The Announcement of Kang

After King Cheng had punished the Viscount of Guan and the Viscount of Cai, he enfeoffed the remaining people of Yin to the Prince of Kang, and thereupon made the "Announcement to the Prince of Kang," the "Announcement about Drunkenness," and the "Timber of the Zi Tree." (This paragraph is not in the original text.)

In the first month, at the time of the growing brightness of the moon, the Duke of Zhou began to build a new great city in the eastern region of Luo. The people from the four quarters greatly assembled in harmony; the states of Hou, Dian, Nan, as well as the territories of Cai, Wei, the various officers, and the people who had been moved, all came in submission to Zhou to pay court to those who held office. The Duke of Zhou diligently attended to everything, and thereupon issued a great announcement to govern.

The king spoke thus: "Marquis of Meng, my younger brother, little one Feng.

Your great and brilliant father, King Wen, was able to make his virtue illustrious and to be cautious in the use of punishments.

He did not dare to treat with contempt even widowers and widows. He employed those whom he ought to employ, respected those whom he ought to respect, awed those whom he ought to awe, and made illustrious the position of the people, and thus he began to establish our Hua-Xia. Together with the cultivation of one or two of our states, we in the western land relied on his shelter, and all this was heard by High God. High God approved, and Heaven thereupon gave the great appointment to King Wen, causing him to destroy the mighty Yin and to receive the vast decree of Heaven. As for the people of his state, they all attained order. Your few elder brothers exerted themselves to continue this, and therefore you, little one Feng, are placed in this eastern land."

The king said: "Oh, Feng, you must think on these things. Now the people will require you to reverently follow your father King Wen, to continue his fame, and to practice his virtuous words. You must go and widely seek the methods of the wise and enlightened kings of Yin's former dynasties, to use them in settling and governing the people. You must deeply consider the aged and virtuous men of Shang, to quiet your own mind, and to understand their instructions; moreover, seek the teachings transmitted from the ancient wise kings, to use them in settling and protecting the people. Extend your virtue so as to accord with the way of Heaven, and let virtue enrich your own person, then you will not be cast off in the king's appointment."

The king said: "Oh, little one Feng, regard the sufferings of the people as if they were a disease in your own body, be reverent! Heaven is to be feared; it assists the sincere. The feelings of the people can generally be seen, but the small people are difficult to preserve. Go and exert your heart to the utmost; do not seek ease and pleasure, and then you will be able to govern the people. I have heard that resentment does not lie in greatness nor in smallness; it depends on whether kindness is truly kindness, and whether encouragement is truly encouragement.

Well, you, little one, your duty lies in magnifying the king's appointment, in responding to and protecting the people of Yin, and also in helping the king to secure the decree of Heaven, and to instruct the new people."

The king said: "Oh, Feng, be intelligent and cautious in the execution of punishments. If a man commits a small crime, but it is not a mistake, and he has constantly done things contrary to the laws; though his crime be small, you cannot but put him to death. And if a man commits a great crime, but it is not his constant practice, and it is merely a mistake or calamity, happening thus accidentally; when you have fully investigated his case according to reason, such a man must not be put to death."

The king said: "Oh, Feng, in all affairs there must be order; this is the great brightness of the laws. Then the people will strive to be harmonious, as if a disease were removed; then the people will completely cast away their offenses. Like protecting an infant, the people will be settled and attain good government.

It is not for you, Feng, to punish or kill men at your own pleasure; therefore let no one be punished or killed. It is not for you, Feng, to say that you may cut off noses or ears; therefore let no one be subjected to such cuttings."

The king said: "In matters outside, you must set forth these laws to govern the multitudes. The punishments of Yin also have their principles."

He also said: "In trying prisoners, you must deliberate for five or six days, and even for ten days or three months, and then determine the difficult cases with great force."

The king said: "You set forth these laws in your administration, and in sentencing, you must follow the constant laws of Yin, using punishments that are fitting and executions that are fitting; do not follow only your own intentions, Feng. You must be extremely compliant, saying that thus there will be order; you must only speak of matters that are not yet fully settled.

Well, you, little one, do not think that you already have a heart like yours, Feng. My heart and my virtue are known only to you.

When the people themselves commit offenses, being robbers, plunderers, villains, and traitors, killing others for the sake of property, reckless and not fearing death, there is none who does not abhor them."

The king said: "Feng, the great evil-doers are most abhorred; how much more those who are unfilial and unfriendly? When a son does not reverently attend to his father's affairs, greatly wounding his father's heart; when a father cannot love his son, but rather hates him; when a younger brother does not regard the natural order shown by Heaven, and cannot respect his elder brother; when an elder brother also does not regard the pity due to the nurturing of the young, and is greatly unkind to his younger brother. Whenever such deplorable things occur, they are not merely offenses against me, the ruler, but the constant principles given by Heaven to my people are greatly obliterated and disordered. It should be said: You must promptly apply the punishments established by King Wen to punish such persons; they must not be pardoned.

If those who do not follow the great laws are like this, how much more so when the instructors among the outer sons, along with their chiefs, minor officers, and various subordinates, everywhere proclaim and seek great reputation among the people, without thinking or attending to their duties, causing their lord to be grieved and ill—this is leading to evil, and I abhor it. Well, you must promptly, according to this principle, put them to death according to the law.

There are also those who, being rulers or superiors, cannot govern their own families, their minor officers, or their outer-appointed chiefs, but only oppress and maltreat, greatly abandoning the king's appointment, and not using virtue to govern.

You must not fail to reverently observe the statutes, and thus use leniency toward the people. Follow King Wen's reverent caution and leniency toward the people, saying: If I can equal King Wen, then I, the one man, will rejoice."

The king said: "Feng, clearly lead the people to good fortune and peace. What I take as my model is the virtue of the wise and enlightened kings of Yin's former dynasties, to use it in settling and governing the people, as the standard to pursue. How much more so, now that the people are all capable of being led to the right path? If they are not led, there will be no government in the state."

The king said: "Feng, I cannot but take warning from former events, and tell you about the practice of virtue and the execution of punishments. Now the people are not yet settled; their hearts are not yet fixed; after being led many times, they are still not united. Clearly speaking, if Heaven punishes and destroys us, we cannot complain. For the offense does not lie in its greatness nor in its multitude; how much less when it will be conspicuously heard by Heaven?"

The king said: "Oh, Feng, be reverent! Do not create resentment; do not adopt things that are not according to plans or constant principles. In judging matters, rely on sincerity; greatly imitate the quick and intelligent virtue, to settle your heart, to think of your virtue, to plan far ahead, and to generously make the people peaceful; then the people will not reproach and destroy you."

The king said: "Oh, therefore, you, little one Feng, the decree of Heaven is not fixed forever. You must think on this; do not let my sacrifices be cut off. Make your appointment illustrious, and elevate your judgments, to settle and govern the people."

The king spoke thus: "Go, Feng. Do not neglect to reverently observe the statutes; listen to my admonitions, and then you will cause the people of Yin to enjoy peace for generations."