The Books of Chow

Book XIII: The Announcement Concerning Lo

The Announcement is a correspondence from the duke of Chow to the king regarding the results of the duke’s divinations regarding Lo. The king addresses the duke’s importance in governance and how he is to conduct the administration. At the end of the announcement, it is noted that the king, after inaugurating the government at Lo, returned to Ilaou and did not institute Lo as the capital after all.

[In the third month when the moon began to wane, the duke of Chow commenced the foundations and proceeded to build the new city at Lo of the eastern States. The people from every quarter assembled in great harmony. From the How, Teen, Nan, Ts’ae, and Wei domains the various officers stimulated this harmony of the people, and introduced them to the business there was for Chow. The duke of Chow encouraged them all to diligence, and made a great announcement about the execution of the works.]

The duke of Chow bowed his head to his hands and then to the ground, saying, “Herewith I report the execution of my commission to my son, my intelligent prince. The king appeared as if he would not presume to determine the founding and the fixing of our appointment by Heaven, whereupon I followed the Grand-Guardian, and made a great survey of this eastern region, with a view to found the place where he might become the intelligent sovereign of the people. On the day Yih-maou, in the morning, I came to the city of Lo. I first divined concerning the country about the Le water on the north of the Ho. I then divined concerning the east of the Keen water and the west of the Ch’en water, when the ground near the Lo was indicated. Again I divined concerning the east of the Ch’en water, and the ground near the Lo was likewise indicated. I now send a messenger with a map, and to present the divinations.”

The king bowed his face to his hands and his head to the ground, saying, “The duke has not dared but to acknowledge reverently the favour of Heaven, and has surveyed the locality to find where our Chow may respond to that favour. Having settled the locality, he has sent his messenger to come and show me the divinations, favourable and always auspicious. Let us two sustain the responsibilities in common. The duke has reverently acknowledged the favour of Heaven, making provision for me for myriads and tens of myriads of years. With my face to my hands and my head to the ground, I receive his instructive words.”

The duke of Chow said, “Let the king at first employ the ceremonies of Yin, and sacrifice in the new city, doing everything in an orderly way, but without any display. I will marshal all the officers to attend your majesty from Chow, merely saying that probably there will be business to be done.

“Let the king instantly give orders, saying, ‘Let those distinguished by merit be recorded; the most meritorious shall be the first in the sacrifices.’ Let him also command, saying, ‘You in whose behalf this order is given must give me your assistance with sincere earnestness.’ Freely display the record of merits, for it is you who must yourself in everything train the officers. My young son, can you indulge partiality? If you do so, the consequences hereafter will be like a fire, which, a spark at first, blazes up, and by-and-by cannot be extinguished.

“Let your observance of the constant rules of right and your soothing measures be like mine. Take only the officers that are in Chow to go to the new city; and make them there join their old associates. With intelligent vigour establish your merit, with a generous largeness richly completing the public manners: so shall you obtain an endless fame.”

The duke said, “Yes, young as you are, be it yours to complete the work of your predecessors. Cultivate the spirit of reverence, and you will know who among the princes sincerely present their offerings to you, and who do not. In those offerings there are many observances. If the observances are not equal to the articles, it must be said there is no offering. When there is no service of the will in the offerings of the princes, all the people will then say, ‘We need not be troubled about our offerings,’ and affairs will be disturbed by errors and usurpations.

“Do you, my young son, manifest everywhere my unwearied diligence, and listen to my instructions to you how to help the people to observe the constant rules of right. If you do not bestir yourself in these things, you will not be of long continuance. If you sincerely and fully carry out the course of your correct father, and follow exactly my example, there will be no venturing to disregard your orders. Go and be reverent. Henceforth I will study husbandry. There do you generously rule our people, and there is no distance from which they will not come to you.”

The king spoke to this effect: “O duke, you are the enlightener and sustainer of my youth. You have set forth great and illustrious virtues, that I, notwithstanding my youth, may display a brilliant merit like that of Wan and Woo; reverently respond to the favour of Heaven; harmonize and long preserve the people of all the regions, and settle their multitudes here; and that I may give due honour to the great ceremony of recording the most distinguished, regulating the order for the first places at the sacrifices, and doing everything in an orderly manner without display.

“But your virtue, O duke, shines brightly above and below, and is displayed actively throughout the four quarters. On every hand appears your deep reverence to secure the establishment of order, so that you fail in nothing of the earnest lessons of Wan and Woo. It is for me the youth only to attend reverently early and late to the sacrifices.”

The king said, “Great, O duke, has been your merit in helping and guiding me; let it ever continue so.”

The king said, “O duke, it is for me, the little child, to return to my throne in Chow, and I charge you, O duke, to remain behind. Order has been initiated throughout the four quarters of the empire; but the ceremonies to be honoured by general observance have not yet been settled, and I cannot look on your merit as completed. Commence on a great scale what is to be done by your remaining here, being an example to my officers, and greatly preserving the people whom Wan and Woo received: by your good government you will prove the help of the whole empire.”

The king said, “Remain, O duke. I will certainly go. Your meritorious deeds are devoutly acknowledged and reverently rejoiced in. Do not, O duke, occasion me this difficulty. I on my part will not be idle or tired in seeking the tranquility of the people; and let not the example which you have afforded be intermitted. So shall the whole empire enjoy for generations the benefits of your virtue.”

The duke of Chow bowed his face to his hands and his head to the ground, saying, “You have charged me, O king, to come here. I undertake the charge, and will protect the people whom your grandfather Wan received by decree, and whom your glorious and meritorious father Woo also so received. I will enlarge the reverence which I cherish for you.

“But, my son, come frequently and inspect this settlement. Pay great honour to old statutes, and to the good and wise men of Yin. Good government here will make you indeed the new chief of the empire, and an example of royal respectfulness to all your successors of Chow.” “From this time,” said the duke, “by the government administered in this central spot, all parts of the empire will be conducted to repose, and this will be the completion of your merit, O king.

“I, Tan, with the numerous officers and managers of affairs, will consolidate the achievements of our predecessors, in response to the hopes of the people. I will afford an example of sincerity to future ministers of Chow, seeking to render complete the pattern intended for the enlightenment of you, my son, and thus to carry fully out the virtue of your grandfather Wan.”

Afterwards, the duke of Chow took occasion to say, “The king has sent messengers to admonish the people of Yin, and with a soothing charge to me, along with two flagons of the black millet herb-flavoured spirit, saying, ‘Here is a pure sacrificial gift, which with my hands to my face and my head to the ground I offer for you to enjoy its excellence.’ I dare not keep this, and offer it in sacrifice to king Wan and king Woo.” In doing so, he prayed, “Let him be obedient to and observant of our coursed. Let him meet with no evil or sickness. Let him satisfy his descendants for myriads of years with your virtue. Let the people of Yin enjoy protracted prosperity.” He also said to the messengers, “The king has sent you to Yin, which has received his charges well ordered for myriads of years; but let the people ever have to observe the virtue cherished by my son.”

On the day Mow-shin, the king in the new city performed the annual winter sacrifice, offering a red bull to king Wan, and the same to king Woo. He then commanded a declaration to be prepared, which was done by Yih in the form of a prayer, and it simply announced the remaining behind of the duke of Chow. The king’s guests, on occasion of the killing the victims and offering the sacrifice, all made their appearance. The king entered the grand apartment, and poured out the libation.

The king charged the duke of Chow to remain, and Yih, the preparer of the document, made the declaration; all in the 12^th month.

Then the duke of Chow greatly sustained the decree which Wan and Woo had received, through the space of seven years.