Gou Wuheng is willing to do whatever it takes to ward off evil spirits.

If you don’t have perseverance, you will be extravagant in warding off evil spirits, and you will do everything for your own sake: If you don’t have a long-lasting kindness and don’t abide by the etiquette and laws, you will do anything. This sentence comes from "The Matter of Qi Huan and Jin Wen" in "Mencius: King Hui of Liang". This article systematically explains Mencius's benevolent government through Mencius's process of lobbying King Xuan of Qi to abandon hegemony and implement the king's way.

The original text of "The Matter of Qi Heng and Jin Wen"

King Xuan of Qi asked: "Can anyone hear about the matter of Qi Huan and Jin Wen?"

Mencius's response to Said: "Zhongni's disciples have no knowledge of Dao, Huan and Wen. They will not be passed down to future generations, and the ministers will not hear about it. If they don't do it, then they will be kings?"

Said: "How can virtue be like this? Can he be a king?"

Said: "If you protect the people and become a king, there is no way you can control them."

Said: "If you have only a few people, how can you protect the people?" < /p>

Said: "Yes."

Said: "How do you know that I can do it?"

Said: "I heard that Hu He said: 'The king is sitting down. In the hall, there was an ox passing down the hall. When the king saw it, he said, "Where is the ox?" He said to him, "I will provoke the bell. "The king said: "Give him up! I can't bear to see him look down upon him. If he is innocent, he will die. "How can we abolish it?" He said, "How can we abolish it and change it with sheep?" "'Don't you know there are such things?"

Said: "Yes."

Said: "This heart is enough for a king. The people all love the king, and the ministers know the king." "I can't bear it."

The king said: "Of course, there are people. Although Qi is a small country, why should I love an ox? I can't bear it to die if it is innocent." "The sheep are easy to change."

Said: "The king is no different from the people who love the king. If the king is easy to change, he will know it. If the king hides his innocence and dies, how can the cattle and sheep be chosen? "What?"

Wang laughed and said, "Why are you so sincere? I don't love my wealth, so I exchange it for sheep. It is appropriate for the people to call me love."

Said: "There is no injury, this is the art of benevolence! You can see the cow but not the sheep. A gentleman is like an animal: when he sees it alive, he can't bear to see it die; when he hears its sound, he can't bear to eat its meat. This is why a gentleman stays far away from the kitchen."

Wang said: "The Poetry says: 'If others have intentions, let me think about them.' That's what the Master said. I do it, but I seek it instead, and it doesn't get my heart. The Master said, in I have feelings for you. Why does this heart match the king?"

Said: "There is a king who says: 'My strength is enough to lift a hundred jun, but not a feather. It's enough to see the end of the hair, but not the public's salary. 'Then the king allows it?"

Said: "No!"

"The kindness is as good as the beasts, but the merit is not enough. What can the common people do? However, if a feather is not raised, it is a lack of effort; if the public support is not seen, it is a lack of understanding; if the common people are not protected, it is a lack of kindness. Therefore, if the king is not a king, he is not acting, which is wrong. "I can't do it."

Said: "Why are the shapes of those who do not do anything different from those who cannot do it?"

Said: "I hold Taishan Mountain to reach the North Sea, and the speaker said: 'I "I can't." He broke off the branches for the elders and said, "I can't." It's not impossible to be a king. It's not like taking Taishan to cross the North Sea. If you are not a king, you are like a broken branch. "

"The old and the old are like the old; the young and the young are like the young; the world can be carried out in the palm of the hand. , As for the brothers, it is to protect the family and the country. "That's why extending kindness can protect the world. If you don't extend kindness, you can't protect your wife." That's all! Now that the kindness is enough to the beasts, but the merit is not to the people, what can I do with it? Then you know the weight; then you know the length. To raise troops, to threaten soldiers and ministers, to complain to the princes, and then to do it faster than the heart?"

The king said: "No, how can I do it quickly! I will pursue my great desires."

Said: "The king's great desire can be heard and fulfilled?"

The king smiled and said nothing.

Said: "Because fat and sweetness are not enough for the mouth; lightness and warmth are not enough for the body; because color is not enough for the eyes; sounds are not enough for the ears; and taste is not enough for ordering in front of you. ?The king's ministers are all able to provide for him, but why does the king do so?"

Said: "No, I don't think so."

Said: "But the king. We can already see the reason for his great desire: he wanted to open up land, go to Qin and Chu, come to China, and pacify the barbarians.

Do what you want, ask for what you want, just like asking for a fish based on a tree. "

The king said: "What if it is so much?"

He said: "It's almost nothing. If you ask for fish from a tree, even if you don't get it, there will be no disaster later; if you do what you want, if you ask for what you want, and do it with all your heart, there will be disaster later. "

Said: "Can I hear it?"

Said: "The people of Tsou are fighting with the people of Chu, who does the king think will win?"

Said: "The people of Chu win.

Said: "However, a small solid cannot defeat a large one, a small solid cannot defeat a large number, and a weak solid cannot defeat a strong one." There are nine places thousands of miles away in the sea, and there is only one of them when they are gathered together; if one conquers eight, how is it different from Zou's enemy of Chu! The cover is also contrary to its original nature! Now the king is promoting government and benevolence, so that all the officials in the world want to establish themselves in the king's dynasty, and those who cultivate

The king said: "I am embarrassed, I can't advance, so I hope that Master will support my ambition and teach me clearly." Although I am not sensitive, please try it!"

Said: Those who do not have permanent property but have perseverance can only be scholars. If you are a common people, you will have no permanent property because you have no perseverance. If you do not have perseverance, you will spend too much money to ward off evil. It's all done for one's own sake. To commit a crime and then punish it is to ignore the people. How can a benevolent person be in charge and ignore the people? Therefore, a wise ruler must control the people's property so that they can serve their parents and feed their livestock. Wife, she will be full all her life in happy years, and avoid death in bad years; and then she will do good things, so the people will obey her lightly.

Nowadays, the people's property is not enough to support their parents, and it is not enough to despise them. The wife of an animal will always be miserable in happy years, and will not be immune to death in bad years. This is only to save the dead, but she is afraid of not being able to support her. It is a shame to govern etiquette and justice in her spare time! If the king wants to do this, he will turn against his original nature! A five-acre house with mulberry trees, fifty A person can wear silk and cloth; chickens, dolphins, dogs, and pigs will not be lost in their season; those who are seventy can eat meat; a hundred acres of land should not be taken away in their season; a family of eight will not be hungry; heed the teachings of Xiangxu , in order to demonstrate the righteousness of filial piety and brotherhood, the old man wears silk and eats meat, and the people are neither hungry nor cold, but there is no such thing as "Qi Heng Jin Wen Shi" Commentary

< p> 1. Bao: appease, stabilize. Mo Zhi Neng Yu: no one can resist him. Yu: resist, block. 2. Hu Huan hé,: a close minister of the King of Qi.

< p> 3. Go, go...

4. Provoke xìn, bell: In ancient times, a new bell was cast, and the blood of livestock was smeared in the gaps of the bell to worship gods and pray for blessings. It was called provoking bell. Blood sacrifice.

5. 觳hú, 觫sù,: trembling with fear

6. If so: approach, move towards.

, then: in that case, then.

8. Yi: exchange. 9. Knowledge: the harmony of "Zhihu".

< p> 10. Yes: Pronoun, this kind of. Sufficient to rule the world.

11. Love: Cherish, which means stinginess.

12. Cheng has common people: There are indeed common people who misunderstand me.

13. 褊biǎn, small: the land is small

14. No difference: Don't blame, don't be surprised.

15. How do they know?

16. Pity.

17. What is the difference?

18. 曛: Same as "faint", meaning confused and unclear. .

19. Min: wisdom.

20. Perseverance: a steady and steady life.

21. Letting go and ward off evil are all done for one’s own sake: “Fang” and “extravagant” are synonymous, both of which mean indulgence and debauchery. ", same as "矣", modal particle at the end of the sentence.

22. Disregarding the people: opening a net to frame the people. 甔, the same as "net", is used as a verb.

23. System: regulations.

24. Livestock: Same as "storage", feeding and nurturing. Wife; wife and children.

Translation of "The Matter of Qi Heng and Jin Wen"

King Xuan of Qi asked Mencius: "Can you tell me about the hegemony of Duke Huan of Qi and Duke Wen of Jin?"

Mencius replied: "There is no one like Confucius who told the story of Duke Huan of Qi and Duke Wen of Jin, so it has not been passed down to later generations. I have never heard of it. If it cannot be ignored, then let's talk about the king's way. Let's do it!"

King Xuan of Qi said: "What kind of virtues can I have to be king in the world?"

Mencius said: "Only when you make the people stable can you be king. No one can resist him."

King Xuan of Qi said: "Can a person like me bring peace to the people?"

Mencius said: "Yes."

King Xuan of Qi said: "How did you know that I can do it?"

Mencius said: "I heard Hu He said that I heard from Hu He: 'You are sitting in the main hall, and there is a petunia coming from your highness. People walking by. You saw this man and asked, "Where are you taking the cow?" The man replied, "I am going to use its blood to smear it on the bell as a sacrifice." You said, "Let it go! I can't bear it." Seeing its frightened and trembling look, it was going to death without committing any sin. The man asked: "In this case, is it necessary to abandon the ceremony of sacrificing the bell?" You said: "How can it be abolished? Use a sheep to replace it." "I wonder if this is the case?"

King Xuan of Qi said: "It is the case."

Mencius said: "Such an attitude is enough to rule the world. . The people all think that the king cherishes a cow. But I know that you can't bear it." King Qi Xuan said, "Yes, there are people who have this misunderstanding about me. Although the land of Qi is small, why should I be stingy with a cow? It’s just because I can’t bear to see it frightened and trembling, leading to death without any sin, so I exchanged it for a sheep.”

Mencius said: "Don't be surprised that the people think you are stingy. How do they know what you think when you replace a small animal with a big one? If you regret that it has no sin but is going to die, then the cow What's the difference between it and a sheep?"

King Xuan of Qi smiled and said: "What kind of idea is this? I can't explain clearly. I did not exchange the sheep for the cow because I was stingy with money. "Yes, it is natural for the people to think that I am stingy."

Mencius said: "It doesn't matter, this is the way of benevolence. The reason is that you see the cattle but not the sheep. People with high moral character say: If you see it alive, you can't bear to see it die; if you hear its moaning, you can't bear to eat its meat. So the gentleman stays away from the kitchen." King Xuan of Qi was happy and said: "The Book of Songs. Said: "I can guess what other people are thinking." This refers to people like you, sir. I did this, but when I think about it again, I don't know what my thoughts are. These really touched my heart! What is the reason why this kind of heart is in line with the king's way?"

Mencius said: "Suppose someone reported to the king and said: 'I am strong enough to lift three It weighs a thousand pounds, but I can't lift a single feather; my eyesight is enough to see the ends of the new autumn hairs of birds and animals, but I can't see the entire truckload of firewood. 'Then, do you approve it, Your Majesty?"

King Xuan of Qi said: "No.

Mencius said: "Now your kindness is enough to extend to the animals, but the common people cannot get your kindness. Why is this? From this point of view, if you can't lift a feather, you don't have to use your strength." The reason for not being able to see the whole truckload of firewood is because of the lack of sight; the reason why the people are not cared for is because they are unwilling to show kindness. Therefore, Your Majesty, you cannot unify the world with the royal way. It is because you are unwilling to do it, not because you are unable to do it. "

King Xuan of Qi said: "What is the difference between unwillingness to do and inability to do it?"

Mencius said: Use your arms to hold Mount Tai to jump over the North Sea, and tell others: ' I can't do it. 'It's true that you can't do it. Massage the limbs of the elderly and tell others, 'I can't do it.' It's not that you can't do it. Things like using Mount Tai to jump over the North Sea with your arms; The King Cannot Unify the World belongs to the category of massaging the limbs of the elderly. Respecting the elderly in your own family can be extended to respecting the elderly in other people's families; caring for your own children. Then extend it to caring for other people's children. If you follow this principle, you can unify the world as easily as turning something on the palm of your hand.

"The Book of Songs" says: "A king should set a good example for his wife and children, and spread it to his brothers, so as to govern the family and the country well." ’──It’s just about inflicting this kind of mentality on others. Therefore, promoting kindness is enough to appease people all over the world, but without promoting kindness, even wives and children cannot be appeased. The reason why ancient saints were so much better than others was that they were good at promoting their good deeds.

Now your kindness is enough to be extended to the animals, but the common people cannot get your benefits. What is the reason? Only by weighing with a scale can we know the weight; only by measuring with a ruler can we know the length of anything. This is true for all, and even more so for the human heart. Your Majesty, please think about it! Do you, Your Majesty, want to use soldiers to start a war, put your ministers in danger, and have grudges with various vassal states, so that you feel happy?

King Xuan of Qi said: "No, How can I be happy by doing this? I just intend to use this method to get what I want most."

Mencius said: "What is what you want most, I can listen to it. "?"

King Qi Xuan just smiled but said nothing.

Mencius said: "Is it because there are not enough delicious foods to eat? There are not enough soft and warm clothes to wear? Or is it because the gorgeous colors are not enough to look at? The music is not enough to listen to? There are not enough favored ministers on the left and right. What's the use? Your ministers can fully provide these to the king. Is this really what the king is doing?"

King Xuan of Qi said: "No, I am not doing it for this."

Mencius said: "Then you can know what the king wants most: to expand the territory, to have Qin and Chu come to court, to rule the entire Central Plains, and to appease the ethnic minorities in all directions. But in this way, he wants to seek Such an ideal is like climbing a tree to find fish."

King Xuan of Qi said: "Is it really as serious as you say?"

Mencius said: "I'm afraid. It’s even more serious than this. Climbing up a tree to catch fish may not cause any trouble; if you use this method to pursue such an ideal and work hard, the result will be disaster.” < /p>

King Xuan of Qi said: "Can I hear what this means?"

Mencius said: "If Zou and Chu fight, who do you think will win?"

King Xuan of Qi said: "The state of Chu will win."

Mencius said: Then, a small country cannot be an enemy of a big country, and a country with a few people cannot be an enemy of a large country. The country is an enemy, and a weak country cannot be an enemy of a strong country. There are nine countries in the world that are more than a thousand miles each in length and breadth, and the land of Qi is only a part of them. How is it different from fighting the war between Zou and Chu with one force?

Why not go back to the basics? If you now issue decrees to implement benevolent government, all officials in the world will be able to do so. Everyone wants to be an official in your court, all the farmers want to work in your fields, all those doing business want to store their goods in the king's market, all travelers want to go in and out of the king's road, those in various countries who hate their monarchs People are running to you for help. If it's like this, who can resist you?

King Xuan of Qi said: "I am confused and cannot do this. I hope that you, sir, will help me realize my wish. Please teach me clearly the way of kingship. "I, although I am not smart, please let me try."

Mencius said: There is no long-term property that can sustain life, but a long-lasting heart. Only scholars with moral integrity can do it. As for the common people, they do not have a fixed property, so they do not have a long-term and stable mind. If you don't have a long-lasting kindness and don't abide by the etiquette and laws, you will do anything. Wait until they commit a crime and then punish them. This is to frame the people.

How can a benevolent monarch be in power and do such a thing to frame the people? Therefore, a wise monarch determines the people's property so that they can support their parents and their wives and children; for the rest of their lives. If there is a good year, you will have enough to eat for a lifetime, and you will not starve to death in a famine year. This then drives them to do good. Therefore, it is easy for the people to follow the king.

Nowadays, it is stipulated that people’s property cannot support their parents at the top and their wives and children at the bottom. They will always live in hardship in good years, and they will inevitably starve to death in bad years.

In this way, it is not enough to save yourself from death. How can you care about etiquette and justice? Your Majesty really wants to implement benevolent government, why not go back to the basics? Give each family a house with five acres of land and plant mulberry trees, then five acres of land will be planted. People as young as ten can wear silk clothes.

Do not lose the season for domestic animals such as chickens, piglets, dogs, and pigs to grow and reproduce, so that people at the age of seventy can have meat to eat; do not waste one hundred acres of fields due to labor By choosing the right season for planting and harvesting crops, a family of eight people will not go hungry; by carefully handling school education and admonishing them to be filial to their parents and respect their elders, the gray-haired old man will not carry or carry a child on the road. Holding something on his head. The elderly wear silk clothes and eat meat, and the common people do not suffer from hunger and cold. If this cannot unite the world, then it will not happen.

Appreciation of "Qi Heng Jin Wen Shi"

This article systematically explains Mencius's benevolent government through the process of Mencius lobbying King Xuan of Qi to abandon hegemony and implement kingly ways. This article records Mencius's lobbying for King Xuan to implement benevolent government.

It shows that everyone has a heart of intolerance. As long as the king of the country can carry forward this kindness in his heart, treat himself and others, and be kind to the people, it will not be difficult to protect the people and become king. Through the dialogue between Mencius and King Xuan of Qi, the article expresses Mencius' kingly thought of "protecting the people and becoming king" and his political ideas of enriching and educating the people. It also shows Mencius' eloquent character and superb debating skills.

His idea is to first give the people a certain amount of industry so that they can support their families and live and work in peace and contentment. Then use "propriety and justice" to guide the people and strengthen ethics and moral education, so that the ideal of kingship can be realized. This idea reflects the people's desire to get rid of poverty and yearn for a stable life, and expresses Mencius's spirit of caring about the people's sufferings and praying for the people, which is worthy of recognition.

But Mencius’ thought also has its limitations. First, during the Warring States Period, when divisions tended to unify, wars were inevitable. Mencius often opposed force in general terms, which seemed to be out of touch with reality and out of trend. Second, his benevolent government ideas are entirely based on the "theory of good nature", which seems too naive and simple. Although Mencius' thoughts have certain value, they are far from the society at that time, so they are not feasible. The creative background of "The Story of Qi Heng Jin Wen"

"The Story of Qi Heng Jin Wen" comes from "Mencius". "Mencius" is the story of Mencius and his disciples Wan Zhang, Gongsun Chou and others in the middle of the Warring States Period. Introduction to the author of "Qi Heng Jin Wen Shi"

Mencius, named Ke. Thinker, politician, and educator during the Warring States Period. The Confucian masters after Confucius were later called "Confucius and Mencius" together with Confucius, and were also called "Lesser Sages". A native of Zou (now southeast of Zoucheng, Shandong). His teacher was a disciple of Kong Ji (Zisi), the grandson of Confucius.

He once traveled to the states of Qi, Song, Teng, and Wei to promote the ways of the previous kings. He was not accepted, so he returned to lecture and write books with his disciples, and wrote 7 chapters of "Mencius". Mencius maintained and developed Confucianism and put forward the theory of "benevolent government" and the theory of "good nature". This theory is now called the "Tao of Confucius and Mencius". His theory had a great influence on the Song Dynasty.

References: Yuan Shuhui, Chi Wanxing. Basics of Ancient Chinese Literature: Shaanxi Normal University Press