One who is lord over others is the point of origin of the state. Uttering words and initiating undertakings, he is the axial mechanism of the myriad things. The operation of the axial mechanism is the trigger of honor and disgrace. If it errs in the smallest degree, a team of horses cannot put it right again. For this reason, one who would rule others is
attentive of the fundamental,
careful of the beginning,
respectful of the trivial,
careful of the subtle.
His will resembles [the stillness of] dead ashes;
his form resembles [the emptiness of] abandoned clothing.
He
calms his quintessence
and nourishes his spirit.
2He is quiet and non-active.
Stilling his form, he does not cast a shadow;
silencing his voice, he does not emit a sound.
With an empty mind, he descends [to consult with] his officials, observing the future by scrutinizing the past.
He deliberates with the numerous worthies
and inquires into [the opinions of] the multitudes.
3[Thus he]
apprehends their hearts
and comprehensively understands their feelings;
He
investigates their likes and dislikes
to verify whether they are loyal or treasonous.
He examines their past conduct and verifies it against their present conduct. He assesses to what extent their collective accomplishments derive from former worthies. He dispels their grievances and observes the causes of their disputes. He distinguishes their factions and clans and observes the men they esteem. He relies on his position to govern others and uses harsh measures to make his reputation. As days pile up and time accumulates, what effort will not reach fruition?
He
can rely on the internal to verify the external,
can rely on the insignificant to verify the significant,
and so without fail will ascertain the true reality of things. This is to practice “opening and closing.” [19/25/24–29]
One who is lord over others is the root of the state. When administering a state, there is nothing more crucial to its transformation than reverence for its root. If the root is revered, the ruler will transform like a spirit. If the root is not revered, the ruler will have no means to unite others. Having no means to unite others, even if he institutes strict punishments and heavy penalties, the people will not submit. This is called “throwing away the state.” Is there any greater disaster than this?
To what, then, does “root” refer? I answer: Heaven, Earth and humankind are the root of all living things.
Heaven engenders them;
Earth nourishes them;
humankind perfects them.
Heaven engenders them with filial piety and fraternal love;
Earth nourishes them with food and clothing;
humankind perfects them with ritual and music.
The three assist one another just as the hands and feet join together to perfect the body: it is not possible to dispense with one of them.
Without filial piety and fraternal love, they will lose the means to be engendered;
without food and clothing, they will lose the means to be nourished;
without rites and music, they will lose the means to be perfected.
When all these three are lost, the people will resemble wild deer,
each person following his own desires,
each household establishing its own customs.
Fathers will not be able to command their sons,
rulers will not be able to order their ministers.
Even though the ruler enjoys possession of his walled city and outlying environs, it will be known as an “empty citadel.” Under such circumstances, the ruler is left to find repose with only a clod of earth for his pillow.
No one has endangered the ruler, yet he has endangered himself;
no one has destroyed the ruler, yet he has destroyed himself.
This is what is called “a punishment that follows from the nature [of what came before].” When a punishment that follows from the nature [of what came before] arrives, even if he hides himself in a stone vault or barricades himself in a narrow pass, he still cannot escape it.
The enlightened ruler and worthy lord necessarily finds credence in this. For this reason, he respectfully and carefully attends to the three roots. He
performs the Suburban Sacrifice with the utmost reverence,
dutifully serves his ancestors and deceased father,
promotes and makes manifest those who exhibit filial piety and fraternal love,
displays and delineates [what is meant by] filial conduct.
These are the means by which he serves the root of Heaven.
He
takes up the plow handle and tills the soil,
plucks the mulberry leaves and nourishes the silkworms,
reclaims the wilds and sows the grain,
opens the frontiers, and provides sufficient food and clothing.
These are the means by which he serves the root of Earth.
He
establishes the imperial university and village schools;
cultivates filial piety, fraternal love, respect, and deference;
enlightens [the people] with the transformative powers of education;
moves [the people] with rites and music.
These are the means by which he serves the root of humankind.
When the ruler serves these three roots,
the people will be like sons and brothers not daring to act on their own authority;
the ruler will be like a parent not needing to rely on grace to demonstrate his love for the people or on sternness to command the people.
Should he take up residence in the wilds without a roof over his head, it will surpass living in a palace. Under such circumstances, the ruler will now find repose on a peaceful pillow.
No one has aided him, but he has made himself strong;
no one has comforted him, but he has made himself peaceful.
This is known as “a reward that follows from the nature [of what came before].” When a reward that follows from the nature [of what came before] arrives, even if he relinquishes the throne, abandons the state, and leaves the country, the people will strap their children on their backs and follow him as their ruler, so that he, too, will be unable to leave them. Therefore, when the ruler relies on virtue to administer the state, it is sweeter than cake or honey and firmer than glue or lacquer. This is why sages and worthies exert themselves to revere the root and do not dare depart from it. [19/25/29–19/26/13]
One who is lord of others is the authentication of the state. He cannot take the lead. He is moved by others and only then responds. Therefore, although he occupies a position of leadership, he does not enact the strategic advantage of leadership.
4 Although he does not occupy a position of conciliation, he considers conciliation a virtue. Because he constantly uses his subordinates to the fullest, he consequently is able to secure his position of supremacy. [19/26/13–14]
Section 19.4
The way to instantiate the state lies in being honorable and spiritlike.
Being honorable is the means by which [the ruler] effects his policies;
being spiritlike is the means by which [the ruler] extends his transforming influence.
Therefore
if he is not honorable, he will not awe;
if he is not spiritlike, he will not transform.
Now
desiring to be honorable lies in employing worthies;
desiring to be spiritlike lies in unifying minds.
When worthies are established as the legs and arms of the ruler, he will be honorable and awe inspiring, and his state will be secure. When unified minds support one another, the ruler’s transforming influence will be spiritlike. No one will observe how he acts, but his merit and virtue will be perfected. This is what I mean by “honorable” and “spiritlike.” [19/26/16–19]
Section 19.5
Heaven accumulates an abundance of quintessence to make itself robust;
the sage accumulates an abundance of worthies to make himself strong.
Heaven arrays the sun, moon, and stars to make itself radiant;
the sage arrays ranks and emoluments to make himself manifest.
The means by which Heaven becomes robust is not the strength of one quintessence;
the means by which the sage becomes strong is not the virtue of one worthy.
Therefore,
the Way of Heaven strives to make its quintessence flourish;
the sage strives to make his worthies numerous.
Striving to make its quintessence flourish, [Heaven] unifies its yang;
striving to make his worthies numerous, [the sage] unifies their minds.
Only after unifying its yang can [Heaven] extend its spirit;
only after unifying their minds can [the sage] extend his achievements.
For this reason, the technique to establish one’s governance consists of prizing the attainment of worthy men and unifying their minds. [19/26/20–23]
Section 19.6
One who would be lord over others must prize being spiritlike. The spirits
cannot be apprehended through sight;
cannot be apprehended through hearing.
For this reason,
though you listen, you will not hear their voices;
though you look, you will not see their forms.
Their voices cannot be heard, so no one apprehends their echoes;
their forms cannot be seen, so no one apprehends their shadows.
No one apprehends their shadows, so there are no means to see whether they are crooked or straight.
No one apprehends their echoes, so there is no means to see whether they are clear or turbid.
Neither crooked nor straight, their achievements cannot be apprehended and thwarted.
Neither clear nor turbid, their reputations cannot be apprehended and measured.
“Not seeing their forms” does not mean that no one sees their forms advancing and stopping. It means that no one sees how they advance or stop.
“Not hearing their echoes” does not mean that no one hears their summons and commands. It means that no one hears how they summon and command.
What is not seen or heard is said to be dark and hidden.
Because he can be dark, he is bright.
Because he can be hidden, he is manifest.
Being able to be [both] dark and hidden, he is called “spiritlike.”
The lord of others
prizes residing in darkness yet making his position illustrious;
dwelling in yin yet facing yang;
loathes others observing his true nature yet desires to know the minds of others.
For this reason, the one who would be lord over others
clings to thoughts that have no source;
effects affairs that have no starting point;
takes without seeking;
inquires without asking.
When I take without seeking, it is beneficial to me. When others yield without giving, their efforts are for naught. When I inquire without asking, I am spiritlike. When others respond without being aware, they reveal their true nature. Therefore, I question others to the end of my days, but they do not know to whom they respond. I take from others to the end of my days, but they do not know to whom they have given up [their goods]. I become increasingly enlightened, whereas others do not know what they have lost. Therefore, the one who is minister to another resides in yang while being yin; one who is lord over others resides in yin while being yang.
5 The Way of yin esteems the form and expresses the true nature [of things]. The Way of yang has no starting point and prizes being spiritlike.
6 [19/26/23–27]
