Classic of Documents

The king of Chow brought the myriad regions of the empire to tranquillity; he made a tour of inspection through the How and Teen tenures; he punished on all sides the chiefs who had refused to appear at court; thus securing the repose of the millions of the people, and all the princes of the six tenures acknowledging his virtue. He then returned to the honoured capital of Chow, and strictly regulated the officers of the administration.

The king said, “It was the grand method of former times to regulate the government while there was no confusion, and to secure the country while there was no danger.”

He said, “Yaou and Shun studied antiquity, and established a hundred officers. At court there were the General Regulator, and the President of the Four Eminences. Abroad there were the Pastors of the provinces, and the princes of States. Thus the various departments of government went on harmoniously, and the myriad States all enjoyed repose. In the dynasties of Hea and Shang, the number of officers was doubled, and they continued able to secure good government. Those intelligent kings, in establishing their government, cared not so much about the number of the offices as about the men.

Now I, who am a little child, cultivate with reverence my virtue, concerned day and night about my deficiencies. I look up to those former dynasties, and seek to conform to them, while I instruct and direct you, all my officers.

“I appoint the Grand Tutor, the Grand Assistant, and the Grand Guardian. These are the three Kung. They discourse of the principles of reason, and adjust the States; harmonizing also and regulating the operations of Heaven and Earth. These offices need not always be filled:—there must first be the men for them.

“I appoint the Junior Tutor, the Junior Assistant, and the Junior Guardian. These are called the three Koo. They assist the Kung to diffuse widely all transforming influences; they with reverence display brightly the powers of heaven and earth:—assisting me, the one man.

“I appoint the prime minister, who presides over the ruling of the empire, has the general management of all other officers, and secures an uniformity throughout all within the four seas:

the minister of Instruction, who presides over the education of the empire, inculcates the duties attaching to the five relations of society, and trains to obedience the people:

the minister of Religion, who presides over the ceremonies of the empire, attends to the service of the spirits and manes, and makes a harmony between high and low;

the minister of War, who presides over the military administration of the empire, commands the six hosts, and secures the tranquillity of all the States:

the minister of Crime, who presides over the prohibitions of the empire, searches out the villainous and secretly wicked, and punishes oppressors and disturbers of the peace:

and the minister of Works, who presides over the land of the empire, settles the four classes of the people, and regulates the seasons for obtaining the advantages of the ground.

“These six ministers, with their different duties, lead on their subordinates, and set an example to the nine pastors of the provinces, enriching and perfecting the condition of the millions of the people.

In six years the chiefs of the five tenures attend once at court. When this has been done a second six years, the king makes his tours of inspection in the four seasons, and examines the regulations and measures at the four mountains. The princes attend on him, each at the mountain of his quarter, and promotions and degradations are awarded with great intelligence.”

The king said, “Oh! all ye men of virtue, my occupiers of office, pay reverent attention to your charges, and be careful of the commands you issue; for, once issued, they must be carried into effect and not be retracted. By your public feeling extinguish all selfish aims, and the people will have confidence in you, and be gladly obedient.

Study antiquity in order to enter on your offices. In deliberating on affairs, determine by help of such study, and your arts of government will be free from error. Make the regular statutes of our dynasty your rule, and do not with artful speeches introduce disorder into your offices. To accumulate doubts is the way to ruin your plans; to be idle and indifferent is the way to ruin your government. Without study, you stand facing a wall, and your management of affairs will be full of trouble.

I caution you, my high nobles, exalted merit depends on the high aim, and a patrimony is enlarged only by diligence. It is by means of bold decision that future difficulties are avoided.

With rank, pride comes unperceived, and extravagance in the same way with emolument. Let reverence and economy be real virtues, and do not show them in your affairs with hypocrisy. Practise them as virtues, and your minds will be at ease, and you will daily become more admirable. Practise them in hypocrisy, and your minds will be toiled, and you will daily become more stupid.

In the enjoyment of favour think of peril, and never be without a cautious apprehension. He who is without such apprehension finds himself amidst what is to be feared.

Push forward the worthy, and give place to the able, and harmony will prevail among all your officers. When they are not harmonious, the government becomes a tangled confusion. If those whom you advance are able for their offices, the ability is yours. If you advance improper men, then you are not equal to your duty.”

The king said, “Oh! ye charged with the threefold business of government, and ye great officers, reverently attend to your departments, and conduct well your affairs of government, so as to assist your sovereign, and secure the lasting happiness of the millions of the people:—so shall there be no dissatisfaction among the myriad States.”