Paragraph 14: Dongfang Shuo (東方朔) (2/4)
(portrait taken from: http://www.chiculture.net/1107/html/c34/pic25399.html."东方朔." 中國文化研究院 (香港). " July 27, 2017.)
There came a time when the scholars-in-residence gathered in the palace and confronted Dongfang with the question: "When Su Qin (蘇秦) and Zhang Yi (張儀) served their masters, they were soon promoted chancellors of their states and their achievements lasted to benefit their descendants. Now, you sir, who acquire the political art of the ancient rulers and follow the principles of the late saints. The classics you read and the thinkers you quote are countless. Your works are inscribed on bamboo splints or silk; you deem yourself unequaled. You seem nothing short of erudition and eloquence. However, you have been serving the Emperor with all-out efforts, day in, day out, up to decades, and yet you've never served a position higher than Lang, never done anything other than trifling formality. We wonder if we are missing something here? Why has it come to this?" Dongfang replied, "This is of course beyond your understanding. That was then; this is now. How could two different cases come to one same result? When Zhang and Su served, the Zhou Dynasty was nearing its end, and its court, an empty shell. The dukes no longer reported to the emperor; instead, they strengthened their military forces to vie for power and to butcher each other. In the end, 12 dukedoms survived, but none prevailed. In their case then, whoever sought a good strategist won the game; whoever failed to find one lost the game. Therefore, strategies, when offered and proved effective, promised strategists ranks and honor that lasted for generations and benefited their descendants. In my case now, a sage sovereign is in reign and his sagacity prevails. The dukes obey and the neighboring nations respect. Within and without, all territories are bound in one expanse (as a seating mat), secure and stable (as a bowl placed upside down). All are equally cared for and collectively faithful. All are so closely united as one family that a total mobilization for any given purpose is as easy and sure as handling something already in hand. There is no way to tell a good strategist from a bad one. In our far-flung empire, among the multitude of people, countless talents are swarming in painstakingly in all directions to recommend themselves to the court. There are people, studious and righteous, fail to seek positions and struggle on meager means. If Zhang and Su were to be born into our times, they would never even make it to a low-rank position as a Zhang-Gu. Would they ever dare to dream of serving as a Lang, the royal consultant-in-ordinary? As recorded in one of the Classics (specifically Huai Nan Zi 淮南子), 'When the world is free of ills, saints can be of no avail; when the world is in harmony, sages can be of no merit.' Hence, in different times, talents are rewarded differently. Even so, can one stop making efforts to improve oneself? As recorded in Shi Jing (詩經), 'When the bells are sounded within the palace, the sounds are heard without.' 'When the cranes are shrilling in the swamps, the shrills are piercing through the skies.' When self-improving efforts are made, glory surely ensues (All three are causes and corollaries.). Jiang Taigong (姜太公) had been walking the ways of the ancient saints for 72 years before he met King Wen of Zhou. Afterwards were his strategies received and practiced and Qi to him was endowed as a fief of a dukedom which stood for seven hundred years. Likewise, scholars of our times are making efforts, day and night, for academic and moral improvements, without hesitation nor resignation. Hermits like me, though of no avail for the present, dare to stand aloft and alone. We look up to saints like Xu Yo and Jie Yu; we learn from sages like Fan Li and Zi Xu. In times of peace, we live up to the teachings of saints and sages throughout our lives. There are few who understand us; there are few who follow us. And this is the way it is. So why do you cast doubts on me?" At this, all scholars were silenced.
*時會聚宮下博士諸先生與論議，共難(nan4; to question)之曰：「蘇秦、張儀一當(dang1)萬乘(sheng4)之主，而都(du1)卿相之位，澤及後世。今子大(da4)夫修先王之術，慕聖人之義，諷誦詩書百家之言，不可勝數。著(zhu4)於竹帛，自以為海內無雙，即可謂博聞辯智矣。然悉力盡忠以事聖帝，曠日持久，積數十年，官不過侍郎，位不過執戟，意者尚有遺行邪(ye2)？其故何也？」東方生曰：「是固非子所能備也。彼一時也，此一時也，豈可同哉！夫張儀、蘇秦之時，周室大壞，諸侯不朝，力政爭權，相禽以兵，并為十二國，未有雌(ci1)雄，得士者彊(qiang2)，失士者亡，故說(shuo1)聽(ting4)行通，身處尊位，澤及後世，子孫長榮。今非然也。聖帝在上，德流天下，諸侯賓服，威振四夷，連四海之外以為席，安於覆盂，天下平均，合為一家，動發舉事，猶如運之掌中。賢與不肖，何以異哉？方今以天下之大，士民之眾，竭精馳說(shui4)，并進輻湊者，不可勝(sheng1)數(shu3)。悉力慕義，困於衣食，或失門戶。使張儀、蘇秦與僕並生於今之世，曾(zeng1)不能得掌故，安敢望常侍侍郎乎！傳(zhuan4)曰：『天下無害菑(zai1)，雖有聖人，無所施其才；上下和同，雖有賢者，無所立功。』故曰時異則事異。雖然，安可以不務修身乎？《詩》曰：『鼓鐘于宮，聲聞于外。』『鶴鳴九皋(gao1)，聲聞于天。』。茍能修身，何患不榮！太公躬行仁義七十二年，逢文王，得行(xing2)其說(shuo1)，封於齊，七百(bo2)歲而不絕。此士之所以日夜孜孜，修學行道，不敢止也。今世之處(chu3)士，時雖不用，崛然獨立，塊然獨處，上觀許由，下察接輿，策同范蠡，忠合子胥，天下和平，與義相扶，寡偶少(shao3)徒，固其常也。子何疑於余哉！」於是諸先生默然無以應也。
**The original paragraph in Chinese is taken from: Sima Qian. Ed. Han Zhaoqi. New Translation Shiji. vol.VIII. Taipei: Sanmin, 2008. 4958-4959. (司馬遷. 韓兆琦 注譯. 新譯史記, 第八冊. 臺北市：三民, 2008. 4941頁. ISBN: 978-95-14-5001-8). All translation is based upon the text, annotations, and the Modern Chinese translation thereof (4959-4960, 4962-4964, 4966-4967).
***All English translation is mine.
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