Youth and officialdom

Sang Hongyang was born in Luoyang, one of the Han dynasty's major commercial centres, to a family of merchants. In his youth, he was known for his mathematical prowess. When Emperor Wu ascended to the throne in 141 BC, Sang came to his notice and was eventually invited to become an Attendant (侍中). This was one way which the Emperor gained and retained talented individuals in the palace, and by which many important officials began their careers. Sang would remain an Attendant for 26 years.

Rise to fame

Sang's skill at economic policy would only come into play during the middle of Emperor Wu's reign. By then, the ongoing campaigns against the Xiongnu had drained the wealth built up by Emperor Wu's predecessors, and the state had entered a financial crisis. In 120 BC, the Minister of Agriculture, Zheng Dangshi (鄭當時), first proposed the idea of state monopolies on iron and salt, recommending two powerful salt and iron magnates to join the government and manage the industry on a national scale. Sang Hongyang was then assigned to aid the magnates in their planning. With the success of the monopolies in improving the empire's financial situation, Sang eventually rose to become Assistant Minister of Agriculture.

As the Assistant Minister, Sang soon implemented several more measures to refill the national coffers. These included an asset tax, payable by artisans, bankers, merchants, and owners of carriages and boats, which was calculated according to the amount of assets. Smallholders only needed to pay half the official rate of tax. At the same time, laws were enacted under which false reporting and concealment of assets was punishable by confiscation of assets and exile to the borders for a year. People were encouraged to report cases of concealment with half the confiscated assets being awarded to the reporters.

Imperial secretary

In 87 BC, Sang Hongyang became the Imperial Secretary (also known as Imperial Counsellor and Grandee Secretary), one of the three most senior posts in government known as the Three Excellencies. In the wake of the death of Emperor Wu and the installation of the child Emperor Zhao of Han in that year, Sang became one of the key politicians during the period of the triumvirate formed by Huo Guang, Jin Midi, and Shangguan Jie. However, Sang was executed in 80 BC by the regent Huo Guang on charges of treason for his alleged involvement in the attempted coup by Liu Dan (劉旦), King of Yan, aimed at taking over the throne of Han and having Huo Guang murdered. As a result, Sang's biography was not included in the Book of Han.

生平

漢景帝五年（前152年？或公元前155年），桑弘羊生於洛陽，父親是洛陽當地商人。桑弘羊十三歲時即因心算天才被漢武帝任用入宮，任侍中。漢武帝時連年征戰，國用不足，元狩三年（前120年），鄭當時推薦桑弘羊與商賈孔僅來處理當時的財政困難，他主持推行鹽、鐵、酒的專賣制度，元鼎二年（前115年），因功升遷為大司農中丞，同年又推行均輸法。

元封元年（前110年），孔僅因反對船車稅而罷鹽鐵丞，由桑弘羊接任治粟都尉，並代理大農令，在中央設平準官，全國各地設鹽鐵官、均輸官，來推行其政策，有效調節各地物資流通，並增加財政收入，因功封左庶長的爵位。後元二年（前87年）二月十二日，武帝病重，立劉弗陵為皇太子。是年二月十三日，詔近臣託孤，加封桑弘羊為御史大夫。

武帝死後，桑弘羊的政策如：算車船、算緡等受到各方「與民爭利」的批評。漢昭帝即位後，在始元六年（前81年），全國各地的賢良文學之士，集於京師， 「問以民所疾苦」，對於桑弘羊的政策加以批判，桑弘羊與他們展開激辯，會議期間由桓寬擔任記錄，「推衍鹽鐵之議，增廣條目，極其論難，著數萬言」，後編纂為《鹽鐵論》。

這場論戰之後，只廢除了酒的專賣，其他政策仍然維持。次年（前80年），他因捲入燕王劉旦及上官桀謀反事而被殺。兒子桑遷逃亡，投靠桑弘羊故屬侯史吳，被捕並處死。侯史吳也因藏庇罪人之罪名被腰斬。

家族

• 父親：桑□

• 母親：□氏

• 妻子：□氏

• 長子：桑遷（元鳳政變被誅），兒媳：□氏