Listen to this articlesānbiǎo 三表
Three Standards
衡量言论正确与否的三条标准。表：标准，准则。墨子主张通过言论判断是非，应以“三表”作为标准：其一，以历史上圣王成功的治理经验作为标准。其二，以民众的实际经验作为标准。其三，以言论应用的实践效果是否有利于国家、人民作为标准。墨子以“三表”为依据建立自己的学说，并以此考量、批评其他学派的主张。
The term means the three standards used to measure the truth of an assertion. The Chinese character biao (表) in this term means standard or norm. Mozi believed in judging right or wrong by following the three standards. The first one was the successful way in which the ancient sage kings had ruled. The second one was the actual experience of the people. The third one was whether one’s words and deeds actually served the interests of the state and people. Mozi established his school of thought on the basis of the three standards and used them to evaluate and criticize the doctrines of other schools.
引例 Citation：
◎言必立仪，言而毋仪，譬犹运钧之上而立朝夕者也，是非利害之辨，不可得而明知也，故言必有三表。（《墨子·非命上》）
（言论必须确定标准，言论没有标准，就如同在一直旋转的制陶转轮上测定早晚的时刻，是非利害的分辨不可能得到明确的答案，因此言论［正确与否］必须有三个标准。）
To make assertions one must establish a standard of judgment. Speaking without a standard is analogous to trying to determine the time of sunrise and sunset on a revolving potter’s wheel. Distinctions of right and wrong, benefit and harm, cannot be clearly derived. Therefore, we must have the three standards. (Mozi)
