Chapter 381: When Food and Clothing Are Sufficient, People Know Honor and Shame

"The Right Chief of the Masses has proposed to His Majesty that people from north of the Great River garrison the three commanderies of Dai-bei, Yuyang, Shanggu, and You-beiping; that people from south of the Huai River garrison Jiangnan and Jiangdong; and that people from west of the Pass garrison Longxi, Beidi, and Shangjun. In that case, where should the people of the commanderies south of the River and north of the Huai be sent to garrison?"

Chen Ping was a native of Dang Commandery. Noticing that Heifu had left out the Central Plains region, he pressed the question — he was quite concerned about the future of his fellow townsmen.

Heifu had just asked Zhang Han about this, and then discovered that while Qin Shi Huang had taken an interest in the Queen Mother of the West and decided to shift the state's strategic focus toward the northwest, he had not expelled the Yan and Qi fangshi either. He still had the Privy Treasury put up funds for them to go to the seashore, build ships, and seek the immortals...

In Heifu's view, rather than chasing after illusory immortals, it would be better to study how to safely and effectively cross the Bohai Strait and tightly link the Qi region with Liaodong — with the seafaring technology of this era, reaching Korea or Japan was impossible, but the Liaodong Peninsula was not difficult. The Bohai Sea is an inland sea, its waves not fierce, and there are various small islands along the way for anchoring. Landing at the mouth of the Liao River or the Yalu River, garrison soldiers from Linzi and Jiaodong commanderies could quickly reach their destination...

Of course, this was only an idea of his, not written into the memorial. He planned to add it in after returning to Xianyang for his audience with His Majesty.

Besides east, south, west, and north, what remained was the Central Plains region in the truest sense — roughly only one-sixth of the Qin Empire's area, a dozen or so commanderies, yet it held a full half of the empire's population!

These commanderies, after over a thousand years of development since the Xia, Shang, and Zhou dynasties, had populations approaching saturation. Land was scarce and people were numerous; commoner households, several family members crammed together, eked out a living in cramped cottages.

Chen Ping nodded in agreement. His own family, for instance, had once owned only thirty Wei-mu of poor land, which the two brothers farmed together, barely enough to scrape by.

That was actually considered well-off. In their hamlet of Kushang, a third of the households were landless and could only work as hired farmhands for the wealthy. The neighboring commanderies of Sanchuan, Yingchuan, and Chen were the same — land was concentrated in the hands of a few, and landless hired laborers were everywhere. Many, driven to desperation, had no choice but to become merchants, which was also why the Central Plains produced so many traders.

In Heifu's view, these paupers without a sliver of land to their name, these hired laborers and peddlers, were precisely the people who could be resettled to strengthen the frontiers!

"People on the frontier, if the emoluments and benefits are not generous, cannot be made to dwell long in a place of peril and hardship. Remit the convicts' punishments, restore the normal status of live-in sons-in-law, grant peasants noble ranks, exempt them from taxes and corvée for ten years, bestow farmland upon hired laborers — give them whatever they lack. With these three decisive measures, many in the Central Plains commanderies will surely be tempted."

In short, the Central Plains had no shortage of landless people. After they journeyed west and entered the Pass, move them to the fertile, well-watered but sparsely populated frontier regions. Build them houses, construct towns and settlements, settle their families and provide them with fields and property, and organize them into squads and platoons. For the first three years, the authorities would supply winter clothing and ample grain, along with the necessary plow oxen, farming tools, and seeds, until they could become self-sufficient.

After three years, once the fields were reclaimed, the authorities could purchase grain locally, and the frontier garrison soldiers would no longer need to rely on long-distance grain shipments from the interior.

During the agricultural off-season, provide the settlers with military training and issue them weapons — combine soldiering with farming. In peacetime they would farm the land; when war broke out, they would not be expected to kill the enemy, but could serve as logistics battalions, accompanying the army on campaign.

This kind of armed colonization would be carried out in Longxi, Beidi, and Shangjun. Later, as the empire's frontier line advanced, it could be extended to the Hexi Corridor and the Ordos Loop...

Heifu also proposed establishing physicians and shamans to treat illnesses, maintaining sacrifices, ensuring men and women could marry, providing mutual care in life and death, planting trees and raising livestock, and making houses secure and complete. After one generation, with graves clustered together, the settlers would become the local natives, with hearts set on dwelling there permanently.

After hearing Heifu's detailed account, both Zhang Han and Chen Ping considered it an excellent policy. According to Zhang Han, Qin Shi Huang had ordered the Chancellor, the Imperial Secretary, and the Commandant of Justice to deliberate on the matter, and a conclusion was nearly reached.

Zhang Han said, "Everyone knows His Majesty's resolve to expand westward is already set, so there are very few who oppose it. Moreover, this very strategy had precedents as early as the time of King Zhao."

Many years ago, King Zhaoxiang of Qin, believing that Qin had vast land but a sparse population, had implemented a policy to "attract people": anyone from the various feudal states who came to submit would be granted one noble rank, awarded one hundred mu of land, and exempted from ten years of corvée and taxes. This policy was written into the statutes and ordinances, and in the end, it drew in one hundred thousand poor farmers.

Heifu's proposal was merely an improved version of that strategy, and it already had one successful case study.

"Indeed. Three years ago, after I led my troops to pacify Yuzhang, His Majesty moved a thousand households of people from Nan Commandery to populate Nanchang City, having soldiers and civilians open up wasteland. That can be considered the beginning of military-agricultural settlement. Now the population of Nanchang County is nearly ten thousand. What was once a wild and barbarous land is now a wealthy town in Jiangnan!"

Nanchang City — this was the joint achievement of Heifu and Zhang Han. As they spoke, the two toasted each other with a cup of wine.

Of course, what Heifu did not mention was that many of those settlers, during the agricultural off-season, were growing sugarcane on their own plantations. With brown sugar becoming fashionable in the lands west of the Pass over the past two years, even selling as far as the Yuezhi, sugarcane and brown sugar had become profitable. Beyond Nanchang County, in several other counties, Heifu's former subordinates had also begun following suit, burning off land on their own fields to grow cane and press sugar, then uniformly handing it over to Heifu's cousin to sell. The Hei faction was showing a distinct tendency to become the Sweet faction...

With both legal statutes supporting it and a successful precedent, Heifu's military-agricultural settlement strategy would, barring unforeseen circumstances, certainly be approved. This was why Zhang Han was congratulating Heifu on his imminent "promotion."

"Heifu has submitted memorial after memorial, speaking on state policy. If His Majesty adopts them, the merit of offering counsel is assured. Promotion in office and advancement in rank are just around the corner!"

Zhang Han speculated that, according to the customary promotion track for Qin officials, if Heifu were promoted again, he would likely go to a commandery to serve as a Governor or Commandant — a grand regional official. For a moment, Zhang Han was filled with envy...

Just then, he recalled another matter and said with a laugh, "We've talked only of military-agricultural settlement. I haven't yet told you how the court debated your proposal about shearing sheep's wool to make clothing!"

"What is there to debate about that?" Heifu found it incomprehensible.

"The erudites and various scholars who extol the learning of Confucius do not think so."

Zhang Han imitated the manner of the erudites Yue Zhengli and Qidiao Ran, wagging his head from side to side as he recited: "The various scholars said: 'The peoples of the Central States and the Rong and Yi, the five quarters of people, each have their own nature and cannot be made to change. The eastern peoples are called Yi — they wear their hair loose and tattoo their bodies, and some eat their food without cooking it. The southern peoples are called Man — they tattoo their foreheads and turn their feet outward, and some eat their food without cooking it. The western peoples are called Rong — they wear their hair loose and dress in skins, and some do not eat grain. The northern peoples are called Di — they wear feathers and furs and dwell in caves, and some do not eat grain...'"

"They hold that Qin is a superior state of proper attire and caps, possessing the greatness of ritual and propriety, hence it is called Xia; possessing the beauty of garments and patterns, it is called Hua. The border peoples do not plot against Xia; the barbarians do not throw Hua into disorder. Attire, caps, robes, and garments are what the sages and worthies taught. Yet now Heifu submits a memorial proposing to make the people of the Central States wear feathers and furs, clothe themselves in woven skins and dwell thus — this is using the customs of the Rong and Di to disrupt the Hua-Xia system of attire, an act of reverting to the ways of beasts!"

Because in Heifu's proposal, woolen clothing would not only be worn by frontier garrison soldiers but could in the future be extended to the entire north, opposition from the Confucian scholars was inevitable. They had no wish to see the lands of Qi and Lu filled with "barbarian garb" in the future.

"Sharing customs with the Rong and Di" — that had been the very phrasing the Six States east of the mountains had used to slander Qin back in the day. Unlike the Qin people, the Confucian scholars of Wei, Lu, and elsewhere took these matters very seriously. They believed that a gentleman first dresses properly and then acts — only after donning orthodox attire and cap can one conduct affairs. His Majesty must absolutely not consent.

In the end, the Confucian scholars even turned the tables on Heifu.

"Such a measure would also be detrimental to His Majesty's decree to 'unify the customs of all under Heaven.'"

"They talk as if they don't wear fur robes in winter," Chen Ping, who considered himself a follower of Huang-Lao, remarked, equally unable to stomach these rigid Confucian scholars.

Heifu did not know whether to laugh or cry. He truly had not expected this turn of events at the time.

He was not worried, however, because the Confucian erudites were merely mascots that Qin Shi Huang used to decorate his court; their actual influence was very small. Even though this matter concerned the traditions of attire — a domain in which they specialized — there were scholars of other schools who would oppose them.

The Mohists, for instance...

Sure enough, Zhang Han said with great relish, "No sooner had the various scholars finished speaking than the Mohist Master Tang and Cheng Shang refuted them on the spot, saying: 'The words of the various scholars are mistaken. Master Mozi once said: Conduct does not lie in attire!'"

The Mohists too cited the classics: In former times, Duke Huan of Qi wore a tall cap and broad sash to govern his state, and his state was well-governed. In former times, Duke Wen of Jin wore coarse cloth garments and a jacket of ewe's wool to govern his state, and his state was well-governed. In former times, King Zhuang of Chu wore a bright cap with tasseled cords and a crimson, wide-sleeved robe to govern his state, and his state was well-governed. In former times, King Goujian of Yue cut his hair short and tattooed his body to govern his state, and his state was well-governed.

These four rulers wore different attire, yet each ushered in his own era of good governance. From this, one can see that so-called ritual attire and caps do not determine whether a state is well-ordered or chaotic. For the Confucian scholars to quibble over whether a garment's material is hemp, silk, or wool is truly pedantic.

This was the Mohist view. In their eyes, as long as it was comfortable, there was no harm in garrison soldiers heading north wearing their hair loose and fastening their garments on the left, nor in soldiers garrisoning the south tattooing their bodies and cutting their hair. As arch-rivals of the Confucians, the two sides' views each went to extremes; they fundamentally could not see eye to eye.

Just as the two schools were locked in an irresolvable quarrel, the Legalists, led by Li Si, also spoke up.

"Your Majesty, Lord Shang once said: Observe the times to establish laws, adapt rites to circumstances. Laws, measures, and ordinances should each accord with what is fitting; clothing, tools, and implements should each serve their use. Therefore, to benefit the state, one need not imitate antiquity! Your servant believes that clothing exists for ease of wear, and rites exist for ease of conduct. If it can benefit the people and strengthen the state, slightly altering the material of clothing is entirely permissible."

"The present proposal by Right Chief of the Masses Heifu is merely to imitate the methods of the Qiang people, using sheep's wool to make thread and fashion garments to keep soldiers warm. It is not as if he proposes making all the people of the Central States wear their hair loose and fasten their garments on the left. For the various scholars to oppose it so vehemently is truly making a great fuss over nothing!"

Li Si's opinion was not hard to guess. So long as a reform benefited the state, the Legalists supported it. The hundred-year strength and prosperity of Qin had relied on precisely this mentality of boldly embracing reform.

Zhang Han added, "In the end, even Zhang Cang stepped forward to speak on your behalf."

"Oh? Doesn't Zihu Zhang only enjoy shutting his door to read, paying no mind to political affairs? What did he say?" Heifu was very curious what startling words this nerdy bookworm would produce.

"He said just one line."

Zhang Han smiled. "Zhang Cang said: 'When granaries are full, people know propriety; when food and clothing are sufficient, people know honor and shame. Let us first ensure the frontier garrison soldiers are well-fed and warmly clothed — then we may discuss the greatness of ritual and the beauty of garments!'"

"Well said! One line was enough!"

Heifu was deeply gratified. This was the benefit of inheriting the legacy of the Hundred Schools of Thought — different viewpoints colliding in court and countryside, a mindset open and enterprising, rather than styling oneself the Celestial Empire and playing oneself into self-imposed isolation.

In the end, Qin Shi Huang also made his decision.

Zhang Han recounted: "His Majesty said: 'He who achieves merit surpassing the age must bear the burden of defying customary ways; he who possesses uniquely insightful judgment must endure the fears of the common crowd!'"

"Back then, King Wuling of Zhao adopted barbarian attire and mounted archery. Though ridiculed by vulgar Confucians, he was able to continue the enterprise of his ancestor Viscount Xiang, annihilate the state of Zhongshan, and open up the lands of the Hu and Di. Zhao thus came to possess Yunzhong and Jiuyuan."

"Now, by following Heifu's counsel and slightly altering the material of clothing, we can spare our soldiers the suffering of frost and freezing, enabling them to garrison the frontiers and expand the realm for the state. If in the future we can surpass Yunzhong and Jiuyuan and seize the Ordos Loop and the Yin Mountains, that too will be the merit of woolen cloth!"

"His Majesty is sage and wise." Heifu clasped his fists in the direction of Xianyang Palace. Encountering an emperor bold in reform was no easy thing.

"By the way, Dong Yi told me that during the month you were on the road, another favored minister has appeared at His Majesty's side," Zhang Han remarked in passing.

"Oh, could it be that You Zhan has returned to the palace?" Ever since You Zhan had joined Fusu in forceful remonstration last time, he had fallen into the Emperor's cold disfavor and had not been summoned to the palace for a long while. Heifu felt some sympathy for him.

"It wasn't You Zhan."

Zhang Han laughed. "It was a Yan musician named Gao Jianli!"

(End of chapter)