Week 7

Tuesday, 10/10 

In re-reading The Five Emperors this week, I was struck by the closing remarks, where Sima Qian describes the uncertainty surrounding the history of The Huang-Ti, stating that other scholars’ “words are not appropriate” and that “even civil officials or old masters would have trouble explaining” the history of The Huang-Ti (N17 2nd p.). His resulting account includes the “words which are the most appropriate” (N17 2nd p,b). What might Sima Qian mean by “appropriate”? 

Perhaps an “appropriate” account is one that emphasizes virtue. Sima Qian’s account of The Five Emperors provides clear examples of the actions and characteristics of virtuous rulers. Sima Qian also remarks that his intent is that The Five Emperors be the first chapter of his “basic annals” (N17b). By making virtue the starting point, Sima Qian is showing us that virtuous government is in our nature, we only need to retrieve the virtuous nature shown in The Five Emperors. Sima Qian’s virtuous beginning also deeply roots good practices such as ritual sacrifices, one of the hallmarks of a virtuous ruler. One of the details that Sima Qian records about the The Huang-Ti is that during his reign, Feng and Shan sacrifices were conducted so often, it was “considered to be the most frequent [in history]” (N3b). Emperor Chow, in contrast, “did not offer sacrifices” (N62m). By having his history begin at a point when rituals flourished, they are more likely to be remembered and endure. 

In later records, Sima Qian shows us a cyclical nature of history as it moves from harmony and peace to chaos and violence, and back again. By making the beginning of his work clearly auspicious, perhaps he is signaling readers who live in troubled times that virtue can return. Alternately, this starting point might caution readers who live in harmonious times that rulers who do not follow the examples of The Five Emperors can drift away from “bright virtue”, as Emperor Chow did (N62m). If Sima Qian’s history began with five flawed or even evil rulers, then we might believe that our natures are not virtuous, perhaps even evil. Including details of the Huang-Ti that portray him as a flawed ruler, would thus be inappropriate.   

Thursday, 10/12 

In the The Chou, Basic Annals 4, Sima Qian notes that King Wu’s demise comes when “the world was not yet settled” (N64t). What is meant by this? 

“Settled” could refer to the location of the capital. In Sima Qian’s ending remarks for this chapter, he notes that the location of the Chou capital was unclear during most of its existence (N83b). King Wu chose the location and planned for Lo City to be the capital early on (N64t). Part of King Wu’s ambition (as the overthrower of evil Emperor Chow) was to secure “Heaven’s protection” (N63m). King Wu is creating a new, virtuous kingdom, and thus selects a new location that “would not be far from a Heavenly Residence” (N64t). But after selecting the location, King Wu, and subsequent rulers, continue to return to Feng, the capital chosen during Emperor Chow’s reign (N64t, N65m, N58b-59t). After King Wu’s death, the Duke of Chou attempts to carry out his plans for Lo City, proclaiming that “this is the center of the world” and that “when people from the four quarters pay tribute, the distance will be equal for them” (N65b). 

The move to Lo City did not actually occur until about 300 years after it was selected by King Wu, and only then because the other capital, Feng, had become unsafe (N74b, N83b). Having a center suggests balance and achieving balance would lead to a restful settling. Could it be that this ambiguity surrounding the location of the true seat of government signaled a fatal instability? Chou eventually breaks apart, becoming “two Chous” (N80m), before being completely subsumed by the Ch’in (N83m). As this deterioration occurs, leadership is crumbled up into smaller and smaller parts, until “all the feudal lords became kings” (N79m). This was a flaw that was apparent but was not addressed until it was too late. This reminds one of King Wen’s error in not addressing Liu Pi’s growing tendency to rebellion (H406tm). Settling the world requires that a ruler can see far ahead, and decisively settle matters to prevent problems later. If Lo City had been constructed much sooner, and the new seat of government established there immediately, perhaps this would have helped create a stronger Chou dynasty.