Monday, May 13, 2024

228 Big Horizontal

A10.1|2

Emperor Xiaowen was the middle son of Emperor Gaozu. In the spring of Emperor Gaozu's eleventh year, he had defeated Chen Xi's army, conquered Dai, and established himself as the King of Dai, with his capital in Zhongdu. He was the son of Empress Dowager Bo. In the seventeenth year of his reign, in the seventh month of the eighth year of Empress Dowager Gao, Empress Dowager Gao died. In the ninth month, the Lü clan, including Lü Chan, wanted to cause chaos and endanger the Liu clan. The ministers killed them and planned to summon and establish the King of Dai, which was detailed in the volume of Empress Dowager Lü.

The Prime Minister Chen Ping, the Grand Marshal (Grand Commandant) Zhou Bo, and others sent an envoy to welcome the King of Dai. The King of Dai consulted Zhang Wu, the court attendant chiefs and others, and Zhang Wu said, "The ministers of Han are all former generals of Emperor Gao, who are skilled in military affairs and full of deceit. Their intentions are not limited to this. They are just afraid of the power of Emperor Gao and Empress Dowager Lü. Now that the Lü clan has been exterminated and blood has just been shed in the capital, it is not credible to just welcome the king in the name of welcoming. I hope the king will claim illness and not go, just wait and see what happens." Lieutenant Song Changjin said, "The opinions of the ministers are all wrong. When Qin lost its power, the princes and the powerful rose up. Everyone thought that they had won the throne, and the Liu family was the one who finally took the throne. The world was hopeless. This is the reason one . Emperor Gao granted titles to his sons and brothers, and the land was controlled by each other. This is the so-called solid foundation. The world was submissive to its strength. That’s two. When Han was founded, it abolished Qin's harsh policies, made laws, and implemented Virtue and benevolence, everyone is at peace, and it is difficult to shake. This is the third. With the severity of Empress Dowager Lü, she established the Lü clan as the three kings, and abused power and dictated the law. However, the Grand Marshal entered the northern army with one official seal, and once he called on the soldiers, they all bared their left arms and sided with the Liu clan, rising against the Lü clan, and finally destroyed them. This is a gift from heaven, not human power. Now, although the ministers want to make changes, the people will not help them. How can their party be united? At present, there are relatives of Zhuxu and Dongmu in the country, and they are afraid of the strength of Wu, Chu, Huainan, Langya, Qi, and Dai over the country outside. At present, the only sons of Emperor Gao are the King of Huainan and the King majesty yourself. Your Majesty he is also the elder, wise, benevolent and filial, and which is well known to the world. Therefore, the ministers want to welcome and establish the king because of the will of the people. The king should not doubt it. "The king of Dai reported to the queen mother, and it was still undecided. He used the tortoise shell to divine, and the hexagram showed a big horizontal. The divination said: "Big horizontal big change, I am the Heavenly King, Xia ignited (Qi) it with light." The King of Dai said: "I am already the king, what king am I?" The soothsayer said: "The so-called Heavenly King is the Son of Heaven." So the King of Dai sent the Queen Mother's brother Bo Zhao to meet Marquis Jiang, Marquis Jiang and others told Zhao the reason why they welcomed the king. Bo Zhao reported back: "It is true, there is no doubt." The King of Dai smiled and said to Song Chang: "It is just as you said." He ordered Song Chang to be in charge of the carriage, and Zhang Wu and six others took the carriage together to Chang'an. They stopped at Gaoling first, and Song Chang was sent to Chang'an to observe the changes.


司马迁·史记卷十·孝文本纪第十

孝文皇帝,高祖中子也。高祖十一年春,已破陈狶军,定代地,立为代王,都中都。太后薄氏子。即位十七年,高后八年七月,高后崩。九月,诸吕吕产等欲为乱,以危刘氏,大臣共诛之,谋召立代王,事在吕后语中。

丞相陈平、太尉周勃等使人迎代王。代王问左右郎中令张武等。张武等议曰:“汉大臣皆故高帝时大将,习兵,多谋诈,此其属意非止此也,特畏高帝、吕太后威耳。今已诛诸吕,新喋血京师,此以迎大王为名,实不可信。愿大王称疾毋往,以观其变。”中尉宋昌进曰:“群臣之议皆非也。夫秦失其政,诸侯豪桀并起,人人自以为得之者以万数,然卒践天子之位者,刘氏也,天下绝望,一矣。高帝封王子弟,地犬牙相制,此所谓盘石之宗也,天下服其强,二矣。汉兴,除秦苛政,约法令,施德惠,人人自安,难动摇,三矣。夫以吕太后之严,立诸吕为三王,擅权专制,然而太尉以一节入北军,一呼士皆左袒,为刘氏,叛诸吕,卒以灭之。此乃天授,非人力也。今大臣虽欲为变,百姓弗为使,其党宁能专一邪?方今内有朱虚、东牟之亲,外畏吴、楚、淮南、琅邪、齐、代之强。方今高帝子独淮南王与大王,大王又长,贤圣仁孝,闻于天下,故大臣因天下之心而欲迎立大王,大王勿疑也。”代王报太后计之,犹与未定。卜之龟,卦兆得大横。占曰:“大横庚庚,余为天王,夏启以光。”代王曰:“寡人固已为王矣,又何王?”卜人曰:“所谓天王者乃天子。”于是代王乃遣太后弟薄昭往见绛侯,绛侯等具为昭言所以迎立王意。薄昭还报曰:“信矣,毋可疑者。”代王乃笑谓宋昌曰:“果如公言。”乃命宋昌参乘,张武等六人乘传诣长安。至高陵休止,而使宋昌先驰之长安观变。

227 A10. Emperor Xiaowen

A10

Sima Qian: Historical Records 10 Emperor Xiaowen

A10.1|2

Emperor Xiaowen was the middle son of Emperor Gaozu. In the spring of Emperor Gaozu's eleventh year, he had defeated Chen Xi's army, conquered Dai, and established himself as the King of Dai, with his capital in Zhongdu. He was the son of Empress Dowager Bo. In the seventeenth year of his reign, in the seventh month of the eighth year of Empress Dowager Gao, Empress Dowager Gao died. In the ninth month, the Lü clan, including Lü Chan, wanted to cause chaos and endanger the Liu clan. The ministers killed them and planned to summon and establish the King of Dai, which was detailed in the volume of Empress Dowager Lü.

The Prime Minister Chen Ping, the Grand Marshal (Grand Commandant) Zhou Bo, and others sent an envoy to welcome the King of Dai. The King of Dai consulted Zhang Wu, the court attendant chiefs and others, and Zhang Wu said, "The ministers of Han are all former generals of Emperor Gao, who are skilled in military affairs and full of deceit. Their intentions are not limited to this. They are just afraid of the power of Emperor Gao and Empress Dowager Lü. Now that the Lü clan has been exterminated and blood has just been shed in the capital, it is not credible to just welcome the king in the name of welcoming. I hope the king will claim illness and not go, just wait and see what happens." Lieutenant Song Changjin said, "The opinions of the ministers are all wrong. When Qin lost its power, the princes and the powerful rose up. Everyone thought that they had won the throne, and the Liu family was the one who finally took the throne. The world was hopeless. This is the reason one . Emperor Gao granted titles to his sons and brothers, and the land was controlled by each other. This is the so-called solid foundation. The world was submissive to its strength. That’s two. When Han was founded, it abolished Qin's harsh policies, made laws, and implemented Virtue and benevolence, everyone is at peace, and it is difficult to shake. This is the third. With the severity of Empress Dowager Lü, she established the Lü clan as the three kings, and abused power and dictated the law. However, the Grand Marshal entered the northern army with one official seal, and once he called on the soldiers, they all bared their left arms and sided with the Liu clan, rising against the Lü clan, and finally destroyed them. This is a gift from heaven, not human power. Now, although the ministers want to make changes, the people will not help them. How can their party be united? At present, there are relatives of Zhuxu and Dongmu in the country, and they are afraid of the strength of Wu, Chu, Huainan, Langya, Qi, and Dai over the country outside. At present, the only sons of Emperor Gao are the King of Huainan and the King majesty yourself. Your Majesty he is also the elder, wise, benevolent and filial, and which is well known to the world. Therefore, the ministers want to welcome and establish the king because of the will of the people. The king should not doubt it. "The king of Dai reported to the queen mother, and it was still undecided. He used the tortoise shell to divine, and the hexagram showed a big horizontal. The divination said: "Big horizontal big change, I am the Heavenly King, Xia ignited (Qi) it with light." The King of Dai said: "I am already the king, what king am I?" The soothsayer said: "The so-called Heavenly King is the Son of Heaven." So the King of Dai sent the Queen Mother's brother Bo Zhao to meet Marquis Jiang, Marquis Jiang and others told Zhao the reason why they welcomed the king. Bo Zhao reported back: "It is true, there is no doubt." The King of Dai smiled and said to Song Chang: "It is just as you said." He ordered Song Chang to be in charge of the carriage, and Zhang Wu and six others took the carriage together to Chang'an. They stopped at Gaoling first, and Song Chang was sent to Chang'an to observe the changes.


司马迁·史记卷十·孝文本纪第十

孝文皇帝,高祖中子也。高祖十一年春,已破陈狶军,定代地,立为代王,都中都。太后薄氏子。即位十七年,高后八年七月,高后崩。九月,诸吕吕产等欲为乱,以危刘氏,大臣共诛之,谋召立代王,事在吕后语中。

丞相陈平、太尉周勃等使人迎代王。代王问左右郎中令张武等。张武等议曰:“汉大臣皆故高帝时大将,习兵,多谋诈,此其属意非止此也,特畏高帝、吕太后威耳。今已诛诸吕,新喋血京师,此以迎大王为名,实不可信。愿大王称疾毋往,以观其变。”中尉宋昌进曰:“群臣之议皆非也。夫秦失其政,诸侯豪桀并起,人人自以为得之者以万数,然卒践天子之位者,刘氏也,天下绝望,一矣。高帝封王子弟,地犬牙相制,此所谓盘石之宗也,天下服其强,二矣。汉兴,除秦苛政,约法令,施德惠,人人自安,难动摇,三矣。夫以吕太后之严,立诸吕为三王,擅权专制,然而太尉以一节入北军,一呼士皆左袒,为刘氏,叛诸吕,卒以灭之。此乃天授,非人力也。今大臣虽欲为变,百姓弗为使,其党宁能专一邪?方今内有朱虚、东牟之亲,外畏吴、楚、淮南、琅邪、齐、代之强。方今高帝子独淮南王与大王,大王又长,贤圣仁孝,闻于天下,故大臣因天下之心而欲迎立大王,大王勿疑也。”代王报太后计之,犹与未定。卜之龟,卦兆得大横。占曰:“大横庚庚,余为天王,夏启以光。”代王曰:“寡人固已为王矣,又何王?”卜人曰:“所谓天王者乃天子。”于是代王乃遣太后弟薄昭往见绛侯,绛侯等具为昭言所以迎立王意。薄昭还报曰:“信矣,毋可疑者。”代王乃笑谓宋昌曰:“果如公言。”乃命宋昌参乘,张武等六人乘传诣长安。至高陵休止,而使宋昌先驰之长安观变。


A10.3|4

Song Chang arrived at Wei Bridge, and all the officials from the Prime Minister down came to greet him. Song Chang returned to the King of Dai to report. The King of Dai drove to Wei Bridge, and all the officials came to pay respects to him. The King of Dai got out of the car and bowed. The Grand Commandant Zhou Bo stepped forward and said, "I would like to report to the King in private." Song Chang said, "If it is public affairs, then we will do it in public. If it is private affairs, the Emperor will not handle private affairs." The Grand Commandant then knelt and presented the Emperor's seal and imperial seal. The King of Dai declined and said, "Let's discuss this matter at Dai’s Mansion." So he drove into the Mansion. All the officials followed him. Prime Minister Chen Ping, Grand Commandant Zhou Bo, General Chen Wu, Imperial Censor Zhang Cang, Imperial Clan Chief Liu Ying, Marquis of Zhuxu Liu Zhang, Marquis of Dongmu Liu Xingju, and Imperial Courtier Liu Jie all bowed again and said, "Liu Hong and others are not sons of Emperor Xiaohui, and should not preside over the ancestral temple sacrifices. We respectfully invite Marquis Yin'an, Marquis Queen of Qing, the King of Langya, the royal families, ministers, marquises, and officials above the rank of 2,000 stone to join the discussion and say that 'Your Majesty is the eldest son of Emperor Gao and should be the successor of Emperor Gao.' We hope that Your Majesty will ascend the throne of the Son of Heaven." The King of Dai said, "Respecting the ancestral temple of Emperor Gao is a matter of great importance. I am not qualified to be in the position to respect the ancestral temple. I hope to ask the King of Chu to reconsider. I dare not take the responsibility." All the ministers knelt and made a firm request. The King of Dai faced the west and declined three times, and faced the south and declined twice. Prime Minister Chen Ping and others said, "After discussion, we think it is most appropriate for Your Majesty to honor the ancestral temple of Emperor Gao. Even if the princes and people of the world consider it, they also think it is appropriate. We dare not make a rash decision for the sake of the country and the people. We hope that Your Majesty will listen to our advice. We bow again and present the seal and the imperial seal of the emperor." The king of Dai said, "The royal family, generals, princes, and marquises all think that no one is more suitable than me, and I dare not refuse again." So he ascended the throne of the emperor.

The ministers stood in order according to the etiquette. So he sent the Grand Coachman Xiahou Ying and the Marquis of Dongmu Liu Xingju cleaned up the palace, welcomed the emperor's carriage, and went to the official residence of the Dai mansion to welcome the emperor. The emperor entered the Weiyang Palace that night. So he appointed Song Chang as the general of the guard at night to appease the northern and southern armies. He appointed Zhang Wu as the imperial chief attendant to patrol the palace. The emperor returned to the front hall and sat down. That night, he issued an edict saying, "Previously, the Lü family was in power and plotted rebellion. They wanted to harm the Liu family's ancestral temple. They relied on generals, marquises, royal family members, and ministers to kill them and make them admit their guilt and be punished. I have just ascended the throne, and from now on I declare a general amnesty for the whole country, granting each adult male a noble rank, and granting each woman a cow and ten stones of wine for every hundred households, and the whole country will gather to drink and feast for five days." On the day of Gengxu of October in the first year of Emperor Xiaowen's reign, the former King of Langye Ze was moved and enthroned as King of Yan.


昌至渭桥,丞相以下皆迎。宋昌还报。代王驰至渭桥,群臣拜谒称臣。代王下车拜。太尉勃进曰:“愿请间言。”宋昌曰:“所言公,公言之。所言私,王者不受私。”太尉乃跪上天子玺符。代王谢曰:“至代邸而议之。”遂驰入代邸。群臣从至。丞相陈平、太尉周勃、大将军陈武、御史大夫张苍、宗正刘郢、朱虚侯刘章、东牟侯刘兴居、典客刘揭皆再拜言曰:“子弘等皆非孝惠帝子,不当奉宗庙。臣谨请阴安侯列侯顷王后与琅邪王、宗室、大臣、列侯、吏二千石议曰:‘大王高帝长子,宜为高帝嗣。’愿大王即天子位。”代王曰:“奉高帝宗庙,重事也。寡人不佞,不足以称宗庙。愿请楚王计宜者,寡人不敢当。”群臣皆伏固请。代王西乡让者三,南乡让者再。丞相平等皆曰:“臣伏计之,大王奉高帝宗庙最宜称,虽天下诸侯万民以为宜。臣等为宗庙社稷计,不敢忽。愿大王幸听臣等。臣谨奉天子玺符再拜上。”代王曰:“宗室将相王列侯以为莫宜寡人,寡人不敢辞。”遂即天子位。

群臣以礼次侍。乃使太仆婴与东牟侯兴居清宫,奉天子法驾,迎于代邸。皇帝即日夕入未央宫。乃夜拜宋昌为卫将军,镇抚南北军。以张武为郎中令,行殿中。还坐前殿。于是夜下诏书曰:“间者诸吕用事擅权,谋为大逆,欲以危刘氏宗庙,赖将相列侯宗室大臣诛之,皆伏其辜。朕初即位,其赦天下,赐民爵一级,女子百户牛酒,酺五日。” 孝文皇帝元年十月庚戌,徙立故琅邪王泽为燕王。

A10.5|6|7

On the day of Xinhai of the 11th month, the emperor ascended the throne and went to the Gao Temple. The Right Prime Minister Chen Ping was transferred to the position of left Prime Minister, Grand Commandant Zhou Bo was transferred to the position of right prime minister, and the great general Guan Ying was transferred to the position of Grand Commandant. All the former territories of Qi and Chu that had been seized by the various Lu clans were restored.

On the day of Ren Zi, Emperor Wen sent General Bo Zhao to Dai to welcome the Empress Dowager. The Emperor said: "Lü Chan made himself as Prime Minister and Lü Lu as Superior General. They falsely issued an imperial edict to send General Guan to lead the army to attack Qi in order to replace Liu. Guan Ying stayed in Xingyang and did not attack Qi. He and the princes planned to destroy Lü. Lü Chan wanted to cause chaos. Prime Minister Chen Ping and Grand Commandant Zhou Bo planned to seize the military power of Lü Chan and others. Liu Zhang, Marquis Zhuxu, took the lead in arresting Lü Chan and others. The Grand Commandant personally led Liu Tong, Marquis Xiangping, to enter the Northern Army with the imperial edict. The Imperial Courtier Liu Jie personally seized the General Seal of King Zhao Lü Lu. Based on all the above, the Grand Commandant Zhou Bo was granted an additional fief of 10 thousand households and a reward of five thousand catties of gold. Prime Minister Chen Ping and General Guan Ying each were granted an additional fief of three thousand households and a reward of two thousand gold. Liu Zhang the Marquis Zhuxu, Liu Tong the Marquis Xiangping, and Liu Xingju the Marquis Dongmu each were granted an additional fief of two thousand households and a reward of one thousand gold. The Imperial Courtier Liu Jie was granted the title of Marquis Yangxin and a reward of one thousand gold."

In December, Emperor Wen said: "Laws are the guidelines for governing the country. They can be used to prohibit violence and persuade people to be good. Now, after the offenders are convicted, their innocent parents, wives, children and brothers are punished together, and their children are confiscated as official slaves. I think this practice is not advisable. Let the ministers discuss it." The officials of the relevant departments all said: "The people cannot govern themselves, so laws are made to restrain them. The family members who are implicated are also arrested, just to make people worry and make them look at the violation of the law carefully. This practice has a long history. Let's follow the original practice. The law is more appropriate." Emperor Wen said: "I have heard that fair laws make the people loyal and fair, and appropriate punishments make the people obedient. Moreover, officials are the ones who govern the people and persuade them to be good. If officials cannot persuade the people and use unfair laws to punish them, it will be harmful to the people and force them to do bad things. What should be used to prohibit it? I don't see why it is appropriate. The ministers should think about it in detail. "The officials of the relevant departments said: "Your Majesty's grace is great and his merits are great, which is beyond our imagination. We will obey the imperial edict and abolish the law that punishes innocent family members as official slaves."

辛亥,皇帝即阼,谒高庙。右丞相平徙为左丞相,太尉勃为右丞相,大将军灌婴为太尉。诸吕所夺齐楚故地,皆复与之。

壬子,遣车骑将军薄昭迎皇太后于代。皇帝曰:“吕产自置为相国,吕禄为上将军,擅矫遣灌将军婴将兵击齐,欲代刘氏,婴留荥阳弗击,与诸侯合谋以诛吕氏。吕产欲为不善,丞相陈平与太尉周勃谋夺吕产等军。朱虚侯刘章首先捕吕产等。太尉身率襄平侯通持节承诏入北军。典客刘揭身夺赵王吕禄印。益封太尉勃万户,赐金五千斤。丞相陈平、灌将军婴邑各三千户,金二千斤。朱虚侯刘章、襄平侯通、东牟侯刘兴居邑各二千户,金千斤。封典客揭为阳信侯,赐金千斤。”

十二月,上曰:“法者,治之正也,所以禁暴而率善人也。今犯法已论,而使毋罪之父母妻子同产坐之,及为收帑,朕甚不取。其议之。”有司皆曰:“民不能自治,故为法以禁之。相坐坐收,所以累其心,使重犯法,所从来远矣。如故便。”上曰:“朕闻法正则民悫,罪当则民从。且夫牧民而导之善者,吏也。其既不能导,又以不正之法罪之,是反害于民为暴者也。何以禁之?朕未见其便,其孰计之。”有司皆曰:“陛下加大惠,德甚盛,非臣等所及也。请奉诏书,除收帑诸相坐律令。”

A10.8

In the first month of the year, officials from relevant departments suggested, "Appointing a crown prince early will honor the ancestral temple. Please appoint a crown prince." Emperor Wen said, "My virtue is shallow. The gods have not yet enjoyed the sacrifices, and the people of the world are not satisfied. Now even if I cannot find a wise, sage, and virtuous person in the world to abdicate the throne to him, I say that I want to appoint a crown prince in advance. This will make my virtue even shallower. How can I tell the people of the world? Let's put this matter aside for the time being." The official said, "Appointing a crown prince in advance is to honor the ancestral temple and the country, and to show that we have not forgotten the people of the world." Emperor Wen said, "The King of Chu is my uncle. He is old and understands many principles of the world and understands the general situation of the country. The King of Wu is my elder brother. He is kind and benevolent and likes morality. The King of Huainan is my younger brother. He upholds morality to assist me. Aren't they the heirs established in advance? The princes, brothers of the royal family, and meritorious ministers are many wise and virtuous people. If I recommend virtuous people to assist me in completing my unfinished business, it will be a good thing for the country and a blessing for the world. . If I do not recommend them now, but insist on appointing my own son, people will think that I have forgotten the virtuous and only care about my own son. I think this is not a way to share the worries of the people of the world. I think this is not advisable. "The officials all resolutely requested, "In ancient times, the Shang and Zhou dynasties established their countries and maintained peace for more than a thousand years. In ancient times, no dynasty that won the world lasted longer than this, because the emperors of these two dynasties must have chosen their own sons as their successors. This is a long-standing tradition. Emperor Gao personally led the civil officials and military generals, and as soon as he pacified the world, he established the vassal states and became the Taizu of the emperors of this dynasty. The vassal kings and marquises who first accepted the fiefdoms were also the ancestors of each country. The descendants inherit the throne and it will not be cut off from generation to generation. This is the great justice of the world, so Emperor Gao established this system to stabilize the people's hearts. Now abandoning what should be followed and selecting other vassal and royal family members is not Emperor Gao's original intention. It is not appropriate to discuss it further. Prince Liu Qi is the oldest and pure and kind, so I request to make him the crown prince. "Emperor Wen agreed. Therefore, he rewarded all the common people in the world who were destined to be fathers and heirs by promoting their titles one level higher. He conferred the title of Marquis of Chen on General Bo Zhao.

正月,有司言曰:“蚤建太子,所以尊宗庙。请立太子。”上曰:“朕既不德,上帝神明未歆享,天下人民未有嗛志。今纵不能博求天下贤圣有德之人而禅天下焉,而曰豫建太子,是重吾不德也。谓天下何?其安之。”有司曰:“豫建太子,所以重宗庙社稷,不忘天下也。”上曰:“楚王,季父也,春秋高,阅天下之义理多矣,明于国家之大体。吴王于朕,兄也,惠仁以好德。淮南王,弟也,秉德以陪朕。岂为不豫哉!诸侯王宗室昆弟有功臣,多贤及有德义者,若举有德以陪朕之不能终,是社稷之灵,天下之福也。今不选举焉,而曰必子,人其以朕为忘贤有德者而专于子,非所以忧天下也。朕甚不取也。”有司皆固请曰:“古者殷周有国,治安皆千余岁,古之有天下者莫长焉,用此道也。立嗣必子,所从来远矣。高帝亲率士大夫,始平天下,建诸侯,为帝者太祖。诸侯王及列侯始受国者皆亦为其国祖。子孙继嗣,世世弗绝,天下之大义也,故高帝设之以抚海内。今释宜建而更选于诸侯及宗室,非高帝之志也。更议不宜。子某最长,纯厚慈仁,请建以为太子。”上乃许之。因赐天下民当代父后者爵各一级。封将军薄昭为轵侯。


A10.9…12

In March, officials from relevant departments requested to establish a queen. Empress Dowager Bo said, "All the princes have the same surname, so the prince's mother should be the queen." The queen's surname was Dou. Emperor Wen granted a quota of cloth, rice and meat to widows, orphans, the poor and needy, the elderly over 80 years old and orphans under 9 years old because of the queen. Emperor Wen came to Chang'an from Dai State. As soon as he ascended the throne, he showed favor to the people of the world, appeased the princes and the tribes in all directions to make them harmonious and happy, and then rewarded the meritorious officials from Dai State one by one. Emperor Wen said: "When the ministers of the court exterminated the Lü family and welcomed me to the throne, I was hesitant and all my ministers stopped me. Only Lieutenant Song Chang encouraged me, so I was able to respect the ancestral temple. I have promoted Song Chang to General Wei, and now he is named Marquis Zhuangwu. The other six people who came with me were promoted to the rank of nine ministers."

Emperor Wen said: "The sixty-eight marquises who followed Emperor Gao to Shujun and Hanzhong were given an additional fief of 300 households each. The ten officials with the rank of over two thousand stones who followed Emperor Gao in the past, including Liu Zun, the governor of Yingchuan, were given a fief of 600 households each. The ten people including Shen Tujia, the governor of Huaiyang, were given a fief of 500 households each. The ten people including Wei Wei The Guard Captain Hu Ding were given a fief of 400 households each. Zhao Jian, the uncle of the King of Huainan, was named Marquis of Zhouyang, and Si Jun, the uncle of the King of Qi, was named Marquis of Qingguo." In autumn, Emperor Wen named Cai Jian, the former prime minister of Changshan State, as Marquis of Fan.

Someone advised the right prime minister, "You killed the Lü family and welcomed the King of Dai. Now you boast of your great achievements, receive the highest reward, and hold a prominent position. You will be in great trouble." The right prime minister Zhou Bo then resigned on the grounds of illness, and the left prime minister Chen Ping served as prime minister alone.

In October of the second year (178 BC), Prime Minister Chen Ping died, and the court reappointed Marquis Jiang Zhou Bo as prime minister. Emperor Wen said, "I heard that the princes in ancient times created more than a thousand countries. They each guarded their fiefdoms and paid tribute to the court on time. The people did not work hard, and the people were happy and joyful. There were no wise men who were not valued. Now most of the princes live in Chang'an, far away from their fiefdoms. The officials and soldiers supply and transport local taxes, which is lossy and hard, and the princes cannot teach their people. Now I’m ordering the princes to return to their respective fiefdoms, and those who hold official positions in the court and are allowed to stay by imperial decree should send their princes back."


三月,有司请立皇后。薄太后曰:“诸侯皆同姓,立太子母为皇后。”皇后姓窦氏。上为立后故,赐天下鳏寡孤独穷困及年八十已上孤儿九岁已下布帛米肉各有数。上从代来,初即位,施德惠天下,填抚诸侯四夷皆洽驩,乃循从代来功臣。上曰:“方大臣之诛诸吕迎朕,朕狐疑,皆止朕,唯中尉宋昌劝朕,朕以得保奉宗庙。已尊昌为卫将军,其封昌为壮武侯。诸从朕六人,官皆至九卿。”

上曰:“列侯从高帝入蜀、汉中者六十八人皆益封各三百户,故吏二千石以上从高帝颍川守尊等十人食邑六百户,淮阳守申徒嘉等十人五百户,卫尉定等十人四百户。封淮南王舅父赵兼为周阳侯,齐王舅父驷钧为清郭侯。”秋,封故常山丞相蔡兼为樊侯。

人或说右丞相曰:“君本诛诸吕,迎代王,今又矜其功,受上赏,处尊位,祸且及身。”右丞相勃乃谢病免罢,左丞相平专为丞相。

二年十月,丞相平卒,复以绛侯勃为丞相。上曰:“朕闻古者诸侯建国千余,各守其地,以时入贡,民不劳苦,上下驩欣,靡有遗德。今列侯多居长安,邑远,吏卒给输费苦,而列侯亦无由教驯其民。其令列侯之国,为吏及诏所止者,遣太子。”


A10.13|14|15

At the end of November, there was a solar eclipse. On December 15, there was another solar eclipse. The emperor said: "I have heard that Heaven first created the common people and then appointed a king to rule them. If a monarch is immoral and his policies are unfair, then Heaven will use natural disasters to warn him and remind him that he has not governed the country well. So at the end of November, a solar eclipse occurred, expressing Heaven's intention of condemnation. Is there any greater natural disaster than this! I have obtained the qualification to protect the ancestral temple and the state, and I am above the people and the king with my insignificant strength and body. The stability and chaos of the world depend on me alone. Only two or three ministers can assist me with all their strength like my arms and legs. I am unable to govern and educate all living beings, and I have also diminished the brilliance of the sun, moon and stars. This is a great lack of virtue. When an order is issued, you should think carefully about my mistakes as well as the limitations of my knowledge, insights and thoughts, and report them to me. And recommend those who are virtuous, upright and capable of speaking frankly to strongly advise me to correct the mistakes I made. You must manage your respective duties well and reduce corvée and taxes to facilitate the people. Since I am unable to travel far away to implement benevolent policies, I am extremely fearful and uneasy in my heart, always worrying that the barbarians outside will do wrongful things without scruples. Therefore, the military alert on the border cannot be lifted yet. Even though I cannot withdraw the troops stationed on the border now, but I have so many strict palace guards around me, so I have to withdraw the guards that General Wei has set up for me. The horses under the charge of the Imperial Coachman should only be kept as many as needed, and the rest should be placed in the post stations."

In January, the Emperor said: "Agriculture is the foundation of the world. Immediately open up the land for cultivation. I will personally lead the princes and the people to cultivate the land in order to provide grain for the ancestral temple for sacrifices."

In March, some officials requested to enthronize the prince as a vassal king. The emperor said, "King You of Zhao was imprisoned until his death. I feel very sorry for him. I have already enthroned King Zhao's eldest son Liu Sui as the new King of Zhao. Liu Sui's younger brother Liu Pijiang and King Daohui of Qi’s sons Liu Zhang, Marquis of Zhuxu, and Liu Xingju, Marquis of Dongmu, have made contributions to the country and can also be enfeoffed as princes. " So he made Liu Pijiang, the youngest son of King You of Zhao, the King of Hejian; several busy prefectures and counties of Qi were divided among Zhuxu Marquis, who was named the King of Chengyang; he made Dongmu Marquis the King of Jibei; he made the prince Liu Wu the King of Dai, the prince Liu Can the King of Taiyuan, and the prince Liu Yi the King of Liang. 

十一月晦,日有食之。十二月望,日又食。上曰:“朕闻之,天生蒸民,为之置君以养治之。人主不德,布政不均,则天示之以菑,以诫不治。乃十一月晦,日有食之,適见于天,菑孰大焉!朕获保宗庙,以微眇之身讬于兆民君王之上,天下治乱,在朕一人,唯二三执政犹吾股肱也。朕下不能理育群生,上以累三光之明,其不德大矣。令至,其悉思朕之过失,及知见思之所不及,匄以告朕。及举贤良方正能直言极谏者,以匡朕之不逮。因各饬其任职,务省繇费以便民。朕既不能远德,故闲然念外人之有非,是以设备未息。今纵不能罢边屯戍,而又饬兵厚卫,其罢卫将军军。太仆见马遗财足,余皆以给传置。”

正月,上曰:“农,天下之本,其开籍田,朕亲率耕,以给宗庙粢盛。”

三月,有司请立皇子为诸侯王。上曰:“赵幽王幽死,朕甚怜之,已立其长子遂为赵王。遂弟辟强及齐悼惠王子朱虚侯章、东牟侯兴居有功,可王。”乃立赵幽王少子辟强为河间王,以齐剧郡立朱虚侯为城阳王,立东牟侯为济北王,皇子武为代王,子参为太原王,子揖为梁王。


A10.16…20

The emperor said: "In ancient times, when the country was governed, there were flags for good and wood for slander, so that people could come to advise the government. Now the law has the crime of slandering and making false statements, which makes the ministers afraid to speak freely, and the emperor has no way to hear about mistakes. How can we attract virtuous people from far away? Get rid of it. Some people curse the emperor to make an agreement and then slander each other, and the officials think it is some big rebellion. If they say something else, the officials will think it is slander. This is the ignorance of the common people and they will die. I don't accept it. From now on, those who commit this will not be punished."

In September, bronze tiger talisman and bamboo envoy talisman were first made between the imperial court and governors of the counties and states.

In the third year, on the last day, the Dingyu, of the tenth month of the year, there was a solar eclipse. In November, the emperor said: "The day before yesterday, the emperor issued an edict to send the states of the marquisates, but some of them refused to go. The prime minister is my priority, so he should lead the states of the marquisates for me." Marquis Jiang Zhou Bo was dismissed from the position of the prime minister and returned to his office in his fiefdom, and Guan Ying, the Grand Commandant and Marquis Yingyin,  was appointed as the new prime minister. The position of the Grand Commandant was dismissed and subordinated to the prime minister. In April, King Chengyang Liu Zhang died. King Huainan Liu Chang and his follower Wei Jing killed Marquis Piyang Shen Yiji.

In May, the Huns entered the northern land and lived in Henan as a bandit. The emperor first visited Ganquan. In June, the emperor said: "Han and the Huns agreed to be brothers and not to harm the border, so they gave generous gifts to the Huns. Now the Virtuous King of the Right left his country and led his people to live in the surrendered land in Henan. He is not doing what he always does. He travels near the border, captures and kills officials and soldiers, drives away the local barbarians who protect the border and prevents them from living in their hometowns, bullies border officials, invades and steals, and is very arrogant and unruly. Immediately have the border officials recruit 85,000 cavalry to Gaonu, and sent the prime minister Marquis Yingyin Guan Ying to attack the Huns." The Huns retreated, and the emperor conscripted a number of lieutenant officers under the command of the general guard and stationed them in Chang'an.

On the day of Xinmao, the emperor went from Ganquan to Gaonu, and visited Taiyuan. He met all the old ministers and gave them gifts. He rewarded the people for their merits and gave cattle and wine to the people in the village. At the same time, he exempted the people of Jinyang and Zhongdu from taxes and corvee for three years, and stayed in Taiyuan for more than ten days.


上曰:“古之治天下,朝有进善之旌,诽谤之木,所以通治道而来谏者。今法有诽谤妖言之罪,是使众臣不敢尽情,而上无由闻过失也。将何以来远方之贤良?其除之。民或祝诅上以相约结而后相谩,吏以为大逆,其有他言,而吏又以为诽谤。此细民之愚无知抵死,朕甚不取。自今以来,有犯此者勿听治。”

九月,初与郡国守相为铜虎符、竹使符。

三年十月丁酉晦,日有食之。十一月,上曰:“前日诏遣列侯之国,或辞未行。丞相朕之所重,其为朕率列侯之国。”绛侯勃免丞相就国,以太尉颍阴侯婴为丞相。罢太尉官,属丞相。四月,城阳王章薨。淮南王长与从者魏敬杀辟阳侯审食其。

五月,匈奴入北地,居河南为寇。帝初幸甘泉。六月,帝曰:“汉与匈奴约为昆弟,毋使害边境,所以输遗匈奴甚厚。今右贤王离其国,将众居河南降地,非常故,往来近塞,捕杀吏卒,驱保塞蛮夷,令不得居其故,陵轹边吏,入盗,甚敖无道,非约也。其发边吏骑八万五千诣高奴,遣丞相颍阴侯灌婴击匈奴。”匈奴去,发中尉材官属卫将军军长安。

辛卯,帝自甘泉之高奴,因幸太原,见故群臣,皆赐之。举功行赏,诸民里赐牛酒。复晋阳中都民三岁。留游太原十余日。


A10.21|22

When King of Jibei Liu Xingju heard that the emperor was in Dai and wanted to attack the Huns, he took the opportunity to rebel and mobilized his troops to launch a surprise attack on Xingyang. So the emperor issued an edict to withdraw the 85,000 cavalry led by the prime minister, and sent Chen Wu, the Marquis of Jipu, as the general to lead an army of 100,000 to counterattack the King of Jibei. Marquis Qi Zeng He was appointed general and stationed in Xingyang. In July, on the day of Xin Hai, the emperor returned to Chang'an from Taiyuan. So he issued an edict to the relevant departments, saying: "The King of Jibei has betrayed my kindness, disobeyed the monarch, and implicated the officials and people who followed him, committing the crime of high treason. If the officials and people of Jibei can settle it down before the arrival of the imperial army, and those who surrendered to the imperial court with the army, fiefdom and capital will be pardoned and restore their original official positions and titles. Those who had exchanges with Liu Xingju, the king of Jibei but did not participate in the conspiracy, will be also pardoned. In August, the imperial army defeated the Jibei army and captured the King of Jibei. The emperor pardoned the officials and people in Jibei who rebelled with the king of Jibei.

In sixth years (174 BC), officials of the relevant departments reported that Liu Chang, the king of Huainan, abandoned the decree of the previous emperor, and did not listen to the imperial order of the emperor. The specifications of the palace where he lived exceeded the limit, and the entrance and exit were similar to that of the emperor. He formulated the decree without authorization, planned to rebel with Chen Qi, the prince of the Marquis of Ji Pu, and sent people to send envoys to Minyue and the Huns, and trying to use the local army to endanger the ancestral temple. After discussion, the ministers all said, "Liu Chang should be executed in public." Emperor Wen couldn't bear to punish the King of Huainan, pardoned his death penalty, and deposed his throne. The ministers requested that the king of Huainan be exiled to Yandao and Qiongdu in Shu, and Emperor Wen approved it. Liu Chang died of illness on the way without arriving at the place of exile. Emperor Wen felt pity for him. Later, in the sixteenth year (164 BC.), Liu Chang was honored as the king of Huainan, nicknamed King Li, and made his three sons the king of Huainan, the king of Hengshan and the king of Lujiang.

济北王兴居闻帝之代,欲往击胡,乃反,发兵欲袭荥阳。于是诏罢丞相兵,遣棘蒲侯陈武为大将军,将十万往击之。祁侯贺为将军,军荥阳。七月辛亥,帝自太原至长安。乃诏有司曰:“济北王背德反上,诖误吏民,为大逆。济北吏民兵未至先自定,及以军地邑降者,皆赦之,复官爵。与王兴居去来,亦赦之。”八月,破济北军,虏其王。赦济北诸吏民与王反者。

六年,有司言淮南王长废先帝法,不听天子诏,居处毋度,出入拟于天子,擅为法令,与棘蒲侯太子奇谋反,遣人使闽越及匈奴,发其兵,欲以危宗庙社稷。群臣议,皆曰“长当弃市”。帝不忍致法于王,赦其罪,废勿王。群臣请处王蜀严道、邛都,帝许之。长未到处所,行病死,上怜之。后十六年,追尊淮南王长谥为厉王,立其子三人为淮南王、衡山王、庐江王。



A10.23|24|25

In the summer of the 13th year (167 BC), Emperor Wen said: "I have heard that disasters arise from resentment, and good fortune arises from benevolence. This is in accordance with the way of heaven. I should bear the responsibility for the mistakes of all officials. Now the 
Mizhu office has blamed all the faults onto his subordinates, which shows my lack of humanity. I think this is unacceptable. I am abolishing this position."

In May, Chunyu Yi, Taicang magistrate of Qi, committed a crime and was about to be punished. The imperial court issued an edict to arrest him and escort him to Chang'an. Taicang Gong had five daughters but no son. When he was about to be taken away, he scolded his daughters, saying, "Giving birth to children without sons is useless in an emergency." His youngest daughter, Tiying, cried alone and followed her father to Chang'an, where she wrote a letter to the court, saying, "My father was an official, and the people of Qi praised him for his integrity and justice. Now he has committed a crime and should be punished. I am sad that the dead cannot come back to life, and the limbs of the punished cannot be reassembled. Even if they want to reform, there is no other way. I am willing to be punished as an official slave to atone for my father's sins so that he can reform." Tiying's letter was sent to the emperor, who sympathized with her filial piety and issued an edict saying, "I heard that in the time of You Yu, the criminals were punished by drawing patterns of corresponding punishments on their clothes and hats to distinguish them from the clothes of ordinary people, but the people did not violate the laws. Why was this? Because it was a peaceful and prosperous era. There are three things in the current laws. Is it because I have a shallow moral character and do not teach people clearly? I feel ashamed that my teaching methods are imperfect and have led to the ignorant people falling into lawlessness. The Book of Songs says: 'A harmonious and happy gentleman is the parent of the people.' Now when people commit crimes, they are punished before they are taught. Even if someone wants to change his ways, there is no chance. I feel very sorry for them. Punishment leads to the mutilation of limbs and tattoos on the skin, which cannot be restored for life. How painful and immoral, how can it meet the wishes of parents! Corporal punishment should be abolished. "

Emperor Wen said: "Agriculture is the foundation of the world. There is no more important matter than this. Now people have to pay taxes for hard work, which makes people who are engaged in the main industry and those who are engaged in the secondary industry the same. This is because the method of encouraging farming is not perfect. Immediately exempt farmland from taxes.”

十三年夏,上曰:“盖闻天道祸自怨起而福繇德兴。百官之非,宜由朕躬。今秘祝之官移过于下,以彰吾之不德,朕甚不取。其除之。”

五月,齐太仓令淳于公有罪当刑,诏狱逮徙系长安。太仓公无男,有女五人。太仓公将行会逮,骂其女曰:“生子不生男,有缓急非有益也!”其少女缇萦自伤泣,乃随其父至长安,上书曰:“妾父为吏,齐中皆称其廉平,今坐法当刑。妾伤夫死者不可复生,刑者不可复属,虽复欲改过自新,其道无由也。妾愿没入为官婢,赎父刑罪,使得自新。”书奏天子,天子怜悲其意,乃下诏曰:“盖闻有虞氏之时,画衣冠异章服以为僇,而民不犯。何则?至治也。今法有肉刑三,而奸不止,其咎安在?非乃朕德薄而教不明欤?吾甚自愧。故夫驯道不纯而愚民陷焉。诗曰‘恺悌君子,民之父母’。今人有过,教未施而刑加焉?或欲改行为善而道毋由也。朕甚怜之。夫刑至断支体,刻肌肤,终身不息,何其楚痛而不德也,岂称为民父母之意哉!其除肉刑。”

上曰:“农,天下之本,务莫大焉。今勤身从事而有租税之赋,是为本末者毋以异,其于劝农之道未备。其除田之租税。”



A10.26…29

In the winter of the 14th year (166 BC), the Huns planned to enter the border to plunder, they attacked the pass fortress and killed military head Sun Ang of Beidi. Emperor Wen then sent three generals to station in Longxi, Beidi, and Shangjun respectively, and appointed Zhou She as the General of Guards, and Supervisor Attendant Zhang Wu as the General of Chariots and Cavalry, stationed north of the Wei River, with 1,000 chariots and 100,000 cavalry. Emperor Wen personally comforted the soldiers, rectified the army, issued instructions, and rewarded the soldiers of the whole army. Emperor Wen wanted to lead the soldiers to attack the Huns in person, but the ministers dissuaded him, and Emperor Wen refused to listen. The Queen Mother resolutely stopped Emperor Wen, and Emperor Wen gave up. So he appointed Zhang Xiangru, Marquis of Dongyang, as the general, Dong Chi, Marquis of Cheng, as the internal historian, and Luan Bu as the general, and sent troops to attack the Huns. The Huns fled.

In spring, Emperor Wen said, "I have been able to offer sacrifices and jade to the Emperor of Heaven and the ancestral temple for fourteen years, which is a long time. I am not diligent and wise, but I have been able to govern the world for a long time. I feel ashamed for this. The altar should be expanded and more sacrifices should be provided. In the past, the former kings showed favors from afar without asking for returns, offered sacrifices to mountains and rivers from afar without praying for blessings, put talents prior to relatives, considered the people first and themselves next, and were extremely wise. Now I heard that the officials in charge of sacrifices prayed for blessings from the gods, but all of them were attributed to me, but they did not consider the people. I feel ashamed for this. People like me with shallow virtues enjoy the blessings of the gods alone, while the people cannot enjoy them, which makes my virtues even shallower. Now I order the officials in charge of sacrifices to express respect to the gods and not pray for me." 

At that time, Zhang Cang, the Marquis of Beiping, was the prime minister and was formulating music and calendar. Gongsun Chen, a native of Lu County, wrote a letter to explain the theory of the end and beginning of the five virtues, and proposed that the current one is the earth virtue, which corresponds to the appearance of the yellow dragon, and the calendar and clothing systems should be changed. The emperor referred the matter to the prime minister and other officials for discussion. After studying it, the prime minister believed that the present was the water virtue, and began to stipulate that October was the beginning of the year and that the clothing should be black. He believed that Gongsun Chen's theory was incorrect and requested that it should not be adopted.

In the 15th year (165 BC), a yellow dragon appeared in Chengji. The emperor then summoned Gongsun Chen of Lu County again, appointed him as a doctor, and asked him to explain the relevant theories of the earth virtue. So Emperor Wen issued an edict saying: "A strange divine creature appeared in Chengji, but it did not harm the people. This year's harvest is very good. I will personally go to the suburbs to sacrifice to the Emperor of Heaven and the gods. The officials in charge of etiquette will discuss it, and don't worry about my fatigue." The officials in charge of etiquette all said: "In ancient times, the emperor personally went to the suburbs in summer to sacrifice to the Emperor of Heaven according to etiquette, so it was called suburban sacrifice." So Emperor Wen personally visited Yong County for the first time, sacrificed to the Five Emperors in the suburbs, and thanked the heaven for the auspicious signs in the fourth month of summer. Xin Yuanping, a native of Zhao, was summoned because of his skill in the art of observing qi. He took the opportunity to persuade Emperor Wen to build the Temple of the Five Emperors in Weiyang. At the same time, he wanted to instigate the emperor to salvage the Nine Tripod Cauldrons of the Zhou, saying that there would definitely be a brilliant gem to be found.

十四年冬,匈奴谋入边为寇,攻朝冉阝塞,杀北地都尉卬。上乃遣三将军军陇西、北地、上郡,中尉周舍为卫将军,郎中令张武为车骑将军,军渭北,车千乘,骑卒十万。帝亲自劳军,勒兵申教令,赐军吏卒。帝欲自将击匈奴,群臣谏,皆不听。皇太后固要帝,帝乃止。于是以东阳侯张相如为大将军,成侯赤为内史,栾布为将军,击匈奴。匈奴遁走。

春,上曰:“朕获执牺牲珪币以事上帝宗庙,十四年于今,历日绵长,以不敏不明而久抚临天下,朕甚自愧。其广增诸祀墠场珪币。昔先王远施不求其报,望祀不祈其福,右贤左戚,先民后己,至明之极也。今吾闻祠官祝釐,皆归福朕躬,不为百姓,朕甚愧之。夫以朕不德,而躬享独美其福,百姓不与焉,是重吾不德。其令祠官致敬,毋有所祈。”

是时北平侯张苍为丞相,方明律历。鲁人公孙臣上书陈终始传五德事,言方今土德时,土德应黄龙见,当改正朔服色制度。天子下其事与丞相议。丞相推以为今水德,始明正十月上黑事,以为其言非是,请罢之。

十五年,黄龙见成纪,天子乃复召鲁公孙臣,以为博士,申明土德事。于是上乃下诏曰:“有异物之神见于成纪,无害于民,岁以有年。朕亲郊祀上帝诸神。礼官议,毋讳以劳朕。”有司礼官皆曰:“古者天子夏躬亲礼祀上帝于郊,故曰郊。”于是天子始幸雍,郊见五帝,以孟夏四月答礼焉。赵人新垣平以望气见,因说上设立渭阳五庙。欲出周鼎,当有玉英见。


A10.30…33

In the 16th year (164 BC), Emperor Wen personally went to the Five Emperors Temple in Weiyang to hold a suburban sacrifice, and also thanked heaven for the auspiciousness in the summer, and the clothing advocated red.

In the 17th year (163 BC), Emperor Wen got a jade cup with "Longevity of the Lord" engraved on it. So Emperor Wen began to change the current year to the first year as the later era, and ordered the people of the world to gather and feast. That year, Xin Yuanping's conspiracy was exposed and his three clans were exterminated.

In the second year of later era of Xiaowen emperor (162 BC), Emperor Wen said: "I am not wise enough to extend my kindness to distant places, so some countries outside the border cannot be stable and harmonious. The people in the remote areas of the four directions cannot live and work in peace, and the people in the country work hard and cannot rest. These two faults are due to my shallow virtue and cannot benefit distant places. In recent years, the Huns have come to the border to cause trouble, killing many officials and civilians, and the officers and soldiers guarding the border cannot tell the Huns my thoughts, which makes my virtue even shallower. With such long-term grievances and wars, what will the countries in the world rely on to be peaceful? Now I have already I got up early and went to bed late, and I was busy with the world's affairs and worried about the millions of people. I was anxious and uneasy, and I never forgot this matter. So I sent envoys to tell the Chanyu my thoughts. Now the Chanyu has returned to the previous friendly path, considering the peace of the country and seeking benefits for the people. He has forgotten the small festivals with me, walked on the road together, and forged a brotherly friendship to protect the millions of people in the world. The marriage has been decided, starting right this year. "

In the winter of the sixth year of later era of Xiaowen (158 BC), 30,000 Huns entered Shangjun and 30,000 entered Yunzhong. Emperor Wen appointed Middle Minister Ling Mian as the general of chariots and cavalry, stationed in Feihu; appointed Su Yi, the former prime minister of Chu, as a general, stationed in Juzhu; ordered General Zhang Wu to station in Beidi; appointed Zhou Yafu, the governor of Henei County, as a general, stationed in Xiliu; appointed Liu Li, the chief of the clan, as a general, stationed in Bashang; and ordered Songzi Hou to station in Jimen to guard against the Huns people. A few months later, the Huns people withdrew, and the various armies also withdrew.


十六年,上亲郊见渭阳五帝庙,亦以夏答礼而尚赤。

十七年,得玉杯,刻曰“人主延寿”。于是天子始更为元年,令天下大酺。其岁,新垣平事觉,夷三族。

后二年,上曰:“朕既不明,不能远德,是以使方外之国或不宁息。夫四荒之外不安其生,封畿之内勤劳不处,二者之咎,皆自于朕之德薄而不能远达也。间者累年,匈奴并暴边境,多杀吏民,边臣兵吏又不能谕吾内志,以重吾不德也。夫久结难连兵,中外之国将何以自宁?今朕夙兴夜寐,勤劳天下,忧苦万民,为之怛惕不安,未尝一日忘于心,故遣使者冠盖相望,结轶于道,以谕朕意于单于。今单于反古之道,计社稷之安,便万民之利,亲与朕俱弃细过,偕之大道,结兄弟之义,以全天下元元之民。和亲已定,始于今年。”

后六年冬,匈奴三万人入上郡,三万人入云中。以中大夫令勉为车骑将军,军飞狐;故楚相苏意为将军,军句注;将军张武屯北地;河内守周亚夫为将军,居细柳;宗正刘礼为将军,居霸上;祝兹侯军棘门:以备胡。数月,胡人去,亦罢。



A10.34|35

When drought and locust plagues occurred throughout the country, the emperor showed favors, ordered the princes to stop paying tribute to the court, lifted the ban on exploiting mountains and swamps, and allowed the people to enter and exit freely, reduced the emperor's many costumes, carriages, and toys, reduced the number of officials around the emperor, opened the government warehouse to help the poor, and the people could also sell their titles in exchange for food.

Emperor Xiaowen came to Chang'an from Dai State. During his 23 years in office, he did not increase the number of palaces, gardens, dogs and horses, clothing, and carriages. He abolished the prohibitions that were inconvenient for the people to make life easier for them. Emperor Wen wanted to build a terrace and summoned craftsmen to calculate the cost, which was worth 100 gold. Emperor Wen said, "100 gold is equivalent to the property of ten middle-class families. I am always worried about bringing shame to the previous emperor while guarding the palace of the previous emperor. What is the point of building a terrace?" Emperor Wen usually wore coarse silk clothes. His favorite wife Shen was not allowed to wear clothes that dragged on the ground. The curtains of the palace were not allowed to be embroidered with patterns, in order to show his honesty and frugality and set an example for the world. When Emperor Wen built the Mausoleum of Baling, he used earthenware as burial objects, and was not allowed to use gold, silver, copper, or tin as decorations. He did not build a tall tomb mound, in order to save money and not bother the people. Zhao Tuo, the King of Nanyue, proclaimed himself Emperor Wu, but Emperor Wen summoned his brothers and granted them titles and salaries to repay him with kindness. Zhao Tuo then gave up his title of emperor and became a vassal of the Han Dynasty. The Han Dynasty made peace with the Huns, but the Huns broke the agreement and entered the country to plunder. However, Emperor Wen only ordered the border guards to strengthen their defenses and did not send troops deep into the Huns territory, fearing that it would disturb the people. The King of Wu lied that he was sick and did not come to the court, and Emperor Wen gave him a side table and a walking stick. Although the words of the ministers such as Yuan Ang were fierce, Emperor Wen often accepted their suggestions with tolerance. Among the ministers, such as Zhang Wu, when they accepted money from others, when they were discovered, Emperor Wen rewarded them with money from the palace treasury, so that they would feel ashamed in their hearts and not hand it over to the officials for punishment. Emperor Wen was committed to educating his subjects with morality, so the four seas were prosperous and etiquette and morality prevailed in the world.


天下旱,蝗。帝加惠:令诸侯毋入贡,弛山泽,减诸服御狗马,损郎吏员,发仓庾以振贫民,民得卖爵。

孝文帝从代来,即位二十三年,宫室苑囿狗马服御无所增益,有不便,辄弛以利民。尝欲作露台,召匠计之,直百金。上曰:“百金中民十家之产,吾奉先帝宫室,常恐羞之,何以台为!”上常衣绨衣,所幸慎夫人,令衣不得曳地,帏帐不得文绣,以示敦朴,为天下先。治霸陵皆以瓦器,不得以金银铜锡为饰,不治坟,欲为省,毋烦民。南越王尉佗自立为武帝,然上召贵尉佗兄弟,以德报之,佗遂去帝称臣。与匈奴和亲,匈奴背约入盗,然令边备守,不发兵深入,恶烦苦百姓。吴王诈病不朝,就赐几杖。群臣如袁盎等称说虽切,常假借用之。群臣如张武等受赂遗金钱,觉,上乃发御府金钱赐之,以愧其心,弗下吏。专务以德化民,是以海内殷富,兴于礼义。


A10.36

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。



A10.37…40

On the Yisi day of the sixth month, all the ministers kowtowed and gave the emperor the title of Emperor Xiaowen.

The crown prince ascended the throne in the temple of Gao Emperor. On the day of Dingwei, he inherited the title of emperor.

In October of the first year of Emperor Xiaojing (156 BC), the imperial edict said: "I heard that in ancient times, the emperors with merits were called ancestors Zu , and the emperors with virtues were called ancestors Zong. There were reasons for establishing rituals and music. I heard that songs are used to praise virtues, and dances are used to show merits. When offering wine in Gao Temple, the music and dance of martial bravery, literacy skills and five elements are performed. When offering wine in Xiaohui Temple, the music and dance of literacy skills and five elements are performed. Emperor Xiaowen governed the world, opened the pass and bridges, and made no difference in the distance. He abolished the crime of slander, abolished corporal punishment, rewarded the elderly, adopted orphans and the elderly, and He reduced his desires, did not accept tributes, and did not take advantage of others. He did not implicate the wives and children of criminals, and did not punish innocent people. He abolished castration, released concubines, and paid attention to the issue of the line of succession being cut off. I am not diligent and cannot understand. These things were things that the ancient emperors could not do, but Emperor Xiaowen did them himself. His merits were as great as the heaven and the earth, and his grace was spread all over the world. No one did not enjoy the blessing. His brilliance was like the sun and the moon, but the music and dance used in the ancestral temple sacrifices were not commensurate, and I was very afraid. A temple should be built for Emperor Xiaowen. The emperor's merits and virtues should be recorded in the annals of history and passed down through the ages. I agree with this approach. This matter should be handed over to the prime minister, the marquises, the officials of the middle rank of 2,000 stone, and the officials in charge of etiquette to jointly draft the etiquette and submit it. "The prime minister Shen Tujia and others said: "Your Majesty has always considered filial piety and created the music and dance of the display of virtues to show the great merits and virtues of Emperor Xiaowen. We are ignorant and could not think of it. We respectfully suggest that no one in the world has surpassed Emperor Gao's achievements and no one has surpassed Emperor Xiaowen's virtues. The Temple of Emperor Gao should be the temple of Great Zu (Taizu), and the Temple of Emperor Xiaowen should be the temple of Great Zong (Taizong). The emperor should worship the Taizu Temple and the Taizong Temple for generations. The princes of the counties and states should build the Taizong Temple for Emperor Xiaowen. The princes and marquises send envoys to accompany the emperor in the sacrifice and offer sacrifices to the Taizu Temple and the Taizong Temple every year. Please record these regulations and announce them to the people of the world. "The decree said: "Yes." 

Taishigong the Grand Historian said: Confucius said: "It must take thirty years to spread benevolence. Good people can also defeat cruelty and abolish punishment and killing if they govern the country for a hundred years." This sentence really makes sense! It has been more than 40 years since the rise of the Han Dynasty to Emperor Xiaowen, and the benevolent government has reached its most powerful level.
Logically, it should have been possible to change the calendar, establish the colors of official uniforms and carriages, and hold the Zennobling (Fengshan) ceremony to worship heaven and earth. However, it has not been completed to this day just because Emperor Xiaowen was modest. Ah, isn't this a manifestation of benevolence and righteousness! 


乙巳,群臣皆顿首上尊号曰孝文皇帝。

太子即位于高庙。丁未,袭号曰皇帝。

孝景皇帝元年十月,制诏御史:“盖闻古者祖有功而宗有德,制礼乐各有由。闻歌者,所以发德也;舞者,所以明功也。高庙酎,奏武德、文始、五行之舞。孝惠庙酎,奏文始、五行之舞。孝文皇帝临天下,通关梁,不异远方。除诽谤,去肉刑,赏赐长老,收恤孤独,以育群生。减嗜欲,不受献,不私其利也。罪人不帑,不诛无罪。除宫刑,出美人,重绝人之世。朕既不敏,不能识。此皆上古之所不及,而孝文皇帝亲行之。德厚侔天地,利泽施四海,靡不获福焉。明象乎日月,而庙乐不称。朕甚惧焉。其为孝文皇帝庙为昭德之舞,以明休德。然后祖宗之功德著于竹帛,施于万世,永永无穷,朕甚嘉之。其与丞相、列侯、中二千石、礼官具为礼仪奏。”丞相臣嘉等言:“陛下永思孝道,立昭德之舞以明孝文皇帝之盛德。皆臣嘉等愚所不及。臣谨议:世功莫大于高皇帝,德莫盛于孝文皇帝,高皇庙宜为帝者太祖之庙,孝文皇帝庙宜为帝者太宗之庙。天子宜世世献祖宗之庙。郡国诸侯宜各为孝文皇帝立太宗之庙。诸侯王列侯使者侍祠天子,岁献祖宗之庙。请著之竹帛,宣布天下。”制曰:“可。”

太史公曰:孔子言“必世然后仁。善人之治国百年,亦可以胜残去杀”。诚哉是言!汉兴,至孝文四十有余载,德至盛也。廪廪乡改正服封禅矣,谦让未成于今。呜呼,岂不仁哉!


The end of A10

226 King of Dai

A9.30|31|32

The ministers secretly discussed with each other and said, "Shaodi (young emperor) and Prince of Liang, Prince of Huaiyang, and King of Changshan are not the biological sons of Emperor Xiaohui. Empress Lü used a trick to treat other people's sons as Emperor Xiaohui's sons, killed the children's mothers, raised them in the harem, and made Emperor Xiaohui regard them as his own sons, establish them as his heirs, and confer titles on them as kings to strengthen the power of the Lü family. Now the Lü family has been completely wiped out, and only the emperor they established is left. When he grows up and takes power, we will have no chance to survive. It is better to choose the best one among the kings to be the emperor." Someone said, "King Daohui of Qi is the eldest son of Emperor Gaodi (Gaozu), and now his legitimate son is King of Qi. In terms of blood relationship, he is the eldest legitimate grandson of Emperor Gao and can be made the emperor." The ministers all said, “The Lü family took advantage of their status as relatives by marriage to do evil things and almost endangered the whole country. They harmed meritorious officials. Now the mother of the King of Qi is from the Si family, and Si Jun is an evil man. If King of Qi is made emperor, the Lü family's chaos will happen again." And they wanted to make King Huainan the emperor, but everyone thought that he was young and his maternal clan was very vicious. So everyone said: "The King of Dai is the eldest of Emperor Gao's surviving sons. He is kind, filial, tolerant and generous. His Queen Mother's family, the Bo family, is also cautious and kind. Moreover, it is legitimate to make the eldest son the emperor. The King of Dai is famous for his kindness and filial piety. It is most appropriate to make him the emperor." So they reached an agreement and secretly sent a messenger to invite the King of Dai. But the King of Dai sent the messenger back to decline. The messenger was sent for a second time, and from then on the King of Dai set off in a carriage pulled by six horses. On the last day of the intercalary ninth month, he arrived in Chang'an and stayed at Dai’s Mansion. The ministers all went to pay homage to the King of Dai, presented the seal of the Son of Heaven to the King of Dai, and jointly made the King of Dai the Son of Heaven. The King of Dai declined several times, but the ministers insisted on requesting, and finally the King of Dai agreed.

Liu Xingju, Marquis of Dongmu, said: "I did not make any contribution to the extermination of the Lü family. I request to clean up the palace for your majesty." So he and Teng Gong, the Grand Coachman and Marquis of Ruyin, entered the palace, stepped forward and said to the young emperor: "You are not a descendant of the Liu family, and you should not be the emperor." So he turned around and ordered the guards holding halberds to put down their weapons and leave. A few guards refused to lay down their weapons, so the eunuch chief Zhang Ze came forward and told them, so they also laid down their weapons, Teng Gong then called for a carriage to take the young emperor out of the palace. The young emperor said, "Where do you want to put me?" Duke Teng said, "Not in the palace." The young emperor was placed in the Shaofu. So the ministers followed the emperor's carriage to Dai's mansion to welcome the King of Dai, and reported, "The palace has been cleaned up." The King of Dai entered the Weiyang Palace that night. Ten envoys guarded the Gate Duanmen with halberds and said, "The emperor is here, why do you want to go in?" The King of Dai told the Grand Marshall. The Grand Marshall came forward to tell them, and the ten envoys laid down their weapons and walked away. The King of Dai finally entered the palace to handle state affairs. That night, the relevant departments went to the official residences of various officials and executed the King of Liang, the King of Huaiyang, the King of Changshan and the young Emperor. The King of Dai was established as the Son of Heaven, and died after 23 years in office. He was posthumously named Emperor Xiaowen.

Taishigong the Grand Historian said: "During the reign of Emperor Xiaohui and Empress Gao, the people were free from the suffering of war. The emperor and his ministers wanted to rest and recuperate, so Emperor Xiaohui did not personally handle affairs. Empress Lü, as a woman, held great power and issued orders without leaving her house. The country remained peaceful. There were few punishments and few criminals. The people were engaged in farming and had plenty of food and clothing."


诸大臣相与阴谋曰:“少帝及梁、淮阳、常山王,皆非真孝惠子也。吕后以计诈名他人子,杀其母,养后宫,令孝惠子之,立以为后,及诸王,以强吕氏。今皆已夷灭诸吕,而置所立,即长用事,吾属无类矣。不如视诸王最贤者立之。”或言“齐悼惠王高帝长子,今其適子为齐王,推本言之,高帝適长孙,可立也”。大臣皆曰:“吕氏以外家恶而几危宗庙,乱功臣。今齐王母家驷,驷钧,恶人也。即立齐王,则复为吕氏。”欲立淮南王,以为少,母家又恶。乃曰:“代王方今高帝见子,最长,仁孝宽厚。太后家薄氏谨良。且立长故顺,以仁孝闻于天下,便。”乃相与共阴使人召代王。代王使人辞谢。再反,然后乘六乘传。后九月晦日己酉,至长安,舍代邸。大臣皆往谒,奉天子玺上代王,共尊立为天子。代王数让,群臣固请,然后听。

东牟侯兴居曰:“诛吕氏吾无功,请得除宫。”乃与太仆汝阴侯滕公入宫,前谓少帝曰:“足下非刘氏,不当立。”乃顾麾左右执戟者掊兵罢去。有数人不肯去兵,宦者令张泽谕告,亦去兵。滕公乃召乘舆车载少帝出。少帝曰:“欲将我安之乎?”滕公曰“出就舍。”舍少府。乃奉天子法驾,迎代王于邸。报曰:“宫谨除。”代王即夕入未央宫。有谒者十人持戟卫端门,曰:“天子在也,足下何为者而入?”代王乃谓太尉。太尉往谕,谒者十人皆掊兵而去。代王遂入而听政。夜,有司分部诛灭梁、淮阳、常山王及少帝于邸。代王立为天子。二十三年崩,谥为孝文皇帝。

太史公曰:孝惠皇帝、高后之时,黎民得离战国之苦,君臣俱欲休息乎无为,故惠帝垂拱,高后女主称制,政不出房户,天下晏然。刑罚罕用,罪人是希。民务稼穑,衣食滋殖。



End of A9

Sunday, May 12, 2024

225 Marquis Zhuxu

A9.28|29

However, the Lü family still controlled the Southern Army. When Marquis Pingyang heard about it, he informed Prime Minister Chen Ping of Lü Chan's plan, and Chen Ping asked Marquis Zhuxu to assist the Grand Marshal. The Grand Marshal ordered Marquis Zhuxu to guard the military gate. He also sent Marquis Pingyang to inform the guards: "Don't let Prime Minister Lü Chan enter the palace gate." Lü Chan, unaware that Lü Lu had already left the Northern Army, entered the Weiyang Palace and attempted to cause chaos, but was unable to enter the palace and wandered around the door. Marquis Pingyang was worried that he could not stop him from entering, so he ran to tell the Grand Marshal. The Grand Marshal was also worried that he could not defeat the Lü family, and did not dare to publicly say that he wanted to exterminate the Lü family, so he said to Marquis Zhuxu: "Hurry up and enter the palace to protect the emperor." Marquis Zhuxu requested that some troops be allocated to him, and the Grand Marshal gave him more than a thousand soldiers. When Marquis Zhuxu entered the Weiyang Palace, he saw Lü Chan in the palace. It was dusk at that time, and Marquis Zhuxu attacked Lü Chan. When Lü Chan escaped, a strong wind blew, so his followers were confused and dared not fight. Marquis Zhuxu chased Lü Chan and killed him in the toilet of the attendant's mansion. 

After Marquis Zhuxu killed Lü Chan, the emperor sent an envoy with a seal to express his gratitude to Marquis Zhuxu. Marquis Zhuxu  tried to take the imperial seal away, but the envoy refused to let go. So he followed the envoy in the same carriage, used the imperial seal to run away, and killed Lü Gengshi, the guard of Changle Palace. On his way back, Marquis Zhuxu drove into the Northern Army and reported to the Grand Marshal. The Grand Marshal stood up, bowed and congratulated Marquis Zhuxu, saying, "The only thing we were worried about was Lü Chan. Now that Lü Chan has been killed, the world is at peace." So he sent people to arrest all the men and women of the Lü family, regardless of age, and beheaded them all. On the Xinyou day, Lü Lu was arrested and beheaded, and Lü Xiang was beaten to death. People were sent to kill Lü Tong, the King of Yan. Zhang Yan, the King of Lu, was deposed. On the Renxu day, the court reinstated Shen Yiji, the emperor's tutor, as the left prime minister. On the Wuchen day, the King of Jichuan was renamed the King of Liang, and Liu Sui, the son of King You of Zhao, was named the King of Zhao. Marquis Zhuxu Liu Zhang was sent to inform the King of Qi about the extermination of the Lü family and asked him to withdraw his troops. Guan Ying's army also withdrew from Xingyang.

然尚有南军。平阳侯闻之,以吕产谋告丞相平,丞相平乃召朱虚侯佐太尉。太尉令朱虚侯监军门。令平阳侯告卫尉:“毋入相国产殿门。”吕产不知吕禄已去北军,乃入未央宫,欲为乱,殿门弗得入,裴回往来。平阳侯恐弗胜,驰语太尉。太尉尚恐不胜诸吕,未敢讼言诛之,乃遣朱虚侯谓曰:“急入宫卫帝。”朱虚侯请卒,太尉予卒千余人。入未央宫门,遂见产廷中。日餔时,遂击产。产走,天风大起,以故其从官乱,莫敢斗。逐产,杀之郎中府吏厕中。

朱虚侯已杀产,帝命谒者持节劳朱虚侯。朱虚侯欲夺节信,谒者不肯,朱虚侯则从与载,因节信驰走,斩长乐卫尉吕更始。还,驰入北军,报太尉。太尉起,拜贺朱虚侯曰:“所患独吕产,今已诛,天下定矣。”遂遣人分部悉捕诸吕男女,无少长皆斩之。辛酉,捕斩吕禄,而笞杀吕媭。使人诛燕王吕通,而废鲁王偃。壬戌,以帝太傅食其复为左丞相。戊辰,徙济川王王梁,立赵幽王子遂为赵王。遣朱虚侯章以诛诸吕氏事告齐王,令罢兵。灌婴兵亦罢荥阳而归。

224 Right Arms or Left Arms

A9.25|26|27


Zhou Bo, the Grand Marshal and Marquis of Jiang, was not allowed to come into the army to take charge. Li Shang, the Marquis of Quzhou, was old and sick, and his son Li Ji was on good terms with Lü Lu. The Marquis of Jiang conspired with the Prime Minister Chen Ping to have Li Shang kidnapped. Then they let his son go to trick Lü Lu, "Emperor Gao and Queen Lü ruled the world together. The nine kings of Liu’s and the three kings of Lü’s are all established by ministers, which had been announced to the princes, and the princes all thought appropriate. Today, the empress dowager passed away, the emperor is young, and your majesty wears the seal of the king of Zhao. He who defends the border when there is no internal urgency in the country is the true general, but to have soldiers stationed here raise the eyebrows among the ministers and princes.  Why don't you return the general's seal to the Grand Marshal? And please ask the king of Liang to return to the seal of the country and ally with the minister. The army will be dismissed, and the minister will be safe, and with high pillows the king will rule thousands of miles. This is the benefit of the world. Lü Lu believed in his plan and wanted to return to the general's seal, so the army would be in the charge of the Grand Marshal.
And he sent someone to report it to Lü Chan and the seniors of the Lü‘s, and they thought it was either appropriate or inappropriate, and all were hesitate making up their minds. Lü Lu trusted Li Ji and often went out hunting with him. When he passed by his aunt Lü Xu's house and went in for a visit. Lü Xu was furious and said, "You are a great general but you have abandoned your army. The Lü family will soon have nowhere to go." She threw pearls, jade and other treasures on floor of the hall and said, "Don't worry to guard for others."

Left Prime Minister Shen Yiji was dismissed.

In August, on the morning of the Gengshen, Cao Zhu, the Marquis of Pingyang, who were on the duty of imperial historian’s affairs, came to see Prime Minister Lü Chan to discuss state affairs. Jia Shou, the supervisor of  attendants, just came back from his mission to Qi, and he was scolding Lü Chan and said, "You did not leave for your state quickly, now even if you want to go , can you still leave?" He informed Lü Chan in detail about Guan Ying's alliance with Qi and Chu to kill the Lü  family, and urged Lü Chan to enter the palace as soon as possible. Marquis Pingyang heard all their conversation and ran to inform the Prime Minister and the Grand Marshal. The Grand Marshal wanted to get into the Northern Army base, but couldn’t get in. Ji Tong, the Marquis of Xiangping, was in charge of the imperial seals, so he was asked to take the imperial seals and falsely convey the imperial decree to allow the marshal to enter the Northern Army. The Grand Marshal ordered Li Ji and Liu Jie, the Imperial Courtier, to persuade Lü Lu, saying, "The Emperor has sent the Grand Marshal to guard the Northern Army and wants you to be enfeoffed. Return the seal and leave quickly, otherwise, disaster will occur." Lü Lu believed that Li Ji would not deceive him, so he gave the general's seal to the Minister of Guests and rendered the military power to the Grand Marshal. The Grand Marshal had the seal, after entering the military gate, he ordered, "Those who support Lü should show their right arms, and those who support Liu should show their left arms." The soldiers in the army all exposed their left arms to support Liu. When the Grand Marshal arrived at the Northern Army, General Lü Lu had already returned the seal and left, so he took command of the Northern Army.


太尉绛侯勃不得入军中主兵。曲周侯郦商老病,其子寄与吕禄善。绛侯乃与丞相陈平谋,使人劫郦商。令其子寄往绐说吕禄曰:“高帝与吕后共定天下,刘氏所立九王,吕氏所立三王,皆大臣之议,事已布告诸侯,诸侯皆以为宜。今太后崩,帝少,而足下佩赵王印,不急之国守藩,乃为上将,将兵留此,为大臣诸侯所疑。足下何不归将印,以兵属太尉?请梁王归相国印,与大臣盟而之国,齐兵必罢,大臣得安,足下高枕而王千里,此万世之利也。”吕禄信然其计,欲归将印,以兵属太尉。使人报吕产及诸吕老人,或以为便,或曰不便,计犹豫未有所决。吕禄信郦寄,时与出游猎。过其姑吕媭,媭大怒,曰:“若为将而弃军,吕氏今无处矣。”乃悉出珠玉宝器散堂下,曰:“毋为他人守也。”

左丞相食其免。

八月庚申旦,平阳侯窋行御史大夫事,见相国产计事。郎中令贾寿使从齐来,因数产曰:“王不蚤之国,今虽欲行,尚可得邪?”具以灌婴与齐楚合从,欲诛诸吕告产,乃趣产急入宫。平阳侯颇闻其语,乃驰告丞相、太尉。太尉欲入北军,不得入。襄平侯通尚符节。乃令持节矫内太尉北军。太尉复令郦寄与典客刘揭先说吕禄曰:“帝使太尉守北军,欲足下之国,急归将印辞去,不然,祸且起。”吕禄以为郦兄不欺己,遂解印属典客,而以兵授太尉。太尉将之入军门,行令军中曰:“为吕氏右襢,为刘氏左襢。”军中皆左襢为刘氏。太尉行至,将军吕禄亦已解上将印去,太尉遂将北军。

Saturday, May 11, 2024

223 Lü Lu and Lü Chan

A9.22|23|24

Zhuxu Marquis Liu Zhang was powerful, and Dongmu Marquis Xingju was his younger brother. They were all brothers of King Ai of Qi and lived in Chang'an. At that time, the Lü clan was in power and they wanted to cause trouble but were afraid of Emperor Gao's former ministers, Zhou Bo and Guan Ying, so they did not dare to act. Zhuxu Marquis' wife, Lü Lu's daughter, secretly knew their plan. Fearing that she would be executed, she secretly sent someone to inform her brother, the King of Qi, to send troops to the west to kill the Lü clan and establish the throne. Zhuxu Marquis wanted to cooperate with the ministers. The King of Qi wanted to send troops, but his prime minister did not listen. On Bingwu day of August, the King of Qi wanted to send someone to kill the prime minister, so the prime minister Zhao Ping rebelled and raised troops to besiege the King. The King killed his prime minister, sent troops to the east, swindled the King of Langye's troops, and led them west. The details are recorded in "The Biography of King Daohui of Qi".

The King of Qi then sent a letter to all the princes, saying, "Emperor Gaodi (Gaozu) pacified the world and made his sons and nephews kings. King Daohui was the king of Qi. After King Daohui died, Emperor Xiaohui ordered Liu Hou Zhang Liang to establish me as the King of Qi. After Emperor Xiaohui's death, Empress Gao took power. She was old and only listened to the Lü clan. She arbitrarily deposed the emperor and established a new one. She also killed the three kings of Zhao, and destroyed Liang, Zhao, and Yan, to make kings for the Lü clan, dividing Qi into four. The loyal ministers advised the emperor, but the emperor was confused and did not listen. Now Empress Gao has passed away, and the emperor is old and unable to rule the world and relies on the ministers and princes. However, the Lü clan has arbitrarily elevated themselves to high positions, gathered troops and exercised their power, kidnapped the loyal ministers of the princes, and forged the system to rule the world, which put the ancestral temple in grave danger. I will lead the army to punish those who are not worthy of being kings." When the Han court heard about it, Prime Minister Lü Chan and others sent Yingyin Marquis Guan Ying to lead troops to attack them. When Guan Ying arrived in Xingyang, he said, "The Lü clan has taken control of the army in Guanzhong and wants to endanger the Liu clan and establish themselves. Now that we have defeated Qi and reported back, this will help the Lü clan." So he stayed in Xingyang and sent messengers to inform the King of Qi and the princes to make peace and wait for the changes in the Lü clan and punish them altogether. When the King of Qi heard this, he returned his troops to the western border to wait for an agreement.

Lü Lu and Lü Chan wanted to start a rebellion in Guanzhong. But they were afraid of Zhou Bo Marquis Jiang and Zhu Xu, and also the troops of Qi and Chu. They were also afraid that Guan Ying would betray them. They wanted to wait for Guan Ying's troops to join forces with Qi before starting the rebellion, so they were hesitant. At that time, Tai the King of Jichuan, Wu the King of Huaiyang, Chao the King of Changshan, who was called the younger brother of the young emperor, and King of Lu Yuan the grandson of Empress Lü, were all young and had not yet entered the country, and lived in Chang'an. Lu the King of Zhao and Chan King of Liang each led troops to the Southern and Northern Armies, were all people of the Lü clan. None of the princes and ministers were sure that they could save their own lives.


朱虚侯刘章有气力,东牟侯兴居其弟也。皆齐哀王弟,居长安。当是时,诸吕用事擅权,欲为乱,畏高帝故大臣绛、灌等,未敢发。朱虚侯妇,吕禄女,阴知其谋。恐见诛,乃阴令人告其兄齐王,欲令发兵西,诛诸吕而立。朱虚侯欲从中与大臣为应。齐王欲发兵,其相弗听。八月丙午,齐王欲使人诛相,相召平乃反,举兵欲围王,王因杀其相,遂发兵东,诈夺琅邪王兵,并将之而西。语在齐王语中。

齐王乃遗诸侯王书曰:“高帝平定天下,王诸子弟,悼惠王王齐。悼惠王薨,孝惠帝使留侯良立臣为齐王。孝惠崩,高后用事,春秋高,听诸吕,擅废帝更立,又比杀三赵王,灭梁、赵、燕以王诸吕,分齐为四。忠臣进谏,上惑乱弗听。今高后崩,而帝春秋富,未能治天下,固恃大臣诸侯。而诸吕又擅自尊官,聚兵严威,劫列侯忠臣,矫制以令天下,宗庙所以危。寡人率兵入诛不当为王者。”汉闻之,相国吕产等乃遣颍阴侯灌婴将兵击之。灌婴至荥阳,乃谋曰:“诸吕权兵关中,欲危刘氏而自立。今我破齐还报,此益吕氏之资也。”乃留屯荥阳,使使谕齐王及诸侯,与连和,以待吕氏变,共诛之。齐王闻之,乃还兵西界待约。

吕禄、吕产欲发乱关中,内惮绛侯、朱虚等,外畏齐、楚兵,又恐灌婴畔之,欲待灌婴兵与齐合而发,犹豫未决。当是时,济川王太、淮阳王武、常山王朝名为少帝弟,及鲁元王吕后外孙,皆年少未之国,居长安。赵王禄、梁王产各将兵居南北军,皆吕氏之人。列侯群臣莫自坚其命。

222 The Mad Dog Bites

A9.17…21

Grand Tutor Lü Chan and Prime Minister Chen Ping said that Wuxin Marquis Lü Lu was the highest ranked marquis and requested to be made King of Zhao. The Queen Mother agreed and posthumously honored Lü Lu's father Kang Marquis as King Brightness of Zhao. In September, King Ling of Yan Jian died. He had a son by a beauty. The Queen Mother had him killed. There was no heir, so the kingdom was abolished. In October of the eighth year (180 BC), King Lü Su's son, Dongping Marquis Lü Tong, was made King of Yan, and Tong's brother Lü Zhuang was made Dongping Marquis.

In mid-March, Empress Lü held a purification ceremony. On her way back by Zhi Road Pavilion, she saw a black dog-like creature that bit her under the armpit and then suddenly disappeared. She asked someone to divine, who said it was the ghost of Liu Ruyi, the Prince of Zhao, who was haunting her. Empress Gao then fell ill because of the wound under her armpit.

Empress Gao's grandson, Prince Yan of Lu, was young and had lost his parents at an early age. He was alone and weak, so she appointed two sons of Zhang Ao's former concubine, Chi as Marquis of Xindu and Shou as Marquis of Lechang, to assist Prince Yan of Lu. She also appointed the great eunuch Zhang Shi as Marquis of Jianling and Lü Rong as Marquis of Zhuzi. All the eunuchs and ministers were made Marquis of Guannei, with fiefs of 500 households.

In the middle of July, Empress Dowager of Gaozu was seriously ill, so she ordered Lü Lu King of Zhao to be the general and command the northern army; Chan King of Lü was in charge of the southern army. Empress Dowager Lü warned Chan and Lu, saying, "Emperor Gao had already conquered the world, and he made an agreement with the ministers, saying, 'If anyone other than the Liu family is king, the whole world will attack him.' Now the Lü family has kings, and the ministers are not happy. If I die, the emperor is young, and the ministers may cause a change. You must guard the palace with soldiers, be careful not to send off the funeral, and don't be controlled by others." On the 30th day of July, Empress Dowager Gao died. In her will, she gave each prince a thousand gold coins, and all generals, ministers, marquises, and officials were given gold coins according to their ranks. She issued a general amnesty. Chan King of Lü was made the prime minister, and Lü Lu's daughter was made the empress.

Empress Dowager Gao was buried, and the left prime minister Shen Yiji was made the Emperor's Tutor.

太傅产、丞相平等言,武信侯吕禄上侯,位次第一,请立为赵王。太后许之,追尊禄父康侯为赵昭王。九月,燕灵王建薨,有美人子,太后使人杀之,无后,国除。八年十月,立吕肃王子东平侯吕通为燕王,封通弟吕庄为东平侯。

三月中,吕后祓,还过轵道,见物如苍犬,据高后掖,忽弗复见。卜之,云赵王如意为祟。高后遂病掖伤。

高后为外孙鲁元王偃年少,蚤失父母,孤弱,乃封张敖前姬两子,侈为新都侯,寿为乐昌侯,以辅鲁元王偃。及封中大谒者张释为建陵侯,吕荣为祝兹侯。诸中宦者令丞皆为关内侯,食邑五百户。

七月中,高后病甚,乃令赵王吕禄为上将军,军北军;吕王产居南军。吕太后诫产、禄曰:“高帝已定天下,与大臣约,曰‘非刘氏王者,天下共击之’。今吕氏王,大臣弗平。我即崩,帝年少,大臣恐为变。必据兵卫宫,慎毋送丧,毋为人所制。”辛巳,高后崩,遗诏赐诸侯王各千金,将相列侯郎吏皆以秩赐金。大赦天下。以吕王产为相国,以吕禄女为帝后。

高后已葬,以左丞相审食其为帝太傅。

221 King of Zhao Starved to Death

A9.11…16

In the seventh year (181 BC), in the first month, the Queen Mother summoned Liu You, the King of Zhao. He married the daughter of the Lü family as his queen, but he did not love her and favored another concubine. The daughter of the Lü family was jealous and left angrily. She spoke ill of him in front of the Queen Mother and framed him as saying, "How can the Lu family be crowned kings? After the Queen Mother dies, I will get rid of them."
The Queen Mother was very angry and summoned the King of Zhao for this reason. When the King of Zhao arrived, he was placed in the palace without being received. The Queen Mother ordered him to be guarded and not given food. Some of the King of Zhao's ministers secretly sent him food, but they were arrested and punished when they were discovered. The King of Zhao felt hungry, so he sang: "The Lu family is in power, the Liu family is in danger, they coerce the princes and force me to marry. The princess is jealous and accuses me of bad things, the jealous woman ruins the country, the emperor is not aware of it. There are no loyal ministers, why leave the fiefdom? I commit suicide in the wild, the heavens seek justice! Alas, I cannot regret it, I would rather kill myself early. The king starved to death, who can pity me! The Lu family is unreasonable, I ask the heavens for revenge." On Dingchou day, King You of Zhao died in prison and was buried in the common people's tomb in Chang'an according to common rites. 

On the Jichou day, there was a solar eclipse, and it was dark during the day. The Queen Mother disliked it and was unhappy, so she said to her attendants, "This is because of me."

In February, Hui, the King of Liang, was moved to be the King of Zhao. Chan, the King of Lü, was moved to be the King of Liang. The King of Liang did not go to his country but became the Grand Tutor of the Emperor. The Emperor's son, Tai, the Marquis of Pingchang, was made the King of Lü. Liang was renamed Lü and Lü was renamed Jichuan. The Queen Mother's younger sister, Lü Xu, had a daughter who was married to Liu Ze, the Marquis of Yingling. Ze was a general. The Queen Mother made Kings out of the Lü clan and feared that General Liu would make trouble after her death, so she made Liu Ze the King of Langye as an appeasement.

When King Hui of Liang moved to Zhao, he was unhappy. The Queen Mother made the daughter of Lü Chan the Queen of Zhao. The Queen's attendants were all from the Lü clan, and they abused their power and secretly watched over the King of Zhao, so the King of Zhao could not do what he wanted. The King had a favorite concubine, but the Queen had someone killed her by poison. The King then composed four poems and asked the musicians to sing them. The King was so sad that he committed suicide in June. When the Queen Mother heard about it, she considered him a King who abandoned the ancestral temple rituals for the sake of a woman and had his heritage abolished.

After Zhang Ao, Marquis of Xuanping, died, his son Yan was made King of Lu, and Ao was posthumously named King Yuan of Lu.

In autumn, the Queen Mother sent an envoy to inform the King of Dai that she wanted to move him to Zhao to be the King of Zhao. The King of Dai declined and said he was willing to guard the border at Dai.

七年正月,太后召赵王友。友以诸吕女为后,弗爱,爱他姬,诸吕女妒,怒去,谗之于太后,诬以罪过,曰:“吕氏安得王!太后百岁后,吾必击之”。太后怒,以故召赵王。赵王至,置邸不见,令卫围守之,弗与食。其群臣或窃馈,辄捕论之,赵王饿,乃歌曰:“诸吕用事兮刘氏危,迫胁王侯兮强授我妃。我妃既妒兮诬我以恶,谗女乱国兮上曾不寤。我无忠臣兮何故弃国?自决中野兮苍天举直!于嗟不可悔兮宁蚤自财。为王而饿死兮谁者怜之!吕氏绝理兮讬天报仇。”丁丑,赵王幽死,以民礼葬之长安民冢次。

己丑,日食,昼晦。太后恶之,心不乐,乃谓左右曰:“此为我也。”

二月,徙梁王恢为赵王。吕王产徙为梁王,梁王不之国,为帝太傅。立皇子平昌侯太为吕王。更名梁曰吕,吕曰济川。太后女弟吕媭有女为营陵侯刘泽妻,泽为大将军。太后王诸吕,恐即崩后刘将军为害,乃以刘泽为琅邪王,以慰其心。

梁王恢之徙王赵,心怀不乐。太后以吕产女为赵王后。王后从官皆诸吕,擅权,微伺赵王,赵王不得自恣。王有所爱姬,王后使人酖杀之。王乃为歌诗四章,令乐人歌之。王悲,六月即自杀。太后闻之,以为王用妇人弃宗庙礼,废其嗣。

宣平侯张敖卒,以子偃为鲁王,敖赐谥为鲁元王。

秋,太后使使告代王,欲徙王赵。代王谢,愿守代边。

220 The Emperor Deposed

A9.9|10

The Empress Dowager wanted to make someone from the Lu family king, so she first made the sons born to Emperor Xiaohui's concubine, Liu Qiang the King of Huaiyang, Liu Buyi the King of Changshan, Liu Shan the Marquis of Xiangcheng, Liu Chao the Marquis of Zhi, and Liu Wu the Marquis of Huguan. The Queen Mother whispered the ministers, so they requested to make Lü Tai Marquis Li the King of Lü, and the Queen Mother agreed. When Lü Shizhi, the Marquis Kang of Jiancheng, died, his son who should have succeeded him committed a crime and was deposed, so his younger brother Lü Lu was made Marquis of Huling to continue the bloodline of Marquis Kang. In the second year, King of Changshan died, and his brother Liu Shan, Marquis of Xiangcheng, was made the King of Changshan, and his name was changed to Liu Yi. In November, King Lü Tai died and was posthumously named King Su, and the crown prince Jiadai was made king. Three years passed without incident. In the fourth year, Lü Xu was made the Marquis of Linguang, Lü Ta the Marquis of Yu, Lü Gengshi the Marquis of Zuiqi, Lü Fen the Marquis of Lücheng, and five other princes and prime ministers were also named.

When the daughter of Marquis Xuanping was the Queen of Xiaohui, she had no children. She pretended that she was pregnant and took the son of a concubine and named him, killed his mother, and made the named child the crown prince. When Xiaohui died, the crown prince was made emperor. When the emperor was old, someone heard that his mother had died and that he was not the real empress's son, so he said, "How can the empress kill my mother and name me? I am not yet old, but when I grow up, I will cause trouble." The Empress Dowager heard about it and was worried that he would cause chaos, so she imprisoned him in the Eternal Alley, saying that the emperor was very ill and that no one was allowed to see him. The Empress Dowager said, "When the world is governed by the will of the people, it is governed by the heaven and tolerated by the earth. The ruler is happy to comfort the people, and the people are happy to serve the ruler. When the ruler is happy and harmonious, the world is governed. Now the emperor has been ill for a long time, and he is confused and chaotic. His being on the throne and worshiping the ancestral temple cannot continue. He cannot rule the world. He should be replaced." All the ministers bowed their heads and said, "The empress dowager has been deeply concerned about the people of the world and the ancestral temple is safe. All the ministers bow their heads and obey the order." The emperor was deposed and the empress dowager imprisoned and killed him. On the Bingchen day of May, Liu Yi, the king of Changshan, was made emperor and renamed Liu Hong. It was not called the first year because the Empress Dowagers still controlled the affairs of the world. Chao, the Marquis of Zhi, was made the king of Changshan. The position of Taiwei, the Grand Marshall, was established, and Zhou Bo, the Marquis of Jiang, was made the Taiwei. In the eighth month of the fifth year, the King of Huaiyang died, and his younger brother, Huguan Marquis Wu, was made the King of Huaiyang. In the tenth month of the sixth year, the Queen Mother said that Prince Lu Jia was arrogant and deposed him, and made King Su Tai's younger brother, Lu Chan, the King of Lu. In the summer, the prisoners of the whole country was pardoned. Xingju, the prince of King Daohui of Qi, was made the Marquis of Dongmu.


太后欲王吕氏,先立孝惠后宫子强为淮阳王,子不疑为常山王,子山为襄城侯,子朝为轵侯,子武为壶关侯。太后风大臣,大臣请立郦侯吕台为吕王,太后许之。建成康侯释之卒,嗣子有罪,废,立其弟吕禄为胡陵侯,续康侯后。二年,常山王薨,以其弟襄城侯山为常山王,更名义。十一月,吕王台薨,谥为肃王,太子嘉代立为王。三年,无事。四年,封吕媭为临光侯,吕他为俞侯,吕更始为赘其侯,吕忿为吕城侯,及诸侯丞相五人。

宣平侯女为孝惠皇后时,无子,详为有身,取美人子名之,杀其母,立所名子为太子。孝惠崩,太子立为帝。帝壮,或闻其母死,非真皇后子,乃出言曰:“后安能杀吾母而名我?我未壮,壮即为变。”太后闻而患之,恐其为乱,乃幽之永巷中,言帝病甚,左右莫得见。太后曰:“凡有天下治为万民命者,盖之如天,容之如地,上有欢心以安百姓,百姓欣然以事其上,欢欣交通而天下治。今皇帝病久不已,乃失惑惛乱,不能继嗣奉宗庙祭祀,不可属天下,其代之。”群臣皆顿首言:“皇太后为天下齐民计所以安宗庙社稷甚深,群臣顿首奉诏。”帝废位,太后幽杀之。五月丙辰,立常山王义为帝,更名曰弘。不称元年者,以太后制天下事也。以轵侯朝为常山王。置太尉官,绛侯勃为太尉。五年八月,淮阳王薨,以弟壶关侯武为淮阳王。六年十月,太后曰吕王嘉居处骄恣,废之,以肃王台弟吕产为吕王。夏,赦天下。封齐悼惠王子兴居为东牟侯。