On Devotion to Agriculture論務農第三十
貞觀二年，太宗謂侍臣曰：「凡事皆須務本。國以人為本，人以衣食為本，凡營衣食，以不失時為本。夫不失時者，在人君簡靜乃可致耳。若兵戈屢動，土木不息，而欲不奪農時，其可得乎？」王珪曰：「昔秦皇、漢武，外則窮極兵戈，內則崇侈宮室，人力既竭，禍難遂興。彼豈不欲安人乎？失所以安人之道也。亡隋之轍，殷鑒不遠，陛下親承其弊，知所以易之。然在初則易，終之實難。伏願慎終如始，方盡其美。」太宗曰：「公言是也。夫安人寧國，惟在於君。君無為則人樂，君多欲則人苦。朕所以抑情損欲，克己自勵耳。」
In the second year of Zhenguan Taizong said to the ministers in attendance:
"In all affairs a man must work at the root. The state takes the people for its root, the people take clothing and food for their root, and the making of clothing and food takes the not losing of the season for its root. Now the not losing of the season can be brought about only when the ruler is sparing and quiet. If spear and halberd are moved again and again and work in earth and timber never rests, can a man still hope not to rob the farming season?"
Wang Gui said:
"Long ago the First Emperor of Qin and Emperor Wu of Han spent spear and halberd to the utmost abroad, and raised up palaces and chambers in extravagance at home, and when the strength of the people was spent, disaster and hardship rose at last. Was it that they did not wish to give the people peace? They lost the way by which the people are given peace. The wheel ruts of the fallen Sui are like the mirror of Yin that was not far off, and Your Majesty, having taken over their ill condition in your own person, knows what should be changed. Yet at the beginning it is easy, and to carry it to the end is truly hard. I bow low and wish that you may be as careful of the end as of the beginning, and only so will its beauty be complete."
Taizong said:
"What you say is right. Giving the people peace and the state quiet lies with the ruler alone. If the ruler does nothing, the people are glad; if the ruler has many desires, the people suffer. That is why I hold down my feelings and cut away my desires, mastering myself and spurring myself on."
貞觀二年，京師旱，蝗蟲大起。太宗入苑視禾，見蝗蟲，掇數枚而咒曰：「人以穀為命，而汝食之，是害於百姓。百姓有過，在予一人，爾其有靈，但當蝕我心，無害百姓。」將吞之，左右遽諫曰：「恐成疾，不可。」太宗曰：「所冀移災朕躬，何疾之避？」遂吞之。自是蝗不復為災。
In the second year of Zhenguan there was a drought in the capital and the locusts rose in great numbers. Taizong went into the park to look at the grain, and seeing the locusts he picked up several of them and prayed:
"Men take grain for their life, and you eat it. This is to harm the people. If the people have a fault, it lies in me alone. If you have any spirit in you, then eat my heart and do no harm to the people."
He was about to swallow them, and those about him remonstrated at once:
"We fear it will make you ill. It cannot be."
Taizong said:
"What I hope for is to move the disaster onto my own body. Why should I shun an illness?"
And he swallowed them. From that time the locusts were no longer a disaster.
貞觀五年，有司上書言：「皇太子將行冠禮，宜用二月為吉，請追兵以備儀註。」太宗曰：「今東作方興，恐妨農事。」令改用十月。太子少保蕭瑀奏言：「準陰陽家，用二月為勝。」太宗曰：「陰陽拘忌，朕所不行。若動靜必依陰陽，不顧理義，欲求福祐，其可得乎？若所行皆遵正道，自然常與吉會。且吉兇在人，豈假陰陽拘忌？農時甚要，不可暫失。」
In the fifth year of Zhenguan the office in charge sent up a letter:
"The crown prince is about to go through the rite of capping, and the second month should be used as the lucky time. We ask that troops be called up to make the ceremony complete."
Taizong said:
"The work of spring is now rising, and I fear it would hinder the business of farming."
He had them change it to the tenth month. Xiao Yu, the junior guardian of the heir apparent, reported:
"Measured by the masters of yin and yang, using the second month is better."
Taizong said:
"The bindings and taboos of yin and yang are what I do not practice. If a man must follow yin and yang in his every motion and rest, and pay no heed to reason and rightness, can he get the blessing he seeks? If everything he does follows the right way, he meets with good fortune of itself and always. Besides, good fortune and ill lie in the man. Why borrow the bindings and taboos of yin and yang? The farming season is most needful and cannot be lost even for a moment."
貞觀十六年，太宗以天下粟價率計斗值五錢，其尤賤處，計斗值三錢，因謂侍臣曰：「國以民為本，人以食為命。若禾黍不登，則兆庶非國家所有。既屬豐稔若斯，朕為億兆人父母，唯欲躬務儉約，必不輒為奢侈。朕常欲賜天下之人，皆使富貴，今省徭賦，不奪其時，使比屋之人恣其耕稼，此則富矣。敦行禮讓，使鄉閭之間，少敬長，妻敬夫，此則貴矣。但令天下皆然，朕不聽管弦，不從畋獵，樂在其中矣！」
In the sixteenth year of Zhenguan Taizong learned that the price of millet in all under heaven came to about five cash for a peck, and in the cheapest places to three cash for a peck, and so he said to the ministers in attendance:
"The state takes the people for its root, and the people take food for their life. If the grain and the millet do not ripen, then the multitude of the people are not the state's to hold. Since we have come upon a harvest as full as this, I, being father and mother to a myriad of people, wish only to work at thrift and sparing in my own person, and will certainly not turn to extravagance.
"I have always wished to give to the people of all under heaven and make them all rich and honorable. Now I cut down forced labor and taxes and do not rob them of their season, so that the people of every house may plow and plant as they will; and this is to be rich. I make them practice ritual and yielding generously, so that in village and lane the young honor their elders and the wife honors her husband; and this is to be honorable. Only let all under heaven be so, and though I listen to no pipes and strings and follow no hunt, my pleasure lies within it."