Rites of the Two Han: "Records of the Han Dynasty" and "Records of the Later Han Dynasty" (Set of 2 volumes)

Author: (Han) Xun Yue, (Jin) Yuan Hong
Publisher:
Publishing Date: Not available
Features: The Han Records, a combined title for the Records of the Former Han and the Records of the Later Han. To distinguish these two works, as people did with the two dynasties of Former Han and Later Han, they were sometimes referred to as the Records of the Former Han. The Records of the Han was compiled by Xun Yue (148–209), styled Zhongyu, a native of Yingyin County, Yingchuan Commandery (now Xuchang City, Henan Province). His grandfather, Shu, was renowned in his time, and the famous scholars Li Gu and Li Ying were among his disciples. He had eight sons, known as the "Eight Dragons," with Xun Shuang being the most notable. Dong Zhuo, who seized power, sought the support of scholars, recruiting Shuang and others. Shuang held the position from his appointment to his promotion as Minister of Works for only ninety-five days. Despite being appointed by Dong Zhuo, Shuang remained loyal to the Han Dynasty and secretly plotted to assassinate him. Xun Yue lost his father at an early age and was able to discuss the Spring and Autumn Annals by the age of twelve. He was a calm and composed individual with a fondness for writing. During the Han Dynasty, when power was held by eunuchs, Xun Yue chose to live in seclusion rather than seek office. His younger brother, Yu, was highly valued by Cao Cao and later served as a close advisor to Emperor Xian. When Emperor Xian moved his capital to Xu, Xun Yue was appointed as a Yellow Gate Attendant and later promoted to Libationer-in-Chief. Emperor Xian was fond of literature, and Xun Yue, along with Xun Yu and Kong Rong, served as his instructors in the palace. In the third year of the Jian'an era (198 AD), Emperor Xian found the Book of Han too verbose and difficult to comprehend, so he ordered Xun Yue to compile the Records of the Han in a chronological style, similar to the Zuo Zhuan. The work was completed in the fifth year of the Jian'an era (200 AD). The Records of the Han drew heavily on the Book of Han, with some additions and deletions of its own. For example, the memorials of Wang Ren, a Censor, and Wang Hong, an Attendant, were not included in the Book of Han but were present in the Records of the Han. Regarding the three elders of Huanguan, whose surname was not mentioned in the Book of Han, the Records of the Han identified them as Linghu. When Zhu Yun requested the "horse-slaying sword" () from the Imperial Workshop, the Book of Han referred to it as the "horse-cutting sword" (), while the Records of the Han used the term "horse-breaking sword." As Tang poet Zhang Wei wrote in his poem: "If only I could obtain the horse-breaking sword from the Imperial Workshop, I would behead the nobles of the Zhu family," proving that the Book of Han contained a typo. This demonstrates that the Records of the Han had its own editorial choices and was not merely a copy of the original. The Biography of Xun Yue in the Later Book of Han states: "At that time, power had shifted to the Cao family, and the emperor merely maintained a facade of dignity. Xun Yue sought to advise and admonish, but his plans went unused. Thus, he wrote the Five Canons of Reflection." The Five Canons of Reflection refers to the analysis of past events as a warning for future generations. From the title alone, it is clear that Xun Yue's writings were not entirely detached from political concerns. After Emperor Xian was moved to Xu by Cao Cao in the first year of the Jian'an era, although his life was relatively stable, Cao Cao's surveillance and control over him were far stricter than those of the earlier warlords. Emperor Xian also sought to assassinate Cao Cao. In this context, Xun Yue could not remain neutral. Most scholars believed that Xun Yue was dissatisfied with Cao Cao's autocratic rule, and his writings were intended to persuade Cao Cao to remain a loyal subject of the Han Dynasty rather than imitate Wang Mang's coup and be cursed for generations. However, some historians disagreed with this view. In my opinion, Xun Yue came from a scholarly family and was not particularly ambitious for power or fame. He remained in seclusion until he was over fifty before entering public service. From his background and experiences, it is unlikely that he participated in the plot to assassinate Cao Cao. Nevertheless, the ideological content of his Five Canons of Reflection and the Records of the Han shows that he was not averse to "providing a warning." Therefore, in the Five Canons of Reflection, he advised: "Those in power should be solemn and reverent in their hearts, cautious in their actions, not be confused internally, nor have different expectations externally, and then the people will be steadfast." This was a clear warning to Cao Cao to govern with virtue, avoid internal confusion that would harm loyalty, and not have ulterior motives to usurp the Han throne. He further stated: "In ancient times, when emperors and feudal lords had matters to attend to, they must report to the temple. There were two historians in court—one recorded words, and the other recorded events. Events were recorded in the Spring and Autumn Annals, and words were recorded in the Book of Documents. The actions of a ruler were recorded, and neither good nor evil, success nor failure, were forgotten by heaven. A single day's gain or loss could lead to eternal honor or disgrace. The virtuous are encouraged, and the wicked are warned." This was a warning to Cao Cao to strive to be like the Duke of Zhou, leaving a lasting legacy of virtue and honor for generations, rather than imitating Wang Mang, who sought fleeting glory and faced eternal disgrace.
The Records of the Later Han was compiled by Yuan Hong (328–376), styled Yanbo, a native of Yangxia (now Taikang, Henan Province) during the Eastern Jin Dynasty. He lost his father at a young age and grew up in relatively poor conditions. Despite the hardships, he studied diligently and achieved notable success, becoming famous for his quick wit and elegant writings from a young age. He served as a counselor to figures like Huan Wen and later became the Governor of Yangyang Commandery. He died at the age of forty-nine while in office. Yuan Hong was also a renowned litterateur, leaving behind a wealth of writings, including the Records of the Later Han and the Praise of Renowned Officials of the Three Kingdoms, both of which are still preserved today. His Ode to the Eastern Expedition, Poems on Historical Events, and Biography of the Scholars of the Bamboo Grove are now lost. The compilation of the Records of the Later Han took nearly a decade. Yuan Hong adopted the chronological style to record the history of the Later Han Dynasty, influenced by the success of Xun Yue's Records of the Han. Following the Records of the Han, Yuan Hong faced more challenging writing conditions. When Xun Yue compiled the Records of the Han, there was only the Book of Han, a well-established historical text in the annalistic and biographical style, which he used to great effect, creating a remarkable new work through selective adaptation. By the time Yuan Hong wrote the Records of the Later Han, there were several other works on the Later Han history, each with its own strengths and weaknesses. Yuan Hong had access to a richer array of sources than Xun Yue, and the challenges he faced and the effort he expended were greater. Additionally, he had numerous competitors in the same genre, and he had to surpass them in quality to establish his work. Through the test of time, only Fan Ye's Later Book of Han and Yuan Hong's chronological Records of the Later Han have survived, indicating their exceptional merit.
In the Records of the Later Han, Yuan Hong demonstrated his ability to synthesize and evaluate historical events. He leveraged the strengths of the chronological style, using time as the axis to trace the development of Later Han history and employing figures and events as the weft to show the connections between them and their roles in historical progress, making it easier for readers to grasp the overall picture of Later Han history. In eight volumes, he covered approximately forty years of the Guangwu era, focusing on the development of Emperor Guangwu's reign. He summarized the rise and fall of the rebel leaders Lü Mu, the Red Eyebrows, the Xinshi, and the Pinglin, as well as the collapse of Wang Mang and the rise and fall of various warlords. He also narrated the lives and achievements of the founding ministers of the Later Han Dynasty. Despite the complexity of the events and the numerous figures involved, the work was well-organized, with each character and event distinct and coherent. The latter six volumes covered the Yellow Turban Rebellion, the rise of Dong Zhuo, the warlord chaos, Cao Cao's ascendancy, the Battle of Red Cliffs, and the establishment of the Cao Wei dynasty. These sections were well-composed and clearly articulated, making them the most detailed and parts of the book.
Through his work, Yuan Hong enriched the expressive techniques of chronological history. He employed the method of "classifying by type" (，) in the preface to the Records of the Later Han, which was an advancement over Xun Yue's method of simply listing similar cases. Yuan Hong often grouped figures from the same era or with similar characteristics together. For example, Volume 5 included Min Zhongshu, Wang Dan, Yan Xian, Zhou Dang, Wang Ba, and Feng Meng, all of whom were known for their lifelong seclusion or prolonged reclusion. Volume 11 featured Emperor Zhang's respectful treatment of Jiang Ge, which led to the inclusion of Jiang Ge's biography, as well as those of Mao Yi and Xue Bao, both renowned for their filial piety. This approach incorporated the strengths of the biographical style, expanding the scope of what chronological history could encompass. Yuan Hong also set for himself the requirement of "observing their names and deeds to imagine their characters" (，) in the preface to the Records of the Later Han, striving to use certain types of figures to inspire readers.