卷四十九·外戚世家第十九
卷四十九·外戚世家第十九
司马迁
自古受命帝王及继体守文之君，非独内德茂也，盖亦有外戚之助焉。夏之兴也以涂山，而桀之放也以末喜。殷之兴也以有娀，纣之杀也嬖妲己。周之兴也以姜原及大任，而幽王之禽也淫于襃姒。故易基乾坤，诗始关雎，书美釐降，春秋讥不亲迎。夫妇之际，人道之大伦也。礼之用，唯婚姻为兢兢。夫乐调而四时和，阴阳之变，万物之统也。可不慎与？人能弘道，无如命何。甚哉，妃匹之爱，君不能得之于臣，父不能得之于子，况卑下乎！既驩合矣，或不能成子姓；能成子姓矣，或不能要其终：岂非命也哉？孔子罕称命，盖难言之也。非通幽明之变，恶能识乎性命哉？
太史公曰：秦以前尚略矣，其详靡得而记焉。
汉兴，吕娥姁为高祖正后，男为太子。及晚节色衰爱弛，而戚夫人有宠，其子如意几代太子者数矣。及高祖崩，吕后夷戚氏，诛赵王，而高祖后宫唯独无宠疏远者得无恙。
吕后长女为宣平侯张敖妻，敖女为孝惠皇后。吕太后以重亲故，欲其生子万方，终无子，诈取后宫人子为子。及孝惠帝崩，天下初定未久，继嗣不明。于是贵外家，王诸吕以为辅，而以吕禄女为少帝后，欲连固根本牢甚，然无益也。
高后崩，合葬长陵。禄、产等惧诛，谋作乱。大臣征之，天诱其统，卒灭吕氏。唯独置孝惠皇后居北宫。迎立代王，是为孝文帝，奉汉宗庙。此岂非天邪？非天命孰能当之？
薄太后，父吴人，姓薄氏，秦时与故魏王宗家女魏媪通，生薄姬，而薄父死山阴，因葬焉。
及诸侯畔秦，魏豹立为魏王，而魏媪内其女于魏宫。媪之许负所相，相薄姬，云当生天子。是时项羽方与汉王相距荥阳，天下未有所定。豹初与汉击楚，及闻许负言，心独喜，因背汉而畔，中立，更与楚连和。汉使曹参等击虏魏王豹，以其国为郡，而薄姬输织室。豹已死，汉王入织室，见薄姬有色，诏内后宫，岁余不得幸。始姬少时，与管夫人、赵子儿相爱，约曰：“先贵无相忘。”已而管夫人、赵子儿先幸汉王。汉王坐河南宫成皋台，此两美人相与笑薄姬初时约。汉王闻之，问其故，两人具以实告汉王。汉王心惨然，怜薄姬，是日召而幸之。薄姬曰：“昨暮夜妾梦苍龙据吾腹。”高帝曰：“此贵徵也，吾为女遂成之。”一幸生男，是为代王。其后薄姬希见高祖。
高祖崩，诸御幸姬戚夫人之属，吕太后怒，皆幽之，不得出宫。而薄姬以希见故，得出，从子之代，为代王太后。太后弟薄昭从如代。
代王立十七年，高后崩。大臣议立后，疾外家吕氏强，皆称薄氏仁善，故迎代王，立为孝文皇帝，而太后改号曰皇太后，弟薄昭封为轵侯。
薄太后母亦前死，葬栎阳北。于是乃追尊薄父为灵文侯，会稽郡置园邑三百家，长丞已下吏奉守冢，寝庙上食祠如法。而栎阳北亦置灵文侯夫人园，如灵文侯园仪。薄太后以为母家魏王后，早失父母，其奉薄太后诸魏有力者，于是召复魏氏，赏赐各以亲疏受之。薄氏侯者凡一人。
薄太后后文帝二年，以孝景帝前二年崩，葬南陵。以吕后会葬长陵，故特自起陵，近孝文皇帝霸陵。
窦太后，赵之清河观津人也。吕太后时，窦姬以良家子入宫侍太后。太后出宫人以赐诸王，各五人，窦姬与在行中。窦姬家在清河，欲如赵近家，请其主遣宦者吏：“必置我籍赵之伍中。”宦者忘之，误置其籍代伍中。籍奏，诏可，当行。窦姬涕泣，怨其宦者，不欲往，相强，乃肯行。至代，代王独幸窦姬，生女嫖，后生两男。而代王王后生四男。先代王未入立为帝而王后卒。及代王立为帝，而王后所生四男更病死。孝文帝立数月，公卿请立太子，而窦姬长男最长，立为太子。立窦姬为皇后，女嫖为长公主。其明年，立少子武为代王，已而又徙梁，是为梁孝王。
窦皇后亲蚤卒，葬观津。于是薄太后乃诏有司，追尊窦后父为安成侯，母曰安成夫人。令清河置园邑二百家，长丞奉守，比灵文园法。
窦皇后兄窦长君，弟曰窦广国，字少君。少君年四五岁时，家贫，为人所略卖，其家不知其处。传十余家，至宜阳，为其主入山作炭，暮卧岸下百余人，岸崩，尽压杀卧者，少君独得脱，不死。自卜数日当为侯，从其家之长安。闻窦皇后新立，家在观津，姓窦氏。广国去时虽小，识其县名及姓，又常与其姊采桑堕，用为符信，上书自陈。窦皇后言之于文帝，召见，问之，具言其故，果是。又复问他何以为验？对曰：“姊去我西时，与我决于传舍中，丐沐沐我，请食饭我，乃去。”于是窦后持之而泣，泣涕交横下。侍御左右皆伏地泣，助皇后悲哀。乃厚赐田宅金钱，封公昆弟，家于长安。
绛侯、灌将军等曰：“吾属不死，命乃且县此两人。两人所出微，不可不为择师傅宾客，又复效吕氏大事也。”于是乃选长者士之有节行者与居。窦长君、少君由此为退让君子，不敢以尊贵骄人。
窦皇后病，失明。文帝幸邯郸慎夫人、尹姬，皆毋子。孝文帝崩，孝景帝立，乃封广国为章武侯。长君前死，封其子彭祖为南皮侯。吴楚反时，窦太后从昆弟子窦婴，任侠自喜，将兵，以军功为魏其侯。窦氏凡三人为侯。
窦太后好黄帝、老子言，帝及太子诸窦不得不读《黄帝》《老子》，尊其术。
窦太后后孝景帝六岁崩，合葬霸陵。遗诏尽以东宫金钱财物赐长公主嫖。
王太后，槐里人，母曰臧儿。臧儿者，故燕王臧荼孙也。臧儿嫁为槐里王仲妻，生男曰信，与两女。而仲死，臧儿更嫁长陵田氏，生男蚡、胜。臧儿长女嫁为金王孙妇，生一女矣，而臧儿卜筮之，曰两女皆当贵。因欲奇两女，乃夺金氏。金氏怒，不肯予决，乃内之太子宫。太子幸爱之，生三女一男。男方在身时，王美人梦日入其怀。以告太子，太子曰：“此贵徵也。”未生而孝文帝崩，孝景帝即位，王夫人生男。
先是臧儿又入其少女儿姁，儿姁生四男。
景帝为太子时，薄太后以薄氏女为妃。及景帝立，立妃曰薄皇后。皇后毋子，毋宠。薄太后崩，废薄皇后。
景帝长男荣，其母栗姬。栗姬，齐人也。立荣为太子。长公主嫖有女，欲予为妃。栗姬妒，而景帝诸美人皆因长公主见景帝，得贵幸，皆过栗姬，栗姬日怨怒，谢长公主，不许。长公主欲予王夫人，王夫人许之。长公主怒，而日谗栗姬短于景帝曰：“栗姬与诸贵夫人幸姬会，常使侍者祝唾其背，挟邪媚道。”景帝以故望之。
景帝尝体不安，心不乐，属诸子为王者于栗姬，曰：“百岁后，善视之。”栗姬怒，不肯应，言不逊。景帝恚，心嗛之而未发也。
长公主日誉王夫人男之美，景帝亦贤之，又有曩者所梦日符，计未有所定。王夫人知帝望栗姬，因怒未解，阴使人趣大臣立栗姬为皇后。大行奏事毕，曰：“‘子以母贵，母以子贵’，今太子母无号，宜立为皇后。”景帝怒曰：“是而所宜言邪！”遂案诛大行，而废太子为临江王。栗姬愈恚恨，不得见，以忧死。卒立王夫人为皇后，其男为太子，封皇后兄信为盖侯。
景帝崩，太子袭号为皇帝。尊皇太后母臧儿为平原君。封田蚡为武安侯，胜为周阳侯。
景帝十三男，一男为帝，十二男皆为王。而儿姁早卒，其四子皆为王。王太后长女号曰平阳公主，次为南宫公主，次为林虑公主。
盖侯信好酒。田蚡、胜贪，巧于文辞。王仲蚤死，葬槐里，追尊为共侯，置园邑二百家。及平原君卒，从田氏葬长陵，置园比共侯园。而王太后后孝景帝十六岁，以元朔四年崩，合葬阳陵。王太后家凡三人为侯。
卫皇后字子夫，生微矣。盖其家号曰卫氏，出平阳侯邑。子夫为平阳主讴者。武帝初即位，数岁无子。平阳主求诸良家子女十余人，饰置家。武帝祓霸上还，因过平阳主。主见所侍美人。上弗说。既饮，讴者进，上望见，独说卫子夫。是日，武帝起更衣，子夫侍尚衣轩中，得幸。上还坐，驩甚。赐平阳主金千斤。主因奏子夫奉送入宫。子夫上车，平阳主拊其背曰：“行矣，强饭，勉之！即贵，无相忘。”入宫岁余，竟不复幸。武帝择宫人不中用者，斥出归之。卫子夫得见，涕泣请出。上怜之，复幸，遂有身，尊宠日隆。召其兄卫长君、弟青为侍中。而子夫后大幸，有宠，凡生三女一男。男名据。
初，上为太子时，娶长公主女为妃。立为帝，妃立为皇后，姓陈氏，无子。上之得为嗣，大长公主有力焉，以故陈皇后骄贵。闻卫子夫大幸，恚，几死者数矣。上愈怒。陈皇后挟妇人媚道，其事颇觉，于是废陈皇后，而立卫子夫为皇后。
陈皇后母大长公主，景帝姊也，数让武帝姊平阳公主曰：“帝非我不得立，已而弃捐吾女，壹何不自喜而倍本乎！”平阳公主曰：“用无子故废耳。”陈皇后求子，与医钱凡九千万，然竟无子。
卫子夫已立为皇后，先是卫长君死，乃以卫青为将军，击胡有功，封为长平侯。青三子在襁褓中，皆封为列侯。及卫皇后所谓姊卫少儿，少儿生子霍去病，以军功封冠军侯，号骠骑将军。青号大将军。立卫皇后子据为太子。卫氏枝属以军功起家，五人为侯。
及卫后色衰，赵之王夫人幸，有子，为齐王。
王夫人蚤卒。而中山李夫人有宠，有男一人，为昌邑王。
李夫人蚤卒，其兄李延年以音幸，号协律。协律者，故倡也。兄弟皆坐奸，族。是时其长兄广利为贰师将军，伐大宛，不及诛，还，而上既夷李氏，后怜其家，乃封为海西侯。
他姬子二人为燕王、广陵王。其母无宠，以忧死。
及李夫人卒，则有尹婕妤之属，更有宠。然皆以倡见，非王侯有土之士女，不可以配人主也。
褚先生曰：臣为郎时，问习汉家故事者钟离生。曰：王太后在民间时所生一女者，父为金王孙。王孙已死，景帝崩后，武帝已立，王太后独在。而韩王孙名嫣素得幸武帝，承间白言太后有女在长陵也。武帝曰：“何不蚤言！”乃使使往先视之，在其家。武帝乃自往迎取之。跸道，先驱旄骑出横城门，乘舆驰至长陵。当小市西入里，里门闭，暴开门，乘舆直入此里，通至金氏门外止，使武骑围其宅，为其亡走，身自往取不得也。即使左右群臣入呼求之。家人惊恐，女亡匿内中床下。扶持出门，令拜谒。武帝下车泣曰：“嚄！大姊，何藏之深也！”诏副车载之，回车驰还，而直入长乐宫。行诏门著引籍，通到谒太后。太后曰：“帝倦矣，何从来？”帝曰：“今者至长陵得臣姊，与俱来。”顾曰：“谒太后！”太后曰：“女某邪？”曰：“是也。”太后为下泣，女亦伏地泣。武帝奉酒前为寿，奉钱千万，奴婢三百人，公田百顷，甲第，以赐姊。太后谢曰：“为帝费焉。”于是召平阳主、南宫主、林虑主三人俱来谒见姊，因号曰脩成君。有子男一人，女一人。男号为脩成子仲，女为诸侯王王后。此二子非刘氏，以故太后怜之。脩成子仲骄恣，陵折吏民，皆患苦之。
卫子夫立为皇后，后弟卫青字仲卿，以大将军封为长平侯。四子，长子伉为侯世子，侯世子常侍中，贵幸。其三弟皆封为侯，各千三百户，一曰阴安侯，二曰发干侯，三曰宜春侯，贵震天下。天下歌之曰：“生男无喜，生女无怒，独不见卫子夫霸天下！”
是时平阳主寡居，当用列侯尚主。主与左右议长安中列侯可为夫者，皆言大将军可。主笑曰：“此出吾家，常使令骑从我出入耳，柰何用为夫乎？”左右侍御者曰：“今大将军姊为皇后，三子为侯，富贵振动天下，主何以易之乎？”于是主乃许之。言之皇后，令白之武帝，乃诏卫将军尚平阳公主焉。
褚先生曰：丈夫龙变。传曰：“蛇化为龙，不变其文；家化为国，不变其姓。”丈夫当时富贵，百恶灭除，光耀荣华，贫贱之时何足累之哉！
武帝时，幸夫人尹婕妤。邢夫人号娙娥，众人谓之“娙何”。娙何秩比中二千石，容华秩比二千石，婕妤秩比列侯。常从婕妤迁为皇后。
尹夫人与邢夫人同时并幸，有诏不得相见。尹夫人自请武帝，愿望见邢夫人，帝许之。即令他夫人饰，从御者数十人，为邢夫人来前。尹夫人前见之，曰：“此非邢夫人身也。”帝曰：“何以言之？”对曰：“视其身貌形状，不足以当人主矣。”于是帝乃诏使邢夫人衣故衣，独身来前。尹夫人望见之，曰：“此真是也。”于是乃低头俯而泣，自痛其不如也。谚曰：“美女入室，恶女之仇。”
褚先生曰：浴不必江海，要之去垢；马不必骐骥，要之善走；士不必贤世，要之知道；女不必贵种，要之贞好。传曰：“女无美恶，入室见妒；士无贤不肖，入朝见嫉。”美女者，恶女之仇。岂不然哉！
钩弋夫人姓赵氏，河间人也。得幸武帝，生子一人，昭帝是也。武帝年七十，乃生昭帝。昭帝立时，年五岁耳。
卫太子废后，未复立太子。而燕王旦上书，愿归国入宿卫。武帝怒，立斩其使者于北阙。
上居甘泉宫，召画工图画周公负成王也。于是左右群臣知武帝意欲立少子也。后数日，帝谴责钩弋夫人。夫人脱簪珥叩头。帝曰：“引持去，送掖庭狱！”夫人还顾，帝曰：“趣行，女不得活！”夫人死云阳宫。时暴风扬尘，百姓感伤。使者夜持棺往葬之，封识其处。
其后帝闲居，问左右曰：“人言云何？”左右对曰：“人言且立其子，何去其母乎？”帝曰：“然。是非儿曹愚人所知也。往古国家所以乱也，由主少母壮也。女主独居骄蹇，淫乱自恣，莫能禁也。女不闻吕后邪？”故诸为武帝生子者，无男女，其母无不谴死，岂可谓非贤圣哉！昭然远见，为后世计虑，固非浅闻愚儒之所及也。谥为“武”，岂虚哉！
Volume 49 · The Hereditary House of the Consort Kin, Nineteenth
司马迁
From of old, the emperors and kings who received the mandate, and the lords who carried on the line and kept the statutes, had not only flourishing virtue within: it would seem they also had the help of the consort kin. The rise of Xia was by Tushan, and the banishing of Jie was by Moxi. The rise of Yin was by Yousong, and Zhou the tyrant's being killed came of doting on Danji. The rise of Zhou was by Jiang Yuan and Tai Ren, and King You's being taken came of his licence with Bao Si. Therefore the Changes are founded on Qian and Kun, the Odes begin with the Guanju, the Documents praise the giving down in marriage, and the Spring and Autumn censures the failure to fetch a bride in person. The relation of husband and wife is the great bond of the human way. In the use of ritual, it is over marriage above all that one must be wary. When music is in tune the four seasons are in harmony; the alternation of yin and yang is the governing thread of the ten thousand things. Can one but be careful of it? Man can enlarge the Way, but there is nothing to be done about fate. How deep it goes, the love of a mate: what a lord cannot get from a subject, nor a father from a son — how much less those below! And even when they have come together in joy, some cannot bring a line of sons to be; and some who can bring a line of sons to be cannot hold it to the end: is this not fate? Confucius seldom spoke of fate, it seeming to be hard to speak of. Without going through the alternations of the hidden and the manifest, how could one understand nature and destiny?
The Lord Grand Astrologer says: Before Qin it is sketchy, and the particulars cannot be got and recorded.
When the Han arose, Lü Exu was Gaozu's rightful empress, and her son was heir apparent. And when in her later days her looks faded and his love slackened, the Lady Qi was favoured, and several times her son Ruyi was near to taking the heir apparent's place. And when Gaozu died, the Empress Lü wiped out the Qi clan and put the King of Zhao to death; and of Gaozu's rear palace only those who were unfavoured and kept at a distance came through unharmed.
The Empress Lü's eldest daughter was the wife of Zhang Ao, Marquis of Xuanping, and Ao's daughter was the empress of Emperor Xiaohui. The Empress Dowager Lü, because the kinship was doubled, wished her to bear a son by every means, and in the end there was no son, and they falsely took a son of one of the rear palace for her son. And when the Emperor Xiaohui died, the empire had been but newly settled and not long so, and the succession was not clear. Thereupon she made the consort's house honoured and made the several Lü kings as a support, and made Lü Lu's daughter the empress of the Young Emperor, wishing to link and make firm the root of it most solidly; and yet it was of no use.
The Empress Dowager Gao died and was buried with him at Changling. Lu and Chan and the rest, fearing to be put to death, plotted a rebellion. The great ministers called them to account; Heaven drew on its own thread, and in the end the Lü clan was destroyed. Only the empress of Xiaohui was left, set to dwell in the Northern Palace. They welcomed and set up the King of Dai: this was the Emperor Xiaowen, who took up the ancestral temples of the Han. Was this not Heaven? Without Heaven's mandate, who could have met it?
The Empress Dowager Bo: her father was a man of Wu, of the Bo clan, who in Qin's time had relations with a woman of the clan of the former King of Wei, the dame Wei, and begot the Lady Bo; and the father Bo died at Shanyin and was accordingly buried there.
And when the feudal lords rebelled against Qin, Wei Bao was set up as King of Wei, and the dame Wei sent her daughter into the palace of Wei. The dame had her face read by Xu Fu, who read the Lady Bo's and said she would bear a Son of Heaven. At this time Xiang Yu was just then holding out against the King of Han at Xingyang, and the empire had settled nothing. Bao at first joined Han in striking at Chu; and when he heard Xu Fu's words he was privately glad at heart, and accordingly turned his back on Han and rebelled, stood neutral, and then joined in league with Chu instead. Han sent Cao Can and others to strike at Wei and take King Bao prisoner, and made his state a commandery, and the Lady Bo was sent to the weaving house. Bao being dead, the King of Han came into the weaving house and saw that the Lady Bo had good looks, and ordered her brought into the rear palace; and for a year and more she did not get his favour. At first, when the lady was young, she had loved the Lady Guan and Zhao Zi'er, and they had agreed: "Whoever comes first to honour, let us not forget one another." And afterwards the Lady Guan and Zhao Zi'er were favoured by the King of Han first. The King of Han was sitting on the Chenggao Terrace in the palace of Henan, and these two beauties together laughed over the Lady Bo's agreement of former days. The King of Han heard of it and asked the reason, and the two told the King of Han the whole truth. The King of Han was moved to sadness at heart and pitied the Lady Bo, and that day summoned her and favoured her. The Lady Bo said: "Last evening in the night your handmaid dreamed that a grey dragon lay upon my belly." The Exalted Emperor said: "This is a token of honour; I shall carry it through for you." One favouring and she bore a son: this was the King of Dai. Afterwards the Lady Bo rarely saw Gaozu.
Gaozu died, and as for the attendant favourites, the Lady Qi and her sort, the Empress Dowager Lü was angry and shut them all up and would not let them out of the palace. And the Lady Bo, because she was rarely seen, was able to get out, and went with her son to Dai and was Queen Dowager of Dai. The Empress Dowager's younger brother Bo Zhao went along with her to Dai.
The King of Dai had been in his place seventeen years when the Empress Dowager Gao died. The great ministers deliberated on setting up a successor; hating the strength of the consort house of Lü, they all said that the Bo clan were humane and good, and therefore welcomed the King of Dai and set him up as the Emperor Xiaowen; and the Queen Dowager changed her title to Empress Dowager, and her brother Bo Zhao was enfeoffed as Marquis of Zhi.
The Empress Dowager Bo's mother had also died before, and was buried north of Yueyang. Thereupon they posthumously honoured the father Bo as Marquis Lingwen, and in the commandery of Kuaiji set up a tomb-town of three hundred households, with officers from the chief and the deputy downward to maintain and guard the tomb, and the offerings of food at the sleeping-chamber and the temple were made by the statute. And north of Yueyang too they set up a tomb for the wife of the Marquis Lingwen, on the pattern of the Marquis Lingwen's tomb. The Empress Dowager Bo, because her mother's house was the posterity of a King of Wei, and she had lost her father and mother early, and there were among the several Wei who supported the Empress Dowager Bo those who had strength, thereupon summoned and restored the Wei clan, and gave out rewards to each according to nearness or distance of kin. Of the Bo clan, those made marquises were one man in all.
The Empress Dowager Bo outlived the Emperor Wen by two years and died in the Emperor Xiaojing's second year of the former reckoning, and was buried at Nanling. Because the Empress Lü was buried together with him at Changling, she therefore raised a separate tomb of her own, near the Emperor Xiaowen's Baling.
The Empress Dowager Dou was a woman of Guanjin in Qinghe in Zhao. In the Empress Dowager Lü's time the Lady Dou, as a daughter of a good family, entered the palace to wait on the Empress Dowager. The Empress Dowager sent out palace women to bestow on the several kings, five to each, and the Lady Dou was among the number to go. The Lady Dou's home was in Qinghe, and she wished to go to Zhao as near home, and asked the eunuch officer in charge: "Be sure to put me on the roster in the file for Zhao." The eunuch forgot it and put her roster by mistake in the file for Dai. The rosters were submitted, the edict approved them, and she was to go. The Lady Dou wept, resentful at the eunuch, and did not wish to go; they pressed her, and she consented to go. Reaching Dai, the King of Dai favoured the Lady Dou alone, and she bore a daughter, Piao, and afterwards two sons. And the King of Dai's queen bore four sons. Before the King of Dai went in and was set up as Emperor, the queen died. And when the King of Dai was set up as Emperor, the four sons borne by the queen died of illness one after another. The Emperor Xiaowen having been set up some months, the ministers and high officers asked that an heir apparent be set up, and the Lady Dou's elder son was the eldest, and was set up as heir apparent. They set up the Lady Dou as Empress and the daughter Piao as Senior Princess. The next year they set up the younger son Wu as King of Dai, and afterwards moved him to Liang: this was King Xiao of Liang.
The Empress Dou's parents had died early and were buried at Guanjin. Thereupon the Empress Dowager Bo issued an edict to the officers in charge to honour the Empress Dou's father posthumously as Marquis of Ancheng and her mother as the Lady of Ancheng. She ordered Qinghe to set up a tomb-town of two hundred households, with a chief and a deputy to maintain and guard it, on the pattern of the statute for the Lingwen tomb.
The Empress Dou's elder brother was Dou Changjun, and her younger brother was called Dou Guangguo, styled Shaojun. When Shaojun was four or five years old, the household being poor, he was carried off and sold by someone, and his household did not know where he was. He passed through ten households and more, and reaching Yiyang he went into the hills to make charcoal for his master; and in the evening a hundred men and more were lying beneath a cliff, and the cliff collapsed and crushed to death all who lay there, and Shaojun alone got clear and did not die. He divined for himself that in a few days he would be a marquis, and went with his household to Chang'an. He heard that the Empress Dou had been newly set up, that her home was at Guanjin, and that her surname was Dou. Though Guangguo had been small when he went away, he knew the name of his county and his surname, and also that he had once been with his elder sister gathering mulberry leaves and had fallen; and taking this for a token, he sent up a letter setting out his case. The Empress Dou spoke of it to the Emperor Wen, who summoned and received him and questioned him, and he told the whole of his case, and it was indeed so. He asked further what else he had for proof. He answered: "When my sister went west and left me, she took leave of me in the post-house; she begged some washing water and washed my hair, asked for food and fed me, and then went." Thereupon the Empress Dou held him and wept, and her tears ran down criss-cross. The attendants and those about her all lay on the ground and wept, helping the Empress in her grief. Then they bestowed on him generously fields and houses, gold and cash, and enfeoffed the brothers of the ducal house, and settled them at Chang'an.
The Marquis of Jiang, General Guan and the others said: "We have not died, and our fate now hangs on these two men. The two came from lowly beginnings; we cannot but choose teachers, tutors and guest-companions for them, or the great business of the Lü clan will be repeated." Thereupon they chose elders and men of station who had principle in their conduct to dwell with them. Dou Changjun and Shaojun by this became gentlemen who yielded and withdrew, and did not presume on their honour to be haughty to men.
The Empress Dou fell ill and lost her sight. The Emperor Wen favoured the Lady Shen of Handan and the Lady Yin, who both had no sons. The Emperor Xiaowen died and the Emperor Xiaojing was set up, and he then enfeoffed Guangguo as Marquis of Zhangwu. Changjun had died before, and he enfeoffed his son Pengzu as Marquis of Nanpi. At the time of the rebellion of Wu and Chu, the Empress Dowager Dou's cousin's son Dou Ying, who took pleasure in being a man of daring, commanded troops and for his military merit became Marquis of Weiqi. Of the Dou clan, three men in all were marquises.
The Empress Dowager Dou was fond of the sayings of the Yellow Emperor and Laozi, and the Emperor and the heir apparent and the several Dou could not but read the Yellow Emperor and Laozi and honour their arts.
The Empress Dowager Dou outlived the Emperor Xiaojing by six years and died, and was buried with him at Baling. By her testamentary edict she bestowed all the gold, cash and goods of the Eastern Palace on the Senior Princess Piao.
The Empress Dowager Wang was a woman of Huaili, and her mother was called Zang Er. Zang Er was a granddaughter of the former King of Yan, Zang Tu. Zang Er married and became the wife of Wang Zhong of Huaili, and bore a son called Xin and two daughters. And Zhong died, and Zang Er married again into the Tian clan of Changling and bore the sons Fen and Sheng. Zang Er's elder daughter had married and become the wife of Jin Wangsun and had borne one daughter, when Zang Er divined about it and was told that both daughters would come to honour. Accordingly, wishing to make something remarkable of her two daughters, she took her away from the Jin clan. The Jin clan was angry and would not give her a settlement, and so she sent her into the heir apparent's palace. The heir apparent favoured and loved her, and she bore three daughters and one son. When the son was still in the womb, the Lady Wang dreamed that the sun entered her bosom. She told the heir apparent, and the heir apparent said: "This is a token of honour." Before the birth the Emperor Xiaowen died, and the Emperor Xiaojing came to the throne, and the Lady Wang bore the son.
Before this Zang Er had also sent in her younger daughter Er Xu, and Er Xu bore four sons.
When the Emperor Jing was heir apparent, the Empress Dowager Bo made a daughter of the Bo clan his consort. And when the Emperor Jing was set up, he set up the consort as the Empress Bo. The Empress had no son and no favour. When the Empress Dowager Bo died, the Empress Bo was deposed.
The Emperor Jing's eldest son was Rong, whose mother was the Lady Li. The Lady Li was a woman of Qi. He set up Rong as heir apparent. The Senior Princess Piao had a daughter and wished to give her to him as consort. The Lady Li was jealous; and as the Emperor Jing's several beauties all got to see the Emperor Jing through the Senior Princess and so came to honour and favour, all surpassing the Lady Li, the Lady Li grew daily more resentful and angry, and refused the Senior Princess and would not allow it. The Senior Princess wished to give her to the Lady Wang, and the Lady Wang consented. The Senior Princess was angry, and daily slandered the Lady Li's shortcomings to the Emperor Jing, saying: "When the Lady Li meets with the several honoured ladies and favourites, she always has her attendants spit charms at their backs; she practises crooked and bewitching arts." The Emperor Jing for this reason held it against her.
The Emperor Jing was once unwell in body and unhappy at heart, and entrusted to the Lady Li those of his sons who were kings, saying: "After my hundred years, look well to them." The Lady Li was angry and would not answer, and her words were undeferential. The Emperor Jing was vexed and harboured it at heart without bringing it out.
The Senior Princess daily praised the Lady Wang's son's excellence, and the Emperor Jing too thought him worthy; and there was besides the token of the sun she had dreamed of before; but his plan was not yet settled. The Lady Wang, knowing that the Emperor held it against the Lady Li and that his anger had not yet been resolved, secretly had men urge the great ministers to set up the Lady Li as Empress. The Grand Usher, having finished reporting his business, said: "'A son is honoured through his mother; a mother is honoured through her son.' Now the heir apparent's mother has no title; she ought to be set up as Empress." The Emperor Jing was angry and said: "Is this a thing for you to say!" And he thereupon tried the Grand Usher and put him to death, and deposed the heir apparent, making him King of Linjiang. The Lady Li was the more vexed and resentful, and could not get to see him, and died of grief. In the end he set up the Lady Wang as Empress and her son as heir apparent, and enfeoffed the Empress's elder brother Xin as Marquis of Gai.
The Emperor Jing died, and the heir apparent succeeded to the title as Emperor. He honoured the Empress Dowager's mother Zang Er as the Lady of Pingyuan. He enfeoffed Tian Fen as Marquis of Wu'an and Sheng as Marquis of Zhouyang.
The Emperor Jing had thirteen sons; one son became Emperor and the twelve sons were all kings. And Er Xu died early, and her four sons were all kings. The Empress Dowager Wang's eldest daughter was styled Princess Pingyang, the next Princess Nangong, the next Princess Linlü.
Xin, Marquis of Gai, was fond of wine. Tian Fen and Sheng were greedy, and clever with words. Wang Zhong had died early and was buried at Huaili, and was posthumously honoured as Marquis Gong, with a tomb-town of two hundred households set up. And when the Lady of Pingyuan died, she was buried with the Tian clan at Changling, and a tomb-town set up on the pattern of Marquis Gong's tomb. And the Empress Dowager Wang outlived the Emperor Xiaojing by sixteen years and died in the fourth year of Yuanshuo, and was buried with him at Yangling. Of the Empress Dowager Wang's house, three men in all were marquises.
The Empress Wei was styled Zifu, and her birth was humble. It would seem her household was called the Wei clan, and came out of the town of the Marquis of Pingyang. Zifu was a singer for the Princess of Pingyang. When the Emperor Wu had newly come to the throne, for several years he had no son. The Princess of Pingyang sought out ten and more daughters of good families and had them adorned and kept at her house. The Emperor Wu, coming back from the purification at Bashang, accordingly passed by the Princess of Pingyang's. The Princess showed him the beauties who waited on her. His Majesty was not pleased. After they had drunk, the singers came forward, and His Majesty looked at them and was pleased with Wei Zifu alone. That day the Emperor Wu rose to change his clothes, and Zifu waited on him in the robing carriage and got his favour. His Majesty went back to his seat and was very merry. He bestowed a thousand catties of gold on the Princess of Pingyang. The Princess accordingly submitted a request to send Zifu into the palace. As Zifu got into the carriage, the Princess of Pingyang patted her on the back and said: "Go now; eat well and do your best! And when you come to honour, let us not forget one another." A year and more after entering the palace, in the end she was not favoured again. The Emperor Wu picked out those palace women who were of no use and dismissed them to go home. Wei Zifu got to see him, and wept and asked to go out. His Majesty pitied her and favoured her again, and she thereupon became with child, and her honour and favour daily grew greater. He summoned her elder brother Wei Changjun and her younger brother Qing to be Gentlemen in Attendance. And Zifu was afterwards greatly favoured and in high favour, and bore in all three daughters and one son. The son was named Ju.
Earlier, when His Majesty was heir apparent, he married a daughter of the Senior Princess as consort. When he was set up as Emperor the consort was set up as Empress, of the Chen clan, and she had no son. In His Majesty's getting to be the successor the Grand Senior Princess had had a hand, and for this reason the Empress Chen was proud in her honour. Hearing that Wei Zifu was greatly favoured, she was vexed, and several times was near death of it. His Majesty grew the angrier. The Empress Chen practised women's bewitching arts, and the matter came somewhat to light, and thereupon the Empress Chen was deposed and Wei Zifu set up as Empress.
The Empress Chen's mother, the Grand Senior Princess, was the Emperor Jing's elder sister, and several times reproached the Emperor Wu's elder sister the Princess of Pingyang, saying: "The Emperor could not have been set up but for me, and now he casts off my daughter — how ungrateful he is, and how he turns his back on the root!" The Princess of Pingyang said: "It is because she had no son that she was deposed." The Empress Chen sought a son, and gave the physicians ninety million cash in all, and in the end there was no son.
Wei Zifu having been set up as Empress — Wei Changjun having died before this — he then made Wei Qing a general, and for merit in striking at the Hu he was enfeoffed as Marquis of Changping. Qing's three sons were still in swaddling clothes, and all were enfeoffed as ranking marquises. And as for the Empress Wei's so-called elder sister Wei Shao'er, Shao'er bore the son Huo Qubing, who for military merit was enfeoffed as Marquis of Guanjun and styled General of Swift Cavalry. Qing was styled Grand General. The Empress Wei's son Ju was set up as heir apparent. The branches and kin of the Wei clan rose from military merit, and five men were marquises.
And when the Empress Wei's looks faded, the Lady Wang of Zhao was favoured, and had a son who became King of Qi.
The Lady Wang died early. And the Lady Li of Zhongshan was favoured, and had one son, who became King of Changyi.
The Lady Li died early, and her elder brother Li Yannian was favoured for his music and styled Harmonizer of Pitches. The Harmonizer of Pitches had formerly been an entertainer. The brothers were both convicted of malfeasance and their clan wiped out. At this time their eldest brother Guangli was General of Ershi and was attacking Dayuan, and did not come in for the death penalty; and on his return, His Majesty having already wiped out the Li clan, he afterwards pitied their household and so enfeoffed him as Marquis of Haixi.
Two sons by other ladies became King of Yan and King of Guangling. Their mothers had no favour and died of grief.
And after the Lady Li died, there were the Jieyu Yin and her sort, who had favour in turn. But all were seen by way of being entertainers, and were not daughters of kings and marquises holding land, and could not be matched with the ruler of men.
Master Chu says: When your servant was a Gentleman, he asked Master Zhongli, who was versed in the old affairs of the house of Han. He said: While the Empress Dowager Wang was among the common people, the one daughter she bore had Jin Wangsun for father. Wangsun being dead, and after the Emperor Jing died and the Emperor Wu had been set up, the Empress Dowager Wang alone was left. And Han Wangsun, named Yan, who had always had the Emperor Wu's favour, took an opportunity to tell him plainly that the Empress Dowager had a daughter at Changling. The Emperor Wu said: "Why was this not told me sooner!" So he sent men to go and look first, and she was at her home. The Emperor Wu then went himself to welcome and fetch her. He had the road cleared, and the yak-tail outriders went out ahead by the Hengcheng Gate, and the imperial carriage galloped to Changling. Where one turns in westward at the little market into the lane, the lane gate was shut; they forced it open, and the imperial carriage went straight into the lane, going on until it stopped outside the Jin clan's gate, and he had armed horsemen surround the house, lest she should run away and he go in person and not get her. He then sent those about him and the body of attendants in to call for her and seek her. The household was frightened, and the woman fled and hid under a bed in the inner room. They supported her out of the door and had her make her obeisance. The Emperor Wu got down from his carriage and wept, saying: "Ha! Elder sister, how deeply you were hidden away!" He ordered her carried in the second carriage, turned the carriages about and galloped back, and went straight into the Changle Palace. As they went, an edict was sent to the gate to enter her in the register, and they went through and had audience with the Empress Dowager. The Empress Dowager said: "The Emperor is weary; where have you come from?" The Emperor said: "Just now I went to Changling and got my elder sister, and have come with her." And turning he said: "Pay your respects to the Empress Dowager!" The Empress Dowager said: "Is it my daughter So-and-so?" He said: "It is." The Empress Dowager wept for her, and the woman too lay on the ground and wept. The Emperor Wu came forward with wine and drank her health, and offered ten million cash, three hundred slaves and serving-women, a hundred qing of public land, and a first-class mansion, to bestow on his sister. The Empress Dowager thanked him, saying: "It is an expense for the Emperor." Thereupon she summoned the Princesses Pingyang, Nangong and Linlü, all three to come and pay their respects to their elder sister, and accordingly styled her the Lady of Xiucheng. She had one son and one daughter. The son was styled Zizhong of Xiucheng, and the daughter became queen to a feudal king. These two children were not of the Liu clan, and for this reason the Empress Dowager pitied them. Zizhong of Xiucheng was proud and unrestrained, and bore down on and broke officers and people, and all were vexed and pained by him.
Wei Zifu was set up as Empress, and the Empress's younger brother Wei Qing, styled Zhongqing, as Grand General was enfeoffed as Marquis of Changping. He had four sons, and the eldest, Kang, was the marquisal heir; the marquisal heir was constantly a Gentleman in Attendance and was honoured and favoured. His three younger brothers were all enfeoffed as marquises, each with thirteen hundred households: the first was Marquis of Yin'an, the second Marquis of Fagan, the third Marquis of Yichun; and their honour shook the empire. The empire sang of it: "Bear a son and do not rejoice; bear a daughter and do not be angry; do you not see that Wei Zifu holds the empire in her sway!"
At this time the Princess of Pingyang was living a widow, and a ranking marquis was to be used to marry the princess. The Princess and those about her deliberated as to which of the ranking marquises in Chang'an could be a husband, and all said the Grand General would do. The Princess laughed and said: "This man came out of my own household, and used constantly to ride in attendance on me going in and out; how can he be used for a husband?" Those about her who waited on her said: "Now the Grand General's sister is Empress and his three sons are marquises, and his wealth and honour shake the empire; why should my lady make light of him?" Thereupon the Princess consented to it. She spoke of it to the Empress, and had her tell the Emperor Wu plainly, and then an edict had General Wei marry the Princess of Pingyang.
Master Chu says: A man changes like a dragon. The tradition says: "When a snake turns into a dragon, it does not change its markings; when a household turns into a state, it does not change its surname." Let a man be wealthy and honoured in his own time, and a hundred evils are wiped away, and he shines in glory; what has his time of poverty and low station to weigh him down!
In the Emperor Wu's time he favoured the Lady Yin, a Jieyu. The Lady Xing was styled Xing'e, and everyone called her "Xinghe." The Xinghe's salary ranked with Fully Two Thousand Bushels, the Ronghua's with Two Thousand Bushels, and the Jieyu's with a ranking marquis's. It was usually from Jieyu that one was promoted to be Empress.
The Lady Yin and the Lady Xing were favoured at the same time together, and there was an edict that they should not see each other. The Lady Yin herself asked the Emperor Wu, wishing to look upon the Lady Xing, and the Emperor allowed it. He then had another lady adorn herself and, with several tens of attendants following, come forward as the Lady Xing. The Lady Yin came forward and looked at her and said: "This is not the Lady Xing's own person." The Emperor said: "How do you say so?" She answered: "Looking at the person's looks and figure and bearing, they are not enough to match the ruler of men." Thereupon the Emperor ordered the Lady Xing to put on her ordinary clothes and come forward alone. The Lady Yin looked at her and said: "This is truly she." And thereupon she bowed her head and stooped and wept, grieving that she was not her equal. The proverb says: "A beautiful woman entering the house is the ugly woman's enemy."
Master Chu says: For bathing one need not have a river or a sea; what matters is to get the dirt off. For a horse one need not have a thoroughbred; what matters is that it runs well. For a man of station one need not be the worthiest of the age; what matters is that he knows the Way. For a woman one need not be of honoured stock; what matters is that she be chaste and good. The tradition says: "Of women, be they fair or foul, whoever enters the house meets with jealousy; of men of station, be they worthy or unworthy, whoever enters the court meets with envy." A beautiful woman is the ugly woman's enemy. Is it not so!
The Lady Gouyi's surname was Zhao, and she was a woman of Hejian. She got the Emperor Wu's favour and bore one son, who is the Emperor Zhao. The Emperor Wu was seventy when the Emperor Zhao was born. When the Emperor Zhao was set up he was but five years old.
After the Wei heir apparent was deposed, no heir apparent was set up again. And Dan, King of Yan, sent up a letter asking to come back from his state and enter the palace guard. The Emperor Wu was angry and at once had his envoy beheaded at the northern tower-gate.
His Majesty was staying at the Ganquan Palace, and summoned painters to paint the Duke of Zhou carrying King Cheng on his back. Thereupon those about him and the body of ministers knew that the Emperor Wu meant to set up his youngest son. Some days later the Emperor reprimanded the Lady Gouyi. The lady took off her hairpin and earrings and knocked her head on the ground. The Emperor said: "Take her away and send her to the prison of the Lateral Courts!" The lady looked back, and the Emperor said: "Hurry along; you shall not live!" The lady died at the Yunyang Palace. At the time a violent wind raised the dust, and the hundred families were moved to sorrow. An envoy carried a coffin by night and went and buried her, and marked and sealed the place.
Afterwards the Emperor was sitting at leisure and asked those about him: "What do men say?" Those about him answered: "Men say that he is going to set up her son; why then did he get rid of the mother?" The Emperor said: "Just so. This is not a thing that boys and foolish men can understand. In times past, what has thrown states and houses into disorder has been the ruler's being young and the mother in her prime. A woman ruler dwelling alone grows arrogant and overweening, licentious and disordered and self-indulgent, and none can restrain her. Have you not heard of the Empress Lü?" Therefore of all those who bore the Emperor Wu children, whether sons or daughters, there was no mother who was not reprimanded to her death. How can this be called anything but worthy and sagely! Brightly far-sighted, taking thought for later ages — it was truly beyond the reach of the shallowly learned and foolishly bookish. To be given the posthumous title "the Martial" — was that empty!