248 Emperor Wu

A12.1..4

Sima Qian: Historical Records 12 Emperor Xiaowu

Emperor Xiaowu, Liu Che, was the middle son of Emperor Xiaojing. His mother was Queen Mother Wang. In the fourth year of Emperor Xiaojing, the prince was made King of Jiaodong. In the seventh year of Emperor Xiaojing, Crown Prince Li was deposed as King of Linjiang, and King of Jiaodong was made the crown prince. In his sixteenth year, Emperor Xiaojing died, and the crown prince ascended the throne as Emperor Xiaowu. When Emperor Xiaowu first ascended the throne, he was particularly respectful of the worship of ghosts and gods.

In the first year of Xiaowu, the Han Dynasty had been established for more than sixty years, and the world was peaceful. In the first year of the Han Dynasty, more than sixty years had passed since its establishment. The world was peaceful and stable, and all officials hoped that the emperor would hold a Fengshan ceremony to change the calendar, stipulate the colors of official uniforms and carriages, and so on. The emperor was very fond of Confucianism, so he recruited Confucian scholars with good moral character and outstanding talents, such as Zhao Wan and Wang Zang etc., who were both made ministers because of their proficiency in Confucian classics. They discussed together and wanted to build an ancient bright hall (Mingtang) in the south of Chang'an City for the princes to pay homage to the emperor. They planned many new tasks, including touring the country, holding Fengshan ceremonies, revising the calendar, and stipulating the colors of official uniforms and carriages. However, before they were completed, Empress Dowager Dou happened to be studying a Laois who did not like Confucianism, so she sent people to investigate secretly and caught Zhao Wan and others illegally pocketing benefits. She had Zhao Wan and Wang Zang summoned for a detailed interrogation. Zhao Wan and Wang Zang committed suicide, and all matters such as building Mingtang and changing the calendar were abolished.

Six years later, Empress Dowager Dou died. The next year, the emperor summoned scholars of literature such as Gongsun Hong.

The year after, the emperor first arrived in Yong and visited the Temples of Five Shrines. He would often visit the Five Shrines every three years. At that time, the emperor sought a deity and placed her in the Ti Shi Temple in Shanglin Garden. That deity was actually a woman from Changling. She died of grief because her son died young. After her death, she appeared in the body of her sister-in-law Wanruo. Wanruo was worshipped in her room, and many people went to worship. Lord Pingyuan went to worship, and his descendants were honored. When Emperor Wu (Xiaoqing) ascended the throne, he placed a large ceremony in the inner part of the temple. Only her voices were heard, and he did not see her.

司马迁.史记卷十二·孝武本纪第十二

孝武皇帝者，孝景中子也。母曰王太后。孝景四年，以皇子为胶东王。孝景七年，栗太子废为临江王，以胶东王为太子。孝景十六年崩，太子即位，为孝武皇帝。孝武皇帝初即位，尤敬鬼神之祀。

元年，汉兴已六十余岁矣，天下乂安，荐绅之属皆望天子封禅改正度也。而上乡儒术，招贤良，赵绾、王臧等以文学为公卿，欲议古立明堂城南，以朝诸侯。草巡狩封禅改历服色事未就。会窦太后治黄老言，不好儒术，使人微得赵绾等奸利事，召案绾、臧，绾、臧自杀，诸所兴为者皆废。

后六年，窦太后崩。其明年，上徵文学之士公孙弘等。

明年，上初至雍，郊见五畤。后常三岁一郊。是时上求神君，舍之上林中虒氏观。神君者，长陵女子，以子死悲哀，故见神于先后宛若。宛若祠之其室，民多往祠。平原君往祠，其后子孙以尊显。及武帝即位，则厚礼置祠之内中，闻其言，不见其人云。