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Mohism -> Mozi -> Book 2 -> Exaltation of the Virtuous II -> 2

When the virtuous rules the country,
退 he starts the day early and retires late,
hearing lawsuits and attending to the government.
As a result, the country is well governed and laws are justly administered.
When the virtuous administers the court he retires late and wakes up early,
collecting taxes from passes, markets, and on products from mountains, woods, waters, and land
to fill the court.
As a result, the court is filled and wealth is not wasted.
When the virtuous manages the districts,
he goes out before sunrise and comes back after sunset,
plowing and sowing, planting and cultivating, and gathering harvests of grains.
As a result, grains are in plenty and people are sufficiently supplied with food.
Therefore when the country is well governed the laws are well administered, and when the court is filled the people are wealthy.
For the higher sphere, the rulers had wherewith to make wine and cakes
to do sacrifice and libation to Heaven and the spirits.
For the countries outside, they had wherewith to provide the furs and money
诸侯 to befriend neighbouring feudal lords.
For the people within, they had wherewith to feed the hungry and give rest to the tired.
怀天下Above all these, they had means to cherish the virtuous.
Therefore from above, Heaven and the spirits enrich them
诸侯from without, the feudal lords submit themselves to them
from within, the people show them affection,
and the virtuous become loyal to them.
Hence they could have satisfaction in planning
and success in execution.
In defence they are strong
and in attack victorious.
天下诸侯Now the way that enabled the sage-kings of the Three Dynasties, namely Yao, Shun, Yu, Tang, Wen and Wu, to rule the empire and head the feudal lords was no other than this (principle of exaltation of the virtuous).


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