| | 來民: |
地，方百里者：山陵處什一，藪澤處什一，谿谷流水處什一，都市蹊道處什一，惡田處什二，良田處什四，以此食作夫五萬。其山陵藪澤谿谷可以給其材，都邑蹊道足以處其民，先王制土分民之律也。 |
| Encouragement of Immigration:...: |
In a territory of a hundred square li, a tenth should be occupied by mountains and hills, a tenth by glades and morasses, a tenth by valleys, dales, and running water, a tenth by cities, towns, and highways, a tenth by barren fields, and four-tenths by fertile fields. In this way 50,000 workmen can be fed; those mountains and hills, glades and morasses, valleys and dales, are able to provide the required material, and the cities, towns and highways are sufficient to accommodate the people concerned. This was the proportion according to which the early kings regulated the land and divided the people. |
| | 來民: |
今秦之地，方千里者五，而穀土不能處什二，田數不滿百萬，其藪澤谿谷名山大川之材物貨寶，又不盡為用，此人不稱土也。秦之所與鄰者，三晉也；所欲用兵者，韓魏也。彼土狹而民眾，其宅參居而并處，其賓萌賈息。民上無通名，下無田宅，而恃姦務末作以處。人之復陰陽澤水者過半。此其土之不足以生其民也，似有過秦民之不足以實其土也。 |
| Encouragement of Immigration:...: |
Now, the territory of Qin comprises five times a thousand square li, but the soil fit for growing corn cannot occupy more than two-fifths. The area of the fields does not come up to a million mu, and the produce and treasures of its glades and morasses, of its valleys and dales, and of its famous mountains and big rivers, are also incompletely utilized. This means that the population is illproportioned to the territory. The neighbours of Qin are the three Jin states, and of these Han and Wei are fond of employing soldiers. Their territory is narrow, but their population is numerous; their dwellings are built higgledy-piggledy, and they live close together; their grain production is small, and merchants charge interest. The people on the one hand do not have their names registered and on the other hand have no fields or houses, so that for subsistence they rely on evil occupations and pursuits of minor importance, with the result that those who are exempt from taxation because they live in steep and inaccessible places, in morasses and by streams, are more than a half of the population. Therefore, it would appear that a condition where the territory is not sufficient to support the population is still worse than that where, as in the case of Qin, the population is insufficient to fill the territory. |
| | 來民: |
意民之情，其所欲者，田宅也；而晉之無有也信，秦之有餘也必，如此而民不西者，秦士戚而民苦也。臣竊以王吏之明為過見，此其所以弱。不奪三晉民者，愛爵而重復也。其說曰：「三晉之所以弱者，其民務樂而復爵輕也。秦之所以強者，其民務苦而復爵重也。今多爵而久復，是釋秦之所以強，而為三晉之所以弱也。」此王吏重爵愛復之說也，而臣竊以為不然。夫所以為苦民而強兵者，將以攻敵而成所欲也。兵法曰：「敵弱而兵強。」此言不失吾所以攻，而敵失其所守也。今三晉不勝秦四世矣，自魏襄以來，野戰不勝，守城必拔，小大之戰，三晉之所亡於秦者，不可勝數也。若此而不服，秦能取其地，而不能奪其民也。 |
| Encouragement of Immigration:...: |
In reflecting upon the nature of the people, what they desire are fields and houses. Now, whereas it is probable that these are what Jin does not have, it is beyond doubt that Qin has them in surplus. If, this being so, people do not, nevertheless, come west, it is because the soldiers of Qin are in sad plight and the people suffer hardships. I venture to think that the intelligence of Your Majesty's officials takes a mistaken view: that is, the reason why we remain weak and do not succeed in enticing the people of the three Jin states, is that we are sparing in granting titles and regard the exemption from taxes as a serious matter. They argue as follows: 'The three Jin states are weak because their people are concerned with pleasure and because exemptions and rank are treated lightly. Qin, on the other hand, is strong because its people are concerned with hard work, and exemptions and the conferment of rank are treated seriously; should we now confer many titles and grant exemptions from taxation for long periods, then we should be letting go of the principle by which Qin has become strong and should be doing exactly that which has made the Jin states weak.' This is the argument that causes Your Majesty's officials to regard the conferring of titles as a serious matter, and to be sparing in the granting of exemptions from taxation. I venture, however, to think that this is wrong. The object in causing the people hardship and in strengthening the army is to attack the enemy and to realize one's desires. The "Art of War" says: "If the enemy is weak, the army is strong." This expression means that one does not fail in attack, but the enemy fails in defence. Now for four generations the Jin states have gained no victory over Qin. Since the time of King Xiang of Wei, the times that the three Jin states have been defeated by Qin, in small or big battles, in open battle or in storming defended cities, have been innumerable. The reason that in spite of this they do not submit to Qin is that Qin has been able to conquer their territory, but unable to captivate their people. |
| | 來民: |
今王發明惠，諸侯之士來歸義者，今使復之三世，無知軍事。秦四境之內，陵阪丘隰不起十年征，著於律也，足以食作夫百萬。曩者臣言曰：「意民之情，其所欲者，田宅也；晉之無有也信，秦之有餘也必，若此而民不西者，秦士戚而民苦也。」今利其田宅，復之三世。此必與其所欲，而不使行其所惡也。然則山東之民無不西者矣。且直言之謂也；不然，夫實曠虛，出天寶，而百萬事本，其所益多也，豈徒不失其所以攻乎？ |
| Encouragement of Immigration:...: |
Now, if Your Majesty will issue a favourable proclamation to the effect that those soldiers of the various feudal lords who will come and submit, will be granted exemption for three generations, without hearing anything of military affairs, and that those who live within the four boundaries of Qin, in the mountains and on the slopes, on hills and in marshes, will not be called upon for ten years for military service, and if this is made clear in the law, it will be possible to create a million workers. I have said before: 'In reflecting upon the nature of the people, what they desire are fields and houses. Now, whereas it is probable that Jin does not have these, it is certain that Qin has them in surplus. If in spite of this the people do not migrate westward, it is because the soldiers of Qin are in sore plight, and the people suffer hardships.' Now, if they are benefited with land and houses, and exemption from taxes for three generations is granted them, that is, if a point is made of giving them what they desire and of not causing them to perform what they dislike, then all the people from east of the mountains will migrate westward. Moreover, to state the case frankly: if You do not act thus, You may fill the empty and waste lands and produce natural wealth, so that a million people are engaged in the fundamental occupation, and the benefits will be manifold, but how will You prevent the soldiers from failing in their attacks? |
| | 來民: |
夫秦之所患者，興兵而伐，則國家貧；安居而農，則敵得休息，此王所不能兩成也。故四世戰勝，而天下不服。今以故秦事敵，而使新民作本，兵雖百宿於外，境內不失須臾之時，此富強兩成之效也。 |
| Encouragement of Immigration:...: |
Indeed, the trouble with Qin is, on the one hand, that if it raises soldiers and wages war, the country is poor, and on the other hand, if it remains quiet and farms, the enemy obtains respite. Your Majesty cannot combine success in these two fields. So, although for three generations it has waged successful wars, yet it has not subjected the empire. Now, if the old population of Qin are engaged in warfare, and if the newcomers are caused to occupy themselves with agriculture, then even though the army may stay a hundred days outside the frontier, within the borders not a moment will be lost for agriculture. Thus You may be successful both in enriching and in becoming strong. |
| | 來民: |
臣之所謂兵者，非謂悉興盡起也；論境內所能給軍卒車騎，令故秦兵，新民給芻食。天下有不服之國，則王以此春違其農，夏食其食，秋取其刈，冬凍其葆。以大武搖其本，以廣文安其嗣。王行此十年之內，諸侯將無異民，而王何為愛爵而重復乎！周軍之勝，華軍之勝，秦斬首而東之。東之，無益亦明矣；而吏猶以為大功，為其損敵也。今以草茅之地，徠三晉之民，而使之事本。此其損敵也，與戰勝同實，而秦得之以為粟，此反行兩登之計也。 |
| Encouragement of Immigration:...: |
When I speak of soldiers, I do not mean that all should be raised and mobilized to the last man, but according to the number of armies, soldiers, chariots and cavalry that can be furnished within the territory, cause the old population of Qin to serve as soldiers and the new people to provide fodder and food. Should there be a state in the empire that does not submit, then Your Majesty should, herewith, in spring prevent their farming, in summer live on their produce, in autumn lay hold of their harvest, and in winter pickle their vegetables: by the methods of the "Great Warfare" shake their fundamental means of existence, and by those of the "Extensive Culture" pacify their descendants. If Your Majesty follows this policy, then within ten years the various feudal lords will have no people from other countries and wherefore, then, should Your Majesty be sparing in the conferment of titles or regard exemption from taxes as a serious matter? At the victories in the Zhou and in the Hua battles, Qin extended its territory eastwards by cutting off heads, but it is clear that there was no advantage in this eastward extension; and yet officials regard these events as great accomplishments, because loss was inflicted on the enemy. Now, if the people of the three Jin states are induced to immigrate by means of grasslands and cottages, and if they are made to occupy themselves with primary things, then this way of inflicting damage on the enemy is just as real as a victory in war, and Qin will have the advantage of obtaining agricultural products. Conversely, by this plan, two birds will be hit with one stone. |
| | 來民: |
且周軍之勝，華軍之勝，長平之勝，秦所亡民者幾何，民客之兵不得事本者幾何，臣竊以為不可數矣。假使王之群臣，有能用之，費此之半，弱晉強秦，若三戰之勝者，王必加大賞焉。今臣之所言，民無一日之繇，官無數錢之費，其弱晉強秦有過三戰之勝；而王猶以為不可，則臣愚不能知已。 |
| Encouragement of Immigration:...: |
Further, in the victories in the Zhou and Hua battles, or in that at Ch'ang-p'ing, how many people did Qin lose, and how many soldiers, both of the people and of the foreign inhabitants, were unable to occupy themselves with primary affairs? I venture to think that they were innumerable. Suppose amongst Your Majesty's ministers there should be one able, with a half of these losses, to weaken Jin and to strengthen Qin as much as by the victories in these three battles, then would Your Majesty, no doubt, grant him big rewards. Now, by the method which I propose, the people would not have a single day's scutage nor would the officials have the expense of great sums of money, while Jin would be weakened and Qin strengthened more than by three battles; but if Your Majesty still does not approve, then Your servant is too stupid to understand it. |
| | 來民: |
齊人有東郭敞者，猶多願，願有萬金。其徒請賙焉，不與，曰：「吾將以求封也。」其徒怒而去之宋，曰：「此無益於愛也，故不如與之利也。」今晉有民，而秦愛其復，此愛非其有以失其有也，豈異東郭敞之愛非其有而失其徒乎？ |
| Encouragement of Immigration:...: |
Amongst the citizens of Qi was one Dong-guo Chang, who had very many desires and wished to have ten thousand pieces of gold. When his retainer begged for a monetary subsidy (in case he would obtain that money), he would not give it, saying: 'I want to use it to obtain a fief.' His retainer became angry, and left him and went to Song, saying: 'This is being stingy about what he has not; therefore he is now in a worse position than when he first had me with him.' Now Jin has the people, and Qin is sparing in the granting of exemptions from taxes; this is being stingy about what one has not, with the result that one loses what one might have. Is this not just like Dong-guo Chang's being stingy about what he did not have, and so losing his retainer? |
| | 來民: |
且古有堯舜，當時而見稱；中世有湯武，在位而民服。此四王者，萬世之所稱以為聖王者也。然其道猶不能取用於後。今復之三世，而三晉之民可盡也，是非王賢力今時，而使後世為王用乎？然則非聖別說，而聽聖人難也。 |
| Encouragement of Immigration:...: |
Moreover, in antiquity, there were Yao and Shun, who in their lifetime were praised; in the middle ages there were Tang and Wu, during whose reigns people submitted. These are the three Kings, who are praised by ten thousand generations and are regarded as sage-kings. Yet their methods cannot be applied in later times: Should You now make exemptions from taxation for three generations, You would be able completely to subject the three Jin states. This is not, like the virtuous kings, merely establishing the present times.... but effecting that later generations shall be at the service of the king! This, however, does not mean that I do not welcome a sage, but it is difficult to await a sage. |
