The historian says史臣曰
1The historian says
史臣曰：凡民肖形天地，稟靈陰陽，愚智本於自然，剛柔繫於水土。故雨露所會，風流所通，九川為紀，五嶽作鎮，此之謂諸夏。生其地者，則仁義出焉。昧谷、嵎夷、孤竹、北戶，限以丹徼紫塞，隔以滄海交河，此之謂荒裔。感其氣者，則凶德成焉。若夫九夷八狄，種落繁熾；七戎六蠻，充牣邊鄙。雖風土殊俗，嗜欲不同，至於貪而無厭，狠而好亂，彊則旅拒，弱則稽服，其揆一也。斯蓋天之所命，使其然乎。
The historian says: all people take their shape from heaven and earth and receive their spirit from yin and yang. Folly and wisdom are rooted in what is natural; hardness and softness are bound to the water and the soil. And so, where rain and dew gather, where wind and stream pass through, where the nine rivers draw the lines and the five great mountains stand as guardians — this is called the Zhuxia (諸夏). From those born in that land come benevolence and righteousness. Meigu, Yuyi, Guzhu and Beihu are bounded off by the southern outposts and the northern ramparts, and shut away by the blue sea and the Jiaohe — this is called the Huangyi (荒裔), and in those who answer to its air an ill virtue is formed. As for the nine Yi and the eight Di, their kinds and settlements are many and thriving; the seven Rong and the six Man fill the border lands. Their lands and customs differ and what they relish and desire is not the same. Yet when it comes to a greed that never has enough, a fierceness that loves disorder, standing off in bands when they are strong and bowing their heads in submission when they are weak, their measure is one and the same. Is this, then, what heaven ordained and made them to be?