Shiji 9 — Lü Taihou Benji · Tianmu Anglican Church

Lü Taihou Benji — Sima Qian, Records of the Grand Historian, chapter 9

Sima Qian (c. 145–c. 86 BCE) completed the Shiji, the first comprehensive history of China, while serving under Emperor Wu of Han. Its twelve Basic Annals (本紀) open the work, tracing paramount power dynasty by dynasty and reign by reign; this is the ninth, the chapter Sima Qian gave to a woman ruler rather than to a reigning emperor, tracking the years when commands and orders issued from Empress Dowager Lü alone.

This chapter follows Lü Zhi, consort of Gaozu from his days of obscurity, through her rivalry with the favored Lady Qi over the succession, her poisoning of Lady Qi's son King Ruyi of Zhao, her mutilation of Lady Qi into what the source calls 'the human swine,' her regency after Emperor Hui's early death and her deposing and secret killing of a child emperor who was not truly of Hui's own blood, her installation of Lü kinsmen as kings and marquises in defiance of Gaozu's covenant that only Lius should hold the title of king, the starvation-death in captivity of King You of Zhao and the song he composed there, her own death, and the swift destruction of the Lü clan by Zhou Bo, Chen Ping, and the Marquis of Zhuxu that cleared the way for the King of Dai to be installed as Emperor Wen.

The section headings inside the chapter are editorial conveniences of the Wikisource transcription, not divisions of Sima Qian's own, and the Sanjia commentary (集解, 索隱, 正義) that travels with the source text is presented below but not translated; passages opening 太史公曰 are marked 'The Grand Historian says.' Names and titles are given in Hanyu pinyin (Lü Zhi, Emperor Xiaohui, Ruyi, Zhou Bo, Chen Ping), with Chinese characters at first appearance.

Translated for the Good Works Library directly from the classical Chinese printed in full below. Burton Watson's Records of the Grand Historian (1961; 1993) and the Nienhauser team's The Grand Scribe's Records (1994–) already cover the Basic Annals; they are named here as controls-in-existence that were not consulted, and no live search for other prior translations could be made when this file was prepared, so no claim of firstness is made.

Annals of Empress Dowager Lü (呂太后本紀)
- Lü Zhi (呂雉)
- Appraisal (評論)

Translation

Annals of Empress Dowager Lü (呂太后本紀)

Lü Zhi (呂雉)

Empress Dowager Lü (呂太后) was the consort of Gaozu from the days of his obscurity. She bore Emperor Xiaohui and a daughter, the Empress Dowager Yuan of Lu. When Gaozu became King of Han, he obtained Lady Qi (戚姬) of Dingtao, loved and favored her, and she bore King Yin of Zhao, Ruyi (如意). Xiaohui was by nature kind and weak, and Gaozu considered that he was "not like me," and often wished to depose the heir apparent and set up Lady Qi's son Ruyi, saying that Ruyi was like himself. Lady Qi was favored, and often accompanied the emperor east of the Pass. Day and night she wept, wanting her own son set up in place of the heir apparent. Empress Lü was older in years and often remained behind to keep the capital; she rarely saw the emperor, and grew ever more distant from him. After Ruyi was established as King of Zhao, several times he came near to replacing the heir apparent; but thanks to the contention of the great ministers, and to the stratagem of the Marquis of Liu, the heir apparent escaped deposition.

Empress Lü was by nature hard and resolute. She assisted Gaozu in settling the empire, and of the great ministers who were put to death, many fell by Empress Lü's strength. Empress Lü had two elder brothers, both of whom served as generals. The eldest, the Marquis of Zhoulü, died in service; his son Lü Tai was enfeoffed as Marquis of Li, and his son Lü Chan as Marquis of Jiao. The second brother, Lü Shizhi, was Marquis of Jiancheng.

In the twelfth year of Gaozu, in the fourth month, on the day jiachen, Gaozu died in the Changle Palace, and the heir apparent succeeded to the title as emperor. At this time Gaozu had eight sons. The eldest son was Fei, Xiaohui's elder brother by another mother; Fei was King of Qi. The rest were all younger brothers of Xiaohui: Lady Qi's son Ruyi was King of Zhao; Lady Bo's son Heng was King of Dai; and of the sons of the other consorts, Hui was King of Liang, You was King of Huaiyang, Chang was King of Huainan, and Jian was King of Yan. Gaozu's younger brother Jiao was King of Chu, and his elder brother's son Pi was King of Wu. One who was not of the Liu clan, the meritorious minister Wu Rui, Lord of Po, had his son Chen made King of Changsha.

Empress Lü hated Lady Qi and her son the King of Zhao above all others. She ordered Lady Qi imprisoned in the Yongxiang (永巷), the palace lane of confinement, and summoned the King of Zhao. Her envoys went and returned three times. The chancellor of Zhao, Zhou Chang, Marquis of Jianping, said to the envoy: "The Gao Emperor entrusted the King of Zhao to me, and the King of Zhao is young. I have privately heard that the empress dowager hates Lady Qi and wishes to summon the King of Zhao and put him to death along with her. I dare not send the king. Moreover the king is ill and cannot obey the edict." Empress Lü was greatly enraged, and sent men to summon the chancellor of Zhao. When the chancellor of Zhao had been called to Chang'an, she again sent men to summon the King of Zhao. The king came, but had not yet arrived. Emperor Xiaohui was gentle and humane, and knowing the empress dowager's anger, he went himself to meet the King of Zhao at Bashang, entered the palace together with him, and kept him personally at his side, rising, resting, eating and drinking with him. The empress dowager wished to kill him, but could find no opening. In the twelfth month of the first year of Xiaohui, the emperor went out at dawn to shoot. The King of Zhao was young and could not rise early. The empress dowager heard that he was alone, and sent men with poisoned wine to make him drink it. At first light, when Xiaohui returned, the King of Zhao was already dead. Thereupon You, King of Huaiyang, was transferred to be King of Zhao. In summer an edict granted the father of the Marquis of Li the posthumous title Marquis Lingwu. The empress dowager then cut off Lady Qi's hands and feet, put out her eyes, seared her ears, made her drink a drug that took away her voice, and had her placed in a privy, calling her "the human swine." After several days she summoned Emperor Xiaohui to look at the human swine. Xiaohui looked, asked, and so learned that it was Lady Qi. He wept aloud, and from this he fell ill, and for more than a year could not rise. He sent a man to say to the empress dowager: "This is not a thing that a human being does. As the son of the empress dowager, I shall never in the end be able to govern the empire." From this Xiaohui gave his days to drink and to dissolute pleasure, did not attend to government, and so fell ill.

In the second year, King Yuan of Chu and King Daohui of Qi both came to court. In the tenth month, Xiaohui and the King of Qi drank together at a feast before the empress dowager. Xiaohui, considering the King of Qi his elder brother, placed him in the upper seat, according to the rites of a family. The empress dowager was angry, and ordered two goblets of poisoned wine poured and set before her, then ordered the King of Qi to rise and drink her health. The King of Qi rose; Xiaohui also rose and took up a goblet, meaning to drink the toast together with him. Then the empress dowager took fright and rose herself and overturned Xiaohui's goblet. The King of Qi thought this strange and therefore did not dare drink; he feigned drunkenness and left. Inquiring, he learned that it had been poison. The King of Qi was afraid, believing that he would not get out of Chang'an, and was full of anxiety. The interior minister of Qi, Shi, advised the king: "The empress dowager has only Xiaohui and Princess Yuan of Lu. Now the king holds more than seventy cities, while the princess has the revenue of only a few cities. If the king would truly present one commandery to the empress dowager as a bathing-town estate for the princess, the empress dowager would surely be pleased, and the king would surely have nothing to fear." Thereupon the King of Qi presented the commandery of Chengyang and honored the princess with the title of queen dowager. Empress Lü was pleased and consented. She then set out wine at the Qi residence; they drank in pleasure, and when it was over she sent the King of Qi home. In the third year the walls of Chang'an were being built; in the fourth year they were half finished; in the fifth and sixth years the walls were completed. The feudal lords came to assemble. In the tenth month they offered their court congratulations.

In the seventh year, in autumn, the eighth month, on the day wuyin, Emperor Xiaohui died. When the mourning was proclaimed the empress dowager wailed, but no tears fell. The son of the Marquis of Liu, Zhang Biqiang, was a palace attendant, fifteen years old. He said to the chancellor: "The empress dowager had only Xiaohui; now that he has died, she wails without grief. Do you know the explanation, sir?" The chancellor said: "What explanation?" Biqiang said: "The emperor has no grown son, and the empress dowager fears you and the others. If you now request that Lü Tai, Lü Chan, and Lü Lu be appointed generals, commanding troops and holding the Southern and Northern Armies, and that all the Lü clan enter the palace and hold power within, then the empress dowager's heart will be at ease, and you gentlemen may be fortunate enough to escape disaster." The chancellor then acted as Biqiang had planned. The empress dowager was pleased, and her wailing became grieved. The power of the Lü clan arose from this. A general amnesty was proclaimed throughout the empire. In the ninth month, on the day xinchou, Xiaohui was buried. The heir apparent took the throne as emperor and paid his respects at the temple of Gao. In the first year, commands and orders issued from the empress dowager alone.

The empress dowager took the imperial prerogative into her own hands. She deliberated on setting up members of the Lü clan as kings, and asked the chancellor of the right, Wang Ling. Wang Ling said: "The Gao Emperor sacrificed a white horse and made a covenant, saying, 'If any who is not of the Liu clan is made king, let the empire together strike him.' To make the Lü clan kings now is not what was agreed." The empress dowager was displeased. She asked the chancellor of the left, Chen Ping, and the Marquis of Jiang, Zhou Bo. Bo and the others replied: "The Gao Emperor settled the empire and made his sons and younger brothers kings. Now that the empress dowager holds the imperial prerogative, to make her brothers and the Lü clan kings — there is nothing in it that may not be done." The empress dowager was pleased and dismissed the court. Wang Ling reproached Chen Ping and the Marquis of Jiang: "At the beginning, when we smeared our lips with blood in covenant with the Gao Emperor, were you gentlemen not there? Now the Gao Emperor has died, and the empress dowager, a woman ruler, wishes to make the Lü clan kings; and you gentlemen follow her desire, flatter her intent, and turn your backs on the covenant. With what face will you meet the Gao Emperor beneath the earth?" Chen Ping and the Marquis of Jiang said: "For confronting her to the face and disputing in open court, we are not your equals; but for preserving the altars of soil and grain and securing the posterity of the Liu clan, you are not our equal either." Wang Ling had nothing with which to answer them. In the eleventh month the empress dowager wished to remove Wang Ling, and so appointed him Grand Tutor to the emperor, stripping him of the chancellor's authority. Wang Ling then pleaded illness, was released from office, and went home. She then made the chancellor of the left, Ping, chancellor of the right, and made Shen Yiji, Marquis of Piyang, chancellor of the left. The chancellor of the left did not handle affairs of state; he was ordered to supervise the interior of the palace, like a prefect of the palace gentlemen. Yiji had long enjoyed the empress dowager's favor and constantly wielded power; the high ministers all settled their business through him. She then posthumously honored the father of the Marquis of Li as King Daowu, wishing by this to prepare the ground step by step for making the Lü clan kings.

In the fourth month, the empress dowager wished to make the Lü clan marquises, and so first enfeoffed Gaozu's meritorious minister, the prefect of the palace gentlemen Wuze, as Marquis of Bocheng. Princess Yuan of Lu passed away, and was granted the posthumous title Empress Dowager Yuan of Lu. Her son Yan became King of Lu. The King of Lu's father was Zhang Ao, Marquis of Xuanping. Zhang, son of King Daohui of Qi, was enfeoffed as Marquis of Zhuxu, and Lü Lu's daughter was given to him as wife. The chancellor of Qi, Shou, became Marquis of Pingding. The privy treasurer, Yan, became Marquis of Wu. Then Lü Zhong was enfeoffed as Marquis of Pei, Lü Ping as Marquis of Fuliu, and Zhang Mai as Marquis of Nangong.

The empress dowager wished to make the Lü clan kings, and first set up sons borne to Xiaohui by the women of the rear palace: Qiang as King of Huaiyang, Buyi as King of Changshan, Shan as Marquis of Xiangcheng, Chao as Marquis of Zhi, and Wu as Marquis of Huguan. The empress dowager hinted to the great ministers, and the great ministers requested that the Marquis of Li, Lü Tai, be set up as King of Lü; the empress dowager consented. Marquis Kang of Jiancheng, Shizhi, died; his heir was guilty of an offense and was set aside, and his younger brother Lü Lu was set up as Marquis of Huling to continue Marquis Kang's line. In the second year the King of Changshan passed away, and his younger brother, the Marquis of Xiangcheng, Shan, was made King of Changshan, his name being changed to Yi. In the eleventh month, Lü Tai, King of Lü, passed away, and was given the posthumous title King Su; his heir Jia succeeded him as king. In the third year nothing occurred. In the fourth year, Lü Xu was enfeoffed as Marquise of Linguang, Lü Ta as Marquis of Yu, Lü Gengshi as Marquis of Zhuiqi, and Lü Fen as Marquis of Lücheng, together with five chancellors of the feudal kingdoms.

When the daughter of the Marquis of Xuanping was empress to Xiaohui, she had no son. She pretended to be with child, took the son of one of the beauties and called him her own, killed his mother, and set up the child she had so named as heir apparent. When Xiaohui died, the heir apparent was set up as emperor. When the emperor grew older, he somehow heard that his mother had been killed and that he was not truly the empress's son. He then let fall these words: "How could the empress kill my mother and call me hers? I am not yet grown; when I am grown, I will make a change." The empress dowager heard of it and was troubled; fearing that he would cause disorder, she shut him away in the Yongxiang, saying that the emperor was gravely ill, and none of his attendants was allowed to see him. The empress dowager said: "Whoever possesses the empire and governs as the very life of the myriad people covers them like Heaven and holds them like Earth. When the one above has a glad heart and so brings peace to the hundred families, and the hundred families gladly serve the one above, gladness passes between them and the empire is well governed. Now the emperor's illness has long continued without cease; he has lost his senses and is confused and disordered, and cannot carry on the succession and maintain the sacrifices of the ancestral temple. The empire cannot be entrusted to him. Let him be replaced." The assembled ministers all bowed their heads to the ground and said: "The empress dowager's plan for the common people of the empire, and for the security of the ancestral temple and the altars of soil and grain, is deep indeed. Your servants bow their heads and receive the edict." The emperor was deposed, and the empress dowager had him secretly confined and put to death. In the fifth month, on the day bingchen, the King of Changshan, Yi, was set up as emperor, his name being changed to Hong. No first year of reign was proclaimed, because the empress dowager governed the affairs of the empire. The Marquis of Zhi, Chao, was made King of Changshan. The office of grand commandant was established, and the Marquis of Jiang, Bo, was made grand commandant. In the eighth month of the fifth year, the King of Huaiyang passed away, and his younger brother, the Marquis of Huguan, Wu, was made King of Huaiyang. In the tenth month of the sixth year, the empress dowager declared that Jia, King of Lü, was arrogant and unrestrained in his conduct, and deposed him, making Lü Chan, the younger brother of King Su Tai, King of Lü. In summer an amnesty was granted throughout the empire. Xingju, son of King Daohui of Qi, was enfeoffed as Marquis of Dongmou.

In the first month of the seventh year, the empress dowager summoned You, King of Zhao. You had taken a daughter of the Lü clan as his queen but did not love her, loving another consort instead. The Lü woman was jealous, went off in anger, slandered him to the empress dowager and falsely charged him with an offense, saying that he had declared: "How can the Lü clan be made kings! After the empress dowager's hundred years, I shall certainly strike them." The empress dowager was angry, and for this reason summoned the King of Zhao. When the King of Zhao arrived, she lodged him in a residence and would not see him, ordering guards to surround and hold him, and gave him no food. Some of his officials smuggled food to him, and each was seized and sentenced. The King of Zhao, starving, sang this song:

The Lü clan wield power — the Liu clan stand in peril;
they press and coerce the kings and marquises — a consort was forced upon me.
My consort, being jealous — charged me falsely with evil;
a slandering woman throws the state into disorder — and the one above never wakes.
I have no loyal ministers — why then am I cast out of my state?
I will end myself in the open wild — may blue Heaven raise up the upright!
Alas, there is no repenting now — better to have taken my own life early.
To be a king and starve to death — who is there to pity me!
The Lü clan have cut off all reason — I commit my vengeance to Heaven.

On the day dingchou, the King of Zhao died in his confinement, and was buried with commoners' rites among the graves of the common people at Chang'an.

On the day jichou there was an eclipse of the sun and the daylight grew dark. The empress dowager disliked it and was uneasy at heart, and said to her attendants: "This is on account of me."

In the second month, Hui, King of Liang, was transferred to be King of Zhao. Lü Chan, King of Lü, was transferred to be King of Liang; but as King of Liang he did not go to his kingdom, serving instead as Grand Tutor to the emperor. The imperial son Tai, Marquis of Pingchang, was set up as King of Lü. The name of Liang was changed to Lü, and Lü was changed to Jichuan. The empress dowager's younger sister Lü Xu had a daughter who was wife to Liu Ze, Marquis of Yingling, and Ze was general-in-chief. The empress dowager, having made the Lü clan kings, feared that after her death General Liu would do harm, and so made Liu Ze King of Langye in order to soothe his heart.

When Hui, King of Liang, was transferred to be king of Zhao, he was unhappy at heart. The empress dowager made Lü Chan's daughter queen of Zhao. All the queen's attendant officers were of the Lü clan; they usurped authority and secretly watched the King of Zhao, so that the King of Zhao could not act as he pleased. The king had a consort whom he loved, and the queen sent men to kill her with poisoned wine. The king then composed four stanzas of song and had his musicians sing them. In his grief, in the sixth month, he took his own life. The empress dowager heard of it and held that the king, for the sake of a woman, had cast aside the rites of the ancestral temple; she abolished his line of succession.

Zhang Ao, Marquis of Xuanping, died. His son Yan was made King of Lu, and Ao was granted the posthumous title King Yuan of Lu.

In autumn the empress dowager sent an envoy to inform the King of Dai that she wished to transfer him to be king of Zhao. The King of Dai declined, asking to guard the frontier of Dai.

The Grand Tutor Chan, the chancellor Ping, and others declared that Lü Lu, Marquis of Wuxin, was the foremost of the marquises, first in order of precedence, and requested that he be set up as King of Zhao. The empress dowager consented, and posthumously honored Lu's father, Marquis Kang, as King Zhao of Zhao. In the ninth month, King Ling of Yan, Jian, passed away. He had a son by one of the beauties, and the empress dowager sent men to kill him; having no heir, his kingdom was abolished. In the tenth month of the eighth year, Lü Tong, Marquis of Dongping and son of King Su of Lü, was set up as King of Yan, and Tong's younger brother Lü Zhuang was enfeoffed as Marquis of Dongping.

In the middle of the third month, Empress Lü performed the lustration rite. Returning, she passed by Zhidao and saw a creature like a gray-blue dog, which seized Empress Gao beneath the arm and then suddenly was seen no more. Divination said that Ruyi, King of Zhao, was working the haunting. Empress Gao thereafter suffered from the wound beneath her arm.

Because her daughter's son Yan, King Yuan of Lu, was young and had early lost his father and mother, being orphaned and weak, Empress Gao enfeoffed the two sons of Zhang Ao's former consort: Chi as Marquis of Xindu and Shou as Marquis of Lechang, to support Yan, King Yuan of Lu. She also enfeoffed the palace grand usher Zhang Shi as Marquis of Jianling and Lü Rong as Marquis of Zhuzi. All the prefects and assistants among the palace eunuchs were made marquises-within-the-Passes, with revenue fiefs of five hundred households.

In the middle of the seventh month, Empress Gao was gravely ill. She ordered Lü Lu, King of Zhao, to be supreme general and take command of the Northern Army, and Lü Chan, King of Lü, to hold the Southern Army. Empress Dowager Lü warned Chan and Lu: "When the Gao Emperor had settled the empire, he made an agreement with the great ministers, saying, 'Whoever is made king and is not of the Liu clan, let the empire together strike him.' Now the Lü clan are kings, and the great ministers are not content with it. When I die, the emperor will be young, and the great ministers may make a change. You must hold to your troops and guard the palace; take care not to escort my funeral, and do not let yourselves be controlled by others." On the day xinsi, Empress Gao died. Her testamentary edict granted a thousand catties of gold to each of the feudal kings, and to generals, chancellors, ranked marquises, and gentlemen officials gold according to their ranks. A general amnesty was granted throughout the empire. Lü Chan, King of Lü, was made chancellor of state, and Lü Lu's daughter was made the emperor's empress.

After Empress Gao had been buried, the chancellor of the left, Shen Yiji, was made Grand Tutor to the emperor.

Liu Zhang, Marquis of Zhuxu, had spirit and strength, and Xingju, Marquis of Dongmou, was his younger brother. Both were younger brothers of King Ai of Qi, and lived at Chang'an. At that time the Lü clan wielded power and usurped authority and wished to raise a rising, but they were in awe of the Gao Emperor's old ministers, the Marquis of Jiang, Guan Ying, and the rest, and did not yet dare to act. The wife of the Marquis of Zhuxu was Lü Lu's daughter, and she secretly learned of their plot. Fearing that he would be put to death, the Marquis of Zhuxu secretly sent word to his elder brother the King of Qi, wishing him to raise troops and march west, put the Lü clan to death, and take the throne; the Marquis of Zhuxu meant to answer him from within, together with the great ministers. The King of Qi wished to raise troops, but his chancellor would not consent. In the eighth month, on the day bingwu, the King of Qi wished to send men to execute his chancellor. The chancellor, Zhao Ping, then turned against him and raised troops to besiege the king; the king thereupon killed his chancellor and raised troops. He marched east, by a ruse seized the troops of the King of Langye, took command of them as well, and marched west. The account is given in the words concerning the King of Qi.

The King of Qi then sent a letter to the feudal kings, saying: "The Gao Emperor pacified the empire and made his sons and younger brothers kings; King Daohui was made king of Qi. When King Daohui passed away, Emperor Xiaohui sent the Marquis of Liu, Liang, to establish me as King of Qi. When Xiaohui died, Empress Gao wielded power; being advanced in years, she listened to the Lü clan, arbitrarily deposed the emperor and set up another, and moreover killed three kings of Zhao one after another, extinguished Liang, Zhao, and Yan in order to make the Lü clan kings, and divided Qi into four. Loyal ministers came forward to remonstrate, but the one above was deluded and disordered and would not listen. Now Empress Gao has died, and the emperor is young in years and not yet able to govern the empire, so that he must rely upon the great ministers and the feudal lords. Yet the Lü clan have further exalted themselves in office of their own will, gathered troops and made their authority severe, coerced the ranked marquises and the loyal ministers, and forged imperial decrees to command the empire. By this the ancestral temple is endangered. I lead my troops in to put to death those who ought not to be kings." When Han heard of it, the chancellor of state Lü Chan and the others sent Guan Ying, Marquis of Yingyin, to lead troops and strike him. Guan Ying reached Xingyang, and then took counsel with himself, saying: "The Lü clan hold the troops of the region within the Passes and mean to endanger the Liu clan and set themselves up. If I now break Qi and return to report, this will only add to the Lü clan's resources." So he stayed encamped at Xingyang and sent envoys to inform the King of Qi and the feudal lords, joining with them in alliance, in order to await the Lü clan's move and destroy them together. When the King of Qi heard this, he brought his troops back to his western border and waited upon the agreement.

Lü Lu and Lü Chan wished to raise a rising within the Passes, but within they dreaded the Marquis of Jiang, the Marquis of Zhuxu, and the rest, and without they feared the troops of Qi and Chu, and they were also afraid that Guan Ying would turn against them. They meant to wait until Guan Ying's troops had joined with Qi before acting, and hesitated without deciding. At that time Tai, King of Jichuan, Wu, King of Huaiyang, and Chao, King of Changshan, were reckoned younger brothers of the young emperor, and King Yuan of Lu was Empress Lü's daughter's son; all were young and had not gone to their kingdoms, and lived at Chang'an. Lu, King of Zhao, and Chan, King of Liang, each commanded troops and held the Southern and Northern Armies, and all these were men of the Lü clan. Among the ranked marquises and the assembled ministers, none felt secure in his own life.

The grand commandant, the Marquis of Jiang, Bo, could not get into the camp to take charge of the troops. Li Shang, Marquis of Quzhou, was old and ill, and his son Ji was on good terms with Lü Lu. The Marquis of Jiang therefore plotted with the chancellor Chen Ping, and sent men to seize Li Shang. They ordered his son Ji to go and deceive Lü Lu, saying: "The Gao Emperor and Empress Lü together settled the empire. Nine kings were established of the Liu clan and three kings of the Lü clan; all were the counsel of the great ministers, and the matter has been proclaimed to the feudal lords, who all consider it proper. Now the empress dowager has died and the emperor is young, and you wear the seal of the King of Zhao, yet do not hasten to your kingdom to guard your domain. Instead you are supreme general, commanding troops and remaining here, and so you are suspected by the great ministers and the feudal lords. Why do you not give back the seal and hand the troops over to the grand commandant? Ask the King of Liang also to give back the seal of chancellor of state, make a covenant with the great ministers, and go to his kingdom. Then the troops of Qi will surely disband, the great ministers will be at ease, and you may sleep upon a high pillow and rule a thousand li as king. This is a benefit for ten thousand generations." Lü Lu trusted him and thought the plan right; he wished to give back the general's seal and hand the troops over to the grand commandant. He sent men to report to Lü Chan and to the elders of the Lü clan. Some thought it advantageous, some said it was not; the plan hung in doubt and nothing was decided. Lü Lu trusted Li Ji and would go out hunting with him. He called upon his aunt Lü Xu, and Xu was greatly enraged, saying: "You are a general, and you would abandon your army. The Lü clan will now have no place to stand." She then brought out all her pearls, jade, and precious vessels and scattered them below the hall, saying: "I will not keep them for other people."

The chancellor of the left, Yiji, was dismissed.

In the eighth month, on the morning of the day gengshen, the Marquis of Pingyang, Zhu, who was acting as imperial secretary, saw the chancellor of state Chan to deliberate on affairs. The prefect of the palace gentlemen, Jia Shou, had come back from a mission to Qi, and he reproached Chan, saying: "My king did not go early to his kingdom; now, though you should wish to go, can it still be done?" He told Chan in full that Guan Ying had joined in alliance with Qi and Chu and meant to put the Lü clan to death, and urged Chan to enter the palace at once. The Marquis of Pingyang caught something of their words, and rode swiftly to inform the chancellor and the grand commandant. The grand commandant wished to enter the Northern Army but could not get in. Tong, Marquis of Xiangping, had charge of the tallies and credentials; so they had him take the credential and, by a forged order, bring the grand commandant into the Northern Army. The grand commandant further ordered Li Ji and the director of guests, Liu Jie, to go first and speak to Lü Lu, saying: "The emperor has sent the grand commandant to take charge of the Northern Army, and wishes you to go to your kingdom. Give back the general's seal quickly and take your leave; if you do not, disaster will arise." Lü Lu believed that Li, whom he called his elder brother, would not deceive him, and so untied the seal and handed it to the director of guests, giving the troops over to the grand commandant. The grand commandant led them in through the camp gate and issued an order through the army, saying: "Whoever is for the Lü clan, bare his right arm; whoever is for the Liu clan, bare his left." In the whole army all bared the left arm for the Liu clan. By the time the grand commandant arrived, the general Lü Lu had already untied the supreme general's seal and gone, and the grand commandant thereupon took command of the Northern Army.

But the Southern Army still remained. The Marquis of Pingyang, hearing of it, reported Lü Chan's plot to the chancellor Ping, and the chancellor Ping then summoned the Marquis of Zhuxu to assist the grand commandant. The grand commandant ordered the Marquis of Zhuxu to oversee the camp gate, and ordered the Marquis of Pingyang to tell the commandant of the guard: "Do not let the chancellor of state Chan in at the palace gate." Lü Chan did not know that Lü Lu had already left the Northern Army. He entered the Weiyang Palace meaning to raise a rising, but could not get in at the hall gate, and paced back and forth. The Marquis of Pingyang, fearing they would not prevail, rode to tell the grand commandant. The grand commandant still feared he could not overcome the Lü clan and did not yet dare say openly that they should be put to death; so he dispatched the Marquis of Zhuxu, telling him: "Go quickly into the palace and guard the emperor." The Marquis of Zhuxu asked for soldiers, and the grand commandant gave him more than a thousand men. He entered the gate of the Weiyang Palace and there saw Chan in the courtyard. At the hour of the afternoon meal he struck at Chan. Chan fled. A great wind rose in the sky, and because of this his attendant officers fell into confusion and none dared fight. He pursued Chan and killed him in the privy of the clerks at the office of the prefect of the palace gentlemen.

When the Marquis of Zhuxu had killed Chan, the emperor commanded an usher to carry credentials and reward the Marquis of Zhuxu. The Marquis of Zhuxu wished to take the credentials from him, but the usher would not give them up; so the Marquis of Zhuxu rode along with him, and on the authority of the credentials galloped off and beheaded Lü Gengshi, commandant of the guard at the Changle Palace. He returned, galloped into the Northern Army, and reported to the grand commandant. The grand commandant rose and bowed in congratulation to the Marquis of Zhuxu, saying: "The one we had to fear was Lü Chan alone. Now that he has been put to death, the empire is settled." He then sent men out in detachments to seize all the men and women of the Lü clan, and beheaded them all, young and old alike. On the day xinyou, Lü Lu was seized and beheaded, and Lü Xu was flogged to death. Men were sent to put to death Lü Tong, King of Yan, and Yan, King of Lu, was deposed. On the day renxu, the emperor's Grand Tutor Yiji was again made chancellor of the left. On the day wuchen, the King of Jichuan was transferred to be king of Liang, and Sui, son of King You of Zhao, was set up as King of Zhao. The Marquis of Zhuxu, Zhang, was sent to inform the King of Qi of the destruction of the Lü clan and to order him to disband his troops. Guan Ying's troops also broke camp at Xingyang and returned.

The great ministers took counsel together in secret, saying: "The young emperor and the kings of Liang, Huaiyang, and Changshan are none of them truly sons of Xiaohui. Empress Lü by a stratagem falsely claimed other men's sons as her own, killed their mothers, reared them in the rear palace, made Xiaohui treat them as his sons, and set up one as his successor and the rest as kings, in order to strengthen the Lü clan. Now we have destroyed the whole Lü clan, and yet we leave in place the one whom they set up. When he grows and wields power, we and ours will be wiped out. Better to look among the kings for the worthiest and set him up." Someone said: "King Daohui of Qi was the Gao Emperor's eldest son, and his son by his principal wife is now King of Qi. Traced back to the root, he is the Gao Emperor's eldest legitimate grandson, and may be set up." The great ministers all said: "The Lü clan, being an evil family on the mother's side, all but brought the ancestral temple to ruin and threw the meritorious ministers into disorder. Now the King of Qi's mother's family is Si Jun, and Si Jun is an evil man. If we set up the King of Qi, we shall have the Lü clan over again." They thought of setting up the King of Huainan, but held him too young, and his mother's family was also bad. Then they said: "The King of Dai is now the eldest of the Gao Emperor's surviving sons, and he is kind, filial, generous, and mild. His mother's family, the Bo, are careful and good. Moreover, to set up the eldest is in accord with right, and he is known throughout the empire for kindness and filial piety. It is expedient." So they together secretly sent men to summon the King of Dai. The King of Dai sent men to decline; and when the messengers had come and gone twice, he then mounted a post carriage of six relay teams. On the last day of the intercalary ninth month, the day jiyou, he reached Chang'an and lodged at the Dai residence. The great ministers all went to present themselves, offered the seal of the Son of Heaven to the King of Dai, and together honored and set him up as Son of Heaven. The King of Dai declined several times; the assembled ministers pressed their request, and only then did he consent.

Xingju, Marquis of Dongmou, said: "In the destruction of the Lü clan I had no merit; let me be allowed to clear the palace." He then went into the palace with the grand coachman, Lord Teng, Marquis of Ruyin, and coming forward said to the young emperor: "You are not of the Liu clan; you ought not to be on the throne." He looked round and signaled to the halberd-bearers on either side to lay down their weapons and withdraw. A few would not put down their arms; the prefect of the eunuchs, Zhang Ze, told them how matters stood, and they too laid down their arms. Lord Teng then called for the imperial carriage and carried the young emperor out. The young emperor said: "Where do you mean to take me?" Lord Teng said: "Out, to a lodging." He lodged him at the privy treasury. Then he brought out the ceremonial equipage of the Son of Heaven and went to the residence to receive the King of Dai. He reported: "The palace has been respectfully cleared." That very evening the King of Dai entered the Weiyang Palace. Ten ushers with halberds were guarding the Duan Gate. They said: "The Son of Heaven is within. Who are you, sir, that you should enter?" The King of Dai then spoke to the grand commandant. The grand commandant went and explained to them, and all ten ushers laid down their arms and departed. The King of Dai then entered and took up the government. That night the officials, in detachments, put to death the kings of Liang, Huaiyang, and Changshan, and the young emperor, at their residences. The King of Dai was set up as Son of Heaven. In the twenty-third year he died, and was given the posthumous title Emperor Xiaowen.

Appraisal (評論)

The Grand Historian says: In the time of Emperor Xiaohui and Empress Gao, the black-haired people were able to leave behind the sufferings of the Warring States. Ruler and ministers alike wished to rest in doing nothing, and so Emperor Hui let his robes hang and folded his hands, while Empress Gao, a woman ruler, held the imperial prerogative; government did not go beyond the door of her chamber, and the empire was tranquil. Punishments were seldom used, and criminals were few. The people applied themselves to sowing and reaping, and clothing and food increased and multiplied.

Colophon

This file was prepared for the Chinese shelf of the Good Works Library, translated independently from the classical Chinese text printed below. The chapter is annal-form throughout, organized by the years of Empress Lü's regency; the captive King of Zhao's song is set as verse with its line breaks preserved, and the great ministers' secret deliberation over which prince to install as emperor after the Lü clan's fall is kept as direct speech, as the source gives it.

No live search for prior translations could be made when this file was prepared. Burton Watson's Records of the Grand Historian (1961; 1993) and William H. Nienhauser Jr. and colleagues' The Grand Scribe's Records (1994–2002) are known to cover this chapter and are named here as controls-in-existence; neither was fetched or consulted in making this translation. No claim of firstness is made for this Good Works Translation.

A note on titles: 呂太后 is rendered Empress Dowager Lü through most of the chapter and Empress Gao (高后, her own posthumous designation) once the source itself shifts to that title after Gaozu's temple name is settled; this translation follows the source's own shift rather than flattening it to a single form throughout.

Prepared for the Good Work Library by the Tianmu Anglican Church with AI-assisted translation and editorial work.

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Source Text: 史記卷9

Classical Chinese text in the Chinese Wikisource transcription, with the Sanjia commentary set in 〔〕 as the transcription carries it. Presented complete for reference, study, and verification alongside the English translation above; the commentary is not translated.

呂雉

呂太后者，高祖微時妃也，生孝惠帝、女魯元太后。及高祖為漢王，得定陶戚姬，愛幸，生趙隱王如意。孝惠為人仁弱，高祖以為不類我，常欲廢太子，立戚姬子如意，如意類我。戚姬幸，常從上之關東，日夜啼泣，欲立其子代太子。呂后年長，常留守，希見上，益疏。如意立為趙王後，幾代太子者數矣，賴大臣爭之，及留侯策，太子得毋廢。

呂后為人剛毅，佐高祖定天下，所誅大臣多呂后力。呂后兄二人，皆為將。長兄周呂侯死事，封其子呂台為酈侯，子產為交侯；次兄呂釋之為建成侯。

高祖十二年四月甲辰，崩長樂宮，太子襲號為帝。是時高祖八子：長男肥，孝惠兄也，異母，肥為齊王；餘皆孝惠弟，戚姬子如意為趙王，薄夫人子恒為代王，諸姬子子恢為梁王，子友為淮陽王，子長為淮南王，子建為燕王。高祖弟交為楚王，兄子濞為吳王。非劉氏功臣番君吳芮子臣為長沙王。

呂后最怨戚夫人及其子趙王，乃令永巷囚戚夫人，而召趙王。使者三反，趙相建平侯周昌謂使者曰：「高帝屬臣趙王，趙王年少。竊聞太后怨戚夫人，欲召趙王并誅之，臣不敢遣王。王且亦病，不能奉詔。」呂后大怒，乃使人召趙相。趙相徵至長安，乃使人復召趙王。王來，未到。孝惠帝慈仁，知太后怒，自迎趙王霸上，與入宮，自挾與趙王起居飲食。太后欲殺之，不得閒。孝惠元年十二月，帝晨出射。趙王少，不能蚤起。太后聞其獨居，使人持酖飲之。犁明，孝惠還，趙王已死。於是乃徙淮陽王友為趙王。夏，詔賜酈侯父追謚為令武侯。太后遂斷戚夫人手足，去眼，煇耳，飲瘖藥，使居廁中，命曰「人彘」。居數日，乃召孝惠帝觀人彘。孝惠見，問，乃知其戚夫人，乃大哭，因病，歲餘不能起。使人請太后曰：「此非人所為。臣為太后子，終不能治天下。」孝惠以此日飲為淫樂，不聽政，故有病也。

二年，楚元王、齊悼惠王皆來朝。十月，孝惠與齊王燕飲太后前，孝惠以為齊王兄，置上坐，如家人之禮。太后怒，乃令酌兩卮酖，置前，令齊王起為壽。齊王起，孝惠亦起，取卮欲俱為壽。太后乃恐，自起泛孝惠卮。齊王怪之，因不敢飲，詳醉去。問，知其酖，齊王恐，自以為不得脫長安，憂。齊內史士說王曰：「太后獨有孝惠與魯元公主。今王有七十餘城，而公主乃食數城。王誠以一郡上太后，為公主湯沐邑，太后必喜，王必無憂。」於是齊王乃上城陽之郡，尊公主為王太后。呂后喜，許之。乃置酒齊邸，樂飲，罷，歸齊王。三年，方筑長安城，四年就半，五年六年城就。諸侯來會。十月朝賀。

七年秋八月戊寅，孝惠帝崩。發喪，太后哭，泣不下。留侯子張辟彊為侍中，年十五，謂丞相曰：「太后獨有孝惠，今崩，哭不悲，君知其解乎？」丞相曰：「何解？」辟彊曰：「帝毋壯子，太后畏君等。君今請拜呂台、呂產、呂祿為將，將兵居南北軍，及諸呂皆入宮，居中用事，如此則太后心安，君等幸得脫禍矣。」丞相乃如辟彊計。太后說，其哭乃哀。呂氏權由此起。乃大赦天下。九月辛丑，葬。太子即位為帝，謁高廟。元年，號令一出太后。

太后稱制，議欲立諸呂為王，問右丞相王陵。王陵曰：「高帝刑白馬盟曰『非劉氏而王，天下共擊之』。今王呂氏，非約也。」太后不說。問左丞相陳平、絳侯周勃。勃等對曰：「高帝定天下，王子弟，今太后稱制，王昆弟諸呂，無所不可。」太后喜，罷朝。王陵讓陳平、絳侯曰：「始與高帝啑血盟，諸君不在邪？今高帝崩，太后女主，欲王呂氏，諸君從欲阿意背約，何面目見高帝地下？」陳平、絳侯曰：「於今面折廷爭，臣不如君；夫全社稷，定劉氏之後，君亦不如臣。」王陵無以應之。十一月，太后欲廢王陵，乃拜為帝太傅，奪之相權。王陵遂病免歸。乃以左丞相平為右丞相，以辟陽侯審食其為左丞相。左丞相不治事，令監宮中，如郎中令。食其故得幸太后，常用事，公卿皆因而決事。乃追尊酈侯父為悼武王，欲以王諸呂為漸。

四月，太后欲侯諸呂，乃先封高祖之功臣郎中令無擇為博城侯。魯元公主薨，賜謚為魯元太后。子偃為魯王。魯王父，宣平侯張敖也。封齊悼惠王子章為朱虛侯，以呂祿女妻之。齊丞相壽為平定侯。少府延為梧侯。乃封呂種為沛侯，呂平為扶柳侯，張買為南宮侯。

太后欲王呂氏，先立孝惠後宮子彊為淮陽王，子不疑為常山王，子山為襄城侯，子朝為軹侯，子武為壺關侯。太后風大臣，大臣請立酈侯呂台為呂王，太后許之。建成康侯釋之卒，嗣子有罪，廢，立其弟呂祿為胡陵侯，續康侯後。二年，常山王薨，以其弟襄城侯山為常山王，更名義。十一月，呂王台薨，謚為肅王，太子嘉代立為王。三年，無事。四年，封呂媭為臨光侯，呂他為俞侯，呂更始為贅其侯，呂忿為呂城侯，及諸侯丞相五人。

宣平侯女為孝惠皇后時，無子，詳為有身，取美人子名之，殺其母，立所名子為太子。孝惠崩，太子立為帝。帝壯，或聞其母死，非真皇后子，乃出言曰：「后安能殺吾母而名我？我未壯，壯即為變。」太后聞而患之，恐其為亂，乃幽之永卷中，言帝病甚，左右莫得見。太后曰：「凡有天下治為萬民命者，蓋之如天，容之如地，上有歡心以安百姓，百姓欣然以事其上，歡欣交通而天下治。今皇帝病久不已，乃失惑惛亂，不能繼嗣奉宗廟祭祀，不可屬天下，其代之。」群臣皆頓首言：「皇太后為天下齊民計所以安宗廟社稷甚深，群臣頓首奉詔。」帝廢位，太后幽殺之。五月丙辰，立常山王義為帝，更名曰弘。不稱元年者，以太后制天下事也。以軹侯朝為常山王。置太尉官，絳侯勃為太尉。五年八月，淮陽王薨，以弟壺關侯武為淮陽王。六年十月，太后曰呂王嘉居處驕恣，廢之，以肅王台弟呂產為呂王。夏，赦天下。封齊悼惠王子興居為東牟侯。

七年正月，太后召趙王友。友以諸呂女為受后，弗愛，愛他姬，諸呂女妒，怒去，讒之於太后，誣以罪過，曰：「呂氏安得王！太后百歲後，吾必擊之」。太后怒，以故召趙王。趙王至，置邸不見，令衛圍守之，弗與食。其群臣或竊饋，輒捕論之，趙王餓，乃歌曰：「諸呂用事兮劉氏危，迫脅王侯兮彊授我妃。我妃既妒兮誣我以惡，讒女亂國兮上曾不寤。我無忠臣兮何故棄國？自決中野兮蒼天舉直！于嗟不可悔兮寧蚤自財。為王而餓死兮誰者憐之！呂氏絕理兮讬天報仇。」丁丑，趙王幽死，以民禮葬之長安民冢次。

己丑，日食，晝晦。太后惡之，心不樂，乃謂左右曰：「此為我也。」

二月，徙梁王恢為趙王。呂王產徙為梁王，梁王不之國，為帝太傅。立皇子平昌侯太為呂王。更名梁曰呂，呂曰濟川。太后女弟呂媭有女為營陵侯劉澤妻，澤為大將軍。太后王諸呂，恐即崩後劉將軍為害，乃以劉澤為瑯邪王，以慰其心。

梁王恢之徙王趙，心懷不樂。太后以呂產女為趙王后。王后從官皆諸呂，擅權，微伺趙王，趙王不得自恣。王有所愛姬，王后使人酖殺之。王乃為歌詩四章，令樂人歌之。王悲，六月即自殺。太后聞之，以為王用婦人棄宗廟禮，廢其嗣。

宣平侯張敖卒，以子偃為魯王，敖賜謚為魯元王。

秋，太后使使告代王，欲徙王趙。代王謝，願守代邊。

太傅產、丞相平等言，武信侯呂祿上侯，位次第一，請立為趙王。太后許之，追尊祿父康侯為趙昭王。九月，燕靈王建薨，有美人子，太后使人殺之，無後，國除。八年十月，立呂肅王子東平侯呂通為燕王，封通弟呂莊為東平侯。

三月中，呂后祓，還過軹道，見物如蒼犬，據高后掖，忽弗復見。卜之，云趙王如意為祟。高后遂病掖傷。

高后為外孫魯元王偃年少，蚤失父母，孤弱，乃封張敖前姬兩子，侈為新都侯，壽為樂昌侯，以輔魯元王偃。及封中大謁者張釋為建陵侯，呂榮為祝茲侯。諸中宦者令丞皆為關內侯，食邑五百戶。

七月中，高后病甚，乃令趙王呂祿為上將軍，軍北軍；呂王產居南軍。呂太后誡產、祿曰：「高帝已定天下，與大臣約，曰『非劉氏王者，天下共擊之』。今呂氏王，大臣弗平。我即崩，帝年少，大臣恐為變。必據兵衛宮，慎毋送喪，毋為人所制。」辛巳，高后崩，遺詔賜諸侯王各千金，將相列侯郎吏皆以秩賜金。大赦天下。以呂王產為相國，以呂祿女為帝后。

高后已葬，以左丞相審食其為帝太傅。

朱虛侯劉章有氣力，東牟侯興居其弟也。皆齊哀王弟，居長安。當是時，諸呂用事擅權，欲為亂，畏高帝故大臣絳、灌等，未敢發。朱虛侯婦，呂祿女，陰知其謀。恐見誅，乃陰令人告其兄齊王，欲令發兵西，誅諸呂而立。朱虛侯欲從中與大臣為應。齊王欲發兵，其相弗聽。八月丙午，齊王欲使人誅相，相召平乃反，舉兵欲圍王，王因殺其相，遂發兵東，詐奪瑯邪王兵，并將之而西。語在齊王語中。

齊王乃遺諸侯王書曰：「高帝平定天下，王諸子弟，悼惠王王齊。悼惠王薨，孝惠帝使留侯良立臣為齊王。孝惠崩，高后用事，春秋高，聽諸呂，擅廢帝更立，又比殺三趙王，滅梁、趙、燕以王諸呂，分齊為四。忠臣進諫，上惑亂弗聽。今高后崩，而帝春秋富，未能治天下，固恃大臣諸侯。而諸呂又擅自尊官，聚兵嚴威，劫列侯忠臣，矯制以令天下，宗廟所以危。寡人率兵入誅不當為王者。」漢聞之，相國呂產等乃遣潁陰侯灌嬰將兵擊之。灌嬰至滎陽，乃謀曰：「諸呂權兵關中，欲危劉氏而自立。今我破齊還報，此益呂氏之資也。」乃留屯滎陽，使使諭齊王及諸侯，與連和，以待呂氏變，共誅之。齊王聞之，乃還兵西界待約。

呂祿、呂產欲發亂關中，內憚絳侯、朱虛等，外畏齊、楚兵，又恐灌嬰畔之，欲待灌嬰兵與齊合而發，猶豫未決。當是時，濟川王太、淮陽王武、常山王朝名為少帝弟，及魯元王呂后外孫，皆年少未之國，居長安。趙王祿、梁王產各將兵居南北軍，皆呂氏之人。列侯群臣莫自堅其命。

太尉絳侯勃不得入軍中主兵。曲周侯酈商老病，其子寄與呂祿善。絳侯乃與丞相陳平謀，使人劫酈商。令其子寄往紿說呂祿曰：「高帝與呂后共定天下，劉氏所立九王，呂氏所立三王，皆大臣之議，事已布告諸侯，諸侯皆以為宜。今太后崩，帝少，而足下佩趙王印，不急之國守藩，乃為上將，將兵留此，為大臣諸侯所疑。足下何不歸印，以兵屬太尉？請梁王歸相國印，與大臣盟而之國，齊兵必罷，大臣得安，足下高枕而王千里，此萬世之利也。」呂祿信然其計，欲歸將印，以兵屬太尉。使人報呂產及諸呂老人，或以為便，或曰不便，計猶豫未有所決。呂祿信酈寄，時與出游獵。過其姑呂媭，媭大怒，曰：「若為將而棄軍，呂氏今無處矣。」乃悉出珠玉寶器散堂下，曰：「毋為他人守也」

左丞相食其免。

八月庚申旦，平陽侯窋行御史大夫事，見相國產計事。郎中令賈壽使從齊來，因數產曰：「王不蚤之國，今雖欲行，尚可得邪？」具以灌嬰與齊楚合從，欲誅諸呂告產，乃趣產急入宮。平陽侯頗聞其語，乃馳告丞相、太尉。太尉欲入北軍，不得入。襄平侯通尚符節。乃令持節矯內太尉北軍。太尉復令酈寄與典客劉揭先說呂祿曰：「帝使太尉守北軍，欲足下之國，急歸將印辭去，不然，禍且起。」呂祿以為酈兄不欺己，遂解印屬典客，而以兵授太尉。太尉將之入軍門，行令軍中曰：「為呂氏右袒，為劉氏左袒。」軍中皆左袒為劉氏。太尉行至，將軍呂祿亦已解上將印去，太尉遂將北軍。

然尚有南軍。平陽侯聞之，以呂產謀告丞相平，丞相平乃召朱虛侯佐太尉。太尉令朱虛侯監軍門。令平陽侯告衛尉：「毋入相國產殿門。」呂產不知呂祿已去北軍，乃入未央宮，欲為亂，殿門弗得入，裴回往來。平陽侯恐弗勝，馳語太尉。太尉尚恐不勝諸呂，未敢訟言誅之，乃遣朱虛侯謂曰：「急入宮衛帝。」朱虛侯請卒，太尉予卒千餘人。入未央宮門，遂見產廷中。日餔時，遂擊產。產走，天風大起，以故其從官亂，莫敢鬬。逐產，殺之郎中府吏廁中。

朱虛侯已殺產，帝命謁者持節勞朱虛侯。朱虛侯欲奪節信，謁者不肯，朱虛侯則從與載，因節信馳走，斬長樂衛尉呂更始。還，馳入北軍，報太尉。太尉起，拜賀朱虛侯曰：「所患獨呂產，今已誅，天下定矣。」遂遣人分部悉捕諸呂男女，無少長皆斬之。辛酉，捕斬呂祿，而笞殺呂媭。使人誅燕王呂通，而廢魯王偃。壬戌，以帝太傅食其復為左丞相。戊辰，徙濟川王王梁，立趙幽王子遂為趙王。遣朱虛侯章以誅諸呂氏事告齊王，令罷兵。灌嬰兵亦罷滎陽而歸。

諸大臣相與陰謀曰：「少帝及梁、淮陽、常山王，皆非真孝惠子也。呂后以計詐名他人子，殺其母，養後宮，令孝惠子之，立以為後，及諸王，以彊呂氏。今皆已夷滅諸呂，而置所立，即長用事，吾屬無類矣。不如視諸王最賢者立之。」或言「齊悼惠王高帝長子，今其適子為齊王，推本言之，高帝適長孫，可立也」。大臣皆曰：「呂氏以外家惡而幾危宗廟，亂功臣今齊王母家駟（鈞），駟鈞，惡人也。即立齊王，則復為呂氏。」欲立淮南王，以為少，母家又惡。乃曰：「代王方今高帝見子，最長，仁孝寬厚。太后家薄氏謹良。且立長故順，以仁孝聞於天下，便。」乃相與共陰使人召代王。代王使人辭謝。再反，然後乘六乘傳。後九月晦日己酉，至長安，舍代邸。大臣皆往謁，奉天子璽上代王，共尊立為天子。代王數讓，群臣固請，然後聽。

東牟侯興居曰：「誅呂氏吾無功，請得除宮。」乃與太仆汝陰侯滕公入宮，前謂少帝曰：「足下非劉氏，不當立。」乃顧麾左右執戟者掊兵罷去。有數人不肯去兵，宦者令張澤諭告，亦去兵。滕公乃召乘輿車載少帝出。少帝曰：「欲將我安之乎？」滕公曰「出就舍。」舍少府。乃奉天子法駕，迎代王於邸。報曰：「宮謹除。」代王即夕入未央宮。有謁者十人持戟衛端門，曰：「天子在也，足下何為者而入？」代王乃謂太尉。太尉往諭，謁者十人皆掊兵而去。代王遂入而聽政。夜，有司分部誅滅梁、淮陽、常山王及少帝於邸。代王立為天子。二十三年崩，謚為孝文皇帝。

Source Colophon

The Chinese text follows the Chinese Wikisource transcription of Sima Qian's Records of the Grand Historian (article 史記/卷009, revision of 11 November 2021), inspected from a witness copy captured on 22 August 2026. Chinese Wikisource transcriptions are published under CC BY-SA 4.0 and the GFDL; the text itself is ancient and in the public domain. The wiki header, navigation links, license templates, and modern contributors' footnotes have been removed; the text is otherwise complete and unaltered.

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Shiji 9 — Lü Taihou Benji