Annotations to Canon II:—
King Chao of Ch`in was ill. The hundred surnames in
every hamlet bought an ox and every family prayed for the
King's earliest recovery. When Kung-sun Shu went out, he
saw it. Therefore, he went in to congratulate the King and
said, "The hundred surnames in every village bought an ox
to pray for Your Majesty's earliest recovery." The King,
accordingly, sent men out to inquire into the matter, and
found it true. Therefore, the King said: "Make the people of
every village pay a fine[9]
of two suits of armour. To be sure,
who with no order offers prayers at his pleasure, loves me,
the King. Indeed, when the people love me, I will have to
alter the law and bend my will to comply with their requests.
In this manner the law will not stand. If the law does not
stand, it leads to chaos and ruin. Thus, the best measure is to
fine the people of every village two suits of armour and restore
them to order."
According to a different source: King Hsiang of Ch`in was
ill. The hundred surnames prayed for his earliest recovery.
When he was perfectly recovered from illness, they killed
oxen as sacrifices to thank the gods. When courtier Yen O
and Kung-sun Yen went out, they saw it and said, "This is
not the time of any festival.
[10]
Why do the people kill oxen
and sacrifice them at the shrines?" Out of curiosity they
put the question to the people. In reply they said: "When
His Majesty was ill, we prayed for his recovery. As he is
perfectly recovered from the illness, we kill oxen as sacrifice
to thank the gods." Glad to hear this, Yen O and Kung-sun
Yen interviewed the King and offered bows and congratulations,
saying, "Your Majesty has surpassed Yao and Shun!"
"What do you mean?" asked the King in wonder. In reply
they said: "During the reigns of Yao and Shun the people
never came to pray for the ruler's recovery from his illness.
Now, when Your Majesty was ill, the people in the prayers for
his earliest recovery promised the gods oxen sacrifices. When
Your Majesty had perfectly recovered from the illness, they
killed the oxen to fulfil their promise. Therefore, thy servants
personally think that Your Majesty surpasses Yao and
Shun." The King, accordingly, sent men out to inquire into
the matter, found out those villages which had held prayers,
and fined every village headman and every leader of five
families two suits of armour
[11]
each. Ashamed of their thoughtlessness,
Yen O and Kung-sun Yen dared not speak about it.
Several months afterwards, one day, when the King was
half-seas-over and happy at a carousal, they both said to the
King: "Formerly thy servants said Your Majesty surpassed
Yao and Shun, and thereby dared not mean to flatter you.
When Yao and Shun were ill, the people never came to pray
for the ruler's recovery. Now, when Your Majesty was ill,
the people in their prayers for his earliest recovery pledged
themselves to sacrifice oxen. When Your Majesty was perfectly
recovered from the illness, they killed the oxen to
fulfil their pledge. Unexpectedly, however, Your Majesty
fined every village headman and every leader of five families
two suits of armour each. At such a measure thy servants have
been wondering personally." In response the King said:
"Why don't you gentlemen know such a reason as this? As
to why the people work for me, it is not because of my love
that they work for me, it is because of my position. Suppose
I discard my position and attempt to win the hearts of the
people with love. Then, as soon as I happen to slacken my
love, they will no longer work for me. Therefore, I extirpate
the policy of love."
Once, when Ch`in had a great famine, Marquis Ying petitioned
His Majesty and said: "The grass,[12]
vegetables,
acorns, dates, and chestnuts in the Five Parks are sufficient
to save the people. May Your Majesty give them out?"
In reply King Chao-hsien said: "In accordance with the
law of our country the people shall be rewarded for merits and
punished for crimes. Now, if I give out the vegetables and
fruits of the Five Parks, I will in so doing reward men of
merit and no merit equally. To be sure, to reward men of
merit and no merit equally, leads to disorder. Indeed, instead
of giving out the products of the Five Parks and thereby inviting
confusion, we may as well discard the fruits and
vegetables and thereby maintain order."
According to a different source, the King said: "If I
order the fruits of grass, vegetables, dates, and chestnuts in
the Five Parks to be given out to the people, these may be
sufficient to save them. The measure, however, is to make
men of merit and no merit struggle with each other for my
gifts. To be sure, instead of giving life to them and thereby
inviting confusion, we may as well let them die and thereby
keep order. High Officer, leave the matter out!"
T`ien Yu taught his son, T`ien Chang, and said: "If you
want to benefit yourself, benefit your ruler first; if you want
to benefit your family, benefit your country first."
According to a different source: T`ien Yu taught his son,
T`ien Chang, and said: "The sovereign offers ranks and
offices; the minister offers wisdom and strength. Hence the
saying `Rely on nobody but yourself!' "
Kung-yi Hsiu, Premier of Lu, was fond of fish. Therefore,
people in the whole country contentiously bought fish,
which they presented to him. However, Kung-yi Tzŭ would
not accept the presents. Against such a step his younger
brother remonstrated with him and said: "You like fish,
indeed. Why don't you accept the present of fish?" In reply
he said: "It is solely because I like fish that I would not
accept the fish they gave me. Indeed, if I accept the fish, I will
be placed under an obligation to them. Once placed under
an obligation to them, I will sometime have to bend the law.
If I bend the law, I will be dismissed from the premiership.
After being dismissed from the premiership, I might not be
able to supply myself with fish. On the contrary, if I do not
accept the fish from them and am not dismissed the premiership,
however fond of fish, I can always supply myself with
fish." Thus, he understood the principle that self-reliance
is better than reliance on others and also the principle that
self-help is better than help by others.
