Humane Government and the Well-Field System
Text
English translation
Original Chinese text
滕文公问为国。
English translation
Duke Wen of Teng asked about governing the state.
Original Chinese text
孟子曰：“民事不可缓也。《诗》云：‘昼尔于茅，宵尔索绹。亟其乘屋，其始播百谷。’民之为道也，有恒产者有恒心，无恒产者无恒心。茍无恒心，放僻邪侈，无不为已。及陷乎罪然后从而刑之，是罔民也。焉有仁人在位罔民而可为也？是故贤君必恭俭礼下，取于民有制。阳虎曰：‘为富不仁矣；为仁不富矣。’
English translation
Mencius said, “The people’s livelihood must not be neglected. The Book of Songs says, ‘By day you gather thatch; by night you twist cords. Hurry to repair the roof, for soon you must sow the grains.’ This is how people tend to be: those with a secure livelihood can keep a steady mind, while those without one struggle to do so. Without that steadiness, they may become undisciplined, crooked, and extravagant, capable of anything. To let them fall into crime and only then punish them is to ensnare the people. How could a benevolent person in office do that? A worthy ruler is therefore respectful and frugal, treats those below with courtesy, and levies taxes according to clear rules. Yang Hu said, ‘The pursuit of wealth is often incompatible with benevolence; the practice of benevolence is often incompatible with becoming wealthy.’”
Original Chinese text
夏后氏五十而贡，殷人七十而助，周人百亩而彻。其实皆什一也。彻者彻也，助者藉也。龙子曰：‘治地莫善于助，莫不善于贡。贡者校数岁之中以为常。乐岁粒米狼戾，多取之而不为虐，则寡取之；凶年粪其田而不足，则必取盈焉。为民父母，使民盻盻然，将终岁勤动，不得以养其父母，又称贷而益之，使老稚转乎沟壑，恶在其为民父母也？’夫世禄滕固行之矣。《诗》云：‘雨我公田，遂及我私。’惟助为有公田。由此观之，虽周亦助也。
English translation
The Xia system allotted fifty mu to a principal cultivator and used the tribute method; the Yin used the assistance method on seventy mu; the Zhou used the che method on a hundred mu. In effect, each levied about one tenth. Here che denotes a levy applied across the holding, while assistance meant contributing labor to cultivate public land. Longzi said, “For managing land, nothing is better than assistance and nothing worse than tribute. Under tribute, yields from several years were compared to set a fixed levy. In abundant years, when grain lay scattered everywhere, the state took only the usual amount, though taking more would not have been oppressive. In bad years, even when farmers had manured their fields and still lacked a crop, the full amount was nevertheless demanded. How can a ruler be the people’s parent if he makes them labor all year without being able to support their parents, then borrow to make up the tax, leaving the old and young to die in ravines? Teng already practices hereditary stipends. The Book of Songs says, ‘First send rain to our public field, then to our private fields.’ Only the assistance method has a public field. From this we see that even the Zhou used assistance.”
Original Chinese text
设为庠序学校以教之。庠者养也，校者教也，序者射也。夏曰校，殷曰序，周曰庠，学则三代共之，皆所以明人伦也。人伦明于上，小民亲于下。有王者起，必来取法，是为王者师也。《诗》云：‘周虽旧邦，其命维新。’文王之谓也。子力行之，亦以新子之国！”
English translation
Set up xiang, xu, schools, and xiao to educate the people. Xiang carried the sense of nurturing; xiao was for instruction; xu was for archery practice. Xia called it xiao, Yin called it xu, and Zhou called it xiang; xue was the name shared by all three dynasties. These institutions made human relationships clear. When those above understood these relationships, the people below would draw close to them. If a sage king arose, he would take these institutions as his model; they would serve as teachers to kings. The Book of Songs says, “Though Zhou was an old state, its mandate was renewed.” This refers to King Wen. Put this into practice, and you too can renew your state!”
Original Chinese text
使毕战问井地。
English translation
He sent Bi Zhan to ask about the well-field land system.
Original Chinese text
孟子曰：“子之君将行仁政，选择而使子，子必勉之。夫仁政必自经界始。经界不正，井地不均，谷禄不平。是故暴君污吏必慢其经界。经界既正，分田制禄，可坐而定也。”
English translation
Mencius said: "Your ruler is about to practice benevolent government, and he selected you and sent you; you must exert yourself in this. Now benevolent government must begin with fixing the boundaries of fields. If the boundaries are not correct, the well-field lands will not be equal, and grain stipends will not be fair. For this reason, tyrannical rulers and corrupt officials are sure to disregard those boundaries. Once the boundaries are correct, distributing fields and setting stipends can be settled while sitting."
Original Chinese text
“夫滕壤地褊小，将为君子焉，将为野人焉。无君子莫治野人，无野人莫养君子。请野九一而助，国中什一使自赋。卿以下必有圭田。圭田五十亩，馀夫二十五亩。死徙无出乡，乡田同井，出入相友，守望相助，疾病相扶持，则百姓亲睦。方里而井；井九百亩，其中为公田。八家皆私百亩，同养公田。公事毕，然后敢治私事，所以别野人也。此其大略也。若夫润泽之，则在君与子矣。”
English translation
Teng’s territory is small, yet it needs both governing officials and people who work the land. Without officials, no one would govern the people; without the people, no one would support the officials. I propose that in the countryside one ninth of the land be assigned to the public field under the assistance method, while in the capital a one-tenth tax be paid directly by residents. Officials below the rank of minister should have ritual fields (gui tian): fifty mu for a gui field, and twenty-five mu for an additional adult male in a household (yu fu). When people die or move, they remain within their home township. The township’s fields are organized in shared well-field units; people help one another when going out and returning, guard and watch together, and support one another in illness. Thus the people will live in harmony. A square li is laid out as one well-field unit of nine hundred mu, with a public field at its center. Each of eight households has one hundred mu of private land and jointly cultivates the public field. They may work their private plots only after completing the public work; this distinguishes the laborers’ duty from the governing class’s. This is only the general outline; the ruler and you must adapt and refine it.”