User:Lds/Sandbox/Zhuge Liang quotes

This article contains a collection of selected writings (official statements, published orders, etc.) and quotes from Zhuge Liang (181–234), a Chinese statesman, strategist, scholar and inventor who lived through the end of the Eastern Han dynasty (c. 184–220) and the early to mid-Three Kingdoms period (220–280) of China.

Quotes (written)

214

• "Mengqi is proficient in both civil and military affairs. He is fierce and mighty, and a hero of his time. He is comparable to Qing Bu and Peng Yue. He can compete with Yide, but is not as good as the peerless beard."

• A letter in response to Guan Yu's question on who could compete with Ma Chao

223

• "In the past, Xiang Yu lacked virtue even though he dominated Huaxia and had the might of an emperor. His downfall has served as a cautionary tale for generations. Wei did not learn from this example and has followed in his footsteps. Even if (Cao Cao) were lucky enough to live long, his descendants cannot avoid their eventual doom. Many of those who asked me to surrender to Wei are already in their old age, yet they decide to serve an illegitimate ruler. This is just like how (Chen) Chong and (Sun) Song fawned on (Wang) Mang and supported him in usurping the throne, only to end up seeking their deaths. When Emperor Guangwu was conquering the Empire, he defeated an enemy force of 400,000 in the outskirts of Kunyang with only a few thousand men. This shows that numbers do not determine victory or defeat in a battle between good and evil. The cunning (Cao Cao) led an army of 100,000 to fight (Liu Bei) and attempted to save Zhang He at Yangping, yet he ended up retreating in failure, bringing shame upon his mighty army, and losing Hanzhong. Only then did he realise that the Divine Vessel is not something to be taken at one's pleasure. On the journey back, he fell sick and died. (Cao Pi) showed his arrogance, extravagance and evilness when he usurped the throne. Even if they (those who asked me to surrender to Wei) are as eloquent and persuasive as Su (Qin) and Zhang (Yi), they cannot besmirch the good name of Emperor Tang (Yao) and mischaracterise Yu. They will only be wasting ink. Righteous men and junzis will not do (what they are doing). The Military Commandments stated: 'One is invincible with an army of 10,000 men willing to die.' If, in the past, Xuanyuan can defeat his rivals and conquer the Empire with only a few tens of thousands of troops, then all the more we are invincible with our hundreds of thousands of troops and our position on the moral high ground."

• A memo called Zheng Yi (正議) written by Zhuge Liang in response to letters from various Wei officials – including Hua Xin, Wang Lang, Chen Qun, Xu Zhi (許芝) and Zhuge Zhang (諸葛璋) – asking him to surrender to Wei and make Shu a vassal state under Wei.

225

• "We heard that Gao Ding has lost his base and his family have been captured. He is at his wits' end, so he is expected to surrender so that he may live. In contrast, the barbarians still think of rebelling, and they have committed murder to prove their allegiance and gathered over 2,000 men to prepare for a fight to the death."

• A report submitted by Zhuge Liang during the Southern Campaign.

• "Lü Kai, Wang Kang and other officials in Yongchang Commandery maintained their loyalty towards the State despite being stuck in a remote location for over 10 years. When Yong Kai and Gao Ding started rebellions in the northeast, Lü Kai and the others stood by their allegiance to the State and refused to have any dealings with the rebels. I am so surprised that there exists such a culture of loyalty and righteousness here in Yongchang."

• A memorial submitted by Zhuge Liang after arriving in Yongchang Commandery during the Southern Campaign.

227

• "Your subject, Liang, says: The Late Emperor had yet to complete his great task when he passed away. This is a critical moment, now that the Empire is divided into three and Yi Province is in dire straits. However, the ministers in the capital are not disheartened, and the loyal warriors outside the capital do not fear death. This is because they remember the generous treatment they received from the Late Emperor, and they wish to repay his kindness by serving Your Majesty well. Your Majesty should welcome their views and opinions, promote the virtues of the Late Emperor, inspire those with lofty ambitions, and should not look down on yourself or make inappropriate remarks that would discourage people from giving good advice.

Regardless of whether they serve in the Palace or in the Chancellor's Office, all officials are servants of the state. Therefore, they should all be treated equally in terms of rewards and punishments. Any person who has committed a crime, or has done something beneficial to the state, should be handed over to the appropriate authority, who will make the decision on what punishment or reward to be given out. This will exemplify Your Majesty as a wise and just ruler. Your Majesty should not show any form of bias or favouritism, as this will distort the principles of fairness.

Palace Attendant Guo Youzhi, Fei Yi, and Dong Yun are examples of good and trustworthy ministers. They are loyal and faithful, which was why the Late Emperor selected them to assist Your Majesty. I feel that Your Majesty should discuss all major and minor state affairs with them before implementing any policies, because this will help to cover up flaws and achieve greater efficiency.

General Xiang Chong is of good character and is versed in military affairs. When he was given responsibilities in the past, the Late Emperor praised him as a capable person, so everyone nominated him to be a Chief Controller. I feel that Your Majesty should discuss all military affairs with him, as this will lead to greater harmony within the armies, and every person will be properly allocated based on his talent.

The Former Han dynasty prospered because the rulers favoured virtuous ministers and alienated petty and corrupt officials; the Later Han dynasty declined because the rulers favoured petty and corrupt officials and alienated virtuous ministers. When the Late Emperor was still living, he would often discuss these topics with me, and he expressed grief and regret when we spoke of Huan and Ling. The Palace Attendants, Masters of Writing, Chief Clerks, and Army Advisers are all loyal and capable subjects who are willing to die for Your Majesty. I hope that Your Majesty will be close to them and will place your faith in them. In this way, the Han dynasty will be revived very soon.

I was of humble origin, and used to lead the life of a peasant in Nanyang. In those days, I only hoped to survive in such a chaotic era, and did not aspire to become famous among nobles and aristocrats. The Late Emperor did not look down on me because of my background; he lowered himself and visited me thrice in the thatched cottage, where he consulted me on the affairs of our time. I was very deeply touched, so I promised to do my best for the Late Emperor. We encountered hard times and setbacks later. I was given heavy responsibilities when we were facing military defeats; I received important duties in dangerous and difficult situations. It has been 21 years since then.

The Late Emperor knew that I am cautious and prudent, so before he passed away, he entrusted me with the duty to complete his great task. Ever since I received that heavy responsibility, I have been feeling uneasy day and night, because I fear that I may not accomplish the task well and will tarnish the Late Emperor's judgment and faith in me. In the fifth month, I crossed the Lu and entered barren and treacherous lands. Now that the rebellions in the south have been pacified and we have sufficient military resources, it is time to increase the troops' morale and lead them north to reclaim the Central Plains. I only hope to use the best of my ability to eliminate our evil enemies, to restore the Han dynasty, and to return to the old capital. This is my duty: to repay the Late Emperor's kindness and to display my loyalty to Your Majesty. The responsibilities of Guo Youzhi, Fei Yi, Dong Yun and others are to assist Your Majesty in administrating state affairs and to provide good advice.

I hope that Your Majesty will task me the mission of eliminating the villains and restoring the Han dynasty. If I fail, Your Majesty should punish me in order to answer to the Late Emperor's spirit. If Your Majesty does not receive honest and loyal advice, please punish Guo Youzhi, Fei Yi and Dong Yun for not performing their duties well, so as to highlight their mistakes. Your Majesty should also make plans for yourself, search for the best way to govern the state, and accept good advice. I feel very honoured and grateful to be able to pursue the Late Emperor's final wish.

I am going to leave Your Majesty soon. Now, as I read this memorial, I am unable to hold back my tears, and I do not know what to say."

• The (Former) Chu Shi Biao, a memorial submitted by Zhuge Liang explaining the reasons for the Shu campaign against Wei and providing personal advice on governance to Liu Shan.

• "I, Your subject, am untalented, yet I undertook a responsibility that I am unworthy of undertaking. I used the imperial flag and axe to command and motivate the armies, but I failed to instil and maintain discipline among the ranks, and failed to be decisive in critical situations, which resulted in (Ma Su) defying orders at Jieting and the carelessness leading to the defeat at Ji Valley. It is my fault as I failed to delegate these tasks to the right persons. I lack wisdom in judging character and lack meticulousness in planning. According to the Spring and Autumn Annals, a military commander should be punished for failure. In this case, I am the one responsible for this failure. I hereby request to be demoted by three grades as punishment for my failure."

• A memorial submitted by Zhuge Liang, taking responsibility for the failure of the first Northern Expedition and requesting to be punished by demotion.

228

• "The Late Emperor considered that the Han and the villains cannot coexist, and that our state cannot be content with just only internal stability, hence he tasked me with attacking the villains. Based on the Late Emperor's assessment of my ability, he already knew that I was weak and not capable of standing against a powerful enemy. However, if we do not attack the enemy, our state will be in greater peril. Should we wait for death or should we take the initiative to attack the enemy? The Late Emperor did not hesitate in entrusting me with this responsibility.

When I first received the task, I was unable to sleep or dine in peace. When I considered attacking the north, I felt that we should pacify the south first. In the fifth month, I crossed the Lu and entered barren and treacherous lands. I had a meal only every two days. This was not because I do not love myself. We cannot hope to be safe by just remaining in Shu, so I have to brave danger to fulfil the Late Emperor's dying wish. However, there are some who argue that this is not the best plan. As of now, the enemy is busy in the west and occupied in the east. According to military strategy, the best time to attack an enemy is when they are tired and weary, and now is the best time for us to launch a swift attack on them.

Please allow me to explain further as follows: Emperor Gao's wisdom can be compared to the radiance of the sun and the moon. His strategists were very learned and far-sighted. However, he still had to go through difficulties and suffer some setbacks before he could achieve peace. As of now, Your Majesty is far from Emperor Gao, your advisers are not comparable to Liang and Ping, and yet Your Majesty intends to employ a long-term strategy to achieve victory and pacify the Empire smoothly. This is the first thing I do not understand. Liu Yao and Wang Lang each controlled provinces and commanderies. When they were discussing strategies to maintain peace, they often claimed to be following the ways of the ancient sages, but they were actually filled with doubts and worries. They were unwilling to go to war year after year, so Sun Ce gradually became more powerful and he eventually conquered Jiangdong. This is the second thing I do not understand. Cao Cao was very intelligent and his expertise in military affairs is comparable to that of Sun and Wu. He faced dangerous and difficult situations in Nanyang, Wuchao, Qilian, Liyang, and Beishan, and nearly lost his life at Tong Pass, but managed to achieve stability for a period of time. I am not very capable, but I still braved danger to bring peace and stability. This is the third thing I do not understand. Cao Cao attacked Chang Ba five times but failed; he attempted to cross the Chao Lake four times but was not successful. He appointed Li Fu as an official but Li Fu plotted against him; he employed Xiahou but Xiahou was defeated and killed in action. The Late Emperor often said that Cao Cao was very capable but he still had his fair share of losses. My ability is poor, so how can I be assured that I will secure victory? This is the fourth thing I do not understand. I have been in Hanzhong for about a year now. During this year, I lost Zhao Yun, Yang Qun, Ma Yu, Yan Zhi, Ding Li, Bai Shou, Liu He, Deng Tong, and over 70 officers in total, as well as many tujiang and wuqian. The cong, sou, qingqiang, sanqi and wuqi, numbering over 1,000, was formed over a period of 10 years by recruiting the best from many places, and not just from only one province or one commandery. A few years from now, we will lose two thirds of what we have now. By then, what do we still have to fight our enemy with? This is the fifth thing I do not understand. Now, our people and our troops are weary, but war cannot cease. War cannot cease. The efforts and amount of resources we pump into an offensive approach towards the enemy are the same as if we were to adopt a defensive strategy and wait for the enemy to attack us. Why do we not attack the enemy now, and instead, pit the strength of our one province against them? This is the sixth thing I do not understand.

War is very unpredictable. When the Late Emperor was defeated in Chu, Cao Cao clapped his hands in joy and claimed that the Empire has been pacified. However, the Late Emperor later allied with Wu and Yue, seized Ba and Shu in the west, and led his forces to attack the north, and Xiahou lost his head. Cao had miscalculated, and it seemed that the great task was about to be completed. However, later, Wu broke the alliance, Guan Yu was destroyed, we suffered losses at Zigui, and Cao Pi declared himself emperor. All things are like that; they are very unpredictable. I can only strive to do my best until I die. My ability is limited and does not permit me to foresee whether the future will be a smooth or an arduous journey, and whether we will succeed or not."

• (Later) Chu Shi Biao, a memorial submitted by Zhuge Liang explaining the reasons for the Shu campaign against Wei.

231

• An official report accusing Li Yan of wrongdoing

• "Since the Late Emperor passed away, all Li Ping did was to promote his family's interests and make some kind gestures from time to time. He only sought fame and self-preservation, and showed no concern for state affairs. When I went on the Northern Expeditions, I asked him if he could help me guard Hanzhong, but he gave excuses and did not want to come to Hanzhong. He then suggested creating a new province out of the five commanderies and nominated himself to be the Inspector of this new Ba Province. Last year, when I was preparing for the Northern Expedition, I asked him again to help me guard Hanzhong, but he told me that Sima Yi was opening a new office in Wei and recruiting employees. I understood what Li Ping was hinting at: he wanted to pressure me into giving him some benefits before I left. I thus wrote a memorial to the imperial court to nominate his son, Li Feng, to take charge of Jiangzhou. I made such an exception and gave him some concessions only because of the circumstances. After Li Ping assumed his new appointment, I entrusted him accordingly with all the responsibilities, both big and small. Even the officials in the imperial court were surprised as to why I was so generous towards him. That was because the State had yet to fulfil its mission and the Han dynasty is in danger, so I thought it would be better to reward and motivate him instead of exposing his flaws. I initially thought that all he wanted was some petty gains and glory to satisfy his ego; little did I expect that he would distort the truth and cover up wrongdoing. If we allow people like him to continue serving in the government, the State will be seeking its doom. This is due to my ignorance and oversight. I shall say no more because it will only increase my feelings of guilt and shame."

• An official report accusing Li Yan (Li Ping) of wrongdoing

Date unknown

• "(I have) 800 mulberry trees and 15 qing of farmland in Chengdu, and my family have more than enough to feed and clothe themselves. When I am away (from Chengdu) on assignment, I do not incur any excess expenses. I depend solely on my official salary for my personal expenses. I do not run any private enterprises to generate additional income. If I have any excess silk and wealth at the time of my death, I would have let Your Majesty down."

• A memorial submitted by Zhuge Liang to Liu Shan

Quotes (spoken)

207

• "Since Dong Zhuo usurped power, many warlords throughout the Empire have risen up, seized and controlled territories.

Cao Cao was inferior to Yuan Shao in terms of fame and military power, yet he managed to defeat Yuan Shao and transform from a weak to a powerful warlord. This was not due to only favourable circumstances, but also human intelligence and wisdom. Now, as Cao Cao leads hundreds of thousands of troops and uses the Emperor's name to command other warlords, you definitely can't compete with him directly.

Sun Quan rules over Jiangdong and his family has controlled the region for three generations. He has geographical advantage, the hearts of the people, and the support of many wise and talented advisers. You should attempt to make contact and form an alliance with him instead of trying to conquer his territories.

As for Jing Province, it has natural geographical barriers such as the Han and Mian rivers in the north, as well as direct access to an abundance of resources from the sea in the south. It is connected to Wu and Kuaiji commanderies in the east, and Ba and Shu commanderies in the west. It is a strategic location in the eyes of military strategists. Its ruler doesn't have the capability to defend it. It is a special gift from Heaven to you, General. Do you, General, have the intention of seizing it?

Yi Province is a geographically strategic location. It has thousands of li of fertile land and has been called a "Country of Heaven". Emperor Gaozu used it as his base when he started conquering the Empire. Liu Zhang is incompetent and weak. He also faces the threat of Zhang Lu in the north. Even though his domain is wealthy and prosperous, he doesn't know how to treasure it. All the talents there hope to serve under a wise ruler.

General, you are not only a member of the imperial clan, but also a man famous throughout the Empire for his integrity and righteousness. You have attracted heroes to aid you, and you seek wise and capable talents like a thirsty man looking for water. If you control Jing and Yi provinces and make use of their strategic geography to defend them well. At the same time, you should foster good relations with the Rong peoples in the west and implement policies to placate and pacify the Yi and Yue peoples in the south. Externally, you should build a strong alliance with Sun Quan; internally, you should reform government and promote civil culture.

When the opportunity arises, you can order one of your senior officers to lead troops from Jing Province to attack Wancheng and Luoyang, while you, General, can personally lead troops out of Yi Province via the Qin Mountains. When you do this, won't the people welcome you and your troops with food and drink? If this really happens, you will be able to fulfil your ambition and the Han dynasty will be revived."

• The Longzhong Plan, presented in 207 when Liu Bei visited and consulted Zhuge Liang at his residence in Longzhong (隆中; west of present-day Xiangyang, Hubei).

208

• "The Empire is in chaos. General, you raised an army and occupied Jiangdong, while (Liu Bei) is gathering forces at the south of the Han River. Both of you are preparing to compete with Cao Cao for control over the Empire. As of now, Cao Cao has eliminated internal threats, more or less stabilised northern China, and led his forces south to occupy Jing Province. The Empire trembles at his might. As the saying goes, 'a hero has no opportunity to show off his abilities'; this is why (Liu Bei) has fled here. I hope that you, General, will carefully assess your strengths and decide your next course of action. If you decide to lead your forces from the Wu and Yue regions to resist central China, you should quickly break ties (with Cao Cao). If you can't resist him, why don't you put down your weapons, remove your armour, and prepare to surrender to the north? General, although on the outside you seem ready to pledge allegiance to Cao Cao, you're actually very undecided on the inside. If you can't be decisive at such a critical moment, doom will befall you very soon!

• The opening remarks made by Zhuge Liang during his meeting with Sun Quan in Chaisang to discuss the formation of the Sun–Liu alliance.

• "Tian Heng was nothing more than a mere warrior from Qi, yet he remained faithful and refused to surrender. Shouldn't we expect more from (Liu Bei), a descendant of the imperial clan of the great Han Empire? His heroism is well-known throughout the Empire and everyone admires him, just like the many rivers eventually leading to the sea. If he fails in his noble mission, that is due to the will of Heaven! Why should he surrender to Cao Cao?"

• Zhuge Liang's response to Sun Quan's question on why Liu Bei did not surrender to Cao Cao.

• "(Liu Bei's) forces may have suffered a defeat at Changban, but now many of his men who were scattered during the battle are returning to him, along with the 10,000 marine troops under Guan Yu. Liu Qi has managed to raise an army of at least 10,000 in Jiangxia. Cao Cao and his forces have come a long way and are exhausted. I heard that his lightly-armed cavalry travelled over 300 li in one night to catch up with (Liu Bei) and attack him. This fits the saying: 'when an arrow fired from a powerful bow reaches its limit, it can't even penetrate a thin piece of cloth made in Lu.' Such a battle should be avoided according to military strategy, which also says that (fighting such a battle) 'will definitely result in defeat for the commander'. The northerners are also not familiar with naval warfare. Although the people in Jing Province have surrendered to Cao Cao, many of them were pressured into doing so and might not be truly loyal to him. Now, if you, General, can send your best officers to lead thousands of troops and work together with (Liu Bei), you'll definitely be able to defeat Cao Cao's forces. Once Cao Cao loses, he'll retreat to the north. By then, Jing Province and Wu will be able to become more powerful, and the tripartite division of the Empire will be complete. The crucial moment between success and failure lies with your decision today."

• Zhuge Liang's response to Sun Quan's question on how Liu Bei could expect to resist Cao Cao in light of his recent defeat at the Battle of Changban.

• "General Sun is a good leader of men. However, from what I observe about his character, he will make good use of my abilities but not to their fullest extent. That is why I don't want to serve under him."

• Zhuge Liang's response to Zhang Zhao when the latter recommended him to switch allegiance from Liu Bei to Sun Quan.

221

• "In the past, when Wu Han, Geng Yan and others first urged Emperor Guangwu to declare himself emperor, Emperor Guangwu declined a total of four times. Geng Chun then told him: 'All the heroes in the Empire look up to you and hope that by following your lead, they will be able to find what they seek. If you don't heed everyone's advice, everyone will seek a new lord and no one will want to follow you anymore.' Emperor Guangwu thought that Geng Chun's words made sense, so he agreed to everyone's wishes and became emperor. As of now, Cao Pi has usurped the Han throne and the Empire lacks a (legitimate) ruler. My King, you're a descendant of the Liu clan and you have imperial blood in you, so it will be legitimate for you to be the Emperor. All your subjects have followed you for a long time and undergone numerous hardships in the hope that they will be able to make achievements like those described by Geng Chun."

• Zhuge Liang's speech to Liu Bei advising him to declare himself emperor.

223

"I'll do my utmost and serve with unwavering loyalty until death!"

• Zhuge Liang's response to Liu Bei when the latter, on his deathbed, gave him permission to take the Shu throne if Liu Shan turned out to be an incompetent ruler.

228

• "Our armies at Mount Qi and Ji Valley together were superior to the enemy in numbers, yet we lost the battles. This wasn't because we had insufficient troops, but rather, it was due to one man. Now, we should reduce the number of troops and officers, instil greater discipline in the military, and reflect on our mistakes, so as to adapt and prepare ourselves for the future. If we can't do this, it won't be helpful even if we have more troops! From today, please raise whatever concerns you may have about the State, and point out my mistakes and flaws. We can then be more decisive and be able to defeat the enemy and move closer towards victory and success."

• Zhuge Liang's after-action review on the first Northern Expedition

Quotes on Zhuge Liang

207

• "What do Confucian academics and common scholars know about current affairs? Only outstanding talents understand current affairs best. In this region, we have Crouching Dragon and Young Phoenix. [...] Zhuge Kongming and Pang Shiyuan."

• Sima Hui's recommending of Zhuge Liang and Pang Tong to Liu Bei

• "This man can only be visited; he cannot be asked to visit (you). General, you will have to lower yourself and visit him in person."

• Xu Shu's reply to Liu Bei when the latter asked him if he could bring Zhuge Liang to meet him

• "Now that I have Kongming, I am like a fish that has found water."

• Liu Bei's response to Guan Yu and Zhang Fei when they initially expressed unhappiness that Liu Bei was getting too close to Zhuge Liang

221

• "I inherited the throne because of a misfortune in my family. I will do my best, refrain from indulgences, and always have the people's interests in mind; I only fear that I cannot bring peace to the people. Alas! (Zhuge) Liang, the Imperial Chancellor, should do his best to understand my well-meaning intentions, tirelessly assist me in overcoming my weaknesses and spreading benevolence, so as to bring light to the Empire. Please strive to do your best!"

• Liu Bei's imperial edict appointing Zhuge Liang as Imperial Chancellor of his Shu Han state

223

• "Sir, you're ten times more talented than Cao Pi. You'll definitely bring peace to the Empire and accomplish our great mission. If my son can be assisted, then assist him; if he turns out to be incompetent, then you may take over the throne."

• Liu Bei's dying words to Zhuge Liang.

• "When you work together with the Imperial Chancellor, you must treat him like your father."

• Liu Bei's dying words to his son, Liu Shan.

274

• "Your subject, Chen Shou, and others say: "When I was a zhuzuolang, Palace Attendant, Supervisor of the Palace Writers and Marquis of Jibei Xun Xu, and Prefect of the Palace Writers and Secondary Marquis He Jiao requested permission for me to collect and compile historical materials on Shu's former Imperial Chancellor Zhuge Liang. Zhuge Liang served in a weak state and took advantage of its geography to hold out until his death. Today, by preserving his literary works and regretting the loss of his works, the Great Jin Empire has displayed its limitless benevolence and goodwill in a way unmatched by any previous dynasty. We have hereby edited out the repetitive parts of his works, arranged them accordingly, and produced a 24-chapter collection. Its table of contents is on the right-hand side.

Zhuge Liang already showed his extraordinary talent and heroic character since he was young. He was eight chi tall and had an impressive appearance. Men of virtue and ambition highly regarded and respected him. During the chaos at the end of the Han dynasty, he followed his cousin-uncle Zhuge Xuan to take shelter in Jing Province, where he led the life of a peasant and never hoped to be famous among nobles and aristocrats. The then General of the Left Liu Bei recognised his talent and visited him thrice in his thatched cottage; Zhuge Liang also sensed that Liu Bei was heroic and extraordinary, so he expressed his loyalty to him. The two of them developed a close relationship. When Emperor Wu of Wei invaded Jing Province, Liu Cong surrendered to him. Liu Bei fell on the losing end and lacked military power, which prevented him from gaining a foothold anywhere. Zhuge Liang, then 27 years old, presented a unique strategy to Liu Bei and personally travelled to Eastern Wu to meet Sun Quan and convince him to help Liu Bei. Sun Quan had all along admired Liu Bei and was even more impressed by Zhuge Liang's brilliance, hence he sent 30,000 troops to assist Liu Bei. With support from Eastern Wu, Liu Bei engaged Emperor Wu of Wei in battle, defeated him, and took advantage of the momentum to conquer the Jiangnan region. Later, Liu Bei headed west and conquered Yi Province. After conquering Yi Province, Liu Bei appointed Zhuge Liang as Military Adviser General. When he declared himself emperor, he appointed Zhuge Liang as his Imperial Chancellor and put him in charge of the Imperial Secretariat. After Liu Bei died, his son Liu Shan became the new emperor. As Liu Shan was too young then, Zhuge Liang took charge of state affairs and made decisions on all policy matters. He rebuilt the alliance with Eastern Wu, pacified the southern commanderies, established a system of laws, and built up a strong military. His inventions were unique and elaborate. The laws were upheld sternly and fairly; those who broke the laws were punished while those who obeyed the laws were rewarded. All officials in Shu did not dare to break the laws and became motivated to work hard and progress. Social order was well-maintained in Shu: the strong did not bully the weak; crime was low; and there was a strong civil culture.

• A memorial submitted by Chen Shou to Emperor Wu of Jin on the 1st day of the 2nd month in the 10th year of the Taishi era (25 March 274).