Han shih wai chuan :: :: University of Virginia Library

Under the government of a True King, promotion of the sage
and the able does not wait on seniority, and dismissal of unworthy
persons takes place without a moment's delay. Punishment of a
chief criminal does not wait on instruction,[2] nor does the reform
of the ordinary man wait on his being perfect.[3] Before distinctions
are established, there are natural gradations.[4] Though a person
be the descendant of a duke, minister, or great officer, if his
conduct breaks the rules of li and i,[5] he is put back to the rank of
a commoner. [Though a person be descended from the common
people, if he amasses learning,[6] rectifies his conduct, and becomes
capable of li and i,[7] then he is put up among the gentlemen and
great officers. People[8] who are upset are taken in charge and
tested. People who are not upright are put on probation.[9] If
they become tractable, they are supported; if not, they are banished.][10]
[As for those afflicted with one of the five defects,][11]

162

the ruler receives and employs them; he gives them office and
feeds and clothes them. Covering all[12] he neglects none. But if
a gifted person transgresses [deliberately] against the proper season,
he is put to death without reprieve,[13] and it is said that
Heaven has punished[14] him. Such is the government of a True
King. The Ode says,[15]

If a man has no dignity of demeanor,
What should he do but die?

[1]

Taken from Hsün-tzŭ 5.1a-2a (Dubs 121-2), but with some omissions and variation
in the sequence of sentences; see note 10.

[2]

Yang Liang here quotes Analects 353 (20/2.3), "To put the people to death without
having instructed them;—this is called cruelty," and observes that chief criminals
constitute an exception.

[3]

[OMITTED] in the sense of [OMITTED].

[4]

[OMITTED]: the tablet of the father was placed on the left [OMITTED] and that of the son
on the right [OMITTED] of the ancestral temple, so that successive generations faced one
another; cf. Li Ki 1.287-8 (3/3.4) and diagram. Yang Liang says, "Sages occupy a
higher position; unworthy persons occupy a lower position."

[5]

CHy, B, C have [OMITTED]. Hsün-tzŭ has [OMITTED].

[6]

[OMITTED]: D has [OMITTED]; Chou and CHy have reversed these after Hsün-tzŭ. B, C
have [OMITTED].

[7]

Read [OMITTED] as above (note 5) for [OMITTED].

[8]

I follow CHy and delete [OMITTED].

[9]

B, C have [OMITTED] for [OMITTED]. CHy thinks [OMITTED] was corrupted to [OMITTED], which was then
incorrectly emended to [OMITTED]. I follow him and read [OMITTED] as in Hsün-tzŭ.

[10]

The text between brackets has suffered considerable disarrangement, but is easily
restored on the basis of Hsün-tzŭ. The following reconstruction is due to Chou and
CHy: [OMITTED] ○ [OMITTED]
[OMITTED] ○ [OMITTED] ○ [OMITTED].

[11]

Chou would add [OMITTED] from Hsün-tzŭ. CHy would emend the preceding [OMITTED]
[OMITTED] to [OMITTED], in spite of having already said that the phrase has been
displaced. I follow Chou. Yang Liang enumerates the five: dumb [OMITTED], deaf [OMITTED], lame
[OMITTED], mutilated [OMITTED], stunted [OMITTED].

[12]

I follow CHy and emend [OMITTED] to [OMITTED] from Hsün-tzŭ.

[13]

CHy omits [OMITTED] with Hsün-tzŭ. Cf. Shu ching 166 (3/4.2.4): [OMITTED].

[14]

CHy follows Hsün-tzŭ and writes [OMITTED] for [OMITTED].

[15]

Shih 84 No. 52/1.