Mencius said: The weather is not as good as the right place, and the right place is not as good as the people.

In combat, favorable season and climate are not as good as favorable terrain, and favorable terrain is not as popular as popular support.

On the road to success, the right time, place, and people are the three elements, which cover everything on the road to success. The right time is the opportunity and opportunity; the right place is the environment and conditions; and people and is the overall strength (the key to success) on the road to success.

Chinese name: The right time, the right place, the right people and the right people

Author: Mencius

From: "Xunzi Wang Ba Pian"

Region: China

Share

Comments

1. Time, location, and harmony are quoted from: "Xunzi: Wang Ba Pian" "If a farmer is simple but incompetent, then he will not lose the weather and the time, and he will not lose the location. He will win the harmony and everything will not be wasted." Xunzi refers to " "Tianshi" refers to the season and climate suitable for combat, "geographical advantage" refers to the terrain that is conducive to combat, and "harmony" refers to winning the hearts of the people and uniting the top and bottom.

2. The right time is not as good as the right place: The right time refers to the season and climate suitable for fighting. Geographical convenience refers to the terrain that is conducive to combat.

Ancient explanation:

Bing: weapon.

Leather: armor, armor.

Jian: solid.

Sharp: sharp.

Misu: grain.

Wei: Abandon.

Go: leave.

So: So.

Domain: Restrictions.

To: use, rely on.

The people of the domain do not regard the boundaries of the territory as a seal: domain, restriction. To, use. The boundary of a feudal territory is a demarcated boundary line.

Consolidate the country: consolidate national defense; consolidate national defense (Usage).

Xi: River.

Dangerous: dangerous.

Prestige: establish prestige.

Widow: few.

Tao: the way to govern a country

The one who has gained Tao: the king who implements benevolent government.

The unjust: a king who exercises tyranny.

Pan: Same as "treason", betrayal.

To reach the extreme.

Shun: obey.

Two sentences from "The Gentleman": A gentleman who has attained the right will never fight. If he fights, he will definitely win.

Must: definitely, definitely.

Relatives: In ancient times, it refers to relatives, that is, people who are related to oneself by blood or marriage. Kin refers to "within the clan"; relatives refers to "outside the clan".

To abandon: to abandon. Go and leave.

Yes: This (is), this is what it means.

Millet: millet. (sù)

Guo: refers to a kind of exterior wall built in ancient times.

Must: inevitable.

Get: get, get.

City: inner city.

Original text

Mencius said: The weather is not as good as the right place, and the right place is not as good as the people.

If you attack a city of three miles and a country of seven miles, you will not be victorious; if you attack it if you surround it, you must have the right time; however, the one who cannot win is because the good weather is not as good as the right place.

The city is not too high, the pond is not not deep, the army and the revolution are not not strong, and the rice and millet are not not abundant; if we leave it by force, the land is not as good as the people.

Therefore it is said: The people of the territory do not regard the boundaries of the territory as a seal. To consolidate the country, do not rely on the dangers of mountains and rivers, to dominate the world, do not rely on the benefits of military revolution; those who have gained the Tao will have many help, and those who have lost the Tao will have little help; when few help come, relatives will be with them; when many help come, the world will obey. Use the favor of the world to attack the homes of relatives. Therefore, if a gentleman does not fight, he will win if he fights.

Translation

Mencius said: "A favorable season and climate are not as good as a favorable terrain, and a favorable terrain is not as important as winning the hearts of the people and uniting the top and bottom. A city wall within three miles of the surrounding area and an outer city of seven miles surrounding. To encircle and attack it, you cannot win. To encircle and attack it, you must have encountered the season and climate that are conducive to combat. Since you can't win in this way, it is because the season and climate that are suitable for combat are not as good as the terrain that is conducive to combat. , the moat is not not deep, the weapons are not not sharp, the armor is not not strong, and the food is not insufficient; (soldiers) abandon the city and leave it (because) the terrain that is conducive to combat is not as good as the unity of the people. So it is said: restriction. The people do not rely on the demarcation of borders, the consolidation of national defense does not rely on the danger of mountains and rivers, the establishment of prestige and the rule of the world do not rely on the strength of military power. A monarch who practices benevolent government and wins the hearts of the people will have many people helping and supporting him. A popular monarch will have very few people who help and support him. If he gets too little support, even his relatives inside and outside the clan will betray him; if he gets too much support, everyone in the world will obey him. He has the advantage to attack the monarch who will betray him both inside and outside the clan, so the righteous monarch has no time to fight. If he fights, he will definitely win.

Interpretation

Heaven and Earth. The relationship between people and people has been of concern to people throughout the ages. Which of the three is the most important has become a topic of discussion. As we quoted in the notes, Xunzi once discussed the weather and the right location from the perspective of agricultural production. , people and issues. But he did not distinguish who is important and who is not important, but pays equal attention to all three and is indispensable.

Mencius here mainly analyzes and discusses the relationship between the weather, the right place, and the right people from the military aspect, and his point of view is clear: "The right time is not as good as the right place, and the right place is not as good as the right people." Among the three, "Humanity" is the most important factor that plays a decisive role, "geographical convenience" comes second, and "timing" comes second. This is separate from his consistent thought of attaching importance to people's subjective initiative. At the same time, it is also inseparable from his purpose of discussing the time, location, people, and relationships. inseparable from the purpose. It was from emphasizing the importance of "harmony" that he came to the conclusion that "the right person will get more help, and the unjust person will get less help". This led the issue from military to political, and in fact returned to his "cliché" topic of "benevolent government".

According to Mencius’ view, the common people cannot be restricted by sealing off borders, nor can a country be protected by relying on mountains and rivers to overcome obstacles. Therefore, there is no way out by closing the country to the outside world. We need to reform, we need to open up, we need to improve our national strength, and let the people live and work in peace and contentment. As long as this is achieved, "those who have gained the Tao will be helped more". If the help is reached to the extreme, people all over the world will obey and submit. Then there will inevitably be a situation like what Confucius said - "The people from all over the world will come carrying their sons." ("The Analects of Confucius·Zilu") People from all over the world come to apply to study abroad, apply to do business, and even bring their wives and children. Why is there no need to "enclose borders" when applying for immigration and settlement? Even if you try to drive them away, it has become a famous saying: "The right people will get more help, but the unjust people will get less help." , so much so that we still often use it to evaluate international relations and condemn hegemonists.

Of course, "the weather is not as good as the right place; the right place is not as good as the right place"