King Hui of Liang II · Passage 05 / 16 · 孟子 1B.5

Mencius 1B.5: before destroying the Hall of Distinction

Mencius treats the Hall of Distinction not as dead ornament but as a vessel of political order. If royal government is still the aim.

齊宣王問曰：「人皆謂我毀明堂，毀諸？已乎？」孟子對曰：「夫明堂者，王者之堂也。王欲行王政，則勿毀之矣。」王曰：「王政可得聞與？」對曰：「昔者文王之治岐也，耕者九一，仕者世祿，關市譏而不征，澤梁無禁，罪人不孥。老而無妻曰鰥，老而無夫曰寡，老而無子曰獨，幼而無父曰孤。此四者，天下之窮民而無告者。文王發政施仁，必先斯四者。詩云，『哿矣富人，哀此煢獨。』」王曰：「善哉言乎！」曰：「王如善之，則何為不行？」王曰：「寡人有疾，寡人好貨。」對曰：「昔者公劉好貨，《詩》云：『乃積乃倉，乃裹餱糧，於橐於囊。思戢用光。弓矢斯張，干戈戚揚，爰方啟行。』故居者有積倉，行者有裹糧也，然後可以爰方啟行。王如好貨，與百姓同之，於王何有？」王曰：「寡人有疾，寡人好色。」對曰：「昔者大王好色，愛厥妃。《詩》云：『古公亶父，來朝走馬；率西水滸，至於岐下；爰及姜女，聿來胥宇。』當是時也，內無怨女，外無曠夫；王如好色，與百姓同之，於王何有？」

qí xuān wáng wèn yuē：「rén jiē wèi wǒ huǐ míng táng， huǐ zhū？ yǐ hū？」 mèng zǐ duì yuē：「fū míng táng zhě， wáng zhě zhī táng yě。 wáng yù xíng wáng zhèng， zé wù huǐ zhī yǐ。」 wáng yuē：「wáng zhèng kě dé wén yǔ？」 duì yuē：「xī zhě wén wáng zhī zhì qí yě， gēng zhě jiǔ yī， shì zhě shì lù， guān shì jī ér bù zhēng， zé liáng wú jìn， zuì rén bù nú。 lǎo ér wú qī yuē guān， lǎo ér wú fū yuē guǎ， lǎo ér wú zǐ yuē dú， yòu ér wú fù yuē gū。 cǐ sì zhě， tiān xià zhī qióng mín ér wú gào zhě。 wén wáng fā zhèng shī rén， bì xiān sī sì zhě。 shī yún，『gě yǐ fù rén， āi cǐ qióng dú。』」 wáng yuē：「shàn zāi yán hū！」 yuē：「wáng rú shàn zhī， zé hé wéi bù xíng？」 wáng yuē：「guǎ rén yǒu jí， guǎ rén hǎo huò。」 duì yuē：「xī zhě gōng liú hǎo huò，《shī》 yún：『nǎi jī nǎi cāng， nǎi guǒ hóu liáng， wū tuó wū náng。 sī jí yòng guāng。 gōng shǐ sī zhāng， gān gē qī yáng， yuán fāng qǐ xíng。』 gù jū zhě yǒu jī cāng， xíng zhě yǒu guǒ liáng yě， rán hòu kě yǐ yuán fāng qǐ xíng。 wáng rú hǎo huò， yǔ bǎi xìng tóng zhī， wū wáng hé yǒu？」 wáng yuē：「guǎ rén yǒu jí， guǎ rén hào sè。」 duì yuē：「xī zhě dà wáng hào sè， ài jué fēi。《shī》 yún：『gǔ gōng dǎn fù， lái cháo zǒu mǎ； lǜ xī shuǐ hǔ， zhì wū qí xià； yuán jí jiāng nǚ， yù lái xū yǔ。』 dāng shì shí yě， nèi wú yuàn nǚ， wài wú kuàng fū； wáng rú hào sè， yǔ bǎi xìng tóng zhī， wū wáng hé yǒu？」

The king Xuan of Qi said, 'People all tell me to pull down and remove the Hall of Distinction. Shall I pull it down, or stop the movement for that object?' Mencius replied, 'The Hall of Distinction is a Hall appropriate to the sovereigns. If your Majesty wishes to practise the true royal government, then do not pull it down.' The king said, 'May I hear from you what the true royal government is?' 'Formerly,' was the reply, 'king Wen's government of Qi was as follows: The husbandmen cultivated for the government one-ninth of the land; the descendants of officers were salaried; at the passes and in the markets, strangers were inspected, but goods were not taxed: there were no prohibitions respecting the ponds and weirs; the wives and children of criminals were not involved in their guilt. There were the old and wifeless, or widowers; the old and husbandless, or widows; the old and childless, or solitaries; the young and fatherless, or orphans - these four classes are the most destitute of the people, and have none to whom they can tell their wants, and king Wen, in the institution of his government with its benevolent action, made them the first objects of his regard, as it is said in the Book of Poetry, "The rich may get through life well; But alas! for the miserable and solitary!"' The king said, 'O excellent words!' Mencius said, 'Since your Majesty deems them excellent, why do you not practise them?' 'I have an infirmity,' said the king; 'I am fond of wealth.' The reply was, 'Formerly, Gong Liu was fond of wealth. It is said in the Book of Poetry, "He reared his ricks, and filled his granaries, He tied up dried provisions and grain, In bottomless bags, and sacks, That he might gather his people together, and glorify his State. With bows and arrows all-displayed, With shields, and spears, and battle-axes, large and small, He commenced his march." In this way those who remained in their old seat had their ricks and granaries, and those who marched had their bags of provisions. It was not till after this that he thought he could begin his march. If your Majesty loves wealth, give the people power to gratify the same feeling, and what difficulty will there be in your attaining the royal sway?' The king said, 'I have an infirmity; I am fond of beauty.' The reply was, 'Formerly, king Tai was fond of beauty, and loved his wife. It is said in the Book of Poetry, "Gu Gong Tan Fu, Came in the morning, galloping his horse, By the banks of the western waters, As far as the foot of Qi hill, Along with the lady of Jiang; They came and together chose the site for their settlement." At that time, in the seclusion of the house, there were no dissatisfied women, and abroad, there were no unmarried men. If your Majesty loves beauty, let the people be able to gratify the same feeling, and what difficulty will there be in your attaining the royal sway?'