釋鑑稽古略續集 2.51

2.51

上謂宋濂曰。朕之為君。上畏天地下畏兆民。兢兢業業不敢自逸。宋濂對曰。陛下此心。乃古先帝王之心也。慎終如始天下幸甚　太祖詔曰。曩因天下大亂。死者不可勝數。生者備歷艱辛。已有年矣。朕起布衣削群雄。定禍亂改元洪武。今紀七年。但才疎德薄日夕慮上帝有責。思之再三。惟兵後苦殃者。朕失撫養存恤。蓋軍士為朕開拓疆宇。奮不顧身。沒於戰場。屍不至家。魂無所依。父母年高。妻寡子幼。一旦拋棄至今不能存活。此朕之過也。民間經年避難。父南子北至今不能會聚。奉養者有之。亦朕之過也。興言至此實可憫傷。今詔天下有司。各各具名以言。朕當會居存養使不失所。

The Emperor said to Song Lian, 'In being a ruler, above I revere Heaven and Earth, and below I revere the myriad common folk; cautious and attentive, I dare not allow myself ease.' Song Lian replied, 'This mind of Your Majesty is the mind of the ancient early emperors and kings. If you are cautious at the end as at the beginning, the world will be exceedingly fortunate.' The Emperor issued an edict, saying, 'Formerly, because the realm was in great chaos, the dead were beyond count, and the living endured hardships through and through for years. I arose from common clothing, suppressed the contending warlords, pacified the chaos, and changed the era name to Hongwu; it is now the seventh year. Yet my talent is shallow and my virtue thin; day and night I worry that the Lord on High will reprimand me. Thinking of it again and again, it is only those suffering distress and disaster after war whom I have failed to nurture, comfort, and pity. The soldiers opened frontiers and territory for me, charging forward heedless of their own lives, dying upon the battlefield; their corpses never reached home, and their spirits have nothing to rely on. Their parents are advanced in age, their wives widowed, and their children young; once abandoned, up to now they are unable to survive. This is my fault. Among the common people, who have fled calamity over the years, fathers are in the south and sons in the north, to this day unable to gather together or provide support. This too is my fault. When my words come to this, it is truly pitiable and lamentable. Now I command the officials throughout the realm to individually submit rosters of names to report, that I may gather, lodge, and support them so they do not lose their places.'