Xiang Lang
Xiang Lang (died 247),[1] courtesy name Juda, was an official and scholar of the state of Shu Han during the Three Kingdoms period of China. He previously served under the warlords Liu Biao and Liu Bei (later the founding emperor of Shu Han) in the late Eastern Han dynasty. In 243, Xiang Lang resigned and spent the remaining years of his life reading, writing, proofreading and editing various classical texts. By the time of his death in 247, he was one of the foremost book collectors of his time and a major source of influence for many later scholars. He was an uncle of the Shu general Xiang Chong.
Xiang Lang | |
|---|---|
向朗 | |
| General of the Left (左將軍) | |
| In office 234 – ? | |
| Monarch | Liu Shan |
| Minister of the Household (光祿勳) | |
| In office ? – 234 | |
| Monarch | Liu Shan |
| Chancellor | Zhuge Liang |
| Chief Clerk to the Imperial Chancellor (丞相長史) | |
| In office ? – 228 | |
| Monarch | Liu Shan |
| Chancellor | Zhuge Liang |
| Colonel of Infantry (步兵校尉) | |
| In office 228 – 233 | |
| Monarch | Liu Shan |
| Chancellor | Zhuge Liang |
| Administrator of Fangling (房陵太守) | |
| In office ? – ? | |
| Administrator of Zangke (牂牁太守) | |
| In office ? – ? | |
| Administrator of Baxi (巴西太守) | |
| In office 214 – ? | |
| Chief of Linju (臨沮長) | |
| In office ? – 208 | |
| Personal details | |
| Born | Unknown Yicheng, Hubei |
| Died | 247[1] |
| Relations |
|
| Children | Xiang Tiao |
| Occupation | Official, scholar |
| Courtesy name | Juda (巨達) |
| Peerage | Marquis of Xianming Village (顯明亭侯) |
Early career
Xiang Lang was from Xiangyang Commandery, Jing Province and was born in Yicheng, Hubei.[2] In his youth, Xiang Lang was a student of Sima Hui alongside Han Song, Pang Tong, Xu Shu and Zhuge Liang. Among them, all were close and friendly.[3] Known for his intelligence, he was appointed as the Chief of Linju County by Liu Biao. Upon Liu Biao's death, Xiang Lang went to serve under Liu Bei.[4]
Service under Liu Bei
After Liu Bei conquered the lands south of the Yangtze River, he put Xiang Lang in charge of all military and civil affairs of Mushan, Yidao, Yiling and Zigui counties. After Liu Bei seized control of Yi Province (covering present-day Sichuan and Chongqing) from Liu Zhang in 214, he appointed Xiang Lang as the Administrator of Baxi Commandery. Later, Xiang Lang was reassigned to serve as the Administrator of Zangke Commandery and then as the Administrator of Fangling Commandery.[5]
Service under Liu Shan
In 223, after Liu Shan succeeded his father Liu Bei as the emperor of Shu, he appointed Xiang Lang as a Colonel of Infantry and as Chief Clerk to the Imperial Chancellor, Zhuge Liang. In 225, when Zhuge Liang led the Shu forces on a campaign to pacify rebellions in the Nanzhong region, he left Xiang Lang in charge of domestic affairs at Shu's imperial capital, Chengdu.[6]
In 228, when Zhuge Liang led Shu forces on the first of a series of campaigns against Shu's rival state, Cao Wei, he brought Xiang Lang along and left him in charge of the Shu base at Hanzhong Commandery. The Shu vanguard, led by Ma Su, suffered a devastating defeat at the Battle of Jieting against Wei forces led by Zhang He. Xiang Lang received news of Ma Su's defeat before Zhuge Liang did, but due to his friendship with Ma Su, he did not report it to Zhuge Liang. Later, after Zhuge Liang found out, he was so furious that he dismissed Xiang Lang and sent him back to Chengdu.[7]
Some years later, Xiang Lang returned to serve in the Shu government as Minister of the Household. In 234, after Zhuge Liang's death, Liu Shan promoted Xiang Lang to the position of General of the Left and enfeoffed him as the Marquis of Xianming Village in recognition of his past contributions.[8]
When he was young, even if he didn't study the fundamentals Xiang Lang did study diligentely through literature and for his ability as an official received many praises. From the moment he was dismissed from his office as Chief Clerk, he observed, traveled and reflected without personnal affairs for almost thirty years.[lower-alpha 1] He concentred his mind and heart on the collection of reccords working assiduously and never slacking. When he was more than eighty years old, still he would check personally each documents and would correct and check any errors from his own hands. He collected many books, volumes and scrolls and at the time disposed of the largest library. He would welcome any guests and would teach and receive many of the later generations but only to debate over ancient principles and not speaking about the current affairs. For this, he was respected from those still in office to those not yet scholars. Whatever the status, all honored him. He died in 247.[10]
Xiàng Tiáo
Xiang Lang's son, Xiàng Tiáo (向條) succeded him and during Shu Han Jingyao's era became Censorate Central Deputy.[11]
The Xiangyang Ji reccords that Xiang Lang last words to his son were :
“The Zhuan teach us that an army overcoming another is thanks to their harmony not their numbers. It says that when Heaven and Earth are joined in harmony then eveything is created, when then ruler and his servants are in harmony then the land is safe, when all in the family untill the most distant relative are in harmony then great entreprise can be made. During period of calm, safety can be obtained and therefore all sages from all time favore it to reach harmony. I'm a mere servant of my state, nothing all but missed my parents and so were raised and educated by my two elder brothers. Thanks to their guidance, my conduct was as such that I wasn't looking to satisfy personal gains or high salary and doing so was safe from stupidity. However now I don't have much but poverty is nothing to worry about for men must sought after harmony, only this is precious. You must follow this conduct![12]
It also states that Xiàng Tiáo courtesy name was Wenbao (文豹) was famous for his wide study and tallented, he later joined the Jin governement as the Administrator of Jiangyang and Major of the South Central Army.[13]
Notes
- Pei Songzhi commented here that Xiang Lang was dismissed for his association with Ma Su from his post as Chief Clerk in 228 then died in 247 hence it should be twenty rather than thirty years and must be an error.[9]
References
- The Sanguozhi mentioned that Xiang Lang died in the 10th year of the Yanxi era (238-257) in Liu Shan's reign. Quote from Sanguozhi vol. 41: (延熈十年卒。)
- (向朗字巨達，襄陽宜城人也。) Sanguozhi vol. 41.
- (襄陽記曰：朗少師事司馬德操，與徐元直、韓德高、龐士元皆親善。) Xiangyang Ji annotation in Sanguozhi vol. 41.
- (荊州牧劉表以為臨沮長。表卒，歸先主。) Sanguozhi vol. 41.
- (先主定江南，使朗督秭歸、夷道、巫（山）、夷陵四縣軍民事。蜀既平，以朗為巴西太守，頃之轉任牂牁，又徙房陵。) Sanguozhi vol. 41.
- (後主踐阼，為步兵校尉，代王連領丞相長史。丞相亮南征，朗留統後事。五年，隨亮漢中。) Sanguozhi vol. 41.
- (朗素與馬謖善，謖逃亡，朗知情不舉，亮恨之，免官還成都。) Sanguozhi vol. 41.
- (數年，為光祿勳，亮卒後徒左將軍，追論舊功，封顯明亭侯，位特進。) Sanguozhi vol. 41.
- (臣松之案：朗坐馬謖免長史，則建興六年中也。朗至延熙十年卒，整二十年耳，此云「三十」，字之誤也。) Pei Songzhi's annotation in Sanguozhi vol. 41.
- (初，朗少時雖涉獵文學，然不治素檢，以吏能見稱。自去長史，優游無事垂三十年，乃更潛心典籍，孜孜不倦。年踰八十，猶手自校書，刊定謬誤，積聚篇卷，於時最多。開門接賓，誘納後進，但講論古義，不干時事，以是見稱。上自執政，下及童冠，皆敬重焉。延熙十年卒。) Sanguozhi vol. 41.
- (先子條嗣，景耀中為御史中丞。) Sanguozhi vol. 41.
- (襄陽記曰：朗遺言戒子曰：「傳稱師克在和不在眾，此言天地和則萬物生，君臣和則國家平，九族和則動得所求，靜得所安，是以聖人守和，以存以亡也。吾，楚國之小子耳，而早喪所天，為二兄所誘養，使其性行不隨祿利以墮。今但貧耳；貧非人患，惟和為貴，汝其勉之！」) Xiangyang Ji annotation in Sanguozhi vol. 41.
- (襄陽記曰：條字文豹，亦博學多識，入晉為江陽太守、南中軍司馬。) Xiangyang Ji annotation in Sanguozhi vol. 41.
- Chen, Shou (3rd century). Records of the Three Kingdoms (Sanguozhi).
- Pei, Songzhi (5th century). Annotations to Records of the Three Kingdoms (Sanguozhi zhu).