Hanshu San Shu (Volume 1 and 2)

Author: Fu Xuanzheng, Shi Chunde
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2003-03-01
Features: The excerpt marked with is a left-right structure, with the left side being "" and the right side being "." The master and the servant discussed the imperial system, mentioning the story of Yutang. The master said: "Take the words 'Yutang,' for example. Many people don't understand them. Emperor Taizong once wrote 'Yutang Zhi Shu' in flying white script at the Hanlin Academy. These four characters originated from the biography of Li Xun. Yutang was the name of a hall, and those who served as court attendants had a study adjacent to it. Li Xun was a court attendant in the Huangmen, so he said, 'I have long been defiling the Yutang Zhi Shu.' Later, when Emperor Ying ascended the throne, it was removed. During the Yuanfeng era, a Hanlin scholar petitioned to remove the two characters and restore the signboard at the academy's gate, considering it a mark of honor for officials. The emperor agreed. This was to name the academy after the hall, which was extremely disrespectful. The servant then checked the Book of Han and found that Han court attendants were sometimes stationed at Gongche, Jinmamen, the quarters of eunuchs, or Huangmen. During Li Xun's time, he was a court attendant in the Huangmen. Emperor Ai of Han sent a court attendant to ask about omens, and Li Xun replied, 'I, Li Xun, am of low status and limited knowledge. I have long been following the other scholars as court attendants, eating at the imperial kitchen and wearing robes from the imperial treasury. I have long been defiling the Yutang Zhi Shu.' Shi Ji said, 'The Yutang Hall was in the Weiyang Palace.' However, its specific structure is not detailed, except in the brief biography of Yi Feng. Yi Feng submitted a memorial saying, 'The Han Dynasty's prosperity lay in Emperor Xiaowen, who practiced frugality and reduced external labor. At that time, there were no palaces like Ganquan, Jianzhang, or the halls in the Shanglin Forest. The Weiyang Palace also lacked high gates, Wutai, Qilin, Fenghuang, Baihu, Yutang, or Jinhua halls, except for the front hall, Qutai, Jiantai, Xuanshi, and Chengming.' Based on this, the Yutang Hall must have been built during the reign of Emperor Wu. The servant later asked the master, who confirmed this. From The Conversations of Master Yuancheng by Ma Yongyi.
The Tang Dynasty system stated that when Hanlin scholars first entered the academy, they were given seating arrangements and clothing. On the (Zhonghe Festival), they were given red ivory rulers and silver measuring tapes. On the (Shangsi Festival) and (Chongyang Festival), they were given banquets at Qujiang. On the Qingming Festival, they were given new fire. In summer, they were given ice. On the (Lary Festival), they were given lip balm, red snow, and soap beans. Before the New Year, they were given almanacs. When they were tasked with writing, they were given tea, fruits, and meat. For written examinations, they were given seating arrangements and (pǐbó). On the (Shery Festival), they were given wine, steamed buns, and buns. These are recorded in the Collected Works of Tang Scholars. Li Yong was known as the 'Six Unparalleled Hanlin Scholar,' referring to his excellence in literature, calligraphy, and the like. Li Jiong, upon entering the academy, was personally chosen by Emperor Xianzong to give him a ceremonial scepter. Li Fang had long overseen the internal decrees and became a prime minister during Emperor Taizong's reign. When he went to the Hanlin Academy, he composed a poem in thanks, describing seven honors: requests for salary, food allowances, red robes with double honors, initial summoning, imperial decrees, and gifts like horses. These were unprecedented in previous dynasties. Emperor Taizong loved scholars and once told Su Yijian, 'The court officials are elegant and clean, but I wish I could be one of them.' One night, he visited the academy, but Su Yijian was already asleep. An imperial attendant lit a candle through the window to help Su Yijian dress, and the window screen burned, never to be repaired again, as a sign of favor. Emperor Taizong was skilled in calligraphy and once wrote 'Yutang Zhi Shu' in flying white script and gave it to Su Yijian. During the Yuanfeng era, Emperor Shenzong reformed the official system, making Hanlin scholars equal to the six ministries, with heavy gold belts. Su Ziyuan's thank-you letter said, 'The Yutang script was given with the elegance of the Chunhua era; the heavy gold belt was a gift of the new Yuanfeng era.' In the year of Jianyan's reform, I was honored to be summoned and responded to the thank-you letter with 'seven honors' to match 'six unparalleled,' and 'burning the window' to match 'choosing the scepter,' which were rarely used by predecessors. That year, a proposal was made to cut redundant expenses in all departments, including the academy's monthly meal money of 300 coins (Note: scholars' food allowances, attendants, and others' expenses for locking the academy, imperial medicine, and rapid summoning were all paid from this money), which was also to be cut. I argued with the prime minister but was not accepted. Later, during the imperial examination, I presented the 'seven honors' story and said, 'The meal money is one of them. It is an old custom of our ancestors, and in recent years, the number has not been increased. How can it be abolished along with the corrupt practices of other departments?' The emperor greatly agreed, and the order was issued as before. From Zhu Shengfei's Record of Leisure in Xiushui.
For the Yuzhi (imperial genealogy), it was compiled every ten years. The Zongrenfu (Office of Imperial Clans) reported the branches of each royal family, and the Neige (Inner Secretariat) requested two Hanlin scholars to compile it.