King Wen of Zhou buries the remains
When serving as the Marquis of the West, King Wen of Zhou, also known as Ji Chang, went out into the wilderness and saw the remains of a dead person exposed to the sunlight. Out of benevolence, he ordered the officials accompanying him to bury these remains appropriately.
One official said: “These are unclaimed remains; why should we bother with them?” King Wen replied: “The king who governs the country is the master of the entire realm; the lords who govern a region are the masters of the territories they control. These remains are on my land, so I am naturally their master. How can I bear to see these remains exposed in the wilderness without anyone to bury them?” He then commanded the officials to bury the remains.
After people heard about this incident, they said: “The grace of the Marquis of the West can extend even to unclaimed remains; how much more so to living people?” After the story of King Wen’s benevolence towards the remains spread, the lords of Han Nan were particularly inspired and came to pledge allegiance to King Wen, amounting to as many as forty states.
In the nineteenth year of King Zhou, King Wen defeated Chong Hou Hu and moved the capital to Fengyi. Subsequently, thirty more states pledged allegiance to him. By this point, King Wen had gained two-thirds of the country and became the standard ruler.
Duke Mu of Qin’s benevolence saves farmers from execution
During the Spring and Autumn period (770-476 B.C.), Duke Mu of Qin had a ranch in Qishan where he raised various famous horses. One day, several horses ran away, and the ranch overseer was greatly alarmed because if the king found out, the overseer would surely face execution.
The overseer searched everywhere and found some bones that seemed to be horse bones in a nearby village. He thought that these farmers must have eaten the horses. Furious, he sentenced all 300 farmers from the town to death and reported it to Duke Mu. Afraid of Duke Mu’s wrath, the overseer led the farmers to report that they had eaten the king’s prized horses, which was why they were sentenced to death.
Upon hearing this, Duke Mu not only did not get angry, but also said that these horses were delicate meat and rewarded them with it to accompany their drinks. As a result, these 300 farmers were spared from execution and happily returned home.
A few years later, Duke Mu of Qin fought against Duke Hui of Jin and found himself in a desperate situation, surrounded by enemy troops and facing imminent destruction. At that moment, a corner of the enemy army began to collapse, and a group of mounted soldiers charged in to assist Duke Mu’s forces.
These courageous soldiers caused the Jin army to retreat, and ultimately, they had to withdraw entirely, allowing Duke Mu to escape danger. Once he reached a safe location, Duke Mu thanked these brave soldiers and asked which unit they belonged to. They replied: “We are the farmers who were previously pardoned from death for eating the king’s prized horses.”
Duke Mu’s benevolence and a single act of kindness ultimately saved him. Those who harbor kindness and treat others well will indeed receive blessings.
Conclusion
Diligently practicing benevolence and righteousness and treating others with a loving heart will bring rewards. Taking benevolence as the foundation and upholding morality will create a virtuous cycle from individuals to society, ultimately promoting a harmonious and prosperous environment for the entire nation, ensuring its longevity and prosperity.
Translated by Joseph Wu and edited by Amanda
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