Continuing with selections from “Mencius” translated by James Legge, the Venerated Enlightened Philosopher emphasizes that leaders should allow people to have contentment as they themselves would want.
Mencius Chapter 3 Conversation on Valor
“The King Hsüan of Ch'î asked, saying, ‘Is there any way to regulate one’s maintenance of communication with neighboring kingdoms?’ Mencius replied, ‘There is. But it requires a perfectly virtuous prince to be able, with a great country, to serve a small one, as, for instance, T’ang served Ko, and King Wan served the Kwan barbarians. And it requires a wise prince to be able, with a small country, to serve a large one, as the King T’âi served the Hsün-yü, and Kâu-ch'ien served Wû. He who with a great State serves a small one, delights in Heaven. He who with a small State serves a large one, stands in awe of Heaven. He who delights in Heaven, will affect with his love and protection the whole kingdom. He who stands in awe of Heaven, will affect with his love and protection his own kingdom. It is said in the Book of Poetry, “I fear the Majesty of Heaven, and will thus preserve its favoring decree.”’ The King said, ‘A great saying! But I have an infirmity; I love valor.’
‘I beg your Majesty,’ was the reply, ‘not to love small valor. If a man brandishes his sword, looks fiercely, and says, “How dare he withstand me?” This is the valor of a common man, who can be the opponent only of a single individual. I beg your Majesty to greaten it. It is said in the Book of Poetry, “The King blazed with anger, And He marshalled His hosts, To stop the march to Chü, To consolidate the prosperity of Châu, To meet the expectations of the nation.” This was the valor of King Wan. King Wan, in one burst of His anger, gave repose to all the people of the kingdom. In the Book of History, it is said, “Heaven, having produced the inferior people, made for them rulers and teachers, with the purpose that they should be assisting to God, and therefore distinguished them throughout the four quarters of the land. Whoever are offenders, and whoever are innocent, here am I to deal with them. How dare any under Heaven give indulgence to their refractory wills?” There was one man pursuing a violent and disorderly course in the kingdom, and King Wû was ashamed of it. This was the valor of King Wû. He also, by one display of His anger, gave repose to all the people of the kingdom. Let now your Majesty also, in one burst of anger, give repose to all the people of the kingdom. The people are only afraid that your Majesty does not love valor.’”
Sharing the joys and sorrows of the people.
“The King Hsüan of Ch’î had an interview with Mencius in the Snow palace, and said to Him, ‘Do men of talents and worth likewise find pleasure in these things?’ Mencius replied, ‘They do; and if people generally are not able to enjoy themselves, they condemn their superiors. For them, when they cannot enjoy themselves, to condemn their superiors is wrong, but when the superiors of the people do not make enjoyment a thing common to the people and themselves, they also do wrong. When a ruler rejoices in the joy of his people, they also rejoice in his joy; when he grieves at the sorrow of his people, they also grieve at his sorrow. A sympathy of joy will pervade the kingdom; a sympathy of sorrow will do the same: in such a state of things, it cannot be but that the ruler attain to the royal dignity. […]”
Wealth for the people as well.
“The King Hsüan of Ch'î said, ‘People all tell me to pull down and remove the Hall of Distinction. Shall I pull it down, or stop the movement for that object?’ Mencius replied, ‘The Hall of Distinction is a Hall appropriate to the sovereigns. If your Majesty wishes to practice the true royal government, then do not pull it down.’ The King said, ‘May I hear from you what the true royal government is?’ ‘Formerly,’ was the reply, ‘King Wan’s government of Ch'î was as follows: The husbandmen cultivated for the government one-ninth of the land; the descendants of officers were salaried; at the passes and in the markets, strangers were inspected, but goods were not taxed: there were no prohibitions respecting the ponds and weirs; the wives and children of criminals were not involved in their guilt. There were the old and wifeless, or widowers; the old and husbandless, or widows; the old and childless, or solitaries; the young and fatherless, or orphans: these four classes are the most destitute of the people, and have none to whom they can tell their wants, and King Wan, in the institution of His government with its benevolent action, made them the first objects of His regard, as it is said in the Book of Poetry, “The rich may get through life well; But alas! for the miserable and solitary!”’ The King said, ‘O excellent words!’ Mencius said, ‘Since your Majesty deems them excellent, why do you not practice them?’ ‘I have an infirmity,’ said the King; ‘I am fond of wealth.’ The reply was, ‘Formerly, Kung-lîu was fond of wealth. It is said in the Book of Poetry, “He reared his ricks and filled his granaries, He tied up dried provisions and grain, In bottomless bags and sacks, That he might gather his people together, and glorify his State. With bows and arrows all displayed, With shields, and spears, and battle-axes, large and small, He commenced his march.” In this way, those who remained in their old seat had their ricks and granaries, and those who marched had their bags of provisions. It was not till after this that he thought he could begin his march. If your Majesty loves wealth, give the people power to gratify the same feeling, and what difficulty will there be in your attaining the royal sway?’”
