"
Mencius had an interview with King Seang[2] of Leang. When he came out
he said to some persons, "When I looked at him from a distance, he did
not appear like a ruler; when I drew near to him, I saw nothing
venerable about him. Abruptly he asked me, 'How can the kingdom, all
under the sky, be settled?' I replied, 'It will be settled by being
united under one sway,'
"'Who can so unite it?' he asked.
"I replied, 'He who has no pleasure in killing men can so unite it.'
"'Who can give it to him?' he asked.
"I replied, 'All under heaven will give it to him. Does your Majesty
know the way of the growing grain? During the seventh and eighth months,
when drought prevails, the plants become dry. Then the clouds collect
densely in the heavens, and send down torrents of rain, so that the grain
erects itself as if by a shoot. When it does so, who can keep it back?
Now among those who are shepherds of men throughout the kingdom, there
is not one who does not find pleasure in killing men. If there were one
who did not find pleasure in killing men, all the people under the sky
would be looking towards him with outstretched necks. Such being indeed
the case, the people would go to him as water flows downwards with a
rush, which no one can repress."
King Seuen of Ts'e asked, saying, "May I be informed by you of the
transactions of Hwan of Ts'e and Wan of Ts'in?"
Mencius replied, "There were none of the disciples of Chung-ne who spoke
about the affairs of Hwan and Wan, and therefore they have not been
transmitted to these after-ages; your servant has not heard of them.
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