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昔湯封於贊茅，文王封於岐周，方百里。湯與桀戰於鳴條之野，武王與紂戰於牧野之中，大破九軍，卒裂土封諸侯，士卒坐陳者里有書社，車休息不乘，從馬華山之陽，從牛於農澤，從之老而不收，此湯武之賞也。故曰：贊茅岐周之粟，以賞天下之人，不人得一升；以其錢賞天下之人，不人得一錢。故曰：百里之君，而封侯其臣，大其舊。 |
| 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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自士卒坐陳者，里有書社。賞之所加，寬於牛馬者，何也？善因天下之貨，以賞天下之人。故曰：「明賞不費。」湯武既破桀紂，海內無害，天下大定，築五庫，藏五兵，偃武事，行文教，倒載干戈，搢笏作為樂以申其德。當此時也，賞祿不行，而民整齊。故曰：「明賞之猶，至於無賞也。」 |
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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.' |
