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Romanised transliteration as printed by the translator, not the original script. This is what we hold.
1You are without any prideful assumption, but no one under heaven can contest with you the palm of ability; you make no boasting, but no [1] E 50 THE SHO KING. PART Il. one under heaven can contest with you the palm of merit. I see how great is your virtue, how admirable your vast achievements. The determinate appointment of Heaven rests on your person; you must eventually ascend (the throne) of the great sovereign.* The mind of man is restless, prone (to err); its affinity to what is right is small. Be discriminating, be uniform (in the pursuit of what is right), that you may sincerely hold fast the Mean. Do not listen to unsubstantiated words; do not follow plans about which you have not sought counsel. Of all who are to be loved, is not the ruler the chief? Of all who are to be feared, are not the people the chief? If the multitude were without their sovereign Head, whom should they sustain aloft? If the sovereign had not the multitude, there would be none to guard the country for. him. Be reverential! Carefully maintain the throne which you are to occupy, cultivating (the virtues) that are to be desired in you. If within the four seas there be distress and poverty, your Heavenconferred revenues will come to a perpetual end. It is the mouth which sends forth what is good, and raises up war. I will not alter my words.’ Yii said, ‘Submit the meritorious ministers one by one to the trial of divination’, and let the favouring indication be followed.’ The Tt replied, ‘(According to the rules for) the regulation of divination, one should first make up his mind, and afterwards refer (his judgment) to the great tortoise-shell. My mind (in this matter) was determined in the first place; I consulted and deliberated with all (my 3 On Divination, see Part V, iv. BOOK 11. THE COUNSELS OF THE GREAT YU. 51 ministers and people), and they were of one accord with me. The spirits signified their assent, and the tortoise-shell and divining stalks concurred. Divination, when fortunate, should not be repeated.’ * Yii did obeisance with his head to the ground, and firmly declined (the place). The T! said, ‘You must not do so. It is you who can suitably (occupy my place).’ On the first morning of the first month, (Yi) received the appointment in the temple (dedicated by Shun) to the spirits of his ancestors, and took the leading of all the officers, as had been done by the T! at the commencement (of his government). *
2It is you who can suitably (occupy my place).’ On the first morning of the first month, (Yi) received the appointment in the temple (dedicated by Shun) to the spirits of his ancestors, and took the leading of all the officers, as had been done by the T! at the commencement (of his government). * 3. The Tt said, ‘Alas! O Yi, there is only the lord of Miao? who refuses obedience; do you go and correct him.’ Yii on this assembled all the princes, and made a speech to the host, saying, ‘ Ye multitudes here arrayed, listen all of you to my orders. Stupid is this lord of Mido, ignorant, erring, and disrespectful. Despiteful and insolent to others, he thinks that all ability and virtue are with himself. A rebel to the right, he destroys (all the obligations of) virtue. Superior men are kept by him in obscurity, and mean men fill (all) the offices. The people reject him and will not protect him. Heaven 1 Many contend that this was the ancestral temple of Y§o. But we learn from Confucius, in the seventeenth chapter of the Doctrine of the Mean, that Shun had established such a temple for his own ancestors, which must be that intended here. * The lord of Mi&o against whom Yd proceeded would not be the one whom Shun banished to San-wei, as related in the former Book, but some chieftain of the whole or a portion of the people, who had been left in their native seat. That Y4o, Shun, and Yii were all obliged to take active measures against the people of Miao, shows the difficulty with which the Chinese sway was established over the country. E 2 52 THE SHO KING. PART It. is sending down calamities upon him.* I therefore, along with you, my multitude of gallant men, bear the instructions (of the Ti) to punish his crimes. Do you proceed with united heart and strength, so shall our enterprize be crowned with success.’ At the end of three decades, the people of Mido continued rebellious against the commands (issued to them), when Yt came to the help of Yii, saying, ‘It is virtue that moves Heaven; there is no distance to which it does not reach. Pride brings loss, and humility receives increase ;—this is the way of Heaven.* In the early time of the Tf, when he was living by mount Li}, he went into the fields, and daily cried with tears to compassionate Heaven, and to his parents, taking to himself all guilt, and charging himself with (their) wickedness.* (At the same time) with respectful service he appeared before Kd-sau, looking grave and awe-struck, till Ka also became transformed by his example. Entire sincerity moves spiritual beings,—how much more will it move this lord of Miado!’* Yii did homage to the excellent words, and said, ‘Yes.’ (Thereupon) he led back his army, having drawn off the troops. The Tt set about diffusing on a grand scale the virtuous influences of peace;—with shields and feathers they danced between the two staircases (in his courtyard). In seventy days, the lord of Mido came (and made his submission).
3The Tt set about diffusing on a grand scale the virtuous influences of peace;—with shields and feathers they danced between the two staircases (in his courtyard). In seventy days, the lord of Mido came (and made his submission). + Mount Lf is found in a hill near Ph Kau, department of Phing-yang, Shan-hsf. It is difficult to reconcile what Yf says here of Shun ‘in his early life’ and his father Ka-sau with the account of it as happening when Shun was fifty years old; see Mencius V, Part i, ch. 5. The whole is legendary, and there were, no doubt, more forms of the legend than one. BOOK III. THE COUNSELS OF KAo-yAo. 53 Boox III. THe Counsets or KAo-vAo. KaAo-yAo was Minister of Crime to Shun, and is still celebrated in China as the model for all administrators of justice. There are few or no reliable details of his history. Sze-ma Kdien says that Yii, on his accession to the throne, made K4o-y4o his chief minister, with the view of his ultimately succeeding him, but that the design was frustrated by K4o-y4o’s death. But if there had been such a tradition in the time of Mencius, he would probably have mentioned it, when defending Yii from the charge of being inferior to Y4o and Shun, who resigned the throne to the worthiest, whereas he transmitted it to his son. K4o-y4o’s surname was Yen, but an end was made of his representatives, when the principality belonging to them was extinguished in the dynasty of Kau by the ambitious state of Kht. There is still a family in China with the surname K4o, claiming to be descended from this ancient worthy; but K4o and Y4o are to be taken together in the Shf as his name. The ‘Counsels’ in the Book do not appear as addressed directly to Shun, but are found in a conversation between Yii and K4o-y4o, the latter being the chief speaker. The whole may be divided into four chapters:—the first, enunciating the principle that in government the great thing is for the ruler to pursue the course of his virtue, which will be seen in his knowledge and choice of men for office, thereby securing the repose of the people; the second, illustrating how men may be known ; the third, treating of the repose of the people; in the fourth, the speaker asserts the reasonableness of his sentiments, and humbly expresses his own desire to be helpful to the sovereign. e 1. Examining into antiquity, (we find that) K4oyao said, ‘If (the sovereign) sincerely pursues the course of his virtue, the counsels (offered to him) will be intelligent, and the aids (of admonition that he receives) will be harmonious.’ Yii said, ‘ Yes, but explain yourself.’ K4o-y4o said, ‘Oh! let him be careful about his personal cultivation, with thoughts that are far-reaching, and thus he will 54 THE SHO KING. PART IT.
The source text as printed, transcribed diplomatically. Where the source language uses a non-Latin script that reaches us only through a Victorian romanisation, this layer is labelled transliteration, because that is what we hold.
Romanised transliteration as printed by the translator, not the original script. This is what we hold.
1You are without any prideful assumption, but no one under heaven can contest with you the palm of ability; you make no boasting, but no [1] E 50 THE SHO KING. PART Il. one under heaven can contest with you the palm of merit. I see how great is your virtue, how admirable your vast achievements. The determinate appointment of Heaven rests on your person; you must eventually ascend (the throne) of the great sovereign.* The mind of man is restless, prone (to err); its affinity to what is right is small. Be discriminating, be uniform (in the pursuit of what is right), that you may sincerely hold fast the Mean. Do not listen to unsubstantiated words; do not follow plans about which you have not sought counsel. Of all who are to be loved, is not the ruler the chief? Of all who are to be feared, are not the people the chief? If the multitude were without their sovereign Head, whom should they sustain aloft? If the sovereign had not the multitude, there would be none to guard the country for. him. Be reverential! Carefully maintain the throne which you are to occupy, cultivating (the virtues) that are to be desired in you. If within the four seas there be distress and poverty, your Heavenconferred revenues will come to a perpetual end. It is the mouth which sends forth what is good, and raises up war. I will not alter my words.’ Yii said, ‘Submit the meritorious ministers one by one to the trial of divination’, and let the favouring indication be followed.’ The Tt replied, ‘(According to the rules for) the regulation of divination, one should first make up his mind, and afterwards refer (his judgment) to the great tortoise-shell. My mind (in this matter) was determined in the first place; I consulted and deliberated with all (my 3 On Divination, see Part V, iv. BOOK 11. THE COUNSELS OF THE GREAT YU. 51 ministers and people), and they were of one accord with me. The spirits signified their assent, and the tortoise-shell and divining stalks concurred. Divination, when fortunate, should not be repeated.’ * Yii did obeisance with his head to the ground, and firmly declined (the place). The T! said, ‘You must not do so. It is you who can suitably (occupy my place).’ On the first morning of the first month, (Yi) received the appointment in the temple (dedicated by Shun) to the spirits of his ancestors, and took the leading of all the officers, as had been done by the T! at the commencement (of his government). *
2It is you who can suitably (occupy my place).’ On the first morning of the first month, (Yi) received the appointment in the temple (dedicated by Shun) to the spirits of his ancestors, and took the leading of all the officers, as had been done by the T! at the commencement (of his government). * 3. The Tt said, ‘Alas! O Yi, there is only the lord of Miao? who refuses obedience; do you go and correct him.’ Yii on this assembled all the princes, and made a speech to the host, saying, ‘ Ye multitudes here arrayed, listen all of you to my orders. Stupid is this lord of Mido, ignorant, erring, and disrespectful. Despiteful and insolent to others, he thinks that all ability and virtue are with himself. A rebel to the right, he destroys (all the obligations of) virtue. Superior men are kept by him in obscurity, and mean men fill (all) the offices. The people reject him and will not protect him. Heaven 1 Many contend that this was the ancestral temple of Y§o. But we learn from Confucius, in the seventeenth chapter of the Doctrine of the Mean, that Shun had established such a temple for his own ancestors, which must be that intended here. * The lord of Mi&o against whom Yd proceeded would not be the one whom Shun banished to San-wei, as related in the former Book, but some chieftain of the whole or a portion of the people, who had been left in their native seat. That Y4o, Shun, and Yii were all obliged to take active measures against the people of Miao, shows the difficulty with which the Chinese sway was established over the country. E 2 52 THE SHO KING. PART It. is sending down calamities upon him.* I therefore, along with you, my multitude of gallant men, bear the instructions (of the Ti) to punish his crimes. Do you proceed with united heart and strength, so shall our enterprize be crowned with success.’ At the end of three decades, the people of Mido continued rebellious against the commands (issued to them), when Yt came to the help of Yii, saying, ‘It is virtue that moves Heaven; there is no distance to which it does not reach. Pride brings loss, and humility receives increase ;—this is the way of Heaven.* In the early time of the Tf, when he was living by mount Li}, he went into the fields, and daily cried with tears to compassionate Heaven, and to his parents, taking to himself all guilt, and charging himself with (their) wickedness.* (At the same time) with respectful service he appeared before Kd-sau, looking grave and awe-struck, till Ka also became transformed by his example. Entire sincerity moves spiritual beings,—how much more will it move this lord of Miado!’* Yii did homage to the excellent words, and said, ‘Yes.’ (Thereupon) he led back his army, having drawn off the troops. The Tt set about diffusing on a grand scale the virtuous influences of peace;—with shields and feathers they danced between the two staircases (in his courtyard). In seventy days, the lord of Mido came (and made his submission).
3The Tt set about diffusing on a grand scale the virtuous influences of peace;—with shields and feathers they danced between the two staircases (in his courtyard). In seventy days, the lord of Mido came (and made his submission). + Mount Lf is found in a hill near Ph Kau, department of Phing-yang, Shan-hsf. It is difficult to reconcile what Yf says here of Shun ‘in his early life’ and his father Ka-sau with the account of it as happening when Shun was fifty years old; see Mencius V, Part i, ch. 5. The whole is legendary, and there were, no doubt, more forms of the legend than one. BOOK III. THE COUNSELS OF KAo-yAo. 53 Boox III. THe Counsets or KAo-vAo. KaAo-yAo was Minister of Crime to Shun, and is still celebrated in China as the model for all administrators of justice. There are few or no reliable details of his history. Sze-ma Kdien says that Yii, on his accession to the throne, made K4o-y4o his chief minister, with the view of his ultimately succeeding him, but that the design was frustrated by K4o-y4o’s death. But if there had been such a tradition in the time of Mencius, he would probably have mentioned it, when defending Yii from the charge of being inferior to Y4o and Shun, who resigned the throne to the worthiest, whereas he transmitted it to his son. K4o-y4o’s surname was Yen, but an end was made of his representatives, when the principality belonging to them was extinguished in the dynasty of Kau by the ambitious state of Kht. There is still a family in China with the surname K4o, claiming to be descended from this ancient worthy; but K4o and Y4o are to be taken together in the Shf as his name. The ‘Counsels’ in the Book do not appear as addressed directly to Shun, but are found in a conversation between Yii and K4o-y4o, the latter being the chief speaker. The whole may be divided into four chapters:—the first, enunciating the principle that in government the great thing is for the ruler to pursue the course of his virtue, which will be seen in his knowledge and choice of men for office, thereby securing the repose of the people; the second, illustrating how men may be known ; the third, treating of the repose of the people; in the fourth, the speaker asserts the reasonableness of his sentiments, and humbly expresses his own desire to be helpful to the sovereign. e 1. Examining into antiquity, (we find that) K4oyao said, ‘If (the sovereign) sincerely pursues the course of his virtue, the counsels (offered to him) will be intelligent, and the aids (of admonition that he receives) will be harmonious.’ Yii said, ‘ Yes, but explain yourself.’ K4o-y4o said, ‘Oh! let him be careful about his personal cultivation, with thoughts that are far-reaching, and thus he will 54 THE SHO KING. PART IT.
The source text as printed, transcribed diplomatically. Where the source language uses a non-Latin script that reaches us only through a Victorian romanisation, this layer is labelled transliteration, because that is what we hold.
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