Section of the Correct Unity
Any gods or spirits named after rivers, regardless of whether big or small, deep or shallow, if they are benevolent and can nurture crops outside the seasons, allow the Emperor of Waters Who Oversees the Nine Rivers to investigate their merits and violations for reporting to the court. Those who disobey shall be beaten one hundred strokes with the heavy rod.
Any dragon gods dwelling at various rivers, lakes, ponds, and streams, those who are in charge of any matters can be called an administrator; if they have moral integrity, they can be worshipped. If due to great wind and rain they come out for no good reason and harm people or crops, they shall be given one year’s penal servitude. Any of them who request sacrifice without authorization shall be given two years’ penal servitude. Any of them who administer water and irrigation but cause floods to fields and houses, those who damage crops and up to fifty households shall be exiled to a distance of three thousand li. Those who cause damage to fewer than fifty households shall be given three years’ penal servitude. Cases involving the implementation of disasters during certain years and anomalies in certain places are not included but should still be reported in memorials.
Any dragon gods and spirits who are in charge of places along rivers and stream, if they harass passenger ships and carriages to request sacrifices, they shall be given two years’ penal servitude. Those who start wind and rain without authorization, blow over houses or cause flooding, and as a result harm lives, for one human life they shall be exiled to a distance of three thousand li. For ten lives, they shall be executed. Above ten lives, they shall be annihilated. Those administrators of lakes and pools related to the incident shall be punished for the same crime. Those who administer the local area but do not look after the case shall also be punished for the same crime.
Any hidden gods and spirits who are supposed to give rain and moisture but do not immediately relieve drought or alleviate suffering, and any administrators of that water who conspire in covering the event up and do not expose it, shall both be given three years’ penal servitude. (trans. adapted from Hymes, p. 33, fn. 28.)
