主道

The Dao is the origin of all things and the guiding thread of right and wrong. Therefore the enlightened ruler holds fast to the origin in order to know the source of all things, and governs by the guiding thread in order to know the starting point of success and failure. He maintains emptiness and stillness in order to wait: he lets titles assign themselves and lets affairs settle themselves. Through emptiness he perceives the true state of reality; through stillness he perceives the correct course of action. Those who speak create their own titles; those who act create their own forms. When form and title are cross-checked against each other, the ruler has nothing to do — all returns to its true state.

Therefore it is said: The ruler must not reveal what he desires — if the ruler reveals what he desires, his ministers will carve and polish themselves accordingly. The ruler must not reveal his intentions — if the ruler reveals his intentions, his ministers will put on a display of difference. Therefore it is said: Eliminate likes and eliminate dislikes, and your ministers will show their unadorned selves. Eliminate old habits and eliminate cleverness, and your ministers will take care of themselves.

Thus the ruler possesses wisdom but does not use it to deliberate, so that all things find their proper place. He possesses virtue but does not use it to act, so that he can observe what his ministers rely upon. He possesses courage but does not use it in anger, so that his assembled ministers fully exert their martial strength. Therefore: by abandoning personal wisdom, he gains true clarity; by abandoning personal virtue, he gains real accomplishments; by abandoning personal courage, he gains genuine strength. When ruler and ministers each guard their proper roles and the hundred officials follow established routines, employing each according to his ability — this is called 'adhering to the constant.' Therefore it is said: So silent that he seems to occupy no position; so distant that none can locate him. The enlightened ruler practices non-action above, and his ministers tremble with awe below.

The way of the enlightened ruler is to make the wise exhaust their deliberations, and the ruler then uses these to decide affairs — therefore the ruler does not personally engage in wisdom. The capable exert their talents, and the ruler then assigns them accordingly — therefore the ruler does not personally engage in ability. When there is merit, the ruler receives credit for discernment; when there is fault, the minister bears the blame — therefore the ruler does not personally engage in reputation. Thus, without being wise himself, he becomes the teacher of the wise; without being capable himself, he becomes the corrector of the capable. The ministers bear the toil; the ruler enjoys the achievement. This is called the guiding principle of the worthy sovereign.

The Dao lies in what cannot be seen; its application lies in what cannot be known. Be empty, still, and without affairs, and use concealment to perceive flaws. See yet appear not to see; hear yet appear not to hear; know yet appear not to know. When you have heard someone's proposals, do not alter or change them — cross-check and verify them through comparison. Assign one person to each office and do not allow them to communicate with each other, and then all matters will be fully exposed. Conceal your traces in an envelope of secrecy, hide all starting points — and those below will be unable to trace your intentions. Abandon displays of cleverness, cut off demonstrations of ability — and those below will be unable to guess your mind.

Preserve the means by which you proceed and verify consistency. Hold the handles of power carefully and grip them firmly. Cut off their hopes and break their schemes; do not allow anyone to covet your position. If you are not careful about closing off access, if you do not secure your gates, then 'tigers' will appear. If you are not cautious in your affairs, if you do not conceal your true feelings, then 'traitors' will emerge. One who assassinates his lord and takes his place — and all the people go along with it — is called a 'tiger.' One who sits at his lord's side as a treacherous minister and learns of his lord's errors is called a 'traitor.' Scatter their factions, round up their remnants, seal off their access, and strip away their supporters — and the state will have no tigers. Be so great as to be immeasurable, so deep as to be unfathomable; match performance to title, rigorously verify according to legal standards, and execute any who act on their own authority — and the state will have no traitors.

Therefore the ruler faces five obstructions: When a minister blocks access to the ruler, this is called an obstruction. When a minister controls the state's wealth, this is called an obstruction. When a minister issues orders on his own authority, this is called an obstruction. When a minister is able to dispense favors in his own name, this is called an obstruction. When a minister is able to install his own people in office, this is called an obstruction. When a minister blocks access to the ruler, the ruler loses his position. When a minister controls wealth, the ruler loses the power to bestow rewards. When a minister issues orders, the ruler loses control. When a minister dispenses favors, the ruler loses discernment. When a minister installs his own people, the ruler loses his base of support. These are all things the ruler alone must monopolize — they are not things a minister should be permitted to wield.

The way of the ruler takes stillness and withdrawal as its treasure. Without personally handling affairs, he knows what is clumsy and what is skillful. Without personally making plans, he knows what brings fortune and what brings calamity. Thus without speaking he gets good responses, and without making agreements he gets good results. When proposals have been responded to, he holds fast to the contract. When affairs have been carried out, he takes charge of the tally. Where tally and contract match — that is where reward and punishment are born. Therefore the assembled ministers present their proposals, and the ruler assigns them tasks based on their claims, then demands results corresponding to those tasks. When results match the task, and the task matches the proposal, he rewards. When results do not match the task, and the task does not match the proposal, he punishes. The way of the enlightened ruler is that ministers must not present proposals that fail to correspond to results.

Therefore when the enlightened ruler bestows reward, it is as warm as timely rain — the hundred families benefit from its bounty. When he carries out punishment, it is as fearsome as thunder — not even gods or sages can intercede. Thus the enlightened ruler grants no careless rewards and pardons no punishments. If rewards are given carelessly, meritorious ministers will neglect their duties. If punishments are pardoned, treacherous ministers will find it easy to do wrong. Therefore if there is genuine merit, then even the distant and lowly must be rewarded. If there is genuine fault, then even the ruler's intimates and favorites must be punished. When the distant and lowly are certain of reward, and the ruler's intimates and favorites are certain of punishment, then the distant and lowly will not grow slack, and the ruler's intimates and favorites will not grow arrogant.