蒙恬列傳

Meng Tian's ancestors were originally from Qi. His grandfather Meng Ao left Qi to serve King Zhao of Qin and rose to the rank of Senior Minister. In the first year of King Zhuangxiang of Qin, Meng Ao served as a Qin general and attacked Han, taking Chenggao and Xingyang, whereupon the Sanchuan Commandery was established. In the second year, Meng Ao attacked Zhao and took thirty-seven cities. In the third year of the First Emperor, Meng Ao attacked Han and took thirteen cities. In the fifth year, Meng Ao attacked Wei and took twenty cities, whereupon the Dong Commandery was established. In the seventh year of the First Emperor, Meng Ao died. Ao's son was named Wu, and Wu's son was named Tian. Tian had once served as a judicial clerk and was learned in legal texts. In the twenty-third year of the First Emperor, Meng Wu served as assistant general of Qin and, together with Wang Jian, attacked Chu, inflicting a crushing defeat and killing Xiang Yan. In the twenty-fourth year, Meng Wu attacked Chu and captured the King of Chu. Meng Tian's younger brother was named Yi.

In the twenty-sixth year of the First Emperor, Meng Tian, owing to his family's military heritage, was made a Qin general. He attacked Qi and inflicted a crushing defeat, and was appointed Prefect of the Capital. After Qin had unified all under Heaven, the First Emperor sent Meng Tian with 300,000 troops northward to drive back the Rong and Di barbarians and recover the Ordos region south of the Yellow River. He built the Great Wall, following the natural terrain to create fortified passes, from Lintao in the west to Liaodong in the east, stretching over ten thousand li. He crossed the Yellow River, occupied the Yinshan mountains, and wound his way northward. He kept his army encamped in the field for more than ten years, stationed at Shang Commandery. At this time Meng Tian's authority awed the Xiongnu. The First Emperor greatly honored and favored the Meng clan and trusted in their worth. He was particularly close to Meng Yi, who held the rank of Senior Minister — when the Emperor went out, Yi rode in the same chariot; when at court, Yi served at the Emperor's side. Tian managed external military affairs while Yi consistently served as internal counselor. They were reputed for loyalty and trustworthiness, so that none among the other generals and ministers dared contend with them.

Zhao Gao was a distant relation of the Zhao royal house. Zhao Gao and his several brothers were all born in the palace's service quarters, and their mother had been condemned and punished — the family had been of low status for generations. The King of Qin heard that Gao was capable and strong and well versed in penal law, and so appointed him Director of Palace Carriages. Gao had privately attached himself to Prince Huhai and instructed him in legal cases. When Gao committed a serious crime, the King of Qin ordered Meng Yi to try him according to the law. Yi did not dare bend the law and sentenced Gao to death, removing him from the palace registers. But the Emperor, considering Gao diligent in his duties, pardoned him and restored his office and rank.

The First Emperor wished to travel throughout the realm, taking the route from Jiuyuan straight to Ganquan Palace. He therefore ordered Meng Tian to build a road from Jiuyuan to Ganquan, cutting through mountains and filling in valleys, for 1,800 li. The road was not yet completed.

In the winter of the thirty-seventh year of the First Emperor, the Emperor set out on a tour to Kuaiji, traveling along the coast and northward to Langya. He fell ill on the road and sent Meng Yi back to pray at the sacred mountains and rivers. Yi had not yet returned.

The First Emperor reached Sand Dunes and died. The death was kept secret; none of the ministers knew. At that time, Chancellor Li Si, Prince Huhai, and the Director of Palace Carriages Zhao Gao were in constant attendance. Gao had long enjoyed Huhai's favor and wished to enthrone him. He also bore a grudge against Meng Yi for having sentenced him according to the law without taking his side. With treacherous intent, he therefore conspired with Chancellor Li Si and Prince Huhai to install Huhai as heir apparent. Once the heir was installed, they dispatched envoys with charges of crimes, ordering Prince Fusu and Meng Tian to commit suicide. Fusu killed himself, but Meng Tian harbored doubts and requested a review. The envoys placed Meng Tian under official custody with substitute guards. Huhai appointed one of Li Si's retainers as protector of the army. When the envoys returned to report, Huhai — having already heard of Fusu's death — actually wanted to release Meng Tian. But Zhao Gao feared the Meng clan would regain power and influence, and bore a grudge against them.

When Meng Yi returned, Zhao Gao devised what he called a loyal plan for Huhai's benefit, intending to destroy the Meng clan. He said: "I have heard that the late Emperor wished to select a worthy heir and establish a crown prince for a long time, but Yi remonstrated, saying 'It cannot be done.' If he knew the worthy choice yet persistently refused to support it, that is disloyalty and misleading the sovereign. In my humble opinion, we should execute him." Huhai agreed and had Meng Yi imprisoned at Dai. Meng Tian had already been imprisoned at Yangzhou. The funeral cortege reached Xianyang and the burial was completed. The heir was enthroned as the Second Emperor, and Zhao Gao drew close to him, day and night slandering the Meng clan, seeking out charges against them and filing accusations.

Ziying came forward to remonstrate: "I have heard that the former King Qian of Zhao killed his loyal minister Li Mu and employed Yan Ju; King Xi of Yan secretly used Jing Ke's plot and broke his treaty with Qin; King Jian of Qi killed his long-serving loyal ministers and followed the counsel of Hou Sheng. All three of these rulers lost their states and brought disaster upon themselves by abandoning proven ways. Now the Meng clan are Qin's great ministers and counselors, and yet Your Majesty wishes to discard them overnight. I venture to say this should not be done. I have heard that one who deliberates lightly cannot govern a state, and one who relies on his judgment alone cannot preserve his lord. To execute loyal ministers and elevate men without integrity is to create internal distrust among your officials and externally alienate the will of your fighting men. I venture to say this should not be done."

Huhai would not listen. He dispatched the Censor Qu Gong by relay carriage to Dai and delivered this message to Meng Yi: "The former sovereign wished to establish the crown prince, and you objected. The Chancellor considers you disloyal, and the guilt extends to your entire clan. I cannot bear it, so I grant you death — you should consider this a great mercy. Reflect on it." Yi replied: "If I am charged with failing to understand the late sovereign's intent, then consider that I served him from my youth and faithfully attended him until his death. One may say I understood his intent. If I am charged with not recognizing the crown prince's ability, then consider that the crown prince alone accompanied the late sovereign, traveling with him throughout the realm, set far apart from all the other princes — I had no reason to doubt him. The late sovereign's decision to employ the crown prince was the accumulation of years of deliberation. What words of mine would dare to remonstrate, what plans of mine would dare to interfere? I do not presume to embellish words to avoid death, but I fear that my case would stain the late sovereign's name. I ask you, sir, to consider this, so that I may die for the truth. Completing what accords with the Way is what the Way values; inflicting punishment and death is where the Way ends. In former times, Duke Mu of Qin killed the Three Good Men at his death and unjustly condemned Baili Xi, so he was given the posthumous name 'Remorseful.' King Zhaoxiang killed Lord Wuan, Bai Qi. King Ping of Chu killed Wu She. King Fuchai of Wu killed Wu Zixu. All four rulers committed grave errors, and the world condemned them, considering them unenlightened sovereigns, and recorded their deeds among the feudal lords. Therefore it is said: 'One who rules by the Way does not kill the innocent, and punishment does not fall upon the blameless.' I beg you, sir, to take this to heart." The envoy, knowing Huhai's intent, ignored Meng Yi's words and executed him.

The Second Emperor sent another envoy to Yangzhou to deliver a message to Meng Tian: "Your offenses are many, and your brother Yi has committed a grave crime — the law extends to you as Prefect of the Capital." Tian said: "From my forebears down to their children and grandchildren, my family has accumulated merit and trust in service to Qin for three generations. Now I command more than 300,000 troops. Though I am held prisoner, my power would be sufficient to mount a rebellion. But knowing I must die and holding to righteousness, I dare not dishonor the teachings of my ancestors or forget my late sovereign. In former times, when King Cheng of Zhou first came to the throne, he was still in swaddling clothes. The Duke of Zhou carried the young king on his back to hold court and ultimately brought stability to all under Heaven. When King Cheng fell gravely ill, the Duke of Zhou cut his own fingernails and cast them into the Yellow River, saying: 'The king has not yet come of age — it is I, Dan, who conduct affairs. If there be guilt or calamity, let Dan bear the misfortune.' He wrote this down and stored it in the archive. One may call this trustworthiness. When the king was old enough to govern, a treacherous minister said: 'The Duke of Zhou has been plotting rebellion for a long time. If Your Majesty does not prepare, there will be a great upheaval.' The king flew into a rage, and the Duke of Zhou fled to Chu. When King Cheng examined the archive, he found the Duke of Zhou's pledged document, and wept: 'Who says the Duke of Zhou wished to rebel?' He executed the slanderer and recalled the Duke of Zhou. Therefore the Zhou Documents say: 'You must cross-check from three and five sources.' Now my clan has never harbored divided loyalties across the generations, yet events have come to this. This can only be the work of traitorous ministers in internal subversion. When King Cheng erred but recovered, he ultimately flourished. Jie killed Guan Longfeng, and Zhou killed Prince Bigan without regret — and they died and their kingdoms perished. Therefore I say: errors can be corrected and remonstrances can be heeded. To examine by cross-checking is the method of the supreme sages. All that I say is not to seek exemption from blame, but to offer remonstrance even in death. I wish that Your Majesty would consider following the Way for the sake of all the people." The envoy said: "I have received the edict to carry out the law upon you, General. I dare not convey the General's words to the Emperor." Meng Tian heaved a deep sigh: "What crime have I committed against Heaven, that I should die without fault?" After a long silence, he said slowly: "Tian's crime indeed deserves death. From Lintao extending to Liaodong, I built fortifications cutting through the earth for over ten thousand li. In all that distance, could I have avoided severing the earth's veins? This is Tian's crime." He then swallowed poison and died.

The Grand Historian remarks: I once traveled to the northern frontier and returned by the Straight Road. Along the way I observed the Great Wall, watchtowers, and ramparts that Meng Tian had built for Qin — cutting through mountains and filling in valleys, opening the Straight Road. He certainly treated the people's strength as a light thing. When Qin had just destroyed the feudal lords, the hearts of the realm were not yet settled and the wounded had not yet recovered. Yet Tian, as a famous general, did not use this moment to press vigorous remonstrance, relieve the people's distress, nurture the old, and protect the orphaned, or work to cultivate harmony among the multitudes. Instead, he complied with his sovereign's wishes and raised great public works. That he and his brother met execution — is this not fitting? Why blame it on the earth's veins?