鐔津文集 5.10

5.10

When rewards and punishments are impartial, the kingly way flourishes; when rewards and punishments are partial, the kingly way is extinguished. The sage king wishes his Way to prevail, so he regulates impartiality and partiality. Using rewards and punishments to rectify good and evil is impartial; using rewards and punishments to serve one's joy and anger is partial. Impartiality is the means to unite all under Heaven; partiality is the means to divide all under Heaven. When all under Heaven are united, how could the Way not flourish? When all under Heaven are divided, how could the Way not decline? Rewards and punishments are the great mean of all under Heaven, and they ought to be shared with all under Heaven. Kingly governance is the means to rectify good and evil. The good of all under Heaven cannot go unrewarded; the evil of all under Heaven cannot go unpunished. Rewards and punishments hitting the mark are that by which governance is established. Reward is close to grace; punishment is close to awe. Who is there that, being pleased, does not wish to extend their grace, or being angry, does not wish to apply their awe? Therefore it is said: unless one is a person of utmost impartiality and lofty discernment, one cannot be entrusted with the authority over rewards and punishments. The commentary says: 'One may advance toward the Way with them, yet one may not yet weigh circumstances with them'—this indicates the utmost caution. The 'Great Plan' says: 'Without making likes, follow the king's way; without making dislikes, follow the king's path'—this indicates a profound warning. In the decline of the Zhou, it was not that there were no rewards and punishments, but rather that rewards and punishments issued from partiality. Issuing from partiality was the reason disorder was brought upon all under Heaven. When one rewards out of partiality, grace redounds to the partial; when one punishes out of partiality, awe resides in the partial. When awe is used to drive the multitude, the multitude inevitably follows it; when evil is used to win over the multitude, the multitude inevitably imitates it. Common people have no constant heart; they shift according to benefit and harm. Where there is benefit, they improperly attach themselves; where there is harm, they improperly evade it. Those who discriminate between the correct and the false are indeed few! The ancients compared them to oxen and horses, which submit gently only to those who tether them and yield to them; flattering them together with the crowd, nothing can check it. Now, rewards and punishments are the great authority by which former kings practiced the Way. If one wishes the Way to prevail, one must not allow the authority of rewards and punishments to reside in partiality for an instant. If small partiality is applied, it profanes punishments; if great partiality is applied, it profanes the military. When the military is profaned, expeditions and attacks issuing from the feudal lords began from this. When punishments are profaned, governance and orders issuing from the grandees began from this. Therefore, in the *Spring and Autumn Annals*, when feudal lords conducted punitive expeditions on their own authority, the *Spring and Autumn Annals* condemned them; when feudal lords enfeoffed on their own authority, the *Spring and Autumn Annals* condemned them. This was because it did not grant rewards and punishments to the feudal lords. When grandees in the *Spring and Autumn Annals* seized land on their own authority, the *Spring and Autumn Annals* condemned them; when grandees granted land on their own authority, the *Spring and Autumn Annals* condemned them. This was because it did not grant rewards and punishments to the grandees. The *Spring and Autumn Annals* is that which displays the rewards and punishments of the king. The Master said: 'Will it not be the *Spring and Autumn Annals* that causes people to condemn me?' The sage braved condemnation to compose the *Spring and Autumn Annals* in order to instill fear in those who administer rewards and punishments in later generations.