by An Liu
Therefore the Laozi says:
“If you do not look at what you desire,
you will make your heart free from turmoil.”79 [12/110/21–25]
12.22
Prince Chong’er of Jin was fleeing. When he passed through the state of Cao, the ruler of Cao failed to treat him according to the proper etiquette.80 Xi Fuji’s wife then said to Xi Fuji:81 “Our prince has failed to treat the prince of Jin with the proper etiquette. I have observed his followers. They all are worthy men. If they help him return to the state of Jin, he will certainly attack Cao. How could you fail to take the lead in augmenting his Potency?” Xi Fuji then provided Chong’er with a calabash of food to which he added a jade disk. Chong’er accepted the food but returned the jade disk. When he finally returned to his state, Chong’er raised troops to attack the state of Cao. He vanquished Cao but forbade his three armies from entering the territory of Xi Fuji.82
Therefore the Laozi says:
“Contorted, you will become whole;
bent, you will become upright.”83 [12/110/27–12/111/2]
12.23
The king of Yue, Goujian, battled with Wu but was not victorious. His capital city was demolished, and he was driven into exile. He was surrounded at Mount Kuaiji.
[Though] with indignant heart and rising gall,
with qi like a gushing spring,
his handpicked, well-trained armored troops
rushed into the conflagration as if [determined to] perish,
[defeated], Goujian requested that he serve as King [Fuchai] of Wu’s attendant and his wife serve as the king’s concubine. Armed with a halberd, Goujian became the king’s forward guard.84 In the end, Goujian took [the king of Wu] captive at Gansui.85
Therefore the Laozi says:
“The soft overcomes the hard;
the weak overcomes the strong.
Everyone in the world knows this,
but no one can practice it.”86
The king of Yue personally practiced such principles. Consequently he became a hegemon over the Central States. [12/111/4–7]
12.24
Viscount Jian of Zhao died and had not yet been buried when the people of Zhongmou shifted their allegiance to the state of Qi. When Viscount Jian of Zhao had been buried for five days, Viscount Xiang [his son] raised troops to attack and encircle them. The encirclement was not yet complete, when a one-hundred-foot87 section of the city wall suddenly crumbled. Viscount Xiang then beat the gong and withdrew his troops. An official of his army remonstrated with him, saying, “When you were punishing the crimes of Zhongmou, its city walls crumbled. This is a sign that Heaven supports us. Why, then, should we abandon the attack?”
Viscount Xiang replied, “I heard that Shuxiang88 once said: ‘A Superior Man does not impose on others when they profit, nor does he attack others in distress.’ Let the people of Zhongmou repair their walls. Only when the walls have been repaired, will we attack them.” When the people of Zhongmou heard of the viscount’s [sense of] justice, they asked to surrender.89
Therefore the Laozi says:
“Now,
it is because he alone does not contend
that no one can contend with him.”90 [12/111/9–13]
12.25
Duke Mu of Qin addressed Bo Le saying: “You are getting on in years. Is there anyone in your family who can take over for you and find me a good steed?”
Bo Le replied: “A good horse may be judged by his physique, countenance, sinews, and bones. But in judging the best horse in the world, it seems
as if it is not there at all, as if it has disappeared,
as if it had lost its singular identity.
A horse like that raises no dust and leaves no tracks. All my sons are lesser talents. They can judge a good horse, but they lack the talent to judge the best horse in the world. However, there is a man who is my porter and firewood gatherer who is called Nine-Cornered Hillock. In judging horses, he is not inferior to my abilities. I respectfully request that you grant him an audience.”
Duke Mu granted him an audience and commanded him to search out a fine steed. After three months Nine-Cornered Hillock returned and reported: “The horse has been located. It is in Shaqiu.”
Duke Mu replied: “What kind of horse is it?”
“It is a yellow mare,” answered Nine Cornered Hillock.
Thereupon Duke Mu sent men to Shaqiu to obtain the horse. The horse, however, turned out to be a black stallion. Duke Mu was quite displeased. Summoning Bo Le, he inquired of him saying: “What a loss! The man you sent to find me a good steed cannot distinguish the color of one coat from another nor a female from a male, what could he possibly know about horses?”
Bo Le let out a long sigh and replied: “It always comes to this! This is precisely why he surpasses me by a thousand or ten thousand fold and is infinite in his capabilities. What Hillock observes is the dynamism of Heaven.91
He recognizes the refined essence and discards the dross.
He focuses on the internal and disregards the external.
He looks at what is to be seen and does not look at what is not to be seen.
He scrutinizes what is to be scrutinized and disregards what is not to be scrutinized.
It appears that what he has judged is [a quality] more precious than just a horse.”
The horse arrived and ultimately proved to be an excellent horse.92
Therefore the Laozi says:
“Great straightness is as if bent;
great skill is as if clumsy.”93 [12/111/15–25]
12.26
When Wu Qi was acting as chief minister of the state of Chu, he traveled to the state of Wei and asked Qu Yijiu:94 “The king does not know how unworthy I am and has appointed me to be chief minister. Will you, sir, please test and evaluate my [plan of] action?”
Master Qu replied: “What do you plan to do?”
Wu Qi answered: “I plan to diminish the nobility of the state of Chu and equalize the system of official salaries, decreasing the salaries of those who receive too much and increasing the salaries of those who receive too little. I plan to train and drill the armored and foot soldiers so that when the opportune time arises, they will contend for advantage with [everyone in] the world.”
Master Qu responded: “I, Yijiu, have heard that in ancient times those who excelled at governing their states did not alter precedents nor change norms. Now you plan to diminish the nobility of the state of Chu and equalize the system of official salaries, decreasing the salaries of those who receive too much and increasing the salaries of those who receive too little. This is to alter precedents and change norms. If you do this, it will not bring benefit.
“I, Yijiu, have also heard it said: ‘Anger is contrary to Potency; weapons are ill-augured instruments; and fighting is something that human beings will always avoid.’ Now you secretly conspire to oppose Potency, are fond of using ill-augured instruments, and practice what others would avoid. This is the height of perversity! Moreover,
it is not proper for you to employ the troops of Lu to realize your ambitions in Qi, and yet you do so.
It is not proper for you to employ the troops of Wei to realize your ambitions in Qin, and yet you do so.
I have further heard that if you do not harm others, then you will not bring harm on yourself. I have certainly suspected that my king has repeatedly opposed the Way of Heaven and perverted the principles of humankind. Yet, until today he has avoided harm. Oh, he must have been waiting for you!”
Wu Qi responded in alarm: “Is it still possible to change?”
Master Qu replied: “When one has already committed the crime, it is impossible to change the outcome. It would be best if you loved with sincerity and acted with genuineness.”
Therefore the Laozi says:
“Blunt the sharpness;
untangle the knots;
soften the glare;
be as dust.”95 [12/112/1–11]
12.27
Wh
en the state of Jin attacked the state of Chu, [the Jin forces] advanced three stages without stopping.96 The grand ministers [of Chu] asked the king’s permission to counterattack. King Zhuang responded: “When the former lords ruled Chu, Jin did not attack Chu. It is only during my reign that Jin has attacked Chu. I am to blame for this. How could I [attach] this disgrace to my grand ministers?”
The grand ministers answered: “When the former ministers took up their posts, Jin did not attack Chu. It is only since we have served as ministers that Jin has attacked Chu. Your ministers are to blame for this. We implore Your Majesty to counterattack.” King Zhuang bowed his head and burst into tears, soaking his collar. When he raised his head, he saluted his grand ministers.
When the people of Jin heard of this incident, they said: “The ruler and his ministers vied to take responsibility for their mistakes. Moreover, the ruler of Chu humbled himself before his ministers. We could not possibly attack such a state.” That evening the Jin troops retreated and returned home.
Therefore the Laozi says:
“One who can accept the humiliation of his state
may be called the lord of the altars of soil and grain.”97 [12/112/13–17]
12.28
During the reign of Duke Jing of Song,98 when Mars was in [the lunar lodge] Heart,99 the duke became fearful and summoned Zi Wei100 to question him, saying: “Mars is in Heart. What does it mean?”
Zi Wei responded: “Mars corresponds to the Heavenly Executioner; [the lunar lodge] Heart corresponds to the territory of Song. Disaster awaits you. Nonetheless it is possible to shift the blame to the prime minister.”
The duke replied: “The prime minister is entrusted with governing the state. If the blame is shifted to him and he is put to death, it would be unlucky. I request to take the onus on myself.”
“You can shift the blame to the people,” Zi Wei stated.
The duke responded: “If the people die, for whom would I act as lord? It would be better if I were the only one to die.”
Zi Wei responded: “Then you can shift the blame to the harvest.”101
The duke retorted: “The harvest is the people’s life. If there were a famine due to the harvest, then the people would surely die. I am the people’s lord. If I wanted to kill my people in order to survive, who would consider me a true lord? My life has certainly reached its end. Zi Wei, speak no more.”
Zi Wei turned to go. Facing north102 he bowed twice and said: “I dare to congratulate you. Even though Heaven dwells on high, [Heaven] hears what lies below. You have spoken as a true lord on three occasions, so Heaven will certainly reward you three times. This evening Mars will surely travel through three lunar lodges,103 [signaling] that you will extend your life by twenty-one years.”
The duke responded: “How is it that you know this to be the case?”
Zi Wei replied: “You have spoken as a true lord on three occasions. Therefore, you will be rewarded three times. Mars will surely travel through three lunar lodges. Each lodge traverses seven stars. Each movement of Mars corresponds to one year. Three [lunar lodges through which Mars will move] times seven [stars for each lodge] equals twenty-one. Thus, I stated that you would extend your life by twenty-one years. I beg to be allowed to kneel at your throne and wait. If Mars does not shift its location, I request the death penalty.”
The duke responded, “It is allowed.”
That very night Mars did, in fact, pass through three lunar lodges.104
Therefore the Laozi says:
“One who can accept the misfortunes of his state
may be called a king of the world.”105 [12/112/19–12/113/3]
12.29
In former times, when Gongsun Long resided in Zhao, he said to one of his disciples, “If a person has no ability, I have no interest in keeping company with him.”
A guest, clad in coarse cloth with only a rope for a belt, received an audience with Gongsun Long and said: “I can shout.”
Gongsun Long turned to his disciples and asked: “Among my disciples is there already one who can shout?”
The disciples all replied, “There is not.”
Gongsun Long responded: “Register him as a disciple.”
Several days had passed when Gongsun Long was on his way to present a persuasion to the king of Yan. When they arrived at the bank of the [Yellow] River, a ferry rested on the opposite shore. He then directed the disciple who was good at shouting to call the ferry. When he did, the ferry promptly arrived.
Thus when sages dwell in the world, they do not disregard knights who possess specific talents.
Therefore the Laozi says:
“Among men to abandon no one,
among things to abandon no thing,
this is called embracing clarity.”106 [12/113/5–9]
12.30
[The Chu general] Zifa attacked and defeated the state of Cai. King Xuan of Chu107 [traveled] to the suburbs to welcome [Zifa when he returned]. He presented him with one hundred qing of land108 and enfeoffed him as “Holder of the Jade Baton.”109 Zifa, however, declined to accept [these honors], saying:
“Governing a state and setting it in order so that the Lords of the Land will come as guests [to offer their submission] is due to the Potency of the ruler.
Issuing commands and handing down orders so that, even before your troops assemble, the enemy is routed, is due to the awesomeness of the general.
Arraying your troops in battle order and achieving victory over the enemy is due to the strength of the common people.
Taking advantage of the people’s achievements and efforts to secure rank and emoluments for oneself is not the way of Humaneness and Rightness. Thus I declined to accept [the rewards offered me].”110
Therefore the Laozi says:
“Succeed but do not dwell in it—
it is only by not dwelling in it
that [success] is not erased.”111 [12/113/11–14]
12.31
When Duke Wen of Jin attacked the city of Yuan, he agreed with his grand ministers on [a period of] three days [to capture the city]. When three days passed and Yuan did not surrender, Duke Wen ordered a retreat. A military officer said: “Yuan is sure to surrender in another day or two.”
The ruler responded: “I did not realize that it would not be possible to defeat Yuan in three days and so agreed with the grand ministers on [a period of] three days to capture the city of Yuan. Now if we do not end this campaign, even though the designated time has elapsed, it would mean forfeiting my trustworthiness to obtain Yuan. I will not do it.”
When the people of Yuan heard about this, they said: “With a ruler like this, how could we refuse to surrender?” They promptly surrendered. When the people of Wen heard about this, they also asked to surrender.112
Therefore the Laozi says:
“How dim! How obscure!
Yet within it is the Quintessence.
This essence is profoundly genuine,
for what lies within is trustworthy.113
Therefore beautiful words can buy honor,
[but] beautiful deeds can raise a man above others.114 [12/113/16–20]
12.32
Gongyi Xiu,115 the prime minister of Lu, had an insatiable craving for fish. Although everyone in the state presented him with fish, Gongyi Xiu did not accept them. His disciple asked him about it, saying: “Master, you always crave fish. Why, then, do you never accept these gifts of fish?”
He responded: “It is because I always crave fish that I do not accept the fish. If I accept the fish and am thereby dismissed from my post as minister, although I always crave fish, I will not be able to provide myself with fish. If I do not accept the fish and avoid being dismissed from office, then I will be able to supply myself with fish for a long time to come.”
This is a case of discerning the difference between acting for others and acting for oneself.116
Therefore the Laozi says:
“[Sages] put themselves last and so come first,
treat themselves as extraneous and so are preserved.
Is it not because they are selfless
that they are able to accomplish their private ends?”117
Another [passage] states:
“Know contentment
and you will not be humiliated.”118 [12/113/22–26]
12.33
An elderly man named Hu Qiu said to Sunshu Ao: “There are three things people resent. Do you know what they are?”
Sunshu Ao responded: “What do you mean?”
Hu Qiu replied:
“If your rank is high, those of low rank will envy you;
if your post is great, the ruler will detest you;
if your salary is substantial, resentment will crop up everywhere.”
Sunshu Ao commented:
“The higher my rank, the humbler my ambitions;
the greater my post, the smaller my desires;
the more substantial my salary, the more widespread my charity.
If I rely on these things to avoid the three resentments, will that do?”119
Therefore the Laozi says:
“The superior must have the inferior as its root;
the high must have the low as its base.”120 [12/113/28–12/114/3]
12.34
The forger of battle hooks121 for the minister of war was already eighty years old but had not lost the sharp edge of his battle hooks. The minister of war asked him, “Is it just a matter of skill? Or do you possess the Way?”
He replied, “It is that I have something to which I hold exclusively. By the time I was twenty, I [already] liked to forge hooks. I did not look at anything else. If it was not a hook, I did not pay any attention to it.”
Thus using something must depend on not using something, and in this way its usefulness is maintained. This is even truer if there is nothing that one does not use. Which things, then, would not be equal [to all other things]?
Therefore the Laozi says:
“Those who manage their affairs according to the Way
identify with the Way.”122 [12/114/5–8]
12.35
King Wen tempered his Moral Potency and consolidated his government so that within three years, two-thirds of the world submitted to his rule. [The tyrant] Djou learned of this and grew fearful, saying: “Rising early and retiring late, I strive to compete with him and so exhaust my mind and weary my body. Yet if I relax my vigilance, I fear that he will attack me.”