More from the Zhan Guo Ce
Feb. 25th, 2005 12:10 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
tylikCuo Ji was eight feet and more tall, his body and frame were outstandingly elegant. In the morning he donned his clothes and cap, and peeked in a mirror, saying to his wife: "Comparing me with Xu Gong of the northern part of the city, which is more beautiful?"
His wife said "Lord, you are beautiful in the extreme. How could Xu Gong measure up to you?" Xu Gong of the northern part of the city was the person who was refined and elegant of the State of Qi. Ji, not believing in himself then also asked his concubine, saying "Comparing me with Xu Gong, which is more beautiful?"
His concubine replied: "How could Xu Gong measure up to you?"
In the morning, a guest came from outside [far away]. They came together, sat, and talked, and he asked the guest about it, saying: "Comparing me with Xu Gong, which is more beautiful?"
The guest replied "Xu Gong is not as good as [does not measure up to] your beauty."
The next day, Xu Gong came. He (Ji) thoroughly examined him, and felt that he was not as good. He (Ji) peaked in his mirror, and to his self inspection his own degree of not being as good was extreme.
He went to bed, and thought about it. saying (to himself): my wife finds me beautiful because she is intimate with me. My concubine finds me beautiful because of her dread and awe of me. My guest finds me beautiful because there is a favor he wants to seek from me.
From them, he entered court to see King Wei, saying: "I, your humble vassal, trully know that I am not as beautiful as Xu Gong. My wife is intimate with me (partial to me). My concubine is in awe of me. My guest wants to seek a favor from me. The all, for these reasons, tell me I am beautiful compared to Xu Gong.
"Now the land of Qi there are a thousand li, and a hundred and twenty cities, palaces, wives, advisors, and among them no one is not partial to the King. In the court hall, no one is not in awe of the King. Inside the four boundaries, no one doesn't want to seek a favor from the King. Looking at it from this perspective, the King's being kept in the dark has become extreme."
The King said "Good." And then sent down orders to the assembled vassals and retainers that the people who could criticize the King's mistakes to his face would thereupon be given a high level reward. Those who sent up documents admonishing the King would be given a mid level reward. Those who vilify and criticise the King in the market so that it comes to the King's ears will be given a low level reward.
First, when the orders came down, the gathered vassals came to admonish him at the door, in the hall, and even in the market. After many months, the seasons passed after some years even those who wanted to speak lacked being able to go forward with it. [Because they had nothing to say.] Yen, Zhao, Han and Wei heard about it. They sought audience with Qi, for because of this they were terrified they would be conquered in the court hall.
His wife said "Lord, you are beautiful in the extreme. How could Xu Gong measure up to you?" Xu Gong of the northern part of the city was the person who was refined and elegant of the State of Qi. Ji, not believing in himself then also asked his concubine, saying "Comparing me with Xu Gong, which is more beautiful?"
His concubine replied: "How could Xu Gong measure up to you?"
In the morning, a guest came from outside [far away]. They came together, sat, and talked, and he asked the guest about it, saying: "Comparing me with Xu Gong, which is more beautiful?"
The guest replied "Xu Gong is not as good as [does not measure up to] your beauty."
The next day, Xu Gong came. He (Ji) thoroughly examined him, and felt that he was not as good. He (Ji) peaked in his mirror, and to his self inspection his own degree of not being as good was extreme.
He went to bed, and thought about it. saying (to himself): my wife finds me beautiful because she is intimate with me. My concubine finds me beautiful because of her dread and awe of me. My guest finds me beautiful because there is a favor he wants to seek from me.
From them, he entered court to see King Wei, saying: "I, your humble vassal, trully know that I am not as beautiful as Xu Gong. My wife is intimate with me (partial to me). My concubine is in awe of me. My guest wants to seek a favor from me. The all, for these reasons, tell me I am beautiful compared to Xu Gong.
"Now the land of Qi there are a thousand li, and a hundred and twenty cities, palaces, wives, advisors, and among them no one is not partial to the King. In the court hall, no one is not in awe of the King. Inside the four boundaries, no one doesn't want to seek a favor from the King. Looking at it from this perspective, the King's being kept in the dark has become extreme."
The King said "Good." And then sent down orders to the assembled vassals and retainers that the people who could criticize the King's mistakes to his face would thereupon be given a high level reward. Those who sent up documents admonishing the King would be given a mid level reward. Those who vilify and criticise the King in the market so that it comes to the King's ears will be given a low level reward.
First, when the orders came down, the gathered vassals came to admonish him at the door, in the hall, and even in the market. After many months, the seasons passed after some years even those who wanted to speak lacked being able to go forward with it. [Because they had nothing to say.] Yen, Zhao, Han and Wei heard about it. They sought audience with Qi, for because of this they were terrified they would be conquered in the court hall.
