尚賢(上)

Master Mozi said: 'Today's kings, dukes, and great men who govern states all desire their states to be wealthy, their people to be numerous, and their governance to be well-ordered. Yet they do not achieve wealth but achieve poverty, do not achieve a large population but achieve a small one, do not achieve order but achieve chaos -- thus they fundamentally lose what they desire and obtain what they hate. What is the reason for this?' Master Mozi said: 'It is because the kings, dukes, and great men who govern states cannot make a policy of elevating the worthy and employing the capable. Therefore when a state has many worthy and good scholars, its governance will be substantial; when worthy and good scholars are few, its governance will be thin. Thus the great man's chief concern should be to make the worthy numerous.'

Someone asked: 'Then what is the method for making the worthy numerous?' Master Mozi said: 'It is like wanting to increase the number of skilled archers and charioteers in one's state -- one must enrich them, ennoble them, respect them, and praise them; only then can the state's skilled archers and charioteers be made numerous. How much more so for worthy and good scholars who are rich in moral conduct, persuasive in discourse, and broad in the arts of the Way! These are truly the treasures of the state and the pillars of the altars of soil and grain. One must also enrich them, ennoble them, respect them, and praise them; only then can the state's good scholars be made numerous.'

Therefore when the sage kings of old governed, they ranked men by virtue and elevated the worthy. Even among farmers and artisans in the marketplace, those who had ability were promoted. They were given high rank, generous salaries, entrusted with affairs, and given authority to issue commands. It was said: 'If their rank is not high, the people will not respect them; if their salaries are not generous, the people will not trust them; if their authority to command is not decisive, the people will not fear them.' These three things were given to the worthy not as a gift to the worthy, but because the ruler desired the tasks to be accomplished. Therefore in those times, men were placed in rank according to their virtue, served in office according to their duties, were rewarded according to their labor, and salaries were divided according to their merit. Thus no official was permanently noble, and no commoner was permanently humble. Those with ability were promoted; those without ability were demoted. Public righteousness was upheld and private grudges were set aside -- this is what these words mean.

In ancient times Yao promoted Shun from the sunny side of the Fu Marsh, entrusted him with government, and the realm was pacified. Yu promoted Yi from within the dark regions, entrusted him with government, and the Nine Provinces were brought to completion. Tang promoted Yi Yin from the kitchen, entrusted him with government, and his plans succeeded. King Wen promoted Hong Yao and Tai Dian from among the hunting nets, entrusted them with government, and the western lands submitted.