The Charge to Yue, Part 1

King Wu Ding dreamed he had obtained Fu Yue. He sent his hundred officials to search for him throughout the countryside, and found him at Fu Yan. For this reason, the three chapters of "The Charge to Yue" were composed. (This paragraph is not in the original text.)

The king was dwelling in sorrow, observing the mourning rites for three years in the mourning shed. After the mourning period was over, he still remained silent. All the ministers remonstrated with the king, saying: "Oh! He who knows is called intelligent and wise; the intelligent and wise indeed make laws and rules. The Son of Heaven rules over the myriad states, and the hundred officials follow his model. The king's words are his commands; if the king does not speak, the ministers and officers have nothing to receive as commands."

The king thereupon wrote a letter to instruct them, saying: "I am set up as the model for the four quarters; but I am afraid that my virtue is not equal to the position, and therefore I do not speak. I was reverently and silently thinking of the way of government, and in a dream I saw the Lord on High give me a good assistant, who will speak for me."

He then carefully drew the likeness of the man, and sent messengers with the picture to seek for him throughout the world. Yue was then building walls in the wilds of Fu Yan, and he looked exactly like the picture.

Thereupon he was raised to be prime minister, and the king placed him by his side.

He charged him, saying: "Morning and evening present your instructions to help me to cultivate my virtue."

"Be as a whetstone to me, as I am metal. Be as a boat and oars to me, as I am crossing a great river. Be as a seasonable rain to me, as I am suffering from a great drought."

"Open your mind to enrich my mind."

"If medicine does not make the patient dizzy, the disease will not be cured. If you walk barefoot without looking at the ground, your feet will be hurt."

"I hope that you, together with your colleagues, will be of one mind to correct your sovereign, so that he may follow the ways of the former kings, tread in the footsteps of my high ancestor, and give repose to the millions of the people."

"Oh! Reverently regard this charge of mine; see that you bring it to a good end."

Yue replied to the king, saying: "Wood follows the plumb-line and becomes straight; the sovereign follows remonstrance and becomes sage. When the sovereign is sage, the ministers, without being commanded, will follow his lead. Who would dare not to respect the excellent charge of the king?"