Comprehensive Reflections to Aid in Governance
By Sima Guang
Translated By Yiming Yang
Annals of Han Book 18 Scroll 26 (continued)
The 1st year of Emperor Xuan’s Shen’jue Era (61 B.C. continued)
When the Emperor received Zhao Chongguo’s memorial, he ordered it circulated among his advisers. The courtiers unanimously objected:
“The Xianling are powerful—they have reckoned on aids from the Han and Jian tribes. If we do not first subdue the Han and Jian tribes, we cannot strike at the Xianling tribe.”
The Emperor then appointed the Privy Counselor Xu Yanshou as General of Strong Crossbows, and made Xin Wuxian, Prefect of Jiuquan, General of Smashing Qiang, issuing edicts commending Xin Wuxian‘s strategy.
In a letter of rebuke to Zhao Chongguo, the Emperor decreed:
“Transportation is unsettled, and the people are burdened. The general commands more than ten thousand men. If we do not seize the autumn waters and grass while they are plentiful, once winter arrives the enemy will have stored fodder, hidden in the mountains, and fortified themselves; while our soldiers will suffer cold, their hands and feet cracked with frost—what benefit lies in delay? General Zhao considers not the expenditure of the Central Realm, seeking to win by prolonging the campaign—which general wouldn’t be glad if it worked out? Now it is commanded that General Xin Wuxian and others lead their forces to attack the Han Qiang in July. General Zhao must join them in advancing without hesitation.”
Zhao Chongguo submitted a memorial, stating:
“Your Majesty previously bestowed a gracious decree, instructing that an envoy be sent to the Han tribe, intending to deploy great forces to display imperial strength yet spare the Han Qiang, allowing them to give up their rebellious thoughts. Therefore I dispatched Diaoku, a prominent leader of the Jian tribe, to deliver the imperial command to Han and Jian Qiang. All followers of the Han tribe are now aware of this clear decree. Presently, the Xianling Qiang, led by Yang Yu, block the mountains and forests, awaiting the chance to strike. The Han tribe has committed no offense, yet we now abandon the Xianling and strike at the Han tribe—leting the guilty alone, punishing the innocent, and harming two tribes in order to restrain one that causes trouble. This is not what Your Majesty originally intended.
“I have heard it said in the art of war: ‘If strength is insufficient for attack, then there is surplus for defense.’ And also: ‘The skilled general achieves victory by seizing initiative, not by reacting to the enemy.’ Now the Han Qiang might desire to raid Dunhuang and Jiuquan. We should keep our troops and horses well-ordered, drill our soldiers, and await their approach. Sitting firm until the enemy arrives, then striking with ease to wear them down—this is the way to victory. I fear that the troops in these two commanderies are few and cannot hold the defense, yet we intend to send them out to attack, abandoning the strategy of maneuvering the enemy and instead submitting to be maneuvered by the enemy. In my humble judgment, this is unwise.
“The Xianling tribe have long harbored intent to betray us, thus they reconciled with the Han and Jian Qiang and settled their grievances. Yet they cannot help but fear that the Han and Jian Qiang may turn against them when the great Han army arrives. Therefore, I believe they will rush to aid the Han and Jian Qiang to secure the alliance. If we strike the Han and Jian Qiang first, Xianling will surely reinforce them. Their horses are fat, their provisions ample—I fear that our assault will do them no harm, but instead give Xianling the chance to lend favor to the Han and Jian Qiang, cementing their unity. Once united, they will field more than twenty thousand elite warriors, pressing upon the smaller tribes; those who cling to them will not easily break away. Thus their power will grow, and it will cost us tenfold effort to break them later. Our borders may suffer for decades, not merely two or three years.
“In my view, if we first eliminate Xianling, then the Han and Jian Qiang will be subdued without further campaign. If we destroy Xianling first and the Han and Jian Qiang still refuse to submit, striking them in January of the coming year will be timely and advantageous. Advancing now will bring no benefit.”
On June 28, Zhao Chongguo’s memorial reached the throne. On July 5, in autumn, an imperial edict was issued adopting his proposal.
Zhao Chongguo then marched his forces to the Xianling encampment. The enemy had been stationed there for a long time and had grown lax in discipline. When they saw the great Han army approaching, they abandoned their heavy carts and attempted to flee across the Huang River. The pass was narrow and difficult. Zhao Chongguo advanced deliberately, pressing them forward.
Some officers urged him, “Pursue them swiftly while profit is within reach.”
But Zhao Chongguo said, “These are desperate men—they cannot be driven. If we delay, they will flee of their own accord; if we press too hard, they will turn back and fight like cornered beasts.”
The commanders all agreed, “Well spoken.”
In their panic, hundreds of the enemy drowned in the river. More than five hundred were slain or surrendered. Over one hundred thousand head of horses, cattle, and sheep, and more than four thousand carts were seized.
When the army arrived in the territory of the Han tribe, Zhao Chongguo ordered that no villages be burned, nor fields grazed. Hearing this, the Qiang of the Han tribe rejoiced, “The Great Han truly has no intent to attack us!” Their chieftain, Miwang, sent word expressing a wish to return to his former lands.
Zhao Chongguo reported this to the throne, but received no reply. Soon after, Miwang himself came to surrender. Zhao Chongguo treated him with food and wine, then sent him back to persuade his tribe. The Protector-General and his subordinates objected, saying, “This man is a rebel—how can he be released without authorization?”
Zhao Chongguo responded, “You merely wish to resolve matters for your own convenience, without regard for what best serves the state!” Before he finished speaking, an imperial edict arrived, pardoning Miwang. In the end, the Han tribe yielded without resistance.
The Emperor then ordered General of Smashing Qiang, Xin Wuxian, and General of Strong Crossbows, Xu Yanshou, to return to their garrisons and join Zhao Chongguo in advancing against the Xianling in December. By then more than ten thousand Qiang had already surrendered, and Zhao Chongguo judged the enemy to be near collapse. He wished to withdraw the cavalry and establish agricultural militias to await their defeat. Before he could submit this memorial, however, an imperial command arrived ordering him to advance at once.
Zhao Chongguo’s son, the General of the Household Zhao Ang, grew anxious and sent a staff officer to advise him, saying:
“If the matter is such that our generals may perish and our army be routed—endangering the state itself—then it is right for the General to remain firm and hold to his position. But what profit is there in disputing over benefit and harm? If, in an instant, your words run contrary to the Emperor’s will, he may send a messenger in silk(an imperial censor) to question you—then how will the General preserve yourself, let alone the realm?”
Zhao Chongguo replied:
“That was a disloyal thing to say! If my counsel had not been ignored, how would the Qiang have come to this? Earlier, when someone was to be sent to pacify them, I recommended Xin Wuxian; but the Chancellor and the Imperial Censor proposed Yiqu Anguo instead, which led to disaster in Qiang territory. When grain in Jincheng and Huangzhong cost eight coins per bushel, I advised the Associate Minister of Agriculture, Geng Shouchang: ‘If we purchase three million bushels, the Qiang will not dare move.’ Associate Minister Geng asked to purchase only one million; in the end we acquired but four hundred thousand. During Yiqu Anguo’s second campaign, half was squandered. These two failures emboldened the Qiang to rebel. A miscalculation the width of a hair becomes a divergence of a thousand li.
“Now the army has tarried too long, and the border tribes begin to stir. Even if wise men should arise, they may not be able to amend the consequences. Should we fear only the Qiang? I stand firm to the last moment of my life, a loyal minister serving a sagacious lord.”
Reflection by Rio Grande 
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