Yan Tie Lun (鹽鐵論) · Volume 8

文學曰扇水都尉所言當時之利權一切【音砌】之術也不可以久行而傳世此非明王所以君國子民之道也詩云哀哉為猶匪先民是程匪大猶是經維邇言是聽此詩人刺不通於王道而善為權利者孝武皇帝攘九夷平百越師旅數【音朔】起糧食不足故立田官置錢入谷射官救急澹【古贍字】不給【食貨志曰元狩二年天子為伐胡故盛養馬馬之徃來食長安者數萬匹率掌者闗中不足廼調旁近郡而胡降者數萬人皆得厚賞衣食仰給縣官縣官不給天子乃損膳解乘輿駟出御府禁藏以贍之其明年山東被水災民多飢乏於是天子遣使空郡國倉廩以賑貧】今陛下繼大功之勤養勞勌【音倦】之民此用麋鬻之時【釋名曰麋煑米使糜爛粥淖於糜粥粥然也】公卿宜思所以安集百姓致利除害輔明主以仁義脩潤洪業之道明主即位以來六年於茲公卿無請減除不急之官省罷機利之人人權縣【音懸】太久民良望於上陛下宣聖徳昭明光令郡國賢良文學之士乗傳【去聲】詣公車議五帝三王之道六藝之風冊【通作防】陳安危利害之分指意粲然【如淳曰律四馬高足為置傳四馬中足為馳傳四馬下足為乗傳一馬二馬為軺傳急者乗一乗傳顔師古曰傳者若今之驛古者以車謂之傳車其後又單置馬謂之驛騎】今公卿辯議未有所定此所謂守小節而遺大體抱小利而忘大利者也【雜言曰太公田不足以償種漁不足以償網治天下有餘智文公種米曾子駕羊孫叔敖相楚三年不知軌在衡後務大者固忘小智伯防人亡炙而知之韓魏反而不知邯鄲子陽園人亡桃而知之其亡也不知務小者亦忘大也泰族訓曰夫徹於一事審於一枝可以曲説而未可以廣應也秤薪而防數米而炊可以治小而未可以治大也】

The Literati said: What the Commandant of Shanshui said is a measure of the profit-power of that time, a stopgap art, which cannot be practiced for long or handed down. It is not the road by which an enlightened king rules the state and treats the people as sons. The Book of Songs says: "Alas, such planning! They do not take the ancients as the standard, do not take the great Way as the norm, but listen only to shallow talk." This is the poet's satire on those who are not versed in the kingly way and are skilled at profit and power. Emperor Xiaowu drove back the Nine Yi and pacified the Hundred Yue, the armies were raised repeatedly and grain was insufficient, so he established field officials, set up coinage, and let people enter grain to buy official rank, to relieve emergencies and supply what was lacking. [The Treatise on Food and Goods says: in the second year of Yuanshou, the Son of Heaven, because of the campaign against the Hu, raised many horses, and the horses coming and going ate for tens of thousands in Chang'an, and Guanzhong, which was in charge of them, was not enough, so he drew on nearby commanderies; and tens of thousands of surrendered Hu were all richly rewarded, with food and clothing relying on the county government; when the county government did not suffice, the Son of Heaven reduced his meals, unhitched the four horses from his imperial carriage, and brought out the stores of the Imperial Treasury to supply them. The next year Shandong suffered floods and the people were mostly hungry and in want, and so the Son of Heaven sent envoys to empty the granaries of the commanderies and states to relieve the poor.] Now Your Majesty inherits the labors of great achievement and nourishes a weary people; this is the time to use thin gruel. [The Shiming says: gruel is cooking rice until soft; congee is thinner than gruel, and thin and flowing.] The ministers should think of the road by which to settle and gather the people, bring benefit and remove harm, assist the enlightened ruler with benevolence and righteousness, and polish the great enterprise. It has now been six years since the enlightened ruler took the throne, and the ministers have not petitioned to reduce non-urgent offices or to dismiss those who seek profit by cleverness. The balance of human power has hung too long, and the people look to those above with earnest hope. Your Majesty has proclaimed sagely virtue and shown bright light, and ordered the worthy and literati of the commanderies and states to ride relay carriages to the public carriage office, to discuss the Way of the Five Emperors and Three Kings and the customs of the Six Arts, and to set out in writing the distinction between safety and danger, benefit and harm, with their meaning brilliantly clear. [Ru Chun said: under the statutes, a post carriage drawn by four horses with high feet was called a stationed carriage, with four horses with middle feet a fast carriage, with four horses with low feet a riding carriage, and with one or two horses a light carriage; for urgent matters one took one riding carriage. Yan Shigu said: the post carriage is like today's relay station. In antiquity those using carriages were called post carriages, and later there were also single horses called relay riders.] Now the ministers' debates have not yet been settled, and this is what is called keeping small points of integrity and neglecting the great body, clinging to small profit and forgetting great profit. [Shuoyuan, Zayan, says: Taigong's farming did not cover the seed and his fishing did not cover the nets, yet in governing the world his wisdom had a surplus; Duke Wen planted rice and Zengzi drove sheep; Sunshu Ao was chancellor of Chu for three years and did not know the shaft was on the yoke; those who strive for the great naturally forget the small. Zhibo's cook lost a roast and he knew it, while Han and Wei did not; Zi Yang of Handan's gardener lost a peach and he knew it, but he did not know of his own ruin. Those who strive for the small also forget the great. The Huainanzi, Taizu, says: one who is versed in one matter and careful in one skill can give a partial explanation but cannot respond broadly; weighing firewood to cook, counting rice grains to cook, can govern small things but cannot govern great ones.]

大夫曰宇宙之內鷰雀不知天地之高也坎井之鼃【音蛙】不知江海之大窮夫否【披上聲】婦不知國家之慮負荷【音賀】之商不知猗頓之富先帝計外國之利料胡越之兵兵敵弱而易制用力少而功大故因勢變以主四夷地濵【通作瀕近也】山海以屬長城北畧河外開路匈奴之鄉功未卒善文王受命伐崇作邑於豐【指武篇曰文王欲伐崇先宣言曰餘聞崇侯虎蔑侮父兄不敬長老聼獄不中分財不均百姓力盡不得衣食餘將來徵之唯為民乃伐崇令毋殺人毋壊室毋填井毋伐樹木毋動六畜有不如令者死無赦崇人聞之因請降周紀曰崇侯虎謵西伯於紂紂囚西伯於羑里其後赦西伯賜之弓矢鉄鉞得専征伐曰譛西伯者崇侯虎也西伯歸三年伐崇侯虎而作豐邑】武王繼之載屍以行破商擒紂遂成王業【周紀曰武王修文王業東觀兵孟津為文王木主載以居中軍自太子發言奉文王以伐紂不敢自專遂興師渡於河時諸侯不期而會孟津者八百諸侯皆曰紂可伐武王曰未可也乃還師居二年聞紂昏亂滋甚殺比干囚箕子太師疵少師彊防子抱其祭器而犇周於是武王乃渡孟津伐紂紂師皆倒干戈以戰紂軍潰畔紂死周書曰周車三百五十乗陳於牧野帝辛從武王使尚父與伯夫致師王既以虎賁戎車馳商師商師大敗商辛奔內登於廩臺之上屏遮而自燔於火武王乃手太白以麾諸侯諸侯畢拜蓫揖之商庶百姓鹹俟於郊群賔僉進曰上天降休再拜稽首武王答拜先入適王所乃克射之三發而後下車而擊之以輕呂斬之以黃折懸諸太白適二女之所乃既縊王又射之三發乃右擊之以輕呂斬之以懸諸小白】曹沫棄三北之恥而復侵地管仲負當世之累而立霸功【汜論曰昔者曹子為魯將兵三戰不勝亡地千里使曹子計不顧後足不旋踵刎頸於陣中則終身為破軍擒將矣然而曹子不羞其敗恥死而無功柯之盟揄三尺之刃造桓公之胷三戰所亡一朝而反之勇聞於天下功立於魯國管仲輔公子糾而不能遂不可謂智遁逃奔走不死其難不可謂勇束桎梏不諱其恥不可謂貞當此三行者布衣弗友人君弗臣然而管仲免於縲絏之中立齊國之政九合諸侯一匡天下使管仲出死捐軀不顧後圖豈有此霸功哉今人君論其臣也不計其大功總其畧行而求小善則失賢之數也魯仲連曰效小節者不能行大威惡小恥者不能立榮名昔管仲射桓公中鉤簒也遺公子糾而不能死怯也束桎梏辱身也此三行者鄉里不通也世主不臣也使管仲終窮抑幽囚而不出慙恥而不見窮年沒夀不免為辱人賤行矣然管子並三行之過據齊國之政一匡天下九合諸侯為五伯首名高天下光照鄰國曹沫為魯君三戰三北而防地千里使曹子之足不離陳計不顧後出必死而不生則不免為敗軍擒將曹子以敗軍擒將非勇也功廢名滅後世無稱非智也故去三北之恥退而與魯君計也齊桓公有天下朝諸侯曹子以一劔之任刼桓公於壇位之上顧色不變而辭氣不悖三戰之所防一朝而反之天下震動驚駭威信呉楚傳名後世若此二公者非不能行小節忍小恥也以為殺身絶世功名不立非智也故去忿恚之心而成終身之名除感忿之恥而立累世之功故業與三王爭流名與天壤相敝也】故志大者遺小用權者離俗有司思師望之計【師望師尚父太公呂望也】遂先帝之業志在絶胡貉擒單【音蟬】於【匈奴酋長曰單于單于廣大貎言象天單于然也】故未遑扣扃之義而録拘儒之論【劉向曰論大功者不錄小過舉大美者不疵細瑕】

The Grand Secretary said: Within the universe, swallows and sparrows do not know the height of Heaven and Earth, frogs in a well do not know the vastness of rivers and seas, poor men and rustic women do not know the plans of the state, and burden-bearing peddlers do not know the wealth of Yi Dun. The former emperor calculated the profit of foreign states and assessed the troops of the Hu and Yue; their soldiers were weak and easily subdued, little effort was needed and the merit was great, so he took advantage of changes in circumstances to master the four barbarians, with land bordering the mountains and seas to link up with the Great Wall, taking the north beyond the river, and opening a road leading to the lands of the Xiongnu. The work has not yet been completed. King Wen received the mandate, attacked Chong, and built a town at Feng. [The Shuoyuan, Zhiwu, says: King Wen wished to attack Chong, and first declared: "I have heard that Marquis Hu of Chong insults his fathers and brothers, does not respect his elders, does not judge lawsuits justly, and does not divide wealth equally, so that the people exhaust their strength and cannot get clothing and food. I will go and campaign against him only for the sake of the people." Then he attacked Chong, ordering that no one be killed, no house destroyed, no well filled in, no tree cut, no domestic animal disturbed, and that anyone not following the order be put to death without pardon. When the people of Chong heard this they asked to surrender. The Annals of Zhou says: Marquis Hu of Chong slandered the Earl of the West to Zhou, and Zhou imprisoned the Earl of the West at Youli. Afterward he pardoned the Earl of the West and gave him a bow, arrows and an iron axe, with authority to campaign on his own, saying: "The one who slandered the Earl of the West was Marquis Hu of Chong." The Earl of the West returned and, in the third year, attacked Marquis Hu of Chong and built the town of Feng.] King Wu followed him, carrying the wooden tablet on the march, defeated Shang, captured Zhou, and thereby completed the kingly enterprise. [The Annals of Zhou says: King Wu continued King Wen's work, reviewed his troops in the east at Mengjin, made a wooden tablet for King Wen and carried it in the central army, calling himself Crown Prince Fa, saying that he was carrying out King Wen's attack on Zhou and did not dare act on his own. Then he mobilized the army and crossed the river. At that time eight hundred feudal lords met at Mengjin without prior appointment, and the feudal lords all said Zhou could be attacked. King Wu said it was not yet time and returned with his troops. Two years later, hearing that Zhou's disorder had grown worse, that he had killed Bi Gan and imprisoned Jizi, and that the grand master Ci and junior master Qiang and the Viscount of Wei took their sacrificial vessels and fled to Zhou, King Wu then crossed Mengjin to attack Zhou. The troops of Zhou turned their halberds in battle and Zhou's army collapsed and defected, and Zhou died. The Book of Zhou says: three hundred and fifty chariots of Zhou were drawn up in the wilds of Mu. Di Xin followed. King Wu had Shangfu and Bofu offer battle. The King then galloped his tiger guards and war chariots at the Shang army, and the Shang army was greatly defeated. Shang Xin fled inside, climbed the granary terrace, covered himself and burned himself in the fire. King Wu then took the great white banner and directed the feudal lords, who all bowed, and then he saluted. The commoners and hundred families of Shang all waited in the outskirts, and the many guests came forward together and said: "Heaven sends down blessings." They bowed twice and touched their heads to the ground. King Wu returned the bow. He first went in to where the king was, shot him with three arrows, and then got down from the carriage, struck him with a light sword and cut him with a yellow axe, and hung his head on the great white banner; he went to where the two women were, who had already hanged themselves, and the King shot three more arrows, struck them with a light sword and cut them with a black axe, and hung them on the small white banner.] Cao Mo cast off the shame of three defeats and recovered the lost land, and Guan Zhong bore the burden of his time and established hegemonic merit. [The Huainanzi, Fanlun, says: formerly Cao Zi led troops for Lu, fought three battles without winning, and lost a thousand li of land. Had Cao Zi not looked to what came after, not turned his heels, and cut his throat in the ranks, he would have been for life a general who lost his army and was captured. But Cao Zi did not take defeat as shame but was ashamed to die without merit. At the covenant of Ke, he drew a three-foot blade and pressed it close to Duke Huan's chest, and what was lost in three battles was returned in one morning, his courage known to the world and his merit established in the state of Lu. Guan Zhong assisted Prince Jiu and could not succeed, so he cannot be called wise; he fled and ran away and did not die for that hardship, so he cannot be called brave; he was bound in fetters and did not hide his shame, so he cannot be called steadfast. With these three conducts, a commoner would not take him as a friend and a ruler would not take him as a minister. But Guan Zhong was freed from bonds, established the government of Qi, convened the feudal lords nine times and set the world right at once. If Guan Zhong had put down his life and thrown away his body, with no regard for later plans, how would there have been this hegemonic achievement? Now a ruler assessing his minister does not count his great merit but gathers his rough conduct and seeks small goodness, and so loses the way to obtain the worthy. Lu Zhonglian said: one who seeks small integrity cannot carry out great authority, and one who hates small shame cannot establish glorious fame. Formerly Guan Zhong shot Duke Huan in the belt hook, which was usurpation; abandoned Prince Jiu and could not die, which was cowardice; and was bound in fetters, which was shaming himself. With these three conducts, the village would not associate with him and the rulers of the age would not take him as a minister. If Guan Zhong had remained in distress, suppressed and imprisoned and not come out, ashamed and not appearing, then to the end of his years he would have been counted a disgraced person of base conduct. But Master Guan, combining the faults of these three conducts, held the government of Qi, set the world right at once, convened the feudal lords nine times, became head of the Five Hegemons, his name lofty in the world and his light shining on neighboring states. Cao Mo, for the Duke of Lu, lost three battles and was defeated three times and lost a thousand li of land. If Cao Zi's feet had not left the ranks and his planning had not looked back, and he had gone out resolved to die and not live, he would not have avoided being a general who lost his army and was captured. Cao Zi considered being a general who lost his army and was captured not to be brave, and having his merit abandoned and his name extinguished with no praise in later ages not to be wise, so he cast off the shame of three defeats and withdrew to plan with the Duke of Lu. When Duke Huan of Qi had the world and the feudal lords came to court, Cao Zi, with the single task of a sword, seized Duke Huan at the altar, without changing his expression and without any inconsistency in tone, and what was lost in three battles was returned in one morning; the world was shaken and startled, his authority and trustworthiness were felt in Wu and Chu, and his name passed down to later ages. As for these two men, it was not that they could not practice small integrity and bear small shame, but they considered that to kill themselves and cut off their posterity without establishing merit and fame was not wise, so they put aside the heart of anger and resentment and achieved a name for life, and removed the shame of resentment and established merit for generations. So their achievements contended with the Three Kings and their fame wore out only with Heaven and Earth.] So those with great aims overlook the small, and those who use expedients leave the common flow. The officials are thinking of Shi Wang's plans [Shi Wang is Shangfu, Taigong Lu Wang], to complete the former emperor's work, with the aim of wiping out the Hu and Mo and capturing the Chanyu [the chieftain of the Xiongnu is called Chanyu; "Chanyu" means vast, saying vast like Heaven], so they have no time yet to attend to the righteousness of knocking at the door to seek an audience and to register the discussions of narrow-minded scholars. [Liu Xiang said: in discussing great merit one does not record small faults, and in raising great beauty one does not pick at small flaws.]

文學曰鷰雀離巢宇而有鷹隼【音筍】之憂坎井之鼃【音蛙】離其居而有蛇防之患況翺翔千仞而遊四海乎其禍必大矣此李斯之所以折翼而趙高沒淵也【張子曰李斯族誅卒擊於鷹隼趙高車裂終斃於防蛇】聞文武受命伐不義以安諸侯大夫未聞弊諸夏以役夷狄也昔秦常舉天下之力以事胡越竭天下之財以奉其用然眾不能畢而以百萬之師為一夫之任此天下共聞也且數【音朔】戰則民勞久師則兵弊此百姓所疾苦而拘儒之所憂也【伍被曰徃者秦為無道殘賊天下殺術士燔詩書滅聖棄禮義任刑法轉海濵之栗致於西河當是之時男子疾耕不足於糧餽女子紡績不足以葢形遣防恬築長城東西數千裡兵露師常數十萬死者不可勝數殭屍滿野流血千里又使尉佗逾五嶺攻百越尉佗知中國勞極止土南越行者不還徃者莫返於是百姓離心瓦解欲為亂者十室而七韓成曰夫秦嘗積眾暴兵數十萬人雖有覆軍殺將系虜單于之功亦適足以結怨深讐不足以償天下之費夫上虛府庫下敝百姓甘心於外國非完事也】

The Literati said: Swallows and sparrows, once they leave their nests, have the worry of hawks and falcons; frogs in a well, once they leave their dwellings, have the calamity of snakes and rats; how much more so one who soars a thousand fathoms and roams the four seas? His disaster must be great. This is why Li Si had his wings broken and Zhao Gao sank into the deep. [Zhang Zhixiang said: Li Si was exterminated with his clan, in the end struck by hawks and falcons; Zhao Gao was torn apart by carriages, in the end dying from snakes and rats.] I have heard that Wen and Wu received the mandate and attacked the unrighteous to pacify the feudal lords and grandees; I have never heard of damaging the Chinese states in order to serve the barbarians. Formerly Qin often raised the strength of the whole world to serve the Hu and Yue and exhausted the wealth of the world to supply their use, yet the multitudes could not complete it, and a million troops took on a task for one man; this is what the whole world heard together. Moreover, frequent battles exhaust the people, and long campaigns wear out the soldiers; this is what the hundred families suffer from and what narrow-minded scholars worry about. [Wu Bei said: in the past Qin was without the Way, harmed the world, killed scholars of the arts, burned the Songs and Documents, destroyed the sages and cast aside ritual and righteousness, relied on penal law, and shipped grain from the seashore to the Western River. At that time men farmed hard and did not have enough grain, and women spun and wove and did not have enough to cover themselves. He sent Meng Tian to build the Great Wall, thousands of li east to west, with brigand armies exposed in the field, often hundreds of thousands, and the dead could not be counted, with corpses lying across the wilds and blood flowing for a thousand li. He also sent Wei Tuo across the Five Ridges to attack the Hundred Yue, and Wei Tuo, knowing that the central states were exhausted, stayed in Nanyue. Those who went did not return, and those who left did not come back, so the hearts of the people were estranged and fell apart, and seven households out of ten wanted to rebel. Han Anguo said: Qin once gathered an army and exposed troops of several hundred thousand, and though it had the merit of overturning armies, killing generals and capturing the Chanyu, it only sufficed to build deep resentment and enmity and did not suffice to make up for the cost to the world. Above it emptied the treasury, below it exhausted the people, and being set on foreign states was not a finished work.]

大夫曰昔商君相【去聲】秦也內立法度嚴刑罰飭政教奸偽無所容外設百倍之利收山澤之稅國富民強器械完飾蓄積有餘是以徵敵伐國攘地斥境不賦百姓而師以澹【古贍字】故用不竭而民不知地盡西河而民不苦鹽鐡之利所以佐百姓之急足軍旅之費務蓄積以備乏絶所給甚眾有益於國無害於人百姓何苦爾而文學何憂也【蔡澤曰商君為秦孝公明法令禁奸本尊爵必賞有罪必罰平權衡正度量調輕重決裂阡陌以靜生民之業而一其俗勸民耕農利土一室無二力田稸積習戰陣之事是以兵動而地廣兵休而國富故秦無敵於天下立威諸侯成秦國之業】

The Grand Secretary said: Formerly Lord Shang assisted Qin as chancellor; within, he set up laws and standards, made penalties strict, and set government and instruction in order, so that the wicked and false had no place to hide; outside, he established a hundredfold profit and collected the taxes of mountains and marshes, so that the state was rich and the people strong, tools and weapons were complete and well kept, and accumulated stores had a surplus. So when it campaigned against enemies, attacked states, opened up land and expanded the borders, it did not levy taxes on the people and yet the army was well supplied. So expenditure was not exhausted and the people did not know, and the land reached the Western River without the people suffering. The profit from salt and iron is used to help in the people's urgent needs, to fill the expenses of the armies, and to strive to accumulate stores against shortage and cut-off; what it supplies is great, it benefits the state and does no harm to people. What do the hundred families suffer, and what do the literati worry about? [Cai Ze said: Lord Shang made the laws and ordinances clear for Duke Xiao of Qin, banned the root of wickedness, honored rank and rewarded without fail, punished crime without fail, leveled the scales, corrected the measures, adjusted light and heavy, broke open the field paths to settle the people's livelihood and unify their customs, encouraged the people to farm and profit from the land so that a household had not two strengths, worked the fields and accumulated stores, and trained for war formations. So when troops moved the land grew, and when troops rested the state was rich; hence Qin had no match in the world, established awe among the feudal lords, and achieved the enterprise of the state of Qin.]

文學曰蓋文帝之時無鹽鐡之利而民富今有之而百姓睏乏未見利之所利也而見其害也且利不從天來不從地出一取之民間謂之百倍此計之失者也無異於愚人反裘而負薪愛其毛不知其皮盡也【雜事篇曰魏文侯出遊見路人反裘而負芻文侯曰胡為反裘而負芻對曰臣愛其毛文侯曰若不知其裡盡而毛無所恃耶明年東陽上計錢布十倍大夫畢賀文侯曰此非所以賀我也譬無異夫路人反裘而負芻也將愛其毛不知其裡盡毛無所恃也今吾田地不加廣士民不加眾而錢布十倍必取之士大夫也吾聞之下不安者上不可居也此非所以賀我也】夫李梅實多者來年為之衰【初危切】新谷熟者舊谷為之虧自天地不能兩盈而況於人事乎故利於彼者必耗於此猶隂陽之不併曜晝夜之有長短也【呂氏春秋曰冬與夏不能兩刑草與稼不能兩成新谷熟而陳谷虧果實繁者木必痺天之數也叢談曰天地之道極則反滿則損五采曜眼有時而渝茂木豐草有時而落物有盛衰安得自若意不併鋭事不兩隆盛於彼者必衰於此長於左者必短於右憙夜臥者不能蚤起也】商鞅峭法長【音掌】利秦人不聊生相與哭孝公呉起長【音掌】兵攻取楚人騷動相與泣悼王其後楚日以危秦日以弱故利蓄而怨積地廣而禍構【泰俗訓曰小辯害治苛削傷德商鞅為秦立相坐之法而百姓怨呉起為楚滅爵祿之令而功臣畔商鞅之立法也呉起之用兵也天下之善也然商鞅以法亡秦察於刀筆之法而不知治亂之本也呉起以兵弱楚習於行陣之事而不知廟戰之權也】惡【音烏】在利用不竭而民不知地盡西河而人不苦也今商鞅之冊任於內【冊通作防謀也籌也】呉起之兵用於外行者勤於路居者匱於室老母號泣怨女嘆息文學雖無憂其可得也

The Literati said: In the time of Emperor Wen there was no profit from salt and iron and the people were rich; now there is, and the hundred families are in want, so one does not see the benefit of the profit but only its harm. Moreover profit does not come from Heaven or out of the earth, but is all taken from the people, and calling it a hundredfold is an error of planning. It is no different from a foolish man who wears his fur coat inside out and carries firewood on his back, loving the hair and not knowing that the hide will wear out. [The Shuoyuan, Zashi, says: Marquis Wen of Wei went out traveling and saw a passerby wearing a fur coat inside out and carrying straw. Marquis Wen said: "Why do you wear the fur coat inside out and carry straw?" He answered: "I love its hair." Marquis Wen said: "Do you not know that when the lining wears out the hair has nothing to cling to?" The next year Dongyang reported that cash and cloth had increased tenfold, and the grandees all congratulated him. Marquis Wen said: "This is not what I should be congratulated for. It is no different from that passerby wearing his fur coat inside out and carrying straw, loving the hair and not knowing that the lining has worn out and the hair has nothing to cling to. Now my land has not expanded and my scholars and people have not increased, yet cash and cloth have increased tenfold, so it must have been taken from the scholars and grandees. I have heard that one cannot dwell above if those below are not at peace. This is not what I should be congratulated for."] When plum and plum-tree bear much fruit, the next year they decline because of it; when new grain ripens, old grain is reduced because of it. Even Heaven and Earth cannot be full on both sides, how much less human affairs? So what benefits here must be depleted there, just as yin and yang cannot shine together and day and night have long and short. [The Lüshi Chunqiu says: winter and summer cannot both flourish, grass and grain cannot both mature, when new grain ripens old grain is reduced, and a tree with abundant fruit must be diseased; this is the number of Heaven. The Congtan says: the Way of Heaven and Earth is that at its extreme it reverses and when full it diminishes. The five colors dazzle the eye and change in time, lush trees and abundant grass fall in time. Things have flourishing and decline; how can they stay as they are? Intentions cannot both be sharp and affairs cannot both flourish. What flourishes there must decline here, and what grows on the left must be short on the right. One who likes to sleep late cannot rise early.] Shang Yang made the laws severe and increased profit, the people of Qin had no way to live, and wept together for Duke Xiao; Wu Qi extended military conquests, the people of Chu were disturbed, and wept together for King Dao. After that Chu grew more endangered daily and Qin grew weaker daily. So profit accumulates and resentment accumulates, and land widens and calamity forms. [The Huainanzi, Taizu, says: small discernment harms governance, and harsh cutting harms virtue. Shang Yang set up the law of mutual liability for Qin and the hundred families resented it; Wu Qi issued the order abolishing rank and salary for Chu and meritorious ministers rebelled. Shang Yang's legislation and Wu Qi's use of troops were the best in the world; but Shang Yang ruined Qin through law, being clear about the law of knife and brush but not knowing the root of order and disorder; Wu Qi weakened Chu through troops, being practiced in matters of battle formations but not knowing the authority of temple planning.] How is it that its use is not exhausted and the people do not know, that the land reaches the Western River and people do not suffer? Now the plans of Shang Yang are used within and the troops of Wu Qi are used outside; those who travel suffer on the road, those at home are in want in their rooms, aged mothers weep and resentful women sigh. Even if the literati did not wish to worry, could they avoid it?

大夫曰秦任商君國以富強其後卒並六國而成帝業及二世之時邪臣擅斷公道不行諸侯叛弛宗廟隳【音】亡春秋曰未言介祭仲亡也夫善歌者使人續其聲善作者使人紹其功推車之蟬攫【音腳古本作匷說林訓曰古之所為不可更則推車至今無蟬匷許慎曰蟬匷車類也匷當讀如矍】負子之教也周道之成周公之力也雖有裨諶之草創無子產之潤色有文武之防矩而無周呂之鑿枘【音芮】則功業不成【左傳曰子產之從政也擇能而使之馮簡子能斷大事子太叔美秀而文公孫揮能知四國之為而辨於其大夫之族姓班位貴賤能否而又善為辭令禆諶能謀謀於野則獲謀於邑則否此才性之蔽鄭國將有諸侯之事子產乃問四國之為於子羽且使多為辭令與裨諶乗以適野使謀可否而告馮簡子使斷之事乃投子太叔使行之以應對賔客是以鮮有敗事】今以趙高之亡秦而非商鞅猶以崇虎亂殷而非伊尹也

The Grand Secretary said: Qin employed Lord Shang, and the state became rich and strong because of it, and later in the end annexed six states and completed the imperial enterprise. By the time of the Second Emperor, wicked ministers decided affairs on their own, the public way was not carried out, the feudal lords rebelled, and the ancestral temple was ruined and lost. The Spring and Autumn Annals says: before the assistant was mentioned, Zhai Zhong had been lost. One who is good at singing has others continue his voice, and one who is good at beginning has others continue his work. When a pusher of carts has a cicada's grip, that is the lesson of the one who carries his child on his back. The completion of the Way of Zhou was the strength of the Duke of Zhou. Even if Pi Chen drafted it, without Zichan's polishing; even if there were the compass and square of Wen and Wu, without the mortise and tenon work of the Duke of Zhou and Lu Wang, the work would not be completed. [The Zuozhuan says: when Zichan took charge of government, he selected the able and used them. Feng Jianzi could decide great matters, Zi Taishu was handsome and cultured, Gongsun Hui could know what the four states were doing, distinguish the clans, ranks and positions of their grandees, noble or lowly, able or not, and was also good at speech, and Pi Chen could plan—planning in the wild he succeeded, planning in the town he did not—this is the limitation of natural talent. When the state of Zheng was about to have a matter with the feudal lords, Zichan would ask Ziyu what the four states were doing and have him prepare many speeches, ride with Pi Chen into the wild to have him plan whether it was feasible, then tell Feng Jianzi to decide it, and when it was settled hand it to Zi Taishu to deal with the guests, so there were few failures.] Now to use Zhao Gao's ruin of Qin to criticize Shang Yang is like using Marquis Hu of Chong's disordering of Yin to criticize Yi Yin.

文學曰善鑿者建周而不疲善基者致高而不蹷【音厥】伊尹以堯舜之道為殷國基子孫紹位百代不絶商鞅以重刑峭法為秦國基故二世而奪【刑法志曰凡兵者所以存亡繼絕救亂除暴也故伊呂之將子孫有國與商周並至於末世苟任詐力爭城殺人盈城爭地殺人盈野孫呉商白之徒皆身誅戮於前而功滅亡於後報應之勢各以類至其道然矣】刑既嚴峻矣又作為相坐之法造誹謗增肉刑百姓齋慄不知所措手足也賦斂既煩數【音朔】矣又外禁山澤之原內設百倍之利民無所開説容言崇利而簡義高力而尚功非不廣壤進地也然猶人之病水益水而疾深知其為秦開帝業不知其為秦致亡道也狐刺【音郎逹反】之鑿雖公輸子不能善其枘【音芮】畚【音本】土之基雖良匠不能成其高譬若秋蓬被霜遭風則零落雖有十子產如之何故扁鵲不能肉白骨微箕不能存亡國也【詩傳曰扁鵲過趙趙王太子疾而死鵲造宮門曰吾聞國中卒有壤土之事得無有急乎中庶子之好方者應之曰然王太子暴疾而死扁鵲日入言鄭醫秦越人能活太子中庶子難之曰吾聞上古之為醫曰苗父苗父之為醫也以菅為席以芻為狗北面而祝髮十言耳諸扶而來者舉而來者皆平復如故子之方能如此乎扁鵲曰不能乂曰吾聞中古之為醫者曰俞柎俞柎之為醫也搦腦髓來肓莫炊灼九竅而定經絡死人復為生人故曰俞柎子之方能若是乎扁鵲曰不能中庶子曰子之方如此譬若以管窺天以錐刺地所窺者甚天所見者甚少鈞若子之方豈足以變駭童子哉扁鵲曰不然物故有昧揥而中蛟頭掩目而別白黒者太子之疾所謂屍厥者也以為不然入之太子股隂當溫耳中焦焦如有嘯者聲然者皆可治也中庶子入報趙王趙王跣而趨出門曰先生逺辱幸臨寡人先生幸而有之則糞土之息得防天履地而長為人矣先生不有之則先犬馬填溝壑矣言未巳涕泣沾襟扁鵲遂為之先造軒光之灶八成之湯砥針礪石取三陽五輸子容禱藥子明吹耳陽儀反神子越扶形子游矯摩太子遂得復生天下聞之皆曰扁鵲能生死人鵲辭曰子非能生死人也特使夫當生者活耳夫死者猶不可藥而生也悲夫亂君之治不可藥而息也詩曰多將熇熇不可救藥甚之之辭也下蔡威公曰病之將死也不可為良醫國之將亡也不可為計謀】

The Literati said: One who is good at chiseling builds closely and without wear, and one who is good at laying a foundation builds high and does not stumble. Yi Yin took the Way of Yao and Shun as the foundation of the state of Yin, and his descendants continued the line for a hundred generations without break; Shang Yang took heavy punishments and severe laws as the foundation of Qin, so that the Second Emperor was dispossessed. [The Treatise on Punishments in the Han Shu says: soldiers are used to preserve the perishing and continue the severed, rescue from disorder and remove violence. So the generals Yi and Lu had descendants who held states alongside Shang and Zhou; but in the last ages they casually used deceit and force, in fighting for cities killed people until the city was full, in fighting for land killed people until the field was full; Sun, Wu, Shang and Bai were all executed in their own persons in the end and their merit was destroyed afterward; retribution comes in kind, and the Way is this.] Punishments were already severe, and yet he made laws of mutual liability, created the crime of slander, and added bodily punishments, so the hundred families trembled and did not know where to put hands and feet. Taxes were already frequent, and yet he outwardly forbade the sources of mountains and marshes and inwardly set up hundredfold profit, so the people had no place to open their mouths and speak. He honored profit and slighted righteousness, valued force and honored merit; it was not that he did not widen the land and advance territory, yet it was like a man with edema adding water to water, so that the illness grows deeper. People know he opened the imperial enterprise for Qin but do not know that he led Qin to the way of ruin. With a crooked chisel, even Gongshu Zi could not make the tenon fit; on a foundation of baskets of earth, even a good craftsman could not make it high. It is like autumn fleabane touched by frost, which falls as soon as the wind meets it; even with ten Zichans, what could be done? So Bian Que could not make white bones grow flesh, and the Viscount of Wei and Jizi could not preserve a ruined state. [The Poetry Tradition says: Bian Que passed through Zhao, where the King's crown prince died suddenly of illness. Que arrived at the palace gate and said: "I have heard that there is suddenly earth-moving work in the state; surely there is not an urgent crisis?" The palace attendant who liked the arts answered: "Yes, the King's crown prince died of sudden illness." Bian Que said: "Please let me in, saying that Qin Yueren, the physician of Zheng, can bring the prince back to life." The attendant challenged him: "I have heard that in high antiquity the physician was called Miaofu. When Miaofu practiced medicine, he made mats of rush and dogs of straw, faced north and prayed, and uttered only ten sentences, and those who were helped in or carried in all recovered as before. Can your method do this?" Bian Que said: "No." He said again: "I have heard that in middle antiquity the physician was called Yu Fu. When Yu Fu practiced medicine, he pressed the brain marrow, drew out the membranes, steamed and cauterized the nine orifices and calmed the channels, so that the dead became living again, hence he was called Yu Fu. Can your method do this?" Bian Que said: "No." The attendant said: "If your method is like this, it is like looking at the sky through a tube or stabbing the earth with an awl; what you look at in the sky is very small and what you see is very little. With a method like yours, how could it be enough to change or frighten a child?" Bian Que said: "Not so. Things truly exist where one throws in the dark and hits a dragon's head, or covers one's eyes and yet distinguishes black from white. The prince's illness is what is called corpse-like collapse. If you think it is not so, go in and examine him: the inside of the prince's thighs should be warm, and in his ears there should be a ringing as if someone were whistling; all such cases can be treated." The attendant went in and reported to the King of Zhao. The King of Zhao ran barefoot out of the door and said: "You, Sir, have condescended to come from far to me. If you fortunately save him, then this son of mine, like dung and earth, may tread on Heaven and earth and long be a person; if you do not save him, he will fill a ditch before the dogs and horses." Before he had finished speaking, tears and mucus wet his garment. Bian Que then examined him, first making a bright stove and an eight-part decoction, sharpening needles and stones, and taking the three yang and five transport points; Zirong prepared the medicine, Ziming blew into his ears, Yangyi restored his spirit, Ziyue supported his body, and Ziyou corrected the massage, and so the prince was revived. The world heard and all said Bian Que could revive the dead. Que declined, saying: "I cannot revive the dead; I only make live those who ought to live. The dead still cannot be made to live with medicine. How sad, the governance of a disordered ruler cannot be stopped with medicine. The Book of Songs says: 'Blazing fiercely, it cannot be cured.' This is an expression of severity." Duke Wei of Xiacai said: when illness is about to be fatal one cannot be a good physician, and when a state is about to perish one cannot make plans.]

大夫曰言之非難行之為難故賢者處實而效功亦非徒陳空文而已昔商君明於開塞之術假當世之權為秦致利成業【許慎曰啟之以利塞之以禁商鞅之術也司馬貞曰案商君書開謂刑嚴峻則政化開塞謂布恩賞則政化塞其意本於嚴刑少恩也】是以戰勝攻取並近滅逺乗燕趙陵齊楚諸侯斂袵西面而向風其後防恬徵胡斥地千里逾之河北若壊朽折腐何者商君之遺謀備飾素循也故舉而有利動而有功夫【音扶】蓄積籌防國家之所以強也故弛廢而歸之民未覩巨計而渉大道也

The Grand Secretary said: Speaking is not difficult; doing is difficult. So the worthy stay with what is real and gather results, and do not merely set out empty writings. Formerly Lord Shang was clear about the art of opening and blocking, relying on the power of his age, and brought profit and accomplishment to Qin. [Xu Shen said: to open with profit and block with prohibition is the art of Shang Yang. Sima Zhen said: according to the Book of Lord Shang, opening means that when punishments are severe government transformation opens, and blocking means that when favors and rewards are spread government transformation is blocked; its idea is rooted in severe punishment and little favor.] So Qin won battles and took cities, absorbed the near and destroyed the far, mounted Yan and Zhao and overran Qi and Chu, and the feudal lords gathered their robes and faced west to follow the wind. Later Meng Tian campaigned against the Hu, repelled them a thousand li, crossed north of the river, as if smashing rotten wood and breaking decayed things. Why? The plans left by Lord Shang were complete and ordered and had always been followed. So every move brought profit and every action brought merit. As for the opening word: accumulating stores and plans is the reason a state is strong. So to abandon them and return them to the people, I have never seen anyone grasp a great plan and tread on the great road.

文學曰商鞅之開塞非不行也恬胡千里非無功也威震天下非不強也諸侯隨風西面非不從也然而皆秦之所以亡也商鞅以權數危秦國防恬以得千里亡秦社稷此二子者知利而不知害知進而不知退故果身死而眾敗【王符曰夫上世之臣以道事君澤及草木仁被率土是以福祚流衍本支百世季世之臣以謟媚主不思順天専仗殺伐白起防恬秦以為功天以為賊易曰徳薄而位尊智小而謀大鮮不及矣是故徳不稱其禍必酷能不稱其殃必大】此所謂攣朐之知【去聲】而愚人之計也【寧手足曲也朐脡曲也】夫【音扶】何大道之有故曰小人先合而後忤【孔子曰可以共學矣而未可以適道也可與適道未可以立也可以立未可與權權者聖人之所獨見也故忤而後合者謂之知權合而後忤者謂之不知權不知權者善反醜矣】初雖乗馬卒必泣血此之謂也【繆稱訓曰聖人在上則民樂其治在下則民慕其意小人在上位如寢關曝纊不得須臾寧故易曰乗馬班如泣血連如言小人處非其位不可長也】

The Literati said: Shang Yang's opening and blocking was not ineffective, Meng Tian's repelling the Hu a thousand li was not without merit, his awe shaking the world was not weakness, the feudal lords following the wind westward was not without obedience. Yet all these were the causes of Qin's ruin. Shang Yang used tactics that endangered Qin, and Meng Tian, by gaining a thousand li, destroyed the altars of Qin. These two knew profit but not harm, knew how to advance but not how to retreat, and so in the end they died and their followers were defeated. [Wang Fu said: ministers of former ages served their rulers with the Way, so that their favor reached grass and trees and their benevolence covered the land, and so blessings flowed on and the main and branch lines lasted a hundred generations. Ministers of the last ages used flattery on the ruler, did not think of following Heaven, and relied entirely on killing and attacking. Bai Qi and Meng Tian were thought merit by Qin and brigands by Heaven. The Changes says: thin in virtue yet honored in position, small in wisdom yet great in planning, one seldom escapes calamity. So if virtue does not match, the calamity will surely be cruel, and if ability does not match, the misfortune will surely be great.] This is what is called the wisdom of the crooked and the plan of a fool. ["Crooked" means bent hands and feet, and "curved" means bent flesh.] The opening word: where is the great Way here? So it is said that a petty man first complies and afterward clashes. [Confucius said: one may study together but not yet go to the Way together; one may go to the Way together but not yet stand together; one may stand together but not yet use the expedient together. The expedient is what the sage alone sees. So those who first clash and then unite are said to know the expedient, and those who first unite and then clash are said not to know it. For those who do not know the expedient, what is good turns ugly.] At first, though they ride horses, in the end they weep tears of blood; this is what is meant. [The Huainanzi, Miaocheng, says: when a sage is above, the people delight in his governance, and when he is below, the people admire his intention. When a petty man is in a high position, it is like sleeping on a door bolt or drying silk floss, with no moment's peace. So the Changes says 'riding a horse, turning around, weeping tears of blood in streams,' meaning that a petty man in a position not his own cannot last long.]

大夫曰淑好之人戚施之所妬也賢知【去聲】之士闒【音逹】茸【音戎】之所惡【音汙】也【詩解曰戚施不能仰隗疾也李善曰闒茸猥賤也茸細毛也張栮訓話以為關獰劣也呂忱字林曰闒茸不肖也鄒陽曰女無美惡入宮見妬士無賢不肖入朝見嫉説林訓曰駿馬以材死直士以正窮賢者擯於朝美女擯於宮尊賢篇曰陽因見趙簡主曰臣居鄉三逐事君五去聞君好士故走來見簡主聞之絶食而嘆跽而行左右進諫曰居鄉三逐是不容眾也事君五去是不忠上也今君有士不為少矣簡主曰子不知也夫美女者醜婦之仇也盛徳之士亂世所疏也正直之行邪枉所憎也遂出見之因投以為相而國大治由是觀之逺近之人不可以不察也】是以上官大夫短屈原於頃襄公伯寮愬子路於季孫【屈原傳曰屈原者名平楚之同姓頃襄王立以其弟子蘭為令尹楚人既咎子蘭以勸懐王入秦而不反也屈平既嫉之雖放流睠顧楚國繋心懐王不忘欲反冀君之一悟俗之一改也其存君興國而欲反覆之一篇之中三致意焉令尹子蘭聞之大恕卒使上官大夫短屈原於頃襄王頃襄王怒而遷之論語曰公伯寮愬子路於季孫子服景伯以告曰夫子固有惑志於公伯寮吾力猶能肆諸市朝子曰道之將行也與命也道之將廢也與命也公伯寮其如命何公伯寮魯人子路孔子弟子仲由也季孫魯大夫也】夫【音扶】商君起布衣自魏入秦期年而相【去聲】之革法明教而秦人大治故兵動而割地兵休而國富孝公大說【音悅】封之於商安之地方五百里功如丘山名傳後世世人不能為是以相與嫉其能而疵其功也【疵音慈説文雲病也】

The Grand Secretary said: Beautiful people are envied by hunchbacks, and worthy and wise scholars are hated by the mean and base. [The Poetry commentary says: a hunchback cannot look up, a kind of deformity. Li Shan said: the mean and base are vulgar and lowly; fine hair. Zhang Yi's glosses take it to be vulgar and inferior. Lü Chen's Zilin says: the mean and base are the unworthy. Zou Yang said: a woman, whether beautiful or ugly, is envied once she enters the palace; a scholar, whether worthy or unworthy, is resented once he enters court. The Huainanzi, Shuolin, says: a fine horse dies because of its talent, an upright scholar is in hardship because of his rectitude, a worthy man is rejected in court and a beautiful woman is rejected in the palace. The Shuoyuan, Zunxian, says: Yang Hu saw Zhao Jianzhu and said: "I was driven out of my village three times, and left five rulers I served; I heard that Your Lordship likes scholars, so I ran here to see you." When Jianzhu heard this, he stopped eating and sighed and went on his knees. His attendants remonstrated: "Being driven out three times from the village means he is not tolerated by the multitude, and leaving five rulers means he is not loyal to his superiors. Now Your Lordship has not a few scholars." Jianzhu said: "You do not understand. A beautiful woman is the enemy of an ugly woman, a scholar of abundant virtue is distanced in a disordered age, and upright conduct is hated by the crooked." So he went out to see him, and made him chancellor, and the state was greatly well governed. From this it follows that one must not fail to examine people near and far.] So the Grand Master of the Superior Office spoke ill of Qu Yuan before Duke Qingxiang, and Gongbo Liao slandered Zilu to Ji Sun. [The Biography of Qu Yuan says: Qu Yuan's name was Ping, of the same clan as Chu. When King Qingxiang took the throne, he used his younger brother Zilan as chief minister. The people of Chu already blamed Zilan for urging King Huai to enter Qin, from which he did not return. Qu Ping hated this, and although exiled, he cared for Chu and kept King Huai in his heart, not forgetting the wish to return, hoping that the ruler would one day awaken and the customs be changed. His wish to preserve his lord and revive the state, repeatedly, expressed itself three times in a single piece. The chief minister Zilan heard of it and was very angry, and finally had the Grand Master of the Superior Office speak ill of Qu Yuan before King Qingxiang, and King Qingxiang, angry, banished him. The Analects says: Gongbo Liao slandered Zilu to Ji Sun. Zifu Jingbo told Confucius: "The Master certainly has doubts about Gongbo Liao, but my strength is still enough to display his corpse in the market and court." Confucius said: "If the Way is about to be practiced, it is fate; if the Way is about to be abandoned, it is fate. What can Gongbo Liao do about fate?" Gongbo Liao was a man of Lu, Zilu was Zhong You, a disciple of Confucius, and Ji Sun was a grandee of Lu.] The opening word: Lord Shang rose from commoner status, went from Wei to Qin, and within a year was made its chancellor, reformed the laws and standards and made instruction clear, and the people of Qin were greatly well governed. So when troops moved they took land, and when troops rested the state was rich. Duke Xiao was greatly delighted and enfeoffed him at Shang and An, with land of five hundred li. His merit was like hills and mountains and his name was passed on to later ages. The people of the age could not do it, so together they envied his ability and picked at his merit. ["Flaw" is pronounced ci; the Shuowen says it means illness.]

文學曰君子進必以道退不失義【孔子曰事君難進而易退則位有序易進而難退則亂也故君子三揖而進一辭而退以逺亂也繆稱訓曰君子時則進得之以義何幸之有不時則退讓之以義何不幸之有】高而勿矜勞而不伐位尊而行【去聲】恭功大而理順故俗不疾其能而世不妬其業【大禹謨帝曰汝惟不矜天下莫與汝爭能汝惟不伐天下莫與汝爭功孝經曰高而不危所以長守貴也滿而不溢所以長守富也】今商鞅棄道而用權廢徳而任力峭法盛刑以虐戾為俗欺舊友以為功刑公族以立威無恩於百姓無信於諸侯人與之為怨家與之為讐雖以功見封猶食毒肉愉飽而罹其咎也【秦防曰衞鞅亡魏入秦孝公以為相封之於商號曰商君商君治秦法令至行公平無私罰不諱強大賞不私親近法及太子黥劓其傅朞年之後道不拾遺民不妄取兵革大強諸侯畏懼然刻深寡恩特以強行之耳孝公行之八年疾且不起欲傳商君辭不受孝公已死惠王代後蒞政有頃商君告歸人説惠王曰大臣太重者國危左右太親者身危今秦婦人嬰兒皆言商君之法莫言大王之法是商君反為主大王更為臣也且夫商君固大王之仇讐也願大王圖之商君歸還惠王車裂之而秦人不憐】蘇秦合從【音縱】連衡統理六國業非不大也桀紂與堯舜並稱至今不亡名非不長也然非者不足貴故事不苟多名不苟傳也【要畧曰晩世之時六國諸侯谿異谷別水絕山隔各自治其境內守其分地握其權柄擅其政令下無方伯上無天子力征爭權勝者為右恃連與國約重致剖信符結逺援以守其國家持其社稷故縱橫修短生焉韓嬰曰君子行不貴苟難説不貴苟察名不貴苟傳惟其當之為貴夫負石而赴河行之難為者也而申屠狄能之君子不貴者非禮義之中也山淵平天地比齊楚襲入乎耳出乎口鉤有須卵有毛此説之難持者也而鄧析惠施能之君子不貴者非禮義之中也盜蹠吟口名聲若日月與舜禹俱傳而不息君子不貴者非禮義之中也故君子行不貴苟難説不貴苟察名不貴苟傳惟其當之為貴】

The Literati said: The noble man in advancing must use the Way, and in retreating does not lose righteousness. [Confucius said: In serving a ruler, if it is hard to advance and easy to retreat, rank has order; if it is easy to advance and hard to retreat, there is disorder. Therefore the noble man bows three times before advancing and declines once before withdrawing, to keep away from disorder. The Huainanzi, 'Miu Cheng' chapter, says: The noble man advances when the time is right and obtains it through righteousness; what good fortune is there in that? When the time is not right he retreats and yields it through righteousness; what misfortune is there in that?] He is lofty but not boastful, toils but does not claim credit, is honored in rank and conducts himself [gloss: 'xing' is read in the departing tone] with respect, and his merit is great while his principle is compliant; so common people do not envy his ability and the world does not resent his work. [In the Da Yu Mo, the Emperor said: 'Only if you do not boast will no one under heaven contend with you in ability; only if you do not claim credit will no one under heaven contend with you in merit.' The Classic of Filial Piety says: 'High but not in peril, so one can long keep one's honor; full but not overflowing, so one can long keep one's wealth.'] Now Shang Yang abandoned the Way and used expedience, discarded virtue and relied on force, made laws severe and punishments heavy, and made cruelty and perversity the custom; he deceived old friends to gain merit and punished the ducal clan to establish his authority; he had no kindness for the people and no good faith with the feudal lords. People held him in resentment and families held him as an enemy. Even though he was enfeoffed on account of merit (the base text has a rare character here, lost in transcription), it was like eating poisoned meat, satisfying one's hunger carelessly and suffering the consequences. [The Intrigues of the Warring States, Qin section (the base text has a corrupt reading for 'Qin ce'), says: Wei Yang fled from Wei to Qin, and Duke Xiao employed him as chancellor and enfeoffed him at Shang, and he was called Lord Shang. When Lord Shang governed Qin, laws and orders were carried out to the full, impartial and without selfishness; punishment did not avoid the powerful, rewards were not given to the favored and close; the law reached even the crown prince, and his tutor was tattooed and had his nose cut off. After a year, nothing dropped on the road was picked up and the people did not take what was not theirs; the army was greatly strengthened and the feudal lords were afraid. Yet he was harsh and deep with little kindness, and relied only on force. Duke Xiao practiced it for eight years, and when he was ill and unlikely to recover, he wished to pass the throne to Lord Shang, who declined. After Duke Xiao died, King Hui took over and not long after came to govern; Lord Shang asked to retire. Someone advised King Hui: 'When a great minister is too weighty, the state is in danger; when those around the ruler are too close, the ruler is in danger. Now in Qin women and infants all speak of Lord Shang's law and do not speak of Your Majesty's law; Lord Shang has become master and Your Majesty a subject. Moreover, Lord Shang was originally Your Majesty's enemy; I hope Your Majesty will plan against him.' Lord Shang returned, and King Hui had him torn apart by chariots, and the people of Qin did not pity him.] Su Qin joined the vertical and horizontal alliances [gloss: 'cong' is pronounced 'zong'] and governed the six states; his work was not small. Jie and Zhou are named together with Yao and Shun and have not perished to this day; their fame is not short. Yet what is wrong is not worth honoring. So in affairs one does not carelessly seek many, and in fame one does not carelessly seek to be transmitted. [The Huainanzi, 'Yao Lue' chapter, says: In the later age, the feudal lords of the six states were separated by streams and valleys, cut off by water and mountains, each governing within his own borders, keeping his own portion of land, holding his own power and monopolizing his own government orders; below there was no regional chief and above no Son of Heaven; they contended by force for power, and the winner was on the right, relying on allied states, binding important treaties, splitting credentials and tallies, and forming distant alliances to protect their states and hold their altars; hence arose the arts of vertical and horizontal alliance, long and short. Han Ying said: The noble man does not value conduct that is difficult merely for its difficulty, does not value argument that is acute merely for its acuteness, and does not value fame that is transmitted merely for its being transmitted; only what is fitting is valued. To carry a stone and plunge into the river is conduct hard to do, yet Shentu Di could do it; the noble man does not value it, because it does not accord with ritual and righteousness. 'Mountains and ponds are level, heaven and earth are close, Qi and Chu are joined, entering through the ear and coming out of the mouth, an egg has feathers': these are arguments hard to maintain, yet Deng Xi and Hui Shi could maintain them; the noble man does not value them, because they do not accord with ritual and righteousness. Robber Zhi's fame was like the sun and moon, transmitted together with Shun and Yu without ceasing; the noble man does not value it, because it does not accord with ritual and righteousness. Therefore the noble man does not value conduct that is carelessly difficult, argument that is carelessly acute, or fame that is carelessly transmitted; only what is fitting is valued.]

大夫曰縞素不能自分於緇墨聖賢不能自理於亂世是以箕子執囚比干被刑【節士篇曰箕子者紂親戚也紂始為象箸箕子諫不聼囚箕子以為奴王子比干者亦紂之親戚也紂作炮烙之刑王子比干曰主暴不諫非忠臣也畏死不言非勇士也見過則諫不用則死忠之至也遂進諫三日不去朝紂因而殺之】伍員相【去聲】闔閭以伯【音覇】夫【音扶】差【去聲】不道流而殺之【範睢曰伍子胥橐載而出昭關夜行晝伏至於陵水無以糊其口膝行蒲伏稽首肉袒鼓腹吹篪乞食於呉市卒興呉國闔閭為霸越絶書曰子胥賜劔將自殺嘆曰嗟乎眾曲矯直一人固不能獨立吾挾弓矢以逸鄭楚之間自以為可復吾見凌之仇乃先王之功想得報焉自致於此吾先得榮後僇者非智衰也先遇明後遭險君之易移也已矣坐不遇時復何言哉此吾命也亡將安之莫如早死從吾先王於地下葢吾之志也】樂毅信功於燕昭而見疑於惠王【雜事篇曰樂毅為昭王謀必待諸侯兵齊乃可伐也於是乃使樂毅使諸侯遂合連四國之兵以伐齊大破之閔王亡逃僅以身脫□莒樂毅追之遂屠七十餘城臨淄盡降唯莒即墨未下盡復取燕寳器而歸復易王之辱樂毅謝罷諸侯之兵而獨圍莒即墨時田單為即墨令患樂毅善用兵田單不能詐也欲去之昭王又賢不肯聼讒會昭王死惠王立田單使人讒之惠王惠王使騎刼代樂毅樂毅去之趙不歸燕騎刼既為將軍田單大喜設詐大破燕軍殺騎刼盡復收七十餘城】人臣盡節以狥名遭世主之不用大夫種輔翼越王為之深謀卒擒強呉據有東夷終賜屬鏤而死【蔡澤曰大夫種為越王深謀逺計免會稽之恥以亡為存因辱為榮墾草入邑闢地殖穀率四方之士専上下之力輔句踐之賢報夫差之讐率擒勁呉令越成霸功已彰而信矣句踐終負而殺之汜論訓曰大夫種輔翼越王句踐而為之報怨雪恥擒夫差之身開地數千裡然而身伏屬鏤而死屬鏤利劔也】驕主背恩徳聽流説不計其功故也豈身之罪哉【蹇重曰有命之父母不知孝子有道之君不知忠臣】

The Grand Secretary said: White silk cannot by itself be distinguished from black ink, and sages and worthies cannot by themselves be clarified in a disordered age. Therefore Jizi was imprisoned and Bi Gan was executed. [The Shuo Yuan, 'Jie Shi' chapter, says: Jizi was a relative of Zhou. When Zhou began to make ivory chopsticks, Jizi remonstrated but was not heeded, and Zhou imprisoned Jizi as a slave. Prince Bi Gan was also a relative of Zhou. When Zhou made the roasting punishment, Prince Bi Gan said: 'A ruler is violent and one does not remonstrate; that is not a loyal minister. To fear death and not speak is not a brave man. To see an error and remonstrate, and if not heeded to die, is the height of loyalty.' So he remonstrated for three days without leaving the court, and Zhou killed him for it.] Wu Yuan assisted [gloss: 'xiang' is read in the departing tone] Helu and thus the king became hegemon [gloss: 'bo' is pronounced 'ba']. As for the sentence-opening 'fu' [gloss: 'fu' is pronounced 'fu']: Fuchai [gloss: 'chai' is read in the departing tone] was without the Way, and exiled and killed him. [Fan Sui said: Wu Zixu was carried in a bag out of the Zhao Pass, traveling at night and hiding by day; reaching the Ling River he had no means to feed himself, crawled on his knees and bowed his head, bared his flesh, beat his belly and blew the chi flute, begging for food in the market of Wu, and in the end he made Wu rise and Helu became hegemon. The Yue Jue Shu says: When Zixu was granted a sword and was about to kill himself, he sighed and said: 'Alas, when the crowd of crooked ones straightens the upright, one man cannot stand alone. I carried bow and arrows and fled between Zheng and Chu, thinking I could avenge my father and brother; it was the achievement of the former king, and I wished to repay it. Having come here, I first gained glory and later was killed; it was not that my wisdom declined, but that I first met a bright ruler and later met danger, the ruler easily changing. Enough; sitting here, not meeting the time, what more is there to say? This is my fate. Where could I flee to? It is better to die early and follow my former king under the earth; that is my aim.'] Yue Yi was trusted and made merit under King Zhao of Yan, but under King Hui was suspected. [The Shuo Yuan, 'Za Shi' chapter, says: Yue Yi planned for King Zhao that one must wait until the feudal lords' troops were assembled before attacking. So he sent Yue Yi as envoy to the feudal lords, and combined the troops of four states to attack Qi and utterly defeated it; King Min fled and escaped with his life only, to Ju. Yue Yi pursued, and then slaughtered more than seventy cities; Linzi surrendered entirely, and only Ju and Jimo did not fall; he recovered all the treasured vessels of Yan and returned, avenging the humiliation of King Yi. Yue Yi dismissed the feudal lords' troops with thanks and besieged only Ju and Jimo. At that time Tian Dan was magistrate of Jimo, feared that Yue Yi was good at using troops, and since Tian Dan could not use deceit, he wanted to remove him. King Zhao was wise and would not listen to slander. When King Zhao died and King Hui was set up, Tian Dan sent people to slander him before King Hui. King Hui sent Qi Jie to replace Yue Yi, and Yue Yi left for Zhao and did not return to Yan. Since Qi Jie had become general, Tian Dan was greatly pleased, used a ruse to utterly defeat the army of Yan, killed Qi Jie, and recovered all seventy-odd cities.] A minister fulfilled his duty and died for his name, but met a ruler who did not use him. Minister Zhong assisted the King of Yue and planned deeply for him, and in the end captured mighty Wu and held the eastern Yi, but in the end was granted the Shulou sword and died. [Cai Ze said: Minister Zhong planned deeply and far for the King of Yue, freed him of the shame of Kuaiji, turned loss into survival and disgrace into glory, cleared grass and entered towns, opened land and planted grain, led the gentlemen of the four quarters and unified the strength of high and low, assisted Goujian's worthiness and avenged Fuchai, and in the end captured strong Wu and made Yue hegemon. His merit was already manifest and his trust was finished, and Goujian in the end betrayed and killed him. The Huainanzi, 'Fan Lun' chapter, says: Minister Zhong assisted the King of Yue, Goujian, and avenged his resentment and washed away his shame for him, captured Fuchai in person, and opened land of several thousand li, but his body lay prostrate and he died by the Shulou sword. The Shulou is a sharp sword.] This was because the arrogant ruler turned his back on kindness and virtue, listened to wandering talk and did not count their merit; how could it be the fault of the men themselves? [Jian Zhong said: Parents with a mandate do not know a filial son, and a ruler with the Way does not know a loyal minister.]

文學曰比干剖心子胥鴟夷【宋世家曰王子比干見箕子諫不聼而為奴則曰君有過而不以死爭則百姓何辜乃直言諫紂紂怒曰吾聞聖人之心有七竅信有諸乎乃遂殺比干刳視其心呉越春秋曰呉王賜子胥劔遂伏劔而死呉王乃取子胥之屍盛以鴟夷之器投之江海子胥因隨流揚波成濤激岸隨潮來徃應劭曰取馬革為鴟夷鴟夷榼形】非輕犯君以危身強【音襁】諫以幹名也憯【音】怛【音妲】之忠誠心動於內忘患之禍發於外志在匡君救民故身死而不怨【陸子曰郁烈之芳出於委灰繁防之音生於絶是以貞女要名於沒世烈士赴節於當年】君子能行是不能御非雖在刑戮之中非其罪也【繆稱訓曰人為之天成之終身為善非天不行終身為不善非天不亡故善否我也禍福非我也故君子順其在已者而已矣性者所受於天也命者所遭於時也有其材不遇其世天也太公何力比干何罪循性而行或害或利求之有道得之有命故君子能為善而不能必其得福不忍為非而不能必免其禍傳曰伯竒孝而棄於親隱公慈而殺於弟叔武賢而殺於兄比干忠而誅於君詩曰予慎無】是以比干死而殷人怨子胥死而呉人恨今秦怨毒商鞅之法甚於私仇故孝公卒之日舉國而攻之東西南北莫可奔走仰天而嘆曰嗟乎為政之弊至於斯極也卒車裂族夷為天下笑斯人自殺非人殺之也【衞鞅傳曰秦孝公卒太子立公子防告商君欲反發吏捕商君商君亡至闗下欲舍客舍客人不知其是商君也曰商君之法舍人無驗者坐之商君喟然嘆曰嗟乎為政之弊一至此哉去之魏魏人怨具欺公子卭而破魏師弗受商君欲之他國魏人曰商君秦之賊秦強而賊入弗歸不可遂內秦商君既復入秦走商邑與其徒屬發邑兵北出擊鄭秦發兵攻商君殺之於鄭黽池秦惠王車裂以狗曰莫如商鞅反者遂滅商君之家司馬遷曰商君其天資刻薄人也跡其所幹孝公以帝王術扶持浮説非其資矣且所因由嬖臣及得用刑公子防欺魏將卬不師趙良之言亦足發明商君之少恩矣餘嘗讀商君開塞耕戰書與其人行事相類卒受惡名於秦有以也夫劉歆曰秦孝公保崤函之固以廣雍州之地東幷河西北收上郡國富兵強長雄諸侯周室歸胙四方來賀為戰國霸君秦遂以強六世而幷諸侯亦皆商君之謀也夫商君極身無二慮盡公不顧私使民內急耕織之業以富國外重戰伐之賞以勸戎士法令必行內不阿貴寵外不偏疏逺是以令行而禁止法出而奸息故雖書云無偏無黨詩云周道如砥其直如矢司馬法之勵戎士周后稷之勸農業無以易此此所以並諸侯也故孫卿曰四世有勝非幸也數也然無信諸侯畏而不親夫霸君君齊桓晉文者桓不倍柯之盟文不負原之期而諸侯畏其強而親信之存亡繼絶四方歸之以管仲舅犯之謀也今商君倍公子卬之舊恩棄交魏之明信詐取三軍之眾故諸侯畏其強而不親信也借使孝公遇齊桓晉文得諸侯之統將合諸侯之君驅天下之兵以伐秦秦則亡矣天下無桓文之君故秦得以兼諸侯衛鞅始自以為知霸王之徳原其事不諭也昔周召施善政及其死也後世思之蔽芾甘棠之詞是也嘗舍於樹下後世思其徳不忍伐其樹況害其身乎管氏奪伯氏邑三百戶無怨言今衛鞅內刻刀鋸之刑外深鈇之誅歩過六尺者有罰棄灰於道者被刑一日臨渭而論囚七百餘人渭水盡赤號哭之聲動於天地畜怨積讐比於丘山所逃莫之隱所歸莫之容身死車裂滅族無姓其去霸王之佐亦逺矣然惠王殺之亦非也可輔而用也使衛鞅施寛平之法加之以恩申之以信庶幾伯者之佐哉】

The Literati said: Bi Gan had his heart cut out, and Zixu was put in a leather bag. [The Hereditary House of Song says: Prince Bi Gan saw Jizi remonstrate without being heeded and become a slave, and said: 'If the ruler has faults and one does not contend with him at the cost of one's life, what crime have the common people?' So he spoke directly in remonstrating with Zhou. Zhou was angry and said: 'I have heard that the heart of a sage has seven apertures; is it true?' He then killed Bi Gan and cut him open to look at his heart. The Annals of Wu and Yue says: The King of Wu gave Zixu a sword, and he fell on the sword and died. The King of Wu took Zixu's corpse and put it in a leather bag, and threw it into the river and sea. Zixu followed the current and raised waves, forming surges that struck the banks, going back and forth with the tide. Ying Shao said: The bag is made of horse hide, 'chiyi' being the shape of a wine flask.] It was not that they lightly offended the ruler to endanger themselves or forcibly [gloss: 'qiang' is pronounced 'qiang'] remonstrated to seek fame. A sorrowful [gloss: 'can' is pronounced 'can' (the base text has a rare character here, lost in transcription)] and grieving [gloss: 'da' is pronounced 'da'] loyal heart was moved within, and the calamity of forgetting disaster broke out outside; their aim was to correct the ruler and save the people, so they died without resentment. [Lu Zi said: Rich and intense fragrance comes from smoldering ashes, and the sound of many strings (the base text has a corrupt reading for 'fan xian') arises from a broken string (the base text has a rare character here, lost in transcription). Therefore a chaste woman seeks reputation after death, and a stalwart man hastens to his principle in his own year.] The noble man can do what is right but cannot ward off what is wrong, and even in being punished or killed it is not his fault. [The Huainanzi, 'Miu Cheng' chapter, says: Man does it and Heaven completes it. One who does good all his life, without Heaven's help it does not go; one who does not do good all his life, without Heaven's help he does not perish. So good and bad lie in me, but misfortune and fortune do not lie in me. So the noble man simply follows what lies in himself. Nature is what is received from Heaven and fate is what is met in the time. To have the talent and not meet one's age is Heaven. What strength had Taigong, and what crime had Bi Gan? Following nature in conduct, one may meet harm or profit. Seeking it has a way, obtaining it has a mandate. So the noble man can do good but cannot be sure of obtaining blessing, cannot bear to do wrong but cannot be sure of avoiding calamity. Records say: Bo Qi was filial and was abandoned by his parent; Duke Yin was kind and was killed by his brother; Shu Wu was worthy and was killed by his elder brother; Bi Gan was loyal and was executed by his ruler. The Book of Poetry says: 'I am careful and have no fault.' (the base text has a rare character here, lost in transcription)] Therefore when Bi Gan died the people of Yin resented it, and when Zixu died the people of Wu hated it. Now Qin resented and was poisoned by Shang Yang's laws more than by a private enemy, so on the day Duke Xiao died the whole state attacked him, and in the east, west, south and north there was nowhere to run; looking up to heaven he sighed and said: "Alas, the evil of government has reached such an extreme!" He was finally torn apart by chariots and his clan destroyed, a laughingstock of the world. This man killed himself; others did not kill him. [The Biography of Wei Yang says: When Duke Xiao of Qin died, the crown prince was set up. Prince Qian (the base text has a corrupt reading for 'Qian') accused Lord Shang of wanting to rebel, and officials were sent to arrest him. Lord Shang fled to the pass and wanted to lodge at an inn, but the innkeeper did not know he was Lord Shang and said: 'By Lord Shang's law, one who lodges someone without a certificate is held jointly liable.' Lord Shang sighed and said: 'Alas, the evil of government has come to this!' He went to Wei, but the people of Wei resented that he had once deceived Prince Ang and destroyed Wei's army, and did not accept him. Lord Shang wanted to go to another state, but the people of Wei said: 'Lord Shang is a bandit of Qin; Qin is strong, and if a bandit comes in, we must send him back.' So he was sent into Qin. After Lord Shang entered Qin again, he went to the town of Shang and with his followers raised the town troops and attacked Zheng to the north. Qin sent troops to attack Lord Shang and killed him at Mianchi in Zheng. King Hui of Qin had him torn apart by chariots to show the people, saying: 'Do not rebel like Shang Yang!' He then destroyed Lord Shang's family. Sima Qian said: Lord Shang was by nature harsh. Looking at what he sought from Duke Xiao by using the arts of emperors and kings, he supported empty talk, which was not his true nature. Moreover he relied on a favorite minister, and when he got to be employed, he punished Prince Qian, deceived the Wei general Ang, and did not listen to Zhao Liang's words; this is enough to show Lord Shang's lack of kindness. I once read Lord Shang's 'Kai Sai' and 'Geng Zhan' texts, which are similar to his conduct; that he finally gained a bad name in Qin was for a reason. Liu Xin said: Duke Xiao of Qin held the strong position of Xiao and Han to widen the land of Yongzhou, annexed the west of the river in the east and took Shangjun in the north, the state was rich and the army strong, and he long dominated the feudal lords; the Zhou house gave him sacrificial meat and the four quarters came to congratulate him, and he was the hegemon of the Warring States. Qin thus became strong, and in six generations annexed the feudal lords, all from Lord Shang's plans. Lord Shang devoted himself with no second thoughts, exhausted himself for the public without regard to private interest, made the people urgently devote themselves to farming and weaving to enrich the state, and valued the rewards for war to encourage soldiers; laws and orders were certain to be carried out, he did not flatter the honored and favored within or favor the distant outside, so orders were carried out and prohibitions held, laws came out and wrongdoing stopped. Therefore even the Book of Documents says 'no deviation, no partiality,' the Poem says 'the way of Zhou is like a whetstone, as straight as an arrow,' and the Sima Fa's encouragement of soldiers and Hou Ji of Zhou's encouragement of agriculture could not replace this. This is how he annexed the feudal lords. So Xunzi said: Four generations winning was not luck but number. Yet there was no good faith, and the feudal lords feared but did not draw close. As for hegemons like Duke Huan of Qi and Duke Wen of Jin: Huan did not break the Ke covenant and Wen did not break the Yuan appointment, and the feudal lords feared their strength and trusted them, and they preserved the perishing and continued the cut-off lines, and the four quarters returned to them, through using the plans of Guan Zhong and Jiufan. Now Lord Shang betrayed his former kindness toward Prince Ang, discarded the clear trust of friendship with Wei, and by deceit seized the multitude of three armies, so the feudal lords feared his strength and did not draw close or trust him. If Duke Xiao had met Duke Huan of Qi or Duke Wen of Jin and gained the leadership of the feudal lords, he would have united the rulers of the feudal lords and driven the troops of the world to attack Qin, and Qin would have perished. There was no ruler like Huan or Wen in the world, so Qin was able to annex the feudal lords. Wei Yang at the start thought he knew the virtue of hegemons and kings, but investigating the facts, he did not understand it. In ancient times the Duke of Zhou and Duke Shao carried out good government, and when they died, later ages missed them and had the verses of the 'tender sweet pear.' They once rested under that tree, and later generations, thinking of their virtue, could not bear to cut the tree; how much less to harm the person? Guan Zhong seized three hundred households of the city of Bo and the owner had no resentment. Now Wei Yang within carved the punishments of the knife and saw, outside deepened the executions by axe, those who stepped over six feet were punished, those who threw ashes on the road were mutilated; one day, at the Wei River, he judged more than seven hundred prisoners, and the Wei River ran red all over, the sound of wailing shook heaven and earth, he accumulated resentment and piled up enmity like hills and mountains; there was nowhere to hide where he fled, nowhere to receive him where he went; he died torn apart by chariots, his clan destroyed and nameless; he was far from being an assistant to a hegemon or king. Yet King Hui's killing him was also wrong: he could have been assisted and used. If Wei Yang had carried out lenient and level laws, added kindness and made trust clear, perhaps he would have been an assistant to a hegemon.]