King Hui of Liang II · 孟子 1B.5

Passage 05

齊qí宣xuān王wáng問wèn曰yuē：「人rén皆jiē謂wèi我wǒ毀huǐ明míng堂táng，毀huǐ諸zhū？已yǐ乎hū？」孟mèng子zǐ對duì曰yuē：「夫fū明míng堂táng者zhě，王wáng者zhě之zhī堂táng也yě。王wáng欲yù行xíng王wáng政zhèng，則zé勿wù毀huǐ之zhī矣yǐ。」王wáng曰yuē：「王wáng政zhèng可kě得dé聞wén與yǔ？」對duì曰yuē：「昔xī者zhě文wén王wáng之zhī治zhì岐qí也yě，耕gēng者zhě九jiǔ一yī，仕shì者zhě世shì祿lù，關guān市shì譏jī而ér不bù征zhēng，澤zé梁liáng無wú禁jìn，罪zuì人rén不bù孥nú。老lǎo而ér無wú妻qī曰yuē鰥guān，老lǎo而ér無wú夫fū曰yuē寡guǎ，老lǎo而ér無wú子zǐ曰yuē獨dú，幼yòu而ér無wú父fù曰yuē孤gū。此cǐ四sì者zhě，天tiān下xià之zhī窮qióng民mín而ér無wú告gào者zhě。文wén王wáng發fā政zhèng施shī仁rén，必bì先xiān斯sī四sì者zhě。詩shī云yún，『哿gě矣yǐ富fù人rén，哀āi此cǐ煢qióng獨dú。』」王wáng曰yuē：「善shàn哉zāi言yán乎hū！」曰yuē：「王wáng如rú善shàn之zhī，則zé何hé為wéi不bù行xíng？」王wáng曰yuē：「寡guǎ人rén有yǒu疾jí，寡guǎ人rén好hǎo貨huò。」對duì曰yuē：「昔xī者zhě公gōng劉liú好hǎo貨huò，《詩shī》云yún：『乃nǎi積jī乃nǎi倉cāng，乃nǎi裹guǒ餱hóu糧liáng，於wū橐tuó於wū囊náng。思sī戢jí用yòng光guāng。弓gōng矢shǐ斯sī張zhāng，干gān戈gē戚qī揚yáng，爰yuán方fāng啟qǐ行xíng。』故gù居jū者zhě有yǒu積jī倉cāng，行xíng者zhě有yǒu裹guǒ糧liáng也yě，然rán後hòu可kě以yǐ爰yuán方fāng啟qǐ行xíng。王wáng如rú好hǎo貨huò，與yǔ百bǎi姓xìng同tóng之zhī，於wū王wáng何hé有yǒu？」王wáng曰yuē：「寡guǎ人rén有yǒu疾jí，寡guǎ人rén好hào色sè。」對duì曰yuē：「昔xī者zhě大dà王wáng好hào色sè，愛ài厥jué妃fēi。《詩shī》云yún：『古gǔ公gōng亶dǎn父fù，來lái朝cháo走zǒu馬mǎ；率lǜ西xī水shuǐ滸hǔ，至zhì於wū岐qí下xià；爰yuán及jí姜jiāng女nǚ，聿yù來lái胥xū宇yǔ。』當dāng是shì時shí也yě，內nèi無wú怨yuàn女nǚ，外wài無wú曠kuàng夫fū；王wáng如rú好hào色sè，與yǔ百bǎi姓xìng同tóng之zhī，於wū王wáng何hé有yǒu？」

The king Xuan of Qi said, 'People all tell me to pull down and remove the Hall of Distinction. Shall I pull it down, or stop the movement for that object?' Mencius replied, 'The Hall of Distinction is a Hall appropriate to the sovereigns. If your Majesty wishes to practise the true royal government, then do not pull it down.' The king said, 'May I hear from you what the true royal government is?' 'Formerly,' was the reply, 'king Wen's government of Qi was as follows: The husbandmen cultivated for the government one-ninth of the land; the descendants of officers were salaried; at the passes and in the markets, strangers were inspected, but goods were not taxed: there were no prohibitions respecting the ponds and weirs; the wives and children of criminals were not involved in their guilt. There were the old and wifeless, or widowers; the old and husbandless, or widows; the old and childless, or solitaries; the young and fatherless, or orphans - these four classes are the most destitute of the people, and have none to whom they can tell their wants, and king Wen, in the institution of his government with its benevolent action, made them the first objects of his regard, as it is said in the Book of Poetry, "The rich may get through life well; But alas! for the miserable and solitary!"' The king said, 'O excellent words!' Mencius said, 'Since your Majesty deems them excellent, why do you not practise them?' 'I have an infirmity,' said the king; 'I am fond of wealth.' The reply was, 'Formerly, Gong Liu was fond of wealth. It is said in the Book of Poetry, "He reared his ricks, and filled his granaries, He tied up dried provisions and grain, In bottomless bags, and sacks, That he might gather his people together, and glorify his State. With bows and arrows all-displayed, With shields, and spears, and battle-axes, large and small, He commenced his march." In this way those who remained in their old seat had their ricks and granaries, and those who marched had their bags of provisions. It was not till after this that he thought he could begin his march. If your Majesty loves wealth, give the people power to gratify the same feeling, and what difficulty will there be in your attaining the royal sway?' The king said, 'I have an infirmity; I am fond of beauty.' The reply was, 'Formerly, king Tai was fond of beauty, and loved his wife. It is said in the Book of Poetry, "Gu Gong Tan Fu, Came in the morning, galloping his horse, By the banks of the western waters, As far as the foot of Qi hill, Along with the lady of Jiang; They came and together chose the site for their settlement." At that time, in the seclusion of the house, there were no dissatisfied women, and abroad, there were no unmarried men. If your Majesty loves beauty, let the people be able to gratify the same feeling, and what difficulty will there be in your attaining the royal sway?'