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天設日月，列星辰，調陰陽，張四時，日以暴之，夜以息之，風以幹之，雨露以濡之。其生物也，莫見其所養而物長；其殺物也，莫見其所喪而物亡。此之謂神明。聖人象之，故其起福也，不見其所由而福起；其除禍也，不見其所以而禍除。遠之則邇，延之則疏；稽之弗得，察之不虛；日計無算，歲計有餘。夫濕之至也，莫見其形而炭已重矣；風之至也，莫見其象而木已動矣。日之行也，不見其移；騏驥倍日而馳，草木為之靡；縣烽未轉，而日在其前。故天之且風，草木未動而鳥已翔矣；其且雨也，陰曀未集而魚已噞矣。以陰陽之氣相動也。 |
| | Heaven established the sun and moon, arranged the stars and constellations, regulated yin and yang, set in order the four seasons; by day it exposes things to the sun, by night allows them rest; wind dries them, while rain and dew moisten them. In bringing forth life, Heaven does not reveal where it is nurtured yet all things grow; In destroying things, Heaven does not show where they are lost yet all things perish. This is called the divine and sage. The sage emulates this; thus, when he brings about blessings, no one sees their origin yet blessings arise; When he removes calamities, no one knows how it is done yet calamities are dispelled. Move away from it and it becomes near; extend toward it and it becomes distant; Investigate it and you cannot grasp it, examine it and there is no emptiness; Daily calculations are innumerable, yet annual accounts have more than enough. gaard When dampness arrives, no one sees its form yet charcoal is already heavy; When wind arrives, no one perceives its appearance yet trees are already moving. The sun's movement cannot be seen to shift; Even a Qiji (a swift horse) doubling the speed of the sun would gallop, and grasses and trees would bend because of it; Before the beacon could be raised, the sun is already before it. Therefore, when Heaven is about to send wind, grasses and trees have not yet moved but birds are already flying; When rain is about to come, the dark clouds have not yet gathered but fish are already gasping at the water's surface. This is because yin and yang energies influence each other.
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故寒暑燥濕，以類相從；聲響疾徐，以音應也。故《》曰：「」高宗諒暗，三年不言，四海之內寂然無聲；一言聲然，大動天下。是以天心呿唫者也，故一動其本而百枝皆應，若春雨之灌萬物也，渾然而流，沛然而施，無地而不澍，無物而不生。故聖人者懷天心，聲然能動化天下者也。故精誠感於內，形氣動於天，則景星見，黃龍下，祥鳳至，醴泉出，嘉穀生，河不滿溢，海不溶波。故《》云：「懷柔百神，及河嶠嶽。」逆天暴物，則日月薄蝕，五星失行，四時幹乖，晝冥宵光，山崩川涸，冬雷夏霜。《》曰：「」天之與人，有以相通也。 |
| | Therefore, cold and heat, dryness and dampness follow their respective categories; Sounds, echoes, quick or slow movements respond in accordance with tones. Hence the Yijing says: "A craning heron calls from the shade, and its young respond to it." Gaozong observed a period of mourning in silence, speaking not at all for three years; within the four seas there was complete silence; One word spoken suddenly stirred the whole world. Therefore, the will of Heaven opens and closes like a breath; thus, when its root is stirred once, all branches respond. Like spring rain nourishing all things, it flows as one, pouring down abundantly, reaching no place without watering it, bringing forth life in nothing that exists. Therefore, the sage carries within himself the will of Heaven; with a single word he is able to stir and transform the world. Therefore, when sincerity and earnestness are felt within, the form and energy move Heaven; then auspicious stars appear, yellow dragons descend, sacred phoenixes arrive, sweet springs emerge, excellent grains grow, rivers do not overflow, and seas do not surge with waves. Hence the Shijing says: "Cultivate gentleness toward all deities, reaching the rivers and mountains." To defy Heaven and mistreat things causes the sun and moon to be eclipsed, the Five Planets to lose their courses, the four seasons to become disordered, daylight to darken while night shines, mountains to collapse and rivers to dry up, thunder in winter and frost in summer. The Shijing says: "In the first month heavy frost falls; my heart is filled with sorrow." Heaven and humanity are connected in some way.
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故國危亡而天文變，世惑亂而虹霓現，萬物有以相連，精祲有以相蕩也。故神明之事，不可以智巧為也，不可以筋力致也。天地所包，陰陽所嘔，雨露所濡，化生萬物，瑤碧玉珠，翡翠玳瑁，文彩明朗，潤澤若濡，摩而不玩，外而不渝，奚仲不能旅，魯般不能造，此謂之大巧。宋人有以象為其君為楮葉者，三年而成，莖柯豪芒，鋒殺顏澤，亂之楮葉之中而不可知也。列子曰：「使天地三年而成一葉，則萬物之有葉者寡矣。夫天地之施化也，嘔之而生，吹之而落，豈此契契哉！」故凡可度者，小也；可數者，少也。至大，非度所能及也，至眾，非數所能領也。故九州不可頃畝也，八極不可道里也，太山不可丈尺也，江海不可鬥斛也。 |
| | Therefore, when a state is in peril and about to fall, celestial phenomena change; when the world is confused and chaotic, rainbows appear. All things are connected in some way, and subtle energies influence each other accordingly. Therefore, matters of the divine and sage cannot be achieved through wisdom or cleverness, nor can they be attained by physical strength alone. All things enclosed within Heaven and Earth, vomited forth by yin and yang, moistened by rain and dew, transformed into myriad forms of life—jade-like gems, emeralds, tortoiseshell, adorned with bright colors and clear patterns, smooth and lustrous as if wet—handled yet not worn, outwardly unchanging. Even Xizhong could not travel them, Lu Ban could not create them; this is called great skillfulness. A man from Song made for his ruler a leaf of ivory resembling the paper mulberry, taking three years to complete. Its stalks, branches, fine hairs and edges were so sharp and lifelike in color that when mixed among real paper mulberry leaves, it could not be distinguished. Liezi said: "If Heaven and Earth required three years to produce a single leaf, then among all things there would be few that have leaves. The transformation and nurturing of Heaven and Earth bring forth life by vomiting it into being, blow it away to fall; how could such things require so much painstaking effort!" Therefore, whatever can be measured is small; whatever can be counted is few. The greatest cannot be reached by measurement, the most numerous cannot be grasped by counting. Therefore, the Nine Provinces cannot be measured in qing and mou (units of land), the Eight Extremes cannot be expressed in li (miles) or ri (days' journey), Mount Tai cannot be measured in zhang or chi (units of length), and rivers and seas cannot be quantified in dou or hu (units of volume).
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故大人者，與天地合德，日月合明，鬼神合靈，與四時合信。故聖人懷天氣，抱天心，執中含和，不下廟堂而衍四海，變習易俗，民化而遷善，若性諸己，能以神化也。《》云：「」夫鬼神視之無形，聽之無聲，然而郊天、望山川，禱祠而求福，雩兌而請雨，卜筮而決事。《》云：「」此之謂也。天致其高，地致其厚，月照其夜，日照其晝，陰陽化，列星朗，非其道而物自然。故陰陽四時，非生萬物也；雨露時降，非養草木也。神明接，陰陽和，而萬物生矣。故高山深林，非為虎豹也；大木茂枝，非為飛鳥也；流源千里，淵深百仞，非為蛟龍也。致其高崇，成其廣大，山居木棲，巢枝穴藏，水潛陸行，各得其所寧焉。 |
| | Therefore, the great person unites virtue with Heaven and Earth, brightness with sun and moon, spiritual power with ghosts and spirits, and trustworthiness with the four seasons. Therefore, the sage embraces Heaven's breath and carries Heaven's will within him; holding to the central path and containing harmony, he does not descend from his hall yet extends influence across the four seas. He transforms habits and customs, guiding people toward virtue as if it were their own nature—this is the power of spiritual transformation. The Shijing says: "Heaven's spirit hears it, and in the end harmony and peace are achieved." Ghosts and spirits appear formless when seen, soundless when heard; yet people offer sacrifices to Heaven in the suburbs, look toward mountains and rivers in reverence, pray at altars for blessings, perform rituals of rain prayer on Yu Day, and consult divination to decide affairs. The Shijing says: "When the divine descends, it cannot be measured; how much less can one dare to oppose it." This is what is meant. Heaven attains its height, Earth its depth; the moon shines through the night, the sun through the day. Yin and yang transform, stars shine clearly—without their own effort, things arise naturally. Therefore, yin and yang and the four seasons do not themselves give birth to myriad things; rain and dew falling in season do not intentionally nourish grasses and trees. When the divine connects, yin and yang harmonize, then myriad things are born. Therefore, high mountains and deep forests do not exist for tigers and leopards; tall trees with lush branches are not for the sake of flying birds; flowing rivers stretching thousands of li, deep pools hundreds of ren in depth, do not exist solely for dragons. They attain their height and grandeur, forming vast expanses; mountains house the trees that dwell there, birds nest in branches while beasts hide in dens. Some live beneath water, others travel on land—each finds its place of peace.
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夫大生小，多生少，天之道也。故丘阜不能生雲雨，滎水不能生魚鱉者，小也。牛馬之氣蒸，生蟣虱；蟣虱之氣蒸，不能生牛馬。故化生於外，非生於內也。夫蛟龍伏寢於淵，而卵割於陵。螣蛇雄鳴於上風，雌鳴於下風而化成形，精之至也。故聖人養心，莫善於誠，至誠而能動化矣。今夫道者，藏精於內，棲神於心，靜漠恬淡，訟繆胸中，邪氣無所留滯，四枝節族，毛蒸理泄，則機樞調利，百脈九竅莫不順比，其所居神者得其位也，豈節拊而毛修之哉！ |
| | The great gives rise to the small; the many give rise to the few—this is the way of Heaven. Therefore, low hills cannot produce clouds and rain, shallow waters cannot give birth to fish or turtles—because they are small. lø The breath of oxen and horses rises, giving rise to lice; the breath of lice rising cannot give birth to oxen or horses. Therefore, transformation and generation arise from the external, not from within. The dragon lies hidden in deep pools, yet its egg is laid on a hill. The tenger snake calls from the upwind side; the female responds from downwind, and thus takes form—this is the utmost refinement of essence. Therefore, in cultivating the mind, nothing is better for the sage than sincerity; ultimate sincerity can move and transform things. Now, as for the Dao, it stores essence within and houses spirit in the mind. Quiet and tranquil, free from agitation or confusion, evil energies have nowhere to linger. The four limbs and joints, hair follicles and pores are all unobstructed; thus the pivot of movement is harmonious and smooth, and all hundred meridians and nine orifices function in order. This is because the spirit resides properly—how could this be achieved by merely massaging the joints or grooming the hair!
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聖主在上，廓然無形，寂然無聲，官府若無事，朝廷若無人。無隱士，無軼民，無勞役，無冤刑，四海之內，莫不仰上之德，象主之指，夷狄之國，重譯而至，非戶辯而家說之也，推其誠心，施之天下而已矣。《》曰：「」內順而外寧矣。太王亶父處邠，狄人攻之，杖策而去。百姓攜幼扶老，負釜甑，逾梁山，而國乎岐周，非令之所能召也。秦穆公為野人食駿馬肉之傷也，飲之美酒，韓之戰，以其死力報，非券之所責也。密子治亶父，巫馬期往觀化焉，見夜漁者，得小即釋之，非刑之所能禁也。孔子為魯司寇，道不拾遺，市買不豫賈，田漁皆讓長，而斑白不戴負，非法之所能致也。 |
| | When a sage ruler is above, he appears vast and formless, silent and soundless; government offices seem to have no affairs, the court as if empty of people. There are no hidden sages, no lawless people, no burdensome labor, no unjust punishments. Within the four seas, none do not look up to the virtue of their ruler and emulate his guidance; even distant barbarian states arrive through multiple interpreters—not because every household is persuaded or every family explained—but simply by spreading sincere intent throughout the world. The Shijing says: "Grace this central land, to pacify all quarters." When the inner is harmonious, the outer becomes peaceful. Taiwang Danfu resided in Bin; when Di people attacked him, he took up his staff and left. The common people carried the young and supported the elderly, bearing cooking pots and steamers, crossing Liangshan Mountain to establish a state in Qi Zhou—not by orders could they be summoned. When Duke Mu of Qin learned that the common people had injured themselves eating horse meat, he gave them fine wine to drink. In the Battle of Han, they returned with their utmost strength—not because it was demanded by contract. Mi Zi governed Danfu; Wuma Qi went to observe the transformation. He saw a night fisherman who released any small fish caught—this was not achieved by legal prohibitions alone. Confucius served as Kuo of Lu; along the roads, no one picked up lost items, in markets goods were sold without haggling, farmers and fishermen all yielded to elders, and gray-haired people did not carry burdens—this was not accomplished by law alone.
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夫矢之所以射遠貫牢者，弩力也；其所以中的剖微者，正心也；賞善罰暴者，政令也；其所以能行者，精誠也。故弩雖強，不能獨中；令雖明，不能獨行；必自精氣所以與之施道。故攄道以被民，而民弗從者，誠心弗施也。天地四時，非生萬物也，神明接，陰陽和，而萬物生之。聖人之治天下，非易民性也，拊循其所有而滌蕩之，故因則大，化則細矣。禹鑿龍門，辟伊闕，決江濬河，東注之海，因水之流也。後稷墾草發菑，糞土樹穀，使五種各得其宜，因地之勢也。湯、武革車三百乘，甲卒三千人，討暴亂，制夏、商，因民之欲也。故能因，則無敵於天下矣。夫物有以自然，而後人事有治也。故良匠不能斫金，巧冶不能鑠木，金之勢不可斫；而木性不可鑠也。埏埴而為器，窬木而為舟，鑠鐵而為刃，鑄金而為鍾，因其可也。駕馬服牛，令雞司夜，令狗守門，因其自然也。民有好色之性，故有大婚之禮；有飲食之性，故有大饗之誼；有喜樂之性，故有鐘鼓管弦之音；有悲哀之性，故有衰絰哭踴之節。故先王之制法也，因民之所好而為之節文者也。因其好色而制婚姻之禮，故男女有別；因其喜音而正《雅》、《》之聲，故風俗不流；因其甯家室、樂妻子，教之以順，故父子有親；因其喜朋友而教之以悌，故長幼有序。然後修朝聘以明貴賤，饗飲習射以明長幼，時搜振旅以慣用兵也，入學庠序以修人倫。此皆人之所有於性，而聖人之所匠成也。 |
| | The reason an arrow can fly far and penetrate solid objects is the power of the crossbow; the reason it hits its target precisely, even at a distance or through subtle obstructions, is due to an upright mind; rewarding the virtuous and punishing the violent are matters of government orders; the reason they can be carried out is sincerity. Therefore, though the crossbow may be strong, it cannot hit on its own; though orders may be clear, they cannot take effect alone; they must be combined with refined spirit and energy to apply the Dao. Therefore, if one proclaims the Dao to the people yet they do not follow, it is because sincerity has not been extended. Heaven and Earth with their four seasons do not themselves create myriad things; when the divine connects, yin-yang harmonize, and myriad things arise. The sage governing the world does not change human nature; he gently nurtures what they already have and purifies it. Therefore, by following nature things become great, but through transformation they become refined. Yu the Great chiseled open Longmen and carved out Yiqu, cleared the Yangtze and dredged the Yellow River, directing their waters eastward into the sea—following the natural flow of water. Houji cultivated wasteland and opened up fields, enriched the soil to plant grains, enabling the five crops to thrive in their suitable conditions—according to the terrain's nature. Tang and Wu each led three hundred chariots, three thousand armored soldiers to punish violence and chaos, overthrowing Xia and Shang—following the people's desires. Therefore, one who can follow nature will have no equal in the world. Things must first possess their own natural state before human affairs can be properly managed. Therefore, a skilled craftsman cannot carve metal, an ingenious metallurgist cannot melt wood—because the nature of metal does not allow it to be carved; the nature of wood does not permit it to be melted. Kneading clay into vessels, hollowing wood into boats, melting iron into blades, casting metal into bells—this is following what is possible. Harness horses and yoke oxen; command chickens to keep watch at night, dogs to guard the gate—this follows their natural inclinations. People have a nature for affection and love, hence there is the great marriage rite; they possess a nature to eat and drink, hence there are grand banquets of courtesy; they have a nature for joy and happiness, hence the music of bells, drums, flutes, and strings exists; they possess a nature for sorrow and grief, hence there are mourning rites with hemp garments, cords, weeping, and dancing. Therefore, the laws established by ancient kings were expressions of restraint and formality based on what people naturally favored. By following their love for affection they established marriage rites; thus, distinctions between men and women are made clear; by following their fondness for music they regulated the tones of "Ya" and "Song," hence customs do not become corrupt; by following their desire to dwell in homes and take joy in spouses and children, they taught them filial respect—thus father and son are affectionate; by following their fondness for friends and teaching them brotherly respect, thus the young and old maintain order. Only then did they establish court visits to clarify rank and status, banquets and archery practices to distinguish the young from the old, seasonal military drills to accustom people to warfare, and schools and academies to cultivate human relationships. All these are inherent in human nature, yet they were shaped and perfected by sage rulers.
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故無其性，不可教訓；有其性，無其養，不能遵道。繭之性為絲，然非得工女煮以熱湯而抽其統紀，則不能成絲；卵之化為雛，非慈雌嘔暖覆伏，累日積久，則不能為雛；人之性有仁義之資，非聖人為之法度而教導之，則不可使向方。故先王之教也，因其所喜以勸善，因其所惡以禁奸。故刑罰不用，而威行如流；政令約省，而化耀如神。故因其性則天下聽從，拂其性則法縣而不用。昔者，五帝三王之蒞政施教，必用參五。何謂參五？仰取象於天，俯取度於地，中取法於人，乃立明堂之朝，行明堂之令，以調陰陽之氣，以和四時之節，以辟疾病之菑。俯視地理，以制度量，察陵陸水澤肥墽高下之宜，立事生財，以除饑寒之患。中考乎人德，以制禮樂，行仁義之道，以治人倫而除暴亂之禍。乃澄列金木水火土之性，故立父子之親而成家；別清濁五音六律相生之數，以立君臣之義而成國；察四時季孟之序，以立長幼之禮而成官。此之謂參。制君臣之義，父子之親，夫婦之辨，長幼之序，朋友之際，此之謂五。乃裂地而州之，分職而治之，築城而居之，割宅而異之，分財而衣食之，立大學而教誨之，夙興夜寐而勞力之。此治之綱紀也。 |
| | Therefore, without such innate dispositions, one cannot be taught or trained; having the nature but lacking cultivation, one cannot follow the Way. Silkworms have a nature to produce silk; yet without skilled women boiling them in hot water and drawing out the threads, they cannot become usable silk; an egg's transformation into a chick requires not only the mother bird's warmth and constant brooding over many days, otherwise it cannot become a chick; human nature contains the potential for benevolence and righteousness, yet without sages establishing laws and teaching them, people cannot be guided toward virtue. Therefore, the teachings of ancient kings encouraged goodness by following what people liked and prohibited evil deeds by addressing what they disliked. Thus, punishments were not needed, yet authority flowed like a river; government decrees were concise and minimal, yet transformation shone forth as if by divine power. Therefore, when laws followed human nature, the whole world obeyed; but when they went against it, even established laws were ignored and left unused. In ancient times, whenever the Five Emperors and Three Kings governed and taught the people, they necessarily employed the principle of "sanwu." What is meant by "sanwu"? It means to look upward and take patterns from Heaven, downward and measure standards from Earth, inwardly follow the principles of humanity; thus they established the Hall of Brightness for court affairs, issued decrees in accordance with its rites, to regulate yin-yang energies, harmonize the four seasons' rhythms, and prevent calamities caused by disease. By observing the geography below, they established systems of measurement; by examining mountains, plains, rivers, lakes, fertile fields, and elevations to determine suitability, they organized affairs and generated wealth in order to eliminate the hardships of hunger and cold. By examining human virtue, they established rites and music; by practicing the Way of benevolence and righteousness, they governed human relationships and eliminated disasters caused by violence and chaos. Thus, by clarifying the natures of metal, wood, water, fire, and earth, they established filial relationships between father and son to form a family; by distinguishing the five tones and six pitch-pipes, their intergenerative numbers in clarity and turbidity, they established the righteousness between ruler and minister to form a state; by observing the sequence of the four seasons—early, middle, and late—they established rites for the young and old to create government offices. This is what is meant by "san." Establishing the righteousness between ruler and subject, the affection between father and son, the distinctions between husband and wife, the order of seniority and juniority, and the relationships among friends—this is what is meant by "wu." Thus, they divided the land into provinces, assigned duties for governance, built cities for residence, allocated homes to distinguish people, distributed wealth for clothing and food, established great schools for teaching and instruction, and worked diligently from early morning until late at night. These are the fundamental principles of governance.
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然得其人則舉，失其人則廢。堯治天下，政教平，德潤洽，在位七十載，乃求所屬天下之統，令四嶽揚側陋。四嶽舉舜而薦之堯。堯乃妻以二女，以觀其內；任以百官，以觀其外。既入大麓，烈風雷雨而不迷，乃屬以九子，贈以昭華之玉，而傳天下焉。以為雖有法度，而朱弗能統也。夫物未嘗有張而不馳，成而不毀者也。惟聖人能盛而不衰，盈而不虧。神農之初作琴也，以歸神；及其淫也，反其天心。夔之初作樂也，皆合六律而調五音，以通八風；及其衰也，以沉湎淫康，不顧政治，至於滅亡。蒼頡之初作書，以辯治百官，領理萬事，愚者得以不忘，智者得以志遠；至其衰也，為奸刻偽書，以解有罪，以殺不辜。湯之初作囿也，以奉宗廟鮮犞之具，簡士卒，習射御，以戒不虞；及至其衰也，馳騁獵射，以奪民時，疲民之力。堯之舉禹、契、後稷、皋陶，政教平，奸宄息，獄訟止而衣食足，賢者勸善而不肖者懷其德；及至其末，朋黨比周，各推其與，廢公趨私，內外相推舉，奸人在朝，而賢者隱處。 |
| | Yet with the right people, these measures succeed; without them, they fall into disuse. When Yao ruled the world, his government and teachings were balanced, his virtue moistened all quarters. Having held office for seventy years, he sought a successor to inherit the empire's authority and ordered the Four Mountains to recommend obscure but virtuous individuals. The Four Mountains recommended Shun to Yao. Yao then gave him his two daughters in marriage, to observe his conduct within the household; he appointed him to oversee a hundred officials, to observe his behavior outside. After entering the great forest, Shun remained unconfused even in fierce winds and thunderstorms. Yao then entrusted him with his nine sons, gave him the jade of Zhaohua, and passed on the empire to him. This was because although there were laws and systems, Zhu could not manage them. Things in the world have never existed that are stretched taut without relaxing or completed without being destroyed. Only sages can remain flourishing without decline, full without loss. When Shennong first made the qin (a zither-like instrument), it was to return the spirit; but when its use became excessive, it turned away from the natural heart. When Kuai first created music, he combined the six pitch-pipes and harmonized the five tones to communicate with the eight winds; but when it declined, people indulged in excessive pleasure, neglecting state affairs, leading ultimately to their downfall. When Cangjie first created writing, it was used to distinguish and manage government officials, organize myriad affairs; the foolish could thus remember things, while the wise could pursue lofty aspirations; but in its decline, it was used for forging fraudulent documents to absolve the guilty and execute the innocent. When Tang first established hunting parks, it was to provide fresh sacrificial offerings for ancestral temples, select soldiers, and practice archery and chariot driving as a precaution against unforeseen dangers; but in its decline, people raced about hunting and shooting, seizing the people's time and exhausting their strength. When Yao appointed Yu, Xie, Houji, and Gao Tao, government and education were balanced; evildoers ceased their activities, lawsuits ended, and clothing and food became sufficient. The virtuous were encouraged to do good while the unworthy cherished his virtue; but by its end, factions formed and cliques arose; each recommended their own allies, abandoning public interests for private gain. Inside and outside the court promoted one another, evildoers occupied official positions while virtuous people withdrew into seclusion.
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| | 泰族訓: |
故《》之失也，卦；《》之失也，敷；樂之失也，淫；《》之失也，辟；禮之失也，責；《春秋》之失也，刺。天地之道，極則反，盈則損。五色雖朗，有時而渝；茂木豐草，有時而落；物有隆殺，不得自若。故聖人事窮而更為，法弊而改制，非樂變古易常也，將以救敗扶衰，黜淫濟非，以調天地之氣，順萬物之宜也。聖人天覆地載，日月照，陰陽調，四時化，萬物不同，無故無新，無疏無親，故能法天。天不一時，地不一利，人不一事，是以緒業不得不多端，趨行不得不殊方。五行異氣而皆適調，六藝異科而皆同道。溫惠柔良者，《》之風也；淳龐敦厚者，《》之教也；清明條達者，《》之義也；恭儉尊讓者，禮之為也；寬裕簡易者，樂之化也；刺幾辯義者，《春秋》之靡也。故《》之失，鬼；樂之失，淫；《》之失，愚；《》之失，拘；禮之失，忮；《春秋》之失，訾。六者，聖人兼用而財制之。失本則亂，得本則治。其美在和，其失在權。 |
| | Therefore, the failure of the "Yi Jing" lies in its hexagrams; the failure of the "Shu Jing" lies in its elaboration; the failure of music lies in excess; the failure of the "Shi Jing" lies in deviation; the failure of rites lies in excessive demands; the failure of the "Chunqiu" lies in censure. The Way of Heaven and Earth is such that when something reaches its extreme, it turns back; when full, it suffers loss. Though the five colors are bright, they will fade with time; lush trees and abundant grasses, though flourishing, will fall at times; All things have periods of growth and decline, and cannot remain unchanged. Therefore, sages, when circumstances reach an impasse, create new measures; when laws become corrupt, they reform the system. This is not for the joy of changing antiquity or altering established norms, but to rescue failure and support decline, to suppress excess and assist what is wronged, in order to regulate the energies of Heaven and Earth and harmonize with the proper conditions of all things. Sages, like Heaven covering and Earth bearing all things, are illuminated by the sun and moon; they regulate yin and yang, transform with the four seasons. Though myriad things differ, there is no distinction between old or new, distant or close—thus sages can emulate Heaven. Heaven does not have a single time, Earth does not offer uniform benefits, and people do not engage in identical tasks. Therefore, endeavors cannot help but take many forms, and paths of action inevitably differ in direction. The Five Elements have different energies yet all harmonize; the Six Arts belong to distinct categories yet share a common Way. Those who are warm, kind, gentle, and virtuous embody the spirit of the "Shi Jing"; those who are sincere, broad-minded, and earnest follow the teachings of the "Shu Jing"; those who are clear-sighted and logically coherent embody the principles of the "Yi Jing"; those who are respectful, frugal, reverent, and yielding follow the practices of rites; those who are broad-minded and simple in manner embody the influence of music; those who criticize subtly and distinguish right from wrong follow the style of the "Chunqiu." Therefore, the failure in the "Yi Jing" lies in superstition; the failure in music lies in excess; the failure in the "Shi Jing" lies in foolishness; the failure in the "Shu Jing" lies in rigidity; the failure in rites lies in jealousy; the failure in the "Chunqiu" lies in censure. These six, sages use together and regulate according to circumstances. Losing the root leads to chaos; grasping the root brings order. Their excellence lies in harmony, their failure in misuse of authority.
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水火金木土穀，異物而皆任；規矩權衡準繩，異形而皆施；丹青膠漆，不同而皆用，各有所適，物各有宜。輪圓輿方，轅從衡橫，勢施便也；驂欲馳，服欲步，帶不厭新，鉤不厭故，處地宜也。《關睢》興於鳥，而君子美之，為其雌雄之不乖居也；《鹿鳴》興于獸，君子大之，取其見食而相呼也；泓之戰，軍敗君獲，而《春秋》大之，取其不鼓不成列也；宋伯姬坐燒而死，《春秋》大之，取其不逾禮而行也。成功立事，豈足多哉！方指所言而取一概焉爾。王喬、赤松，去塵埃之間，離群慝之紛，吸陰陽之和，食天地之精，呼而出故，吸而入新，虛輕舉，乘雲遊霧，可謂養性矣，而未可謂孝子也。周公誅管叔、蔡叔，以平國弭亂，可謂忠臣也，而未可謂弟也。湯放桀，武王伐紂，以為天下去殘除賊，可謂惠君，而未可謂忠臣矣。樂羊攻中山未能下，中山烹其子，而食之以示威，可謂良將，而未可謂慈父也。 |
| | Water, fire, metal, wood, earth, and grain are different substances yet all serve a purpose; compasses, rulers, scales, weights, plumb lines, and measuring cords have different forms yet are all applied; cinnabar, blue dyes, glue, and lacquer differ in nature yet are all used—each has its proper application, each thing has its suitable use. The wheel is round, the carriage body square; the pole follows and the crossbar extends—this arrangement suits practical convenience; The side horses want to gallop, while the leading ones prefer a steady pace; harnesses are not tired of being new, and hooks do not tire of being old—this depends on suitability for their place. "The Guan Ju" draws inspiration from birds, and gentlemen praise it because the male and female do not separate in their dwelling; "The Lu Ming" draws inspiration from beasts, and gentlemen greatly value it for depicting how they call to one another when feeding; At the Battle of Hong, the army was defeated and the ruler captured, yet the "Chunqiu" greatly praises it for adhering to the principle of not attacking an enemy that has not formed its ranks; Song Boji perished by burning while seated, yet the "Chunqiu" greatly praises her for not violating rites in her actions. Establishing achievements and accomplishing deeds—how could such things be numerous! Only by pointing to a specific example can one grasp a general principle. Wang Qiao and Chi Song left the dust of the world, escaped from the turmoil of wicked crowds, inhaled the harmony of yin and yang, consumed the essence of Heaven and Earth. They exhaled the old and inhaled the new; light and empty, they ascended on clouds and traveled through mist. One might say this is cultivating nature, but it cannot be called filial devotion. Zhou Gong executed Guanshu and Caishu to pacify the state and quell rebellion; one might call him a loyal minister, but he cannot be called a devoted younger brother. Tang deposed Jie, and King Wu of Zhou attacked Zhou, believing they were removing a tyrant and eliminating a bandit for the people. One might call them benevolent rulers, but not loyal ministers. Yueyang attacked Zhongshan and failed to capture it; the people of Zhongshan boiled his son, served him the meat as a display of resolve. One might call Yueyang an excellent general, but not a compassionate father.
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| | 泰族訓: |
故可乎可，而不可乎不可；不可乎不可，而可乎可。舜、許由異行而皆聖，伊尹、伯夷異道而皆仁，箕子、比干異趨而皆賢。故用兵者，或輕或重，或貪或廉，此四者相反，而不可一無也。輕者欲發，重者欲止，貪者欲取，廉者不利非其有。故勇者可令進鬥，而不可令持牢；重者可令埴固，而不可令淩敵；貪者可令進取，而不可令守職；廉者可令守分，而不可令進取；信者可令持約，而不可令應變。五者相反，聖人兼用而財使之。夫天地不包一物，陰陽不生一類。海不讓水潦以成其大，山不讓土石以成其高。夫守一隅而遺萬方，取一物而棄其餘，則所得者鮮矣，而所治者淺矣。 |
| | Therefore, what is acceptable should be accepted, and what is unacceptable should not be accepted; what is unacceptable must remain so, while what is acceptable may proceed. Shun and Xu You had different conduct yet were both sages; Yi Yin and Bo Yi followed different paths yet were equally benevolent; Ji Zi and Bi Gan pursued different directions yet were both virtuous. Therefore, in the use of military forces, some may be light or heavy-handed, greedy or upright. These four traits are opposite yet none can entirely be absent. The light-hearted wish to act quickly, the heavy-handed desire to hold back; the greedy seek to take, while the upright do not benefit from what is not theirs. Therefore, the brave can be ordered to advance and fight, but cannot be relied upon to hold a position firmly; the steady can be entrusted with holding ground solidly, but should not be sent to confront the enemy directly; the greedy can be ordered to seize opportunities, but cannot be trusted to remain in their posts; the upright can be relied upon to guard their responsibilities, but should not be ordered to take the initiative. The trustworthy can be entrusted with keeping agreements, but cannot be expected to adapt to changing circumstances. These five traits are opposite; sages use them all and employ them appropriately according to the situation. Heaven and Earth do not encompass a single thing, yin and yang do not produce one kind alone. The sea does not reject small streams to achieve its vastness; the mountain does not refuse soil and stones to attain its height. To hold fast to one corner while abandoning the ten thousand directions, to take one thing and discard the rest—then what is gained will be meager, and what is governed will be shallow.
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治大者道不可以小，地廣者制不可以狹，位高者事不可以煩，民眾者教不可以苛。夫事碎難治也，法煩難行也，求多難澹也。寸而度之，至丈必差；銖而稱之，至石必過。石稱丈量，徑而寡失；簡絲數米，煩而不察。故大較易為智，曲辯難為慧。故無益於治，而有益於煩者，聖人不為；無益于用，而有益於費者，智者弗行也。故功不厭約，事不厭省，求不厭寡。功約，易成也；事省，易治也；求寡，易澹也。眾易之，于以任人，易矣。孔子曰：「小辯破言，小利破義，小藝破道，小見不達，必簡。」河以逶蛇，故能遠；山以陵遲，故能高；陰陽無為，故能和；道以優遊，故能化。 |
| | To govern a great realm, the way cannot be petty; to rule over vast territory, governance cannot be narrow. To hold a high position, affairs must not become burdensome; with many people under one's care, instruction must not be harsh. Affairs that are fragmented are difficult to govern; laws that are complicated are hard to enforce; desires that are numerous make it hard to remain tranquil. Measured in inches, by the time one reaches a zhang (十尺), there will inevitably be an error; measured in zhu, when reaching a dan (石) it must exceed. Using the measure of dan and zhang directly results in fewer errors; To count threads and grains of rice is to be overly meticulous yet fail to discern the whole. Therefore, grasping the general outlines is easier for wisdom; intricate arguments are difficult for insight. Thus, if something brings no benefit to governance yet increases complexity, sages will not do it; if it is of no use but causes expense, the wise will not act upon it. Therefore, achievements are never exhausted by simplicity; affairs are never burdened by reduction; desires are never unfulfilled by fewness. Simple goals are easily accomplished; fewer affairs, easier to govern; few desires, easy to remain tranquil. To delegate many tasks to others is simple; thus, entrusting people becomes effortless. Confucius said: "Minor arguments destroy discourse; minor gains undermine righteousness; minor skills disrupt the Way. Narrow views fail to comprehend the whole—thus, they must be simplified." The river winds and meanders, thus it flows far; the mountain rises gradually, hence it attains great height; yin and yang act without effort, thus achieving harmony; the Dao proceeds leisurely, hence it can transform.
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夫徹於一事，察於一辭，審於一技，可以曲說，而未可廣應也。蓼菜成行，甂甌有𦳚，稱薪而爨，數米而炊，可以治小，而未可以治大也。員中規，方中矩，動成獸，止成文，可以愉舞，而不可以陳軍。滌杯而食，洗爵而飲，盥而後饋，可以養少，而不可以饗眾。今夫祭者，屠割烹殺，剝狗燒豕，調平五味者，庖也；陳簠簋，列樽俎，設籩豆者，祝也；齊明盛服，淵默而不言，神之所依者，尸也。宰、祝雖不能，尸不越樽俎而代之。故張瑟者，小弦急而大弦緩；立事者，賤者勞而貴者逸。舜為天子，彈五弦之琴，歌《南風》之詩，而天下治。周公肴臑不收於前，鐘鼓不解於懸，而四夷服。趙政晝決獄而夜理書，御史冠蓋接於郡縣，覆稽趨留，戍五嶺以備越，築修城以守胡，然奸邪萌生，盜賊群居，事愈煩而亂愈生。 |
| | To be thorough in one matter, clear on a single argument, and skilled in one technique may allow for clever reasoning, but it is insufficient to respond broadly. To plant water dropwort in rows, to measure pots and bowls precisely, to count firewood for burning and grains of rice for cooking—this may suffice for small matters but is inadequate for great governance. A circle conforms to the compass, a square fits the carpenter's square; movement forms beasts, stillness creates patterns. This may delight in dance but cannot arrange an army. To rinse the cup before eating, to wash the wine vessel before drinking, and to perform a ritual cleansing before serving—this may nourish one person but cannot entertain many. Now, in sacrificial rites, to slaughter and cook, to skin dogs and roast pigs, and to balance the five flavors—this is the work of the cook; to arrange ritual vessels, set out wine and food offerings, and place 笾 and 豆—is the duty of the priest; To fast with clarity, wear ceremonial robes, remain silent as if deep in thought—this is where spirits reside: it belongs to the shi (the symbolic representative of the deity). Even if the cook and priest are incompetent, the shi does not cross over the wine and food offerings to replace them. Therefore, when tuning a zither, the small strings are tightened while the large ones are loosened; in managing affairs, the lowly labor while the noble rest. Shun, as Son of Heaven, played a five-stringed zither and sang the poem "Nan Feng," and thus the realm was governed. Duke of Zhou did not remove the roasted meat before him, nor did he take down the bells and drums from their suspension, yet all four barbarian regions submitted. Zhao Zheng decided cases in the day and studied documents at night; imperial censors with their official carriages were constantly present in commanderies and counties, conducting inspections and delaying matters. He stationed troops at the Five Ridges to guard against the Yue people and built walls to defend against the Hu peoples. Yet still, corruption arose, thieves gathered in groups, affairs became more complicated, and disorder increased.
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故法者，治之具也，而非所以為治也，而猶弓矢，中之具，而非所以為中也。黃帝曰：「芒芒昧昧，因天之威，與元同氣。」故同氣者帝，同義者王，同力者霸，無一焉者亡。故人主有伐國之志，邑犬群嗥，雄雞夜鳴，庫兵動而戎馬驚。今日解怨偃兵，家老甘臥，巷無聚人，妖菑不生，非法之應也，精氣之動也。故不言而信，不施而仁，不怒而威；是以天心動化者也。施而仁，言而信，怒而威；是以精誠感之者也。施而不仁，言而不信，怒而不威，是以外貌為之者也。故有道以統之，法雖少，足以化矣；無道以行之，法雖眾，足以亂矣。 |
| | Therefore, law is a tool for governance, but not the means to achieve it. It is like a bow and arrow: they are tools for hitting a target, but do not guarantee accuracy themselves. Huangdi said: "Vast and obscure, relying on Heaven's might, harmonizing with the primal breath." Therefore, those who share the same vital force become emperors; those who share righteousness become kings; those united in strength become hegemons. Those lacking all of these will perish. Therefore, when a ruler harbors the intent to conquer a state, village dogs howl in groups, roosters crow at night, weapons in the armory stir, and warhorses are startled. Today, when grievances are resolved and warfare ceases, the elderly at home lie content in their beds; no crowds gather in the alleys. Ominous disasters do not arise—this is not a response to law but the movement of refined vital energy. Therefore, without speaking there is trust; without bestowing gifts there is benevolence; without anger there is authority; this is the transformation brought about by Heaven's will. To give and be benevolent, to speak and be trusted, to anger and command respect— this is achieved through the power of sincere devotion. To give yet not be benevolent, to speak yet not be trusted, to show anger yet command no respect—this is merely pretending with outward appearances. Therefore, if one has the Dao to lead them, even few laws are sufficient for transformation; without the Dao to guide it, even many laws will be enough to cause chaos.
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| | 泰族訓: |
治身，太上養神，其次養形；治國，太上養化，其次正法。神清志平，百節皆寧，養性之本也；肥肌膚，充腸腹，供嗜欲，養生之末也。民交讓爭處卑，委利爭受寡，力事爭就勞，日化上遷善而不知其所以然，此治之上也。利賞而勸善，畏刑而不為非，法令正于上而百姓服于下，此治之末也。上世養本，而下世事末，此太平之所以不起也。夫欲治之主不世出，而可與興治之臣不萬一，以萬一求不世出，此所以千歲不一會也。水之性，淖以清，窮穀之汙，生以青苔，不治其性也。掘其所流而深之，茨其所決而高之，使得循勢而行，乘衰而流，雖有腐髊流漸，弗能汙也。其性非異也，通之與不通也。風俗猶此也。誠決其善志，防其邪心，啟其善道，塞其奸路，與同出一道，則民性可善，而風俗可美也。所以貴扁鵲者，非貴其隨病而調藥，貴其息脈血，知病之所從生也。所以貴聖人者，非貴隨罪而鑒刑也，貴其知亂之所由起也。若不修其風俗，而縱之淫辟，乃隨之以刑，繩之以法，雖殘賊天下，弗能禁也。 |
| | To cultivate oneself, the highest is to nurture the spirit; next is to care for the body; to govern a state, the highest is to foster moral transformation; next is to establish just laws. When the spirit is clear and the will tranquil, all parts of the body are at peace—this is the foundation of cultivating nature; To fatten the muscles, fill the belly, and satisfy desires—these are but the superficial aspects of preserving life. When the people yield to each other, vying for humble positions; when they relinquish profit and compete in receiving less; when they strive to take on labor—day by day, moral transformation ascends toward goodness without knowing why. This is the highest level of governance. To encourage virtue through rewards, to refrain from wrongdoing out of fear of punishment; when laws and decrees are upright above and the people obey below—this is but the lowest level of governance. The ancients cultivated the root, while later generations attend to superficialities; this is why great peace does not arise. A ruler who desires to govern well does not appear in every generation, and a minister capable of aiding such governance is as rare as one in ten thousand. To seek the latter from among ten thousand for someone so uncommon—this explains why such an encounter occurs but once in a millennium. Water by nature is fluid and clear; when it accumulates in deep valleys, it becomes dirty with green algae—this is not due to a change in its nature. If one digs out its course and deepens it, block the places where it might break through and raise them up, allowing water to follow its natural incline and flow according to its decline—then even if there is decaying filth gradually flowing in, it cannot pollute. Its nature has not changed; the difference lies only in whether it flows or remains stagnant. Customs and manners are no different. If one truly resolves to cultivate virtuous aspirations, guards against wicked thoughts, opens the path of goodness, and blocks routes for deceit—by guiding all along a single righteous way—then human nature can become good, and customs can be refined. The reason Bian Que is esteemed is not because he adjusts medicine according to symptoms, but because he understands the pulse and blood, knowing where illness originates. The reason sages are esteemed is not for merely punishing crimes as they occur, but because they understand the root causes of disorder. If one does not cultivate customs and manners, but instead allows licentiousness to flourish, then follows with punishment and restrains by law—though one may oppress the world with cruelty, it still cannot be controlled.
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| | 泰族訓: |
禹以夏王，桀以夏亡；湯以殷王，紂以殷亡。非法度不存也，紀綱不張，風俗壞也。三代之法不亡，而世不治者，無三代之智也；六律具存，而莫能聽者，無師曠之耳也。故法雖在，必待聖而後治；律雖具，必待耳而後聽。故國之所以存者，非以有法也，以有賢人也；其所以亡者，非以無法也，以無賢人也。晉獻公欲伐虞，宮之奇存焉，為之寢不安席，食不甘味，而不敢加兵焉。賂以寶玉駿馬，宮之奇諫而不聽，言而不用，越疆而去，荀息伐之，兵不血刃，抱寶牽馬而去。故守不待渠塹而固，攻不待沖降而拔，得賢之與失賢也。故臧武仲以其智存魯，而天下莫能亡也；璩伯玉以其仁甯衛，而天下莫能危也。《》曰：「豐其屋，蔀其家，窺其戶，闃其無人。」無人者，非無眾庶也，言無聖人以統理之也。民無廉恥，不可治也；非修禮義，廉恥不立。民不知禮義，弗能正也；非崇善廢醜，不向禮義。無法不可以為治也；不知禮義，不可以行法。法能殺不孝者，而不能使人為孔、曾之行；法能刑竊盜者，而不能使人為伯夷之廉。孔子弟子七十，養徒三千人，皆入孝出悌，言為文章，行為儀錶，教之所成也。墨子服役者百八十人，皆可使赴火蹈刃，死不還踵，化之所致也。夫刻肌膚，鑱皮革，被創流血，至難也；然越為之，以求榮也。聖王在上，明好惡以示之，經誹譽以導之，親賢而進之，賤不肖而退之，無被創流血之苦，而有高世尊顯之名，民孰不從！ |
| | Yu brought about the rise of Xia; Jie caused its fall; Tang brought about the rise of Yin (Shang); Zhou caused its downfall. It is not that laws and decrees ceased to exist, but that discipline and order were neglected, and customs deteriorated. The laws of the Three Dynasties did not perish; yet later generations failed to govern well—because they lacked the wisdom of those dynasties. The six musical scales still existed, but no one could discern them—because there was no Shikuang's ear to appreciate them. Therefore, though laws may exist, they must await a sage before order can be achieved; though the scales are complete, they require an ear to listen. Therefore, a state endures not because it has laws, but because it possesses virtuous people; a state perishes not for lacking laws, but for lacking virtuous individuals. Jin Xianggong wanted to attack Yu, where Gong Zhiqi was present. Because of this, he could not rest on his mat or enjoy his food, and dared not launch an attack. When Jin Xianggong bribed Yu with precious jade and swift horses, Gong Zhiqi advised against it but was not heeded. After speaking in vain, he crossed the border and left. Then Xun Xi attacked, without shedding blood or drawing weapons, carrying off the treasures and leading away the horses. Therefore, defense does not require ditches to be strong; offense does not need battering rams or ladders to succeed—this depends on gaining virtuous people or losing them. Therefore, Zang Wuzhong preserved the state of Lu with his wisdom, and no one in the world could destroy it; Qu Boyu brought peace to Wei through his benevolence, and no force in the world could endanger it. The Yijing says: "They build their houses grandly, shroud their families in darkness; peering into the door, it is silent as if no one dwells there." The "nobody" here does not mean a lack of people, but means the absence of sages to lead and govern them. When the people have no sense of integrity or shame, they cannot be governed; without cultivating propriety and righteousness, a sense of integrity and shame will not arise. The people who do not know rites and righteousness cannot be corrected; unless goodness is honored and ugliness discarded, they will not turn toward rites and righteousness. Without law, governance cannot be achieved; without understanding rites and righteousness, laws cannot be properly enforced. Laws can punish the disrespectful to their parents, but they cannot make people emulate the conduct of Kongzi and Zengzi; laws can punish thieves, but they cannot instill in people the integrity of Boyi. Confucius had seventy disciples and nurtured three thousand students, all of whom were filial at home and respectful to their elders outside, whose words formed exemplary writings and whose actions served as models—this was the result of education. Mozi had one hundred and eighty followers who could all be made to rush into fire or step on blades, dying without turning their heels—this was the effect of moral influence. Cutting one's flesh and skin, piercing leather with a blade, suffering wounds and bleeding—these are extremely difficult things; yet the Yue people did so in pursuit of honor. When a sage king is in power, he clearly demonstrates what is good and evil to the people, uses praise and criticism to guide them, honors virtuous individuals and promotes them, looks down upon the unworthy and demotes them. In this way, there is no need for the pain of wounds and bloodshed, yet one can attain a name of high virtue and honor; who among the people would not follow!
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| | 泰族訓: |
古者設法而不犯，刑錯而不用，非可刑而不刑也；百工維時，庶績鹹熙，禮義修而任賢德也。故舉天下之高，以為三公；一國之高，以為九卿；一縣之高，以為二十七大夫；一鄉之高，以為八十一元士。故智過萬人者謂之英，千人者謂之俊，百人者謂之豪，十人者謂之傑。明于天道，察於地理，通於人情。大足以容眾，德足以懷遠，信足以一異，知足以知變者，人之英也；德足以教化，行足以隱義，仁足以得眾，明足以照下者，人之俊也；行足以為儀錶，知足以決嫌疑，廉足以分財，信可使守約，作事可法，出言可道者，人之豪也；守職而不廢，處義而不比，見難不苟免，見利不苟得者，人之傑也。英、俊、豪、傑，各以小大之材，處其位，得其宜，由本流末，以重制輕，上唱而民和，上動而下隨，四海之內，一心同歸，背貪鄙而向義理，其於化民也，若風之搖草木，無之而不靡。今使愚教知，使不肖臨賢，雖嚴刑罰，民弗從也。小不能制大，弱不能使強也。 |
| | In ancient times, laws were established but rarely broken, punishments existed but went unused—not because those deserving punishment were left unpunished; All craftsmen worked in their proper seasons, and many achievements flourished—this was because rites and righteousness were cultivated and virtuous men entrusted with responsibilities. Therefore, the most exalted talents from all under heaven were selected to serve as the Three Dukes; the finest in a single state were chosen for the Nine Ministers; the most outstanding from one county became the Twenty-Seven Gentlemen; The finest in a single village were appointed as the Eighty-One Junior Officials. Therefore, those whose wisdom surpasses ten thousand people are called "ying"; those who surpass a thousand are called "jun"; those who surpass one hundred are called "hao"; and those who surpass ten are called "jie." Understanding the principles of Heaven, discerning the features of Earth, and comprehending human nature. Those with great enough capacity to accommodate many people, virtue sufficient to win the hearts of distant ones, integrity strong enough to unify differences, and wisdom adequate to understand change—these are human "ying." Those whose virtue is sufficient for moral instruction, conduct worthy of upholding righteousness, benevolence enough to gain the people's support, and insight adequate to illuminate those beneath them—these are human "jun." Those whose conduct is worthy of being a model, wisdom sufficient to resolve doubts and ambiguities, integrity enough to divide wealth fairly, trustworthiness that allows one to keep promises, actions that can be emulated, and words that are worth following—these are human "hao." Those who uphold their duties without neglect, adhere to righteousness without compromising for favor, do not evade hardship recklessly, and do not seek profit inappropriately—these are human "jie." Ying, jun, hao, and jie—each according to the small or great capacity of their talents—occupy appropriate positions and fulfill suitable roles. From root to branch, from weight to lightness, when superiors lead, the people follow in harmony; when leaders act, subordinates respond accordingly. Within all under Heaven, there is a single mind converging toward the same goal: turning away from greed and baseness and embracing righteousness and reason. In transforming the people, it is like wind shaking grass and trees—none can resist its influence. Now if one allows the foolish to teach the wise, or places the unworthy in charge of the virtuous, even with severe punishments, the people will not follow. The small cannot control the great; the weak cannot command the strong.
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| | 泰族訓: |
故聖主者舉賢以立功，不肖主舉其所與同。文王舉太公望、召公奭而王，桓公任管仲、隰朋而霸，此舉賢以立功也。夫差用太宰嚭而滅，秦任李斯、趙高而亡，此舉所與同。故觀其所舉，而治亂可見也；察其黨與，而賢不肖可論也。夫聖人之屈者，以求伸也；枉者，以求直也；故雖出邪辟之道，行幽昧之途，將欲以直大道，成大功。猶出林之中不得直道，拯溺之人不得不濡足也。伊尹憂天下之不治，調和五味，負鼎俎而行。五就桀，五就湯，將欲以濁為清，以危為寧也。周公股肱周室，輔翼成王，管叔、蔡叔奉公子祿父而欲為亂，周公誅之以定天下，緣不得已也。管子憂周室之卑，諸侯之力征，夷狄伐中國，民不得寧處，故蒙恥辱而不死，將欲以憂夷狄之患，平夷狄之亂也。孔子欲行王道，東西南北七十說而無所偶，故因衛夫人、彌子瑕而欲通其道。此皆欲平險除穢，由冥冥至炤炤，動于權而統於善者也。 |
| | Therefore, a sage ruler selects virtuous individuals to accomplish achievements, while an unworthy ruler chooses those with whom he shares personal ties. King Wen raised Tai Gongwang and Zhao Gongshi to become a king; Duke Huan of Qi entrusted Guan Zhong and Xi Peng, thereby becoming a hegemon—these are examples of achieving success by selecting virtuous individuals. Fu Chai employed Tai Zai Pi and was destroyed; the Qin dynasty entrusted Li Si and Zhao Gao, leading to its downfall—these are cases of appointing those with whom one shares personal ties. Therefore, by observing whom a ruler selects, one can discern whether the state will be well governed or fall into disorder; by examining his associates and allies, it becomes clear who is virtuous and who is unworthy. A sage's moment of humiliation is for the sake of eventual success; a crooked path is taken to achieve a straight one; Therefore, even though they may take an evil or deviant path and walk through obscure ways, it is all for the purpose of establishing a just way and achieving great accomplishments. It is like being in a forest where one cannot find a straight path, or rescuing someone from drowning—there is no choice but to get one's feet wet. Yi Yin was concerned about the world not being well governed; he blended five flavors and carried a cooking pot and utensils as he traveled. He approached Jie five times, and Tang five times—his aim was to transform chaos into clarity and danger into peace. Zhou Gong served the Zhou dynasty as a loyal minister, assisting King Cheng. When Guan Shu and Cai Shu supported Gongzi Lufu and plotted rebellion, Duke of Zhou executed them to stabilize the world—this was out of necessity. Guan Zi was distressed by the decline of the Zhou dynasty, the warring among feudal lords, and the raids by Yi and Di tribes on Central China, leaving the people unable to live in peace. Therefore, he endured humiliation without dying—his intent was to relieve the people's suffering from the Yi and Di threat and bring stability to their chaos. Confucius wished to implement the Way of kingship, traveling east, west, south, and north for seventy times without finding a ruler who would accept his ideas. Thus, he sought to promote his teachings through Lady Wei and Mi Zixia. These were all efforts to level dangers, remove filth, and move from obscurity to clarity—actions driven by strategy but ultimately guided toward goodness.
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| | 泰族訓: |
夫觀逐者於其反也，而觀行者于其終也。故舜放弟，周公殺兄，猶之為仁也；文公樹米，曾子架羊，猶之為知也。當今之世，醜必托善以自為解，邪必蒙正以自為辟。游不論國，仕不擇官，行不辟汙，曰伊尹之道也；分別爭財，親戚兄弟構怨，骨肉相賊，曰周公之義也；行無廉恥，辱而不死，曰管子之趨也；行貨賂，趣勢門，立私廢公，比周而取容，曰孔子之術也。此使君子小人，紛然淆亂，莫知其是非者也。故百川並流，不注海者不為川谷；趨行蹐馳，不歸善者不為君子。故善言歸乎可行，善行歸乎仁義。田子方、段幹木輕爵祿而重其身，不以欲傷生，不以利累形，李克竭股肱之力，領理百官，輯穆萬民，使其君生無廢事，死無遺憂，此異行而歸於善者。張儀、蘇秦家無常居，身無定君，約從衡之事，為傾覆之謀，濁亂天下，撓滑諸侯，使百姓不遑啟居，或從或橫，或合眾弱，或輔富強，此異行而歸於醜者也。 |
| | To judge a chaser of gains, observe his reversal; to assess one's conduct, look at its conclusion. Therefore, Shun exiled his younger brother and Duke of Zhou killed his elder brother—both were still acts of benevolence; Duke Wen of Jin planted rice, and Zengzi raised a sheep for sacrifice—these too were acts of wisdom. In the present age, evil must rely on virtue to excuse itself; deviance must cloak itself in righteousness to justify its actions. To travel without regard for the state, serve as an official without choosing a post, and act without avoiding disgrace—this is called the Way of Yi Yin; to quarrel over wealth, cause resentment among relatives and brothers, and have family members turn against each other—this is called the righteousness of Duke of Zhou; to act without integrity or shame, endure disgrace yet not die—this is said to be Guan Zi's course; to offer bribes, seek powerful patrons, favor private interests over public good, form cliques for acceptance—this is called Confucius's method. This causes confusion between the virtuous and the unworthy, muddling right and wrong so that no one can discern them. Therefore, a hundred rivers flow together, but those not flowing into the sea do not become great valleys; hurried steps and rapid running, if they do not return to goodness, cannot make one a gentleman. Therefore, good words must ultimately lead to action; good actions must ultimately be rooted in benevolence and righteousness. Tian Zifang and Duan Ganmu valued their own integrity more than rank or wealth, did not let desires harm life, nor allow profit to burden the body. Li Ke exerted his utmost strength as a loyal minister, managed all officials, harmonized the people, ensuring that his ruler had no unfinished matters in life and left no worries after death—these were different paths but both led to goodness. Zhang Yi and Su Qin had no fixed home, no constant ruler; they plotted strategies of vertical and horizontal alliances, devised schemes to overthrow others, stirred up chaos in the world, and disturbed the feudal lords. They caused the common people to live in unrest, some aligning vertically, others horizontally, either uniting weak states or aiding powerful ones—these were different actions but all led to evil.
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| | 泰族訓: |
故君子之過也，猶日月之蝕，何害於明！小人之可也，猶狗之晝吠，鴟之夜見，何益於善！夫知者不妄發，擇善而為之，計義而行之，故事成而功足賴也，身死而名足稱也。雖有知能，必以仁義為之本，然後可立也，知能蹐馳，百事並行。聖人一以仁義為之準繩，中之者謂之君子，弗中者謂之小人。君子雖死亡，其名不滅；小人雖得勢，其罪不除。使人左據天下之圖而右刎喉，愚者不為也，身貴於天下也。死君親之難，視死若歸，義重於身也。天下，大利也，比之身則小；身之重也，比之義則輕；義所全也。《》曰：「愷悌君子，求福不回。」言以信義為準繩也。欲成霸王之業者，必得勝者也；能得勝者，必強者也；能強者，必用人力者也；能用人力者，必得人心者也；能得人心者，必自得者也。 |
| | Therefore, the mistakes of a gentleman are like eclipses of the sun and moon—what harm do they do to their brightness! The so-called "good deeds" of a petty person are like dogs barking in the daytime or owls appearing at night—what benefit do they bring to virtue! A wise person does not act recklessly; they choose what is good to do, and proceed with consideration of righteousness. Therefore, their endeavors succeed and their achievements are trustworthy; even after death, their name remains worthy of praise. Even with wisdom and ability, one must take benevolence and righteousness as the foundation—only then can they establish themselves. With knowledge and capability at their disposal, a hundred affairs may be handled concurrently. Sages use benevolence and righteousness alone as the standard; those who meet this standard are called gentlemen, while those who do not are called petty people. A gentleman may die or be lost to history, but his name does not fade away; a petty person may gain power temporarily, but their crimes cannot be erased. If one were to hold the map of all under Heaven in his left hand and cut his own throat with a sword in his right, even a foolish person would not do it—this shows that life is more precious than the world. To die for one's ruler or family in times of crisis, regarding death as returning home—this shows that righteousness is more important than life itself. The world is a great advantage, yet compared to one's own life, it is small; the value of one's body, when compared with righteousness, becomes light; Righteousness is what must be preserved. The Shijing says: "A kind and generous gentleman, seeking blessings without turning back." This means taking trustworthiness and righteousness as the standard. Those who wish to achieve the cause of a king or hegemon must necessarily be victorious; those who can win victories are certainly the strong; those who are strong must be those who employ human strength effectively; those who can utilize the strength of people must be those who have won their hearts; those who win the people's hearts are certainly those who first cultivated virtue within themselves.
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| | 泰族訓: |
故心者，身之本也；身者，國之本也。未有得己而失人者也，未有失己而得人者也。故為治之本，務在寧民；寧民之本，在於足用；足用之本，在於勿奪時；勿奪時之本，在於省事；省事之本，在於節用；節用之本，在於反性。未有能搖其本而靜其末，濁其源而清其流者也。故知性之情者，不務性之所無以為；知命之情者，不憂命之所無奈何。故不高宮室者，非愛木也；不大鐘鼎者，非愛金也。直行性命之情，而制度可以為萬民儀。 |
| | Therefore, the mind is the root of the body; the body is the foundation of the state. There has never been a case where one cultivated oneself and lost others, nor a case where one neglected oneself yet gained others. Therefore, the foundation of good governance lies in ensuring the people's peace; the basis for the people's peace is sufficient resources; the foundation of sufficient resources lies in not seizing the proper seasons; the basis for preserving the seasons is minimizing unnecessary affairs; the foundation of reducing affairs lies in frugality; the basis for frugality is returning to one's nature. There has never been a case of shaking the root yet stilling the branches, or muddying the source yet clearing the stream. Therefore, one who understands human nature does not pursue what nature cannot provide; one who comprehends the will of Heaven does not worry about matters beyond its control. Therefore, those who do not build lofty palaces are not necessarily fond of saving wood; those who do not make large bells and tripods are not necessarily attached to preserving metal. To act in accordance with the true nature of life, then institutions can serve as a model for all the people.
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| | 泰族訓: |
今目悅五色，口嚼滋味，耳淫五聲，七竅交爭以害其性，日引邪欲而澆其身夫調和，身弗能治，奈天下何！故自養得其節，則養民得其心矣。所謂有天下者，非謂其履勢位，受傳籍，稱尊號也，言運天下之力，而得天下之心。紂之地，左東海，右流沙，前交趾，後幽都，師起容關，至浦水，士億有餘萬，然皆倒矢而射，傍戟而戰。武王左操黃鉞，右執白旄以麾之，則瓦解而走，遂土崩而下。紂有南面之名，而無一人之德，此失天下也。故桀、紂不為王，湯、武不為放。周處酆鎬之地，方不過百里，而誓紂牧之野，入據殷國，朝成湯之廟，表商容之閭，封比干之墓，解箕子之囚。乃折枹毀鼓，偃五兵，縱牛馬，搢笏而朝天下，百姓歌謳而樂之，諸侯執禽而朝之，得民心也。闔閭伐楚，五戰入郢，燒高府之粟，破九龍之鍾，鞭荊平王之墓，舍昭王之宮，昭王奔隨，百姓父兄攜幼扶老而隨之，乃相率而為致勇之寇，皆方命奮臂而為之鬥。當此之時，無將卒以行列之，各致其死，卻吳兵，複楚地。靈王作章華之台，發乾溪之役，外內搔動，百姓疲敝，棄疾乘民之怨而立公子比。百姓放臂而去之，餓於乾溪，食莽飲水，枕塊而死。楚國山川不變，土地不易，民性不殊，昭王則相率而殉之，靈王則倍畔而去之，得民之與失民也。 |
| | Now, the eyes are pleased by five colors, the mouth savors flavors, the ears indulge in five sounds; the seven orifices vie with each other to harm one's nature. Daily drawn toward evil desires and corrupted by them, if one cannot govern their own body, how can they manage the world! Therefore, when a ruler cultivates himself in accordance with proper measures, he will then be able to win the hearts of his people. What is meant by "possessing the world" is not merely referring to occupying a position of power, inheriting titles and records, or bearing a title of respect. Rather, it means harnessing the strength of all under heaven and winning the hearts of the people. King Zhou's territory extended with the East Sea to his left, the Flowing Sands to his right, Jiaozhi in front, and Yudu at the back. His army rose from Rongguan Pass to Pulu River, numbering over ten million soldiers; yet they all turned their arrows backward and held their halberds sideways when fighting. King Wu, holding a yellow axe in his left hand and a white banner in his right to command them, caused the enemy forces to disintegrate and flee, collapsing like earth falling apart. King Zhou had the name of being sovereign facing south but lacked even a single virtue as a person; this is how he lost the world. Therefore, Jie and Zhou were not truly kings, while Tang and Wu did not act as rebels. The Zhou were located in the area of Feng and Hao, with territory no more than a hundred li square. Yet they swore to fight King Zhou at the plains of Mu, entered and occupied the Yin state, honored the temple of Chengtang in the morning, marked the neighborhood of Shangrong, sealed the tomb of Bi Gan, and released Ji Zi from imprisonment. They then broke the drumsticks and destroyed the drums, laid down their five kinds of weapons, released oxen and horses, carried tablets in their sleeves to face all under heaven. The people sang songs with joy; feudal lords brought game as tribute and paid homage — this was winning the hearts of the people. Helü attacked the state of Chu, and after five battles entered Ying. He burned the grain stored in Gofu, smashed the nine-dragon bells, whipped King Jingping's tomb, occupied King Zhao's palace. When King Zhao fled to Sui, the people, with fathers and elders carrying young children, followed him. They then rallied together as brave bandits, all raising their arms in defiance to fight for him. At that time, there were no generals or soldiers to organize them into ranks; each person gave his life. They repelled the Wu army and restored the land of Chu. King Ling built the Zhanghua Terrace and launched the Qianxi military campaign, causing unrest both inside and outside. The people became exhausted and weary; then Qu Ji took advantage of their resentment to support Gongzi Bi as ruler. The people raised their arms in anger and abandoned him; he starved at Qianxi, eating weeds and drinking water, lying on stones until his death. The mountains and rivers of the state of Chu did not change, its land remained the same, and the nature of its people was no different. Yet when King Zhao ruled, they rallied to die for him; but under King Ling, they betrayed and abandoned him — this is the difference between winning and losing the people's support.
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| | 泰族訓: |
故天子得道，守在四夷；天子失道，守在諸侯。諸侯得道，守在四鄰；諸侯失道，守在四境。故湯處亳七十里，文王處酆百里，皆令行禁止於天下。周之衰也，戎伐凡伯于楚丘以歸。故得道則以百里之地令于諸侯，失道則以天下之大畏于冀州。故曰：無恃其不吾奪也，恃吾不可奪。行可奪之道，而非篡弑之行，無益於持天下矣。 |
| | Therefore, when an emperor follows the Way, his defense lies in the four frontiers; when an emperor loses the Way, his protection comes from the feudal lords. When a feudal lord follows the Way, his defense is in his four neighboring states; when a feudal lord loses the Way, his reliance lies within his own borders. Therefore, King Tang governed from Bo with territory of seventy li, and King Wen ruled from Feng with a hundred li — yet both achieved obedience to commands and prohibition of disorder throughout the world. When the Zhou dynasty declined, the Rong attacked Fanbo at Chuqiu and took him back with them. Therefore, when one follows the Way, even a territory of a hundred li can command the feudal lords; but when one loses the Way, even with dominion over all under heaven, he may still be feared in Ji Zhou. Hence it is said: Do not rely on others not taking from you; rather, rely on the fact that they cannot take from you. To follow a path that can be taken away, yet not engage in acts of usurpation or regicide, is of no benefit to holding the world.
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| | 泰族訓: |
凡人之所以生者，衣與食也，今囚之冥室之中，雖養之以芻豢，衣之以綺繡，不能樂也。以目之無見，耳之無聞，穿隙穴，見雨零，則快然而歎之，況開戶發牖，從冥冥見炤々乎！從冥冥見炤々，猶尚肆然而喜，又況出室坐堂，見日月光乎！見日月光，曠然而樂，又況登泰山，履石封，以望八荒，視天都若蓋，江河若帶，又況萬物在其間者乎！其為樂豈不大哉！ |
| | The reason people live is because of clothing and food. Now, if a person were confined in a dark room, even though they are fed with the finest livestock and dressed in brocade and embroidery, they would still not be happy. With eyes unable to see and ears unable to hear, if they were allowed only a small crack through which to glimpse the falling rain, they would joyfully sigh with relief. How much more so when opening doors and windows, emerging from darkness into bright light! Emerging from darkness to see the brightness is still enough to bring forth unrestrained joy; how much more so when leaving a room and sitting on the hall, seeing the light of sun and moon! To see the light of sun and moon brings boundless joy; how much more so to ascend Mount Tai, step on its stone summit, and gaze out at all directions, seeing the heavens as a canopy and rivers as ribbons. And what of those myriad things existing within this vastness! How great is such joy indeed!
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| | 泰族訓: |
且聾者，耳形具而無能聞也；盲者，目形存而無能見也。夫言者，所以通己於人也；聞者，所以通人於己也，喑者不言，聾者不聞，既喑且聾，人道不通。故有喑、聾之病者，雖破家求醫，不顧其費，豈獨形骸有喑、聾哉！心志亦有之。夫指之拘也，莫不事申也；心之塞也，莫知務通也；不明於類也。夫觀六藝之廣崇，窮道德之淵深，達乎無上，至乎無下，運乎無極，翔乎無形，廣于四海，崇於太山，富於江河，曠然而通，昭然而明，天地之間無所系戾，其所以監觀，豈不大哉！人之所知者淺，而物變無窮，曩不知而今知之，非知益多也，問學之所加也。夫物常見則識之，嘗為則能之，故因其患則造其備，犯其難則得其便。夫以一世之壽，而觀千歲之知，知今古之論，雖未嘗更也，其道理素具，可不謂有術乎！人欲知高下而不能，教之用管準則說；欲知輕重而無以，予之以權衡則喜；欲知遠近而不能，教之以金目則快射。又況知應無方而不窮哉！犯大難而不懾，見煩繆而不惑，晏然自得，其為樂也，豈直一說之快哉！ |
| | Moreover, the deaf have ears in form but are unable to hear; the blind have eyes in shape but cannot see. Speech is the means by which one communicates with others; hearing is how others communicate with oneself. The mute do not speak, the deaf do not hear; those who are both mute and deaf have no means of human communication. Therefore, those suffering from muteness or deafness will go to any lengths and spend all their wealth seeking a cure, regardless of the cost. Is it not only the body that can suffer from muteness and deafness! The mind also suffers in this way. When a finger is bent, no one does not seek to straighten it; when the mind is blocked, few know that they should strive to clear it; this is due to a lack of understanding in distinguishing things. To observe the breadth and grandeur of the Six Arts, to explore the depth and profundity of morality, to reach up to the highest and down to the lowest, to move beyond extremes, to soar in formlessness, to extend wider than the four seas, to rise higher than Mount Tai, to be richer than rivers — open-minded and unobstructed, clear and bright, with nothing between heaven and earth binding or distorting it. What a great mirror for observation this is! Human knowledge is shallow, while the transformations of things are boundless. What was once unknown but now known does not mean one's wisdom has increased; it is simply due to added inquiry and study. Things that are often seen become familiar, things that are frequently done become skillful. Therefore, by anticipating dangers one prepares for them; by encountering difficulties one finds solutions. With the span of a single lifetime, one can observe knowledge spanning a thousand years; understanding discussions from ancient and modern times. Even if one has not personally experienced them, their principles have always been present — can this not be called having skill! People who wish to know the level of height but cannot do so are taught to use a plumb line and level — this is instruction. Those who want to know weight but have no means, when given scales and weights, are delighted; those who wish to measure distance yet cannot do so find joy in being taught the use of a gnomon. How much more so for understanding responses that are boundless and inexhaustible! To face great dangers without fear, to see complexity and confusion without being bewildered, to remain calm and content — the joy of such a state is not merely the fleeting pleasure of one explanation!
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| | 泰族訓: |
夫道，有形者皆生焉，其為親亦戚矣；享穀食氣者皆受焉，其為君亦惠矣；諸有智者皆學焉，其為師亦博矣。射者數發不中，人教之以儀則喜矣，又況生儀者乎！人莫不知學之有益於己也，然而不能者，嬉戲害人也。人皆多以無用害有用，故智不博而日不足，以鑿觀池之力耕，則田野必辟矣；以積土山之高修堤防，則水用必足矣；以食狗馬鴻雁之費養士，則名譽必榮矣；以弋獵博弈之日誦《》讀《》，聞識必博矣。故不學之與學也，猶喑、聾之比於人也。凡學者能明于天下之分，通於治亂之本，澄心清意以存之，見其終始，可謂知略矣。天之所為，禽獸草木；人之所為，禮節制度。構而為宮室，制而為舟輿是也。治之所以為本者，仁義也；所以為末者，法度也。凡人之所以事生者，本也；其所以事死者，末也。本末，一體也；其兩愛之，一性也。先本後末，謂之君子；以末害本，謂之小人。君子與小人之性非異也，所在先後而已矣。草木之性，洪者為本，而殺者為末；禽獸之性，大者為首，而小者為尾。末大於本則折，尾大於要則不掉矣。故食其口而百節肥，灌其本而枝葉美，天地之性也。天地之生物也有本末，其養物也有先後，人之於治也，豈得無終始哉！ |
| | The Way gives birth to all things with form; thus, it may be said to be as close and intimate a parent. All who consume grain and breathe air receive from it — how generous is its role as ruler! All those with wisdom learn from it — what a vast and profound teacher it is! An archer who shoots many times without hitting the mark would be delighted to receive instruction on proper form; how much more so for one who creates such standards! No one is unaware that learning benefits oneself, yet many are unable to do it — because idleness and indulgence harm them. People often waste what is useful by pursuing the useless, so their knowledge remains shallow and days pass without progress. If one were to use the effort of digging a pond for farming instead, then fields would surely be cultivated; if one uses the labor spent on building artificial hills to construct dikes and embankments, water resources would certainly suffice; if the expenses for feeding dogs, horses, cranes, and geese were used instead to support scholars, then one's reputation would surely flourish; if the time spent on hunting, archery, and games were used to recite poetry and study the Book of Documents, one's knowledge would surely become extensive. Therefore, not learning compared to learning is like being mute or deaf in comparison to a normal person. All who study must be able to understand the distinctions of all under heaven, grasp the root causes of order and chaos. With a clear mind and pure intentions preserved within, understanding their beginning and end — such a person may be called wise in strategy. What Heaven does is to produce birds, beasts, grasses, and trees; what humans do is establish rites, propriety, and institutions. This includes building palaces and houses, crafting boats and carriages. The foundation of governance lies in benevolence and righteousness; its outward expressions are laws and regulations. All that people do to sustain life is the root; what they do for the dead is but a branch. Root and branch are one entity; to cherish both equally is a single nature. To prioritize the root and then attend to the branch is called being a gentleman; to let the branch harm the root is called being a petty person. The nature of gentlemen and petty people is not different; it lies only in which comes first or last. The nature of grasses and trees is such that the thick part forms the root, while the thin parts form the branch; the nature of birds and beasts is such that the large part becomes the head, while the small part becomes the tail. When a branch surpasses the root in size, it will break; when a tail exceeds the waist in weight, it cannot move freely anymore. Therefore, feeding through the mouth nourishes all limbs; watering at the root makes branches and leaves flourish — this is the nature of heaven and earth. Heaven and Earth produce things with roots and branches; they nurture them in a sequence of priorities. How then can human governance lack beginning and end!
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故仁義者，治之本也。今不知事修其本，而務沼其末，是釋其根而灌其枝也。且法之生也，以輔仁義，今重法而棄義，是貴其冠履而忘其頭足也。故仁義者，為厚基者也。不益其厚而張其廣者毀，不廣其基而增其高者覆。趙政不增其德而累其高，故滅；智伯不行仁義而務廣地，故亡其國。語曰：不大其棟，不能任重。重莫若國，棟莫若德。國主之有民也，猶城之有基，木之有根。根深則本固，基美則上寧。五帝三王之道，天下之綱紀，治之儀錶也。今商鞅之啟塞，申子之三符，韓非之孤憤，張儀、蘇秦之從衡，皆掇取之權，一切之術也。非治之大本，事之恒常，可博聞而世傳者也。子囊北而全楚，北不可以為庸；弦高誕而存鄭，誕不可以為常。今夫《雅》、《》之聲，皆發於詞，本於情，故君臣以睦，父子以親，故《韶》、《夏》之樂也，聲浸乎金石，潤乎草木。今取怨思之聲，施之于弦管，聞其音者，不淫則悲，淫則亂男女之辨，悲則感怨思之氣。豈所謂樂哉！ |
| | Therefore, benevolence and righteousness are the root of good governance. Nowadays, people do not know to cultivate the root but instead focus on embellishing the branch — this is like abandoning the roots and watering the branches. Moreover, laws are established to support benevolence and righteousness. Now, placing emphasis on law while abandoning virtue is like valuing the hat and shoes but forgetting the head and feet. Therefore, benevolence and righteousness form the solid foundation of governance. To expand its breadth without strengthening its depth leads to ruin; to increase height without broadening the base results in collapse. Zhao Zheng did not cultivate virtue but piled up his power, hence he was destroyed; Zhibo failed to practice benevolence and righteousness yet sought to expand territory — thus he lost his state. It is said: "Unless the beam is strong, it cannot bear great weight." Nothing is heavier than a state; nothing is more important as a beam than virtue. A ruler's relationship with the people is like that of a city to its foundation, or a tree to its roots. Deep roots ensure a firm base; a beautiful foundation ensures peace above. The Way of the Five Emperors and Three Kings is the framework for all under heaven, the standard for governance. Now, Shang Yang's opening and closing of policies, Shenzi's Three Symbols, Han Fei's solitary resentment, Zhang Yi and Su Qin's strategies of vertical and horizontal alliances — all are grasping at power, expedient methods for the moment. They are not the fundamental principles of governance or enduring affairs that can be widely known and passed down through generations. Zinang retreated northward yet preserved Chu — retreating cannot be considered a model; Xiangao acted deceitfully to save Zheng — deception cannot serve as a constant practice. Now, the melodies of the "Ya" and "Song" all arise from words, rooted in emotion; thus, rulers and ministers are harmonious, fathers and sons affectionate. Therefore, the music of Shao and Xia, its sound permeates metal and stone, nourishes grass and trees. Now, if one takes the sounds of resentment and sorrow, applies them to zithers and flutes, those who hear such music will either become licentious or sad; licentiousness disrupts distinctions between men and women, while sadness stirs feelings of grievance and melancholy. How can this be called true music!
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趙王遷流于房陵，思故鄉，作《山水》之謳，聞者莫不殞涕。荊軻西刺秦王，高漸離、宋意為擊築而歌于易水之上，聞者瞋目裂眥，發植穿冠。因以此聲為樂而入宗廟，豈古之所謂樂哉！故弁冕輅輿，可服而不可好也；大羹之和，可食而不可嘗也；朱弦漏越，一唱而三歎，可聽而不可快也。故無聲者，正其可聽者也；其無味者，正其足味者也。吠聲清於耳，兼味快於口，非其貴也。故事不本于道德者，不可以為儀；言不合乎先王者，不可以為道；音不調乎《雅》、《》者，不可以為樂。故五子之言，所以便說掇取也，非天下之通義也。聖王之設政施教也，必察其終始，其縣法立儀，必原其本末，不苟以一事備一物而已矣。見其造而思其功，觀其源而知其流，故博施而不竭，彌久而不垢。未水出於山而入於海，稼生於田而藏於倉。聖人見其所生，則知其所歸矣。故舜深藏黃金於嶄岩之山，所以塞貪鄙之心也。儀狄為酒，禹飲而甘之，遂疏儀狄而絕旨酒，所以遏流湎之行也。師延為平公鼓朝歌北鄙之音，師曠曰：「此亡國之樂也。」大息而撫之，所以防淫辟之風也。 |
| | Zhao Wang Qian was exiled to Fangling, pined for his hometown, and composed the song "Shanshui"; those who heard it could not help but weep bitterly. Jing Ke traveled west to assassinate the King of Qin; Gao Jianli and Song Yi struck the zhu (a type of ancient instrument) and sang on the banks of Yishui River. Those who heard them glared fiercely, eyes wide with rage, their hair standing on end as if piercing through their caps. To take such sounds and use them as music in ancestral temples — how could this be the true "music" of ancient times! Therefore, ceremonial caps and robes, palanquins and carriages may be worn but not cherished; the harmony of unseasoned broth can be eaten but not savored; the sound of red strings and leaking yue (a musical instrument), when sung once and sighed over thrice, can be heard but not enjoyed. Therefore, the absence of sound is precisely what makes the audible proper; the tasteless is exactly that which fully satisfies the palate. A barking sound clear to the ear, a flavor pleasing to the mouth — these are not what is most precious. Therefore, any matter that does not originate from morality and virtue cannot serve as a model; words that do not conform to the sages of old cannot be called the Way; music that does not harmonize with "Ya" and "Song" cannot be considered true music. Therefore, the words of these five men are merely convenient expedients for persuasion and acquisition; they do not represent universal principles for all under heaven. When sage kings established policies and education, they necessarily examined their beginning and end; when they promulgated laws and set up rituals, they inevitably traced the root and branches. They did not merely hastily complete one matter or prepare a single object. By seeing its creation, they reflected on its achievements; by observing its source, they understood its flow. Thus, their widespread benevolence never ran dry, and with the passage of time, it remained unstained. Water flows from mountains into the sea; crops grow in fields yet are stored in granaries. Sages, upon seeing where things originate, know where they will ultimately return. Therefore, Shun deeply concealed gold in the precipitous mountains of Zanyan — to block greedy and base desires. Yidi brewed wine; Yu drank it and found it sweet, yet he distanced himself from Yidi and gave up fine wines — to curb the behavior of excessive indulgence. Shiyan played for Duke Ping the music from the northern border town of Chaoge, and Shi Kuang said: "This is the music that brings about a fallen state." He sighed deeply and refrained from playing it — to prevent licentious and deviant customs.
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故民知書而德衰，知數而厚衰，知券契而信衰，知機械而實衰也。巧詐藏於胸中，則純白不備，而神德不全矣。琴不鳴，而二十五弦各以其聲應；軸不運，而三十輻各以其力旋。弦有緩急小大，然後成曲；車有勞逸動靜，而後能致遠。使有聲者，乃無聲者也；能致千里者，乃不動者也。故上下異道則治，同道則亂。位高而道大者從，事大而道小者凶。故小快害義，小慧害道，小辯害治，苛削傷德。大政不險，故民易道；至治寬裕，故下不相賊；至忠複素，故民無匿情。商鞅為秦立相坐之法，而百姓怨矣；吳起為楚減爵祿之令。而功臣畔矣。商鞅之立法也，吳起之用兵也，天下之善者也。然商鞅之法亡秦，察於刀筆之跡，而不知治亂之本也。吳起以兵弱楚，習于行陳之事，而不知廟戰之權也。晉獻公之伐驪，得其女，非不善也，然而史蘇歎之，見其四世之被禍也。吳王夫差破齊艾陵，勝晉黃池，非不捷也，而子胥憂之，見其必禽於越也。小白奔莒，重耳奔曹，非不困也，而鮑叔、咎犯隨而輔之，知其可與至於霸也。勾踐棲於會稽，修政不殆，謨慮不休，知禍之為福也。襄子再勝而有憂色，畏福之為禍也。 |
| | Therefore, when the people know writing, virtue declines; when they understand numbers, sincerity declines; when they are aware of contracts and deeds, trust declines; when they grasp machinery and devices, substance declines. When cunning schemes dwell in the heart, then pure innocence is incomplete, and spiritual virtue becomes imperfect. The qin does not speak, yet its twenty-five strings each respond with their own sound; the axle does not move, yet the thirty spokes rotate with their respective strength. Only when the strings have variations in tightness, looseness, high and low tones can a melody be formed; only when the cart experiences exertion and rest, movement and stillness, can it travel far. That which produces sound is actually that which has no sound; that which can travel a thousand li is precisely what remains unmoving. Therefore, when rulers and subjects follow different paths, order prevails; but if they follow the same path, chaos ensues. When position is high and the Way is great, subordinates will follow; when affairs are grand but the Way is small, misfortune follows. Therefore, petty pleasures harm righteousness, minor cleverness harms the Way, trivial eloquence harms governance, and excessive severity injures virtue. Great policies are not perilous; thus, the people find it easy to follow the right path; the highest governance is broad and generous; therefore, subordinates do not harm one another; greatest loyalty returns to simplicity; thus, the people conceal no feelings. Shang Yang established for Qin the law of collective punishment, and the common people resented it; Wu Qi issued decrees to reduce ranks and emoluments in Chu. and meritorious officials rebelled. Shang Yang's establishment of laws and Wu Qi's use of military forces — these were considered good in all under heaven. Yet Shang Yang's laws led to the downfall of Qin, for he was meticulous about legal records but ignorant of the root causes of order and chaos. Wu Qi weakened Chu with his military strategies, skilled in battlefield tactics yet unaware of strategic decision-making at the imperial court. Jin Xianggong's campaign against Li, by which he obtained their women — was not without merit. Yet Shi Su lamented it, foreseeing the calamity that would befall four generations. King Goujian of Wu defeated Qi at Ailing and triumphed over Jin at Huangchi — not without success. Yet Sunzi (or Boyu Wu Zixu) worried, foreseeing that he would inevitably be captured by Yue. Duke Xiao Bai fled to Ju, and Duke Chong'er fled to Cao — not without hardship. Yet Bao Shu and Jiu Fan followed and assisted them, knowing they could become hegemonic rulers. Goujian took refuge at Kuaiji, yet ceaselessly improved governance and never stopped planning — he understood that misfortune could transform into fortune. Xiangzi showed a worried expression despite two victories, fearing that fortune might turn to disaster.
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故齊桓公亡汶陽之田而霸，智伯兼三晉之地而亡。聖人見禍福於重閉之內，而慮患於九拂之外者也。原蠶一歲再收，非不利也，然而王法禁之者，為其殘桑也。離先稻熟，而農夫耨之，不以小利傷大獲也。家老異飯而食，殊器而享，子婦跣而上堂，跪而斟羹，非不費也，然而不可省者，為其害義也。待媒而結言，聘納而取婦，初絻而親迎，非不煩也，然而不可易者，所以防淫也。使民居處相司，有罪相覺，於以舉奸，非不掇也，然而傷和睦之心，而構仇讎之怨。故事有鑿一孔而生百隟，樹一物而生萬葉者，所鑿不足以為便，而所開足以為敗，所樹不足以為利，而所生足以為濊。愚者惑於小利，而忘其大害。昌羊去蚤虱，而人弗庠者，為其來蛉窮也；狸執鼠，而不可脫於庭者，為捕雞也。故事有利於小而害於大，得於此而亡於彼者。故行棋者或食兩而路窮，或予踦而取勝。偷利不可以為行，而智術不可以為法。 |
| | Therefore, Duke Huan of Qi lost Wenyang's fields yet became a hegemon; Zhibo, having united the lands of three Jin states, perished. Sages foresee fortune and misfortune within closed doors, yet consider dangers beyond nine obstacles. The original silkworm yields two harvests in one year — not unprofitable. Yet royal law prohibits it, for fear of damaging mulberry trees. When early rice ripens first, farmers weed the fields — not allowing small gains to harm the greater harvest. In a household, the elderly eat different meals and use separate utensils; sons-in-law and daughters-in-law go barefoot into the hall, kneel to serve soup — this is not without cost. Yet it cannot be reduced, for it would harm righteousness. Waiting for a matchmaker to make arrangements, offering dowries and accepting brides, wearing ceremonial caps at the beginning and personally welcoming them — this is not without complexity. Yet it cannot be changed, as it serves to prevent licentiousness. Allowing neighbors to supervise each other's dwellings, to inform on crimes and expose wrongdoing — this is not an expedient measure. Yet it harms harmonious feelings and breeds resentment between enemies. Therefore, there are matters where drilling one hole gives rise to a hundred cracks, planting one thing produces ten thousand leaves — the drilling is insufficient for convenience, yet what it opens leads to failure; the planting is not enough for benefit, yet what grows from it brings disorder. The foolish are deceived by small gains and forget their great harm. Changyang removes lice, yet people do not like it, for it brings in more flies; the weasel catches mice but cannot be allowed to roam the courtyard, for it also preys on chickens. Therefore, there are affairs that benefit in small matters yet harm in great ones, gain here but lose elsewhere. Thus, when playing chess, one may capture two pieces and find the path blocked, or sacrifice a piece to achieve victory. Gaining petty advantages cannot be considered proper conduct; nor can cunning strategies serve as laws.
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| | 泰族訓: |
故仁知，人材之美者也。所謂仁者，愛人也；所謂知者，知人也。愛人則無虐刑矣，知人則無亂政矣。治由文理，則無悖謬之事矣；刑不侵濫，則無暴虐之行矣。上無煩亂之治，下無怨望之心，則百殘除而中和作矣，此三代之所昌。故《》曰：「能哲且惠，黎民懷之。何憂讙兜，何遷有苗。」智伯有五過人之材，而不免於身死人手者，不愛人也；齊王建有三過人之巧，而身虜于秦者，不知賢也。故仁莫大于愛人，知莫大於知人，二者不立，雖察慧捷巧，劬祿疾力，不免於亂也。 |
| | Therefore, benevolence and wisdom are the finest qualities of a person's talent. What is called "ren" (benevolence) means loving others; what is called "zhi" (wisdom) means knowing people. To love others ensures no cruel punishments; to know people ensures no chaotic governance. Governance based on principles and order will have no contradictory or erroneous affairs; Punishments not excessive or unjust will result in no brutal or tyrannical actions. When above there is not burdensome and chaotic governance, and below the people have no resentful or discontented hearts, then all harmful things are removed and harmony prevails — this was what flourished in the Three Dynasties. Therefore, the Book of Documents says: "He who is wise and kind, the common people will cherish him." "What need to worry about Hun Dun? What need to exile You Miao?" Zhibo possessed five superior talents, yet could not escape being killed by others — for he did not love people; King Jian of Qi had three exceptional skills, yet was captured by Qin — because he failed to recognize the virtuous. Therefore, no benevolence is greater than loving people; no wisdom is greater than knowing people. If these two are not established, even with keen insight, cleverness, and tireless effort, one cannot avoid chaos.
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