King Hui of Liang II · Passage 11 / 16 · 孟子 1B.11

Mencius 1B.11: rescuing Yan cannot become new oppression

Mencius warns that if Qi enters Yan as rescuer but then kills, loots, and destroys, the rescue turns into another oppression and loses legitimacy.

齊人伐燕，取之。諸侯將謀救燕。宣王曰：「諸侯多謀伐寡人者，何以待之？」孟子對曰：「臣聞七十里為政於天下者，湯是也。未聞以千里畏人者也。書曰：『湯一征，自葛始。」天下信之，東面而征，西夷怨；南面而征，北狄怨曰：『奚為後我？』民望之，若大旱之望雲霓也。歸市者不止，耕者不變。誅其君而弔其民，若時雨降。民大悅。書曰：『徯我后，后來其蘇。』今燕虐其民，王往而征之，民以為將拯己於水火之中也，簞食壺漿以迎王師。若殺其兄父，係累其子弟，毀其宗廟，遷其重器，如之何其可也？天下固畏齊之強也，今又倍地而不行仁政，是動天下之兵也。王速出令，反其旄倪，止其重器，謀於燕眾，置君而後去之，則猶可及止也。」

qí rén fá yàn， qǔ zhī。 zhū hóu jiāng móu jiù yàn。 xuān wáng yuē：「zhū hóu duō móu fá guǎ rén zhě， hé yǐ dài zhī？」 mèng zǐ duì yuē：「chén wén qī shí lǐ wéi zhèng wū tiān xià zhě， tāng shì yě。 wèi wén yǐ qiān lǐ wèi rén zhě yě。 shū yuē：『tāng yì zhēng， zì gě shǐ。」 tiān xià xìn zhī， dōng miàn ér zhēng， xī yí yuàn； nán miàn ér zhēng， běi dí yuàn yuē：『xī wéi hòu wǒ？』 mín wàng zhī， ruò dà hàn zhī wàng yún ní yě。 guī shì zhě bù zhǐ， gēng zhě bú biàn。 zhū qí jūn ér diào qí mín， ruò shí yǔ jiàng。 mín dà yuè。 shū yuē：『xī wǒ hòu， hòu lái qí sū。』 jīn yàn nüè qí mín， wáng wǎng ér zhēng zhī， mín yǐ wéi jiāng zhěng jǐ wū shuǐ huǒ zhī zhōng yě， dān shí hú jiāng yǐ yíng wáng shī。 ruò shā qí xiōng fù， xì lèi qí zǐ dì， huǐ qí zōng miào， qiān qí zhòng qì， rú zhī hé qí kě yě？ tiān xià gù wèi qí zhī qiáng yě， jīn yòu bèi dì ér bù xíng rén zhèng， shì dòng tiān xià zhī bīng yě。 wáng sù chū lìng， fǎn qí máo ní， zhǐ qí zhòng qì， móu wū yàn zhòng， zhì jūn ér hòu qù zhī， zé yóu kě jí zhǐ yě。」

The people of Qi, having smitten Yan, took possession of it, and upon this, the princes of the various States deliberated together, and resolved to deliver Yan from their power. The king Xuan said to Mencius, 'The princes have formed many plans to attack me - how shall I prepare myself for them?' Mencius replied, 'I have heard of one who with seventy li exercised all the functions of government throughout the kingdom. That was Tang. I have never heard of a prince with a thousand li standing in fear of others. It is said in the Book of History, As soon as Tang began his work of executing justice, he commenced with Ge. The whole kingdom had confidence in him. When he pursued his work in the east, the rude tribes on the west murmured. So did those on the north, when he was engaged in the south. Their cry was "Why does he put us last?" Thus, the people looked to him, as we look in a time of great drought to the clouds and rainbows. The frequenters of the markets stopped not. The husbandmen made no change in their operations. While he punished their rulers, he consoled the people. His progress was like the falling of opportune rain, and the people were delighted. It is said again in the Book of History, "We have waited for our prince long; the prince's coming will be our reviving!" 'Now the ruler of Yan was tyrannizing over his people, and your Majesty went and punished him. The people supposed that you were going to deliver them out of the water and the fire, and brought baskets of rice and vessels of congee, to meet your Majesty's host. But you have slain their fathers and elder brothers, and put their sons and younger brothers in confinement. You have pulled down the ancestral temple of the State, and are removing to Qi its precious vessels. How can such a course be deemed proper? The rest of the kingdom is indeed jealously afraid of the strength of Qi; and now, when with a doubled territory you do not put in practice a benevolent government - it is this which sets the arms of the kingdom in in motion. If your Majesty will make haste to issue an ordinance, restoring your captives, old and young, stopping the removal of the precious vessels, and saying that, after consulting with the people of Yen, you will appoint them a ruler, and withdraw from the country - in this way you may still be able to stop the threatened attack.'