Gong Sun Chou I · 孟子 2A.3

Passage 03

孟mèng子zǐ曰yuē：「以yǐ力lì假jiǎ仁rén者zhě霸bà，霸bà必bì有yǒu大dà國guó；以yǐ德dé行xíng仁rén者zhě王wáng，王wáng不bú待dài大dà，湯tāng以yǐ七qī十shí里lǐ，文wén王wáng以yǐ百bǎi里lǐ。以yǐ力lì服fú人rén者zhě，非fēi心xīn服fú也yě，力lì不bú贍shàn也yě；以yǐ德dé服fú人rén者zhě，中zhōng心xīn悅yuè而ér誠chéng服fú也yě，如rú七qī十shí子zǐ之zhī服fú孔kǒng子zǐ也yě。《詩shī》云yún：『自zì西xī自zì東dōng，自zì南nán自zì北běi，無wú思sī不bù服fú。』此cǐ之zhī謂wèi也yě。」

Mencius said, 'He who, using force, makes a pretence to benevolence is the leader of the princes. A leader of the princes requires a large kingdom. He who, using virtue, practises benevolence is the sovereign of the kingdom. To become the sovereign of the kingdom, a prince need not wait for a large kingdom. Tang did it with only seventy li, and king Wen with only a hundred. When one by force subdues men, they do not submit to him in heart. They submit, because their strength is not adequate to resist. When one subdues men by virtue, in their hearts' core they are pleased, and sincerely submit, as was the case with the seventy disciples in their submission to Confucius. What is said in the Book of Poetry, "From the west, from the east, From the south, from the north, There was not one who thought of refusing submission," is an illustration of this.'