子产论政宽猛《左传》郑子产有疾，谓子大叔曰：“我死，子必为政。唯有德者能以宽服民，其次莫如猛。夫火烈，民望而畏之，故鲜死焉；水懦弱，民狎而玩之，则多死焉。故宽难。”疾数月而卒。大叔为政，不忍猛而宽。郑国多盗，取人于萑苻之泽。大叔悔之，曰：“吾早从夫子，不及此。“兴徒兵以攻萑苻之盗，尽杀之。盗少止。仲尼曰：“善哉！政宽则民慢，慢则纠之以猛。猛则民残，残则施之以宽。宽以济猛，猛以济宽，政是以和。《诗》曰：‘民亦劳止，汔可小康。惠此中国，以绥四方。’施之以宽也。‘毋从诡随，以谨无良。式遏寇虐，惨不畏明。’纠之以猛也。‘柔远能迩，以定我王。’平之以和也。又曰：‘不竞不絿，不则不柔。布政优优，百禄是遒。’和之至也。”及子产卒，仲尼闻之，出涕曰：“古之遗爱也！”Zichan’sPoliticalCommentonToughPoliciesandPoliciesofBenevolenceZichanoftheZhengState,whowasinpoorcondition,onedaysaidtoZiTaishu,“Youhavetotakeofficeaftermydeath.Itispeoplewhoarecapablethatcangovernthemasseswithpoliciesofbenevolence,orelse,toughpoliciesarebetter.Peoplearedreadoffirebecauseofitsfierceness,soafewdiefromit.However,morepeoplearedrownedbywaterjustbecausetheyconsideritsoftandplaywithit.Therefore,itishardtocarryoutpoliciesofbenevolence.”Monthslater,Zichanpassedaway,andZiTaishucameintopower.Hetookpoliciesofbenevolenceoutofhiskindness.TherearelotsofbanditsoftheZhengStategatheringinaplacecalledHuanfu.ZiTaishuregrettablysaid,“HadItakenZichan’sadvice,thethingcouldn’thavebeensoworse.”Hesentinfantrytoattackbanditsthereandkilledallofthem.Theconditionturnedbetter.Confuciussaid,“Wellspoken.Peoplearepronetobeslackinactionandlaxinthoughtunderpoliciesofbenevolence,whileonthecontrarypeoplearelikelytobeabusedifpoliciesaretootough.Hence,itiswiseforarulertocorrectslackandlaxnesswithstrictness,andmeanwhiletoplacateabusedpeoplewithbenevolence.Benevolenceandtoughnesscanregulateandcompensateforeachother,andinthiswaycanthepoliticsandsocietybeharmonious.ItisstatedinTheBookofSongsthat‘Themassesthathavebeeninhardshipneedabreath,soifarulerhassomemercyonthem,thecountrycanbestableandpeaceful.’Thisisapieceofsuggestionofbenevolence.‘Peoplewhoareunkindlikedeceiversandhangers-onshallbecontrolledstrictly,andthebehaviorslikeinvasionandcrueltyshallbeforbiddenavoidingoffendersaretoorampant.’Wordsabovemainlyemphasizethecoordinationofbenevolenceandtoughnesstoharmonizethesociety.AnotherwarninginTheBookofSongsisasfollowing,‘Nodisputesandnoirritableness,notoughness