| | The sage kings of old elevated filial sons to encourage people in serving their parents, honored the virtuous and talented to encourage goodness, issued decrees and proclamations for instruction and admonition, and used rewards and punishments to encourage or discourage behavior. If this were done, then disorder could be transformed into order and danger into safety. If one does not believe this, then consider the past: what Jie caused to be in disorder, Tang brought order to; what Zhou caused to be in chaos, King Wu of Zhou restored. The world did not change and the people did not alter their nature; it was only when rulers changed their governance that the people became easier to educate. Under Tang and Wu, there was order; under Jie and Zhou, there was disorder. Safety or danger, order or chaos, depends on how those in power issue policies. Then can it be said that such things are determined by fate? In the past, the tyrant kings of the Three Dynasties did not restrain their indulgence in sensory pleasures; they were careless about the perversions of their minds and wills. Externally, they engaged in reckless hunting and chasing game; internally, they sank into wine and music. They would not admit that it was due to their unjust laws and poor governance, but instead insisted, "It is my fate that I am about to perish." Even the hypocritical people of those Three Dynasties were like this as well. They elaborately propagated the idea of fate to teach the multitude of fools. In ancient times, when Yu, Tang, Wen, and Wu were governing the world, they said: "Necessarily, the hungry must obtain food, the cold must receive clothing, the weary must find rest, and those in disorder must be brought to order." Thus they gained illustrious reputation and a good name throughout the world. How then can such achievements be attributed to fate? Therefore, it is due to their efforts. Now, virtuous and talented individuals respect the worthy and are fond of cultivating moral principles; thus, they receive rewards from kings, dukes, and great officials above, and gain praise from the myriad people below. Consequently, they achieve illustrious reputation and a good name across the world. Can this be attributed to their fate?
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