Follow us on Facebook to receive important updates Follow us on Twitter to receive important updates Follow us on sina.com's microblogging site to receive important updates Follow us on Douban to receive important updates
Chinese Text Project
Simplified Chinese version
Back Forward
Legalism -> Shang Jun Shu -> Calculation of Land -> 2

In administering a state therefore, and in disposing of its territory,
to populate the mountains and forests with a tenth of the people,
the marshes and moors with a tenth,
the valleys, dales and streams with a tenth,
cities, towns and highways with four tenths
was the correct rule of the former kings.
In administering a state, therefore, and in dividing arable land,
if a minimum of 500 mu is sufficient to support one soldier,
it is not making proper use of the land.
But if a territory of 100 square li
supports 10,000 soldiers for war as a minimum,
then it shows that the cultivated land is sufficient to nourish its population,
that cities, towns and highways are sufficient to accommodate their inhabitants,
that mountains and forests, marshes and moors, valleys and dales, are sufficient to provide profit,
and that marshes and moors, dykes and embankments are sufficient for grazing.
Therefore, when the army marches out
and grain is given them, there is still a surplus of riches;
when the army is resting
and the people at work, the cattle are always sufficient.
This is said to be the rule for making use of the land and for supporting soldiers.


Enjoy this site? Please help.Site design and content copyright 2006-2024. When quoting or citing information from this site, please link to the corresponding page or to https://ctext.org/ens. Please note that the use of automatic download software on this site is strictly prohibited, and that users of such software are automatically banned without warning to save bandwidth. 沪ICP备09015720号-3Comments? Suggestions? Please raise them here.