SHI JI 88: THE BIOGRAPHY OF MENG TIAN

For the Qin he opened up new lands and increased the population. In the north he subdued the Xiongnu, established the frontier along the Yellow River, used the mountains as a defence, and created the region of Yuzhong. Thus I made “The Biography of Meng Tian”.

 

Meng Tian’s ancestors were natives of the state of Qi. Meng Tian’s grandfather, Meng Ao, came from Qi to enter the service of King Zhaoxiang of Qin, advancing to the position of a chief minister.

In the first year of the reign of King Zhuangxiang of Qin (250 BC) Meng Ao, acting as a general for Qin, attacked Hann and seized Chenggao and Xingyang, making them into the province of Sanchuan or Three Rivers. In the second year Meng Ao attacked Zhao and seized thirty-seven cities.

In the third year of the reign of the First Emperor (244 BC) Meng Ao attacked Hann and seized thirteen cities. In the fifth year (242 BC) he attacked Wei and seized twenty cities, making them into Dong Province. In the seventh year (240 BC) Meng Ao died.

Meng Ao’s son was named Wu, and Wu’s son was named Tian. Tian at one time served as a law official and handled legal documents.

In the twenty-third year of the First Emperor (224 BC) Meng Wu, acting as an assistant general of Qin, joined Wang Jian in an attack on Chu. They inflicted a major defeat and brought about the death of the Chu leader Xiang Yan. In the twenty-fourth year, Meng Wu attacked Chu and captured the king of Chu.

Meng Tian’s younger brother was Meng Yi. In the twenty-sixth year of the First Emperor (221 BC), because of the distinguished service rendered by his family for succeeding generations, Meng Tian was appointed a Qin general. He attacked Qi, inflicting a major defeat, and was honoured with the post of prefect of the capital.

Qin, having completed its unification of the empire, dispatched Meng Tian to lead a force of 300,000 men and advance north, expelling the Rong and Di barbarians and taking control of the region south of the bend of the Yellow River. He set about constructing the Great Wall, following the contours of the land and utilizing the narrow defiles to set up frontier posts. The wall began at Lintao and ran east to Liaodong, extending for a distance of over 10,000 li.¹⁹⁴ Crossing the Yellow River, it followed the Yang Mountains, twisting and turning as it proceeded north. Meng Tian remained in the field for over ten years, residing in Shang Province.

At this time Meng Tian’s might had struck terror into the Xiongnu people. The First Emperor treated the members of the Meng family with extreme favour, trusting them and assigning them to office because of their worth. He was particularly close to Meng Yi, who advanced to the position of a chief minister. Outside the palace, Meng Yi rode in the same carriage as the emperor; at court he stood in the imperial presence. Meng Tian was entrusted with affairs on the foreign front, while Meng Yi constantly took part in the planning of internal affairs, and both enjoyed a reputation for loyalty and good faith. As a result, none of the other generals or high ministers dared to compete with them.

Zhao Gao belonged to a distant branch of the various families of the Zhao surname. He had several younger brothers, all of whom were born in prison, his mother having been condemned to punishment. His family had thus for generations been lowly and humble. The First Emperor, having heard that Zhao Gao was diligent and well versed in legal matters, appointed him as chief of the office of palace carriages. Zhao Gao then entered the private service of Prince Huhai, the emperor’s youngest son, instructing the prince in legal decisions.

When Zhao Gao was accused of a major crime, the emperor ordered Meng Yi to settle the case in accordance with the law. Meng Yi, not daring to make an exception in Zhao Gao’s case, recommended that he be condemned to death and removed his name from the roster of officials. But because Zhao Gao was so knowledgeable in the handling of affairs, the emperor pardoned him and restored him to office.¹⁹⁵

The First Emperor was about to set out on a tour of the empire, proceeding through Jiuyuan and going directly to Sweet Springs. He accordingly ordered Meng Tian to construct a road that would run directly from Jiuyuan to Sweet Springs, cutting through mountains and filling in valleys for a distance of 1,800 li. The road had not yet been completed when, in the winter of the thirty-seventh year of his reign (210 BC), the First Emperor journeyed to Kuaiji and then, following the seacoast, turned north toward Langya. He fell ill along the way and ordered Meng Yi to return to the capital and carry out sacrifices to the mountains and rivers.

Before Meng Yi had reached the capital, the First Emperor, who had proceeded as far as Shaqiu, passed away. The fact was kept secret, so that none of the host of officials were aware of his death.

At this time the emperor was constantly attended by the chancellor Li Si, the emperor’s youngest son, Prince Huhai, and Zhao Gao, chief of the office of palace carriage. Zhao Gao had always enjoyed great favour with Huhai and wanted to see him made successor to the throne. In addition, he hated Meng Yi because, when the latter investigated the criminal charges against him, he had refused to make an exception in his case. Hence he harboured murderous feelings toward him.

For these reasons Zhao Gao joined the chancellor Li Si and Prince Huhai in a secret plot to set up Huhai as heir apparent. When Huhai had been so designated, they dispatched an envoy to Prince Fusu and Meng Tian accusing them of crimes and granting them the privilege of taking their own lives. Fusu did so at once, but Meng Tian, suspicious of the order, asked to have it confirmed. The envoy handed Meng Tian over to the law officials, replacing him with one of Li Si’s retainers whom he appointed as military protector.¹⁹⁶ Then the envoy returned and reported on his mission.

When Huhai heard that Fusu had already killed himself, he wanted to pardon Meng Tian. But Zhao Gao was afraid that the Meng family might regain its prominence and once again have a say in government, and would bear a grudge against him. So when Meng Yi returned to the capital from his mission, Zhao Gao, pretending to be acting solely out of loyalty to Huhai, set about to wipe out the Meng family.

“I have heard that the former emperor had long wanted to promote a man of worth by setting you up as heir apparent,” Zhao Gao said to Huhai. “But Meng Yi remonstrated with him, insisting that it would not do. If Meng Yi knew you were a worthy man but persisted in opposing your appointment, then he acted disloyally and was deliberately misleading the ruler. In my humble opinion, he had best be punished for it!”

Huhai, heeding this advice, had Meng Yi seized and put in bonds in Dai. Earlier he had had Meng Tian imprisoned in Yangzhou.

By this time the body of the First Emperor had arrived in Xianyang. After the interment, the heir apparent ascended the throne and is known as the Second Emperor. Zhao Gao was constantly by his side, day and night speaking ill of the Meng family, ferreting out their crimes and errors and promoting their impeachment.

Ziying¹⁹⁷ came forward to remonstrate with the Second Emperor, saying, “I have heard that in past times King Qian of Zhao put to death his loyal minister Li Mu and employed Yan Ju instead, that King Xi of Yan secretly heeded the advice of Jing Ke and broke his promise to the state of Qin, and that King Jian of Qi killed the ministers who had served him loyally for generations and adopted the advice of Hou Sheng. These three rulers, because they changed old ways, all lost their states and brought calamity upon themselves. Now the members of the Meng family are high officials and ministers of planning in Qin. As ruler, you may wish to rid yourself of them all in one morning, but I venture to think such a course is not right.

“I have heard that one who is reckless in planning can never govern a nation, and one who considers himself the sole possessor of wisdom can never preserve his ruler. If you put to death loyal ministers and in their place promote men who have done no exemplary deeds, then at home you will create distrust among your officials, and abroad will encourage disaffection in your fighting men. I venture to think that such a course is not right!”

Huhai did not listen to this advice, but dispatched the imperial secretary Qu Gong to go by relay carriage to Dai and confront Meng Yi with this order: “The former ruler wanted to appoint me as heir apparent, but you, sir, opposed the move. Now the chancellor considers that you have acted disloyally, and that punishment should extend to the members of your family. As sovereign, I cannot bear to inflict such a penalty, and so I grant you the privilege of taking your own life. This is a mark of extreme favour and I trust you will act accordingly.”

Meng Yi replied, “Am I accused of having failed to understand the intentions of the former ruler? But I served him from the time I was young, and continued to enjoy his favour until he passed away, so I had ample opportunity to know his thoughts. Or is it said that I failed to recognize the abilities of the heir apparent? But the heir apparent, alone among all the princes, always accompanied the ruler in his travels about the empire. I therefore had no reason to doubt that he was far superior in ability to the other princes. The former ruler’s plan to raise him to the position of heir apparent must have been one that the ruler had contemplated for a number of years. With what words could I have dared to remonstrate with him, with what proposal of my own could I have ventured to question his plan?

“I do not dare employ fine phrases in hopes of avoiding death. It is just that I am ashamed to bring dishonour upon the former ruler’s name. Therefore I ask Your Lordship to consider the matter with care, so that I may be condemned to death on charges that have true substance!

“Obedient service that insures long life — this is what the Way prizes; but punishing and killing — this is the end of the Way! In past times Duke Mu of Qin put to death three good ministers and accused Baili Xi of a crime worthy of execution, though the latter was guiltless. Therefore he was given the posthumous title Mu or ‘Mistaken’.¹⁹⁸ King Zhaoxiang of Qin put to death Bai Qi, Lord Wuan; King Ping of Chu put to death Wu She; and King Fuchai of Wu put to death Wu Zixu. These four rulers all committed grave errors, and the world condemned them for it. As rulers they were thought to lack understanding, and the other feudal lords noted this in their records. Therefore it is said: ‘One who governs by the Way does not put to death the guiltless or inflict punishment on those without blame.’ I hope Your Lordship will give thought to the matter!”

The imperial secretary, however, knew what Huhai wanted and so, without heeding these words of Meng Yi, he had him put to death.

The Second Emperor also sent an envoy to Yangzhou with an order to Meng Tian that read: “Your errors are many, and your younger brother Yi has committed serious crimes. Under the law, you are implicated as well.”

Meng Tian replied, “From my grandfather down to his sons and grandsons, my family has accumulated merit and enjoyed trust with Qin for three generations. I have been put in command of over 300,000 troops, and though I am bound and imprisoned, I have power enough to carry out a revolt. But, although I know it means death, I have abided by the principles of righteousness because I would not dare to disgrace the teachings of my forbears, and because I cannot forget my debt to the former emperor.

“In ancient times, when King Cheng of the Zhou dynasty was first made ruler, he was still a babe in swaddling clothes. His uncle, Dan, the Duke of Zhou, carried the infant king on his back when he attended court, and so peace was brought to the empire. Later, King Cheng fell gravely ill and his life was in danger. The Duke of Zhou pared his fingernails and threw the parings into the Yellow River, saying, ‘The king as yet has no understanding of state affairs; I alone am handling them. If there is some fault, I alone should suffer the ill effects.’ Then he made a record of what he had done and stored it away in the archives. He acted, one may say, in complete good faith.

“Later, when the king grew old enough to govern the nation, evil ministers asserted that the Duke of Zhou had long been plotting revolt. If the king did not take precautions, they warned, the results would surely be calamitous.

“The king was enraged at these words, and the Duke of Zhou fled from the kingdom and took refuge in Chu. But when King Cheng examined the archives, he found the document recording the words the Duke of Zhou spoke when he threw the parings into the river. Tears streaming from his eyes, he said, ‘Who tells me that the Duke of Zhou is plotting revolt!’ He put to death those who had spoken so and recalled the Duke of Zhou. Therefore the Book of Zhou says: ‘One must know the threes and fives.’¹⁹⁹

“My family has served without duplicity for generations. If affairs have come to this, it must be because nefarious ministers are plotting treason and attempting to usurp power from within. King Cheng committed an error, but he remedied it and hence in the end was able to flourish. But Emperor Jie killed Guan Longfeng and Emperor Zhou killed Prince Bi Gan and neither ever repented; so they brought death on themselves and the downfall of their kingdom.²⁰⁰ Therefore I say, ‘Faults can be remedied, remonstrance can bring understanding.’ To examine the threes and fives is the method employed by the sages of antiquity. I say all these things not because I hope to escape censure, but because I wish my death to be a remonstrance. I beg that Your Majesty will give thought for the 10,000 people and abide by the Way.”

But the envoy said, “I have received an imperial decree to carry out the law, General. I cannot presume to relay your words to the sovereign.”

Meng Tian gave a deep sigh and said, “What crime have I committed before Heaven that I should die an innocent death?” Then after a long while he said in a grave manner, “In fact I deserve to die for the crime I have committed. From Lintao east to Liaodong I built a wall extending for 10,000 li and more. In the course of it, I could not help but cut through the arteries of the earth. That must be my crime!”

Then he swallowed the poison and died.

The Grand Historian remarks: I have travelled to the northern border and returned by the Direct Road. As I went along I saw the outposts of the Great Wall which Meng Tian constructed for the Qin. He cut through the mountains and filled up the valleys, opening up a direct road. Truly he made free with the strength of the common people!

Qin had only recently destroyed the feudal states; the hearts of the people of the world were not yet at rest and the wounded were not yet healed. Meng Tian was a renowned general, yet he did not take this opportunity to remonstrate forcefully, to relieve the ills of the common people, to care for the old and rescue the orphaned. He did not strive to bring about the well-being of the mass of people. Instead he toadied to the will of the emperor in undertaking these constructions. Was it not right that for this he and his brother met with punishment? What is this “crime of cutting through the arteries of the earth”?