Li Lou II · Passage 03 / 33 · 孟子 4B.3

Mencius 4B.3: ministers answer as rulers treat them

Mencius describes ruler-minister relation as a structure of return: respect, contempt, and hostility do not stop at one side.

孟子告齊宣王曰：「君之視臣如手足，則臣視君如腹心；君之視臣如犬馬，則臣視君如國人；君之視臣如土芥，則臣視君如寇讎。」王曰：「禮，為舊君有服。何如斯可為服矣？」曰：「諫行言聽，膏澤下於民；有故而去，則君使人導之出疆，又先於其所往；去三年不反，然後收其田里。此之謂三有禮焉。如此則為之服矣。今也為臣，諫則不行，言則不聽，膏澤不下於民；有故而去，則君搏執之，又極之於其所往；去之日，遂收其田里。此之謂寇讎。寇讎何服之有？」

mèng zǐ gào qí xuān wáng yuē：「jūn zhī shì chén rú shǒu zú， zé chén shì jūn rú fù xīn； jūn zhī shì chén rú quǎn mǎ， zé chén shì jūn rú guó rén； jūn zhī shì chén rú tǔ jiè， zé chén shì jūn rú kòu chóu。」 wáng yuē：「lǐ， wéi jiù jūn yǒu fú。 hé rú sī kě wéi fú yǐ？」 yuē：「jiàn xíng yán tīng， gāo zé xià wū mín； yǒu gù ér qù， zé jūn shǐ rén dǎo zhī chū jiāng， yòu xiān wū qí suǒ wǎng； qù sān nián bù fǎn， rán hòu shōu qí tián lǐ。 cǐ zhī wèi sān yǒu lǐ yān。 rú cǐ zé wéi zhī fú yǐ。 jīn yě wéi chén， jiàn zé bù xíng， yán zé bù tīng， gāo zé bú xià wū mín； yǒu gù ér qù， zé jūn bó zhí zhī， yòu jí zhī wū qí suǒ wǎng； qù zhī rì， suì shōu qí tián lǐ。 cǐ zhī wèi kòu chóu。 kòu chóu hé fú zhī yǒu？」

Mencius said to the king Xuan of Qi, 'When the prince regards his ministers as his hands and feet, his ministers regard their prince as their belly and heart; when he regards them as his dogs and horses, they regard him as another man; when he regards them as the ground or as grass, they regard him as a robber and an enemy.' The king said, 'According to the rules of propriety, a minister wears mourning when he has left the service of a prince. How must a prince behave that his old ministers may thus go into mourning?' Mencius replied,'The admonitions of a minister having been followed, and his advice listened to, so that blessings have descended on the people, if for some cause he leaves the country, the prince sends an escort to conduct him beyond the boundaries. He also anticipates with recommendatory intimations his arrival in the country to which he is proceeding. When he has been gone three years and does not return, only then at length does he take back his fields and residence. This treatment is what is called a "thrice-repeated display of consideration." When a prince acts thus, mourning will be worn on leaving his service. Now-a-days, the remonstrances of a minister are not followed, and his advice is not listened to, so that no blessings descend on the people. When for any cause he leaves the country, the prince tries to seize him and hold him a prisoner. He also pushes him to extremity in the country to which he has gone, and on the very day of his departure, takes back his fields and residence. This treatment shows him to be what we call "a robber and an enemy." What mourning can be worn for a robber and an enemy?'