釋氏稽古略 1.497

1.497

烜。明帝太子。務從寬厚。除慘酷之科。深元元之愛。著胎養之令。盡心孝道。平徭簡賦。人賴其慶。在位十三年壽三十三。元和二年春正月。詔曰。令云民有產子者。復勿算三歲。今諸懷姙者賜胎養穀人三斛。復其夫勿算一歲。著以為令。乙丑帝耕於定陶。進幸魯祠孔子於闕里。及七十二弟子。作六代之樂。大會孔氏男子二十以上者六十二人。帝謂孔僖曰。今日之會。寧於卿宗有光榮乎。對曰。臣聞明王聖主莫不尊師貴道。今陛下親屈萬乘。辱臨敞里。此乃崇禮先師。增輝聖德。至於光榮非所敢承。帝大笑曰。非聖者子孫焉有斯言乎。拜僖郎中（漢書）　建初（八）元和（二）章和（二）。

Xuan, the crown prince of Emperor Ming. He made it his aim to be lenient and generous, abolishing cruel penalties and deepening his love for the common people. He instituted decrees for the care of pregnancy and applied his whole mind to filial piety. He equalized corvée and reduced taxes, and the people relied on his benevolence. He reigned for thirteen years and lived to thirty-three. In the first month of spring in the second year of Yuanhe, he decreed: "The statutes state that when the people give birth to a child, they are exempt from head taxes for three years. Now, let all pregnant women be granted three hu of grain for pregnancy care, and let their husbands be exempt from head taxes for one year. Let this be established as law." In the yichou year, the Emperor plowed at Dingtao and went on to Lu, making offerings to Confucius and the seventy-two disciples at Queli. He had the music of the Six Dynasties performed and held a great gathering of sixty-two men of the Kong clan aged twenty and above. The Emperor said to Kong Xi: "Does today's gathering bring glory to your lineage?" [Kong Xi] replied: "Your servant has heard that there are no enlightened kings or sage lords who do not revere teachers and value the Way. Now Your Majesty has personally condescended with the imperial chariot to deign to visit our humble village. This honors the ancient master and adds luster to your sagely virtue; as for glory, it is not what we would dare claim for ourselves." The Emperor laughed heartily and said: "Were you not a descendant of the Sage, how could you speak such words?" He appointed Xi as a Gentleman of the Palace (Han shu). Reign eras: Jianchu (8), Yuanhe (2), Zhanghe (2).