| 家○上○下○二○ ○二年八月二日 | 之以發○先之以至○愿得試之○ | 莊子曰○夫為劍者○示之以虛○開之以利○后 | 王大悅之○曰○天下無敵矣○ | 曰○臣之劍十步一人○千里不留行○ | 王曰○子之劍何能禁制○ | 曰○臣聞大王喜劍○故以劍見王○ | ○子欲何以教寡人○使太子先○ | 白刃待之○莊子入殿門不趨○見王不拜○王曰 | 治劍服三日○乃見太子○太子乃與見王○王脫 | 莊子曰○請治劍服○ | 之○今夫子必儒服而見王○事必大逆○ | ○曼胡之纓○短后之衣○瞋目而語難○王乃說 | 太子曰○然吾王所見劍士○皆蓬頭突鬢○垂冠 | 莊子曰○諾○周善為劍○ | 太子曰○然○吾王所見○唯劍士也○ | 當太子○趙國何求而不得也○ | 刑而死○周尚安所事金乎○使臣上說大王○下 | ○使臣上說大王而逆王意○下不當太子○則身 | 莊子曰○聞太子所欲用周者○欲絶王之喜好也 | 子弗受○悝尚何敢言○ | 太子曰○聞夫子明聖○謹奉千金以幣從者○夫 | ○ | 俱往見太子○曰○太子何以教周○賜周千金○ | 太子乃使人以千金奉莊子○莊子弗受○與使者 | 左右曰○莊子當能○ | 曰○孰能說王之意止劍士者○賜之千金○ | 三年○國衰○諸侯謀之○太子悝患之○募左右 | 相擊於前○死傷者歲百餘人○好之不厭○如是 | 昔趙文王喜劍○劍士夾門而客三千餘人○日夜 | 莊子
南華經 第三十章 說劍 |
| 家○上○下○二○ ○二年八月二日 | 有錯字請通知我 | 於是文王不出宫三月○劍士皆服斃其處也○ | ○大王安坐定氣○劍事已畢奏矣○ | 王乃牽而上殿○宰人上食○王三環之○莊子曰 | 而好庶人之劍○臣窃為大王薄之○ | 命已絶矣○無所用於國事○今大王有天子之位 | ○下决肝肺○此庶人之劍○無異於鬥鷄○一旦 | 短后之衣○瞋目而語難○相擊於前○上斬頸領 | 曰○庶人之劍○蓬頭突鬢○垂冠○曼胡之纓○ | 王曰○庶人之劍何如○ | 聽從君命者矣○此諸侯之劍也○ | 一用○如雷霆之震也○四封之內○無不賓服而 | 方地○以順四時○中和民意○以安四鄕○此劍 | 下○運之亦無旁○上法圓天○以順三光○下法 | 夾○此劍直之亦無前○舉之亦無上○案之亦無 | ○以賢良士為脊○以忠聖士為鐔○以豪桀士為 | 曰○諸侯之劍○以知勇士為鋒○以清廉士為鍔 | 文王芒然自失○曰○諸侯之劍何如○ | ○天下服矣○此天子之劍也○ | 旁○上決浮雲○下絶地紀○此劍一用○匡諸侯 | 此劍直之無前○舉之無上○案之無下○運之無 | 論以刑德○開以陰陽○持以春夏○行以秋冬○ | 裹以四時○繞以渤海○帶以常山○制以五行○ | 晋衛為脊○周宋為鐔○韓魏為夾○包以四夷○ | 曰○天子之劍○以燕谿石城為鋒○齊岱為鍔○ | 王曰○天子之劍何如○ | 曰○有天子劍○有諸侯劍○有庶人劍○ | 王曰○愿聞三劍○ | 請先言而后試○ | 曰○臣之所奉皆可○然臣有三劍○唯王所用○ | 王曰○夫子所御杖○長短何如○ | 莊子曰○望之久矣○ | 士敦劍○ | ○使奉劍於殿下○乃召莊子○王曰○今日試使 | 王乃校劍士七日○死傷者六十餘人○得五六人 | 王曰○夫子休○就舍待命○令設戲請夫子○ |
Of old, Wen Wang of Chao loved sword-play. Swordsmen thronged his halls, to the number of three thousand and more. Day and night they had bouts before the king. In the course of a year, a hundred or so would be killed or wounded. Yet the king was never satisfied.
Within three years, the State had begun to go rack and ruin, and other princes to form designs upon it. Thereupon the Heir Apparent, Li, became troubled in mind; and said to the officers of his household, "Whosoever shall persuade the prince to do away with these swordsmen, to him I will give a thousand ounces of silver."
To this his officers replied, "Chuang Tzu is the man."
Thereupon the Heir Apparent sent messengers to Chuang Tzu with a thousand ounces of silver, which he would not accept, but accompanied the messengers back to their master.
"What does your Highness require of me," asked Chuang Tzu, "that you should bestow upon me a thousand ounces?"
"I had heard," replied the young prince, "that you were a famous Sage, and I ventured to send this money as a present to your servants. But as you would not receive it, what more can I say?"
"I understand," answered Chuang Tzu, "that your Highness would have me cure the king of his peculiar weakness. Now suppose that I do not succeed with the king, and consequently with your Highness, the punishment of death is what I have to expect. What good would the thousand ounces be to me then?
"On the other hand, if I succeed with the king, and consequently with your Highness, the whole Sate of Chao contains nothing I could not have for the asking."
"You must know, however,' said the young prince, "that my father will only receive swordsmen."
"Well," replied Chuang Tzu, "I am a good swordsman myself."
"Besides which," added the Heir Apparent, "the swordsmen he is accustomed to see, have all disheveled hair hanging over their temples. They wear slouching caps with coarse tangled tassels, and short-tailed coats. They glare with their eyes and talk in a fierce tone. This is what my father likes. But if you go to him dressed in your ordinary scholar's dress, the result is sure to be disastrous."
"I will accustom myself to the dress," replied Chuang Tzu; and after practicing for three days, he went again to see the young prince, who accompanied him into his father's presence.
The latter drew a sharp sword and awaited Chuang Tzu's approach. But Chuang Tzu, when he entered the door of the audience chamber, did not hurry forward, neither did he prostrate himself before the king.
"What have you to say to me," cried the king, "that you have obtained your introduction through the Heir Apparent?"
"I have heard," replied Chuang Tzu, "that your Highness loves sword-play. Therefore I have come to exhibit my skill."
"What can you do in that line?" asked the king.
"Were I to meet an opponent," said Chuang Tzu, "at every ten paces, I could go on for a thousand li without being stopped."
"Bravo!" cried the king. "There is not your match in the empire."
"When I fight," continued Chuang Tzu, "I make a show of being weak but push a vigorous attack. The last to start, I am the first to arrive. I should like your Highness to make trial of me."
"Rest awhile," replied the king. "Stay here and await orders. I will arrange a day for you."
Thereupon the king spent seven days in trying his swordsmen. Some sixty of them were either killed or wounded, but at length he selected five or six and bade them attend in the audience-chamber with their swords. He then summoned Chuang Tzu and said, "Now I will see what your swordsmanship is worth."
"I have been longing for this," replied Chuang Tzu.
"Does it matter to you," asked the king, "of what length your weapon may be!"
"Not at all," replied Chuang Tzu. "I have three swords, of which I will ask your Highness to choose one. We will then proceed to the trial."
"Which are your three swords?" enquired the king.
"There is the sword of the Son of Heaven," said Chuang Tzu, "the sword of the Princes, and the sword of the people."
"What is the sword of the Son of Heaven?" asked the king.
"The stone wall of Yen-ch'i is its point,' replied Chuang Tzu. "The mountains of Ch'i are its edge. Chin and Wei are its back. Chou and Sung are its hilt. Han and Wei are its sheath. It is enclosed in the four hordes of barbarians, wrapped in the four seasons, surrounded by the great ocean. It is made of the five elements. It is the arbiter of punishment and reward. It operates under the influence of the Yin and the Yang. In spring and summer it is at rest. In autumn and winter it moves abroad. Push it, it does not advance. Raise it, it does not go up. Lower it, it does not go down. Whirl it around, it does not change position. Above, it cleaves the floating clouds; below, it cuts through the density of earth. One flash of this blade, and the princes of the empire submit. Such is the sword of the Son of Heaven."
At this the king seemed absorbed in his reflections. Then he enquired, saying, "And what is the sword of the princes?"
"The wise and brave," replied Chuang Tzu, "are its point. The incorruptible are its edge. The virtuous are its back. The loyal are its hilt. The heroic are its sheath. You may push this sword too, it will not advance. Raise it, it will not go up. Lower it, it will not go down. Whirl it around, it will not change position. Above, it models itself upon the round heaven, in order to keep in harmony with the sun, moon, and stars. Below, it models itself upon the square earth, in order to keep in harmony with the four seasons. It adapts itself to the wishes of the people, in order to diffuse peace on all sides. One flash of this blade is like a roaring clap of thunder. Between the boundaries of the State there is not left one but who yields and obeys the command of his prince. Such is the sword of the Princes."
"And the sword of the People?" enquired the king.
"The sword of the People," replied Chuang Tzu, "has disheveled hair hanging over its temples. It wears a slouching cap with coarse tangled tassel, and a short-tailed coat. When it engages in conflict, above, it cuts off head and neck; below, it smites liver and lungs. Such is the sword of the People. It is like a game-cock. One day, its life is cut short, and it is of no more use to the State.
"Now you, great king, wield sovereign power, and yet you devote yourself to this sword of the People. I am truly ashamed of it."
Thereupon the king drew Chuang Tzu up on to the dais, and the attendants served food, the king three times assisting with with his own hand.
"Be seated, great king," said Chuang Tzu, "and compose your mind. I have said all I have to say on swords."
After this the king did not quit his palace for three months, while the swordsmen, submitting to the new order of things, died in their own homes.
Edited on 9th June 2008