刘廙

夫自足者不足，自明者不明。日月至光至大，而有所不遍者，以其高於眾之上也。燈燭至微至小，而無不可之者，以其明之下，能照日月之所蔽也。

- 《政論》

by Liu Yi

Those who deem themselves perfect are in truth not perfect. Those who deem themselves brilliant are in truth not brilliant. The sun and the moon are supremely bright and great, but they cannot light up every corner of the globe because their light is far, high above everything. A lamp or candle is exceedingly small and slight, yet there is nowhere it cannot illuminate, for from below it can shine into places the sun and moon leave in shadow.

-《Political Discourses》

【作者简介】刘廙（180年—221年），字恭嗣，河南南阳人，汉末魏初名士。西汉长沙定王刘发之子安众康侯刘丹之后。初从荆州牧刘表，后投奔曹操，甚受器重，为黄门侍郎。曹丕继位，擢为侍中，并赐爵关内侯。为政主张先刑后礼，且通天文历数之术，与司马徽、丁仪等名流相齐。刘廙所著《政论》一书，是一部政治哲学论著，所存篇目有《备政》《正名》《慎爱》《审爱》《欲失》《疑贤》《任臣》《下视》等。主张“以武平乱，以德治世”。强调“明君必须良佐而后致治，非良佐能独治也，必须善法有以用之”的政治思想，又对现实政治中的积弊表现出多方面的悲观情绪。

Introduction to the author:

Liu Yi (180 – 221), courtesy name Gongsi, was a native of Nanyang in Henan Province. He is a celebrated scholar of the late Han and early Wei periods. He was a descendant of Liu Dan, Marquis Kang of Anzhong, son of Liu Fa, King Ding of Changsha from the Western Han.

At first, he served under Liu Biao, Governor of Jingzhou, but later defected to Cao Cao, where he was highly valued and appointed Gentleman of the Yellow Gate. When Cao Pi ascended the throne, Liu Yi was promoted to Palace Attendant and granted the noble title of Marquis Within the Passes.

In governance, he advocated “punishment before propriety” and was also versed in astronomy and calendrical science, ranking alongside noted contemporaries such as Sima Hui and Ding Yi.

Liu Yi authored the political-philosophical treatise 《Zhenglun》 (Political Discourses), of which extant chapters include 《Preparing for Government》, 《Rectification of Names》, 《Prudent Affection》, 《The Loss Through Desire》, 《Doubting the Worthy》, 《Employing Ministers》, and 《Looking Downward》, among others.

He upheld the principle of “pacifying chaos by force, and governing the realm by virtue.” He emphasized the political idea that “an enlightened ruler must rely on able assistants to achieve good governance; without them he cannot govern alone, and must also apply sound laws to bring their abilities into effect.” At the same time, he displayed a deeply pessimistic outlook on many entrenched ills in contemporary politics.