Liu Jing is from Qi. In the fifth year of the Han, he was serving in the military in Longxi. Passing through Luoyang, he happened to run into Emperor Gaozu, who was also there. Liu Jing changed out of his coarse cloth clothes into his sheepskin jacket, found General Yu from the State of Qi, and said, "I need to see the Emperor; I have important matters to report." General Yu wanted to change his clothes for him, but Liu Jing said, "I'll see him as I am; I wouldn't dare change." So General Yu went in to report to the Emperor. The Emperor summoned him and gave him some food.
The Emperor asked Liu Jing, "I'm thinking of moving the capital to Luoyang – is it to emulate the Zhou Dynasty's golden age?"
The Emperor: "Yes."
Lou Jing replied, "Your Majesty, unifying the world is a whole different ball game compared to the Zhou Dynasty. The ancestors of the Zhou Dynasty started with Hou Ji, and Emperor Yao enfeoffed him in Tai. The Zhou Dynasty built up a strong reputation, treated the people well, and lasted for more than ten generations. King Liu moved to Bin to escape the tyranny of Jie. King Tai left Bin due to the invasion of the Di people, cane in hand, urging his horse on, and the people all rallied to his banner. When King Wen became the Duke of the West, he settled the dispute between the states of Yu and Rui, and was then appointed by heaven. Jiang Taigong and Boyi both came from the seaside to submit to him. King Wu attacked King Zhou, gathered eight hundred vassals at Mengjin, and everyone agreed that King Zhou could be overthrown, so the Shang Dynasty was destroyed. King Cheng ascended the throne, assisted by Zhou Gong and others, and built Chengzhou and Luoyi as the center of the world. The vassal states came from all directions to pay tribute, and the distances were roughly equal. Those with virtue could become kings, and those without virtue would perish. The Zhou Dynasty chose to build its capital here to inspire the people with virtue, rather than relying on difficult terrain, to prevent future extravagance and harm to the people. During the heyday of the Zhou Dynasty, the world was peaceful, neighboring peoples submitted, admired the benevolence and righteousness of the Zhou Dynasty, attached themselves to the Zhou Dynasty, obeyed the Emperor, did not need to station troops, did not need to fight, and the eight barbarian nations all submitted, paying tribute. When the Zhou Dynasty declined, it split into two countries, east and west, and no one looked to the Zhou emperor for leadership, and the Zhou Dynasty was unable to control the situation. This was not because the virtue of the Zhou Dynasty declined, but because its strategic position weakened. Your Majesty, you started your army from Fengpei, led three thousand soldiers, and conquered Shu Han along the way, conquered Sanqin, clashed repeatedly with Xiang Yu in Xingyang, fought for the strategic location of Chenggao, engaged in seventy major battles and forty minor battles, causing the people of the world to be displaced, fathers and sons separated, bodies lay scattered across the land, countless cries, and wounded soldiers not yet recovered. You want to compare this to the Chengkang period, which I think is impossible. Moreover, the land of Qin is surrounded by mountains and water, heavily fortified, and can quickly gather a million troops in case of emergency. And the land of Qin is rich and fertile, known as a land of plenty. Your Majesty, establishing the capital within the pass, even though the Shandong region is still chaotic, you can fully control the Qin heartland. When fighting with others, if you don't target their weaknesses but instead attack their backs, it is difficult to achieve complete victory. Now, Your Majesty, by securing the Qin heartland, you've effectively seized control of the entire empire."
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Han Gaozu asked his ministers, who were all from Shandong, to suggest where the capital should be located. They all argued that since the Zhou Dynasty had served as the capital for hundreds of years and the Qin Dynasty had fallen, it would be better to establish the capital in the old Zhou territory. Gaozu was hesitant and could not make a decision. Later, Zhang Liang (Marquis of Liuyang) clearly suggested establishing the capital in Guanzhong. That same day, Gaozu led his troops to move west to Guanzhong.
Gaozu then said, "Originally, it was Lou Jing who suggested establishing the capital in Qin territory. Lou sounds a lot like my name, Liu." So he granted him the surname Liu, appointed him as a Palace Attendant, and titled him the Lord of Fengchun.
In the seventh year of the Han Dynasty, King Han Xin, a Han Dynasty official, rebelled, and Gaozu personally led the troops to quell the rebellion. When he reached Jinyang, he heard that King Han Xin and the Xiongnu were planning to attack the Han Dynasty together. Gaozu was furious and sent people to investigate the situation of the Xiongnu. The Xiongnu deliberately hid their strong soldiers and fat livestock, only showing the envoys their old, weak, sick, and emaciated animals. After ten batches of envoys were sent out and returned, they all reported that the Xiongnu were easy to defeat. Gaozu then sent Liu Jing to investigate the Xiongnu. Liu Jing reported back, "When two countries are at war, they should display their strength. However, when I went this time, I only saw the old, weak, and sick. This clearly indicates they want to conceal their true strength and are secretly ambushing elite troops, preparing to profit from a surprise attack. I believe the Xiongnu are not easy to defeat." At that time, the Han army had already exceeded the Ju Mountains, and more than 200,000 troops had set out. Gaozu was very angry and scolded Liu Jing, saying, "You Qi guy! You got your position through smooth talking, and now you're trying to stop my army with more of the same!" He detained Liu Jing in Guangwu. Gaozu continued to advance with his troops and arrived at Pingcheng, where the Xiongnu indeed surrounded him at Baideng with elite troops, and it took seven days to break the siege. Gaozu returned to Guangwu, pardoned Liu Jing, and said, "I did not listen to your advice and suffered a great loss at Pingcheng. I have already killed all those ten batches of envoys who initially said the Xiongnu were easy to defeat!" He then granted Liu Jing 2,000 households and made him the Marquis of Jianxin.
After Emperor Gaozu pacified the world and returned to Chang'an, Han Xin, the Prince of Han, fled to the Xiongnu and sought refuge with Modu Chanyu. At that time, Modu Chanyu was powerful, with thirty thousand men capable of drawing a bow who frequently harassed the borders. Emperor Gaozu was very troubled by this and sought advice from Liu Jing. Liu Jing said, "The world has just been pacified, and the soldiers are exhausted. We shouldn't try to beat the Xiongnu into submission. Modu Chanyu has killed his father to seize power and keeps a whole bunch of wives and concubines, relying on military force to dominate. You can't reason with him. The only way to make him our puppet for a long time is to make him a vassal of the Han dynasty, but I'm afraid Your Majesty cannot do this." Gaozu asked, "If it can really be done, why can't I do it? What should I do?" Liu Jing replied, "If Your Majesty can marry the Princess to him and provide a huge dowry, the Xiongnu people will be envious when they see the Princess and the king's ransom sent by the Han dynasty. They'll make her their queen, and any child born will surely be made the crown prince and inherit the position of Chanyu in the future. Why? Because they covet the wealth of the Han dynasty. You could send them stuff they need but we have plenty of every year and send some smooth talkers to promote the Han dynasty's rituals and system. He'll be your son-in-law, and if he croaks, your grandson's the next Chanyu. You don't see grandsons fighting their grandfathers, do you? In this way, the Xiongnu can be gradually conquered without fighting. If Your Majesty is unwilling to send the Princess and instead sends a commoner or palace maid to impersonate her, the Xiongnu people will see through it and not value it, so it will be useless." Gaozu said, "Good!" and decided to send the Princess. However, Empress Lu cried day and night, saying, "I only have a crown prince and a daughter. How can I send her to the Xiongnu?" In the end, Gaozu was unable to send the Princess and chose a commoner woman to impersonate her and marry Chanyu, and sent Liu Jing to sort out the marriage details with the Xiongnu.
After Liu Jing returned from the Xiongnu, he said to Emperor Gaozu: "The Xiongnu chiefs of Baiyang and Loufan in Henan are only seven hundred li away from Chang'an. Light cavalry could cover the distance to Guanzhong in a single day, traveling day and night. Guanzhong has just experienced war, with a sparse population and fertile land that can be further developed. Back when the princes rebelled, without the support of Qi's Tian clan and Chu's Zhao, Qu, and Jing families, they wouldn't have stood a chance. Although Your Majesty has established the capital in Guanzhong, the population is sparse, with the threat of the Xiongnu in the north and the powerful remnants of the six eastern states' nobility. If trouble brews, Your Majesty will not be worry-free. I'd advise moving the descendants of the Tianshi of Qi, Zhao, Qu, and Jing of Chu, as well as the old nobility and talents of Yan, Zhao, Han, and Wei to live in Guanzhong. They can be used for defense against the Xiongnu in peacetime, and if the princes rebel, they can also lead them to the east to suppress them. It's all about strengthening our base and weakening the enemy." Gaozu said, "Good!" So Liu Jing was sent to relocate more than 100,000 people to Guanzhong as he had suggested.
Shusun Tong hailed from Xue. During the Qin Dynasty, because he was learned, he was summoned to the court as a scholar and served in the palace. After a few years, Chen Sheng rebelled in Shandong, and someone reported this to the Second Emperor of Qin. The Second Emperor summoned the scholars and Confucianists and asked, "The soldiers of Chu attacked Qixian and then captured Chen County. What's your take on this?" Over thirty scholars and Confucianists stood up and said, "Leading a rebellion is a death sentence! There's no pardon for that! Your Majesty should quickly send troops to suppress them!" The Second Emperor blew his top.
Shusun Tong stepped forward and said, "Guys, what you all said is wrong. Now the country's unified into one, we've got counties and cities up and running, and weapons have been destroyed. Peace reigns, and the wars are over. Moreover, we've got a strong Emperor, and the laws are solid. Everyone does their job, the country's stable. Who's gonna rebel? They're just petty thieves, not worth a second thought. The local officials are rounding them up, so what's the problem?" The Second Emperor was pleased. "Good," he said. He then asked other scholars; some said rebellion, some said just thieves. So the Second Emperor ordered the imperial censor to investigate those scholars who mentioned rebellion, arrest them, and punish them for running their mouths; those who said "thieves" were fired. Then, the Second Emperor rewarded Shusun Tong with twenty pieces of silk, a nice outfit, and made him a scholar.
After leaving the palace, Shusun Tong returned to his residence, and other scholars said, "Hey, why'd you suck up to him so much?" Shusun Tong replied, "You don't understand! I nearly got myself killed!" After speaking, he fled and returned to Xue. Xue was already under Chu control. When Xiang Liang attacked Xue, Shusun Tong went with him. Later, when Xiang Liang was defeated in the Battle of Dingtao, Shusun Tong stayed loyal to King Huai. King Huai was appointed as Emperor Yi and moved to Changsha, while Shusun Tong remained under Xiang Yu's command. In the second year of the Han Dynasty, Han King Liu Bang led five vassals to attack Pengcheng, and Shusun Tong surrendered to Liu Bang. When Liu Bang was defeated and retreated to the west, Shusun Tong followed him all the way.
Shusun Tong, wearing the clothes of a Confucian scholar, wasn't keen on by the Han King Liu Bang; so Shusun Tong changed his clothes and switched to a Chu-style tunic, which made Han King Liu Bang happy. After surrendering to the Han King, Shusun Tong brought more than a hundred Confucian disciples, but he did not plead for them. Instead, he specifically recommended those brave warriors who were once bandits to the Han King. The disciples muttered under their breath, saying, "We have followed the teacher for several years, finally surrendered to the Han King with his guidance, but now the teacher cannot plead for us and instead recommends those outlaws. Why is this?" When Shusun Tong heard this, he said to them, "The Han King is now fighting to the death with the enemy for the world. You lot are scholars – can you even fight? So I recommend the brave warriors who can charge into battle first. Don't you worry, I'll look after you!" Later, Han King Liu Bang appointed Shusun Tong as a high-ranking scholar and made him Lord Jisi.
In 202 BC, the Han Dynasty had already unified the country, and various vassal lords joined in supporting Han King Liu Bang's ascension to the emperorship in Dingtai. Shusun Tong was responsible for establishing the imperial court's etiquette and the emperor's titles. Liu Bang abolished the strict and cumbersome ritual system of the Qin Dynasty, striving for simplification. The ministers often competed for credit when drinking, talking nonsense when drunk, and would draw their swords and whack the pillars in drunken rages, which gave Liu Bang a headache. Shusun Tong saw that the emperor was very annoyed by this, so he said to Liu Bang, "Those Confucian scholars, they're no good at fighting wars, but they're perfect for keeping the peace. I want to summon some Confucian scholars from the State of Lu to work with my students to establish the court's etiquette." Liu Bang asked, "Will it be very difficult?" Shusun Tong replied, "The music of the Five Emperors was different, and so was the ritual of the Three Dynasties. Rituals are always adapted to fit the times and the people's feelings. So it's understandable that the Xia, Shang, and Zhou dynasties borrowed from and adapted each other's rituals—the point is, they were all different. I think we can draw on ancient rituals and incorporate some Qin Dynasty practices to create a new system." Liu Bang said, "Alright, let's give it a shot. Keep it simple and straightforward, something I can handle."
So, Shusun Tong sent people to Lu to recruit more than thirty Confucian scholars. Two Confucian scholars in Lu refused to go, saying, "You've served, what, ten different bosses? All thanks to your sweet-talking, right? The world has just been pacified, the dead have not been buried, the injured have not recovered, and you want to promote etiquette and music? Etiquette and music require the accumulation of virtue over hundreds of years to flourish. I cannot help you with this. What you are doing is not in accordance with ancient rituals, and I will not participate. Please leave and do not tarnish my reputation!" Shusun Tong smiled and said, "You guys are such stick-in-the-mud Confucian scholars! Don't you know how to bend with the wind?"
Then, Shusun Tong took the thirty men he had recruited and went west, where he began practicing with over a hundred officials and students of Confucianism out in the countryside. After more than a month of practice, Shusun Tong said, "Let's have the Emperor inspect us." After Liu Bang reviewed them, he had them perform a ceremonial ritual and said, "I could do that myself." So, Liu Bang ordered all ministers to study and practice, and set a date for a formal ceremony in October.
In the seventh year of the Han Dynasty, Changle Palace was completed, and all the princes and ministers from around the country went to pay homage to the emperor in October. What a sight! Early in the morning before dawn, the ceremony officials started getting things ready, leading everyone into the palace gates in order. Outside the palace, there were carriages, horses, infantry, soldiers standing in formation, banners waving, and a majestic air. Then the herald shouted, "Hurry up!", and the steps of the palace were filled with guards, hundreds of them. The meritorious officials, marquises, generals, and military officers stood in formation on the west side according to their rank, facing east, while the civil officials, starting from the Prime Minister, stood in formation on the east side, facing west. The Emperor's welcome was a big deal, a full Nine Palaces ceremony, with the eunuchs loudly announcing the names of the officials.
Next, the emperor's carriage emerged from the palace, and the officials carried out their duties, giving orders and showing the princes and officials with salaries of over six hundred stones (a significant amount) to come forward and offer their congratulations. From the princes to the lowest-ranking officials, everyone was so nervous, they barely dared to breathe, showing their respect. After the ceremony, a feast was laid out. Everyone sitting in the hall kept their heads down, waiting to offer the emperor a toast in order of seniority. After nine rounds of toasts, the official in charge of the ceremony said, "The banquet is over." The guy in charge of making sure everyone behaved would drag anyone breaking the rules away immediately. The whole thing was surprisingly orderly, even with the feast.
At this moment, Emperor Gaozu exclaimed, "Today I finally understand the majesty of being an emperor!" Then, he immediately appointed Sunshu Ao as the Grand Minister and rewarded him with five hundred catties of gold (approximately 600 pounds). Sunshu Ao took the opportunity to say, "Lots of my students and scholars have been with me for a long time, and they also participated in the preparation of this ceremony. I hope Your Majesty can arrange official positions for them." Emperor Gaozu readily agreed and appointed them all as low-ranking court officials. After Sunshu Ao came out, he also rewarded each student with five hundred catties of gold. The students were overjoyed, saying, "Wow, Master Sunshu's a genius! He knows what really matters!"
In 198 BC, Liu Bang appointed Sunshu Ao as the tutor by the Crown Prince's side, responsible for teaching the Crown Prince. By 196 BC, Liu Bang actually wanted to replace the Crown Prince Liu Ying with Prince Zhao Liuyi. Sunshu Ao quickly advised, "In the past, Duke Xian of Jin deposed the Crown Prince because of Lady Li and installed Xi Qi, which resulted in chaos in Jin for decades, becoming a laughingstock of the world. Qin Shi Huang did not confirm Fusu as the heir early enough, allowing Zhao Gao to take advantage and install Hu Hai, ultimately leading to the downfall of the Qin Dynasty and the destruction of the ancestral temple. You have seen all of this with your own eyes! Now the Crown Prince is benevolent and filial, known to all under heaven; Empress Lü has suffered hardships with you, how can you abandon them! If you do this, I swear I'll be the first to die for it! I'll stain this very ground with my blood!" Liu Bang said, "Alright, alright, I was just joking." Sunshu Ao said, "The Crown Prince is the foundation of the world. If this foundation is shaken, the world will be in turmoil. How can you joke about such important matters!" Liu Bang then said, "I will listen to you." Later, Liu Bang held a feast and saw Marquis Zhang Liang accompanied by guests welcoming the Crown Prince. Liu Bang finally gave up on the idea of getting rid of the Crown Prince.
After the death of the founding emperor Liu Bang, Emperor Xiaohui Liu Ying ascended to the throne. Emperor Xiaohui said to his advisor Shusun Tong, "The ministers are not familiar with the rules of the imperial tomb and ancestral temple." So he appointed Shusun Tong as the Court Ritual Master to formulate the ritual system of the ancestral temple. Later, most of the ritual systems of the Han Dynasty were established during Shusun Tong's tenure.
Emperor Xiaohui built Changle Palace to the east of Chang'an, and he often went there. The processions to and from the palace were troublesome, so a convenient and fast raised walkway was built to the south of the imperial armory. When Shusun Tong presented a memorial, he also made a suggestion: "Your Majesty, why this high walkway and palace? And why the court attire for nighttime visits to the High Temple? The High Temple is the temple of the Han Founder; how can future generations walk on the temple's road?" Emperor Xiaohui was shocked and said, "We must have it demolished at once!" Shusun Tong replied, "It's unbecoming for a ruler to admit mistakes publicly. Now that it's already built and the people know about it, if it's torn down now, it would be an acknowledgment of error. I hope Your Majesty can build another original temple north of the Wei River, wear court attire to worship on moonlit nights, and also expand the scale of the ancestral temple; this is the very heart of filial piety!" So Emperor Xiaohui ordered the relevant departments to build the original temple, and due to the raised walkway, the original temple was constructed there.
One spring, Emperor Xiaohui went to the outlying palace for leisure, and Shusun Tong said, "In ancient times, there was a custom of enjoying fresh produce in the spring. Now that the cherries are ripe, they can be offered to the ancestral temple. I hope Your Majesty can leave the palace and pick cherries to offer to the ancestral temple." Emperor Xiaohui agreed. And so began the tradition of offering seasonal fruits to the ancestral temple.
Sima Qian said: As the saying goes, "A fine fur coat isn't made from a single fox pelt; a grand building isn't built from a single branch; and the wisdom of three generations isn't the product of a single mind." This saying is so true! Our first emperor started from humble origins and eventually unified the whole country. He was a brilliant strategist and military commander. However, Liu Jing's suggestion to simplify the imperial carriages brought peace and stability to the Han for centuries. This shows that wisdom is not something that can be monopolized by just one person!
Take Shusun Tong, for instance. He was a master of political maneuvering, adept at establishing norms and adapting to changing circumstances. In the end, he became a great Confucian scholar of the Han Dynasty. "True strength bends like a willow," this should be referring to someone like him.
