司馬相如列傳（上）

Sima Xiangru was a man of Chengdu in the Commandery of Shu. His courtesy name was Changqing. As a youth he loved reading and the study of swordsmanship, so his parents named him Quanzi (‘Puppy’). After completing his studies, he admired Lin Xiangru of Zhao and changed his name to Xiangru. He purchased the rank of Gentleman and served Emperor Jing as a Mounted Attendant of the Guard, but this was not to his liking. As it happened, Emperor Jing did not appreciate literary compositions. At that time, King Xiao of Liang came to court, accompanied by such rhetoricians and persuaders as Zou Yang of Qi, Mei Sheng of Huaiyin, and Master Zhuang Ji of Wu. Xiangru was taken with them. He obtained a medical discharge and went to live as a guest in Liang. King Xiao of Liang lodged him with his scholars, and Xiangru lived among the literary men and traveling scholars for several years, during which he composed the Rhapsody of Master Nothingness.

When King Xiao of Liang died, Xiangru returned home to find the family impoverished and without a livelihood. He had long been on good terms with Wang Ji, the magistrate of Linqiong. Wang Ji said: “Changqing, you have served at court without success — come stay with me.” Xiangru went and took up lodging at the capital pavilion. ... Xiangru then sent rich gifts through Wenjun’s maid to convey his ardent feelings. Wenjun eloped with Xiangru that night, and together they rode back to Chengdu. Their home was bare — nothing but four walls. Her father Zhuo Wangsun was furious: “My daughter is utterly worthless. I cannot bring myself to kill her, but I will not give her a single coin.” ... Eventually Wenjun and Xiangru returned to Chengdu, purchased farmland and a house, and became wealthy.

Some time later, Yang Deyi of Shu was serving as Keeper of the Imperial Hounds and attended the Emperor. The Emperor read the Rhapsody of Master Nothingness and admired it greatly, saying: “Alas that I could not have lived in the same age as this author!” Yang Deyi said: “My fellow townsman Sima Xiangru claims to have written this piece.” The Emperor was astonished and summoned Xiangru for questioning. Xiangru said: “Indeed I wrote it. But this concerns merely the affairs of the feudal lords, and is not worth looking at. Allow me to compose a rhapsody on the imperial hunt. When it is finished, I shall present it.” The Emperor agreed and had the Imperial Secretariat supply him with brush and writing tablets. Xiangru used ‘Master Nothingness’ as a fictitious speaker representing Chu; ‘Sir No-Such-Thing’ as the one who demonstrates that no such extravagance exists, representing Qi’s rebuttal; and ‘Lord No-One’ as a nonexistent person who illuminates the Emperor’s righteous position. He thus employed these three fictional personages as his vehicle for comparing the hunting parks of the Emperor and the feudal lords. The final chapter returns to the theme of frugality, using the text as a vehicle for remonstrance. He presented it to the Emperor, who was greatly pleased.

Chu sent Master Nothingness as envoy to Qi. The King of Qi mustered all the warriors of his domain, assembled his chariots and cavalry, and went hunting with the envoy. Afterward, Master Nothingness visited Sir No-Such-Thing to boast, and Lord No-One was present. ... Lord No-One laughed and said: “Chu has missed the mark, and Qi has not found it either. ... Have you never beheld the magnificence of the Son of Heaven’s Shanglin Park?”

[Lord No-One then describes the Shanglin Park in sweeping detail — its rivers and mountains, forests and beasts, palaces and gardens. After the great imperial hunt:]

“When the wine was flowing and the music at its height, the Son of Heaven fell into a reverie, as though something were missing. He said: ‘Alas, this is extravagance carried too far! I have used my leisure from state affairs, wasting days, following Heaven’s way through hunting and culling, resting here for a time. But I fear that later generations will make this their model of luxury, going ever further without turning back — this is no way to establish a legacy for our successors.’ Thereupon he halted the hunt, dismissed the wine, and commanded his officials: ‘Let all land that can be plowed be opened for farming to feed the common people.’”

Xiangru had served as a Gentleman for several years when Tang Meng was sent to open a road through Yelang and the western Bo lands. He conscripted a thousand soldiers from Ba and Shu, and the commandery additionally mobilized over ten thousand more for transport service. He used military punishments against their chieftains, and the people of Ba and Shu were thrown into great alarm. When the Emperor learned of this, he sent Xiangru to reprimand Tang Meng and reassure the people of Ba and Shu that this was not the Emperor’s intention. ... Sima Xiangru then proceeded to pacify the southwestern Yi. The chieftains of Qiong, Zuo, Ran, Mang, and Siyu all requested to become internal subjects. He abolished the frontier passes, extending the borders westward to the Mei and Ruo rivers, and southward to Zangke. He opened the Lingguan road and bridged the Sun River to connect Qiong City. He returned and reported to the Emperor, who was greatly pleased.

Xiangru had a stutter but was a brilliant writer. He suffered constantly from the wasting-thirst disease. Having married into the Zhuo family, he was comfortable financially. In his official career, he never involved himself in matters of state with the other ministers, claiming illness and living in retirement, indifferent to rank. He once accompanied the Emperor to a hunt at Changyang. The Emperor was fond of personally attacking bears and boars and chasing wild beasts. Xiangru submitted a memorial of remonstrance. It read in part: ... “The far-sighted man perceives danger before it sprouts; the wise man avoids peril while it is still formless. Disasters are usually hidden in the subtle and emerge from what people neglect. Therefore the common proverb says: ‘A family worth a thousand in gold does not sit on the edge of the hall.’ These words may be humble, but they illustrate a great truth. I beg Your Majesty to reflect on this.”

The Emperor approved.