Comprehensive Reflections to Aid in Governance
By Sima Guang
Translated By Yiming Yang
Annals of Han Book 4 Scroll 12 (continued)
The 9th year of the Emperor Gaozu (198 B.C. continued)
An enemy of Guan Gao turned in his plot to assassinate the emperor. In response, the emperor arrested the king of Zhao and other conspirators. Zhao Wu and more than ten others argued over who would be the first to commit suicide, while Guan Gao alone raged and cursed: “Who made you do this? Our king had no intention of rebelling. If you all die, who will proclaim and defend the king’s innocence?” He placed the King of Zhao and himself into a sealed prisoner transport vehicle and headed to Chang’an.
Guan Gao declared in court, “Only our clique was involved; the king was not aware of it.” The officials interrogated him, beating him with sticks and whips thousands of times, and even poking him with spikes. Not a square inch of skin on his body was spared, yet he never spoke again. Empress Lü said several times, “For the sake of his wife, the Eldest Princess, King Zhang Ao would not have done such a thing.” The emperor, however, was furious and shouted at her, “If Zhang Ao had controlled the empire, would he have been bereft of your daughter?” He refused to listen to her.
The minister of justice reported Guan Gao‘s case to the emperor. The emperor remarked, “A braveheart! Who knows him well? Ask him privately.” The Grandee of Palace, Xie Gong, responded, “I am from the same town as Guan Gao and know his character. He is known for upholding righteousness and being unyielding, in the kingdom of Zhao. Guan Gao is a man of his word.” The emperor sent Xie Gong with an insignia of authority to visit Guan Gao in his bamboo bed.
Xie Gong and Guan Gao talked cheerfully, as they had in the past. Then Xie Gong asked, “Did King Zhang Ao have any part in the plot?” Guan Gao replied, “Do people not love their parents, spouses, and children? My entire family has been sentenced to death. How could I love King Zhang Ao more than my own family? It was only we who wanted to rebel—he did not.” He explained his motives, affirming that Zhang Ao was unaware of the conspiracy.
Xie Gong reported this back to the emperor. In January of the following spring, the emperor pardoned Zhang Ao, deposed him from the King to the Marquis of Xuanping, and replaced him with Prince Ruyi, who was king of Dai, as the new king of Zhao.
The emperor, who admired Guan Gao, had Xie Gong inform him, “Zhang Ao has already been released,” and granted Guan Gao a pardon. Guan Gao was delighted and asked, “Has my lord truly been released?” Xie Gong replied, “Yes. The emperor values you greatly, which is why he has pardoned you.”
Guan Gao then said, “The reason I did not die with no good skin on my body left was that I convinced everyone that King Zhang Ao did not rebel. Now that he has been released, my responsibility is fulfilled, and I have no regrets about dying. Moreover, as a subject, I would be accused of usurpation and regicide. How could I continue to serve the emperor with any dignity? Even if the emperor does not execute me, I would still feel ashamed in my heart.” With that, he broke his own neck artery and died.
Xun Yue’s commentary: Guan Gao had initially plotted a rebellion and committed the crime of regicide. Even if he could prove the truth to the emperor, his minor contribution could not absolve him of the grave offense of scheming against the state and his failure to fulfill his public responsibilities. The ethics of the Spring and Autumn Annals emphasize justice must be upheld, and such crimes must be severely punished.
Sima Guang’s commentary: Emperor Gaozu was rude and lost the loyalty of his subjects, while Guan Gao was ruthless and caused the downfall of his sovereign. When Guan Gao plotted a rebellion, it was due to the fault of Emperor Gaozu; and when Zhang Ao lost his state, it was the fault of Guan Gao.
The emperor issued a decree: “Those who committed crimes before January 28 will receive a pardon, except for those already sentenced to capital punishment.”
The emperor returned to the capital from Luoyang.
Earlier, the emperor had issued an edict stating, “Any officials, retainers, or attendants of the state of Zhao who follow King Zhang Ao will be punished by the extermination of their entire family.” In response, the Court Clerk Tian Shu, a client of Zhang Ao–Meng Shu, and a few others shaved their heads and wore iron collars, submitting themselves as slaves to follow Zhang Ao. After Zhang Ao was exonerated, the emperor praised Tian Shu, Meng Shu, and the others. He summoned them for an audience, conversed with them, and found that none of the imperial court officials surpassed them in ability. The emperor then appointed them as prefects of commanderies and ministers of vassal kingdoms.
A solar eclipse occurred on June 30 that summer.
In that same year, Xiao He was promoted from Prime Minister to Chancellor.
Reflection by Rio Grande 
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