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Volume 2: Book of Wei 2 - Annals of Emperor Wen

Chapter 2 of 三國志 · Records of the Three Kingdoms
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1
使祿 使使
Emperor Wen—whose personal name was Pi and courtesy name Zihuan—was the heir apparent of Emperor Wu (Cao Cao). He was born at Qiao in the winter of the fourth year of the Zhongping era (187 CE). 〈The Wei Book records that at his birth a greenish aura hung above him in a disk like a carriage canopy for the whole day; diviners of qi pronounced it the sign of supreme eminence—not the kind of portent that attends an ordinary minister. At eight he could already write polished compositions. Gifted with extraordinary ability, he went on to command the classics and their commentaries and the writings of the hundred schools past and present. He excelled at horsemanship and archery and delighted in swordplay. Nominated as a "flourishing talent," he declined to serve. According to the Daily Records of Emperor Xian, in Jian'an 15 (210 CE) he was recruited by Minister of Education Zhao Wen. The Grand Progenitor memorialized: "Zhao Wen has summoned my sons and younger relatives; therefore the selection is not according to reality." He had Palace Attendant and acting Supervisor of the Household Xi Lu carry the credential and deliver the edict stripping Zhao Wen of his post.〉 In Jian'an 16 (211 CE) he was appointed General of the Household for All Purposes and deputy to the Chancellor. In the twenty-second year of Jian'an (217 CE) he was named heir apparent of Wei. 〈The Wei Summary notes that Cao Cao had long delayed naming an heir, and the crown prince began to doubt his position. There was a physiognomist named Gao Yuanlü whom Pi summoned and questioned; Gao answered, "The degree of eminence is beyond words." Pi asked, "How long will he live?" Gao Yuanlü replied, "He will meet a brief ordeal at forty; after that, nothing to fear." Soon afterward Pi was installed as heir apparent of the King of Wei; he died in his fortieth year. When Cao Cao died, Pi succeeded him as Chancellor and King of Wei. 〈Yuan Hong's Han Annals preserves an imperial edict: "Heir apparent Pi of Wei: High Heaven once entrusted your late father to uphold Our house; he crushed the rebels, pacified the Nine Regions, and left achievements that fill heaven and earth—while I, leaning on the cushions at court, reigned at ease for more than twenty years. Heaven would not spare one wise elder to shelter Me alone; he left the world too soon, and My sorrow cuts deep. Pi carries forward a luminous succession; he should wield both civil and military authority and carry on the work begun before him. I therefore dispatch Bearer of the Imperial Insignia and Imperial Counselor Hua Xin to deliver the edict investing Pi with the Chancellor's seal and ribbon, the regalia of the King of Wei, and the governorship of Ji Province. Barbarians still linger beyond the frontiers, distant peoples have not yet come to court, signal drums stand posted along the borders, and arms cannot yet be laid aside—this is the very hour to broadcast great deeds and win lasting fame. How could you confine yourself to solitary mourning like a common heir or imitate only the filial retreats of Zengzi and Min Ziqian? Therefore obey this charge with reverence: set anxiety aside, uphold the legacy on every side, and in due course bring every task to fruition, that My wishes may be fulfilled. Ah—how could you do otherwise than strive with all your might!"〉" The queen consort was elevated to Queen Dowager of Wei. The twenty-fifth year of Jian'an was redesignated the first year of the Yan Kang era (220 CE).
2
便 使
In the second month of the first year of Yan Kang. 〈The Wei Book preserves an edict issued on the gengxu day: "Barrier crossings exist to keep trade flowing; imperial ponds and preserves exist to buffer times of famine. Heavy taxes and strict closure are no way to serve the people; therefore lift the embargoes on the royal fisheries, ease duties at the fords, and restore the ten-percent rate everywhere." On the xinhai day that followed, he granted the royal princes, the high ministers, and the senior generals ten thousand hu of grain, a thousand rolls of silk, and graded gifts of gold and silver. He sent inspectors through the commanderies and principalities to report any official who defied law, extorted the people, or ruled with cruelty. On the renxu day he named Grand Counselor Jia Xu Grand Commandant, Imperial Counselor Hua Xin Chancellor of State, and Court Administrator Wang Lang Imperial Counselor. He created four posts each of Regular Palace Gentlemen and Gentlemen Attendant at the Household; no eunuch in office might rise above the rank of director of a bureau; the rule was inscribed on a golden tablet and deposited in the stone archive.
3
祿
Formerly, in the fifth year of Han Xiping, a yellow dragon appeared at Qiao; Grand Counselor of the Household Qiao Xuan asked the Grand Astrologer Shan Yang: "What kind of auspice is this?" Shan Yang answered, "This land will one day produce a true king; within fifty years the dragon should appear again. Heaven's workings always leave images on earth—this was its sign." Yin Deng of Neihuang quietly committed the prophecy to memory. Forty-five years later Yin Deng was still living. In the third month another yellow dragon appeared at Qiao; when Yin Deng heard the news he declared, "So Shan Yang's prediction has come true after all!" 〈The Wei Book relates that the King summoned Yin Deng and told him, "Long ago Lady Cheng Feng heeded the oracle of Chuqiu and honored Ji You; Deng Chen trusted Shaogong's prophecy and threw in his lot with Guangwu. You are aged yet devoted to astrology and what Heaven records—could there be substance to what you heard?" He awarded Yin Deng two hundred hu of grain and sent him home.
4
使
On the jimao day he promoted Former General Xiahou Dun to Grand General. The Hu tribes, the king of Fuyu, Yanqi, and the ruler of Yutian each sent envoys with tribute offerings. 〈The Wei Book notes that on the bingxu day he instructed the court historians to revive the offices of Chong, Li, Xi, and He—those who once regulated the calendar—and align celestial observations with the seasons. Pei Songzhi remarks: The Wei Book mentions this reform but gives no details of the offices established. An edict issued on the dinghai day declared: "Former Deputy Director Mao Jie, Chamberlain for Ceremonials Wang Xiu, Liang Mao, Prefect of the Household Yuan Huan, Chamberlain Xie Huan and Wan Qian, Capital Commandant Xu Yi, Guo Yuan, and the rest served with upright loyalty and walked the path of humanity and justice, yet died young while their families fell into hardship. Out of compassion I hereby appoint each man's heir as a Gentleman of the Household."〉
5
In the fourth month of summer, on the dingsi day, Rao'an County reported the sighting of a white pheasant. 〈The Wei Book adds that he remitted land tax for Rao'an, sent cattle and wine to a hundred households in Bohai for a three-day general feast; and had the Chamberlain for Ceremonials offer the grand sacrifice at the ancestral shrine. On the gengwu day Grand General Xiahou Dun died. 〈The Wei Book records that the King, dressed in mourning white, went to the east gate of Ye to mourn. Sun Sheng observes that ritual prescribes the emperor to mourn kinsmen outside the ancestral temple gate. To weep at the city gate was to choose the wrong place.
6
使
In the fifth month, on the wuyin day, the emperor authorized the King to posthumously elevate his grandfather the former Grand Commandant as "Grand King," Lady Ding as Grand Queen Mother, and to enfeoff Prince Rui as Marquis of Wude. 〈The Wei Summary states that Palace Attendant Zheng Cheng was named tutor to the Marquis of Wude, with an edict declaring, "The swords Longyuan and Tai'e were forged from Kunwu ore; He's bi disk came from a common field; whetted on grindstones and finished with stone from another hill—only thus could they command a city's ransom and become treasures for the age. Scholarship serves the same purpose for a man. Zheng Cheng is a devoted scholar—charge him to instruct the marquis in the classics, attending court morning and night until his purpose shines clear."〉" That month the Fengyi bandit leaders Zheng Gan and Wang Zhao surrendered with their followers, and both received marquisates. 〈The Wei Book recounts that when Zheng Gan, Wang Zhao, and the Lu River tribes submitted, the King read their capitulation aloud at court: "Some urged me to strike the Xianbei; I refused—and still they yielded; others wanted me to attack the Lu River tribes this autumn—I declined—and now they too have come in. Marquis Wu of Wei once crowed over a single clever stratagem until Li Kui mocked him for self-congratulation. I mention this not to boast—only to note that winning submission without drawing swords surpasses any campaign."〉"
7
Huang Hua in Jiuquan and Zhang Jin in Zhangye each detained his prefect and rose in revolt. Su Ze, prefect of Jincheng, attacked Zhang Jin and executed him. Huang Hua submitted. 〈Huang Hua later served as inspector of Yan Province; see the biography of Wang Ling.
8
使 便
On the xinhai day in the sixth month he reviewed the troops outside the eastern suburb, 〈The Wei Book describes the King touring under the ornate canopy while ministers lined his route and he watched the drum and bell signals. On the gengwu day he set out on the southern expedition. 〈The Wei Summary records that as the King prepared to march, Huo Xing of Xinping—Director of Expenditure—submitted a memorial: "I recall King Wen and King Zhou of Shang: in those days sensible men sealed their lips and would offer no counsel. Today Your Highness embraces heaven and earth in person and listens on every side, inviting wise and humble alike to speak. Your late father's deeds were unmatched, yet those who could praise him now withhold their voices. Hence the saying of the sages: win the people's hearts. The military treatises call warfare perilous: the six states exhausted one another until mighty Qin inherited their weakness, whereas the house that rose from Bin avoided reckless strife and the Zhou mandate flourished. I urge you to leave authority with the Han court for now, keep to the yielding stance of the Daoists, store your strength like a crouching tiger—then achievement will follow. Yet you have scarcely laid your foundations and already reach for arms—yet arms breed calamity, calamity breeds unrest, unrest slides into rebellion when least expected. To my mind this danger towers higher than a stack of eggs. When Qi of Xia mourned in seclusion for three years, the Zhou Yi promised a swift return from error, and the Analects praised those unafraid to mend their ways. Please weigh past and present with your chief ministers and reckon every gain and loss before you march. Your servant has bathed in the Former King's favor; moreover at the first change of government again receiving heavy responsibility—although knowing words touch dragon scales, flattery draws near fortune—I privately feel what was warned: peril yet not supporting." When the memorial arrived, Pi flew into a rage, handed Huo Xing to the secret police for interrogation, and had him executed. He soon regretted the deed, but it was too late to make amends.
9
On the gengchen day in the seventh month of autumn he issued an edict: "The Yellow Emperor held counsel at the Bright Tower; Yao sought opinion in the Crossroads Chamber—both widened consultation below the throne. 〈Guanzi explains that the Yellow Emperor founded the Bright Tower deliberations to survey military affairs from on high; Yao's Crossroads Chamber let him listen downward to the common people; Shun raised a banner for good counsel so that no worthy voice stayed hidden; Yu hung the petition drum at court so grievances could be heard; Tang maintained the assembly at Total Street to expose popular complaints; King Wu's Spirit Terrace park drew worthy men forward—the ancient sage-kings instituted such institutions and never abandoned them once gained."〉 Let every minister discharge remonstrance within his charge; let commanders publish martial regulations; court officers clarify statutes; regional governors report on administration; local elites expound the Six Classics—I shall review them all."
10
使 使 使 使 西
Sun Quan sent envoys with tribute offerings. The Shu commander Meng Da surrendered with his troops. Yang Pu, king of the Di in Wudu, led his people to submit and was settled in Hanyang commandery. 〈The Wei Summary preserves the King's own brush order: "When I sent envoys abroad to display Wei majesty, Meng Da came at once to surrender. Just as the Spring and Autumn Annals honored Yifu of Zhu, I now enfeoff Meng Da and send him back to serve as prefect of Xincheng. More families—old and young together—have lately come forward to accept imperial rule. I read that the Sushen people bound their lord and delivered him to Shennong, and that the folk of Bin swaddled their infants and thronged into Feng and Hao—such movements were never forced marches at spearpoint. Moral sway stirred their hearts and humanity moved them inwardly until glad consent rose of itself—that is why they came. If this holds, the southwest will fold into the realm from border to border—which ally could Sun Quan or Liu Bei still rally for a doomed defense?"〉"
11
On the jiawu day the host camped at Qiao and gave a grand banquet for the six armies and for the elders and townsfolk east of the city. 〈The Wei Book records musicians and variety acts; an edict declared, "Ancient kings celebrated their native soil; ceremony never forgets its origins. Qiao bred founders of empire—the sage king himself sprang from here—so its taxes are remitted for two years." The elder worthies, officials, and commoners toasted his longevity, and the revelry lasted until evening. On the bingshen day he personally offered sacrifice at the imperial tombs near Qiao. Sun Sheng says: Formerly the former kings used filial piety to govern the realm—internally regulating heavenly nature, externally extending through the four seas; while alive they exhausted reverence, in death they exhausted grief; longing and mourning in silent darkness in the chamber, entrusting government to the grand steward—therefore it is said "the three-year mourning, from the Son of Heaven reaches to the common people." Thus the three-year rite carried real weight, subjects and sons repaid it in full, harmony spread and the state stood firm—by this the sages joined Heaven and earth, deepened the human bonds, proclaimed the highest teaching, and shaped the customs: an unchanging model that every throne has honored. Hence undyed caps in mourning earned Kuai mockery for premature court appearances; Zai Yu's shortened mourning drew Confucius's charge of heartlessness; Prince Tui's levity showed delight in disaster; the Duke of Lu's change of dress foretold ruin in the Annals—all betrayed genuine grief and violated the great rhythms of sorrow and joy. Even in the decadent ages of the three final dynasties and the strife of the seven powers, no one cast off sackcloth within weeks or laid aside the mourning staff on the day of the "returning lament." Then Emperor Wen of Han rewrote the old code: human duties collapsed overnight—mourning dress could be stripped by imperial fiat, the realm lost its solemn silence, regional lords ceased to feel moral awe, and the great moral order slipped between sovereign and kin; however thrifty his motives or urgent his statecraft, his fame for virtue and power to reform customs ran thin—the Way waned in his day and left posterity adrift. King Wu carried his father's spirit tablet into battle yet avoided a pitched clash at Muye; Duke Xiang of Jin wore ink-stained sackcloth yet yielded three generals as prisoners—great emergencies sometimes bend ritual; what harm came of it? Yet the King of Wei adopted Han's lax precedent: amid the gravest bereavement he staged feasts and music; at the very founding of his line he undercut royal virtue; at the abdication he brazenly took two imperial daughters—forgetting deepest grief and mocking the sages' teaching. Heaven's favor was forfeited—how could such a reign close well? Small wonder his reign proved short and his dynasty's allotted span ran thin. In the eighth month Shiyi County reported phoenixes gathering.
12
On the guimao day in the eleventh month of winter he issued an edict: "When armies march, fallen soldiers are sometimes left unburied—I mourn them bitterly; instruct every commandery and principality to issue coffins 〈Pronunciation gloss: the character (hui) is read the same as the common word wei, "defend."〉 For encoffining and laying out the remains, ship each body home, and let the officials sponsor the sacrificial offerings." 〈The Han shu quotes Emperor Gaozu's eighth-month decree: "Men who die on campaign shall receive a burial coffin (hui). Ying Shao glosses: "Hui is a small coffin—today we call it a case (du)." Ying Qu's "Hundred and One" poems say: "Coffin wagons line the roads while conscripts never rest." Lu Ji's Rhapsody on a Princely Tomb says: "The sight of plain boards brought gloom; the great outer coffin recalled the simple hui.""〉 On the bingwu day he marched as far as Quli.
13
That year Commandant of the Changshui encampment Dai Ling urged the emperor to stop his repeated hunting sorties, and the emperor flew into a rage; Dai Ling's sentence was commuted one rank below death.
14
使 滿 西 西
In the first month of spring of the second year (Huangchu 2, 221 CE) he performed the suburban sacrifice to Heaven and Earth at the Bright Hall. On the jiaxu day the imperial hunt reached Yuanling, where he sent envoys to offer the grand sacrifice at Emperor Guangwu's tomb. On the yihai day he greeted the sun at the eastern suburban altar. 〈Pei Songzhi notes that ritual prescribes the emperor's salutation of the sun at the spring equinox and of the moon at the autumn equinox; here the suburban rite for the first month records the month but no cyclical day, while the solar ceremony records yihai without naming the month—likely a scribal omission. Mingdi's later observances followed the canonical calendar exactly, which confirms this entry is mistaken. He first decreed that any commandery or kingdom with a population of one hundred thousand could nominate one Filially Pious and Incorrupt candidate each year; truly outstanding talent might be recommended regardless of household quota. On the xinsi day he carved lands from the Three Excellencies' patrimonies to enfeoff one son or nephew of each as full marquis. On the renwu day he remitted one year's land tax for Yingchuan commandery. 〈The Wei Book preserves an edict: "Yingchuan was the furnace from which the late emperor launched his wars. When Guandu shattered every ally and neighbors hedged their bets, Yingchuan alone stood firm—every able man shouldered arms while elders hauled grain. Han Gaozu built his realm on the Guanzhong basin; Guangwu trusted Henei as his base—here I ascended the altar to receive the abdication. Heaven uses this commandery to uphold Great Wei."〉" Xu county was renamed Xuchang. The eastern precinct of Wei commandery became Yangping commandery and the western precinct Guangping commandery. 〈The Wei Summary adds that Chang'an, Qiao, Xuchang, Ye, and Luoyang were designated the "five capitals"; Stone pillars marked the inner capital belt—west to Yiyang, north along the Taihang range, northeast to Yangping, south through Luyang, east to Tan. People were encouraged to settle inside the belt with five-year tax relief, later extended further.
15
退
An edict proclaimed: "Confucius bore the gifts of a supreme sage and the bearing of a king, yet at Zhou's twilight lacked Heaven's mandate; he wandered Lu and Wei and taught beside the Zhu and Si streams—restless, sorrowful—ready to humble himself to preserve the Way and risk reputation to redeem the world. When no throne would employ him, he withdrew to study the rituals of five ages and assumed the mantle of the uncrowned king—distilling the Spring and Autumn Annals from Lu's archives and tuning the Hymns with the grand music master—so that later ages treat his words as scripture for authorship and look to his sagacity as the measure of policy—oh! Truly he was the sage who defined his epoch and the teacher for ten thousand generations. Empire-wide turmoil shattered his cult: the hometown shrine lies in ruins unbuilt; Baocheng's line died out with no heir; no lectures echo in Queli and seasonal offerings miss the steaming rites—can this honor the teaching that ranks merit above all and demands perpetual sacrifice for supreme virtue? Let Gentleman Consultant Kong Xian be made Marquis Zongsheng, fief one hundred households, to attend Confucius's sacrifices." Lu commandery shall rebuild the ancient temple, station a guard of a hundred households, and erect dormitories round about for students.
16
殿
In the third month Liaodong prefect Gongsun Gong was promoted to General of Chariots and Cavalry. The five-zhu copper coin was restored to circulation. In the fourth month of summer General of Chariots and Cavalry Cao Ren was appointed Grand General. In the fifth month Zheng Gan rebelled again; Cao Ren was sent to crush him and took his head. On the gengzi day in the sixth month he sacrificed for the first time to the Five Sacred Peaks and Four Great Rivers and ordered all lesser cults regulated. 〈The Wei Book notes that on the jiachen day—ancestral shrines in the capital still unfinished—the emperor sacrificed to Emperor Wu in Jianshi Hall, personally presenting offerings as though among kin. On the dingmao day Lady Zhen died. On the last day of the month (wuchen) an eclipse occurred; officials urged the Grand Commandant's dismissal, but an edict replied: "Omens reprimand the sovereign—how does blaming my ministers match the spirit of Yu and Tang reproaching themselves? Let every minister fulfill his duty with care; when Heaven sends warning again, do not impeach the Three Excellencies."
17
On the first day of the first month of the third year (bingyin) there was a solar eclipse. On the gengwu day he traveled to Xuchang Palace. An edict declared: "Today's merit examinations are the descendant of the Han tribute-student system; even a hamlet of ten holds loyal talent—if we insist on age quotas, men like Lü Shang would never have risen in antiquity. Therefore commanderies must nominate candidates without regard to age; classicists must master the canon, clerks must know statutes—every nominee serves on probation. Officials who falsify nominations will be prosecuted." 〈The Wei Book notes that on the guihai day Sun Quan wrote in to report: "Liu Bei's lieutenants—some forty thousand men and two or three thousand horses—have marched out of Zigui; allow me to strike them down and I will report victory." The emperor answered: "Wei Xiao fell when disaster struck Xunyi; Gongsun Shu was caught when lines collapsed at Han Pass—marshal your forces with vigor, seize the chance for a decisive blow, and satisfy my hopes."〉
18
使西 西 使 西
In the second month the kings of Shanshan, Kucha, and Khotan each sent tribute; an edict ran: "The Documents praise how the western tribes were pacified and the Di and Qiang came to court. Now the outer peoples beyond the Western Regions have knocked at the frontier posts asking to submit; 〈Ying Shao's commentary on the 〈Book of Han〉 explains that kuan means knocking at the barrier gates; they all beat on the barrier gates seeking allegiance."〉 Let envoys be dispatched to soothe and labor them." Traffic with the west was thereafter regular, and the Wuji colonel was appointed to oversee it.
19
On the yichou day in the third month Prince Rui of Qi was raised to Prince of Pingyuan, and eleven imperial brothers—including Zhang, Duke of Yanling—were invested as kings. New rules fixed that a king's younger sons receive district-duke rank, a successor king's younger sons village marquisates, and a duke's younger sons village earldoms. On the jiaxu day Prince Lin was named Prince of Hedong. On the jiawu day he traveled to Xiangyi. On the wushen day in the fourth month of summer Cao Zhi was promoted from Marquis to Prince of Juancheng. On the guihai day he returned to Xuchang Palace. In the fifth month eight commanderies south of the Yangzi were grouped into a new Jing province because Sun Quan already styled himself its governor; the commanderies north of the Great River became Ying province.
20
In the intercalary month Sun Quan defeated Liu Bei at Yiling. Earlier, learning that Liu Bei had marched east to fight Sun Quan and had planted linked camps along seven hundred li of riverbank, Cao Pi told his ministers, "Liu Bei knows nothing of war—who ever defended a seven-hundred-li palisade? The Art of War warns that camping across marshes and broken ground invites capture—that is elementary doctrine. Sun Quan's dispatch should arrive any day now." Seven days later the bulletin of Liu Bei's defeat reached court.
21
使 殿 使
In the seventh month of autumn locusts devastated Ji province and famine spread; Du Ji, Minister of the Secretariat, opened the granaries with imperial credentials to feed the people. In the eighth month the Shu general Huang Quan surrendered with his army. 〈The Wei Book records that Huang Quan and Acting Prefect of Nan commandery Shi He—318 men in all—presented themselves to the inspector of Jing province and returned their borrowed seals, ceremonial halberds, command banners, gate insignia, and drum carts. They were summoned to the emperor's mobile court, where he hosted a banquet with music and received them in Chengguang Hall. Huang Quan, Shi He, and their officers stepped forward to speak; the emperor lectured them on the fortunes of war and the choices that lay before them, and every officer left satisfied. Huang Quan received gold, silk, mounts, furs, tents, and household attendants in graded gifts that extended down to his subordinate officers. Huang Quan was named Palace Attendant and General Who Guards the South, invested as a full marquis, and summoned that same day to ride beside the emperor in the carriage. Forty-two others including Shi He received marquisates, and more than a hundred were commissioned as generals or colonels.〉
22
On the jiawu day in the ninth month an edict declared: "When women meddle in government, disorder takes root. Henceforth ministers shall not route state business through the empress dowager; no maternal relatives may serve as regents or receive large fiefs without merit; publish this as perpetual law—whoever breaks it may be punished by all the realm." 〈Sun Sheng argues that ruling well requires wise ministers and that worthy advisers hold deliberative posts—even at Zhou's height women took part in council. Earth's virtue yields to Heaven; the ruler faces south alone; the "three obediences" define proper submission—but edicts must stem from the emperor alone, and memorials routed solely through a dowager breaks classical precedent. The houses of Shen and Lü once strengthened Zhou. If appointments serve the realm and rest on virtue alone, kin and stranger alike should be judged impartially—why ban maternal relatives outright? In Later Han the royal way decayed, so in-laws leveraged favor until they became rungs on the ladder to chaos. Once government grew dark and the mandate shifted, even without a Wang Mang or Lü Hou there were still disasters like Tian Fen or Zhao Feiyan. Later ages looked back with bitter lessons etched in memory. Emperor Wen of Wei then issued a sweeping prohibition—sound caution for a private gentleman, but hardly the balanced judgment expected of a sovereign. On the gengzi day Lady Guo was invested as empress. Every adult male in the realm received two steps of noble rank; widowers, widows, the severely disabled, and the destitute were given grain relief.
23
穿
That month Sun Quan rebelled again. Ying province was merged back into Jing province. The emperor marched south from Xuchang with converging columns while Sun Quan held the Yangzi line. On the xinchou day in the eleventh month he traveled to Wan. On the last day of the month (gengshen) there was a solar eclipse. That year work began on the Lingzhi Pond.
24
In the fifth month of summer pelicans gathered on Lingzhi Pond; an edict observed, "The Odes call such birds creatures of fouled marshes. The poem of Cao satirizes Duke Gong for shunning gentlemen and favoring petty men—are wise worthies now languishing in low posts? If not, why would such birds appear? Let every commandery recommend men of brilliant virtue, unusual integrity, and solitary excellence to answer the lesson of Cao's ode." 〈The Wei Book notes that on the xinyou day officials proposed building twin shrines: one for the Grand Emperor—sharing offerings with Gaozu until the generational tie lapsed—then to be dismantled in turn; a separate temple enshrined Martial Emperor as Wei Founder with quarterly sacrifices, never to be torn down.
25
使
In the first month of spring of the fifth year he first allowed informants only for capital treason; all other accusations were rejected; false denouncers would themselves suffer the penalty they sought. In the third month he returned from Xuchang to Luoyang Palace. In the fourth month of summer he founded the Imperial University, set examinations on the Five Classics, and appointed an erudite for the Guliang commentary on the Spring and Autumn Annals. In the fifth month officials arranged for the high ministers to attend court on the first and fifteenth of each month to raise doubtful cases, deliberate major policy, and debate merits and faults. In the seventh month of autumn he toured east and lodged at Xuchang Palace. In the eighth month he raised a river fleet, boarded the imperial dragon barge, sailed the Cai and Ying rivers onto the Huai, and visited Shouchun. Throughout Yang province every officer, soldier, or commoner sentenced to five years or less was pardoned. In September he reached Guangling, issued amnesties for Qing and Xu provinces, and rotated the regional commanders. On the yimao day in the tenth month Venus appeared in daylight. He returned to Xuchang Palace. 〈The Wei Book preserves a guiyou day edict: "If those nearby lack peace, how can we embrace what lies far off? Today business overwhelms a shrinking populace; officials and people tie each other in legal knots until commoners cannot move hand or foot. The mourner at Mount Tai thought cruel government fiercer than tigers—I profess Confucian teaching and obey the sages; shall I mouth their words while acting against their warning? Let every minister propose lighter sentences to benefit the people."〉" On the gengyin day in the eleventh month, owing to famine in Ji province, envoys opened the granaries for relief. On the last day of the month (wushen) there was a solar eclipse.
26
殿 穿
A December edict read: "Ancient kings framed ritual to show filial devotion to ancestors—chiefly the suburban rites to Heaven and earth, next the ancestral temples, then the luminaries, elements, famous peaks, and great rivers; nothing outside this list belongs in the canon of sacrifice. Degenerate ages exalted shamans until libations splashed even inside palace chambers—such folly ran rampant. From now, dare establish non-canon sacrifices, shaman invocator speeches—all treated by practicing left-path doctrine, recorded in ordinance canon." That same year saw excavation of the Tianyuan Pond.
27
使 西 便
In the second month of spring of the sixth year inspectors toured from Xuchang east through Pei commandery, inquiring after hardships and granting grain loans to the poor. 〈The Wei Summary preserves an edict: "The Yellow Emperor posted advisers on four sides; King Wu spoke of ten ministers who could cure chaos—because sage rulers cherish worthy ministers when ordering state and heaven's task alike. At court ministers stabilize Luoyang; in the regions governors watch the corners—when the supreme commander campaigns there must be stalwart generals in the field and trustworthy ministers guarding supply lines; only then can the emperor journey safely without dread inside or out. I am about to strike the rebels and expect the duty to last several years. Chen Qun, Marquis of Yingxiang, is named General Who Guards the Army, and Sima Yi, Marquis of Xixiang, General Who Pacifies the Army. If I take the front line to brief the generals, the Pacification general stays in Xuchang to coordinate rear echelons and handle secretariat paperwork; the general who guards the army escorts the throne, commands the host, and holds traveling authority as head of the secretariat; each receives the credential, musicians, and six hundred guards from the central army. I will build a redoubt a few li from the river, move between it and the camp, and when the enemy offers a target I will sally with picked troops; if no opening appears I will exercise the six armies on hunt maneuvers and feast the troops."〉" In March he visited Shaoling and reopened the Taolu canal. On the yisi day he returned to Xuchang Palace. Liang Xi, inspector of Bing province, attacked the Xianbei chief Kebineng and routed him. On the xinwei day the emperor led the river fleet east. On the wushen day in the fifth month he visited Qiao. On the renxu day Mars entered the Supreme Palace enclosure.
28
In the sixth month Licheng troops under Cai Fang rebelled and murdered Prefect Xu Zhi. Colonel Ren Fu of the garrison cavalry, Colonel Duan Zhao of the infantry, and the inspector of Qing province were sent to crush the rising; those coerced into joining or driven into outlawry received amnesty.
29
使
In the seventh month of autumn Prince Jian was named Prince of Dongwuyang. In August the emperor led the fleet from Qiao up the Wo River into the Huai, then went overland to Xu. In September he built the eastern inspection terrace. In the tenth month he toured old Guangling, reviewed more than a hundred thousand troops along the river, with banners stretching for hundreds of li. 〈The Wei Book quotes him composing on horseback: "I review the host beside the river—see how the current rolls! Halberds rise like a forest; black lacquer armor flashes in the sun. Fierce generals smolder with wrath; valor courses free through every rank. Who calls this river too wide? A reed could ferry us—better still to win without battle, sheathe swords, and pass as sages. The ancient lord built at Qishan and began the undoing of Yin. Meng Xian fortified Hulao until Zheng trembled and pressed brow to ground. Zhao Chongguo farmed the frontier until the Xianling tribes collapsed of themselves. Let us till the lands between Huai and Si, raise walls, and make Xu our base. Fit strategy to circumstance—then the six armies thrive in peace; unlike the Eastern Mountain ode with its endless ache of longing."〉" That winter bit deep; rivers froze and the fleet could not reach the Yangzi, so he withdrew. In the eleventh month Prince Jian of Dongwuyang died. In December he traveled from Qiao through Liang and sent envoys with the grand sacrifice to honor the late Han Grand Commandant Qiao Xuan.
30
殿 殿 祿 輿 殿
In the first month of spring of the seventh year he meant to visit Xuchang, but the south gate collapsed without cause; taking it as an ill omen he turned back. On the renzi day he returned to Luoyang Palace. In March he built the Nine Splendors Terrace. On the bingchen day in the fifth month of summer, gravely ill, he summoned Cao Zhen, Chen Qun, Cao Xiu, and Sima Yi and entrusted them by testament to guide his heir. Concubines ranked gentle ladies and below were sent home to their families. On the dingsi day he died in Jiafu Hall at the age of forty. 〈The Wei Book states that his bier rested in the front hall of Chonghua. On the wuyin day in the sixth month he was buried at Shouyang Mausoleum. From lying in state to interment every rite followed his own austere "final instructions." 〈The Wei shi chunqiu notes that Emperor Ming meant to join the funeral train but Cao Zhen, Chen Qun, Wang Lang, and others dissuaded him in the sweltering heat—so he desisted. Sun Sheng remarks that laying a parent to rest is the filial son's sharpest grief—nothing weightier in human duty. Hence the emperor waits seven months for burial so every carriage track may converge. Even ritual bonds demand the full grief at the grave—how much more the bond of nature for those who prize propriety! Such thin virtue ill suits lasting foundations for the house of Wei. Long ago Hua Yuan gave a lavish funeral; the nobles read it as abandoning his lord to wrong—what greater betrayal than Chen Qun's counsel to stay away? The Marquis of Juancheng, Cao Zhi, composed a dirge: "On the seventh day of the fifth month of Huangchu seven (226 CE) the late emperor passed away—alas, the sorrow! Heaven trembled and earth reeled; peaks shattered and frost fell; the sun's fire dimmed; the five planets left their tracks; people wailed and every polity grieved as for lost parents; kindness deeper than at Tang's tomb; mourners beat their breasts in the outer suburbs and scanned the sky—why must guilt strike him who died before his time? Alas, the sorrow! Alas for the departed sovereign—his light snuffed in an instant, forever lost to the realm; clouds have fled and the rains ceased. When the news reached me I reeled in confusion, voice choked—I would have drawn steel and struck myself down; I envied the three Good Men who followed Duke Mu into death and wished to share one tomb. The south wind stirs grief still pent within us—we shall perish together; I swear by the moving sun. Ancient texts and wise men taught that life is fleeting lodging and only virtue endures; "hear the Way at dawn, die content at dusk"—such was Confucius's pledge. Though he has passed in one stroke, Heaven's blessing flows onward—how shall we proclaim his merit? We inscribe it on the white funeral banner. How shall we sing his achievements? Let pipes and strings carry them abroad. The dirge continues: "Bright primal purity split into yin and yang and yielded the human order; the Three Sovereigns grasped the true Dao, the Five Thearchs followed in unstained line, and the Three Dynasties built institutions and trod the path of merit. Successors failed their bond; Qin's net tore—music fell and learning died, Confucians were buried and ritual texts burned; Er Shi fell within two reigns. Han arose yet spurned antique teaching and copied the First Emperor until royal norms seemed lost in silence. Twilight deepened until fortune shifted; heaven and earth rolled through cycles until the canon chose sages—and then He turned to the late emperor and entrusted him with the black-haired masses. The dragon throne rose, cosmic tallies aligned with High Heaven, the Five Agents received their stations, reign titles and years were renewed—radiant and august, he bore Heaven's mandate. His humane breezes bowed all creation; his power moved through ritual; augury marked his sacred nature, steadfast even in childhood grace. He aspired to the Six Canons, studied within his courtyard, pondered without guile, and raised his purpose toward the empyrean. Talent shone clear as polished jade; his hearing needed no prompting, his sight pierced what had not yet taken shape. He was hard as metal, constant as jade, pure as ice, level as a whetstone. He enfeoffed without favoritism and punished rebels without laxity; his mind mirrored every policy and illumined the people's plight. He sought worthy limbs of state, praised Yi Yin and Lü Wang, searched humble lanes and raised men like Tang's ministers; he drew talent from mountain caves and brushwood gates, binding office to virtue alone without respect to pedigree. Beyond the nine provinces he sought righteousness, scorned mere terrain, and watched over the six directions. All signed the covenant to guide the folk in simplicity, broadened the norms, and carried on the work of past kings. Statutes and ranks framed praise and blame by precedent. He rode Yin-style chariots and kept Xia's calendar. Gold-decked chariot and yellow canopy, kingfisher pennons and dragon scales on regalia; cords and crowns rose in splendor, hatstrings gleamed anew—his solemn ritual awe struck every eye like a god. Regional governors were wisely chosen and cherished the people; tiger generals bore credentials and pacified the marches; Wherever crimson banners swept the nine regions trembled—who could refuse submission? Who dared withhold allegiance? Banners flew beyond the eastern sea and ten thousand li knew no raider's dust. Liu Bei's host was broken along the rivers; Sun Quan gasped like a fish on dry land; Sushen sent tribute, Yuechang offered jades, even far Tiaozhi sent hostages to court. His virtue matched the ancient sovereigns; his deeds rivaled high antiquity. High Heaven sent omens and Huangchu knew felicity: dragons rose from the Yellow River and tortoises from the Luo, breasting the waves; the measuring cord hung true and divine phoenixes wheeled in dance; auspicious grain sprouted on the stairs; gentle winds turned aside the summer heat; white beasts and bright-plumed birds crossed the suburban preserves; spirit bells and bronze tripods took shape from native earth; sweet nectar washed the dust and bathed the palace roof; magic fungus crowned the ponds and crimson flowers shaded the islets. Soft southern breezes brought abundant rains; grain stood thick—our wheat and millet flourished. Every home cherished him as a gracious lord; every door knew him as a kindly father. He aimed at supreme harmony and mingled virtue with perfect righteousness. He prepared to climb Mount Jie as Shun once did, pairing ritual with the founder. He carved stone to record deeds and gathered every omen; about to mount Feng and Shan he returned merit to Heaven and earth, feasted the hundred spirits, inspected ordinances, sacrificed to the Four Peaks, burned grain offerings at the suburban altar, and honored High God in the ancestral shrine. Tripods steamed with three beasts; summer di and autumn chang rites brought chief marquises to assist, presenting disks and libation tablets. Phoenix carriages drifted in gloom; dragon banners flew from the Grand Constant guard; entering the Grand Temple bells and drums thundered while eight rows of dancers praised virtue and rehearsed his deeds. Imperial ancestors received the feast; his father joined in joy—the spirits drank their fill and poured forth fortune. When heaven and earth convulsed, the late emperor brought peace; when sun, moon, and stars grew dim, he lit them anew; when the royal net snapped, he restrung it; when the sacred regalia lacked a master, he took it up; when ritual and music collapsed, he stretched them taut; when humanity and justice sank from sight, he raised them high; when dragons hid and phoenixes vanished, he gave them flight; when distant Di tribes lacked peace, he set them right. Seven years on the throne—great deeds piled toward lasting harmony, rivaling the Three Dynasties—fit to be maker of laws and everlasting lord, to live long as bronze stone like Dongfang Shuo—yet suddenly earth swallowed him, leaving us orphaned with nowhere to turn our eyes. O mighty Heaven—how could you bear this deed? Alas, the sorrow! Clear-eyed toward fortune and fate, he gauged life and death from afar—his ordinances reach deep and instruct the heir. The sacred heir reverently follows—raising dark halls on Shouyang as Yao at Grain Grove—honoring Tang without mound rings or jeweled grave goods, only clay hearses and straw figures—no pearls hidden below. Spirits stand vigil as guests enter the shadowed hall; sacrificial oxen and penned beasts await the soaring soul. Now we await the tunnel's completion and choose an auspicious hour—the splendid form rests in the catalpa coffin while his spirit holds court in the main hall. The heir's keening rings out; mourners sob beside him—the curtained hearse departs all too soon. His soaring soul mounts thin air and sinks into yellow earth—turning from sun, moon, and stars it enters the shadow underworld. Alas—there is no returning from that journey; grief bolts the inner gate forever. We distant ministers stand helpless—news of death strikes like thunder; hearts break with none to tell; tears stream until cheeks meet. Imperial grace bids me gallop thither—yet palace gates rise sheer; I finger mourning hemp yet frontier posts bind me still. I would soar far to rest yet dread Heaven's wide net—I would cast my bones at the foothill and repay kindness in the lower court. Beating my breast I mourn—duty weighs heavy yet life seems slight; this mean frame would gladly die nine deaths for him—yet fate's ledger strikes gray heads first; Heaven is high yet sees the low—may spirits hear my plea. Brooding alone with none to speak—I pity this fading shadow and set forth these lines to lay bare devotion. Alas, the sorrow!"〉"
31
使 使 姿
From youth he loved letters and devoted himself to authorship—his own brush filled nearly a hundred pieces. He had scholars compile classics and commentaries by topic—more than a thousand fascicles entitled Comprehensive Imperial Digest. 〈The Wei Book relates that while crown prince a plague ravaged the land and moved him to write his revered Wang Lang: "In life we span seven feet—in death we fill one coffin of earth; only virtue and fame defy decay; next best is leaving writings behind. Pestilence repeatedly arose—scholar gentlemen fell away—I alone what person—can complete their lifespan?" Hence his Dianlun and poems—over a hundred pieces—and debates with scholars inside Sucheng Gate on great themes that knew no fatigue. He admired Emperor Wen of Han as ruler—magnanimous, quiet, seeking to transform the people through virtue in sage-like fashion. Court scholars sometimes argued that Emperor Wen, worthy though he was, lacked Jia Yi's genius for discerning statecraft. Pi therefore authored "On Emperor Wen": "When the You Miao withheld tribute, Shun danced with shield and axe; when Zhao Tuo proclaimed himself emperor, Emperor Wen embraced him with kindness; when the Prince of Wu stayed away, Wen granted stool and staff—and the realm stayed calm; he promoted the lenient "three-chapter" reforms so people crushed by war could walk freely and debate without dread. As for Jia Yi's talent keen—plan layout state governance—merely worthy minister's vessel—Guan Yan's posture—how compare Emperor Wen great man's measure?" When Sun Quan still resisted, Pi reissued the essay empire-wide to show he preferred peace to arms. Another day he remarked calmly: "Yet I reject three of Emperor Wen's deeds—executing Bo Zhao; indulging Deng Tong; letting Lady Shen's skirts trail short and sewing petition satchels into bed curtains to advertise thrift. He thought Emperor Wen of Han was frugal but lacked method: the households of maternal uncles and empresses should only be supported with kindness, not entrusted with power. Once they violated the law, they had to be punished." Thus he aimed at the golden mean to model true kingship. Hu Chong's Wu Calendar records that Pi sent Sun Quan his Dianlun and poems in ink manuscript and gave Zhang Zhao a paper copy.
32
西 西鹿 使 使 宿 便殿 使
The historian remarks: Emperor Wen possessed literary genius—his brush shaped finished essays; his memory was vast and his arts wide-ranging; 〈The Dianlun preserves Pi's memoir: In the first year of Chuping Dong Zhuo murdered the emperor and poisoned the empress—overthrowing the Han house. The realm already suffered Zhongping misrule and hated Zhuo's brutality—every household dreamed of revolt and every man feared for himself. Governors east of the mountains cited the Spring and Autumn—"Wei punished Zhouxu at Pu"—claiming everyone might strike traitors. Righteous armies rose everywhere—heroes, magnates, wealthy clans swarmed like clouds from ten thousand li. Yan and Yu troops fought at Xingyang while Henei armor massed at Mengjin. Dong Zhuo then marched the court west to Chang'an. Great lords east of the mountains fused whole provinces; middling warlords sealed towns; petty bands held hamlets—each devouring the next. Yellow Turbans swarmed Bo Hai and Taishan while mountain bandits ravaged Bing and Ji—victors rolled south like wind—hamlets fled at dust clouds and walls fell—people died until bones carpeted the wilds. I was five when my father, seeing an age of chaos, taught me archery—I drew the bow at six—then riding—and could ride and shoot by eight. Because distress never ceased I rode with him on every expedition. Early in Jian'an my father marched south against Jingzhou, reached Wan, and Zhang Xiu surrendered. Ten days later he withdrew; my late brother Zixiu, nominated Filially Pious and Incorrupt, and my cousin Anmin were killed. I was ten and escaped on horseback. Civil arts and martial arts suit their age; born in the twilight of Zhongping and raised in armies, I loved bow and horse from boyhood and love them still; I have coursed game for ten li at a stretch and shot at full gallop across a hundred paces—years pile on yet the body stays strong and the heart never tires. In Jian'an 10, once Ji province was pacified, the Hu tribes sent fine bows and Yan and Dai offered famous horses. Late that spring, when Gou Mang governed the season, mild winds stroked the fields—bows crisp in hand, grass low and beasts fat—I hunted west of Ye with my cousin Dan and by day's end had bagged nine deer and thirty pheasants and hares. Later the army marched south and halted at Neilí; Supervisor Xun Yu came to reward the troops and, when talk drew to a close, said, "They say you excel at shooting to either side—that is truly rare. I answered, "Sir, you have not watched a neck-shot loosed by voice command—bolt dropping toward the stirrup and moon-blazon target snapping upright. Xun Yu laughed with delight: "So it can be done! I said, "But a shooting lane has fixed tracks and targets fixed stations—constant bull's-eyes are not supreme skill. If gallop plain—rush thick grass—intercept crafty beasts—cut light birds—cause bow not empty bend—what hits must pierce through—that is subtlety." Army Libationer Zhang Jing was present—he looked at Xun Yu, clapped his hands, and cried "Well said!" I also studied fencing under many masters—every region's style differs, yet the capital school is finest. Between Emperors Huan and Ling the palace guardsman Wang Yue excelled at it and was famed in Luoyang. Henan-born Shi A trained with Wang Yue and mastered his method; I studied under Shi A until my blade-work ran flawless. Once at wine with Generals Liu Xun and Deng Zhan I had long heard that Deng Zhan's arms were uncanny—that he knew every weapon and could slip bare-handed past naked steel. We debated swordsmanship until I told him his style was flawed; because I too loved the art and had picked up sound tricks, he pressed me for a bout. Wine had flushed our ears while we nibbled taro and cane—I seized a stalk as a sword, stepped off the dais, and crossed blades three times on his arm while the company roared. Deng Zhan smarted for pride and demanded another round. I explained my style chains rapid thrusts—it is hard to aim at the face in earnest combat, so I kept our blades level along the arms. He asked for another pass; knowing he would lunge for my trunk I feinted deep—when he rushed I snapped his forehead with a heel strike and the gathering gasped. Returning to my seat I laughed: "Once Yang Qing made Chunyu Yi throw away old prescriptions for secret cures—I urge General Deng to cast off stale tricks and learn the true essentials. The whole company roared approval. One must never boast one's skill; young, I mastered twin halberds and thought none could touch me; folk nicknamed paired ji "iron chamber" and inlaid shields "wooden shutters"; later Chen Yuan Min taught me to pit single halberd against twin until my moves seemed sorcerous—foes saw no opening—and he warned that meeting Min on a narrow path meant instant defeat! Other games bored me—only ball-board chess drew out every subtlety, and I wrote a youthful rhapsody on it. Luoyang once boasted masters such as the Marquis of Mahe township, Dongfang Anshi, and Lord Zhang—I always regretted missing a match with them. My father loved belles-lettres even on campaign—never without a scroll—and often mused that youth loves study with single mind yet grown men forget; among adults who still labor at books only I and Yuan Boye remain. Thus I memorized the Odes and Analects as a boy and later surveyed the Five Classics, four bibliographic divisions, the histories, Hanshu, and every philosopher. The Bowuzhi notes that the emperor excelled at ball-board chess and could flick pieces with his kerchief corner. A scholar was seen bending his head to snap pieces with the hemp kerchief he wore.〉 Had he joined those gifts with boundless tolerance, fairness, devotion to the Way, and ever-broadening virtue, how far would he stand from the sage rulers of old!
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