University of Virginia Library

Emperor Ch'eng's personal character

In his personal character, Emperor Ch'eng was dignified, kindly,
affectionate, gentle, and docile. In the spirit of "yielding to others,"
he allowed his mother and uncles to control the government; his kindliness
and timidity prevented him from punishing their derelictions. He
became a heavy drinker and spent much time in banqueting, drinking,
watching dances, and other forms of sport. In the earlier part of his
reign, Emperor Ch'eng was inclined to the study of the classics, and had
two Confucian authorities, Chen K'uan-chung and Chang Yü3, expound
the classics in a hall at the palace. Certain of the imperial attendants,
such as Pan Po, another great-uncle of Pan Ku, were ordered also to study
with these scholars. This amusement, however, palled upon the Emperor
after some years, and he stopped studying.

In 20 B.C., a favorite nobleman, Chang Fang, whose mother was the
Emperor's aunt and who had married a sister of the Empress née Hsü,
invented a new amusement—Emperor Ch'eng went out incognito, like
a mere noble, with a following consisting of only a dozen persons, calling

himself a member of Chang Fang's household. He thus attended cockfights
and horse-races. The Emperor's mother became worried, and at
last made him send Chang Fang away to the border, urging her son to
associate more with Confucians like Pan Po, who warned against intoxication.
Emperor Ch'eng then revived his love for learning. He remained,
however, the dilettante, seeking amusement in Confucian studies just as
he had in horse-racing.