Childbirth - Shisan

A great official of Zheng during the Spring and Autumn Period in China. Grandson of Duke Mu of Zheng (reigned 627-606 BC). Son of Prince Guo. His given name was Qiao, and so he was also called Gongsun Qiao. His pen name was Zichan. In 554 BC, he became a minister and participated in politics, and in 543 BC, he became a regent and was in charge of national affairs. He settled the internal disputes among the princes, and initiated domestic reforms such as dividing up the fields, reorganizing the countryside, and suppressing the tyranny of the nobles and great officials. He revised the tax system (538 BC) and cast a codified legal code into a cauldron (436 BC). His politics, as can be seen from the saying "The way of heaven is far away, but the way of man is near," were based on the rule of law, eliminating superstition and making the most of human wisdom. He led the Zheng Dynasty through difficult political times and is considered the founder of Legalism. He ruled the country for 33 years, and his ethical behavior was highly praised by Confucius.

[Kazutoshi Iijima December 14, 2015]

Source: Shogakukan Encyclopedia Nipponica About Encyclopedia Nipponica Information | Legend

中国、春秋時代、鄭(てい)の大夫(たいふ)。鄭の穆公(ぼくこう)（在位前627〜前606）の孫。公子国(こうしこく)の子。名は僑(きょう)、そのため公孫僑(こうそんきょう)ともいう。子産は字(あざな)。紀元前554年卿(けい)となり政治に参画し、前543年執政となり国政をつかさどった。彼は諸公子の内紛を治め、田地の区画や農村の再編、貴人大夫の専横を抑えるなど内政改革に着手し、賦税を改め（前538）、成文法典を鼎(てい)に鋳た（前436）。彼の政治は「天道遠く、人道邇(ちか)し」との言にうかがえるように、迷信を排除して人知を尽くすもので、法治を旨とする。多難な政局にあって鄭国をまとめ、法家の開祖に擬せられる。政局にあること33年、彼の道徳にかなった行動は孔子(こうし)も高く評価している。

［飯島和俊　2015年12月14日］

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