King Hui of Liang II · Passage 07 / 16 · 孟子 1B.7

Mencius 1B.7: an ancient state depends on lasting

Mencius argues that an enduring state rests not on old trees or prestige but on political memory, worthy ministers.

孟子見齊宣王，曰：「所謂故國者，非謂有喬木之謂也，有世臣之謂也。王無親臣矣，昔者所進，今日不知其亡也。」王曰：「吾何以識其不才而捨之？」曰：「國君進賢，如不得已，將使卑逾尊，疏逾戚，可不慎與？左右皆曰賢，未可也；諸大夫皆曰賢，未可也；國人皆曰賢，然後察之；見賢焉，然後用之。左右皆曰不可，勿聽；諸大夫皆曰不可，勿聽；國人皆曰不可，然後察之；見不可焉，然後去之。左右皆曰可殺，勿聽；諸大夫皆曰可殺，勿聽；國人皆曰可殺，然後察之，見可殺焉，然後殺之。故曰，國人殺之也。如此，然後可以為民父母。」

mèng zǐ jiàn qí xuān wáng， yuē：「suǒ wèi gù guó zhě， fēi wèi yǒu qiáo mù zhī wèi yě， yǒu shì chén zhī wèi yě。 wáng wú qīn chén yǐ， xī zhě suǒ jìn， jīn rì bù zhī qí wáng yě。」 wáng yuē：「wú hé yǐ shí qí bù cái ér shě zhī？」 yuē：「guó jūn jìn xián， rú bù dé yǐ， jiāng shǐ bēi yú zūn， shū yú qī， kě bú shèn yǔ？ zuǒ yòu jiē yuē xián， wèi kě yě； zhū dài fu jiē yuē xián， wèi kě yě； guó rén jiē yuē xián， rán hòu chá zhī； jiàn xián yān， rán hòu yòng zhī。 zuǒ yòu jiē yuē bù kě， wù tīng； zhū dài fu jiē yuē bù kě， wù tīng； guó rén jiē yuē bù kě， rán hòu chá zhī； jiàn bù kě yān， rán hòu qù zhī。 zuǒ yòu jiē yuē kě shā， wù tīng； zhū dài fu jiē yuē kě shā， wù tīng； guó rén jiē yuē kě shā， rán hòu chá zhī， jiàn kě shā yān， rán hòu shā zhī。 gù yuē， guó rén shā zhī yě。 rú cǐ， rán hòu kě yǐ wéi mín fù mǔ。」

Mencius, having an interview with the king Xuan of Qi, said to him, 'When men speak of "an ancient kingdom," it is not meant thereby that it has lofty trees in it, but that it has ministers sprung from families which have been noted in it for generations. Your Majesty has no intimate ministers even. Those whom you advanced yesterday are gone to-day, and you do not know it.' The king said, 'How shall I know that they have not ability, and so avoid employing them at all?' The reply was, 'The ruler of a State advances to office men of talents and virtue only as a matter of necessity. Since he will thereby cause the low to overstep the honourable, and distant to overstep his near relatives, ought he to do so but with caution? When all those about you say, "This is a man of talents and worth," you may not therefore believe it. When your great officers all say, "This is a man of talents and virtue," neither may you for that believe it. When all the people say, "This is a man of talents and virtue," then examine into the case, and when you find that the man is such, employ him. When all those about you say, "This man won't do," don't listen to them. When all your great officers say, "This man won't do," don't listen to them. When the people all sav, "This man won't do," then examine into the case, and when you find that the man won't do, send him away. When all those about you say, "This man deserves death," don't listen to them. When all your great officers say, "This man deserves death," don't listen to them. When the people all say, "This man deserves death," then inquire into the case, and when you see that the man deserves death, put him to death. In accordance with this we have the saying, "The people killed him." You must act in this way in order to be the parent of the people.'