1. Accordance with Human Feelings[2]
:
Accumulation of Wisdom[3]
Generally speaking, the order of All-under-Heaven must
accord with human feelings. Human feelings have likes and
dislikes, wherefore reward and punishment can be applied.
If reward and punishment are applicable, prohibitions and
orders will prevail and the course of government will be
accomplished. As the ruler has the handles in his grip and
thereby upholds his august position, what is ordered works
and what is prohibited stops. The handles are regulators of
life and death; the position is the means of overcoming the
masses.
If dismissal and appointment have no constant rule, the
sovereign's prerogative will be profaned; if matters of reward
and punishment are administered in common by the sovereign
and the inferiors, the sovereign's authority will be shaken.
For this reason, the intelligent sovereign does not listen with
the attitude of love nor does he scheme with the sense of
delight. For, if he does not compare the words he heeds, his
prerogative will be shaken by rapacious ministers; if he does
not make use of the ministers' wisdom and strength, he will
be harassed by the ministers. Therefore, the sovereign, when
enforcing regulations, is as magnificent as heaven, and, when
using men, is as mysterious as the spirit. For heaven cannot
be confuted and the spirit cannot be harassed by human
beings. When the position functions and the training is
strict, though the ruler acts contrary to the world, nobody
dares to disobey. Once blame and praise prevail under a
unified system, nobody dares to dispute. Therefore, to
reward the wise and punish the violent is the best way to exalt
good people; to reward the outrageous and punish the wise
is the extremity to exalt bad people, which is said to be
rewarding participants in wickedness and punishing
opponents to it.
Now, rewards should not be otherwise than liberal, so that
the people will consider them profitable; honours should
not be otherwise than attractive, so that the people will
consider them glorious; censures should not be otherwise
than strict, so that the people will consider them severe;
and blame should not be otherwise than odious, so that
the people will consider it disgraceful. Thereafter, the
ruler will universally enforce his laws. When prohibitions
and censures of private families mean no harm to the people,
and when men of merit deserving reward and culprits
deserving punishment are always known, the system of
intelligent service is accomplished.
