Answering Yang and Mo
Text
English translation
Original Chinese text
公都子曰:“外人皆称夫子好辩,敢问何也?”
English translation
Gongduzi said, “People outside say that you delight in argument. May I ask why?”
Original Chinese text
孟子曰:“予岂好辩哉?予不得已也。天下之生久矣,一治一乱。当尧之时,水逆行,泛滥于中国。蛇龙居之,民无所定。下者为巢,上者为营窟。《书》曰:‘洚水警馀。’洚水者,洪水也。使禹治之。禹掘地而注之海,驱蛇龙而放之菹,水由地中行,江、淮、河、汉是也。险阻既远,鸟兽之害人者消,然后人得平土而居之。”
English translation
Mencius said, “Do I enjoy arguing? I have no choice. Humankind has lived in the world for a long time, through alternating order and disorder. In Yao’s time, waters flowed backward and flooded the central lands. Snakes and dragons occupied them, and people had nowhere secure to live. Those in low places built nests in trees; those on higher ground lived in dugouts. The Book of Documents says, ‘The overflowing waters warned me.’ These were floodwaters. Yao charged Yu with controlling them. Yu cut channels through the land and led the waters to the sea, driving snakes and dragons into marshes. Water then flowed through the land in rivers such as the Yangtze, Huai, Yellow, and Han. Once the dangers receded and harmful beasts disappeared, people could settle on level ground.”
Original Chinese text
“尧、舜既没,圣人之道衰。暴君代作,壤宫室以为污池,民无所安息;弃田以为园囿,使民不得衣食。邪说暴行又作。园囿污地沛泽多,而禽兽至。及纣之身,天下又大乱。周公相武王,诛纣、伐奄,三年讨其君;驱飞廉于海隅而戮之;灭国者五十;驱虎豹犀象而远之。天下大悦。《书》曰:‘丕显哉文王谟!丕承哉武王烈!佑启我后人,咸以正无缺。’”
English translation
“After Yao and Shun died, the way of the sages declined. Tyrants arose in succession: they demolished palaces to make ponds, leaving the people nowhere to rest, and abandoned farmland for parks, depriving people of clothing and food. Heterodox teachings and violent deeds spread again. Parks, ponds, and marshes multiplied, drawing in wild animals. By the time of King Zhou of Shang, the world was once more in great disorder. The Duke of Zhou assisted King Wu: he executed Zhou and attacked Yan, then spent three years suppressing its ruler; he drove Feilian to the coast and put him to death; he destroyed fifty states and drove tigers, leopards, rhinoceroses, and elephants far away. The world rejoiced. The Book of Documents says, ‘How splendid were King Wen’s plans! How great were King Wu’s achievements! They protected and guided those who came after us, so that all might follow the right way without fault.’”
Original Chinese text
“世衰道微,邪说暴行有作。臣弑其君者有之,子弑其父者有之。孔子惧,作《春秋》。《春秋》,天子之事也。是故孔子曰:‘知我者,其惟《春秋》乎!罪我者,其惟《春秋》乎!’”
English translation
“As the age declined and the Way weakened, heterodox doctrines and violent acts arose. There were ministers who murdered their rulers and sons who murdered their fathers. Confucius was alarmed and composed the Spring and Autumn Annals. The Annals deal with matters belonging to the Son of Heaven. Thus Confucius said, ‘Perhaps only the Spring and Autumn Annals will understand me; perhaps only they will condemn me.’”
Original Chinese text
“圣王不作,诸侯放恣,处士横议。杨朱、墨翟之言盈天下。天下之言,不归杨则归墨。杨氏为我,是无君也。墨氏兼爱,是无父也。无父无君,是禽兽也。公明仪曰:‘庖有肥肉,厩有肥马,民有饥色,野有饿莩,此率兽而食人也。’杨墨之道不息,孔子之道不著,是邪说诬民、充塞仁义也。仁义充塞,则率兽食人,人将相食。吾为此惧,闲先圣之道,距杨墨、放淫辞,邪说者不得作。作于其心,害于其事;作于其事,害于其政。圣人复起,不易吾言矣。”
English translation
“No sage king arises; the feudal lords act without restraint, and recluses air extreme opinions. The teachings of Yang Zhu and Mo Di fill the world: people follow either Yang or Mo. Yang’s ‘for oneself’ leaves no place for a ruler; Mo’s ‘impartial care’ leaves no place for a father. Without father or ruler, one is like a beast. Gongming Yi said, ‘The kitchens hold rich meat and the stables fine horses, while the people look hungry and the countryside holds the dead from starvation. This is leading beasts to eat people.’ If the ways of Yang and Mo do not cease and the way of Confucius is not made clear, false teachings will deceive the people and block benevolence and righteousness. Once these are blocked, people will lead beasts to prey on others, and humans will devour one another. I fear this, so I guard the way of the former sages, oppose Yang and Mo, and drive out extravagant arguments, preventing false doctrines from arising. What begins in the mind harms conduct; what appears in conduct harms government. If a sage rose again, he would not alter what I have said.”
Original Chinese text
“昔者禹抑洪水而天下平,周公兼夷狄、驱猛兽而百姓宁,孔子成《春秋》而乱臣贼子惧。《诗》云:‘戎狄是膺,荆舒是惩;则莫我敢承。’无父无君,是周公所膺也。我亦欲正人心、息邪说、距诐行、放淫辞,以承三圣者。岂好辩哉?予不得已也。能言距杨墨者,圣人之徒也。”
English translation
In the past, Yu subdued the floods and brought peace to the world; the Duke of Zhou subdued the Yi and Di and drove away fierce beasts, bringing security to the people; Confucius completed the Spring and Autumn Annals, making rebellious ministers and treacherous sons afraid. The Book of Songs says, “We repelled the Rong and Di and chastened Jing and Shu; none then dared withstand us.” The doctrine that rejects fathers and rulers is what the Duke of Zhou opposed. I too wish to set people’s hearts right, stop false teachings, resist warped conduct, and drive out extravagant words, carrying forward the work of those three sages. Do I enjoy argument? I have no choice. Whoever can speak against Yang and Mo belongs among the followers of the sages.