1
廢帝殷，字正道，文宣帝之長子也，母曰李皇后。 天保元年，立爲皇太子，時年六歲。 性敏慧。 初學反語，於「跡」字下注云自反。 時侍者未達其故，太子曰：「跡字足傍亦爲跡，豈非自反耶？」 常宴北宮，獨令河間王勿入。 左右問其故，太子曰：「世宗遇賊處，河間王復何宜在此。」 文宣每言太子得漢家性質，不似我，欲廢之，立太原王。 初詔國子博士李寶鼎傅之，寶鼎卒，復詔國子博士邢峙侍講。 太子雖富於春秋，而溫裕開朗，有人君之度，貫綜經業，省覽時政，甚有美名。 七年冬，文宣召朝臣文學者及禮學官於宮宴會，令以經義相質，親自臨聽。 太子手筆措問，在坐莫不歎美。 九年，文宣在晉陽，太子監國，集諸儒講《孝經》。 令楊愔傳旨，謂國子助教許散愁曰：「先生在世何以自資？」 對曰：「散愁自少以來，不登孌童之床，不入季女之室，服膺簡策，不知老之將至。 平生素懷，若斯而已。」 太子曰：「顏子縮屋稱貞，柳下嫗而不亂，未若此翁白首不娶者也。」 乃賚絹百匹。 後文宣登金鳳台，召太子使手刃囚。 太子惻然有難色，再三不斷其首。 文宣怒，親以馬鞭撞太子三下，由是氣悸語吃，精神時復昏擾。
Emperor Fei, whose personal name was Yin and style name Zhengdao, was the eldest son of Emperor Wenxuan. His mother was Empress Li. In the first year of the Tianbao era he was made crown prince, at the age of six. He was quick-witted by nature. When he first studied fanqie phonetic glosses, he annotated the character "trace" as self-referential. The attendants did not understand what he meant, so the crown prince said, "The character for 'trace' has the 'foot' radical on one side and still forms 'trace'—is that not glossing itself by fanqie?" He often gave banquets in the Northern Palace and specifically barred the Prince of Hejian from attending. When his attendants asked why, the crown prince said, "This is where Shizong was killed; the Prince of Hejian has no place here." Emperor Wenxuan often said the crown prince had inherited Han Chinese ways and was nothing like himself; he wanted to depose him and set up the Prince of Taiyuan instead. At first an edict appointed Li Baoding, erudite of the National University, as his tutor. After Baoding died, Xing Zhi, also an erudite of the National University, was ordered to serve as his lecturer. Though still young, the crown prince was gentle, magnanimous, and open in bearing, with the bearing of a true sovereign. He had mastered the classics, kept abreast of current policy, and enjoyed an excellent reputation. In the winter of the seventh year, Emperor Wenxuan summoned literary officials and ritual specialists to a palace banquet, had them debate passages from the classics, and listened in person. The crown prince wrote out questions himself, and everyone present marveled. In the ninth year, while Emperor Wenxuan was at Jinyang, the crown prince acted as regent, gathered the scholars, and expounded the Classic of Filial Piety. He had Yang Yin deliver his message to Xu Sanchou, assistant instructor at the National University: "Sir, how do you occupy yourself in this life?" Xu replied, "From my youth I have never shared a bed with a pretty boy or entered a maiden's room. I have devoted myself to my books and scarcely noticed that old age was upon me. That has been the whole of my life's ambition." The crown prince said, "Yan Hui was praised for chastity though he lived in a hovel, and Liu Xiahui kept his integrity though he shared a blanket with a woman—but neither can match this old man who has never married even to white hair." He then rewarded him with a hundred bolts of silk. Later Emperor Wenxuan went up to the Golden Phoenix Terrace, called the crown prince, and ordered him to execute a prisoner with his own blade. The crown prince looked stricken and hesitated; several times he failed to strike off the man's head. Emperor Wenxuan flew into a rage and personally struck the crown prince three times with his riding crop. From that time on the prince suffered heart palpitations and a stammer, and his mind would sometimes grow confused.
2
十年十月，文宣崩。 癸卯，太子即帝位於晉陽宣德殿，大赦，內外百官普加汎級，亡官失爵，聽復資品。 庚戌，尊皇太后爲太皇太后，皇后爲皇太后。 詔九州軍人七十已上授以板職，武官年六十已上及癃病不堪驅使者，並皆放免。 土木營造金銅鐵諸雜作工，一切停罷。
In the tenth month of the tenth year, Emperor Wenxuan died. On the guimao day the crown prince ascended the throne in the Xuande Hall at Jinyang. He proclaimed a general amnesty, promoted officials throughout the government, and permitted those who had lost rank or title to recover their former status. On the gengxu day he elevated the empress dowager to grand empress dowager and the empress to empress dowager. An edict granted honorary appointments to soldiers aged seventy or older throughout the realm. Military officers sixty or older, and anyone disabled or too ill for duty, were all discharged. All civil engineering and miscellaneous work in gold, bronze, and iron was suspended.
3
十一月乙卯，以右丞相、咸陽王斛律金爲左丞相，以錄尚書事、常山王演爲太傅，以司徒、長廣王湛爲太尉，以司空段韶爲司徒，以平陽王淹爲司空，高陽王湜爲尚書左僕射，河間王孝琬爲司州牧，侍中燕子獻爲右僕射。 戊午，分命使者巡省四方，求政得失，省察風俗，問人疾苦。
In the eleventh month, on the yimao day, Hulu Jin, Prince of Xianyang and right chief minister, was appointed left chief minister; Prince Yan of Changshan, recorder of the Masters of Writing, became grand tutor; Prince Zhan of Changguang, minister over the masses, became grand commandant; Duan Shao, minister of works, became minister over the masses; Prince Yan of Pingyang became minister of works; Prince Shi of Gaoyang became left vice-director of the Masters of Writing; Prince Xiaowan of Hejian became governor of Sizhou; and Yanzi Xian, palace attendant, became right vice-director. On the wuwu day the court sent envoys throughout the realm to inspect government, review local customs, and learn of the people's hardships.
4
十二月戊戌，改封上黨王紹仁爲漁陽王，廣陽王紹義爲范陽王，長樂王紹廉爲隴西王。 是歲，周武成元年。
In the twelfth month, on the wuxu day, Prince Shaoren of Shangdang was re-enfeoffed as Prince of Yuyang, Prince Shaoyi of Guangyang as Prince of Fanyang, and Prince Shaolian of Changle as Prince of Longxi. That year corresponded to the first year of the Wucheng era of Northern Zhou.
5
乾明元年庚辰，春正月癸丑朔，改元。 己未，詔寬徭賦。 癸亥，高陽王湜薨。 是月，車駕至自晉陽。 二月己亥，以太傅、常山王演爲太師、錄尚書事，以太尉、長廣王湛爲大司馬、幷省錄尚書事，以尚書左僕射、平秦王歸彥爲司空，趙郡王叡爲尚書左僕射。 詔諸元良口配沒宮內及賜人者，並放免。 甲辰，帝幸芳林園，親錄囚徒，死罪以下降免各有差。
In Qianming 1, the gengchen year, on guichou, the first day of the first month in spring, the reign era was changed. On jiwei, an edict lightened corvee obligations and taxes. On guihai, Prince Shi of Gaoyang died. That month the emperor returned from Jinyang. In the second month, on jihai, Prince Yan of Changshan, then grand tutor, was appointed grand preceptor and recorder of the Masters of Writing. Prince Zhan of Changguang, then grand commandant, became grand marshal and recorder of the Masters of Writing in the Bingzhou administration. Prince Guiyan of Pingqin, left vice director of the Masters of Writing, became minister of works, and Prince Rui of Zhaojun became left vice director. An edict released all free members of the Yuan clan who had been confiscated into palace service or granted to others. On jiachen, the emperor visited Fanglin Garden and personally reviewed the prisoners. Sentences at the death penalty and below were reduced or remitted by graded degrees.
6
乙巳，太師、常山王演矯詔誅尚書令楊愔、尚書右僕射燕子獻、領軍大將軍可朱渾天和、侍中宋欽道、散騎常侍鄭子默。 戊申，以常山王演爲大丞相、都督中外諸軍、錄尚書事，以大司馬、長廣王湛爲太傅、京畿大都督，以司徒段韶爲大將軍，以前司空、平陽王淹爲太尉，以司空、平秦王歸彥爲司徒，彭城王浟爲尚書令。 又以高麗王世子湯爲使持節、領東夷校尉、遼東郡公、高麗王。 是月，王琳爲陳所敗，蕭莊自拔至和州。
On the yisi day Prince Yan of Changshan, grand preceptor, forged an edict and had executed Yang Yin, director of the Masters of Writing; Yanzi Xian, right vice-director; Kezhuhun Tianhe, commanding general of the palace guards; Song Qindao, palace attendant; and Zheng Zimo, attendant of the scattered cavalry. On the wushen day, Prince Yan of Changshan was appointed grand chief minister, commander of all armies, and recorder of the Masters of Writing. Prince Zhan of Changguang, grand marshal, became grand tutor and metropolitan commander of the capital region. Duan Shao, minister over the masses, became great general; Prince Yan of Pingyang, formerly minister of works, became grand commandant; Prince Guiyan of Pingqin, minister of works, became minister over the masses; and Prince You of Pengcheng became director of the Masters of Writing. Tang, crown prince of Goguryeo, was also appointed bearer of the imperial staff, colonel of the Eastern Yi, Duke of Liaodong commandery, and King of Goguryeo. That month Wang Lin was defeated by Chen forces, and Xiao Zhuang fled on his own to Hezhou.
7
三月甲寅，詔軍國事皆申晉陽，稟大丞相常山王規算。 壬申，封文襄第二子孝珩爲廣甯王，第三子長恭爲蘭陵王。
In the third month, on the jiayin day, an edict declared that all military and civil affairs were to be referred to Jinyang for decision by the grand chief minister, Prince Yan of Changshan. On renshen, Xiaoheng, Wenxiang's second son, was enfeoffed as Prince of Guangning, and Changgong, his third son, as Prince of Lanling.
8
夏四月癸亥，詔河南、定、冀、趙、瀛、滄、南膠、光、青九州，往因螽水，頗傷時稼，遣使分途贍恤。 是月，周明帝崩。
In the fourth month of summer, on the guihai day, an edict to the nine provinces of Henan, Ding, Ji, Zhao, Ying, Cang, Nanjiao, Guang, and Qing noted that locusts and floods had lately damaged the harvest, and dispatched envoys along separate routes to provide relief. That month Emperor Ming of Northern Zhou died.
9
五月壬子，以開府儀同三司劉洪徽爲尚書右僕射。
In the fifth month, on the renzi day, Liu Honghui, holder of the honorific opener of the government with ritual parity of the three excellencies, was appointed right vice-director of the Masters of Writing.
10
秋八月壬午，太皇太后令廢帝爲濟南王，令食一郡，以大丞相、常山王演入纂大統。 是日，王居別宮。 皇建二年九月，殂於晉陽，年十七。
In the eighth month of autumn, on the renwu day, the grand empress dowager deposed Emperor Fei as Prince of Jinan with the income of a single commandery, and installed the grand chief minister, Prince Yan of Changshan, as successor to the throne. That same day the deposed emperor moved to a separate palace. In the ninth month of the second year of the Huangjian era he died at Jinyang, at the age of seventeen.
11
帝聰慧夙成，寬厚仁智，天保間雅有令名。 及承大位，楊愔、燕子獻、宋欽道等同輔。 以常山王地親望重，內外畏服，加以文宣初崩之日，太后本欲立之，故愔等並懷猜忌。 常山王憂悵，乃白太后誅其黨，時平秦王歸彥亦預謀焉。 皇建二年秋，天文告變，歸彥慮有後害，仍白孝昭，以王當咎。 乃遣歸彥馳驛至晉陽宮殺之。 王薨後，孝昭不豫，見文宣爲祟。 孝昭深惡之，厭勝術備設而無益也。 薨三旬而孝昭崩。 大寧二年，葬於武寧之西北，諡閔悼王。 初，文宣命邢卲制帝名殷，字正道，帝從而尤之曰：「殷家弟及，『正』字一止，吾身後兒不得也。」 卲懼，請改焉。 文宣不許曰：「天也。」 因謂孝昭帝曰：「奪但奪，慎勿殺也。」 論曰：濟南繼業，大革其弊，風教粲然，搢紳稱幸。 股肱輔弼，雖懷厥誠，旣不能贊弘道德，和睦親懿，又不能遠慮防身，深謀衛主，應斷不斷，自取其咎。 臣旣誅夷，君壽廢辱，皆任非其器之所致爾。
The emperor showed intelligence early, was generous and humane, and during the Tianbao era enjoyed an excellent reputation. When he came to the throne, Yang Yin, Yanzi Xian, Song Qindao, and others served jointly as his advisers. Prince Yan of Changshan was a close kinsman with formidable prestige, feared and obeyed at court and beyond. Since the empress dowager had originally wanted to enthrone him when Emperor Wenxuan died, Yang Yin and the others all suspected him. Prince Yan of Changshan grew anxious and asked the empress dowager to execute that faction; Prince Guiyan of Pingqin was also involved in the plot. In autumn of Huangjian 2, ominous celestial signs appeared. Guiyan feared future trouble and again told Emperor Xiaozhao that the prince was the one portended by the omen. He therefore sent Guiyan by relay post to Jinyang Palace to kill him. After the prince died, Emperor Xiaozhao fell ill and saw Emperor Wenxuan haunting him as an angry spirit. Xiaozhao was terrified and deployed every rite for suppressing baleful influence, but none helped. Thirty days after the prince died, Emperor Xiaozhao died as well. In Daning 2 he was buried northwest of Wuning and given the posthumous title Prince Mindao. Earlier, Emperor Wenxuan had ordered Xing Shao to devise Yin as the emperor's personal name and Zhengdao as his style. Wenxuan later faulted him for it: "In the house of Yin, brothers succeeded one another, and the character 正 contains a single 'stop.' After I am gone, my son will not have it." Shao was frightened and asked to change the names. Wenxuan refused, saying, "It is Heaven." He then told Emperor Xiaozhao, "If you take it, take it, but be careful not to kill him." The appraisal says: Jinan inherited the enterprise and greatly reformed its abuses. Teaching and custom shone brightly, and the gentry counted themselves fortunate. His chief ministers may have been sincere, but they could not help him enlarge the Way and virtue or keep harmony among his kin. Nor could they plan far enough to protect themselves or safeguard their lord. When decision was needed they failed to decide, and brought disaster on themselves. The ministers were exterminated, and the ruler, though still alive, was deposed and humiliated. All of it came from entrusting affairs to men unequal to the task.