Comprehensive Reflections to Aid in Governance
By Sima Guang
Translated By Yiming Yang
Annals of Han Book 3 Scroll 11 (continued)
The 5th year of the Emperor Gaozu (202 B.C. continued)
Lou Jing, from the kingdom of Qi, was sent to a garrison in Longxi Commandery. While passing through Luoyang, he visited his fellow townsman, General Yu of Qi, wearing a sheepskin coat and pulling a cart. He asked General Yu to introduce him to the Emperor. General Yu wanted to provide him with better attire for the meeting, but Lou Jing refused, saying, “If I come in silk, I will meet his majesty in silk. If I come in plain cloth, I will meet his majesty in plain cloth. I dare not dress differently.” General Yu mentioned Lou Jing to the Emperor, who agreed to meet him.
When the Emperor sought his advice, Lou Jing asked, “Does your majesty intend to compete with the Zhou dynasty in terms of prosperity by choosing Luoyang as the capital?”
The Emperor replied, “Yes.”
Lou Jing continued, “Your majesty took over the country in a way very different from the Zhou dynasty. The ancestor of Zhou, Hou Ji, was awarded the fiefdom Tai State. From that time, the family followed a virtuous path, accumulating merit and charity over several generations. Then came King Tai, King Ji, King Wen, and King Wu of Zhou, whom other monarchs admired and supported. King Wu of Zhou overthrew the Shang dynasty and became emperor. When King Cheng of Zhou ascended the throne and the Duke of Zhou served as prime minister, they chose Luoyang as the capital because it was centrally located, making it equally accessible for all the monarchs to pay tributes and report to the Emperor.”
“A virtuous king easily becomes emperor, while an unethical king is easily destroyed. During the prime of the Zhou dynasty, the country was at peace and harmony, with all the monarchs and neighboring foreigners compliant and paying tribute. But as the Zhou dynasty declined, no one paid homage anymore, and the emperor lost control over the country. He not only lost his moral authority but was also in a weaker position. Now, your majesty began the uprising in the town of Feng in Pei county, prevailed over Shu and Hanzhong commandery, and then conquered the three kingdoms of Qin. Your majesty fought Xiang Yu between Xingyang and Chenggao, enduring more than seventy major battles and forty minor ones. The people of this country have suffered extreme cruelty. Countless bodies of fathers and sons lie scattered in the fields, the cries of the bereaved have not ceased, and the wounded have not yet risen from their beds. We are not in a position comparable to the time of King Cheng or King Kang of Zhou.”
“The former kingdom of Qin has mountains at its back and is encircled by rivers. Fortresses have been built at strategic mountain passes on all four sides. In an emergency, a million soldiers could be mobilized instantly. With Qin’s infrastructure and fertile land, it is a god-blessed stronghold. If your majesty chooses to establish the capital within the Hangu Pass, the land of Qin will be secure, even if there are rebellions east of Xiao Mountain. In hand-to-hand combat, it is not a total victory unless you can grab your opponent by the throat and strike from his back. By securing the former kingdom of Qin as the capital, your majesty essentially grabs the country by its throat and slaps its back.”
The Emperor consulted other ministers, all of whom were from east of the Xiao Mountains. They tripped over each other to offer their opinions: “The Zhou dynasty lasted for centuries, while the Qin dynasty perished within only two generations. Luoyang has Chenggao to the east, Xiao Mountain and Mianchi Lake to the west. It is backed by the Yellow River and faces the Yi River and Luo River, making its defensive position reliable.”
The Emperor then sought advice from Zhang Liang. Zhang Liang said, “Luoyang is defensible, but its core area is too small, and the farming soil is poor. It is vulnerable to attacks from all directions and not an ideal place to engage in a long battle. Guanzhong, on the other hand, is different. It has Xiao Mountain and Hangu Pass to its east, Long Mountain and the Shu commandery to its west, with thousands of miles of fertile land. It is enriched by the wealth of Ba and Shu commanderies to the south and benefits from the nomads’ pastures to the north. It is protected on three sides, leaving only the eastern monarchs to deal with. If these monarchs are peaceful, the Yellow and Wei rivers can serve as conduits to transport resources westward to the capital. If they rebel, troops can swiftly move downstream, and supply lines won’t be a problem. That is why Guanzhong is known as the ‘Thousand Miles of Metal City’ or ‘God-blessed Home Base.’ Lou Jing knows what he is talking about.”
The Emperor immediately set out westward and established Chang’an as the capital. He appointed Lou Jing as a court guard and granted him the title of Lord Fengchun. Additionally, he honored Lou Jing by bestowing his own surname, Liu, upon him.
Zhang Liang had been in poor health and practiced a therapeutic Daoist art since following the Emperor into the west of Hangu Pass. He adopted a strict diet, avoiding grain, and rarely left his house. He declared, “My family served as prime ministers of Hán for generations. I spent ten thousand caddies of gold to avenge the brutal Qin when the kingdom of Hán was annihilated, and I made an impact on the country. I was fortunate enough to become the emperor’s advisor and was granted a fief of ten thousand households just by moving my three-inch tongue and sharing my counsel. This is the highest position a commoner could ever achieve—far beyond what I desired. Now, I wish to follow Chisongzi, a Daoist immortal, to wander freely and leave behind the troubles of the human world.”
Sima Guang’s commentary: Death after life is as natural as night following day. From ancient times to the present, no one has escaped fate to achieve immortality. Zhang Zifang was a rational man and must have known that immortality was a fantasy. His wisdom was evident in his talk of following Chisongzi’s path. Fame and success are the hardest trials a minister faces. The Emperor praised none more than the three standouts—yet Marquis Huaiyin and his clan were extirpated, and Xiao He was imprisoned. Isn’t it because they did not stop when their lives reached their peaks? Zhang Zifang wisely turned his life over to the gods, discarding wealth and fame, and leaving the secular world. He is an example of someone who saved himself and his philosophy.
The Emperor announced a nationwide amnesty on June 9th.
In July of the fall, Zang Tu, the king of Yan, rebelled, prompting the Emperor to personally lead the campaign to suppress the mutiny.
Both King Jing of Zhao, Zhang Er, and King Wen of Changsha, Wu Rui, passed away.
Zang Tu was captured in September, and Marquis Chang’an, Lu Wan, who served as the grand commandant, was appointed the king of Yan. Lu Wan had grown up in the same neighborhood as the Emperor and was born on the same day, a bond unmatched by anyone else. His appointment as king was a unique honor.
Li Ji, a general under Xiang Yu, also mounted an insurrection, which the emperor personally quelled, bringing Li Ji into custody.
The construction of Changle Palace began in late September.
Zhongli Mo, a general under Xiang Yu, was a close friend of Han Xin, the king of Chu. He joined Han Xin‘s command. The Emperor, harboring a grudge against Zhongli Mo, issued a decree for his arrest upon learning of his escape to the kingdom of Chu.
When Han Xin traveled to Chu for his inauguration, his large entourage was heavily armed as they passed through the towns and counties of his fiefdom state.
Reflection by Rio Grande 
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