Mencius replied, "With a territory of only a hundred li square any ruler can make all people satisfied with a benevolent government, not to mention you in such a big state. If Your Majesty runs a government benevolent to the people, sparing of punishments and fines, reducing taxes and levies, having the people plow deeply and weed quickly, inculcating in their spare time on the strong-bodied filial and fraternal duties, honesty, and sincerity so that they may serve, at home, their fathers and elder brothers, and, abroad, their elders and superiors, then you will have a people able to oppose even with the wooden clubs the troops of Qin and Chu armed with strong mail and sharp weapons.

Mencius replied, ‘With a territory which is only a hundred li square, it is possible to attain to the royal dignity.‘If your Majesty will indeed dispense a benevolent government to the people, being sparing in the use of punishments and fines, and making the taxes and levies light, so causing that the fields shall be ploughed deep, and the weeding of them be carefully attended to, and that the strong-bodied, during their days of leisure, shall cultivate their filial piety, fraternal respectfulness, sincerity, and truthfulness, serving thereby, at home, their fathers and elder brothers, and, abroad, their elders and superiors, —you will then have a people who can be employed, with sticks which they have prepared, to oppose the strong mail and sharp weapons of the troops of Ch’in and Ch’û.

Mencius said, a land of a hundred square miles may rule the kingdom. If you were to govern the people by love, King; with fewer pains and penalties and lower tolls and taxes; if the ploughs went deeper, and there were shifts of hoers; if for the service

"To be a true emperor, even a hundred square miles can be land enough," replied Mencius. "If an emperor’s rule is Humane - punishment and taxation are light, people plow deep and hoe often, and strong men use their leisure time to cultivate themselves as sons and brothers, loyal subjects and trustworthy friends. They serve father and brother when home, and when away they serve elders and superiors. So even with nothing but sticks for weapons, they can over¬come the fierce swords and armor of nations like Ch’in or Ch’u.

Mencius replied, with a province of one hundred Le you may become sovereign ( of China ). Exhibit a kind, benevolent government; make the punishments lighter, diminish the taxes, let the people exert their whole strength in plowing and cleaning the fields. Let the young employ their leisure time in learning the principles of filial piety, fraternal affection, fidelity and truth.—Then when at home they will serve their fathers and elder brothers, and when abroad they will serve their superiors. Thus you may with sticks oppose the strong armour and sharp swords of Tse.