1
漢興，接秦之獘，丈夫從軍旅，老弱轉糧馕，作業劇而財匱，自天子不能具鈞駟，而將相或乘牛車，齊民無藏蓋。 於是為秦錢重難用，更令民鑄錢，一黃金一斤，約法省禁。 而不軌逐利之民，蓄積餘業以稽市物，物踴騰糶，米至石萬錢，馬一匹則百金。
When Han rose, it inherited Qin's exhaustion. Men followed military campaigns, and the old and weak transported grain and food. Work was intense and wealth was scarce. Even the Son of Heaven could not equip matched horses, and generals and ministers sometimes rode ox carts, while the common people had no stored goods. Therefore, because Qin money was heavy and difficult to use, they further ordered the people to cast money, with one jin of yellow gold, and regulated the laws and reduced prohibitions. And the people who did not follow the rules and pursued profit accumulated surplus business to delay market goods, causing goods to leap and soar in price. Rice reached ten thousand cash per shi, and a single horse cost a hundred gold.
2
天下已平，高祖乃令賈人不得衣絲乘車，重租稅以困辱之。 孝惠、高后時，為天下初定，復弛商賈之律，然市井之子孫亦不得仕宦為吏。 量吏祿，度官用，以賦於民。 而山川園池市井租稅之入，自天子以至于封君湯沐邑，皆各為私奉養焉，不領於天下之經費。 漕轉山東粟，以給中都官，歲不過數十萬石。
After the world was pacified, Emperor Gaozu then ordered that merchants could not wear silk or ride carriages, and imposed heavy taxes to distress and humiliate them. During the time of Emperor Xiaohui and Empress Dowager Gao, because the world was initially settled, they again relaxed the laws on merchants, yet the sons and grandsons of the marketplace were also not allowed to serve as officials or clerks. They measured clerk salaries and estimated official expenses, and levied these on the people. And the tax incomes from mountains, rivers, parks, ponds, and marketplaces, from the Son of Heaven down to the sealed lords' hot bath towns, were all each for private support and were not included in the world's regular expenses. Grain from Shandong was transported and transferred to supply the central capital officials, not exceeding several hundred thousand shi per year.
3
至孝文時，莢錢益多，輕，乃更鑄四銖錢，其文為「半兩」，令民縱得自鑄錢。 故吳諸侯也，以即山鑄錢，富埒天子，其後卒以叛逆。 鄧通，大夫也，以鑄錢財過王者。 故吳、鄧氏錢布天下，而鑄錢之禁生焉。
By the time of Emperor Xiaowen, leather money was increasingly numerous and light, so they further cast four-zhu coins, with the inscription 'half liang', and ordered that the people could freely cast money themselves. Therefore, the feudal lord of Wu, by casting money near the mountains, became as rich as the Son of Heaven, and afterward he finally rebelled. Deng Tong, a grand master, through casting money, had wealth that exceeded that of kings. Therefore, the money of the Wu and Deng clans spread throughout the world, and the prohibition on casting money was born from this.
4
匈奴數侵盜北邊，屯戍者多，邊粟不足給食當食者。 於是募民能輸及轉粟於邊者拜爵，爵得至大庶長。
The Xiongnu frequently invaded and robbed the northern border, and those who garrisoned and defended were many, so border grain was insufficient to supply food to those who should eat. Therefore, they recruited people who could transport and transfer grain to the border and granted them nobility ranks, and the ranks could reach great commoner chief.
5
孝景時，上郡以西旱，亦復修賣爵令，而賤其價以招民； 及徒復作，得輸粟縣官以除罪。 益造苑馬以廣用，而宮室列觀輿馬益增修矣。
During the time of Emperor Xiaojing, when there was a drought west of Shangjun, they also again repaired the order to sell nobility ranks, and cheapened their prices to attract people; And those who did convict labor again could transport grain to the county officials to remove their crimes. They further made garden horses to broaden their use, and the palace rooms, arranged towers, carriages, and horses were increasingly added and repaired.
6
至今上即位數歲，漢興七十餘年之閒，國家無事，非遇水旱之災，民則人給家足，都鄙廩庾皆滿，而府庫餘貨財。 京師之錢累巨萬，貫朽而不可校。 太倉之粟陳陳相因，充溢露積於外，至腐敗不可食。 眾庶街巷有馬，阡陌之閒成群，而乘字牝者儐而不得聚會。 守閭閻者食粱肉，為吏者長子孫，居官者以為姓號。 故人人自愛而重犯法，先行義而後絀恥辱焉。 當此之時，網疏而民富，役財驕溢，或至兼并豪黨之徒，以武斷於鄉曲。 宗室有土公卿大夫以下，爭于奢侈，室廬輿服僭于上，無限度。 物盛而衰，固其變也。
By the time the present emperor had been on the throne for several years, in the more than seventy years since Han rose, the nation had no affairs. When they did not encounter water or drought disasters, the people then had each person supplied and each house sufficient, the granaries of cities and towns were all full, and the treasuries had surplus goods and wealth. The money in the capital accumulated in huge amounts of ten thousands, and the strings rotted and could not be counted. The grain in the great granary, old grain following old grain, was full and overflowed, exposed and piled outside, until it rotted and could not be eaten. The masses in streets and alleys had horses, and between the paths and crossroads they formed groups, and those who rode marked mares were excluded and could not gather for meetings. Those who guarded the alley gates ate fine grain and meat, those who served as clerks extended their sons and grandsons, and those who resided as officials took it as their surname and appellation. Therefore, each person loved themselves and valued not violating the law, first practiced righteousness, and then shrank from shame and humiliation. At this time, the net was loose and the people were rich. They used their wealth arrogantly and overflowingly, and some even annexed and merged with powerful faction followers, using military force to decide matters in rural areas. The imperial clan, those with land, dukes, ministers, and grand masters and below, contended in luxury, and their rooms, houses, carriages, and clothing usurped those of their superiors, with no limits. When things flourish, they then decline; this is certainly their change.
7
自是之後，嚴助、朱買臣等招來東甌，事兩越，江淮之閒蕭然煩費矣。 唐蒙、司馬相如開路西南夷，鑿山通道千餘里，以廣巴蜀，巴蜀之民罷焉。 彭吳賈滅朝鮮，置滄海之郡，則燕齊之閒靡然發動。 及王恢設謀馬邑，匈奴絕和親，侵擾北邊，兵連而不解，天下苦其勞，而干戈日滋。 行者齎，居者送，中外騷擾而相奉，百姓抏獘以巧法，財賂衰秏而不贍。 入物者補官，出貨者除罪，選舉陵遲，廉恥相冒，武力進用，法嚴令具。 興利之臣自此始也。
After this, Yan Zhu, Zhu Maichen, and others summoned and came to Dong'ou, managed the two Yue, and between the Jiang and Huai it became desolate, troublesome, and costly. Tang Meng and Sima Xiangru opened roads to the southwest barbarians, chiseled mountains and opened paths for more than a thousand li, to broaden Bashu, and the people of Bashu were exhausted by this. Peng Wujia extinguished Joseon and established the Canghai commandery, and then between Yan and Qi it dissipated and moved. And when Wang Hui set his strategy at Mayi, the Xiongnu cut off the peace marriage, invaded and disturbed the northern border, wars were connected and not resolved, the world suffered from its labor, and weapons daily increased. Travelers carried provisions, and residents sent them. Inside and outside were disturbed and mutually supplied. The hundred surnames were constrained and exhausted by skillful laws, and wealth and bribes declined and were expended, yet were not sufficient. Those who entered goods filled offices, and those who exported goods had their crimes removed. Selections declined, integrity and shame mutually deceived, martial force was advanced and used, and the laws were strict and the commands complete. The ministers who aroused benefits began from this.
8
其後漢將歲以數萬騎出擊胡，及車騎將軍衛青取匈奴河南地，筑朔方。 當是時，漢通西南夷道，作者數萬人，千里負擔饋糧，率十餘鐘致一石，散幣於邛僰以集之。 數歲道不通，蠻夷因以數攻，吏發兵誅之。 悉巴蜀租賦不足以更之，乃募豪民田南夷，入粟縣官，而內受錢於都內。 東至滄海之郡，人徒之費擬於南夷。 又興十萬餘人筑衛朔方，轉漕甚遼遠，自山東咸被其勞，費數十百巨萬，府庫益虛。 乃募民能入奴婢得以終身復，為郎增秩，及入羊為郎，始於此。
Afterward, Han generals yearly went out with tens of thousands of cavalry to attack the Hu, and the General of Chariots and Cavalry, Wei Qing, took the Xiongnu land south of the Yellow River and built Shuofang. At this time, Han opened roads to the southwest barbarians, with workers numbering tens of thousands. For a thousand li, they carried loads and fed grain, at a rate of more than ten zhong to deliver one shi, and scattered coins at Qiongbo to gather it. After several years, the road was not connected, and the barbarians therefore frequently attacked, so the clerks raised troops and executed them. All the rents and taxes from Bashu were insufficient to change it, so they recruited rich people to farm the south barbarians, entered grain with the county officials, and internally received money at the capital. To the east, to the Canghai commandery, the expenses for people and troops were comparable to those for the south barbarians. Again, they raised more than a hundred thousand people to build and defend Shuofang. Transport was very far and distant, and from Shandong all suffered its labor. It cost several tens and hundreds of huge ten thousands, and the treasuries became increasingly empty. Then they recruited people who could contribute slaves and women to get a lifetime exemption, who became lang with an increased rank, and those who contributed sheep became lang. This practice began from this time.
9
其後四年，而漢遣大將將六將軍，軍十餘萬，擊右賢王，獲首虜萬五千級。 明年，大將軍將六將軍仍再出擊胡，得首虜萬九千級。 捕斬首虜之士受賜黃金二十餘萬斤，虜數萬人皆得厚賞，衣食仰給縣官； 而漢軍之士馬死者十餘萬，兵甲之財轉漕之費不與焉。 於是大農陳藏錢經秏，賦稅既竭，猶不足以奉戰士。 有司言：「天子曰『朕聞五帝之教不相復而治，禹湯之法不同道而王，所由殊路，而建德一也。 北邊未安，朕甚悼之。 日者，大將軍攻匈奴，斬首虜萬九千級，留蹛無所食。 議令民得買爵及贖禁錮免減罪』。 請置賞官，命曰武功爵。 級十七萬，凡直三十餘萬金。 諸買武功爵官首者試補吏，先除； 千夫如五大夫； 其有罪又減二等； 爵得至樂卿：以顯軍功。」 軍功多用越等，大者封侯卿大夫，小者郎吏。 吏道雜而多端，則官職秏廢。
Four years after this, Han sent a great general who led six generals, with an army of more than a hundred thousand, to attack the Right Worthy King, and obtained fifteen thousand ranks of heads and captives. The next year, the great general led six generals and again went out to attack the Hu, and obtained nineteen thousand ranks of heads and captives. The soldiers who captured and beheaded heads and captives received rewards of more than two hundred thousand jin of yellow gold, and the captives numbering tens of thousands all got generous rewards, with clothing and food looked up to and supplied by the county officials; And the dead soldiers and horses of the Han army numbered more than a hundred thousand, and the wealth for weapons and armor and the expenses for transport were not included in this. Therefore, the Grand Farmer Chen's stored money was already expended, taxes were already exhausted, and it was still insufficient to support the warriors. The officials said: 'The Son of Heaven said: "I have heard that the teachings of the Five Emperors were not repeated yet they governed, and the laws of Yu and Tang were different ways yet they became kings. What they came from were different roads, but the virtue they established was one. The northern border is not peaceful, and I greatly mourn this. Recently, the great general attacked the Xiongnu, beheaded nineteen thousand ranks of heads and captives, and left the captives with nowhere to eat. We discuss ordering that the people may buy nobility ranks and redeem prohibitions and imprisonments to exempt or reduce crimes."' We request to establish reward officials, named the martial merit nobility ranks. There are seventeen thousand ranks, altogether worth more than three hundred thousand gold. Those who buy the martial merit nobility rank of official first are tested and fill clerk positions, and are first exempted; the thousand leader is like the five grand masters; those who have crimes are moreover reduced by two grades; the nobility rank can reach music minister: to display military merit.' Military merits were often used to jump grades, with the great ones being sealed as marquises, ministers, and grand masters, and the small ones as lang and clerks. When the ways of clerks are mixed and have many branches, then official duties are expended and abolished.
10
自公孫弘以春秋之義繩臣下取漢相，張湯用唆文決理為廷尉，於是見知之法生，而廢格沮誹窮治之獄用矣。 其明年，淮南、衡山、江都王謀反跡見，而公卿尋端治之，竟其黨與，而坐死者數萬人，長吏益慘急而法令明察。
From the time Gongsun Hong used the righteousness of the Spring and Autumn Annals to bind the ministers below and took the Han chancellorship, and Zhang Tang used cunning writings to decide principles and became the court judge, therefore the laws of seeing and knowing were born, and the prisons for obstructing, blocking, discouraging, slandering, and thorough investigation were used. The next year, the traces of the kings of Huainan, Hengshan, and Jiangdu plotting rebellion were seen, and the dukes and ministers sought the beginnings and governed them, exhausted their parties and allies, and those who sat and died numbered tens of thousands of people. The senior clerks became increasingly cruel and urgent, and the laws and commands were clear and examined.
11
當是之時，招尊方正賢良文學之士，或至公卿大夫。 公孫弘以漢相，布被，食不重味，為天下先。 然無益於俗，稍騖於功利矣。
At this time, they recruited and honored upright, worthy, and good literature scholars, some of whom reached the positions of dukes, ministers, and grand masters. Gongsun Hong, as Han chancellor, used a cloth coverlet and ate without repeated flavors, being first in the world. Yet it was of no benefit to customs, and they gradually raced toward merit and profit.
12
其明年，驃騎仍再出擊胡，獲首四萬。 其秋，渾邪王率數萬之眾來降，於是漢發車二萬乘迎之。 既至，受賞，賜及有功之士。 是歲費凡百餘巨萬。
The next year, the swift cavalry again went out to attack the Hu, and obtained forty thousand heads. That autumn, the Hunye king led a crowd of tens of thousands to come and surrender, and therefore Han sent twenty thousand teams of carriages to welcome them. Having arrived, they received rewards, and the bestowals reached the meritorious warriors. That year's expenses altogether amounted to more than a hundred huge ten thousands.
13
初，先是往十餘歲河決觀，梁楚之地固已數困，而緣河之郡隄塞河，輒決壞，費不可勝計。 其後番系欲省底柱之漕，穿汾、河渠以為溉田，作者數萬人； 鄭當時為渭漕渠回遠，鑿直渠自長安至華陰，作者數萬人； 朔方亦穿渠，作者數萬人：各歷二三期，功未就，費亦各巨萬十數。
Initially, more than ten years before this, the Yellow River burst at Guan, and the lands of Liang and Chu were certainly already repeatedly distressed. The commanderies along the Yellow River built dikes to block the river, but they then burst and broke, and the expenses could not be completely counted. Afterward, Fan Xi wanted to reduce transport at Dizhu, and dug a canal from the Fen and Yellow River to irrigate fields, with workers numbering tens of thousands; Zheng Dangshi, because the Wei transport canal was circuitous and far, chiseled a straight canal from Chang'an to Huayin, with workers numbering tens of thousands; Shuofang also dug a canal, with workers numbering tens of thousands. Each experienced two or three periods, the merit was not completed, and the expenses were also each several huge ten thousands.
14
天子為伐胡，盛養馬，馬之來食長安者數萬匹，卒牽掌者關中不足，乃調旁近郡。 而胡降者皆衣食縣官，縣官不給，天子乃損膳，解乘輿駟，出御府禁藏以贍之。
The Son of Heaven, for attacking the Hu, greatly raised horses. The horses that came to eat at Chang'an numbered tens of thousands, and the soldiers who led and cared for them in Guanzhong were insufficient, so they transferred from nearby commanderies. And the Hu who surrendered were all clothed and fed by the county officials, but the county officials could not supply them. The Son of Heaven then reduced his meals, released carriage teams, and took out the imperial storehouse's forbidden stores to support them.
15
其明年，山東被水菑，民多饑乏，於是天子遣使者虛郡國倉廥以振貧民。 猶不足，又募豪富人相貸假。 尚不能相救，乃徙貧民於關以西，及充朔方以南新秦中，七十餘萬口，衣食皆仰給縣官。 數歲，假予產業，使者分部護之，冠蓋相望。 其費以億計，不可勝數。 於是縣官大空。
The next year, Shandong suffered a water disaster, and the people were many and hungry and lacking. Therefore, the Son of Heaven sent messengers to empty the commandery and kingdom granaries to relieve the poor people. It was still insufficient, so they moreover recruited rich and wealthy people to mutually lend and borrow. They still could not mutually save them, so they moved the poor people to the west of the pass, and filled the new Qin middle south of Shuofang, with more than seven hundred thousand mouths, and clothing and food all looked up to and supplied by the county officials. For several years, they lent and gave properties, and the messengers divided into sections to protect them, with the official hats and canopies mutually gazing at each other. The expenses were counted in hundreds of millions and could not be completely counted. Therefore, the county officials were greatly empty.
16
而富商大賈或蹛財役貧，轉轂百數，廢居居邑，封君皆低首仰給。 冶鑄煮鹽，財或累萬金，而不佐國家之急，黎民重困。 於是天子與公卿議，更錢造幣以贍用，而摧浮淫并兼之徒。 是時禁苑有白鹿而少府多銀錫。 自孝文更造四銖錢，至是歲四十餘年，從建元以來，用少，縣官往往即多銅山而鑄錢，民亦閒盜鑄錢，不可勝數。 錢益多而輕，物益少而貴。 有司言曰：「古者皮幣，諸侯以聘享。 金有三等，黃金為上，白金為中，赤金為下。 今半兩錢法重四銖，而姦或盜摩錢裏取鋊，錢益輕薄而物貴，則遠方用幣煩費不省。」 乃以白鹿皮方尺，緣以藻繢，為皮幣，直四十萬。 王侯宗室朝覲聘享，必以皮幣薦璧，然後得行。
And the rich merchants and great traders either amassed wealth and employed the poor, rotated axles by the hundreds, abandoned residences and resided in towns, and the sealed lords all lowered their heads and looked up to be supplied. Through smelting, casting, and boiling salt, wealth accumulated to tens of thousands of gold, but they did not assist the nation's urgent needs, and the common people were heavily distressed. Therefore, the Son of Heaven discussed with the dukes and ministers, changed money and made currency to support use, and crushed the floating, lewd, and annexed merged followers. At this time, the forbidden park had white deer and the Shao Fu had much silver and tin. From the time Emperor Xiaowen further made four-zhu coins, to this year it was more than forty years. Since Jianyuan, use was few, and the county officials often took many copper mountains and cast money, and the people also secretly stole and cast money, which could not be completely counted. Money became increasingly numerous and light, and goods became increasingly few and expensive. The officials said: 'In ancient times, there was leather currency, which the feudal lords used for presenting and enjoying. Gold had three grades: yellow gold as the upper, white gold as the middle, and red gold as the lower. Now the half-liang coin method weighs four zhu, but the evil ones or thieves ground the inside of the coins and took filings, making money increasingly light and thin and goods expensive. Then distant places used currency that was troublesome and costly and not economical.' Then they used white deer skin, one square foot, edged with algae embroidery, to make a leather currency, worth four hundred thousand. When kings, marquises, and the imperial clan had morning audiences, presented, and enjoyed, they must use leather currency to present jade bi, and then they could proceed.
17
又造銀錫為白金。 以為天用莫如龍，地用莫如馬，人用莫如龜，故白金三品：其一曰重八兩，圜之，其文龍，名曰「白選」，直三千； 二曰以重差小，方之，其文馬，直五百； 三曰復小，撱之，其文龜，直三百。 令縣官銷半兩錢，更鑄三銖錢，文如其重。 盜鑄諸金錢罪皆死，而吏民之盜鑄白金者不可勝數。
They moreover made silver and tin into white gold. They considered that for heaven's use nothing was like the dragon, for earth's use nothing was like the horse, and for person's use nothing was like the turtle. Therefore, there were three kinds of white gold: the first was said to weigh eight liang, was rounded, had the inscription of a dragon, was named 'White Select', and was worth three thousand; the second was said to have a small weight difference, was squared, had the inscription of a horse, and was worth five hundred; the third was said to be again small, was oval, had the inscription of a turtle, and was worth three hundred. They ordered the county officials to melt the half-liang coins and further cast three-zhu coins, with the inscription matching their weight. The crime of stealing and casting various gold coins was all death, but the clerks and people who stole and cast white gold could not be completely counted.
18
於是以東郭咸陽、孔僅為大農丞，領鹽鐵事； 桑弘羊以計算用事，侍中。 咸陽，齊之大煮鹽，孔僅，南陽大冶，皆致生累千金，故鄭當時進言之。 弘羊，雒陽賈人子，以心計，年十三侍中。 故三人言利事析秋豪矣。
Therefore, they made Dongguo Xianyang and Kong Jin the Great Farmer Assistant, to lead salt and iron affairs; Sang Hongyang, with calculations, handled affairs as Palace Attendant. Xianyang was a great salt boiler from Qi, and Kong Jin was a great smelter from Nanyang. Both brought living and accumulated thousands of gold, and therefore Zheng Dangshi advanced and spoke of them. Hongyang was the son of a merchant from Luoyang, and with mental calculations, at age thirteen he became Palace Attendant. Therefore, these three people spoke of profit affairs and analyzed them down to the autumn down.
19
法既益嚴，吏多廢免。 兵革數動，民多買復及五大夫，徵發之士益鮮。 於是除千夫五大夫為吏，不欲者出馬； 故吏皆（通）適令伐棘上林，作昆明池。
The laws became increasingly strict, and many clerks were abolished and exempted. Weapons and armor were frequently moved, and many people bought exemption and the rank of five grand masters, so the conscripted soldiers became increasingly few. Therefore, they exempted the thousand leaders and the five grand masters to serve as clerks, and those who did not want to do so gave horses. Therefore, all the old clerks were universally ordered to cut thorns at Shanglin and make the Kunming Pool.
20
其明年，大將軍、驃騎大出擊胡，得首虜八九萬級，賞賜五十萬金，漢軍馬死者十餘萬匹，轉漕車甲之費不與焉。 是時財匱，戰士頗不得祿矣。
The next year, the great general and swift cavalry greatly went out to attack the Hu, obtained eighty or ninety thousand ranks of heads and captives, and rewarded and bestowed five hundred thousand gold. The dead horses of the Han army numbered more than a hundred thousand, and the expenses for transport, ferrying, chariots, and armor were not included in this. At this time, wealth was scarce, and the warriors rather did not get their salaries.
21
有司言三銖錢輕，易姦詐，乃更請諸郡國鑄五銖錢，周郭其下，令不可磨取鋊焉。
The officials said that three-zhu coins were light and easily subject to evil deception, so they further requested that the various commanderies and kingdoms cast five-zhu coins, with a surrounding rim at the bottom, ordering that they could not be ground to take filings.
22
大農上鹽鐵丞孔僅、咸陽言：「山海，天地之藏也，皆宜屬少府，陛下不私，以屬大農佐賦。 願募民自給費，因官器作煮鹽，官與牢盆。 浮食奇民欲擅管山海之貨，以致富羨，役利細民。 其沮事之議，不可勝聽。 敢私鑄鐵器煮鹽者，釱左趾，沒入其器物。 郡不出鐵者，置小鐵官，便屬在所縣。」 使孔僅、東郭咸陽乘傳舉行天下鹽鐵，作官府，除故鹽鐵家富者為吏。 吏道益雜，不選，而多賈人矣。
The Great Farmer submitted that the salt and iron assistant Kong Jin and Xianyang said: 'The mountains and seas are the stores of heaven and earth, and all should belong to the Shao Fu. Your Majesty does not keep them private, but assigns them to the Great Farmer to assist taxes. We wish to recruit people to supply their own expenses, using official tools to make and boil salt, and the officials will give iron pans. The floating eating and strange people wish to monopolize and control the goods of the mountains and seas, to become rich and abundant, and to employ and profit from the small people. Their discussions that obstructed affairs could not be completely heard. Those who dare to privately cast iron tools and boil salt will have the left toe branded, and all of their tools and goods will be confiscated. For commanderies that do not produce iron, establish small iron officials, and they will conveniently belong to the local counties.' They made Kong Jin and Dongguo Xianyang ride post carriages and tour the world's salt and iron, established official offices, and removed the former salt and iron families' rich ones to serve as clerks. The ways of clerks became increasingly mixed, they were not selected, and there were many merchants.
23
商賈以幣之變，多積貨逐利。 於是公卿言：「郡國頗被菑害，貧民無產業者，募徙廣饒之地。 陛下損膳省用，出禁錢以振元元，寬貸賦，而民不齊出於南畝，商賈滋眾。 貧者畜積無有，皆仰縣官。 異時算軺車賈人緡錢皆有差，請算如故。 諸賈人末作貰貸賣買，居邑稽諸物，及商以取利者，雖無市籍，各以其物自占，率緡錢二千而一算。 諸作有租及鑄，率緡錢四千一算。 非吏比者三老、北邊騎士，軺車以一算； 商賈人軺車二算； 船五丈以上一算。 匿不自占，占不悉，戍邊一歲，沒入緡錢。 有能告者，以其半畀之。 賈人有市籍者，及其家屬，皆無得籍名田，以便農。 敢犯令，沒入田僮。」
The merchants, because of the currency changes, accumulated many goods and pursued profit. Therefore, the dukes and ministers said: 'The commanderies and kingdoms have rather suffered disasters, and the poor people who have no property should be recruited and moved to broad and fertile lands. Your Majesty reduced meals and economized use, took out forbidden money to relieve the common people, and leniently lent taxes, but the people did not uniformly go out to the south fields, and merchants increased greatly. The poor ones had no stored or accumulated goods, and all looked up to the county officials. In different times, the taxes on light carriages, merchants, and string money all had differences. We request to tax as before. For various merchants who did end business, borrowed, lent, bought, and sold, resided in towns and delayed various goods, and merchants who took profit, although they had no market registration, each registered themselves with their goods, at a rate of two thousand string money to one tax. For various works that had rent and casting, the rate was four thousand string money to one tax. For those not of clerk rank, the three elders and north border cavalry, light carriages were taxed at one tax; merchant people's light carriages were taxed at two taxes; boats of five zhang or above were taxed at one tax. Those who concealed and did not register themselves, or registered incompletely, garrisoned the border for one year, and their string money was confiscated. Those who were able to report were given half of it. Merchants who had market registration, and their family dependents, all could not get registered named fields, in order to facilitate the farming. Those who dare to violate the command will have their fields and servants confiscated.'
24
天子乃思卜式之言，召拜式為中郎，爵左庶長，賜田十頃，布告天下，使明知之。
The Son of Heaven then thought of Bu Shi's words, summoned and appointed Shi as Palace Attendant, granted him the nobility rank of left commoner chief, granted him ten qing of fields, announced it to the world, and made it clearly known.
25
初，卜式者，河南人也，以田畜為事。 親死，式有少弟，弟壯，式脫身出分，獨取畜羊百餘，田宅財物盡予弟。 式入山牧十餘歲，羊致千餘頭，買田宅。 而其弟盡破其業，式輒復分予弟者數矣。 是時漢方數使將擊匈奴，卜式上書，願輸家之半縣官助邊。 天子使使問式：「欲官乎？」 式曰：「臣少牧，不習仕宦，不願也。」 使問曰：「家豈有冤，欲言事乎？」 式曰：「臣生與人無分爭。 式邑人貧者貸之，不善者教順之，所居人皆從式，式何故見冤於人！ 無所欲言也。」 使者曰：「茍如此，子何欲而然？」 式曰：「天子誅匈奴，愚以為賢者宜死節於邊，有財者宜輸委，如此而匈奴可滅也。」 使者具其言入以聞。 天子以語丞相弘。 弘曰：「此非人情。 不軌之臣，不可以為化而亂法，願陛下勿許。」 於是上久不報式，數歲，乃罷式。 式歸，復田牧。 歲餘，會軍數出，渾邪王等降，縣官費眾，倉府空。 其明年，貧民大徙，皆仰給縣官，無以盡贍。 卜式持錢二十萬予河南守，以給徙民。 河南上富人助貧人者籍，天子見卜式名，識之，曰「是固前而欲輸其家半助邊」，乃賜式外繇四百人。 式又盡復予縣官。 是時富豪皆爭匿財，唯式尤欲輸之助費。 天子於是以式終長者，故尊顯以風百姓。
Initially, Bu Shi was a person from Henan, and he took farming and livestock as his affairs. When his parents died, Shi had a young brother. When the brother grew up, Shi separated himself and divided the property, taking alone more than a hundred livestock sheep, and giving all the fields, houses, wealth, and goods to his brother. Shi entered the mountains and pastured for more than ten years, and the sheep brought more than a thousand heads, so he bought fields and houses. And when his brother completely broke his business, Shi then again divided the property and gave it to his brother on several occasions. At this time, Han was just frequently sending generals to attack the Xiongnu, and Bu Shi submitted a memorial, wishing to transport half of his family's wealth to the county officials to assist the border. The Son of Heaven sent a messenger to ask Shi: 'Do you want an office?' Shi said: 'I, your minister, was young and pastured, and I am not accustomed to the official service, and I do not wish it.' The messenger asked: 'Does your family perhaps have a grievance? Do you want to speak of affairs?' Shi said: 'In my life, I, your minister, have had no divided contention with people. I lent to the poor ones among the town people, and taught and submitted the not good ones. The people where I resided all followed me. Why would I see grievance from people!' There is nothing I wish to speak of.' The messenger said: 'If it is like this, what do you want, sir, and why is it thus?' Shi said: 'The Son of Heaven punishes the Xiongnu. I, foolish, think that the worthy ones should die with loyalty at the border, and those who have wealth should transport and contribute. Like this, the Xiongnu can be extinguished.' The messenger completed his words and entered to report. The Son of Heaven spoke of it to Chancellor Hong. Hong said: 'This is not human feeling. Ministers who do not follow the track cannot be used for transformation and to disorder the laws. I wish Your Majesty not to permit it.' Therefore, the emperor did not reply to Shi for a long time, and after several years, he dismissed Shi. Shi returned and again farmed and pastured. More than a year later, when the army frequently went out, the Hunye king and others surrendered, the county officials' expenses were many, and the granaries and treasuries were empty. The next year, the poor people greatly moved, and all looked up to and were supplied by the county officials, but there was no way to completely support them. Bu Shi held two hundred thousand in money and gave it to the governor of Henan to supply the moved people. Henan submitted a register of rich people who helped poor people, and the Son of Heaven saw Bu Shi's name and recognized it, saying: 'This is certainly the one who before wanted to transport half of his family's wealth to assist the border.' Then he granted Shi four hundred people for outer labor. Shi moreover completely again gave to the county officials. At this time, the rich and powerful all contended to hide their wealth, but only Shi especially wanted to transport it to assist expenses. The Son of Heaven therefore considered Shi as a worthy elder, and therefore honored and displayed him to influence the hundred surnames.
26
初，式不願為郎。 上曰：「吾有羊上林中，欲令子牧之。」 式乃拜為郎，布衣屩而牧羊。 歲餘，羊肥息。 上過見其羊，善之。 式曰：「非獨羊也，治民亦猶是也。 以時起居； 惡者輒斥去，毋令敗群。」 上以式為奇，拜為緱氏令試之，緱氏便之。 遷為成皋令，將漕最。 上以為式樸忠，拜為齊王太傅。
Initially, Shi did not wish to be a lang. The emperor said: 'I have sheep in Shanglin, and I want to order you, sir, to pasture them.' Shi was then appointed as lang, and wearing cloth clothes and sandals, he pastured sheep. More than a year later, the sheep became fat and increased. The emperor passed by and saw his sheep, and approved of them. Shi said: 'It is not only sheep; governing the people is also like this. Rise and reside according to the time. Expel the bad ones, and do not let them ruin the flock.' The emperor considered Shi unusual, appointed him as magistrate of Goushi to test him, and Goushi found him convenient. He was moved and appointed as magistrate of Chenggao, and led transport the best. The emperor considered Shi simple and loyal, and appointed him as grand tutor to the king of Qi.
27
而孔僅之使天下鑄作器，三年中拜為大農，列於九卿。 而桑弘羊為大農丞，筦諸會計事，稍稍置均輸以通貨物矣。
And Kong Jin made the world cast and make tools, and within three years he was appointed as Great Farmer and ranked among the nine ministers. And Sang Hongyang became the Great Farmer Assistant, managed various accounting affairs, and gradually established equal transport to circulate goods.
28
始令吏得入穀補官，郎至六百石。
They began to order that clerks could enter grain to supplement offices, with lang up to six hundred shi.
29
自造白金五銖錢後五歲，赦吏民之坐盜鑄金錢死者數十萬人。 其不發覺相殺者，不可勝計。 赦自出者百餘萬人。 然不能半自出，天下大抵無慮皆鑄金錢矣。 犯者眾，吏不能盡誅取，於是遣博士褚大、徐偃等分曹循行郡國，舉兼并之徒守相為（吏）［利］者。 而御史大夫張湯方隆貴用事，減宣、杜周等為中丞，義縱、尹齊、王溫舒等用慘急刻深為九卿，而直指夏蘭之屬始出矣。
Five years after making white gold and five-zhu coins, they pardoned the clerks and people who sat and died for stealing and casting gold coins, numbering tens of thousands of people. Those who were not discovered and mutually killed could not be completely counted. Those who came out themselves and were pardoned numbered more than a million people. Yet not even half came out themselves, and the world generally, without worry, all cast gold coins. The violators were many, and the clerks could not completely execute and take them. Therefore, they sent erudites Chu Da, Xu Yan, and others, divided into sections, to follow and tour the commanderies and kingdoms, and raise up the annexed and merged followers, governors, and ministers who acted for (clerks) [benefit]. And the Imperial Censor Zhang Tang was just exalted and noble and used affairs, appointed Jian Xuan and Du Zhou and others as assistant censors, and Yi Zong, Yin Qi, and Wang Wenshu and others used cruel, urgent, harsh, and deep methods as the nine ministers. And the direct finger Xia Lan and his kind began to come out.
30
而大農顏異誅。 初，異為濟南亭長，以廉直稍遷至九卿。 上與張湯既造白鹿皮幣，問異。 異曰：「今王侯朝賀以蒼璧，直數千，而其皮薦反四十萬，本末不相稱。」 天子不說。 張湯又與異有卻，及有人告異以它議，事下張湯治異。 異與客語，客語初令下有不便者，異不應，微反脣。 湯奏當異九卿見令不便，不入言而腹誹，論死。 自是之後，有腹誹之法（以此）［比］，而公卿大夫多諂諛取容矣。
And the Great Farmer Yan Yi was executed. Initially, Yi was a pavilion chief in Jinan, and with integrity and straightness, he gradually moved to the nine ministers. The emperor, with Zhang Tang, having made white deer skin currency, asked Yi. Yi said: 'Now kings and marquises offer morning congratulations with blue jade bi, worth several thousand, but the skin presented instead is worth four hundred thousand. The root and tip do not match.' The Son of Heaven was not pleased. Zhang Tang moreover had a grudge with Yi, and when someone accused Yi with other discussions, the matter was sent down to Zhang Tang to govern Yi. Yi spoke with a guest, and the guest spoke of the initial command that had been issued and had inconvenient aspects. Yi did not respond, but slightly turned his lips. Tang memorialized that Yi, as one of the nine ministers, saw the command as inconvenient, did not enter and speak, but slandered in his abdomen, and sentenced him to death. From this time afterward, there was the law of abdomen slander (with this) [compared], and the dukes, ministers, and grand masters many flattered and pleased to take favor.
31
天子既下緡錢令而尊卜式，百姓終莫分財佐縣官，於是（楊可）告緡錢縱矣。
The Son of Heaven, having issued the string money command and honored Bu Shi, but the hundred surnames finally none divided wealth to assist the county officials, therefore (Yang Ke) accused string money and let it go.
32
郡國多姦鑄錢，錢多輕，而公卿請令京師鑄鐘官赤側，一當五，賦官用非赤側不得行。 白金稍賤，民不寶用，縣官以令禁之，無益。 歲餘，白金終廢不行。
The commanderies and kingdoms had many evil cast coins, and the coins were many and light. The dukes and ministers requested to order the capital to cast bell official red-side coins, one worth five, and the levy officials used them, but those not red-side could not proceed. White gold gradually cheapened, and the people did not treasure or use it. The county officials prohibited it with commands, but it was of no benefit. More than a year later, white gold was finally abolished and did not proceed.
33
是歲也，張湯死而民不思。
That year, Zhang Tang died, and the people did not think of him.
34
其後二歲，赤側錢賤，民巧法用之，不便，又廢。 於是悉禁郡國無鑄錢，專令上林三官鑄。 錢既多，而令天下非三官錢不得行，諸郡國所前鑄錢皆廢銷之，輸其銅三官。 而民之鑄錢益少，計其費不能相當，唯真工大姦乃盜為之。
Two years afterward, red-side coins cheapened, and the people used skillful laws with them. It was inconvenient, and they were again abolished. Therefore, they all prohibited the commanderies and kingdoms from casting money, and specially ordered the three officials of Shanglin to cast. The money was already many, and they ordered that in the world, money that was not from the three officials could not proceed. The various commanderies and kingdoms' previously cast coins were all abolished and melted, and their copper was transported to the three officials. And the people's cast coins became increasingly few, and when calculating their expenses, they could not match. Only true craftsmen and great evil ones then stole and did it.
35
卜式相齊，而楊可告緡遍天下，中家以上大抵皆遇告。 杜周治之，獄少反者。 乃分遣御史廷尉正監分曹往，即治郡國緡錢，得民財物以億計，奴婢以千萬數，田大縣數百頃，小縣百餘頃，宅亦如之。 於是商賈中家以上大率破，民偷甘食好衣，不事畜藏之產業，而縣官有鹽鐵緡錢之故，用益饒矣。
Bu Shi became chancellor of Qi, and Yang Ke accused string money spread throughout the world. Middle families and above generally all encountered accusation. Du Zhou governed it, and there were few who reversed the prisons. Then they divided and sent imperial secretaries, court judge assistants, and supervisors, divided into sections, to go and immediately govern the commanderies and kingdoms' string money. They obtained the people's wealth and goods, counted in hundreds of millions, and slave women, counted in tens of millions. Fields in big counties numbered several hundred qing, and in small counties more than a hundred qing, and houses were also like this. Therefore, merchants and middle families and above were greatly and generally broken. The people secretly ate sweet food and wore good clothes, and did not manage stored and hidden industries. But the county officials, because they had salt, iron, and string money, their use became increasingly abundant.
36
益廣關，置左右輔。
They moreover broadened the pass and established left and right assistants.
37
初，大農筦鹽鐵官布多，置水衡，欲以主鹽鐵； 及楊可告緡錢，上林財物眾，乃令水衡主上林。 上林既充滿，益廣。 是時越欲與漢用船戰逐，乃大修昆明池，列觀環之。 治樓船，高十餘丈，旗幟加其上，甚壯。 於是天子感之，乃作柏梁臺，高數十丈。 宮室之修，由此日麗。
Initially, the Great Farmer managed salt and iron officials, and they spread many. They established the Water Balance and wanted to use it to master salt and iron; And when Yang Ke accused string money, Shanglin's wealth and goods were many, so they then ordered the Water Balance to master Shanglin. Shanglin was already filled full, and they moreover broadened it. At this time, Yue wanted to use boats with Han to battle and pursue, so they greatly repaired the Kunming Pool and arranged towers to surround it. They made tower boats, more than ten zhang high, with the flags and banners added on them, and they were very strong. Therefore, the Son of Heaven sensed it, and then made the Boliang Terrace, several tens of zhang high. The repair of palace rooms, from this time, became daily more beautiful.
38
乃分緡錢諸官，而水衡、少府、大農、太仆各置農官，往往即郡縣比沒入田田之。 其沒入奴婢，分諸苑養狗馬禽獸，及與諸官。 諸官益雜置多，徒奴婢眾，而下河漕度四百萬石，及官自糴乃足。
Then they divided string money among various officials, and the Water Balance, Shao Fu, Great Farmer, and Taipu each established farm officials, who often took commanderies and counties nearby and farmed the confiscated fields. The confiscated slave women were divided among various gardens to raise dogs, horses, birds, and beasts, and were given to various officials. The various officials became increasingly mixed and established many, and convict slave women were many. But the lower Yellow River transported and crossed four million shi, and the officials themselves bought, and then it was sufficient.
39
所忠言：「世家子弟富人或鬬雞走狗馬，弋獵博戲，亂齊民。」 乃徵諸犯令，相引數千人，命曰「株送徒」。 入財者得補郎，郎選衰矣。
Suo Zhong said: 'The sons of established families and rich people either fight cocks, walk dogs and horses, shoot, hunt, gamble, and play, and they disorder the uniform people.' Then they summoned various ones who violated the command, and they mutually implicated several thousand people, and named them 'uproot sent convicts.' Those who entered wealth got to supplement lang, and lang selections declined.
40
是時山東被河菑，及歲不登數年，人或相食，方一二千里。 天子憐之，詔曰：「江南火耕水耨，令饑民得流就食江淮閒，欲留，留處。」 遣使冠蓋相屬於道，護之，下巴蜀粟以振之。
At this time, Shandong suffered a Yellow River disaster, and for several years the harvests were not abundant. The people sometimes ate each other, in an area of one to two thousand li. The Son of Heaven pitied them and issued an edict saying: 'In Jiangnan, they fire plow and water weed. Order the hungry people to flow and seek food between the Jiang and Huai. If they want to stay, let them stay there.' They sent messengers, and official hats and canopies continuously connected on the road. They protected them and sent down Bashu grain to relieve them.
41
其明年，天子始巡郡國。 東度河，河東守不意行至，不辨，自殺。 行西踰隴，隴西守以行往卒，天子從官不得食，隴西守自殺。 於是上北出蕭關，從數萬騎，獵新秦中，以勒邊兵而歸。 新秦中或千里無亭徼，於是誅北地太守以下，而令民得畜牧邊縣，官假馬母，三歲而歸，及息什一，以除告緡，用充仞新秦中。
The next year, the Son of Heaven began to tour the commanderies and kingdoms. Going east, they crossed the Yellow River, and the governor of Hedong did not expect the travel to arrive and was not prepared, so he committed suicide. Traveling west, they crossed Long, and the governor of Longxi, with the travel, went with troops. The Son of Heaven's attendants did not get food, and the governor of Longxi committed suicide. Therefore, the emperor went north and exited Xiaoguan, followed by several tens of thousands of cavalry, hunted in the new Qin middle, and restrained the border troops and returned. In the new Qin middle, for a thousand li there were no watch stations. Therefore, they executed the grand administrator of Beidi and below, and ordered that the people could raise livestock in border counties. The officials lent mare mothers, and after three years they returned them, and the increase was one-tenth, to remove the accusation of string money, and they used this to fill and populate the new Qin middle.
42
既得寶鼎，立后土、太一祠，公卿議封禪事，而天下郡國皆豫治道橋，繕故宮，及當馳道縣，縣治官儲，設供具，而望以待幸。
Having obtained the precious ding, they established the sacrifices to Houtu and Taiyi. The dukes and ministers discussed feng and shan affairs, and all the commanderies and kingdoms of the world prepared and repaired roads and bridges, mended former palaces, and in counties that should have gallop roads, the counties administered official stores, set up supplies, and gazed to await favor.
43
其明年，南越反，西羌侵邊為桀。 於是天子為山東不贍，赦天下［囚］，因南方樓船卒二十餘萬人擊南越，數萬人發三河以西騎擊西羌，又數萬人度河筑令居。 初置張掖、酒泉郡，而上郡、朔方、西河、河西開田官，斥塞卒六十萬人戍田之。 中國繕道餽糧，遠者三千，近者千餘里，皆仰給大農。 邊兵不足，乃發武庫工官兵器以贍之。 車騎馬乏絕，縣官錢少，買馬難得，乃著令，令封君以下至三百石以上吏，以差出牝馬天下亭，亭有畜牸馬，歲課息。
The next year, Nanyue rebelled, and the Xiqiang invaded the border and became rebellious. Therefore, the Son of Heaven, because Shandong was not sufficient, pardoned the world's [prisoners]. Using more than two hundred thousand southern tower boat troops, they attacked Nanyue. Several tens of thousands were sent with cavalry west of Sanhe to attack the Xiqiang, and moreover several tens of thousands crossed the Yellow River and built Lingju. They initially established the commanderies of Zhangye and Jiuquan, and in Shangjun, Shuofang, Xihe, and Hexi, they opened field officials. They expanded border troops, and six hundred thousand garrisoned and farmed them. The central states repaired roads and sent grain. The far ones were three thousand li, and the near ones were more than a thousand li, and all looked up to and were supplied by the Great Farmer. The border troops were insufficient, so they issued weapons from the martial storehouse, craftsmen, and officials to support them. Chariot and cavalry horses were lacking and exhausted, and the county officials' money was few. It was difficult to get horses to buy, so they established a command, ordering sealed lords and below to clerks of three hundred shi and above, by differences, to send out female horses to the world's pavilions. The pavilions had raised female horses, and they yearly assessed interest.
44
齊相卜式上書曰：「臣聞主憂臣辱。 南越反，臣願父子與齊習船者往死之。」 天子下詔曰：「卜式雖躬耕牧，不以為利，有餘輒助縣官之用。 今天下不幸有急，而式奮願父子死之，雖未戰，可謂義形於內。 賜爵關內侯，金六十斤，田十頃。」 布告天下，天下莫應。 列侯以百數，皆莫求從軍擊羌、越。 至酎，少府省金，而列侯坐酎金失侯者百餘人。 乃拜式為御史大夫。
The chancellor of Qi, Bu Shi, submitted a memorial saying: 'I, your minister, have heard that when the lord worries, the minister is shamed. Nanyue has rebelled, and I, your minister, wish that my father and son, together with those from Qi who practice the boats, go and die for it.' The Son of Heaven issued an edict saying: 'Bu Shi, although he personally farmed and pastured, did not take it as profit, and when he had surplus, he then assisted the county officials' use. Now the world unfortunately has urgency, and Shi aroused and wished that his father and son die for it. Although they have not yet battled, it can be called righteousness shaped within.' I grant him the nobility of Guannei Hou, sixty jin of gold, and ten qing of fields.' They announced it to the world, and the world none responded. The arranged marquises numbered by the hundreds, and all none sought to follow the army to attack the Qiang and Yue. When it came to Jiu, the Shao Fu examined the gold, and the arranged marquises who sat with Jiu gold and lost their marquisates numbered more than a hundred people. Then they appointed Shi as Imperial Censor.
45
式既在位，見郡國多不便縣官作鹽鐵，鐵器苦惡，賈貴，或彊令民賣買之。 而船有算，商者少，物貴，乃因孔僅言船算事。 上由是不悅卜式。
Shi, already in position, saw that the commanderies and kingdoms found it many and inconvenient that the county officials made salt and iron. The iron tools were bitter and bad, the merchants were expensive, or they strongly ordered the people to buy and sell them. And boats had a tax, merchants were few, and goods were expensive. Then, through Kong Jin, he spoke of boat tax affairs. The emperor therefore was not pleased with Bu Shi.
46
漢連兵三歲，誅羌，滅南越，番禺以西至蜀南者置初郡十七，且以其故俗治，毋賦稅。 南陽、漢中以往郡，各以地比給初郡吏卒奉食幣物，傳車馬被具。 而初郡時時小反，殺吏，漢發南方吏卒往誅之，閒歲萬餘人，費皆仰給大農。 大農以均輸調鹽鐵助賦，故能贍之。 然兵所過縣，為以訾給毋乏而已，不敢言擅賦法矣。
Han connected troops for three years, executed the Qiang, and extinguished Nanyue. They established seventeen initial commanderies from Panyu west to Shu south, and moreover governed them with their former customs, with no taxes. The commanderies past Nanyang and Hanzhong, each according to their land proportion, supplied the initial commanderies' clerks and troops with provisions, food, currency, and goods, and relay carriages, horses, and covered equipment. And the initial commanderies sometimes had small rebellions and killed clerks. Han sent southern clerks and troops to go and execute them, and between years, more than ten thousand people were involved. The expenses all looked up to and were supplied by the Great Farmer. The Great Farmer, with equal transport, regulated salt and iron to assist taxes, and therefore could support them. Yet in counties that the troops passed, they only supplied with wealth so as not to lack, and did not dare to speak of monopolized tax laws.
47
其明年，元封元年，卜式貶秩為太子太傅。 而桑弘羊為治粟都尉，領大農，盡代僅筦天下鹽鐵。 弘羊以諸官各自市，相與爭，物故騰躍，而天下賦輸或不償其僦費，乃請置大農部丞數十人，分部主郡國，各往往縣置均輸鹽鐵官，令遠方各以其物貴時商賈所轉販者為賦，而相灌輸。 置平準于京師，都受天下委輸。 召工官治車諸器，皆仰給大農。 大農之諸官盡籠天下之貨物，貴即賣之，賤則買之。 如此，富商大賈無所牟大利，則反本，而萬物不得騰踴。 故抑天下物，名曰「平準」。 天子以為然，許之。 於是天子北至朔方，東到太山，巡海上，并北邊以歸。 所過賞賜，用帛百餘萬匹，錢金以巨萬計，皆取足大農。
The next year, in the first year of Yuanfeng, Bu Shi was demoted in rank and became grand tutor to the Crown Prince. And Sang Hongyang became Governing Grain Colonel, led the Great Farmer, and completely replaced Jin in managing the world's salt and iron. Hongyang, because the various officials each purchased for themselves and mutually contended, goods therefore leaped and jumped, and the world's taxes and transports sometimes did not repay their hired expenses. Then he requested to establish several tens of Great Farmer division assistants, divided into sections to master commanderies and kingdoms. Each often established equal transport salt and iron officials in counties, and ordered distant places, each with their goods at expensive times, to use what merchants transferred and sold as taxes, and to mutually irrigate and input. They established the level standard at the capital, and the capital received the world's entrusted transports. They summoned craftsmen officials to repair carriages and various tools, and all looked up to and were supplied by the Great Farmer. The Great Farmer's various officials completely contained the world's goods, and when expensive, they sold them, and when cheap, they bought them. Like this, rich merchants and great traders had nowhere to seek great profits, so they returned to fundamentals, and the myriad things did not get to leap and jump. Therefore, they suppressed the world's goods, and it was named 'level standard.' The Son of Heaven considered it so and permitted it. Therefore, the Son of Heaven went north to Shuofang, east to Taishan, toured above the sea, and along the northern border returned. In the places they passed, they rewarded and bestowed, using more than a million bolts of silk, and money and gold counted in huge ten thousands, and all took sufficient from the Great Farmer.
48
弘羊又請令吏得入粟補官，及罪人贖罪。 令民能入粟甘泉各有差，以復終身，不告緡。 他郡各輸急處，而諸農各致粟，山東漕益歲六百萬石。 一歲之中，太倉、甘泉倉滿。 邊餘穀諸物均輸帛五百萬匹。 民不益賦而天下用饒。 於是弘羊賜爵左庶長，黃金再百斤焉。
Hongyang moreover requested to order that clerks could enter grain to supplement the offices, and criminals could redeem their crimes. They ordered that people could enter grain at Ganquan, each having differences, to exempt for a lifetime, and not to accuse string money. Other commanderies each transported to urgent places, and the various farmers each brought grain. Shandong transported, moreover, six million shi per year. Within one year, the great granary and Ganquan granary were full. Border surplus grain and various goods were equally transported, and silk was five million bolts. The people did not increase taxes, and the world's use was abundant. Therefore, Hongyang was granted the nobility of left commoner chief, and two hundred jin of yellow gold.
49
是歲小旱，上令官求雨，卜式言曰：「縣官當食租衣稅而已，今弘羊令吏坐市列肆，販物求利。 亨弘羊，天乃雨。」
That year there was a small drought, and the emperor ordered officials to seek rain. Bu Shi said: 'County officials should only eat rents and wear taxes, but now Hongyang makes clerks sit in markets and arranged shops, peddling goods and seeking profit. Cook Hongyang, and heaven will then rain.'
50
太史公曰：農工商交易之路通，而龜貝金錢刀布之幣興焉。 所從來久遠，自高辛氏之前尚矣，靡得而記云。 故書道唐虞之際，詩述殷周之世，安寧則長庠序，先本絀末，以禮義防于利； 事變多故而亦反是。 是以物盛則衰，時極而轉，一質一文，終始之變也。 禹貢九州，各因其土地所宜，人民所多少而納職焉。 湯武承獘易變，使民不倦，各兢兢所以為治，而稍陵遲衰微。 齊桓公用管仲之謀，通輕重之權，徼山海之業，以朝諸侯，用區區之齊顯成霸名。 魏用李克，盡地力，為彊君。 自是以後，天下爭於戰國，貴詐力而賤仁義，先富有而後推讓。 故庶人之富者或累巨萬，而貧者或不厭糟糠； 有國彊者或并群小以臣諸侯，而弱國或絕祀而滅世。 以至於秦，卒并海內。 虞夏之幣，金為三品，或黃，或白，或赤； 或錢，或布，或刀，或龜貝。 及至秦，中一國之幣為（三）［二］等，黃金以溢名，為上幣； 銅錢識曰半兩，重如其文，為下幣。 而珠玉、龜貝、銀錫之屬為器飾寶藏，不為幣。 然各隨時而輕重無常。 於是外攘夷狄，內興功業，海內之士力耕不足糧馕，女子紡績不足衣服。 古者嘗竭天下之資財以奉其上，猶自以為不足也。 無異故云，事勢之流，相激使然，曷足怪焉。
The Grand Historian said: When the roads of exchange for farming, commerce, and artisans were connected, the currencies of turtle shells, cowries, gold, money, knives, and cloth arose. What it came from was long and distant, and from before the Gaoxin clan it still was, but it could not be recorded. Therefore, the writings spoke of the time of Tang and Yu, and the poems described the age of Yin and Zhou. When peaceful, they grew schools, put fundamentals first and reduced ends, and with rites and righteousness guarded against profits; When affairs changed and had many troubles, they also reversed this. Therefore, when things flourish, they then decline. When time reaches an extreme, it then turns. One solid, one pattern—this is the change of beginning and end. In Yu's tribute, the nine provinces, each according to what was suitable for their land, and whether their people were more or less, paid duties. Tang and Wu inherited exhaustion and easily changed, making the people not weary. Each earnestly governed in this way, but they gradually declined and weakened. Duke Huan of Qi used Guan Zhong's strategy, connected the power of light and heavy, cornered the industries of mountains and seas, and made audiences with the feudal lords. Using the small Qi, he displayed and became a hegemon name. Wei used Li Ke, exhausted the land's strength, and became a strong ruler. From this time afterward, the world contended in the Warring States, valued deceit and force but cheapened benevolence and righteousness, and put wealth first and then afterward yielded. Therefore, the rich among commoners sometimes accumulated huge ten thousands, but the poor ones sometimes were not satisfied with bran and husks; Those who had strong states sometimes annexed groups of small ones to serve the feudal lords, but weak states sometimes cut sacrifices and extinguished generations. Until they arrived at Qin, which finally united what was within the seas. In the currencies of Yu and Xia, gold was of three kinds: either yellow, or white, or red; or coins, or cloth, or knives, or turtle shells and cowries. And when they reached Qin, unifying one state's currencies as (three) [two] grades, yellow gold was named with yi and was the upper currency; Copper coins had the inscription 'half liang', weighed like their writing, and were the lower currency. And pearls, jade, turtle shells, cowries, silver, and tin and their kind were used as vessel decorations and treasure stores, but they were not used as the currency. Yet each followed the time, and light and heavy had no constant. Therefore, externally they repelled the barbarian Di, and internally they aroused merit works. The scholars within the seas, with strength, farmed but had insufficient grain and food, and women spun and wove but had insufficient clothes. The ancients often exhausted the world's resources and wealth to support their superiors, and still considered themselves insufficient. There is no different reason to speak of it. The flow of affairs and situations, mutually stimulating, made it so. Why is this sufficient to be strange?