Foresight and Loyalty in Crisis | Generated by AI

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Question: Provide a full English translation of “Zhang Zhongcheng Zhuan Hou Xu” (Postscript to the Biography of Zhang Zhongcheng) by Han Yu, as studied in university-level classical Chinese.

Answer:

Postscript to the Biography of Zhang Zhongcheng
(Han Yu)

In the second year of Jianzhong (781), the court appointed Li Xilie as the military governor of Huaixi. At that time, many of the military governors who held hereditary commanderies were arrogant and disobedient. Li Xilie was especially fierce and cruel, and he frequently requested additional appointments and rewards. When his demands were not met, he would become resentful and rebellious in speech.

Zhang Wanfu (Zhang Zhongcheng) was serving as Administrative Supervisor (Sima) of Yingtian Prefecture at the time. He submitted a memorial saying: “Li Xilie is violent, ferocious, and lacks human principles. If he is allowed to grow even stronger, he will certainly become a great disaster for the state. I request that he be removed from his post and replaced.” The memorial was extremely forthright and incisive. The court was shocked and did not adopt his advice.

Soon afterward, Li Xilie indeed rebelled. He killed the imperial envoy, occupied the strategic region, and called himself King of Chu, establishing his own reign title and appointing his own officials — his arrogance reached its extreme. Only then did people sigh and say that Zhang Zhongcheng had foreseen the danger.

In the third year of Xingyuan (784), Li Xilie was defeated and killed by his own general Chen Xianqi. Chen Xianqi then submitted to the court. The areas that Li Xilie had occupied were restored to imperial control.

At this time, people once again recalled Zhang Zhongcheng’s earlier memorial and praised his foresight. Yet during the very years when Li Xilie was at the height of his power, when all the officials at court were afraid and dared not speak, only Zhang Zhongcheng alone dared to point out the impending disaster face to face. At that moment, who among the many ministers could compare with him in loyalty and courage?

Alas! When a loyal minister speaks out at court and his advice is not heeded, people consider him foolish. Only after the disaster has actually occurred do they begin to praise him. But by then it is already too late — can this be considered knowing how to employ good men?

I therefore consider that in the matter of loyal remonstrance, there are three grades:

Zhang Zhongcheng belonged to the middle grade. Yet even in this middle grade, how few there are who can attain it!

When later generations read history and see loyal ministers who remonstrated but were not heeded, they usually sigh with regret and say, “If only the ruler had listened!” But few ever consider that it is precisely because such ministers are rare that the ruler’s fault becomes so grave.

I have therefore written this postscript, hoping that those who hold high office in the future, when they encounter a situation like this, will not lightly dismiss the words of a single minister, and that they will examine themselves deeply.

In the eighth year of Yuanhe (813), Han Yu of Hedong respectfully composed this postscript.

Main ideas summarized:

Han Yu uses the case of Zhang Wanfu (Zhang Zhongcheng) to praise the courage of speaking unpleasant but truthful advice, to criticize rulers who ignore loyal remonstrance until disaster strikes, and to lament that true foresight is usually only recognized too late. The piece is both a moral exhortation and a subtle criticism of contemporary court politics during the mid-Tang period.

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