After conquering the distant state of Zhongshan, Marquis Wen of Wei knew he needed a trusted man to govern it – so he appointed his crown prince as Marquis of Zhongshan and recalled the capable general Ximen Bao. But rather than reward him with leisure, Marquis Wen sent Ximen Bao to another critical post: Yecheng (Ye City, in modern Linzhang, Hebei).
A troubled frontier city
Strategically nestled between Han to the west (with its stronghold of Shangdang) and Zhao to the north (centered on Handan), Yecheng was vital to Wei’s security. Yet when Ximen Bao arrived, he found a desolate wasteland – fields fallow, streets empty, as if war had just passed through.
Puzzled, he summoned the local elders and asked:
“Why is this place so barren? Are the people suffering?”
Their answer chilled him:
“It’s the River God’s wedding. It’s driving everyone away.”
The cult of the River God
Ximen Bao pressed for details. The elders explained:
“Every year, the River Zhang – which flowed past Ye (Yecheng) – was said to be ruled by the River God, who demanded a young virgin as his bride. If denied, he would unleash floods; if appeased, he granted peace.”
But the ritual was a fraudulent racket:
- A local witch, aided by her female disciples, the village headmen, and corrupt clerks, selected girls – often from poor families.
- Wealthy families could buy their daughters’ freedom; the destitute could not.
- The chosen girl was dressed in finery, placed on a reed boat, and set adrift – to drown.
- The ceremony cost millions of coins, all borne by the common people, but only a fraction went to rituals; the rest lined the conspirators’ pockets.
The elders said,
“Because of this, families with daughters have fled. That’s why Yecheng is empty.”
Ximen Bao listened in silence – then smiled calmly:
“The River God sounds powerful. When’s the next wedding? I’d like to attend – and offer my congratulations.”
The day of reckoning
On the appointed day, thousands gathered by the riverbank. The witch – an old crone with a haggard face – arrived with her disciples, leading a weeping girl of fourteen or fifteen, her makeup streaked with tears.
Ximen Bao inspected her, then declared solemnly:
“This girl isn’t beautiful enough for a god. Witch, please go tell the River God: ‘The magistrate will find a more worthy bride tomorrow.’ Hurry back – I’ll wait.”
Before she could protest, his guards seized her and threw her into the river. She flailed, sank, and vanished.
Silence fell. Only the river murmured.
After a while, Ximen Bao frowned:
“She’s too slow. Send two of her young disciples to fetch her.”
Splash! Splash! Two more were hurled in.
Still no reply from the depths.
“Women are unreliable,” Ximen Bao announced. “Now, let the village headmen – the men who organized this cruelty – go explain themselves to the River God!”
The corrupt officials tried to flee, but the crowd blocked them. One by one, they were dragged to the water and thrown in, screaming as they disappeared.
The people watched – some trembling, some grinning, all spellbound.
Then Ximen Bao turned to the county clerks, who now knelt in terror, banging their foreheads until they bled.
“Is there really a River God?” he thundered. “Have any of you seen him? This witch lied. These men profited from fear. They drowned innocent girls and stole from the poor. Should they not pay with their lives?”
The crowd roared:
“Yes! Throw them in too!”
But Ximen Bao raised his hand.
“The witch is dead. From now on – anyone who speaks of ‘Riber God’s bride’ will be sent to meet him personally!”
Justice and Reform
Ximen Bao confiscated the ill-gotten wealth of the witch and her accomplices and distributed it to the people. Word spread: the curse was broken. Families began returning to Ye.
But Ximen Bao didn’t stop at justice – he brought engineering and order.
He summoned hydraulic engineers, surveyed the land, and led the people in digging twelve irrigation canals that channeled the Zhang River’s waters to the fields.
No longer a source of terror, the river became a lifeline:
- Floods were controlled.
- Droughts eased.
- Wasteland turned to fertile farmland.
- Harvests flourished.
With peace and prosperity restored, Ye thrived – and Wei grew stronger.
Legacy of a just administrator
Ximen Bao’s story – recorded in the Records of the Grand Historian (Shiji) and the Book of Han – became a parable of enlightened governance:
Superstition yields to reason. Corruption falls before courage. And true leadership turns rivers of fear into streams of life.
His name endures not as a warrior, but as a reformer who used wit, authority, and public trust to dismantle evil – and build a better world.
Leave a Reply