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【Book of Records, Chapter 30: The Model of the Way】\n\nThe Master said: "The way of the gentleman is like a dike, guarding against the people's shortcomings." Even with great dikes, the people still cross them. Therefore, the gentleman uses rites to guard virtue, punishments to guard against excess, and mandates to guard against desire.\nThe Master said: "When the petty man is poor, he becomes restless; when rich, he becomes arrogant; restlessness leads to theft, and arrogance leads to disorder." Rites are the means by which human feelings are moderated and given form, serving as a dike for the people. Thus, the sage's regulation of wealth and honor ensures that the rich do not become arrogant, the poor do not fall into desperation, and the noble do not resent their superiors, so disorder gradually diminishes. The Master said: "Those who are poor yet love joy, rich yet love rites, and numerous yet remain peaceful—how few are such in the world! The Book of Songs says: 'The people, greedy for chaos, would rather suffer harm.'" Therefore, the regulations were set: a state should not exceed a thousand chariots, a capital city should not exceed a hundred zhi in circumference, and a noble family should not possess more than a hundred chariots. With these dikes for the people, even so, feudal lords still rebelled.\nThe Master said: "Rites are meant to clarify doubts and distinguish the subtle, serving as a dike for the people." Thus, there are ranks for noble and base, distinctions in clothing, and positions in the court, so that the people may yield to one another. The Master said: "There are not two suns in the sky, nor two kings on earth, nor two masters in a household, nor two supreme authorities—this shows the people the distinction between ruler and subject." The Spring and Autumn Annals does not refer to the funerals of the kings of Chu and Yue as such, rites do not call a ruler 'Heaven,' nor a high official 'ruler,' for fear of confusing the people. The Book of Songs says: 'Look at that bird calling before dawn; even it is resented.' The Master said: "A ruler does not ride in the same carriage with those of the same surname; with those of different surnames, he rides together but does not wear the same clothes, showing the people there is no ambiguity." With these dikes for the people, still the people managed to assassinate their rulers of the same surname.\nThe Master said: "The gentleman declines honor but not humility, declines wealth but not poverty, and thus disorder gradually diminishes." Therefore, the gentleman would rather let his virtue exceed his position than his position exceed his virtue. The Master said: "When offering a cup of wine and a dish of meat, yielding and accepting the inferior portion, the people still offend against age; when on mats and cushions, yielding and taking the lower seat, the people still offend against rank; when in court positions, yielding and taking the humble post, the people still offend against the ruler." The Book of Songs says: 'The people, lacking goodness, blame one another from their corners; receiving offices without yielding, until they themselves perish.' The Master said: "The gentleman honors others and humbles himself, puts others first and himself last, and thus the people rise to yielding." Therefore, one refers to another's ruler as 'ruler,' and to one's own ruler as 'my humble ruler.' The Master said: "When benefits and emoluments are given first to the dead and then to the living, the people will not turn their backs; when given first to the departed and then to the surviving, the people can be entrusted." The Book of Songs says: 'Thinking of the former ruler, to sustain me.' With these dikes for the people, still the people turned their backs on the dead and cried out without redress.\nThe Master said: "Those who hold states and families, honoring the worthy and devaluing emoluments, then the people will rise to yielding; esteeming skills and devaluing carriages, then the people will rise to arts." Therefore, the gentleman speaks little, while the petty man speaks first.\n……