Comprehensive Reflections to Aid in Governance
By Sima Guang
Translated By Yiming Yang
Annals of Han Book 25 Scroll 33 (continued)
The 2nd year of Emperor Cheng’s Suihe Era (7 B.C. continued)
During the reign of Emperor Cheng, the folk music of Zheng was especially popular at the court. Renowned palace entertainers such as Bing Qiang and Jing Wu, had risen to prominence, and noble families even competed with the imperial house in employing female musicians and performers. The Emperor, who had disliked this music since his days as Prince of Dingtao and was personally averse to music in general, issued an edict in June: “Did not Confucius say, ‘The music of Zheng shall be banned, the music of Zheng is decadent’? Therefore, the officials of the Music Bureau shall be dismissed. Music for sacrifices and the ancient military music recorded in the classics, excluding that of Zheng and Wey, shall be administered by other offices.”
More than half of the musical officials were dismissed. However, as time passed, the people had become accustomed to this music, and since no more elegant alternative had been composed to replace it, the musical indulgence of the wealthy and the officials remained unchanged.
Wang Mang recommended Liu Xin, Colonel of the Central Citadel, on account of his talent and conduct. Liu Xin was appointed Privy Counselor, then promoted to Grand Master of Merit, and enjoyed the Emperor’s favor. He was given the name Liu Xiu, since the Emperor’s own name was also Liu Xin. The Emperor ordered Liu Xiu to oversee the annotation of the Five Classics and to continue the work of his father, Liu Xiang. Liu Xiu compiled and submitted a general catalogue of the various texts, producing seven summaries: Ji lüe (Summary of the Classics), Liuyi lüe (Summary of the Six Arts), Zhuzi lüe (Summary of the Masters and Philosophers), Shifu lüe (Summary of Poetry and Essays), Bingshu lüe (Summary of Military Texts), Shushu lüe (Summary of Techniques and Astronomy), and Fangji lüe (Summary of Magic and Occult). These summaries encompassed six broad categories, thirty-eight subdivisions, five hundred ninety-six works, and thirteen thousand two hundred sixty-nine scrolls.
The summaries classified the various schools of thought into nine streams: Confucianism, Daoism, Yin-Yang Theory, Legalism, the School of Names(Logicians), Mohism, the School of Diplomacy, Eclecticism, and Agriculturalism. Liu Xiu argued that “These nine schools of thought arose when the kingly way had declined and the feudal lords exercised power. At that time, rulers held different preferences, and thus these diverse schools of thought arose and reached their height, each advancing its own strengths and contending for influence. Although their teachings differ, they are like water and fire, opposing one another yet also complementing one another. Benevolence and righteousness, reverence and harmony, though opposed, are all intermingled. The Book of Changes says: ‘All under Heaven pursue the same end by different paths; they reach the same destination, though a hundred deliberations.’ Now those of the various schools press forward what each does best, exhausting knowledge and probing thought in order to make their purport clear. Though each has obscurities and deficiencies, if one gathers their essential return, they are also branches and later offshoots of the Six Classics. If such men should encounter an enlightened king and sagely ruler, and get what is properly balanced and harmonized from these schools of thought, they would all be material for the ruler’s limbs and wings, serving as indispensable aids.
“Confucius once said: ‘When rites are lost, seek them among the wilderness.’ Now, being long departed from the age of sages, the Way and its arts are broken and cast aside, and there is nowhere further to seek them. Are those Nine Schools not still better than the wilderness and countryside? If one can cultivate the arts of the Six Disciplines and, by them, examine the words of these Nine Schools—discarding the shortcomings and taking the outstanding—then one may thereby penetrate strategies suited to the myriad regions.”
Prince Hui of Hejian, Liu Liang, was able to live in accordance with the example set by Prince Xian of Hejian, Liu De. When his mother, the Queen Dowager, passed away, he observed the mourning rites in full accordance with ritual prescription. He was therefore granted an additional fief of ten thousand households, to serve as a model for the imperial clan.
Dong Zhongshu had advised Emperor Wu: “Qin adopted the laws of Shang Yang, abolished the well-field system, and allowed the people to buy and sell land. The wealthy accumulated vast estates, while the poor were left with only tiny plots. In small towns there were men as honored and powerful as princes; in the villages there were riches equal to those of dukes and marquises. How could the common people not be oppressed? Although the ancient well-field system cannot easily be restored in full, it would still be beneficial to move toward it gradually. Limit the amount of land the people may own, so that those without land may be provided for, and curb excessive annexation. Remove from masters the power they hold over enslaved laborers, who live in fear of cruel punishments. Reduce taxes and labor service to lighten the people’s burdens, and better governance will then become possible!”
When the Emperor ascended the throne, Shi Dan again submitted a proposal: “Now, after many generations of peace, the wealthy and the officials have greatly expanded their holdings, while the poor suffer ever more deeply. It would be appropriate to impose some limit on landownership.” The Emperor referred the proposal for deliberation.
Chancellor Kong Guang and Grand Excellency of Works He Wu proposed: “Let limits be set on the land owned by feudal princes, marquises, and princesses. Let the land owned by marquises within the Pass, officials, and commoners be limited to no more than thirty qing(Chinese hectare), and let the number of slaves be limited to no more than thirty. This should be enforced within three years, and the property of violators should be confiscated by the court.”
Then the market prices of land, houses, and household slaves fell sharply, and the nobles and ministers close to the Emperor did not regard the measure as beneficial to them. Another edict was therefore issued: “Let the matter be suspended for the present.”
In addition, an edict was issued to the officials overseeing the garment workshops in Qi, stating: “The officers of the Office of the Three Seasons shall halt the production of patterned silks and embroideries that are difficult to complete and harmful to women’s spinning and weaving. Those already produced shall not be transported to the capital.”
The edict further stated: “The law of ‘Affirming Patricians,’ which grants preferential advancement to the sons of officials of the 2,000-picul rank, and the laws prohibiting slander and defamation are hereby abolished. Women of the harem under thirty years of age shall be given in marriage. Slaves over fifty years of age shall be freed and made commoners. In addition, officials with salaries of three hundred piculs or less shall receive an increase.”
At a banquet in Weiyang Palace, the eunuch conductor arranged a seat for Empress Dowager Fu beside the Empress Dowager Zhao. Grand Marshal Wang Mang, while inspecting the seating, rebuked the conductor: “The Queen Dowager of Dingtao, merely a former concubine of a prince, how can she sit alongside the Supreme Sovereign?” He had her seat removed and another one arranged elsewhere. When Empress Dowager Fu heard of this, she was enraged, refused to attend the banquet, and conceived a deep resentment toward Wang Mang. Wang Mang thereupon petitioned for retirement. In autumn, on July 1, the Emperor granted him five hundred cattie of gold and a carriage drawn by four horses, and dismissed him to his residence.
Many among the Three Excellencies, the ministers, and the nobles praised Wang Mang, and the Emperor consequently showed him even greater favor. He sent palace eunuchs to attend Wang Mang’s household and had meals provided to him every ten days. In addition, a decree was issued increasing the fiefs of Wang Gen, Marquis of Quyang; Wang Shun, Marquis of Anyang; and Wang Mang, Marquis of Xindu. The fiefs of Chancellor Kong Guang, Grand Excellency of Works He Wu, and various other officials were likewise adjusted. Wang Mang was appointed Special Appointee and Palace Steward, granted court audience on the new moon and full moon of each month, and accorded ceremonial honors equivalent to those of the Three Excellencies. Furthermore, Wang Li, Marquis of Hongyang, was reinstated to the capital.
Queen Dowager Fu(Consort of Emperor Yuan)’s cousin, General of the Right Fu Xi, was a learned man of noble character. After Wang Mang was dismissed and retired, public hopes turned to Fu Xi. Earlier, when the Emperor’s affinal relatives were being advanced, Fu Xi alone remained modest and declined high office on the grounds of ill health. When Queen Dowager of Dingtao(Fu) began to take part in state affairs, he often offered advice in opposition to her wishes. As a result, she did not want Fu Xi to assist in the government. On July 4, General of the Left Shi Dan was appointed Grand Marshal and granted the title of Marquis of Gaoxiangting. Fu Xi was given one hundred catties of gold, relieved of his duty as General of the Right, his seal and ribbon taken away, and assigned the post of Grand Master of Merit so that he might recuperate from illness. The office of General of the Right was then given to Peng Xuan of Huaiyang, who was serving as Grand Chamberlain.
Grand Excellency of Works He Wu and Director of the State Secretariat Tang Lin both submitted memorials to the Emperor, saying: “Fu Xi is a man of righteousness, integrity, and loyalty, wholly devoted to the state. Now, because of illness, he is being sent away, to the disappointment of the people. All say, ‘The worthy son of the Fu family, because he disagreed with the Queen Dowager of Dingtao, has been dismissed,’ and the myriad officials grieve for the state. Loyal ministers are the protectors of a state. The state of Lu had Ji You to bring order out of disorder; the prestige of the kingdom of Chu depended on Cheng Ziyu(Cheng Dechen’s courtesy name); the state of Wei relied on Wei Wuji(Lord Xinling) to rally the feudal lords; and the preservation or destruction of Xiang Yu turned upon Fan Zeng. A single worthy man is worth more than a million soldiers. Thus Qin spent a thousand pieces of gold to sow dissension against Lian Po, and Han scattered gold to estrange Uncle Fan Zeng from Xiang Yu. So long as Fu Xi stands at court, he represents the Emperor’s glory and the rise or fall of the Fu family.”
The Emperor also valued Fu Xi, and he was therefore soon reinstated.
The Marquis of Jianping, Du Ye, submitted a memorial criticizing the Marquis of Quyang, Wang Gen, the Marquis of Gaoyang, Xue Xuan, and the Marquis of Anchang, Zhang Yu, and by contrast recommending Zhu Bo. The Emperor, having heard of the Wang family’s arrogance from a young age, could not endure it; yet, because his reign had only recently begun, he chose for the time being to tolerate them.
A little more than a month later, the Inspector Colonel of the Capital, Xie Guang, reported: “The Marquis of Quyang(Wang Gen) before the mourning for the late Emperor had been completed, openly summoned the former female musicians and entertainers of the imperial court, including Yin Yan and Wang Feijun. He also gave former imperial concubines in marriage as wives to Wang Kuang, the Marquis of Chengdu and son of his brother. In all this, they showed none of the propriety due from subjects, but instead displayed grave disrespect and a complete disregard for moral standards.”
Thereupon the Emperor said: “The late Emperor treated Wang Gen and Wang Kuang, father and son, with the utmost generosity, yet they have repaid that kindness with betrayal and ingratitude.” Since Wang Gen had once proposed that Emperor Ai be made crown prince, he was merely sent back to his marquisate. Wang Kuang was reduced to commoner status and returned to his native town. All officials who had been recommended or appointed by Wang Gen and Wang Shang(Wang Kuang’s father), were dismissed.
Leave a Reply