Yan Tie Lun (鹽鐵論) · Volume 21

大夫曰賢不肖有質而貪鄙有性君子內潔已而不能純教於彼故周公非不正管蔡之邪子產非不正鄧晳之偽也【韓嬰曰客有見周公者應之於門曰何以道旦也客曰在外即言外在內即言內入乎將母周公曰請入客曰立即言義坐即言仁坐乎將母周公曰請坐客曰疾言則翕翕徐言則不聞言乎將母周公唯唯旦也逾明日興師而誅管蔡故客善以不言之説周公善聼不言之説若周公可謂能聼微言矣故君子之告人也微其救人之急也婉詩曰豈敢憚行畏不能趨鴻烈解曰鄧晳教鄭人以訟訟不俱囬子產誅之也許慎曰鄧晳詭辯奸人之雄也子產誅之故奸止也傳曰鄭駟遄殺鄧晳而用其竹刑鄧晳制刑書之於竹鄭國用之不以人廢言也】夫【音扶】內不從父兄之教外不畏刑法之罪周公子產不能化必也今一二則責之有司有司豈能縛【房入聲】其手足而使之無為非哉

The Grand Secretary said: The worthy and the unworthy have an inherent substance, and greed and baseness have an inherent nature. A gentleman can keep himself clean inside but cannot carry his pure teaching into others. So the Duke of Zhou was not unable to correct the wickedness of Guan and Cai, and Zichan was not unable to correct the falsehood of Deng Xi [Han Ying says: A guest came to see the Duke of Zhou, and the Duke of Zhou answered at the door: 'What will you use to instruct me, Ji Dan?' The guest said: 'If speaking of outer matters, speak outside; if of inner matters, speak inside; shall I enter, or not?' The Duke of Zhou said: 'Please enter.' The guest said: 'When standing, speak of righteousness; when sitting, speak of humaneness; shall I sit, or not?' The Duke said: 'Please sit.' The guest said: 'If I speak fast it is murmuring, if I speak slowly it is not heard; shall I speak or not?' The Duke of Zhou assented. By the next day he raised troops and executed Guan and Cai. So the guest was good at using wordless speech, and the Duke of Zhou was good at listening to wordless speech; the Duke of Zhou could be said to be able to hear subtle words. So when a gentleman informs people it should be subtle, and when rescuing people in urgency it should be gentle. The Odes say: 'How dare I fear to go; I fear I cannot hasten.' The Honglie Jie says: Deng Xi taught the people of Zheng to litigate, and those who litigated did not return together; Zichan executed him. Xu Shen says: Deng Xi was a champion of sophistical deceit, and Zichan executed him, and treachery then stopped. A tradition says: Si Zhuan of Zheng killed Deng Xi and used his bamboo penal code. Deng Xi wrote penal codes on bamboo and the state of Zheng used it, not discarding words because of the person.]. The opening word 'fu' (reading note: 'fu' is read as 'fu'): if inside one does not follow the teaching of father and elder brothers and outside one does not fear the guilt of punishment and law, even the Duke of Zhou and Zichan would surely fail to transform them. Now you hold every one of them to the officials; can the officials bind (reading note: 'fu' is read as 'fang' in the entering tone) their hands and feet and stop them from doing wrong?

賢良曰駟馬不馴【音廵】御者之過也百姓不治有司之罪也【主術訓曰人主之立法先自為檢式儀故令行於天下孔子曰其身正不令而行其身不正雖令不從故禁勝於身則令行於民矣今夫御者馬體調於車御心和於馬則歴險致逺進退周遊莫不如志雖有騏驥騄駬之良臧獲御之則馬反自恣而人弗能制矣故治者不貴其自是而貴其不得為非也故曰勿使可欲母曰弗求勿使可奪母曰不爭如此則人材釋而公道行矣聖主之治也其猶造父之御乎齊輯之於轡銜之際而急緩之於唇吻之和正度於胷臆之中而執節於掌握之間內得於心中外合於馬志是故能進退履繩而旋曲中規取道致逺而氣力有餘誠得其術也體離車輿之安而手失駟馬之心而能不危者古今未有也】春秋刺譏不及庻人責其率也故古者大夫將臨刑聲色不御刑以當矣猶三廵而嗟嘆之其恥不能以化而傷其不全也【王制曰刑者侀也侀者成也一成而不可變故君子盡心焉曽子曰上失其道民散久矣如得其情則哀矜而勿喜】政教闇而不著百姓顛蹶【音決】而不扶猶赤子臨井焉聽其入也若此則何以為民父母【康誥曰若保赤子孟子曰彼有取爾也赤子匍匐將入並非赤子之罪也又曰人皆有不忍人之心所以謂人皆有不忍人之心者今人乍見孺子將入於並皆有怵愓惻隱之心無惻隱之心非人也】故君子急於教緩於刑刑一而正百殺一而慎萬是以周公誅管蔡而子產誅鄧晳也【指武篇曰齊人王滿生見周公周公出見之曰先生逺辱何以教之王滿生曰言內事者於內言外事者於外今言內事乎言外事乎周公導入王滿生曰敬從布席周公不導坐王滿生曰言大事者坐言小事者倚今言大事乎言小事乎周公導坐王滿生坐周公曰先生何以教之王滿生曰臣聞聖人不言而知非聖人者雖言不知今欲言乎無言乎周公俛念有頃不對王滿生籍筆牘書之曰社稷且危傳之於膺周公仰視見書曰唯唯謹聞命矣明日誅管蔡呂氏春秋曰子產治鄭鄧晳務難之與民之有獄者約大獄一衣小獄襦袴民之獻衣襦袴而學訟者不可勝數以非為是以是為非是非無度而可與不可日變所欲勝因勝所欲罪因罪鄭國大亂民口讙譁子產患之於是殺鄧晳而戮之民心乃服是非乃定法令乃行汜論曰善賞者費少而勸眾善罰者刑省而奸禁故聖人因民之所喜而勸善因民之所惡以禁奸故賞一人而天下譽之罰一人而天下畏之故至賞不費至刑不濫孔子誅少正夘而魯國之邪塞子產誅鄧晳而鄭國之奸禁以近諭逺以小知大也】刑誅一施民遵禮義矣夫【音扶】上之化下若風之靡草無不從教何一一而縛之也【洩冶曰夫上之化下猶風靡草東風則草靡而西西風則草靡而東在風所由而草為之靡是故人君之動不可不慎也】

The Worthies said: When a team of four horses is not tame (reading note: 'xun' is read as 'xun'), it is the driver's fault; when the people are not well governed, it is the officials' crime [The 'Art of the Ruler' says: When a ruler establishes laws, he first makes himself the model and standard, so orders are carried out in the world. Confucius said: If one's own person is upright, orders are carried out without being given; if not upright, even with orders they are not followed. So when prohibitions first prevail over oneself, orders can be carried out among the people. If a driver has the horse's body in tune with the carriage and the driver's mind in harmony with the horses, then through danger and far distances, advancing, retreating, and circling, all go as intended; though there are fine horses like Qi and Ji, if a slave drives them, the horses go their own way and the man cannot control them. So one who governs does not value being right himself but values making it impossible for others to do wrong. So it is said: do not let desirable things be set out and then say not to seek them; do not let seizable things be set out and then say not to contend for them. In this way talent is released and the public way is practiced. Is the governing of a sage ruler not like Zaofu's driving? Uniformity lies at the junction of reins and bit, urgency and slowness lie in the harmony of the lips, correct measure lies in the breast, holding the rhythm lies in the grasp of the hands, inside gaining it in the heart and outside matching the horse's will, so he can advance and retreat on the line and turn and curve true to the compass, take roads and reach far with strength to spare; this is truly having the art. That one could leave the safety of the carriage and lose the heart of the four horses and yet not be in danger has never been seen from ancient times to the present.]. The Spring and Autumn Annals criticizes without reaching the commoners, blaming those who set the example. So in ancient times, when a grandee was about to face punishment, he did not take music or sensuous pleasure; once the punishment was fitting, he still inspected three times and sighed, ashamed that he had not been able to teach and transform and grieving that the person was not whole [The 'Royal Regulations' says: Punishment is completion, and completion is fixed form; once completed it cannot be changed, so the gentleman exerts his whole heart. Master Zeng said: When those above lose their Way, the people have been scattered for long; if you get their true circumstances, then be sorrowful and compassionate and do not rejoice.]. When governance and teaching are dim and not manifest, and the people stumble (reading note: 'jue' is read as 'jue') and no one helps them up, it is like a baby at the edge of a well, left to fall in; if so, what basis is there for being a parent of the people [The 'Announcement to Kang' says: Care for them as for a newborn. Mencius said: It is something one takes from it. A baby crawling about about to fall into a well is not the baby's fault. He also said: Everyone has a heart that cannot bear to see others suffer. So it is said everyone has a heart that cannot bear to see others suffer, because on suddenly seeing a child about to fall into a well, everyone has a feeling of alarm and compassion; without the heart of compassion, one is not a human being.]. So the gentleman is quick in teaching and slow in punishment, one punishment corrects a hundred, one execution makes ten thousand careful; hence the Duke of Zhou executed Guan and Cai and Zichan executed Deng Xi [The chapter 'Pointing to Martial Matters' says: Wang Mansheng of Qi called on the Duke of Zhou, and the Duke of Zhou came out and said to him: Master, you have condescended to come from afar; what will you teach me? Wang Mansheng said: Those who speak of inner matters are inside, those who speak of outer matters are outside; shall I speak of inner matters or outer? The Duke of Zhou led him in. Wang Mansheng said: I respectfully follow in laying out the mat. The Duke of Zhou did not guide him to sit. Wang Mansheng said: Those who speak of great matters sit, those who speak of small matters lean; shall I speak of great or small? The Duke of Zhou guided him to sit. Wang Mansheng sat. The Duke of Zhou said: Master, what will you teach me? Wang Mansheng said: I have heard that a sage knows without speaking, while one who is not a sage will not know though he speak; do you wish me to speak or not? The Duke of Zhou lowered his head and thought for a while and did not reply. Wang Mansheng took brush and tablet and wrote: The altars of the state are about to be in danger; keep it against the breast. The Duke of Zhou looked up and saw the writing and said: Yes, yes, I respectfully heed the command. The next day he executed Guan and Cai. The Annals of Lu says: When Zichan governed Zheng, Deng Xi was dedicated to opposing him; he made an agreement with those with lawsuits: for a major case give one garment, for a minor case give a jacket and trousers. The people who brought garments, jackets, and trousers to learn litigation were countless, making wrong right and right wrong, with no measure of right and wrong; what was allowed and not allowed changed daily; those who wanted to win won and those who wanted to be convicted were convicted. The state of Zheng fell into great disorder and the people's voices clamored. Zichan was troubled by it, and so he killed Deng Xi and exposed his body, and only then did the people's hearts submit, right and wrong were settled, and laws and decrees were carried out. The 'Discussion of Generalities' says: One good at rewarding spends little and encourages many; one good at punishing economizes on penalties and forbids treachery. So the sage encourages good according to what the people like and forbids treachery according to what the people hate; reward one person and the world praises it, punish one person and the world fears it. So the highest reward costs nothing and the highest punishment is not excessive. Confucius executed Shaozheng Mao and Lu's wickedness was blocked; Zichan executed Deng Xi and Zheng's treachery was forbidden; this is using the near to explain the far and the small to know the great.]. Once punishment and execution were carried out, the people followed ritual and righteousness. The opening word 'fu' (reading note: 'fu' is read as 'fu'): the transformation of those below by those above is like wind bending grass, none failing to follow the teaching; why must one bind them one by one [Xie Ye said: The transformation of those below by those above is like wind bending grass: an east wind makes the grass lean west, a west wind makes it lean east; the grass leans wherever the wind comes from. So a ruler's movements must be careful.].

大夫曰古之君子善善而惡【音汙】惡人君不畜惡民農夫不畜無用之苖【叢談曰父不能愛無益之子君不能愛不軌之民曹植曰唐堯至仁不能容無益之子湯武至聖不能養無益之臣】無用之苖苖之害也無用之民民之賊也鉏【音鋤】一害而眾苖成刑一惡而萬民説【音悅王符曰養稂莠者傷禾稼惠奸軌者賊良民管子曰先王者為民興利除害故天下之民歸之所謂興利者利農事者也所謂除害者禁害農者也兵略訓曰治國者若耨田去害苖者而已今沐者墮髪而猶為之不已以其所去者少所利者多也】雖周公孔子不能釋刑而用惡家之有鉏【音鋤】子器皿不居況鉏【音鋤】民乎【指武篇曰昔堯誅四防以懲惡周公殺管蔡以弭亂子產殺鄧晳以威侈孔子斬少正卯以變眾佞賊之人而不誅亂之道也易曰不威小不懲大此小人之福也】民者教於愛而聼刑故刑所以正民鉏【音鋤】所以別苖也【韓非子曰夫惜草茅者害禾穗惠盜賊者傷良民今緩刑罰行寛惠是利奸邪而害善人也此非所以為治也】

The Grand Secretary said: The gentlemen of old praised the good and hated (reading note: 'wu' is read as 'wu') the evil. A ruler does not raise evil people, and a farmer does not nurture useless seedlings [The Conglin says: A father cannot love a son who is of no benefit, and a ruler cannot love a people who do not keep the rules. Cao Zhi says: Tang Yao, supremely humane, could not tolerate sons of no benefit; Tang and Wu, supremely sage, could not support ministers of no benefit.]. Useless seedlings are a harm to the crop, and useless people are a bane to the people. Hoe (reading note: 'chu' is read as 'chu') away one harm and the many seedlings flourish; punish one evil and the ten thousand people rejoice [reading note: 'shuo' is read as 'yue'. Wang Fu says: Nurturing weeds harms the grain, and favoring the treacherous harms the good people. Guanzi says: The former kings brought benefit and removed harm for the people, so the people of the world turned to them. What is called bringing benefit is benefiting farming; what is called removing harm is forbidding what harms farming. The 'Military Strategies' says: One who governs a state is like one hoeing a field, merely removing what harms the seedlings. When washing one's hair one loses hairs yet still does not stop washing, because what is lost is little and what is gained is much.]. Even the Duke of Zhou and Confucius could not put down punishment and employ evil people. If a household has a son who should be hoed away, even the vessels cannot be kept in place; how much more a people who should be hoed away [The 'Pointing to Martial Matters' says: In the past Yao executed the Four Villains to punish evil, the Duke of Zhou killed Guan and Cai to quell disorder, Zichan killed Deng Xi to deter extravagance, and Confucius executed Shaozheng Mao to transform the multitude. To fail to execute flattering robbers is the road of disorder. The Changes says: Not to awe the small and not to punish the great is the fortune of petty people.]. The people are taught through love and heed punishment, so punishment is used to correct the people and the hoe is used to separate the seedlings [The Han Feizi says: Those who cherish weeds harm the grain, and those who favor robbers injure the good people. Now to slacken punishments and practice leniency benefits the treacherous and harms the good, and this is not the way to govern.].

賢良曰古者篤教以導民明闢以正刑刑之於治猶策之於御也良工不能無策而御有策而勿用聖人假法以成教教成而刑不施故威厲而不殺刑設而不犯【白虎通曰刑罰者五帝之鞭防也覽防訓曰鉗且大丙不施轡銜而以善御聞於天下伏戱女媧不設法度而以至徳遺於後世仲尼曰至刑無所用政至政無所用刑】今廢其紀綱而不能張壊其禮義而不能坊【古防字】民陷於罔從而獵之以刑是猶開其闌牢發以毒矢也不盡不止【詩傳曰孔子曰詩曰俾民不迷昔之君子道其百姓不使迷是以威厲而刑措不用也故形其仁義謹其教道使民目晰焉而見之使民耳晰焉而聞之使民心晰焉而知之則道不迷而民志不惑矣詩曰示我顯徳行故道義不易民不由也禮樂不明民不見也詩曰周道如砥其直如矢言其易也君子所履小人所視言其明也睠言顧之澘焉出涕哀其不聞禮教而就刑誅也夫散其本教而待之刑辟猶決其牢而發以毒矢也亦不哀乎故曰未可殺也昔者先王使民以禮譬之如御也刑者鞭防也今猶無轡銜而鞭防以御也欲馬之進則防其後欲馬之退則防其前御者以勞而馬亦多傷矣今猶此也上憂勞而民多罹刑詩曰人而無禮胡不遄死為上無禮則不免乎患為下無禮則不免乎刑上下無禮胡不遄死】曾子曰上失其道民散久矣如得其情則哀矜而勿喜夫【音扶】不傷民之不治而伐已之能得奸猶弋者覩鳥獸掛【音卦】罻【音尉】羅而喜也【孔融曰古者敦厖善否不別吏端刑清政無過失百姓有罪皆自取之末世凌遲風化壊亂政撓其俗法害其人故曰上失其道民散久矣而欲繩之以古刑投之以殘棄非所謂與時消息者也】今天下之被誅者不必有管蔡之邪鄧晳之偽恐苖盡而不別民欺而不治也孔子曰人而不仁疾之已甚亂也故民亂反之政政亂反之身身正而天下定【道應訓曰楚莊王問何曰治國奈何對曰何明於治身而不明於治國楚王曰寡人得立宗廟社稷願學所以守之何對曰臣未嘗聞身治而國亂者也未嘗聞身亂而國治者也故本任於身不敢對以末楚王曰善故老子曰修之身其徳乃真也】是以君子嘉善而矜不能恩及刑人徳潤窮夫施惠説【音悅】爾行刑不樂【音洛】也

The Worthies said: In ancient times people were guided by generous teaching and punishment was corrected by clear standards. Punishment in governance is like the whip in driving: a good craftsman cannot drive without a whip, but having a whip one may not use it; the sage borrows law to complete teaching, and when teaching is complete punishment is not applied, so he is stern but does not kill, and punishment is set up but not violated [The Baihu Tong says: Punishment is the whip of the Five Emperors. The 'Lan Ming Xun' says: Qian Qie and Da Bing did not apply reins and bit yet were known as good drivers in the world, and Fuxi and Nuwa did not set up laws and standards yet left supreme virtue to later ages. Zhongni said: The utmost punishment has no use for government, and the utmost government has no use for punishment.]. Now they have abandoned the bonds and cords and cannot set them up, ruined ritual and righteousness and cannot guard (an ancient form of 'fang') them, and when the people fall into the net they go further and use punishment to hunt them, like opening the pen and then shooting poison arrows until none is left [The Commentary on the Odes says: Confucius said: The Odes say, 'Do not let the people be misled.' The gentlemen of old guided their people so they were not misled, and so were stern but left punishment aside. So they showed their humaneness and righteousness and were careful about their teaching and guidance, so the people's eyes saw it clearly, their ears heard it clearly, and their hearts knew it clearly, and so the Way was not obscured and the people's aims were not confused. The Odes say: 'Show me the bright virtuous conduct.' So if the Way and righteousness are not made easy, the people do not follow them; if ritual and music are not made clear, the people do not see them. The Odes say: 'The road of Zhou is like a whetstone, straight as an arrow,' which speaks of its ease; 'what the gentleman treads, the petty man looks at,' which speaks of its clarity. 'Looking back toward it, the tears flow': this is grieving that they did not hear of ritual teaching and went to punishment and execution. To scatter their basic teaching and await them with punishments is like breaking open the pen and then shooting poison arrows; is it not also pitiable? So it is said they should not be killed. In the past the former kings employed the people by ritual, comparing it to driving; punishment is the whip. Now it is as if there are no reins or bit and one drives with a whip: wanting the horse to advance, one whips its rear, wanting the horse to retreat, one whips its front, so the driver is worn out and the horse is much injured. This is just how it is now: those above toil in worry and the people mostly suffer punishment. The Odes say: A person without ritual, why does he not die quickly? One above without ritual does not escape trouble, and one below without ritual does not escape punishment; when above and below lack ritual, why do they not die quickly?]. Master Zeng said: When those above lose their Way, the people have been scattered for long; if you get their true circumstances, then be sorrowful and compassionate and do not rejoice. The opening word 'fu' (reading note: 'fu' is read as 'fu'): not to grieve that the people are not well governed but to boast of being able to catch the treacherous is like a bird-hunter rejoicing on seeing birds and beasts hung (reading note: 'gua' is read as 'gua') on a net (reading note: 'wei' is read as 'wei') [Kong Rong says: In ancient times people were generous and large-hearted, good and not good were not distinguished, officials were upright and punishments clear, government had no faults, and when the people had guilt it was all of their own taking. In the later age, decline set in, customs and transformation were ruined and disordered, government bent its customs, and law harmed its people. So it is said that when those above lose their Way, the people have been scattered for long, yet to want to rein them in with ancient punishments and throw them away cruelly is not what is called waxing and waning with the times.]. Now those executed in the world do not necessarily have the wickedness of Guan and Cai or the falsehood of Deng Xi; one fears only that the seedlings are exhausted without being distinguished, and the people are deceived and cannot be governed. Confucius said: A person who is not humane, if hated too much, will cause disorder. So when the people are disordered, seek it back in government; when government is disordered, seek it back in oneself; when oneself is upright, the world is settled [The 'Dao Ying Xun' says: King Zhuang of Chu asked Zhan He (the base text's character here is obscure and lost in transcription; King Zhuang of Chu's asking Zhan He about governing the state is in the Huainanzi, 'Dao Ying Xun') what to do about governing the state. He answered: I understand governing myself but do not understand governing the state. The king of Chu said: I have been able to establish the ancestral temple and altars of the state and wish to learn how to keep them. Zhan He answered: I have never heard of one whose own person was governed while the state was in disorder, and never heard of one whose own person was disordered while the state was in order. So the root lies in oneself, and I dare not answer with the branches. The king of Chu said: Good. So Laozi said: Cultivate it in your person, and its virtue is genuine.]. Therefore the gentleman commends the good and pities the incapable, his grace reaches those under punishment and his virtue moistens the destitute; when he bestows favor he is glad (reading note: 'shuo' is read as 'yue'), and when he carries out punishment he is not happy (reading note: 'le' is read as 'luo').

大夫曰共其地居是世也非有災害疾疫獨以貧窮非惰則奢也無竒業旁入而猶以富給非儉則力也今曰施惠説【音悅】爾行刑不樂【音洛】則是閔無行【去聲】之人而養惰奢之民也故妄予不為惠惠惡者不為仁【韓非子曰無豐年旁入之利而獨以完給者非力則儉也無饑饉疾疚禍罪之殃獨以貧窮者非侈則惰也侈而惰者貧而力而儉者富今徴斂於富人以佈施於貧家是奪力儉而與侈惰也而欲民之力作而節用不可得也】

The Grand Secretary said: Those who live on the same land and live in the same age, with no disaster or plague yet who are poor alone, are either lazy or extravagant; those without unusual enterprise or side income yet who are still wealthy are either thrifty or industrious. Now to say that when bestowing favor one is glad (reading note: 'shuo' is read as 'yue') and when carrying out punishment one is not happy (reading note: 'le' is read as 'luo') is to pity people without conduct (reading note: 'xing' is read in the departing tone) and nurture a lazy and extravagant people. So giving at random is not favor, and favoring the wicked is not humaneness [The Han Feizi says: Those with no bumper harvest or side profit yet who are alone complete and sufficient are either diligent or thrifty; those without famine, illness, calamity, or crime yet who are alone poor are either extravagant or lazy. The extravagant and lazy are poor and the diligent and thrifty are rich. Now to levy on the rich to give to poor households is to seize from the diligent and thrifty to give to the extravagant and lazy, and to want people to work hard and economize in use cannot be obtained.].

賢良曰三代之盛無亂萌教也夏商之季世無順民俗也【韓非子曰夫堯生在上位雖十桀紂不能亂者勢治也桀紂亦生在上雖有十堯舜而不能治者勢亂也朱穆曰時敦俗美則小人守正利不可誘也時否俗薄雖君子為邪義不能止也楊恪曰堯舜之民可比屋而封桀紂之民可比屋而誅】是以王者設庠序明教化以坊【古防字】道其民及政教之洽性仁而喻善【詩曰皎皎練絲在所染之上智下愚謂之不移中庸之流要在教化儒林傳曰三代之道鄉里有教夏曰校殷曰庠周曰序勸學行禮崇化厲賢以風四方太平之原也】故禮義立則耕者讓於野禮義壊則君子爭於朝【音潮】人爭則亂亂則天下不均故或貧或富富則仁生澹【古贍字】則民爭止昏暮叩人門戶求水火貪夫不恡【音吝】何則所饒也夫【音扶】為政而使菽粟如水火民安有不仁者乎【韓非子曰夫山居而谷汲者膢臘而相遺以水澤居苦水者買庸而決竇故飢嵗之春幼弟不饟穰嵗之秋疏客必食非疏骨肉愛過客也多少之實異也是以古人易財也非仁也財多也今之爭奪非鄙也財寡也齊俗訓曰夫民有餘即讓不足則爭讓則禮義生爭則亂起扣門求水火莫弗與者所饒足也林中不賣薪湖上不鬻魚所有餘也故物豐則欲省求贍則爭止秦王之時或人葅子利不足也劉氏持政獨夫收孤財有餘也故世治則小人守政而利不能誘也世亂則君子為奸而法弗能禁也】

The Worthies said: That the flourishing of the Three Dynasties had no seeds of disorder was due to teaching and transformation; that at the end of Xia and Shang there were no obedient people was due to custom [The Han Feizi says: When Yao was in the high position, even ten Jies and Zhous could not cause disorder, because circumstance governed; when Jie and Zhou were also in the high position, even ten Yaos and Shuns could not govern, because circumstance was disordered. Zhu Mu says: When the time is sincere and customs fine, petty people keep to uprightness and profit cannot lure them; when the time is obstructed and customs thin, even gentlemen do wrong and righteousness cannot stop them. Yang Ke says: The people of Yao and Shun could be enfeoffed house by house, and the people of Jie and Zhou could be executed house by house.]. So kings established schools, made teaching and transformation clear, and used guard (an ancient form of 'fang') and guidance for their people. When government and teaching were in harmony, nature was humane and understanding of good [The Odes say: 'Bright white silk lies in what dyes it.' The highest wisdom and lowest folly are called unchangeable; those of the middle depend on teaching and transformation. The Biographies of the Confucian Forest says: The way of the Three Dynasties was that villages had teaching: the Xia called it xiao, the Yin xiang, the Zhou xu; encouraging learning and practicing ritual, honoring transformation and urging the worthy to bring wind to the four quarters is the source of great peace.]. So when ritual and righteousness are established, the plowman yields in the fields; when ritual and righteousness are ruined, the gentleman quarrels at court (reading note: 'chao' is read as 'chao'). When people quarrel there is disorder, and when there is disorder the world is unequal, so some are poor and some rich. When rich, humaneness arises; when provision (an ancient form of 'shan') is sufficient, the people's quarreling stops. At dusk one knocks on someone's door to ask for water and fire, and even a greedy man is not stingy (reading note: 'lin' is read as 'lin'); why? Because they are abundant. The opening word 'fu' (reading note: 'fu' is read as 'fu'): if in governing one could make beans and millet as plentiful as water and fire, how could the people not be humane [The Han Feizi says: Those who live on mountains and draw from valleys give each other water even at the winter sacrifice; those who live in marshes and suffer from water hire people to dig channels. So in a hungry year's spring one does not send provisions even to a young brother; in an abundant year's autumn one surely feeds a distant guest. It is not that one is distant from kin and fond of passing guests, but that the reality of much and little differs. So the ancients made light of wealth not from humaneness but because wealth was plentiful; the present quarrels and seizing are not from baseness but because wealth is scarce. The 'Qi Su Xun' says: When the people have surplus they yield, when not enough they quarrel; yielding gives rise to ritual and righteousness, quarreling brings violence (an obscure character in the base text, lost in transcription) and disorder. Knocking on a door for water and fire is never refused because there is abundance; in the forest firewood is not sold and on the lake fish are not sold because there is surplus. So when goods are abundant desires are few, and when provision is sought quarreling stops. In the time of the King of Qin, there were people who made their sons into meat paste, because profit was insufficient; when the Liu house held government, there were lone men who took in orphans, because wealth was in surplus. So when the age is well governed, petty people keep to uprightness and profit cannot lure them; when the age is disordered, gentlemen do wrong and law cannot stop them.].

大夫曰博戱馳逐之徒皆富人子弟非不足者也故民饒則僭侈富則驕奢坐而委【音逶】蛇【音迤】起而為非未見其仁也夫【音扶】居事不力用財不節雖有財如水火窮乏可立而待也有民不畜有司雖助之耕織其能足之乎

The Grand Secretary said: Those who gamble, play games, and race horses are all sons of the rich, not those in want. So when people are well off they are presumptuous and extravagant, and when rich they are arrogant and lavish; sitting they sprawl (reading notes: 'wei' is read as 'wei'; 'she' is read as 'yi'), and when they get up they do wrong; I have not seen their humaneness. The opening word 'fu' (reading note: 'fu' is read as 'fu'): if one does not work hard at one's tasks and does not economize in spending money, even with wealth as plentiful as water and fire, poverty and want can arrive at once. If there are people who do not store and accumulate, even if the officials help them farm and weave, can they be made sufficient?

賢良曰周公之相【去聲】成王也百姓饒樂【音洛】國無乏人非代之耕織也易其田疇薄其稅斂則民富矣上以奉君親下無飢寒之憂則教可成也【傳曰夫百姓內不乏食外不患寒則可教御以禮義矣】語曰既富矣又何加焉曰教之以徳齊之以禮則民從義而從善莫不入孝出悌夫【音扶】何奢侈暴慢之有【孔子曰夫民教之以徳齊之以禮則民有格心教之以政齊之以刑則民有遯心故君民者子以愛之則民親之信以結之則民不倍防以涖之則民有孫心甫刑曰苖民匪用命制以刑惟作五虐之刑曰法是以民有惡徳而遂絶其世也】管子曰倉廩實而知禮節百姓足而知榮辱故民易與適禮難與適道

The Worthies said: When the Duke of Zhou served as chancellor (reading note: 'xiang' is read in the departing tone) to King Cheng, the people were abundant and happy (reading note: 'le' is read as 'luo'), and the state had no lack of men; it was not that he farmed and wove for them. If one makes their fields easy to work and lightens their taxes, the people become rich. Above they serve ruler and parents, below they have no worry of hunger and cold, and teaching can then succeed [A tradition says: When the people do not lack food within and do not worry about cold outside, they can be guided by ritual and righteousness.]. A saying goes: Once they are rich, what is added? It says: Teach them with virtue and regulate them with ritual, and the people follow righteousness and follow the good, all entering to be filial and going out to be brotherly. The opening word 'fu' (reading note: 'fu' is read as 'fu'): where would there still be extravagance and arrogance [Confucius said: As for the people, if you teach them by virtue and regulate them by ritual, they have a heart that comes to the standard; if you teach them by government and regulate them by punishment, they have a heart to evade. So one who rules the people, loving them as a son will make the people close to him; binding them with trust, the people will not turn away; approaching them with respect (the base text writes a lost character here; per the Book of Rites, 'Ziyi,' 'approach them with respect and the people have a heart of deference'), the people will have a heart of humility. The 'Punishments of Fu' says: The people of Miao did not obey commands; they were controlled by punishment, and only the five cruel punishments were made and called law, so the people had evil virtue and in the end their line was cut off.]. Guanzi said: When granaries are full one knows ritual and restraint, and when the people are sufficient one knows honor and disgrace. So it is easy to take the people to ritual, and hard to take them to the Way.

大夫曰縣官之於百姓若慈父之於子也忠焉能勿誨乎愛之能勿勞乎故春親耕以勸農賑貸以澹【古贍字】不足通滀【音畜】水出輕系使民務時也防恩被澤而至今猶以貧困其難與適道若是夫【音扶】

The Grand Secretary said: The government's relation to the people is like a loving father's to his son. How could he, being loyal, not instruct them? How could he, loving them, not make them toil? So in spring he personally plows to encourage farming, relieves and lends to supply (an ancient form of 'shan') the insufficient, opens up stored (reading note: 'chu' is read as 'xu') water, releases prisoners with light crimes, and lets the people attend to the farming season. Having received favor and grace, yet to be still poor to this day, how hard it is to take them to the Way (reading note: 'fu' is read as 'fu').

賢良曰古者春省耕以補不足秋省斂以助不給民勤於財則貢賦省民勤於力則功業牢為【去聲】民愛力不奪須臾故召伯聼斷於甘棠之下為妨農業之務也【傳曰昔者周道之盛召伯在朝有司請營邵以居召伯曰嗟以吾一身而勞百姓此非吾先君文王之志也於是出而就蒸庻於阡陌隴畆之間而聼斷焉召伯暴處逺野廬於樹下百姓大悅耕桑者倍力以勸於是嵗大稔民給家足其後在位者驕奢不恤元元稅賦繁數百姓睏乏耕桑失時於是詩人見召伯之所休息樹下美而歌之詩曰蔽茀甘棠勿剪勿伐召伯所苃此之謂也貴徳篇曰聖人之於天下百姓也其猶赤子乎飢者則食之寒者則衣之將之養之育之長之唯恐其不至於大也詩曰蔽芾甘棠勿剪勿伐召伯所苃傳曰自陜以東者周公主之自陜以西者召公主之召公述職當桑蠶之時不欲變民事故不入邑中舍於甘棠之下而聼斷焉陝間之人皆得其所是故後世思而歌詠之善之故言之言之不足故嗟嘆之嗟嘆之不足故歌詠之夫詩思然後積積然後滿滿然後發發由其道而致其位焉百姓嘆其美而致其敬甘棠之不伐也政教惡乎不行孔子曰吾於甘棠見宗廟之敬也甚尊其人必敬其位順安萬物古聖之道幾哉仁人之徳教也誠惻隱於中悃愊於內不能已於其心故其治天下也如救溺人】今時雨澍【音樹】澤【澍時雨生萬物也】種懸而不得播秋稼零落乎野而不得收田疇赤地而停落成市發春而後懸青幡【音番】而防土牛殆非明主勸耕稼之意而春令之所謂也

The Worthies said: In ancient times in spring they inspected the plowing to supplement shortages, and in autumn they inspected the harvest to help those who lacked. When the people are diligent with wealth, tribute and taxes are light; when the people are diligent with strength, works and achievements are firm. For (reading note: 'wei' is read in the departing tone) the people, they cherished their strength and did not take even a moment of it, so the Elder of Shao heard and decided cases beneath the sweet pear tree, for fear of hindering the work of farming [A tradition says: In the past, when the Way of Zhou flourished, the Elder of Shao was at court, and the officials asked to build a residence at Shao for him to live in. The Elder of Shao said: Alas, to burden the people for my one person is not the will of my late ruler King Wen. So he went out and went among the common people in the fields and lanes to hear and decide cases. The Elder of Shao was exposed in the remote wilds, living in a hut under a tree, and the people were greatly pleased, and those who plowed and tended mulberry exerted double effort; so the year was greatly abundant and people were supplied and households sufficient. Afterward those in office were arrogant and extravagant, did not care for the common people, taxes were frequent, the people were in want, and plowing and mulberry-tending lost their season. So the poet saw the tree where the Elder of Shao had rested, praised it and sang. The Odes say: 'Lush is the sweet pear; do not trim it, do not fell it; the Elder of Shao camped here.' This is what that means. The chapter 'Valuing Virtue' says: The sage's relation to the people of the world is like that to a newborn, is it not? The hungry he feeds, the cold he clothes, he leads and nourishes them, raises and brings them up, fearing only that they do not grow great. The Odes say: 'Lush is the sweet pear; do not trim it, do not fell it; the Elder of Shao camped here.' A tradition says: East of Shan the Duke of Zhou governed, west of Shan the Duke of Shao governed. The Duke of Shao reported on his duties at just the silkworm season and did not wish to change the people's work, so he did not enter the town and lodged beneath the sweet pear tree to hear and decide cases. The people between Shan all got what they needed, so later ages remembered him and sang of him. They found him good, so they spoke of him; speaking not being enough, they sighed; sighing not being enough, they sang. A poem is thought, then accumulated, then full, then released; releasing follows its way and reaches its place. The people sighed at his excellence and paid him respect; as the sweet pear was not felled, how could government and teaching not be carried out? Confucius said: In the sweet pear I see the reverence of the ancestral temple. When one deeply honors a person one must respect his place; to accord with and settle the myriad things is close to the Way of the ancient sages. The virtuous teaching of a humane person is truly compassion within and sincerity within, which cannot be stopped in his heart, so his governing the world is like rescuing a drowning person.]. Now the seasonal rain waters the land (shu: the seasonal rain gives life to the myriad things), but the seed is held up and cannot be sown, autumn crops fall scattered in the fields and cannot be harvested, the fields are bare earth, the fallen grain has become a marketplace, and only after the beginning of spring do they hang green banners (reading note: 'fan' is read as 'fan') and set out (the base text writes a lost character here; per the Book of Later Han, 'Treatise on Ritual,' at the start of spring 'set up green banners and set out the earth ox') the earth ox, which is probably not the intent of an enlightened ruler's encouraging farming and not what the spring ordinances say.

大夫曰禹湯聖主后稷伊尹賢相【去聲】也而有水旱之災水旱天之所為飢穰隂陽之運也非人力故太嵗之數在陽為旱在隂為水【天文訓曰八尺之景修徑尺五寸景脩則隂氣勝景短則陽氣勝隂氣勝則為水陽氣勝則為旱】六嵗一飢十二嵗一荒天道固然殆非獨有司之罪也

The Grand Secretary said: Yu and Tang were sage rulers, and Hou Ji and Yi Yin were worthy chancellors (reading note: 'xiang' is read in the departing tone), yet there were still floods and droughts. Floods and droughts are the doing of Heaven, and famine and abundance are the turn of yin and yang, not the work of human strength. So in the numbers of the Jupiter cycle, in yang years there is drought and in yin years there are floods [The 'Tianwen Xun' says: With an eight-foot gnomon, the shadow's length is about one foot five inches. When the shadow is long, yin qi prevails; when the shadow is short, yang qi prevails; when yin qi prevails there are floods, and when yang qi prevails there is drought.]. A famine every six years and a lean year every twelve years is simply the way of Heaven, and is probably not the fault of the officials alone.

賢良曰古者政有徳則隂陽調星辰理風雨時故循行於內聲聞於外為善於下福應於天【亢倉子楚曰水隂沴也隂於國政類刑人事類私旱陽過也陽於國政類徳人事類盈楚以為凡遭水旱天子宜正刑修徳百官宜去私戒盈則以類而消百福日至矣】周公載紀而天下太平國無夭傷嵗無荒年當此之時雨不破塊風不鳴條旬而一雨雨必以夜無丘陵髙下皆熟【傳曰國無道則飄風厲疾暴雨折木隂陽錯氛夏寒冬溫春熱秋榮日月無光星辰錯行民多疾病國多不祥群生不夀而五穀不登當成周之時隂陽調寒暑平群生遂萬物寧故曰其風治其樂連其驅馬舒其民依依其行遲遲其意好好董仲舒曰太平之世則風不鳴條開甲散萌而已雨不破塊潤葉津莖而已雷不驚人令啟發而已電不目宣示光耀而已霧不寒望浸滛被泊而已雪不封條凌殄毒害而已雲則五色而為慶三色而成矞露則結味而成甘結潤而成膏此聖人之在上則隂陽和風雨時也論衡曰太平瑞應山出車澤出馬男女異路市無二價耕者讓畔斑白不提挈關梁不閉道不擄掠風不鳴條雨不破塊五日一風十日一雨尚書大傳曰成王時越裳重譯而來朝曰久矣天之無烈風迅雨意中國有聖人乎】詩曰有渰【音掩】萋萋興雨祁祁今不省具所然而曰隂陽之運也非所聞也孟子曰野有餓殍不知收也狗豕食人食不知檢也為民父母民飢而死則曰非我也嵗也何異乎以刃殺之則曰非我也兵也方今之務在除飢寒之患罷鹽鐡退權利分土地趣本業養桑麻盡地力也寡功節用則民自富如是則水旱不能憂凶年不能累也【周書曰天有四殃水旱饑荒其至無時非務積聚何以脩之夏箴曰小人無兼年之食遇天飢妻子非其有也大夫無兼年之食遇天飢臣妾輿馬非其有也戒之哉弗思弗行至無日矣不明開塞禁舍者其如天下何人各修其學而尊其名聖人制之故諸橫生盡以養從生從生盡以養一文夫無殺夭胎無伐不成材無墮四時】

The Worthies said: In ancient times when government had virtue, yin and yang were in tune, the stars and planets were in order, and wind and rain were timely; so virtue practiced within and reputation heard without, goodness done below and blessings responding from Heaven [Kangcangzi of Chu said: Floods are yin excess; yin in state governance is akin to punishment and in human affairs akin to selfishness. Drought is yang excess; yang in state governance is akin to virtue and in human affairs akin to fullness. Chu thought that in every flood or drought, the Son of Heaven should correct punishments and cultivate virtue, and the hundred officials should drop selfishness and guard against fullness, and then by kinds they would dissipate and a hundred blessings would arrive daily.]. When the Duke of Zhou held the cords, the world was at great peace, the state had no early deaths or injuries, and the years had no famines. At that time rain did not break clods, wind did not make branches sound, there was one rain in ten days, rain surely came at night, and whether on hills or low land all ripened [A tradition says: When a state lacks the Way, whirlwinds are fierce and swift, violent rain breaks trees, yin and yang are disordered, summer is cold and winter warm, spring hot and autumn blooming, the sun and moon lack light, the stars and planets move wrongly, the people are often ill, the state has many ill omens, living beings do not reach old age, and the five grains do not ripen. In the time of Cheng and Zhou, yin and yang were in tune, cold and heat were even, living beings flourished, and the myriad things were at peace. So it is said: their wind was well-ordered, their music joined, their driven horses relaxed, their people contented, their conduct leisurely, their intentions fine. Dong Zhongshu said: In a world of great peace, the wind does not make the branches sound but only opens shells and disperses sprouts; rain does not break clods but only moistens leaves and fluids of stems; thunder does not startle people but only awakens and inspires; lightning does not dazzle the eyes but only displays brilliance; mist does not chill the view but only soaks and settles; snow does not seal the branches but only subdues poisons and harms; clouds are five-colored and make auspiciousness and three-colored and make glow; dew congeals in flavor and becomes sweet and congeals in moisture and becomes fat. This is when a sage is above, yin and yang are harmonious and wind and rain timely. Wang Chong's Lunheng says: The auspicious signs of great peace: mountains produce carts, marshes produce horses, men and women take different roads, markets have no double prices, plowmen yield field boundaries, the gray-haired do not carry loads, passes and bridges are not closed, roads are free of plunder, wind does not make the branches sound, rain does not break clods, wind once in five days, rain once in ten days. The Shangshu Dazhuan says: In King Cheng's time the Yuechang came to court through repeated translation and said: It has been long; Heaven has had no fierce wind or swift rain; perhaps there is a sage in China?]. The Odes say: 'Clouds gather thick and dense, and rain falls in a gentle, steady fall.' Now they do not examine why it is so but say it is the turn of yin and yang, which is not what I have heard. Mencius said: In the wilds there are the starved dead and no one knows to collect them; dogs and pigs eat people's food and no one knows to check them. A parent of the people, when the people die of hunger, says it is not me, it is the harvest; how does this differ from killing a man with a knife and saying it is not me, it is the weapon? The task of the present lies in removing the trouble of hunger and cold: abolish the salt and iron monopolies, withdraw from seeking power and profit, distribute land, urge the basic occupation, nurture mulberry and hemp, and exhaust the strength of the land. Reduce labor and economize in use, and the people will enrich themselves. If so, floods and droughts cannot cause worry and lean years cannot burden us [The Book of Zhou says: Heaven has four calamities: flood, drought, hunger, and famine, which arrive at no fixed time; without striving to accumulate, with what does one guard against them? The Xia Zhen says: A petty man who has no more than a year's food, when meeting a Heaven-sent famine, his wife and children are no longer his; a grandee who has no more than a year's food, when meeting a Heaven-sent famine, his servants, concubines, carriages, and horses are no longer his. Take warning! If one does not think and does not act, it will arrive without a day to spare. Those who do not understand opening and closing, forbidding and releasing, what will they do about the world? Each person cultivates his learning and honors his name; the sage regulates it, so all those who grow horizontally are used to nourish those who grow vertically, and all those who grow vertically are used to nourish one man. Do not kill the young or embryos, do not fell what has not become timber, and do not ruin the four seasons.].