A Park Shared with the People
Text
English translation
Original Chinese text
齐宣王问曰:‘文王之囿方七十里,有诸?’孟子对曰:‘于传有之。’
English translation
King Xuan of Qi asked, ‘Is it true that King Wen's park measured seventy li on each side?’ Mencius replied, ‘It is recorded in transmitted accounts.’
Original Chinese text
曰:‘若是其大乎?’曰:‘民犹以为小也。’曰:‘寡人之囿方四十里,民犹以为大,何也?’
English translation
‘Was it really so large?’ the king asked. ‘The people still thought it small,’ Mencius said. ‘My park is only forty li on each side,’ the king replied. ‘Why do the people think it large?’
Original Chinese text
曰:‘文王之囿方七十里,刍荛者往焉,雉兔者往焉,与民同之。民以为小,不亦宜乎?’
English translation
Mencius said, ‘King Wen's park was seventy li on each side, yet people could enter to gather fodder and firewood or to catch pheasants and hares. He shared it with the people. Is it any wonder they thought it small?’
Original Chinese text
‘臣始至于境,问国之大禁,然后敢入。臣闻郊关之内有囿方四十里,杀其麋鹿者如杀人之罪,则是方四十里为阱于国中。民以为大,不亦宜乎?’
English translation
‘When I first reached your border, I asked about the state's strict prohibitions before I dared enter. I heard that within the outer passes lies a park forty li on each side, and that killing its deer is punished as if one had killed a person. Those forty li are thus a trap set within the state. Is it any wonder the people think the park large?’