1.14 [14] 景公欲使楚巫致五帝以明德晏子谏

齐景公打算让楚国巫女招请五帝神灵来表明德行，晏子进谏

【原文】

楚巫微（导）〔道〕裔款以见景公，侍坐三日，景公说之。楚巫曰：“公，明神（主之）〔之主〕，帝王之君也。公即位〔十〕有七年矣，事未大济者，明神未至也。请致五帝，以明君德。”景公再拜稽首。楚巫曰：“请巡国郊以观帝位。”至于牛山而不敢登，曰：“五帝之位在于国南，请斋而后登之。”公命百官供斋具于楚巫之所，裔款视事。晏子闻而见于公曰：“公令楚巫斋牛山乎？”公曰：“然。致五帝以明寡人之德，神将降福于寡人，其有所济乎？”晏子曰：“君之言过矣。古之王者，德厚足以安世，行广足以容众，诸侯戴之，以为君长；百姓归之，以为父母。是故天地四时和而不失，星辰日月顺而不乱。德厚行广，配天象时，然后为帝王之君，（神明）〔明神〕之主。古者不慢行而繁祭，不轻身而恃巫。今政乱而行僻，而求五帝之明德也？弃贤而用巫，而求帝王之在身也？夫民不苟德，福不苟降。君之帝王，不亦难乎？惜夫！君位之高，所论之卑也。”公曰：“裔款以楚巫命寡人曰：‘试尝见而观焉。’寡人见而说之，信其道，行其言。今夫子讥之，请逐楚巫而拘裔款。”晏子曰：“楚巫不可出。”公曰：“何故？”对曰：“楚巫出，诸侯必或受之。今信之以过于内，不知；出以易诸侯于外，不仁。请东楚巫而拘裔款。”公曰：“诺。”故曰送楚巫于东，而拘裔款于国也。

【今译】

楚国有个叫微的女巫通过裔款来见齐景公，陪伴景公坐谈了三天，景公很欣赏她。楚巫说：“您是神灵选定的君主，帝王般的明君。您即位十七年了，功业之所以还没有大的成就，是因为神灵还没有到来。请让我招引五帝之灵，来彰明您的德行。”景公拜了两拜叩头致谢。楚巫又说：“请让我到城郊去观测五帝所在的方位。”到了牛山脚下，楚巫不敢上山，说：“五帝所在的方位在都城以南，请让我斋戒之后再登山。”景公命令百官准备好斋戒的用具送到楚巫的住所，让裔款负责这件事。晏子听说之后来见景公，说：“您让楚巫斋戒祭祀牛山吗？”景公说：“是的。招请五帝之灵来彰明我的德行，神灵就会赐福于我，应该会对我有所帮助吧？”晏子说：“您说的不对！古时候的圣王，道德高尚足以安定天下，恩泽广布足以包容百姓，诸侯们拥戴他，视其为君主；百姓们归附他，视其为父母。所以一年四季和谐而不失调，日月星辰有序而不混乱。道德高尚、恩泽广布，顺应天意、合乎时令，然后才可以成为帝王般的明君，神灵眷顾的英主。古时候的帝王不放纵行事而频繁地祭祀，不轻视自身而倚靠巫祝。现在政教混乱而且行为不正，能够求来五帝之灵来彰明您的德行吗？抛弃贤良之臣而去重用巫祝，能够求得帝王之业吗？百姓不会随便感激您，福气也不会随便降临到您身上。您的帝王之业，不是很难实现吗？可惜啊！您的地位这么高贵，所说的话却是这么卑微。”景公说：“裔款引荐楚巫给我时说：‘请您试着见见她、观察她。’我看见她就很欣赏，听信了她的道术，践行她的言论。现在您责问我，请我驱逐楚巫、拘捕裔款。”晏子说：“楚巫不能驱逐出齐国。”景公说：“为什么？”晏子说：“楚巫离开齐国之后，一定会有其他诸侯收留。您因为相信她已经在国内犯下错误，这已经很不明智；再放她离开齐国去危害其他诸侯，这是不仁义。请您放逐楚巫到东海之滨并拘捕裔款。”景公说：“好。”因此（景公）就把楚巫放逐到东海之滨，而把裔款拘禁在都城。

Through the mediation of Yi Kuan,Wei,a female shaman from Chu,^[2] was granted an audience w ith Duke Jing. For three days she sat in attendance w ith Duke Jing,who was pleased w ith her.

The shaman from Chu said: “You,M y Duke,are a sovereign w ith the stature of the bright spirits and a ruler of the caliber of Emperors and Kings.^[3] My Lord,seventeen years ago you acceded to your position,but your deeds have not been fully successful because the bright spirits have not descended.^[4] I request permission to summon the Five Emperors in order to make your virtue shine forth,my Lord.”

The Duke bowed twice,w ith his forehead touching the ground.

The shaman from Chu continued: “Perm it me to make a tour of inspection to the suburbs of the capital in order to identify the place where the Five Emperors are going to reveal themselves.”^[5]

When the shaman arrived at Mount Niu,^[6] she did not dare to ascend it,saying: “The site for the Five Emperors to present themselves is south of the capital. I would like to perform a purification ceremony first and then ascend the mountain.”

The Duke gave orders to the various officials to prepare the purification utensils at the site indicated by the shaman from Chu. Yi Kuan took charge of the matter.

Yanzi heard of this and went for an audience w ith the Duke,saying: “Did you order the shaman from Chu to purify herself in order to ascend Mount Niu,My Duke?”

The Duke said: “Yes,she is going to summon the Five Emperors in order to make my virtue shine forth,and then the spirits w ill shed their blessings upon me. Will that not be helpful?”

Yanzi said: “Your words are w rong. The virtue^[7] of the ancient kings was substantial enough to pacify the entire world. Their conduct was broad enough to accommodate the multitude. The regional princes supported them and regarded them as rulers and as superiors; the people gave them their allegiance and regarded them as their own parents. For these reasons,Heaven and Earth and the four seasons were in faultless harmony. Stars,planets,sun,and moon traversed their regular courses w ithout disorder. It was only after their substantial virtue and broad conduct corresponded w ith the Heaven and accorded w ith the seasons that they could become rulers of the caliber of Emperors,kings and sovereigns of the stature of the bright spirits. The ancients were not negligent in their conduct,nor did they multiply their sacrifices unduly. They did not belittle themselves by relying on shamans. Now the government is in disorder,conduct is deviant,and you seek the illustrious virtue of the Five Emperors? You discard the worthy,and yet you use a shaman and you want the Five Emperors and the Three Kings to manifest themselves in your presence? The people do not acknow ledge virtue w ithout good cause; good fortune does not befall upon you w ithout good cause; is it then not difficult,my Lord,to realize your aspirations regarding the Five Emperors and the Three Kings? What a pity! M y Lord,your position is noble but your arguments are low ly.”

The Duke said: “It was Yi Kuan who directed me,in regard to the Chu shaman,saying: ‘Test her and observe the results.’ I received the shaman for an audience and was pleased with her. I put faith in her way and followed her words. Now you,my master,have criticized this,and you would have me expel the shaman from Chu and put Yi Kuan into custody.”

Yanzi said: “The shaman from Chu should not leave the country.”

The Duke said: “Why so?”

Yanzi answered: “If the shaman from Chu is allowed to leave the country,then some regional princes or other is bound to take her in. You,M y Duke,trusted her and thereby committed an error w ithin your domain; this is not w ise. If you let her leave the country she w ill,from w ithout,affect the regional princes for the worse; this is inhumane. Please send the shaman from Chu to the East^[8] and put Yi Kuan in custody.”

The Duke said: “Very well,” and then^[9] he sent the shaman from Chu to the East and placed Yi Kuan into custody w ithin the capital.

---

注释

[1]The Five Emperors were the legendary rulers of high antiquity. Different listings of names of these Five Emperors exist. The usual list includes the Yellow Em peror 黄帝,Emperor Zhuan Xu 颛顼 ,Emperor Ku 帝喾 and Emperors Yao 尧 and Shun 舜.

[2]Wu 巫 is a female shaman but in the Chunqiu period,it could also mean a male shaman.

[3]I.e.,the Five Emperors (see note 78 above) and the Three Kings of antiquity,Yu 禹,Tang 汤 and Wu 武,the founders of the X ia,Shang and Zhou royal dynasties.

[4]The Zuozhuan,B 3.32.3/65/25,reads 国之将兴,明神降之— “W hen a state is about to prosper,bright spirits descend there to inspect its virtue.”

[5]The shaman is looking for the proper venue to perform as a medium through which the Five Emperors would reveal themselves.

[6]Another example of the author’s artificial topography: the present Mount Niu 牛山(Ox M ountain) is located tw enty-five m iles south of Linzi 临淄 the historical capital of Qi. It cannot be found on the historical maps of the Chunqiu period (722–480 BCE) but only on the maps of the Warring States period (480–221 BCE) onwards.

[7]得→德 (YZCQ-ICS,6,n. 4).

[8]Qi was situated in the East; therefore,sending one to the East meant expelling the person almost all the w ay to the seashore or,in other words,to a place from which there was no exit.

[9]Either omit yue 曰 or replace it with qiu 囚 (JS,54/16).