Page 114 - 《孟子》(三)中·英对照版
P. 114

?孟
 子

state, where the territory was fifty li square, the ruler
had ten times as much revenue as his chief minister;
a chief minister had twice as much as a great officer;
a great officer twice as much as a scholar of the
highest class; a scholar of the highest class twice as
much as one of the middle; a scholar of the middle
class twice as much as one of the lowest; scholars
of the lowest class, and such of the common people
as were employed about the government offices,
had the same emolument; —as much, namely, as
was equal to what they would have made by tilling
the fields. As to those who tilled the fields, each
husbandman received a hundred mu. When those mu
were manured, the best husbandmen of the highest
class supported nine individuals, and those ranking
next to them supported eight. The best husbandmen
of the second class supported seven individuals, and
those ranking next to them supported six; while
husbandmen of the lowest class only supported

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