3A.1  When Duke Wen¹ of Teng was crown prince, having to go to Chu, he went by way of Song to see Mengzi. Mengzi discoursed to him on the original goodness of human nature, and when he spoke, he always praised (sage-emperors) Yao and Shun.

滕文公為世子，將之楚，過宋而見孟子。孟子道性善，言必稱堯舜。

When the crown prince was returning from Chu, he visited Mengzi again. Mengzi said: Prince, do you doubt my words? The Way is one and only one. Cheng Jian (a brave minister) once said to Duke Jing of Qi,² “They are men. I am also a man. Why should I fear them?” and Yan Hui³ said, “Who was Shun and who am I? Anyone who makes the effort will be like him.” Gongming Yi⁴ said, “King Wen is my teacher. (That is, I can be like him). How should the Duke of Zhou⁵ deceive me [by those words]?” Now, Teng, averaging its length and its width, will amount to about fifty li. [It is small but] it can still be made to be a good state. The Book of History says, “If medicine does not make the patient dazed, it will not cure his disease.”⁶

世子自楚反，復見孟子。孟子曰：「世子疑吾言乎？夫道一而已矣。成覸謂齊景公曰：『彼丈夫也，我丈夫也，吾何畏彼哉？』顏淵曰：『舜何人也？予何人也？有為者亦若是。』公明儀曰：『文王我師也，周公豈欺我哉？』今滕，絕長補短，將五十里也，猶可以為善國。《書》曰：『若藥不瞑眩，厥疾不瘳。』」

3A.3  Duke Wen of Teng asked about the proper way of government.

Mengzi said: The business of the people should not be delayed. The Book of Odes says:

In the morning go and gather the grass.
In the evening twist your ropes.
Then get up soon on the roof [to do the repair],
For before long the grains have to be sowed.⁷

The way according to which the people conduct their lives is this: If they have a secure livelihood, they will have a secure mind. And if they have no secure livelihood, they will not have a secure mind. And if they have no secure mind, there is nothing they will not do in the way of self-abandonment, moral deflection, depravity, and wild license. When they fall into crime, to pursue and punish them is to entrap them. How can such a thing as entrapping the people be allowed under the rule of a man of humanity?

滕文公問為國。孟子曰：「民事不可緩也。《詩》云：『晝爾于茅，宵爾索綯；亟其乘屋，其始播百穀。』民之為道也，有恆產者有恆心，無恆產者無恆心。苟無恆心，放辟邪侈，無不為已。及陷乎罪，然後從而刑之，是罔民也。焉有仁人在位，罔民而可為也？

Therefore a worthy ruler will be gravely complaisant and thrifty, showing a respectful politeness to his subordinates, and taking from the people according to regulations. Yang Hu⁸ said, “He who seeks to be rich will not be humane. He who seeks to be humane will not be rich.”

是故賢君必恭儉禮下，取於民有制。陽虎曰：『為富不仁矣，為仁不富矣。』

The ruler of the Xia dynasty allotted fifty mou of land to a family and required a “contribution” (amounting to the proceeds of five mou). The rulers of Shang allotted seventy mou and required an “aid” (amounting to the proceeds of seven mou). The rulers of Western Zhou allotted one hundred mou and levied a “take” (amounting to the proceeds of tenmou). In reality, in all these cases the payment was a tithe. To “take” means to take away, and “aid” means to depend on the people.

Longzi said, “For regulating the land tax, there is no better system than the ‘aid’ system and no worse than the ‘contribution’ system. In the ‘contribution’ system, the normal amount was fixed by taking the average of several years. In prosperous years when the grains lie about in abundance, much might be taken without being oppressive, and the actual exaction would be small. But in bad years, the produce is not sufficient even to repay for the fertilizer, and the system still insists on taking the full amount. When the parent of the people causes the people to look weary, to toil for the whole year without getting enough to support their parents, and to borrow in order to increase their means, so that both old and young are found lying in ditches, how can he be a parent of the people?”⁹

As to the system of hereditary salaries, that has already been practiced in Teng. The Book of Odes says:

May the rain come down on our public field,
And then upon our private fields.¹⁰

It was only in the system of ‘aid’ that there was public land [which was cultivated by the several families and from which the proceeds went to the government as tax]. From this ode we can see that even in the Zhou dynasty there was also the system of ‘aid.’

夏后氏五十而貢，殷人七十而助，周人百畝而徹，其實皆什一也。徹者，徹也；助者，藉也。龍子曰：『治地莫善於助，莫不善於貢。貢者校數歲之中以為常。樂歲，粒米狼戾，多取之而不為虐，則寡取之；凶年，糞其田而不足，則必取盈焉。為民父母，使民盻盻然，將終歲勤動，不得以養其父母，又稱貸而益之。使老稚轉乎溝壑，惡在其為民父母也？』夫世祿，滕固行之矣。《詩》云：『雨我公田，遂及我私。』惟助為有公田。由此觀之，雖周亦助也。

Establish seminaries, academies, schools, and institutes to teach the people. A seminary emphasizes the support of the old; an institute emphasizes instructions on [moral principles and the arts]; and an academy emphasizes archery (etiquette and deportment). In the times of Xia, the name “institute” was used; in the Shang dynasty, the name “academy” was used; in the Western Zhou, the name “seminary” was used; and the three dynasties also used the name “school.” All [these community] schools were for the purpose of making human relations clear and prominent. If human relations are made clear and prominent above, then the common people below will have affection to one another. When a true king arises, he will surely come to take you as an example, and thus you will be the teacher of kingly rulers. The Book of Odes says:

Although Zhou was an old country,
It received a new mandate [of Heaven].¹¹

This refers to King Wen. If you practice these things earnestly, you will also make your kingdom a new one.

設為庠序學校以教之：庠者，養也；校者，教也；序者，射也。夏曰校，殷曰序，周曰庠，學則三代共之，皆所以明人倫也。人倫明於上，小民親於下。有王者起，必來取法，是為王者師也。《詩》云『周雖舊邦，其命惟新』，文王之謂也。子力行之，亦以新子之國。」

The Duke of Teng sent Bi Zhan to Mengzi to ask about the “well-field” land system.¹²

Mengzi said: Now that your ruler is about to put in practice humane government and has chosen you for this service, you must do your best. Humane government must begin by defining the boundaries of land. If the boundaries are not defined correctly, the division of the land into squares will not be equal, and the produce available for official salaries will not be fairly distributed. Therefore oppressive rulers and corrupt officials are sure to neglect the defining of the boundaries. If the boundaries are correctly defined, the division of land and the regulation of salaries can be settled while you sit.

Although the territory of Teng is narrow and small, there must be gentlemen (rulers and nobles) and there must be country men. Without gentlemen, there would be none to rule the country men, and without country men, there would be none to support the gentlemen. I would ask you to divide land in the remoter districts into nine squares and to designate the central square (cultivated by the eight families) as “aid” (tax), and in the central parts of the state, to let the people pay for themselves one-tenth of their produce. From the chief ministers down, [each family] should have fifty mou as sacrificial land, and an additional twenty-five mou for each additional male. When there are deaths or moving from one house to another there will be no quitting of the district. In the fields of a district, those who belong to the same nine squares will render friendly service to one another in their going out and coming in, aid one another in keeping watch, and sustain one another in sickness. In this way, the people live in affection and harmony. Each “well-field” unit is one lisquare and consists of nine hundred mou. The center square is public field. The eight households each privately own a hundred mou and together they cultivate the public field. Only when the public work is done may they attend to their own work. This is where the country men are different [from the gentlemen]. These are the outlines of the system. As to modifying it and adapting it, it is up to you and your ruler.

使畢戰問井地。孟子曰：「子之君將行仁政，選擇而使子，子必勉之！夫仁政，必自經界始。經界不正，井地不鈞，穀祿不平。是故暴君汙吏必慢其經界。經界既正，分田制祿可坐而定也。夫滕壤地褊小，將為君子焉，將為野人焉。無君子莫治野人，無野人莫養君子。請野九一而助，國中什一使自賦。卿以下必有圭田，圭田五十畝。餘夫二十五畝。死徙無出鄉，鄉田同井。出入相友，守望相助，疾病相扶持，則百姓親睦。方里而井，井九百畝，其中為公田。八家皆私百畝，同養公田。公事畢，然後敢治私事，所以別野人也。此其大略也。若夫潤澤之，則在君與子矣。」

3A.4  Chen Xiang¹³ visited Mengzi and repeated the words of Xu Xing,¹⁴ saying, “The ruler of Teng is indeed a worthy ruler. But he has not heard the Way. [According to it], the worthy cultivate the field together with the people for food, and prepare their own meals while they carry on the government.

Mengzi said: Why does Master Xu not do the work of the potter and the founder, and supply himself with the articles which he uses solely from his own establishment? Why does he go in great confusion to deal and exchange with the hundred artisans? Why does he mind all the trouble?

Chen Xiang replied: The work of the various artisans can in fact not be done along with farming.

陳相見孟子，道許行之言曰：「滕君，則誠賢君也；雖然，未聞道也。賢者與民並耕而食，饔飧而治。 · · · 」孟子曰：「 · · · 且許子何不為陶冶。舍皆取諸其宮中而用之？何為紛紛然與百工交易？何許子之不憚煩？」曰：「百工之事，固不可耕且為也。」

Mengzi said: When can the government of the empire alone be done along with farming? There is the work of great men and there is the work of little men. Furthermore, whatever is needed for one single person is supplied by the various artisans. If one must make the things himself before he uses them, this would make the whole empire run about on the road. Therefore it is said, “Some labor with their minds and some labor with their strength. Those who labor with their minds govern others; those who labor with their strength are governed by others.”¹⁵ Those who are governed by others support them; those who govern them are supported by them. This is a universal principle.

「然則治天下獨可耕且為與？有大人之事，有小人之事。且一人之身，而百工之所為備。如必自為而後用之，是率天下而路也。故曰：或勞心，或勞力；勞心者治人，勞力者治於人；治於人者食人，治人者食於人：天下之通義也。 · · ·

According to the way of man, if they are well fed, warmly clothed, and comfortably lodged but without education, they will become almost like animals. The Sage (emperor Shun) worried about it and he appointed Hsieh to be minister of education and teach people human relations, that between father and son, there should be affection; between ruler and minister, there should be righteousness; between husband and wife, there should be attention to their separate functions; between old and young, there should be a proper order; and between friends, there should be faithfulness. Emperor Yao said, “Encourage them, lead them on, rectify them, straighten them, help them, aid them, so they discover for themselves [their moral nature], and in addition, stimulate them and confer kindness on them.” When sages were so much concerned with their people, had they the time for farming?

人之有道也，飽食、煖衣、逸居而無教，則近於禽獸。聖人有憂之，使契為司徒，教以人倫：父子有親，君臣有義，夫婦有別，長幼有序，朋友有信。放勳曰：『勞之來之，匡之直之，輔之翼之，使自得之，又從而振德之。』聖人之憂民如此，而暇耕乎？」

Chen Xiang said: If the way of Master Xu were followed, there would not be two prices in the market. Even if a young boy goes there, none would cheat him. Linen and silk of the same length would be sold at the same price. Bundles of hemp and silk of the same weight would be sold at the same price. Grains of the same quantity would be sold at the same price. And shoes of the same size would be sold at the same price.

Mengzi said: It is the nature of things to be unequal. Some are twice, some five times, some ten times, some a hundred times, and some one thousand or ten thousand times as valuable as others. If you equalize them all, you will throw the world into confusion. If large shoes and small shoes were of the same price, who would make them? If the doctrines of Master Xu were followed, people would lead one another to practice deceit. How can these doctrines be employed to govern a state?

「從許子之道，則市賈不貳，國中無偽。雖使五尺之童適市，莫之或欺。布帛長短同，則賈相若；麻縷絲絮輕重同，則賈相若；五穀多寡同，則賈相若；屨大小同，則賈相若。」曰：「夫物之不齊，物之情也；或相倍蓰，或相什伯，或相千萬。子比而同之，是亂天下也。巨屨小屨同賈，人豈為之哉？從許子之道，相率而為偽者也，惡能治國家？」

3A.5  The Moist Yi Zhi¹⁶ sought through Xu Bi to see Mengzi. Mengzi said: Of course I am willing to see him but at present I am still sick. When I get well, I shall go to see him. He need not come.

The next day Yi Zhi again sought to see Mengzi.

Mencius said: I can see him now. If I do not correct his errors, true principles will not be revealed. Let me then correct him. I have heard that Yi Zhi is a Moist. According to the Moists, in the matter of handling funerals, simplicity should be the rule. Yi Zhi wants to change the customs of the world with Moist doctrines. Does he not regard these customs as wrong and not honorable? Nevertheless, he buried his parents in an elaborate manner. This means that he served his parents with what he regarded as dishonorable.

墨者夷之，因徐辟而求見孟子。孟子曰：「吾固願見，今吾尚病，病愈，我且往見，夷子不來！」他日又求見孟子。孟子曰：「吾今則可以見矣。不直，則道不見；我且直之。吾聞夷子墨者。墨之治喪也，以薄為其道也。夷子思以易天下，豈以為非是而不貴也？然而夷子葬其親厚，則是以所賤事親也。」

Xi Bi told Yi Zhi about this.

Yi Zhi said: According to the way of the learned, the ancients treated their people as though they were embracing and protecting an infant.¹⁷ What does this saying mean? To me it means that love makes no distinctions, but that its application must begin with one’s parents.

徐子以告夷子。夷子曰：「儒者之道，古之人『若保赤子』，此言何謂也？之則以為愛無差等，施由親始。」

Xi Bi told Mengzi of this.

Mengzi said: Does Yi Zhi really think that a man’s affection for the child of his own brother is just like his affection for the child of his neighbor? The saying is an analogy. If an infant crawling around is about to fall into a well, it is no fault of the infant. Furthermore, Heaven produces creatures in such a way as to provide them with one foundation (such as parents being the foundation of men), and Yi Zhi would have two foundations (parents and other people). In great antiquity there were some who did not bury their parents. When their parents died, they took them up and threw them into a ditch. Later when they passed by them and saw foxes and wild cats eating them and flies and gnats eating them, their perspiration started out upon their foreheads, they looked askance and could not bear to look straight. Now the perspiration was not for the sake of other people. It was something at the bottom of their hearts that showed in their expressions. They immediately went home and returned with baskets and spades and covered the bodies. If it was indeed right to cover them, then there must be certain moral principles which made filial sons and men of humanity inter their parents.

徐子以告孟子。孟子曰：「夫夷子，信以為人之親其兄之子為若親其鄰之赤子乎？彼有取爾也。赤子匍匐將入井，非赤子之罪也。且天之生物也，使之一本，而夷子二本故也。蓋上世嘗有不葬其親者。其親死，則舉而委之於壑。他日過之，狐狸食之，蠅蚋姑嘬之。其顙有泚，睨而不視。夫泚也，非為人泚，中心達於面目。蓋歸反虆梩而掩之。掩之誠是也，則孝子仁人之掩其親，亦必有道矣。」

Xi Bi told Yi Zhi what Mengzi had said. Yi Zhi seemed at a loss for a moment and then said: I have learned something from him.

徐子以告夷子。夷子憮然為閒曰：「命之矣。」