by An Liu
and the vision that does not [rely on] seeing,
are what make Fuxi and the Divine Farmer our teachers. [9/68/21–25]
9.6
The transformation of the people comes not from what [the ruler] says but from he does.
Thus,
Duke Zhuang of Qi13 was fond of bravado and would not allow [anyone] to argue with him about fighting. So his state had many difficulties, and its decline led to the rebellion of Cui Zhu.
King Qingxiang of Chu14 liked sex and did not allow [anyone] to discuss his habits [with him]. So many of the people fell into disorder, culminating in the affair of Zhao Qi.15
Thus the movements of the Utmost Essence are like
the generative [power] of springtime qi
and the slaying [power] of autumn qi.
Not even a relay carriage or a galloping horse could go that far. Thus a ruler of men is like an archer. When he [releases an arrow] if his aim is slightly off, it will always miss [the target] by a wide margin. Thus the ruler is very careful in how he evokes a response. [9/68/25–9/69/2]
9.7
Rong Qiji16 plucked his qin just once, and Confucius was joyful for three days in response to its harmony.
Zou Ji17 played one note on his qin, and King Wei of Qi18 was mournful all evening in response to its sadness.
By playing on the qin and the se
and giving form to the notes,
one can make others sad or joyful. By proclaiming laws and establishing rewards, [however], one cannot modify habits and change customs, because sincerity of heart would not be stirred.19
When Ning Qi20 sang a song in the shang mode from under the cart,21 Duke Huan of Qi sighed and suddenly understood [and appointed him a high official]. How deeply the Utmost Essence enters into humans!
Thus it is said,
“If you hear the sound of music,
you know the customs of the place from which it arises;
if you see the customs, you know their transformations.”
Confucius studied music under Master Xiang22 and [thereby] understood the will of King Wen of Zhou. This was because upon seeing subtleties, he could know the obvious.
Jizi of Yanling, hearing the music of Lu, knew the customs of the Shang and Xia dynasties. From assessing the close at hand, he recognized the distant.
What was created in highest antiquity and disseminated a thousand years ago has not been extinguished. This is emphatically so in the case of what transforms the people in the present era. [9/69/4–9]
9.8
During the reign of King Tang [of the Shang dynasty], there was a seven-year drought.23 The king offered himself as sacrifice at Mulberry Forest. Thereupon
clouds from the Four Seas gathered,
and rain fell for a thousand li.
Embracing his basic substance and imparting his sincerity, he evoked a response from Heaven and Earth, his spirit making itself known beyond the [four] quarters. How could promulgating orders and prohibitions suffice to accomplish something like this?
In ancient times, the Utmost Essence of the sage-kings took form within them-selves, and their personal likes and dislikes were forgotten outside themselves. They
spoke simply to express their emotions,
issued orders to make clear their intentions,
displayed [their essential qualities] in rites and music,
and exemplified them in songs and ballads.
Their achievements
have spread to a myriad generations without being impeded
and have pervaded the four directions without being depleted.
Even birds, beasts, and insects were refined and transformed24 by them. How much more so were they effective in maintaining laws and carrying out commands. [9/69/11–15]
Thus,
the loftiest [of rulers] transforms by means of his spirit.
The next lower [ruler] convinces the people to act without transgressions.
The next lower one rewards the worthy and punishes the unruly. [9/69/17]
9.9
The balance beam, in regard to left and right, is unbiased in its weighing, and thus it can be level.
The marking cord, in regard to inside and outside, is unbiased about the crooked and the straight, and thus it can be true.
The ruler, in regard to law, is unbiased in his likes and dislikes, and thus he can promulgate commands.
The steelyard, in weighing the light and the heavy, is not off by [even the weight of] the head of a mosquito.
The stretched string, in straightening the crooked, makes no mistake [even as small as] the tip of a needle.
The ruler, in rectifying the deviant, is without personal bias.
Wickedness cannot distort him;
slander cannot disorder him.
When
Potency has no place to stand,
and hatred is not stored away,
this is to employ the techniques of rulership and dispense with the human mind. Therefore the wisdom of the one who rules does not enter into it. [9/69/17–20]
9.10
Now,
for boats to float on water
and carts to go on land
is their natural propensity. If
a carriage hits a tree and breaks an axle,
or if a boat runs aground and shatters the hull,
there is no reason for people to bear resentment against the tree or the rock; they will blame the lack of skill [of the carriage driver or the boatman]. They know that [trees and stones] possess no [conscious qualities]. Thus
when the Way includes wisdom, there is confusion;
when Potency includes the mind, there is danger;
when the mind includes the eyes, there is bedazzlement.
No weapon is more powerful than awareness and the will. Even the great sword Moye is inferior to them.25
No brigand is as strong as yin and yang. The drumsticks and drums [signaling attack] are inferior to them.
Now the weight and the balance beam, the compass and the square, once fixed do not change.
Their calibrations are not altered for the sake of Qin or Chu;
their form does not change for the Hu or the Yue [tribes].
Constant and unswerving, going straight and not meandering, taking form in a single day and passed down for ten thousand generations, they act through non-action.
Thus,
states have rulers who perish, but no era can see the destruction of the Way.
People have distress and poverty, but principles never fail to be passed on.
From this standpoint, non-action is the Ancestor of the Way. Attaining the Ancestor of the Way, one responds to things without limit. When one relies [merely] on human talents, the highest kind of statecraft is difficult. [9/69/22–27]
9.11
[King] Tang [of Shang] and [King] Wu [of Zhou] were sage-rulers but could not equal the people of Yue in managing small craft and staying afloat on rivers and lakes.26
Yi Yin was a worthy prime minister, but he could not equal the Hu people in mounting fine steeds or taming wild northern horses.
Confucius and Mozi were erudite but could not equal the mountain-dwelling people in navigating dense undergrowth or traversing dangerous passes.
From this perspective, human knowledge, in relation to things, is shallow. Desiring to illuminate all within the seas and preserve the ten thousand places, if the ruler does not accord with the norms of the Patterns of the Way but relies on his own ability instead, then he will not reach his goal. Thus wisdom is not sufficient to rule the world. [The tyrant] Jie’s strength could
break an ox’s horn, straighten an iron hook,
twist [strands of] iron together, and fuse metals.
[His men] Qin Yi and Da Xi27
in the water could kill the giant yüan-turtle and the crocodile
and, on land, could catch the [common] bear and the brown bear.28
Nevertheless, Tang, with only three hundred armored chariot
s, surrounded [Jie’s forces] at Mingtiao and captured them at the [Nan]Jiao Gate. From this perspective,
strength29 is not sufficient to control the world;
wisdom is not sufficient to rule;
bravery is not sufficient to be strong.
Thus, that human talents are not enough to do the job is obvious. A ruler of men need not descend from his palace halls to know about matters beyond the Four Seas because
he avails himself of things to know about things;
he avails himself of people to know about people.
Where collective strength is employed, it is always victorious;
where collective wisdom is employed, it is always successful.
A tube well does not house giant turtles or crocodiles; it is too narrow.
An ordinary courtyard does not contain giant trees; it is too small.30
Now when it comes to lifting a heavy ding vessel, [a person] with meager strength will not be able to do it. As to picking it up and transporting it, one need not wait for someone who is stronger.31 Thus a village of a thousand people has no broken rafters, and a population of ten thousand has no project they cannot carry out. [9/70/1–11]
9.12
Now [the horses] Hualiu and Lü’er32 could go a thousand li in a day, but if we made them chase a rabbit, they would not be comparable to a wolf or a dog. [This is because] their skills and abilities have limits.
An owl at night can grab a flea or a mosquito and can distinguish the tip of an autumn hair, but in daylight the focus of its eyes cannot discern hills and mountains. Its form and nature are at odds with each other.
Now,
the teng snake floats in the fog and soars;
the ying dragon rides on the clouds and ascends.
When an ape gets in a tree, it jumps with agility;
when a fish gets in water, it swims quickly.
Thus in ancient times when they made a carriage,
the one who painted its surface did not draw designs on it,
and the one who drilled holes did not carve designs.
Workers did not have two different skills;
scholars did not hold two positions;
each stuck to his profession
and did not interfere with others.
Each person obtained what was suitable to him;
each thing obtained what gave it security.
Hence,
tools and utensils were not cumbersome;
duties and tasks were not despised.
When debts are small, they are easy to repay;
when duties are few, they are easy to sustain;
when responsibilities are light, they are easy to fulfill.
When those above reduce the workload,
those below find it easy to do it successfully.
In this way, the ruler and his ministers work closely together for a long time without imposing on each other. [9/70/13–18]
9.13
The Way of [one who] governs people is like [that of] the corpse impersonator in [the sacrificial rite of] the ling star.33 Austere, mysterious, and silent, he auspiciously and happily receives the blessing. He who has attained the Way does not try to embellish what is ugly or make good what is false. He is like a cloak that if worn by one person is not too large and if by ten thousand is not too small.
If the ruler
gravely implements generosity
and gravely implements severity,
then the Way of ruling will come through.
“Generosity” means to emphasize the awarding of largesse. When those without merit are richly rewarded and those who do not work hard receive high rank, those attending to their duties will grow lax, and those who roam about [seeking official position] will press to advance their situations.
“Severity” means to punish recklessly. When those who are innocent are put to death and those who act honestly are punished, then those who cultivate their persons will not encourage goodness, and the wicked will look lightly on defying their superiors. Thus acting generously gives birth to licentiousness, and acting severely gives birth to disorder.
Customs of licentiousness and disorder
are habits of a perishing state. [9/70/20–25]
Thus in the governance of an enlightened ruler,
when the state implements punishments, there is no place for the ruler’s anger.
When the court bestows rewards, there is no place for the ruler’s involvement.
One who is punished does not resent the ruler, for the punishment suits the offense.
One who is rewarded does not feel gratitude toward the ruler, for the reward has been earned by merit.
In such a state the people understand that rewards and punishments all come from themselves. Thus they perform their duties and serve their callings, not feeling that they should receive special tribute from their ruler. Thus
the court is full of weeds and devoid of footprints;
farmers’ fields are well tilled and devoid of weeds.
“Of a great ruler,
those below know only that he exists.”34 [9/70/27–9/71/1]
9.14
The axle tree of a swape is planted upright and does not move, [but] in tipping up and down, [the balance arm] is constrained by it.
The ruler is tranquil and calm and does not become agitated, [but] the hundred officials obtain their compliance from him.
It is like the soldier who carries the battle flag: if he points it the wrong way, there will be disorder.
Cleverness does not suffice to bring great peace;
wisdom does not suffice to dispel danger.
Praising Yao and disparaging Jie is not as good as casting aside intelligence and cultivating the Way.
If [the ruler is] pure, tranquil, and non-active,35 Heaven will provide the seasons for him.
If [the ruler is] honest, frugal, and keeps to moderation, Earth will yield its wealth for him.
If [he] empties out his intelligence yet accords with Potency, the sage will make a course of action for himself.
Thus,
to the [one who is] low, the myriad things revert;
to the [one who is] empty, the world gives what it has. [9/71/1–5]
In this way,36 the ruler begins by displaying his propriety, establishing it as the foundation. Thus using the natural propensity of the people as his carriage and the wisdom of the people as his horse, though [traversing] dark wastelands and perilous defiles, still no confusion can arise.
Because the ruler dwells in a deeply secluded place, avoiding scorching heat and damp cold [and because] he makes layers of doors to separate the gate from his inner rooms, he is prepared against evil men and deceivers.
Inside [his state], he knows nothing of the situation in village houses or gates;
outside it, he knows nothing of the forms of mountains and marshes.
Even outside the curtains,
the eye cannot see beyond ten li,
and the ear cannot hear more than a hundred paces away.
Nevertheless, there is nothing in the world that [the ruler] does not perceive,[because] his sources of information are rich and those who draw from him are many. Thus,
without going out his door, he knows the world,
and without glancing out his window, he knows the Way of Heaven.37
If he relies on the wisdom of the people, the whole world will not suffice to contain it;
if he relies on his own mind alone, he will not be able to protect even himself. [9/71/7–13]
Thus the ruler covers [the world] with his Potency. He does not act on [the basis of] his own wisdom but follows what will bring benefit to the myriad [common] people. Just raising his heel is enough to bring benefit to the people. Hence,
though he places himself on top of the people, they do not find him heavy;38
though he situates himself in front of the people, they do not find him injurious.
Though they elevate him, they do not feel he is too
lofty;
though they support him, they do not tire of him. [9/71/15–17]
9.15
The Way of the ruler is round, revolving and turning endlessly, transforming and sustaining, like a spirit, vacant, gliding without apparent purpose, always at the rear and never taking the lead.
The way of the official is square, discussing practicalities and being in the right place. In accomplishing tasks, he is the first to take the lead. Guarding his store of knowledge and parceling out his insight, he thereby establishes his success.
Therefore,
when the ruler and [his] officials follow different Ways, there is order.
[When they follow] identical Ways, there is disorder.
When each obtains what is appropriate to him and situates himself in his proper place, above and below can work with each other.39 [9/71/17–20]
9.16
In listening to affairs of government the ruler is
empty of mind and soft of will;
clear, bright, and unclouded.
Thus the many officials work with him like the spokes of a wheel and advance in unison. Whether foolish or wise, worthy or unsatisfactory, none fails to use his abilities to the fullest extent. In this way, the ruler obtains the means to control his ministers, and they obtain the means to serve their ruler, so the Way of ruling the state is clear.
King Wen [of Zhou] was wise. He [also] was fond of soliciting opinions. Thus he was a sage.
King Wu was brave. He [also] was fond of soliciting opinions. Thus he was victorious.
If one uses the knowledge of many people, there is nothing that cannot be undertaken.
If one employs the strength of many people, there is nothing that cannot be overcome.
Even Wu Huo40 could not lift the weight of a thousand jun,41 but if many people work together as one, then a hundred men would have more than enough strength [to lift it]. Thus,
if [the ruler] relies on the strength of just one man, then even that of Wu Huo would not be enough;
if he relies on the knowledge of many people, then the world will not suffice to contain it.42 [9/71/22–26]
9.17
Yu diverted the Yangzi and cleared the Yellow River in order to bring great benefit to the world, but he could not get the water to flow westward.
Lord Millet extended arable land and reclaimed grasslands so the people could devote their strength to agriculture, but he could not get grain to grow in winter.