The Most Venerable Book (Shang Shu)

by Confucius

  ‘Let us turn to his successor, Wu Ding. He laboured a long way from the luxuries of the Court, working side by side with the ordinary people. When his father died and he took the Throne, he observed the three years of mourning and never spoke, not even once. Even when that formal period was over, he did not speak. When he did speak, what he said was of far greater significance as a result. Nor did he waste himself on pointless activities. So it was that he ruled over the state of Yin and at no time did anyone, high or low, complain. This is why Wu Ding ruled the kingdom successfully for fifty-nine years.

  ‘If we look at his successor, Zu Jia, it never dawned on him to think of himself as a king, for he lived simply with the common folk. This is why, when he did come to the Throne, he knew only too well how important it was to have their support. As a result, he lovingly protected them and would never have dreamed of neglecting the weak and the defenceless, which is why Zu Jia ruled the kingdom successfully for thirty-three years.

  ‘But from that time on, the kings of Yin lived lives of indolence.

  ‘Born into idleness, they had no comprehension of the difficulties involved in farming, nor did they ever hear about the hardships of the ordinary people. Their only interests were their own selfish pleasures and ease, which is why none of them lasted for more than a few years – some up to seven or eight; some only five or six and some just a mere three or four years.’

  The Duke of Zhou said:

  ‘Indeed, now let us turn to our kings of Zhou such as King Tai and King Ji, for they ruled with reverence and compassion.

  ‘King Wen dressed modestly and worked hard in the fields. He took particular care of the weak and defenceless and protected the people with kindness, cherishing them because he was an upstanding man. He was so concerned for the well-being of everyone that he often forgot to eat because he was working so tirelessly to care for them. Never in his wildest dreams did he consider his own pleasure, not even going hunting. As a result, he took the standard tributes but nothing more. Despite only receiving the Mandate of Heaven when he was middle-aged, he still managed to rule the kingdom successfully for fifty years.’

  The Duke of Zhou said, ‘Therefore, from this time forward, let all rulers follow his example.

  ‘Avoid excess, idleness and sports such as hunting. This will mean that all that will be needed will be the basic tribute paid for by the mass of the people.

  ‘Don’t show yourself to be so full of yourself that you ever say: “Today I will do whatever I want.” Neither the people nor Heaven will be impressed or approve of that. The danger is that they will imitate you and this will lead them into bad habits.

  ‘So beware becoming like King Zhou of the Yin who through his debauchery and drunkenness lost all virtue.’

  The Duke of Zhou said:

  ‘I have heard it said that in the past, the wise ones would constantly correct, advise and encourage each other and as a result there was hardly any bragging or deceit to be found amongst the people. If you fail to listen to my advice, then your ministers will abuse their power, casting aside the codes of conduct that have come down from the Ancestor Kings. The outcome will be that the people, whether they are high and mighty or low and weak, will feel ignored and in their hearts and minds they will blame you. And so rebelliousness will arise, with some even going so far as to curse you openly.’

  The Duke said:

  ‘Remember. Those kings of old, the Yin kings Tai Wu, Wu Ding and Zu Jia, along with King Wen of our Zhou dynasty, all put their knowledge into practice. Whenever they heard that the common folk hated them and began to rebel, then they ensured that they turned to virtue again. They took full personal responsibility for any crisis. With such leadership, it is not surprising that the people moved on from their frustrations.

  ‘Now, my concern is that if you do not listen to this but instead listen to those who will tell you lies, saying that the people are complaining and rebellious against you, you might act inappropriately. This will lead you to fail to reflect properly on your own role in all this and in your heart there will be no generosity. From this confusion you will act inappropriately, punishing the innocent and executing the harmless. If this fosters unrest, it will all be your fault.’

  The Duke said, ‘So, Your Majesty. Now that you have ascended the Throne, reflect on all this.’

  44

  Prince Shi

  Prince Shi is the brother of the Duke of Zhou and therefore uncle to the new king, Cheng.

  The Duke of Zhou addressed himself to Prince Shi.

  ‘Heaven is without pity

  and it has punished Yin.

  As a result Yin has lost the Mandate.

  This is why our dynasty of Zhou has received it.

  ‘Will this be the case for ever?

  I cannot say.

  ‘Even with Heaven’s help, it is impossible to determine whether the outcome will result in fortune or misfortune.

  ‘Indeed, prince, you have said yourself that it depends upon us. But I cannot assume the blessing of the Ruler on High nor neglect the possibility of Heaven’s wrath. Likewise, I do not count upon the support of the people.

  ‘In the end all this depends upon us.

  ‘We of your Household are only too aware that if in the future your descendants fail to show true respect to those Above as well as those Below, then this will spell the end of our dynasty.

  ‘Heaven’s Mandate is not easy to change nor easy to define. What I know is that the Mandate can be lost through lack of constancy, respect or the proper and wise use of virtue.

  ‘Yet I, Dan, a simple man, cannot tell someone what to do. All I can do is remind him of the glory of his ancestors and encourage him to be like them. Heaven does not just expect us to hope all will be well. We must go forward by increasing the virtue and peacefulness of the king so that Heaven has no reason for withdrawing the Mandate which was given to King Wu.’

  The Duke said:

  ‘Prince Shi, I have heard of old that when Tang the Conqueror had received the Mandate he was assisted by Yi Yin as his minister and that this attracted the attention of the Emperor of Heaven.

  ‘In similar fashion, King Tai Jia had his minister Bao Heng; King Tai Wu had his ministers Yi Zhi and Chen Hu. Because of the example they set, the Ruler on High was pleased. There was also Wu Xian, who managed the Household. King Zu Yi had Wu Xian and King Wu Ding had Gan Pan.

  ‘The dynasty lasted for so long precisely because of the advice of these ministers, whose excellence meant that the government of Yin was protected. They did this through the proper use of ceremonial rituals, which pleased Heaven and so Heaven extended the Mandate. Everyone was a model of virtue, acting without regard for status and so everyone fulfilled their appointed duties. This in turn meant that the ruler ruled well and that simple man, wherever he sought the advice of the oracle, found that it confirmed his actions and their sincerity.’

  The Duke then said:

  ‘Prince Shi. Heaven favoured the just and wise and those who sustained and governed Yin accordingly. However, the last of their line reaped Heaven’s wrath. Now you need to reflect on this so that the Mandate will remain with you and this will be achieved by you showing how wise this new state is in its management.

  ‘When the Ruler on High punished Yin, he inspired King Wen to be virtuous and as a result he was given the Great Mandate. Because King Wen had many wise ministers, he was able to unite the country. Without having these wise and skilful ministers to guide him, the king’s own virtue would never have been enough to reform the country. It was their comprehension of Heaven’s authority which enabled these virtuous men to be such inspirational models. Through their guidance, they were able to enlighten King Wen. His understanding of how fortunate he was took him to the highest level. This was noted by the Ruler on High and this is why the Mandate was taken from Yin and given to him instead.

  ‘Furthermore, because these ministers guided the king he achieved both success and contentment. Revering Heaven, they
assisted the king and overcame his enemies, leading to his authority being respected throughout the land.

  ‘Now I, Dan, a simple man,

  feel as if I am travelling down a mighty river.

  If we travel together

  we can cross this mighty river.

  Our current king is but a young man

  without experience.

  He needs our help

  but I cannot do this alone.

  If we do not work together

  to address his shortcomings,

  then no good will come of this.

  ‘If we wish to hear the singing of the birds of good fortune and his praises to be sung, then we must pass on this ancient wisdom.’

  The Duke then said:

  ‘Indeed, Prince, reflect on this.

  ‘The mandate you have received is not without its blessing but it also brings its own burdens as well.

  ‘Therefore be generous, not for my sake but for the sake of your descendants. As you know, King Wu had confidence in you and taught you so that the people would be inspired by your example. He asked that you guide the king through your wisdom and caution. He urged that you must never ignore the virtue of King Wen and how he ruled.’

  The Duke said:

  ‘My Prince. I am sharing with you my most heartfelt deliberations in order that you, Shi, are protected. Reflect on how Yin was ruined and meditate upon the wrath of Heaven.

  ‘You don’t believe me?

  ‘Well, all I am saying is that the future of our dynasty rests upon us two.

  ‘Do you agree with me?

  ‘Look. Heaven, seeing us working together, has blessed us, way beyond what we deserve. Pay attention to virtue and your wisdom will then enlighten the people and this will ensure the success of your lineage. Indeed, it is because you and I have been such faithful and devoted servants that we have been so contented to this day.

  ‘So, shall we continue?

  ‘Let us complete the worthy work of King Wen so that it spreads across the whole land, from the far oceans to where the sun rises. Then all will be in submission to you.

  ‘My prince. Don’t you agree that what I say makes sense?

  ‘My only concern is the well-being of the people under Heaven. Indeed, my prince. You know the weakness in the virtues of the people.

  ‘They mean well

  but it does not last.

  Knowing this,

  Carry out your duties

  But with due care.’

  45

  The Instruction to Zhong of Cai

  This again shows the concern of the new dynasty not to upset the Ancestors, even those of a rebel. His father was executed for his rebellion, but here the son, Zhong of Cai, also known as Hu, is given responsibilities including venerating his ancestors so that they will not be upset with the new dynasty.

  When the Duke of Zhou was the Prime Minister, in charge of all the key ministers and officers, the King’s uncles spread malicious rumours about him. In particular, they criticized him for executing Prince Guan of Shang, exiling Prince Cai to Guo Lin with just seven chariots, and for dismissing Prince Huo from office for three years. Prince Cai’s son, Zhong, was reverent and upstanding, so the Duke of Zhou appointed him to a senior post and when Zhou died, Zhong asked for a decree from the king granting him the region of Cai.

  The King said:

  ‘Hu, young man. You have reformed yourself and your virtue can be seen in how you behave. I therefore decree that you become the Prince of the Eastern Lands. Go there, respect us and show you can overcome the failings of your father through loyalty and piety to us. Do this and you will inspire your descendants through your example and remove the shame of the failures of your father through such dutiful actions. Model yourself on your grandfather, King Wen, and not on your treacherous father who so flagrantly disobeyed the king’s commands.

  ‘The Emperor of Heaven has no favourites

  but only works through those who are virtuous.

  The affections of the people

  can be won through kindness.

  Although not all acts of kindness are the same,

  they do all contribute to good governance.

  Likewise, not all acts of evil are the same,

  but they all contribute to troubles.

  ‘Pay as much attention to how you start something as to how you end it. Doing that will ensure that the end is not a failure. Failure to consider to what end you are working will mean that you will have an even greater disaster.

  ‘Discipline yourself.

  Be at peace with all on your borders;

  support the Royal Court;

  live in unity with all who work with you

  pacifying and overseeing the common folk.

  Find the Middle Path for yourself

  and do not try to appear too clever or wise.

  Do not ignore or dismiss the old rules

  but reflect upon what you see and hear.

  ‘Do not veer too radically in what you do about the rules. Do this and I, the simple man, will honour you.’

  The king said, ‘So, Hu, young chap. Go now and never ignore my commands.’

  46

  The Many Places

  It was on the Ding Hai day in the fifth month that the King travelled from Yan to the city of Zhou. The Duke of Zhou announced:

  ‘This is the word from the king.

  “So! I make this announcement to the princes and officials from the four kingdoms and the many places.

  “As you princes and people of Yin know, I have decided to pardon you. I should have decreed severe punishments for you all. You thought, and indeed you have behaved, as if you had Heaven’s Mandate, but you failed to honour the rituals. The Ruler sent his wrath down upon the Xia, yet despite this, the last king of the Xia only sank deeper into idleness, failing to even consider the people. He sank so deep into mindless indulgence that he wasn’t able to hear, even for one day, the advice of the Ruler. I know you know all about this. He counted upon retaining the Ruler’s Mandate. Doing nothing to help the people, he instead brought greater woes upon the Xia. Through misrule there arose internal struggles, which left him incapable of guiding the people. On top of this there were some people from amongst the Xia whom he promoted despite their being known for their cruelty and this brought torment to the cities of the Xia.

  “So Heaven decided to find a suitable lord for the people and gave the Mandate to Tang the Conqueror to destroy the Xia.

  “Heaven did not leave the Mandate with Xia because there were others who were righteous in many other places and who had been turned away. Heaven also saw that the Xia officials were unable to care properly for the people. In fact, the officials encouraged each other in their abuses, leaving not a single official of any ability in control.

  “Tang the Conqueror was successful because of the support of the many places which helped him overthrow the Xia, and so he become lord of all the people. Because he took care of their needs, they saw in him a model which encouraged them.

  “From his time down to the reign of the Emperor Yi, all the rulers were illustrious and virtuous. They were careful in how they decided upon punishments and therefore provided a good example. Whether they were executing those charged with many crimes or granting freedom to those who had been falsely accused, what they did inspired others.”

  ‘Sadly, your ruler failed to maintain the Mandate of Heaven because he no longer had the support of the many regions. Indeed, the king has asked me to say the following: “I pronounce to the leaders of the many regions that Heaven had no plan to destroy the Xia nor for that matter the Yin either. It was entirely due to the disgraceful behaviour of your ruler. Thinking he had the support of the many regions and believing that he had Heaven’s Mandate, he never once worried about his appalling behaviour.

  “Heaven punished the Xia, replacing it with the Yin because of corruption and failure to observe the proper rituals.

  “Then, in a similar way, your last Shang
king did the same – indulging in excess and ruling without care or concern and so Heaven punished him too.

  “The sage became a fool and the fool became, through reflection, a sage.

  “For five years Heaven waited to see if this new king would reform and turn out to be a worthy ruler of the people. But he was not. So Heaven brought down its wrath upon the many regions to see if anyone would therefore arise who could be worthy of this role. But there was no one. The only ones found to be capable were our kings of Zhou, for they had taken proper care of the people and paid the proper respect to Heaven through the rituals. So it was that Heaven taught them, increased their worthiness and gave to them the Mandate that once was Yin’s. This is why our princes now rule over the many places.”

  ‘Now, how come I am bold enough to say this?

  ‘The only grounds I have for doing so is that I have been lenient in the way I have carried out the Commands upon the people throughout the land. Yet you here do not show me any gratitude for this in any way. Nor do you come forth to work with our King of Zhou and thereby share in the blessings of Heaven. You have been left with your lands and your homes, yet you still will not obey the king nor work to cultivate the blessings of Heaven.

  ‘Instead, you follow the path of idleness, and you don’t exhibit any love in your hearts even for your own well-being and you reject so violently the Will of Heaven. Your actions are illegal and yet you seek the support of honest folk!

  ‘I have to warn you, respectfully. I have now had to arrest the worst offenders not just once, not just twice but in some cases three times. If you continue to ignore my kindness which has led me to spare your lives, I shall have no option but to inflict the most severe punishments. Including execution. This is not because we, the Zhou, wish to pursue a policy of oppressing you, but because your criminal activities leave us no other option.’