四境

四境

1. (archaic, literary) the four borders (around a kingdom)

   • 孟子謂齊宣王曰：「王之臣，有托其妻子于其友而之楚遊者。比其反也，則凍餒其妻子，則如之何？」王曰：「棄之。」曰：「士師不能治士，則如之何？」王曰：「已之。」曰：「四境之內不治，則如之何？」王顧左右而言他。 [Classical Chinese, trad.]
     孟子谓齐宣王曰：“王之臣，有托其妻子于其友而之楚游者。比其反也，则冻馁其妻子，则如之何？”王曰：“弃之。”曰：“士师不能治士，则如之何？”王曰：“已之。”曰：“四境之内不治，则如之何？”王顾左右而言他。 [Classical Chinese, simp.]

     From: Mencius, circa 4^th century BCE

     Mèngzǐ wèi QíXuānWáng yuē: “Wáng zhī chén, yǒu tuō qí qīzǐ yú qí yǒu ér zhī chǔ yóu zhě. Bǐ qí fǎn yě, zé dòngněi qí qīzǐ, zé rú zhī hé?” Wáng yuē: “Qì zhī.” Yuē: “Shìshī bùnéng zhì shì, zé rú zhī hé?” Wáng yuē: “Yǐ zhī.” Yuē: “Sìjìng zhī nèi bù zhì, zé rú zhī hé?” Wáng gùzuǒyòu'éryántā. [Pinyin]

     One day, Mencius said to the king Xuan of Qi, 'Suppose that one of your Majesty's ministers were to entrust his wife and children to the care of his friend, while he himself went into Chu to travel, and that, on his return, he should find that the friend had let his wife and children suffer from cold and hunger - how ought he to deal with him?' The king said, 'He should cast him off.' Mencius proceeded, 'Suppose that the chief criminal judge could not regulate the officers under him, how would you deal with him?' The king said, 'Dismiss him.' Mencius again said, 'If within the four borders of your kingdom there is not good government, what is to be done?' The king looked to the right and left, and spoke of other matters.[1]