| | 孝文帝: |
孝成皇帝好《诗》、《书》，通览古今，间习朝廷仪体，尤善汉家法度故事。常见中垒校尉刘向，以世俗多传道：孝文皇帝，小生于军，及长大有识，不知父所在，日祭于代东门外。高帝数梦见一儿祭己，使使至代求之，果得文帝，立为代王。及后徵到，后期，不得立，日为再中。及即位为天子，躬自节俭，集上书囊以为前殿惟，常居明光宫听政。为皇太薄后持三年服，庐居枕块如礼，至以发大病，知后子不能行三年之丧，更制三十六日服。治天下，致升平，断狱三百人，粟升一钱。“有此事不？”同对曰：“皆不然。” |
| | Emperor Xiaocheng was fond of Shi and Shu, had a comprehensive knowledge of ancient and modern times, occasionally studied the court rituals, and was especially well-versed in the Han dynasty's legal codes and historical precedents. He often met Zhonglei Jiao Wei Liu Xiang, who said that the common people widely transmitted a story: Emperor Xiaowen was born in the military camp. When he grew up and became wise, he did not know where his father was, so he offered daily sacrifices outside the eastern gate of Dai. Emperor Gaozu often dreamed of a child offering sacrifices to him, so he sent envoys to Dai to search for the boy. They indeed found Emperor Xiaowen and made him King of Dai. When later summoned, he arrived late and thus could not be enthroned; each day was counted as two midday hours. After ascending the throne, he personally practiced frugality and collected old manuscript bags to make the front hall's curtains. He often resided in Mingguang Palace to conduct government affairs. He observed a three-year mourning period for Empress Taibo, living in a hut and sleeping on the ground as required by ritual. He even fell seriously ill from it. Knowing that later generations could not observe the full three years of mourning, he changed the regulation to a thirty-six-day mourning period. In governing the empire, he brought about peace and stability, commuted sentences for three hundred convicts, and set the grain price at one coin per sheng. "Did such a thing really happen?" The official replied, "None of these are true."
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| | 孝文帝: |
谨按：汉高三年，魏王豹叛汉附楚，汉使大将韩信击虏豹姬薄夫人，传诣雒阳织室。汉王见薄姬，内后宫，幸之，生文帝，二年而为王者子，常居宫阙内，不弃捐军中，祭代东门。高皇后八年后九月己酉夕即位，就未央，幸前殿，下赦令。即位时以昏夜，日不再中。文帝虽节俭，未央前殿至奢，雕文五采，尽华榱壁璫，轩槛皆饰以黄金，其势不可以书囊为帷。奢俭好丑，不相副侔。又文帝以后元年六月己亥崩未央宫，在时平常听政宣室，不居明光宫。及皇太薄后以孝景二年四月壬子薨，葬南陵。文帝先太后崩，不为皇太薄后持三年服。文帝遵汉家基业初定，重承军旅之后，百姓新免于干戈之难，故文帝宜因修秦馀政教，轻刑事少，与之休息，以俭约节欲自持，初开籍田，躬劝农耕桑，务民之本。即位十馀年，时五谷丰熟，百姓足，仓廪实，蓄积有馀。然文帝本修黄、老之言，不甚好儒术，其治尚清净无为，以故礼乐庠序未修，民俗未能大化，苟温饱完给，所谓治安之国也。其后匈奴数犯塞，侵扰边境。单于深入寇掠，贼害北地都尉，杀略吏民，系虏老弱，驱畜产，烧积聚，候骑至甘泉，烽火通长安，京师震动，无不忧懑。是时，大发兴材官骑士十馀万军长安，帝遣丞相灌婴击匈奴，文帝自劳兵至太原、代郡。由是北边置屯待战，设备备胡，兵连不解，转输骆驿，费损虚耗。因以年岁谷不登，百姓饥乏，谷籴常至石五百，时不升一钱。前待诏贾捐之为孝元皇帝言：“太宗时民赋四十，断狱四百馀。”案太宗时民重犯法，治理不能过中宗之世，地节元年，天下断狱四万七千馀人，如捐之言，复不类，前世断狱皆以万数，不三百人。文帝即位二十三年，日月薄蚀，地数震动，毁坏民庐舍，关东二十九山同日崩溃，水出，河决酸枣，大风坏都，雨雹如桃李，深者厚三尺，狗马及人皆生角，大雪蝗虫。文帝下诏书曰：“间者阴阳不调，日月薄蚀，年谷不登，大遭旱蝗饥馑之害，谪见天地，灾及万民。丞相、御史议可以佐百姓之急。”推此事类，以不及太宗之世，不可以为升平。 |
| | Careful investigation shows: In the third year of Emperor Gaozu's reign, King Wei Pei rebelled against Han and defected to Chu. Han sent General Han Xin to attack and capture Pei's concubine Bo Fu Ren, who was then transported to Luoyang Weishi (a textile workshop). King Han saw Bo Ji, took her into the palace, favored her, and she bore Emperor Xiaowen. Two years later, he was recognized as a prince of the king; he often resided within the palace gates and was not abandoned in the military camp, offering sacrifices at Dai's eastern gate. On the Jiyou day of the ninth month, eight years after Empress Gao's reign, he ascended the throne in the evening and moved into Weiyang Palace. He visited Qian Dian Hall and issued a general pardon. He ascended the throne at night, so each day was not counted as having two midday hours. Although Emperor Xiaowen practiced frugality, the front hall of Weiyang Palace was extremely luxurious. It featured carved decorations in five colors, elaborately adorned eaves and walls with jade pendants; all the balustrades were decorated with gold. Its grandeur could not be matched by curtains made from old manuscript bags. Luxury and frugality, beauty and ugliness, did not correspond or match each other. Moreover, Emperor Xiaowen died on the Jihai day of the sixth month in the first year of Houyuan at Weiyang Palace. At that time, he normally conducted government affairs in Xuanshi Hall and did not reside in Mingguang Palace. When Empress Dowager Bo passed away on the Rensi day of the fourth month in the second year of Emperor Xiaojing's reign, she was buried at Nanling. Emperor Xiaowen died before his empress dowager, and thus did not observe a three-year mourning period for her. Emperor Xiaowen, following the initial consolidation of the Han dynasty's foundation and succeeding to the aftermath of military campaigns, found that the people had just been freed from the hardships of war. Therefore, Emperor Xiaowen should have continued the remaining policies and teachings of Qin, reduced criminal punishments, allowed the populace rest and recuperation, practiced frugality and self-restraint in desires, first established the jutiian (royal farmland), personally encouraged agriculture and sericulture, and focused on the fundamentals for the people. More than ten years after ascending the throne, at that time five grains were abundant and ripe; the people had enough food supplies, granaries were full, and there was a surplus of stored goods. However, Emperor Xiaowen originally followed the teachings of Huang-Lao (Daoism), and did not greatly favor Confucian doctrines. His governance emphasized tranquility and non-action; therefore, rites, music, and schools were not well developed, and folk customs could not be significantly transformed. As long as people had sufficient warmth, food, and basic needs met, it was considered a state of peace and order. Later on, the Xiongnu frequently violated the frontier, invading and disturbing the border regions. The Chanyu launched deep raids, committing banditry and harming the Commandant of Beidi. He killed or captured officials and civilians, bound up the elderly and weak as captives, drove off livestock, burned stored supplies, and his scouts reached Ganzhuan. Alarm beacons were lit all the way to Chang'an; the capital was thrown into alarm, and no one failed to feel anxious and distressed. At that time, more than 100,000 troops of the Xingcaiguan cavalry were mobilized and stationed in Chang'an. The emperor dispatched Chancellor Guan Ying to attack the Xiongnu, while Emperor Xiaowen personally went to Taiyuan and Dai Jun to comfort his soldiers. Because of this, garrisons were established along the northern frontier for military readiness; defenses and equipment were prepared against the Hu. Continuous warfare did not cease, with constant transportation of supplies by relay caravans, resulting in heavy expenses and waste. As a result, due to poor harvests over the years, the people suffered from hunger and scarcity; grain prices often rose to 500 coins per shi, at times reaching as high as one coin per sheng. Previously, Daizhao Jia Juanzhi said to Emperor Xiaoyuan: "During the reign of Taizong, the people's tax was forty per cent, and over four hundred cases were commuted each year." Investigation shows that during Taizong's reign, the people frequently committed crimes and governance could not surpass the era of Zhongzong. In the first year of Dijie, over 47,000 cases were adjudicated nationwide. As Jia Juanzhi claimed, this is inconsistent; in previous generations, all recorded numbers of commuted cases were counted in the tens of thousands, not three hundred people. During Emperor Xiaowen's 23-year reign, solar and lunar eclipses occurred; the earth frequently shook, destroying people's homes. Twenty-nine mountains in Guandong collapsed on the same day; floods broke out, with rivers bursting their banks at Suanzao. Strong winds damaged capitals, hail fell as large as peaches and plums, reaching depths of three chi in some places. Dogs, horses, and even humans grew horns, while heavy snows and locusts occurred simultaneously. Emperor Xiaowen issued an edict, saying: "Recently, the yin and yang have been out of harmony; solar and lunar eclipses have occurred. The harvest has failed for many years, and we have suffered greatly from droughts, locust plagues, and famine—these are punishments revealed by heaven and earth, affecting all the people." "The Chancellor and the Grand Censor should deliberate on measures that can assist the urgent needs of the people." Judging by these events, it is clear that this period did not match the era of Taizong and cannot be considered a time of peace and prosperity.
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| | 孝文帝: |
上曰：“吾于临朝统政施号令何如？”向未及对，上谓向：“校尉帝师傅，耆旧洽闻，亲事先帝，历见三世得失。事无善恶，如闻知之，其言勿有所隐。”向曰：“文帝时政颇遗失，皆所谓悔恡小疵耶。尝辇过郎署，问中郎冯唐以赵将廉颇、马服，唐言：‘今虽有此人，不能用也。’推辇而去，还归禁中，召责让，唐顿首陈言：‘闻之于祖父，道廉颇、李牧为边将，市租诸入，皆输莫府，而赵王不问多少。日击牛洒酒，劳赐士大夫，赏异有，故能立威名。今臣窃闻云中太守魏尚，边之良将也。匈奴常犯塞为寇，尚追之，吏士争居前，乐尽死力。斩首上功，误差数级，下之吏，尚竟抵罪。由是言之，虽得廉颇、李牧，不能用也。’及河东太守季布，治郡有声，召欲以为御史大夫，左右或毁言使酒，后不用，布见辞去，自陈曰：‘臣幸得待罪河东，无故而见徵召，此人必以臣欺国者；既到无用，此人亦有以毁伤臣者。今以一人言则进之，以一人言则退之，臣恐天下有以见朝廷短也。’上有惭色，卒遣布之官。及太中大夫邓通以佞幸吮痈疡癑汁见爱，拟于至亲，赐以蜀郡铜山，令得铸钱，通私家之富，侔于王者、封君。又为微行，数幸通家。文帝代服衣罽，袭毡帽，骑骏马，从侍中、近臣、常侍、期门武骑猎渐台下，驰射狐兔，果雉刺彘。是时，待诏贾山谏以为不宜数从郡国贤良吏出游猎，重令此人负名，不称其与。及太中大夫贾谊亦数陈止游猎。是时，谊与邓通俱侍中同位，谊又恶通为人，数廷讥之，由是䟽远，迁为长沙太傅。既之官，内不自得。及渡湘水，投吊书曰：‘闒茸尊显，佞谀得意。’以哀屈原离谗邪之咎，亦因自伤为邓通等所诉也。” |
| | The emperor asked: "How would you assess my governance, administration, and issuance of decrees while presiding over court sessions?" Before Liu Xiang could reply, the emperor said to him: "As an officer and teacher of the Son of Heaven, you are a venerable elder with extensive knowledge. You served the late emperor personally and have witnessed the successes and failures across three generations." "Whether matters are good or bad, if you know of them, speak openly without concealment." Liu Xiang said: "The governance during Emperor Xiaowen's reign had many omissions; these were all so-called regrets and minor flaws." Once, while touring the Langshu office in a palanquin, he asked Zhonglang Feng Tang about Zhao's generals Lianpo and Machifu. Tang said: "Even if such men exist today, they cannot be used." The emperor turned away in his palanquin and returned to the palace. He summoned Tang, reprimanding him. Tang kowtowed and explained: "I heard from my grandfather that General Lianpo and Li Mu served as frontier commanders; all revenues from market taxes were sent directly to their headquarters, and King Zhao never questioned how much was collected." "They daily slaughtered oxen and poured out wine to entertain and reward the gentry, offering generous rewards for exceptional service. That is why they were able to establish a reputation of great prestige." "Now I have secretly heard that Wei Shang, the governor of Yunzhong, is an excellent general on the frontier. "The Xiongnu often violated the border and launched raids; General Shang pursued them, and his officers and soldiers vied to take the lead, eager to give their all in battle." "Reporting the number of enemy heads cut off for reward, there was a slight discrepancy in the count. As a result, he was handed over to officials and ultimately punished." "Therefore, even if one were to obtain Lianpo or Li Mu, they could not be effectively used." When Jibu, the governor of Hedong, was known for his effective administration and was summoned to be appointed as Grand Censor, some at court slandered him, saying he was a heavy drinker. Later, he was not used. When Bu saw that he had been dismissed, he respectfully requested leave and said: "I have been fortunate enough to serve in Hedong with the title of 'waiting for punishment,' yet I am suddenly summoned without cause; this must be because someone claims I have deceived the state." "If I arrive and am not used, then there are indeed people who have slandered me." "Now, if one person's words lead to my promotion and another's words cause my dismissal, I fear that the world will see this as a weakness of the court." The emperor looked ashamed and finally sent Jibu back to his post. Later, Tai Zhong Dafu Deng Tong was favored for his flattery and sucking out the pus from the emperor's abscess. He was treated as a close relative, granted the copper mines of Shu Jun, allowing him to mint coins. The wealth of Tong's private household equaled that of kings and marquises. The emperor also made secret visits on several occasions to Deng Tong's home. Emperor Xiaowen wore felt clothing, donned a felt cap, rode a swift horse, and was accompanied by Shizhong officials, close ministers, Changshi attendants, and Qimen warriors on hunting expeditions at Jiandai. He galloped and shot hares and foxes, bagging pheasants and wild boars. At that time, Daizhao Jia Shan advised against it, saying that the emperor should not frequently accompany virtuous and capable officials from commanderies and states on hunting excursions, as this would greatly burden these men with a reputation inconsistent with their actual abilities. Later, Tai Zhong Dafou Jia Yi also repeatedly advised against hunting excursions. At that time, Jia Yi and Deng Tong both held the position of Shizhong. Yi also disliked Tong's character and frequently criticized him in court, which led to his gradual estrangement from imperial favor, resulting in his transfer to serve as Tai Fu of Changsha. After assuming office, he felt inwardly discontented and unhappy. When crossing the Xiang River, he threw a letter into the water, saying: "The unworthy and mediocre are honored and exalted; flatterers and sycophants gain favor." "He lamented Qu Yuan's misfortune of being slandered by villains and also felt personally wounded by accusations from Deng Tong and others."
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| | 孝文帝: |
成帝曰：“其治天下孰与孝宣皇帝？”向曰：“中宗之世，政教明，法令行，边境安，四夷亲，单于款塞，天下殷富，百姓康乐，其治过于太宗之时。亦以遭遇匈奴宾服，四夷和亲也。” |
| | Emperor Cheng asked: "How does his governance compare to that of Emperor Xiaoxuan?" Liu Xiang replied: "During the reign of Zhongzong, governance and education were clear; laws and decrees were enforced. The borders were peaceful, the four barbarian groups were respectful, the Chanyu submitted to Han, the empire was prosperous, and the people lived in peace and happiness. His rule surpassed that of Taizong's time." "It also benefited from the Xiongnu's submission and peaceful relations with the four barbarian groups."
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| | 孝文帝: |
上曰：“后世皆言文帝治天下几至太平，其德比周成王，此语何从生？”向对曰：“生于言事。文帝礼言事者，不伤其意，群臣无小大，至即便从容言，上止辇听之，其言可者称善，不可者喜笑而已。言事多褒之，后人见遗文，则以为然。世之毁誉，莫能得实，审形者少，随声者多，或至以无为有。故曰：‘尧、舜不胜其善，桀、纣不胜其恶。’桀、纣非杀父与君也，而世有杀君父者，人皆无道如桀、纣，此不胜其恶。故若文帝之仁贤，不胜其善，世俗褒扬，言其德比成王，治几太平也。然文帝之节俭约身以率先天下，忍容言者，含咽臣子之短，此亦通人难及，似出于孝宣皇帝者也。如其聪明远识，不忘数十年事，制持万机，天资治理之材，恐文帝亦且不及孝宣皇帝。”向以为如此。及至世间言文帝小生于军中，长大祭代东门外，使者求得之，因立为代王；徵当即位，后期，日为之再中；集上书囊以为前殿帷，常居光明宫听政，为薄太后持三年服，治天下，致升平，断狱三百人，粟一升一钱，凡此十馀事，皆俗人所妄传，言过其实，及傅会，或以为前皆非是。如刘向言。 |
| | The emperor asked: "Later generations all say that Emperor Xiaowen nearly achieved a peaceful and prosperous world, with virtue comparable to King Cheng of Zhou. Where did this statement originate?" Liu Xiang replied: "It originated from statements made by those who spoke on affairs." Emperor Xiaowen treated those who offered advice with courtesy, never hurting their feelings. Whether they were high or low-ranking officials, all could speak freely and at ease; the emperor would stop his palanquin to listen. If what was said was acceptable, he praised it; if not, he merely smiled in amusement. He often commended those who gave advice. Later generations saw the surviving records and accepted this as true. In the world, praise or criticism rarely reflects reality; few are discerning and many merely follow the crowd, sometimes even turning nothing into something. Hence it is said: "Yao and Shun could not outdo their goodness, while Jie and Zhou could not contain their wickedness." Jie and Zhou did not personally kill their fathers or kings, yet in the world there are those who do kill their kings and fathers. All people become as lawless as Jie and Zhou—this is how deeply their evil cannot be contained. Therefore, a benevolent and virtuous ruler like Emperor Xiaowen could not outdo his goodness. The common people praised him highly, saying his virtue was comparable to King Cheng's and that his rule nearly achieved peace and prosperity. Yet Emperor Xiaowen's frugality and personal restraint in setting an example for the empire, his tolerance of criticism, and his ability to endure and overlook the shortcomings of his subjects were also rare qualities even among enlightened rulers. These seem to surpass those of Emperor Xiaoxuan. Regarding his intelligence and far-sightedness, remembering events from several decades ago, managing myriad state affairs with skill, and possessing a natural talent for governance—perhaps Emperor Xiaowen would still fall short of Emperor Xiaoxuan." Liu Xiang believed this to be the case. When it came to worldly accounts that Emperor Xiaowen was secretly born in the military camp and, as an adult, offered sacrifices outside Dai's eastern gate, envoys searched for him and found him, thus establishing him as King of Dai; when summoned to ascend the throne, he arrived late, so each day was counted twice. He collected old manuscript bags to serve as curtains for the front hall, often resided in Guangming Palace to conduct government affairs, observed a three-year mourning period after Empress Dowager Bo's death, governed the empire and brought about peace, commuted sentences of 300 convicts, set grain prices at one coin per sheng—these and more than ten other such accounts are all baseless rumors spread by common people. The descriptions greatly exaggerate the facts or are entirely fabricated; some even claim these stories to be untrue. As Liu Xiang said.
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