CHAPTER 1

The Master said, "He who exercises government by means of his virtue, may be compared to the north polar star, which keeps its place and all the stars turn towards it."

HEADING OF THIS BOOK. —为政第二. This second book contains twenty four chapters, and is named 为政, 'The practice of government'. That is the object to which learning, treated of in the last book, should lead, and here we have the qualities which constitute, and the character of the men who administer, good government.

1. THE INFLUENCE OF VIRTUE IN A RULER. 德 is explained by 得, but the old comm. say 物得以生谓之德, 'what creatures get in order to their birth is called their virtue', while Choo He makes it=行道而有得于心, 'the practice of truth and acquisition thereof in the heart'. Choo's view of the comparison is that it sets forth the illimitable influence which virtue in a ruler exercises without his using any effort. This is extravagant. His opponents say that virtue is the polar star, and the various departments of government the other stars. This is far-fetched. We must be content to accept the vague utterance without minutely determining its meaning. 北辰 is, no doubt, 'the north polar star', anciently believed to coincide exactly with the place of the real people. 共is up.2d tone, used for 拱, 'to fold the hands in saluting', here= 'to turn respectfully towards'.