高祖本紀（下）

Gaozu wishes to make Luoyang his permanent capital. Liu Jing, a man of Qi, remonstrates, and then the Marquis of Liu persuades the Emperor to establish the capital within the passes. That same day Gaozu departs and enters Guanzhong to make it his capital. In the sixth month, a general amnesty is proclaimed throughout All-Under-Heaven.

In the tenth month, Zang Tu, King of Yan, rebels and attacks the territory of Dai. Gaozu personally leads the campaign against him and captures Zang Tu. He thereupon installs Grand Commandant Lu Wan as King of Yan, and orders Chancellor Kuai to lead troops to attack Dai.

That autumn, Li Ji rebels. Gaozu personally leads troops against him; Li Ji flees. Li Ji had been a general under the Xiang clan. When the Xiang clan fell, Li Ji became Duke of Chen. He did not follow Xiang Yu but fled and surrendered to Gaozu, who enfeoffed him as a marquis in Yingchuan. When Gaozu came to Luoyang and summoned all marquis-holders by their registers, Li Ji grew fearful and therefore rebelled.

In the sixth year, Gaozu pays court to the Grand Sire once every five days, observing the rites of a commoner father and son. The Grand Sire's household steward advises the Grand Sire, saying: "There are not two suns in the sky, nor two kings over the land. Though Gaozu is your son, he is the sovereign; though the Grand Sire is his father, he is a subject. How can you allow the sovereign to bow to a subject? If this continues, his authority and dignity will be undermined." The next time Gaozu comes to pay his respects, the Grand Sire takes up a broom and, walking backward, meets him at the gate. Gaozu is greatly startled and dismounts to support his father. The Grand Sire says: "The Emperor is the sovereign — how could I allow you to violate the laws of All-Under-Heaven on my account?" Thereupon Gaozu confers upon the Grand Sire the title of Supreme Emperor. In his heart he approves of the steward's words and rewards him with five hundred catties of gold.

In the twelfth month, a man submits a report of seditious activity accusing Han Xin, King of Chu, of plotting rebellion. The Emperor consults his ministers; they all eagerly urge an attack. Adopting Chen Ping's stratagem, the Emperor feigns a pleasure tour to Yunmeng and summons the regional lords to a gathering at Chen. The King of Chu comes to welcome him, and is immediately arrested. That day, a general amnesty is proclaimed throughout All-Under-Heaven. Tian Ken offers congratulations and takes the opportunity to address Gaozu: "Your Majesty has secured Han Xin and holds the heartland of Qin. Qin is a land of strategic advantage, girded by rivers and mountains, separated from the feudal lords by a thousand li, able to marshal a million halberds — Qin's position is worth a hundred against two elsewhere. Given its terrain and strategic advantage, to send armies down upon the feudal lords is like pouring water from a jug atop a high roof. As for Qi: to the east it has the riches of Langya and Jimo, to the south the bastion of Mount Tai, to the west the barrier of the Turbid River, and to the north the profits of the Gulf of Bohai. Its territory spans two thousand li, it can marshal a million halberds, and separated by a thousand li from the rest, Qi's position is worth ten against two. It is thus a second Qin in the east. Unless one of your own sons is made its king, no one else should be entrusted with Qi." Gaozu says: "Excellent." He rewards Tian Ken with five hundred catties of gold.

More than ten days later, he demotes Han Xin to Marquis of Huaiyin and divides his territory into two kingdoms. Gaozu declares that General Liu Jia has rendered meritorious service many times, and appoints him King of Jing, ruling east of the Huai. His younger brother Jiao becomes King of Chu, ruling west of the Huai. His son Fei becomes King of Qi, ruling over more than seventy cities — all people who speak the Qi dialect are placed under Qi's jurisdiction. He then evaluates the merits of his followers and distributes tally-tokens to enfeoff the various marquises. He transfers Han Xin, King of Han, to Taiyuan.

In the seventh year, the Xiongnu attack Han Xin, King of Han, at Mayi. Han Xin thereupon conspires to rebel at Taiyuan. Man Qiuchen of Baitu and Wang Huang install the former Zhao general Zhao Li as king and rise in revolt. Gaozu goes in person to attack them. It happens that the weather is bitterly cold; two or three out of every ten soldiers lose fingers to frostbite. The army presses on to Pingcheng. The Xiongnu surround Gaozu at Pingcheng for seven days before finally withdrawing. Gaozu orders Fan Kuai to remain and pacify the territory of Dai, and installs his elder brother Liu Zhong as King of Dai.

In the second month, Gaozu returns from Pingcheng through Zhao and Luoyang, arriving at Chang'an. The Palace of Lasting Joy is completed, and the Chancellor and all officials below him relocate their administration to Chang'an.

In the eighth year, Gaozu campaigns east to strike the remnant rebels of Han Xin, King of Han, at Dongyuan.

Chancellor Xiao He has been constructing the Weiyang Palace, erecting the Eastern Watchtower, Northern Watchtower, Front Hall, Arsenal, and Grand Granary. When Gaozu returns and sees how imposing the palace towers are, he grows angry and says to Xiao He: "All-Under-Heaven has suffered bitterly through years of war, and the outcome is still uncertain — why have you built palaces to such excess?" Xiao He replies: "Precisely because All-Under-Heaven is not yet settled, this is the time to complete the palaces. The Son of Heaven takes the Four Seas as his home; without grandeur and magnificence there is nothing to invest his authority with gravity — and one must not leave later generations room to outdo it." Gaozu is pleased.

In the tenth month of the tenth year, Ying Bu the King of Huainan, Peng Yue the King of Liang, Lu Wan the King of Yan, Liu Jia the King of Jing, Liu Jiao the King of Chu, Liu Fei the King of Qi, and Wu Rui the King of Changsha all come to pay court at the Palace of Lasting Joy. Spring and summer pass without incident.

In the seventh month, the Supreme Emperor dies at Yueyang Palace. The kings of Chu and Liang both come for the funeral. Prisoners at Yueyang are pardoned. The city of Liyi is renamed Xinfeng.

In the eighth month, Chen Xi, Chancellor of Zhao, rebels in the territory of Dai. The Emperor says: "Xi once served as my envoy and was most trustworthy. Because Dai was a territory I considered critical, I enfeoffed Xi as a full marquis and entrusted him with the chancellorship to defend Dai — and now he joins Wang Huang and others to plunder the land of Dai! The officials and people of Dai bear no guilt. Pardon them all." In the ninth month, the Emperor goes east in person to attack him. Upon reaching Handan, the Emperor says with satisfaction: "Xi has failed to take Handan in the south and block the Zhang River — I know he is incapable of anything great." When he hears that Chen Xi's generals are all former merchants, the Emperor says: "I know how to deal with them." He then lavishes gold to bribe Chen Xi's officers, and many of them surrender.

In the eleventh year, while Gaozu is at Handan and has not yet finished suppressing Chen Xi's forces, Chen Xi's general Hou Chang roams with over ten thousand men, Wang Huang camps at Quni, and Zhang Chun crosses the Yellow River to attack Liaocheng. The Han sends General Guo Meng together with the Qi generals to strike them, inflicting a great defeat. Grand Commandant Zhou Bo enters through Taiyuan to pacify the territory of Dai. He reaches Mayi, which refuses to surrender, and storms and destroys it.

Chen Xi's general Zhao Li holds Dongyuan. Gaozu attacks but cannot take the city. After more than a month, the garrison soldiers shout insults at Gaozu, and Gaozu is enraged. When the city finally surrenders, he orders those who shouted insults to be executed, and those who did not to be pardoned. He then divides the northern portion of Zhao and installs his son Heng as King of Dai, with his capital at Jinyang.

In the spring, the Marquis of Huaiyin, Han Xin, plots rebellion in Guanzhong. His three lineages are exterminated.

In the summer, Peng Yue, King of Liang, plots rebellion. He is deposed and exiled to Shu; when he again attempts rebellion, his three lineages are exterminated. Gaozu installs his son Hui as King of Liang and his son You as King of Huaiyang.

In the autumn, the seventh month, Ying Bu, King of Huainan, rebels. He annexes the territory of Liu Jia, King of Jing, to the east and crosses the Huai River northward. Liu Jiao, King of Chu, flees to Xue. Gaozu goes in person to attack him. He installs his son Chang as King of Huainan.

In the twelfth year, in the tenth month, Gaozu engages Ying Bu's army at Huizhui. Ying Bu flees, and Gaozu orders a subordinate general to pursue him.

On his way back, Gaozu passes through Pei and stops there. He holds a banquet at the Palace of Pei, summoning all his old friends, village elders, and their sons and younger brothers for unrestrained drinking. He selects one hundred and twenty youths from among the children of Pei and teaches them a song. When the wine is at its height, Gaozu strikes the zhu lute and composes a song himself:

"A great wind rises — the clouds are driven and scattered! My power extends over All Within the Seas — I return to my homeland! Where shall I find brave warriors to guard the four quarters?"

He has the youths join in and practice the song. Gaozu then rises and dances; stirred to deep emotion, tears stream down his face in several lines. He addresses the fathers and elders of Pei: "The wanderer grieves for his homeland. Though I have made my capital within the passes, after ten thousand years my spirit will still delight in remembering Pei. Moreover, it was from here, as Lord of Pei, that I set out to punish tyranny and lawlessness, and thereby won All-Under-Heaven. I hereby designate Pei as my personal bath-town: its people shall be exempted from all taxes and labor service, generation after generation, forever." The fathers and elders of Pei, the mothers and old friends, spend their days in joyful drinking and deep delight, recounting old stories and laughing together. After more than ten days, Gaozu wishes to leave, but the fathers and elders of Pei press him to stay. Gaozu says: "My retinue is too large — you fathers and elders cannot afford to provide for us." He then departs. The entire population of Pei empties the district and goes to the west of the town to present gifts. Gaozu stops again and holds a drinking feast for three more days. The fathers and elders of Pei all prostrate themselves and say: "Pei has been fortunate enough to receive exemption, but Feng has not yet been exempted — we beg Your Majesty to show it the same compassion." Gaozu says: "Feng is where I was born and raised; I could never forget it. I single it out only because Yong Chi used it as a base to betray me and side with Wei." The fathers and elders persist in their plea, and so he exempts Feng as well, on equal terms with Pei. He then appoints Liu Bi, Marquis of Pei, as King of Wu.

While campaigning against Ying Bu, Gaozu is struck by a stray arrow, and falls ill on the road. His condition worsens. Empress Lü summons a skilled physician. The physician enters and examines him. Gaozu asks for the prognosis. The physician says: "The illness can be treated." At this Gaozu curses him roughly, saying: "I, a commoner in hempen cloth, took up a three-foot sword and won All-Under-Heaven — is this not the Mandate of Heaven? My fate rests with Heaven; even Bian Que himself could do nothing!" He refuses treatment, rewards the physician with fifty catties of gold, and dismisses him. Shortly afterward, Empress Lü asks: "After Your Majesty has passed, if Chancellor Xiao He should also die, who should succeed him?" The Emperor says: "Cao Can will do." She asks who should follow him. The Emperor says: "Wang Ling will do. But Ling is somewhat blunt; Chen Ping can assist him. Chen Ping has wisdom to spare, but he cannot bear sole responsibility. Zhou Bo is solid and earnest, though lacking in letters — yet the one who will secure the House of Liu is surely Bo. He should be made Grand Commandant." Empress Lü asks again about those who come next. The Emperor says: "After that, it is no longer something you will need to know."

Lu Wan and several thousand horsemen wait at the frontier passes, hoping the Emperor will recover so that he may come in person to beg pardon.

On the jiachen day of the fourth month, Gaozu dies at the Palace of Lasting Joy. For four days the death is not announced. Empress Lü confers with Shen Shiqi, saying: "The generals were once commoners alongside the Emperor. Now they serve as his subjects, facing north — this has always galled them. If they must now serve a young sovereign, we shall have no peace in All-Under-Heaven unless we exterminate their entire clans." Someone overhears this and informs General Li. General Li goes to see Shen Shiqi and says: "I have heard that the Emperor has died and for four days the death has not been announced, because there is a plan to execute the generals. If this is truly so, All-Under-Heaven is in peril. Chen Ping and Guan Ying command a hundred thousand troops guarding Xingyang; Fan Kuai and Zhou Bo lead two hundred thousand to pacify Yan and Dai. If they hear that the Emperor has died and the generals are being executed, they will surely wheel their armies around and march on Guanzhong. With great ministers in revolt within and feudal lords rebelling without, the dynasty's destruction can be awaited on tiptoe." Shen Shiqi goes in and conveys this warning. On the dingwei day the death is finally announced, and a general amnesty is proclaimed throughout All-Under-Heaven.

When Lu Wan hears of Gaozu's death, he flees into Xiongnu territory.

On the bingyin day, the burial takes place. On the jisi day, the Heir is installed and proceeds to the Temple of the Supreme Emperor. All the ministers say: "Gaozu rose from humble obscurity, swept away the chaos of the age and restored it to order, pacified All-Under-Heaven, and became the Grand Ancestor of Han. His accomplishments are the highest of all." He is given the exalted posthumous title of Emperor Gao. The Heir succeeds to the imperial title — he is Emperor Xiaohui. An order is issued that each commandery, kingdom, and feudal domain shall establish a temple to Gaozu and offer sacrifices at the proper seasons.

In the fifth year of Emperor Xiaohui's reign, remembering Gaozu's sorrowful joy at Pei, the Palace of Pei is designated as the Original Temple of Gaozu. The one hundred and twenty youths whom Gaozu had taught to sing are all retained as court musicians; whenever vacancies occur, replacements are recruited.

Emperor Gao has eight sons. The eldest, born of a concubine, is Liu Fei, posthumously King Daohui of Qi. Next is Xiaohui, son of Empress Lü. Next is Liu Ruyi, son of Lady Qi, posthumously King Yin of Zhao. Next is Liu Heng, King of Dai, who is later enthroned as Emperor Xiaowen — he is the son of Empress Dowager Bo. Next is Liu Hui, King of Liang, who under Empress Dowager Lü is transferred to become King Gong of Zhao. Next is Liu You, King of Huaiyang, who under Empress Dowager Lü is transferred to become King You of Zhao. Next is Liu Chang, King Li of Huainan. Last is Liu Jian, King of Yan.

The Grand Historian remarks: The governance of the Xia was characterized by sincerity. When sincerity became corrupted, lesser men turned to uncouthness. Therefore the Yin succeeded it with reverence. When reverence became corrupted, lesser men turned to superstition. Therefore the Zhou succeeded it with refinement. When refinement became corrupted, lesser men turned to hollow pretense. To remedy pretense, nothing surpasses a return to sincerity. The Way of the Three Dynasties is like a cycle, ending only to begin again. In the interval from Zhou to Qin, one may say that refinement had become corrupted indeed. Yet Qin did not reform its governance but instead intensified harsh punishments and cruel laws — was this not a grave error? Therefore when Han arose, it inherited the corruption and introduced change, so that the people were not exhausted, and it obtained the legitimate succession of Heaven. Court was held in the tenth month. The imperial carriage bore a yellow canopy with a yak-tail standard to the left. Gaozu was buried at Changling.