The Ruler's Guide: China's Greatest Emperor and His Timeless Secrets of Success

by Chinghua Tang

  TOUGH LOVE

  Minister Chu Suiliang also voiced his disapproval of the emperor’s favoritism.

  “According to court etiquette,” he advised Taizong, “the crown prince deserves higher honor than other princes because he is the future monarch. Even if Your Majesty likes Tai very much, your gifts should not exceed the level of what is appropriate. Otherwise, you will estrange the crown prince, cause confusion among your ministers, and give sycophants a chance to work on you. You may be too busy to make a correct decision on every issue, but it’s my duty to speak out on this one. If Your Majesty really loves Tai, tell him to conduct himself properly, to practice loyalty, humility, and frugality and to cherish fraternal love. Inspire him with the teachings of the sages; then he’ll grow up to be a worthy man.”

  Taizong accepted his minister’s suggestions.

  LATER GENERATIONS

  “Why did disasters always strike in the later generations of a dynasty?” Taizong asked his ministers one day.

  “Because the descendants of the founder,” replied Prime Minister Fang Xuanling, “were born with silver spoons in their mouths. They didn’t have any knowledge of the real world or any idea about running a country. It’s no wonder they should have ended up in disaster.”

  “You put the blame on the rulers,” said Taizong. “But I think their ministers had to share the blame. They only cared about their self-interest. Their forefathers had rendered meritorious services. They occupied high offices because of their forefathers. However, they themselves were not particularly talented or virtuous. With an ignorant ruler and a bunch of useless ministers in charge, how could a country not get into trouble? Now your children will also obtain good appointments because of your position. I hope you’ll draw a lesson from history and urge them to be conscientious officials. That will be good fortune for our country.”

  BOAT AND WATER

  After appointing Crown Prince Zhi to be his heir, Taizong formed a team of senior ministers whose job it was to groom the future monarch and assist him in governing. He also took time to educate the prince himself.

  He said to his advisers, “They say you should educate a child when it is still in its mother’s womb. Well, I didn’t have time for that. Now I teach him whenever I can.”

  He gave them an example. “When Zhi was having dinner, I asked him, ‘Do you know anything about rice?’

  “ ‘No, I don’t,’ he answered.

  “Then I said, ‘Farming is hard work and timing is essential to farmers. Whatever you do, you must never interfere with their sowing and harvesting.’

  “Seeing Zhi riding a horse, I asked, ‘Do you know anything about horses?’

  “ ‘No, I don’t.’

  “Then I said, ‘Horses are willing to work, but you must let them have some rest. If you don’t overdrive them, you’ll always have horses to ride.’

  “Watching Zhi getting into a boat, I asked, ‘Do you know anything about boats?’

  “He said no. Then I told him, ‘The king is like the boat, and the people are like the water. The water can lift the boat and also overturn it. Shouldn’t you be very careful?’

  “Seeing Zhi standing under a tree, I asked, ‘Do you know anything about trees?’

  “Again he said no and I said, ‘This tree is not straight, but the carpenter can draw a line and cut it into straight pieces. Then the tree will be useful. A ruler may not be very capable, but if he listens to his ministers’ good advice, he can still be a good ruler.’ ”

  THE REAL WORLD

  Taizong said to the tutors of the crown prince, “Talk to him about the real world and let him understand what the life of the common people is like. When I was eighteen, I worked among the masses of the common people and was familiar with their life. With all my knowledge of the real world and my experience of various hardships, I still made mistakes after I became emperor. Sometimes I didn’t even realize my mistakes until somebody pointed them out. The crown prince has been living in the palace all his life; he has no idea about the outside world. Tell him not to indulge himself. Tell him why I encourage remonstrance. Be forthright with him if he does something wrong.”

  ROLE MODEL

  Taizong told the crown prince to regard sage rulers in history as his role models.

  “You should follow the examples of sage kings of the past, not me. I am not good enough. If you imitate superior men, you may get average results; if you imitate average men, you will end up worse than they were. Aim high. Don’t follow my example.

  “I have made many mistakes in my life, building luxurious palaces, acquiring exotic animals, hunting in distant lands, and giving the people trouble on my tours.

  “But I have also done some good things, like improving the people’s life, making the country rich and powerful, and so on. My merits probably outweigh my demerits. So the people put up with me.

  “The foundation of our dynasty is sound, but I am ashamed to say that it is still far from perfect. Now you will inherit my fortune without having put in any effort. If you are a good ruler and serve the people wholeheartedly, you may be able to keep what you have. But if you become arrogant, indolent, self-indulgent, and extravagant, you will certainly get into trouble. Remember, it is easier to lose power than to gain it. It is easier to fail than to succeed. Therefore, you should cherish what you have and be very careful, should you not?”

  WHAT TANG TAIZONG AND HIS ADVISERS TEACH US TODAY

  * * *

  Being responsible is a sign of maturity. When Taizong taught the crown prince to become responsible, he was helping him toward maturity. The metaphor of water and boat that he used to teach his son brings to mind the story of the sword of Damocles.

  Dionysius was the king of Syracuse, the richest city in Sicily in the fourth century BC. He was wealthy, lived in a splendid palace, and had many servants.

  When his friend Damocles complimented him on his riches and pleasure, Dionysius said, “If you think I’m so lucky, would you like to try out my life?”

  Damocles readily agreed. So Dionysius ordered everything to be prepared for Damocles to experience what life as king was like. Damocles sat on the throne, was waited upon by the servants, and feasted on sumptuous food and wine amid beautiful flowers and scented candles.

  He enjoyed all this immensely. Then he happened to raise his eyes, and saw a sword suspended from the ceiling by a hair above the throne. The smile faded from his lips and his face turned ashen.

  “What is the matter?” asked the king.

  “That sword! That sword!” cried Damocles.

  “Yes,” said the king, “I see the sword, and it may fall at any moment. I have it over my head all the time, and I always fear something may happen to snap the thread.”

  “I see,” said Damocles. “I was mistaken. Your life is not so happy as it seems.”

  He begged to be excused and never wanted to change places with the king again.

  Today, the expression “the sword of Damocles” is often used to mean impending danger. But the moral of the original story has been lost: if you aspire to something high, be it high power, high wealth, high honor, you must be prepared to live with the responsibilities and risks that come with it. It’s easy to lose what you’ve gained if you don’t keep making efforts to hold it.

  * * *

  I Napoléon (1769–1821) was the first emperor of France and one of history’s most celebrated military and political leaders.

  12

  On Being Well Remembered

  A real man does what is right regardless of his self-interest; does what is sensible regardless of success or failure; and does what is good for future generations, not just for his own generation.

  —HUANG ZONGXII

  Taizong was very conscious of the reputation he would leave behind. At his request, the Tang dynasty became the first to compile records of each emperor. Their every word and deed were noted down by scribes. Taizong generously rewarded his court historians. This must have had a f
avorable effect, for the account of his reign is among the most glorious in Chinese history.

  TANG TAIZONG AND HIS ADVISERS’ WORDS

  * * *

  A GOOD ENDING

  Taizong said to his ministers, “I often think about how I can have a good ending as well as a good beginning so that our dynasty will last many generations, so that hundreds of years from now when people read about the Tang dynasty, they will admire its power and glory.”

  FULL DISCLOSURE

  Minister Chu Suiliang, who was also a court historian and remonstrant, kept a diary of Taizong’s daily activities.

  “What have you written down recently?” Taizong asked him one day.

  “As a historian,” replied Chu Suiliang, “I’m obliged to record whatever Your Majesty says and does, good or bad.”

  “Have you written down discreditable things about me?”

  “Of course. My duty is to record facts—and facts only. I believe it is more important to fulfill my duty as a historian than my duty to Your Majesty as a subordinate.”

  “A ruler’s faults are like the eclipses of the sun and the moon; everybody can see them,” added Minister Liu Ji, another court historian. “Even if Minister Chu Suiliang didn’t write them down, the people would remember.”

  “Well, I’ll do three things,” Taizong said. “First, I’ll study the success and failure of past dynasties and draw lessons from them; second, I’ll seek virtuous men to help me run the country; and third, I’ll expel wicked men from my court. I hope history will be kind to me.”

  PREVIEW

  As a rule, a living monarch was not supposed to read the account of his own rule. But Taizong couldn’t suppress his curiosity about what the historians had written.

  Zhu Zishe, a court remonstrant, tried to dissuade him from reading current accounts. He wrote the emperor a memorandum, saying, “Your Majesty is a wise ruler; it is fine for you to break the rule. But you would create a dangerous precedent. A future emperor may not be as wise as you are. If he is allowed to read what is written about him, he may become angry. He may punish or even kill the historians. If historians dare not write the truth, how can history be trusted? Your Majesty, please don’t set such a precedent.”

  Taizong wasn’t convinced. On another occasion, he asked Prime Minister Fang Xuanling, who supervised the writing of the current history of Tang, “Why is the reigning monarch not allowed to read what is written about him?”

  “Because history must record the good and bad deeds of a ruler,” Fang Xuanling explained. “Historians don’t want the monarch to see what they have written for fear he may not like it.”

  “I disagree,” said Taizong. “I would like to see what’s been written about me. If it is favorable, of course no discussion is necessary. But if something bad is written down, surely it can serve as a warning for me.”

  He ordered Fang Xuanling to submit a copy of the most recent history, which covered the period from the rise of the emperor’s father, Li Yuan, up to the fifteenth year of Taizong’s reign. Taizong found the narration of his fratricide evasive.

  “I did kill my brothers,” he told Fang Xuanling. “It was for the good of the country. Do away with the verbiage and write a straightforward account of what happened. Do not hold back the facts.”

  Upon learning of this episode, Minister Wei Zheng praised Taizong. “The sovereign is the most powerful man in the country. He has nothing to fear except the historical record of his reign. The historical record has the function of chastising the bad ruler and encouraging the good ruler. If it is not truthful, it cannot serve later generations. Your Majesty did an honorable, fair-minded thing to tell the historians to set the record straight.”

  THE EMPEROR’S OWN WRITINGS

  Deputy director of the Imperial Editorial Service Deng Shilong asked Taizong for permission to compile the emperor’s writings into a collection as preceding rulers had done.

  Taizong declined. “As emperor, what I said and did are all recorded in the imperial history. Even if I compose elegant poems and rhapsodies, I will only be held to ridicule by future generations if I fail to do a good job. I don’t need any anthology. The most important thing for a ruler is what he does and what his character is like, not what literary works he writes.”

  SELF-ANALYSIS

  “There are a few rulers in history,” said Taizong to his ministers one day, “who restored peace and unified China, but none managed to conquer foreign barbarians. I’m not as capable as they were, yet my accomplishments have surpassed theirs. What do you think are the reasons?”

  His ministers only sang his praises; no one offered a satisfactory explanation. Taizong then answered the question himself.

  “I think there are five reasons. First, those rulers were jealous of people whose abilities exceeded their own, but I am not jealous. I am as pleased to discover other people’s talents as if they were my own.

  “Second, I understand that nobody is perfect. I overlook others’ weaknesses and appreciate their strengths.

  “Third, those rulers didn’t know how to make use of human resources. They embraced talents but threw away lesser mortals. I respect the former but sympathize with the latter. I make use of both of them.

  “Fourth, those rulers didn’t like frankness. Some even killed those who dared to remonstrate. But I seek out honest men to serve in my court and I have never punished anyone for being outspoken.

  “Finally, those rulers looked down upon foreigners, but I don’t. I treat them the same way I treat Chinese. So the barbarians regard me as a father figure.”

  WHAT TANG TAIZONG AND HIS ADVISERS TEACH US TODAY

  * * *

  Plato said: “The first and the best victory is to conquer the self.”

  Taizong’s life offers an instructive lesson in self-management without which his accomplishments would have been impossible.

  It is not uncommon for a leader’s personality to deteriorate. At the beginning of his career, the leader has a healthy ego; he is confident, assertive, and strong. He takes initiative and stands up for worthy causes, commanding the respect of those who turn to him for direction and inspiration.

  Then he is tempted and starts to slip. He becomes arrogant, expansive, and belligerent. He loves adventures, wants to dominate each situation, and likes to impose his will on others, using threats and fear of reprisals to intimidate them into obedience, even relishing adversarial relationships.

  Moving down the slope of virtue, he seeks to prevail whatever the cost. He becomes megalomaniacal, dictatorial, ruthless, and immoral. Increasingly reckless, he overextends himself and the resources at his disposal.

  Having made many enemies, he becomes paranoid about his survival. He lives in constant insecurity, and his behavior turns destructive. In the end he is either toppled by his enemies or stopped by death.

  A few notable rulers in history traveled this familiar path of disintegration with frightening consequences, among them Julius Caesar, Napoléon, and Saddam Hussein.

  Taizong was quite the opposite. Early in his career, he threw himself into the struggle of founding the new dynasty. He was courageous and resourceful, often putting himself at risk for the sake of victory. Consequently he was recognized as an outstanding leader.

  After he ascended the throne, he forgave his former enemy, recruited able and virtuous men, and upheld honesty in his government. He was magnanimous, empathetic, and forbearing. Even though he had lapses at times, he was able to reverse himself as soon as he realized his mistakes.

  Internally, his triumph could be attributed to his self-knowledge and emotional intelligence, and externally, to the role played by his wife and loyal advisers, who would remonstrate whenever he veered away from the path of virtue and righteousness. The ignominious fall of Emperor Yang served as a constant reminder of what hell awaited if he slipped, and his own aspiration to make his dynasty a long-lasting one provided another positive impetus.

  As a result, Taizong maintained a healthy s
tate of mind throughout his life and avoided the pitfalls of his particular personality. Instead of moving downward, he moved upward, bringing out the best in himself and becoming, in the process, a very enlightened ruler.

  Fittingly, his was one of the most spectacularly successful reigns in Chinese history.

  * * *

  I Huang Zongxi (1610–95) was a great Confucian philosopher and an Enlightenment thinker.

  II

  THE AMAZING LIFE OF TANG TAIZONG

  TANG TAIZONG’S personal name was Li Shimin, “shi,” meaning “the world,” and “min,” “the people.” When Li Shimin was a boy of four, a fortune-teller predicted that one day he would save the world and deliver the people from misery. Later, he became known as Tang Taizong, “Tang” being the name of the dynasty he helped found and “Taizong” his imperial title as emperor.

  Born into the aristocratic Li family in Shaanxi Province in northwestern China, where his father was governor and a military commander serving the Sui dynasty, Li Shimin was of mixed Chinese and Turkic blood, for his paternal grandmother was a Turk. He was related to the royal family of Sui, and his family had a tradition of military service: both his grandfather and great-grandfather had also been high-ranking generals.

  Bold, strong, and uninhibited, Li Shimin was not interested in scholarly pursuits but was keen on martial arts, archery, riding, and hunting. In a troubled time such skills were far more useful to an ambitious young man than book learning. Growing up in the waning years of the Sui dynasty, he witnessed the crumbling of that short-lived dynasty firsthand. Its decline was to have a major impact on him later, when he became emperor himself.