Chun Tzu: The Idol

For the Master, the ruler must be the role model of the people in his society. He must be able to make his self as a guide which the people in his society will follow and rely on. He also describes the ruler as the one who governs his state by virtue which acts like the north polar star, which remains in place while all the other stars revolve around it [i]. 

The point here is that the ruler must be able to influence the lives of his fellow statesmen in some point that they see the ruler as an exemplar in obtaining good life. Such powerful influence then requires a great deal of responsibility for the ruler, for since the whole society is counting on him, looking at whatever he does, seeing every little things he executes for whatever he does, they will also do. This is because, again, they see him as an example: If he is to do good, the others will do good, but if not, then why would the people do so? Somehow, we can say that the people is dependent and, if I were to use the term, submissive to that of the ruler. And since they follow him (blindly) without even thinking whether what the ruler is doing is good or not, as long as it is the ruler's, the ruler must then be able to equip his self with the the right things for even one single mistake can somehow result to a big societal chaos.

As what the Master also said: "The character of a ruler is like a wind and that of the people is like grass.  In whatever direction the wind blows, the grass always bends.” [ii]. Again, it is the character of a ruler to become influential in a sense that his people follows his way/direction. But again, such influence must be accompanied with the right amount of prudence and concern to that of one's responsibility as an example whose deeds are then followed by that of the people.

 1.) Analects 2:1

2.) Analects 12:19