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The Wang clan controls the government. Their deeds

Just as Emperor Yüan had put his maternal relatives into control
of the government, so Emperor Ch'eng promptly put his mother's
relatives into the dominating positions. Wang Feng, the eldest brother
of his mother, was made Commander-in-chief, General-in-chief, and
Intendant of the Affairs of the Masters of Writing and an associate
of Hsü Chia, who had been Commander-in-chief and General of Chariots
and Cavalry for seven years previously. Hsü Chia was the father of
Emperor Ch'eng's first Empress and a maternal uncle of Emperor Yüan.
Wang Feng's concurrent titles were higher than those of Hsü Chia, and,
in three years, the latter retired because of age, after which Wang Feng
alone controlled the government.

The dominating position in the government became again, as previously
in the time of Emperors Chao and Hsüan, the Intendant of Affairs
of the Masters of Writing. In 29 B.C., the eunuch office of Palace
Writer was abolished. As Intendant, Wang Feng could determine
what matters came to the attention of the Emperor, who was supposed
to ratify all important appointments and enactments. When Wang
Shang1a (a different person from the Wang Shang1b, who was a brother
of Wang Feng) was Lieutenant Chancellor and accused a Grand Administrator
of crime, his memorial was suppressed by Wang Feng, so
that nothing could be done. Wang Feng soon had Wang Shang1a
dismissed (cf. 82: 2a). Emperor Ch'eng was young and deferred to his
uncle, who watched over the Emperor's every action. When the famous
scholar, Liu Hsin1a, was first presented to the Emperor, the latter was
delighted and wanted to make Liu Hsin1a a Regular Palace Attendant.
Just as he was about to be installed, one of the Emperor's entourage
told the Emperor that he should first consult Wang Feng. Emperor
Ch'eng wanted impatiently to proceed with the installation, but Wang
Feng's man insisted, and Emperor Ch'eng communicated with Wang
Feng. When the latter refused permission, the matter was dropped.
Thus Wang Feng dominated the government both through his position
and by his ascendency over his imperial nephew. He came to be cordially
hated by many in the court.

In order to prevent the domination of the government by a single

person, two Intendants of Affairs of the Masters of Writing had been
created. Chang Yü3, a Confucian scholar and Erudit, who had been
Emperor Ch'eng's teacher and was later made Lieutenant Chancellor,
had been made Intendant along with Wang Feng. The Confucian
scholar, however, feared the power of Wang Feng, and several times
pronounced himself ill and asked to resign. This permission was refused,
and he was not allowed to resign until 20 B.C., when he was retired on
account of age. The Confucian could not hold his own against the
Emperor's close relative.

Wang Feng's power did not go unchallenged; in 25 B.C., Wang Chang,
an outspoken official, in a private audience, took advantage of an eclipse
to tell Emperor Ch'eng that special visitations came because of deeds
done by high officials, and pointed out Wang Feng's derelictions. But
Wang Feng's cousin, Wang Yin, who was concealed and listening to the
conversation, reported the matter to Wang Feng. The latter promptly
pronounced himself ill, retired to his residence, and asked to retire on
account of age. When Emperor Ch'eng's mother heard of it, she wept
and refused to eat. Emperor Ch'eng was to kind-hearted to hurt his
mother or had become accustomed to be dominated by her; he had also
come to rely upon his uncle and found he could not do without him, so
he replied that Wang Feng should arise and do his best. Later the
latter had a Master of Writing memorialize Wang Chang's offenses; he
was sent to prison, where he died, and his family was exiled. Thereafter
the power of Wang Feng remained unchallenged. He chose the
incumbents of all the positions in the government and filled the bureaucracy
with his adherents.

Before Wang Feng died in 22 B.C., Emperor Ch'eng came to see him
and promised to make Wang Feng's brother the next Commander-inchief.
Wang Feng, however, recommended Wang Yin. The latter was
accordingly made Commander-in-chief, General of Chariots and Cavalry,
and Intendant of Affairs of the Masters of Writing. Hsieh Hsüan, who
later became Lieutenant Chancellor, was also made Intendant.

The Wang clan thus rose from obscurity to the control of the empire
because one girl of the clan had happened to give birth to the Emperor.
Eight members of the clan had already been made marquises; two more
were later also enfeoffed. Members of the clan vied with one another in
extravagance. They had several dozen women in their harems, hundreds
or thousands of slaves, musicians, singers, dogs, and horses. Their
residences were large and contained earthen hills, cave gates, high
pavilions, passage-ways, etc. Wang Shang1b, a brother of Wang Feng,
borrowed from Emperor Ch'eng the Ming-kuang Palace, north of Ch'ang-lo

Palace in Ch'ang-an, in order to live in it to escape the heat of summer.
He had the city-wall of Ch'ang-an pierced, in order to let the Feng River
into his residence, where he made a large pond. On his boat he had
feather coverings and curtains all around; his oarsmen sang songs of
Yüeh as they rowed. When Emperor Ch'eng visited Wang Shang's
residence and saw the pierced city-wall, he was displeased, but said
nothing. Later he saw the earthen hill in the park of Wang Feng's
residence, and became angry. These deeds violated imperial prerogatives.
He was told that another brother, Wang Li5, sheltered guests in
his house who made a practise of robbery. Emperor Ch'eng reprimanded
Wang Yin; the brothers, Wang Shang, Wang Li5, and Wang Ken, came
to the Emperor carrying axes and headsman's blocks on their backs,
begging pardon for their crimes. Again the kind-hearted and timid
Emperor could not bear to execute them or make them suffer, so they
escaped punishment.

When Wang Yin died in 15 B.C., his position was given to Wang Shang1b,
the eldest living brother of Wang Feng. He was made Commander-inchief,
General of the Guard, and Intendant of Affairs of the Masters of
Writing. When he died in 11 B.C., his next younger brother, Wang Li5,
was in line for the vacancy, but he had committed a crime, so Wang Li5
was passed over and his next younger brother, Wang Ken, was made
Commander-in-chief, General of Agile Cavalry, and Intendant of Affairs
of the Masters of Writing. He controlled the government for the next
five years.