Comprehensive Reflections to Aid in Governance(Part 15): Personal Interest

Comprehensive Reflections to Aid in Governance

By Sima Guang

Translated By Yiming Yang

Annals of Zhou Book 2 Scroll 2 (continued)

The 32nd year of King Xian (337 B.C.)

Shen Buhai of Han died.

The 33rd year of King Xian (336 B.C.)

An altar at Taiqiu of state Song collapsed. Meng Ke, from Zou, traveled a long distance to visit King Hui of Wei. King Hui warmly welcomed him and remarked, “Old man, you have journeyed tens of thousands of miles to visit us. You must have Wei‘s interests at heart.”Meng Ke replied, “Why should Your Excellency speak of interests when we should be talking about love and righteousness? A king seeks the interests of the nation, an official seeks the interests of his kin, and a commoner seeks personal interests. If everyone only pursues their self-interest, it will endanger the entire country. People who love others won’t neglect their families, and those who are righteous will serve their lord first.”King Hui of Wei appreciated Meng Ke‘s wise words.Meng Ke, also known as Mencius, studied under Zisi, the eldest grandson of Confucius. During his studies, Mencius asked about the priority in managing people. Zisi responded, “Personal interest is the top priority.”Mencius was puzzled and asked, “A virtuous person should educate their people on love and righteousness. Why do we emphasize personal interest?”Zisi explained, “Love and righteousness ultimately serve everyone’s interests. A leader who lacks love and righteousness will not provide for the needs of their people, and an unjust leader will lead their people into deceit and harm their personal interests. This is why the Book of Changes says, ‘Personal interest is the sum of the righteousness of all people.’ It also states, ‘It is in your own interest to improve your life. A better personal life enhances your morality.’ This underscores the importance of personal interests.”Sima Guang‘s comments: The teachings of Zisi and Mencius are of the highest caliber. Only those who possess love and righteousness truly understand what constitutes their own interests. People who lack love and righteousness cannot comprehend the essence of genuine self-interest. When Mencius conversed with King Hui of Wei, he primarily emphasized the principles of love and righteousness because he recognized his audience and the significance of these virtues in governance.

The 34th year of King Xian (335 B.C.)

The state of Qin invaded Han, and took the city of Yiyang.The King of Qi appointed Tian Ying as the ruler of Pengcheng. Tian Ying advised the King of Qi, saying, “The strategies and plans of the five ministers are something you should listen to and review daily.” The king followed his advice but later became weary of it, so he entrusted all his authority to Tian Ying. As a result, Tian Ying gained full control over the state affairs of Qi.

The 35th year of King Xian (334 B.C.)

Tian Ying served as the prime minister of the state of Qi. The King of Qi and The King of Wei held a meeting in Xuzhou to proclaim each other as a king. When King of Chu heard about this meeting, he became furious with Tian Ying.Marquis Zhao of Han was building a portal in his place.  Qu Yijiu warned him:”You should refrain from walking through this portal. Why, you ask? It’s a matter of timing, not in terms of the chosen date, but rather in the sense that people go through ups and downs in life. In the past, when everything was going well, you didn’t consider building a portal. Just last year, Qin took our city Yiyang, and this year we grappled with a drought. You seem to be overlooking the suffering and urgent needs of the people while pursuing extravagant decorations. This is akin to spending lavishly when you’re financially strained. It’s not the right timing for such endeavors.”King of Yue, Wuqiang, initially planned to launch an attack on the state of Qi. In response, the King of Qi sent an envoy to persuade Wuqiang, highlighting the greater benefits of instead targeting the state of Chu. King Wuqiang reconsidered his strategy and redirected his forces towards an assault on the state of Chu.The state of Chu, however, proved to be a formidable adversary, decimating the troops of Yue. Following this victory, Chu expanded its territory, extending eastward into Zhejiang. This defeat led to the disintegration of the state of Yue, as noble families within Yue vied for titles and power. Some declared themselves kings, while others claimed the title of princes. They scattered along the coastline and ultimately became subservient to the King of Chu.