八奸

There are eight techniques by which ministers achieve treachery: the first is called 'sharing the bed'; the second, 'those at the ruler's side'; the third, 'fathers and brothers'; the fourth, 'nurturing disaster'; the fifth, 'the common people'; the sixth, 'popular eloquence'; the seventh, 'coercive force'; the eighth, 'the four directions.'

What is meant by 'sharing the bed'? It refers to the honored consort, the beloved child, the attractive attendants and favored beauties -- these are what beguile the ruler. They exploit moments of leisure and intimacy, take advantage of times when the ruler is drunk and sated, to obtain what they desire. This is an infallible technique of manipulation. When a minister bribes them with gold and jade to beguile the ruler, this is called 'sharing the bed.'

The second is 'those at the ruler's side.' What is meant by this? Jesters, dwarfs, and intimate attendants of the left and right -- these are the ones who say 'yes, yes' before the ruler has given a command, and 'of course, of course' before the ruler has issued an order. They anticipate the ruler's intentions, read his expressions and observe his moods to stay ahead of his wishes. They all advance and retreat in unison, respond and reply in concert, speaking with one voice and moving in one track to shift the ruler's mind. When a minister bribes them with gold, jade, and curios, and covers for their lawless conduct so that they transform the ruler's thinking, this is called 'those at the ruler's side.'

The third is 'fathers and brothers.' What is meant by this? Secondary consorts and princes are those the ruler loves and is close to; great ministers and court officials are those with whom the ruler deliberates and plans. These people exert their full effort in counsel, and the ruler invariably heeds them. When a minister cultivates princes and consorts with music, entertainers, and women, and wins over great ministers and court officials with flattering words -- making arrangements in private, and when the affair succeeds, advancing their ranks and increasing their stipends to encourage their compliance, thereby overriding the ruler -- this is called 'fathers and brothers.'

The fourth is 'nurturing disaster.' What is meant by this? The ruler takes pleasure in fine palaces, terraces, and pools, and delights in adorning women, dogs, and horses to gratify his desires -- these are the ruler's disasters. When a minister exhausts the people's labor to beautify palaces, terraces, and pools, levies heavy taxes to adorn women, dogs, and horses, thereby entertaining the ruler while disordering his mind, indulging his desires while planting private interests in their midst -- this is called 'nurturing disaster.'

The fifth is 'the people.' What is meant by this? When a minister distributes public funds to please the populace, dispenses petty favors to win over the commoners, and makes the court and marketplace all eager to speak well of him, thereby obstructing the ruler and achieving his own aims -- this is called 'the people.'

The sixth is 'popular eloquence.' What is meant by this? A ruler by nature has restricted access to discussion and debate, rarely hears deliberative argument, and is easily swayed by persuasive speech. When a minister recruits eloquent rhetoricians from the feudal states and patronizes skilled debaters within the realm, deploying them to argue his private interests -- crafting clever formulations and flowing rhetoric, dangling prospects of advantage and power, threatening with dangers and harms, stringing together empty phrases to undermine the ruler -- this is called 'popular eloquence.'

The seventh is 'coercive force.' What is meant by this? A ruler of men derives his power and strength from his ministers and people. What the ministers and people approve, the ruler approves; what they do not approve, the ruler does not approve. When a minister assembles sword-bearing retainers and maintains men sworn to die for him, thereby making his power conspicuous -- making it clear that those who serve him will profit and those who do not will die, thereby intimidating ministers and commoners alike to carry out his private ends -- this is called 'coercive force.'

The eighth is 'the four directions.' What is meant by this? When a state is small, it must serve great states; when its army is weak, it must fear strong armies. What a great state demands, a small state must obey; what a strong army imposes, a weak army must submit to. When a minister levies heavy taxes, empties the treasury, and drains the state to serve a great power, then exploits that power's leverage to coerce and manipulate his own ruler -- at worst, massing troops on the borders while extorting compliance at home; at best, repeatedly introducing foreign ambassadors to intimidate the ruler into fear -- this is called 'the four directions.'

All these eight are the means by which ministers achieve treachery, and the means by which rulers of the age are obstructed, coerced, and stripped of what they possess. They must not go unexamined.

The enlightened ruler's approach to the inner chambers: he enjoys their beauty but does not grant their petitions, and does not allow private requests. His approach to those at his side: he holds them personally accountable for their words and does not allow them to embellish. His approach to fathers, brothers, and great ministers: when he heeds their advice, he requires them to accept punishment as surety for the outcome, and does not allow reckless recommendations. His approach to spectacles and curios: he requires that all such things come through designated channels, does not allow unsanctioned presentations or withdrawals, and does not let ministers guess his preferences. His approach to benevolence and largesse: the release of restricted funds, the opening of granaries, and all benefits to the people must originate from the ruler -- he does not let ministers privatize the credit for such virtue. His approach to argument and debate: for those who praise and those who criticize, he verifies their actual abilities and investigates their faults, and does not let ministers collude in their assessments. His approach to brave and strong men: military merit receives no excess reward, and private brawling receives no pardoned offense -- he does not let ministers distribute private wealth. His approach to the demands of feudal lords: if the demand accords with the law, he grants it; if it does not, he refuses.

What is called a 'ruined ruler' does not mean one who has no state, but one who possesses a state that is no longer truly his own. When ministers use external powers to control the ruler from within, then the ruler of men is ruined. Heeding a great power in order to avoid ruin leads to ruin faster than not heeding it -- therefore he does not heed it. When ministers know the ruler will not heed foreign powers, they cease cultivating feudal lords abroad; when feudal lords know the ruler will not heed, they cease accepting ministers' slanders against their own ruler.

When an enlightened ruler establishes official positions and ranks with their stipends, it is in order to advance the worthy and talented and to encourage those with merit. Therefore it is said: the worthy and talented should hold generous stipends and fill important offices; those with great merit should hold honored ranks and receive substantial rewards. In appointing the worthy, one measures their ability; in assigning stipends, one calibrates to their achievements. Thus the worthy do not falsely claim abilities to serve their ruler, and the meritorious gladly advance in their work -- affairs are accomplished and achievements established.

But today it is not so. No distinction is made between the worthy and the unworthy; no account is taken of merit and service. Appointments follow the influence of feudal lords and the petitions of those at the ruler's side. Fathers, brothers, and great ministers request ranks and stipends from the ruler above, then sell them below to collect wealth and build private factions. Thus those with the most wealth buy offices to become eminent, and those with connections at the ruler's side secure appointments through solicitation. Ministers of genuine merit go unrecognized, and official promotions are misassigned.

As a result, officials neglect their posts and cultivate external connections, abandon their duties and pursue wealth. The worthy grow slack and lose motivation; the meritorious falter and neglect their work. This is the climate of a doomed state.