Chapter XXVIII
ACHIEVEMENT AND REPUTATION[1]
The factors of the intelligent ruler's success in accomplishing
achievement and establishing reputation are four: The first
is said to be "the time of heaven"; the second, "the
hearts of the people"; the third, "technical ability"; and
the fourth, "influential status."
Without the time of heaven, even ten Yaos cannot in
winter grow a single ear of grain. Acting contrary to the
hearts of the people, even Pên and Yü cannot make them
exert their forces to the utmost. Therefore, when grains
gain the favour of the time of heaven, they grow of themselves
with no need of special care; when the ruler wins the
hearts of the people, he elevates himself without being raised.
When one relies on his technical ability, he hastens by
himself without being hurried. When one occupies an
influential status, his name is made without being commended.
Like water flowing and like the ship floating, the ruler
follows the course of nature and enacts boundless decrees.
Hence he is called "an enlightened sovereign".
Indeed, the possessor of talent who has no position, even
though he is worthy, cannot control the unworthy. For
illustration, when a foot of timber is placed on the top of
a high mountain, it overlooks the ravine a thousand fathoms
below. Not that the timber is long, but that its position is
high. Chieh, while the Son of Heaven, could rule over
All-under-Heaven. Not that he was worthy but that his
position was influential. Yao, while a commoner, could
not rectify three families. Not that he was unworthy but
that his position was low. A weight of one thousand chün,
if aboard a ship, floats; but the utmost farthing, if overboard,
sinks. Not that one thousand chün is light and the
utmost farthing is heavy, but that the former has a favourable
position while the latter has none. Therefore, the short
thing can by its location overlook the tall one; the unworthy
man can by his position rule over the worthy.
The lord of men, because supported by All-under-Heaven
with united forces, is safe; because upheld by the masses of
the people with united hearts, he is glorious. The minister,
because he maintains his merit and exerts his ability, is loyal.
If a glorious sovereign[2]
rules loyal ministers, everybody
in the state can live a long and enjoyable life and accomplish
achievement and reputation. Name and reality will support
each other and will be accomplished. Form and shadow
will coincide with each other and stand together. Hence
sovereign and minister have the same desire but different
functions.
The anxiety of the lord of men comes from the absence
of minister's responses to his call. Hence the saying:
"Nobody can clap with one hand, however fast he moves
it." The anxiety of the minister lies in the inability to
secure a full-time routine of work. Hence the saying:
"The right hand drawing a circle and the left hand drawing
a square at the same time cannot both succeed." Hence
the saying again: "In the state at the height of order the
ruler is like the drumstick and the minister like the drum;
the technique is like the carriage and the task like the horse."
Therefore, men having surplus strength respond easily to
calls; techniques having excessive skill are convenient to
tasks. On the contrary, if those who accomplish achievements
are not sufficiently strong; if those who are near and dear
to the ruler are not sufficiently faithful; if those who have
made names are not sufficiently influential; if only those
who work within the ruler's reach become intimate; and if
those who are stationed far away are not familiar; such will
instance the discrepancy between name and fact. If the
position of a sage like Yao and Shun in virtue and like Po-i
in conduct is not supported by the world, his achievement
will not be accomplished and his reputation will not be
established.
Therefore, the ancients who could secure both achievement
and reputation, were all assisted by the multitudes with forces,
the near supporting them in earnest,[3]
the distant praising
them with names, and the honourable supporting them with
influences. Such being the case, their achievements as
magnificent as Mountain T`ai have stood permanently in
the country and their reputations as glorious as the sun
and the moon have shone upon heaven and earth for ever
and ever. It was in such wise that Yao faced the south and
maintained his reputation and Shun faced the north and
accomplished his achievement.[4]
