Emperor Wu of Han (漢武帝)

Overview

Emperor Wu of Han was a Seventh emperor of the Western Han dynasty, known for expansion and centralized rule.

Other names

Type	English	Chinese	Pinyin
Personal name	Liu Che	劉徹
Posthumous name	Emperor Wu	孝武	Xiàowǔ
Temple name	Xiaowu	孝武	Xiaowu
Regnal name	Emperor Wu	武	Wu

Life and dates

Death

BC 87 後元二年
Directly stated · Book of Han 8, passage 6
BC 87 後元二年前後
Dated from the passage context · Book of Han 85, passage 104

Age

not yet twenty
年未二十 · As of 建元三年
Directly stated · Book of Han 74, passage 355

Attested activity

BC 109 元封二年
Dated from the passage context · Records of the Grand Historian 115, passages 11-12, 15-16
BC 108 元封三年夏
Dated from the passage context · Records of the Grand Historian 115, passages 52, 57
BC 141 to BC 87 BC 141-87
Uncertain · Book of Southern Qi 48, passage 150
BC 141 to BC 87 BC 141-87
Strongly inferred · New Book of Tang 113, passage 87
BC 150 七年四月
Directly stated · Records of the Grand Historian 11, passages 54-55
BC 150 七年夏四月丁巳
Directly stated · Book of Han 6, passage 85

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BC 121 上方鄉文學
Directly stated · Book of Han 69, passage 17
BC 127 上曰：布衣權至使將軍為言
Directly stated · Records of the Grand Historian 124, passage 94
BC 141 今上即位
Strongly inferred · Records of the Grand Historian 23, passage 28
BC 141 今上即位
Directly stated · Records of the Grand Historian 26, passage 49
BC 110 元封元年
Directly stated · Book of Later Han 108, passages 57, 60
BC 128 元朔元年
Dated from the passage context · Records of the Grand Historian 51, passages 63, 65
BC 123 元朔六年
Directly stated · Book of Han 71, passages 41, 49
BC 122 元狩元年
Directly stated · Book of Han 55, passage 55
BC 112 元鼎五年秋
Directly stated · Records of the Grand Historian 113, passage 110
BC 111 元鼎六年冬
Directly stated · Records of the Grand Historian 113, passage 114
BC 113 元鼎四年
Directly stated · Records of the Grand Historian 113, passage 62
BC 153 四年
Directly stated · Records of the Grand Historian 11, passage 35
BC 153 四年夏四月己巳
Directly stated · Book of Han 6, passage 72
BC 104 太初之元
Strongly inferred · Records of the Grand Historian 23, passage 34
BC 104 太初元年
Directly stated · Book of Han 71, passages 128, 134; Records of the Grand Historian 26, passages 59, 61
BC 91 太子兵事
Directly stated · Records of the Grand Historian 104, passages 122, 124
BC 141 太子即位
Dated from the passage context · Records of the Grand Historian 120, passage 5
BC 141 to BC 87 孝武
Directly stated · Book of Later Han 89, passage 51
BC 141 to BC 87 孝武之世
Dated from the passage context · Book of Han 101, passage 6
BC 141 to BC 87 孝武帝
Dated from the passage context · Book of Later Han 127, passage 180
BC 141 to BC 87 孝武帝初置
Dated from the passage context · Book of Later Han 128, passage 156
BC 110 孝武帝封泰山
Directly stated · Book of Later Han 110, passage 97
BC 141 to BC 87 孝武帝時
Directly stated · Records of the Grand Historian 127, passage 128
BC 141 to BC 87 孝武時
Directly stated · Book of Han 46, passage 92
BC 141 to BC 87 孝武皇帝
Directly stated · Records of the Grand Historian 84, passage 242
BC 140 to BC 135 建元中
Directly stated · Book of Han 71, passages 2, 26
BC 139 建元二年
Dated from the passage context · Book of Han 55, passages 33, 37; Records of the Grand Historian 103, passage 31
BC 137 建元四年
Dated from the passage context · Records of the Grand Historian 113, passages 38, 42
BC 141 後三年
Directly stated · Book of Han 6, passage 182; Records of the Grand Historian 11, passages 112, 116
BC 87 後元二年
Directly stated · Book of Han 85, passage 104
BC 87 後元二年二月
Dated from the passage context · Book of Han 8, passage 4
BC 141 to BC 87 於是聖武勃怒
Dated from the passage context · Book of Han 99, passage 24
BC 157 to BC 87 景武之間
Dated from the passage context · Book of Later Han 37, passage 112
BC 141 to BC 87 欲法武帝
Dated from the passage context · Book of Han 103, passage 107
BC 141 to BC 87 武帝
Directly stated · Book of Han 85, passage 100; Book of Han 98, passages 127, 174
BC 141 to BC 87 武帝
Dated from the passage context · Book of Later Han 125, passages 5, 77; Book of Later Han 127, passage 140; Book of Later Han 128, passage 142
BC 141 to BC 87 武帝之世
Dated from the passage context · Book of Later Han 31, passage 10
BC 141 to BC 87 武帝在位
Directly stated · Records of the Grand Historian 120, passage 135
BC 140 to BC 91 武帝大笑
Directly stated · Records of the Grand Historian 104, passage 110
BC 141 to BC 87 武帝時
Dated from the passage context · Book of Han 25, passage 107
BC 141 to BC 87 武帝立
Dated from the passage context · Records of the Grand Historian 102, passage 131
BC 141 武帝立
Directly stated · Book of Han 55, passage 112
BC 141 武帝立
Dated from the passage context · Records of the Grand Historian 103, passage 103
BC 209 to BC 141 漢初
Dated from the passage context · Book of Han 51, passage 139
BC 141 to BC 87 漢武
Directly stated · Book of Chen 17, passage 150; History of Liao 58, passage 12
c. BC 100 漢武
Directly stated · Book of Southern Qi 47, passages 70, 75
BC 97 漢武天漢四年
Directly stated · Book of Southern Qi 17, passage 4
BC 141 to BC 87 漢武帝
Directly stated · History of Liao 35, passage 2
BC 141 to BC 87 漢武帝之世
Directly stated · Book of Southern Qi 56, passage 9
BC 141 to BC 87 漢武帝以李延年典樂府
Directly stated · History of Liao 54, passage 135
BC 141 to BC 87 漢武帝設魚龍曼延之戲
Directly stated · History of Liao 54, passage 165
BC 133 漢武誅王恢
Directly stated · History of Song 359, passage 165
BC 141 to BC 87 漢武通天臺
Directly stated · Book of Chen 19, passage 24
BC 150 膠東王為太子
Dated from the passage context · Records of the Grand Historian 103, passage 98
BC 141 至武帝之初七十年間
Directly stated · Book of Han 26, passage 211
BC 141 to BC 87 西漢武帝之世
Directly stated · Book of Han 12, passage 135

Family

Immediate relationships attested in the translated histories.

Ancestor of Emperor Xuan of Han (漢宣帝)
great-grandson 曾孫 · 3 generations
Directly stated · Book of Han 85, passage 118
Parent of Prince Ai of Changyi (昌邑哀王)
bore 產
son 子
Strongly inferred · Book of Han 71, passage 133
Spouse of Lady Zhao (趙婕妤)
concubine 婕妤
Directly stated · Book of Han 8, passage 2
Parent of Crown Prince Li (戾太子)
crown prince 太子
heir 太子
Sources vary in certainty · Book of Han 8, passage 4; Book of Han 85, passage 101
Parent of Crown Prince (太子)
father 父
Crown Prince 太子
Directly stated · Records of the Grand Historian 104, passage 123
Spouse of Empress (皇后)
empress 皇后 · Primary marriage
Directly stated · Records of the Grand Historian 120, passage 65
Parent of Emperor Zhao (孝昭皇帝)
father 父
youngest son 少子 · paternal line
Directly stated · Book of Han 8, passage 1
Spouse of Lady Li (李夫人)
favored consort 寵姬 · Concubinage
Directly stated · Book of Han 71, passages 128, 133
Child of Emperor Jing of Han (漢景帝)
imperial son 皇子
son 子
Directly stated · Records of the Grand Historian 11, passage 35; Book of Han 6, passage 72
Parent of King Xu of Guangling (廣陵王胥)
King of Guangling 廣陵王
Strongly inferred · Book of Han 8, passage 4
Parent of King Dan of Yan (燕王旦)
King of Yan 燕王
Strongly inferred · Book of Han 8, passage 4
Child of Empress Wang (王氏)
mother 太后
Directly stated · Records of the Grand Historian 11, passage 53

Key source chapters

Book of Han, Chapter 76 Volume 65: Dongfang Shuo 72 passages
Records of the Grand Historian, Chapter 120 Biographies of Ji and Zheng 56 passages
Book of Han, Chapter 69 Volume 59: Zhang Tang 34 passages
Book of Han, Chapter 27 Volume 24b: Treatise on Trade 2 25 passages
Book of Han, Chapter 71 Volume 61: Zhang Qian and Li Guangli 24 passages

Career and standing

Crown Prince 皇太子
BC 150 七年夏四月丁巳 · Appointed
Directly stated · Book of Han 6, passage 85
appointing authority
Appointed · With She He (涉何)
Directly stated · Records of the Grand Historian 115, passage 13
emperor 武帝
Directly stated · Book of Han 74, passage 3
King of Jiaodong 膠東王
BC 153 四年夏四月己巳 · Enfeoffed
Directly stated · Book of Han 6, passage 72
King of Jiaodong 膠東王
BC 153 四年 · Appointed
Directly stated · Records of the Grand Historian 11, passage 35
Emperor Wu 孝武帝
Held
Directly stated · Records of the Grand Historian 127, passage 128

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Appointed
BC 150 七年四月丁巳 · Crown prince
Directly stated · Records of the Grand Historian 11, passages 54-55
Emperor Wu 武帝
Emperor · Held
Directly stated · Book of Later Han 128, passages 142, 156
Emperor 帝
Emperor · Held
Directly stated · Book of Later Han 127, passages 140, 180
Acceded
Directly stated · Book of Han 25, passage 181
BC 141 太子即位
Directly stated · Records of the Grand Historian 120, passage 5
BC 141 後三年
Throne Emperor of Han 皇帝
Directly stated · Records of the Grand Historian 11, passage 116
BC 141 武帝立
Directly stated · Records of the Grand Historian 102, passage 131
early in the reign / 初即位
Directly stated · Book of Han 76, passage 3
武帝即位
Directly stated · Book of Han 102, passage 62
BC 141 今上即位
Directly stated · Records of the Grand Historian 23, passage 28
BC 141 即位
Directly stated · Records of the Grand Historian 26, passage 49
即位数年
Directly stated · Book of Han 27, passage 394

Places and affiliations

Han 漢
Relation Ruled
Directly stated · Records of the Grand Historian 23, passages 28, 32; Records of the Grand Historian 115, passages 10, 15
Han 漢
Relation Served
Directly stated · Book of Han 85, passage 100
Western Han 漢
Relation Ruled
Directly stated · Book of Han 98, passage 127
Polity Han · Relation Ruled
Directly stated · Book of Southern Qi 17, passage 4; Records of the Grand Historian 26, passage 49
Polity Han
Directly stated · Book of Han 27, passages 255, 268, 394; Book of Han 58, passage 451
Polity Han 漢 · Relation Ruled
Directly stated · Book of Han 26, passage 211; Book of Han 46, passage 92; Book of Later Han 108, passage 55; History of Liao 35, passage 2; History of Liao 58, passage 12; Records of the Grand Historian 120, passage 5

Show 8 more source-backed claims

Polity Han 漢 · Relation Served
Directly stated · Book of Han 55, passage 112; Records of the Grand Historian 102, passage 131
Polity Han 漢
Strongly inferred · Book of Han 69, passages 37, 39
Polity Western Han 漢 · Relation Ruled
Directly stated · Records of the Grand Historian 127, passage 128
Polity Western Han 漢 · Relation Served
Directly stated · Records of the Grand Historian 103, passage 103
Polity Western Han 西汉 · Relation Ruled
Strongly inferred · Book of Later Han 125, passage 5
Polity Western Han · Relation Ruled
Directly stated · Book of Later Han 89, passage 51
Han 漢
Directly stated · Book of Han 65, passages 7, 111
At Sweet Springs Palace 甘泉宮 · Relation Visited
Directly stated · Book of Southern Qi 17, passage 4

Works and attributed material

composed the Huzi song
作歌
Directly stated · Book of Han 38, passage 77
Speech · Speaker · Addressed to Shi Qing (石慶)
Directly stated · Records of the Grand Historian 103, passage 69
Edict · Author · With Shi Qing (石慶)
Directly stated · Book of Han 55, passages 67-78; Records of the Grand Historian 103, passage 59
Edict · Authority · Mode quotation Speaker Master Chu (褚先生)
Directly stated · Records of the Grand Historian 127, passage 131
Edict · Author · Direct quotation
Directly stated · Records of the Grand Historian 23, passages 30-33; Records of the Grand Historian 26, passages 52-60; Records of the Grand Historian 113, passages 107-108
Edict · Author
Directly stated · Book of Han 71, passages 196-200

Show 3 more source-backed claims

Speech · Speaker · Paraphrased
Directly stated · Records of the Grand Historian 115, passages 41-42
Speech · Speaker · Direct quotation
Directly stated · Records of the Grand Historian 113, passage 104; Records of the Grand Historian 120, passages 33, 39, 42-43, 80, 96, 104-106, 147
Speech · Speaker
Directly stated · Records of the Grand Historian 104, passages 110, 131-132; Records of the Grand Historian 124, passage 94

Events and relationships

Accepted zhang qian counsel
Political · Ruler
Directly stated · Book of Han 71, passage 41
Announced sacrifice as Shizong
AD 85 癸酉 · Ritual · Recipient · At Bright Hall 明堂
Directly stated · Book of Later Han 109, passage 51
Assembled divination schools and decreed Five Phases standard
Court · Authority
Directly stated · Records of the Grand Historian 127, passages 128-131
Assembled lords
Ritual · Sovereign · At Sweet Springs Palace 甘泉宮
Directly stated · Book of Southern Qi 17, passage 4
Built Wen Bright Hall
Construction · Builder · At Bright Hall above the Wen 汶上明堂
Directly stated · Book of Later Han 109, passage 50
Campaigns against Xiongnu
Military · Ruler
Directly stated · Book of Later Han 89, passages 51-52

Show 32 more source-backed claims

Capping ceremony
BC 141 後三年正月甲寅 · Ritual · Subject
Directly stated · Records of the Grand Historian 11, passage 112
Changed era to Taichu
Calendrical · Ruler
Directly stated · Records of the Grand Historian 26, passages 51, 59
Commissioned Luoxia Hong calendar
Calendrical · Patron · With Luoxia Hong (洛下閎)
Directly stated · Records of the Grand Historian 26, passage 50
Created personal guard corps
Institutional · Founder · Detail Created the Qimen, Cifei, and Yulin corps 置期門、佽飛、羽林之目
Directly stated · History of Liao 35, passage 2
Dispatched yang pu and xun zhi
Military · Orderer
Directly stated · Records of the Grand Historian 115, passages 16-17
first established the colonel director of retainers with credential baton 孝武帝初置
BC 141 to BC 87 孝武帝初置 · Administrative · Actor · Established office
Directly stated · Book of Later Han 128, passage 156
established Hu-cavalry and tiger-rushers colonels 置胡骑、虎贲校尉
BC 141 to BC 87 武帝 · Administrative · Actor · Established office
Directly stated · Book of Later Han 128, passage 142
established the chief commandant of waters and balances 初置水衡都尉
Administrative · Ruler · Established office · At Shanglin Park 上林苑
Directly stated · Book of Later Han 127, passage 180
Executed
Legal · Authority · With Wei Shan (衛山)
Directly stated · Records of the Grand Historian 115, passage 30
Executed
Legal · Authority · With Gongsun Sui (公孫遂)
Directly stated · Records of the Grand Historian 115, passage 47
Expanded Shanglin and built Jianzhang
Building · Patron
Directly stated · Book of Han 98, passage 174
Expanded Sweet Springs palaces
Building · Patron
Directly stated · Book of Han 98, passage 127
Feng on mount tai
BC 110 元封元年 · Ritual · Officiant · At Mount Tai 泰山
Directly stated · Book of Later Han 108, passages 57-58, 60
Feng sacrifice at Mount Tai
Ritual · Ruler
Directly stated · Records of the Grand Historian 26, passage 51
Instituted fish dragon pageant
Ceremonial · Sponsor
Directly stated · History of Liao 54, passage 165
Ordered relocation and later arrest of Guo Jie
Political · Authority
Directly stated · Records of the Grand Historian 124, passages 94-95, 104
Ordered campaign against minyue
Military · Sovereign
Directly stated · Records of the Grand Historian 113, passage 42
Ordered conquest of nanyue
Military · Sovereign
Directly stated · Records of the Grand Historian 113, passages 108, 110
Pacified Baiyue and expanded land and naval forces
Military · Ruler
Directly stated · Book of Han 25, passage 107
Placed in charge of music bureau
Administrative · Appointer · With Li Yannian (李延年)
Directly stated · History of Liao 54, passage 135
Promulgated carriage dress code
Administrative · Sovereign
Directly stated · Book of Southern Qi 17, passage 4
Recruited criminals against joseon
Military · Orderer
Directly stated · Records of the Grand Historian 115, passage 15
Reformed institutions
Political · Ruler
Directly stated · Book of Later Han 125, passage 5
Reign began after seventy years of Han peace and surplus
Economic · Ruler at start
Directly stated · Book of Han 26, passages 211-213
Sought immortals at sea
BC 110 元封元年 · Travel · Principal
Directly stated · Book of Later Han 108, passage 59
used eunuchs and changed the office to director of palace secretaries and ushers 用宦者，更为中书谒者令
Administrative · Ruler · Staffed secretariat with eunuchs
Directly stated · Book of Later Han 127, passage 140
Summoned scholars to fix ceremonies
BC 141 今上即位 · Ritual · Ruler
Directly stated · Records of the Grand Historian 23, passage 28
Summoned Tang Du
Administrative · Patron · With Tang Du (唐都)
Directly stated · Records of the Grand Historian 26, passage 49
Taichu calendar and ritual reform
BC 104 太初之元 · Ritual · Ruler
Directly stated · Records of the Grand Historian 23, passage 34
Relation Recruited · Person Zhao Yu (趙禹)
Directly stated · Book of Han 25, passage 182
Relation Recruited · Person Zhang Tang (張湯)
Directly stated · Book of Han 25, passage 182
Relation Patron of · Person Wei Qing (衛青)
Directly stated · Book of Later Han 125, passage 77

Assessments and attributes

Assessment extravagant expansion draining the people · Mode historian-judgment
Directly stated · Book of Later Han 125, passages 5, 11

Source notes

Historicity historical
Directly stated · Book of Han 26, passage 211; Book of Later Han 128, passage 142
Consort Commandant was established by Han Wudi
Directly stated · Book of Chen 17, passage 150

References in the histories

Search passages

History

413 passages

Book of Chen, Chapter 17Volume 17: Wang Chong; Wang Tong; Yuan Jing · 2 passages

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駙馬都尉置由漢武，[9]或以假諸功臣，或以加於戚屬，是以魏曹植表駙馬、奉車趣為一號。 The consort commandant was created by Han Wudi; [9] it was sometimes given to meritorious ministers and sometimes to kin—hence Cao Zhi in Wei asked to merge consort commandant and carriage attendant into one title.

駙馬都尉置由漢武「由」字原本漫漶，今據各本補。 On "consort commandant established by Han Wudi": the character you was faded in the base text and is restored from other editions.

Book of Chen, Chapter 19Volume 19: Shen Jiong; Yu Li; Ma Shu · 1 passage

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嘗獨行經漢武通天臺，為表奏之，陳己思歸之意。 Once he walked alone past the Han Tower of Reaching Heaven and submitted a memorial pleading to return.

Book of Han, Chapter 6Volume 5: Annals of Emperor Jing · 3 passages

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夏四月己巳，立皇子榮為皇太子，徹為膠東王。 On the day Jisi in the fourth month of summer, he established his imperial son Rong as crown prince and Che as King of Jiaodong.

丁巳，立膠東王徹為皇太子。 On the day Dingsi, he established King Che of Jiaodong as crown prince.

皇太子冠，賜民為父後者爵一級。 The Crown Prince underwent the capping ceremony; he granted one level of noble rank advancement to those who served as heirs to their fathers.

Book of Han, Chapter 8Volume 7: Annals of Emperor Zhao · 5 passages

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孝昭皇帝，武帝少子也。 Emperor Zhao, the Filial, was Emperor Wu's youngest son.

武帝末，戾太子敗，燕王旦、廣陵王胥行驕嫚，後元二年二月上疾病，遂立昭帝為太子，年八歲。 Late in Emperor Wu's reign, after the defeat of Crown Prince Li, King Dan of Yan and King Xu of Guangling both acted with arrogance and contempt. In the second month of Houyuan 2, when Emperor Wu fell ill, he made the future Emperor Zhao crown prince; Zhao was eight years old.

明日，武帝崩。 The next day, Emperor Wu passed away.

後有譖光者，上輒怒曰：「大將軍國家忠臣，先帝所屬，敢有譖毀者，坐之。」 Later, when anyone slandered Guang, the emperor would always say angrily, 'The Grand General is a loyal minister of the state, entrusted with his charge by the late emperor. Anyone who dares slander him will be punished.'

承孝武奢侈餘敝師旅之後，海內虛耗，戶口減半，光知時務之要，輕繇薄賦，與民休息。 Inheriting the aftermath of Emperor Wu's extravagance, the lingering exhaustion of military campaigns, and widespread depletion across the realm, with household registers reduced by half, Huo Guang understood what the times required: he lightened corvée labor and reduced taxes, allowing the people to recover.

Book of Han, Chapter 12Volume 11: Annals of Emperor Ai · 1 passage

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睹孝成世祿去王室，權柄外移，是故臨朝婁誅大臣，欲彊主威，以則武、宣。 Witnessing how in Emperor Cheng's era, hereditary stipends left the imperial family and power shifted to outsiders, he frequently executed ministers upon ascending the throne, seeking to strengthen imperial authority and emulate Emperors Wu and Xuan.

Book of Han, Chapter 25Volume 23: Treatise on Punishment and Law · 2 passages

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至武帝平百粵，內增七校，外有樓船，皆歲時講肄，修武備云。 After Emperor Wu's southern campaigns, Han expanded both land and naval forces and institutionalized regular training.

及至孝武即位，外事四夷之功，內盛耳目之好，徵發煩數，百姓貧耗，窮民犯法，酷吏擊斷，姦軌不勝。 Under Emperor Wu, military expansion and fiscal extraction intensified social strain, while harsh enforcement failed to control rising crime.

Book of Han, Chapter 26Volume 24a: Treatise on Trade 1 · 1 passage

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至武帝之初七十年間，國家亡事，非遇水旱，則民人給家足，都鄙廩庾盡滿，而府庫餘財。 For about seventy years down to the start of Emperor Wu's reign, relative stability produced broad fiscal abundance and full granaries.

Book of Han, Chapter 27Volume 24b: Treatise on Trade 2 · 25 passages

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武帝因文、景之畜，忿胡、粵之害，即位數年，嚴助、朱買臣等招徠東甌，事兩粵，江淮之間蕭然煩費矣。 Drawing on Wen and Jing-era reserves, Emperor Wu turned against Xiongnu and southern threats; early campaigns involving Yan Zhu and Zhu Maichen against Eastern Ou and the two Yues drained the Jiang-Huai region.

天子為伐胡故，盛養馬，馬之往來食長安者數萬匹，卒掌者關中不足，乃調旁近郡。 Military horse policy imposed heavy provisioning and manpower burdens across surrounding regions.

而胡降者數萬人皆得厚賞，衣食仰給縣官，縣官不給，天子乃損膳，解乘輿駟，出御府禁臧以澹之。 Refugee-surrender maintenance strained local budgets so deeply that even court reserves were tapped.

其明年，山東被水災，民多飢乏，於是天子遣使虛郡國倉廩以振貧。 Widespread flood famine forced large-scale emergency granary releases.

於是天子與公卿議，更造錢幣以澹用，而摧浮淫并兼之徒。 Coin reform was framed as both fiscal necessity and anti-speculation policy.

大農上鹽鐵丞孔僅、咸陽言：「山海，天地之臧，宜屬少府，陛下弗私，以屬大農佐賦。 The Grand Minister of Agriculture presented Kong Jin and Xianyang, assistants for salt and iron, who said: 'Mountains and seas are the storehouses of Heaven and Earth and should belong to the Lesser Treasury; Your Majesty does not keep them for private use, but assigns them to the Grand Minister of Agriculture to assist taxation.

陛下損膳省用，出禁錢以振元元，寬貸，而民不齊出南畝，商賈滋眾。 Despite austerity and relief, agrarian participation lagged and commerce expanded.

天子乃超拜式為中郎，賜爵左庶長，田十頃，布告天下，以風百姓。 Bu Shi was publicly rewarded and showcased as a moral exemplar.

初，式不願為官，上強拜之，稍遷至齊相。 Though reluctant, Bu Shi was repeatedly advanced into high office.

上與湯既造白鹿皮幣，問異。 When consulted on the new leather-currency policy, Yan Yi gave candid criticism.

天子不說。 The emperor took offense.

於是天子感之，乃作柏梁臺，高數十丈。 Moved by this, the Son of Heaven then built the Boliang Terrace, dozens of zhang high.

天子憐之，令飢民得流就食江淮間，欲留，留處。 The Son of Heaven pitied them and ordered that famine victims be allowed to migrate and seek food in the Jiang and Huai region; those who wished to stay could settle there.

明年，天子始出巡郡國。 The next year, the Son of Heaven began touring the commanderies and kingdoms.

於是上北出蕭關，從數萬騎行獵新秦中，以勒邊兵而歸。 Then the emperor went north out through Xiao Pass, led tens of thousands of cavalry on a hunt in New Qinzhong, reviewed the frontier troops, and returned.

既得寶鼎，立后土、泰一祠，公卿白議封禪事，而郡國皆豫治道，修繕故宮，及當馳道縣，縣治宮儲，設共具，而望幸。 After obtaining the precious tripod, the emperor established altars to Houtu and Taiyi. Ministers and grandees formally discussed the Feng and Shan rites, while commanderies and kingdoms all prepared roads and repaired old palaces; counties along the imperial routes readied palace stores and provisions in hopes of an imperial visit.

天子為山東不澹，赦天下囚，因南方樓船士二十餘萬人擊粵，發三河以西騎擊羌，又數萬人度河築令居。 Because the region east of the mountains was still not adequately supplied, the Son of Heaven pardoned prisoners throughout the realm, then sent more than 200,000 southern naval troops to attack Yue, dispatched cavalry from west of the Three Rivers to strike the Qiang, and sent tens of thousands more across the river to build Lingju.

天子下詔褒揚，賜爵關內侯，黃金四十斤，田十頃。 The Son of Heaven issued an edict commending him, granting him the rank of Marquis Within the Passes, forty jin of gold, and ten qing of land.

上不說。 The emperor was displeased.

天子以為然而許之。 The Son of Heaven approved and authorized it.

於是天子北至朔方，東封泰山，巡海上，旁北邊以歸。 Then the emperor went north to Shuofang, east to perform the Feng rite at Mount Tai, toured along the seacoast, and returned along the northern frontier.

是歲小旱，上令百官求雨。 That year there was a slight drought, and the emperor ordered all officials to pray for rain.

久之，武帝疾病，拜弘羊為御史大夫。 After some time, when Emperor Wu fell ill, Hongyang was appointed Censor-in-Chief.

自孝武元狩五年三官初鑄五銖錢，至平帝元始中，成錢二百八十億萬餘云。 From the fifth year of Yuanshou under Emperor Wu, when the Three Offices first cast wuzhu coins, to the middle of the Yuanshi era under Emperor Ping, more than 280 billion coins were cast, it is said.

及孝武時，國用饒給，而民不益賦，其次也。 By Emperor Wu's time, state expenditures were amply supplied while the people did not bear additional taxes - that was second-best.

Book of Han, Chapter 38Volume 29: Treatise on Rivers and Canals · 1 passage

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其後三十六歲，孝武元光中，河決於瓠子，東南注鉅野，通於淮、泗。 Thirty-six years after that, in Emperor Wu's Yuanguang period, a breach at Huzi sent the river southeast into Juye, where it linked to the Huai and Si.

Book of Han, Chapter 46Volume 37: Ji Bu, Luan Bu and Tian Shu · 1 passage

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布薨，子賁嗣侯，孝武時坐為太常犧牲不如令，國除。 When Luan Bu died, his son Ben inherited the title; under Emperor Wu the fief was stripped after Ben, as Grand Master of Ceremonies, supplied defective sacrificial beasts.

Book of Han, Chapter 48Volume 39: Xiao He and Cao Shen · 2 passages

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武帝元狩中，復下詔御史：「以酇戶二千四百封何曾孫慶為酇侯，布告天下，令明知朕報蕭相國德也。」 Under Emperor Wu, in the Yuanshou period, another edict ran: “With twenty-four hundred households at Zan We enfeoff Xiao He’s great-grandson Qing as Marquis of Zan and publish this so the world knows We honor the house of Minister Xiao.”

傳國至曾孫襄，武帝時為將軍，擊匈奴，薨。 The line passed to great-grandson Xiang, who under Emperor Wu campaigned against the Xiongnu as a general and died.

Book of Han, Chapter 51Volume 42: Zhang, Zhou, Zhao, Ren and Shentu · 1 passage

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自嘉死後，開封侯陶青、桃侯劉舍及武帝時柏至侯許昌、平棘侯薛澤、武強侯莊青翟、商陵侯趙周，皆以列侯繼踵，娖娖廉謹，為丞相備員而已，無所能發明功名著於世者。 After Shentu Jia's death came Tao Qing of Kaifeng and Liu She of Tao, and under Emperor Wu, Xu Chang of Bozhi, Xue Ze of Pingji, Zhuang Qingdi of Wuqiang, and Zhao Zhou of Shangling—each a full marquis who stepped into the chancellorship in turn. They were honest, cautious placeholders, none of whom left a mark on the age.

Book of Han, Chapter 55Volume 46: The Lords of Wan, Wei, Zhi, Zhou and Zhang · 8 passages

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天子巡狩海內，修古神祠，封禪，興禮樂。 The emperor toured the empire, refurbished ancient cults, carried out Feng and Shan, and revived rites and music.

為丞相三歲，景帝崩，武帝立。 He held the seal three years; Jing died and Wu took the throne.

建元中，丞相以景帝病時諸官囚多坐不辜者，而君不任職，免之。 Early in Emperor Wu’s Jianyuan reign the court stripped him of the chancellorship, citing the jailings of the innocent during Emperor Jing’s final illness and his own failure to act while in that post.

天子脩吳楚時功，封不疑爲塞侯。 For his Wu-Chu service the emperor enfeoffed him as Marquis of Sai.

武帝即位，與丞相綰俱以過免。 At Wu's accession both he and Chancellor Wan were removed for misconduct.

武帝立，為先帝臣重之。 Wu honored him as a survivor of his father’s court.

至武帝元朔中，代韓安國為御史大夫。 In Wu’s Yuanshuo years he succeeded Han Anguo as Imperial Clerk.

老篤，請免，天子亦寵以上大夫祿，歸老于家。 Age and frailty brought a request for release; the court kept him on a senior grandee’s pay at home.

Book of Han, Chapter 58Volume 49: Yuan Ang and Chao Cuo · 1 passage

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建元年中，上招賢良，公卿言鄧先。 When Emperor Wu called for Worthy and Good men in the Jianyuan era, the high ministers recommended Deng Gong first.

Book of Han, Chapter 65Volume 56: Dong Zhongshu · 11 passages

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武帝即位，舉賢良文學之士前後百數，而仲舒以賢良對策焉。 After Emperor Wu came to the throne, he summoned hundreds of cultivated worthies in succession, and Dong Zhongshu was among those who answered the throne’s policy questions as a recommended talent.

陛下發德音，下明詔，求天命與情性，皆非愚臣之所能及也。 The virtue in your tone and the clarity of your edict, asking after Heaven’s command and the truth of human nature and passion—these lie beyond the reach of a humble official like myself.

今陛下貴為天子，富有四海，居得致之位，操可致之勢，又有能致之資，行高而恩厚，知明而意美，愛民而好士，可謂誼主矣。 You sit as Son of Heaven, own the world, stand where portents may answer, hold power they will heed, and possess the gifts that draw them; your conduct is lofty, your favor deep, your understanding keen, your purpose fair, you love the people and honor the learned—you are a righteous sovereign.

天子覽其對而異焉，乃復冊之曰： The emperor read Dong Zhongshu’s answer with wonder and sent a second rescript:

今陛下並有天下，海內莫不率服，廣覽兼聽，極群下之知，盡天下之美，至德昭然，施於方外。 You now hold the realm; none within the seas refuses allegiance; you listen wide and think deep, drawing on every talent and every good—your supreme virtue already shines beyond the borders.

陛下親耕籍田以為農先，夙寤晨興，憂勞萬民，思維往古，而務以求賢，此亦堯、舜之用心也，然而未雲獲者，士素不厲也。 You plow the sacred field, rise before dawn, fret for the people, study antiquity, and hunt for worthies—this is the mind of Yao and Shun; what still fails is that talent is not schooled beforehand.

臣願陛下興太學，置明師，以養天下之士，數考問以盡其材，則英俊宜可得矣。 I beg you to found the Imperial Academy, appoint clear-sighted masters, and there rear the empire’s talent, testing them often so their gifts show through—then true men will appear.

今吏既亡教訓於下，或不承用主上之法，暴虐百姓，與奸為市，貧窮孤弱，冤苦失職，甚不稱陛下之意。 Too many local officials neither teach nor obey your laws; they bully the weak, haggle with criminals, and leave the humble wronged—far from what you intend.

陛下加惠，寬臣之罪，令勿牽制於文，使得切磋究之，臣敢不盡愚！ You have shown grace, forgiven my bluntness, and told me not to stay bound by formal prose so I can argue the matter through—I shall not hold back.

於是天子復冊之。 The emperor then sent a third rescript.

今陛下幸加惠，留聽於承學之臣，復下明冊，以切其意，而究盡聖德，非愚臣之所能具也。 You have stooped to hear a student of the classics and sent a second, sharper rescript—demands no humble scholar can fully meet.

Book of Han, Chapter 69Volume 59: Zhang Tang · 34 passages

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治陳皇后巫蠱獄，深竟黨與，上以為能，遷太史大夫。 He prosecuted the witchcraft case involving Empress Chen, tracking every accomplice to the end. The emperor judged him competent and raised him to grand clerk of records.

是時，上方鄉文學，湯決大獄，欲傅古義，乃請博士弟子治《尚書》、《春秋》，補廷尉史，平亭疑法。 The emperor was then turning toward Confucian scholarship. When Tang tried major cases he liked to cloak his rulings in classical precedent, so he asked the court academicians to assign disciples trained in the Documents and the Spring and Autumn to serve as clerks in his office and help iron out disputed interpretations of the law.

奏讞疑，必奏先為上分別其原，上所是，受而著讞法廷尉挈令，揚主之明。 Whenever he submitted a doubtful case for decision, he first laid out the legal reasoning on both sides for the throne. Whatever the emperor endorsed, he incorporated into the commandant's codified precedents, giving full credit to the sovereign's discernment.

奏事即譴，湯摧謝，鄉上意所便，必引正監掾史賢者，曰：「固為臣議，如上責臣，臣弗用，愚抵此。」 If the emperor faulted a memorial as soon as it was presented, Tang at once withdrew it with an apology and bent to the sovereign's wishes. He would then name some worthy among his supervisors or clerks and say, "These men urged that course on me; when Your Majesty censures me, it is because I was too dull to follow their advice."

間即奏事，上善之，曰：「臣非知為此奏，乃監、掾、史某所為。」 When a proposal won praise, he would say, "I cannot claim credit for that memorial—it was drafted by such-and-such a supervisor or clerk."

所治即上意所欲罪，予監吏深刻者； If the emperor wanted a man ruined, Tang handed the file to a clerk known for pitiless severity.

即上意所欲釋，予監吏輕平者。 If the emperor wished someone spared, he assigned the case to a clerk with a reputation for leniency and even-handedness.

即下戶羸弱，時口言「雖文致法，上裁察。」 Against humble, defenseless commoners he would sometimes remark aloud, "The letter of the law may condemn him, but let His Majesty weigh the matter."

嚴助、伍被，上欲釋之，湯爭曰：「伍被本造反謀，而助親幸出入禁闥，腹心之臣，乃交私諸侯如此，弗誅，後不可治。」 The emperor wanted to pardon Yan Zhu and Wu Bei. Tang objected: "Wu Bei helped lay the plot from the beginning, and Yan Zhu enjoyed intimate access to the inner apartments—he was a minister of the ruler's inmost counsels—yet he secretly conspired with the kings. If they are not put to death, the law will never again command respect."

上可論之。 The emperor accepted his argument and condemned them.

湯承上指，請造白金及五銖錢，籠天下鹽鐵，排富商大賈，出告緡令，鋤豪強並兼之家，舞文巧詆以輔法。 Reading the emperor's wishes, Tang proposed minting the white-metal currency and the five-zhu coin, bringing the empire's salt and iron under state monopoly, squeezing the great merchant houses, promulgating the "report-your-neighbor's-wealth" statute, and breaking up powerful clans that engrossed land and labor—all the while bending the statutes to give the policy a legal veneer.

湯每朝奏事，語國家用，日旰，天子忘食。 Whenever Tang spoke at audience on fiscal policy, he went on until the sun stood low in the west, and the Son of Heaven forgot his meal.

丞相取充位，天子事皆決湯。 The chancellor was a figurehead; every important decision passed through Tang.

湯嘗病，上自至捨視，其隆貴如此。 When Tang fell ill, the emperor visited his house in person—such was the height of his favor.

匈奴求和親，群臣議前，博士狄山曰：「和親便。」 The Xiongnu sued for a marriage alliance. At the council before the throne, Academician Di Shan said, "An alliance by marriage is the prudent course."

上問其便，山曰：「兵，凶器，未易數動。 The emperor asked why. Shan replied, "Arms are unlucky instruments; they should not be lightly wielded again and again.

今自陛下興兵擊匈奴，中國以空虛，邊大困貧。 Since Your Majesty took the field against the Xiongnu, the interior has been drained and the frontier left exhausted and destitute.

上問湯，湯曰：「此愚儒無知。」 The emperor turned to Tang, who said, "That is the talk of a pedantic scholar who understands nothing."

於是上作色曰：「吾使生居一郡，能無使虜入盜乎？」 The emperor's face darkened. "I give you one commandery," he said. "Could you keep the raiders out?"

曰：「居一縣？」 The emperor said, "What about one county?"

復曰：「居一鄣間？」 Again the emperor said, "Very well—one fortified barrier sector along the wall?"

乃譴山乘鄣。 The emperor promptly sent him to hold a signal tower on the frontier.

上問：「變事從跡安起？」 The emperor asked, "Who is behind this anonymous accusation?"

會人有盜發孝文園瘞錢，丞相青翟朝，與湯約俱謝，至前，湯念獨丞相以四時行園，當謝，湯無與也，不謝。 Then robbers broke into the burial mound in Emperor Wen's mausoleum park and stole the consecrated coins. At court Chancellor Zhuang Qingzhai agreed with Tang that they would both apologize. When they came before the throne, Tang reflected that only the chancellor made the seasonal rounds of the shrines and therefore bore responsibility; he himself had nothing to do with it, so he offered no apology.

丞相謝，上使御史案其事。 The chancellor apologized alone, and the emperor ordered the censorate to look into the matter.

上問湯曰：「吾所為，賈人輒知，益居其物，是類有以吾謀告之者。」 The emperor asked Tang, "Whatever policy I mean to adopt, the merchants seem to know it in advance and stockpile accordingly. Someone must be leaking my deliberations."

上以湯懷詐面欺，使使八輩簿責湯。 Convinced that Tang had lied to his face, the emperor dispatched eight successive envoys to cross-examine him from the written record.

於是上使趙禹責湯。 The emperor then sent Zhao Yu to confront him.

今人言君皆有狀，天子重致君獄，欲令君自為計，何多以對為？」 Every charge against you now carries weight. His Majesty is moving to commit you to prison so you may settle your own affairs—why prolong the interrogation with endless denials?"

昆弟諸子欲厚葬湯，湯母曰：「湯為天子大臣，被惡言而死，何厚葬為！」 His brothers and sons wanted an elaborate funeral. His mother said, "He was a chief minister of the throne and died under a cloud of slander—what good would pomp do?"

上聞之，曰：「非此母不生此子。」 When the emperor heard, he remarked, "Only such a mother could have raised such a son."

上惜湯，復稍進其子安世。 The emperor still regretted Tang's fate and began again to advance his son Zhang Anshi.

車騎將軍安世事孝武皇帝三十餘年，忠信謹厚，勤勞政事，夙夜不怠，與大將軍定策，天下受其福，國家重臣也，宜尊其位，以為大將軍，毋令領光祿勳事，使專精神，憂念天下，思惟得失。 General of chariots and cavalry Anshi served Emperor Wu for more than thirty years with loyal, careful service, toiling day and night in government. With the grand general he settled the succession, and the realm benefited. He is a pillar of the state and should be raised to grand general, relieved of the superintendent of the masters of writing, so that he may devote himself wholly to the realm and weigh its gains and losses.

鴻嘉中，上欲遵武帝故事，與近臣游宴，放以公主子開敏得幸。 During the Hongjia era Emperor Cheng wished to revive Emperor Wu's habit of informal outings and banquets with his inner circle. Zhang Fang, as the princess's son—quick-witted and polished—won exceptional favor.

Book of Han, Chapter 70Volume 60: Du Zhou · 2 passages

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見國家承武帝奢侈師旅之後，數為大將軍光言：「年歲比不登，流民未盡還，宜修孝文明政，示以儉約寬和，順天心，說民意，年歲宜應。」 Seeing the empire still reeling from Emperor Wu's wars and waste, he urged Huo Guang more than once: "Harvests have failed year after year and refugees have not all come home. We should revive the restrained, humane government of Emperor Wen, teach frugality and mercy, and align policy with Heaven and the common people—then the seasons will answer in kind."

初，杜周武帝時徙茂陵，至延年徙杜陵雲。 Du Zhou's household had been relocated to Maoling under Emperor Wu; by Du Yannian's generation the family had settled at Duling—or so the note runs.

Book of Han, Chapter 71Volume 61: Zhang Qian and Li Guangli · 24 passages

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拜騫太中大夫，堂邑父為奉使君。 The emperor appointed Zhang Qian grand counsellor of the palace and ennobled Ganfu as Lord Fengshi for his part in the embassy.

騫身所至者，大宛、大月氏、大夏、康居，而傳聞其旁大國五六，具為天子言其地形所有，語皆在《西域傳》。 In person he had reached Dayuan, the Greater Yuezhi, Daxia, and Kangju, and by report knew five or six other great kingdoms nearby; he laid all of this—lands and resources—before the emperor, as recorded in the Western Regions treatise.

天子既聞大宛及大夏、安息之屬皆大國，多奇物，土著，頗與中國同俗，而兵弱，貴漢財物； The emperor had learned that Dayuan, Daxia, Parthia, and their neighbors were large, settled kingdoms rich in curiosities, with customs not unlike China's, weak armies, and a hunger for Han wealth;

天子欣欣以騫言為然。 The emperor was delighted and accepted Zhang Qian's counsel.

天子數問騫大夏之屬。 The emperor often pressed Zhang Qian for news of Daxia and the western states.

天子以為然，拜騫為中郎將，將三百人，馬各二匹，牛、羊以萬數，齎金幣帛直數千巨萬，多持節副使，道可便遣之旁國。 The emperor agreed, named Zhang Qian general of the household with three hundred followers, two mounts each, vast herds of stock, and treasure worth tens of millions in cash and silk, with many credentialled deputies who could be sent on to neighboring courts as the route allowed.

初，天子發書《易》，曰「神馬當從西北來」。 The emperor had once consulted the Changes and read the omen: "A spirit horse will come from the northwest."

而天子好宛馬，使者相望於道，一輩大者數百，少者百餘人，所齎操，大放博望侯時。 The emperor's passion for Ferghana horses filled the highways with embassies—some missions ran to hundreds of men, none to fewer than a hundred—with baggage trains dwarfing Zhang Qian's first expedition.

天子為其絕遠，非人所樂，聽其言，予節，募吏民無問所從來，為具備人眾遣之，以廣其道。 The emperor knew the journey was grim and uninviting, yet he heard them out, issued staffs of office, and recruited clerks and commoners of any origin, fitting out full parties to widen the traffic in every direction.

來還不能無侵盜幣物，及使失指，天子為其習之，輒復按致重罪，以激怒令贖，復求使。 Returning missions could not help embezzling part of the imperial gifts, or bungling their instructions; the emperor, used to the pattern, would indict them on grave charges, let them buy their way out, and watch them volunteer for another posting.

於是天子遣從票侯破奴將屬國騎及郡兵數萬以擊胡，胡皆去。 The emperor sent Marquis Congpiao Punu at the head of tens of thousands of allied horsemen and local levies; the nomads melted away.

而大宛諸國發使隨漢使來，觀漢廣大，以大鳥卵及犛靬眩人獻於漢，天子大悅。 Dayuan and its neighbors sent retinues back with Han missions to see the empire for themselves, bringing ostrich eggs and conjurers from Lijian; the emperor was delighted.

而漢使窮河源，其山多玉石，採來，天子案古圖書，名河所出山曰崑崙雲。 Han scouts tracked the Yellow River to its source, where jade-strewn peaks yielded specimens for the throne; comparing old maps, the court declared those heights Kunlun.

是時，上方數巡狩海上，乃悉從外國客，大都多人則過之，散財帛賞賜，厚具饒給之，以覽視漢富厚焉。 The emperor was touring the coast; he brought foreign guests in his train, detouring through populous cities, showering them with silk and cash and lavish rations so they could see how rich Han was.

漢使往既多，其少從率進孰於天子，言大宛有善馬在貳師城，匿不肯示漢使。 So many missions had returned that junior attendants routinely reported to the throne what they had seen: Ferghana kept its best bloodstock at Ershi and refused to show Han's envoys.

天子既好宛馬，聞之甘心，使壯士車令等待千金及金馬以請宛王貳師城善馬。 The emperor, already horse-mad, sent Che Ling with a fortune in gold and a golden horse to buy the Ershi studs from the king of Ferghana.

天子大怒。 The emperor was furious.

天子以嘗使浞野侯攻樓蘭，以七百騎先至，虜其王，以定漢等言為然，而欲侯寵姬李氏，乃以李廣利為將軍，伐宛。 The emperor remembered how Zhuoye marquis had taken Loulan with seven hundred horsemen, believed the optimists, and wanting a fief for his favorite Lady Li's kin, named Li Guangli general and sent him against Ferghana.

李廣利，女弟李夫人有寵於上，產昌邑哀王。 Li Guangli's sister, the favored Lady Li, had borne Prince Ai of Changyi.

天子聞之，大怒，使使遮玉門關，曰：「軍有敢入，斬之。」 The emperor raged and posted guards at the Jade Gate, saying, "If any in the army dares enter, behead him."

天子業出兵誅宛，宛小國而不能下，則大夏之屬漸輕漢，而宛善馬絕不來，烏孫、輪台易苦漢使，為外國笑。 The emperor had already committed the host: if Han could not crush so small a kingdom, Daxia and the rest would lose respect, Ferghana's horses would never flow east, Wusun and Luntai would bully every envoy, and the western courts would mock the empire.

初，貳師後行，天子使使告烏孫大發兵擊宛。 During Ershi's second march the emperor sent word to Wusun to mobilize heavily against Ferghana.

貳師將軍之東，諸所過小國聞宛破，皆使其子弟從入貢獻，見天子，因為質焉。 On Ershi's return march every petty state along the road, hearing Ferghana had fallen, sent princes in his train to court with tribute and stayed as hostages.

天子為萬里征伐，不錄其過，乃下詔曰：「匈奴為害久矣，今雖徙幕北，與旁國謀共要絕大月氏使，遮殺中郎將江、故雁門守攘。 For a march of ten thousand li the emperor overlooked their faults and proclaimed: "The Xiongnu have long plagued the border; though driven north of the desert, they still league with neighbors to ambush Greater Yuezhi embassies and have cut down Palace Gentleman Jiang and former Yanmen warden Rang.

Book of Han, Chapter 74Volume 64a: Yan, Zhu, Wuqiu, Zhufu, Xu, Yan, Zhong, Wang, and Jia 1 · 21 passages

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郡舉賢良，對策百餘人，武帝善助對，由是獨擢助為中大夫。 When the commandery nominated him as worthy and good, he joined more than a hundred men in the palace examination; the emperor singled out his policy essay and raised him alone to the rank of palace grandee.

朔、皋不根持論，上頗俳優畜之。 Shuo and Mei Gao traded in wit rather than weighty argument, so the emperor treated them much like court entertainers.

時武帝年未二十，以問太尉田蚡。 The emperor was not yet twenty and put the question to Grand Commandant Tian Fen.

上曰：「太尉不足與計。吾新即位，不欲出虎符發兵郡國。」 "The Grand Commandant is not the man for this counsel. I have just taken the throne and do not wish to issue the tiger tally and call out the commanderies."

助迺斬一司馬，諭意指，遂發兵浮海救東甌。 Zhu executed a major, proclaimed the emperor's will, and put an army to sea for Dong'ou.

助還，又諭淮南曰：「皇帝問淮南王：使中大夫玉上書言事，聞之。 On his way home Yan Zhu called on Huainan with the emperor's words: "The throne has read the memorial your palace grandee lately presented.

助諭意曰：「今者大王以發屯臨越事上書，陛下故遣臣助告王其事。 Yan Zhu continued: "You wrote because troops were massing on your border against Yue; the emperor therefore sent me to explain what followed.

朝有闕政，遺王之憂，陛下甚恨之。 When policy at court leaves you anxious, the emperor grieves.

上大說。 The emperor was delighted.

助侍燕從容，上問助居鄉里時，助對曰：「家貧，為友婿富人所辱。」 At a leisurely banquet the emperor asked Yan Zhu about his youth. He answered: "I was poor and lived as a dependent son-in-law; a wealthy host treated me with contempt."

及淮南王反，事與助相連，上薄其罪，欲勿誅。 When Huainan rose in revolt, Zhu was implicated; the emperor would have let him off lightly.

會邑子嚴助貴幸，薦買臣，召見，說《春秋》，言《楚詞》，帝甚說之，拜買臣為中大夫，與嚴助俱侍中。 His townsman Yan Zhu, then in favor at court, recommended him. He discoursed on the Spring and Autumn Annals and the Songs of Chu; the emperor was charmed, named him palace grandee, and paired him with Yan Zhu as palace attendant.

上拜買臣會稽太守。 The emperor named him governor of Kuaiji.

上謂買臣曰：「富貴不歸故鄉，如衣繡夜行，今子何如？」 He teased him: "They say brocade is wasted on a night walk unless you show it at home—what of you now?"

後遂告湯陰事，湯自殺，上亦誅買臣。 He struck back with a secret denunciation; Zhang Tang fell on his sword, and the emperor had Zhu executed as well.

上書謝罪，願養馬黃門，上不許。 He begged to work off his guilt as a stable hand in the Yellow Gate office; the emperor refused.

上以壽王為都尉，不復置太守。 Because he held that military post, no civil governor was appointed over him.

書奏，上以難丞相弘。 When the memorial reached him, the emperor threw it in Gongsun Hong's teeth.

及汾陰得寶鼎，武帝嘉之，薦見宗廟，臧於甘泉宮。 When the sacred tripod came to light at Fenyin, Emperor Wu displayed it at the shrines and lodged it in Sweet Springs Palace.

上聞之，召而問之，曰：「今朕得周鼎，群臣皆以為然，壽王獨以為非，何也？ The emperor called him in and demanded, "The court calls this the Zhou tripod; you alone deny it—why?

上曰：「善。」 Well said,' answered the emperor.

Book of Han, Chapter 75Volume 64b: Yan, Zhu, Wuqiu, Zhufu, Xu, Yan, Zhong, Wang, and Jia 2 · 4 passages

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武帝異其文，拜軍為謁者給事中。 Emperor Wu was struck by the quality of his prose and named him court herald with standing access to the inner palace.

宣帝時修武帝故事，講論六藝群書，博盡奇異之好，徵能為楚辭九江被公，召見誦讀，益召高材劉向、張子僑、華龍、柳褒等待詔金馬門。 Under Emperor Xuan the court revived Emperor Wu's cultural program: debate on the Six Classics and the wider corpus, a restless taste for the rare and marvelous. It summoned Bei Gong of Jiujiang, famed for his Chu-style verse, heard him recite, and then added brilliant men such as Liu Xiang, Zhang Ziqiao, Hua Long, and Liu Bao to the roster of scholars awaiting summons at the Golden Horse Gate.

初，武帝征南越，元封元年立儋耳、珠崖郡，皆在南方海中洲居，廣袤可千里，合十六縣，戶二萬三千餘。 When Emperor Wu conquered Southern Yue, he founded the commanderies of Dan'er and Zhuya in the first year of Yuanfeng. They lay on islands in the southern sea, stretched perhaps a thousand li from end to end, comprised sixteen counties, and counted a little over twenty-three thousand households.

至孝武皇帝元狩六年，太倉之粟紅腐而不可食，都內之錢貫朽而不可挍。 By the sixth Yuanshou year of Emperor Wu the imperial granaries held grain that had rotted to pink dust, and the strings of cash in the capital vaults had decayed so that the coins could not be tallied.

Book of Han, Chapter 76Volume 65: Dongfang Shuo · 72 passages

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武帝初即位，征天下舉方正賢良文學材力之士，待以不次之位，四方士多上書言得失，自衒鬻者以千數，其不足采者輒報聞罷。 Early in Emperor Wu's reign the court summoned men of integrity, literary talent, and practical ability, promising posts outside the normal ladder of promotion. Memorials poured in from every quarter—thousands of men peddling their wares—and those without merit received a polite note of receipt and heard no more.

若此，可以為天子大臣矣。 A man of such parts may stand as a minister to the Son of Heaven.

朔文辭不遜，高自稱譽，上偉之，令待詔公車，奉祿薄，未得省見。 Dongfang Shuo's memorial was immodest and his self-praise extravagant, yet the emperor was impressed and rostered him at the Public Carriage office—meager pay and no audience in the inner palace.

久之，朔紿騶硃儒，曰：「上以若曹無益於縣官，耕田力作固不及人，臨眾處官不能治民，從軍擊虜不任兵事，無益於國用，徒索衣食，今欲盡殺若曹。」 After long neglect Dongfang Shuo hoaxed the court dwarfs, saying, "His Majesty says you people are useless to the treasury—you cannot outwork farmers, cannot govern if given office, cannot fight if sent to the army; you only eat and wear what the state provides, so he means to execute the lot of you."

朔教曰：「上即過，叩頭請罪。」 Dongfang Shuo told them, "When he comes by, throw yourselves on the ground and plead for mercy."

居有頃，聞上過，硃儒皆號泣頓首。 Soon they heard the imperial progress approaching and set up a chorus of weeping and kowtows.

上問：「何為？」 The emperor asked: "What is this?"

對曰：「東方朔言上欲盡誅臣等。」 They said, "Dongfang Shuo told us Your Majesty planned to slaughter every dwarf."

上知朔多端，召問朔：「何恐硃儒為？」 The emperor knew Dongfang Shuo's tricks and called him in, "Why did you terrify my dwarfs?"

上大笑，因使待詔金馬門，稍得親近。 The emperor roared with laughter, moved him to the Golden Horse Gate waiting list, and little by little drew him nearer the throne.

上嘗使諸數家射覆，置守宮盂下，射之，皆不能中。 Once the emperor set the diviners a riddle: a gecko hidden under a jar. None could name it.

上曰：「善。」 The emperor said: "Good."

上令倡監榜舍人，舍人不勝痛，呼□。 The emperor told the master of jesters to flog Guo Sheren until he howled with pain.

舍人恚曰：「朔擅詆欺天子從官，當棄市。」 Sheren angrily said: "Shuo presumptuously slanders and deceives the Son of Heaven's attendants—he should be executed in the market."

上問朔：「何故詆之？」 The emperor asked Shuo: "Why did you slander him?"

上曰：「隱云何？」 The emperor said: "What did the riddle mean?"

上以朔為常侍郎，遂得愛幸。 The emperor named him a regular palace gentleman, and from then on he basked in imperial favor.

久之，伏日，詔賜從官肉。 On a midsummer dog-day the emperor ordered meat distributed to his attendants.

朔入，上曰：「昨賜肉，不待詔，以劍割肉而去之，何也？」 When Shuo entered, the emperor said: "Yesterday when meat was granted, without awaiting edict you carved meat with a sword and left—why?"

上曰：「先生起，自責也！」 The emperor said, "Stand up, Master, and blame yourself!"

受賜不待詔，何無禮也！ To take a gift without the emperor's word—how rude!

上笑曰：「使先生自責，乃反自譽！」 The emperor laughed and said, "I asked you to blame yourself, and you have praised yourself instead!"

初，建元三年，微行始出，北至池陽，西至黃山，南獵長楊，東遊宜春。 In the third year of Jianyuan the emperor began slipping out in disguise—north to Chiyang, west to Huangshan, south to hunt at Changyang, east to sport at Yichun.

微行以夜漏下十刻乃出，常稱平陽侯。 He left only after the tenth night watch and passed himself off as the marquis of Pingyang.

令往，欲謁平陽侯，諸騎欲擊鞭之。 When a real magistrate came to call on the marquis, the escort wanted to whip him away.

時夜出夕還，後齎五日糧，會朝長信宮，上大歡樂之。 At first the emperor slipped out at night and returned the following evening. Later he took provisions for five days, timing his return for court at Changxin Palace. He thoroughly enjoyed these excursions.

是後，南山下乃知微行數出也，然尚迫於太后，未敢遠出。 Word spread south of the capital that the emperor was often abroad in disguise, but the empress dowager still kept him from roaming too far.

丞相御史知指，乃使右輔都尉徼循長楊以東，右內史發小民共待會所。 Reading the signs, the chancellor and censor ordered the right-flank commandant to patrol east of Changyang and the right metropolitan superintendent to draft peasants to line the emperor's routes.

吾丘壽王奏事，上大說稱善。 Wuqiu Shouwang's report delighted the emperor.

今陛下累郎台，恐其不高也； You raise tower upon tower, as though none were high enough;

是日因奏《泰階》之事，上乃拜朔為太中大夫給事中，賜黃金百斤。 That day he lectured on the Grand Steps; the emperor named him Grand Counsellor with access to the inner palace and sent a hundred jin of gold.

久之，隆慮公主子昭平君尚帝女夷安公主，隆慮主病困，以金千斤、錢千萬為昭平君豫贖死罪，上許之。 Zhao Pingjun, son of the Princess of Longlü, married Princess Yi'an. On her deathbed his mother deposited a thousand pounds of gold and ten million cash to ransom any capital crime he might commit, and the emperor agreed.

左右人人為言：「前又入贖，陛下許之。」 Every attendant pleaded, saying, "His mother paid the ransom in advance, and you granted it."

上曰：「吾弟老有是一子，死以屬我。」 The emperor said: "My younger sister in old age had this one son; dying she entrusted him to me."

陛下行之，是以四海之內元元之民各得其所，天下幸甚！ Your Majesty has done this: every commoner in the realm finds justice, and the empire is the better for it.

臣朔奉觴，昧死再拜上萬歲壽。」 I raise my cup and wish Your Majesty ten thousand years of life."

上乃起，入省中，夕時召讓朔，曰：「傳曰『時然後言，人不厭其言』。 The emperor then rose and entered the private chambers. That evening he summoned Dongfang Shuo and rebuked him, saying, "The tradition says, 'Speak only when the time is right, and people will not weary of your words.'

銷憂者莫若酒，臣朔所以上壽者，明陛下正而不阿，因以止哀也。 Wine best drives care away. I raised a cup to show that Your Majesty holds straight to justice without favoritism, and to help you set grief aside.

初，帝姑館陶公主號竇太主，堂邑侯陳午尚之。 The emperor's aunt, the Princess of Guantao, was known as Grand Princess Dou and had married Chen Wu, Marquis of Tangyi.

如是，上知計出於足下也，則安枕而臥，長無慘怛之憂。 He will know the gift was your idea, sleep without fear, and cease to brood on silencing you.

久之不然，上且請之，於足下何如？」 Delay, and the emperor may take it by force—what then for you?"

上大說，更名竇大主園為長門宮。 The emperor was delighted and renamed her estate the Changmen Palace.

叔因是為董君畫求見上之策，令主稱疾不朝。 Yuanshu then arranged Dong Yan's introduction: the princess was to feign illness and skip court.

上往臨疾，問所欲，主辭謝曰：「妾幸蒙陛下厚恩，先帝遺德，奉朝請之禮，備臣妾之儀，列為公主，賞賜邑入，隆天重地，死無以塞責。 The emperor went to visit her illness and asked what she wished; the princess declined with thanks, saying: "Your handmaid has fortunately received Your Majesty's thick grace and the former emperor's bequeathed virtue, observed the rite of court attendance, fulfilled the deportment of subject and concubine, been ranked a princess, been granted fief income—heaven high, earth heavy—in death I have no means to repay the obligation.

一日卒有不勝灑掃之職，先狗馬填溝壑，竊有所恨，不勝大願，願陛下時忘萬事，養精游神，從中掖庭回輿，枉路臨妾山林，得獻觴上壽，娛樂左右。 If I should die before repaying you, one wish would remain: that you set the state aside awhile, refresh your spirit, turn your carriage from the palace, and deign to visit my poor villa so I may pour wine for you and cheer your attendants.

上曰：「主何憂？ The emperor said: "What does the princess worry about?

上還，有頃，主疾愈，起謁，上以錢千萬從主飲。 Soon she recovered and attended court; the emperor brought ten million cash to drink with her.

後數日，上臨山林，主自執宰敝膝，道入登階就坐。 Days later he visited her estate; she met him in a cook's apron like a common hostess, led him in, and seated him.

坐未定，上曰：「願謁主人翁。」 Before seating was settled, the emperor said: "I wish to greet the master of the house."

主乃下殿，去簪珥，徒跣頓首謝曰：「妾無狀，負陛下，身當伏誅。 She slipped from the dais, stripped her ornaments, and kowtowed barefoot: "I have shamed you and deserve death.

陛下不致之法，頓首死罪。」 Yet you have not held me to the law—I kowtow for my capital crime."

因叩頭謝，上為之起。 Dong Yan kowtowed; the emperor rose for him.

主乃請賜將軍、列侯、從官金錢雜繒各有數。 She asked the emperor to reward every general, marquis, and attendant with gold, cash, and silk.

常從遊戲北宮，馳逐平樂，觀雞鞠之會，角狗馬之足，上大歡樂之。 He often joined the emperor at the Northern Palace and Pingle Park for cockfights, dog races, and polo until the sovereign was wild with delight.

於是上為竇太主置酒宣室，使謁者引內董君。 Then the emperor prepared a banquet in the Xuanshi Hall for Grand Princess Dou and ordered Dong Yan brought in.

上曰：「何謂也？」 The emperor said: "What does that mean?"

陛下富於春秋，方積思於《六經》，留神於王事，馳騖於唐、虞，折節於三代，偃不遵經勸學，反以靡麗為右，奢侈為務，盡狗馬之樂，極耳目之欲，行邪枉之道，逕淫辟之路，是乃國家之大賊，人主之大蜮。 Your Majesty is young and should steep yourself in the Six Classics and the models of Yao, Shun, and the Three Dynasties; instead Dong Yan spurns learning, exalts luxury, fills your days with dogs, horses, and sensual delight, and leads you down depraved paths—he is a public scourge and a parasite on the throne.

昔伯姬燔而諸侯憚，奈何乎陛下？ Formerly when Lady Bo Ji burned, the feudal lords were awed—what of Your Majesty?

上默然不應良久，曰：「吾業以設飲，後而自改。」 The emperor was silent and did not answer for a long time, then said: "I have already set the feast; afterward I will myself reform."

上曰：「善。」 The emperor said: "Good."

上從容問朔：「吾欲化民，豈有道乎？」 The emperor asked Shuo in a relaxed tone, "I want to improve the people's ways. Is there a right path to that?"

貴為天子，富有四海，身衣弋綈，足履革舄，以韋帶劍，莞蒲為席，兵木無刃，衣縕無文，集上書囊以為殿帷； Though he was exalted as Son of Heaven and possessed wealth as vast as the four seas, he dressed in plain black silk, wore simple leather shoes, girded his sword with a leather strap, sat on mats of rushes, kept wooden practice weapons without edges, wore undyed clothes without ornament, and strung together official document bags to hang as curtains in his hall;

今陛下以城中為小，圖起建章，左鳳闕，右神明，號稱千門萬戶； Today Your Majesty finds the capital too cramped and plans to build Jianzhang Palace: Phoenix Tower to the east, the Hall of Divine Brightness to the west, advertised as a labyrinth of a thousand gates and ten thousand doors;

陛下誠能用臣朔之計，推甲乙之帳燔之於四通之衢，卻走馬示不復用，則堯、舜之隆宜可與比治矣。 If Your Majesty would truly adopt my plan — haul those ranked curtains into the open crossroads and burn them, retire the racehorses and show the realm they will not be raced again — then Your government might stand comparison with the golden ages of Yao and Shun.

願陛下留意察之。」 I ask Your Majesty to weigh these words carefully."

朔雖詼笑，然時觀察顏色，直言切諫，上常用之。 Shuo might banter and joke, but he read the emperor's mood and spoke bluntly when remonstrance was needed; the ruler often took his advice.

上以朔口諧辭給，好作問之。 The emperor enjoyed quizzing him, for Shuo had a nimble tongue and a ready wit.

臣伏觀陛下功德，陳五帝之上，在三王之右。 From what I have seen, Your Majesty's merit and virtue rise above the Five Thearchs and outshine the Three Kings.

上乃大笑。 The emperor burst out laughing.

是時，朝廷多賢材，上復問朔：「方今公孫丞相，兒大夫、董仲舒、夏侯始昌、司馬相如、吾丘壽王、主父偃、硃買臣、嚴助、汲黯、膠倉、終軍、嚴安、徐樂、司馬遷之倫，皆辯知閎達，溢於文辭，先生自視，何與比哉？」 The court at that time teemed with talent, and the emperor pressed Shuo again: "Consider Chancellor Gongsun Hong, Censor-in-Chief Er Kuan, Dong Zhongshu, Xiahou Shichang, Sima Xiangru, Wuqiu Shouwang, Zhufu Yan, Zhu Maichen, Yan Zhu, Ji An, Jiao Cang, Zhong Jun, Yan An, Xu Le, Sima Qian, and men of that stamp. They are learned, articulate, and prolific writers. How do you measure yourself against such company?"

武帝既招英俊，程其器能，用之如不及。 Emperor Wu had called the best minds to court, weighed what each could do, and put them to work as if he feared he might never hire fast enough.

然悉力盡忠以事聖帝，曠日持久，官不過侍郎，位不過執戟，意者尚有遺行邪？ Yet though you have given the sage emperor your utmost loyalty year after year, your title has never risen above attendant-in-waiting and your duties never beyond holding the halberd at court. Are you hiding some moral flaw?

Book of Han, Chapter 85Volume 74: Wei Xiang and Bing Ji · 5 passages

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武帝末，巫蠱事起，吉以故廷尉監征，詔治巫蠱郡邸獄。 Late in Emperor Wu’s reign, when the witchcraft trials began, Bing Ji—once a justice superintendent—was recalled to oversee the witchcraft jail in the imperial hostel.

後元二年，武帝疾，往來長楊、五柞宮，望氣者言長安獄中有天子氣，於是上遣使者分條中都官詔獄系者，亡輕重一切皆殺之。 In 87 BCE, while Emperor Wu shuttled between hunting palaces, a diviner claimed Son-of-Heaven omens over the Chang’an jails; the emperor then sent agents to enumerate every prisoner in the capital’s edict jails and execute them all, whatever their offense.

武帝亦寤，曰：「天使之也。」 Emperor Wu came to his senses and said, ‘Heaven meant to spare him.’

吉奏記光曰：「將軍事孝武皇帝，受襁褓之屬，任天下之寄，孝昭皇帝早崩亡嗣，海內憂懼，欲亟聞嗣主，發喪之日以大誼立後，所立非其人，復以大誼廢之，天下莫不服焉。 Bing Ji wrote Huo Guang: ‘General, you served Emperor Wu, received the charge of the swaddling-clothes regency, and bear the empire’s trust; when Emperor Zhao died without heir the realm was anxious; you established a successor on the day mourning was announced, and when he proved unworthy you deposed him again by great duty—none under Heaven failed to submit.

而遺詔所養武帝曾孫名病已在掖庭外家者，吉前使居郡邸時見其幼少，至今十八九矣，通經術，有美材，行安而節和。 The edict-nurtured great-grandson Liu Bingyi, raised outside the harem—whom Bing Ji had known as a child in the hostel—is now a young man of eighteen or nineteen, learned, talented, and even-tempered.

Book of Han, Chapter 89Volume 78: Xiao Wangzhi · 1 passage

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望之以為中書政本，宜以賢明之選，自武帝游宴後庭，故用宦者，非國舊制，又違古不近刑人之義，白欲更置士人，由是大與高、恭、顯忤。 Wangzhi argued that the secretariat was the administrative heart and should be manned by scholars; since Emperor Wu's harem diversions, castrates had filled those desks—neither ancient practice nor wise policy—and he pressed to put gentlemen in their place, making bitter enemies of Gao, Gong, and Xian.

Book of Han, Chapter 94Volume 83: Xue Xuan and Zhu Bo · 1 passage

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至武帝罷太尉，始置大司馬以冠將軍之號，非有印綬官屬也。 Emperor Wu dropped the grand commandant and added the title grand marshal as a general's honorific, without its own seal or staff.

Book of Han, Chapter 96Volume 85: Gu Yong and Du Ye · 1 passage

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祖父及父積功勞皆至郡守，武帝時徙茂陵。 His grandfather and father rose on merit to grand warden and were moved to Maoling under Emperor Wu.

Book of Han, Chapter 98Volume 87a: Yang Xiong 1 · 2 passages

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甘泉本因秦離宮，既奢泰，而武帝復增通天、高光、迎風。 Sweet Springs was first a Qin summer palace; already lavish, Emperor Wu added the Access to Heaven, Height of Light, and Wind-Meeting towers.

武帝廣開上林，南至宜春、鼎胡、御宿、昆吾，旁南山而西，至長楊、五柞，北繞黃山，瀕渭而東，周袤數百里，穿昆明池象滇河，營建章、鳳闕、神明、馺娑，漸台、泰液象海水周流方丈、瀛洲、蓬萊。 Emperor Wu stretched Shanglin from the southern lodges to the northern hills, dug Kunming to mirror the Dian pool, and raised Jianzhang and the tiered terraces to mimic the fairy isles in the sea.

Book of Han, Chapter 99Volume 87b: Yang Xiong 2 · 2 passages

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於是聖武勃怒，□整其旅，乃命票、衛，汾□沸渭，雲合電發，飆騰波流，機駭蜂軼，疾如奔星，擊如震霆，砰轒□，破穹廬，腦沙幕，髓余吾。 Then Emperor Wu’s wrath flared: he dressed the ranks, sent Huo Qubing and Wei Qing ahead, and the Fen and Wei valleys seethed like a cauldron. The army massed like storm clouds, struck like lightning, surged like wind on water, swifter than meteors, louder than thunder—wagons rolled, yurts shattered, the desert ran with blood down to the Yuyu River.

往時武帝好神仙，相如上《大人賦》，欲以風，帝反縹縹有陵雲之志。 When Emperor Wu doted on immortals, Sima Xiangru offered his "Rhapsody of the Great Man" as a cautionary mirror—only to leave the sovereign drifting, more eager than ever to ride the wind above the clouds.

Book of Han, Chapter 101Volume 89: Upright Officials · 5 passages

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孝武之世，外攘四夷，內改法度，民用凋敝，奸軌不禁。 Under Emperor Wu the court drove back the border peoples abroad while overhauling statutes at home. Common folk were drained, and lawbreaking ran unchecked.

至武帝時，乃令天下郡國皆立學校官，自文翁為之始雲。 By Emperor Wu's reign every commandery and kingdom was ordered to maintain official schools; the precedent is traced to Wen Weng.

霸少學律令，喜為吏，武帝末以待詔入錢賞官，補侍郎謁者，坐同產有罪劾免。 As a youth Huang Ba studied the legal codes and wanted a bureaucratic career. Late in Emperor Wu's reign he bought an expectancy appointment, became a palace usher, then lost the post when impeached because a full brother had committed a crime.

自武帝末，用法深。 From the late years of Emperor Wu onward, justice grew pitiless.

昭帝立，幼，大將軍霍光秉政，大臣爭權，上官桀等與燕王謀作亂，光既誅之，遂遵武帝法度，以刑罰痛繩群下，由是俗吏上嚴酷以為能，而霸獨用寬和為名。 Emperor Zhao came to the throne as a child while Huo Guang held power. Court factions clashed until Huo executed Shangguan Jie and his allies in the plot with the Prince of Yan. Thereafter the regime clung to Emperor Wu's harsh precedents, and petty bureaucrats climbed by proving how cruel they could be—except Huang Ba, who made his name with lenience.

Book of Han, Chapter 102Volume 90: Cruel Officials · 6 passages

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武帝即位，徙為內史。 Emperor Wu moved him to privy treasurer of the capital precincts.

武帝即位，吏治尚修謹，然由居二千石中最為暴酷驕恣。 Emperor Wu's early bureaucracy prized sobriety, yet Zhouyang You outdid every governor in brutality and swagger.

武帝時，禹以刀筆吏積勞，遷為御史。 Under Emperor Wu he climbed from scribal clerk to imperial clerk.

天子聞，使杜式治，以為廢格沮事，棄縱市。 The emperor charged Du Shi with the case, convicted Yi Zong of blocking state policy, and left him on the execution ground.

武帝使督盜賊，斬伐不避貴勢。 The emperor tasked him with bandit suppression regardless of rank.

武帝問：「言何？」 The emperor asked: "What did he say?"

Book of Han, Chapter 103Volume 91: Usurers · 1 passage

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莽皆以為納言士，欲法武帝，然不能得其利。 Wang Mang named them court remonstrance officers and tried to copy Emperor Wu's patronage of merchants, but the treasury never saw a copper of their skill.

Book of Han, Chapter 104Volume 92: Youxias · 2 passages

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祖父武帝時以豪桀自陽翟徙茂陵。 His grandfather, a noted bravo, was resettled from Yangzhai to Maoling under Emperor Wu.

初，武帝時，京兆尹曹氏葬茂陵，民謂其道為京兆仟，涉慕之，乃買地開道，立表署曰南陽仟，人不肯從，謂之原氏仟。 Emperor Wu's Governor Cao had left a "Metropolitan Thousand" funeral avenue at Maoling; Yuan She copied the stunt, labeled his "Nanyang Thousand," but locals dubbed it the Yuan family lane.

Book of Han, Chapter 105Volume 93: Flatterers · 11 passages

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孝武時士人則韓嫣，宦者則李延年； under Emperor Wu, the courtier was Han Yan and the eunuch Li Yannian;

武帝為膠東王時，嫣與上學書相愛。 While Wu was still prince of Jiaodong, Han Yan studied with him and they grew inseparable.

及上為太子，愈益親嫣。 When Wu became heir apparent, the bond only tightened.

上即位，欲事伐胡，而嫣先習兵，以故益尊貴，官至上大夫，賞賜擬鄧通。 Once enthroned, Wu planned war on the Xiongnu; Han Yan, already versed in military matters, rose to senior grandee with largesse to rival Deng Tong's.

始時，嫣常與上共臥起。 Early on he often shared the emperor's quarters.

天子車駕蹕道未行，先使嫣乘副車，從數十百騎馳視獸。 Before the main procession moved, Wu sent Han Yan ahead in the escort carriage with scores of horsemen to beat the cover.

江都王望見，以為天子，辟從者，伏謁道旁。 The king mistook the party for the emperor, sent his escort aside, and knelt by the road.

上為謝，終不能得，嫣遂死。 Wu begged in vain; Han Yan was put to death.

是時，上方興天地祠，欲造樂，令司馬相如等作詩頌。 Wu was founding state rituals to Heaven and Earth and wanted fresh ritual music; Sima Xiangru and others were told to supply hymn texts.

及李夫人卒後，其愛弛，上遂誅延年兄弟宗族。 After Lady Li's death his star faded; Wu executed Li Yannian and his whole clan.

武帝游宴後庭，故用宦者，非古制也。 Emperor Wu used eunuchs there because he banqueted in the inner palace—but that was never classical practice.

Book of Later Han, Chapter 31Volume 28a: Biographies of Huan Tan; Feng Yan · 2 passages

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譚進說曰：“昔武帝欲立衛子夫，陰求陳皇后之過，而陳後終廢，子夫竟立。 Huan Tan urged him: "When Emperor Wu wanted Lady Wei as empress, he secretly hunted faults in Empress Chen until she fell and Wei Zifu took her place.

繼高祖之休烈，修文武之絕業，社稷複存，炎精更輝，德冠往初，功無與二。 He took up Gaozu's torch, restored the broken work of Wen and Wu, relit Han's red mandate, outshone every predecessor, matched by no successor.

Book of Later Han, Chapter 37Volume 32: Biographies of Fan Hong; Yin Shi · 2 passages

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昔孝文竇後性好黃老，而清靜之化流景、武之間。 Empress Dou under Emperor Wen loved Huang-Lao, yet her quiet influence lasted into the reigns of Emperors Jing and Wu.

可依徵和元年故事，遣使持節慰安。 Follow Emperor Wu's Zhenghe precedent: send credentialed envoys to comfort the people.

Book of Later Han, Chapter 89Volume 80a: Biographies of Writers 1 · 2 passages

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是时，孝武因其余财府帑之蓄，始有钩深图远之意，探冒顿之罪，校平城之仇。 Then Emperor Wu, drawing on overflowing treasuries, first dreamed of distant schemes—to reckon Modun's offenses and settle scores for the humiliation at Pingcheng.

故创业于高祖，嗣传于孝惠，德隆于太宗，财衍于孝景，威盛于圣武，政行于宣、元，侈极于成、哀、祚缺于孝平。 The line began with Gaozu, flowed through Emperor Hui, rose in virtue with Emperor Wen, spread wealth with Emperor Jing, blazed in might with Emperor Wu, ran smoothly under Emperors Xuan and Yuan, burned brightest in excess under Cheng and Ai, and shattered under young Emperor Ping.

Book of Later Han, Chapter 108Volume 97: Rituals and Worship Part One · 3 passages

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初，孝武帝欲求神仙，以扶方者言黄帝由封禅而後仙，于是欲封禅。 Earlier, Emperor Wu had sought immortality; his fangshi advisers claimed the Yellow Thearch had ascended only after performing the feng and shan rites on Mount Tai, which fired the emperor’s own ambition to do the same.

元封元年，上以方士言作封禅器，以示羣儒，多言不合古，于是罷諸儒不用。 In the first year of Yuanfeng (110 BC), following his occult advisers' advice, he had ritual vessels for the feng and shan sacrifices made and shown to the Confucian scholars; most pronounced them uncanonical, so he set the literati aside.

三月，上東上泰山，乃上石立之泰山颠。 In the third month he climbed Mount Tai from the east and set a stone marker on its peak.

Book of Later Han, Chapter 109Volume 98: Rituals and Worship Part Two · 2 passages

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壬申，宗祀五帝于孝武所作汶上明堂，光武帝配，如雒阳明堂礼。 On renshen he offered the lineal sacrifice to the Five Thearchs in the Bright Hall above the Wen River built by Emperor Wu, pairing Guangwu as at the Luoyang Bright Hall.

癸酉，更告祀高祖、太宗、世宗、中宗、世祖、显宗于明堂，各一太牢。 On guiyou he reported separately to Gaozu, Taizong, Shizong, Zhongzong, Shizu, and Xianzong in the Bright Hall, each with a full tailao.

Book of Later Han, Chapter 110Volume 99: Rituals and Worship Part Three · 4 passages

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四时祫祀，高帝为太祖，文帝为太宗，武帝为世宗，如旧。 At the four seasonal xia sacrifices, Emperor Gao was honored as Taizu, Emperor Wen as Taizong, and Emperor Wu as Shizong, as in the old system.

太祖东面，惠、文、武、元帝为昭，景、宣帝为穆。 The founding ancestor faced east; Hui, Wen, Wu, and Yuan were zhao; Jing and Xuan were mu.

自秦始皇、孝武帝封泰山，本由好仙、信方士之言，造为石检印封之事也。 Qin Shihuang and Han Wudi climbed Tai out of quest for immortals and occultists’ tales, hence stone caskets and sealed credentials.

世祖欲因孝武故封，实继祖宗之道也。 Guangwu meant to repeat Wudi’s climb in spirit, inheriting the founders’ path.

Book of Later Han, Chapter 125Volume 114: Officials Part One · 4 passages

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及至武帝，多所改作，然而奢广，民用匮乏。 Emperor Wu refashioned much of the machinery of state, but that age's breadth and lavish spending drained the common people.

然皆孝武奢广之事，又职分未悉。 yet his focus falls on Emperor Wu's expansion and luxury, and the boundaries of each post remain incompletely spelled out.

本注曰：世祖即位，以武帝故事置司直，居丞相府，助督录诸州，建武十八年省也。 Guangwu revived Emperor Wu's office of the Straightener in the chancellor's compound to help supervise the provinces; it was cut in Jianwu 18.

初，武帝以卫青数征伐有功，以为大将军，欲尊宠之。 Emperor Wu first made Wei Qing Grand General to reward his repeated victories and signal his eminence.

Book of Later Han, Chapter 127Volume 116: Officials Part Three · 2 passages

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本注曰：承秦所置，武帝用宦者，更为中书谒者令，成帝用士人，复故。 The office dated to Qin; Emperor Wu had put eunuchs in charge under the title of palace secretary and usher; Emperor Cheng returned it to civil officials under the old name.

孝武帝初置水衡都尉，秩比二千石，别主上林苑有离官燕休之处，世祖省之，并其职于少府。 Emperor Wu had created the water-and-balances commandant at two thousand piculs to run Shanglin's lodges and resorts; Emperor Guangwu abolished the post and folded its duties back into the Privy Treasurer.

Book of Later Han, Chapter 128Volume 117: Officials Part Four · 2 passages

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有胡骑、虎贲校尉，皆武帝置。 Emperor Wu had also created separate Hu-cavalry and tiger-rushers colonels.

本注曰：孝武帝初置，持節，掌察举百官以下，及京师近郡犯法者。 Emperor Wu first created the post with a credential baton to impeach capital officials and wrongdoers in the home commanderies around Luoyang.

History of Liao, Chapter 35Volume 35 Treatises 5: Military 2 · 1 passage

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漢武帝多行幸之事，置期門、佽飛、羽林之目，天子始有親軍。 Emperor Wu of Han made many inspection tours and created the Qimen, Cifei, and Yulin corps—the Son of Heaven first gained a personal guard army.

History of Liao, Chapter 54Volume 54 Treatises 24: Music · 2 passages

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漢武帝以李延年典樂府，稍用西涼之聲。 Emperor Wu of Han placed Li Yannian in charge of the Music Bureau and gradually introduced sounds from Western Liang.

雜戲：自齊景公用倡優侏儒，至漢武帝設魚龍曼延之戲，後漢有繩舞、自刳之伎，杜佑以為多幻術，皆出西域。 Miscellaneous entertainments: from Duke Jing of Qi's actors and dwarfs to Emperor Wu of Han's fish-dragon pageant, and in Later Han rope dances and self-disemboweling acts—Du You regarded most of these as illusion arts originating in the Western Regions.

History of Liao, Chapter 58Volume 58 Treatises 28: Ceremonial Guards 4 · 1 passage

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太宗兼制中國，秦皇、漢武之儀文日至，後嗣因之。 Emperor Taizong also ruled China, and each day brought more of the ceremonial protocol of the First Emperor of Qin and Emperor Wu of Han; his successors followed suit.

Book of Southern Qi, Chapter 17Volume 17 Treatises 9: Caraiges and Dress · 1 passage

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漢武天漢四年，朝諸侯甘泉宮，定輿服制，班于天下。 In Han Wudi's Tianhan 4 he assembled the feudal lords at Sweet Springs Palace, set the carriage and regalia code, and sent it throughout the empire.

Book of Southern Qi, Chapter 47Volume 47 Biographies 28: Wang Rong, Xie Tiao · 4 passages

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永明末，世祖欲北伐，使毛惠秀畫《漢武北伐圖》，使融掌其事。 At the end of the Yongming era Emperor Wu planned a northern campaign and commissioned Mao Huixiu to paint "Emperor Wu of Han's Northern Expedition," putting Rong in charge of the project.

若夫膏腴旣稱，天乙知五方之富，皮幣已列，帝劉測四海之尊。 When fertile lands were acclaimed, Tianyi knew the wealth of the five directions; when furs and coin were set out, Emperor Liu measured the honor of the four seas.

後日，宋弁於瑤池堂謂融曰：「昔觀相如《封禪》，以知漢武之德； A few days later Song Bian said to Rong at Yaochi Hall, "When I once read Sima Xiangru's 'Feng and Shan,' I learned Emperor Wu of Han's virtue;

融曰：「皇家盛明，豈直比蹤漢武； Rong said, "The imperial house is radiant—how could it be compared only with Emperor Wu of Han;

Book of Southern Qi, Chapter 48Volume 48 Biographies 29: Yuan Tuan, Kong Zhigui, Liu Hui · 1 passage

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唯漢武藉五世之資，承六合之富，驕心奢志，大事匈奴。 Only Emperor Wu of Han, relying on five generations' accumulation and inheriting the wealth of the six directions, with proud heart and extravagant will, made the Xiongnu his great enterprise.

Book of Southern Qi, Chapter 56Volume 56 Biographies 37: Trusted Officials · 12 passages

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孝武韓嫣、霍去病，遂至侍中大司馬。 Under Emperor Wu, favorites such as Han Yan and Huo Qubing advanced as high as Attendant-in-Ordinary and Grand Marshal.

孝武以來，士庶雜選，如東海鮑照，以才學知名。 From Emperor Xiaowu on, men of gentry and common birth were chosen side by side, as with Bao Zhao of Donghai, famed for his talent and scholarship.

世祖嘗目送之，笑曰：「人何必計門戶，紀僧真常貴人所不及。」 Emperor Wu once watched him depart and said with a laugh, "Why must one count family standing? Ji Sengzhen is often what the highly born cannot match."

世祖崩，僧真號泣思慕。 When Emperor Wu died, Sengzhen wailed and mourned in longing.

孝武末年，作酒法，鞭罰過度，校獵江右，選白衣左右百八十人，皆面首富室，從至南州，得鞭者過半。 In Emperor Xiaowu's last years he instituted drinking regulations with excessive flogging. On a hunting expedition south of the Yangzi he selected one hundred eighty attendants in plain dress, all men of wealthy households, and took them to the southern regions; more than half were flogged.

世祖鎮盆城，須舊驅使人，法亮求留爲上江州典籤，除南臺御史，帶松滋令。 When Emperor Wu was stationed at Pencheng and needed experienced dispatch runners, Faliang asked to stay on as chief clerk of Upper Jiangzhou, was appointed censor of the Southern Terrace, and concurrently served as magistrate of Songzi.

世祖卽位，仍爲中書通事舍人。 When Emperor Wu took the throne, he continued as secretariat communications attendant.

延昌殿爲世祖陰室，藏諸御服。 Yanchang Hall was Emperor Wu's private chamber, where the imperial wardrobe was kept.

二少帝竝居西殿，高宗卽位住東齋，開陰室出世祖白紗帽防身刀，法亮歔欷流涕。 The two young emperors both lived in the western hall. When Emperor Gao took the throne he lodged in the eastern studio, opened the private chamber, and brought out Emperor Wu's white gauze cap and self-defense knife. Faliang sobbed and wept.

初爲宋孝武齋幹直長。 He first served as chief orderly of the fasting guard under Emperor Xiaowu of Song.

世祖鎮盆城拒沈攸之，文度仍留伏事，知軍隊雜役，以此見親。 When Emperor Wu was stationed at Pencheng resisting Shen Youzhi, Wendu remained behind to serve in secret and knew the army's miscellaneous duties; for this he won the emperor's favor.

世祖卽位，爲制局監，位至員外郎，帶南濮陽太守。 When Emperor Wu took the throne, Wendu was made supervisor of the Equipment Bureau, rose to supplementary gentleman, and concurrently served as governor of Nanpuyang.

Records of the Grand Historian, Chapter 11Annals of the Xiaojing Emperor · 5 passages

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立皇子徹為膠東王。 He installed his son Che as King of Jiaodong.

丁巳，立膠東王為太子。 On dingsi, he named the King of Jiaodong crown prince.

名徹。 His name was Che.

正月甲寅，皇太子冠。 On the jiayin day of the first month, the crown prince underwent his coming-of-age capping ceremony.

太子即位，是為孝武皇帝。 The crown prince ascended the throne; this was Emperor Wu.

Records of the Grand Historian, Chapter 23Treatise on Ritual · 2 passages

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今上即位，招致儒術之士，令共定儀，十餘年不就。 When the present Majesty ascended the throne, he summoned scholars of Confucian arts and ordered them to establish the ceremonies together. After more than ten years, the work was still not complete.

上聞之，制詔御史曰：「蓋受命而王，各有所由興，殊路而同歸，謂因民而作，追俗為制也。 The emperor heard this and formulated an edict to the imperial secretary, saying: 'Generally those who received the mandate and became kings each had their origin of rising. Though by different roads, they return to the same place. This means following the people to make things and pursuing customs as the system.

Records of the Grand Historian, Chapter 26Treatise on the Calendar · 1 passage

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至今上即位，招致方士唐都，分其天部； When the present emperor came to the throne, he summoned the fangshi Tang Du to divide the celestial sectors;

Records of the Grand Historian, Chapter 51Houses of Jing and Yan · 1 passage

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上許之。 The emperor gave his assent.

Records of the Grand Historian, Chapter 84Biographies of Qu Yuan and Master Jia · 1 passage

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及孝文崩，孝武皇帝立，舉賈生之孫二人至郡守，而賈嘉最好學，世其家，與余通書。 After Emperor Wen passed away and Emperor Wu ascended the throne, two of Jia Sheng's grandsons were promoted to the rank of commandery governor. Among them, Jia Jia was the most devoted to learning. He carried on the family tradition and exchanged letters with me.

Records of the Grand Historian, Chapter 102Biographies of Zhang Shizhi and Feng Tang · 1 passage

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武帝立，求賢良，舉馮唐。 When Emperor Wu ascended the throne and sought out men of worth, Feng Tang was recommended.

Records of the Grand Historian, Chapter 103Biographies of Wan Shi and Zhang Shu · 9 passages

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天子巡狩海內，修上古神祠，封禪，興禮樂。 The emperor toured and hunted throughout the realm, restored the ancient divine shrines, performed the Feng and Shan sacrifices, and revived the rites and music.

天子曰：「倉廩既空，民貧流亡，而君欲請徙之，搖蕩不安，動危之，而辭位，君欲安歸難乎？」 The emperor said, "The granaries are already empty and the people poor and displaced—yet you wished to petition to relocate them, which would shake and unsettle them and expose them to danger; yet you resign your post—where do you intend to go to escape difficulty?"

既已，上立膠東王為太子，召綰，拜為太子太傅。 When this was done, the emperor established the King of Jiaodong as Crown Prince, summoned Wan, and appointed him Grand Tutor to the Crown Prince.

為丞相三歲，景帝崩，武帝立。 After three years as Chancellor, Emperor Jing died and Emperor Wu ascended the throne.

天子修吳楚時功，乃封不疑為塞侯。 The emperor reviewed the merits earned in the Wu-Chu campaign and enfeoffed Buyi as Marquis of Sai.

武帝建元年中，與丞相綰俱以過免。 In the first year of Emperor Wu's Jianyuan era, he was dismissed along with Chancellor Wan on account of their offenses.

武帝立，以為先帝臣，重之。 When Emperor Wu ascended the throne, he regarded Ren as a minister of the former emperor and treated him with great respect.

至武帝元朔四年，韓安國免，詔拜歐為御史大夫。 In the fourth year of Emperor Wu's Yuanshuo era, Han Anguo was dismissed, and an edict was issued appointing Ou as Imperial Secretary.

於是天子亦策罷，以上大夫祿歸老于家。 Thereupon the emperor also issued an edict relieving him of office, and he retired to his home on the salary of a Senior Grand Counselor.

Records of the Grand Historian, Chapter 104Biography of Tian Shu · 5 passages

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武帝大笑曰：「善。」 Emperor Wu laughed heartily and said: "Well spoken."

仁還奏事，武帝說，以仁為能不畏彊御，拜仁為丞相司直，威振天下。 Tian Ren returned and delivered his report. Emperor Wu was delighted, judging Tian Ren to be a man who feared no authority however powerful. He appointed him as the Chancellor's Director of Justice, and his renown shook the entire empire.

是時武帝在甘泉，使御史大夫暴君下責丞相「何為縱太子」，丞相對言「使司直部守城門而開太子」。 At the time, Emperor Wu was at the Ganquan Palace. He dispatched Grand Censor Bao Shengzhi to reprimand the Chancellor: "Why did you allow the Crown Prince to escape?" The Chancellor replied in his defense: "I assigned the Director of Justice to guard the city gates, but he opened them and let the Crown Prince through."

武帝聞之，以為任安為詳邪，不傅事，何也？ When Emperor Wu heard of this, he suspected Ren An of feigning loyalty: the man had accepted the tally yet taken no action and reported nothing to the throne—why?

書上聞，武帝曰：「是老吏也，見兵事起，欲坐觀成敗，見勝者欲合從之，有兩心。 When the memorial came to the emperor's attention, Emperor Wu declared: "He is a wily old official. When the fighting broke out, he wanted to sit back and watch how things unfolded, intending to side with whichever faction won. He harbors a divided heart.

Records of the Grand Historian, Chapter 113Treatise on the Nanyue · 12 passages

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今閩越興兵侵臣，臣不敢興兵，唯天子詔之。」 Now Minyue has raised an army to invade my territory. I dare not take up arms on my own, and respectfully await the Son of Heaven's command."

於是天子多南越義，守職約，為興師，遣兩將軍往討閩越。 The Son of Heaven commended Nanyue's righteous adherence to its obligations. He mobilized an army and dispatched two generals to march against Minyue.

天子使莊助往諭意南越王，胡頓首曰：「天子乃為臣興兵討閩越，死無以報德！」 The Son of Heaven sent Zhuang Zhu to convey his intentions to the King of Nanyue. Hu prostrated himself and declared: "The Son of Heaven raised an army on my behalf to punish Minyue. Even in death, I could never repay such a kindness!"

胡方日夜裝入見天子。」 I am making preparations day and night to travel to court and present myself before the Son of Heaven."

且先王昔言，事天子期無失禮，要之不可以說好語入見。 Moreover, the former king once warned that in serving the Son of Heaven, the key is never to fail in courtesy—but under no circumstances should one be sweet-talked into appearing at court in person.

於是天子許之，賜其丞相呂嘉銀印，及內史、中尉、太傅印，餘得自置。 The Son of Heaven approved the request. He bestowed silver seals upon the chancellor, Lu Jia, as well as seals for the positions of Inner Historian, Colonel of the Guard, and Grand Tutor. The remaining officials could be appointed by Nanyue at its own discretion.

天子聞嘉不聽王，王、王太后弱孤不能制，使者怯無決。 When the Son of Heaven learned that Lu Jia defied the king, that the king and the Queen Dowager were too weak and isolated to control him, and that the envoys were timid and indecisive.

辭不可，天子罷參也。 He firmly declined the assignment, and the Son of Heaven relieved him of it.

於是天子遣千秋與王太后弟樛樂將二千人往，入越境。 The Son of Heaven then dispatched Han Qianqiu along with the Queen Dowager's younger brother, Jiu Le, at the head of two thousand soldiers to enter Yue territory.

太後，中國人也，又與使者亂，專欲內屬，盡持先王寶器入獻天子以自媚，多從人，行至長安，虜賣以為僮仆。 The Queen Dowager is a woman from the Central Plains who has carried on a sordid affair with the envoy. She is bent on submitting our kingdom to the Han, carrying off all the treasures of the former kings to present to the Son of Heaven and ingratiate herself. She plans to take many of our people along to Chang'an, where they will be seized and sold into servitude.

於是天子曰：「韓千秋雖無成功，亦軍鋒之冠。」 The Son of Heaven declared: "Although Han Qianqiu did not succeed, he was the vanguard of our military valor."

乃下赦曰：「天子微，諸侯力政，譏臣不討賊。 The emperor then issued an edict: "When the Son of Heaven's authority wanes, the feudal lords seize power by force, and ministers are condemned for failing to punish rebels.

Records of the Grand Historian, Chapter 115Treatise on Korea · 9 passages

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真番旁眾國欲上書見天子，又擁閼不通。 When the neighboring states near Zhendan wished to send memorials requesting an audience with the Son of Heaven, Ugeo blocked their way and refused to let them through.

何去至界上，臨浿水，使御刺殺送何者朝鮮裨王長，即渡，馳入塞，遂歸報天子曰「殺朝鮮將」。 As She He departed and reached the border at the Pae River, he ordered his chariot driver to stab and kill the Joseon deputy king, Chang, who had been escorting him. He then immediately crossed the river and galloped back through the frontier passes to report to the Son of Heaven: 'I have slain a Joseon general.'

上為其名美，即不詰，拜何為遼東東部都尉。 The emperor, pleased by the impressive claim, did not investigate the matter further and appointed She He as the Commandant of the Eastern Division of Liaodong.

天子募罪人擊朝鮮。 The Son of Heaven recruited convicted criminals to form an army against Joseon.

天子為兩將未有利，乃使衛山因兵威往諭右渠。 Since neither general had gained the upper hand, the Son of Heaven sent Wei Shan to use the might of the army as leverage and persuade Ugeo to submit.

山還報天子，天子誅山。 Wei Shan returned and reported on the failed negotiations. The Son of Heaven had him executed.

天子曰將率不能，前（及）［乃］使衛山諭降右渠，右渠遣太子，山使不能剸決，與左將軍計相誤，卒沮約。 The Son of Heaven declared that the commanders could not advance, and then sent Wei Shan to negotiate Ugeo's surrender. Ugeo dispatched his crown prince in response, but Wei Shan failed to handle the matter decisively; his actions clashed with the Left General's plans, and in the end the agreement fell through.

遂亦以為然，而以節召樓船將軍入左將軍營計事，即命左將軍麾下執捕樓船將軍，并其軍，以報天子。 Gongsun Sui agreed. Using the imperial tally, he summoned the General of the Tower Ships to the Left General's camp to discuss strategy. Once there, he ordered the Left General's officers to seize and arrest the Tower Ships general, absorbed his troops, and sent a report to the Son of Heaven.

天子誅遂。 The Son of Heaven had Gongsun Sui executed.

Records of the Grand Historian, Chapter 120Biographies of Ji and Zheng · 56 passages

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黯以父任，孝景時為太子洗馬，以莊見憚。 Through the privilege of his father's rank, Ji An served as Attendant to the Crown Prince during the reign of Emperor Jing, and his solemn bearing inspired awe in all who knew him.

孝景帝崩，太子即位，黯為謁者。 When Emperor Jing passed away and the Crown Prince ascended the throne, Ji An was appointed Master of Ceremonies.

東越相攻，上使黯往視之。 When the tribes of Eastern Yue fell to fighting among themselves, the Emperor dispatched Ji An to investigate.

不至，至吳而還，報曰：「越人相攻，固其俗然，不足以辱天子之使。」 He never reached his destination but turned back at Wu, reporting to the throne: 'The Yue people have always fought among themselves—it is simply their way. Such matters are beneath the dignity of an envoy of the Son of Heaven.'

河內失火，延燒千餘家，上使黯往視之。 When a fire broke out in Henei and spread to consume more than a thousand homes, the Emperor once again sent Ji An to investigate.

上賢而釋之，遷為滎陽令。 The Emperor, impressed by his integrity, pardoned him and appointed him Magistrate of Xingyang.

上聞，乃召拜為中大夫。 When the Emperor learned of this, he summoned Ji An back to court and appointed him Palace Grandee.

上聞，召以為主爵都尉，列於九卿。 When the Emperor heard of his success, he summoned Ji An to court and appointed him Commandant of the Noble Ranks, elevating him to the ranks of the Nine Ministers.

然好學，游俠，任氣節，內行修絜，好直諫，數犯主之顏色，常慕傅柏、袁盎之為人也。 And yet he was a man devoted to learning who kept company with wandering knights, a man who prized integrity and honor. His personal conduct was beyond reproach, and he delighted in speaking truth to power, frequently provoking the Emperor's displeasure. He had always admired the example set by Fu Bai and Yuan Ang.

天子方招文學儒者，上曰吾欲云云，黯對曰：「陛下內多欲而外施仁義，柰何欲效唐虞之治乎！」 The Emperor was at that time actively courting men of letters and Confucian scholars. When the Emperor spoke of his grand ambitions, Ji An replied: 'Your Majesty harbors boundless desires within, yet makes an outward show of benevolence and righteousness—how can you hope to emulate the governance of Yao and Shun!'

上默然，怒，變色而罷朝。 The Emperor fell silent, his face darkening with rage, and abruptly dismissed the court.

上退，謂左右曰：「甚矣，汲黯之戇也！」 After withdrawing, the Emperor said to his attendants: 'How blunt Ji An is!'

群臣或數黯，黯曰：「天子置公卿輔弼之臣，寧令從諛承意，陷主於不義乎？ When some other ministers rebuked him, Ji An replied: 'The Son of Heaven appoints his ministers to advise and assist him—surely not to have them merely flatter and fawn, leading the sovereign into unrighteousness?

黯多病，病且滿三月，上常賜告者數，終不愈。 Ji An was plagued by illness, and on one occasion was bedridden for nearly three months. The Emperor repeatedly granted him sick leave, yet he never fully recovered.

最後病，莊助為請告。 When he fell ill for the last time, Zhuang Zhu petitioned the Emperor on his behalf for an extension of leave.

上曰：「汲黯何如人哉？」 The Emperor asked: 'What sort of man is this Ji An, after all?'

上曰：「然。 The Emperor said: 'Just so.

大將軍青侍中，上踞廁而視之。 When the Grand General Wei Qing attended him at court, the Emperor would receive him while lounging casually by the latrine.

丞相弘燕見，上或時不冠。 When Chancellor Gongsun Hong came for a private audience, the Emperor would sometimes receive him without even donning his formal cap.

至如黯見，上不冠不見也。 But when Ji An sought an audience, the Emperor would never receive him unless he was properly capped and dressed.

上嘗坐武帳中，黯前奏事，上不冠，望見黯，避帳中，使人可其奏。 Once, the Emperor was sitting informally in the military tent when Ji An approached to present a report. Caught without his cap, the Emperor spotted Ji An in the distance, retreated behind the curtains, and sent an attendant to approve the memorial on his behalf.

其見敬禮如此。 Such was the degree of respect the Emperor accorded him.

張湯方以更定律令為廷尉，黯數質責湯於上前，曰：「公為正卿，上不能褒先帝之功業，下不能抑天下之邪心，安國富民，使囹圄空虛，二者無一焉。 Zhang Tang had recently been appointed Commandant of Justice, tasked with revising the laws. Ji An repeatedly challenged him before the Emperor, declaring: 'You serve as Chief Justice, yet you have neither upheld the legacy of the former emperors above nor suppressed the wickedness in the hearts of the people below. You have failed to bring peace and prosperity to the nation, and the prisons remain full—you have accomplished neither of these goals.

黯務少事，乘上閒，常言與胡和親，無起兵。 Ji An advocated simplicity in governance and, seizing every opportunity when the Emperor was at ease, would urge him to pursue peace through marriage alliances with the Hu rather than resorting to war.

上方向儒術，尊公孫弘。 The Emperor, however, was increasingly drawn to Confucian scholarship and had elevated Gongsun Hong to a place of honor.

上分別文法，湯等數奏決讞以幸。 The Emperor took to parsing the fine points of the law with relish, and Zhang Tang and his ilk frequently submitted judicial verdicts to curry favor.

而黯常毀儒，面觸弘等徒懷詐飾智以阿人主取容，而刀筆吏專深文巧詆，陷人於罪，使不得反其真，以勝為功。 Ji An was relentless in his criticism of the Confucians, confronting Gongsun Hong and others to their faces with the charge that they harbored nothing but deceit, dressing up their cleverness to flatter the Emperor. As for the legal clerks, he accused them of twisting the law and crafting specious accusations to entrap the innocent, denying them any chance of vindication—and counting each conviction as a triumph.

上愈益貴弘、湯，弘、湯深心疾黯，唯天子亦不說也，欲誅之以事。 Yet the Emperor continued to elevate Gongsun Hong and Zhang Tang, who in turn harbored a deep hatred of Ji An. The Emperor too had grown weary of Ji An and wished to find some pretext to put him to death.

弘為丞相，乃言上曰：「右內史界部中多貴人宗室，難治，非素重臣不能任，請徙黯為右內史。」 When Gongsun Hong became Chancellor, he said to the Emperor: 'The district of the Right Prefect of the Capital is filled with nobles and members of the imperial clan—it is exceedingly difficult to govern. Only a minister of proven authority can manage it. I recommend that Ji An be transferred to the post of Right Prefect of the Capital.'

人或說黯曰：「自天子欲群臣下大將軍，大將軍尊重益貴，君不可以不拜。」 Someone advised Ji An: 'The Son of Heaven expects every minister to defer to the Grand General, and his honor and rank only continue to grow. Surely you must bow before him.'

天子既數征匈奴有功，黯之言益不用。 As the Emperor's repeated campaigns against the Xiongnu bore fruit, Ji An's counsel was increasingly ignored.

黯褊心，不能無少望，見上，前言曰：「陛下用群臣如積薪耳，后來者居上。」 Ji An, being a man of narrow patience, could not conceal his resentment. In an audience with the Emperor, he stepped forward and declared: 'Your Majesty employs his ministers the way one stacks firewood—the latest additions always end up on top.'

上默然。 The Emperor said nothing.

有閒黯罷，上曰：「人果不可以無學，觀黯之言也日益甚。」 After Ji An had withdrawn, the Emperor remarked: 'A man truly cannot afford to neglect his studies. Just look at how Ji An's remarks grow more outrageous by the day.'

上怒，欲斬長安令。 The Emperor was furious and wanted to have the Magistrate of Chang'an beheaded.

上默然。 The Emperor made no reply.

臣愚以為陛下得胡人，皆以為奴婢以賜從軍死事者家； In my humble view, Your Majesty should have given all captured Hu people as slaves to the families of soldiers who perished in the campaigns;

陛下縱不能得匈奴之資以謝天下，又以微文殺無知者五百餘人，是所謂『庇其葉而傷其枝』者也，臣竊為陛下不取也。」 Your Majesty not only fails to use the wealth of the Xiongnu to repay the empire for its sufferings, but now would use petty legal technicalities to execute more than five hundred innocent people. This is the very meaning of the saying, "protecting the leaves while breaking the branches." I humbly advise Your Majesty against this course.'

上默然，不許，曰：「吾久不聞汲黯之言，今又復妄發矣。」 The Emperor said nothing and refused the request, remarking: 'It has been a long time since I last heard from Ji An, and now he is spouting nonsense once again.'

上以為淮陽，楚地之郊，乃召拜黯為淮陽太守。 The Emperor, recognizing that Huaiyang bordered the troubled Chu region, summoned Ji An from retirement and appointed him Governor of Huaiyang.

詔召見黯，黯為上泣曰：「臣自以為填溝壑，不復見陛下，不意陛下復收用之。 When summoned to a final audience, Ji An wept before the Emperor and said: 'I had resigned myself to dying in some ditch, never to see Your Majesty again. I never imagined you would call upon me once more.

上曰：「君薄淮陽邪？ The Emperor replied: 'Do you think the post of Huaiyang beneath you?

然御史大夫張湯智足以拒諫，詐足以飾非，務巧佞之語，辯數之辭，非肯正為天下言，專阿主意。 But the Imperial Secretary Zhang Tang is clever enough to deflect any remonstrance and deceitful enough to disguise any wrong. He devotes himself to honeyed flattery and sophistic rhetoric, never willing to speak honestly for the good of the realm—he exists only to pander to the Emperor's whims.

主意所不欲，因而毀之； Whatever the Emperor dislikes, Zhang Tang tears down;

主意所欲，因而譽之。 whatever the Emperor desires, he praises to the skies.

好興事，舞文法，內懷詐以御主心，外挾賊吏以為威重。 He delights in stirring up trouble and twisting the law to his purposes. Behind closed doors he employs deceit to bend the Emperor's mind; in public he enlists corrupt officials to project an air of fearsome authority.

後張湯果敗，上聞黯與息言，抵息罪。 In time, Zhang Tang did indeed meet his downfall. When the Emperor learned of what Ji An had said to Li Xi, he punished Li Xi for his failure to speak up.

卒後，上以黯故，官其弟汲仁至九卿，子汲偃至諸侯相。 After his death, the Emperor, out of regard for Ji An, elevated his younger brother Ji Ren to the rank of the Nine Ministers and his son Ji Yan to the post of Chancellor to a feudal lord.

黯姑姊子司馬安亦少與黯為太子洗馬。 Sima An, the son of Ji An's paternal aunt, had likewise served alongside him as an Attendant to the Crown Prince in their youth.

孝景時，為太子舍人。 Under Emperor Jing, Zheng Zhuang served in the Crown Prince's household.

武帝立，莊稍遷為魯中尉、濟南太守、江都相，至九卿為右內史。 After Emperor Wu took the throne, Zheng Zhuang rose steadily through the ranks—serving as Commandant of Lu, Governor of Jinan, and Chancellor of Jiangdu—until he reached the Nine Ministers as Right Prefect of the Capital.

每朝，候上之閒，說未嘗不言天下之長者。 At every court session, whenever he found a moment with the Emperor, he never failed to put in a good word for the worthy men of the realm.

聞人之善言，進之上，唯恐後。 Whenever he learned of a good idea from someone, he would hasten to present it to the Emperor, as though afraid of being too late.

上曰：「吾聞『鄭莊行，千里不齎糧』，請治行者何也？」 The Emperor said: 'I have heard it said that "when Zheng Zhuang travels, he needs no provisions for a thousand li." So why does he ask for time to prepare?'

然鄭莊在朝，常趨和承意，不敢甚引當否。 At court, however, Zheng Zhuang tended toward accommodation, deferring to the Emperor's wishes and never daring to press too firmly on questions of right and wrong.

上以為老，以莊為汝南太守。 The Emperor, considering him too old for central office, appointed him Governor of Runan.

Records of the Grand Historian, Chapter 124Biographies of Knight-errants · 3 passages

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衛將軍為言：「郭解家貧不中徙。」 General Wei Qing spoke to the emperor on his behalf, saying: "The Guo Jie household is poor and does not qualify for relocation."

上曰：「布衣權至使將軍為言，此其家不貧。」 The emperor said: "A commoner whose influence is great enough to make a general speak on his behalf — his household is not poor."

上聞，乃下吏捕解。 When the emperor heard of this, he ordered the authorities to arrest Guo Jie.

Records of the Grand Historian, Chapter 127Biographies of Soothsayers · 1 passage

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臣為郎時，與太卜待詔為郎者同署，言曰：「孝武帝時，聚會占家問之，某日可取婦乎？ When I served as a Palace Gentleman, I shared an office with a man who had served as a Gentleman-in-Waiting under the Grand Diviner. He told me, "In the time of Emperor Wu, the various schools of diviners were assembled and asked: Is such-and-such a day auspicious for taking a wife?

History of Song, Chapter 359Volume 359 Biographies 118: Li Gang 2 · 2 passages

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張浚引咎去相位，言者引漢武誅王恢為比。 Zhang Jun accepted blame and left the chancellorship; critics compared the case to Emperor Wu of Han executing Wang Hui.

綱奏曰：「臣竊見張浚罷相，言者引武帝誅王恢事以為比。 Li Gang memorialized: "I have seen Zhang Jun removed from office, with critics citing Emperor Wu's execution of Wang Hui as a parallel.

New Book of Tang, Chapter 113Volume 113 Biographies 38: Tang, Zhang, Xu · 1 passage

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秦、漢廣事四夷，造宮室，至二世土崩，武帝末年戶口減半。 Qin and Han both campaigned widely and built palaces on a vast scale—Qin collapsed under the Second Emperor, and by the end of Emperor Wu's reign the registered population had been cut in half.