Listen to this articlefǎ yǔ shí biàn,lǐ yǔ sú huà 法与时变，礼与俗化
Laws Change Along with Evolving Times; Rites Shift Along with Changing Customs.
国家的制度和法令随时代而改变，社会的礼义随风俗而变化。法：既指制度和律法，还包括由统治者颁布的各种政令。时：指时代、时势。礼：主要指社会的道德规范和行为准则。俗：除了习俗、风气，还包括国情民意。它认为一切都是变化发展的，制度、法令与礼义也应随着时代的发展而做出相应的调整。它反对因循守旧，主张创新变革，一切以顺应时势和国情民意为治国理政的根本原则。它是《周易》“与时偕行”这一思想的发挥，也蕴含儒家所倡导的“民本”思想。
In the context of this term, “laws” refer to the administrative edicts of a ruler as well as institutions and laws. “Times” refer primarily to the prevailing social conditions. “Rites” mainly refer to a society’s moral norms and codes of conduct. In addition to social conventions and mores, “customs” also include popular sentiment. This expression means since everything is constantly changing and evolving, institutions, laws and rites must change correspondingly. It opposes being bound by tradition, favors innovation and change, and espouses the basic principle that a country’s governance should follow the times and respond to popular will. This is an example of the concept of “moving with the times” contained in The Book of Changes, and it also resonates with the concept of “putting the people first” advocated by Confucianism.
引例 Citations：
◎故古之所谓明君者，非一君也，其设赏有薄有厚，其立禁有轻有重，迹行不必同，非故相反也，皆随时而变，因俗而动。（《管子·正世》）
（因此古时所谓贤明君王，不只是一人，他们设立的赏赐有多有少，颁布的禁令有轻有重。他们的做法不必完全一样，但也不是故意使之不同，都是随时代的发展而改变，随风俗的变化而改变。）
Hence there was more than one so-called wise ruler in ancient times. They gave out rewards which varied from big and small, their proscriptions might be harsh or light and their methods were not always the same. This is not because they were deliberately trying to be different, but because they changed with the evolving times and shifted as customs changed. (Guanzi)
◎圣人者，明于治乱之道，习于人事之终始者也。其治人民也，期于利民而止。故其位齐也，不慕古，不留今，与时变，与俗化。（《管子·正世》）
（圣人都是懂得国家安定与动乱的规律、熟悉人情事理变化的人。他们治理民众，只希望对民众有利就可以了。所以他们确立适中的原则，不仰慕古人，也不拘泥于当今，而是根据时势而变迁、随着风气而改变。）
A sage is someone who knows what causes a state to enjoy stability or fall into turmoil, someone who is aware of changing customs. When a sage rules, he hopes only to do what is good for his people. Thus he establishes appropriate principles, neither worshipping the past nor allowing himself to be bound by the present. He changes along with the evolving times and shifts along with changing customs. (Guanzi)
◎故圣人法与时变，礼与俗化。衣服器械，各便其用；法度制令，各因其宜。（《淮南子·泛论训》）
（所以圣人［治理国家］，制度和法令随时代而改变，礼义随风俗而变化。衣服器械之类，都为了使用方便；法令制度，都根据实际情况制定合宜的办法。）
Thus when a sage rules, laws change with the evolving times and rites shift along with changing customs. Clothes and instruments are made to suit their uses, laws and edicts are adopted to meet actual needs. (Huainanzi)
