百乘之家

百乘之家

1. (historical) family of a hundred chariots

   • 求也，千室之邑，百乘之家，可使為之宰也，不知其仁也。 [Classical Chinese, trad.]
     求也，千室之邑，百乘之家，可使为之宰也，不知其仁也。 [Classical Chinese, simp.]

     From: The Analects of Confucius, c. 475 – 221 BCE, translated based on James Legge's version

     Qiú yě, qiānshì zhī yì, bǎishèng zhī jiā, kě shǐ wéi zhī zǎi yě, bù zhī qí rén yě. [Pinyin]

     Qiu, in a city of a thousand families, or a clan of a hundred chariots, might be employed as governor, but I do not know whether he is perfectly virtuous.

   • 萬乘之國弒其君者，必千乘之家；千乘之國弒其君者，必百乘之家。 [Classical Chinese, trad.]
     万乘之国弑其君者，必千乘之家；千乘之国弑其君者，必百乘之家。 [Classical Chinese, simp.]

     From: Mencius, c. 4^th century BCE, translated based on James Legge's version

     Wànshèng zhī guó shì qí jūn zhě, bì qiānshèng zhī jiā; qiānshèng zhī guó shì qí jūn zhě, bì bǎishèng zhī jiā. [Pinyin]

     In the kingdom of ten thousand chariots, the murderer of his sovereign shall be the chief of a family of a thousand chariots. In the kingdom of a thousand chariots, the murderer of his prince shall be the chief of a family of a hundred chariots.

   • 百乘之家，不畜聚斂之臣。與其有聚斂之臣，寧有盜臣。 [Classical Chinese, trad.]
     百乘之家，不畜聚敛之臣。与其有聚敛之臣，宁有盗臣。 [Classical Chinese, simp.]

     From: The Book of Rites, c. 4^th – 2^nd century BCE, translated based on James Legge's version

     Bǎishèng zhī jiā, bù xù jùliǎn zhī chén. Yǔqí yǒu jùliǎn zhī chén, nìng yǒu dàochén. [Pinyin]

     So, the house which possesses a hundred chariots should not keep a minister to look out for imposts that he may lay them on the people. Than to have such a minister, it were better for that house to have one who should rob it of its revenues.