Xin Shu (新書) · Volume 5

二世胡亥之為公子，昆弟數人，詔置酒饗群臣，召諸子賜食，先罷。胡亥下陛視群臣陳履狀善者，因行踐敗而去。諸侯聞之，莫不大息。及二世即位，皆知天下之棄之也。

The Second Emperor Huhai, when a prince, with several brothers, was commanded to hold a banquet for the ministers, and the princes were summoned to be given food and were dismissed first. Huhai went down the steps and looked at the shoes laid out by the ministers; those of fine shape he walked over and trampled before leaving. The lords heard of it and none did not sigh deeply. When the Second Emperor took the throne, everyone knew the world had abandoned him.

孫叔敖之為嬰兒也，出遊而還，憂而不食。其母問其故，泣而對曰："今日吾見兩頭蛇，恐去死無日矣。"其母曰："今蛇安在？"曰："吾聞見兩頭蛇者死，吾恐他人又見，吾已埋之也。"其母曰："無憂，汝不死。吾聞之：'有陰德者，天報以福。’"人聞之，皆諭其能仁也。及為令尹，未治而國人信之。

When Sunshu Ao was a child, he came back from an outing and was too distressed to eat. His mother asked the reason, and he answered weeping: "Today I saw a two-headed snake, and I fear I have not many days left to live." His mother said: "Where is the snake now?" He said: "I heard that those who see a two-headed snake die; I feared others might see it too, so I have already buried it." His mother said: "Do not worry, you will not die. I have heard: 'Those who have hidden virtue, Heaven repays with blessings.'" When people heard of it, they all said he would be benevolent. When he became prime minister of Chu, before he had even governed, the people of the state already trusted him.

懷王問於賈君曰："人之謂知道者先生，何也？"賈君對曰："此博號也。大者在人主，中者在卿大夫，下者在布衣之士。乃其正名，非為先生也，為先醒也。"彼世主不學道理，則嘿然惛於得失，不知治亂存亡之所由，忳忳然猶醉也。而賢主者，學問不倦，好道不厭，銳然獨先達乎道理矣。故未治也，知所以治：未亂也，知所以亂：未安也，知所以安：未危也，知所以危。故昭然先寤乎所以存亡矣，故曰先醒。闢猶俱醉，而獨先醒也。故世主有先醒者，有後醒者，有不醒者。

King Huai asked Master Jia: "People call those who know things 'xiansheng' (teacher). Why?" Master Jia answered: "This is a broad title. The greatest are among the rulers of people, the middle among the ministers and high officials, and the lower among scholars in plain clothes. As for the correct reading of the name, it is not 'xiansheng' but 'xianxing' (awake first)." Those rulers of the age who do not study principle are silently dim about gain and loss, do not know the origin of order and disorder, survival and ruin, and are muddled as if drunk. But a worthy ruler is tireless in study and never weary of loving the Way, and keenly becomes the first to understand principle. So before there is order, he knows how order comes about; before there is disorder, he knows how disorder comes about; before there is safety, he knows how safety comes about; before there is danger, he knows how danger comes about. So he clearly awakens first to the reasons for survival and ruin, and so it is called being awake first. It is like everyone being drunk while one alone is the first to sober up. So among rulers of the age there are those who awake first, those who awake later, and those who never awake.

昔楚莊王即位，自靜三年，以講得失。乃退僻邪而進忠正，能者任事，而後在高位。內領國政治，而外施教百姓，富民恆一，路不拾遺，國無獄訟。當是時也，周室壞微，天子失制。宋鄭無道，欺昧諸侯，莊王圍宋伐鄭。鄭伯肉袒牽羊，奉簪而獻國。莊王曰："古之伐者，亂則整之，服則舍之，非利之也。"遂弗受。乃南與晉人戰於兩棠，大克晉人，會諸侯於漢陽，申天子之闢禁，而諸侯說服。莊王歸，過申侯之邑。申侯進飯，日中而王不食，申侯請罪曰："臣齋而具食甚潔，日中而不飯，臣敢請罪。"莊王喟然嘆曰："非子之罪也。吾聞之曰：'其君賢君也，而又有師者，王：其君中君也，而有師者，伯：其君下君也，而群臣又莫若者，亡。’今我下君也，而群臣又莫若不穀，不穀恐亡無日也。吾聞之：'世不絕賢。’天下有賢，而我獨不得。若吾生者，何以食為？"故莊王戰服大國，義從諸侯，戚然憂恐，聖智在身，而自錯不肖，思得賢佐，日中忘飯，可謂明君矣。謂先寤所以存亡，此先醒也。

In the past, when King Zhuang of Chu took the throne, he sat quietly by himself for three years to investigate gain and loss. Then he dismissed the wicked and promoted the loyal and upright, let the capable take up their work, and only then took his high seat. Inwardly he led the state's governance, outwardly he taught the people, enriched them evenly, and nobody picked up what was dropped on the road, and the state had no lawsuits. At that time the house of Zhou was in decay and weakness, and the Son of Heaven had lost his system. Song and Zheng lacked the Way and deceived the lords, and King Zhuang besieged Song and attacked Zheng. The Earl of Zheng bared his shoulder, led a sheep, and presented his state holding a hairpin. King Zhuang said: "In ancient times, when punishing, one set the disorderly right and let go the submissive; it was not for gain." So he did not accept. Then facing south he fought the men of Jin at Liangtang, greatly defeated the Jin, assembled the lords at Hanyang, set forth the Son of Heaven's prohibitions, and the lords submitted willingly. King Zhuang returned and passed through the town of the Marquis of Shen. The Marquis of Shen presented a meal, but at midday the king did not eat, and the Marquis of Shen begged pardon: "I fasted and prepared food that was very clean, but at midday you do not eat; I dare to beg pardon." King Zhuang sighed deeply and said: "It is not your fault. I have heard: 'If a ruler is worthy and also has teachers, he becomes king; if a ruler is middling and has teachers, he becomes hegemon; if a ruler is inferior and his ministers do not match him, he perishes.' Now I am an inferior ruler and my ministers do not even match me, and I fear I have not many days before ruin. I have heard: 'The world never lacks worthy men.' There are worthy men in the world, yet I alone cannot obtain them. Living like this, by what right do I eat?" So King Zhuang won over great states by war and had the lords follow him by righteousness, yet was anxious and fearful, with sagely wisdom in his person yet placing himself among the unworthy, wanting to obtain worthy assistants, and forgot to eat at midday; he may be called an enlightened ruler. This is called awakening first to the reasons for survival and ruin, which is awakening first.

昔宋昭公出亡，至於境，喟然嘆曰："嗚呼！吾知所以亡矣。吾被服而立，侍御者數百人，無不曰吾君麗者。吾發政舉事，朝臣千人，無不曰吾君聖者。吾外內不聞吾過，吾是以至此。吾困宜矣。"於是革心易行，衣苴布，食疄(田改豐)餕，晝學道而夕講之，二年美聞於宋，宋人車徒迎而復位，卒為賢君，諡為昭公。既亡矣，而乃寤所以存，此後醒者也。

In the past, when Duke Zhao of Song went into exile, he reached the border and sighed deeply, saying: "Alas! I know why I perished. I stood in my clothes with several hundred attendants, and none failed to say my lord was handsome. When I issued orders and undertook affairs, a thousand courtiers, none failed to say my lord was wise and enlightened. I never heard of my faults inside or outside, and so I came to this. It is right that I am in distress." So he changed his heart and reformed his conduct, wore coarse cloth, ate coarse rice and leftover vegetables (the source text has a collation note under the character here), studied the Way by day and lectured and practiced at night, and after two years his good name reached Song, and the people of Song welcomed him with carriages and infantry and restored him; he became a worthy ruler and was given the posthumous title Zhao. Only after being lost did he awake to how to survive; this is one who awakes later.

昔者虢君驕恣自伐，諂諛親貴，諫臣詰逐，政治踳亂，國人不服。晉師伐之，虢人不守。虢君出走，至於澤中，曰："吾渴而欲飲。"其御乃進清酒。曰："吾飢而欲食。"御進腶脯粱糗。虢君喜曰："何給也？"御曰："儲之久矣。"曰："何故儲之？"對曰："為君出亡而道飢渴也。"君曰："知寡人亡邪？"對曰："知之。"曰："知之，何以不諫？"對曰："君好諂諛，而惡至言，臣願諫，恐先虢亡。"虢君作色而怒，御謝曰："臣之言過也。"為閒，君曰："吾之亡者誠何也？"其御曰："君弗知耶？君之所以亡者，以大賢也。"虢君曰："賢人之所以存也，乃亡，何也？"對曰："天下之君皆不肖，夫疾吾君之獨賢也，故亡。"虢君喜，據式而笑曰："嗟！賢固若是苦耶？"遂徒行而於山中居，飢倦，枕御膝而臥，御以塊自易，逃行而去，君遂餓死，為禽獸食。此已亡矣，猶不寤所以亡，此不醒者也。

In the past the Lord of Guo was arrogant and self-indulgent and boastful; flatterers were close and honored, remonstrating ministers were questioned and driven away, government was upside down and chaotic, and the people of the state did not submit. The army of Jin attacked him and the people of Guo could not hold out. The Lord of Guo fled, and in the marsh he said: "I am thirsty and want to drink." His driver then offered clear wine. He said: "I am hungry and want to eat." The driver offered dried meat and millet cakes. The Lord of Guo was pleased and said: "How did you supply this?" The driver said: "I had stored it for a long time." He said: "Why did you store it?" He answered: "For when you went into exile and would be hungry and thirsty on the road." The lord said: "You knew I would perish?" He answered: "I knew." He said: "If you knew, why did you not remonstrate?" He answered: "My lord likes flattery and hates the most truthful words; if I wished to remonstrate, I feared I would perish before Guo did." The Lord of Guo changed color in anger, and the driver apologized: "My words went too far." After a while the lord said: "What actually is the reason I perished?" His driver said: "Do you not know? The reason you perished is that you were too worthy." The Lord of Guo said: "The worthy are how a state survives; yet I perished; why?" He answered: "The rulers of the world are all unworthy and hate that our lord alone is worthy, so you perished." The Lord of Guo was pleased, leaned on the carriage rail and laughed: "Ah! So worthiness is bitter like this?" Then he went on foot to live in the mountains, hungry and exhausted, and lay down with his head on the driver's knee; the driver substituted a clod of earth for himself and fled, and the lord finally died of hunger and was eaten by beasts. This is one who had already perished and still did not awake to why he perished; this is one who never awakes.

故先醒者，當時而伯：後醒者，三年而復：不醒者，枕土而死，為虎狼食。嗚呼，戒之哉！

So one who awakes first becomes hegemon in his time; one who awakes later recovers in three years; one who does not awake dies with his head on earth and is eaten by tigers and wolves. Alas, be warned!

竊聞之曰："目見正而口言枉，則害：陽言吉，錯之民而兇，則敗。倍道則死，障光則晦，誣神而逆人，則天必敗其事。"

I have privately heard: "When the eye sees what is right and the mouth speaks what is crooked, there is harm; when one speaks of fortune outwardly but what is applied to the people is calamity, there is ruin. To turn away from the Way is death, to block the light is darkness, to deceive the spirits and go against people, Heaven will surely ruin his affairs."

故昔者楚平王有臣曰伍子胥，王殺其父而無罪，奔走而之吳，曰："父死而不死，則非父之子也：死而非補，則過計也。與吾死而不一明，不若舉天地以成名。"於是紆身而乃適闔閭，治味以求親，闔閭見而安之，說其謀，果其舉，反其聽，用而任吳國之政也。民保命而不失，歲時熟而不兇，五官公而不私，上下調而無尢，天下服而無御，四境靜而無虞。然後忿心發怒，出兇言，陰必死。提邦以伐楚，五戰而五勝，伏屍數十萬，城郢之門，執高兵，傷五藏之實，毀十龍之鐘，撻平王之墓。昭王失國而奔，妻生虜而入吳。故楚平王懷陰賊，殺無罪，殃既至乎此矣。

So in the past King Ping of Chu had a minister named Wu Zixu, whose father the king killed without guilt, and he fled to Wu, saying: "If my father dies and I do not die, I am not my father's son; if I die and cannot repair it, that is a mistaken plan. Rather than die and be unable to make it clear even once, it is better to lift heaven and earth and make a name." So he bent his body and went to Helü, practiced cooking to seek closeness, and Helü saw him and gave him a place, was pleased with his plans, was decisive in his actions, in turn listened to him, and employed him to take charge of Wu's government. The people kept their lives without loss, the seasons ripened and there was no disaster, the five officials were fair and not partial, high and low were in harmony without resentment, the world submitted without resistance, and the four borders were quiet without worry. Then his heart was filled with rage, and he spoke fierce words, secretly resolved to die. Carrying the state, he attacked Chu and won five battles out of five, the fallen corpses numbered hundreds of thousands, he built a wall at the gate of Ying, held high weapons, harmed the fruits of the five organs, destroyed the bells of the ten dragons, and flogged the tomb of King Ping. King Zhao lost his state and fled, and his wife was captured alive and brought into Wu. So King Ping of Chu, harboring hidden cruelty and killing the guiltless, the disaster had come to this.

子胥發鬱冒忿，輔闔閭而行大虐，還十五年，闔閭沒而夫差即位，乃與越人戰江上，棲之會稽。越王之窮，至乎吃山草，飲腑水，易子而食。於是履甓戴璧，號吟告毋罪，呼皇天。使大夫種行成於吳王，吳王將許，子胥曰："不可。越國之俗，勤勞而不慍，好亂勝而無禮，溪徼而輕絕，俗好詛而倍盟。放此類者，鳥獸之儕徒，狐狸之醜類也，生之為患，殺之無咎，請無與成。"大夫種拊心嗥啼，沬泣而言信，割白馬而為犧，指九天而為證，請婦人為妾，丈夫為臣，百世名寶，因閒官為積，孤身為關內諸侯，世為忠臣。吳王不忍，縮師與成。還，謀而伐齊。子胥進爭，不聽，忠言不用。越既得成，稱善累德以求民心。於是上帝降禍，絕吳命乎直江，君臣乖而不調，置社稷而分裂，容臺榭而掩敗，犬群嗥而入淵，彘銜菹而適奧，燕雀剖而虺蛇生，食蘆菹而見蛭，浴清水而遇蠆。伍子胥見事之不可為也，何籠而自投水，目抉而望東門，身鴟夷而浮江。懷賊行虐，深報而殃不辜，禍至乎身矣。越於是果逆謀負約，襲剉夫差，兼吳而拊。事濟功成，范蠡負室而歸五湖，大夫種系領謝室，渠如處車裂回泉。自此之後，句踐不樂，憂悲薦至，內崩而死。

Zixu vented his pent-up fury and assisted Helü in carrying out great cruelty; after another fifteen years, Helü died and Fuchai took the throne, and he fought the men of Yue on the river and drove them to Kuaiji. The King of Yue's distress reached the point of eating mountain herbs, drinking from pits, and exchanging sons to eat. Then he trod on bricks and wore a jade disc, wailing and chanting that he was guiltless, calling on August Heaven. He sent the high official Zhong to ask the King of Wu for peace, and when the King of Wu was about to grant it, Zixu said: "It must not be. The custom of Yue is to toil without anger, to love chaos and victory without ritual, to be wild and quickly break relations, and by custom they like to curse and betray pacts. To let such people go is to treat them as birds and beasts, as foxes and their kind; to let them live is a danger, and to kill them is blameless; please do not make peace with them." The high official Zhong beat his breast and cried out with tears streaming, speaking of good faith, cut a white horse as a sacrifice, pointed to the nine heavens as witness, and asked that his wives be concubines and the men be ministers, a hundred generations of famous treasures, to borrow an idle post for the accumulation of stores, to be a lone lord within the passes, and to be loyal ministers for generations. The King of Wu could not bear it, withdrew his troops and made peace. On returning, he planned to attack Qi. Zixu came forward and argued, but was not listened to, and his loyal words were not used. Yue had already obtained peace, and called itself good, accumulating virtue to seek the people's hearts. Then God above sent down calamity and cut off Wu's mandate at the Zhi River; ruler and ministers were at odds and not in harmony, the altars of the state were set aside and split, the Rong terrace was ruined by cover, packs of dogs howled and entered the abyss, pigs carried pickles to the inner room, swallows and sparrows were split open and vipers were born, eating reed pickles one saw leeches, bathing in clear water one met scorpions. Wu Zixu saw that things could not be done, and cast himself into the water; his eyes were gouged out and looked toward the east gate, and his body was put in a leather bag and floated on the river. Harboring hidden cruelty and practicing violence, repaying deeply and harming the innocent, the calamity came to himself. Yue then indeed reversed its plans and broke the treaty, struck down Fuchai, and annexed and pacified Wu. When the affair was done and the achievement complete, Fan Li took his household to the Five Lakes, the high official Zhong hanged himself at his house in apology, and Qu Ru was torn apart by chariots at Huiquan. After this, Goujian was not happy, grief and sorrow came one upon another, and he died of internal collapse.

故天之誅伐，不可為廣虛幽閒，攸遠無人，雖重襲石中而居，其必知之乎！若誅伐順理而當，辜殺三軍而無咎。誅殺不當，辜殺一匹夫，其罪聞皇天。故曰："天之處高，其聽卑，其牧芒，其視察。"故凡自行，不可不謹慎也。

So Heaven's punishments cannot be avoided because a place is vast, empty, secluded, distant, and without people; even if one lived inside layered stone, one would surely be known. If punishment accords with principle and is fitting, even killing three armies is blameless. If punishment is not fitting, even killing one commoner, that offense is heard by August Heaven. So it is said: "Heaven dwells in the high place, yet its hearing is in the low place; it tends the minute and observes clearly." Therefore one's own conduct must be treated with care.

湯見設網者四面張，祝曰："自天下者，自地出者，自四方至者，皆罹我網。"湯曰："嘻！盡之矣。非桀，其孰能如此？"令去三面，舍一面，而教之祝曰："蛛蝥作網，今之人循緒。欲左者左，欲右者右，欲高者高，欲下者下，吾請受其犯命者。"士民聞之曰："湯之德及禽獸矣。而況我乎！"於是下親其上。

Tang saw a man setting nets on four sides and praying: "Those coming from heaven, those emerging from earth, those arriving from the four quarters, all fall into my net." Tang said: "Ah! That is exhausting everything. If not Jie, who could do this?" He ordered three sides removed and one side kept, and taught him to pray: "The spider makes a web, and now people follow its thread. Let those who wish to go left go left, those who wish to go right go right, those who wish to go high go high, those who wish to go down go down; I ask to take only those who violate the command." When the scholars and people heard of it, they said: "Tang's virtue reaches even the birds and beasts. How much more us!" So the lower drew close to the upper.

楚昭王當房而立，愀然有寒色，曰："寡人朝飢時酒二觛，重裘而立，猶憯然有寒氣，將柰我元元之百姓何？"是日也，出府之裘，以衣寒者：出倉之粟，以振飢者。居二年，闔閭襲郢，昭王奔隋。諸當房之賜者，請還致死於寇。闔閭一夕而五徙臥，不能賴楚，曳師而去，昭王乃復。當房之德也。

King Zhao of Chu stood facing the inner chamber, looking grieved with a chilled look, and said: "Early in the morning when hungry I drank two cups of wine and stood wearing heavy fur, and still felt a chill; what will become of our common people?" On that day he brought out the furs from the treasury and gave them to those suffering from cold; he brought out grain from the granaries to relieve the hungry. Two years later, Helü attacked Ying and King Zhao fled to Sui. Those who had received gifts at the time facing the chamber asked to return and give their lives against the invaders. Helü changed his sleeping place five times in one night, could not rely on Chu, and withdrew his army, and King Zhao was restored. This was the virtue of facing the chamber.

昔楚昭王與吳人戰，楚軍敗，昭王走，屨決，眥而行，失之。行三十步，復旋取屨。及至於隋，左右問曰："王何曾惜一踦屨乎？"昭王曰："楚國雖貧，豈愛一踦屨哉！思與偕反也。"自是之後，楚國之俗無相棄者。

In the past King Zhao of Chu fought the men of Wu, and the army of Chu was defeated; King Zhao fled, his shoe split, and glancing sideways he went on, and lost it. After going thirty paces, he turned back to fetch the shoe. When he reached Sui, those around him asked: "Why does the king grudge even a worn-out shoe?" King Zhao said: "Though Chu is poor, how could I love a single worn-out shoe! I wanted to return together with it." From then on, the custom of Chu was that people did not abandon each other.

文王晝臥，夢人登城而呼己曰："我東北陬之槁骨也，速以王禮葬我。"文王曰："諾。"覺，召吏視之，信有焉。文王曰："速以人君禮葬之。"吏曰："此無主矣，請以五大夫。"文王曰："吾夢中已許之矣，柰何其倍之也。"士民聞之曰："我君不以夢之故而倍槁骨，況於生人乎！"於是下信其上。

King Wen was lying down in the daytime and dreamed of a man who climbed a wall and called to him: "I am the withered bones in the northeast corner; quickly bury me with a king's rites." King Wen said: "Yes." When he awoke, he summoned officials to look, and indeed it was so. King Wen said: "Quickly bury them with a ruler's rites." The officials said: "These are ownerless; please use the rites of a high official of the fifth rank." King Wen said: "I already promised in my dream; how can I go back on it?" When the scholars and people heard of it, they said: "Our ruler does not abandon withered bones because of a dream; how much less living people!" So the lower trusted the upper.

豫讓事中行之君，智伯滅中行氏，豫讓徙事智伯。及趙襄子破智伯，豫讓劑面而變容，吞炭而為噎，乞其妻所，而妻弗識。乃伏刺襄子，五起而弗中。襄子患之，食不甘味，一夕而五易臥，見不全身。人謂豫讓曰："子不死中行，而反事其讎，何無恥之甚也！今必碎身麋軀，以為智伯，何其與前異也？"豫讓曰："我事中行之君，與帷而衣之，與關而枕之。夫眾人畜我，我故眾人事之。及智伯分吾以衣服，餡吾以鼎實，舉被而為禮，大夫國士遇我，我固國士為之報。"故曰："士為知己者死，女為悅己者容。"非？言也，故在主而已。

Yu Rang served the lord of the Zhonghang clan, and when Zhi Bo destroyed the Zhonghang clan, Yu Rang turned to serve Zhi Bo. When Zhao Xiangzi crushed Zhi Bo, Yu Rang disfigured his face to change his appearance and swallowed charcoal to make himself hoarse, and begged at his wife's door, but his wife did not recognize him. Then he lay in ambush to assassinate Xiangzi, rising five times without success. Xiangzi was troubled, found no taste in his food, changed his sleeping place five times in a night, and saw that he could not keep himself safe. Someone said to Yu Rang: "You did not die for Zhonghang but instead served his enemy; how shameless! Now you will surely smash your body and wear yourself out for Zhi Bo; how is that different from before?" Yu Rang said: "When I served the lord of Zhonghang, I wore with him the same curtain and shared with him the same pillow at the pass. He kept me as an ordinary person, so I served him as an ordinary person. When Zhi Bo shared his clothes with me, gave me filled cauldron food, raised his covering as courtesy, and treated me as a high official and a scholar of the state, I naturally repaid him as a scholar of the state." So it is said: "A scholar dies for one who knows him, and a woman adorns her face for one who delights in her." It is not empty talk (a character is missing in the source text), and it simply depends on the lord.

梁大夫宋就者為邊縣令，與楚鄰界。梁之邊亭與楚之邊亭皆種瓜，各有數。梁之邊亭劬力而數灌，其瓜美。楚窳而希灌，其瓜惡。楚令固以梁瓜之美怒其亭瓜之惡也，楚亭惡梁瓜之賢己，因夜往竊搔梁亭之瓜，皆有死焦者矣。梁亭覺之，因請其尉，亦欲竊往報搔楚亭之瓜。尉以請，宋就曰："惡，是何言也！是講怨分禍之道也。惡，何稱之甚也！若我教子，必誨莫令人往，竊為楚亭夜善灌其瓜，令勿知也。"於是梁亭乃每夜往竊灌楚亭之瓜，楚亭旦而行瓜，則此已灌矣。瓜日以美，楚亭怪而察之，則乃梁亭也。楚令聞之，大悅，具以聞。楚王聞之，恕然醜以志自惛也。告吏曰："微搔瓜，得無他罪乎？"說梁之陰讓也，乃謝以重幣，而請交於梁王。楚王時則稱說梁王，以為信，故梁楚之驩由宋就始。語曰："轉敗而為功，因禍而為福。"老子曰："報怨以德。"此之謂乎！夫人既不善，胡足效哉。

The Liang official Song Jiu served as magistrate of a border county, adjoining Chu. The border post of Liang and the border post of Chu both planted melons, each with a fixed quota. The Liang post worked diligently and watered repeatedly, and its melons were fine. Chu was lazy and watered rarely, and its melons were poor. The Chu magistrate was angry because the Liang melons were fine and his own post's melons were poor, and the men of the Chu post, hating that Liang's melons outdid their own, went at night and secretly scratched the Liang post's melons, and some withered and died. The Liang post found out, and so asked their commander, wishing also to secretly retaliate by scratching Chu's melons. The commander brought the matter to Song Jiu, who said: "Terrible, what kind of talk is this! This is the way of creating resentment and dividing disaster. Terrible, how extreme to speak of it! Follow my instruction: be sure to forbid anyone from going, and secretly, at night, water their melons well for the Chu post without letting them know." So the Liang post went every night and secretly watered the Chu post's melons, and when the Chu post made its morning rounds of the melons, they had already been watered. The melons grew finer day by day, and the Chu post, puzzled, investigated and found it was the Liang post. The Chu magistrate heard of it, was greatly pleased, and reported all of it. The King of Chu heard and felt ashamed, and noted his own dim-wittedness. He said to the officials: "Besides scratching melons, there should be no other offense?" Pleased by Liang's silent yielding, he thanked them with heavy gifts and asked to form ties with the King of Liang. The King of Chu often spoke of the King of Liang as trustworthy, and so the friendship between Liang and Chu began with Song Jiu. A common saying goes: "Turn defeat into achievement, and turn misfortune into blessing." Laozi said: "Repay resentment with virtue." This is what that means! If someone is already not good, how is he worth imitating.

翟王使使至楚，楚王欲誇之，故饗客於章華之臺上，上者三休而乃至其上。楚王曰："翟國亦有此臺乎？"使者曰："否。翟窶國也，惡見此臺也。翟王之自為室也，堂高三尺，壤陛三絫，茆茨弗翦，採椽弗刮。且翟王猶以作之者大苦，居之者大佚，翟國惡見此臺也！"楚王媿。

The King of Di sent an envoy to Chu, and the King of Chu, wishing to show off, entertained the guest on the Zhanghua Terrace, and those who climbed it had to rest three times to reach the top. The King of Chu said: "Does the state of Di also have a terrace like this?" The envoy said: "No. Di is a poor state; where would we see such a terrace? When the King of Di builds a house himself, the hall is three chi high, with three earthen steps, the thatch is not trimmed, and the rafters are not planed. Moreover the King of Di still thinks the builders suffer too much and the occupants are too comfortable; how would the state of Di see such a terrace!" The King of Chu was ashamed.

紂作梏數千，睨諸侯之不諂己者，杖而梏之。文王桎梏囚於羑里，七年而後得免。及武王克殷，既定，令殷之民投撤桎梏，而流之於河。民輸梏者，以手撤之，弗敢墜也，跪之入水，弗敢投也。曰："昔者文王獄常擁此。"故愛思文王，猶敬其梏，況於其法教乎！

Zhou made thousands of fetters, and glanced at lords who did not flatter him, and beat them with staffs and put them in fetters. King Wen was imprisoned in fetters at Youli, and was released only after seven years. When King Wu conquered Yin and had already pacified it, he ordered the people of Yin to throw away the fetters and let them drift into the river. The people carrying the fetters removed them by hand, not daring to let them fall, and knelt and put them into the water, not daring to throw them. They said: "In the past, when King Wen was in prison, he often wore these." So they loved and remembered King Wen and still honored his fetters; how much more his laws and teachings!

詩曰："濟濟多士，文王以寧。"言輔翼賢正，則身必安也。又曰："弗識弗知，順帝之則。"言士民說其德義，則效而象之也。文王志之所在，意之所欲，百姓不愛其死，不憚其勞，從之如集。詩曰："經始靈臺，庶民攻之，不日成之，經始勿亟，庶民子來。"文王有志為臺，令近境之民聞之者裹糧而至，問業而作之，日日以眾，故弗趨而疾，弗期而成，命其臺曰靈臺，命其囿曰靈囿，謂其沼曰靈沼，愛敬之至也。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。"文王之澤，下被禽獸，洽於魚鱉，故禽獸魚鱉攸若攸樂，而況士民乎！

The Book of Songs, in "King Wen" of the Greater Odes, says: "Many are the officers, and King Wen is thereby at peace." This means that if one is assisted by the worthy and upright, one's own person will surely be secure. It also says: "Not knowing and not recognizing, they follow the rules of the Lord." This means the scholars and people delighted in his virtue and righteousness and so took him as a model. Where King Wen's aim lay and where his thoughts were, the people did not spare their lives or fear toil and followed him as if gathering together. The Book of Songs, in "Lingtai" of the Greater Odes, says: "When the Spirit Terrace was first planned, the common people attacked the work and finished it in less than a day; do not hurry the planning at first, and the common people come like sons." King Wen had the aim of building a terrace, and those in neighboring lands who heard of it brought grain and came, asked about the work and did it, and every day there were more people, so it was done quickly without urging and finished without a set time, and he named that terrace the Spirit Terrace, named that park the Spirit Park, and called that pond the Spirit Pond, which is the utmost of love and respect. The Songs say: "The king is in the Spirit Park, the does lie peacefully, the does are sleek and glossy, the white birds are pure white, the king is at the Spirit Pond, how full of leaping fish." King Wen's favor reached down to birds and beasts and extended to fish and turtles, so birds, beasts, fish, and turtles were at ease and happy; how much more the scholars and people!

詩曰："愷悌君子，民之父母。"言聖王之德也。易曰："鳴鶴在陰，其子和之。"言士民之報也。書曰："大道亶亶，其去身不遠，人皆有之，舜獨以之。"夫射而不中者，不求之鵠，而反修之於己。君國子民者，反求之己，而君道備矣。

The Book of Songs, in "Jiong zhuo" of the Greater Odes, says: "The kind and amiable gentleman is the parent of the people." This speaks of the virtue of the sage king. The Book of Changes says: "The crane calls in the shade, and its young respond." This speaks of the response of scholars and people. The Book of Documents says: "The Great Way is plain and straight and not far from oneself; everyone has it, but Shun alone used it." One who shoots and does not hit does not seek the cause in the target, but turns back and cultivates himself. One who rules a state and its people, turning back to seek it within himself, has completed the Way of a ruler.

王者官人有六等：一曰師，二曰友，三曰大臣，四曰左右，五曰侍御，六曰廝役。

A king uses people in six grades: first, teacher; second, friend; third, great minister; fourth, attendant; fifth, personal servant; sixth, menial.

知足以為源泉，行足以為表儀。問焉則應，求焉則得。入人之家，足以重人之家，入人之國，足以重人之國者，謂之師。知足以為礱礪，行足以為輔助，仁足以訪議，明於進賢，敢於退不肖，內相匡正，外相揚美，謂之友。知足以謀國事，行足以為民率，仁足以合上下之驩，國有法則退而守之，君有難則進而死之，職之所守，君不得以阿私托者，大臣也。修身正行，不怍於鄉曲，道語談說，不怍於朝廷。智能不困於事業，服一介之使，能合兩君之驩，執戟居前，能舉君之失過，不難以死持之者，左右也。不貪於財，不淫於色，事君不敢有二心。居君旁，不敢洩君之謀。君有失過，雖不能正諫，以其死持之，憔悴有憂色，不勸聽從者，侍御也。柔色傴僂，唯諛之行，唯言之聽，以睚眥之閒事君者，廝役也。

One whose wisdom is enough to be a wellspring and whose conduct is enough to be a model; who answers when asked and is obtained when sought; who, on entering a person's house, is enough to make that house valued, and on entering a person's state, is enough to make that state valued: is called a teacher. One whose wisdom is enough to be a whetstone and whose conduct is enough to be an aid, whose benevolence is enough to be consulted, who clearly recommends the worthy, dares to dismiss the unworthy, mutually corrects within, and mutually praises without, is called a friend. One whose wisdom is enough to plan affairs of state, whose conduct is enough to be an example to the people, whose benevolence is enough to harmonize high and low, who when the state has law retreats and keeps it, when the ruler is in difficulty advances and dies for him, and holds to his duties so that the ruler cannot use private favor to entrust him otherwise, is a great minister. One who cultivates himself and keeps his conduct upright, not ashamed before his village, whose talk in discussion is not ashamed before the court, whose wisdom and ability are not trapped by affairs, who as a single envoy can harmonize the joy of two rulers, who holding a halberd in front can point out the ruler's faults and does not shrink from holding to it unto death, is an attendant. One who is not greedy for wealth, not lascivious about women, and does not dare to have two hearts in serving his ruler, who by the ruler's side does not dare leak the ruler's plans, and when the ruler has faults, though unable to correct him by remonstrance, holds to it unto death, haggard and showing worry, and does not urge him to listen, is a personal servant. One who has a soft look, a bent back, practices only flattery, listens only to speech, and serves the ruler by trivial glances is a menial.

故與師為國者，帝：與友為國者，王：與大臣為國者，伯：與左右為國者，強：與侍御為國者，若存若亡：與廝役為國者，亡可立待也。

So one who governs the state with teachers is called an emperor; one who governs with friends is called a king; one who governs with great ministers is called a hegemon; one who governs with attendants is strong; one who governs with personal servants half survives and half perishes; one who governs with menials will see ruin come at once.

取師之禮，黜位而朝之：取友之禮，以身先焉：取大臣之禮，以皮幣先焉：取左右之禮，使使者先焉：取侍御之禮，以令至焉：取廝役之禮，以令召矣。

In taking a teacher, the ritual is to step down from his seat and go to meet him; in taking a friend, the ritual is to go first oneself; in taking a great minister, the ritual is to send fur and silk first; in taking an attendant, the ritual is to send an envoy first; in taking a personal servant, the ritual is to reach him by command; in taking a menial, the ritual is to summon him by command.

師至，則清朝而侍，小事不進。友至，則清殿而侍，聲樂技藝之人不併見。大臣奏事，則徘優侏儒逃隱，聲樂技藝之人不併奏。左右在側，聲樂不見。侍御者在側，子女不雜處。

When a teacher arrives, sweep the court and attend, and do not bring forward small matters. When a friend arrives, sweep the hall and attend, and musicians and performers do not appear together. When a great minister presents matters, jesters and dwarfs hide away, and musicians and performers do not perform together. When attendants are at the side, music is not seen. When personal servants are at the side, sons and daughters do not mingle.

故君樂雅樂，則友大臣可以侍：君樂燕樂，則左右侍御者可以侍：君開北房，從燻服之樂，則廝役從。清晨聽治，罷朝而論議，從容澤燕。夕時開北房，從燻服之樂，是以聽治論議，從容澤燕，矜莊皆殊序，然後帝王之業可得而行也。

So when the ruler enjoys refined music, friends and great ministers may attend; when the ruler enjoys relaxed music, attendants and personal servants may attend; when the ruler opens the northern chamber and follows the music that perfumes the garments, menials follow. In the early morning he hears and decides, and when court is dismissed he discusses and deliberates, calmly refining himself and relaxing. In the evening he opens the northern chamber and follows the music that perfumes the garments; thus hearing and deciding, discussing and deliberating, calmly refining himself and relaxing, with solemnity and ease each having a different order, only then can the work of an emperor or king be carried out.

謂門人學者：舜何人也？我何人也？夫啟耳目，載心意，從立移徙，與我同性，而舜獨有賢聖之名，明君子之實，而我曾無鄰里之聞，寬徇之智者，獨何與？然則舜僶俛而加志，我儃僈而弗省耳。

To the students he said: Who was Shun? Who am I? Opening ears and eyes, bearing the heart and mind, standing and moving, he has the same nature as me, yet Shun alone has the name of worthy and sage, and shows the reality of a gentleman, while I do not even have a reputation in my neighborhood and have only forgiving wisdom; why is it so? Then it must be that Shun strove and set his will, while I am idle and do not reflect.

夫以西施之美，而蒙不潔，則過之者莫不睨而掩鼻。嘗試傅白黛黑，榆鋏陂，雜芷若，虻蝨視，益口笑，佳態佻志，從容為說焉，則雖王公大人，孰能無悇憛養心，而巔一視之。今以二三子材，而蒙愚惑之智，予恐過之有掩鼻之容也。

With the beauty of Xi Shi, if she were covered in filth, none passing by would fail to glance aside and cover their noses. Try applying white powder and drawing black on a woman, making elm tree leaves slanted, mixing angelica and orchid, with a glance like gadflies and lice, a smile with a widened mouth, fine posture and playful will, speaking calmly: then even a king, duke, or great man, who could fail to long for her and nurture his heart and gaze up for a look? Now with the talent of you gentlemen, but wearing the wisdom of the foolish and confused, I fear that those passing by would show the look of covering their noses.

昔者南榮跦醜聖道之忘乎己，故步陟山川，坌冒楚棘，彌道千餘，百舍重繭，而不敢久息。既遇老聃，噩若慈父，鴈行避景，夔立蛇進，而後敢問。見教一高言，若飢十日而得大牢焉。是達若天地，行生後世。今夫子之達，佚乎老聃，而諸子之材，不避榮跦，而無千里之遠，重繭之患，親與巨賢連席而坐，對膝相視，從容談語，無問不應，是天降大命以達吾德也。吾聞之曰："時難得而易失也。"學者勉之乎！天祿不重。

In the past Nanrong Chu felt it shameful that the sage Way was forgotten by him, and so he traveled on foot over mountains and rivers, pushing through thorns of Chu, his road stretching over a thousand li, grinding layer upon layer of calluses over a hundred lodgings, and did not dare to rest long. When he met Lao Dan, he was startled as before a kind father, walked in geese formation avoiding his shadow, stood like a Kui and advanced like a snake, and only then dared to ask. When he saw him teach a single lofty word, it was like one who had been hungry ten days obtaining a grand sacrificial feast. This penetration was like heaven and earth, and the virtue was born in later ages. Now the master's penetration surpasses Lao Dan's, and the talents of you gentlemen are no worse than Nanrong Chu's, yet you lack the distance of a thousand li and the trouble of layered calluses, and sit side by side with a great worthy on the same mat, knees facing each other, speaking calmly with no question left unanswered; this is Heaven sending down a great command to open up my virtue. I have heard: "Time is hard to get and easy to lose." Students, strive on! Heaven's bounty will not come again.

曰："數聞道之名矣，而未知其實也。請問道者何謂也？"對曰："道者，所從接物也。其本者謂之虛，其末者謂之術。虛者，言其精微也，平素而無設施也。術也者，所從制物也，動靜之數也。凡此皆道也。"

He said: "I have often heard the name of the Way but do not know its reality. May I ask what the Way means?" He answered: "The Way is what receives things. Its root is called emptiness and its branches are called technique. Emptiness means it is subtle, plain, and without installations. Technique is what governs things, the number of movement and stillness. All of these are the Way."

曰："請問虛之接物，何如？"對曰："鏡儀而居，無執不臧，美惡畢至，各得其當。衡虛無私，平靜而處，輕重畢懸，各得其所。明主者，南面而正，清虛而靜，令名自宣，命物自定，如鑑之應，如衡之稱，有舋和之，有端隨之，物鞠其極，而以當施之。此虛之接物也。"

He said: "May I ask how emptiness receives things?" He answered: "Like a mirror that dwells with its reflection, holding nothing and storing nothing, beauty and ugliness all arrive, each obtaining its fit. Like a scale that is empty and without private interest, resting level and still, light and heavy are all hung from it, each finding its place. An enlightened ruler, facing south and upright, pure, empty, and still, lets names proclaim themselves and lets things settle themselves, like a mirror responding, like a scale weighing; when there is a gap he harmonizes it, when there is a clue he follows it; when things reach their extreme, he applies what is fitting. This is emptiness receiving things."

曰："請問術之接物何如？"對曰："人主仁而境內和矣，故其士民莫弗親也：人主義而境內理矣，故其士民莫弗順也：人主有禮而境內肅矣，故其士民莫弗敬也：人主有信而境內貞矣，故其士民莫弗信也：人主公而境內服矣，故其士民莫弗戴也：人主法而境內軌矣，故其士民莫弗輔也。舉賢則民化善，使能則官職治，英俊在位則主尊，羽翼勝任則民顯，操德而固則威立，教順而必則令行。周聽則不蔽，稽驗則不惶，明好惡則民心化，密事端則人主神。術者，接物之隊。凡權重者必謹於事，令行者必謹於言，則過敗鮮矣。此術之接物之道也。其為原無屈，其應變無極，故聖人尊之。夫道之詳，不可勝述也。"

He said: "May I ask how technique receives things?" He answered: "When the ruler is benevolent and within the borders is harmonious, so none among the scholars and people is not affectionate; when the ruler is righteous and within the borders is ordered, so none among the scholars and people is not compliant; when the ruler has ritual and within the borders is solemn, so none among the scholars and people is not respectful; when the ruler has trustworthiness and within the borders is upright, so none among the scholars and people is not trusting; when the ruler is impartial and within the borders submits, so none among the scholars and people does not love and honor him; when the ruler has law and within the borders is in order, so none among the scholars and people does not assist him. Raise the worthy and the people are transformed toward good; employ the capable and offices are well governed; when the outstanding are in position the ruler is honored; when people can bear their tasks the people are prominent; hold virtue firmly and his might is established; teaching is compliant and orders are surely carried out. By hearing broadly he is not blinded; by checking and testing he is not bewildered; by making likes and dislikes clear the people's hearts are transformed; by keeping affairs close the ruler is divine. Technique is the way of receiving things. Those with weighty power must be careful in affairs, those whose orders are carried out must be careful in words, and errors and ruin are then few. This is the way technique receives things. As a source it has no end, and in responding to change it has no limit, so the sages revere it. The details of the Way cannot be fully told."

曰："請問品善之體何如？"對曰："親愛利子謂之慈，反慈為嚚：子愛利親謂之孝，反孝為孽。愛利出中謂之忠，反忠為倍。心省恤人謂之惠：反惠為困。兄敬愛弟謂之友，反友為虐。弟敬愛兄謂之悌，反悌為敖。接遇慎容謂之恭，反恭為媟。接遇肅正謂之敬，反敬為嫚。言行抱一謂之貞，反貞為偽。期果言當謂之信，反信為慢。衷理不闢謂之端，反端為(足方)。據當不傾謂之平，反平為險。行善決衷謂之清，反清為濁。辭利刻謙謂之廉，反廉為貪。兼覆無私謂之公，反公為私。方直不曲謂之正，反正為邪。以人自觀謂之度，反度為妄。以己量人謂之恕，反恕為荒。惻隱憐人謂之慈，反慈為忍。厚志隱行謂之潔，反潔為汰。施行得理謂之德，反德為怨。放理潔靜謂之行，反行為汙。功遂自卻謂之退，反退為伐。厚人自薄謂之讓，反讓為冒。心兼愛人謂之仁，反仁為戾。行充其宜謂之義，反義為懵。剛柔得適謂之和，反和為乖。合得密周謂之調，反調為盭。優賢不逮謂之寬，反寬為阨。包眾容易謂之裕，反裕為褊。欣燻可安謂之熅，反熅為鷙。安柔不苛謂之良，反良為齧。緣法循理謂之軌，反軌為易。襲常緣道謂之道，反道為闢。廣較自斂謂之儉，反儉為侈。費弗過適謂之節，反節為靡。僶勉就善謂之慎，反慎為怠。思惡勿道謂之戒，反戒為傲。深知禍福謂之知，反知為愚。亟見窕察謂之慧，反慧為童。動有文體謂之禮，反禮為濫。容服有義謂之儀，反儀為詭。行歸而過謂之順，反順為逆。動靜攝次謂之比，反比為錯。容志審道謂之？，反？為野。辭令就得謂之雅，反雅為陋。論物明辯謂之辯，反辯為訥。纖微皆審謂之察，反察為旄。誠動可畏謂之威，反威為圂。臨制不犯謂之嚴，反嚴為軟。仁義修立謂之任，反任為欺。伏義誠必謂之節，反節為罷。持節不恐謂之勇，反勇為怯。

He said: "May I ask what the substance of the graded virtues is like?" He answered: "Loving and benefiting one's child is called kindness, and its opposite is cruelty; a child loving and benefiting parents is called filial devotion, and its opposite is wickedness. Love and benefit that come from within is called loyalty, and its opposite is betrayal. Sympathizing with others in the heart is called generosity, and its opposite is distress. An elder brother being respectful and loving to a younger is called fraternal friendliness, and its opposite is cruelty. A younger brother being respectful and loving to an elder is called brotherly respect, and its opposite is arrogance. Dealing with others carefully and with proper bearing is called courtesy, and its opposite is contempt. Dealing with others with solemn correctness is called reverence, and its opposite is insolence. Words and conduct holding as one is called constancy, and its opposite is falsehood. Fixing appointments resolutely and speaking appropriately is called trustworthiness, and its opposite is negligence. Having an inner principle without crookedness is called uprightness, and its opposite is partiality (the source text has a variant here). Relying on what is fitting without leaning is called evenness, and its opposite is treachery. Doing good and deciding from within is called purity, and its opposite is turbidity. Refusing profit, being austere and humble is called integrity, and its opposite is greed. Covering all without private interest is called impartiality, and its opposite is selfishness. Being square and straight without crookedness is called rectitude, and its opposite is depravity. Using others as a mirror to see oneself is called measure, and its opposite is recklessness. Measuring others by oneself is called consideration, and its opposite is indifference. Compassionately pitying others is called kindness, and its opposite is cruelty. Having generous aims and hidden conduct is called cleanliness, and its opposite is extravagance. Carrying out things in accord with principle is called virtue, and its opposite is resentment. Laying aside principle in purity and quiet is called conduct, and its opposite is defilement. Retiring oneself when merit is accomplished is called withdrawal, and its opposite is boasting. Being generous to others and sparing to oneself is called yielding, and its opposite is presumption. Loving others with all one's heart is called benevolence, and its opposite is perversity. Conduct that is substantial and fitting is called righteousness, and its opposite is confusion. Firmness and softness being suitable is called harmony, and its opposite is discord. Being close and thorough in joining is called balance, and its opposite is perversity. Treating the worthy generously yet not matching them oneself is called tolerance, and its opposite is constriction. Embracing the multitude with ease is called abundance, and its opposite is narrowness. Being warm and calming is called geniality, and its opposite is ferocity. Being calm and gentle without harshness is called goodness, and its opposite is biting. Following the law and heeding principle is called conformity, and its opposite is laxity. Following constants along the Way is called the Way, and its opposite is crookedness. Examining broadly while restraining oneself is called thrift, and its opposite is extravagance. Spending no more than what suits is called moderation, and its opposite is waste. Striving earnestly toward good is called prudence, and its opposite is negligence. Thinking of evil but not doing it is called caution, and its opposite is arrogance. Knowing fortune and misfortune deeply is called knowledge, and its opposite is folly. Quick insight and keen observation is called wisdom, and its opposite is childishness. Conduct with cultured form is called ritual, and its opposite is excess. Having righteousness in appearance and dress is called dignified bearing, and its opposite is deceit. Conduct returning to and passing what is right is called compliance, and its opposite is opposition. Moving and resting in order is called consistency, and its opposite is disorder. Bearing and aims that examine the Way are called refinement (a character is missing in the source text), and its opposite is rusticity. Speech that is appropriate is called elegance, and its opposite is vulgarity. Discussing things with clear distinctions is called eloquence, and its opposite is stammering. Examining even the smallest details is called discernment, and its opposite is muddle. Sincerity that moves and inspires awe is called authority, and its opposite is filth. Ruling without being offended is called sternness, and its opposite is softness. Cultivating and establishing benevolence and righteousness is called responsibility, and its opposite is deception. Submitting to righteousness with sincerity and certainty is called integrity, and its opposite is exhaustion. Holding to integrity without fear is called courage, and its opposite is cowardice.

信理遂惔謂之敢，反敢為揜。志操精果謂之誠，反誠為殆。克行遂節謂之必，反必為怛。凡此品也，善之體也，所謂道也。

Believing in principle and carrying it through with calm is called daring, and its opposite is concealment. Aims and conduct that are refined and resolute is called sincerity, and its opposite is peril. Carrying out and completing integrity is called certainty, and its opposite is dread. All these grades are the substance of goodness, what is called the Way."

故守道者謂之士，樂道者謂之君子，知道者謂之明，行道者謂之賢。且明且賢，此謂聖人。

Therefore one who keeps the Way is called a scholar; one who delights in the Way is called a gentleman; one who knows the Way is called enlightened; one who practices the Way is called worthy. One who is both enlightened and worthy is called a sage.

德有六理，何謂六理？道。德。性。神。明。命，此六者，德之理也。六理無不生也，已生而六理存乎所生之內，是以陰陽天地人，盡以六理為內度，內度成業，故謂之六法。六法藏內，變流而外遂，外遂六術，故謂之六行。是以陰陽各有六月之節，而天地有六合之事，人有仁義禮智信之行。行和則樂興，樂興則六，此之謂六行。陰陽天地之動也，不失六行，故能合六法。人謹修六行，則亦可以合六法矣。

Virtue has six principles. What are the six principles? The Way, virtue, nature, spirit, brightness, and fate; these six are the principles of virtue. Of the six principles, none is not born; once they are born, the six principles exist within what is born, and so yin and yang, heaven and earth, and humankind all take the six principles as inner measure, and the inner measure accomplishes the work, so they are called the six laws. The six laws are stored within, and when they change and flow outward and are carried through, they become the six arts, and so they are called the six practices. So yin and yang each have the six months' regulation, heaven and earth have the affairs of the six directions, and humans have the conduct of benevolence, righteousness, ritual, wisdom, and trustworthiness. When conduct is harmonious, music arises; when music arises, there are six; this is called the six practices. The movement of yin and yang, heaven and earth, does not lose the six practices, and so they can accord with the six laws. If people carefully cultivate the six practices, they too can accord with the six laws.

然而人雖有六行，微細難識，唯先王能審之。凡人弗能自至，是故必待先王之教，乃知所從事。是以先王為天下設教，因人所有以之為訓，道人之情，以之為真，是故內本六法，外體六行，以與詩。書。易。春秋。禮。樂六者之術，以為大義，謂之六藝。令人緣之以自修，修成則得六行矣。六行不正，反合六法。藝之所以六者，法六法而體六行故也，故曰六則備矣。

But although people have the six practices, they are subtle and hard to recognize, and only the former kings could examine them. Ordinary people cannot reach them by themselves, and so must wait for the teaching of the former kings to know what to do. Therefore the former kings set up teaching for the world, using what people originally have as instruction, guiding people's feelings to become real; inwardly they take the six laws as root, and outwardly take the six practices as substance, and with the arts of the six works, the Songs, Documents, Changes, Spring and Autumn, Rites, and Music, they make them the great principle, called the six arts. Letting people follow them to cultivate themselves, when cultivated they obtain the six practices. If the six practices are not upright, they return to accord with the six laws. The arts are six because they model the six laws and are embodied in the six practices, so saying six is complete.

六者非獨為六藝本也，他事亦皆以六為度。聲音之道，以六為首，以陰陽之節為度，是故一歲十二月分而為陰陽，各六月，是以聲音之器十二鍾，鍾當一月，其六鍾陰聲，六鍾陽聲，聲之術律是而出，故謂之六律。六律和五聲之調，以發陰陽天地人之清聲，而內合六行六法之道。是故五聲宮。商。角。徵。羽，唱和相應而調和，調和而成理謂之音。聲五也，必六而備，故曰聲與音六。夫律之者，象測之也，所測者六，故曰六律。

The six is not only the root of the six arts; other matters too all take six as measure. The Way of sound takes six as its head and takes the regulation of yin and yang as measure, and so the twelve months of a year are divided into yin and yang, six months each, and so the instruments of sound are the twelve bells, one bell for a month, of which six are yin sounds and six are yang sounds, and the art of sound comes forth from the pitch pipes, so they are called the six pitch pipes. The six pitches and the tuning of the five notes bring forth the pure sounds of yin and yang, heaven, earth, and humankind, and inwardly accord with the Way of the six practices and six laws. So the five notes gong, shang, jue, zhi, and yu, calling and answering in harmony, and when harmonized forming principle are called music. Sound is five, but must reach six to be complete, so it is said that sound and music are six. The pitch pipes take images and measure, and what they measure is six, so they are called the six pitch pipes.

人之戚屬，以六為法。人有六親。六親始曰父，父有二子，二子為昆弟，昆弟又有子，子從父而昆弟，故為從父昆弟，從父昆弟又有子，子從祖而昆弟，故為從祖昆弟，從祖昆弟又有子，子從曾祖而昆弟，故為從曾祖昆弟，曾祖昆弟又有子，子為族兄弟。備於六，此之謂六親。親之始於一人，世世別離，分為六親。親戚非六，則失本末之度，是故六為制而止矣。六親有次，不可相踰，相踰則宗族擾亂，不能相親。是故先王設為昭穆三廟，以禁其亂。何為三廟？上室為昭，中室為穆，下室為孫嗣令子。各以其次，上下更居，三廟以別，親疏有制。喪服稱親疏以為重輕，親者重，疏者輕，故復有麤衰。齊衰。大紅。細紅。緦麻備六，各服其所當服。夫服則有殊，此先王之所以禁亂也。

Human kinship takes six as its model. Humans have six kinds of kin. The six kinships begin with the father; the father has two sons, who are brothers; the brothers in turn have sons, who are brothers by their fathers' line and so are paternal cousins; the paternal cousins again have sons, who by their grandfather's line are brothers, and so are second cousins; the second cousins again have sons, who by their great-grandfather's line are brothers, and so are third cousins; the third cousins' brothers again have sons, who are clan brothers. Completed at six, this is called the six kinships. Kinship begins from one person, and generation after generation separates, dividing into six kinships. If kinship is not six, the measure of root and branch is lost, and so six is made the system and stops there. The six kinships have an order and may not cross over one another; if they cross over each other the clan is thrown into disorder and cannot be close. Therefore the former kings set up the three ancestral temples of zhao and mu to prevent that disorder. What are the three temples? The upper chamber is zhao, the middle chamber is mu, and the lower chamber is for the grandson and heir. Each follows its order, upper and lower taking turns in dwelling; the three temples are distinguished, and close and distant kin have a system. Mourning dress is heavy or light according to closeness: for the close it is heavy and for the distant it is light, so there are coarse mourning, regular mourning, great red, fine red, and the finest hemp, six in all, and each wears what he should wear. The dress differs, and this is how the former kings prevented disorder.

數度之道，以六為法，數加於少，而度出於居。數度之始，始於微細。有形之物，莫細於毫。是故立一毫以為度始，十毫為發，十發為犛，十犛為分，十分為寸，十寸為尺，備於六。故先王以為天下事用也。

The Way of number and measure takes six as its model; number is added to the small, and measure comes out of the standing position. Number and measure begin from the minute. Among things with form, none is finer than a hair. So one hair is set as the beginning of measure; ten hairs make a fa, ten fa make a li, ten li make a fen, ten fen make a cun, ten cun make a chi, completed at six. So the former kings used it to serve the world's affairs.

事之以六為法者，不可勝數也。此所言六，以效事之盡以六為度者，謂六理，可謂陰陽之六節，可謂天地之六法，可謂人之六行。

Matters that take six as their rule cannot all be counted. The six spoken of here, by which affairs are tested and all measured by six, are called the six principles; they may be called the six nodes of yin and yang, the six laws of Heaven and Earth, and the six practices of humans.

德有六理，何謂六理？曰道。德。性。神。明。命。此六者，德之理也。諸生者皆生於德之所生，而能象人德者，獨玉也。寫德體，六理盡見於玉也，各有狀，是故以玉效德之六理。澤者鑑也，謂之道：腒如竊膏，謂之德：湛而潤，厚而膠，謂之性：康若濼流，謂之神：光輝謂之明：礐乎堅哉，謂之命。此之謂六理。鑑生空竅而通之以道，德生理通之以六德之華離狀。六德者，德之有六理，理離狀也。性生氣而通之以曉，神生變而通之以化，明生識而通之以知，命生形而通之以定。

Virtue has six principles. What are the six principles? They are called the Way, virtue, nature, spirit, clarity and fate. These six are the principles of virtue. All living things are born from what virtue gives birth to, but the only one that can resemble the virtue of a person is jade. Depicting the body of virtue, the six principles all show themselves in jade, each with its own form, and so jade is used to test the six principles of virtue. Its glossiness is a mirror, called the Way; its fat-like sheen, like stolen grease, is called virtue; deep and moist, thick and sticky, is called nature; easy as a flowing stream is called spirit; radiance is called clarity; solid and firm is called fate. These are called the six principles. The mirror gives rise to hollow openings and is penetrated by the Way; virtue gives rise to principle and is penetrated by the radiance and separate forms of the six virtues. The six virtues are that virtue has six principles, with principle separate from form. Nature gives rise to qi and is penetrated by understanding; spirit gives rise to change and is penetrated by transformation; clarity gives rise to cognition and is penetrated by knowing; fate gives rise to form and is penetrated by determination.

德有六美，何謂六美？有道，有仁，有義，有忠，有信，有密，此六者德之美也。道者德之本也，仁者德之出也，義者德之理也，忠者德之厚也，信者德之固也，密者德之高也。

Virtue has six excellences. What are the six excellences? There are the Way, benevolence, righteousness, loyalty, good faith and closeness. These six are the excellences of virtue. The Way is the root of virtue, benevolence is the going forth of virtue, righteousness is the principle of virtue, loyalty is the thickness of virtue, good faith is the firmness of virtue, and closeness is the loftiness of virtue.

六理。六美，德之所以生陰陽天地人與萬物也，固為所生者法也。故曰：道此之謂道，德此之謂德，行此之謂行，所謂行此者德也。是故著此竹帛謂之書，書者此之著者也，詩者此之志者也，易者此之占者也，春秋者此之紀者也，禮者此之體者也，樂者此之樂者也，祭祀鬼神為此福者也，博學辯議為此辭者也。

The six principles and six excellences are what virtue uses to give birth to yin and yang, Heaven, Earth, humans and the myriad things, and are of course the model for what is born. So it is said: the Way is called the Way, virtue is called virtue, conduct is called conduct, and what makes this conduct is virtue. So what is written on bamboo and silk is called a document; the Documents is the display of this; the Songs is the aspiration of this; the Changes is the divination of this; the Spring and Autumn Annals is the record of this; the Rites is the embodiment of this; Music is the joy of this; sacrifice to ghosts and spirits is to seek blessing for this; broad learning and debate are to establish words for this.

道者無形，平和而神。道物有載物者，畢以順理和適行。故物有清而澤。澤者鑑也，鑑以道之神，模貫物形，通達空竅，奉一齣入為先，故謂之鑑。鑑者所以能見也，見者目也，道德施物精微而為目。是故物之始形也，分先而為目，目成也，形乃從。是以人及有因之在氣，莫精於目，目清而潤澤若濡，無毳穢雜焉，故能見也。由此觀之，目足以明道德之潤澤矣，故曰澤者鑑也。生空竅通之以道。

The Way has no form, is even and harmonious, and is spirit-like. Where the Way has things that carry things, all proceed in accord with order and fitness. So things are clear and glossy. Gloss is the mirror; the mirror uses the spirit of the Way, to model and penetrate the forms of things and pass through hollow openings, taking the One's going out and coming in as first, and so it is called the mirror. The mirror is what makes seeing possible, seeing is the eye, and the Way and virtue, applied to things in subtlety, become the eye. So when things first take form, they first divide into the eyes, and once the eyes are formed, the body follows. So among people and all that exist in qi, nothing is more refined than the eye; the eye is clear and moist as if dampened, with no down or dirt mixed in, and so it can see. From this we see that the eye is enough to display the gloss of the Way and virtue, so it is said that gloss is the mirror. Giving rise to hollow openings is penetrated by the Way.

德者，離無而之有，故潤則腒然濁而始形矣，故六理髮焉。六理所以為變而生也，所生有理，然則物得潤以生，故謂潤德。德者，變及物理之所出也，未變者道之頌也。道冰而為德，神載於德。德者，道之澤也。道雖神必載於德，而頌乃有所因，以發動變化而為變。變及諸生之理，皆道之化也。各有條理，以載於德，德受道之化而發之，各不同狀。德潤，故曰如膏謂之德。德生理，通之以六德之華離狀。

Virtue leaves nothing and arrives at being, so moisture becomes thick and murky and begins to take form, and so the six principles arise. The six principles are what is born for the sake of change, and what is born has principle, so things obtain moisture and grow, which is why it is called moistening virtue. Virtue is what change and the principles of things come out of; what has not yet changed is the appearance of the Way. The Way condenses and becomes virtue, and spirit rests in virtue. Virtue is the gloss of the Way. Although the Way is spirit-like, it must rest in virtue, and only then does the appearance have a basis to stir transformation and become change. The principles of change and of all living things are all transformations of the Way. Each has its order and rests in virtue, and virtue receives the transformation of the Way and gives it out, each with a different form. Virtue is moist, so it is said to be like fat and is called virtue. Virtue gives rise to principle and is penetrated by the radiance and separate forms of the six virtues.

性者，道德造物，物有形而道德之神專而為一氣，明其潤益厚矣。濁而膠相連在物之中，為物莫生，氣皆集焉，故謂之性。性，神氣之所會也，性立則神氣曉曉然發而通行於外矣。與外物之感相應，故曰潤厚而膠謂之性。性生氣，通之以曉。

Nature is where the Way and virtue make things, and the things have form and the spirit of the Way and virtue concentrates and becomes one qi, making its moisture even thicker and plain. Murky and sticky, linked within things, in making things nothing is unborn, and qi gathers there all together, so it is called nature. Nature is where spirit and qi meet. When nature is established, spirit and qi come out clearly and circulate outward. It responds to stimuli from outside things, so it is said that deep and thick and sticky is called nature. Nature gives rise to qi and is penetrated by understanding.