1
卷九十九上王莽傳第六十九上
Volume 99a: Biography of Wang Mang, part one of three.
2
王莽字巨君，孝元皇后之弟子也。 元后父及兄弟皆以元、成世封侯，居位輔政，家凡九侯、五大司馬，語在《元后傳》。 唯莽父曼蚤死，不侯。 莽群兄弟皆將軍五侯子，乘時侈靡，以輿馬聲色佚游相高，莽獨孤貧，因折節為恭儉。 受《禮經》，師事沛郡陳參，勤身博學，被服如儒生。 事母及寡嫂，養孤兄子，行甚敕備。 又外交英俊，內事諸父，曲有禮意。 陽朔中，世父大將軍鳳病，莽侍疾，親嘗藥，亂首垢面，不解衣帶連月。 鳳且死，以託太后及帝，拜為黃門郎，遷射聲校尉。
Wang Mang, courtesy name Jujun, was a nephew of Empress Yuan—the empress's brother's son. Her father and brothers all won marquisates under Emperors Yuan and Cheng, dominated the administration, and between them filled nine marquisates and five grand marshalships—the story is in the 《Biography of Empress Yuan》. Only Mang's father, Man, died young and was never ennobled. Mang's cousins, the pampered sons of generals and the Five Marquises, vied with one another in ostentatious display—carriages and horses, music and women, every indulgence—while Mang, left orphaned and destitute, deliberately schooled himself in humility and frugality. He mastered the Classic of Rites, apprenticed himself to Chen Shen of Pei commandery, applied himself with diligence and studied broadly, and conducted himself in the manner of a Confucian scholar. He served his mother and his widowed sister-in-law with devotion, raised his late brother's orphaned son, and observed every propriety in his conduct. He courted men of talent abroad and waited on his uncles at home with meticulous deference. In the Yangshuo era, when his elder uncle the Grand General Wang Feng fell ill, Mang nursed him night and day, personally tasting the medicines, letting his hair grow unkempt and his face grimy, and for months without once loosening his belt. As Feng lay dying, he entrusted Mang to the empress dowager and the emperor. Mang was appointed a Gentleman of the Yellow Gates and soon promoted to Colonel of the Archers of the Sound.
3
莽兄永為諸曹，蚤死，有子光，莽使學博士門下。 莽休沐出，振車騎，奉羊酒，勞遺其師，恩施下竟同學。 諸生縱觀，長老歎息。 光年小於莽子宇，莽使同日內婦，賓客滿堂。 須臾，一人言太夫人苦某痛，當飲某藥，比客罷者數起焉。 嘗私買侍婢，昆弟或頗聞知，莽因曰：「後將軍硃子元無子，莽聞此兒種宜子，為買之。」 即日以婢奉子元。 其匿情求名如此。
His brother Yong had died young in office, leaving a son Guang whom Mang enrolled with the erudits' disciples. On his monthly leave he would harness carriage and outriders, bear mutton and wine to his tutor, and extend his largesse even to his fellow disciples. Students thronged the street to stare; graybeards sighed at the sight. Guang was younger than Mang's own son Yu, yet Mang married them off the same day with a hall packed with guests. In the midst of the feast a servant would announce that the matriarch was suffering this or that complaint and required a particular draught—rising repeatedly before the guests at last departed. Once he secretly purchased a maidservant. When his brothers got wind of it, Mang explained: "Rear General Zhu Boyuan has no son. I have heard that this girl's lineage is auspicious for bearing heirs, so I bought her for him." That very day he handed the girl over to Zhu Boyuan. That was the lengths to which he went to polish his reputation.
4
是時，太后姊子淳于長以材能為九卿，先進在莽右。 莽陰求其罪過，因大司馬曲陽侯根白之，長伏誅，莽以獲忠直，語在《長傳》。 根因乞骸骨，薦莽自代，上遂擢為大司馬。 是歲，綏和元年也，年三十八矣。 莽既拔出同列，繼四父而輔政，欲令名譽過前人，遂克已不倦，聘諸賢良以為掾史，賞賜邑錢悉以享士，愈為儉約。 母病，公卿列侯遣夫人問疾，莽妻迎之，衣不曳地，布蔽膝。 見之者以為僮使，問知其夫人，皆驚。
Meanwhile Chunyu Chang, the empress dowager's nephew, had climbed to one of the nine high ministries and outranked Mang. Mang ferreted out his offenses, fed them to Grand Marshal Wang Gen; Chang went to the block, and Mang was hailed as loyal and upright—see Chang's biography. Gen resigned and pushed Mang as his successor; the emperor made Mang grand marshal. It was the first year of Suihe (8 BCE); Mang was thirty-eight. Once above his cousins, succeeding four uncles as chief minister, he meant to eclipse their names—driving himself without rest, packing his bureau with worthies, pouring fief income into entertaining clients, yet looking ever more abstemious. When his mother sickened, the great ladies of the court called; his wife met them in a hem that cleared the floor and a homespun apron. Visitors mistook her for a bondmaid—learning she was the minister's wife, they gaped.
5
時哀帝祖母定陶傅太后、母丁姬在，高昌侯董宏上書言：「《春秋》之義，母以子貴，丁姬宜上尊號。」 莽與師丹共劾宏誤朝不道，語在《丹傳》。 後日，未央宮置酒，內者令為傅太后張幄坐於太皇太后坐旁。 莽案行，責內者令曰：「定陶太后籓妾，何以得與至尊並！」 徹去，更設坐，傅太后聞之，大怒，不肯會，重怨恚莽。 莽復乞骸骨，哀帝賜莽黃金五百斤，安車駟馬，罷就第。 公卿大夫多稱之者，上乃加恩寵，置使家，中黃門十日一賜餐。 下詔曰：「新都侯莽憂勞國家，執義堅固，朕庶幾與為治。 太皇太后詔莽就第，朕甚閔焉。 其以黃郵聚戶三百五十益封莽，位特進，給事中，朝朔望見禮如三公。 車駕乘綠車從。」 後二歲，傅太后、丁姬皆稱尊號，丞相硃博奏：「莽前不廣尊尊之義，抑貶尊號，虧損孝道，當伏顯戮，幸蒙赦令，不宜有爵土，請免為庶人。」 上曰：「以莽與太皇太后有屬，勿免，遣就國。」
At that time Emperor Ai's grandmother Grand Empress Dowager Fu of Dingtao and his mother Lady Ding were still alive; Marquis of Gaochang Dong Hong memorialized: "By the principle of the 《Spring and Autumn Annals》, a mother is honored through her son; Lady Ding ought to receive an exalted title." Mang and Shi Dan joined to impeach Hong for misleading the court—the account is in Dan's biography. Later, at a banquet in Weiyang, the inner steward set Lady Fu's curtain-seat beside the grand empress dowager's. Mang conducted the inspection and rebuked the palace steward: "The Dingtao dowager is merely a feudal lord's concubine. How dare she sit on equal terms with the sovereign!" The seat was struck; Fu took mortal offense and boycotted the feast, hating Mang ever after. Mang asked leave again; Ai gave him five hundred jin of gold, a state carriage, four horses, and dismissed him to private life. The bureaucracy sang his praises; the emperor posted stewards at his gate and sent a eunuch with a royal meal every ten days. An edict ran: "Marquis of Xindu Mang toils for the state and holds fast to righteousness; We hope to govern with him. The grand empress dowager sent him home, and I grieve for it. Enlarge his fief by three hundred fifty households at Huangyou, raise him to specially advanced, add palace attendant rank, and grant him audiences on new and full moons with honors equal to the Three Dukes. His retinue might follow in the imperial green-wheeled cart." Two years later, when Fu and Ding received exalted titles, Chancellor Zhu Bo memorialized: "Mang previously failed to extend the doctrine of honoring the honored, suppressed exalted titles, and injured filial piety. He ought to suffer public execution. Having fortunately received an amnesty, he should not retain noble rank or land. I request that he be reduced to commoner." The emperor answered: "He is the dowager's kin—do not strip him; banish him to his fief instead."
6
始莽就國，南陽太守以莽貴重，選門下掾宛孔休守新都相。 休謁見莽，莽盡禮自納，休亦聞其名，與相答。 後莽疾，休侯之，莽緣恩意，進其玉具寶劍，欲以為好。 休不肯受，莽因曰：「誠見君面有瘢，美玉可以滅瘢，欲獻其瑑耳。」 即解其瑑，休復辭讓。 莽曰：「君嫌其賈邪？」 遂椎碎之，自裹以進休，休乃受。 及莽徵去，欲見休，休稱疾不見。
When Mang left for his fief, Nanyang's governor, knowing his stature, picked Wan native Kong Xiu from his staff as Xindu's chancellor. Kong Xiu called; Mang received him with every courtesy, and Xiu, who knew the exile's fame, responded warmly. When Mang later sickened, Xiu called; Mang pressed on him a jade-hilted sword as a token of friendship. Xiu refused; Mang said, "I truly noticed marks on your face—fine jade is said to heal such marks; I meant only to offer the pommel ornament as a gift." He snapped off the pommel; Xiu still demurred. Mang asked, "Do you scorn it as too costly?" He smashed it with a mallet, wrapped the pieces himself, and presented them to Xiu, who at last accepted. Recalled to Chang'an, Mang tried to visit Xiu; Xiu feigned sickness and shut his door.
7
莽還京師歲餘，哀帝崩，無子，而傅太后、丁太后皆先薨，太皇太后即日駕之未央宮收取璽綬，遣使者馳召莽。 詔尚書，諸發兵符節，百官奏事，中黃門、期門兵皆屬莽。 莽白：「大司馬高安侯董賢年少，不合眾心，收印綬。」 賢即日自殺。 太后詔公卿舉可大司馬者，大司徒孔光、大司空彭宣舉莽，前將軍何武、後將軍公孫祿互相舉。 太后拜莽為大司馬，與議立嗣。 安陽侯王舜，莽之從弟，其人修飭，太后所信愛也，莽白以舜為車騎將軍，使迎中山王奉成帝后，是為孝平皇帝。 帝年九歲，太后臨朝稱制，委政於莽。 莽白趙氏前害皇子，傅氏驕僭，遂廢孝成趙皇后、孝哀傅皇后，皆令自殺，語在《外戚傳》。
A year after his recall Ai died heirless; Fu and Ding were already in their tombs. The grand empress dowager raced to Weiyang that day, seized the seals of office, and sent a flying summons for Mang. She put the Masters of Reading, every mobilization tally, every seal and staff, all memorial traffic, eunuchs and palace guards under Mang's hand. Mang reported: "Grand Marshal Dong Xian of Gaoan is a boy the court cannot trust—take his seal and ribbon." Dong Xian cut his throat that day. She bade the court name a grand marshal: Kong Guang and Peng Xuan chose Mang; He Wu and Gongsun Lu cross-nominated each other. She named Mang grand marshal and set him to choose the next emperor. Mang proposed his polished cousin Wang Shun of Anyang as general of chariots and cavalry to fetch the prince of Zhongshan as Emperor Ping, Cheng's successor. The boy was nine; the dowager held court as regent and handed power to Mang. He charged the Zhao consorts with killing the imperial sons and the Fu clan with arrogance, deposed Empress Zhao of Cheng and Empress Fu of Ai, and forced both to suicide—the tale is in the 《Outer Kin》 chapter.
8
莽以大司徒孔光名儒，相三主，太后所敬，天下信之，於是盛尊事光，引光女婿甄邯為侍中奉車都尉。 諸哀帝外戚及大臣居位素所不說者，莽皆傅致其罪，為請奏，令邯持與光。 光素畏慎，不敢不上之，莽白太后，輒可其奏。 於是前將軍何武、後將軍公孫祿坐互相舉免，丁、傅及董賢親屬皆免官爵，徙遠方。 紅陽侯立，太后親弟，雖不居位，莽以諸父內敬憚之，畏立從容言太后，令已不得肆意，乃復令光奏立舊惡：「前知定陵侯淳于長犯大逆罪，多受其賂，為言誤朝； 後白以官婢楊寄私子為皇子，眾言曰呂氏、少帝復出，紛紛為天下所疑，難以示來世，成襁褓之功。 請遣立就國。」 太后不聽。 莽曰：「今漢家衰，比世無嗣，太后獨代幼主統政，誠可畏懼，力用公正先天下，尚恐不從，今以私恩逆大臣議如此，群下傾邪，亂從此起！ 宜可且遣就國，安後復徵召之。」 太后不得已，遣立就國。 莽之所以脅持上下，皆此類也。
Mang courted Kong Guang, the eminent scholar who had served three emperors and enjoyed the dowager's awe, and wedged Zhen Han, Guang's son-in-law, in as palace attendant and chief of the imperial carriage. Every Ding and Fu favorite and minister Mang loathed he framed in indictments for Han to carry to Kong Guang. Guang was too timid to refuse; Mang laid the papers before the dowager, who rubber-stamped every one. He Wu and Gongsun Lu fell for their mutual nomination; the Ding, Fu, and Dong clans were exiled and stripped of rank. Marquis of Hongyang Li was the empress dowager's uterine younger brother. Though he held no office, Mang inwardly respected and feared him as one of his uncles, afraid that Li might speak casually to the empress dowager and prevent him from acting as he pleased. He therefore again ordered Guang to memorialize Li's old crimes: "Earlier, knowing that Marquis of Dingling Chunyu Chang had committed the great crime of rebellion, he repeatedly took bribes from him and spoke for him, misleading the court; later he had palmed off a maid's bastard as the heir, setting the realm whispering of a second Lü regime—shameful before history and fatal to the boy emperor's cause; send Li back to his fief." The dowager refused. Mang warned: "The Han house is in decline; for generations there has been no heir, and the Empress Dowager alone acts in place of the young ruler in directing the government—this is truly a thing to fear. Even if you exert yourself to employ impartial justice to lead the realm, you still fear they will not follow; now, out of private favor, you go against the great ministers' counsel in this way—those below will incline to wickedness, and disorder will arise from this! Banish him for now; recall him when the boy is secure." She yielded and sent Li to his fief. Such was his habit of bending everyone to his will.
9
於是附順者拔擢，忤恨者誅滅。 王舜、王邑為腹心，甄豐、甄邯主擊斷，平晏領機事，劉歆典文章，孫建為爪牙。 豐子尋、歆子棻、涿郡崔發、南陽陳崇皆以材能幸於莽。 莽色厲而言方，欲有所為，微見風采，黨與承其指意而顯奏之，莽稽首涕泣，固推讓焉，上以惑太后，下用示信於眾庶。
Flatterers rose; resisters died. Wang Shun and Wang Yi were his confidants; Zhen Feng and Zhen Han swung the axe; Ping Yan ran secret files; Liu Xin drafted edicts; Sun Jian served as enforcer. Zhen Xun, Liu Fen, Cui Fa of Zhuo, and Chen Chong of Nanyang curried favor with their wits. He wore severity and righteous speech; a hint from him brought a orchestrated memorial from his clique; he then wept and declined—duping the dowager above and the crowd below.
10
莽上書言：「臣與孔光、王舜、甄豐、甄邯共定策，今願獨條光等功賞，寢置臣莽，勿隨輩列。」 甄邯白太后下詔曰：「『無偏無黨，王道蕩蕩。』 屬有親者，義不得阿。 君有安宗廟之功，不可以骨肉故蔽隱不揚。 君其勿辭。」 莽復上書讓。 太后詔謁者引莽待殿東箱，莽稱疾不肯入。 太后使尚書令恂詔之曰：「君以選故而辭以疾，君任重，不可闕，以時亟起。」 莽遂固辭。 太后復使長信太僕閎承製召莽，莽固稱疾。 左右白太后，宜勿奪莽意，但條孔光等，莽乃肯起。 太后下詔曰：「太傅博山侯光宿衛四世，世為傅相，忠考仁篤，行義顯著，建議定策，益封萬戶，以光為太師，與四輔之政。 車騎將軍安陽侯舜積累仁孝，使迎中山王，折衝萬里，功德茂著，益封萬戶，以舜為太保。 左將軍光祿勳豐宿衛三世，忠信仁篤，使迎中山王，輔導共養，以安宗廟，封豐為廣陽侯，食邑五千戶，以豐為少傅。 皆授四輔之職，疇其爵邑，各賜第一區。 侍中奉車都尉邯宿衛勤勞，建議定策，封邯為承陽侯，食邑二千四百戶。」 四人既受賞，莽尚未起，群臣復上言：「莽雖克讓，朝所宜章，以時加賞，明重元功，無使百僚元元失望。」 太后乃下詔曰：「大司馬新都侯莽三世為三公，典周公之職，建萬世策，功德為忠臣宗，化流海內，遠人慕義，越裳氏重譯獻白雉。 其以召陵，新息二縣戶二萬八千益封莽，復其後嗣，疇其爵邑，封功如蕭相國。 以莽為太傅，干四輔之事，號曰安漢公。 以故蕭相國甲第為安漢公第，定著於令，傳之無窮。」
He wrote: "Guang, Shun, and the Zhens fixed the succession; list their rewards alone and leave me out. Zhen Han prompted an edict quoting the 《Documents》: "Without swerving, without factions, the royal way runs level and broad. Kinship must not bend the law. You saved the temples—you cannot hide that merit for kinship's sake. Do not refuse." Mang memorialized another refusal. She told an usher to seat him in the east gallery; he pleaded sickness and stayed away. The Masters' director Xun was told to command him: "You feign illness over the nomination; your post cannot stand empty—come now. Mang still refused. She sent Hong, grand coachman of Changxin, with the summons; again he pleaded ill. Her attendants advised: Do not force him—reward Guang first; then he will rise. Her edict ran: "Kong Guang of Boshan has kept night watch through four reigns, served tutor and minister for generations, and is loyal, humane, and true—add ten thousand households and name him grand tutor among the Four Supports. Wang Shun of Anyang, general of chariots and cavalry, welcomed the prince with merit beyond the passes—add ten thousand households and make him grand guardian. Zhen Feng, left general and superintendent of the household, guarded three reigns and escorted the prince—make him marquis of Guangyang with five thousand households and junior tutor. Each receives a Four Supports post, a fief adjustment, and a first-grade mansion. Zhen Han, for night service and the succession plan, becomes marquis of Chengyang with twenty-four hundred households." After the four were rewarded, Mang still stayed in bed; the bureaucracy urged: "His modesty must be answered—do not disappoint the realm. She then decreed: "Xindu's Mang has thrice held the highest office like the Duke of Zhou, devised policy for ages to come, draws distant peoples to send white pheasants through interpreters— add twenty-eight thousand households from Zhaoling and Xinyi, free his heirs from corvée, match Xiao He's reward, and name him grand tutor and Duke Who Pacifies Han, steering the Four Supports. His residence shall be Xiao He's old estate, written into law forever."
11
於是莽為惶恐，不得已而起受策。 策曰：「漢危無嗣，而公定之； 四輔之職，三公之任，而公幹之； 群僚眾位，而公宰之； 功德茂著，宗廟以安，蓋白雉之瑞，周成象焉。 故賜嘉號曰安漢公，輔翼於帝，期於致平，毋違朕意。」 莽受太傅安漢公號，讓還益封疇爵邑事，雲願須百姓家給，然後加賞。 群公復爭，太后詔曰：「公自期百姓家給，是以聽之。 其令公奉、舍人賞賜皆倍故。 百姓家給人足，大司徒、大司空以聞。」 莽復讓不受，而建言宜立諸侯王后及高祖以來功臣子孫，大者封侯，或賜爵關內侯食邑，然後及諸在位，各有第序。 上尊宗廟，增加禮樂； 下惠士民鰥寡，恩澤之政無所不施。 語在《平紀》。
Mang quaked and at last rose to take the patent. It read: "Han stood heirless in peril—you fixed it; the Four Supports and Three Dukes—you shoulder them; every office in the host—you head them; your merit secures the temples; the white pheasant omen matches King Cheng of Zhou; therefore we name you Duke Who Pacifies Han to wing the throne toward peace—do not spurn us." He took the titles but refused the extra land, vowing to wait until every hearth was full before accepting more. The court pressed; she answered: "You yourself named the day when commoners would be rich—We grant your delay. Double the Duke's allowances for his household staff from the old scale. When every hearth is full, the two ministers of state shall memorialize the fact." Mang again refused the bounty, but proposed first establishing the descendants of the feudatory kings and of meritorious officials since Gaozu: the leading ones would be enfeoffed as marquises, others granted the rank of Marquis within the Passes with revenue, and only then would current officeholders be ranked in order. Raise the temples' rites and swell court music; below spread kindness to the people, the widowed and alone, leaving no blessing ungranted. Details sit in the 《Annals of Ping》.
12
莽既說眾庶，又欲專斷，知太后厭政，乃風公卿奏言：「往者，吏以功次遷至二千石，及州部所舉茂材異等吏，率多不稱，宜皆見安漢公。 又太后不宜親省小事。」 令太后下詔曰：「皇帝幼年，朕且統政，比加元服。 今眾事煩碎，朕春秋高，精氣不堪，殆非所以安躬體而育養皇帝者也。 故選忠賢，立四輔，群下勸職，永以康寧。 孔子曰：『巍巍乎，舜、禹之有天下而不與焉！』 自今以來，惟封爵乃以聞。 他事，安漢公、四輔平決。 州牧、二千石及茂材吏初除奏事者，輒引入至近署對安漢公，考故官，問新職，以知其稱否。」 於是莽人人延問，緻密恩意，厚加贈送，其不合指，顯奏免之，權與人主侔矣。
Wanting sole power and sensing the dowager's fatigue, he had ministers urge that every promoted two-thousand-bushel officer and every "outstanding talent" pick meet the Duke Who Pacifies Han for vetting. Nor should she trouble herself with trivia." He had the empress dowager issue an edict: "The emperor is young; I hold government for the nonce until his capping; the paperwork overwhelms an old woman and saps my strength—no way to rest or rear the child. So I have named the Four Supports to carry the load while I keep the throne steady. Confucius said, 'Lofty indeed—Shun and Yu held the empire as if it were not theirs. Henceforth only titles and fiefs need reach my desk. All else the Duke and Four Supports shall settle between them. New governors and talent picks must interview with Mang before taking office to prove their fitness." Mang interviewed each appointee, showered gifts on the pliant, and cashiered the rest—his authority rivaled the throne's.
13
莽欲以虛名說太后，白言：「新承前孝哀丁、傅奢侈之後，百姓未贍者多，太后宜且衣繒練，頗損膳，以視天下。」 莽因上書，願出錢百萬，獻田三十頃，付大司農助給貧民。 於是公卿皆慕效焉。 莽師群臣奏言：「陛下春秋尊，久衣重練，減御膳，誠非所以輔精氣，育皇帝，安宗廟也。 臣莽數叩頭省戶下，白爭未見許。 今幸賴陛下德澤，間者風雨時，甘露降，神芝生，蓂莢、朱草、嘉禾、休徵同時並至。 臣莽等不勝大願，願陛下愛精休神，闊略思慮，遵帝王之常服，復太官之法膳，使臣子各得盡歡心，備共養。 惟哀省察！」 莽又令太后下詔曰：「蓋聞母后之義，思不出乎門閾。 國不蒙佑，皇帝年在襁褓，未任親政，戰戰兢兢，懼於宗廟之不安。 國家之大綱，微朕孰當統之？ 是以孔子見南子，周公居攝，蓋權時也。 勤身極思，憂勞未綏，故國奢則視之以儉，矯枉者過其正，而朕不身帥，將謂天下何！ 夙夜夢想，五穀豐熟，百姓家給，比皇帝加元服，委政而授焉。 今誠未皇於輕靡而備味，庶幾與百僚有成，其勖之哉！」 每有水旱，莽輒素食，左右以白。 太后遣使者詔莽曰：「聞公菜食，憂民深矣。 今秋幸熟，公勤於職，以時食肉，愛身為國。」
Mang wished to please the empress dowager with an empty reputation and reported: "Newly inheriting after the extravagance of Emperor Ai's Ding and Fu relatives, many among the people are not yet provided for. The empress dowager ought for now to wear plain doubled silk and somewhat reduce her meals, to show this to the realm." He offered a million cash and thirty qing of his own land to the exchequer for famine relief. The whole bureaucracy copied his gesture. Mang led the host of ministers to memorialize: "Your Majesty's years are venerable. To wear heavy doubled silk for long and reduce the imperial kitchen is truly not the way to aid vital force, nurture the emperor, and secure the ancestral temples. He claimed to have kowtowed in vain at her door. He listed omens—timely rain, dew, magic fungus, lucky grain— and begged her to eat normally again for the child's sake. Only grant this mercy!" Another edict ran: "A regent mother's thoughts should not stray past her threshold. The heir is in diapers; I tremble for the temples. Who but I can hold the state's great lines? So Confucius saw Lady Nan, the Duke of Zhou acting as regent—expedients for the hour. I bend myself to thrift to cure excess; if I do not lead, what message do I send? I dream of harvest and plenty until the boy is capped, when I may yield all. I cannot yet return to luxury; work with me, you ministers!" At every natural disaster he ate plain fare until his staff told the palace. The dowager sent word: "Your vegetarian diet shows deep care for the people. The harvest is in—take meat again and keep yourself strong for the realm."
14
莽念中國已平，唯四夷未有異，乃遣使者繼黃金、幣、帛，重賂匈奴單于，使上書言：「聞中國譏二名，故名囊知牙斯今更名知，慕從聖制。」 又遣王昭君女須卜居次入待。 所以誑耀媚事太后，下至旁側長御，方故萬端。
With China quiet, Mang sent envoys with gold, cash, and silks to heavily bribe the Xiongnu chanyu and had him submit a memorial saying: "We have heard that China condemns two-character personal names. Therefore the name Nangzhiyasi is now changed to Zhi, admiringly following the sage system." He summoned Zhaojun's daughter, the Xubu chief's wife, to court as hostage-diplomat. All of it was theater to dazzle the dowager and her women.
15
莽既尊重，欲以女配帝為皇后，以固其權，奏言：「皇帝即位三年，長秋宮未建，液廷媵未充。 乃者，國家之難，本從亡嗣，配取不正。 請考論《五經》，定取禮，正十二女之義，以廣繼嗣。 博采二王后及周公、孔子世列侯在長安者適子女。」 事下有司，上眾女名，王氏女多在選中者。 莽恐其與已女爭，即上言：「身亡德，子材下，不宜與眾女並采。」 太后以為至誠，乃下詔曰：「王氏女，朕之外家，其勿采。」 庶民、諸生、郎吏以上守闕上書者日千餘人，公卿大夫或詣廷中，或伏省戶下，咸言：「明詔聖德巍巍如彼，安漢公盛勳堂堂若此，今當立后，獨奈何廢公女？ 天下安所歸命！ 願得公女為天下母。」 莽遣長安以下分部曉止公卿及諸生，而上書者愈甚。 太后不得已，聽公卿采莽女。 莽復自白：「宜博選眾女。」 公卿爭曰：「不宜采諸女以貳正統。」 莽白：「願見女。」 太后遣長樂少府、宗正、尚書令納采見女，還奏言：「公女漸漬德化，有窈窕之容，宜承天序，奉祭祀。」 有詔遣大司徒、大司空策告宗廟，雜加卜筮，皆曰：「兆遇金水王相，封遇父母得位，所謂『康強』之占，『逢吉』之符也。」 信鄉侯佟上言：「《春秋》，天子將娶於紀，則褒紀子稱侯，安漢公國未稱古制。 事下有司，皆曰：「古者天子封后父百里，尊而不臣，以重宗廟，孝之至也。 佟言應禮，可許。 請以新野田二萬五千六百頃益封莽，滿百里。」 莽謝曰：「臣莽子女誠不足以配至尊，復聽眾議，益封臣莽。 伏自惟念，得託肺腑，獲爵士，如使子女誠能奉稱聖德，臣莽國邑足以共朝貢，不須復加益地之寵。 願歸所益。」 太后許之。 有司奏：「故事，聘皇后黃金二萬斤，為錢二萬萬。」 莽深辭讓，受四千萬，而以其三千三百萬予十一媵家。 群臣復言：「今皇后受騁，逾群妾亡幾。」 有詔，復益二千三百萬，合為三千萬。 莽復以其千萬分予九族貧者。
Secure in power, Mang wished to marry his daughter to the emperor as empress in order to firm his position, and memorialized: "The emperor has been on the throne three years, yet the Palace of Lasting Autumn is not yet established and the rear-palace handmaids are not filled. He blamed past disasters on bad marriage choices and empty succession. He asked to codify twelve imperial concubines from the classics to secure the line. Broadly gather suitable daughters of the two kings who survive the Shang and Zhou lines and of the generations of marquises of the Duke of Zhou and Confucius who are in Chang'an." The ministry drew up lists thick with Wang girls. Mang feared they would compete with his own daughter and immediately reported: "Your servant lacks virtue; his son's talents are low. It is not fitting that she be gathered together with the host of girls." The empress dowager thought this the utmost sincerity and therefore issued an edict: "Daughters of the Wang surname are Our outer kin; do not gather them." Commoners, students, and court gentlemen who guarded the gate submitted memorials by the thousand each day; dukes and grandees came to the courtyard or lay beneath the privy-chamber door, all saying, "The enlightened edict's sage virtue is so lofty, the Duke Who Pacifies Han's great merit so grand—now that an empress is to be established, how alone can you cast aside the Duke's daughter? Where under heaven would the mandate return? We pray to obtain the Duke's daughter as mother of the realm." Mang sent agents to send the crowds home; the petitions only swelled. The dowager yielded and put Mang's daughter back in play. Mang again asked to "broaden" the search. Mang asked: "I beg to see the girl." Mang reported: "We beg to see the girl." The empress dowager sent the junior steward of Changle, the director of the imperial clan, and the director of the Masters of Reading to take the betrothal gifts and see the girl; they returned and memorialized: "The Duke's daughter has been steeped in virtue and transformation; she has a graceful and modest countenance—fit to receive heaven's order and perform the sacrifices." An edict ordered the grand ministers to announce the matter at the ancestral temples with mixed divination; all said, "The primary hexagram meets metal and water in kingly phase; the secondary meets parents obtaining position—what is called the omen of 'strong and healthy' and the tally of 'meeting good fortune.'" Marquis of Xinxin Tong memorialized: "By the 《Spring and Autumn Annals》, when the Son of Heaven was about to take a wife in Ji, the Ji viscount was praised and titled marquis; the Duke Who Pacifies Han's state has not yet been titled according to ancient regulation. The responsible officials all said, "In antiquity the Son of Heaven enfeoffed the empress's father with a hundred li, honoring him without making him a subject, thereby weighting the ancestral temples—this is the utmost of filial piety. They ruled Tong correct. They asked to swell his Xinye holdings to a full hundred li." Mang protested that his child was unworthy of the throne and the added land unneeded. Mang declined: "Your servant Mang's sons and daughters truly are not sufficient to match the supreme one; again hearing the host of counsel, they would add to your servant Mang's enfeoffment. "We beg to return what was added." She let him "return" it. Precedent set the bride-price at twenty thousand jin of gold. He took only forty million cash and gave thirty-three million to the eleven secondary brides' families. Ministers said the queen's portion barely topped the concubines'. An edict added twenty-three million to reach thirty million. Mang gave another ten million to needy kin.
16
陳崇時為大司徒司直，與張敞孫竦相善。 竦者博通士，為崇草奏，稱莽功德，崇奏之，曰：
Chen Chong, serving under the grand minister of the masses, befriended Zhang Su, Zhang Chang's grandson. Su, a scholar of wide learning, ghost-wrote Chong's memorial praising Mang; Chong filed it, reading:
17
竊見安漢公自初束脩，值世俗隆奢麗之時，蒙兩宮厚骨肉之寵，被諸父赫赫之光，財饒勢足，亡所牾意，然而折節行仁，克心履禮，拂世矯俗，確然特立； 惡衣惡食，陋車駑馬，妃匹無二，閨門之內，孝友之德，眾莫不聞； 清靜樂道，溫良下士，惠於故舊，篤於師友。 孔子曰：「未若貧而樂，富而好禮」，公之謂矣。
It opened with Mang's youth amid Wang luxury, yet choosing thrift and ritual against the tide; coarse dress, one wife, famed filial piety within his walls; gentle to inferiors, loyal to friends and tutors. Confucius said, 'Better poor yet joyful, rich yet fond of ritual'—this speaks of the Duke.
18
及為侍中，故定陵侯淳于長有大逆罪，公不敢私，建白誅討。 周公誅管、蔡，季子鴆叔牙，公之謂矣。
As attendant he denounced Chunyu Chang's treason without private favor. Like the Duke of Zhou purging Guan and Cai, like the poison cup for Shuya—so acts the Duke.
19
是以孝成皇帝命公大司馬，委以國統。 孝哀即位，高昌侯董宏希指求美，造作二統，公手劾之，以定大綱。 建白定陶太后不宜在乘輿幄坐，以明國體。 《詩》曰「柔亦不茹，剛亦不吐，不侮鰥寡，不畏強圉」，公之謂矣。
Emperor Cheng named him grand marshal and handed him the succession. Emperor Ai saw Dong Hong invent dual lineages—Mang impeached him and set the record straight. He barred Lady Fu from the imperial dais to preserve protocol. The 《Odes》 says, 'Soft he does not swallow, hard he does not spit out; he does not insult widowers and widows, he does not fear the mighty and cruel'—this speaks of the Duke.
20
深執謙退，推誠讓位。 定陶太后欲立僭號，憚彼面剌幄坐之義，佞惑之雄，硃博之疇，懲此長、宏手劾之事，上下一心，讒賊交亂，詭辟制度，遂成篡號，斥逐仁賢，誅殘戚屬，而公被胥、原之訴，遠去就國，朝政崩壞，綱紀廢馳，危亡之禍，不隧如發。 《詩》云「人之雲亡，邦國殄悴，」公之謂矣。
He resigned high office in modesty. The Grand Empress Dowager of Dingtao wished to assume an illegitimate title. She feared the direct rebuke that the righteousness of the throne demanded; the sycophantic villains, the likes of Zhu Bo, had been chastened by the impeachments of Chang and Hong. Yet above and below were of one mind, slanderers and traitors colluded, they perverted the institutions until they accomplished the usurpation, drove away the benevolent and worthy, and slaughtered the imperial relatives—while the Duke, slandered by Xu and Yuan, was sent far away to his fief. Court government collapsed, the bonds of rule were abandoned, and the peril of ruin hung no thicker than a hair. The 《Odes》 says, 'When worthy men depart, the state is stricken'—this speaks of the Duke.
21
當此之時，官亡儲主，董賢據重，加以傅氏有女之援，皆自知得罪天下，結仇中山，則必同憂，斷金相翼，借假遺詔，頻用賞誅，先除所憚，急引所附，遂誣往冤，更懲遠屬，事勢張見，其不難矣！ 賴公方入，即時退賢，及其黨親。 當此之時，公遠獨見之明，奮亡前之威，盱衡厲色，振揚武怒，乘其未堅，厭其未發，震起機動，敵人摧折，雖有賁、育不及持剌，雖有樗裡不及回知，雖有鬼谷不及造次，是故董賢喪其魂魄，遂自絞殺。 人不還踵，日不移晷，霍然四除，更為寧朝。 非陛下莫引立公，非公莫克此禍。 《詩》云「惟師尚父，時惟鷹揚，亮彼武王，」孔子曰「敏則有功，」公之謂矣。
It paints a nightmare: Dong Xian and Fu kin forging wills and purging Zhongshan—had Mang not returned, coup was certain. Mang's return swept away Dong Xian and his clique. He struck before the plot hardened—Xian had no time to stab or scheme and hanged himself. In a morning the danger cleared and calm returned. Only you recalled him; only he crushed the peril. The 《Odes》 says, 'Only Jiang Shangfu, then was the hawk soaring, aiding King Wu'; Confucius said, 'Keen and there is achievement'—this speaks of the Duke.
22
於是公乃白內故泗水相豐、EA69令邯，與大司徒光、車騎將軍舜建定社稷，奉節東迎，皆以功德受封益土，為國名臣。 《書》曰「知人則哲」，公之謂也。
He named Zhen Feng, former chancellor of Sishui; Zhen Han, former county magistrate; Grand Minister over the Masses Kong Guang; and General of Chariots and Cavalry Wang Shun as the men who stabilized the altars of soil and grain and bore credentials east to welcome the emperor. All received fiefs and added territory for their merit and became famed ministers of the state. The 《Documents》 says, 'To know men is wisdom'—this speaks of the Duke.
23
公卿咸歎公德，同盛公勳，皆以周公為比，宜賜號安漢公，益封二縣，公皆不受。 傳曰申包胥不受存楚之報，晏平仲不受輔齊之封，孔子曰「能以禮讓為國乎何有」，公之謂也。
The court compared him to the Duke of Zhou and offered two counties; he refused. The tradition says Shen Baoxu did not accept reward for saving Chu; Yan Pingzhong did not accept a fief for aiding Qi; Confucius said, 'If he can yield by ritual in governing the state, what difficulty is there?'—this speaks of the Duke.
24
將為皇帝定立妃后，有司上名，公女為首，公深辭讓，迫不得已然後受詔。 父子之親天性自然，欲其榮貴甚於為身，皇后之尊侔於天子，當時之會千載希有，然而公惟國家之統，揖大福之恩，事事謙退，動而固辭。 《書》曰「舜讓於德不嗣，」公之謂矣。
When the bride list topped with his daughter, he refused until forced. Natural parental pride yielded to staged modesty over the crown match. The 《Documents》 says, 'Shun yielded to one whose virtue did not succeed him'—this speaks of the Duke.
25
自公受策，以至於今，斖斖翼翼，日新其德，增修雅素以命下國，逡儉隆約以矯世俗，割財損家以帥群下，彌躬執乎以逮公卿，教子尊學以隆國化。 僮奴衣布，馬不秣谷，食飲之用，不過凡庶。 《詩》云「溫溫恭人，如集於木」，孔子曰：食無求飽，居無求安，」公之謂矣。
Since his patent he has modeled austerity, taught his sons, and led officials by example. His slaves wear hemp; his horses eat chaff; his table is common fare. The 《Odes》 says, 'Gentle and mild the respectful man, as if perched on wood'; Confucius said, 'In eating do not seek satiety, in dwelling do not seek ease'—this speaks of the Duke.
26
克身自約，糴食逮給，物物卬市，日闋亡儲。 又上書歸孝哀皇帝所益封邑，入錢獻田，殫盡舊業，為眾倡始。 於是小大鄉和，承風從化，外則王公列侯，內則帷幄侍御，翕然同時，各竭所有，或入金錢，或獻田畝，以振貧窮，收贍不足者。 昔令尹子文朝不及夕，魯公儀子不菇園葵，公之謂矣。
He bought daily in the market and kept no granary. He returned Ai's gifts of land and coin to set an example. High and low caught the same wind: lords without, palace staff within, all emptied their purses or offered land to feed the hungry. Like Ziwen's poverty and Yizi's scruple against private gain—so runs the praise of Mang.
27
開門延士，下及白屋，婁省朝政，綜管眾治，親見牧守以下，考跡雅素，審知白黑。 《詩》云「夙夜匪解，以事一人」，《易》曰「終日乾乾，夕惕若厲」，公之謂矣。
He threw open his doors to commoners, toured the provinces, interviewed every governor, and judged men with a clear eye. The 《Odes》 says, 'Night and day without slackening, to serve the one man'; the 《Changes》 says, 'All day vigorous, in the evening wary as in danger'—this speaks of the Duke.
28
比三世為三公，再奉送大行，秉塚宰職，填安國家，四海輻湊，靡不得所。 《書》曰：「納於大麓，列風雷雨不迷」，公之謂矣。
Three times among the Three Dukes, twice chief mourner for the throne, he steadied the realm while the empire flocked to his standard. The 《Documents》 says, 'He was placed in the great foot of the mountain; fierce wind, thunder, and rain did not confuse him'—this speaks of the Duke.
29
此皆上世之所鮮，禹、稷之所難，而公包其終始，一以貫之，可謂備矣！ 是以三年之間，化行如神，嘉瑞疊累，豈非陛下知人之效，得賢之致哉！ 故非獨君之受命也，臣之生亦不虛矣。 是以伯禹錫玄圭，周公受郊祀，蓋以達天之使，不敢擅天之功也。 揆公德行，為天下紀； 觀公功勳，為萬世基。 基成而賞不配，紀立而褒不副，誠非所以厚國家，順天心也。
What even Yu and Hou Ji would have found daunting he has carried from start to finish in one unbroken thread. In three years omens multiplied like miracles—sure proof the throne knows how to pick a minister. The sovereign's mandate is answered, and the minister's life gains meaning. Like Yu's dark jade and the Duke of Zhou's sacrifice to heaven, he claims no credit that belongs to the skies. His conduct sets the measure for the age. His deeds are a foundation for ages to come. To leave such merit under-rewarded is to slight both state and heaven.
30
高皇帝褒賞元功，相國蕭何邑戶既倍，又蒙殊禮，奏事不名，入殿不趨，封其親屬十有餘人。 樂善無厭，班賞亡遴，苟有一策，即必爵之，是故公孫戎位在充郎，選繇旄頭，一明樊噲，封二千戶。 孝文皇帝褒賞絳侯，益封萬戶，賜黃金五千斤。 孝武皇帝恤錄軍功，裂三萬戶以封衛青，青子三人，或在襁褓，皆為通侯。 孝宣皇帝顯著霍光，增戶命疇，封者三人，延及兄孫。 夫絳侯即因漢籓之固，杖硃虛之鯁，依諸將之遞，據相扶之勢，其事醜雖，要不能遂。 霍光即席常任之重，乘大勝之威，未嘗遭時不行，陷假離朝，朝之執事，亡非同類，割斷歷久，統政曠世，雖曰有功，所因亦易，然猶有計策不審過征之累。 及至青、戎，摽末之功，一言之勞，然猶皆蒙丘山之賞。 課功絳、霍，造之與因也； 比於青、戎，地之與天也。 而公又有宰治之效，乃當上與伯禹、周公等盛齊隆，兼其褒賞，豈特與若雲者同日而論哉？ 然曾不得蒙青等之厚，臣誠惑之！
Gaozu doubled Xiao He's fief, waived naming rituals, let him enter at a walk, and ennobled a dozen kinsmen. Gaozu never tired of rewarding a single good word—even a lowly guard who spoke for Fan Kuai won two thousand households. Wendi heaped gold and ten thousand households on Zhou Bo. Wudi carved thirty thousand households for Wei Qing and made infants full marquises. Xuandi fattened Huo Guang's fief and spread titles through his nephews. Zhou Bo leaned on kinship armies and a sordid coup—hardly a clean precedent. Huo Guang held power so long that every minister was his creature—easy conquest, though his wars drew blame. Wei Qing and Gongsun Rong won hill-sized fiefs for trifling deeds. Zhou Bo made a coup; Huo rode its wake. Set beside Qing and Rong, Mang is heaven to their earth. Mang has governed as well as conquered—he should match Yu and the Duke of Zhou, not petty favorites. Yet he is paid less than Wei Qing—this baffles your servant.
31
臣聞功亡原者賞不限，德亡首者褒不檢。 是故成王之於周公也，度百里之限，越九錫之檢，開七百里之宇，兼商、奄之民，賜以附庸殷民六族，大路大旂，封父之繁弱，夏后之璜，祝宗卜史，備物典策，官司彝器，白牡之牲，郊望之禮。 王曰：「叔父，建爾元子。」 子父俱延拜而受之。 可謂不檢亡原者矣。 非特止此，六子皆封。 《詩》曰：「亡言不讎，亡德不報。」 報當知之，不如非報也。 近觀行事，高祖之約非劉氏不王，然而番君得王長沙，下詔稱忠，定著於令，明有大信不拘於制也。 春秋晉悼公用魏絳之策，諸夏服從。 鄭伯獻樂，悼公於是以半賜之。 絳深辭讓，晉侯曰：「微子，寡人不能濟河。 夫賞，國之典，不可廢也。 子其受之。」 魏絳於是有金石之樂，《春秋》善之，取其臣竭忠以辭功，君知臣以遂賞也。 今陛下既知公有周公功德，不行成王之褒賞，遂聽公之固辭，不顧《春秋》之明義，則民臣何稱，萬世何述？ 誠非所以為國也。 臣愚以為宜恢公國，令如周公，建立公子，令如伯禽，所賜之品，亦皆如之。 諸子之封，皆如六子。 即群下較然輸忠，黎庶昭然感德。 臣誠輸忠，民誠感德，則於王事何有？ 唯陛下深惟祖宗之重，敬畏上天之戒，儀形虞、周之盛，敕盡伯禽之賜，無遴周公之報，令天法有設，後世有祖，天下幸甚！
Limitless merit deserves limitless reward; boundless virtue deserves unbounded praise. King Cheng broke every rule for the Duke of Zhou—seven hundred li, nine honors, Yin captives, royal regalia, full temple kit. The king said, 'Uncle, enfeoff your heir.' Father and son bowed and took the gifts together. No precedent could hold such largesse. He ennobled all six sons. The 《Odes》 says, 'No good word goes unanswered, no virtue goes unrequited.' Reward must fit the deed or it is no reward at all. Gaozu's non-Liu kingship ban yielded for the loyal king of Changsha—law bent to faith. Duke Dao of Jin followed Wei Jiang and the states obeyed. Zheng's lord sent musicians; Dao gave him half the spoils. Wei Jiang refused; the duke said, 'Without you I could never have crossed the Yellow River. Bounty is the law of the state—it cannot lapse. You must take them.' Jiang accepted bronze bells—the Annals praise lord and minister for completing the gift. You know Mang is another Duke of Zhou yet withhold Cheng's rewards—what will history say? That is no way to run a kingdom. Enlarge his fief like Zhou's, name an heir like Bo Qin, match every honor. Ennoble every son as Cheng ennobled Zhou's. Officials will see your intent; the people will feel your grace. Loyalty above and gratitude below leave nothing undone for the throne. Ponder your forebears, fear heaven's omens, match Shun and Zhou, pay Mang as Cheng paid Zhou—then law and lineage both stand secure.
32
太后以視群公，群公方議其事，會呂寬事起。
She circulated the memorial; ministers debated—then Lü Kuan's plot exploded.
33
初，莽欲擅權，白太后：「前哀帝立，背恩義，自貴外家丁、傅，撓亂國家，幾危社稷。 今帝以幼年復奉大宗，為成帝后，宜明一統之義，以戒前事，為後代法。」 於是遣甄豐奉璽綬，即拜帝母衛姬為中山孝王后，賜帝舅衛寶、寶弟玄爵關內侯，皆留中山，不得至京師。 莽子宇，非莽隔絕衛氏，恐帝長大後見怨。 宇即私遣人與寶等通書，教令帝母上書求入。 語在《衛后傳》。 莽不聽。 宇與師吳章及婦兄呂寬議其故，章以為莽不可諫，而好鬼神，可為變怪以驚懼之，章因推類說令歸政於衛氏。 宇即使寬夜持血酒莽第門，吏發覺之，莽執宇送獄，飲藥死。 宇妻焉懷子，系獄，須產子已，殺之。 莽奏言：「宇為呂寬等所詿誤，流言惑眾，與管、蔡同罪，臣不敢隱，其誅。」 甄邯等白太后下詔曰：「夫唐堯有丹硃，周文王有管、蔡，此皆上聖亡奈下愚子何，以其性不可移也。 公居周公之位，輔成王之主，而行管、蔡之誅，不以親親害尊尊，朕甚嘉之。 昔周公誅四國之後，大化乃成，至於刑錯。 公其專意翼國，期於致平。」 莽因是誅滅衛氏，窮治呂寬之獄，連引郡國豪桀素非議已者，內及敬武公主、梁王立、紅陽侯立、平阿侯仁，使者迫守，皆自殺。 死者以百數，海內震焉。 大司馬護軍褒奏言：「安漢公遭子宇陷於管、蔡之辜，子受至重，為帝室故不敢顧私。 惟宇遭罪，喟然憤發作書八篇，以戒子孫。 宜班郡國，令學官以教授。」 事下群公，請令天下吏能誦公戒者，以著官簿，比《孝經》。
At first Mang wished to monopolize power and reported to the empress dowager: "Formerly, when Emperor Ai was established, he turned his back on kindness and righteousness, honored his outer kin Ding and Fu for his own glory, threw the state into confusion, and nearly endangered the altars of soil and grain. The boy emperor continues Cheng's line; one legal mother must rule the harem to prevent a repeat." Zhen Feng was sent to title Lady Wei as Zhongshan dowager, ennoble her brothers in Zhongshan, and forbid them the capital. His son Yu feared the boy would someday avenge the locked-out Weis. Yu smuggled letters urging Lady Wei to beg a visit to court. See the 《Biography of Queen Wei》. Mang refused. Yu, Wu Zhang, and Lü Kuan plotted to daub blood on Mang's gate to shock him into yielding power to the Wei. Kuan splashed blood on the gate; guards seized Yu, who swallowed poison in jail. Yu's pregnant wife was jailed and executed after the birth. Mang memorialized: "Yu was misled by Lu Kuan and others, spread rumors and confused the multitude, and shares guilt with Guan and Cai. Your servant dared not conceal this, and begs execution." Zhen Han and others reported to the empress dowager, who issued an edict: "Tang Yao had Dan Zhu; King Wen of Zhou had Guan and Cai. These were supreme sages helpless before foolish sons, for their nature could not be moved. She praised Mang for executing kin like the Duke of Zhou without sparing blood. After Zhou purged the four rebels, punishments fell idle. She told him to steady the realm toward peace." Mang used the case to wipe out the Wei, implicate every critic, and drive Princess Jingwu, two princes Li, and Wang Ren to suicide. Hundreds died; the empire reeled. The colonel of the grand marshal's guards, Bao, memorialized: "The Duke Who Pacifies Han suffered his son Yu sinking into Guan and Cai's guilt; the punishment reaching the son is the utmost weight. For the imperial house's sake he did not dare look to private feeling. Mang wrote eight penitential chapters after Yu's death. They should be taught in every school." Ministers asked that clerks who memorized Mang's homilies be registered like students of the Filial Piety classic.
34
四年春，郊祀高祖以配天，宗祀孝文皇帝以配上帝。 四月丁未，莽女立為皇后，大赦天下。 遣大司徒司直陳崇等八人分行天下，覽觀風俗。
In spring of year four he paired Gaozu with Heaven and Wendi with Shangdi at the great sacrifices. On dingwei of the fourth month his daughter became empress and the world was pardoned. Eight inspectors including Chen Chong toured the empire.
35
太保舜等奏言：「《春秋》列功德之義，太上有立德，其次有立功，其次有立言，唯至德大賢然後能之。 其在人臣，則生有大賞，終為宗臣，殷之伊尹，周之周公是也。」 及民上書者八千餘人，咸曰：「伊尹為阿衡，周公為太宰，周公享七子之封，有過上公之賞。 宜如陳崇言。」 章下有司，有司請「還前所益二縣及黃郵聚、新野田，采伊尹、周公稱號，加公為宰衡，位上公。 掾史秩六百石。 三公言事，稱『敢言之』。 群吏毋得與公同名。 出眾期門二十人，羽林三十人，前後大車十乘。 賜公太夫人號曰功顯君，食邑二千戶，黃金印赤□。 封公子男二人，安為褒新侯，臨為賞都侯。 加後聘三千七百萬，合為一萬萬，以明大禮」。 太后臨前殿，親封拜。 安漢公拜前，二子拜後，如周公故事。 莽稽首辭讓，出奏封事，願獨受母號，還安、臨印□及號位戶邑。 事下太師光等，皆曰：「賞未足以直功，謙約退讓，公之常節，終不可聽。」 莽求見固讓。 太后下詔曰：「公每見，叩頭流涕固辭，今移病，固當聽其讓，令視事邪？ 將當遂行其賞，遣歸就第也？」 光等曰：「安、臨親受印□，策號通天，其義昭昭。 黃郵、召陵、新野之田為入尤多，皆止於公，公欲自損以成國化，宜可聽許。 治平之化當以時成，宰衡之官不可世及。 納徵錢，乃以尊皇后，非為公也。 功顯君戶，止身不傳。 褒新、賞都兩國合三千戶，甚少矣。 忠臣之節，亦宜自屈，而信主上之義。 宜遣大司徙、大司空持節承製，詔公亟入視事。 詔尚書勿復受公之讓奏。」 奏可。
Grand Guardian Wang Shun and the others memorialized: "The Spring and Autumn Annals array the meaning of ranking merit: highest is establishing virtue, next establishing merit, and next establishing words. Only the utmost virtue and great worthies can do this. Among subjects, such men receive great rewards in life and become ancestral ministers after death, as Yi Yin was for Yin and the Duke of Zhou was for Zhou." More than eight thousand commoners submitted memorials, all saying: "Yi Yin was made Aheng, and the Duke of Zhou was made grand steward. The Duke of Zhou enjoyed enfeoffments for seven sons, receiving reward surpassing the supreme duke. It is fitting to follow Chen Chong's words." The memorial was handed to the responsible officials; they requested: "Return the two counties earlier added, plus Huangyou cluster and Xinye fields; adopt the titles of Yi Yin and the Duke of Zhou; add to the Duke the title Regulator-and-Balance, with rank above the supreme duke. His clerks ranked at six hundred bushels. The Three Dukes must address him with the deferential formula. No official may use Mang's given name. He received twenty extra guardsmen, thirty archers of the forest, and ten great wagons. His mother became Lady of Meritorious Display with two thousand households, gold seal, and cinnabar cord. His sons An and Lin were made marquises of Baoxin and Shangdu. Add three thousand seven hundred myriads to the later bride-price, making ten thousand myriads in all, to clarify the great rites.' The dowager faced the court and performed the investiture. Mang bowed first, his sons after, as in the Zhou rite. Mang kowtowed, sealed a plea to keep only his mother's honors, and return his sons' titles and lands. Kong Guang and the others all said, "The rewards are not yet sufficient to match the merit; modest yielding is the Duke's constant demeanor—in the end this cannot be heeded." He begged audience to refuse again. The empress dowager issued an edict: "Each time the Duke appears, he kowtows, weeps, and firmly declines. Now he pleads illness. Ought We heed his yielding and order him to handle affairs? Or should she force the honors and send him home?" Guang and the others said: "An and Lin personally received seals and ribbons; the patent's words reach to heaven. The meaning is luminous. Let Mang return the extra land he promised for moral example. Peace cannot wait; the Regulator title must not become hereditary. The added bride-price honors the queen, not Mang. His mother's stipend ends with her—it does not pass down. The two sons' fiefs total a mere three thousand households. A loyal minister may yield small points to show faith in the throne. Send the two ministers with staff to order Mang back to his desk. Order the Masters of Reading no longer to accept the Duke's memorials of yielding." The throne approved the report.
36
莽乃起視事，上書言：「臣以元壽二年六月戊午倉卒之夜，以新都侯引入未央宮； 瘐申拜為大司馬，充三公位； 元始元年正月丙辰拜為太傅，賜號安漢公，備四輔官； 今年四月甲子復拜為宰衡，位上公。 臣莽伏自惟，爵為新都侯，號為安漢公，官為宰衡、太傅、大司馬，爵貴、號尊、官重，一身蒙大寵者五，誠非鄙臣所能堪。 據元始三年，天下歲已復，官屬宜皆置。 《穀梁傳》曰：『天子之宰，通於四海。』 臣愚以為，宰衡官以正百僚平海內為職，而無印信，名實不副。 臣莽無兼官之材，今聖朝既過誤而用之，臣請御史刻宰衡印章曰『宰衡太傅大司馬印』，成，授臣莽，上太傅與大司馬之印。」 太后詔曰：「可。 □如相國，朕親臨授焉。」 莽乃復以所益納徵錢千萬，遺與長樂長御奉共養者。 太保舜奏言：「天下聞公不受干乘之土，辭萬金之幣，散財施予千萬數，莫不鄉化。 蜀郡男子路建等輟訟慚怍而退，雖文王卻虞、芮何以加！ 宜報告天下。」 奏可。 宰衡出，從大車前後各十乘，直事尚書郎、待御史、謁者、中黃門、期門羽林。 宰衡常持節，所止，謁者代持之。 宰衡掾史秩六百石，三公稱「敢言之」。
Mang returned to duty and recited his rise: "On that frantic night in the second year of Yuanshou they hustled me, a mere marquis of Xindu, into Weiyang; by gengshen I was grand marshal among the Three Dukes; Yuanshi 1, first month, bingchen: grand tutor and Duke Who Pacifies Han among the Four Supports; this year, fourth month, jiazi: Regulator-and-Balance, rank above the supreme duke. Five towering honors on one back—more than any subject should bear. By Yuanshi 3 the harvests have mended; my full staff should be installed. The Guliang Commentary says the chief minister's writ runs to the four seas. Regulator-and-Balance should command the bureaucracy yet carries no seal—title and power diverge. Your servant Mang lacks talent for concurrent offices; now that the sage court has mistakenly employed him, your servant requests the imperial secretary carve a Regulator-and-Balance seal reading 'Seal of Regulator-and-Balance, grand tutor, grand marshal'; when complete grant it to your servant Mang and receive back the grand tutor and grand marshal seals." The empress dowager issued an edict: "Granted. His precedence matched the chancellor's; We personally came to invest him." He donated ten million of the bride cash to the dowager's Changle attendants. Grand Guardian Wang Shun memorialized: "All under heaven have heard that the Duke refused land worth a thousand chariots, declined treasure in cash of ten thousand jin, and scattered wealth and grants in the tens of millions. None fail to turn toward transformation. Men like Lu Jian of Shu dropped their suits in shame—King Wen's moral sway over Yu and Rui was no greater. Publish it to the realm." Approved. His cortège: ten wagons fore and aft, secretaries, eunuchs, and palace guards. He carried the staff of office; ushers relieved him when he stopped. Regulator-and-Balance clerks ranked at six hundred bushels; the Three Dukes said 'We presume to speak.'
37
是歲，莽奏起明堂、辟雍、靈台，為學者築捨萬區，作市、常滿倉，制度甚盛。 立《樂經》，益博士員，經各五人。 徵天下通一藝教授十一人以上，及有逸《禮》、古《書》、《毛詩》、《周官》、《爾雅》、天文、圖讖、鐘律、月令、兵法、《史篇》文字，通知其意者，皆詣公車。 網羅天下異能之士，至者前後千數，皆令記說廷中，將令正乖廖，一異說云。 群臣奏言：「昔周公奉繼體之嗣，據上公之尊，然猶七年制度乃定。 夫明堂、辟雍，墮廢千載莫能興，今安漢公起於第家，輔翼陛下，四年於茲，功德爛然。 公以八月載生魄庚子奉使，朝用書臨賦營築，越若翊辛丑，諸生、庶民大和會，十萬眾並集，平作二旬，大功畢成。 唐、虞發舉，成周造業，誠亡以加。 宰衡位宜在諸侯王上，賜以束帛加璧，大國乘車、安車各一，驪馬二駟。」 詔曰：「可。 其議九錫之法。」
He broke ground on the Bright Hall, the Biyong academy, the observatory, ten thousand student lodges, relief markets, and granaries—a vast building program. He added the 《Music》 classic and five erudits per scripture. He summoned everyone in the realm who had mastered one art and taught eleven or more pupils, as well as those who possessed and understood lost Rites texts, ancient Documents, Mao's Odes, the Offices of Zhou, the Erya, astronomy, diagrams and prophecies, bells and pitchpipes, monthly ordinances, military texts, or the Scribe's Primer, ordering them all to present themselves at the public carriage gate. Thousands came to debate at court and straighten the classics. The host of ministers memorialized: "Formerly the Duke of Zhou served a successor heir and occupied supreme duke's honor, yet still it took seven years before institutions were fixed. The Bright Hall had lain in ruins a millennium; Mang rebuilt it in four years. On the chosen days a hundred thousand workers finished the complex in twenty days. Not even Yao, Shun, or the Zhou founders outdid this feat. The Regulator-and-Balance's place ought to be above the feudatory kings; grant him bundled silk with disk, one great-state carriage and one comfortable carriage, two teams of four dappled horses." An edict said: "Granted. Deliberate the nine honors.'
38
冬，大風吹長安城東門屋瓦且盡。
A winter gale stripped the east gate's tiles.
39
五年正月，袷祭明堂，諸侯王二十八人，列侯百二十人，宗室子九百餘人，徵助祭。 禮畢，封孝宣曾孫信第三十六人為列侯，餘皆益戶賜爵，金、帛之賞各有數。 是時，吏民以莽不受新野田而上書者前後四十八萬七千五百七十二人，及諸侯、王公、列侯、宗室見者皆叩頭言，宜亟加賞於安漢公。 於是莽上書曰：「臣以外屬，越次備位，未能奉稱。 伏念聖德純茂。 承天當古，制禮以治民，作樂以移風，四海奔走，百蠻並臻，辭去之日，莫不隕涕，非有款誠，豈可虛致？ 自諸侯王已下至於吏民，咸知臣莽上與陛下有葭莩之故，又得典職，每歸功列德者，輒以臣莽為余言。 臣見諸侯面言事於前者，未嘗不流汗而漸愧也。 雖性愚鄙，至誠自知，德薄位尊，力少任大，夙夜悼栗，常恐污辱聖朝。 今天下治平，風俗齊風，百蠻率服，畢陛下聖德所自躬親，太師光、太保舜等輔政佐治，群卿大夫莫不忠良，故能以五年之間至致此焉。 臣莽實無奇策異謀。 奉承太后聖詔，宣之於下，不能得什一； 受群賢之籌畫，而上以聞，不得能什伍。 當被無益之辜，所以敢且保首領須臾者，誠上休陛下餘光，而下依群公之故也。 陛下不忍眾言，輒下其章於議者。 臣莽前欲立奏止，恐其遂不肯止。 今大禮已行，助祭者畢辭，不勝至願，願諸章下議者皆寢勿上，使臣莽得盡力畢制禮作樂事。 事成，以傳示天下，與海內平之。 即有所間非，則臣莽當被詿上誤朝之罪。 如無他譴，得全命賜骸骨歸家，避賢者路，是臣之私願也。 惟陛下哀憐財幸！」
First month, year five: joint rite at the Bright Hall with hundreds of Liu nobles assisting. Thirty-six imperial descendants named Xin became marquises; others got bumps in rank or gold. Nearly half a million petitions begged him to take Xinye; every lord at court joined the chorus. Mang feigned panic: "I, a mere in-law, am unworthy of such praise. Your sagely virtue is complete. The realm weeps at your rites—no hollow show could stir such love. Everyone credits my kinship and office and drags my name into their praise. I sweat when lords flatter me to my face. I am a mediocrity in a giant's chair, terrified of shaming the court. Now all under heaven is governed and at peace, customs are uniform, and the hundred barbarians submit. This comes entirely from Your Majesty's personal sagely virtue, from Grand Tutor Kong Guang and Grand Guardian Wang Shun assisting the government, and from the loyalty and goodness of all the ministers and grandees; that is how this has been achieved within five years. I have devised nothing clever. I transmit perhaps a tenth of your edicts; I relay perhaps two-fifths of the ministers' counsel. I keep my head only by your reflected light and their support. You sent every petition to committee. I wanted to silence them but feared backlash. Now shelve those petitions so I may finish the ritual code and music. When the codes are done, publish them across the empire. If I fail, indict me for misleading the throne. If I am spared, let me retire and clear the way for better men. Only pity me, Your Majesty!"
40
甄邯等白太后，詔曰：「可。 惟公功德光於天下，是以諸侯、王公、列侯、宗室、諸生、吏民翕然同辭，連守闕庭，故下其章。 諸侯、宗室辭去之日，復見前重陳，雖曉喻罷遣，猶不肯去。 告以孟夏將行厥賞，莫不歡悅，稱萬歲而退。 今公每見，輒流涕叩頭言願不受賞，賞即加不敢當位。 方製作未定，事須公而決，故且聽公。 製作畢成，群公以聞。 究於前議，其九錫禮儀亟奏。」
Zhen Han and others reported to the empress dowager; an edict said: "Granted. She said the crowds at the gate forced her hand. Nobles mobbed him again at parting. Promised rewards in early summer, they cheered and left. Each audience he weeps and refuses honors. While the ritual code is unfinished, she defers to him. When the work is done, ministers shall report. Then finalize the nine bestowals without delay.'"
41
於是公卿大夫、博士、議郎、列侯張純等九百二人皆曰：「聖帝明王招賢勸能，德盛者位高，功大者賞厚。 故宗臣有九命上公之尊，則有九錫登等之寵。 今九族親睦，百姓既章，萬國和協，黎民時雍，聖瑞畢溱，太平已洽。 帝者之盛莫隆於唐、虞，而陛下任之； 忠臣茂功莫著於伊、周，而宰衡配之。 所謂異時而興，如合符者也。 謹以《六藝》通義，經文所見，《周官》、《禮記》宜於今者，為九命之錫。 臣請命錫。」 奏可。 策曰：
Thereupon Zhang Chun and nine hundred two dukes, ministers, erudits, deliberation gentlemen, and full marquises all said, "Sage emperors and enlightened kings summon worthies and urge ability; where virtue is abundant, rank is high; where merit is great, reward is thick. Supreme ministers earn the nine commands and nine gifts. Now the nine kindreds are harmonious, the people flourishing, myriad states at peace, omens gathered—the age is already at great peace. No sage surpassed Yao and Shun—yet you employ Mang; no ministers surpassed yiyin day and the Duke of Zhou—yet Mang is paired with them. Different ages, identical pattern. They drafted the nine honors from the Zhou li and Liji. They asked leave to proceed." Approved. The patent began:
42
惟元始五年五月庚寅，太皇太后臨於前殿，延登，親詔之曰：公進，虛聽朕言。 前公宿衛孝成皇帝十有六年，納策盡忠，白誅故定陵侯淳于長，以彌亂髮奸，登大司馬，職在內輔。 孝哀皇帝即位，驕妾窺欲，奸臣萌動，公手劾高昌侯董宏，改正故定陶共王母之僭坐。 自是之後，朝臣論議，靡不據經。 以病辭位，歸於第家，為賊臣所陷。 就國之後，孝哀皇帝覺寤，復還公長安，臨病加劇，猶不忘公，復特進位。 是夜倉卒，國無儲主，奸臣充朝，危殆甚矣。 朕惟定國之計莫宜於公，引納於朝，即日罷退高安侯董賢，轉漏之間，忠策輒建，綱紀咸張。 綬和、元壽，再遭大行，萬事皆舉，禍亂不作。 輔朕五年，人倫之本正，天地之位定。 欽承神祇，經緯四時，復千載之廢，矯百世之失，天下和會，大眾方輯。 《詩》之靈台，《書》之作雒，鎬京之制，商邑之度，於今復興。 昭章先帝之元功，明著祖宗之令德，推顯嚴父配天之義，修立郊禘宗祀之禮，以光大孝。 是以四海雍雍，萬國慕義，蠻夷殊俗，不召自至，漸化端冕，奉珍助祭。 尋舊本道，遵術重古，動而有成，事得厥中。 至德要道，通於神明，祖考嘉享。 光耀顯章，天符仍臻，元氣大同。 麟鳳龜龍，眾祥之瑞，七百有餘。 遂制禮作樂，有綏靖宗廟社稷之大勳。 普天之下，惟公是賴，官在宰衡，位為上公。 今加九命之錫，其以助祭，共文武之職，乃遂及厥祖。 於戲，豈不休哉！
On gengyin of the fifth month of Yuanshi 5, the grand empress dowager faced the forward hall, ascended the dais, and personally addressed him: "Duke, advance and listen attentively to Our words." Formerly you kept night watch on Emperor Xiaocheng for sixteen years, offered plans with full loyalty, reported and executed former Marquis of Dingling Chunyu Chang's great crime, thereby stopping disorder and exposing treachery, rose to grand marshal, your duty being inner assistance. When Emperor Xiaodi ascended, arrogant concubines peeped with desire and treacherous ministers stirred; you personally impeached Marquis of Gaochang Dong Hong and corrected the former presumptuous seat of the grand empress dowager of Dingtao, mother of King Gong. After that every debate cited the canon. You pleaded illness and resigned office, returning to your mansion, and were trapped by treacherous ministers. After you went to your state, Emperor Xiaodi awoke and returned you to Chang'an; as his illness grew worse he still did not forget you and again specially advanced your rank. That night was hurried; the state lacked a stored lord; treacherous ministers filled the court—the danger was extreme. You entered, cashiered Dong Xian in an hour, and restored order. Two imperial funerals ran without coup. Five years at my side—you fixed kinship and cosmos. You revived lost rites and gathered the age. You rebuilt what the Odes and Documents celebrate. You enlarged the suburban sacrifices and honored the ancestors. Barbarians came uncalled, in Chinese dress, with tribute. You moved always by the classical mean. The spirits accept your offerings. Heaven's omens repeat; cosmic harmony returns. Over seven hundred omens—qilin, phoenix, tortoise, dragon. You fixed ritual and music and guarded the temples. The realm hangs on you alone. We add the nine honors for you and your ancestors to share the temple rites. How glorious!
43
於是莽稽首再拜，受綠□袞冕衣賞，B252琫B252珌，句履，鸞路乘馬，龍旂九旒，皮弁素積，戎路乘馬，彤弓矢，盧弓矢，左建硃鉞，右建金戚，甲冑一具，秬鬯二卣，圭瓚二，九命青玉珪二，硃戶納陛。 署宗官、祝官、卜官、史官，虎賁三百人，家令丞各一人，宗、祝、卜、史官皆置嗇夫，佐官漢公。 在中府外第，虎賁為門衛，當出入者傅籍。 自四輔、三公有事府第，皆用傳。 以楚王邸為安漢公第，大繕治，通周衛。 祖檷廟及寢皆為硃戶納陛。 陳崇又奏：「安漢公祠祖檷，出城門，城門校尉宜將騎士從。 入有門衛，出有騎士，所以重國也。」 奏可。
He received the full nine-splendor kit: robes, banners, chariots, bows, axes, armor, ale, jade tablets, vermillion gates. He staffed temple offices, three hundred guards, and household stewards for the ducal house. Three hundred braves guarded his compound; visitors showed passes. Even the Three Dukes needed passes to call on him. The Chu princely residence became his fortress, ringed with guards. His family shrines gained vermillion gates and palace steps. Chen Chong again memorialized: "When the Duke Who Pacifies Han sacrifices at the shrines to distant and near ancestors and passes out the city gates, the colonel of the gates ought to lead mounted knights to follow. Guards at his door and cavalry on his outings marked the weight of the state." Approved.
44
其秋，莽以皇后有子孫瑞，通子午道。 子午道從杜陵直絕南山，逕漢中。
That fall Mang cut the Ziwu road through the mountains, citing the queen's pregnancy omen. The new road ran from Duling across the Qinling range into Hanzhong.
45
風俗使者八人還，言天下風俗齊同，詐為郡國造歌謠，頌功德，凡三萬言。 莽奏定著令。 又奏為市無二賈，官無獄訟，邑無盜賊，野無饑民，道不拾遺，男女異路之制，犯者象刑。 劉歆、陳崇等十二人皆以治明堂，宣教化，封為列侯。
Eight inspectors returned with thirty thousand lines of bogus folk praise for Mang. He had the lyrics codified in law. He legislated utopian rules: uniform prices, empty jails, no theft, gender-segregated streets, symbolic penalties. Twelve ministers including Liu Xin won marquisates for the Bright Hall project.
46
莽既致太平，北化匈奴，東致海外，南懷黃支，唯西方未有加。 乃遣中郎將平憲等多持金幣誘塞外羌，使獻地，願內屬。 憲等奏言：「羌豪良願等種，人口可萬二千人，願為內臣，獻鮮水海、允谷鹽池，平地美草皆予漢民，自居險阻處為籓蔽。 問良願降意，對曰：『太皇太后聖明，安漢公至仁，天下太平，五穀成熟，或禾長丈餘，或一粟三米，或不種自生，或繭不蠶自成，甘露從天下，醴泉自地出，鳳皇來儀，神爵降集。 從四歲以來，羌人無所疾苦，故思樂內屬。』 宜以時處業，置屬國領護。」 事下莽，莽復奏曰：「太后秉統數年，恩澤洋溢，和氣四塞，絕域殊俗，靡不慕義。 越裳氏重譯獻白雉，黃支自三萬里貢生犀，東夷王度大海奉國珍，匈奴單于順製作，去二名，今西域良願等復舉地為臣妾，昔唐堯橫被四表，亦亡以加之。 今謹案已有東海、南海、北海郡，未有西海郡，請受良願等所獻地為西海郡。 臣又聞聖王序天文，定地理，因山川民俗以制州界。 漢家地廣二帝、三王，凡十三州，州名及界多不應經。 《堯典》十有二州，後定為九州。 漢家廓地遼遠，州牧行部，遠者三萬餘里，不可為九。 謹以經義正十二州名分界，以應正始。」 奏可。 又增法五十條，犯者徙之西海。 徙者以千萬數，民始怨矣。
North, east, and south bowed; only the west lacked a trophy. He bribed frontier Qiang to cede land and "submit". Xian and the others memorialized: "The Qiang chieftain Liangyuan and other tribes, with a population of about twelve thousand, wish to be inner subjects. They present the Xianhui Sea and Yungu salt pool, with level land and fine grass all to Han commoners, while they themselves dwell in defiles as a screen. The forged Qiang reply listed every miracle—giant grain, self-grown crops, phoenixes, sweet dew— since Mang's fourth year the Qiang have suffered nothing and yearn to join Han. It is fitting in due season to settle their livelihood and place a dependent state with a protector-general.' The matter was handed to Mang; Mang again memorialized: "For several years the empress dowager has held the thread. Grace and favor overflow; harmonious qi fills the four quarters. Cut-off regions and strange customs all admire righteousness. The Yuechang, through repeated translation, presented white pheasants; Huangzhi, from thirty thousand li away, sent live rhinoceros; the king of the eastern Yi crossed the great sea to offer his state's treasures; the Xiongnu chanyu obeyed the institutions and abandoned his two-part name; and now Liangyuan and the others of the Western Regions have again offered their land as servants. Even when Tang Yao's influence spread across the four quarters, nothing surpassed this. He argued that since there were already East Sea, South Sea, and North Sea commanderies, but no West Sea commandery, the land offered by Liangyuan and the others should be accepted and made West Sea Commandery. Sage kings align stars, earth, and borders. Han's thirteen provinces misaligned the canon. The Yao canon named twelve provinces, later nine. Han was too vast for nine provinces alone. We respectfully by classic meaning correct the twelve provinces' names and divisions to answer the orthodox beginning." Approved. Fifty new crimes earned exile to the new commandery. Millions were uprooted; popular resentment began.
47
泉陵侯劉慶上書言：「周成王幼少，稱孺子，周公居攝。 今帝富於春秋，宜令安漢公行天子事，如周公。」 郡臣皆曰：「宜如慶言。」
Marquis of Quanling Liu Qing submitted a memorial: "When King Cheng of Zhou was young, he was called the infant heir, and the Duke of Zhou acted as regent. Now the emperor is rich in years and ought to order the Duke Who Pacifies Han to conduct the Son of Heaven's affairs like the Duke of Zhou." The host of ministers all said, "It is fitting to follow Qing's words."
48
冬，熒惑入月中。
That winter Mars occulted the moon—an ill omen.
49
平帝疾，莽作策，請命於泰畤，戴璧秉圭，願以身代。 藏策金滕，置於前殿，敕諸公勿敢言。 十二月，平帝崩，大赦天下。 莽徵明禮者宗伯鳳等與定天下吏六百石以上皆服喪三年。 奏尊孝成廟曰統宗，孝平廟曰元宗。 時元帝世絕，而宣帝曾孫有見王五人，列侯廣戚侯顯等四十八人，莽惡其長大，曰：「兄弟不得相為後。 乃選玄孫中最幼廣戚侯子嬰，年二歲，託以為卜相最吉。
Mang copied King Wu's metal coffer rite, offering his life for the boy's at Tai. He sealed the vow in the front hall and silenced the ministers. Ping died in the twelfth month; the empire was pardoned. He imposed three years' mourning on every official above six hundred bushels. Cheng's shrine became Lineage Ancestor; Ping's became Primal Ancestor. Yuandi's line was extinct, but five of Xuandi's great-great-grandsons were reigning kings and forty-eight full marquises such as Guangqi's Xian still held rank; Mang disliked their age and said, "Brothers may not succeed one another as heirs. He picked the two-year-old Ying of Guangqi on forged omens.
50
是月，前輝光謝囂奏武功長孟通浚井得白石，上圓下方，有丹書著石，文曰：「告安漢公莽為皇帝。」 符命之起，自此始矣。 莽命群公以白太后，太后曰：「此誣罔天下，不可施行！」 太保舜謂太后：「事已如此，無可奈何，沮之力不能止。 又莽非敢有它，但欲稱攝以重其權，填服天下耳。」 太后聽許。 舜等即共令太后下詔曰：「蓋聞天生眾民，不能相治，為之立君以統理之。 君年幼稚，必有寄託而居攝焉，然後能奉天施而成地化，群生茂育。 《書》不云乎？ 『天工，人其代之。』 朕以孝平皇帝幼年，且統國政，幾加元服，委政而屬之。 今短命而崩，嗚呼哀哉！ 已使有司徵孝宣皇帝玄孫二十三人，差度宜者，以嗣孝平皇帝之後。 玄孫年在襁褓，不得至德君子，孰能安之？ 安漢公莽輔政三世，比遭際會，安光漢室，遂同殊風，至於製作，與周公異世同符。 今前輝光囂、武功長通上言丹石之符，朕深思厥意，云『為皇帝』者，乃攝行皇帝之事也。 夫有法成易，非聖人者亡法。 其令安漢公居攝踐祚，如周公故事，以武功縣為安漢公采地，名曰漢光邑。 具禮儀奏。」
That month, former Shining Brilliance Xie Xiao memorialized that Meng Tong, magistrate of Wugong, dredged a well and obtained a white stone, round above and square below, with cinnabar writing on it reading: "Announce to the Duke Who Pacifies Han Mang that he is to be emperor." Forged portents began with that stone. Mang ordered the host of dukes to report to the empress dowager; she said: "This deceives all under heaven; it cannot be carried out!" Grand Guardian Wang Shun said to the empress dowager: "The affair has already reached this point. Nothing can be done; the power to block it cannot stop it. Shun claimed Mang only wanted the title "regent" to awe the realm." She yielded. Shun and the others thereupon together had the empress dowager issue an edict: "We have heard that High Heaven bore the multitude of people, who could not govern one another, and therefore it set up a lord to bind and order them. A child king needs a regent to complete heaven's work. The Documents asks, 'Heaven's labors, men perform for it. She said she had held state government for the infant Ping until he was nearly capped, and had entrusted government to him. Now he has died in childhood—alas! Twenty-three Xuandi descendants were summoned to continue Ping. Babies need a regent of proven virtue. The edict equated Mang with the Duke of Zhou across three reigns. Emperor' here means acting emperor only. Law makes order easy; without a sage there is no law. Mang was named acting emperor with Wugong county as Han Radiance fief. Draft the full rites and memorialize.'"
51
於是群臣奏言：「太后聖德昭然，深見天意，詔令安漢公居攝。 臣聞周成王幼少，周道未成，成王不能共事天地，修文、武之烈。 周公權而居攝，則周道成，王室安； 不居攝，則恐周隊失天命。 《書》曰：『我嗣事子孫，大不克共上下，遏失前人光，在家不知命不易。 天應棐諶，乃亡隊命。』 說曰：周公服天子之冕，南面而朝群臣，發號施令，常稱王命。 召公賢人，不知聖人之意，故不說也。 《禮‧明堂記》曰『周公朝諸侯於明堂，天子負斧依南面而立。』 謂『周公踐天子位，六年朝諸侯，制禮作樂，而天下大服』也。 召公不說。 時武王崩，縗麤未除。 由是言之，周公始攝則居天了之位，非乃六年而踐阼也。 《書》逸《嘉禾篇》曰：『周公奉鬯立於阼階，延登，贊曰：假王蒞政，勤和天下。』 此周公攝政，贊者所稱。 成王加元服，周公則致政。 《書》曰：『朕復子明辟』，周公常稱王命，專行不報，故言我復子明君也。 臣請安漢公居攝踐祚，服天子韍冕，背斧依於戶牖之間，南面朝群臣，聽政事。 車服出入警蹕，民臣稱臣妾，皆如天子之制。 郊祀天地，宗祀明堂，共祀宗廟，享祭群神，贊曰『假皇帝』，民臣謂之『攝皇帝』，自稱曰『予』。 平決朝事，常以皇帝之詔稱『制』、以奉順皇天之心，輔翼漢室，保安孝平皇帝之幼嗣，遂寄託之義，隆治平之化。 其朝見太皇太后、帝皇后，皆復臣節。 自施政教於其宮家國采，如諸侯禮儀故事。 臣昧死請。」 太后詔曰：「可。」 明年，改元曰「居攝」。
Thereupon the host of ministers memorialized: "The empress dowager's sage virtue is luminous. She deeply sees heaven's mind and has issued an edict the Duke Who Pacifies Han to act as regent. Cheng could not rule heaven and earth alone. The Duke of Zhou's regency completed the Zhou mandate; without regency Zhou might have lost heaven's mandate. They quoted the Documents on losing the mandate, heaven aiding the true and ending the false. Commentary: Zhou faced south as king in all but name. Shaogong doubted— the Mingtang chapter shows Zhou receiving lords while the king's regalia stood by, meaning Zhou ruled six years before Cheng took the throne. Shaogong sulked. Wu had just died; mourning was still raw. Zhou took the throne at once, not after six years. A lost Documents fragment calls him provisional king, the title used during his regency. At Cheng's cap Zhou yielded power. The line "I return you the enlightened ruler" shows Zhou spoke as king. They asked Mang to wear imperial regalia, face south, and hold court. Full imperial pomp, cleared streets, subjects as "your servants. At sacrifices he was "acting emperor"; to the world, "regent emperor"; to himself, "we." His edicts used imperial "ordain" while claiming to guard the Liu infant. Before dowager and queen he remained a kneeling minister. On his own fief he kept princely etiquette. They begged on pain of death.'" The empress dowager issued an edict: "Granted." The next year the era name was changed to 'Acting Regent.'
52
居攝元年正月，莽祀上帝於南郊，迎春於東郊，行大射禮於明堂，養三老五更，成禮而去。 置柱下五史，秩如御史，聽政事，侍旁記疏言行。
First month: suburban rites, spring welcome, archery at Mingtang, honoring elders—then home. Five column scribes, rank like censors, recorded every word at court.
53
三月己丑，立宣帝玄孫嬰為皇太子，號曰孺子。 以王舜為太傅左輔，甄豐為太阿右拂，甄邯為太保後承。 又置四少，秩皆二千石。
Third month, jichou: Liu Ying crowned infant heir. Wang Shun, Zhen Feng, and Zhen Han became the three senior tutors with new titles. Four junior aides at two thousand bushels each.
54
四月，安眾侯劉崇與相張紹謀曰：「安漢公莽專制朝政，必危劉氏。 天下非之者，乃莫敢先舉，此宗室恥也。 吾帥宗族為先，海內必和。」 紹等從者百餘人，遂進攻宛，不得入而敗。 紹者，張竦之從兄也。 竦與崇族父劉嘉詣闕自歸，莽赦弗罪。 竦因為嘉作奏曰：
In the fourth month, Marquis of Anzhong Liu Chong plotted with his chancellor Zhang Shao, saying: "The Duke Who Pacifies Han Mang monopolizes court government and is sure to endanger the Liu. Critics cowered—shame on the Liu. Chong would strike first and rouse the realm." A hundred men struck Wan and failed. Zhang Shao was Zhang Su's cousin. Zhang Su and Liu Jia surrendered at the palace gate; Mang spared them. Su ghost-wrote Jia's memorial:
55
建平、元壽之間，大統幾絕，宗室幾棄。 賴蒙陛下聖德，扶服振救，遮扞匡衛，國命復延，宗室明目。 臨明統政，發號施令，動以宗室為始，登用九族為先。 並錄支親，建立王侯，南面之孤，計以百數。 收復絕屬，存亡續廢，得比肩首，復為人者，嬪然成行，所以籓漢國，輔漢宗也。 建辟雍，立明堂，班天法，流聖化，朝群后，昭文德，宗室諸侯，咸益土地。 天下喁喁，引領而歎，頌聲洋洋，滿耳而入。 國家所以服此美，膺此名，饗此福，受此榮者，豈非太皇太后日昃之思，陛下夕惕之念哉！ 何謂？ 亂則統其理，危則致其安，禍則引其福，絕則繼其統，幼則代其任，晨夜屑屑，寒暑勤勤，無時休息，孳孳不已者，凡以為天，厚劉氏也。
Between Jianping and Yuanshou Han nearly fell, but Your Majesty revived the Liu and restored the mandate. You put Lius first in every edict, ennobling hundreds of imperial princes, restoring dead lines to feed the Han fence. You built the schools, enlarged every Liu fief, and the world cranes its neck in song of praise. The state wears this glory because the dowager toils past noon and you, sire, keep midnight vigil. What does that mean? He mends chaos, steadies danger, saves the line, carries the child on his back—every waking hour for heaven and the house of Liu.
56
臣無愚智，民無男女，皆諭至意。 而安眾侯崇乃獨懷悖惑之心，操畔逆之慮，興兵動眾，欲危宗廟，惡不忍聞，罪不容誅，誠臣子之仇，宗室之讎，國家之賊，天下之害也。 是故親屬震落而告其罪，民人潰畔而棄其兵，進不跬步，退伏其殃。 百歲之母，孩提之子，同時斷斬，懸頭竿杪，珠珥在耳，首飾猶存，為計若此，豈不悖哉！
Every subject, man or woman, grasps the message. Yet Liu Chong alone rebelled—traitor to temple, throne, and world. His clan turned on him; his men melted away; he died before a stride was won. Mother and babe swung from the same gibbet—madness.
57
臣聞古者畔逆之國，既以誅討，則豬其宮室以為污池，納垢濁焉，名曰凶虛，雖生菜茹，而人不食。 四牆其社，覆上棧下，示不得通。 辨社諸侯，出門見之，著以為戒。 方今天下聞崇之反也，咸欲騫衣手劍而叱之。 其先至者，則拂其頸，沖其匈，刃其軀，切其肌； 後至者，欲拔其門，僕其牆，夷其屋，焚其器，應聲滌地，則時成創。 而宗室尤甚，言必切齒焉。 何則？ 以其背畔恩義，而不知重德之所在也。 宗室所居或遠，嘉幸得先聞，不勝憤憤之願，願為宗室倡始，父子兄弟負籠荷鍤，馳之南陽，豬崇宮室，令如古制。 及崇社宜如毫社，以賜諸侯，用永監戒。 願下四輔公卿大夫議，以明好惡，視四方。
Ancient rebels' palaces became cesspools no man would approach. Their earth altars were roofed and sealed shut. Feudatory altars were marked as warnings at the gates. All China would draw steel on Chong. The first arrivals would have cut his throat, the latecomers would raze his house to ash. The Liu kin gnashed teeth loudest. Why was that? He betrayed grace and forgot where true power lies. Liu Jia begged to lead kin with spades to Nanyang to turn Chong's house into a cesspool by ancient rule. Give Chong's earth altar to lords as Bo's was—a standing warning. He asked the court to vote and publish the lesson.
58
於是莽大說。 公卿曰：「皆宜如嘉言。」 莽白太后下詔曰：「惟嘉父子兄弟，雖與崇有屬，不敢阿私，或見萌牙，相率告之，及其禍成，同共讎之，應合古制，忠孝著焉。 其以杜衍戶千封嘉為師禮侯，嘉子七人皆賜爵關內侯。」 後又封竦為淑德侯。 長安為之語曰：「欲求封，過張伯松； 力戰鬥，不如巧為奏。」 莽又封南陽吏民有功者百餘人，污池劉崇室宅。 後謀反者，皆污池云。
Mang was delighted. Dukes and ministers said: "All ought to follow Jia's words." Mang reported to the empress dowager, who issued an edict: "Jia and his father, sons, and brothers, though kin to Chong, did not dare show private favor. Some saw the sprout and together denounced it; when the disaster matured they together avenged it. This answers to ancient system, and loyalty and filiality are clear therein. With a thousand households at Duyan enfeoff Jia as marquis of Mastering Rites; Jia's seven sons are all granted secondary marquis rank within the passes." Zhang Su got marquis of Shude. Chang'an made a rhyme: "If you seek a fief, pass by Zhang Bosong; fighting beats flattery, but memorials beat fighting." He rewarded Nanyang and drowned Chong's estate. Later every rebel's home became a cesspool.
59
群臣復白：「劉崇等謀逆者，以莽權輕也。 宜尊重以填海內。」 五月甲辰，太后詔莽朝見太后稱「假皇帝」。
The host of ministers again reported: "Liu Chong and the others plotted rebellion because Mang's authority was light. Give him more awe to cow the realm." On day jiachen of the fifth month the empress dowager issued an edict that Mang in audience with the empress dowager should call himself 'acting emperor.'
60
冬十月丙辰朔，日有食之。
Winter, tenth month, new moon bingchen: an eclipse.
61
十二月，群臣奏請：「益安漢公宮及家吏，置率更令，廟、廄、廚長丞，中庶子，虎賁以下百餘人，又置衛士三百人。 安漢公廬為攝省，府為攝殿，第為攝宮。」 奏可。
In the twelfth month, the host of ministers memorialized requesting: "Increase the Duke Who Pacifies Han's palace and household clerks; set a clepsydra director, temple, stable, and kitchen chiefs and assistants, inner gentlemen, more than a hundred men below tiger lads, and also set three hundred guardsmen. The Duke Who Pacifies Han's lodge shall be called regent's office, his bureau regent's hall, his mansion regent's palace." Approved.
62
莽白太后下詔曰：「故太師光雖前薨，功效已列。 太保舜、大司空豐、輕車將軍邯、步兵將軍建皆為誘進單于籌策，又典靈台、明堂、辟雍、四郊，定制度，開子午道，與宰衡同心說德，合意並力，功德茂著。 封舜了匡為同心侯，林為說德侯，光孫壽為合意侯，豐孫匡為並力侯。 益邯、建各三千戶。」
Mang reported to the empress dowager, who issued an edict: "Though former Grand Tutor Guang died earlier, his merit and deeds are already listed. The edict cited Grand Guardian Wang Shun, Grand Minister of Works Zhen Feng, Agile Chariot General Zhen Han, and Infantry General Sun Jian for devising the plan to lure in the chanyu, managing the Spirit Terrace, Bright Hall, Biyong, and four suburban altars, fixing the institutions, opening the Ziwu Road, and working in shared purpose with the Regulator-and-Balance. She ennobled Wang Shun's sons Kuang and Lin, Kong Guang's grandson Shou, and Zhen Feng's grandson Kuang. Three thousand more households for Han and Jian each.'
63
是歲，西羌龐恬、傅幡等怨莽奪其地作西海郡，反攻西海太守程永，永奔走。 莽誅永，遣護羌校尉竇況擊之。
Western Qiang rebelled over the new commandery; Governor Cheng Yong ran. Mang killed Yong and sent Dou Kuang against the Qiang.
64
二年春，竇況等擊破西羌。
Next spring Dou Kuang crushed the Qiang.
65
五月，更造貨：錯刀，一直五千； 契刀，一直五百； 大錢，一直五十，與五銖錢並行。 民多盜鑄者。 禁列侯以下不得挾黃金，輸御府受直，然卒不與直。
Fifth month: new money—inlaid knife worth five thousand; notched knife, five hundred; large coin at fifty, with old five-zhu. Counterfeiting exploded. He seized gold from everyone below marquis rank but never paid.
66
九月，東郡太守翟義都試，勒車騎，因發奔命，立嚴鄉侯劉信為天子，移檄郡國，言「莽毒殺平帝，攝天子位，欲絕漢室，今共行天罰誅莽」。 郡國疑惑，眾十餘萬。 莽惶懼不能食，晝夜抱孺子告禱郊廟，放《大誥》作策，遣諫大夫桓譚等班於天下，諭以攝位當反政孺子之意。 遣王邑、孫建等八將軍擊義，分屯諸關，守厄塞。 槐裡男子趙明、霍鴻等起兵，以和翟義，相與謀曰：「諸將精兵悉東，京師空，可攻長安。」 眾稍多，至且十萬人，莽恐，遣將軍王奇、王級將兵拒之。 以太保甄邯為大將軍，受鉞高廟，領天下兵，左杖節，右把鉞，屯城外。 王舜、甄豐晝夜循行殿中。
In the ninth month Dong commandery governor Zhai Yi, at the annual review of chariots and horse, seized the moment to issue emergency levy, set up Marquis of Yanxiang Liu Xin as Son of Heaven, sent proclamations through commanderies and kingdoms, saying 'Mang poisoned Emperor Ping, usurped the Son of Heaven's place, wishes to cut off the Han house—now we jointly execute heaven's punishment on Mang.' A hundred thousand wavered in revolt. Mang clutched the boy, copied the Great Announcement, and swore return of power. Eight generals sealed the passes against Zhai Yi. The man of Huaili Zhao Ming and Huo Hong and others raised troops to join Zhai Yi, plotting together: 'The generals' crack troops have all gone east; the capital is empty—we can attack Chang'an.' Their ranks neared one hundred thousand; Mang sent Wang Qi and Wang Ji. Zhen Han took the grand marshal's axe outside the walls. Shun and Feng patrolled the palace night and day.
67
十二月，王邑等破翟義於圉。 司威陳崇使監軍上書言：「陛下奉天洪範，心合寶龜，膺受元命，豫知成敗，咸應兆占，是謂配天。 配天之主，慮則移氣，言則動物，施則成化。 臣崇伏讀詔書下日，竊計其時，聖思始發，而反虜仍破； 詔文始書，反虜大敗； 制書始下，反虜畢斬，眾將未及齊其鋒芒，臣崇未及盡共愚慮，而事已決矣。」 莽大說。
Twelfth month: Wang Yi broke Zhai Yi at Yu. Director of Awe Chen Chong had the supervising army memorialize: "Your Majesty receives heaven's great norm; mind matches treasure tortoise; chest receives primal mandate; foreknows success and failure; all answer omens and divination. This is called matching heaven. He claimed Mang's words moved heaven. Chong said the edict outran the rebels, each line of the edict slew rebels, the rebellion ended before ministers could strike." Mang gloated.
68
三年春，地震。 大赦天下。
Spring, year three: earthquake. Amnesty for the empire.
69
王邑等還京師，西與王級等合擊明、鴻，皆破滅，語在《翟義傳》。 莽大置酒未央宮白虎殿，勞賜將帥，詔陳崇治校軍功，第其高下。 莽乃上奏曰：「明聖之世，國多賢人，故唐、虞之時，可比屋而封，至功成事就，則加賞焉。 至於夏後塗山之會，執玉帛者萬國，諸侯執玉，附庸執帛。 周武王孟津之上，尚有八百諸侯。 周公居攝，郊祀后稷以配天，宗祀文王於明堂以配上帝，是以四海之內各以其職來祭，蓋諸侯千八百矣。 《禮記‧王制》千七百餘國，是以孔子著《孝經》曰：『不敢遺小國之臣，而況於公、侯、伯、子、男乎？ 故得萬國之歡心以事其先王。』 此天子之孝也。 秦為亡道，殘滅諸侯以為郡縣，欲擅天下之利，故二世而亡。 高皇帝受命除殘，考功施賞，建國數百，後稍衰微，其餘僅存。 太皇太后躬統大綱，廣封功德以勸善，興滅繼絕以永世，是以大化流通，旦暮且成。 遭羌寇害西海郡，反虜流言東郡，逆賊惑眾西土，忠臣孝子莫不奮怒，所征殄滅，盡備厥辜，天下咸寧。 今制禮作樂，實考周爵五等，地四等，有明文； 殷爵三等，有其說，無其文。 孔子曰：『周監於二代，鬱鬱乎文哉！ 吾從周。』 臣請諸將帥當受爵邑者爵五等，地四等。」 奏可。 於是封者高為侯、伯，次為子、男，當賜爵關內侯者更名曰附城，凡數百人。 擊西海者以「羌」為號，槐裡以「武」為號，翟義以「虜」為號。
Wang Yi returned, crushed Zhao Ming and Huo Hong—see Zhai Yi's biography. He feasted generals in White Tiger Hall and had Chen Chong rank their deeds. Mang thereupon submitted a memorial: "In an age of enlightened sages, the state has many worthy men. Therefore in Tang and Yu's time one could enfeoff house to house; when merit was complete and affairs finished, then reward was added. At Yu's Mount Tu meet, myriad states brought jade and silk. At Mengjin Wu still had eight hundred lords. When the Duke of Zhou acted as regent, he performed suburban sacrifice to Houji as counterpart to Heaven and ancestral sacrifice to King Wen in the Bright Hall as counterpart to Shangdi. For this reason, those within the four seas came to sacrifice according to their offices, perhaps eighteen hundred feudal lords in all. The Royal Regulations chapter of the Record of Rites counts more than seventeen hundred states. Therefore Confucius wrote in the Classic of Filial Piety, 'I dare not slight the ministers of small states, much less dukes, marquises, earls, viscounts, and barons. and so won every state's heart for the king. That is the Son of Heaven's filial piety. Qin killed the lords and fell in two reigns. Gaozu founded hundreds of feudatories; most withered. The dowager restores fallen lines and spreads transformation. Qiang, Zhai's rebels, and western traitors were crushed; peace returned. His new ritual code copied Zhou's five ranks and four land grades, Yin's three ranks are theory only. Confucius said Zhou's culture, rich beyond the two earlier dynasties, was the one worth following. Your servants request that generals and colonels who should receive noble rank and land receive five noble ranks and four land grades.' Approved. Top ranks were marquis and earl; inner marquises became "appanage" lords—hundreds ennobled. Those who struck West Sea took 'Qiang' as their battle cry, Huaili took 'Wu,' Zhai Yi took 'Captive.'
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群臣復奏言：「太后修功錄德，遠者千載，近者當世，或以文封，或以武爵，深淺大小，靡不畢舉。 今攝皇帝背依踐祚，宜異於宰國之時，製作雖未畢已，宜進二子爵皆為公。 《春秋》『善善及子孫』，『賢者之後，宜有土地』。 成王廣封周公庶子六人，皆有茅土。 及漢家名相大將蕭、霍之屬，咸及支庶。 兄子光，可先封為列侯； 諸孫，制度畢已，大司徒、大司空上名，如前詔書。」 太后詔曰：「進攝皇帝子褒新侯安為新舉公，賞都侯臨為褒新公，封光為衍功侯。」 是時，莽還歸新都國，群臣復白以封莽孫宗為新都侯。 莽既滅翟義，自謂威德日盛，獲天人助，遂謀即真之事矣。
The host of ministers again memorialized: "The empress dowager records merit and virtue, distantly for a thousand years and nearby in the present age. Some were enfeoffed by civil merit, some by martial rank; deep and shallow, great and small, none were not all lifted. Now that he faces south as regent, his sons should rise to ducal rank, citing the Annals on rewarding heirs, Cheng ennobled six of Zhou's sons, as Xiao He and Huo Guang's kin were favored. Mang's nephew Guang should be a marquis first, grandsons to follow when the code is done.' The empress dowager issued an edict: "Advance the regent emperor's son, Marquis of Baoxin An, to duke of New Exaltation; advance Marquis of Shangdu Lin to duke of Baoxin; enfeoff Guang as marquis of Extending Merit." Mang visited Xindu; ministers ennobled his grandson Zong there. After Yi's defeat Mang believed heaven favored his seizure of the throne.
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九月，莽母功顯君死，意不在哀，令太后詔議其服。 少阿、羲和劉歆與博士諸儒七十八人皆曰：「居攝之義，所以統立天功，興崇帝道，成就法度，安輯海內也。 昔殷成湯既沒，而太子蚤夭，其子太甲幼少不明，伊尹放諸桐宮而居攝，以興殷道。 周武王既沒，周道未成，成王幼少，周公屏成王而居攝，以成周道。 是以殷有翼翼之化，周有刑錯之功。 今太皇太后比遭家之不造，委任安漢公宰尹群僚，衡平天下。 遭孺子幼少，未能共上下，皇天降瑞，出丹石之符，是以太皇太后則天明命，詔安漢公居攝踐祚，將以成聖漢之業，與唐、虞三代比隆也。 攝皇帝遂開秘府，會群儒，制禮作樂，卒定庶官，茂成天功。 聖心周悉，卓爾獨見，發得周禮，以明因監，則天稽古，而損益焉，猶仲尼之聞《韶》，日月之不可階，非聖哲之至，孰能若茲！ 綱幻咸張，成在一匱，此其所以保佑聖漢，安靖元元之效也。 今功顯君薨，《禮》：『庶子為後，為其母緦。』 傳曰：『與尊者為體，不敢服其私親也。 攝皇帝以聖德承皇天之命，受太后之詔居攝踐祚，奉漢大宗之後，上有天地社稷之重，下有元元萬機之憂，不得顧其私親。 故太皇太后建厥元孫，俾侯新都，為哀侯後。 明攝皇帝與尊者為體，承宗廟之祭，奉共養太皇太后，不得服其私親也。 《周禮》曰『王為諸侯緦縗』，『弁而加環絰』，同姓則麻，異姓則葛。 攝皇帝當為功顯君緦縗，弁而加麻環絰，如天子吊諸侯服，以應聖制。』 莽遂行焉，凡一吊再會，而令新都侯宗為主，服喪三年云。
His mother died; he cared more for protocol than grief. Junior aide Liu Xin and seventy-eight erudits and classicists all said, "The meaning of acting as regent is thereby to bind and establish heaven's work, exalt the imperial way, complete law and pattern, and settle the interior seas. They cited yiyin day and Taijia, and the Duke of Zhou with young Cheng, yielding orderly Yin and error-free Zhou. The dowager, amid family misfortune, handed Mang the helm to steady the bureaucracy and the realm. Because the young heir was still a child and could not serve those above and below, high Heaven sent auspicious signs and produced the cinnabar-stone tally. The grand empress dowager therefore followed Heaven's bright command and ordered the Duke Who Pacifies Han to act as regent and mount the throne, intending thereby to complete the sacred work of Han and make it rival Tang, Yu, and the Three Dynasties in greatness. As regent he opened the archives, gathered scholars, finished the ritual code, and filled out the bureaucracy. He claimed to have recovered the Zhou li and improved on it like Confucius hearing the Shao—work only a sage could do. Policy ran from a single basket—his formula for guarding Han and the people. His mother died; the canon prescribes fine hemp for a concubine's son who is heir, tradition says the regent cannot mourn a private parent like a common son. The regent emperor, by sagely virtue, has received high Heaven's mandate and the empress dowager's edict to act as regent and mount the throne. He serves the great lineage of Han; above, he bears the weight of Heaven, Earth, and the altars of soil and grain, and below, the countless cares of the people and affairs of state. He cannot attend to his private kin. The dowager made his grandson Zong marquis of Xindu to continue Man's line, proving Mang is fused with the public rite, not private grief. The Zhou li prescribes the king's mourning garb for lords, so Mang wore the emperor's condolence dress for a marquis—public mourning only. Mang made one visit then two assemblies, leaving grandson Zong to mourn three years.
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司威陳崇奏，衍功侯光私報執金吾竇況，令殺人，況為收系，致其法。 莽大怒，切責光。 光母曰：「女自視孰與長孫、中孫？」 遂母子自殺，及況皆死。 初，莽以事母、養嫂、撫兄子為名，及後悖虐，復以示公義焉。 令光子嘉嗣爵為侯。
Chen Chong charged Wang Guang for ordering Dou Kuang to commit murder; Kuang arrested him. Mang raged at his nephew Guang. Guang's mother said: 'You yourself look—which are you compared to Changsun and Zhongsun?' Mother and son committed suicide; Kuang died too. Once famed for filial piety, he now killed kin to prove public virtue. He let Guang's son Jia inherit the marquisate.
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莽下書曰：「遏密之義，訖於季冬，正月郊祀，八音當奏。 王公卿士，樂凡幾等？ 五聲八音，條各云何？ 其與所部儒生各盡精思，悉陳其義。」
Mang issued a document: "The meaning of silencing music ends with the last month of winter; in the first month, at the suburban sacrifice, the eight sounds ought to be played. How many grades for lords, and how the eight instruments align, Let them with the classicists under their command each exhaust refined thought and set forth the meaning in full.'
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是歲，廣饒侯劉京，車騎將軍千人扈雲、太保屬臧鴻奏符命。 京言齊郡新井，雲言巴郡石牛，鴻言扶風雍石，莽皆迎受。 十一月甲子，莽上奏太后曰：
Liu Jing, Hu Yun, and Zang Hong reported portents, new well, stone ox, Yong stone—Mang welcomed each. Eleventh month, jiazi: Mang addressed the throne,
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陛下至聖，遭家不造，遇漢十二世三七之厄，承天威命，詔臣莽居攝，受孺子之託，任天下之寄。 臣莽兢兢業業，懼於不稱。 宗室廣饒侯劉京上書言：「七月中，齊郡臨淄縣昌興亭長辛當一暮數夢，曰：『吾，天公使也。 天公使我告亭長曰：「攝皇帝當為真。 即不信我，此亭中當有新井。」 亭長晨起視亭中，誠有新井，入地且百尺。』 十一月壬子，直建冬至，巴郡石牛，戊午，雍石文，皆到於未央宮之前殿。 臣與太保安陽侯舜等視，天風起，塵冥，風止，得銅符帛圖於右前，文曰：天告帝符，獻者封侯。 承天命，用神令。」 騎都尉崔發等視說。 及前孝哀皇帝建平二年六月甲子下詔書，更為太初元將元年，案其本事，甘忠可、夏賀良讖書臧蘭台。 臣莽以為元將元年者，大將居攝改元之文也。 於今信矣。 《尚書‧康誥》「王若曰：『孟侯，朕其弟，小子封。』」 此周公居攝稱王之文也。 《春秋》隱公不言即位，攝也。 此二經周公、孔子所定，蓋為後法。 孔子曰：「畏天命，畏大人，畏聖人之言。」 臣莽敢不承用！ 臣請共事神祇宗廟，奏言太皇太后、孝平皇后，皆稱假皇帝。 其號令天下，天下奏言事，毋言「攝」。 以居攝三年為初始元年，漏刻以百二十為度，用應天命。 臣莽夙夜養育隆就孺子，令與周之成王比德，宣明太皇太后威德於萬方，期於富而教之。 孺子加元服，復子明辟，如周公故事。
He invoked the dowager's mandate and Han's supposed numerological crisis, and his own trembling unworthiness. Imperial clansman Liu Jing, Marquis of Guangrao, memorialized that in the seventh month Xin Dang, chief of Changxing postal station in Linzi county, Qi commandery, dreamed repeatedly in one night of a figure saying, 'I am the envoy of the Lord of Heaven. who said Mang would become true emperor, If you do not believe me, this post shall have a new well. At dawn the well was there, a hundred feet deep. On the renzi day of the eleventh month, which coincided with the jian day and the winter solstice, the stone ox from Ba commandery arrived; on the wuwu day, the inscribed stone from Yong arrived. Both reached the front hall of Weiyang Palace. A windstorm revealed a bronze chart promising titles to informers, Receive heaven's mandate, employ spirit's command.' Cui Fa interpreted the find, linking it to Ai's old calendar change and Gan Zhongke's stored prophecies, which he read as foretelling his own regency, now fulfilled. He quoted Kang Gao's "young brother Feng as Zhou acting as king, and Duke Yin omitted accession as regency precedent, both canonized by Zhou and Confucius for later ages. Confucius said: 'Stand in awe of heaven's mandate, in awe of great men, in awe of the sages' words.' Mang swore obedience, asked to drop "regent" in temple memorials to dowager and queen, and strike the word "regent" from edicts and petitions, renaming the year Initial 1 and resetting water clocks to 120 divisions, vowing to rear the boy like Cheng and then return power, at his cap rite, as Zhou promised Cheng.
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奏可。 眾庶知其奉符命，指意群臣博議別奏，以視即真之漸矣。
Approved. The court saw the slide toward true emperorship,
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期門郎張充等六人謀共劫莽，立楚王。 發覺，誅死。
Six guards plotted to kidnap Mang for the Chu king, they were caught and killed.
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梓潼人哀章，學問長安，素無行，好為大言。 見莽居攝，即作銅匱，為兩檢，置其一曰「天帝行璽金匱圖」，其一署曰「赤帝行璽某傳予黃帝金策書」。 某者，高皇帝名也。 書言王莽為真天子，皇太后如天命。 圖書皆書莽大臣八興，又取令名王興、王盛，章因自竄姓名，凡為十一人，皆署官爵，為輔佐。 章聞齊井、石牛事下，即日皆時，衣黃衣，持匱至高廟，以付僕射。 僕射以聞。 戊辰，莽至高廟拜受金匱神嬗。 御王冠，謁太后，還坐未央宮前殿，下書曰：「予以不德，託於皇初祖考黃帝之後，皇始祖考虞帝之苗裔，而太皇太后之末屬。 皇天上帝隆顯大佑，成命統序，符契圖文，金匱策書，神明詔告，屬予以天下兆民。 赤帝漢氏高皇帝之靈，承天命，傳國金策之書，予甚祇畏，敢不欽受！ 以戊辰直定，御王冠，即真天子位，定有天下之號曰『新』。 其改正朔，易服色，變犧牲，殊徽幟，異器制。 以十二月朔癸酉為建國元年正月之朔，以雞鳴為時。 服色配德上黃，犧牲應正用白，使節之旄幡皆純黃，其署曰『新使王威節』，以承皇天上帝威命也。」」」
Ai Zhang of Zitong was a loud-mouthed scoundrel, Seeing Mang act as regent, he made a bronze box with two covers; on one he wrote 'High God's traveling seal metal coffer chart,' on the other he inscribed 'Red God's traveling seal [Liu Bang's name] transmits to Yellow God metal tally book. the blank was Gaozu's name, declaring Mang true emperor and the dowager heaven's voice, he forged a cabinet list of eleven names including himself, donned yellow and delivered the box to Gaozu's shrine, who reported upward, wuchen: Mang took the divine succession coffer, “claimed descent from Huangdi and Shun and kinship to the dowager, cited omens entrusting him the people, and Han's founder spirit handing him the mandate, he took the throne and named the dynasty Xin, ordering new calendar, dress, victims, flags, and bronze forms, set Establish the Nation year 1 from guiyou at cockcrow, yellow supremacy, white victims, yellow staffs labeled Xin envoys—heaven's command complete.'"””