| | 禁耕: |
大夫曰：「家人有寶器，尚函匣而藏之，況人主之山海乎？夫權利之處，必在深山窮澤之中，非豪民不能通其利。異時，鹽鐵未籠，布衣有朐邴，人君有吳王，皆鹽鐵初議也。吳王專山澤之饒，薄賦其民，賑贍窮乏，以成私威。私威積而逆節之心作。夫不蚤絕其源而憂其末，若決呂梁，沛然，其所傷必多矣。太公曰：『一家害百家，百家害諸侯，諸侯害天下，王法禁之。』今放民於權利，罷鹽鐵以資暴彊，遂其貪心，眾邪群聚，私門成黨，則強禦日以不制，而并兼之徒姦形成也。」 |
| | The official said: "A family has a precious vessel, and it is still placed in a case for storage; how much more so the mountains and seas of a ruler?" The place where rights and profits lie must be in deep mountains and remote marshes, which only powerful commoners can access for their benefits. In former times, when salt and iron were not yet monopolized, commoners such as Qu Bing could rise to prominence, and kings like Wu Wang could gain power; these were the initial discussions regarding the control of salt and iron. King Wu monopolized the wealth of mountains and marshes, imposed light taxes on his people, provided relief to the poor and needy, thereby establishing private authority. As private authority accumulated, rebellious thoughts arose. If one does not cut off the source early but instead worries about its consequences, it is like breaking open the Luliang Dam; suddenly and powerfully, many will be harmed. Taigong said: "The harm of one family affects a hundred families; the harm of a hundred families affects the feudal lords; the harm of the feudal lords affects all under heaven. Royal law prohibits this." Now, if the people are left to pursue rights and profits freely, and salt and iron monopolies are abolished in order to support violent and powerful individuals, their greedy desires will be indulged. Evildoers will gather together, private factions will form cliques, then strong and unruly forces will grow unchecked day by day, and those who seek annexation will gradually take shape as a corrupt force."
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| | 禁耕: |
文學曰：「民人藏於家，諸侯藏於國，天子藏於海內。故民人以垣牆為藏閉，天子以四海為匣匱。天子適諸侯，升自阼階，諸侯納管鍵，執策而聽命，示莫為主也。是以王者不畜聚，下藏於民，遠浮利，務民之義；義禮立，則民化上。若是，雖湯、武生存於世，無所容其慮。工商之事，歐冶之任，何姦之能成？三桓專魯，六卿分晉，不以鹽鐵。故權利深者，不在山海，在朝廷；一家害百家，在蕭牆，而不在朐邴也。」 |
| | The Literati said: "Common people store wealth at home, feudal lords store it within their states, and the Son of Heaven stores it throughout all under heaven. Therefore, common people use walls as storage for concealment, while the Son of Heaven uses the four seas as a chest and treasury. When the Son of Heaven visits a feudal lord, he ascends from the eastern steps; the feudal lord presents the keys and holds the whip while obeying commands, showing that none is sovereign. Therefore, a sage ruler does not hoard wealth but stores it among the people, avoids excessive profits, and focuses on cultivating virtue among the people; When righteousness and ritual are established, the people will be transformed by their ruler. If so, even if Tang and Wu were alive in this world, they would have no place to apply their concerns. Matters of commerce and handicrafts are the responsibilities of Ou Ye; what kind of evil could possibly arise? The Three Huan monopolized Lu, and the Six Ministers divided Jin, but not through salt and iron. Therefore, those who deeply possess rights and profits are not found in mountains and seas, but within the imperial court; "The harm of one family to a hundred families occurs within the palace walls, and not from Qu Bing."
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| | 禁耕: |
大夫曰：「山海有禁，而民不傾；貴賤有平，而民不疑。縣官設衡立準，人從所欲，雖使五尺童子適市，莫之能欺。今罷去之，則豪民擅其用而專其利。決市閭巷，高下在口吻，貴賤無常，端坐而民豪，是以養強抑弱而藏於跖也。彊養弱抑，則齊民消；若眾穢之盛而害五穀。一家害百家，不在朐邴，如何也？」 |
| | The official said: "Mountains and seas are under regulation, yet the people do not become corrupt; When ranks of nobility and commoners are balanced, the people have no doubts. The imperial government establishes standards for weights and measures; people follow their desires, yet even if a five-foot-tall child goes to the market, no one can deceive him. Now, if these are abolished, powerful commoners will monopolize their use and reap exclusive profits. Decisions in the marketplace are made in alleyways, with prices rising or falling at people's discretion; values fluctuate unpredictably. Sitting idly by allows the powerful to grow stronger while the weak are suppressed, thus nurturing bandits and hiding them within society. When the strong are nurtured and the weak oppressed, then ordinary people will disappear; It is like the flourishing of weeds that harm the five grains. "The harm of one family to a hundred others does not come from Qu Bing—how then should this be addressed?"
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| | 禁耕: |
文學曰：「山海者，財用之寶路也。鐵器者，農夫之死士也。死士用，則仇讎滅，仇讎滅，則田野闢，田野闢而五穀熟。寶路開，則百姓贍而民用給，民用給則國富。國富而教之以禮，則行道有讓，而工商不相豫，人懷敦樸以相接，而莫相利。夫秦、楚、燕、齊，土力不同，剛柔異勢，巨小之用，居句之宜，黨殊俗易，各有所便。縣官籠而一之，則鐵器失其宜，而農民失其便。器用不便，則農夫罷於野而草萊不辟。草萊不辟，則民困乏。故鹽冶之處，大傲皆依山川，近鐵炭，其勢咸遠而作劇。郡中卒踐更者，多不勘，責取庸代。縣吧或以戶口賦鐵，而賤平其準。良家以道次發僦運鹽、鐵，煩費，百姓病苦之。愚竊見一官之傷千里，未睹其在朐邴也。」 |
| | The Literati said: "Mountains and seas are the precious pathways for wealth and resources. Iron tools are the steadfast weapons of farmers. When these 'steadfast weapons' are used, enemies are destroyed; when enemies are destroyed, fields are cultivated; and when fields are cultivated, the five grains flourish. When these pathways of wealth are opened, the people will be well-provided for and the populace's needs met; when the populace's needs are met, the state becomes rich. When the state is wealthy and people are taught rites, then those on the road will show courtesy; merchants and artisans will not interfere with each other. People will hold sincerity and simplicity in their interactions, and no one will seek advantage over another. The states of Qin, Chu, Yan, and Qi have different soil conditions; their strengths vary in rigidity and softness. The utility of large or small tools depends on the terrain's suitability. Their customs differ greatly, each having its own conveniences. If the imperial government monopolizes and unifies them into one system, then iron tools will lose their suitability, and farmers will lose their convenience. When farming implements are inconvenient, the peasants become exhausted in the fields while uncultivated land remains unopened. If uncultivated land is not opened up, then the people will suffer from hardship and scarcity. Therefore, in places where salt and iron are produced, great arrogance arises as people rely on mountains and rivers, near sources of iron ore. The situation is such that all activity becomes intense from afar. In the commanderies, many conscripted soldiers who were supposed to serve their turns could not bear it and instead paid laborers to take their place. Some counties imposed iron taxes based on household registration, yet set the standard at an unfairly low price. 藟 Respectable families were compelled to transport salt and iron along designated routes, incurring great expense and hardship for the common people. I humbly observe that one official's harm can affect a thousand li; I have not seen it in Qu Bing."
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