Comprehensive Reflections to Aid in Governance
By Sima Guang
Translated By Yiming Yang
Annals of Han Book 28 Scroll 36
Duration of 6 years
The 3rd year of Emperor Ping’s Yuanshi Era (3 A.D.)
In the spring, the Grand Empress Dowager sent Xiahou Fan, Treasurer of Changle Palace, Liu Hong, Minister of the Imperial Clan, and Ping Yan, Director of the State Secretariat, to present gifts and interview the daughter of Wang Mang. Upon their return, they reported: “The noblewoman is steeped in virtue, possesses a graceful and benevolent bearing, and is fit to succeed to the heavenly order and carry on the sacrifices.”
Grand Preceptor Kong Guang, Grand Excellency over the Masses Ma Gong, Grand Excellency of Works Zhen Feng, General of the Left Sun Jian, Bearer of the Gilded-Mace(Chief of the Capital Police) Yin Shang, Acting Minister of Ceremonies and Grand Master of the Palace Liu Xiu, together with the Grand Diviner and the Grand Astrologer, all wearing ceremonial caps of deerskin and white silk, conducted the customary divinations for the horoscopic match. They all declared: “The omen reveals the finest harmony of element metal and water, and the hexagram shows the parents in their proper places. This is the so-called sign of health and vigor, a symbol of great fortune.”
A grand sacrificial offering of oxen was made at the ancestral temple. The officials submitted a report: “According to precedents, when selecting an empress, 20,000 catties of gold are used, equivalent to 200 million coins.” Wang Mang firmly declined, accepting only 63 million, and of that sum he distributed 43 million to the families of the bride’s eleven handmaids and to the poor among the close relatives of the Wang clan.
In the summer, the Duke of Anhan, Wang Mang, submitted a memorial on the regulation of carriages and dress, establishing standard provisions for officials and commoners in matters of birth and death, marriage, the slave trade, the exchange of estates, and production tools. He also proposed the establishment of official grain depots, as well as the appointment of school intendants in all principalities and commanderies, counties and cities, townships, and villages.
The Judicial Associate under the Grand Excellency over the Masses, Chen Chong, instructed Zhang Chang’s grandson, Zhang Song, to draft a memorial lavishly praising the merits and virtues of the Duke of Anhan. He proposed: “It would be appropriate to issue orders to enlarge the duke’s fief, as was done for the Duke of Zhou, and to issue orders concerning his eldest son similar to those regarding Boqin, granting him the same titles and privileges, while enfeoffing all his other sons in the manner of the six sons of the Duke of Zhou.” The Grand Empress Dowager disclosed this proposal to the assembly of ministers. While the ministers were deliberating, however, the Lü Kuan case arose.
Wang Mang’s eldest son, Wang Yu, was troubled by Wang Mang’s estrangement of the Emperor from his mother’s Wei family, fearing that in time it would lead to disaster. He secretly communicated with Wei Bao, advising the Empress Dowager Wei, the Emperor’s mother, to submit a letter of thanks and mention the old wrongs done to the Ding and Fu families, in hopes of obtaining an audience in the capital. Wang Mang reported this to the Grand Empress Dowager, who then issued a decree praising the Queen Dowager of Zhongshan, Empress Dowager Wei, for her filial piety and granting her an additional 7,000 households in her estate. Yet Empress Dowager Wei wept day and night, longing to see the Emperor, and was given nothing but more fief households. Wang Yu once again instructed her to submit a request to come to the capital, but Wang Mang rejected it.
Wang Yu then discussed the matter with his teacher, Wu Zhang, and his brother-in-law, Lü Kuan. Wu Zhang believed that Wang Mang was unreceptive to advice but deeply superstitious, and so they decided to create strange omens to frighten him. Wu Zhang proposed using such supernatural signs to coerce Wang Mang into returning power to the Wei clan. Wang Yu then instructed Lü Kuan secretly to spill dog blood at the gate of Wang Mang’s residence during the night, but the officials discovered it. Wang Mang arrested Wang Yu and sent him to prison, where he was forced to drink poison and died. Wang Yu’s wife Lü Yan, who was pregnant, was also imprisoned; after giving birth, she was executed.
Zhen Han and others reported the matter to the Grand Empress Dowager, who issued a decree: “The Duke of Anhan occupies the position of the Duke of Zhou, assisting as the Duke of Zhou assisted King Cheng of Zhou, and inflicts punishment upon men like Uncle Guan and Uncle Cai, not allowing personal ties to stand in the way of honoring the supreme authority. We highly commend this!”
Wang Mang exterminated the entire Wei family, sparing only Empress Wei, the wife of Emperor Ping, Liu Kan. Wu Zhang was executed by being cut in two at the waist and then dismembered at the East Market Gate. Wu Zhang had been a renowned scholar of the time, with more than a thousand disciples. Wang Mang branded them members of an evil faction and barred them from holding office. His students all changed their names and sought out other teachers.
Yun Chang of Pingling, a clerk in the office of the Grand Excellency over the Masses, submitted a memorial impeaching himself and confessing that he had been a disciple of Wu Zhang. He gathered Wu Zhang’s remains, placed them in a coffin, and gave him a proper burial, an act that was praised throughout the capital.
Following the Lü Kuan case, Wang Mang seized the opportunity to conduct a sweeping investigation, rounding up and executing all those he had long disliked. Princess Jingwu, the younger sister of Emperor Yuan, had previously aligned herself with the Ding and Fu families, and after Wang Mang seized power, she continued to criticize him. The Marquis of Hongyang, Wang Li, an uncle of Wang Mang, and the Marquis of Ping’e, Wang Ren, who was known for his integrity, were likewise targeted. Using a decree issued in the name of the Grand Empress Dowager, Wang Mang sent envoys to force them to commit suicide. He then reported to the Grand Empress Dowager that they had died of sudden illness. When she wished to attend their funerals, Wang Mang strongly objected and prevented her from doing so.
Zhen Feng dispatched envoys in government carriages to investigate the associates of the Wei family. Consequently prominent figures from the commanderies and kingdoms, as well as loyal and upright Han officials who had refused to align themselves with Wang Mang, were falsely accused of crimes and executed. Among those sentenced to death were He Wu, former General of the Vanguard; Bao Xuan, Colonel Inspector of the Capital Region; Wang An, son of Wang Shang and Marquis of Lechang; the three sons of Xin Qingji, former General of the Left—Xin Tong, Colonel of Protecting the Qiang; Xin Zun, Commandant of Hangu Pass; and Xin Mao, Commandant of Parks and Waters—as well as Xin Bo, Prefect of Nanjun. In all, hundreds were killed, and the entire empire was shaken.
Pang Meng of Beihai said to a friend, “The three cardinal bonds have been severed. If I do not leave now, disaster will soon befall us.” He then removed his official cap, hung it on the East Capital Gate, returned home, and took his family across the sea to settle in Liaodong as emigrants.
Wang Mang summoned Zongbo Feng, Privy Treasurer who was well versed in ceremonial rites, and brought him in to expound the propriety of adopting an heir. He had Grand Empress Dowager decreed that the dukes and ministers, generals, palace counselors, and all court officials should together attend the lectures, wishing thereby inwardly to admonish the Son of Heaven and outwardly to silence the discussions of the common people.
Previously, the sons of Jin Midi, Marquis of Du—namely Jin Shang—and the sons of Jin Anshang, Marquis of Ducheng—namely Jin Chang—had all died without heirs, and their states were extinguished. Wang Mang therefore made Jin Dang, the great-grandson of Jin Midi and Jin Qin, grandson of Jin Anshang and Intendant of Jingzhao, to succeed their grandfather’s fiefs.
Jin Qin proposed: “Jin Dang should build temples for his father and grandfather. The court should appoint a grandee to preside over Jin Shang’s sacrifices.”
At that time Zhen Han was present in the court. He rebuked Jin Qin, and thereupon impeached him, saying, “Jin Qin slanders his ancestor and is unfilial, a grave act of disrespect.” Jin Qin was committed to prison and killed himself.
Zhen Han, in maintaining the order and discipline of the state, showed no partiality, and his loyalty and filial piety were especially manifest; his fief was increased by a thousand households. Jin Anshang’s great-grandson Jin Tang was then enfeoffed as Marquis of Ducheng(the Title of Jin Anshang, and Jin Qin). On the day Jin Tang received the fief, he did not dare return home, in order to make clear the propriety of succession.
In the same year, Zhong Yuan of Yingchuan, Director of the State Secretariat, became Minister of Justice. Yan Xu of Lingyang, Prefect of Yingchuan, had originally been appointed on account of his filial conduct, and he treated his subordinates as teachers and friends. Whenever mistakes were made, he would lock himself in his office to reflect and would never speak harshly. Later, the region fell into disorder. Wang Mang sent an envoy to summon Yan Xu. Hundreds of officials gathered to see him off with a farewell banquet, but Yan Xu knelt on the ground and wept. His staff and aides said, “Our wise lord is being summoned for a favorable appointment; there is no need for this.”
Yan Xu replied, “I weep for the people of Yingchuan, not for myself. I am being summoned because of my gentleness, but they will surely send someone fiercer and harsher to replace me. When that person arrives, many will perish. That is why I mourn in advance.”
When Yan Xu arrived, he was appointed Commissioner for Moral Customs.
He Bing of Pingling, Prefect of Longxi, was transferred to become Prefect of Yingchuan. Upon his arrival, he arrested Zhong Yuan’s younger brother, Zhong Wei, along with two local chevaliers, Zhao Ji and Li Kuan of Yangzhai, and had them executed. The entire region was struck with fear