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Romanised transliteration as printed by the translator, not the original script. This is what we hold.
1The giving of so great gain to robbers (like) Aih, and making it impossible to restrain them ;—this is the error committed by the sages. 3. In accordance with this it is said, ‘Fish should 1 The verb ‘to steal’ is here used transitively, and with a hiphil force. 286 THE TEXTS OF TAOISM. BK. X. not be taken from (the protection of) the deep waters; the agencies for the profit of a state should not be shown to men?.’ But those sages (and their teachings) are the agencies for the profit of the world, and should not be exhibited to it. Therefore if an end were put to sageness and wisdom put away, the great robbers would cease to arise. If jade were put away and pearls broken to bits, the small thieves would not appear. If tallies were burned and seals broken in pieces, the people would become simple and unsophisticated. If pecks were destroyed and steelyards snapped in two, the people would have no wrangling. If the rules of the sages were entirely set aside in the world, a beginning might be made of reasoning with the people. If the six musical accords were reduced to a state of utter confusion, organs and lutes all burned, and the ears of the (musicians like the) blind Khwang? stopped up, all men would begin to possess and employ their (natural) power of hearing. If elegant ornaments were abolished, the five embellishing colours disused, and the eyes of (men like) Li AQ® glued up, all men would begin to possess and employ their (natural) power of vision. If the hook and line were destroyed, the compass and square thrown away, and the fingers of men (like) the artful AZui* smashed, all men would begin to possess and employ their (natural) skill;—as it is said, ‘The greatest art is 1 See the Taéo Teh Xing, ch. 36. Our author’s use of it throws light on its meaning. 2 Note 1, p. 186. 5 Note 2, p. 269. 4 A skilful maker of arrows of the time of Y4o,—the Kungkung of the Shf, II, i, 21; V, xxii, 19. PT, Il, SECT. 111, THE WRITINGS OF KWANG-3ZE. 287 like stupidity!’ If conduct such as that of 3ang (Shan)? and Shih (AZid)* were discarded, the mouths of Yang (A(t)* and Mo (Ti) gagged, and benevolence and righteousness seized and thrown aside, the virtue of all men would begin to display its mysterious excellence. When men possessed and employed their (natural) power of vision, there would be no distortion in the world. When they possessed and employed their (natural) power of hearing, there would be no distractions in the world. When they possessed and employed their (natural) faculty of knowledge, there would be no delusions in the world. When they possessed and employed their (natural) virtue, there would be no depravity in the world. Men like 34ng (Shan), Shih (Aid), Yang (1), Mo (Ti), Shih Khwang (the musician), the artist Kui, and Li A‘, all display their qualities outwardly, and set the world in a blaze (of admiration) and confound it ;—a method which is of no use! ‘
2Men like 34ng (Shan), Shih (Aid), Yang (1), Mo (Ti), Shih Khwang (the musician), the artist Kui, and Li A‘, all display their qualities outwardly, and set the world in a blaze (of admiration) and confound it ;—a method which is of no use! ‘ 4. Are you, Sir, unacquainted with the age of perfect virtue? Anciently there were Yung-£/ang, T4-thing, Po-hwang, KXang-yang, Li-lf, Li-££0, Hsien-yiian, Ho-hsii, 3un-lt, A‘d-yung, Fd-hsi, and Shan-nang’. In their times the people made 1 The Tao Teh Xing, ch. 45. 2 Note 6, p. 269. 5 Note 7, p. 269. * Note 5, p. 261. 5 Of the twelve names mentioned here the reader is probably familiar with those of Ff-hst and Shan-nang, the first and second of the Tf in chronology. Hsien-yiian is another name for Hwang- Ti, the third of them. “d-yung was, perhaps, a minister of Hwang- Ti. Ho-hsii has occurred before in BookIV. Of the other seven, five occur among the fifteen sovereigns placed in the ‘Compendium 288 THE TEXTS OF TAOISM: BK. X. knots on cords in carrying on their affairs. They thought their (simple) food pleasant, and their (plain) clothing beautiful. They were happy in their (simple) manners, and felt at rest in their (poor) dwellings. (The people of) neighbouring states might be able to descry one another; the voices of their cocks and dogs might be heard (all the way) from one to the other; they might not die till they were old; and yet all their life they would have no communication together’. In those times perfect good order prevailed. Now-a-days, however, such is the state of things that you shall see the people stretching out their necks, and standing on tiptoe, while they say, ‘In such and such a place there is a wise and able man. Then they carry with them whatever dry provisions they may have left, and hurry towards it, abandoning their parents in their homes, and neglecting the service of their rulers abroad. Their footsteps may be traced in lines from one state to another, and the ruts of their chariot-wheels also for more than a thousand li. This is owing to the error of their superiors in their (inordinate) fondness for knowledge. When those superiors do really love © knowledge, but do not follow the (proper) course, the whole world is thrown into great confusion. How do I know that the case is so? The knowledge shown in the (making of) bows, cross-bows, hand-nets, stringed arrows, and contrivances with springs is great, but the birds are troubled by them of History’ between Ffa-hst and Shan-nang. The remaining two may be found, I suppose, in the Lf Shih of Lo Pf. 1 See the eightieth chapter of the Tao Teh Xing. . PT. II, SECT. 11. THE WRITINGS OF KWANG-3ZE. 289
3The remaining two may be found, I suppose, in the Lf Shih of Lo Pf. 1 See the eightieth chapter of the Tao Teh Xing. . PT. II, SECT. 11. THE WRITINGS OF KWANG-3ZE. 289 above; the knowledge shown in the hooks, baits, various kinds of nets, and bamboo traps is great, but the fishes are disturbed by them in the waters ; the knowledge shown in the arrangements for setting nets, and the nets and snares themselves, is great, but the animals are disturbed by them in the marshy grounds. (So), the versatility shown in artful deceptions becoming more and more pernicious, in ingenious discussions as to what is hard and what is white, and in attempts to disperse the dust and reconcile different views, is great, but the common people are perplexed by all the sophistry. Hence there is great disorder continually in the world, and the guilt of it is due to that fondness for knowledge. Thus it is that all men know to seek for the knowledge that they have not attained to; and do not know to seek for that which they already have (in themselves); and that they know to condemn what they do not approve (in others), and do not know to condemn what they have allowed in themselves ;—it is this which occasions the great confusion and disorder. It is just as if, above, the brightness of the sun and moon were darkened; as if, beneath, the productive vigour of the hills and streams were dried up; and as if, between, the operation of the four seasons were brought to an end :—in which case there would not be a single weak and wriggling insect, nor any plant that grows up, which would not lose its proper nature. Great indeed is the disorder produced in the world by the love of knowledge. From the time of the three dynasties downwards it has been so. The plain and honest-minded people are neglected, and the plausible representations of restless spirits (39] U 290 THE TEXTS OF TAOISM. BK. X, received with pleasure; the quiet and unexciting method of non-action is put away, and pleasure taken in ideas garrulously expressed. It is this garrulity of speech which puts the world in disorder. PT. 11, SECT. 1V. THE WRITINGS OF KWANG-8ZE. 291 BOOK XI. Part II. Section IV. 34i Ya, or ‘Letting Be, and Exercising Forbearance},’ 1. I have heard of letting the world be, and exercising forbearance; I have not heard of governing the world. Letting be is from the fear that men, (when interfered with), will carry their nature beyond its normal condition; exercising forbearance is from the fear that men, (when not so dealt with), will alter the characteristics of their nature. When all men do not carry their nature beyond its normal condition, nor alter its characteristics, the good government of the world is secured.
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.
1The giving of so great gain to robbers (like) Aih, and making it impossible to restrain them ;—this is the error committed by the sages. 3. In accordance with this it is said, ‘Fish should 1 The verb ‘to steal’ is here used transitively, and with a hiphil force. 286 THE TEXTS OF TAOISM. BK. X. not be taken from (the protection of) the deep waters; the agencies for the profit of a state should not be shown to men?.’ But those sages (and their teachings) are the agencies for the profit of the world, and should not be exhibited to it. Therefore if an end were put to sageness and wisdom put away, the great robbers would cease to arise. If jade were put away and pearls broken to bits, the small thieves would not appear. If tallies were burned and seals broken in pieces, the people would become simple and unsophisticated. If pecks were destroyed and steelyards snapped in two, the people would have no wrangling. If the rules of the sages were entirely set aside in the world, a beginning might be made of reasoning with the people. If the six musical accords were reduced to a state of utter confusion, organs and lutes all burned, and the ears of the (musicians like the) blind Khwang? stopped up, all men would begin to possess and employ their (natural) power of hearing. If elegant ornaments were abolished, the five embellishing colours disused, and the eyes of (men like) Li AQ® glued up, all men would begin to possess and employ their (natural) power of vision. If the hook and line were destroyed, the compass and square thrown away, and the fingers of men (like) the artful AZui* smashed, all men would begin to possess and employ their (natural) skill;—as it is said, ‘The greatest art is 1 See the Taéo Teh Xing, ch. 36. Our author’s use of it throws light on its meaning. 2 Note 1, p. 186. 5 Note 2, p. 269. 4 A skilful maker of arrows of the time of Y4o,—the Kungkung of the Shf, II, i, 21; V, xxii, 19. PT, Il, SECT. 111, THE WRITINGS OF KWANG-3ZE. 287 like stupidity!’ If conduct such as that of 3ang (Shan)? and Shih (AZid)* were discarded, the mouths of Yang (A(t)* and Mo (Ti) gagged, and benevolence and righteousness seized and thrown aside, the virtue of all men would begin to display its mysterious excellence. When men possessed and employed their (natural) power of vision, there would be no distortion in the world. When they possessed and employed their (natural) power of hearing, there would be no distractions in the world. When they possessed and employed their (natural) faculty of knowledge, there would be no delusions in the world. When they possessed and employed their (natural) virtue, there would be no depravity in the world. Men like 34ng (Shan), Shih (Aid), Yang (1), Mo (Ti), Shih Khwang (the musician), the artist Kui, and Li A‘, all display their qualities outwardly, and set the world in a blaze (of admiration) and confound it ;—a method which is of no use! ‘
2Men like 34ng (Shan), Shih (Aid), Yang (1), Mo (Ti), Shih Khwang (the musician), the artist Kui, and Li A‘, all display their qualities outwardly, and set the world in a blaze (of admiration) and confound it ;—a method which is of no use! ‘ 4. Are you, Sir, unacquainted with the age of perfect virtue? Anciently there were Yung-£/ang, T4-thing, Po-hwang, KXang-yang, Li-lf, Li-££0, Hsien-yiian, Ho-hsii, 3un-lt, A‘d-yung, Fd-hsi, and Shan-nang’. In their times the people made 1 The Tao Teh Xing, ch. 45. 2 Note 6, p. 269. 5 Note 7, p. 269. * Note 5, p. 261. 5 Of the twelve names mentioned here the reader is probably familiar with those of Ff-hst and Shan-nang, the first and second of the Tf in chronology. Hsien-yiian is another name for Hwang- Ti, the third of them. “d-yung was, perhaps, a minister of Hwang- Ti. Ho-hsii has occurred before in BookIV. Of the other seven, five occur among the fifteen sovereigns placed in the ‘Compendium 288 THE TEXTS OF TAOISM: BK. X. knots on cords in carrying on their affairs. They thought their (simple) food pleasant, and their (plain) clothing beautiful. They were happy in their (simple) manners, and felt at rest in their (poor) dwellings. (The people of) neighbouring states might be able to descry one another; the voices of their cocks and dogs might be heard (all the way) from one to the other; they might not die till they were old; and yet all their life they would have no communication together’. In those times perfect good order prevailed. Now-a-days, however, such is the state of things that you shall see the people stretching out their necks, and standing on tiptoe, while they say, ‘In such and such a place there is a wise and able man. Then they carry with them whatever dry provisions they may have left, and hurry towards it, abandoning their parents in their homes, and neglecting the service of their rulers abroad. Their footsteps may be traced in lines from one state to another, and the ruts of their chariot-wheels also for more than a thousand li. This is owing to the error of their superiors in their (inordinate) fondness for knowledge. When those superiors do really love © knowledge, but do not follow the (proper) course, the whole world is thrown into great confusion. How do I know that the case is so? The knowledge shown in the (making of) bows, cross-bows, hand-nets, stringed arrows, and contrivances with springs is great, but the birds are troubled by them of History’ between Ffa-hst and Shan-nang. The remaining two may be found, I suppose, in the Lf Shih of Lo Pf. 1 See the eightieth chapter of the Tao Teh Xing. . PT. II, SECT. 11. THE WRITINGS OF KWANG-3ZE. 289
3The remaining two may be found, I suppose, in the Lf Shih of Lo Pf. 1 See the eightieth chapter of the Tao Teh Xing. . PT. II, SECT. 11. THE WRITINGS OF KWANG-3ZE. 289 above; the knowledge shown in the hooks, baits, various kinds of nets, and bamboo traps is great, but the fishes are disturbed by them in the waters ; the knowledge shown in the arrangements for setting nets, and the nets and snares themselves, is great, but the animals are disturbed by them in the marshy grounds. (So), the versatility shown in artful deceptions becoming more and more pernicious, in ingenious discussions as to what is hard and what is white, and in attempts to disperse the dust and reconcile different views, is great, but the common people are perplexed by all the sophistry. Hence there is great disorder continually in the world, and the guilt of it is due to that fondness for knowledge. Thus it is that all men know to seek for the knowledge that they have not attained to; and do not know to seek for that which they already have (in themselves); and that they know to condemn what they do not approve (in others), and do not know to condemn what they have allowed in themselves ;—it is this which occasions the great confusion and disorder. It is just as if, above, the brightness of the sun and moon were darkened; as if, beneath, the productive vigour of the hills and streams were dried up; and as if, between, the operation of the four seasons were brought to an end :—in which case there would not be a single weak and wriggling insect, nor any plant that grows up, which would not lose its proper nature. Great indeed is the disorder produced in the world by the love of knowledge. From the time of the three dynasties downwards it has been so. The plain and honest-minded people are neglected, and the plausible representations of restless spirits (39] U 290 THE TEXTS OF TAOISM. BK. X, received with pleasure; the quiet and unexciting method of non-action is put away, and pleasure taken in ideas garrulously expressed. It is this garrulity of speech which puts the world in disorder. PT. 11, SECT. 1V. THE WRITINGS OF KWANG-8ZE. 291 BOOK XI. Part II. Section IV. 34i Ya, or ‘Letting Be, and Exercising Forbearance},’ 1. I have heard of letting the world be, and exercising forbearance; I have not heard of governing the world. Letting be is from the fear that men, (when interfered with), will carry their nature beyond its normal condition; exercising forbearance is from the fear that men, (when not so dealt with), will alter the characteristics of their nature. When all men do not carry their nature beyond its normal condition, nor alter its characteristics, the good government of the world is secured.
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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