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The form of this Memoir

In its form, the "Memoir of Wang Mang" is that of a sequent memoir
(chuan); its latter portion, since it is the only extensive account in the HS
of these seventeen years, is also an annals for those years.

A typical memoir states first the given name and courtesy name of the

person treated, then recounts his native place and ancestry, including a
notice of those ancestors who were important. If, however, his father
or some antecedent relative has been given a separate memoir, the notice
of his native place and ancestry is omitted in such a sequent memoir.
This section is followed by an account of his education, how he secured
office, what offices he held, his distinguished deeds, his titles, etc. Samples
of his writings are quoted, if they were important or interesting. Somewhere
in the account there is a description of his character (and possibly
of his appearance), preceded by the words, "As a man, ...". The notice
of his death is followed by a similar account of his descendants, if they
were important, and sometimes of other relatives. In general, events are
related chronologically, but there are occasional deviations from that
chronological order, as when an earlier event is recounted in order to
explain or lead up to a later one. (Sometimes in the text there is no
indication of a deviation from the chronological order; it is surprising how
often a proper understanding of the chronology requires the use of the
pluperfect tense).

The account is thoroughly objective; the historian's feelings are rarely
allowed to appear until the end of the chapter, where there is appended a
"eulogy (tsan)", giving the historian's judgment upon the person or
persons considered in the chapter. This eulogy is usually a highly
polished statement, sententious and pregnant. (Later historians, such
as Hsün Yüeh, have not been content with exercising so much self-restraint,
and, while keeping the objective form of the account, they
have introduced at various places in the text a "discussion (lun)" of the
events, criticizing or approving the person or deed under consideration,
sometimes at considerable length. The term "eulogy" is then reserved
for a final polished literary summary.)

A typical annals opens with a brief introductory section, in which are
discussed matters concerning the ruler's childhood and the way he came
to be selected for the throne. The chapter then relates the events during
his reign, by years and months. These recordings are confined to matters
of governmental concern; circumstances concerning the private life of
even the ruler are relegated to the memoirs of the non-imperial individuals
most concerned. Only rarely is there mentioned a matter not of governmental
concern, and then only when it is of great importance. Thus
Pan Ku did not even mention in his "Annals" the famous poet, Szu-ma
Hsiang-ju, although he greatly admired this genius. Matters concerning
legal developments are usually summarized briefly, sometimes with a
reference to the "Treatise on Punishments and Laws." Matters that can
be discussed better in other treatises (chih) or memoirs are similarly dealt
with. Typical and important imperial edicts are quoted. After recounting

the death and burial of the ruler, there is a eulogy, similar to
that in a memoir.

The "Memoir of Wang Mang" is preceded by that of his aunt, the
Grand Empress Dowager nee Wang (ch. 98), in which there is given an
extended account of the Wang clan's ancestry and of the other members
of that important clan. (An abstract of that memoir will be found in the
Glossary.) Consequently, matters concerning Wang Mang's ancestry
and predecessors are to be found in that memoir. His memoir is thus a
sequent one, and omits the features with which a typical memoir begins.
Since it is a memoir, not an annals, Pan Ku does not confine himself to
governmental concerns, and introduces memorials written by Wang Mang
and others. He also relates fully the antecedents of events. The part
of this memoir devoted to the reign of Emperor P'ing is more than twice
as long as the "Annals" of that Emperor.

Pan Ku's problem was how to include properly an account of Wang
Mang's reign in a history of the Han period. Before he wrote the Han-shu,
Pan Ku had prepared an annals for the first of the Later Han emperors,
so that he knew where a history of the Later Han dynasty must
begin. He did not wish to leave unrecorded the two decades between
these two periods. If Wang Mang had been a legitimate emperor, Pan
Ku could have written an annals for his reign, with additional memoirs
treating of his important officials. Since Wang Mang was a usurper,
Pan Ku could not do so. But Wang Mang was a minister to the last
emperor of the Former Han line. So Pan Ku could legitimately write a
memoir for him and could continue this account down to the beginning
of the Later Han period. Thus he cleverly included this interregnal
period in his History of the Former Han Dynasty.

Since this chapter is a memoir, the accounts of Wang Mang's officials
are also included in it and they are not given separate accounts. Thus
this chapter contains almost all the information in the History about
Wang Mang. In addition to what we have here, there is elsewhere material
about this usurper in the "Annals of Emperor P'ing" (with brief
mentions in those of Emperors Ch'eng and Ai), an important section concerning
Wang Mang's economic policies in the "Treatise on Food and
Goods" (translated in Appendix I), and a very short notice of his religious
activities in the "Treatise on the Suburban and Other Sacrifices." The
rebellion of Chai Yi is furthermore treated in detail in this person's
memoir (abstracted in the glossary). Thus this account of Wang Mang
is more rounded than that in other memoirs, in dealing with which it is
necessary, in order to obtain a complete account, to read also the memoirs
of the several participants in the series of events, and supplement them
by the chronology to be found in the imperial annals and the tables,

especially that in part B to the "Table of the Many Offices" (ch. 19).
Hence this chapter dealing with Wang Mang is much longer than an
annals or an ordinary memoir would be—and also much more satisfying.

Because there is no annals for the reign of Wang Mang, the later portion
of this chapter is both an annals and a memoir. A memoir regularly
proceeds chronologically, so that Pan Ku could easily combine these
two forms.

Since this chapter also contains the only account of Wang Mang's
officials, Pan Ku found that he could not end it with the death of the
usurper, for he needed to relate the fate of those officials. Then he also
summarized the subsequent history down to the accession of Emperor
Kuang-wu. This chapter is complicated in its form.

Its division into three parts was probably the work of either Ying Shao
or Yen Shih-ku, who made the divisions in the chapters of the HS. This
division is logical and deserves to stand. Part A deals with the rise of
Wang Mang down to his assumption of the throne in A.D. 9. Part B
pictures him at the height of his power. It relates his extensive changes
in rites and titles and the beginning of his decline. Part C deals with
the collapse of his rule, from A.D. 17 to the end. The chapter is so long
that these divisions have proved useful as well as logical.