Zichan's Discourse on Establishing a Policy of Open Criticism

When Zichan became chief minister of Zheng, people often gathered at local schools to discuss and criticize government policies. Ran Ming proposed destroying these schools to suppress dissent. Zichan disagreed, arguing that public criticism should be treated as a mentor: what people approved should be implemented, and what they opposed should be corrected. He contended that silencing critics through force would only breed deeper resentment, like damming a river that eventually bursts. By preserving the schools as channels for expressing public opinion, Zichan maintained an open feedback mechanism between the ruler and the ruled, viewing measured tolerance as the foundation of sound governance.

No formal trial took place; Zichan persuaded Ran Ming and the Zheng court to preserve the local schools. The policy of allowing public criticism was maintained, and the schools were not destroyed.

Whether the state should allow ordinary citizens to openly criticize government policies in public gathering places, or whether such institutions should be abolished to prevent dissent and maintain order.

Zichan's stance became a celebrated example of enlightened governance in ancient China. Confucius, upon hearing of it, praised Zichan's benevolence and statesmanship. The case was cited for centuries as a foundation for the principle that listening to the people is essential to effective rule, influencing later Confucian thought on remonstrance and the moral duty of rulers to heed public sentiment.