Life and dates
Attested activity
Places and affiliations
- Polity Tang 唐 · Relation Ruled
Events and relationships
Brought the realm to great order by employing the Nine Officers, Four Peaks, and Twelve Pastors
Political · Ruler
Raised worthy Yuan Kai men and executed the Four Evils
Political · Ruler
Assessments and attributes
- Assessment model of successful sage rule whose rise should be examined · Mode quotation Speaker Liu Fen (劉蕡)
References in the histories
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New Book of Tang, Chapter 178Volume 178 Biographies 103: Liu Fen · 3 passages
臣聞堯、禹之為君而天下大治者，以能任九官、四嶽、十二牧，不失其舉，不貳其業，不侵其職，居官唯其能，左右唯其賢，元凱在下雖微而必舉，四兇在朝雖強而必誅，考其安危，明其取舍。
I have heard that Yao and Yu brought the realm to great order because they could employ the Nine Officers, the Four Peaks, and the Twelve Pastors — never missing the right appointment, never duplicating tasks, never encroaching on duties; in office only by ability, at their side only the worthy; worthy men below though slight were always raised, the Four Evils in court though strong were always executed; they examined security and danger and clarified what to take and what to discard.
至秦二世、漢元成，鹹願措國如唐、虞，致身如堯、舜，而終敗亡者，以其不見安危之機，不知取舍之道，不任大臣，不辨奸人，不親忠良，不遠讒佞也。
As for Qin Ershi and the Han emperors Yuan and Cheng — all wished to set the state like Tang and Yu and make themselves like Yao and Shun, yet in the end were defeated and perished — because they did not see the pivot of security and danger, did not know what to take and what to discard, did not employ great ministers, did not distinguish treacherous men, did not draw near the loyal, and did not keep far from slanderous flatterers.
伏惟陛下察唐、虞之所以興，而景行於前；
I beg Your Majesty to examine why Tang and Yu flourished and take their bright conduct as your model;