：以井田準數之，方里而一井，一井而九百畝而立口，方里八家，一家百畝，以食五口，上農夫耕百畝，食九口，次八人，次七人，次六人，次五人，多寡相補，率百畝而三口，方里而二十四口，方里者十，得二百四十口，方十里為方里者百，得二千四百口，方百里為方里者萬，得二十四萬口，法三分而除其一，城池、郭邑、屋室、閭巷、街路市、官府、園囿、萎●、臺沼、椽採，得良田方十里者六十六，與方里六十六，定率得十六萬口，三分之，則各五萬三千三百三十三口，為大國口軍三，此公侯也。天子地方千里，為方百里者百，亦三分除其一，定得田方百里者六十六，與方十里者六十六，定率得千六百萬口，九分之，各得百七十七萬七千七百七十七口，為京口軍九，三京口軍以奉王家。故天子立一後，一世夫人。中左右夫人、四姬、三良人，立一世子、三公、九卿、二十七大夫、八十一元士、二百四十三下士，有七上卿、二十一下卿、六十三元士、百二十九下士。王后置一大傅大母、三伯、三丞、世夫人、四姬、三良人、各有師傅。世子一人太傅三傅、三率三少。士入仕宿衛天子者，比下士，下士者如上士之下數。王后御衛者，上下御各五人，世夫人、中左右夫人、四姬、上下御各五人，三良人各五人，世子妃姬及士衛者，如公侯之制。王后傅、上下史五人，三伯、上下史各五人，少伯、史各五人。世子太傅、上下史各五人，少傅、亦各五人，三率三下率亦各五人。三公、上下史各五人；卿、上下史各五人；大夫、上下史各五人；元士、上下史各五人；上下卿、上下士之史、上下亦各五人；卿、大夫、元士、臣各三人。故公侯方百里，三分除其一，定得田方十里者六十六，與方里六十六，定率得十六萬口，三分之，為大國口軍三，而立大國。

(Continuing:) It is said: use the well-field system to calculate the numbers. One square li is one well; one well is nine hundred mu, and households are established: one square li has eight families, each family a hundred mu, to support five persons. A top farmer cultivating a hundred mu supports nine persons, the next eight, the next seven, the next six, the next five, more and less compensating one another, roughly a hundred mu supports three persons, and a square li twenty-four persons. Ten square li gives two hundred and forty persons; ten li on each side is a hundred square li, giving two thousand four hundred persons; a hundred li on each side is ten thousand square li, giving two hundred and forty thousand persons. The model removes one third: city walls, outer towns, houses, lanes, streets and markets, offices, gardens and parks, [character defective in the base text], terraces and ponds, rafters and fittings, giving sixty-six units of good fields ten li square, plus sixty-six square li, a fixed rate yielding one hundred and sixty thousand persons, divided into three parts, each with fifty-three thousand three hundred and thirty-three persons, as the three population-armies of a great state, which is the dukes and marquises. The Son of Heaven's land is a thousand li on a side, which is a hundred units of a hundred li square; likewise removing one third, it gives sixty-six units of fields a hundred li square, plus sixty-six units ten li square, a fixed rate yielding sixteen million persons, divided into nine parts, each with one million seven hundred and seventy-seven thousand seven hundred and seventy-seven persons, as the nine capital population-armies, with three capital armies used to serve the royal house. So the Son of Heaven establishes one queen, one heir's consort, consorts of the middle, left and right, four ji, and three liangren; establishes one crown prince, three dukes, nine ministers, twenty-seven grandees, eighty-one senior knights and two hundred and forty-three lower knights; there are seven upper ministers, twenty-one lower ministers, sixty-three senior knights and one hundred and twenty-nine lower knights. The queen is provided with one grand tutor-matron, three elders and three assistants; the heir's consort, four ji and three liangren each have tutors. The crown prince has one grand tutor, three tutors, three commanders and three juniors. Knights who enter service guarding the Son of Heaven are equated with lower knights; lower knights are in the numbers of the upper knights and below as above. The queen's guards have five upper and five lower attendants each; the heir's consort, the consorts of the middle, left and right, and the four ji each have five upper and five lower attendants; the three liangren each have five. The crown prince's consorts and knight guards follow the system of dukes and marquises. The queen's tutor has five upper and lower scribes; the three elders have five upper and lower scribes each; the junior elders and scribes five each. The crown prince's grand tutor has five upper and lower scribes each; the junior tutors also five each; the three commanders and three lower commanders also five each. The three dukes have five upper and lower scribes each; ministers have five upper and lower scribes each; grandees have five upper and lower scribes each; senior knights have five upper and lower scribes each; the scribes of upper and lower ministers and upper and lower knights also five each above and below; ministers, grandees and senior knights each have three servants. So for dukes and marquises, with land a hundred li on a side, removing one third gives sixty-six units of fields ten li square, plus sixty-six square li, a fixed rate yielding one hundred and sixty thousand persons, divided into three parts as the three population-armies of a great state, and a great state is established.

一夫人、一世婦、左右婦、三姬、二良人，立一世子、三卿、九大夫、二十七上士、八十一下士、亦有五通大夫、立上下士。上卿位比天子之元士，今八百石，下卿六百石，上士四百石，下士三百石。夫人一傅母、三伯、三丞、世婦、左右婦、三姬、二良人、各有師保。世子、一上傅丞。士宿衛公者，比公者，比上卿者，有三人，下卿六人，比上下士者，如上下之數。夫人衛御者、上下御各五人，世婦、左右婦、上下御各五人，二卿、御各五人。世子上傅、上下史各五人，丞、史各五人，三卿、九大夫、上士、史各五人，下士、史各五人，通大夫、士、上下史各五人，卿、臣二人，此公侯之制也。公侯賢者為州方伯，錫斧鉞，置虎賁百人，故伯七十里，七十四十九，三分除其一，定得田方十里者二十八，與方十里者六十六，定率得十萬九千二百一十二口，為次國口軍三，而立次國。一夫人、世婦、左右婦、三良人、二孺子；立一世子、三卿、九大夫、二十七上士、八十一下士，與五通大夫、五上士、十五下士；其上卿位比大國之下卿，今六百石，下卿四百石，上士三百石，下士二百石。夫人一傅母、三伯、三丞、世婦、左右婦、三良人、二御人、各有師保。世子、一上下傅，士宿衛公者，比上卿者三人，下卿六人，比上下士，如上下之數。夫人御衛者、上下御各五人，世婦、左右婦、上下御各五人，二御、各五人。世子上傅、上下史各五人，丞、史各五人，三卿、九大夫、上下史各五人，下士、史各五人，通大夫、上下史各五人，卿、臣二人。故子男方五十里，五五二十五，為方十里者六十六，定率得四萬口，為小國口軍三，而立小國。

(Continuing:) One consort, one heir's wife, left and right wives, three ji, two liangren; establish one crown prince, three ministers, nine grandees, twenty-seven upper knights and eighty-one lower knights, and also five general grandees, with upper and lower knights established. The place of an upper minister is equated with the Son of Heaven's senior knight, now eight hundred shi; a lower minister six hundred shi, an upper knight four hundred shi, a lower knight three hundred shi. The consort has one tutor-matron, three elders and three assistants; the heir's wife, left and right wives, three ji and two liangren each have tutors and guardians. The crown prince has one upper tutor-assistant. Knights guarding the duke are equated with upper ministers in three persons, lower ministers six persons, and equated with upper and lower knights in the same numbers above and below. The consort's guards have five upper and five lower attendants each; the heir's wife and the left and right wives have five upper and lower attendants each; the two ministers have five attendants each. The crown prince's upper tutor has five upper and lower scribes each; assistants and scribes five each; three ministers, nine grandees and upper knights have five scribes each; lower knights five scribes each; general grandees and knights have five upper and lower scribes each; ministers have two servants. This is the system of dukes and marquises. Among the dukes and marquises, the worthy and capable become provincial regional chiefs, are given axes and halberds, and are provided with a hundred tiger guards. So for an earl of seventy li, seven times seven is forty-nine, removing one third gives twenty-eight units of fields ten li square, plus sixty-six units ten li square, a fixed rate yielding one hundred and nine thousand two hundred and twelve persons, as the three population-armies of a secondary state, and a secondary state is established. One consort, heir's wife, left and right wives, three liangren, two young ones; establish one crown prince, three ministers, nine grandees, twenty-seven upper knights and eighty-one lower knights, with five general grandees, five upper knights and fifteen lower knights. His upper minister's place is equated with the lower minister of a great state, now six hundred shi; lower minister four hundred shi, upper knight three hundred shi, lower knight two hundred shi. The consort has one tutor-matron, three elders and three assistants; the heir's wife, left and right wives, three liangren and two attendants each have tutors and guardians. The crown prince has one upper and lower tutor. Knights guarding the duke are equated with upper ministers in three persons, lower ministers six persons, and equated with upper and lower knights in the same numbers above and below. The consort's attendants have five upper and five lower each; the heir's wife and the left and right wives have five upper and lower attendants each; the two attendants five each. The crown prince's upper tutor has five upper and lower scribes each; assistants and scribes five each; three ministers and nine grandees have five upper and lower scribes each; lower knights have five scribes each; general grandees have five upper and lower scribes each; ministers have two servants. So viscounts and barons with land fifty li on a side, five times five is twenty-five, which becomes sixty-six units ten li square, a fixed rate yielding forty thousand persons, as the three population-armies of a small state, and a small state is established.

夫人、世婦、左右婦、三良人、二孺子，立一世子、三卿、九大夫、二十七上士、八十一下士、與五通大夫、五上士、十五下士，其上卿比次國之下卿，今四百石，下卿三百石，上士二百石，下士百石。夫人一傅母、三伯、三丞、世婦、左右婦、三良人、一御人、各有師保。世子、一上下傅，士宿衛公者、比上卿者三人，下卿六人。夫人御衛者、上下御各五人，世婦、左右婦、上下御各五人，二御人、各五人。世子上傅、上下史各五人，三卿、九大夫、上下史各五人，士、各五人，通大夫、上下史亦各五人，卿、臣二人，此周制也。春秋、合伯子男為一等，故附庸字者、地方三十里，三三而九，三分而除其一，定得田方十里者六，定率得一萬四千四百口，為口師三。而立一宗婦、二妾，一世子、宰丕、丞一、士一、秩士五人。宰視子男下卿，今三百石。宗婦有師保，御者三人，妾各二人。世子一傅，士宿衛君者比上卿，下卿一人，上下各如其數。世子傅、上下史各五人，下良五。稱名善者、地方半字君之地，九半，三分除其一，定得田方十里者三，定率得七千二百口。一世子宰，今二百石，下四半三半二十五。三分除其一，定得田方十里者一，與方里者五，定率得三千六百口，一世子宰，今百石，史五人，宗婦、仕衛、世子臣。

(Continuing:) Consort, heir's wife, left and right wives, three liangren, two young ones; establish one crown prince, three ministers, nine grandees, twenty-seven upper knights and eighty-one lower knights, with five general grandees, five upper knights and fifteen lower knights. His upper minister is equated with the lower minister of a secondary state, now four hundred shi; lower minister three hundred shi, upper knight two hundred shi, lower knight a hundred shi. The consort has one tutor-matron, three elders and three assistants; the heir's wife, left and right wives, three liangren and one attendant each have tutors and guardians. The crown prince has one upper and lower tutor. Knights guarding the duke are equated with upper ministers in three persons, lower ministers six persons. The consort's attendants have five upper and five lower each; the heir's wife and left and right wives have five upper and lower attendants each; the two attendants five each. The crown prince's upper tutor has five upper and lower scribes each; three ministers and nine grandees have five upper and lower scribes each; knights five each; general grandees also have five upper and lower scribes each; ministers have two servants. This is the Zhou system. The Spring and Autumn Annals combines earl, viscount and baron into one grade, so dependent vassals called by courtesy name have land of thirty li, three times three is nine, removing one third gives six units of fields ten li square, a fixed rate yielding fourteen thousand four hundred persons, as three division-forces. And they establish one senior wife, two concubines, one heir, a steward and one assistant, one knight, and five salaried knights. The steward is equated with the lower minister of a viscount or baron, now three hundred shi. The senior wife has tutors and guardians, three attendants, and two for each concubine. The crown prince has one tutor. Knights guarding the lord are equated with upper ministers, and one lower minister, with the upper and lower each according to their numbers. The crown prince's tutor has five upper and lower scribes, with five lower good ones. Those called by name and good have land half that of the lord called by courtesy name, half of nine, removing one third gives three units of fields ten li square, a fixed rate yielding seven thousand two hundred persons. One heir and a steward, now two hundred shi. Below that, half of four and half of three gives twenty-five, removing one third gives one unit of fields ten li square, plus five square li, a fixed rate yielding three thousand six hundred persons. One heir and a steward, now a hundred shi, five scribes, and the senior wife, retainer guards and the crown prince's servants.

春秋之所治，人與我也；所以治人與我者，仁與義也；以仁安人，以義正我；故仁之為言人也，義之為言我也，言名以別矣。仁之於人，義之於我者，不可不察也，眾人不察，乃反以仁自裕，而以義設人，詭其處而逆其理，鮮不亂矣。是故人莫欲亂，而大抵常亂，凡以闇於人我之分，而不省仁義之所在也。是故春秋為仁義法，仁之法在愛人，不在愛我；義之法在正我，不在正人；我不自正，雖能正人，弗予為義；人不被其愛，雖厚自愛，不予為仁。昔者，晉靈公殺膳宰以淑飲食，彈大夫以娛其意，非不厚自愛也，然而不得為淑人者，不愛人也。質於愛民以下，至於鳥獸昆蟲莫不愛，不愛，奚足謂仁！仁者，愛人之名也，嶲傳無大之之辭，自為追，則善其所恤遠也；兵已加焉，乃往救之，則弗美；未至，豫備之，則美之，善其救害之先也。夫救蚤而先之，則害無由起，而天下無害矣。然則觀物之動，而先覺其萌，絕亂塞害於將然而未形之時，春秋之志也，其明至矣，非堯舜之智，知禮之本，庸能當此；故救害而先，知之明也，公之所恤遠，而春秋美之，詳其美恤遠之意，則天地之間，然後快其仁矣，非三王之德，選賢之精，庸能如此。是以知明先，以仁厚遠，遠而愈賢，近而愈不肖者，愛也，故王者愛及四夷，霸者愛及諸侯，安者愛及封內，危者愛及旁側，亡者愛及獨身，獨身者，雖立天子諸侯之位，一夫之人耳，無臣民之用矣，如此者，莫之亡而自亡也。春秋不言伐梁者，而言梁亡，蓋愛獨及其身者也，故曰：仁者愛人，不在愛我，此其法也。義雲者，非謂正人，謂正我，雖有亂世枉上，莫不欲正人，奚謂義！昔者，楚靈王討陳蔡之賊，齊桓公執袁濤塗之罪，非不能正人也，然而春秋弗予，不得為義者，我不正也；闔廬能正楚蔡之難矣，而春秋奪之義辭，以其身不正也；

What the Spring and Autumn Annals governs is others and the self; what is used to govern others and the self is humaneness and righteousness. Humaneness is used to settle others, and righteousness to rectify the self. So the word for humaneness (ren) speaks of others (ren), and the word for righteousness (yi) speaks of the self (wo), and the names are divided accordingly. Humaneness toward others and righteousness toward the self must be carefully examined. The multitude do not know how to examine, and instead use humaneness to be lenient with themselves and righteousness to make demands of others; having put the positions in the wrong place and reversed the principle, they rarely avoid disorder. Thus no one wishes for disorder, yet disorder is nearly constant, all because people are blind to the distinction between others and the self and do not examine where humaneness and righteousness lie. Hence the Spring and Autumn Annals is the model of humaneness and righteousness: the model of humaneness lies in loving others, not in loving oneself; the model of righteousness lies in rectifying oneself, not in rectifying others. If I myself am not upright, even if I can rectify others, he is not given the name of righteousness; if others are not loved by him, even if he loves himself deeply, he is not given the name of humaneness. Formerly Duke Ling of Jin killed his cook to improve his meals and shot at grand masters with a slingshot for amusement; it was not that he did not love himself deeply, yet he could not be called a good man because he did not love others. From loving the people on down to birds, beasts and insects, there is nothing one does not love; if one does not love, how is that enough to be called humane! Humaneness is the name for loving others. When Duke Xi sent out troops, there was no exaggerated wording; when he went in pursuit himself, it praised the distance of his concern; when troops had already been inflicted on others and only then he rescued them, it did not praise him; when he was prepared in advance before they arrived, it praised him, commending that he rescued from harm beforehand. When one rescues early and acts ahead, harm has no way to arise, and there is no harm in the world. So observing the stirring of things, perceiving their sprouts in advance, and cutting off disorder and blocking harm at the point when it is about to arise but has not yet taken form, is the aim of the Spring and Autumn Annals, and its brightness reaches the utmost. Without the wisdom of Yao and Shun and knowing the root of ritual, who could bear this? So rescuing from harm and acting ahead is the brightness of wisdom. That Duke Xi's concern reached far, the Spring and Autumn Annals praises; examining the meaning of praising far-reaching concern, between Heaven and Earth only then can one give full scope to one's humaneness; without the virtue of the Three Kings and the discernment in selecting the worthy, who could do this? Therefore wisdom is bright in advance, and one is generous in humaneness toward the distant; the more distant the more worthy, the nearer the more unworthy, and this is love. So the love of a true king reaches the four barbarians, the love of a hegemon reaches the lords, the love of one who is secure reaches inside his borders, the love of one in peril reaches those beside him, and the love of one whose state is perishing reaches only his own person. One who loves only his own person, even if he stands in the position of Son of Heaven or lord, is no more than a commoner, with no subjects to use. Such a person is not destroyed by others but destroys himself. The Spring and Autumn Annals does not say that Liang was attacked but says that Liang perished, probably because its love reached only itself. So it is said: humaneness is loving others, not loving oneself; this is its model. What is called righteousness does not mean rectifying others but rectifying oneself. Even rulers of disordered ages and crooked rulers all wish to rectify others; how could that be called righteousness! Formerly King Ling of Chu punished the rebels of Chen and Cai, and Duke Huan of Qi punished the crime of Yuan Taotu; it was not that they could not rectify others, yet the Spring and Autumn Annals does not give them the name, and they cannot be called righteous, because they were not upright themselves. Helu was able to settle the troubles of Chu and Cai, yet the Spring and Autumn Annals deprived him of the word righteousness, because his own person was not upright;

潞子之於諸侯，無所能正，春秋予之有義，其身正也；趨而利也，故曰：義在正我，不在正人，此其法也。夫我無之而求諸人，我有之而誹諸人，人之所不能受也，其理逆矣，何可謂義！義者，謂宜在我者，宜在我者，而後可以稱義，故言義者，合我與宜以為一言，以此操之，義之為言我也，故曰：有為而得義者，謂之自得，有為而失義者，謂之自失；人好義者，謂之自好，人不好義者，謂之不自好；以此參之，義我也明矣。是義與仁殊，仁謂往，義謂來；仁大遠，義大近；愛在人，謂之仁，義在我，謂之義；仁主人，義主我也；故曰：仁者，人也，義者，我也，此之謂也。君子求仁義之別，以紀人我之間，然後辨乎內外之分，而著於順逆之處也，是故內治反理以正身，據禮以勸福，外治推恩以廣施，寬制以容眾。孔子謂冉子曰：治民者，先富之而後加教。語樊遲曰：治身者，先難後獲。以此之謂治身之與治民所先後者不同焉矣。詩曰：“飲之食之，教之誨之。”先飲食而後教誨，謂治人也；又曰：“坎坎伐輻，彼君子兮，不素餐兮！”先其事，後其食，謂治身也。春秋刺上之過，而矜下之苦；小惡在外弗舉，在我書而誹之；凡此六者，以仁治人，義治我；躬自厚而薄責於外，此之謂也。且論已見之，而人不察，曰：君子攻其惡，不攻人之惡。不攻人之惡，非仁之寬與！自攻其惡，非義之全與！此之謂仁造人，義造我，何以異乎！故自稱其惡，謂之情，稱人之惡，謂之賊；求諸己，謂之厚，求諸人，謂之薄；自責以備，謂之明，責人以備，謂之惑；是故以自治之節治人，是居上不寬也，以治人之度自治，是為禮不敬也；為禮不敬則傷行，而民弗尊，居上不寬則傷厚，而民弗親；弗親則弗信，弗尊則弗敬；二端之政詭於上而僻行之，則誹於下；仁義之處，可無論乎！夫目不視，弗見；心弗論，不得；

(The text continued:) The Viscount of Lu, among the lords, was able to rectify no one, yet the Spring and Autumn Annals gives him righteousness, because his own person was upright. To turn toward and seek profit; so it is said: righteousness lies in rectifying the self and not in rectifying others; this is its model. If I do not have it myself yet demand it of others, or if I have it myself yet slander others for having it, people cannot accept this, for the principle is reversed; how could it be called righteousness! Righteousness means what is fitting in me; when it is fitting in me, then it can be called righteousness. So the word righteousness (yi) joins "me" and "fitting" into one character. By this test, the word righteousness speaks of the self. So it is said: one who acts and gains righteousness is called self-attained; one who acts and loses righteousness is called self-lost; a person who likes righteousness is called self-loving; a person who does not like righteousness is called not self-loving. Testing it this way, it is clear that righteousness is the self. Thus righteousness differs from humaneness: humaneness speaks of going, righteousness speaks of coming; humaneness is great in the distance, righteousness is great in the near; love in others is called humaneness; righteousness in the self is called righteousness; humaneness is focused on others, righteousness is focused on the self. So it is said: humaneness is others; righteousness is the self. This is what is meant. The gentleman seeks the distinction between humaneness and righteousness, using it as the guiding thread between others and the self, and then discerns the boundaries of inner and outer and makes clear the places of accord and opposition. For this reason inner governance turns back to principle to rectify oneself and relies on ritual to seek blessing; outer governance extends kindness to bestow widely and relaxes regulations to accommodate the multitude. Confucius said to Ranzi: one who governs the people first makes them rich, then adds teaching. He said to Fan Chi: one who governs his own person first goes through difficulty, then gains the harvest. This explains that in governing the self and governing the people the priorities differ. The Minor Odes, "Mianman," says: "Give them drink, give them food, teach them, instruct them." Food and drink first and then instruction speaks of governing others; and it also says: "Clang, clang, he cuts the spokes; that gentleman, he does not eat for nothing!" Work first, then eat, which speaks of governing the self. The Spring and Autumn Annals criticizes the faults of those above and pities the suffering of those below; small evils abroad it does not report, but those in my own state it writes down and criticizes. These six points use humaneness to govern others and righteousness to govern the self; being generous to oneself and mild in blame outside is what is meant. Moreover, the principle is now manifest, yet people do not know to examine it, and say: the gentleman attacks his own evil and does not attack the evil of others. Is not not attacking others' evil the generosity of humaneness! Is not attacking one's own evil the completeness of righteousness! This is what is called humaneness completing others and righteousness completing the self; what is the difference! So to name one's own evil is called being truthful; to name the evil of others is called harming; to seek it in oneself is called generous; to seek it in others is called stingy; to blame oneself with completeness is called clear-sighted; to blame others with completeness is called confused. Therefore to govern others with the measure for governing oneself is to be ungenerous in a high position; to govern oneself with the standard for governing others is to perform ritual without reverence. To perform ritual without reverence injures conduct, and the people do not respect one; to be ungenerous in a high position injures generosity, and the people are not close. If they are not close they do not trust, and if they do not respect they do not revere. When government on these two ends goes astray above and conduct is crooked, one will be criticized below. Can one not discuss where humaneness and righteousness lie! If the eyes do not look, they do not see; if the heart does not reflect, it does not obtain;

雖有天下之至味，弗嚼，弗知其旨也；雖有聖人之至道，弗論，不知其義也。

(The text continued:) even with the best flavors in the world, if one does not chew, one does not know their sweetness; even with the sage's best Way, if one does not study it deeply, one does not know its righteousness.

莫近於仁，莫急於智。不仁而有勇力材能，則狂而操利兵也；不智而辯慧獧給，則迷而乘良馬也。故不仁不智而有材能，將以其材能，以輔其邪狂之心，而贊其僻違之行，適足以大其非，而甚其惡耳。其強足以覆過，其御足以犯軸，其慧足以惑愚，其辨足以飾非，其堅足以斷闢，其嚴足以拒諫，此非無材能也，其施之不當，而處之不義也。有否心者，不可借便埶，其質愚者，不與利器，論之所謂不知人也者，恐不知別此等也。仁而不智，則愛而不別也；智而不仁，則知而不為也。故仁者所愛人類也，智者所以除其害也。

Nothing is closer than humaneness, and nothing is more urgent than wisdom. To lack humaneness yet have courage, strength and talent is to go mad and hold a sharp weapon; to lack wisdom yet be eloquent and quick is to lose the road while riding a fine horse. So one who lacks humaneness and wisdom but has talent will use his talent to aid a wicked and mad heart and to support crooked conduct that runs against principle, which is just enough to enlarge his error and heighten his evil. His strength is enough to cover up faults, his control is enough to override the axle, his cleverness is enough to bewilder fools, his eloquence is enough to gloss over errors, his firmness is enough to monopolize the law, and his sternness is enough to reject remonstrance. This is not lack of talent but misapplication, being placed in unrighteousness. A person with an unkind heart should not be lent a convenient position of power, and a person of foolish disposition should not be given sharp tools. What the discussions call not knowing people probably refers to this fear of not knowing how to distinguish such types. Humane but not wise, one loves but does not distinguish; wise but not humane, one knows but does not act. So what the humane love is human beings, and what the wise do is remove what harms them.

何謂仁？仁者，憯怛愛人，謹翕不爭，好惡敦倫，無傷惡之心，無隱忌之志，無嫉妒之氣，無感愁之慾，無險詖之事，無辟違之行，故其心舒，其志平，其氣和，其欲節，其事易，其行道，故能平易和理而無爭也，如此者，謂之仁。

What is called humaneness? Humaneness is to love people intensely, to be careful, harmonious and not contentious, to have likes and dislikes that are kind and fit the human relations, to have no heart that harms or hates, no intention of concealed jealousy, no spirit of envy, no desire to cause sorrow, no matter of treachery and bias, and no conduct that is crooked and against principle. So his heart is relaxed, his will is calm, his qi is harmonious, his desires have moderation, his affairs are simple, and his conduct accords with the Way, so he can be even and harmonious and without contention. Such a person is called humane.

何謂智？先言而後當。凡人慾舍行為，皆以其智，先規而後為之，其規是者，其所為得其所事，當其行，遂其名，榮其身，故利而無患，福及子孫，德加萬民，湯武是也。其規非者，其所為不得其所事，不當其行，不遂其名，辱害及其身，絕世無復，殘類滅宗亡國是也。故曰：莫急於智。智者見禍福遠，其知利害蚤，物動而知其化，事興而知其歸，見始而知其終，言之而無敢譁，立之而不可廢，取之而不可舍，前後不相悖，終始有類，思之而有復，及之而不可厭，其言寡而足，約而喻，簡而達，省而具，少而不可益，多而不可損，其動中倫，其言當務，如是者，謂之智。

What is called wisdom? To speak first and then be fitting. Whenever a person abandons or practices something, it depends on his wisdom, and he plans first and then acts. If the plan is right, what he does gets its matter and fits its conduct, completes its name, and brings glory to his person, so he has benefit without trouble, blessings extend to descendants and virtue is added to the myriad people, as with Tang and Wu. If the plan is wrong, what he does does not get its matter or fit its conduct, cannot complete its name, and disgrace and harm reach his person, so that the generations are cut off and cannot continue, and his kin are ruined and his clan and state destroyed. So it is said: nothing is more urgent than wisdom. The wise person sees calamity and fortune far ahead and knows benefit and harm early; as soon as a thing stirs he knows its changes, as soon as an affair arises he knows its outcome, and seeing the beginning he knows the end. When he speaks, no one dares to clamor; when he sets something up, it cannot be abolished; when he takes it up, it cannot be dropped. Before and after do not contradict each other, and beginning and end have a pattern. One can think about it again and again, and it can be reached without being tiresome. His words are few but sufficient, brief but able to instruct, simple but penetrating, abridged but complete; when few they cannot be increased, and when many they cannot be reduced. His actions fit the human relations and his words suit the affairs. Such a person is called wise.

其大略之類，天地之物，有不常之變者，謂之異，小者謂之災，災常先至，而異乃隨之，災者，天之譴也，異者，天之威也，譴之而不知，乃畏之以威，詩云：“畏天之威。”殆此謂也。凡災異之本，盡生於國家之失，國家之失乃始萌芽，而天出災害以譴告之；譴告之，而不知變，乃見怪異以驚駭之；驚駭之，尚不知畏恐，其殃咎乃至。以此見天意之仁，而不欲陷人也。謹案：災異以見天意，天意有欲也、有不欲也，所欲、所不欲者，人內以自省，宜有懲於心，外以觀其事，宜有驗於國，故見天意者之於災異也，畏之而不惡也，以為天欲振吾過，救吾失，故以此報我也。春秋之法，上變古易常，應是而有天災者，謂幸國。孔子曰：“天之所幸有為不善，而屢極。”楚莊王以天不見災，地不見孽，則禱之於山川曰：“天其將亡予邪！不說吾過，極吾罪也。”以此觀之，天災之應過而至也，異之顯明可畏也，此乃天之所欲救也，春秋之所獨幸也，莊王所以禱而請也，聖主賢君尚樂受忠臣之諫，而況受天譴也。

The general outline is of this kind: when things between Heaven and Earth have an unusual change, it is called an anomaly, and a small one is called a calamity. A calamity usually comes first, and an anomaly follows. A calamity is Heaven's reproach, and an anomaly is Heaven's awe-inspiring power. When one is reproached and still does not know, then awe is used to make one afraid. The Zhou Hymns, "Wo Jiang," says: "Fearing the awe of Heaven." Probably this is what is meant. In general the root of calamities and anomalies is born from the faults of the state. When the faults of a state have only begun to sprout, Heaven sends calamities to reproach and warn; when reproached and warned and one still does not know how to change, it shows strange things to startle; when startled and one still does not know to fear and be alarmed, then disaster arrives. From this one sees the humaneness of Heaven's intent, which does not wish to ruin people. I respectfully note: calamities and anomalies are used to show Heaven's intent. Heaven's intent has things it wants and things it does not want. What it wants and what it does not want, a person uses inwardly to examine himself, and should have a warning in his heart; outwardly he uses it to observe affairs and should have a response in state affairs. So those who see Heaven's intent fear calamities and anomalies and do not hate them, thinking that Heaven wishes to rouse my faults and rescue my errors, so it repays me with this. The model of the Spring and Autumn Annals: when those above change the ancient laws and alter the regular rules, and there are natural calamities in response, it is called a state that is lucky. Confucius said: "What Heaven treats as lucky is that someone does what is not good, yet repeatedly reaches the extreme." King Zhuang of Chu, because Heaven did not show calamity and Earth did not show ill omens, prayed to the mountains and rivers: "Is Heaven going to destroy me! It does not tell me my faults and lets my guilt reach the extreme." From this we see that natural calamities come in response to faults, and the clarity of anomalies is to be feared, and this is what Heaven wishes to rescue, what the Spring and Autumn Annals alone considers lucky, and what King Zhuang therefore prayed for and asked. Even sage lords and worthy rulers are glad to accept remonstrance from loyal ministers; how much more should they accept Heaven's reproach.