令行禁止

Frequently used in various pre-Qin texts. An explanatory usage can be found in Guanzi:

令則行，禁則止。憲之所及，俗之所被，如百體之從心，政之所期也。 [Classical Chinese, trad.]

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令则行，禁则止。宪之所及，俗之所被，如百体之从心，政之所期也。 [Classical Chinese, simp.]

From: Guanzi, 5^th century BCE to 220 CE

Lìng zé xíng, jìn zé zhǐ. Xiàn zhī suǒjí, sú zhī suǒ bèi, rú bǎitǐ zhī cóng xīn, zhèng zhī suǒ qī yě. [Pinyin]

If there is an order, carry it out. If there is a prohibition on something, stop doing it. Wherever the laws and customs reach should [accept and abide by them,] just like how one's organs follow their heart. This is what statesmen expect.

In the same book, this four-character form was attested five times, once in Chapter 6 and four times in Chapter 67, for example:

故令行禁止，主尊而臣卑。 [Classical Chinese, trad. and simp.]

From: ibid.

Gù lìngxíngjìnzhǐ, zhǔ zūn ér chén bēi. [Pinyin]

Thus, all orders will be carried out and all injunctions will be complied with. The sovereign himself can become honourable and powerful, and his officials will be subservient to him.

Contemporaneously, attested three times in Xunzi, three times in Han Feizi, and once in The Lost Books of Zhou, see the quotations below.

令行禁止

1. to enforce total obedience to commands; to have all orders abode by

   • 若是，名聲日聞，天下願，令行禁止，則王者之事畢矣。 [Classical Chinese, trad.]
     若是，名声日闻，天下愿，令行禁止，则王者之事毕矣。 [Classical Chinese, simp.]

     From: Xunzi, c. 3^rd century BCE

     Ruòshì, míngshēng rì wén, tiānxià yuàn, lìngxíngjìnzhǐ, zé wángzhě zhī shì bì yǐ. [Pinyin]

     When things are done like this, the ruler's reputation is plainly evident, the world will long for him, any decree of his will be carried out, any prohibition of his will be heeded, and the cause of the King will thus have been accomplished.

   • 夫凡國博君尊者，未嘗非法重而可以至乎令行禁止於天下者也。 [Classical Chinese, trad.]
     夫凡国博君尊者，未尝非法重而可以至乎令行禁止于天下者也。 [Classical Chinese, simp.]

     From: Han Feizi, circa 2^nd century BCE

     Fú fán guó bó jūn zūn zhě, wèicháng fēi fǎ zhòng ér kěyǐ zhì hū lìngxíngjìnzhǐ yú tiānxià zhě yě. [Pinyin]

     In general, wherever the country is large and the ruler is honourable, there laws must be so strict that whatever is ordered works and whatever is prohibited stops.

   • 兵強勝人，人強勝天，能制其有者，則能制人之有，不能制其有者，則人制之。令行禁止，王之始也。 [Classical Chinese, trad.]
     兵强胜人，人强胜天，能制其有者，则能制人之有，不能制其有者，则人制之。令行禁止，王之始也。 [Classical Chinese, simp.]

     From: Lost Book of Zhou, circa 4^th – 1^st centuries BCE

     Bīng qiáng shèng rén, rén qiáng shèng tiān, néng zhì qí yǒu zhě, zé néng zhì rén zhī yǒu, bùnéng zhì qí yǒu zhě, zé rén zhì zhī. Lìngxíngjìnzhǐ, wáng zhī shǐ yě. [Pinyin]

     (please add an English translation of this usage example)