governing the people; ruling the populace
A formal, somewhat literary term for governing or shepherding the people, often with a benevolent or paternalistic nuance. Rare in everyday conversation; more common in political or historical contexts.
The way of governing the people begins with listening to their voices.
He was a leader gifted in the art of governing the people.
From Chinese 牧民 (mùmín), literally 'to shepherd the people'. The Japanese reading is on'yomi. The term carries a classical Confucian ideal of benevolent rule.