Reflection by Rio Grande

Tag: Wei Xuancheng

  • Comprehensive Reflections to Aid in Governance(Part 211): Subsidizing Grain Market

    Comprehensive Reflections to Aid in Governance

    By Sima Guang

    Translated By Yiming Yang  

    Annals of Han Book 19 Scroll 27 (continued)

    Xiyue Temple, Huayin(Yang Yun’s hometown), Shaanxi Province. Photo by: Acstar

    The 4th year of Emperor Xuan’s Wufeng Era (54 B.C.)

    In the spring, Prince Li of Guangling Liu Xu committed suicide.

    The Xiongnu Huhanye Chanyu declared himself a vassal and sent his younger brother, the Right Guli King, to serve at the Han court as hostage. Because there were no more marauders at the border, the garrison troops were reduced by twenty percent.

    The Chief Associate of the Agriculture Ministry, Geng Shouchang, submitted a memorial stating: “In years of abundant harvests, grain is cheap, and farmers earn little profit. According to precedent, each year, four million bushel of grain are transported from the East of Hangu Pass to supply the capital, using sixty thousand laborers. It would be better to purchase grain from the regions of the Three metropolises, Hongnong, Hedong, Shangdang, and Taiyuan to supply the capital. This would reduce the number of laborers needed for transporting grain from the east of Hangu Pass by more than half.” The Emperor approved his plan. 

    Geng Shouchang further proposed: “The border regions should all build granaries. When grain is cheap, the government should buy it at higher prices to benefit the farmers; when grain is expensive, the government should sell it at lower prices to stabilize the market. This system would be called ‘Always-Fair Granaries’.” 

    The people found this beneficial. The Emperor then issued an edict granting Geng Shouchang the title of Marquis within the Passes.

    On April 1 of the summer, there was a solar eclipse.

    Yang Yun, having lost his rank and title, lived at home purchasing real estates and found amusement in his wealth. His friend, Sun Huizong of Xihe, the Prefect of An’ding, wrote to Yang Yun advising and warning him, stating that “a high-ranking official who has been dismissed should shut his doors in fear and humility, drawing sympathy; he should not be purchasing real estates, entertaining guests, and seeking accolades.” 

    Yang Yun, being the son of the former chancellor, had talents and abilities and had gained prominence in the court from a young age. Having been suddenly dismissed due to innuendos, he harbored resentment and wrote back to Sun Huizong:

    “I have deeply reflected, realizing my great errors and shortcomings, and resolved to live the rest of my life as a farmer. Thus, I have led my wife and children to dedicate ourselves to farming and mulberry cultivation, not expecting this to be a cause for criticism. Human emotions cannot be entirely restrained, and even sages do not prohibit them. Therefore, when mourning the death of one’s lord or father, there is a timebox to end it. It has been three years since my punishment. The work of farming is toiling of four seasons, and at the end of the year, we slaughter sheep, roast lamb, and share wine to comfort ourselves. After drinking, feeling warm and tipsy, I look up to the sky, beat earthenware, and sing loudly for emotional relief. 

    “As the poem goes: ‘In the fields by the southern mountain, weeds grow unkempt; planting one hectare of beans, they fall and become stalks.’ Life is meant for the pursuit of joy today, why wait for wealth and status tomorrow? Indeed, such indulgence is excessive, but I do not realize its inappropriateness.”

    Yang Yun‘s nephew, Marquis of Anping, Yang Tan, said to Yang Yun: “Your offense was minor, and you have greater merit; you will be employed again!” 

    Yang Yun replied: “What good is merit! The Emperor is not worthy of serving my whole life.” 

    Yang Tan said: “The Emperor is indeed as you say. Officials like Colonel Gai Kuanrao and Left Pingyi Han Yanshou, who gave their all, were executed based on some accusation.”

    There was an eclipse, and a palace horseman named Cheng memorialized an accusation, “Yang Yun is proud and extravagant, unrepentant for his errors. The blame for the eclipse lies with him.” 

    The case was handed over to the Minister of Justice, who found Yang Yun‘s letter to Sun Huizong. The Emperor read it and was greatly offended. The Minister of Justice deemed Yang Yun guilty of grave treason and sentenced him to be waist-chopped; his wife and children were exiled to Jiuquan Commandery. Yang Tan was stripped of his title and made a commoner. Those in office who were close friends with Yang Yun, including Wei Xuancheng, the Guard Commandant of Weiyang Palace, and Sun Huizong, were all dismissed from their positions.

    Sima Guang’s commentary: Considering the wisdom of Emperor Xuan of Han, the fact that Wei Xiang and Bing Ji were chancellors, Yu Dingguo was the minister of Justice, and yet the deaths of Zhao Guanghan, Gai Kuanrao, Han Yanshou, and Yang Yun did not satisfy public opinion’s muster is indeed lamentable. This greatly tarnished his good governance. According to the Rites of Zhou, the law of the Minister of Justice includes discussions on virtuousness and capability. How could the governance of Zhao Guanghan and Han Yanshou not be considered capable? How could the integrity of Gai Kuanrao and Yang Yun not be considered virtuous? Thus, even if they had committed capital crimes, they should still have been pardoned, let alone for crimes not worthy of death. Yang Xiong considered Left Pingyi Han Yanshou‘s accusation of Xiao Wangzhi to be a self-inflicted wound by a minister. What caused Han Yanshou to commit such an offense to his superior was pushed by Xiao Wangzhi. The Emperor did not investigate this, and Han Yanshou alone bore the blame. Isn’t that unwarranted!

    The Xiongnu leader Runchen Chanyu led his troops eastward to attack Zhizhi Chanyu. Zhizhi Chanyu fought back, killed him, and merged his forces; then he advanced to attack Huhanye Chanyu. Huhanye Chanyu’s troops were defeated and fled, and Zhizhi Chanyu took Xiongnu‘s court as his headquarters.

  • Comprehensive Reflections to Aid in Governance(Part 201): Qiang–People Identified with Sheep

    Comprehensive Reflections to Aid in Governance

    By Sima Guang

    Translated By Yiming Yang  

    Annals of Han Book 17 Scroll 25 (continued)

    Modern Qiang Ethnic Group

    The 4th year of Emperor Xuan’s Yuan’kang Era (62 B.C.)

    In January of spring, a decree was issued: “Those aged eighty and above, unless guilty of false accusation or causing bodily harm to others, shall not be subject to punishment.”

    The former Intendant of Right Fufeng, Yin Wenggui, died leaving no wealth behind. In August of autumn, a decree stated: “Yin Wenggui was honest and upright, governing the people with fairness. It is granted that his son shall receive one hundred catties of gold to conduct sacrifice.”

    The Emperor ordered officials to search for the descendants of meritorious followers of Emperor Gaozu whose peerages had lapsed. They found one hundred thirty-six individuals, including Zhou Guanghan, Gongcheng(a title) of Huaili. All were granted twenty catties of gold and exemption from taxation and corvée for their households, with instructions to continue their ancestral sacrifices without interruption for generations.

    On August 11, the Marquis of Fuping, Zhang Anshi, passed away.

    Earlier, when Wei Xian, Marquis Jie of Fuyang, died, his eldest son, Wei Hong, had been imprisoned for a crime. The family altered Wei Xian’s will and falsely named his next son in line, Wei Xuancheng, Commandant of Dahe Commandery, as his heir. Wei Xuancheng, fully aware of his father’s true intentions, feigned madness—lying in his own filth(excretion), laughing and babbling incoherently, behaving confused and deranged. After the funeral, when he was summoned to inherit the title, he pretended to be too insane to answer. The Grand Herald submitted a report, and the Chancellor together with the Imperial Censor conducted an investigation.

    The assigned investigator, the Chancellor’s staff wrote to Wei Xuancheng, saying: “In ancient times, when one declined and yielded a position, one composed a written statement expressing dignified intent, thereby leaving honor to future generations. But you have disfigured yourself and brought shame upon your name by pretending to be mad and witless, hiding your brilliance and sharing none of it with others. It is lamentable that you seek reputation through petty tricks! I am but a simple man, serving in the Chancellor’s office through my meager abilities. I wish only that you hear a little of public opinion; otherwise, you may damage your lofty standing, while I become a petty man for informing against you.”

    Wei Xuancheng’s friend, the Palace Gentleman Zhang, also submitted a memorial, stating: “The sage kings esteemed conciliation and humility in governance. It is fitting to treat Wei Xuancheng with care, and not to force his compliance, so that he may find peace and safety within the simplicity of his home.”

    However, the Chancellor and the Imperial Censor determined that Wei Xuancheng was not truly sick and indicted him. An imperial decree forbade punishment, and he was summoned and granted the title. Reluctantly, Wei Xuancheng accepted it. The Emperor praised his humility and appointed him Prefect of Henan.

    When the king of Jushi, Wugui, fled to the Wusun, the Wusun detained him. The Han court dispatched envoys to demand his release, and the Wusun sent Wugui to the imperial court.

    Emperor Wu had established four commanderies west of the Yellow River, cutting off communication between the Qiang and the Xiongnu and driving out various Qiang tribes, forbidding them to settle in the region of Huangshui River basin. After the Emperor’s accession, the Grandee of Merit, Yiqu Anguo, was sent to deal with the Qiang tribes. The Xianling tribal leaders said, “We wish to cross the northern part of the Huangshui River and occupy the land where people do not farm, but only raise livestock.” Yiqu Anguo acquiesced and reported this. Later, General Zhao Chongguo accused Yiqu Anguo of exceeding his authority and did not perform his duty. Other Qiang tribes, inspired by this earlier statement, crossed the Huangshui River, and the local jurisdictions were unable to restrain them.

    The Xianling and other Qiang tribes reconciled with one another, exchanged hostages, and swore oaths of alliance and enmity. When the Emperor learned of this, he asked Zhao Chongguo for his assessment. Zhao Chongguo replied: “The reason the Qiang are difficult to control is that each tribe has its own leader. They constantly quarrel among themselves and lack unity. Some thirty years ago, when the Western Qiang rebelled, they likewise reconciled with the tribes among them and resisted the Han for five or six years before being subdued. The Xiongnu have long sought to entice the Qiang, wishing to strike Zhangye and Jiuquan and settle the Qiang there. Recently the Xiongnu have been stirring up trouble in the west. I suspect they may have already sent envoys to form alliances with the Qiang. I fear that this unrest will not end here; they may ally with still other tribes. We must prepare before the danger arrives.”

    A month later, the Qiang leader Lang He sent envoys to the Xiongnu requesting troops, intending to attack Shanshan and Dunhuang to sever the Han route. Zhao Chongguo said: “Lang He alone does not have the power to devise this plan. It is likely that Xiongnu envoys have already reached out to the Qiang. The Xianling, Han(Qiang), and Jian(Qiang) tribes have reconciled, and when autumn comes and the horses are fat, the rebellion will surely break out. We must send envoys to patrol the border and make advance preparations, instructing the Qiang tribes not to reconcile, so that their plot may be exposed.” Thus, the Chancellor’s Office and the Censorate again proposed sending Yiqu Anguo to inspect the various Qiang tribes and distinguish between the loyal and disloyal.

    At that time, there had been several years of abundant harvests, and grain cost five coins per picul.