Yan Tie Lun (鹽鐵論) · Volume 22

大夫曰議者貴其辭約而指明可於眾人之聼不至繁文稠辭多言害有司化俗之計而家人語陶朱為生本末異徑一家數事而治生之道乃備今縣官鑄【音注】農器使民務本不營於末則無飢寒之累鹽鐵何害而罷

The Grand Secretary said: Those who debate value brevity of words and clarity of meaning, so that it can enter the hearing of the multitude and not reach profuse writings and dense phrases. Excessive talk hinders the officials' plan to transform customs, while what the family says is: Tao Zhu made his living such that the root and the branch took different paths, with several undertakings in one household, so the way of making a living was complete. Now the government casts (reading note: 'zhu' is read as 'zhu') farm tools so that the people devote themselves to the root and do not run after the branches, and then there is no burden of hunger and cold. What harm is there in salt and iron that they should be abolished?

賢良曰農天下之大業也鐵器民之大用也器用便利則用力少而得作多農夫樂【音洛】事勸功用不具則田疇荒谷不殖用力鮮功自半器便與不便其功相什而倍也縣官鼔鑄【音注】鐵器大抵多為大器務應員程不給民用民用鈍割草不痛是以農夫作劇【音極】得獲者少百姓苦之矣

The Worthies said: Farming is the great enterprise of the world, and iron tools are the people's great use. When tools are convenient, little effort yields much work, and farmers delight (reading note: 'le' is read as 'luo') in the task and are encouraged in their work; when implements are not complete, the fields are wasted and grain is not grown, little effort is applied and the result is only half. Whether tools are convenient or not, the results differ by tenfold. The government casts (reading note: 'zhu' is read as 'zhu') iron tools, mostly large ones, just to meet the quota and not to supply the people's use; the people's tools are dull and worn (an obscure character in the base text, lost in transcription), cutting grass is not sharp, so farmers work hard (reading note: 'ju' is read as 'ji') and gain little, and the people suffer.

大夫曰卒徒工匠以縣官日作公事財用饒器用備家人合會褊於日而勤於用鐵力不銷鏈堅柔不和故有司請總鹽鐵一其用平其賈【通作價】以便百姓公私雖虞夏之為治不易於此吏明其教工緻其事則剛柔和器用便此則百姓何苦而農夫何疾

The Grand Secretary said: The soldiers, laborers, and craftsmen follow the government's daily schedule in public work, so resources are ample and tools complete; when family members work together, the days are tight and expenses frequent, and the iron is not smelted thoroughly and its hardness and softness are not harmonized. So the officials requested to take charge of salt and iron, unify their use, and equalize the price (the base text's 'gu' is equated with 'price') for the convenience of the people. Public and private, even the governance of Yu and Xia did not alter this. If the officials make their instruction clear and the craftsmen perfect their work, then hard and soft are in harmony and tools are convenient; what suffering is there for the people and what illness for the farmers?

賢良曰卒徒工匠故民得占【去聲】租鼓鑄【音注】煮鹽之時鹽與五穀同賈【通作價】器和利而中用今縣官作鐡器多苦惡【臣瓉曰謂作鐵器民患苦其不好也顔師古曰鹽既味苦器又脆惡故總雲苦惡也】用費不省卒徒煩而力作不盡家人相一父子戮力各務為善器器不善者不集農事急挽【音挽】運衍之阡陌之間民相與市買得以財貨五穀新弊易貨或貰【音世】民不棄作業置田器各得所欲更繇【音遙】省約縣官以徒復作繕【音善】治道橋諸發民便之今總其原一其賈【通作價】器多堅防【音坑】善惡無所擇吏數不在器難得家人不能多儲多儲則鎮生棄膏腴【音於】之日逺市田器則後良時鹽鐡賈【通作價】貴百姓不便貧民或木耕手耨土耰啖【音談】食鐵官賣器不售【音夀】或頗賦於民卒徒作不中【去聲】程時命助之發徴無限更繇以均劇故百姓疾苦之古者千室之邑百乗【去聲】之家陶冶工商四民之求足以相更故農民不離畦畆而足乎田器工人不斬伐而足乎陶冶不耕田而足乎粟米百姓各得其便而上無事焉【司馬遷曰古者四民因其土宜各在智力夙興夜寐以治其業相與通功易事交利而俱贍非有徴發期會而逺近鹹足故易曰後以財成天地之道輔相天地之宜以左右民備物致用立成器以為天下利莫大乎聖人此之謂也】是以王者務本不作末去【音縣】燿【音耀】除雕琢湛民以禮示民以檏是以百姓務本不營於末【管子曰凡民從上也不從口之所言從情之所好者也故上之所好民必甚焉是故明君知民之必以上為心也故置法以自治立儀以自正也傳曰聖人不滛佚侈靡者非鄙夫色而愛財用也夏不數浴非愛水也冬不頻湯非愛火也不髙臺榭非無土木也不大鐘鼎非無金錫也直行情性之所安而制度可以為天下法矣昔者舜甑盆無羶而下不以餘獲罪飯乎土簋啜乎土型而農不以力獲罪麑衣而防領而女不以巧獲罪傳曰易簡而天下之理得也韓非子曰君無見其所欲見其所欲臣將自雕琢君無見其意君見其意臣將自表異故曰去好去惡臣乃見素去舊去智臣乃自備】

The Worthies said: In the days when soldiers, laborers, and craftsmen, and when the people were allowed to lease (reading note: 'zhan' is read in the departing tone) the casting (reading note: 'zhu' is read as 'zhu') and boiling of salt, salt and the five grains were the same price (the base text's 'gu' is equated with 'price'), and tools were harmonious and profitable and fit for use. Now the government makes iron tools mostly bitter and bad [Chen Zan says: This says that in making iron tools, the people suffer from their being bad. Yan Shigu says: Salt is bitter in taste and tools are also brittle and bad, so together they are called bitter and bad.], expenses are not reduced, and soldiers and laborers are troubled and their work is not fully done. Families are of one mind with each other, fathers and sons exert effort together, each striving to make good tools, and tools that are not good are not gathered together. When farm work is urgent, they pull (reading note: 'wan' is read as 'wan') and carry them out to the fields, and the people trade with each other, getting goods and the five grains in exchange old or new, or on credit (reading note: 'shi' is read as 'shi'), the people do not abandon their work, they obtain farm tools each as they wish, and corvee service is reduced. When the government uses laborers to repair (reading note: 'shan' is read as 'shan') roads and bridges, all levies on the people are felt as convenient. Now the source is controlled and the price made uniform (the base text's 'gu' is equated with 'price'), tools are mostly hard and rough (the base text writes a lost character here, with a note giving the sound 'keng', i.e., the 'keng' of rough hardness), and good and bad cannot be selected. Officials are often not there and tools are hard to obtain; families cannot stock up, and stocking up leads to rust and loses the days of fertile (reading note: 'yu' is read as 'yu') land; going to distant markets for farm tools misses the good time. The price of salt and iron (the base text's 'gu' is equated with 'price') is high and the people are inconvenienced; poor people sometimes plow with wood and weed by hand and eat food hacked from clods (reading note: 'dan' is read as 'tan'). When iron officials sell tools and they do not sell (reading note: 'shou' is read as 'shou'), they are often apportioned to the people; soldiers and laborers whose work does not meet (reading note: 'zhong' is read in the departing tone) the standard are repeatedly ordered to give additional service, levies are unlimited, and corvee is distributed by hardship, so the people suffer. In ancient times a town of a thousand households and a house of a hundred chariots (reading note: 'cheng' is read in the departing tone) had pottery, smelting, crafts, and commerce, and the needs of the four classes of people could be supplied by taking turns, so farmers did not leave their plots yet were sufficient in farm tools, craftsmen did not fell trees yet were sufficient in pottery and smelting, and without plowing they were sufficient in grain, and the people each got their convenience and those above had no trouble [Sima Qian says: In ancient times the four classes of people followed what their land was suited for, each exhausted his wisdom and strength, rose early and slept late to attend to his work, and together exchanged work and traded tasks, sharing benefit and all being supplied, not because of levies and appointed times were all, near and far, sufficient. So the Changes says: The ruler completes the Way of Heaven and Earth with wealth and assists what Heaven and Earth find fitting in order to support the people. Preparing things to make them useful and establishing implements to benefit the world, no one is greater than the sage. This is what that means.]. Therefore a king devotes himself to the root and not the branches, removes glitter (reading notes: 'xuan' is read as 'xian'; 'yao' is read as 'yao') and ornament, eliminates carving and polishing, steeps the people in ritual and shows the people simplicity, and so the people devote themselves to the root and do not run after the branches [Guanzi says: In general the people follow those above and not what their mouths say, following what their feelings like. So what those above like, the people surely like even more. So an enlightened ruler knows the people will surely take their cue from those above, and so sets up laws to govern himself and establishes standards to correct himself. A tradition says: The sage is not licentious and extravagant, not because he despises beauty and cherishes wealth. He does not bathe frequently in summer not because he spares water, nor frequently heat water in winter not because he spares fire, does not build high terraces not because he has no earth and wood, and does not make great bells and tripods not because he has no metal and tin; he simply directly follows what his nature is at ease with, and his institutions can become law for the world. In the past Shun used earthenware steamers and basins without any strong smell, and below him no one was guilty for surplus; he ate from earthen bowls and sipped from earthen molds, and farmers were not guilty for their effort; he wore a fawn-skin robe with twisted collar (the base text writes a lost character; per the Hanshi Waizhuan, vol. 3, 'a fawn-skin robe with twisted collar'), and women were not guilty for their skill. A tradition says: Through ease and simplicity the principles of the world are obtained. The Han Feizi says: A ruler should not show what he desires; if the ruler shows what he desires, ministers will carve themselves; the ruler should not show his intent; if the ruler shows his intent, ministers will display themselves as different. So it is said: drop likes and dislikes, and then ministers show their plain selves; drop the old and wisdom, and then ministers prepare themselves.].

大夫曰飾几杖修樽俎為【去聲】賔非為【去聲】主也【音縣】燿【音耀】竒怪所以陳四夷非為【去聲】民也夫【音扶】家人有客尚有倡優竒變之樂而況縣官乎故列羽旄陳戎馬以示威武竒蟲珍怪所以示懐廣逺明徳逺國莫不至也

The Grand Secretary said: Decorating stools and staffs and arranging wine vessels and sacrificial stands is for (reading note: 'wei' is read in the departing tone) guests and not for (reading note: 'wei' is read in the departing tone) the host; showing off (reading notes: 'xuan' is read as 'xian'; 'yao' is read as 'yao') strange things is to display them to the four barbarians and not for (reading note: 'wei' is read in the departing tone) the people. The opening word 'fu' (reading note: 'fu' is read as 'fu'): if even a household with a guest has the music of entertainers and wonders, how much more the government? So they display feathers and ox-tails and set out war horses to show martial might, and rare insects and wonders are used to show leniency toward the far-off and manifest virtue, so that no distant state fails to come.

賢良曰王者崇禮施徳上【通作尚】仁義而賤怪力故聖人絶而不言孔子曰言忠信行【去聲】篤敬雖蠻貊之邦不可棄也今萬方絶國之君奉贄【音至】獻者懐天子之盛徳而欲觀中國之禮儀故設明堂辟雍以示之干鏚昭雅頌以風【去聲】之今乃玩好【去聲】不用之器竒蟲不畜之獸角抵諸戲【音縣】燿【音耀】之物陳誇【通作誇】之殆與周公待逺方殊【刑法志曰春秋之後滅弱吞小併為戰國稍增講武之禮以為戱樂用相誇視而秦更名角抵先王之禮沒於滛樂中矣應劭曰角者角技也抵者相牴觸也文頴曰抵當也名此樂為角抵者兩兩相當角力角技藝御射故名角抵蓋雜技樂也巴俞戲魚龍蔓延之屬也顔師古曰耀之物人也相詐惑也讀與幻同其術本從西域來即今吞刀吐火植種樹屠人戮馬之術皆是也漢紀曰元封三年春作角抵戲以享外國朝獻者三百餘里內人皆觀張騫傳曰是時上方數廵狩海上廼悉從外國客大都多人過之則散財帛賞賜厚具饒給之以覽視漢富厚焉大角抵出竒戱諸恠物多聚觀者行賞賜酒池肉林令外國客徧觀名倉庫府藏之積欲以見漢廣大傾駭之及加其者之工而角抵竒戱嵗增變其益興自此始而外國使更來更去大宛以西皆自恃逺尚驕恣未可詘以禮羈縻而使也】昔周公處謙以卑士執禮以治下天下辭越裳之贄【音至】見恭讓之禮既與入文王之廟是見大孝之禮也【風俗通曰越裳重九譯獻白雉周公薦陳祖廟曰先人之徳有天下尊歸於父此人道之極也】目覩威儀干鏚之容耳聼清歌雅頌之聲心充至徳欣然以歸此四夷所以慕義內附非重譯【音亦】狄鞮【音低】來觀猛獸熊羆也【狄鞮西方之民也】夫【音扶】犀象兕虎南夷之所多也騾【音蘆】驢【音離】馲【音托】駞【音跎】北狄之常畜也中國所鮮【上聲】外國賤之南越以孔雀珥【音二】門戶崑山之旁以玉璞抵烏鵲今貴人之所賤珍人之所饒非所以厚中國明盛德也隋和之名寳也而不能安危存亡故喻徳示威惟賢臣良相【去聲】不在犬馬珍怪是以聖王以賢為寳不以珠玊為寳【雜事篇曰齊宣王與魏惠王防田於郊魏王曰亦有寳乎齊王曰無有魏王曰若寡人之小國也尚有徑寸之珠照車前後十二乗者十枚奈何以萬乗之國無寳乎齊王曰寡人之所以為寳與王異吾臣有檀子者使之守南城則楚人不敢為冦泗水上有十二諸侯皆來朝吾臣有盼子者使之守髙唐則趙人不敢東漁於河吾臣有黔夫者使之守徐州則燕人祭北門趙人祭西門從而歸之者十千餘家吾臣有種首者使之備盜賊而道不拾遺吾將以照千里之外豈特十二乗哉魏王慙不懌而去詩曰辭之懌矣民之莫矣反質篇曰經侯徃適魏太子左帯羽玊具劔右帯環佩左光照右右光照左坐有頃太子不視也又不問也經侯曰魏國亦有寳乎太子曰有經侯曰其寳何如太子曰主信臣忠百姓上戴此魏之寳也經侯曰吾所問者非是之謂也乃問其器而已太子曰有徒師沼治魏而市無預賈郄辛治陽而道不拾遺芒卯在朝而四鄰賢士無不相因而見此三大夫乃魏國之大寳於是經侯黙然不應左觧玉具右觧環佩委之坐愆然而起黙然不謝趨而出上車驅去魏太子使騎操劔佩逐與經侯使告經侯曰吾無徳所寳不能為珠玉所守此寒不可衣飢不可食無為遺我賊於是經侯杜門不出傳死雜事篇曰秦欲伐楚使使者徃觀楚之寳器楚王聞之召令尹子西而問焉曰秦欲觀楚之寳器吾和氏之璧隨侯之珠可以示諸令尹子西對曰不知也召昭奚恤而問焉昭奚恤對曰此欲觀吾國得失而圖之不在寳器在賢臣珠玉玩好之物非寳重者王遂使昭奚恤應之昭奚恤發精兵三百人陳於西門之內為東面之壇一為南面之壇四為西面之壇一秦使者至昭奚恤曰君客也請就上位東面令尹子西南面太宗子敖次之葉公子髙次之司馬子反次之昭奚恤自居西面之壇稱曰客欲觀楚國之寳器楚國之所寳者賢臣也理百姓實倉廩使民各得其所令尹子西在此奉珪璧使諸侯觧忿悁之難交兩國之歡使無兵革之憂太宗子敖在此守封疆謹境界不侵鄰國鄰國亦不見侵葉公子髙在此理師旅整兵戎以當疆敵提抱鼓以動百萬之眾所使皆趨湯火蹈白刃出萬死不顧一生之難司馬子反在此懐覇王之餘議攝治亂之遺風昭奚恤在此唯大國之所觀秦使者戄然無以對昭奚恤遂揖而去秦使者反言於秦君曰楚多賢臣未可謀也遂不伐楚詩云濟濟多士文王以寧斯之謂也語曰黃金累千不如一賢】昔晏子修之罇爼之間而折沖乎千里【髙誘曰沖車所以沖突敵之軍能陷破之也有道之國不可攻伐使欲攻已者折還其沖車於千里之外不敢來也晏子春秋曰晉平公欲伐齊使範昭徃觀焉景公賜之酒酒酣範昭曰願請君之樽酌公曰酌寡人之樽進之於客範昭已飲晏子曰徹樽更之罇觶具矣範昭佯醉不悅而起舞謂太師曰能為我調成周之樂乎吾為子舞之太師曰冥臣不習範昭趨而出景公謂晏子曰晉大國也使人來將觀吾政也今子怒大國之使者將奈何晏子曰夫範昭之為人非陋而不識禮也且欲試吾君臣故絶之也景公謂太師曰子何以不為客調成周之樂乎太師對曰夫成周之樂天子之樂也若調之必人主舞之今範昭人臣也而欲舞天子之樂臣故不為也範昭歸以告平公曰齊未可伐也臣欲試其君而晏子識之臣欲犯其禮而太師知之仲尼聞之曰夫不出於樽爼之間而知千里之外其晏子之謂也可謂折沖矣而太師其與焉】不能者雖隋和滿篋【音怯】無益於存亡【隋和謂隋侯之珠和氏之璧也】

The Virtuous and Good said: A true king honors ritual and bestows virtue, esteems benevolence and righteousness and despises the strange and the strong-man feats, so the sages cut them off and did not speak of them. Confucius said: speak with loyalty and trustworthiness and act with sincerity and reverence, and even in the lands of barbarians one will not be abandoned. Now when rulers from every quarter and distant states present tribute and offerings, they cherish the Son of Heaven's great virtue and wish to see the ritual of China, so he sets up the Mingtang and the Biyong to show it to them, and dances with shields and axes and displays the Ya and Song odes to influence them. Now instead, to display and boast with playthings that are of no use, strange insects and beasts that are not raised, wrestling shows and various games, and dazzling objects, is probably very different from how the Duke of Zhou treated distant peoples. [The Treatise on Punishments says: after the Spring and Autumn period, the weak were destroyed and the small swallowed, and they merged into the Warring States; the rites of military practice were gradually increased as games and amusements to boast to one another and look at, and Qin renamed them jiaodi, and the rites of the former kings were lost in lewd amusements. Ying Shao said: jiao means competing in skills, and di means butting against each other. Wen Ying said: di means matching. This music is called jiaodi because two matched each other in strength and in skill at riding and shooting; it was probably a variety of acrobatic entertainments, such as the Bayu dances and the fish-dragon spectacle. Yan Shigu said: the dazzling objects are magicians; 'dazzling' means deceiving and bewildering, read the same as 'illusion.' These arts originally came from the Western Regions and are what are now called swallowing knives and spitting fire, planting melons and growing trees, and slaughtering men and killing horses. The Chronicle of Han says: in spring of the third year of Yuanfeng the jiaodi games were held to entertain foreign states, and all people within three hundred li came to watch the audiences. The Biography of Zhang Qian says: at this time the emperor was making frequent tours at the coast and took all the foreign guests along; at great cities with many people he scattered goods and silk as gifts and provided for them lavishly and richly, so as to let them see Han's riches. The great jiaodi staged strange games and monstrous creatures and gathered many onlookers; he gave rewards with pools of wine and forests of meat and made the foreign guests view the accumulated stores of every granary and treasury, wishing thereby to show them Han's vastness and overawe them; he also added the skill of the magicians, and the jiaodi strange games changed and grew each year, and its flourishing began from then. Foreign envoys came and went, and from Dayuan westward all relied on their distance and returned arrogant, so they could not yet be bent by ritual and held loosely as vassals.] Formerly the Duke of Zhou stayed humble and lowered himself to scholars, held to ritual to govern those below, and the world declined the tribute of Yuechang to see the ritual of respect and yielding; he then went with them into King Wen's temple, showing the ritual of great filial piety. [The Fengsu Tong says: Yuechang, through nine layers of interpreters, presented white pheasants, and the Duke of Zhou offered them in the ancestral temple, saying: this is the ancestors' virtue. To have the world and return honor to the father is the utmost of the human way.] Seeing the dignified bearing and shield-and-axe dances with their eyes, hearing the clear songs and the sounds of the Ya and Song with their ears, their hearts full of supreme virtue, they went home joyfully; this is why the four barbarians admired righteousness and submitted, not because they came through relays of interpreters of Di Di to see fierce beasts, bears and brown bears. [Di Di are people of the west.] As for rhinoceroses, elephants, buffalo and tigers, they are plentiful among the southern barbarians; mules, donkeys and camels are the usual livestock of the northern Di; they are rare in China but cheap in foreign lands. The southern Yue use peacocks as door earrings, and beside Mount Kun people throw uncut jade at crows and magpies. Now to prize what others despise and treasure what others have in abundance is not how to enrich China and make clear great virtue. The Marquis of Sui's pearl and He's jade disc are famous treasures, yet cannot secure safety or preserve survival. So to teach with virtue and show authority lies in worthy ministers and good chancellors, not in dogs, horses and rare monsters. Therefore the sage kings took worth as treasure and not pearls and jade as treasure. [The chapter on Miscellaneous Affairs says: King Xuan of Qi and King Hui of Wei met to hunt in the suburbs. The King of Wei said: Do you also have treasures? The King of Qi said: None. The King of Wei said: A small state like mine still has ten pearls an inch across, each lighting twelve carriages front and back; how can a state of ten thousand chariots have no treasure? The King of Qi said: What I take as treasure is different from yours. Among my ministers there is Tanzi; if I have him guard the south city, the men of Chu dare not raid, and twelve feudal lords on the Si River all come to court; I have the minister Panzi, and if I have him guard Gaotang, the Zhao dare not fish east of the river; I have the minister Qianfu, and if I have him guard Xuzhou, the Yan sacrifice at the north gate and the Zhao at the west gate, and more than ten thousand households follow and turn to him; I have the minister Zhong Shou, and if I have him guard against thieves, nothing dropped on the road is picked up. I shall use them to light up a thousand li away, not only twelve carriages! The King of Wei, ashamed and displeased, left. The Book of Poetry says: 'When the words are pleasing, the people are settled.' The chapter on Returning to Substance says: Marquis Jing went to visit the Crown Prince of Wei, wearing a sword with jade fittings on his left and a ring-pendant on his right, the left's light shining on the right and the right's on the left. After sitting a while, the Crown Prince did not look and did not ask. Marquis Jing said: Does Wei have treasures too? The Crown Prince said: Yes. Marquis Jing said: What are they like? The Crown Prince said: The ruler trusted and the ministers loyal, the common people carrying the ruler on their heads; these are Wei's treasures. Marquis Jing said: That is not what I asked; I asked about objects. The Crown Prince said: There are. Tu Shizhao governs Wei and there is no price fixing in the market; Xi Xin governs Yang and nothing dropped on the road is picked up; Mang Mao is at court and the worthy scholars of the four neighbors all come to see him through one another. These three senior officials are Wei's great treasures. Then Marquis Jing was silent and did not respond, unfastened the jade fittings on the left and the ring-pendant on the right, put them down on the seat, rose apologetically, said nothing in thanks, hurried out, mounted his carriage and drove off. The Crown Prince of Wei sent a horseman with the sword and pendant to chase and give them to Marquis Jing, and had him tell Marquis Jing: I have no virtue to treasure and cannot keep pearls and jade. These cannot be worn when it is cold nor eaten when it is hungry; do not leave thieves with me. So Marquis Jing shut his gate and did not go out, and died. The chapter on Miscellaneous Affairs says: Qin wished to attack Chu and sent an envoy to look at Chu's treasure vessels. The King of Chu heard of it and summoned the Chancellor Zixi to ask: Qin wishes to see Chu's treasure vessels; may I show them He's jade disc and the Marquis of Sui's pearl? Chancellor Zixi answered: I do not know. He summoned Zhao Xixu to ask. Zhao Xixu answered: They want to look at our state's gains and losses and plan against it; it is not about treasure vessels but about worthy ministers. Pearls, jade and playthings are not what is treasured. The King then had Zhao Xixu receive them. Zhao Xixu stationed three hundred picked soldiers inside the west gate and set up one platform facing east, four facing south and one facing west. The Qin envoy arrived. Zhao Xixu said: You are the guest; please take the upper seat facing east. Chancellor Zixi faced south, Grand Ancestor Zi'ao was next, Lord Zigao of Ye next, Marshal Zifan next, and Zhao Xixu himself took the platform facing west and said: The guest wishes to see Chu's treasure vessels. What Chu treasures is its worthy ministers. One who governs the people, fills the granaries and lets the people each find their place is Chancellor Zixi here; one who bears jade tablets on missions to the feudal lords, resolves the troubles of anger and resentment, joins the joy of two states and keeps them from the worry of weapons is Grand Ancestor Zi'ao here; one who guards the frontiers, is careful at the borders, does not encroach on neighbors, and is not encroached on by them is Lord Zigao of Ye here; one who commands the army, puts the weapons in order to face strong enemies, takes up the drum to move a million men who all rush into boiling water and fire and tread on white blades, going out into ten thousand deaths without regard for one life's difficulty, is Marshal Zifan here; one who holds the remaining counsel of hegemons and kings and keeps the lingering customs of order and disorder is Zhao Xixu here. Let the great state look as it pleases. The Qin envoy was awed and had no answer. Zhao Xixu bowed and left. The Qin envoy returned and told the lord of Qin: Chu has many worthy ministers; it cannot yet be plotted against. So he did not attack Chu. The Book of Poetry says: 'Many are the fine gentlemen, and King Wen finds peace.' This is what is meant. A common saying says: a thousand strings of gold are not as good as one worthy man.] Formerly Master Yan cultivated it between the wine vessels and sacrificial stands and turned back chariots a thousand li away. [Gao You said: a battering chariot is what is used to charge into enemy armies and break them. A state with the Way cannot be attacked; those who wanted to attack it find their battering chariots turned back a thousand li away and dare not come. The Spring and Autumn of Master Yan says: Duke Ping of Jin wanted to attack Qi and sent Fan Zhao to observe. Duke Jing gave him wine, and when they were warm with drink, Fan Zhao said: I wish to ask for a cup from your vessel. The Duke said: Pour from my vessel and offer it to the guest. After Fan Zhao had drunk, Master Yan said: Remove the vessel and replace it. The vessels and goblets were set out. Fan Zhao pretended to be drunk and displeased and rose to dance, and said to the Grand Music Master: Can you play the music of Chengzhou for me? I will dance for you. The Grand Music Master said: I am a blind man and am not practiced in it. Fan Zhao hurried out. Duke Jing said to Master Yan: Jin is a great state and sent a man to observe my government. Now you have angered the envoy of the great state; what shall we do? Master Yan said: Fan Zhao is not a rustic who does not know ritual; he wanted to test our ruler and ministers, so I cut him off. Duke Jing said to the Grand Music Master: Why did you not play the music of Chengzhou for the guest? The Grand Music Master replied: The music of Chengzhou is the music of the Son of Heaven; if one plays it, the ruler himself must dance to it. Now Fan Zhao is a minister and wishes to dance the Son of Heaven's music, so I did not do it. Fan Zhao returned and told Duke Ping: Qi cannot yet be attacked. I wished to test its ruler and Master Yan recognized it; I wished to violate its ritual and the Grand Music Master knew. Zhongni heard of it and said: Not leaving the space between wine vessels and sacrificial stands and yet knowing what is a thousand li away: this is Master Yan; he may be said to have turned back the chariots, and the Grand Music Master took part in it too.] For those who cannot, even if they had chests full of the Marquis of Sui's pearl and He's jade, it would do nothing for survival or ruin. [Sui and He mean the Marquis of Sui's pearl and He's jade disc.]

大夫曰晏子相【去聲】齊三君崔慶無道刼其君亂其國靈公同圍莊公弒死景公之時晉人來攻取垂都舉臨淄邊邑削城郭焚宮室隳寳器盡何沖之所能折乎由此觀之賢良所言賢人為寳則損益無輕重也

The Grand Secretary said: Master Yan served as chancellor of three rulers of Qi, and Cui and Qing were unprincipled, coerced their ruler and disordered the state. Duke Ling was besieged, and Duke Zhuang was murdered. In the time of Duke Jing, the men of Jin came to attack, took Chuidu and raised Linzi; the border towns were cut down, the city walls were burned, the palaces were razed, and the precious vessels were used up; how could they turn back any battering chariots? From this it can be seen that what the Virtuous and Good say about taking worthy men as treasure has no weight of gain or loss.

賢良曰管仲去魯入齊齊伯【音覇】魯削非恃其眾而歸齊也伍子胥挾弓幹闔閭破楚入郢【音影】非負其兵而適吳也故賢者所在國重所去國輕【雜事篇曰管仲傅齊公子糾鮑叔傅公子小白齊公孫無知殺襄公公子糾奔魯小白奔莒齊人誅無知迎公子糾於魯公子糾與小白爭入管仲射小白中其帯鉤小白佯死遂先入是為齊桓公公子糾死管仲奔魯桓公立國定使人迎管仲於魯遂立以為仲父委國而聼之九合諸侯一匡天下為五伯長越絶書曰伍子胥父誅於楚子胥挾弓身幹闔廬闔廬曰士之甚勇之甚將為之報仇子胥曰不可諸侯不為匹夫報仇臣聞事君猶事父也君之行報父之仇不可於是止楚客説春申君曰昔伊尹去夏之殷殷王而夏亡管仲去魯而入齊魯弱而齊強由是觀之夫賢者之所在其君未嘗不善其國未嘗不安也】楚有子玊得臣文公側席虞有宮之竒晉獻不寐【尊賢篇曰晉荊戰於邲晉師敗績荀林父將歸請死景公將許之士貞伯曰不可城濮之役晉勝於荊文公猶有憂色曰子玉猶存憂未歇也困獸猶鬪況國相乎及荊殺子玉乃喜曰莫予毒也今天或者大警晉也林父之事君進思盡忠退思補過社稷之衛也今殺之是重荊勝也景公曰善乃使復將泰族訓曰晉獻公欲伐虞宮之竒存焉為之寢不安席食不甘味而不敢加兵焉賂以寶玉駿馬宮之竒諫而不聼言而不用越疆而去荀息伐之兵不血刃抱寳牽馬而去尊賢篇曰虞有宮之竒晉獻公為之終夜不寐楚有子玉得臣文公為之側席而坐逺乎賢者之厭難折沖也】夫【音扶】臣所在闢除開塞者亦逺矣【陳琳曰古之用兵敵國雖亂尚有賢人則不伐也是故三仁未去武王還師宮竒在虞晉不加戎季梁猶在強楚挫謀暨至眾賢奔絀三國為墟明其無道有人猶可救也】故春秋曰山有虎豹葵藿為之不採國有賢士邊境為之不害也【説山訓曰山有猛獸林木為之不斬園有螫蟲藜藿為之不採鄭昌傳曰山有猛獸藜藿為之不採國有忠臣奸邪為之不起】

The Virtuous and Good said: When Guan Zhong left Lu and entered Qi, Qi became hegemon and Lu was diminished; it was not that he relied on the multitude to go to Qi. When Wu Zixu carried his bow to seek Helu, broke Chu and entered Ying, it was not that he relied on his troops to go to Wu. So the state where a worthy man is present is weighty, and the state he leaves is light. [The chapter on Miscellaneous Affairs says: Guan Zhong was the tutor of Prince Jiu of Qi, and Bao Shu was the tutor of Prince Xiaobai. Gongsun Wuzhi of Qi killed Duke Xiang, Prince Jiu fled to Lu, and Xiaobai fled to Ju. The people of Qi executed Wuzhi and welcomed Prince Jiu from Lu. Prince Jiu and Xiaobai raced to enter; Guan Zhong shot at Xiaobai and hit his belt hook; Xiaobai feigned death and so entered first, and became Duke Huan of Qi. Prince Jiu died and Guan Zhong fled to Lu. When Duke Huan was set up and the state settled, he sent a man to welcome Guan Zhong from Lu and made him his Zhongfu, entrusted the state to him and listened to him; he assembled the feudal lords nine times and set the world right at a stroke, becoming the chief of the Five Hegemons. The Book of the Lapse of Yue says: Wu Zixu's father was executed in Chu, and Zixu carried a bow and presented himself to Helu. Helu said: This is a gentleman and a very brave one; I will take revenge for him. Zixu said: It cannot be. Feudal lords do not take revenge for a commoner. I have heard that serving a lord is like serving a father; to harm a lord's conduct to avenge a father is not allowed. So he stopped. A guest of Chu said to Lord Chunshen: Formerly Yi Yin left Xia for Yin, and Yin became king and Xia perished; Guan Zhong left Lu and entered Qi, and Lu weakened and Qi grew strong. From this it can be seen that where worthy men are, their ruler has never failed to be good and their state never failed to be safe.] Chu had Ziyu Dechen, and Duke Wen sat on a side mat; Yu had Gong Zhiqi, and Duke Xian of Jin could not sleep. [The chapter on Honoring the Worthy says: Jin and Jing fought at Bi, and the Jin army was defeated. Xun Linfu was about to return and ask for death, and Duke Jing was going to permit it. Shi Zhenbo said: It cannot be. In the battle of Chengpu Jin defeated Jing, and Duke Wen still looked worried and said: Ziyu is still there, and my worry has not ended. A cornered beast still fights, how much more a state's chancellor? Only when Jing killed Ziyu did he rejoice and say: No one will harm me now. Now Heaven may be giving Jin a great warning. Linfu serves his ruler by thinking to be loyal when advancing and thinking to repair faults when retiring; he is the guard of the altars of state. Now to kill him would be to add weight to Jing's victory. Duke Jing said: Good. And he had him lead again. The chapter on the Great Clans says: Duke Xian of Jin wished to attack Yu, but Gong Zhiqi was there, so he did not sleep peacefully or taste sweetness in food, and did not dare apply troops. He bribed with jade treasures and fine horses; Gong Zhiqi remonstrated but was not heard and spoke but was not used, and he crossed the border and left. Xun Xi attacked, and the weapons did not even shed blood; he went off holding the treasures and leading the horses. The chapter on Honoring the Worthy says: Yu had Gong Zhiqi, and Duke Xian of Jin could not sleep all night over him; Chu had Ziyu Dechen, and Duke Wen sat on a side mat over him. It can be seen that the worthy are a bane to enemies and turn back chariots.] A minister who by his presence can remove obstacles and open the way is far-reaching indeed. [Chen Lin said: when the men of old used the army, even if an enemy state was in disorder, if it still had worthy men they did not attack it. Therefore while the Three Benevolent Men had not left, King Wu turned his troops back; while Gong Qi was in Yu, Jin did not send troops; while Ji Liang was still in strong Chu, plans were thwarted; when the worthy fled or were dismissed, the three states became ruins. It can be seen that an unprincipled state that still has people can still be saved.] So the Annals says: where a mountain has tigers and leopards, mallow and bean leaves are not picked; where a state has worthy gentlemen, its borders are not harmed. [The chapter on Explaining the Mountains says: where a mountain has fierce beasts, the trees of the forest are not felled; where a garden has stinging insects, goosefoot and bean leaves are not picked. The Biography of Zheng Chang says: where a mountain has fierce beasts, goosefoot and bean leaves are not picked; where a state has loyal ministers, the wicked do not rise.]

大夫曰鄙語曰賢者容不辱以世俗言之鄉曲有桀人尚闢【音避】之今明天子在上匈奴公為冦侵擾邊境是仁義犯而藜藿不採昔狄人侵太王【至公篇曰太王有至仁之恩不忍戰百姓故事勲育戎氏以犬馬珎幣而伐不止問其所欲者土地也於是屬其群臣耆老而告之曰土地者所以養人也不以所以養而害其養也吾將去之遂居岐山之下邠人負幼扶老從之如歸父母三遷而民五倍其初者皆興仁義趨上之事君子守國安民非特鬪兵罷殺士眾而已不私其身惟民是用保民蓋所以去國之義也】匡人畏孔子【孔子世家曰孔子去衛將適陳過匡顔刻為僕以其防指之曰昔吾入此由彼缺也匡人聞之以為魯之陽虎陽虎嘗暴匡人匡人於是遂止孔子孔子狀類陽虎拘焉五日顔淵後子曰吾以汝為死矣顔淵曰子在回何敢死匡人拘孔子益急弟子懼孔子曰文王既沒文不在茲乎天之將喪斯文也後死者不得與於斯文也天之未喪斯文也匡人其如予何孔子使從者為武子臣於衛然後得去】故不仁者仁之賊也是以縣官厲武以討不義設機械以備不仁

The Grand Secretary said: A common saying says: a worthy man is tolerant and not insulted. Speaking by ordinary custom, even in a village, people avoid someone arrogant and unruly. Now there is an enlightened Son of Heaven above and the Xiongnu openly raid and disturb the borders; this is benevolence and righteousness being violated while goosefoot and bean leaves are not picked. Formerly the Di attacked the Great King. [The chapter on Perfect Fairness says: the Great King had the kindness of perfect benevolence and could not bear to fight and hurt the common people, so he served the Xunyu Rong with dogs, horses and precious goods, but the attacks did not stop; when he asked what they wanted, it was land. So he gathered his ministers and elders and told them: Land is for nourishing people; one does not harm what one nourishes by what nourishes it. I will leave. So he lived below Mount Qi. The people of Bin carried their young and supported their old and followed him as if returning to parents, and in three moves the people were five times their original number; all because he raised benevolence and righteousness and turned toward those above. A gentleman keeping a state and keeping the people at peace does not rely only on fighting with soldiers and exhausting and killing his multitude; he does not make himself private but uses only the people. Protecting the people is probably the meaning of leaving the state.] The people of Kuang feared Confucius. [The Hereditary House of Confucius says: Confucius left Wei and was going to Chen, passing through Kuang. Yan Ke was his driver and pointed with his whip, saying: Formerly when I entered here, it was through that gap. The people of Kuang heard of it and thought he was Yang Hu of Lu. Yang Hu had once been violent to the people of Kuang, so the people of Kuang stopped Confucius. Confucius looked like Yang Hu and was held for five days. Yan Yuan arrived later. The Master said: I thought you had died. Yan Yuan said: While you live, how would I dare die? The people of Kuang held Confucius more urgently and the disciples were afraid. Confucius said: King Wen is dead; is not the culture here with me? If Heaven is going to destroy this culture, those who die later will not share in this culture; if Heaven has not yet destroyed this culture, what can the people of Kuang do to me? Confucius had one of his followers serve as minister to Ning Wuzi in Wei, and only then could he leave.] So the unbenevolent are the thieves of benevolence. Therefore the government makes its military might fierce to punish the unrighteous and sets up devices to guard against the unbenevolent.

賢良曰匈奴處沙漠之中生不食之地天所賤而棄之無壇宇之居男女之別以廣野為閭里以穹廬為家室衣【去聲】皮防毛食肉飲血會市行【音杭】牧豎【音樹】居如中國之麋鹿耳好【去聲】事之臣求其義責之禮使中國干戈至今未息萬里設備此兎之所刺故小人非公侯腹心干城也

The Virtuous and Good said: The Xiongnu live in the sandy desert, born in a land where nothing is eaten, and are what Heaven despises and abandons. They have no dwellings with altars and halls and no distinction of men and women; they take the open wild as villages and lanes and felt tents as houses, wear hides and furs, eat meat and drink blood, assemble at markets and move with their herds, stand and live, merely like the deer of China. Officials who like to stir up trouble demand righteousness of them and require ritual of them, and so China's shields and spears have not rested to this day and preparations are set up over ten thousand li. This is what the Book of Poetry's Rabbit Net criticized: the petty man is not the heart and shield wall of dukes and marquises.

大夫曰天子者天下之父母也四方之眾其義莫不願為臣妾然猶修城郭設闗梁厲武士備衛於宮室所以逺折難【去聲】而備萬方者也今匈奴未臣雖無事欲釋備如之何

The Grand Secretary said: The Son of Heaven is the father and mother of the world, and the multitude of the four quarters by righteousness are none unwilling to be his ministers and servants, yet he still repairs the city walls, sets up passes and bridges, sharpens his warriors and guards the palace, in order to break difficulties far off and prepare against ten thousand quarters. Now the Xiongnu have not yet submitted; though there is no incident, to want to put down our guard, what should we do?

賢良曰吳王所以見禽于越者以其越近而陵逺也秦所以亡者以外備胡越而內亡其政也夫【音扶】用軍於外政敗於內備為所患增主所憂【詩序曰文武以天保以上治內采薇以下治外始於憂勤終於逸樂指武篇曰內治未得不可以正外本惠未襲不可以制末是以春秋先京師而後諸夏先諸茟而後夷狄及周惠王以遭亂世繼先王之體而強楚稱王諸侯背叛欲申先王之命一統天下不先廣養京師以及諸夏諸夏以及夷狄內治未得忿則不料力權得失興兵而徵強楚師大敗樽辱不行大為天下戮笑幸逢齊桓公以得安尊故內治未得不可以正外本惠未襲不可以制末】故人主得其道則遐邇潛行而歸之文王是也不得其道則臣妾為冦秦王是也【詮言曰用兵者先為不可勝以待敵之可勝也治國者先為不可奪以待敵之可奪也舜修之歴山而海內從化文王修之岐周而天下從風兵略曰兵之勝敗本在於政政勝其民下附其上則兵強矣民勝其政下畔其上則兵弱矣故徳義足以懐天下之民事業足以當天下之急選舉足以得賢士之心謀慮足以知強弱之勢此必勝之本也地廣人眾不足以為強堅甲利兵不足以為勝髙城深池不足以為固嚴令繁刑不足以為威為存政者雖小必存為亡政者雖大必亡叢談曰所伐而當其福五之所伐不當其禍十之】夫【音扶】文衰則武勝徳盛則備寡【汜論曰一世之間而文武代為雌雄有時而用也今世之為武者則非文也為文者則非武也文武更相非而不知時世之用也此見隅曲之一指而不知八極之廣大也故東面而望不見西牆南面而視不覩北方唯無所向者則無所不通】

The Virtuous and Good said: The reason the King of Wu was captured by Yue is that he skipped what was near and oppressed what was far; the reason Qin perished is that it guarded against the Hu and Yue outside while losing its government within. If one uses the army outside while government fails within, the preparations instead become the thing feared and add worry to the ruler. [The Preface to the Poetry says: Wen and Wu used 'Heaven Preserves' and the odes before it to govern within, and 'Gathering Ferns' and the odes after it to govern outside, beginning in worry and toil and ending in ease and joy. The chapter on Pointing to the Martial says: if internal government is not achieved, one cannot set the outside right; if basic kindness has not spread, one cannot restrain the tips. So the Spring and Autumn Annals puts the capital first and then the Xia states, the Xia states first and then the barbarians. When King Hui of Zhou met an age of disorder and took over the body of the former kings, strong Chu called itself king and the feudal lords rebelled; he wished to renew the former kings' mandate and unify the world, but did not first widely nourish the capital and thereby the Xia states, and the Xia states and thereby the barbarians; with internal government not achieved, in anger he did not weigh his strength or weigh gain and loss, raised troops to attack strong Chu, and the army was greatly defeated and the dignity of his vessels was humiliated and not carried out, and he was greatly laughed at by the world, and only by good fortune meeting Duke Huan of Qi was he able to find honor again. So if internal government is not achieved, one cannot set the outside right; if basic kindness has not spread, one cannot restrain the tips.] So a ruler who obtains the Way is joined by near and far secretly traveling to him, as King Wen was; one who does not get the Way finds his ministers and servants becoming bandits, as the King of Qin did. [The chapter on Explaining Words says: one who uses the army first makes himself unconquerable in order to wait for the enemy to be conquerable; one who governs a state first makes himself not to be seized in order to wait for the enemy to be seizable. Shun cultivated it at Mount Li and the whole world was transformed, and King Wen cultivated it at Qizhou and the world followed his wind. The chapter on Military Strategy says: the victory or defeat of an army has its root in government. If government overcomes its people and those below attach themselves to those above, the army is strong; if the people overcome the government and those below rebel against those above, the army is weak. So virtue and righteousness must be enough to cherish the people of the world, enterprise enough to meet the world's emergencies, selection enough to win the hearts of worthy scholars, and planning enough to know the force of strength and weakness; these are the roots of certain victory. A broad land and many people are not enough to make strength, sturdy armor and sharp weapons are not enough to make victory, high walls and deep moats are not enough to make security, and strict orders and many punishments are not enough to make authority. One who acts in the way of a preserved government, though small, will be preserved; one who acts in the way of a ruined government, though great, will perish. The Miscellaneous Talks say: if the attack is proper, its blessings are five; if the attack is improper, its disasters are ten.] When civil virtue declines, martial might prevails; when virtue is full, preparations are few. [The chapter on General Discussions says: within a single age, civil and martial take turns as male and female, and at times are used. In our age, those who are martial reject the civil, and those who are civil reject the martial, and civil and martial reject each other without knowing the use of their time. This is seeing one finger of a corner and not knowing the breadth of the eight extremes. So facing east one cannot see the west wall and facing south one cannot see the north; only he who faces nowhere has nowhere he cannot reach.]

大夫曰徃者四夷俱強併為冦虐朝鮮逾徼刼燕之東地東越東海略浙江之南南越內侵滑服令氐棘人冉駹【音尨】嶲【音髓】唐昆明之屬擾隴西巴蜀今三垂已平唯北邊未定夫【音扶】一舉則匈奴中外震懼釋備而何寡也

The Grand Secretary said: In the past the four barbarians were all strong and together raided and ravaged: Chosen crossed the frontier and plundered the east of Yan; Eastern Yue and the Eastern Sea raided the south of Zhejiang; Southern Yue invaded the Huafu district; the Di, Bo people, Ran Mang, Xi Tang and Kunming and the like disturbed Longxi, Ba and Shu. Now three sides have been pacified, and only the northern border is not settled. With a single campaign the Xiongnu were shaken and afraid both within and without; if we put down our guard, how could we be few and weak?