文師

King Wen was about to go hunting. The court historian Bian cast the divination and said: 'Hunt at the north bank of the Wei River, and you shall gain greatly. Not a dragon, not a hornless dragon, not a tiger, not a great bear — the omen foretells a duke or lord. Heaven sends you a teacher, who shall assist the house of Chang and extend his influence through three kings.' King Wen asked: 'Can the omen really portend this?' Historian Bian replied: 'My great ancestor, the historian Chou, divined for Yu and obtained the omen of Gao Yao, which compares to this one.' King Wen thereupon fasted for three days, mounted his hunting chariot drawn by hunting horses, and hunted at the north bank of the Wei. There he finally encountered Taigong, sitting on rushes and fishing.

King Wen greeted him warmly and asked: 'Do you take pleasure in fishing?' Taigong replied: 'I have heard that the gentleman takes pleasure in achieving his ambitions, while the petty man takes pleasure in completing his tasks. My fishing has a deep resemblance to something — I do not fish for pleasure.' King Wen asked: 'What do you mean by resemblance?' Taigong said: 'Fishing has three powers: enticing with salary is a power, enticing with the threat of death is a power, enticing with office is a power. Fishing aims to catch something — its principle runs deep, and through it one can perceive the great.'

King Wen said: 'I wish to hear about its principle.' Taigong said: 'When the source is deep, water flows; when water flows, fish are born in it — this is the natural order. When roots are deep, trees grow tall; when trees grow tall, fruit is born on them — this is the natural order. When a gentleman shares the same sentiments, closeness follows; when closeness forms, great undertakings are born from it — this is the natural order. Words and responses are merely the adornment of natural principle; speaking of the deepest principles is the culmination of affairs. Now I shall speak of the deepest principles without reserve — will my lord find it offensive?' King Wen said: 'Only a humane man can accept the most forthright counsel and not take offense at the deepest truths — why would I do so!'

Taigong said: 'With a fine line and a bright lure, small fish will bite. With a well-tuned line and a fragrant lure, medium fish will bite. With a heavy line and a rich lure, great fish will bite. When a fish takes the bait, it is caught by the line; when a man takes his salary, he submits to his lord. Therefore, by using bait to catch fish, the fish can be killed; by using salary to win men, men can be exhausted in your service; by starting from a household you can seize a state, the state can be uprooted; by starting from a state you can take the world, the world can be brought to completion. Alas! What spreads out far and wide must eventually gather and scatter; what is dark and obscure shall eventually shine far. How subtle! The sage's virtue — it guides through solitary insight. How joyous! The sage's planning — each thing returns to its proper place, and he plants and harvests from it.'

King Wen asked: 'How does one plant and harvest so that the world turns to him?' Taigong said: 'The world does not belong to one man — it belongs to all the world. He who shares the world's benefits with all will gain the world; he who monopolizes the world's benefits will lose the world. Heaven has its seasons, earth has its resources — he who can share these with the people, that is humaneness. Where humaneness dwells, the world turns to it. He who spares people from death, relieves them of difficulties, rescues them from calamity, and aids them in emergencies — that is virtue. Where virtue dwells, the world turns to it. He who shares the people's sorrows and joys, their likes and dislikes — that is righteousness. Where righteousness dwells, the world hastens to it. All people hate death and love life, cherish virtue and seek benefit — he who can generate benefit, that is the Way. Where the Way dwells, the world turns to it.' King Wen bowed twice and said: 'How true! How could I dare not accept heaven's decree!' He then had Taigong ride in his carriage and returned with him, establishing him as his teacher.