Comprehensive Reflections to Aid in Governance
By Sima Guang
Translated By Yiming Yang
Annals of Han Book 13 Scroll 21
The 2nd year of Emperor Wu’s Yuanfeng Era (109 B.C.)
In October of winter, the Emperor journeyed to Yong County to perform sacrifices at the Five Deity Altars. Upon his return, he made offerings at the altar of Taiyi, paying homage to the virtuous star Saturn.
In January of spring, Gongsun Qing reported, “I beheld a divine figure upon Mount Donglai, seemingly desiring to meet the Emperor.” Thereupon, the Emperor set forth to Goushi City, appointed Gongsun Qing as a Grandee of the Palace, and proceeded to Mount Donglai. After several days’ stay, during which no divine apparition was witnessed, only tracks of a giant were found. He then dispatched thousands of occultists to seek spiritual phenomena, gathering reishi mushrooms [Ganoderma] in their search. The year brought with it a drought, and as the Emperor’s tour had no clear purpose, prayers for rain were offered at the shrine of Wanlisha.
In April of summer, on his return, the Emperor made a stop at the shrine on Mount Tai and worshiped the Heaven.
Earlier, the Yellow River had breached its banks at Huzi River, and for over twenty years, the breach remained unrepaired, causing great devastation to the princedoms of Liang and Chu. In this year, the Emperor dispatched two officials, Ji Ren and Guo Chang, accompanied by tens of thousands of soldiers, to mend the breach at Huzi River. Upon his return from Mount Tai, the Emperor personally oversaw the project to repair the river bank, sinking a white horse and a jade disc into the waters. He commanded all officials and attendants, from generals to common soldiers, to carry firewood and fill the breach. A palace, named Xuanfang Palace, was constructed at the site. Two channels were diverted from the river, following the ancient tracks of Yu the Great, thereby restoring peace to the regions of Liang and Chu, which were spared from further flooding calamities.
The Emperor had returned to Chang’an.
For the first time, the Emperor commanded the shamans of Yue to offer sacrifices to the Deities and the many Spirits, employing chicken bone divination.
Gongsun Qing remarked that immortals favored lofty abodes. In response, the Emperor commanded the construction of Feilian[legendary divine bird] Tower and Guiguan[legendary divine plant] Tower in Chang’an, as well as Yishou[enhancing life expectancy] Tower and Yanshou[prolonging life expectancy] Tower in Ganquan. He instructed Gongsun Qing to prepare the necessary offerings and await the arrival of the divine beings. Moreover, a Heavenly Commuting Stem was erected, with sacrificial vessels placed beneath it. Renovations and expansions were also undertaken for the front hall of Ganquan, along with various imperial palaces and buildings.
When the kingdom of Yan was at the height of its power, its territory encompassed the governance of the Zhenfan and Gojoseon tribes, where local offices were established, and barriers and fortifications were built. When the kingdom of Qin conquered Yan, its territory was incorporated into the external frontiers of Liaodong. However, during the Han Dynasty, due to the challenges of defending these remote regions, the old borders of Liaodong were reinstated, stretching as far as the Peishui River as borderline, and the internal territory was governed by the principality of Yan.
When the King of Yan, Lu Wan, rebelled and fled to the Xiongnu, a man from the kingdom of Yan named Wi Man defected, gathering a group of over a thousand followers. They adopted the hairstyles and attire of the indigenous peoples, fleeing eastward beyond the borders, crossing the Peishui River, and settling in the vacant territories of Qin. They gradually subdued the Zhenfan and Gojoseon indigenous tribes, as well as fugitives from Yan. Wi Man became their leader, establishing his seat at Wangxian (Pyongyang).
During the reigns of Emperor Hui and Empress Dowager Lü, when the realm was still stabilizing, the Prefect of Liaodong reached an agreement with Wi Man. Wi Man was recognized as an external vassal, entrusted with safeguarding the barbarian tribes beyond the borders and preventing raids. He was not to hinder any tribal leader who wished to pay homage to the Emperor. As a result, Wi Man used his military might and wealth to conquer nearby smaller territories, with Zhenfan and Lintun coming under his control, thus extending his influence several thousand li.
This legacy was passed down to Wi Man‘s grandson, Ugeo, who attracted many Han fugitives but never sought an audience with the Emperor. The tribes of Chenhan (southern Korean Peninsula) wished to present a memorial to the Emperor but were denied access. In that year, the Han court dispatched She He to persuade Ugeo. Despite She He’s efforts, Ugeo adamantly refused to comply with the imperial decree.
When She He reached the border at the Peishui River, he assassinated Gojoseon‘s Junior Prince Chang, who had been escorting him. After crossing the river, She He swiftly entered the territory and reported to the Emperor, saying, “I have killed a Gojoseon general.” Impressed by his bravery, the Emperor refrained from further interrogation and appointed She He as the Commandant of Eastern Liaodong.
The Gojoseon people, bearing a grudge against She He, launched an attack, leading to his death.
In June, nine stems of reishi mushrooms grew in the chambers of Ganquan, prompting the Emperor to issue a general amnesty.
Fearing the drought, the Emperor sought counsel from Gongsun Qing, who remarked, “During the reign of the Yellow Emperor, the land had been dry for three years after he performed a sacrifice at Mount Tai.” In response, the Emperor issued an edict declaring, “There is a drought; it seems that Heaven has made the land dry.”
In the autumn, the Bright Hall was constructed near the Wenshui River in Laiwu.
The Emperor enlisted criminals from across the nation to join the military forces. He dispatched Louchuan General Yang Pu to float across the Bohai Sea from Qi, while Xun Zhi, General of the Left, was sent from Liaodong. Their mission was to campaign against Gojoseon.
Earlier, the Emperor sent Wang Ran to demonstrate the military might of the Han, which had annexed Nanyue and other Southern tribes, in order to persuade the King of Dian to come to court. The King of Dian commanded tens of thousands of soldiers. There were allied tribes, such as Laoshen and Mimo in the northeast, who shared the same surname and were reluctant to heed the Emperor’s request. These tribes frequently raided and attacked officials and soldiers sent by the court. As a result, the Emperor dispatched General Guo Chang and Wei Guang, General of Household, to mobilize troops from Ba and Shu. They successfully defeated and eradicated Laoshen and Mimo, advancing with their military force towards the Kingdom of Dian. The King of Dian, upon seeing the might of the Han, surrendered, pledging allegiance and requesting the appointment of officials from the central government, as well as a visit to the court. Consequently, the region was established as the Yizhou Commandery, the King of Dian was granted a king’s seal, and he was allowed to rule his people as before.
During this time, after the Han‘s conquest of the kingdoms of Nanyue and Dongyue and the pacification of the southwestern tribes, seventeen new commanderies were established in these territories. The local customs and practices were respected, and no taxes were levied. The nearby commanderies, such as Nanyang and Hanzhong, provided food, money, carts, and horses to supply the officials and soldiers of these new commanderies. However, the new commanderies occasionally faced minor rebellions, resulting in the killing of officials. The Han court had to dispatch forces from the southern regions to suppress these rebellions, costing over ten thousand lives annually, with all expenses covered by requisitions from the Minister of Agriculture. The Minister of Agriculture managed to support these expenses through the equitable distribution system and the salt and iron monopoly revenues. Nevertheless, wherever the military forces went, counties provided resources, ensuring they were not in short supply. There was no longer any talk of special taxes for the military’s needs.
In this year, Du Zhou of Nanyang, who held the position of Chief Censor, was appointed as the Minister of Justice. Du Zhou, outwardly charitable and amicable, was deeply principled and draconian within. His administrative style greatly resembled that of his predecessor, Zhang Tang.
During this period, the number of criminal cases increased significantly. Imprisoned high-ranking officials, with a salary of two thousand piculs of grain, accumulated old cases alongside new ones, amounting to more than a hundred individuals. Within the span of a year, the Minister of Justice handled over a thousand cases, with major cases involving the arrest and investigation of several hundred individuals, while minor cases involved tens of people. Cases from distant regions, numbering in the thousands, and those from nearby areas, extending several hundred li, were required to report to the trials. Alongside the Minister of Justice, the Censorate and the other offices in the capital had incarcerated around sixty to seventy thousand individuals. With further implications during official interrogations, the total number increased to a hundred thousand.
Reflection by Rio Grande 
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