Yan Tie Lun (鹽鐵論) · Volume 18

丞相【去聲】史曰山林不讓椒桂以成其崇君子不辭負薪之言以廣其名故多見者博多聞者知【去聲】距諫者塞專已者孤故謀及下者無失防舉及眾者無頓功【頓壊也權謀篇曰聖王之舉事必先諦之於謀慮而後考之於蓍白屋之士皆關其謀芻蕘之役鹹盡其心故萬舉而無遺籌失策傳曰眾人之智可以測天兼聼獨斷惟在一人此大謀之術也謀有二端上謀知命其次知事知命者預見存亡禍福之原早知盛衰廢興之始防事之未萌避難於無形若此人者居亂世則不害於其身在乎太平之世則必得統下之權彼知事者亦尚矣見事而知得失成敗之分而究其所終極故無敗業廢功東野鄙人曰泰山不讓礫石江海不辭小流所以成其大也詩曰先民有言詢於芻蕘博謀也秦王子嬰曰輕慮者不可以治國獨智者不可以存君】詩云詢於芻蕘故布衣皆得風【去聲】議何況公卿之史乎春秋士不載文而書咺【暄上聲】者以為宰士也【春秋曰天王使宰咺來歸惠公仲子之賵公羊傳曰宰者何官也咺者何名也曷為以官氏宰士也】孔子曰雖不吾以吾其與【去聲】聞諸侯僕雖不敏亦當傾耳下風攝齊【音諮】勾指受業徑於君子之塗矣使文學言之而是僕之言有何害使文學言之而非雖防丞相【去聲】史孰不非也

The Chancellor's Secretary said: Mountains and forests do not decline pepper and cassia to complete their height, and the gentleman does not refuse the words of one who carries firewood to widen his name. So the one who sees much is learned and the one who hears much is wise [pronunciation note: the character 'wise' is read in the departing tone]; the one who rejects remonstrance is blocked and the one who relies only on himself is isolated. Hence one whose plans extend to those below has no failed policy (the received text has a corrupted character here), and one whose undertakings extend to the multitude has no ruined achievement. [To 'ruin' means to spoil. The 'Chapter on Strategy' says: when a sage king undertakes something, he must first examine it in planning and thought, and then consult yarrow and tortoise shell (the received text lost a rare character here). Scholars of plain huts all take part in the planning and the grass-cutters and woodgatherers all give their hearts, so in ten thousand undertakings there is no missed calculation or failed policy. The tradition says: the wisdom of the multitude can fathom Heaven, but listening to all and deciding alone rests with one man, and this is the art of great planning. Planning has two aspects: the highest planning knows fate, and the next knows affairs. One who knows fate foresees the sources of survival and ruin, fortune and misfortune, and knows the beginning of flourishing and decline, rise and fall; before the affair sprouts (the received text has a corrupted character here) he avoids difficulty while it is still without form. Such a person, in a disordered age, is not harmed himself, and in an age of great peace will surely obtain the power to govern those below. One who knows affairs is also clear-sighted: he sees an affair and knows the division of gain and loss, success and failure, and examines its end, so he has no failed undertakings or abandoned merit. A rustic of the eastern wilds said: Mount Tai does not refuse gravel and the rivers and seas do not decline small streams, so they achieve their greatness. The Odes say: "The ancients had a saying: consult the grass-cutters and woodgatherers." This is broad planning. Ziying, king of Qin, said: one who plans lightly cannot govern a state, and one who relies on his own wisdom alone cannot preserve a ruler.] The Odes say: "Consult the grass-cutters and woodgatherers." So even commoners can remonstrate [pronunciation note: the character is read in the departing tone] and discuss; how much more the secretary of a duke or minister! In the Spring and Autumn Annals, a scholar's text is not recorded, yet it writes Xuan [pronunciation note: the character 'Xuan' is read in the rising tone], taking him to be a steward-scholar. [The Spring and Autumn Annals says: the Heavenly King sent the steward Xuan to return the funeral gifts for Duke Hui's concubine Zhongzi. The Gongyang Commentary says: what is a steward? An office. What is Xuan? A name. Why is the office used as a clan name? Because he was a steward-scholar.] Confucius said: "Though I am not employed, I will still be among those who hear about the feudal lords." Though I am not clever, I should also cock my ear downwind, gather my robes [pronunciation note: the character 'hem' is read 'zi'] and bow with hands clasped, and receive instruction directly on the gentleman's path. If what the Learned Scholars say is right, what harm is there in what I say? If what the Learned Scholars say is wrong, even as the Chancellor's Secretary (the received text has a corrupted character here) [pronunciation note], who would not condemn it?

文學曰以正輔人謂之忠以邪導人謂之佞【令尹子西曰為人臣而忠其君者爵祿不足以賞也為人臣而諛其君者刑罰不足以誅也】夫【音扶】怫【音勃】過納善者君之忠臣大夫之直士也孔子曰大夫有爭【去聲】臣三人雖無道不失其家【韓嬰曰大夫有爭臣三人雖無道不失其家季氏為無道僭天子舞八佾旅泰山以雍徹孔子曰是可忍也孰不可忍也然不亡者以冉有季路為宰臣也】今子處宰士之列無忠正之心枉不能正邪不能匡順流以容身從風以説【音悅】上上所言則苟聽上所行則曲從若影之隨形響之於聲終無所是非【夏侯曰夫和羮之美在於合異上下之益在能相濟順從乃安此琴瑟一聲也】衣【去聲】儒衣冠【去聲】儒冠而不能行其道非真儒也譬若土龍文章首目具而非龍也葶歴似菜而殊味玉石相似而異類【汜論曰夫亂人者芎防之與藁本也蛇床之與蕪也此皆相似故劒工惑劒之似莫邪者唯歐冶能名其種玉工玉之似碧盧者唯猗頓不失其情魏文侯曰夫物多相類而非也幽莠之防也似禾驪牛之黃也似虎白骨疑象武夫類玉此皆似之而非者也】子非孔氏執經守道之儒乃公卿面從之儒非吾徒也冉有為季氏宰而附益之孔子曰小子鳴鼓而攻之可也故輔桀者不為知【去聲】為桀斂者不為仁丞相【去聲】史黙然不對

The Learned Scholars said: To assist others with what is right is called loyalty, and to lead others with what is crooked is called flattery. [Prime Minister Zixi said: for a minister who is loyal to his ruler, rank and salary are not enough to reward him; for a minister who flatters his ruler, punishment is not enough to execute him.] The preface says: one who corrects [pronunciation note: the character 'correct' is read 'bo'] faults and brings in good is the ruler's loyal minister and a grand officer's upright scholar. Confucius said: "A grand officer who has three remonstrating ministers, though he is Way-less, does not lose his house." [Han Ying says: a grand officer who has three remonstrating ministers, though he is Way-less, does not lose his house. Lord Ji acted without the Way, usurped the Son of Heaven's rights, had eight rows of dancers, made offerings at Mount Tai, and sang the Yong at the clearing of sacrifices. Confucius said: "If this can be endured, what cannot be endured?" Yet he did not perish because Ran You and Ji Lu served as stewards.] Now you stand in the ranks of steward-scholars, have no loyal and upright heart, cannot straighten what is bent or correct what is crooked, drift with the current to find a place and follow the wind to please [pronunciation note: the character 'please' is read 'yue'] those above: what those above say you listen to carelessly, what those above do you follow crookedly, like a shadow following a form or an echo following a sound, and in the end have no right or wrong. [Xiahou Xuan (the received text lost a rare character here) says: the beauty of a blended soup lies in combining different flavors, and the benefit of high and low lies in being able to complement each other. If one simply follows and is at peace, that is a zither with a single note.] Wearing a Confucian's clothes [pronunciation note: the character 'wear' is read in the departing tone] and cap [pronunciation note: the character 'cap' is read in the departing tone] and unable to practice his Way is not a true Confucian. It is like a clay dragon, with its patterns, head, and eyes all complete but not a dragon; the peppergrass looks like a vegetable but the flavor differs, and jade and stone look alike but their kinds differ. [The 'Broad Discussion' chapter says: what confuses people are Chuanxiong (the received text has a corrupted character here) and Gaoben, snake-bed and Miwu, which all resemble each other. So sword-smiths are confused by swords like Moye, and only Ouye can name their kind; jade workers are confused by jade like Bilu (the received text lost a rare character here), and only Yi Dun does not lose the truth of it. Marquis Wen of Wei said: things are often alike in kind but not truly so. The seedling of the weed youyou (the received text has a corrupted character here) looks like grain, the yellow of a black ox looks like a tiger, white bone is mistaken for ivory, and a warrior looks like jade; these all resemble yet are not.] You are not a Confucian of Kong's school who holds the classics and keeps the Way, but a Confucian who agrees to the face of dukes and ministers, and not of our kind. Ran You served as Lord Ji's steward and increased his wealth, and Confucius said: "My young followers may beat the drums and attack him." So one who assisted Jie was not counted wise [pronunciation note: the character 'wise' is read in the departing tone], and one who gathered taxes for Jie was not counted benevolent. The Chancellor's Secretary was silent and did not answer.

大夫曰作世明主憂勞萬人思念北邉之未安故使使【去聲】者舉賢良文學髙第詳延有道之士將欲觀殊議異冊虛心傾耳以聽庶幾雲得諸生無能出竒計逺圖匃奴安邊境之冊【通作防】明枯竹守空言不知趨舍之宜時世之變議論無所依如膝癢而搔背辯訟公門之下訩訩【音兇】不可勝【音升】聽【訩訩眾言也】如品即口以成事此豈明主所欲聞哉

The Grand Secretary said: The enlightened ruler of this age toils for the ten thousand people and thinks of the north, which is not yet settled, and so he sent envoys [pronunciation note: the character 'envoy' is read in the departing tone] to recommend the worthy and good and the Learned Scholars of highest rank, and extended broad invitations to those who have the Way, wishing to see unusual proposals and strange plans, listening with an empty mind and an inclined ear, hoping to gain something. You scholars cannot produce marvelous schemes, or far-reaching plans against the Xiongnu, or measures [the character 'tablet' is commonly used for 'measure' here (the received text has a corrupted note)] to secure the frontier, and only know to cling to dry bamboo and empty words, not knowing the fitting course of pursuit and rejection or the changes of the times; your arguments have no basis, like scratching the back when the knee itches, and arguing a lawsuit at the duke's gate, clamoring [pronunciation note: read 'xiong'] so that one cannot even listen to it [pronunciation note] [clamor means many voices]. Like the character for 'goods' made by adding mouths to form something, is this what an enlightened ruler wishes to hear?

文學曰諸生對冊【通作防】殊路同歸指在於崇禮義退財利復往古之道匡當世之失莫不雲太平雖未盡可亶用【亶信也】宜略有可行者焉執事闇於明禮而喻於利末沮事隳【音灰】議計利籌冊【通作防】以故至今未決非儒無成事公卿欲成利也

The Learned Scholars said: The scholars' answers [the character 'tablet' is commonly used for 'measure'] go by different roads and arrive at the same place, their main point being to honor ritual and righteousness and to put aside wealth and profit, to restore the way of antiquity and correct the failings of the present age, and there is none who does not speak of great peace. Though not all of it can be believed [to be 'sincere' means to be trustworthy], some of it should be practicable. Those in charge are dim about ritual and understand only the branch trade of profit, hindering affairs and destroying [pronunciation note: the character 'destroy' is read 'hui'] proposals, calculating profit and counting plans [the character 'tablet' is commonly used for 'plan'], and so to this day no decision has been made. It is not that the Confucians have not accomplished anything, but that the ministers want to bring about profit.

大夫曰色厲而內荏亂真者也文表而柔裡亂實者也文學裒衣博帶竊周公之服鞠躬踧踖竊仲尼之容議論稱誦竊商賜之辭刺譏言治過管晏之才心卑卿相【去聲】志小萬乗【去聲】及授之政昏亂不治故以言舉人若以毛相【去聲】馬【仲尼弟子傳曰孔子曰吾以言取人失之宰予以貌取人失之子羽道應訓曰秦繆公請伯樂曰子之年長矣子姓有可使求馬者乎對曰良馬者可以形容筋骨相也相天下之馬者若滅若失若亡其一若此馬者絶塵弭轍臣之子皆下材也可告以良馬而不可告以天下之馬臣有所與供儋纒採薪者九方堙此其於馬非臣之下也請見之穆公見之使之求馬三月而反報曰已得馬矣在於沙丘穆公曰何馬也對曰牡而黃使人往取之牝而驪穆公不説召伯樂而問之曰敗矣子之所使求者毛物牝牡弗能知又何馬之能知伯樂喟然太息曰一至此乎是乃其所以千萬臣而無數者也若堙之所觀者天機也得其精而忘其粗得其在內而忘其外見其所見而不見其所不見視其所視而遺其所不視若彼之所相者乃有貴乎馬者馬至而果千里之馬】此其所以多不稱【去聲】舉詔冊【通作防】曰朕嘉宇內之士故詳延四方豪俊文學博習之士超遷官祿言者不必有徳何者言之易而行之難有舍其車而識其牛貴其不言而多成事也【漢書曰劉寛嘗行有人失牛者乃於路就寛車中認之寛無所言下駕步歸有頃認者得牛而送還叩頭謝曰蹔負長者寛曰物有相類事容脫誤幸勞見歸何為謝也】吳鐸以其舌自破主父偃以其舌自殺【繆稱訓曰吳鐸以聲自毀膏燭以明自爍許慎曰鏎大鈴出於吳也叢談曰口者闗也舌者機也出言不當四馬不能追也口者關也舌者兵也出言不當反自傷也言出於已不可止於人行發於邇不可止於逺夫言行者君子之樞機樞機之發榮辱之本也可不慎乎故蒯子羽曰言猶射也括既離雖有所悔焉不可從而追已詩曰白珪之玷尚可磨也斯言之玷不可為也】鶡【音押】鴠【音旦】夜鳴無益於明主父鳴鴟無益於死【鶡鴠渇鴠也詩云相彼鳱鴠尚或惡之鳴急旦也增韻曰鳱鴠求旦之鳥形似雞晝夜常鳴陸佃曰怪鴟其鳴即雨為繇可以聚眾鳥一名只狐晝無所見夜即飛也】非有司欲成利文學桎【音只】梏【音谷】於舊術【木在足曰桎在手曰梏】牽於間【音閒】言者也

The Grand Secretary said: One who looks stern yet is weak within confuses the true; one who is ornate outside and soft inside confuses the real. The Learned Scholars wear wide robes and broad belts, stealing the Duke of Zhou's garments; they bow low and walk with careful steps, stealing Zhongni's bearing; they recite and discuss, stealing the words of Zigong and Zixia; they mock and criticize, speaking of governance, surpassing the talent of Guan and Yan; in heart they look down on ministers and chancellors [pronunciation note: the character 'chancellor' is read in the departing tone] and in ambition belittle ten thousand chariots [pronunciation note: the character 'chariot' is read in the departing tone]. But when given the government, they are confused and do not govern. So to promote people by their words is like judging a horse by its coat [pronunciation note: the character 'judge' is read in the departing tone]. [The Biographies of Confucius's Disciples says: Confucius said: "I chose people by their words and lost Zai Yu; I chose people by looks and lost Zi Yu." The 'Responses of the Way' chapter says: Duke Miu of Qin asked Bo Le: "You are getting old; do any of your clan relatives know how to look for horses?" He answered: "A good horse can be recognized by its form, bones, and sinews. But one who judges the horses of the world, as if vanishing, as if lost, as if gone, such a horse raises no dust and leaves no tracks. My sons are all of lower talent; they can be told of good horses but cannot be told of the horses of the world. I have a man who with me carried firewood on a pole, Jiufang Yin, whose judging of horses is not below mine; please see him." Duke Mu saw him and sent him to seek a horse. He returned after three months and reported: "I have got a horse; it is at Shaqiu." Duke Mu said: "What kind of horse?" He answered: "A yellow stallion." They sent someone to fetch it, but it was a black mare. Duke Mu was displeased, summoned Bo Le and asked: "It has failed! The man you sent to seek a horse cannot even tell color or sex; how can he know horses?" Bo Le sighed deeply and said: "Has it come to this? This is exactly why he is a thousand and ten thousand times beyond me, beyond counting. What Yin observes is the heavenly mechanism: he grasps the fine and forgets the coarse, grasps the inner and forgets the outer, sees what he should see and does not see what he should not see, looks at what he should look at and leaves aside what he should not. What he judges is something more precious than a horse." When the horse arrived it was indeed a horse of a thousand li.] This is why many recommendations do not match [pronunciation note: the character 'match' is read in the departing tone]. The edict says: "I commend the scholars within the realm, and so have widely invited the outstanding, the heroic, the learned and broad in study from all quarters, to be promoted over others in office and salary." Those who speak need not have virtue. Why? Speaking is easy and doing is hard. There are people who leave their cart and recognize their ox, valuing that he does not speak yet accomplishes much. [The Book of Han says: Liu Kuan once went out and someone lost an ox, and on the road claimed one from Kuan's cart. Kuan said nothing, got down and walked home. After a while the claimant found his ox and returned it, kowtowing and apologizing: "I wronged you, elder." Kuan said: "Things can resemble one another and a mistake is possible. I am glad of the trouble you took to return it; why apologize?"] Wu Duo broke himself with his tongue, and Zhufu Yan killed himself with his tongue. [The 'Praising the Name' chapter says: Wu Duo ruined himself through sound, and oily candles consume themselves with their light. Xu Shen says: a duo is a big bell, made in Wu. The Miscellaneous Discourses says: the mouth is the gate and the tongue the mechanism; if words are spoken improperly, four horses cannot overtake them. The mouth is the gate and the tongue is the weapon; if words are spoken improperly, they turn and hurt oneself. Words come from oneself and cannot be stopped by others; deeds start nearby and cannot be stopped from going far. Words and deeds are the pivot of the gentleman, and the pivot's release is the root of honor and disgrace; can one fail to be careful? So Kuai Ziyu said: words are like shooting; once the notch leaves the string, even if one regrets it, one cannot chase after it. The Odes say: "A flaw in a white jade tablet can still be ground away; a flaw in these words cannot be undone."] The Hedan bird [pronunciation notes] crows at night but does not help the dawn; Zhufu was like an owl crying, and it did not help him escape death. [The Hedan is the thirsty bird. The Odes say: "Look at that Hedan, even it is hated; its cry urges the dawn." The Zengyun says: the Hedan is a bird that calls for dawn, shaped like a chicken and constantly crying day and night. Lu Dian says: the strange owl, its cry brings rain, and as an omen it can gather the birds; its other name is Zhihu, and it sees nothing by day and flies at night.] It is not that officials want to bring about profit, but that the scholars are shackled [pronunciation notes: the characters 'shackle' are read 'zhi' and 'gu'] by old arts [wood on the foot is a zhi and wood on the hand is a gu] and pulled along by idle words [pronunciation note].

文學曰能言之能行之者湯武也能言不能行者有司也文學竊周公之服有司竊周公之位文學桎【音只】梏【音谷】於舊術有司桎【音只】梏【音谷】於財利主父偃以舌自殺有司以利自困夫【音扶】驥之才千里非造父不能使禹之知萬人非舜為相【去聲】不能用【雜事篇曰顔淵侍魯定公於臺東野畢御馬於臺下定公曰善哉東野畢之御顔淵曰善則善矣雖然其馬將失定公不悅以告左右曰吾聞之君子不讒人君子亦讒人乎顔淵不悅歴階而去須防馬敗聞矣定公躐席而起曰趨駕請顔淵顔淵至定公曰向寡人曰善哉東野畢御也吾子曰善則善矣雖然其馬將失矣不識君子何以知之也顔淵曰臣以政知之昔有舜工於使人造父工於使馬舜不窮於其民造父不盡其馬是以舜無失民造父無失馬今東野畢之御也上車執轡御體正矣周旋步驟朝禮畢矣歴險致逺而馬力殫矣然求不已是以知其失矣定公曰善可少進與顔淵曰獸窮則觸鳥窮則喙人窮則詐自古及今有窮其下能無危者未之有也詩曰執轡如組両驂如舞善御之謂也定公曰善哉寡人之過也】故季桓子聼政桞下惠忽然不見孔子為司冦然後悖熾【泰族訓曰孔子為魯司冦道不拾遺市買不豫賈田漁皆譲長斑白不戴負】驥舉之在伯樂【音洛】其功在造父造父攝轡馬無駑【音奴】良皆可取道周公之時士無賢不肖皆可與言至治故御之良者善調馬相【去聲】之賢者善使士今舉異才而使減【音撿】騶【音鄒】御之是猶扼驥鹽車而使責之疾【騶廐御也扼通作軛轅端橫木駕馬領者】此賢良文學多不稱【去聲】舉也

The Literati said: Those who can both speak of it and practice it were Tang and Wu; those who can speak but not practice are the officials. The Literati steal the robes of the Duke of Zhou, and the officials steal the Duke of Zhou's position; the Literati are shackled [phonetic glosses: "zhi" is read zhi, "gu" is read gu] by old methods, and the officials are shackled [phonetic glosses: "zhi" is read zhi, "gu" is read gu] by wealth and profit. Zhufu Yan killed himself with his tongue, and the officials trap themselves with profit. The opening "fu" [phonetic gloss: "fu" is read fu]: a steed has the talent for a thousand li, but without Zao Fu it cannot be driven; Yu's wisdom exceeded ten thousand people, but without Shun as chancellor [phonetic gloss: "xiang" is read in the departing tone] he could not be used [the chapter "Zashi" says: Yan Yuan attended Duke Ding of Lu on the terrace, and Dongye Bi was driving horses below the terrace. Duke Ding said: "Excellent is Dongye Bi's driving." Yan Yuan said: "Excellent it is, though his horses will be lost." Duke Ding was displeased and said to his attendants: "I have heard that the gentleman does not slander people; does the gentleman also slander people?" Yan Yuan was displeased and left, going down step by step. Shortly the news came that the horses were ruined. Duke Ding jumped over the mat and rose and said: "Quickly hitch a carriage and invite Yan Yuan." Yan Yuan arrived. Duke Ding said: "Just now I said 'excellent is Dongye Bi's driving' and you said 'excellent it is, though his horses will be lost'; I do not know how the gentleman knew this?" Yan Yuan said: "I know it from governing. In the past Shun was skilled at using people and Zao Fu was skilled at using horses. Shun did not exhaust his people and Zao Fu did not exhaust his horses, so Shun lost no people and Zao Fu lost no horses. Now Dongye Bi's driving: he mounts the carriage and holds the reins, his posture is correct, his turns and steps meet the court's ritual; when he has gone through danger and far away the horses' strength is spent and he still demands more without stopping; therefore I knew he would lose them." Duke Ding said: "Good. May you go a bit further?" Yan Yuan said: "When beasts are driven to extremity they gore, when birds are driven to extremity they peck, when people are driven to extremity they deceive. From ancient times to now, none who drove those below him to extremity has been without danger. The Classic of Poetry says: 'Holding the reins like ribbons, the two outer horses dance.' This is called skillful driving." Duke Ding said: "Good. It was my fault."]. So when Ji Huanzi took charge of government, Liuxia Hui suddenly was not seen; when Confucius was minister of crime, only then did he flourish tremendously [the chapter "Taizu" says: When Confucius was minister of crime of Lu, no one picked up what was lost on the road, buyers in the market did not haggle in advance, farmers and fishers all yielded to elders, and the gray-haired did not carry loads.]. The steed was recommended by Bole [phonetic gloss: "le" is read luo], but its achievement lay with Zao Fu. When Zao Fu held the reins, whether horses were dull [phonetic gloss: "nu" is read nu] or good, all could take the road; in the time of the Duke of Zhou, whether scholars were worthy or unworthy, all could be spoken to about perfect governance. So one who drives well is good at training horses, and a worthy chancellor [phonetic gloss: "xiang" is read in the departing tone] is good at employing scholars. Now to recommend exceptional talents but make them reduce [phonetic gloss: "jian" is read jian] and let a groom [phonetic gloss: "zou" is read zou] take away the harness is like putting a steed in the yoke of a salt cart and demanding it be swift ["zou" is the stable driver. "E" is the same as "e" (yoke), the crossbar at the end of the shaft placed on the horse's neck.]. This is why the worthy and good Literati mostly are not suited [phonetic gloss: "cheng" is read in the departing tone] to the recommendations.

大夫曰嘻諸生闒【音逹】茸【音戎】無行【去聲】多言而不用情貌不相副若穿逾之盜自古而患之是孔丘斥逐於魯君曾不用於世也何者以其首攝多端迂時而不要也【攝引持也】故秦王燔去其術而不行坑之渭中而不用【秦紀曰李斯請非博士官所職天下敢藏詩書百家語詣守尉雜燒之盧生為始皇求仙藥亡去始皇大怒使御史案問諸生諸生犯禁者四百六十四人皆坑之咸陽潘生曰儒林填於坑穽詩書煬而為煙】乃安得鼓口舌申顔眉預前論議是非國家之事也

The Grand Secretary said: Hmph! You scholars are inept [phonetic glosses: "ta" is read da, "rong" is read rong] and without conduct [phonetic gloss: "xing" is read in the departing tone], speak much and are not used, your feelings and looks do not match, like burglars who bore through walls; since ancient times this has been a worry. So Kong Qiu was expelled by the ruler of Lu and was never employed in the age. Why? Because he wavered between two sides, was out of touch with the times and did not hit the essentials ["she" means to draw and hold]. So the King of Qin burned his teachings and did not put them into practice, and buried the scholars alive in the Wei and did not use them [the Records of the Grand Historian, "Annals of the First Emperor of Qin," says: Li Si requested: Except for the books handled by the court erudites, anyone under heaven who dares to hide the Poetry, Documents and sayings of the hundred schools shall hand them to the commandants to be burned together. Master Lu sought immortality drugs for the First Emperor and fled. The First Emperor was greatly angered and had the imperial counselor investigate the scholars, and four hundred sixty-four scholars who violated the ban were all buried alive in Xianyang. Master Pan said: The Confucian grove was filled with pits and traps, and the Poetry and Documents were scorched into smoke.]. How can you still wag your tongues, stretch your faces and eyebrows, and take part in discussing the rights and wrongs of the affairs of the state?