釋氏稽古略 1.451

1.451

Xun. Originally named Bingyi. Emperor Wu's Crown Prince Li, Ju, fathered the Imperial Grandson Shi, and the Imperial Grandson Shi fathered Xun; he was the great-grandson of Emperor Wu. He ascended the throne at the age of eighteen, reigned for twenty-five years, and died at the age of forty-three. The Emperor arose from among the common people and knew the hardships of the folk. Only after the death of General-in-Chief Huo Guang did he begin to attend personally to governmental affairs. Wei Xiang and Bing Ji served as chancellors, while Huang Ba and Gong Sui served as commandery governors. Rewards were reliable and punishments certain; officials fulfilled their offices, and the people rested content in their vocations. In the third year of Dijie, Chancellor Wei Xian was relieved due to old age and illness and retired to his residence; the retirement of chancellors began with Xian. In the fourth year of Wufeng, Geng Shouchang, Palace Aide to the Grand Minister of Agriculture, memorialised to establish the Ever-Normal Granaries: when grain was cheap, the price was raised to buy it so as to benefit the farmers; when grain was expensive, the price was lowered to sell it, making it convenient for the people. Shouchang was awarded the noble rank of Marquis of Guannei. In the third year of Ganlu, as the Rong and Di barbarians had submitted, the Emperor thought of the excellence of his assisting ministers and had their portraits painted in the Qilin Pavilion, copying their forms and appearances and recording their official ranks and names. Only Huo Guang was not named, but referred to simply as: 'Grand Minister of War, General-in-Chief, Marquis of Bolu, of the Huo clan.' Next were Zhang Anshi, Han Zeng, Zhao Chongguo, Wei Xiang, Bing Ji, Du Yannian, Liu De, Liangqiu He, Xiao Wangzhi, and Su Wu—eleven persons in all. All had merit and virtue and were famous in their time. For this reason they were manifested and extolled, clearly recording their assistance in the restoration, ranking alongside Fangshu, Zhaohu, and Zhong Shanfu. He issued an edict to the Confucian scholars to lecture on the agreements and differences among the Five Classics, and Xiao Wangzhi and others harmonised and memorialised their discussions, with the Emperor personally deciding the judgments in imperial council. Thereupon, he established Erudites for the Liangqiu Book of Changes, the Greater and Lesser Xiahou Books of Documents, and the Guliang Spring and Autumn Annals. He died in the first year of Huanglong. Benshi (four [years]), Dijie (five), Yuankang (four), Shenjue (four), Wufeng (four), Ganlu (four), Huanglong [one].