"Thinking of high dangers will make you think of humility and self-herding; fear of overflowing will make you think of rivers and rivers." These two clauses are to guard against arrogance and impatience, and advise the emperor to abide by his duties and not be arrogant or impetuous. Be as open-minded as a valley, and follow advice like a stream.
Original text: When you think about high danger, you think about rushing forward with humility and self-herding; when you are afraid of overflow, you think about the rivers and rivers; when you are happy about traveling, you think about the three drives to overcome it; when you are worried about slackness, you think about starting with caution and respect. Finally, if you are worried about obstruction, you will think of being humble in order to accept the bad; if you are afraid of slander and evil, you will think of rectifying your body and dethroning evil; if you are favored, you will think of unreasonable joy and rewards; if you are punished, you will think of indiscriminate punishment because of anger. In summary, these ten thoughts lead to nine achievements.
From "Ten Thoughts on Admonishing Taizong", a memorial written by Wei Zheng to Taizong of the Tang Dynasty. To admonish, to advise outright, to correct mistakes, and is generally used to confront someone. Shu, memorial, is a style of writing in the feudal era in which ministers stated their opinions to the king.
The article is divided into three paragraphs, raising questions, analyzing problems, and drawing conclusions. In the first paragraph, the author first uses two analogies to make the main point more clear, and concludes that "those who think about the security of the country must accumulate virtue and justice." Next, let’s argue from the opposite side: If the monarch does not accumulate virtue and justice, is not prepared for danger in times of peace, and refrains from extravagance and frugality, then it will be like “cutting down the roots in order to grow trees” or “blocking the source in order to grow”, the country will not be stable. . The second natural paragraph proves the central argument from a historical perspective. The author uses an overview method, lists historical facts, and warns Taizong to "pay sincerity and wait for the next one", and uses the method of comparative argument to analyze the two results of "waiting for the next one with all one's heart". The third paragraph gives a positive answer on how to be prepared for danger in times of peace. At the beginning, the ten suggestions are listed directly in items. At the end, it is pointed out that by summarizing the "Ten Thoughts", carrying forward the "Nine Virtues", selecting talents, following advice, and using both civil and military forces, governance can be achieved.