Conforming with the Superior, Part Three尚同下
子墨子言曰：知者之事，必計國家百姓所以治者而爲之，必計國家百姓之所以亂者而辟之。然計國家百姓之所以治者，何也？上之爲政，得下之情則治，不得下之情則亂。何以知其然也？上之爲政得下之情，則是明於民之善非也。若苟明於民之善非也，則得善人而賞之，得暴人而罰之也。善人賞而暴人罰，則國必治。上之爲政也，不得下之情，則是不明於民之善非也。若苟不明於民之善非，則是不得善人而賞之，不得暴人而罰之。善人不賞而暴人不罰，爲政若此，國衆必亂。故賞罰不得下之情，而不可不察者也。
Mozi said, "The work of the wise man is to reckon surely what makes a state and its people well ordered and to do that, and to reckon surely what makes a state and its people fall into disorder and to keep away from that.
Then reckon what makes a state and its people well ordered. What is it? When the superior governs and gains the true feelings of those below, there is order; when he does not gain the true feelings of those below, there is disorder.
How do we know this is so? When the superior governs and gains the true feelings of those below, he is clear about the goodness and the wrongness of the people. If he is clear about the goodness and the wrongness of the people, then he finds the good man and rewards him and finds the violent man and punishes him. When the good man is rewarded and the violent man is punished, the state is surely well ordered.
When the superior governs and does not gain the true feelings of those below, he is not clear about the goodness and the wrongness of the people. If he is not clear about the goodness and the wrongness of the people, then he cannot find the good man to reward him and cannot find the violent man to punish him. When the good man is not rewarded and the violent man is not punished, and the government is such as this, the state and the multitude are surely in disorder.
So the failure of reward and punishment to gain the true feelings of those below is a thing that cannot go unexamined."
然計得下之情，將奈何可？故子墨子曰：唯能以尚同一義爲政，然後可矣。何以知尚同一義之可而爲政於天下也？然胡不審稽之古之治爲政之說乎？古者天之始生民，未有正長也，百姓爲人。若苟百姓爲人，是一人一義，十人十義，百人百義，千人千義，逮至人之衆不可勝計也，則其所謂義者亦不可勝計。此皆是其義而非人之義，是以厚者有鬬而薄者有爭。是故天下之欲同一天下之義也，是故選擇賢者立爲天子，天子以其知力爲未足獨治天下，是以選擇其次立爲三公。三公又以其知力爲未足獨左右天子也，是以分國建諸侯。諸侯又以其知力爲未足獨治其四境之內也，是以選擇其次立爲卿之宰。卿之宰又以其知力爲未足獨左右其君也，是以選擇其次立而爲鄉長家君。是故古者天子之立三公、諸侯、卿之宰、鄉長家君，非特富貴游佚而擇之也，將使助治亂刑政也。故古者建國設都，乃立后王君公，奉以卿士師長，此非欲用說也，唯辯而使助治天助明也。
Then what must be done to gain the true feelings of those below? So Mozi said, "Only when one governs by conforming upward and making rightness one is it possible."
How do we know that conforming upward and making rightness one is fit for governing the world? Then why not look into the accounts of ruling and governing in ancient times and study them?
In ancient times, when Heaven first gave birth to the people and there were as yet no upright chiefs, each of the people acted as a man of his own. If each of the people acts as a man of his own, then with one person there is one right, with ten people ten rights, with a hundred people a hundred rights, with a thousand people a thousand rights, and when it comes to a multitude of people beyond all counting, then their so-called rights are beyond all counting too. All of them held their own right to be right and the right of others to be wrong, and so where it ran deep there was fighting and where it ran shallow there was quarreling.
So the world wished to make the rightness of the world one and the same, and a worthy man was chosen and set up as Son of Heaven. The Son of Heaven, holding that his knowledge and strength were not enough to govern the world alone, chose the next below him and set them up as the Three Dukes. The Three Dukes, holding again that their knowledge and strength were not enough to aid the Son of Heaven alone, divided the land and set up feudal lords. The feudal lords, holding again that their knowledge and strength were not enough to govern the land within their four borders alone, chose the next below them and set them up as ministers and stewards. The ministers and stewards, holding again that their knowledge and strength were not enough to aid their ruler alone, chose the next below them and set them up as district heads and heads of houses.
So when the Son of Heaven in ancient times set up the Three Dukes, the feudal lords, the ministers and stewards, the district heads and the heads of houses, they were not chosen merely to be rich and honored and to idle at their ease. It was to have them help in governing disorder and punishment and the affairs of state.
So when in ancient times states were founded and capitals laid out and kings and dukes set up, and ministers and officers and teachers and elders were raised to serve them, it was not for the sake of pleasure. It was only to divide the work, so that they should help in governing and help Heaven make things clear.
今此何爲人上而不能治其下，爲人下而不能事其上？則是上下相賊也。何故以然？則義不同也。若苟義不同者有黨，上以若人爲善，將賞之，百姓不刑，將毀之。若人唯使得上之賞，而辟百姓之毀，是以爲善者未必可使勸也。上以若人爲暴，將罰之，百姓姓付，將舉之。若人唯使得上之罰，而懷百姓之譽，是以爲暴者未必可使沮也。故計上之賞譽不足以勸善，計其毀罰不足以沮暴。此何故以然？則義不同也。
Now how is it that a man is set above others and cannot govern those below him, and is set below others and cannot serve the one above him? This is high and low harming each other. What is the reason for it? It is that their rightness is not the same.
If men whose rightness is not the same form a faction, then when the superior holds a certain man good and would reward him, the people do not punish that man but would revile him. That man would gain only the superior's reward while escaping the people's reviling, and so the one who does good cannot surely be made to strive.
When the superior holds a certain man violent and would punish him, the people side with him and would raise him up. That man gains the superior's punishment and yet holds the people's praise, and so the one who does violence cannot surely be stopped.
So reckon the superior's reward and praise, and they are not enough to encourage goodness; reckon his blame and punishment, and they are not enough to stop violence. What is the reason for this? It is that their rightness is not the same.
然則欲同一天下之義，將柰何可？故子墨子言曰：然胡不賞使家君試用家君發憲布令其家，曰：「若見愛利家者必以告，若見惡賊家者亦必以告。」若見愛利家以告，亦猶愛利家者也，上得且賞之，衆聞則譽之；若見惡賊家不以告，亦猶惡賊家者也，上得且罰之，衆聞則非之。」是以徧若家之人，皆欲得其長上之賞譽，辟其毀罰。是以見善言之，見不善言之。家君得善人而賞之，得暴人而罰之。善人之賞而暴人之罰，則家必治矣。然計若家之所以治者，何也？唯以尚同一義爲政故也。
Then what must be done if we wish to make the rightness of the world one and the same? So Mozi said:
"Then why not try having the head of a house send out statutes and spread commands in his house, saying, 'If you see one who loves and benefits the house, you must report it; if you see one who hates and harms the house, you must also report it. If you see one who loves and benefits the house and report it, you are yourself like one who loves and benefits the house, and the superior will learn of it and reward you, and the multitude will hear of it and praise you. If you see one who hates and harms the house and do not report it, you are yourself like one who hates and harms the house, and the superior will learn of it and punish you, and the multitude will hear of it and condemn you.'
By this, everyone in that house wishes to gain the reward and praise of his elders and superiors and to escape their blame and punishment. So when they see goodness they speak of it, and when they see what is not good they speak of it. The head of the house finds the good man and rewards him, and finds the violent man and punishes him. When the good man is rewarded and the violent man is punished, the house is surely well ordered.
Then reckon why that house is well ordered. What is it? It is only because it was governed by conforming upward and making rightness one."
家既已治，國之道盡此已邪？則未也。國之爲家數也甚多，此皆是其家而非人之家，是以厚者有亂，而薄者有爭。故又使家君總其家之義，以尚同於國君。國君亦爲發憲布令於國之衆，曰：「若見愛利國者必以告，若見惡賊國者亦必以告。若見愛利國以告者，亦猶愛利國者也，上得且賞之，衆聞則譽之；若見惡賊國不以告者，亦猶惡賊國者也，上得且罰之，衆聞則非之。」是以徧若國之人，皆欲得其長上之賞譽，避其毀罰。是以民見善者言之，見不善者言之。國君得善人而賞之，得暴人而罰之。善人賞而暴人罰，則國必治矣。然計若國之所以治者，何也？唯能以尚同一義爲政故也。
When the house is well ordered, is the way of the state exhausted in this? Not yet.
The houses in a state are very many in number, and all of them hold their own house to be right and the houses of others to be wrong, and so where it runs deep there is disorder and where it runs shallow there is quarreling.
So the head of the house is further made to gather up the rightness of his house and conform upward to the ruler of the state. The ruler of the state likewise sends out statutes and spreads commands to the multitude of the state, saying, "If you see one who loves and benefits the state, you must report it; if you see one who hates and harms the state, you must also report it. If you see one who loves and benefits the state and report it, you are yourself like one who loves and benefits the state, and the superior will learn of it and reward you, and the multitude will hear of it and praise you. If you see one who hates and harms the state and do not report it, you are yourself like one who hates and harms the state, and the superior will learn of it and punish you, and the multitude will hear of it and condemn you."
By this, everyone in that state wishes to gain the reward and praise of his elders and superiors and to escape their blame and punishment. So when the people see a good man they speak of him, and when they see a man who is not good they speak of him. The ruler of the state finds the good man and rewards him, and finds the violent man and punishes him. When the good man is rewarded and the violent man is punished, the state is surely well ordered.
Then reckon why that state is well ordered. What is it? It is only because he was able to govern by conforming upward and making rightness one.
國既已治矣，天下之道盡此已邪？則未也。天下之爲國數也甚多，此皆是其國而非人之國，是以厚者有戰，而薄者有爭。故又使國君選其國之義，以尚同於天子。天子亦爲發憲布令於天下之衆，曰：「若見愛利天下者必以告，若見惡賊天下者亦必以告。若見愛利天下以告者，亦猶愛利天下者也，上得則賞之，衆聞則譽之；若見惡賊天下不以告者，亦猶惡賊天下者也，上得且罰之，衆聞則非之。」是以徧天下之人，皆欲得其長上之賞譽，避其毀罰。是以見善者善之，見不善者告之。天子得善人而賞之，得暴人而罰之。善人賞而暴人罰，天下必治矣。然計天下之所以治者，何也？唯而以尚同一義爲政故也。
When the state is well ordered, is the way of the world exhausted in this? Not yet.
The states in the world are very many in number, and all of them hold their own state to be right and the states of others to be wrong, and so where it runs deep there is war and where it runs shallow there is quarreling.
So the ruler of the state is further made to pick out the rightness of his state and conform upward to the Son of Heaven. The Son of Heaven likewise sends out statutes and spreads commands to the multitude of the world, saying, "If you see one who loves and benefits the world, you must report it; if you see one who hates and harms the world, you must also report it. If you see one who loves and benefits the world and report it, you are yourself like one who loves and benefits the world, and when the superior learns of it he rewards you, and when the multitude hear of it they praise you. If you see one who hates and harms the world and do not report it, you are yourself like one who hates and harms the world, and the superior will learn of it and punish you, and the multitude will hear of it and condemn you."
By this, everyone in the world wishes to gain the reward and praise of his elders and superiors and to escape their blame and punishment. So when they see a good man they call him good, and when they see a man who is not good they report him. The Son of Heaven finds the good man and rewards him, and finds the violent man and punishes him. When the good man is rewarded and the violent man is punished, the world is surely well ordered.
Then reckon why the world is well ordered. What is it? It is only because it was governed by conforming upward and making rightness one.
天下既已治，天子又總天下之義，以尚同於天。故當尚同之爲說也，上用之天子，可以治天下矣；中用之諸侯，可而治其國矣；小用之家君，可而治其家矣。是故大用之治天下而不窕，小用之治一國一家而不橫者，若道之謂也。故曰：治天下之國若治一家，使天下之民若使一夫。意獨子墨子有此而先王無此，其有邪？則亦然也。聖王皆以尚同爲政，故天下治。何以知其然也？於先王之書也《大誓》之言然，曰：「小人見姦巧乃聞，不言也，發罪鈞。」此言見淫辟不以告者，其罪亦猶淫辟者也。
When the world is well ordered, the Son of Heaven further gathers up the rightness of the world and conforms upward to Heaven.
So the teaching of conforming upward is this: used above by the Son of Heaven, it can govern the world; used in the middle by the feudal lords, it can govern their states; used in a small way by the head of a house, it can govern his house. Used on a great scale it governs the world and is not slack, and used on a small scale it governs one state or one house and does not overflow. Such is the way that is meant. So it is said that one governs the states of the world as one governs a single house, and employs the people of the world as one employs a single man.
If someone says that Mozi alone has this and the former kings did not have it, is that so? It is not so either. The sage kings all governed by conforming upward, and so the world was well ordered.
How do we know this is so? The words of the Tai shi (大誓), a book of the former kings, are like this. It says, "When a small man sees and hears of cunning and craft and does not speak of it, the guilt laid upon him is the same." This says that the one who sees excess and crookedness and does not report it is as guilty as the one who is excessive and crooked.
故古之聖王治天下也，其所差論以自左右羽翼者皆良，外爲之人助之視聽者衆。故與人謀事，先人得之；與人舉事，先人成之；光譽令聞，先人發之。唯信身而從事，故利若此。古者有語焉，曰：「一目之視也，不若二目之視也；一耳之聽也，不若二耳之聽也；一手之操也，不若二手之彊也。」唯能信身而從事，故利若此。是故古之聖王之治天下也，千里之外有賢人焉，其鄉里之人皆未之均聞見也，聖王得而賞之；千里之外有暴人焉，其鄉里之人未之均聞見也，聖王得而罰之。故唯毋以聖王爲聰耳明目與？豈能一視而通見千里之外哉，一聽而通聞千里之外哉？聖王不往而視也，不就而聽也。然而使天下之爲寇亂盜賊者，周流天下無所重足而立者，何也？其以尚同爲政善也。
So when the sage kings of old governed the world, those they sorted out and appointed as their right hand and left and as their wings were all good men, and many outside helped them to see and hear. So when they planned a matter with others they gained it before others, when they undertook a matter with others they brought it about before others, and their shining praise and good name went forth before others. Only because they made themselves trustworthy and then went to work was the benefit such as this.
There is an old saying that runs, "Seeing with one eye is not as good as seeing with two eyes; hearing with one ear is not as good as hearing with two ears; holding with one hand is not as strong as holding with two hands." Only because they were able to make themselves trustworthy and then go to work was the benefit such as this.
So when the sage kings of old governed the world, if there was a worthy man a thousand li away, before the people of his district and village had all heard or seen it, the sage king got word and rewarded him; and if there was a violent man a thousand li away, before the people of his district and village had all heard or seen it, the sage king got word and punished him.
Was this then because the sage king had sharp ears and clear eyes? How could he see at a glance all that lay a thousand li away, or hear at once all that lay a thousand li away? The sage king did not go and look, nor did he draw near and listen. Yet the robbers and rebels and thieves of the world roamed the whole world with nowhere to set their feet and stand. Why? Because his government by conforming upward was good.
是故子墨子曰：凡使民尚同者，愛民不疾，民無可使。曰：必疾愛而使之，致信而持之，富貴以道其前，明罰以率其後。爲政若此，唯欲毋與我同，將不可得也。是以子墨子曰：今天下王公大人士君子，中情將欲爲仁義，求爲上士，上欲中聖王之道，下欲中國家百姓之利，故當尚同之說而不可不察。尚同，爲政之本，而治國之要也。
So Mozi said, "If one would have the people conform upward and yet does not love the people with urgency, the people cannot be employed.
It is said: one must love them with urgency and then employ them, hold them with the fullest trust, lead them from the front with wealth and honor, and drive them from behind with clear punishment. When the government is such as this, then even if men wished not to be one with me, it could not be so."
So Mozi said, "If the kings and dukes and great men and the officers and gentlemen of the world are now inwardly set on doing what is benevolent and right and on becoming officers of the first rank, and wish to meet the way of the sage kings above and to meet the benefit of the state and the people below, then they cannot fail to look into the teaching of conforming upward. Conforming upward is the root of government and the essential thing in governing a state."