外儲說左下

Principle One: When people are punished for actual crimes, they do not resent the ruler -- as shown by the amputee who saved Zi Gao. When ministers are rewarded for actual merit, they do not claim the ruler's grace as their own -- as shown by Di Huang holding the right tally and riding in a grand carriage. King Xiang did not understand this, hence Zhao Mao received five teams of horses but still complained. When rulers do not exceed proper assignments and ministers do not falsely claim abilities, then ministers will behave like Shaoshi Zhou.

Principle Two: Rely on positional advantage rather than on personal trust -- hence Dongguo Ya's criticism of Guan Zhong. Rely on techniques rather than trust -- hence Hun Xuan's criticism of Duke Wen.

Principle Three: If one loses the proper principle of ruler and minister, then King Wen ties his own shoes and invites presumptuousness. If one does not distinguish between court and private settings, then Ji Sun maintains lifelong solemnity but encounters assassins.

Principle Four: Prohibit what is profitable while profiting from what is prohibited -- even a god could not govern. Praise what is punished and condemn what is rewarded -- even Yao could not bring order.

Principle Five: When ministers adopt humility and frugality as their conduct, rank is insufficient to display rewards. When favor and glory know no limits, ministers encroach upon the ruler.

Principle Six: When the public house is diminished, frank speech is feared. When private conduct prevails, public achievement is rare.

Confucius served as minister of Wei, and his disciple Zi Gao served as a judicial officer. Zi Gao had sentenced a man to amputation of the foot. The amputee was assigned as a gatekeeper. Someone slandered Confucius to the lord of Wei, saying: 'Confucius intends to rebel.' The lord of Wei wanted to arrest Confucius. Confucius fled and all his disciples escaped. When Zi Gao came out through the gate, the amputee pulled him aside and hid him in a room beneath the gate. The pursuers could not find him.

At midnight, Zi Gao asked the amputee: 'I could not bend my lord's law, and I personally sentenced your foot to amputation. This was your chance for revenge -- why did you choose to save me? How have I earned this from you?' The amputee replied: 'My foot was cut off -- it was my crime that merited it, and nothing could be done. But when you were trying my case, you leaned and stretched the law, speaking on my behalf before and after, wishing deeply for my acquittal -- and I knew it. When the sentence was decided and my punishment set, your face fell with sorrow, visible in your expression -- and I saw it and knew it again. It was not that you showed me private favor; it was your innate benevolent nature. This is why I was glad and felt gratitude toward you.'

Duke Huan of Qi was about to install Guan Zhong and issued an order to his ministers: 'I am about to install Guan Zhong as Zhongfu. Those who approve, enter the gate and go left; those who disapprove, enter and go right.' Dongguo Ya stood in the center of the gate. The duke asked: 'I am installing Guan Zhong as Zhongfu. I ordered those who approve to go left and those who disapprove to go right. Why do you stand in the center?'

Dongguo Ya asked: 'With Guan Zhong's wisdom, is he capable of planning for All-Under-Heaven?' The duke said: 'He is.' 'With his decisiveness, does he dare carry out great undertakings?' The duke said: 'He does.' Dongguo Ya said: 'If his wisdom can plan for All-Under-Heaven and his boldness can carry out great undertakings, and you then exclusively entrust him with the instruments of state power -- with Guan Zhong's ability, riding upon your positional advantage to govern Qi, would this not be dangerous?' The duke said: 'Well spoken.' He then appointed Xi Peng to manage internal affairs and Guan Zhong to manage external affairs, so that they would serve as checks on each other.

Ximen Bao was appointed magistrate of Ye. He was scrupulously clean and free of personal gain -- not even a hair's breadth of private profit. But he was very curt with the ruler's attendants. The attendants conspired together to slander him. After a year, when the annual accounts were submitted, the lord took back his seal of office.

Ximen Bao requested: 'In the past I did not know how to govern Ye. Now I understand. I beg to have the seal returned so I may govern Ye again. If I fail, I will submit to the punishment of the axe and block.' Marquis Wen could not bear to refuse and returned the seal. Ximen Bao then taxed the people heavily and lavished attention on the attendants. After a year, when accounts were submitted, Marquis Wen came out to greet him with a bow.

Ximen Bao replied: 'Last year, I governed Ye for my lord, and my lord took my seal. This year, I governed Ye for the attendants, and my lord bows to me. I cannot govern any longer.' He returned the seal and departed. Marquis Wen would not accept it, saying: 'I was wrong not to know you before. Now I understand. I beg you to continue governing for me.' He refused to take back the seal.

When Guan Zhong was chancellor of Qi, he said: 'I am honored, but I am poor.' Duke Huan said: 'I grant you the estate of Three Returns.' Guan Zhong said: 'I am wealthy, but I am of low rank.' Duke Huan had him placed above the Gao and Guo clans. Guan Zhong said: 'I am exalted, but I am distant from you.' He was then installed as Zhongfu. Confucius heard of this and disapproved: 'His extravagance encroaches upon the ruler.'

Sun Shuao was chancellor of Chu. He rode in a rough carriage drawn by a mare, ate coarse cakes and vegetable broth with dried fish, wore lambskin in winter and hemp in summer, and his face showed signs of hunger. He was truly a worthy minister -- yet his frugality encroached upon those below.

Zi Chan was the son of Zi Guo. Zi Chan was loyal to the ruler of Zheng. His father Zi Guo angrily rebuked him: 'You set yourself apart from all other ministers and are uniquely loyal to the ruler. If the ruler is wise, he will listen to you. If he is not wise, he will not. Whether he listens or not is impossible to know for certain, yet you have already alienated yourself from the other ministers. Alienated from the other ministers, you will surely endanger yourself -- and not only yourself, but your father as well.'

Guan Zhong was bound as a prisoner, being transported from Lu to Qi. On the road, hungry and thirsty, he passed through the border post at Qi Wu and begged for food. The border-keeper knelt and fed him with great respect. The keeper then whispered to Guan Zhong: 'If by fortune you reach Qi without being killed and are employed by Qi, how will you repay me?' Guan Zhong said: 'If things go as you say, I shall employ the worthy, use the capable, and evaluate the diligent. What do I owe you?' The border-keeper was resentful.