Tag: Xiahou Sheng

Comprehensive Reflections to Aid in Governance

By Sima Guang

Translated By Yiming Yang  

Annals of Han Book 16 Scroll 24 (continued)

The 2nd year of Emperor Xuan’s Benshi Era (73 B.C. continued)

In July of autumn, an edict was issued appointing Liu Jian, heir of Prince La of Yan, Liu Dan, as Prince of Guangyang; and Liu Hong, youngest son of the Prince of Guangling, Liu Xu, as Prince of Gaomi.

Formerly, there had been strife between Shangguan Jie and Huo Guang. When Huo Guang destroyed Shangguan Jie, he then adhered to the statutes of Emperor Wu, applying severe punishments to restrain his subordinates. From this, lesser officials took severity as their model, believing harshness to be the mark of ability.

But Huang Ba of Huaiyang, then Associate Prefect of Henan, always held leniency as his principle. When the Emperor went among the people, he perceived that the common folk suffered under the harshness of officials. Hearing of Huang Ba’s reputation for fairness and gentleness, he summoned him to serve as a chief judge in the Ministry of Justice. Huang Ba, in judging doubtful cases, was ever equitable, and thus maintained fairness and balance in the court.

The 2nd year of Emperor Xuan’s Benshi Era (72 B.C.)

In the spring, the Minister of Agriculture, Tian Yannian, committed suicide after being convicted of crime. When mourning for Emperor Zhao, he had leased carts from the people, but deceitfully inflated the rent, embezzling thirty million cash. An aggrieved party reported him.

The Grand General Huo Guang summoned him for questioning, wishing to give him latitude. Tian Yannian vehemently denied it, saying: “Such a thing never happened!” Huo Guang replied: “Even if it did not, we must examine it to the end.”

The Grand Master of Censorate, Tian Guangming, spoke to the Grand Coachman Du Yannian, saying: “According to the justice of the Spring and Autumn Annals, faults may be redeemed by merit. When the Prince of Changyi was deposed, without the resolute courage of Tian Zibin[Tian Yannian’s courtesy name], the great design could not have been accomplished. Now, if he had begged thirty million from the court itself and been granted them, would that not suffice? I would speak thus to the Grand General.”

Du Yannian relayed this to Huo Guang. Huo Guang said: “It is true. He was a valiant man; at that momentous hour he shook the whole court.” Then he lifted his hand to his breast and said: “The memory still burdens my heart. Convey my apology to the Grand Master Tian, and entreat him to persuade the Minister of Agriculture to go to prison, that he may pass through lawful trial.”

Tian Guangming delivered this message. Tian Yannian answered: “If the court would show me lenience, I would be grateful. But how can I endure the shame of prison, the laughter of men, and the spittle upon my back?”

He then shut himself in a chamber of the Ministry of Agriculture, baring his arm, pacing with a blade in hand. After some days, hearing the drumbeat of envoys come to proclaim the edict, he cut his own throat and died.

In May of summer, an edict was issued, saying: “Emperor Wu, in his filial piety, benevolence, and martial exploits, accomplished abundant virtue. Yet the music of his ancestral temple has not been established, which is a cause of great sorrow. Let the marquises, the ministers of two-thousand-picul rank, and the scholars deliberate upon it.”

The officials engaged in wide discussion, and all assented to the decree. Only Xiahou Sheng, Privy Treasurer of Changxin Palace, spoke in dissent, saying: “Though Emperor Wu attained merit in pacifying the four barbarians and enlarging the borders, yet countless soldiers perished, and the wealth and strength of the people were drained. His extravagance and excess knew no bounds, and the empire was left in exhaustion. The dead were many, famine and locusts swept for thousands of li, and men even devoured one another. The injuries yet remain unrepaired, and the grace shown to the people was scant. It is not fitting to establish music for his temple.”

The other officials rose together against him, saying that he opposed the imperial edict. But Xiahou Sheng declared: “An edict must not be obeyed without reflection. It is the duty of a loyal subject to speak plainly and directly, not merely to echo the ruler’s will. What I have said is from my heart. Though it cost me death, I shall not repent.”

The Chancellor and the Censors accused Xiahou Sheng of opposing the imperial decree, of slandering the late Emperor, and of uttering blasphemy. Huang Ba, Chief-of-Staff to the Chancellor, was charged with shielding Xiahou Sheng and failing to impeach him. Both were cast into prison.

Thereafter the authorities proposed to elevate the ancestral temple of Emperor Wu, styling it Shizong Temple, and to compose temple music with the “Magnificent Virtues” and the “Five-Colored Dance of the Wenshi Era.” In the provinces and counties that Emperor Wu had once visited, temples were erected in his honor, following the precedents of Emperor Gaozu and Emperor Wen.

Xiahou Sheng and Huang Ba remained in custody for months. Huang Ba desired to study the Book of Documents under Xiahou Sheng, but Xiahou Sheng rejected, saying: “I am under sentence of death.” Huang Ba quoted Confucius: “If I learn the truth in the morning, I could die content in the evening.” Xiahou Sheng, moved by his earnestness, consented to teach him. Though imprisoned through two winters in succession, they never ceased their study and discourse.

When the Princess who Liu Xijun had been wed to the Wusun Kunmi Cenzou died, the Han court once more sent Liu Jieyou, granddaughter of the Prince of Chu, Liu Wu, to Wusun, and she became wife to Cenzou. Cenzou had a young son, Nimi, born of his tribal consort. Foreseeing his own death, he entrusted the succession to his uncle’s son Weng’guimi, saying: “When Nimi comes of age, restore the throne to him.”

When Weng’guimi ascended, he styled himself the Fat King, and again took to wife Princess Liu Jieyou of Chu. She bore him three sons—Yuan’guimi, Wan’nian, and Da’le—and two daughters.

Under the reign of Emperor Zhao, Princess Liu Jieyou sent a memorial, saying: “The Xiongnu and Jushi have allied to assail Wusun. Only the Son of Heaven could save us.” The Han court gathered horse and soldier, deliberating an expedition against the Xiongnu. 

Just then Emperor Zhao had passed away, the new Emperor dispatched the Grandee Chamberlain Chang Hui as envoy to Wusun. Both the Princess and the Great Kunmi sent envoys with letters, saying: “The Xiongnu have mustered hosts once again to attack Wusun, demanding: ‘Deliver to us the Han Princess at once!’ Their purpose is to sever Wusun from the Han. The Great Kunmi is willing to muster fifty thousand picked horsemen and exert full strength against the Xiongnu. Only the Son of Heaven can dispatch troops, to save the Princess and the Kunmi!”

Formerly the Xiongnu had often harried the Han frontier, and the Han also longed to strike back. In autumn, a great host was levied: the Grand Master of Censorate, Tian Guangming, was made Qilian General, and with forty thousand horse rode forth from Xihe; Fan Mingyou, Duliao General, led thirty thousand from Zhangye; Han Zeng, General of the Van, led thirty thousand from Yunzhong; Zhao Chongguo, Pulei General, led thirty thousand from Jiuquan; and Tian Shun, Prefect of Yunzhong, was appointed General of Tiger Fang, leading thirty thousand from Wuyuan. Their design was to advance beyond the frontier by two thousand li. Chang Hui was made Colonel with the tally, to oversee the Wusun forces and unite them in striking the Xiongnu.