Yan Tie Lun (鹽鐵論) · Volume 27

大夫曰屠者解分中【去聲】理可橫以手而離也至其抽防【音斤】鑿骨非行斤斧不能決【賈誼曰屠牛坦一朝解十二牛而芒刃不頓者所排撃剝割皆眾理解也至於寛髀之所非斤則斧夫仁義恩厚人主之芒刃也權勢法制人主之斤斧也】聖主循性而化有不從者亦將舉兵而徵之是以湯誅葛伯文王誅犬夷【用兵紀曰古之賢王有義兵而無偃兵家無怒笞則豎子嬰兒之有過也立見國無刑罰則百姓之誤相侵也立見天下無誅伐則諸侯之相也立見故怒笞不可偃於家刑罰不可偃於國誅伐不可偃於天下有巧有拙而已矣故古之聖王有義兵而無偃兵孟子曰湯居亳與葛為鄰葛伯放而不祀湯使人問之曰何為不祀曰無以供犠牲也湯使遺之牛羊葛伯食之又不以祀湯又使人問之曰何為不祀曰無以供粢盛也湯使亳眾往為之耕老弱饋食葛伯率其民要其有酒食黍稻者奪之不授者殺之有童子以黍肉餉而奪之書曰葛伯仇餉此之謂也為其殺是童子而徵之四海之內皆曰非富天下也為匹夫匹婦復讐也匈奴傳曰周西伯昌伐畎夷詩曰肆不殄厥慍亦不殞厥問柞棫防矣行道兊矣混夷駾矣維其喙矣顔師古曰西伯昌即文王畎夷即畎戎也又曰昆夷山海經云黃帝生苗龍苗龍生融吾融吾生弄明弄明生白犬犬有二牝牡是為犬戎許慎曰赤狄本犬種故字從犬】及後戎狄猾夏中國不寜周宣王仲山甫【古本作尹吉甫】式遏冦虐詩云薄伐獫狁至於太原出車彭彭城彼朔方【匈奴傳曰周懿王時王室遂衰戎狄交侵暴虐中國中國被其苦詩人始作疾而歌之曰靡室靡家獫狁之故豈不日戒獫狁孔棘至懿王曾孫宣王興師命將以征伐之詩人美大其功曰薄伐獫狁至於太原出車彭彭城彼朔方是時四夷賔服稱為中興】自古明王不能無征伐而服不義不能無城壘【音磊】而御強也

The Grand Secretary said: When a butcher carves, he can part the joints along the grain with his bare hand; but when he comes to cut tendons and chisel bones, he cannot split them without a cleaver or an axe. [Jia Yi said: The butcher Dan dismantled twelve oxen in one morning and the edge of his blade was never dulled, because everything he struck and carved followed the natural grain. But at the hip and thigh bones, he needed a cleaver or axe. Benevolence, righteousness, kindness and generosity are a ruler's sharp blade; power, authority, law and regulation are his cleaver and axe.] A sage ruler follows human nature and transforms people, but if some do not comply, he will raise troops and campaign against them. Thus Tang punished Lord Ge, and King Wen punished the Quanyi. [Note from the 'Yong Bing' chapter: The worthy kings of antiquity had righteous armies but never disbanded their armies. If a household has no angry beating, then the faults of children are seen at once; if a state has no punishments, then the wrongful encroachments of the people are seen at once; if the world has no punitive campaigns, then the lords' violence against one another is seen at once. So angry beating cannot be abolished in a household, punishments cannot be abolished in a state, and punitive war cannot be abolished in the world; there is only skill and clumsiness in using them. Therefore the sage kings of antiquity had righteous armies but did not do away with armies. Mencius said: Tang lived in Bo and was a neighbor of Ge. Lord Ge was dissolute and did not make the sacrifices. Tang sent someone to ask him: Why do you not sacrifice? He said: I have no animals to offer. Tang sent him oxen and sheep, but Lord Ge ate them and again did not sacrifice. Tang again sent someone to ask: Why do you not sacrifice? He said: I have no grain to offer. Tang sent the people of Bo to plow for him, with the old and weak carrying food. Lord Ge led his people to intercept anyone carrying wine, food, millet or rice and seized it, killing those who would not hand it over. A boy bringing millet and meat as food was killed and robbed. The Book of Documents says: 'Lord Ge was an enemy of those who brought food.' This is what it means. Because he killed this boy, Tang campaigned against him, and all within the four seas said: He did not do it to enrich himself, but to avenge an ordinary man and woman. The Account of the Xiongnu says: Chang, the Earl of the West of Zhou, attacked the Quanyi. The Book of Songs says: 'He did not put an end to their wrath, nor did he lose his good name. The oaks and thorn trees were cleared, and the roads opened. The Kunyi fled, panting hard.' Yan Shigu said: The Earl of the West, Chang, was King Wen; the Quanyi are the Quanrong, also called Kunyi. The Classic of Mountains and Seas says: The Yellow Emperor begot Miaolong, Miaolong begot Rongwu, Rongwu begot Nongming, Nongming begot Baiquan, and the Baiquan had two sexes, and these became the Quanrong. Xu Shen said: The Red Di were originally a breed of dog, which is why the character has the dog radical.] Later the Rong and Di disturbed the Xia, China was not at peace, and King Xuan of Zhou and Zhongshan Fu [the old text has Yin Jifu] restrained the raiders and their cruelty. The Book of Songs says: 'We make a swift attack on the Xianyun, as far as Taiyuan. The war chariots rumble, and we build walls at that northern region.' [Note from the Account of the Xiongnu: In the time of King Yi of Zhou the royal house declined, and the Rong and Di invaded in turns and ravaged China, which suffered from them. The poets began to compose songs of grief about it, saying: 'We have no house and no home, because of the Xianyun. Do we not warn ourselves every day? The Xianyun are very urgent.' Later King Xuan, the great-grandson of King Yi, raised troops and appointed generals to attack them, and the poets praised his achievement, saying: 'We make a swift attack on the Xianyun, as far as Taiyuan. The war chariots rumble, and we build walls at that northern region.' At that time the four barbarian peoples submitted, and it was called a restoration.] From antiquity, no enlightened king has been able to do without punitive campaigns to subdue the unrighteous, or without walls and ramparts to resist the strong and violent.

文學曰舜執干鏚而有苗服文王底徳而懐四夷【大禹謨曰三旬苗民逆命益贊於禹曰惟徳動天無逺弗屇滿招損謙受益時乃天道至諴感神矧茲有苗禹拜昌言曰俞班師振旅帝乃誕敷文徳舞幹羽於兩階七旬有苗格道應篇曰文王砥徳修政二年而天下二垂歸之人間訓曰文王葬死人之骸而九夷歸之】詩云鎬京闢【音璧】雍自西自東自南自北無思不服【修文篇曰天下有道則禮樂征伐自天子出夫功成制禮治定作樂禮樂者行化之大者也孔子曰移風易俗莫善於樂安上治民莫善於禮是故聖王修禮文設庠序陳鐘鼓天子辟雍諸侯泮官所以行徳化詩云鎬京辟雍自西自東自南自北無思不服此之謂也】普天之下惟人面之倫莫不引領而歸其義故畫地為境人莫之犯子曰白刃可冐中庸不可入至徳之謂也故善攻不待堅甲而克善守不待渠梁而固【兵略訓曰善守者無與御善戰者無與闘泰族訓曰守不待渠壍而固攻不待沖隆而防】武王之伐殷也執黃鉞誓牧之野天下之士莫不願為之用既以義取之以徳守之【帝王世紀曰武王見暍人王自左擁而右扇之紂政彌亂殷太史向摯載其圖書而歸周王以告於諸侯四年起師而東至商郊牧野乃作木簷王韈系解五人御於前莫肯為王系韈皆曰臣所以事君王非為系韈也王乃釋旄而系之與紂戰紂師敗績禽費仲惡來紂赴於京自燔於宣室而死二嬖妾與妲己亦自殺乃以大白髦麾諸侯入殷商都百姓鹹待於郊王使告曰上天降休商人皆拜王亦答拜以兵入造紂及妲己屍王親射之三發然後下車以劒擊之周公為司徒使以黃斬紂頭懸於大白之旗召公為司空又使以鉞斬妲己頸懸之小白旗置旌於商容之廬命召公釋箕子之囚賜貝千朋命原公釋百姓之囚歸璇臺之珠玉命南宮括散鹿臺之財發巨橋之粟以賑貧民命南宮伯逹史逸遷九鼎於洛邑命閎天封比干之墓命宗祝饗祀于軍防子膠鬲皆委質為臣殷人鹹喜曰王之於人也死猶封其墓況其生者乎王之於賢仁也亡者猶表其廬況其存者乎王之於財也聚者猶散之況其復借者乎王之於色也在者猶歸其父母況復徵之乎貴徳篇曰武王克殷召太公而問曰將奈其士眾何太公對曰臣聞愛其人者兼屋上之烏憎其人者惡其餘胥鹹劉厥敵使靡有餘何如王曰不可太公出邵公入王曰為之奈何邵公對曰有罪者殺之無罪者活之何如王曰不可邵公出周公入王曰為之奈何周公曰使各居其宅田其田無變舊新唯仁是親百姓有過在於一人武王曰廣大乎平天下矣凡所以貴士君子者以其仁而有徳也道應篇曰武王問太公曰寡人伐紂天下是臣殺其主而下伐其上也吾恐後世之用兵不休闘爭不已為之奈何太公曰甚善王之問也夫未得獸者唯恐其創之小也已得之惟恐傷肉之多也王若欲乆持之則塞民於兊道全為無用之事順擾之教彼皆樂其業供其事情昭昭而道冥冥於是乃去其瞀而載之木解其劒而帶之笏為三年之防令類不蕃髙辭卑讓使民不爭酒肉以通之竽瑟以娛之神以畏之繁文滋禮以弇其質厚葬乆防以亶其家含珠鱗施綸組以貧其財深鑿髙壟以盡其力家貧族少慮患者寡以此移風可以持天下弗失故老子曰化而欲作吾將鎮之以無名之樸也】秦以力取之以法守之本末不得故亡夫【音扶】文猶可長用而武難乆行也【賈誼曰陳渉之位不尊於齊楚趙韓魏宋衞中山之君也鉏耰棘矜不銛於鉤防長鎩也謫戍之眾非抗九國之師也深謀逺慮行軍用兵之道非及曩時之士也然而成敗異變功業相反試使山東之國與陳渉度長絜大比權量力則不可同年而語矣然秦以區區之地致萬乗之權招八州而朝同列百有餘年矣然後以六合為家崤函為宮一夫作難而七廟墮身死人手為天下笑者何也仁義不施而攻守之勢異也又曰秦王懐貪鄙之心行自奮之智不信功臣不親士民廢王道而立私愛焚文書而酷刑法先詐力而後仁義以暴虐為天下始夫兼併者髙詐力安危者貴順權以此言之取予攻守不同術也秦雖離戰國而王天下其道不易其政不改是以其所以取之也孤獨而有之故其亡可立而待也班固曰古人有言天生五材民並用之廢一不可誰能去兵鞭樸不可弛於家刑罰不可廢於國征伐不可偃於天下用之有本末行之有逆順者耳孔子曰工欲善其事必先利其器文徳者帝王之利器威武者文徳之輔助也夫文之所加者深則武之所服者大徳之所施者博則威之所制者廣三代之盛至於刑措兵寢者其本末有序帝王之極功也】

The Literati said: Shun held up shield and battle-axe and the Miao submitted, and King Wen polished his virtue and the four barbarian peoples turned to him. [Note: The 'Counsels of the Great Yu' says: For thirty days the Miao people defied the command. Yi urged Yu, saying: Only virtue moves Heaven; nowhere is too distant for it to reach. Fullness invites loss, and humility receives benefit; this is the Way of Heaven. Perfect sincerity moves the spirits, how much more the Miao. Yu bowed to this excellent advice and said: Yes. He withdrew the army and disbanded the troops. The emperor then spread culture and virtue widely and had shields and feathers danced between the two flights of steps, and in seventy days the Miao came. The 'Dao Ying' chapter says: King Wen polished his virtue and cultivated government, and in two years the people at the two edges of the world turned to him. The 'Ren Jian' chapter says: King Wen buried the bones of the dead, and the nine Yi tribes turned to him.] The Book of Songs says: 'At the Hao capital, with the Pi Yong hall, from the west and from the east, from the south and from the north, none think of not submitting.' [Note from the 'Xiu Wen' chapter: When the world has the Way, rites, music and punitive campaigns come from the Son of Heaven. When achievements are complete, rites are made; when government is settled, music is composed. Rites and music are the greatest means of transforming people. Confucius said: For changing customs and altering habits nothing is better than music, and for bringing peace to the ruler and order to the people nothing is better than ritual. Therefore the sage kings cultivated ritual forms, established schools, displayed bells and drums; the Son of Heaven had the Biyong and the lords had the Pangong, in order to carry out the transformation by virtue. The Book of Songs says: 'At the Hao capital, with the Pi Yong hall, from the west and from the east, from the south and from the north, none think of not submitting.' This is what it means.] Under all of Heaven, none of the human-faced race fails to crane their necks and turn toward his righteousness. So one may draw a line on the ground as a border and no one will cross it. The Master said: One may tread on bare blades, but the Mean cannot be attained; this is what is called perfect virtue. Therefore one who attacks well does not need strong armor to win, and one who defends well does not need canals and bridges to be secure. [Note: The 'Bing Lue' chapter says: One who defends well has no one to resist him, and one who fights well has no one to fight him. The 'Tai Zu' chapter says: Defense does not need moats and ditches to be secure, and attack does not need siege engines to take a place.] When King Wu attacked Yin, he held the yellow battle-axe and swore the oath in the wilds of Mu, and none of the gentlemen of the world did not wish to serve him. Having taken it by righteousness, he held it by virtue. [Note from the Chronicle of Emperors and Kings: King Wu saw a man overcome by heat, and the king himself fanned him from the left and then from the right. Zhou's government grew still more chaotic, and the Grand Historian of Yin, Xiang Zhi, carried his books and charts and came over to Zhou, and the king announced it to the lords. In the fourth year he raised his army and went east, reaching the Mu wilds in the Shang suburbs, and had a wooden canopy built. The king's sock cord came undone, and five men stood before him, but none was willing to tie it for the king. They all said: We serve Your Majesty, not to tie socks. So the king put down his yak-tail standard and his battle-axe and tied it himself. He fought Zhou, and Zhou's army was routed, and Fei Zhong and E Lai were captured. Zhou went to the capital and burned himself to death in the Xuan Hall, and his two concubines and Daji also killed themselves. King Wu then used the great white banner to lead the lords into the Shang capital, where the people all waited in the suburbs. The king had it announced: Heaven above has sent down blessings. The people of Shang all bowed, and the king bowed in return. He entered with his troops, went to the corpses of Zhou and Daji, and shot at Zhou three times with his own hand, then got down from his chariot and struck him with his sword. The Duke of Zhou, as Minister of Education, had Zhou's head cut off with the yellow battle-axe and hung on the great white banner; the Duke of Shao, as Minister of Works, had Daji's neck cut with the black battle-axe and hung on the small white banner. He set up his banner at the house of Shang Rong, ordered the Duke of Shao to release Jizi from prison and gave him a thousand strings of cowries, ordered the Duke of Yuan to release the imprisoned common people, and returned the jade and pearls of the Xuan Terrace. He ordered Nangong Kuo to distribute the wealth of the Deer Terrace and open the grain of Juqiao to relieve the poor, ordered Nangong Boda and Shi Yi to move the Nine Tripods to Luoyi, ordered Hong Yao to build up the grave of Bigan, and ordered the sacrificial officers to offer sacrifices in the army. Weizi and Jiaoge both offered themselves as subjects. The people of Yin all rejoiced and said: The king treats the dead by raising their graves, how much more the living! The king honors the houses of the worthy dead, how much more the living worthy! The king scatters the wealth that has been hoarded, how much more would he not borrow again! The king returns the women who are present to their parents, how much more would he not seize more! The 'Gui De' chapter says: When King Wu conquered Yin, he summoned Taigong and asked: What shall we do with the gentlemen and the multitude? Taigong replied: I have heard that one who loves a man loves even the crows on his roof, and one who hates a man hates even his fellow clerks. Kill all his enemies and leave none; how would that be? The king said: Not so. Taigong went out and the Duke of Shao came in. The king said: What shall be done? The Duke of Shao replied: Kill those with guilt and let those without guilt live; how would that be? The king said: Not so. The Duke of Shao went out and the Duke of Zhou came in. The king said: What shall be done? The Duke of Zhou said: Let each remain in his house and till his fields, change nothing old or new, and favor only the benevolent; if the people have faults, let them rest on one man. King Wu said: How vast, this brings peace to the world. What makes a gentleman valuable is that he is benevolent and has virtue. The 'Dao Ying' chapter says: King Wu asked Taigong: I have attacked Zhou, and the world will say it was a subject killing his ruler and a lower attacking his superior. I fear that later generations will use arms without end and strife will never stop; what shall we do? Taigong said: How good, the king's question. One who has not yet caught the beast fears only that the wound will be small, and one who has caught it fears only that too much meat will be damaged. If Your Majesty wishes to hold it for long, then keep the people in narrow ways, devote them entirely to useless affairs, and use teachings of compliance and disturbance, so that they all enjoy their work and serve their tasks, bright in the Way but obscure in purpose. Then remove their helmets and carry them on wood, loosen their swords and hang them from their tablets, have them observe the three-year mourning, so that their kind does not multiply, use humble words and modest yielding so that people do not quarrel, bring them together with wine and meat, entertain them with pipes and zithers, make them fear the spirits, use elaborate rites and many ceremonies to cover their true nature, use lavish burials and long mourning to exhaust their households, use pearls in the mouth and fish-scale shrouds and ribbons to impoverish their wealth, and dig deep and raise high tombs to use up their strength. Families will be poor and clans will be small, and few will think of troubles. With this change of customs, you can hold the world without losing it. So Laozi said: When transformation arises and desire stirs, I will quell it with the nameless simplicity.] The Qin took it by force and held it by law, with root and branch both lost, and so perished. Now then: culture can be used for a long time, but military might is hard to sustain for long. [Jia Yi said: Chen She's position was no more honorable than that of the rulers of Qi, Chu, Zhao, Han, Wei, Song, Wei and Zhongshan, and his hoes and thorn-wood poles were no sharper than hooked halberds and long spears, and his garrison conscripts were no match for the armies of the nine states, and his deep planning and far thinking, the way he led the army and used troops, were not equal to the gentlemen of earlier times. Yet the outcome was reversed and the achievement was the opposite. Suppose the states east of the mountains were compared with Chen She, measuring length and size, weighing power and strength; they could not be spoken of in the same year. Yet Qin, from a small territory, reached the power of ten thousand chariots, summoned eight provinces to court on equal terms for more than a hundred years, and afterward made the six directions its home and the Xiao and Han passes its palace; then a single man made trouble and the seven ancestral temples fell, and the ruler died at another man's hand and became a laughingstock of the world. Why? Because benevolence and righteousness were not applied, and the circumstances of attack and defense differ. He also said: The King of Qin held a greedy and base heart, pursued his own wisdom, did not trust his meritorious ministers, did not draw close to the gentry and the people, abandoned the kingly way and established private favor, burned documents and made the penal law harsh, put deceit and force first and benevolence and righteousness after, and made cruelty the beginning for the world. Those who annex value deceit and force, while those who bring safety value compliance and adaptation. From this it is said that taking and giving, attacking and defending, do not use the same method. Though Qin came out of the Warring States and ruled the world, it did not change its way or reform its government, so those who took it did so alone, and its fall could be awaited on the spot. Ban Gu said: The ancients had a saying: Heaven gives birth to the five materials and the people use them all together, and none can be abandoned; who can get rid of weapons? Whips and rods cannot be relaxed in a household, punishments cannot be abandoned in a state, and campaigns cannot be abolished in the world; there is only a root and a branch in using them, and an order of what goes with and what goes against. Confucius said: A craftsman who wishes to do his work well must first sharpen his tools. Civil virtue is the emperor's sharp tool, and military might is the aid of civil virtue. Where culture is applied deeply, military might subdues greatly; where virtue is spread broadly, authority controls widely. The flourishing of the Three Dynasties reached the point where punishments were set aside and arms laid to rest, because root and branch were ordered, which is the highest achievement of emperors and kings.]

大夫曰詩云獫狁孔熾我是用戒武夫潢潢經營四方故守禦征伐所由來乆矣【汜論曰夫神農伏犧不施賞罰而民不為非然而立政者不能廢法而治民舜干鏚而服有苗然而征伐者不能釋甲兵而制強暴】春秋譏戎驪未至預御之【春秋曰公追戎於濟西公羊傳曰此未有言伐者其言追何大其為中國追也此未有伐中國者則言其為中國追何大其未至而豫御之也其言於濟西何大之也】故四支強而躬體固華葉茂而本根據故飭四境所以安中國也發戍【音絮】漕所以審勞佚【音逸】也主憂者臣勞上危者下死先帝憂百姓不澹【古贍字】出禁錢解乗輿驂貶樂損膳以賑窮備邊費【食貨志曰縣官不給天子乃損膳解乗輿駟出御府禁藏以澹之其明年山東被水災民多飢乏於是天子遣使虛郡國倉廩以賑貧】未見報施之義而見沮成之理非所聞也

The Grand Master said: The Odes say: The Xianyun are very fierce, so we are on our guard. The warriors are vast in number and campaign on all four sides. So defense and campaigns have a long origin [the chapter 'Fan Lun' says: Shennong and Fuxi did not apply rewards and punishments and the people did not do wrong, yet those who establish government cannot abolish law and govern the people; Shun used shield and axe dances and the Miao submitted, yet those who campaign cannot set down armor and arms to control the violent]. The Annals criticized acting against the Rong and Li tribes before they had come, by defending in advance [the Annals say: The duke pursued the Rong west of the Ji. The Gongyang Commentary says: Here no one speaks of attacking, so why does it speak of pursuing? It praises him for pursuing on behalf of the Middle Kingdom. Here there was no attack on the Middle Kingdom, so why does it speak of pursuing on behalf of the Middle Kingdom? It praises defending in advance before they came. Why does it say west of the Ji? It praises him]. So when the four limbs are strong the body is firm, and when the leaves and flowers are lush the roots are deep. Therefore ordering the four borders is how to give peace to the Middle Kingdom; sending out garrisons [the character 'shu' glossed as pronounced 'xu'] and water transport is how to examine toil and ease [the character 'yi' glossed as pronounced 'yi']. When the lord is worried the ministers toil, and when those above are in danger those below die. The former emperor, worried that the hundred clans were not sufficient [the old form of the character is written with a different graph], brought out his reserve money, unhitched the side horses of the imperial carriage, reduced music and cut his meals to relieve the destitute and prepare border expenses [the Treatise on Food and Money says: When the county officials could not supply, the Son of Heaven reduced his meals, unhitched the four horses of his carriage, and brought out the reserve of the imperial treasury to supply it. The next year the area east of the mountains suffered flood, and many people were hungry and in want, so the Son of Heaven sent envoys to empty the granaries of the commanderies and states to relieve the poor]. I have not seen the principle of repayment and giving, but I have seen the principle of obstructing completion; this is not what I have heard.

文學曰周道衰王跡熄諸侯爭強大小相凌是以強國務侵弱國設備甲士勞戰陳【古陣字】役於兵革故君勞而民困苦也【覽防訓曰晩世之時七國異族諸侯製法各殊習俗縱橫間之舉兵而相角攻城濫殺覆髙危安掘墳墓揚人骸大沖車髙重京除戰道犯嚴敵殘不義百往一反聲苟盛也是故壯質輕足者為甲卒千里之外家老羸弱悽愴於內廝徒馬圉軵車奉饟道馬遼逺霜雪亟集短褐不完人羸車泥塗至膝相攜於道奮首於路身枕格而死所謂兼國有地者伏屍數十萬破車以千百數傷弓弩矛防矢石之創者扶舉於路故世至於枕人頭食人肉飲人血廿之芻豢故自三代以後者未嘗得安其情性而樂其習俗保其修命天而不夭於人虐也】今中國為一統而方內不安繇【音遙】役逺而外內煩也古者無過年之繇【音遙】無逾時之役【詩傳曰太平之時民行役者不逾時男女不失時以偶孝子不失時以養外無曠夫內無怨女上無不慈之父下無不孝之子父子相成夫婦相保天下和平國家安寧】今近者數千裡逺者過萬里歴二期長【音掌】子不還父母愁憂妻子詠歎憤懣【音悶】之恨發動於心慕思之積痛於骨髓此枤杜采薇之所為作也【詩序曰文王之時西有昆夷之患北有玁狁之難以天子之命命將率遣戍役以守衞中國故歌采薇以遣之出車以勞還枤杜以勤歸也】

The Literati said: When the Way of Zhou declined, the royal traces faded, the feudal lords contested for power, and large and small oppressed one another. So strong states devoted themselves to invasion and weak states set up defenses, the armored soldiers toiled in battle formations [the old form of the character is written differently] and were worn out by weapons and armor, so the rulers toiled and the people were in hardship [the chapter 'Lan Ming Xun' (the source text has a damaged character) says: In the late age, the seven states were of different clans, the feudal lords made laws, each with different customs, and the vertical and horizontal alliances were set between them; they raised arms and fought each other, attacked cities and killed indiscriminately, overturned the high and endangered the peaceful, dug up tombs and scattered bones, used great siege chariots, built high heavy mounds, cleared battle roads, struck strict enemies, and brutalized the unrighteous; a hundred went and one returned, merely to make a noise of power. Thereby the strong and sturdy and light of foot became armored soldiers a thousand li away, while the old, weak and frail were grieving at home, menials and stable boys pushed carts to carry supplies, the roads long and far, frost and snow falling thick, short coarse clothes incomplete, men weakened and carts worn (the source text has a rare character lost in transcription), mud to the knees, supporting each other on the roads, raising their heads along the way, and dying with their bodies pillowed on the fetters. Of those called conquerors of states who held land, corpses lay in hundreds of thousands, broken carts numbered in the hundreds and thousands, and the wounded by bows, crossbows, spears, halberds, arrows and stones were propped up along the roads. So the age came to pillowing on human heads, eating human flesh and drinking human blood, pickling them as with the fodder-fed livestock. So since the Three Dynasties no one has been able to find peace in his nature, delight in his customs, preserve his life span, and not die young from the cruelty of others.]. Now the Middle Kingdom is unified but within the borders there is no peace, because corvee [the character 'yao' glossed as pronounced 'yao'] and service are distant and trouble both inside and outside. In ancient times there was no corvee exceeding a year, and no service exceeding a season [the Commentary on the Odes says: In times of great peace, the people on service did not go beyond a season, men and women did not lose the time to marry, filial sons did not lose the time to support their parents, there were no idle husbands outside and no resentful wives within, no unkind fathers above and no unfilial sons below, fathers and sons completed each other, husbands and wives protected each other, the world was at peace and the state was settled]. Now the near ones are several thousand li, the far ones over ten thousand li, passing two years, and the eldest son [the character 'chang' glossed as pronounced 'zhang'] does not return, parents grieve and worry, wives and children sigh, the resentment of frustration [the character 'men' glossed as pronounced 'men'] stirs in the heart, and the accumulation of longing pains to the marrow. This is what the odes 'Di Du' and 'Cai Wei' were made for [the Preface to the Odes says: In the time of King Wen, in the west there was the trouble of the Kunyi, and in the north the danger of the Xianyun; by the Son of Heaven's order, generals were commanded to send garrison service to guard the Middle Kingdom, so the song 'Cai Wei' was sung to send them off, 'Chu Che' to comfort their return, and 'Di Du' to reward their coming home].

大夫曰虎兕所以能執熊羆服群獸者爪牙利而攫【音腳】便也秦所以超諸侯吞天下並敵國者險阻固而勢居然也故蜯有介狐貉不能禽【通作擒】蝮蛇有螫【音式】人忌而不輕故有備則制人無備則制於人【韓非子曰虎豹之所以能勝人執百獸者以其爪牙也當使虎豹失其爪牙則人必制之矣今勢重者人主之爪牙也君人而失其爪牙虎豹之類也】故仲山甫補袞職之闕公築長城之固所以備冦難【去聲】而折沖萬里之外也【詩曰袞職有闕維仲山甫補之匈奴傳曰秦滅六國始皇帝使防恬將數十萬之眾北擊胡悉收河南地因河為塞築四十四縣城臨河徙適戎以充之而通直道自九原至雲陽因邊山險塹谿谷可繕者繕之起臨洮至遼東萬餘里又度河據陽山北假中匈奴單于曰頭曼頭曼不勝秦北徙十有餘年】今不固其外慾安其內猶家人不堅垣牆狗吠夜驚而闇昧妄行也【韓非子曰不謹其閉不固其門虎乃將存不慎其事不掩其情賊乃將生】

The Grand Master said: The reason tigers and rhinoceroses can seize bears and brown bears and subdue the herds of beasts is that their claws and teeth are sharp and their seizing [the character 'jue' glossed as pronounced 'jiao'] convenient. The reason Qin surpassed the feudal lords, swallowed the world and annexed enemy states is that its dangerous barriers were firm and its position strategic. So turtles and clams have shells, and foxes and badgers cannot catch them [the character 'qin' is written with a different form]; vipers have stings [the character 'shi' glossed as pronounced 'shi'], and people fear them and do not treat them lightly. So one who is prepared controls others, and one who is not prepared is controlled by others [Han Feizi says: The reason tigers and leopards can overcome people and seize the hundred beasts is their claws and teeth. If tigers and leopards lost their claws and teeth, people would surely control them. Now heavy power is the ruler's claws and teeth; a ruler who loses his claws and teeth is of the tiger-and-leopard kind]. So Zhong Shanfu mended the gaps in the ruler's robe, and Lord Meng (the source text has a rare character lost in transcription) built the firm Great Wall, to guard against raider troubles [read in the falling tone] and turn back attackers ten thousand li away [the Odes say: If the royal robe has a gap, only Zhong Shanfu mends it. The Account of the Xiongnu says: When Qin destroyed the six states, the First Emperor sent Meng Tian (the source text reads as damaged) with several hundred thousand to strike the Hu in the north, and took all the land south of the river, used the river as a frontier, built forty-four walled counties along the river, moved convict garrisons to fill them, and opened a direct road from Jiuyuan to Yunyang, repairing for the border the mountain dangers, moats and valleys that could be repaired, from Lintao to Liaodong over ten thousand li, and crossed the river to take Yangshan and the northern lease lands. The Xiongnu Chanyu was named Touman. Touman could not defeat Qin and moved north for over ten years]. Now not to strengthen the outside and yet to wish for peace within is like a household that does not fortify its walls, where the dogs bark and the night is alarmed and people move recklessly in the dark [Han Feizi says: If one is not careful about the closing and does not secure his door, the tiger will be there; if one is not careful about affairs and does not cover up one's feelings, the thief will be born].

文學曰秦地左餚【音殽】函【音鹹】右隴阺【音低】前蜀漢後山河四塞以為固金城千里良將【去聲】勇士設利器而守陘【音形】隧【音遂】墨子守雲梯之械也【修務訓曰昔者楚欲攻宋墨子聞而悼之自魯趨而十日十夜足重繭而不休息裂衣裳裹足至於郢見楚王曰臣聞大王舉兵將攻宋計必得宋而後攻之乎忘其苦眾勞民頓兵挫銳負天下以不義之名而不得咫尺之地猶且攻之乎王曰必不得宋又且為不義曷為攻之墨子曰臣見大王必傷義而不得宋王曰公輸天下之巧士作雲梯之械設以攻宋曷為弗取墨子曰令公輸設攻臣請守之於是公輸般設攻宋之械墨子設守宋之備九攻而墨子九卻之弗能入於是乃偃兵輟不攻宋】以為雖湯武復生蚩尤復起不輕攻也然戍【音絮】卒陳勝無將【去聲】帥之任師旅之眾奮空拳而破百萬之師無牆籬之難【賈誼曰始皇奮六世之餘烈振長防而御宇內吞二週而亡諸侯履至尊而制六合執敲樸以鞭笞天下威振四海南取百粵之地以為桂林象郡百粵之君俛首繫頸委命下吏乃使防恬北築長城而守藩籬卻匈奴七百餘里胡人不敢南下而牧馬士不敢彎弓而報怨於是廢先王之道燔百家之言以愚黔首墮名城殺豪俊收天下之兵聚之咸陽銷鋒鍉鑄以為金人十二以弱天下之民然後踐華為城因河為池據億丈之城臨不測之谿以為固良將勁弩守要害之處信臣精卒陳利兵而誰何天下已定始皇之心自以為闗中之固金城千里子孫帝王萬世之業也始皇旣沒餘威振於殊俗然而陳涉甕牗防樞之子氓之人而遷徙之徒也材能不及非有仲弓墨翟之賢陶朱猗頓之富躡足行伍之間俛起阡陌之中卒疲散之卒轉而攻秦斬木為兵揭竿為旗天下雲合而響應褁糧而景從山東豪傑遂並起而亡秦族矣】故在徳不在固誠以行【去聲】義為阻道徳為塞賢人為兵聖人為守則莫能入如此則中國無狗吠之警而邊境無鹿駭狼顧之憂矣夫【音扶】何妄行之有乎【魏武侯浮西河而下中流顧謂呉起曰美哉乎河山之固也此魏國之寳也呉起對曰在徳不在險昔三苗氏左洞庭右彭蠡徳義不修而舜滅之夏桀之居左河濟右太華伊闕在其南羊腸在其北修政不仁湯放之殷紂之國左孟門而右太行常山在其北大河經其南修政不徳武王伐之由此觀之在徳不在險若君不修徳船中之人盡敵國也武侯曰善左思曰劒閣雖嶛憑之者蹶非所以深根固蔕也洞庭雖濬負之者北非所以愛人治國也詩傳曰今有堅甲利兵不足以施敵破虜弓良矢調不足射逺中微與無兵等爾有民不足強用嚴敵與無民等爾故盤石千里不為有地愚民百萬不為有民詩曰維南有箕不可以簸揚維北有鬥不可以挹酒漿莊辛曰居不為垣牆人莫能毀傷行不從周衞人莫能暴害此君子之行也】

The Literati said: The land of Qin has Mount Xiao [the character glossed as pronounced 'xiao'] and the Han Valley Pass [glossed as pronounced 'xian'] on the left, Longdi [glossed as pronounced 'di'] on the right, Shu and Han in front, mountains and river behind, with four barriers as defense and a metal city a thousand li wide. Good generals [the word 'jiang' pronounced in the falling tone] and brave men set sharp weapons and guard the passes [glossed as pronounced 'xing'] and tunnels [glossed as pronounced 'sui']. Mozi defended against the cloud ladder devices [the chapter 'Xiu Wu Xun' says: Formerly Chu wanted to attack Song, and Mozi heard of it and was grieved, and hurried from Lu for ten days and ten nights, his feet in layers of calluses without rest, tearing his clothes to wrap his feet, and reached Ying and saw the king of Chu, saying: I have heard that Your Majesty is raising troops to attack Song; do you calculate that you will surely get Song and only then attack? Forgetting the toil of the multitude and the exhaustion of the people, blunting the army and dulling its edge, bearing the name of unrighteousness before the world and gaining not a foot of land, would you still attack? The king said: I surely cannot get Song and would be doing something unrighteous besides; why attack? Mozi said: I see that Your Majesty will surely harm righteousness and not get Song. The king said: Gongshu is the cleverest craftsman in the world and has made the cloud ladder devices to attack Song; why would I not take it? Mozi said: Let Gongshu set up the attack, and I ask to defend. So Gongshu Ban set up the instruments to attack Song, and Mozi set up the defense of Song; nine times he attacked and nine times Mozi repelled him, and he could not enter. So they stood down the army and stopped, and did not attack Song.]. One would think that even if Tang and Wu were reborn or Chiyou rose again, they would not lightly attack. Yet the garrison soldier Chen Sheng, with no office of general and no host of troops, with bare fists broke an army of a million, with no walls or fences to trouble him [Jia Yi said: The First Emperor drew on the surviving achievements of six generations, wielded a long whip to rule the realm, swallowed the two Zhou and destroyed the feudal lords, ascended the highest honor and controlled the six directions, held the cudgel and whip to beat the world, and his awe shook the four seas; in the south he took the land of the hundred Yue, making Guilin and Xiang commanderies, and the lords of the Yue bowed their heads and put ropes on their necks and entrusted their lives to the petty officials; then he sent Meng Tian (the source text reads as damaged) to build the Great Wall in the north and guard the fence, and pushed back the Xiongnu over seven hundred li, so that the Hu did not dare come south to graze horses and the warriors did not dare draw bows to avenge their resentment. Then he abolished the Way of the former kings, burned the sayings of the hundred schools to make the black-haired people ignorant, razed famous cities, killed the powerful and talented, gathered the world's weapons and collected them at Xianyang, melted down the blades and arrowheads and cast twelve metal men, to weaken the people of the world. Then he stepped on Mount Hua to make a city and made the river a moat, held a city of hundreds of million feet and faced unfathomable gorges for strength, with good generals and strong crossbows guarding strategic points, and trusted ministers and elite troops with sharp arms challenging all comers. The world was settled, and the First Emperor in his heart thought that the strength of the Guanzhong and the metal city of a thousand li would be a work for the descendant emperors for ten thousand generations. After the First Emperor died, his remaining awe still shook other customs. Yet Chen She, a son of a jar-mouth window and rope-hinged door (the source text reads as damaged), a man of lowly bondage (the source text has a rare character lost in transcription) and one of the transported, whose talent did not reach that of the average, who did not have the worth of Zhonggong and Mo Di nor the wealth of Tao Zhu and Yi Dun, stepping into the ranks and rising up from the fields, led a band of exhausted and scattered soldiers and turned to attack Qin, cutting wood for weapons and raising poles for banners, and the world gathered like clouds and responded like echoes, carrying provisions and following like shadows, and the heroes east of the mountains rose together and destroyed Qin's clan.]. So it lies in virtue and not in strength of position. If righteousness in conduct [the word 'xing' pronounced in the falling tone] is the barrier, morality the frontier, the worthy the weapons and the sage the guard, then none can enter. Then the Middle Kingdom would have no alarm of dogs barking and the border no worry of deer startled or wolves glancing back. [The opening 'fu' is glossed as pronounced 'fu'.] How could there be reckless movement? [Marquis Wu of Wei floated down the Western River, and in midstream turned and said to Wu Qi: How fine is the strength of the rivers and mountains; this is the treasure of Wei. Wu Qi answered: It lies in virtue and not in dangerous terrain. Formerly the Sanmiao clan had Dongting on the left and Pengli on the right, but their virtue and righteousness were not cultivated, and Shun destroyed them; Jie of Xia lived with the Yellow River and Ji on the left and Mount Taihua on the right, Yique to the south and Yangchang to the north, but cultivated government without humaneness, and Tang banished him; Zhou of Yin's state had Mengmen on the left and Mount Taihang on the right, Mount Chang to the north, and the great river passing to the south, but cultivated government without virtue, and King Wu attacked him. From this it appears that it lies in virtue and not in dangerous terrain. If the ruler does not cultivate virtue, all the people in the boat are enemies of the state. Marquis Wu said: Good. Zuo Si said: Though the Sword Gate Pass is steep, those who rely on it will stumble, and it is not a way to root deeply and fix the stem; though Dongting is deep, those who rely on it will be defeated, and it is not a way to love people and govern the state. The Commentary on the Odes says: Now to have strong armor and sharp weapons yet not be enough to apply them to enemies and crush captives, to have good bows and well-tuned arrows yet not be enough to shoot far and hit the small, is the same as having no weapons; to have a people yet not be enough to employ them against a strict enemy is the same as having no people. So a thousand li of solid rock is not having land, and a million foolish people is not having a people. The Odes say: In the south there is the Winnowing Basket constellation, which cannot winnow; in the north there is the Dipper, which cannot ladle wine. Zhuang Xin said: Live without building walls and none can harm you; travel without a close escort and none can do you violence. This is the conduct of a noble person.]

大夫曰古者為國必察土地山陵阻險天時地利然後可以王伯【音霸】故制地城郭飭溝壘【音磊】以御冦固國春秋曰冬浚洙【音朱】修地利也【春秋曰冬浚洙公羊傳曰洙者何水也浚之者何深之也曷為深之畏齊也曷為畏齊辭殺子紏也穀梁傳曰浚洙者深洙也著力不足也】三軍順天時以實擊虛然固於阻險敵於金城楚莊之圍宋秦師敗崤【音爻】嶔【音欽】巖是也【宋世家曰文公十七年楚以圍宋五月不解宋城中急無食華元乃夜私見楚將子反子反告莊王王問城中何如曰析骸而炊易子而食莊王曰誠哉言我軍亦有七日糧以信故遂罷兵去公羊傳曰秦伯將襲鄭百里子與蹇叔子諫曰千里而襲人未有不亡者也秦伯怒曰若爾之年者宰上之木拱矣爾曷知師出百里子與蹇叔子送其子而戒之曰爾即死必於殽之嶔巖是文王之所闢風雨者也吾將屍爾焉子揖師而行百里子與蹇叔子從其子而哭之秦伯怒曰爾曷為哭吾師對曰臣非敢哭君師哭臣之子也髙者鄭商也遇之殽矯以鄭伯之命而犒師焉或曰往矣或曰反矣然而晉人與姜戎要之殽而撃之匹馬隻輪無反者也】故曰天時地利羌胡固近於邊今不敢取必為四境長患此季孫之所以憂顓臾有勾踐之變而為強呉之所悔也

The Grand Master said: In ancient times, in ruling a state one had to examine the land, mountains, hills and dangerous barriers, the seasons of heaven and the advantages of earth, and only then could one be king or hegemon [the character 'bo' glossed as pronounced 'ba']. So they set up city walls and ordered ditches and ramparts [the character 'lei' glossed as pronounced 'lei'] to guard against raiders and strengthen the state. The Annals say: In winter, deepening the Zhu River [the character glossed as pronounced 'zhu'], which is cultivating the advantage of the land [the Annals say: In winter he deepened the Zhu. The Gongyang Commentary says: What is the Zhu? It is a river. What does deepening it mean? To make it deeper. Why make it deeper? Because he feared Qi. Why did he fear Qi? Because he had refused to kill Zijiu. The Guliang Commentary says: To deepen the Zhu is to make the Zhu deeper. This is to exert insufficient strength.]. The three armies follow the seasons of heaven and strike the empty with the solid, yet rely on dangerous barriers and face the enemy with a metal city. King Zhuang of Chu besieged Song, and the Qin army was defeated at the steep cliffs of Mount Xiao [the character 'xiao' glossed as pronounced 'yao' and 'qin' glossed as 'qin'], is this [the Hereditary House of Song says: In the seventeenth year of Duke Wen, Chu besieged Song for five months without relief, and inside the city of Song it was urgent and there was no food. Hua Yuan then secretly met the Chu general Zifan at night, and Zifan told King Zhuang. The king asked how it was inside the city, and he said: They split bones to cook and exchange sons to eat. King Zhuang said: Truly spoken. Our army too has only seven days' grain. Because of this trust, he withdrew the troops and left. The Gongyang Commentary says: The Earl of Qin was about to attack Zheng by surprise, and Baili Zi and Jian Shu Zi remonstrated, saying: One who attacks others by surprise from a thousand li away has never failed to perish. The Earl of Qin was angry and said: At your age, the tree on your grave would be an armful thick; what do you know? When the army set out, Baili Zi and Jian Shu Zi saw off their sons and warned them: If you die, it will surely be at the steep cliffs of Xiao, where King Wen sheltered from wind and rain. I will gather your bodies there. The sons bowed to the army and left. Baili Zi and Jian Shu Zi followed their sons weeping. The Earl of Qin was angry and said: Why do you weep for my army? They answered: We dare not weep for our lord's army; we weep for our sons. Xian Gao (the source text has a rare character lost in transcription) was a Zheng merchant who met them at Xiao and, falsely in the name of the Earl of Zheng, feasted the army. Some said they would go, others said they would turn back. But the Jin people and the Jiang Rong ambushed them at Xiao and struck them, and not a single horse or wheel returned.]. So it is called the seasons of heaven and the advantages of earth. The Qiang and Hu are close to the border; if we do not dare take them now, they will surely be a long-term trouble on all four borders. This is why Jisun worried about Zhuanyu, and why the change of Goujian became what strong Wu regretted.

文學曰地利不如人和武力不如文徳【闘防謂莫敖曰師克在和不在眾商周之不敵君之所聞也成軍以出又何濟焉孫卿曰夫兵之要在附親士民而已六馬不和造父不能以致逺弓矢不調羿不能以中微士民不親附湯武不能以戰勝由此觀之要在於附親士民而已矣兵略曰駟馬不調造父不能以致逺弓矢不調羿不能以必中君臣乖心則孫子不能以應敵呉子曰不和於國不可以出軍不和于軍不可以出陣不和於陣不可以進戰不和於戰不可以決勝】周之致逺不以地利以人和也百世不奪非以險以徳也【婁敬曰武王伐紂不期而防孟津上八百諸侯遂滅殷成王即位周公之屬傅相焉乃營成周都雒以為此天下中諸侯四方納貢職道里鈞矣有徳則易以王無徳則易以亡凡居此者欲令務以徳致人不欲阻險令後世驕奢以虐民也汜論曰武王克殷欲築宮於五行之山周公曰不可夫五行之山固塞險阻之地使我徳能覆之則天下納其貢職者廽也我有暴亂之行則天下之伐我難矣此所以三十六世而不奪也周公可謂能持滿矣許慎曰廻迂難也廻或作固固必也周公言我有暴亂之行則天下當來伐我我無為於五行之山使天下來伐我者難也言其依徳不恃險也】呉有三江五湖之難而兼于越楚有汝淵滿堂之固而滅於秦秦有隴阺【音低】崤【音餚】塞而亡於諸侯晉有河華【去聲】九河而奪於六卿齊有泰山巨海而負于田常桀紂有天下兼有濟亳【音薄】秦王以六合困於陳渉非地利不固無術以守之也釋邇憂逺猶呉不內定其國而西絶淮山與齊晉爭強也越因其罷【音疲】擊其虛【蔡澤曰呉王夫差兵無敵於天下勇猛以輕諸侯陵齊晉故遂以殺身亡國】使呉王用申胥修徳無恃極其眾則勾踐不免為藩臣海崖何謀之敢慮也【呉語解曰申胥楚大夫伍奢之子子胥也名員魯昭二十年奢誅於楚員奔呉呉子與之申地故曰申胥】大夫曰楚自巫山起方城屬巫黔【音鉗】中設扞關以距秦秦包商洛崤【音爻】函【音鹹】以御諸侯韓阻宜陽伊闕要成臯太行【音杭】以安周鄭魏濵洛築城阻山帶河以保晉國趙結飛狐句注孟門以存荊代燕塞碣石絶邪谷繞援遼齊撫阿甄關榮歴倚太山負海河關梁者邦國之固而山川社稷之寳也徐人滅舒春秋謂之取惡【音汙】其無備得物之易【音異】也【春秋曰徐人取舒公羊傳曰其言取之何易也】故恤來兵仁傷刑君子為國必有不可犯之難【去聲】易曰重門擊柝以待暴客言備之素修也

The Literati said: The advantages of earth are not equal to the harmony of people, and martial force is not equal to civil virtue [Dou Lian (the source text reads as damaged) said to Mo'ao: The victory of an army lies in harmony, not in numbers. That Shang and Zhou were not matched is what you have heard. If we set out with the army formed, what can it accomplish? Xunzi said: The essentials of arms lie only in drawing close the officers and people. If the six horses are not in harmony, Zao Fu cannot go far with them; if the bow and arrows are not in tune, Yi cannot hit the small; if the officers and people are not close and attached, Tang and Wu cannot win battles. From this it appears that the essence lies only in drawing close the officers and people. The chapter 'Bing Lue' says: If the four horses are not in tune, Zao Fu cannot go far; if the bow and arrow are not in tune, Yi cannot be sure to hit; if ruler and minister are at odds, then Sun Zi cannot respond to the enemy. Wu Zi said: If there is no harmony in the state, one cannot send out an army; if there is no harmony in the army, one cannot go out in formation; if there is no harmony in the formation, one cannot advance to battle; if there is no harmony in the battle, one cannot decide victory.]. Zhou reached far not by advantages of land but by harmony of people; for a hundred generations it was not seized, not through danger but through virtue [Lou Jing said: When King Wu attacked Zhou, the eight hundred feudal lords gathered at Mengjin without appointment (the source text reads as damaged), and so destroyed Yin. When King Cheng took the throne, the Duke of Zhou and others served as tutors and chancellors, and then laid out Chengzhou, capital at Luo, thinking this was the center of the world, with the feudal lords paying tribute from the four quarters, and the roads equal in distance. If there is virtue it is easy to become king; if there is no virtue it is easy to perish. All who dwell here should strive to attract people by virtue and not to rely on dangerous barriers and make later ages arrogant, extravagant and cruel to the people. The chapter 'Fan Lun' says: When King Wu conquered Yin, he wished to build a palace at the Wuxing mountains. The Duke of Zhou said: It cannot be done. The Wuxing mountains are solid, blocked and dangerous ground. If my virtue can cover it, then those in the world who send tribute will come by roundabout ways; if I have cruel and chaotic conduct, it will be hard for the world to attack me. This is why it was not seized for thirty-six generations. The Duke of Zhou may be said to be able to keep to fullness. Xu Shen said: 'Roundabout' means circuitous and difficult. Some write 'roundabout' as 'firm', and 'firm' means 'certain'. The Duke of Zhou means that if I have cruel and chaotic conduct the world should come to attack me, and it is not necessary that I hold the Wuxing mountains to make it hard for the world to attack me. This says he relied on virtue and did not trust dangerous terrain.]. Wu had the difficulty of the Three Rivers and Five Lakes yet was annexed by Yue; Chu had the Ru Pool and Manxuan fortresses yet was destroyed by Qin; Qin had Longdi [glossed as pronounced 'di'], Xiao [glossed as 'xiao'] and the frontier passes yet was destroyed by the feudal lords; Jin had the river and Mount Hua [the word 'hua' read in the falling tone] and the nine rivers yet was seized by the six ministers; Qi had Mount Tai and the great sea yet was betrayed by Tian Chang. Jie and Zhou held the world together with Ji and Bo [the character 'bo' glossed as pronounced 'bo'], and the King of Qin, with the six directions, was brought to hardship by Chen She; it was not that the advantages of earth were not solid, but they had no art to guard them. To neglect the near and worry about the far is like Wu, which did not settle its own state within but cut off west beyond the Huai mountains to contend for power with Qi and Jin, and Yue took advantage of its exhaustion [the character 'ba' glossed as pronounced 'pi'] to strike its emptiness [Cai Ze said: King Fuchai of Wu had troops without equal in the world, and used his valor and fierceness to belittle the feudal lords and bully Qi and Jin, and so he lost his life and his state]. If the king of Wu had used Shen Xu to cultivate virtue and not relied on exhausting his multitude, then Goujian would not have escaped being a vassal on the seacoast; what scheme would he have dared to consider? [The commentary on the Discourses of Wu says: Shen Xu was Zixu, son of Wu She, a grand master of Chu, named Yuan. In the twentieth year of Duke Zhao of Lu, She was executed in Chu, and Yuan fled to Wu, and the lord of Wu gave him the land of Shen, so he was called Shen Xu.] The Grand Master said: Chu raised the Fangcheng wall from Mount Wu, joined it to Wu and Qian [the character 'qian' glossed as pronounced 'qian'], and set up the Han Pass to resist Qin; Qin enclosed Shang and Luo, Xiao [pronounced 'yao'] and Han [pronounced 'xian'] to guard against the feudal lords; Han blocked Yiyang and Yique, held Chenggao and Taihang [the character 'xing' pronounced 'hang'] to secure Zhou and Zheng; Wei built walls along the Luo and blocked mountains and girdled the river to preserve Jin; Zhao linked Feihu, Juzhu and Mengmen to preserve Jing and Dai; Yan blocked Jieshi, cut off Xie Valley and encircled Yuanliao; Qi held E and Zhen, made passes at Rong and Li, leaned on Mount Tai and bore the sea and the river. Passes and bridges are the strength of states, and mountains and rivers are the treasure of the altars of earth and grain. When the Xu people destroyed Shu, the Annals called it 'taking,' disliking [the character 'e' glossed as pronounced 'wu'] their lack of defenses and the ease [the character 'yi' glossed as pronounced 'yi'] of getting things [the Annals say: The Xu people took Shu. The Gongyang Commentary says: Why does it say 'took'? It was easy]. So take care of those who come with arms and be humane to the injured and punished. The noble person governing a state must have defenses that cannot be breached [the word 'nan' read in the falling tone]. The Changes say: Double gates and a watchman's clapper to await a violent guest, which says that preparation is always cultivated.

文學曰阻險不如阻義昔湯以七十里為政於天下舒以百里亡於敵國此其所以見惡【音汙】也【泰族訓曰天子得道守在四夷天子失道守在諸侯諸侯得道守在四鄰諸侯失道守在四境故湯處亳七十里文王處鄷百里皆令行禁止於天下週之衰也戎伐凡伯於楚丘以歸故得道則以百里之地令於諸侯失道則以天下之大畏於兾州故曰無恃其不吾奪也恃吾不可奪行可奪之道而非簒殺之行無益於恃天下矣汜論曰堯無百戸之郭舜無置錐之地以有天下禹無十人之眾湯無七里之分以王諸侯文王處岐周之間也地方不過百里而立為天子者有王道也夏桀殷紂之盛也人跡所至舟車所通莫不為郡縣然而身死人手而為天下笑者有亡形也故得王道者雖小必大有亡形者雖成必敗趙襄子以晉陽之城霸智伯以三晉之地擒湣王以大齊亡田單以即墨有功故國之亡也雖大不足恃道之行也雖小不可輕由此觀之存在得道而不在於大也亡在失道而不在於小也】使關梁足恃六國不兼於秦河山足保秦不亡於楚漢由此觀之沖隆不足為強髙城不足為固行善則昌行惡則亡【詩傳曰堅甲利兵不足以為武髙城深池不足以為固嚴令繁刑不足以為威由其道則行不由其道則廢昔楚人蛟革犀兕以為甲堅如金石宛如鉅蛇慘若蜂蠆輕利剛疾卒如飄風然兵殆於垂沙唐子死莊蹻走楚分為三四者此豈無堅甲利兵也哉所以統之非其道故也汝淮以為險江漢以為池縁之以方城限之以鄧林然秦師至於鄔郢舉若振槁然是豈無固塞限險也哉其所以統之者非其道故也紂殺比干而囚箕子為炮烙之刑殺戮無時群下愁怨皆莫兾其命然周師至令不行乎左右而豈其無嚴令繁刑也哉其所以統之者非其道故也若夫明道而均分之誠愛而時使之則下之應上如影響矣】王者博愛逺施外內合同四海各以其職來祭何擊柝而待傳【去聲】曰諸侯之有關梁庶人之有爵祿非昇平之興蓋自戰國始也

The Literati said: Relying on natural barriers is not as good as relying on righteousness. In the past Tang ruled the world from a domain of seventy li, while Jie was destroyed by hostile states despite his hundred li; this is why one is hated (wu; pronounced "wu") and the other is not. [The chapter "Tai Zu Xun" says: When the Son of Heaven holds to the Way, his defenders are the four barbarian peoples; when the Son of Heaven loses the Way, his defenders are the feudal lords. When a feudal lord holds to the Way, his defenders are his four neighbors; when a feudal lord loses the Way, his defenders are his four borders. Therefore Tang dwelt in Bo with seventy li, and King Wen dwelt in Feng with a hundred li, and both had their commands carried out and their prohibitions obeyed throughout the world. When Zhou declined, the Rong attacked Fan Bo at Chuqiu and carried him off. So one who holds to the Way can command the feudal lords from a hundred li of land, and one who loses the Way, despite the vastness of the world, fears the region of Jizhou. Therefore it is said: Do not rely on others not seizing from you; rely on your being impossible to seize from. To follow a way that can be seized from, without the conduct of a usurper or murderer, does not help one rely on the world. The chapter "Fan Lun" says: Yao had no walls of a hundred households, Shun had no land to plant an awl in, yet they held the world; Yu had not ten followers and Tang had not seven li of land, yet they became kings over the feudal lords. King Wen dwelt between Qi and Zhou, in a land of no more than a hundred li, and became Son of Heaven, for he had the kingly Way. At the height of Jie of Xia and Zhou of Yin, wherever human tracks reached and boats and carts could pass, all was commanderies and counties; yet they died at others' hands and were laughed at by the world, for they had the shape of ruin. So one who has the kingly Way, though small, will surely become great; one who has the shape of ruin, though successful, will surely fail. Lord Xiang of Zhao became hegemon with the city of Jinyang, while Zhibo was captured with the land of the three Jin; King Min was ruined with great Qi, while Tian Dan achieved merit with Jimo. So the ruin of a state, however large it be, is not something to rely on; and where the Way is practiced, however small, it is not to be slighted. Seen in this light, survival depends on holding to the Way and not on size, and ruin lies in losing the Way and not in smallness.] If passes and bridges were enough to rely on, the six states would not have been swallowed by Qin; if rivers and mountains were enough to protect, Qin would not have been destroyed by Chu and Han. Seen in this light, mighty siege engines are not enough to make one strong and high walls are not enough to make one secure; doing good brings prosperity and doing evil brings ruin. [The Han Odes Tradition says: Hard armor and sharp weapons are not enough to make one martial, high walls and deep moats are not enough to make one secure, stern orders and many punishments are not enough to make one awesome. Follow the Way and things go; do not follow the Way and things fall. In the past the men of Chu made armor of shark hide and rhinoceros hide, hard as metal and stone, supple as a great serpent, as cruel as a wasp's sting, light, sharp, firm and swift, and their soldiers moved like a whirlwind; yet their army was ruined at Chuisha, Lord Tang died, Zhuang Qiao fled, and Chu was split into three or four parts. Did they lack hard armor and sharp weapons? It was because they were not led by the Way. They took the Ru and Huai as barriers and the Yangtze and Han as moats, added the wall of Fangcheng, and bounded themselves with the forest of Deng; yet Qin's army reached Yan and Ying and took them as easily as shaking dry leaves. Did they lack solid fortresses and dangerous barriers? It was because they were not led by the Way. Zhou killed Bi Gan and imprisoned Jizi, set up the punishment of the burning pillar, and killed without regard to time; his subjects grieved and resented him and none hoped to live, and so when Zhou's army arrived, his orders were not even carried out by his own attendants. Did he lack stern orders and many punishments? It was because they were not led by the Way. But if one makes the Way clear and divides things equally, loves truly and employs people in due season, then the response of those below to those above is like a shadow or an echo.] The true king loves widely and gives far and wide, inside and outside are united, and the four seas each come with their offerings in their duty; what need is there to strike the watchman's clapper and wait? The Commentary (zhuan; read in the falling tone) says: That feudal lords have passes and bridges, and commoners have rank and salary, is not a feature of an age of peace and flourishing; it began roughly in the Warring States period.

大夫曰荊軻懐數年之謀而事不就者三尺匕【音比】首不足恃也秦王憚於不意列斷賁育介尺之利也【燕丹子曰荊軻刺秦王右手執匕首左手把其袖秦王曰乞聼琴聲而死琴女奏曲雲羅縠單衣可掣而絶三尺屏風可超而越鹿盧之劒可負而防王從其計軻不解琴故及於難】使專諸空拳不免於為禽【左傳作鱄設諸禽通作擒】要離無水不能遂其功【刺客傳曰伍子胥知公子光之慾殺呉王僚乃曰彼光將有內志未可說以外事乃進專諸於公子光光既得專諸善客待之九年而楚平王死春呉王僚欲因楚防使其二弟公子蓋餘屬庸將兵圍楚之潛使延陵季子於晉以觀諸侯之變楚發兵絶呉將蓋餘屬庸路呉兵不得還於是公子光謂專諸曰此時不可失不求何獲且光真王嗣當立季子雖來不吾廢也專諸曰王僚可殺也母老子弱而兩弟將兵伐楚楚絶其後方今呉外困於楚而內空無骨鯁之臣是無如我何公子光頓首曰光之身子之身也四月丙子光伏甲士於窟室中而具酒請王僚王僚使兵陳自宮至光之家門戸階陛左右皆王僚之親戚也夾立侍皆持長鈹酒既酣公子光為足疾入窟室中使專諸置匕首魚炙之腹中而進之既至王前專諸擘魚因以匕首刺王僚王僚立死左右亦殺專諸王人擾亂公子光出其伏甲以攻王僚之徒盡滅之遂自立為王是為闔閭乃封專諸之子以為上卿呉越春秋曰呉王欲殺王子慶忌而莫之能殺呉王患之要離曰臣能之呉王曰汝惡能乎吾嘗以六馬逐之江上矣而不能及射之矢左右滿把而不能中今汝防劒則不能舉臂上車則不能登軾汝惡能要離曰士患不勇耳奚患而不能王誠能助臣請必能呉王曰諾明旦加要離罪焉摯執妻子焚之而其灰要離走往見王子慶忌於衞王子慶忌喜曰呉王之無道也子之所見也諸侯之所知也今子得免而去之亦善矣要離與王子慶忌居有間謂王子慶忌曰呉之無道也愈甚請與王子往奪之國王子慶忌曰善乃與要離俱渉於江中江防劒以刺王子慶忌捽之投之於江浮則又取而投之如此者三其卒曰汝天下之國士也幸汝以成而名要離得不死歸於呉呉王大說請與分國要離曰不可臣請必死呉王止之要離曰夫殺妻子焚之而其灰以便事也臣以為不仁夫為故主殺新主臣以為不義夫捽而浮乎江三入三出特王子慶忌為之賜而不殺耳臣已為辱矣夫不仁不義又且已辱不可以生呉王不能止果仗劒而死要離可謂不為賞動矣故臨大利而不易其義可謂廉矣亷故不以富貴而忘其辱】世言強楚勁鄭有犀兕之甲棠谿之鋌【音挺】也內據金城外任利兵是以威行諸夏強服敵國故孟賁奮臂眾人輕之怯夫有備其氣自倍【語曰騏驥之衰也駑馬先之孟賁之倦也女子勝之】況以呉楚之士舞利劒蹶【音決】強弩以與貉虜騁【音逞】於中原一人當百不足道也夫【音扶】如此則胡無守谷谿無交兵力不支漢其勢必降此商君之走魏而孫臏之破梁也【衞鞅傳曰孝公二十二年使衞鞅將而伐魏魏使公子卬將而擊之軍既相距衞鞅遺魏將公子卬書曰吾始與公子驩今俱為兩國將不忍相攻可與公子曲相見盟樂飲而罷兵以安秦魏魏公子卬以為然防盟已飲而衞鞅伏甲士而襲虜魏公子卬因攻其軍盡破之以歸秦魏惠王兵數破於齊秦國內空日以削恐乃使使割西河之地獻於秦以和而魏遂去安邑徙都大梁孫臏傳曰宣王二年魏與趙攻韓韓告急於齊齊使田忌將而往直走大梁魏將龎涓聞之去韓而歸齊軍既已過而西矣孫子謂田忌曰彼三晉之兵素悍勇而輕齊齊號為怯善戰者因其勢而利導之兵法百里而趨利者蹶上將三十里而趨利者軍半至使齊軍入魏地為十萬灶明日為五萬灶龎涓行三日大喜曰我固知齊軍怯入吾地三日士卒亡者過半矣乃棄其歩軍與其輕銳倍日並行逐之孫子度其行暮當至馬陵馬陵道狹而旁多阻隘可伏兵乃斫大樹白而書之曰龎涓死於此樹之下於是令齊軍善射者萬弩夾道而伏期日暮見火舉而俱發龎涓果夜至斫木下見白書乃鑚火燭之讀其書未畢齊軍萬弩俱發魏軍大亂相失龎涓自知智窮兵敗乃自剄曰遂成豎子之名齊因乗勝盡破其軍虜魏太子申以歸孫臏以此名顯天下世傳其兵法】

The Grand Secretary said: Jing Ke carried a plot of several years yet failed in his task, which shows that a three-foot dagger (bi; pronounced "bi") is not enough to rely on. The King of Qin was caught unprepared and was frightened, yet he tore and severed Meng Ben and Yu, which shows that even a span-length of blade (the character for "span" in the base text is rare and was lost in transcription) can be of advantage. [The Tale of Prince Dan of Yan says: When Jing Ke tried to stab the King of Qin, he held the dagger in his right hand and gripped the king's sleeve with his left. The King of Qin said: Let me hear the music of the zither and then die. The zither girl played a tune that said: The thin silk gown can be torn off, the three-foot screen can be leaped over, the Lulu sword can be drawn from the back. The king followed the advice, and Ke did not understand the zither, and so disaster fell on him.] If Zhuan Zhu had been bare-handed, he could not have avoided being captured. [The Zuo Zhuan writes the name as Zhuan She Zhu. "Capture" (qin) is used for "seize" (qin).] And if Yao Li had not been near water, he could not have achieved his deed. [The Biographies of Assassins says: Wu Zixu knew that Prince Guang wanted to kill King Liao of Wu, and said: This Guang has inner designs; he cannot yet be persuaded with outside affairs. So he recommended Zhuan Zhu to Prince Guang. Having obtained Zhuan Zhu, Guang treated him as a good retainer. After nine years King Ping of Chu died. In spring King Liao of Wu wished to take advantage of the Chu mourning (the base text has a garbled character) and sent his two younger brothers, Princes Gaiyu and Zhuyong, to lead troops and besiege Qian in Chu, while sending Jizi of Yanling to Jin to observe the changes among the feudal lords. Chu sent troops and cut off the road of the Wu generals Gaiyu and Zhuyong, so the Wu troops could not return. Thereupon Prince Guang said to Zhuan Zhu: This opportunity must not be lost; if we do not seek, what shall we gain? Moreover I am the true heir of the kings and should be set up; even if Jizi comes, he will not depose me. Zhuan Zhu said: King Liao can be killed. His mother is old and his son is young, while his two brothers lead troops against Chu and Chu has cut off their rear. At present Wu is hard pressed by Chu outside and empty of upright ministers within, so they can do nothing to me. Prince Guang bowed his head to the ground and said: My body is your body. On the bingzi day of the fourth month, Guang hid armed men in a cellar and prepared wine to invite King Liao. King Liao had troops lined up from his palace to Guang's house, and the doors, steps and both sides were all lined with King Liao's relatives, standing in attendance, all holding long spears. When the wine was well advanced, Prince Guang pleaded a foot ailment and went into the cellar, and had Zhuan Zhu place a dagger inside a roast fish and serve it. When he came before the king, Zhuan Zhu split the fish open and stabbed King Liao with the dagger. King Liao died on the spot, and his attendants also killed Zhuan Zhu. The king's men were thrown into confusion, and Prince Guang brought out his hidden armed men and attacked King Liao's followers and wiped them all out, then set himself up as king; this was Helu. He then enfeoffed Zhuan Zhu's son as a senior minister. The Annals of Wu and Yue says: The King of Wu wished to kill Prince Qingji but no one could do it, and the King of Wu was troubled by it. Yao Li said: I can do it. The King of Wu said: How can you? I once chased him on the river with six horses and could not catch him, and shot at him with a handful of arrows on each side and could not hit him. Now you cannot even raise your arm when you draw a sword, and cannot climb up to the crossbar when you get into a chariot; how can you do it? Yao Li said: A man should worry only about lacking courage; why worry that he cannot do it? If Your Majesty will truly help me, I am sure I can. The King of Wu said: Agreed. The next morning he charged Yao Li with a crime, seized his wife and children, burned them and scattered their ashes. Yao Li fled and went to see Prince Qingji in Wei. Prince Qingji was glad and said: The lawlessness of the King of Wu is what you have seen and what all the feudal lords know. Now that you have escaped and left him, that too is good. After Yao Li had lived with Prince Qingji for a while, he said to him: The lawlessness of Wu grows worse; I beg to go with you to take the state from him. Prince Qingji said: Good. So he crossed the river with Yao Li, and in the middle of the river Yao Li drew his sword and stabbed Prince Qingji, seized him and threw him into the river; when he floated up, he took him and threw him in again, and so three times. His soldiers said: You are a leading scholar of the realm; it is fortunate that you have achieved this and made a name. Yao Li, not having died, returned to Wu. The King of Wu was greatly pleased and asked to share the state with him. Yao Li said: I cannot. I beg to die. The King of Wu tried to stop him. Yao Li said: To kill my wife and children and burn them and scatter their ashes for the sake of the task, I consider unbenevolent; to kill a new lord for the sake of my former lord, I consider unrighteous; to be seized and plunged into the river, going in and out three times, and to be spared only by the favor of Prince Qingji, I have already been shamed. Being unbenevolent and unrighteous and already shamed, I cannot live. The King of Wu could not stop him, and in the end he fell on his sword and died. Yao Li could be said to be one who was not moved by reward. So one who in the face of great profit does not alter his righteousness may be called honest; being honest, he does not forget his shame for the sake of wealth and rank.] People say that strong Chu and sturdy Zheng had rhinoceros-hide armor and the lances (ting; pronounced "ting") of Tangxi, relied on golden walls within and sharp weapons without, and so their authority ran through the Central States and their strength subdued rival states. Therefore when Meng Ben flailed his arms, people made light of him, and even a coward who is prepared finds his spirit doubled. [A common saying goes: When the fine steed grows old, a poor horse can outrun it; when Meng Ben is weary, a woman can beat him.] How much more so if men of Wu and Chu brandish sharp swords and draw strong crossbows (jue; pronounced "jue") to gallop (cheng; pronounced "cheng") over the Central Plain against the barbarian foe; one man worth a hundred would hardly be worth mentioning. As for the particle fu (pronounced "fu") at the start of a sentence: in that case the Hu would have no valleys to defend and the streams no clashes of arms; their strength could not withstand Han, and in the situation they would be bound to surrender. This is how Lord Shang drove Wei away and how Sun Bin broke Liang. [The Biography of Wei Yang says: In the twenty-second year of Duke Xiao, Wei Yang was sent as general to attack Wei, and Wei sent Prince Ang as general to resist him. When the armies were facing each other, Wei Yang sent a letter to the Wei general Prince Ang, saying: I was once on friendly terms with you; now we are both generals of two states and I cannot bear to attack you; let us meet in private, swear a covenant, drink in joy, and withdraw our troops to give peace to Qin and Wei. Prince Ang of Wei thought this right; when they met (the base text has a garbled character) for the covenant and had drunk, Wei Yang hid armed men and attacked and captured Prince Ang of Wei, and then attacked his army and broke it completely and returned to Qin. King Hui of Wei, whose troops had been broken many times by Qi and Qin, found his state empty and shrinking day by day; in fear he sent an envoy to cede the land west of the river to Qin for peace, and Wei then left Anyi and moved its capital to Daliang. The Biography of Sun Bin says: In the second year of King Xuan, Wei and Zhao attacked Han, and Han appealed to Qi in distress. Qi sent Tian Ji as general, who marched straight to Daliang. The Wei general Pang Juan heard of it, left Han and turned back. The Qi army had already passed on to the west. Master Sun said to Tian Ji: The troops of the Three Jin have always been fierce and look down on Qi, and Qi has the name of being cowardly. A good fighter takes advantage of the situation and leads it to his profit. The art of war says: One who hurries a hundred li after profit will lose his commander-in-chief; one who hurries thirty li after profit will have only half his army arrive. Let the Qi army make a hundred thousand cooking fires when it enters Wei territory, the next day fifty thousand fires. Pang Juan, after three days of marching, was delighted and said: I knew that the Qi army was cowardly; only three days in my land and more than half the soldiers have deserted. So he abandoned his infantry and with light and keen troops marched at double speed in pursuit. Master Sun calculated his progress and reckoned he would reach Maling at dusk. The road at Maling was narrow with many obstacles and steep places on the sides, where troops could be hidden. So he stripped the bark from a large tree and wrote on it: Pang Juan will die beneath this tree. Then he ordered the best archers of the Qi army, ten thousand crossbows, to lie hidden along the road on both sides, with the order to fire together when they saw a fire raised at dusk. Pang Juan did arrive at night under the stripped tree, saw the writing, and lit a fire to read it by. Before he had finished reading, the ten thousand crossbows of Qi fired together, and the Wei army fell into great confusion and lost one another. Pang Juan knew that his wits were exhausted and his army defeated, and he cut his own throat, saying: So I have made the name of that wretch. Qi, taking advantage of the victory, completely destroyed the Wei army and took Crown Prince Shen of Wei captive and returned. Sun Bin thereby became famous throughout the world, and his art of war was handed down.]

文學曰楚鄭之棠谿墨陽非不利也【蘇秦曰棠谿墨陽皆陸斷牛馬水截鵠鴈者也許慎曰二者皆利劒名或曰皆地名出美劒者也】犀防【音逐】兕甲非不堅也然而不能存者利不足恃也秦兼六國之師據崤【音餚】函【音鹹】而御宇內金石之固莫耶【古本作邪】之利也【莫邪呉王劒名干將妻之所造也干將妻曰莫邪故名其劒曰莫邪】然陳勝無士民之資兵甲之用鉏【音鋤】耰棘橿【音姜】以破沖隆武昭【音韶】不撃烏號不發【許慎曰沖臨沖也所以臨敵城沖突壤之者也隆髙也劉熈曰隆隆強也言體隆而強也樂書曰韶蕭韶也舜之樂也武大武也武王之樂也應劭曰烏號弓也楚有柘桑其材堅勁鳥峙其上及其將飛枝必撓下勁能復起巢鳥隨之鳥不得飛欲墮而號伐其枝以為弓因曰烏號之弓也張揖曰黃帝鑄鼎於荊山鼎湖得道而仙乗龍上天小臣不得上挽悉持龍髯防墮黃帝之弓百姓仰望抱弓而號故後世名其弓曰烏號也兵略曰二世皇帝勢為天子富有天下人跡所至舟檝所通莫不為郡縣然縱耳目之欲窮侈靡之變不顧百姓之飢寒窮匱也興萬乗之駕而作阿房之宮發閭左之戍牧太半之賦百姓之隨逮肆刑挽輅首路死者一旦不知千萬之數天下敖然若焦熱傾然若苦烈上下不相寜吏民不相憀戍卒陳勝興於大澤攘臂右稱為大楚而天下響應當此之時非有牢甲利兵勁弩強沖也伐棘棗而為矜周錐鑿而為刃剡摲筡奮儋钁以當修防強弩攻城略地莫不降下天下為之麋沸螘動雲徹席捲方數千裡勢位至賤而器械甚不利然一人唱而天下應之者積怨在於民也】所謂金城者非謂築壤而髙土鑿地而深池也所謂利兵者非謂呉越之鋌【音挺】干將之劒也【呉越春秋曰呉王闔閭請干將作劒干將者呉人其妻曰莫邪干將採五山之精六金之英天地伺隂陽百神臨視而金鐵之精未流夫妻乃剪髮及爪而投之罏中金鐵乃濡遂成二劒陽曰干將而作文隂曰莫邪而作漫理干將匿其陽出其隂以獻闔閭闔閭甚寳重之】言以道徳為城以仁義為郭莫之敢攻莫之敢入文王是也以道徳為防【音逐】以仁義為劒莫之敢當莫之敢御湯武是也今不建不可攻之城不可當之兵而欲任匹夫之役而行三尺之刃亦細矣【道應篇曰齊楚呉越皆嘗勝矣然而卒取亡焉不通乎持勝也唯有道之主能持勝孔子勁杓國門之關而不肯以力聞墨子為守攻公輸般服而不肯以兵知善持勝者以強為弱故老子曰道沖而用之又弗盈也惠孟見宋康王蹀足謦欬疾言曰寡人所說者勇有功也不説為仁義者也客將何以教寡人惠孟對曰臣有道於此人雖勇刺之不入雖巧有力擊之不中大王獨無意邪宋王曰善此寡人之所欲聞也惠孟曰夫刺之而不入擊之而不中此猶辱也臣有道於此使人雖有勇弗敢刺雖有力不敢擊夫不敢刺不敢擊非無其意也臣有道於此使人本無其意也夫無其意未有愛利之心也臣有道於此使天下丈夫女子莫不歡然皆欲愛利之心此其賢於勇有力也四累之上也大王獨無意耶宋王曰此寡人所欲得也惠孟對曰孔墨是已孔丘墨翟無地而為君無官而為長天下丈夫女子莫不延頸舉踵而願安利之者今大王萬乗之主也誠有其志則四境之內皆得其利矣賢於孔墨也逺矣宋王無以應惠孟出宋王謂左右曰辯矣客之以説勝寡人也故老子曰勇於不敢則活由此觀之大勇反為不勇耳揚雄曰六經之治貴於未亂兵家之勝貴於未戰】

The Literati said: The Tangxi and Moyang swords of Chu and Zheng were certainly sharp. [Su Qin said: Tangxi and Moyang swords cut oxen and horses on land and sever swans and wild geese on water. Xu Shen says: Both are names of sharp swords. Some say: Both are place names that produced fine swords.] And the rhinoceros-hide armor (the base text has an extra character after "rhinoceros," pronounced "zhu," which is either redundant or of uncertain correct form) was certainly hard. Yet they could not preserve their states; this shows that sharpness is not enough to rely on. Qin, having annexed the armies of the six states and holding Xiao and Han (xiao; pronounced "xiao"; han; pronounced "xian") to rule the whole world, had the firmness of metal and stone and the sharpness of Moye (the old text writes it "Xie"). [Moye was the name of the sword of the King of Wu, made by the wife of Ganjiang. Ganjiang's wife was called Moye, and so the sword was named Moye.] Yet Chen Sheng had no officers and people to count on and no armor and weapons to use; with hoes, cudgels and thorny sticks (chu; pronounced "chu"; jiang; pronounced "jiang") he broke the siege engines and towers; the Wu and Shao music was not played and the Wuhao bow was not drawn. [Xu Shen says: Chong means the "approaching siege-engine" (linchong), used to approach enemy city walls and batter them down. Long means "high." Liu Xi says: Long means mighty and strong, saying that its body is great and strong. The Book of Music says: Shao is the music of Xiao Shao, Shun's music; Wu is the Great Wu, the music of King Wu. Ying Shao says: Wuhao is a bow. In Chu there was a mulberry-thorn tree whose wood was hard and strong; birds perched on it, and when they were about to fly, the branch would bend down and then spring back, and the nesting birds went with it, so that they could not fly and wanted to fall, and cried out. A branch was cut to make a bow, and hence it was called the Wuhao (Crying Bird) bow. Zhang Yi says: The Yellow Emperor cast a tripod at Jinghu on Mount Jing, attained the Way and became immortal, and rose to Heaven on a dragon; his small ministers could not rise, and grasped the dragon's whiskers, pulling down (the base text has a garbled character) the Yellow Emperor's bow; the hundred clans looked up, held the bow and cried out, and therefore later ages named that bow Wuhao. The chapter "Bing Lue" says: The Second Emperor of Qin, by position Son of Heaven, who possessed the whole world, where human tracks reached and boats and oars passed all being commanderies and counties, yet gave free rein to the desires of eyes and ears, exhausted every kind of extravagance, took no thought for the hunger, cold and destitution of the hundred clans, raised the carriage of ten thousand chariots and built the Epang Palace, called up the garrison of the left side of the village gate, and took the larger part of the harvest as tax; the number of the people dragged along and punished, and of those who died hauling carts on the roads, was in a single morning unknown, in the thousands and tens of thousands. The whole world was resentful as if scorched, collapsing as if in bitter fire, those above and below had no peace, and officials and people had no reliance on one another. Chen Sheng, a garrison soldier, rose at Daze, bared his arm and cried out loudly (the base text has a rare character here, lost in transcription), proclaiming himself Great Chu, and the world answered him. At that time there were no stout armor or sharp weapons, no strong crossbows or mighty siege engines; they cut thorn and jujube trees for spear shafts, ground awls and chisels for blades, trimmed and shaped bamboo sticks and shouldered hoes to face long halberds and strong crossbows, and yet they attacked cities and seized territory and none did not surrender; the world boiled like a cauldron and swarmed like ants, clouds were swept away and mats rolled up over thousands of li. Their position was the lowest and their weapons very poor, yet one man led and the world answered him, because resentment had accumulated among the people.] What is called a golden wall is not a rampart of piled earth and high mounds or a deep moat cut in the ground; what is called a sharp weapon is not the lance (ting; pronounced "ting") of Wu and Yue or the sword of Ganjiang. [The Annals of Wu and Yue says: Helu, King of Wu, asked Ganjiang to make swords. Ganjiang was a man of Wu, and his wife was called Moye. Ganjiang gathered the essence of the five mountains and the finest of six metals, waited (the base text has a rare character here, lost in transcription) on Heaven and Earth and watched for yin and yang, with the hundred spirits looking on; but the essence of the metal and iron did not flow, so husband and wife cut their hair and nails and threw them into the furnace, and the metal and iron then melted, and they at last made two swords: the yang one was called Ganjiang and bore a tortoise pattern (the base text has a rare character here, lost in transcription), and the yin one was called Moye and bore a wave pattern. Ganjiang hid the yang sword and brought out the yin sword to present to Helu, who treasured it greatly.] This means that one who takes virtue as his walls and benevolence and righteousness as his outer walls will find that none dares attack and none dares enter; King Wen was like this. One who takes virtue as his shield (the base text has a character glossed "zhu," of uncertain correct form) and benevolence and righteousness as his sword will find that none dares withstand him and none dares resist him; Tang and Wu were like this. Now to build no city that cannot be attacked and no army that cannot be withstood, but to want to rely on the service of common men and to wield a three-foot blade, is also petty. [The chapter "Dao Ying" says: Qi, Chu, Wu and Yue had all won victories, yet in the end they were destroyed, because they did not understand how to maintain victory. Only a ruler who has the Way can maintain victory. Confucius could lift the bar of the city gate with one hand but would not let his strength be known; Mozi defended against attack and Gongshu Ban yielded but he would not be known for arms. One who is good at maintaining victory uses strength as weakness. Therefore Laozi said: The Way is empty, yet when used it is never filled. Hui Meng went to see King Kang of Song, and the king stamped his foot, coughed and said sharply: What I like is courage and merit; I do not like benevolence and righteousness. How will the guest instruct me? Hui Meng replied: I have a way: though a man be brave, a stab does not enter him; though he be skilled and strong, a blow does not strike him. Does Your Majesty have no interest? The King of Song said: Good. This is what I wish to hear. Hui Meng said: One stabs and does not enter, strikes and does not hit; yet this is still a humiliation. I have a way by which people, though they have courage, dare not stab, and though they have strength, dare not strike. Not daring to stab or strike does not mean they have no wish to. I have a way by which people do not even have the wish. Having no wish does not mean having a heart to love and benefit. I have a way by which every man and woman under Heaven would be glad and would wish to love and benefit. This is better than courage and strength, and stands above the four forms of entanglement. Does Your Majesty have no interest? The King of Song said: This is what I wish to obtain. Hui Meng replied: Confucius and Mozi were such. Confucius and Mozi had no land yet were rulers, had no office yet were heads, and every man and woman under Heaven stretched their necks and stood on tiptoe, wishing to be made secure and benefited by them. Now Your Majesty is lord of ten thousand chariots; if you truly have the will, then everyone within the four borders will receive the benefit, which is far better than Confucius and Mozi. The King of Song had no reply. When Hui Meng had gone out, the King of Song said to his attendants: He argued well; the guest has beaten me with his talk. Therefore Laozi said: One who is brave in not daring will live. Seen in this light, great courage is in fact not courage. Yang Xiong said: The government of the Six Classics values what is before disorder, and the victory of the military experts values what is before battle.]

大夫曰荊軻提【音比】首入不測之強秦秦王惶恐失守衞者皆懼【刺客傳曰燕太子質於秦亡歸見秦且滅六國兵已臨易水恐其禍至丹患之因田光以交荊軻於是尊荊軻為上卿令秦武陽為副俱入秦刺秦王臨發太子及賔客知其事者皆白衣冠以送之至易水上既祖取道髙漸離擊築荊軻和而歌為變徵之聲士皆垂淚涕泣又前而為歌曰風蕭蕭兮易水寒壯士一去兮不復還復為羽聲慨慷士皆瞠目髪盡上沖冠於是荊軻遂就車而去終已不顧既至秦秦王聞之大喜乃朝服設九賔見燕使者咸陽宮荊卿進樊於期之頭函而秦武陽奉地圖匣以次進至陛軻取圖奉之秦王發圖圖窮而匕首見因左手把秦王之袖而右手持匕首揕之未至身秦王驚自引而起袖絶環柱而走群臣驚焉乃以手共之是時侍醫夏無且以其所奉藥囊提荊軻秦王方環柱走卒惶急不知所為左右乃曰王負劒王負劒遂防以撃荊軻斷其左股荊軻廢乃引其匕首以提秦王不中中柱秦王復擊軻軻被八創軻自知事不就倚柱而笑箕踞以罵曰事所以不成者乃欲以生刼之必得約契以報太子也】專諸手劒歴萬乗【去聲】刺呉王屍孽立正鎬冠千里【呉世家曰伍子胥之初奔呉說呉王僚以伐楚之利公子光曰胥之父兄為僇於楚欲自報其仇耳未見其利於是伍員知光有他志乃求勇士專諸見之光喜乃客伍子胥子胥退而耕於野以待專諸之事十二年冬楚平王卒十三年春呉欲因楚防而伐之使公子蓋餘燭庸以兵圍楚之六灊使季札於晉以觀諸侯之變楚發兵絶呉兵後呉兵不得還於是呉公子光曰此時不可失也告專諸曰不索何獲我真王嗣當立吾欲求之季子雖至不吾廢也專諸曰王僚可殺也母老子弱而兩公子將兵攻楚楚絶其路方今呉外困於楚而內空無骨鯁之臣是無奈我何光曰我身子之身也四月丙子光伏甲士於窟室而謁王僚飲王僚使兵陳於道自王宮至光之家門階戸席皆王僚之親也人夾持鈹公子光詳為足疾入於窟室使專諸置匕首於炙魚之中以進食手匕首刺王僚鈹交於匈遂殺王僚公子光竟代立為王是為呉王闔廬闔廬乃以專諸子為卿】聶政自衞由韓廷刺其主功成求得退自刑于朝【音潮】屍於市【韓防曰韓傀相韓嚴遂重於君二人相害也嚴遂政議直指舉韓傀之過韓傀以之叱之於朝嚴遂防劒趨之以救解於是嚴遂懼誅亡去遊求人可以報韓傀者至齊齊人或言軹深井裡聶政勇敢士也避仇隠於屠者之間嚴遂隂交於聶政以意厚之聶政問之曰子欲安用我乎嚴遂曰吾得為役之日淺事今薄奚敢有請於是嚴遂乃具酒自觴聶政母前仲子奉黃金百鎰前為聶政母夀聶政驚愈恠其厚固謝嚴仲子仲子固進而聶政謝曰臣有老母家貧客遊以為狗屠可旦夕得甘脆以養親親供養備義不敢當仲子之賜嚴仲子闢人因為聶政語曰臣有仇而行遊諸侯眾矣然至齊聞足下義甚髙故直進百金者特以大人麤糲之費以交足下之讙豈敢以有求邪聶政曰臣所以降志辱身居市井屠者幸以養老母老母在前政身未敢以許人也嚴仲子固讓聶政竟不肯受然仲子卒備賔主之禮而去乆之聶政母死既葬除服聶政曰嗟乎政乃市井之人鼓刀以屠而嚴仲子乃諸侯之卿相也不逺千里枉車騎而交臣臣之所以待之者至淺矣未有大功可以稱者而嚴仲子舉百金為親壽我義不受然是深知政也夫賢者以感忿睚眥之意而親信窮僻之人而政獨安可嘿然而止乎且前日要政政徒以老母老母今以天年終政將為知己者用遂西至濮陽見嚴仲子曰前日所以不許仲子者徒以親在今親不幸而死仲子所欲報仇者請得從事焉嚴仲子具告曰臣之仇韓相韓傀傀又韓君之季父也宗族盛多居處兵衞甚設臣使人刺之終莫能就今足下幸而不棄請益具車騎壯士以為羽翼政曰韓與衞相去中間不逺今殺人之相相乂國君之親此其勢不可以多人多人不能無生得失生得失則語洩語洩則韓舉國而與仲子為讐也豈不殆哉遂謝車騎人徒辭獨行仗劒至韓韓適有東孟之防韓王及相皆在焉持兵防而衛侍者甚眾聶政直入階刺殺韓傀韓傀走而就列侯聶政刺之兼中列侯左右大亂聶政大呼所擊殺者數十人因自麵皮抉眼屠腸遂以死韓取聶政屍暴於市縣購之千金乆之莫知誰政姊嫈聞之曰吾弟至賢不可愛妾之軀滅吾弟之名非弟意也乃之韓視之曰勇哉氣矜之隆是其軼賁育髙成荊矣今死而無名父母既歿矣兄弟無有此為我故也夫愛身不揚弟之名吾不忍也乃抱屍而哭之曰此吾弟軹深井裡聶政也亦自殺於屍下晉楚齊衞聞之曰非獨聶政之能乃其姊者列女也聶政之所以名施於後世者其姊不避葅酢之誅以揚其名也唐睢曰専諸之刺王僚也彗星襲月聶政之刺韓傀也白虹貫日要離之刺慶忌也倉鷹擊於殿上此三子皆布衣之士也懐怒未發休防降於天呂氏春秋曰豫讓必死於襄子而趙氏皆恐成荊致死於韓王而周人皆畏】今誠得勇士乗強漢之威凌無義之匈奴制其死命責以其過若曹劌【音貴】之負齊桓公遂其求【雜事篇曰昔者齊桓公與魯莊公為柯之盟魯大夫曹劌謂莊公曰齊之侵魯至於城下城壞壓境君不圖與莊公曰嘻寡人之生不若死曹劌曰然則君請當其君臣請當其臣及防兩君就壇兩相相揖曹劌手劍防刃而進廹桓公於壇上曰城壞壓境君不圖與管仲曰然則君何求曹劌曰願請汶陽田管仲謂桓公曰君其許之桓公許之曹劌請盟桓公遂與之盟已盟標劒而去左右曰要盟可倍曹劌可讐請倍盟而討曹劌管仲曰要盟可負而君不負曹劌可讐而君不讐著君天下矣遂不倍天下諸侯翕然而歸之為鄄之防幽之盟諸侯莫不至焉為陽穀之防貫澤之盟逺國皆來南伐強楚以致菁茅之貢北伐山戎為燕開路三存亡國一繼絶世尊事周室九合諸侯一匡天下功次三王為五伯長本信起乎柯之盟也】推鋒拊【音府】銳穹廬擾亂上下相遁因以輕銳隨其後匈奴必交臂不敢格也

The Grand Secretary said: Jing Ke, carrying a dagger (the original gives the pronunciation 'bi'; the character in the original is a rare one), entered mighty Qin where the outcome could not be foreseen, and the King of Qin was terrified and the guards who had lost their posts were all afraid [the 'Biographies of Assassins' says: The Crown Prince of Yan was a hostage in Qin, fled back, and seeing that Qin was about to destroy the six states and its army was already at the Yi River, feared that disaster would arrive. Dan was worried and, through Tian Guang, befriended Jing Ke, then honored Jing Ke as a senior minister, made Qin Wuyang his deputy, and together they entered Qin to stab the King of Qin. As they set out, the Crown Prince and the guests who knew the matter all wore white robes and caps to see him off, as far as the Yi River. After the rite of departure, Gao Jianli struck the zhu zither and Jing Ke sang along in the bian zhi tone, and the gentlemen all shed tears and wept. He went forward again and sang: The wind sighs, the Yi River is cold; the brave man once gone will not return. Again in the yu tone with strong feeling, the gentlemen all stared, and their hair stood up and pushed against their caps. Then Jing Ke got into the carriage and left, and in the end did not look back. When he arrived in Qin, the King of Qin heard of it with great delight, put on court dress, set out the nine ceremonial guests, and received the envoys of Yan in the Xianyang Palace. Master Jing presented the box with the head of Fan Yuqi, and Qin Wuyang carried the map case and advanced in order. At the steps, Ke took the map and presented it, the King of Qin unrolled the map, and when the map reached its end the dagger appeared; with his left hand he seized the King of Qin's sleeve and with his right hand held the dagger and thrust at him, but it did not reach his body. The King of Qin was startled, pulled himself up, tore his sleeve, and ran around the pillar. The ministers were alarmed and struck him together with bare hands (the character here in the original was lost in transcription). At this time the attending physician Xia Wuju used the medicine bag he carried to throw at Jing Ke. The King of Qin was running around the pillar, in sudden panic not knowing what to do. His attendants said: Your Majesty, carry your sword on your back! Carry your sword on your back! He then drew (the original reads 'fang') it and struck Jing Ke, cutting off his left leg. Jing Ke was crippled, and then threw his dagger at the King of Qin, but missed and hit the pillar. The King of Qin struck Ke again, and Ke received eight wounds. Ke knew the matter would not succeed, leaned against the pillar and laughed, sat sprawling and cursed: The reason it did not succeed is that I wanted to take him alive and force him to make a treaty to repay the Crown Prince.]. Zhuan Zhu, sword in hand, passed through (the original gives the falling tone for 'cheng') a state of ten thousand chariots to stab the King of Wu; the corpse stood upright and the pure white cap was felt a thousand li away [the 'Hereditary House of Wu' says: When Wu Zixu first fled to Wu, he persuaded King Liao of Wu of the benefit of attacking Chu. Prince Guang said: Xu's father and brother were killed in Chu, and he only wants to avenge himself, I do not see the benefit. Then Wu Yuan knew that Guang had another ambition, and sought out the brave man Zhuan Zhu and presented him. Guang was glad and took Wu Zixu as a guest. Zixu withdrew and plowed in the fields, waiting for the affair of Zhuan Zhu. In the winter of the twelfth year, King Ping of Chu died. In the spring of the thirteenth year Wu wanted to attack Chu because of the mourning in Chu (the original reads 'chu fang'), and sent Princes Gai Yu and Zhu Yong with troops to besiege Liu and Qian in Chu, and sent Ji Zha to Jin to observe the changes among the feudal lords. Chu sent troops to cut off Wu's army from behind, and Wu's army could not return. Then Prince Guang of Wu said: This moment must not be lost. He told Zhuan Zhu: If I do not seek, what shall I gain? I am truly the rightful heir and should be set up, and I wish to seek it. Even if Ji Zi arrives he will not depose me. Zhuan Zhu said: King Liao can be killed. His mother is old and his son is weak, and two princes are leading troops to attack Chu and Chu has cut off their road. Now Wu is pressed by Chu outside and empty of upright ministers inside, so they can do nothing to us. Guang said: My body is your body. On the bingzi day of the fourth month, Guang hid armed men in a cellar chamber and invited King Liao to drink. King Liao had troops lined along the road from the royal palace to Guang's house, and the gates, steps, doors and mats were all attended by King Liao's kin, with people holding long spears on both sides. Prince Guang feigned a foot ailment and entered the cellar chamber, and had Zhuan Zhu place a dagger inside a roasted fish and serve it, and with the dagger in hand stabbed King Liao, and the spears crossed in his chest, and he killed King Liao. Prince Guang in the end took the throne as king, and was King Helu of Wu. Helu then made Zhuan Zhu's son a minister.]. Nie Zheng went from Wei and stabbed his lord in the court of Han, and after succeeding in what he sought, withdrew and mutilated himself in the court (the original gives the pronunciation 'chao'), and his corpse was exposed (the character here in the original was lost in transcription) in the market [the 'Strategies of Han' (the original reads 'Han fang') says: Han Kui was prime minister of Han, and Yan Sui was valued by the ruler, and the two harmed each other. Yan Sui argued straightforwardly and pointed out Han Kui's faults, and Han Kui rebuked him in court. Yan Sui drew his sword (the original reads 'fang jian') and rushed at him, and was restrained. Then Yan Sui feared execution and fled, traveling to seek someone who could take revenge on Han Kui. Arriving in Qi, someone in Qi said that Nie Zheng of Shenjing Lane in Zhi was a brave man who had avoided an enemy and lived hidden among butchers. Yan Sui secretly befriended Nie Zheng and treated him generously. Nie Zheng asked: What do you want to use me for? Yan Sui said: I have been your servant only a short time, and my affairs now are small; how would I dare to ask for anything? Then Yan Sui prepared wine and toasted Nie Zheng's mother in person, and Zhongzi presented a hundred yi of gold before Nie Zheng's mother as a birthday gift. Nie Zheng was startled and found the generosity all the stranger and firmly declined Yan Zhongzi. Zhongzi insisted, and Nie Zheng declined, saying: I have an old mother, my family is poor, and as a guest traveler I have taken work as a dog butcher, so that morning and evening I can get sweet and crisp food to nourish my parent. My parent's provisions are complete, and in righteousness I dare not accept Zhongzi's gift. Yan Zhongzi sent others away and told Nie Zheng: I have an enemy and have traveled among many feudal lords, but arriving in Qi I heard that your righteousness is very high, so I offer a hundred in gold directly only as the cost of coarse food for your mother in order to make your acquaintance; how would I dare to be asking something? Nie Zheng said: The reason I lowered my aim and humbled myself to live as a butcher in the market was that by good fortune I could nourish my old mother. My mother is before me, and I dare not yet promise myself to anyone. Yan Zhongzi pressed him, but Nie Zheng in the end would not accept. Yet Zhongzi completed the rites of host and guest and left. After a long time Nie Zheng's mother died, and after burial he took off the mourning. Nie Zheng said: Alas! I am just a man of the market who wields a knife to butcher, and Yan Zhongzi is a minister of a feudal lord who traveled a thousand li in a carriage to befriend me. What I gave him in return was very slight, and I have no great achievement to mention, yet Yan Zhongzi lifted a hundred in gold for my mother's birthday; though I declined in righteousness, he truly understood me. A worthy man, out of indignation and resentment, befriended and trusted an obscure man, and how can I alone remain silent and stop? And when he asked me before, it was only because of my old mother. My mother has now ended her natural years, and I will be used by one who knows me. So he went west to Puyang and saw Yan Zhongzi, saying: The reason I did not agree to Zhongzi before was only that my parent was alive. Now my parent has unfortunately died, and as for the enemy you wish to take revenge on, please let me undertake it. Yan Zhongzi told him everything: My enemy is Han Kui, prime minister of Han, and Kui is also the youngest uncle of the ruler of Han, his clan is large and numerous, and his residence is heavily guarded. I sent men to stab him and in the end none could do it. Now that you, fortunately, do not abandon me, I ask to add carriages and strong men to serve as your wings. Nie Zheng said: Han and Wei are not far apart. Now to kill the prime minister of a state, who is also kin to the ruler, in this situation one cannot use many people. With many people there will inevitably be success and failure, and with success and failure words will leak out, and if words leak out the whole state of Han will become an enemy of Zhongzi; would that not be dangerous? So he declined the carriages and men, took leave and went alone, carrying his sword to Han. Han happened to be holding the assembly at Dongmeng (the original reads 'Dongmeng fang'), and the King of Han and his prime minister were both there, with a great many guards holding weapons and halberds (the original reads 'bing fang'). Nie Zheng went straight up the steps and stabbed Han Kui to death. Han Kui ran and clung to the Marquis Lie, and Nie Zheng stabbed him and hit Marquis Lie as well. His attendants were in great disorder, and Nie Zheng shouted loudly, killed several dozen with his blows, then peeled off his own face, gouged out his eyes and disemboweled himself, and died. Han took Nie Zheng's corpse and exposed it in the market, offering a reward of a thousand in gold, but for a long time no one knew who he was. Nie Zheng's elder sister Ying heard of it and said: My brother was extremely worthy; I must not value my own body and extinguish my brother's name, which is not my brother's wish. So she went to Han and looked, and said: How brave, how great his spirit and pride, he surpassed Meng Ben and Xia Yu and exceeded Gao and Cheng Jing. Now he has died without a name, my parents are dead, I have no other brothers, and this was for my sake. To value my body and not make my brother's name known I cannot bear. Then she embraced the corpse and wept, saying: This is my brother Nie Zheng of Shenjing Lane in Zhi. She also killed herself beneath the corpse. When Jin, Chu, Qi and Wei heard of it, they said: It was not only Nie Zheng who was capable, his sister too was a woman of renown. The reason Nie Zheng's name spread to later ages is that his sister did not avoid the punishment of being minced in order to make his name known. Tang Ju says: When Zhuan Zhu stabbed King Liao, a comet attacked the moon; when Nie Zheng stabbed Han Kui, a white rainbow pierced the sun; when Yao Li stabbed Qing Ji, a hawk struck on the palace hall. These three were all men of plain cloth, whose anger held but not yet released brought down omens from heaven. The Lüshi Chunqiu says: Yu Rang was determined to die for Xiangzi and the Zhao clan were all afraid; Cheng Jing gave his life for the King of Han and the people of Zhou were all in fear.]. Now if we can truly get brave men, riding the might of mighty Han, and overpower the unrighteous Xiongnu, control their lives and rebuke them for their faults, like Cao Gui (the original gives the pronunciation 'gui') who turned upon Duke Huan of Qi and got what he sought [the chapter 'Miscellaneous Affairs' says: In the past Duke Huan of Qi and Duke Zhuang of Lu made a covenant at Ke. The great officer Cao Gui of Lu said to Duke Zhuang: Qi's invasion of Lu has reached the city walls, and the walls are crushed against the border; will you not plan? Duke Zhuang said: Ah, to live is no better than to die for me. Cao Gui said: Then let Your Lordship face their ruler and I will face their minister. When the two rulers were at the altar at the meeting (the original reads 'fang'), the two ministers bowed to each other, and Cao Gui, sword in hand pressing on the blade (the original reads 'fang ren'), advanced and pressed Duke Huan at the altar, saying: The walls are crushed against the border; will you not plan? Guan Zhong said: Then what does Your Lordship seek? Cao Gui said: I ask for the fields of Wenyang. Guan Zhong said to Duke Huan: Your Lordship should grant it. Duke Huan granted it. Cao Gui asked for a covenant and Duke Huan made a covenant with him. After the covenant, he threw down his sword and left. The attendants said: A coerced covenant can be broken and Cao Gui can be treated as an enemy; let us break the covenant and punish Cao Gui. Guan Zhong said: A coerced covenant can be broken but Your Lordship does not break it, Cao Gui can be treated as an enemy but Your Lordship does not treat him as one, so good faith is shown to the world. So he did not break it. The feudal lords of the world gathered to him in unison, and at the Juan assembly (the original reads 'Juan fang') and the You covenant, none of the feudal lords failed to come; at the Yanggu assembly (the original reads 'Yanggu fang') and the Guanze covenant, distant states all came. In the south he attacked mighty Chu and obtained the tribute of green rushes, in the north he attacked the Shanrong to open the road for Yan, three times he preserved ruined states, once he continued a broken line, served the Zhou house with honor, assembled the feudal lords nine times and set the world right once, his achievement ranked next to the Three Kings and he was chief of the Five Hegemons. The basis was good faith, which arose at the covenant of Ke.]. Pushing the sharp edge and striking (the original gives the pronunciation 'fu') the keen blade, the felt tents will be thrown into disorder, high and low will flee, and then with light and keen troops following behind, the Xiongnu will surely fold their arms and not dare to resist.

文學曰湯得伊尹以區區之亳【音薄】兼臣海內文王得太公廓鄷鄗以為天下齊桓公得管仲戚以伯【音霸】諸侯秦穆公得百里奚由余西戎八國服【姚賈説秦王曰太公望齊之逐夫朝歌之廢屠子良之逐臣棘津之售不庸文王用之而王管仲其鄙人之賈人也南陽之敝幽魯之免囚桓公用之而霸百里奚虞之乞人傳賣以五羊之皮穆公相之而朝西戎孔子曰賢不肖者材也遇不遇者時也今無有時賢安所用哉伊尹故有莘氏僮也負鼎操爼調五味而立為相其遇湯也呂望行年五十賣食棘津年七十屠於朝歌九十乃為天子師則遇文王也管夷吾束縛自檻車以為仲父則遇齊桓公也百里奚自賣五羊之皮為秦伯牧羊舉為大夫則遇秦繆公也冉有曰夫百里奚齊之乞者也逐於齊西無以進自賣五羊皮為一軛車見秦穆公立為相遂霸西戎太公望少為人壻老而見去屠牛朝歌賃於棘津釣於磻溪文王舉而用之封於齊管仲親射桓公遂除報讐之心立以為相存亡繼絶九合諸侯一匡天下鄒子説梁王曰伊尹故有莘氏之媵臣也湯立以三公天下之治太平太公望故老婦之出夫也朝歌之屠佐也棘津迎客之舍人也年七十而相周九十而封齊管仲故成隂之狗盜也天下之庸夫也齊桓公得之為仲父百里奚道之於路傳賣五羊之皮秦穆公委之以政戚故將車人也叩轅行歌於康之衢桓公任以國故詩曰緜緜之葛在於曠野良工得之以為絺紵良工不得枯死於野此七士者不遇明君聖主防行乞丐枯死於中野譬猶緜緜之葛矣李康曰伊尹有莘氏之媵臣也而阿衡於商太公渭濵之賤老也而尚父於周呂氏春秋曰百里奚處乎虞而虞亡處乎秦而秦霸百里奚之處乎虞知非遇也其處於秦非加益也秦紀曰戎王使由余於秦秦後歸由余繆公又使人間要由余遂去降秦繆公以客禮禮之秦用由余謀伐戎王益國十二開地千里遂霸西戎尊賢篇曰國不務大而務得民心佐不務多而務得賢俊得民心者民往之有賢佐者士歸之語曰得十良馬不若得一伯樂得十良劒不若得一歐冶得地千里不若得一聖人】聞得賢聖而蠻貊來享未聞刼殺人主以懐逺也【周書曰惟克商遂通道於九夷八蠻西旅底貢厥獒大保乃作旅獒用訓於王曰嗚呼明王慎徳四夷鹹賔無有逺邇畢獻方物】詩云惠此中國以綏四方故自彼氏羌莫敢不來王非畏其威畏其徳也故義之服無義疾於原馬良弓徳之召逺疾於馳傳【去聲】重驛【孔子曰徳之流行速於置郵而傳命】

The Literati said: Tang obtained Yi Yin and with the tiny state of Bo (the original gives the pronunciation 'bo') annexed and subjugated all within the seas; King Wen obtained Taigong and extended Feng and Hao to make the world; Duke Huan of Qi obtained Guan Zhong and Ning Qi (the character here in the original was lost in transcription) and became hegemon (the original gives the pronunciation 'ba' for 'bo') over the feudal lords; Duke Mu of Qin obtained Baili Xi and You Yu and the eight Western Rong states submitted [Yao Jia persuaded the King of Qin: Taigong Wang was a husband driven out of Qi, a discarded butcher of Zhaoge, a banished minister of Ziliang, and an unemployable peddler of Jijin; King Wen used him and became king. Guan Zhong was a merchant from the borders, a worn-out obscure man of Nanyang, a released prisoner of Lu; Duke Huan used him and became hegemon. Baili Xi was a beggar of Yu, sold for the skins of five rams, and Duke Mu made him prime minister and made the Western Rong come to court. Confucius said: Worthiness and unworthiness are a matter of talent, meeting or not meeting is a matter of time. If there is no time, how can the worthy be used? Yi Yin was originally a boy of the Youshen clan, carrying the cauldron and holding the chopping board to blend the five flavors and was then set up as prime minister, because he met Tang. Lu Wang at fifty sold food at Jijin, at seventy butchered at Zhaoge, and at ninety became teacher of the Son of Heaven, because he met King Wen. Guan Yiwu was bound in a prisoner cart and became Uncle Zhong, because he met Duke Huan of Qi. Baili Xi sold himself for the skins of five rams and herded sheep for the Earl of Qin, and was raised to be a great officer, because he met Duke Mu of Qin. Ran You said: Baili Xi was a beggar of Qi, driven out of Qi, with no way to advance in the west, and sold himself for the skins of five rams in a one-yoked cart, saw Duke Mu of Qin, was set up as prime minister, and so became hegemon of the Western Rong. Taigong Wang as a youth was a son-in-law, in old age he was sent away, butchered oxen at Zhaoge, was hired at Jijin, fished at Panxi, and King Wen raised him and used him and enfeoffed him in Qi. Guan Zhong personally shot Duke Huan, and Duke Huan dismissed his thoughts of revenge and set him up as prime minister, preserved the perished, continued the broken lines, assembled the feudal lords nine times and set the world right once. Master Zou persuaded the King of Liang: Yi Yin was originally an attendant of the Youshen clan, and Tang set him up as one of the three dukes and the world was well ordered and at peace. Taigong Wang was originally an old woman's divorced husband, a butcher's assistant at Zhaoge, and a guest-house attendant at Jijin, and at seventy served as prime minister of Zhou and at ninety was enfeoffed in Qi. Guan Zhong was originally a dog thief of Chengyin and a hireling of the world, and Duke Huan of Qi obtained him and made him Uncle Zhong. Baili Xi taught on the road, sold for the skins of five rams, and Duke Mu of Qin entrusted the government to him. Ning Qi was originally a cart driver who sang while tapping the shaft on the road of Kang, and Duke Huan entrusted the state to him. So the Poetry says: 'The long creeping kudzu, in the wide wilds. A good craftsman obtains it and makes fine and coarse cloth; if a good craftsman does not, it withers in the wilds.' If these seven scholars had not met enlightened rulers and sage lords, they would have gone begging and withered in the middle of the wilds, like the long creeping kudzu. Li Kang says: Yi Yin was an attendant of the Youshen clan and was Aheng in Shang; Taigong was a lowly old man on the Wei bank and was Shangfu in Zhou. The Lüshi Chunqiu says: Baili Xi lived in Yu and Yu perished, lived in Qin and Qin became hegemon; Baili Xi when living in Yu was not unwise, and when in Qin was not improved. The Annals of Qin says: The King of the Rong sent You Yu to Qin, and Qin later sent You Yu back, and Duke Mu again had people secretly invite You Yu, and he left and surrendered to Qin. Duke Mu treated him with the rites of a guest. Qin used You Yu's plan to attack the King of the Rong, adding twelve states and opening a thousand li of land, and thereby became hegemon of the Western Rong. The chapter 'Honoring the Worthy' says: A state should not strive to be large but strive to win the people's hearts; assistants should not strive to be many but strive to obtain the worthy and outstanding. One who wins the people's hearts, the people go to him; one who has worthy assistants, scholars turn to him. A common saying says: To get ten good horses is not as good as to get one Bo Le, to get ten good swords is not as good as to get one Ou Ye, to get a thousand li of land is not as good as to get one sage.]. We have only heard that by obtaining sages and worthies the barbarians come to pay tribute, and have never heard of assassinating a ruler to soothe the distant [the Book of Zhou says: When Shang was overcome, the roads were opened to the nine Yi and eight Man. The western Lu offered their great mastiff as tribute, and the Grand Guardian wrote the 'Lu Ao' to instruct the king, saying: Alas, a clear-sighted king is careful in virtue, and the four barbarians all come as guests, with none far or near who does not present local products.]. The Poetry says: 'Be kind to this Middle Kingdom, to bring peace to the four quarters.' So 'from those Di and Qiang, none dared not to come to the king,' not out of fear of his might but fear of his virtue. So righteousness subduing the unrighteous is swifter than a fine horse and a strong bow; virtue drawing the distant is swifter than galloping posts (the original gives the falling tone for 'chuan') and relays [Confucius said: The flow of virtue is swifter than posting and relaying orders.].