Teng Wen Gong II · Passage 05 / 10 · 孟子 3B.5

Mencius 3B.5: kingly rule defends the small state

Asked how a small state practicing kingly rule can survive attack, Mencius answers through Tang: justice can change how the world reads power.

萬章問曰：「宋，小國也，今將行王政，齊、楚惡而伐之，則如之何？」孟子曰：「湯居亳，與葛為鄰。葛伯放而不祀，湯使人問之曰：『何為不祀？』曰：『無以供犧牲也。』湯使遺之牛羊，葛伯食之，又不以祀。湯又使人問之曰：『何為不祀？』曰：『無以供粢盛也。』湯使亳眾往為之耕，老弱饋食。葛伯率其民，要其有酒食黍稻者奪之，不授者殺之。有童子以黍肉餉，殺而奪之。《書》曰：『葛伯仇餉』，此之謂也。為其殺是童子而征之，四海之內皆曰：『非富天下也，為匹夫匹婦復讎也。』湯始征，自葛載。十一征而無敵於天下。東面而征，西夷怨；南面而征，北狄怨，曰：『奚為後我？』民之望之若大旱之望雨也。歸市者弗止，蕓者不變。誅其君，弔其民，如時雨降，民大悅。《書》曰：『徯我后，后來其無罰。』『有攸不惟臣，東征，綏厥士女。篚厥玄黃，紹我周王見休，惟臣附于大邑周。』其君子實玄黃于篚以迎其君子，其小人簞食壺漿以迎其小人。救民於水火之中，取其殘而已矣。《太誓》曰：『我武惟揚，侵于之疆。則取于殘，殺伐用張，于湯有光。』不行王政云爾；苟行王政，四海之內皆舉首而望之，欲以為君。齊楚雖大，何畏焉？」

wàn zhāng wèn yuē：「sòng， xiǎo guó yě， jīn jiāng xíng wáng zhèng， qí、 chǔ è ér fá zhī， zé rú zhī hé？」 mèng zǐ yuē：「tāng jū bó， yǔ gě wéi lín。 gě bó fàng ér bú sì， tāng shǐ rén wèn zhī yuē：『hé wéi bú sì？』 yuē：『wú yǐ gòng xī shēng yě。』 tāng shǐ yí zhī niú yáng， gě bó shí zhī， yòu bù yǐ sì。 tāng yòu shǐ rén wèn zhī yuē：『hé wéi bú sì？』 yuē：『wú yǐ gòng zī shèng yě。』 tāng shǐ bó zhòng wǎng wéi zhī gēng， lǎo ruò kuì shí。 gě bó lǜ qí mín， yào qí yǒu jiǔ shí shǔ dào zhě duó zhī， bú shòu zhě shā zhī。 yǒu tóng zǐ yǐ shǔ ròu xiǎng， shā ér duó zhī。《shū》 yuē：『gě bó chóu xiǎng』， cǐ zhī wèi yě。 wéi qí shā shì tóng zǐ ér zhēng zhī， sì hǎi zhī nèi jiē yuē：『fēi fù tiān xià yě， wéi pǐ fū pǐ fù fù chóu yě。』 tāng shǐ zhēng， zì gě zài。 shí yī zhēng ér wú dí wū tiān xià。 dōng miàn ér zhēng， xī yí yuàn； nán miàn ér zhēng， běi dí yuàn， yuē：『xī wéi hòu wǒ？』 mín zhī wàng zhī ruò dà hàn zhī wàng yǔ yě。 guī shì zhě fú zhǐ， yún zhě bú biàn。 zhū qí jūn， diào qí mín， rú shí yǔ jiàng， mín dà yuè。《shū》 yuē：『xī wǒ hòu， hòu lái qí wú fá。』『yǒu yōu bù wéi chén， dōng zhēng， suí jué shì nǚ。 fěi jué xuán huáng， shào wǒ zhōu wáng jiàn xiū， wéi chén fù yú dà yì zhōu。』 qí jūn zǐ shí xuán huáng yú fěi yǐ yíng qí jūn zǐ， qí xiǎo rén dān shí hú jiāng yǐ yíng qí xiǎo rén。 jiù mín wū shuǐ huǒ zhī zhōng， qǔ qí cán ér yǐ yǐ。《tài shì》 yuē：『wǒ wǔ wéi yáng， qīn yú zhī jiāng。 zé qǔ yú cán， shā fá yòng zhāng， yú tāng yǒu guāng。』 bù xíng wáng zhèng yún ěr； gǒu xíng wáng zhèng， sì hǎi zhī nèi jiē jǔ shǒu ér wàng zhī， yù yǐ wéi jūn。 qí chǔ suī dà， hé wèi yān？」

Wan Zhang asked Mencius, saying, 'Sung is a small State. Its ruler is now setting about to practise the true royal government, and Qi and Chu hate and attack him. What in this case is to be done?' Mencius replied, 'When Tang dwelt in Bo, he adjoined to the State of Ge, the chief of which was living in a dissolute state and neglecting his proper sacrifices. Tang sent messengers to inquire why he did not sacrifice. He replied, "I have no means of supplying the necessary victims." On this, Tang caused oxen and sheep to be sent to him, but he ate them, and still continued not to sacrifice. Tang again sent messengers to ask him the same question as before, when he replied, "I have no means of obtaining the necessary millet." On this, Tang sent the mass of the people of Bo to go and till the ground for him, while the old and feeble carried their food to them. The chief of Ge led his people to intercept those who were thus charged with wine, cooked rice, millet, and paddy, and took their stores from them, while they killed those who refused to give them up. There was a boy who had some millet and flesh for the labourers, who was thus slain and robbed. What is said in the Book of History, "The chief of Ge behaved as an enemy to the provision-carriers," has reference to this. Because of his murder of this boy, Tang proceeded to punish him. All within the four seas said, "It is not because he desires the riches of the kingdom, but to avenge a common man and woman." When Tang began his work of executing justice, he commenced with Ge, and though he made eleven punitive expeditions, he had not an enemy in the kingdom. When he pursued his work in the east, the rude tribes in the west murmured. So did those on the north, when he was engaged in the south. Their cry was "Why does he make us last." Thus, the people's longing for him was like their longing for rain in a time of great drought. The frequenters of the markets stopped not. Those engaged in weeding in the fields 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 in the Book of History, "We have waited for our prince. When our prince comes, we may escape from the punishments under which we suffer." There being some who would not become the subjects of Zhou, king Wu proceeded to punish them on the east. He gave tranquillity to their people, who welcomed him with baskets full of their black and yellow silks, saying "From henceforth we shall serve the sovereign of our dynasty of Zhou, that we may be made happy by him." So they joined themselves, as subjects, to the great city of Zhou. Thus, the men of station of Shang took baskets full of black and yellow silks to meet the men of station of Zhou, and the lower classes of the one met those of the other with baskets of rice and vessels of congee. Wu saved the people from the midst of fire and water, seizing only their oppressors, and destroying them.' In the Great Declaration it is said, "My power shall be put forth, and, invading the territories of Shang, I will seize the oppressor. I will put him to death to punish him - so shall the greatness of my work appear, more glorious than that of Tang." Song is not, as you say, practising true royal government, and so forth. If it were practising royal government, all within the four seas would be lifting up their heads, and looking for its prince, wishing to have him for their sovereign. Great as Qi and Chu are, what would there be to fear from them?'