鐔津文集 7.39

7.39

歲旱。論者有來訪予曰。今茲五月不雨及餘七月。吳疆赤地千里稼穡槁矣。農夫忙忙無所奈何。百穀勇貴乃倍其價。道路餓莩相望。為政者禱于山川。趨其急猶救之水火。而雨終不至。民未免皇皇如也。請於吾子則曰何如為之所耶。余時應曰。此官人者謀之。非吾野人之事也。無已則語子竊與之。吾嘗聞諸長者。諸荒旱時謂之凶年。為國憂民者莫如發倉廩以救其饑。而後教之惜井泉謹隄防。命吏與之相水道。引民并力擁江河注之陂池以洽灌溉。察市道平物價。乘時射利欺于貧弱者。以法誅之。勸有餘者貸不足。約不足者以樂歲酬之。關譏無重征。以通商旅。細民鬻販者容之。察刑獄明民之冤枉。斯則亦救旱之一道。問者復曰。禱於山川之神宜之乎。曰於禮亦有之。然有水旱疫癘之災以營山川之神者。舉古法以順民心耳（或作人心）如風雨時至水旱不為沴非由乎山川也。問者憮然曰。我鄙人也。未識乎旱潦之所由。子復為我言之。曰極陽之謂旱。洪範咎徵曰。僭恒暘若。又曰。王省惟歲。卿士惟月。師尹惟日。歲月日時不易。百穀用成。又用明俊。民用章。家用平康。日月歲時既易。百穀用不成。又用昏不明俊。民用微。家用不寧。說者云。夫僭也者何過且差也。曰政之差而民無教也。民無教則肆暴刑也。肆暴刑則罰不當也。罰不當則民怨之。與肆暴所感故旱順之。夫歲月日時無易。百穀用成。又用明俊。民用章。家用平康也者何。王由王道而不任喜怒妄黜陟卿士師尹。卿士師尹守厥職無僭妄以侮王權也。如此則國事修。國事修則其氣和洽。氣和洽故百穀成而治道明也。俊良得志以行其道。是上有仁義而下無怨咨。故國家安也。夫日月歲時既易。百穀用不成。又用昏不明俊。民用微。家用不寧也者何。君奪臣職而臣冐君政也。如此則國事不修。國事不修則人不和。人不和故百穀不成。而治道昧也。俊良之道不顯。是上非仁義而下民胥怨故國家不安也。今天子聖明而俊傑在位。所謂刑政禮樂。豈聞過差也。然宋有天下。鷄鳴犬吠徹于四海。其為廣且遠矣。殊方遠俗。政教豈悉至而刑罰能無誤也。惟刑政禮樂正則風雨以時來。旱潦無由作也。惡用禱邪。問者韙之。再拜而去。

During a year of drought, an interlocutor came to visit me and said: 'This year it has not rained from the fifth month into the end of the seventh month. Throughout the borderlands of Wu, red earth stretches for a thousand li, and the crops are withered. The farmers are anxious and helpless. The prices of all grains have surged, doubling their cost. Starved corpses gaze upon one another along the roads. The administrators pray to the mountains and rivers, rushing to this urgency as if rescuing people from flood or fire, yet the rain never arrives. The common people cannot avoid being in utter panic. May I ask you, sir, what should be done about this?' At that time I replied: 'This is something for the officials to plan; it is not the business of a rustic person like me. But if you insist, I shall privately share my thoughts with you. I have heard from my elders that a time of barrenness and drought is called a year of misfortune. For those who care for the state and worry for the people, nothing is better than opening the granaries to relieve their hunger, and thereafter teaching them to cherish wells and springs and to carefully maintain the dykes and embankments. They should order officials to inspect the waterways with them, leading the people to unite their efforts in damming the rivers and streams to pour them into ponds and reservoirs to provide ample irrigation. They should inspect the markets to stabilize prices. Those who take advantage of the times to pursue illicit gain and cheat the poor and weak should be punished according to the law. They should encourage those with surplus to lend to those in need, and agree with those in need to repay it in fruitful years. They should not levy heavy taxes at the border barriers, so as to allow merchant travelers to pass freely. Petty peddlers and traders among the common people should be accommodated. They should examine judicial cases to clear up injustices suffered by the people. These too are among the ways to relieve drought.' The questioner asked again: 'Is it appropriate to pray to the spirits of the mountains and rivers?' I said: 'This is indeed found in the rites. However, making appeals to the spirits of the mountains and rivers during calamities of flood, drought, pestilence, and epidemic is merely upholding an ancient custom to accord with the hearts of the people. When wind and rain arrive in due season and floods and droughts do not cause harm, it does not originate from the mountains and rivers.' The questioner said with dismay: 'I am an uncultivated person, and do not understand the source of drought and flood. Would you please explain it to me once more?' I said: 'The culmination of yang is called drought. The "Verifications of Misfortune" in the Great Plan states: "Presumption brings constant sunshine." It also states: "The king inspects the year, the ministers and nobles the months, and the officers the days. When the year, months, days, and seasons do not alter, all grains are brought to maturity, the wise and illustrious are employed, the people are distinguished, and families are peaceful and secure. When the days, months, year, and seasons alter, the grains fail to mature, the foolish and benighted are employed rather than the wise and illustrious, the people are degraded, and families are disturbed." Commentators say: What is meant by "presumption"? It is error and discrepancy. That is to say, when government is in error and the people lack instruction, and when the people lack instruction, violent punishments are unleashed. When violent punishments are unleashed, penalties are not fitting. When penalties are not fitting, the people resent it; and through the resonance brought about by the unleashing of violence, drought follows accordingly. Now, why is it that when the year, months, days, and seasons do not alter, all grains mature, the wise and illustrious are employed, the people are distinguished, and families are peaceful and secure? Because the king follows the kingly way and does not demote or promote ministers, nobles, or officers arbitrarily based on his joy or anger, while the ministers, nobles, and officers maintain their offices without presumption or recklessness to usurp the royal power. In this way, state affairs are well-ordered. When state affairs are well-ordered, the qi is harmonious. Because the qi is harmonious, the grains mature and the way of governing is made clear. The talented and good attain their aims to practice their way; thus there is benevolence and righteousness above and no resentment or lamentation below, and so the state is at peace. Now, why is it that when the days, months, year, and seasons alter, all grains fail to mature, the foolish and benighted are employed rather than the wise and illustrious, the people are degraded, and families are disturbed? Because the ruler usurps the ministers' duties and the ministers usurp the ruler's governance. In this way, state affairs are neglected. When state affairs are neglected, people are not in harmony. Because people are not in harmony, the grains fail to mature and the way of governing is obscured. The way of the talented and good is not made manifest; thus there is no benevolence or righteousness above, and the common people mutually harbor resentment below, so the state is not at peace. Today, the Son of Heaven is sagely and luminous, and men of outstanding talent are in office. As for punishments, governance, ritual, and music, how could one hear of any error or discrepancy? However, the Song possesses the realm under heaven, and the crowing of roosters and barking of dogs resonate throughout the four seas; it is vastly broad and distant. In remote regions and distant customs, how could government instruction reach everywhere completely, and how could punishments be entirely free of error? If only punishments, governance, ritual, and music are rectified, wind and rain will arrive in due season, and floods and droughts will have no cause to arise. What use is prayer?' The questioner approved of this, bowed twice, and departed.