Volume Nine

Servants should be kept well-fed and warm.
Stubborn maidservants who play tricks original: "擣鬼" (daogui); literally "pounding ghosts," referring to deceitful or mischievous behavior should be sent away.
When a servant is ill, one should assist in their recovery and provide nourishment.

Servants must be guarded against illicit affairs.
Those who are pregnant? should be quickly sent away.
One must not keep a favored concubine in a separate residence. This refers to the practice of maintaining "external" households, which was seen as a source of family instability.

One should not take a favorite concubine in one's twilight years.
When keeping concubines, one must not be overly indulgent.
A household’s walls should be maintained carefully to guard against prying eyes and improper conduct. Fangxian: the practice of maintaining boundaries and moral vigilance to prevent scandals or intrusions.

If one has children, it is not strictly necessary to hire a wet nurse.
When overseeing servants, one must accustom them to the rules from the beginning.
When dividing a family estate, those who are overbearing and fierce must be restrained.

When living together, there is no need for private stashes of wealth.
When dividing assets, do not harbor resentful expectations.
The divisive words of women should not be listened to. In the context of this period, this refers to the belief that gossip between wives or maids could destroy the harmony of an extended patriarchal family.

Servants should not be dismissed late at night.
Words spoken behind one's back should not be listened to.
Words spoken behind one's back should not be used to stir up trouble.

One should not borrow excessively from relatives, as it strains the bond. Zhuojie: borrowing that "carves into" or exhausts the lender's resources.
Assist the poor according to your own means.

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○ A person is respected for their character, but when power lies with oneself, there is no harm in being lenient.
Though decisions should be resolute, carry them out with a spirit of leniency.
Restrain impetuousness and be patient with those who are slow.

When serving as an official, first restrain sudden rages.
In dealing with fellow officials, a spirit of leniency is precious.
During your days in office, you must be fully dedicated.

In office, integrity and "cleanness" are the highest virtues.
Devote your mind to the careful consideration of legal cases and lawsuits.
Handling criminal cases should be done as if the subjects were one’s own children or younger brothers. This reflects the "Parental Official" (fumu guan) ideal, where a magistrate treats the people like his own family.

The death penalty must be applied only after ten thousand considerations.
When examining a corpse, the official must personally witness the inspection.
The purpose of being an official is to cultivate and develop people.

Be impartial and do not accept external pleas or favors.
One must guard against the slander and injuries caused by petty individuals.
To serve as an official, one must possess strength of character.