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1 Author’s Preface In the olden days Emperor Shun, who succeeded Emperor Yao, appointed twelve regional representatives [mu] and ordered them to shepherd the people. In like fashion, when King Wen established his political system, he installed local magistrates called shepherds [mufu]. While traveling in Pingliu, Mengzi used the metaphor of animal husbandry and likened the ruling of people to the raising of cattle. These examples clearly indicate that in the minds of the sages, looking after people and raising cattle were nearly indistinguishable. The teachings of the sages posit two primary ways of governing the people. The first is that the minister of education [situ] teach the people how to cultivate themselves; the other is that the National University [Taixue] educate the sons of the nobility on how to cultivate their morality and govern the people. This indicates the link between governing the people and nurturing them. Therefore, half of the superior man’s learning consists of self-cultivation, and the other half is nurturing the people. 1. This refers to a statement made by Mencius to the governor of Pingliu. See Legge, Works of Mencius, Gong Shunchou, Part II. Pingliu is a district that belonged to the state of Qi during the Spring and Autumn period. 2. The original hanmun (classical Chinese) text reads something like “This indicates that, in the language of the sages, taking care of the people is referred to as mu (raising, as in caring for cattle).” By discussing the etymologies and loci classici of the Chinese terms, the author provides the rationale for the title of his book, Mongmin simsŏ, which literally means “A Book from the Heart on Shepherding the People.” 3. First established during the Han dynasty, this was the paramount educational institution. 2 Author’s Preface The age of the sages has already passed away, and the influence of their teachings has declined; those who rule the people nowadays do not know how to shepherd the people. As a result, the common people are malnourished and harassed; they have become so sick that their dead bodies fill the ditches. The so-called shepherds of the people, on the other hand, indulge in fine clothing and tasty food, busy only in making themselves fat. How unfortunate! My father, favored with appointments by the royal court, served as the magistrate of two small counties [hyŏn], the magistrate of one great county [kun], the magistrate of one strategic prefecture [tohobu], and the magistrate of one town [mok], and his accomplishments were outstanding. Even though I lack the ability of my father, I was able to observe and learn about the world while I followed him, and by testing what I observed and learned later I gained some understanding of the world. However, my misfortune deprived me of an opportunity to make use of it permanently. Living for eighteen years in exile in a distant corner of the country and studying the Five Classics and the Four Books, I have tried to cultivate myself and turn my learning into practice. Looking back, however, I finally realized that self-cultivation is only half of true learning. I went through twenty-three [Chinese ] histories and various historical records of our own country, as well as philosophical essays and literary works [chajip], of those who served as the magistrates with the purpose of discovering the ways of magistrates in governing their people. I endeavored to select good examples and studied them carefully. Then I classified and edited them one by one. In the distant region in the southern border of Chŏlla Province corruption of and exploitation by local officials are rampant. They often steal taxes and tribute squeezed out of poor people. Now living among commoners, I have had the opportunity to hear and learn a great deal about all these irregularities. After classifying and arranging their details in order, I have tried to record them with my humble views on them. This book comprises twelve parts: (1) Assuming Office; (2) Self-Discipline; (3) Public Service; (4) Love of the People; Parts 5 to 10 are about the Six Statutes [concerning personnel, taxes, education, the military, justice, and public works]; (11) Famine Relief; and (12) Departure. Each of these twelve parts consists of six chapters, totaling seventy-two chapters altogether. However, some volumes consist of several chapters only, and some chapters are divided to make several vol4 . These are a corpus of Chinese classics that have served as the foundation of Confucianism and of...

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