Comprehensive Reflections to Aid in Governance
By Sima Guang
Translated By Yiming Yang
Annals of Han Book 8 Scroll 16 (continued)
Revolt of Seven Principalities
As court officials discussed the plan to further reduce the territory of the Prince of Wu, the prince, fearing that the reductions would continue indefinitely, decided to initiate a rebellion. Seeing no suitable contenders among the vassal kings, he heard the bravery and military prowess of the Prince of Jiaoxi, Liu Ang, who was both feared and respected by the other princes. Thus, he sent Grandee of the Palace, Ying Gao, to persuade the Prince of Jiaoxi to join his cause.
Ying Gao said to Prince Liu Ang, “At present, our sovereign employs wicked ministers, listens to slanderous villains, encroaches upon the princes, and imposes increasingly severe punishments, which worsen day by day. There is a saying, ‘licking the chaff leads to eating the rice kernel.’ Both the Prince of Wu and Your Grace are renowned among the princes, and now we are being closely scrutinized without any peace of mind. The Prince of Wu has suffered from internal ailments for over twenty years, preventing him from attending court audiences. He constantly worries about being suspected, with no way to clear his name. He hunched his back and crossed his feet, fearing he would never be left in peace.
“I have heard that Your Grace was implicated in the sale of noble titles. In such cases, territorial reduction is a severe punishment, and it should not have gone this far. I fear it will not end with just the loss of territory.”
Prince Liu Ang replied, “Indeed. What do you suggest?”
Ying Gao continued, “The Prince of Wu shares the same concerns as Your Grace. He seeks to act at the right time, sacrificing himself to eliminate the troubles in the realm. Is this your intention as well?”
Startled and astonished, Prince Liu Ang responded, “How could I dare to do such a thing? Even if the Sovereign presses me hard, death is certainly an option. How dare I not serve him?”
Ying Gao said, “Chao Cuo, the Grand Master of the Censorate, has deceived and misled the Emperor, trampling on the princes. The courtiers harbor grievances against him, and the princes are all contemplating rebellion. This has escalated into a deep human conflict. When comets appear and locusts swarm, it is a rare, once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. Sorrow and hardship are what sages use to initiate change. The Prince of Wu plans to eliminate Chao Cuo internally, and externally, he will follow behind your royal carriage, sweeping across the realm. Wherever Your Grace goes, all will surrender, and whomever you point to will submit. No one will dare resist.
“If Your Grace, thank goodness, gives your commitment, the Prince of Wu will join forces with the Prince of Chu to control Hangu Pass, guard the granaries of Xingyang and Ao’cang, resist the Han army, and establish camps, awaiting your arrival. If we are fortunate to have Your Grace lead the way, then the entire realm can be united, with two sovereigns (Prince of Wu and Prince of Jiaoxi) dividing the country. Is this not feasible?”
Prince Liu Ang replied, “Well said!”
After returning, Ying Gao reported to the Prince of Wu, who, still feeling uncertain whether the plan would succeed, personally went as an envoy to the Princedom of Jiaoxi to negotiate. Some ministers in Jiaoxi, aware of the Prince of Wu‘s intentions, cautioned the Prince of Jiaoxi, “The combined territories of the princes are not enough to challenge the House of Han, amounting to less than twenty percent of the entire country. Starting a rebellion to add to the Empress Dowager’s worries is an unwise strategy. We are currently under the rule of one emperor, and serving him is already difficult. Even if the plan succeeds, it will lead to conflict between two sovereigns, creating further troubles.”
Despite their warnings, the Prince ignored the advice and proceeded to send messengers to form alliances with the princes of Qi, Zichuan, Jiaodong, and Jinan, all of whom agreed to the proposal.
Earlier, Prince Yuan of Chu had a great interest in books and studied the Book of Songs together with Mr. Shen, Mr. Mu, and Mr. Bai from Lu, under the guidance of Professor Fuqiu Bo. When Prince Yuan ascended the throne, he appointed the three of them as Grandee of the Palace.
Mr. Mu, known for his abstinence from alcohol, was always served a non-alcoholic beverage at Prince Yuan’s feasts. However, when Prince Yuan’s son, Prince Yi (Liu Yingke), and grandson, Prince Liú Wù, came to the throne, they continued this practice at first but gradually forgot to prepare Mr. Mu’s non-alcohol beverage. Feeling neglected, Mr. Mu decided to retire, saying, “I can leave now. If they forget the special beverage, it shows the prince’s indifference. If I remain, the people of Chu will watch me wear shackles in the marketplace.” He then feigned illness and took leave.
Mr. Shen and Mr. Bai tried to persuade him, “Do you not remember the virtues of the previous princes? Does a small neglect warrant such extreme actions?” Mr. Mu replied, “The Book of Changes says, ‘Knowing the harbinger of things is divine. The harbingers are portent of fortune and calamity. A noble person acts upon recognizing them, without waiting for the unexpected to strike.’ The previous princes respected us because they valued the Way. By neglecting it now, they have forgotten the Way. How can I remain with those who lost the Way? This is not about a minor slight!” And so, he bid farewell and left, leaving only Mr. Shen and Mr. Bai behind.
As Prince of Chu, Liú Wù gradually became more debauched and tyrannical. The Grand Preceptor Wei Meng composed poems to admonish him, but the prince paid no heed. Wei Meng eventually left and took residence in Zou.
Liú Wù, after committing crimes and having his territory reduced as punishment, conspired with the Prince of Wu. Mr. Shen and Mr. Bai tried to dissuade him, but Liú Wù treated them as criminals, dressing them in coarse clothing and forcing them to grind grain in the market. The Marquis of Xiu, Liu Fu, Liú Wù‘s uncle, sent someone to remonstrate with the prince. Liú Wù responded, “If Uncle is not with me, I will rise and seize him first!” Fearing for his safety, the Marquis of Xiu fled to the capital with his mother, the Grand Madame.
When the decree reducing the territories of the Kuaiji and Yuzhang commanderies reached the Princedem of Wu, the Prince of Wu immediately raised an army and executed Han officials with 2,000-picul salary and below.
Similarly, the princes of Jiaoxi, Jiaodong, Zichuan, Jinan, Chu, and Zhao also rebelled against the Han. The Prime Minister of Chu, Zhang Shang, and the Grand Preceptor Zhao Yiwu remonstrated with Prince Liú Wù, but he killed them. The Prime Minister of Zhao, Jiande, and the Interior Minister Wang Han remonstrated with the Prince of Zhao, Liu Sui, who burned them to death.
The Prince of Qi, regretting his decision, reneged on the agreement and fortified his city to resist the advance of the Prince of Wu and the Prince of Chu. The city wall of the Prince of Jibei was damaged and still under construction, and his Minister of Household held him hostage, preventing the prince from sending troops. The Princes of Jiaoxi and Jiaodong at the head of the troops, along with the Princes of Zichuan and Jinan, led an attack on the princedom of Qi, besieging Linzi.
Meanwhile, the Prince of Zhao mobilized his troops to guard his western border, intending to wait for the advance of the Prince of Wu and the Prince of Chu. He also sent envoys to the Xiongnu in the north to form an alliance.
The Prince of Wu, mobilizing all his soldiers, issued a decree within his principality: “At the age of sixty-two, I will personally lead the army, and my fourteen-year-old son will fight alongside the soldiers. All those as old as I and as young as my son shall be conscripted.” The total number of soldiers amounted to over two hundred thousand. The Prince of Wu also sent envoys to the kingdoms of Min and Dongyue, who likewise raised troops to join the rebels.
The Prince of Wu raised his army in Guangling, crossed the Huai River to join forces with the Chu army, and sent manifestos to the other principalities, accusing Chao Cuo of various crimes and calling for a joint campaign to eliminate him. The troops of Wu and Chu launched a coordinated attack on the principality of Liang, broke through its defenses at Jibi, and killed tens of thousands. Their advance continued with great momentum. The Prince of Liang dispatched a general to counter them, but he was defeated, and his soldiers fled. The Prince of Liang then fortified himself in Suiyang.
Before Emperor Wen‘s death, he had warned his crown prince, “In times of urgency or crisis, Zhou Yafu is truly the one to lead the army.” When news of the revolt of the Seven Princedoms reached the Emperor, he appointed Zhou Yafu, the Commandant of the Capital Guard, as the Grand Commandant and ordered him to lead thirty-six generals to attack the princedoms of Wu and Chu. He sent the Marquis of Quzhou, Li Ji, to attack the principality of Zhao, and General Luan Bu to rescue the principality of Qi. The Emperor also summoned Dou Ying, appointing him as Grand Marshal and to station troops in Xingyang to oversee the Han armies marching towards Qi and Zhao.
When Chao Cuo amended thirty laws, discontent clamors arose among the princes. His father, upon hearing of it, traveled from Yingchuan to speak to him. “When the Emperor first ascended the throne, you involved yourself in politics and took actions that encroached upon the princes. Your policies have sown discord among the royal families, and public opinion is filled with resentment against you. Why have you done this?”
Chao Cuo replied, “Without these measures, the Emperor would not command respect, and the ancestral temples would not be secure.”
His father said, “While the Liu clan may be safer, the Chao clan is now in peril. I will go far away from you.”
He then drank poison and died, saying, “I cannot bear to witness the calamity that will befall us.”
About ten days later, the Seven Principalities, including Wu and Chu, rebelled under the pretext of eliminating Chao Cuo.
Reflection by Rio Grande 
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