When Ch`ung-êrh, the Duke Wên of Chin, had traveled in exile
to Ts`ao, Li Fu-hsü[2]
accompanied him, and took advantage of the
occasion to steal Ch`ung-êrh's provisions and flee. Ch`ung-êrh was
without grain and so hungry he was unable to travel. Tzŭ-t`ui
cut off flesh from his own thigh to feed Ch`ung-êrh, after which
he was able to travel. When Ch`ung-êrh was restored to his state,
there were many in the state who did not submit to him. Whereupon
Li Fu-hsü came to him for an audience, saying, "I am able
to establish peace in the state of Chin."
Duke Wên sent a man to reply to him, "Do you still have the
face to come see me, wanting to establish peace in the state of
Chin?"
Li Fu-hsü said, "Is the prince washing his hair?"
The man[3]
said, "He is not."
Li Fu-hsü said, "For I have heard that when a person washes
his hair his heart is upside down and [so] his words are contrary
[to what they would ordinarily be]. Now if the prince is not
washing his hair, how does it happen his words are contrary?"
The man reported this to Duke Wên, who granted him an
audience. Li Fu-hsü raised his head and said, "You were long
away from the country, and many of the ministers and people
transgressed against Your Highness. Now that you have been
restored to your state, the people are all afraid for themselves.
Now I, Li Fu-hsü, even plundered all of Your Highness' provisions
and fled to the depths of the mountains, so that you suffered from
hunger, and Chieh Tzŭ-t`ui [had to] cut [flesh] off his thigh. No
one in the empire but has heard of it. My wrongdoing was so very
great that punishment involving my relatives of the tenth degree
would still be insufficient to wipe out my crime. But if Your
Highness were sincerely to forgive my crime and ride together
with me in a chariot through the country, seeing us, the people
would know for a certainty that you harbored no old grudges,
and men would be at ease about themselves."
Whereupon Duke Wên, being greatly pleased, followed his plan
and had him ride in his chariot through the country. When the
people saw them, they all said, "If instead of punishing even
Li Fu-hsü, he has him in his chariot, what have we to fear?"
In this way the state of Chin enjoyed great contentment. Truly,
as the Shu [ching] says,[4]
"King Wên dressed meanly and gave
himself to the work of tranquillization, and to that of husbandry."
Guilt such as that of Li Fu-hsü, and no one to forgive it. . . .[5]
The Ode says,[6]
Numerous is the array of officers,
And by them King Wên enjoys his repose.
