On the 15th day of the sixth month of the seventh year of the later era of Xiaowen emperor’s reign (157 BC), Emperor Wen died in the Weiyang Palace. His will said: "I have heard that all things in the world will eventually die. Death is the common sense between heaven and earth, and the natural law of all things in the world. What is there to be overly sad about? In this era, people love life and hate death. After death, they want to be buried lavishly to squander their family property and mourn excessively to harm their bodies. I think this is not advisable. Moreover, my virtue is shallow and I cannot help the people. Now that I have passed away, I want to make people mourn excessively for a long time and suffer from severe cold and heat, make other people's fathers and sons mourn for me, hurt the hearts of the old and the young, reduce their food, and prohibit the worship of ghosts and gods, making my virtue even shallower, how can I explain to the people of the world! I have been able to guard the ancestral temple and be held high by the princes of the world with my insignificant body for more than 20 years. Relying on the power of heaven and earth and the well-being of the country, the country has been peaceful and there is no war. I was not diligent enough, and I was always worried that my behavior would bring shame to the virtues left by the previous emperor. As time went on, I was afraid that I would not have a good end. Now I am fortunate enough to live out my life and be enshrined in the high temple again. I am not virtuous but I can have a good end, what is there to be sad about! Now I order the officials and people of the world to leave after the order is issued. After three days of mourning, everyone should take off their mourning clothes. Marrying a wife or daughter, offering sacrifices, drinking, or eating meat should not be prohibited. People who are supposed to attend the funeral and are wearing mourning clothes should not go barefoot. The width of the hemp belt of the mourning clothes should not exceed three inches. Do not display chariots and weapons, and do not mobilize men and women from the public to come to the palace to cry and mourn. Those who are supposed to mourn in the palace should cry fifteen times in the morning and evening, and stop after the ceremony is completed. It is not allowed to cry without permission when it is not the time to mourn in the morning or evening. After the burial, those who should wear the big mourning clothes for nine months should only wear them for fifteen days, those who should wear the small mourning clothes for five months should only wear them for fourteen days, and those who should be in mourning for three months should only wear mourning clothes for seven days, and then take off the mourning clothes. Other matters not within the prescribed scope shall be handled in accordance with this decree. The decree shall be announced to the world so that the people of the world can understand my intention. The mountains and rivers around the tomb of the emperor should remain as they are, and no changes should be made. The concubines from the harem to the junior eunuchs should be sent back home. " The court appointed Lieutenant Zhou Yafu as General of Chariots and Cavalry, Xu Han, the Minister of the State, as General of Garrison, and Zhang Wu, the Imperial Supervisor Attendant, as General of Restoration of Soil. 16,000 active soldiers from the counties near Chang'an and 15,000 officers and soldiers from the palace were put in use, and General Zhang Wu was in charge of directing the digging of the tomb, burying the coffin, and filling the burial mound.
后七年六月己亥，帝崩于未央宫。遗诏曰：“朕闻盖天下万物之萌生，靡不有死。死者天地之理，物之自然者，奚可甚哀。当今之时，世咸嘉生而恶死，厚葬以破业，重服以伤生，吾甚不取。且朕既不德，无以佐百姓；今崩，又使重服久临，以离寒暑之数，哀人之父子，伤长幼之志，损其饮食，绝鬼神之祭祀，以重吾不德也，谓天下何！朕获保宗庙，以眇眇之身讬于天下君王之上，二十有余年矣。赖天地之灵，社稷之福，方内安宁，靡有兵革。朕既不敏，常畏过行，以羞先帝之遗德；维年之久长，惧于不终。今乃幸以天年，得复供养于高庙。朕之不明与嘉之，其奚哀悲之有！其令天下吏民，令到出临三日，皆释服。毋禁取妇嫁女祠祀饮酒食肉者。自当给丧事服临者，皆无践。绖带无过三寸，毋布车及兵器，毋发民男女哭临宫殿。宫殿中当临者，皆以旦夕各十五举声，礼毕罢。非旦夕临时，禁毋得擅哭。已下，服大红十五日，小红十四日，纤七日，释服。佗不在令中者，皆以此令比率从事。布告天下，使明知朕意。霸陵山川因其故，毋有所改。归夫人以下至少使。”令中尉亚夫为车骑将军，属国悍为将屯将军，郎中令武为复土将军，发近县见卒万六千人，发内史卒万五千人，藏郭穿复土属将军武。
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