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Tag: Du Qin

  • Comprehensive Reflections to Aid in Governance(Part 240): The Purity of Women

    Comprehensive Reflections to Aid in Governance

    By Sima Guang

    Translated By Yiming Yang  

    Annals of Han Book 22 Scroll 30 (continued)

    Virgin Mary

    The 1st year of Emperor Cheng’s Yangshuo Era (24 B.C.)

    In the spring, on February 30, a solar eclipse occurred.  

    In March, a general pardon was granted to all convicts throughout the empire.

    In winter, the Intendant of Jingzhao, Wang Zhang of Taishan, was imprisoned and died.

    At this time, Grand General Wang Feng held effective authority, and the Emperor was modest, yielding in most matters. The Emperor’s attendants once recommended Liu Xin, the youngest son of the Grand Master of Merit, Liu Xiang, praising his exceptional talent and ability. The Emperor summoned Liu Xin, who recited poetry and compositions, greatly delighting him. The Emperor wished to appoint him Attendant-in-Ordinary and called for his robes and cap. Just as Liu Xin was about to receive the appointment, the attendants said, “We have not yet informed the Grand General.”

    The Emperor replied, “This is a minor matter; why involve the Grand General?” The attendants knelt and pressed their objection. The Emperor then consulted Wang Feng, who deemed the appointment inappropriate, and it was halted.

    Members of the Wang family all held high offices as ministers, grandees, privy counselors, and administrators, dominating the court. Du Qin, seeing Wang Feng’s overwhelming authority, warned him: “I hope the Grand General will emulate the humility and caution of the Duke of Zhou, restrain the overbearing power of Marquis Rang (Wei Ran), curb the ambitions of Marquis Wu’an (Tian Fen), and not allow men like Fan Ju to find opportunities to sow discord.” Wang Feng did not heed this counsel.

    At that time, the Emperor had no heir and was often in poor health. Prince Gong of Dingtao, Liu Kang, came to court. The Empress Dowager and the Emperor, following the wishes of the late Emperor, treated Prince Gong with great kindness, granting him rewards ten times greater than those given to other princes and allowing no past grievances to cause estrangement. They kept him in the capital and did not permit him to return to his fief. The Emperor said to Prince Gong, “I have no son, and human life is uncertain. If anything should happen to me, we may never see each other again. Remain always at my side.”

    Later, the Emperor’s health improved, and Prince Gong continued to reside in the royal quarters, attending upon him day and night. The Emperor held him in high favor. Grand General Wang Feng, however, felt uneasy about Prince Gong’s continued presence in the capital. During a solar eclipse, Wang Feng said: “A solar eclipse is a sign of the ascendancy of yin. Though the Prince of Dingtao is a close kinsman, according to the rites he should remain in his fief. His staying in the capital is irregular and improper, and thus Heaven has issued this warning. It is fitting to send the Prince back to his principality.”

    The Emperor, unable to oppose Wang Feng, agreed. When Prince Gong took his leave, the Emperor and the Prince wept as they bid farewell.

    Wang Zhang was by nature upright and outspoken. Although he had been recommended by Wang Feng, he did not support Wang Feng’s monopolization of power and did not associate closely with him. He submitted a memorial stating, “The blame for the solar eclipse lies in Wang Feng’s seizure of authority and his obstruction of the Emperor.” The Emperor summoned Wang Zhang and questioned him on the matter. Wang Zhang replied:

    “Heaven is discerning, favoring the good and punishing the wicked, using auspicious and inauspicious signs as its indicators. Now, because Your Majesty has no heir, you have drawn Prince of Dingtao close to you to secure the continuation of the ancestral temple and the stability of the state. This accords with Heaven’s will and brings peace to the people. It is a righteous and virtuous act and should give rise to auspicious signs. Why, then, have calamities occurred? These calamities arise from high ministers who monopolize power. I have heard that the Grand General Wang Feng falsely shifted the blame for the solar eclipse onto Prince of Dingtao and proposed sending him back to his fief. If he seeks to isolate the Emperor and control state affairs for his own advantage, that is not the conduct of a loyal minister.

    “The solar eclipse, in which yin overcomes yang, signifies a minister usurping the authority of his lord. Now all matters of state, great and small, are decided by Wang Feng, while the Emperor does not so much as raise a hand. Instead of reflecting upon himself and assuming responsibility, Wang Feng casts blame upon the virtuous and drives away Prince of Dingtao. Moreover, Wang Feng’s deceit and disloyalty are not confined to a single instance. The former Chancellor, the Marquis of Lechang, Wang Shang, was a close maternal relative of the late Emperor and a man of firm principle and great influence, a true pillar of the state. Because he upheld his convictions and would not bend to Wang Feng’s will, he was dismissed on the pretext of private matters involving women, and died of grief. The people mourned him.

    “Furthermore, Wang Feng knew that his concubine’s younger sister, the Lady of Beauty Zhang, had previously been married, and was therefore, by the rites, unfit to be presented to the Emperor. Yet he falsely claimed that she was suitable to bear sons and placed her in the imperial harem for his own household’s advantage. It is said that Lady of Beauty Zhang never conceived. Even among the Qiang and Xiongnu barbarians there are customs of purifying a woman by killing the firstborn and rectifying the woman’s intestines for future delivery, let alone asking the Son of Heaven to be intimate with a woman who has been previously married. These three major matters are things Your Majesty has personally witnessed; they suffice to reveal what remains unseen. Wang Feng should not be permitted to hold power for long. It would be best to retire him and choose in his place a loyal and virtuous man.”

    Since Wang Feng’s recommendation to dismiss Wang Shang and his later proposal to send Prince of Dingtao away, the Emperor had grown increasingly discontented. When he heard Wang Zhang’s words, he was moved and enlightened. He said to Wang Zhang, “Had it not been for the direct counsel of the Intendant of Jingzhao, I would not have known the present state of affairs. Only the wise recognize the wise. Please find someone suitable to assist me.” Wang Zhang then submitted a sealed memorial recommending Feng Yewang, Prefect of Langya and maternal uncle of the Prince of Xindu (Liu Xing), for his loyalty, honesty, and exceptional strategic insight.

    The Emperor, having heard of Feng Yewang’s reputation since his own days as Crown Prince, held him in high esteem and intended to replace Wang Feng with him. Whenever Wang Zhang was summoned, the Emperor would dismiss all attendants except for a Privy Counselor, Wang Yin—the son of the Empress Dowager’s cousin—who secretly listened and reported everything to Wang Feng. When Wang Feng learned of this, he grew deeply anxious and fearful. Du Qin advised him to feign illness and request retirement. Wang Feng submitted a sorrowful memorial seeking to withdraw from office. The Empress Dowager, upon hearing this, wept and refused to eat. The Emperor, who had been close to Wang Feng since his youth, could not bear to remove him and issued a gracious edict urging him to remain in service. Thus, Wang Feng resumed his duties.

    The Emperor then had a minister of the State Secretariat draft a memorial impeaching Wang Zhang, stating: “Although Wang Zhang knew that Feng Yewang had previously been assigned outside the capital because he was the uncle of a prince, he nevertheless privately recommended him, seeking to bring him into court and to collude with the feudal lords. It is also known that the Lady of Beauty Zhang had served the Emperor intimately, yet Wang Zhang falsely claimed that the Qiang and Xiongnu tribes killed a woman’s firstborn to cleanse her, which was an improper and offensive statement.” 

    The matter was referred to the judicial officials. The Minister of Justice found Wang Zhang guilty of treason, declaring that “by comparing the Emperor to barbarians, he intended to sever the imperial lineage, rebel against the throne, and secretly support the Prince of Dingtao.” Wang Zhang eventually died in prison, and his wife and children were exiled to Hepu Commandery. From then on, high officials regarded Wang Feng with fear, avoiding even meeting his eyes.

    Feng Yewang, fearing for his own safety, fell ill. After three months, he was granted leave to return to Duling with his wife and children for medical treatment. Grand General Wang Feng induced the Censor-in-Chief to submit an impeachment, stating: “While on sick leave, Feng Yewang privately went beyond the bounds of his commandery of Langya with the tiger tally, thereby showing disrespect for the imperial decree.”

    Du Qin submitted a memorial to Wang Feng, saying: “When a high official of the two-thousand-picul rank falls ill and is granted leave to return home, there is precedent; there is no established law forbidding him to leave his post. The Classics say, ‘In cases of doubt, favor reward,’ to broadly encourage merit; and, ‘In cases of doubt, refrain from punishment,’ to exercise caution in the law, for it is difficult to discern the truth. Now, to disregard law and precedent and to bring a false charge of disrespect runs directly counter to the principle of refraining from punishment in cases of doubt. If we claim that high officials, because they guard vast territories and bear heavy military responsibilities, should be bound by a new precedent, then Feng Yewang’s alleged offense occurred before such a rule was established. Rewards and punishments must be consistent and administered with care.” Wang Feng did not heed this counsel and dismissed Feng Yewang from office.

    At the time, many among the common people sympathized with Wang Zhang and criticized the court. Du Qin, wishing to rectify the situation, again advised Wang Feng: “The case of the Intendant of Jingzhao has been handled in secrecy; even the people of the capital do not know the true circumstances, much less those in distant regions. I fear that the world believes Wang Zhang was punished merely for speaking frankly. If this is so, it will stifle honest remonstrance and damage the virtues of leniency and clarity in the law. Your servant, in his dullness, submits that it would be fitting, on the basis of this memorial, to promote those who are most forthright in speech and remonstrance, and also to encourage the existing Gentlemen-Attendants and Retinue Officials to state matters fully, clearly marking the limits of what is tolerated. Thus it will be made known to the four quarters that His Majesty is sagely and enlightened, and does not punish those below for their words. If this is done, circulating rumors will be dispelled and doubts will be resolved.”

    Wang Feng reported this to the Emperor and put the proposal into effect.

    That year, Xue Xuan, Prefect of Chenliu, was appointed Intendant of Left Pingyi. Wherever Xue Xuan served as a regional administrator, he left a notable impression. His son, Xue Hui, was appointed Magistrate of Pengcheng County. When Xue Xuan once passed through his son’s jurisdiction, he knew in his heart that Xue Hui was incompetent, yet he did not question him about official affairs. Someone asked Xue Xuan, “Why do you not instruct Xue Hui in his duties?”

    Xue Xuan laughed and said, “In the conduct of office, one takes the laws and regulations as one’s teacher, and these can be learned by inquiry. But as for ability or inability, that depends on one’s own nature and cannot be taught.”

    The people repeated his words and regarded them as true.

  • Comprehensive Reflections to Aid in Governance(Part 239): Jibin–A Kingdom in Kashmir

    Comprehensive Reflections to Aid in Governance

    By Sima Guang

    Translated By Yiming Yang  

    Annals of Han Book 22 Scroll 30 (continued)

    K2 base camp, Kashmir

    The 4th year of Emperor Cheng’s Heping Era (25 B.C.)

    In January of spring, Xiongnu Chanyu came to court.

    An amnesty was granted to all convicts throughout the empire.

    On March 1, a solar eclipse occurred.

    The Prefect of Langya, Yang Rong, was connected by marriage to Wang Feng. When disasters occurred in his commandery, Chancellor Wang Shang conducted an investigation. Wang Feng interceded on Yang Rong’s behalf, but Wang Shang refused to heed him and submitted a report calling for Yang Rong’s dismissal. The Emperor subsequently disregarded the report. Wang Feng resented Wang Shang for this and secretly sought to find fault with him.

    He had Geng Ding of Pinyang submit a letter stating: “Wang Shang consorted illicitly with his father’s maidservant; moreover, his younger sister was promiscuous, and one of her slaves killed her secret lover—Wang Shang is suspected of having instructed and instigated this act.” The Emperor judged these salacious accusations insufficient to damage a high minister. Wang Feng, however, persisted in pressing the case, and it was referred to the Colonel of the Capital Inspectorate.

    Zhang Kuang, a Grandee of the Palace and a native of Shu Commandery, known for his sycophantic and crafty disposition, submitted a memorial vehemently denouncing Wang Shang. The officials requested that Wang Shang be summoned to the imperial prison. The Emperor, who held Wang Shang in high esteem and knew that Zhang Kuang’s words were often malicious, decreed, “Do not investigate.” Yet Wang Feng continued to press the matter.

    In summer, on April 20, an edict was issued confiscating the Chancellor’s seal and ribbon from Wang Shang. Three days after his dismissal, Wang Shang fell ill, vomited blood, and died. He was posthumously styled Marquis Li. As for Wang Shang’s sons, younger kinsmen, and close associates who held posts such as Cavalier Commandant, Privy Counselor, Attendant-in-Ordinary, and various administrative and clerical offices, all were reassigned to positions outside the palace, and none were permitted to remain as palace liaisons or to continue service in the imperial guard. The officials proposed abolishing his marquisate; however, an imperial edict declared that his eldest son, Wang An, would inherit the title as Marquis of Lechang.

    When the Emperor was Crown Prince, he studied the Analects under Zhang Yu of Lianzhuo. Upon ascending the throne, he granted Zhang Yu the title of Marquis within the Passes, appointed him Secretary and Grandee of Merit with emoluments of the two-thousand-picul rank, and had him serve as Palace Liaison and Recorder of the State Secretariat. Zhang Yu, together with Wang Feng, oversaw the State Secretariat, but he felt ill at ease and frequently feigned illness, submitting memorials requesting to retire in order to avoid Wang Feng. The Emperor did not permit this and instead treated him with even greater favor.

    On June 5, Zhang Yu was appointed Chancellor and enfeoffed as Marquis of Anchang.

    On June 29, King Xiao of Chu, Liu Xiao, died.

    Earlier, in the reign of Emperor Wu, when contact was first made with the Western Region, Jibin (Kashmir or Kabul) considered itself so remote that Han forces could not reach it and therefore did not submit, frequently raiding and killing Han envoys. After some time, the Han envoy Wen Zhong conspired with Yinmofu (Hermaeus), a son of the Rongqu (Hellenes) king, to attack and kill the Rongqu king and install Yinmofu as King of Jibin.

    Later, when the scout Zhao De visited Jibin, he fell out with Yinmofu, who chained Zhao De and killed more than seventy of his subordinates. Yinmofu then sent envoys to offer an apology. Emperor Yuan, recognizing the extreme distance involved, did not pursue the matter and allowed the envoys to return, thereby severing relations.

    When the new Emperor ascended the throne, Jibin again sent envoys to apologize, and the Han court intended to dispatch a return mission. Du Qin advised Wang Feng: “Previously, Yinmofu was installed by the Han and later rebelled. There is no greater grace than to set a man upon a throne and give him a people to rule, and no greater crime than to seize and kill envoys. The reason they neither repay kindness nor fear punishment is that they know they are too distant for our forces to reach. When they seek something, they speak humbly; when they desire nothing, they grow insolent. They can never truly submit.

    “The reason the Central Realm maintains contact and bestows gifts upon the barbarians is to make them neighbors and to prevent invasion. At present, the narrow passes of Xiandu cannot be crossed by Jibin. Even if they were to admire and submit to us, it would not suffice to secure the Western Regions. If they do not submit, they likewise cannot threaten our cities.”

    “Previously, their rebellion and violence against us alarmed all the states of the Western Regions and led to the severing of relations. Now they profess repentance and send gifts, yet their envoys are neither nobles nor kinsmen of their king, but merely lowly merchants. These merchants seek to trade under the guise of tribute. If we take the trouble to escort them as far as the Xiandu Pass, we risk being deceived and extending courtesies that do not befit their humble status. In all cases where escorts are dispatched to accompany guests, the purpose is to guard against bandit attacks. From the Kingdom of Pishan(Guma Nahiyisi) onward, to the south, there are four or five states no longer subject to Han. Though more than a hundred scouts are posted, and though the night watches are divided into five shifts with clappers struck to keep guard, raids and plunder still occur from time to time.

    “Donkeys are used to carry provisions, and one must rely on the various states to supply grain in order to sustain the journey. Some states are poor and small and cannot provide food; others are violent and deceitful and refuse to give it. Bearing the credentials of the Mighty Han, one may yet starve among the mountain valleys, begging and receiving nothing. After being stranded for ten or twenty days, men and beasts are abandoned in the open wilderness, never to return.

    “Moreover, one must cross Mount Great Headache and Mount Lesser Headache, the Red Earth Ridge and the Burning Body Ridge, where men grow feverish and sallow, plagued by headache(altitude sickness) and vomiting, and the donkeys and cattle suffer the same. Beyond these lie the Three-Pools Coil and the Stone-Slope Road: at their narrowest they are but one foot six or seven inches wide; at their longest they extend a full thirty li. They overlook precipitous, unfathomable depths. Travelers, whether mounted or on foot, must support one another, pulling along with ropes. Only after more than two thousand li does one reach the Xiandu Pass. When a donkey falls, before it has descended halfway it is smashed to pieces in the ravine; when a man falls, the violence of the plunge makes it impossible even to look back toward him. The obstructions and dangers are beyond all telling.

    “The sage kings of antiquity divided the realm into the Nine Provinces and established the Five Zones of Service(each concentric zone is 500 li from center), devoting themselves to what lay within and not seeking what lay without. Now envoys are dispatched, bearing the mandate of the Supreme Command, to escort alien traders. They weary multitudes of officials and soldiers, traverse roads of peril and hardship, and exhaust the resources of the Central Realm in order to attend to what is of no use in distant lands. This is not a policy for long endurance. Let the envoy receive the credentials, accompany them as far as Pishan, and then return.”

    Wang Feng agreed with Du Qin’s counsel. Jibin, seeking profit from trade and gifts, thereafter sent envoys only once every few years.

  • Comprehensive Reflections to Aid in Governance(Part 238): Southwestern Indigenous Tribes

    Comprehensive Reflections to Aid in Governance

    By Sima Guang

    Translated By Yiming Yang  

    Annals of Han Book 22 Scroll 30 (continued)

    Yi People

    The 2nd year of Emperor Cheng’s Heping Era (27 B.C. continued)

    The King of Yelang, Xing (Moyaxie, indigenous Yi people), the King of Gouding, Yǔ, and the Marquis of Louwo, Yu, raised troops and attacked one another. The Prefect of Zangke requested permission to dispatch an army to punish King Xing of Yelang and the others. The officials argued that the great distance made such an expedition impracticable, and instead dispatched the Grandee of the Palace, Zhang Kuang of Shu Commandery, with a commission to mediate and resolve the conflict. Xing and the others, however, did not comply with the orders; they carved wooden effigies of Han officials, set them by the roadside, and shot arrows at them.

    Du Qin advised the Grand General Wang Feng: “The southern barbarian kings have shown contempt for the Han envoys and no longer fear the authority of the state. I am afraid that the officials will adopt a weaker stance and persist in seeking reconciliation. The Prefect observes developments and reports them only once they have already become rebellion. If this is so, action will be delayed a further three months; in that time, these kings and chieftains will muster their forces and fortify their positions. Their resentment will only deepen, leading inevitably to mutual destruction. Knowing their crimes to be punishable, they will recklessly assault the prefects and commandants, then withdraw into remote and inhospitable lands, dense with poisonous plants and sweltering with heat and humidity. Even if commanders like Sun Wu or Wu Qi, or warriors such as Meng Ben and Xia Yu, were to enter such perilous terrain, it would be like leaping into fire or flood—they would either burn or drown, and wisdom and valor alike would gain no advantage. To maintain these lands by settlement and farming would impose an excessive burden.

    “We should act before their offenses become ominous and before they suspect Han’s punitive intent. Secretly instruct the neighboring prefects and commandants to train troops and horses, and have the Grand Minister of Agriculture prepare grain stores at key points. Select a capable prefect and dispatch him. Enter in the cool season of autumn and execute those kings and chieftains who are especially defiant. If we judge this land barren and its people of no use, then a wise ruler should not burden the Central Realm with them: abandon the commandery, forsake its inhabitants, and sever ties with their leaders. But if the achievements of the late Emperor, established over many generations, must not be allowed to decay into ruin, then act early to eliminate this threat. Once matters escalate into open war, countless lives will be lost.”

    Grand General Wang Feng then recommended Chen Li of Linqiong, Marshal of Jincheng, to serve as Prefect of Zangke. Upon arriving in Zangke, Chen Li sought to communicate with Xing, King of Yelang, but Xing refused to comply. Chen Li requested permission to punish him, yet received no reply. Thereupon, Chen Li, accompanied by several dozen officials, toured the counties and reached Jutongting, where Xing was stationed. He summoned Xing, who arrived with several thousand followers, but entered with only a few dozen village chiefs to meet Chen Li. Chen Li reprimanded him and then had him beheaded.

    The village chiefs said, “The general has punished the unruly and removed a threat to the people. We wish to inform the soldiers.” Displaying Xing’s head, they laid down their arms and surrendered. The King of Gouding, Yǔ, and the Marquis of Louwo, Yu, were struck with fear and offered a thousand bushels of grain, along with cattle and sheep, to welcome the officials and troops. Chen Li then returned to the commandery seat.

    Xing’s father-in-law, Wengzhi, together with his son Xiewu, gathered the remaining forces and compelled twenty-two neighboring villages to rebel. By winter, Chen Li petitioned to recruit local tribes and, together with the Commandant and the Chief of Staff, divided his forces to attack Wengzhi and the others. Wengzhi fortified a key position, but Chen Li dispatched a surprise detachment to cut off their supply routes and spread false reports to sow discord among their ranks.

    The Commandant Wan Nian said, “A prolonged conflict cannot be sustained.” He led his troops to attack independently, was defeated, and retreated to Chen Li’s camp. Enraged, Chen Li rebuked him and ordered his subordinates to drive him from the camp with fist blows. Commandant Wan Nian returned to the fight, and Chen Li provided reinforcements. During a severe drought, Chen Li launched an attack and severed their access to water. The barbarians then collectively beheaded Wengzhi and surrendered with his head, and the western tribes were pacified.

    The 3rd year of Emperor Cheng’s Heping Era (26 B.C.)

    In January of spring, the Prince of Chu, Liu Xiao, came to court. On February 16, an edict was issued commending Liu Xiao for exemplary conduct and distinguished virtue, and his son, Liu Xun, was granted the title of Marquis of Guangqi.

    On February 27, an earthquake struck Qianwei, causing mountains to collapse and block the Zangke River, so that its water flowed backward.

    On August 30, a solar eclipse occurred.

    The Emperor observed that the court library’s collections had largely been dispersed and lost, and therefore dispatched the court usher Chen Nong to search for missing books throughout the realm. An imperial decree ordered the Grand Master of Merit, Liu Xiang, to collate the Classics, their commentaries, and the writings of the various philosophers and poets; the Commandant of Infantry, Ren Hong, to collate military texts; the Grand Astronomer, Yin Xian, to collate works on numerology and astrology; and the Court Physician, Li Zhuguo, to collate medical and technical writings. Each time a book was completed, Liu Xiang listed its chapters, summarized its principal ideas, recorded them, and presented them to the Emperor.

    Liu Xiang, perceiving that the power of the Wang family had grown excessive and knowing that the Emperor favored the ancient texts of the Book of Songs and the Book of Documents, compiled materials based on the “Hong Fan” chapter of the Book of Documents. He gathered accounts of auspicious signs and calamities from antiquity through the Spring and Autumn and Warring States periods, down to the Qin and Han dynasties. He analyzed these events, linked them to the causes and effects of fortune and misfortune, set forth their prognostications and verifications, and arranged them into related categories. In all, there were eleven chapters, which he entitled Hong Fan: Commentary and Discussion on the Wuxing(Five Elements), and he presented them to the Emperor. The Emperor, aware of Liu Xiang’s loyalty and devotion, understood that the work had been composed to restrain the brothers of Wang Feng; yet in the end he was unable to strip the Wang family of their power.

    The Yellow River again breached at Pingyuan, flowing into Jinan and Qiansheng Commanderies, causing damage roughly half as extensive as in the Jianshi era. Wang Yanshi was once more dispatched, together with the Prime Minister’s Chief of Staff, Yang Yan, the Grand Architect, Xu Shang, and the Grand Master of Remonstrance, Chengma Yannian, to oversee the repairs, which were completed in June. Wang Yanshi was rewarded with one hundred catties of gold. The laborers who repaired the river, having received no wages for their work, were granted an exemption from corvée service for six months.

  • Comprehensive Reflections to Aid in Governance(Part 237): The Five Marquises

    Comprehensive Reflections to Aid in Governance

    By Sima Guang

    Translated By Yiming Yang  

    Annals of Han Book 22 Scroll 30 (continued)

    Chang’an(Xi’an), Jingzhao, Shaanxi Province

    The 2nd year of Emperor Cheng’s Heping Era (27 B.C.)

    In the spring, Xiongnu envoy Yiye Moyan prepared to return home but declared his intention to surrender, saying: “If you do not accept me, I will kill myself. I will never dare to return.” The envoy reported this, and the matter was referred to the ministers for deliberation. 

    Some proposed, “We should follow precedent and accept his surrender.” However, the Grand Master of Merit, Gu Yong, and the Counselor, Du Qin, argued:

    “Since the founding of the Han dynasty, the Xiongnu have repeatedly troubled the frontiers, and thus rewards of gold and titles were offered to those who surrendered. Now the Chanyu has submitted and become a vassal, sending envoys to pay tribute without duplicity. The response of the Han court should therefore differ from past practice. If, while enjoying the sincerity of a tribute mission, we were to shelter a fugitive from the Chanyu’s own envoy, we would be valuing the gain of a single man over the goodwill of an entire nation—harboring a criminal while alienating a lord who admires our virtue.

    “Suppose the newly enthroned Chanyu, uncertain of advantage and disadvantage, has secretly sent Yiye Moyan to feign surrender in order to test our intentions. To accept him would diminish our virtue and discourage future goodwill, causing the Chanyu to distance himself from the Central Realm and to cease friendly relations with our border officials. Alternatively, this may be a scheme to sow discord, using a pretended surrender to create a rift. To accept him would play into their design, allowing them to manipulate events to their advantage. This matter bears upon the security of our frontiers and the movement of our forces and must be weighed with care. It is better not to accept him, thereby demonstrating the integrity of the Han, thwarting deceitful plots, and fostering genuine loyalty. This would be more beneficial.”

    The Emperor accepted their counsel and dispatched General Wang Shun to inquire into Yiye Moyan’s intent. Yiye Moyan replied, “I spoke nonsense because of illness.” He was then sent back. Upon his return, his official rank remained unchanged, but he was not permitted to meet with the Han envoy.

    In April of summer, hailstones as large as cauldrons fell in the principality of Chu.

    The Prince of Shanyang, Liu Kang, was relocated and enfeoffed as Prince of Dingtao.

    In June, the Emperor ennobled his maternal uncles: Wang Tan was made Marquis of Ping’e, Wang Shang Marquis of Chengdu, Wang Li Marquis of Hongyang, Wang Gen Marquis of Quyang, and Wang Fengshi Marquis of Gaoping. All five were enfeoffed on the same day and were therefore collectively known as the “Five Marquises.”

    The Empress Dowager’s mother, Lady Li, remarried and became the wife of Gou Bin of Henei, by whom she had a son named Gou Shen. The Empress Dowager wished to follow the precedent of Tian Fen and have Gou Shen enfeoffed. The Emperor said, “Ennobling the Tian family was improper.” Accordingly, Gou Shen was appointed Privy Counselor and Commandant of Parks and Waterways.

    The Grand Master of the Censorate, Zhang Zhong, submitted a report accusing the Intendant of Jingzhao, Wang Zun, of being violent, arrogant, and disrespectful, which led to Wang Zun’s removal from office. Many officials and commoners expressed regret over this decision. A village educator (Three Elders) of Hu County, Gongsheng Xing, and others submitted a petition in his defense:

    “In Jingzhao, Wang Zun brought order out of chaos, punished the violent, and suppressed evil, achievements rarely matched even by renowned administrators. Aside from his appointment as Intendant, he has received no extraordinary honors. Yet the Grand Master of the Censorate accuses him of ‘disturbing the balance of yin and yang and bringing peril upon the state, of failing to receive and carry out the intent of the imperial edict,’ and brands his conduct with the words of the Book of Documents: ‘With placid words he habitually defies in governing; in semblance he is reverent, yet his ego swells to the sky.’

    “The source of these charges lies with Yang Fu, Deputy Chief Censor, who bears a personal grudge against Wang Zun. Yang Fu has used public office to fabricate accusations, composing documents that exaggerate and falsely malign Wang Zun. We are deeply grieved by this. Wang Zun has maintained personal integrity, upheld public principles, fearlessly criticized ministers and generals, and punished wrongdoing without regard for rank or power. He subdued lawless bandits and relieved the state of its anxieties, earning a reputation for diligence and resolute authority. Truly, he is an official who serves as the strong arm of the state, a minister who leads the vanguard.

    “Now, without just cause, he has fallen into the hands of his enemies, harmed by deceitful slander. His merits are not weighed against his alleged faults, and he is denied the opportunity for a proper defense. He is burdened by biased reports and bears a stigma as grave as that of the mythical villain Gonggong, without recourse to plead his case. Wang Zun was appointed because the capital was in turmoil, bandits ran rampant, and capable leaders were required. He restored order; yet once the bandits were subdued and the powerful criminals punished, he was dismissed as if unworthy. Within three years, the same Wang Zun has been deemed virtuous and then treacherous—how absurd this is!

    “Confucius said, ‘To love someone, you wish him to live; to hate someone, you wish him to die—how confused it is to wish both.’ He also said, ‘To discern slander that seeps in like water—this is wisdom.’ We ask that Your Majesty convene ministers, grand masters, and scholars to examine Wang Zun’s conduct thoroughly. If it is proven that he has disrupted the natural order, he deserves capital punishment. If he has committed treacherous acts under the guise of governance, he merits severe penalty. Should these charges be substantiated, Wang Zun ought to be executed or exiled to a remote frontier, without pardon, and those who recommended him should likewise be punished. If the accusations are false, then the accusers must be punished, to silence slanderous tongues and eradicate deceitful schemes. We implore Your Majesty to distinguish black from white and ensure that justice is done.”

    After this petition was submitted, the Emperor appointed Wang Zun as Inspector of Xuzhou.