রাজাভিষেকের শোভাযাত্রা

贞观 era's beginning, Emperor Taizong said to his attendant ministers: "Sui Yangdi extensively built palaces and pavilions to indulge in his personal excursions. From the Western Capital to the Eastern Capital, detached palaces and subsidiary lodges lined the roads within sight of one another, extending even to Bingzhou and Zhuojun, with none that were not thus constructed. The imperial highways were all several hundred paces wide, planted with trees to adorn their sides. The strength of the common people could not bear it, and they gathered together to become bandits. By the final years, not a foot of soil nor a single person was any longer his own. Viewed from this perspective, what possible benefit was there in expanding palaces and favoring excursions?

All of these are things my own ears have heard and my own eyes have seen, and I take deep warning from them. Therefore, I dare not lightly employ human labor, but only command that the hundred surnames live in peace and quiet, so that there will be no resentment and rebellion."

In the eleventh year of Zhenguan, Emperor Taizong visited the Luoyang Palace and went boating on the Jicui Pool. Looking back at his attendant ministers, he said: "These palace halls, terraces, and ponds were all created by Yangdi—what is called driving and forcing the living populace to exhaust every extreme of ornate beauty, yet failing to preserve even this single capital or take the myriads of the people into consideration. His fondness for excursions was ceaseless, something the common people could not endure. In the past, the poets wrote: 'What grass is not yellow? On what day are we not marching?' and 'Great East and Small East, the loom and shuttle are emptied.' This refers precisely to such things. Consequently, it caused the realm to harbor resentment and rebel, his person to die and his state to perish. Today, his palaces and gardens have all become mine. That the Sui dynasty collapsed—was it solely because its ruler was devoid of the Dao? It was equally because his chief ministers were lacking in goodness. People like Yuwen Shu, Yu Shiji, and Pei Yun occupied high official positions, ate lavish salaries, and accepted the trust entrusted to them by others, yet solely practiced flattery and deceit, blocked understanding and wisdom, and wished to prevent their state from falling into peril—how could that be possible?"

Minister of Works Zhangsun Wunji submitted a memorial, saying: "When the Sui dynasty perished, its ruler blocked out loyal and forthright words, while the ministers merely sought to protect themselves. When those around him committed faults, they never accused or exposed them, and when bandits and rebels spread and grew, they never presented the true facts. Judging by this, it was not merely the will of Heaven; in truth, it was because ruler and ministers did not correct and aid one another."

Emperor Taizong said: "You and I have inherited their remaining ills; we must simply propagate the Dao and transform social customs, so that for ten thousand generations we may forever rely upon it."

In the thirteenth year of Zhenguan, Emperor Taizong said to Wei Zheng and others: "Sui Yangdi inherited the remaining achievements of Emperor Wen, and within the seas the realm was prosperous and rich. If he had only been able to permanently reside within the Pass, how could he have suffered collapse and ruin?

Instead, paying no heed to the common people, with excursions having no fixed date, he went straight to Jiangdu, refusing to accept the remonstrances of Dong Chun, Cui Xiang, and others. His person was slain and his state destroyed, making him a laughingstock for all under Heaven. Although the length of an imperial mandate is entrusted to the dark heavens, whether one receives good fortune for goodness or misfortune for wickedness is likewise brought about by human affairs. Whenever I ponder this, if ruler and ministers wish to remain together for a long time and the state is to be free from peril and ruin, whenever the ruler has faults or transgressions, the ministers must speak out to the utmost. When I hear your admonitions and remonstrances, even if I cannot follow them immediately at the time, I shall ponder and examine them again and again, and I will surely choose what is good and put it into practice."

In the twelfth year of Zhenguan, Emperor Taizong was on an eastern imperial inspection tour, about to enter Luo, and halted at the Xianren Palace. Many palace and garden officials were subjected to reprimand and punishment. Attendant Gentleman Wei Zheng stepped forward to present remonstrance, saying: "Your Majesty is visiting Luozhou today because it is a place you previously campaigned and traveled through, hoping to bring stability, and therefore wishing to bestow grace upon the elders of old. Yet the people of the city walls have not yet experienced your virtue and grace, while the officials and park wardens have mostly fallen into crime and punishment—some because the objects offered for tribute were not refined, and others because they did not present formal food offerings. This shows a lack of contentment and a will set upon luxury, which runs counter to the original intention of your imperial excursion. How can it fulfill the expectations of the common people? The former lord of Sui repeatedly ordered his subordinates to prepare numerous food offerings; if the offerings were not abundant, there were severe punishments and penalties. What the superior delights in, the inferiors will surely practice to an even greater extreme, competing without limit, which ultimately led to destruction.

This is not something heard only from historical records; Your Majesty has witnessed it with your own eyes. Because he was devoid of the Dao, Heaven's mandate caused Your Majesty to replace him. You should tremble with fear as if walking on thin ice, economizing and practicing restraint in every matter, following in the footsteps of the former rulers, and making clear your instructions to your descendants. How can you wish to place yourself beneath others today? If Your Majesty considers what you have to be enough, today is more than enough; if you consider it not enough, even ten thousand times this amount would still not be enough."

Emperor Taizong was greatly startled and said: "Were it not for you, Sir, I would never have heard these words. From this day forward, I hope there will be no more events like this."