University of Virginia Library

CHAPTER XVI

TERRITORIAL EXPANSION

a. The Lord Grand Secretary: The Prince is all embracing and
all sheltering. There is no place for favoritism in his universal love
for all; he confers no extraordinary bounties on those near him,
nor does he forget to spread broad his favors to those far away.
Now we are all equally his subjects, and all are equally his ministers.
Yet there is still no equality in security of life, and no even division
of labor. Should there then be not any adjustment? You seem to
be merely captious, when you only take into account the remote,
never thinking of the near.

b. The frontier people on the fringes of the Empire, living in a
land of bitter cold, ever facing the menace of the powerful barbarians,
constantly risk their lives at the first flash of the beacon fires.[1]
Therefore, that the Central Domain is able to live in peace, while
the frontiersmen are fighting a hundred battles, is all due to the
protecting screen of the border commanderies. Says the Odes in
criticism of inequality: This is all the sovereign's business, and
I alone am made to toil in it.[2] Therefore the sagacious Emperor in
his care of the Four Corners of the earth, alone exerted himself
in raising armies to drive back the barbarians, north and south.
Enemies were now kept at a distance and calamities were averted.
The surplus of the Middle Kingdom, fertile and rich, was distributed
to meet the need of the frontier regions. As the frontier regions
are strengthened, the Central Domain will enjoy peace. With a

peaceful country, there will be no untoward events. What else
would you want, and why not keep silent?

c. The Literati: In ancient times, the Son of Heaven stood at
the center of the world. His domain comprised a perimeter of not
more than a thousand li. Territory assigned to the feudal lords did
not reach to the non-productive lands.[3] The "Tribute of Yü"[4]
extended to five thousand li. People supported their respective
rulers, and the feudal princes protected their respective territories.
Hence the people enjoyed equality and harmony, and the duties
involved in forced labor were not strenuous. Now we have pushed
back the Hu and the Yüeh several thousand li. The routes have
been circuitous and lengthy.[5] The troops are worn out. Hence the
people of the frontier are brought face to face with suicide, and
China suffers from death and ruin. This is why the people clamor
and will not be silent.

d. The principle of administration lies in proceeding from the
center to the periphery, beginning from the near. Only after those
near at hand have attached themselves submissively to the government,
steps may then be taken to rally the distant. After the people
within are contented, then care will be taken of those afar. Hence
when the ministers proposed to colonize Lun T'ai,[6] the Enlightened
Monarch did not give his assent, thinking that his proper calling

was to remedy the immediate problems of the moment. Thus he
issued an edict to the effect that the problem of the present was
to interdict harsh and cruel treatment of the people, to put a stop
to arbitrary levies, and to concentrate upon the fundamental industry
of agriculture. The ministers ought, therefore, to follow the wish
of the Emperor by reducing and removing the incompetent to help
the people in their extremity. Now that the Empire within is in
decline, yet they show no anxiety, but busily engage themselves
rather in the frontier questions. Is it not probably true that there
are vast areas lying uncultivated, much sowing without harrowing,
and much labor without fruit? Well may the Odes say: Do not try
to cultivate fields too large; — the weeds will only grow luxuriantly.[7]

e. The Lord Grand Secretary: It was not out of sheer delight
in war that T'ang and Wu[8] resorted to arms. Nor was it due to
lust of conquest that King Hsüan of Chou[9] extended his territory
a thousand li. Their purpose was to uproot foreign foes and internal
rebels and thus to tranquilize the people. For a wise man will
not undertake a purposeless expedition and a sage King will not
covet a useless land. The late Emperor raised armies in the spirit
of T'ang and Wu and settled the distress of the Three Frontiers.[10]
Then he turned in one direction to subdue the enemy. As the
Hsiung Nu fled, he constructed defenses along the rivers and the
mountains. Hence he turned away from the barren wastes of sand,
rock and alkali, ceded the district of Shih-pi,[11] and the territory
of Tsao-yang[12] to the Hu tribes. He dispensed with the garrison
at the bend of the Great Wall, occupied the strategic positions on
the Yellow River, and limited himself to guarding the important
points in order to lighten garrison duty and yet render adequate
protection to the people. From this it can be seen that the Sage
Ruler's aim is not to aggrandize the Empire through burdening
the people.

f. The Literati: The Ch'in dynasty assuredly went to extremes
in waging wars. Mêng T'ien[13] certainly extended the boundary to a
great distance. Now, we have far overreached the barrier set up
by Mêng T'ien, and have established administrative areas in the
land of the raiding nomads. As the land extends to greater distance,
people suffer from a greater burden. To the west of the Shuo-fang,[14]
and to the north of Ch'ang-an,[15] the outlay for the organization of
new commanderies, and the expenses of the outposts are beyond
calculation. It is not only this. When Ssŭ-ma [Hsiang-ju] and T'ang
Mêng[16] bored through a road to the south-western tribes,[17] Pa and
Shu[18] began to be oppressed by the Chiung and the Tso.[19] "Across
the seas"[20] despatched expeditions against the southern barbarians;[21]
"High-decked ships"[22] attacked the eastern Yüeh;[23] but Ching and
Ch'u[24] were then overwhelmed by the Ou-lo tribes.[25] After the "General
of the left wing"[26] attacked Korea[27] and opened up the land of Lin
T'ao,[28] Yen and Ch'i[29] came to grief at the hands of the Wei and

Mai[30] tribes. Chang Ch'ien[31] penetrated to strange and distant lands,
but brought in only useless exotics. Thus the reserves of the treasuries
flow to foreign countries,[32] and the vast outflow is incomparable
with [the economies effected on] the cost of Shih-pi, and the
labor for Tsao-yang [which had been saved].[33] From this it is seen
that the whole affair is not due to the solicitude of the Emperor,
but the mistaken calculations for the government of busy-body officials.

g. The Lord Grand Secretary: He who possesses the wisdom of
Kuan Chung[34] would not take up the offices of an underling. He
who possesses the acumen of T'ao Chu,[35] would not remain in
poverty. The Literati are capable of speech, but incapable in action.
They occupy a low position, and yet blame their superiors. They
remain poor, while criticizing the rich. They make extravagant
speeches, without following them up. They are high sounding, but
their conduct is low. They criticize, praise, and discuss, in order
to gain a name and the favor of the time. Those who earn salaries
of not more than a handful, are not qualified to talk about government.
Those who at home possess less than a load or shih [of
grain] are not qualified to plan things. All the scholars are poor
and weak, unequipped with necessary clothes and hats.[36] What do

they know about the affairs of the state or business of the officials?
What [do they know about] Shih-pi and Tsao-yang?

h. The Literati: A humble station does not circumscribe wisdom.
Poverty does not impair one's conduct. Yen Yüan[37] was frequently
down to a bare cupboard, but he cannot be said to have been unworthy.
Confucius, though not looking the part,[38] cannot be denied as a
sage. If 'one must recommend a man according to his appearance
and promote a student according to his métier, then T'ai Kung
would have wielded his butcher's knife throughout his life[39] and
Ning Ch'i[40] would never have ceased to tend his cattle. The ancient
gentleman maintained his principles in establishing a name, and
cultivated his personality while waiting his opportunity. Even poverty
would not make him change his principles, nor would he alter his
objective because of low position.[41] He would abide in benevolence
and act according to duty. He was even fastidious in the presence
of money. Discerning profit he turned his regard to duty. To acquire
riches in an improper way and high position without justification—this
the benevolent would not do. Hence Tsêng Shên and Min Tzŭ[42]
would not exchange their benevolence for the wealth of Chin and
Ch'u,[43] and Po I[44] would not sell his character for the rank of a
prince. With such as they, Duke Ching of Ch'i[45] with all his
thousand four-in-hands could not compete in fame.

i. Confucius said: What a man of worth was Hui! A single
bamboo bowl of millet; a single ladle of cabbage soup; living in a
mean alley! Others could not have borne his distress, but Hui never
abated his cheerfulness.[46] Therefore only the benevolent knows how
to live in straits, enjoying his poverty;[47] while the mean man
becomes oppressive when rich, and shifty when poor. Yang Tzŭ
said: He who seeks to be rich will not be benevolent. He who wishes
to be benevolent will not be rich.[48] If gain is preferred to honor, and
all try to acquire and to rob with an insatiable appetite, then the
ministers will accumulate millions of wealth, the high officials
gold in thousands of pieces, and the smaller officers their hundreds.
With this self-enrichment and the accumulation of concentrated
wealth, the common people will be left in cold and misery, wandering
along the roads. How could the Scholars alone keep up a complete
outfit of caps and clothing?