Yan Tie Lun (鹽鐵論) · Volume 26

文學曰昔齊桓公內附百姓外綏諸侯存亡接絶而天下從風其後徳虧行【去聲】衰葵丘之會振而矜之叛者九國春秋刺其不崇徳而崇力也【春秋曰九月戊辰諸侯盟於葵丘左傳曰秋齊侯盟諸侯於葵丘曰凡我同盟之人既盟之後言歸於好宰孔先歸遇晉侯曰可無防也齊侯不務徳而勤逺略故北伐山戎南伐楚西為此防也東略之不知西則否矣其在亂乎君務靖亂無勤於行晉侯乃還公羊傳曰桓之盟不日此何以日危之也何危爾貫澤之會桓公有憂中國之心不召而至者江人黃人也葵丘之會桓公震而矜之叛者九國震之者何猶曰振振然矜之者何猶曰莫若我也】故任徳則強楚告服逺國不召而自至任力則近者不親小國不附此其效也誠上觀三王之所以昌下論秦之所以亡中述齊桓所以興去武行文廢力尚徳罷關梁除障【音瘴】塞【音賽】以仁義導之則北垂無冦虜之憂中國無干戈之事矣【說山訓曰國有賢君折沖萬里】

The Learned Scholars said: In the past Duke Huan of Qi drew close his people within and pacified the feudal lords without, preserved the perishing and continued the broken, and the world followed like grass in the wind. Later his virtue declined and his conduct [pronunciation note: the character is read in the departing tone] waned, and at the meeting at Kuiqiu he shook his power and boasted, and nine states rebelled. The Spring and Autumn Annals criticized his not honoring virtue and honoring force. [The Annals say: in the ninth month, on the day wuchen, the feudal lords made a covenant at Kuiqiu. The Zuo Commentary says: in autumn, the Marquis of Qi made a covenant with the feudal lords at Kuiqiu, saying: "All of us who share this covenant, after the covenant is sworn, shall return to friendship." Zai Kong returned first and met the Marquis of Jin, saying: "You need not attend the meeting (the received text has a corrupted character here). The Marquis of Qi does not strive for virtue but works at distant campaigns, so he attacked the Shanrong in the north, attacked Chu in the south, and in the west held this meeting (the received text has a corrupted character here). He does not know about expansion in the east, and in the west it is not so. Will there be disorder here? A ruler should strive to settle disorder and not toil at traveling." The Marquis of Jin then returned. The Gongyang Commentary says: the covenant of Duke Huan is not dated; why is this one dated? Because it was dangerous. What was the danger? At the meeting at Guanze, Duke Huan had a mind to worry for the Central States, and those who came unsummoned were the men of Jiang and Huang. At the meeting at Kuiqiu, Duke Huan shook his power and boasted, and nine states rebelled. What is 'shook'? It is like saying 'swaggering'. What is 'boasted'? It is like saying 'none is like me'.] So when virtue is relied on, strong Chu reports its submission and distant states come unsummoned; when force is relied on, those near are not close and small states do not attach. This is the proof. If one looks up at how the Three Kings flourished, down at how Qin perished, and in the middle recounts how Duke Huan of Qi rose, and abandons the martial to practice the civil, drops force and honors virtue, ends the passes and bridges, removes barriers [pronunciation note: the character 'barrier' is read 'zhang'] and fortresses [pronunciation note: the character 'fortress' is read 'sai'], and leads them with benevolence and righteousness, then the northern frontier will have no worry of raiders and the Central States no business of shields and spears. [The 'Discussing the Mountains' chapter says: if a state has a worthy ruler, he can defeat enemies from ten thousand li away.]

大夫曰事不豫辦不可以應卒內無備不可以禦敵【叢談曰兵不豫定無以待敵計不先慮無以應卒】詩云詰爾民人謹爾侯度用戒不虞故有文事必有武備【國語曰襄王至自鄭以陽樊賜晉文公陽人不服晉侯圍之倉葛曰武不可覿文不可匿覿武無烈匿文不昭君道篇曰成王封伯禽為魯公召而告之曰夫有文無武無以威下有武無文民畏不親文武俱行威徳乃成既成威徳民親以服指武篇曰司馬法曰國雖大好戰必亡天下雖安忘戰必危易曰君子以除戎器戒不虞夫兵不可玩玩則無威兵不可廢廢則召冦昔吳王夫差好戰而亡徐偃王無武亦滅故明王之制國也上不玩兵下不廢武易曰存不忘亡是以身安而國家可保也】昔宋襄公倍楚而不備以取大辱焉身執囚而國防亡【宋世家曰襄公八年齊桓公卒宋欲為盟會十二年春宋襄公為鹿上之盟以求諸侯於楚楚人許之公子目夷諫曰小國爭盟禍也不聼秋諸侯會宋公盟於盂目夷曰禍其在此乎君欲已甚何以堪之於是楚執宋襄公以伐宋】故雖有誠信之心不知權變危亡之道也春秋不與中國為禮為【去聲】其無信也匈奴貪狠因時而動乗可而發飈【音標】舉電至而欲以誠信之心金帛之寳而信無義之詐是猶親蹠【音質】蹻【音腳】而扶猛虎也【周書曰毋為虎傅翼將飛入邑擇人而食之】

The Grand Secretary said: If affairs are not prepared in advance, one cannot respond to the sudden; if there is no readiness within, one cannot resist the enemy. [The Collected Sayings say: if the army is not prepared in advance, there is nothing with which to meet the enemy; if plans are not thought out beforehand, there is nothing with which to respond to the sudden.] The Odes say: "Admonish your people, be careful of your lord's measures, in order to guard against the unexpected." So where there is civil affairs there must be martial readiness. [The Discourses of the States says: when King Xiang returned from Zheng, he gave Yangfan to Duke Wen of Jin. The people of Yang did not submit and the Marquis of Jin besieged them. Cang Ge said: "Martial power must not be shown in the open and civil virtue must not be hidden. If martial power is shown it has no splendor, and if civil virtue is hidden it is not illustrious." The 'Way of the Ruler' chapter says: King Cheng enfeoffed Boqin as Duke of Lu, summoned him, and told him: "With civil but no martial, there is no way to overawe those below; with martial but no civil, the people fear and are not close. When civil and martial both work, authority and virtue are complete; once authority and virtue are complete, the people are close and submit." The 'On Martial Matters' chapter says: the Sima's Art of War says: though a state be great, if it loves war it will surely perish; though the world be at peace, if it forgets war it will surely be in danger. The Book of Changes says: "The gentleman removes the weapons of war to guard against the unexpected." Weapons must not be played with, or there is no authority; weapons must not be abandoned, or they invite raiders. In the past King Fuchai of Wu loved war and perished, and King Yan of Xu had no martial readiness and was also destroyed. So the enlightened king ordering his state does not play with arms above and does not abolish martial readiness below. The Book of Changes says: when surviving do not forget perishing, so one's body is secure and the state can be preserved.] In the past Duke Xiang of Song turned against Chu without preparing, and so received great humiliation, was himself captured and imprisoned, and the state nearly perished. [The House of Song in the Records says: in the eighth year of Duke Xiang, Duke Huan of Qi died, and Song wanted to hold a covenant meeting. In the spring of the twelfth year Duke Xiang of Song held the covenant at Lushang, seeking the feudal lords from Chu, and the people of Chu agreed. Prince Mu Yi remonstrated: "A small state contending for leadership of a covenant is a disaster." He did not listen. In autumn the feudal lords met the Duke of Song at Yu for a covenant. Mu Yi said: "Is the disaster here? My lord's desire is excessive; how can it be borne?" Then Chu seized Duke Xiang of Song and attacked Song.] So though one has a sincere heart, if he does not know expedience and change, it is the road to danger and ruin. The Spring and Autumn Annals does not give the Central States ritual treatment [pronunciation note: the character 'for' is read in the departing tone] because they had no good faith. The Xiongnu are greedy and fierce, move with the times, rise when they find an opening, strike like a whirlwind and arrive like lightning, yet you want to use a heart of good faith and treasures of gold and silk to trust deceit without righteousness; it is like befriending Zhi [pronunciation note: read 'zhi'] and Jue [pronunciation note: read 'jiao'] and holding up a fierce tiger. [The Book of Zhou says: do not give wings to a tiger, which will fly into the town and choose people to eat.]

文學曰春秋王者無敵言其仁厚其徳美天下賔服莫敢受交也【淮南王安曰天子之兵有徵而無戰言莫敢校也】徳行延及方外舟車所臻足跡所及莫不被澤蠻貊異國重譯【音亦】自至方此之時天下和同君臣一徳外內相信上下輯睦兵設而不試干戈蔽藏而不用老子曰兕無所用其角螫【音式】蟲無所輸其毒【覽冥訓曰昔者黃帝治天下而力牧太山稽輔之以治日月之行律治隂陽之氣節四時之度正律厯之數別男女異雌雄明上下等貴賤使強不掩弱眾不寡人民保命而不夭嵗時熟而不兇百官正而無私上下調而無尤法令明而不闇輔佐公而不阿田者不侵畔漁者不爭隈道不拾遺市不預賈城郭不關邑無盜賊鄙旅之人相讓以財狗彘吐菽粟於路而無忿爭之心於是日月精明星辰不失其行風雨時節五穀登熟虎狼不妄噬鷙鳥不妄搏鳯凰翔於庭麒麟遊於郊青龍進駕飛黃伏皂諸北儋耳之國莫不獻其貢職又曰女媧之時臥倨倨興眄眄一自以為馬一自以為牛其行蹎蹎其視瞑瞑侗然皆得其和莫知所由生浮游不知所求魍魎不知所往當此之時禽獸蝮蛇無不匿其爪牙藏其螫毒無有攫噬之心考其功烈上際九天下契黃壚名聲被後世光輝重萬物詮言曰在智則人與之訟在力則人與之爭未有使人無智者有使人不能用其智於已者未有使人無力者也有使人不能施其力於已者也此兩者常在乆見故君賢不見諸侯不備不肖不見則百姓不怨百姓不怨則民用可得諸侯弗備則天下之時可承事所與眾同也攻所與時成也聖人無焉故老子曰虎無所措其爪兕無所措其角蓋謂此也】故君仁莫不仁君義莫不義世安得蹠【音質】蹻【音腳】而親之乎

The Learned Scholars said: In the Spring and Autumn Annals, the king has no enemy, which means that he is benevolent and generous and his virtue is fine, the world submits to him, and no one dares to cross blades. [Prince An of Huainan said: the Son of Heaven's troops go to punish but do not fight, meaning no one dares to oppose.] His virtue and conduct extend beyond the borders; wherever boats and carriages reach and footprints go, all receive his grace, and barbarians and foreign states come themselves through successive translation [pronunciation note: the character 'translation' is read 'yi']. At that time the world is in harmony, ruler and ministers share one virtue, inside and outside trust each other, high and low are peaceful, weapons are set out but not tested, and shields and spears are hidden away and unused. Laozi said: "The rhinoceros has no place to use its horn, and stinging [pronunciation note: the character 'sting' is read 'shi'] insects have nowhere to deliver their poison." [The 'Gazing into the Obscure' chapter says: in the past the Yellow Emperor governed the world, with Li Mu and Taishan Ji assisting him, to regulate the motions of sun and moon, pitch the pipes to the yin and yang qi, moderate the measures of the four seasons, correct the numbers of the pitch-pipes and calendar, distinguish men and women, differentiate female and male, clarify high and low, rank the noble and humble, so that the strong did not overwhelm the weak and the many did not oppress (the received text lost a rare character here) the few. People kept their lives and did not die young, the seasons were ripe and not in famine, the hundred officials were upright and without selfishness, high and low were adjusted and without fault, laws and orders were clear and not dim, assistants were impartial and not partial. Farmers did not encroach on field boundaries, fishermen did not fight over coves, no one picked up lost things on the road, the market had no pre-arranged prices, city walls were not shut, towns had no thieves, rustic travelers yielded wealth to one another, and dogs and pigs spat out beans and grain on the road with no mind to quarrel over them. Then the sun and moon were bright, the stars did not lose their courses, wind and rain were seasonal, the five grains ripened, tigers and wolves did not bite wantonly, birds of prey did not strike wantonly, the phoenix soared in the courtyard, the qilin roamed in the suburbs, the green dragon came into harness, and the flying yellow steed lay in the stable; the northern states of the Dan-ear peoples all presented their tribute. It also says: in the time of Nuwa, people lay down at ease and rose with wide eyes, one regarding himself as a horse, another as an ox, their walk stumbling and their gaze unfocused, in simple oneness all obtaining harmony, none knowing whence they were born, drifting and not knowing what to seek, the water sprites not knowing where to go. At that time birds, beasts, and vipers all hid their claws and fangs and concealed their stings and poisons, with no mind to seize and bite. If one examines her merit, above it reached the nine heavens and below it joined the Yellow Springs, her name covered later ages and her light shone upon the myriad things. The 'Explaining Words' chapter says: if it lies in wit, people will dispute with you; if it lies in strength, people will contend with you. Nobody has made others have no wit, but has made them unable to use their wit against him; nobody has made others have no strength, but has made them unable to use their strength against him. These two are always seen over time. So if the ruler's worth is not seen, the feudal lords do not guard against him; if his unworthiness is not seen, the common people do not resent him. When the common people do not resent him the people's resources can be obtained, and when the feudal lords do not guard against him, the opportunities of the world can be taken. In affairs one shares with the multitude, in attacks one accomplishes with the times. The sage has none of it. So Laozi said: "The tiger has nowhere to place its claws, the rhinoceros nowhere to place its horn." This is probably what is meant.] So when the ruler is benevolent none is not benevolent, and when the ruler is righteous none is not righteous; in this world, where could there be Zhi [pronunciation note] and Jue [pronunciation note] to befriend?

大夫曰布心腹質情素信誠內感義形乎色宋華元楚司馬子反之相覩也符契內合誠有以相信也【詩傳曰楚莊王圍宋有七日之糧曰盡此而不克將去而歸於是使司馬子反乗闥而窺宋城宋使華元乗闥而應之子反曰子之國何若矣華元曰憊矣易子而食之析骸而防之子反曰嘻甚矣憊雖然吾聞圍者之國箝馬而抹之使肥者應客今何吾子之情也華元曰吾聞君子見人之困則矜之小人見人之困則幸之吾望見吾子似於君子是以情也子反曰諾子其勉之矣吾軍有七日糧爾揖而去子反告莊王莊王曰若何子反曰憊矣易子而食之析骸而防之莊王曰嘻甚矣憊今得此而歸爾子反曰不可吾已告之矣曰軍亦有七日糧爾莊王怒曰吾使子視之子曷為而告之子反曰區區之宋猶有不欺之臣何以楚國而無乎吾是以告之也莊王曰雖然吾子今得此而歸爾子反曰王請處此臣請歸耳王曰子去我以歸吾孰與處乎此吾將從子而歸遂師而歸君子善其平已也華元以誠告子反得以解圍全二國之命詩云彼姝者子何以告之君子善其以誠相告也】今匈奴挾不信之心懐不測之詐見利如前【如一作而古而字通作如字樂府艾而張亦作艾如張也】乗便而起潛進市側以襲無備是猶措重寳於道路而莫之守也求其不亡何可得乎

The Grand Secretary said: Show your heart and belly, make your feelings plain, and sincerity and good faith move within and righteousness shows in the face. When Hua Yuan of Song and Zifan, Minister of War of Chu, saw each other, their tallies matched within and they truly had a basis for trust. [The commentary on the Odes says: King Zhuang of Chu besieged Song with seven days of provisions and said: "When these are gone and we cannot win, we shall leave and go home." So he sent Minister of War Zifan to climb the siege mound and spy on the city of Song, and Song sent Hua Yuan to climb a mound to meet him. Zifan said: "How is your state?" Hua Yuan said: "Exhausted. We exchange sons and eat them, and split bones to burn for fuel." Zifan said: "Ah, how exhausted! Even so, I have heard that when a besieged state muzzles its horses and feeds them to make the fat ones appear before guests; why do you speak so frankly now?" Hua Yuan said: "I have heard that a gentleman, seeing another's distress, pities him, and a petty man, seeing another's distress, rejoices. I looked at you and you seemed a gentleman, so I told you the truth." Zifan said: "Good. Hold on. Our army has seven days of provisions." He bowed and left. Zifan told King Zhuang. King Zhuang said: "How are they?" Zifan said: "Exhausted. They exchange sons and eat them, and split bones to burn." King Zhuang said: "Ah, how exhausted! Now that we have heard this, let us go home." Zifan said: "We cannot. I already told him that our army also has seven days of provisions." King Zhuang was angry and said: "I sent you to look, why did you tell him?" Zifan said: "Even tiny Song has a minister who does not deceive; how could Chu not have one? So I told him." King Zhuang said: "Even so, now that we have this, let us go home." Zifan said: "If Your Majesty will stay here, I ask leave to go home." The king said: "If you leave me and go home, with whom would I stay here? I will follow you home." So he withdrew the army and returned. The gentleman praised him for making peace. Hua Yuan told Zifan the truth and so lifted the siege and saved the lives of two states. The Odes say: "That fair person, what shall I tell him?" The gentleman commended his telling in sincerity.] Now the Xiongnu hold a mind of bad faith and harbor unfathomable deceit; when they see profit they come like water [one text writes 'er' for 'ru'; the old character 'er' is used interchangeably, as in the Yuefu 'Ai Er Zhang' also written 'Ai Ru Zhang'], rising at convenience, sneaking close to the market's edge to attack those without defense, like putting a heavy treasure on the road with no one guarding it. To seek that it not be lost, how could it be obtained?

文學曰誠信著乎天下醇徳流乎四海則近者歌謳而樂之逺者執禽而朝之【泰族訓曰周處鄷鎬之地方不過百里而誓紂牧之野入據殷國朝成湯之廟表商容之閭封比干之墓解箕子之囚乃折枹毀鼔偃五兵縱牛馬搢笏而朝天下百姓歌謳而樂之諸侯執禽而朝之得民心也道應訓曰昔武王伐紂破之收野乃封比干之墓表商容之閭柴箕子之門朝成湯之廟發鉅橋之粟散鹿臺之錢破鼓折枹弛弓絶弦去舍露宿以示平易解劒帶笏以示無仇於此天下歌謡而樂之諸侯執幣相朝三十四世不奪故老子曰善閉者無關鍵而不可開也善結者無繩約而不可解也】故正近者不以威來逺者不以武徳義修而任賢良也故民之於事辭佚【音逸】而就勞於財也辭多而就寡上下交讓道路鴈行方此之時賤貨而貴徳重義而輕利賞之不竊何寳之守也

The Learned Scholars said: When sincerity and good faith are manifest throughout the world and pure virtue flows across the four seas, those near sing and rejoice in it and those far hold birds as gifts and come to court. [The 'Clan of Tai' chapter says: the Zhou dwelt in the land of Feng and Hao, its extent no more than a hundred li, and swore an oath against Zhou in the wilds of Mu, entered and occupied the state of Yin, paid court at the temple of Cheng Tang, marked the village gate of Shang Rong, raised the tomb of Bi Gan, freed Jizi from prison, then broke the drumsticks and ruined the drums, laid down the five weapons, released oxen and horses, tucked in tablets and held court to the world; the common people sang and rejoiced and the feudal lords held birds as gifts and came to court; this is winning the people's hearts. The 'Responses of the Way' chapter says: in the past King Wu attacked Zhou and defeated him in the wilds of Mu, then raised the tomb of Bi Gan, marked the village gate of Shang Rong, bowed at the gate of Jizi, paid court at the temple of Cheng Tang, issued the grain of Juqiao, distributed the money of Deer Terrace, broke the drums and snapped the drumsticks, unstrung the bows and cut the bowstrings, left lodgings and slept in the open to show ease, and unfastened swords and wore tablets to show no enmity. Thereupon the world sang and rejoiced, and the feudal lords held gifts and paid court, and for thirty-four generations it was not taken. So Laozi said: "One who is good at closing needs no bolt and yet it cannot be opened; one who is good at tying needs no cord and yet it cannot be untied."] So to set right those near one does not use authority, and to draw in those far one does not use arms; it is that virtue and righteousness are cultivated and the worthy and good are employed. So the people, in affairs, decline ease [pronunciation note: the character is read 'yi'] and take on toil, and in wealth decline much and accept little. High and low yield to each other, and on the roads people walk like geese in file. At that time goods are held cheap and virtue held dear, righteousness is weighed heavily and profit lightly. If one is rewarded and still does not steal, what treasure is there left to guard?

大夫曰昔徐偃王行義而滅好儒而削知文而不知武知一而不知二【汜論曰徐偃王被服慈惠身行仁義陸地之朝者三十二國然而身死國亡子孫無類指武篇曰王孫厲謂楚文王曰徐偃王好行仁義之道漢東諸侯三十二國盡服矣王若不伐楚必事徐王曰若信有道不可伐也對曰大之伐小強之伐弱猶大魚之吞小魚也若虎之食豚也惡有其不得理文王遂興師伐徐殘之徐偃王將死曰吾頼於文徳而不明武備好行仁義之道而不知詐人之心以至於此夫古之王者其有備乎人間訓曰昔徐偃王好行仁義陸地之朝者三十二國王孫厲謂楚莊王曰王不伐徐必反朝徐王曰偃王有道之君也好行仁義不可伐王孫厲曰臣聞之大之與小強之與弱也猶石之投卵虎之啗豚又何疑焉且聞為文而不能達其徳為武而不能任其力亂莫大焉楚王曰善乃舉兵而伐徐遂滅之知仁義而不知世變者也】故君子篤仁以行然必築城以自守設械以自備為不仁者之害已也是以古者搜【音捜】獮【音癬】振旅而數軍實焉恐民之愉佚【音逸】而亡戒難【去聲春秋曰正月公狩於郎傳曰春曰搜夏曰苗秋曰獮春搜者不殺小麛及孕重者冬狩皆取之百姓皆出不失其馳不抵禽不詭遇逐不出防此苗獮搜狩之義也故苗獮搜狩之禮簡其戎事也主父偃曰司馬法曰國雖大好戰必亡天下雖平忘戰必危天下既平天下大凱春搜秋獮諸侯春振旅秋治兵所以不忘戰也】故兵革者國之用城壘【音磊】者國之固也而欲罷之是去表見裡示匈奴心腹也匈奴輕舉潛進以襲【音集】空虛是猶不介而當矢石之蹊禍必不振此邊境之所懼而有司之所憂也

The Grand Secretary said: In the past King Yan of Xu practiced righteousness and was destroyed, loved Confucians and was reduced, knew the civil and not the martial, knew one and did not know two. [The 'Broad Discussion' chapter says: King Yan of Xu was clothed in kindness and benevolence and himself practiced benevolence and righteousness, and thirty-two states came to pay court over land, yet he himself died and the state was lost, and his descendants had no kin. The 'On Martial Matters' chapter says: Wang Sun Li said to King Wen of Chu: King Yan of Xu loves to practice the way of benevolence and righteousness, and the thirty-two states of the Han's east have all submitted. If Your Majesty does not attack, Chu will have to serve Xu. The king said: "If he truly has the Way, he cannot be attacked." He replied: "The great attacking the small, the strong attacking the weak is like a big fish swallowing small fish, like a tiger eating a piglet; how would it not be in accord with principle?" King Wen then raised troops and attacked Xu and ruined it. As King Yan of Xu was about to die he said: "I relied on civil virtue and did not understand martial readiness, loved to practice the way of benevolence and righteousness and did not know the hearts of those who deceive, and so have come to this. How could kings of old have been without readiness?" The 'Among Humans' chapter says: in the past King Yan of Xu loved to practice benevolence and righteousness, and thirty-two states came to pay court over land. Wang Sun Li said to King Zhuang of Chu: "If Your Majesty does not attack Xu, they will turn to be courted by Xu." The king said: "King Yan is a ruler with the Way who loves to practice benevolence and righteousness and must not be attacked." Wang Sun Li said: "I have heard that the great against the small and the strong against the weak are like a stone thrown on an egg, like a tiger devouring a piglet; what is there to doubt? Moreover I have heard that to be civil and unable to extend one's virtue, to be martial and unable to bear one's strength, is the greatest disorder." The King of Chu said: "Good." So he raised troops and attacked Xu and destroyed it. This shows knowing benevolence and righteousness but not the changes of the world.] So the gentleman acts with firm benevolence, yet he must build walls to guard himself and set up weapons to prepare himself, because of the harm that those without benevolence might do him. Therefore in ancient times they held the spring and autumn hunts [pronunciation notes: read 'sou' and 'xian'] and drilled their troops and counted the army's stores, fearing the people would be at ease [pronunciation note] and forget to guard against difficulty [pronunciation note: the character 'difficulty' is read in the departing tone. The Annals say: in the first month the duke hunted at Lang. The commentary says: the spring hunt is called sou, the summer hunt miao, the autumn hunt xian. In the spring hunt they do not kill fawns or heavily pregnant animals; in the winter hunt they take all. The common people all go out, not losing their gallop, not colliding with game, not taking by surprise, and pursuing without leaving the bounds. This is the meaning of the miao, xian, sou, and shou. So the rituals of the four hunts are to rehearse military affairs. Zhufu Yan said: the Sima's Art of War says: though a state be great, if it loves war it will surely perish; though the world be at peace, if it forgets war it will surely be in danger. When the world is at peace, the Son of Heaven holds a great triumph, and spring sou and autumn xian, and the feudal lords in spring drill their troops and in autumn train their soldiers, so as not to forget war.]. So arms and armor are the state's tools and walls and ramparts [pronunciation note: the character 'rampart' is read 'lei'] are the state's strength, and to want to dismiss them is to remove the outside and reveal the inside, showing the Xiongnu one's heart and belly. The Xiongnu will move lightly and sneak in to attack [pronunciation note: the character 'attack' is read 'ji'] the empty, like going without armor into the path of arrows and stones, and disaster will surely not be restrained. This is what the frontier fears and what the officials worry about.

文學曰往者通關梁交有無自單【音蟬】於以下皆親漢內附往來長城之下其後王恢誤謀馬邑匈奴絶和親故當路結禍紛拏【奴加切】而不解兵連而不息邊民不解甲弛弩行數十年介冑而耕耘鉏【音鋤】耰而望燧【音遂】燔【音煩】烽【音峰】舉丁壯弧【音胡】而出鬬老者超越而入葆【音保】言之足以流涕寒心則仁者不忍也【匈奴傳曰武帝即位明和親約束厚遇關市饒給之匈奴自單于以下皆親漢往來長城下漢使馬邑人聶翁壹閒闌出物與匈奴交易陽為賣馬邑城以誘單于單于信之而貪馬邑財物廼以十萬騎入武州塞伏兵三十餘萬馬邑旁御史大夫韓安國為防軍將軍防四將軍以伏單于單于既入漢塞未至馬邑百餘里見畜布野而無人牧者怪之乃攻亭時鴈門尉史行徼見冦保此亭單于得欲刺之尉史知漢謀廼下具告單于單于大驚曰吾固疑之乃引兵還出曰吾得尉史天也以尉史為天王漢兵約單于入馬邑而縱兵單于不至以故無所得將軍王恢部出代撃胡輜重聞單于還兵多不敢出漢以恢木建造兵謀而不進誅恢自是後匈奴絶和親攻當路塞往往入盜於邊不可勝數】詩云投我以桃報之以李未聞善往而有惡來者【繆稱訓曰易曰即鹿無虞惟入於林中君子防不如舍往吝其施厚者其報美其怨大者其禍深薄施而厚望畜怨而無患者古今未之有也是故聖人察其所以往則知其所以來者復思篇曰施徳者貴不徳受恩者尚必報】故君子敬而無失與人恭而有禮四海之內皆為兄弟也故內省不疚夫【音扶】何憂何懼大夫曰自春秋諸夏之君防聚相結三會之後乖離相疑伐戰不止六國從親冠帶相接然未嘗有堅約況禽獸之國乎春秋存君在楚誥【一作臯】鼬【音宥】之防書公紿【音怠】夷狄也【春秋曰春王正月公在楚公羊傳曰何言乎公在楚正月以存君也春秋曰五月公及諸侯盟於臯鼬】匈奴數【音朔】和親而常先犯約貪侵盜驅長詐謀之國也反覆無信百約百叛若朱象之不移商均之不化而欲信其用兵之備親之以徳亦難矣【修務訓曰身正性善發憤而成仁防憑而為義性命可説不待學問而合於道者堯舜文王也沉防耽荒不可教以道不可喻以徳嚴父弗能正賢師不能化丹朱商均也】

The Literati said: In the past, when passes and bridges were open and the two sides exchanged goods, the Chanyu and all below him were on friendly terms with Han, submitted to it, and came and went beneath the Great Wall. Later Wang Hui's ill-conceived plot at Mayi caused the Xiongnu to break off the marriage alliance. Calamity then took hold along the frontier routes, the entanglement could not be undone, and the fighting never ceased. For several decades the frontier people never took off their armor or unstrung their bows. They plowed in helmets and armor, hoed with their hoes while keeping watch, and when the beacon fires were lit, the able-bodied men went out to fight with bows drawn, while the old climbed over walls to take refuge in the fortresses. To speak of it is enough to bring tears and chill the heart, so a benevolent man cannot bear it. [Note from the Account of the Xiongnu: When Emperor Wu took the throne, he made clear the terms of the marriage alliance and treated the Xiongnu generously with border markets and abundant supplies, so that from the Chanyu downward they were all friendly to Han and came and went beneath the Great Wall. Han sent Nie Wengyi of Mayi to slip across the border and trade goods with the Xiongnu, pretending to sell the city of Mayi in order to lure the Chanyu. The Chanyu believed him and, greedy for the wealth of Mayi, entered the Wuzhou Pass with a hundred thousand cavalry. Han hid more than three hundred thousand troops beside Mayi, with the Imperial Counselor Han Anguo as general of the guard, commanding four generals in the ambush of the Chanyu. After the Chanyu entered the Han frontier, still more than a hundred li short of Mayi, he saw livestock spread across the fields with no herders, found it strange, and attacked a watch post. The Yanmen commandant's clerk, who was on patrol, saw the raiders and took shelter in this post. The Chanyu captured him and wanted to kill him. The clerk knew the Han plan and told the Chanyu everything. The Chanyu was greatly alarmed and said: I had suspected as much. He led his troops back out and said: Capturing this clerk was Heaven's doing. He named the clerk Heavenly King. The Han army had agreed to let loose their troops once the Chanyu entered Mayi, but the Chanyu never arrived, so they gained nothing. The general Wang Hui, who had been ordered to strike the Xiongnu baggage train out of Dai, heard that the Chanyu had turned back, and with his troops too few he did not dare move out. Han executed Wang Hui because he had been the first to propose the military scheme and then failed to advance. From then on the Xiongnu broke off the marriage alliance, attacked the fortresses on the main routes, and raided the frontier constantly, too often to count.] The Book of Songs says: 'He threw me a peach, and I repaid him with a plum.' I have never heard of good being sent out and bad coming back. [Note from the 'Miu Cheng' chapter of the Huainanzi: The Book of Changes says: 'Chasing the deer without a forester, one only enters the forest; the gentleman, seeing the signs, would do better to give it up, for going on brings regret.' Whoever bestows generously is repaid handsomely, and whoever bears a great grievance suffers deep calamity. That anyone sowed little yet hoped for much, or stored up resentment yet had no trouble, has never happened from antiquity to the present. Therefore the sage examines how things went out and so knows how they will return. The 'Fu En' chapter says: One who bestows kindness values not thinking of it as kindness, and one who receives kindness should by all means repay it.] Therefore the gentleman is reverent and makes no mistakes, and he is respectful and courteous to others, so that all within the four seas are his brothers. Thus on looking inward he finds nothing to be ashamed of; what then has he to worry about or fear? The Grand Secretary said: Since the Spring and Autumn period, the lords of the Chinese states have met and bound themselves together, but after three meetings they drifted apart and grew suspicious, and the wars never stopped. The six states formed an alliance with caps and sashes touching, yet they never held a firm pact. How much less could one expect it of a land of beasts? The Spring and Autumn Annals preserved the ruler as being in Chu, and at the meeting at Gaoyou it recorded that the duke was deceived by barbarians. [Note: The Spring and Autumn Annals says: 'Spring, the royal first month; the duke was in Chu.' The Gongyang Commentary says: Why does it say the duke was in Chu? To preserve the ruler in the first month. The Annals says: 'In the fifth month the duke and the lords made a covenant at Gaoyou.'] The Xiongnu repeatedly made peace through marriage alliances and yet were always the first to break the agreement. They are a nation that covets, invades, plunders and drives off people, and that grows ever more deceitful and scheming. They are fickle and untrustworthy, and break a hundred pacts in a hundred ways, like Danzhu and Xiang who could not be changed, or Shangjun who could not be transformed. To hope to trust them by preparing for war, or to draw them close by virtue, is likewise difficult. [Note from the 'Xiu Wu' chapter of the Huainanzi: Those whose bodies are upright and whose natures are good, who rouse themselves and become benevolent, who put on their caps and act with righteousness, and whose natures and destinies are in accord, and who match the Way without waiting to study, were Yao, Shun and King Wen. Those who were sunk in drink and dissipation, who could not be taught the Way or enlightened by virtue, whom a stern father could not correct and a worthy teacher could not transform, were Danzhu and Shangjun.]

文學曰王者中立而聽乎天下徳施方外絶國殊俗臻於闕庭鳯凰在列樹麒麟在郊藪【音叟】群生庶物莫不被澤非足行而人辯之也推其仁恩而皇之誠也【秦族訓曰聖人在上廓然無形寂然無聲官府若無事朝廷若無人無隠士無軼民無勞役無寃刑四海之內莫不仰上之徳象主之指夷狄之國重譯而至非戶辯而家説之也推其誠心施之天下而已矣詩曰惠此中國以綏四方內順而外寜矣傳曰有聲之聲不過百里無聲之聲施及四海】范蠡【音禮】出於越由余長於胡皆為伯【音霸】王賢佐故政有不從之教而世無不可化之民【傳曰蠒之性為絲弗得女工燔以沸湯抽其統理不成為絲卵之性為雛不得良雞覆伏孚育積日累乆則不成為雛夫人性善非得明王聖主扶攜內之以道則不成為君子詩曰天生蒸民其命匪諶靡不有初鮮克有終言惟明王聖主然後使之然也】詩云酌彼行潦挹彼注茲故公劉處戎狄戎狄化之大王去豳豳民隨之周公修徳而越裳氏來【周紀曰公劉雖在戎狄之間復修后稷之業務耕種行地宜自漆沮渡渭取財用行者有資居者有畜積民頼其慶百姓懐之多徙而保歸焉周道之興自此始故詩人歌樂思其徳道應篇曰大王亶父居邠翟人攻之事之以皮帛珠玉而弗受曰翟人之所求者地無以財物為也大王亶父曰與人之兄居而殺其弟與人之父處而殺其子弗為皆勉處矣為吾臣與翟人奚以異且吾聞之也不以其所養害其養杖防而去民相連而從之遂成國於岐山之下辨物篇曰成王時有三苗貫桑而生同為一秀大幾盈車民得而上之成王成王問周公此何也周公曰三苗同秀為一意天下其和而為一乎後三年則越裳氏重譯而朝曰道路悠逺山川阻深恐一使之不通故重三譯而來朝也周公曰徳澤不加則君子不饗其質政令不施則君子不臣其人譯曰吾受命於吾國之黃髪乆矣天之無烈風滛雨意中國有聖人耶有則盍朝之然後周公敬受其所以來矣】其從善如影響為政務以徳親近何憂於彼之不改

The Literati said: When a true king stands at the center and listens to all under Heaven, his virtue extends beyond the borders, and distant states with strange customs arrive at his court. Phoenixes perch in the rows of trees, qilin roam the meadows and marshes, and all the multitudes of living things receive his bounty. It is not that he goes on foot and argues with each of them, but that he extends his benevolence and kindness and rules with sincerity. [Note from the 'Tai Zu' chapter of the Huainanzi: When a sage is above, he is vast and without form, still and without sound. The offices seem to have no business, the court seems to have no people, there is no hermit and no abandoned man, no forced labor and no unjust punishment. Within the four seas none fails to look up to the ruler's virtue and take his intentions as a model, and the barbarian states come after multiple interpretations. It is not that he argues with each household and persuades each family; he simply extends his sincere heart to all under Heaven. The Book of Songs says: 'Be kind to this central land, and so pacify the four quarters.' When the inside is at peace, the outside is calm. The tradition says: A sound that has a voice carries no more than a hundred li, but a sound without voice reaches the four seas.] Fan Li came out of Yue and You Yu grew up among the Rong, and both became worthy advisers to hegemons and kings. So government may contain teachings that people do not follow, but no people in the world cannot be transformed. [Note: The tradition says: The nature of a cocoon is to become silk, but unless a woman boils it in hot water and draws out its threads, it does not become silk; the nature of an egg is to become a chick, but unless a good hen sits on it and hatches it day after day, it does not become a chick. Human nature is good, but unless an enlightened king and sage ruler supports and leads people and brings them into the Way, they do not become gentlemen. The Book of Songs says: 'Heaven gave birth to the multitude of people, but its decree is not to be relied on. All have a beginning, but few can see it through to the end.' This means that only an enlightened king and sage ruler can make them so.] The Book of Songs says: 'Scoop up the water from that puddle and pour it into this one.' So Gongliu lived among the Rong and Di and they were transformed by him; Taiwang left Bin and the people of Bin followed him; the Duke of Zhou cultivated virtue and the Yuechang people came. [Note: The Annals of Zhou says: Although Gongliu was among the Rong and Di, he restored the work of Hou Ji, devoted himself to farming, followed what suited the land, crossed the Wei from the Qi and Ju rivers to gather materials, so that travelers had provisions and residents had stores. The people relied on his blessings and the common folk cherished him, and many moved to him for protection. The rise of the Zhou Way began from this, which is why the poets sang with joy and remembered his virtue. The 'Dao Ying' chapter says: Taiwang Danfu lived in Bin and the Di people attacked him. He served them with furs, silk, pearls and jade, but they would not accept them, saying: What the Di want is land, not goods. Taiwang Danfu said: To live with a man's elder brother and kill his younger brother, or to dwell with a man's father and kill his son, I will not do it. Stay on as you wish. What difference is there between being a subject to me and being a subject to the Di? Moreover I have heard that one does not harm what one is meant to nurture for the sake of what one nurtures with. He took up his staff and left, and the people followed one after another in a line, and so a state was founded at the foot of Mount Qi. The 'Bian Wu' chapter says: In the time of King Cheng, three seedlings grew together through a mulberry tree and formed a single ear, nearly a cartload in size, and the people took it and presented it to King Cheng. King Cheng asked the Duke of Zhou: What is this? The Duke of Zhou said: Three seedlings forming one ear suggests that the world may become harmonious and united. Three years later the Yuechang people came to court through multiple interpreters and said: The roads are long and the mountains and rivers are difficult, and we feared that a single envoy would not get through, so we came to court with three successive interpreters. The Duke of Zhou said: Where virtue has not been extended, a gentleman does not accept its tribute; where government decrees have not been applied, a gentleman does not treat its people as subjects. The interpreter said: I received the command from the old yellow-haired elders of my country. They said that there had been no fierce winds or heavy rains in Heaven, and wondered whether China had a sage. If so, why not go to court? Only then did the Duke of Zhou respectfully accept their reason for coming.] People follow the good like a shadow follows a form or an echo follows a sound. If government works to draw people close through virtue, why worry that they will not change?