1
孝景皇帝者，孝文之中子也。 母竇太后。 孝文在代時，前后有三男，及竇太后得幸，前后死，及三子更死，故孝景得立。
Emperor Jing was the middle son of Emperor Wen. His mother was Empress Dowager Dou. While Emperor Wen was still in Dai, he had three sons by his former consort. After Lady Dou won his favor, that consort died, and the three sons died in turn as well. This was how Emperor Jing came to be named heir.
2
元年四月乙卯，赦天下。 乙巳，賜民爵一級。 五月，除田半租，為孝文立太宗廟。 令群臣無朝賀。 匈奴入代，與約和親。
In the fourth month of his first year, on the yimao day, he granted a general amnesty throughout the empire. On the yisi day, he granted the common people one grade of noble rank. In the fifth month, he abolished the half-tax on agricultural land and established the Taizong temple for Emperor Wen. He ordered the ministers to dispense with the court congratulations ceremony. The Xiongnu invaded Dai, and he concluded a heqin peace treaty with them.
3
二年春，封故相國蕭何孫系為武陵侯。 男子二十而得傅。 四月壬午，孝文太后崩。 廣川、長沙王皆之國。 丞相申屠嘉卒。 八月，以御史大夫開封陶青為丞相。 彗星出東北。 秋，衡山雨雹，大者五寸，深者二尺。 熒惑逆行，守北辰。 月出北辰閒。 歲星逆行天廷中。 置南陵及內史、祋祤為縣。
In the spring of his second year, he enfeoffed Xi, grandson of the former Chancellor Xiao He, as Marquis of Wuling. Men became liable for service registration at age twenty. On the renwu day of the fourth month, Empress Dowager Xiaowen passed away. The Kings of Guangchuan and Changsha both went to their fiefs. Chancellor Shentu Jia passed away. In the eighth month, he appointed Tao Qing of Kaifeng, the Grandee Secretary, as Chancellor. A comet appeared in the northeast. In autumn, hail fell in Hengshan, with the largest stones five cun across and accumulations two chi deep. Mars moved in retrograde motion and lingered near Beichen. The moon appeared near Beichen. Jupiter moved in retrograde motion within the Heavenly Court constellation. He established Nanling, Neishi, and Duiyu as counties.
4
三年正月乙巳，赦天下。 長星出西方。 天火燔雒陽東宮大殿城室。 吳王濞、楚王戊、趙王遂、膠西王卬、濟南王辟光、菑川王賢、膠東王雄渠反，發兵西鄉。 天子為誅晁錯，遣袁盎諭告，不止，遂西圍梁。 上乃遣大將軍竇嬰、太尉周亞夫將兵誅之。 六月乙亥。 赦亡軍及楚元王子藝等與謀反者。 封大將軍竇嬰為魏其侯。 立楚元王子平陸侯禮為楚王。 立皇子端為膠西王，子勝為中山王。 徙濟北王志為菑川王，淮陽王餘為魯王，汝南王非為江都王。 齊王將廬、燕王嘉皆薨。
In the first month of his third year, on the yisi day, he granted a general amnesty throughout the empire. A comet appeared in the west. Heavenly fire burned the great hall and buildings of the Eastern Palace at Luoyang. The Kings Bi of Wu, Wu of Chu, Sui of Zhao, Ang of Jiaoxi, Piguang of Jinan, Xian of Zichuan, and Xiongqu of Jiaodong rebelled, raised armies, and marched west. The emperor executed Chao Cuo on their account and sent Yuan Ang to explain his decision and admonish them. They still did not stop, and went west to besiege Liang. The emperor then sent Grand General Dou Ying and Grand Commandant Zhou Yafu to lead troops and suppress the rebellion. In the sixth month, on the yihai day. He pardoned deserters, along with Yi, son of King Yuan of Chu, and others who had taken part in the conspiracy. He enfeoffed Grand General Dou Ying as the Marquis of Weiqi. He installed Li, son of King Yuan of Chu and Marquis of Pinglu, as King of Chu. He installed his son Duan as the King of Jiaoxi and his son Sheng as the King of Zhongshan. He transferred King Zhi of Jibei to Zichuan, King Yu of Huaiyang to Lu, and King Fei of Runan to Jiangdu. King Jianglu of Qi and King Jia of Yan both passed away.
5
四年夏，立太子。 立皇子徹為膠東王。 六月甲戌，赦天下。 後九月，更以（弋）［易］陽為陽陵。 復置津關，用傳出入。 冬，以趙國為邯鄲郡。
In the summer of his fourth year, he established the crown prince. He installed his son Che as King of Jiaodong. On the jiaxu day of the sixth month, he granted a general amnesty throughout the empire. In the intercalary ninth month, he renamed Yiyang as Yangling. He reestablished the ferry checkpoints and required travel passes for entry and exit. In winter, he converted the state of Zhao into Handan commandery.
6
五年三月，作陽陵、渭橋。 五月，募徙陽陵，予錢二十萬。 江都大暴風從西方來，壞城十二丈。 丁卯，封長公主子蟜為隆慮侯。 徙廣川王為趙王。
In the third month of his fifth year, he built Yangling and the Wei Bridge. In the fifth month, he recruited settlers for Yangling and gave them 200,000 cash. At Jiangdu, a great gale came from the west and damaged twelve zhang of the city wall. On the dingmao day, he enfeoffed Qiao, son of the eldest princess, as Marquis of Longlu. He transferred the King of Guangchuan to become King of Zhao.
7
六年春，封中尉（趙）綰為建陵侯，江都丞相嘉為建平侯，隴西太守渾邪為平曲侯，趙丞相嘉為江陵侯，故將軍布為鄃侯。 梁楚二王皆薨。 後九月，伐馳道樹，殖蘭池。
In the spring of his sixth year, he enfeoffed Zhao Wan, the Commandant, as Marquis of Jianling; Jia, Chancellor of Jiangdu, as Marquis of Jianping; Hunye, Governor of Longxi, as Marquis of Pingqu; Jia, Chancellor of Zhao, as Marquis of Jiangling; and Bu, a former general, as Marquis of Shu. The Kings of Liang and Chu both passed away. In the intercalary ninth month, he had trees cut down along the imperial highways and replanted by Orchid Pond.
8
七年冬，廢栗太子為臨江王。 （一）十（二）［一］月晦，日有食之。 春，免徒隸作陽陵者。 丞相青免。 二月乙巳，以太尉條侯周亞夫為丞相。 四月乙巳，立膠東王太后為皇后。 丁巳，立膠東王為太子。 名徹。
In the winter of his seventh year, he deposed Crown Prince Li and made him King of Linjiang. On the last day of the eleventh month, there was a solar eclipse. In spring, he pardoned the convicts and bondservants working on the Yangling tomb. Chancellor Qing was dismissed from office. On the yisi day of the second month, he appointed Zhou Yafu, Grand Commandant and Marquis of Tiao, as Chancellor. On the yisi day of the fourth month, he established the mother of the King of Jiaodong as Empress. On the dingsi day, he established the King of Jiaodong as crown prince. His name was Che.
9
中元年，封故御史大夫周苛孫平為繩侯，故御史大夫周昌（子）［孫］左車為安陽侯，四月乙巳，赦天下，賜爵一級。 除禁錮。 地動。 衡山、原都雨雹，大者尺八寸。
In the first year of the middle period, he enfeoffed Ping, grandson of the former Grandee Secretary Zhou Ke, as Marquis of Sheng, and Zuoju, grandson of the former Grandee Secretary Zhou Chang, as Marquis of Anyang. On the yisi day of the fourth month, he granted a general amnesty throughout the empire and bestowed one grade of noble rank. He lifted the restrictions imposed by legal disabilities. There was an earthquake. Hail fell at Hengshan and Yuandu, with the largest stones measuring one chi and eight cun across.
10
中二年二月，匈奴入燕，遂不和親。 三月，召臨江王來。 即死中尉府中。 夏，立皇子越為廣川王，子寄為膠東王。 封四侯。 九月甲戌，日食。
In the second month of the second year of the middle period, the Xiongnu invaded Yan, and he therefore abandoned heqin relations. In the third month, he summoned the King of Linjiang to court. He died there in the Commandant's office. In summer, he established his son Yue as King of Guangchuan and his son Ji as King of Jiaodong. He enfeoffed four marquises. On the jiaxu day of the ninth month, there was a solar eclipse.
11
中三年冬，罷諸侯御史中丞。 春，匈奴王二人率其徒來降，皆封為列侯。
In the winter of the third year of the middle period, he abolished the office of Censor-in-Chief in the feudal states. In spring, two Xiongnu kings led their followers in surrendering, and both were enfeoffed as full marquises.
12
中四年三月，置德陽宮。 大蝗。 秋，赦徒作陽陵者。
In the third month of the fourth year of the middle period, he established the Deyang Palace. There was a great locust plague. In autumn, he granted amnesty to convicts working on the Yangling tomb.
13
中五年夏，立皇子舜為常山王。 封十侯。 六月丁巳，赦天下，賜爵一級。 天下大潦。 更命諸侯丞相曰相。 秋，地動。
In the summer of the fifth year of the middle period, he established his son Shun as King of Changshan. He enfeoffed ten marquises. On the dingsi day of the sixth month, he granted a general amnesty throughout the empire and bestowed one grade of noble rank. There were great floods throughout the empire. He changed the title of the feudal lords' chancellors, calling them simply xiang. In autumn, there was an earthquake.
14
中六年二月己卯，行幸雍，郊見五帝。 三月，雨雹。 四月，梁孝王、城陽共王、汝南王皆薨。 立梁孝王子明為濟川王，子彭離為濟東王，子定為山陽王，子不識為濟陰王。 梁分為五。 封四侯。 更命廷尉為大理，將作少府為將作大匠，主爵中尉為都尉，長信詹事為長信少府，將行為大長秋，大行為行人，奉常為太常，典客為大行，治粟內史為大農。 以大內為二千石，置左右內官，屬大內。 七月辛亥，日食。 八月，匈奴入上郡。
On the jimao day of the second month of the sixth year of the middle period, he made an imperial progress to Yong and performed the suburban sacrifices to the Five Emperors. In the third month, it rained hail. In the fourth month, King Xiao of Liang, King Gong of Chengyang, and the King of Runan all passed away. He established Ming, son of King Xiao of Liang, as King of Jichuan; Pengli as King of Jidong; Ding as King of Shanyang; and Bushi as King of Jiyin. The kingdom of Liang was divided into five parts. He enfeoffed four marquises. He renamed several offices: the Commandant of Justice became Grand Judge; the Chamberlain for the Palace Buildings became Grand Artisan; the Commandant in Charge of Noble Ranks became Commandant; the Chamberlain for Changxin became Lesser Chamberlain of Changxin; the Jiangxing became Grand Changqiu; the Grand Herald became Traveller; the Fengchang became Grand Constant; the Superintendent of Guests became Grand Herald; and the Grain Intendant of the Capital became Grand Minister of Agriculture. He made the Grand Interior a two-thousand-shi office and established left and right interior officials under it. On the xinhai day of the seventh month, there was a solar eclipse. In the eighth month, the Xiongnu invaded Shangjun commandery.
15
後元年冬，更命中大夫令為衛尉。 三月丁酉，赦天下，賜爵一級，中二千石、諸侯相爵右庶長。 四月，大酺。 五月丙戌，地動，其蚤食時復動。 上庸地動二十二日，壞城垣。 七月乙巳，日食。 丞相劉舍免。 八月壬辰，以御史大夫綰為丞相，封建陵侯。
In the winter of the first year of the later period, he renamed the Commander of the Palace Gentlemen as Commandant of the Guards. On the dingyou day of the third month, he granted a general amnesty throughout the empire and bestowed one grade of noble rank. Officials of middle two-thousand-shi rank and the chancellors of feudal lords received the rank of Right Shuzhang. In the fourth month, there was a great public celebration with drinking. On the bingxu day of the fifth month, there was an earthquake, and it shook again at breakfast time. In Shangyong, the earth shook for twenty-two days and damaged the city walls. On the yisi day of the seventh month, there was a solar eclipse. Chancellor Liu She was dismissed from office. On the renchen day of the eighth month, he appointed Wan, the Grandee Secretary, as Chancellor and enfeoffed him as Marquis of Jianling.
16
後二年正月，地一日三動。 郅將軍擊匈奴。 酺五日。 令內史郡不得食馬粟，沒入縣官。 令徒隸衣七緵布。 止馬舂。 為歲不登，禁天下食不造歲。 省列侯遣之國。 三月，匈奴入雁門。 十月，租長陵田。 大旱。 衡山國、河東、雲中郡民疫。
In the first month of the second year of the later period, the earth shook three times in one day. General Zhi attacked the Xiongnu. There was a public drinking celebration for five days. He ordered the Interior commanderies not to feed grain to horses; any such grain was to be confiscated for government use. He ordered convicts and bondservants to wear clothing made of seven-zong cloth. He ended the practice of using horses to pound grain. Because the harvest had failed, he forbade people throughout the empire from eating grain that was not from the current year. He reduced the number of marquises at court and sent them back to their fiefs. In the third month, the Xiongnu invaded Yanmen commandery. In the tenth month, he leased out the Changling fields for rent. There was a great drought. An epidemic struck the people of Hengshan state and the Hedong and Yunzhong commanderies.
17
後三年十月，日月皆（食）赤五日。 十二月晦，雷。 日如紫。 五星逆行守太微。 月貫天廷中。 正月甲寅，皇太子冠。 甲子，孝景皇帝崩。 遺詔賜諸侯王以下至民為父後爵一級，天下戶百錢。 出宮人歸其家，復無所與。 太子即位，是為孝武皇帝。 三月，封皇太后弟蚡為武安侯，弟勝為周陽侯。 置陽陵。
In the tenth month of the third year of the later period, both the sun and the moon appeared red for five days. There was thunder on the last day of the twelfth month. The sun appeared purple. The five planets moved in retrograde motion and lingered near Taiwei. The moon passed through the center of the Heavenly Court constellation. On the jiayin day of the first month, the crown prince underwent his coming-of-age capping ceremony. On the jiazi day, Emperor Jing passed away. In his final edict, he granted one grade of noble rank to feudal kings and everyone below them, down to commoners who inherited their fathers' households, and gave one hundred cash to every household in the empire. He released palace women to return home, thereby restoring households that had lacked someone to rely on. The crown prince ascended the throne; this was Emperor Wu. In the third month, he enfeoffed Tian Fen, the Empress Dowager's younger brother, as Marquis of Wuan, and Tian Sheng, another younger brother, as Marquis of Zhouyang. He established Yangling.
18
太史公曰：漢興，孝文施大德，天下懷安，至孝景，不復憂異姓，而晁錯刻削諸侯，遂使七國俱起，合從而西鄉，以諸侯太盛，而錯為之不以漸也。 及主父偃言之，而諸侯以弱，卒以安。 安危之機，豈不以謀哉？
The Grand Historian says: When the Han arose, Emperor Wen practiced great virtue, and the empire rested in peace. By Emperor Jing's time, there was no longer any fear of kings from other surnames. But Chao Cuo cut sharply into the power of the feudal lords, causing the seven states to rise together, join in alliance, and march west. The problem was that the feudal lords had grown too powerful, and Cuo did not proceed gradually. When Zhufu Yan later proposed his policy, the feudal lords were weakened, and the realm was finally at peace. Does not the turning point between security and peril lie in policy and planning?