History is actually quite interesting; it all depends on how you look at it. Li Shimin once proposed the “mirror theory,” which states, “Using copper as a mirror, one can adjust one’s attire; using the past as a mirror, one can understand the rise and fall of things; using people as a mirror, one can understand gains and losses.” This is quite interesting.
The Zizhi Tongjian, Han Ji 27, tells the following story:
The second year of Emperor Ping of Han (Renxu, 2 AD)
In the spring, the state of Huangzhi offered a rhinoceros as a tribute. Huangzhi was located in the South China Sea, 30,000 miles from the capital. Wang Mang, wishing to display his power and prestige, gifted the king generously and ordered him to send an envoy to pay tribute.
A yellow dragon swam in the river above Yuexi County. Grand Tutor Guang, Grand Minister of Education Gong, and others all exclaimed, “Mang’s merits and virtues are comparable to those of Duke Zhou, and he should be honored at the ancestral temple.” Grand Minister of Agriculture Sun Bao said, “Duke Zhou was a saint, Duke Zhao a virtuous man. Even so, there were differences between them, as recorded in the classics, so neither compromises the other. Now, the storms are unseasonable, and the people are in need. Whenever there’s a matter, all the ministers should agree. Surely there’s something to be said for it, and it’s a good idea.” All the ministers were dismayed. Zhen Han immediately followed the order and dismissed the deliberations. Hui Bao sent officials to fetch his mother, but she was ill on the way, so she stayed at her brother’s home, sending his wife alone. Minister of Justice Chen Chong impeached Bao, and the case was immediately referred to the Three Dukes for questioning. Bao replied, “I’m seventy years old, my mind is blind, and my grace is declining. I share my care and care for my wife, as per the regulations.” Bao was dismissed and died at home.
This story seems a bit strange at first glance. It goes that in the second year of Emperor Ping of Han’s reign, the Huangzhi Kingdom, 30,000 miles away from the capital, unexpectedly offered a rhinoceros as a tribute. They had no intention of receiving the rhinoceros; Wang Mang had first presented the king of Huangzhi with numerous gifts in exchange for the rhinoceros. Granted, the money spent was from the treasury and the people’s hard-earned money, and Wang Mang himself didn’t spend any money, but why did he even offer a rhinoceros?
Then another bizarre incident occurred: a county reported sightings of a yellow dragon swimming in the Yangtze River. That was a truly auspicious omen! It’s a shame there weren’t any videos uploaded back then, or else the eagle-eyed netizens would have had their work cut out. In those days, who would have bothered to debunk rumors of an auspicious omen?
In fact, in the first year of Emperor Ping of Han’s reign (1 AD), the barbarians from the faraway regions (a tribe in the tropical jungles of southern Vietnam) traveled thousands of miles to offer a white pheasant and two black pheasants to the imperial court. This story is even more remarkable, as Ji Dan of the Zhou Dynasty helped King Cheng of Zhou obtain a white pheasant from the barbarian Yueshang clan from the faraway regions. Ji Dan was then bestowed with the title “Duke of Zhou,” becoming a role model for loyal regents who assisted young rulers. Even Cao Cao later referred to himself as “Duke of Zhou,” composing a self-consolation poem: “Duke of Zhou spits out food for his guests, and the world is at peace.” Of course, that’s a story for another time. Because of this story, Emperor Ping of Han’s ministers unanimously requested that Wang Mang be granted the title “Duke of Anhan”!
But how could this be so coincidental? It turns out that Wang Mang, in a show of force in Yizhou, ordered the barbarians outside the Great Wall to claim to be the Yueshang clan and offer them a white pheasant and two black pheasants. This was all a trick played by Wang Mang, who hinted at the local officials in Yizhou. Because he couldn’t speak the same language as the barbarians, several translations were required. To make the performance “realistic” and fully consistent with the historical allusion, the barbarians were also told to lie and claim to be the “Yueshang clan” from the time of Duke Zhou. Just look at the whole thing!
In the second year of the Chinese AD, Wang Mang was 47 years old.
He was born into a family of maternal relatives; the Empress of Emperor Yuan of Han was his aunt. However, because his father died prematurely, he spent his childhood without much influence from his maternal relatives. Compared to his uncles, aunts, and cousins, he could be described as somewhat “lonely and miserable.” However, this also forged his unique character and talents. He was diligent and hardworking, extremely capable, well-known, and highly educated. He was unscrupulous in his pursuit of fame, and his second and eldest sons were both driven to suicide, ultimately earning their father a stellar reputation.
However, his career also had its ups and downs. At the age of 38, he became the powerful Grand Marshal under Emperor Cheng of Han. However, when Emperor Ai of Han ascended the throne, he was ostracized by the emperor’s in-laws and lost his position, nearly even his life. Finally, when Emperor Ai died and the nine-year-old Emperor Ping of Han ascended the throne, Wang Mang’s aunt (now the Empress Dowager, now 72 years old) took charge of government and brought Wang Mang out of his idle home to assist in the administration. This time, Wang Mang finally had the opportunity to “become the mother-in-law of a daughter-in-law”!
Wang Mang’s work at the time had two main focuses: to do everything he could to make his aunt happy and make the old lady willingly put all power in his hands; to vigorously develop the “Wang Mang fan club” and “cheerleading team” among his subjects, while completely and thoroughly eliminating dissidents.
So the court began to stir. Every time there was a stir, there would be “fan clubs” singing praises, and even “cheerleaders” would cheer, as if they were going to praise Wang Mang to the sky.
Finally, one elderly gentleman couldn’t stand the “nausea” anymore. He was the Grand Minister of Agriculture, one of the Nine Ministers. I imagine he was roughly equivalent to the current Minister of Finance and Minister of Agriculture, a high-ranking official. While everyone else was boasting and singing along, this Grand Minister of Agriculture, Sun, suddenly asked a rather unprofessional question—at least, something naive and inappropriate! He actually said that even the great sages of ancient times, such as the Duke of Zhou and the Duke of Shao, had their moments of displeasure and disagreement, and that Confucian texts recorded them, saying nothing negative about either of them. So, what was wrong with the world today? The wind and rain were out of season, the people were starving, and yet, when the ministers discussed matters, they were unanimous in their praise. This, this, this mainstream voice… how could it be so harmonious?
Wow! Such a naive question, just like the one in “The Emperor’s New Clothes,” wasn’t asked loudly, but the effect was like thunder! The ministers were horrified, and the “cheerleading” host immediately called a halt!
However, China is not a fertile land for fairy tales after all. This matter will not end so easily. Those who raise childish questions will inevitably be punished later.
Someone on the fan club immediately picked out Old Man Sun’s flaws: He’d botched the process of welcoming his mother—she’d fallen ill on the way and stayed at his brother’s house to recuperate, and the seventy-year-old had only taken his wife and children back to his home in Beijing—well, that was completely against all moral principles! How could such an unfilial person be worthy of serving as an official in the Celestial Empire?
“The people’s voice is as loud as thunder” — who is this unfilial son?
So, such a high-ranking Minister of Agriculture was actually “committed a crime” for this and was dismissed from office! However, it was a blessing in disguise, as the old man was able to live out his life at home.
When word got out, this incident had a somewhat deterrent effect. People like Grand Chancellor Wang Chong, Imperial Household Official Gong Sheng, and Imperial Secretary Bing Han were all quite sensible. After repeated self-examination, they worried about not being able to play the role of “fan club” or “cheerleader,” and they all found excuses to withdraw from the controversial situation.
Another man named Mei Fu was also quite capable. He was certain that Wang Mang would usurp the Han Dynasty, so to avoid the situation, he played the “disappearing game.” One day, he suddenly left his wife and children and disappeared. Later, someone saw him in Kuaiji. It turned out that he had changed his name and became a gatekeeper!
Historical records can be quite humorous, even recording Mei Fu’s disappearance: “Knowing that Wang Mang would usurp the Han throne, Mei Fu abandoned his wife and children and disappeared, his whereabouts unknown. Later, someone saw Mei Fu in Kuaiji, and he changed his name to “Wu Shi Menzu.”
Sure enough, three years later (in 5 AD), Wang Mang poisoned Emperor Ping of Han, who was already his son-in-law, and made the two-year-old Ruzi Ying the emperor, and himself the “regent emperor.”
Three years later (in the eighth year of the Chinese AD), Wang Mang was tired of being the “acting emperor”, so he asked the five-year-old Ruzi Ying to “abdicate” the throne to him and changed the country’s name to “Xin”.
After indulging in the emperor’s life for another fourteen years, he finally lost his empire and his life in the chaos — ending his “hypocritical and sinful life” in official history and folk tales, or “a quite controversial life” in the eyes of historians, at the age of 68.
He left a huge mess behind him…
A‑League Records on May 5, 2010