Mencius. Book 1, Part 2, Chapter 1.
1. Chwang Paou, seeing Mencius, said to him, "I had an audience of the king. His Majesty told me that he loved music, and I was not prepared with anything to reply to him. What do you pronounce about that love of music?" Mencius replied, "If the king's love of music were very great, the kingdom of Ts'e would be near to a state of good government."
2. Another day, Mencius, having an audience of the king, said, "Your Majesty, I have heard, told the officer Chwang that you love music; ‹ was it so?" The king changed color, and said, "I am unable to love the music of the ancient sovereigns; I only love the music that suits the manners of the present age."
3. Mencius said, "If Your Majesty's love of music were very great, Ts'e would be near to state of good government! The music of the present day is just like the music of antiquity, in regard to effecting that."
4. The king said, "May I hear from you the proof of that?" Mencius asked, "Which is the more pleasant, ‹ to enjoy music by yourself alone, or to enjoy it along with others?" "To enjoy it along with others," was the reply. "And which is the more pleasant, ‹ to enjoy music along with a few, or to enjoy it along with many?" "To enjoy it along with many."
5. Mencius proceeded, "Your servant begs to explain what I have said about music to Your Majesty.
6. "Now, Your Majesty is having music here. The people hear the noise of your bells and drums, and the notes of your fifes and pipes, and they all, with aching heads, knit their brows, and say to one another, 'That's how our king likes his music! But why does he reduce us to this extremity of distress? Fathers and sons cannot see one another. Elder brothers and younger brothers, wives and children, are separated and scattered abroad. Now, Your Majesty is hunting here. The people hear the noise of your carriages and horses, and see the beauty of your plumes and streamers, and they all, with aching heads, knit their brows, and say to one another. 'That's how our king likes his hunting! But why does he reduce us to this extremity of distress? Fathers and sons cannot see one another. Elder brothers and younger brothers, wives and children, are separated and scattered abroad. Their feeling thus is from no other reason but that you do not give the people to have pleasure as well as yourself.
7. "Now, Your Majesty is having music here. The people hear the noise of your bells and drums, and the notes of your fifes and pipes, and they all, delighted, and with joyful looks, say to one another, 'That sounds as if our king were free from all sickness! If he were not, how could he enjoy this music?' Now, Your Majesty is hunting here. The people hear the noise of your carriages and horses, and see the beauty of your plumes and streamers, and they all, delighted, and with joyful looks, say to one another, 'That looks as if our king were free from all sickness! If he were not, how could he enjoy this hunting?' Their feeling thus is from no other reason but that you cause them to have their pleasure as you have yours.
8. "If Your Majesty now will make pleaure a thing common to the people and yourself, the imperial sway awaits you."
1. Chwang Paou, seeing Mencius, said to him, "I had an audience of the king. His Majesty told me that he loved music, and I was not prepared with anything to reply to him. What do you pronounce about that love of music?" Mencius replied, "If the king's love of music were very great, the kingdom of Ts'e would be near to a state of good government."
2. Another day, Mencius, having an audience of the king, said, "Your Majesty, I have heard, told the officer Chwang that you love music; ‹ was it so?" The king changed color, and said, "I am unable to love the music of the ancient sovereigns; I only love the music that suits the manners of the present age."
3. Mencius said, "If Your Majesty's love of music were very great, Ts'e would be near to state of good government! The music of the present day is just like the music of antiquity, in regard to effecting that."
4. The king said, "May I hear from you the proof of that?" Mencius asked, "Which is the more pleasant, ‹ to enjoy music by yourself alone, or to enjoy it along with others?" "To enjoy it along with others," was the reply. "And which is the more pleasant, ‹ to enjoy music along with a few, or to enjoy it along with many?" "To enjoy it along with many."
5. Mencius proceeded, "Your servant begs to explain what I have said about music to Your Majesty.
6. "Now, Your Majesty is having music here. The people hear the noise of your bells and drums, and the notes of your fifes and pipes, and they all, with aching heads, knit their brows, and say to one another, 'That's how our king likes his music! But why does he reduce us to this extremity of distress? Fathers and sons cannot see one another. Elder brothers and younger brothers, wives and children, are separated and scattered abroad. Now, Your Majesty is hunting here. The people hear the noise of your carriages and horses, and see the beauty of your plumes and streamers, and they all, with aching heads, knit their brows, and say to one another. 'That's how our king likes his hunting! But why does he reduce us to this extremity of distress? Fathers and sons cannot see one another. Elder brothers and younger brothers, wives and children, are separated and scattered abroad. Their feeling thus is from no other reason but that you do not give the people to have pleasure as well as yourself.
7. "Now, Your Majesty is having music here. The people hear the noise of your bells and drums, and the notes of your fifes and pipes, and they all, delighted, and with joyful looks, say to one another, 'That sounds as if our king were free from all sickness! If he were not, how could he enjoy this music?' Now, Your Majesty is hunting here. The people hear the noise of your carriages and horses, and see the beauty of your plumes and streamers, and they all, delighted, and with joyful looks, say to one another, 'That looks as if our king were free from all sickness! If he were not, how could he enjoy this hunting?' Their feeling thus is from no other reason but that you cause them to have their pleasure as you have yours.
8. "If Your Majesty now will make pleaure a thing common to the people and yourself, the imperial sway awaits you."
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Text source: The Works of Mencius. Translated by James Legge.
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