Xin Shu (新書) · Volume 4

祧師，典春以掌國之眾庶四民之序，以禮義倫理教訓人民。方春三月，緩施生遂，動作百物，是時有事於皇祖皇考。

The Master of Ancestral Shrines is in charge of spring and manages the order of the state's four classes of common people, teaching the people with ritual, righteousness and human relations. In the three months of spring, he slowly bestows life and completion and sets the hundred things in motion, and at this time he has business with the august ancestors and the august deceased fathers.

問孝闕。

The chapter "Asking about Filial Piety" is missing.

昔周文王使太公望傅太子發。太子嗜鮑魚，而太公弗與，曰："禮，鮑魚不登於俎，豈有非禮而可以養太子哉？"尋常之室，無奧剽之位，則父子不別：六尺之輿，無左右之義，則君臣不明。尋常之室，六尺之輿，處無禮即上下踳逆，父子悖亂，而況其大者乎！故道德仁義，非禮不成：教訓正俗，非禮不備：分爭辨訟，非禮不決：君臣上下父子兄弟，非禮不定：宦學事師，非禮不親：班朝治軍，蒞官行法，非禮威嚴不行：禱祠祭祀，供給鬼神，非禮不誠不莊。是以君子恭敬撙節退讓以明禮。

In the past King Wen of Zhou had Taigong Wang tutor Crown Prince Fa. The Crown Prince was fond of dried abalone, and Taigong would not give it to him, saying: "By ritual, dried abalone does not go on the sacrificial stand; how can one nourish the crown prince in a way that is against ritual?" In an ordinary house, without the places of the interior corner and the side, father and son cannot be distinguished; in a six-foot carriage, without the sense of left and right, ruler and minister cannot be made clear. In an ordinary house or a six-foot carriage, if people live together without ritual, high and low are turned upside down and father and son are in confusion, to say nothing of larger things! So the Way, virtue, benevolence and righteousness cannot be accomplished without ritual; teaching and instruction and setting right customs cannot be complete without ritual; disputes and lawsuits cannot be decided without ritual; ruler and minister, high and low, father and son, elder and younger brothers cannot be fixed without ritual; entering office, studying and serving a teacher cannot be intimate without ritual; arranging court ranks and governing the army, serving in office and carrying out the law, authority cannot be enforced without ritual; praying, sacrificing and supplying the ghosts and spirits are neither sincere nor solemn without ritual. Therefore the gentleman is respectful, restrained and yielding in order to make ritual bright.

禮者，所以固國家，定社稷，使君無失其民者也。主主臣臣，禮之正也：威德在君，禮之分也：尊卑大小強弱有位，禮之數也。禮，天子愛天下，諸侯愛境內，大夫愛官屬，士庶各愛其家。失愛不仁，過愛不義，故禮者所以守尊卑之經，強弱之稱者也。禮，天子適諸侯之宮，諸侯不敢自阼階，阼階者，主之階也。天子適諸侯，諸侯不敢有宮，不敢為主人禮也。君仁臣忠，父慈子孝，兄愛弟敬，夫和妻柔，姑慈婦聽，禮之至也。君仁則不厲，臣忠則不貳，父慈則教，子孝則協，兄愛則友，弟敬則順。夫和則義，妻柔則正，姑慈則從，婦聽則婉，禮之質也。

Ritual is used to secure the state, settle the altars of soil and grain, and keep the ruler from losing his people. For a ruler to be a ruler and a minister a minister is the correctness of ritual; for authority and virtue to rest in the ruler is the division of ritual; for noble and humble, great and small, strong and weak to have their places is the number of ritual. By ritual, the Son of Heaven loves the world, the lords love what is within their borders, grandees love their officials and subordinates, and officers and commoners each love their own households. To lose love is unbenevolent, and to love too much is unrighteous, so ritual is used to keep the constants of noble and humble and the balance of strong and weak. By ritual, when the Son of Heaven goes to a lord's palace, the lord does not dare walk up the eastern steps himself; the eastern steps are the host's steps. When the Son of Heaven comes to a lord, the lord does not dare to have a palace of his own or to act as host; this is ritual. For the ruler to be benevolent and the minister loyal, the father kind and the son filial, the elder brother loving and the younger respectful, the husband harmonious and the wife gentle, the mother-in-law kind and the daughter-in-law obedient is the utmost of ritual. When the ruler is benevolent he is not harsh, when the minister is loyal he has no second mind, when the father is kind he teaches, when the son is filial he is harmonious, when the elder brother is loving he is friendly, when the younger brother is respectful he is compliant. When the husband is harmonious he is righteous, when the wife is gentle she is upright, when the mother-in-law is kind she is followed, and when the daughter-in-law is obedient she is gentle; this is the substance of ritual.

禮者，臣下所以承其上也。故詩云："一發五豝，吁嗟乎騶虞。"騶者，天子之囿也：虞者，囿之司獸者也。天子佐輿十乘，以明貴也：貳牲而食，以優飽也。虞人翼五豝以待一發，所以復中也。人臣於其所尊敬，不敢以節待，敬之至也。甚尊其主，敬慎其所掌職，而志厚盡矣。作此詩者，以其事深見良臣順上之志也。良臣順上之志者可謂義矣，故其嘆之也，長曰吁嗟乎。雖古之善為人臣者，亦若此而已。

Ritual is what ministers use to receive from those above. So the Book of Songs, in the 'Zou Yu' of the Odes of Shaonan, says: "With one arrow he hits five boars; ah, the Zou Yu." Zou is the Son of Heaven's park, and Yu is the one in the park who manages the beasts. The Son of Heaven's attendant carriages numbered ten, to show nobility; the spare animals were eaten, to show generous feeding. The Yu official protected five boars waiting for the one arrow, so as to hit again. For a minister, toward one he honors he does not dare to deal with restraint, which is the utmost of respect. Honoring his lord greatly and being reverent and careful in what he governs, his aspiration was thoroughly sincere. The one who made this poem, in handling the matter, deeply saw a good minister following the will of his superior. A good minister following the will of his superior can be called righteous, so he sighed over it, drawing out the long sound "ah". Even those in ancient times who were good at being ministers were just like this.

禮者，所以節義而沒不還。故饗飲之禮，先爵於卑賤，而後貴者始羞。殽膳下浹，而樂人始奏。觴不下遍，君不嘗羞。殽不下浹，上不舉樂。故禮者，所以恤下也。由余曰："乾肉不腐，則左右親。苞苴時有，筐篚時至，則群臣附。官無蔚藏，醃陳時發，則戴其上。"詩曰："投我以木瓜，報之以瓊琚，匪報也，永以為好也。"上少投之，則下以軀償矣，弗敢謂報，願長以為好。古之蓄其下者，其施報如此。

Ritual is used to restrain righteousness that is sunk and does not return. So in the ritual of the feast, the cup is first given to the lowly, and only then do the noble begin to offer the dishes. When the dishes have gone all the way down, only then do the musicians begin to play. If the cups have not gone all the way down, the ruler does not taste the dishes. If the dishes have not gone all the way down, those above do not raise music. So ritual is used to show concern for those below. You Yu said: "If the dried meat does not spoil, those at your side will be close. If gifts of wrapped food come often and baskets and hampers arrive often, the ministers will be attached. If the offices have no hoarded stores, and pickled and aged goods are distributed in due time, they will love those above." The Book of Songs, in the 'Mu Gua' of the Odes of Wei, says: "She threw me a quince, and I gave back a ring of fine jade; it was not to repay, but to be friends forever." Those above gave slightly, and those below repaid with their bodies, not daring to call it repayment, but wishing to be friends for a long time. In ancient times, those who nurtured their subordinates gave and repaid in this way.

國無九年之蓄，謂之不足：無六年之蓄，謂之急：無三年之蓄，國非其國也。民三年耕，必餘一年之食，九年而餘三年之食，三十歲相通。而有十年之積，雖有兇旱水溢，民無饑饉。然後天子備味而食，日舉以樂。諸侯食珍，不失，鐘鼓之縣可使樂也。樂也者，上下同之。故禮，國有飢人，人主不飧：國有凍人，人主不裘。報囚之日，人主不舉樂。歲凶，谷不登，臺扉不塗，榭徹幹侯，馬不食谷，馳道不除，食減膳，饗祭有闕。故禮者自行之義，養民之道也。受計之禮，主所親拜者二：聞生民之數則拜之，聞登谷則拜之。詩曰："君子樂胥，受天之祜。"胥者，相也：祜，大福也。夫憂民之憂者，民必憂其憂：樂民之樂者，民亦樂其樂。與士民若此者，受天之福矣。

A state that does not have stores for nine years is called insufficient; one that does not have stores for six years is called in urgency; one that does not have stores for three years is not like a state. If the people farm for three years, there should surely be a year's grain left over, with nine years there should be three years' grain left over, and in thirty years the account comes out even. With ten years' stores, even if there were famine, drought or flood, the people would have no hunger. Then the Son of Heaven prepares flavors for his meals and raises music every day. The lords eat delicacies without loss, and the hanging of bells and drums can bring joy to people. Joy is shared by high and low. So by ritual, when the state has hungry people, the ruler does not eat an evening meal; when the state has people freezing, the ruler does not wear furs. On the days of reporting prisoners, the ruler does not raise music. When the harvest is bad and the grain does not ripen, the terrace doors are not plastered, the archery targets are removed from the pavilions, horses are not fed grain, the royal roads are not repaired, meals are reduced, and feasts and sacrifices are curtailed. So ritual is righteousness he practices himself and the way of nurturing the people. In the rites of receiving the accounts, there are two matters for which the ruler himself bows: he bows on hearing the number of people living, and he bows on hearing that the grain has ripened. The Book of Songs, in the 'Sang Hu' of the Lesser Odes, says: "The gentleman is joyful together; he receives Heaven's blessing." Xu means together; hu means great blessing. If one grieves what the people grieve, the people will surely grieve what he grieves; if one delights in what the people delight in, the people will also delight in what he delights in. One who is like this with his officers and people receives Heaven's blessing.

禮，聖王之於禽獸也，見其生，不忍見其死，聞其聲，不嘗其肉，隱弗忍也。故遠庖廚，仁之至也。不合圍，不掩群，不射宿，不涸澤。豺不祭獸，不田獵：獺不祭魚，不設網罟：鷹隼不鷙，眭而不逮，不出穎羅：草木不零落，斧斤不入山林：昆蟲不蟄，不以火田：不麛不卵，不刳胎，不殀夭，魚肉不入廟門：鳥獸不成毫毛，不登庖廚。取之有時，用之有節，則物蕃多。湯曰："昔蛛蝥作罟，不高順，不用命者，寧丁我網。"其憚害物也如是。詩曰："王在靈囿，麀鹿攸伏，麀鹿濯濯，白鳥皜皜。王在靈沼，於仞魚躍。"言德至也。聖主所在，魚鱉禽獸猶得其所，況於人民乎！

By ritual, the sage kings toward birds and beasts, having seen them alive, could not bear to see them die, and having heard their cries, would not taste their flesh, for compassion and inability to bear it. So they kept far from the kitchen, which is the utmost of benevolence. They did not encircle a whole area, did not ambush herds, did not shoot roosting birds, and did not drain marshes dry. Until the jackal made its sacrifice of beasts, they did not hunt; until the otter made its sacrifice of fish, they did not set nets; until hawks and falcons struck, and their sight did not reach, they did not set fine nets; until plants and trees had fallen, axes did not enter the mountain forests; until insects hibernated, fire was not used for clearing fields; they did not take young deer or eggs, did not slit open the pregnant, did not kill the young prematurely, and fish and meat were not brought through the temple gate; birds and beasts whose fur and feathers had not formed did not ascend to the kitchen. Taking had its season and use had its restraint, and things multiplied. Tang said: "In the past, the spider made a net, not turning upward to follow, but let those who do not obey fall into my net." He feared harming things like this. The Book of Songs, in the 'Ling Tai' of the Greater Odes, says: "The king is in the Spirit Park, where the does lie at rest, the does are sleek and glossy and the white birds are gleaming. The king is at the Spirit Pond, and the fish leap in the depths." This means virtue has arrived. Where a sage ruler is, even fish, turtles, birds and beasts find their place, to say nothing of the people!

故仁人行其禮，則天下安，而萬理得矣。逮至德渥澤洽，調和大暢，則天清澈地富熅，物時熟，民心不挾詐賊，氣脈淳化，攫齧搏擊之獸鮮，毒？猛虭之蟲密，毒山不蕃，草木少薄矣，鑠乎大仁之化也。

So when a benevolent man practices his ritual, the world is settled and all principles are attained. When virtue is rich and kindness has soaked in, and harmony is greatly spread, the heaven is clear, the earth is rich in store, things ripen on time, the people's hearts hold no deceit or villainy, the breath and pulse of the world are pure and transformed, beasts that seize, bite and strike are few, stinging and fierce insects are thick (a character is missing in the base text here), poisonous mountains are not lush, and plants and trees are sparse; brightly this is the teaching and transformation of great benevolence.

志有四興：朝廷之志，淵然清以嚴：祭祀之志，愉然思以和：軍旅之志，怫然慍然精以厲：喪紀之志，漻然愁然憂以湫。四志形中，四色發外，維如。

There are four kinds of aspiration that arise: the aspiration of court is deep, clear and stern; the aspiration of sacrifice is joyful, thoughtful and harmonious; the aspiration of the army is indignant, resentful, keen and fierce; the aspiration of mourning is quiet, sorrowful, anxious and low. The four aspirations take form within, and the four colors come out without, tied together in this way.

容有四起：朝廷之容，師師然翼翼然整以敬：祭祀之容，遂遂然粥粥然敬以婉：軍旅之容，湢然肅然固以猛：喪紀之容，怮然懾然若不還。

There are four kinds of bearing that arise: the bearing of court is stately and cautious, orderly and respectful; the bearing of sacrifice is smooth and gentle, respectful and mild; the bearing of the army is clean-cut, solemn, firm and fierce; the bearing of mourning is grieving and trembling as if never returning.

視有四則：朝廷之視，端流平衡：祭祀之視，視如有將：軍旅之視，固植虎張：喪紀之視，下流垂綱。

There are four standards for the gaze: at court the gaze is upright, flowing and balanced; at sacrifice the gaze is as if about to present something; in the army the gaze is firmly set, like a tiger opening its eyes; in mourning the gaze is lowered, hanging the cap-strings downward.

言有四術：言敬以和，朝廷之言也：文言有序，祭祀之言也：屏氣折聲，軍旅之言也：言若不足，喪紀之言也。

There are four methods for speech: speech that is respectful and harmonious is the speech of court; phrases in good order are the speech of sacrifice; holding the breath and checking the voice is the speech of the army; speech that seems insufficient is the speech of mourning.

固頤正視，平肩正背，臂如抱鼓。足閒二寸，端面攝纓。端股整足，體不搖肘，曰經立：因以微磬曰共立：因以磬折曰肅立：因以垂佩曰卑立。

Fix the chin and look straight, level the shoulders and straighten the back, with the arms as if holding a drum. Keep the feet two inches apart, make the face upright and hold the cap-strings. Straighten the thighs and align the feet, do not sway the body or elbows; this is called regular standing. Bending slightly as a chime stone from this is called respectful standing; bending fully as a chime stone is called solemn standing; letting the pendant hang down is called humble standing.

坐以經立之容，胻不差而足不跌，視平衡曰經坐，微俯視尊者之膝曰共坐，仰首視不出尋常之內曰肅坐，廢首低肘曰卑坐。

In sitting, use the bearing of regular standing: the lower legs not off and the feet not stumbling, looking level is called regular sitting; leaning slightly forward and looking at the knees of the honored person is called respectful sitting; looking up but not past the ordinary range is called solemn sitting; letting the head droop and the elbows go low is called humble sitting.

行以微磬之容，臂不搖掉，肩不下上，身似不則，從容而任。

In walking, use the bearing of the slight chime-bend: the arms do not swing, the shoulders do not rise or fall, the body seems not to lean, calm and bearing the load.

趨以微磬之容，飄然翼然，肩狀若流，足如射箭。

In hurrying, use the bearing of the slight chime-bend: light and winged, the shape of the shoulders like flowing, the feet like an arrow in flight.

旋以微磬之容，其始動也，穆如驚倏，其固復也，旄如濯絲。

In turning, use the bearing of the slight chime-bend: at the start of movement, quiet as if startled and quick, firm in returning, soft as if rinsing silk.

跪以微磬之容，揄右而下，進左而起，手有抑揚，各尊其紀。

In kneeling, use the bearing of the slight chime-bend: lead with the right and go down, advance with the left and rise, the hands having their raising and lowering, each respecting and keeping its rule.

拜以磬折之容，吉事上左，凶事上右，隨前以舉，項衡以下，寧速無遲，背項之狀，如屋之丘。

In bowing, use the bearing of the full chime-bend: for auspicious matters raise the left first, for inauspicious matters raise the right first, lifting along with what comes before, the neck level and going down; better quick than slow; the shape of the back and neck is like a roof ridge.

拜而未起。。。。。。

The bow is done and he has not yet risen. (The base text marks the missing text that follows with ellipses.)

坐乘以經坐之容，手撫式，視五旅，欲無顧，顧不過轂。小禮動，中禮式，大禮下。

When riding seated, use the bearing of regular sitting: the hand rests on the crossbar, the eyes look over the five rows, the mind is set on not looking back, and when looking back not past the hub. For a small courtesy, move; for a middle courtesy, lean on the crossbar; for a great courtesy, get down from the carriage.

立乘以經立之容，右持綏而左臂詘，存劍之緯，欲無顧，顧不過轂。小禮據，中禮式，大禮下。

When riding standing, use the bearing of regular standing: the right hand holds the strap and the left arm is bent, the hilt of the sword is kept in place, the mind is set on not looking back, and when looking back not past the hub. For a small courtesy, hold on; for a middle courtesy, lean on the crossbar; for a great courtesy, get down from the carriage.

禮，介者不拜，兵車不式，不顧，不言反，抑式以應，武容也。

By ritual, a man in armor does not bow, in a war chariot he does not lean on the crossbar, does not look back, does not speak of returning, and answers while restraining himself from leaning on the crossbar; this is martial bearing.

若夫立而跂，坐而蹁，體怠懈，志驕傲，趮視數顧，容色不比，動靜不以度，妄咳唾疾言，嗟氣不順，皆禁也。

As for standing on tiptoe, sitting with legs spread, a slack body, an arrogant will, a restless gaze with repeated looks back, a face not agreeable, movement and stillness not following rule, wild coughing and spitting, hasty speech and unsteady sighing, all are forbidden.

古者，年九歲入就小學，蹍小節焉，業小道焉。束髮就大學，蹍大節焉，業大道焉。是以邪放非闢無因入之焉。諺曰："君子重襲，小人無由入：正人十倍，邪辟無由來。"古之人其謹於所近乎！詩曰："芃芃棫樸，薪之槱之，濟濟闢王，左右趨之。"此言左右日以善趨也。

In ancient times, at the age of nine a child entered the lower school, practiced minor etiquette, and engaged in minor arts. When he bound up his hair, he entered the higher school, practiced major etiquette, and engaged in the major Way. So wildness and perversity had no way in. A proverb says: "When the gentleman is guarded many times over, petty people cannot get in; with ten times as many upright people, perversity cannot come." The ancients were careful about those they were close to! The Book of Songs, in the 'Yu Pu' of the Greater Odes, says: "Luxuriant are the oak and the hemlock; cut and piled to burn. Dignified is the king, and those at his left and right hasten to him." This means those at his left and right hasten to him daily with goodness.

古者聖王，居有法則，動有文章，位執戒輔，鳴玉以行。鳴玉者，佩玉也，上有雙珩，下有雙璜，沖牙蠙珠，以納其閒，琚瑀以雜之。行以採薺，趨以肆夏，步中規，折中矩。登車則馬行而鸞鳴，鸞鳴而和應，聲曰和，和則敬。故詩曰："和鸞噰噰，萬福攸同。"言動以紀度，則萬福之所聚也。故曰：明君在位可畏，施捨可愛，進退可度，周旋可則，容貌可觀，作事可法，德行可象，聲氣可樂，動作有文，言語有章，以承其上，以接其等，以臨其下，以畜其民。故為之上者，敬而信之，等者親而重之，下者畏而愛之，民者肅而樂之。是以上下和協，而士庶順壹，故能宗揖其國，以藩衛天子，而行義足法。夫有威而可畏謂之威，有儀而可象謂之文。富不可為量，多不可為數。故詩曰："威儀棣棣，不可選也。"棣棣，富也：不可選，眾也。言接君臣上下，父子兄弟，內外大小品事之各有容志也。

The sage kings of old had rules in their dwelling and patterns in their movements, with admonishing assistants in their positions, and walked with jade sounding. Jade sounding means wearing pendant jades, with double heng above and double huang below, with chong ya and bin pearls set in the middle, mixed with ju and yu stones. In walking, he matched the Cai Qi, in hurrying he matched the Si Xia, his steps matched the compass and his turns matched the square. Mounting the carriage, the luan bells rang as the horses moved, and the luan rang and the he bells answered; the sound is called harmony, and harmony is reverence. So the Book of Songs, in the 'Lu Xiao' of the Lesser Odes, says: "The harmonious bells sound yong-yong; the myriad blessings gather together." This means that movement in accord with rule and measure is where the myriad blessings gather. So it is said: when a bright ruler is on the throne he inspires awe, and in his bestowing he is lovable; his advancing and retreating can serve as a standard, his turns can serve as a rule, his countenance is worth beholding, his actions can be imitated, his virtue can be taken as a model, and his voice and breath bring joy; his movements have pattern and his words have order, with which he receives from those above, deals with equals, oversees those below and nurtures his people. So those above respect and trust him, equals are close to him and value him, those below fear and love him, and the people are solemn and delight in him. Thus high and low are in harmony, and officers and commoners follow with one mind, so he can be revered and saluted by his state, protect the Son of Heaven as a screen, and his righteous conduct is enough to be imitated. Having awe-inspiring majesty is called wei, and having demeanor that can be taken as a model is called wen. They are rich beyond measure and many beyond counting. So the Book of Songs, in the 'Bo Zhou' of the Odes of Bei, says: "Dignified and stately, not to be counted." Stately means rich; not to be counted means many. It means that in dealing with ruler and minister, high and low, father and son, elder and younger brothers, inside and outside, great and small, each matter has its own bearing and aspiration.

子贛由其家來謁於孔子，孔子正顏舉杖，磬折而立，曰："子之大親毋乃不寧乎？"放杖而立曰："子之兄弟亦得無恙乎？"曳杖倍下而行，曰："妻子家中得毋病乎？"故身之倨佝，手之高下，顏色聲氣，各有宜稱，所以明尊卑別疏戚也。

Zigong came from his home to see Confucius, and Confucius straightened his face, raised his staff, stood bent like a chime stone, and said: "Your great parents are surely not unwell?" Putting down the staff he stood and said: "And your brothers are surely without illness?" Dragging the staff and leaning on it as he walked down, he said: "And your wife and children at home are surely not sick?" So the stoop or bend of the body, the height of the hands, the color of the face and the breath of the voice each have their fitting measure, used to make clear noble and humble and to distinguish close and distant.

子路見孔子之背磬折舉褎，曰："唯由也見。"孔子聞之曰："由也，何以遺忘也？"故過猶不及，有餘猶不足也。

Zilu saw Confucius's back bent like a chime stone with his sleeve raised, and said: "Only You has seen it." Confucius heard it and said: "You! Why have you forgotten?" So going too far is like falling short, and having excess seems like insufficiency.

語曰："審乎明王，執中履衡。"言秉中適而據乎宜。故威勝德則淳，德勝威則施。威之與德，交若繆纆。且畏且懷，君道正矣。質勝文則野，文勝質則史，文質彬彬，然後君子。

A common saying goes: "Examine the enlightened king, who holds the middle and treads the balance." This means holding to the mean and relying on what is fitting. So when authority exceeds virtue, he is stern and thick; when virtue exceeds authority, his giving scatters. Authority and virtue intertwine like twisted cords. When he is both feared and cherished, the way of the ruler is right. When substance exceeds refinement, one is rustic; when refinement exceeds substance, one is a scribe; only when refinement and substance are balanced is one a gentleman.

龍也者，人主之闢也。亢龍往而不返，故易曰"有悔。"悔者，兇也。潛龍入而不能出，故曰"勿用。"勿用者，不可也。龍之神也，其惟蜚龍乎！能與細細，能與巨巨，能與高高，能與下下。吾故曰："龍變無常，能幽能章。"故至人者，在小不寶，在大不宨，狎而不能作，習而不能順，姚不惛，卒不妄，饒裕不贏，迫不自喪，明是審非，察中居宜，此之謂有威儀。

The dragon is a figure for the ruler. The overreaching dragon goes and does not return, so the Changes says "there is regret." Regret means ill fortune. The hidden dragon enters and cannot come out, so it says "do not act." Not acting means one cannot. The divine quality of the dragon is perhaps found only in the flying dragon! It can be fine with the fine, vast with the vast, high with the high, and low with the low. This is why I say: "The dragon's changes have no fixed pattern; it can be hidden and can be manifest." So the perfect person, in the small does not treasure the small and in the great does not treat the great as loose, is close and familiar without being presumptuous, well-practiced without being compliant, graceful without being confused, sudden without being rash, abundant without a surplus, pressed without losing himself, clear about right, discerning wrong, examining the middle and abiding in what is fitting; this is called having dignified bearing.

古之為路輿也，蓋圜以象天，二十八橑以象列星，軫方以象地，三十輻以象月。故仰則觀天文，俯則察地理，前視則睹鸞和之聲，四時之運。此輿教之道也。

In ancient times a road carriage was made with a round canopy to represent heaven, twenty-eight ribs to represent the lined-up stars, a square carriage-bed to represent earth, and thirty spokes to represent the moon. So looking up, one observes the patterns of heaven, looking down, one examines the order of earth, and looking forward one hears the sounds of the luan and he bells and the movement of the four seasons. This is the Way of the teaching of the carriage.

人主太淺則知闇，太博則業厭，二者異失同敗，其傷必至。故師傅之道，既美其施，又慎其齊，適疾徐，任多少，造而勿趣，稍而勿苦，省其所省，而堪其所堪，故力不勞而身大盛，此聖人之化也。

If a ruler is too shallow, his wisdom is dim; if he is too broad, his studies weary him. The faults of the two are different but they fail in the same way, and harm is sure to come. So the way of tutors is both to commend how he teaches and to be careful about how he unifies, regulating fast and slow, bearing more or less, forming without hurrying, advancing gradually without hardship, reducing what he should reduce and bearing what he can bear, so that strength is not wearied and the body is greatly strengthened; this is the transformation of the sage.

楚惠王食寒葅而得蛭，因遂吞之，腹有疾而不能食。令尹入問曰："王安得此疾？"王曰："我食寒葅而得蛭，念譴之而不行其罪乎，是法廢而威不立也：譴而行其誅，則庖宰監食者法皆當死，心又弗忍也。故吾恐蛭之見也，遂吞之。"令尹避席再拜而賀曰："臣聞'皇天無親，惟德是輔。’王有仁德，天之所奉也，病不為傷。"是昔也，惠王之後而蛭出，故其久病心腹之積皆愈。故天之視聽，不可謂不察。

King Hui of Chu was eating cold pickles and found a leech in them, and so swallowed it, and his belly became ill and he could not eat. The chief minister came in and asked: "How did Your Majesty get this illness?" The King said: "I found a leech in my cold pickles and wanted to rebuke the cook but not carry out his punishment, then the law would be set aside and authority would not be established; if I rebuked him and carried out punishment, then the cook and the food supervisor would all by law deserve to die, and my heart could not bear it. So I feared the leech would be seen, and I swallowed it." The chief minister left his mat and bowed twice in congratulation, saying: "I have heard that 'August Heaven has no favorites and only helps the virtuous.' Your Majesty has benevolent virtue, which Heaven upholds, and the illness will not do harm." That night, King Hui passed the leech, and the long-standing illness of his heart and belly was all cured. So the seeing and hearing of Heaven cannot be called unobserving.

衛懿公喜鶴，鶴有飾以文繡而乘軒者。賦斂繁多，而不顧其民，貴優而輕大臣。群臣或諫，則面叱之。及翟伐衛，寇挾城堞矣，衛君垂泣而拜其臣民曰："寇迫矣，士民其勉之！"士民曰："君亦使君之貴優，將君之愛鶴，以為君戰矣。我儕棄人也，安能守戰？"乃潰門而出走，翟寇遂入，衛君奔死，遂喪其國。故賢主者不以草木禽獸妨害人民，進忠正而遠邪偽，故民順附，而臣下為用。今釋人民而愛鳥獸，遠忠道而貴優笑，反甚矣。人主之為人主也，舉錯而不僨者，杖賢也，今背其所主，而棄其所杖，其僨僕也，不亦宜乎！語曰："禍出者禍反，惡人者，人亦惡之。"管子曰："不行其野，不違其馬。"此違其馬者也。

Duke Yi of Wei loved cranes, and some of his cranes were dressed in embroidery and rode in carriages. Taxes were heavy, and he did not care for his people, valuing entertainers and slighting great ministers. When ministers remonstrated, he scolded them to their faces. When the Di attacked Wei and the invaders already held the city battlements, the ruler of Wei wept and bowed to his ministers and people, saying: "The invaders are close; officers and people, make an effort!" The officers and people said: "Let the lord employ his noble entertainers and lead his beloved cranes to fight for him. We are abandoned people; how can we defend and fight?" So they broke the gate and fled, the Di invaders entered, the ruler of Wei fled and died, and in the end he lost his state. So a worthy ruler does not let plants, trees, birds and beasts harm the people, advances loyal and upright men and keeps away the wicked and false, and so the people are obedient and attached and his ministers are used. Now to set the people aside and love birds and beasts, to keep away the way of loyalty and value entertainers' jokes, is the very opposite. A ruler, in being a ruler, who acts without falling down, relies on the worthy; now to turn away from what he governs and cast aside what he relies on, is it not right that he should fall? A common saying goes: "The disaster that goes out returns; one who hates others is hated by them." Guan Zi said: "Do not walk in the wilds and do not go against your horse." This is going against his horse.

鄒穆公有令，食鳧鴈者必以秕，毋敢以粟。於是倉無秕而求易於民，二石粟而易一石秕。吏請曰："以秕食鴈，為無費也。今求秕於民，二石粟而易一石秕，以秕食鴈，則費甚矣，請以粟食之。"公曰："去！非而所知也。夫百姓煦牛而耕，曝背而耘，苦勤而不敢惰者，豈為鳥獸也哉？粟米，人之上食也，柰何其以養鳥也？且汝知小計而不知大計。周諺曰：'囊漏貯中。’而獨弗聞歟？夫君者，民之父母也。取倉之粟，移之與民，此非吾粟乎？鳥苟食鄒之秕，不害鄒之粟而已。粟之在倉，與其在民，於吾何擇？"鄒民聞之，皆知其私積之與公家為一體也。

Duke Mu of Zou issued an order that those who fed the wild ducks and geese must use husks and not dare to use grain. So there were no husks in the granary and he sought to exchange them from the people, two shi of grain for one shi of husks. An official requested: "Feeding geese with husks is to avoid waste. Now seeking husks from the people at two shi of grain for one shi of husks, feeding geese with husks causes much more waste. Please feed them grain." The Duke said: "Go away! You do not understand. The people drive oxen to plow, work with their backs in the sun, toil diligently without daring to be idle; is it for the sake of birds and beasts? Grain is the finest food of people; how can it be used to feed birds? Moreover, you know small calculations but not great calculations. There is a Zhou proverb: 'A leaking bag stores within.' Have you alone not heard it? The ruler is the parent of the people. If I take the grain from the granary and move it to the people, is it not still my grain? If the birds eat Zou's husks, they simply do not harm Zou's grain. Whether grain is in the granary or with the people, what difference is there to me?" When the people of Zou heard this, they all knew that their private holdings and the public's were one body.

楚王欲淫，鄒君乃遺之技樂美女四人，穆公朝觀，而夕畢以妻死事之孤，故婦人年弗稱者弗蓄，節於身而弗眾也。王輿不衣皮帛，御馬不食禾菽。無淫僻之事，無驕熙之行。食不眾味，衣不雜採。自刻以廣民，親賢以定國，親民如子。鄒國之治，路不拾遺，臣下順從，若手之投心。是故以鄒子之細，魯衛不敢輕，齊楚不能脅。鄒穆公死，鄒之百姓，若失慈父，行哭三月。四境之鄰於鄒者，士民鄉方而道哭，抱手而憂行。酤家不讎其酒，屠者罷列而歸，傲童不謳歌，舂築者不相杵，婦女抉珠瑱，丈夫釋玦靬，琴瑟無音，期年而後始復。故愛出者愛反，福往者福來。易曰："鳴鶴在陰，其子和之。"其此之謂乎！故曰："天子有道，守在四夷：諸侯有道，守在四鄰。"

The King of Chu wished to indulge in pleasures, so the Lord of Zou sent him four female entertainers and beauties. Duke Mu looked at them in the morning and in the evening married them all to the orphans of those who had died in service. So he did not keep women whose ages did not match, and he restrained himself and kept few. The king's carriage was not covered in fur and silk, and his draft horses did not eat grain and beans. There was nothing licentious and no arrogant or idle conduct. His food was not of many flavors and his clothes were not of mixed colors. He was hard on himself to be generous to the people, drew near the worthy to bring peace to the state, and was close to the people like to a son. In the governance of Zou, nobody picked up what was dropped on the road, and ministers obeyed as a hand responds to the heart. Therefore, despite Zou being small, Lu and Wei dared not slight it, and Qi and Chu could not threaten it. When Duke Mu of Zou died, the people of Zou, as if they had lost a kind father, wept as they walked for three months. People of the border areas next to Zou, scholars and commoners, wept on the roads facing that direction, with folded hands walking in sorrow. Taverns could not sell wine, butchers gave up their stalls and went home, spoiled children did not sing, those pounding grain did not strike pestles together, women removed their pearl earrings, men put down their jade rings and archers' sleeves, and zithers and lutes made no sound, until a full year had passed before it resumed. So love sent out returns love, and blessings sent forth bring blessings. The Book of Changes says: "The crane calls in the shade, and its young respond." This is what that means! So it is said: "When the Son of Heaven has the Way, his guardians are the four barbarian peoples; when a lord has the Way, his guardians are the four neighbors."

宋康王時，有爵生鸇於城之陬，使史占之曰："小而生大，必伯於天下。"康王大喜，於是滅滕，伐諸侯，取淮北之城。乃愈自信，欲霸之亟成，故射天笞地，伐社稷而焚之，曰："威服天地鬼神。"罵國老之諫者，為無頭之棺，以視有勇。剖傴者之背，斮朝涉之脛，國人大駭。齊王聞而伐之，民散，城不守，王乃逃於郳侯之館，遂得而死。故見祥而為不可，祥反為禍。

In the time of King Kang of Song, a sparrow gave birth to a hawk at the corner of the city wall, and he had the historian divine about it: "The small giving birth to the large means you will surely become hegemon of the world." King Kang was greatly pleased, and then destroyed Teng, attacked the lords, and took cities north of the Huai. Then he grew more self-confident and wanted to accomplish hegemony swiftly, so he shot at heaven and flogged the earth, attacked the altars of the state and burned them, saying: "I subdue heaven, earth, ghosts, and spirits by my might." He cursed the elders of the state who remonstrated, and made coffins without heads to show his bravery. He split open the back of a hunchback and cut off the shins of a man who forded the river in the morning, and the people of the state were terrified. The King of Qi heard of this and attacked him, the people scattered, the city could not be held, and the king fled to the lodge of the Marquis of Ni, and was finally captured and died. So seeing an auspicious sign yet doing what should not be done, the auspicious sign instead becomes a disaster.

晉文公出畋，前驅還白："前有大蛇，高若堤，橫道而處。"文公曰："還車而歸。"其御曰："臣聞：'祥則迎之，妖則凌之。’今前有妖，請以從吾者攻之。"文公曰："不可。吾聞之曰：'天子夢惡則修道，諸侯夢惡則修政，大夫夢惡則修官，庶人夢惡則修身，若是則禍不至。’今我有失行，而天招以妖我，我若攻之，是逆天命。"乃歸，齋宿而請於廟曰："孤實不佞，不能尊道，吾罪一：執政不賢，左右不良，吾罪二：飭政不謹，民人不信，吾罪三：本務不修，以咎百姓，吾罪四：齋肅不莊，粢盛不潔，吾罪五。請興賢遂能，而章德行善，以導百姓，毋復前過。"乃退而修政。居三月，而夢天誅大蛇，曰："爾何敢當明君之路。"文公覺，使人視之，蛇已魚爛矣。文公大說，信其道而行之不解，遂至於伯。故曰："見妖而迎以德，妖反為福也。"

Duke Wen of Jin went out hunting, and the vanguard returned to report: "Ahead there is a great snake, tall as an embankment, lying across the road." Duke Wen said: "Turn the carriage back." His driver said: "I have heard: 'Meet an auspicious omen with welcome, and overcome a monstrous omen.' Now there is a monster ahead; please let those who follow me attack it." Duke Wen said: "No. I have heard: 'When the Son of Heaven has a bad dream he cultivates the Way; when a lord has a bad dream he cultivates government; when a high official has a bad dream he cultivates his office; when a commoner has a bad dream he cultivates himself; in this way disaster does not arrive.' Now I have been at fault in my conduct, and Heaven uses a monster to summon me; if I attack, I defy Heaven's decree." So he returned, fasted and stayed overnight, and prayed at the temple: "I, the solitary one, am truly untalented and cannot honor the Way, that is my first offense; I govern without worth and those around me are not good, that is my second offense; I regulate government without care and the people do not trust it, that is my third offense; I do not cultivate the fundamental tasks and blame the common people, that is my fourth offense; my fasting is not solemn and the sacrificial grain is not clean, that is my fifth offense. Please let me raise the worthy and promote the capable, make virtue clear and practice goodness, to guide the people, and not repeat the earlier faults." Then he withdrew and cultivated government. After three months he dreamed that Heaven had executed the great snake and said: "How dare you block the road of an enlightened ruler." Duke Wen awoke and sent people to look, and the snake had already rotted like a fish. Duke Wen was greatly pleased, believed in that Way and practiced it without slackness, and in the end reached hegemony. So it is said: "Seeing a monster and meeting it with virtue, the monster instead becomes a blessing."

楚懷王心矜好高人，無道而欲有伯王之號。鑄金以象諸侯人君，令大國之王編而先馬，梁王御，宋王驂乘，周。召。畢。陳。滕。薛。衛。中山之君皆象使隨而趨。諸侯聞之，以為不宜，故興師而伐之。楚王見士民為用之不勸也，乃徵役萬人，且掘國人之墓。國人聞之，振動，晝旅而夜亂，齊人襲之，楚師乃潰。懷王逃，適秦，克尹殺之西河，為天下笑。此好矜不讓之罪也，不亦羞乎！

King Huai of Chu was proud in heart and liked to rise above others, and lacking the Way wished to have the title of hegemon or king. He cast gold figures to represent the lords and rulers, and made the kings of great states line up and go before his horses, with the King of Liang driving the carriage and the King of Song riding as a spear-bearer, and the rulers of Zhou, Shao, Bi, Chen, Teng, Xue, Wei, and Zhongshan all represented as envoys following and hurrying along. The lords heard of it and thought it improper, so they raised armies to attack him. The King of Chu, seeing that the scholars and people would not be urged on, then conscripted ten thousand men and was about to dig up the graves of the people of the state. The people of the state heard of it and were shaken, forming bands by day and in turmoil at night, and when the men of Qi attacked, the army of Chu collapsed. King Huai fled to Qin, and Ke Yin killed him at Xihe, and he was laughed at by the world. This is the offense of loving pride and not yielding; is it not also a shame!

齊桓公之始伯也，翟人伐燕，桓公為燕北伐翟，乃至於孤竹，反而使燕君復召公之職。桓公歸，燕君送桓公入齊地百六十六里。桓公問於管仲曰："禮，諸侯相送固出境乎？"管仲曰："非天子不出境。"桓公曰："然則燕君畏而失禮也。寡人恐後世之以寡人為存燕而欺之也。"乃下車，而令燕君還車，乃割燕君所至而與之，遂溝以為境而後去。諸侯聞桓公之義，口不言而心皆服矣。故九合諸侯，莫不樂聽，扶興天子，莫不勸從，誠退讓人，孰弗戴也。

When Duke Huan of Qi first became hegemon, the Di people attacked Yan, and Duke Huan went north for Yan to attack the Di, reaching Guzhu, and on returning had the Lord of Yan restore the office of Duke Shao. When Duke Huan returned, the Lord of Yan escorted Duke Huan into Qi territory for a hundred and sixty-six li. Duke Huan asked Guan Zhong: "By ritual, should lords escorting each other go beyond their borders?" Guan Zhong said: "Only the Son of Heaven does not go beyond his borders." Duke Huan said: "Then the Lord of Yan was afraid and failed in ritual. I fear that later generations will think I deceived Yan in order to preserve it." So he got down from his carriage, had the Lord of Yan turn his carriage back, and ceded to the Lord of Yan the land up to where he had come, then dug a ditch as the boundary and left. When the lords heard of Duke Huan's righteousness, without speaking they all submitted in their hearts. So when he assembled the lords nine times, none was unwilling to listen, and in supporting the Son of Heaven, none was unwilling to follow; truly yielding in treating people, who would not love and respect him?