Xin Gongyi, from Didao, Gansu, had a grandfather who served as the Governor of Xu Zhou in the Wei Kingdom, and a father who served as the Governor of Qingzhou. His father died when he was young, and he was raised by his mother who personally taught him how to read. During the Northern Zhou Tianhe era, he was selected as a student of the Imperial Academy, known for his diligence and hard work. During the Sui Emperor Wen's reign, he was summoned to study at the Lu Men Study Palace to learn Confucian ethics. Every month, he debated before the emperor and scholars, earning praise from Emperor Wen and respect from his peers.
During the Jiande era, Xin Gongyi was appointed as a Xuan Na Zhongshi. He accompanied the army to pacify the Qi Kingdom, and rose in ranks to become the Commanding Officer and General of Pacification Operations. After Emperor Wen became the Chancellor, he appointed Xin Gongyi as the Neishi Zhongshi, where he was involved in handling confidential matters. In the first year of the Kaihuang era, he was appointed as the Chief Attendant, overseeing the affairs of the Neishi Attendant, and was granted the title of Lord of Anyang County with a fief of two hundred families. Whenever foreign envoys arrived, he was responsible for receiving and hosting them. Later, he was reassigned to the Ministry of Carriages as an attendant and was sent to Jiangling to pacify the border.
In the seventh year of the Kaihuang era, he was ordered to inspect various horse farms and confiscated over ten thousand horses. Emperor Wen praised him, remarking, "Only you, Xin Gongyi, can serve the country with such dedication!" After pacifying the Chen Kingdom with the army, he was appointed as the Governor of Minzhou. In Minzhou, a local custom led people to fear contagious diseases, so if someone in a household got sick, the entire family would keep their distance, neglecting their filial duties, which often led to the sick dying. Xin Gongyi was troubled by this and sought to change the custom.
Therefore, he sent officials to inspect the state. Whenever there were sick people, they were carried on stretchers to the government office and placed in the main hall. During the height of the summer epidemic, sometimes there were as many as hundreds of patients, and the hallways were packed. Xing Gongyi personally set up beds in the hall, sitting alone among the patients, managing government affairs around the clock. He used all his salary to buy medicine for the patients, personally persuading them to eat. As a result, the patients all recovered! Only then did he call the patients' relatives and say to them, "Life and death are predetermined by fate, not spread through contagion. It was because you abandoned them before that they died. Now that I have gathered the patients together and I live among them, if it were truly contagious, how could I not die? Look, the patients are all better now! Don't believe those superstitious beliefs anymore." The patients' families left in shame.
After that, if anyone in the area fell ill, they would rush to the government office. Even if they had no relatives, the government office would take care of them. The government office became a place of compassion, and this custom changed as a result. The people of the entire state called him "Mother of Mercy." Later, he was transferred to be the governor of Mouzhou. Upon taking office, he first visited the prison, slept beside the cells, and personally interrogated the prisoners. Within more than ten days, all the cases were resolved before he returned to the office.
When handling new cases, he did not file them himself but instead assigned a duty officer to question them. If a case was unresolved and required detaining the accused, Xing Gongyi would stay overnight at the government office and never return to his own residence. Some of his colleagues advised him, "There are procedures for trial, why do you need to work so hard, sir?" He replied, "If a governor cannot educate the people with virtue and instead locks them up in prison, how can I feel at ease?" Upon hearing this, the prisoners voluntarily confessed and accepted their punishment. After that, if anyone wanted to file a lawsuit, the village elders would advise them, "These are all trivial matters, why bother the governor?" Therefore, many lawsuits were often resolved before they even started.
At that time, the Shandong region was hit by continuous heavy rain, from Chenzhou and Ruzhou to the seaside, all suffering from severe flooding. However, Xing Gongyi's territory remained unscathed, even producing gold and silver on the mountain, which he presented to the court. The court sent Lou Ze, a water department official, to pray at Xing Gongyi's place. At that time, the air was filled with the sound of music and instruments. In the first year of the Renshou era, he was posthumously appointed as the ambassador to Yangzhou Dao. Prince Yuzhang, Yang Jian (also known as Yang Guang), was worried that his subordinates would break the law, so he instructed Xing Gongyi before he arrived in Yangzhou. Xing Gongyi replied, "I will not act out of personal interest." After arriving in Yangzhou, he did not show favoritism to anyone, which led Yang Jian to harbor resentment towards him.
When Emperor Yang of Sui ascended the throne, Wang Hong, the chief official of Yangzhou, became a Yellow Gate Minister and spoke ill of Xing Gongyi to the emperor, resulting in Xing Gongyi being dismissed from his position. Many officials and commoners flocked to the court seeking justice, with a constant stream of them. Several years later, Emperor Yang of Sui learned the truth and appointed him as the Minister of the Interior. Later, Xing Gongyi's mother passed away, and he returned home to observe the mourning period. Not long after, he was appointed as the Director of the Imperial Guards, also serving as the Right Guard and Military Officer. He accompanied the army on campaigns and died in Liucheng County at the age of sixty-two. He had a son named Xing Rong.
Liu Jian, also known by his courtesy name Daoyue, was a native of Jie County in Hedong. His grandfather, Liu Yuanchang, served as the Grand Central Inspector of Sizhou in the Wei Kingdom, as well as the Intendant of Xiangzhou and Huazhou; his father, Liu Yu, was the county magistrate of Wenxi in the Zhou Dynasty. Liu Jian was known for his moderation and simple living, earning respect from his fellow villagers. Even his closest associates dared not disrespect him. He served as an official in the Zhou Dynasty and was promoted to the position of Water Department Attendant, being granted the title of Count of Luodao County. Shortly after, he was sent as the governor to Guanghan Commandery, where he achieved remarkable governance and had a good reputation. Later on, Guanghan Commandery was abolished.
At that time, the Emperor Gaozu had just unified the country, was dedicated to governance, carefully selected talents, and sent them to be local officials. Liu Jian, known for his honesty and kindness, was promoted to the position of Governor of Pengzhou. He handled cases on the spot, never wrote long-winded documents, simply restrained his subordinates, and dealt with everything calmly. There were never any prisoners in the prison. The Prince of Shu, Yang Xiu, stationed in Yizhou at the time, reported Liu Jian's achievements to the court, and Liu Jian was promoted to the position of Governor of Qiongzhou. He served in Qiongzhou for more than ten years, and the local ethnic groups respected him greatly. Later, the Prince of Shu, Yang Xiu, committed a crime, and Liu Jian, who was associated with him, was dismissed. After returning to his hometown, he rode in a dilapidated carriage on a thin horse, and the family found it hard to make ends meet. People who saw him sighed and felt sorry for him.
After Emperor Yang of Sui ascended the throne, he called Liu Jian to court. At that time, those who held county positions due to their merits were all accompanied by military forces, but Liu Jian started as an ordinary official. Emperor Yang of Sui admired his achievements and bestowed upon him the title of Court Gentleman, appointed him as the Prefect of Honghua County, and rewarded him with one hundred rolls of cloth. Liu Jian paid even more attention to honesty and frugality. In the fifth year of Daye, he attended the imperial court meeting, where officials from all over the country gathered in the capital. Emperor Yang of Sui asked the Grand Councilor Su Wei and the Minister of Personnel Niu Hong, "Among these people, who has the best reputation in the realm?" Su Wei and Niu Hong answered that it was Liu Jian. Emperor Yang of Sui then asked who was in second place, and Su Wei replied that it was Guo Xuan, the magistrate of Zhuo County, and Jing Su, the magistrate of Yingchuan County. Emperor Yang of Sui awarded Liu Jian two hundred rolls of cloth, Guo Xuan and Jing Su each one hundred rolls of cloth, and ordered the officials from all over the country to deliver the cloth to their respective counties to honor them. People praised Liu Jian for his honesty and integrity.
In the last years of the Dali period, banditry was rampant, and Liu Jian was attacked multiple times. However, he pacified the local people and ethnic minorities, preventing a rebellion and successfully safeguarding the region. Later, the rebel forces captured Chang'an, and Emperor Gong was installed. Liu Jian and the local official Li Can donned mourning attire in the state, facing south and weeping. Afterwards, he returned to the capital, where the Chancellor rewarded him with three hundred bolts of cloth and appointed him as Grand General. More than a year later, he passed away at home at the age of eighty-nine.
Guo Xuan, a native of Yongji, Shanxi, was originally from a poor family. He initially served as a minor official in the Ministry of Personnel, and later, due to his military achievements, was granted the title of Deputy Three Excellencies. He served as Sima and Changshi in several states, gaining a solid reputation. When Emperor Yang of Sui ascended the throne, the Minister of Justice, Yuwen Bi, took Guo Xuan along as his aide during an inspection of Hebei. Emperor Yang of Sui was preparing to go to Liaodong for war and considered Zhuo County (now Zhuozhou, Hebei) a strategic location, so he searched for suitable talents to manage it. Hearing of Guo Xuan's strong abilities, he appointed him as the magistrate of Zhuo County, which delighted the local officials and residents. Several years later, Guo Xuan was promoted to the Prefect of Zhuo County, while also serving as the acting magistrate. Later, when banditry erupted in Shandong, Guo Xuan led troops to pursue and capture many of them. By that time, nearly all other counties had been devastated, while Zhuo County remained intact. Later, Guo Xuan fought valiantly against Dou Jiande in Hejian and made the ultimate sacrifice. The local officials and people profoundly mourned his loss for several months, deeply saddened by his absence.
Jing Su, courtesy name Hongjian, was a native of Puban in Yongji, Shanxi. He was known for his integrity and uprightness from a young age, and when he first entered officialdom, he served as the chief clerk of the province. During the reign of Emperor Wen of Sui in the Kaihuang era, he became the magistrate of Anling County, where he made significant contributions to governance. He was promoted to the title of Sima of Qinzhou, and later transferred to Binxian as the Chief Clerk, where he continued to excel in his duties. During the Ren Shou era of Emperor Yang of Sui, he served as the Sima of Weizhou, achieving remarkable political accomplishments. After Emperor Yang ascended the throne, he was promoted to the position of magistrate of Yingchuan County. In the fifth year of Daye, he traveled to Luoyang in the Eastern Capital to meet the emperor, who instructed the imperial censor Xue Daoheng to assess the situation of officials throughout the empire. Xue Daoheng evaluated Jing Su in his report: "His heart is like iron and stone, becoming more upright as he grows older." At that time, the powerful General Yüwen Shu had significant influence, and since his hometown was in Yingchuan, he often wrote letters to Jing Su. Jing Su never opened these letters, but instead had the messengers return them directly. Jing Su punished those among Yüwen Shu's guests who behaved recklessly according to the law, without hesitation. As a result, Yüwen Shu held a grudge against Jing Su. In the eighth year of Daye, Jing Su traveled to Zhuo County to meet the emperor, who, aware of Jing Su's age and governance skills, tried several times to promote him to the position of governor, but each time, Yüwen Shu intervened. Towards the end of the Daye era, Jing Su requested retirement, which the emperor approved. On his last day in office, he left with no savings. Over a year later, Jing Su passed away at the age of eighty.
As for Liu Kuang, his origins are unknown. He was cautious and honest, always approaching everything with sincerity and tolerance. At the start of the Kaihuang era under Emperor Wen of Sui, he was appointed as the magistrate of Pingxiang County and set off on horseback to assume his duties.
If someone causes trouble and sues, he patiently and meticulously explains the right and wrong to them, never punishing them severely. Both sides come to recognize their own faults and then part ways. He uses his salary to assist those in need. The people are touched by his virtuous character and moral guidance, encouraging one another, exclaiming, "With such a good official, how can we possibly do wrong?"
He served as the county magistrate in Pingxiang County for seven years, greatly improving the local climate. There were no prisoners in the jail, no lawsuits at all, and the prison yard was overgrown with weeds, making it suitable for playing ball. When he left his post, officials and people from the county, regardless of their positions, wept as they saw him off, walking for hundreds of miles without seeing the end.
Later, he was transferred to Linying County as the magistrate, still renowned for his integrity and exemplary governance, earning the title of the best in the realm. The Minister of the Left, Gao Feng, reported his deeds to the emperor, who summoned him and graciously commended him, saying, "There are so many county magistrates in the world, but you stand out. You are truly worthy of praise!" He then told his attendants, "If we don't reward him properly, how can we motivate others?" The emperor issued a generous edict, promoting him to the post of governor of Juzhou.
Wang Jia was from Zhangwu, Hebei. Towards the end of Emperor Wen of the Sui Dynasty's Kaihuang period, he held the title of military escort as a minor official in Qizhou, and at first, he seemed like an ordinary person. Later, the governor of Qizhou assigned him to escort over seventy prisoners, including a man named Li Can, to the capital. At that time, it was required that the exiled prisoners be escorted in chains. When Wang Jia arrived in Xingyang, he saw how much the prisoners were suffering and felt deeply sorry for them. He called them over and said, "Everyone, you have broken the law and harmed social morality, so it’s only right that you suffer in chains. But now you have to bear these heavy chains on such a long journey. Can you truly be at ease?" The prisoners expressed their heartfelt thanks. Wang Jia said, "Although you have violated the law, it is indeed very hard to wear chains. I want to help you remove the chains and meet up once we reach the capital. Can you guarantee that you will arrive on time?" The prisoners all knelt down and thanked him, saying, "We will definitely not delay." So Wang Jia helped them remove the chains, stopped the soldiers escorting them, and made an agreement with them, saying, "One day we must arrive in the capital; if anyone is late, I’ll take the blame for them." He then set them free. The prisoners were overjoyed and arrived in the capital on time, and not a single one escaped or turned against him.
After hearing about this matter, the emperor was greatly astonished. He summoned Wang Jia to inquire and praised him for a long time. Then the emperor summoned all those prisoners and allowed them to bring their wives and children into the palace, where they were treated to a feast and had their crimes pardoned. The emperor also issued a decree, proclaiming: "All things in the world have their own emotions and cognition, and can distinguish right from wrong. If they are guided with sincerity, the social climate will improve, and people will turn to kindness. In the past, due to national turmoil and moral decline, officials lacked compassion, and the people nurtured deceitful intentions, resulting in endless lawsuits and making governance challenging. I am ordained by heaven to bring peace to the people, and I wish to follow the teachings of the sages, using morality to guide the people. I work tirelessly day and night for this purpose. Wang Jia understands my intentions and guides the prisoners with sincerity. Li Can and others were touched and came forward to surrender to the authorities. This demonstrates that the people are not beyond education, but officials have not guided them properly, resulting in their crimes and denying them a chance for redemption. If all officials were like Wang Jia, and all citizens like Li Can, then the penal system would become unnecessary. Is this truly unattainable?" The emperor then promoted Wang Jia to be the magistrate of Yong County, where he achieved notable political success and had a good reputation. Wei Deshen, whose hometown is Julu, had a grandfather, Wei Chong, who served as the Minister of Punishments and the Governor of Jianzhou during the Zhou Dynasty, and later settled in Hongnong. His father, Wei Pi, served as the magistrate of Yulin County. Wei Deshen initially served as a minor official under Emperor Wen, and later served as the secretary of Fengyi County and the registrar of Wuyang County, before being promoted to the magistrate of Guixiang County due to his outstanding abilities. He was honest and fair in his official duties, efficiently managing the county with a fair approach.
At that time, it coincided with the war in Liaodong. There was a multitude of taxes, and officials were sent everywhere to collect them, passing the responsibility down to the counties. The court's governance was lax and chaotic, with severe corruption among officials. The people were burdened by heavy taxes, and the common folk were in great distress. Only in the county under the governance of Wei Deshen was there a sufficient supply of goods, no exploitation of the people, and everything that was due was provided. The people lived in peace and contentment, which was regarded as exemplary governance at that time. Banditry was rampant, and most of the cities around Wuyang were breached, but the county under Wei Deshen's rule remained safe and sound.
County magistrate Yuan Baozang was ordered to chase the bandits. Every battle was difficult, and weapons and equipment were constantly depleted, so they frequently resorted to military law and kept requisitioning from the people, repeating this several times. Other cities concentrated the populace in the government office to build defense structures, with officials urging each other, noisy day and night, yet still failing to accomplish it. Wei Deshen, on the other hand, asked everyone what they needed, then let them handle it themselves. The county office was quiet, as if nothing was amiss. He merely imposed restrictions on the county officials, ensuring that the defense structures built were not superior to those in other counties, so the people wouldn't suffer too much. As a result, everyone worked hard, and the defense structures in his county consistently outperformed those in neighboring counties.
Later, Wei Deshen was transferred to be the county head of Guantao. When the officials and citizens of the county learned of this, they all spoke highly of him, crying uncontrollably, unable to articulate their emotions. When he was about to take office, the entire populace came to bid him farewell, crying loudly, accompanying him for quite a distance. In Guantao County, the entire community treated him as if he were their own family.
There was a villain named Zhao Junshi, who was an official from another county. He had a good relationship with the county magistrate Yuan Baozang, and the previous county magistrate was under his influence. When Wei Deshen arrived in Guantao County, Zhao Junshi hid at home and dared not go out. Those who had fled all returned, as if they were going to a fair. The people of Guixiang County took great risks and went to the capital to request the court to keep Wei Deshen, and the emperor agreed. The people of Guantao County went to the county office to lodge a complaint, saying that the documents from Guixiang County were fake. The county office was unable to reach a decision. Later, envoys sent by the court, Wei Ji, Du Zheng, and others arrived. Representatives from both counties appealed to the envoys, and the final ruling favored Guixiang County. The officials and citizens of Guixiang County rejoiced and celebrated. The people of Guantao County mourned, leading several hundred households to relocate. Yuan Baozang envied Wei Deshen's talents. Later, King Dong asked for soldiers from the county, and Yuan Baozang sent Wei Deshen with a thousand soldiers to the eastern capital. Not long after, Yuan Baozang surrendered to Li Mi. The soldiers under Wei Deshen's command were from Wuyang, Li Mi's hometown. Thinking of his relatives and friends, Wei Deshen left the city gate, wept bitterly as he faced east, and then returned. Some people advised him, "Li Mi's army is near Jinyong City, only about twenty miles away. If you wish to return, who could stop you? Why torture yourself like this?" The soldiers all cried and said, "We came with County Chief Wei and cannot leave him behind, regardless of the distance!" Wei Deshen had such good relationships with people. Later, Wei Deshen fought against bandits and died in battle. The people of Guixiang and Guantao remembered him fondly.
It is said that at that time, the magistrate of Liyang County, Gao Shiheng from Bohai, the magistrate of Xiaoxian, Liu Gao from Pengcheng, and the magistrate of Chenggao, Liu Chi from Hongnong, were exceptionally virtuous officials who were deeply loved by the people. During the Sui Dynasty's Daye period, most officials were corrupt and self-indulgent, but only Gao Shiheng, Liu Gao, and Liu Chi were honest and upright, holding themselves to a stricter standard than others. The local environment improved significantly because of them, and there were hardly any inmates in the jails. The people praised them.
Historical texts state: "As the ancients wisely noted, 'Those who are good at governing water will guide it to calm down; those who are good at educating the people will appease them and make them stable.' When the water is calm, it won't breach the banks; when the people are peaceful, they will not violate the law." Thus, changing customs requires more than just strict enforcement; it also necessitates virtuous officials. Individuals like Gao Shiheng, who embody righteousness and sincerely treat the people, improve conditions wherever they go. Even after they leave, the people still remember them. Their virtues outshine even those of renowned historical officials. The Book of Songs says, "Gentle and kind gentlemen are the parents of the people." This statement holds true!
Unfortunately, officials like Gao Shiheng, who had high moral character, were exiled for a minor infraction, despite being appreciated by the emperor multiple times. Similarly, after Liu Jian resigned, his family faced financial difficulties. When Zhao Gui's term ended, the people bid him farewell, demonstrating genuine integrity.
