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卷74 列傳第39 酷吏

Volume 74 Biographies 39: Cruel Officials

Chapter 74 of 隋書 · Book of Sui
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Chapter 74
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1
Book of Sui, Volume 74, Biography 39
2
Cruel Officials
3
滿
The foundations of statecraft are fourfold: benevolence and righteousness, ritual and institutional order, laws and ordinances, and punishments and penalties. Benevolence, righteousness, ritual, and propriety form the root of government; laws, ordinances, and criminal sanctions are its branches. Without the root, governance cannot stand; without the branches, it cannot be brought to completion. Yet moral instruction works slowly while punishments take immediate effect. Punishments may reinforce teaching but must not replace it; they may establish authority but must not be applied incessantly. Laozi said, "When government is overly scrutinizing, the people grow defective. He also said, "When laws proliferate, thieves and bandits multiply." Thus burdensome edicts and cruel officials cannot bring good order—a truth evident across the ages. A review of earlier histories shows that such measures were sometimes employed. In antiquity the Qin entrusted power to prison officials, until the roads swarmed with prisoners in ochre garb. The Han revised this practice, but in correcting the excess they swung too far the other way. The penal net grew so lax that even great offenders slipped through; powerful criminals and cunning rogues violated duty and trampled ritual. Hence stern, hard-driving officials who shattered wickedness and banned all corruption to remedy the disorders of their day—though they often trampled proper teaching—sometimes had something to recommend them. When Emperor Gaozu assumed the throne, he unified the south of the Yangtze, and throughout the realm the people submitted to moral instruction and observed proper conduct. Those who lorded it over commanderies and kingdoms, who bent nobles by force, who rode the courier relays to extort the people, and who carried pellets to ambush officials—such figures were nowhere to be found. The absence of the abuses of earlier ages was already plain. Men such as Shiwen had no achievements worth recording and no reputation for talent or conduct; they merely seized an opportune moment and usurped posts they did not deserve. They indulged their narrow tempers and habitually acted without propriety, and both gentlemen and commoners alike suffered at their hands. Every place they governed was filled with dread. Subordinates looked on them as serpents and vipers; travelers who entered their jurisdictions fled as from mortal enemies. When they showed favor, it did not spring from a love of goodness; when they piled on guilt, it did not spring from a hatred of wickedness. Most of those they beat and humiliated were innocent; judged by their actions, they were worse than wolves. They had no wish to root out corruption, only to indulge cruelty toward the weak and humble. Men of principle despised them, and for this reason they are gathered in the Biographies of Cruel Officials.
4
Yuku Di Shiwen
5
滿
Yuku Di Shiwen was a native of Dai. His grandfather Gan served as Left Chancellor of Northern Qi. His father Jing was Martial Guard General and Governor of Sizhou. By nature Shiwen was aloof and upright; he would not socialize even with close neighbors and relatives. In his youth he studied the classics. Under Qi he inherited the title Prince of Zhangwu and rose to the post of Defender-in-Chief. When Emperor Wu of Zhou conquered Qi, the gentry of Shandong largely welcomed the Zhou armies, but Shiwen alone shut his gates and held himself apart. The emperor was impressed and appointed him Grand Master for Splendid Happiness with independent establishment, and Governor of Suizhou. When Gaozu accepted the abdication, Shiwen was further promoted to Superlative Pillar of State, enfeoffed as Viscount of Hubo, and soon appointed Governor of Beizhou. He lived in austere integrity, refused his official stipend, and kept no surplus wealth at home. When his son ate cakes from the official kitchen, Shiwen had him shackled in prison for days, beaten a hundred strokes, and sent on foot back to the capital. His servants dared not step outside the gate; even salt and vegetables had to be bought beyond his jurisdiction. Every coming and going was sealed and signed on the door; kin and friends were shut out, and no visits for joy or mourning were permitted. His laws were severe and solemn; officials and commoners trembled with fear, and no one picked up lost property in the streets. Even for trifling faults he invariably twisted the law to entrap people. Once when he attended court the emperor was holding a grand banquet and granted the nobles entry to the Left Storehouse to take whatever they wished. Others loaded themselves to the utmost; Shiwen alone carried one bolt of silk in his mouth and one in each hand. The emperor asked why; Shiwen said, "My mouth and hands are both full—I need nothing more. The emperor was astonished, gave him additional gifts, commended him, and sent him away. At his province Shiwen ferreted out hidden wrongdoing; even the smallest bribe from senior clerks he would not forgive. He uncovered more than a thousand offenders and reported them; the emperor sent them all to garrison Lingnan. As relatives escorted them off, weeping filled the province. In Lingnan eight or nine in ten died of pestilence; then parents, wives, and children wept only against Shiwen. When Shiwen heard of this he had people seize and beat them until the ground before him was covered with victims, yet the weeping only grew louder. Wei Kun of Jingzhao served as Beizhou Assistant Administrator, and Zhao Da of Hedong as Qinghe Magistrate—both were harsh, while only the Chief Clerk showed benevolent governance. People of the day said, "The governor's demon rule, the assistant's viper glare, the chief clerk's smiling verdict, Qinghe's raw man-eating. The emperor heard and sighed, "Shiwen's brutality surpasses that of savage beasts." In the end he was dismissed from office for it. Soon he was appointed Chief Administrator of Yongzhou. Shiwen told others, "I have enforced the law too strictly and cannot court the powerful—I am sure to die in this post. Once he took office he enforced the law with stern rectitude, showed no deference to the nobility, and guests dared not approach his gate; resentment spread widely. His cousin had been a concubine of Qi and was beautiful; after Qi fell she was given to Changsun Lan, Duke of Xue, as a concubine. Lan's wife Lady Zheng was jealous and slandered her to Empress Dowager Wenxian, who ordered Lan to dismiss her. Shiwen was ashamed of this and refused to see her. Later Yingzhou Governor Tang Junming, while mourning his mother, took her as wife; for this both Shiwen and Junming were impeached by the censor. Shiwen was unyielding by nature; after several days in prison he died of rage. His household had no surplus; he left three sons who could not secure their next meal, and neither kin nor friends would shelter them.
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Tian Shi
7
婿 使
Tian Shi, courtesy name Xianbiao, was a native of Xiabang in Fengyi. His grandfather Anxing and his father Changle both served Wei as governors of their home commandery. Shi was firm and resolute, skilled in martial arts, and unmatched in physical prowess. Under Emperor Ming of Zhou, at eighteen he was appointed Colonel and commanded local militia. Several years later he was appointed Governor of Weinan. His rule was severe and fierce; officials and commoners stood with feet together, none daring to break the law. Promoted to governor of his home commandery, kin and friends vanished from sight and no plea for favor could pass. Emperor Wu heard of this with approval, promoted him to Grand Master for Splendid Happiness with independent establishment, enfeoffed him as Duke of Xindu, and appointed him Governor of Yanzhou. He followed the emperor in pacifying Qi and for his merit was made Superlative Pillar of State, transferred to Governor of Jianzhou, and enfeoffed as Duke of Liangquan. When Gaozu assumed overall command, Wei Chong rebelled at Yecheng and Shi followed Wei Xiaokuan to attack him. For his merit he was appointed Great General and advanced to Duke of Wushan. When Gaozu accepted the throne he was made General-in-Chief of Xiangzhou and devoted himself solely to imposing his authority. Whenever he held court outside he displayed a fierce demeanor toward his subordinates; his staff trembled and none dared meet his gaze. Whoever broke his rules, even close kin, received no leniency. His son-in-law Du Ning of Jingzhao came from Chang'an to visit; Shi forbade Ning to go out. Unable to leave for a long time, Ning secretly climbed the north tower to ease his longing. When Shi learned of this he had Ning beaten fifty strokes. A favorite slave once came to report to him; an insect crawled on his collar and the slave brushed it away with his sleeve. Shi took this as disrespect and had him beaten to death on the spot. Whether an official was corrupt or a bandit struck within his territory, regardless of severity he confined them in a dungeon amid filth until they suffered bitterly; unless they died they never emerged. Whenever an amnesty reached his province, before reading it he first summoned the jailers to execute the serious criminals, then announced the edict to the people. His cruelty was of this sort. For this the emperor censured him, struck his name from the rolls, and reduced him to commoner status. Ashamed and furious, Shi refused food; when wife and children came he raged at them, and only two attendant slaves waited on him. He asked his household for pepper to kill himself, but his family refused. He secretly sent his slaves to buy poison at market, but his wife seized and discarded it. Shi lay abed in fury. His son Xin, then a court grandee, came weeping and said, "Father, you are a veteran minister of the court and have committed no grave offense. I have lately seen many nobles publicly shamed who were soon restored—how can you bear to remain in this state? How did it come to this! Shi suddenly rose, drew a knife, and hacked at Xin; Xin fled in haste and the blade struck the door sill. The emperor learned of this and, judging that Shi's self-reproach ran deep, restored his office and rank. Soon he was appointed General-in-Chief of Guangzhou and died in office.
8
Yan Rong
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殿 退 使 忿 滿
Yan Rong, courtesy name Guigong, was a native of Hongnong in Huayin. His father Kan was a Great General of Zhou. Rong was stern and martial by nature and under Zhou served as Superior Attendant of the Inner Palace. He followed Emperor Wu in the campaign against Qi and for merit was made Grand Master for Splendid Happiness with independent establishment and enfeoffed as Duke of Gaoyi. When Gaozu accepted the throne he was promoted to Great General, enfeoffed as Duke of Luocong, and appointed Governor of Jinzhou. He followed the Prince of Hejian in attacking the Turks, and for merit was made Pillar of State and transferred to General-in-Chief of Qingzhou. At his province Rong selected the strongest men as ward chiefs; whenever officials or commoners passed by they were questioned and beaten with the cudgel until wounds often exposed the bone. Bandits vanished and the realm within his borders grew solemn and orderly. Travelers from other jurisdictions who passed through his territory feared him as they would bandits and dared not pause to rest. The emperor greatly approved of him. Later, when he came to court for an audience, the emperor personally commended and encouraged him. Because his mother was elderly, Rong asked to attend court every year, and the emperor granted his request. At his farewell the emperor hosted a banquet in the inner palace and ordered the nobles to compose parting poems. During the conquest of Chen he served as Campaign Commander, leading a naval force from Donglai along the coast into Lake Tai to seize Wujun. After Danyang fell, the people of Wu set up Xiao Huan as their leader, resisted at Jinling, were defeated by Yuwen Shu, and withdrew to hold Baoshan. Rong pursued with five thousand elite troops; Huan was defeated, captured by Rong, and Jinling and Kuaiji were fully pacified. He was appointed Acting General-in-Chief of Yangzhou. He was soon summoned to serve as General of the Right Martial Guard. When the Turks raided the frontier he was made Campaign Commander and stationed at Youzhou. He left office to observe mourning for his mother. The following year he was recalled as General-in-Chief of Youzhou. By nature Rong was stern and cruel, with a formidable bearing; chief clerks who met him invariably lost their composure in fear. The Lu clan of Fanyang had long been a prominent lineage; Rong appointed them all as lowly clerks and runners to humiliate them. He beat those around him, often to a thousand strokes; blood pooled before him while he ate and drank as calmly as ever. Once on tour he saw brambles along the road fit for cudgels, had them gathered, and used them to test people. If someone protested innocence, Rong said, "If you commit an offense later, I shall pardon you for this. Later when they committed a minor offense and he was about to beat them, the man said, "The other day you beat me and promised to pardon any later offense." Rong said, "When you were guiltless I still beat you—how much more when you are guilty!" The beating proceeded as before. Whenever Rong toured his territory and heard that an official or commoner had a beautiful wife or daughter, he would take over their house and violate her. His greed, cruelty, and license grew worse by the day. At that time Yuan Hongsi was appointed Chief Administrator of Youzhou and, fearing humiliation by Rong, firmly declined. The emperor learned of this and instructed Rong, "Any offense by Hongsi warranting ten strokes or more must be reported to the throne. Rong raged, "How dare that stripling play games with me!" He then sent Hongsi to supervise granary intake; for every husk or chaff winnowed out he imposed punishment. Though each beating fell short of ten strokes, in a single day there might be two or three rounds. For years resentment mounted; Rong then had him imprisoned and cut off his provisions. Starving, Hongsi tore padding from his clothes and swallowed it with water. His wife appealed at court; the emperor sent Reviewing Officer Liu Shilong by urgent relay to investigate. The memorial reported that Rong's cruelty was real and that plunder and defilement were rampant; Rong was summoned to the capital and ordered to die. Earlier, maggots suddenly appeared by the bushel in Rong's bedchamber, burrowing up from the ground. Before long Rong died at the very spot where the maggots had appeared. He had a son Xun.
10
Zhao Zhongqing
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西 宿 使 使
Zhao Zhongqing was a native of Longxi in Tianshui. His father Gang was a Great General of Zhou. Zhongqing was rough and violent, possessed great strength, and Prince Xian of Qi treated him with exceptional courtesy. In the campaign against Qi he attacked the five cities of Linqin, Tongrong, Weiyuan, Fulong, and Zhangbi and pacified them all. He also attacked the Qi general Duan Xiaoxian at Yaoxiang; after days of bitter fighting he defeated him. For merit he was appointed Great Colonel and soon managed palace guard duty. In the pacification of Qi he was promoted to Senior Grand Master for Court Audience and concurrently made Magistrate of Zhao Commandery. He entered service as Metropolitan Commandery Central Grand Master. When Wang Qian rebelled, Zhongqing was in Lizhou and at once joined General-in-Chief Dou Lu Ji in raising troops to resist. Besieged by Qian, Zhongqing led troops into battle in seventeen engagements. When Qian was suppressed he was promoted to Great General and enfeoffed as Duke of Changyuan with a fief of one thousand households. When Gaozu accepted the throne his rank was advanced to Duke of Hebei. In the third year of Kaihuang, when the Turks raided the frontier, he served as Campaign Commander under the Prince of Hejian to Helan Mountain. Zhongqing advanced by a separate route, found no enemy, and returned. He again garrisoned Pingliang and was soon appointed Governor of Shizhou. His laws were stern and fierce; the slightest fault received no leniency, and he flogged the Chief Clerk up to two hundred strokes. Officials trembled with fear and none dared offend; bandits were silenced, and all praised his effectiveness. He was transferred to Governor of Yanzhou but, before taking office, was appointed General-in-Chief of Shuozhou. At that time military colonies flourished on the northern frontier, and Zhongqing had overall command. For the slightest irregularity he summoned the responsible officer, beat his chest and back, or stripped him and dragged him through brambles. People of the day called him a savage beast. His methods mostly succeeded; harvests grew year by year and frontier garrisons no longer feared supply shortages. At that time Qimin Khan of the Turks sought a marriage alliance; the emperor granted it. Zhongqing exploited this to sow discord among their kin, and they soon attacked one another. In the seventeenth year Qimin, hard pressed, fled with Sui envoy Changsun Sheng to seek refuge at Han Fort. Zhongqing rode with more than a thousand cavalry to relieve him; Tardu dared not press the attack. He secretly sent men to lure Qimin's tribes, and more than twenty thousand households came over. That year he followed Gao Jiong along the White Road to strike Tardu. Zhongqing led three thousand men as vanguard; at Zulü Mountain he met the enemy and after seven days of fighting won a great victory. Pursuing to Qifu Marsh he defeated them again, taking more than a thousand captives and tens of thousands of livestock. The Turks came in full force; Zhongqing formed a square array and fought on four sides. After five days Gao Jiong's main force arrived; joining battle they drove the enemy to flight. The pursuit crossed the White Road and went more than seven hundred li beyond Qin Mountain. At that time more than ten thousand Turk households had surrendered; the emperor ordered Zhongqing to settle them at Heng'an. For merit he was advanced to Pillar of State and granted three thousand lengths of goods. The court feared Tardu would strike Qimin by surprise and ordered Zhongqing to station twenty thousand troops in reserve; Han Hong, Acting General-in-Chief of Daizhou, Li Yaowang, Duke of Yongkang, Liu Long, Governor of Wei, and others led ten thousand infantry and cavalry to garrison Heng'an. Tardu raided with a hundred thousand horsemen; Han Hong's army was routed; Zhongqing intercepted from Lening Fort and beheaded more than a thousand. The next year he supervised construction of the Jinhe and Dingxiang forts to house Qimin. Memorials then accused Zhongqing of cruelty; the emperor ordered Censor Wang Wei to investigate—all proved true, yet valuing his merit he did not punish him. He then comforted him, saying, "I know you are upright and pure, and are hated by your subordinates. He granted him five hundred lengths of goods. Zhongqing grew still more unrestrained and was dismissed from office. During the Renshou reign he served as Acting Minister of Agriculture. When the Prince of Shu Xiu fell from grace he was ordered to Yizhou to investigate exhaustively. Wherever Xiu's associates had passed, Zhongqing twisted the law to ensnare them; more than half the prefectural and county chiefs were implicated. The emperor judged him capable and rewarded him with fifty slave men and women, two hundred taels of gold, five thousand shi of grain, and rare treasures in like measure. When Emperor Yang succeeded he concurrently oversaw the ministries of War and Works. That year he died at the age of sixty-four. His posthumous title was Solemn. Five hundred lengths of goods were granted in burial gifts. His son was Hongsi.
12
Cui Hongdu and his younger brother Hongsheng
13
退 使 使 使 使
Cui Hongdu, courtesy name Moheyan, was a native of Anping in Boling. His grandfather Kai was Minister of Works of Wei. His father Yue was Governor of Fuzhou under Zhou. Hongdu possessed peerless strength; his stature was towering and his beard and face remarkably imposing. His nature was stern and cruel. At seventeen Grand Chancellor Yuwen Hu of Zhou took him as a trusted intimate. He was soon appointed Colonel and repeatedly promoted to Great Colonel. At that time Hu's son, the Duke of Zhongshan Xun, was Governor of Pu Prefecture, and Hongdu accompanied him. Once he climbed with Xun to the upper story, four or five zhang above the ground; looking down Xun said, "How frightening. Hongdu said, "This is nothing to fear!" He suddenly leapt down and reached the ground unharmed. Xun was astonished by his swift fists. For battle merit he was later appointed Grand Master for Court Audience. After Emperor Wu conquered Qi he was promoted to Superlative Pillar of State and Duke of Ye, granted three thousand lengths of goods, three thousand shi of grain, a hundred slaves, and thousands of livestock. He soon followed the Duke of Runan Yuwen Shenju in defeating Lu Changqi at Fanyang. When Emperor Xuan succeeded he followed the Duke of Yun Wei Xiaokuan in operations along the Huai. Hongdu, with the Duke of Transformational Governance Yuwen Xin and Director of Waters Helou Zigan, reached Feikou; the Chen general Pan Chen led several thousand men to resist and arrayed across the water. Xin sent Hongdu to admonish him with warnings of fortune and ruin; Chen withdrew by evening. In the assault on Shouyang the Chen defender Wu Wenli surrendered; Hongdu's merit ranked first. For cumulative merit he was promoted to Senior Great General and inherited his father's title as Duke of Anping. When Wei Chong rebelled, Hongdu served as Campaign Commander under Wei Xiaokuan. Hongdu recruited several hundred of Chang'an's fiercest fighters as a separate corps; wherever they struck the enemy broke. Hongdu's sister had married Chong's son; when Yecheng fell Chong fled up a tower in distress, and Hongdu climbed the Dragon Tail ramp in pursuit. Chong drew his bow to shoot Hongdu; Hongdu removed his helmet and said, "Do you know who I am? Today we each serve the state and cannot indulge private ties. Out of kinship I have restrained the troops from insult and abuse. Matters stand as they do—look to your own safety. What are you waiting for? Chong threw down his bow, cursed the Grand Chancellor bitterly, and killed himself. Hongdu told his brother Hongsheng, "Take Chong's head. Hongsheng beheaded him, and Hongdu was advanced to Pillar of State. Campaign commanders were normally enfeoffed as state dukes, but because Hongdu had not killed Chong promptly and allowed slander to spread, his rank was reduced one grade to Duke of Wuxiang. In early Kaihuang, when the Turks invaded, Hongdu marched from Yuanzhou as Campaign Commander to resist them. The enemy withdrew and Hongdu advanced to garrison Lingwu. After more than a month he returned and was appointed Governor of Huazhou. He gave his younger sister in marriage to the Prince of Qin. He was soon transferred to General-in-Chief of Xiangzhou. Hongdu had always been high-born; he governed subordinates with stern urgency, beating and punishing at every turn; officials and commoners trembled at the sound of his name. Wherever he served, his orders were obeyed and bandits vanished. When the Liang prince Xiao Cong came to court, the emperor appointed Hongdu General-in-Chief of Jiangling to garrison Jingzhou. Before Hongdu arrived, Cong's uncle Yan seized the populace in rebellion; Hongdu pursued but could not catch him. The Chen feared Hongdu and dared not probe Jingzhou. In the conquest of Chen he served as Campaign Commander under the Prince of Qin along the Xiangyang route. When Chen fell he was granted five thousand lengths of goods. When Gao Zhihui and others rebelled he again served as Campaign Commander on the Quanmen route under Yang Su. Hongdu and Su were peers, but Hongdu was older and Su always deferred to him. Once placed under Su's command he resented it deeply and mostly ignored Su's orders. Su nevertheless treated him with forbearance. On his return he acted as Governor of Yuanzhou and still held command against the barbarians; finding no enemy he returned. The emperor honored him greatly and again gave Hongsheng's daughter to the Prince of Henan as consort. During Renshou he served as Acting Minister of the Palace Treasury. With two imperial consorts in his family he bowed to no one; he often warned his staff, "One must be sincere and forbearing and must not deceive. They all answered, "Yes." Later, while eating turtle with eight or nine attendants, he asked each, "Is turtle delicious?" Terrified, they all said, "It is delicious." Hongdu raged, "Servile wretches—how dare you deceive me! You have never eaten turtle—how would you know it is delicious?" He had them all beaten eighty strokes. Officials and artisans who witnessed it broke into a sweat; none dared conceal anything. Qu Tu Gai of the Martial Guard was likewise severe, and Chang'an said, "Better drink three sheng of vinegar than meet Cui Hongdu. Better endure three sheng of moxa than encounter Qu Tu Gai. Yet Hongdu ran his household like a government office; even gray-haired sons and brothers were beaten for the slightest fault, and his household discipline was praised at the time. Soon the Prince of Qin's consort was executed for crime and the Prince of Henan's consort was deposed. Grieved and resentful, Hongdu retired ill at home; his brothers moved out to live separately, and his frustration deepened. When Emperor Yang succeeded, the Prince of Henan became heir; the emperor intended to restore the Cui consort and sent a palace envoy to proclaim the edict. The envoy went to Hongsheng's house, and Hongdu knew nothing of it. The envoy returned and the emperor asked, "What did Hongdu say? The envoy said, "Hongdu claimed illness and would not rise." The emperor fell silent and the matter was dropped. Grieved and indignant, Hongdu soon died.
14
Yuan Hongsi
15
殿 祿 使
Yuan Hongsi was a native of Luoyang in Henan. His grandfather Gang was Prince of Yuyang of Wei. His father Jing was Duke of Yuyang under Zhou. Hongsi inherited the title in youth and at eighteen became Left Imperial Guard Attendant. In the ninth year of Kaihuang he followed the Prince of Jin in pacifying Chen and was appointed Senior Grand Master for Court Audience. In the fourteenth year he became Chief Administrator of Guanzhou and governed solely by severity, earning much resentment among his staff. In the twentieth year he was transferred to Chief Administrator of Youzhou. At that time Yan Rong was general-in-chief and tyrannized Hongsi, who was often beaten and humiliated. Hongsi refused to submit; Rong imprisoned him and was about to kill him. When Rong was executed, Hongsi took power—and his cruelty surpassed Rong's. In interrogations he often poured vinegar into prisoners' nostrils or stuffed their lower orifices; none dared hide the truth, and fraud ceased. At the end of Renshou he was appointed Director of the Carpentry Office to build the eastern capital. In early Daye the emperor secretly planned an expedition to Liaodong and sent Hongsi to Donglai to supervise shipbuilding. The conscript laborers suffered under his beatings; overseers stood day and night in the water; from the waist down maggots bred, and thirteen or fourteen in ten died. He was soon promoted to Gentleman of the Yellow Gate and then Junior Director of the Palace Interior. During the Liaodong campaign he was advanced to Grand Master for Splendid Happiness with Golden Seal and Purple Ribbon. The next year the emperor campaigned in Liaodong again; when slave bandits raided Longyou, Hongsi was ordered to attack them. When Yang Xuangan rebelled and threatened the eastern capital, Hongsi garrisoned Anding. Someone accused him of plotting with Xuangan; the Prince of Dai sent men to seize him and escort him to the imperial camp. With no evidence of rebellion he should have been released, but the emperor remained suspicious, struck his name, and exiled him to Rinan; he died on the road at forty-nine. He had a son Renguan.
16
Wang Wentong
17
祿 使
Wang Wentong was a native of Yingyang in Jingzhao. He was sharp in debate and capable in practical affairs. During Kaihuang he was appointed Grand Master for Court Audience for military merit, then Assistant Administrator of Guizhou. When Emperor Yang succeeded he was summoned as Vice Director of the Imperial Household; for offending the throne he was sent out as Assistant Governor of Hengshan. A fierce local bully always held officials' weaknesses over them; successive governors and magistrates all feared him. On taking office Wentong heard of him, summoned him, and rebuked him. He had attendants carve a great wooden stake, buried it in the courtyard with more than a chi exposed, and set four smaller stakes at the corners. He laid the man chest-down on the great stake, bound his limbs to the small stakes, and beat his back until it burst open. The whole commandery was terrified; officials and commoners looked on one another in dread. When the emperor campaigned in Liaodong he ordered Wentong to inspect the Hebei commanderies. Seeing monks on vegetarian fasts, he judged them deluded and had them all imprisoned. At Hejian he summoned the commandery officials; anyone slightly tardy was thrown face-down and beaten to death. Finding several hundred monks gathered for lectures and Buddhist assemblies, he judged them sedition and beheaded them all. He stripped monks and nuns and examined them; several thousand who were not chaste he prepared to kill as well. Men and women wailed in the streets; alarmed commanderies each reported the matter. The emperor was enraged, sent envoy Daxi Shanyi to seize and behead him at Hejian to appease the people; enemies opened his coffin, carved his flesh, and devoured it until nothing remained.
18
The historiographer remarks: Good governance does not lie in multiplying policies; sound administration does not rely on harsh punishments. Though leniency and severity may complement each other and virtue and punishment alternate, the sages valued transforming people without relying on severity. Men such as Shiwen lived in an age of enlightened rule without fierce villains; ignorant of moral power, they truly harbored cruelty. They flayed human flesh as though it were wood and stone and valued life less than straw dogs. Persisting in wickedness without repentance, few escaped ruin—some were punished and executed, others died of grief and resentment. Men of principle took this as proof that Heaven's justice still operated. Ah—alas! For those who follow, in taking up office and public life: even if one cannot rise like Zi Gao with honor waiting at one's gate, must one reduce one's mother to sweeping the grave and watching for the funeral train?
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