Opening Trunks

Opening Trunks

In preparing against thieves who rummage through bags, reach into pockets, and break open chests, it is surely necessary to secure the fastenings and cords, and to strengthen the locks and bolts—this is what the world calls wisdom. But when a great thief arrives, he will shoulder the chest, hoist up the bag, and bear off the sack, hastening away, fearing only that the cords, fastenings, locks, and bolts may not be secure enough. So then, what was previously called wisdom—is it not merely accumulating things for the great thief?

Let us try to examine this: among those the world calls wise, are there any who do not accumulate things for the great thief? Among those the world calls sage, are there any who do not stand guard for the great thief? How do we know this is so? In former times, in the state of Qi, neighboring towns could be seen from one another, the sounds of chickens and dogs carried back and forth, the nets and traps were spread across the land, the plows and hoes tilled the soil, for a territory of over two thousand li in all directions. Within the borders of the entire realm, in establishing the ancestral temples and altars of earth and grain, in governing the cities, villages, districts, neighborhoods, and rural hamlets—who did not model himself on the sages? Yet Tian Chengzi one day slew the lord of Qi and stole his state. Did he steal only the state itself? He stole it together with the sage wisdom and laws that governed it. Thus Tian Chengzi had the name of a thief and a robber, yet he enjoyed the security of a Yao or a Shun. Small states dared not condemn him; great states dared not punish him. His family held the state of Qi for twelve generations—is this not a case of stealing the state of Qi, along with its sage wisdom and laws, to safeguard his own thieving person?

Let us try to examine this: among those the world calls supremely wise, are there any who do not accumulate things for the great thief? Among those the world calls supremely sage, are there any who do not stand guard for the great thief? How do we know this is so? In former times, Longfeng was beheaded, Bigan was disemboweled, Changhong was ripped open, and Zixu was dissolved. Thus, for all the worthiness of these four men, their persons could not escape execution. Once, a follower of Zhi asked Zhi, "Do robbers have a Way too?" Zhi said, "Where can one go without a Way? To guess what is stored in a house is sagacity; to be the first to enter is courage; to be the last to leave is righteousness; to know whether an undertaking is feasible or not is wisdom; to divide the spoils equitably is benevolence. Without all five qualities, no one in the world could become a great robber." From this we see that if good people fail to attain the Way of the sages, they cannot stand firm; if Zhi fails to attain the Way of the sages, he cannot carry out his designs. In the world, good people are few and bad people are many; thus what the sages bring to the benefit of the world is small, and what they bring to its harm is great. Therefore it is said: "When the lips are gone, the teeth grow cold. When Lu's wine grew thin, Handan was besieged. When the sages are born, great robbers arise."

Smash the sages, let the thieves and robbers go free, and the world will begin to be well ordered. When a river runs dry, a valley is emptied; when a hill is leveled, a pond is filled. When the sages are dead, great robbers will not arise, and the world will be at peace with nothing amiss. If the sages do not die, great robbers will not cease. Though one exalts the sages in order to govern the world, this is merely increasing the profits of Zhi the Robber. If you create pecks and bushels to measure things, then you will steal the pecks and bushels along with the things. If you create balances and scales to weigh things, then you will steal the balances and scales along with the things. If you create tallies and seals to ensure trustworthiness, then you will steal the tallies and seals along with the trust. If you create benevolence and righteousness to correct the world, then you will steal benevolence and righteousness along with them. How do we know this is so? Those who steal a hook are executed; those who steal a state become lords of the domains. Yet within the gates of the lords of the domains, benevolent and righteous men are said to dwell—is this not stealing benevolence, righteousness, sagacity, and wisdom? Thus those who pursue great robbers, who lord it over the domains, who steal benevolence and righteousness along with the advantages of pecks, bushels, weights, balances, tallies, and seals—though you offer the rewards of carriages and crowns, you cannot persuade them; though you threaten the axes and executioners, you cannot restrain them. This, which so greatly increases the profits of Zhi the Robber and cannot be stopped, is the fault of the sages. Therefore it is said: "Fish must not be removed from the deep waters; the sharp instruments of a state must not be displayed to others."

Those sages are the sharp instruments of the world, and are not things to be displayed to the world. Therefore, cast away sageliness and discard wisdom, and great robbers will cease; throw down jade and destroy pearls, and petty thieves will not arise; burn the tallies and break the seals, and the people will become simple and unadorned; smash the pecks and snap the balances, and the people will no longer contend; destroy and demolish the laws of the world, and the people can begin to be discussed with. Uproot and confuse the six pitches, melt down and destroy the pipes and lutes, plug the ears of Music Master Kuang, and then for the first time the people of the world will hold fast to their own keenness of hearing. Eradicate patterns and scatter the five colors, glue the eyes of Li Zhu shut, and then for the first time the people of the world will hold fast to their own keenness of sight. Destroy and discard the marking lines and the compass and square, break the fingers of Artisan Chui, and then for the first time the people of the world will possess their own skill. Therefore it is said: "The greatest skill seems like clumsiness." Cut away the conduct of Zeng and Shi, silence the mouths of Yang and Mo, cast out benevolence and righteousness, and then for the first time the Virtue of the world will arrive at mysterious unity. If the people hold fast to their own keenness of sight, the world will not be dazzled. If they hold fast to their own keenness of hearing, the world will not be burdened. If they hold fast to their own wisdom, the world will not be confused. If they hold fast to their own Virtue, the world will not go astray. Those men—Zeng, Shi, Yang, Mo, Music Master Kuang, Artisan Chui, and Li Zhu—all established their virtue outwardly and thereby dazzled and confused the world. This is of no use to the law.

Are you alone unacquainted with the age of supreme Virtue? In ancient times there were the Rongcheng, the Daiting, the Bohuang, the Zhongyang, the Lilu, the Lichu, the Xuanyuan, the Huxi, the Zunlu, the Zhurong, the Fuxi, and the Shennong. In those times, the people knotted cords to serve their needs. They found their food sweet, their clothing beautiful, their customs joyful, and their dwellings contenting. Neighboring states could be seen from one another, and the sounds of chickens and dogs carried back and forth, yet the people grew old and died without ever visiting one another. If an age like this could be achieved, that would be supreme order. But now it has come to the point where people crane their necks and lift their heels, saying, "In such and such a place there is a worthy man," and then pack provisions and hasten to him. At home, they abandon their parents; abroad, they desert the affairs of their lord. Their footprints press into the borders of the domains, and the tracks of their carts extend a thousand miles beyond. This is the fault of those above who prize wisdom.

If those in high positions truly delight in cleverness and yet lack the Way, then the Great Order of the world will be thrown into chaos. How do I know this to be so? When knowledge of bows, crossbows, bird nets, and traps of all kinds abounds, then the birds above are thrown into chaos. When knowledge of hooks, baits, nets, weirs, and fish traps abounds, then the fish in the water are thrown into chaos. When knowledge of snares, pitfall traps, and animal nets abounds, then the beasts in the marshes are thrown into chaos. When knowledge of deceitful cunning, of slippery sophistries, of "hard and white" disputations, and of "same and different" quibbles abounds, then the common people are confused by disputation. Thus, whenever the world falls into great disorder, the fault lies in the fondness for cleverness. Therefore, all in the world know to seek what they do not know, yet none know to seek what they already know. All know to condemn what they deem wrong, yet none know to condemn what they have already deemed right. This is why disorder arises. Thus, above, the brightness of the sun and moon is obscured; below, the essence of the mountains and rivers is consumed; and between, the orderly progression of the four seasons is disrupted. Even the wriggling and crawling creatures, the winged and leaping beings—all lose their inborn nature. How extreme is the disorder that the fondness for cleverness brings upon the world! This has been the case ever since the times of the Three Dynasties and below! They abandon the simple, contented people and delight in the toadyish flatterers. They cast aside tranquility and non-action and delight in the fussy, meddlesome scheming. The scheming has already thrown the world into chaos!