Volume 197 Biographies 85: Xi Shu, Huo Tao, Xiong Jia, Huang Zongming, Huang Wan

席書〈（弟春篆）〉霍韜〈（子與瑕）〉熊浹黃宗明黃綰〈（陸澄）〉

Xi Shu. (younger brother Chunzhuan)]〉 Huo Tao. (son Yuxia)]〉 Xiong Jia, Huang Zongming, and Huang Wan. (Lu Cheng)]〉

席書，字文同，遂寧人。弘治三年進士。授郯城知縣。入為工部主事，移戶部，進員外郎。十六年，雲南晝晦地震，命侍郎樊瑩巡視，奏黜監司以下三百余人。書上疏言：「災異系朝廷，不系雲南。如人元氣內損，然後瘡瘍發四肢。朝廷，元氣也。雲南，四肢也。豈可舍致毒之源，專治四肢之末？今內府供應數倍往年，冗食官數千，投充校尉數萬，齋醮寺觀無停日，織造頻煩，賞賚逾度；皇親奪民田，宦官增遣不已；大獄據招詞不敢辯，刑官亦不敢伸；大臣賢者未起用，小臣言事謫者未復；文武官傳升，名器大濫。災異之警，偶泄雲南，欲以遠方外吏當之，此何理也？漢遣八使巡行天下，張綱獨曰：『豺狼當道，安問狐貍。』今樊瑩職巡察，不能劾戚畹、大臣，獨考黜雲南官吏，舍本而治末。乞陛下以臣所言弊政，一切厘革。他大害當祛，大政當舉者，悉令所司條奏而興革之。」時不能用。

Xi Shu, styled Wentong, was a native of Suining. He received his jinshi degree in the third year of the Hongzhi reign. He was appointed magistrate of Tancheng. He entered the capital as a principal secretary in the Ministry of Works, was transferred to the Ministry of Revenue, and rose to vice director. In the sixteenth year, after Yunnan was struck by daytime darkness and an earthquake, Vice Minister Fan Ying was dispatched to inspect the province and recommended the dismissal of more than three hundred officials from provincial commissioners on down. Shu submitted a memorial stating: "Calamities and portents reflect conditions at court, not conditions in Yunnan alone. It is as when a person's vital energy is damaged within, and only then do sores erupt on the limbs. The court is the vital energy. Yunnan is the limbs. How can one ignore the source of the poison and treat only the extremities? The inner palace's provisions now run several times what they once did; thousands hold supernumerary posts; tens of thousands have enrolled as guards; fasting rites and temple observances never cease; weaving commissions come one after another; and rewards and gifts exceed all measure. Imperial kinsmen seize commoners' fields, and eunuch missions are dispatched in ever greater numbers without end. In major trials, defendants dare not challenge confessions extracted under torture, and judicial officials dare not speak up. Worthy senior ministers have not been brought back into service, and junior officials banished for speaking out have not been restored. Civil and military officials receive irregular promotions, and titles and offices are greatly debased. The warning of calamity happened by chance to appear in Yunnan, yet distant frontier officials are to be held accountable—what logic is this? When the Han dispatched eight commissioners to tour the realm, Zhang Gang alone said: "When wolves and jackals block the road, why bother asking about foxes?" Fan Ying's duty is inspection, yet he cannot impeach imperial in-laws and great ministers and instead examines and dismisses only Yunnan officials, abandoning the root to treat the branch. I beg Your Majesty to reform entirely the corrupt policies I have described. As for other great evils that should be removed and great policies that should be enacted, let the responsible offices submit detailed memorials and carry out reform." At the time his advice was not adopted.

武宗時，歷河南僉事、貴州提學副使。時王守仁謫龍場驛丞，書擇州縣子弟，延守仁教之，士始知學。屢遷福建左布政使。寧王宸濠反，急募兵二萬討之。至則賊已平，乃返。尋以右副都御史巡撫湖廣。中官李鎮、張旸假進貢及禦鹽名斂財十余萬，書疏發之。嘉靖元年改南京兵部右侍郎。江南北大饑，奉命振江北。令州縣十里一廠，煮糜哺之，全活無算。

During the reign of Emperor Wuzong, he served successively as Henan intendant and Guizhou vice education intendant. At that time Wang Shouren had been banished to serve as post station director at Longchang; Shu selected sons of local families and invited Shouren to teach them, and the region's scholars first came to know learning. He was repeatedly promoted until he became left provincial administration commissioner of Fujian. When Prince Ning Zhu Chenhao rebelled, he urgently raised twenty thousand troops to suppress him. By the time he arrived, the rebels had already been pacified, and he returned. Soon afterward he was appointed right vice censor-in-chief and grand coordinator of Huguang. The eunuchs Li Zhen and Zhang Yang, under the pretext of tribute missions and imperial salt, extorted more than one hundred thousand in funds; Shu exposed them in a memorial. In the first year of Jiajing he was transferred to right vice minister of the Nanjing Ministry of War. When famine struck both south and north of the Yangzi, he was ordered to provide relief north of the river. He ordered prefectures and counties to set up relief stations every ten li, cooking gruel to feed the hungry, and saved countless lives.

初，書在湖廣，見中朝議「大禮」未定，揣帝向張璁、霍韜，獻議言：「昔宋英宗以濮王第十三子出為人後，今上以興獻王長子入承大統。英宗入嗣在袞衣臨禦之時，今上入繼在宮車晏駕之後。議者以陛下繼統武宗，仍為興獻帝之子，別立廟祀，張璁、霍韜之議未為非也。然尊無二帝。陛下於武宗親則兄弟，分則君臣。既奉孝宗為宗廟主，可復有他稱乎？宜稱曰『皇考興獻王』，此萬世不刊之典。禮臣三四執奏，未為失也。然禮本人情，陛下尊為天子，慈聖設無尊稱，可乎？故尊所生曰帝後，上慰慈闈，此情之不能已也。為今日議，宜定號曰『皇考興獻帝』。別立廟大內，歲時祀太廟畢，仍祭以天子之禮，似或一道也。蓋別以廟祀則大統正而昭穆不紊，隆以殊稱則至愛篤而本支不淪，尊尊親親，並行不悖。至慈聖宜稱皇母某後，不可以興獻加之。獻，謚也，豈宜加於今日？」議既具，會中朝競詆張璁為邪說，書懼不敢上，而密以示桂萼，萼然其議。三年正月，萼具疏並上之。帝大喜，趣召入對。無何，詔改稱獻帝為本生皇考，遂寢召命。會禮部尚書汪俊以爭建廟去位，特旨用書代之。故事，禮部長貳率用翰林官。是時廷臣排異議益力，書進又不由廷推，因交章詆書，至訾其振荒無狀，多侵漁。書亦屢辭新命，並錄上《大禮考議》，且乞遣官勘振荒狀。帝為遣司禮中官，戶、刑二部侍郎，錦衣指揮往勘，而趣書入朝益急。比至德州，則廷臣已伏闕哭爭，盡系詔獄。書馳疏言：「議禮之家，名為聚訟。兩議相持，必有一是。陛下擇其是者，而非者不必深較。乞宥其愆失，俾獲自新。」不允。

Earlier, while Shu was in Huguang, he saw that the court debate over the "Great Rites" remained unsettled. Sensing the emperor's inclination toward Zhang Cong and Huo Tao, he submitted a proposal saying: "Formerly Emperor Yingzong of Song, thirteenth son of the Prince of Pu, was given out in adoption; the present emperor, eldest son of the Prince of Xing, has entered to succeed to the great succession. Yingzong entered the succession while already robed and presiding over the court; the present emperor entered the succession after the imperial carriage had halted. Those debating hold that since Your Majesty succeeded to the throne from Emperor Wuzong yet remain the son of Emperor Xingxian, a separate temple should be established for worship—the proposal of Zhang Cong and Huo Tao is not wrong. Yet in honor there cannot be two emperors. Your Majesty to Wuzong is by kinship a brother, but by rank subject and sovereign. Since you already take Emperor Xiaozong as the ancestral temple's chief, can there be another title? You should style him "Imperial Father, Prince of Xing"—this is an immutable standard for ten thousand generations. That the ritual officials repeatedly submitted their objections three or four times was not wrong. Yet ritual rests on human feeling: Your Majesty is honored as Son of Heaven—can the Empress Dowager be without an honorific title? Therefore to honor one's biological parent with the title of empress dowager and thereby comfort the inner palace—this feeling cannot be restrained. For today's debate, the title should be fixed as "Imperial Father, Emperor Xingxian." Establish a separate temple within the inner palace; after the seasonal sacrifices at the Grand Ancestral Temple are completed, still offer sacrifice with the rites of the Son of Heaven—this seems a possible path. By separate temple worship the great succession is set right and the ancestral order is not confused; by elevated and distinct titles deepest love is affirmed and the root branch is not degraded—honoring the honored and cherishing kin can proceed together without contradiction. As for the Empress Dowager, she should be styled Empress Dowager So-and-so; the Xingxian designation cannot be applied to her. Xian is a posthumous title—how can it be applied today?" Once the proposal was complete, the court happened to be denouncing Zhang Cong's views as heterodox heresy; Shu feared to submit it and secretly showed it to Gui E, who approved the proposal. In the first month of the third year, E prepared a memorial and submitted both together. The emperor was greatly pleased and urgently summoned him for an audience. Before long an edict changed the title of the Xian Emperor to "Biological Imperial Father," and the summons was suspended. When Minister of Rites Wang Jun left office over the dispute about building a temple, a special edict appointed Shu to replace him. By precedent, the chief and vice ministers of Rites were usually drawn from the Hanlin Academy. At this time court officials pressed their opposition with greater force; Shu's advancement had not come through regular court recommendation, and they submitted memorial after memorial denouncing him, even accusing him of misconduct in famine relief and much embezzlement. Shu also repeatedly declined the new appointment, submitted along with it his Examination of the Great Rites Debate, and requested officials be dispatched to investigate the famine relief. The emperor dispatched eunuchs of the Directorate of Ceremonial, vice ministers of Revenue and Justice, and a commander of the Embroidered Uniform Guard to investigate, while urgently pressing Shu to come to court. By the time he reached Dezhou, court officials had already prostrated themselves weeping at the palace gate in protest and were all imprisoned by imperial order. Shu sent an urgent memorial saying: "Those debating ritual are called litigious disputants. When two positions contend, one must be right. Your Majesty should choose the right one; those in the wrong need not be pressed too harshly. I beg you to pardon their faults and allow them to reform." This was not granted.

其年八月入朝，帝慰勞有加。逾月乃會廷臣大議，上奏曰：

In the eighth month of that year he entered court, and the emperor comforted and rewarded him generously. More than a month later he convened the court officials for a great debate and submitted a memorial saying:

夫得三代傳統之義，遠出漢、唐繼嗣之私者，莫若《祖訓》。《祖訓》曰「朝廷無皇子，必兄終弟及。」則嗣位者實繼統，非繼嗣也。伯自宜稱皇伯考，父自宜稱皇考，兄自宜稱皇兄。今陛下於獻帝、章聖已去本生之稱，復下臣等大議。臣書、臣璁、臣萼、臣獻夫及文武諸臣皆議曰：世無二首，人無二本。孝宗皇帝，伯也，宜稱皇伯考。昭聖皇太后，伯母也，宜稱皇伯母。獻皇帝，父也，宜稱皇考。章聖皇太后，母也，宜稱聖母。武宗仍稱皇兄，莊肅皇后宜稱皇嫂。尤願陛下仰遵孝宗仁聖之德，念昭聖擁翊之功，孝敬益隆，始終無間，大倫大統兩有歸矣。奉神主而別立禰室，於至親不廢，隆尊號而不入太廟，於正統無幹，尊親兩不悖矣。一遵《祖訓》，允合聖經。復三代數千年未明之典禮，洗漢、宋悖經違禮之陋習，非聖人其孰能之。

To grasp the meaning of the Three Dynasties' transmission of succession, far surpassing the private concerns of Han and Tang adoption, nothing surpasses the Ancestral Instructions. The Ancestral Instructions say: "When the court has no imperial son, elder brother's death must be followed by younger brother's succession." Thus the one who succeeds to the throne actually inherits the succession, not an adoption. An uncle should naturally be styled Imperial Uncle-Father, a father Imperial Father, and an elder brother Imperial Elder Brother. Now Your Majesty has already removed the "biological" designation for the Xian Emperor and Empress Zhangsheng, yet submits us ministers to another great debate. Your ministers Shu, Cong, E, Xianfu, and all civil and military officials debate thus: the world has no two heads; a person has no two roots. Emperor Xiaozong is an uncle and should be styled Imperial Uncle-Father. Empress Dowager Zhaosheng is an aunt and should be styled Imperial Aunt. Emperor Xian is a father and should be styled Imperial Father. Empress Dowager Zhangsheng is a mother and should be styled Holy Mother. Wuzong should still be styled Imperial Elder Brother; Empress Zhuangsu should be styled Imperial Sister-in-Law. We especially hope Your Majesty will look up to follow Emperor Xiaozong's benevolent and sage virtue, remember Empress Zhaosheng's merit in supporting the succession, and increase filial reverence without break from beginning to end—then both great human relations and the great succession will each have their place. To enshrine the spirit tablet yet establish a separate ancestral chamber does not abandon one's closest kin; to elevate the honorific title yet not enter the Grand Ancestral Temple does not interfere with the orthodox succession—honoring the honored and cherishing kin are both preserved. Following entirely the Ancestral Instructions, this fully accords with the sage classics. Restoring ritual norms unclear for thousands of years since the Three Dynasties and cleansing the vulgar customs of Han and Song that violated the classics and ritual—who but a sage could accomplish this?

議上，詔布告天下，尊稱遂定。

When the memorial was submitted, an edict was promulgated throughout the realm and the honorific titles were settled.

帝既加隆所生，中外獻諛希恩者紛然遝至。錦衣百戶隨全、光祿錄事錢子勛既以罪褫，希旨請遷獻帝顯陵梓宮北葬天壽山。工部尚書趙璜等斥其謬，帝復下廷議。書乃會廷臣上言：「顯陵，先帝體魄所藏，不可輕動。昔高皇帝不遷祖陵，文皇帝不遷孝陵。全等諂諛小人，妄論山陵，宜下法司按問。」帝報曰：「先帝陵寢在遠，朕朝夕思望，不勝哀痛，其再詳議以聞。」書復集眾議，極言不可，乃已。

Once the emperor had elevated his biological parents, flatterers seeking favor from within and without came in swarms. The Embroidered Uniform Guard centurion Sui Quan and the Directorate of Imperial Entertainments clerk Qian Zixun, having already been stripped of office for crimes, sought favor by requesting that the Xian Emperor's coffin at Xianling be moved north for burial at Tianshou Mountain. Minister of Works Zhao Huang and others denounced this as absurd, and the emperor again submitted it to court debate. Shu then convened the court officials and submitted a memorial saying: "Xianling is where the late emperor's remains are buried and must not be lightly disturbed. Formerly the Founding Emperor did not move the ancestral tombs, and Emperor Wen did not move Xiaoling. Quan and the others are sycophantic petty men who recklessly discuss imperial tombs and should be handed to the judicial offices for investigation." The emperor replied: "The late emperor's tomb is far away; I think of it morning and evening and cannot overcome my grief. Debate this again in detail and report." Shu again gathered everyone for debate and argued forcefully that it could not be done, and the matter was dropped.

書以「大禮」告成，宜有以答天下望，乃條新政十二事以獻，帝優旨報焉。大同軍變，殺巡撫張文錦，毀總兵官江桓印，而出故帥朱振於獄，令代桓。帝因而命之，諭禮部鑄新印。書持不可，請討之，與政府忤。時執政者費宏、石缶、賈詠，書心弗善也，乃力薦楊一清、王守仁入閣，且曰：「今諸大臣皆中材，無足與計天下事。定亂濟時，非守仁不可。」帝曰：「書為大臣，當抒猷略，共濟時艱，何以中材自諉。」守仁迄不獲柄用。

Shu, holding that the "Great Rites" were complete and that something should answer the realm's expectations, listed twelve items of new policy and presented them; the emperor responded with gracious approval. When the Datong garrison mutinied, they killed Grand Coordinator Zhang Wenjin, destroyed the seal of Regional Commander Jiang Huan, released the former commander Zhu Zhen from prison, and made him replace Huan. The emperor accordingly confirmed the appointment and ordered the Ministry of Rites to cast a new seal. Shu held that this could not be allowed and requested a punitive campaign, clashing with the chief ministers. At that time the men in power were Fei Hong, Shi Zong, and Jia Yong; Shu disapproved of them and vigorously pushed to bring Yang Yiqing and Wang Shouren into the Grand Secretariat, saying: "Today's senior ministers are all mediocre—none of them are fit to deliberate on the affairs of the realm. To quell rebellion and rescue the times, no one but Shouren will suffice." The emperor said: "Shu, as a senior minister, should put forward your counsel and share in relieving the empire's distress—why plead mediocrity as an excuse?" Wang Shouren never gained effective power.

四年，光祿寺丞何淵請建世室，祀獻皇帝於太廟。帝命禮官集議，書等上議；「《王制》：『天子七廟，三昭三穆』。周以文、武有大功德，乃立世室，與後稷廟皆百世不遷。我太祖立四親廟，德祖居北，後改同堂異室。議祧則以太祖擬文世室，太宗擬武世室。今獻皇帝以藩王追崇帝號，何淵乃欲比之太祖、太宗，立世室於太廟，甚無據。」不報。頃之，張璁特奏上，力言不可，書亦三疏如璁議。帝遣中官即其家諭之，書復密疏切諫。帝不悅，責以畏眾飾奸。乃議別立禰廟，而世室之議竟寢。五年秋，章聖太后將謁世廟，禮官議不合。書以目眚在告，上言：「母後謁廟，事出創聞，禮官實無所據，惟聖明裁酌。且世廟既成，宜有肆赦之典，請盡還議禮遣戍諸臣。所謂合萬國之歡心以祀先王，此天子大孝也。」報聞。

In the fourth year, He Yuan, assistant director of the Court of Imperial Entertainments, petitioned to establish an Eternal Shrine and sacrifice to Emperor Xian in the Grand Ancestral Temple. The emperor ordered the ritual officials to confer; Shu and others submitted a memorial of opinion: "The Rites of Zhou says: 'The Son of Heaven has seven temples—three zhao and three mu. Because King Wen and King Wu of Zhou had achieved great merit, the Zhou established Eternal Shrines; these, together with the temple of Hou Ji, were never displaced for a hundred generations. Our founding emperor established four temples for his four immediate ancestors, with Dezu placed to the north; this was later changed to a single hall with separate chambers. When the question of temple supersession was debated, Taizu was treated as equivalent to Wen's Eternal Shrine and Taizong to Wu's. Emperor Xian was posthumously elevated from princely rank to an imperial title; for He Yuan to compare him with the Taizu and Taizong and install an Eternal Shrine in the Grand Ancestral Temple is wholly without precedent." No reply was given. Soon afterward Zhang Cong submitted a special memorial vigorously opposing the plan; Shu likewise submitted three memorials echoing Cong's position. The emperor sent a palace eunuch to Shu's home to instruct him, but Shu submitted another secret memorial of urgent remonstrance. The emperor was displeased and rebuked him for bowing to public opinion and shielding wrongdoing. The court then debated establishing a separate temple for the emperor's father, and the Eternal Shrine proposal was finally dropped. In the autumn of the fifth year, Empress Zhangsheng planned to visit the imperial ancestral temple, but the ritual officials could not agree on the proper procedure. Shu, pleading an eye ailment, took leave and memorialized: "An empress dowager's visit to the temple is without precedent; the ritual officials truly have no authority to cite—only Your Majesty's wise judgment can decide. Moreover, now that the imperial ancestral temple is complete, a general amnesty is fitting; I beg that all officials exiled for debating the rites be fully restored. This is what is meant by uniting the hearts of all the realm in joy to sacrifice to the former kings—the Son of Heaven's supreme filial piety." The memorial was noted.

書以議禮受帝知，倚為親臣。初進《大禮集議》，加太子太保，尋以《獻帝實錄》成，進少保。眷顧隆異，雖諸輔臣莫敢望。而書得疾不能視事，屢疏乞休，舉羅欽順自代，帝輒慰留不允。其後疾篤，請益力，詔加武英殿大學士，賜第京師，支俸如故。甫聞命而卒。贈太傅，謚文襄，任一子尚寶丞，異數也。

Because of his work on the rites debate, Shu won the emperor's confidence and was treated as a trusted intimate. When he first presented the Collected Debates on the Great Rites, he was made Grand Guardian of the Heir Apparent; soon after the Veritable Record of Emperor Xian was completed, he was promoted to Junior Guardian. Imperial favor toward him was extraordinary; even the chief ministers could not hope to match it. But Shu fell ill and could no longer manage affairs; he repeatedly petitioned to retire and recommended Luo Qinshun as his successor, yet the emperor always comforted him and refused. When his illness worsened and his pleas grew more urgent, an edict made him Grand Secretary of the Hall of Martial Glory, granted him a residence in the capital, and continued his salary unchanged. He died the moment he received the appointment. He was posthumously ennobled as Grand Preceptor with the posthumous name Wenxiang; one son was appointed Assistant Director of the Court of Imperial Seals—honors far beyond the norm.

書遇事敢為，性頗偏愎。初，長沙人李鑒為盜，知府宋卿論之死。書方巡撫湖廣，發卿贓私，因劾卿故入鑒罪。帝遣大臣按，不如書言。而書時已得幸，乃命逮鑒入京再訊。書遂言：「臣以議禮犯眾怒，故刑官率右卿而重鑒罪，請敕法司辨雪。」及法司讞上無異詞，帝重違書意，特減鑒死遣戍。其他庇陳洸，排費宏，率恣行私意，為時論所斥。

Shu was bold in action but by nature rather stubborn and wilful. Earlier, a man of Changsha named Li Jian had turned bandit; Prefect Song Qing sentenced him to death. Shu was then grand coordinator of Huguang; he uncovered Qing's corruption and impeached him for deliberately aggravating Jian's crime. The emperor sent a senior minister to investigate, but the findings did not bear out Shu's accusations. But Shu was already in favor by then, so the emperor ordered Li Jian seized and brought to the capital for retrial. Shu then said: "Your servant provoked widespread anger through the rites debate, and so the judicial officials sided with Qing and inflated Jian's guilt; I beg that Your Majesty order the judicial authorities to investigate and clear the injustice." When the judicial authorities submitted their verdict without dissent, the emperor, reluctant to go against Shu's wishes, specially commuted Jian's death sentence to exile. He also shielded Chen Huan, attacked Fei Hong, and generally acted on private whim—conduct for which public opinion condemned him.

弟春、篆。春由庶吉士授御史，巡雲南。以兄為都御史，改翰林檢討。預修《武宗實錄》成，當進秩。內閣費宏以春由他官入，與檢討劉夔並擬按察僉事。夔亦故御史，以避兄侍郎龍改授者也。書大怒，疏言：「故事，無纂修書成出為外任者。」帝以書故留春，擢修撰，而夔亦留，擢編修。書由是怨宏，數詆諆。及書卒，帝念其議禮功，累進春翰林學士。嘉靖十二年由禮部右侍郎改吏部。詔舉堪翰林者，春欲召還故翰林楊惟聰、陳沂，尚書汪鋐不可，遂有隙。後鋐有所推舉，不與春議，春怒詬鋐。鋐訐春前附楊廷和排議禮諸臣，遂落職。卒於家。

His younger brothers were Chun and Zhuan. Chun, having served as a Hanlin bachelor, was appointed censor and sent to inspect Yunnan. Because his elder brother was censor-in-chief, he was reassigned to the post of Hanlin Reviser. Having helped compile the Veritable Record of Emperor Wuzong to completion, he was due for promotion. Fei Hong of the Grand Secretariat, holding that Chun had entered the Hanlin from another track, together with Reviser Liu Kui proposed appointing both men as assistant surveillance commissioners. Kui was also a former censor, reassigned to the Hanlin to avoid serving alongside his elder brother, Vice Minister Long. Shu was furious and memorialized: "By precedent, no one who completed a compilation assignment has been sent out to a provincial post." For Shu's sake the emperor kept Chun and promoted him to Compiler; Kui was also retained and promoted to Editor. Shu thereafter bore a grudge against Hong and repeatedly slandered him. After Shu died, the emperor remembered his service in the rites debate and repeatedly promoted Chun until he became a Hanlin Academician. In the twelfth year of Jiajing he was moved from Vice Minister of Rites to the Ministry of Personnel. When an edict called for recommending men fit for the Hanlin, Chun wished to recall former Hanlin scholars Yang Weicong and Chen Yi, but Minister Wang Qian refused, and a rift opened between them. Later, when Qian had candidates to recommend, he did not consult Chun; Chun flew into a rage and cursed Qian. Qian impeached Chun for having once sided with Yang Tinghe in persecuting the officials who debated the rites, and Chun was dismissed. He died at home.

篆為戶科給事中。黔國公沐昆劾按察使沈恩等，篆與同官李長私語昆奏多誣，長即劾昆。武宗責長誣重臣，下詔獄。詞連篆，並系治謫外，篆得夷陵判官。世宗嗣位，復故官，未上卒。予祭，贈光祿少卿。

Zhuan served as a supervising secretary in the Household Section. The Duke of Qian, Mu Kun, impeached Surveillance Commissioner Shen En and others; Zhuan privately told his colleague Li Chang that Kun's memorial was largely false, and Chang immediately impeached Kun in turn. Emperor Wuzong rebuked Chang for slandering a senior minister and had him thrown into the imperial prison. The case implicated Zhuan as well; both men were imprisoned, tried, and banished; Zhuan was given the post of assistant magistrate of Yiling. When Emperor Shizong ascended the throne, Zhuan's former office was restored, but he died before he could take it up. Sacrifices were granted, and he was posthumously ennobled as Vice Director of the Court of Imperial Entertainments.

霍韜，字渭先，南海人。舉正德九年會試第一。謁歸成婚，讀書西樵山，經史淹洽。世宗踐阼，除職方主事。楊廷和方柄政，韜上言：「閣臣職參機務，今止票擬，而裁決歸近習。輔臣失參贊之權，近習起幹政之漸。自今章奏，請召大臣面決施行，講官、臺諫，班列左右，眾議而公駁之。宰相得取善之名，內臣免招權之謗。」因言錦衣不當典刑獄，東廠不當預朝議，撫按兵備官不當以軍功授秩蔭，興府護衛軍不當盡取入京概授官職，御史謝源、伍希儒赴難有功不當罷黜，平逆藩功自安慶、南昌外，不當濫敘。帝嘉納之。

Huo Tao, styled Weixian, was a native of Nanhai. In the ninth year of Zhengde he ranked first in the metropolitan examination. He returned home to marry, studied on Mount Xiqiao, and became thoroughly versed in the classics and histories. When Emperor Shizong took the throne, he was appointed secretary in the Bureau of Appointments. Yang Tinghe was then in power; Tao memorialized: "Grand secretaries are charged with sharing in state affairs, yet today they merely draft rescripts while real decisions rest with those close to the throne. The chief ministers have lost the power to counsel, while those near the throne have begun to encroach on governance. Henceforth, when memorials arrive, summon the senior ministers to decide them face to face before execution; let lecturers and censorial remonstrators stand in ranks to either side, debate openly, and rebut in public. The chief minister would gain credit for accepting good counsel, and inner-court eunuchs would escape the charge of usurping power." He further argued that the Embroidered-Uniform Guard should not run criminal prisons; the Eastern Depot should not join court deliberations; grand coordinators and military preparedness officials should not receive ranks and hereditary privileges for military merit; the Prince of Xing's guard should not all be brought to the capital and given offices indiscriminately; Censors Xie Yuan and Wu Xiru, who had served meritoriously in the crisis, should not be dismissed; and rewards for suppressing the rebellious fief should not be handed out broadly beyond those who fought at Anqing and Nanchang. The emperor praised and accepted his advice.

及「大禮」議起，禮部尚書毛澄力持考孝宗，韜私為《大禮議》駁之。澄貽書相質難，韜三上書極辨其非。已，知澄意不可回，其年十月上疏曰：

When the "Great Rites" debate arose, Minister of Rites Mao Cheng staunchly held that the emperor should treat Xiaozong as his father; Tao privately wrote the Debates on the Great Rites to refute him. Cheng sent a letter challenging him; Tao submitted three memorials vigorously rebutting Cheng's position. Later, seeing that Cheng's mind could not be changed, in the tenth month of that year he submitted a memorial saying:

按廷議謂陛下宜以孝宗為父，興獻王為叔，別擇崇仁王子為獻王後，考之古禮則不合，質之聖賢之道則不通，揆之今日之事體則不順。

According to court deliberation, Your Majesty should take Xiaozong as your father, the Prince of Xing as your uncle, and separately choose a son of the Prince of Chongren to succeed the Prince of Xing—examined against ancient rites this does not accord; tested against the way of the sages it does not hold; measured against present circumstances it is not fitting.

考《儀禮·喪服》章雲「斬衰為所後者」。又雲「為人後者，為其父母報」。是於所後者，蓋無稱為父母之說，而於本生父母又無改稱伯叔父母之雲也。漢儒不明其義，謬為邪說曰「為人後者為之子」。果如其言，則漢宣帝當為昭帝後矣。然昭帝從祖也，宣帝從孫也，孫將謂祖為父，可乎？唐宣宗當為武宗後矣，然武宗侄也，宣宗叔也，叔反謂侄為父，可乎？吳諸樊兄弟四人以國相授受，蓋叠相為後矣，是兄弟自具高曾祖考也，而可乎？故曰考之古禮則不合也。

The chapter on mourning dress in the Book of Etiquette and Ceremonial - Mourning Dress says: "The unhemmed sackcloth mourning is worn for the one to whom one succeeds as heir." It also says: "One who becomes another's heir still observes mourning for his natural parents." Thus toward the one to whom one succeeds as heir, there is no doctrine of calling him father; and toward one's natural-born parents, there is no mention of changing to call them uncle and aunt. Han Confucians failed to grasp the meaning and wrongly devised a heterodox doctrine: "One who becomes another's heir becomes that person's son." If that doctrine were true, then Emperor Xuan of Han ought to have been Emperor Zhao's heir. Yet Zhao was Xuan's granduncle and Xuan was Zhao's grandnephew—could a grandson call his granduncle father? Emperor Xuanzong of Tang ought to have been Wuzong's heir; yet Wuzong was Xuanzong's nephew and Xuanzong was Wuzong's uncle—could an uncle call his nephew father? The four Zhu Fan brothers of Wu handed the state among themselves, each in turn becoming another's heir—in effect brothers supplied their own great-grandfather, grandfather, and father; could that be? Hence it is said: examined against ancient rites, it does not accord.

天下者，天下之天下，非一人所得私也。宋人之告其君曰：「仁宗於宗室中特簡聖明，授以大業，陛下所以負扆端冕，富有四海，子孫萬世相承，皆先帝之德。」蓋謂仁宗以天下授英宗，宜舍本生父母而以仁宗為父母也。臣以聖賢之道觀之，孟子言舜為天子，瞽瞍殺人，臯陶執之，舜則竊負而逃，是父母重而天下輕也。若宋儒之說，則天下重而父母輕矣。故曰求之聖賢之道則不通也。

All under Heaven belongs to all under Heaven—it is not something one person may treat as private property. A Song official told his ruler: "Emperor Renzong, selecting the most sagacious among the imperial clan, bestowed the great enterprise upon him—Your Majesty therefore sits upon the throne in full regalia, holds all within the four seas, and your descendants inherit for ten thousand generations—all through the virtue of the former emperor." This meant that because Renzong bestowed the realm upon Yingzong, one ought to abandon one's natural-born parents and treat Renzong as one's parents. Viewed through the way of the sages, Mencius said that when Shun became Son of Heaven, if his father Gusou committed murder, Gao Yao would arrest him, and Shun would secretly carry him on his back and flee—this shows that parents outweigh the realm. If the Song Confucians' doctrine holds, then the realm outweighs one's parents. Hence it is said: tested against the way of the sages, it does not hold.

武宗嗣孝宗歷十有六年，考宗非無嗣也。今強欲陛下重為孝宗之嗣，何為也哉？夫陛下為孝宗子矣，誰為武宗子乎？孝宗有兩嗣子矣，武宗獨無嗣子，可乎？臣子於君父一也，既不忍孝宗之無嗣，獨忍武宗之無嗣乎？若曰武宗以兄，固得享弟之祀，則孝宗以伯，獨不得享侄之祀乎？既可越武宗直繼孝宗矣，獨不可並越孝宗直繼憲宗乎？武宗無嗣，無可如何矣。孝宗有嗣，復強繼其嗣，而絕興獻之嗣，是於孝宗無所益，而於興獻不大有損乎？故曰揆之今日之事體則不順也。

Wuzong succeeded Xiaozong and reigned for sixteen years—Xiaozong was not without an heir. Now to force Your Majesty to become Xiaozong's heir anew—what is the point? If Your Majesty is Xiaozong's son, then who is Wuzong's son? Xiaozong would have two heirs while Wuzong alone would have none—can that be? A subject's duty to his lord is like a son's to his father: if you cannot bear that Xiaozong be without an heir, can you alone bear that Wuzong be without one? If Wuzong, as elder brother, may naturally receive his younger brother's sacrifices, then may Xiaozong, as uncle, alone be denied his nephew's sacrifices? If one may skip over Wuzong to succeed Xiaozong directly, why may one not also skip over Xiaozong to succeed Xianzong directly? That Wuzong had no heir—nothing can be done about that. Xiaozong already had an heir, yet you would force another upon him while cutting off the Prince of Xing's line—this benefits Xiaozong not at all while greatly harming the Prince of Xing, does it not? Hence it is said: measured against present circumstances, it is not fitting.

然臣下之為此議也，其故有三：曰前代故事之拘也，曰不忘孝宗之德也，曰避迎合之嫌也。今陛下既考孝宗矣，尊興獻王以帝號矣，則將如斯而已乎？臣竊謂帝王之相繼也，繼其統而已矣，固不屑屑於父子之稱也。惟繼其統，則不惟孝宗之統不絕，即武宗之統亦不絕矣。然則如之何而可乎？惟陛下於興獻王得正父子之稱，以不絕天性之恩。於國母之迎，得正天子之母之禮。復於昭聖太后、武宗皇后處之有其道，事之盡其誠，則於尊尊親親兩不悖矣。

Yet the reasons your officials advance this proposal are three: clinging to precedents of former ages; not forgetting Xiaozong's virtue; and avoiding the suspicion of currying favor. Now Your Majesty has already treated Xiaozong as father and honored the Prince of Xing with an imperial title—is that all there is to it? Your servant holds that when emperors succeed one another, they succeed only to the lineage—they need not quibble over the names of father and son. If one succeeds only to the lineage, then not only is Xiaozong's line preserved—Wuzong's line is preserved as well. Then what must be done to set things right? Only if Your Majesty secures the proper father-son designation for the Prince of Xing can the bond of natural affection remain intact. In welcoming the emperor's mother, observe the proper rites owed to the mother of the Son of Heaven. If toward Empress Dowager Zhaosheng and Empress Zhuangsu one acts with proper principle and serves them with full sincerity, then in honoring the honored and cherishing kin, neither duty will be violated.

帝得疏喜甚，迫群議不遽行。而朝士鹹指目韜為邪說。韜意不自得，尋謝病歸。

The emperor was greatly pleased upon receiving the memorial, but constrained by the assembled deliberations, he did not act on it at once. Court officials all pointed at Tao as peddling heretical doctrine. Tao felt ill at ease and soon resigned on grounds of illness and returned home.

嘉靖三年，帝議尊崇所生益急，兩詔召韜。韜辭疾不赴，馳疏言：

In the third year of Jiajing, as the emperor's plans to honor his biological father grew more urgent, he twice issued edicts summoning Tao. Tao pleaded illness and did not come; he hurriedly submitted a memorial saying:

今日大禮之議，兩端而已。曰崇正統之大義也，曰正天倫之大經也。徒尊正統，其弊至於利天下而棄父母；徒重天倫，其弊至於小加大而卑逾尊。故臣謂陛下宜稱孝宗曰皇伯考，獻帝曰皇考。此天倫之當辨者也。尊崇之議，則姑在所緩，此大統之當崇者也。乃廷議欲陛下上考孝宗，又兼考獻帝，此漢人兩統之失也。本原既差，則愈議愈失。臣之愚慮，則願陛下預防未然之失，毋重將來之悔而已。始陛下尊昭聖皇太后為母，雖於禮未合，然宮闈之內亦既相安。今一旦改稱，大非人情所堪。願陛下以臣等建議之情，上啟皇太后，必中心悅預無疑貳之隙。萬一未喻，亦得歸罪臣等，加賜誅斥，然後委曲申請，務得其歡心。陛下朝夕所以承迎其意，慰釋其憂者，亦無所不用其極，庶名分正而嫌隙消，天下萬世無所非議，此臣愚慮者一也。

"Today's debate over the Great Rites has only two sides. One upholds the great principle of legitimate succession; one sets right the great constant of human relations. Honor only the legitimate succession, and the harm may reach the point of benefiting the realm while abandoning one's parents; Value only human relations, and the harm may reach the point of the lesser overriding the greater and the base exceeding the honored. Therefore your servant holds that Your Majesty should address Xiaozong as Imperial Uncle-Father and Emperor Xian as Imperial Father. This is what must be distinguished in human relations. The debate over enhanced honors may for now be deferred; this is what must be upheld regarding the great succession. Yet court deliberation would have Your Majesty treat Xiaozong as father above while also treating Emperor Xian as father—this is the Han dynasty's error of dual successions. Once the root principle is wrong, the more one deliberates, the further one strays. Your servant's humble counsel is only that Your Majesty guard against errors not yet come to pass and not repeat regrets in the future. At first Your Majesty honored Empress Dowager Zhaosheng as mother; though the rites were not fully correct, peace had nonetheless settled within the inner palace. To change the designation overnight is more than human feeling can bear. May Your Majesty, taking the spirit of our memorial, report upward to the empress dowager, so that her heart will be at ease beforehand and no suspicion or rift will arise. If by any chance she has not understood, blame may be placed on us and we punished and dismissed; only then may you petition tactfully and strive to win her heartfelt approval. In welcoming her wishes and soothing her distress morning and evening, Your Majesty should spare no effort, so that titles may be set right and suspicion dissolved, and for ten thousand generations under Heaven there will be no dissent—this is the first point of your servant's humble counsel.

昭聖之嫡嗣，武宗一人而已。武宗無嗣，莊肅皇后之屬望已矣。臣謂陛下之事昭聖，禮秩雖極尊崇，然其勢日輕；陛下之事聖母，尊稱雖或未至，然其勢日重。故今日廷臣忄卷忄卷以尊大統，母昭聖為請者，蓋預防陛下將來之失，而追報孝宗之職分也。臣嘗伏讀明詔，正統大義，不敢有違。知陛下尊昭聖，敬莊肅，此心可上質天地，下信士庶矣。但恐左右之人不達聖意，妄生疑間。或以彌文小節，遂構兩宮之隙，此不可不早慮而預防之也。願陛下以臣等建議之情，上啟聖母曰，昭聖皇太后實大統嫡宗，至尊無對，伏願聖母時自謙抑，示尊敬至意。莊肅皇后母儀天下十六年，聖母接見之儀，不可輕忽，凡正旦、賀壽，聖母每致謙讓不敢受納之意。俾宮闈大權一歸昭聖，而聖母若無與焉，則天下萬世稱頌懿德與天無極。萬一聖母意猶未喻，亦得歸罪臣等，加賜誅斥，然後委曲申請，務得允從，庶宗統正而嫌隙消，天下萬世無所非議，此臣愚慮者二也。

Of Zhaosheng's legitimate offspring, Wuzong alone remains. Wuzong has no heir; Empress Zhuangsu's hopes are spent. Your servant holds that in Your Majesty's dealings with Zhaosheng, though ritual rank is supremely elevated, her influence grows daily lighter; In Your Majesty's dealings with the Holy Mother, though honored titles may not yet have been fully granted, her influence grows daily heavier. Therefore the court officials who earnestly appeal on Zhaosheng's behalf to uphold the great succession do so to guard against errors Your Majesty may yet commit and to fulfill the duty owed Xiaozong. Your servant has humbly read the clear edicts and dares not violate the great principle of legitimate succession. I know Your Majesty honors Zhaosheng and respects Zhuangsu—a sincerity that can be offered up to Heaven and Earth and trusted by officials and commoners alike. Yet I fear those at Your Majesty's side may not grasp the imperial intent and will recklessly sow suspicion. Over trivial textual niceties they may forge a rift between the two palaces—this cannot go unconsidered and must be guarded against early. May Your Majesty take the spirit of our memorial and report upward to the Holy Mother, saying: 'Empress Dowager Zhaosheng is in truth the legitimate lineage of the great succession, supreme and without peer—I humbly pray the Holy Mother will at times humble herself and show the utmost respect.' Empress Zhuangsu was mother to the realm for sixteen years; the ceremonies by which the Holy Mother receives her must not be slighted. At New Year's Day and birthday congratulations alike, the Holy Mother should each time express humility and unwillingness to accept what is offered. Let the great authority of the inner palace rest wholly with Zhaosheng, while the Holy Mother appears as if uninvolved—then for ten thousand generations under Heaven her admirable virtue will be praised as boundless as Heaven. If by any chance the Holy Mother has not yet understood, blame may be placed on us and we punished and dismissed; only then may you petition tactfully and strive for her assent, so that the lineage may be set right, suspicion dissolved, and for ten thousand generations under Heaven there will be no dissent—this is the second point of your servant's humble counsel."

帝深嘉其忠義，趣令趨朝。明年擢少詹事兼侍講學士。韜固辭。且請令六部長貳、翰林、給事、禦中俱調外任，練政體；監司、守令政績卓異，即擢卿丞，有文學者擢翰林；舉貢入仕皆得擢翰林，升部院，不宜困資格。帝不允辭，趣令赴職。下其奏於有司，悉格不用。

The emperor deeply praised his loyalty and righteousness and urgently ordered him to come to court at once. The following year he was promoted to Junior Guardian of the Heir Apparent and concurrent Lecturer-in-Waiting and Hanlin Academician. Tao firmly declined. He also requested that vice ministers of the Six Ministries, Hanlin academicians, supervising secretaries, and Secretariat drafters all be rotated to provincial posts to train in the substance of governance; Grand coordinators and magistrates with outstanding records should immediately be promoted to vice ministers and assistants, and those with literary talent promoted to Hanlin; Men who entered service through recommendation and tribute should all be eligible for Hanlin appointment and advancement within ministries and courts—they should not be trapped by seniority rules. The emperor refused his resignation and urgently ordered him to take up the post. The memorial was referred to the appropriate offices; all proposals were rejected.

六年，還朝，命直經筵日講。韜自以南音力辭日講，請撰《古今政要》及《詩書直解》以進。帝褒許之。其年九月遷詹事兼翰林學士，韜復固辭，言：「自楊榮、楊士奇、楊溥以及李東陽、楊廷和顓權植黨，籠翰林為屬官，中書為門吏，故翰林遷擢不由吏部，而中書至有進秩尚書者。臣嘗建議，謂翰林去留，盡屬吏部，庶不陰倚內閣為腹心，內閣亦不陰結翰林為羽翼。且欲京官補外以均勞逸，議未即行，躬自蹈之，而又躐居學士徐縉上，何愧如之。」帝優詔不允。明年四月進禮部右侍郎。韜力辭，且舉康海、王九思、李夢陽、魏校、顏木、王廷陳、何瑭自代，帝不允。再辭，乃允之。

In the sixth year he returned to court and was ordered to serve on daily exposition duty at the Classics Colloquium. Tao, citing his southern accent, vigorously declined daily exposition and requested to compile Essentials of Governance Past and Present and Direct Expositions of the Book of Poetry and Book of Documents to present to the throne. The emperor praised and approved the request. That ninth month he was transferred to Guardian of the Heir Apparent and concurrent Hanlin Academician. Tao again firmly declined, saying: "From Yang Rong, Yang Shiqi, and Yang Pu to Li Dongyang and Yang Tinghe, they monopolized power and built factions, treating Hanlin as subordinate officials and the Secretariat as gate servants—so Hanlin promotions no longer passed through the Ministry of Personnel, and Secretariat officials even rose to ministerial rank. Your servant once proposed that Hanlin appointments and dismissals should all belong to the Ministry of Personnel, so that the Grand Secretariat would not secretly rely on Hanlin as its inner core, nor secretly bind Hanlin as its wings. Moreover, I had wished capital officials to fill outside posts to balance labor and rest—the proposal was not immediately carried out, yet I myself violate it, and moreover leap over Academician Xu Jin—what shame can compare?" The emperor issued a gracious edict refusing his request. The following April he was promoted to Vice Minister of the Right in the Ministry of Rites. Tao vigorously declined and recommended Kang Hai, Wang Jiusi, Li Mengyang, Wei Jiao, Yan Mu, Wang Tingchen, and He Tang in his stead; the emperor did not agree. After he declined again, the emperor agreed.

六月，「大禮」成，超拜禮部尚書，掌詹事府事。韜因言翰林院修書遷官、日講蔭子、及巡撫子弟蔭武職之非，而以為己不能力挽，不可隨眾趨。且稱給事中陳洸冤，薦監生陳雲章才可用。帝優詔褒答，不允辭。韜復奏曰：「今異議者謂陛下特欲尊崇皇考，遂以官爵餌其臣，臣等二三臣茍圖官爵，遂阿順陛下之意。臣嘗自慨，若得禮定，決不受官，俾天下萬世知議禮者非利官也。茍疑議禮者為利官，則所議雖是，彼猶以為非，何以塞天下口？」因固辭不拜，帝猶不允。三辭，乃允之。

In the sixth month, when the "Great Rites" were accomplished, he was extraordinarily promoted to Minister of Rites and put in charge of the Household of the Heir Apparent. Tao thereupon spoke against the impropriety of Hanlin promotion through book compilation, hereditary privilege for sons of daily lecturers, and military hereditary appointments for grand coordinators' sons; since he could not forcefully reverse these, he held that he ought not follow the crowd in rushing forward. He also declared Supervising Secretary Chen Guang wronged and recommended Student Chen Yunzhang as a man of usable talent. The emperor responded with a gracious edict of praise and refused his resignation. Tao submitted again, saying: "Today those who dissent say Your Majesty merely wishes to honor your imperial father and bait his officials with rank and stipends—that we few officials grasp at rank and stipends and therefore flatter Your Majesty's intent. Your servant once vowed in private that if the rites were settled, I would accept no office, so that for ten thousand generations under Heaven all would know that those who debated the rites sought not profit in office. If one suspects that those who debated the rites sought profit in office, then even if what was debated was right, they will still deem it wrong—how can one silence the realm?" Thereupon he firmly declined to accept the appointment; the emperor still refused. After he declined three times, the emperor agreed.

韜先後薦王守仁、王瓊諸人，帝皆納用。嘗因災異陳時弊十余事，多議行。張璁、桂萼之罷政也，韜謂言官陸粲等受楊一清指使，兩疏力攻一清，奪其職，而璁、萼召還。帝從夏言議，將分祀天地，建二郊，韜極言其非。帝不悅，責韜罔上自恣。言亦疏辨，力詆韜。韜素護前自遂，見帝怒，不敢辨，乃遺言書，痛詆之，復錄其書送法司。言怒，疏陳其狀，且劾韜無君七罪，並以其書進呈。帝大怒，責韜謗訕君上，醜正懷邪，遂下都察院獄。韜從獄中上書祈哀，璁亦再申救，帝皆不納。南京御史鄧文憲言，宜察韜心，容其戇，且天地分祀是置父母異處，郊外親蠶是廢內外防閑。帝怒，謫之邊方。韜系獄逾月，帝終念其議禮功，令輸贖還職。尋以母喪歸。廣東僉事龔大稔訐韜及方獻夫居鄉不法事，大稔反被逮削籍。

Tao successively recommended Wang Shouren, Wang Qiong, and others; the emperor adopted them all. On one occasion, citing calamities and portents, he presented more than ten abuses of the age; most were deliberated and carried out. When Zhang Cong and Gui E were removed from government, Tao held that remonstrating officials such as Lu Can acted at Yang Yiqing's direction; with two memorials he vigorously attacked Yiqing, stripped him of his post, and Cong and E were recalled. The emperor followed Xia Yan's proposal to sacrifice separately to Heaven and Earth and establish twin suburban altars; Tao spoke out strongly against it. The emperor was displeased and rebuked Tao for deceiving his sovereign and acting willfully. Yan also submitted a memorial in his own defense and vigorously denounced Tao. Tao, who habitually obstinately defended his prior positions, seeing the emperor's anger, did not dare rebut; instead he sent Yan a letter bitterly denouncing him, and also copied the letter and sent it to the judicial offices. Yan was enraged; he submitted a memorial detailing the circumstances and impeached Tao on seven counts of disloyalty to the ruler, also presenting Tao's letter to the throne. The emperor was greatly angered, rebuked Tao for slandering his sovereign and hating the upright while harboring the corrupt, and had him imprisoned in the Censorate. From prison Tao submitted a memorial pleading for mercy; Cong also twice interceded on his behalf; the emperor accepted neither. Nanjing Censor Deng Wenxian said Tao's intent should be examined and his bluntness indulged, and furthermore that separate sacrifices to Heaven and Earth amounted to placing father and mother in different places, while the empress's silkworm rite in the suburbs abolished the inner-outer barrier. The emperor was angry and banished him to the frontier. Tao remained imprisoned for more than a month; the emperor at last remembered his merit in the rites debate and ordered him to pay a fine and return to office. Soon after he returned home to observe mourning for his mother. Guangdong Assistant Surveillance Commissioner Gong Danan impeached Tao and Fang Xianfu for unlawful conduct in their home districts; Danan himself was instead arrested and struck from the rolls.

十二年，韜起歷吏部左、右侍郎。時部事多主於尚書，兩侍郎率不預。韜爭於尚書汪鋐，侍郎始獲參部事。韜素剛愎，屢與鋐爭，鋐等亦嚴憚之。既而鋐罷，帝久不置尚書，以韜掌部事。閣臣李時傳旨，用鴻臚卿王道中為順天府丞。韜言：「輔臣承天語無可疑，然臣等猶當奏請，用杜矯偽。」因守故事，列道中及應天府丞郭登庸二人名上。帝嘉其守法，乃用登庸，而改道中大理少卿。久之，出韜為南京禮部尚書。

In the twelfth year Tao was recalled and served successively as Left and Right Vice Minister of Personnel. At the time most ministry affairs were decided by the minister alone; the two vice ministers generally did not participate. Tao contended with Minister Wang Gong until the vice ministers at last gained participation in ministry affairs. Tao was by nature stubborn and obstinate, repeatedly clashing with Gong; Gong and the others also deeply feared him. Later Gong was dismissed; the emperor for a long time appointed no minister and had Tao manage ministry affairs. Grand Secretary Li Shi transmitted an edict appointing Ceremonial Reception Director Wang Daozhong as assistant magistrate of Shuntian Prefecture. Tao said: "The assisting minister bears the heavenly words—there can be no doubt; yet we ought still to memorialize for approval, to guard against forgery." Accordingly, following precedent, he submitted the names of both Daozhong and Assistant Magistrate of Yingtian Prefecture Guo Dengyong. The emperor praised him for observing the law and then appointed Dengyong, while transferring Daozhong to Vice Director of Penalties in the Court of Judicial Review. After some time Tao was transferred out as Minister of Rites in Nanjing.

順天府尹劉淑相坐所親贓私被鞫，疑禮部尚書夏言姻通判費完陷之，訐言請屬事。帝怒，下淑相詔獄。淑相與韜善，言亦疑韜主之，遂訐韜扈蹕謁陵，遠遊銀山寺大不敬。韜自訴，因論言：「請謚故少師費宏為文憲，不敘宏累被劾狀，按律，增減緊關情節者斬。且『憲』乃純皇帝廟號，人臣安得用？」會南京給事中曾鈞騎馬，不避尚書劉龍、潘珍轎，龍與鈞互訐奏。韜劾鈞，且請禁小臣乘轎。給事中李充濁、曹邁等交章，言近侍之臣不當避道，雜舉公會宴次得與尚書同列以證，語頗侵韜。韜疑充濁倚言為內主，訐充濁為奸黨，復摭言他事。言益怒，奏韜大罪十余事。且言彭時、宋濂皆於正德間謚文憲，不避廟號，韜陋不知故事。帝方不直韜，淑相復從獄中摭言他事，帝益怒，考訊之。辭服韜主使，乃斥淑相為民，降韜俸一級。當議乘轎時，言被劾不預，都御史王廷相會禮部侍郎黃宗明、張璧請禁飭小臣如韜奏，而南京諸給事、御史自如。韜以為言，帝復申飭，眾情滋不悅。曹邁及同官尹相等遂與韜忿爭。相劾韜遷南部怨望；擅取海子魚，與鄉人群飲郊壇松下；侍郎袁宗儒期喪不當進表，逼使行。韜上疏自理。下廷議。帝為停韜俸四月，相等亦停二月。韜既與言交惡，及言柄用，韜每欲因事陷之。上言：「頃吏部選劉文光等為給事中，尋忽報罷，人皆曰閣臣抑之。給事中李鶴鳴考察謫官，尋復故，人皆曰賄得。宜諭吏部毋受當事頤指，使天下知威福出朝廷，而大臣有李林甫、秦檜者，不得播弄於左右。」其意為言發也。於是鶴鳴上疏自白，並摭韜居鄉不法諸事。帝兩置之。無何，韜劾南京御史龔湜、郭本。湜等自辨，亦劾韜。帝並置不問。

Shuntian Prefecture Magistrate Liu Shuxiang, because a close associate was imprisoned for graft, suspected that Minister of Rites Xia Yan's in-law Assistant Prefect Fei Wan had framed him and impeached Yan for soliciting favors. The emperor was angry and imprisoned Shuxiang in the imperial prison. Shuxiang was on good terms with Tao; Yan also suspected Tao had instigated this and therefore impeached Tao for escorting the emperor to visit the imperial tombs yet roaming far to Yingshan Temple—a grave lack of reverence. Tao pleaded in his own defense and by the same token argued against Yan: "In requesting the posthumous title Literary Exemplar for the late Junior Preceptor Fei Hong, you did not recount Hong's repeated impeachments—by law, altering crucial circumstances merits decapitation. Moreover, 'Exemplar' is the temple name of Emperor Chun—how dare a subject use it?" At the same time Nanjing Supervising Secretary Zeng Jun rode on horseback and did not yield to the litters of Ministers Liu Long and Pan Zhen; Long and Jun mutually impeached each other in memorials. Tao impeached Jun and also requested a ban on minor officials riding in litters. Supervising Secretaries Li Chongzhuo, Cao Mai, and others submitted memorials in succession, arguing that officials close to the throne ought not yield the road, citing mixed examples of sharing rank with ministers at public banquets as proof—language that somewhat impugned Tao. Tao suspected Chongzhuo relied on Yan as his patron within and impeached Chongzhuo as part of a corrupt faction, also dredging up other matters concerning Yan. Yan grew still angrier and memorialized more than ten grave crimes of Tao. He also said that Peng Shi and Song Lian both received the posthumous title Literary Exemplar in the Zhengde era without avoiding the temple name—Tao was crude and ignorant of precedent. The emperor was already inclined against Tao; Shuxiang again dredged up from prison other charges against Yan, and the emperor, growing still angrier, had him interrogated under torture. In his confession he acknowledged Tao had instigated him; Shuxiang was demoted to commoner status, and Tao's salary was cut one rank. While the litter ban was under debate, Yan was under impeachment and took no part; Censor-in-Chief Wang Tingsxiang, together with Vice Ministers of Rites Huang Zongming and Zhang Bi, asked that minor officials be restrained as Tao had proposed—but the Nanjing supervising secretaries and censors went on as they pleased. Tao complained of this; the emperor reiterated the restriction, and public sentiment turned ever more sour. Cao Mai, his colleague Yin Xiang, and others then quarreled furiously with Tao. Xiang impeached Tao for nursing resentment over his transfer to the southern capital; for poaching fish from the imperial lake and carousing with villagers beneath the pines at the suburban altar; and for forcing Vice Minister Yuan Zongru, still in mourning and forbidden to submit memorials, to do so anyway. Tao submitted a memorial in self-defense. The matter was referred to court deliberation. The emperor suspended Tao's salary for four months and likewise suspended Xiang and his colleagues for two months. Tao and Yan were already bitter enemies; once Yan came to power, Tao constantly sought some pretext to bring him down. He memorialized: "Recently the Ministry of Personnel selected Liu Wenguang and others as supervising secretaries, but soon they were reported dismissed—everyone says the grand secretaries blocked the appointments. Supervising Secretary Li Heming was evaluated, demoted, then soon restored—everyone says he bought his way back. The Ministry of Personnel should be told not to take dictation from those in power, so that all under Heaven may know authority and favor come from the throne—and ministers like Li Linfu and Qin Hui may not pull strings at the emperor's side. His aim was plainly to strike at Yan. Thereupon Heming memorialized to clear himself and dredged up Tao's misdeeds at home. The emperor ignored both memorials. Before long Tao impeached the Nanjing censors Gong Shi and Guo Ben. Shi and the others defended themselves and impeached Tao in turn. The emperor dismissed all of it without investigation.

十八年簡補宮僚，命韜以太子少保、禮部尚書協掌詹事府事。疏辭加秩，且詆大臣受祿不讓，晉秩不辭，或有狐鼠鉆結，陰固寵權，怨氣召災。實有所自。其意亦為言發。既屢擊言不勝，最後見郭勛與言有隙，乃陰比勛，與共齮龁言。時中外訛言帝復南幸，韜因顯頌勛，言：「六飛南狩時，臣下多納賄不法。文官惟袁宗儒，武官惟郭勛不受饋。今訛言復播，宜有以禁戢之。」帝既下詔安群情，乃詰韜曰：「朕昨南巡，卿不在行，受賄事得自何人？據實以奏。」韜對，請問諸郭勛。帝責其支詞，務令指實。韜窘，乃言：「扈從諸臣無不受饋遺、折取夫隸直者，第問之夏言，令自述。至各官取賄實跡，勛具悉始末，當不欺。如必欲臣言，請假臣風憲職，循途按之，當備列以奏。」章下所司。韜懼不當帝旨，尋赴京，列所遇進鮮船內臣貪橫狀，帝亦不問。明年十月卒於官，年五十有四。贈太子太保，謚文敏。

In the eighteenth year, when palace staff were chosen to fill vacancies, Tao was appointed Junior Guardian of the Heir Apparent and Minister of Rites to assist in directing the Household of the Heir Apparent. He memorialized to decline the added rank and disparaged grand ministers who took salary without refusing it and accepted promotion without demur—perhaps cronies schemed in the dark to hold favor and power, and accumulated resentment summoned disaster. He clearly had someone particular in mind. Again his barbs were aimed at Yan. After repeated attacks on Yan failed, he saw Guo Xun was at odds with Yan and secretly joined him to undermine Yan together. Rumors spread at court and beyond that the emperor would tour south again; Tao openly praised Xun, saying: "When the imperial procession toured south, many officials accepted bribes and broke the law. Of the civil officials, only Yuan Zongru; of the military officials, only Guo Xun refused bribes. Now the rumor spreads again—something should be done to suppress it. The emperor, having issued an edict to calm public anxiety, then pressed Tao: "On my southern tour you were not in the entourage—who told you officials took bribes? Report the facts. Tao replied by asking that Guo Xun be questioned. The emperor rebuked his evasiveness and demanded concrete names. Cornered, Tao said: "Every official in the imperial entourage accepted gifts or skimmed corvée fees from the people—just question Xia Yan and have him confess. As for the full record of who took what, Xun knows every detail and will not lie. If Your Majesty insists I speak, grant me censorial authority to investigate along the route—I will report everything I find. The memorial was referred to the appropriate offices. Fearing he had displeased the emperor, Tao soon went to the capital and listed cases of greedy, overbearing eunuchs on tribute boats he had met—but the emperor took no notice. The following tenth month he died in office, aged fifty-four. He was posthumously made Senior Guardian of the Heir Apparent, with the posthumous title Literary Keenness.

韜學博才高，量褊隘，所至與人競。帝頗心厭之，故不大用。先後多所建白，亦頗涉國家大計。且嘗薦「大禮」大獄得罪諸臣，及廢籍李夢陽、康海等。在南都，禁喪家宴飲，絕婦女入寺觀，罪娼戶市良人女，毀淫祠，建社學，散僧尼，表忠節。既去，士民思之。始與璁、萼結，既而比郭勛。舉進士出毛澄門下，素執弟子禮，議禮不合，遂不復稱為座主。及總裁己丑會試，亦遂不以唐順之等為門生。其議禮時，詆司馬光。後議薛瑄從祀，至追論光不可祀孔廟。其不顧公論如此。

Tao was learned and brilliant, but petty and narrow—wherever he went he picked fights. The emperor grew weary of him at heart and never fully trusted him with power. He submitted many proposals over the years, several touching matters of broad national concern. He also once recommended officials ruined in the Great Rites prosecutions, and disgraced writers such as Li Mengyang and Kang Hai. At Nanjing he banned feasting in houses of mourning, barred women from temples, punished brothels that bought freeborn girls, tore down illicit shrines, founded community schools, dispersed monks and nuns, and honored the loyal and steadfast. After he left office, gentry and commoners alike missed him. At first he joined Zhang Cong and Gui E; later he cast his lot with Guo Xun. He had passed the jinshi under Mao Cheng and once observed full disciples' rites toward him; when they split over the rites debate, he never again called Cheng his patron. When he presided over the jichou metropolitan examination, he likewise refused to claim Tang Shunzhi and others as his disciples. In the rites debate he attacked Sima Guang. Later, during debate over enshrining Xue Xuan, he revived his argument that Guang should be removed from the Confucian temple. Such was his contempt for public opinion.

子與瑕，舉進士。授慈溪知縣。鄢懋卿巡鹽行部，與瑕不禮，為所劾罷。起知鄞縣，終廣西僉事。

His son Yuxia passed the jinshi examination. He was appointed magistrate of Cixi. When Yan Maoqing inspected the salt administration and passed through his jurisdiction, Yuxia withheld courtesy and was impeached out of office by him. He was recalled as magistrate of Yin county and ended his career as Vice Commissioner in Guangxi.

熊浹，字悅之，南昌人。正德九年進士。授禮科給事中。寧王宸濠將為變，浹與同邑御史熊蘭草奏，授御史蕭淮上之。濠倉卒舉事，卒敗，本兩人早發之力。出核松潘邊餉。副總兵張傑倚江彬勢，贓累巨萬，誘殺熟番上功啟邊釁，箠死千戶以下至五百人。又嘗率家眾遮擊副使胡澧。撫、按莫敢言。浹至，盡發其狀，傑遂褫職。

Xiong Jia, styled Yuezhi, was a native of Nanchang. He passed the jinshi examination in the ninth year of Zhengde. He was appointed a supervising secretary in the Rites Section. When Prince of Ning Zhu Chenhao was preparing to rebel, Jia and his fellow townsman, Censor Xiong Lan, drafted a memorial and had Censor Xiao Huai submit it. Chenhao rose in haste and was quickly crushed—largely because these two men had exposed the plot early. He was sent to audit border provisions at Songpan. Deputy Commander Zhang Jie, backed by Jiang Bin, amassed corruption worth tens of thousands; he provoked killings among settled tribes to claim merit and stir border trouble, and had more than five hundred officers from company commanders down beaten to death. He also once led his household retainers to ambush and attack Vice Commissioner Hu Li. The grand coordinator and regional inspector dared not report him. When Jia arrived he exposed Jie's crimes in full, and Jie was stripped of office.

世宗踐阼，廷議追崇禮未定。浹馳疏言：「陛下起自藩服，入登大寶，倘必執為後之說，考孝宗而母慈壽，則興獻母妃當降稱伯叔父母矣。不知陛下承歡內庭時，將仍舊稱乎，抑改而從今稱乎？若仍舊稱，而不得尊之為後，則於慈壽徒有為後之虛文，於母妃則又缺尊崇之大典，無一而可也。臣愚謂興獻王尊以帝號，別建一廟，以示不敢上躋於列聖。母妃則尊為皇太后，而少殺其徽稱，以示不敢上同於慈壽。此於大統固無所妨，而天性之恩亦得以兼盡。」疏至，會興王及妃已稱為帝後，下之禮官。

When Emperor Shizong took the throne, court debate over the rites of imperial mourning remained unsettled. Jia urgently memorialized: "Your Majesty rose from a princely fief to the throne—if you insist on the theory of adoption, honoring Emperor Xiaozong and taking Empress Cishou as mother, then the Prince of Xing's consort would be reduced to the rank of an uncle's wife. When you paid court within the palace, would you have kept the old forms of address, or changed to the new ones? If you kept the old titles yet could not honor her as heir, Empress Cishou would receive only empty ceremony while your own mother would lack full honor—neither course would suffice. I propose that the Prince of Xing be honored with an imperial title and a separate temple, showing that you dare not rank him above the ancestral emperors. His consort should be honored as Empress Dowager, with a slightly lesser title, showing that you dare not rank her equal to Empress Cishou. This would not harm the imperial succession, yet would let natural filial affection be fully expressed. When the memorial arrived, the Prince of Xing and his consort had already been titled emperor and empress; it was referred to the rites officials.

嘉靖初，由右給事中出為河南參議。外艱歸。六年，服闋，召修《明倫大典》。超擢右僉都御史，協理院事。明年四月遷大理寺卿，俄遷右副都御史。《大典》成，轉左。八年二月遂擢右都御史，掌院事。京師民張福訴裏人張柱殺其母，東廠以聞，刑部坐柱死。不服，福姊亦泣訴官，謂母福自殺之，其鄰人之詞亦然。詔郎中魏應召覆按，改坐福。東廠奏法司妄出人罪，帝怒，下應召詔獄。浹是應召議，執如初。帝愈怒，褫浹職。給事中陸粲、劉希簡爭之，帝大怒，並下兩人詔獄。侍郎許贊等遂抵柱死，應召及鄰人俱充軍，杖福姊百，人以為冤。當是時，帝方深疾孝、武兩後家，柱實武宗後家夏氏仆，故帝必欲殺之。

In early Jiajing he left his post as Right Supervising Secretary to become Vice Commissioner in Henan. He returned home to observe mourning for a parent. In the sixth year, when mourning ended, he was summoned to compile the Great Canon of Human Relations. He was specially promoted to Right Vice Censor-in-Chief to assist in directing the censorate. The following fourth month he became Chief Minister of the Court of Judicial Review; soon after he was made Right Vice Censor-in-Chief. When the Great Canon was completed, he was transferred to Left Vice Censor-in-Chief. In the second month of the eighth year he was promoted to Right Censor-in-Chief and put in charge of the censorate. A Beijing commoner named Zhang Fu accused his neighbor Zhang Zhu of killing his mother; the Eastern Depot reported it, and the Ministry of Punishments sentenced Zhu to death. Zhu would not accept the verdict; Fu's elder sister wept before the magistrate, saying Fu had killed their mother himself, and the neighbors said the same. An edict ordered Director Wei Yingzhao to reinvestigate; the verdict was reversed and Fu was convicted. The Eastern Depot reported that the courts had wrongly freed a guilty man; the emperor was enraged and sent Wei Yingzhao to the edict prison. Jia sided with Yingzhao and upheld the revised verdict. The emperor grew angrier still and stripped Jia of office. Supervising Secretaries Lu Can and Liu Xijian protested; the emperor was furious and sent both to the edict prison as well. Vice Minister Xu Zan and others then upheld Zhu's death sentence; Yingzhao and the neighbors were banished to military service, and Fu's sister was flogged a hundred times—many considered it a miscarriage of justice. At the time the emperor deeply resented the consort families of the Xia and Wu empresses; Zhu was in fact a servant of Empress Xia's clan from the Wuzong era, and the emperor was determined to see him dead.

浹家居十年。至帝幸承天與近臣論舊人，乃召為南京禮部尚書，改兵部，參贊機務。二十一年召為兵部尚書，掌都察院事。居二年，代許贊為吏部尚書。帝於禁中築乩仙臺，間用其言決威福，浹論其妄。帝大怒，欲罪之，以前議禮故不遽斥。二品六年滿，加太子太保，坐事奪俸者再。浹知帝意終不釋，遂稱病乞休。帝大怒，褫職為民。又十年卒。

Jia lived in retirement for ten years. When the emperor visited Chengtian and spoke with close ministers about old servants, Jia was recalled as Nanjing Minister of Rites, then shifted to the Ministry of War to assist in state deliberations. In the twenty-first year he was recalled as Minister of War and put in charge of the censorate. Two years later he replaced Xu Zan as Minister of Personnel. The emperor had built a spirit-writing platform in the palace and sometimes let its pronouncements decide rewards and punishments; Jia argued this was deluded. The emperor was furious and wanted to punish him, but because of his earlier role in the rites debate did not dismiss him at once. After six years at the second rank he was granted Junior Guardian of the Heir Apparent, though twice his salary was forfeited for offenses. Jia knew the emperor would never forgive him and claimed illness, asking to retire. The emperor was furious and stripped him of office, reducing him to commoner status. Ten years later he died.

浹少有誌節，自守嚴。雖由議禮顯，然不甚黨比，尤愛護人才。故其去吏部也，善類多思之。隆慶初，復官，予祭葬，謚恭肅。

From youth Xiong Jia had resolve and integrity, and he held himself to strict standards. Although he rose to prominence through the Rites Controversy, he was not much given to factional alliance and was especially protective of talented men. Therefore when he left the Ministry of Personnel, worthy men greatly missed him. At the beginning of the Longqing reign his office was restored; he was granted state burial rites and posthumously titled Gongsu.

黃宗明，字誠甫，鄞人。正德九年進士。除南京兵部主事，進員外郎。嘗從王守仁論學。寧王宸濠反，上江防三策。武宗南征，抗疏諫，尋請告歸。嘉靖二年，起南京刑部郎中。張璁、桂萼爭「大禮」，自南京召入都，未上。三年四月，璁、萼、黃綰及宗明聯疏奏曰：「今日尊崇之議，以陛下與為人後者，禮官附和之私也。以陛下為入繼大統者，臣等考經之論也。人之言曰，兩議相持，有大小眾寡不敵之勢。臣等則曰，惟理而已。大哉舜之為君，視天下悅而歸己，猶草芥也，惟不順於父母，如窮人無所歸。今言者徇私植黨，奪天子之父母而不顧，在陛下可一日安其位而不之圖乎？此聖諭令廷臣集議，終日相視莫敢先發者，勢有所壓，理有所屈故也。臣等大懼欺蔽因循，終不能贊成大孝。陛下何不親禦朝堂，進百官而詢之曰：『朕以憲宗皇帝之孫，孝宗皇帝之侄，興獻帝之子，遵太祖兄終弟及之文，奉武宗倫序當立之詔，入承大統，非與為人後者也。前者未及詳稽，遽詔天下，尊孝宗皇帝為皇考，昭聖太后為聖母，而興獻帝後別加本生之稱，朕深用悔艾。今當明父子大倫，繼統大義，改稱孝宗為皇伯考，昭聖為皇伯母，而去本生之稱，為皇考恭穆獻皇帝，聖母章聖皇太后，此萬世通禮。爾文武廷臣尚念父子之親，君臣之義，與朕共明大倫於天下。』如此，在朝百工有不感泣而奉詔者乎，更以此告於天下萬姓，其有不感泣而奉詔者乎，此即《周禮》詢群臣詢萬民之意也。」奏入，帝大悅，卒如其言。宗明亦遂蒙帝眷。

Huang Zongming, styled Chengfu, was a native of Yin. He passed the jinshi examination in the ninth year of the Zhengde reign. He was appointed a director in the Nanjing Ministry of War and later promoted to vice director. He once studied under Wang Shouren. When the Prince of Ning, Chen Hao, rebelled, he submitted three strategies for Yangtze River defense. When Emperor Wuzong marched south on campaign, he submitted a memorial in protest; soon afterward he asked for leave and returned home. In the second year of the Jiajing reign he was recalled as a director in the Nanjing Ministry of Punishments. Zhang Cong and Gui E were contesting the "Great Rites"; they had been summoned from Nanjing to the capital but had not yet arrived. In the fourth month of the third year, Zhang Cong, Gui E, Huang Wan, and Huang Zongming submitted a joint memorial, saying: "Today's debate over imperial honors holds that Your Majesty was made another's heir—that is the private flattery of the rites officials. That Your Majesty entered to succeed the great succession is our conclusion from examining the classics. People say the two positions stand opposed, with unequal rank, numbers, and strength on each side. We say that only principle matters. How great was Shun as ruler: he regarded the whole realm rejoicing and coming to him as no more than grass, yet when he was not filial toward his parents he felt like a destitute man with nowhere to turn. Those who speak now favor private interest and cultivate factions, seizing the Son of Heaven's parents without regard—can Your Majesty rest secure on the throne for even a day without considering this? This is why, when the holy edict ordered court officials to deliberate together, they looked at one another all day and none dared speak first—power bent principle. We greatly fear deception and procrastination, and that in the end we will fail to help accomplish supreme filial piety. Why does Your Majesty not personally attend court, summon the hundred officials, and ask: 'I am the grandson of Emperor Xianzong, the nephew of Emperor Xiaozong, and the son of Emperor Xingxian; following the Taizu's precedent that when the elder brother dies the younger succeeds, and obeying the decree that Wuzong's line in turn should hold the succession, I entered to inherit the great succession—I am not one who was made another's heir. Earlier, before matters could be fully examined, an edict was hastily issued throughout the realm honoring Emperor Xiaozong as Imperial Father and Empress Dowager Zhaosheng as Holy Mother, while Emperor Xingxian was separately given his birth-parent title—I deeply repent this. Now the great relations between father and son and the great principle of succession must be clarified: Xiaozong shall be called Imperial Uncle-Father, Zhaosheng Imperial Aunt-Mother; the birth-parent title shall be removed; Emperor Xingxian shall be Imperial Father Gongmu, and the Holy Mother Zhangsheng Empress Dowager—this is the eternal ritual for all generations. You civil and military court officials should remember the intimacy of father and son and the righteousness between ruler and subject, and with me make the great relations clear throughout the realm. Would any officer at court fail to weep with emotion and obey such an edict? And if this were proclaimed to all the people under Heaven, would any fail to weep and obey? This is the intent of the Rites of Zhou in consulting ministers and the people. When the memorial was submitted, the emperor was greatly pleased and ultimately did as they proposed. Huang Zongming also came under the emperor's special favor.

明年出為吉安知府，遷福建鹽運使。六年召修《明倫大典》，以母憂歸。服闋，征拜光祿卿。十一年擢兵部右侍郎。其冬，編修楊名以劾汪鋐下詔獄，詞連同官程文德，亦坐系。詔書責主謀者益急。宗明抗疏救，且曰：「連坐非善政。今以一人妄言，必究主使，廷臣孰不懼？況名搒掠已極，當嚴冬或困斃，將為仁明累。」帝大怒，謂宗明即其主使，並下詔獄，謫福建右參政。帝終念宗明議禮功，明年召拜禮部右侍郎。遼東兵變，捶辱巡撫呂經。而帝務姑息，納鎮守中官王純等言，將逮經。宗明言：「前者遼陽之變，生於有激。今重賦苛徭悉已厘正，廣寧復變，又誰激之？法不宜復赦。請令新撫臣韓邦奇勒兵壓境，揚聲討罪，取其首惡，用振國威，不得專事姑息。」帝不從，經卒被逮。宗明尋轉左侍郎，卒於官。

The next year he was sent out as prefect of Ji'an, then transferred to salt transport commissioner in Fujian. In the sixth year he was summoned to compile the Great Canon of Human Relations but returned home to mourn his mother. When mourning ended he was summoned and appointed director of the Court of Imperial Entertainment. In the eleventh year he was promoted to vice minister of war. That winter, compiler Yang Ming was sent to the edict prison for impeaching Wang Hong; the accusation implicated his colleague Cheng Wende, who was also imprisoned. The edict grew still more urgent in demanding the ringleaders. Huang Zongming submitted a memorial in protest to save them, saying: "Collective punishment is not good policy. Now that one man's reckless words require finding the mastermind, which court official will not fear? Moreover, Yang Ming has been beaten to the limit—if in deep winter he should die in custody, it will burden Your Majesty's reputation for benevolence and clarity." The emperor was furious, took Huang Zongming to be the mastermind, sent him to the edict prison as well, and demoted him to right assistant administrator in Fujian. The emperor continued to remember Huang Zongming's service in the Rites Controversy; the next year he recalled him as vice minister of rites. Troops mutinied in Liaodong, beating and humiliating Grand Coordinator Lu Jing. Yet the emperor favored leniency, accepted the words of the defensive eunuch Wang Chun and others, and intended to arrest Lu Jing. Huang Zongming said: "The earlier mutiny at Liaoyang arose from provocation. Now heavy levies and harsh corvée have all been corrected—who provoked the new revolt at Guangning? The law does not permit another amnesty. I ask that the new grand coordinator Han Bangqi lead troops to press the border, proclaim the pursuit of guilt, take the ringleaders, and restore the realm's majesty—not rely wholly on leniency." The emperor would not listen; Lu Jing was ultimately arrested. Huang Zongming was soon transferred to left vice minister and died in office.

初，議禮諸臣恃帝恩眷，驅駕氣勢，恣行胸臆。宗明雖由是驟顯，持論頗平，於諸人中獨無畏惡之者。

At first the ministers who had debated the rites relied on imperial favor, drove affairs with overbearing force, and acted on private impulse. Although Huang Zongming rose suddenly through this, his positions were fairly measured; among them all he alone aroused neither fear nor hatred.

黃綰，字宗賢，黃巖人，侍郎孔昭孫也。承祖蔭官後府都事。嘗師謝鐸、王守仁。嘉靖初，為南京都察院經歷。

Huang Wan, styled Zongxian, was a native of Huangyan and the grandson of Vice Minister Kong Zhao. He inherited office and served as a director in the rear palace. He studied under Xie Duo and Wang Shouren. At the beginning of the Jiajing reign he served as registrar in the Nanjing Censorate.

張璁、桂萼爭「大禮」，帝心向之。三年二月，綰亦上言曰：「武宗承孝宗之統十有六年，今復以陛下為孝宗之子，繼孝宗之統，則武宗不應有廟矣。是使孝宗不得子武宗，乃所以絕孝宗也。由是，使興獻帝不得子陛下，乃所以絕興獻帝也。不幾於三綱淪，九法棨哉！」奏入，帝大喜，下之所司。其月，再上疏申前說。俄聞帝下詔稱本生皇考，復抗疏極辨。又與璁、萼及黃宗明合疏爭，「大禮」乃定。綰自是大受帝知。及明年，何淵請建世室，綰與宗明斥其謬。尋遷南京刑部員外郎，再謝病歸。帝念其議禮功，六年六月召擢光祿少卿，預修《明倫大典》。

Zhang Cong and Gui E contested the "Great Rites," and the emperor's heart favored them. In the second month of the third year Huang Wan also memorialized, saying: "Wuzong held Xiaozong's succession for sixteen years—if now Your Majesty is called Xiaozong's son and inherits Xiaozong's line, then Wuzong should have no temple. This prevents Xiaozong from having Wuzong as son and thus cuts off Xiaozong. By this, it prevents Emperor Xingxian from having Your Majesty as son and thus cuts off Emperor Xingxian. Does this not nearly overturn the three bonds and throw the nine laws into chaos!" When the memorial was submitted, the emperor was greatly pleased and sent it to the relevant offices. That same month he memorialized again to develop his earlier argument. Soon he heard the emperor had issued an edict calling his birth father Imperial Father; he again submitted a memorial vigorously arguing against it. He also jointly memorialized with Zhang Cong, Gui E, and Huang Zongming over the issue, and the "Great Rites" were settled. From then on Huang Wan enjoyed the emperor's special trust. The next year, when He Yuan petitioned to build an Eternal Shrine, Huang Wan together with Huang Zongming denounced the proposal as mistaken. He was soon transferred to vice director in the Nanjing Ministry of Punishments and again asked leave on grounds of illness and returned home. The emperor, remembering his service in the Rites Controversy, in the sixth month of the sixth year summoned and promoted him to vice director of the Court of Imperial Entertainment to help compile the Great Canon of Human Relations.

王守仁中忌者，雖封伯，不給誥券歲祿；諸有功若知府邢珣、徐璉、陳槐，御史伍希儒、謝源，多以考察黜。綰訟之於朝，且請召守仁輔政。守仁得給賜如制，珣等亦敘錄。綰尋遷大理左少卿。其年十月，璁、萼逐諸翰林於外，引己所善者補之，遂用綰為少詹事兼侍講學士，直經筵。以任子官翰林，前此未有也。

Wang Shouren had fallen among the jealous—though enfeoffed as a marquis, he was not given patent and annual stipend; men with merit such as the prefects Xing Xun, Xu Lian, and Chen Huai, and the censors Wu Xiru and Xie Yuan, were largely dismissed through performance review. Huang Wan pleaded their case at court and also asked that Wang Shouren be summoned to assist in government. Wang Shouren received grants as prescribed, and Xing Xun and the others were also given recorded appointments. Huang Wan was soon transferred to left assistant minister of the Court of Revision. That October Zhang Cong and Gui E drove the Hanlin academicians out and filled their posts with men they favored; Huang Wan was then appointed junior tutor and lecturing academician, attending the classics lectures. Appointment to the Hanlin through the privilege of an official's son had never happened before.

明年，《大典》成，進詹事。錦衣僉事聶能遷者，初附錢寧得官，用登極詔例還為百戶。後附璁、萼議「大禮」，且交關中貴崔文，得復故職。《大典》成，諸人皆進秩，能遷獨不與，大恨。囑罷閑主事翁洪草奏，誣王守仁賄席書得召用，詞連綰及璁。綰疏辨，且乞引避。帝優旨留之，而下能遷法司，遣之戍，洪亦編原籍為民。

The next year, when the Canon was completed, he was promoted to tutor. Nie Nengqian of the Embroidered Uniform Guard had first gained office by attaching to Qian Ning; under the accession edict's precedent he reverted to centurion. Later he attached to Zhang Cong and Gui E in the "Great Rites" debate and cultivated ties with the chief eunuch Cui Wen, recovering his former post. When the Canon was completed all the others received promotions—Nie Nengqian alone did not, and he resented this deeply. He had the dismissed director Weng Hong draft a memorial falsely charging Wang Shouren with bribing the chief secretary to obtain recall, implicating Huang Wan and Zhang Cong. Huang Wan memorialized in his defense and also asked to withdraw from office. The emperor replied with gracious words keeping him, but sent Nie Nengqian to the judicial offices and banished him to military service; Weng Hong was also registered as a commoner in his native place.

綰與璁輩深相得。璁欲用為吏部侍郎，且令典試南京，並為楊一清所抑，又以其南音不令與經筵。綰大恚，上疏醜詆一清而不斥其名。帝心知其為一清也，以浮詞責之。其年十月，出為南京禮部右侍郎，遍攝諸部印。十二年召拜禮部左侍郎。初，綰與璁深相結。至是，夏言長禮部，帝方向用，綰乃潛附之，與璁左。其佐南禮部也，郎中鄒守益引疾，詔綰核實。久不報，而守益竟去。吏部尚書汪鋐希璁指，疏發其事，詔奪守益官，令鋐覆核，鋐遂劾綰欺蔽。璁調旨削三秩，出之外。會禮部請祈谷導引官，帝留綰供事。鋐於是再疏攻綰，且掇及他事，帝復命調外。綰上疏自理，因詆鋐為璁鷹犬，乞賜罷黜以避禍。帝終念綰議禮功，仍留任如故。綰自是顯與璁貳矣。

Huang Wan and Zhang Cong's circle were deeply united. Zhang Cong wished to appoint him vice minister of personnel and also have him preside over the Nanjing examinations—both were blocked by Yang Yiqing; moreover, because of his southern accent he was not allowed to join the classics lectures. Huang Wan was furious and memorialized with ugly slander of Yang Yiqing without naming him. The emperor knew in his heart it was Yang Yiqing and reprimanded him with empty words. That October he was sent out as right vice minister of rites in Nanjing, with authority over all departmental seals. In the twelfth year he was recalled as left vice minister of rites. At first Huang Wan and Zhang Cong were deeply allied. By now Xia Yan headed the Ministry of Rites and the emperor intended to employ him—Huang Wan secretly attached to Xia Yan and turned against Zhang Cong. While assisting at the southern Ministry of Rites, Director Zou Shouyi claimed illness; an edict ordered Huang Wan to verify it. He took long to reply, and Zou Shouyi ultimately left. Minister of Personnel Wang Hong, hoping to please Zhang Cong, memorialized exposing the matter; an edict stripped Zou Shouyi of office and ordered Wang Hong to reinvestigate—Hong then impeached Huang Wan for deception. Zhang Cong obtained an edict reducing Huang Wan three ranks and sending him outside the capital. When the Ministry of Rites requested prayer officers for the grain-prayer ceremony, the emperor kept Huang Wan to serve. Wang Hong then memorialized again attacking Huang Wan and dredging up other matters; the emperor again ordered him transferred outside the capital. Huang Wan memorialized in his own defense, denouncing Wang Hong as Zhang Cong's hawk and dog, and begging to be dismissed to avoid disaster. The emperor still remembered Huang Wan's service in the Rites Controversy and kept him in post as before. From then on Huang Wan was openly at odds with Zhang Cong.

初，大同軍變，殺總兵官李瑾，據城拒守。總制侍郎劉源清、提督郤永議屠之。城中恟懼，外勾蒙古為助，塞上大震。巡撫潘倣急請止兵，源清怒，馳疏力詆倣。璁及廷議並右源清，綰獨言非策。及源清罷，侍郎張瓚往代。未至，而郎中詹榮等已定亂。叛卒未盡獲，軍民瘡痍甚，代王請遣大臣綏緝之。疏下禮部，夏言以為宜許，而極詆前用兵之謬，語侵璁。璁怒，力持不欲遣。帝委曲諭解之，乃特以命綰，且令察軍情，勘功罪，得便宜行事。綰馳至大同，宗室軍民牒訴官軍暴掠者以百數，無告叛軍者。綰一無所問，以安其心。有為叛軍使蒙古歸者，綰執戮之，反側者復相煽。綰大集軍民，曉以禍福。罹害者陳牒，綰佯不問，而密以牒授給振官，按裏核實，一日捕首惡數十人。卒尚欽殺一家三人，懼不免，夜鳴金倡亂，無應者，遂就擒。綰復圖形購首惡數人，軍民乃不復虞詿誤。遂令有司樹木柵，設保甲四隅，創社學，教軍民子弟，城中大安。還朝，列上文武將吏功罪，極詆源清、永。綰以勞增俸一等，璁及兵部庇源清，陰抑綰。綰累疏論，帝亦意向之，源清、永卒被逮。綰尋以母憂歸。

Initially the Datong garrison mutinied, killed the commander-in-chief Li Jin, seized the city, and held it. Grand Coordinator Vice Minister Liu Yuanqing and Commissioner Qie Yong planned to massacre them. Inside the city panic spread; they secretly summoned Mongols for aid, and the frontier was greatly shaken. Grand Coordinator Pan Fang urgently asked that troops be halted; Liu Yuanqing was furious and rushed a memorial violently denouncing Pan Fang. Zhang Cong and the court debate all sided with Liu Yuanqing; Huang Wan alone said it was not a sound policy. When Liu Yuanqing was dismissed, Vice Minister Zhang Zan was sent to replace him. Before Zhang Zan arrived, Director Zhan Rong and others had already put down the mutiny. The rebel soldiers had not all been captured, and soldiers and civilians alike were grievously afflicted. The Prince of Dai memorialized asking that a senior minister be sent to pacify the region and restore order. The memorial was referred to the Ministry of Rites. Xia Yan held that the request should be granted, but he also fiercely denounced the folly of the earlier military campaign, with remarks that implicated Zhang Cong. Zhang Cong was furious and firmly opposed sending anyone. The emperor tactfully mediated between them, then specially appointed Huang Wan to the task, instructing him to assess military morale, weigh merits and faults, and act at his discretion. Huang Wan hurried to Datong. Princes, soldiers, and civilians submitted petitions by the hundreds accusing the government troops of violent plunder, yet not one petition accused the rebel soldiers. Huang Wan pursued none of these complaints, so as to reassure them. When someone who had summoned the Mongols back on behalf of the rebels was found, Huang Wan had him arrested and executed, and those still wavering were stirred up once more. Huang Wan gathered soldiers and civilians in a great assembly and explained to them the consequences of fortune and ruin. When victims submitted petitions, Huang Wan pretended to take no notice, but secretly handed the documents to relief officials, who traced each case and verified the facts. In a single day they seized several dozen ringleaders. The soldier Shang Qin had killed three members of one household. Fearing he could not escape punishment, he beat the alarm gong at night to incite another mutiny, but no one answered, and he was captured. Huang Wan then posted portraits offering rewards for the capture of several chief offenders, and soldiers and civilians no longer feared being wrongly implicated. He then ordered local officials to build wooden palisades, establish mutual-responsibility groups in all four quarters, found community schools, and instruct the children of soldiers and civilians. Great calm was restored within the city. On returning to court, he submitted a detailed accounting of the merits and faults of civil and military officers, fiercely denouncing Liu Yuanqing and Qie Yong. Huang Wan was granted one grade of increased salary for his service, but Zhang Cong and the Ministry of War shielded Liu Yuanqing and secretly worked against Huang Wan. Huang Wan memorialized repeatedly on the matter, and the emperor also came to favor his view. Liu Yuanqing and Qie Yong were eventually arrested. Huang Wan soon returned home to observe mourning for his mother.

十八年，禮官以恭上皇天上帝大號及皇祖謚號，請遣官詔諭朝鮮。時帝方議討安南，欲因以覘之，乃曰：「安南亦朝貢之國，不可以邇年叛服故，不使與聞。其擇大臣有學識者往。」廷臣屢以名上，皆不用。特起綰禮部尚書兼翰林學士為正使，諭德張治副之。帝方幸承天，趣綰詣行在受命。綰憚往，至徐州先馳使奏疾不能前，致失期。帝責綰不馳赴行在，而舟詣京師為大不敬，令陳狀，已而釋之。綰數陳便宜，請得節制兩廣、雲、貴重臣，遣給事御史同事，吏、禮、兵三部擇郎官二人備任使。帝悉從之。最後為其父母請贈，且援建儲恩例請給誥命如其官。帝怒，褫尚書新命，令以侍郎閑住，使事亦竟寢。久之，卒於家。

In the eighteenth year, rites officials requested that envoys be dispatched to proclaim by edict to Korea the newly honored title of the Supreme Lord of Heaven and the posthumous title of the imperial ancestor. The emperor was then debating an expedition against Annam and wished to use the mission to probe conditions there. He said: "Annam is also a tributary state. We cannot, because of its recent rebellion and submission, keep it from hearing of this. Choose a senior minister of learning and ability to go. Court officials repeatedly submitted names, but none were chosen. Huang Wan was specially recalled as Minister of Rites and Hanlin Academician to serve as chief envoy, with Tutor Zhang Zhi as his deputy. The emperor was then visiting Chengtian and urged Huang Wan to proceed to the mobile court to receive his commission. Huang Wan feared making the journey. When he reached Xuzhou he first sent a messenger ahead memorializing that illness prevented him from proceeding, and so missed the deadline. The emperor rebuked Huang Wan for failing to hurry to the mobile court and instead taking a boat to the capital, calling this a grave disrespect. He ordered Huang Wan to submit a written account, but later released him. Huang Wan repeatedly proposed practical measures, requesting authority over the senior ministers of Guangdong and Guangxi, Yunnan, and Guizhou; the dispatch of supervising secretaries and censors to accompany the mission; and that the ministries of Personnel, Rites, and War each select two directors as reserve envoys. The emperor granted all of these requests. Finally he requested posthumous honors for his parents and, citing the precedent of favors granted at the establishment of the heir apparent, asked that patents of appointment be issued to them matching his own official rank. The emperor was enraged. He stripped Huang Wan of his new appointment as minister, ordered him to remain idle at the rank of vice minister, and the envoy mission was abandoned altogether. After some time, he died at home.

綰起家任子，致位卿貳。初附張璁，晚背璁附夏言，時皆以傾狡目之。方「大禮」之興也，首繼璁上疏者為襄府棗陽王祐楒。其言曰：「孝廟止宜稱『皇伯考』，聖父宜稱『皇考興獻大王』。即興國之陵廟祀用天子禮樂，祝稱孝子皇帝某。聖母宜上徽號稱太妃，迎養宮中。庶繼體之道不失，天性之親不泯。」時世宗登極歲之八月也。自時厥後，諸希寵幹進之徒，紛然而起。失職武夫、罷閑小吏亦皆攘臂努目，抗論廟謨。即璁、萼輩亦羞稱之，不與為伍。故自璁等八人外，率無殊擢。至致仕教諭王價，遂請加諸臣貶竄誅戮之刑，懲朋黨欺蔽之罪。而最陋者南京刑部主事歸安陸澄。初極言追尊之非，逮服闋入都，《明倫大典》已定，璁、萼大用事，澄乃言初為人誤，質之臣師王守仁乃大悔恨。萼悅其言，請除禮部主事。而帝見澄前疏惡之，謫高州通判以去。

Huang Wan had begun as the appointed son of an official and rose to vice-ministerial rank. At first he attached himself to Zhang Cong; later he turned against Cong and attached himself to Xia Yan. Contemporaries regarded him as treacherous and deceitful. When the Great Rites controversy arose, the first after Zhang Cong to submit a memorial was Wang Yousi, Prince of Zaoyang in the Xiang princely establishment. He wrote: "Emperor Xiaozong should only be styled 'Imperial Uncle-Father'; the sacred father should be styled 'Imperial Father, King Xingxian. Even if the tomb and temple of the Xing princely establishment were served with the rites and music of the Son of Heaven, the prayer should address him as Filial Son Emperor [personal name]. The sacred mother should receive an honorific title as Grand Consort and be welcomed into the palace to be cared for. In this way the principle of legitimate succession would be preserved and the bonds of natural kinship would not be extinguished.' This was in the eighth month of the year in which Emperor Shizong ascended the throne. From that time onward, men seeking imperial favor and advancement rose up in droves. Dismissed soldiers and idle petty clerks rolled up their sleeves and glared as they challenged imperial policy. Even Zhang Cong, Gui E, and their circle were ashamed to be linked with such men and would not join their company. Accordingly, apart from Zhang Cong's eight associates, few received any special promotion. Wang Jia, a retired district instructor, went so far as to request demotion, banishment, and execution for all the opposing officials, so as to punish the crime of factional deception. The most contemptible of them was Lu Cheng of Gui'an, a principal secretary in the Nanjing Ministry of Justice. At first he had strongly argued against posthumous honors. When his mourning ended and he entered the capital, the Grand Canon of Illuminating Human Relations had already been settled, and Zhang Cong and Gui E were firmly in power. Lu Cheng then claimed he had originally been misled by others; when he questioned his teacher Wang Shouren, he was filled with remorse. Gui E was pleased with his words and requested that he be appointed a principal secretary in the Ministry of Rites. But the emperor, having seen Lu Cheng's earlier memorial, took offense and demoted him to assistant prefect of Gaozhou.

嘉靖四年七月，席書將輯《大禮集議》，因言：「近題請刊布，多系建言於三年以前，若臣書及璁、萼、獻夫、韜，所正取者不過五人。禮科右給事中熊浹、南京刑部郎中黃宗明、都察院經歷黃綰、通政司經歷金述、監生陳雲章、儒士張少璉及楚王、棗陽王二宗室外，所附取者不過六人。有同時建議，若監生何淵、主事王國光、同知馬時中、巡檢房濬，言或未純，義多未正，亦在不取。其他罷職投閑之夫，建言於璁、萼等召用後者，皆望風希旨，有所覬覦，亦一切不錄。其錦衣百戶聶能遷、昌平致仕教諭王價建言三年二三月，未經采入。今二臣奏乞附名，應如其請。」帝從之。因詔「大禮」已定，自今有假言陳奏者，必罪不宥。

In the seventh month of the fourth year of the Jiajing reign, Xi Shu was preparing to compile the Collected Discussions on the Great Rites. He said: "The recent request to publish mostly concerns memorials submitted before the third year. As for myself, Zhang Cong, Gui E, Fang Xianfu, and Huo Tao, those formally selected number no more than five. Right Supervising Secretary Xiong Jia of the Rites Section, Director Huang Zongming of the Nanjing Ministry of Justice, Secretariat Clerk Huang Wan of the Censorate, Secretariat Clerk Jin Shu of the Communications Office, student Chen Yunzhang, scholar Zhang Shaolian, and the two princes of Chu and Zaoyang aside, those additionally selected number no more than six. There were contemporaneous proposals by student He Yuan, Principal Secretary Wang Guoguang, Vice Prefect Ma Shizhong, and Inspector Fang Jun, whose language was impure or whose principles were largely unsound; these too were excluded. As for other dismissed and idle men who memorialized after Zhang Cong, Gui E, and the others were summoned to office, all looked to the prevailing wind and sought favor with ulterior ambitions; these too were entirely excluded. The memorials submitted in the second and third months of the third year by Nie Nengqian, a hundred-household commander of the Embroidered Uniform Guard, and Wang Jia, retired instructor of Changping, had not yet been included. Now these two men memorialize asking that their names be appended; their request should be granted. The emperor approved. An edict was therefore issued: since the Great Rites had been settled, from now on anyone who submitted false or opportunistic memorials would be punished without pardon.

至十二年正月，蒲州諸生秦鏜伏闕上書，言：「孝宗之統訖於武宗，則獻皇帝於孝宗實為兄終弟及。陛下承獻皇帝之統，當奉之於太廟，而張孚敬議禮，乃別創世廟以祀之，使不得預昭穆之次，是幽之也。」又謂：「分祀、天、地、日、月於四鄰，失尊卑大小之序。去先師王號，撤其塑像，損其禮樂，增啟聖祠，皆非聖祖之意。請復其初。」帝得奏，大怒。責以毀上不道，下詔獄嚴訊，令供主謀。鏜服妄議希恩，實無主使者。乃坐妖言律論死，系獄。其後又從豐坊之請，入廟稱宗，以配上帝，則璁輩已死，不及見矣。

In the first month of the twelfth year, the student Qin Tang of Puzhou submitted a petition at the palace gate, saying: "Emperor Xiaozong's line ended with Emperor Wuzong; thus the Emperor Xian was in fact a case of elder-brother succession to Xiaozong. Your Majesty inherited the line of the Emperor Xian and ought to enshrine him in the Grand Ancestral Temple, but Zhang Fujing's rites proposal instead created a separate dynastic temple for his worship, keeping him from the proper order of ancestral precedence. This is to consign him to obscurity. He also wrote: "Separating the worship of Heaven, Earth, the Sun, and the Moon at the four suburban altars violates the proper order of high and low, great and small. Removing the royal title of the Former Master, withdrawing his statue, reducing his rites and music, and adding a shrine to his father—none of these accord with the intent of the sacred founding ancestor. I ask that the original arrangements be restored. When the emperor received the petition, he was furious. He charged Qin Tang with slandering the sovereign and violating the Way, sent him to the imperial prison for rigorous interrogation, and ordered him to reveal the chief conspirator. Qin Tang admitted that he had rashly debated in hope of imperial favor and that in fact there was no chief instigator. He was therefore sentenced to death under the statute on seditious speech and imprisoned. Later, at Feng Fang's request, the emperor was enshrined in the ancestral temple with the title Imperial Ancestor and paired with the Supreme Lord—but by then Zhang Cong and his associates were already dead and could not witness it.

贊曰：席書等亦由議禮受知，而持論差平。然事以激成，末流多變。蓋至入廟稱宗，則亦非諸人倡議之初心矣。書、韜在官頗有所建樹，浹、宗明能自斂戢，時論為優。至綰之傾狡，乃不足道矣。

The commentator says: Xi Shu and the others also won imperial favor through the rites debate, and their arguments were comparatively moderate. Yet the affair was driven to completion through agitation, and its later course changed greatly. For when the emperor was enshrined as Imperial Ancestor, that was no longer the original intent of those who had first proposed the controversy. Xi Shu and Huo Tao achieved considerable accomplishments in office; Xiong Jia and Huang Zongming knew how to restrain themselves, and contemporary opinion regarded them favorably. As for Huang Wan's treachery and deceit, he is not worth discussing.

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