Wan Zhang I · Passage 05 / 09 · 孟子 5A.5

Mencius 5A.5: Heaven gives without speaking, by showing

True legitimacy is not transferred by a mere verbal declaration but shown through conduct, political effect, and the people's recognition.

萬章曰：「堯以天下與舜，有諸？」孟子曰：「否，天子不能以天下與人。」「然則舜有天下也，孰與之？」曰：「天與之。」「天與之者，諄諄然命之乎？」曰：「否，天不言，以行與事示之而已矣。」曰：「以行與事示之者，如之何？」曰：「天子能薦人於天，不能使天與之天下；諸侯能薦人於天子，不能使天子與之諸侯；大夫能薦人於諸侯，不能使諸侯與之大夫。昔者堯薦舜於天而天受之，暴之於民而民受之。故曰：天不言，以行與事示之而已矣。」曰：「敢問薦之於天而天受之，暴之於民而民受之，如何？」曰：「使之主祭而百神享之，是天受之。使之主事而事治，百姓安之，是民受之也。天與之，人與之，故曰：天子不能以天下與人。舜相堯，二十有八載，非人之所能為也，天也。堯崩，三年之喪畢，舜避堯之子於南河之南。天下諸侯朝覲者，不之堯之子而之舜；訟獄者，不之堯之子而之舜；謳歌者，不謳歌堯之子而謳歌舜；故曰『天』也。夫然後之中國，踐天子位焉。而居堯之宮，逼堯之子，是『篡』也，非『天與』也。《泰誓》曰：『天視自我民視，天聽自我民聽』，此之謂也。」

wàn zhāng yuē：「yáo yǐ tiān xià yǔ shùn， yǒu zhū？」 mèng zǐ yuē：「fǒu， tiān zǐ bù néng yǐ tiān xià yǔ rén。」「rán zé shùn yǒu tiān xià yě， shú yǔ zhī？」 yuē：「tiān yǔ zhī。」「tiān yǔ zhī zhě， zhūn zhūn rán mìng zhī hū？」 yuē：「fǒu， tiān bù yán， yǐ xíng yǔ shì shì zhī ér yǐ yǐ。」 yuē：「yǐ xíng yǔ shì shì zhī zhě， rú zhī hé？」 yuē：「tiān zǐ néng jiàn rén wū tiān， bù néng shǐ tiān yǔ zhī tiān xià； zhū hóu néng jiàn rén wū tiān zǐ， bù néng shǐ tiān zǐ yǔ zhī zhū hóu； dài fu néng jiàn rén wū zhū hóu， bù néng shǐ zhū hóu yǔ zhī dài fu。 xī zhě yáo jiàn shùn wū tiān ér tiān shòu zhī， bào zhī wū mín ér mín shòu zhī。 gù yuē： tiān bù yán， yǐ xíng yǔ shì shì zhī ér yǐ yǐ。」 yuē：「gǎn wèn jiàn zhī wū tiān ér tiān shòu zhī， bào zhī wū mín ér mín shòu zhī， rú hé？」 yuē：「shǐ zhī zhǔ jì ér bǎi shén xiǎng zhī， shì tiān shòu zhī。 shǐ zhī zhǔ shì ér shì zhì， bǎi xìng ān zhī， shì mín shòu zhī yě。 tiān yǔ zhī， rén yǔ zhī， gù yuē： tiān zǐ bù néng yǐ tiān xià yǔ rén。 shùn xiāng yáo， èr shí yǒu bā zài， fēi rén zhī suǒ néng wéi yě， tiān yě。 yáo bēng， sān nián zhī sāng bì， shùn bì yáo zhī zǐ wū nán hé zhī nán。 tiān xià zhū hóu cháo jìn zhě， bù zhī yáo zhī zǐ ér zhī shùn； sòng yù zhě， bù zhī yáo zhī zǐ ér zhī shùn； ōu gē zhě， bù ōu gē yáo zhī zǐ ér ōu gē shùn； gù yuē 『tiān』 yě。 fū rán hòu zhī zhōng guó， jiàn tiān zǐ wèi yān。 ér jū yáo zhī gōng， bī yáo zhī zǐ， shì 『cuàn』 yě， fēi 『tiān yǔ』 yě。《tài shì》 yuē：『tiān shì zì wǒ mín shì， tiān tīng zì wǒ mín tīng』， cǐ zhī wèi yě。」

Wan Zhang said, 'Was it the case that Yao gave the throne to Shun?' Mencius said, 'No. The sovereign cannot give the throne to another.' 'Yes - but Shun had the throne. Who gave it to him?' 'Heaven gave it to him,' was the answer. '" Heaven gave it to him:" - did Heaven confer its appointment on him with specific injunctions?' Mencius replied, 'No. Heaven does not speak. It simply showed its will by his personal conduct and his conduct of affairs.' "It showed its will by his personal conduct and his conduct of affairs" - how was this?' Mencius's answer was, 'The sovereign can present a man to Heaven, but he cannot make Heaven give that man the throne. A prince can present a man to the sovereign, but he cannot cause the sovereign to make that man a prince. A great officer can present a man to his prince, but he cannot cause the prince to make that man a great officer. Yao presented Shun to Heaven, and Heaven accepted him. He presented him to the people, and the people accepted him. Therefore I say, "Heaven does not speak. It simply indicated its will by his personal conduct and his conduct of affairs."' Zhang said, 'I presume to ask how it was that Yao presented Shun to Heaven, and Heaven accepted him; and that he exhibited him to the people, and the people accepted him.' Mencius replied, 'He caused him to preside over the sacrifices, and all the spirits were well pleased with them; thus Heaven accepted him. He caused him to preside over the conduct of affairs, and affairs were well administered, so that the people reposed under him; thus the people accepted him. Heaven gave the throne to him. The people gave it to him. Therefore I said, "The sovereign cannot give the throne to another. Shun assisted Yao in the government for twenty and eight years - this was more than man could have done, and was from Heaven. After the death of Yao, when the three years' mourning was completed, Shun withdrew from the son of Yao to the south of South river. The princes of the kingdom, however, repairing to court, went not to the son of Yao, but they went to Shun. Litigants went not to the son of Yao, but they went to Shun. Singers sang not the son of Yao, but they sang Shun. Therefore I said, "Heaven gave him the throne." It was after these things that he went to the Middle Kingdom, and occupied the seat of the Son of Heaven. If he had, before these things, taken up his residence in the palace of Yao, and had applied pressure to the son of Yao, it would have been an act of usurpation, and not the gift of Heaven. This sentiment is expressed in the words of The Great Declaration: "Heaven sees according as my people see; Heaven hears according as my people hear."'