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Written by: Realhistories

Category: Records of the Grand Historian (史記)

Published: 29 November 2024

Created: 29 November 2024

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Way back when, Emperor Zhuanxu put Nanzheng in charge of the heavens and Beizheng in charge of the earth. Then, under Tang, Yao, and Shun, the job stayed with Zhongli's descendants, right through the Xia and Shang dynasties. Therefore, the Zhongli family has been responsible for managing the affairs of heaven and earth for generations, followed by Cheng Boxiu. During the time of King Xuan of Zhou, the descendants of Zhongli lost this position and became the Sima clan. The Sima clan were the Zhou dynasty's official historians, generation after generation. Between King Hui of Zhou and King Xiang of Zhou, the Sima clan left the Zhou dynasty and went to the state of Jin. When the Jin army went over to Qin, so did the Sima clan, ending up in Shao Liang.

After the Sima clan left the Zhou dynasty for Jin, the family dispersed, with some in the state of Wei, some in the state of Zhao, and some in the state of Qin. In Wei, the Sima clan had a guy who was prime minister of Zhongshan. The Zhao Sima clan were known for their debating skills – Kuai Kui was one of them. In Qin, there was Sima Cuo, who had a famous debate with Zhang Yi. King Hui of Qin then sent him to conquer Shu, which he did, and stayed there as governor. Sima Cuo's grandson was named Sima Jin, who served under Lord Wu An Bai Qi. Shao Liang was later renamed Xia Yang. Sima Jin and Lord Wu An slaughtered the Zhao army at Changping. They got executed back home in Du You, and buried in Huachi.

Next came Sima Chang, who served as the iron official of the state of Qin during the reign of Qin Shi Huang. Kuai Kui's great-grandson, Sima Yang, was a general under Lord Wuxin, and attacked Chaoge. The other nobles made him King Yin. When the Han attacked Chu, Sima Yang switched sides and got Henei Commandery as his reward. His son, Sima Wuze, served as the magistrate of the Han dynasty. Sima Wuze's son, Sima Xi, rose to the rank of Wudafu, and after their deaths, they were buried at Gaomen. Finally, Sima Xi's son was named Sima Tan, who is my father, the Grand Historian.

My father, Sima Tan, studied astronomy in the capital of the Han Dynasty, learned the *Book of Changes* from Yang He, and studied Daoist theory from Huang Zi. During the reign of Emperor Han Wu, he served as an official but was frustrated by the scholars' lack of understanding and the prevailing confusion in their teachings. Therefore, he summarized the essentials of the six schools of thought and wrote:

As the *Book of Changes* says, "Although there are many different views in the world, ultimately they all lead to the same goal." The Yin-Yang school, Confucianism, Mohism, Legalism, and Daoism are all schools of thought trying to govern the world, but they differ in their methods; some are effective, while others are not.

In my observation, the Yin-Yang school's teachings are complicated and full of taboos, leaving one feeling stifled and anxious; however, their conclusions on the laws of the four seasons are absolutely indispensable.

Confucianism is profound but lacks essence, making it difficult to fully implement; however, their rules about the relationships between ruler and subject, father and son, and husband and wife are immutable.

Mohism advocates frugality, but it is hard to put their ideals into practice; however, their emphasis on strengthening the foundation and conserving resources must not be abandoned.

Legalism is strict and unfeeling; however, their regulations on the hierarchy between rulers and subjects cannot be altered.

The Logicians can make one overly focused on rhetoric, easily missing the point; however, their emphasis on the correspondence between name and reality must be carefully considered.

Daoism allows one to focus the mind and act naturally, meeting the needs of all things. It follows the laws of Yin and Yang, adopts the strengths of Confucianism and Mohism, absorbs the essence of Legalism and the Logicians, adapts to changing times, deals with various situations, establishes social norms, and handles all affairs. Its methods always worked; it's simple, effective, and gets the job done.

Confucians are a different story. They believe that the ruler sets the example for the whole country; the ruler leads, the subjects follow. As a result, the ruler is tired while the subjects are relaxed. They chase the Dao, but neglect strength and smarts, relying on clever tricks instead. Burning the candle at both ends will burn you out. If you're burned out, living forever is out of the question.

Yin Yang philosophy centers around the four seasons, the Eight Trigrams, the Twelve Degrees, and the Twenty-Four Solar Terms, all having corresponding rules and regulations. Follow the rules, you prosper; break them, and you'll likely fail, hence the constant anxiety. Spring brings growth, summer brings prosperity, autumn brings harvest, winter brings storage; this is the great law of nature. Ignore it, and you'll never amount to anything. You can't ignore the seasons.

Confucians adhere to the Six Classics as their standard. The Six Classics are a massive undertaking, taking generations to master. It's deep, but ultimately pointless; a lot of work for nothing. However, their rituals regarding the order of ruler and subject, father and son, husband and wife, and elders and juniors are such that even other schools of thought cannot change.

The Mohist School emphasizes the virtues of Yao and Shun, saying that their ideal lifestyle includes living in houses no higher than three feet, with only three steps leading up to them, roofs covered in thatch without trimming, and beams left unplaned. Meals are eaten in earthenware bowls, water is drunk from earthenware cups, and coarse grains and wild vegetables are common fare. In summer, they wear hemp clothing, and in winter, deer fur robes. After death, coffins are only three inches thick, and mourners do not wail excessively during funerals. The Mohists use these funeral customs as an example for everyone. If everyone followed these practices, there would be no distinctions of rank or status. However, times have changed, and practices naturally differ, hence the saying "it's hard to live that simply these days." In short, the emphasis is on hard work and saving money, so everyone has enough to eat and wear. This is the strength of the Mohist School, surpassing all other schools of thought.

The Legalist School treats everyone equally according to the law, disregarding family and social standing. This approach eliminates notions of family and hierarchy. While this method may solve immediate problems, it is not sustainable in the long run, hence the saying "it's too rigid and cold." However, if there's clear authority and everyone respects it, these principles cannot be changed by other schools of thought.

The School of Names focuses excessively on details, making it difficult for people to express their true thoughts. They focus only on literal meanings, neglecting human emotions and social intricacies, hence the saying "it stifles free expression." However, if they can achieve clear communication and organization, this aspect must be valued.

The Daoists talk about "wu wei" (non-action), yet this inaction is not inaction. In fact, it is very easy to achieve, but very difficult to understand when spoken. Their method is based on emptiness, working in accordance with nature. There are no fixed goals, no fixed forms, so they can understand the way things work. They do not precede all things, nor fall behind all things, so they can be in harmony with all things. Sometimes there are methods, sometimes there are no methods, adapting to the situation, sometimes with restraint, sometimes without. Therefore, it is said, "The wise person endures by adapting to change. Emptiness is the Dao's essence, and adaptation is the ruler's guide." The ministers collectively give advice, allowing each to clarify their own thoughts. "'端' (duān) means integrity, while '窾' (kuǐ) means hypocrisy." Not listening to "crooked" words, evil will not thrive, the wise and the mediocre will naturally be distinguished, and right and wrong will be clear. As long as you want to do something, there is nothing that cannot be accomplished. This is in line with the great Dao, unpredictable chaos. Achieving great success, yet remaining humble. When living, spirit is key; the body is the vehicle. Overworking mind and body leads to burnout and ultimately, death. The dead don't come back, and what's broken can't be fixed, so the sage attaches great importance to this. From this perspective, spirit is the foundation of life, and the body is the tool of life. Without first determining spirit and body, saying "I have a way to govern the world," how is that possible? Although the Imperial Historian is in charge of the Celestial Office, he does not govern the people. And his son? Sima Qian.

Sima Qian was very talented from a young age. By the age of ten, he could recite ancient texts. At twenty, he began traveling south, exploring the Yangtze and Huai River regions, climbing Mount Kuaiji, visiting the legendary cave of Yu the Great, and drifting down the Yuan and Xiang Rivers. He also journeyed north to the Wen and Si River basins, studying in the Qi and Lu regions, experiencing the legacy of Confucius, and practicing archery near Zou and Mount Yishan. During this time, he faced hardship and poverty in places like Poyang, Xue, and Pengcheng, before finally returning to his hometown after traversing the lands of Liang and Chu. Later, Sima Qian became a court official and was sent on a mission south of Ba and Shu. His journey took him as far as Qiong, Zuo, and Kunming, where he successfully completed his task and returned to report to the court. Sima Qian's early experiences greatly influenced his later work, shaping him into one of China's most renowned historians.

In this year, Emperor Wu of Han started a major program of enfeoffing princes. However, Sima Tan, the father of Sima Qian, was trapped in the Zhounan region and could not participate. He eventually died a sorrowful death. Sima Qian had returned to the capital on official business and saw his father's body in the Heluo region. Sima Tan held Sima Qian's hand and cried, saying, "Our Sima family has been the Grand Historian of the Zhou dynasty for generations, serving the court since the ancient times of Yu and Xia, in charge of the astronomical calendar. But as our family declined, will this heavy responsibility end with me? If you can take up my mantle as Grand Historian, then our family's glory can continue. The Emperor, inheriting a thousand years of imperial legacy, is undertaking the Fengshan sacrifice at Mount Tai, but I cannot participate; this is fate! After I die, you must become the Grand Historian and complete the historical book I wanted to write. Filial piety begins with serving parents, then serving the monarch, and ultimately achieving oneself. Let your name be passed down through the generations, shining brightly; this is the highest realm of filial piety. All people praise the Duke of Zhou because he can record the merits of King Wen and King Wu, promote the thoughts of King Wen, King Wu, and the Duke of Zhou, and trace back to Duke Liu, honoring Houji. After the reigns of Kings You and Li, the Mandate of Heaven was lost, and ritual and music fell into disarray. Confucius, by restoring ritual and music and compiling the Spring and Autumn Annals, set a standard for later scholars. Four hundred years had passed since Confucius received the Classic of Rites, and the incessant warring among the states had left a gap in the historical record. Now the Han Dynasty is rising, the world is unified, and many wise monarchs and loyal subjects have emerged. As the Grand Historian, I cannot record their deeds, which will lead to the loss of historical records in the world. I worry greatly about this; remember it well!" Sima Qian lay on the ground crying and said, "I am unworthy, but I will do my best to complete my father's unfinished career, faithfully record all the historical materials left by our ancestors, leaving nothing out."

Three years later, Sima Qian was appointed as the Imperial Historiographer, responsible for safeguarding the Historical Records and the ancient texts stored in the stone archives. Five years later, on the first day of the eleventh month of the first year of Taichu, at the winter solstice, Emperor Wu of Han changed the calendar, holding a grand sacrificial ceremony in the Mingtang, where all the gods were commemorated.

Sima Qian said, "My ancestors once said this: 'Five hundred years after the passing of Duke of Zhou, Confucius appeared. Five hundred years after the passing of Confucius until now, who will be able to inherit and promote Confucius' thoughts, correct the errors in the transmission of the Book of Changes (I Ching), continue the writing of the Spring and Autumn Annals, and promote the traditions of poetry, books, rites, and music?' That's exactly what it means! A junior like me couldn't possibly refuse!"

Sima Qian continued, saying that his ancestors' words were actually wondering whether, after Duke of Zhou and Confucius, five hundred years and another five hundred years later, there would be someone who could inherit and promote their thoughts and achievements. The question reflected his ancestors' hopes and anxieties for the future, and their reverence for the great thinkers of the past. Facing this question posed by his ancestors, Sima Qian did not back down but bravely took on the responsibility, ready to dedicate his life's energy to the study of history. Even as a junior, he felt compelled to undertake this great and challenging task.

Sima Qian was asked, "What was Confucius up to when he wrote the 'Spring and Autumn Annals'?" He replied, "I heard Dong Sheng say that during the Zhou Dynasty, the system of rites and music was in decline. Confucius served as a judge in the state of Lu, but the nobles ostracized him and the ministers obstructed him. Confucius knew that no one would listen to his words and that his proposals could not be implemented. Therefore, the 'Spring and Autumn Annals' covers a period of 242 years, and he used it as an example for the world, criticizing the emperor, condemning the nobles, and denouncing the ministers, ultimately aiming to restore proper governance." Confucius himself also said, "I think it is better to prove things through actions rather than just talking." The 'Spring and Autumn Annals' elucidate the governing ways of the emperors from the three dynasties, record various changes in human affairs, unravel mysteries, set the record straight, cut through confusion, praise good deeds, condemn evil deeds, promote the virtuous, denounce the unworthy, document the rise and fall of nations, preserve interrupted lineages, rectify faults, and revitalize neglected matters. These were all crucial aspects of good governance.

The *I Ching* explains the principles of yin and yang, the four seasons, and the five elements, so it's all about change; the *Book of Rites* lays down the rules of human relationships, so it’s good at practice; the *Classic of Documents* records the deeds of the ancient kings, so it’s good at governing the country; the *Book of Odes* is full of imagery of mountains, rivers, valleys, birds, animals, and plants, so it’s good at expressing emotions; the *Classic of Music* explains the use of music, so it’s good at harmony; the *Spring and Autumn Annals* shows you right from wrong, so it’s good at governing people. Therefore, it’s said that the *Book of Rites* regulates human behavior, the *Classic of Music* expresses harmonious feelings, the *Classic of Documents* records events, the *Book of Odes* expresses thoughts, the *I Ching* educates people, and the *Spring and Autumn Annals* clarifies righteousness. To put things right, there is nothing more appropriate than the *Spring and Autumn Annals*. The *Spring and Autumn Annals* consists of tens of thousands of words, showing the rise and fall of everything. It records the killings of thirty-six rulers, the destruction of fifty-two countries, and countless vassals fleeing and failing to protect their own states. The reason? They’d lost their fundamentals. Therefore, the *I Ching* says: "A difference of a hair will lead to a difference of a thousand miles." So, a subject killing his ruler, or a son his father – that doesn't happen overnight. It's a long time coming.

Therefore, when the ruler does not understand the *Chunqiu*, there will be bad actors spreading gossip without being noticed, and thieves causing chaos without realizing it. As a subject, one must also understand the *Chunqiu*, otherwise one will be inflexible and unable to adapt, and will not know how to respond to changes. Those who are rulers or fathers, if they do not grasp the principles of the *Chunqiu*, will definitely be labeled as the main culprits; those who are subjects or sons, if they do not understand these principles, will certainly be accused of treason or regicide, even facing death. In fact, when they commit these acts, they think they're right, but they don't understand the underlying principles; they just blindly believe in empty words and dare not refuse. If one does not understand the principles of propriety and righteousness, it will lead to rulers not acting like rulers, subjects not acting like subjects, fathers not acting like fathers, and sons not acting like sons. When rulers do not act like rulers, chaos will ensue; when subjects do not act like subjects, they will be executed; when fathers do not act like fathers, they will be immoral; when sons do not act like sons, they will be unfilial. These four behaviors are the gravest offenses in the world. They can only accept the blame for these serious crimes and dare not refuse. Therefore, the *Chunqiu* is the foundation of propriety and righteousness. Propriety prevents problems before they arise; laws punish those that already have.

Hu Sui pointed out, "At the time of Confucius, there were no wise rulers above and no opportunities for ambition below, so he wrote the *Chunqiu* to expound propriety and righteousness with subtle words, in line with the law of unifying the world. Now, Your Majesty is wise, you can work with peace of mind, everything is in place, everyone is in their place—what do you want to use to prove what you said?"

It's like Confucius wrote the *Chunqiu* to expound propriety and righteousness with subtle words in an era without wise rulers, hoping for peace throughout the world. And now, Your Majesty is wise, officials are doing their duties, and the world is peaceful—so, what's the point?

Sima Qian said, "No, no, it's not like that. The saying I heard from my ancestors is: Fu Xi was very virtuous and created the Eight Trigrams; the era of Yao and Shun was prosperous, recorded in the 'Book of Documents,' leading to a flourishing of ritual and music; the era of Tang and Wu thrived, and poets all praised it. The 'Spring and Autumn Annals' recorded the good aspects, criticized the bad aspects, inherited the morals of the three generations, and praised the Zhou dynasty—not just criticism and satire." Since the establishment of the Han dynasty, up to the current emperor, there have been many auspicious omens, the Fengshan ceremony has been held, the calendar has been changed, and new styles of clothing and headwear have been adopted, all in acceptance of the command of heaven. Blessings spread throughout the world, and numerous envoys from overseas have paid tribute. All officials and subjects are tirelessly praising the emperor's greatness, but still unable to fully express his achievements. "Failing to utilize talented individuals is a disgrace to those in power; the emperor is wise and virtuous, but his merits have not been widely publicized—this is the fault of officials. Furthermore, I once held the position of historian; if I do not record the emperor's greatness, do not document the deeds of meritorious families and talented individuals, then I would be gravely remiss in my duty to my ancestors! What I mean by 'telling stories' is to record and organize the historical record passed down through generations, not to create. If you compare me to Confucius writing the 'Spring and Autumn Annals,' then you are completely wrong." In short, the historian's duty is to record the Han dynasty's prosperity, the emperor's greatness, and the diligence of his officials. This is unlike Confucius, who wrote the 'Spring and Autumn Annals' out of disillusionment.

Then Sima Qian began to organize historical materials and chronologically compile his historical record. Seven years later, Sima Qian was imprisoned because of the Li Ling incident. He sighed and said, "This is my ruin! This is my ruin! My reputation is ruined; I can no longer serve the court!" He calmed down and thought carefully: "The hidden meanings in the classics are the author's expression of their aspirations. In the past, the imprisoned Xi Bo Hou penned the *Book of Changes*; Confucius, trapped in Chen Cai, wrote the *Spring and Autumn Annals*; Qu Yuan, in exile, composed the *Li Sao*; Zuo Qiuming, who lost his sight, authored the *Guoyu*; Sun Bin, crippled, wrote the *Art of War*; Lv Buwei, exiled to Shu, ensured that *Lv's Commentary* was passed down; Han Fei, imprisoned in the state of Qin, wrote *Difficulties of Speech* and *The Bitterness of Solitude*; the *Book of Songs* consists of three hundred poems, most of which were written by talented individuals to express their frustrations. These people all had pent-up emotions and could not achieve their ideals, so they recorded past events to warn future generations." Therefore, he finally completed his history, spanning from the Yellow Emperor to the mythical Linzhi beast, symbolizing the end of a dynasty. His life's work, therefore, served as both a testament to his ambition and a cautionary tale for posterity. Way back when, in the days of the Yellow Emperor, he governed the world according to the principles of heaven and earth. The four sages who came after also acted according to the rules, each with their own methods. Tang Yao abdicated in favor of Shun, and Yu Shun did not fight for power or profit. Their great achievements have been passed down to later generations. This is the first chapter of the *Biographies of the Five Emperors.* Next is the story of Great Yu; his water management achievements benefited all nine provinces, and his merits continued into the era of Tang Yao and Yu Shun, spreading blessings to future generations. But the reign of Xia Jie, marked by his decadent excesses, ultimately led to his downfall, and he was eventually driven to Mingtiao. Thus concludes the second chapter, the *Annals of Xia.*

Then came the Shang Dynasty, with Tang of Shang establishing the dynasty until Cheng Tang. Tai Jia spent time in self-reflection at the Tong Palace, and later his virtues flourished, with Wu Ding appointing Fu Shuo, who was honored as Gao Zong. But by the time of Di Xin, he indulged in excessive drinking and debauchery, and the other rulers no longer obeyed him. The third chapter of "Records of the Yin Dynasty" describes these events.

Next came the Zhou Dynasty, with Jixia rising, King Wen of Zhou having high moral character, and King Wu pacifying the world in the Battle of Muye. But with King You and King Li, they were tyrannical and led to the loss of Haojing for the Zhou Dynasty. Until King Nan of Zhou, Luo Yi fell into ruin, and the Zhou Dynasty declined completely. The fourth chapter of "Records of the Zhou Dynasty" details this.

The ancestor of the Qin Dynasty, Bo Yi, served under the great Yu in the past. Qin Mu Gong ruled justly, but unfortunately, after his death, Qin went through a turbulent period, even resorting to human sacrifice, as recorded in the poem "Yellow Bird." It was only under King Zhaoxiang that the Qin state began to rise. The fifth chapter of "Records of the Qin Dynasty" talks about these events.

After Qin Shi Huang unified the six states, he destroyed weapons, standardized weights and measures, declared himself emperor, and emphasized military strength. But his son Hu Hai was overthrown soon after. The sixth chapter of "Records of the First Emperor" covers this.

After the fall of the Qin Dynasty, chaos ensued, and heroes rebelled. Xiang Liang initiated the rebellion, and Xiang Yu succeeded him, killing the Qin general Zhang Han, saving the Zhao state, and gaining support from many feudal lords. Later, Xiang Yu killed the prince of Qin, betrayed King Huai of Chu, and he lost the Mandate of Heaven. The seventh chapter of "Records of Xiang Yu" tells this story.

Xiang Yu was too brutal, and Liu Bang, with his merits, rose up from Shu, pacified the Three Qins, killed Xiang Yu, unified the world, and implemented social reforms. The eighth chapter of "Records of Gaozu" describes this.

Emperor Hui of Han died early, and Empress Lu took power, showing favoritism towards the Lu clan, which made the vassals unhappy. Empress Lu also killed Lady Qi and her son, leading to suspicion among the court officials, and eventually the Lu clan faced retribution. The ninth chapter of "Records of Empress Lu" tells this story.

During the early Han Dynasty, there was a real mess with who got the throne next, but later Emperor Wen was enthroned, and things finally calmed down. Emperor Wen abolished corporal punishment, opened up the borders for trade, showed kindness to the people, and was therefore known as Emperor Taizong of Han. "Annals of Emperor Xiao Wen" Chapter Ten.

During the reign of Emperor Jing, the vassal states were getting above themselves and causing trouble, with the Kingdom of Wu being the first to rebel. The court sent troops to crush the Seven States' rebellion, and peace and prosperity were restored. "Annals of Emperor Xiao Jing" Chapter Eleven.

From the founding of the Han Dynasty by Emperor Gaozu to the Jianyuan era, five emperors reigned, defeating foreign invasions, improving the legal system internally, performing the Fengshan ceremony, a ritual showing Heaven's mandate, and changing the calendar and attire. For this reason, I wrote "Annals of the Present Emperor" as the first volume.

Regarding the three dynasties of Xia, Shang, and Zhou, it's all so long ago, it's hard to know what really happened, so I could only make educated guesses based on what little we know, thus I wrote "Genealogy of the Three Dynasties" as the second volume.

After King You and King Li of the Zhou Dynasty, the Zhou Dynasty declined, the vassal states held power, and lots of stuff from the Spring and Autumn period is lost to history. Based on historical records, we can see the rise and fall of the Five Hegemons. To show what happened when in the Zhou Dynasty, I wrote "Chronicle of the Twelve Vassal States" as the third volume.

After the Spring and Autumn period, powerful ministers were calling the shots, powerful vassal states fought each other, and finally the Qin state unified the country, wiping out the other states and taking over. For this reason, I wrote "Chronicle of the Six States" as the fourth volume.

The Qin Dynasty was brutal, leading to a rebellion by the Chu state, and Xiang Yu sparked further turmoil, but the Han Dynasty eventually pacified the realm. Over eight years, the country experienced three changes in rulers, with complex and ever-changing events. Therefore, I wrote it all down in detail in "Monthly Record of Qin and Chu" as the fifth volume.

From the establishment of the Han Dynasty to the Tai Chu era, during the hundred years, the vassal states were always merging and splitting, and the history books are a mess. Therefore, based on the clues of strength and weakness, I organized this history and wrote "Chronicle of the Vassal States Since the Rise of Han" as the sixth volume.

The achievements of Emperor Gaozu of Han were great, and his ministers also made significant contributions. He granted many titles to his meritorious subjects, passing down his blessings to future generations. However, some of these meritorious subjects perished for various reasons, leading to their ruin. Therefore, I have written "Chronicles of the Marquises and Dukes of Emperor Gaozu" as the seventh volume.

During the reigns of Emperor Hui and Emperor Jing of Han, I recorded the ranks and lands of those meritorious subjects and their descendants, compiling them into "Chronicles of the Marquises between Emperor Hui and Emperor Jing" as the eighth volume.

The Han Dynasty launched campaigns against the powerful Xiongnu in the north, pacified the fierce Yue tribes in the south, and also conquered other minority ethnic groups. These conquests are worth recording, so I have written "Chronicles of the Marquises since the Establishment of Jianyuan" as the ninth volume.

With the powerful vassals and the chaos of the Seven States' Rebellion, the imperial family had many descendants without titles and territories. In order to weaken the vassals, the policy of enfeoffment was implemented, gradually diminishing their power and consolidating the authority of the court. Therefore, I have written "Chronicles of the Princes and Marquises" as the tenth volume.

A country needs wise prime ministers and excellent generals who serve as role models for the people. Therefore, based on the famous generals and ministers since the founding of the Han Dynasty, I have recorded their merits and demerits, compiling them into "Chronicles of the Great Officials of the Han Dynasty" as the eleventh volume.

The ritual systems of the Xia, Shang, and Zhou dynasties have undergone changes over time, but the fundamental purpose is to reflect human nature and uphold the kingly ideal. Therefore, the ritual systems will be adjusted according to people's character and the changes of the times. I have summarized the changes in the ritual systems based on ancient and modern practices, writing "Book of Rites" as the twelfth volume.

Music is used to change customs and habits. Ever since the rise of Ya music and Song music, the music of Zheng and Wei has been popular. The popularity of Zheng and Wei music has a long history. When people feel detached from the world, they will long for simpler times. Based on the books of music theory, I have described ancient music systems and compiled them into "Book of Music," which is the second part.

A strong military makes a strong country; strong morals make a strong country. That's why the Yellow Emperor, Tang, and King Wu thrived, and why Jie, Zhou, and Qin's Second Emperor went down in flames. Shouldn't we be cautious? Military strategy's been around forever. Guys like Taigong, Sun Tzu, Wu Qi, and Wang Zi built on it, making it relevant to the times. I have written "The Book of Laws," which is the third chapter.

Laws handle the yin stuff and manage the yang stuff, and calendars do the opposite. Laws and calendars govern each other, time is pressing, and there is no room for slack. Those five different calendar systems? Only the Taichu calendar got it right. I have written "The Book of Calendars," which is the fourth chapter.

Most books on weather and stars are full of bogus fortune-telling; I checked them out and found they were way off. I have collected various theories, verified them based on the movement of celestial phenomena, and written "The Book of Celestial Officials," which is the fifth chapter.

The emperor's coronation ceremony—a rare event—brings out all the spirits. I traced the origin of the Enthronement Ceremony, described the rituals of worshipping gods and famous mountains and rivers, and wrote "The Book of Enthronement," which is the sixth chapter.

Yu cleaned up the rivers, which stabilized the Nine Provinces. Think flood control, dredging, the whole shebang. I have written "The Book of Rivers and Canals," which is the seventh chapter.

Money makes farming and business easier, but if you get too focused on fancy stuff and profits, you lose sight of the big picture. I have written "The Book of Equilibrium" to observe changes in the situation, which is the eighth chapter.

Tai Bo fled to the barbarian lands around the Jianghuai River to avoid the throne, leading to the rise of King Wen and King Wu, which was the achievement of Duke Danfu. King Helü killed Liao and conquered Chu; Fu Chai defeated the state of Qi, and Wu Zixu was executed by being sewn into a leather sack and thrown into the river; Bo Pi allied himself with Yue, and the state of Wu was eventually destroyed. I praise Tai Bo's humility and wrote "The Wu Family Story," which is the first chapter.

Shen Sheng and Lv Shang were both wronged; Jiang Shang (Tai Gong Wang) started off in a humble position, and eventually became a retainer of King Wen, becoming the teacher of King Wen and King Wu. His achievements surpassed all the ministers, but he was ousted during the reign of King You; he grew old and eventually passed away in Yingqiu. His loyalty to the Ke alliance ensured that Duke Huan of Qi flourished, holding nine hegemonic meetings and establishing a prominent hegemony. The Tian and Kan clans vied for power, leading to the destruction of the Jiang dynasty in Qi. I praise Tai Gong's strategy and wrote "The Story of Tai Gong Wang," which is the second chapter.

The Duke of Zhou assisted King Cheng, and all the vassals submitted to the Zhou dynasty. How did things go under Dukes Yin and Huan? The Three Huan clans fought for power, leading to the decline of the state of Lu. I praise the achievements of the Duke of Zhou and wrote "The Story of the Duke of Zhou," which is the third chapter.

King Wu defeated King Zhou of Shang, but soon after he died, and the world was not yet completely stable. King Cheng was still young, and Guan Shu and Cai Shu suspected him, while the Huaiyi region also rose up in rebellion. At this time, the Duke of Shao stabilized the royal family and pacified the rebellion in the east with his virtue. King Kui of Yan gave up the throne to his son, but it resulted in chaos. This reminded me of that poem about the Gan Tang tree, so I wrote "The Yan Family Story"—that's chapter four.

Guan Shu and Cai Shu helped Wu Geng, wanting to revive the old Shang Dynasty; when Cheng Wang assumed power, these two uncles were excluded from the sacrifices. They killed the nobles of the Shang Dynasty, and Zhou Gong called a council for this. Da Ren had ten sons, and this strengthened the Zhou Dynasty. Guan Shu and Cai Shu later regretted it. I wrote the fifth chapter of *The Lineage of Guan and Cai* to narrate this.

The lineage continued through generations, and Shun and Yu are good examples; as long as there are virtues, the country can prosper, and the descendants can also flourish. Those honored with sacrifices include the Zhou, Chen, and Qi kingdoms; the Chu kingdom eventually perished. But after the Tian clan seized power in Qi, what became of Emperor Shun's descendants? I wrote the sixth chapter of *The Lineage of Chen and Qi*.

The Zhou Dynasty integrated the remaining population of the Yin and Shang Dynasties, and Shu Yu was enfeoffed in the Tang region, establishing the ancestor of the Jin Kingdom. The Shen Kingdom was destroyed for participating in the rebellion against the Shang Dynasty, and wine vessels bear record of this event. After the establishment of the Wei Kingdom, it experienced constant turmoil. Nan Zi of the Wei Kingdom harbored animosity toward Kuai Kui, leading the father and son to change their names. The national strength of the Zhou Dynasty weakened, and during the Warring States period, the vassal states became strong. The Wei Kingdom, weakened by its small size and limited resources, was eventually destroyed. Reading the *Kang Gao* deeply moved me, so I wrote the seventh chapter of *The Wei Family*.

Alas, Ji Zi! Ji Zi! Your outspokenness went unheeded, and you were reduced to slavery. After Wu Geng died, the Zhou Dynasty enfeoffed Wei Zi in Song. Duke Xiang of Song died in battle at the Battle of Hongshui; what did the gentlemen think of him? Duke Jing of Song was humble and virtuous, and his virtue was such that even Venus seemed to move backward. Song Ti Cheng's tyranny and injustice led to the Song Kingdom's demise. I read the story of Wei Zi asking the Grand Preceptor and wrote the eighth chapter of *The Song Family*.

After King Wu died, Shu Yu was granted the Tang lands and established the state of Jin. Critics faulted his choice of name, ultimately leading to the assassination of Duke Wu. Li Ji's machinations caused chaos in the state of Jin for five generations; during his exile, Chong Er endured hardships and eventually achieved hegemony. The six powerful ministers of Jin held power, leading to the decline of the state. Inspired by the story of Duke Wen's jade cup, I wrote the ninth chapter of "The History of Jin."

Chong Li began this role, which was then inherited by Wu Hui; during the late Yin and Shang dynasties, Zhou Zi managed this position. During the Zhou dynasty, Xiong Yi was appointed, and Xiong Qu inherited his role. The wise King Zhuang of Chu restored Chen; he pardoned Zheng's ruler, returned victorious, and Hua Yuan distinguished himself. King Huai of Chu's death in exile led to the deaths of Jufan and Qu Yuan in Lanling; King Huai of Chu was a sucker for flattery and readily believed slander, ultimately leading to the destruction of Chu by the state of Qin. After reading about King Zhuang of Chu's righteous deeds, I wrote the tenth chapter of "The History of Chu."

Shao Kang's son, exiled to the South Sea, lived among turtles and eels, tattooed and shorn. He protected the dykes and performed sacrifices to Dayu. Goujian was trapped, so he relied on Fan Li and Wen Zhong. I admire Goujian, the barbarian king who, through self-cultivation, destroyed Wu and upheld Zhou's authority, so I wrote the chapter on "King Goujian of Yue" as the eleventh chapter.

Next is the history of the state of Zheng. Duke Huan fought in the east, and the Grand Historian was incompetent. When they invaded Zhou territory, the court ministers were in discussion. Jie Zhong sought to unite the vassals, but Zheng remained stagnant. Zichan was very righteous, praised by later generations for his wisdom. Later, the Three Jin attacked, forcing Zheng to seek refuge with Han. The author admired Duke Li of Zheng for accepting King Hui's help, so I wrote "The History of Zheng" as the twelfth chapter.

The Zhao state, descended from a long line of skilled charioteers, inherited the family business, served King Wen, and showed deference to King Zhou, eventually becoming a minister of the Jin state. Later, when Jin Xiangzi was wronged, he apprehended Zhibo. Bound and imprisoned, Zhibo ultimately starved to death. King Jin took it out on those treacherous officials, and the good generals were all pushed aside. Shang Yang's success in quelling the rebellion of the Zhou Dynasty impressed the author, who wrote "The Zhao Family," placing it thirteenth.

The ancestors of the Wei state were Bi Wan, made marquis of Wei, as predicted by the diviners. Later, they killed Duke Ganhou in Jiangdi, which pacified the Rongdi. Marquis Wen was a man of justice, and Zixia was his teacher. King Hui was a proud and arrogant man, leading to attacks from the states of Qi and Qin. He later grew distrustful of Lord Xinling, causing the vassals to withdraw their troops. Eventually, Wei lost Daliang, and the king had to seek help from others. The author admired Marquis Wu of Wei for assisting Duke Wen of Jin in dominating, so he wrote "The Wei Family," placing it fourteenth.

Han Jue was renowned for his virtue, while Zhao Wu prospered. They stepped into the void left by the defunct royal family, supported the deposed monarch, and were respected by the people of Jin. Duke Zhao was once illustrious, and Shenzi was his teacher. Later, because he was overly suspicious and distrustful of others, they were attacked by the state of Qin. The author admired Han Jue for assisting Jin and supporting the Zhou monarch, so he wrote "The Han Family," placing it fifteenth.

The founder of the Tian clan, Wanzi, fled to Qi seeking refuge from disaster, secretly building their power base for five generations, and was praised by the people of Qi. After Chengzi took power, Tian He was appointed as a marquis. King Qi became suspicious and moved them to Gongdi. The author admired the Tian clan's Lords Wei and Xuan. Their ability to maintain dominance over the Zhou Dynasty during a period of upheaval particularly impressed him, so he wrote "The Tian Jingzhong Family," placing it sixteenth.

After the decline of the Zhou Dynasty, the warlords did their own thing. Confucius, seeing the decay of rituals and music, was very sorrowful and thus devoted himself to trying to bring order back to the chaos. His writings and speeches established rituals and regulations for the world, passing down the norms of the six arts to future generations. Therefore, "Confucius's Story" was written and placed seventeenth.

The Xia, Shang, Zhou, and Qin dynasties all came to an end. Why? Because they screwed themselves over! Xia Jie and Shang Zhou Wang didn't play by the rules, which led to King Tang and King Wu overthrowing them. The Zhou Dynasty also went astray, resulting in the chaotic era of the Spring and Autumn Period and the Warring States Period. The Qin Dynasty, in particular, botched their politics, leading to Chen Sheng and Wu Guang rising up in rebellion, with various feudal lords rebelling one after another, like a wildfire that caused a total wipeout of the Qin Dynasty. In the end, Chen Sheng's uprising was the beginning of the great chaos in the world. "Chen Sheng's Story" covers all this, as the eighteenth chapter.

Chenggao Terrace was originally built by the Bo family. Later, as the Bo family declined, the Dou family rose to power and made Chenggao Terrace even more magnificent. Li Ji gained favor, and the Wang family also prospered. Empress Chen was too arrogant, and as a result, she helped her son ascend to the position of crown prince. Ah, these powerful families all have their own calculations! The nineteenth chapter, "The Powerful Families' Story," covers all this.

The Han Dynasty outsmarted Chu's Xiang Liang. The Chu State, underestimating the Han and rushing in headfirst, appointed his brother as the King of Chu and established the capital in Pengcheng, hoping to enhance the power of the Huai River and Si River basins, but instead became a vassal of the Han Dynasty. King Wu of Chu was a party animal, but fortunately, his son Liu Jia succeeded to the throne, preventing the complete downfall of the Chu State. The twentieth chapter, "King Yuan of Chu's Story," covers all this.

Liu Jia and his brothers initially followed Liu Bang to build the empire, but later faced a series of setbacks that caused them to lose Jingzhou and Wudi. Liu Jia then became king of Langye, and after that, he went to the state of Qi and never came back. Eventually, he went to Guanzhong and was appointed as the King of Yan by Emperor Wen of Han. While the country was still unstable, Liu Jia and his family members became vassals of the Han Dynasty. The 21st chapter of "The Families of Jing and Yan" tells their story. In short, Liu Jia's life was a whirlwind of political maneuvering and shifting allegiances.

During the peaceful times, the relatives of the Han Dynasty dwindled significantly. King Hui was a real powerhouse in his youth, guarding the east. Unfortunately, his son, King Ai, was a real handful and angered the overbearing Lü clan, who made life miserable in the capital. As a result, King Ai lived a life of debauchery and was ultimately killed by the Lü clan. The 22nd chapter of "The Family of King Dao Hui of Qi" tells this story. In summary, the downfall of King Ai was a tragic consequence of his excesses and the Lü clan's dominance.

The Chu army besieged Xingyang for a full three years! Xiao He pacified the people in Shanxi, transported grain, and ensured sufficient supplies at the front line, keeping the people loyal to the Han and away from the Chu. The 23rd chapter of "The Family of Xiao, Marquis of Wen" recounts Xiao He's achievements. In essence, Xiao He's efforts were crucial in maintaining support for the Han during a critical period.

Cao Shen succeeded Xiao He as Prime Minister, continuing his policies with little change and keeping the people happy and secure. He achieved amazing things but never bragged about himself. The 24th chapter of "The Family of Cao, Marquis of Wen" tells his story. In short, Cao Shen's humility and effectiveness solidified the Han's stability.

Zhang Liang was truly a brilliant strategist! He called the shots from afar, never one for the limelight, but managed to resolve difficult matters and turn small tasks into great accomplishments. The 25th chapter of "The Family of Marquis of Liu" is about him. In summary, Zhang Liang's strategic mind was vital for the Han's success.

The Han Dynasty employed six ingenious strategies, and all the feudal lords submitted. Chen Ping pacified the chaos caused by the Lü clan, saving the Han Dynasty. The 26th chapter of "The Family of Prime Minister Chen" describes his achievements. In conclusion, Chen Ping's actions were instrumental in safeguarding the Han's legacy.

First, the Zhu family wanted to weaken the power of the capital city and plotted mischief, but Zhou Bo successfully counterattacked them with his wisdom and influence. The armies of Wu and Chu, with Zhou Yafu stationed in Changyi, employed strategies to restrain the two states of Qi and Zhao, and then entrusted the management of Liang to others. This is the content of the 27th section of "The House of Jiang Marquis."

Next, the seven states rebelled, the capital was surrounded on all sides, and only Liang resisted foreign enemies. Although King Xiaowang of Liang prided himself on his reputation and was very proud, he nearly brought disaster upon himself. However, because he successfully resisted the Wu and Chu coalition forces, Sima Qian wrote the 28th section of "The Biography of King Xiaowang of Liang" to describe him.

Then, the five princes of the Han Dynasty had harmonious relations with each other, and the princes were each in their own positions, with few instances of overstepping among them. This is the content of the 29th section of "Biographies of the Five Imperial Clans."

After that, Sima Qian wrote the 30th section of "The Three Kings' Biographies," which records the civil and military achievements of these three princes and is masterfully written.

Then, Sima Qian wrote the first section of "The Biography of Boyi," telling the story of Boyi and Shuqi, who starved to death rather than eat the food of the Zhou Dynasty to uphold justice during a time of upheaval; their actions moved people throughout the world.

Next is the second section of "The Biography of Guan Yan," comparing and contrasting Yanzi and Yiwu. Yanzi lived a simple life, while Yiwu was extravagant and indulged in pleasure; Duke Huan of Qi dominated, while Duke Jing of Qi took the governance of the country as his own responsibility.

Next is the third section of "The Biography of Laozi and Han Fei," which explains that Laozi advocated governing through non-interference and maintaining peace and quiet, while Han Fei advocated handling affairs according to actual circumstances and following legal principles.

Next is the fourth section of "The Biography of Sima Rangju," which explains that kings have always attached importance to military systems, and Sima Rangju was able to implement these systems effectively.

Finally, the fifth section of "The Biography of Sunzi and Wu Qi" mentions that without sincerity, integrity, benevolence, and courage, one cannot lead troops into battle. It discusses military strategy in accordance with the Dao, emphasizing the importance of internal self-cultivation and external adaptability; they are worthy role models.

Next is "Biography of Wu Zixu," the sixth chapter, which tells the story of Wu Yuan being framed by a corrupt minister, implicating his father. Later, Wu Yuan avenged his father and then fled to the state of Wu.

Next is "Biographies of Confucius' Disciples," the seventh chapter, which describes how Confucius' students carried on his legacy, spread Confucian thought, and became generations of teachers promoting kindness and justice.

Following that is "Biography of Lord Shang," the eighth chapter, which narrates how Shang Yang left the state of Wei for the state of Qin, implemented reforms, and made King Xiao of Qin powerful, with future generations following his laws.

Next is "Biography of Su Qin," the ninth chapter, which tells how all the states feared the strength of Qin, but Su Qin was able to unite six states to resist Qin's aggression, curbing Qin's ambition.

Then comes "Biography of Zhang Yi," the tenth chapter, which describes how, despite the six states uniting, Zhang Yi used his silver tongue to break up the alliance.

Following is "Biography of Chuli and Gan Mao," the eleventh chapter, which explains how Qin conquered its eastern neighbors and defeated rival states due to the strategies of Chuli and Gan Mao.

Lastly, "Biography of Rang Hou," the twelfth chapter, describes Wei Ran's accomplishments, who conquered cities, surrounded Daliang, forcing the rival states to submit to Qin.

Firstly, he wrote "Biographies of Bai Qi and Wang Jian," detailing Bai Qi's southern and northern campaigns, including the Battle of Changping, the siege of Handan, and the annihilation of Chu and Zhao, all due to Wang Jian's strategic planning.

Next, this chapter focuses on Mengzi and Xunzi, who collected and organized Confucian and Mohist texts, explaining the rules and systems of proper conduct, criticizing King Hui's shortsightedness, and summarizing the rise and fall of dynasties.

Then, "Biography of Lord Mengchang" tells of how Lord Mengchang was known for his hospitality, attracting many talented people, with many scholars flocking to him while defending Qi from Chu and Wei.

Next is "The Biographies of Lord Pingyuan and Yu Qing," which records how Lord Pingyuan used his relationship with Feng Ting to help him revive and regain the recognition of the vassals, similar to how the Chu State saved Handan in the past. Following that is "Biography of the Prince of Wei," which mentions that only Lord Xinling prioritized helping the poor over his own wealth and ensured that competent people were respected, even by those less deserving. "Biography of Lord Chunshen" tells the story of Lord Chunshen Huang Xie, who sacrificed himself for the ruler and ultimately outmaneuvered the powerful Qin State, causing scholars who traveled to various countries to seek refuge in the Chu State, demonstrating Huang Xie's loyalty and righteousness. "Biography of Fan Sui and Cai Ze" records the stories of Fan Sui and Cai Ze, who endured insults from the Wei and Qi States but commanded respect in front of the powerful Qin State, promoting capable individuals and humbly accepting their positions. "Biography of Yue Yi" narrates the story of Yue Yi, who avenged the weak Yan State against the strong Qin State by uniting the armies of five countries, erasing the stain on his predecessor's honor. "Biography of Lian Po and Lin Xiangru" describes Lian Po and Lin Xiangru, who firmly believed in the strength of the Qin State but showed deference to those of integrity, serving their ruler wholeheartedly and earning the respect of the vassals. "Biography of Tian Dan" records the story of Tian Dan, who defeated the marauders, specifically the Qin army under the command of the Qin general Qi Jie, with the army of Jimo and saved the state of Qi after King Min of Qi fled to Judi after losing Linzi. "Biography of Lu Zhonglian and Zou Yang" tells the stories of Lu Zhonglian and Zou Yang, who skillfully used strategies to resolve crises and expressed their ambitions, unconcerned with titles and honors. "Biography of Qu Yuan and Jia Yi" narrates the stories of Qu Yuan and Jia Yi, who offered criticism and advice through their writing, supporting their arguments with examples, similar to Qu Yuan's "Li Sao." "Biography of Lv Buwei" tells the story of Lv Buwei, who contacted Chu State and attracted scholars from other states to serve Qin.

"Records of Assassins" recounts Cao Mo's assassination of Qi's Duke Huan, Lu regaining its land, and Qi keeping its promises; Yu Rang was utterly loyal.

Next, "The Biography of Li Si" states that Li Si was able to understand the intentions of the King of Qin, worked with the King of Qin, seizing opportunities as they arose, and ultimately unified the country, which can be said to be the peak of his strategies.

First, Meng Tian expanded Qin's territory, defeated the Xiongnu in the north, and established Yuzhong Commandery, using the Yellow River and mountains for defense. All of this is recorded in the 28th section of "The Biography of Meng Tian."

Next, we have the story of Zhang Er and Chen Yu, who secured Changshan Pass, expanded the territory of the Henan area, weakened the power of Chu, and bolstered the Han King's prestige nationwide. The 29th section of "The Biography of Zhang Er and Chen Yu" details these events.

Then there are Wei Bao and Peng Yue, who raised armies in Xihe and Shangdang and together attacked Pengcheng; Peng Yue also constantly raided Liang to deplete Xiang Yu's forces. The 30th section of "The Biography of Wei Bao and Peng Yue" covers this.

Initially, Ying Bu was the King of Huainan, but later he betrayed the Chu state and surrendered to the Han dynasty, allowing the Han to gain the Grand Marshal Ying Bu and ultimately defeat Xiang Yu at Gaixia. The 31st section of "The Biography of Ying Bu" provides a detailed description of this.

The Chu army approached Chang'an, the Han capital, but Han Xin conquered Wei and Zhao in the north, stabilized Yan and Qi, leaving the Han in control of two-thirds of the country and eventually defeating Xiang Yu. All of this is covered in the 32nd section of "The Marquis of Huaiyin."

The Chu and Han armies faced off between Gong County and Luoyang, with Han Xin responsible for filling in the roads of Yingchuan and Lu Wan cutting off Xiang Yu's food supply. The 33rd section of "The Biography of Han Xin and Lu Wan" records these battles.

Lots of lords deserted Xiang Yu, and only Qi and Xiang Yu's general Cheng Yang fought against the Han army together, giving the Han army the opening they needed to take Pengcheng. The 34th section of "The Biography of Tian Dan" records this history.

In sieges and battles, Fan Kui and Xiahou Ying both made significant contributions. They not only fought bravely on the front lines but also helped Liu Bang resolve crises multiple times. Their heroic deeds are recounted in chapter 35 of "Biographies of Fan Kui and Xiahou Ying."

The Han Dynasty had just been established, and various systems were not yet perfect. Zhang Cang was in charge of finance, rectifying the system of weights and measures, and establishing laws and calendars. The 36th chapter of "Biography of Prime Minister Zhang" records his contributions.

Li Shiqi and Lu Jia were skilled at cultivating relationships with and pacifying the vassal states, bringing them into the Han Dynasty's sphere of influence. The 37th chapter of "Biography of Li Sheng and Lu Jia" details their diplomatic achievements.

For a detailed understanding of the Qin-Chu War, one can refer to the biographies of Zhou Bo and Guan Ying. They followed Liu Bang, participating in the wars to subdue the rebellious states. The 38th chapter of "Biography of Fu Jin and Kua Cheng" contains some records of this.

Liu Jing and Shusun Tong suggested relocating powerful tribes to the Guanzhong region and negotiating with the Xiongnu; they also established rules and regulations for court etiquette and ancestral sacrifices. The 39th chapter of "Biography of Liu Jing and Shusun Tong" describes these events.

Ji Bu and Luan Bu both experienced a transformation from toughness to compliance, eventually becoming court officials; Luan Bu was particularly loyal and unwavering, unafraid of power until death. The 40th chapter of "Biography of Ji Bu and Luan Bu" narrates their stories.

Yuan Ang and Chao Cuo dared to speak frankly and offer advice, regardless of personal safety, providing invaluable counsel for the country and leaving behind enduring achievements. The 41st chapter of "Biography of Yuan Ang and Chao Cuo" records their deeds.

As for Zhang Shu, he was a really good guy—honest, filial, not much of a talker, but quick and efficient, always giving his all. That's what the 43rd chapter of "Biography of Zhang Shu of Wanshi" says.

Tian Shu, a man of integrity and loyalty, inspires talented individuals through his righteous actions. Despite his significant responsibilities and power, he never abuses his authority, as detailed in Chapter 44 of "Biography of Uncle Tian."

Bian Que, a legendary figure in the medical field, established treatment methods that later generations of doctors followed. Few have been able to surpass him, though Cang Gong's medical skills are considered close to Bian Que's. This is recounted in Chapter 45 of "Biography of Bian Que and Cang Gong."

Wu Wang Bi, during the early years of the Han Dynasty, governed the Jianghuai region (in modern-day Anhui and Jiangsu provinces) and launched a rebellion. This is discussed in Chapter 46 of "Biography of Wu Wang Bi."

During the rebellion in the Wu Chu region, Generals Wei Qi and Wu An were popular with the people. Talented individuals were eager to follow them, and they led the army to resist the rebels, fighting all the way to Xingyang. This is recorded in Chapter 47 of "Biography of Wei Qi and Wu An."

Han Changru, a man of great wisdom and adaptability, effectively handled various situations of his time. He was generous and skilled at employing people, as evaluated in Chapter 48 of "Biography of Han Changru."

General Li was a brave and effective commander, caring for his troops and issuing clear, concise orders, earning their deep loyalty. His deeds are detailed in Chapter 49 of "Biography of General Li."

Since the Xia, Shang, and Zhou dynasties, the Xiongnu have been a perpetual threat to China. To understand the strength of the Xiongnu, one must be prepared and ready to march against them at any time, as stated in Chapter 50 of "Biography of the Xiongnu."

General Wei constructed fortifications on the northern border, expanded the Henan region, broke through the Qilian Mountains, opened up the road to the Western Regions, and completely crushed the northern Xiongnu. His achievements are recorded in Chapter 51 of "Biography of General Wei and his Cavalry."

Many ministers and members of the royal family lived lives of luxury, while only the Pingjin Marquis lived frugally and unostentatiously, setting an example for all officials. You can read about this in chapter 52 of "Biographies of the Pingjin Marquis."

After the Han Dynasty pacified the Central Plains, Zhao Tuo gathered forces from the southern regions such as the Yang and Yue regions to defend the southern border and offer tribute to the court. Chapter 53 of "Biographies of Nanyue" details this.

During the rebellion of Wu, the people of Oudi (a region in southern China) killed King Bi of Wu, then defended Fengyu (a city in the region) and continued to be subjects of the Han Dynasty. Chapter 54 of "Biographies of Dongyue" covers this.

Yan Dan recruited refugees in the Liaodong area, gathered forces to defend the eastern coastal border, and became a vassal of the Han Dynasty. Chapter 55 of "Biographies of Joseon" details this.

Tang Meng was sent to the southwestern Yi, and the rulers of Night Lang (or Yelang), Qiongdu, and Zedou all requested to become subjects of the Han Dynasty. Chapter 56 of "Biographies of the Southwest Yi" covers this.

The "Zixu Fu" written by Sima Xiangru is lavishly written and ornate, but the intention of the article is to advise and advocate for laissez-faire governance. Chapter 57 of "Biographies of Sima Xiangru" discusses this.

During the rebellion of King Qing Bu, the Han Dynasty sent the King of Huainan to suppress the rebellion, pacifying the region south of the Yangtze and calming the people of Chu. Chapter 58 of "Biographies of Huainan and Hengshan" details this.

Those officials who are dedicated to the people and acted according to the law never boast about their achievements and abilities. The common people have nothing to criticize about them. Chapter 59 is my "Biographies of Xunli."

Next, I wrote the 60th chapter of "Biographies of Jizheng." Those important officials standing in the court, the ministers dare not engage in idle chatter in front of them. Ji An is such a person, proud and fond of recommending talents, praised by everyone as a senior, a true elder statesman.

Let's talk about "Biographies of Confucian Scholars" Chapter 61. Since the death of Confucius, no one in the capital paid much attention to school education for a long time, except during the Jianyuan and Yuanshou periods, when a literary revival occurred and the writing was exquisite.

Next is "Biographies of Harsh Officials" Chapter 62. The common people like to exploit loopholes in the law; good people cannot influence them, and only strict measures can control them.

"Biographies of the Western Regions" Chapter 63 talks about the barbarians from the remote areas of the Western Regions looking towards the Central Plains after the Han Dynasty established diplomatic relations with them.

"Biographies of the Gallant Knights" Chapter 64 is about those knights-errant who help others in danger and assist those in need; this is the manifestation of benevolence and righteousness. They keep their promises and never go back on their word; this is about trustworthiness.

"Biographies of the Sycophants" Chapter 65 talks about those who brown-nose the emperor. They observe and please the emperor to gain his favor; it's not just about flattery—they each have their own skills.

"Biographies of the Witty" Chapter 66 is about those who don't go along with the crowd and don't seek fame or profit. They avoid compromising with the world, so no one harms them; this is the result of following the right path.

Next is "Biographies of the Soothsayers" Chapter 67, where Qi, Chu, Qin, and Zhao each had their own divination methods. I want to see the general content of these divination methods.

"Biographies of Tortoise Shell Divination" Chapter 68 describes the ancient methods of divination. The three kings used different methods of tortoise shell divination, and the methods used by the barbarians were also different, but they all used these methods to judge good and bad fortune. I took a quick look at the main points of these methods.

Lastly, "Biographies of Businessmen" Chapter 69 talks about the commoners who stayed out of politics and did not disrupt social order. They work diligently and accumulate wealth; these are all wisdom worth learning.

Our family, descended from the Five Emperors, has inherited a family tradition broken for three generations. The Zhou Dynasty declined, and the Qin Dynasty abolished the ancient written language, burning poetry and classics, which scattered the precious texts (ancient imperial archives) like Ming Tang, Stone Chamber, Golden Coffer, and Jade Tablet in chaos. Later, when the Han Dynasty was established, Xiao He codified the laws, Han Xin the military code, Zhang Cang the regulations, and Shusun Tong the rites, which gradually revived literature and the circulation of poetry and books. From Cao Can's promotion of Gai Gong and the Huang-Lao philosophy to Jia Yi and Chao Cuo explaining the thoughts of Shen Shang, and Gongsun Hong rising to prominence through Confucianism, Sima Qian collected virtually all the surviving historical writings and allusions of the time. Both Sima Qian and his father continued this work. He said, "Oh! I remember my ancestors once managed this matter, from the time of Tang Yao Shun to the Zhou Dynasty, they all held this official position, so the Sima family has been in charge of astronomy and calendar generation after generation. As for me, what a responsibility it was!"

He collected lost bits of history, starting from the rise of the dynasty, tracing events from their origins, observing their rise and fall, making educated guesses about the Xia, Shang, and Zhou dynasties, recording the Qin and Han dynasties, from the Yellow Emperor to the present, writing twelve chapters. Due to different eras and unclear time gaps, he also wrote ten tables. He examined the ups and downs of rituals and music, changes in the calendar, military power, mountains and rivers, ghosts and gods, and the relationship between heaven and man, inheriting the shortcomings of his predecessors and connecting changes, writing eight books. He wrote thirty family histories, likening loyal ministers to the spokes of a wheel, constantly serving the emperor. He profiled seventy exemplary figures who served their country with distinction. The resulting work, *Records of the Grand Historian*, comprised 130 chapters and 52,650 characters. The brief preface aims to fill in gaps and present a coherent view. It synthesizes the Six Classics and diverse interpretations, clarifying conflicting accounts. He deposited the original in a mountain retreat and kept copies in the capital for future scholars to discover.

Sima Qian concludes: "From the Yellow Emperor to the Tai Chu era, I have compiled 130 chapters."

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Written by: Realhistories

Category: Records of the Grand Historian (史記)

Published: 29 November 2024

Created: 29 November 2024

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Laozi said: "The best governance is when nearby communities can see each other, and the sounds of roosters crowing and dogs barking can be heard, the common people are satisfied with their food, like their clothes, content with their customs, happy with their occupations, and live out their lives in peaceful isolation." We must aim for this to correct the practices in society that confuse the people; otherwise, it will be almost impossible to achieve.

Sima Qian said: We do not know what happened before the time of Shennong. As for what is recorded in poetry and books since the time of Yu and Xia, people have been pursuing the pleasures of the senses, always on the lookout for the next delicious bite, seeking comfort and pleasure for the body, and chasing the glory brought by power and fame for the mind. This materialistic mindset has been ingrained in people for generations; even the best arguments will ultimately not change this. Therefore, the best approach is to go with the flow; next, try guiding them; then, teach and advise; after that, clean up the social mess; and the worst thing you can do is fight them.

The Shanxi region is rich in timber, bamboo, grains, hemp cloth, oxtail hair, and jade; the Shandong region is abundant in fish, salt, lacquer, silk, and all sorts of entertainment; the Jiangnan region produces nanmu, zizi, ginger, cinnamon, gold, tin, forsythia, cinnabar, rhinoceros horn, tortoiseshell, pearls, agate, ivory, and leather; the area north of Longmen and Jieshi is rich in horses, cattle, sheep, fur, tendons, and horns; copper and iron mines are often visible within a thousand miles. These are things Chinese people love and need to live. Therefore, farmers are responsible for cultivating crops, and hunters and fishermen for catching food, craftsmen for making tools, and merchants for trading goods. Does this really need any special political training? Everyone should use their talents and strengths to obtain what they desire. Therefore, cheap things become expensive, and expensive things become cheap. Everyone works hard in their profession, happily doing their own thing; it all happens naturally, like water flowing downhill, continuously, without the need for urging, and without forcing the common people to produce. Isn't this in line with the laws of nature and a reflection of natural phenomena?

The book says: "If farmers do not go out to cultivate, there will be a shortage of food; if craftsmen do not work, there will be a lack of goods; if merchants do not go out to do business, the essentials—food, wealth, and weapons—will be cut off; if hunters do not go out to hunt, wealth will decrease." If wealth decreases, the mountains, forests, and swamps will be left to rot. These four things are what people need to live. With abundant resources, the country and the people will be prosperous; with scarce resources, the country and the people will be poor. Rich and poor isn't about stealing; smart people get rich, dumb people don't.

So Jiang Taigong was sealed in Yingqiu. The land there had poor soil, and the population was sparse. Therefore, Jiang Taigong encouraged women to develop handicraft industries, strive for excellence, and expand the fishing and salt industries. As a result, goods poured in, making it a bustling hub. The people of Qi were the best-dressed in the land, and people from the Hai Dai region flocked to Qi to pay homage. Later, the state of Qi weakened. Guan Zhong reformed the government, overseeing the collection of taxes and establishing nine government offices. As a result, Duke Huan of Qi held nine meetings of the feudal lords, bringing order to the land. Although Guan Zhong was just a courtier, he owned three fiefdoms, and his wealth surpassed that of many feudal lords. Therefore, the state of Qi remained prosperous until the reigns of King Wei and King Xuan.

Thus, it is said: "When the granaries are full, good manners emerge; when clothing and food are sufficient, honor and disgrace are recognized." Good times breed good manners; hard times breed bad ones. When a nobleman is wealthy, he is happy to practice his own morality; when a villain is wealthy, he only cares about satisfying his desires. Deep waters attract fish, deep mountains attract animals, and when people are wealthy, benevolence and righteousness follow. Wealth and power bring prestige. Lose them, and you're vulnerable, unhappy, and at the mercy of even the barbarians. It is said, "A wealthy man's son doesn't die in the streets." This is not an empty saying. Therefore, it is said, "Everyone scrambles for wealth; everyone chases after gain." Even the feudal lords with a thousand chariots, the ministers with ten thousand households, and the rich with a hundred houses still worry about poverty, let alone the ordinary people!

In the past, King Goujian of Yue was totally wiped out by the Wu Kingdom in Kuaiji, and he took Fan Li and Ji Ran's advice. Ji Ran said, "To win a war, you gotta be ready and use your resources smart. Get that right, and you'll understand how goods work. Some years are good for crops, some are bad, and some are downright awful. You gotta adapt. In years of the gold element, there will be a good harvest; in years of the water element, a poor harvest; in years of the wood element, famine; and in years of the fire element, drought. During droughts, use boats more, and during floods, use carts more. This is the market's rhythm. After six years of good harvests, there will be six years of poor harvests, and every twelve years, a major famine will strike. If food prices get twenty times higher, farmers are screwed; ninety times higher, and the merchants are toast. No money moving, no crops growing. Keep prices between thirty and eighty times the normal price, and everyone makes money, the market's happy, and the country's good. The secret to getting rich is in improving goods, not hoarding currency. Trade goods, don't hoard food that goes bad, and don't try to jack up the prices. Based on the surplus and shortage of goods, you can figure out the price levels. When prices are high, sell it all! When they're low, snap it up! Keep the money flowing!" Following Ji Ran's methods for ten years, the country got strong, and he rewarded his soldiers handsomely. The soldiers fought like demons, ultimately avenging the humiliation of Kuaiji and even flaunting their strength in the Central Plains region, becoming one of the Five Hegemons.

After Fan Li avenged the humiliation of Kuaiji, he sighed and said, "Jiran's strategy had seven points, and the Yue Kingdom succeeded by using five of them. Since they have already been applied to national governance, I also want to use them at home." So he disappeared to the rivers and lakes on a small boat, changed his name and identity, first went to the Qi Kingdom and became Chi Yizi Pi (a name that signifies his new identity), and later went to the Tao region and became Zhu Gong (which means "Lord Zhu"). Zhu Gong believed that Tao was at the center of the world, with convenient transportation and was the hub of trade. So he engaged in business, played it smart and didn't push his luck. Therefore, those who are good at management can choose the right talent and seize the opportunity. Over nineteen years, he amassed a fortune three times over and twice shared it with needy friends and family. That's what we call being rich and giving back! Later in life, he listened to the advice of his descendants, who inherited and expanded the family business, ultimately accumulating a huge fortune. So when people mention wealthy individuals, they will call him Tao Zhu Gong.

After Zigang studied with Confucius, he returned to the Wei Kingdom to serve as an official. Later, he resigned from his official position and engaged in business, becoming wealthy by trading between the Cao and Lu Kingdoms. Among Confucius's seventy-two disciples, he was the richest. Yuan Xian was content with simple fare and lived in a modest alley; Zilu rode around in a fancy carriage, bringing lavish silk gifts to visit the princes. Wherever he went, the rulers of those countries treated him as an equal. It was Zi Gong's clever moves that made Confucius a household name. See? Connections are everything!

Bai Gui was a guy from the Zhou Dynasty. During the reign of Wei Wenhao, Li Ke always worked hard in farming, but Bai Gui was a whiz at reading the market. He'd buy low and sell high – the classic strategy. For example, during a good harvest, he would purchase grain and exchange it for silk and lacquerware. After the silkworm cocoons were harvested, he would buy silk and cotton fluff and trade them for grain. A morning moon meant a bumper crop next year, followed by a lean one. A noon moon brought drought, but the following year would yield a good harvest. An afternoon moon indicated a good harvest next year, followed by a poor one. A midnight moon signaled severe drought, but the next year would bring plenty of grain and abundant water resources. When the moon was in the Mao position, the accumulated wealth would double every year. To make a killing, he'd buy cheap grain; to grow his grain stores, he'd plant the best seeds. He lived simply, kept his wants in check, wore plain clothes, and shared the tough times with his staff, pouncing on opportunities like a hawk. Therefore, he said, "I run my business like Yi Yin and Lü Bu planned their campaigns, I fight the market like Sun Tzu and Wu Qi commanded their armies, and I govern my affairs like Shang Yang laid down the law. So, those lacking in intelligence to adapt to changes, courage to make decisions, compassion to make choices, and ability to maintain success, even if they want to learn my methods, I will not tell them." Bai Gui became a legend, the OG of business success. His success wasn't luck; it was the result of countless experiments and learning from his mistakes.

Yi Dun became rich by selling salt, while Guo Zong from Handan made his fortune by smelting iron. Their wealth was comparable to those of princes and kings. Wu Shiluo started out as a herder, but as his livestock increased, he sold some and used the profits to buy fine silks to present as tribute to the King of Rong. The King rewarded him tenfold and gifted him more livestock, so much so that his livestock had to be counted in bushels. Emperor Qin Shi Huang enfeoffed him as a prince and had him pay their respects alongside other ministers. As for Ba Widow Qing, her ancestors discovered cinnabar mines, and she has managed the mining business for generations, amassing great wealth. Despite being a widow, she protected her wealth and herself, remaining untouched. Emperor Qin Shi Huang deemed her a virtuous woman and treated her as an honored guest, even constructing Widow Qing's Terrace for her. Wu Shiluo was just an ordinary herder, and Ba Widow Qing was a widow from a remote mountain area, yet they were treated with imperial courtesy and gained fame, a testament to the power of wealth.

After the establishment of the Han Dynasty, the nation was unified, trade routes and bridges were opened, and restrictions on mountains and swamps were lifted. This led to wealthy merchants spreading across the land, with goods being plentiful and readily available. Consequently, powerful families, princes, and heroes were relocated to the capital.

The Guanzhong region, stretching from the Qian River and Yongzhou in the east to the Yellow River and Mount Hua, is fertile land, renowned for its rich soil since antiquity. From the times of Emperor Shun and Yu the Great, the grains from this region have been offered as tribute to the court. Duke Liu settled in Bindi, King Tai and King Ji developed Qishan, King Wen founded Fengyi, and King Wu established Haojing; thus, the people of Guanzhong have preserved their ancestors' traditions, favoring agriculture and cultivating various grains and crops in the fertile land. It truly is a land of prosperity.

Under Qin Wengong, Qin Degong, and Qin Miaogong, they moved the capital to Yongzhou, trading the resources of Longxi and Shu, and earning a large amount of wealth. Qin Xiangong then moved the capital to Liyi, which could ward off Rongdi raids from the north and was connected to the Sanjin region in the east, thus boosting trade. Qin Xiaogong and Qin Zhaoxiang Wang moved the capital to Xianyang, where the Han Dynasty later established its capital as well. Chang'an, with its surrounding imperial tombs, drew merchants from far and wide. But Guanzhong, though small, had a large population, so the common people were skilled in various handicrafts.

To the south of Guanzhong is the Bashu region. Bashu is also fertile, producing various resources such as brew starter, ginger, cinnabar, stone, copper, iron, bamboo, and wood. Bashu's southern border was constantly threatened by the Dian Kingdom and the Bo people, while the west is near Qiongdu and Zuodu, which produce fine horses and cattle. Although the Bashu region is surrounded by mountains and has inconvenient transportation, extensive plank roads connect various areas, making it well-connected. Only the Baoshe Road, a crucial link between Bashu and Guanzhong, radiated outwards like the spokes of a wheel, facilitating trade in surplus goods for those in short supply.

The customs and habits of Tianshui, Longxi, Beidi, and Shangjun are similar to those of the Guanzhong region, but with Qiang specialties in the west and the livestock of the Rongdi people in the north, pastoralism flourished, making it one of the richest regions in the country. However, these areas are rugged, with only the main routes to the capital being well-maintained. Therefore, although Guanzhong only accounts for one-third of the country and its population is only one-tenth of the country's total, yet it controlled the lion's share of the nation's wealth.

So, back in the day, during the Tang Dynasty, the capital was in Hedong, the Yin Dynasty was in Henan, and the Zhou Dynasty was also in Henan. These three river regions, right in the heartland of China, were as stable as the three legs of a tripod. Emperors throughout history loved building their capitals there, and each dynasty lasted several hundred years. The territory might not have been large, but the population was significant, making it a gathering place for nobles. Life was simple, and people were hard workers.

Yangdi, Pingyang, and Chendi bordered Qin and Zhai to the west and Zhao and Dai to the north. Zhao and Dai were on the northern fringes and often faced invasions from nomadic tribes. The folks there were rough around the edges, always showing off, and loved to gang up on each other. But being close to the nomadic tribes meant they often got a little something extra when the army shipped supplies through. The local people were a mixed bag, known for their toughness since the Jin Dynasty, and it only got worse under King Wuling – they were practically Zhao 2.0.

Wen and Zhi counties bordered Shangdang to the west and Zhao and Zhongshan to the north. Zhongshan was cramped and overcrowded, still clinging to the wild ways of King Zhou. The people there were impatient, always chasing after wealth. The men were always up to something – singing loud, fighting louder, and when they weren't doing either, they were robbing graves or melting down gold. Women played the zither, wore flashy shoes, and tried to charm the wealthy and powerful. Some ended up in the harem, while others roamed from one feudal state to another.

Handan, a large city situated between the Zhang River, connects the Yan State and Zhuo County to the north, and the Zheng State and Wei State to the south. Zheng and Wei, while similar to Zhao in customs, showed more restraint and formality due to their proximity to Liang and Lu. The Pu Shang people, resettled in Ye Wang, were also known for their aggressiveness, factionalism, and self-interest.

Yan, another large city between the Bo Sea and Jie Shi, connects the Qi State and Zhao State to the south, and borders the Hu people to the northeast. The vast expanse from Shanggu to Liaodong, sparsely populated and frequently raided by the Hu, had customs resembling those of Zhao and Dai, but the people were simpler and less concerned. The region boasted abundant fish, salt, dates, and chestnuts. Luoyang bordered Qi and Lu to the east, and Liang and Chu to the south.

Qi, vast and resource-rich, with fertile land for mulberry and hemp, nestled between mountains and sea, was known for its intelligent and skilled people, producing abundant textiles, fish, and salt. Life in Linzi was relaxed; its people were cheerful, open-minded, shrewd, and fond of debate, enjoying a strong, stable society. However, while individuals were brave, a fear of large-scale conflict led to a higher incidence of robbery – a common problem in large states. Qi was a land of contrasts, home to all sorts of people.

Zou and Lu, situated near the Zhu and Si rivers, preserved much of the Zhou Dynasty's traditions. The people were largely Confucian, emphasizing etiquette and appearing rather reserved. While they cultivated mulberry and hemp, resources were scarcer. Their small land and large population fostered a frugal lifestyle, a respect for the law, and a strong aversion to wrongdoing. Yet, in their later decline, their pursuit of profit in commerce outstripped even that of the Zhou.

From the east of the Honggou River, north of Mangdang Mountain, all the way to Juye Marsh, that is the territory of the Liang and Song states. Taoqiu and Suiyang are also major cities. Back in the day, Emperor Yao farmed in Chengyang, Emperor Shun fished in Leize, and King Tang built his capital in Bodi. They still held onto the values of the old kings; folks were honest, hardworking farmers, and gentlemen were plentiful. Despite lacking rich resources, they were hardworking and thrifty, building up their wealth.

The Yue and Chu states were more complicated, falling into three categories. North of the Huai River, in Peixian, Chenxian, Runan, and Nanjun, lay the Western Chu region. Folks there were hot-headed, the land was poor, and they didn't accumulate much wealth. Jiangling, the old capital of Ying, bordered Wudi and Badi to the west, and the resource-rich Yunmeng Marsh to the east. Chen State is located at the border of Chu and Xia, with a developed fish and salt trade, and many common people engaged in commerce. People in Xuzhou, Tongxian, and Qulu County were rough, arrogant, and not to be trusted.

East of Pengcheng, in Donghai, Wu, and Guangling counties, lay Eastern Chu. The customs were much like those in Xuzhou and Tongxian. North of Xu and Zeng counties, the customs were similar to those in Qi. As for Wu, after Heliu, Chunshen Jun, and Wang Bi attracted top talent from all over the world, there were abundant sea salt resources to the east, copper mines in Zhangshan, and a well-developed waterway system in the Sanjiang Wuhu region, making it a major city in Jiangdong.

So, places like Hengshan, Jiujiang, Jiangnan, Yuzhang, and Changsha—all part of Nanchu—had customs much like Xichu. After the capital of Chu, Yingdu, moved to Shouchun, Shouchun also became a big city. Hefei, located at a key north-south junction, is a gathering place for leather, seafood, and timber. It also has a mix of people from the Min and Yue regions, so people from Nanchu are smooth talkers, but not always the most reliable. The Jiangnan region is humid, and life expectancy for men was shorter, but bamboo and wood resources are abundant. Yuzhang produces gold, Changsha produces lead and tin, but although these resources are plentiful, mining them was hard work. From Jiuyi Mountain and Cangwu Mountain in the south to Dan'er, the customs were much the same as in Jiangnan, only with more bayberry trees. Panyu was a major trading hub, drawing in pearls, gems, rhino horn, tortoiseshell, fruits, and fabrics from all over.

Yingchuan and Nanyang are territories of the Xia people. The Xia people were known for their honesty and simple ways, holding onto their old traditions. The people of Yingchuan are especially kind and honest. At the end of the Qin Dynasty, the Qin moved all the troublemakers to Nanyang. Nanyang is connected to Wuguan and Yunguan in the west and is close to Hanshui, the Yangtze River, and the Huai River in the southeast. Wancheng is also a big city with complex customs; they loved a good time and had many merchants. They were a lively bunch and were fiercely loyal, maintaining close interactions with the people of Yingchuan, so they are still known as "Xia people" to this day.

In general, resources and lifestyles vary widely across the country. People in Shandong eat sea salt, people in Shanxi eat well salt, and some places in Lingnan and northern Shaanxi also produce salt. So, you see, life and resources varied widely across the land.

In conclusion, the Chu and Yue regions are sprawling but sparsely populated. People mainly eat rice and fish soup; in some areas, they practice slash-and-burn agriculture, use water for irrigation, and supplement their diet with fruits, shellfish, and snails, without the need for buying or selling. The land is fertile and food is abundant, so there is little worry about famine. Therefore, people live relatively comfortably, with little accumulated wealth and widespread poverty. South of the Yangtze River, there are no reports of people freezing or starving to death, but there are also not many extremely wealthy families. North of the Yi (沂) and Si (泗) Rivers, it is suitable for growing crops, mulberry trees, and hemp, as well as raising livestock. With less land and more people, they often suffer from floods and droughts. Common people like to save money, so those from the states of Qin (秦), Xia (夏), Liang (梁), and Lu (鲁) are diligent in farming and value the well-being of the populace. The same goes for the regions of Sanhe (三河), Wan (宛), and Chen (陈), along with those involved in commerce. People from Qi (齐) and Zhao (赵) are relatively clever and tend to cut corners; those from Yan (燕) and Dai (代) make a living from farming and silk farming. Look, those wise men advising the court, officials discussing political affairs in the court, and recluses upholding integrity while living in seclusion in the mountains—what are they ultimately pursuing? Ultimately, it is wealth and fortune! Therefore, those upright officials, the longer they serve, the wealthier they become; those honest merchants eventually also become prosperous. The desire for wealth and prosperity is innate; it's a fundamental human drive, requiring no learning.

Those warriors on the battlefield, always the first to charge during a siege, killing enemies, capturing flags, braving arrows, stones, and fire, not fearing difficulties and obstacles—it's all for the loot! Those young people in the streets and alleys, robbing, looting, grave robbing, and flashin' the cash, seeking revenge through friends, oppressing the weak, disregarding the constraints of the law, risking their lives—they're after the money! Look at those beautiful women of Zhao and the singers of Zheng, dressed up attractively, playing the strings, raising their long sleeves, wearing exquisite shoes, seducing men with their eyes and gestures, going the distance, any age—it's all for the good life! Those idle young gentlemen, dressing brightly, showing off their grandeur—it's all for the finer things! Those hunters, regardless of day or night, braving frost and snow, roaming between valleys, not fearing attacks from fierce beasts—they're after delicious food! Those into gambling, horse racing, cockfighting—they're all about the winnings, right? Those doctors, chefs, and craftsmen, busting their humps, striving for excellence—they're in it for the generous rewards! Those officials, bending the rules, faking documents, and not giving a damn about the consequences—it's all for taking bribes! Farmers, craftsmen, businessmen, those who raise livestock—don't they all just want to get rich? Bottom line? Everyone's chasing the money, and nobody's gonna turn down a buck.

As the saying goes, "You can't make a living selling firewood a hundred miles from home, and you can't make a living selling grain a thousand miles from home." This means that in business, penny-pinching doesn't pay. Think about it: if you live in one place for a year, you can grow some crops; if you stay for ten years, you can plant some trees; and if you remain for a hundred years, that's when you can accumulate a good reputation. This reputation refers to a person's virtue and status. Nowadays, some people can live a prosperous and happy life without the income from official salaries and titles; this is called living off their own means. Living off their own means means relying on rent and taxes—two hundred taxes per household adds up to a tidy sum—two hundred thousand from a thousand households—enough for worshipping the emperor, attending banquets, going out for leisure, and so on. Ordinary people, including farmers, craftsmen, and merchants, can also earn tens of thousands a year, with interest of two thousand, and those with a million in assets can also earn two hundred thousand a year, but various corvées and taxes need to be deducted. They could live high on the hog—eat, drink, and be merry! That's why some people raise two hundred horses, over a thousand cattle, sheep, pigs, tens of thousands of fish, and countless trees. Anyi was known for its jujubes, Yan and Qin for chestnuts, Shu, Hanzhong, and Jiangling for oranges, while vast quantities of lacquer, mulberry, bamboo, and other produce were grown throughout the land. These folks were as rich as Croesus.

It all depends on a wealthy family, not needing to go to the market to make a living, living comfortably without needing to work, yet having no worries about food and clothing. But if the family is poor, the parents are old, the wife and children are weak and sickly, and there is not even money for sacrifices and gifts throughout the year, then food and clothing become a problem. If you're still shameless in that situation, that's a different matter entirely. Therefore, if you have no money, work hard; if you have little money, use your brain; if you have a lot of money, seize the opportunity to develop well. That's the key to getting rich. These days, you don't have to risk your life to make a living. Talented people should strive to get rich. Therefore, it is best to get rich by inheriting the family business, followed by working hard on your own, and the worst is getting rich through improper means. It's pretty embarrassing for talented people to be poor and still go on about morality all day.

As for ordinary people, ten families, one will look down on you; a hundred families, one will fear you; a thousand families, one will command you; and ten thousand families, one will make you a servant. This is a very normal phenomenon. If you want to get rich, farming is not as good as working, working is not as good as doing business, and embroidering and weaving cannot compare to setting up a stall at the market entrance to make money. These are small businesses, perfect for someone starting out with little money.

Imagine those big cities – shifting thousands of jars of wine, pickled vegetables, and soy sauce, countless hides (cattle, sheep, and pig), thousands of bushels of grain, carts overflowing with firewood, long boats, trees, tens of thousands of bamboo poles, hundreds of luxurious carriages, and thousands of carts. There are also thousands of pieces of lacquerware, tons of copperware, wood, iron, dyes, cloth, and horseshoes, along with countless cattle and sheep, servants, and various minerals and dyes in the thousands of pounds. Fabrics, bed sheets, and leather are measured in the thousands of pounds, while lacquer and seasonings are counted in the thousands. Fish, seafood, dried fruits, and fur come in the thousands of pounds and pieces, and various vegetables are measured in the thousands of bushels. Borrowed money amounts to thousands of guan. During festivals and gatherings, greedy merchants can earn three times their investment, while cautious merchants can make five times. It's the same story for the mega-rich. Forget the small stuff – nine out of ten fail, so I'm not even looking at them. Now, let's talk about how smart people make their fortunes – lessons for all of us.

The Zhuo family in the Shu region, originally from the Zhao kingdom, made their fortune through iron smelting. After the Qin kingdom destroyed the Zhao kingdom, the Zhuo family was forced to relocate. During their journey, the Zhuo couple had all their belongings stolen, leaving only the two of them to push a cart and trudge to where they were supposed to go. Other displaced people who had some money bribed officials to find a nearby place to settle, and eventually all ended up in Jiāméng (a town in modern-day Sichuan). Only the Zhuo couple said, "This place is too small and poor. I heard that at the foot of Wenshan, the land is fertile, there's good hunting, and the people like to do business at the market." So they chose to move to a more distant place. They arrived in Linqiong and were very happy. They immediately built a smelting factory on Tie Mountain, carefully planned their operation, bringing in workers from across Dian and Shu, and eventually became wealthy, with over a thousand servants, fields, ponds, hunting, and leisure activities, living like kings.

Cheng Zheng, a person displaced from Shandong, also engaged in iron smelting and the hair ornament business, reaching a level of wealth comparable to the Zhuo family, and they all lived in Linqiong.

The Kong family, originally from the Liang kingdom, made their fortune through trading iron goods. Later, when the Qin kingdom attacked the Wei kingdom, the Kong family moved to Nanyang. They threw money at it, built large furnaces, dug ponds, traveled with caravans, and made money through trade, even receiving support and appreciation from some wealthy young nobles. They earned so much money, more than ordinary people, yet remained frugal, accumulating a fortune of several thousand gold. The Nanyang business community looked up to the Kong family's lavish lifestyle.

The people of Lu kingdom were already frugal, and the Cao and Beng families were even more formidable, also making their fortune through trading iron goods, amassing wealth exceeding ten thousand gold. From ancestors to descendants, they were incredibly thrifty, picking up anything they could find, even things that fell from the sky, lending money at high interest, and engaging in trade across various regions. The success of the Cao and Beng families inspired many in Zoulu to abandon their studies for the pursuit of wealth.

The people of the Qi state look down on slaves, but the Daojian family really valued their slaves. Those tricky slaves, who were a pain in the neck for everyone else, were welcomed with open arms by the Daojians. They put them to work fishing, making salt, and running businesses—anything to make a buck. Some even ran their own caravans and hobnobbed with local officials. The Daojians trusted them more and more, and the slaves worked their butts off, building the family fortune into the tens of millions. So the saying goes, "Better to lose your title than your Daojians," meaning they knew how to get their slaves to work for them and make them rich.

Zhou people were famously frugal, and the Shis even more so. They had hundreds of carts, peddling their wares all over, making money hand over fist. Luoyang sat right in the middle of Qi, Qin, Chu, and Zhao. The poor folks copied the rich, always trying to outdo each other in terms of business experience. They'd drive right past a town multiple times rather than stop, their eyes only on the bottom line. The Shi family was like this, eventually accumulating a wealth of seventy million.

The Ren family of Xuanqu—their ancestors were granary managers. When the Qin Dynasty went belly up, everyone scrambled for gold and silver, but the Rens just piled up grain. During the Chu-Han war around Xingyang, nobody could farm, so rice prices shot up to 10,000 coins a stone. And guess what? All that gold and silver ended up in the Rens' hands, making them rich beyond their wildest dreams. While everyone else was snapping up cheap stuff, the Rens only bought the best, even if it cost more. They prospered for several generations. The Rens had strict rules: no farm income, no fancy clothes or food. And if the family head didn't finish his work, no fancy dinners for him! He led by example, becoming a local legend, and even the court respected them despite their wealth.

So, there was this guy named Qiaoyao out in the sticks beyond the Great Wall who somehow got his hands on over a thousand horses. He had twice as many cows as horses and ended up with ten thousand sheep. He had tons of grain—like, tens of thousands of bushels! Now that's what I call skills! When the Seven Kingdoms of Wu and Chu started a war, the big shots in Chang'an City all followed the army to battle, unable to borrow any money because they thought the situation in the east was uncertain, and no one dared to lend money easily. Only the Wuyan family just shelled out a cool thousand gold pieces at an interest rate of only ten percent. What was the result? Wu and Chu were settled in three months, and by the end of the year, the interest for the Wuyan family went through the roof, making them as wealthy as the fat cats in the Guanzhong region!

The wealthy merchants in Guanzhong, most of whom were surnamed Tian—like Tian Se and Tian Lan—as well as the Wei family, Li family, and Anling Du family, were all loaded. These examples of getting rich were all quite unique. They didn’t rely on titles, shady deals, or crooked ways to make their fortune, but instead worked their butts off, grabbed every chance they got, and were smart with their money. They knew when to fight, when to scheme, and when to adapt, which is why they were successful. Loads of people got rich doing honest work—farming, ranching, crafts, hunting, trading—some even richer than whole counties!

Look, hard work's the key to getting rich, but those who truly become wealthy often have a special something about them. For example, Qin Yang got rich by farming in a province; although tomb raiding is not exactly respectable, Tian Shu made his fortune from it; gambling is looked down on, but Huan Fa made a killing from it; back then, business wasn't considered a man's game, but Yong Le Cheng became loaded from it; selling pork fat is a humble job, yet Yong Bo earned a fortune from it; selling soy milk is a small business, but Zhang Shi made millions of dollars from it; sharpening knives seemed like a pretty small deal, yet Zhi Shi lived a prosperous life from it; selling dried meat may seem unremarkable, but Zhuo Shi made a killing; veterinary work wasn't exactly high-tech, yet Zhang Li became filthy rich from it. These examples all show that with dedication, success is possible.

Therefore, there's no magic formula for getting rich, and wealth won't always belong to the same person forever. Some people are just naturally good at making money, while others… well, they’re not. The super-rich were just as powerful as county magistrates, and the richest families lived like kings. Forget poverty; these guys were rolling in it!

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Written by: Realhistories

Category: Records of the Grand Historian (史記)

Published: 29 November 2024

Created: 29 November 2024

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Sima Qian said: From ancient times to the present, those wise kings who established countries, accepted the mandate of heaven, and carried out great undertakings never did so without relying on divination for guidance. Needless to say, before Tang Yao and Yu Shun, this was also the case. With the auspicious omens at Mount Tu, Xia Qi established the Xia Dynasty; flying swallow divination yielded favorable results, leading to the prosperity of the Yin and Shang; and when the divination of the hundred valleys was auspicious, the royal family of the Zhou Dynasty was able to continue. Those kings, when faced with difficult decisions, would refer to the results of augury, using yarrow stalks and turtle shells, which is an eternal truth.

The Di, Qiang, and other barbarian tribes, lacking a formal system of ranks such as monarchs and ministers, also had their own methods of divination to solve difficult problems. Some used metal and stone for augury, while others used plants; different countries had different customs. Nonetheless, they all employed divination to guide wars, attacks, troop deployments, and to strive for victory, believing in their own deities to predict the future.

I heard that in the Xia and Yin dynasties, those who divined would throw away the yarrow stalks and turtle shells after use, feeling that the turtle shells would lose their efficacy if kept for a long time, and the yarrow stalks would also become ineffective if used for too long. By the Zhou Dynasty, however, the diviners treasured the yarrow stalks and turtle shells; they meticulously observed the size and order of the yarrow stalks and shells to ensure accuracy in the results.

Some people believe that wise kings never hesitate in dealing with matters and are never unclear in solving difficulties. They established methods of divination and asking the gods to cope with the decline in later generations. At that time, people were ignorant, not learning wisdom, each sweeping snow in front of their own doors, which means they were only concerned with their own problems, while society was falling apart and morals were dissipated, without boundaries. Thus, divination had to trace back to the most fundamental principles, emphasizing spiritual purity. Some also believe that even sages couldn't match the uncanny accuracy of insects' instincts. They judge good and bad fortune, distinguish right from wrong, often more accurately than humans.

During the time of Emperor Gaozu of Han, the system of divination from the Qin Dynasty was used. The world had just been unified, and the wars weren't over yet. During the short reign of Emperor Hui of Han, Empress Lü held the reins of power. Emperors Wen and Jing of Han carried on as their ancestors had and did not have time to study and investigate the art of divination. Although father and son successively served as diviners, passing down the tradition through generations, much of the divination's subtlety was lost.

It was not until Emperor Wu of Han ascended to the throne that all sorts of skills flourished, talents from various fields were recruited, and skilled craftspeople could show their stuff. Exceptional talent was rewarded, no favorites. Within a few years, a huge divination conference was called. The conference discussed military actions such as attacking the Xiongnu, conquering Dayuan to the west, and subduing the Baiyue to the south. Divination could predict events and favorable outcomes. The generals' victories proved the yarrow and turtle shell divinations right.

Emperor Wu of Han especially valued divination, rewarding with large sums of money. People like Qiu Ziming got rich, won the emperor's favor, and became powerful. Some even used divination and witchcraft to frame rivals—and sometimes it worked. Enemies used this to make false accusations, leading to countless families being wiped out. Officials were terrified, saying the shells and stalks spoke. When the truth came out, the guilty were executed, along with their families.

Hey, this fortune-telling stuff—reading hexagrams and interpreting omens—it's all so mysterious! So, when it comes to picking talent, you've got to consider the results of divination; that's what a wise person would do! The Duke of Zhou used three tortoises to divine, and King Wu recovered from illness; King Zhou of Shang was so tyrannical, yet there was no sign from divination. Duke Wen of Jin wanted to inherit King Xiang's throne, and the divination showed auspicious signs from the Yellow Emperor; in the end, he was appointed to wield the vermilion bow. Duke Xian of Jin was infatuated with Lady Li's beauty, but the divination revealed a hexagram with a mouth (symbolizing disaster), leading to calamity for five generations. King Ling of Chu wanted to betray the Zhou dynasty, but the divination from the tortoise shell showed unusual signs, and he ultimately faced defeat in the Battle of Qianxi. It all comes down to sincerity—you can see it in how things turn out; it's all connected, innit? Those who underestimate divination and say there are no gods are wrong; and those who go against human ethics and only believe in good omens—well, not even the gods can help you then. So, even the *Book of Documents* talks about the doubts around divination. Two out of five strategies involved it, and there were tons of different ways to do it. It worked, but you couldn't rely on it completely.

When I got to Jiangnan, I checked out the local customs and asked some old-timers. They said you only see a thousand-year-old tortoise swimming on a lotus leaf, and a hundred stalks of that divination grass growing from a single root. Moreover, there are no tigers or wolves among the animals there, and no poisonous insects among the plants. People living by the river often raise tortoises and feed them because they believe that tortoises can guide the original energy, benefiting longevity. Makes you think, huh?

Mr. Chu said, "I'm a scholar of the classics, studied under a professor, did some serious work on the Spring and Autumn Annals, and did pretty well for myself in the government. I've been in and out of the palace for over a decade. I particularly like Sima Qian's Records of the Grand Historian. Sima Qian stated in the Records of the Grand Historian: 'The divination methods of the Three Sovereigns and Five Emperors differ, as do the divination methods of the various tribes of the Four Barbarians, yet all can be used to judge good and bad fortune.' I have a rough understanding of the main points, so I wrote the Record of Tortoise Shell Divination. I searched everywhere in Chang'an for the Record of Tortoise Shell Divination, but couldn't find it, so I went to the chief diviner's office to ask the old man in charge of the classics—who was knowledgeable in literature and history and had extensive experience—to record the turtle shell divination and compile it into a book."

Ancient lore holds that in ancient times, the Five Emperors and Three Kings would first consult divination stalks and turtle shells before making major decisions. Ancient texts state, "There are hidden spirits underground and rabbit hair above; above are crushed divination stalks, and below is a sacred turtle." This hidden spirit, growing beneath the rabbit hair, resembles a flying bird. When it rains and the night is calm with no wind, the rabbit hair is moved aside, and a fire is used to illuminate the area. When the fire goes out, the location is noted, surrounded by a four-foot cloth, and dug up the next morning. If it is dug to a depth of four to seven feet, the hidden spirit can be found. If it exceeds seven feet, it cannot be found. This hidden spirit is the root of a thousand-year-old pine tree, and consuming it can grant immortality.

It is said that where the divination stalks grow to more than one hundred stems, there is definitely a sacred turtle guarding below, and there is always a covering of green clouds above. Ancient texts also say, "When the world is peaceful and the royal road is prosperous, the divination stalks can grow to a length of one zhang, and can produce more than one hundred stems." Nowadays, people harvest divination stalks without understanding the methods of ancient times. It is difficult to find those that are one zhang long with more than one hundred stems. If one can find those with more than eighty stems and eight feet long, it is already very rare. For common people to use for divination, finding those with more than sixty stems and six feet long is sufficient. Ancient texts record: "Finding a sacred turtle meant untold riches and a family fortune."

There are eight famous turtles. They include the Beidou Turtle, Nanchen Turtle, Wuxing Turtle, Bafeng Turtle, Twenty-eight Constellations Turtle, Sun and Moon Turtle, Jiuzhou Turtle, and Jade Turtle. Each turtle has a unique pattern on its belly, such as a cloud pattern, indicating a specific type of turtle. Here is just a simple introduction, without drawings. Obtaining these turtles does not necessarily require them to grow to a foot and two inches; for common people, getting one that is seven or eight inches is already very precious. Think of precious jewels and treasures—even when hidden deep, they will still radiate brilliance, revealing a divine quality, just like famous turtles and divination stems! Therefore, jade buried in the mountains can nourish trees; pearls grown in deep waters will not dry up the shore, all because of their nourishing effects.

A luminous pearl is produced in the rivers and seas, hidden in clam shells, guarded by dragons. If a king obtains it, he can possess the world for a long time, and all the other countries would send tribute. If one can obtain one hundred stalks of divination stems, and also obtain the divine turtle underneath them for divination, the results of the divination will definitely be accurate enough to determine good or bad luck.

It is said that divine turtles often emerge in the river. Lujiang County can catch twenty turtles that are twelve inches long each year and send them to the diviner in charge of divination. The diviner will choose an auspicious day and take the plastron from the turtle. Interestingly, it takes a thousand years for a turtle to grow to twelve inches long! In ancient times, emperors would use turtle shells for divination in the temple before going to war to see their fortune. There is still a place in Gaomiao where turtles are kept as treasures and offerings!

The book says that by wearing the bones from the front legs of a tortoise on your body, or by hanging the tortoise in the northwest corner of a house, you can enter and exit the backwoods without getting lost. When I was a minor official, I heard a story told by a man named Wan Bishi Zhu Fang, saying that there was a divine tortoise in the magical grove of Jiangnan. This grove, free of tigers, wolves, fierce birds, and poisonous plants, where wildfires cannot burn and axes cannot reach, is truly a magical forest. The divine tortoise lived in this grove, often nesting on lotus flowers. Engraved on its left rib were the words: "In a propitious year, those who obtain me will become a man of honor; with the land in order, the vassals who obtain me will become emperors." If someone wanted to obtain it, they would undergo a period of purification and wait in the forest where white snakes dwelled until they felt like they were being told someone had come, then they would offer wine as a sacrifice and go search for it, and would find it within three days. Pretty amazing, huh?

There was an old man in the south who used a tortoise to support the foot of his bed. After more than twenty years, when the old man died and the bed was moved, the tortoise was still alive! The tortoise could still practice qigong! Someone asked: since the tortoise is so miraculous, why do fortune tellers still kill tortoises to take their shells? In recent years, someone by the river obtained a precious tortoise, and by raising it, their family became very prosperous. Later, this person wanted to give the tortoise away, but someone advised against it, saying that giving it away would bring down the family. As a result, this person dreamt that the tortoise said, "Return me to the water, do not kill me!" But he still killed the tortoise. After killing the tortoise, this person died, and the family fell on hard times. The thoughts of common people and emperors are different; when common people obtain a precious tortoise, they generally will not kill it. However, looking at stories from ancient times, ancient clever rulers would kill tortoises for use.

Song Yuanwang also obtained a tortoise and killed it for use. So there you have it, folks. Just some stories to chew on.

In the second year of King Song Yuan's reign, there was a river spirit who looked like a divine turtle, ordered to go from the Yangtze River to the Yellow River. Upon reaching Quanyang, he was caught in a net by the fisherman Yu Qie and locked in a cage. In the middle of the night, this divine turtle appeared in a dream to King Song Yuan, saying, "My journey from the Yangtze to the Yellow River was interrupted; I've been caught in a net by Yu Qie of Quanyang and am in desperate straits. I heard that you are a benevolent king, so I came to inform you." King Song Yuan was shocked and immediately understood.

The next day, King Song Yuan summoned the court astrologer Wei Ping and asked him, "Last night I dreamt of a figure with an elongated neck and large head, attired in black embroidered robes and seated upon a wheeled conveyance, coming to see me and saying, 'My journey from the Yangtze to the Yellow River was interrupted; I've been caught in a net by Yu Qie of Quanyang and am in desperate straits. I heard that you are a benevolent king, so I came to inform you.' What is this creature?" Wei Ping stood up, looked at the moon, observed the direction of the constellation, determined the date and position, then used tools such as a ruler, carpenter's compass, level, and scale to calculate, combined with the Eight Trigrams, to judge good and bad fortune. He found that this indicated the appearance of some kind of shelled creature.

Wei Ping said to King Song Yuan, "Today is the day of Ren Zi, the constellation is in the area of Altair. The water of the Yellow River is about to rise, and the ghosts and gods are planning something. The Han River flows east to west, and the Yangtze River and the Yellow River are connected; as soon as the south wind rises, the river spirit arrived. The white clouds cover the Han River, everything is blocked. The handle of the Dipper points to the sun, indicating that the messenger is imprisoned. It is wearing black clothes and sitting on a wheeled cart; that is a turtle! Your Majesty, send someone to check it out!" King Song Yuan replied, "Very well!"

So Song Yuanwang sent someone to dash to Quanyang County and asked the county magistrate, "Is there a fisherman named Yuqie among your residents? Yuqie caught a turtle and sent a dream to the king, so the king sent me to find it." The county magistrate quickly checked the household registration and found a total of fifty-five households of fishermen, with one family living upstream, and the owner was named Yuqie. The county magistrate said, "Right away!" and hurried to find Yuqie with the messenger, asking him, "What was your catch tonight?" Yuqie said, "I caught a turtle when I hauled in my net at midnight." The messenger asked, "Where is the turtle now?" Yuqie said, "It's in the cage." The messenger said, "The king sent me for the turtle." Yuqie said, "Okay." He immediately released the turtle from the cage and presented it to the messenger.

The messenger set off, leaving through the Quanyang city gate. At noon, it was dark and stormy, with wind and rain. Dark clouds hung overhead, a swirling mix of blue and yellow; thunder rumbled, pouring rain fell, and howling winds blew past. They entered the main gate and arrived at the east wing. The turtle, soaking wet, shimmered like water.

The turtle looked at Yuanwang, stretched its neck forward, and took three steps before stopping. Then it retracted its neck back to its original position. Yuanwang found it strange and asked Wei Ping, "When this turtle saw me, it first stretched its neck forward. What does this mean? And then retracted its neck. What does this mean?" Wei Ping replied, "This turtle was trapped before and almost died. Your Majesty showed mercy and had it rescued. Now it stretches its neck forward to thank you; retracting its neck, it wants to leave quickly."

King Yuan said, "Great! This magical turtle is unexpectedly so understanding and reasonable! We can't keep it long. Quickly prepare the carriage to send it back; don't waste any time." Wei Ping said, "This turtle is a treasure of the world! Whoever obtains it first can become the emperor, and every word it says is true; every battle it fights can be won. It was born in the abyss, grew in the yellow earth, understands the ways of Heaven, and knows about ancient matters. It lives for three thousand years, never straying from its home, always peaceful and effortlessly moving. Its life spans ages untold; no one knows its limits. It can change color with the seasons: it's yellow in spring and summer, white in autumn, and black in winter. It can hide itself, lying still without eating. It knows the rhythm of yin and yang, understands justice and mercy, and can foresee good fortune and bad. It's always right, always wins. Your Majesty, keep it, and all the lords will bow to you. You must not let it go; only then can the state be stable."

King Yuan said, "This turtle is so divine; it descended from the heavens, fell into the abyss, and in danger, it considers me a wise ruler because of my deep virtues and reliability. That's why it came to tell me. If I don't let it go, then I would be like a fisherman greedy for personal gain. A fisherman wants its meat; I'd want its power. That's selfish below, and unrighteous above. No respect between ruler and subject? No blessings! I can't bear to keep it. I have to let it go."

Wei Ping said, "No, I heard that if good deeds are not repaid, if a great trust is not returned, if you do not accept the things given to you by Heaven, then Heaven will take back its treasures. Now this divine turtle has journeyed everywhere, from the highest mountains to the lowest valleys, across the land, without suffering any grievances or delays. Now it has arrived in Quanyang, but it has been insulted and imprisoned by fishermen. Although the king released it, the rivers will surely be angry and seek revenge. Feeling wronged, it will conspire with the spirits to bring misfortune upon the people. Uncontrolled flooding will be followed by drought, dust storms, and locust plagues, ruining the harvest. Your Majesty, you may show benevolence, but punishment will surely come. There is no other reason; it is all because of this divine turtle. Even if you regret it later, it will be too late! Your Majesty, please do not let it go!"

King Yuan listened and sighed deeply, saying, "Going against someone's wishes, thwarting their plans—isn't that tyranny? Taking others' things as your own treasures, isn't that plundering? I have heard that tyranny always leads to ruin; things obtained through plundering will not end well. Xia Jie and King Zhou—both brought down by their tyranny and greed. If I listen to your words now, I will lose the reputation of benevolence and end up with the fate of tyranny and plundering. The rivers helped King Tang and King Wu achieve greatness, and I will become like Xia Jie and King Zhou? Before seeing any benefits, I may have to bear the consequences. I am very hesitant; why keep this treasure? Get rid of this turtle, and quickly!"

Wei Ping said, "Your Highness, there is no need to worry. Between heaven and earth, rocks pile up to form mountains that stand tall but do not collapse, ensuring the stability of the earth. Therefore, some things may seem dangerous but are actually safe, while some things that appear light and airy are surprisingly immovable; some individuals may be loyal and honest yet are outshone by those who are full of lies, some may be ugly but can hold high positions, while others may be beautiful but bring disaster to those around them. It's beyond the understanding of ordinary mortals. Throughout the four seasons, if there is an imbalance in the climate, various disasters may occur. Different seasons in the same year bring about such changes in weather. This is why we have spring's birth, summer's growth, autumn's harvest, and winter's dormancy. Some people practice benevolence while others are cruel and oppressive. Cruelty and oppression have their own conditions for survival, just as benevolence has its own timing. All things are like this, making governance difficult to exhaust. Your Highness, listen to my words, and I will explain everything. The sky presents five colors to figure out black and white; the earth grows five grains to discern good and evil. However, common people do not understand this and are similar to animals, living in caves without farming. Chaos and disasters in the world arise from the imbalance of yin and yang, confusion, lack of order, and demons and monsters run rampant, with rumors flying. Sages can discern all things and make sure they each find their place. Animals have males and females to survive in the wild; birds have males and females to inhabit forests and swamps; shelled insects live in valleys. Therefore, in governing the people, we must build cities with streets and alleys inside and field paths outside; allocate land and houses to couples and assign them residences; establish household registrations to distinguish their clans; appoint officials to motivate them with titles and salaries; provide them with silk and hemp for clothing and grains for food; teach them farming, weeding, and fertilizing, ensuring they are well-fed and clothed, leading to prosperity and benefiting from it. Thus, without strong power, nothing can be achieved. Therefore, farmers must work diligently for the granary to be full; merchants must be strong to earn money; women must be skilled for fine cloth; officials must be authoritative for laws to be enforced; generals must be strong for soldiers to be commanded; princes and kings must be powerful to be recognized. Therefore, strength is the beginning of things, the principle of distribution, and the law of all things. As long as one pursues strength, nothing is unattainable. Your Highness, if you do not believe this, have you not heard that the pheasants in exquisite jade boxes come from the Kunlun Mountains, the moon-like pearls from the four seas, and the carved stones and shells bought and sold in the market, and sages consider them treasures? Where treasures are, there the emperor is. Your Highness, even if you consider yourself cruel, it is no different from picking shells by the seashore; even if you consider yourself powerful, it is no more than carving stones in the Kunlun Mountains. There is no fault in obtaining treasures, and possessing them brings no misfortune."

This sacred turtle got caught in a fishing net, and in its dream, it's the country's treasure! What's the king worried about?

Wei Ping continued to explain that there are natural laws that govern how things unfold in this world, which cannot be completely controlled by human power. Some things look dangerous, but aren't; some things look small, but are huge. Similarly, a person's character may not necessarily determine their success—honest and loyal individuals may not be more successful than deceitful ones, and unattractive individuals may hold high positions while beautiful ones may face trouble. It's not something everyone grasps. Throughout the four seasons, with alternating cold and hot weather, unpredictable climate changes are all part of these natural laws. Even within the same year, the weather can vary greatly between different seasons, a phenomenon beyond human control. Hence, we have spring's new life, summer's growth, autumn's harvest, and winter's rest. Some people practice benevolence and righteousness, while others commit violence and oppression; both have their place and time. Everything in the world is like this, endless and beyond complete control. Therefore, the king should not worry excessively.

Wei Ping then said that the heavens show us the difference between right and wrong, just as the earth's bounty reflects the balance of good and evil. However, the common people do not know how to distinguish, acting like animals, just looking for a place to be, not knowing how to make a living. The chaos and disasters in the world occur when yin and yang are out of whack, leading to chaos, rumors, and evil spirits running wild. The wise can distinguish all things, ensuring each finds its place in an orderly manner. Just as male and female animals live separately in the wild, birds have male and female counterparts in forests and swamps, and shelled insects live in valleys. Therefore, governing the people requires you to build homes and roads, give them land to farm, set up a system of officials to motivate them with titles and rewards, provide clothing made from mulberry and hemp, offer food from grains, teach them agriculture, and ensure their livelihood and well-being.

Wei Ping summarized that, as can be seen from this, without strong power, nothing can be achieved. Lazy farmers mean empty barns; if merchants are not capable, they won't make money; if women lack skill, the cloth will be rough; if officials are not strong, orders don’t get followed; if generals are not tough, soldiers cannot be commanded; if kings are not powerful, they will be unknown. Therefore, power is the beginning of all things, the principle of distribution, and the law of nature. As long as you pursue power, there is nothing you cannot obtain. If the king does not believe, he can think about it: pheasants from the Kunlun Mountains are kept in exquisite jade boxes; pearls as bright as the moon come from the four seas; carved stones and shells are bought and sold in the market. When the sage obtains them, they are considered treasures. Treasures are the mark of an emperor. If the king thinks he is cruel, he might as well pick up shells on the seashore; if he thinks he is powerful, it is no more than carving stones on the Kunlun Mountains. There is no sin in obtaining treasures, and there is no disaster in owning them. A divine turtle, caught in a net, dreamt it was a national treasure. Your Majesty, why worry?

That's not quite right. I've heard that those who offer advice bring blessings, while flatterers bring calamity. Rulers who listen to flatterers are fools. However, calamities do not come without cause, and blessings do not appear out of thin air. It is only when the energies of heaven and earth combine that all things can be nurtured. Yin and yang have their laws, following the changes of the four seasons, with the sun moving according to the rules of the twelve months in a year. The sage understands this deeply, which is why they can avoid disasters. A wise ruler follows the example of the sage, and no one dares to deceive the people. Good fortune is made, bad luck is self-inflicted. It's all about balance. Wise rulers see it coming.

Xia Jie and King Zhou of Shang thumbed their noses at the gods, suppressing ghosts and spirits, refusing to let them exert their influence. This was utterly depraved and tyrannical, and they even gathered a group of sycophants. Jie had flatterers like Zhao Liang, who goaded him into wickedness and fueled his insatiable avarice. He killed the loyal minister Guan Longfeng, and the other ministers, fearing for their lives, scrambled to flatter him. The kingdom teetered on the brink of collapse, yet they chirped that all was well; they chanted, "Long live the King!" and "May his reign last forever!" They lulled Jie into a false sense of security and inflated his ego. In the end, King Tang attacked Jie, and Jie died along with his country. He believed those flatterers and ultimately faced punishment himself. The "Spring and Autumn Annals" records this event, and people still remember it to this day.

King Zhou also had a flatterer named Zuo Qiang, who was eloquent and cunning, egging King Zhou on to indulge in luxury and pleasure, claiming he would rule the world and even have a jade bed. He dined with utensils made of rhino horn and jade, using ivory chopsticks for soup. A wise man saw through his deceit, and a brave warrior lopped off his feet. Ji Zi, fearing for his life, disheveled his hair and acted crazy. King Zhou killed Prince Boyi Kao of Zhou, imprisoned Duke Chang of Wen, locked him in a dungeon, and wanted him to die there. By a twist of fate, Duke Chang survived and eventually perished alongside King Zhou. Duke Chang fled to the land of Zhou and received assistance from Jiang Taigong. They raised troops and gathered people to resist King Zhou. Duke Chang fell ill and died, yet people carried his body forward. The prince succeeded to the throne and became the later King Wu. They defeated King Zhou in the Battle of Muye, pursuing him to the foot of Mount Hua. King Zhou's army crumbled, and he fled back to Chaoge, besieged at Lutai. Finally, he burned himself at Lutai, and after his death, no one buried him. His head was impaled on a chariot wheel, paraded through the streets by four horses – a grim spectacle for all to see.

When I think of these things, my heart is churning. These people, they were emperors, all right, but they are arrogant, greedy, showy, and domineering. They ignore loyal ministers and good generals, only listening to those brown-nosers, ultimately becoming the joke of the whole world. And my small country, squeezed between all those powerful states, was as insignificant as a single hair. If I make another mistake, wouldn't that mean the end of my country?

Wei Ping said: "No, the Yellow River, although awesome and grand, cannot compare to Kunlun Mountain; the source of the Yangtze River is also less impressive than the Four Seas, yet people still fight for its treasures, causing the lords to fight each other and trigger wars. Small countries perish as a result, and even large countries are endangered. They kill people's families and kidnap their wives and children, destroy countries, and ruin temples, all for the sake of these treasures. That's just plain tyranny. Therefore, one must first use violence to seize power, then govern with benevolence, not violating the laws of nature, and must be close to wise men; one must follow the changes of yin and yang, get the ghosts and gods on your side, and communicate with heaven and earth, befriending them. In this way, the nobles will bend the knee, and the people will prosper. The country will thrive, and the world will be a better place. King Tang and King Wu did this, and only then did they achieve the position of emperor; the Spring and Autumn Period records these as examples of governing a country. Your Majesty, you're not following the example of Kings Tang and Wu, but rather comparing yourself to the likes of Jie and Zhou. Jie and Zhou are typical tyrants who take tyranny for granted. Jie lived in a simple tile house, while Zhou lived in a luxurious ivory palace. They ripped off the people, wasted everything, and murdered innocent folks. They had people kill livestock, made pockets out of animal skins filled with livestock blood, hung them up for archery, trying to outdo the gods. They ignored the spirits, and those who dared to advise were killed, while flatterers surrounded them. The wise stayed hidden, and the people were too scared to do anything. Heaven sent droughts, and the country witnessed strange phenomena. Swarms of locusts ate everything, ruining the harvests year after year. The people were restless, and the spirits abandoned them. Strong winds blew, and darkness covered the land in daylight. There were eclipses of the sun and moon, plunging everything into darkness. The stars went haywire, losing their natural order. From these signs, how could a country like that possibly survive? Even without King Tang and King Wu, it was destined to perish. Therefore, King Tang defeated Jie, King Wu conquered Zhou, and they did it right, at the right time, and with the people on their side. They became emperors as a result, their descendants lived on; they lived faultlessly, praised by future generations, even to this day. They became emperors because they knew how to use what they had. This tortoiseshell is a precious treasure, used by wise men to share the will of heaven with good rulers. It travels itself; thunder and lightning clear its path, wind and rain protect it, and rivers guide it. Only a truly great king can possess it. Your Majesty, you deserve this treasure, but maybe you're too humble to take it. If you send it away, Song will be in trouble. You'll regret it."

Wei Ping continued, "So, Your Majesty, you should follow the example of Tang and Wu (the exemplary rulers Tang and Wu), not Jie and Zhou. You now possess this tortoiseshell, which is a chance bestowed upon you by the heavens, an opportunity for you to achieve great deeds. You should cherish it, use it to govern the kingdom, and benefit the people. Do not ruin this glorious land for the sake of temporary greed. 'Use force when necessary, but always rule with wisdom and justice,' this is the way of a king. Remember, there is justice in the world; good and evil will be rewarded. Do not underestimate the will of heaven, otherwise the consequences will be unimaginable!" He paused for a moment, his tone even more solemn, "Your Majesty, think carefully before you act!"

King Yuan was overjoyed, practically beside himself with happiness. So King Yuan bowed to the sun in gratitude, performed two large ceremonies before accepting this object. He chose an auspicious day, fasted and bathed, and made all the necessary preparations. Then he killed a white pheasant and a black sheep, used their blood to fill the tortoiseshell, and placed it in the center of the altar. With a knife, he cut open the tortoiseshell, but the tortoise body was unharmed. He set up offerings of wine and meat, placing the tortoise's entrails beside it. Using reeds for divination, the results predicted that he would surely defeat his enemies. The patterns on the tortoiseshell were clear and distinct, with various patterns intertwining in a miraculous way. When craftsmen performed divinations, the results were as accurate as the predictions. The country thus received abundant blessings, and neighboring countries all heard about it. They killed cows to obtain cowhide, used wood from Zheng to make armor. Various plants were used to make weapons, ultimately turning into swords and spears. King Yuan fought battles, conquered cities, and was victorious in every encounter; this success was attributed to the divine turtle. When King Yuan ruled, the Prime Minister of Wei was from Song, which was the strongest country at that time, and such prosperity was seen as a testament to the turtle's power.

So, although the deity can send the Yuan King dreams, it cannot come out of the fisherman's cage by itself; although it can predict accurately, it cannot swim the Yellow River, nor can it navigate the Yangtze; smart guys can help the Yuan King win battles, but they cannot avoid the danger of being injured by swords themselves; although really smart people can foresee the future, they cannot make the prime minister of Wei stop talking. All those big talkers often end up with their own downfall; if things go south, what can even the most capable person do? Smart people stick to their guns, but scholars often just go with the flow. Even smart people can't figure everything out, and wise people don't understand everything; even the most capable person can't do everything; although the sun and moon shine brightly, they can also be obscured by dark clouds; even though Hou Yi was an amazing archer, he wasn't as good as Xiong Qu and Feng Men; even though Yu the Great was brilliant, he couldn't defeat ghosts and gods. When the world's falling apart, how can we expect anyone to be perfect?

After Confucius heard this, he said, "Although the divine turtle can predict good and bad fortune, in the end, it is still thin and gaunt, empty inside. Although the sun rules the world, it can also be eclipsed by a three-legged crow; although the moon governs punishment, it can be swallowed by a toad; hedgehogs are at the mercy of magpies, and even the mythical serpent can be harmed by small insects. Although bamboo has its structure, it is hollow inside; although pine and cypress are the kings of the forest, they can only guard the gate. The sun, moon, and stars are not flawless, so they have their imperfections; gold has flaws, white jade has blemishes; things have their smooth times and their rough times; they have their limitations and their inevitabilities; some things are incalculable, some things are overlooked; people have their strengths and their weaknesses. How can one demand perfection? How can things be perfect? Even the heavens are not perfect, so the houses in the world will not have complete roofs but will be built with incomplete tiles to correspond to the imperfections of heaven and earth. All things in the world have their laws, and the imperfection of things is their fundamental existence."

Master Chu said: There was a fisherman who caught a divine turtle while fishing, and this turtle appeared in the dream of King Yuan of Song. King Yuan summoned the scholar Wei Ping and described the appearance of the divine turtle in his dream. Wei Ping consulted the omens, using his ruler and knowledge of the calendar to interpret the turtle's markings and determine its significance. He found that the turtle in the dream was exactly the same as the one caught. Wei Ping advised King Yuan to keep this divine turtle, saying it was a national treasure! In ancient times, divination had to be done with turtles because they had a good reputation, and this practice had been around for a long time. I recorded it and wrote it into a biography.

March, February, January, December, November, the high and low within the central pass; April, the first month, the toes open, the feet spread; May, the first month, the great head bowed; June, July, August, September, October—these are all records of divination, but I will not explain the specific meanings.

The taboos of divination are: the Zi, Hai, and Xu hours cannot be divined, and you can't kill turtles. Don't divine after lunch, and don't divine in the evening when the turtle needs to rest. You can kill and drill turtles on Geng and Xin days. Normally, on the first day of each month, you must make offerings to the turtle. First, wash it with clean water, then give it an egg wash, and take the turtle to make offerings, like you would your ancestors. If a reading's off, wash the turtle with an egg, then stand facing east, burn the turtle shell with thorns or hard wood, dab the shell three times with a dirt-smeared egg, then circle the egg around the shell and pray: "I'm using this egg yolk to get rid of any bad juju, today's a good day." The spirit'll buy it if you're sincere. It sees everything, knows all the signs. If not, burn it, scatter the ashes, and use a different shell for divination. Face north, and make sure the shell's at least a foot and two inches.

Before divination, heat up the drill and poke three holes in the turtle shell; then burn the turtle's head three times; then burn the drilled area again—this is called "correct body," while burning the turtle's head is called "correct foot," each done three times. Next, use the heated drill to circle the turtle shell three times and pray: "Mr. Spirit, you've been through the fire, but you still see the future. You're connected to everything, and nothing's hidden from you. Help me out today. If this works, I'll be healthy and lucky. If not, well, I'll just have to deal with the consequences."

When divining with a mystical turtle, pray like this: "I borrow the power of the mystical turtle! Five witches and five spirits ain't got nothin' on this turtle; it knows when folks are dyin' and when they're born. My intentions are sincere, and I wish to seek something. If I can get it, the turtle's head and feet will both stretch out, things are lookin' up; if not, the turtle's head will lift up, the feet will pull back, and things are lookin' down. This way, we can do the divination."

Now, let's see if this person's illness can be cured. If they're gonna die, their head'll bust open, scary as hell, bones all broken; if they're gonna live, the head's lifted up, feet down.

Next, let's check if the illness is caused by any evil spirits or something else. If it's evil spirits, the turtle'll show it; if not, it'll show that too. If the turtle shows evil spirits inside, that's internal evil; if outside, that's external evil.

Divine again to see if this person can go out. If they can't go out, it's all good; if they can, feet apart, head up, it means there's some external evil at play.

Let's divine again to see if we can get rich. If we can, head up, feet apart, inside and outside matching; if not, head up, feet down, and the turtle's sayin' no.

Divine to see if one can sell or buy slaves or livestock. If successful, head up, feet apart, everything matching; if not, head up, feet down, and the turtle's sayin' no, or it might show that it's all good.

Next, divine to see how many soldiers to bring to fight the bandits and where they're hiding. Can we win? If we can, head up, feet apart, body straight, the turtle's sayin' we'll win big; if we can't win, feet down, head up, body inside down, outside up, the turtle's sayin' we’re in trouble.

Let's do another reading to see if the journey will be smooth. If the journey goes smoothly, it'll be a piece of cake; if not, you'll be upside down, or everything will be alright despite the bumpy ride.

Going to fight bandits, will you encounter them? If you encounter them, head up, feet down—you're in for a rough time; if you don't encounter them, feet open, head up.

Going to ambush bandits, will you encounter them? If you encounter them, head up, feet down—you're in a good position to succeed, but bad luck is at play; if you don't encounter them, feet open, head up.

Have you heard if the bandits have arrived? If they have, things look bad, feet down, head up; if they haven't, feet open, head up, or the divination shows everything will be alright, safe and sound—you can wait a bit longer.

Divine to see if you can move house or resign. If you can move house or resign, there are signs pointing to success, but there are also some challenges; if you can't move house or resign, you have to leave, feet down, the divination will show, or show everything will be alright, safe and sound.

Divine to see if it is auspicious to hold office. If it is auspicious, the divination will show, or show everything will be alright, safe and sound; if it is not auspicious, things will fall apart, head up, feet open.

Divine to see if it is auspicious to live in the house. If it is auspicious, the divination will show, or show everything will be alright, safe and sound; if it is not auspicious, things will fall apart, head up, feet open.

Divine to see if this year's harvest will be good. If it is good, head up, feet open, a good harvest is indicated by a strong, stable structure; if it is not good, feet down, head up—bad luck is at play.

Divine to see if there will be an epidemic this year. If there will be, head up, feet down—a powerful force is at work; if there won't be, body straight, head up, feet open.

Let's toss a hexagram to see if there will be war this year. If there will be no war, the hexagram will show everything's fine; if there will be war, it'll show a strong, powerful stance.

First, let's see if we can encounter a noble person. If we can, the hexagram will show: standing tall, feet spread, and everything's going well inside; if we can't, it'll show: head raised, body bent, feet curled up, like a fish out of water.

Next, let's check if visiting others will be successful. If it will be successful, the hexagram shows: head raised, feet spread, and everything's going well inside; if it will not be successful, the hexagram shows: head raised, feet curled up, reaching out.

Let's see if we can find a fugitive. If we can find them, the hexagram shows: head raised, feet curled up, with inner and outer coordination; if we can't find them, the hexagram shows: head raised, feet spread, a good sign.

Will hunting or fishing be successful? If it will be successful, the hexagram shows: head raised, feet spread, with inner and outer coordination; if it will not be successful, the hexagram shows: feet curled up, head raised, a good sign.

Will you encounter bandits when you go out? If you will encounter them, the hexagram shows: head raised, feet spread, body bent, high outside and low inside; if you will not encounter them, the hexagram shows: it'll be a positive omen.

Next, let's see if it will rain. If it will rain, the hexagram shows: head raised, reaching out, high outside and low inside; if it will not rain, the hexagram shows: head raised, feet spread, a good sign.

Finally, let's check if the rain will stop. If it will stop, the hexagram shows: it'll be a positive omen, feet spread, head raised; if it will not stop, the hexagram shows: everything's good.

The following are interpretations of ancient Chinese divination hexagrams:

The meaning of the hexagram "Heng Ji An" is: If used to divine illness, a seriously ill person will not die that day; a person with a less serious illness will improve immediately and will not die. For those who are imprisoned, those guilty of serious crimes will not be released, while those guilty of minor crimes will be released that day; if not released within a day, you'll be out of luck. If seeking wealth, buying servants, or purchasing livestock, it will be obtained right away; after a day, it'll be too late. Travelers will be unable to leave, but visitors will arrive; if they haven't arrived by dinner time, they won't come at all. You won't catch any thieves; if there are rumors of thieves, they will not come. Official positions will not change, everything will be fine at home, except for a bad harvest, the people will not be sick, and there will be no war that year. If you see someone traveling, their journey will not go smoothly, and they will not be happy. Visiting others will be unsuccessful, finding runaways will be impossible, hunting and fishing will not succeed, you won't encounter any thieves, and there will be no rain, nor will the rain stop.

The meaning of the hexagram "Cheng Zhao" is: The sick will not die, those imprisoned will be released, travelers will be able to travel, visitors will arrive, deals will be successful, and runaways will be found, but not after a day. Asking about travelers, they will not arrive.

The meaning of the hexagram "Zhu Che" is: Inquiring about illness, death will not occur; those imprisoned will be released; travelers will be able to travel; visitors will arrive; deals will not be successful; those who worry need not worry; runaways will not be found.

Heard about this weird divination method the other day called "head up, heels down," which describes a position where your head is up, your feet are down, and you're feeling completely stuck. For illness, it suggests a serious but non-fatal condition; for those imprisoned, release is indicated. But if you're looking to buy things like servants or livestock, you'll have no luck; if you try to go out to do something, it won't work out; if you want someone to visit, no one will come; even if thieves show up, they won't be caught; if you hear any news, it won't come through; if you're hoping to make changes at work, it’ll be fruitless; officials will always be worried; staying at home seems to bring disasters; crops will have poor harvests, and the people will suffer from epidemics; even if there's a war, you won't hear about it. However, if you happen to meet an important person, that would be a good thing. But asking others for help won’t do any good; speaking kindly won't help; trying to find someone to catch a fugitive won't work; fishing and hunting won’t yield anything; and going out won’t lead to encountering thieves. As for whether it will rain or not, or whether the weather will be clear, that's uncertain. In short, the character "莫" (Mo) represents the entire meaning of this divination (meaning 'no result' or 'nothing happens'). Some say the name comes from the character "備" (bei), which can mean "up," hence "仰" (yang). Just jotting this down for myself.

Next, let's take a look at another fortune-telling result of "Stuck in a Rut." This method is the same as the one above, also called "Stuck in a Rut," meaning the head is up, the feet are down, and feeling like you're between a rock and a hard place. Divining illness, although serious, won't lead to death; those arrested won't get out. Buying anything, going out, or getting visitors is impossible; can't catch thieves; hear thieves coming, feel scared, but they never show up; can't change jobs; officials will find themselves constantly worried; staying at home, things aren't going well; poor harvests and widespread disease; no war this year; meeting a noble person is not a good thing; seeking help, chasing fugitives, cannot be accomplished; fishing and hunting yield nothing; no encounters with thieves when out; the weather is unpredictable. Overall, it's not a good omen.

Now let's look at the third fortune-telling result of "Presenting Signs, Stuck in a Rut." This method is similar to the first two, also called "Presenting Signs, Stuck in a Rut." Divining illness, no death; those arrested are still not released; buying anything, going out, or getting visitors is impossible; can't catch thieves; hear thieves coming, but they never show up; can't change jobs; officials will find themselves constantly worried; staying at home, things aren't going well; poor harvests and widespread disease; no war this year; meeting a noble person is not a good thing; seeking help, cannot be accomplished; fishing and hunting yield very little; no encounters with thieves when out; the weather is unpredictable. Overall, things don't look good.

Finally, let's take a look at the divination result of the "raised head, open feet" omen. This divination method is similar to the previous ones. For divining illness, serious illness won't lead to death; those who have been arrested will be released; no luck buying things like servants or livestock; going out to handle affairs will work out; if you're expecting someone, they'll show up; encountering thieves won't happen; hearing about thieves coming, they won't actually arrive; job transfers will go through; officials won't stay in their positions for long; staying at home brings bad luck; crop yields will be poor, with few people suffering from diseases; there will be no war this year; running into someone important may not be a good thing; seeking help from others, chasing fugitives, fishing, or hunting won't pan out; encountering thieves while out is a possibility; the weather's unpredictable, but it leans slightly toward good fortune.

In the first scenario, the divination result is "head up, feet open." If divining illness, it means the person won't die; if detained, they will be released soon, so no need to worry. However, buying things, servants, or livestock won't be possible; wanting to go out for a walk? No luck there; robbery attempts will fail; if someone is expected to come, they'll show up. Hearing about thieves coming, but they won't actually come. Trying to change official positions won't work; staying at home brings bad luck; crop yields will be poor; few people will be sick; there will be no war this year; running into someone important is a possibility; wanting to visit others, chase fugitives, fish, or hunt won't pan out; encountering thieves while out is likely; the weather's a toss-up, but leaning positive.

In the second scenario, the divination result is "Head up, feet open, there is an inside" (see footnote). If divining about illness, it indicates death; if imprisoned, you can be released. Buying stuff, servants, or livestock? Forget about it. Going for a walk is fine; visitors will come; you can rob someone, but you won't see the thief; if you hear about a thief, don't worry, they won't show up; official positions can be changed; you won't be in office long; staying home is bad luck; a bountiful harvest; few people get sick; no war this year; meeting important people is bad luck; visiting, chasing fugitives, fishing, or hunting? Forget it; you won't encounter thieves when going out; the rain will stop; if it does, that's a minor blessing; if it doesn't, that's even better.

In the third scenario, the divination result is "Horizontal blessing, inside and outside, the bridge is self" (see footnote). If divining about illness, choosing a good day will lead to recovery, not death; if imprisoned, you won't be convicted, and you can be released. You can buy things, servants, or livestock; going for a walk is fine; visitors will come; robbery will be successful, and you'll be evenly matched with your opponent; if you hear about a thief, the thief will actually come; official positions can be changed; staying home is auspicious; a great crop; nobody will get sick; no war this year; you can meet nobles, visit others, chase fugitives, fish, and hunt successfully; you will encounter thieves when going out; the rain will stop; if it does, that's a good sign; if it doesn't, that's even better.

*Footnote: The original terms have specific meanings in the context of Chinese divination and may not have direct translations.*

The fourth situation indicates a divination result of "things will go badly, regardless of location or circumstance." For illness, it predicts death; for imprisonment, no release. Attempts at buying anything (servants, livestock, etc.), pursuing fugitives, fishing, or hunting will fail. You won't be able to go out for a walk, and you can't leave; if you hear thieves are coming, they won't show up. If you want to change your official position, it will change; officials will have worries. Staying home, meeting dignitaries, or visiting others will bring bad luck; the crop harvest will be poor; people will get sick; there will be no war this year; and you won't encounter thieves when going out. Regardless of the weather, it’s all considered inauspicious.

The fifth situation indicates a divination result of "fisherman." For illness, it means the illness is serious, but you won't die; if imprisoned, you can be released. Buying, robbing, visiting, pursuing fugitives, fishing, and hunting will all be successful. You can go out for a walk, and others can come too; if you hear thieves are coming, they won't show up. There won't be a change in your official position; staying home is auspicious. The crop harvest will be poor; people will get sick; there will be no war this year; meeting dignitaries is auspicious; you won't encounter thieves when going out. Regardless of the weather, it’s all considered auspicious.

Okay, so this looks like an ancient divination reading. Let's break it down, bit by bit, in plain English.

First paragraph: "The name of this hexagram is 'Head Up, Heels Down; High Inside, Low Outside.' It symbolizes a head held high, with feet pointing down, reflecting an image of dominance and instability. Divining illness shows a severe but non-fatal condition. Those who are detained will not be released. Seeking wealth, acquiring property, livestock, and servants, as well as finding missing persons, fishing, and hunting, will all be successful. Journeys will be successful. Visitors will arrive. Overcoming robbers is possible. Official transfers will not occur. Officials will face worries, but no serious consequences. Many worries and illnesses at home are expected. The year promises abundance. People will suffer from epidemics. Although there will be signs of war this year, it will not happen. Seeking favors from nobles will prove inauspicious. Encountering robbers while traveling is likely. Fair or foul weather, the outcome is auspicious."

Second paragraph: "This reading, Heng Ji, means 'supported above and a pillar below.'" This hexagram, when viewed horizontally, is auspicious, with something lifted up above and a pillar supporting it below. "A long illness, but they'll pull through." If divining about an illness, even though it may last a long time, death will not occur. "No release for the prisoner." A detained person will not be released. "Forget getting rich. Buying anything – servants, wives, livestock – is a no-go. Finding missing people? Fishing or hunting? No luck." "Will things work out? Will anyone show up?" Will going out for business be successful? No! Will someone come to visit? No. "Forget robbing anyone – you won't even see a robber." Robbing is impossible, and even robbers are not seen. "Will those thieves actually show?" Hearing that thieves are coming, but they actually do not come. "No job change." Will there be a change in official position? No change. "Meeting a VIP at home is good luck." Meeting an honorable person at home is auspicious. "A bumper crop this year." A bountiful harvest this year. "Expect a plague." The people will suffer from epidemic diseases. "No wars this year." There will be no war in the middle of the year. "Safe travels – no bandits." There will be no encounters with robbers during travels. "Rain or shine? Either way, it's all good." Will it rain or not, will it clear up or not? The result is great auspiciousness.

Third paragraph: "The hexagram means 'horizontally auspicious, like an elm growing upwards.'" If you're divining illness, it won't be fatal. "Anyone who's locked up will stay locked up." Trying to get rich, buy stuff, or buy livestock won't work. "Will anything work? Will anyone visit?" Going out for business won't work? No! Will someone come to visit? No. "You won't succeed at robbing anyone, and you won't even see a robber." You'll hear about robbers, but they won't show. "Official positions will not change." Official positions won't change. "Whether in official positions or at home, encountering noble people is auspicious." Whether in official positions or at home, encountering noble people is a good thing. "The year will be prosperous." This year will be prosperous. "There will be epidemics this year, but no war." There will be epidemics this year, but no war. "Trying to see important people or get someone's attention won't work." Trying to visit officials or look for someone won't work. "Fishing and hunting will not be successful." Fishing and hunting won't work. "Going out will not be successful." Going out for business won't work. "Going out without encountering robbers." You'll go out without running into robbers. "It might rain, it might clear up—either way, it's a minor good omen."

The following interpretations are based on the Heng Ji Xia You Zhu hexagram.

Fourth paragraph: "This hexagram, Heng Ji Xia You Zhu, means it is auspicious when viewed horizontally, with a pillar supporting it from below." "For divination of illness, the illness, though severe, will improve; there's no danger of death." "Prisoners will be released." "Seeking wealth, buying goods, buying wives and children, buying horses and cattle, paying respects to officials, pursuing missing persons, fishing, and hunting are all unsuccessful." "Going on a journey: uncertain outcome." "Robbery will not succeed." "When you hear that a thief is coming, he is really coming." "A job change or promotion brings good fortune, but it won't last." "Staying at home spells trouble." "It'll be a lean year." "No epidemics this year." "There will be no war in the middle of the year." "Meeting a nobleman brings good fortune." "You will not encounter robbers on your journey." "Rain is uncertain; it might clear up. Slightly auspicious."

Fifth paragraph: "命曰载所." The name of this hexagram is "Zǎi Suǒ." If you're divining an illness, they'll get better and won't die. "The restrained will be released." Those who are imprisoned will be released. If you're trying to get rich, buy stuff, get a wife/kids, buy cattle and horses, see important people, find someone, fish, or hunt, you'll succeed. If you're going somewhere, you'll get there, and if someone's coming to see you, they will. You might run into thieves, but you won't get robbed. If you hear about thieves, they'll really be coming. Official positions will change. There will be worries at home. Meeting a noble person is auspicious. It'll be a good harvest this year. The people will not suffer from an epidemic. There will be no war this year. Going out won't result in encountering thieves. Will it rain or not? Either way, it will be very auspicious.

The first reading is called "Gen Ge." If used to divine an illness, the person will not die, and the restrained individual will not be harmed. Trying to get rich, buy things, get servants or livestock, ask for help, find someone who ran away, fish, or hunt – none of that will work. You won't be able to go out, and no one will be able to visit. Staying home will be fine, the harvest will be so-so, and nobody will die from sickness. You won't meet any VIPs. Going out won't result in encountering thieves. Will it rain or not? Either way, it will be very auspicious.

The second reading is "Shou Yang Zu Fan Wai Gao Nei Xia." It'll be worrying, but you won't die. People who go out won't come back, long-term illnesses will be fatal, you won't get rich, but meeting a VIP will be good luck.

The third divination reveals that the result is called "externally auspicious, internally inauspicious." In terms of health, one will not die, but there will be bad luck. Shopping in the market will be difficult, and there will be bad luck for officials and their families. Travel will be difficult, appointments will be missed, and prisoners will not be harmed for a long time. Overall, it is auspicious.

The fourth reading indicates that the result is called "things are aligning, both internally and externally." Used to divine health, the illness will heal; prisoners will be released; people can go out; expected visitors will come; and financial ventures can succeed. In short, it is auspicious.

The fifth divination reveals that the result is called "the signs are clear, but the outcome is uncertain." Used to divine health, serious illness may lead to death; prisoners will be released but with worries; hiring help, purchasing livestock, seeking assistance, capturing escapees, fishing, and hunting will all be unsuccessful. Going out will be unsuccessful. Expected visitors will not arrive. One cannot fight thieves, but rumors of thieves may lead to their appearance. Career changes or new positions will bring bad luck to the home; the harvest will be poor, common folk will fall ill, but not fatally, and no wars will occur that year. Wanting to meet a noble person will result in disappointment. There will be no encounters with thieves when going out. The weather is unpredictable, but it is still unfavorable.

The sixth reading indicates that the result is called "signs appear, head up, feet open, externally auspicious, internally inauspicious." Used to divine health, one will not die, but there are external evil spirits. Prisoners will be released but with worries; seeking wealth, hiring help, purchasing livestock, and negotiations will not succeed. One can go out. Expected visitors may come, but they did not. One can fight thieves and may win. Rumors of thieves may or may not prove true. Career changes or new positions will bring bad luck to the home; common folk will fall ill, and wars may occur that year. Seeking assistance, capturing escapees, fishing, and hunting will all be unsuccessful. The weather is unpredictable, and the overall outlook is perilous.

The seventh divination result is called "head held high, feet planted, body stooped, inner and outer forces aligned." It is used to divine illness, which is serious but not fatal; a person who is detained will not be released for a long time; attempts at financial gain, acquiring servants or livestock, or engaging in fishing or hunting will be unsuccessful. Going out will be unproductive, and visitors won't arrive. You can fight off thieves, and it will be effective. It is said that there are thieves, and indeed they will come. Official positions will not change. If you hold an official position, your home will not be auspicious, the crops will fail, and the common people will fall ill. Although there may be wars in that year, they will not come to you. Meeting a noble person will bring great joy. Seeking help from others or trying to retrieve a runaway will be to no avail. Encountering thieves is very dangerous.

The first hexagram says this hexagram is called "inside restrained, outside hanging." You cannot go out, visitors will not come, sick people will die, those detained will not be released, attempts at financial gain and acquiring goods will be fruitless, and people you wish to see will not appear. Despite these challenges, the overall outlook is positive, "a really good outcome."

The second hexagram is called "horizontal fortune, inner and outer forces aligned, self-bridge, elm, head held high, upper pillar, feet planted, body stooped." If you divine illness, although serious, it will not be fatal; if you divine imprisonment, the detention will be long, but no conviction will be made. Attempts at financial gain, acquiring servants, concubines, horses, or cows, visiting high-ranking officials, searching for missing persons, or engaging in fishing and hunting will all be unsuccessful. You cannot go out, and visitors will not come. If you hold an official position, you will encounter noble people at home, which is a good sign; if you seek a job transfer, it will not happen. Expect a lean year; the people will fall ill, and there will be wars, but they will not reach you. Going out may lead to encounters with robbers; you might hear rumors but see no results, and the weather remains uncertain, though it will eventually clear up. "A really good outcome."

The third hexagram is called "head held high, feet planted, body stooped, inner and outer forces aligned." Divining illness reveals that the illness is very serious, but not fatal; holding an official position will not be successful; you can go out, but visitors will not come, and attempts at financial gain will be fruitless, as will seeking help from others. Nevertheless, the overall outlook is positive, "good fortune."

The fourth hexagram, called "Obstruction with a Pillar Below." If you're asking about someone, they'll come, but not on the day you specify – it'll be later. If someone's sick and doesn't improve within a day, they'll die. You won't get anywhere, and you won't get any money or goods. The prisoner will be freed.

The fifth hexagram, called "Self-Raising Inside and Out." If someone's sick, it will take a long time to recover, but they won't die; the prisoner will take a long time to be freed; you'll get some money, but not a lot; you won't get anywhere, and the person you're waiting for won't show, but you can meet an important person. "Auspicious."

The sixth hexagram, called "Rising Inside and Falling Outside, Light Foot Disease." You won't get any money or goods, but you can go out. The sick person will improve, the prisoner cannot be released, the expected person will come, but you won't meet an important person. "Auspicious."

The seventh hexagram, called "External Obstruction." You won't get any money or goods, you can't go out, the person you're waiting for won't show, the prisoner cannot be released; this is a bad sign, "Inauspicious." The sick person will die, you won't get any money or goods, but you can meet an important person. "Auspicious."

The eighth hexagram, called "Self-Raising Inside and Coming from the Outside, Proper Foot Disease." You can go out, the expected person will come, you'll get some money, but not a lot; the sick person will take a long time to die, the prisoner cannot be released, but you can meet an important person. "Auspicious."

The ninth hexagram, called "This Obstruction with a Pillar Above, Self-Raising Inside and Sufficient Feet." If you're divining for wealth, it can be obtained; the sick person won't die; the prisoner won't be harmed, but they can't be released for now; it's uncertain whether you'll go out, whether someone will visit, or if you'll meet anyone, but everything will work out, "All things are auspicious."

The tenth hexagram, called "This Obstruction with a Pillar Above, Self-Raising Inside and Pillar Ready for Action." If you're divining for wealth, it can be obtained; the sick person will die, but will be revived; the prisoner won't be harmed and will eventually be released; it's uncertain whether you'll go out, whether someone will visit, or if you'll meet anyone, but everything will work out, "All things are auspicious," and military action is possible.

The eleventh hexagram is called "External Deception." Divination for wealth yields nothing. Illness will not be fatal, but will recur. Those who are imprisoned will face trouble with the law. Hearing news will not result in any loss. Going out and visitors are uncertain.

The twelfth hexagram is called "Internal Deception." Divination for wealth yields nothing. Illness will not be fatal, but will recur. Those who are imprisoned will face calamities, but will eventually come out safely. Going out and visitors are uncertain, as well as meeting people.

In the first scenario, one stands tall and feels relaxed both internally and externally. When divining, the result will be as desired. Illness will not be fatal, and there will be no guilt, allowing freedom of movement. Farming, market activities, fishing, hunting—everything will proceed smoothly.

In the second scenario, one is curled up tight like a fox or a badger. When divining, the result will be unfavorable. Illness may lead to death, recovery will be difficult, and escaping imprisonment will be challenging. However, one can settle down and get married, but getting around and seeing people is uncertain.

In the third scenario, one curls up tight like a fox. When divining, the result will be unfavorable. Illness may lead to death, and being detained will result in bearing guilt. Getting around and seeing people is uncertain, and what you say won’t matter; nothing will go smoothly.

In the fourth scenario, one's head is lowered, body curled up, joints bent. When divining, the result will be unfavorable. Illness may lead to death, and being detained will result in guilt. The awaited person may not come. Getting around and seeing people is uncertain.

In the fifth scenario, one stands tall and feels relaxed both internally and externally. When divining, the result will be unclear. Illness will not be fatal, but recovery will be difficult, and escaping imprisonment will be challenging. Getting around and seeing people is uncertain; overall, it’s bad news.

The sixth situation, the body is lying horizontally like an elm tree, with the head raised and the body drooping. When divining, it is difficult to get their wish. Recovery from illness is challenging, but death is unlikely. Escaping from detention is difficult, but there is no imminent danger. One can stay at home and get married.

The seventh situation, the body is lying horizontally like a pillar, with the joints bent and the limbs relaxed. When divining about illness, the person won't die on the day of divination but will pass away the next day.

The eighth situation, the body is lying horizontally like a pillar, with feet curled up, the inner limbs relaxed, and the outer limbs drooping. When divining about illness, the person won't die on the day of divination but will pass away the next day.

The ninth situation, the head is hanging low, and the feet are curled up, with the outer limbs extended but the inner limbs not. The sick person will die of anxiety before the divination is finished. The divination is rash, with results being miles off; although the person won't die that day, the consequences are severe.

The tenth situation, the head is raised, and the feet are curled up. When divining, the results are unfavorable, and being detained implies guilt. People may scare him with words, but won't cause harm. Whether he can leave or return, or even be seen, is uncertain.

In short, "outside" signifies others/women, while "inside" signifies oneself/men; a lowered head denotes sorrow; "large" refers to the body, and "small" to the limbs.

The main rules are:

- Sick: curled feet – survival; stretched feet – death.

- Walking: stretched feet – can reach; curled feet – cannot reach.

- Movement: curled feet – cannot walk; stretched feet – can walk.

- Seeking advice: stretched feet – can receive; curled feet – cannot receive.

- Detained: curled feet – cannot leave; stretched feet – can leave.

In illness divination, death with outstretched feet indicates an imbalance, with internal energy exceeding external energy.

Details

Written by: Realhistories

Category: Records of the Grand Historian (史記)

Published: 29 November 2024

Created: 29 November 2024

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Since ancient times, those mandated by Heaven to be emperors— which one didn't rely on divination to determine their mandate? The Zhou Dynasty especially valued this, as did the Qin Dynasty. The succession of rulers relied on the judgment of diviners. The post of Grand Diviner dates back to the Han Dynasty. Sima Jizhu, a man from the Chu State, was a diviner in the eastern market of Chang'an. Song Zhong served as a mid-level official, and Jia Yi was a scholar. One day, they went out together, discussing the principles of governance from the Book of Changes and the sages of the past, delving into human emotions and worldly affairs. They exchanged admiring glances. Jia Yi said, "I heard that the ancient sages often did not hold official positions in the court but lived among diviners and healers. I have already met the three dukes, the nine ministers, and the court officials. I understand their characters. Why not check out the diviners and see if we find some talent?" So the two of them went to the eastern market in a carriage, browsing the divination stalls. It had just rained that day, and there were few pedestrians on the road. Sima Jizhu sat alone there, with three or four disciples attending to him, explaining the principles of the movement of heaven and earth, the cycles of the sun, moon, and stars, and the fundamental causes of yin and yang. The two officials went forward to pay their respects. Sima Jizhu observed their appearances and felt that they were knowledgeable people, greeted them respectfully, and offered them seats. After they sat down, Sima Jizhu continued the previous topic, explaining in detail the beginning and end of all things in heaven and earth, the rules of the movement of the sun, moon, and stars, and the criteria of righteousness and morality. He listed the signs of good and bad fortune one by one; his thousands of words were all perfectly reasonable. Song Zhong and Jia Yi found his words enlightening, straightening their attire and sitting upright, saying, "Your demeanor and explanations are unlike anything we've ever encountered. Why do you hold such a lowly position and have a job like this?"

Lord Sima laughed heartily and said, "I see that you two doctors strike me as intelligent, so why do you speak so disrespectfully of your superiors? What do you mean? Whom do you hold in high regard? Whose judgment do you trust?"

The two doctors replied, "High-ranking positions and fat salaries are what people value, and talented individuals should occupy these roles. The positions we are in now are not where we belong; thus, we consider them humble. Speaking dishonestly, behaving improperly, and seeking unreasonable things contribute to their lowly status. Diviners and fortune tellers are despised by the world. People say:

- Most fortune tellers boast and flatter others.

- They pretend to know people's official positions and lifespans to please them.

- They deliberately scare people with disasters.

- They deceive people in the name of ghosts and gods.

- They demand gifts for personal gain.

That's what we find contemptible, so we regard them as humble and lowly."

Lord Sima said, "Take your time, have a seat. Do you see those children with messy hair? They walk when the sun shines on them and stop when it doesn't. If you ask them about the flaws of the sun or good and bad fortune, they can't answer at all. This highlights the scarcity of true judgment."

These virtuous individuals always act openly and honestly. They advise sincerely, and if their counsel is rejected after three attempts, they quietly withdraw. They praise unselfishly, dislike others without caring about resentment, and always think for the benefit of the country and the people. Therefore, they refuse undeserved positions, never accept salaries they do not deserve, do not respect those who are dishonest, and do not flatter those with flaws. They do not rejoice in benefits or resent losing them. Even if they face injustice and insult, as long as it is not their fault, they never feel ashamed.

The 'wise men' you mentioned are an absolute embarrassment! They're all groveling and brown-nosing, using honeyed words and flattering looks to ingratiate themselves; they rely on power and collude for profit; they flatter each other, compete for fame and profit, all to seek honor and rewards. They bend the law for their own pockets and bleed the people dry; they abuse their power, use the law to line their pockets, and generally run riot. What's the difference between that and highway robbery? When they first take office, they use all means to deceive, decorate false achievements, and fabricate empty documents to fool the emperor, all to promote themselves and make money. Once promoted, they stifle talent, exaggerate their achievements, and climb the ladder at any cost. They eat, drink, and play all day, indulge in pleasure, disregard family ties, violate laws and discipline, and line their own pockets: they're basically bandits in suits, without the decency to even feel guilty about it. How can they be considered noble and talented?

Everything's falling apart: crime's rampant, the barbarians are out of control, villains are running wild, officials are corrupt, the weather's all over the place, and the harvests are failing. It's treason not to serve your country with your talents; and if you're incompetent and in a position of power, you're just stealing a living. Haven't you seen owls flying with phoenixes, or weeds choking out the orchids – the good guys are pushed aside while the rotters thrive?

Saying "only state the facts, do not add unnecessary comments" is what a gentleman should do. Nowadays, fortune tellers all work with the rhythms of nature, adhere to benevolence, righteousness, and morality, arrange the divination tools, determine the hexagrams, and then speak of the fates of individuals and nations. In the past, kings of old governing the country would first use tortoise shells and divination sticks to foretell the future, determine dates, and only then dare to take office; they would choose an auspicious day and time before moving into a new home; and before giving birth, they would also divine before childbirth. From the creation of the Eight Trigrams by Fuxi to the derivation of the 384 hexagrams by King Wen of Zhou, the world was at peace. King Goujian of Yue used the Eight Trigrams of King Wen to defeat the enemy and ultimately dominate the world. So, where's the problem with fortune telling?

Furthermore, before fortune tellers perform divination, they must first clean up, set up the seats, and put on their best clothes before starting the divination, which is in accordance with etiquette. After divination, the spirits may receive sacrifices. Loyal ministers can better serve the monarch, filial sons can better support their parents, and loving fathers can better raise their children—these are all virtuous people. And through divination, spending just a few tens or hundreds of coins can heal the sick, revive the dying, resolve disasters, achieve success in careers, smoothly marry, and extend life. You can't put a price on that kind of help, can you? This aligns with Laozi's saying, "The highest virtue is not virtuous, therefore it has virtue." Nowadays, fortune tellers make great profits, yet receive little reward—that's what Laozi was getting at, right?

Zhuangzi said, "A person of virtue has no worries about hunger and cold in his heart, no concerns about being robbed outside. When in a high position, he is respectful and cautious; when in a low position, he will not be harmed. This is the ideal of a person of virtue." Nowadays, fortune-tellers in this profession do not need to amass vast fortunes, store it in the treasury, move it, or bear heavy burdens. It can be used anytime and is unending. They possess limitless resources, wandering in the endless world. Even someone as wise as Zhuangzi might not be their equal. Why do you say divination cannot be done? The heavens themselves are not unchanging; the stars shift northwest; the earth is not wide enough, so the sea is used as a pond; the sun always moves westward at noon, and the moon wanes after being full; the way of governing by the ancient kings also goes through rise and fall. Yet you blame the fortune-tellers for their words needing to be true and credible; isn't that very confused?

Have you seen those smooth-talking advisors who can speak eloquently? They formulate strategies and surely have skills, but cannot convince the monarch with a simple sentence. So they always bring up the ancient kings, telling ancient stories; when devising strategies, they boast of the success of the ancient kings, recounting their failures as lessons, to cater to the preferences of the monarch and achieve their own goals. They are masters of rhetoric! However, if you want the country to be strong and successful, you must wholeheartedly assist the monarch; otherwise, it will not work. Those fortune-tellers are just confusing and deceiving people. How can the ignorant and foolish understand with just one sentence? Hence, their pronouncements are often lengthy and elaborate.

So the racehorse does not team up with ordinary donkeys to form a four-horse carriage, the phoenix does not fly with sparrows, and the wise do not associate with the unworthy. Therefore, a gentleman should stay in a humble and hidden position to avoid getting caught up in worldly affairs, hide oneself to avoid getting dragged down by the world, gradually demonstrate one's virtue, eliminate various dangers, display one's true nature, assist the ruler, care for the people, do more beneficial things for the people, and not pursue fame or status. You guys just go with the flow, how would you know what the old-timers are talking about?!

Song Zhong and Jia Yi's faces turned pale instantly, unable to say a word, they stood up silently, bowed again, and left. They walked very slowly, and it was not until they got out of the palace gate that they finally got on the carriage, hung their heads as they rode, and said nothing.

Three days later, Song Zhong saw Jia Yi outside the palace gate, and the two of them pulled each other aside to talk privately, sighing to each other: "The higher the position, the more stable, the greater the power, the more dangerous. Being in a prominent position, there will always be danger. If a fortune teller makes a wrong prediction, at most, it's just losing a job; but if an advisor to the ruler makes a mistake, it could cost one's life. It's a world of difference! It's just like Laozi said, 'The nameless is the beginning of the ten thousand things'! The world is vast, with all things bustling about, some are safe, some are in danger, who can know their own fate? Why should we bother with those people? Those people have been safe for a long time, even Zengzi's righteous deeds may not have a different outcome."

Much later, Song Zhong was sent to the Xiongnu but returned before reaching the destination and was punished. Jia Yi became the teacher of King Liang Huai, who died from a fall from a horse. Jia Yi, died of a broken heart. This is the ultimate fate of those who pursue false fame.

The historian Sima Qian said: The records of those ancient fortune tellers were mostly not recorded. It wasn't until Sima Qian that these stories were written down.

Mr. Chu said: When I was in office, I visited Chang'an City and met a really good fortune teller. He was all proper and polite, the way he sat, stood, and walked. He dressed neatly, like a true gentleman. I saw him telling fortunes for women hoping to find husbands, his face serious and never once did I see him smile. For ages, many talented individuals have hidden themselves away to avoid calamity, some living out in the sticks, some in the city, keeping to themselves, and some simply living in seclusion, telling fortunes for a living.

Sima Ji Zhu was a big shot from Chu; he studied in Chang'an, knew a ton, and had great insight into the Book of Changes and the teachings of the Yellow Emperor and Laozi. When he conversed with important people, he quoted ancient texts and talked about wise rulers from the past, something not everyone could achieve. People say: "Having money is the best, having power comes next; even if one has power and influence, one should still learn a trade." Huang Zhi, a doctor, and Lady Chen both got famous for their horse-judging skills; Zhang Zhong and Duke Qucheng of Qi were known for their swordsmanship; Liu Changru was famous for judging pigs; and the Chu family of Xingyang made a name for themselves judging oxen. There are many people like this, each with something special, the list goes on and on! Therefore, you gotta plant the tree in the right spot and teach the kid the right way, or nothing's gonna grow. When you're raising your kids, you should observe what they like, because life lessons are hidden in their interests, and they should be nurtured accordingly. Therefore, you can tell if someone will make it by looking at where they're at; kids need a place to call home to really thrive.

When I was in office, my colleagues in the astrology office used to tell this story. They said, "During the time of Emperor Wu of Han, he once summoned many fortune-tellers to ask if it was a good day to get married. The Five Elements guys said it was okay, the Feng Shui guys said it wasn't good, the calendar experts said the day was bad, the astrologers said it was very bad, the historians said it was somewhat bad, the celestial experts said it was somewhat good, and the Taiyi experts said it was very good. Everyone had different opinions, so it was eventually reported to the emperor. The emperor ordered, 'Avoid those unlucky days, mainly refer to the Five Elements.'" So, you see, it all came down to the Five Elements when deciding good or bad luck.