Danger occurs when you believe you are safe; decline begins when you think your prosperity will last long; and disorder sets in when you think you are in control. Therefore, a gentleman often reminds himself not to be complacent so as to keep his good fortune.
—BOOK OF CHANGESI
Taizong had a penchant for history. He regarded history as a mirror in which he could see the fate of his own dynasty. He liked studying the careers of his counterparts in history, and his concern over his historical image had a great impact on his policies and his behavior.
TANG TAIZONG AND HIS ADVISERS’ WORDS
* * *
KEEPING VICTORY
“Which is more difficult: founding a dynasty or preserving it?” Taizong asked his ministers.
“When an old dynasty is breaking down,” replied Prime Minister Fang Xuanling, “many outstanding men rise to contend for the throne. The strong man beats the weak one. The defeated surrenders to the victor. And the victor has to eliminate his opponents one by one. In that sense, founding a new dynasty is very difficult.”
“No, I don’t think so,” disagreed Minister Wei Zheng. “Overthrowing an old dynasty is not that difficult because it’s already decaying and losing popular support. The victor has the Mandate of Heaven. But after founding a new dynasty, the victor tends to become complacent. He is likely to indulge himself, likely to increase taxes and corvée duties on the people, and in doing so, likely to make their life miserable again. There he will sow the seeds of decline. From this perspective, preserving victory is more difficult.”
“Fang Xuanling went through a lot of hardships with me,” said Taizong, “when we were fighting for power. He knew how lucky we were to gain the final victory. Wei Zheng joined me afterward. He concentrated on consolidating the new regime, worrying about what would have happened if we had repeated the mistakes of those we overthrew. He experienced many difficulties in the process. Now that the task of founding the dynasty is behind us, let us keep up the momentum and work together to make our victory a lasting one.”
CAUTION IN TIMES OF PEACE AND PROSPERITY
“It seemed the fortune of past rulers moved in cycles,” Taizong remarked to his ministers. “A period of prosperity was invariably followed by a period of decline just as day is followed by night. When the ruler was surrounded by sycophants, his ears and eyes were blocked. He could not see his own faults, and his officials dared not speak out. Sooner or later, he would fall.”
“Since ancient times,” responded Wei Zheng, “rulers lost power because they had overlooked danger when living in peace, and forgotten the possibility of chaos when everything seemed in good order. Your Majesty is ruling a country that enjoys peace and prosperity, but you must still be cautious, as cautious as though you were treading on thin ice, so to speak. Then the good fortune of our country will last long.”
SELF-RESTRAINT
“Some dynasties lasted ten generations,” Taizong said to Wei Zheng. “Some lasted only one or two generations. There are also cases in which the same man managed to seize power and then lose it. I am worried that I may become complacent and lose self-restraint before I know it. Do you have any suggestions to prevent that?”
“Every ruler wants to pass his scepter on to his children, grandchildren, and so on,” replied Wei Zheng. “History shows that at the beginning of his reign a ruler will recruit virtuous men, live frugally, and encourage remonstrance. But after a while he will depart from those principles. Virtue will give way to emotion. Propriety will be compromised by desires.
“It’s not hard to understand what is right, but it’s hard to practice what is right, and even harder to carry it through to the end. Everybody has desires. The difference is that the wise man controls himself and doesn’t allow himself to go beyond certain limits, whereas the fatuous man is swayed by emotion and doesn’t know how to control himself. If Your Majesty exercises self-restraint through to the end, I’m sure your dynasty will last for many generations.”
MUTUAL RESPONSIBILITY
“I wonder if the downfall of Sui was Emperor Yang’s fault alone,” Taizong said to Zhangsun Wuji, his brother-in-law. “His ministers were very irresponsible. They were highly paid and highly placed, but all they did was flatter and mislead. That’s why the regime was short-lived.”
“Sui collapsed because the emperor wouldn’t allow any honest talk in the court,” replied Zhangsun. “His ministers were concerned only about keeping their own positions. So they did not remonstrate with him, and they concealed the bad news from him even when uprisings were raging all over the country. Sui’s fall is not just a matter of Heaven’s will. It was the inevitable consequence of the ruler and his ministers failing each other.”
Wei Zheng commented on the same topic in a memorandum: “History shows that a new ruler always works hard and aims high. But after he has made some achievements, he becomes complacent and does not keep up his enterprising spirit. The same is true of his ministers. In the beginning, they are devoted to helping the ruler. But after they have obtained fame and fortune, they become more concerned about keeping their positions than about being worthy of their positions. Their loyalty slips.”
AWARENESS OF DANGER
Taizong asked: “Is it difficult for the ruler to keep his power?”
“Very difficult,” replied Wei Zheng.
“But all we need to do is to recruit worthy men and listen to their advice. How can that be difficult?”
“History tells us,” explained Wei Zheng, “when a ruler is faced with danger, he is likely to appoint worthy men and follow their advice. But when life is happy and peaceful, he tends to slacken off and discourage honest talk in his court. Day by day, month by month, his regime will go downhill until finally its survival is at stake. To prevent that from happening, a wise ruler must be mindful of possible danger even in times of peace. But it is very difficult to think of bad times when you are living in good times, isn’t it?”
PRECAUTIONS AGAINST SLIPPING
“Would you like to comment on my performance?” Taizong asked Wei Zheng.
“Your Majesty has been on the throne for more than ten years. Our country is rich and powerful, our territory has increased, and many foreign countries come to pay us their respects. Your Majesty is more prestigious than ever. But you are lagging behind your earlier years in terms of virtues.”
“How can that be?” asked Taizong.
“You used to cherish virtues. Now you’ve become arrogant and self-satisfied. For all your illustrious accomplishments, your moral cultivation has slipped.”
“What have I done wrong?”
“At the beginning of your reign, you were afraid that your subordinates would not speak out, so you went out of your way to encourage them. Three years later, you could still be counted on to accept remonstrance with good grace. But in recent years, you are not happy to hear any criticism. Even if you listen to remonstrance, you look reluctant. In your heart you don’t accept it.”
Wei Zheng went on to cite a few examples to prove his point, and Taizong admitted they were true.
“Your subordinates are now afraid of you,” Wei Zheng cautioned, “because you have become suspicious of their motives. You suspect that those who share the same view are cliquey. You treat frank advice as slander. So honest men can’t speak their mind while sycophants are having a good time. As a result, I’m afraid your enterprise will end in failure.”
“Nobody except you would tell me about it,” replied Taizong. “I thought I hadn’t changed much. Now I know I have some serious problems. I will definitely pay attention to them.”
NOT ALIENATING FOLLOWERS
Wei Zheng cautioned Taizong again in a memorandum, “When a ruler is establishing a new regime, he is sincere to his followers. But once he has won, he becomes arrogant. When he treats people in good faith, they rally around him. When he becomes supercilious, even his own brother will be alienated. If he abuses his power and intimidates his subordinates, they will come up
with various ways of countering him. Outwardly they may show respect, but inwardly they will feel resentful and will betray him in the end.”
PAYING ATTENTION TO WARNING SIGNS
When Taizong had been on the throne for thirteen years, Wei Zheng noted some disturbing tendencies in him and wrote a memorandum to express his concern that if Taizong didn’t change, his reign might not have a good ending.
“Your Majesty used to live a simple and frugal life,” he pointed out. “Now you love luxury.
“Your Majesty used to cherish the people. Now you have imposed more taxes and corvée duties on them, saying it will be easier to govern them if the people are kept busy.
“Your Majesty used to like the company of virtuous men and keep villains at a distance. Now you keep the former at a respectful distance and surround yourself with sycophants.
“Your Majesty used to seek out talented men and was concerned when they were not given the opportunity to use their talents. Now you have become suspicious and capricious. A mere rumor can make you dismiss somebody who has served you for long years. Consequently, officials are more concerned about saving their skin than devoting themselves to work.
“Your Majesty used to respect your ministers and make everyone feel free to speak his mind. You maintained good communication with all your ministers. Now you have become aloof and inaccessible. When a minister reports to you, you don’t have the patience to hear him out. And when you do listen, you often find fault with him. Your relationship with your subordinates is no longer harmonious.
“Your Majesty used to work hard and seldom took a rest. Now you do what you please. Your mind is not on your job but on how you can enjoy yourself. You are conceited, regarding yourself as a great ruler and looking down upon other great rulers in history.”
Wei Zheng warned, “Your Majesty has laid a solid foundation for the dynasty for sure. But how long it will last depends largely on what you do from now on.”
Upon reading the memorandum, Taizong said to his chief remonstrant, “Your points are well taken. I am deeply appreciative. You’ve made me aware of my mistakes. I’ll do my best to rectify them. I’ve pasted your memorandum on the screen in my office so that I can read it often. I’ve also made a copy of it to be kept in the imperial library. A thousand years from now, when people read it, hopefully they will realize that ours is the right relationship between a ruler and a minister.”
He awarded Wei Zheng a hundred ounces of gold and two fine horses.
AVOIDING COMPLACENCY
Heeding Wei’s honest assessment, Taizong said, “Countless rulers in history failed because they became complacent. I’ve brought peace and prosperity to the realm; I’ve conquered the Turks and punished the Koreans. As China’s prestige spreads, foreign countries send envoys to pay us tribute. But I’m afraid I may become conceited. So I continue to work hard, constantly reminding myself to be humble and to exercise self-discipline. If a minister gives me good advice, I treat him like a friend and a teacher. I hope I’ll do better than my predecessors.”
WHAT TANG TAIZONG AND HIS ADVISERS TEACH US TODAY
* * *
Taizong’s struggle to not let self-satisfaction undermine his reign is poignantly relevant to our time.
After the demise of the Soviet Union and the end of the Cold War, the West indulged in a sense of complacency despite instability in many parts of the world. The US seemed to take its solitary superpower status for granted.
Reveling in their victory, many leaders in the West forgot the lessons of history. They failed to grasp the dynamics of a different world, didn’t take new challenges seriously, and lacked a coherent strategy to cope with the new situation. Their vigilance relaxed, and their effort slackened because they thought they were in control.
The irony is that the West has found itself more vulnerable, more exposed to dangers now than even during the Cold War era. And because of a lapse in leadership, the West is now paying a much higher price to counter these dangers than it might otherwise have had to.
Taizong shows us what a wise leader must do when victory is won.
A wise leader doesn’t rest on his laurels or indulge himself.
A wise leader understands that achieving victory is difficult but keeping it is even harder.
A wise leader knows that the seeds of decline are often planted in the peak of triumph.
A wise leader is alert to potential dangers even in times of peace.
A wise leader builds on his previous success to achieve new success.
A wise leader keeps the company of virtuous men and shuns sycophants.
A wise leader continues to encourage remonstrance.
A wise leader makes a point of studying history to learn its lessons.
* * *
I The Book of Changes is one of the five classics that form part of the Confucian canon (see footnote on p. 13).
11
On Parenting and Educating the Next Generation
All men are equal before God: wisdom, talents, and virtue are the only difference between them.
—NAPOLÉONI
Taizong knew his children had gained their status the easy way and he feared that they might lack the ability and credibility to keep it. In particular, he worried that the crown prince might lack the skill and strength to stand on his own feet. For him, he did two things that proved crucial: he lined up experienced ministers to assist the future ruler, and he wrote an instruction manual for his benefit. Judging by the longevity and reputation of the Tang dynasty, Taizong’s efforts in educating the younger generation were richly rewarded.
TANG TAIZONG AND HIS ADVISERS’ WORDS
* * *
CHOOSING TUTORS
Taizong told his advisers, “Highly intelligent men will not be affected by bad influences. But those of average intelligence are not so strong. Their moral character depends on what kind of education they receive. Choosing tutors for the princes is never easy. The tutors will have a tremendous impact on their pupils. I would like each of you to recommend a couple of upright and trustworthy men to be my sons’ tutors. I’m growing old. If my children don’t have a good education, the future of the dynasty will be in jeopardy.”
PRACTICING VIRTUE
Taizong told his sons, “Heaven may endow a man with intellect, but he must study if he wants to accomplish something. When I was young, I was busy fighting enemies. Most of my time was spent on the battlefield. Now I have time to read, and I’ve learned a lot from books. I feel keenly about what the ancients said in regard to learning. ‘Being ignorant is like facing a wall—you can’t see anything.’ As I recall what I did in the past, I realize that many things I did were wrong.
“It is your virtue, not your rank or wealth, that will establish you in the world. You are already well provided for. Wouldn’t it be perfect if you cultivate your virtues? A gentleman may not always be a gentleman and a villain may not always be a villain. They can change. If you practice virtue, you’ll be a gentleman; if you practice vice, you’ll become a villain. If you don’t study hard, don’t exercise self-discipline, don’t control your desires and emotions, you’ll court disaster.”
TAKING WARNING FROM HISTORY
Taizong said to Wei Zheng, “Few princes in history had a happy ending. This is because they grew up in the palace, wallowed in luxury and pleasure, and got into bad company.” He asked his minister to write something for his children to study.
Wei Zheng compiled a book entitled The Vices and Virtues of Princes in History. In the introduction, he wrote:
“Throughout history, those princes who became good rulers had, along with their fathers, experienced hardships in the process of founding a new dynasty. Those who ended their life in disaster were born in the lap of luxury, brought up in peacetime, inherited a fortune, and were surrounded by pretty women and sycophantic ministers.
“History shows that the prosperity of a man comes from virtue and his destruction is the result of vice. Fortune or misfortune h
as no predetermined target. It all depends on what a man does. I list the vices and virtues of past princes in the book. Follow their good examples and avoid their mistakes, for that is the key to the longevity of the dynasty.”
Taizong commended the book highly, telling his children to treat it as a moral compass to guide their lives.
LIMITING TERMS
Taizong said, “Officials working in the princes’ quarters should not stay there too long, or they may develop overly close ties with the princes and have undue expectations. Limit their term to four years.”
THE DOWNSIDE OF FAVORITISM
Taizong’s favorite son was Tai, his second son. He showered gifts on him and granted him privileges. Minister Ma Zhou felt uneasy about this favoritism and wrote a memorandum.
“I know Your Majesty favors Tai over the other princes, but I’m concerned that Tai may become arrogant. I’m concerned about his future. During the Three Kingdoms period, Cao Cao, the ruler of Wei, was partial to his younger son. But when his elder son ascended the throne, his younger son was sent into exile and deprived of his freedom. Why? Because Cao Cao’s favoritism had made his elder son jealous. Now, all your children are well provided for. Nobody needs any special favor. Please set some guidelines on their treatment.”
Taizong thought it was good advice and awarded Ma Zhou generously.
The Ruler's Guide: China's Greatest Emperor and His Timeless Secrets of Success Page 7