<Previous Section>	Translation of the Yen T'ieh Lun TOC Preface Introduction Appendix Translation of the Yen T'ieh Lun Glossary Yen T'ieh Lun: Chaps. XX-XXVIII		<Next Section>

Chapter IX. Taunting the Puissant

a. The Lord Grand Secretary: Let us consider for a moment the Imperial riches of such places as Chü-ch'ü of Yüeh, Yün-mêng of Ch'u, Ch`ü-yeh of Sung, and Mêng-chu of Ch'i; ¹ they are all of substance worthy of a Lord Protector or a King. It is when he has them consolidated and well guarded ² that the Ruler of Men grows strong; should he fail to put any restrictions upon their use, he will speedily go to his ruin. Thus when the state of Ch'i ³ gave away its vitals to private individuals, its vassal houses grew powerful beyond control, just as the branches of a tree when they become too big break the main trunk, all because the vassal houses succeeded in laying their hands upon the riches of the ocean and obtained control of the profits derived from fisheries and salt beds. They were now in position to use their accumulated strength in order to manipulate the masses, and their bounties to distribute doles to the plebs. As a consequence Ch'i, divided against itself, became dependent of outside powers; sovereign authority shifted to the ministers and the administration was cast down into the hands of the vassal clans; the ducal house was humiliated, while the patrician family of T'ien ⁴ waxed strong. Their caravans and cargoes ⁵ often reached three thousand cartloads! All this serves to prove that once you let go of the root, nothing can save for you the branches.

b. At the present time our natural resources contained in mountains, rivers, seas and lakes are not limited to Yün-mêng and Mêng-chu. Metallurgists and brine-boilers always choose for their activities the seclusion of sombre valleys, seldom visited by people. As they craftily and cunningly ply their trade betwixt mountain and sea, there is danger that great evils might arise from this situation. With these people riding on prosperity, they dispel simplicity and increase dishonest practices, ⁶ with the result that few will be those who hold in honor fundamental occupations. K'ung Chin and Hsien-yang, ⁷ Commissioners of Salt and Iron for the Exchequer, proposed to the government, therefore, that the people be summoned to provide for the necessary expenses themselves to boil salt with implements supplied by the authorities, in order to bar the road to shifty and dishonest practices. You can see from that how profound was the aim of the prohibitory laws and also how far-sighted the intent of the officials.

c. The Literati: Far-sighted and far-reaching in intent is your policy but contiguous with profit for powerful families. The aim of your prohibitory laws is profound indeed, but manifestly leading you into the path of wild extravagance. Since the establishment of the Profit-and-Loss System and the initiation of the Three Enterprises, ⁸ the privileged families throng the streets like drifting clouds, the hubs of their chariots knocking against one another on the road. Violating all public laws, they promote but their own interests; sitting astride mountains and marshes and monopolizing all offices and markets, they present a far greater problem than the feudal possessors of fisheries and salt-beds. They hold the state authority and travel around the Empire. This is more than the influence of T'ien Ch'ang ⁹ and the power of the feudal ministers. ¹⁰ Their prestige is higher than that of the Six Ministers ¹¹ and their wealth double that of T'ao and Wei. ¹² In the style of their chariots and their dress they usurp the prerogatives of dukes or kings; their palaces and mansions overstep the limits prescribed by the regulations; they combine whole rows of dwellings, cutting off thoroughfares and alleys. They build intersecting galleries to accommodate themselves in their strolls and sight-seeing tours; dig ponds and build winding lanes for their parties de plaisir: they fish along deep water-courses, unleash their hounds at fleeting hare and fierce wolf, revel in feats of strength, football ¹³ games and cock-fighting. The singing-girls of Chung-shan ¹⁴ play their inflammatory music ¹⁵ on the balconies of their halls, while the drums beat and spirited dancing ¹⁶ is going on below. Their wives and daughters dress only in the finest silks and their maids and concubines trail trains of the finest linen. ¹⁷ Their sons and grandsons ride out with long retinues of chariots and horsemen; in and out they ride to the hunt and display their skill in handling net and dart. ¹⁸ The result is that we see the farmer abandoning his plough and toiling no more; the people becoming vagabonds ¹⁹ or growing idle—and why? Because while they toil, others reap the fruit of their labor. Wasters continue to compete with each other, unceasingly trying to reach higher levels of extravagance. This is the only explanation for the people increasing in dishonest practices and the dwindling number of those who turn to fundamental occupations.

5 Play the ("rippling" 流 ) Chih 徵 note. Chih corresponds to Summer and Fire.

d. The Lord Grand Secretary: That an exalted office is synonymous with handsome emolument is as natural as a sturdy root producing luxuriant branches. Therefore, Wên Wang's sons and grandsons received fiefs because of their father's virtue, and Po Ch'in ²⁰ became rich because of Chou Kung's having been Chancellor of the realm. Sons achieve prestige when their fathers hold exalted positions, just as fish wax big in extensive waters, for as the Chuan says, Rivers and seas can fatten a thousand li of land.²¹ If great virtue can extend to the Four Seas, so much more does it benefit one's own family! Thus when the husband is exalted at court, the wife is honored in the home. To speak of riches as passably fine ²² was a principle with the Ancients. The Prince while not different from other men, says Mencius, is what he is chiefly because of his station.²³ But for the rank and file of the people to aspire to the station of the scions of high ministers is just as preposterous as for a cripple to wish to overtake Lou Chi. ²⁴ Is it not rather a vain hope to long for a treasure of a thousand pieces of gold with not a farthing of capital?

e. The Literati: Even in their days of obscurity as simple commoners Yü and Chi ²⁵ would regard themselves responsible for every luckless person ²⁶ in the Empire, as if it were they who had pushed him into the pit of distress. They arose, therefore, and assisted Yao in subduing the flood, regulating the land, and teaching the people the agricultural arts. Such was the heavy responsibility that they took upon themselves for the sake of the whole world. How can you say that they sought appointments for the mere support of their families? Now, he who feeds upon the labor of ten thousand men, should take upon himself their cares and shoulder their burdens. Whether it is a man losing his employment or an official neglecting his duty, it should be alike a load on a minister. Thus the gentleman in serving his government carries out his duty but does not take delight in his station. The salary he receives is meant to benefit the worthy, not for him to pocket profits; he should not obscure worth when he sees it, and use his appointments exclusively for himself. Thus did Kung-shu ²⁷ earn the title of "The Cultured" and Wei Ch'êng Tzŭ ²⁸ become known as "The Worthy"; thus Chou first perfected his virtue and then enfeoffed his descendants — in this way his action could never be considered as partizan. ²⁹ Thus Chou Kung completed his work and then only accepted his fief—in this way he could never be considered by the world as being covetous.

f. But how different is the situation now! Relatives push each other to the front; partizan cliques recommend one another. When the father is exalted in his position, the son becomes overweening at home; when the husband is honored at the court, the wife pushes her calls ³⁰ into the higher social circles. You have the wealth of Chou Kung without possessing his virtue, and the extravagance of Kuan Chung without his achievements. No wonder that even paupers and cripples entertain vain hopes of quickening their pace.

<Previous Section>	Translation of the Yen T'ieh Lun TOC Preface Introduction Appendix Translation of the Yen T'ieh Lun Glossary Yen T'ieh Lun: Chaps. XX-XXVIII		<Next Section>

Published by The Institute for Advanced Technology in the Humanities, © Copyright 2003 by Anne Kinney and the University of Virginia