HOW THE EMPIRE IS TO BE IMPROVED

The ancients, wishing to make their empire perfect, first endeavoured to make their states perfect.  For this last purpose they exerted themselves to improve their famines, and to this end they took great pains to improve their personal character.  In order to improve their personal character, they endeavoured to purify their hearts and to make their thoughts sincere.

From the Son of Heaven [the Emperor] to the masses of the people, the cultivation of personal character was regarded as the root of all amelioration.  To know this has been called knowing the “root,” which is the perfection of knowledge.

On Thang’s bathing-tub these words were inscribed: 

“Renovate thyself day by day, yea, every day renovate thyself.”  At the opening of his reign, Thang was exhorted to renovate his people.

In the Book of Poetry it is said that although Kau was an ancient state, yet it regarded Heaven’s commands as ever new.  In the same book we read that the thoughts of the Emperor Wan were deep, and his conduct firm.  In all his relationships he was reverent and true.  As a sovereign he was benevolent; as a minister respectful; as a son he exhibited filial piety; as a father he was kind and considerate; towards his subjects he was steadfastly faithful.  This virtuous and accomplished sovereign, Wan, took great pains to sharpen his intellect and to make his heart more sensitive to all obligations.  How majestic, how glorious was he; he shall ever be remembered by his grateful people at the ancestral shrine.

“The cultivation of personal character depends upon the regulation of the mind.”  What does this mean?  If a man’s passions are not kept under control, he will form wrong judgments about actions and never have a well-balanced mind.  Therefore must man regulate his mind in order to cultivate himself.  “The government of the family depends upon the cultivation of personal character.”  What does this mean?  Where there is affection, judgment is distorted.  We see the good qualities of those we love, but are blind to the bad ones.  We see the bad qualities of those we hate, but are blind to the good ones.  In order to be able to govern a family rightly, we must train our minds to judge fairly and impartially of those nearest to us—­i.e., it requires careful self-training to be able to train a family.

“We must be able to govern the family before we can rule a state.”  What means this?  If a man fails to teach the members of his own family to be obedient and loyal to their head, how can he train a nation to be united, obedient, and loyal?

Yas and Shun ruled with love, and the people became loving.  Kieh and Kau ruled with violence, and the people became violent.  The sovereign must have and exhibit the same qualities that he wishes his subjects to cultivate.  Nor has he the right to expect his people to be free from bad qualities which are in himself.  The ruler must himself be what he wants his people to be.  Thus it is that the government of the state rests upon the proper government of the family.