The Announcement of the Duke of Shao

The Duke of Shao's Announcement

King Cheng was in Feng. He wished to establish a capital at Luo. He first sent the Duke of Shao to inspect the site and select the location. Thus was made "The Duke of Shao's Announcement."

After the sixteenth day of the second month, six days later, on the day Yiwei, the king went in the morning on foot from Hao to Feng.

The Grand Protector, the Duke of Shao, went ahead of the Duke of Zhou to the Luo region to inspect the site. On the third month, the third day, Bingwu, and after another three days, on Wushen, the Grand Protector arrived in the morning at Luo. He divined about the foundation for the capital. After obtaining a favorable omen from the divination, he began to plan and lay out the project.

After another three days, on Gengxu, the Grand Protector led the multitude of the remnant people of Yin and measured out the foundations on the bend of the Luo River. After another five days, on Jiayin, the measurement and planning of the foundations were completed.

On the next day, Yimao, the Duke of Zhou arrived in the morning at Luo. He then thoroughly inspected the construction work of the new capital.

After another three days, on Dingsi, a sacrifice was offered in the southern suburb, using two oxen. The next day, Wuwu, a sacrifice to the spirits of the land was offered in the new capital, using one ox, one sheep, and one pig.

After another seven days, on Jiazi, the Duke of Zhou in the morning issued a document, commanding the remnant people of Yin and the various lords of the Hou, Dian, and Nan domains.

After the command was issued, the remnant people of Yin all commenced the work on a large scale.

The Grand Protector then, together with the chiefs of the various states, went out and took gifts of jade and silk, and then entered and presented them to the Duke of Zhou, saying, "We bow and touch our heads to the ground. We make our declaration to the king and the Duke of Zhou, warning the remnant people of Yin and all your various officers of administration.

"Oh! The august God on High has changed his great son, even the mandate of this great Yin state. Now the king has received the mandate. There is infinite blessing, but also infinite anxiety. Oh! How can he but be cautious and reverent?

"God on High has already ended the mandate of this great Yin state. Many of the former wise kings of Yin are in heaven. When it came to their later kings and people, they received this mandate, but in the end, the wise hid themselves, while those who harmed the people were in power. The people, carrying their young, leading their wives, and bearing their children, wailed and cried to Heaven, cursing the Yin king as they fled, and seizing him when they caught him. Oh! God on High also pitied the people of the four quarters, and so he regarded with favor and encouraged those who were diligent. Let the king hasten to revere virtue.

"Examine the men of Xia in ancient times. Heaven guided them and blessed them. They examined the will of Heaven face to face, but now they have lost their mandate. Now examine the men of Yin. Heaven guided them and gave them peace. They examined the will of Heaven face to face, but now they have also lost their mandate.

"Now the young king has succeeded to the throne, yet he has not abandoned the old and virtuous ministers, saying, 'Let us examine the virtues of our ancients,' and moreover, 'Can we not seek counsel from Heaven?'

"Oh! Although the king is young, yet he is the Son of Heaven. If he can greatly and sincerely treat the small people, then all will be well now. The king dares not be slow, for he regards and fears the difficulty of governing the people.

"The king has come to succeed to the cause of God on High, and to personally administer the state in the center of the world. The Duke of Zhou said, 'We must build this great city, that from it we may be worthy of the august Heaven, and carefully sacrifice to the spirits of heaven and earth, and from it govern the people.' The king has already received the established decree. To govern the people—all will be well now.

"Let the king first govern the officers of administration of Yin, causing them to draw near and assist our officers of Zhou, restraining their natures, so that they may daily advance.

"Let the king reverently do what ought to be done. He must not be but reverent of virtue.

"We cannot but take warning from the Xia, nor can we but take warning from the Yin. I dare not say that when Xia received the mandate, it could last for many years. I dare not say that it could not last long. It was because they were not reverent of virtue that they early lost their mandate. I dare not say that when Yin received the mandate, it could last for many years. I dare not say that it could not last long. It was because they were not reverent of virtue that they early lost their mandate.

"Now the king has succeeded to their mandate. I, too, according to the mandate of these two states, succeed to their achievements. The king is just beginning to govern the state.

"Oh! It is like rearing a child. There is none who does not, at its beginning, preserve for himself a wise destiny. Now Heaven has conferred a wise destiny, has conferred good and evil, has conferred length of years. It knows that we are now just beginning to govern the state.

"Dwelling in the newly built capital, I hope the king will hasten to be reverent of virtue. The king must use virtue, seeking from Heaven a long-enduring mandate.

"I hope the king will not let the people go to excess in illegal practices, nor dare to use killing in governing. If the people can establish merit.

"I hope the king will take his stand in the foremost place of virtue, and the small people will imitate it throughout the empire. Thus the king will be illustrious.

"Let superiors and inferiors all be diligent and anxious, and then they will say, 'We have received the mandate, greatly like Xia in lasting many years, and without interruption like Yin in lasting many years.' I hope the king will rely on the small people to receive from Heaven a long-enduring mandate.

"We bow and touch our heads to the ground, saying, 'I, this small minister, dare, together with the king's good people, all gentlemen, and friendly people, to jointly preserve and receive the king's majestic commands and bright virtue. The king will finally have an established decree, and the king will also be illustrious. I dare not say that I am diligent, but only reverently present these gifts, to be used for the king's seeking from Heaven a long-enduring mandate.'"