| Chinese Text Project | |
| Simplified Chinese version |
《周官 - Officers of Zhou》 | English translation: James Legge [?] | Books referencing 《周官》 Library Resources |
| 周官: | 成王既黜殷命，灭淮夷，还归在丰，作《周官》。 | |
| 1 | 周官: | 惟周王抚万邦，巡侯、甸，四征弗庭，绥厥兆民。六服群辟，罔不承德。归于宗周，董正治官。 |
| Officers of Zhou: | The king of Zhou brought the myriad regions (of the kingdom) to tranquillity; he made a tour of inspection through the Hou and Dian tenures; he punished on all sides the chiefs who had refused to appear at court; thus securing the repose of the millions of the people, and all the (princes in the) six tenures acknowledging his virtue. He then returned to the honoured capital of Zhou, and strictly regulated the officers of the administration. | |
| 2 | 周官: | 王曰：“若昔大猷，制治于未乱，保邦于未危。”曰：“唐虞稽古，建官惟百。内有百揆四岳，外有州、牧、侯伯。庶政惟和，万国咸宁。夏商官倍，亦克用乂。明王立政，不惟其官，惟其人。今予小子，祗勤于德，夙夜不逮。仰惟前代时若，训迪厥官。 |
| Officers of Zhou: | The king said, 'It was the grand method of former times to regulate the government while there was no confusion, and to secure the country while there was no danger.' He said, 'Yao and Shun, having studied antiquity, established a hundred officers. At court, there were the General Regulator and (the President of) the Four Mountains; abroad, there were the pastors of the provinces and the princes of states. Thus the various departments of government went on harmoniously, and the myriad states all enjoyed repose. Under the dynasties of Xia and Shang, the number of officers was doubled, and they were able still to secure good government. (Those early) intelligent kings, in establishing their government, cared not so much about the number of the offices as about. the men (to occupy them). Now I, the little child, cultivate with reverence my virtue, concerned day and night about my deficiencies; I look up to (those) former dynasties, and seek to conform to them, while I instruct and direct you, my officers.' | |
| 3 | 周官: | 立太师、太傅、太保，兹惟三公。论道经邦，燮理阴阳。官不必备，惟其人。少师、少傅、少保，曰三孤。贰公弘化，寅亮天地，弼予一人。冢宰掌邦治，统百官，均四海。司徒掌邦教，敷五典，扰兆民。宗伯掌邦礼，治神人，和上下。司马掌邦政，统六师，平邦国。司冠掌邦禁，诘奸慝，刑暴乱。司空掌邦土，居四民，时地利。六卿分职，各率其属，以倡九牧，阜成兆民。六年，五服一朝。又六年，王乃时巡，考制度于四岳。诸侯各朝于方岳，大明黜陟。” |
| Officers of Zhou: |
'I appoint the Grand-Master, the Grand-Assistant, and the Grand-Guardian. These are the three Gong. They discourse about the principles of reason and adjust the states, harmonizing (also) and regulating the operations (in nature) of heaven and earth. These offices need not (always) be filled; there must (first) be the men for them. '(I appoint) the junior Master, the junior Assistant, and the junior Guardian. These are called the three Gu. They assist the Gong to diffuse widely the transforming influences, and display brightly with reverence (the powers of) heaven and earth - assisting me, the One man. '(I appoint) the Prime Minister, who presides over the ruling of the (various) regions, has the general management of all the other officers, and secures uniformity within the four seas; the Minister of Instruction, who presides over the education in the states, diffuses a knowledge of the duties belonging to the five relations of society, and trains the millions of the people to obedience; the Minister of Religion, who presides over the (sacred) ceremonies of the country, regulates the services rendered to the spirits and manes, and makes a harmony between high and low; the Minister of War, who presides over the (military) administration of the country, commands the six hosts, and secures the tranquillity of all the regions; the Minister of Crime, who presides over the prohibitions of the country, searches out the villainous and secretly wicked, and punishes oppressors and disturbers of the peace; and the Minister of Works, who presides over the land of the country, settles the four classes of the people, and secures at the proper seasons the produce of the ground. 'These six ministers with their different duties lead on their several subordinates, and set an example to the nine pastors of the provinces, enriching and perfecting the condition of the millions of the people. In six years (the lords of) the five tenures appear once at the royal court; and after a second six years, the king makes a tour of inspection in the four seasons, and examines the (various) regulations and measures at the four mountains. The princes appear before him each at the mountain of his quarter; and promotions and degradations are awarded with great intelligence.' | |
| 4 | 周官: | 王曰：“呜呼！凡我有官君子，钦乃攸司，慎乃出令，令出惟行，弗惟反。以公灭私，民其允怀。学古入官。议事以制，政乃不迷。其尔典常作之师，无以利口乱厥官。蓄疑败谋，怠忽荒政，不学墙面，莅事惟烦。 |
| Officers of Zhou: | The king said, 'Oh! all ye men of virtue, my occupiers of office, pay reverent attention to your charges. Be careful in the commands you issue; for, once issued, they must be carried into effect, and cannot be retracted. Extinguish all selfish aims by your public feeling, and the people will have confidence in you, and be gladly obedient. Study antiquity as a preparation for entering on your offices. In deliberating on affairs, form your determinations by help (of such study), and your measures will be free from error. Make the regular statutes of (our own) dynasty your rule, and do not with artful speeches introduce disorder into your offices. To accumulate doubts is the way to ruin your plans; to be idle and indifferent is the way to ruin your government. Without study, you stand facing a wall, and your management of affairs will be full of trouble. | |
| 戒尔卿士，功崇惟志，业广惟勤，惟克果断，乃罔后艰。位不期骄，禄不期侈。恭俭惟德，无载尔伪。作德，心逸日休；作伪，心劳日拙。居宠思危，罔不惟畏，弗畏入畏。推贤让能，庶官乃和，不和政庞。举能其官，惟尔之能。称匪其人，惟尔不任。” | ||
| 'I warn you, my high ministers and officers, that exalted merit depends on the high aim, and a patrimony is enlarged only by diligence; it is by means of bold decision that future difficulties are avoided. Pride comes, along with rank, unperceived, and extravagance in the same way with emolument. Let reverence and economy be (real) virtues with you, unaccompanied with hypocritical display. Practise them as virtues, and your minds will be at ease, and you will daily become more admirable. Practise them in hypocrisy, and your minds will be toiled, and you will daily become more stupid. In the enjoyment of favour think of peril, and never be without a cautious apprehension; he who is without such apprehension finds himself amidst what is really to be feared. Push forward the worthy, and show deference to the able; and harmony will prevail among all your officers. When they are not harmonious, the government becomes a mass of confusion. If those whom you advance be able for their offices, the ability is yours; if you advance improper men, you are not equal to your position.' | ||
| 5 | 周官: | 王曰：“呜呼！三事暨大无，敬尔有官，乱尔有政，以佑乃辟。永康兆民，万邦惟无斁。 |
| Officers of Zhou: | The king said, 'Oh! ye (charged) with the threefold business (of government) and ye great officers, I reverently attend to your departments, and conduct well the affairs under your government, so as to assist your sovereign, and secure the lasting happiness of the millions of the people - so shall there be no dissatisfaction throughout the myriad states.' | |
| 6 | 周官: | 成王既伐东夷，肃慎来贺。王俾荣伯作《贿肃慎之命》。 |
| 7 | 周官: | 周公在丰，将没，欲葬成周。公薨，成王葬于毕，告周公，作《亳姑》。 |
URN: ctp:shang-shu/officers-of-zhou