Comprehensive Reflections to Aid in Governance
By Sima Guang
Translated By Yiming Yang
Annals of Han Book 21 Scroll 29 (continued)
The 1st year of Emperor Yuan’s Jingning Era (33 B.C. continued)
Earlier, the Director of the Palace Secretariat, Shi Xian, had once sought to marry his elder sister to Gan Yanshou, but Gan Yanshou declined. When Gan Yanshou later returned after defeating Zhizhi Chanyu, both the Chancellor and the Grand Master of the Censorate disapproved of his conduct in forging the imperial decree and therefore withheld commendation for his achievements.
Chen Tang was by nature avaricious. The wealth he seized and brought back through the frontier was often obtained unlawfully. The Colonel Inspectorate of the Capital (Colonel of Retainers) sent officials along the route to detain Chen Tang’s officers and soldiers for investigation. Chen Tang submitted a memorial stating:
“The officers and soldiers under my command together punished Zhizhi Chanyu and were fortunate to capture and destroy him. After traveling thousands of li, we should have been met with envoys to welcome and reward us along the road. Instead, the Colonel Inspectorate of the Capital detains and interrogates us—this is no different from avenging Zhizhi Chanyu!”
The Emperor immediately ordered the release of the detained officers and soldiers, and commanded the commanderies and counties along the route to supply the army with food and wine.
After their return, when merits were being discussed, Shi Xian and Kuang Heng said:
“Gan Yanshou and Chen Tang rashly raised troops and acted without authorization. That they were not executed should already be counted as great leniency. If they are further rewarded with ranks and fiefs, then in the future envoys will all strive to act recklessly, provoking troubles with the barbarians and bringing calamity upon the state.”
The Emperor personally admired the achievements of Gan Yanshou and Chen Tang, yet he also valued the opinions of Kuang Heng and Shi Xian. Thus, he delayed the decision for a long time.
At this point, the former Minister of the Imperial Clan, Liu Xiang (formerly known as Liu Gengsheng), submitted a memorial:
“Zhizhi Chanyu imprisoned and slew envoys and officials by the hundreds. His crimes were proclaimed throughout the foreign lands, grievously damaging the dignity of the Han, so that all within the court were filled with righteous indignation. Your Majesty resolved to punish him and never for a moment forgot this resolve.
“The Protector-General of the Western Regions, Gan Yanshou, together with the Lieutenant Colonel Chen Tang, upheld the imperial command and relied upon the awe of divine authority. They united the leaders of the various alien tribes, gathered the forces of the frontier cities, braved death countless times, and advanced deep into distant lands. They penetrated Kangju, captured three fortified cities, seized the enemy’s banners, and beheaded Zhizhi Chanyu. Their standards were unfurled thousands of li away, their might shook the regions west of the Kun Mountains(a.k.a. Kunlun Mountains), the disgrace of Gu Ji’s killing was avenged, and illustrious merit was established. All the foreign tribes trembled in fear and submission.
“Huhanye Chanyu, upon hearing of Zhizhi’s execution, was at once joyful and fearful; he turned toward righteousness, bowed in submission, and came to court, vowing to guard the northern frontier and serve the Han for generations. This achievement ensures peace for ten thousand ages and constitutes a merit unparalleled among ministers.
“In antiquity, Fang Shu and Yin Jifu assisted King Xuan of Zhou in chastising the Xianyun(an old derogatory epithet for Xiongnu), thereby bringing all the tribes to submission. As the Book of Songs says:
‘Mighty and resounding, like thunder and lightning—
Fang Shu went forth to chastise the Xianyun,
brought all the southern tribes to submission.’
“The Book of Changes says: ‘‘It is a commendable feat, When the head is taken, the rest submit.’ This praises the punishment of the chief offender, by which all the unruly are brought to obedience. Now Gan Yanshou and Chen Tang, by their thunderous strike and awe-inspiring might, achieved what the Book of Changes calls ‘taking the head,’ and what the Book of Songs likens to ‘thunder and lightning’—indeed, their merit surpasses even these examples.
“When assessing great achievements, minor faults are not recorded; when praising great virtue, small errors are not examined. The Methods of Sima Rangju state: ‘Military rewards must not be delayed beyond one month,’ for merit must be promptly recognized, so that the will to serve is encouraged and achievement made manifest. This is the proper way to employ men of talent.
“In former times, when Yin Jifu returned from his campaign, the Zhou court bestowed upon him great rewards. The Book of Songs says:
‘Jifu returned in joy,
Laden with abundant blessings;
From Hao he came back,
His journey long and arduous.’
“A journey of a thousand li to Hao was already deemed far; how much more so a march of ten thousand li? Their toil and merit are therefore beyond measure.”
“Gan Yanshou and Chen Tang have not yet received the honors due to their achievements; instead, their great merits have been suppressed, and they have long endured petty accusations from court officials. This neither encourages merit nor inspires those of ambition.
“In former times, Duke Huan of Qi first rendered great service in upholding the Zhou house, yet later committed the fault of destroying the state of Xiang. Historians nevertheless concealed his faults in order to exalt his merit. Likewise, the Ershi General Li Guangli exhausted fifty thousand troops and squandered immense resources over four years, yet gained only thirty fine horses. Though he slew the King of Dayuan, Wugua, his achievement scarcely compensated for the cost, and his private crimes were many. Nevertheless, Emperor Wu, mindful of the hardship of distant campaigns, overlooked his offenses and rewarded him with marquisates, high offices, and stipends of two thousand picul for more than a hundred men.
“Now Kangju is stronger than Dayuan, and Zhizhi Chanyu’s renown surpassed that of the King of Dayuan; the crime of murdering envoys is graver still than withholding horses. Yet Gan Yanshou and Chen Tang neither exhausted the people nor drained the treasury, and their achievement exceeds that of the Ershi General a hundredfold.
“Moreover, Chang Hui pursued and attacked the Wusun following his own initiative, and Zheng Ji received the submission of the Rizhu King without prior imperial command; yet both were granted fiefs and ennobled. Measured by military merit and hardship, Gan Yanshou and Chen Tang surpass Fang Shu and Yin Jifu; weighed by the balance of merit and fault, they exceed Duke Huan of Qi and the Ershi General; compared with more recent achievements, they stand above the Marquis of Anyuan(Zheng Ji) and the Marquis of Changluo(Chang Hui).
“Yet now their great accomplishments are left unrewarded, while their minor faults are repeatedly magnified—this truly grieves the heart. It is fitting, therefore, to pardon and release them in due time, restore their ranks, set aside their faults, and bestow proper honors, so as to encourage merit and inspire those who serve the state.”
Thereupon, the Emperor issued an edict granting pardon to Gan Yanshou and Chen Tang, ordering that their offenses not be pursued, and commanded the ministers to deliberate on the bestowal of ranks and titles. The officials argued that the precedent of military merit lay in the capture and execution of Zhizhi Chanyu. Kuang Heng and Shi Xian, however, objected, saying: “Zhizhi was originally a fugitive who had lost his state; he merely usurped the title in a remote land and was not truly a Chanyu.”
The Emperor cited the precedent of the Marquis of Anyuan, Zheng Ji, who had been enfeoffed with a thousand households; yet Kuang Heng and Shi Xian persisted in their objections.
In the summer, on April 30, Gan Yanshou was enfeoffed as Marquis of Yicheng, and Chen Tang was granted the title of Marquis within the Passes. Each received a fief of three hundred households, along with a reward of one hundred catties of gold. Gan Yanshou was appointed Colonel of Changshui, and Chen Tang was appointed Colonel of Shooting Sound; both were placed in command of troops.
Thereafter, Du Qin submitted a memorial again discussing the merits of Feng Fengshi’s earlier campaign against Shache(Yarkant). The Emperor, deeming it an affair of the former reign, did not reopen the matter. Du Qin was the son of the former Grand Master of Censorate, Du Yannian.
Xun Yue’s Commentary: If Feng Fengshi’s achievements and righteousness were sufficient to warrant enfeoffment, then revisiting and recording his former merits is indeed appropriate. According to the principles of the Spring and Autumn Annals, to censure the Duke of Lu for dismantling the ancestral temple was deemed improper, while to commend him for disbanding the central army was deemed correct—each judgment resting upon what was fitting to the circumstance.
Matters undertaken without imperial authorization were always treated with caution by the former kings and were permitted only when necessity compelled them. If one acts without authorization in a great affair yet achieves little, punishment is fitting; if one acts without authorization in a lesser matter yet accomplishes great merit, reward is fitting; if merit and fault counterbalance one another, then leaving the matter unresolved is appropriate.
Thus, judgments should be weighed on the gravity of the matter and rendered as befits its achievement.
Reflection by Rio Grande 