Monday, July 16, 2012

Mencius - Book 2, Part 1, Chapter 5

Mencius said, 'If a ruler give honor to men of talents and virtue and employ the able, so that offices shall all be filled by individuals of distinction and mark; then all the scholars of the kingdom will be pleased, and wish to stand in his court.

'If, in the market-place of his capital, he levy a ground-rent on the shops but do not tax the goods, or enforce the proper regulations without levying a ground-rent; then all the traders of the kingdom will be pleased, and wish to store their goods in his market-place.

'If, at his frontier-passes, there be an inspection of persons, but no taxes charged on goods or other articles, then all the travelers of the kingdom will be pleased, and wish to make their tours on his roads.

'If he require that the husbandmen give their mutual aid to cultivate the public field, and exact no other taxes from them; then all the husbandmen of the kingdom will be pleased, and wish to plow in his fields.

'If from the occupiers of the shops in his market-place he do not exact the fine of the individual idler, or of the hamlet's quota of cloth, then all the people of the kingdom will be pleased, and wish to come and be his people.

'If a ruler can truly practice these five things, then the people in the neighboring kingdoms will look up to him as a parent. From the first birth of mankind till now, never has any one led children to attack their parent, and succeeded in his design. Thus, such a ruler will not have an enemy in all the kingdom, and he who has no enemy in the kingdom is the minister of Heaven. Never has there been a ruler in such a case who did not attain to the royal dignity.'
~ James Legge translation via nothingistic.org ~
Go here to read the introductory post to this serialized version of the Works of Mencius.

No comments:

Post a Comment

Comments are unmoderated, so you can write whatever you want.