Zhuo Mao (c. 50 BCE – 28 CE), courtesy name Zikang (子康), was a Chinese official who lived during the late Western Han dynasty and early Eastern Han dynasty.[1] He served as the Grand Tutor (太傅) and was enfeoffed as Marquis of Baode (褒德侯) under Emperor Guangwu of Han. He was from Wan County, Nanyang Commandery (present-day Nanyang, Henan). Highly regarded as a historical model of clean administration, his local rule was characterized by a strict focus on moral governance and Confucian values rather than penal law.[2] He was known for his benevolent and tolerant character and for not competing with others.[3]
Zhuo Mao | |
|---|---|
卓茂 | |
 Qing dynasty painting by Chen Shu depicting Emperor Guangwu of Han conferring honors on Zhuo Mao (褒德侯), in the collection of the Palace Museum, Beijing. | |
| Grand Tutor (太傅) | |
| Marquis of Baode (褒德侯) | |
| In office 25 CE – 28 CE | |
| Monarch | Emperor Guangwu of Han |
| Metropolitan Assistant (京部丞) | |
| In office c. 4 CE – 6 CE | |
| Monarch | Emperor Ping of Han (Wang Mang administration) |
| Magistrate of Mi County (密县令) | |
| In office c. 5 BCE – c. 4 CE | |
| Monarch | Emperor Ai of Han |
| Personal details | |
| Born | c. 50 BCE Wan County, Nanyang Commandery (present-day Nanyang, Henan) |
| Died | 28 CE |
Biography
editZhuo Mao was from Wan County, Nanyang Commandery (present-day Nanyang, Henan). His grandfather and father both served as Commandery Administrators (郡守).[3] During the reign of Emperor Yuan of Han, Zhuo Mao studied at the Imperial Academy (太学) in Chang'an, where he learned the Book of Songs, Book of Rites, calendrical science, and arithmetic.
During his service as a clerk in the chancellor's office, a man mistakenly believed that Zhuo Mao's horse was his own lost horse. When Zhuo Mao asked how long the horse had been missing, the man replied that it had been over a month. Zhuo Mao had used the horse for several years and knew the man was mistaken, but he still allowed him to take it. Later, the man found his own horse and went to the chancellor's office to thank Zhuo Mao.
While serving as a Gentleman Attendant (侍郎), a man reluctantly offered rice and meat to a Village Head (亭长). He later felt uneasy, believing that under good governance, the people should not fear officials, and officials should not take goods from the people. He reported this to Zhuo Mao. Zhuo Mao replied that exchanging gifts was a matter of social courtesy. The man objected, citing legal prohibitions, but Zhuo Mao argued that governing through ritual and governing through law were different, and that laws should not be applied rigidly without context.
As magistrate of Mi County (密县), Henan (present-day Xinmi, Henan)[4], Zhuo Mao governed with great moral influence[5][6], and it was said that people would not pick up lost items on the road. His administration was reportedly so effective[7], that during a locust plague which devastated more than twenty counties in Henan, Mi County alone remained unaffected.[8][9][2]
Wang Mang’s Administration
editIn 4 CE, while Wang Mang was serving as the de facto regent of the Han court, Zhuo Mao was promoted to the capital as a Metropolitan Assistant (京部丞) under the Ministry of Agriculture.[3] When he left Mi County to take up his new post in Chang'an, local residents of all ages wept openly along the roads as he departed.[4]
In 6 CE, after Wang Mang's usurpation, Zhuo Mao immediately resigned from his official position, using illness as justification to return to his home commandery.[10]
Eastern Han Dynasty
editDuring the reign of Emperor Gengshi, Zhuo Mao was summoned to serve as Gentleman Consultant (侍中祭酒). In his seventies, he traveled to Chang'an, but upon witnessing the disorder of the time, he retired due to age.
In the first year of the Jianwu era (25 CE), Emperor Guangwu of Han sought out Zhuo Mao to signal a cultural restoration of Confucian ethics in the newly established Eastern Han dynasty.[10] Zhuo Mao met him at Heyang. In the ninth month of Jianwu 1, on the “甲申” day, he was appointed Grand Tutor (太傅) and enfeoffed as the Marquis of Baode (褒德侯), a title meaning "Marquis of Bestowed Virtue", yielding a fief of 2,000 households.[11][12]
Death
editZhuo Mao died in 28 CE. He was given a state funeral, and Emperor Guangwu personally attended the burial in mourning attire. His son Zhuo Chong later served as Minister of Agriculture (大司农) and was enfeoffed Marquis Fanxiang (汎乡侯).[13]
In 60 CE, Emperor Ming of the Eastern Han dynasty honored him by hanging his portrait together with the 28 generals of the Cloud Terrace (雲台二十八將).[10]
Family
edit| Zhuo Mao Marquis Baode | |||||||||||||||||||||
| Zhuo Rong | Zhuo Chong Minister of Agriculture, Marquis Fanxiang | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Zhuo Chen Marquis Fanxiang | |||||||||||||||||||||
| Zhuo Xin Marquis Fanxiang | |||||||||||||||||||||
| Zhuo Long Marquis Fanxiang | |||||||||||||||||||||
References
edit- ↑ 甘懷真，《士与汉代文化抟成研究—儒学与两汉政治》，国立台湾大学出版中心，2015年，第167页。
- 1 2 《中原文物》编辑部，“卓茂在密县的清廉治理与道德遗产”，《文物期刊》，2019年第4期，第45–48页。
- 1 2 3 《后汉书·卷二十五·卓鲁魏刘列传第十五》
- 1 2 ［东汉］刘珍等，《东观汉记校注》，吴树平校注，北京：中华书局，2008年。
- ↑ 钱时，《两汉笔记》.
- ↑ 《震川先生制科文》.
- ↑ 《全唐诗·卷六百零二》
- ↑ 田艺景，《中国古代“飞蝗避境”现象记载与史家观念演变》，《深圳大学学报（人文社科版）》，2021年第1期，第18–21页。
- ↑ "後漢演義/第017回". Wikisource (in Chinese). Retrieved 14 June 2026.
- 1 2 3 《资治通鉴·卷四十四·汉纪三十六》
- ↑ 《后汉书·光武帝纪》
- ↑ ［清］严可均 编，《全后汉文·卷五·光武帝·以卓茂为太傅封裦德侯诏》。
- ↑ 新密发现汉代卓茂墓. 中国文物网; 人民网河南频道.
Further reading
edit- Zhang Yuan. “Honouring Virtuous Officials in the Early Founding Period.” Teaching History Project, National Tsing Hua University. Original link Archived 2012-06-19 at the Wayback Machine