During the Han Dynasty, Imperial Judge Zhang Shizhi was renowned throughout the land for his unwavering commitment to justice. One day, as Emperor Wen of Han was parading through the streets, a commoner suddenly dashed out from Beixia Gate and startled the imperial horses. The emperor, furious, ordered the man arrested and handed over to Zhang Shizhi for execution. When Zhang Shizhi questioned the man, the man pleaded, "I was just a commoner, I didn't know the emperor was passing by—I only ran because I was terrified!" Zhang Shizhi then approached the emperor and said, "Your Majesty, according to the law, this man's offense is merely a fine for disturbing the peace. If you execute him, the law will lose its authority." The emperor, still angry, retorted, "This man nearly caused my horses to bolt and could have harmed me! How can you let him off so lightly?" Zhang Shizhi calmly replied, "The law is the foundation of the empire. If the emperor bends it for personal anger, how can the people trust it? I beg you to follow the law." After a long silence, Emperor Wen finally relented and said, "You are right. Let him go." This story illustrates how a principled official can uphold justice even against the emperor's wrath, reminding us that true authority lies in the rule of law, not in the whims of power.
Once, Emperor Wen of Han was on an imperial tour when, as his carriage crossed the Zhongwei Bridge north of Chang'an, a man suddenly dashed out from under the bridge, startling the horses pulling the emperor's chariot. Guards immediately seized him and handed him over to Zhang Shizhi for interrogation.
Zhang Shizhi immediately conducted the interrogation, asking about the situation. The man replied, "I am from Chang'an County, a farmer by trade. Today, I came to the city on business. After hearing the order to clear the road and forbid passage, I hid under the bridge for a long time. Thinking the emperor's procession had passed, I came out, only to run straight into it and fled in terror."
Zhang Shizhi, following the law, fined the man and released him. When Emperor Wen learned of this, he was furious. Zhang Shizhi explained, "The law is the foundation of governing the nation. Judging punishment according to the law is my duty; otherwise, the law cannot earn the people's trust. Your Majesty entrusted me with the trial, and I cannot base my judgment on personal preferences from the throne—I must enforce the law impartially. I ask Your Majesty to see clearly."
Emperor Wen of Han heard of Zhang Shizhi's actions and praised him, acknowledging that Zhang Shizhi had handled the matter correctly.
Soon after, a thief stole a jade cup from the shrine of Emperor Gaozu's temple. After the thief was caught, Zhang Shizhi sentenced him to death according to law. Emperor Wen angrily said, "This thief is lawless, daring to steal artifacts from my late emperor's temple. I find this punishment too lenient; he should be executed along with his entire clan!"
Zhang Shizhi argued in defense, 'According to the law, the death penalty is already the harshest punishment. If we were to execute the thief who stole from the temple and exterminate his entire clan today, then what should be done if someone later takes a handful of soil from the imperial mausoleum? You must understand, stealing from the temple is but a fraction of the crime compared to desecrating the tomb!'
Emperor Wen had no further argument and agreed to Zhang Shizhi's judgment.
Later, the idiom "a handful of yellow earth" came to be used as a metaphor for something extremely insignificant.
Source: *Records of the Grand Historian*, "Biographies of Zhang Shizhi and Feng Tang"
Meaning of the Idiom: Later, the Chinese idiom "一抔黄土" came to describe a handful of yellow earth.