139 Zennobling

A6.19|20|21

In the twenty-eighth year, the First Emperor traveled eastward to prefectures and counties and went up to Mount Zouyi. He had a stone set up and discussed with the Confucian scholars of Lu, the stone was carved to praise the virtues of Qin, and they further discussed the matter of zennobling (封禅fengshan) and worshiping mountains and rivers. Then he went up to Mount Tai, set up the stone, sealed it, and worshiped in the temple. On his way down, a storm came, he rested under a tree and then named the tree the Five Great Masters. He zennobled Mount Liangfu. The words engraved on the standing stone read:

When the emperor comes to the throne, he makes laws and regulations, and his subordinates revise them. After twenty and six years, when the world is united for the first time, and nobody dare to disobey. And he personally patrolled the people in distant places, climbed Mount Tai, and looked around to the East End. And he follows the ministers' deeds, stay focused on their careers, and only recite their merits. The way of governance is running things smoothly, and all productions are appropriate, and all follow their own laws. The great righteousness will never be forgotten, and it will be passed down to future generations. Follow it and don't abandon it. The emperor's obedience to the saints not only brought peace to the world but also made unremitting efforts to govern. He works hard from early morning till late night, builds long-term benefits and is especially good at teaching. The scriptures are taught and promulgated, and they are clear from far and near and inherit the holy will. There is a clear distinction between high and low, men and women are courteous, and they carefully obey their duties. The luminosity separates in or out, and the waste is never pure or clean.  These teachings are to be passed down to our heirs, who will extend it to infinity, abide by the edicts left behind, and uphold the precepts forever. 

The First Emperor then went eastward along the Bohai Sea, passed Huang and Shen, reached to the end of Chengshan Mountain, climbed Zhifu Mountain, erected a stone praising the merits of the Qin, then left.

二十八年，始皇东行郡县，上邹峄山。立石，与鲁诸儒生议，刻石颂秦德，议封禅望祭山川之事。乃遂上泰山，立石，封，祠祀。下，风雨暴至，休于树下，因封其树为五大夫。禅梁父。刻所立石，其辞曰：

皇帝临位，作制明法，臣下脩饬。二十有六年，初并天下，罔不宾服。亲巡远方黎民，登兹泰山，周览东极。从臣思迹，本原事业，祗诵功德。治道运行，诸产得宜，皆有法式。大义休明，垂于后世，顺承勿革。皇帝躬圣，既平天下，不懈于治。夙兴夜寐，建设长利，专隆教诲。训经宣达，远近毕理，咸承圣志。贵贱分明，男女礼顺，慎遵职事。昭隔内外，靡不清净，施于后嗣。化及无穷，遵奉遗诏，永承重戒。

于是乃并勃海以东，过黄、腄，穷成山，登之罘，立石颂秦德焉而去。