Today, it’s a delight to present selections from “Mencius,” translated into English by James Legge, in which the Venerated Enlightened Philosopher Mencius expounds on the importance of leaders uniting their people through peace, allowing them to have livelihoods that will provide stability for their families.
Mencius Chapter 2 Conversation with King Hsiang of Liang
“Mencius went to see the King Hsiang of Liang. On coming out from the interview, He said to some persons, ‘When I looked at Him from a distance, He did not appear like a sovereign; when I drew near to Him, I saw nothing venerable about Him. Abruptly He asked me, “How can the kingdom be settled?” I replied, “It will be settled by being united under one sway.”
The King asked, “Who can so unite it?” I replied, “He who has no pleasure in killing men can so unite it.” The King asked, “Who can give it to him?” I replied, “All the people of the nation will unanimously give it to him. Does your Majesty understand the way of the growing grain? During the seventh and eighth months, when drought prevails, the plants become dry. Then the clouds collect densely in the heavens, they send down torrents of rain, and the grain erects itself, as if by a shoot. When it does so, who can keep it back? […] If there were one who did not find pleasure in killing men, all the people in the nation would look towards him with outstretched necks. Such being indeed the case, the people would flock to him, as water flows downwards with a rush, which no one can repress.”’”
Conversation with King Hsüan of Ch’î
“The King Hsüan of Ch’î asked, saying, ‘May I be informed by You of the transactions of Hwan of Ch’î, and Wan of Tsin?’ Mencius replied, ‘There were none of the disciples of Chung-nî [also known as Confucius] who spoke about the affairs of Hwan and Wan, and therefore they have not been transmitted to these after-ages; Your servant has not heard of them. If You will have me speak, let it be about royal government.’
The King said, ‘What virtue must there be in order to attain to royal sway?’ Mencius answered, ‘The love and protection of the people; with this there is no power which can prevent a ruler from attaining to it.’
The King asked again, ‘Is such a one as I competent to love and protect the people?’ Mencius said, ‘Yes.’ The King further asked, ‘How do you know that I am competent for that?’ Mencius expounded, ‘I heard the following incident from Hû Ho: “The King,” said he, “was sitting aloft in the hall, when a man appeared, leading an ox past the lower part of it. The King saw him, and asked, Where is the ox going? The man replied, We are going to consecrate a bell with its blood. The King said, Let it go. I cannot bear its frightened appearance, as if it were an innocent person going to the place of death. […] Mencius continued ‘So is the superior man affected towards animals, that, having seen them alive, he cannot bear to see them die; having heard their dying cries, he cannot bear to eat their flesh. Therefore he keeps away from his slaughter-house and cook-room.’
The King was pleased, and said, ‘It is said in the Book of Poetry, “The minds of others, I am able by reflection to measure;” this is verified, my Master, in your discovery of my motive. I indeed did the thing, but when I turned my thoughts inward, and examined into it, I could not discover my own mind. When you, Master, spoke those words, the movements of compassion began to work in my mind. How is it that this heart has in it what is equal to the royal sway?’ Mencius replied, ‘Suppose a man were to make this statement to Your Majesty: “My strength is sufficient to lift three thousand catties, but it is not sufficient to lift one feather; my eyesight is sharp enough to examine the point of an autumn hair, but I do not see a wagon-load of [twigs];” would Your Majesty allow what he said?’ ‘No,’ was the answer, on which Mencius proceeded, ‘Now here is kindness sufficient to reach to animals, and no benefits are extended from it to the people. How is this? Is an exception to be made here? The truth is, the feather is not lifted, because strength is not used; the wagon-load of firewood is not seen, because the eyesight is not used; and the people are not loved and protected, because kindness is not employed. Therefore your Majesty’s not exercising the royal sway, is because You do not do it, not because You are not able to do it.’
‘Treat with the reverence due to age the elders in your own family, so that the elders in the families of others shall be similarly treated; treat with the kindness due to youth the young in your own family, so that the young in the families of others shall be similarly treated: do this, and the kingdom may be made to go round in your palm. It is said in the Book of Poetry, “His example affected his wife. It reached to his brothers, and his family of the State was governed by it.” The language shows how King Wan simply took His kindly heart, and exercised it towards those parties. Therefore, the carrying out his kindness of heart by a prince will suffice for the love and protection of all within the four seas, and if he does not carry it out, he will not be able to protect his wife and children. The way in which the ancients came greatly to surpass other men, was no other but this: simply that they knew well how to carry out, so as to affect others, what they themselves did. Now your kindness is sufficient to reach to animals, and no benefits are extended from it to reach the people. How is this? Is an exception to be made here?’”
