University of Virginia Library

Annotations to Canon I:—

Tsao-fu managed four horses, drove them as fast as
possible, turned them around everywhere, and thus moved in
any direction as he pleased. He could manage the horses in
the way he pleased, because he handled the reins and the
whip at his will. However, when horses were frightened by
the jumping pig, Tsao-fu lost control of them, not because
the severity of the reins and the whip became insufficient,
but because his authority over the horses was shaken by the
jumping pig. Prince Yü-Ch`i harnessed extra horses alongside
his chariot, and, without holding the reins and any whip,
managed the horses at his pleasure. This was on account of the
attractiveness of the fodder and water he was giving them.
However, when the horses passed by the garden pool, the
extra horses broke away, not because the benefit of his fodder
and water became insufficient, but because his kindness was
shaken by the garden pool.

For the same reason, though Wang Liang and Tsao-fu
were skilful drivers in All-under-Heaven, if you let Wang
Liang hold the left rein and thunder the horse onward and
let Tsai-fu hold the right rein and whip it on, the horse will
not be able to go even ten li, because they held the reins
of the same horse together. Likewise, though T`ien Lien
and Ch`êng Chiao were skilful players of the lute in Allunder-Heaven,
yet if T`ien Lien played the upper notes and
Ch`êng Chiao played the lower notes, the result could not
be any tune at all, because they handled the same lute.

Indeed, even Wang Liang and Tsao-fu, despite their skill
could not put the horse to use when they held the reins and
the horse together. How much less could the lord of men
succeed in government by sharing his power with his
ministers? Even T`ien Lien and Ch`êng Chiao, despite their
skill, could not make a tune when they played the same lute
together. How much less could the lord of men accomplish
any achievement by sharing his august position with his
ministers?

According to a different source: Tsao-fu served as
assistant charioteer to the King of Ch`i. Once, when he
thought his work in training the horses to bear thirst was
complete he drove the chariot to the garden. As soon as the
thirsty horses sw the garden pool they broke away from the
chariot and ran to the pool, so that the harness was broken
to pieces.

As regards Prince Yü-ch`i, he on behalf of Lord Chien of
Chao shaped his course to race for a goal one thousand li
away. When he started, a pig hid itself in a ditch. As he got
the reins and the whip ready and began to make a rush for the
goal, the pig all of a sudden jumped out from the ditch.
Thereby the horse was frightened, and the harness was broken
to pieces.

Tzŭ-han, Garrison Commander of the Capital, said to the
Ruler of Sung: "Reward and bestowal are welcomed by
the people. May Your Highness confer them! Execution
and punishment are disliked by the people. May thy servant
beg to perform them?" "All right," replied the Ruler of
Sung. Thenceforth, on issuing important ordinances and
on censuring chief vassals, he always said: "Ask Tzŭ-han
to give a decision!" Thereupon, chief vassals became afraid

of Tzŭ-han while the masses of people turned to him. In
the course of one year, Tzŭ-han murdered the Ruler of Sung
and usurped the reins of government. Thus, Tzŭ-han acted
like a jumping pig and thereby usurped the state from his
ruler.

Duke Chien from his supreme status inflicted heavy punishment,
carried severe censure, increased taxes, and executed
culprits. On the contrary, T`ien Hêng[4] always created
compassion and favour and displayed generosity and kindness.
Thus, Duke Chien turned the people into thirsty horses and
conferred no favour upon them; whereas T`ien Hêng made
benevolence and kindness as attractive to the people as the
garden pool to the thirsty horses.

According to a different source: Tsao-fu served as
assistant charioteer to the King of Ch`i and trained the horses to
bear thirst. In one hundred days the training was complete.[5]
Then he asked the King of Ch`i to try harnessing the team.
"Try them in the garden," ordered the King. When Tsao-fu
drove the chariot into the garden, the horses, seeing the
garden pool ran wild, and Tsao-fu could not stop them.
For a long time Tsao-fu trained the horses to bear thirst.
Yet in the presence of a pool the horses all at once ran wild,
when even Tsao-fu could not restrain them. Now, for a
long period the law of Duke Chien restrained the people;
whereas T`ien Hêng gave all kinds of profits to them. In
other words, T`ien Hêng emptied the water of the garden
pool and showed it to the thirsty people.

According to a different source: Prince Yü-ch`i on

behalf of the Ruler of Sung was running a race of one thousand
li. After he had harnessed the horses to the chariot, he rubbed
the mane[6] and touched the line of the bridle-bit. Then he
started, drove on, and advanced the horses. The rings of
the yokes hit the leather-ropes, which he immediately
stretched and pulled. The horses then bent their knees,
straightened their bodies, and started galloping. All of a
sudden a pig jumped out from a ditch. The horses moved
back and retreated. Even by whipping them he could not
drive them forward. They ran wild. He could not stop them
by holding the reins.

According to a different source: Ssŭ-ch`êng Tzŭ-han said
to the Ruler of Sung: "Reward and bestowal are welcomed
by the people. May Your Highness confer them personally!
Punishment and execution are disliked by them. May thy
servant beg to take charge of them?" Thenceforth, on
executing crooked people or on censuring chief vassals, the
Ruler always said, "Ask Tzŭ-han to give decision!" In the
course of one year, the people knew the order to kill was
issued by Tzŭ-han. In consequence, the whole country
turned to him. In the long run, Tzŭ-han intimidated the
Ruler of Sung and usurped his reins of government.
Hence the saying: "Tzŭ-han acted like the jumping pig;
T`ien Hêng[7] made benevolence and kindness as attractive
as the garden pool." Suppose Wang Liang and Tsao-fu
drove the same chariot, each holding the rein on one side,

and went out[8] of the village gate. Then the harness would
break, and the destination would never be reached. Suppose
T`ien Lien and Ch`êng Chiao had the same lute, each handling
one string, and started playing it. Then the notes would
become disharmonious and no tune could be performed.