Wen Tao: The Balance of Fullness and Emptiness

King Wen asked Tai Gong:
"The world is in turmoil, sometimes thriving, sometimes declining, sometimes peaceful, sometimes chaotic. Why is this so? Is it due to the virtue or incompetence of the sovereign? Or is it the result of the natural cycles of Heaven’s Mandate?"

Tai Gong replied:
"If the sovereign is unvirtuous, the state will face peril and the people will rebel. If the sovereign is virtuous, the state will be stable and the people will submit. Thus, the fortune or misfortune of a kingdom lies in the virtue of its sovereign, not in the fluctuations of Heaven’s Mandate."

King Wen asked:
"Can you tell me of the deeds of virtuous sovereigns of antiquity?"

Tai Gong replied:
"In ancient times, Emperor Yao ruled the world, and all under Heaven praised him as a virtuous sovereign."

King Wen asked:
"How did he govern the state?"

Tai Gong replied:
"When Emperor Yao ruled, he did not adorn himself with gold, silver, pearls, or jade. He wore no embroidered silks, gazed upon no rare treasures, and cherished no ancient artifacts. He listened to no decadent music, plastered no palace walls, carved no beams or pillars, and let the weeds grow wild in his courtyards. He clothed himself in deerskin, covered his body with coarse cloth, ate plain grains, and drank simple broth. He never burdened the people with corvée labor that disrupted their farming or weaving. He restrained his desires, curbed his greed, and governed through non-action and tranquility. Officials who were loyal and law-abiding were promoted in rank; those who were honest and compassionate toward the people received increased salaries. Among the populace, those who honored elders and cherished the young were esteemed, while those who labored diligently in farming and sericulture were encouraged. He distinguished between good and evil, praised virtuous households, promoted fairness of heart, rectified moral integrity, and used laws to prohibit wickedness and deceit. Those he disliked, if they achieved merit, were still rewarded; those he favored, if they committed crimes, were punished. He provided for widowers, widows, orphans, and the childless, and aided families stricken by disaster. As for his own life, he lived with utmost frugality, imposing minimal taxes and light labor duties. Thus, the people of the world lived in prosperity and peace, free from hunger and cold. They revered him as they revered the sun and moon and drew close to him as they would to their own parents."

King Wen said:
"How magnificent were the virtues of Emperor Yao, the virtuous sovereign!"