CHAPTER II.
1. Confucius said, 'When good government
prevails in the empire, ceremonies, music, and punitive military expeditions
proceed from the son of Heaven. When bad government prevails in the empire,
ceremonies, music, and punitive military expeditions proceed from the princes.
When these things proceed from the princes, as a rule, the cases will be few in
which they do not lose their power in ten generations. When they proceed from
the Great officers of the princes, as a rule, the cases will be few in which
they do not lose their power in five generations. When the subsidiary ministers
of the Great officers hold in their grasp the orders of the State, as a rule,
the cases will be few in which they do not lose their power in three
generations.
2. 'When right principles prevail in the
kingdom, government will not be in the hands of the Great officers.
3. 'When right principles prevail in the
kingdom, there will be no discussions among the common people.'
Published
by The Institute for Advanced Technology in the Humanities, © Copyright 2003
by Anne Kinney and the University of Virginia