The Way of the Ruler

The Way is the origin of the ten thousand things, and the standard of right and wrong. Therefore, the enlightened ruler grasps the origin to understand the root of all things, and governs by the standard to comprehend the source of success and failure. Thus, the ruler treats everything with emptiness and stillness, allowing names to settle naturally and affairs to rest spontaneously. Emptiness enables him to know the reality of fullness; stillness enables him to grasp the pattern of motion. Those who speak naturally form names; those who act naturally take shape. When form and name are verified and match each other, the ruler has nothing to do—he lets things return to their true state. Hence it is said: The ruler should not reveal his desires; if he reveals his desires, his ministers will adorn themselves accordingly. The ruler should not manifest his intentions; if he manifests his intentions, his ministers will display differences. Therefore: Abandon likes and dislikes, and the ministers will reveal their true colors; discard old knowledge, and the ministers will be on their guard. Thus, the ruler possesses wisdom but does not use it for deliberation, so that the ten thousand things know their own places; he possesses worth but does not use it for action, so that he observes what his ministers rely upon; he possesses courage but does not use it for anger, so that all ministers exhaust their valor. Hence, discarding wisdom yet still having clarity, discarding worth yet still having achievements, discarding courage yet still having strength. All ministers perform their respective duties, the hundred officials follow constant rules, and they are appointed according to their abilities—this is called following the constant norm. Therefore it is said: Silent indeed, as if the ruler does not occupy his throne; vast indeed, as if the ministers do not know where the ruler is. The enlightened ruler governs above by non-action, while the ministers below are fearful and cautious. The principle of the enlightened ruler is: Let the wise exhaust their thoughts; the ruler decides matters based on them, so his wisdom is never exhausted. Let the worthy contribute their abilities; the ruler employs them accordingly, so his ability is never exhausted. When there is merit, the ruler enjoys the reputation of worth; when there is fault, the ministers bear the blame—so the ruler’s reputation is never exhausted. Therefore, the unworthy can become the teacher of the worthy, and the unintelligent can become the standard for the wise. The ministers bear toil, while the ruler enjoys success—this is called the constant way of the enlightened ruler.

The Way lies in being unseen; its application lies in being unknowable. The ruler maintains emptiness and stillness, doing nothing, and secretly observes the flaws of his ministers. Seeing yet as if not seeing, hearing yet as if not hearing, knowing yet as if not knowing. After understanding the ministers’ words, do not change or alter them; examine them by the method of verification. Each office has only one person; do not let them communicate with each other—then the true conditions of all affairs will be revealed. Conceal the ruler’s traces, hide the ruler’s beginnings, so that the ministers cannot speculate. Remove the ruler’s wisdom, sever the ruler’s ability, so that the ministers cannot fathom. Preserve his own intent and examine whether the ministers share it; cautiously hold the power and grasp it firmly. Cut off the ministers’ spying, break their conjectures, and do not let anyone seek to obtain it. If the door is not carefully closed, and the bolt is not firmly locked, a tiger will exist. If affairs are not handled cautiously, and the true feelings are not concealed, bandits will arise. Killing the ruler and seizing his throne—no one will fail to follow such a person, hence he is called a tiger. Dwelling beside the ruler as a treacherous minister, spying on the ruler’s faults—hence he is called a bandit. Disperse their factions, gather up their remnants, close their doors, seize their accomplices—then the state will have no tigers. The ruler’s Way is vast and immeasurable, profound and unfathomable; examine names and forms, inspect and test the laws; put to death those who act arbitrarily—then the state will have no bandits. Therefore, a ruler has five blockages: When ministers seal off the ruler, it is called blockage; when ministers control wealth and profit, it is called blockage; when ministers issue decrees arbitrarily, it is called blockage; when ministers are allowed to practice benevolence and righteousness, it is called blockage; when ministers are allowed to cultivate factions, it is called blockage. If ministers seal off the ruler, the ruler loses his position; if ministers control wealth and profit, the ruler loses his grace; if ministers issue decrees arbitrarily, the ruler loses control; if ministers practice benevolence and righteousness, the ruler loses clarity; if ministers cultivate factions, the ruler loses his adherents. These are things the ruler alone should monopolize, not things that ministers can manage.

The Way of the ruler treasures stillness and withdrawal. He does not personally handle affairs yet knows the clumsiness or skill of his ministers; he does not personally deliberate yet knows the source of fortune and calamity. Thus, without speaking, he is good at responding; without restricting, he is good at increasing. When words have been responded to, he holds the contract; when affairs have been increased, he holds the tally. When the tally and contract match, reward and punishment arise from this. Therefore, the ministers present their words; the ruler assigns them tasks based on their words, and demands results based on the tasks. If results match the tasks, and tasks match the words, reward is given. If results do not match the tasks, or tasks do not match the words, punishment is given. The principle of the enlightened ruler is: Ministers may not present words that do not correspond. Therefore, when the enlightened ruler dispenses rewards, they are warm like timely rain, and all the people receive his grace; when he imposes punishments, they are awe-inspiring like thunder and lightning, and even the sacred cannot rescue. Thus, the enlightened ruler has no casual rewards and no remitted punishments. If rewards are casual, meritorious ministers will slacken in their efforts; if punishments are remitted, treacherous ministers will easily commit wrongs. Therefore, if there is indeed merit, even if the person is distant or lowly, he must be rewarded; if there is indeed fault, even if the person is close or favored, he must be punished. When distant and lowly people are inevitably rewarded, and close and favored people are inevitably punished, then the distant and lowly will not slacken, and the close and favored will not become arrogant.