Virtue Brings Prosperity, Arrogance Leads to Failure

(Minghui.org) Fu Jian was the third king of the Fu Qin (also called Former Qin) empire in northern China during the Jin Dynasty. According to the book Zizhi Tongjian, Fu “had profound filial piety and was very ambitious from the time he was a child. He was also very knowledgeable and talented.” With faith in both Buddhism and Confucianism, Fu united northern China, where people enjoyed about 20 years of peace after a series of wars.

Brief History of Former Qin

Northern China was divided into 16 kingdoms during the Jin Dynasty. Fu Jian’s grandfather, Fu Hong, established the Former Qin in 351 AD, and he died in 355. During the reign of his grandson Fu Sheng, the brutal king recklessly killed officials who didn’t agree with how he ruled the country. Officials supported Fu Sheng’s cousin Fu Jian to become the new king in 357.

Ruling the Country

At that time, society was in chaos after being at war for a long time. Many officials were corrupt and, together with some nobles and the rich, they suppressed ordinary citizens. To address these issues, Fu Jian assigned Wang Meng and Deng Qiang to investigate as well as punish corrupt officials.

He also sent imperial envoys to survey various places and help the widowed and elderly. Officials with virtue were rewarded and those who mistreated people were disciplined. He promoted agriculture and honored those with abilities and filial piety. Citizens who were treated unfairly could signal with smoke north of the city and Fu would take care of the problem himself.

In addition to fostering agriculture to help people recover from the wars, Fu himself disdained a life of luxury. One year when there was a drought and the harvest was poor, Fu reduced his own meals, suspended singing and dancing, and gave away valuables to generals as well as soldiers. He also told the ladies in the royal court to stop wearing expensive silk clothing and to not make skirts that dragged on the ground, thereby saving fabric. Moreover, Fu worked the land himself, and his wife raised silkworms in the suburb. He also opened up the royal forest and lake to ordinary citizens. The following year, the harvests were bountiful.

Cherishing Virtue

Fu was also known for accepting others’ opinions. According to the Book of Jin, Fu once went to Ye City to hunt. He hunted for over 10 days and still did not want to go home. Wang Luo, the court music official, said to him, “Everyone in the country is counting on Your Majesty. If something happened to you while you were out hunting, what would become of our country and your mother?” Fu knew his behavior was wrong and returned.

After uniting northern China, the country became rich and Fu began to enjoy a life of luxury. His palace, carriage, and household wares were decorated with valuables. The minister Pei Yuanlue said to him, “During the great time of the Yao, Shun, and Zhou Dynasties, the kings were thrifty and their eras lasted a long time. I would hope that Your Majesty would look down upon valuables such as gold and jade so that the general public would also cherish modesty.” Fu gave up his luxurious lifestyle and promoted Pei for his advice.

Because of what Fu did, ordinary people enjoyed a good life. Moral values were promoted and, if someone dropped something on the street and failed to notice it, no one else would take it. According to one folk song at the time, “On the streets of Chang’an (the then-capital, known as Xi’an nowadays), there are poplar and locust trees all over. Outside the royal court, there are beautiful carriages, and inside the royal court, there are trustworthy officials. Many individuals with abilities and wisdom are gathered there to lead and educate ordinary citizens.”

Accepting of Different Ethnic Groups

When Fu first became king, there were 16 kingdoms in northern China with endless conflicts between the different ethnic groups. Fu paid attention to moral values and advised these ethnic groups to live together in peace.

Fu Rong, Fu Jian’s younger brother, once suggested to him that he eradicate the family of Murong Wei, king of the Former Yan. Fu Jian replied that it required great moral virtue to understand these issues. He remarked, “In The Book of Songs it says, ‘virtue is light like a feather, but few people are able to lift it and put it on their shoulder.’

“A person of high rank is concerned with stability. Right now the country needs peace, people need to recover, and the different groups need to live in harmony. Following the heavenly law and fostering virtue will help a person avoid disaster. If we can look inward to look for our own wrongdoings, we will not need to worry about trouble coming from the outside.”

Fu not only said those words but also lived by them. He once sent Lu Gang to handle a conflict at Jianzhang Palace. “Those tribes in the west are not civilized. We can defeat them and pardon their officials to show our generosity. We should guide them with principles and laws, instead of endless battles and killing.” In that year, tribes in Yizhou (in today’s Sichuan Province) and other areas sent envoys to give gifts to Fu.

When Fu went to attack the kingdom of Dai, King Tuoba Shiyijian’s son Shiyigui tied up his father to surrender. Considering Shiyigui’s behavior inappropriate, Fu sent him to a remote place, Shu (in today’s Sichuan Province). Noticing that Shiyijian was unaware of manner and principles, Fu enrolled him in the tai xue (Imperial Academy) to be educated.

Wei Chen, a higher official of the Huns, surrendered to Fu and hoped to live in the Former Qin’s territory. Fu agreed, but official Jia Yong sent soldiers to attack them and rob them. Fu demoted Jia and continued to seek peace with Wei. Wei and his clan thus moved and settled in the Former Qin’s territory and sent gifts to the imperial palace.

Arrogance and Failure

After uniting northern China, Fu wanted to occupy southern China as well. But the Jin Dynasty in the south was at peace, with respected officials such as Heng Chong and Xie An. So there was no reason to do so.

Before Wang Meng, an official whom Fu trusted very much, died, he warned Fu, “The Jin Dynasty has inherited the traditions of Chinese history. Right now, we need people to cherish virtue and to befriend other countries. Please do not plan to attack the Jin Dynasty after my death.” Fu’s brother Fu Rong also said that the country had been through so many wars that future conflicts should be avoided.

But Fu did not listen. In 383, he led a cavalry of 270,000 and an infantry of 600,000 to attack the Jin Dynasty. When someone warned him of the danger, Fu replied arrogantly, “The Yangtze River is nothing. With 1,000,000 soldiers, if I gave the order and all the soldiers dropped their whips into the water, they could stop the flow of the Yangtze River!”

Fu’s arrogance and reckless remarks soon took their toll. In November of that year, 5,000 soldiers from the Jin Dynasty successfully raided Fu’s army. Jin soldiers then continued the momentum and completely defeated Fu’s army in the renowned Battle of the Fei River.

After that, Fu and his country lost control. Other kingdoms that had surrendered earlier declared their independence one after another. Fu was executed in 385.

When cherishing virtue and living modesty, Fu was blessed with prosperity. But after he became arrogant and defied the divine, his fall was quick.