University of Virginia Library

Annotations to Canon IV:—

If someone wants to move a tree and pulls each leaf, he
works hard but cannot shake the whole tree. If he holds the
root from the right and the left, then all the leaves will be
shaken. If you shake the tree by the pool, then the birds will

be scared and fly up and the fish will be frightened and swim
down. Who is skilful in hauling in a net, draws in the rope
and never pulls the knots, one after another, till he gets the
whole net. If he pulls the knots, one after another, so as to
get the whole net, he works hard and meets difficulties. If he
draws in the net by the rope, the fish will have been trapped.
For the same reason, magistrates are the roots and ropes of the
people. Therefore, the sage governs the magistrates but
never directly governs the people.

In the case of the fire brigade, if the captain carries water in
jars and pots and runs to the fire, he will perform the function
of only one man; whereas if he takes a whip in hand and
thereby gives directions to the workmen, then he will rule
over a myriad of men. For this reason, the sage does not look
after the trifles of the people and the enlightened sovereign
does not attend to small affairs.

One day, when Tsao-fu was picking weeds in the field,
there passed by him father and son riding in a carriage.
The horses were frightened and refused to go any farther. The
son alighted from the carriage and pulled the horses. The
father[17] pushed the carriage. Then they asked Tsao-fu,
"Will you help us move the carriage?" Tsao-fu, accordingly
put the implements together, stopped[18] working, and left them
on the carriage. Then he helped the son get into the carriage.
Finally, he held the reins in hand and took the whip along.
Before he started moving the reins and the whip, the horses
all began galloping[19] of a sudden. Were Tsao-fu unable

to drive the carriage, then even though he exerted his strength
and exhausted his body to help them move the carriage, the
horses would still be unwilling to go forward. Because he
knew how to drive, he took his ease, had a ride, and placed
strangers under an obligation. Likewise, the state is the
carriage of the Ruler; the august position is his horse. If
the Ruler does not know how to drive the carriage, then even
though he exhausts himself, he cannot avoid chaos. If he
knows how to drive, he will remain in the place of ease and
joy and accomplish the achievement of the emperor and the
king.

Iron hammers are for flattening metallic plates. Wooden
stands are for collecting crooked arrows. The sage makes laws
in order thereby to flatten the indented and correct the crooked.

When Cho Ch`ih was serving Ch`i he pulled the sinews
out of King Min's body. When Li Tai was serving Chao,
he starved the Father Sovereign to death. These two rulers
were both unable to use their iron hammers and wooden
stands with the result that they were put to death and became
the laughing-stock of All-under-Heaven.

According to a different source: After entering Ch`i one
would hear of Cho Ch`ih only and never hear of the King of
Ch`i; after entering Chao one would hear of Li Tai only and
never hear of the King of Chao. Hence the saying: "If
the lord of men does not apply tact, his prestige and position
will become insignificant and ministers will celebrate themselves
at leisure."

According to another different source: When T`ien Ying
was Premier of Ch`i, somebody said to the King of Ch`i:
"If Your Majesty does not spend a few days in listening to
the annual financial reports personally, then Your Majesty

will have no other way to know the officials' wickednesses
and corruptions." "Right," said the King. Hearing about
this T`ien Ying immediately went to ask the King to listen
to his reports. When the King was about to listen to the
reports, T`ien Ying ordered his subordinate officials to get
ready the officially signed documents and the accounts of
measures of grain. To these the King listened personally,
till he could no longer listen to any more reports. After his
lunch,[20] he sat down again. At dusk he had no more time left
for his supper. Then T`ien Ying said: "These reports
involve such duties as the officials night and day all year
around dare not neglect. If Your Majesty spends an evening
in listening to them, the officials will be encouraged."
"All right," said the King. All of a sudden the King fell
asleep. In the meantime the officials pulled knives out and
whittled the remaining documents and accounts of measures.[21]
Thus, as the King listened to the reports personally, disorder
began.

According to a different source: King Wu-ling entrusted
King Hui-wên with the state affairs, and appointed Li Tai
premier. As King Wu-ling did not hold the power of life and
death over the people himself, he was eventually intimidated
by Li Tai.