During the seven years that the Duke of Chou occupied the
place of the Son of Heaven,[2]
there were ten por gentlemen to
whom he gave presents and whom he treated as teachers.[3]
There
were thirteen men to whom he [made return presents and][4]
regarded as friends, and forty-nine from poor dwellings in mean
quarters to whom he gave precedence in interviews.[5]
There were
a hundred good men whom he advanced at regular times; there
were a thousand teachers, and ten thousand officials.[6]
King Ch`êng enfeoffed Po-ch`in in Lu, [and before his departure
for Lu] the Duke of Chou admonished him saying, "You are
going now. Do not treat ordinary gentlemen with disrespect
because of [your position in] the state of Lu. I am the son of
King Wên, younger brother of King Wu, and uncle of King
Ch`êng.[7]
In addition I am minister of the empire.[8]
Certainly my
position in the empire is not to be despised. Yet in washing my
hair once, I must catch it up [all wet as it is] three times; and in
eating one meal I must thrice spit out [my food], and still I fear to
lose [an interview with] one of the empire's gentlemen.
"I have heard that[9]
one whose virtuous conduct is ample and
who preserves it by reverence will prosper; that one whose territory
is extensive and who preserves it by economy will find security;
that one whose pay is rich and whose rank is elevated and who
preserves them by humility will be honored; that one whose people
are many and whose weapons are strong and who preserves them
by fear will be victorious; that one who has intelligence and knowledge
and who preserves them by [an air of] stupidity will excel;[10]
that one whose learning is extensive and whose memory is strong
and who preserves them by [an air of] shallowness will have
wisdom.[11]
Now these six are all of them `humbled virtues.' To
have the rank of emperor and the wealth of the whole land[12]
and then to lose the empire and forfeit their own lives from not
humbling these virtues—such was the lot of Chieh and Chou.
Can you not but take [them as a] warning?
"Truly, the I [ching] has the One Way whereby, on a large
scale, one may preserve an empire, or on a medium scale, one
may preserve a state, or more immediately one may preserve his
person, and it is called humility. Now `it is the Way of Heaven
to diminish the full and to augment the humble. It is the Way of
Earth to overthrow the full and to replenish the humble. Spiritual
Beings inflict calamity on the full and bless the humble. It is the
Way of Man to hate the full and love the humble.'[13]
By this
principle the completed garment must have a gap at the lapel; the
finished dwelling must have a break at a corner; the finished room
must have a defect added. This shows that incompleteness is in
accordance with the Way of Heaven. The I [ching] says,[14]
`Chien
indicates progress and success. The superior man will maintain
his success to the end, and have good fortune.' The Ode says,[15]
T`ang was not born too late,
And his wisdom and virtue daily advanced.
Take heed! and do not treat ordinary gentlemen with disrespect
because of [your position in] the state of Lu."
