148 True Master

A6.40

Lu Sheng advised the First Emperor: "We have not found the magic medicine of Lingzhi and the immortals, it seems that some force is stopping us. The immortal recipe says that the monarch should always hide his whereabouts to avoid evil spirits. Only by avoiding the evil spirits will the true master descend. If the ministers knew where the monarch lived, it would hinder the arrival of the true master. True master will not get wet when they enter water, and will not be burned when they enter fire. They can ride on clouds and mist, and their lifespan is as long as the heaven and earth. Today, His Majesty is unable to keep his mind clear and free from desires when governing the country. Therefore, I suggest that Your Majesty's place of residence should not be known to others, so that the elixir of immortality can be found." The First Emperor said: "I admire the True Master, so from now on I will call myself 'True Master' instead of 'Zhen myself ." He then ordered that all 270 palaces within 200 miles of Xianyang be connected by plank roads, and that curtains, bells, drums, and beauties be placed inside them, and any changes to the layout were prohibited. Anyone who leaked the information about where the First Emperor had arrived would be put to death. Once, Qin Shihuang came to Liangshan Palace and saw from the mountain that the prime minister had a large number of carriages and entourage, which made him dissatisfied. Someone in the palace told the prime minister about this, and the prime minister then reduced the number of carriages and horses that accompanied him. The First Emperor was so angry that he said, "Someone in the palace actually leaked my words!" He then questioned the people around him, but no one admitted it. The First Emperor then ordered the arrest of all those present and had them all killed. From then on, no one knew the whereabouts of him. The First Emperor listened to reports from his ministers, and his ministers received orders and made decisions in the Xianyang Palace. 

卢生说始皇曰：“臣等求芝奇药仙者常弗遇，类物有害之者。方中，人主时为微行以辟恶鬼，恶鬼辟，真人至。人主所居而人臣知之，则害于神。真人者，入水不濡，入火不爇，陵云气，与天地久长。今上治天下，未能恬倓。愿上所居宫毋令人知，然后不死之药殆可得也。”于是始皇曰：“吾慕真人，自谓‘真人’，不称‘朕’。”乃令咸阳之旁二百里内宫观二百七十复道甬道相连，帷帐钟鼓美人充之，各案署不移徙。行所幸，有言其处者，罪死。始皇帝幸梁山宫，从山上见丞相车骑众，弗善也。中人或告丞相，丞相后损车骑。始皇怒曰：“此中人泄吾语。”案问莫服。当是时，诏捕诸时在旁者，皆杀之。自是后莫知行之所在。听事，群臣受决事，悉于咸阳宫。

147 Afang Palace

A6.39

In the thirty-fifth year, clean up the roads, a new road was built from Jiuyuan to Yunyang, and mountains were dug through and valleys were filled to make the road accessible. The Emperor thought there were too many people in Xianyang, and the palaces of the previous kings were too small. And he heard that King Wen of Zhou had his capital in Feng, and King Wu of Zhou had his capital in Hao. Then the area between Feng and Hao should be the capital of the emperor. So he built the imperial palace in Shanglin Garden in Weinan. First, he built a grand hall up in front, Afang, which was 500 steps from east to west and more than 500 ft from north to south. It could accommodate 10,000 people on the top and a Wuzhang Banner with 50 ft tall pole on the bottom. A gallery corridor was built around it, from the bottom of the hall to Nanshan. The top of Nanshan was marked as a gate. A double-story road was built, crossing the Wei River from Afang and connecting to Xianyang, to symbolize the sky pole, with a gallery road across the Han River and reaching the camp. Afang Palace was not completed yet; when it was completed, he wanted to choose a name more famous. The palace was built in Afang, so the world called it Afang Palace. There were more than 700,000 prisoners in the hidden palace, so they were divided into Afang Palace or Lishan. Stone coffins were taken from the northern mountains, and materials from Shu and Jing were all brought in. There were 300 palaces in Guanzhong and more than 400 outside the pass. So a stone in the middle of Qujie on the east sea was built to serve as the east gate of Qin. 30,000 households were moved to Liyi and 50,000 households were moved to Yunyang, and they would all get ten years of tax relief.

三十五年，除道，道九原抵云阳，堑山堙谷，直通之。于是始皇以为咸阳人多，先王之宫廷小，吾闻周文王都丰，武王都镐，丰镐之间，帝王之都也。乃营作朝宫渭南上林苑中。先作前殿阿房，东西五百步，南北五十丈，上可以坐万人，下可以建五丈旗。周驰为阁道，自殿下直抵南山。表南山之颠以为阙。为复道，自阿房渡渭，属之咸阳，以象天极阁道绝汉抵营室也。阿房宫未成；成，欲更择令名名之。作宫阿房，故天下谓之阿房宫。隐宫徒刑者七十余万人，乃分作阿房宫，或作丽山。发北山石椁，乃写蜀、荆地材皆至。关中计宫三百，关外四百余。于是立石东海上朐界中，以为秦东门。因徙三万家丽邑，五万家云阳，皆复不事十岁。

146 Book Burning

A6.38

The First Emperor held a banquet at the Xianyang Palace and seventy doctors came to celebrate his birthday. The martial minister Zhou Qingchen sang a eulogy: "In the past, the Qin territory was only a thousand miles, but thanks to Your Majesty's divine wisdom, you pacified the country and exiled the barbarians. Wherever the sun and the moon shine, everyone is submissive. The princes are divided into counties, and everyone is happy and peaceful, without the danger of war, and it will be passed down for tens of thousands of generations. Since ancient times, no one has ever come close to Your Majesty's power and virtue." The First Emperor was pleased. Doctor Chunyu Yue from Qi said: "I heard that the kings of Yin and Zhou lived for more than a thousand years, and they granted their sons and nephews meritorious officials and made themselves branches and assistants. Now Your Majesty has the whole country, but your sons and nephews are ordinary people. Finally, you have ministers like Tian Chang and the six ministers, but no one to help you. How can you save each other? It is unheard of that things can last long without learning from the ancients. Now Qingchen is flattering you to make Your Majesty's mistakes more serious. He is not a loyal minister." The First Emperor agreed to his proposal. Prime Minister Li Si said: "The Five Emperors did not repeat each other, and the Three Dynasties did not succeed one another. Each ruled in its way. They were not contradictory, but the times changed. Now Your Majesty has created a great cause and established a merit that will last for tens of thousands of generations. This is beyond the knowledge of foolish scholars. Moreover, what Chunyu Yue said was the affairs of the Three Dynasties, why should we follow it? In other times, the princes fought each other and invited scholars to travel over. Today, the world has been settled down and the laws have been issued. While the common people are devoted to agriculture and handicrafts at home, scholars should learn the laws and prohibitions well. Now if the students do not learn from the present but learn from the past, they would criticize the present and confuse the people. Prime Minister Li Si said without hesitation: In ancient times, the world was scattered and chaotic, and could not be unified.  Therefore, the princes fought together, and all talked about the past to harm the present and embellish the truth with false words. People were good at what they learned privately to criticize what the emperor had established. Now the emperor has unified the world and made clear what is black and what is white, and all were set with one supreme standard. If private schools teach illegally, when people hear the order, they will discuss it with their own knowledge. If they go in, they will disagree with it in their hearts, and if they go out, they will gossip about it. They will boast of their master for fame, and take different things as superiority, and lead the subordinates to slander. If such behavior is not prohibited, it will undermine the authority of the monarch and cause the cliques below to collude with each other. It is convenient to prohibit it. I ask the historians to burn all the records that are not from the Qin Dynasty. If anyone in the world dares to keep poems, books, and the words of the hundred schools of thought that are not the duties of the doctoral officials, they should all be taken to the governor and the lieutenant to be burned. Anyone who dares to talk about poems and books even occasionally will be executed. Anyone who compares the past with the present will get his own clan wiped out. Officials who know about it but do not report it will be punished with the same crime. Anyone who failed to burn the books within thirty days of the order would be tattooed and sent to build the Great Wall. The books that are not removed are books on medicine, divination, and tree planting. If you want to learn the law, take the officials as your teachers. " The first emperor Qin Shi Huang issued an edict saying, "Yes."

始皇置酒咸阳宫，博士七十人前为寿。仆射周青臣进颂曰：“他时秦地不过千里，赖陛下神灵明圣，平定海内，放逐蛮夷，日月所照，莫不宾服。以诸侯为郡县，人人自安乐，无战争之患，传之万世。自上古不及陛下威德。”始皇悦。博士齐人淳于越进曰：“臣闻殷周之王千余岁，封子弟功臣，自为枝辅。今陛下有海内，而子弟为匹夫，卒有田常、六卿之臣，无辅拂，何以相救哉？事不师古而能长久者，非所闻也。今青臣又面谀以重陛下之过，非忠臣。”始皇下其议。丞相李斯曰：“五帝不相复，三代不相袭，各以治，非其相反，时变异也。今陛下创大业，建万世之功，固非愚儒所知。且越言乃三代之事，何足法也？异时诸侯并争，厚招游学。今天下已定，法令出一，百姓当家则力农工，士则学习法令辟禁。今诸生不师今而学古，以非当世，惑乱黔首。丞相臣斯昧死言：古者天下散乱，莫之能一，是以诸侯并作，语皆道古以害今，饰虚言以乱实，人善其所私学，以非上之所建立。今皇帝并有天下，别黑白而定一尊。私学而相与非法教，人闻令下，则各以其学议之，入则心非，出则巷议，夸主以为名，异取以为高，率群下以造谤。如此弗禁，则主势降乎上，党与成乎下。禁之便。臣请史官非秦记皆烧之。非博士官所职，天下敢有藏诗、书、百家语者，悉诣守、尉杂烧之。有敢偶语诗书者弃市。以古非今者族。吏见知不举者与同罪。令下三十日不烧，黥为城旦。所不去者，医药卜筮种树之书。若欲有学法令，以吏为师。”制曰：“可。”

145 Jiaping the La Festival

A6.33|34|35|36|37

In December of the 31st year (216 BC), the La Festival was renamed "Jiaping". Six dan of rice and two sheep were given to the people of every li. The First Emperor went out incognito to inspect Xianyang. He was accompanied by four warriors. At night, he encountered thieves in Lanchi. The situation was dangerous. The warriors killed the thieves, so a large-scale search lasted for 20 days in Guanzhong. The price of rice reached 1,600 coins per dan.

In the 32nd year (215 BC), the First Emperor went to Jieshi Mountain and sent Lu Sheng, a man from Yan, to look for the two immortals Xianmen and Gaoshi. He engraved words on the Jieshi Gate. The First Emperor ordered the destruction of the city walls and the dikes to be dug through. The inscription said: 

The emperor dispatched troops and generals to punish the unjust and eliminate the rebels. He used force to eradicate the brutal rebels and used virtue to protect the innocent good people, which was what the people wanted. He rewarded those who had made contributions, and his grace extended to the livestock and nourished the land within the borders. The emperor exerted his prestige and annexed the princes with virtue, and for the first time achieved the unification and stability of the world. He destroyed the city walls, dug through the dikes, and leveled the dangerous obstacles. The terrain has been determined, the people have no worries, and the whole world is pacified. Men enjoy their fields, women cultivate their careers, and everything is in order. The emperor's grace spread to every industry, and people who had been wandering for a long time returned to their hometowns to farm and live and work in peace and contentment. All the ministers praise his heroic deeds and ask that this stone be engraved to set an example.

The First Emperor then sent Han Zhong, Hou Gong, and Shi Sheng to search for the immortal elixir. The First Emperor went to the northern border for inspection and returned to the capital via Shangjun. Lu Sheng, a man from Yan, returned from the sea and told stories about gods and ghosts. He took the opportunity to present a book he had copied, which said "the one who will destroy Qin is Hu." The First Emprior then sent General Meng Tian to mobilize 300,000 soldiers to attack the Hu people in the north and capture the land of Henan. In the thirty-third year (214 BC), the Emperor recruited fugitive criminals, sons-in-law, and merchants to conquer the Luliang area, where Guilin, Xiang, and Nanhai counties were established, and then recruits were sent to guard. The Xiongnu were driven out of the northwest. From Yuzhong along the Yellow River to the east, all the way to Yinshan, forty-four counties were established there, and cities were built on the banks of the Yellow River as fortresses. The First Emperor also sent Meng Tian to cross the Yellow River to occupy Gaoque, Yangshan, and Beijiazhong, and built fortresses to drive out the Rong people. The exiled prisoners were moved to fill the newly created counties. Civil sacrifices were prohibited. A comet appeared in the west. In the thirty-fourth year (213 BC), officials who made unfair judgments were sent to build the Great Wall or guard the Nanyue area.

三十一年十二月，更名腊曰“嘉平”。赐黔首里六石米，二羊。始皇为微行咸阳，与武士四人俱，夜出逢盗兰池，见窘，武士击杀盗，关中大索二十日。米石千六百。

三十二年，始皇之碣石，使燕人卢生求羡门、高誓。刻碣石门。坏城郭，决通隄防。其辞曰：

遂兴师旅，诛戮无道，为逆灭息。武殄暴逆，文复无罪，庶心咸服。惠论功劳，赏及牛马，恩肥土域。皇帝奋威，德并诸侯，初一泰平。堕坏城郭，决通川防，夷去险阻。地势既定，黎庶无繇，天下咸抚。男乐其畴，女修其业，事各有序。惠被诸产，久并来田，莫不安所。群臣诵烈，请刻此石，垂著仪矩。

因使韩终、侯公、石生求仙人不死之药。始皇巡北边，从上郡入。燕人卢生使入海还，以鬼神事，因奏录图书，曰“亡秦者胡也”。始皇乃使将军蒙恬发兵三十万人北击胡，略取河南地。

三十三年，发诸尝逋亡人、赘婿、贾人略取陆梁地，为桂林、象郡、南海，以適遣戍。西北斥逐匈奴。自榆中并河以东，属之阴山，以为四十四县，城河上为塞。又使蒙恬渡河取高阙、阳山、北假中，筑亭障以逐戎人。徙谪，实之初县。禁不得祠。明星出西方。三十四年，適治狱吏不直者，筑长城及南越地。

144 Mount Zhifu 2

A6.30|31|32

The inscription on the east tower reads: "In the 29th year, the emperor went on a spring tour to inspect distant places. He came to the seaside, climbed Mount Zhifu, and faced the rising sun. Admiring the magnificent scenery, the accompanying ministers recalled the emperor's achievements and thought about the bright road that the Qin State had once traveled. When the wise laws were first implemented, they cleared up domestic troubles and quelled foreign riots. The Qin army's might was known far and wide, and it captured six kings. Expand territory, unify the world, eliminate disasters, and put an end to wars. The emperor is wise and never slacks off in governing the country. Important rules and regulations were established, weights and measures were standardized, and standards for carriages, horses and clothing were set. All the officials strictly abided by their duties and performed their responsibilities, and there was no room for suspicion in their work. The people changed their customs and habits, and the laws were the same regardless of distance. This had never happened since ancient times. Now that the conventions have been established, future generations should follow these principles and inherit this great achievement. The ministers praised the emperor's kindness and achievements, and engraved the eulogy on the stone tablet on Mount Zhifu.

Not long after, the First Emperor went to Langya and passed through Shangdang.

In the thirtieth year, nothing happened.

其东观曰：维二十九年，皇帝春游，览省远方。逮于海隅，遂登之罘，昭临朝阳。观望广丽，从臣咸念，原道至明。圣法初兴，清理疆内，外诛暴强。武威旁畅，振动四极，禽灭六王。阐并天下，甾害绝息，永偃戎兵。皇帝明德，经理宇内，视听不怠。作立大义，昭设备器，咸有章旗。职臣遵分，各知所行，事无嫌疑。黔首改化，远迩同度，临古绝尤。常职既定，后嗣循业，长承圣治。群臣嘉德，祗诵圣烈，请刻之罘。

旋，遂之琅邪，道上党入。

三十年，无事。

143 Mount Zhifu 1

A6.28|29

The First Emperor climbed Mount Zhifu, and had a stone carved. The words read:

In the 29th year, it was mid-spring, and the sun was just rising. The emperor traveled eastward, stopped at Mount Zhifu, and looked down at the sea. The accompanying ministers admired the sight and could not help but remember the great achievements and commemorate the origin. The great ruling sage established laws and regulations and made them clear. He taught the princes abroad, showed culture and grace, and enlightened them with righteousness and reason. The kings of the six countries were evil and perverse, cruel and greedy, and killed people without end. The emperor felt sorry for the people, so he sent troops to fight against them and promoted martial virtue. His just punishment and his honest actions spread his power to all places, and everyone submitted to him. He killed the tyrants, saved the people, and pacified the four corners of the country. He universally implemented the law, governed the world, and set an example forever. How great! The whole country obeyed the will of the sage. The ministers praised his merits and asked to carve it on the stone to be a common practice.

登之罘，刻石。其辞曰：

维二十九年，时在中春，阳和方起。皇帝东游，巡登之罘，临照于海。从臣嘉观，原念休烈，追诵本始。大圣作治，建定法度，显箸纲纪。外教诸侯，光施文惠，明以义理。六国回辟，贪戾无厌，虐杀不已。皇帝哀众，遂发讨师，奋扬武德。义诛信行，威燀旁达，莫不宾服。烹灭强暴，振救黔首，周定四极。普施明法，经纬天下，永为仪则。大矣哉！宇县之中，承顺圣意。群臣诵功，请刻于石，表垂于常式。

142 Xiangjun then Bolangsha

A6.26|27

When the First Emperor returned, he passed through Pengcheng, where he fasted and offered sacrifices, hoping to salvage the Nine Tripod Cauldrons of the Zhou Dynasty from the Si River. He sent thousands of people to dive into the water to search for them, but they could not find them. So he crossed the Huai River to the southwest and headed for Hengshan County and Nanjun County. He sailed on the Yangtze River and came to Xiangshan to offer sacrifices. He encountered a strong wind and could hardly cross the Yangtze River. The First Emperor asked the doctor, "What kind of immortal is Xiangjun?" The doctor replied, "I heard that Xiangjun was the daughter of Yao and the wife of Shun, and was buried here after her death." So the First Emperor was very angry and ordered 3,000 serving criminals to cut down all the trees on Xiangshan, exposing the reddish-brown rocks. The First Emperor returned to the capital from Nanjun via Wuguan.

In the 29th year (218 BC), the First Emperor went on an inspection tour to the east. When he arrived at Bolangsha in Yangwu, he was frightened by an assassination attempt. The First Emperor ordered a pursuit, but he did not catch anyone, so he ordered a large-scale search across the country for ten days.

始皇还，过彭城，斋戒祷祠，欲出周鼎泗水。使千人没水求之，弗得。乃西南渡淮水，之衡山、南郡。浮江，至湘山祠。逢大风，几不得渡。上问博士曰：“湘君何神？”博士对曰：“闻之，尧女，舜之妻，而葬此。”于是始皇大怒，使刑徒三千人皆伐湘山树，赭其山。上自南郡由武关归。

二十九年，始皇东游。至阳武博狼沙中，为盗所惊。求弗得，乃令天下大索十日。

141 Langya Terrace 2

A6.24|25

The King of Qin annexed the world and established the title of Emperor, so he inspected the eastern territory and came to Langya County. The Marquis Wucheng Wang Li, the Marquis Tongwu Wang Ben, the Marquis Jiancheng Zhao Hai, the Marquis Changwu Cheng, the Marquis Wuxin Feng Wuze, the Prime Minister Wei Lin, the Prime Minister Wang Wan, the Minister Li Si, the Minister Wang Wu, the Five Great Officials Zhao Ying, and the Five Great Officials Yang Qiu accompanied him and discussed with the Emperor at the seaside, saying: "In ancient times, the territory of those who claimed to be emperors did not exceed a thousand miles. The princes guarded their own fiefdoms respectively. Some paid tribute, while others did not. They invaded each other, rebelled, and harmed the people. They fought endlessly, but they still set up stones to record their achievements. The Five Emperors and the Three Kings in ancient times promoted inconsistent teachings and implemented unclear laws. Indeed, relying on the power of ghosts and gods to deceive the people in distant places is not worthy of the name, so the country's fortune will not last long. These emperors themselves have not died, and the princes have already betrayed them, and the laws cannot be implemented. Now the emperor has unified the four seas and set up counties, and the world is peaceful and stable. Carry forward the virtues of the ancestors, practice the right way and promote virtue, and the title of honor is complete. The ministers jointly praise the merits of the emperor and engrave them on gold and stone, so as to set an example for future generations. " 

After the incident, Xu Fu and others from Qi County wrote a letter saying that there are three sacred mountains in the sea, named Penglai, Fangzhang, and Yingzhou, where immortals live. Xu Fu and others asked to fast and bathe, and lead boys and girls to find the sacred mountains. So the First Emperor sent Xu Fu to select thousands of boys and girls to go into the sea to find immortals. 

维秦王兼有天下，立名为皇帝，乃抚东土，至于琅邪。列侯武城侯王离、列侯通武侯王贲、伦侯建成侯赵亥、伦侯昌武侯成、伦侯武信侯冯毋择、丞相隗林、丞相王绾、卿李斯、卿王戊、五大夫赵婴、五大夫杨樛从，与议于海上。曰：“古之帝者，地不过千里，诸侯各守其封域，或朝或否，相侵暴乱，残伐不止，犹刻金石，以自为纪。古之五帝三王，知教不同，法度不明，假威鬼神，以欺远方，实不称名，故不久长。其身未殁，诸侯倍叛，法令不行。今皇帝并一海内，以为郡县，天下和平。昭明宗庙，体道行德，尊号大成。群臣相与诵皇帝功德，刻于金石，以为表经。”

既已，齐人徐巿等上书，言海中有三神山，名曰蓬莱、方丈、瀛洲，仙人居之。请得斋戒，与童男女求之。于是遣徐巿发童男女数千人，入海求仙人。

140 Langya Terrace 1

A6.22|23

When the First Emperor visited the south, he climbed Mount Langya and liked it very much. He stayed there for three months. He then moved 30,000 households to the foot of Langya Terrace and exempted them from taxes and labor service for 12 years. He ordered the construction of Langya Terrace and erected a stone with carvings to praise the merits of the Qin Dynasty and express his intentions. The inscription says:

In the 26th year, the First Emperor opened a new era, rectified laws and established the rules for all things. So the personnel and affairs are clarified, and the father and son work together. The wisdom of the emperor is benevolent and righteous, explicit and easy to understand. The emperor came to east pacify the regions and to inspect the soldiers. When it was close to be done, he arrived at the seaside. The emperor made outstanding contributions and worked hard for national affairs. He promoted agriculture and suppressed the insignificant commerce, and the common people lived a prosperous life. All followed the same path under the heaven, unifying the standards of measurements, and the characters of the writing. Wherever the sun and the moon shine, wherever boats and carriages go, all will live their lives to the fullest. It is the emperor's duty to take appropriate measures according to different opportunities. He rectified bad customs, crossed mountains and rivers to provide relief to the people, he has worked tirelessly from morning to night. He eliminate doubts, clarify laws, and make people aware of what to avoid. Officials perform their duties accordingly and all issues are dealt with in a concise and efficient manner. All measures are appropriate and there is no inconsistency. The emperor is full of wisdom and personally tours the four directions. The hierarchy of nobility and inferiority will not be transgressed. Treachery and evil are not tolerated, and everyone strives to be chaste and good. We should do our best in matters big and small, and not be lazy or neglectful. No matter whether we are far or near, or in remote places, we should be solemn and dignified, have upright morals and be loyal, and follow the rules. The emperor's virtue is boundless, and he blesses and stabilizes the four directions. He eliminates harm and punishes rioters, and promotes benefits for the people. He does things according to the seasons and develops various industries. The people are stable and harmonious, and no longer wage wars. The six relatives live in peace with each other, and there are no more thieves. They are happy to accept education and understand the laws and regulations. The whole world is the emperor's territory. To the west, it reaches the desert, to the south, the gates are open to the north. To the east, it reaches the East Sea, and to the north, it crosses Daxia. Wherever people go, everyone comes to pay tribute. The emperor's achievements surpass those of the five emperors, and his grace benefits livestock. Everyone is educated by virtue, and everyone lives and works in peace. 

南登琅邪，大乐之，留三月。乃徙黔首三万户琅邪台下，复十二岁。作琅邪台，立石刻，颂秦德，明得意。曰：

维二十八年，皇帝作始。端平法度，万物之纪。以明人事，合同父子。圣智仁义，显白道理。东抚东土，以省卒士。事已大毕，乃临于海。皇帝之功，勤劳本事。上农除末，黔首是富。普天之下，抟心揖志。器械一量，同书文字。日月所照，舟舆所载。皆终其命，莫不得意。应时动事，是维皇帝。匡饬异俗，陵水经地。忧恤黔首，朝夕不懈。除疑定法，咸知所辟。方伯分职，诸治经易。举错必当，莫不如画。皇帝之明，临察四方。尊卑贵贱，不逾次行。奸邪不容，皆务贞良。细大尽力，莫敢怠荒。远迩辟隐，专务肃庄。端直敦忠，事业有常。皇帝之德，存定四极。诛乱除害，兴利致福。节事以时，诸产繁殖。黔首安宁，不用兵革。六亲相保，终无寇贼。驩欣奉教，尽知法式。六合之内，皇帝之土。西涉流沙，南尽北户。东有东海，北过大夏。人迹所至，无不臣者。功盖五帝，泽及牛马。莫不受德，各安其宇。

139 Zennobling

A6.19|20|21

In the twenty-eighth year, the First Emperor traveled eastward to prefectures and counties and went up to Mount Zouyi. He had a stone set up and discussed with the Confucian scholars of Lu, the stone was carved to praise the virtues of Qin, and they further discussed the matter of zennobling (封禅fengshan) and worshiping mountains and rivers. Then he went up to Mount Tai, set up the stone, sealed it, and worshiped in the temple. On his way down, a storm came, he rested under a tree and then named the tree the Five Great Masters. He zennobled Mount Liangfu. The words engraved on the standing stone read:

When the emperor comes to the throne, he makes laws and regulations, and his subordinates revise them. After twenty and six years, when the world is united for the first time, and nobody dare to disobey. And he personally patrolled the people in distant places, climbed Mount Tai, and looked around to the East End. And he follows the ministers' deeds, stay focused on their careers, and only recite their merits. The way of governance is running things smoothly, and all productions are appropriate, and all follow their own laws. The great righteousness will never be forgotten, and it will be passed down to future generations. Follow it and don't abandon it. The emperor's obedience to the saints not only brought peace to the world but also made unremitting efforts to govern. He works hard from early morning till late night, builds long-term benefits and is especially good at teaching. The scriptures are taught and promulgated, and they are clear from far and near and inherit the holy will. There is a clear distinction between high and low, men and women are courteous, and they carefully obey their duties. The luminosity separates in or out, and the waste is never pure or clean.  These teachings are to be passed down to our heirs, who will extend it to infinity, abide by the edicts left behind, and uphold the precepts forever. 

The First Emperor then went eastward along the Bohai Sea, passed Huang and Shen, reached to the end of Chengshan Mountain, climbed Zhifu Mountain, erected a stone praising the merits of the Qin, then left.

二十八年，始皇东行郡县，上邹峄山。立石，与鲁诸儒生议，刻石颂秦德，议封禅望祭山川之事。乃遂上泰山，立石，封，祠祀。下，风雨暴至，休于树下，因封其树为五大夫。禅梁父。刻所立石，其辞曰：

皇帝临位，作制明法，臣下脩饬。二十有六年，初并天下，罔不宾服。亲巡远方黎民，登兹泰山，周览东极。从臣思迹，本原事业，祗诵功德。治道运行，诸产得宜，皆有法式。大义休明，垂于后世，顺承勿革。皇帝躬圣，既平天下，不懈于治。夙兴夜寐，建设长利，专隆教诲。训经宣达，远近毕理，咸承圣志。贵贱分明，男女礼顺，慎遵职事。昭隔内外，靡不清净，施于后嗣。化及无穷，遵奉遗诏，永承重戒。

于是乃并勃海以东，过黄、腄，穷成山，登之罘，立石颂秦德焉而去。