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卷六十五 列傳第十五: 高士廉 長孫無忌

Volume 65 Biographies 15: Gao Shilian, Zhangsun Wuji

Chapter 69 of 舊唐書 · Old Book of Tang
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1
Gao Shilian; his sons Lüxing and Zhenxing; and Zhangsun Wuji.
2
簿 使
Gao Jian, styled Shilian, came from Su in Bohai. His great-grandfather Feique received a posthumous appointment as Grand Commandant from the Later Wei. His grandfather Yue had been Palace Attendant, Left Vice Minister, Grand Commandant, and Prince of Qinghe under the Northern Qi. His father Li, styled Jingde, had held the titles of Prince of Le'an and Left Vice Minister under the Northern Qi and served as Governor of Taozhou under the Sui. From youth Shilian showed breadth of mind and had read widely in letters and history. Xue Daoheng, Director of the Metropolitan Region, and Cui Zujun, Attendant Scribe—both regarded as senior men of letters under the Sui—became his friends across the gap in years, and from that time ministers and nobles spoke of him with high regard. In the Daye era he held the post of Gentleman for the Regulation of Rites. Shilian's sister had earlier married Zhangsun Sheng, General of the Right Valiant Cavalry under the Sui, and bore a son, Wuji, and a daughter. After Sheng's death, Shilian took his sister and nephew into his household and cherished them with exceptional devotion. Recognizing in the future Taizong, while he was still only a prince, a man out of the ordinary, he gave him Sheng's daughter in marriage—the future Empress Wende. During the Sui campaign against Liaodong, Minister of War Husizheng fled to Goguryeo; because Shilian had been on friendly terms with him, he was banished to serve as Registrar of Zhuyuan. Renowned for filial devotion to his parents, he could not take them with him into the pestilential south of Lingnan; he left his wife, Lady Xianyu, to care for them, though means were scant. Concerned that his sister had no refuge, he sold the family mansion, bought a smaller house for her, gave her what remained of the proceeds, and set out south with only light baggage. Before long the empire dissolved into chaos and imperial authority no longer reached the south; Qiu He, Administrator of Jiaozhi, appointed him Judicial Clerk. Long stranded in the south with no news of his mother, he yearned toward the north with mounting anguish. Once he napped by day and dreamed his mother speaking to him as when he was a child at her knee; on waking, tears poured down his face. The very next day news from his mother arrived; observers called it a sign of filial devotion answered from afar. When Ning Changzhen of Qinzhou marched against him with an army, Qiu He meant to go out and submit; Shilian urged him: "Changzhen's host may look large, but it is an army far from home—riven within and harried without—and cannot hold out long. The city's best troops are more than enough to meet them—why surrender yourself to another man's will? He took the counsel, made Shilian Campaign Marshal, and advanced by land and water to rout the invaders; Changzhen fled with his life alone while the rest surrendered. After Xiao Xian's defeat, Gaozu dispatched armies to bring Lingnan under control. In Wude 5, Shilian and Qiu He memorialized their submission to the Tang court; he rose in due course to Assistant Administrator of Yongzhou. The future Taizong was then Governor of Yongzhou; knowing Shilian as Empress Wende's uncle and a man of long-standing talent and reputation, he drew him close and honored him. When the plot against the Hidden Crown Prince was set in motion, Shilian and his nephew Zhangsun Wuji both joined the secret council. On the fourth day of the sixth month he led clerks and troops to free the prisoners, put arms in their hands, and raced to Fanglin Gate to unite with Taizong's force. After Taizong became heir apparent, Shilian was named Right Vice President of the Heir Apparent.
3
使 稿 使 歿 西
In Zhenguan 1 he was elevated to Palace Attendant, created Duke of Yixing, and granted a substantive fief of nine hundred households. Clear in argument and dignified in manner, he commanded the attention of the court whenever he spoke in counsel or remonstrance. Wang Gui, Vice Director of the Yellow Gate, once gave him a secret memorial to pass to the throne; Shilian suppressed it and said nothing, for which he was sent out as Military Governor of Anzhou and later made Chief Administrator of the Yizhou metropolitan command. Shu folk were coarse in custom, fearing spirits and shunning the sick; when parents lay near death, many refused to nurse them at bedside, instead hanging food on a staff to feed them from a distance. Shilian instructed them as the case required, and local practice changed almost overnight. In Qin times Li Bing had governed Shu, diverted the Min River, and opened irrigation to the plain; land along the channels still fetched a fortune, and wealthy families constantly encroached on one another's water rights. He opened new channels beyond the old works, and Shu reaped a great increase in irrigated yield. In his spare hours he gathered literary men for salons, set scholars to lecture on the classics and histories, and encouraged the young; schools throughout Shu flourished again. In Shu there lived Zhu Taozhui, a man of austere simplicity who would not serve in office, clad in fur and rope, moving unnoticed through the world. When Dou Gui governed Yizhou, he summoned Zhu, gave him clothes, and pressed him to accept the post of village head. Taozhui never opened his mouth, threw the garments to the ground, fled into the hills, and built a hut beside a mountain stream. In summer he went naked; in winter he wrapped himself in bark; he refused every gift offered him. He wove straw sandals and left them on the path; passersby would say, "Those are Master Zhu's sandals." He would leave rice for sale where he stood; Taozhui came at dusk to take payment and never let anyone see his face. Observers classed him with recluses such as Jiao Xian. On taking office Shilian summoned him with full courtesy; when Zhu came, Shilian stepped down to speak with him, but Zhu made no reply and walked away without a glance aside. Shilian often sent messengers to inquire after him; at sight of them Zhu would slip into the woods and vanish. In recent times men of office had often scorned recluses, but Shilian alone treated Zhu with honor; the story became a favorite tale in Shu. In the fifth year he returned to court as Minister of the Civil Office, was advanced to Duke of Xu, and enfeoffed one of his sons as a county duke. Skilled in judging character and deeply versed in pedigree, he made appointments in which both the man and his lineage won general assent. After Gaozu's death, Shilian served as acting Minister of Works and oversaw the design of the imperial mausoleum. When the work was done, he received the additional honors of Special Grand Master and Pillar of State of the Upper Rank. Court opinion held that Shandong families were prone to self-congratulation; though their lines had declined for generations, they still traded on old prestige and, when marrying daughters out, drove hard bargains for betrothal wealth. Taizong abhorred the practice as a grave injury to public morals and ordered Shilian, Censor-in-Chief Wei Ting, Vice Director of the Secretariat Cen Wende, Vice Minister of Rites Linghu Defen, and others to compile a corrected register of clans. They then required genealogies from across the empire, checked them against historical sources, promoted loyal houses and demoted disloyal ones, and compiled the Record of Clans. Shilian arranged the clans by rank and presented the draft to the throne. Taizong said: "I bear no old grudge against the Cui, Lu, Li, and Zheng of Shandong, but their houses have withered until none hold high office, yet they still style themselves gentry and squeeze bride-price from every marriage alliance. Mediocre in talent, they carry themselves as if above the world, trading on ancestral tombs and clinging to the rich. I cannot see why the world still honors them. It is only because the Qi held the north while Liang and Chen were petty southern states—even when they had eminent men, their courts were too remote to count—and yet the world still ranks the Cui, Lu, Wang, and Xie above all. I have pacified the realm and made one family of the empire. Every man at court was raised up for conspicuous service, for loyalty and filial devotion, or for breadth of learning—that is why he holds office. Men of third rank and above who seek marriage with these faded old houses may offer lavish gifts and still be treated with condescension. I ordered this register to exalt the offices of the present day—why is the Cui clan of Gan still ranked first? Gaozu of Han began as a common man of the east, yet by pacifying the realm he made ruler and minister alike illustrious. You read of his deeds in your books, still speak of them with admiration, and honor him in your hearts. Do you not hold my rank and titles in honor? Do not look back beyond the present—rank the clans solely by the offices they hold today. With that, the Cui of Gan was placed in the third rank. When the work was finished—one hundred juan in all—an edict ordered it promulgated throughout the empire. Shilian received a thousand bolts of silk as reward and soon held third-grade standing as a co-equal of the Secretariat-Chancellery. In the twelfth year he and Zhangsun Wuji, among others, were rewarded for founding service with hereditary governorships, and Shilian was created Duke of Shen. That year he was appointed Right Vice Minister of the Department of State Affairs. As his standing rose, he submitted many memorials, yet burned each draft when done, so that none knew what he had written. He served as acting Junior Tutor to the Heir Apparent and was specially charged with personnel selection. In the sixteenth year he received the additional title Honored Companion of the Palace with Protocol of the Three Excellencies; he soon asked to retire, was released from the Right Vice Ministry, and continued to deliberate on state affairs in that capacity. He was also formally ordered, with Wei Zheng and others, to gather scholars and compile the Comprehensive Digest of Literary Thought in twelve hundred juan; on its presentation he received a thousand bolts of silk. In the second month of the seventeenth year an edict ordered his portrait placed in the Lingyan Pavilion. In the nineteenth year, while Taizong campaigned against Goguryeo and the Crown Prince oversaw the realm from Dingzhou, Shilian served as acting Grand Tutor and continued to direct court affairs. The Crown Prince issued an order: "Acting Grand Tutor, Duke of Shen Shilian, is the court's foremost exemplar; in my unworthy charge as regent I depend wholly on his guidance. In recent audiences I have often had him share my couch so that, by question and answer, some of my ignorance might be cleared away. Yet he answers me only from across the desk, which I find unsatisfying, and I have already forbidden him to approach closer. The Grand Tutor pressed me earnestly to keep to established form; unable to refuse, I obeyed once more. The responsible offices should also set out a separate desk for the Grand Tutor. Shilian repeatedly declined, protesting that he was unworthy. In the twentieth year he fell ill; Taizong came to his house, and as they spoke of his life together they wept and took their leave. On the renchen day of the first month of the twenty-first year he died at his home in Chongren Lane in the capital, aged seventy-two. Taizong prepared to go in person; Fang Xuanling, Minister of Works, argued that while the emperor was taking mineral drugs he must not attend a funeral and submitted a stern memorial; the emperor replied: "I go not only to fulfill the rites between ruler and minister, but because old friendship and marriage ties bind me to him—say no more. Taizong rode out through Xing'an Gate with several hundred followers; at Yanxi Gate Zhangsun Wuji galloped up and pleaded: "Medical texts expressly forbid attending funerals while taking mineral drugs. Your Majesty nurtures the people and must guard your person for the sake of the realm. My late uncle Shilian, knowing he would not recover, told me: 'The Son of Heaven has shown me boundless grace and has not cast me off even in my low estate; after my death he may come in person. I am a man of no talent and of no use to the throne—how could I, in death, draw the imperial carriage aside? If my spirit has consciousness, I would bear the guilt of that offense. Please weigh his sincere devotion to Your Majesty as an old friend. His plea was urgent, but Taizong still would not yield. Wuji then prostrated himself before the horse in tears, and the emperor turned back to the palace. He was posthumously appointed Minister of Education and Military Governor of Bingzhou, interred at Zhaoling, and given the posthumous title Literary Offering. His grandfather, father, and he himself had all served as vice ministers; his son became a minister; his nephew became Grand Commandant—the age regarded it as supreme honor. He had six sons: Lüxing, Zhixing, Chunxing, Zhenxing, Shenxing, and Shenxing. When the funeral procession crossed Heng Bridge, Taizong climbed the northwest tower of the old city wall and watched in anguish. After Gaozong's accession he was posthumously made Grand Commandant and, with Fang Xuanling and Qutu Tong, granted a place in Taizong's ancestral temple.
4
Lüxing's younger brother Zhenxing rose to General of the Right Guard. His son Qi, Director of Palace Provisions, was implicated in Crown Prince Zhanghuai's conspiracy; when the plot was exposed, an edict entrusted him to Zhenxing to punish as he saw fit. Zhenxing then slew him with his own hand and cast the body into the street. When Emperor Gaozong heard of the affair, he was disgusted and demoted Zhenxing to prefect of Muzhou, where he died.
5
西 西 便
Zhangsun Wuji, styled Fujii, was from Luoyang in Henan. His line traced back to the third elder brother of Emperor Xiaowen of Northern Wei. They began as Tuoba clansmen who served the Wei with singular distinction, holding the hereditary title of Great Man for generations; later, as heads of the imperial clan under the Ba surname, they adopted the name Zhangsun. Seven generations back, Daosheng had been Northern Wei's Minister of Works and Prince Jing of Shangdang. Six generations back, Zhan had been Special Advancement Grandee and Prince Qi of Shangdang under Northern Wei. Five generations back, Guan had been Minister over the Masses and Prince Ding of Shangdang under Northern Wei. His great-grandfather Zhi had been Grand Tutor under Western Wei and Prince Wenxuan of Fenyang. His great-great-grandfather Ziyu had been Commandant of the Guards under Western Wei and Duke of Pingyuan. His grandfather Guang had been Honored Companion of the Palace with Protocol of the Three Excellencies under Northern Zhou and had inherited the dukedom of Pingyuan. His father Sheng had been General of the Right Valiant Cavalry under the Sui. A kinsman of the imperial house, Wuji loved learning, was widely read in literature and history, quick of mind, and skilled in strategy. Empress Wende was his younger sister. From youth he was close to the future Taizong; when Li Yuan's army crossed the Yellow River, Wuji came to Changchun Palace to pay homage and was made staff officer on the Weibei campaign. He campaigned repeatedly at Taizong's side, rose to Director in the Bureau of Review, and was enfeoffed as Duke of Shangdang. In the ninth year of Wude, Crown Prince Jian and Prince of Qi Li Yuanji plotted to kill Taizong; Wuji urged him to strike first. At Taizong's order he then secretly summoned Fang Xuanling, Du Ruhui, and others to lay plans. On the fourth day of the sixth month, Wuji and nine companions—including Yuchi Jingde, Hou Junji, Zhang Gongjin, Liu Shili, Gongsun Wuda, Dugu Yanyun, Du Junchuo, Zheng Rentai, and Li Mengchang—entered the Xuanwu Gate, killed Jian Cheng and Yuanji, and ended the crisis. When Taizong became heir apparent, Wuji was appointed Left Vice Grand Tutor to the Crown Prince. After Taizong's accession, Wuji was made General of the Left Martial Guard. In the first year of Zhenguan he became Minister of Personnel; ranked first in merit, he was promoted to Duke of Qi with a fief of thirteen hundred households. Because Wuji was both a founding minister and an imperial kinsman, Taizong honored him above others and often admitted him to the inner chambers. That year he was appointed Right Vice Minister of the Department of State Affairs. At that time Jieli Khan of the Turks had just made peace with the Tang, yet his realm was in disorder, and many at court urged an attack. Taizong summoned Xiao Yu and Wuji and asked: "The northern tribes are in turmoil; their rulers slaughter the innocent. If we honor the old alliance, we forfeit the chance to strike while they are weak; yet if we seize on their disorder and strike the dying, we break the bond of alliance. I cannot choose between these two courses—which is the better path? Xiao Yu replied: "To join with the weak and strike the benighted—that is the better course. Wuji said: "The state now seeks to keep the peace; we should strike only if they raid our borders. They are already too weak to mount a raid. A deep strike into their heartland, I do not see how that can succeed. Better to hold our armies in check and honor the alliance—that is my counsel. Taizong accepted Wuji's advice. Soon the Turks' power collapsed and their khanate fell.
6
滿
When a secret memorial accused Wuji of excessive power and favor, Taizong showed it to him and said: "Between us as ruler and minister, there should be no hidden doubts. If each of us keeps what he hears to himself, ruler and minister can never truly understand one another. He then summoned the officials and declared: "My sons are still young. Wuji has served me with great merit, and I entrust him now as I would a son. To drive a wedge between close allies, to set newcomer against old companion—that I will not tolerate. Wuji took the warning to heart and begged to be relieved of confidential duties; Empress Wende pleaded for him as well. Unable to refuse, Taizong made him Honored Companion of the Palace with Protocol of the Three Excellencies and released him from the Right Vice Ministry. That year, after Taizong performed the southern sacrifice, he ordered Wuji and Minister of Works Pei Ji to ride back with him in the imperial golden chariot. In the fifth year he, Fang Xuanling, Du Ruhui, and Yuchi Jingde were each granted a hereditary commandery dukedom for one son in recognition of founding merit. In the tenth month of the seventh year he was invested as Minister of Works; Wuji protested firmly, but the emperor would not hear of it. He also pleaded through Gao Shilian: "As an imperial kinsman, I fear the charge that Your Majesty favors family over merit; I beg you with my life to refuse me. Taizong replied: "When I grant office, I choose by talent and conduct alone. If a man lacks the talent and character for the post, even my closest kin receives nothing—Prince of Xiangyi Shen Fu is the example; but if a man's talent fits the need, I keep him even when he was once my enemy—Wei Zheng is the example. If I favored Wuji only as my empress's brother, I would shower his children with gold and silk—why give him high office? I appoint him for his talent and character. Wuji is brilliant, discerning, and skilled in strategy—as you all know. That is why I place him at the summit of government. Wuji memorialized again, pleading urgently to decline. The emperor replied by edict: "The Yellow Emperor had Li Mu and led the Five Emperors; Yu of Xia had Gao Yao and stood first among the Three Dynasties; Duke Huan of Qi had Guan Zhong and headed the Five Hegemons. From my days as prince you have been my closest counselor, and through you I cleared the realm and came to rule the world. Your merit, ability, and standing make you the man all look to; accept this office and decline no further. Taizong, remembering the hardships of founding the dynasty and the debt he owed his founding ministers, composed the Rhapsody on the August Phoenix and gave it to Wuji. The poem reads:
7
西
There was an august phoenix, wings folded, resting in the light of the rising sun. By morning it wandered through violet mist; by evening it drank the dark frost. It rode the long wind to lift its wings and soared far along the roads of heaven. Flying west, it dimmed the very air; flying east, it made sun and moon blaze with light. Its transforming power reached the great peng of the north and gentled whole flocks of birds in the southern wilds. It came down only when chaos was ended, and in a bright age it showed itself without prompting. It folded its wings along the cloud-road and gave the credit to the tree where it had nested. It looked up to the high branches and met suspicion; it looked down to the long boughs and found them riddled with worms. Every bird of the same grove envied it; every creature of the same trunk turned against it. They showed none of Mount Heng's steadfast loyalty, but all the savage temper of the southern isles. While others nested in reeds and lived at ease, it alone lived in dread, every step uncertain. Owls shrieked from the side leaves; swallows and sparrows clamored on the lower boughs. Ashamed of their own ugliness, they sought to destroy one whose excellence stood alone. At times they massed their beaks and attacked together; at times they spread their snares and held it fast. It folded the wings that had scaled the clouds and hid the noble bearing that had awed the world. It nursed its grief through night's shadow and hardened its resolve at dawn; frost scarred its brocade wings, and dew spotted its crimson feathers. It mourned how easily trouble takes hold, and how hard it is to evade the hunter's arrow and net. It looked for death to end its ordeal and had no heart to take wing again. Fortunately it found a noble man to lean on and trust; he summoned wind and cloud and washed away the stain. It cleared the gloom beneath the leaves and brought radiance back to the boughs. Its sacred wings, once folded, spread wide again; its noble cry, once broken, sounded once more. It looked to the ends of the earth and soared afar; it faced the highest heaven and stood supreme. It sought to spread virtue among all birds, not to hoard glory for itself. So it lingered, grateful for his kindness, and turned back in admiration for the man who had saved it. By his wisdom disaster was dispelled; in his protection its fortune was made whole. Gratitude bound it ever closer; the will to repay his service now found its voice. Not because the easy path was chosen over the hard, but because it wished what came after to honor what had gone before. May worthy virtue be celebrated and its fragrance handed down through ten thousand generations.
8
In the eleventh year he and the other founding ministers were granted hereditary regional governorships. The edict read:
9
宿
King Wu of Zhou founded the dynasty and enfeoffed his sons and kinsmen with territorial fiefs; Emperor Gaozu of Han received the Mandate and swore that his ministers would share girdle and whetstone forever. This was not only to honor kin and the worthy and elevate their rites, but also to set bedrock under the throne and charge them with guarding the realm. From Wei and Jin onward, rulers ceased to follow the ancients, and the enfeoffment system lost touch with its name and purpose. This was no longer the true meaning of making a shield for the throne and securing the dynasty without end. In the Sui dynasty's final days the realm boiled in turmoil; fate placed me in grave peril, and I cut down one disaster after another. Heaven's favor was above me and heroic ministers below; together we cleared the realm and I succeeded to the throne—surely I alone did not bring this about! They shared their strength in hardship; it would be wrong for me alone to enjoy the reward in peace—that I cannot accept. Today's prefects are the feudal lords of old; though the titles differ, their charge to govern is the same. I have therefore ordered the responsible offices to consult past precedent, grant them governing authority, and preserve the ancient practice of passing merit from generation to generation. Minister of Works and Duke of Qi Wuji and the others enrolled their names at the founding of the dynasty, shared in building the state, stood with me through hardship and ease, and proved their worth in peace and war—their splendid service has earned my trust. They shall be entrusted with frontier commands and granted new fiefs. Wuji is appointed prefect of Zhao and re-enfeoffed as Duke of Zhao; Left Vice Minister Fang Xuanling, Duke of Wei, is appointed prefect of Song and re-enfeoffed as Duke of Liang; The late Minister of Works Du Ruhui, Duke of Cai, is posthumously granted the prefecture of Mi and re-enfeoffed as Duke of Lai; Special Advancement Grandee Li Jing, Duke of Dai, is appointed prefect of Pu and re-enfeoffed as Duke of Wei; Special Advancement Grandee Gao Shilian, Minister of Personnel and Duke of Xu, is appointed prefect of Shen and re-enfeoffed as Duke of Shen; Minister of War Hou Junji, Duke of Lu, is appointed prefect of Chen and re-enfeoffed as Duke of Chen; Minister of Justice Li Daozong, Prince of Rencheng, is appointed prefect of E and re-enfeoffed as Prince of Jiangxia; Li Xiaogong, Prince of Zhao and prefect of Jin, is appointed prefect of Guan and re-enfeoffed as Prince of Hejian; Yuchi Jingde, Duke of Wu and prefect of Tong, is appointed prefect of Xuan and re-enfeoffed as Duke of E; Li Ji, Duke of Cao and chief secretary of the Bingzhou command, is appointed prefect of Qi and re-enfeoffed as Duke of Ying; Duan Zhixuan, General-in-Chief of the Left Xiaowei Guard and Duke of Chu, is appointed prefect of Jin and re-enfeoffed as Duke of Bao; Cheng Zhijie, General-in-Chief of the Left Leading Army and Duke of Su, is appointed prefect of Pu and re-enfeoffed as Duke of Lu; Liu Hongji, Minister of the Imperial Stud and Duke of Ren, is appointed prefect of Lang and re-enfeoffed as Duke of Kui; Zhang Liang, Duke of Yu and chief secretary of the Xiangzhou command, is appointed prefect of Li and re-enfeoffed as Duke of Yun. Their other offices and fief incomes shall remain unchanged, and their descendants shall inherit in succession from generation to generation.
10
Wuji and the others submitted a memorial: "We endured hardship to serve Your Majesty. Now the realm is at peace, and we do not wish to leave you—yet to govern distant prefectures as hereditary fiefs, how is that different from exile?" They then submitted a formal memorial together with Fang Xuanling:
11
沿 便
We have heard that forms of government change with the times, and that the ways of sage-kings differ across ages; As custom passes from age to age, the methods of governing must also be revised. In the Three Dynasties, customs were unstable; the five feudal ranks were established and teaching adjusted to the times. Because they lacked the strength to rule directly, they turned necessity to advantage; much of the ritual and law did not come from the throne itself. Under the two Han dynasties, earlier errors were corrected; governors were appointed, regulations issued, and old abuses abolished. Though this bred needless formality, its benefits extended to all quarters of the realm; It established a durable order that endured for more than a thousand years. Now, for our sake alone, Your Majesty would revive this obsolete custom—honoring us with fiefs and altars of earth, granting them to our descendants for generations to come. This would be like the universal potter's wheel: the smallest creature receives life alike; Yet if lesser men overreach, later generations will surely suffer for it. Why? The times are wrong, the policy is misguided, favor is being dispensed privately, and ordinary officials were consulted—this is not a decision all can endorse. It invites the reproach of history and disarranges the foundations of this enlightened age. This is the first reason it must not be done. Moreover, we have rarely proved our worth, and our talent and judgment are mediocre. Some of us rose through ties to the imperial kin; Others were honored at midnight for clearing thorns in your service. Even now we know ourselves unworthy; granting us new fiefs would only expose how lavish the rewards have been. This is the second reason it must not be done. Moreover, if children inherit office, it violates the teaching of thrift; can we put them in charge of governance without ruining what they touch? They would offend Heaven's law and the fixed penalties of statute; they would harm the people and bring disaster on their descendants—once entangled in the law, they would meet execution. Your Majesty's kindness aims to perpetuate their houses, yet this would destroy them—a thing truly pitiable. This is the third reason it must not be done. In this enlightened reign the wise are honored, talent is sought, and government is shared—as antiquity said, good prefects govern in partnership with the throne. This principle has long stood; for our sake alone it might now be overturned. To install our sons in office while neglecting the people's woes—if the people suffer, what good are such governors? This is the fourth reason it must not be done. This single measure would do real harm; we ponder it day and night until worry pierces the marrow. We speak plainly and lay our hearts bare, stating the facts without flowery pretense. We beg Your Majesty to recognize our sincere folly, revoke this edict, and grant us the mercy of sparing our lives.
12
Taizong read the memorial and said: "Granting land to meritorious ministers is a principle honored in every age. I meant your descendants to support my own, serve as frontier bulwarks, and pass that charge down forever. Yet you reject the oath sworn over mountains and rivers and speak with resentment—how could I force territory upon you?" Thereupon the matter was dropped. In the twelfth year Taizong visited his home; all his relatives received gifts according to rank. In the sixteenth year he was invested as Minister over the Masses. In the seventeenth year he ordered portraits painted of Wuji and twenty-three others in the Lingyan Pavilion. The edict said:
13
祿祿祿
From antiquity emperors and kings have honored meritorious service, inscribing names on bells and cauldrons and painting portraits in red and green. Thus the worthy ministers of the Ganlu reign won fame in the Qilin Pavilion; And the founding ministers of Jianwu had their deeds recorded on the Cloud Terrace. Minister over the Masses Zhangsun Wuji, Duke of Zhao; the late Minister of Works Li Xiaogong, Yangzhou commander and Prince Yuan of Hejian; the late Minister of Works Du Ruhui, Duke Cheng of Lai; the late Minister of Works Wei Zheng, Xiangzhou commander, Grand Tutor of the Heir Apparent, and Duke Wenzhen of Zheng; Minister of Works Fang Xuanling, Duke of Liang; Gao Shilian, Honorary Three Highest Offices, Right Vice Minister, and Duke of Shen; Yuchi Jingde, Honorary Three Highest Offices and Duke of E; Special Advancement Grandee Li Jing, Duke of Wei; Special Advancement Grandee Xiao Yu, Duke of Song; the late General Who Assists the State Duan Zhixuan, Yangzhou commander and Duke Zhongzhuang of Bao; General Who Assists the State Liu Hongji, Duke of Kui; the late Left Vice Minister Yin Tong, Duke Zhong of Jiang; the late Right Vice Minister of the Shandong Circuit Liu Kaishan, Duke of Yun; the late Jingzhou commander Chai Shao, Duke Xiang of Qiao; the late Jingzhou commander Qu Shunde, Duke Xiang of Pi; Luozhou commander Zhang Liang, Duke of Yun; Hou Junji, Grand Master for Splendid Happiness, Minister of Personnel, and Duke of Chen; the late General-in-Chief of the Left Xiaowei Guard Zhang Gongjin, Duke Xiang of Tan; General-in-Chief of the Left Leading Army Cheng Zhijie, Duke of Lu; the late Minister of Rites Yu Shinan, Duke Wenyi of Yongxing; the late Minister of Revenue Liu Zhenghui, Duke Xiang of Yu; Tang Jian, Grand Master for Splendid Happiness, Minister of Revenue, and Duke of Ju; Li Ji, Grand Master for Splendid Happiness, Minister of War, and Duke of Ying; the late Xuzhou commander Qin Shubao, Duke Zhuang of Hu, and others—some were pillars of state whose far-reaching counsel shaped strategy in the command tent; Some mastered the classics, shone as moral exemplars, shared hardship and peril, and offered loyal remonstrance day after day; Some gave their all under the banner of righteousness, pledged themselves at the princely residence, served with single-minded loyalty, and won distinction in a hundred battles; Some received the sacrificial oath in the court hall, opened territory on the frontiers, cleared repeated crises, and carried royal strategy to distant lands. All shared hardship and peril, toiling through the campaigns. They helped build the dynasty in its dawn and supported its flourishing in a time of peace and prosperity. Their splendid achievements crowned them among the feudal lords; Their forthright counsel and upright conduct won over the gentry officials. It is fitting to consult precedent and expand this excellent ordinance; their portraits shall be painted together in the Lingyan Pavilion. Thus the intent to honor merit may not fall short of former ages; The principle of honoring the worthy shall be bequeathed to generations yet to come.
14
殿 便 使
That year Crown Prince Chengqian was disgraced. Taizong wished to establish the Prince of Jin, but because this violated the order of succession he wavered and could not decide. He went to the Hall of the Two Ultimate Principles, dismissed all officials, and kept only Wuji, Minister of Works Fang Xuanling, and Minister of War Li Ji. He said: "My three sons and one younger brother have behaved as they have; my heart is restless." Then he threw himself on the bed, drew his girdle knife, and tried to stab himself. Wuji and the others were terrified; they rushed forward to hold him and took the knife from his girdle, handing it to the Prince of Jin. Wuji and the others asked what Taizong wanted; he replied: "I wish to establish the Prince of Jin." Wuji said: "We respectfully accept Your Majesty's command. Whoever objects, your minister asks leave to behead him." Taizong said to the Prince of Jin: "Your uncle has approved you; bow in thanks." The Prince of Jin bowed. Taizong said to Wuji and the others: "You have now agreed with my wish—what do you suppose public opinion will be?" Wuji said: "The Prince of Jin is benevolent and filial; the realm has long looked to him. I humbly beg that you summon the hundred officials and ask them—there will surely be no dissent. If they do not leap and shout as one, your minister deserves ten thousand deaths." Thereupon the succession was settled, and Wuji was additionally appointed Grand Tutor to the Heir Apparent. Soon afterward Taizong again wished to establish Prince of Wu Li Ke; Wuji privately remonstrated, and the matter was dropped. Taizong once said to Wuji and the others: "I have heard that when the ruler is worthy, ministers are upright, but people find it hard to know themselves. Speak frankly before me and criticize my strengths and faults." Wuji submitted: "Your Majesty's martial achievements and civil virtue surpass all past and present; every command you issue benefits the people. The Classic of Filial Piety says: 'Develop and follow what is good in him. Your minister has no leisure even to follow along—I truly see no fault in Your Majesty." Taizong said: "I hoped to hear of my faults, yet you falsely flatter me. I will now speak frankly of your strengths and faults as a warning and lesson. Those who speak may be without fault; those who hear may reform themselves." He then looked at Wuji and said: "You are skilled at avoiding suspicion and quick in response—sought among the ancients, you would have no equal; Yet commanding troops in attack and battle is not your strong point. Gao Shilian ranges broadly over past and present; his mind is perceptive and keen; he does not alter his integrity in hardship and forms no faction in office; What he lacks is blunt remonstrance. Tang Jian is fluent in speech and skilled at reconciling people; when wine cups circulate, he opens his mouth to speak; Yet in thirty years of serving me, he has never once spoken of the state's strengths and faults. Yang Shidao's nature and conduct are pure and good; on his own he has no fault; Yet in truth he is timid and weak, not very effective in office; in urgent matters one cannot rely on him. Cen Wende's character is sincere and steadfast; literary composition is his strong point; Yet his arguments always rest on the classics and reach far; on his own he surely does not fail others. Liu Ji's nature is the most firm and steadfast; his words are mostly beneficial; Yet he is overly ready to assent to friends; that he can remedy his own shortcomings is still admirable. Ma Zhou sees affairs with keen speed; his nature is very upright; in judging people he walks the straight path—when I have recently employed him, I have been well pleased in many respects. Chu Suiliang's learning is somewhat advanced and his nature likewise firm and upright; having shown his loyalty, he is very close to me—like a bird clinging to a person, I naturally feel added affection for him." In the nineteenth year Taizong campaigned against Goguryeo and ordered Wuji to serve as acting Palace Attendant. On his return Wuji firmly declined the post of tutor; a gracious edict permitted him to relinquish the office of Grand Tutor to the Heir Apparent. In the twenty-first year he was made Governor-General of Yangzhou in absentia. In the twenty-third year Taizong fell critically ill and summoned Wuji and Director of the Secretariat Chu Suiliang to receive his deathbed testament and serve as regents. Taizong said to Suiliang, "Wuji has served me with complete loyalty. That I hold the realm is largely owing to him. After you take up the regency, do not allow slanderers to do him harm. If you do otherwise, you will no longer be worthy of the name minister."
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便 使 使 使 使
When Gaozong ascended the throne, Wuji was promoted to Grand Commandant, made concurrent Governor-General of Yangzhou, and continued to oversee the Secretariat and Chancellery as before. Wuji firmly declined oversight of the Secretariat, and his request was granted; he retained the post of Grand Commandant with third-rank standing equal to the heads of the Three Departments. In the second year of Yonghui he was put in charge of compiling the dynastic history. Gaozong once told the court officials, "I opened the way for submitted writings, hoping to find views worth recording and promote those who offered them. Yet lately, though memorials pour in, none have proved worth adopting. Wuji replied, "Since Your Majesty took the throne, governance has flourished, and regulations and statutes leave no gap. Those who speak on affairs mostly offer shallow views and grasp at fortune; as for truly benefitting custom and instruction, little is likely worth adopting. Yet this channel must stay open, so that forthright counsel may still occasionally reach you; cut it off, and the concerns of those below may never be heard. The Emperor said, "I also hear that officials everywhere still show favoritism based on personal connections. Wuji said, "Such partiality based on personal ties has never been wholly absent. Yet under your sage rule all incline toward the public good; as for wilful bending of the law, I truly believe it no longer occurs. Even in small matters of accepting favors, Your Majesty may not be wholly exempt; how much more subordinates who favor their kin—I dare not claim there is none at all. At this time Wuji was the Emperor's chief maternal uncle; he repeatedly offered counsel, and Gaozong always received it with favor. The next year he cited drought in a memorial resigning his post; Gaozong repeatedly sent personal edicts urging him to stay and would not accept. In the fifth year the Emperor personally visited Wuji's home, saw his three sons, and appointed them all Gentlemen for Spreading Virtue. He also ordered a portrait of Wuji painted and personally wrote an encomium on it as a gift. In the sixth year the Emperor intended to make Lady Wu, Lady of Bright Deportment, empress; Wuji repeatedly objected, so the Emperor secretly sent envoys laden with carts of gold, silver, precious vessels, and silks to win him over. Lady Wu's mother, Lady Yang, also came in person to Wuji's home and repeatedly entreated him. At the time Minister of Rites Xu Jingzong also pressed him repeatedly; Wuji once rebuffed him with a stern face. The Emperor again summoned Wuji, Left Vice Minister Yu Zhining, and Right Vice Minister Chu Suiliang and said, "Lady Wu possesses outstanding virtue, and I wish to make her empress. What do you think? Wuji said, "Since the twenty-third year of Zhenguan the late Emperor entrusted Suiliang. I hope Your Majesty will ask him whether this is permissible. The Emperor ultimately disregarded Wuji and the others and made Lady of Bright Deportment empress. The Empress deeply resented Wuji, who had accepted lavish gifts yet refused to support her. In the first year of Xianqing, Wuji and the historian Linghu Defen, Chancellor of the Directorate of Education, compiled the histories of the Wude and Zhenguan reigns into eighty juan and submitted them. Wuji received two thousand rolls of gifts for supervising the work, and his son Run was enfeoffed as Viscount of Jincheng. In the fourth year Director of the Secretariat Xu Jingzong had a sealed memorial submitted accusing Imperial Censor Li Chao of conspiring with Wuji to rebel. The Emperor ordered Jingzong and Palace Attendant Xin Maojiang to investigate. Jingzong reported that there was substance to the charge of Wuji's rebellion. The Emperor said, "My house is ill-fated—again and again my kinsmen turn to wickedness. Princess Gaoyang is my own sister—years ago she plotted rebellion with Fang Yiai—and now my maternal uncle again turns to evil. When even my closest kin behave thus, how can I face the people? Jingzong said, "Fang Yiai was a callow youth who plotted rebellion with a woman—how could he have succeeded? But Wuji helped the late Emperor win the realm; all respect his wisdom. He has been chancellor for thirty years, and the people fear his authority—his power subdues men and his wisdom moves multitudes. I fear that if Wuji learns the plot is exposed, he will act at once—roll up his sleeves, summon his allies—and bring grave calamity upon the dynasty. I beg Your Majesty to act decisively—seize him at once and, by law, ruin his house. The Emperor wept and said, "I cannot bear to punish him. Future historians will say I failed to keep peace in my own family and allowed matters to come to this. Jingzong said, "Emperor Wen of Han was a sage ruler; Bo Zhao was the Emperor's uncle and had great merit from the days at Dai—much like Wuji. Later Bo Zhao was convicted only of murder. Emperor Wen, upholding the law of the land, had ministers go to his house in mourning dress, weep for him, and then execute him—and good historians did not judge him harshly. Now Wuji has forgotten the late Emperor's great kindness, abandoned his sovereign kin, and heeded wicked plotting, harboring rebellion and intent to bring calamity upon the people. Compared with Bo Zhao, his crimes are far graver; by the penal code, his whole clan deserves death. I have heard that hesitation in a moment that demands decision brings chaos; in a matter this critical, not a moment may be lost. Delay, and disaster may follow—I beg you to decide at once! The Emperor never questioned Wuji himself but accepted Jingzong's fabrications. He stripped Wuji of rank and office, exiled him to Qian Prefecture, and dispatched troops from successive prefectures to escort him there. His sons, including Director of the Palace Library and Commandant of Cavaliers Attendant Chong, were all struck from the registers and exiled beyond the Ling Mountains. Jingzong and Minister of the Civil Office Li Yifu soon sent chief judge Yuan Gongyu to Qian Prefecture to re-examine the charge of rebellion. Gongyu forced Wuji to hang himself, and his household goods were confiscated. Wuji had earned great merit, yet died for a crime he did not commit. The realm mourns him still. In the first year of Shangyuan a gracious edict posthumously restored Wuji's rank and titles and appointed his grandson Yan to maintain the ancestral sacrifices to Duke of Qi Who Offered Abdication. Wuji's elder first cousin Anshi served Wang Shichong as Director of the Secretariat; when the Eastern Capital fell he died in prison. Anshi's son Xiang, a close kinsman of Empress Wende, rose to Minister of Justice; he was executed for corresponding with Wuji.
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The historiographer writes: Shilian's talent and standing were always high, his integrity unstained. He kept faith with his sovereign to the end and planned wisely for his descendants. A pillar of the state, his achievements were great; the honors he received were lavish. Yet when it came to his son Zhenxing, he killed his own child with his own hand—how savage! If this is how virtue is rewarded in a family line, how perplexing! Wuji, of the imperial kin and a great clan, stood above the finest men of his age. He secured the heir, steadied the state, and served with conspicuous merit, never wavering to the end. When the legitimate empress was to be deposed, he refused to assent, honoring the late Emperor's trust—and fell victim to Jingzong's fabricated charges. Alas! The loyal and faithful punished for crime—it has ever been thus; yet to die without proven guilt, and with an innocent clan destroyed! A dim sovereign and treacherous ministers—a lesson enough for posterity.
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Encomium: Stern and steadfast Duke Shen—merit and fame held from first to last. The Literary Emperor's appraisal of him was indeed perfectly balanced. Duke of Zhao, kin by imperial marriage—he served both reigns with force. Having achieved merit he did not withdraw—and in the end met destruction in the land of ghosts.
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