Comprehensive Reflections to Aid in Governance
By Sima Guang
Translated By Yiming Yang
Annals of Han Book 19 Scroll 27 (continued)
The 3rd year of Emperor Xuan’s Wufeng Era (55 B.C.)
On January 26 in spring, Bing Ji, Marquis Ding of Boyang, passed away.
Ban Gu’s commentary:
In antiquity, assigning a name to an object always followed the principle of analogy: distant comparisons were drawn from external objects, while close analogies were taken from one’s own body. Thus the Classics speak of the ruler as the head and the ministers as the arms and legs, signifying that they form one body, each dependent upon the other to function. The harmony between ruler and minister is therefore a constant principle from age to age, the natural order of things.
Looking at the Chancellors of the Han: when Emperor Gaozu founded the dynasty, Xiao He and Cao Shen stood foremost in establishing its basis; during the renaissance under Emperor Xuan, Bing Ji and Wei Xiang became celebrated. In their time, promotions and dismissals were carried out with proper measure, offices were administered with clarity, many officials proved themselves worthy of their stations, and the realm abounded in courtesy and deference.
Observing their achievements—could such excellence have been mere coincidence?
On February 25, Huang Ba was appointed Chancellor. Though he excelled in governing the common people, once he assumed the chancellorship his reputation and accomplishments no longer matched those of his tenure as a commandery administrator.
At that time, the Intendant of Jingzhao, Zhang Chang, witnessed a pheasant fly from his own residence and alight upon the roof of the Chancellor’s mansion. Huang Ba regarded it as an auspicious bird and discussed reporting it to the Emperor. Zhang Chang then submitted a memorandum criticizing him:
“I have seen the Chancellor, together with the central ministers of 2,000-picul rank and the erudites, question the Chiefs of Staff and Associate Prefects of the principalities and commanderies regarding the benefits their policies brought to the people, the removal of harms, the effects of instruction, and demand that they report their experiences and statistics item by item.
“Some enumerated examples of farmers yielding their borders while plowing, men and women taking different paths to avoid suspicion, and lost objects left untouched along the roads. Those who could list filial sons and virtuous women by name were ranked foremost, ascending the hall first; those who cited examples but without names or numbers were ranked second; those who could offer none were ranked last and bowed their heads in apology before the Chancellor.
“Though the Chancellor did not speak, it was evident that he hoped they would produce such examples.”
Zhang Chang continued:
“While these officials were speaking, pheasants flew from my residence and landed on the Chancellor’s roof. Hundreds of people, including the Chancellor, saw it. Officials from the frontier, who are familiar with pheasants, were questioned but pretended ignorance. The Chancellor intended to report: ‘When I questioned my subordinates on promoting reform and moral instruction, Heaven responded with divine birds.’
“Later, when he learned they had flown from my residence, he omitted the incident. Officials of the principalities and commanderies secretly mocked the Chancellor—though he is kind and learned, he makes a spectacle of trifling events.”
Zhang Chang then delivered a deeper admonition:
“Your servant does not presume to belittle the Chancellor, but fears that among the ministers none dare speak plainly. The Chiefs of Staff and Associate Prefects, fearing the Chancellor’s directives, may return to their posts and alter laws, each establishing private regulations. Thus they compete in embellishment, diminishing purity and burdening simplicity, exalting appearance over substance—name without reality—causing governance to tilt, slacken, and in extreme cases, resorting to voodoo.
“Suppose first within the capital there were imposed rites of yielding on the road, of men and women taking alternate paths, or of leaving goods untouched along the ways: these acts contribute nothing to restraining greed through frugality or restraining desire through chastity, yet hypocrisy would rise to prominence beneath Heaven, and the consequences cannot be foreseen. If the feudal lords emulate these customs and acquire reputations surpassing the capital, the matter grows graver still.
“The House of Han inherited corruption and has adapted through reform; its laws and ordinances were established to exhort the good and forbid the wicked. Their provisions are complete and need not be multiplied further. What is fitting is that the honored ministers command the Chiefs of Staff and Associate Prefects to return and admonish the leaders of 2,000-picul rank to promote Elders of the Three Merits, Filial and Fraternal men, Diligent Farmers, Filial Worthies, and Honest Officials, and earnestly seek men of genuine merit.
“Let all affairs of the commanderies take the statutes as their model; let none dare establish private ordinances. Whoever presumes to feign virtue and steal reputation should be first to receive punishment, thus clarifying what is to be honored and what detested.”
The Emperor approved Zhang Chang’s admonition, summoned the officials, and ordered the Chamberlain to convey instructions in accordance with Zhang Chang’s proposals. Huang Ba was deeply embarrassed.
In addition, Shi Gao, Marquis of Leling—a maternal relative of the Emperor and serving as Privy Counselor—was greatly esteemed. Huang Ba recommended Shi Gao for the position of Grand Commandant. The Emperor dispatched a minister of the State Secretariat to summon Huang Ba and questioned him:
“The office of Grand Commandant has long been vacant. It is the Chancellor’s charge to promulgate moral teachings, to discern and address hidden grievances, to ensure that no wrongful punishments occur in the courts and that no thieves arise in the villages.
“The appointment of generals and ministers is my responsibility. The Marquis of Leling, Shi Gao, is a trusted adviser of mine. Why did you overstep your authority in recommending him?”
The Emperor ordered the Chief of the State Secretariat to receive the Chancellor’s formal reply. Huang Ba removed his cap, offered apologies, and after several days the matter was concluded.
From then on, Huang Ba did not dare make further recommendations. Even so, since the founding of the Han dynasty, he was regarded as a preeminent local official in the governance of the people.
In March, the Emperor traveled to Hedong to offer sacrifices to Earth. He issued a decree reducing the poll tax throughout the empire and granting amnesty to all except those condemned to death.
On June 16, Du Yannian, Prefect of Xihe, was appointed Grand Master of the Censorate.
The commanderies of Xihe and Beidi were organized as dependent states to resettle surrendered Xiongnu.
Prince Li of Guangling, Liu Xu, employed a sorceress named Li Nüxu to curse the Emperor in hopes of seizing the throne. When the plot came to light, he poisoned the shamaness and more than twenty palace attendants to eliminate witnesses. The ministers and the Three Excellencies jointly petitioned for Liu Xu’s execution.
Reflection by Rio Grande 
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