1
自古受命帝王，曷嘗不封禪？ 蓋有無其應而用事者矣，未有睹符瑞見而不臻乎泰山者也。 雖受命而功不至，至梁父矣而德不洽，洽矣而日有不暇給，是以即事用希。 傳曰：「三年不為禮，禮必廢； 三年不為樂，樂必壞。」 每世之隆，則封禪答焉，及衰而息。 厥曠遠者千有餘載，近者數百載，故其儀闕然堙滅，其詳不可得而記聞云。
From ancient times, emperors who received the mandate have never failed to perform the fengshan sacrifices. Some rulers have performed the rites without receiving the proper response, but none has seen auspicious signs appear and then failed to proceed to Mount Tai. Even when they had received the mandate, if their merit had not yet reached the mark, or if they had reached Liangfu but their virtue was not yet sufficient, or if their virtue was sufficient, but they lacked the leisure, then the affair was rarely undertaken. Tradition says, "If rites are neglected for three years, they will surely fall into disuse; If one does not perform the music for three years, the music will certainly be ruined.” In every prosperous age, the fengshan sacrifices were performed in response; when decline came, they ceased. The most remote instances lie more than a thousand years back, the nearer ones several hundred years back. Thus, their rites have been entirely lost, and their details can no longer be recovered or recorded.
2
《尚書》曰，舜在璇璣玉衡，以齊七政。 遂類于上帝，禋于六宗，望山川，遍群神。 輯五瑞，擇吉月日，見四嶽諸牧，還瑞。 歲二月，東巡狩，至于岱宗。 岱宗，泰山也。 柴，望秩于山川。 遂覲東后。 東后者，諸侯也。 合時月正日，同律度量衡，修五禮，五玉三帛二生一死贄。 五月，巡狩至南嶽。 南嶽，衡山也。 八月，巡狩至西嶽。 西嶽，華山也。 十一月，巡狩至北嶽。 北岳，恒山也。 皆如岱宗之禮。 中嶽，嵩高也。 五載一巡狩。
The Book of Documents says that Shun used the Xuanji and Yuheng instruments to bring the Seven Governors into order. He sacrificed to the Supreme God, made offerings to the Six Zong, offered distant sacrifices to mountains and rivers, and honored the host of spirits everywhere. He collected the five auspicious tokens, chose a favorable month and day, received the lords of the four quarters, and then returned the tokens. In the second month, he toured east on inspection and arrived at Daizong. Dai Zong is Mount Tai. He performed the burnt offering and presented the prescribed distant sacrifices to the mountains and rivers. He then received the lords of the east in audience. The eastern lords are the feudal lords. He brought seasons, months, and days into order; standardized pitch, measures, weights, and balances; restored the five rites; and prescribed presentation gifts of five jades, three kinds of silk, two living victims, and one dead victim. In the fifth month, his inspection tour reached the Southern Peak. Nanyue is Mount Heng. In the eighth month, his inspection tour reached the Western Peak. Xiyue is Mount Hua. In the eleventh month, his inspection tour reached the Northern Peak. Beiyue is Mount Heng. In each case the rites followed the pattern used at Daizong. Zhongyue is Mount Songgao. He made an inspection tour once every five years.
3
禹遵之。 後十四世，至帝孔甲，淫德好神，神瀆，二龍去之。 其後三世，湯伐桀，欲遷夏社，不可，作夏社。 後八世，至帝太戊，有桑谷生於廷，一暮大拱，懼。 伊陟曰：「妖不勝德。」 太戊修德，桑谷死。 伊陟贊巫咸，巫咸之興自此始。 後十四世，帝武丁得傅說為相，殷復興焉，稱高宗。 有雉登鼎耳雊，武丁懼。 祖己曰：「修德。」 武丁從之，位以永寧。 後五世，帝武乙慢神而震死。 後三世，帝紂淫亂，武王伐之。 由此觀之，始未嘗不肅祗，後稍怠慢也。
Yu followed this. After fourteen generations, they reached Emperor Kong Jia, who had licentious virtue and was fond of spirits. The spirits were profaned, and two dragons left him. After three generations, Tang attacked Jie and wished to move the Xia altar, but it was not possible, so he made the Xia altar. After eight generations, they reached Emperor Tai Wu. Mulberry and paper mulberry grew in the courtyard, and in a single night they grew large enough to embrace. He was afraid. Yi Zhi said, 'Malign portents cannot overcome virtue.' Tai Wu cultivated virtue, and the mulberry and millet died. Yi Zhi assisted Wu Xian, and Wu Xian's rise began from this. After fourteen generations, Emperor Wu Ding obtained Fu Yue as chancellor, and Yin was revived. He was called the Gao Zong. A pheasant climbed onto the cauldron's ear and crowed, and Wu Ding was afraid. Zu Ji said, 'Cultivate virtue.' Wu Ding followed it, and his position was eternally peaceful. After five generations, Emperor Wu Yi disrespected the spirits and died by thunder. After three generations, Emperor Zhou was licentious and disorderly, and King Wu attacked him. From this, one can observe that in the beginning they were always reverent and respectful, but afterward they gradually became negligent.
4
周官曰，冬日至，祀天於南郊，迎長日之至； 夏日至，祭地祗。 皆用樂舞，而神乃可得而禮也。 天子祭天下名山大川，五嶽視三公，四瀆視諸侯，諸侯祭其疆內名山大川。 四瀆者，江、河、淮、濟也。 天子曰明堂、辟雍，諸侯曰泮宮。
The Zhou officials say that when the winter solstice arrives, one sacrifices to heaven at the southern suburb to welcome the arrival of the long day; When the summer solstice arrives, one sacrifices to the earth spirits. All use music and dance, and only then can the spirits be summoned and honored with ritual. The Son of Heaven sacrifices to the famous mountains and great rivers of the realm. The Five Peaks are treated with the rank of the Three Dukes, and the Four Rivers with the rank of feudal lords. The feudal lords sacrifice to the famous mountains and great rivers within their own territories. The four rivers are the Jiang, He, Huai, and Ji. The Son of Heaven calls them the Bright Hall and Pi Yong; the feudal lords call them the Pan Palace.
5
周公既相成王，郊祀后稷以配天，宗祀文王於明堂以配上帝。 自禹興而修社祀，后稷稼穡，故有稷祠，郊社所從來尚矣。
After the Duke of Zhou became chancellor to King Cheng, he performed suburban sacrifices to Hou Ji to match heaven, and ancestral sacrifices to King Wen at the Bright Hall to match the Supreme God. From Yu's rise, the altar sacrifices were repaired. Hou Ji plowed and harvested, and therefore there were Ji sacrifices. The suburban altar has been ancient from its origin.
6
自周克殷後十四世，世益衰，禮樂廢，諸侯恣行，而幽王為犬戎所敗，周東徙雒邑。 秦襄公攻戎救周，始列為諸侯。 秦襄公既侯，居西垂，自以為主少皞之神，作西畤，祠白帝，其牲用騮駒黃牛羝羊各一云。 其後十六年，秦文公東獵汧渭之閒，卜居之而吉。 文公夢黃蛇自天下屬地，其口止於鄜衍。 文公問史敦，敦曰：「此上帝之徵，君其祠之。」 於是作鄜畤，用三牲郊祭白帝焉。
From Zhou's conquest of Yin, after fourteen generations, the generations increasingly declined, rites and music were abandoned, and the feudal lords acted wantonly. King You was defeated by the Quanrong, and Zhou moved east to Luoyi. Duke Xiang of Qin attacked the Rong and saved Zhou, and began to be ranked among the feudal lords. After Duke Xiang of Qin became a marquis, he dwelt on the western frontier and regarded himself as the lord of Shaohao's deity. According to the accounts, he built the Western Altar and sacrificed to the White Emperor, using one sorrel colt, one yellow ox, and one ram as victims. After sixteen years, Duke Wen of Qin hunted to the east between the Qian and Wei rivers, divined about dwelling there, and it was auspicious. Duke Wen dreamed of a yellow snake descending from heaven to earth, and its mouth stopped at Fu Yan. Duke Wen asked Shi Dun, and Dun said, 'This is a sign from the Supreme God. You should sacrifice to it.' Therefore, he made the Fu Altar and used three victims to perform suburban sacrifices to the White Emperor there.
7
自未作鄜畤也，而雍旁故有吳陽武畤，雍東有好畤，皆廢無祠。 或曰：「自古以雍州積高，神明之隩，故立畤郊上帝，諸神祠皆聚云。 蓋黃帝時嘗用事，雖晚周亦郊焉。」 其語不經見，縉紳者不道。
Before the Fu Altar was made, beside Yong there were originally the Wu Yang and Wu altars, and to the east of Yong there was the Hao Altar. All were abandoned with no sacrifices. Some say, 'From antiquity Yong Province has been high and layered, a secluded dwelling of spirits and numinous powers. Therefore, altars were established there for suburban sacrifices to the Supreme God, and the sacrifices to the host of spirits were all gathered there. Probably in the time of the Yellow Emperor, sacrifices were once performed there, and even in late Zhou, suburban sacrifices were still performed there.' These words do not commonly appear in the classics, and noble scholars do not speak of them.
8
作鄜畤後九年，文公獲若石雲，于陳倉北阪城祠之。 其神或歲不至，或歲數來，來也常以夜，光輝若流星，從東南來集于祠城，則若雄雞，其聲殷雲，野雞夜雊。 以一牢祠，命曰陳寶。
Nine years after making the Fu Altar, Duke Wen obtained something like a stone cloud and sacrificed to it at the city on the northern slope of Chen Cang. Its spirit sometimes did not arrive in a year, or sometimes came several times in a year. When it came, it was often at night, with radiance like a shooting star, coming from the southeast to gather at the sacrifice city. Then it was like a male chicken, its sound deep as clouds, and wild chickens crowed at night. He sacrificed with one set of livestock and named it Chen Bao.
9
作鄜畤後七十八年，秦德公既立，卜居雍，「後子孫飲馬於河」，遂都雍。 雍之諸祠自此興。 用三百牢於鄜畤。 作伏祠。 磔狗邑四門，以御蠱菑。
Seventy-eight years after making the Fu Altar, Duke De of Qin was established. He divined about dwelling at Yong, and the divination said, 'Later descendants will water their horses at the river.' Therefore, he made Yong the capital. The sacrifices at Yong began from this. He used three hundred sets of livestock at the Fu Altar. He made the Fu sacrifice. He split dogs at the four gates of the city to defend against gu disasters.
10
德公立二年卒。 其後（六）［四］年，秦宣公作密畤於渭南，祭青帝。
Duke De reigned for two years and then died. After four years, Duke Xuan of Qin made the Mi Altar south of the Wei and sacrificed to the Green Emperor.
11
其後十四年，秦繆公立，病臥五日不寤； 寤，乃言夢見上帝，上帝命繆公平晉亂。 史書而記藏之府。 而後世皆曰秦繆公上天。
After fourteen years, Duke Mu of Qin was established. The duke was ill and lay for five days without waking; When he awoke, he spoke of dreaming that he saw the Supreme God, and the Supreme God commanded Duke Mu to pacify the disorder in Jin. The scribe wrote and recorded it and stored it in the treasury. And later generations all said that Duke Mu of Qin ascended to heaven.
12
秦繆公即位九年，齊桓公既霸，會諸侯於葵丘，而欲封禪。 管仲曰：「古者封泰山禪梁父者七十二家，而夷吾所記者十有二焉。 昔無懷氏封泰山，禪云云； 虙羲封泰山，禪云云； 神農封泰山，禪云云； 炎帝封泰山，禪云云； 黃帝封泰山，禪亭亭； 顓頊封泰山，禪云云； 帝嚳封泰山，禪云云； 堯封泰山，禪云云； 舜封泰山，禪云云； 禹封泰山，禪會稽； 湯封泰山，禪云云； 周成王封泰山，禪社首：皆受命然後得封禪。」 桓公曰：「寡人北伐山戎，過孤竹； 西伐大夏，涉流沙，束馬懸車，上卑耳之山； 南伐至召陵，登熊耳山以望江漢。 兵車之會三，而乘車之會六，九合諸侯，一匡天下，諸侯莫違我。 昔三代受命，亦何以異乎？」 於是管仲睹桓公不可窮以辭，因設之以事，曰：「古之封禪，鄗上之黍，北里之禾，所以為盛； 江淮之閒，一茅三脊，所以為藉也。 東海致比目之魚，西海致比翼之鳥，然後物有不召而自至者十有五焉。 今鳳皇麒麟不來，嘉穀不生，而蓬蒿藜莠茂，鴟梟數至，而欲封禪，毋乃不可乎？」 於是桓公乃止。 是歲，秦繆公內晉君夷吾。 其後三置晉國之君，平其亂。 繆公立三十九年而卒。
In the ninth year after Duke Mu of Qin ascended the position, Duke Huan of Qi was already hegemon. He assembled the feudal lords at Kui Qiu and wished to perform the fengshan sacrifices. Guan Zhong said, 'In ancient times, those who performed the feng at Mount Tai and the shan at Liang Fu numbered seventy-two families, and of what Yiwu recorded, there are twelve of them. Formerly, Wuhuai performed the feng at Mount Tai and the shan at Yunyun; Fu Xi performed the feng at Mount Tai and the shan at Yun Yun; Shen Nong performed the feng at Mount Tai and the shan at Yun Yun; The Yan Emperor performed the feng at Mount Tai and the shan at Yun Yun; The Yellow Emperor performed the feng at Mount Tai and the shan at Ting Ting; Zhuan Xu performed the feng at Mount Tai and the shan at Yun Yun; Emperor Ku offered feng at Mount Tai and shan at Yunyun; Yao performed the feng at Mount Tai and the shan at Yun Yun; Shun performed the feng at Mount Tai and the shan at Yunyun; Yu performed the feng at Mount Tai and the shan at Kui Ji; Tang performed the feng at Mount Tai and the shan at Yun Yun; King Cheng of Zhou performed the feng at Mount Tai and the shan at She Shou. All received the mandate and then were able to perform the fengshan.' Duke Huan said, 'I attacked the Shan Rong in the north and passed Gu Zhu; I attacked Da Xia in the west, forded the flowing sands, bound the horses and hung the chariots, and ascended Mount Bei Er; I attacked to the south and reached Zhao Ling, and ascended Mount Xiong Er to look at the Jiang and Han. I had three assemblies with war chariots and six assemblies with ceremonial chariots, assembled the feudal lords nine times, and rectified the world once. None of the feudal lords violated me. In former times, the Three Dynasties received the mandate. How is this different?' Therefore, Guan Zhong saw that Duke Huan could not be dissuaded with words, so he confronted him with practical difficulties and said, 'In ancient times, for the fengshan sacrifices, the millet from Xiang Shang and the grain from Bei Li were used to make the vessels abundant; In the Jiang-Huai region grows a three-ridged thatch used as ritual matting. The Eastern Sea brought flatfish, and the Western Sea brought paired-wing birds. Then there were fifteen kinds of things that came of themselves without being summoned. Now phoenixes and unicorns do not come, auspicious grains do not grow, but thistles and weeds flourish, and owls frequently arrive. To wish to perform the fengshan—is this not perhaps impossible?' Therefore, Duke Huan then stopped. In this year, Duke Mu of Qin brought in the Jin lord Yiwu. Afterward, he established three Jin state lords and pacified their disorder. Duke Mu reigned for thirty-nine years and then died.
13
其後百有餘年，而孔子論述六藝，傳略言易姓而王，封泰山禪乎梁父者七十餘王矣，其俎豆之禮不章，蓋難言之。 或問禘之說，孔子曰：「不知。 知禘之說，其於天下也視其掌。」 詩云紂在位，文王受命，政不及泰山。 武王克殷二年，天下未寧而崩。 爰周德之洽維成王，成王之封禪則近之矣。 及後陪臣執政，季氏旅於泰山，仲尼譏之。
After more than a hundred years, Confucius expounded the six arts and transmitted briefly, saying that those who changed their surname and became king and performed the feng at Mount Tai and the shan at Liang Fu numbered more than seventy kings. Their zu and dou rites are not clear, and it is probably difficult to speak of them. Some asked about the explanation of the di sacrifice, and Confucius said, 'I do not know. If one knows the explanation of the di sacrifice, one can regard the world as one's palm.' The Book of Songs says that when Zhou was in position, King Wen received the mandate, but his government did not reach Mount Tai. King Wu conquered Yin, and after two years, when the world was not yet peaceful, he collapsed. Therefore, Zhou’s harmonious virtue culminated in King Cheng, and King Cheng’s fengshan were thus close to the proper model. And afterward, when attendant ministers governed, the Ji clan performed ceremonies at Mount Tai, and Zhong Ni criticized it.
14
是時萇弘以方事周靈王，諸侯莫朝周，周力少，萇弘乃明鬼神事，設射貍首。 貍首者，諸侯之不來者。 依物怪欲以致諸侯。 諸侯不從，而晉人執殺萇弘。 周人之言方怪者自萇弘。
At this time, Chang Hong served King Ling of Zhou with fangshi arts. None of the feudal lords came to court Zhou, and Zhou's strength was small. Chang Hong then clarified matters of ghosts and spirits and set up the shooting of the fox head. The fox head represented the feudal lords who did not come. He relied on uncanny displays in the hope of drawing the feudal lords back to court. The feudal lords did not follow, and the Jin people seized and killed Chang Hong. The Zhou people's speaking of fangshi and strange things began with Chang Hong.
15
其後百餘年，秦靈公作吳陽上畤，祭黃帝； 作下畤，祭炎帝。
After more than a hundred years, Duke Ling of Qin made the Upper Altar at Wu Yang and sacrificed to the Yellow Emperor; He made the Lower Altar and sacrificed to the Yan Emperor.
16
後四十八年，周太史儋見秦獻公曰：「秦始與周合，合而離，五百歲當復合，合十七年而霸王出焉。」 櫟陽雨金，秦獻公自以為得金瑞，故作畦畤櫟陽而祀白帝。
After forty-eight years, the Zhou Grand Scribe Dan saw Duke Xian of Qin and said, 'Qin began united with Zhou, then united and separated. After five hundred years, it should unite again, and after seventeen years of union, a hegemon king will emerge.' Gold rained at Que Yang, and Duke Xian of Qin considered himself to have obtained the gold auspiciousness. Therefore, he made the Qi Altar at Que Yang and sacrificed to the White Emperor.
17
其後百二十歲而秦滅周，周之九鼎入于秦。 或曰宋太丘社亡，而鼎沒于泗水彭城下。
After a hundred and twenty years, Qin destroyed Zhou, and Zhou's nine tripods entered Qin. Some say that Song's Great Qiu altar vanished and that the tripods sank into the Si River near Pengcheng.
18
其後百一十五年而秦并天下。
After a hundred and fifteen years, Qin united the world.
19
秦始皇既并天下而帝，或曰：「黃帝得土德，黃龍地螾見。 夏得木德，青龍止於郊，草木暢茂。 殷得金德，銀自山溢。 周得火德，有赤烏之符。 今秦變周，水德之時。 昔秦文公出獵，獲黑龍，此其水德之瑞。」 於是秦更命河曰「德水」，以冬十月為年首，色上黑，度以六為名，音上大呂，事統上法。
After the First Emperor of Qin had already united the world and become emperor, some said, 'The Yellow Emperor obtained the earth virtue, and yellow dragons and earthworms appeared. Xia obtained the wood virtue, a green dragon stopped at the suburbs, and grasses and trees flourished luxuriantly. Yin obtained the metal virtue, and silver overflowed from the mountains. Zhou obtained the fire virtue and had the omen of the red crow. Now Qin changes Zhou, and it is the time of the water virtue. Formerly, Duke Wen of Qin went hunting and obtained a black dragon. This is the auspiciousness of the water virtue.' Therefore, Qin changed the name of the river to 'Virtue Water,' made the tenth month of winter the beginning of the year, honored black as the color, measured with six as the name, honored Da Lü as the sound, and affairs followed the highest model.
20
即帝位三年，東巡郡縣，祠騶嶧山，頌秦功業。 於是徵從齊魯之儒生博士七十人，至乎泰山下。 諸儒生或議曰：「古者封禪為蒲車，惡傷山之土石草木； 埽地而祭，席用葅稭，言其易遵也。」 始皇聞此議各乖異，難施用，由此絀儒生。 而遂除車道，上自泰山陽至巔，立石頌秦始皇帝德，明其得封也。 從陰道下，禪於梁父。 其禮頗采太祝之祀雍上帝所用，而封藏皆祕之，世不得而記也。
In the third year after ascending the emperor position, he toured east through the commanderies and counties, sacrificed at Mount Zou Yi, and praised Qin's merit and deeds. Therefore, he summoned and brought along seventy Confucian scholars and erudites from Qi and Lu and arrived at the foot of Mount Tai. Some Confucian scholars discussed the matter and said, 'In ancient times, cattail-covered carts were made for the fengshan because people were reluctant to damage the mountain's soil, stones, grasses, and trees; They swept the ground and sacrificed, using mats of stalks and reeds, to show how easy it was to follow." The First Emperor heard that these discussions all diverged from one another and were difficult to put into practice. Because of this, he demoted the Confucian scholars. And then he cleared a cart road, ascended from the sunny side of Mount Tai to the peak, erected a stone praising the First Emperor of Qin's virtue, and made clear that he had obtained the feng. He descended from the shady path and performed the shan at Liang Fu. Its rites considerably adopted what the Grand Officiant used in sacrificing to the Supreme God at Yong, and the feng and what was buried were all kept secret, so that later generations could not record them.
21
始皇之上泰山，中阪遇暴風雨，休於大樹下。 諸儒生既絀，不得與用於封事之禮，聞始皇遇風雨，則譏之。
When the First Emperor ascended Mount Tai, on the middle slope he encountered violent wind and rain and rested beneath a large tree. The Confucian scholars, having already been demoted and excluded from the feng rites, heard that the First Emperor had encountered wind and rain and criticized him for it.
22
於是始皇遂東遊海上，行禮祠名山大川及八神，求僊人羨門之屬。 八神將自古而有之，或曰太公以來作之。 齊所以為齊，以天齊也。 其祀絕莫知起時。 八神：一曰天主，祠天齊。 天齊淵水，居臨菑南郊山下者。 二曰地主，祠泰山梁父。 蓋天好陰，祠之必於高山之下，小山之上，命曰「畤」； 地貴陽，祭之必於澤中圜丘云。 三曰兵主，祠蚩尤。 蚩尤在東平陸監鄉，齊之西境也。 四曰陰主，祠三山。 五曰陽主，祠之罘。 六曰月主，祠之萊山。 皆在齊北，并勃海。 七曰日主，祠成山。 成山斗入海，最居齊東北隅，以迎日出云。 八曰四時主，祠瑯邪。 瑯邪在齊東方，蓋歲之所始。 皆各用一牢具祠，而巫祝所損益，珪幣雜異焉。
Therefore, the First Emperor then toured east on the sea, performed rites and sacrificed to the famous mountains and great rivers and the eight gods, and sought immortals such as Xianmen. The Eight Gods have existed since ancient times; some say they were instituted from the time of Tai Gong. Qi is so-called Qi because of Tian Qi. Its sacrifices were discontinued, and no one knows when they began. The eight gods: the first is called the Heavenly Lord, and sacrifices are made to Tian Qi. Tianqi was the deep pool below the mountain on Linzi's southern outskirts. The second is called the Earth Lord, whose sacrifices are offered at Mount Tai and Liang Fu. Probably heaven likes yin, and when sacrificing to it, one must do so below the high mountains and above the small mountains. This is named 'zhi'; Earth honors yang, so according to the accounts, sacrifices to it must be performed at a round mound amid the marshes. The third is called the War Lord, and sacrifices are made to Chi You. This shrine is located at Jian Township in Dongpinglu, on Qi's western border. The fourth is called the Yin Lord, and sacrifices are made at the Three Mountains. The fifth is called the Yang Lord, whose sacrifices are offered at Zhifu. The sixth is called the Moon Lord, whose sacrifices are offered at Mount Lai. All are located north of Qi, bordering the Bo Sea. The seventh is called the Sun Lord, whose sacrifices are offered at Mount Cheng. Mount Cheng juts into the sea and stands at the northeastern corner of Qi, where, according to the accounts, it receives the rising sun. The eighth was the Lord of the Four Seasons, whose sacrifices were offered at Langya. Langya is located in the eastern direction of Qi, probably the place where the year begins. All each used one set of sacrificial animals for sacrifice, and the shamans and officiants made additions and subtractions, with jades and silks mixed and different.
23
自齊威、宣之時，騶子之徒論著終始五德之運，及秦帝而齊人奏之，故始皇采用之。 而宋毋忌、正伯僑、充尚、羨門高最後皆燕人，為方僊道，形解銷化，依於鬼神之事。 騶衍以陰陽主運顯於諸侯，而燕齊海上之方士傳其術不能通，然則怪迂阿諛茍合之徒自此興，不可勝數也。
From the time of Wei and Xuan of Qi, the followers of Zou Zi wrote about the cycle of the beginning and end of the five virtues. When Qin became emperor, the Qi people presented it, and therefore the First Emperor adopted it. And Song Wu Ji, Zheng Bo Qiao, Chong Shang, and Xianmen Gao were all Yan people. They practiced the fangxian dao, physical dissolution and transformation, and depended on matters of ghosts and spirits. Zou Yan became prominent among the feudal lords with yin-yang theories, and the fangshi of Yan and Qi by the sea transmitted his techniques but could not make them succeed. From this, strange, circuitous, flattering, and compromising followers arose, too many to count.
24
自威、宣、燕昭使人入海求蓬萊、方丈、瀛洲。 此三神山者，其傅在勃海中，去人不遠； 患且至，則船風引而去。 蓋嘗有至者，諸僊人及不死之藥皆在焉。 其物禽獸盡白，而黃金銀為宮闕。 未至，望之如雲； 及到，三神山反居水下。 臨之，風輒引去，終莫能至云。 世主莫不甘心焉。 及至秦始皇并天下，至海上，則方士言之不可勝數。 始皇自以為至海上而恐不及矣，使人乃齎童男女入海求之。 船交海中，皆以風為解，曰未能至，望見之焉。 其明年，始皇復游海上，至瑯邪，過恒山，從上黨歸。 後三年，游碣石，考入海方士，從上郡歸。 後五年，始皇南至湘山，遂登會稽，并海上，冀遇海中三神山之奇藥。 不得，還至沙丘崩。
From the time of Wei, Xuan, and Yan Zhao, they sent people to enter the sea and seek Penglai, Fangzhang, and Yingzhou. These three spirit mountains have their legends in the middle of the Bo Sea, and they are not far from people; When disaster is about to arrive, then the ships are blown away by the wind. People must once have reached them, for the immortals and the medicines of deathlessness were all there. Their things, birds and beasts, are all white, and gold and silver are used for the palace halls. Before arriving, when looked at, they appear like clouds; Yet when one reaches them, the three spirit mountains sink back beneath the water. Whenever one approached them, the wind drew them away, and in the end no one could reach them. None of the world's rulers were unwilling to accept this. When the First Emperor of Qin united the world and arrived at the sea, the fangshi who spoke of such things were too many to count. The First Emperor thought that he had arrived at the sea but feared not reaching it. Therefore, he sent people who carried boys and girls into the sea to seek them. When the ships met in the middle of the sea, they all used the wind as an excuse, saying they could not reach them, but they saw them there. In the next year, the First Emperor again toured on the sea, arrived at Langya, passed Mount Heng, and returned from Shangdang. After three years, he toured Jieshi, examined the sea-entering fangshi, and returned from Shangjun. After five years, the First Emperor went south to Mount Xiang, then ascended Kuaiji, and along the sea, he hoped to encounter the rare medicines of the three spirit mountains in the middle of the sea. He could not find them, and when he returned to Shaqiu, he collapsed.
25
二世元年，東巡碣石，并海南，歷泰山，至會稽，皆禮祠之，而刻勒始皇所立石書旁，以章始皇之功德。 其秋，諸侯畔秦。 三年而二世弒死。
In the first year of the Second Generation, he toured east to Jieshi, along Hainan, passed Mount Tai, and went to Kuaiji. He performed rites and sacrificed to them all, and carved beside the stone writings that the First Emperor had erected, to make clear the First Emperor's merit and virtue. That autumn, the feudal lords rebelled against Qin. Three years later, the Second Emperor was murdered.
26
始皇封禪之後十二歲，秦亡。 諸儒生疾秦焚詩書，誅僇文學，百姓怨其法，天下畔之，皆訛曰：「始皇上泰山，為暴風雨所擊，不得封禪。」 此豈所謂無其德而用事者邪？
Twelve years after the First Emperor performed the fengshan, Qin perished. The Confucian scholars resented Qin's burning of the poems and documents and its slaughter of learned men. The common people resented its laws, and the realm rebelled against it. They all falsely said, 'The First Emperor ascended Mount Tai, was struck by violent wind and rain, and could not complete the fengshan.' Is this not what is called those who performed the affairs without virtue?
27
昔三代之（君）［居］皆在河洛之閒，故嵩高為中嶽，而四嶽各如其方，四瀆咸在山東。 至秦稱帝，都咸陽，則五嶽、四瀆皆并在東方。 自五帝以至秦，軼興軼衰，名山大川或在諸侯，或在天子，其禮損益世殊，不可勝記。 及秦并天下，令祠官所常奉天地名山大川鬼神可得而序也。
In former times, the capitals of the Three Dynasties lay between the Yellow River and the Luo. Thus, Songgao became the Central Peak, the four other peaks stood in their proper directions, and the four great waterways all lay east of the mountains. When Qin called itself emperor and established its capital at Xianyang, then the five peaks and four estuaries were all together in the eastern direction. From the Five Emperors to Qin, they sometimes rose and sometimes declined. The famous mountains and great rivers were either in the feudal lords or in the Son of Heaven. Their rites had additions and subtractions that differed by generation, and they could not be recorded completely. When Qin united the world, it ordered the regular objects of the sacrificial officials' service—Heaven, Earth, famous mountains, great rivers, ghosts, and spirits—to be arranged in sequence.
28
於是自殽以東，名山五，大川祠二。 曰太室。 太室，嵩高也。 恒山，泰山，會稽，湘山。 水曰濟，曰淮。 春以脯酒為歲祠，因泮凍，秋涸凍，冬塞禱祠。 其牲用牛犢各一，牢具珪幣各異。
Therefore, from Xiao eastward, there were the five famous mountains and the two great rivers to which sacrifices were offered. They are called Taishi. Taishi is Songgao. They are Mount Heng, Mount Tai, Kuaiji, and Mount Xiang. The waters are called the Ji and the Huai. In spring, dried meat and wine were used for the yearly sacrifice, following the breaking of ice. In autumn, when the ice dried, and in winter, prayers and sacrifices were stopped. Its sacrificial animals used one calf each, and the sacrificial equipment, jades, and silks were each different.
29
自華以西，名山七，名川四。 曰華山，薄山。 薄山者，衰山也。 岳山，岐山，吳岳，鴻冢，瀆山。 瀆山，蜀之汶山。 水曰河，祠臨晉； 沔，祠漢中； 湫淵，祠朝那； 江水，祠蜀。 亦春秋泮涸禱塞，如東方名山川； 而牲牛犢牢具珪幣各異。 而四大冢鴻、岐、吳、岳，皆有嘗禾。
From Mount Hua westward, there were seven famous mountains and four famous rivers. They are Mount Hua and Mount Bo. Mount Bo is Mount Sui. They are Mount Yue, Mount Qi, Mount Wu Yue, Mount Hongzhong, and Mount Du. Mount Du is Shu's Mount Wen. The river is called the Yellow River, and sacrifices are offered at Linjin; The Mian, and sacrifices are made at Hanzhong; Qiu Yuan, and sacrifices are made at Zhaona; The Jiang River, with sacrifices offered in Shu. Also, in spring and autumn, when the ice breaks and dries, prayers are stopped, like the eastern famous mountains and rivers; And the sacrificial animals, calves, sacrificial equipment, jades, and silks are each different. And the four great tombs—Hong, Qi, Wu, and Yue—all have tasted grain.
30
陳寶節來祠。 其河加有嘗醪。 此皆在雍州之域，近天子之都，故加車一乘，騮駒四。
Chen Bao came for the sacrifice. The Yellow River sacrifices are additionally accompanied by sweet wine offerings. These are all in the domain of Yong province, near the Son of Heaven's capital. Therefore, one chariot and four sorrel colts were added.
31
霸、產、長水、灃、澇、涇、渭皆非大川，以近咸陽，盡得比山川祠，而無諸加。
The Ba, Chan, Changshui, Feng, Lao, Jing, and Wei were not great rivers, but because they lay near Xianyang they were all ranked with the mountain and river sacrifices, without the additional offerings.
32
汧、洛二淵，鳴澤、蒲山、嶽胥山之屬，為小山川，亦皆歲禱塞泮涸祠，禮不必同。
The two abysses of Qian and Luo, and the kind of Ming Ze, Mount Pu, and Mount Yuexu are small mountains and rivers. They also all have yearly prayers, stopping, ice breaking, drying, and sacrifice, but the rites are not necessarily the same.
33
而雍有日、月、參、辰、南北斗、熒惑、太白、歲星、填星、［辰星］、二十八宿、風伯、雨師、四海、九臣、十四臣、諸布、諸嚴、諸逑之屬，百有餘廟。 西亦有數十祠。 於湖有周天子祠。 於下邽有天神。 灃、滈有昭明、天子辟池。 於（社）［杜］、亳有三社主之祠、壽星祠； 而雍菅廟亦有杜主。 杜主，故周之右將軍，其在秦中，最小表之神者。 各以歲時奉祠。
And Yong has the sun, moon, Shen, Chen, the north and south dippers, Mars, Venus, Jupiter, Saturn, Mercury, the twenty-eight constellations, the wind lord, the rain master, the four seas, the nine ministers, the fourteen ministers, Zhu Bu, Zhu Yan, Zhu Qiu, and related cults. There are more than a hundred temples. The west also has several tens of sacrifices. At Hu, there is a sacrifice to the Zhou Son of Heaven. At Xia Gui, there is a heavenly god. At Tong and Shi, there are Zhao Ming and the Son of Heaven's ritual pool. At Du and Bo, there are sacrifices to the three Lords of the Soil and the longevity star; And the Yong Jian temple also has the Du lord. The Du lord was the former right general of Zhou. In the middle of Qin, he is the smallest marked god. Sacrifices to each were offered at the proper seasonal times.
34
唯雍四畤上帝為尊，其光景動人民唯陳寶。 故雍四畤，春以為歲禱，因泮凍，秋涸凍，冬塞祠，五月嘗駒，及四仲之月（祠若）月祠，［若］陳寶節來一祠。 春夏用騂，秋冬用駵。 畤駒四匹，木禺龍欒車一駟，木禺車馬一駟，各如其帝色。 黃犢羔各四，珪幣各有數，皆生瘞埋，無俎豆之具。 三年一郊。 秦以冬十月為歲首，故常以十月上宿郊見，通權火，拜於咸陽之旁，而衣上白，其用如經祠云。 西畤、畦畤，祠如其故，上不親往。
Only the Supreme God of the four zhi at Yong is honored, and only Chen Bao's appearance moved the people. Therefore, for the four zhi at Yong, spring is used for the yearly prayer, following the breaking of ice. In autumn, when the ice dries, and in winter, sacrifices are stopped. In the fifth month, colts are tasted, and in the four mid-months, monthly sacrifices are made. If Chen Bao's section comes, one sacrifice is made. In spring and summer, xing are used, and in autumn and winter, yu are used. There are four zhi colts, one team of the wooden yu dragon luan chariots, and one team of the wooden yu chariot horses, each according to their emperor's color. There are four yellow calves and four lambs each, and the jades and silks each have a number. All are buried alive, and there are no zu and dou utensils. Every three years, there is one suburban sacrifice. Qin made the tenth month of winter the beginning of the year. Therefore, it regularly used an auspicious night in the tenth month for the suburban audience, transmitted the ritual fire, bowed beside Xianyang, and wore white upper garments. According to the accounts, its procedure was like that of a regular sacrifice. For the West zhi and Qi zhi, sacrifices are made as before, and the emperor does not personally go.
35
諸此祠皆太祝常主，以歲時奉祠之。 至如他名山川諸鬼及八神之屬，上過則祠，去則已。 郡縣遠方神祠者，民各自奉祠，不領於天子之祝官。 祝官有祕祝，即有菑祥，輒祝祠移過於下。
All these sacrifices are constantly supervised by the Grand Officiant, and sacrifices are offered to them according to the seasons of the year. As for other famous mountains and rivers, other spirits, and sacrifices of the same kind as the eight gods, offerings were made when the emperor passed by and stopped when he left. For divine shrines in distant commanderies and counties, the local people made the offerings themselves, and the shrines were not under the Son of Heaven's shaman officials. The prayer officials possessed secret invocations. Whenever disasters or omens appeared, they prayed and sacrificed at once, transferring fault to subordinates.
36
漢興，高祖之微時，嘗殺大蛇。 有物曰：「蛇，白帝子也，而殺者赤帝子。」 高祖初起，禱豐枌榆社。 徇沛，為沛公，則祠蚩尤，釁鼓旗。 遂以十月至灞上，與諸侯平咸陽，立為漢王。 因以十月為年首，而色上赤。
When Han rose, in Gaozu's humble time, he once killed a big snake. A thing said, 'The snake is the son of the White Emperor, and the killer is the son of the Red Emperor.' When Gaozu first rose, he prayed at the Fenyu soil altar at Feng. He passed through Pei, became the Duke of Pei, and then sacrificed to Chi You and smeared the drums and flags. Then, in the tenth month, he arrived at Ba Shang, pacified Xianyang with the feudal lords, and was established as the King of Han. Therefore, he took the tenth month as the beginning of the year and honored the color red.
37
二年，東擊項籍而還入關，問：「故秦時上帝祠何帝也？」 對曰：「四帝，有白、青、黃、赤帝之祠。」 高祖曰：「吾聞天有五帝，而有四，何也？」 莫知其說。 於是高祖曰：「吾知之矣，乃待我而具五也。」 乃立黑帝祠，命曰北畤。 有司進祠，上不親往。 悉召故秦祝官，復置太祝、太宰，如其故儀禮。 因令縣為公社。 下詔曰：「吾甚重祠而敬祭。 今上帝之祭及山川諸神當祠者，各以其時禮祠之如故。」
In the second year, he attacked Xiang Ji in the east and returned and entered the pass. He asked, 'In former Qin times, what emperors were sacrificed to in the Supreme God sacrifices?' They replied and said, 'Four emperors. There are sacrifices to the white, green, yellow, and red emperors.' Gaozu said, 'I have heard that heaven has the five emperors, but there are four. Why is this?' No one knew the explanation. Therefore, Gaozu said, 'I know it now. It was waiting for me to complete the five.' He then established the Black Emperor sacrifice and called it the Northern Zhi. The officials advanced the sacrifice, and the emperor did not personally go. He summoned all the former Qin shaman officials and again established the Grand Officiant and Grand Steward, like their former ceremony rites. Therefore, he ordered the counties to establish public altars of soil. He issued an edict and said, 'I greatly value sacrifice and respectfully offer. Now the sacrifices to the Supreme God and to the mountain and river gods that ought to receive sacrifice should each be performed at the proper season, as before.'
38
後四歲，天下已定，詔御史，令豐謹治枌榆社，常以四時春以羊彘祠之。 令祝官立蚩尤之祠於長安。 長安置祠祝官、女巫。 其梁巫，祠天、地、天社、天水、房中、堂上之屬； 晉巫，祠五帝、東君、雲中［君］、司命、巫社、巫祠、族人、先炊之屬； 秦巫，祠社主、巫保、族纍之屬； 荊巫，祠堂下、巫先、司命、施糜之屬； 九天巫，祠九天：皆以歲時祠宮中。 其河巫祠河於臨晉，而南山巫祠南山秦中。 秦中者，二世皇帝。 各有時（月）［日］。
After four years, when the world was already settled, he issued an edict to the imperial secretaries and ordered Feng to carefully manage the Fenyu soil altar, regularly sacrificing to it in the four seasons and, in spring, using sheep and pigs. He ordered the shaman officials to establish the Chi You sacrifice in Chang'an. Chang'an established sacrifice shaman officials and female shamans. The Liang shamans sacrificed to heaven, earth, Heavenly Soil, Heavenly Water, the bedchamber, the upper hall, and the like; The Jin shamans sacrificed to the five emperors, the Lord of the East, the Lord in the Clouds, the Master of Fate, Shaman Soil, the Shaman Sacrifice, the Clan People, the First Cook, and the like; The Qin shamans sacrificed to the Lord of the Soil, the Shaman Protector, the Clan Spirits, and the like; The Jing shamans served the cults of Tangxia, Wuxian, Siming, Shimi, and related spirits; The nine heavens shamans sacrificed to the nine heavens. All sacrificed in the palace according to the seasons of the year. The river shamans sacrificed to the river at Linjin, and the south mountain shamans sacrificed to the south mountain in the middle of Qin. Qin middle refers to the Second Generation Emperor. Each has their time and day.
39
其後二歲，或曰周興而邑邰，立后稷之祠，至今血食天下。 於是高祖制詔御史：「其令郡國縣立靈星祠，常以歲時祠以牛。」
Two years later, some said that when Zhou rose and founded the city of Tai, it established the sacrifice to Hou Ji, which has received blood offerings throughout the realm down to the present. Therefore, Gaozu formulated an edict to the imperial secretaries: 'You should order the commanderies, states, and counties to establish the spirit star sacrifice, and constantly sacrifice to it with oxen according to the seasons of the year.'
40
高祖十年春，有司請令縣常以春（三）［二］月及（時）臘祠社稷以羊豕，民里社各自財以祠。 制曰：「可。」
In the spring of Gaozu's tenth year, the officials requested that the counties be ordered to regularly sacrifice to the altars of soil and grain with sheep and pigs in the second month of spring and at the la sacrifice, and that each village altar of soil use its own resources for sacrifice. He formulated and said, 'Acceptable.'
41
其後十八年，孝文帝即位。 即位十三年，下詔曰：「今祕祝移過于下，朕甚不取。 自今除之。」
After eighteen years, Emperor Xiaowen ascended the position. In the thirteenth year after ascending the position, he issued an edict and said, 'Now the secret prayers transfer blame to subordinates, and I greatly do not approve. From now on, eliminate them.'
42
始名山大川在諸侯，諸侯祝各自奉祠，天子官不領。 及齊、淮南國廢，令太祝盡以歲時致禮如故。
Originally, famous mountains and great rivers belonged to the domains of the feudal lords. Each lord's ritual officials sacrificed to them independently, and the Son of Heaven's officers did not oversee the rites. When the states of Qi and Huainan were abolished, he ordered the Grand Officiant to continue offering the seasonal rites as before.
43
是歲，制曰：「朕即位十三年于今，賴宗廟之靈，社稷之福，方內艾安，民人靡疾。 閒者比年登，朕之不德，何以饗此？ 皆上帝諸神之賜也。 蓋聞古者饗其德必報其功，欲有增諸神祠。 有司議增雍五畤路車各一乘，駕被具； 西畤畦畤禺車各一乘，禺馬四匹，駕被具； 其河、湫、漢水加玉各二； 及諸祠，各增廣壇場，珪幣俎豆以差加之。 而祝祕者歸福於朕，百姓不與焉。 自今祝致敬，毋有所祈。」
In this year, he formulated and said, 'I have now occupied the throne for thirteen years, relying on the spirit of the ancestral temple and the blessing of the altars of soil and grain. Within the borders, there is peace, and the people have no illness. Recently, there have been successive years of the abundant harvest. With my lack of virtue, how can I enjoy this? All are gifts from the Supreme God and the gods. I have heard that in ancient times, when one enjoyed a deity's virtue, one had to repay its merit. I wish to increase the sacrifices to the gods. The officials discussed increasing the road chariots for the five zhi at Yong, one team each, with harness and cover equipment; For the West zhi and Qi zhi, there was one team each of yu chariots and four yu horses, with harness and cover equipment; For the He, Qiu, and Han waters, add two pieces of jade each; For the several sacrifices, the altar grounds should each be enlarged, and jades, silks, sacrificial stands, and vessels should be added according to rank. And the secret shamans return the blessing to me, and the common people do not participate in it. From now on, the shamans should offer respect and should not have anything to pray for.'
44
魯人公孫臣上書曰：「始秦得水德，今漢受之，推終始傳，則漢當土德，土德之應黃龍見。 宜改正朔，易服色，色上黃。」 是時丞相張蒼好律歷，以為漢乃水德之始，故河決金隄，其符也。 年始冬十月，色外黑內赤，與德相應。 如公孫臣言，非也。 罷之。 後三歲，黃龍見成紀。 文帝乃召公孫臣，拜為博士，與諸生草改歷服色事。 其夏，下詔曰：「異物之神見于成紀，無害於民，歲以有年。 朕祈郊上帝諸神，禮官議，無諱以勞朕。」 有司皆曰「古者天子夏親郊，祀上帝於郊，故曰郊」。 於是夏四月，文帝始郊見雍五畤祠，衣皆上赤。
Gongsun Chen of Lu memorialized: "Qin first received Water Virtue, and Han has now inherited the succession. By the cycle of endings and beginnings, Han should correspond to Earth Virtue, whose omen is the appearance of a yellow dragon. You should correct the calendar beginning, change the clothing colors, and honor yellow as the color.' At this time, Chancellor Zhang Cang liked laws and calendars and thought that Han was the beginning of the water virtue. Therefore, when the Yellow River burst the Jin dike, it was its omen. The year begins with the tenth month of winter, the color is black outside and red inside, and it corresponds with the virtue. What Gongsun Chen said is not so. He dismissed it. After three years, a yellow dragon appeared at Chengji. Emperor Wen then summoned Gongsun Chen, appointed him Erudite, and had him work with the scholars to draft proposals for changing the calendar and the colors of court dress. That summer, he issued an edict and said, 'The god of a strange thing appeared at Chengji, and it did no harm to the people. The year had an abundant harvest. I pray in the suburbs to the Supreme God and the gods. Let the ritual officials deliberate, and do not hesitate to trouble me.' The officials all said, 'In ancient times, the Son of Heaven personally performed suburban sacrifices in summer and sacrificed to the Supreme God at the suburbs. Therefore, it is called suburban.' Therefore, in the fourth month of summer, Emperor Wen began the suburban audience at the Yong five zhi sacrifice, and all clothing honored red.
45
其明年，趙人新垣平以望氣見上，言「長安東北有神氣，成五采，若人冠絻焉。 或曰東北神明之舍，西方神明之墓也。 天瑞下，宜立祠上帝，以合符應」。 於是作渭陽五帝廟，同宇，帝一殿，面各五門，各如其帝色。 祠所用及儀亦如雍五畤。
The following year, Xinyuan Ping of Zhao was admitted to the emperor after observing qi. He said, "Northeast of Chang'an there is divine qi in five colors, shaped like a man's cap and ribbons. Some said that the northeast is the dwelling of the bright spirits, and the west is the tomb of the bright spirits. Heavenly auspiciousness has descended. You should establish a sacrifice to the Supreme God to match the omen response.' Therefore, he made the Wei Yang Five Emperors Temple with the same roof. Each emperor had one hall, and each facing had five gates, each according to their emperor's color. The sacrificial materials and ceremonies were also like those used for the five zhi at Yong.
46
夏四月，文帝親拜霸渭之會，以郊見渭陽五帝。 五帝廟南臨渭，北穿蒲池溝水，權火舉而祠，若光煇然屬天焉。 於是貴平上大夫，賜累千金。 而使博士諸生刺六經中作王制，謀議巡狩封禪事。
In the fourth month of summer, Emperor Wen personally bowed at the meeting of the Ba and Wei to perform the suburban audience of the Wei Yang Five Emperors. The Five Emperors Temple faced the Wei River to the south and connected with the ditch waters of Pu Pool to the north. When the ceremonial fire was raised and the sacrifice performed, its radiance seemed to connect with heaven. Therefore, he honored Ping as an upper grand master and granted him many thousands of gold pieces. He also had the Erudites and scholars excerpt the Six Classics to compile the royal institutions, and they discussed matters of inspection tours, hunting, and the fengshan.
47
文帝出長門，若見五人於道北，遂因其直北立五帝壇，祠以五牢具。
Emperor Wen exited the Chang gate and seemed to see five people north of the road. Then, because of its straight north, he established the Five Emperors Altar and sacrificed to it with five sets of sacrificial animals.
48
其明年，新垣平使人持玉杯，上書闕下獻之。 平言上曰：「闕下有寶玉氣來者。」 已視之，果有獻玉杯者，刻曰「人主延壽」。 平又言「臣候日再中」。 居頃之，日卻復中。 於是始更以十七年為元年，令天下大酺。
In the next year, Xin Yuan Ping sent people who held a jade cup, submitted a memorial below the palace, and offered it. Ping told the emperor and said, 'Below the palace, there is precious jade qi coming.' After the emperor inspected the site, someone did indeed present a jade cup inscribed, "May the ruler's life be prolonged." Ping again said, 'I, the minister, observed the sun at midday twice.' After a moment, the sun retreated and was again at midday. Therefore, he began changing the seventeenth year to be the first year and ordered a great feast throughout the world.
49
平言曰：「周鼎亡在泗水中，今河溢通泗，臣望東北汾陰直有金寶氣，意周鼎其出乎？ 兆見不迎則不至。」 於是上使使治廟汾陰南，臨河，欲祠出周鼎。
Ping said, 'The Zhou ding was lost in the Si River. Now the Yellow River has overflowed and connected with the Si. Looking northeast, I see the qi of a golden treasure directly at Fenyin. Perhaps the Zhou ding is about to emerge? If the omen is seen and not welcomed, then it will not come.' Therefore, the emperor sent an envoy to repair a temple south of Fenyin, facing the river, intending to sacrifice there and bring forth the Zhou ding.
50
人有上書告新垣平所言氣神事皆詐也。 下平吏治，誅夷新垣平。 自是之後，文帝怠於改正朔服色神明之事，而渭陽、長門五帝使祠官領，以時致禮，不往焉。
Someone submitted a memorial accusing Xin Yuan Ping, saying that all his talk of auspicious qi and divine signs was fraudulent. He handed Xin Yuan Ping over to the officials for prosecution and executed him and exterminated his clan. From this time afterward, Emperor Wen lost interest in correcting the calendar, changing clothing colors, and dealing with spirits and omens. For the Five Emperors sacrifices at Weiyang and Changmen, he had the sacrifice officials supervise and present the seasonal rites, but he did not go there himself.
51
明年，匈奴數入邊，興兵守御。 後歲少不登。
In the next year, the Xiongnu entered the border several times, and he raised troops to guard and defend. In the years that followed, harvests were often poor.
52
數年而孝景即位。 十六年，祠官各以歲時祠如故，無有所興，至今天子。
Years later, Emperor Xiaojing ascended the position. In the sixteenth year, the sacrificial officials continued to perform the seasonal sacrifices as before, and nothing new was established, down to the present Son of Heaven.
53
今天子初即位，尤敬鬼神之祀。
Today's Son of Heaven has just ascended the position and especially respects the sacrifices to ghosts and spirits.
54
元年，漢興已六十餘歲矣，天下艾安，搢紳之屬皆望天子封禪改正度也，而上鄉儒術，招賢良，趙綰、王臧等以文學為公卿，欲議古立明堂城南，以朝諸侯。 草巡狩封禪改歷服色事未就。 會竇太后治黃老言，不好儒術，使人微伺得趙綰等姦利事，召案綰、臧，綰、臧自殺，諸所興為皆廢。
In the first year, Han had already risen for more than sixty years, and the world was peaceful. Officials and scholars all hoped that the Son of Heaven would perform the fengshan sacrifices and correct measures. The emperor favored Confucian arts, summoned the worthy and good, and Zhao Wan, Wang Zang, and others became ministers through literature. They wished to discuss establishing an ancient bright hall south of the city to receive the feudal lords. They drafted matters of touring, hunting, the fengshan, and changing the calendar and clothing colors, but they were not completed. It happened that Empress Dowager Dou governed according to Huang-Lao teachings and disliked Confucian arts. She sent people to spy secretly and uncovered illicit profiteering by Zhao Wan and the others. She summoned and investigated Wan and Zang, and both men committed suicide. All the newly established measures were abolished.
55
後六年，竇太后崩。 其明年，徵文學之士公孫弘等。
After six years, Empress Dowager Dou died. In the next year, he summoned literature scholars such as Gongsun Hong.
56
明年，今上初至雍，郊見五畤。 後常三歲一郊。 是時上求神君，捨之上林中蹄氏觀。 神君者，長陵女子，以子死，見神於先後宛若。 宛若祠之其室，民多往祠。 平原君往祠，其後子孫以尊顯。 及今上即位，則厚禮置祠之內中。 聞其言，不見其人云。
The next year, the present emperor first went to Yong and performed the suburban sacrifices at the five zhi. Afterward, constantly every three years, there was one suburban sacrifice. At this time, the emperor sought the god lord and lodged her in the Ti Shi pavilion in the middle of Shanglin. The god lord was a woman from Changling. Because her child died, she saw a god in the ancestors, and Wan Ruo. Wan Ruo sacrificed to her in her room, and many people went to sacrifice. Pingyuan Jun went to sacrifice, and afterward, his descendants became honored and eminent. When today's emperor ascended the position, then with generous rites, he placed the sacrifice in the inner palace. They heard her words but did not see her.
57
是時李少君亦以祠灶、穀道、卻老方見上，上尊之。 少君者，故深澤侯舍人，主方。 匿其年及其生長，常自謂七十，能使物，卻老。 其游以方遍諸侯。 無妻子。 人聞其能使物及不死，更饋遺之，常餘金錢衣食。 人皆以為不治生業而饒給，又不知其何所人，愈信，爭事之。 少君資好方，善為巧發奇中。 嘗從武安侯飲，坐中有九十餘老人，少君乃言與其大父游射處，老人為兒時從其大父，識其處，一坐盡驚。 少君見上，上有故銅器，問少君。 少君曰：「此器齊桓公十年陳於柏寢。」 已而案其刻，果齊桓公器。 一宮盡駭，以為少君神，數百歲人也。
At this time, Li Shaojun also appeared before the emperor with methods of sacrificing to the stove, the grain way, and dispelling old age, and the emperor honored him. Shaojun was a former retainer of the Marquis of Shenze and mastered methods. He concealed his age and his growth and constantly claimed to be seventy. He could make things and dispel the old age. His travels with methods went through the feudal lords. He had no wife or children. People heard of his ability to make things and achieve immortality, and they sent him gifts. He constantly had a surplus of gold, money, clothes, and food. People all thought that he did not manage a livelihood yet was wealthy, and they did not know where he came from. They increasingly believed in him and competed to serve him. Shaojun innately liked methods and was good at making clever predictions that hit strangely. Once, he followed the Marquis of Wu'an to drink, and in the seat there was an old man of more than ninety. Shaojun then spoke of the place where he had toured and shot with the old man's grandfather. The old man, as a child, had followed his grandfather and knew that place. The entire seat was astonished. Shaojun saw the emperor, and the emperor had an old copper vessel and asked Shaojun about it. Shaojun said, 'This vessel was displayed in the Bo bedchamber in the tenth year of Duke Huan of Qi.' Then they examined its engraving, and indeed it was a vessel of Duke Huan of Qi. The entire palace was astonished and took Shaojun for a divine man several hundred years old.
58
少君言上曰：「祠灶則致物，致物而丹沙可化為黃金，黃金成以為飲食器則益壽，益壽而海中蓬萊僊者乃可見，見之以封禪則不死，黃帝是也。 臣嘗游海上，見安期生，安期生食巨棗，大如瓜。 安期生僊者，通蓬萊中，合則見人，不合則隱。」 於是天子始親祠灶，遣方士入海求蓬萊安期生之屬，而事化丹沙諸藥齊為黃金矣。
Shaojun told the emperor: 'If you sacrifice to the stove, spiritual beings can be summoned. Once they are summoned, cinnabar can be transformed into gold. If that gold is made into vessels for food and drink, it will lengthen life. Once life is lengthened, the immortals of Penglai in the sea may be seen. If they are seen and the fengshan sacrifices are performed, one will become deathless. This is what the Yellow Emperor did. I, the minister, once toured on the sea and saw An Qisheng. An Qisheng ate giant dates, as big as melons. An Qisheng is an immortal who passes through Penglai. When conditions accord, he appears to people; when they do not, he remains hidden.' Therefore, the Son of Heaven began personally sacrificing to the stove. He sent fangshi out to sea to seek Penglai, An Qisheng, and others of that kind, and he set about transforming cinnabar and other medicines into gold.
59
居久之，李少君病死。 天子以為化去不死，而使黃錘史寬舒受其方。 求蓬萊安期生莫能得，而海上燕齊怪迂之方士多更來言神事矣。
After dwelling for a long time, Li Shaojun died of illness. The Son of Heaven thought that he had transformed and gone to immortality, and he sent the Huang Hammer Scribe Kuan Shu to receive his methods. They sought Penglai and An Qisheng but could not find them. Meanwhile, ever more strange and devious fangshi from the coastal regions of Yan and Qi came forward to speak of divine matters.
60
亳人謬忌奏祠太一方，曰：「天神貴者太一，太一佐曰五帝。 古者天子以春秋祭太一東南郊，用太牢，七日，為壇開八通之鬼道。」 於是天子令太祝立其祠長安東南郊，常奉祠如忌方。 其後人有上書，言「古者天子三年壹用太牢祠神三一：天一、地一、太一」。 天子許之，令太祝領祠之於忌太一壇上，如其方。 後人復有上書，言「古者天子常以春解祠，祠黃帝用一梟破鏡； 冥羊用羊祠； 馬行用一青牡馬； 太一、澤山君地長用牛； 武夷君用乾魚； 陰陽使者以一牛」。 令祠官領之如其方，而祠於忌太一壇旁。
Liu Ji, a person from Bo, submitted a method for sacrificing to Tai Yi and said, 'Among the heaven gods, the honored one is Tai Yi, and Tai Yi's assistants are called the five emperors. In ancient times, the Son of Heaven sacrificed to Tai Yi at the southeast suburbs in spring and autumn, used a great sacrificial animal, for seven days, and made an altar that opened eight communicating ghost roads.' Therefore, the Son of Heaven ordered the Grand Officiant to establish its sacrifice at the southeast suburbs of Chang'an and constantly offer sacrifice like Ji's method. Afterward, someone submitted a memorial and said, 'In ancient times, the Son of Heaven once every three years used a great sacrificial animal to sacrifice to the three-one gods: heaven one, earth one, and Tai Yi.' The Son of Heaven permitted it and ordered the Grand Officiant to supervise and sacrifice to them on the Ji Tai Yi altar, like its method. Afterward, a person again submitted a memorial and said, 'In ancient times, the Son of Heaven constantly in spring performed solution sacrifices. When sacrificing to the Yellow Emperor, he used one owl and a broken mirror; For the dark sheep, he used a sheep sacrifice; For the horse journey, he used one green stallion; For Tai Yi and Ze Shan Jun, the earth elder, he used an ox; For Wu Yi Jun, he used dried fish; For the yin-yang messengers, he used one ox.' He ordered the sacrificial officials to oversee them according to that method and to sacrifice beside the Ji Tai Yi altar.
61
其後，天子苑有白鹿，以其皮為幣，以發瑞應，造白金焉。
Later, white deer appeared in the imperial park. The emperor used their hides as currency to call forth auspicious responses and also created white gold.
62
其明年，郊雍，獲一角獸，若麃然。 有司曰：「陛下肅祗郊祀，上帝報享，錫一角獸，蓋麟云。」 於是以薦五畤，畤加一牛以燎。 錫諸侯白金，風符應合于天也。
In the next year, at the suburban sacrifice at Yong, he obtained a one-horned beast, like a mi deer. The officials said, 'Your Majesty was reverent and respectful in the suburban sacrifices, and the Supreme God reported that he enjoyed them and granted a one-horned beast. According to the accounts, it was probably a qilin.' Therefore, with it, he recommended it to the five zhi, and each zhi added one ox to burn. He granted the feudal lords white gold, and the wind omens and responses matched heaven.
63
於是濟北王以為天子且封禪，乃上書獻太山及其旁邑，天子以他縣償之。 常山王有罪，遷，天子封其弟於真定，以續先王祀，而以常山為郡，然後五岳皆在天子之（邦）［郡］。
Therefore, the King of Jibei thought that the Son of Heaven was about to perform the fengshan, and then he submitted a memorial offering Mount Tai and its side cities. The Son of Heaven compensated him with other counties. The King of Changshan had a crime and was banished. The Son of Heaven enfeoffed his younger brother at Zhending to continue the former king's sacrifices, and with Changshan, he made a commandery. Then the five peaks were all in the Son of Heaven's commanderies.
64
其明年，齊人少翁以鬼神方見上。 上有所幸王夫人，夫人卒，少翁以方蓋夜致王夫人及灶鬼之貌云，天子自帷中望見焉。 於是乃拜少翁為文成將軍，賞賜甚多，以客禮禮之。 文成言曰：「上即欲與神通，宮室被服非象神，神物不至。」 乃作畫雲氣車，及各以勝日駕車辟惡鬼。 又作甘泉宮，中為臺室，畫天、地、太一諸鬼神，而置祭具以致天神。 居歲餘，其方益衰，神不至。 乃為帛書以飯牛，詳不知，言曰此牛腹中有奇。 殺視得書，書言甚怪。 天子識其手書，問其人，果是偽書，於是誅文成將軍，隱之。
In the next year, Shaoweng, a person from Qi, appeared before the emperor with methods for ghosts and gods. The emperor had favored Lady Wang, and after she died, Shaoweng used his methods at night to summon the apparitions of Lady Wang and the stove spirit. The Son of Heaven looked from within the curtain and saw them. Therefore, he then appointed Shaoweng as General Wencheng, gave him very many rewards, and treated him with the guest rites. Wencheng said, 'If the emperor wants to communicate with the gods, but the palaces and clothing do not resemble the gods, then the god things will not come.' Then he made painted cloud qi chariots, and each with victorious days, he drove the chariots to ward off evil ghosts. He also built Ganquan Palace. In its center he constructed raised chambers, painted Heaven, Earth, Tai Yi, and the many ghosts and gods, and set out sacrificial implements to summon the heavenly spirits. After dwelling for more than a year, his methods increasingly declined, and the gods did not come. Then he made a silk book and fed it to an ox, feigned ignorance, and said that this ox's belly held a strange thing. They killed it and inspected it and got a book, and the book spoke very strange things. The Son of Heaven recognized his handwriting, asked that person, and indeed it was a false book. Therefore, he executed General Wencheng and concealed it.
65
其後則又作柏梁、銅柱、承露僊人掌之屬矣。
Afterward, he then again made the Bo Liang, copper pillars, dew-receiving immortals' palms, and the like.
66
文成死明年，天子病鼎湖甚，巫醫無所不致，不愈。 游水發根言上郡有巫，病而鬼神下之。 上召置祠之甘泉。 及病，使人問神君。 神君言曰：「天子無憂病。 病少愈，彊與我會甘泉。」 於是病愈，遂起，幸甘泉，病良已。 大赦，置壽宮神君。 壽宮神君最貴者太一，其佐曰大禁、司命之屬，皆從之。 非可得見，聞其言，言與人音等。 時去時來，來則風肅然。 居室帷中。 時晝言，然常以夜。 天子祓，然後入。 因巫為主人，關飲食。 所以言，行下。 又置壽宮、北宮，張羽旗，設供具，以禮神君。 神君所言，上使人受書其言，命之曰「畫法」。 其所語，世俗之所知也，無絕殊者，而天子心獨喜。 其事祕，世莫知也。
In the year after Wencheng died, the Son of Heaven was very ill at Ding Hu. Shamans and doctors were employed for everything, but he was not cured. You Shui Fa Gen said that Shang commandery had a shaman who was ill and to whom ghosts and gods descended. The emperor summoned him and set up the sacrifice at Ganquan. When he was ill, he sent people to ask the god lord. The god lord said, 'The Son of Heaven should not worry about the illness. Once your illness has eased a little, make the effort to meet me at Ganquan." Therefore, the illness was cured, and then he rose and visited Ganquan, and the illness was truly gone. He granted a great amnesty and established the god lord of the longevity palace. Among the god lords of the longevity palace, the most honored is Tai Yi. Its assistants are called the great prohibition, the destiny master, and the like, and they all followed him. The beings could not be seen, but their words could be heard, sounding just like human voices. Sometimes they departed, and sometimes they came; when they came, the wind was solemn. They dwelt within the curtained room. Sometimes they spoke in the daytime, but constantly at night. The Son of Heaven was purified, and then he entered. Because the shaman was the host, he controlled the eating and drinking. What they spoke went down. Again, he established the longevity palace and the north palace, spread feather flags, set up offering utensils, and ritually treated the god lord. What the god lord spoke, the emperor made people receive and write down his words, and he named it 'painting method.' What he spoke was what was known in the world's customs, and there was nothing extremely different, but the Son of Heaven's heart alone was happy. Its matters were secret, and no one in the world knew.
67
其後三年，有司言元宜以天瑞命，不宜以一二數。 一元曰「建」，二元以長星曰「光」，三元以郊得一角獸曰「狩」云。
After three years, the officials said that the yuan should be named with heaven's auspiciousness and was not suitable to be numbered with one and two. The first yuan was called 'build,' the second yuan with the long star was called 'light,' and the third yuan with the suburban sacrifice obtaining a one-horned beast was called 'hunt,' according to the accounts.
68
其明年冬，天子郊雍，議曰：「今上帝朕親郊，而後土無祀，則禮不答也。」 有司與太史公、祠官寬舒議：「天地牲角繭栗。 今陛下親祠后土，后土宜於澤中圜丘為五壇，壇一黃犢太牢具，已祠盡瘞，而從祠衣上黃。」 於是天子遂東，始立后土祠汾陰脽丘，如寬舒等議。 上親望拜，如上帝禮。 禮畢，天子遂至滎陽而還。 過雒陽，下詔曰：「三代邈絕，遠矣難存。 其以三十里地封周後為周子南君，以奉其先祀焉。」 是歲，天子始巡郡縣，侵尋於泰山矣。
In the winter of the following year, after performing the suburban sacrifice at Yong, the Son of Heaven said, "I personally sacrifice to Shangdi, yet Houtu has no offering. In that case the rites are not matched." The officials, with the Grand Scribe and the sacrifice official Kuan Shu, discussed, saying, 'For heaven and earth, the sacrificial animals' horns are like cocoon and millet. Now Your Majesty personally sacrifices to Hou Tu. Hou Tu should be at a round hill in the middle of a marsh, and five altars should be made. Each altar should have one yellow calf as a great sacrificial animal set. After the sacrifice, they should be completely buried, and those following the sacrifice should wear yellow on their upper clothing.' Therefore, the Son of Heaven then went east and began to establish the Hou Tu sacrifice at Fen Yin Wei hill, as Kuan Shu and others had discussed. The emperor personally looked and bowed, like the rites for the Supreme God. After the rites were completed, the Son of Heaven proceeded to Xingyang and then returned. Passing through Luoyang, he issued an edict that said: 'The Three Dynasties are distant and cut off, too far removed to preserve. Let thirty li of land be granted to a descendant of Zhou as the Lord of Zhou Zi Nan, so that he may honor the sacrifices of his ancestors.' That year, the Son of Heaven began touring the commanderies and counties, gradually making his way toward Mount Tai.
69
其春，樂成侯上書言欒大。 欒大，膠東宮人，故嘗與文成將軍同師，已而為膠東王尚方。 而樂成侯姊為康王后，無子。 康王死，他姬子立為王。 而康后有淫行，與王不相中，相危以法。 康后聞文成已死，而欲自媚於上，乃遣欒大因樂成侯求見言方。 天子既誅文成，後悔其蚤死，惜其方不盡，及見欒大，大說。 大為人長美，言多方略，而敢為大言處之不疑。 大言曰：「臣常往來海中，見安期、羨門之屬。 顧以臣為賤，不信臣。 又以為康王諸侯耳，不足與方。 臣數言康王，康王又不用臣。 臣之師曰：『黃金可成，而河決可塞，不死之藥可得，僊人可致也。』 然臣恐效文成，則方士皆奄口，惡敢言方哉！」 上曰：「文成食馬肝死耳。 子誠能修其方，我何愛乎！」 大曰：「臣師非有求人，人者求之。 陛下必欲致之，則貴其使者，令有親屬，以客禮待之，勿卑，使各佩其信印，乃可使通言於神人。 神人尚肯邪不邪。 致尊其使，然後可致也。」 於是上使驗小方，鬬棋，棋自相觸擊。
That spring, the Marquis of Lecheng submitted a memorial speaking of Luan Da. Luan Da was a palace attendant in Jiaodong who had once studied under the same teacher as General Wencheng, and later became the director of medicine for the King of Jiaodong. The sister of the Marquis of Lecheng was the queen of King Kang, but she had no children. When King Kang died, the son of another concubine was established as king. The Queen of Kang had engaged in licentious behavior and was incompatible with the new king, so they threatened each other with legal action. When the Queen of Kang heard that Wencheng had died, and wishing to ingratiate herself with the emperor, she sent Luan Da through the Marquis of Lecheng to seek an audience and speak of his methods. The Son of Heaven had executed Wencheng, but later regretted his early death and lamented that his methods were incomplete. When he saw Luan Da, he was greatly pleased. Da was a tall and handsome man whose speech contained many strategies, and he dared to make grand claims, handling them without hesitation. Da said: 'Your servant has often traveled to the sea, where I have seen the likes of Anqi and Xianmen. But because they considered your servant base, they did not believe me. They also thought that King Kang was merely a feudal lord and not worthy of sharing these methods. I spoke to King Kang many times, but he too refused to use me. My teacher said: 'Gold can be made, the Yellow River breach can be blocked, the elixir of immortality can be found, and immortals can be summoned. However, your servant fears that if I follow Wencheng's example, then all the fangshi will shut their mouths, and who would dare speak of these methods?' The emperor said: 'Wencheng died from eating horse liver. If you can truly practice his methods, what would I begrudge you?' Da said: 'My teacher does not seek out people; rather, people are the ones who seek him. If Your Majesty truly wishes to obtain them, then you must honor their envoys, give them relatives, treat them with the rites due to guests, and not belittle them. Make each wear their trust seals, and only then can they communicate with the divine beings. Whether the divine beings are willing is the question. Only by honoring their envoys can they be obtained.' The emperor then had him demonstrate a small method: fighting chess pieces that moved and struck each other on their own.
70
是時上方憂河決，而黃金不就，乃拜大為五利將軍。 居月餘，得四印，佩天士將軍、地士將軍、大通將軍印。 制詔御史：「昔禹疏九江，決四瀆。 閒者河溢皋陸，隄繇不息。 朕臨天下二十有八年，天若遺朕士而大通焉。 乾稱『蜚龍』，『鴻漸于般』，朕意庶幾與焉。 其以二千戶封地士將軍大為樂通侯。」 賜列侯甲第，僮千人。 乘轝斥車馬帷幄器物以充其家。 又以衛長公主妻之，齎金萬斤，更命其邑曰當利公主。 天子親如五利之第。 使者存問供給，相屬於道。 自大主將相以下，皆置酒其家，獻遺之。 於是天子又刻玉印曰「天道將軍」，使使衣羽衣，夜立白茅上，五利將軍亦衣羽衣，夜立白茅上受印，以示不臣也。 而佩「天道」者，且為天子道天神也。 於是五利常夜祠其家，欲以下神。 神未至而百鬼集矣，然頗能使之。 其後裝治行，東入海，求其師云。 大見數月，佩六印，貴震天下，而海上燕齊之閒，莫不搤捥而自言有禁方，能神僊矣。
At this time, the emperor was worried about the Yellow River breach, and the gold had not been completed, so he appointed Da as General of the Five Benefits. After a little more than a month, he obtained four seals, wearing those of General of Heaven's Soldiers, General of Earth's Soldiers, and General of Great Passage. An edict was issued to the imperial secretaries: 'In ancient times, Yu dredged the nine rivers and opened the four estuaries. Recently, the Yellow River overflowed at Gaolu, and the dike labor has not ceased. I have ruled the world for twenty-eight years. If Heaven has sent me a scholar, then great passage has been achieved. Qian speaks of the 'flying dragon' and 'the wild goose gradually advances to the bank.' My intent is perhaps in accord with this. Let the General of Earth's Soldiers, Da, be enfeoffed with two thousand households as the Marquis of Letong.' He was granted a first-class mansion befitting a marquis, along with a thousand servants. Sedan chairs, chariots, horses, curtains, tents, and utensils were provided to fill his household. He was also given the eldest princess of Wei in marriage, along with ten thousand catties of gold, and his city was renamed Princess Dangli. The Son of Heaven went in person to the mansion of the General of the Five Benefits. Envoys came to visit and supply him, one after another on the road. From the great chiefs, generals, and ministers on down, all came to his house to offer wine and present gifts to him. The Son of Heaven then again carved a jade seal inscribed 'General of the Way of Heaven.' He sent an envoy wearing feathered robes to stand on white thatch at night. The General of the Five Benefits also wore feathered robes and stood on white thatch at night to receive the seal, showing that he was not a subject. Those who wear the 'Way of Heaven' seal are to guide the heavenly gods for the Son of Heaven. The General of the Five Benefits then often performed sacrifices at night in his house, wishing to summon the gods. The gods did not arrive, but a hundred ghosts gathered instead. Nevertheless, he was quite able to command them. Afterward, he prepared for a journey and went east into the sea to seek his teacher. Da appeared for several months, wearing six seals, and his nobility shook the world. Among those between Yan and Qi on the sea, there was none who did not grip their wrists and claim to have forbidden methods and the ability to become divine immortals.
71
其夏六月中，汾陰巫錦為民祠魏脽后土營旁，見地如鉤狀，掊視得鼎。 鼎大異於眾鼎，文鏤無款識，怪之，言吏。 吏告河東太守勝，勝以聞。 天子使使驗問巫得鼎無姦詐，乃以禮祠，迎鼎至甘泉，從行，上薦之。 至中山，曣溫，有黃云蓋焉。 有麃過，上自射之，因以祭云。 至長安，公卿大夫皆議請尊寶鼎。 天子曰：「閒者河溢，歲數不登，故巡祭后土，祈為百姓育穀。 今歲豐廡未報，鼎曷為出哉？」 有司皆曰：「聞昔泰帝興神鼎一，一者壹統，天地萬物所系終也。 黃帝作寶鼎三，象天地人。 禹收九牧之金，鑄九鼎。 皆嘗亨鬺上帝鬼神。 遭聖則興，鼎遷于夏商。 周德衰，宋之社亡，鼎乃淪沒，伏而不見。 頌云『自堂徂基，自羊徂牛； 鼐鼎及鼒，不吳不驁，胡考之休』。 今鼎至甘泉，光潤龍變，承休無疆。 合茲中山，有黃白云降蓋，若獸為符，路弓乘矢，集獲壇下，報祠大享。 唯受命而帝者心知其意而合德焉。 鼎宜見於祖禰，藏於帝廷，以合明應。」 制曰：「可。」
In the middle of the sixth month of that summer, the shaman Jin of Fenyin was performing sacrifices for the people beside the camp of the Hou Tu at Wei Shui when he saw the ground in the shape of a hook. Digging and looking, he found a ding. The ding was greatly different from other dings, with engraved patterns but no inscriptions. Finding it strange, he reported it to the official. The official told the governor of Hedong, Sheng, and Sheng reported it to the emperor. The Son of Heaven sent an envoy to verify and question the shaman about how the ding was obtained, finding no deceit or fraud. Then, with proper rites, he sacrificed and welcomed the ding to Ganquan, following along on the journey, and the emperor offered it. When they arrived at Zhongshan, there was warm mist, and a yellow cloud covered them. A deer passed by, and the emperor personally shot it, using it for the sacrifice. When they arrived at Chang'an, the dukes, ministers, and officials all discussed and requested that the treasure ding be honored. The Son of Heaven said: 'Recently, the Yellow River overflowed, and for several years the harvests have not been good. Therefore, I toured and sacrificed to Hou Tu, praying to nurture grain for the common people. Now the year has been abundant, but this has not yet been reported. Why has the ding appeared?' The officials all said: 'We have heard that in ancient times, the Tai Emperor raised one divine ding. The number one represents unity, and it is what all things in heaven and earth are bound to and end with. The Yellow Emperor made three treasure dings, symbolizing heaven, earth, and man. Yu gathered metal from the nine provinces and cast the nine tripods. All of them were once used to cook and offer to Shang Di and the ghosts and gods. When they encountered a sage, they rose, and the dings moved to Xia and Shang. When the virtue of Zhou declined and the altar of Song perished, the dings then sank and were submerged, hidden and not seen. The Ode says: 'From the hall to the foundation, from sheep to ox; The nai ding and the nao, not boisterous, not proud—may the long life be blessed. Now the ding has arrived at Ganquan, shining and moist, transformed like a dragon, receiving blessings without limit. Meeting this at Zhongshan, yellow and white clouds descended and covered them, with beasts as signs. The road bow and riding arrows gathered and were obtained at the altar below, and a great feast was held in response to the sacrifice. Only those who have received the mandate and become emperor know its meaning in their hearts and unite with virtue. The ding should be presented to the ancestors and hidden in the imperial court, to unite with the bright response.' The edict said: 'Approved.'
72
入海求蓬萊者，言蓬萊不遠，而不能至者，殆不見其氣。 上乃遣望氣佐候其氣云。
Those who entered the sea seeking Penglai said that Penglai was not far, but those who could not reach it probably did not see its qi. The emperor then sent qi-watchers and assistants to await its qi.
73
其秋，上幸雍，且郊。 或曰「五帝，太一之佐也，宜立太一而上親郊之」。 上疑未定。 齊人公孫卿曰：「今年得寶鼎，其冬辛巳朔旦冬至，與黃帝時等。」 卿有札書曰：「黃帝得寶鼎宛朐，問於鬼臾區。 鬼臾區對曰：『［黃］帝得寶鼎神策，是歲己酉朔旦冬至，得天之紀，終而復始。』 於是黃帝迎日推策，後率二十歲復朔旦冬至，凡二十推，三百八十年，黃帝僊登于天。」 卿因所忠欲奏之。 所忠視其書不經，疑其妄書，謝曰：「寶鼎事已決矣，尚何以為！」 卿因嬖人奏之。 上大說，乃召問卿。 對曰：「受此書申公，申公已死。」 上曰：「申公何人也？」 卿曰：「申公，齊人。 與安期生通，受黃帝言，無書，獨有此鼎書。 曰『漢興復當黃帝之時』。 曰『漢之聖者在高祖之孫且曾孫也。 寶鼎出而與神通，封禪。 封禪七十二王，唯黃帝得上泰山封』。 申公曰：『漢主亦當上封，上封能僊登天矣。 黃帝時萬諸侯，而神靈之封居七千。 天下名山八，而三在蠻夷，五在中國。 中國華山、首山、太室、泰山、東萊，此五山黃帝之所常游，與神會。 黃帝且戰且學僊。 患百姓非其道者，乃斷斬非鬼神者。 百餘歲然後得與神通。 黃帝郊雍上帝，宿三月。 鬼臾區號大鴻，死葬雍，故鴻冢是也。 其後黃帝接萬靈明廷。 明廷者，甘泉也。 所謂寒門者，谷口也。 黃帝采首山銅，鑄鼎於荊山下。 鼎既成，有龍垂胡髯下迎黃帝。 黃帝上騎，群臣後宮從上者七十餘人，龍乃上去。 餘小臣不得上，乃悉持龍髯，龍髯拔，墮，墮黃帝之弓。 百姓仰望黃帝既上天，乃抱其弓與胡髯號，故後世因名其處曰鼎湖，其弓曰烏號。』」 於是天子曰：「嗟乎！ 吾誠得如黃帝，吾視去妻子如脫屣耳。」 乃拜卿為郎，東使候神於太室。
That autumn, the emperor went to Yong and was about to perform the suburban sacrifice. Someone said: 'The Five Emperors are assistants to Tai Yi. We should establish Tai Yi and the emperor should personally perform the suburban sacrifice to it.' The emperor was doubtful and had not decided. Gongsun Qing of Qi said: 'This year we obtained the treasure ding, and in winter, on the first day of the month xinsi, the winter solstice occurred, which is equal to the time of the Yellow Emperor.' Qing had a bamboo book that said: 'The Yellow Emperor obtained the treasure ding at Wanqu and asked Gui Youqu. Gui Youqu replied: 'The [Yellow] Emperor obtained the treasure ding and the divine plan. In that year, on the first day of the month jiyou, the winter solstice occurred, and he obtained the order of heaven, ending and beginning again. The Yellow Emperor then welcomed the sun and pushed the plan. Afterward, every twenty years the first day of the month again coincided with the winter solstice. Altogether there were twenty pushes, and after three hundred and eighty years, the Yellow Emperor became an immortal and ascended to heaven.' Gongsun Qing wished to present it through Suo Zhong. Suo Zhong viewed the book and found it irregular, suspecting it was a false book. He declined, saying: 'The matter of the treasure ding has already been decided. What more is there to do!' Qing then presented it through a favorite person. The emperor was greatly pleased and summoned Qing to question him. He replied: 'I received this book from a man named Shen Gong, but Shen Gong is already dead.' The emperor said: 'Who is Shen Gong?' Qing said: 'Shen Gong was a man of Qi. He communicated with Anqisheng and received the words of the Yellow Emperor. There was no other book, only this ding book. It says: 'The rise of Han should again be at the time of the Yellow Emperor. It says: 'The sage of Han is in the grandson and great-grandson of Gaozu. When the treasure ding appears and communication with the gods is established, perform the fengshan. Seventy-two kings performed the fengshan, but only the Yellow Emperor was able to ascend Mount Tai and perform the feng. Shen Gong said: 'The ruler of Han should also ascend to perform the feng. If he ascends to perform the feng, he can become an immortal and ascend to heaven. In the time of the Yellow Emperor, there were ten thousand feudal lords, and the feng of the divine spirits numbered seven thousand. There are eight famous mountains in the world, with three in the barbarian lands and five in the central states. In the central states: Mount Hua, Mount Shou, Mount Taishi, Mount Tai, and Mount Donglai. These five mountains were where the Yellow Emperor often wandered and met with the gods. The Yellow Emperor both fought and learned the ways of immortals. He worried about the common people who did not follow his way, and so he severed and executed those who did not believe in ghosts and gods. After more than a hundred years, he was then able to communicate with the gods. The Yellow Emperor performed the suburban sacrifice to Shang Di at Yong and stayed for three months. Guiyu Qu bore the title Dahong. When he died, he was buried at Yong; hence the Hong Tomb. Afterward, the Yellow Emperor received the ten thousand spirits at the Bright Court. The Bright Court is Ganquan. What is called the Cold Gate is Gukou. The Yellow Emperor gathered copper from Mount Shou and cast a ding at the foot of Mount Jing. When the ding was completed, a dragon with hanging whiskers descended to welcome the Yellow Emperor. The Yellow Emperor ascended and rode, and more than seventy people from among the ministers and harem followed him up. The dragon then ascended and went. The remaining minor ministers could not ascend, so they all held onto the dragon's whiskers. The dragon's whiskers were pulled out, and they fell, along with the Yellow Emperor's bow. The common people looked up and saw that the Yellow Emperor had already ascended to heaven. They then embraced his bow and whiskers and wailed. Therefore, later generations named that place Ding Lake, and his bow was called Wu Hao.' The Son of Heaven then said: 'Alas! If I truly become like the Yellow Emperor, I would view leaving my wife and children as no more than removing my shoes.' He then appointed Qing as a lang and sent him east to await the gods at Mount Taishi.
74
上遂郊雍，至隴西，西登崆峒，幸甘泉。 令祠官寬舒等具太一祠壇，祠壇放薄忌太一壇，壇三垓。 五帝壇環居其下，各如其方，黃帝西南，除八通鬼道。 太一，其所用如雍一畤物，而加醴棗脯之屬，殺一貍牛以為俎豆牢具。 而五帝獨有俎豆醴進。 其下四方地，為醊食群神從者及北斗云。 已祠，胙餘皆燎之。 其牛色白，鹿居其中，彘在鹿中，水而洎之。 祭日以牛，祭月以羊彘特。 太一祝宰則衣紫及繡。 五帝各如其色，日赤，月白。
The emperor then performed the suburban sacrifice at Yong, arrived at Longxi, ascended Mount Kongtong to the west, and visited Ganquan. He ordered the sacrificial officials Kuan Shu and others to prepare the Tai Yi altar. The altar was modeled on the Bo Ji Tai Yi altar and had three tiers. The Five Emperors' altars were arranged in a ring below it, each according to its direction, with the Yellow Emperor in the southwest. Eight paths for ghosts were cleared. For Tai Yi, the offerings resembled those for one altar at Yong, with sweet wine, dates, dried meat, and similar items added. A spotted ox was killed to furnish the zu, dou, and other sacrificial vessels. The Five Emperors alone had zu, dou, and sweet wine presented. Below it, in the four directions, light food offerings were prepared for the attendant spirits and the Northern Dipper. After the sacrifice, all the remaining meat offerings were burned. The cow was white, with a deer inside it, and a pig inside the deer, and water was poured over it. The sun sacrifice used an ox; the moon sacrifice used a sheep and a pig as special victims. The zhufu and zai for Tai Yi wore purple and embroidered robes. The Five Emperors each had their own colors, the sun was red, and the moon was white.
75
十一月辛巳朔旦冬至，昧爽，天字始郊拜太一。 朝朝日，夕夕月，則揖； 而見太一如雍郊禮。 其贊饗曰：「天始以寶鼎神策授皇帝，朔而又朔，終而復始，皇帝敬拜見焉。」 而衣上黃。 其祠列火滿壇，壇旁亨炊具。 有司云「祠上有光焉」。 公卿言「皇帝始郊見太一云陽，有司奉瑄玉嘉牲薦饗。 是夜有美光，及晝，黃氣上屬天」。 太史公、祠官寬舒等曰：「神靈之休，祐福兆祥，宜因此地光域立太畤壇以明應。 令太祝領，秋及臘閒祠。 三歲天子一郊見。」
On the first day of the eleventh month, xinsi, the winter solstice, at dawn, the Son of Heaven first performed the suburban sacrifice and bowed to Tai Yi. In the morning, he bowed to the sun; in the evening, he bowed to the moon; then he made a yi gesture. He saw Tai Yi with rites like those at Yong for the suburban sacrifice. The zan xiang said: 'Heaven first gave the treasure ding and divine plan to the emperor. New moon follows new moon, ending and beginning again. The emperor respectfully bows and sees this.' And he wore yellow above. For the sacrifice, fires were arranged filling the altar, and cooking tools were set up beside the altar. The officials said: 'There was light above the sacrifice.' The dukes and ministers said: 'The emperor first performed the suburban sacrifice and saw Tai Yi at Yunyang. The officials presented xuan jade and fine livestock as offerings. That night there was a beautiful light, and by day, yellow qi rose and connected to heaven.' The Grand Historian, the sacrifice official Kuan Shu, and others said: 'The good fortune of the divine spirits, protecting blessings and auspicious omens, should be responded to by establishing a great altar at this place of light to clarify the response. Order the Grand Officiant to lead, and perform sacrifices in autumn and between the la festival. Every three years, the Son of Heaven performs one suburban sacrifice.'
76
其秋，為伐南越，告禱太一。 以牡荊畫幡日月北斗登龍，以象太一三星，為太一鋒，命曰「靈旗」。 為兵禱，則太史奉以指所伐國。 而五利將軍使不敢入海，之泰山祠。 上使人隨驗，實毋所見。 五利妄言見其師，其方盡，多不讎。 上乃誅五利。
That autumn, for the campaign against Nan Yue, he reported and prayed to Tai Yi. With male jing, he painted a banner with the sun, moon, North Dipper, and ascending dragon, to symbolize the three stars of Tai Yi. This was made into the Tai Yi spear, named the 'Spirit Flag.' When praying for the troops, the Grand Historian presented it to point at the country being attacked. The envoy of the General of the Five Benefits did not dare enter the sea and went to Mount Tai to perform sacrifices instead. The emperor sent people to follow and verify, and indeed nothing was seen. The General of the Five Benefits lied about having seen his teacher. His methods had run out, and much of what he said failed to come true. The emperor then executed the General of the Five Benefits.
77
其冬，公孫卿候神河南，言見僊人跡緱氏城上，有物如雉，往來城上。 天子親幸緱氏城視跡。 問卿：「得毋效文成、五利乎？」 卿曰：「僊者非有求人主，人主者求之。 其道非少寬假，神不來。 言神事，事如迂誕，積以歲乃可致也。」 於是郡國各除道，繕治宮觀名山神祠所，以望幸（也）［矣］。
That winter, Gongsun Qing awaited the gods in Henan and said he saw immortal footprints on the wall of Gou Shi city, with something like a pheasant coming and going on the city wall. The Son of Heaven personally visited Gou Shi city to view the footprints. He asked Qing: 'Are you not imitating Wencheng and the General of the Five Benefits?' Qing said: 'Immortals do not seek out the ruler; rather, it is the ruler who seeks them. If the way is not somewhat lenient and accommodating, the gods will not come. When speaking of divine matters, the claims seem circuitous and fantastic, and it takes many years of accumulation before the spirits can be summoned.' Each commandery and kingdom then cleared roads and repaired palaces, temples, famous mountains, and god shrines, in anticipation of the imperial visit.
78
其春，既滅南越，上有嬖臣李延年以好音見。 上善之，下公卿議，曰：「民閒祠尚有鼓舞樂，今郊祀而無樂，豈稱乎？」 公卿曰：「古者祠天地皆有樂，而神祇可得而禮。」 或曰：「太帝使素女鼓五十弦瑟，悲，帝禁不止，故破其瑟為二十五弦。」 於是塞南越，禱祠太一、后土，始用樂舞，益召歌兒，作二十五弦及空侯琴瑟自此起。
That spring, after Nan Yue had been destroyed, the emperor had a favorite minister, Li Yannian, appear with good music. The emperor approved of it and sent it down to the dukes and ministers for discussion, saying: 'The common people's sacrifices still have drum and dance music. Now the suburban sacrifice has no music. How is this fitting?' The dukes and ministers said: 'In ancient times, sacrifices to Heaven and Earth all had music, and only then could the gods be summoned and honored with ritual.' Someone said: 'The Great Emperor made Su Nu play a fifty-string zither, and it was sad. The emperor forbade it but could not stop it, so he broke the zither into twenty-five strings.' After Nan Yue was pacified, when praying and sacrificing to Tai Yi and Hou Tu, they began to use music and dance. Singing boys were also summoned, and the making of twenty-five-string zithers and konghou, qin, and se began from this time.
79
其來年冬，上議曰：「古者先振兵澤旅，然後封禪。」 乃遂北巡朔方，勒兵十餘萬，還祭黃帝冢橋山，釋兵須如。 上曰：「吾聞黃帝不死，今有冢，何也？」 或對曰：「黃帝已僊上天，群臣葬其衣冠。」 既至甘泉，為且用事泰山，先類祠太一。
The following winter, the emperor discussed and said: 'In ancient times, they first displayed the troops and refreshed the army, and then performed the fengshan.' He then toured north to Shuofang, displaying more than a hundred thousand troops, returned to sacrifice at the Yellow Emperor's tomb at Mount Qiao, and released the troops at Xuru. The emperor said: 'I have heard that the Yellow Emperor did not die. Now there is a tomb. Why is this?' Someone replied: 'The Yellow Emperor already became an immortal and ascended to heaven. The ministers buried his clothes and cap.' After arriving at Ganquan, and before performing the rites at Mount Tai, he first performed a corresponding sacrifice to Tai Yi.
80
自得寶鼎，上與公卿諸生議封禪。 封禪用希曠絕，莫知其儀禮，而群儒采封禪尚書、周官、王制之望祀射牛事。 齊人丁公年九十餘，曰：「封禪者，合不死之名也。 秦皇帝不得上封，陛下必欲上，稍上即無風雨，遂上封矣。」 上於是乃令諸儒習射牛，草封禪儀。 數年，至且行。 天子既聞公孫卿及方士之言，黃帝以上封禪，皆致怪物與神通，欲放黃帝以上接神僊人蓬萊士，高世比德於九皇，而頗采儒術以文之。 群儒既已不能辨明封禪事，又牽拘於詩書古文而不能騁。 上為封禪祠器示群儒，群儒或曰「不與古同」，徐偃又曰「太常諸生行禮不如魯善」，周霸屬圖封禪事，於是上絀偃、霸，而盡罷諸儒不用。
After obtaining the precious ding, the emperor discussed the fengshan with the dukes, ministers, and scholars. Because the fengshan sacrifices had been performed so rarely and were so remote, no one knew their rites. The Confucian scholars drew on the fengshan passages in the Book of Documents, the Zhouguan, and the Wangzhi concerning the wang sacrifice and the shooting of oxen. Ding Gong of Qi, over ninety years old, said: 'The fengshan means joining with immortality. The Qin emperor did not obtain the ability to ascend and perform the feng. If Your Majesty must ascend, gradually ascend, and then there will be no wind or rain, and you will then ascend and perform the feng.' The emperor then ordered the Confucian scholars to practice shooting oxen and to draft the ceremonies for the fengshan sacrifices. After several years, the time arrived, and they were about to go. The Son of Heaven had heard Gongsun Qing and the fangshi say that the rulers from the Yellow Emperor onward, when performing the fengshan sacrifices, all summoned strange beings and communicated with the gods. He wished to imitate those ancient rulers by making contact with divine immortals and the masters of Penglai, to raise the age and match his virtue with the Nine Sovereigns, while also adopting many Confucian methods to give the rites a civilized form. The Confucian scholars could not distinguish and clarify the matters of the fengshan sacrifices, and they were also constrained by the poems, books, and ancient texts and could not speak freely. The emperor showed the Confucian scholars the vessels for the fengshan sacrifice. Some said, 'They are not the same as those of antiquity.' Xu Yan also said, 'The scholars of the Grand Ceremonies do not perform rites as well as those of Lu.' Zhou Ba prepared diagrams for the fengshan. The emperor then demoted Yan and Ba, dismissed all the scholars, and no longer used them.
81
三月，遂東幸緱氏，禮登中嶽太室。 從官在山下聞若有言「萬歲」云。 問上，上不言； 問下，下不言。 於是以三百戶封太室奉祠，命曰崇高邑。 東上泰山，泰山之草木葉未生，乃令人上石立之泰山巔。
In the third month, he then went east to visit Gou Shi and ritually ascended the central peak, Mount Taishi. The following officials at the foot of the mountain heard what seemed like words saying 'ten thousand years.' When asked, the emperor did not speak; When asked, the officials below did not speak. He then enfeoffed three hundred households to Mount Taishi to offer sacrifices, naming it the County of Chonggao. Going east, he ascended Mount Tai. The grasses, trees, and leaves of Mount Tai had not yet grown, so he had people ascend with stones and set them up at the summit of Mount Tai.
82
上遂東巡海上，行禮祠八神。 齊人之上疏言神怪奇方者以萬數，然無驗者。 乃益發船，令言海中神山者數千人求蓬萊神人。 公孫卿持節常先行候名山，至東萊，言夜見大人，長數丈，就之則不見，見其跡甚大，類禽獸云。 群臣有言見一老父牽狗，言「吾欲見巨公」，已忽不見。 上即見大跡，未信，及群臣有言老父，則大以為僊人也。 宿留海上，予方士傳車及閒使求僊人以千數。
The emperor then toured east on the sea and performed rites, sacrificing to the eight gods. The people of Qi who submitted memorials speaking of divine, strange, and wondrous methods numbered in the tens of thousands, yet none were verified. He then sent out more ships and ordered several thousand people who spoke of divine mountains in the sea to seek the divine immortals of Penglai. Gongsun Qing, holding a tally, constantly went first to await at famous mountains. Arriving at Donglai, he said that at night he saw a great person, several zhang in length. When he approached it, it was no longer visible, but he saw its traces, which according to the accounts were very large, like those of birds and beasts. Some ministers said they saw an old man leading a dog who said, 'I wish to see the great duke,' and then suddenly disappeared. The emperor immediately saw the large tracks but still did not believe. When the ministers spoke of the old man, he began to think seriously that the man was an immortal. He lingered on the coast, supplying fangshi with relay carriages and repeatedly sending envoys in search of immortals, by the thousands.
83
四月，還至奉高。 上念諸儒及方士言封禪人人殊，不經，難施行。 天子至梁父，禮祠地主。 乙卯，令侍中儒者皮弁薦紳，射牛行事。 封泰山下東方，如郊祠太一之禮。 封廣丈二尺，高九尺，其下則有玉牒書，書祕。 禮畢，天子獨與侍中奉車子侯上泰山，亦有封。 其事皆禁。 明日，下陰道。 丙辰，禪泰山下阯東北肅然山，如祭后土禮。 天子皆親拜見，衣上黃而盡用樂焉。 江淮閒一茅三脊為神藉。 五色土益雜封。 縱遠方奇獸蜚禽及白雉諸物，頗以加禮。 兕牛犀象之屬不用。 皆至泰山祭后土。 封禪祠； 其夜若有光，晝有白雲起封中。
In the fourth month, he returned to Fenggao. The emperor thought that the Confucian scholars and fangshi all gave different, irregular accounts of the fengshan sacrifices, making them difficult to carry out. The Son of Heaven arrived at Liang Fu and performed rites, sacrificing to the Earth Lord. On yimao, he ordered the Confucian attendants to wear leather caps and official sashes, shoot oxen, and perform the affairs. He performed the feng below Mount Tai to the east, with rites like those for the suburban sacrifice to Tai Yi. The feng was one zhang and two chi broad and nine chi high. Below it there were jade slips with writing, and the writing was secret. After the rites were finished, the Son of Heaven ascended Mount Tai alone with Zihou, the attendant who presented the chariot, and performed the feng there as well. All these matters were kept secret. The next day, he descended by the shady path. On bingchen, he performed the shan at Mount Su Ran, northeast of the altar below Mount Tai, with rites like those for sacrificing to Hou Tu. The Son of Heaven personally bowed to all of them and inspected them, wore yellow garments above, and performed the music in full there. Between the Jiang and Huai, one thatch with three ridges was used as a mat for the gods. Five-colored earth was also mixed into the feng mound. Strange beasts, flying birds, white pheasants, and other offerings from distant places were released, and the rites were considerably expanded. Things like pi oxen, rhinoceroses, and elephants were not used. All arrived at Mount Tai to sacrifice to Hou Tu. They performed the fengshan sacrifices. That night there seemed to be light, and by day white clouds rose from within the feng.
84
天子從禪還，坐明堂，群臣更上壽。 於是制詔御史：「朕以眇眇之身承至尊，兢兢焉懼不任。 維德菲薄，不明于禮樂。 修祠太一，若有象景光，屑如有望，震於怪物，欲止不敢，遂登封太山，至于梁父，而後禪肅然。 自新，嘉與士大夫更始，賜民百戶牛一酒十石，加年八十孤寡布帛二匹。 復博、奉高、蛇丘、歷城，無出今年租稅。 其大赦天下，如乙卯赦令。 行所過毋有復作。 事在二年前，皆勿聽治。」 又下詔曰：「古者天子五載一巡狩，用事泰山，諸侯有朝宿地。 其令諸侯各治邸泰山下。」
The Son of Heaven returned from the shan, sat in the bright hall, and the ministers again offered wishes for longevity. He then issued an edict to the imperial secretaries: “I, in my insignificant person, have inherited the utmost honor, and I tremble in fear that I cannot bear it. My virtue is meager and thin, and I am not clear about rites and music. I repaired the rites and sacrificed to Tai Yi. When images, shadows, and light appeared, faintly seeming to offer hope, I was startled by the strange signs and wished to stop but did not dare. I then ascended and performed the feng at Mount Tai, arrived at Liang Fu, and afterward performed the shan at Su Ran. Renewing myself, I auspiciously begin anew with the scholars and officials. I grant to the people one ox and ten shi of wine per hundred households, and add two pi of cloth and silk for those aged eighty, orphans, and widows. I exempt the places of Bo, Fenggao, Sheqiu, and Licheng from paying this year's rent and taxes. Let there be a general amnesty throughout the realm, like the amnesty order of yimao. In the places passed on the journey, let there be no repeated labor. Affairs from more than two years ago should all not be heard and governed.' He again issued an edict that said: 'In ancient times, the Son of Heaven toured and hunted once every five years and performed rites at Mount Tai. The feudal lords had places for morning lodging. Let the feudal lords each repair their residences below Mount Tai.'
85
天子既已封泰山，無風雨災，而方士更言蓬萊諸神若將可得，於是上欣然庶幾遇之，乃復東至海上望，冀遇蓬萊焉。 奉車子侯暴病，一日死。 上乃遂去，并海上，北至碣石，巡自遼西，歷北邊至九原。 五月，反至甘泉。 有司言寶鼎出為元鼎，以今年為元封元年。
The Son of Heaven had already performed the feng sacrifice at Mount Tai without suffering disaster from wind or rain, and the fangshi now said that the gods of Penglai might be reached. The emperor was delighted and hoped to meet them, so he again went east to the coast and gazed out to sea, hoping to encounter Penglai. Zihou, who presented the chariot, suddenly fell ill and died in one day. The emperor then set out, followed the coast north to Jieshi, toured through Liaoxi, and continued along the northern frontier to Jiuyuan. In the fifth month, he returned to Ganquan. The officials said that the appearance of the treasure ding was the Yuan Ding era, and this year was the first year of the Yuan Feng era.
86
其秋，有星茀于東井。 後十餘日，有星茀于三能。 望氣王朔言：「候獨見填星出如瓜，食頃復入焉。」 有司皆曰：「陛下建漢家封禪，天其報德星雲。」
That autumn, there was a comet star at Dong Jing. More than ten days later, there was a comet star at San Neng. The qi-watcher Wang Shuo said: 'I alone saw the Chen star come out like a melon, and after the time it takes to eat, it entered again.' The officials all said: 'Your Majesty established the Han family's fengshan, and Heaven repays with virtue stars and clouds.'
87
其來年冬，郊雍五帝。 還，拜祝祠太一。 贊饗曰：「德星昭衍，厥維休祥。 壽星仍出，淵耀光明。 信星昭見，皇帝敬拜太祝之享。」
The following winter, he performed the suburban sacrifice at Yong to the Five Emperors. Returning, he bowed to the zhufu and sacrificed to Tai Yi. The zan xiang said: 'The virtue star is bright and extended, and this is a good omen. The longevity star repeatedly comes out, shining brightly from the depths. The faith star is bright and seen, and the emperor respectfully bows to the offerings of the Grand Officiant.'
88
其春，公孫卿言見神人東萊山，若云「欲見天子」。 天子於是幸緱氏城，拜卿為中大夫。 遂至東萊，宿留之數日，無所見，見大人跡云。 復遣方士求神怪采芝藥以千數。 是歲旱。 於是天子既出無名，乃禱萬里沙，過祠泰山。 還至瓠子，自臨塞決河，留二日，沈祠而去。 使二卿將卒塞決河，徙二渠，復禹之故跡焉。
That spring, Gongsun Qing said he saw a divine person at Mount Donglai, who seemed to say: 'I wish to see the Son of Heaven.' The Son of Heaven thereupon visited Gou Shi city and appointed Qing as middle grand master. He then arrived at Donglai and stayed for several days. He saw no being, but he did see the tracks of a giant. He again sent fangshi to seek divine and strange things and gather ganoderma medicines, numbering in the thousands. That year there was a drought. The Son of Heaven then, having gone out without a stated purpose, prayed at Wanli Sha and passed by to sacrifice at Mount Tai. Returning to Huzi, he personally came to block the breached river, stayed two days, performed a submerged sacrifice, and departed. He sent two qing to lead soldiers to block the breached Yellow River, moved two canals, and restored the old traces of Yu there.
89
是時既滅兩越，越人勇之乃言「越人俗鬼，而其祠皆見鬼，數有效。 昔東甌王敬鬼，壽百六十歲。 後世怠慢，故衰秏」。 乃令越巫立越祝祠，安臺無壇，亦祠天神上帝百鬼，而以雞卜。 上信之，越祠雞卜始用。
At this time, having destroyed the two Yue, a Yue person named Yongzhi then said: 'The Yue people customarily worship ghosts, and in their sacrifices they all see ghosts, and it is often effective. In former times, the King of Dong Ou respected ghosts and lived to be one hundred and sixty years old. Later generations were lazy and disrespectful, and therefore declined and were depleted.' He then ordered Yue shamans to establish Yue zhufu sacrifices, with settled altars but no mounds. They also sacrificed to the heavenly gods, Shang Di, and a hundred ghosts, and used chicken divination. The emperor believed it, and Yue sacrifices and chicken divination began to be used.
90
公孫卿曰：「僊人可見，而上往常遽，以故不見。 今陛下可為觀，如緱城，置脯棗，神人宜可致也。 且僊人好樓居。」 於是上令長安則作蜚廉桂觀，甘泉則作益延壽觀，使卿持節設具而候神人。 乃作通天莖臺，置祠具其下，將招來僊神人之屬。 於是甘泉更置前殿，始廣諸宮室。 夏，有芝生殿房內中。 天子為塞河，興通天臺，若見有光云，乃下詔：「甘泉房中生芝九莖，赦天下，毋有復作。」
Gongsun Qing said: 'Immortals can be seen, but the emperor has always gone too hastily, and for that reason he has not seen them. Now Your Majesty can build viewing towers like those at Gou City, place dried meat and dates there, and the divine beings should be able to be summoned. Moreover, immortals like to dwell in towers.' The emperor then ordered the Fei Lian and Gui towers built at Chang'an and the Yi Yan Shou towers built at Ganquan. He sent Qing, holding an imperial tally, to set out the ritual implements and await the divine beings. He then built the Tong Tian Jing terrace and placed sacrificial implements below it, intending to summon immortals and divine beings. At Ganquan he again set up a front hall and began expanding the palaces and chambers. In summer, ganoderma grew in the middle of the hall rooms. When the Son of Heaven was blocking the Yellow River, he raised the Tongtian Terrace, and according to the accounts, a light seemed to appear. He then issued an edict: 'At Ganquan, a nine-stemmed ganoderma has grown in the chambers. Let there be an amnesty throughout the realm, and let there be no repeated labor service.'
91
其明年，伐朝鮮。 夏，旱。 公孫卿曰：「黃帝時封則天旱，乾封三年。」 上乃下詔曰：「天旱，意乾封乎？ 其令天下尊祠靈星焉。」
The following year, he attacked Chaoxian. In summer, there was a drought. Gongsun Qing said: 'In the time of the Yellow Emperor, when the feng was performed, there was a heavenly drought, and the feng was dry for three years.' The emperor then issued an edict that said: 'There is a heavenly drought. Does this mean a dry feng? He therefore ordered the whole realm to honor Lingxing with sacrifice."
92
其明年，上郊雍，通回中道，巡之。 春，至鳴澤，從西河歸。
The following year, the emperor performed the suburban sacrifice at Yong, opened the Hui Zhong road, and toured it. In spring, he arrived at Mingze and returned from Xihe.
93
其明年冬，上巡南郡，至江陵而東。 登禮灊之天柱山，號曰南岳。 浮江，自尋陽出樅陽，過彭蠡，禮其名山川。 北至瑯邪，并海上。 四月中，至奉高修封焉。
The following winter, the emperor toured Nanjun, arrived at Jiangling, and went east. He ascended and performed rites at Mount Tianzhu in Qian, naming it the Southern Peak. He floated on the Jiang, from Xunyang to Congyang, passed Pengli, and performed rites to the famous mountains and rivers there. Going north, he arrived at Langya and went along the sea. In the middle of the fourth month, he arrived at Fenggao and repaired the feng there.
94
初，天子封泰山，泰山東北阯古時有明堂處，處險不敞。 上欲治明堂奉高旁，未曉其制度。 濟南人公玊帶上黃帝時明堂圖。 明堂圖中有一殿，四面無壁，以茅蓋，通水，圜宮垣為複道，上有樓，從西南入，命曰昆侖，天子從之入，以拜祠上帝焉。 於是上令奉高作明堂汶上，如帶圖。 及五年修封，則祠太一、五帝於明堂上坐，令高皇帝祠坐對之。 祠后土於下房，以二十太牢。 天子從昆侖道入，始拜明堂如郊禮。 禮畢，燎堂下。 而上又上泰山，自有祕祠其巔。 而泰山下祠五帝，各如其方，黃帝并赤帝，而有司侍祠焉。 山上舉火，下悉應之。
Initially, when the Son of Heaven performed the feng at Mount Tai, northeast of the altar at Mount Tai there was an ancient place for a bright hall, but the place was dangerous and not spacious. The emperor wished to build a bright hall beside Fenggao but did not yet understand its system and regulations. Gong Yudai, a person from Jinan, presented a diagram of the bright hall from the time of the Yellow Emperor. In the bright hall diagram, there was one hall with four sides and no walls, covered with thatch, with water passing through. The round palace walls formed a double road, and above there was a tower. Entering from the southwest, it was named Kunlun. The Son of Heaven entered from it to bow and sacrifice to Shang Di there. The emperor then ordered Fenggao to make a bright hall above the Wen, like Dai's diagram. When the feng was repaired after five years, he then sacrificed to Tai Yi and the Five Emperors at the upper seat of the bright hall, and ordered that Gaozu's sacrifice seat face it. He sacrificed to Houtu in the lower chamber, using twenty full sets of great victims. The Son of Heaven entered from the Kunlun road and first bowed to the bright hall with rites like those for the suburban sacrifice. After the rites were finished, he burned offerings below the hall. The emperor again ascended Mount Tai and personally had a secret sacrifice at its summit. Below Mount Tai, he sacrificed to the Five Emperors, each according to its direction, pairing the Yellow Emperor with the Red Emperor, while the officials attended the sacrifice there. Signal fires were raised on the mountain, and those below answered them everywhere.
95
其後二歲，十一月甲子朔旦冬至，推歷者以本統。 天子親至泰山，以十一月甲子朔旦冬至日祠上帝明堂，毋修封禪。 其贊饗曰：「天增授皇帝太元神策，周而復始。 皇帝敬拜太一。」 東至海上，考入海及方士求神者，莫驗，然益遣，冀遇之。
Two years later, in the eleventh month, on the first day of jiazi, the winter solstice occurred. Those who calculated the calendar used the fundamental system. The Son of Heaven personally arrived at Mount Tai, and on the first day of the eleventh month, jiazi, the winter solstice day, he sacrificed to Shang Di in the bright hall, but did not perform the fengshan sacrifices. The zan xiang said: 'Heaven has increased and given the emperor the great beginning and divine plan, cycling and beginning again. The emperor respectfully bows to Tai Yi.' Going east to the sea, he examined those who entered the sea and the fangshi who sought the gods. None were verified, yet he sent more, hoping to meet them.
96
十一月乙酉，柏梁災。 十二月甲午朔，上親禪高里，祠后土。 臨勃海，將以望祀蓬萊之屬，冀至殊廷焉。
On yiyou of the eleventh month, there was a disaster at the Bo Liang. On the first day of the twelfth month, jiawu, the emperor personally performed the shan at Gaoli and sacrificed to Hou Tu. Facing the Bo Sea, he was about to gaze and sacrifice to Penglai and the like, hoping to arrive at the special court there.
97
上還，以柏梁災故，朝受計甘泉。 公孫卿曰：「黃帝就青靈臺，十二日燒，黃帝乃治明廷。 明廷，甘泉也。」 方士多言古帝王有都甘泉者。 其後天子又朝諸侯甘泉，甘泉作諸侯邸。 勇之乃曰：「越俗有火災，復起屋必以大，用勝服之。」 於是作建章宮，度為千門萬戶。 前殿度高未央。 其東則鳳闕，高二十餘丈。 其西則唐中，數十里虎圈。 其北治大池，漸臺高二十餘丈，命曰太液池，中有蓬萊、方丈、瀛洲、壺梁，象海中神山龜魚之屬。 其南有玉堂、璧門、大鳥之屬。 乃立神明臺、井幹樓，度五十丈，輦道相屬焉。
The emperor returned, and because of the Bo Liang disaster, he received accounts in the morning at Ganquan. Gongsun Qing said: 'The Yellow Emperor approached the Qing Ling terrace, and after twelve days it burned. The Yellow Emperor then governed the Bright Court. The Bright Court is Ganquan.' Many fangshi said that ancient emperors and kings had capitals at Ganquan. Afterward, the Son of Heaven again held morning audiences with the feudal lords at Ganquan, and at Ganquan residences for the feudal lords were built. Yongzhi then said: 'Yue custom has it that when there are fire disasters, rebuilt houses must be large, using this to overcome and subdue the disaster.' He then built the Jian Zhang Palace, measuring a thousand gates and ten thousand rooms. The front hall was measured to be higher than Weiyang. To its east was the Feng Que, more than twenty zhang high. To its west was Tang Zhong, a tiger enclosure of several tens of li. To its north, a large pond was built, with the Jian terrace more than twenty zhang high, named the Tai Ye Pond. In the middle were Penglai, Fangzhang, Yingzhou, and Huliang, symbolizing the divine mountains, turtles, and fish in the sea. To the south stood the Jade Hall, the Bi Gate, the Great Bird, and similar structures. He then established the Shen Ming Terrace and Jing Gan Tower, measuring fifty zhang, with sedan roads connecting them.
98
夏，漢改歷，以正月為歲首，而色上黃，官名更印章以五字，為太初元年。 是歲，西伐大宛。 蝗大起。 丁夫人、雒陽虞初等以方祠詛匈奴、大宛焉。
In summer, Han changed the calendar, making the first month the beginning of the year, and the color honored was yellow. Official names were changed, and seals and stamps used five characters. This was the first year of Taichu. That year, he attacked Da Yuan to the west. Locusts arose in great numbers. Ding Furen, Yuchu of Luoyang, and others used methods and sacrifices to curse the Xiongnu and Da Yuan.
99
其明年，有司上言雍五畤無牢熟具，芬芳不備。 乃令祠官進畤犢牢具，色食所勝，而以木禺馬代駒焉。 獨五月嘗駒，行親郊用駒。 及諸名山川用駒者，悉以木禺馬代。 行過，乃用駒。 他禮如故。
The following year, the officials memorialized that the Yong five zhi had no pen with cooked utensils, and the fragrant offerings were not complete. He then ordered the sacrificial officials to present the calf-pen implements for the zhi sacrifices, with foods colored according to the conquering phase, and to replace the colts with wooden horses. Only in the fifth month were colts tasted, and when performing the personal suburban sacrifice, colts were used. At the other famous mountain and river sacrifices that had used colts, all were replaced with wooden horses. When the journey passed by, colts were then used. Other rites were as before.
100
其明年，東巡海上，考神僊之屬，未有驗者。 方士有言「黃帝時為五城十二樓，以候神人於執期，命曰迎年」。 上許作之如方，命曰明年。 上親禮祠上帝焉。
The following year, he toured east along the sea and investigated the divine immortals, but none were verified. A fangshi said: 'In the time of the Yellow Emperor, five cities and twelve towers were built at Zhiqi to await divine beings; they were named Ying Nian.' The emperor permitted it to be made according to the method and named it Ming Nian. The emperor personally performed rites and sacrificed to Shang Di there.
101
公玊帶曰：「黃帝時雖封泰山，然風后、封巨、岐伯令黃帝封東泰山，禪凡山，合符，然後不死焉。」 天子既令設祠具，至東泰山，［東］泰山卑小，不稱其聲，乃令祠官禮之，而不封禪焉。 其後令帶奉祠候神物。 夏，遂還泰山，修五年之禮如前，而加以禪祠石閭。 石閭者，在泰山下阯南方，方士多言此僊人之閭也，故上親禪焉。
Gong Yudai said: 'In the time of the Yellow Emperor, although he performed the feng at Mount Tai, yet Fenghou, Fengju, and Qibo made the Yellow Emperor perform the feng at Eastern Mount Tai and the shan at Mount Fan, uniting the talismans, and then he did not die.' The Son of Heaven, having ordered the sacrificial implements to be set out, arrived at Eastern Mount Tai. Eastern Mount Tai was low and small and did not match its reputation, so he ordered the sacrificial officials to perform rites to it, but he did not perform the fengshan there. Afterward, he ordered Dai to present sacrifices and await divine things. In summer, he then returned to Mount Tai and repaired the five-year rites as before, and additionally performed the shan and sacrificed at Shilu. Shilu lay south of the foot of Mount Tai. The fangshi often said that this was the gate of the immortals, so the emperor personally performed the shan sacrifice there.
102
其後五年，復至泰山修封。 還過祭恒山。
Five years later, he again arrived at Mount Tai to repair the feng. Returning, he passed by and sacrificed at Mount Heng.
103
今天子所興祠，太一、后土，三年親郊祠，建漢家封禪，五年一修封。 薄忌太一及三一、冥羊、馬行、赤星，五，寬舒之祠官以歲時致禮。 凡六祠，皆太祝領之。 至如八神諸神，明年、凡山他名祠，行過則祠，行去則已。 方士所興祠，各自主，其人終則已，祠官不主。 他祠皆如其故。 今上封禪，其後十二歲而還，遍於五岳、四瀆矣。 而方士之候祠神人，入海求蓬萊，終無有驗。 而公孫卿之候神者，猶以大人之跡為解，無有效。 天子益怠厭方士之怪迂語矣，然羈縻不絕，冀遇其真。 自此之後，方士言神祠者彌眾，然其效可睹矣。 太史公曰：余從巡祭天地諸神名山川而封禪焉。 入壽宮侍祠神語，究觀方士祠官之意，於是退而論次自古以來用事於鬼神者，具見其表裏。 後有君子，得以覽焉。 若至俎豆珪幣之詳，獻酬之禮，則有司存。
Now, the sacrifices established by the Son of Heaven—Tai Yi and Hou Tu—were personally performed in the suburban sacrifice every three years. He established the Han family's fengshan, and repaired the feng once every five years. The Bo Ji Tai Yi, San Yi, Ming Yang, Ma Xing, and Chi Xing—five sacrifices in all—were performed seasonally by the sacrificial officials Kuan Shu and others. Altogether there were six sacrifices, all led by the Grand Officiant. As for the Eight Gods, the other gods, Ming Nian, Mount Fan, and the other named sacrifices, rites were performed when the imperial journey passed by and stopped when it moved on. The sacrifices introduced by the fangshi were each managed by the person who established them. When that person died, the rites ceased, and the sacrificial officials did not take them over. Other sacrifices all remained as before. Now, the emperor performed the fengshan, and after twelve years he returned, having covered the five peaks and four estuaries. As for the fangshi who waited for divine beings, sacrificed to them, and went out to sea seeking Penglai, in the end none produced any proof. As for Gongsun Qing, who awaited the gods, he still used the traces of a great person as an explanation, but there was no effect. The Son of Heaven grew increasingly weary of the strange and devious claims of the fangshi, yet he kept them close and did not break with them, still hoping to encounter the genuine ones. From this time on, fangshi who spoke of sacrifices to spirits became ever more numerous, but the effectiveness of their rites was plain to see. The Grand Historian said: I accompanied the tours and sacrifices to Heaven, Earth, the gods, and the famous mountains and rivers, and I took part in the feng and shan rites. I entered the Shou Palace and attended the sacrifices and divine utterances, thoroughly observing the intentions of the fangshi and sacrificial officials. I then withdrew and arranged in order those who, from ancient times onward, had dealt with ghosts and gods, fully examining both their outward claims and inner workings. Later scholars may study it. As for the details of sacrificial stands, platters, jade, and offerings, and the rituals of presenting and responding, these are preserved by the officials.