The Books of Chow

Book XII: The Announcement of the Duke of Shaou

Shaou is a region within the imperial domain ruled by Shih, the “Great-Guardian” and one of the “three dukes” (the highest officers of the dynasty). One of the most important enterprises of the duke of Chow was to build the city of Lo and establish it as the capital of the empire. The Announcement contains the plans and details for building Lo and the importance for the proper governing of it. As long as Shih maintains the important virtue of reverence, the people of Lo will love and support the Chow dynasty and “Heaven will smile upon and sustain it.”

In the second month, on the day Yih-we, six days after the full moon, the king early in the morning proceeded from Chow, and came to Fung. Thence the Grand-guardian went before the duke of Chow to inspect the localities, and in the third month, on the day Mow-shin, the third day after the first appearance of the new moon on Ping-woo, came in the morning to Lo. He consulted the tortoise about the localities, and having obtained favourable indications, he set about laying out the plans. On Kang-suh, the third day after, he led the people of Yin to prepare the various sites on the north of the Lo; and this work was completed on the fifth day, Kea-yin.

The day following, being the day Yih-maou, the duke of Chow came in the morning to Lo, and thoroughly surveyed the plans for the new city. On Ting-sze, the third day after, he offered two bulls as victims in the suburbs; and on the morrow, Mow-woo, at the altar to the spirit of the land in the new city, he sacrificed a bull, a goat, and a pig. After seven days, on Kea-tsze, in the morning, from his written specifications he gave their several charges to the people of Yin, and to the chiefs of the States from the How, Teen, and Nan tenures. When the people of Yin had thus received their orders, they arose with vigour to do their work.

The Great-guardian then went out with the hereditary princes of the various States to bring their offerings; and when he entered again, he gave them to the duke of Chow, saying, “With my head in my hands and bowed to the ground, I present these before the king and your Grace. Announcements for the instruction of the multitudes of Yin must come from you with whom is the management of affairs.

“Oh! God dwelling in the great heavens has changed his decree in favour of his eldest son, and this great dynasty of Yin. Our king has received that decree. Unbounded is the happiness connected with it, and unbounded is the anxiety: Oh! how can he be other than reverent?

“When Heaven rejected and made an end of the decree in favour of the great State of Yin, there were many of the former intelligent kings of Yin in heaven. The king, however, who had succeeded to them, the last of their race, from the time of his entering into their appointment, proceeded in such a way as at last to keep the wise in obscurity and the vicious in office. The poor people in such a case, carrying their children and leading their wives, made their moan to Heaven. They even fled away, but were apprehended again. Oh! Heaven had compassion on the people of the four quarters; its favouring decree lighted on our earnest founders. Let the king sedulously cultivate the virtue of reverence.

“Examining the men of antiquity, there was the founder of the Hea dynasty. Heaven guided his mind, allowed his descendants to succeed him, and protected them. He acquainted himself with Heaven, and was obedient. But in process of time the decree in his favour fell to the ground. So also when we examine the case of Yin. Heaven guided its founder, so that he corrected the errors of Shang, and it protected his descendants. He also acquainted himself with Heaven and was obedient. But now the decree in favour of him has fallen to the ground. Our king has now come to the throne in his youth: let him not slight the aged and experienced, for it may be said of them that they have studied the virtuous conduct of our ancient worthies, and still more, that they have matured their plans in the light of Heaven.

“Oh! although the king is young, yet is he the eldest son of Heaven. Let him but effect a great harmony with the people, and that will be the blessing of the present time. Let not the king presume to be remiss in this, but continually regard and stand in awe of the perilousness of the people.

“Let the king come here as the vicegerent of God, and undertake himself the duties of government in the center of the land. Tan said, ‘Now that this great city has been built, from henceforth he may be the mate of great Heaven; from henceforth he may reverently sacrifice to the upper and lower spirits; from henceforth he may in this central spot administer successful government.’ Thus shall the king enjoy the favouring regard of Heaven all complete, and the government of the people will now be prosperous.

“Let the king first bring under his influence the managers of affairs of Yin, associating them with the managers of affairs of our dynasty of Chow. This will regulate their perverted natures, and they will make daily advancement.

“Let the King make reverence the resting-place of his mind. He may not but maintain the virtue of reverence.

“We should by all means survey the dynasties of Hea and Yin. I do not presume to know and say, ‘The dynasty of Hea was to enjoy the favouring decree of Heaven for so many years,’ nor do I presume to know and say, ‘It could not continue longer.’ The fact was simply that, for want of the virtue of reverence, the decree in its favour prematurely fell to the ground. Similarly, I do not presume to know and say, ‘The dynasty of Yin was to enjoy the favouring decree of Heaven for so many years,’ nor do I presume to say, ‘It could not continue longer.’ The fact simply was that, for want of the virtue of reverence, the decree in its favour prematurely fell to the ground. The king has now inherited the decree, the same decree, I consider, which belonged to those two dynasties. Let him seek to inherit the virtues of their meritorious sovereigns; especially at this commencement of his duties.

“Oh! it is as on the birth of a son, when all depends on the training of his early life, through which he may secure his wisdom in the future, as if it were decreed to him. Now Heaven may have decreed wisdom to our king; it may have decreed good fortune or bad; it may have decreed a long course of years: we only know that now is with him the commencement of his duties.

“Dwelling in the new city, let the king now sedulously cultivate the virtue of reverence. When he is all-devoted to this virtue, he may pray to Heaven for a long-abiding decree in his favour.

“In the position of king, let him not, because of the excesses of the people in violation of the laws, presume also to rule by the violent infliction of death. When the people are regulated gently, the merit of government is seen. It is for him who is in the position of king to overtop all with his virtue. In this case the people will imitate him throughout the whole empire, and the king will become more illustrious.

“Let the king and his ministers labour with a common anxiety, saying, ‘We have received the decree of Heaven, and it shall be great as the long-continued years of Hea, it shall not fail of the long-continued years of Yin.’ I wish the king through the inferior people to receive the long-abiding decree of Heaven.”

The duke of Shaou then did obeisance with his head to his hands and bowed to the ground, and said, “I, a small minister, presume with the king’s heretofore hostile people, with all his officers, and his loyal friendly people, to maintain and receive his majesty’s dread command and brilliant virtue. That the king should finally obtain the decree all-complete, and that he should become illustrious, this I dare not to labour about. I only respectfully bring these offerings to present to his Majesty, to assist in his prayers to Heaven for its long-abiding decree.’”