Volume 33 Biographies 21:

李靈李順李孝伯李裔李義深

Li Ling, Li Shun, Li Xiaobo, Li Yi, and Li Yishen.

列傳第二十一

Biography 21

李靈曾孫元忠渾弟子璨璨曾孫德饒公緒李順玄孫元操李孝伯兄孫謐謐弟子士謙李裔子子雄李義深弟幼廉

Included in this account are Yuanzhong, great-grandson of Li Ling; Can, nephew of Hun; Derao, great-grandson of Can; Gongxu; Yuancao, great-great-grandson of Li Shun; Mi, grandson of Li Xiaobo's elder brother; Shiqian, nephew of Mi; Zixiong, son of Li Yi; and Youlian, younger brother of Li Yishen.

李靈，字武符，趙郡平棘人也。父勰，字小同，恬靜好學，有聲趙、魏間。道武平中原，聞其已亡，哀惜之，贈宣威將軍、蘭陵太守。

Li Ling, whose style name was Wufu, came from Pingji in Zhao commandery. His father Xie, styled Xiaotong, was quiet and devoted to study, and won renown throughout Zhao and Wei. When Emperor Daowu conquered the Central Plains, he learned that Xie was already dead and grieved for him, posthumously granting him the titles General Who Proclaims Might and Administrator of Lanling.

神蒨中，太武征天下才俊，靈至，拜中書博士。再遷淮陽太守。以學優，選授文成皇帝經，加中散、內博士，賜爵高邑子。文成踐阼，卒于洛州刺史，贈定州刺史、钜鹿公，諡曰簡。

During the Shenqi reign, Emperor Taiwu called up outstanding men from across the empire; Ling came forward and was appointed Erudite of the Secretariat. He was later promoted to Administrator of Huaiyang. On account of his scholarly distinction, he was chosen to tutor the future Emperor Wencheng in the classics, was further appointed Central Scattered Courtier and Inner Erudite, and received the enfeoffment of Viscount of Gaoyi. When Emperor Wencheng took the throne, Ling died in office as Governor of Luozhou; he was posthumously appointed Governor of Dingzhou and Duke of Julu, with the posthumous epithet Jian.

子恢襲，以師傅子，拜長安鎮副將，進爵為侯，假钜鹿公。後東平王道符謀反，遇害，贈定州刺史、钜鹿公，諡曰貞。恢弟綜，事見於後。

His son Hui inherited his line; as the son of an imperial tutor, he was appointed Deputy General of the Chang'an garrison, raised to marquis, and granted the provisional title Duke of Julu. Later, when the Prince of Dongping, Daofu, rose in rebellion, Hui was killed in the turmoil; he was posthumously appointed Governor of Dingzhou and Duke of Julu, with the posthumous epithet Zhen. Hui's younger brother Zong is discussed later in this chapter.

長子悅祖，襲爵高邑侯，例降為伯，卒。悅祖子瑾，字伯瓊，襲，位大司農卿。瑾淳謹好學，老而不倦。卒，贈司空。

His eldest son Yuezu inherited the rank of Marquis of Gaoyi, which was reduced by precedent to baron, and died in office. Yuezu's son Jin, styled Boqiong, inherited the line and rose to Minister of the Imperial Granaries. Jin was upright, conscientious, and devoted to learning, and never tired of study even in his later years. At his death he was posthumously appointed Minister of Works.

悅祖弟顯甫，豪俠知名，集諸李數千家于殷州西山，開李魚川方五六十里居之，顯甫為其宗主。以軍功賜爵平棘子，位河南太守，贈安州刺史，諡曰安。

Yuezu's younger brother Xianfu was renowned as a man of heroic spirit; he gathered several thousand Li households on the western hills of Yinzhou, opened the Li Fish River valley—some fifty or sixty li across—for them to inhabit, and served as their clan leader. For military achievement he received the enfeoffment of Viscount of Pingji, served as Administrator of Henan, and at death was posthumously appointed Governor of Anzhou with the posthumous epithet An.

子元忠，少厲志操。粗覽書史及陰陽術數，有巧思，居喪以孝聞。襲爵平棘子，魏清河王懌為營明堂大都督，引為主簿。遭母憂去任，歸李魚川。嘗亡二馬，既獲盜，即以與之。在母喪，哭泣哀動旁人，而飲酒騎射不廢，曰：「禮豈為我？」初元忠以母多患，專心醫藥，遂善方技，性仁恕，無貴賤皆為救療。家素富，在鄉多有出貸求利，元忠焚契免責，鄉人甚敬之。孝莊時，盜賊蜂起，清河有五百人西戍；還經南趙郡，以路梗，共投元忠，奉絹千餘匹。元忠唯受一匹，殺五牛以食之，遣奴為導，曰：「若逢賊，但道李元忠遣。」如言，賊皆舍避。及葛榮起，元忠率宗黨作壘以自保，坐於大槲樹下，前後斬違命者凡三百人。賊至，元忠輒卻之。葛榮曰：「我自中山至此，連為趙李所破，則何以能成大事？」乃悉眾攻圍，執元忠以隨軍。賊平，就拜南趙郡太守。好酒，無政績。

His son Yuanzhong in his youth cultivated firm purpose and moral discipline. He had some acquaintance with historical writings and with yin-yang lore and divination, showed a gift for ingenious contrivance, and won renown for filial devotion during mourning. He inherited the title Viscount of Pingji; when the Wei Prince of Qinghe, Yi, was appointed Grand Commander for the construction of the Bright Hall, he took Yuanzhong on as chief clerk. When his mother died he resigned his office and returned to Li Fish River. He once lost two horses; when the thief was apprehended, he simply let the man keep them. While mourning his mother he wept so bitterly as to move all who heard him, yet he never stopped drinking, riding, or shooting, saying, "Was ritual made for me?" From early on, because his mother was often ill, Yuanzhong had devoted himself to medicine and thereby became skilled in healing arts; by nature he was kind and forgiving, and treated the sick without distinction of high or low. His family had long been wealthy and had many loans outstanding in the countryside; Yuanzhong burned the contracts and released the debtors from obligation, and the people of the district held him in deep respect. In the reign of Emperor Xiaozhuang, bandits swarmed everywhere; five hundred men from Qinghe had been posted to western garrison duty. On their way home they passed through Southern Zhao commandery; the roads being impassable, they all sought refuge with Yuanzhong and presented him with more than a thousand bolts of silk. Yuanzhong accepted only one bolt, slaughtered five oxen to feast them, and sent a servant to guide them, saying, "If you meet bandits, simply tell them Li Yuanzhong sent you." It happened as he said: the bandits all stood aside and let them go. When Ge Rong rose in rebellion, Yuanzhong led the clan to build fortifications for their defense; seated beneath a great oak tree, he executed those who defied his orders—three hundred men in all, before and after. Whenever the rebels came, Yuanzhong beat them back. Ge Rong said, "From Zhongshan to here I have been beaten again and again by the Li clan of Zhao—how can I hope to accomplish anything great?" He then gathered his entire force to lay siege, seized Yuanzhong, and carried him off with the army. After the rebels were suppressed, he was promptly appointed Administrator of Southern Zhao commandery. He was fond of drink and left no record of achievement in office.

及莊帝幽崩，元忠棄官，潛圖義舉。會齊神武東出，元忠便乘露車載素箏濁酒以奉迎。神武聞其酒客，未即見之。元忠下車獨坐，酌酒擘脯食之，謂門者曰：「本言公招延俊傑，今聞國士到門，不能吐哺輟洗，其人可知。還吾刺，勿復通也。」門者以告，神武遽見之。引入，觴再行，元忠車上取箏鼓之，長歌慷慨。歌闋。謂神武曰：「天下形勢可見，明公猶欲事爾硃乎？」神武曰：「富貴皆由他，安敢不盡節。」元忠曰：「非英雄也。高乾邕兄弟曾來未？」是時，高乾邕已見，神武因紿曰：「從叔輩粗，何肯來？」元忠曰：「雖粗，並解事。」神武曰：「趙郡醉！」使人扶出，元忠不肯起。孫騰進曰：「此君天遣來，不可違也。」神武乃復留與言，元忠慷慨流涕，神武亦悲不自勝。元忠進從橫之策，深見嘉納。又謂神武曰：「殷州小，無糧仗，不足以注大事。冀州大籓，若向冀州，高乾邕兄弟必為明公主人。殷州便以賜委。冀、殷合，滄、瀛、幽、定自然弭從。唯劉誕黠胡，或當乖拒，然非明公之敵。」神武急握元忠手而謝焉。時殷州刺史爾硃羽生阻兵據州，元忠聚眾與大軍禽斬之。神武即令行殷州事。累遷太常卿、殷州大中正。後以從兄瑾年長，以中正讓之。

When Emperor Zhuang died under suspicious circumstances, Yuanzhong resigned his office and secretly planned a loyal uprising. When Gao Huan of Northern Qi marched east, Yuanzhong rode out in an open cart bearing a plain zither and a jar of coarse wine to greet him. Gao Huan heard that he was a notorious drinker and did not receive him immediately. Yuanzhong stepped down from his cart, sat alone, poured wine, tore off dried meat and ate, and told the gatekeeper, "Your master claims to seek out men of talent; yet when a true man of the realm comes to his gate, he cannot even interrupt his meal to receive him—the sort of man he is, I think, is clear enough. Return my card and do not announce me again." When the gatekeeper reported this, Gao Huan rushed out to receive him. He was ushered in; after two rounds of wine Yuanzhong took the zither from his cart and played, singing a long, impassioned song. When the song ended, he said to Gao Huan, "The shape of the realm is plain to see—does my lord still mean to serve the Erzhu clan?" Gao Huan said, "Wealth and rank all come from them—how could I dare not serve them with my whole heart?" Yuanzhong said, "Then you are no hero. Have the brothers Gao Gan and Gao Yong come to see you yet?" By then Gao Gan and Gao Yong had already visited him; Gao Huan therefore lied, saying, "Those rough cousins of mine—why would they come?" Yuanzhong said, "Rough they may be, but they both know how to get things done." Gao Huan cried, "The Zhao man is drunk!" He had men help Yuanzhong out, but Yuanzhong refused to get up. Sun Teng stepped forward and said, "This man was sent by Heaven—you cannot turn him away." Gao Huan then kept him and spoke with him further; Yuanzhong wept freely in impassioned grief, and Gao Huan too was overcome with sorrow. Yuanzhong offered strategies of alliance and maneuver, and Gao Huan warmly embraced his counsel. He also told Gao Huan, "Yinzhou is small and lacks grain and arms—it is not enough to anchor a great enterprise. Jizhou is a great stronghold; if you march on Jizhou, the brothers Gao Gan and Gao Yong will surely make you their lord. As for Yinzhou, grant it to me as my charge. Once Jizhou and Yinzhou are united, Cang, Ying, You, and Ding will naturally fall in line. Only Liu Yan, a wily barbarian, may hold out against you—but he is no match for my lord." Gao Huan seized Yuanzhong's hand in gratitude. At that time the Governor of Yinzhou, Erzhu Yusheng, held the province with rebel troops; Yuanzhong raised a force and, together with the main army, captured and executed him. Gao Huan immediately put him in charge of Yinzhou affairs. He rose in succession to Minister of Ceremonies and Senior Rectifier of Yinzhou. Later, because his cousin Jin was the elder, he yielded the rectifier post to him.

魏孝武帝納神武女為後，詔元忠致娉于晉陽。每宴席論舊事，元忠曰：「昔日建義，轟轟大樂，比來寂寥無人問，更欲覓建義處。」神武撫掌笑曰：「此人逼我起兵。」賜白馬一匹。元忠戲曰：「若不與侍中，當更覓建義處。」神武曰：「建義處不慮無，止畏如此老翁不可遇耳。」元忠曰：「止為此翁難遇，所以不去。」因捋神武須大笑。神武悉其雅意，深重之。後神武奉送皇后，仍田于晉澤，元忠馬倒，良久乃蘇。神武親自撫視，封晉陽縣伯。後為光州刺史，時州境災儉，人皆菜色，元忠表求賑貸，被報聽用萬石。元忠以為少，遂出十五萬石賑之。事訖，表陳，朝廷嘉而不責。徵拜侍中。

When Emperor Xiaowu of Wei took Gao Huan's daughter as empress, Yuanzhong was ordered to deliver the betrothal gifts at Jinyang. Whenever old times came up at banquets, Yuanzhong would say, "In the days of our righteous rising there was thunderous celebration; lately it has been lonely, with no one asking after me—I am ready to go looking for that righteous rising again." Gao Huan clapped his hands and laughed, saying, "This man is the one who drove me to take up arms." He was given a white horse. Yuanzhong jested, "If you do not make me Attendant-in-Ordinary, I shall go looking for that righteous rising again." Gao Huan said, "I do not worry that there will be no place for a righteous rising—only that an old fellow like this cannot be found again." Yuanzhong said, "It is precisely because such an old fellow is hard to find that I stay." Then he tugged Gao Huan's beard and laughed aloud. Gao Huan fully understood his playful spirit and held him in deep regard. Later, when Gao Huan escorted the empress, he went hunting at Jin Marsh; Yuanzhong's horse fell, and he lay unconscious for a long while before coming to. Gao Huan personally tended to him and enfeoffed him as Baron of Jinyang county. He later served as Governor of Guangzhou; famine had struck the province and the people were wasted with hunger; Yuanzhong memorialized requesting relief grain and was authorized ten thousand piculs. Yuanzhong thought this too little and distributed one hundred fifty thousand piculs for relief. When the relief was complete he reported to the court, which commended him and imposed no penalty. He was summoned to court and appointed Attendant-in-Ordinary.

元忠雖處要任，初不以物務幹懷，唯以聲酒自娛，大率常醉。家事大小，了不關心。園庭羅種果藥，親朋尋詣，必留連宴賞。每挾彈攜壺，遊遨里閈。每言寧無食，不可使我無酒；阮步兵吾師也，孔少府豈欺我哉。後自中書令復求為太常卿，以其有音樂而多美酒故。神武欲用為僕射，文襄言其放達常醉，不可委以台閣。其子搔聞之，請節酒。元忠曰：「我言作僕射不勝飲酒樂；爾愛僕射時，宜勿飲酒。」每言于執事，雲年漸遲暮，乞在閑冗，以養餘年，乃除驃騎大將軍、儀同三司。曾貢文襄王蒲桃一盤，文襄報以百縑，其見賞重如此。

Although Yuanzhong held high office, he never let affairs of state weigh on his mind and amused himself only with music and wine, and was for the most part perpetually drunk. Great or small matters of the household he ignored entirely. His garden and courtyard were planted with fruit trees and medicinal herbs; whenever kin and friends came to call, he always kept them for long feasts. He would carry a pellet-bow and wine flask and roam the lanes of his neighborhood. He was fond of saying that he could go without food, but never without wine. Ruan Ji, Master of the Infantry, is my teacher—would Kong Rong the Junior Administrator have lied to me? Later he stepped down from Director of the Secretariat and asked to be made Minister of Ceremonies again, because that office offered music and abundant fine wine. Gao Huan wished to appoint him Vice Director of the Secretariat, but Gao Cheng said that he was too free-spirited and constantly drunk to be entrusted with the central administration. His son Sao heard of this and begged him to drink less. Yuanzhong said, "When I speak of becoming Vice Director, it cannot compare with the joy of drinking. When you care about the Vice Directorship, you ought not to drink." He often told those in charge that his years were drawing toward evening and begged for a leisurely post to spend his remaining days; he was therefore appointed General of Agile Cavalry with the Three Insignia of Peerage. Once he presented Prince Wenxiang with a tray of grapes; Gao Cheng returned the gift with a hundred bolts of silk—such was the esteem in which he was held.

孫騰司馬子如嘗詣元忠，逢其方坐樹下，葛巾擁被，對壺獨酌。庭室蕪曠，使婢卷兩褥以質酒肉。呼妻出，衣不曳地。二公相視，歎息而去，大餉米絹，受而散之。俄復以本官領衛尉卿。卒，有米三石，酒數斛，書籍藥物，充滿篋架。未及賻至，金蟬質絹，乃得斂焉。贈司徒，諡曰敬惠。初，元忠將仕，夢手執炬入其父墓。中夜驚起，甚惡之。旦告其受業師，占云：「大吉，可謂光照先人也。」竟如其占。

Sun Teng and Sima Ziru once called on Yuanzhong and found him seated beneath a tree in a hemp headcloth, wrapped in a quilt, drinking alone before his wine jar. His courtyard and rooms had gone to ruin; he sent a maid to roll up two quilts and pawn them for wine and meat. He called his wife out; her dress scarcely reached the floor. The two men looked at each other, sighed, and departed; they sent a large gift of rice and silk, which he accepted and gave away. Before long he was again appointed Commandant of the Guards while retaining his former rank. At his death he left three piculs of rice, several hu of wine, and books and medicines filling chests and shelves. Before condolence gifts arrived, he had to pawn gold cicada ornaments for silk before the burial could proceed. He was posthumously appointed Minister over the Masses, with the posthumous epithet Jinghui. Earlier, when Yuanzhong was about to enter official life, he dreamed that he held a torch and walked into his father's tomb. He woke in alarm in the middle of the night and was deeply troubled by the dream. At dawn he told his teacher, who divined the dream and said, "Great good fortune—this means you will bring glory to your ancestors." In the end events unfolded exactly as the divination had foretold.

性甚工彈，彈桐葉常出一孔，擲棗栗而彈之，十中七八。嘗從文襄入謁魏帝，有梟鳴殿上，文襄命元忠彈之，問得幾丸而落，對曰：「一丸奉至尊威靈，一丸承大將軍意氣，兩丸足矣！」如其言而落之。子搔嗣。

He was exceptionally skilled with the pellet-bow; shooting at paulownia leaves he often put a single hole through them, and when he tossed up jujubes and chestnuts to shoot at, he hit seven or eight out of ten. Once he accompanied Gao Cheng to audience with the Wei emperor; an owl cried in the hall, and Gao Cheng ordered Yuanzhong to shoot it down and asked how many pellets it would take; he replied, "One pellet for the Son of Heaven's august power, one for the Grand General's spirit—two pellets will suffice!" As he had said, he brought the bird down. His son Sao inherited his line.

搔字德沈，少聰敏，有才藝。曾采諸聲，別造一器，號曰八弦，時人稱有思理。武定末，自丞相記室除河內太守。居數載，流人盡復。代至，將還都，父老號泣，追送二百餘里，生為立碑。終於儀曹郎。

Sao, styled Deshen, was clever and quick-witted as a youth and showed talent in the arts. He once gathered various musical tones and devised a new instrument called the Eight Strings; contemporaries praised it as ingeniously conceived. At the end of the Wuding era he was promoted from chief clerk of the chancellor to Administrator of Henei. After several years in office, all displaced persons had been restored to their homes. When his successor arrived and he prepared to return to the capital, the elders wept and escorted him for more than two hundred li; they erected a stele in his honor while he was still alive. He died in office as Gentleman of the Ceremonial Office.

搔妹曰法行，幼好道，截指自誓不嫁，遂為尼。所居去鄴三百里，往來恆步，在路或不得食，飲水而已。逢屠牽牛，脫衣求贖，泣而隨之。雉兔馴狎，入其山居房室。齊亡後，遭時大檢，施糜粥于路。異母弟宗侃與族人孝衡爭地相毀，尼曰：「我有地，二家欲得者，任來取之，何為輕致忿訟？」宗侃等慚，遂讓為閒田。

Sao's younger sister, called Faxing, had loved the Way from childhood; she cut off a finger and vowed never to marry, and became a nun. Her dwelling lay three hundred li from Ye; she always walked the journey on foot, and on the road sometimes had nothing to eat and drank only water. When she met a butcher leading an ox to slaughter, she stripped off her garment to ransom it and followed weeping. Pheasants and hares grew tame and entered her mountain dwelling. After the fall of Northern Qi, during a time of widespread hardship, she distributed millet gruel by the roadside. Her half-brother Zongkan and the clansman Xiaoheng quarreled over land and brought accusations against each other; the nun said, "I have land—if both families want it, let them come and take what they wish; why stir up angry lawsuits over so little?" Zongkan and the others were ashamed and left the land as communal ground.

渾字季初，靈之曾孫也。祖綜，行河間郡，早卒。父遵，字良軌，有業尚，為魏冀州征東府司馬。京兆王愉冀州起逆，遇害。贈幽州刺史，諡曰簡。

Hun, styled Jichu, was the great-grandson of Li Ling. His grandfather Zong served as acting administrator of Hejian and died in middle age. His father Zun, styled Lianggui, was a man of learning and principle and served as Military Affairs Officer of the Eastern Campaign Headquarters in Jizhou under Wei. When the Prince of Jingzhao, Yu, rebelled in Jizhou, Zun was killed in the turmoil. He was posthumously appointed Governor of Youzhou with the posthumous epithet Jian.

渾以父死王事，除給事中。後以四方多難，求為青州征東司馬，與河間邢邵、北海王昕俱奉老母攜妻子，同赴青、齊。未幾而爾硃榮入洛，衣冠殲盡，物論以為知幾。時河北流移人聚青土，眾逾二十萬，共劫河間邢杲為主，起自北海，襲東陽。青州刺史元世俊欲謀誅之，府人遂猜貳。渾乃與長史崔光韶具陳禍福，由是歃血而盟，上下還睦。普泰中，崔社客反於海岱，攻圍青州，詔渾為都官尚書、東北道行台，赴援。社客諸城各自固保，渾以社客賊之根本，烏合易離，若銜枚夜襲，便可禽殄。如社客就禽，諸郡可傳檄而定。諸將尚遲疑，渾乃決行。果禽社客，斬首送洛陽，海隅清定。

Because his father had died in loyal service to the throne, Hun was appointed Supervising Attendant. Later, with turmoil spreading everywhere, he requested appointment as Eastern Campaign Military Affairs Officer in Qingzhou; together with Xing Shao of Hejian and Wang Xin of Beihai he brought their aged mothers and families and went together to Qing and Qi. Before long Erzhu Rong entered Luoyang and the gentry were slaughtered; public opinion held that Hun had read the times correctly. At that time displaced people from north of the Yellow River gathered in Qing territory, numbering more than two hundred thousand; they seized Xing Gao of Hejian as their leader, rose in Beihai, and attacked Dongyang. The Governor of Qingzhou, Yuan Shijun, wished to plot their destruction, and the prefectural staff became divided and suspicious. Hun then, together with Chief Clerk Cui Guangshao, fully explained the risks and benefits; they drank blood and swore alliance, and harmony was restored between superiors and subordinates. In the Putai era Cui Sheke rebelled in the Hai-Dai region and besieged Qingzhou; Hun was appointed Minister of Justice and commander of the Northeast Route Mobile Headquarters to go to the relief. Sheke's followers held their cities in defense; Hun argued that Sheke was the root of the rebel force, that a mob gathered easily disperses, and that a silent night attack would capture and destroy him. Once Sheke was captured, the various commanderies could be brought to submission by proclamation alone. The generals still hesitated, but Hun resolved to march. He duly captured Sheke, sent his head to Luoyang, and the coastal regions were pacified.

天平初，丁母憂，行喪塚側，殆將滅性。武定初，兼散騎常侍、聘梁使主。梁武謂曰：「伯陽之後，久而彌盛，趙李人物，今實居多。」使還，為東郡太守。以贓賄征還。齊文襄王使武士提以入，置諸庭。渾抗言曰：「將軍今日猶自禮賢邪？」文襄笑而舍之。齊天保初，除太子少保。時太常邢邵為少師，吏部尚書楊愔為少傅，論者榮之。以參禪代儀注，賜爵涇陽縣男。文宣以魏《麟趾格》未精，詔渾與邢邵、崔甗、魏收、王昕、李伯倫等修撰。嘗謂魏收曰：「雕蟲小技，我不如卿；國典朝章，卿不如我。」尋除海州刺史。后土人共圍州城，城中多石無井，常食海水，賊絕其路。城內先有一，夏旱涸竭，渾齋戒朝服而祈焉，一朝天雨，泉流湧溢。賊以為神，應時駭散。渾捕斬渠帥，傳首鄴都。渾妾郭，在州幹政納貨，坐免，卒於鄴。

At the beginning of the Tianping era he entered mourning for his mother, kept vigil beside the tomb, and nearly ruined his health in grief. At the beginning of the Wuding era he was additionally appointed Cavalier Attendant-in-Ordinary and chief envoy on a mission to Liang. Emperor Wu of Liang said to him, "Descendants of Laozi—the Zhao Li clan grows ever more flourishing with time, and men of talent from your house truly predominate today." On his return he was appointed Administrator of Dongjun. He was recalled on charges of bribery and corruption. Prince Wenxiang of Qi had armed men seize him and bring him into the courtyard. Hun spoke out boldly: "Does my lord still treat men of talent with courtesy today?" Gao Cheng laughed and let him go. At the beginning of the Tianbao era in Northern Qi he was appointed Junior Mentor of the Heir Apparent. At the time Xing Shao served as Junior Preceptor and Yang Yin, Minister of Personnel, as Junior Tutor; commentators regarded the arrangement as a great honor. For participating in the ritual protocols of the dynastic transition he received the enfeoffment of Baron of Jingyang county. Because the Wei Linzhi Code was not yet refined, Emperor Wenxuan ordered Hun, together with Xing Shao, Cui Yan, Wei Shou, Wang Xin, Li Bolun, and others, to revise it. He once told Wei Shou, "In petty literary craft I am not your equal. In state codes and court regulations you are not my equal." Soon he was appointed Governor of Haizhou. The local people together besieged the prefectural city; the city was stony and had no wells, so the inhabitants regularly drank seawater, and the rebels cut off their supply routes. The city had long had a well that dried up in the summer drought; Hun fasted, put on court dress, and prayed at it; rain fell within a single morning, and springs gushed forth in abundance. The rebels took it for a divine sign and fled in terror at once. Hun captured and beheaded the rebel leaders and sent their heads to the capital at Ye. Hun's concubine Guo meddled in government and accepted bribes while he was in office; he was dismissed on that account and died at Ye.

子湛，字處元，涉獵文史，有家風。兼通直散騎常侍、聘陳使副，襲爵涇陽男。渾與弟繪、緯俱為聘使主，湛又為使副，是以趙郡人士，目為四使。

His son Zhan, styled Chuyuan, ranged widely in historical and literary writings and upheld the family tradition. He was additionally appointed Direct Cavalier Attendant-in-Ordinary and deputy envoy on a mission to Chen, and inherited the title Baron of Jingyang. Hun and his younger brothers Hui and Wei had all served as chief envoys on diplomatic missions, and Zhan served as deputy envoy as well; people of Zhao commandery therefore called them the Four Envoys.

繪字敬文。六歲便求入學，家人以偶年俗忌，不許，遂竊其姊筆牘用之。未逾晦朔，遂通《急就章》，內外以為非常兒。及長，儀貌端偉，神情朗俊。第五舅河間邢晏每與言，歎其高遠，曰：「若披煙霧，如對珠玉，宅相之寄，良在此甥。」後敕撰五禮，繪與太原王乂同掌軍禮。魏靜帝於顯揚殿講《孝經》、《禮記》，繪與從弟褰、裴伯茂魏收、盧元明等俱為錄議，簡舉可觀。曆中書侍郎、丞相司馬。每霸朝文武總集，對揚王庭，常令繪先發言端，為群僚之首。音祠辯正，風儀都雅，聽者悚然，文襄益加敬異。又掌儀注。武定初，兼散騎常侍，為聘使主。梁武問高相今在何處？黑獺若為形容？高相作何經略？繪敷對明辯，梁武稱佳。與梁人泛言氏族，袁狎曰：「未若我本出自黃帝，姓在十四之限。」繪曰：「兄所出雖遠，當共車千秋分一字耳！」一坐皆笑。前後行人皆通啟求市，繪獨守清尚，梁人重其廉潔。

Hui, styled Jingwen. At six he asked to go to school; his family, citing the taboo on even-numbered years, refused, so he secretly took his elder sister's writing materials and used them. Before a month had passed he had mastered the Jijiuzhang; family and outsiders alike regarded him as an extraordinary child. When he grew up, his bearing was dignified and imposing and his expression bright and handsome. His fifth maternal uncle Xing Yan of Hejian, whenever he spoke with him, marveled at his lofty spirit and said, "It is like parting the mist to face pearls and jade—the hope of our clan truly rests in this nephew." Later, when the court ordered the compilation of the Five Rites, Hui and Wang Yi of Taiyuan jointly supervised military ritual. Emperor Jing of Wei lectured on the Classic of Filial Piety and the Record of Rites in the Xianyang Hall; Hui, together with his cousin Qian, Pei Boma, Wei Shou, Lu Yuanming, and others, served as recorders and commentators and selected the passages worth noting. He rose in turn to vice director of the Secretariat and chief clerk of the chancellor. Whenever the ruling court gathered civil and military officials for audience, Hui was always asked to open the discussion and stood first among the officials. His voice in ritual address was clear and correct, his bearing refined and elegant; listeners were awed, and Gao Cheng treated him with still greater respect and admiration. He also supervised ritual protocols. At the beginning of the Wuding era he was additionally appointed Cavalier Attendant-in-Ordinary and chief envoy on a diplomatic mission. Emperor Wu of Liang asked where Chancellor Gao was now. What does Black Badger look like? What strategy is Chancellor Gao pursuing? Hui answered expansively and with clear argument; Emperor Wu of Liang praised him highly. When speaking generally with the men of Liang about clans and surnames, Yuan Xia said, "My own line descends from the Yellow Emperor, whose surname falls among the fourteen great surnames." Hui said, "Remote though your origin may be, we should still share one character with Che Qianqiu!" The whole company burst out laughing. Every envoy before and after him traded on official notice, but Hui alone kept his integrity unsullied—and the Liang court respected him for it.

使還，拜高陽內史。郡境舊有三猛獸，人常患之。繪欲修檻，遂因鬥俱死於郡西。咸以為化感所致，皆勸申上。繪曰：「猛獸因鬥而斃，自是偶然，貪此為功，人將窺我。」竟不聽。高陽舊多陂澱，繪至後，澱水皆涸，乃置農正，專主勸課，墾田倍增，家給人足。瀛州三郡人俱詣州，請為繪立碑於郡街。神武東巡郡國，在瀛州城西駐馬久立，使郎中陳元康喻慰之。河間太守崔諶，恃其弟暹勢，從繪乞麋角鴿羽。繪答書曰：「鴿有六翮，飛則沖天；麋有四足，走便入海。下官膚體疏懶，手足遲鈍，不能近追飛走，遠事佞人。」時文襄使暹選司徒左長史，暹薦繪，既而不果，咸謂由此書。

On his return he was appointed Inner Scribe of Gaoyang. Within the commandery there had long been three fierce beasts that the people constantly feared. Hui wished to build cages for them, but the beasts fought each other and all died west of the commandery seat. All held that this was the result of his transforming influence and urged him to report it to the court. Hui said, "The beasts died from fighting each other—that was mere chance; if I greedily claim this as my achievement, people will see through me." In the end he would not agree. Gaoyang had long had many marshes and ponds; after Hui arrived the waters all dried up; he appointed an agricultural supervisor to encourage cultivation, reclaimed fields doubled, and households became self-sufficient. The people of three commanderies in Yingzhou all went to the prefectural seat and requested that a stele be erected for Hui in the commandery streets. Gao Huan toured the eastern commanderies; west of Yingzhou city he halted his horse and stood for a long while, sending Gentleman Chen Yuankang to explain and comfort the people. The Administrator of Hejian, Cui Chen, relying on his younger brother Xian's influence, asked Hui for elk horns and pigeon feathers. Hui wrote back: "A pigeon has six feathers; when it takes wing, it shoots straight into the sky. The elk has four legs—when it runs it goes straight into the sea. This humble official's body is slack and lazy, his hands and feet slow and dull; I cannot chase what flies and runs, nor serve flatterers from afar." At the time Gao Cheng had Xian select the Left Chief Clerk of the Minister over the Masses; Xian recommended Hui, but in the end the appointment did not come about, and all said it was because of this letter.

及文襄嗣業，普代山東諸郡，其特降書征者，唯繪與清河太守辛術二人而已。至，補大將軍從事中郎，遷司馬。文襄以前司徒侯景進賢冠賜繪曰：「卿但直心事孤，當用卿為三公，莫學侯景叛也。」及文宣嗣事，仍為丞相司馬。天保初，除司徒右長史。繪質性方重，未嘗趣事權門，以此久而沈屈。卒，贈南青州刺史，諡曰景。子君道，有父風。

When Gao Cheng succeeded to power, he replaced the administrators of the eastern commanderies throughout the region; those specially summoned by imperial edict were only Hui and Xin Shu, Administrator of Qinghe—two men alone. On his arrival he was appointed Attendant of the Grand General and was promoted to Chief Clerk. Gao Cheng bestowed on Hui the Cap of Advancing Worth formerly worn by the former Minister over the Masses Hou Jing, saying, "Serve me with a straight heart and I shall make you one of the Three Dukes—do not follow Hou Jing's example of rebellion." When Emperor Wenxuan succeeded to power, he remained Chief Clerk of the Chancellor. At the beginning of the Tianbao era he was appointed Right Chief Clerk of the Minister over the Masses. Hui was upright and grave by nature; he never curried favor with powerful families, and for this reason remained long in obscurity. At his death he was posthumously made Governor of Southern Qing province, with the posthumous epithet Jing. His son Jundao possessed his father's character.

繪弟緯，字乾經，少聰慧，有才學。與舅子河間邢昕少相倫輩，晚不逮之。位中散大夫。聘梁使主、侍中李神俊舉緯尚書南主客郎。緯前後接對凡十八人，頗為稱職。鄴下為之語曰：「學則渾、繪、緯，口則繪、緯、渾。」齊文襄攝選，以緯為司徒諮議參軍，謂曰：「自郎署至此，所謂不次，以卿人才，故有此舉耳。」梁謝蘭來聘，勞之。蘭問安平諸崔，緯曰：「子玉以還，雕龍絕矣。」崔暹聞之怒。緯詣門謝之，暹上馬不顧。緯語人曰：「雖失要人意，聘梁使不得舍我。」武定五年，兼散騎常侍，使梁。緯常逸游放達，自號「隱君」，蕭然有絕塵之意。使還，除太子家令，卒。齊初，贈北徐州刺史，諡曰文。

His younger brother Wei, styled Ganqing, was bright from childhood and gifted in letters. In youth he was regarded as a peer of his maternal nephew Xing Xin of Hejian, but in later years he did not measure up to him. He rose to the post of Grand Master of Palace Leisure. Li Shenjun, chief envoy receiving Liang embassies and Palace Attendant, recommended Wei for the post of Director of Southern Reception in the Ministry of State Affairs. Wei received and answered envoys on eighteen occasions in all, and performed the duty quite competently. At Ye people said: "For scholarship, Hun, Hui, and Wei; for eloquence, Hui, Wei, and Hun." When Gao Cheng of Qi took charge of official selections, he appointed Wei Staff Officer for Consultation in the Ministry over the Masses and told him, "From the bureau to this post is what is called an exceptional promotion—it is because of your talent that this appointment was made." When Xie Lan of Liang came on an embassy, Wei was assigned to receive him. Lan asked about the Cui clan of Anping; Wei said, "Since Ziyu, literary brilliance has died out." When Cui Xian heard this he was enraged. Wei went to his gate to apologize, but Xian mounted his horse and ignored him. Wei remarked to others that although he had fallen from a patron's grace, no chief envoy to Liang could afford to leave him behind." In the fifth year of Wuding he served concurrently as Regular Attendant of the Scattered Cavalry and was sent as envoy to Liang. Wei lived freely and without restraint, called himself the Recluse Lord, and carried himself as one who had left the world behind. On his return he was appointed Chief Steward of the Heir Apparent's Household and died in that post. At the founding of Northern Qi he was posthumously made Governor of Northern Xu province, with the posthumous epithet Wen.

璨字世顯，靈弟趙郡太守均之子也。身長八尺五寸，容貌魁偉。受學于梁祚，位中書郎，雅為高允所知。天安初，宋徐州刺史薛安都舉彭城降，詔鎮南大將軍博陵公尉元、鎮東將軍城陽公孔伯恭等迎之，獻文復以璨參二府軍事。安都率文武出迎，元不加禮接，安都還城，遂不降。宋將張永、沈攸之等先屯下磕，元令璨與中書郎高閭入彭城說安都，即與俱載赴軍。元等入城，收管籥。其夜，永攻南門，不克退還。璨勸元乘永，永失據，攻永米船，大破之，於是遂定淮北。加璨甯朔將軍，與張讜對為兗州刺史，安帖初附。以參定徐州功，賜爵始豐侯，卒，諡曰懿。子元茂襲爵。

Can, styled Shixian, was the son of Jun, administrator of Zhao commandery and younger brother of Ling. He stood eight feet five inches tall, with a towering and imposing bearing. He studied under Liang Zuo, became a secretariat gentleman, and won the esteem of Gao Yun. At the beginning of the Tian'an era, Xue Andu, Governor of Xu province in Liu Song, offered Pengcheng in surrender; the court ordered Grand General Who Guards the South, Duke of Boling Wei Yuan, Grand General Who Guards the East, Duke of Chengyang Kong Bogong, and others to welcome him, and Emperor Xianwen again had Can serve on the staffs of both commands. Andu led civil and military officials out to welcome them, but Yuan did not receive him with courtesy; Andu returned to the city and thereupon refused to surrender. Song generals Zhang Yong and Shen Youzhi had encamped at Xiake. Yuan sent Can and the secretariat gentleman Gao Lu into Pengcheng to win over Andu, who immediately rode out with them to join the army. Yuan and the others entered the city and took control of the keys and seals. That night Yong assaulted the south gate, failed to breach it, and fell back. Can urged Yuan to strike while Yong was vulnerable; Yong lost his footing, they attacked Yong's grain boats and routed them thoroughly, and thereby secured the north of the Huai. Can was made General Who Pacifies the North and, together with Zhang Tan, governed Yan province, calming the newly submitted population. For his merit in securing Xu province he received the enfeoffment of Marquis of Shifeng; at his death he received the posthumous epithet Yi. His son Yuanmao inherited the title.

元茂以寬雅著稱，位司徒司馬、彭城鎮副將，人吏安之。卒，贈顯武將軍、徐州刺史，諡曰順。子秀之，字鳳起，襲爵，位尚書都官郎。秀之弟子雲，字鳳升；子雲弟子羽，字鳳降；子羽弟子岳，字鳳歭。秀之等並早孤，事母孝謹，兄弟容貌並魁偉，風度審正，而皆早卒。鳳升子道宗，位直閣將軍。道宗弟德林，司徒中兵參軍。

Yuanmao was known for his generous and refined manner. As chief clerk of the Minister over the Masses and deputy general of the Pengcheng garrison, he kept officials and commoners alike at ease. At his death he was posthumously made General of Manifest Martiality and Governor of Xu province, with the posthumous epithet Shun. His son Xiuzhi, styled Fengqi, inherited the title and served as director in the Ministry of Punishments. Xiuzhi's younger brother Yun, styled Fengsheng; Yun's younger brother Yu, styled Fengjiang; Yu's younger brother Yue, styled Fengzhi. Xiuzhi and the others all lost their fathers early, served their mother with filial devotion, were alike in towering appearance and dignified bearing, yet all died young. Daozong, son of Fengsheng, became general of the Direct Gate. Delin, Daozong's younger brother, served as staff officer for central troops under the Minister over the Masses.

元茂弟宣茂，太和初，拜中書博士，後兼定州大中正，受鄉人財貨，為御史所劾，除名。正始初，除太中大夫，遷光祿勳。與遊肇往復，肇善之。卒于幽州刺史，遺令薄葬，贈齊州刺史，諡曰惠。

Yuanmao's younger brother Xuanmao, at the beginning of the Taihe era, was appointed Erudite of the Secretariat; later, while serving concurrently as Chief Rectifier of Ding province, he accepted goods from fellow townsmen, was impeached by the censorate, and was struck from the register. At the beginning of the Zhengshi era he was appointed Grand Master of Palace Counsel and was promoted to Director of the Imperial Household. He exchanged letters with You Zhao, and Zhao thought well of him. He died in office as Governor of You province, left instructions for a simple burial, was posthumously made Governor of Qi province, and received the posthumous epithet Hui.

子籍之，字脩遠，性謹正，粗涉書史。位司徒諮議參軍、太中大夫。著《忠誥》一篇，文多不載。卒，贈定州刺史。子徹，仕齊，位尚書左丞。徹子純，隋開皇中為介州長史。

His son Jizhi, styled Xiuyuan, was careful and upright by nature and had some knowledge of history and the classics. He rose to consultation staff officer under the Minister over the Masses and grand master of palace enfeoffment. He wrote a work entitled Loyal Admonition, though most of it is no longer preserved. At his death he was posthumously made Governor of Ding province. His son Che served Northern Qi and rose to Vice Director of the Left in the Ministry of State Affairs. Che's son Chun served under the Sui during the Kaihuang era as chief administrator of Jie province.

純子德饒，字世文。少聰敏好學，有至性。弱冠仕隋為校書郎，仍直內史省，參掌文翰。轉監察御史，糾正不避權貴。大業三年，遷司隸從事。每巡四方，理冤枉，褒孝悌。雖位秩未通，德行為當時所重。凡與交結，皆海內髦彥。

Chun's son Derao, styled Shiwen. From youth he was clever, fond of learning, and possessed the utmost sincerity of nature. After his capping he entered Sui service as collator, was posted to the Secretariat, and helped manage official papers. He was transferred to investigating censor and, when exposing wrongdoing, did not flinch before the powerful. In the third year of Daye he was promoted to attendant of the metropolitan commandant. On his tours through the realm he overturned unjust verdicts and commended those who showed filial piety and brotherly duty. Although his office was still modest, men of the time held his character in high regard. Everyone he befriended was a leading figure among the realm's finest minds.

性至孝，父母寢疾，輒終日不食，十旬不解衣。及丁憂，水漿不入口五日；哀慟，歐血數升。及送葬，會仲冬積雪，行四十餘里，單縗徒跣，號踴幾絕。會葬者千餘人，莫不為之流涕。後甘露降於庭樹，有鳩巢其廬，納言楊達巡省河北，詣廬吊慰之，因改所居村名為孝敬村，裏為和順裏。後為金河縣長，未之官，屬群盜蜂起，賊帥格謙、孫宣雅等十餘頭聚眾於勃海，有敕許其歸首。謙等懼，不敢降，以德饒信行有聞，遣奏曰：「若德饒來者，即相率歸首。」帝遣德饒往勃海慰諸賊。至冠氏，會他賊攻陷縣城，見害。

He was profoundly filial. When his parents fell ill he would fast all day and for a hundred days never undress to sleep. During mourning he took neither food nor water for five days; grieving in anguish, he vomited several sheng of blood. At the burial, in midwinter snow, he walked more than forty li in plain hemp and barefoot, wailing and beating his breast until he nearly collapsed. More than a thousand mourners attended, and every one of them wept. Later sweet dew fell on the trees in his courtyard and doves nested on his cottage. Yang Da, Director of the Secretariat, was touring Hebei when he came to offer condolence; he renamed the village Filial Respect and the lane Harmonious Compliance. He was later appointed magistrate of Jinhe but had not yet taken up the post when bandits rose everywhere. More than a dozen chiefs, including Ge Qian and Sun Xuanya, gathered forces in Bohai until an edict offered them amnesty if they surrendered. Qian and his fellows were afraid to yield. Knowing Derao's reputation for integrity, they sent a memorial: "If Derao comes, we will surrender together." The emperor sent Derao to Bohai to reassure the bandits. When he reached Guanshi, other bandits happened to storm the county seat, and he was killed.

其弟德佋，性重然諾。大業末為離石郡司法書佐，太守楊子崇特禮之。及義兵起，子崇遇害，棄屍城下。德佋赴哭盡哀，收瘞之。至介休，詣義師請葬子崇。見許，因贈子崇官，令德佋為使者，往離石禮葬子崇。徹弟公緒。

His younger brother Deyu was by nature strict in keeping his word. Near the end of the Daye era he served as judicial clerk of Lishi commandery, where Administrator Yang Zichong treated him with marked respect. When the righteous armies rose, Zichong was killed and his body left below the city wall. Deyu went to mourn him with full grief, recovered the body, and buried it. He went to Jiexiu and asked the righteous army to grant Zichong a proper burial. His request was granted. Zichong was posthumously given an office, and Deyu was made envoy to Lishi to bury him with full ceremony. Che's younger brother Gongxu.

公緒字穆叔，性聰敏，博通經傳。魏末為冀州司馬，屬疾去官，絕跡贊皇山。齊天保初，以侍御史征，不就。公緒沈冥樂道，又不閒時務，故誓心不仕。尤明天文，善圖緯之學，嘗謂子弟曰：「吾觀齊之分野，福德不多，國家祚終四七。」及齊亡歲，距天保之元二十八年矣。公緒雅好著書，撰《典言》十卷、《禮質疑》五卷、《喪服章句》一卷、《古今略記》二十卷、《玄子》五卷、《趙記》八卷、《趙語》十二卷，並行於世。公緒既善陰陽之術，有秘記，傳之子孫而不好焉，臨終取以投火。子少通，有學行。

Gongxu, styled Mushu, was quick-witted by nature and deeply learned in the classics and their commentaries. At the end of Northern Wei he served as Chief Administrator of Ji province; when illness struck he left office and vanished into Mount Zanhuang. At the beginning of the Tianbao era in Northern Qi he was summoned as Attendant Censor but did not accept. Gongxu lived in seclusion, devoted to the Way and indifferent to public affairs, and vowed never to take office. He was especially versed in astronomy and the lore of prognostic charts. Once he told his sons and nephews: "I see little fortune left in Qi's allotted stars—the dynasty will not outlast twenty-eight years." In the year Northern Qi fell, twenty-eight years had passed since the first year of Tianbao. Gongxu loved to write. He produced ten scrolls of Canonical Sayings, five of Ritual Doubts, one of Mourning-Garment Commentary, twenty of Brief Records Past and Present, five of Master Xuan, eight of Records of Zhao, and twelve of Sayings of Zhao—all of which circulated widely. Skilled in yin-yang arts, he kept a secret manual and passed it to his descendants, though they had no taste for it; on his deathbed he threw it into the fire. His son Shaotong possessed learning and conduct.

公緒弟概，字季節，少好學。然性倨傲，每對諸兄弟，露髻披服，略無少長之禮。為齊文襄大將軍府行參軍，進側集，題云「富春公主撰」。閑緩不任事，每被譏訶。除殿中侍御史，修國史。後為太子舍人，為副使聘於江南。江南多以僧寺停客，出入常袒露。還，坐事解。後卒于并州功曹參軍。撰《戰國春秋》及《音譜》並行於世。又自簡詩賦二十四首，謂之《達生丈人集》。其序曰：「達生丈人者，生於戰國之世，爵裏姓名無聞焉爾，時人揆其行己，強為之號。頗好屬文，成輒棄槁。常持論文云：古人有言，性情生於欲。又曰人之性靜，欲實汨之。然則性也者，所受於天，神識是也，故為形骸之主；情也者所受於性，嗜欲是也，故為形骸之役。由此言之，情性之辯，斷焉殊異。故其身泰，則均齊死生，塵垢名利，縱酒恣色，所以養情；否，則屏除愛著，擯落枝體，收神反聽，所以養識。是以遇榮樂而無染，遭厄窮而不悶，或出人間，或棲物表，逍遙寄託，莫知所終。」

His younger brother Gai, styled Jijie, loved learning from childhood. Yet he was proud by nature. Before his brothers he would bare his topknot and let his clothes hang loose, showing no regard for seniority. He served as acting staff officer in Gao Cheng's grand general's headquarters and, for a collection presented to the heir, credited it to the Princess of Fuchun. Idle and careless, he was unfit for office and was often mocked for it. He was appointed attendant censor within the palace and worked on the national history. Later he served as attendant to the heir apparent and went as deputy envoy on a mission to Jiangnan. In Jiangnan travelers were often put up in Buddhist temples, and he commonly walked about with his chest bare. On his return he was dismissed on account of an offense. Later he died in office as Staff Officer for Merit in Bing province. He wrote Spring and Autumn of the Warring States and Manual of Tones, both of which circulated widely. He also chose twenty-four of his own poems and rhapsodies and published them as Collected Works of the Reached-Life Elder. Its preface reads: "The Reached-Life Elder lived in the Warring States era. His rank, home, and name are lost; contemporaries judged his conduct and bestowed the title upon him. He was rather fond of composing literary pieces, but whenever he finished one he discarded the draft. He often argued in literary discussion that, as the ancients said, temperament and emotion arise from desire. He also held that human nature is calm, but desire truly defiles it. Nature, then, is what one receives from Heaven—it is the spirit and consciousness, and therefore the master of the bodily frame. Feeling is what one receives from nature—it is appetite and desire, and therefore the servant of the bodily frame. Spoken from this standpoint, the distinction between feeling and nature is decisively clear. Therefore when the body is at ease, one treats life and death as equal, brushes off fame and profit like dust, and indulges freely in wine and sensual pleasure—this is how one nourishes feeling. Otherwise one casts aside attachment, strips away concern for the limbs, gathers the spirit, and turns inward in listening—this is how one nourishes consciousness. Thus one meets glory and joy without being stained, hardship and poverty without distress; sometimes moving among humanity, sometimes dwelling beyond the world of things, wandering freely and entrusting oneself—with no one knowing where it ends."

李順，字德正，钜鹿公靈之從父弟也。父系，慕容垂散騎侍郎、東武城令。道武定中原，以為平棘令。卒，贈趙郡太守、平棘男。

Li Shun, styled Dezheng, was a younger cousin of Li Ling, Duke of Julu. His father Xi had served Murong Chui as Attendant Gentleman of the Scattered Cavalry and Magistrate of Dongwucheng. When Emperor Daowu pacified the Central Plains, Xi was appointed Magistrate of Pingji. At his death he was posthumously granted the title Administrator of Zhao commandery and Baron of Pingji.

順博涉經史，有計策。神瑞中，拜中書博士，轉中書侍郎。從征蠕蠕，以籌略，賜爵平棘子。太武將討赫連昌，謂崔浩曰：「朕前北征，李順獻策數事，實合經略大謀。今欲使總前驅之事，何如？」浩曰：「順智足周務，實如聖旨。但臣與之婚姻，深知其行，然性果於去就，不可專委。」帝乃止。初，浩弟娶順妹，又以弟子娶順女，雖婚媾，而浩頗輕順，順又不伏，由是潛相猜忌，故浩毀之。至統萬，大破昌軍，順謀功居多。後征統萬，昌出逆戰，順破其左軍。及克統萬，帝賜諸將珍寶雜物，順固辭，唯取書數千卷，帝善之。遷給事黃門侍郎。又從擊赫連定於平涼。三秦平，進爵為侯，遷四部尚書，甚見寵待。

Shun was broadly versed in the classics and histories and possessed a strategist's mind. During the Shenrui era he was appointed Erudite of the Secretariat, then promoted to Gentlemen Attendant of the Secretariat. On the campaign against the Rouran, for his strategic planning he was granted the title Viscount of Pingji. When Emperor Taiwu was about to attack Helian Chang, he said to Cui Hao, "On my previous northern campaign Li Shun offered several stratagems that truly accorded with broad strategic designs. Now I wish to put him in overall charge of the vanguard. What do you think?" Hao said, "Shun's intellect suffices for thorough affairs—truly as Your Majesty says. But I am related to him by marriage and know his conduct well; yet by nature he is decisive about staying or leaving, and he cannot be wholly entrusted." The emperor then dropped the matter. Earlier, Hao's younger brother had married Shun's sister, and Hao's nephew had married Shun's daughter; though they were linked by marriage, Hao looked down on Shun and Shun would not yield—therefore they secretly harbored mutual suspicion, and Hao slandered him. At Tongwan they routed Chang's army, and Shun's contribution to the plan was the greatest. Later, on the campaign against Tongwan, when Chang came out to meet them in battle, Shun routed his left wing. When Tongwan was taken, the emperor bestowed precious objects and miscellaneous goods on the generals; Shun firmly declined everything but took several thousand scrolls of books, which the emperor commended. He was promoted to Attending Gentleman of the Yellow Gate. He also followed on the attack against Helian Ding at Pingliang. When the Three Qins were pacified, his enfeoffment was raised to marquis, he was appointed Director of the Four Departments, and enjoyed great favor.

沮渠蒙遜以河西內附，帝欲簡行人，崔浩曰：「宜令清德重臣，奉詔褒慰，尚書順即其人也。」帝曰：「順納言大臣，不宜方為此使，若蒙遜身執玉帛而朝於朕，復何以加之？」浩曰：「邢貞使吳，亦魏之太常，苟事是宜，無嫌於重。」帝從之，以順為太常，策拜蒙遜為太傅，涼王。使還，拜使持節、都督四州諸軍事、長安鎮都大將、甯西將軍、開府，進爵高平公。未幾，徵為四部尚書，加散騎常侍。延和初，使涼。蒙遜辭疾，箕坐隱幾，無起動狀。順正色大言曰：「不謂此叟無禮，乃至於是！」握節而出。蒙遜使中兵校郎楊定歸追順曰：「太常雲朝廷賜不拜之詔，是以敢自安耳；若曰爾拜爾跽，而不承命，乃小臣之罪矣。」順曰：「齊桓公九合諸侯，一匡天下，周公賜胙，命曰伯舅無拜，而桓公降而拜受。今朝廷未有不拜之詔，而便偃蹇自取，此乃速禍之道。」蒙遜拜伏盡禮。

Juqu Mengxun submitted the Hexi region to the empire; the emperor wished to select an envoy. Cui Hao said, "A minister of pure virtue and weighty standing should be sent with an edict to praise and comfort him—Director Shun is the man." The emperor said, "Shun is a minister who remonstrates at court; he is not fit to serve merely as such an envoy. If Mengxun came in person bearing jade and silks to pay court to me, what further honor could I give him?" Hao said, "Xing Zhen was sent to Wu though he too was Grand Director of Ceremonial for Wei—if the mission is appropriate, there is no objection on grounds of rank. The emperor agreed. He made Shun grand director of ceremonial and issued an edict investing Mengxun as grand tutor and prince of Liang. On his return he was made commissioner with the staff, commander-in-chief of military affairs in four provinces, grand general of the Chang'an garrison, General Who Pacifies the West, with an opened headquarters, and was enfeoffed as Duke of Gaoping. Before long he was recalled as Director of the Four Departments and additionally appointed Regular Attendant of the Scattered Cavalry. At the beginning of the Yanhe era he was sent on mission to Liang. Mengxun pleaded illness and sat sprawled on an armrest, giving no sign that he would rise. Shun said sternly in a loud voice, "I never thought this old fellow would be so rude as this!" He grasped his staff of office and marched out. Mengxun sent Central Army Commandant Yang Dinggui after Shun, who said, "The Grand Director said the court has granted an edict excusing him from bowing, and therefore he dared remain at ease; but if Your Excellency says you will bow and kneel yet still do not accept the command, that will be the fault of a petty subject." Shun said, "Duke Huan of Qi nine times convened the feudal lords and set the realm to rights; the Duke of Zhou granted him sacrificial flesh with the command, 'As my uncle you need not bow'—yet Huan descended and bowed to receive it. The court has issued no edict excusing you from bowing, yet you insolently take this upon yourself—this is the way to hurry disaster upon yourself." Mengxun bowed and prostrated himself with full courtesy.

順還，帝問與蒙遜往復辭，及其政教得失。順曰：「蒙遜專威河右，三十許年，經涉艱難，粗識機變，雖不能貽厥孫謀，猶足以終其一世。但前歲表許十月送曇無懺，及臣往迎，便乖本意，不臣不信，於是而甚。以臣觀之，不復周矣。」帝曰：「若如卿言，則效在無遠，襲世之後，早晚當滅。」對曰：「臣略見其子，並非才俊。如聞敦煌太守牧犍，器性粗立，若繼蒙遜，必此人也。然比之于父，僉雲不逮，殆天所用資聖明也。」帝曰：「朕方事於東，未暇營西，如卿所言，三五年間，不足為晚。」及蒙遜死問至，太武謂順曰：「卿言蒙遜死，驗矣；又言牧犍立，何其妙哉！朕克涼州，亦當不遠。」於是賜絹千匹、廄馬一乘，寵待彌厚，政無巨細，無所不參。崔浩惡之。

When Shun returned, the emperor asked about his exchanges with Mengxun and about the strengths and weaknesses of his governance and instruction. Shun said, "Mengxun has held sole authority west of the Yellow River for some thirty years; through hardship he has roughly learned to read situations—though he cannot leave a legacy for his descendants, he is still enough to finish out his life. But last year in his memorial he promised to send Tanwuchen in the tenth month, and when I went to receive him he went against his original intent; he is greatly lacking in loyalty and trust. In my view he will not long remain steadfast." The emperor said, "If it is as you say, the effect is not far off; after he passes the realm on, destruction will come sooner or later." He replied, "I have briefly seen his sons, and none are men of talent. I hear that Muzhi, Administrator of Dunhuang, has some capacity and firmness of character; if he succeeds Mengxun, it will surely be this man. Yet compared with his father all say he falls short—perhaps this is Heaven's way of providing for Your Sage Majesty." The emperor said, "I am at present occupied with the east and have no leisure to manage the west; as you say, within three or five years it will not be too late." When word of Mengxun's death arrived, Emperor Taiwu said to Shun, "What you said about Mengxun's death has been verified; and that Muzhi would succeed him—how wonderfully perceptive! My conquest of Liang province cannot be far off. He then granted a thousand bolts of silk and a stable horse, favored him ever more warmly, and consulted him on every matter, large or small. Cui Hao hated him.

順凡使涼州十二回，太武稱其能。而蒙遜數與順遊宴，頗有悖言，恐順泄之，以金寶納順懷中，故蒙遜罪釁得不聞。又西域沙門曇無懺有方術，在涼州，詔追之。順受蒙遜金，聽殺之。浩並知之，密言於帝。帝未之信。太延三年，順復使涼州，及還，帝問以將平河右計，順以人勞既久，不可頻動，帝從之。五年，議征涼州，順以涼州乏水草，不宜遠征。崔浩固以為宜征，帝從浩議。及至姑臧，甚豐水草，帝與景穆書，頗嫌順。後謂浩曰：「卿昔所言，今果驗矣。」克涼州後，聞受蒙遜金而聽其殺曇無懺，益嫌之。猶以寵舊，未加其罪，尚詔順差次群臣，賜以爵位。順頗受納，品第不平。涼州人徐桀發其事，浩又毀之。帝大怒，刑順於城西。順死後數年，其從父弟孝伯為太武知重，居中用事。及浩誅，帝怒甚，謂孝伯曰：「卿從兄往雖誤國，朕意亦未至此。由浩，遂殺卿從兄。」皇興初，順子敷等貴寵，獻文追贈順侍中、鎮西大將軍、太尉公、高平王，諡曰宣王。妻邢氏曰孝妃。順四子。

Shun served on twelve missions to Liang province in all, and Emperor Taiwu praised his skill. Yet Mengxun often feasted with Shun and let slip treasonable words. Fearing exposure, he stuffed gold and jewels into Shun's robes, and so his offenses never reached the court. The Western Regions monk Tanwuchen, who possessed occult arts, was in Liang province when an edict summoned him. Shun took gold from Mengxun and allowed him to be killed. Hao knew all of this and spoke of it secretly to the emperor. The emperor did not believe it. In the third year of Taiyan, Shun was again sent to Liang province. On his return the emperor asked how to pacify the lands west of the Yellow River. Shun argued that the people had been worn down too long to bear repeated campaigns, and the emperor agreed. In the fifth year, when an expedition against Liang province was debated, Shun said the region lacked grass and water and was unsuited to a distant campaign. Cui Hao insisted that an expedition was warranted, and the emperor sided with him. When they reached Guzang, grass and water proved abundant. The emperor wrote to Crown Prince Jingmu with evident resentment toward Shun. Later he said to Hao, "What you said before has now indeed been verified. After Liang province fell, learning that Shun had taken Mengxun's gold and permitted Tanwuchen's execution, the emperor grew still more displeased. Even so, out of old affection he withheld punishment and even had Shun rank the officials and assign them titles. Shun accepted many bribes and ranked them unfairly. Xu Jie of Liang province brought the affair to light, and Hao slandered Shun once more. The emperor was furious and executed Shun west of the city. Several years after Shun's death, his cousin Xiaobo won Emperor Taiwu's trust and wielded influence at court. When Hao was executed the emperor was exceedingly angry and said to Xiaobo, "Although your elder cousin erred against the state in the past, my mind had not gone so far as this. It was because of Hao that I ended up killing your elder cousin. At the opening of Huangxing, Shun's sons Fu and others rose in favor. Emperor Xianwen posthumously made Shun palace attendant, Grand General Who Pacifies the West, grand commandant, and Prince of Gaoping, with the posthumous title Prince Xuan. His wife Lady Xing was titled Consort Xiao. Shun had four sons.

長子敷，字景文。真君二年，選入中書教學，以忠謹給侍東宮，以為中散。與䐶、盧遐、度世等並以聰敏內參機密。敷性謙恭，加有文學，文成寵遇之。遷秘書下大夫，賜爵平棘子。後兼錄南部，遷散騎常侍、南部尚書、中書監，領內外秘書，襲爵高平公。朝政大議，事無不關。及宋徐州刺史薛安都、司州刺史常珍奇等以彭城、懸瓠降，于時朝議謂未必可信，敷乃固執必然。乃遣師接援，淮海寧輯。敷既見待二世，兄弟親戚在朝者十餘人。弟弈又有寵于文明太后。䐶列其隱罪二十餘條，獻文大怒，皇興四年，誅敷兄弟，削順位號為庶人。敷從弟顯德、妹夫廣平宋叔珍等皆坐關亂公私，同時伏法。敷兄弟敦崇孝義，家門有禮，至於居喪法度，吉凶書記，皆合典則，為北州所稱美。既致斯禍，時人嘆惜之。

His eldest son Fu, styled Jingwen. In the second year of Zhenjun he was selected for instruction in the Secretariat; for loyalty and prudence he was given attendance at the Eastern Palace and appointed Central Scattered Courtier. Together with Li Zhi, Lu Xia, Dushi, and others, he was admitted to confidential counsel because of his keen mind. Fu was modest and courteous by nature, and with his literary attainments he was favored by Emperor Wencheng. He was promoted to Grand Clerk Under the Secretariat and granted the title Viscount of Pingji. Later he additionally took charge of the Southern Department, was promoted to Regular Attendant of the Scattered Cavalry, Director of the Southern Department, and Supervisor of the Secretariat, charged with internal and external secretarial affairs, and inherited the enfeoffment of Duke of Gaoping. In great deliberations of court policy there was nothing that did not concern him. When Xue Andu, Governor of Xuzhou under Song, and Chang Zhenqi, Governor of Sizhou, surrendered Pengcheng and Xuancheng, court opinion held that they might not be trusted; Fu alone firmly maintained that they certainly would. Troops were then dispatched to receive and support them, and the Huai and Hai regions were settled. Fu had been favored across two reigns, and more than ten brothers and kinsmen held office at court. His younger brother Yi also enjoyed favor with Empress Dowager Wenming. Li Zhi listed more than twenty hidden offenses, greatly angering Emperor Xianwen; in the fourth year of Huangxing he executed Fu and his brothers and reduced Shun's titles to commoner status. Fu's younger male cousin Xiande, his sister's husband Song Shuzhen of Guangping, and others were all convicted for having interfered with public and private affairs and were executed at the same time. The Fu brothers honored filial piety and righteousness; their household observed ritual propriety, and in mourning rites, auspicious and inauspicious correspondence, everything accorded with canonical standards—they were praised throughout the northern provinces. After this catastrophe people of the time sighed and lamented for them.

敷弟式，字景則，學業知名。位西兗州刺史、濮陽侯。式自以家據權要，心慮危禍，常敕津吏，台有使者，必先啟然後度之。既而使人卒至，始雲南過，既濟，突入執式赴都，與兄俱死。

Fu's younger brother Shi, styled Jingze, was known for his scholarly attainments. He held the posts of Inspector of Western Yan province and Marquis of Puyang. Shi, believing his family held power at court, feared disaster at heart and often instructed the ferry officers that when the court sent envoys they must report first before allowing them to cross. Yet envoys suddenly arrived; at first they said they were passing southward, but once they had crossed they burst in, seized Shi, and took him to the capital, where he died together with his elder brother.

子憲，字仲軌，清粹善風儀，好學有器度。太和初，襲爵，又降為伯。拜秘書中散，雅為孝文知賞。後拜趙郡太守。趙修與其州裏，修歸葬父母也，牧守以下畏之累跡，憲不為屈，時人高之。後以党附高肇，為御史所劾。正光五年，行雍州刺史，尋除七兵尚書。孝昌中，除征東將軍、揚州刺史、淮南大都督。及梁平北大將軍元樹等來寇，憲力屈而降。因求還國。既至，敕付廷尉。憲女婿安樂王鑒據相州反，靈太后謂鑒心懷劫脅，遂詔賜憲死。永熙中，贈儀同三司、尚書令、定州刺史，諡曰文靖。子希遠，字景沖，早卒。希遠子祖悛，襲祖爵。

His son Xian, styled Zhonggui, was pure and refined with fine bearing, loved learning, and possessed capacity and measure. At the beginning of the Taihe era he inherited the enfeoffment, then was lowered to marquis. He was appointed Central Scattered Courtier of the Secretariat and was greatly appreciated by Emperor Xiaowen. Later he was appointed Administrator of Zhao commandery. Zhao Xiu was from his same district; when Xiu returned to bury his parents, magistrates and prefectures below him showed fear in their crowded tracks, but Xian did not yield—people of the time admired him for it. Later he was impeached by the censorate for having joined Gao Zhao's faction. In the fifth year of Zhenguang he served as acting Governor of Yong province and was soon appointed Minister of the Seven Armies. During the Xiaochang era he received appointment as General Who Campaigns East, Governor of Yang province, and Grand Commander of Huainan. When Yuan Shu and other generals of Liang's Northern Pacification army came to raid, Xian's strength was spent and he surrendered. He then asked to return home. Once he arrived, an imperial order handed him over to the Minister of Justice. Xian's son-in-law, Prince of Anle Jian, seized Xiang province in rebellion; Empress Dowager Ling held that Jian had acted under duress, and so an edict ordered Xian to take his own life. In the Yongxi era he was posthumously granted Three Divisions of Equal Rank, Director of the Masters of Writing, and Governor of Ding province, with the posthumous epithet Wenjing. His son Xiyuan, styled Jingchong, died young. Xiyuan's son Zujuan inherited his grandfather's title.

希遠弟希宗，字景玄。性寬和，儀貌雅麗，有才學。位金紫光祿大夫。齊神武擢為中外府長史。文宣帝納其第二女為皇后。位上党太守，卒。贈司空公、殷州刺史，諡曰文簡。

Xiyuan's younger brother Xizong, styled Jingxuan. By nature he was gentle and amiable, handsome in bearing, and possessed both learning and talent. He rose to Grand Master of Splendid Happiness with the Golden Emblem. Gao Huan promoted him to chief administrator of the Central and Foreign Affairs Office. Emperor Wenxuan took his second daughter as empress. He served as Administrator of Shangdang and died in office. He was posthumously granted Duke of Works and Governor of Yin province, with the posthumous epithet Wenjian.

希宗長子祖升，儀容瑰麗，垂手過膝，文學足以自通。位齊州刺史。淫于從兵妻，見殺。

Xizong's eldest son Zusheng was strikingly handsome, with hands that hung past his knees; his literary attainments were enough to see him through on his own. He rose to Governor of Qi province. He violated a follower-soldier's wife and was killed.

希宗弟希仁，字景山，有學識。卒于侍中、太子詹事。子公統，仕齊，位員外郎。高歸彥之反，公統為之謀主。歸彥敗，伏法。其母崔氏當沒官，其弟宣寶行賕，改籍注老。事發，武成帝棓殺之，肝腦塗地。

Xizong's younger brother Xiren, styled Jingshan, possessed learning and erudition. He died while serving as Palace Attendant and Director of the Household of the Heir Apparent. His son Gongtong served Northern Qi and rose to Outer Gentleman. When Gao Guiyan rebelled, Gongtong served as his chief strategist. When Guiyan was defeated, Gongtong was executed. His mother Lady Cui was to be confiscated as a government servant; his younger brother Xuanbao offered bribes to alter the household registry and register her as elderly. When the affair came to light, Emperor Wucheng beat him to death with a club until his brains and viscera smeared the ground.

希仁弟騫，字希義，博涉經史，文藻富贍。位散騎常侍、殷州大中正、尚書左丞。以本官兼散騎常侍使梁。後坐事免，論者以為非罪。騫嘗贈親友盧元明、魏收詩云：「監河愛升水，蘇子惜餘明。益州達友趣，廷尉辯交情。」蓋失職之志云。後除給事黃門侍郎，卒。其文筆別有集錄。齊受禪，贈儀同三司，諡曰文惠。

Xiren's younger brother Qian, styled Xiyi, ranged widely through the classics and histories and wrote with rich literary ornament. He rose to Regular Attendant of the Scattered Cavalry, Senior Rectifier of Yin province, and Director of the Left of the Masters of Writing. Retaining his existing office, he was additionally appointed Regular Attendant of the Scattered Cavalry and sent as envoy to Liang. Later he was dismissed on account of an offense, though commentators held that he was not guilty. Qian once sent his close friends Lu Yuanming and Wei Shou a poem, saying, "One who guards the river loves rising water; Master Su cherishes the lingering light. In Yizhou one attains the company of friends; at the Minister of Justice one argues over friendship." This expressed his feelings at losing office. Later he was appointed Gentleman Attendant at the Yellow Gate and died. His literary works were separately collected and recorded. When Qi received the abdication, he was posthumously granted Three Divisions of Equal Rank with the posthumous epithet Wenhui.

騫弟希禮，字景節，性敦厚，容止樞機，動遵禮度。起家著作佐郎，修起居注。歷位太常少卿，兼廷尉少卿，行魏尹事，豫州刺史。仍居議曹，與邢邵等議定禮律。卒于信州刺史。

Qian's younger brother Xili, styled Jingjie, was by nature sincere and steadfast; his bearing was measured and dignified, and in all conduct he observed ritual propriety. He began his career as Assistant to the Director of Composition and compiled the imperial diary. He served in succession as Vice Minister of Ceremonies, concurrently Vice Minister of Justice, acting Prefect of the Wei capital, and Governor of Yu province. He remained in the Deliberation Office and, together with Xing Shao and others, deliberated and fixed ritual and penal law. He died while serving as Governor of Xin province.

子孝貞，字元操，好學善屬文。仕齊，釋褐司徒府參軍事。與弟孝基同見吏部郎中陸昂。昂戲之曰：「弟名孝基，兄其替矣！」孝貞對曰：「禮雖不肖，請附子臧。」昂握手曰：「士固不妄有名，吾賢必當遠至。」簡靜，不妄通接賓客。射策甲科，拜給事中。稍遷兼通直散騎常侍，副李翥使陳。

His son Xiaozhen, styled Yuancao, loved learning and was skilled at literary composition. Serving Northern Qi, upon first taking office he became Aide in the Chancellor's office of the Minister of Education. Together with his younger brother Xiaoji he went to see Lu Ang, Gentleman of the Ministry of Personnel. Ang joked, saying, "Your younger brother is named Xiaoji—the elder must be the substitute!" Xiaozhen replied, "Though I am not Zengzi's equal, I yet ask to follow Zizang." Ang took his hand and said, "A scholar truly does not bear his name in vain; our worthy man will surely go far." He was reserved and quiet and did not casually receive or call upon guests. In the archery examination he ranked in the top class and was appointed Attendant at the Court. He was gradually promoted to concurrent Regular Attendant and Direct Transmission and, as deputy to Li Xu, served as envoy to Chen.

孝貞從姊則昭信皇后，從兄祖勳女為廢帝濟南王妃，祖欽女一為後主娥英，一為琅邪王儼妃，祖勳叔騫女為安德王延宗妃。諸房子女，多有才貌，又因昭信後，所以與帝室姻媾重疊。兄弟並以文學自達，恥為外戚家。于時黃門侍郎高乾和親要用事，求婚於孝貞，孝貞拒之。由是有隙，陰譖之，出為太尉府外兵參軍。後曆中書舍人。

Xiaozhen's paternal cousin was Empress Zhaoxin; his cousin Zuxun's daughter was consort to the Deposed Emperor, Prince of Jinan; Zuxin's daughters—one became Empress Eying of the Later Lord, one consort to Prince of Langye Yan; Zuxun's uncle Qian's daughter was consort to Prince of Ande Yanzong. The sons and daughters of the various branches were mostly gifted in talent and appearance; moreover, because of Empress Zhaoxin, their marriage ties with the imperial house overlapped again and again. The brothers all made their way through literary attainment and were ashamed to be counted as a consort clan. At the time Gao Qianhe, Regular Attendant at the Yellow Gate and a close kinsman in power, sought marriage with Xiaozhen, but Xiaozhen refused. Hence there was enmity; Qianhe slandered Xiaozhen in secret, and Xiaozhen was sent out as Aide for External Military Affairs in the Grand Commandant's office. Later he served in succession as Secretariat Drafting Officer.

後數歲，遷蒙州刺史，吏人安之。自此不復留意文筆。人問其故，慨然歎曰：「五十之年，倏焉已過，鬢垂素髮，筋力已衰，宦意文情，一時盡矣，悲夫！」然每暇日，輒引賓客，弦歌對酒，終日為歡。後徵拜內史侍郎，與內史令李德林參典文翰。元操無干劇之用，頗稱不理。上譴怒之，敕御史劾其事。由是出為金州刺史，卒官。所著文集三十卷行於世，子元玉。

Several years later he was transferred to Governor of Meng province, where officials and people found peace under his rule. From then on he no longer gave his mind to literary composition. When people asked why, he sighed deeply and said, "Fifty years—gone in an instant! My temples are white, my strength is spent; ambition for office and passion for letters—all gone at once. Alas!" Yet on every day of leisure he would gather guests, sing to strings and drink wine, making merry all day long. Later he was summoned and appointed Vice Director of the Secretariat, sharing charge of literary composition with Director of the Secretariat Li Delin. Yuancao lacked capacity for demanding affairs and was said to be negligent in administration. The sovereign rebuked him in anger and ordered the censorate to impeach his conduct. For this he was sent out as Governor of Jin province and died in office. His collected writings in thirty juan circulated in the world; his son was Yuanyu.

元操弟孝基，亦有才學，風詞甚美。以衛尉丞待詔文林館，位儀曹郎中。孝基弟孝俊，太子洗馬。孝俊弟孝威，字季重，涉學有器幹，兄弟之中，最為敦篤。位太尉外兵參軍，修起居注。仕隋，禮部侍郎、大理少卿。

Yuancao's younger brother Xiaoji also had talent and learning, with a beautiful literary style. As Deputy Director of the Court of Imperial Sacrifices he awaited appointment at the Forest of Literature Hall and rose to Gentleman in the Ministry of Ceremonies. Xiaoji's younger brother Xiaojun served as Groom of the Heir Apparent. Xiaojun's younger brother Xiaowei, styled Jizhong, ranged through learning with capacity and resolve; among the brothers he was the most sincere and steadfast. He rose to Aide for External Military Affairs in the Grand Commandant's office and compiled the imperial diary. Serving Sui, he was Vice Minister of Ceremonies and Vice Minister of Justice.

式弟弈，字景世，美容貌，有才藝。位都官尚書、安平侯，與兄敷同死。太和初，文明太后追念弈兄弟，及誅䐶，存問憲等一二家，歲時賜以布帛。

Shi's younger brother Yi, styled Jingshi, had a handsome appearance and artistic talent. He rose to Minister of Justice and Marquis of Anping, and died together with his elder brother Fu. At the beginning of Taihe, Empress Dowager Wenming recalled Yi's brothers; and when Li Zhi was executed she inquired after one or two households such as Xian's, granting cloth and silk at the seasonal festivals.

弈弟冏，字道度，少為中散，逃避得免。後歷位度支尚書。太和二十一年，孝文幸長安，冏以咸陽山河險固，秦、漢舊都，勸帝去洛陽都之。後孝文引見冏，笑謂曰：「昔婁敬一說，漢祖即日西駕。尚書今以西京說朕，使朕不廢東轅。當是獻可理殊，所以今古相反耳。」冏曰：「昔漢祖起於布衣，欲藉險以自固，婁敬之言，符於本旨。今陛下德洽四海，事同隆周，是以愚臣獻說，不能上動。」帝大悅。

Yi's younger brother Jiong, styled Daodu, while young served as Central Scattered Courtier and escaped by flight. Later he served in succession as Minister of Revenue. In the twenty-first year of Taihe, Emperor Xiaowen visited Chang'an; Jiong urged the emperor to abandon Luoyang and establish the capital there, citing Xianyang's mountains and rivers as perilously secure and its status as the old capital of Qin and Han. Later Emperor Xiaowen summoned Jiong and said with a smile, "In former times, when Lou Jing spoke but once, the Han Founder that very day drove westward. The Director of the Masters of Writing urged me with the western capital, keeping me from abandoning my eastern journey. This must be that 'presenting what is acceptable' rests on different principles—hence ancient and modern run counter to each other." Jiong said, "In former times the Han Founder rose from common cloth and wished to rely on perilous terrain to secure himself; Lou Jing's words matched his original intent. Now Your Majesty's virtue pervades all within the four seas and your affairs are like those of the flourishing Zhou—therefore this foolish subject's presentation could not move you above." The emperor was greatly pleased.

冏性鯁烈，敢直言，常面折孝文，彈駁公卿，無所回避，百寮皆憚之。孝文常加優禮，每車駕巡幸，恆兼尚書右僕射。雖才學不及諸兄，然公強當世，堪濟過之。卒。

Jiong's nature was blunt and fierce; he dared speak directly, often rebuking Emperor Xiaowen to his face and impeaching dukes and ministers without evasion—all the hundred officials feared him. Emperor Xiaowen often treated him with special honor; whenever the imperial carriage toured, Jiong regularly served concurrently as Right Vice Minister of the Masters of Writing. Although his talent and learning did not match his elder brothers, in public strength for his age he surpassed them in capacity to meet the needs of the times. He died.

子祐，字長禧，篤穆友于，見稱於世。歷位給事中，累遷博陵太守，所在亦以清幹著。順弟修基，陳留太守，卒。子探幽，高平太守。探幽兄子洪鸞，河間太守。

His son You, styled Changxi, was sincere, dignified, and fraternal, and was praised by the world. He served in succession as Attendant at the Court, was promoted repeatedly to Administrator of Boling, and wherever he served was also known for integrity and competence. Shun's younger brother Xiuji, Administrator of Chenliu, died. His son TanYou served as Administrator of Gaoping. Tanyou's elder brother's son Hongluan served as Administrator of Hejian.

李孝伯，高平公順從父弟也。父曾，少以鄭氏《禮》、《左氏春秋》教授為業。郡三辟功曹，並不就，曰：「功曹之職，雖曰鄉選高第，猶是郡吏耳；北面事人，亦何容易。」州辟主簿，到官月餘，乃歎曰：「梁敬叔雲'州郡之職，徒勞人耳'。道之不行，身之憂也。」遂還家講授。道武時，為趙郡太守，令行禁止。并州丁零數為山東害，知曾能得百姓死力，憚不入境。賊於常山界得一死鹿，賊長謂趙郡地也，責之，還令送鹿故處。郡謠曰：「詐作趙郡鹿，猶勝常山粟。」其見憚如此。卒，贈荊州刺史、柏仁子，諡曰懿。

Li Xiaobo was a younger male cousin of Duke of Gaoping Shun. His father Zeng in his youth made his profession teaching the Zheng school's Rites and the Zuo Commentary on the Spring and Autumn Annals. The commandery thrice summoned him as Merit Officer, but he never accepted, saying, "The office of Merit Officer, though called the highest selection of the district, is still a commandery clerk; to face north and serve another—how easily done is that?" The province summoned him as Chief Clerk; after little more than a month in office he sighed and said, "Liang Jingshu said, 'Provincial and commandery offices are nothing but toil for men. When the Way does not prevail, it is one's own worry." So he returned home and devoted himself to teaching. During Emperor Daowu's reign he served as Administrator of Zhao commandery, where his orders were enforced and prohibitions observed. Dingling from Bing province often plundered Shandong; knowing Zeng could elicit the people's utmost loyalty, they feared to enter his territory. Bandits obtained a dead deer on the border of Changshan commandery; the bandit chief said it was Zhao commandery territory, rebuked them, and ordered the deer returned to where it had been. A commandery rhyme ran, "Feigning a deer from Zhao commandery is still better than grain from Changshan." Such was the fear in which he was held. He died and was posthumously granted Governor of Jing province and Viscount of Boren, with the posthumous title Yi.

孝伯少傳父業，博綜群言，美風儀，動有法度。從兄言之太武，徵為中散，謂曰「真卿家千里駒也」。遷秘書奏事中散，轉散騎侍郎、光祿大夫，賜爵魏昌子。以軍國機密，甚見親寵，謀謨切秘，時人莫能知。遷北部尚書。以頻從征伐規略之功，進爵壽光侯。

Xiaobo in youth inherited his father's profession, mastered diverse learning, had fine bearing, and in his movements observed proper measure. A male cousin of his father's generation spoke of him to Emperor Taiwu; he was summoned as Central Scattered Courtier, and the emperor said, "Truly a thousand-league colt of the Li household." He was transferred to Central Scattered Courtier in attendance at the Secretariat, then became Attendant Gentleman at the Palace Mounted Guard and Grand Master for Splendid Happiness, and was granted the title Viscount of Weichang. Because of military and state secrets he was greatly favored and trusted; his stratagems were closely guarded, and people of the time could not know them. He was transferred to Minister of the Northern Bureau. For repeated merit in following campaigns in strategy and planning, he was advanced to Marquis of Shouguang.

真君末，宋文帝聞車駕南伐，遣其弟太尉、江夏王義恭率眾赴彭城。太武至彭城，登亞父塚以望城內，遣送其俘蒯應至小市門，宣詔勞問。義恭等問應士馬數，曰：「中軍四十餘萬。」宋徐州刺史武陵王駿遣人獻酒二器、甘蔗百挺，並請駱駝。帝明旦復登亞父塚，遣孝伯至小市門，駿亦使其長史張暢對。孝伯曰：「主上有詔詔太尉、安北，可暫出門，欲與相見。今遣賜駱駝及貂裘雜物。」暢曰：「有詔之言，何得稱之於此？」孝伯曰：「卿家太尉、安北是人臣不？縱為鄰國之君，何為不稱詔於鄰國之臣？又何至杜門絕橋？」暢曰：「二王以魏帝營壘未立，此精甲十萬，恐輕相陵踐，故且閉城。待彼休息兵士，然後共修戰場，克日交戲。」孝伯曰：「令行禁止，主將常事，何用廢橋杜門？復何以十萬誇大？我亦有良馬百萬，復可以此相矜。」既開門，暢屏人卻仗，出受賜物。孝伯曰：「詔以貂裘賜太尉，駱駝騾馬賜安北。」義恭獻皮袴褶一具，駿奉酒二器、甘蔗百挺。帝又遣賜義恭、駿等氈各一領，鹽各九種，並胡豉。孝伯曰：「有後詔：凡此諸鹽，各有所宜。白鹽食鹽，主上自所食；黑鹽療腹脹氣滿，末之六銖，以酒而服；胡鹽療目痛；戎鹽療諸瘡；赤鹽、駁鹽、臭鹽、馬齒鹽四種，並非食鹽。太尉、安北，何不遣人來至朕間，見朕小大，知朕老少，觀朕為人？」暢曰：「魏帝為人，久為往來所具，故不復遣信。」義恭獻蠟燭十挺，駿獻錦一匹。

At the end of the Zhenjun era, Emperor Wen of Song heard that the imperial carriage was campaigning south and sent his younger brother the Grand Commandant, Prince of Jiangxia Yigong, to lead troops to Pengcheng. Emperor Taiwu reached Pengcheng, climbed the mound of the Second Father to view the city within, and had his captive Kuai Ying sent to the Small Market Gate to proclaim an edict of consolation and inquiry. Yigong and the others asked Ying the number of men and horses; he said, "The central army numbers more than four hundred thousand." The Song Governor of Xu province, Prince of Wuling Jun, sent men with two vessels of wine and a hundred stalks of sugarcane, and also requested camels. The next morning the emperor again climbed the mound of the Second Father and sent Xiaobo to the Small Market Gate; Jun likewise had his Chief Clerk Zhang Chang respond. Xiaobo said, "The sovereign has an edict for the Grand Commandant and Pacifier of the North: you may come briefly outside the gate—he wishes to meet you. He now sends camels, sable fur robes, and various goods as gifts." Chang said, "Words of an edict—how can they be spoken here?" Xiaobo said, "Are your household's Grand Commandant and Pacifier of the North subjects or not? Even if they are rulers of a neighboring state, why not speak of an edict to subjects of a neighboring state? And why go so far as to shut the gates and cut off the bridge?" Chang said, "The two princes, because the Wei emperor's camps are not yet established and they have a hundred thousand picked armored troops here, fear a rash crossing and violation, and therefore for the time being closed the city. When their troops have rested, they will then jointly prepare the battlefield and fix a day for combat." Xiaobo said, "Orders enforced and prohibitions observed—these are ordinary matters for a commanding general; why demolish bridges and shut gates? And why boast of a hundred thousand? We too have a million fine horses—we could likewise boast of this." Once the gates were opened, Chang dismissed attendants and sheathed weapons and came out to receive the gifts. Xiaobo said, "By edict the sable fur robe is granted to the Grand Commandant, and camels, mules, and horses to the Pacifier of the North." Yigong presented one set of leather trousers and jacket; Jun offered two vessels of wine and a hundred stalks of sugarcane. The emperor also sent gifts of one felt rug each for Yigong, Jun, and the others, nine kinds of salt each, and fermented bean paste from the north. Xiaobo said, "There is a follow-up edict: each of these salts has its proper use. White salt and table salt are what the sovereign himself eats; black salt treats abdominal distension and gas fullness—grind six zhu of it and take it in wine; Hu salt treats eye pain; Rong salt treats various sores; the four kinds red salt, variegated salt, foul salt, and horse-tooth salt are none of them table salt. Grand Commandant, Pacifier of the North—why not send someone to my quarters to see how large or small I am, know whether I am young or old, and observe what manner of man I am?" Chang said, "What manner of man the Wei emperor is has long been fully known through mutual visits, and therefore we do not send envoys again." Yigong presented ten stalks of wax candles; Jun presented one bolt of brocade.

孝伯風容閒雅，應答如流，暢及左右甚相嗟歎。帝大喜，進爵宣城公。為使持節、散騎常侍、秦州刺史，卒。贈征南大將軍、定州刺史，諡曰文昭公。

Xiaobo's bearing was easy and elegant; his replies flowed smoothly, and Chang and those around him greatly marveled. The emperor was greatly pleased and advanced his rank to Duke of Xuancheng. He served as Bearer of the Staff of Authority, Regular Attendant at the Palace Mounted Guard, and Governor of Qin province, then died. He was posthumously granted Grand General Who Expands the South and Governor of Ding province, with the posthumous title Duke Wen Zhao.

孝伯體度恢雅，明達政事，朝野貴賤，咸推重之。景穆曾啟太武，廣征俊秀，帝曰：「朕有一孝伯，足理天下，何用多為？假復求訪，此人輩亦何可得？」其見貴如此。性方慎忠厚，每朝廷事有所不足，必手自書表，切言陳諫。或不從者，至於再三，削滅槁草，家人不見。公廷論議，常引綱紀。或有言事者，孝伯恣其所陳，假有是非，終不抑折。及見帝，言其所長，初不隱人姓名，以為已善。故衣冠之士，服其雅正。自崔浩誅後，軍國謀謨，咸出孝伯。太武寵眷，有亞於浩，亦以宰輔遇之。獻替補闕，其跡不見，時人莫得而知。卒之日，遠近哀傷焉。孝伯美名，聞於遐邇。李彪使江南，齊武帝謂曰：「北有李孝伯，于卿遠近？」其為遠人所知若此。

Xiaobo's physique and bearing were grand and refined; he was clear and penetrating in state affairs, and nobles and commoners throughout court and countryside all esteemed him. Jingmu once memorialized Emperor Taiwu to widely summon outstanding talent; the emperor said, "I have one Xiaobo—enough to order the realm; why gather many? Even if we search further, how could men of this sort be obtained?" Such was the esteem in which he was held. His nature was upright, cautious, and loyal-thorough; whenever something in court affairs fell short, he inevitably wrote a memorial himself and offered candid remonstrance. If it was not followed, he might do so two or three times; he destroyed the draft straw and his family never saw it. In public court discussion he constantly appealed to the governing principles. When someone spoke on affairs, Xiaobo let them state what they would; even if there were right and wrong, he never suppressed them. When he saw the emperor he spoke of others' strengths, never concealing people's names to claim credit for himself. Therefore men of the gentry admired his refined integrity. After Cui Hao's execution, military and state stratagems all issued from Xiaobo. Emperor Taiwu's favor for him was second only to that for Hao, and he was treated as a chief minister. His contributions and corrections leave no visible trace; people of the time could not know them. On the day he died, near and far mourned him. Xiaobo's fine reputation was heard far and near. When Li Biao went on embassy to Jiangnan, Emperor Wu of Qi said to him, "In the north there is Li Xiaobo—how does he compare with you in rank?" Such was his renown among distant peoples.

其妻崔賾女，高明婦人，生一子元顯。崔氏卒後納翟氏，不以為妻，憎忌元顯。後遇劫，元顯見害，世雲翟氏所為也。元顯志氣甚高，為時人所傷惜。翟氏二子，安人、安上，並有風度。安人襲爵壽光侯，司徒司馬。無子，爵除。安上钜鹿太守，亦早卒。安人第豹子後追理先封，卒不得襲。

His wife was a daughter of Cui Yan, a capable woman; she bore one son, Yuanxian. After the Cui clan wife died he took in Lady Zhai but did not make her his wife; she resented and envied Yuanxian. Later during a robbery Yuanxian was killed; the world said it was the work of Lady Zhai. Yuanxian's spirit and ambition were very high, and people of the time mourned him with regret. Lady Zhai's two sons, Anren and Anshang, both had fine bearing. Anren inherited the title Marquis of Shouguang and served as Chief Clerk to the Minister of Education. He had no son and the title was extinguished. Anshang was Administrator of Julu and also died young. Anren's younger brother Baozi's descendants later pursued restoration of the earlier enfeoffment but in the end could not inherit.

孝伯兄祥，字元善。學傳家業，鄉党宗之。位中書博士。時尚書韓元興率眾出青州，以祥為軍司。略地至陳、汝，淮北之人詣軍降者七千餘戶，遷之兗、豫之南，置淮陽郡以撫之。拜祥太守，流人歸者萬餘家，百姓安業。遷河間太守，有威恩之稱。徵拜中書侍郎，人有千餘上書，乞留數年，朝廷不許。卒官，追贈定州刺史、平棘子，諡曰憲。

Xiaobo's elder brother Xiang, styled Yuanshan. He inherited the family's scholarly profession and his district honored him. He held the post of Erudite of the Secretariat. At the time Minister of the Masters of Writing Han Yuanying led troops out from Qing province and made Xiang Army Supervisor. They seized territory as far as Chen and Ru; more than seven thousand households of people north of the Hu came to the army to surrender; they were moved south of Yan and Yu, and Huaiyang commandery was established to pacify them. Xiang was appointed Administrator; more than ten thousand refugee households returned, and the people settled in peace. He was transferred to Administrator of Hejian and was known for authority and kindness. He was summoned and appointed Vice Director of the Secretariat; more than a thousand people submitted petitions asking that he be kept several years; the court did not consent. He died in office and was posthumously granted Governor of Ding province and Viscount of Pingji, with the posthumous title Xian.

子安世，幼聰悟。興安二年，文成帝引見侍郎、博士子，簡其秀俊，欲以為中書學生。安世年十一，帝見其尚小，引問之。安世陳說父祖，甚有次第，即以為生。帝每幸國學，恆獨被引問。詔曰：「汝但守此至大，不慮不富貴。」天安初，拜中散，以謹慎，帝親愛之。累遷主客令。

His son Anshi was intelligent and perceptive from childhood. In the second year of Xing'an, Emperor Wencheng summoned the sons of Attendants and Erudites, selected the outstanding among them, and wished to make them students of the Secretariat. Anshi was eleven; the emperor saw he was still young and questioned him directly. Anshi set forth his father and forefathers with good order and was immediately made a student. Whenever the emperor visited the National Academy, Anshi alone was regularly questioned. An edict said, "If you only preserve this to maturity, you need not worry about lacking wealth and rank." At the beginning of Tian'an he was appointed Central Scattered Courtier; because of his prudence the emperor personally favored him. He was promoted in succession to Director of Receiving Guests.

齊使劉纘朝貢，安世奉詔勞之。安世美容貌，善舉止，纘等自相謂曰：「不有君子，其能國乎！」纘等呼安世為典客。安世曰：「何以亡秦之官，稱于上國？」纘曰：「世異之號，凡有幾也？」安世曰：「周謂掌客，秦改典客，漢名鴻臚，今曰主客。君等不欲影響文、武，而殷勤亡秦。」纘又指方山曰：「此山去燕然遠近？」安世曰：「亦石頭之與番禺耳。」

When Qi sent Liu Zuan to pay court tribute, Anshi received edict to greet and console him. Anshi had fine looks and graceful bearing; Zuan and the others said among themselves, "Without such gentlemen, how could a state endure!" Zuan and the others called Anshi Director of Ceremonies. Anshi said, "Why use an office title from the perished Qin to address one in a superior state?" Zuan said, "Titles differ from age to age—how many can there be altogether?" Anshi said, "Zhou called it Director of Receiving Guests; Qin changed it to Director of Ceremonies; Han named it Grand Master of Ceremonial; now it is Director of Receiving Guests. You gentlemen do not wish to echo Wen and Wu, yet warmly invoke the perished Qin." Zuan again pointed to Mount Fang and said, "How far is this mountain from Mount Yanran?" Anshi said, "About the same distance as from Shitou to Panyu."

時每有江南使至，多出藏內珍物，令都下富室好容服者貨之，令使任情交易。使至金玉肆問價，纘曰：「北方金玉大賤，當是山川所出？」安世曰：「聖朝不貴金玉，所以同於瓦礫；又皇上德通神明，山不愛寶，故川無金，山無玉。」纘初將大市，得安世言，慚而罷。遷主客給事中。

Whenever envoys came from Jiangnan, many rare goods from the inner treasury were brought out, and wealthy families in the capital who loved fine dress were allowed to sell to them, letting the envoys trade as they pleased. When the envoy came to a gold and jade shop to ask prices, Zuan said, "Gold and jade are so cheap in the north—they must come from the mountains and rivers?" Anshi said, "Our sage dynasty does not prize gold and jade, and therefore treats them the same as tiles and rubble; Moreover, our emperor's virtue communes with the spirits; the mountains withhold no treasure—thus the rivers hold no gold and the mountains hold no jade." At first Zuan had planned a grand market, but when he heard Anshi's reply he withdrew in shame and abandoned the idea. He was promoted to Attendant in the Office of Receiving Guests.

時人困饑流散，豪右多有占奪，安世乃上疏陳均量之制，孝文深納之。後均田之制，起於此矣。出為相州刺史，假趙郡公。敦農桑，斷淫祀。西門豹、史起有功於人者，為之修飾廟堂。表薦廣平宋翻、陽平路恃慶，皆為朝廷善士。初，廣平人李波宗族強盛，殘掠不已，前刺史薛道舣親往討之，大為波敗，遂為逋逃之藪，公私成患。百姓語曰：「李波小妹字雍容，褰裙逐馬如卷蓬。左射右射必疊雙，婦女尚如此，男子那可逢！」安世設方略，誘波及諸子侄三十餘人，斬於鄴市，州內肅然。病卒於家。

The people were then suffering famine and dispersing in flight, while powerful families seized and appropriated land on every side. Anshi submitted a memorial proposing a system of equal land measurement, and Emperor Xiaowen embraced it wholeheartedly. It was from this that the equal-field system would later take shape. He was sent out as governor of Xiang province and granted the provisional title Duke of Zhao commandery. He encouraged farming and sericulture and suppressed unauthorized cults. For Ximen Bao and Shi Qi, men who had served the people well, he restored and adorned their temple halls. He memorialized the court recommending Song Fan of Guangping and Lu Shiqing of Yangping, both men of sterling character. Earlier, a man of Guangping named Li Bo had built a powerful clan that plundered without cease. The previous governor, Xue Daoyi, led a personal campaign against him but was routed; the area became a haven for fugitives and a plague on officials and commoners alike. The people had a rhyme: "Li Bo's little sister, styled Yongrong, lifts her skirts chasing horses like wind-blown grass. Left bow, right bow—she never misses a pair! If the women are like this, what man dare cross them!" Anshi laid a plan, lured Bo and more than thirty of his sons and nephews into a trap, and had them beheaded in the market at Ye. The province was restored to order. He died of illness at home.

安世妻博陵崔氏，生一子枿。崔氏以妒悍見出，又尚滄水公主，生二子，諡、鬱。

Anshi's wife was Lady Cui of Boling, who bore him one son, Nie. Lady Cui was cast out for jealousy and a violent temper. Anshi then married the Princess of Cangshui, who bore two sons, Shi and Yu.

枿字琚羅，涉歷史傳，頗有文才，氣尚豪爽，公強當世。太師、高陽王雍表薦枿為友。時人多絕戶為沙門，枿上言：「三千之罪，莫大於不孝，不孝之大，無過於絕祀。安得輕縱背禮之情，而肆其向法之意；缺當世之禮，而求將來之益；棄堂堂之政，而從鬼教乎？」沙門都統僧暹等忿枿鬼教之言，以枿為謗毀佛法，泣訴靈太后。責之，枿自理曰：「鬼神之名皆是通靈達稱。佛非天非地，本出於人，名之為鬼，愚謂非謗。」靈太后雖以枿言為允，然不免暹等意，猶罰枿金一兩。

Nie, styled Jurong, had steeped himself in histories and chronicles and possessed real literary gifts. His temperament was bold and open, and he was known throughout his age for his uncompromising integrity. The Grand Preceptor, Prince Gao of Gaoyang, memorialized the throne recommending Nie as Companion. Many at the time were abandoning their households to become monks. Nie submitted a memorial: "Of the three thousand offenses, none is greater than unfilial piety; of all forms of unfilial conduct, none surpasses cutting off the ancestral sacrifices. How can one lightly indulge impulses that violate ritual, and give free rein to inclinations that turn toward the Dharma; neglect the duties of the present age while chasing benefits in lives to come; abandon the august governance of the realm and submit to a doctrine of ghosts?" The Chief Superintendent of monks, Sengxian, and others, incensed by Nie's reference to a "ghostly teaching," accused him of slandering and destroying the Buddhist law and tearfully appealed to Empress Dowager Ling. When rebuked, Nie defended himself: "The names of ghosts and spirits are all terms denoting communion with the numinous realm. The Buddha is neither Heaven nor Earth; he arose from among men. To call him a ghost, in my humble view, is not slander." Though Empress Dowager Ling found Nie's argument reasonable, she could not entirely disregard Sengxian and his party, and still fined Nie one ounce of gold.

轉尚書郎，隨蕭寶夤西征，以枿為統軍。枿德洽鄉閭，招募雄勇，其樂從者數百騎。枿傾家賑恤，率之西討。寶夤見枿至，拊其肩曰：「子遠來，吾事辦矣。」故其下每有戰功，軍中號曰李公騎。寶夤啟枿為左丞，仍為別將，軍機戎政，皆與參決。寶夤又啟為中書侍郎。還朝，除岐州刺史，坐辭不赴任，免官。建義初，河陰遇害。初贈尚書右僕射、殷州刺史，後又贈散騎常侍、驃騎大將軍、儀同三司、冀州刺史。

He was transferred to Gentleman of the Masters of Writing and, when Xiao Baoyin marched west, was appointed Nie commander-in-chief of the expedition. Nie's reputation for integrity ran deep in his home district. He recruited bold fighters, and several hundred horsemen gladly rallied to him. Nie poured out his family's wealth in relief and led them west on campaign. When Baoyin saw Nie arrive, he clapped him on the shoulder and said, "You have come from afar—my task is as good as done." Henceforth, whenever his troops won distinction in battle, the army called them Lord Li's Horsemen. Baoyin memorialized appointing Nie Left Assistant and Separate General; Nie took part in deciding all military strategy and martial administration. Baoyin further memorialized his appointment as Vice Director of the Secretariat. On returning to court he was appointed governor of Qi province, but was dismissed for declining the post and refusing to take up his duties. At the beginning of the Jianyi era he was killed at Heyin. He was first posthumously granted Right Vice Minister of the Masters of Writing and governor of Yin province; later he received further posthumous honors as Household Cadet of Regular Attendants, General-in-Chief of Agile Cavalry, Equal in Honor with the Three Ducal Ministers, and governor of Ji province.

俶儻有大志，好飲酒，篤於親知。每謂弟郁曰：「士大夫學問，稽博古今而罷，何用專經為老博士也？」與弟謐特相友愛。謐在鄉物故，枿慟哭絕氣，久而方蘇，不食數日，期年形骸毀悴，人倫哀歎之。

He was free-spirited and ambitious, fond of wine, and deeply devoted to kin and friends. He often told his younger brother Yu, "For a gentleman-scholar, it is enough to examine and master the breadth of antiquity and the present—why bury oneself in a single classic and become some doddering old pedant?" He was especially close and affectionate with his younger brother Mi. When Mi died at home, Nie wept until he lost consciousness and only revived after a long while. He ate nothing for days, and within the year his body was wasted away. All who knew him mourned and lamented.

謐字永和，少好學，周覽百氏。初師事小學博士孔璠，數年後，璠還就謐請業。同門生為之語曰：「青成藍，藍謝青，師何常，在明經。」謐以公子徵拜著作佐郎，辭以授弟郁，詔許之。州再舉秀才，公府二辟，並不就。唯以琴書為業，有絕世之心。覽《考工記》、《大戴禮盛德篇》，以明堂之制不同，遂著《明堂制度論》曰：

Mi, styled Yonghe, loved learning from youth and ranged widely through the works of the hundred schools of thought. At first he studied under Kong Fan, Erudite of Elementary Learning; several years later Fan himself came to Mi to request instruction. His fellow students composed a verse about them: "The pupil turns indigo, the indigo yields to the pupil—where does the teacher always dwell? In the clarity of the classics." Mi was summoned as a nobleman's son and appointed Assistant Gentleman of Works, but he declined and ceded the post to his younger brother Yu; the edict granted his request. The province twice recommended him as Outstanding Talent, and the public offices summoned him twice—he accepted none of these appointments. He devoted himself solely to music and books and harbored a desire to withdraw from the world. Reading the "Artificers' Record" and the "Chapter on Great Virtue" in the Elder Dai's Rites, and finding their accounts of the Bright Hall differed, he composed the "Treatise on the Bright Hall System," which reads:

餘謂論事辯物，當取正於經典之真文；援證定疑，必有驗于周、孔之遺訓，然後可以稱准的矣。今禮文殘缺，聖言靡存，明堂之制，誰使正之？是以後人紛糾，競興異論，五九之說，各信其習。是非無准，得失相半，故歷代紛紜，靡所取正。乃使裴頠云：「今群儒紛糾，互相掎摭，就令其象可得而圖。其所以居用之禮莫能通也，為設虛器耳。況漢氏所作，四維之個，復不能令各處其辰。愚以為尊祖配天，其義明著，廟宇之制，理據未分，直可為殿屋以崇嚴父之祀。其餘雜碎，一皆除之。」斯豈不以群儒舛互，並乖其實，據義求衷，莫適可從哉？但恨典文殘滅，求之靡據而已矣，乃復遂去室牖諸制。施之於教，未知其所隆政，求之於情，未可喻其所以必須，惜哉言乎！仲尼有言曰：「賜也，爾愛其羊，我愛其禮。」餘以為隆政必須其禮，豈彼一羊哉？推此而論，則聖人之于禮，殷勤而重之；裴頠之於禮，任意而忽之，是則頠賢于仲尼矣！以斯觀之，裴氏子以不達失禮之旨也。餘竊不自量，頗有鄙意，據理尋義，以求其真；貴合雅衷，不苟偏信。乃藉之以《禮傳》，考之以訓注；博采先賢之言，廣搜通儒之說；量其當否，參其同異，棄其所短，收其所長，推義察圖，以折厥衷，豈敢必善，聊亦合其言志矣。

I hold that in debating affairs and distinguishing things, one must take one's standard from the authentic text of the classics; to marshal evidence and settle doubts, there must be confirmation in the surviving teachings of the Zhou and Confucius—only then can one claim a true standard. The ritual texts are now damaged and incomplete, the sage's words scarcely survive—who can set the Bright Hall system aright? Hence later scholars have become entangled in dispute, each raising divergent theories—the five-room and nine-room schools, each trusting its own training. With no standard for right and wrong and gain and loss evenly matched, age after age has been embroiled, with nothing to take as authoritative. This led Pei Yi to say, "Today the classicists are entangled in dispute, each pulling and denouncing the other; even supposing its form could be figured and drawn, none can agree on the ritual of how to inhabit and use it—it would be nothing but setting up an empty vessel. Moreover, what the Han dynasty built—the corner chambers in the four directions—again could not make each occupy its proper season. I think the meaning of honoring the ancestor and matching Heaven is clear; as for the system of temple halls, the rationale has not been sorted out—one might simply build hall chambers to exalt the solemn sacrifice to the Father. As for the rest of the miscellaneous details, all should be discarded." Is this not because the classicists contradict one another and all depart from the reality—so that when one seeks the mean according to principle, nothing can be followed? I only regret that the canonical texts are destroyed and extinct, leaving no basis when one seeks them—and yet he went so far as to remove the chambers, windows, and other institutions as well. Applied to teaching, one cannot tell what governance he was exalting; sought in human feeling, one cannot explain why these must be required—alas, what words! Confucius once said, "Ci, you care about the sheep; I care about the ritual." I hold that to exalt governance one must preserve the ritual—how can it come down to a single sheep? Extrapolating from this, the sage in matters of ritual was earnest and weighty; Pei Yi in matters of ritual was arbitrary and neglectful—by this reckoning, Yi would be worthier than Confucius himself! Viewed in this light, the son of the Pei clan failed to grasp the true purport of ritual. I do not presume on my own capacity, but harbor some humble views; according to principle I seek meaning in pursuit of the truth; I value what accords with refined conviction and do not rashly cling to partial belief. I rely on the Ritual Tradition and test it against commentaries and glosses; I gather broadly the words of former worthies and search widely the theories of comprehensive scholars; I weigh their fitness, compare agreements and differences, discard shortcomings and gather strengths, infer meaning and inspect the diagram to settle the right view—I dare not claim it must be correct, but it may at least accord with the intent of my argument.

凡論明堂之制者雖眾，然校其大略，則二途而已。言五室者，則據《周禮考工》之記以為本，是康成之徒所執。言九室者則案《大戴盛德》之篇以為源，是伯喈之倫所持。此二書雖非聖言，然是先賢之中博見洽通者也。但各記所聞，未能全正，可謂既盡美矣，未盡善也。而先儒不能考其當否，便各是所習，卒相非毀，豈達士之確論哉？小戴氏傳禮事四十九篇，號曰《禮記》，雖未能全當，然多得其衷，方之前賢，亦無愧矣。而《月令》、《玉藻》、《明堂》三篇，頗有明堂之義，餘故采掇二家，參之《月令》。以為明堂五室，古今通則。其室居中者，謂之太室；太室之東者，謂之青陽；當太室之南者，謂之明堂；太室之西者，謂之總章；當太室之北者，謂之玄堂。四面之室，各有夾房，謂之左右個，三十六戶七十二牖矣。室個之形，今之殿前是其遺像耳。個者，即寢之房也。但明堂與寢，施用既殊，故房個之名，亦隨事而遷耳。今粗書其像，以見鄙意，案圖察義，略可驗矣。故檢之五室，則義明於《考工》；校之戶牖，則數協于《盛德》；考之施用，則事著於《月令》；求之閏也，合《周禮》與《玉藻》。既同夏、殷，又符周、秦，雖乖眾儒，儻或在斯矣。《考工記》曰：「周人明堂，度以九尺之筵。東西九筵，南北七筵，堂崇一筵。五室，凡室二筵。室中度以幾，堂上度以筵。」餘謂《記》得之於五室，而謬于堂之修廣。何者？當以理推之，令愜古今之情也。夫明堂者，蓋所以告月朔，布時令，宗文王，祀五帝者也。然營構之範，自當因宜創制耳。故五室者，合于五帝各居一室之義。且四時之祀，皆據其方之正，又聽朔布令，咸得其月之辰，可謂施政及俱，二三但允。求之古義，竊為當矣。鄭康成漢末之通儒，後學所取正。釋五室之位，謂土居中，木火金水各居四維。然四維之室既乖其正，施令聽朔各失厥衷，左右之個棄而不顧。乃反文之以美說，飾之以巧辭，言水木用事交于東北，木火用事交于東南，火土用事交于西南，金水用事交於西北。既依五行，當從其用事之交，出何經典？可謂工於異端，言非而博，疑誤後學，非所望於先儒也。《禮記·玉藻》曰：「天子聽朔于南門之外，閏月則闔門左扉，立於其中。」鄭玄注曰：「天子之廟及路寢皆如明堂制。明堂在國之陽，每月就其時之堂而聽朔焉。卒事反宿路寢，亦如之。閏月非常月，聽其朔于明堂門下，還處路寢門，終月也。」而《考工記》「周人明堂」，玄注曰：「或舉王寢，或舉明堂，互言之以明其制同也。」其同制之言，皆出鄭注。然則明堂與寢，不得異矣。而《尚書·顧命篇》曰：「迎子釗南門之外，延入翼室。」此之翼室，即路寢矣。其下曰：「大貝賁鼓在西房，垂之竹矢在東房。」此則路寢有左右房，見於經史者也。《禮記·喪服·大記》曰：「君夫人卒于路寢。小斂，婦人髽，帶麻于房中。」鄭玄注曰：「此蓋諸侯禮。帶麻于房中，則西南。天子諸侯。」左右房見於注者也。論路寢則明其左右，言明堂則闕其左右個，同制之說還相矛楯，通儒之注，何其然乎？使九室之徒奮筆而爭鋒者，豈不由處室之不當哉？

Those who discuss the Bright Hall system are many, yet comparing the general outline, there are only two schools of thought. Those who speak of five chambers take the record in the "Artificers' Record" of the Zhou Rites as their foundation—this is the position held by the followers of Zheng Kangcheng. Those who speak of nine chambers take the "Great Virtue" chapter in Elder Dai as their source—this is the position upheld by the party of Cai Yong. These two books, though not the words of sages, come from among the former worthies who were broad in vision and thorough in understanding. But each recorded what he heard and could not fully correct it—one may say they had reached beauty but not yet goodness. Yet the earlier Confucians could not examine whether these accounts were correct; each at once affirmed what he had learned and in the end mutually reviled one another—is this the reasoned discourse of a true scholar? Younger Dai transmitted forty-nine chapters on ritual matters under the title "Record of Rites"; though not correct in every point, he hit the mark in many—compared with earlier worthies, he has nothing to be ashamed of. Among them, the three chapters "Monthly Ordinance," "Jade Regalia," and "Bright Hall" contain considerable material on the Bright Hall; therefore I have drawn from both schools and compared them with the "Monthly Ordinance." I take the Bright Hall's five chambers as the universal rule from antiquity to the present. The chamber at the center is called the Grand Chamber; east of the Grand Chamber is called Qingyang; south of the Grand Chamber is called the Bright Hall; west of the Grand Chamber is called Zongzhang; north of the Grand Chamber is called the Dark Hall. Each of the chambers on the four sides had flanking rooms called the left and right "cells"—thirty-six doors and seventy-two windows in all. The form of the chambers and cells—the forecourt of today's palaces is their surviving trace. A "cell" is the side room of a sleeping chamber. But the Bright Hall and the sleeping chamber serve different functions; hence the names for side rooms and cells shift according to their use. Here I roughly sketch its form to show my humble view; examined against the diagram and inspected for meaning, it can be verified to a degree. Checked against the five chambers, the meaning is clear in the "Artificers' Record"; checked against doors and windows, the numbers accord with "Great Virtue"; examined for practical use, the affairs are set forth in the "Monthly Ordinance"; sought in the matter of intercalation, it agrees with the "Zhou Rites" and "Jade Regalia." It accords with both Xia and Yin and conforms to Zhou and Qin—though it departs from the multitude of scholars, perhaps the truth lies here. The "Artificers' Record" says, "The Zhou people's Bright Hall is measured by the nine-foot mat. East and west, nine mats; south and north, seven mats; the hall's height, one mat. Five chambers—each chamber spans two mats in all. Within the chambers the measure is the bench; on the hall the measure is the mat." I hold that the Record is correct regarding the five chambers but mistaken regarding the hall's length and breadth. How so? One ought to reason it out by principle, so that it satisfies what antiquity and the present alike require. The Bright Hall, in essence, is where the new moon is announced, seasonal ordinances are issued, King Wen is honored as forebear, and the Five Emperors are sacrificed to. Yet the plan and construction should naturally be adapted to circumstances and newly devised—that is all there is to it. Thus the five chambers accord with the principle that each of the Five Emperors occupies a chamber of his own. Moreover, the sacrifices of the four seasons all follow their proper cardinal directions, and the audience for the new moon together with the promulgation of edicts each fall in their proper months and seasons—one may say that government is complete in both respects, and the second and third considerations hold. Measured against ancient meaning, I believe it is correct. Zheng Kangcheng was a master scholar of the late Han whom later students take as their standard. In explaining the positions of the five chambers, he holds that Earth occupies the center while Wood, Fire, Metal, and Water each occupy one of the four corners. Yet chambers placed at the four corners already depart from the cardinal directions; issuing edicts and hearing the new moon each miss their proper alignment, and the left and right niches are abandoned without regard. He then twisted the text into an elegant theory and dressed it in clever language, saying that when Water and Wood hold sway they meet in the northeast; when Wood and Fire hold sway, in the southeast; when Fire and Earth hold sway, in the southwest; and when Metal and Water hold sway, in the northwest. If one is to rely on the Five Phases, one ought to follow the intersections at which they hold sway—what classic authorizes this? One may say he is adept at heterodox paths: his words are wrong yet copious, sowing doubt and misleading later students—this is not what one expects of the great scholars of old. The "Record of Rites: Jade Regalia" says: "The Son of Heaven hears the report of the new moon outside the southern gate; in an intercalary month he closes the left leaf of the gate and stands within it." Zheng Xuan annotates: "The Son of Heaven's ancestral temple and main palace chamber both follow the Bright Hall model. The Bright Hall stands on the sunny side of the capital; each month the Son of Heaven goes to the hall of that season to hear the report of the new moon. When the rite is finished he returns to lodge in the main palace chamber, and the same applies there. An intercalary month is not an ordinary month; he hears its new moon beneath the Bright Hall gate, then remains at the gate of the main palace chamber for the entire month." Yet in the "Artificers' Record" passage on "the Zhou people's Bright Hall," Xuan annotates: "Sometimes the royal chamber is cited, sometimes the Bright Hall—each is mentioned in turn to show that their forms are the same." All statements that the forms are identical come from Zheng's commentary. If that is so, the Bright Hall and the palace chamber cannot differ. Yet the "Documents: Charge to Zhong" says: "He met Prince Zhao outside the southern gate and led him into the Wing Chamber." This Wing Chamber is the main palace chamber. Below it says: "Large shell drums with tiger-pattern hides are in the western chamber; suspended bamboo arrows are in the eastern chamber." This shows that the main palace chamber had left and right side chambers, as attested in the classics and histories. The "Record of Rites: Mourning Garments: Greater Record" says: "The lord's consort died in the main palace chamber. At the lesser dressing, the women wore their hair in buns and tied hemp sashes in the side chamber." Zheng Xuan annotates: "This is probably the rite for feudal lords. Tying hemp in the side chamber refers to the southwest chamber. This applies to both the Son of Heaven and feudal lords." The left and right side chambers appear in the commentary as well. When discussing the main palace chamber he makes clear its left and right sides, yet when speaking of the Bright Hall he omits its left and right niches—the claim that the forms are identical thus contradicts itself. How can the commentary of so eminent a scholar be like this? That the proponents of the nine-chamber theory take up their brushes and contend so fiercely—is it not because the placement of the chambers is wrong?

《記》云：東西九筵，南北七筵。五室，凡室二筵。置五室於斯堂，雖使班、倕構思，王爾營度，則不能令三室不居其南北也。然則三室之間，便居六筵之地，而室壁之外，裁有四尺五寸之堂焉。豈有天子布政施令之所，宗祀文王以配上帝之堂，周公負扆以朝諸侯之處，而室戶之外，僅餘四尺而已哉？假在儉約，為陋過矣。論其堂宇，則偏而非制；求之道理，則未愜人情，其不然一也。

The Record says: nine mats east to west, seven mats north to south. Five chambers; each chamber measures two mats in all. Place five chambers in this hall—even if Ban and Chui applied their design, and Wang Er planned the layout—they could not keep three chambers from occupying the north-south axis. Then the space between the three chambers would occupy six mats, and beyond the chamber walls there would remain only four feet five inches of hall. How could the place where the Son of Heaven promulgates government and issues edicts, the hall where King Wen is honored in sacrifice to match the Supreme Lord, and the spot where the Duke of Zhou leaned against the screen to receive the feudal lords leave only four feet beyond the chamber doors? Even on the assumption of frugality, this would be excessively cramped. Judged by its hall and chambers, it is lopsided and not according to regulation; sought by reason, it does not satisfy human expectation—this is the first reason it cannot be so.

余恐為鄭學者，苟求必勝，競生異端，以相訾抑，雲二筵者乃室之東西耳，南北則狹焉。餘故備論之曰：若東西二筵，則室戶之外為丈三尺五寸矣。南北戶外復如此，則三室之中南北裁各丈二耳。《記》云：「四旁兩夾窗。」若為三尺之戶，二尺窗，窗戶之間，裁盈一尺。繩樞甕牖之室，篳門圭窬之堂，尚不然矣。假令復欲小廣之，則四面之外，闊狹不齊，東西既深，南北更淺，屋宇之制，不為通矣。驗之眾塗，略無算焉。且凡室二筵，丈八地耳，然則戶牖之間，不逾二尺也。《禮記·明堂》：「天子負斧扆南向而立。」鄭玄注曰：「設斧於戶牖之間。」而鄭氏《禮圖》說扆制曰：「從廣八尺，畫斧文於其上，今之屏風也。」以八尺扆置二尺之間，此之叵通，不待智者，較然可見矣。且若二筵之室為四尺之戶，則戶之兩頰裁各七尺耳，全以置之，猶自不容，矧復戶牖之間哉？其不然二也。

I fear that followers of Zheng's school, striving at all costs to prevail, will compete in producing heterodox views to attack and suppress one another, saying that the two mats refer only to the east-west dimension of the chamber, while north and south would be narrow. I therefore set forth the full argument: if east and west are two mats, then beyond the chamber doors there would be one zhang three chi five cun. If north and south outside the doors are treated the same way, then within the three chambers north and south would each measure only one zhang two chi. The Record says: "On all four sides, windows flank in pairs." If the doors are three chi and the windows two chi, the space between window and door would barely exceed one chi. Even a room with a rope hinge and jar window, even a hall with a wicker gate and tiny opening, would not be so cramped. If one then wished to widen it slightly, the space beyond the four sides would be uneven—east and west already deep, north and south even shallower—and the rule of building would no longer hold. Tested against many approaches, scarcely any calculation works. Moreover, two mats per chamber in all is only one zhang eight chi of space; thus the space between door and window would not exceed two chi. The "Record of Rites: Bright Hall" says: "The Son of Heaven, bearing the axe-screen, stands facing south." Zheng Xuan annotates: "The axe is set between the door and window." Yet in Master Zheng's "Ritual Diagrams," the description of the screen says: "Its width is eight chi; an axe pattern is painted on it—it is the present-day folding screen." To place an eight-chi screen in a two-chi space—this cannot be reconciled; even without a wise man to judge, it is plainly visible. Moreover, if a two-mat chamber has a four-chi door, then each side of the door frame would measure only seven chi; even if the whole space were devoted to it, it would still not fit—how much less the space between door and window? This is the second reason it cannot be so.

又復以世代驗之，即虞、夏尚朴，殷、周稍文，製造之差，每加崇飾。而夏後世室，堂修二七，周人之制，反更促狹，豈是夏禹卑宮之意，周監鬱鬱之美哉？以斯察之，其不然三也。

Again, tested against successive ages: Yu and Xia still valued simplicity; Yin and Zhou grew somewhat ornate; with each age, construction grew more elevated and adorned. Yet the Later Xia ancestral hall had a hall length of two sevens, while the Zhou regulation is instead even more cramped and narrow—is this the intent of Yu of Xia's humble palaces, or Zhou's emulation of luxuriant grandeur? Examined in this light, this is the third reason it cannot be so.

又云「堂崇一筵」，便基高九尺，而壁戶之外裁四尺五寸，于營制之法自不相稱，其不然四也。

It also says "the hall's height is one mat," which makes the foundation nine chi high, while beyond the chamber walls there is only four chi five cun—this is inherently incompatible with the methods of planning and construction; this is the fourth reason it cannot be so.

又云「室中度以幾，堂上度以筵」，而復云「凡室二筵」，而不以幾，還自相違，其不然五也。

It also says "within chambers the measure is the bench; on the hall the measure is the mat," yet again says "each chamber in all is two mats" without using the bench—this contradicts itself; this is the fifth reason it cannot be so.

以此驗之，《記》者之謬，抑可見矣。《盛德篇》云：明堂凡九室、三十六戶、七十二牖，上員下方，東西九仞，南北十筵，堂高三尺也。余謂《盛德篇》得之於戶牖，失之於九室。何者？五室之制，傍有夾房，面各有戶，戶有兩牖，此乃因事立則，非拘異術。戶牖之數，固自然矣。九室者，論之五帝，事既不合，施之時令，又失其辰，左右之個，重置一隅，兩辰同處，參差出入，斯乃義無所據，未足稱也。且又堂之修廣，裁六十三尺耳，假使四尺五寸為外之基，其中五十四尺便是五室之地，計其一室之中，僅可一丈，置其戶牖，則于何容之哉？若必小而為之，以容其數，則令帝王側身出入，斯為怪矣！此匪直不合典制，抑亦可哂之甚也。餘謂其九室之言，誠亦有由。然竊以為戴氏聞三十六戶七十二牖，弗見其制，靡知所置，便謂一室有四戶之窗，計其戶牖之數，即以為九室耳，或未之思也。蔡伯喈，漢末之時學士，而見重於當時，即識其修廣之不當，而必未思其九室之為謬。更修而廣之，假其法象。可謂因偽飾辭，順非而澤，諒可歎矣。餘今省彼眾家，委心從善，庶探其衷，不為苟異。但是古非今，俗間之常情；愛遠惡近，世中之恆事。而千載之下，獨論古制，驚俗之談，固延多誚。脫有深賞君子者，覽而揣之，儻或存焉。

Verified in this way, the errors of the Record can indeed be seen. The "Great Virtue" chapter says: the Bright Hall has nine chambers in all, thirty-six doors, seventy-two windows; round above and square below; nine ren east to west, ten mats north to south; the hall is three chi high. I hold that the "Great Virtue" chapter is correct regarding doors and windows but mistaken regarding the nine chambers. How so? In the five-chamber system, there are flanking side chambers on either side; each face has its doors, and each door has two windows—this follows the principle of establishing rules according to affairs, not clinging to a separate artifice. The number of doors and windows follows naturally. As for nine chambers: judged against the Five Emperors, the arrangement does not fit; applied to seasonal ordinances, the times are again wrong; the left and right niches are piled into one corner; two seasons occupy the same place; they come and go unevenly—this has no basis in principle and is not worth acclaim. Moreover, the hall's length and breadth measure only sixty-three chi; supposing four chi five cun as the outer foundation, the inner fifty-four chi would be the ground for five chambers—calculated, within one chamber there would be barely one zhang; where could doors and windows be placed? If one must make them small to accommodate the numbers, then the emperor and king would have to enter and leave sideways—this would be absurd! This not only fails to accord with canonical regulation; it is also exceedingly laughable. I hold that their talk of nine chambers indeed has some cause. Yet I privately think that Master Dai heard of thirty-six doors and seventy-two windows, did not see their arrangement, and knew not where to place them; he therefore assumed that one chamber had four doors and windows, calculated the number of doors and windows, and took that to mean nine chambers—perhaps he had not thought it through. Cai Yong was a scholar of late Han times, esteemed in his day; he recognized that the length and breadth were wrong, yet surely had not considered that the nine chambers were mistaken. He revised and enlarged it, borrowing its symbolic forms. One may say he drew on falsehood to adorn his words, followed what was wrong and glossed it over—this is indeed lamentable. I now review the many schools, commit my heart to what is good, and hope to probe their inner meaning without being arbitrarily different. Yet to reject the present in favor of antiquity is the common sentiment of the vulgar; to love what is distant and hate what is near is the constant affair of the world. Yet a thousand years later, to discuss ancient institutions alone is talk that shocks the vulgar and will naturally invite much ridicule. If there is a gentleman of deep appreciation who reads and ponders this, perhaps something of it may remain.

謐不飲酒，好音律，愛樂山水。高尚之情，長而彌固，一遇其賞，悠爾忘歸，乃作《神士賦》。延昌四年卒，年三十二，遐邇悼惜之。其年，四門小學博士孔璠等學官四十五人上書曰：

Mi did not drink wine; he loved music and delighted in mountains and waters. His lofty sentiment grew ever firmer with age; once he encountered what he admired, he would forget to return in leisurely absorption, and he composed the "Rhapsody on the Spirit Gentleman." He died in the fourth year of Yanchang, aged thirty-two; near and far mourned and lamented him. That year, Kong Fan, Erudite of the Four Gates Elementary School, and forty-five other academic officials submitted a memorial, saying:

竊見故處士趙郡李謐，十歲喪父，哀號罷鄰人之相；幼事兄枿，恭順盡友于之誠。十三通《孝經》、《論語》、《毛詩》、《尚書》，歷數之術，尤盡其長。州閭鄉党，有神童之號。年十八，詣學受業時博士即孔璠也。覽始要終，論端究緒，授者無不欣其言矣。於是鳩集諸經，廣校同異，比《三傳》事例，名《春秋叢林》十有二卷。為璠等判析隱伏，垂盈百條。滯無常滯，纖豪必舉；通不長通，有枉斯屈。不苟言以違經，弗飾辭而背理，辭氣磊落，觀者忘疲。每曰：「丈夫擁書萬卷，何假南面百城。」遂絕跡下帷，杜門卻掃，棄產營書，手自刪削，卷無重復者四千有餘矣。猶括次專家，搜比黨議，隆科達曙，盛暑通宵。雖仲舒不窺園，君伯之閉戶，高氏之遺漂，張生之忘食，方之斯人，未足為喻。

We have observed the late recluse Li Mi of Zhao Commandery: at ten he lost his father, and his wailing so exhausted the neighbors that they could no longer comfort one another; in youth he served his elder brother Zhi with reverent obedience, fulfilling the sincerity of brotherly affection. At thirteen he mastered the "Classic of Filial Piety," the "Analects," the "Mao Version of the Odes," and the "Documents"; in the arts of calendrical calculation he especially brought his talents to full use. Throughout the district, neighborhood, and village he bore the title of prodigy. At eighteen he went to the academy to receive instruction; the erudite at that time was Kong Fan himself. He surveyed beginnings and grasped ends, examined openings and pursued conclusions—those who received his instruction were all delighted by his words. Thereupon he gathered the various classics, broadly collated their agreements and differences, and compared the cases of the Three Commentaries, titling the work "Thicket of the Spring and Autumn" in twelve scrolls. For Fan and the others he adjudicated and analyzed hidden and obscure points, producing nearly a hundred entries. No obstruction may remain permanently blocked; even the slightest detail must be addressed; no passage may long remain open; where there is wrong, it is corrected. He did not speak carelessly against the classics, nor adorn his words against reason; his tone was forthright and open, and those who listened forgot their fatigue. He often said: "A true man who possesses ten thousand scrolls of books—what need has he of facing south over a hundred cities?" Thereupon he withdrew from public life, lowered his curtain to study, shut his door and refused visitors, abandoned his property to acquire books, and personally edited and trimmed them—more than four thousand scrolls without duplication. He still organized the works of specialist scholars, searched and compared factional discussions, working from dusk till dawn during examination season and through hot summers all night long. Although Dong Zhongshu never glanced over his garden fence, Jun Bo closed his doors, Master Gao abandoned his grain to the flood, and Scholar Zhang forgot to eat—compared with this man, they scarcely serve as adequate comparison.

謐嘗詣故太常卿劉芳，推問音義，語及中代興廢之由。芳乃歎曰：「君若遇高祖，侍中、太常非僕有也。」前河南尹、黃門侍郎甄琛，內贊近機，朝野傾目，于時親識有求官者，答云：「趙郡李謐，耽學守道，不悶于時，常欲致言，但未有次耳。諸君何為輕自媒衒？」謂其子曰：「昔鄭玄、盧植不遠數千里詣扶風馬融，今汝明師甚邇，何不就業也？」又謂朝士曰：「甄琛行不愧時，但未薦李謐，以此負朝廷耳。」又結宇依岩，憑崖鑿室，方欲訓彼青衿，宣揚墳典，冀西河之教重興，北海之風不墜。而祐善空聞，暴疾而卒。邦國銜殄悴之哀，儒生結摧梁之慕，況璠等或服議下風，或親承音旨，師儒之義，其可默乎？

Mi once visited the former Minister of Ceremonies Liu Fang to inquire into the meaning of sounds and terms, and their conversation turned to the causes of rise and fall in the middle ages. Fang sighed and said, "Had you met Emperor Gaozu, Attendant-in-Ordinary and Minister of Ceremonies would not have been mine to hold." Zhen Chen, former Administrator of Henan and Yellow Gate Gentleman, wielded influence at court and drew every eye. When acquaintances sought office through him, he answered: "Li Mi of Zhao commandery—devoted to learning, steadfast in the Way, untroubled by the times—often wished to speak up but never had the occasion. Why do you gentlemen so lightly peddle yourselves?" He told his son: "Long ago Zheng Xuan and Lu Zhi traveled thousands of li to study under Ma Rong of Fufeng. Your luminous teacher is right at hand—why not go learn from him?" He also told court gentlemen: "Zhen Chen's conduct does not shame the age—but by failing to recommend Li Mi, he has failed the court." He had built dwellings against the cliffs and hewn chambers into the rock, intending to instruct young scholars and spread the classics, hoping to revive the teaching of Xihé and keep the spirit of Beihai from falling. Yet the good he promised was heard of in vain: he died suddenly of illness. The realm mourned an untimely loss; scholars grieved as for a fallen beam. Fan and the others—some had learned at his feet from afar, some had personally received his instruction. Could the bond between teacher and student stay silent?

事奏，詔曰：「謐屢辭徵辟，志守沖素，儒隱之操，深可嘉美。可遠傍惠、康，近准玄晏。諡曰：貞靜處士，並表其門閭，以旌高節。」於是表其門曰文德，裏曰孝義云。

When the memorial reached the throne, an edict said: "Mi repeatedly declined summons, holding to unadorned integrity—the conduct of a scholarly recluse, deeply worthy of praise. Compare him from afar to Huì and Kāng, and from near to Xuán Yàn. Posthumous title: Recluse of Pure Endurance. Mark his gate and lane to honor his lofty integrity." His gate was then inscribed Wéndé (Cultured Virtue) and his lane Xiàoyì (Filial Righteousness).

郁字永穆，好學沈靖，博通經史。為廣平王懷友，深見禮遇。時學士徐遵明教授山東，生徒甚盛。懷征遵明在館，令鬱問其《五經》義例十餘條，遵明所答數條而已。稍遷國子博士。自國學之建，諸博士率不講說，其朝夕教授，唯郁而已。謙虛寬雅，甚有儒者之風。再遷通直散騎常侍。建義中，以兄枿卒，遂撫育孤侄，歸於鄉里。永熙初，除散騎常侍、衛大將軍、左光祿大夫，兼都官尚書，尋領給事黃門侍郎。三年，于顯陽殿講《禮記》，詔鬱執經。鬱解說不窮，群難鋒起，無廢談笑。孝武及諸王凡預聽者，莫不嗟善。尋病卒，贈散騎常侍、驃騎大將軍、尚書左僕射、儀同三司、都督、定州刺史。

Yu, courtesy name Yongmu, loved learning, was calm and quiet, and was broadly versed in the classics and histories. He was a friend to Prince Huai of Guangping and was deeply honored. At the time Xu Zunming taught in Shandong, and his disciples were very numerous. Huai summoned Zunming to his residence and had Yu question him on more than ten points of principle from the Five Classics; Zunming answered only a few. He was gradually promoted to erudite of the National University. Since the National Academy was founded, the erudites generally did not lecture; only Yu taught day and night. Humble, broad-minded, and elegant, he had the bearing of a true scholar. He was promoted again to regular attendant of direct communication and cavalry. During Jianyi, when his elder brother Nie died, he raised the orphaned nephew and returned to his home district. At the start of Yongxi he was made regular attendant, grand general of the guard, left grand master for the illustrious, and concurrent minister of punishments; soon he also served as supervising gentleman of the Yellow Gate. In the third year, at the Hall of Manifest Yang they lectured on the Record of Rites, and Yu was ordered to hold the text. Yu explained without end; challenges rose like spearpoints from the crowd, yet he never lost his easy tone. Emperor Xiaowu and every prince present sighed in admiration. Soon he died of illness and was posthumously made regular attendant, general of agile cavalry, left vice director of the Masters of Writing, equal in honor with the three dukes, area commander, and inspector of Dingzhou.

謐子士謙，字子約，一名容郎，髫齔喪父，事母以孝聞。母曾歐吐，疑中毒，因跪嘗之。伯父枿深所嗟尚，每稱：「此兒吾家顏子也。」年十二，魏廣平王贊辟開府參軍事。後丁母憂，居喪骨立。有姊適宋氏，不勝哀而死。士謙服闋，舍宅為伽藍。脫身而出，詣學請業，研精不倦，遂博覽群籍，善天文術數。齊吏部尚書辛術召署員外郎，趙郡王睿舉德行，皆稱疾不就。和士開亦重其名，將諷朝廷，擢為國子祭酒，因辭得免。刺史高元海以禮再致之，稱為菩薩。隋有天下，畢志不仕。自以少孤，未嘗飲酒食肉，口無殺害之言。親賓至，輒陳樽俎，對之危坐，終日不倦。

Li Mi's son Shiqian, courtesy name Ziyue, also called Ronglang, lost his father as a child and was known for filial devotion to his mother. When his mother once vomited and poison was suspected, he knelt and tasted it himself. His uncle Nie deeply admired him and often said, "This boy is our family's Yan Hui." At twelve, Prince Zan of Guangping of Wei summoned him as a staff officer when his headquarters opened. Later, mourning his mother, he wasted away to skin and bone. An elder sister married into the Song clan died, unable to bear the grief. When Shiqian's mourning ended, he gave his house to be a monastery. Freeing himself, he went to the academy to study, delving deep without weariness until he had read widely and mastered astronomy and numerology. Qi Minister of Personnel Xin Shu summoned him as an extra master of writing; Prince Rui of Zhao recommended his virtue—each time he pleaded illness and declined. He Shikai also valued his name and was about to prompt the court to make him director of the National University; he declined and was spared. Inspector Gao Yuanhai courteously summoned him again and called him a bodhisattva. When the Sui gained the realm, he steadfastly refused office until the end. Orphaned young, he never drank wine or ate meat and never spoke of killing. When kin and guests came, he still set out dishes, sat upright before them, and kept company all day without weariness.

李氏宗党豪盛，每春秋二社，必高會極宴，無不沈醉喧亂。嘗集士謙所，盛饌盈前，而先為設黍。謂群從曰：「孔子稱黍為五穀之長，荀卿亦云食先黍稷，古人所尚，寧可違乎！」少長肅然，無敢弛惰，退而相謂曰：「既見君子，方覺吾徒之不德也。」士謙聞而自責曰：「何乃為人疏，頓至於此！」

The Li clan and its branches were wealthy and numerous; at each spring and autumn she-sacrifice they held grand feasts, and all ended drunk and noisy. Once they gathered at Shiqian's home with rich fare heaped before them, but he first served millet. He told the clan, "Confucius called millet the chief of the five grains; Xun Qing said eating begins with millet and panic millet—what the ancients honored, how could we violate it!" Young and old grew solemn; none dared slacken. Withdrawing they said, "Having met a gentleman, we see how unworthy we have been." Shiqian heard and blamed himself: "How could I have been so distant from people as to bring things to this!"

家富於財，躬處節儉，每以振施為務。州裏有喪事。不均，至相鬩訟。士謙聞而出財補其少者，令與多者相埒。兄弟愧懼，更相推讓，卒為善士。有牛犯其田者，士謙牽置涼處，飼之過於本主。望見盜刈禾黍者，默而避之。其家僮嘗執盜粟者，士謙慰喻之曰：「窮困所致，義無相責。」遽令放之。其奴嘗與鄉人董震因醉角力，震扼其喉，斃於手下。震懼請罪，士謙謂曰：「卿本無殺心，何為相謝？然可速去，無為吏拘。」性寬厚皆此類也。後出粟萬石以貸鄉人，屬年穀不登，債家無以償，皆來致謝。士謙曰：「吾家餘粟，本圖賑贍，豈求利哉！」於是悉召債家，為設酒食，對之燔契，曰：「債了矣，幸勿為念也。」各令罷去。明年大熟，債家爭來償，士謙拒之，一無所受。他年饑，多有死者，士謙罄家資為之糜粥，賴以全活者萬計；收埋骸骨，所見無遺；至春，又出田糧種子，分給貧乏。趙郡農人德之，撫其子孫曰：「此李參軍遺惠也。」仁心感物，群犬生子，交共相乳。凶年散谷至萬餘石，合諸藥以救疾癘，如此積三十年。或謂士謙：「子多陰德。」士謙曰：「夫言陰德，其猶耳鳴，己獨知之，人無知者。今吾所作，吾子皆知，何陰德之有？」

Though rich in wealth, he lived frugally himself and made relief and giving his constant task. In the district there was a funeral. Contributions were unequal, until brothers quarreled and sued one another. Shiqian heard of it, gave funds to supplement those who gave less, and made them equal to those who gave more. The brothers felt shame and fear, yielded to one another, and in the end became good men. When an ox strayed into his fields, Shiqian led it to shade and fed it better than its owner would have. When he saw thieves reaping his grain, he silently withdrew. When a household servant once seized a grain thief, Shiqian comforted him: "Poverty drove this—by right there is nothing to blame." He at once had the man released. A slave of his once wrestled drunk with a villager named Dong Zhen; Zhen seized his throat and killed him on the spot. Zhen, afraid, begged forgiveness. Shiqian said, "You never meant to kill—why apologize? But go quickly, lest the officers seize you." His generous nature was all of this kind. Later he lent ten thousand bushels of grain to neighbors; when the harvest failed, debtors could not repay and all came to apologize. Shiqian said, "Our surplus grain was meant for relief—how could we seek profit!" He summoned all debtors, set out wine and food, and burned the contracts before them, saying, "The debt is done—do not dwell on it." He had each go home. The next year the harvest was abundant; debtors vied to repay him, but Shiqian refused and accepted nothing. In another famine year many died; Shiqian spent all his household wealth on gruel and porridge, and tens of thousands lived because of it; he gathered and buried every bone he saw, leaving none behind; come spring, he again put out seed grain and distributed it to the poor. The farmers of Zhao commandery blessed him, telling their sons and grandsons, "This is the lasting kindness of Administrator Li." His humane heart moved creatures: neighborhood dogs whelped and nursed one another's young in turn. In famine years he distributed more than ten thousand bushels of grain and combined herbs to treat plague—thus for thirty years. Someone said to Shiqian, "Sir, you have accumulated much hidden virtue." Shiqian said, "Hidden virtue is like ringing in the ears—only oneself knows it; others do not. What I do now, my children all know—where is the hidden virtue in that?"

士謙善談玄理，嘗有客坐，不信佛家應報義。士謙喻之曰：「積善余慶，積惡餘殃，豈非休咎邪？佛經雲'轉輪五道，無復窮已'，此則賈誼所言'千變萬化，未始有極，忽然為人'之謂也。佛道未來，而賢者已知其然矣。至若鮌為黃熊，杜宇為鶗鴂，褒君為龍，牛哀為猛獸，君子為鵠，小人為猿，彭生為豕，如意為犬，黃母為黿，宣武為鱉，鄧艾為牛，徐伯為魚，鈴下為烏，書生為蛇，羊祜前身李氏之子，此非佛家變受異形之謂邪？」客曰：「邢子才雲'豈有松柏後身，化為樗櫟'，僕以為然。」士謙曰：「此不類之談也，變化皆由心作，木豈有心乎？」客又問三教優劣，士謙曰：「佛，日也；道，月也；儒，五星也。」客亦不能難而止。

Shiqian was skilled at discussing Dark Learning. Once a guest with him did not believe in Buddhist karma and retribution. Shiqian enlightened him: "Accumulated good brings lasting blessing; accumulated evil brings lasting calamity—is this not fortune and misfortune? The Buddhist scripture says "turning through the five paths without end"—this is what Jia Yi meant by "myriad changes without limit, suddenly becoming human." Before Buddhism came, the worthy already knew it was so. Consider Gun who became a yellow bear, Du Yu a shrike, Lord Bao a dragon, Niu Ai a fierce beast, the noble a swan, the petty man an ape, Peng Sheng a pig, Ruyi a dog, Huang Mu a softshell turtle, Xuan Wu a turtle, Deng Ai an ox, Xu Bo a fish, a bell-man a crow, a scholar a snake, Yang Hu in a former life the son of the Li clan—is this not what the Buddhists mean by transmuting into strange forms?" The guest said, "Xing Zicao said, 'Can a pine or cypress in a later life turn into a stinking elm?'—I think him right." Shiqian said, "That is nonsense—transformation is all made by the mind; can wood have a mind?" The guest asked again which of the three teachings was superior. Shiqian said, "Buddhism is the sun; Daoism is the moon; Confucianism is the five stars." The guest could not refute him and fell silent.

士謙平生時時為詠懷詩，輒毀其本，不示人。又嘗論刑罰，遺文不具。其略曰：「帝王制法，沿革不同，自可損益，無為頓改。今之贓重者死，是酷而不懲也。語曰：'人不畏死，不可以死恐之。 '愚謂此罪，宜從肉刑，刖其一趾；再犯者，斷其左腕。流刑刖去右手三指；又犯者，下其腕。小盜宜黥。又犯，刖落其所用三指；又不悛，則下其腕。無不止也。無賴之人，竄之邊裔，職為亂階，適所以召戎矣，非求安之道也。博弈淫遊，盜之萌也，禁而不止，黥之則可。」有識者頗以為得政體。隋開皇八年，終於家。趙州士女聞之，莫不流淚曰：「我曹不死而令李參軍死乎！」會葬者萬餘人。李景伯等以士謙道著丘園，條其行狀，詣尚書省請先生之諡，事寢不行，遂相與樹碑於墓。其妻范陽盧氏，亦有婦德。及夫終，所有賻贈，一無所受。謂州裏父老曰：「參軍平生好施，今雖殞歿，安可奪其志哉！」乃散粟五百石以賑窮乏，免奴婢六十人。

Shiqian from time to time composed meditative poems but always destroyed the drafts and never showed them. He also once discussed punishments; the surviving text is incomplete. The gist runs: "When emperors and kings make law, changes through the ages differ; one may add or subtract, but need not overturn all at once. Today the penalty for heavy corruption is death—this is cruel yet fails to deter. The saying goes, "When men do not fear death, you cannot frighten them with death." I hold that for this crime one should apply corporal punishment—cut off one toe; for a second offense, sever the left wrist. For exile, cut off three fingers of the right hand; if they offend again, remove the wrist. Petty theft should be tattooed. If they offend again, cut off the three fingers they use; if still unrepentant, remove the wrist. None would fail to stop. Ruffians driven to the borderlands become a ladder to disorder—it is precisely how one summons barbarians, not the path to peace. Gambling and dissolute wandering are the seed of theft; if prohibition fails, tattooing will do." Men of discernment largely thought this grasped the substance of governance. In the eighth year of Kaihuang of Sui, he died at home. When the gentlemen and women of Zhao prefecture heard the news, none could hold back tears. "How is it," they cried, "that we still live while Administrator Li is dead! More than ten thousand attended his burial. Li Jingbo and others, seeing that Shiqian's virtue was renowned though he dwelt in seclusion, drew up an account of his conduct and submitted it to the Ministry of Personnel requesting a posthumous title—but the petition lapsed without result. They then jointly erected a stele at his tomb. His wife, Lady Lu of Fanyang, was likewise a model of wifely virtue. When her husband died, she refused every funeral gift offered her. She told the elders of the district: "Administrator Li loved giving all his life. Though he is gone, how can we betray his wishes? She then distributed five hundred bushels of grain to relieve the destitute and freed sixty slaves and maidservants.

案趙郡李氏，出自趙將武安君牧。當楚、漢之際，廣武君左車則其先也。左車十四世孫恢，字仲興，漢桓、靈間，高尚不仕，號有道大夫。恢生定，字文義，仕魏，位漁陽太守。有子四人，並仕晉。平字伯括，為樂平太守；機字仲括，位國子博士；隱字叔括，保字季括，位並尚書郎。兄弟皆以儒素著名，時謂之四括。

The Zhao commandery Li traced their descent to Zhao's general, Lord Wu'an, Li Mu. At the clash between Chu and Han, their forebear was Guangwu Lord Zuoche. Zuoche's fourteenth-generation descendant Hui, styled Zhongxing, lived between the reigns of Emperors Huan and Ling of Han—loftily virtuous, refusing office, and known as the Worthy Grandee. Hui begat Ding, styled Weny, who served Wei as Administrator of Yuyang. He had four sons, all of whom served Jin. Ping, styled Boguo, served as Administrator of Leping; Ji, styled Zhongguo, held the post of Erudite at the National University; Yin, styled Shuguo, and Bao, styled Jiguo, both served as Masters of Writing. The brothers were all famed for plain Confucian learning and were known in their time as the Four Guo.

機子楷，字雄方，位書侍御史，家于平棘南。有男子五人，輯、晃、棨、勁、睿。輯字護宗，晃字仲黃，棨字季黃，勁字少黃，睿字幼黃，並以友悌著美，為當世所宗，時所謂四黃者也。輯位高密郡守，二子，慎、敦。晃位鎮南府長史，一子，義。勁位書侍御史，四子，盛、敏、隆、喜。睿位高平太守，二子，勖、充。其後，慎、敦居柏仁，子孫甚微。義南徙故壘，世謂之南祖。勖兄弟居巷東，盛兄弟居巷西，世人指其所居，因以為目，蓋自此也。義字敬仲，位司空長史。生東宮舍人吉，字彥同。吉生尚書郎聰，字小時。聰生真，字。義深事列於後。勖字景賢，位頓丘太守。勖生趙郡太守頤，字彥祖。頤生勰、系、曾，各有令子，事並列於前。盛位中書郎。三子，纘、襲、閣。纘字緯業，位太尉祭酒。生四子，誕、休、重、苞。誕字紹元，假趙郡太守。生四子，建、追、磪、龜。龜字神龜，位州主簿。生二子，鳳林、秀林。

Ji's son Kai, styled Xiongfang, served as Writing Attendant Censor and made his home south of Pingji. He had five sons: Ji, Huang, Qi, Jin, and Rui. Ji styled Huzong; Huang, Zhonghuang; Qi, Jihuang; Jin, Shaohuang; Rui, Youhuang—all renowned for brotherly harmony and honored by their contemporaries as the Four Huang. Ji served as Administrator of Gaomi; his two sons were Shen and Dun. Huang served as Senior Clerk of the Pacify-the-South Commandery; his son was Yi. Jin served as Writing Attendant Censor and had four sons: Sheng, Min, Long, and Xi. Rui served as Administrator of Gaoping; his two sons were Xu and Chong. Thereafter Shen and Dun settled at Boren, but their line barely survived. Yi moved south to the old fort—a branch later known as the Southern Ancestor line. Xu's branch lived east of the lane and Sheng's west; people took their dwellings as names for each line—and so the custom began. Yi, styled Jingzhong, served as Senior Clerk to the Minister of Works. He begat Ji, styled Yantong, an Attendant of the Eastern Palace. Ji begat Cong, styled Xiaoshi, a Gentleman of the Masters of Writing. Cong begat Zhen, whose courtesy name is unrecorded. Li Yishen's biography follows below. Xu, styled Jingxian, served as Administrator of Dunqiu. Xu begat Yi, styled Yanzu, Administrator of Zhao commandery. Yi begat Xie, Xi, and Zeng—each line produced able men, their accounts given earlier in this chapter. Sheng served as Gentleman of the Secretariat. He had three sons: Zuan, Xi, and Ge. Zuan, styled Weiye, served as Steward of the Grand Commandant. He had four sons: Dan, Xiu, Zhong, and Bao. Dan, styled Shaoyuan, served as acting Administrator of Zhao commandery. He had four sons: Jian, Zhui, Cui, and Gui. Gui, styled Shengui, served as Chief Clerk of the prefecture. He had two sons: Fonglin and Xiulin.

李裔，字徽伯。父秀林，小名榼，性溫直。太和中，中書博士，為頓丘相，豪右畏之。景明初，試守博陵郡，抑強扶弱，政以嚴威為名。以母憂去職。後為司徒司馬、定州大中正、太中大夫。卒，贈齊州刺史。裔出後伯父鳳林。孝昌中為定州鎮軍長史，帶博陵太守。于時逆賊杜洛周侵亂州界，裔潛引洛周，州遂陷沒。洛周特無綱紀，至於市令、驛帥咸以為王，呼曰市王、驛王，乃封裔定州王。洛周尋為葛榮所滅，裔仍事榮。爾硃榮禽葛榮，遂縶裔及高昂、薛修義、李無為等於晉陽。從榮至洛，榮死乃免。天平初，以齊神武大丞相諮議參軍，參定策功，封固安縣伯，為候衛大將軍、陝州刺史。及周文帝攻克州城，見害。東魏贈尚書令、司徒、定州刺史。子子旦襲。子旦弟子雄。

Li Yi, styled Huibo. His father Xiulin, nicknamed Ke, was warm and upright in character. During the Taihe era he served as a Doctor of the Secretariat and Chancellor of Dunqiu, and the local magnates feared him. At the outset of the Jingming era he served as acting Administrator of Boling, restraining the powerful and aiding the weak—his rule became famed for stern authority. He resigned upon his mother's death. He later served as Steward of the Minister of Works, Senior Arbiter of Ding province, and Grand Master of the Palace. He died and was posthumously appointed Governor of Qi province. Yi was adopted as heir to his father's elder brother Fonglin. During the Xiaochang era he served as Senior Clerk of Ding's Pacifying Army and concurrently as Administrator of Boling. When the rebel Du Luozhou ravaged the borders of the province, Yi secretly admitted him—and the province fell. Luozhou ran a lawless camp: even market magistrates and post-station chiefs were made "kings"—Market King, Post-station King—and he enfeoffed Yi as King of Ding province. Luozhou was soon destroyed by Ge Rong, and Yi then served Rong. When Erzhu Rong captured Ge Rong, he imprisoned Yi together with Gao Ang, Xue Xiuyi, Li Wuwei, and others at Jinyang. He followed Rong to Luoyang and was released only after Rong's death. At the beginning of Tianping he served as Advisory Aide to the great chancellor Shenwu of Qi, helped settle strategy, and was enfeoffed Baron of Gu'an county and appointed General of Garrison Guard and Governor of Shan province. When Emperor Wen of Zhou took the provincial capital, Yi was killed. Eastern Wei posthumously appointed him Minister Mentor, Minister of Works, and Governor of Ding province. His son Zidan inherited his rank. Zidan's younger brother was Zixiong.

及晉王廣出鎮并州，以子雄為河北行台兵部尚書。上謂曰：「吾兒既少，卿兼文武之才，今者推誠相委，吾無北顧憂矣。」子雄頓首流涕，誓以效命。子雄當官正直，侃然有不可犯色，王甚敬憚，吏人稱焉。歲餘，卒官。子公挺嗣。

When Prince Jin Guang went out to garrison Bing province, he appointed Zixiong Minister of the Armies of the Hebei Branch Secretariat. The Emperor told him: "My son is still young, and you possess both civil and military gifts. I now entrust you fully—I need no longer look north with worry. Zixiong kowtowed, weeping, and swore to serve with his life. Zixiong was upright in office, bearing a stern, unapproachable dignity; the prince deeply respected and feared him, and officials and commoners alike praised him. A little over a year later he died in office. His son Gongting inherited his position.

裔從祖詵字令世，誕弟休之子也。休字紹則，散騎常侍。詵與族兄靈、族弟熙等俱被征，事在高允《征士頌》。詵位中書侍郎、京兆太守。詵從祖弟善見，位趙郡太守。善見子顯進，位州主簿、濮陽太守。

Yi's collateral kinsman Shen, styled Lingshi, was the son of Dan's younger brother Xiu. Xiu, styled Shaozhe, served as Regular Attendant of the Rapid Cavalry. Shen was summoned together with his clan elder Ling and younger kinsman Xi, among others—the episode appears in Gao Yun's Eulogy for Recluses Summoned. Shen served as Attendant of the Secretariat and Administrator of Jingzhao. Shen's collateral kinsman Shanjian served as Administrator of Zhao commandery. Shanjian's son Xianjin served as Chief Clerk of the prefecture and Administrator of Puyang.

顯進子暎，字暉道，位相州中從事、步兵校尉，贈殷州刺史。暎子普濟，學涉有名，性和韻，位濟北太守，時人語曰「入粗入細李普濟」。武定中，位北海太守。暎弟育，字仲遠，位相州防城別將，以拒葛榮之勳，賜爵趙郡公。後除金紫光祿大夫，卒，贈都官尚書，諡曰貞。子愔襲，與從父兄普濟並應秀才舉，時人謂其所居為秀才村。

Xianjin's son Ying, styled Huidao, served as Staff Officer of Xiang province and Colonel of Footsoldiers, and was posthumously appointed Governor of Yin province. Ying's son Puji was broadly learned and widely known, gentle and even-tempered by nature, and served as Administrator of Jibei. People said of him: "From the rough to the fine—there is Li Puji." During the Wuding era he served as Administrator of Beihai. Ying's younger brother Yu, styled Zhongyuan, served as Separate Commander for City Defense of Xiang province; for merit in resisting Ge Rong he was granted the title Duke of Zhao commandery. He was later appointed Grand Master of the Golden Girdle and Purple Clasp; when he died he was posthumously made Minister of Justice and given the posthumous name Zhen, "Upright." His son Yin inherited his rank; he and his elder cousin Puji both passed the xiucai examination, and people called their neighborhood Xiucai Village—the Village of Successful Scholars.

愔位太子舍人。

Yin served as Attendant of the Heir Apparent.

愔族叔肅，字彥邕，位員外常侍。初諂附侍中元暉。後以左道事侍中穆紹。常裸身被髮，畫復銜刀，於隱屏處為紹求福。故紹愛之，薦為黃門郎。性酒狂，從靈太后幸江陽王繼第，侍飲頗醉，言辭不遜，抗辱太傅、清河王懌。為有司彈劾，太后恕之。卒于夏州刺史。

Yin's clan uncle Su, styled Yanyong, served as Extraordinary Attendant-in-Ordinary. At first he fawned on and attached himself to Attendant-in-Ordinary Yuan Hui. Later he served Attendant-in-Ordinary Mu Shao through heterodox arts. Naked and with hair loose, painted talismans held in his teeth and a knife between his lips, he would perform rites in secret alcoves to seek blessings for Shao. Shao favored him for this and recommended him as Yellow Gate Gentleman. He was a drunkard by nature. When he accompanied Empress Dowager Ling on a visit to Prince Jiangyang Ji's residence, he drank heavily at table, spoke disrespectfully, and openly insulted Grand Tutor Prince Qinghe Yi. The authorities impeached him, but the empress dowager pardoned him. He died while serving as Governor of Xia province.

肅從弟皦，字景林，有學識，位廷尉少卿，贈齊州刺史，諡曰宣。子慎，武定中，位東平太守。

Su's kinsman Jiao, styled Jinglin, was learned and capable and served as Vice Minister of the Court of Judicial Review; posthumously appointed Governor of Qi province, he was given the posthumous name Xuan, "Manifest." His son Shen served as Administrator of Dongping during the Wuding era.

皦從弟仲旋。司徒左長史、恆農太守。先是宮、牛二姓阻險為害，仲旋示以威惠，即並歸伏。累遷左光祿大夫。天平初，遷都於鄴，以仲ＦＭ為營構將，進號衛大將軍。出為兗州刺史，還除將作大匠，所曆並著聲績。卒，贈驃騎大將軍、儀同三司、青州刺史。子希良，侍御史。

Jiao's kinsman Zhongxuan. Senior Clerk on the Left of the Minister of Works and Administrator of Hengnong. Previously the Gong and Niu clans had lorded over a defensible stronghold and troubled the region; Zhongxuan met them with sternness and kindness, and they submitted at once. He rose through successive posts to Left Grand Master of Splendid Happiness. At the beginning of Tianping, when the capital moved to Ye, Zhongxuan was made Construction General and promoted to Guard General. He served as Governor of Yan province, then returned to court as Master of Construction Works; in every post he won noted repute. When he died he was posthumously appointed General of Agile Cavalry, with the Three Insignia on a Par, and Governor of Qing province. His son Xiliang served as Attending Censor.

煥字仲文，小字醜瑰，中書侍郎盛弟隆之後也。隆字太彝，位阜城令。隆生幕縣令謀。謀生始平太守景，名犯太祖元皇帝諱。景生東郡太守伯應。伯應生煥。煥有幹用，與酈道元俱為李彪所知。恆州刺史穆泰據代都謀反，煥以書侍御史與任城王澄推究之。煥先驅至州，宣旨曉喻，乃執泰等。景明初，齊豫州刺史裴叔業以壽春歸附，煥以司空從事中郎為軍司馬，與楊大眼、奚康生等迎接，仍行揚州事，賜爵容城伯。及荊蠻擾動，敕煥兼通直散騎常侍慰勞之，降者萬餘家。除梁州刺史。時武興氐楊集起舉兵作逆，敕假煥平西將軍，督別將大破集起軍。又破秦州賊呂苟兒，及斬氐王楊定。還朝，遇患卒，贈幽州刺史，諡曰昭。

Huan, styled Zhongwen, nicknamed Chougui, was descended from Sheng's younger brother Long—the Attendant of the Secretariat. Long, styled Taiyi, served as Magistrate of Fucheng. Long had a son Mou, who served as magistrate of Mu county. Mou had a son Jing, Administrator of Shiping, whose given name violated the taboo name of Grand Ancestor Emperor Yuan. Jing had a son Boying, Administrator of Dong commandery. Boying had a son Huan. Huan had proven ability in practical affairs, and he and Li Daoyuan alike won the notice of Li Biao. When Mu Tai, Inspector of Heng Province, seized the Dai capital and plotted rebellion, Huan served as palace attendant-in-ordinary for writing and, together with Prince Cheng of Rencheng, conducted the investigation. Huan rode ahead to the province, proclaimed the imperial decree and explained its meaning, and then arrested Tai and his co-conspirators. At the beginning of the Jingming era, Pei Shuye of Southern Qi, Inspector of Yu Province, surrendered Shouchun. Huan served as army marshal with the title Attendant-in-Ordinary under the Minister of Works and, together with Yang Dayan, Xi Kangsheng, and others, went out to receive him. He was then put in charge of Yang Province affairs and granted the title Marquis of Rongcheng. When unrest spread among the Jing barbarians, the court ordered Huan, concurrently serving as regular attendant of direct communication and cavalry, to go and reassure them; more than ten thousand households surrendered. He was appointed Inspector of Liang Province. At that time Yang Jieqi of the Wuxing Di raised troops in rebellion. By edict Huan was provisionally made General Who Pacifies the West and directed subordinate generals in a major defeat of Jieqi's forces. He also defeated the Qin Province bandit Lü Gou'er and beheaded the Di king Yang Ding. On returning to court he fell ill and died. He was posthumously made Inspector of You Province with the posthumous title Zhao (Illustrious).

100

子密，字希邕，少有節操。母患積年，名醫療之不愈，乃精習經方，洞閑針藥，母疾得除。由是以醫術知名。屬爾硃兆弑逆，與勃海高昂為報復計。後從神武，封容城縣侯，位襄州刺史。

His son Mi, styled Xiyong, had been upright in character since youth. His mother had been ill for years, and even famous physicians could not cure her. He then mastered canonical prescriptions and became thoroughly skilled in acupuncture and medicine, and his mother's illness was finally cured. From this he became renowned for his medical skill. When Erzhu Zhao committed regicide, he joined Gao Ang of Bohai in plotting revenge. Later he followed Gao Huan, was enfeoffed as Marquis of Rongcheng County, and served as Inspector of Xiang Province.

101

李義深，趙郡高邑人也。祖真，字令才，位中書侍郎。父紹，字嗣宗，殷州別駕。義深有當世才用，而心胸險峭，時人語曰：「劍戟森森李義深。」初以殷州別駕歸齊神武，再遷鴻臚少卿。見爾硃兆兵盛，叛歸之。兆平，神武恕其罪。遷齊州刺史，好利，多所受納。轉行梁州刺史，為陽夏太守段業告其在州聚斂，被禁止。卒於禁所。

Li Yishen was a native of Gaoyi in Zhao Commandery. His grandfather Zhen, styled Lingcai, served as Vice Director of the Palace Secretariat. His father Shao, styled Sigong, was Vice Governor of Yin Province. Yishen had talent fit for his age, but his heart was treacherous and sharp-edged. People of the time said, "Swords and halberds densely arrayed—Li Yishen. At first, as Vice Governor of Yin Province, he submitted to Gao Huan of Northern Qi and was twice promoted to Vice Director of the Court of State Ceremonial. Seeing Erzhu Zhao's armies at their height, he defected and went over to him. When Zhao was defeated, Gao Huan pardoned his offense. He was transferred to Inspector of Qi Province. Greedy for gain, he accepted many bribes. He was transferred to serve as Inspector of Liang Province. Duan Ye, Administrator of Yangxia, reported that he had amassed wealth in the province, and he was placed under detention. He died in detention.

102

子騊駼，有才辯，位兼通直散騎常侍，聘陳。陳人稱之。後為壽陽道行台左丞，與王琳同陷陳。周末逃歸。隋開皇中為永安郡太守、絳州長史，卒。

His son Taotao was gifted in eloquence, served concurrently as regular attendant of direct communication and cavalry, and went on embassy to Chen. The people of Chen praised him. Later he served as Left Assistant of the Branch Headquarters on the Shouyang route and, together with Wang Lin, was captured in Chen. At the end of Northern Zhou he escaped and returned home. During the Kaihuang era of Sui he served as Administrator of Yong'an Commandery and Chief Commandant of Jiang Prefecture, and then died.

103

子政藻，明敏有才幹。騊駼沒陳，政藻時為開府行參軍，判集書省事，便謝病解職，居處若在喪禮，人士稱之。開皇中，曆尚書工部員外郎，卒於宜州長史。

His son Zhengzao was bright, perceptive, and capable. When Taotao was lost in Chen, Zhengzao was then a staff officer in the opening establishment, handling affairs of the Office of Collected Writings. He immediately pleaded illness and resigned, conducting himself as if in mourning. Gentlemen praised him for it. During Kaihuang he served successively as Outer Gentleman of the Ministry of Works under the Masters of Writing and died while serving as Chief Commandant of Yi Prefecture.

104

騊駼弟文師，曆中書舍人，齊郡太守。

Taotao's younger brother Wenshi successively served as drafting secretary of the Palace Secretariat and Administrator of Qi Commandery.

105

義深弟同軌，體貌魁岸，腰帶十圍，學綜諸經，兼該釋氏，又好醫術。年二十，舉秀才，再遷著作郎，典儀注，修國子博士。興和中，兼通直散騎常侍，使梁。梁武深耽釋學，遂集名僧於其愛敬、同泰二寺，講《涅般大品經》，引同軌豫席，兼遣其朝士議共觀聽，同軌論難久之，道俗咸以為善。盧景裕卒，齊神武引同軌在館教諸公子，甚嘉禮之。每旦入授，日暮始歸，緇素請業者，同軌夜為解說，四時恆爾，不以為倦。卒，時人傷惜之，神武亦嗟悼之。贈瀛州刺史，諡曰康。

Yishen's younger brother Tonggui had a towering physique and a waist ten arm-spans around. He had mastered all the classics, was thoroughly versed in Buddhism, and also loved medicine. At twenty he was nominated as Flowering Talent, was twice promoted to gentleman compiler, oversaw ritual regulations, and was appointed erudite of the National University. During Xinghe he concurrently served as regular attendant of direct communication and cavalry and went on embassy to Liang. Emperor Wu of Liang was deeply devoted to Buddhist learning. He gathered renowned monks at his Aijin and Tongtai monasteries to lecture on the Mahaparinirvana Sutra, invited Tonggui to a reserved seat, and also sent court gentlemen to listen. Tonggui debated at length, and clergy and laity alike judged it excellent. When Lu Jingyu died, Gao Huan summoned Tonggui to the residence to instruct the sons of the princes and treated him with great honor. Each morning he entered to teach and only returned at dusk. For those who sought instruction, lay and clerical alike, Tonggui explained by night. Through all four seasons it was always thus, and he never considered it wearisome. When he died, people of the time grieved for him, and Gao Huan also sighed in mourning. He was posthumously made Inspector of Ying Province with the posthumous title Kang (Peaceful).

106

同軌弟幼舉，安德太守，以貪污棄市。幼舉弟之良，有幹用，位金部郎中。

Tonggui's younger brother Youju, Administrator of An'de, was executed in the market for embezzlement. Youju's younger brother Zhiliang had practical ability and served as Gentleman of the Gold Department.

107

之良弟幼廉，少寡欲，為兒童時，初不從人家有所求請。嘗故以金寶授之，終不取，強付，輒擲之地。州牧以其蒙幼而廉，故以名焉。性聰敏，累遷齊文襄驃騎府長史。文襄薦為濟州儀同府長史，又遷瀛州長史。齊神武行經冀部，總合河北六州文籍，商榷戶口增損，親自部分，多在馬上征責文簿，指影取備，事非一緒。幼廉應機立成，恆先期會，為諸州准的。神武深加慰勉，乃責諸人曰：「碎卿等諸人，作得李長史一腳指不！」是時諸人並謝罪，幼廉獨前拜恩，觀者咸歎美之。神武還并州，以告文襄，文襄喜謂人曰：「吾是知人矣！」文襄嗣事，除霸府掾。時以并州王政所基，求好長史，舉者多不見納。後因大集，謂陳元康曰：「我教你好長史處，李幼廉即其人也。」遂命為并州長史。常在文襄第內，與隴西辛術等六人，號為館客。天保初，除太原郡太守。文宣嘗與語及楊愔，誤稱為楊公，以應對失宜，除濟陰郡守。累遷太僕大司農二卿、趙州大中正、大理卿，所在稱職。

Zhiliang's younger brother Youlian had few desires from youth. Even as a child he never asked anything of other people's households. Once someone deliberately offered him gold and jewels. He would never take them; when they were forced on him, he would throw them to the ground. The provincial governor, seeing that he was young and yet upright, gave him this name. Intelligent and keen by nature, he was repeatedly promoted to chief clerk of the Rapid Cavalry Establishment under Wenxiang of Qi. Wenxiang recommended him as chief clerk of the Establishment Equal to the First of Ji Prefecture, and he was later transferred to chief clerk of Ying Prefecture. When Gao Huan traveled through the Ji region, he consolidated the registers of the six Hebei provinces and deliberated over increases and decreases in household counts. He personally divided the work, often on horseback pressing for the completion of documents and demanding readiness at a gesture—there was no end to the tasks. Youlian responded to each occasion and finished at once, always meeting deadlines ahead of time. He became the standard by which all the provinces were measured. Gao Huan praised and encouraged him deeply, then rebuked the others, saying, "Grind you all to powder—you could not make even one of Director Li's little toes! At that moment all the others apologized, but Youlian alone stepped forward to bow in gratitude. Onlookers all sighed in admiration. Gao Huan returned to Bing Province and told Wenxiang, who said delightedly to others, "I truly know how to recognize men! When Wenxiang succeeded to power, he appointed him staff officer of the Hegemonic Establishment. At the time, because Bing Province was the foundation of princely administration, they sought a good chief clerk, but many nominees were not accepted. Later, during a great assembly, he said to Chen Yuankang, "I will show you where to find a good chief clerk—Li Youlian is the man. He was then appointed Chief Clerk of Bing Province. He was often in Wenxiang's mansion, and together with Xin Shu of Longxi and five others was known as the Residence Guests. At the beginning of Tianbao he was appointed Administrator of Taiyuan Commandery. Emperor Wenxuan once spoke with him about Yang Yin and mistakenly called him "Lord Yang." For an improper reply he was demoted to Administrator of Jiyin Commandery. He was repeatedly promoted to the ministries of the Grand Keeper of Steeds and Grand Minister of Agriculture, made Senior Rectifier of Zhao Province, and appointed Minister of Punishments. Everywhere he served he was called competent.

108

後主時，和士開權重，百僚盡傾，幼廉高揖而已，由是出為南青州刺史。主簿徐乾富而暴橫，曆政不能禁。幼廉初至，因其有犯，收系之。乾密通疏，奉黃金百挺、妓婢二十人，幼廉不受，遂殺之。罷還鄴。祖孝征執政。求紫石英于幼廉，以其南青州所出。幼廉辭無好者，固請，乃與二兩。孝征有不平之言，或以告幼廉。幼廉抗聲曰：「李幼廉結髮從宦，誓不曲意求人。天生德於予，孝征其如予何？假欲挫頓，不過遣向并州耳。」時已授並省都官尚書，辭而未報，遂發敕遣之。齊末官至三品已上，悉加儀同，獨不沾此例，語人曰：「我不作儀同，更覺為榮。」卒，贈吏部尚書。

During the reign of the Later Lord, He Shikai's power was great and all officials bowed low. Youlian merely gave a high salute, and for this reason was sent out as Inspector of Southern Qing Province. Registrar Xu Qian was wealthy and violently overbearing. Successive administrations could not restrain him. When Youlian first arrived, he had Qian arrested and imprisoned for his offenses. Qian secretly sent a memorial offering a hundred ingots of gold and twenty singing girls and maidservants. Youlian refused to accept and then had him executed. He finished his term and returned to Ye. Zu Xiaozheng held power. He sought amethyst from Youlian because Southern Qing Province produced it. Youlian declined, saying there were none of fine quality. When pressed, he gave only two ounces. Xiaozheng had words of resentment, and someone may have told Youlian. Youlian raised his voice and said, "Li Youlian has served in office since tying his hair. I swear never to bend my will to seek favor from others. Heaven has endowed me with virtue—what can Xiaozheng do to me? Even if he wished to humiliate me, at most he would send me back to Bing Province. At the time he had already been appointed Minister of Punishments of the Bing Province Secretariat but had declined and not yet reported. An edict was then issued dispatching him. At the end of Qi, officials of third rank and above all received the added title Equal in Glory to the First. He alone did not share in this and told others, "Not taking the title Equal in Glory to the First makes me feel more honored still. He died and was posthumously made Minister of Personnel.

109

義深族弟神威，幼有風裁，家業《禮》學，又善音樂，撰集樂書近百卷，卒于尚書左丞。

Yishen's clansman younger brother Shenwei had integrity and judgment from youth, inherited scholarship in the Rites, and was also skilled in music. He compiled nearly a hundred scrolls of music books and died while serving as Left Assistant of the Masters of Writing.

110

又有李翥，字彥鴻，世居柏仁，弱冠以文章知。仁齊，位東平太守。後待詔文林館，除通直散騎常侍，聘于梁。晚節頗以貪酒為累。貪無居宅，寄止佛寺中。嘗著巾帔，終日對酒，招致賓客，風調詳雅。翥從兄子朗，才辭翥之亞，兼有吏能，位中書舍人。

There was also Li Zhu, styled Yanhong, whose family had lived in Bairen for generations and who was known for his writing from the time of his capping. He served Northern Qi and held the post of Administrator of Dongping. Later he was retained at the Forest of Literature Hall as awaiting-edict, appointed regular attendant of direct communication and cavalry, and sent on embassy to Liang. In his later years he was much burdened by excessive drinking. Poor and without a dwelling, he lodged in Buddhist temples. He would wear a headcloth and kerchief, drink all day, summon guests, and carry himself with refined elegance. Zhu's clansman's son Lang was second only to Zhu in literary talent, also possessed administrative ability, and served as drafting secretary of the Palace Secretariat.

111

論曰：古人云「燕、趙多奇士」，觀夫李靈兄弟，並有焉。靈則首應弓旌，道光師傅。順則器標楝幹，一時推重。孝伯風範鑒略，蓋亦過人。各能克廣門業，道風不殞，余慶之美，豈非此之謂乎。至如元忠之倜儻從橫，功名自卒；季初之家風素業，昆季兼舉。有齊之日，雅道方振。憲之子弟，特盛衣纓，豈唯戚裏是憑，固亦文雅所得。安世識具通雅，時幹之良。枿以豪俊達，鬱則儒博顯，謐之高逸，固可謂世有人焉。義深弟兄，人位兼美；子雄才官，不替門緒，茂矣。

Commentary says: The ancients said, "Yan and Zhao produce many extraordinary men." Looking at the brothers of Li Ling, they all had this quality. Ling was the first to answer the imperial summons, and his conduct illumined his teachers. Shun's talent marked him as a pillar beam, and his age held him in esteem. Xiaobo's bearing and discernment also surpassed others. Each was able to broaden his family's enterprise, and the wind of the Way did not fade. The beauty of enduring blessings—is this not what is meant? As for Yuanzhong's unconventional breadth, merit and fame came of themselves; Jichu's family tradition of plain integrity saw brothers rising together. In the days when Qi existed, refined culture was just then flourishing. The sons and younger brothers of Xian especially flourished in court ranks. Was it only dependence on imperial kinship? It was also what refined culture obtained. Anshi's knowledge was comprehensive and broadly refined—a fine talent of the age. Nie achieved eminence through bold excellence; Yu gained prominence through learned breadth; Mi's lofty reclusion—truly one may say the age had its men. Yishen and his brothers—men and offices alike admirable; Zixiong's talent and office did not fail the family line—how flourishing!

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