206 t h e a n n a l s o f k i n g t’a e j o
“As you know, the ruler’s mind is the foundation of governance. If his
mind is straight, everything will become straight, and if it is not, it will be
susceptible to all kinds of greed. Therefore, the ruler cannot afford to neglect
the study of nourishing and examining his own mind. Emperor Shun’s fear
combined with prudence and the attitude of King Tang [of Shang] and King
Wen [of Zhou], marked by extreme anxiety and cautiousness, are the real
source of the peace and well-being of the world. If the ruler, on the other
hand, finds flattery more palatable to his tastes, people such as Kong Guang
and Zhang Yu^68 will appear, and consequently he will let himself grow
slack. If he adores Daoist hermits, people such as Wen Cheng and Wu Li^69
will appear, and consequently he will grow dissolute in his thinking day by
day. If this is true, he who rules over the people cannot help thinking about
cultivating his mind.
“The ancient scholar Zhen Dexiu wrote the Extended Meaning of the Great
Learning and presented it to the emperor during the royal lecture. The book
starts with the ways of the ruler who governs the people and the state, and
next addresses self-cultivation through studies, which the author believes to
be central for the accomplished ruler, but all these things originally start
from the ruler’s body and mind. This is the main idea of the book.
“The book first discusses the ways of a king, of recognizing men of talent,
of scrutinizing the affairs of state for making priorities, and of inspecting
the real situation of the people, which all have to do with ‘extending knowl-
edge to the utmost through the investigation of things’ (kyŏngmul ch’iji).
“Next, the book talks about being respectful and reverent, while admon-
ishing against indulging in pleasure, which are related to being sincere in
thoughts and the rectification of hearts (sŏngŭi chŏngsim).
“Next, the book focuses on discretion in words and action and carry-
ing this out in accordance with propriety, which concerns the way of self-
cultivation (susin).
“Next, the book discusses the ruler’s way of managing his affairs,
including the love for his spouse, regulating his royal family, establishing
his heir, and admonishing his relatives, which have to do with regulating his
family prior to making the state well ordered.
“What follow next are little subjects. The book places the admonitions of
the sages in the front and then the details of the things, old and new, that the
ruler should know and put into practice.- The officials of Han during the reign of Emperor Cheng.
- Daoist hermits of Han during the reign of Emperor Wu.