Qin and Han · Ruler

Emperor Wen 文帝

Wen di

Attested BC 178 - BC 164

Passages: 4
Chapters: 1
Histories: 1

Overview

Emperor Wen was a ruler.

Life and dates

Attested activity

BC 178 孝文二年
Directly stated · Book of Han 25, passage 314
BC 178 孝文斷獄（回指）
Directly stated · Book of Han 25, passage 304
BC 164 文帝時（新垣平事後文）
Directly stated · Book of Han 25, passages 326, 328

Places and affiliations

Han 漢
Relation Ruled
Directly stated · Book of Han 25, passage 314

Works and attributed material

BC 178 孝文二年
Edict · Author
Directly stated · Book of Han 25, passages 314-316
BC 178 孝文二年
Speech · Speaker
Directly stated · Book of Han 25, passages 320-323

Events and relationships

ordered deliberation on ending implication of innocent kin 詔議除收律相坐
BC 178 孝文二年 · Political · Ruler · Issued edict
Directly stated · Book of Han 25, passages 314-316

Assessments and attributes

benevolence 仁
Assessment benevolent · Mode historian-judgment
Directly stated · Book of Han 25, passage 328
humane judgments in criminal cases 孝文斷獄
Assessment humane-judicial-standard · Mode historian-judgment
Directly stated · Book of Han 25, passage 304

References in the histories

Book of Han, Chapter 25Volume 23: Treatise on Punishment and Law · 4 passages

孝文二年，又詔丞相、太尉、御史：「法者，治之正，所以禁暴而衛善人也。 In the second year of Emperor Wen, he again issued an edict to the chancellor, grand commandant, and imperial secretary: "Law is the standard of government, the means by which violence is forbidden and good people are protected.

文帝復曰：「朕聞之，法正則民愨，罪當則民從。 Emperor Wen replied: "I have heard that when law is upright the people are earnest, and when guilt is fitting the people comply.

夫以孝文之仁，平、勃之知，猶有過刑謬論如此甚也，而況庸材溺於末流者乎？ If even with Emperor Wen's benevolence and the wisdom of Chen Ping and Zhou Bo, errors about excessive punishment could be this severe, how much more so with mediocre talents submerged in the later current?

成康刑錯，雖未可致，孝文斷獄，庶幾可及。 We may not reach the ideal era of Cheng and Kang, when punishment was scarcely needed, but we can still aspire to the humane judicial standard associated with Emperor Wen.