they cannot change their way, they shall be classed
with those who are to be put to death.'
The king says, ' O Fang, give constant heed to
my admonitions. If you do not rightly manage the
officers, the people will continue lost in drunkenness.'
Book XI. The Timber of the Rottlera.
' The wood of the 3ze tree '—the Rottlera Japonica, according to
Dr. Williams — is mentioned in the Book, and was adopted as
the name for it. The 3ze was esteemed a very valuable tree for
making articles of furniture and for the carver's art. The title
perhaps intimates that the administrator of government ought to
go about his duties carefully and skilfully, as the cabinet-maker
and carver deal with their materials.
The Book is wanting in unity. Divided into two chapters, the
first may be taken as a charge to ' the prince of Khang.' He
is admonished of his duty to promote a good understanding
between the different classes in his state, and between them all
and the sovereign ; and that, in order to this, his rule must be
gentle, eschewing the use of punishments. The second chapter
is of a different character, containing not the charges of a
sovereign, but the admonitions or counsels of a minister, loyally
cautioning him, and praying for the prosperity of his reign.
We might suppose them the response of Fang to the previous
charge, but the text does not indicate the introduction of a new
speaker.
I. The king says, ' O Fang, to secure a good
understanding between the multitudes of his people
and his ministers (on the one hand), and the great
families (on the other) ; and (again) to secure the
same between all the subjects under his charge, and
the sovereign : — is the part of the ruler of a state.
' If you regularly, in giving out your orders, say,
" My instructors whom I am to follow, my Minister
of Instruction, my Minister of War, and my Minister
N 2
l8o THE Sh{j king. PART V.
of Works ; my heads of departments, and all ye,
my officers, I will on no account put any to death
oppressively^" — . Let the ruler also set the example
of respecting and encouraging (the people), and
these will (also) proceed to respect and encourage
them. Then let him go on, in dealing with villainy
and treachery, with murderers and harbourers of
criminals, to exercise clemency (where it can be
done), and these will likewise do the same with
those who have assaulted others and injured their
property. When sovereigns appointed overseers (of
states), they did so in order to the government of
the people, and said to them, " Do not give way to
violence or oppression, but go on to show reverent
regard for the friendless, and find helping connexions
for (destitute) women ^" Deal with all according to
this method, and cherish them. And when sovereigns
gave their injunctions to the rulers of states, and
their managers of affairs, what was their charge ? It
was that they should lead (the people) to the enjoy-
ment of plenty and peace. Such was the way of
the kings from of old. An overseer is to eschew
the use of punishments.'
(The king) says, ' As in the management of a
field, when the soil has been all laboriously turned
up, they have to proceed by orderly arrangements
to make its boundaries and water-courses ; as in
building a house, after all the toil on its walls, they
have to plaster and thatch it ; as in working with
the wood of the rottlera, when the toil of the coarser
and finer operations has been completed, they have
* The sentence here is incomplete. Many of the critics confess,
that the text is unintelligible to them.
^ It is difficult to say what the exact meaning here is.
BOOK XII. ANNOUNCEMENT OF THE DUKE OF SHAO. I 51
to apply the paint of red and other colours ; — (so do
you finish for me the work which I have begun in
the state of Wei.)'
2. Now let your majesty say, ' The former kings
diligently employed their illustrious virtue, and pro-
duced such attachment by their cherishing (of the
princes), that from all the states they brought offer-
ings, and came with brotherly affection from all
quarters, and likewise showed their virtue illustrious.
Do you, O sovereign, use their methods to attach
(the princes), and all the states will largely come
with offerings. Great Heaven having given this
Middle Kingdom with its people and territories to
the former kings, do you, our present sovereign,
display your virtue, effecting a gentle harmony
among the deluded people, leading and urging
them on ; — so (also) will you comfort the former
kings, who received the appointment (from
Heaven).*
' Yes, make these things your study. I say so
simply from my wish that (your dynasty) may con-
tinue for myriads of years, and your descendants
always be the protectors of the people.'
Book XH.
The Announcement of the Duke of Shao.
Shag was the name of a territory within the royal domain, cor-
responding to the present district of Hwan-/(7/u, A'iang A'au,
Shan-hsi. It was the appanage of Shih, one of the ablest of the
men who lent their aid to the establishment of the dynasty of
ATau. He appears in this Book as the Grand-Guardian at the
court of king A7;ang, and we have met with him before in
I 82 THE SHU KING. PART V.
the Hounds of Lii and the Metal-bound Coffer. He is intro-
duced here in connexion with one of the most important enter-
prises of the duke of ^au, the building of the city of Lo, not
very far from the present city of Lo-yang, in Ho-nan, as a new
and central capital of the kingdom. King Wu had conceived
the idea of such a city ; but it was not carried into effect till the
reign of his son, and is commonly assigned to A'^ang's seventh
year, in b.c. 1109.
Shih belonged to the royal House, and of course had the sur-
name Ki. He is styled the duke of Shao, as being one of the
' three dukes,' or three highest oflficers of the court, and also the
chief of Shao, all the country west of Shen being under him,
as all the east of it was under the duke of A'au. He was
invested by Wu with the principality of 'the Northern Yen,'
corresponding to the present department of Shun-thien, ^ih-li,
which was held by his descendants fully nine hundred years. It
was in Lo — while the building of it was proceeding — that he
composed this Book, and sent it by the hands of the duke of
K?i\ji to their young sovereign.
The whole may be divided into three chapters. The first contains
various information about the arrangements for the building of
Lo, first by the duke of Shao, and then by the duke of A'au ;
and about the particular occasion when the former recited the
counsels which he had composed, that they might be made
known to the king. These form the second chapter. First, it
sets forth the uncertainty of the favour of Heaven, and urges the
king to cultivate the ' virtue of reverence,' in order to secure its
permanence, and that he should not neglect his aged and ex-
perienced ministers. It speaks next of the importance and
difficulty of the royal duties, and enforces the same virtue of
reverence by reference to the rise and fall of the previous dynas-
ties. Lastly, it sets forth the importance, at this early period
of his reign, of the king's at once setting about the reverence
which was thus described. There is a concluding chapter,
Avhere the duke gives expression to his loyal and personal
feelings for the king, and the purpose to be served by the
offerings, which he was then sending to the court.
The burden of the Announcement is ' the virtue of reverence.'
Let the king only feel how much depended on his attending
reverently to his duties, and all would be well. The people
would love and support the dynasty of ATau, and Heaven would
smile upon and sustain it.
BOOK XII. ANNOUNCEMENT OF THE DUKE OF SHAO. 1 83
I. In the second month, on the day Yi-wei, six
days after full moon, the king proceeded in the
morning from A'au to Fang\ (Thence) the Grand-
Guardian went before the duke of A'au to survey
the locality (of the new capital) ; and in the third
month, on the day Wu-shan, the third day after the
first appearance of the moon on Ping-wu, he came
in the morning to Lo. He divined by the tortoise-
shell about the (several) localities, and having obtained
favourable indications, he set about laying out the
plan (of the city).* On Kang-hsti, the third day
after, he led the people of Yin to prepare the various
sites on the north of the Lo ; and this work was
completed on A'ia-yin, the fifth day after.
On Yi-mao, the day following, the duke of Aau
came in the morning to Lo, and thoroughly inspected
the plan of the new city. On Ting-sze, the third day
after, he offered two bulls as victims in the (northern
and southern) suburbs^ ; and on the morrow, Wu-w{i,
at the altar to the spirit of the land in the new city,
he sacrificed a bull, a ram, and a boar.* After seven
days, on A'ia-jze, in the morning, from his written
(specifications) he gave their several orders to the
people of Yin, and to the presiding chiefs of the
princes from the Hau, Tien, and Nan domains.
When the people of Yin had thus received their
orders, they arose and entered with vigour on
their work.
(When the work was drawing to a completion),
' That is, from Wu's capital of Hao to king Wan's at Fang.
"^ By the addition to the text here of ' northern and southern,'
I intimate my opinion that the duke of A'au offered two sacrifices,
one to Heaven at the altar in the southern suburb, and one to
Earth in the northern suburb.
184 THE SHU KING. PART V.
the Grand-Guardian went out with the hereditary
princes of the various states to bring their offerings
(for the king) ^ ; and when he entered again, he gave
them to the duke of A^au, saying, ' With my hands
to my head and my head to the ground, I present
these to his Majesty and your Grace ^. Announce-
ments for the information of the multitudes of Yin
must come from you, with whom is the management
of affairs.'
2. ' Oh ! God (dwelhng in) the great heavens has
changed his decree respecting his great son and the
great dynasty of Yin. Our king has received that
decree. Unbounded is the happiness connected with
it, and unbounded is the anxiety : — Oh ! how can he
be other than reverent ? *
' When Heaven rejected and made an end of th^
decree in favour of the great dynasty of Yin, there
were many of its former wise kings in heaven.'""
The king, however, who had succeeded to them,
the last of his race, from the time of his entering
into their appointment, proceeded in such a way as
at last to keep the wise in obscurity and the vicious
in office. The poor people in such a case, carrying
their children and leading their wives, made their
moan to Heaven. They even fled away, but were
apprehended again. Oh ! Heaven had compassion
on the people of the four quarters ; its favouring
^ These ' offerings ' were the ' presents of introduction,' which
the feudal princes brought with them to court, when they were to
have audience of the king. This has led many critics to think
that the king was now in Lo, which was not the case,
2 The original text here is difficult and remarkable ; — intended
probably to indicate that the king's majesty was revered in the
person of the duke of A'au, who was regent.
BOOK XII. ANNOUNCEMENT OF THE DUKE OF SHAO. 1 8$
decree lighted on our earnest (founders). Let the
king sedulously cultivate the virtue of reverence. *
' Examining the men of antiquity, there was the
(founder of the) Hsia dynasty. Heaven guided (his
mind), allowed his descendants (to succeed him),
and protected them.* He acquainted himself with
Heaven, and was obedient to it. But in process of
time the decree in his favour fell to the ground.*
So also is it now when we examine the case of Yin.
There was the same guiding (of its founder), who
corrected (the errors of Hsia), and (whose descend-
ants) enjoyed the protection (of Heaven). He
(also) acquainted himself with Heaven, and was
obedient to it. * But now the decree in favour of
him has fallen to the ground. Our king has now
come to the throne in his youth ; — let him not slight
the aged and experienced, for it may be said of
them that they have studied the virtuous conduct
of the ancients, and have matured their counsels in
the sight of Heaven.
' Oh ! although the king is young, yet he is the
great son (of God).* Let him effect a great harmony
with the lower people, and that will be the blessing
of the present time. Let not the king presume to
be remiss in this, but continually regard and stand
in awe of the perilous (uncertainty) of the people's
(attachment).
' Let the king- come here as the vice-gerent of
God, and undertake (the duties of government) in
this centre of the land.'^ Tan ^ said, " Now that this
great city has been built, from henceforth he may
^ Tan was the name of the duke of ^au, and his brother duke
here refers to him by it, in accordance with the rule that ' ministers
1 86 THE Snt KING. PARTY.
be the mate of great Heaven, and reverently sacri-
fice to (the spirits) above and beneath ; from hence-
forth he may from this central spot administer
successful government." Thus shall the king enjoy
the favouring regard (of Heaven) all-complete, and the
government of the people will now be prosperous.*
' Let the kine first subdue to himself those who
were the managers of affairs under Yin, associating
them with the managers of affairs for our A'au.
This will regulate their (perverse) natures, and they
will make daily advancement. Let the king make
reverence the resting-place (of his mind) ; — he must
maintain the virtue of reverence.
' We should by all means survey the dynasties of
Hsia and Yin. I do not presume to know and say,
" The dynasty of Hsia was to enjoy the favouring
decree of Heaven just for (so many) years," nor do
I presume to know and say, " It could not continue
longer." * The fact simply was, that, for want of
the virtue of reverence, the decree in its favour
prematurely fell to the ground. (Similarly), I do
not presume to know and say, " The dynasty of Yin
was to enjoy the favouring decree of Heaven just
for (so many) years," nor do I presume to know
and say, " It could not continue longer." * The fact
simply was, that, for want of the virtue of reverence,
the decree in its favour fell prematurely to the
orround. The kinor has now inherited the decree, —
the same decree, I consider, which belonged to those
two dynasties. Let him seek to inherit (the virtues
should be called by their names in the presence of the sovereign.'
King ^>^ang, indeed, was not now really present in Lo, but he
was represented by his uncle, the regent.
BOOK XII. ANNOUNCEMENT OF THE DUKE OF SHAO. 1 87
of) their meritorious (sovereigns) ; — (let him do this
especially) at this commencement of his duties.
' Oh ! it is as on the birth of a son, when all
depends on (the training of) his early life, through
which he may secure his wisdom in the future, as if
it were decreed to him. Now Heaven may have
decreed wisdom (to the king) ; it may have decreed
good fortune or bad ; it may have decreed a (long)
course of years ; — we only know that now is with
him the commencement of his duties. Dwelling in
this new city, let the king now sedulously cultivate
the virtue of reverence. When he is all-devoted to
this virtue, he may pray to Heaven for a long-abiding
decree in his favour. *
' In the position of king, let him not, because of
the excesses of the people in violation of the laws,
presume also to rule by the violent infliction of
death ; — when the people are regulated gently, the
merit (of government) is seen. It is for him who is
in the position of king to overtop all with his virtue.
In this case the people will imitate him through-
out the kingdom, and he will become still more
illustrious.
' Let the king and his ministers labour with a
mutual sympathy, saying, " We have received the
decree of Heaven, and it shall be great as the long-
continued years of Hsia; — yea, it shall not fail of
the long-continued years of Yin." I wish the king,
through (the attachment of) the lower people, to
receive the long-abiding decree of Heaven.'*
3. (The duke of Shao) then did obeisance with
his hands to his head and his head to the grfound,
and said, ' I, a small minister, presume, with the king's
(heretofore) hostile people and all their officers,
THE SHU KING.
and with his (loyal) friendly people, to maintain and
receive his majesty's dread command and brilliant
virtue. That the king should finally obtain the
decree all-complete, and that he should become
illustrious, — this I do not presume to labour for.
I only bring respectfully these offerings to present
to his majesty, to be used in his prayers to Heaven
for its long-abiding decree.' *
Book XIII. The Announcement concerning Lo.
The matters recorded in this Book are all connected, more or less
nearly, with Lo, the new capital, the arrangements for the
building of which are related at the commencement of the last
Book. According to the summary of the contents given by the
commentator 3hai AVzan, ' The arrangements for the building
having been made, the duke of A'au sent a messenger to inform
the king of the result of his divinations. The historiographer
recorded this as the Announcement about Lo, and at the same
time related a dialogue between the king and his minister, and
how the king charged the duke to remain at Lo, and conduct
the government of it.' Passing over the commencing paragraph,
which I have repeated here from the ninth Book, 3hai divides
all the rest into seven chapters. Ch. i contains the duke's
message concerning his divinations; and the next gives the
king's reply. Ch. 3 is occupied with instructions to the king
about the measures which he should pursue on taking up his
residence at Lo. In ch. 4, the king charges the duke to remain
at Lo, and undertake its government. In ch. 5, the duke re-
sponds, and accepts the charge, dwelling on the duties which
the king and himself would have to perform. Ch. 6 relates
the action of the duke in reference to a message and gift
from the king intended for his special honour. In ch. 7, the
historiographer writes of sacrifices offered by the king in Lo,
and a proclamation that he issued, and tells how long the duke
condnued in his government ; — showing how the duke began the
city and completed it, and how king AV^ang, after offering the
sacrifices and inaugurating the government, returned to Hao,
and did not, after all, make his capital at Lo. ,
BOOK XIII. THE ANNOUNCEMENT CONCERNING LO. 1 89
Many critics make much to do about the want of historical order
in the Book, and suppose that portions have been lost, and other
portions transposed ; but the Book may be explained without
resorting to so violent a supposition.
[In the third month, when the moon began to
wane, the duke of A'au commenced the foundations
and proceeded to build the new great city of Lo of
the eastern states. The people from every quarter
assembled in great harmony. From the Hau, Tien,
Nan, 3hai, and Wei domains, the various officers
stimulated this harmony of the people, and intro-
duced them to the business that was to be done
for A^au. The duke encouraged all to dilieence, and
made a great announcement about the performance
(of the works) \]
I. The duke of A'au did obeisance with his hands
to his head and his head to the ground^, saying,
' Herewith I report (the execution of my commission)
to my son, my intelligent sovereign. The king
appeared as if he would not presume to be present
at Heaven's founding here the appointment (of our
dynasty), and fixing it, whereupon I followed the
(Grand-)Guardian, and made a great survey of this
eastern region, hoping to found the place where he
should become the intelligent sovereign of the people.
On the day Yi-mao, I came in the morning to this
capital of Lo. I (first) divined by the shell concern-
ing (the ground about) the Li-water on the north
of the Ho. I then divined concerning the east of*
the A'ien-water, and the west of the AV/an, when
the (ground near the) Lo was indicated. Again I
* See the introductory note to Book ix.
^ In sending his message to the king, the duke does obeisance
as if he were in the presence of his majesty. The king responds
with a similar ceremony.
IQO THE Sut KING. part v.
divined concerning the east of the K/ian-water,
when the (ground near the) Lo was also indicated.
I (now) send a messenger with a map, and to present
the (result of the) divinations.'*
2. The king did obeisance with his hands to his
head and his head to the ground, saying, * The
duke did not presume not to acknowledge reverently
the favour of Heaven, and has surveyed the locality
where our A'au may respond to that favour. Having
settled the locality, he has sent his messenger to
show me the divinations, favourable and always
auspicious. We two must together sustain the
responsibility. He has made provision for me
(and my successors), for myriads and tens of
myriads of years, there reverently to acknowledge
the favour of Heaven.* With my hands to my
head and my head to the ground, (I receive) his
instructive words.'
3. The duke of I^^u said ^, ' Let the king at first
employ the ceremonies of Yin, and sacrifice in the
new city,* doing everything in an orderly way, but
without display. I will marshal all the officers to
attend you from A'au, merely saying that probably
there will be business to be done (in sacrificing).
Let the king instantly issue an order to the effect
that the most meritorious (ministers) shall have the
first place in the sacrifices ; and let him also say in
an order, " You, in whose behalf the above order is
issued, must give me your assistance with sincere
earnestness." Truly display the record of merits, for
^ We must suppose that the duke of A'au, after receiving the
reply to his message, had himself returned to Hdo, to urge upon
the king the importance of his repairing in person to Lo, and
solemnly inaugurating the new city as the capital of the kingdom.
BOOK XIII. THE ANNOUNCEMENT CONCERNING LO. IQI
it is you who must in everything teach the officers.
My young son, can you indulge partiahty ? Eschew
it, my young son, (If you do not), the consequence
hereafter will be like a jBre, which, a spark at first,
blazes up, and by and by cannot be extinguished.
Let your observance of the constant rules of right,
and your soothing measures be like mine. Take
only the officers that are in A'au with you to the
new city, and make them there join their (old)
associates, with intelligent vigour establishing
their merit, and with a generous largeness (of
soul) completing (the public manners) ; — so shall
you obtain an endless fame.'
The duke said, ' Yes, young as you are, be it
yours to complete (the work of your predecessors).
Cultivate (the spirit of) reverence, and you will know
who among the princes (sincerely) present their
offerings to you, and who do not. In connexion
with those offerings there are many observances. If
the observances are not equal to the articles, it must
be held that there is no offering. When there is no
service of the will in the offerings (of the princes),
all the people will then say, " We need not (be
troubled about) our offerings," and affairs will be
disturbed by errors and usurpations.
' Do you, my young son, manifest everywhere my
unwearied diligence, and listen to my instructions to
you how to help the people to observe the constant
rules of right. If you do not bestir yourself in these
things, you will not be of long continuance. If you
sincerely and fully carry out the course of your
Directing father, and follow exactly my example,
there will be no venturing to disregard your orders.
Go, and be reverent. Henceforth I will study
192 THE SHtj KING.
PART V.
husbandry ^ There do you generously rule our
people, and there is no distance from which they
will not come to you.'
4. The king spoke to this effect^, ' O duke, you
are the enlightener and sustainer of my youth. You
have set forth the great and illustrious virtues, that
I, notwithstanding my youth, may display a brilliant
merit like that of Wan and Wu, reverently responding
to the favouring decree of Heaven ; and harmonize
and long preserve the people of all the regions,
settling the multitudes (in Lo) ; and that I may give
due honour to the great ceremony (of recording) the
most distinguished (for their merits), regulating the
order for the first places at the sacrifices, and doing
everything in an orderly manner without display,
' But your virtue, O duke, shines brightly above