Su Jing, courtesy name Bokuang, was a native of Pingling in Fufeng. During the reign of Emperor Ping of Han, Su Jing was appointed as a doctorate for his expertise in the Book of Changes, and also served as the libationer responsible for teaching the Book of Documents. He was skilled in astronomy and calendar calculations, and was able to understand the doctrines of various schools of thought. During the reign of Wang Mang, he, along with Liu Xin and others, was tasked with proofreading texts, and was later appointed as the Commandant of Dai Commandery. At that time, the Xiongnu frequently harassed the border areas, and many places in the north suffered from their invasions. However, Su Jing succeeded in safeguarding the entire Dai Commandery.
Emperor Guangwu Liu Xiu ascended the throne and immediately appointed Su Jing as the Prefect of Dai Commandery, assigning him the responsibility of defending the border against the Xiongnu. In the winter of the fifth year of Jianwu, Lu Fang almost controlled several commanderies in the north, and the Emperor dispatched a general along with his brother to garrison at Dai Commandery. At this time, Su Jing fell seriously ill, handed over the army to his brother, and went to the capital to offer his apologies. He was later appointed as an attendant, but stepped down from his position a few months later because of his deteriorating health.
Initially, the subordinate of Yan Cen, Deng Zhongkuang, led his troops to seize Yinxian in Nanyang and operate as bandits, with Liu Gong, the son of Liu Xin's brother, acting as his strategist. At that time, Su Jing was in Nanyang and wrote a letter to Liu Gong to advise him:
Mr. Liu Gong, hello! In the past, I worked with Master Liu Xin, participating in proofreading classics, thanks to my skills in organizing books and proofreading texts. I have always respected him, but in the end, we parted ways. I've heard that a true gentleman shows sympathy for those in misfortune and feels their sorrow. Whether a person is foolish or smart, they will first avoid danger before seeking profit, and establish their goals before pursuing fame. In the past, Zhiguo recognized that Zhibo's militaristic ambitions were destined to fail, so he changed his name and escaped; Chen Ping knew that Xiang Yu was abandoned by the heavens, so he sought refuge with Liu Bang. These were all very wise individuals! I heard that you previously compromised your principles for power and bowed to Yancen, and now you have realized and want to cultivate your character. Your ancestors were all honest officials for generations; how could you possibly act worse than they did? You are now in Yin County, where many wise individuals reside. If you can take some time to study the various viewpoints and their similarities and differences, refer to historical records, and analyze the current situation, then the outcomes—success or failure, benefits or drawbacks—will be abundantly clear. Why would you want to place yourself in the predicament of rebellion and carry the stigma of betraying your country for personal gain? This is so contradictory to your behavior as a gentleman!
Those scholars talk a lot about benevolence, righteousness, and morality, but they are unable to tell reality from their delusions, making wild guesses about the current situation and misleading the public. Some say that the world is in chaos, not knowing who will ultimately prevail. Anyone could rise to power and grab territory. Others say that the wise king hasn't shown up yet and that one should sit back and watch, attaching oneself to powerful forces for self-preservation. Are these two views really right? The rulers of the Han Dynasty held Confucius' classics as their guiding principles, with profound truths hidden in the words, full of deep meaning. Furthermore, the virtue of fire carries on the rightful tradition of Yao and Shun; even if it seems obscured for now, it will eventually shine through. It builds on the legacy of past generations, holding countless signs of good fortune. Although Wang Mang usurped the throne of the Han Dynasty, he ultimately met a tragic fate, and his family was wiped out. Isn't that the best proof? Heaven favors the Han Dynasty because it's worried about the safety of its descendants! Those critics, if they can't see things from the perspective of divine will and sages, but instead mislead themselves and others with random books like "Shi Kuang Za Shi," writing articles that mislead the public, how can anyone take them seriously?
Those scholars also said: now the five stars are in disarray, the celestial phenomena are abnormal, the morning star has been in irregular motion for a long time, the Venus star is erratically appearing and disappearing, the Mars star is running abnormally, the Saturn star is revolving around the celestial street, and the Jupiter star is lingering in the lodges of Di and Fang. They believe that these celestial phenomena all predict the disasters of the country. Disasters do not occur randomly; they correspond to specific regions, each with its own significance. The Fang and Xin lodges are the boundaries of the Song kingdom, which is the East Sea; the Wei lodge is the boundary of the Yan kingdom, which is the Yuyang. Dong Xian from the East Sea is perplexed and refuses to yield; Peng Chong of Yuyang rebels, musters troops and grows increasingly defiant. Wang Mang, infuriated, dispatches troops to confront them, so the unusual behavior of the Venus star has confirmed this situation, and Dong Xian and Peng Chong are punished as a result. Since the end of the Xin dynasty, the trajectories of Venus and Mars have been erratic, and until now, they have been drifting between the Eastern Well and the Feather Forest, hovering between the fence and the screen, staying near the imperial palace, crossing the sky, shining brilliantly, disappearing for long stretches, then dimming, moving between the north and the south, sometimes shaped like a hook, sometimes moving slowly. These are all omens of significant upheaval in the world, and also the signs of the holy emperor rising in accordance with the mandate of heaven. Those treacherous scoundrels frequently shift blame onto one another, offer reckless explanations and spread rumors to mislead the public, resulting in countless errors. From these circumstances, how can celestial phenomena possibly follow normal patterns!
On the seventh day of May, a white arc appeared in the sky, extending from the north to the south, about ten zhang wide and tens of thousands of zhang long, appearing right above Liqiu. Liqiu is the capital city of Qinfeng. At that time, the moon was in the position of Bi Xiu. Bi Xiu is the net in the sky, symbolizing the capture of tyrannical rulers. Therefore, before King Wu attacked King Zhou, sacrifices were made to Bi Xiu to seek help from heaven. This day of the eighth Kui in early summer is also significant. Eight Kui is the celestial general who governs the opening of the universe, in charge of driving away evil and defending against external enemies. That day, a meteor appeared, shaped like Chiyou's flag. Some say it looked like a camp, others say it looked like a long spear in the sky, flying out of Kui Xiu towards the northwest, falling above Yanyaying, splitting into hundreds of small stars before disappearing. Kui Xiu represents poisonous snakes and arsenals. Both of these phenomena were witnessed by the soldiers of the county and Yanyaying. So Yanyaying went to Wudang Mountain, claiming to mobilize troops, but actually to avoid disaster. This year is the year of the Bi Gua, with the Kun Gua ruling the beginning of winter and the Kan Gua ruling the winter solstice. Water overcomes fire, and the southern army will suffer. Virtue is in the center, punishment is in wood, wood overcomes earth, punishment overcomes virtue, and the war this year is nearing its end, and peace will soon return to the world. Of the thirty-five families, only the Peng family, Qin family, and Yan family were unaffected. What’s going on? Why does it feel so strange? Do you really still believe in all this? As the poem "Ge Lei" states, "Seeking fortune does not return," perhaps it is like this! You are well aware of these prophecies, divinations, and various signs. The distinction between good and evil and the choices to stay or leave; you must think it through carefully! Do not ignore my words!
Duke Zhou was kind to Kang Shu because Kang Shu did not participate in the rebellion of Guan Shu and Cai Shu; Emperor Jing favored the King of Jibei because the King of Jibei did not participate in the rebellion of the Seven States of Wu and Chu. Since the time of Gengshi, the actions of those who betrayed the court and those who remained loyal are well-known. Can't you see it? No matter how skilled a doctor is, he or she cannot save someone whose life is destined to end, and no matter how strong a person is, they cannot fight against fate. What heaven intends to destroy, no one can prevent. You should quietly discuss surrender with Prefect Liu. Confucius and Mozi traveled far and wide, all for the people's sake! Tu Anjia slaughtered sheep to save Chu, not for glory or pay; Mao Jiaohuo burned down the Qin palace, not for any reward. They acted out of loyalty and love, feeling deeply aggrieved in their hearts!
I also wrote to Zhong Kuang, encouraging him to surrender; the letter contained a lot, but I won't go into details here. Later, Zhong Kuang surrendered together with Gong Sui.
Gong Sui, courtesy name Menggong, from Chang'an, was very good at debating, and the people of Fufeng, Man Yuan, and Ban Biao all valued him. In the end, he did not boast of his achievements but focused on studying the Dao and wrote articles like "Records of Admonition" that were passed down through the ages. He passed away peacefully at home at the age of seventy.
Yang Hou, courtesy name Zhonghuan, was from Xindu, Guanghan, Sichuan. His grandfather Yang Chunqing was skilled in divination and was once a general under Gongsun Shu. After the Han army subdued the Shu region, Yang Chunqing took his own life and, before he died, advised his son Yang Tong, saying, "I've kept our family's secret records in this cloth bag, meant to serve the Han dynasty. Make sure to study it carefully." Yang Tong remembered his father's words and, after the mourning period, left home to learn the ancestral teachings from Zhou Xun in Jianwei and studied the techniques of the Book of Heluo and astronomy from Zheng Boshan, a fellow villager.
In the Jianchu era, he became the magistrate of Pengcheng County. That year, there was a severe drought in the entire state. Yang Tong made calculations based on the principles of yin and yang that it would rain in Pengcheng County. Zong Zhan, the Prefect of Pengcheng, asked Yang Tong to request rain for the entire county, and rain indeed fell. From then on, whenever the court faced disasters, they frequently sought his counsel. Yang Tong also wrote two books titled "Family Law Chapters and Verses" and "Internal Prophecies" to elaborate on his teachings. He attained the rank of Guanglu Daifu and was also appointed as one of the Three Elders of the country. He passed away at the age of ninety.
Yang Tong had a son, Yang Hou. At first, the relationship between Yang Hou's mother and his father's former wife was strained. When Yang Hou was nine years old, he feigned illness and refused to eat or drink to encourage harmony between them. His mother grasped his intentions, became fearful, and altered her attitude, showing greater affection toward Yang Tong's former wife. Later, Yang Tong's former wife also became a Guanglu Daifu.
From a young age, Yang Hou diligently studied his father Yang Tong's teachings. In the third year of Yongchu, when the planet Jupiter aligned with the Dipper constellation, there was a flood in Luoyang. At that time, Yang Tong was serving at court, and Yang Hou accompanied him in the capital. The court inquired of Yang Tong regarding this matter, and he said, "I am old and my eyes and ears are not as sharp as they used to be. My son Yang Hou is an avid reader and likely has some insights." Empress Dowager Deng then sent an attendant to ask Yang Hou, who replied, "Many members of the royal family are currently in the capital; there could be unrest, and they should be returned to their respective fiefdoms." The Empress Dowager took his advice, and soon after, Jupiter disappeared and the flood receded as he had predicted. Yang Hou was subsequently appointed as a Lang. The Empress Dowager even arranged a special audience with him and posed some questions to him about divination, but Yang Hou's responses did not align with her expectations, so he was dismissed to return home. Afterwards, Yang Hou returned to Jianwei to continue his studies, declining the summons from state and county officials. He was principled, moral, and fair, and he disregarded the wealth and status of these high officials.
In the second year of the Yongjian era, the emperor specially summoned him and ordered the counties to prompt him to come to the capital. With no choice but to comply, he arrived in Chang'an and pretended to be ill, then told the emperor five things: the various disasters that had befallen the Han Dynasty over the past 350 years, the need to abolish the old Han system and implement new laws, as well as strategies for eliminating disasters and avoiding calamities. After reading his memorial, the emperor greatly appreciated it, sent a physician to provide him with medicine, and also rewarded him with wine and meat at the palace. He was appointed as a court adviser and later promoted three times, eventually becoming a palace attendant. The emperor even summoned him specifically to discuss state affairs.
Four years later, he wrote another memorial: "This summer is bound to be extremely cold, with diseases and locust plagues." That year, indeed, there was a major locust plague across six provinces, and an epidemic also broke out. Later, he continued to write: "There are indications of conflict on the northwest border, and precautions should be taken." The emperor was preparing to go on a tour to the west, but he reconsidered after hearing his advice. "This summer will be extremely cold, with the risk of diseases, locusts, and other calamities," "There are signs of military aggression in the northwest, and preparations should be made for border invaders." He truly struck the nail on the head with these two insights.
In the third year of the Yangjia era, the Western Qiang invaded Longyou. In the second year, Wuhuan surrounded General Geng Ye of Douliao. In the first year of Yonghe, he wrote a memorial stating, "There will be floods and fires in the capital, some of the three grand ministers of the court will be dismissed, and the barbarians will rebel." That summer, Luoyang did experience a great flood, resulting in over a thousand deaths; in winter, Chengfu Hall caught fire, and Grand Commandant Pang Can was dismissed; barbarians in Jingzhou and Jiaozhou killed local officials and besieged cities. "The capital will have floods, fires, and dismissals of the three grand ministers, and the barbarians will rebel," his predictions came true. He also said, "Those deceitful individuals, royal relatives, and the consorts' factions will all be punished." In the following year, Song Amu and the eunuch Bao Xinhou Li Yuan were removed from their positions for adultery; two years later, Palace Attendant Zhang Kui and others were executed for falsely accusing Grand General Liang Shang of overstepping his authority. Whenever disasters occurred, he always proposed solutions in his memorials, but the eunuchs in power never listened to him.
At that time, Grand General Liang Ji held significant power in the court, so he sent his brother, Palace Attendant Liang Buyi, with carriages, horses, and treasures to present to the official and arrange a meeting with him. However, the official disregarded him, claiming illness as an excuse to decline. The emperor agreed and rewarded him with carriages, horses, and money to send him home. He studied the philosophy of Huang-Lao, taught students, and had more than three thousand students registered. Grand Commandant Li Gu recommended him many times. In the first year of Benchu, Empress Dowager Liang summoned him in accordance with ancient customs, but he declined due to illness. In the third year of Jianhe, the Empress Dowager issued another decree summoning him, but he resisted for four years, refusing to go. He passed away at home at the age of eighty-two, and the court composed a special memorial in his honor. People in his hometown referred to him as "Father of Literature." His disciples built a temple for him, and the county's literary officials would hold sacrificial rites for him there every spring and autumn.
