Shun's Treatment of Xiang

English translation

Wan Zhang asked, “Xiang made a daily practice of trying to kill Shun. Once Shun became Son of Heaven, why did he merely enfeoff him?” Mencius replied, “He granted him a fief; some say he banished him.” Wan Zhang said, “Shun exiled Gonggong to Youzhou, banished Huandou to Chongshan, killed the Sanmiao at Sanwei, and executed Gun at Yushan. Once these four were punished, all under Heaven submitted. He punished the unbenevolent. Xiang was supremely unbenevolent, yet Shun enfeoffed him at Youbi. What fault had the people of Youbi committed? Would a benevolent person really do this—punish others but enfeoff his younger brother?” Mencius said, “A benevolent person does not keep anger toward his younger brother or nurse resentment; he simply cherishes and loves him. To cherish him is to wish him honor; to love him is to wish him wealth. Enfeoffing him at Youbi made him wealthy and honored. If Shun, as Son of Heaven, had left his younger brother a commoner, could that be called loving him?” Wan Zhang asked what people meant by saying Shun banished Xiang. Mencius answered, “Xiang could not govern his fief himself; the Son of Heaven appointed officials to administer it and required him to render tribute. That is why some called it banishment. How could Shun have allowed him to abuse those people? Still, Shun wished to see him often, so Xiang came repeatedly. The saying that Shun received Youbi’s ruler on political business before tribute was due refers to this.”