Fixing the Stations of the Crown Prince and the Princes太子諸王定分第九
貞觀七年，授吳王恪齊州都督。太宗謂侍臣曰：「父子之情，豈不欲常相見耶！但家國事殊，須出作藩屏。且令其早有定分，絕覬覦之心，我百年後，使其兄弟無危亡之患也。」
In the seventh year of Zhenguan, Li Ke, the prince of Wu, was given the post of governor-general of Qizhou. Taizong said to the ministers in attendance:
"In the feeling between father and son, how should I not wish to see him always? But the affairs of a household and of a state are different things, and he must go out and be a hedge. Besides, if I let him have his settled portion early and cut off any covetous heart in him, then a hundred years after me his brothers will have no fear of danger and ruin."
貞觀十一年，侍御史馬周上疏曰：「漢、晉以來，諸王皆為樹置失宜，不預立定分，以至於滅亡。人主熟知其然，但溺於私愛，故前車既覆而後車不改轍也。今諸王承寵遇之恩有過厚者，臣之愚慮，不惟慮其恃恩驕矜也。昔魏武帝寵樹陳思，及文帝即位，防守禁閉，有同獄囚，以先帝加恩太多，故嗣王從而畏之也。此則武帝之寵陳思，適所以苦之也。且帝子何患不富貴，身食大國，封戶不少，好衣美食之外，更何所須？而每年別加優賜，會無紀極。俚語曰：『貧不學儉，富不學奢。』言自然也。今陛下以大聖創業，豈惟處置見在子弟而已，當須制長久之法，使萬代遵行。」疏奏，太宗甚嘉之，賜物百段。
In the eleventh year of Zhenguan, Ma Zhou, the attending censor, sent up a memorial:
"From the Han and the Jin onward, the princes were all set up in ways that missed what was fitting, and no settled portion was fixed for them beforehand, and so it came to ruin and destruction. Rulers know well that this is so, and yet they sink into private affection, and thus, though the cart in front has already turned over, the cart behind does not change its ruts.
"Now among the princes there are some who receive the grace of your favor and regard too thickly. Your servant's foolish worry does not stop at worrying that they will trust in that grace and grow arrogant. Long ago Emperor Wu of Wei favored and set up the prince of Chensi, and when Emperor Wen came to the throne he guarded and shut him in so that he was like a prisoner in jail. Because the former emperor had added grace to him too greatly, the heir king followed from that and feared him. So Emperor Wu's favoring of the prince of Chensi was just the thing that brought him pain.
"Besides, why should an emperor's son fear that he will not be rich and honored? His person feeds on a great state and the households of his fief are not few, and beyond fine clothes and good food what more does he need? Yet every year further generous grants are added, and in the end there is no limit to it. A common saying has it, 'The poor do not learn frugality, and the rich do not learn extravagance.' This says that it comes of itself.
"Now Your Majesty has founded the work in great sagehood. How should it stop at settling the sons and younger brothers who are here today? You should make a law for the long term, so that ten thousand generations follow and carry it out."
When the memorial was submitted, Taizong thought very well of it and granted him a hundred lengths of goods.
貞觀十三年，諫議大夫褚遂良以每日特給魏王泰府料物，有逾於皇太子，上疏諫曰：「昔聖人制禮，尊嫡卑庶。謂之儲君，道亞霄極，甚為崇重，用物不計，泉貨財帛，與王者共之。庶子體卑，不得為例，所以塞嫌疑之漸，除禍亂之源。而先王必本於人情，然後制法，知有國家，必有嫡庶。然庶子雖愛，不得超越嫡子，正禮特須尊崇。如不能明立定分，遂使當親者疏，當尊者卑，則佞巧之徒，乘機而動，私恩害公，或至亂國。伏惟陛下功超萬古，道冠百王，發施號令，為世作法。一日萬幾或未盡美，臣職諫諍，無容靜默。伏見儲君料物，翻少魏王，朝野見聞，不以為是。《傳》曰：『臣聞愛子教以義方。』忠、孝、恭、儉，義方之謂。昔漢竇太後及景帝並不識義方之理，遂驕恣梁孝王，封四十餘城，苑方三百里，大營宮室，復道彌望，積財鏹巨萬計，出警入蹕，小不得意，發病而死。宣帝亦驕恣淮陽王，幾至於敗，賴其輔以退讓之臣，僅乃獲免。且魏王既新出閤，伏願恒存禮訓，妙擇師傅，示其成敗；既敦之以節儉，又勸之以文學。惟忠惟孝，因而獎之道德齊禮，乃為良器。此所謂聖人之教，不肅而成者也。」太宗深納其言。
In the thirteenth year of Zhenguan, Chu Suiliang, the grand counselor of remonstrance, saw that the stores given each day as a special grant to the household of Li Tai, the prince of Wei, went beyond those of the heir apparent, and sent up a memorial of remonstrance:
"When the sages of old made the rites, they raised the son of the principal wife high and set the sons of concubines low. He who is called the ruler in waiting stands next in his way to the very edge of heaven; he is held most lofty and weighty, the goods he uses are not counted, and coin and wealth and silk he shares with the king himself. A son of a concubine is low in his person and cannot be made a precedent for this, and by that means the first shoots of suspicion are blocked and the root of calamity and disorder removed. Yet the former kings always founded their laws on human feeling, for they knew that where there is a state there must be principal sons and sons of concubines. So, dearly as a son of a concubine may be loved, he cannot overstep the principal son, and the correct rite must be honored above all.
"If the settled portion cannot be plainly fixed, so that the one who should be near grows distant and the one who should be high is set low, then the flattering and the crafty will take their chance and move, and private favor will harm the public good, and it may come even to throwing the state into disorder.
"Prostrate, your servant considers that Your Majesty's merit goes beyond ten thousand ages and your way stands first among a hundred kings, so that when you issue a command it becomes the law of the age. If among the ten thousand hints of a single day there is one that has not reached what is beautiful, your servant's office is to remonstrate and he cannot be silent. Prostrate, your servant sees that the stores of the ruler in waiting are on the contrary fewer than the prince of Wei's, and court and country hear of it and do not think it right.
"The Zuo Commentary says, 'Your servant has heard that one who loves his son teaches him by the way of righteousness.' Loyalty, filial piety, reverence and frugality are what the way of righteousness means. Long ago Empress Dowager Dou of the Han and Emperor Jing both failed to understand the principle of the way of righteousness, and so they made King Xiao of Liang arrogant and unbridled. They enfeoffed him with more than forty walled towns; his park was three hundred li on a side; he built palace halls on a great scale, with covered walks filling the eye; the wealth he heaped up was counted in the tens of millions; and the road was cleared before him when he went out and swept when he came in. Then, when a small thing did not go as he wished, he fell ill and died. Emperor Xuan too made the prince of Huaiyang arrogant and unbridled, and it nearly came to ruin; only because he had ministers who yielded and stood back appointed to help him was that barely escaped.
"Besides, the prince of Wei has only now left the inner palace. Prostrate, your servant wishes you always to keep the teaching of the rites before him, and to choose his tutors with fine care and show him what makes a man and what ruins him. Make him thick in thrift and frugality, and urge him on with letters and learning; praise him for loyalty alone and filial piety alone, leading him with virtue and ordering him with the rites, and then he will be a good vessel. This is what is meant by saying that the teaching of a sage is accomplished without severity."
Taizong took his words deeply to heart.
貞觀十六年，太宗謂侍臣曰：「當今國家何事最急？各為我言之。」尚書右仆射高士廉曰：「養百姓最急。」黃門侍郎劉洎曰：「撫四夷急。」中書侍郎岑文本曰：「《傳》稱：『道之以德，齊之以禮。』由斯而言，禮義為急。」諫議大夫褚遂良曰：「即日四方仰德，不敢為非，但太子、諸王，須有定分，陛下宜為萬代法以遺子孫，此最當今日之急。」太宗曰：「此言是也。朕年將五十，已覺衰怠。既以長子守器東宮，諸弟及庶子數將四十，心常憂慮在此耳。但自古嫡庶無良佐，何嘗不傾敗家國。公等為朕搜訪賢德，以輔儲宮，爰及諸王，咸求正士。且官人事王，不宜歲久。歲久則分義情深，非意闚𨵦，多由此作。其王府官寮，勿令過四考。」
In the sixteenth year of Zhenguan, Taizong said to the ministers in attendance:
"What is the most urgent business of the state today? Let each of you tell me."
Gao Shilian, the right vice director of the Department of State, said:
"To nourish the people is most urgent."
Liu Ji, the vice director of the chancellery, said:
"To soothe the barbarians of the four quarters is urgent."
Cen Wenben, the vice director of the Secretariat, said:
"The Commentary says, 'Lead them with virtue and order them with the rites.' Speaking from this, the rites and righteousness are urgent."
Chu Suiliang, the grand counselor of remonstrance, said:
"These days the four quarters look up to your virtue and dare do nothing wrong. Only the heir apparent and the princes must have their settled portions, and Your Majesty ought to make a law for ten thousand generations and hand it down to your sons and grandsons. This is the most urgent business of this day."
Taizong said:
"These words are right. I am nearing fifty in years and already feel myself worn and slack. I have set my eldest son to guard the vessel in the Eastern Palace, and his younger brothers and the sons of my concubines number close to forty, so my heart's constant care is just here. Yet from of old, when principal sons and sons of concubines had no good men to help them, when did they ever fail to topple and ruin a household and a state? Do you seek out and inquire after men of worth and virtue for me, to support the palace of the heir, and for the princes too seek upright gentlemen, every one. Also, it is not fitting that an official serve a prince for many years. When the years grow long, the feeling of portion and duty grows deep, and prying with intentions that should not be is often born of this. Let the officials of a princely household not pass four appraisals."