39 Yiyin and Birds

A3.5|6

Yiyin's name was A-Heng. He wanted to meet Tang but had no opportunity to do so, he therefore became a cook as one of the servants accompanying the princess of Youxin, Tang’s bride. While servicing dishes, by talking about the taste, he urged Tang to perfect himself in the way of the ancient kings. And there were also some saying, that when he was living in seclusion, Tang sent for him five times before he okayed it, and he preached about the matters connected with the ten different kinds of previous rulers. Tang promoted him to the administration of the country’s affairs. But he left Tang and went to Xia. And after having observed the ugliness of the Xia Dynasty, Yiyin returned to Bo. On his entry through the north gate of the city, he met with two ministers of Tang by the name of Nujiu and Nufang, and so the “Nujiu” and “Nufang” were written.

Tang went out and saw the followings, some hunters in the wild were setting up nets in four directions and praying all the prey from all directions enter the nets. Tang said: "Oh, no! That way you will catch them all!" So he had the nets in three directions removed and prayed: "If you want to go to the left, go left. If you want to go to the right, go right. Only those who disobey will enter my net." The princes heard of it and were touched by it, they were all saying: "Tang's virtue has reached the highest level, and even birds and beasts get to enjoy his blessings."

伊尹名阿衡。阿衡欲奸汤而无由，乃为有莘氏媵臣，负鼎俎，以滋味说汤，致于王道。或曰，伊尹处士，汤使人聘迎之，五反然后肯往从汤，言素王及九主之事。汤举任以国政。伊尹去汤適夏。既丑有夏，复归于亳。入自北门，遇女鸠、女房，作女鸠女房。

汤出，见野张网四面，祝曰：“自天下四方皆入吾网。”汤曰：“嘻，尽之矣！”乃去其三面，祝曰：“欲左，左。欲右，右。不用命，乃入吾网。”诸侯闻之，曰：“汤德至矣，及禽兽。”

38 Cheng Tang

A3.3|4

So Tang settled down, from Qi to Tang, the capital had changed eight times. Tang was the first to dwell in Bo, where Emperor Ku had it as the capital, and hence he wrote the Emperor's Announcement.

Tang started with the expeditions against the princes of Xia. The neighboring chief of Ge was not willing to offer the proper sacrifices, thus Tang began the conquest. Tang said: “you see your own reflection when looking at the water, and you know if you are capable of governing or not just by observing your own people.” Yiyin said: “ It is clear that one may offer oneself as the ruler if one listen to the reason and follow up accordingly. How is people’s well-being entirely depends on the sovereign. Work hard and work hard!' Tang said: “If you don't respect my command, the extreme penalty will find you. No exception!” And Tang’s Expeditions was written.

成汤，自契至汤八迁。汤始居亳，从先王居，作帝诰。

汤征诸侯。葛伯不祀，汤始伐之。汤曰：“予有言：人视水见形，视民知治不。”伊尹曰：“明哉！言能听，道乃进。君国子民，为善者皆在王官。勉哉，勉哉！”汤曰：“汝不能敬命，予大罚殛之，无有攸赦。”作汤征。