天地: 諄芒將東之大壑，適遇苑風於東海之濱。苑風曰：「子將奚之？」曰：「將之大壑。」曰：「奚為焉？」曰：「夫大壑之為物也，注焉而不滿，酌焉而不竭，吾將遊焉。」苑風曰：「夫子無意於橫目之民乎？願聞聖治。」諄芒曰：「聖治乎，官施而不失其宜，拔舉而不失其能，畢見其情事而行其所為，行言自為而天下化，手撓顧指，四方之民莫不俱至，此之謂聖治。」「願聞德人。」曰：「德人者，居無思，行無慮，不藏是非美惡。四海之內，共利之之謂悅，共給之之謂安；怊乎若嬰兒之失其母也，儻乎若行而失其道也。財用有餘而不知其所自來，飲食取足而不知其所從。此謂德人之容。」「願聞神人。」曰：「上神乘光，與形滅亡，此謂照曠。天地樂而萬事銷亡，萬物復情，此之謂混冥。」
莊子
Chuang Tzu
Zhun Mang, on his way to the ocean, met with Yuan Feng on the shore of
the eastern sea, and was asked by him where he was going. ‘I am going,’
he replied, ‘to the ocean;’ and the other again asked, ‘What for?’ Zhun
Mang said, ‘Such is the nature of the ocean that the waters which flow
into it can never fill it, nor those which flow from it exhaust it. I
will enjoy myself, rambling by it.’ Yuan Feng replied, ‘Have you no
thoughts about mankind?
I should like to hear from you about sagely
government.’ Zhun Mang said, ‘Under the government of sages, all offices
are distributed according to the fitness of their nature; all
appointments are made according to the ability of the men; whatever is
done is after a complete survey of all circumstances; actions and words
proceed from the inner impulse, and the whole world is transformed.
Wherever their hands are pointed and their looks directed, from all
quarters the people are all sure to come (to do what they desire): this
is what is called government by sages.’
‘I should like to hear about
(the government of) the kindly, virtuous men,’ (continued Yuan Feng).
The reply was, ‘Under the government of the virtuous, when quietly
occupying (their place), they have no thought, and, when they act, they
have no anxiety; they do not keep stored (in their minds) what is right
and what is wrong, what is good and what is bad. They share their
benefits among all within the four seas, and this produces what is
called (the state of) satisfaction; they dispense their gifts to all,
and this produces what is called (the state of) rest. (The people)
grieve (on their death) like babies who have lost their mothers, and are
perplexed like travellers who have lost their way. They have a
superabundance of wealth and all necessaries, and they know not whence
it comes; they have a sufficiency of food and drink, and they know not
from whom they get it: such are the appearances (under the government)
of the kindly and virtuous.’
‘I should like to hear about (the
government of) the spirit-like men,’ (continued Yuan Feng once more).
The reply was, ‘Men of the highest spirit-like qualities mount up on the
light, and (the limitations of) the body vanish. This we call being
bright and ethereal. They carry out to the utmost the powers with which
they are endowed, and have not a single attribute unexhausted. Their joy
is that of heaven and earth, and all embarrassments of affairs melt
away and disappear; all things return to their proper nature: and this
is what is called (the state of) chaotic obscurity.’