Li Bi, from "Alchemists, Mediums, and Magicians: Stories of Taoist Mystics"

Из Alchemists, Mediums, and Magicians: Stories of Taoist Mystics, перевод Thomas Cleary.
Это сборник жизнеописаний 144 исторических лиц, связанных с даосизмом. Был составлен под названием "Сюаньпин лу" 玄品錄 даосом Чжан Тяньюем 張天雨 (1279-1350).

Li Bi was styled Changyuan. He originally lived in Demon Valley. At the age of seven he knew how to write compositions, and in 728 he was summoned to meet the emperor as an extraordinary child. He was most favored by Zhang Jiuling,(67) who called him his little friend.

When he grew up, he studied widely and became expert in the I Ching. He used to travel around to Mount Song, Mount Hua, and Mount Zhongnan, seeking the spiritual immortals’ art of not dying.

During the Tianbao era [742–755], he went to the imperial establishment and presented Proposal for Restoring the Yellow Emperor’s Nine Cauldrons. The emperor, considering him quick-witted, had him lecture on Lao-tzu. He had a command of the principles and obtained the position of attendant scholar.

When Xiaozong [should be "Suzong": apparently, the translator confused肃  with 萧] assumed the throne at Lingwu in 756, he was making inquiries searching for him when Bi showed up on his own. Once he had interviewed him, the emperor was pleased, having had the successes and failures of the empire set forth to him. He was going to give Bi an official post, but Bi stoutly refused. Instead he asked to be allowed to attend discussions of national affairs as a guest and join the imperial entourage on excursions. Everyone pointed and said, “The priest is the ruler, while the layman is the hermit.” [I believe it's a mistranslation of the phrase 衣黃者，圣人也。衣白者，山人也 - "In the yellow dress - the ruler, in the white dress (i.e. in commoner's clothes) - the hermit."]

Thus the emperor bestowed the gold seal and purple cord of court rank upon him and appointed him minister of war for the Infantry of the Chief Commander, king of Guangping.

The emperor once said, “You wait on the deities above, you are our teacher in the center, and now you judge the infantry of Guangping below. Thus are we, father and son [emperor and king] sustained by the principles of your Way.” Cui Yuan(68) and Li Fuguo(69) were jealous of the closeness and confidence Bi enjoyed. Bi feared there would be trouble and requested retirement on Mount Heng. An imperial decree provided him with a salary of a third-ranked official, presented him with the outfit of a retired gentleman, and prepared a dwelling for him on Mount Lu.

Bi once took a curved pine branch to use as a backrest, calling it “fostering balance.” Later he found one shaped like a dragon, which he presented to the emperor. All around vied to imitate this.

When Daizong became emperor [in 763], he summoned Bi and housed him in the library of Penglai Hall. At first he didn’t eat meat, but since rank was bestowed on him he was forced to eat meat by imperial decree.

When Dezong [r. 780–805] was at the Sanctuary in Service of Heaven, he summoned Bi to his temporary headquarters and appointed him policy adviser. Bi first had a road cut through the mountains to the Triple Gate [sluices of the Yellow River] to facilitate shipping. Because of this effort, he was promoted to minister of rites, then in three years to associate manager of affairs.

The emperor once casually remarked, “Lu Qi70 was puritanical and outspoken, but he had little learning and could not broaden us with the ancient Way. Everyone pointed out his treachery, but we never noticed.”

Bi replied, “Had Your Majesty been able to sense Qi’s evil, how could the troubles of the Jianzhong era(71) have occurred? Li Kui(72) combined the foreign commanders of Chinese armies, while Yan Zhen-qing(73) used Xilie. The damage done to longstanding benevolence and goodwill was great indeed.

“Also, Yang Yan(74) was condemned, though not executed; Lu Qi brought about his downfall and made Guan Bo(75) minister. When Li Huaiguang(76) became successful, Lu Qi goaded him into revolt. This is deceiving heaven.”

The emperor said, “What you say happened, true enough, but you must know what Sang Damo(77) said about the chaos of the Jianzhong era, that it was destined to be so?”

Bi replied, “So-called destiny is something said after the fact. Leaders make destiny; they shouldn’t plead destiny. If you plead destiny, then there’s no rewarding good and no punishing evil!”

The emperor said, “I’ll try not to say ‘destiny’ anymore.”

Shortly he was made a scholar of the Library Honoring Literature, working on national history. Bi requested that the first day of the cycle of the second lunar month be made the Day of Harmony in the Center(78) instead of the last day of the lunar cycle of the first month and that on that occasion the great ministers be given royal relative residence rulers, signifying the sizing up of bureaucrats. He presented a book on agriculture to teach basic production. The emperor was very pleased and issued an order making the second day of the second month, the third day of the third month, and the ninth day of the ninth month three official holidays, when everyone was to be given a bonus of a string of a thousand cash and invited to a banquet.

In the eighth month of 788, the sun eclipsed the two stars associated with literature and culture. Bi said, “Those stars govern maps and books; among the great ministers there will be someone aggrieved. Since I’m both a managing minister and a scholar, it must be me.” The next year, as it turned out, he died.

Bi had free access to the imperial palace, and he worked for four emperors, so he was the object of the jealousy of crafty sycophants numerous times, yet he always escaped by his wits. Moreover, time and again there were factional plots, of which he was able to alert the emperor, and he also improved and enlightened government himself. The restoration of the two capitals praised by historian Liu Bi was due in large part to the planning of Li Bi; his contribution was even greater than Lu Lian’s(79) and Fan Li’s.

67. Zhang Jiuling (678–740) was a scholar and poet who held a number of high positions under the Tang dynasty, including director of the Secretariat and grand councillor.

68. Cui Yuan was a regional inspector and officer of the Secretariat under Emperor Suzong (r. 756–762).

69. Li Fuguo (704–762) was a eunuch who held high offices in the department of the military under Emperor Suzong.

70. Lu Qi was prime minister under Emperor Dezong, who is faulted for judging people on appearances.

71. This refers to a rebellion of regional authorities. The Jianzhong era lasted from 780 to 784.

72. Li Kui (711–784) held numerous offices under the Tang dynasty, including commissioner for entry into alliance with Tufan. Tufan was a Tibetan state considered a major threat to Tang dynasty China.

73. Yan Zhenqing (709–785) commanded several successful battles against the rebel An Lushan and served in a number of posts under the Tang dynasty, including minister of works and minister of justice. When Li Xilie rebelled, Lu Qi sent Yan to negotiate a surrender, intending to encompass Yan’s death. Yan stood up to Li’s threats and won the latter’s respect. Yan was later assassinated.

74. Yang Yan (727–781) was briefly a minister of state for Emperor Dezong. He is noted for reforming the tax system.

75. Guan Bo held many posts under the Tang dynasty. He is said to have been promoted for prime minister by Lu Qi because the latter considered him easy to control.

76. A regional inspector.

77. A famous prognosticator.

78. On this occasion the emperor customarily gave a banquet for the ministers of state.

79. That is, Lu Zhonglian.