懲惡勸善

From the Zuo zhuan, late 4th century BCE:

春秋之稱，微而顯，志而晦，婉而成章，盡而不污，懲惡而勸善，非聖人誰能脩之？ [Classical Chinese, trad.]

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春秋之称，微而显，志而晦，婉而成章，尽而不污，惩恶而劝善，非圣人谁能脩之？ [Classical Chinese, simp.]

From: Commentary of Zuo, c. 4^th century BCE

Chūnqiū zhī chēng, wēi ér xiǎn, zhì ér huì, wǎn ér chéngzhāng, jìn ér bù wū, chéng'è ér quànshàn, fēi shèngrén shéi néng xiū zhī? [Pinyin]

The Spring and Autumn Annals, in the appellations which it uses, is clear with an exquisite minuteness, distinct through obscurity, elegant by its gentle turns, and full without descending to be low, condemning what is evil, and encouraging what is good;—who but the sage [Confucius] could have compiled it as it is?

懲惡勸善

1. to punish the wicked and encourage the good

• 勸善懲惡／劝善惩恶 (quànshànchéng'è)