第23章

13. "Oh! Although the king is young, yet is he the eldest son of Heaven. Let him but effect a great harmony with the people, and that will be the blessing of the present time.

眷命 in ＇The Counsels of Yu＇, p. 4. Ying-tǎ gives for the clause:—其眷顧天下, 選擇賢聖, 命用勉力行敬者,以為民主. 11. By 有夏, ＇the holder of Hea＇, we are to understand Yu, as the founder of the Hea dynasty.So by 有殷 T＇ang is meant. 先民=古그, ＇the ancients＇. To 相古 the 今相 afterwards responds. 天迪從子保=天啟迪之, 又從其子而保佑之, as in the translation. In the case of T＇ang, it was not necessary to take notice of the transmission of the throne to his descendants. The hereditary principle had long been established.面 (=鄉) 稽天若=仰考天心, 敬順놊違, ＇he looked up and examined the mind of Heaven, reverentlyobedient and not opposing it＇. The first 今時 must be understood as in the translation. 12. 無遺壽耇,—無=毋, imperative. 耇,—see Bk. IX., p. 5. The 曰 may be taken as in the translation (and it is better taken so), or we may understand it, with Këang Shing, as=當曰,＇he—our young king—ought to say＇. On the 稽古그之德, it is said that they could thus give precedents and authorities in every case they were consulted on, and on the 稽謀自天, that in their advice there would thus be nothing contrary to what was right.

Pp. 13—18. The importance of the king＇s position, and duties to which he must address himself, especially now on his personally undertaking the responsibilities of the govt.

Let not the king presume to be remiss in this, but continually regard and stand in awe of the perilousness of the people.

14. "Let the king come here as the vicegerent of God, and undertake himself the duties of government in the centre of the land. Tan said, ＇Now that this great city has been built, from henceforth he may be the mate of great Heaven; from henceforth he may reverently sacrifice to the upper and lower spirits;from henceforth he may in this central spot administer successful government.＇ Thus shall the king enjoy the favouring regard of Heaven all complete, and the government of the people will now be prosperous.

The whole is enforced by a second reference to the previous dynasties.

13. 元子哉,—see on par. 9. 其丕땣諴於小民, 今休,—the 其 is strongly hortative. 誠=和, ＇harmony＇, ＇to be harmonious＇. We had the char. before in ＇The Counsels of Yu＇, p. 21, where the meaning was different. The＇Daily Explanation＇ thus paraphrases:—王其大땣誠和小民, 使之歡欣鼓舞,……, 則民情安而天命固, 豈놊為今日之休美乎. 王놊敢後,—＇let the king not postpone＇—what? His effecting a great harmony with the people.And that was to be accomplished by means of ＇the virtue of reverence＇. Gan-kwǒ put a comma at 用, and interpreted—當놊敢後땣用之士, 必任之為先, ＇let theking not leave in the background capable officers, but make employment of them a primary consideration.＇This is far-fetched; and so is his explanation of 碞, the erroneousness of which is pointed out in the dict. The character=險, ＇precipitous＇, ＇perilous＇. 14. 王來紹上帝,自服於土中,—紹上帝, ＇to continue God＇. We often find it said of emperors, and especially of the founders of dynasties that they 繼天立極, ＇carried on the work of Heaven, and set up the perfect model＇. There underlies such language the view that Heaven delegates its sway to the Powers ordained by it. Compare, for the general sentiment, Bk. I., Pt. i., p. 7; and for the use of 紹, Bk. VII., p. 3. 自服於土中=labour himself in the midst of the land. The ＇himself＇ must have reference to the young king, now undertaking the responsibilities of govt. 服=行事, ＇to labour＇. Lǒ is said to be ＇in the middle of the land＇ from its central position. It must have been, in the time of Chow, about the central spot of the empire, and was therefore well fitted to be the seat of administration. The commentators speak of it as not only in the middle of the land, but as ＇in the centre of heaven and earth,＇ and they undertake to show how this was determined by means of a dial! See the whole geodesy of the duke of Chow, in the Chow Le, Bk. IX., pp. 26—31.

Lin Che-k＇e takes these two clauses as historical, and considers them to be decisive on the point of the king＇s being at this time in Lǒ. It seems to me much more natural to read them in the imperative mood. 旦曰至中乂,—the duke of Shaou supports his advice by using the similar language of the duke of Chow, whom he names 旦, in accordance with the rule that ＇ministers should be called by their names in the presence of the emperor＇. 配皇天—see on Pt. IV., Bk. V., Pt. iii., p. 3.

15. "Let the king first bring under his influence the managers of affairs of Yin, associating them with the managers of affairs of our dynasty of Chow. This will regulate their perverted natures, and they will make daily advancement.

16. "Let the King make reverence the resting-place of his mind. He may not but maintain the virtue of reverence.

17. "We should by all means survey the dynasties of Hea and Yin. I do not presume to know and say, ＇The dynasty of Hea was to enjoy the favouring decree of Heaven for so many years,＇ nor do I presume to know and say, ＇It could not continue longer.＇

毖祀於上下,—c o m p a r e 上下神祗 in the＇Announcement of T＇ang＇, p. 3. On 中乂 Wang Ts＇eaou says that it denotes that ＇from the centre the king would diffuse his rule throughout the four quarters of the empire＇ (自中而布治於四方). Here the words of Tan seem to terminate.

늅命,—＇the completed appointment＇. The will of Heaven in favour of the House of Chow would now be put beyond doubt and beyond the risk of being assailed.

Pp. 15, 16. The king would have in the first place to attach to his House the disaffected officers of the previous dynasty; but let him bear in mind that he must always set the example of the virtue of reverence in himself. 15. 服 is here a transitive verb. The ＇Daily Explanation＇ defines it by 化, ＇to transform＇.

比介於我有周御事,—比=親, ＇to be near to＇. 介=助, ＇to assist,＇ to co-operate with. This extension of confidence to the officers of Yin would be the way to win their confidence and attachment, and the associating them with the friends of the present dynasty would lead them to change their views. 節性, 惟日其邁,—Ts＇ae gives for this—以節其驕淫之性, 則日進於善而놊已;—as in the translation. Lin Che-k＇e contends that by 性we should not understand the perverted nature, but the good nature, which was still in the officers of Yin, and had only to be properly directed. His words are:—節之者, 非強其所無껩, 以其所固有之性, 還以治之, 去其놊善, 而反之善껩, 有以節之, 則臣民將遷善遠罪而놊自知, 惟日其進於善껩. The difference of view is more in words than in reality.

16. After all, the primum mobile of govt. must be the personal character and example of the king. 王敬作所=王當以敬為居心之所. The 所 is used like 止 in the 知止of ＇The Great Learning＇.

Pp 17, 18. The lessons to be learned from the two previous dynasties; and the emphasis which they should have now at the commencement of the present dynasty, and of the king＇s personal entrance on his responsibilities. 17. Compare p. 11. The 有夏 and 有殷 here, however, are sovereigns of the two dynasties.Moreover, what was said above had reference more especially to the establishment of those dynasties by the blessing of Heaven; here the subject is their fall,for want of ＇the virtue of reverence＇ in their rulers.

The fact was simply that, for want of the virtue of reverence, the decree in its favour prematurely fell to the ground. Similarly, I do not presume to know and say, ＇The dynasty of Yin was to enjoy the favouring decree of Heaven for so many years,＇ nor do I presume to say, ＇It could not continue longer.＇ The fact simply was that, for want of the virtue of reverence, the decree in its favour prematurely fell to the ground.

18. The king has now inherited the decree,—the same decree, I consider, which belonged to those two dynasties. Let him seek to inherit the virtues of their meritorious sovereigns;—especially at this commencement of his duties.

19. "Oh! It is as on the birth of a son, when all depends on the training of his early life, through which he may secure his wisdom in the future, as if it were decreed to him.

The ＇Daily Explanation＇ says that the first 我 is to be understood of the king, and the others of the duke of Shaou himself. It is much better to take the character always in the plural.

有夏服天命惟有歷年,—服天命 is more than 受天命,which most of the paraphrases give for it. It indicatesnot only that Hea received the favouring decree of Heaven, but that it was under that decree. The guardian will not venture to say that Heaven had only decreed so many years to its rule.

18. 厥命,—the 厥 is to be understood of 天, ＇Heaven＇. The next clause is in apposition with this ,惟 being=思. Gan-kwǒ takes it differently, and explains down to 功where he ends the paragraph thus:—其, 夏殷껩, 繼受其王命, 亦惟當以此夏殷長短之命為監戒, 繼順其功德者,而法則之. He overlooks the我before亦惟. 嗣若功, 王乃初服=當嗣 (=繼) 其有功者, 況王乃新邑初政, 服行教化之始乎. This must be the meaning, but the language is very elliptical.

Pp. 19—23. The great issues depending on the king＇s now, on his assuming the government, taking the right course; and the Guardian＇s anxiety that by his virtuous reverence and gentle sway he should lay the foundations of permanent prosperity.

Now Heaven may have decreed wisdom to our king;it may have decreed good fortune or bad; it may have decreed a long course of years:—we only know that now is with him the commencement of his duties.

20. "Dwelling in the new city, let the king now sedulously cultivate the virtue of reverence. When he is all-devoted to this virtue, he may pray to Heaven for a long-abiding decree in his favour.

21. "In the position of king, let him not, because of the excesses of the people in violation of the laws,presume also to rule by the violent infiiction of death.When the people are regulated gently, the merit of government is seen.

19. 嗚呼至哲命,—by 初눃 we must understand not the infancy, but the early years, when the child becomes the proper subject of education. Then such a foundation of goodness may be laid, that the youth shall ＇himself hand down an appointment of wisdom＇. He shall appear to be, shall really be, wise through this training, as much as if Heaven had previously decreed him to be so. 命歷年=或命歷年長久. After this we must understand 皆놊可預知, ＇all these things we cannot know beforehand＇.

20. The Guardian evidently supposes that the king will make the new city which was founded the seat of his government. The meaning of 今, ＇now＇, for 肆seems to suit the connection here better than that of 故or 遂. The 其 in 王其德之用 gives to the second part of the par. a slightly hortative force. Chin Tih-sew observes upon the sentiment, ＇The favour of Heaven is entirely just, and is not to be obtained by praying for it. The text tells the king to pray, because to be all-devoted to the practice of virtue is prayer without praying, (天命至公, 놊可以求而得껩, 曰祈者, 蓋一於用德, 乃놊祈之祈). Compare with this the words of Confucius about himself, Ana., VII., xxxiv. 21. From其惟王 to 戮用 is one sentence, and a good instance of the long sentences of the Shoo. Gan-kwǒ and KëangShing, indeed, break it up into two, and understand thefirst part as meaning—＇Let not the king go to excess in employing the people, beyond the regular periods when he may call them out in the public service.＇By doing so, he would, as Mencius phrases it, rob the people of their time, and take them away from their necessary labours in agriculture (see Mencius, page 11). But the introduction of such a topic seems foreign to the style of the Announcement. It involves, moreover, taking the 亦敢 which follow as=亦勿敢, which is very harsh. The subject of avoiding punishments in the administration in govt. was a favorite one with king Ching and his ministers. See many passages in Bks. IX., and X. 民若有功,—＇when the people accord there is merit. They must be ruled＇,＇in harmony with their feelings, and the true laws of their nature.＇ Ts＇ae observes that the people may be compared to the water of a stream when it is overflowing and spreading abroad; it is acting contrary to its nature. But if you dam it up, you only make the evil worse. Lead it into its proper course, and you accomplish the purpose.

22. "It is for him who is in the position of king to overtop all with his virtue. In this case the people will imitate him throughout the whole empire, and the king will become more illustrious.

23. "Let the king and his ministers labour with a common anxiety, saying, ＇We have received the decree of Heaven, and it shall be great as the long-continued years of Hea,—it shall not fail of the long-continued years of Yin.＇ I wish the king through the inferior people to receive the long-abiding decree of Heaven."24. The duke of Shaou then did obeisance with his head to his hands and bowed to the ground, and said,"I, a small minister, presume with the king＇s heretofore hostile people, with all his officers, and his loyal friendly people, to maintain and receive his majesty＇s dread command and brilliant virtue.

22. 其惟王位在德元,—＇He being king, his position is at the head of all virtue.＇ It is simpler to take 元 as=首, than to give it the substantial meaning which it has in the first diagram of the Yih King, as that quality in Heaven which corresponds to 仁, ＇benevolence＇,＇goodness complete＇ in man. 小民乃惟刑 (=法) 用於天下,—＇the inferior people on their part will be found imitating him and employing virtue throughout the empire＇.

越王顯,—＇and the king will be illustrious＇, i.e., the virtue of the king will thereby be more widely and brilliantly displayed.

23. 上下勤恤,—by 上下 we are to understand 君臣,＇the sovereign and his ministers＇. 恤,—as in p.9,=憂, ＇to be anxious＇. Then the 其 in 其曰 is strongly hortative.式勿替,云云,—both Gan-kwǒ and Ts＇ae define 式by 用, but it is difficult to find a place for any other meaning of it here than as a conjunction= ＇and＇. The＇Daily Explanation＇, after defining it by 用, is obliged in the paraphrase to substitute 又 for it. 勿替= ＇we are determined that it shall not fail of＇. At 欲 the duke of Shaou speaks again in his own person. The ＇people＇,ruled over as he desired, would wish the rule to be perpetual, and the wish of the people would be the wish of Heaven.

Ch. III. Pt. 24. We must understand 召公 before 拜手稽首. The Guardian here winds up his address. He will do his duty with the people under his charge. It remains for the king to secure the permanence of the dynasty. In the meantime he presents the offerings of the princes, to aid at the sacrifices to be offered, on the inauguration of the new capital. 王之讐民,—these are the people of Yin that had been removed to Lǒ, and could still not be spoken of as other than disaffected and hostile. 百君子,—compare the same phrase in Bk. X., p. 7.

That the king should finally obtain the decree all complete, and that he should become illustrious,—this I dare not to labour about. I only respectfully bring these offerings to present to his Majesty, to assist in his prayers to Heaven for its long-abiding decree.＇ "

It is used here as complimentary to the ministers and officers of Yin, in whom loyal feelings might arise when they were thus spoken of. The ＇friendly people＇are the adherents of the House of Chow.

威命 must be the king＇s charge for the building of Lǒ. 明德 has more sound than sense. 王末至亦顯,—this describes the king＇s consolidation of the dynasty,and transmitting the crown to his descendants. That must be the king＇s own work. The Guardian would not presume to think that his labours could effect it.惟恭, 云云,—the king would be coming to Lǒ, and by solemn sacrifices inaugurate the new city, and then the offerings would be useful. This is a delicate way of conveying to him those expressions of the princes＇fealty.