[4A1] Mencius said, “If one had the eyesight of Li Lou1 and the dexterity of Master Gongshu2 but lacked the compass and square, one would not be able to form squares and circles. If one had the keen ear of Music Master Kuang3 but lacked the six pitch pipes, one would not be able to adjust the five notes correctly. If one had the Way of Yao and Shun but lacked humane government, one would not be able to rule the world. Though he may have a humane heart and a reputation for humaneness, one from whom the people receive no benefits will not serve as a model for later generations because he does not practice the Way of the former kings. Therefore it is said,
Goodness alone does not suffice for the conduct of government;
Laws alone do not implement themselves.
The ode says,
Not transgressing, not forgetting,
But following the statutes of old.4
No one has ever erred by following the laws of the former kings.
“The sages, having fully utilized the strength of their eyes, extended it through the compass, square, level, and plumb line, which have unlimited power to make things square, round, level, and straight. Having fully utilized the power of their ears, they extended it through the six pitch pipes, which have unlimited power to correct the five notes. And when they had fully utilized the thoughts of their hearts, they extended it through a government that could not bear to see the sufferings of others, and their benevolence spread to all-under-Heaven. Therefore it is said, ‘To build high, one should start from the height of a hill; to dig deep, one should start from the depths of a streambed. And when it comes to government, can anyone be considered wise who does not follow the Way of the former kings?
“Therefore only the humane should be in high positions. When one lacking in humaneness occupies a high position, his wickedness spreads to everyone. When, above, the Way is not considered, then, below, the laws are not preserved; when courtiers do not believe in the Way, artisans do not believe in measures; when gentlemen offend against rightness, small people offend against the criminal laws. It is a matter of sheer good fortune if the state survives. Therefore it is said, ‘When the city walls are not complete or arms abundant, this is not a calamity for the state. When fields and wilds have not been opened up to cultivation or goods amassed, this is not a threat to the state. But when, above, there is an absence of ritual propriety and, below, an absence of learning, rebels will rise up and the state will soon perish.’
“The ode says,
When Heaven is about to move,
Do not be so talkative.5
“To be talkative is to be negligent. Serving the ruler without rightness, advancing and withdrawing without regard to ritual propriety, and maligning the Way through one’s words—this is like being negligent. Therefore it is said, ‘Charging one’s ruler with what is difficult is called showing respect for him. Urging goodness while warning against evil is called being reverent toward him. Saying that he is “unable to do it” is called injuring him.’”6
[4A2] Mencius said, “From the compass and the square comes the ultimate standard for circles and squares, and from the sage comes the ultimate standard in human relations.
“One who desires to be a ruler must fully develop the Way of the ruler; one who desires to be a minister must fully develop the Way of the minister. In either case, all that is required is to take Yao and Shun as the model. Not to serve one’s ruler as Shun served Yao is not to respect one’s ruler; not to rule the people as Yao ruled them is to act as a plunderer of the people. Confucius said, ‘There are just two ways: being humane and being inhumane.’ One whose oppression of his people is extreme will himself be killed and his state will be lost. One who is less extreme will place himself in danger and weaken his state. He will be called ‘the Dark’ or ‘the Tyrannical,’7 and though he may have filial sons and devoted grandsons, they will be unable in a hundred generations to change those names.
“The ode says,
The mirror of the Yin is not far off,
It is found in the time of the last of the Xia.8
This is what was meant.”
[4A3] Mencius said, “The way the three dynasties gained the empire was through humaneness, and the way they lost it was through not being humane. So it is too in the flourishing or decline of states, and in their preservation or loss. If the Son of Heaven is not humane, he will be unable to protect all within the four seas. If a feudal lord is not humane, he will be unable to protect the altars of the soil and grain. If a high officer is not humane, he will be unable to protect the ancestral temple. And if an ordinary person is not humane, he will be unable to protect his four limbs. Now, to dislike death and ruin and yet to take pleasure in not being humane is like disliking drunkenness and yet forcing oneself to drink to excess.”
[4A4] Mencius said, “If one loves others and yet they show no affection in return, he should turn within and examine his own humaneness; if one rules others and yet they are not well governed, he should examine his own wisdom; if one behaves with propriety toward others yet they do not respond appropriately, he should examine his own reverence. Whenever one acts to no avail, one should turn within and examine oneself. When one has made one’s own person correct, the rest of the world will follow. The ode says,
Long may you be worthy of the Mandate,
And seek for yourself many blessings.”9
[4A5] Mencius said, “Among the people there is the common saying, ‘The empire, the state, the family.’ The empire has its basis in the state; the state has its basis in the family, and the family has its basis in oneself.”10
[4A6] Mencius said, “Governing is not difficult. It consists in not offending the great families. What the great families admire will be admired by the entire state. What the entire state admires will be admired throughout the world. Thus Virtuous teaching surges floodlike to all within the four seas.”
[4A7] Mencius said, “When the Way prevails in the world, those of small Virtue serve those of great Virtue and those of great ability serve those of lesser ability. When the Way does not prevail in the world, the small serve the great, and the weak serve the strong. Both of these are owing to Heaven. Those who follow Heaven are preserved, while those who rebel against Heaven perish. Duke Jing of Qi said, ‘To be unable to command others and unwilling to receive their orders is to be destined for destruction.’ With flowing tears he gave his daughter to Wu in marriage.11
“Now the small states model themselves on the great states and yet are ashamed to receive their orders. This is like a disciple being ashamed to receive commands from his teacher. For one who feels thus ashamed, there could be no better course than to take King Wen as his teacher. With King Wen as a model, he will, in five years, if his state is large, or in seven years, if his state is small, be sure to govern all-under-Heaven. The ode says,
The descendants of Shang,
Numbered more than hundreds of thousands,
But when the Mandate came from the Lord-on-High,
The lords submitted to Zhou.
The lords submitted to Zhou,
The Mandate of Heaven is not constant.
The officers of Yin, admirable and earnest,
Pour out libations at our capital.12
“Confucius said, ‘Against such humaneness, they could not be considered a multitude.’ If the lord of a state loves humaneness, he will have no enemy in the world. But to wish to have no enemy in the world without using humaneness is like grabbing hold of something hot without first cooling it off with water. The ode says,
Who can grab hold of something hot,
Without first cooling it with water?”13
[4A8] Mencius said, “Is it possible to speak with those who are not humane? Mistaking danger for peace and calamity for profit, they take pleasure in what occasions their ruin. If, despite their inhumanity, it were possible to talk with them, would we have this ruin of states and this destruction of families?
“There was a boy who was singing,
When the waters of the Cang-lang are clear,
I can wash my cap strings.
When the waters of the Cang-lang are muddy,
I can wash my feet.
“Confucius said, ‘Listen to him, my little ones. When it is clear, it washes cap strings; when it is muddy, it washes the feet. This is all determined by the water itself.’ A man must demean himself; only then will others demean him. A family must destroy itself; only then will others destroy it. A state must attack itself and only then will others attack it. This is what is meant when the “Taijia” says,
When Heaven makes misfortunes,
It is still possible to escape them.
When the misfortunes are of our own making,
It is no longer possible to live.”14
[4A9] Mencius said, “Jie and Zhou lost the world because they lost the people, and they lost the people because they lost the hearts of the people. There is a Way to obtain the world: one gains the world by gaining the people; when one gains the people, one gains the world. There is a Way of gaining the people: by gaining their hearts one gains the people. There is a Way to gain their hearts: gather for them the things that you desire; do not impose on them the things that you dislike.15 The people’s turning to humaneness is like water flowing downward or wild animals heading for the wilds. Thus, as the otter drives the fish toward the deep and the sparrow hawk drives the smaller birds toward the thicket, Jie and Zhou drove the people toward Tang and Wu. If, in the world today, there were a ruler who loved humaneness, the lords would all drive the people to him, and, though he might wish not to become a king, he could not help but do so.
“Those in the world today who wish to become a true king are like the case of needing to find an herb16 requiring three years of drying and preparation to treat an illness of seven years’ duration. If it has not been stored up, to the end of his life, the patient will never have an adequate supply. If rulers do not commit themselves to humaneness, they will endure a lifetime of grief and disgrace and finally sink into death and destruction.
“This is what is meant when the ode says,
How can they become good?
They only lead one another toward drowning.”17
[4A10] Mencius said, “With those who do violence to themselves, one cannot speak, nor can one interact with those who throw themselves away. To deny propriety and rightness in one’s speech is what is called ‘doing violence to oneself.’ To say, ‘I am unable to abide in humaneness or to follow rightness’ is what is called ‘throwing oneself away.’ For human beings, humaneness is the peaceful dwelling, and rightness is the correct path. To abandon the peaceful dwelling and not abide in it and to reject the right road and not follow it—how lamentable!”
[4A11] Mencius said, “The Way lies in what is near yet is sought in what is far off. Our work lies in what is easy yet is sought in what is difficult. If all people would love their parents and be respectful to their elders, the whole world would be at peace.”
[4A12] Mencius said, “When those occupying positions below do not gain the confidence of those above, they cannot succeed in governing the people. There is a way to gain the confidence of those above: one who does not inspire the trust of friends will not have the confidence of those above. There is a way to gain the trust of friends: one who does not serve his parents so as to please them will not inspire the trust of friends. There is a way to please one’s parents: one who turns within and finds himself not to be sincere does not please his parents. There is a way to be sincere within oneself: if one is not clear about what is good, one will not be sincere within oneself. Therefore, to be sincere is the Way of Heaven, and to think about sincerity is the human Way. It has never happened that one who is sincere fails to move others, or that one who is not sincere is able to move others.”18
[4A13] Mencius said, “Boyi,19 having fled from Zhou, was living by the shore of the northern sea. Hearing of the rise of King Wen, he bestirred himself and said, ‘Would it not be best to go back and follow him? I have heard that Xibo is good at caring for the old.’ Taigong,20 having fled from Zhou, was living by the shore of the eastern sea. Hearing of the rise of King Wen, he bestirred himself and said, ‘Would it not be best to go back and follow him? I have heard that Xibo is good at caring for the old.’21
“These two were the world’s greatest elders, and their following King Wen meant that the fathers of the world were following him. When the fathers of the world followed him, where else could the sons go? If any of the lords practiced the government of King Wen, within seven years, he would assuredly be governing the world.”
[4A14] Mencius said, “When Ran Qiu served as chief officer of the Ji clan, he was unable to improve the quality of their Virtue, and yet he doubled the tax in grain over what the people had previously paid. Confucius said, ‘Qiu is no follower of mine. Little ones, you may beat the drums and attack him.’22
“From this it can be seen that one who enriched a ruler who was not given to the practice of humane government was cast off by Confucius. How much more would this be true in the case of one bent on making war? Wars that arise from territorial contests kill so many people that the fields are packed with corpses; wars that arise from contests over cities kill so many people that the cities are packed with corpses. This is what is called leading the earth to devour human flesh. Death is not an adequate punishment for such a crime. Therefore, those who are skilled in war should suffer the highest punishment, followed by those who are responsible for bringing about alliances among the feudal lords, and then by those who open up uncultivated lands and oblige the people to cultivate them.”
[4A15] Mencius said, “When observing someone there is nothing more telling than the pupil of the eye. In the pupil one’s wickedness cannot be concealed. When one is correct within one’s innermost being, the pupil will be clear. When one is not correct within one’s innermost being, the pupil will be dull. If one listens to his words and observes the pupils of his eyes, what can a person hide?”
[4A16] Mencius said, “One who is respectful is not contemptuous of other people, and one who is frugal does not extort from others. A ruler who is contemptuous of others and extorts from them is only afraid that they will not obey him. How can they be respectful and frugal? How can respect and frugality be expressed through a pleasing voice and an ingratiating manner?”
[4A17] Chunyu Kun23 said, “Is it a matter of ritual propriety that, in giving and receiving things, men and women should not touch one another?”24
Mencius said, “This is according to ritual.”
“If one’s sister-in-law is drowning, may one save her with his hand?”
“If one’s sister-in-law were drowning and one did not save her, one would be a wolf. For men and women, in giving and receiving, not to touch one another is according to ritual. To save a sister-in-law from drowning by using one’s hand is a matter of expedience.”
“Now the whole world is drowning, and yet you do not save it. Why is this?”
“When the world is drowning, one saves it through the Way. If one’s sister-in-law is drowning, one saves her with one’s hand. Would you like me to save the world with my hand?”
[4A18] Gongsun Chou said, “Why is it that a gentleman does not instruct his own son?”
Mencius said, “The circumstances do not allow it. Instruction necessarily involves correction, and when the correction is not effective, the next thing is that they become angry. When they become angry, then, paradoxically, they hurt one another. The son says, ‘My master instructs me in what is correct, but my master himself does not display correct behavior.’ This is when father and son hurt one another, and for a father and son to hurt one another is a terrible thing.
“In ancient times people exchanged sons and taught one another’s sons. Between fathers and sons there should be no carping about goodness, because when there is carping about goodness, there is disaffection, and nothing could be more unfortunate than disaffection.”
[4A19] Mencius said, “Of all forms of service, which is the greatest? It is serving one’s parents. Of all kinds of vigilance, which is the greatest? It is vigilance over one’s own person. I have heard of those who, not losing control of themselves, have been able to serve their parents, but I have never heard of those who, having lost control of themselves, have been able to serve their parents. There are many services one must perform, but the serving of one’s parents is the root of all of them. There are many kinds of vigilance that one must exercise, but vigilance over one’s own person is the root of all of them.
“When Master Zeng was nurturing Zeng Xi, he always provided wine and meat, and when the meal was being cleared, he always asked to whom the remaining food should be given. If his father asked whether there was food remaining, he always replied that there was. When Zeng Xi died, and Zeng Yuan was nurturing Master Zeng, he always provided wine and meat, but when the meal was being cleared, he did not ask to whom the remaining food should be given, and if his father asked if there was food remaining, he said that it had been finished, because he intended to serve it again. This is what is called ‘nourishing the mouth and body,’ whereas doing it in the way Master Zeng did can be called ‘nourishing the intentions.’ In serving one’s parents, the way Master Zeng did it is correct.”
[4A20] Mencius said, “It is not enough to censure a ruler over those who have been appointed to office, nor is it enough to criticize the policies of his government. Only a great man can correct what is wrong in a ruler’s mind. If the ruler is humane, everyone will be humane. If the ruler does what is right, everyone will do what is right. If the ruler is correct, everyone will be correct. Once the ruler has been rectified, the state will be settled.”
[4A21] Mencius said, “There have been cases of unanticipated praise and also of unexpectedly overexacting criticism.”
[4A22] Mencius said, “A person who makes light with his words is not qualified to assume responsibility.”
[4A23] Mencius said, “The trouble with people lies in their desire to be the teachers of others.”
[4A24] Master Yuezheng25 went to Qi in the retinue of Ziao26 and went to see Mencius. Mencius said, “Did you, sir, also come to see me?”
“Master, why do you speak such words?”
Mencius said, “How many days has it been since you came here?”
“[I arrived] yesterday.”
“Yesterday! Then is it not right that I speak these words?”
“My lodging had not yet been arranged.”
“Have you heard that one’s lodging must be arranged before one seeks to see his elder?”
“I am at fault.”
[4A25] Mencius said to Master Yuezheng, “Your having come here in the retinue of Ziao was only because of the food and drink. I would not have thought that you, given your study of the Way of the ancients, would have done this for food and drink.”
[4A26] Mencius said, “There are three things that are unfilial, and the greatest of them is to have no posterity.27 Shun married without informing his parents out of concern that he might have no posterity. The noble person considers that it was as if he had informed them.”
[4A27] Mencius said, “The most authentic expression of humaneness is serving one’s parents; the most authentic expression of rightness is following one’s older brother; the most authentic expression of wisdom is knowing these two things and not departing from them; the most authentic expression of ritual propriety is regulating and adorning these two; the most authentic expression of music is in taking joy in these two. When there is joy, they grow; when they grow, how can they be stopped? When they come to the point where they cannot be stopped, then, without realizing it, one’s feet begin to step in time to them and one’s hands begin to dance them out.”
[4A28] Mencius said, “Greatly contented, the whole world turned to him, yet he regarded the whole world turning to him, greatly contented, as like so much grass. Only Shun was like this. He thought that if he could not win the hearts of his parents, he could not be a human being, and that if he could not reach an accord with his parents, he could not be a son. Through Shun’s fulfilling the Way of serving his parents, Gusou28 came to be pleased, and when Gusou came to be pleased, the world was transformed. When Gusou came to be pleased, all the fathers and sons in the world became secure. This is called ‘great filiality.’”
Notes
1. According to tradition, he lived at the time of the Yellow Emperor and was gifted with unusual visual acuity, so that he could see something as small as “the tip of an autumn hair.”
2. A native of the state of Lu, he lived between the time of Confucius and Mo Zi and was famous as a gifted artisan.
3. Music master to Duke Ping of Jin, he became the most famous music master in the history of ancient China.
4. Ode 249 (Legge, Chinese Classics, 4:481–83).
5. Ode 254 (ibid., 4:499–504).
6. See 1A7, where Mencius makes the distinction between “not doing” something and “being unable” to do it. See also 2A6.
7. The names of two rulers of ill repute in the Zhou; they are mentioned again in 6A6.
8. Ode 255, which suggests that the experience of the tyrant Jie, the last ruler of the Xia dynasty, should be taken as an example by later rulers. The Xia (1907?–1555? B.C.E.) was supposed to have been the first dynasty that, in its decadence, succumbed to attack by the Shang.
9. Ode 235 (Legge, Chinese Classics, 4:427–31).
10. Compare the similar idea in section 4 of The Great Learning.
11. Not to King Wu of Zhou (whose name is written with a different character) but to the ruler of the state of Wu, still considered only minimally civilized. The duke’s daughter suffered an early death, ostensibly of grief.
12. Ode 235 (Legge, Chinese Classics, 4:427–31).
13. Ode 257 (Legge, Chinese Classics, 4:519–27).
14. See the “Taijia” section of the Classic of Documents, in Legge, Chinese Classics, 3:207. This passage is also quoted in 2A4.
15. This translation—which assumes reciprocity between the ruler and his subjects—is unusual. As Nivison has observed, Dobson is virtually alone in interpreting this to mean that the ruler judges what the people desire based on his own desires and what they dislike based on his own antipathies. See David S. Nivison, “On Translating Mencius,” in The Ways of Confucianism: Investigations in Chinese Philosophy, ed. Bryan W. Van Norden (La Salle, Ill.: Open Court, 1996), 198.
16. The ai 
, or artemisia plant, used in moxibustion.
17. Ode 257 (Legge, Chinese Classics, 4:519–27).
18. Compare 4A4 and the Doctrine of the Mean, chap. 20.
19. Boyi and his younger brother, Shuqi, both left their ancestral home and adopted a kind of exile because neither was willing to succeed their father at the expense of the other.
20. Taigong was the epithet of Lu Shang, who became one of the advisers to Kings Wen and Wu of Zhou. King Wen told Lu Shang that “my grandfather looked for you long ago,” from which came the name Taigong Wang, or, in Legge’s translation, “Grandfather’s Hope” (Legge, Chinese Classics, 2:303).
21. This account is repeated in 7A22.
22. Analects 11:16.
23. A man of Qi who attended at the courts of King Wei of Qi and King Xuan of Qi and also at the court of King Hui of Liang.
24. The prohibition Chunyu Kun invokes here is found in the “Chu Li” chapter of the Book of Rites.
25. Yuezheng Ko. See 1B16, 6B13, and 7B25.
27. According to Zhao Qi, the other two expressions of unfiliality were acquiescing in a lack of rightness on the part of a parent and failing to provide for them in their old age.
28. Gusou was Shun’s father. His name literally means “the blind man,” and he is depicted as morally as well as physically blind. He first appears in the literature in the “Canon of Yao” in the Classic of Documents. See Legge, Chinese Classics, 3:26; and also 5A2 and 5A4.