Book 5, Part 1
Section 7.1
The king is one toward whom the people move;
the ruler is one who does not lose his following.
1Thus one who can cause the myriad people to flock to him and one who can gain a following throughout the world will be unmatched in the world. In the
Spring and Autumn, [instances of] the assassination of rulers [number] thirty-six and the annihilation of states [number] fifty-two.
2 [Of these,] the small states of meager virtue had not paid courtesy visits or sent friendly emissaries to other states, and the large states did not attend meetings with or assemblies of other Lords of the Land.
Battling alone, they did not defend one another.
Living isolated, they did not unite a following.
Thus when they encountered difficulties, no one rescued them, and consequently they were annihilated. Not only are dukes, lords, and great officers like this. There is nothing that lives between Heaven and Earth with shallow roots that can withstand fierce winds or violent rains. Whether their demise is sudden or gradual, they will surely suffer annihilation.
When Marquis Shuo of Wey served Duke Xiang of Qi, the world grew anxious.
3When [the states of] Yu and Guo combined their strength, [Duke] Xian of Jin was distressed by it.
4Zhao Dun of Jin was a lone knight, with not a foot or an inch of land or a single person in his entourage; yet Duke Ling, who possessed the honor and power bequeathed to him by his hegemonic ancestors, [feared him and] wanted to kill him. Although [Duke Ling] used every kind of artifice and utmost deceit, with deceit overflowing and his strength fully employed, [nevertheless] the calamity that [eventually] fell on his own person was great. Zhao Dun’s heart [was such that] had he been the ruler of [even] a small state, who would have been capable of destroying him?
5Thus, Wu Zixu [also] was a lone knight. He left Chu, sought out Helü, [king of Wu], and was able to fulfill his ambition in Wu.
6 If the person whom a ruler entrusts is truly the right person, then who will be able to resist him?
When King Kun of Chu entrusted his state to Zi Yu and De Chen, the world feared them.
7When the duke of Yu entrusted his state to Kong Zhiji, Duke Xian of Jin grew apprehensive of him.
8When King Kun of Chu killed De Chen, the world disregarded him.
When the duke of Yu did not make use of Kong Zhiji, Duke Xian of Jin destroyed him.
[Whether or not a ruler employs the right person is] the source of survival and destruction. [The ruler] must not fail to understand this.
The Lords of the Land found themselves increasingly taking up arms and, [when defeated], ran away and fled, so that it reached the point that their states were on the verge of destruction and no one rescued them. Such outcomes may be deduced from their conduct in ordinary times. Duke Yin’s replacing Duke Huan is what people refer to as a matter of “prudent survival.”
9 But when Wuhai was ordered to lead troops to annihilate Ji,
10 inside the state of Ji there were no ministers who would remonstrate, and outside the state there were no Lords of the Land who would rescue Ji. The state of Zai was destroyed for the same reasons. When the states of Song, Cai, and Wey united and attacked [Zai], [the earl of] Zheng relied on their strength and annexed [Zai].
11 There is no difference between this and leaving precious jewels unguarded in the street. Whoever discovers them will surely take them. Deng and Gu lost their land and paid court respects to Duke Huan of Lu. Was it not fitting that they lost their territory?
12 [7/19/5–17]