King Wen, dumbfounded, appeared to be at an utter loss. Then he said, "What is the sword of the feudal lord like?"Go here to read the introductory post to the chapters of the Book of Chuang Tzu.
"The sword of the feudal lord? It has wise and brave men for its point, men of purity and integrity for its blade, men of worth and goodness for its spine, men of loyalty and sageliness for its swordguard, heroes and prodigies for its hilt. This sword too, thrust forward, meets nothing before it; raised, it encounters nothing above; pressed down, it encounters nothing beneath it; whirled about, it meets nothing surrounding it.
"Above, it takes its model from the roundness of heaven, following along with the three luminous bodies of the sky. Below, it takes its model from the squareness of earth, following along with the four seasons. In the middle realm, it brings harmony to the wills of the people and peace to the four directions. This sword, once put into use, is like the crash of a thunderbolt: none within the four borders of the state will fail to bow down in submission, none will fail to heed and obey the commands of the ruler. This is the sword of the feudal lord."
~ Burton Watson translation via Terebess Asia Online ~
Tuesday, June 28, 2011
Chapter 30, Part F - Chuang Tzu
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