| Rewards and Punishments:...: |
In days of old, Tang was invested with Zan-mao, Wen-wang was invested with Qi-Zhou, a district of a hundred square li, Tang fought a battle with Jie in the fields of Ming-tiao, Wu-wang fought a battle with Zhou in the fields of mu, and utterly defeated the "nine armies", and finally split up the land and gave fiefs to the feudal lords. The officers and soldiers, who retired from the ranks, all received land, with the peasants belonging to it, in hamlets of 25 families; the chariots were given a rest, and were no longer mounted; the horses were set at liberty on the southern slopes of Mount Hua; the oxen were set at liberty in the meadows, and they were allowed to grow old without being reassembled (for war). This was the way of Tang and Wu of giving rewards. Therefore is it said: 'If all the people in the empire had had to be rewarded with the produce of Zan-mao and Qi-Zhou, no one would have received a pint, and if all the people of the empire had had to be rewarded with its money, no one would have received a cash.' Therefore is it said: 'If a prince of a territory of a hundred li invests his ministers with fiefs, he greatly increases his original territory.' |
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How is it that the rewards received, beginning with those to officers and soldiers retired from the ranks, which consisted of land, with the peasants belonging to it, in hamlets of 25 families, were even more liberal than those to horses and oxen? Because they (those kings) knew well how to reward the people of the empire according to the possessions of the empire. Therefore do I say: 'If one understands rewards there is no expense.' Since Tang and Wu destroyed Jie and Zhou, no harm was done within the four seas, and the empire enjoyed great stability; the five storehouses were constructed, the five weapons were stored away, military affairs were set aside, culture and education were practised, shields and spears were carried reversed, writing tablets were stuck in the girdle, and music was performed in order to manifest one's virtue - such a condition of affairs prevailed in those times. Rewards and emoluments were not bestowed and yet the people were orderly. Therefore I say: 'The climax in the understanding of rewards is to bring about a condition where there are no longer rewards.' |
