50 paces compare to 100 paces
King Hui of Liang was a monarch. He used to send his army to attack his neigbouring States, and made his people to suffering and hardship.
One day, King Hui told Mencius, "I can be said to have done the best for the country. When Henei suffers from poor harvests, people are moved from there to Hedong and food supplies are sent to Hedong to relieve the people in Henei. Looking at the neighbouring States, I see no king who takes much interest in his people as I do. Why is there neither a decrease in the population of the neighbouring States nor any increase in my population ?"
Mencius replied, "You are fond of war. Let's use war as an illustration. Soldiers of both sides charge at each other at war. The losing side run away in retreat. Among them, some have retreated by 100 paces and some have retreated by 50 places. If those who have retreated 50 paces should laugh at those who retreated 100 paces for their coward actions, do you think it is right ?"
"It is not right." said King Hui.
Mencius then said, "Since you know this is not right, you cannot expect your population to be more than that of the neighbouring States. You may have taken a greater interest in the welfare of you people, but you are fond of war. In war, thousands of people are killed. Compared to the neighbouring States, is this not the same to the case in which those who have retreated 50 paces laugh at those who have retreated 100 paces ?"
In english, we called this action, "The pot calls the kettle black."
One day, King Hui told Mencius, "I can be said to have done the best for the country. When Henei suffers from poor harvests, people are moved from there to Hedong and food supplies are sent to Hedong to relieve the people in Henei. Looking at the neighbouring States, I see no king who takes much interest in his people as I do. Why is there neither a decrease in the population of the neighbouring States nor any increase in my population ?"
Mencius replied, "You are fond of war. Let's use war as an illustration. Soldiers of both sides charge at each other at war. The losing side run away in retreat. Among them, some have retreated by 100 paces and some have retreated by 50 places. If those who have retreated 50 paces should laugh at those who retreated 100 paces for their coward actions, do you think it is right ?"
"It is not right." said King Hui.
Mencius then said, "Since you know this is not right, you cannot expect your population to be more than that of the neighbouring States. You may have taken a greater interest in the welfare of you people, but you are fond of war. In war, thousands of people are killed. Compared to the neighbouring States, is this not the same to the case in which those who have retreated 50 paces laugh at those who have retreated 100 paces ?"
In english, we called this action, "The pot calls the kettle black."
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