功名

An enlightened ruler achieves merit and establishes his name through four conditions: first, the timeliness of Heaven; second, the hearts of the people; third, technical ability; fourth, positional advantage. Without Heaven's timing, even ten Yaos could not make a single ear of grain grow in winter. Against the hearts of the people, even Meng Ben and Xia Yu could not exhaust the people's strength. Therefore, when one obtains Heaven's timing, things grow of themselves without effort; when one wins the people's hearts, they exert themselves without being urged; when one relies on technical ability, things proceed swiftly without haste; when one holds positional advantage, one's name is established without pushing forward. Like the flow of water, like a boat floating on the current -- this is to preserve the way of nature and issue inexhaustible commands. Hence we speak of an enlightened ruler.

One may have talent but lack positional advantage; though worthy, one cannot control the unworthy. Place a one-foot timber atop a high mountain and it looks down upon a valley a thousand ren deep -- not because the timber is tall, but because its position is high. Jie was Son of Heaven and could control All-Under-Heaven -- not because he was worthy, but because his positional advantage was great. Were Yao a commoner, he could not have corrected even three households -- not because he was unworthy, but because his position was lowly. A weight of a thousand jun floats if it has a boat; a weight of a few zhu sinks without one -- not because the thousand jun is light and the few zhu heavy, but because one has positional advantage and the other does not. Thus the short overlooks the tall through position, and the unworthy controls the worthy through positional advantage.

The ruler is borne up by the unified strength of All-Under-Heaven, and so he is secure; he is established by the united hearts of the multitude, and so he is exalted. The minister guards his strengths and exhausts his abilities, and so he is loyal. When an exalted ruler commands loyal ministers, lasting joy arises and achievement and reputation are established. Name and substance sustain each other to completion; form and shadow correspond to each other in standing. Thus ruler and minister share the same desires but differ in their functions.

The ruler's worry is that none will respond to him; hence the saying: 'One hand clapping alone, however fast, makes no sound.' The minister's worry is that he cannot focus on one thing; hence the saying: 'Drawing a circle with the right hand and a square with the left, one cannot complete both.' Therefore it is said: in a perfectly governed state, the ruler is like the drumstick, the minister like the drum, skill is like the carriage, and affairs are like the horse.

When people have surplus strength, it is easy to respond; when skill has surplus craft, it is convenient for affairs. Those who would establish merit lack strength; those who would be close lack trust; those who would establish a name lack positional advantage. When those nearby are not close and those far away do not attach themselves, then name does not match reality.

A sage may possess the virtue of Yao and Shun and the conduct of Bo Yi, yet if his position does not carry weight in the world, his merit will not be established and his name will not endure. Therefore those in antiquity who were able to achieve merit and reputation had the multitude assist them with strength, those nearby bind themselves in loyalty, those far away celebrate them with praise, and those in high position sustain them with positional advantage.

Thus the achievement of Mount Tai stands long over the state, and the name of the sun and moon endures forever in heaven and earth. This is how Yao, facing south, preserved his name, and how Shun, facing north, rendered his merit.