192 t h e a n n a l s o f k i n g t’a e j o
“Can you say that the officials of the former dynasty who were exiled had
all committed unpardonable crimes? Now I intend to relieve their bitterness
and resentment by sending those who committed serious crimes into exile,
but to any place outside of the capital that they choose, and also those who
committed lesser crimes to any place they choose, whether it be the capital
or local districts. A distinction should be made between those who belong
to the royal family of the former dynasty and those who do not. I want you
to submit a report on it.
“1. From the officials of the Privy Council and the Censorate internally,
and from military commissioners and surveillance commissioners down to
the local magistrates externally, everyone should constantly take care of the
people, and that leads to governing the people benevolently.
“At a time when the dynasty is newly founded and the laws are not fully
prepared, how can you suddenly straighten out a custom by using trivial
matters? At a time when we try to start afresh by correcting the mistakes in
the past, how can you continue to blame what has already happened?
“Confucius said, ‘If one does not keep the former wickedness of men in
mind, the resentments directed towards them are few.’^43 He also said, ‘He
with whom neither soaking slander nor startling statements are successful
may be called far-seeing.’^44 Accusations brought against others and serious
matters such as treason will be accepted if they are personally brought by
the parties concerned, but accusations based on rumors should be rejected
because they can be the main causes of troubles, and those who violate this
injunction will be punished.
“If anyone—starting from the sons of the royal families to high- and low-
ranking officials, scholars, and commoners—commits crimes, he will be
strictly punished, with no exception.
“1. When the sage kings in olden days governed the people, they gave
special priorities to looking after the poor people, including widows, widow-
ers, orphans, and the childless elderly. Whenever there is a need to mobilizecensor to expedite the process of rewarding the others. Then those who were unsettled said to
themselves, “If Yong Chi got to be a marquis, I have no worries.”- Confucius made this remark when he spoke of Bo Yi and Shu Qi, the famous recluses
who chose to starve to death rather than join the new regime of King Wu, who rose against the
Shang dynasty. According to the Analects, he said, “Bo Yi and Shu Qi did not keep the former
wickedness of men in mind, and hence the resentments directed towards them were few.”
(Gongye Chang, Book V, chap. xxii; Legge, p. 181) - Analects, Yan Yuan, Chap VI. (Legge, p. 253)