Book II 191deserve to be rewarded. The responsible office shall carry out the ceremony
of conferring the title of merit subject along with the rewards as appro-
priate.”10th Day (Muo)
The king paid a visit to Such’ang Palace.Yu Yang,^41 minister of personnel, and others submitted a memorial to the
king: “The law of making a record of civil and military officials, being old,
was abolished in recent years. Since the dynasty is newly established, the
law should be revived.” The king granted his approval.11th Day (Kimi)
It was the king’s birthday. The king received felicitations from all the offi-
cials and pardoned the prisoners except those who were subject to capital
punishment and banishment. Then he gave instructions to the Privy Council
on four things:
“1. Since men were created with the spirits of Heaven and Earth that nur-
ture all creatures, the way of governing them likewise should adapt itself to
the same spirits that are always in sympathy with them. When Emperor
Gaozu of Han founded a new dynasty and bestowed honors on the officials
who helped him, he included Yong Chi^42 on the list and thereby was able to
allay the doubts of the people and stabilize his regime. I believe he did the
right thing.
- Yu Yang (?): an official of early Chosŏn. He also served as assistant director of the
Security Council and magistrate of Kyerim. - According to the “House of Marquis Liu” (“Liuhou Shijia”) in the Records of the
Grand Historian, after more than a score of Liu Bang’s followers were rewarded for their
contributions, a dispute arose among the rest of his followers who were left out from receiving
rewards. Liu Bang was dismayed to learn that there were signs of treason among his generals.
Zhang Liang, his trusted counselor, explained the reason the generals were agitated: “They are
saying that there is insufficient land in the realms for all of them to be enfeoffed. Many are
worried that you would execute them for their past offenses against you.” Then Zhang Liang
asked, “Who is the person that everyone knows you hate the most?” Liu Bang replied, “Yong
Chi, an old acquaintance. He put me in desperate and humiliating situations many times. I
would have liked to kill him but could not bear to do so because he did score numerous merits
for me.” Zhang Liang replied, “Bid him first to send a message to the rest. When they witness
him rewarded, their concerns will be put to rest.” Consequently, Liu Bang hosted a banquet
and enfeoffed Yong Chi as Marquis of Shifang and ordered the prime minister and imperial