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卷13 漢紀五

Volume 13 Han Records 5

Chapter 13 of 資治通鑑 · Comprehensive Mirror in Aid of Governance
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Chapter 13
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From Quefeng Shotige through Zhaoyang Dayuanxian—ten years in all. 1. In winter the Empress Dowager resolved to enfeoff the Lü clan as kings and asked the right chancellor, Wang Ling. Ling said, "When the High Emperor slew the white horse for the oath, he declared: 'Whoever is made king though not of the Liu clan—all under Heaven shall strike him down together. To make the Lü clan kings now is to break that covenant." The Empress Dowager was displeased and turned to the left chancellor Chen Ping and the Grand Commandant Zhou Bo. They answered, "The High Emperor settled the realm and made his sons and brothers kings; now Your Majesty holds the regency—if you wish to make the Lü kings, what cannot be done?" The Empress Dowager was pleased and dismissed court. Wang Ling reproached Chen Ping and the Marquis of Jiang: "At the outset we joined the High Emperor in the blood oath—were you not there? Now the High Emperor is dead, the Empress Dowager rules as sovereign, and wishes to make the Lü kings; if you would only fawn and betray the covenant, with what face will you meet the High Emperor beneath the earth?" Chen Ping and the Marquis of Jiang said, "As for refuting to the face and contending in open court, I am not your equal; but to preserve the altars of state and secure the house of Liu, you are not my equal." Ling had nothing to say in reply. In the eleventh month, on jiazi, the Empress Dowager made Wang Ling Grand Tutor to the Emperor—in truth stripping him of the chancellor's authority. Ling then pleaded illness, resigned, and went home.
2
Thereupon Chen Ping was moved from left to right chancellor, and the Marquis of Piyang Shen Yishi was made left chancellor; he did not govern affairs but was ordered to oversee the inner palace, like the superintendent of the imperial clan. Yishi had long enjoyed the Empress Dowager's favor, and the highest ministers all decided affairs through him.
3
The Empress Dowager resented Zhao Yao for plotting on behalf of the Hidden King of Zhao and therefore charged him with a crime.
4
Ren Ao, governor of Shangdang, had once been a jail clerk in Pei and had done the Empress Dowager a kindness; he was therefore made grand secretary.
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----2 ----3 ----4
The Empress Dowager further posthumously honored her father, Marquis of Linsi Duke Lü, as King Xuan, and her elder brother Marquis Wu of Zhoulü Lingwu Ze as King Dao—laying the groundwork to make the Lü kings by degrees. ----2 In spring, the first month, the crime of exterminating three clans and the ban on perverse speech were abolished. ----3 In summer, the fourth month, Princess Yuan of Lu died. Her son Zhang Yan was enfeoffed as king of Lu, and the princess was given the posthumous title Empress Dowager Yuan of Lu. ----4 On xinmao, those styled as sons of Emperor Hui—Shan as Marquis of Xiangcheng, Chao as Marquis of Zhi, Wu as Marquis of Huguan—were enfeoffed.
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使 ----5 ----6 ----1 ----2 ----3宿祿 ----4 ----5 ----6 ----7 ----1 ----2 ----3 ----1 ----2 ----3-{}- ----4 ----5 使 ----
The Empress Dowager wished to make the Lü kings; she therefore first installed those styled as sons of Emperor Hui—Qiang as king of Huaiyang, Buyi as king of Hengshan; she had the grand usher Zhang Shi stir the great ministers. The great ministers then requested that the eldest son of King Dao, Marquis Li Tai, be installed as king of Lü, and Jinan prefecture in Qi was carved off to form the state of Lü. ----5 In the fifth month, on bingshen, the Cluster Terrace of the Zhao king's palace caught fire. ----6 In autumn, peach and plum trees flowered out of season. ----1 In winter, the eleventh month, King Su of Lü, Tai, died. ----2 In spring, the first month, on yimao, there was an earthquake; mountains collapsed on the roads at Qiangdao and Wudu. ----3 In summer, the fifth month, on bingshen, Ying Ke, son of King Yuan of Chu, was enfeoffed as Marquis of Shangpi, and Zhang, son of King Huaihui of Qi, as Marquis of Zhuwei; both were ordered into the palace guard, and Lü Lu's daughter was given to Zhang in marriage. ----4 In the sixth month, on the last day bingxu, there was a solar eclipse. ----5 In autumn, the seventh month, King Ai of Hengshan, Buyi, died. ----6 Eight-zhu coins were put in circulation. ----7 On guichou, Marquis of Xiangcheng Shan was installed as king of Hengshan and renamed Yi. ----1 In summer, the Yangtze and Han overflowed, drowning more than four thousand households. ----2 In autumn, stars were seen in daytime. ----3 The Yi and Luo overflowed, drowning more than sixteen hundred households. The Ru overflowed, drowning more than eight hundred households. ----1 In spring, the second month, on guiwei, the son styled as Emperor Hui's, Tai, was installed as Marquis of Changping. ----2 In summer, the fourth month, on bingshen, the Empress Dowager enfeoffed her younger half-sister Xu as Marquis of Linguang. ----3 The young Emperor was gradually growing up; knowing he was not the empress's son, he spoke out: "How could the empress kill my mother and call me her son? When I am grown, there will be a reckoning!" When the Empress Dowager heard it, she confined him in the Eternal Lane, announced that the Emperor was ill, and none of his attendants might see him. The Empress Dowager told the ministers, "The Emperor has long been ill without recovery; he is muddled and deranged and cannot succeed to rule the realm; let him be replaced." The ministers all bowed their heads and said, "The Empress Dowager has reckoned for the common people; how deep her care for the imperial temples and altars of state. The ministers bowed their heads and accepted the decree." Thereupon they deposed the Emperor and killed him in secret. In the fifth month, on bingchen, King Yi of Hengshan was installed as Emperor and renamed Hong; the first year was not proclaimed, because the Empress Dowager governed the realm. Marquis of Zhi Chao was made king of Hengshan. ----4 This year Marquis of Pingyang Cao Chu was made grand secretary. ----5 The responsible offices requested a ban on frontier markets and ironware with Nanyue. The king of Nanyue, Tuo, said, "The High Emperor installed me and allowed the exchange of envoys and goods. Now the High Empress listens to slanderous ministers, treats the barbarians as alien, and cuts off goods and iron—this must be the king of Changsha's design, to rely on the central court to destroy Nanyue and annex it himself, making that his achievement."
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1 ----2 ----3 ----4 ----1 ----2 ----3 ----4宿 ----5 ----6 ----7 ----1 ----2 -{}- ----3 ----4 ----5 ----6 ----7 使 ----8 忿
1. In spring Tuo styled himself Emperor Wu of Nanyue, sent troops against Changsha, defeated several counties, and withdrew. ----2 In autumn, the eighth month, King Huai of Huaiyang, Qiang, died; Marquis of Huguan Wu was made king of Huaiyang. ----3 In the ninth month, cavalry from Hedong and Shangdang were mobilized to garrison Beidi. ----4 For the first time border garrisons were ordered to rotate yearly. ----1 In winter, the tenth month, the Empress Dowager deposed King Jia of Lü for arrogant and unrestrained conduct. In the eleventh month, the younger brother of King Su, Chan, was installed as king of Lü. ----2 In spring, stars were seen in daytime. ----3 In summer, the fourth month, on dingyou, all under Heaven was pardoned. ----4 Zhang's younger brother Xingju was enfeoffed as Marquis of Dongmou and also joined the palace guard. ----5 The Xiongnu raided Didao and attacked Ayang. ----6 Five-fen coins were put in circulation. ----7 Marquis of Xuanping Zhang Ao died and was given the posthumous title King Yuan of Lu. ----1 In winter, the twelfth month, the Xiongnu raided Didao and carried off more than two thousand people. ----2 In spring, the first month, the Empress Dowager summoned King You of Zhao, the Secluded King. You had taken a daughter of the Lü clan as -{the cited text}- but did not love her; he loved another consort. The Lü daughter was enraged, left, and slandered him to the Empress Dowager, saying, "The king said, 'How can the Lü clan be made kings? After the Empress Dowager passes her hundred years, I will surely strike them.'" For this reason the Empress Dowager summoned the king of Zhao; when he arrived, he was lodged at the guesthouse but could not be received; she ordered guards to surround him and would not give him food; if any of his ministers secretly fed him, they were immediately seized and prosecuted. On dingchou, the king of Zhao starved to death; he was buried with commoners' rites in the commoners' burial ground at Chang'an. ----3 On jichou, there was an eclipse; daytime grew dark. The Empress Dowager took it ill and said to those beside her, "This is aimed at me!" ----4 In the second month, King Hui of Liang was moved to Zhao, and King Chan of Lü was made king of Liang. The king of Liang did not go to his state but became Grand Tutor to the Emperor. ----5 In autumn, the seventh month, on dingsi, Marquis of Pingchang Tai was installed as king of Jichuan. ----6 Lü Xu's daughter was wife to the general and Marquis of Yingling, Liu Ze. Ze was a cousin of the High Ancestor on the collateral line. The man of Qi, Tian Sheng, spoke on his behalf to the grand usher Zhang Qing: "When the Lü were made kings, the great ministers were not fully persuaded. Now Marquis of Yingling Ze is the eldest among the Liu; if you speak to the Empress Dowager to make him king, the Lü kingship would be all the firmer." Zhang Qing went in and spoke to the Empress Dowager; she approved, cut Langye prefecture from Qi, and enfeoffed Ze as king of Langye. ----7 King Hui of Zhao, having been moved to Zhao, was discontent at heart. The Empress Dowager made Lü Chan's daughter his queen; the queen's attendants were all Lü kin; they monopolized power, watched the king of Zhao covertly, and he could not act as he wished. The king had a consort he loved; the queen sent someone to poison her. In the sixth month, unable to bear grief and rage, the king killed himself. When the Empress Dowager heard it, she held that the king had abandoned the rites of the ancestral temple for a woman's sake and abolished his succession. ----8 At this time the Lü clan monopolized power and handled affairs. Marquis of Zhuwei Zhang, twenty years old, was strong and spirited and resented that the Liu clan held no office. Once, attending the Empress Dowager at a banquet, she ordered Zhang to be wine steward. Zhang requested on his own, "Your servant is of a general's stock; I beg to enforce the wine by military law." The Empress Dowager said, "It may be done." When the wine was deep, Zhang requested to perform the "Ploughing Fields Song"; the Empress Dowager granted it. Zhang said, "Plough deep and sow thick; set the seedlings, wanting them sparse; What is not our kind—hoe it up and cast it out!" The Empress Dowager fell silent. Shortly after, one of the Lü clan, drunk, fled the wine service; Zhang pursued him, drew his sword and killed him, then reported: "One man deserted the wine service; your servant has duly executed him by military law!" Those around the Empress Dowager were greatly alarmed; she had already approved his military law and could not punish him, so the banquet ended. From then on the Lü clan feared the Marquis of Zhu Xu; even the great ministers relied on him, and the Liu house grew stronger.
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調 ----9使使 祿祿 ----10使 ----11 ----1 ----2
Chen Ping was troubled by the Lü clan; he lacked the power to control them and feared disaster would reach him. Once when at ease in private he was deep in thought, Lu Jia came, went straight in and sat down, yet Chancellor Chen did not receive him. Master Lu said, "How deep your brooding!" Chen Ping said, "Master, what do you suppose I am brooding on?" Master Lu said, "Your Excellency is supremely rich and noble—you want for nothing; yet you brood on nothing beyond the Lü clan and the young sovereign." Chen Ping said, "It is so! What is to be done about it?" Master Lu said, "When the realm is secure, attend to the chancellor; when the realm is in peril, attend to the general. When general and chancellor are in harmony, officers gladly attach themselves; though trouble comes, power is not divided. For the realm's sake, it lies in the grasp of you two lords alone. I have often wished to speak to Grand Commandant the Marquis of Jiang, but he jokes with me and makes light of my words. Why not make friends with the Grand Commandant and bind yourselves deeply?" He then laid out for Chen Ping several matters concerning the Lü clan. Chen Ping used his plan and sent five hundred in gold as a birthday gift to the Marquis of Jiang, lavishly providing music and drink; and the Grand Commandant returned the courtesy in like measure. The two men bound themselves deeply, and the Lü clan's plots grew weaker. Chen Ping gave Master Lu a hundred slaves, fifty teams of chariots and horses, and five million in cash for food and drink. ----9 The Empress Dowager sent envoys to tell the king of Dai that she wished to move his fief to Zhao. The king of Dai declined and wished to remain guarding the Dai frontier. The Empress Dowager thereupon installed her elder brother's son Lü Lu as king of Zhao and posthumously honored Lu's father, Marquis Kang of Jiancheng Shi Zhi, as King Zhao of Zhao. ----10 In the ninth month King Ling of Yan Jian died; he had a son by a concubine, and the Empress Dowager sent men to kill him. The state was abolished. ----11 The Marquis of Longlu Zhou Zao was sent to lead troops against the Southern Yue. ----1 In winter, the tenth month, on xinchou, the son of King Su of Lü, Marquis of Dongping Tong, was installed as king of Yan, and Tong's younger brother Zhuang was enfeoffed as Marquis of Dongping. ----2 In the third month the Empress Dowager performed the lustration rite; on her return, passing Zhi Road, she saw something like a gray dog that struck her under the arm, then vanished. She divined; the answer said, "King Ruyi of Zhao is the haunting spirit." The Empress Dowager then fell ill from the wound to her arm.
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----3 ----4祿 祿 祿 ----5 祿西 使 紿
Because her grandson the king of Lu Yan was young, orphaned, and weak, in summer, the fourth month, on dingyou, she enfeoffed Zhang Ao's two sons by a former concubine—Zhang Chi as Marquis of Xindu and Zhang Shou as Marquis of Lechang—to assist the king of Lu. She also enfeoffed the grand usher Zhang Shi as Marquis of Jianling, rewarding him for having urged the king to support the Lü clan. ----3 The Yangzi and Han rivers overflowed, drowning more than ten thousand households. ----4 In autumn, the seventh month, the Empress Dowager was gravely ill and appointed King Zhao Lu as supreme general in the Northern Army; King Lü Chan was stationed in the Southern Army. The Empress Dowager admonished Chan and Lu: "The Lü kingships—the great ministers are not reconciled. When I soon die, the Emperor is young, and the great ministers may fear trouble. You must hold troops and guard the palace; take care not to attend the funeral—you will be controlled by others!" On xinsi the Empress Dowager died. Her testamentary edict: a general amnesty; King Lü Chan to be Chancellor of State; Lü Lu's daughter to be empress. After the High Empress Dowager was buried, the left chancellor Shen Yiji was made Imperial Tutor to the Emperor. ----5 The Lü clan wished to rebel but feared the great ministers Jiang, Guan, and others, and did not dare act. The Marquis of Zhu Xu, having married Lü Lu's daughter, knew their plot; he secretly sent men to tell his elder brother the king of Qi to raise troops and march west while the Marquis of Zhu Xu and the Marquis of Dongmou served as inner supporters, to execute the Lü clan and install the king of Qi as emperor. The king of Qi then secretly plotted to raise troops with his maternal uncle Si Jun, the director of attendants Zhu Wu, and the commandant of justice Wei Bo. The chancellor of Qi, Shao Ping, would not heed him. In the eighth month, on bingwu, the king of Qi wished to send men to execute the chancellor. The chancellor, learning of it, raised troops to guard the royal palace. Wei Bo deceived Shao Ping: "The king wishes to raise troops, yet there is no verification by the Han tiger tally. Yet my lord the chancellor in besieging the king is surely right; Bo asks to lead troops for my lord and guard the king." Shao Ping believed him. Once Bo had taken command, he besieged the chancellor's residence and Shao Ping killed himself. Thereupon the king of Qi made Si Jun chancellor, Wei Bo general, and Zhu Wu director of the interior, and fully mobilized the state's troops.
10
使西 西 使 使 西
He sent Zhu Wu east to deceive the king of Langye: "The Lü clan is in rebellion; the king of Qi has raised troops and wishes to march west to execute them. The king of Qi considers himself young and unskilled in military affairs and wishes to entrust the whole state to Your Majesty. Your Majesty was yourself a general under the High Emperor. We beg Your Majesty to favor us with a visit to Linzi to meet the king of Qi and plan affairs." The king of Langye believed it and galloped west to see the king of Qi. The king of Qi detained the king of Langye and sent Zhu Wu to fully mobilize Langye's troops and take joint command. The king of Langye persuaded the king of Qi: "Your Majesty, as the eldest grandson by the proper wife of the High Emperor, ought to be enthroned. Now the great ministers are in doubt and have not settled on anyone; among the Liu house Ze is the eldest in years, and the great ministers surely await Ze to decide. If Your Majesty detains me, it is of no use; better to let me enter the passes and plan affairs." The king of Qi thought it right and further equipped chariots and sent off the king of Langye. Once the king of Langye had departed, Qi raised troops and attacked Jinan westward. He sent a letter to the feudal kings, setting forth the crimes of the Lü clan and wishing to raise troops to execute them.
11
使使 西
Chancellor of State Lü Chan and others, hearing of it, sent the Marquis of Yingyin Guan Ying to lead troops against them. Guan Ying reached Xingyang and took counsel: "The Lü clan hold troops in the passes and wish to endanger the Liu house and set themselves up. If I now break Qi and return to report, this only adds to the Lü clan's resources." He therefore remained encamped at Xingyang, sent envoys to instruct the king of Qi and the feudal lords to join in alliance, and waited for trouble from the Lü clan so they might together execute them. The king of Qi, hearing of it, returned his troops to the western border to await the covenant.
12
祿
Lü Lu and Lü Chan wished to rebel; inwardly they feared the Marquis of Jiang, the Marquis of Zhu Xu, and others; outwardly they feared the troops of Qi and Chu; and they also feared Guan Ying would turn against them. They wished to wait until Guan Ying's troops joined with Qi's before acting, and hesitated without deciding.
13
祿
At this time the kings of Jichuan Tai, Huaiyang Wu, Changshan Chao, and Lu Zhang Yan were all young and had not gone to their states, dwelling in Chang'an; King Zhao Lu and King Liang Chan each commanded troops in the Southern and Northern Armies. all were men of the Lü clan. The ranked marquises and ministers none could be secure in their lives.
14
祿 使紿祿-{}- 祿 使便便
Grand Commandant the Marquis of Jiang Bo could not command troops. The Marquis of Quzhou Li Shang was old and ill; his son Ji was on good terms with Lü Lu. The Marquis of Jiang then plotted with Chancellor Chen Ping, sent men to seize Li Shang, and had his son Ji go to deceive Lü Lu: "The High Emperor and -{the cited text}- together settled the realm; the nine kings the Liu house installed and the three the Lü house installed were all by the great ministers' deliberation; the matter has been proclaimed to the feudal lords, and all think it fitting. Now the Empress Dowager is dead and the Emperor young, yet Your Excellency wears the seal of king of Zhao, does not hurry to your state to guard your fief, but serves as supreme general and keeps troops here—you are suspected by the great ministers and feudal lords. Why not return the general's seal and entrust the troops to the Grand Commandant, ask King Liang to return the Chancellor of State's seal, covenant with the great ministers, and go to your states? Qi's troops will surely be dismissed, the great ministers will be secure, and you may lay your head on a high pillow and be king of a thousand li—this is a benefit for ten thousand generations." Lü Lu believed this plan and wished to entrust the troops to the Grand Commandant. He sent men to report to Lü Chan and the elders of the Lü clan; some thought it expedient, some said it was not—the plan hesitated without decision.
15
祿
Lü Lu trusted Li Ji and at times went out with him to hunt, passing his aunt Lü Xu. Xu raged: "You serve as general yet abandon the army—the Lü clan today has nowhere to stand!" She then brought out all pearls, jade, and precious vessels and scattered them in the hall: "Do not keep them for others!"
16
使
In the ninth month, at dawn on gengshen, the Marquis of Pingyang Zhu, acting as Grand Secretary, met Chancellor of State Chan to plan affairs. Director of attendants Jia Shou's envoy came from Qi and reproached Chan: "Your Majesty did not go early to your state; though you now wish to go, can you still get away!" He fully told Chan that Guan Ying had allied with Qi and Chu and wished to execute the Lü clan, and urged Chan to hurry into the palace. The Marquis of Pingyang had partly overheard these words and galloped to tell the chancellor and Grand Commandant.
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祿使 祿 祿 殿
The Grand Commandant wished to enter the Northern Army but could not enter. The Marquis of Xiangping Ji Tong held the tally and credentials; he was ordered to hold the credentials and falsely announce the Grand Commandant's entry into the Northern Army. The Grand Commandant again ordered Li Ji and the director of guests Liu Jie first to persuade Lü Lu: "The Emperor has sent the Grand Commandant to hold the Northern Army and wishes you to go to your state. Hurry back and return the general's seal and resign. If not, disaster will soon arise." Lü Lu thought Li Ji would not deceive him, removed the seal and entrusted it to the director of guests, and gave the troops to the Grand Commandant. The Grand Commandant reached the army; Lü Lu had already left. The Grand Commandant entered the camp gate and issued orders in the army: "Those for the house of Lü, bare the right shoulder; those for the house of Liu, bare the left shoulder!" In the army all bared the left shoulder; the Grand Commandant then took command of the Northern Army. Yet the Southern Army still remained. Chancellor Ping then summoned the Marquis of Zhu Xu, Zhang, to assist the Grand Commandant; the Grand Commandant ordered the Marquis of Zhu Xu to supervise the camp gate and ordered the Marquis of Pingyang to tell the Commandant of the Guard: "Do not let anyone enter Chancellor of State Chan's palace gate."
18
祿 殿 祿使
Lü Chan did not know Lü Lu had already left the Northern Army; he entered Weiyang Palace, intending to make trouble. Reaching the palace gate, he could not enter and paced back and forth. The Marquis of Pingyang feared they would not prevail and galloped to tell the Grand Commandant. The Grand Commandant still feared he might not overcome the various Lü and did not dare speak openly of executing them; he said to the Marquis of Zhu Xu: "Hurry into the palace and guard the Emperor!" The Marquis of Zhu Xu requested troops; the Grand Commandant gave him more than a thousand men. Entering Weiyang Palace gate, he saw Chan in the courtyard. In late afternoon he attacked Chan; Chan fled. A great wind arose; his followers fell into disorder and none dared fight; they pursued Chan and killed him in the privy of the Palace Attendant's quarters. After the Marquis of Zhu Xu had killed Chan, the Emperor ordered a chamberlain to hold credentials of authority and console the Marquis of Zhu Xu. The Marquis of Zhu Xu wished to seize the credentials; the chamberlain would not agree. The Marquis of Zhu Xu then rode with him in the carriage; relying on the credentials' authority he galloped off and beheaded Chang Palace Commandant of the Guard Lü Gengshi. Returning, he galloped into the Northern Army to report to the Grand Commandant. The Grand Commandant rose, bowed in congratulation to the Marquis of Zhu Xu, and said: "The sole worry was Lü Chan. Now he has been executed—the realm is settled!" Thereupon he sent men in divisions to arrest all the Lü, men and women; none, young or old, was spared execution. On xinyou, Lü Lu was captured and executed and Lü Xu was flogged to death; envoys were sent to execute King of Yan Lü Tong and depose King of Lu Zhang Yan. On wuchen, the King of Jichuan was moved to be King of Liang. The Marquis of Zhu Xu, Zhang, was sent to report to the King of Qi about the execution of the Lü and to order him to disband his troops.
19
使使 退
Guan Ying was at Xingyang; hearing that Wei Bo had originally urged the King of Qi to raise troops, he sent an envoy to summon Wei Bo and, when he arrived, rebuked and questioned him. Bo said: "In a house where fire has broken out, how could there be leisure to speak first of the father-in-law and only then fight the fire!" Thereupon he withdrew and stood aside, thighs trembling and shuddering, afraid he could not speak; in the end he said nothing more. General Guan looked at him intently and laughed: "People call Wei Bo brave—he is a muddled common fellow; what can he do!" Thereupon he dismissed Wei Bo. Guan Ying's troops also withdrew from Xingyang and returned.
20
:: 祿 ----6 -{}- 使
:: Ban Gu's encomium says: In Emperor Wen's time, all under Heaven took Li Ji as one who sold out his friend. To sell out a friend means to see profit and forget righteousness. If Ji, as the son of a meritorious minister, moreover held him hostage, though he overthrew Lü Lu to secure the realm, it was permissible to preserve lord and kin in righteousness. ----6 The great ministers together plotted in secret: "The Young Emperor and the kings of Liang, Huaiyang, and Hengshan are none of them true sons of Emperor Xiaohui. -{the cited text}- by scheme falsely named others' sons, killed their mothers, and raised them in the rear palace, making them Emperor Xiaohui's sons, establishing one as heir and the various kings, to strengthen the house of Lü. Now all the Lü have been exterminated, yet the one enthroned is grown and in power—our sort will have no survivors. Better to look among the kings for the most worthy and establish him." Some said: "The King of Qi, the High Emperor's eldest grandson, may be established." The great ministers all said: "The house of Lü, because of evil from the maternal kin, nearly endangered the ancestral temples and threw the merit-holders into disorder. Now the King of Qi's maternal uncle Siju is violent as a tiger wearing a cap. To establish the King of Qi would be to make the Lü again. The King of Dai is now the eldest among the High Emperor's living sons, humane, filial, generous, and lenient; the empress dowager's clan, the house of Bo, is careful and good. Moreover to establish the eldest is inherently accordant—how much more when he is known throughout the realm for humanity and filial piety!" Thereupon together they secretly sent envoys to summon the King of Dai.
21
使
The King of Dai asked his attendants; Gentlemen-of-the-Palace Zhang Wu and others said: "The great officers of Han are all former great generals from the High Emperor's time, skilled in war, full of plots and deceit. Their intent does not stop here; they only fear the authority of the High Emperor and Empress Dowager Lü. Now the Lü have been executed and they have freshly shed blood in the capital—this, though in the name of welcoming Your Majesty, is truly not to be trusted. I wish that Your Majesty plead illness and not go, to observe how things change." Commandant of the Imperial Guards Song Chang advanced and said: "The counsel of the ministers is all wrong. When Qin lost its government, feudal lords and powerful heroes rose together; everyone who took himself for the one to obtain it numbered in the tens of thousands—yet in the end the one who trod the Son of Heaven's place was the house of Liu; the realm had given up hope—one thing. The High Emperor enfeoffed sons and younger brothers with territory interlocking like dogs' teeth—this is what is called the clan as bedrock; the realm submitted to its strength—two things. Han rose, abolished Qin's harsh government, simplified laws and ordinances, and bestowed virtue and kindness; everyone found security for himself—hard to shake—three things. Even under the sternness of Empress Dowager Lü, she established the various Lü as three kings with sole power and authoritarian rule; yet the Grand Commandant, with a single credential entering the Northern Army and one shout, every soldier bared the left shoulder for the house of Liu, revolted against the various Lü, and in the end destroyed them. This was Heaven's grant—not human strength. Now though the great ministers wished to make trouble, the common people would not serve them; could their faction achieve singleness of purpose? Now within there are kin such as Zhu Xu and Dong Mou; without, they fear the strength of Wu, Chu, Huaiyang, Langye, Qi, and Dai. Among the High Emperor's sons today, only the King of Huainan and Your Majesty. Your Majesty is moreover the eldest; your worth, sagacity, humanity, and filial piety are heard throughout the realm—therefore the great ministers rely on the hearts of the realm and wish to welcome and establish Your Majesty. Your Majesty must not doubt." The King of Dai reported to the empress dowager to work out a plan. Still hesitating and undecided, he divined; the omen obtained Great Horizontal. The interpretation said: "Great Horizontal, geng-geng; I become King of Heaven; Xia Qi with brightness." The King of Dai said: "I am already king—what further kinghood?" The diviner said: "What is called King of Heaven is in fact the Son of Heaven." Thereupon the King of Dai sent the empress dowager's younger brother Bo Zhao to see the Marquis of Jiang; Bo and the others fully explained to Zhao the reason for welcoming and establishing him as king. When Bo Zhao returned and reported, he said: "It is trustworthy; there is nothing to doubt." The King of Dai then smiled and said to Song Chang: "It has indeed been as you said."
22
使
He then ordered Song Chang to ride as companion, Zhang Wu and six others to travel post-haste, and followed to Chang'an. Reaching Gaoling, he stopped to rest and sent Song Chang first to gallop to Chang'an and observe developments. When Chang reached the Wei Bridge, the chancellor and those below all came to welcome him. Chang returned to report. The King of Dai galloped to the Wei Bridge; the ministers bowed in audience and styled themselves subjects; the King of Dai descended from the chariot and returned the bows. Grand Commandant Bo advanced and said: "I wish to request a private word." Song Chang said: "What you would speak is public—speak it publicly; what is private, a king has no private affairs." The Grand Commandant then knelt and presented the Son of Heaven's seal and tally. The King of Dai declined: "Let us deliberate at the lodging for Dai."
23
西
In the intercalary ninth month, on jiyou, the last day of the month, the King of Dai reached Chang'an, lodged at the lodging for Dai, and the ministers followed him to the lodging. Chancellor Chen Ping and all twice bowed and said: "Hong and the others are none of them sons of Emperor Xiaohui and ought not to tend the ancestral temples. Your Majesty, eldest son of the High Emperor, should be the heir. We wish Your Majesty to assume the Son of Heaven's place at once." The King of Dai declined facing west three times, declined facing south twice, and then assumed the Son of Heaven's place. The ministers waited in attendance according to ritual order.
24
輿 殿 殿
Marquis of Dongmou Xingju said: "In executing the house of Lü, your servant had no merit; I request to be allowed to clear the palace." He then entered the palace with Grand Coachman Marquis of Ruyin Teng Gong, went forward and said to the Young Emperor: "Your Excellency are not of the house of Liu and ought not to be enthroned!" Then he turned and gestured to those at the left and right holding halberds to cast aside weapons and withdraw; several men would not lay down weapons; Chamberlain Zhang Shizhi was ordered to announce, and they too laid down weapons. Teng Gong then summoned the imperial carriage to carry the Young Emperor out. The Young Emperor said: "Where do you mean to take me?" Teng Gong said: "Go out to the lodging." He lodged him at the Minor Treasury. Then with the Son of Heaven's formal equipage he welcomed the King of Dai from the lodging and reported: "The palace has been carefully cleared." The King of Dai that evening entered Weiyang Palace. Ten chamberlains holding halberds guarded the main gate: "The Son of Heaven is within; what are Your Excellency doing entering?" The King of Dai thereupon spoke to the Grand Commandant. The Grand Commandant went to announce; the ten chamberlains all cast aside weapons and left; the King of Dai then entered. At night, Song Chang was appointed General of the Guard, pacifying the Northern and Southern Armies; Zhang Wu was made Gentlemen-of-the-Palace and patrolled within the palace halls. The relevant officials in divisions executed the kings of Liang, Huaiyang, and Hengshan and the Young Emperor at their lodging. Emperor Wen returned and took his seat in the front hall; at night he issued an edict amnestying the realm.
25
1 ----2 ----3 ----4 使 ----5 ----6 -{}- 退 ----7 滿 ----8 ----9 ----10 ----11 ----12 使 使 ----13 -{}- 西 西
In winter of the first year, in the tenth month, on the day gengxu, King Ze of Langye was transferred to be King of Yan; King You of Zhao's son Sui was enfeoffed as King of Zhao. ----2 Chen Ping declined office on grounds of illness. The Emperor asked him; Chen Ping said, “Under Gaozu, Bo's merit was less than mine, and in executing the Lü clan mine was also less than his; I wish to yield the right chancellorship to Bo.” In the eleventh month, on xinsi, the Emperor made Chen Ping left chancellor, Grand Commandant Zhou Bo right chancellor, and Grand General Guan Ying grand commandant. The former Qi and Chu territories seized by the Lü clan were all restored. ----3 When rewards were apportioned for executing the Lü clan, from Right Chancellor Bo downward each received added households and gold according to rank. After court the Marquis of Jiang hurried out, looking very pleased with himself. The Emperor treated him with deference and often watched him leave. Palace Gentleman Yuan Ang of Anling remonstrated: “The Lü clan rebelled and the great ministers joined to execute them. At that time the chancellor had been grand commandant and already held military authority; he simply happened to be there when it succeeded. Now if the chancellor acts like a proud master while Your Majesty defers to him, lord and minister lose all propriety—I cannot think this fitting for Your Majesty!” After that at court the Emperor grew sterner and the chancellor more afraid. ----4 In the twelfth month an edict said, “Law is the straightedge of rule. When the guilty have already been sentenced, yet innocent parents, wives and children, and household kin are punished with them, and families are confiscated into servitude—We cannot accept this! Abolish the statutes on confiscation of kin and collective punishment.” ----5 In spring, the first month, officials asked that the crown prince be established at once. The Emperor said; “I lack virtue; even if I cannot seek out worthy and sage men throughout the realm and yield the throne to one of them, to speak of establishing an heir in advance only doubles my want of virtue. Let the matter rest!” The officials said, “Establishing an heir in advance gives weight to the ancestral temple and altars of state and shows that the realm is not forgotten.” The Emperor said, “The King of Chu is my uncle; the King of Wu is my elder brother; the King of Huainan is my younger brother—are they not already in line? If I do not choose among them but insist it must be a son, people will think I have forgotten the worthy and virtuous and fix on my own son—this is not how to care for the realm!” The officials pressed on: “In antiquity Yin and Zhou each held their states in peace for more than a thousand years by this very method. The heir must be a son—a practice of very ancient standing. Gaozu pacified the realm as Grand Ancestor so that descendants might succeed generation after generation without end; to set aside what ought to be done and choose anew among feudal lords and the imperial clan is not Gaozu's intent. Further debate is out of place. His son Qi is the eldest, pure, generous, and benevolent; we ask that he be made crown prince.” The Emperor then agreed. ----6 In the third month the crown prince's mother, Lady Dou, was made empress. The empress was from Guanjin in Qinghe commandery. She had a younger brother Guangguo, styled Shaojun, who as a child was kidnapped and sold through more than ten households; when he heard Empress Dou had been established, he submitted a memorial identifying himself. He was summoned, questioned, and the facts verified; he received rich grants of land, houses, and money, and he and his elder brother Changjun were given residences in Chang'an. The Marquis of Jiang, General Guan, and others said, “If we are not to die, our lives still hang by these two. Both come from humble origins; tutors and retainers must be chosen for them; if they imitate the Lü clan again, it will be a grave matter!” Scholars of proven integrity were then chosen to live with them. Dou Changjun and Shaojun thereby became modest gentlemen and did not presume on their rank to treat others arrogantly. ----7 An edict ordered relief for widowers, widows, orphans, the childless elderly, and the destitute. It also ordered: “Those eighty and above shall receive monthly allotments of rice, meat, and wine; those ninety and above shall additionally receive silk and cotton wadding. Where stipends are to be reported and converted to rice, chief officials shall inspect and the assistant or commandant shall deliver; for those under ninety, the district clerk and recorder shall deliver; officials of two thousand dan shall send inspectors on circuit and hold accountable any who fail to comply.” ----8 King Yuan of Chu, Liu Jiao, died. ----9 In summer, the fourth month, Qi and Chu were shaken by earthquakes; twenty-nine mountains collapsed on the same day and great floods burst out. ----10 At that time someone presented a thousand-li horse. The Emperor said, “Imperial banners go before and attendant chariots follow; on a ceremonial journey we cover fifty li a day, on campaign thirty. If I ride a thousand-li horse, where would I go ahead alone?” He returned the horse, gave traveling expenses, and issued an edict: “I do not accept presentations. Let the four quarters be ordered not to come bearing tribute.” ----11 Once the Emperor had extended his grace throughout the realm, feudal lords and the four quarters near and far were at ease. He then reviewed those who had aided his coming from Dai and enfeoffed Song Chang as Marquis of Zhuangwu. ----12 The Emperor grew ever more skilled in affairs of state. At court he asked Right Chancellor Zhou Bo: “How many cases are decided throughout the realm in a year?” Bo apologized that he did not know. He asked again: “How much money and grain enter and leave the treasury in a year?” Bo again said he did not know, fearful and ashamed, sweat soaking his back. The Emperor asked Left Chancellor Chen Ping. Chen Ping said, “There are officials in charge of that.” The Emperor said, “Who is in charge?” He said, “If Your Majesty asks about cases, hold the commandant of justice responsible; if about money and grain, hold the superintendent of grain responsible.” The Emperor said, “If each has its officer, what do you yourself oversee?” Chen Ping apologized: “Your Majesty does not know how incompetent I am and has made me serve as chancellor. The chancellor assists the Son of Heaven above, harmonizes yin and yang, and accords with the four seasons; below he brings the ten thousand things to their proper course; externally he pacifies the four quarters and feudal lords; internally he draws the people close and sees that ministers and grandees each fulfill his charge.” The Emperor praised this. The right chancellor was deeply ashamed; leaving court he reproached Chen Ping: “Why did you never teach me how to answer!” Chen Ping laughed: “You hold the post—do you not know its duties? And if Your Majesty asked how many thieves there are in Chang'an, would you force an answer?” Then the Marquis of Jiang knew his ability fell far short of Chen Ping's. Before long someone urged Zhou Bo: “You executed the Lü clan and established the King of Dai; your authority shakes the realm. Yet you have received rich rewards and hold an exalted post; before long disaster will reach you.” Zhou Bo also felt endangered; he declined on grounds of illness and asked to return the chancellor's seal, and the Emperor agreed. In autumn, the eighth month, on xinwei, Right Chancellor Zhou Bo was dismissed and Left Chancellor Chen Ping became sole chancellor. ----13 Earlier, when the Marquis of Longlü, Zao, attacked the Southern Yue, heat and damp brought a great epidemic among the troops and the army could not cross the frontier passes. After more than a year Empress Dowager Gao died and the army was withdrawn. Zhao Tuo then used military might and gifts to win over Min Yue, Western Ou, and the Luo peoples and bring them under his rule. His domain stretched more than ten thousand li east to west; he rode the yellow canopy with the left banner and styled himself emperor on a par with China.
26
使使 -{}- 使 使
The Emperor then established guard districts for Zhao Tuo's ancestral tombs at Zhending and ordered seasonal sacrifices; summoned his brothers, gave them honored posts, and richly favored them. He again sent Lu Jia as envoy to the Southern Yue with a letter to Zhao Tuo: “I am a son of Gaozu by a concubine, set aside in the borderlands, and received the northern fief at Dai. The roads are distant and I was cut off in my simplicity; I have never before sent you word. Gaozu left his ministers; Emperor Xiaohui passed away; Empress Dowager Gao herself held power; she fell ill and the Lü clan rebelled; thanks to the great ministers they were executed to the last; because kings, marquises, and officials would not be reassured, I had no choice but to ascend. I have now taken the throne. Recently I heard that you sent a letter to General the Marquis of Longlü, seeking your brothers and asking that the two Changsha generals be dismissed. At your request I have dismissed General the Marquis of Boyang; your brothers at Zhending have already been visited and your ancestral tombs repaired. The other day I heard you had raised troops on the border and raids have not ceased. At that time Changsha suffered bitterly and Nan commandery most of all. Though it is your own kingdom, can it alone benefit? It must multiply the killing of soldiers, wound good commanders, widow wives, orphan sons, and bereave parents—for one gain, ten losses; I cannot bear to do it. I wish to fix the boundaries where our lands interlock like dog's teeth and asked the officials; they said, ‘This is how Gaozu divided the territory of Changsha. ’ I cannot change that on my own authority. To take your territory would not make me great; to take your wealth would not make me rich. South of Fuling Pass you may govern on your own. Nevertheless, your title is still emperor. If two emperors stand together yet lack even a one-horse messenger to keep the road open between them, that is contention; to contend and not yield—no benevolent man would do it. I wish with you equally to cast aside past ill will; from now on let envoys pass as before."
27
-{}- 使 使使 使 ----14 ----15 ----1 ----2 ----3 ----4 便
When Lu Jia reached the Southern Yue, the king was afraid; he kowtowed in apology and vowed to obey the imperial edict, remain a frontier vassal forever, and fulfill his tribute duties. Thereupon he issued an order throughout the state: “I have heard that two heroes do not stand together, nor two sages in one age. The Han Emperor is a worthy Son of Heaven. From now on I shall abandon the imperial title, yellow canopy, and left banner.” He then wrote a letter styled: “Great chieftain of the barbarians, your old servant Tuo, risking death, twice knocks head and submits this letter to His Majesty the Emperor: I, your old servant, was formerly a Yue official; the High Emperor graciously granted me a seal and made me King of the Southern Yue. When Emperor Xiaohui took the throne, in righteousness he could not cut me off, and what he bestowed on your old servant was very generous. -{the cited text}- held power, treated the barbarians differently, and issued an order: ‘Do not give the barbarian Yi of Yue gold, iron, field tools, horses, cattle, or sheep. If you give any, give males only; do not give females. ’ Your old servant dwells in a remote place; our horses, cattle, and sheep are already fully grown. Thinking that poorly kept sacrifices were a capital offense, I sent three parties—the inner secretary Fan, the commandant of the guards Gao, and the censorate recorder Ping—to submit letters of apology; none returned. I also heard on rumor that my parents' tombs had been destroyed and my brothers and clansmen condemned and executed. Officials discussed among themselves: ‘Now inwardly we cannot gain standing with Han, and outwardly have no way to set ourselves apart. ’ So we changed our title to emperor and styled ourselves emperors in our state—not daring to harm all under Heaven. When Empress Dowager Gao heard, she was greatly angry, struck Southern Yue from the register, and cut off diplomatic contact. Your old servant privately suspected the King of Changsha had slandered me, so I sent troops to raid his border. Your old servant has dwelt in Yue forty-nine years and now holds a grandchild in his arms. Yet rising early and sleeping late, with no peace in bed or savor in food, eyes not viewing gorgeous colors, ears not hearing bells and drums—all because I could not serve Han. Now Your Majesty has graciously pitied me, restored my old title, and envoys pass with Han as before; when your old servant dies, his bones will not rot away. To change our title—I dare not be emperor again!” ----14 King Ai of Qi, Liu Xiang, died. ----15 The Emperor heard that Wu Gong, prefect of Henan, ranked first in all under Heaven for governance and peace, and summoned him to be commandant of justice. Wu Gong recommended Jia Yi of Luoyang; the Emperor summoned him and made him an erudite. At that time Jia Yi was in his twenties. The Emperor loved his broad learning; within a year he was promoted past regular steps to grand master of the palace. Jia Yi asked to correct the calendar, change ceremonial colors, fix official titles, raise ritual and music, establish Han institutions, and reform Qin law. The Emperor modestly deferred; there was as yet no leisure for it. ----1 In winter, the tenth month, Marquis Xian of Quyu, Chen Ping, died. ----2 An edict ordered feudal lords each to his state; those serving as officials and those held back by edict were to send their heirs. ----3 In the eleventh month, on yihai, Zhou Bo again became chancellor. ----4 On the last day of the month guimao, there was a solar eclipse. An edict: “Let all ministers reflect on my faults and on what their knowledge and insight fail to reach, and beg to report them to me. And recommend worthy and upright men able to speak bluntly and remonstrate forcefully, to correct my shortcomings.” Thereupon each was charged with his duties, told to reduce corvée levies to benefit the people, and the general of the guard was abolished. The grand coachman reported surplus horses in the treasury; the remainder were all assigned to relay stations.
28
The Marquis of Yingyin, Jia Shan, submitted a memorial on the way of order and disorder, saying:
29
:
: “I have heard that what thunderbolts strike, nothing fails to be shattered; what ten thousand jun weights press, nothing fails to be ground to dust. Now the lord's majesty is not merely like thunderbolts; what he holds is weighty—not merely ten thousand jun. He opens the way and seeks remonstrance, receives it with a gentle countenance, uses their words and honors their persons—yet scholars still fear and dare not speak their full mind; how much more when one indulges desire, acts willfully and violently, and hates to hear of one's faults! Shake them with majesty and press them with weight—even with the wisdom of Yao and Shun and the courage of Meng Ben, would any fail to be shattered! If so, the lord cannot hear his faults and the altars of state are in peril.
30
: 退
: In former times Zhou had perhaps eighteen hundred states; the people of the Nine Provinces supported eighteen hundred lords—the lords had surplus wealth, the people surplus strength, and songs of praise arose. The First Emperor of Qin used the people of those eighteen hundred states to nourish himself alone; strength exhausted, they could not bear his corvées; wealth spent, they could not satisfy his demands. One man's person—the pleasures with which he nourished himself were racing, archery, and hunting—and all under Heaven could not supply them. The First Emperor reckoned his merit and measured that his descendants for generations without end— yet within only a few months after his death all under Heaven attacked from four sides and the ancestral temple was extinguished. The First Emperor dwelt in extinction yet did not know it—why? All under Heaven dared not tell him. Why did none dare tell him? He lacked the duty of nurturing the aged, lacked assisting ministers, dismissed those who criticized, and killed those who spoke bluntly. Thus the way of flattery and shameless compliance: in comparing his virtue he surpassed Yao and Shun; in judging his achievement he surpassed Tang and Wu; all under Heaven had already collapsed yet none told him.
31
:使 使 使
: Now Your Majesty has caused all under Heaven to recommend worthy and upright men; all under Heaven rejoice and say, ‘He is about to raise the way of Yao and Shun and the achievement of the Three Kings. ’ Scholars everywhere refine themselves to receive your gracious virtue. Now worthy and upright men are all at court; yet choosing the worthiest among them, you make them attendants-in-ordinary and various officials and ride and hunt with them—going out three or four times in a day. I fear the court will grow slack and the hundred officials will neglect their duties. Since Your Majesty took the throne you have personally urged enriching all under Heaven, sparing expense and loving the people, leveling prisons and easing punishments; and all under Heaven rejoices. I hear that when officers east of the mountains issued edicts, people though old, frail, and crippled leaned on staves to go and listen, wishing to live a little longer without dying to see your transforming virtue fulfilled. Now your achievement is just being completed and your fame just spreading—the four quarters look to your example and follow; yet worthy grandees and upright scholars go straight to daily hunting and shooting, striking rabbits and killing foxes, injuring the great work and cutting off all under Heaven's hopes—I mourn it privately. In antiquity great ministers did not join in feasting and outings; if all were made to devote themselves to their duties and elevate their integrity, then no minister would dare fail to straighten his conduct and give full heart to match the great framework. Scholars refined at home yet ruined in the Son of Heaven's court—I pity it privately. Your Majesty should feast and recreate with the multitude of ministers, but debate policy in court with great ministers and upright men—outing without losing pleasure, court without losing ritual, debate without losing plans: these are the great tracks of affairs."
32
The Emperor praised and adopted his words.
33
At each audience, when gentlemen and attendant officials submitted memorials, the Emperor never failed to stop the palanquin and receive their words. What could not be used he set aside; what could be used he adopted—he never failed to praise it as good.
34
西
The Emperor, riding over Baling Ridge, wished to gallop westward down a steep slope. Supervisor of the Gentlemen Yuan Ang rode alongside, drew abreast of the chariot, and pulled the reins. The Emperor said, “General, are you afraid?” Yuan Ang said, “I have heard, ‘A son worth a thousand in gold does not sit beneath overhanging eaves.’ A sage lord does not ride in peril or court luck. Now Your Majesty would gallop the six-horse team down a steep mountain—if the horses startle and the chariot breaks, though Your Majesty might make light of yourself, what of the High Ancestor's temple and the empress dowager!” The Emperor then stopped.
35
-{}-
Consort Shen, whom the Emperor favored, in the inner palace often sat on the same mat as the empress. When they sat with attendants in place, Yuan Ang drew back Consort Shen's seat. Consort Shen was angry and would not sit; the Emperor too was angry, rose, and went into the inner palace. Yuan Ang then advanced and said, “I have heard, ‘When high and low are ordered, then above and below are harmonized.’ Now Your Majesty has already established -{the cited text}-; Consort Shen is but a concubine. How can a concubine and the mistress sit together! Moreover, if Your Majesty favors her, richly reward her— what Your Majesty does for Consort Shen is exactly what will bring calamity upon her. Has Your Majesty alone not seen the ‘human pig’!” Thereupon the Emperor was persuaded, summoned Consort Shen and spoke to her, and Consort Shen bestowed fifty jin of gold on Yuan Ang.
36
Jia Yi spoke to the Emperor, saying:
37
:
: “The Guanzi says, ‘When granaries are full, then ritual and propriety are known; when clothing and food are sufficient, then honor and shame are known. ’ That the people are insufficient yet the state can be governed—from antiquity until now, none has ever heard of it. The ancients said: ‘If one man does not plow, someone may go hungry; if one woman does not weave, someone may go cold. ’ Production has its seasons, yet consumption knows no limit—then material resources must fail. In antiquity those who governed the realm were thorough to the finest detail, so their stored reserves could be trusted. Today many abandon the fundamental and rush to the secondary—this is the great destroyer of the realm! The habit of excess and extravagance grows daily—this is the great thief of the realm! Destroyer and thief go unchecked, and no one stops them; the nation's vital strength is about to fail, and no one stirs to rescue it. Producers are few and spenders many—how can the realm's wealth not be depleted?
38
:
: The Han dynasty has ruled for nearly forty years, yet public and private stores remain pitifully thin. If the seasons fail and rains do not come, the people will look about in alarm; if the harvest fails and taxes cannot be paid, they beg to sell their noble ranks and even their children. This has already reached my ears—how can the realm be brought to such peril while those above are not alarmed!
39
:
: Famine and plenty in the world are Heaven's way; Yu and Tang endured them. If misfortune brings drought across two or three thousand li, how will the state aid one another? If suddenly the border is threatened and armies of hundreds of thousands or millions must be fed, with what will the state supply them? When war and drought strike together, the realm is drained; the strong gather bands and rampage, while the worn-out and the aged exchange sons and gnaw on bones. Before government is fully restored, distant men who would usurp the throne will rise together in rivalry; only then in alarm will you take counsel—will it still be in time! Stored grain is the lifeblood of the realm. If grain is plentiful and resources ample, what undertaking would not succeed! In attack you prevail, in defense you stand firm, in battle you win; win over foes and draw the distant near—what invitation would they not answer!
40
: 使
: Now drive the people back to farming and fix them all on the fundamental. Let all under Heaven live by their own labor; let those in petty crafts and idle wandering turn to the south-facing fields—then stores will be full and the people content in their places. By this you could enrich and secure the realm, yet Your Majesty lets the granaries run so thin—I grieve for you in private!"
41
----5 ----6 使 ----7 ----8
The Emperor was moved by Jia Yi's words; in spring, the first month, on dinghai, an edict opened the sacred plowing field and the Emperor farmed in person to lead the people of the realm. ----5 In the third month officials asked that the imperial sons be enfeoffed as feudal kings. An edict first made the young son of King You of Zhao, Piqiang, King of Hejian; the Marquis of Zhu Xu, Zhang, King of Chengyang; and the Marquis of Dongmou, Xingju, King of Jibei; then made the imperial sons Wu King of Dai, Can King of Taiyuan, and Yi King of Liang. ----6 In the fifth month an edict said: “In antiquity those who governed the realm set up banners to reward good counsel and posts for criticism, so that the way of rule was kept open and remonstrance could reach the throne. Now the law punishes slander and ‘demon talk,’ so ministers dare not speak plainly and those above have no way to hear their faults—how will worthy men from afar be drawn in! Abolish them!” ----7 In the ninth month an edict said: “Agriculture is the great foundation of the realm; the people depend on it for their livelihood; yet some neglect the root and pursue the secondary, so their livelihood fails. I am troubled by this, and therefore now personally lead the ministers in farming to encourage it; grant the people of the realm half this year's land tax.” ----8 King Jing of Yan, Liu Ze, died.
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