Gao Zi II · 孟子 6B.11

Passage 11

白bái圭guī曰yuē：「丹dān之zhī治zhì水shuǐ也yě愈yù於wū禹yǔ。」孟mèng子zǐ曰yuē：「子zǐ過guò矣yǐ。禹yǔ之zhī治zhì水shuǐ，水shuǐ之zhī道dào也yě。是shì故gù禹yǔ以yǐ四sì海hǎi為wéi壑hè。今jīn吾wú子zǐ以yǐ鄰lín國guó為wéi壑hè。水shuǐ逆nì行xíng，謂wèi之zhī洚jiàng水shuǐ；洚jiàng水shuǐ者zhě，洪hóng水shuǐ也yě，仁rén人rén之zhī所suǒ惡è也yě。吾wú子zǐ過guò矣yǐ。」

Bai Gui said, 'My management of the waters is superior to that of Yu.' Mencius replied, 'You are wrong, Sir. Yu's regulation of the waters was according to the laws of water. He therefore made the four seas their receptacle, while you make the neighbouring States their receptacle. Water flowing out of its channels is called an inundation. Inundating waters are a vast waste of water, and what a benevolent man detests. You are wrong, my good Sir.'

First-principles reading

Begin with the words and context, expose the premise beneath the argument, then test the conditions and limits of the principle.