Comprehensive Reflections to Aid in Governance
By Sima Guang
Translated By Yiming Yang
Annals of Han Book 24 Scroll 32
Duration of 6 years
The 4th year of Emperor Cheng’s Yongshi Era (13 B.C.)
In January of spring, the Emperor visited Ganquan and offered sacrifices at the Taiyi Altar; a general amnesty was proclaimed throughout the empire. In March, he visited Hedong and offered sacrifices to the Earth Deity.
In summer, there was a severe drought.
On April 11, Linhua Hall of Changle Palace and the Eastern Guarded (Sima) Gate of Weiyang Palace were both destroyed by fire. On June 23, the gate towers of the Baling Tomb also caught fire.
In autumn, on the last day of July, there was an eclipse of the sun.
In winter, on November 21, the General of the Guards, Wang Shang, was relieved of his duties due to illness.
The Prince of Liang, Liu Li, was imperious and unrestrained, committing as many as eleven offenses in a single day. The Prime Minister of Liang, Yu, reported that Liu Li harbored resentment and spoke ill of the affine family. An investigation was conducted, and an illicit affair between Liu Li and his paternal aunt Liu Yuanzi was uncovered. On account of incestuous and beastly conduct, his execution was recommended.
The Grand Master of the Palace, Gu Yong, submitted a memorial:
“I have heard that propriety requires the Emperor to remain secluded behind screens, unwilling to see or hear of private matters. Thus, the intentions of former emperors lay in avoiding inquiry into personal affairs and refraining from listening to intimate conversations. The Spring and Autumn Annals deliberately concealed the faults of relatives. The Prince of Liang, Liu Li, is young and suffers from some mental infirmity. The investigation originally concerned malicious speech; when no substantial evidence was found, it extended instead into matters of private conduct unrelated to the initial charge. Though the prince denied the allegations, the authorities persisted, relying on dubious testimony to establish guilt on evidence difficult to substantiate—an approach that brings no benefit to governance. To expose the scandals of the royal house and proclaim them to the world neither preserves the dignity of the imperial clan nor enhances the authority of the court, nor does it advance moral transformation through virtue.”
“In my foolish opinion, the prince is young, while his paternal aunt is older and of a different generation. The wealth of the Prince of Liang could attract flatterers and deceivers, while his aunt must surely possess a sense of shame. The investigation was originally concerned with malicious words against maternal relatives—why, then, would she gratuitously reveal her own private disgrace? Considering these three points, the alleged affair appears improbable and contrary to common sense. I suspect there was coercion or a slip of the tongue during interrogation. Under persistent pressure and questioning by officials, she was unable to retract her words and may have spoken in error.
“At the first sign of transgression, leniency should have been applied. Since the investigation proceeded and the prince did not confess, the Minister of Justice should be ordered to select virtuous and knowledgeable officials to reexamine the case thoroughly, ascertain the facts, and correct any errors, then return the case to the lower authorities. This would extend the virtue of accommodating the distant branches of the imperial house and cleanse it of shame, truly embodying the principle of properly treating relatives within a family.”
The Emperor thereupon halted further proceedings in the case.
That year, He Wu of Shu Commandery, then Colonel of the Capital Inspectorate, was appointed Intendant of Jingzhao. As an official, He Wu adhered strictly to the law and acted with impartiality, promoting the honorable and dismissing the wicked. Wherever he served, he acquired no conspicuous fame, yet after his departure he was invariably remembered with affection.
The 1st year of Emperor Cheng’s Yuanyan Era (12 B.C.)
In spring, on January 1, there was a solar eclipse.
On January 24, Wang Shang was reinstated as Grand Marshal and General of the Guards.
In March, the Emperor visited Yong and offered sacrifices at the Five-Deity Altar.
In summer, on April 1, there was thunder without clouds, and a meteor moved southeast from beneath the sun, its radiance spreading in all directions like rain, from afternoon until dusk.
A general amnesty was proclaimed throughout the empire.
In July of autumn, a comet appeared in the eastern Well Mansion.
The Emperor, troubled by these omens and calamities, sought the counsel of his ministers. The Prefect of Beidi, Gu Yong, responded:
“When a ruler personally cultivates virtue and accords with the natural order, the seasons arrive in due course, the people enjoy long lives, and auspicious signs appear. If, however, he loses the Way and acts recklessly—defying Heaven and harming the people—then ominous signs arise, disasters and anomalies occur, and famine becomes frequent. If he does not reform, evil accumulates and misfortune continues. In the end, Heaven will cease to issue warnings, and the Mandate of Heaven will pass to one who is virtuous. This is the constant principle of Heaven and Earth, observed by all the ancient kings. Moreover, the measure of an emperor’s merit differs; his lifespan may be long or short, his time earlier or later, and the Way of Heaven alternates between waxing and waning.
“Your Majesty has inherited the accomplishments of eight generations, stands at the close of a luminous age, and has passed through a cycle of two hundred and ten years. You have encountered the fate of the hexagram Unexpected of the Book of Changes and now face a cycle of calamities in the one hundred and sixth year. Since the first year of the Jianshi era, disasters and anomalies of many kinds have converged and intertwined, now amounting to twenty years. Their number and strangeness exceed all that is recorded in the Spring and Autumn Annals.
“Internally, within the deep confines of the palace’s inner chambers, Your Majesty risks the influence of rash ministers and insolent consorts, and the dangers arising from drunkenness and reckless conduct, which could bring calamity upon the state. In the secluded quarters of the northern palace gardens and lanes, and within the houses of underlings and favored women, there lies the danger of upheavals like those of Xia Zhengshu or Cui Zhu—regicides brought about by adulterous entanglements. Externally, throughout the territories of the realm, there is the threat of uprisings like those led by Fan Bing, Su Ling, Chen Sheng, or Xiang Liang. The fine line between safety and peril, and the gravest concern for the ancestral temples—these are what fill me, Gu Yong, with deep apprehension and compel me to offer repeated warnings year after year.
“Signs appear below before they manifest above—can we afford not to be cautious? Disasters arise from the smallest beginnings, and treachery grows from the most insignificant circumstances. I respectfully urge Your Majesty to rectify the principles governing ruler and minister, to cease indulging in casual and unrestrained banquets with petty officials, to adhere strictly to the three fundamental bonds—between lord and subject, father and son, and husband and wife—to reform the administration of the inner palace, to restrain and distance those who are insolent and jealous, and to promote and draw close those who are gentle and compliant. Only after proper court procedures are observed should you venture outside; roads should be cleared by troops in advance, and you should avoid traveling alone or visiting the homes of servants for food and drink. Eliminating such practices will block the path to internal disorder.
“As for the uprisings in various regions, they arise from the people’s hunger and the officials’ indifference, from the people’s suffering under heavy taxation, and from grievances below that are unknown to above. The Hongfan (‘Great Plan’) of the Book of Documents states: ‘When there is hunger without relief, to proclaim peace and prosperity invites ruin.’ In recent years, many regions have suffered damage from floods, and harvests have failed. In such circumstances, it is appropriate to reduce the regular taxes. Yet officials have proposed increasing levies, which runs counter to the principles of good governance and violates the sentiments of the people, breeding resentment and inviting disaster. I hope Your Majesty will reject proposals to raise taxes, further curb extravagant expenditures, extend benevolence broadly, provide relief to the destitute, and encourage agriculture and sericulture, thereby soothing and stabilizing the hearts of the people. If this is done, the uprisings across the realm may yet be brought to an end.”
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