Insights into Han Dynasty Court Dynamics
“Imperial Extravagance and Political Upheaval: ”
In the court of the Han Dynasty, the emperor questioned his ministers: “Send the Minister to the Imperial Household, instructing him to offer a thousand catties of gold and grant ten wives to the Minister.” The grand procession commenced in the main hall, with the music of Yuefu instruments and the performance by the court musicians, drumming, singing, and dancing in the style of entertainment. After the gathering, they returned to the main hall, where bells and chimes were struck, summoning musicians from the Taiyi Temple to play music, and all kinds of music were performed. The palace kitchen of Chang’an prepared three grand feasts, offering sacrifices in the ancestral temple, followed by a banquet with officials.
The emperor rode a decorated chariot under the banner of the Phoenix, driving north to the government offices and the Gui Palace, engaging in wild boar hunting and tiger fights. He summoned the Empress Dowager to ride in a small horse-drawn carriage, with officials and slaves riding alongside, playing in the palace gardens. There were immoral activities with the palace maids of Emperor Xiaozhao, and a decree from the palace guards threatened execution if anyone dared to disclose the secret.
The Empress Dowager said, “Stop! Should a subject behave so outrageously?” Prince Li left the seat and prostrated himself. The Minister of Personnel read aloud: “Take the titles of Marquis and Count, two thousand stone of silk, and promote the Changyi officials to exempt them from slavery. Change the yellow banners of the festival to red.” The Imperial Household provided money, swords, jade, silk, and gifts for the entertainment. The officials and slaves drank heavily into the night, deeply immersed in wine.
A decree from the Imperial Household stated that the high-quality meals should remain unchanged. However, the Imperial Household hurried to prepare them, with no concern about salt. The Imperial Household did not dare to provide them, and instead sent officials to buy chicken and pork, which were always available inside the palace gates. A special banquet was held at the Warm Chamber for the nine guests, inviting the brother-in-law, the Marquis of Changyi, from the Inner Temple. The ancestral temple was not yet raised, so the imperial envoy was sent to hold a three-grand feast at the garden temple of the King Ai of Changyi, declaring him the heir emperor. Since receiving the seal, the envoy has been busy with tasks, with a total of 1,127 matters.
Literati and the Grand Commandant Xiahou Sheng and others, along with the Minister of the Guards Fu Jia, repeatedly remonstrated about the mistakes, but were scolded by officials and imprisoned by Jia. The reckless indulgence led to confusion in the imperial etiquette and the disruption of the Han system. We, the ministers, have repeatedly remonstrated, but there have been no changes. Day by day, the situation worsens, and we fear for the safety of the country and the unrest in the world. We, the ministers, humbly discussed with the scholars Baxi, Jun She, Chen De, Cang, She, and Cang, all saying, “Emperor Gaozu built great achievements as the Han Dynasty’s founder, and Emperor Xiaowen was kind and thrifty as Emperor Taizong. Now Your Majesty succeeds Emperor Xiaozhao, behaving immorally and straying from the right path. The Book of Songs says, ‘Record it, though not knowing it, yet having held a son.’ The five prohibitions are the most unfilial. King Xiang of Zhou could not serve his mother, as the Spring and Autumn Annals said, ‘The King of Heaven moved to live in Zheng,’ indicating that an unfilial person should be rejected by the world. The ancestral temple is more important than the sovereign. Your Majesty has not seen the mandate of the High Temple, and you cannot follow the order of heaven, to honor the ancestors, serve millions of subjects, and should be abolished.” We, the ministers, ask the imperial historians, the Minister of Family Affairs, Chen Yi, the Minister of the Family, Chen De, the Grand Preceptor, Chen Chang, and the Grand Priest, to offer a great feast to the High Temple. We, the ministers, humbly report our death. The Empress Dowager decreed, “Yes.” Guangling Wang began to bow and receive the decree. Wang said, “I heard that the emperor had seven disputants, and even if he lost his way, he did not lose the world.” Guang said, “The empress dowager decreed, how can we get the emperor!” Then he took his hand and took off his crown and delivered it to the Empress Dowager. Then he escorted Wang from the palace gate and sent off the officials. Wang faced the west and said, “The foolish stubbornness cannot handle Han affairs.” After that, he got on the carriage with the assistant car.
The general leader Guang sent him to the Changyi Mansion, and Guang apologized, “The king has abandoned himself to the sky, and he cannot kill himself to repay his merits. I would rather owe the king than dare not to be disloyal to the world. I hope the king will cherish himself and not see his left and right sides.” Guang took a court and said, “The ancient man casts away the man’s side, and he does not meet the men. Please move the king to the opposite side of the remote place and do not engage in politics. Please move the king to Hehan Zhong Fanglin County.” The empress dowager sent the king back to Hefei, and he was granted 2,000 households. Changyi and his ministers sat and talked about their concubines, and they were trapped in the evil. The guards of Changyi were put to death and shouted in the market, “When the decision is made, the turmoil will be reversed.” Guang sat in the courtyard and joined the prime minister and others to discuss the standing up.
Guangling Wang had no previous use, and Yi and Yan’s two relatives did not discuss them. The close relatives only had the king’s uncle’s grandson, who was named Huangzuo, and all of them praised him. Guang continued to write and talk to the scholars. “Li said, “Gao Huangdi was a founding figure for Han, and Xiaowen Huangdi was a kind and thrifty person. Now your majesty has followed Xiaozhao Huangdi, and he has been promiscuous and has not been in line with the Han system. The minister said, “You should take care of the high temple and the imperial ancestors. You should not be able to take care of the high temple and the imperial ancestors.