Teng Wen Gong I · 孟子 3A.4

Passage 04

有yǒu為wéi神shén農nóng之zhī言yán者zhě許xū行xíng，自zì楚chǔ之zhī滕téng，踵zhǒng門mén而ér告gào文wén公gōng，曰yuē：「遠yuǎn方fāng之zhī人rén，聞wén君jūn行xíng仁rén政zhèng，愿yuàn受shòu一yì廛chán而ér為wéi氓máng。」文wén公gōng與yǔ之zhī處chǔ。其qí徒tú數shù十shí人rén，皆jiē衣yī褐hè、捆kǔn屨jù、織zhī席xí以yǐ為wéi食shí。陳chén良liáng之zhī徒tú陳chén相xiāng與yǔ其qí弟dì辛xīn，負fù耒lěi耜sì而ér自zì宋sòng之zhī滕téng。曰yuē：「聞wén君jūn行xíng聖shèng人rén之zhī政zhèng，是shì亦yì聖shèng人rén也yě，愿yuàn為wéi聖shèng人rén氓máng。」陳chén相xiāng見jiàn許xū行xíng而ér大dà悅yuè，盡jìn棄qì其qí學xué而ér學xué焉yān。陳chén相xiāng見jiàn孟mèng子zǐ，道dào許xū行xíng之zhī言yán曰yuē：「滕téng君jūn則zé誠chéng賢xián君jūn也yě；雖suī然rán，未wèi聞wén道dào也yě。賢xián者zhě與yǔ民mín并bìng耕gēng而ér食shí，饔yōng飧sūn而ér治zhì。今jīn也yě滕téng有yǒu倉cāng廩lǐn府fǔ庫kù，則zé是shì厲lì民mín而ér以yǐ自zì養yǎng也yě，惡è得dé賢xián？」孟mèng子zǐ曰yuē：「許xū子zǐ必bì種zhǒng粟sù而ér後hòu食shí乎hū？」曰yuē：「然rán。」「許xū子zǐ必bì織zhī布bù而ér後hòu衣yī乎hū？」曰yuē：「否fǒu，許xū子zǐ衣yī褐hè。」「許xū子zǐ冠guān乎hū？」曰yuē：「冠guān。」曰yuē：「奚xī冠guān？」曰yuē：「冠guān素sù。」曰yuē：「自zì織zhī之zhī與yǔ？」曰yuē：「否fǒu，以yǐ粟sù易yì之zhī。」曰yuē：「許xū子zǐ奚xī為wéi不bú自zì織zhī？」曰yuē：「害hài於wū耕gēng。」曰yuē：「許xū子zǐ以yǐ釜fǔ甑zèng爨cuàn、以yǐ鐵tiě耕gēng乎hū？」曰yuē：「然rán。」「自zì為wéi之zhī與yǔ？」曰yuē：「否fǒu，以yǐ粟sù易yì之zhī。」「以yǐ粟sù易yì械xiè器qì者zhě，不bù為wéi厲lì陶táo冶yě；陶táo冶yě亦yì以yǐ其qí械xiè器qì易yì粟sù者zhě，豈qǐ為wéi厲lì農nóng夫fū哉zāi？且qiě許xū子zǐ何hé不bù為wéi陶táo冶yě，舍shè皆jiē取qǔ諸zhū其qí宮gōng中zhōng而ér用yòng之zhī？何hé為wéi紛fēn紛fēn然rán與yǔ百bǎi工gōng交jiāo易yì？何hé許xū子zǐ之zhī不bú憚dàn煩fán？」曰yuē：「百bǎi工gōng之zhī事shì，固gù不bù可kě耕gēng且qiě為wéi也yě。」「然rán則zé治zhì天tiān下xià獨dú可kě耕gēng且qiě為wéi與yǔ？有yǒu大dà人rén之zhī事shì，有yǒu小xiǎo人rén之zhī事shì。且qiě一yì人rén之zhī身shēn，而ér百bǎi工gōng之zhī所suǒ為wéi備bèi。如rú必bì自zì為wéi而ér後hòu用yòng之zhī，是shì率lǜ天tiān下xià而ér路lù也yě。故gù曰yuē：或huò勞láo心xīn，或huò勞láo力lì。勞láo心xīn者zhě治zhì人rén，勞láo力lì者zhě治zhì於wū人rén。治zhì於wū人rén者zhě食shí人rén，治zhì人rén者zhě食shí於wū人rén──天tiān下xià之zhī通tōng義yì也yě。」「當dāng堯yáo之zhī時shí，天tiān下xià猶yóu未wèi平píng，洪hóng水shuǐ橫héng流liú，氾fán濫làn於wū天tiān下xià；草cǎo木mù暢chàng茂mào，禽qín獸shòu繁fán殖zhí；五wǔ穀gǔ不bù登dēng，禽qín獸shòu偪bī人rén；獸shòu蹄tí鳥niǎo跡jì之zhī道dào，交jiāo於wū中zhōng國guó。堯yáo獨dú憂yōu之zhī，舉jǔ舜shùn而ér敷fū治zhì焉yān。舜shùn使shǐ益yì掌zhǎng火huǒ；益yì烈liè山shān澤zé而ér焚fén之zhī，禽qín獸shòu逃táo匿nì。禹yǔ疏shū九jiǔ河hé，瀹yuè濟jì、漯luò而ér注zhù諸zhū海hǎi；決jué汝rǔ、漢hàn，排pái淮huái、泗sì，而ér注zhù之zhī江jiāng，然rán後hòu中zhōng國guó可kě得dé而ér食shí也yě。當dāng是shì時shí也yě，禹yǔ八bā年nián於wū外wài，三sān過guò其qí門mén而ér不bú入rù，雖suī欲yù耕gēng，得dé乎hū？」「后hòu稷jì教jiào民mín稼jià穡sè，樹shù藝yì五wǔ穀gǔ，五wǔ穀gǔ熟shú而ér民mín人rén育yù。人rén之zhī有yǒu道dào也yě，飽bǎo食shí煖xuān衣yī，逸yì居jū而ér無wú教jiào，則zé近jìn於wū禽qín獸shòu。聖shèng人rén有yǒu憂yōu之zhī，使shǐ契qì為wéi司sī徒tú，教jiào以yǐ人rén倫lún：父fù子zǐ有yǒu親qīn，君jūn臣chén有yǒu義yì，夫fū婦fù有yǒu別bié，長cháng幼yòu有yǒu序xù，朋péng友yǒu有yǒu信xìn。放fàng勛xūn曰yuē：『勞láo之zhī來lái之zhī、匡kuāng之zhī直zhí之zhī、輔fǔ之zhī翼yì之zhī，使shǐ自zì得dé之zhī；又yòu從cóng而ér振zhèn德dé之zhī。』聖shèng人rén之zhī憂yōu民mín如rú此cǐ，而ér暇xiá耕gēng乎hū？」「堯yáo以yǐ不bù得dé舜shùn為wéi己jǐ憂yōu；舜shùn以yǐ不bù得dé禹yǔ、皋gāo陶táo為wéi己jǐ憂yōu。夫fū以yǐ百bǎi畝mǔ之zhī不bú易yì為wéi己jǐ憂yōu者zhě，農nóng夫fū也yě。分fēn人rén以yǐ財cái謂wèi之zhī惠huì，教jiào人rén以yǐ善shàn謂wèi之zhī忠zhōng，為wéi天tiān下xià得dé人rén者zhě謂wèi之zhī仁rén。是shì故gù以yǐ天tiān下xià與yǔ人rén易yì，為wéi天tiān下xià得dé人rén難nán。孔kǒng子zǐ曰yuē：『大dà哉zāi，堯yáo之zhī為wéi君jūn！惟wéi天tiān為wéi大dà，惟wéi堯yáo則zé之zhī。蕩dàng蕩dàng乎hū民mín無wú能néng名míng焉yān！君jūn哉zāi舜shùn也yě！巍wēi巍wēi乎hū有yǒu天tiān下xià而ér不bù與yǔ焉yān！』堯yáo舜shùn之zhī治zhì天tiān下xià，豈qǐ無wú所suǒ用yòng其qí心xīn哉zāi？亦yì不bú用yòng於wū耕gēng耳ěr。」「吾wú聞wén用yòng夏xià變biàn夷yí者zhě，未wèi聞wén變biàn於wū夷yí者zhě也yě。陳chén良liáng，楚chǔ產chǎn也yě；悅yuè周zhōu公gōng、仲zhòng尼ní之zhī道dào，北běi學xué於wū中zhōng國guó，北běi方fāng之zhī學xué者zhě，未wèi能néng或huò之zhī先xiān也yě。彼bǐ所suǒ謂wèi豪háo傑jié之zhī士shì也yě。子zǐ之zhī兄xiōng弟dì事shì之zhī數shù十shí年nián，師shī死sǐ而ér遂suì倍bèi之zhī。昔xī者zhě孔kǒng子zǐ沒méi，三sān年nián之zhī外wài，門mén人rén治zhì任rèn將jiāng歸guī，入rù揖yī於wū子zǐ貢gòng，相xiāng向xiàng而ér哭kū，皆jiē失shī聲shēng，然rán後hòu歸guī。子zǐ貢gòng反fǎn，筑zhù室shì於wū場chǎng，獨dú居jū三sān年nián，然rán後hòu歸guī。他tā日rì子zǐ夏xià、子zǐ張zhāng、子zǐ游yóu以yǐ有yǒu若ruò似sì聖shèng人rén，欲yù以yǐ所suǒ事shì孔kǒng子zǐ事shì之zhī，強qiáng曾céng子zǐ。曾céng子zǐ曰yuē：『不bù可kě，江jiāng漢hàn以yǐ濯zhuó之zhī，秋qiū陽yáng以yǐ暴bào之zhī，皜hào皜hào乎hū不bù可kě尚shàng已yǐ。』今jīn也yě南nán蠻mán鴃jué舌shé之zhī人rén，非fēi先xiān王wáng之zhī道dào，子zǐ倍bèi子zǐ之zhī師shī而ér學xué之zhī，亦yì異yì於wū曾céng子zǐ矣yǐ。吾wú聞wén出chū於wū幽yōu谷gǔ、遷qiān于yú喬qiáo木mù者zhě，未wèi聞wén下xià喬qiáo木mù而ér入rù於wū幽yōu谷gǔ者zhě。魯lǔ頌sòng曰yuē：『戎róng狄dí是shì膺yīng，荊jīng舒shū是shì懲chéng。』周zhōu公gōng方fāng且qiě膺yīng之zhī，子zǐ是shì之zhī學xué，亦yì為wéi不bú善shàn變biàn矣yǐ。」「從cóng許xū子zǐ之zhī道dào，則zé市shì賈jiǎ不bú貳èr，國guó中zhōng無wú偽wěi；雖suī使shǐ五wǔ尺chǐ之zhī童tóng適shì市shì，莫mò之zhī或huò欺qī。布bù帛bó長cháng短duǎn同tóng，則zé賈jiǎ相xiāng若ruò；麻má縷lǚ絲sī絮xù輕qīng重zhòng同tóng，則zé賈jiǎ相xiāng若ruò；五wǔ穀gǔ多duō寡guǎ同tóng，則zé賈jiǎ相xiāng若ruò；屨jù大dà小xiǎo同tóng，則zé賈jiǎ相xiāng若ruò。」曰yuē：「夫fū物wù之zhī不bù齊qí，物wù之zhī情qíng也yě。或huò相xiāng倍bèi蓰xǐ，或huò相xiāng什shén百bǎi，或huò相xiāng千qiān萬wàn；子zǐ比bǐ而ér同tóng之zhī，是shì亂luàn天tiān下xià也yě。巨jù屨jù小xiǎo屨jù同tóng賈jiǎ，人rén豈qǐ為wéi之zhī哉zāi？從cóng許xū子zǐ之zhī道dào，相xiāng率shuài而ér為wéi偽wěi者zhě也yě，惡è能néng治zhì國guó家jiā？」

There came from Chu to Teng one Xu Xing, who gave out that he acted according to the words of Shen Nong. Coming right to his gate, he addressed the duke Wen, saying, 'A man of a distant region, I have heard that you, Prince, are practising a benevolent government, and I wish to receive a site for a house, and to become one of your people.' The duke Wen gave him a dwelling-place. His disciples, amounting to several tens, all wore clothes of haircloth, and made sandals of hemp and wove mats for a living. At the same time, Chen Xiang, a disciple of Chen Liang, and his younger brother, Xin, with their plough-handles and shares on their backs, came from Song to Teng, saying, 'We have heard that you, Prince, are putting into practice the government of the ancient sages, showing that you are likewise a sage. We wish to become the subjects of a sage.' When Chen Xiang saw Xu Xing, he was greatly pleased with him, and, abandoning entirely whatever he had learned, became his disciple. Having an interview with Mencius, he related to him with approbation the words of Xu Xing to the following effect: 'The prince of Teng is indeed a worthy prince. He has not yet heard, however, the real doctrines of antiquity. Now, wise and able princes should cultivate the ground equally and along with their people, and eat the fruit of their labour. They should prepare their own meals, morning and evening, while at the same time they carry on their government. But now, the prince of T'ang has his granaries, treasuries, and arsenals, which is an oppressing of the people to nourish himself. How can he be deemed a real worthy prince?' Mencius said,'I suppose that Xu Xing sows grain and eats the produce. Is it not so?' 'It is so,' was the answer. 'I suppose also he weaves cloth, and wears his own manufacture. Is it not so?' 'No. Xu wears clothes of haircloth.' 'Does he wear a cap?' 'He wears a cap.' 'What kind of cap?' 'A plain cap.' 'Is it woven by himself?' 'No. He gets it in exchange for grain.' 'Why does Xu not weave it himself?' 'That would injure his husbandry.' 'Does Xu cook his food in boilers and earthenware pans, and does he plough with an iron share?' 'Yes.' 'Does he make those articles himself?' 'No. He gets them in exchange for grain.' Mencius then said, 'The getting those various articles in exchange for grain, is not oppressive to the potter and the founder, and the potter and the founder in their turn, in exchanging their various articles for grain, are not oppressive to the husbandman. How should such a thing be supposed? And moreover, why does not Xu act the potter and founder, supplying himself with the articles which he uses solely from his own establishment? Why does he go confusedly dealing and exchanging with the handicraftsmen? Why does he not spare himself so much trouble?' Chen Xiang replied, 'The business of the handicraftsman can by no means be carried on along with the business of husbandry.' Mencius resumed, 'Then, is it the government of the kingdom which alone can be carried on along with the practice of husbandry? Great men have their proper business, and little men have their proper business. Moreover, in the case of any single individual, whatever articles he can require are ready to his hand, being produced by the various handicraftsmen - if he must first make them for his own use, this way of doing would keep all the people running about upon the roads. Hence, there is the saying, "Some labour with their minds, and some labour with their strength. Those who labour with their minds govern others; those who labour with their strength are governed by others. Those who are governed by others support them; those who govern others are supported by them." This is a principle universally recognised. 'In the time of Yao, when the world had not yet been perfectly reduced to order, the vast waters, flowing out of their channels, made a universal inundation. Vegetation was luxuriant, and birds and beasts swarmed. The various kinds of grain could not be grown. The birds and beasts pressed upon men. The paths marked by the feet of beasts and prints of birds crossed one another throughout the Middle Kingdom. To Yao alone this caused anxious sorrow. He raised Shun to office, and measures to regulate the disorder were set forth. Shun committed to Yi the direction of the fire to be employed, and Yi set fire to, and consumed, the forests and vegetation on the mountains and in the marshes, so that the birds and beasts fled away to hide themselves. Yu separated the nine streams, cleared the courses of the Ji and Ta, and led them all to the sea. He opened a vent also for the Ru and Han, and regulated the course of the Huai and Si, so that they all flowed into the Jiang. When this was done, it became possible for the people of the Middle Kingdom to cultivate the ground and get food for themselves. During that time, Yu was eight years away from his home, and though he thrice passed the door of it, he did not enter. Although he had wished to cultivate the ground, could he have done so? The Minister of Agriculture taught the people to sow and reap, cultivating the five kinds of grain. When the five kinds of grain were brought to maturity, the people all obtained a subsistence. But men possess a moral nature; and if they are well fed, warmly clad, and comfortably lodged, without being taught at the same time, they become almost like the beasts. This was a subject of anxious solicitude to the sage Shun, and he appointed Xie to be the Minister of Instruction, to teach the relations of humanity: how, between father and son, there should be affection; between sovereign and minister, righteousness; between husband and wife, attention to their separate functions; between old and young, a proper order; and between friends, fidelity. The high meritorious sovereign said to him, "Encourage them; lead them on; rectify them; straighten them; help them; give them wings - thus causing them to become possessors of themselves. Then follow this up by stimulating them, and conferring benefits on them." When the sages were exercising their solicitude for the people in this way, had they leisure to cultivate the ground? 'What Yao felt giving him anxiety was the not getting Shun. What Shun felt giving him anxiety was the not getting Yu and Gao Yao. But he whose anxiety is about his hundred mu not being properly cultivated, is a mere husbandman. The imparting by a man to others of his wealth, is called "kindness." The teaching others what is good, is called "the exercise of fidelity." The finding a man who shall benefit the kingdom, is called "benevolence." Hence to give the throne to another man would be easy; to find a man who shall benefit the kingdom is difficult. Confucius said, "Great indeed was Yao as a sovereign. It is only Heaven that is great, and only Yao corresponded to it. How vast was his virtue! The people could find no name for it. Princely indeed was Shun! How majestic was he, having possession of the kingdom, and yet seeming as if it were nothing to him!" In their governing the kingdom, were there no subjects on which Yao and Shun employed their minds? There were subjects, only they did not employ their minds on the cultivation of the ground. 'I have heard of men using the doctrines of our great land to change barbarians, but I have never yet heard of any being changed by barbarians. Chen Liang was a native of Chu. Pleased with the doctrines of Zhou Gong and Zhong Ni, he came northwards to the Middle Kingdom and studied them. Among the scholars of the northern regions, there was perhaps no one who excelled him. He was what you call a scholar of high and distinguished qualities. You and your brother followed him some tens of years, and when your master died, you forthwith turned away from him. Formerly, when Confucius died, after three vears had elapsed, his disciples collected their baggage, and prepared to return to their several homes. But on entering to take their leave of Zi Gong, as they looked towards one another, they wailed, till they all lost their voices. After this they returned to their homes, but Zi Gong went back, and built a house for himself on the altar-ground, where he lived alone other three years, before he returned home. On another occasion, Zi Xia, Zi Zhang, and Zi You, thinking that You Ruo resembled the sage, wished to render to him the same observances which they had rendered to Confucius. They tried to force the disciple Zeng to join with them, but he said, "This may not be done. What has been washed in the waters of the Jiang and Han, and bleached in the autumn sun - how glistening is it! Nothing can be added to it." Now here is this shrike-tongued barbarian of the south, whose doctrines are not those of the ancient kings. You turn away from your master and become his disciple. Your conduct is different indeed from that of the philosopher Zeng. I have heard of birds leaving dark valleys to remove to lofty trees, but I have not heard of their descending from lofty trees to enter into dark valleys. In the Praise-songs of Lu it is said, "He smote the barbarians of the west and the north, He punished Jing and Shu." Thus Zhou Gong would be sure to smite them, and you become their disciple again; it appears that your change is not good.' Chen Xiang said, 'If Xu's doctrines were followed, then there would not be two prices in the market, nor any deceit in the kingdom. If a boy of five cubits were sent to the market, no one would impose on him; linen and silk of the same length would be of the same price. So it would be with bundles of hemp and silk, being of the same weight; with the different kinds of grain, being the same in quantity; and with shoes which were of the same size.' Mencius replied, 'It is the nature of things to be of unequal quality. Some are twice, some five times, some ten times, some a hundred times, some a thousand times, some ten thousand times as valuable as others. If you reduce them all to the same standard, that must throw the kingdom into confusion. If large shoes and small shoes were of the same price, who would make them? For people to follow the doctrines of Xu, would be for them to lead one another on to practise deceit. How can they avail for the government of a State?'