循吏列傳

The Grand Historian says: Laws and decrees are meant to guide the people; punishments are meant to suppress wrongdoing. When civil and military measures are not fully in place, yet good people still discipline themselves in apprehension, it is because the officials have not created disorder. Fulfilling one's duties and following proper principles can itself produce good governance — why must one resort to severity?

Sun Shuao was a reclusive scholar of Chu. Minister Yuqiu recommended him to King Zhuang of Chu as his own replacement. Within three months as prime minister, he had instituted education to guide the people. High and low were in harmony, public morals flourished, governance was lenient yet prohibitions were effective, officials committed no abuses, and bandits did not arise. In autumn and winter he encouraged the people to gather resources from the mountains; in spring and summer, from the rivers — each finding what suited them, and all the people took pleasure in their lives.

King Zhuang thought the currency was too light and changed it from small denominations to large ones. The people found this inconvenient and all abandoned their occupations. The market superintendent told the prime minister: 'The market is in chaos — no one can settle into their place, and the order of stalls keeps shifting.' The prime minister asked: 'How long has this been going on?' The market superintendent replied: 'About three months.' The prime minister said: 'Enough — I will now order it restored.' Five days later, at court, the prime minister addressed the king: 'The currency was recently changed because it was deemed too light. Now the market superintendent has reported that the market is in disorder and the people cannot settle. I request permission to restore the old system.' The king approved, and within three days of the decree the market returned to normal.

The people of Chu customarily preferred low-slung carriages. The king thought such carriages were hard on the horses and wanted to issue a decree raising them. The prime minister said: 'Decrees have been issued too frequently — the people do not know what to follow. This will not work. If Your Majesty insists on taller carriages, I request permission to instruct the neighborhoods to raise their door thresholds. Those who ride carriages are all gentlemen, and gentlemen cannot constantly dismount to pass through doorways.' The king approved. After half a year, the people had all raised their carriages of their own accord.

This is governance without explicit instruction, where the people follow the transformation naturally: those nearby observe and imitate, those far away look on from all directions and model themselves accordingly. Thus Sun Shuao was appointed prime minister three times without elation, knowing his ability had earned it; and was dismissed three times without regret, knowing it was not his fault.

Zi Chan was a senior official of Zheng. During the reign of Duke Zhao of Zheng, the duke appointed his favorite Xu Zhi as prime minister. The state fell into disorder — ruler and subjects were estranged, fathers and sons were at odds. The court grandee Ziqi spoke to the duke and had Zi Chan appointed prime minister. After one year in office, young men stopped their rowdy behavior, the gray-haired no longer had to carry burdens, and boys did not have to plow fields. After two years, merchants in the market no longer haggled dishonestly. After three years, gates were not locked at night and lost property was not taken from the road. After four years, farming tools were not brought home from the fields. After five years, officers needed no military registers, and mourning periods were observed properly without government orders. He governed Zheng for twenty-six years and died. Strong men wept aloud and the elderly cried like children, saying: 'Zi Chan has abandoned us and died! Where shall the people turn?'

Gongyi Xiu was a scholar of Lu. He rose to the top of his class and became prime minister of Lu. He upheld the law and followed proper principles, making no arbitrary changes, and all the officials governed themselves rightly. He decreed that those who drew government salaries were not to compete with the common people for profit, and those who held high offices were not to engage in petty commerce.

A visitor offered the prime minister a gift of fish. The prime minister refused. The visitor said: 'I heard you are fond of fish, so I brought you fish — why will you not accept it?' The prime minister replied: 'It is precisely because I am fond of fish that I refuse. As prime minister, I can afford to buy my own fish. If I accept your fish and lose my post, who will provide me fish then? That is why I refuse.'

When he found his home-grown greens delicious, he uprooted the mallow plants in his garden and threw them away. When he saw that the cloth woven by his household was fine, he immediately sent his wife away and burned the loom, saying: 'If officials' households produce such goods, where will the farmers and weavers sell their products?'

Shi She was the prime minister of King Zhao of Chu. He was resolute, upright, incorruptible, and impartial, showing no favoritism. While touring the counties, he encountered a murderer on the road. The prime minister pursued him — and discovered it was his own father. He let his father go and returned to place himself under arrest. He sent a messenger to tell the king: 'The killer is your servant's father. To make an example of my own father would be a violation of filial duty; to set aside the law and release a criminal would be disloyal. Your servant deserves to die.' The king said: 'You pursued him but could not catch him — you need not accept punishment. Return to your duties.' Shi She replied: 'Not to protect one's own father is to be an unfilial son; not to uphold the ruler's law is to be a disloyal minister. That Your Majesty pardons my crime is the grace of a sovereign; that I submit to execution is the duty of a minister.' He refused the king's order and cut his own throat.

Li Li was the chief judge of Duke Wen of Jin. He erroneously accepted testimony and put an innocent man to death, then placed himself under arrest as deserving death. Duke Wen said: 'Offices have their ranks and punishments their degrees. The lower officials made the error — it is not your fault.' Li Li replied: 'I hold the highest office and have not yielded my seat to subordinates; I draw the greatest salary and have not shared my pay with those below me. Now I erroneously accepted testimony and killed a man. To shift the blame to subordinate officials — this is unheard of.' He refused to accept the duke's order. Duke Wen said: 'If you consider yourself guilty, then am I also guilty?' Li Li replied: 'The chief judge has his rules: if he errs in sentencing, he takes that sentence upon himself; if his error causes death, he dies. Your Grace made me chief judge because I could weigh fine distinctions and decide difficult cases. Now I have erroneously put a man to death. The penalty is death.' He refused the order and fell upon his sword.

The Grand Historian says: Sun Shuao spoke a single word, and the market of Ying was restored. Zi Chan died of illness, and the people of Zheng wailed. Gongyi Xiu saw fine cloth and banished his wife. Shi She released his father and died, and King Zhao of Chu's reputation was established. Li Li wrongly sentenced a man to death and fell upon his sword, and Duke Wen of Jin thereby set right the laws of his state.