Guan Zhong, Yan Zi, and the Royal Way
Text
English translation
Original Chinese text
公孫丑問曰:「夫子當路於齊,管仲、晏子之功,可復許乎?」
English translation
Gongsun Chou asked, “If you, Master, were to hold power in Qi, could the achievements of Guan Zhong and Yanzi again be hoped for?”
Original Chinese text
孟子曰:「子誠齊人也,知管仲、晏子而已矣。或問乎曾西曰:『吾子與子路孰賢?』曾西蹙然曰:『吾先子之所畏也。』曰:『然則吾子與管仲孰賢?』曾西艴然不悅曰:『爾何曾比予於管仲?管仲得君如彼其專也,行乎國政如彼其久也,功烈如彼其卑也。爾何曾比予於是!』」曰:「管仲,曾西之所不為也,而子為我愿之乎?」
English translation
Mencius said, “You are truly a man of Qi; you know Guan Zhong and Yanzi, and that is all. Someone asked Zeng Xi, ‘Who is more worthy, you or Zilu?’ Zeng Xi said with a troubled expression, ‘He is one whom my late father revered.’ The questioner said, ‘Then who is more worthy, you or Guan Zhong?’ Zeng Xi, angry and displeased, said, ‘How can you compare me to Guan Zhong? Guan Zhong obtained his ruler’s trust so exclusively, he conducted the government of the state for so long, and yet his achievements were so lowly. How can you compare me to him!’” Mencius added, “Guan Zhong was the kind of person Zeng Xi would not become; and do you wish me to become such a person?”
Original Chinese text
曰:「管仲以其君霸,晏子以其君顯,管仲、晏子猶不足為與?」
English translation
Gongsun Chou said, “Guan Zhong made his ruler hegemon over the feudal lords, and Yanzi made his ruler illustrious. Are Guan Zhong and Yanzi still not worth emulating?”
Original Chinese text
曰:「以齊王由反手也。」
English translation
Mencius said, “To make Qi king over all under heaven would be like turning over one’s hand.”
Original Chinese text
曰:「若是,則弟子之惑滋甚。且以文王之德,百年而後崩,猶未洽於天下;武王、周公繼之,然後大行。今言王若易然,則文王不足法與?」
English translation
Gongsun Chou said, “If that is so, your disciple’s confusion grows even greater. Moreover, with King Wen’s virtue, he did not die until a hundred years had passed, and still his influence had not yet reached all under heaven; King Wu and the Duke of Zhou succeeded him, and only then was it greatly carried out. Now you say that becoming king is so easy—then was King Wen not worth taking as a model?”
Original Chinese text
曰:「文王何可當也?由湯至於武丁,賢聖之君六七作。天下歸殷久矣;久則難變也。武丁朝諸侯有天下,猶運之掌也。紂之去武丁未久也,其故家遺俗、流風善政,猶有存者;又有微子、微仲、王子比干、箕子、膠鬲,皆賢人也,相與輔相之,故久而後失之也。尺地莫非其有也,一民莫非其臣也;然而文王猶方百里起,是以難也。齊人有言曰:『雖有智慧,不如乘勢;雖有镃基,不如待時。』今時則易然也。夏后、殷、周之盛,地未有過千里者也,而齊有其地矣;雞鳴狗吠相聞,而達乎四境,而齊有其民矣。地不改辟矣,民不改聚矣,行仁政而王,莫之能御也。且王者之不作,未有疏於此時者也;民之憔悴於虐政,未有甚於此時者也。饑者易為食,渴者易為飲。孔子曰:『德之流行,速於置郵而傳命。』當今之時,萬乘之國行仁政,民之悅之,猶解倒懸也。故事半古之人功必倍之,惟此時為然。」
English translation
Mencius said, “How could King Wen be matched? From Tang down to Wu Ding, six or seven worthy and sage rulers arose. The world had submitted to Yin for a long time; when a thing has lasted long, it is hard to change. When Wu Ding had the feudal lords come to court and possessed all under heaven, it was like turning something in his palm. King Zhou was not far removed from Wu Ding; the old families’ handed-down customs, the lingering influence, and the good government still had survivors; there were also Weizi, Weizhong, Prince Bi Gan, Jizi, and Jiao Ge, all worthy men, who together assisted him, and so it was only after a long time that he lost it. There was no foot of land that was not his, and no single person who was not his subject; yet King Wen still arose from a square of a hundred li, and that is why it was difficult. The people of Qi had a saying: ‘Even if one has wisdom, it is not as good as taking advantage of the situation; even if one has a hoe, it is not as good as waiting for the season.’ The present time, then, makes it easy. In the flourishing of Xia, Yin, and Zhou, their territory never exceeded a thousand li, but Qi has such territory; the crowing of cocks and barking of dogs can be heard from one place to another all the way to the four borders, and Qi has such people. The land need not be opened up further, and the people need not be gathered further; if one practices benevolent government and becomes king, no one can stop him. Moreover, there has never been a longer interval without a true king than at this time; the people have never been more wasted by cruel government than at this time. The hungry are easy to feed; the thirsty are easy to give drink to. Confucius said: ‘The spread of virtue is faster than the relay stations that transmit orders.’ At the present time, if a state of ten thousand chariots practices benevolent government, the people’s joy in it will be like being released from hanging upside down. Thus, if one does half the labor of the ancients, one’s achievement will surely be double theirs; only at this time is that so.”