Six Line Divination from Liangqiu He to Wulu Chongzong
The 2nd year of Emperor Yuan’s Jianzhao Era (37 B.C. continued)
Associate Censor Chen Xian frequently criticized Shi Xian. In time, he was accused of maintaining close ties with Zhu Yun, Magistrate of Huaili, and of leaking confidential discussions from within the palace. Shi Xian secretly investigated the matter, discovered the facts, and had both Chen Xian and Zhu Yun arrested, their heads shaved, and sentenced to penal labor.
Shi Xian’s power and influence thereafter grew by the day. From high officials down to minor functionaries, all feared him, treading cautiously and standing in awe on one leg. He formed a clique with Lao Liang, Deputy Director of the Central Secretariat, and Wulu Chongzong, Privy Treasurer. Those who attached themselves to their faction were all favored and advanced. Among the people there arose a song:
“If you are of the Lao clan, Or if you are of the Shi, Or if you are guests of Wulu— Heavy hang your seals, And many are your sashes!”
Shi Xian, fully aware of the authority he wielded, feared that one day the Emperor might heed other voices and turn against him. Therefore, he constantly sought to display his loyalty in order to secure imperial trust. Once, when he dispatched an official to requisition supplies from various offices, he first reported to the Emperor, saying: “I fear that if the gates are closed, the message may not pass through. I therefore request that an edict be issued ordering the guards to open the gates for me.” The Emperor assented.
Shi Xian then deliberately returned late at night, claiming that he bore an edict ordering the gates to be opened. Later, someone submitted a memorial accusing Shi Xian of falsely issuing commands and using a forged decree to open the palace gates. When the Emperor read it, he laughed and showed it to Shi Xian.
Shi Xian wept and said, “Your Majesty has entrusted this humble servant with great responsibility, and thus others envy and seek to harm me. Such incidents occur repeatedly, yet only a wise lord can discern them. I am insignificant and cannot satisfy all men while bearing the resentment of the world. I beg to be relieved of my central secretariat duties and to serve in some lowly post within the inner palace, where I may die without regret. I implore Your Majesty to have mercy and spare my life.”
The Emperor was moved by this and took pity on him, repeatedly comforting and encouraging him, and bestowing upon him lavish gifts amounting to one hundred million in gold and valuables.
Earlier, Shi Xian had feared that rumors of his involvement in the death of the former General Xiao Wangzhi would provoke criticism from scholars. Hearing that the Grandee of Remonstration, Gong Yu, was renowned for his integrity and learning, Shi Xian sent someone to cultivate goodwill with him, forging a close relationship and recommending him to the Emperor. Gong Yu rose rapidly through the ranks, eventually becoming one of the Nine Ministers, and was treated with exceptional honor.
As a result, some praised Shi Xian, believing that he harbored no jealousy or slander toward Xiao Wangzhi. In this way, Shi Xian dispelled suspicion and secured the Emperor’s trust through calculated artifice.
Xun Yue’s commentary:The deception of a ruler by sycophantic ministers is indeed most pernicious. Thus Confucius said, ‘Keep flatterers at a distance.’ This means not merely refraining from employing them, but keeping them far away and cutting off their influence at the root—this is the utmost precaution. Confucius also said, ‘To govern is to be upright.’ The essence of governance lies in uprightness. Those who are upright, honest, and sincere embody this principle.
Therefore, before appointing a man, one must examine the truth of his virtue; before assigning a task, examine the truth of his ability; before granting reward, examine the truth of his merit; before imposing punishment, examine the truth of his guilt; before bestowing honor, examine the truth of his conduct; before trusting words, examine their truthfulness of speech; before employing resources, examine their substance; before managing affairs, examine their reality. When righteousness accumulates above, substance naturally takes root below. Such was the Way of the ancient kings.
On August 3, Kuang Heng, who was serving as Chamberlain, was appointed Grand Master of the Censorate.
In the intercalary August 8, the Grand Empress Dowager Shangguan (Empress Zhao) passed away.
In November of the winter, earthquakes struck the regions of Qi and Chu, accompanied by heavy snow. Trees were broken, and houses collapsed.
Fan Zhongyan’s family precepts. Calligraphy of Ai Xiongheng
The 3rd year of Emperor Yuan’s Yongguang Era (41 B.C.)
In February of spring, Feng Fengshi returned to the capital and was appointed General of the Left, and the title of Marquis Within the Passes was conferred upon him.
In March, the Emperor’s son Liu Kang was made Prince of Jiyang.
In April of summer, Wang Jie, Marquis Kao of Pingchang, passed away.
In July of autumn, Xu Jia, Marquis of Ping’en, was appointed Grand Marshal and General of Chariots and Cavalry.
In winter, on November 8, there was an earthquake accompanied by rainfall.
The offices of Salt and Iron were reinstated; the enrollment of court scholars was limited to one thousand. Because funds were insufficient and many among the people had been exempted from levies, the government lacked the means to sustain both internal and external labor services.
The 4th year of Emperor Yuan’s Yongguang Era (40 B.C.)
In February of spring, a general amnesty was proclaimed throughout the empire.
In March, the Emperor traveled to Yong to offer sacrifice at the Altars of the Five Deities.
In summer, on June 26, a fire broke out at the eastern gate of the Mausoleum of Emperor Xuan.
On June 30, at the new moon, a solar eclipse occurred.
The Emperor then summoned and questioned those who had earlier spoken on the omens of the sun, including Zhou Kan and Zhang Meng. They bowed their heads and apologized. Thereupon the Emperor issued an edict praising Zhou Kan’s virtue, summoned him to the traveling court, appointed him Grandee of Merit with a stipend of two thousand piculs of grain, and placed him in charge of the State Secretariat. Zhang Meng was restored to the office of Grandee of the Palace and Palace Steward.
The Chief of the Palace Secretariat, Shi Xian, controlled the State Secretariat entirely, and all five ministers within it were his clients. Zhou Kan seldom had an opportunity to see the Emperor and was compelled to speak through Shi Xian, with all decisions made according to Shi Xian’s word. Later Zhou Kan fell ill with a throat ailment, lost the power of speech, and died. Shi Xian then falsely accused Zhang Meng, who, in despair, took his own life at the palace concierge.
Gong Yu had submitted a memorial stating: “The temples of Emperors Hui and Jing, having no direct descendants, should be dismantled. Furthermore, the temples maintained in the commanderies and kingdoms do not accord with ancient rites and should be rectified.” The Emperor approved this proposal.
Thus in autumn, on July 10, the temples of Queen Zhaoling (mother of Emperor Gaozu), King Wu’ai (elder brother of Emperor Gaozu), Queen Zhao’ai (elder sister of Emperor Gaozu), Empress Wei Si (Wei Zifu, mother of Crown Prince Liu Ju), Crown Prince Li (Liu Ju), and Empress Dowager Li (consort of Liu Ju and grandmother of Emperor Xuan) were discontinued. None of these were thereafter to receive sacrifices; only a minimal guard of officials and soldiers was assigned.
In winter, on October 19, the ancestral temples located in the commanderies and princedoms were likewise abolished.
The various imperial tombs were assigned to the jurisdiction of the Three Metropolitan Regions. The area of the Shouling Pavilion in Weicheng was designated as the preliminary burial ground of the Emperor. An edict forbade the establishment of counties or towns there, and prohibited forcefully relocating people from the commanderies or kingdoms into that area.
The 5th year of Emperor Yuan’s Yongguang Era (39 B.C.)
In January of spring, the Emperor journeyed to Ganquan and performed the suburban sacrifice at the Taiyi Altar. In March, he traveled to Hedong and offered sacrifice to the Queen of the Earth.
In autumn, great flooding struck Yingchuan, and many people perished.
In winter, the Emperor traveled to Changyang Palace, where the Bear-Shooting Park lay, and held a great hunt.
On December 16, the temples and tombs of the Grand Emperor Emeritus (father of Emperor Gaozu) and of Emperor Hui were destroyed in accordance with the counsel of Wei Xuancheng and others.
The Emperor favored Confucian arts and literary cultivation, thereby greatly altering the policies of Emperor Xuan. Many who offered proposals were granted audience, and all believed themselves to have entered the Emperor’s favor. Moreover, Consort(Zhaoyi[Lady of Bright Deportment]) Fu and her son, the Prince of Jiyang, were cherished above the Empress and the Crown Prince.
The Crown Prince’s tutor, Kuang Heng, submitted a memorial:
“I have heard that the key to order and disorder, safety and peril, and the governance of all under Heaven, lies in discerning where the Sovereign directs his mind. A sovereign who receives the Mandate fixes his thoughts upon founding and perpetuating a dynasty, transmitting it endlessly to future ages. One who inherits the throne seeks to continue the virtues of the former kings and to magnify their achievements. In ancient times, when King Cheng of Zhou succeeded to the throne, he sought to follow the ways of King Wen and King Wu of Zhou to cultivate his heart. All his illustrious deeds and glorious accomplishments he attributed to the two kings, never daring to claim the merit for himself. Thus Heaven took delight in their offerings, and the spirits bestowed their blessings.”
“Your Majesty possesses sacred virtue vast as the heavens and loves the people of the realm as your own children, yet the harmony of yin and yang has not been attained, and treachery and wickedness have not been curbed. This is likely because your advisers have not greatly extolled the achievements of the former emperors, but instead vie with one another to assert that established institutions cannot be used and must be changed. Some reforms prove impractical and are repeatedly altered and reversed, causing subordinates to dispute without end and leaving officials and people alike without trust. I privately lament that the state has cast aside what the people found successful and satisfying, and instead engages in fruitless back-and-forth.”
“I wish that Your Majesty would carefully review the great matter of succession, and devote your mind to upholding established institutions and advancing the past achievements so as to steady the hearts of your subordinates. The Great Odes of the Book of Songs say: ‘Do not forget your ancestors; cultivate their virtue.’ This is the root of utmost virtue. The Commentaries say: ‘By discerning likes and dislikes and regulating emotion and nature, the royal Way is achieved.’ The means of regulating one’s nature is to examine one’s excesses and strengthen one’s deficiencies.
“Those who are bright and perceptive must beware of being overly critical; those who are less informed must beware of being obstructive. The brave and strong must beware of undue violence; the benevolent and gentle must beware of indecision. The tranquil and easygoing must beware of negligence; the broad-minded and magnanimous must beware of forgetfulness. One must scrutinize the cautions appropriate to oneself and temper them with righteousness; then the influence of balanced harmony will respond, and the deceitful and cunning will not dare to scheme for advancement. If Your Majesty heeds this counsel, it will elevate your sacred virtue.”
“I have also heard that when the Way of the household is cultivated, the governance of the realm is thereby achieved. Thus the Book of Songs begins with the ‘Airs of the States,’ and the Book of Rites begins with the ceremonies of capping and marriage. The Airs of the States reveal the origins of emotion and human relationships, thereby illuminating ethical norms. The ceremonies of coming-of-age and marriage set the household in order and lay the foundation for preventing future disorder. Therefore, the sage kings carefully managed the relationships among consorts and queens, distinguished between the heir-apparent and the lesser sons, and observed the rites within the household. The lowly did not overstep the honored, nor the new precede the old, thus harmonizing human sentiments and regulating the yin force.
“By honoring the rightful heir and subordinating the lesser sons, the legitimate son is capped at the Eastern Terrace and receives the sweet-wine rite; the lesser sons do not join the ranks. Thus the legitimate lineage is exalted and doubts and suspicions are dispelled. This is not merely a matter of adding external ritual forms, but of manifesting a true internal distinction. Therefore, ritual inquires into inner emotion and makes it visible outwardly. When the sage’s movements—whether in formal intercourse or in leisurely intimacy—accord with proper order, then everything follows its correct pattern, self-cultivation is achieved, and the people are transformed by his example.
“If those who should be near are pushed afar, and those who should be honored are disgraced, then the treacherous and cunning will seize the chance to disturb the state. Thus the sage vigilantly prevents wrongful beginnings and forbids troubles before they arise, never allowing private affection to injure public righteousness. The Commentaries say: ‘When the household is in order, the realm will be at peace.’”In earlier times, after Emperor Wu had blocked the breach of the Yellow River and built Xuanfang Palace to commemorate the achievement, the river later burst northward again at Guantao, forming the Tunshi River, which flowed northeast into the sea. The Tunshi River grew as broad and as deep as the main course of the Yellow River, and thus it was left unblocked. In this year, the Yellow River broke through at Lingmingdu Estuary in Qinghe Commandery, causing the Tunshi River to dry up.
The 4th year of Emperor Yuan’s Chuyuan Era (45 B.C.)
In January of spring, the Emperor journeyed to Ganquan and offered sacrifice at the Taiyi Altar.
In March, he traveled to Hedong and made offerings to the Mother Earth deity; a pardon was granted to the convicts of Fenyin.
The 5th year of Emperor Yuan’s Chuyuan Era (44 B.C.)
In January of spring, the Lord Zinan of Zhou, was appointed Marquis Chengxiu of Zhou.
In March, the Emperor traveled to Yong and offered sacrifice at the Altar of the Five Deities.
In April of summer, a comet appeared near the constellation Orion.
The Emperor, following the counsel of Confucian scholars such as Gong Yu, issued a decree stating that the Imperial Kitchen should not slaughter animals daily and should reduce its prepared provisions by half. Horses were to be kept only for the imperial carriage and essential official duties. The practices of wrestling; the seldom-used palace maids in the inner gardens; the offices overseeing the Three-Season Garment Works in Qi; the officials of the northern hunting grounds; the salt-and-iron administration; and the Fair-Price Granaries were all to be abolished.
Disciples of the Imperial Academy were no longer limited in number, so that learning might be encouraged. Any commoner proficient in one of the Confucian classics was exempted from corvée. More than seventy categories of punishment were abolished.
The Grand Master of the Censorate, Chen Wannian, passed away.
On June 20, Gong Yu, Treasurer of Changxin Palace, was appointed Grand Master of the Censorate. Gong Yu had long submitted many memorials discussing the successes and failures of state affairs. The Emperor esteemed his honesty and integrity and frequently adopted his proposals.
Zhizhi Chanyu of the Xiongnu, resenting that the Han favored Huhanye and did not aid him, and believing himself far removed from the Middle Kingdom, mistreated the Han envoys Jiang Naishi and others. He sent an envoy with tribute, requesting the return of his hostage son. The court deliberated on sending Court Guard Marshal Gu Ji to escort the prince. Imperial Counselor Gong Yu and the Erudite Kuang Heng of Donghai argued against it, saying: “Zhizhi Chanyu’s acceptance of the ways of the Central States is but superficial, and his territory lies at an extreme distance. It is fitting that the envoy delivers his son only to the frontier and there turn back.”
Gu Ji submitted a memorial, saying: “Between the Central States and the tribes, a bond has long endured without interruption. Now, having raised and nurtured his son for ten years with great kindness, if we abruptly cease and escort him no farther than the frontier border, returning without completing our purpose, it will appear as abandonment—causing him to feel discarded and bereft of allegiance, thereby nullifying past kindness and sowing future resentment. This is unwise.
“Those who advise against this, having seen the humiliations suffered earlier by Jiang Naishi and the others, imagine such dangers beforehand. I, fortunate to uphold the strength of Han and to receive the enlightened command, will proclaim our profound benevolence; they will not dare to rebel. If they harbor a beast-like heart and behave immorally toward me, then the Chanyu will incur a grave crime and must flee far away, not daring to approach our borders. To sacrifice one envoy so that the people may dwell in peace is strategy for the state and the wish of Your servant. I request permission to deliver him to the court.”
The Emperor approved his counsel.
Upon Gu Ji’s arrival, Zhizhi Chanyu flew into rage and in the end slew Gu Ji and his retinue. Knowing that he had wronged the Han, and hearing that Huhanye was growing stronger daily, he feared attack and sought to flee to a distant region.
The King of Kangju(Sogdiana), long harassed by the Wusun, conferred with his chieftains, saying: “The Xiongnu are a great nation, and the Wusun have long been subject to them. Now Zhizhi Chanyu wanders outside his domain. We may invite him to our eastern marches, join forces to conquer the Wusun, and establish him there, thereby eliminating the Xiongnu threat once for all.” They sent an envoy to Jiankun, where Zhizhi Chanyu then resided, to convey this plan.
Zhizhi Chanyu, already fearing and resenting the Wusun, was greatly delighted by Kangju’s proposal. They formed an alliance, and Zhizhi Chanyu led his forces westward. Many among his followers perished from the cold along the way, leaving but three thousand men. When they reached Kangju, the King of Kangju gave his daughter in marriage to Zhizhi Chanyu, and Zhizhi Chanyu likewise gave his daughter to the King of Kangju. The King of Kangju revered Zhizhi Chanyu greatly, intending to use his strength to overawe the neighboring states.
Zhizhi Chanyu repeatedly borrowed troops to strike the Wusun, penetrating deeply into Chigu[Red Valley, near Lake Issyk-Kul] city, killing and capturing many and driving off livestock. The Wusun did not dare to pursue. An area of five thousand square miles of western land lay desolate and uninhabited.
In winter, on December 9, Grand Master of the Censorate Gong Yu died. On December 19, Xue Guangde, Treasurer of Changxin Palace, was appointed Gong Yu’s successor.
The 2nd year of Emperor Yuan’s Chuyuan Era (47 B.C. continued)
That year, Hong Gong died of illness, and Shi Xian succeeded him as Chief of the Palace Secretariat.
At the outset, when Emperor Wu pacified Nanyue, he established the commanderies of Zhuya and Dan’er upon an Island in the South Sea(Hainan Island). The officials and soldiers stationed there were all from the Central States and often oppressed the local people. The islanders were fierce and unruly, believing themselves cut off from the mainland; they frequently violated official prohibitions. Every few years they rose in rebellion, killing officials, and the Han repeatedly dispatched troops to quell them. In more than twenty years they rebelled six times; by the reign of Emperor Xuan, they rebelled twice more.
In the second year of the present Emperor’s reign, Shannan County of Zhuya rebelled; troops were sent to suppress it. Other counties rose likewise, and for several years unrest did not cease. The Emperor consulted his ministers, intending to mobilize a great host. Scribe-in-Waiting Jia Juanzhi remonstrated, saying:
“I have heard that the sage lords Yao, Shun, and Yu governed realms only a few thousand li across. To the west their transforming influence reached the drifting sands; to the east, the shore of the great sea, to the north and the south as well. They held that they would govern only those who were willing to receive their instruction and would not force it upon others. Thus lord and subject praised each other’s virtue, and all beings dwelt in their proper places.
“Even the great kings Wu Ding of Shang and King Cheng of Zhou, the humane rulers of their age, ruled eastward no farther than the principalities of Jiang and Huang, westward no farther than the Di and Qiang, southward no farther than the territories of the Jingman[barbarian in Jingzhou], and northward no farther than Shuofang Commandery. Songs of praise filled the land, and all creatures lived in harmony. The Yuechang tribe came from afar with tribute, passing through nine interpreters; this was not won by force of arms.
“Then came the Qin, who waged far-flung wars and exhausted their strength through greed; in the end, rebellion arose and their state was destroyed. Emperor Wen restrained his armies and cultivated civil governance; in his time, legal cases numbered only in the hundreds, and taxes and labor service were light. Emperor Wu, however, relied on arms to repel the barbarians; legal cases numbered in the tens of thousands, taxes were heavy, and banditry was rife. Soldiers were constantly mobilized; fathers died in battle, sons were wounded, women watched over the passes, orphans cried in the roads, widowed mothers wept in the streets—this all sprang from excessive expansion and ceaseless war.
“In human sentiment, none are dearer than parents, none bring more joy than husband and wife; yet men now sell their children and marry away their wives. Law cannot forbid it; righteousness cannot restrain it. This is the great peril of the state.
“Now Your Majesty, unable to bear long-standing anxieties, proposes to drive the multitude into the vast sea, relieving a moment’s concern at the cost of deepening their hunger and distress. The Book of Songs says: ‘The foolish Jingman[southern barbarian] made a great state into their foe.’ This means that when a sage arises they submit, but when the Central Plain is weak they rebel; how much more so the southern savages who dwell in distant and untamed lands!
“The people of Luoyue(Luegvet) bathe with father and son together in the same waters and drink through their noses—no different from beasts. They are not worth establishing counties over. Living alone on an island in the sea, shrouded in mist and humidity, amid poisonous plants, insects, serpents, and harmful water and soil—the soldiers die before they ever meet the enemy. Moreover, Zhuya is not the only source of pearls, rhinoceros horn, and tortoise shell. To abandon it is no loss; not to attack it does not injure our prestige. These men are like fish and turtles—not worthy of our desire.
“Seek antiquity for precedent and it gives no such counsel; apply it to the present and it yields nothing workable. Your servant, in ignorance, believes that among states, if they are not of cap and girdle—if they lie outside the territories described in the Yu Gong(The Book of Documents) and governed by the Spring and Autumn Annals—they may be set aside for now and not acted upon. I plead that the commandery of Zhuya be abandoned, and that the court turn its efforts to relieving the suffering east of Han’gu Pass.”
The Emperor consulted the Chancellor and the Grand Master of the Censorate. The Master of the Censorate, Chen Wannian, held that the rebels should be attacked; but Chancellor Yu Dingguo argued:
“In former years when troops were dispatched year after year, of the eleven commanders sent forth, only two returned. More than ten thousand soldiers and transport workers died, and over thirty million coins were expended, yet we were still unable to pacify them completely. Now the regions east of Han’gu Pass are depleted, and the people are difficult to mobilize. To abandon the enterprise, as Jia Juanzhi proposes, is sound policy.”
The Emperor accepted this counsel. Jia Juanzhi was the great-grandson of Jia Yi.
The 3rd year of Emperor Yuan’s Chuyuan Era (46 B.C.)
In the spring, an edict was issued, stating:
“The barbarians of Zhuya have slain officials and people, turned their backs upon us, and risen in rebellion. Now among those who deliberate in court, some urge attack, some urge defense, and some wish to abandon the territory; their reasons differ. Day and night We ponder their words. Ashamed that Our authority is not upheld, We would like to punish them; wavering and fearing peril, We would like to hold firm and settle them by garrison-farms; accommodating to the circumstance, We would like to grieve for the myriad people.
“Between the hunger of the multitude and the failure to chastise distant barbarians, which danger is the greater? Moreover, in a year of ill omen, even the sacrifices at the ancestral temples cannot be fully prepared; how then could We show no concern for the disgrace of neglecting distant threats?
“Now the lands east of the Passes are sorely afflicted; granaries and treasuries stand empty and cannot sustain one another. To raise armies again would not only weary the people but bring disaster upon the year. Let the Commandery of Zhuya be abolished. If any among the people admire righteousness and desire to submit and come within, then settle them; if they do not wish it, do not compel them.”
In the summer, on April 29, the White Crane Palace at Maoling, the tomb of Emperor Wu, caught fire; a general amnesty was proclaimed throughout the realm.
In the summer, there was a drought.
The younger brother of the late Prince Yang of Changsha(Liu Dan), Liu Zong, was elevated as the Prince of Changsha to succeed him.
The Treasurer of Changxin Palace, Gong Yu, submitted a proposal stating: “The guards at the various detached palaces and the Changle Palace can be reduced by more than half to lighten the labor burdens.”
In June, an edict was issued: “We have been contemplating the hunger and cold suffered by the common people, who are far from their parents, wives, and children, laboring on tasks not their own, guarding palaces they do not inhabit. We fear this does not align with the principles of supporting the balance of yin and yang. Therefore, disband the guards at the Ganquan and Jianzhang Palaces and let them return to farming. Each palace should reduce its expenses. Submit detailed plans without concealment.”
That year, the Emperor reappointed Zhou Kan as the Chamberlain. Zhou Kan‘s disciple, Zhang Meng, was appointed as a Grand Master of Merit and a Palace Liaison, receiving great trust and favor.
Zhucheng, Gong Yu’s hometown, Shandong Province. Photo by Rolfmueller
The 1st year of Emperor Yuan’s Chuyuan Era (48 B.C.)
In the spring, on January 4, Emperor Xuan was buried at Duling, and a general amnesty was proclaimed throughout the realm.
On March 10, Empress Wang Zhengjun was established; her father, Wang Jin, was ennobled as Marquis of Yangping.
The surplus yield from the public lands of the Three Metropolitan Districts(Jingzhao, Pingyi, Fufeng), the office of the Grand Minister of Ceremonies, and the public fields of the commanderies and principalities was allocated to aid the impoverished; those whose assets were worth less than a thousand coins were granted seed and grain loans.
Attendant-in-Ordinary Xu Jia, nephew of the Emperor’s maternal grandfather, Marquis Dai of Ping’en Xu Guanghan, succeeded to the marquisate of Ping’en.
In June of summer, as epidemic afflicted the people, the Emperor ordered the Imperial Kitchen to reduce meals, diminished the number of performers in the Music Bureau, and curtailed the horses of the imperial stables, saving expenditure to relieve those in distress and want.
In September of autumn, eleven commanderies and principalities east of Hangu Pass suffered great inundation, leading to famine, and some among the people turned to cannibalism. Funds and grain were dispatched from neighboring commanderies to provide relief.
The Emperor had long heard that Wang Ji and Gong Yu of Langya were learned in the classics and of upright conduct; he therefore sent envoys to summon them. Wang Ji died of illness on the road. When Gong Yu arrived, he was appointed Grandee of Remonstration. The Emperor frequently humbled himself to inquire of him regarding affairs of state.
Gong Yu presented his counsel, saying: “In antiquity, rulers were frugal, taking but a tenth of the people’s produce, and imposing no other levies; thus households were well supplied and the people had abundance. Emperor Gaozu, Emperor Wen, and Emperor Jing of Han kept no more than a dozen palace women and only a hundred horses in their stables. In later generations extravagance increased, and ministers followed in its wake. In my humble view, though it is difficult to return wholly to ancient ways, one should strive to emulate them in part for the sake of self-restraint. The palaces now stand completed and cannot be altered, yet other expenditures may certainly be reduced.”
He continued: “In former times, the Three-Season Garment Officer of Qi produced no more than ten hampers of apparel. Now, the Three-Season Officer commands several thousand artisans, expending vast sums each year to fashion garments for the three seasons of spring, summer, and winter; and the nearly ten thousand horses in the royal stables consume enormous stores of grain. In the reign of Emperor Wu, countless beauties, numbering in the thousands, were taken to fill the harem. At his death, much gold, treasure, and rare curios—birds, beasts, fish, turtles, in all one hundred and ninety items—were sealed away; moreover, palace women were confined to garden lodges and tomb precincts. When Emperor Xuan was buried, the same was done. Your Majesty dislikes being reproached for altering precedent, and thus ministers cleave to this practice. This is deeply lamentable.
“Moreover, to reform the realm and foster a new way of life, taking so many women into the palace is exceedingly excessive. The princes keep several hundred wives and concubines, and wealthy officials and commoners maintain dozens of female entertainers, so that resentful women crowd the inner chambers, while celibate men fill the outer quarters. Further, at their burials, the wealthy and renowned hollow the earth above to fill below, exhausting the land for their tombs. These excesses all arise from the upper ranks and are the ministers’ fault for clinging to outworn customs.
“May Your Majesty diligently examine the ways of antiquity and adopt their frugality. Greatly reduce imperial carriages, personal garments, and luxurious goods by two-thirds; choose twenty worthy women to remain in the harem and dismiss the rest, including the childless women kept in mausoleum gardens. Let the stables maintain no more than several dozen horses, and preserve only the hunting park south of Chang’an. In this time of famine, it is fitting sharply to cut and diminish expenditures, to save the people and accord with Heaven’s intent. Heaven raises sages for the benefit of the people, not for their private pleasure.”
The Emperor approved his counsel, issued an edict halting repairs on palaces rarely used, reduced the grain-fed horses of the imperial stables, and curtailed the meat-fed beasts kept by the Water Management Bureau, which oversaw the royal menagerie.
Sima Guang’s commentary: When a loyal minister serves his sovereign, he must first address matters that are difficult, that the easier may thereafter be corrected without exertion; he must remedy what is lacking, that what is strong may proceed without further admonition. At the beginning of Emperor Yuan’s reign, His Majesty humbly sought counsel from Gong Yu. Gong Yu ought to have placed what was urgent before what was secondary. Yet Emperor Yuan lacked firmness and resolve in rectifying governance, allowing slanderous and deceitful officials to grasp authority—this was the great peril of the age—yet Gong Yu spoke not of it. Reverence, caution, and frugality were ever Emperor Yuan’s forte, yet Gong Yu again and again urged him only in these—why so? If Gong Yu’s insight was insufficient to perceive the greater matters, how could he be deemed worthy? And if he knew them yet failed to speak, then his fault is all the heavier.
The Xiongnu Chanyu Huhanye again submitted a memorial, declaring that his people suffered hardship and want. An edict ordered the transport of twenty thousand bushels of grain from Yunzhong and Wuyuan Commanderies to supply their needs.
In that year, for the first time, the office of Wuji Colonel was established, assigned to garrison the former territory of the Jushi kingdom and in charge of military farming.
Reflection by Rio Grande 