Volume 47 Biographies 35: Yuan Fan, Yang Ni, Jiao Sibo, Zu Ying

袁翻陽尼賈思伯祖瑩

Yuan Fan, Yang Ni, Jia Sibo, and Zu Ying

列傳第三十五

Biographies 35

袁翻弟躍躍子聿脩陽尼從孫固固子休之固從兄藻藻子斐固從弟元景賈思伯祖瑩子珽

Yuan Fan's younger brother Yue; Yue's son Shouxiu; Yang Ni's grandnephew Gu; Gu's son Xiuzhi; Gu's elder cousin's son Zao; Zao's son Fei; Gu's younger cousin Yuanjing; Jia Sibo; and Zu Ying's son Ting

袁翻，字景翔，陳郡項人也。父宣，為宋青州刺史沈文秀府主簿，隨文秀入魏。而大將軍劉昶言是其外祖淑近親，令與其府諮議參軍袁濟為宗。宣時孤寒，甚相依附。及翻兄弟官顯，與濟子洸、演遂各陵競，洸等乃經公府，以相排斥。翻少入東觀，為徐紇所薦，李彪引兼著作佐郎，參史事。後拜尚書殿中郎。正始初，詔尚書門下于金墉中書外省考論律令，翻與門下錄事常景、孫紹、廷尉監張彪、律博士侯堅固、書侍御史高綽、前將軍邢苗、奉車都尉程靈虯、羽林監王元龜、尚書郎祖瑩、宋世景、員外郎李琰之、太樂令公孫崇等並在議限。又詔太師彭城王勰、司州牧高陽王雍、中書監京兆王愉、青州刺史劉芳、左衛將軍元麗、兼將作大匠李韶、國子祭酒鄭道昭、廷尉少卿王顯等入豫其事。後除豫州中正。

Yuan Fan, whose courtesy name was Jingxiang, came from Xiang in Chen commandery. His father Xuan had been chief clerk on the staff of Shen Wenxiu, the Song inspector of Qingzhou, and accompanied Wenxiu when he defected to Wei. Grand General Liu Chang claimed that Fan was a close relative of his maternal grandfather Yuan Shu and had him enrolled in the same clan as Yuan Ji, a consulting officer on Liu's staff. Xuan was then poor and without backing, and leaned heavily on that connection. Once Fan and his brothers had risen to high office, they and Ji's sons Guang and Yan began to vie with one another, and Guang's party appealed to the central authorities to have their rivals pushed aside. In his youth Fan entered the Eastern Pavilion, was recommended by Xu He, and was appointed by Li Biao as acting assistant editor in the Bureau of Writings to help compile the histories. He was later appointed Palace Attendant in the Secretariat. At the beginning of the Zhengshi era the court ordered the Secretariat and Chancellery to meet at the outer secretariat office at Jinyong to review the statutes. Fan joined Chang Jing, Sun Shao, Zhang Biao, Hou Jiangu, Gao Chuo, Xing Miao, Cheng Lingqiu, Wang Yuanqi, Zu Ying, Song Shijing, Li Yanzhi, Gongsun Chong, and others among those authorized to deliberate. The court also summoned Grand Tutor Prince Xie of Pengcheng, Sizhou governor Prince Yong of Gaoyang, Secretariat director Prince Yu of Jingzhao, Qingzhou inspector Liu Fang, Left Guard general Yuan Li, acting grand master of works Li Shao, Imperial University director Zheng Daozhao, vice director of justice Wang Xian, and others to join the deliberations. He was later appointed chief assessor for Yuzhou.

是時，修明堂辟雍，翻議曰：

At that time work had begun on the Bright Hall and the Imperial Academy. Fan offered this opinion:

謹按明堂之義，今古諸儒論之備矣。蓋唐、虞以上，事難該悉；夏、殷以降，校可知之。按《周官考工》所記，皆記其時事，具論夏、殷名制，豈其糸比繆？是知明堂五室，三代同焉，配帝像行，義則明矣。及《淮南》、《呂氏》與《月令》同文，雖布政班時，有堂個之別，然推其體，則無九室之證。

As I see it, scholars ancient and modern have already debated the meaning of the Bright Hall at length. For the age of Tang and Yu and before, the evidence is too scant to be exhaustive; but from Xia and Yin onward one can arrive at reliable conclusions by comparison. The 'Artificers' chapter of the Offices of Zhou records the institutions of its own age and discusses Xia and Yin nomenclature in full—how could those parallels be mistaken? This shows that the Bright Hall's five chambers were the same through the Three Dynasties, and that assigning the emperors and displaying their images in procession makes the principle plain. The Huainanzi, the Lüshi chunqiu, and the Monthly Ordinances use the same language; although they distinguish halls and alcoves when distributing government by season, their underlying scheme offers no warrant for nine chambers.

既而正義殘隱，妄說斐然。明堂九室，著自《戴禮》，探緒求源，罔知所出，而漢氏因之，自欲為一代之法。故鄭玄云：「周人明堂五室，是帝一室也，合於五行之數。《周禮》依數，以為之室。」本制著存，是周五室也。於今不同，是漢異周也。漢為九室，略可知矣。但就其此制，猶有懵焉。何者？張衡《東京賦》云：「乃營三宮，布教班常，復廟重屋，八達九房。」此乃明堂之文也。而薛綜注云：「房，室也。謂堂後有九室。」堂後有九室之制，非巨異乎。裴頠又云：「漢氏作四維之個，不能令各據其辰，就使其像可圖，莫能通其居用之禮，此為設虛器也。」甚知漢世徒欲削滅周典，捐棄舊章，改物創制，故不復拘於載籍。且鄭玄之詁訓《三禮》及釋《五經》異義，並盡思窮神，不墜周公之舊法也。伯喈損益漢制，章句繁雜，既違古背新，又不能易玄之妙矣。魏、晉書紀，亦有明堂祀五帝之文，而不記其經始之制，雙無坦然可准。觀夫今之基趾，猶或仿佛，高卑廣狹，頗與《戴禮》不同，何得以意抑心，便謂九室可明？且三雍異所，復乖盧、蔡之義，進退無據，何用經通？晉朝亦以鑽鑿難明，故有一屋之論，並非經典正義，皆以意妄作，茲為不典。學家常談，不足以范時軌世。皇代既乘乾統曆，得一禦宸，自宜稽古則天，憲章文武，追蹤周孔，述而不作。豈容虛追子氏放篇之浮說，徒損經紀雅誥之遺訓，而欲以支離橫義，指畫妄圖，儀刑宇宙而貽來葉者也？

Later the true meaning was obscured, and reckless theories multiplied. The nine-chamber Bright Hall is recorded in the Dai rituals, but tracing that tradition back one cannot tell where it originated; the Han nonetheless adopted it because they wanted a ritual form of their own. Zheng Xuan therefore wrote: 'The Zhou Bright Hall had five chambers—the chamber of the Thearch—corresponding to the number of the Five Phases. The Offices of Zhou follow that number in assigning its chambers. The original institution is clearly preserved: Zhou used five chambers. The present design differs because Han departed from Zhou. That Han used nine chambers is at least broadly clear. Yet even this Han institution remains confused. Why? Zhang Heng's Rhapsody on the Eastern Capital says: 'Then they built the three palaces, spread instruction and ordered the seasons, restored the temple and the double-eaved hall, eight openings and nine rooms. This passage clearly concerns the Bright Hall. Yet Xue Zong comments: 'Room means chamber. It means there are nine chambers behind the hall. Nine chambers behind the hall—is that not a glaring inconsistency? Pei Yin also wrote: 'The Han built alcoves in the four directions yet could not assign each to its proper season; even if one could diagram their images, no one could explain the rites governing how they were actually used—this was mere empty show. He understood clearly that the Han simply wanted to pare away Zhou ritual, discard old statutes, and invent new forms, and therefore no longer felt bound by the classics. Zheng Xuan's commentaries on the Three Rites and his explanations of divergent readings in the Five Classics exhaust every resource of interpretation and preserve the Duke of Zhou's original ritual law. Cai Yong revised Han institutions in tangled, overgrown commentaries: he betrayed antiquity without truly innovating, and he could not overturn Zheng Xuan's subtle readings. Wei and Jin annals likewise mention sacrificing to the Five Thearchs in the Bright Hall, yet record neither the original design; in neither case is there a clear standard to follow. Today's foundations only roughly resemble the old design, and their height, breadth, and proportions differ markedly from the Dai rituals—how can one set aside sober judgment and declare nine chambers self-evident? The three Yong shrines stand in different places, again contradicting the views of Lu and Cai; with no consistent principle to guide us, what use is citing the classics? Because the Jin could not settle the details of construction, they fell back on a single-hall theory—none of it the true meaning of the classics, all improvised at will. Such work is unworthy of ritual precedent. Routine scholarly talk cannot serve as a model for the age. Our dynasty has received the Mandate, united the realm, and ascended the throne; it should look to antiquity and model Heaven, take King Wen and King Wu as its pattern, follow Zhou and Confucius, and transmit the past without inventing anew. How can we chase the loose speculations of later scholars, damage the surviving authority of the classics, and then impose fractured interpretations and arbitrary designs as models for the empire and a legacy for posterity?

又北京制置，求皆允怗，繕修草創，以意良多。事移化變，存者無幾，理苟宜革，何必仍舊。且遷都之始，日不遑給，先朝規度，每事循古，是以數年之中，悛換非一，良以永法為難，數改為易。何為宮室府庫多因故跡，而明堂辟雍獨遵此制？建立之辰，復未可知矣。既猥班訪逮，輒輕率瞽言，明堂五室，請同周制，郊建三雍，求依故所，庶有會經誥，無失典刑。

The northern capital's layout was meant to be sound in every respect, yet much of the repair and initial construction followed personal whim. Times change and little of the original remains; if reform is warranted, why cling to the old form? At the beginning of the move to the new capital the court had no leisure for anything else; the previous reign tried to follow antiquity in every matter, yet within a few years the design was altered more than once—lasting law is hard, repeated change is easy. Why should palaces and treasuries largely follow old sites while the Bright Hall and Imperial Academy alone follow this dubious design? Nor is the date of its establishment even clear. Since the court has asked for opinions, I venture this humble proposal: let the Bright Hall have five chambers on the Zhou model; let the three Yong be built in the suburbs at their former sites, so that the project may accord with the classics and preserve canonical ritual.

後議選邊戍事，翻議曰：

Later, when the court debated selecting border garrison commanders, Fan offered this opinion:

臣聞兩漢警于西北，魏、晉備在東南。是以鎮邊守塞，必寄威重；伐叛柔服，實賴溫良。故田叔、魏尚，聲高於沙漠；當陽、钜平，績流于江漢。紀籍用為美談，今古以為盛德。自皇上以睿明纂禦，風清化遠，威厲秋霜，惠沾春露，故能使淮海輸誠，華陽即序，連城革面，比屋歸仁。縣車劍閣，豈伊曩載；鼓噪金陵，復在茲日。然荊、揚之牧，宜盡一時才望；梁、郢之君，尤須當今秀異。

I have heard that the two Han dynasties watched the northwest, while Wei and Jin fortified the southeast. Securing the frontier therefore requires men of real authority; while subduing rebels and winning submission depends on humane governance. Tian Shu and Wei Shang won renown across the northern deserts; and the achievements of the lords of Dangyang and Juping spread along the Yangzi and Han. Histories praise them still, and past and present alike count their conduct among the highest virtue. Since Your Majesty succeeded the throne with sagely clarity, your rule has been pure and far-reaching, your awe sharp as autumn frost and your grace gentle as spring dew—so that the Huai region and the coast have offered loyalty, the south has kept order, walled cities have submitted, and household after household has returned to the fold. To lay aside arms at Sword Pass is no longer a memory of distant times alone; the clamor of war at Jinling has returned in our own day. Yet the governors of Jing and Yang ought to be men of the greatest talent and standing of the age; and the commanders of Liang and Ying especially require the finest men available today.

自比緣邊州郡，官至便登，疆場統戍，階當即用。或逢穢德凡人，或遇貪家惡子，不識字人溫恤之方，唯知重役殘忍之法。廣開戍邏，多置帥領，或用其左右姻親，或受人貨財請屬，皆無防寇禦賊之心，唯有通商聚斂之意。其勇力之兵，驅合抄掠，若遇強敵，即為奴虜；如有執獲，奪為己富。其羸弱老小之輩，微解金鐵之工，少閑草木之作，無不搜營窮壘，苦役百端。自余或伐木高山，或芸草平陸，販貨往還，相望道路。此等祿既不多，資亦有限，皆收其實絹，給其虛粟。窮其力，薄其衣，用其工，節其食，綿冬曆夏，加之疾苦，死於溝瀆者常十七八焉。是以吳、楚間伺，審此虛實，皆云糧匱兵疲，易可乘擾，故驅率犬羊，屢犯疆場。頻年已來，甲胄生蟣，十萬在郊，千金日費。為弊之深，一至於此！皆由邊任不得其人，故延若斯之患。賈生所以痛哭，良有以也。

Recently, along the frontier, men are promoted as soon as they take office, and command of border garrisons is handed out the moment rank permits. Some posts fall to men of foul character, others to the greedy sons of corrupt families—men who know nothing of humane governance and understand only heavy labor and cruel punishments. They expand garrison levies and appoint many subordinates, often their own kin or men bought with bribes—none of them intent on defending the frontier, all bent on trade and private gain. Their strong soldiers they drive into raiding parties; when they meet a real enemy they are taken captive; and whatever captives or booty they take they keep for themselves. The weak, the old, and the young—anyone who knows a little metalwork or farming—is dragooned into remote garrisons and put to every sort of harsh task. Others are sent to cut timber in the mountains or clear fields on the plains, trading goods back and forth until the roads are crowded with their traffic. Their pay is meager and their resources scant; the authorities collect real silk from them but pay them in nominal grain. Their strength is exhausted, their clothing thin, their labor extracted, their food rationed; winter and summer alike they suffer disease, and seven or eight in ten die in ditches and drains. Wu and Chu watch from afar, see how hollow our defenses are, and say our grain is gone and our troops exhausted—easy prey. They drive their armies like herds and raid the frontier again and again. Year after year armor grows rusty with disuse while a hundred thousand men camp outside the walls and a fortune is spent each day. The harm has gone this deep! All because the wrong men hold border posts, and so the calamity continues. Jia Yi had good reason to weep.

夫潔其流者清其源，理其末者正其本，既失之在始，庸可止乎。愚謂自今已後，荊、揚、徐、豫、梁、益諸蕃及所統郡縣府佐統軍至於戍主，皆令朝臣王公已下各舉所知，必選其才，不拘階級。若能駕御有方，清高獨著，威足臨戎，信能懷遠，撫循將士，得其忻心，不營私潤，專修公利者，則就加爵賞，使久于其任，以時褒賚，厲其忠款。所舉之人，亦垂優異，獎其得士，嘉其誠節。若不能一心奉公，才非捍禦，貪婪日富，經略無聞，人不見德，兵厭其勞者，即加顯戮，用章其罪。所舉之人，隨事免降，責其謬薦，罰其偽薄。如此則舉人不得挾其私，受任不得孤其舉。善惡既審，沮勸亦明。庶邊患永消，譏議攸息矣。

Clean the stream and you cleanse the source; set right the branch and you correct the root. When the fault lies at the start, how can the harm end? I propose that henceforth, for the frontier commands of Jing, Yang, Xu, Yu, Liang, and Yi and for every post from prefectural staff down to garrison chief, every minister and prince should recommend men he knows, choosing talent without regard to rank. If a man governs well, stands out for integrity, has authority enough for war and trust enough to win distant peoples, treats his troops with care and wins their loyalty, and seeks public good rather than private gain, then reward him with rank and honors, keep him long in office, and praise him in due season to encourage loyal service. The recommender should also be honored, rewarded for finding a worthy man and praised for his good judgment. If he cannot serve the public wholeheartedly, lacks the talent to defend the frontier, grows greedier by the day, shows no strategic ability, wins no respect, and his troops resent their hardship, punish him openly as an example. The recommender should be demoted as the case warrants, charged with a bad recommendation, and punished for careless judgment. Then recommenders cannot act from private motives, and appointees cannot escape responsibility for the men they proposed. Once good and bad conduct are clearly distinguished, reward and punishment will be plain. Then the frontier troubles may finally end and public criticism fall silent.

遭母憂去職。熙平初，除廷尉少卿，頗有不平之論，為靈太后所責。出為陽平太守，甚不自得，遂作思歸賦。

He left office to observe mourning for his mother. At the beginning of the Xiping era he was appointed vice director of justice, but his frequent complaints about injustice drew a rebuke from Empress Dowager Ling. He was sent out as administrator of Yangping, deeply unhappy in the post, and wrote a Rhapsody on Longing to Return.

神龜末，遷涼州刺史。時蠕蠕主阿那瑰、後主婆羅門並以國亂來降，朝廷問安置之計。翻表曰：

At the end of the Shengui era he was transferred to regional inspector of Liangzhou. At that time the Rouran ruler Anagui and the former ruler Poluomen both surrendered amid civil strife in their realm, and the court sought advice on how to settle them. Fan submitted a memorial saying:

今蠕蠕內為高車所討滅，外憑大國之威靈，兩主投身，一期而至，百姓歸誠，萬里相屬。然夷不亂華，前鑒無遠，覆車在於劉、石，毀轍固不可尋。今蠕蠕雖主奔於上，人散於下，而餘黨實繁，部落猶眾，高車亦未能一時並兼，盡令率附。又高車士馬雖眾，主甚愚弱，上不制下，下不奉上，唯以掠盜為資，陵奪為業。而河西捍禦強敵，唯涼州、敦煌而已。涼州土廣人稀，糧仗素闕，敦煌、酒泉，空虛尤基。若蠕蠕無復豎立，令高車獨擅北垂，則西顧之憂，匪旦伊夕。

The Rouran have been shattered within by the Gaoche and now look to our great state's power; both rulers have come to us in a single season, and their people are submitting in numbers that stretch for thousands of miles. Yet the lesson that barbarians must not be allowed to disrupt China is not remote: the chariots overturned under the Liu and Shi regimes, and we must not follow their ruined tracks. Although the Rouran rulers have fled and their people are scattered, their remaining factions are still numerous and their tribes still strong; the Gaoche cannot annex them all at once or bring every clan to submission. Moreover, although the Gaoche have many troops and horses, their ruler is weak and foolish, unable to command his people, who in turn refuse to obey him; they live by plunder and make raiding their trade. In the Hexi corridor only Liangzhou and Dunhuang stand against powerful enemies. Liangzhou is vast and sparsely populated, chronically short of grain and arms; Dunhuang and Jiuquan are especially hollowed out. If the Rouran cannot be restored and the Gaoche alone dominate the northern frontier, our anxieties in the west will not wait for tomorrow.

愚謂蠕蠕二主，並宜存之。居阿那瑰於東偏，處婆羅門於西裔，分其降人，各有攸屬。那瑰住所，非所經見，其中事勢，不可輒陳。婆羅門請修西海故城以安處之。西海郡本屬涼州，今在酒泉，直抵張掖西北千二百里，去高車所住金山一千餘里。正是北虜往來之沖要，漢家行軍之舊道，土地沃衍，大宜耕殖。非但今處婆羅門，於事為便，即可永為重戍，鎮防西北。雖外為署蠕蠕之聲，內實防高車之策。一二年後，足食足兵，斯固安邊保塞之長計也。若婆羅門能自克厲，使餘燼歸心，收離聚散，復興其國者，乃漸令北轉，徙度流沙，即是我之外籓，高車之勍敵，西北之虞，可無過慮。如其奸回反覆，孤恩背德者，此不過為逋逃之寇，于我何損？今不早圖，戎心一啟，脫先據西河，奪我險要，則酒泉、張掖，自然孤危，長河已西，終非國有。不圖厥始，而求憂其終，噬臍之恨，悔將何及。

I propose that both Rouran rulers should be kept in place. Settle Anagui in the east and Poluomen in the west, and divide their surrendered followers so that each has his own domain. I have not seen Anagui's proposed settlement myself and cannot speak rashly about conditions there. Poluomen asks that the old city of Xihai be repaired to provide him a settlement. Xihai commandery originally belonged to Liangzhou; it now lies at Jiuquan, twelve hundred li northwest of Zhangye and more than a thousand li from the Jinshan Mountains where the Gaoche live. It lies on the main route of northern raiders and on the old Han military road; the land is fertile and well suited to farming. Settling Poluomen there would not only be convenient now; the site could become a permanent strong garrison for the northwest. Outwardly it would be presented as a settlement for the Rouran, but in truth it would guard against the Gaoche. Within a year or two the garrison would have food and troops enough—a sound long-term plan for securing the frontier. If Poluomen can discipline himself, win back the scattered remnants of his people, and revive his state, he can gradually be moved north across the desert as our outer vassal and a check on the Gaoche; then our anxieties in the northwest need not be excessive. If he proves treacherous and ungrateful, he would be no more than a band of fugitives—what harm could he do us? If we do not act now, once barbarian ambitions awaken and they seize the Western River and our strategic passes, Jiuquan and Zhangye will be isolated and everything west of the Yellow River will slip from our grasp. To neglect the beginning and only worry about the end is to invite the regret of biting one's navel—too late for repentance.

愚見如允，乞遣大使往涼州敦煌及於西海，躬行山谷要害之所，親閱亭障遠近之宜，商量士馬，校糸柬糧仗，部分見定，處置得所。入春，西海之間，即令播種，至秋，收一年之食，使不復勞轉輸之功也。且西徼北垂，即是大磧，野獸所聚，千百為群，正是蠕蠕射獵之處。殖田以自供，籍獸以自給，彼此相資，足以自固。今之豫度，似如小損，歲終大計，其利實多。高車豺狼之心，何可專信？假令稱臣致款，正可外加優納，而復內備彌深，所謂先人有奪人之心者也。

If this proposal is approved, I ask that a senior envoy be sent to Liangzhou, Dunhuang, and Xihai to survey the strategic passes in person, inspect the watch-towers and barriers, review troops and supplies, and settle every detail on the spot. Sow the fields around Xihai in spring, and by autumn the garrison will have a year's provisions without relying on long supply convoys. The western frontier and northern border are great desert where game gathers in herds of hundreds and thousands—the very country where the Rouran hunt. They can farm for grain and hunt for meat, supporting one another until the settlement is self-sufficient. The present outlay may look like a small loss, but the year's account will show a great gain. The Gaoche have the hearts of wolves—how can we trust them alone? Even if they submit and offer loyalty, we may treat them generously in public while strengthening our defenses in private—taking the initiative before they do, as the ancients said.

時朝議是之。還，拜吏部郎中。遷齊州刺史，無多政績。孝昌中，除安南將軍、中書令，領給事黃門侍郎，與徐紇俱在門下，並掌文翰。翻既才學名重，又善附會，亦為靈太后所信待。是時蠻賊充斥，六軍將親討之，翻乃上表諫止。後蕭寶夤大敗于關西，翻上表，請為西軍死亡將士舉哀，存而還者，並加賑賚。後拜度支尚書，尋轉都官。翻上表，願以安南、尚書換一金紫。時天下多事，翻雖外請閑秩，而內有求進之心，識者怪之。於是加撫軍將軍。明帝、靈太后曾燕華林園，舉觴謂群臣曰：「袁尚書朕之杜預，欲以此杯敬屬元凱，今為盡之。」侍坐者莫不羨仰。

The court approved his proposal. On his return he was appointed a gentleman in the Ministry of Personnel. He was transferred to regional inspector of Qizhou but achieved little in office. During the Xiaochang era he was appointed General Who Pacifies the South and Director of the Secretariat, also serving as Attendant Gentleman at the Yellow Gate; he and Xu He both served in the Chancellery and managed state documents. Fan was already renowned for learning and skill at court politics, and Empress Dowager Ling trusted and favored him. At that time barbarian rebels were everywhere, and the Six Armies were about to campaign in person; Fan submitted a memorial urging the court to desist. After Xiao Baoyin suffered a great defeat in Guanxi, Fan asked the court to mourn the dead of the western army and grant relief to the survivors. He was later appointed Minister of Revenue and soon transferred to Minister of Justice. Fan asked to give up his posts as Pacifier of the South and minister in exchange for a gold seal and purple sash. The realm was in turmoil; although Fan publicly sought a quieter post, he inwardly still sought advancement, and observers found this odd. He was then given the additional title General Who Pacifies the Army. Emperor Ming and Empress Dowager Ling once feasted in the Hualin Garden. Raising his cup to the assembled ministers, the emperor said: 'Minister Yuan is my Du Yu; I dedicate this cup to him as to Yuan Kai—drink it down. All those present looked on with envy and admiration.

翻名位俱重，當時賢達咸推與之。然獨善其身，無所獎拔，排抑後進，論者鄙之。建義初，遇害河陰。所著文筆百餘篇，行於世。贈使持節、侍中、車騎將軍、儀同三司、青州刺史。嫡子寶首，武定中，司徒記室參軍事。翻弟躍。

Fan enjoyed great fame and high office, and the leading men of the age ranked themselves with him. Yet he looked only to himself, promoted no one, and held back younger men, and critics despised him for it. At the beginning of the Jianyi era he was killed at Heyin. More than a hundred of his writings circulated in his day. He was posthumously awarded the staff of authority, the post of Palace Attendant, the title General of Chariots and Cavalry with privileges equal to the Three Excellencies, and the post of regional inspector of Qingzhou. His legitimate son Baoshou served as recorder on the staff of the Minister of Education during the Wuding era. Fan's younger brother was Yue.

躍字景騰，博學俊才，性不矯俗，篤交友。翻每謂人曰：「躍可謂我家千里駒也。」歷位尚書都兵郎中，加員外散騎常侍。將立明堂，躍乃上議，當時稱其博洽。蠕蠕主阿那環亡破來奔，朝廷矜之，送復其國。既而每使朝貢，辭旨頗不盡禮。躍為朝臣書與環，陳以禍福，言辭甚美。後遷車騎將軍太傅清河王懌文學，雅為懌所愛賞。懌之文表，多出於躍。卒，贈冠軍將軍、吏部郎中。所制文集行於世。無子，兄翻以子聿脩繼。

Yue, whose courtesy name was Jingteng, was broadly learned and brilliant; unaffected by fashion, he was devoted to his friends. Fan often said of him: 'Yue is the thousand-li steed of our house. He served as gentleman in the Secretariat for military affairs and was given the additional title of acting Regular Attendant Cavalier. When the Bright Hall was about to be built, Yue submitted a memorial on the design, and contemporaries praised his erudition. The Rouran ruler Anahuan, his state destroyed, came to surrender; the court took pity on him and sent him home to restore his realm. Afterward his tribute missions often used language that fell short of proper courtesy. Yue wrote on behalf of the court to Huan, setting forth the rewards of loyalty and the penalties of defiance in elegant language. He later became literary adviser to Grand Tutor Prince Yi of Qinghe, General of Chariots and Cavalry, and was greatly favored by the prince. Most of Prince Yi's memorials and documents were written by Yue. When he died he was posthumously awarded the title General Who Vanquishes the Champion and the post of gentleman in the Ministry of Personnel. His collected writings circulated in his day. He had no son, so his elder brother Fan had his own son Shouxiu succeed him.

聿脩，字叔德。七歲遭喪，居處禮若成人。九歲，州辟主簿。性深沈，有鑒識，清靖寡欲，與物無競。姨丈人尚書崔休深所知賞。年十八，領本州中正，兼尚書度支郎中。齊天保初，除太子庶子，以本官行博陵太守，大有聲績，遠近稱之。累遷司徒左長史，領兼御史中丞。司徒錄事參軍盧思道私貸庫錢三十萬，娉太原王乂女為妻，而王氏以先納陸孔文禮娉為定。聿脩為首僚，又國之司憲，知而不劾，免中丞。尋遷秘書監。

Shouxiu, whose courtesy name was Shude. At seven he lost a parent and observed mourning with the deportment of an adult. At nine he was recruited by the province as chief clerk. Deep and reserved by nature, discerning and self-controlled, he sought little and contended with no one. His uncle by marriage, Minister Cui Xiu, knew and prized him deeply. At eighteen he headed the chief assessor of his native province while also serving as gentleman in the Ministry of Revenue. At the beginning of the Qi Tianbao era he was appointed tutor to the heir apparent and acted as administrator of Boling, where he won great renown and praise far and near. He rose to Left Chief Clerk on the staff of the Minister of Education and concurrently served as Censor-in-Chief. Lu Sidao, recorder on the staff of the Minister of Education, privately borrowed three hundred thousand from the treasury to betroth the daughter of Wang Yi of Taiyuan, but the Wang family had already accepted betrothal gifts from Lu Kongwenli. Shouxiu was the senior staff officer and the state's chief censor; because he knew of the offense yet failed to impeach Lu, he was dismissed as Censor-in-Chief. He was soon appointed Director of the Secretariat Library.

天統中，詔與趙郡王睿等議定三禮。出為信州刺史，即其本鄉也。時久無例，莫不榮之。為政清靖，不言而化，自長史以下，爰逮鰥寡孤幼，皆得其歡心。武平初，御史普出，過諸州悉有舉劾，唯不到信州。及還都，人庶道俗，追列滿道，或將酒脯，涕泣留連，競欲遠送。時既盛暑，恐其勞敝，往往為之駐馬，隨舉一酌，示領其意，辭謝令去。還後，州人鄭播宗等七百餘人請為立碑，斂縑布數百匹，托中書侍郎李德林為文，以記功德。敕許之。尋除都官尚書。聿脩少年平和溫潤，素流之中，最為規檢，以名家子歷任清華，時望多相器待，許其風鑒。在郎署之日，時趙彥深為水部郎中，同在一院，因成交友。彥深後重被沙汰停私，門生藜藿，聿脩猶以故情音問來往。彥深任用，銘戢甚深，雖人才無愧，蓋亦由彥深接引。為吏部尚書以後，自以物望得之。

During the Tiantong era he was ordered, together with Prince Rui of Zhao commandery and others, to deliberate on the Three Rites. He was sent out as regional inspector of Xinzhou, his native commandery. Such an appointment had long been without precedent, and all regarded it as a great honor. His rule was pure and tranquil; without preaching he transformed the people, and from his staff down to widows, orphans, and children, all came to love him. At the beginning of the Wuping era censors toured the provinces and impeached officials everywhere—except in Xinzhou. When he returned to the capital, commoners and clergy lined the roads in pursuit, some bringing wine and food, weeping as they tried to escort him far. It was midsummer, and fearing they would suffer in the heat he often halted his horse, drank a cup to acknowledge their kindness, and politely sent them on their way. After his return, more than seven hundred men of the province, led by Zheng Bozong, asked to erect a stele in his honor; they collected several hundred bolts of silk and commissioned Li Delin, Vice Director of the Secretariat, to compose the inscription. The court granted permission. He was soon appointed Minister of Justice. In youth Shouxiu was even-tempered and mild; among men of plain virtue he was the most scrupulous. As the son of an eminent house he held one distinguished post after another, and contemporaries prized him and acknowledged his judgment of character. While serving in the gentleman offices he met Zhao Yanshen of the Water Bureau, who worked in the same courtyard; the two became close friends. When Yanshen later fell from favor and lived in obscurity with his disciples in poverty, Shouxiu still kept up their old friendship by letter. When Yanshen rose again to office he remembered Shouxiu's loyalty deeply; although Shouxiu's talent was genuine, his advancement owed much to Yanshen's patronage. After he became Minister of Personnel, he believed he had won the post through public esteem.

初，馮子琮以僕射攝選，婚姻相尋。聿脩常非笑之，語人云：「馮公營婚，日不暇給。」及自居選曹，亦不能免，時論以為地勢然也。素品孤官，頗有怨響。然在官廉謹，當時少匹。魏、齊世，台郎多不免交通餉饋。初，聿脩為尚書郎十年，未曾受升酒之遺。尚書邢邵與聿脩舊款，每省中語戲，常呼聿脩為清郎。大寧初，聿脩乙太常少卿出使巡省，仍令考校官人得失。經袞州，時邢邵為刺史，別後，送白槹為信。聿脩不受，與邢邵書云：「今日仰過，有異常行，瓜田李下，古人所慎，願得此心，不貽厚責。」邵亦欣然領解，報書云：「老夫忽忽，意不及此，敬承來旨，吾無間然。弟昔為清郎，今日復作清卿矣。」及在吏部，屬政衰道喪，若違忤要勢，禍不旋踵，雖以清白自守，猶不免請謁之累。

Earlier Feng Zicong, as Vice Director acting in charge of appointments, had arranged one marriage alliance after another. Shouxiu often mocked this, saying: 'Master Feng arranges marriages from morning to night. Yet when he himself held the appointments office, he could not escape the same practice; contemporaries said it was the force of office that made men do so. Plain in character and without powerful allies, he attracted a fair measure of resentment. Yet in office he was incorrupt and scrupulous, and few of his day could match him. In the Wei and Qi eras, secretariat gentlemen could rarely avoid exchanging gifts and favors. In ten years as a secretariat gentleman he never accepted even a cup of wine as a gift. Minister Xing Shao was an old friend; in banter at court he often called Shouxiu 'the pure gentleman.' At the beginning of the Daning era, serving additionally as Vice Director of the Court of Imperial Sacrifices, he toured the provinces on inspection and was ordered to review officials' conduct. Passing through Yanzhou, where Xing Shao was then regional inspector, Shao sent white melons as a gift after they parted. Shouxiu refused them and wrote to Xing Shao: 'Today I passed through your jurisdiction on an unusual mission. As the ancients said, one must be careful in a melon field or under a plum tree. I hope you will understand my scruples and not burden me with reproach. Shao gladly understood and replied: 'This old man was heedless and did not think of that; I respectfully accept your meaning and have no objection. You were once the pure gentleman; today you are the pure minister again.' In the Ministry of Personnel, when government was failing and the Way in decline, to offend powerful interests brought swift ruin. Though he kept himself pure, he could not escape the burden of favor-seekers.

入周，位儀同大將軍、吏部下大夫、東京司宗中大夫。隋開皇初，加上儀同，遷東京都官尚書。東京廢，入朝，除都官尚書。二年，出為熊州刺史，卒。子知禮，大業初卒于太子內舍人。

Under the Zhou he held the posts of General with Equipage Equal to the Imperial Guard, Grand Master in the Ministry of Personnel, and Grand Master in the Eastern Capital Directorate of the Imperial Clan. At the beginning of the Sui Kaihuang era he was given the additional title of Grand Equipage and appointed Minister of the Eastern Capital for Officials. When the Eastern Capital was abolished he entered the central court and was appointed Minister of Justice. In the second year he was sent out as regional inspector of Xiongzhou, where he died. His son Zhi Li died at the beginning of the Daye era while serving as Inner Gentleman to the Heir Apparent.

躍弟颺，卒于豫州冠軍府司馬。颺弟升，位正員郎。颺死後，昇通其妻。翻恚，為之發病，昇終不止，時人鄙穢之。亦于河陰見害。贈左將軍、齊州刺史。

Yue's younger brother Yang died while serving as marshal of the Champion's headquarters in Yuzhou. Yang's younger brother Sheng held the post of Regular Gentleman. After Yang died, Sheng took his wife as a lover. Fan was enraged and fell ill over the affair; Sheng would not stop, and contemporaries despised him for it. He too was killed at Heyin. He was posthumously appointed Left General and Regional Inspector of Qizhou.

陽尼，字景文，北平無終人也。累世仕于慕容氏。尼少好學，博通群籍，與上谷侯天護、頓丘李彪同志齊名。幽州刺史胡泥表薦之，徵拜秘書著作郎。及改中書學為國子。時中書監高閭、侍中李沖等以尼碩學，舉為國子祭酒。後兼幽州中正。孝文臨軒，令諸州中正各舉所知，尼與齊州大中正房千秋各舉其子。帝曰：「昔有一祁，名垂往史，今有二奚，當聞來牒。」出為幽州平北府長史，帶漁陽太守，未拜，坐為中正時受鄉人貨免官。每自傷曰：「吾昔未仕，不曾羨人，今日失官，與本何異？然非吾宿志，命也如何！」既而還家，有書數千卷。所造《字釋》數十篇，未就而卒。其從孫太學博士承慶撰為《字統》二十卷，行於世。承慶從弟固。

Yang Ni, courtesy name Jingwen, was from Wuzhong in Beiping. His family had served the Murong for generations. From youth Ni loved learning and mastered the classics; he and Hou Tianhu of Shanggu and Li Biao of Dunqiu were like-minded and equally renowned. Youzhou Regional Inspector Hu Ni recommended him, and he was summoned to serve as Gentleman at the Secretariat for Compilation. When the Directorate of Studies at the Secretariat was reorganized as the Directorate of the Sons of the State. Director of the Secretariat Gao Lü, Palace Attendant Li Chong, and others, recognizing Ni's erudition, nominated him as Libationer of the Directorate. He later also served concurrently as Rectifier of Youzhou. Emperor Xiaowen held court and ordered each provincial rectifier to recommend men he knew; Ni and Fang Qianqiu, Grand Rectifier of Qizhou, each recommended his own son. The emperor said, "In the past there was one Qi Que, whose name endures in former annals; now there are two of you who will surely be heard of in records yet to come. He was sent out as Chief Clerk of the Pingbei Headquarters in Youzhou, concurrently Administrator of Yuyang; before he took up the post he was dismissed for having accepted gifts from a townsman while serving as rectifier. He often lamented, "Before I took office I never envied others; now that I have lost my post, how am I different from before? Yet this was not my lifelong wish—what can one do against fate? He then returned home, where he owned several thousand scrolls of books. He had drafted several dozen chapters of a work entitled Glosses on Characters but died before completing it. His collateral grandson Chengqing, an Erudite of the Imperial Academy, compiled the material into Comprehensive Characters in twenty scrolls, which circulated widely. Chengqing's collateral younger cousin was Gu.

固字敬安，性倜儻，不拘小節，少任俠，好劍客，弗事生產。年二十六，始折節好學，博覽篇籍，有文才。太和中，從大將軍、宋王劉昶征義陽，板府法曹行參軍。昶性嚴暴，三軍戰慄，無敢言者。固啟諫，並面陳事宜。昶大怒，欲斬之，使監當攻道。固在軍勇決，意志閒雅，了無懼色，昶甚奇之。軍還，言之孝文。年三十餘，始辟大將軍府參軍事，累遷書侍御史，多所劾奏。

Gu, courtesy name Jing'an, was bold and unconventional; in youth he lived as a knight-errant, sought out swordsmen, and cared nothing for earning a living. At twenty-six he reformed his ways and took up learning, read widely, and showed literary talent. During the Taihe era he followed Grand General Liu Chang, Prince of Song, on the campaign against Yiyang and was appointed acting aide in the headquarters legal bureau. Chang was harsh and brutal; the whole army trembled before him and no one dared speak up. Gu submitted a written remonstrance and also stated his views to Chang in person. Chang was furious and wanted to execute him, but instead put him in charge of the assault routes. In camp Gu was resolute and calm, showing not the least fear; Chang was deeply impressed. When the army returned, he reported Gu's conduct to Emperor Xiaowen. Only in his thirties was he recruited to the Grand General's staff; he rose to Attendant Censor for Documents and lodged many impeachments.

宣武廣訪得失，固上讜言表曰：「當今之務，宜早正東儲，立師傅以保護，立官司以防衛，以系蒼生之心。攬權衡，親宗室，強幹弱枝，以立萬世之計。舉賢良，黜不肖，使野無遺才，朝無素餐。孜孜萬機，躬勤庶政，使人無謗讟之響。省徭役，薄賦斂，修學宮，遵舊章，貴農桑，賤工賈，絕談虛窮微之論，簡桑門無用之費，以救饑寒之苦。然後備器械，修甲兵，習水戰，滅吳會，撰封禪之禮，襲軒、唐之軌，豈不茂哉！」

Emperor Xiaowu sought wide counsel on the state's failings; Gu submitted a frank memorial: "The urgent task today is to install the Eastern Heir early, appoint tutors to protect him, and establish offices to guard him, so as to steady the people's hearts. Take power firmly in hand, keep the imperial clan close, strengthen the center and weaken the periphery, and lay a plan for ages to come. Promote the worthy, dismiss the incompetent, so that no talent is wasted in the countryside and no idler feeds at court. Attend diligently to every affair of state, labor personally at government, and leave no echo of slander among the people. Ease corvée burdens, lighten taxes, restore the schools, uphold ancient statutes, honor agriculture, devalue commerce, end idle metaphysical debate, and cut wasteful Buddhist spending to relieve hunger and cold. Then equip the arsenals, train the armies, master naval warfare, subdue Wu and Kuaiji, perform the feng and shan rites, and follow the path of the Yellow Emperor and Yao—what glory could surpass that?"

初，帝委任群下，不甚親覽，好桑門之法。尚書令高肇以外戚權寵，專決朝事。又咸陽王禧等並有釁，故宗室大臣相見疏薄，而王畿人庶，勞弊益甚。固乃作《南北二都賦》，稱恆代田漁聲樂侈靡之事，節以中京禮儀之式，因以諷諫。

At first the emperor delegated power to his ministers, rarely reviewed affairs himself, and favored Buddhism. Director of the Secretariat Gao Zhao, favored as the empress's kin, monopolized court decisions. Prince of Xianyang Yuan Xi and others had also fallen under suspicion, so ties among the imperial clan and senior ministers grew distant, while the people of the capital region were worn ever more grievously by toil. Gu then wrote Rhapsodies on the Two Capitals, North and South, depicting the rustic pleasures and extravagant revelry of the northern capitals against the ritual order of Luoyang, using the contrast as indirect remonstrance.

宣武末，中尉王顯起宅既成，集僚屬饗宴。酒酣，問固曰：「此宅何如？」固曰：「晏嬰湫隘，流稱於今，豐屋生災，著于《周易》。此蓋同傳舍耳，唯有德能卒，願公勉之。」顯嘿然。他日又謂固曰：「吾作太府卿，府庫充實，卿以為何如？」固對曰：「公收百官之祿四分之一，州郡贓贖悉入京藏，以此充府，未足為多。且有聚斂之臣，寧有盜臣，豈不戒歟！」顯大不悅，以此銜固。以有人間固於顯，因奏固剩請米麥，免固官。遂闔門自守，著《演賾賦》以明幽微通塞之事。又作《刺讒疾嬖幸詩》二首曰：

Late in Emperor Xiaowu's reign, Capital Commandant Wang Xian finished building a mansion and gathered his staff for a banquet. When the wine was flowing freely, he asked Gu, "What do you think of this house? Gu replied, "Yan Ying lived in a cramped house yet is praised to this day; the Book of Changes warns that a grand house invites disaster. This is no more than a roadside inn; only virtue can see a man through to the end. I urge you to strive in that." Xian was left speechless. On another occasion he said to Gu, "When I was Director of the Grand Treasury the treasuries were full—what do you make of that? Gu replied, "You took a quarter of every official's salary and funneled provincial bribes and fines into the capital treasury. To fill the storehouses that way is hardly an achievement. And when there are ministers who amass wealth, thieves of the state are sure to follow—should that not give you pause?" Xian was deeply offended and bore a grudge against Gu from that day. When someone slandered Gu to Xian, Xian memorialized that Gu had fraudulently claimed extra grain rations, and Gu was dismissed. He then shut his gates and lived in seclusion, writing Unfolding the Profound to expound how fortune and misfortune turn upon hidden causes. He also wrote two poems, On Slander and Favored Minions, which read:

巧佞巧佞，讒言興兮。營營習習，似青蠅兮。以白為黑，在汝口兮。汝非蝮蠆，毒何厚兮。巧巧佞佞，一何工矣。司閑司忿，言必從矣。朋黨噂栎遝，自相同矣。浸潤之譖，傾人墉矣。成人之美，君子責焉。攻人之惡，君子恥焉。汝何人斯，譖毀日繁？子實無罪，何騁汝言？番番緝緝，讒言側入，君子好讒，如或弗及。天疾讒說，汝其至矣，無妄之禍，行將及矣。泛泛遊鳧，弗制弗拘，行藏之徒，或智或愚。維餘小子，未明茲理，毀與行俱，言與釁起。我其懲矣，我其悔矣，豈求人兮，忠恕在己。

O clever flatterers, clever flatterers—slander rises! Buzzing, humming, swarming—like flies on the wing! You turn white to black with words from your mouths! You are no viper or scorpion—yet how venomous you are! So clever, so sly—how artful you are! Doorkeepers and men of wrath—your words are always obeyed! Factions slander and swarm together, echoing one another! Slander that seeps in drop by drop brings down a man's walls! To help others fulfill their virtue is the gentleman's duty. To attack another's faults is what the gentleman shames. What sort of men are you, that slander grows daily? He is truly innocent—why do you loose your tongues against him? Again and again slander weaves in from the side; men who relish it chase it as if they could never catch enough. Heaven hates slander—you have gone too far; undeserved disaster is almost upon you! Like wild ducks adrift, unbound and free—such men come and go, some wise, some foolish. I was young and had not grasped this truth: slander walked with my steps, and trouble followed my words. Let me take warning and repent; why look to others? Loyalty and forbearance rest in oneself alone.

彼諂諛兮，人之蠹兮。刺促昔粟，罔顧恥辱，以求媚兮。邪幹側入，如恐弗及，以自容兮。志行褊小，好習不道。朝挾其車，夕承其輿，或騎或徒，載奔載趨。或言或笑，曲事親要。正路不由，邪徑是蹈。不識大猷，不知話言，其朋其黨，其徒實繁。有詭其行，有佞其音，籧篨戚施，邪媚是欽，既詭且妒，以通其心。是信是任，敗其以多，不始不慎，末如之何。習習宰嚭，營營無極。梁丘寡智，王鮒淺識，伊戾息夫，異世同力，江充趙高，甘言似直，豎刁上官，擅生羽翼。乃如之人，僭爽其德，豈徒喪邦，又亦覆國。嗟爾中下，其親其昵。不謂其非，不覺其失，好之有年，寵之有日。我思古人，心焉苦疾。凡百君子，宜其慎矣，覆車其鑒，近可信矣。言既備矣，事既至矣，反是不思，維塵及矣。

Those flatterers and sycophants are vermin gnawing at the state! Servile and hustling, they forget all shame in courting favor! They creep in by crooked paths, afraid to arrive too late, scrambling only to secure their place! Petty in aim and conduct, they delight in what is not the Way. At dawn they ride his carriage; at dusk they share his palanquin—mounted or on foot, always rushing to his side. Talking, laughing, they twist themselves to please the powerful. They shun the straight road and walk the crooked path. They know nothing of great design or honest counsel; their factions and followers are legion. Devious in deed, honeyed in voice—cripples and dwarfs raised up for wicked charm; deceitful and jealous, they win their way to the ruler's heart. Trusted and empowered, they bring ruin in abundance; though one was cautious at first, in the end nothing can be done. Like Bo Pi of old they bustle and scheme without end. Liangqiu lacked wisdom, Wang Fu shallow judgment; Yi Li and Xi-fu, ages apart yet the same in power; Jiang Chong and Zhao Gao, honeyed words that seemed honest; Shu Diao and Shangguan Ji, who boldly grew wings of their own. Such men transgress against their lord's virtue; they do not merely ruin a house—they overturn a kingdom. Alas for you lesser men, so intimate with them, so near! You never call them wrong, never see their faults; you have favored them for years and pampered them day after day. When I think of the ancients, my heart aches with grief. All you gentlemen should take heed: the overturned cart is your warning, and recent events are proof enough. My words are spoken, the disaster is here—if you turn away and do not heed them, ruin will overtake you like dust on the wind.

明帝即位，除尚書考功郎中。奏諸秀孝考中第者聽敘，自固始。大軍征硤石，敕為僕射李平行台七兵郎。平奇固勇敢，軍中大事，悉與謀之。又命固節度水軍。固設奇計，先期乘賊，獲其外城。後太傅、清河王懌舉固，除步兵校尉，領汝南王悅郎中令。時悅年少，行多不法，固上疏諫悅，悅甚敬憚之。懌大悅，以為舉得其人。除洛陽令，在縣甚有威風。丁母憂，號慕毀疾，杖而能起，練禫之後，酒肉不進。時固年逾五十，而喪過於哀，鄉黨親族咸嘆服焉。清河王懌領太尉，辟固從事中郎，屬懌被害，不奏。懌之遇害，元叉執政，朝野震悚，懌諸子及門生僚吏，莫不慮禍，隱避不出。固以嘗被辟命，遂獨詣喪所，盡哀慟哭，良久乃還。僕射游肇聞而歎曰：「雖欒布、王脩，何以尚也？君子哉若人！」及汝南王悅為太尉，選舉多非其人，又輕肆撾撻。固以前為元卿，雖離國，猶上疏切諫，事在《悅傳》。後悅辟固為從事中郎，不就。京兆王繼為司徒，高選官僚，辟固從事中郎。府解，除前軍將軍，又典科揚州勳賞。初，硤石之役，固有先登之功，而朝賞未及，至是，與尚書令李崇訟勳，更相表。崇雖貴盛，固據理不撓，談者稱焉。卒，贈輔國將軍、太常少卿，諡曰文。

When Emperor Ming ascended the throne, Gu was appointed Gentleman of Evaluation in the Secretariat. He memorialized that examination graduates in the middle rank should be allowed to take office—a reform that began with Gu. When the army marched against Xiashi, he was ordered to serve as Seven-Armies Gentleman on Vice Director Li Ping's field staff. Li Ping admired Gu's courage and consulted him on every major military matter. He also put Gu in command of the naval forces. Gu devised a surprise attack, struck before the enemy expected, and captured the outer city. Later Grand Tutor Yuan Yi, Prince of Qinghe, recommended Gu; he was appointed Colonel of Foot Soldiers and concurrently Administrator of the Household of Prince Yuan Yue of Runan. Yue was then young and often acted unlawfully; Gu submitted remonstrances, and Yue came to respect and fear him deeply. Yi was delighted and felt he had found the right man for the post. He was appointed Magistrate of Luoyang and ruled the district with commanding authority. Upon his mother's death he mourned until his health broke; though he needed a staff he could still rise, and after the mourning years he took no wine or meat. Gu was then past fifty, yet mourned with a grief that moved all his kin and neighbors to admiration. Yuan Yi, Prince of Qinghe, served as Grand Commandant and recruited Gu as Attendant Gentleman; when Yi was murdered, Gu did not report for office. After Yi's murder Yuan Cha seized power; court and country were gripped by fear, and Yi's sons, students, and retainers all hid themselves for fear of reprisal. Because he had once served under Yi, Gu alone went to the mourning hall, wept his full grief, and only after a long while returned home. Vice Director You Zhao heard of it and sighed, "Even Luan Bu and Wang Xiu could hardly match this! What a gentleman is such a man! When Prince Yuan Yue of Runan became Grand Commandant, his appointments were mostly unworthy men, and he also flogged people recklessly and at will. Gu had once served as Yue's household administrator; though he had left Yuan Yue's service, he still submitted stern remonstrances—the account is in Yue's biography. Later Yue invited Gu to serve as Attendant Gentleman, but Gu refused. Prince Yuan Ji of Jingzhao became Minister of Works, selected officials with great care, and recruited Gu as Attendant Gentleman. When the staff office closed, he was appointed General of the Vanguard Army and put in charge of assessing meritorious rewards in Yangzhou. During the Xiashi campaign Gu had earned credit for scaling the walls first, yet court rewards had never been granted; now he and Secretariat Director Li Chong contested the merit records, submitting rival memorials against each other. Though Li Chong was powerful and exalted, Gu stood his ground and would not yield; all who heard of it praised him. When he died he was posthumously made General Who Assists the State and Vice Director of the Court of Imperial Sacrifices, with the posthumous name Wen.

固剛直雅正，不畏強禦，居官清潔，家無餘財，終沒之日，室徒四壁，無以供喪，親故為其棺斂。初，固著《終制》一篇，務從儉約。臨終，又敕諸子一遵先制。五子，長子休之。

Gu was upright and refined, unafraid of the powerful; in office he lived cleanly and left no surplus wealth; when he died his house was bare to its four walls, with nothing for a funeral—kinsmen and friends paid for his coffin and burial. He had earlier composed a "Final Regulations" essay, insisting on thrift and simplicity. On his deathbed he again ordered all his sons to follow those regulations without exception. He had five sons; the eldest was Xiuzhi.

休之字子烈，俊爽有風概，好學，愛文藻，時人為之語曰：「能賦能詩陽休之。」初為州主簿。孝昌中，杜洛周陷薊城，休之與宗室南奔章武，轉至青州。葛榮寇亂，河北流人，多氵奏青州。休之知將有變，請其族叔伯彥等潛歸京師避之，多不能從。休之垂涕別去。俄而葛榮邢杲作亂，伯彥等咸為土人所殺，諸陽死者數十人，唯休之兄弟免。

Xiuzhi, courtesy name Zilie, was handsome and spirited, devoted to learning and fond of literature; contemporaries said of him, "Able in fu and able in verse—Yang Xiuzhi. He began his career as a prefectural chief clerk. In the Xiaochang era Du Luozhou took Ji city; Xiuzhi fled south with the clan to Zhangwu, then onward to Qingzhou. When Ge Rong's rebellion spread across the north, refugees from Hebei poured into Qingzhou. Sensing disaster ahead, Xiuzhi urged his uncle Boyan and other kinsmen to slip back to the capital in secret; most would not go. Xiuzhi wept as he took his leave. Soon Ge Rong and Xing Gao rose in rebellion; Boyan and the others were all killed by locals; dozens of the Yang clan died—only Xiuzhi and his brothers survived.

莊帝立，累遷太尉記室參軍。李神俊監起居注，啟休之，與河東裴伯茂、范陽盧元伯、河間邢子才俱入撰次。普泰中，為太保長孫承業府屬。尋敕與魏收、李同軌等修國史。後行台賀拔勝經略樊沔，請為南道軍司。俄而魏武帝入關，勝令休之奉表詣長安參謁。時齊神武亦啟除休之太常少卿。尋屬勝南奔，仍隨勝至江南。休之聞神武推奉靜帝，乃白勝啟梁武求還，文襄以為大行台郎中。神武幸汾陽之天池，池邊得一石，上有隱起字，文曰「六王三川。問休之曰：「此文字何義？」對曰：「'六'者，大王字。河、洛、伊為三川，大王若受天命，終應統有關右。」神武曰：「世人常道我欲反，今若聞此，更致紛紜，慎莫妄言也。」元象初，錄荊州軍功，封新泰縣伯。

When Emperor Zhuang ascended the throne, Xiuzhi rose through appointments to Recorder on the Grand Commandant's staff. Li Shenjun, who oversaw the Veritable Records, recommended Xiuzhi; together with Pei Bamao of Hedong, Lu Yuanbo of Fanyang, and Xing Zicai of Hejian he joined the editorial team. During the Putai era he served on the staff of Grand Tutor Sun Chengye. He was soon ordered to join Wei Shou, Li Tonggui, and others in revising the national history. Later, when the field staff He Ba Sheng campaigned in the Fan and Mian region, he asked Xiuzhi to serve as army supervisor on the southern front. Soon Emperor Xiaowu of Wei entered Guanzhong; Sheng sent Xiuzhi with a memorial to pay homage at Chang'an. At the same time Gao Huan memorialized the court to appoint Xiuzhi Vice Director of the Court of Imperial Sacrifices. When Sheng fled south soon afterward, Xiuzhi followed him to the lands south of the Yangtze. Learning that Gao Huan had installed Emperor Jing, Xiuzhi told Sheng, petitioned the Liang emperor to return north, and was appointed Gentleman on Gao Cheng's great field secretariat. Gao Huan visited the Heavenly Pool at Fenyang, where a stone was found bearing raised characters that read, "Six kings, three rivers. He asked Xiuzhi, "What do these words mean?" Xiuzhi answered, "'Six' refers to Your Highness's name. The He, Luo, and Yi are the Three Rivers—if Your Highness receives Heaven's mandate, you will ultimately hold Guanzhong. Gao Huan said, "People already claim I mean to rebel; if word of this spreads it will only stir more trouble. Say nothing of it." At the beginning of the Yuanxiang era he was credited for military service in Jingzhou and enfeoffed as Baron of Xintai.

武定二年，除中書侍郎。先是，中書專主綸誥，魏宣武已來，事移門下。至是發詔依舊，任遇甚顯。時魏收為散騎常侍，領兼侍郎，與休之參掌詔命，世論以為中興。有人士戲嘲休之云：「有觸籓之羝羊，乘連錢之驄馬，從晉陽而向鄴，懷屬書而盈把。」左丞盧斐以其文書請謁，啟神武禁止，會赦不問。曆尚食典禦、太子中庶子、給事黃門侍郎、中軍將軍、幽州大中正，兼侍中，持節奉璽書詣并州，敦喻文宣為相國、齊王。時將受魏禪，發晉陽至平陽郡，為人心未一，且還并州，恐漏泄，仍斷行人。休之性疏放，使還，遂說其事，鄴中悉知。後高德正以聞，文宣忿之而未發。齊受禪，除散騎常侍，監修起居注。頃之，坐詔書脫誤，左遷驍騎將軍，積其前事也。文宣郊天，百僚咸從，休之衣兩襠甲，手持白棓。時魏收為中書令，嘲之曰：「義真服未？」休之曰：「我昔為常伯，首戴蟬冕；今處驍遊，身被衫甲。允文允武，何必減卿。」談笑晏然，議者服其夷曠。以禪讓之際，參定禮儀，別封始平縣男。後除中山太守。先是，韋道建、宋欽道代為定州長史，帶中山太守，並立制，監臨之官出行，不得過百姓飲食。有者，即數錢酬之。休之常以為非。及至郡，復相因循。或問其故，休之曰：「吾昔非之者，為其失仁義；今日行之者，自欲避嫌疑。豈是夙心，直是處世難耳。」在郡三年，再致甘露之瑞。

In year two of Wuding he was appointed Attendant Gentleman of the Secretariat. The Secretariat had once held exclusive charge of imperial edicts, but since Emperor Xuanwu the task had passed to the Chancellery. Edict-drafting was now restored to the Secretariat, and his office grew highly prominent. Wei Shou then served as Cavalier Attendant-in-Ordinary and concurrent Attendant Gentleman; he and Xiuzhi jointly managed imperial edicts, which contemporaries hailed as a revival of a great tradition. Wits mocked him in verse: "A baffled ram rides a dappled horse from Jinyang to Ye, arms piled high with written submissions. Left Assistant Director Lu Fei reported his traffic in written requests for audiences; Gao Huan ordered it stopped, but a general amnesty spared him punishment. He served successively as Director of Imperial Catering, Junior Mentor to the Heir Apparent, Gentleman of the Yellow Gate with portfolio, General of the Central Army, and Grand Assessor of Youzhou, and concurrently as Palace Attendant; bearing credentials he carried the imperial seal to Bingzhou to persuade Gao Cheng to accept the posts of Chancellor and Prince of Qi. As the Qi court prepared to receive Wei's abdication, the party left Jinyang for Pingyang commandery; when hearts were not yet united they returned to Bingzhou, fearing a leak, and blocked all traffic on the roads. Xiuzhi was careless by nature; on returning from his mission he spoke openly of the plan, and all Ye soon knew. Gao Dezheng later reported the leak; Gao Cheng was furious but held his hand. After Qi received the mandate he became Cavalier Attendant-in-Ordinary and supervised the Veritable Records. Soon an error in an edict's wording demoted him to General of the Valiant Cavalry, the court reckoning up his earlier slips. At Gao Yang's suburban sacrifice to Heaven all officials attended; Xiuzhi wore double-layered cavalry armor and carried a white staff. Wei Shou, now Director of the Secretariat, mocked him: "Have you laid aside your mourning robes yet, Yizhen? Xiuzhi replied, "Once I stood as Regular Attendant and wore the courtier's cicada crown; now I ride with the valiant guards, clad in shirt and armor. Civil and martial by turns—why must I rank below you? He spoke and laughed with perfect ease; observers admired his calm breadth of spirit. For helping fix the rites at the abdication he received a separate enfeoffment as Baron of Shiping. He was later appointed Administrator of Zhongshan. Wei Daojian and Song Qindao had each served in turn as chief clerk of Dingzhou and concurrent administrator of Zhongshan; both issued rules forbidding touring officials to accept food or drink from the common people. Any who did had to pay cash on the spot. Xiuzhi had always disapproved of the practice. Yet once he took office he followed the same custom himself. When asked why, Xiuzhi said, "I condemned it before because it violated benevolence and righteousness; I do it now only to avoid suspicion myself. It is not my old conviction—only that the world makes such conduct hard to refuse. In three years as administrator he twice reported the auspicious omen of sweet dew.

文宣崩，徵休之至晉陽，經紀喪禮，與魏收俱至。尚書令楊遵彥與休之等款狎，相遇中書省，言及喪事，收掩淚失聲，休之嚬眉而已。他日遵彥謂曰：「昨聞諱，魏少傅悲不自勝，卿何容都不流涕？」休之曰：「天保之世，魏侯時遇甚深，鄙夫以眾人見待，佞哀詐泣，實非本懷。」

When Gao Yang died, Xiuzhi was summoned to Jinyang to manage the funeral rites, arriving together with Wei Shou. Secretariat Director Yang Zunyan was on close terms with Xiuzhi and the others; when they met at the Secretariat and spoke of the funeral Wei Shou wept aloud while Xiuzhi only furrowed his brow. Another day Zunyan said, "Yesterday at the announcement Wei Shou could not contain his grief—how could you show not one tear? Xiuzhi said, "In the Tianbao era Wei Shou enjoyed extraordinary favor, but I was treated as one of the crowd. Fawning grief is not in my nature."

皇建初，兼度支尚書。昭帝留心政道，訪以政術，休之答以明賞罰，慎官方，禁淫侈，恤人患，為政教之先。帝深納之。大寧中，曆都官、七兵、祠部三尚書。河清三年，出為西袞州刺史。天統初，徵為光祿卿，監國史。尋除吏部尚書。休之多識故事，諳悉氏族，凡所選用，莫不才地俱允。前國子助教熊安生，當時碩儒，因喪解職，久而不見調，休之引為國子博士，儒者以此歸之。簡率不樂煩職，典選稍久，非其所好，每謂人曰：「此官實自清華，但煩劇，妨吾賞適，直是樊籠矣。」武成崩後，頻乞就閑。武平初，除中書監、尚書右僕射。三年，加位特進，與朝士撰《聖壽堂御覽》。六年，正除尚書左僕射，領中書監。

At the opening of the Huangjian era he was appointed concurrent Director of the Department of Revenue. Emperor Zhao paid close attention to governance and asked his counsel; Xiuzhi urged clear rewards and punishments, strict standards for office, curbs on extravagance, and care for the people's hardships as the foundations of rule. The emperor took his advice to heart. During Daining he served in turn as Director of the Ministry of Justice, the Seven Armies, and Sacrificial Worship. In year three of Heqing he was sent out as Inspector of Western Yanzhou. At the start of Tiantong he was recalled as Chamberlain of the Imperial Clan and put in charge of the national history. He was soon appointed Director of the Ministry of Personnel. Xiuzhi knew precedent and genealogy thoroughly; every man he appointed combined talent with proper pedigree. Xiong Ansheng, a leading scholar who had left office to mourn and long went without promotion, was appointed Erudite of the Imperial University on Xiuzhi's recommendation, and the scholarly world honored him for it. Plain and easy-going, he disliked tedious office; after long service in selection—work he did not love—he would say, "The post is splendid but wearisome; it spoils my pleasures and is nothing but a cage. After Gao Zhan's death he repeatedly petitioned to retire. At the start of Wuping he became Supervisor of the Secretariat and Right Vice Director of the Department of State Affairs. In year three he received Exceptional Promotion and joined court scholars in compiling the Imperial Survey of the Hall of Sacred Longevity. In year six he was formally made Left Vice Director of the Department of State Affairs while retaining supervision of the Secretariat.

休之早得才名，為人物所傾服，外如疏放，內實謹厚。少年頗以峻急為累，晚節以通美見稱。重衿期，好遊賞。太常卿盧元明，人地華重，罕所交接，非一時名士，不得與之遊。休之始為行台郎，便坦然投分，文酒會同，相得甚款，鄉曲人士莫不企羨焉。太子中庶子平原明少遐，風流名士也，梁亡奔鄴，昔因通聘，與休之同遊。及少遐卒，其妻窮敝，休之經紀振恤，恩分甚厚。尚書僕射崔暹為文襄所親任，勢傾朝列，休之未嘗請謁。暹子達拏幼而聰敏，年十餘已作五言詩。時梁國通和，聘使在館，暹持達拏數首詩示諸朝士有才學者，又欲示梁客。餘人畏暹，皆隨宜應對，休之獨正言：「郎子聰明，方成偉器。但小兒文藻，恐未可以示遠人。」其方直如此。元景每云：「當今直諫，陽子烈其有焉。」

Xiuzhi had won renown early and men looked up to him; outwardly careless, inwardly he was cautious and steady. In youth his stern temper had hurt him; in later life his easy grace won praise. He prized friends and loved outings and fine company. Lu Yuanming, Chamberlain of Imperial Sacrifices, was of weighty standing and seldom socialized; only men of real reputation could keep his company. Xiuzhi befriended him frankly when he was still a field-secretariat gentleman; they drank and wrote together in perfect ease, to the envy of their neighbors. Ming Shaoxia of Pingyuan, Junior Mentor to the Heir Apparent, was a celebrated man of letters who fled to Ye after Liang's fall; he and Xiuzhi had traveled together during earlier diplomatic exchanges. When Shaoxia died his wife fell into poverty; Xiuzhi arranged her affairs and gave generous aid. Cui Xian, Vice Director of the Department of State Affairs, was a favorite of Gao Cheng and dominated the court, yet Xiuzhi never once asked him for an audience. Cui Xian's son Dana was precocious and had written pentasyllabic verse before he was ten. Liang and Qi were then at peace; Xian showed Dana's verses to talented courtiers and meant to show them to the Liang envoys as well. Others flattered Xian as the moment required; Xiuzhi alone said bluntly, "The lad is clever and will surely become a great man. But a boy's literary exercises are hardly fit to show to foreign envoys. Such was his blunt integrity. Yuanjing would say, "For plainspoken remonstrance today, Yang Zilie is the man."

晚節，說祖珽撰《御覽》，書成加特進，令其子辟強預修《御覽》書。及珽黜，便布言於朝廷，雲先有隙。及鄧長顒、顏之推奏立文林館，之推本意不欲令耆舊貴人居之，便相附會，與少年朝請、參軍之徒，同入待詔。時論貶焉。魏收監史之日，立《神武本紀》，取平西胡之歲為齊元。收在齊州，恐史官改奪其志，上表論之。及收還朝，敕集朝賢議其事，休之立議從天保為限斷。魏收存日，猶兩議未決。收死，便諷動內外，發詔從其議。後領中書監，謂人云：「我已三為中書監，用此何為！」隆化還鄴，舉朝多有遷授，封休之燕郡王。乃謂所親曰：「我非蠻奴，何忽此授？」凡此諸事，為識者所譏。好學不倦，博綜經史，文章雖不華靡，亦為典正。魏收在日，深為收所輕，魏殂後，以先達見推。位望雖高，虛懷接物，為搢紳所愛重。

In his later years he urged Zu Ting to compile the Imperial Survey; when it was finished he received Exceptional Promotion and had his son Piqiang join the editorial work. When Zu Ting fell from power he spread word at court that they had long been at odds. When Deng Changyang and Yan Zhitui proposed the Forest of Literature Hall, Zhitui did not want elderly dignitaries in it; Xiuzhi went along with younger courtiers and staff officers to enter as scholars awaiting edicts. Contemporary opinion condemned him for it. While Wei Shou oversaw the histories he established Basic Annals of Emperor Shenwu, dating Qi from the year the Western Hu were pacified. While Wei Shou was posted in Qizhou he feared the historians would revise his design away, and he memorialized the throne on the matter. When Shou came back to court the emperor ordered leading officials to debate the question; Xiuzhi argued that Qi chronology should begin with the Tianbao reign. As long as Wei Shou lived the two schools of opinion remained unsettled. After Shou's death Xiuzhi promptly stirred court and capital opinion until an edict adopted his view. Later, as Director of the Secretariat, he told acquaintances, "I have already headed the Secretariat three times—what is this appointment for?" After the Longhua court returned to Ye the whole bureaucracy was reshuffled, and Xiuzhi was enfeoffed as Prince of Yan commandery. He then told those close to him, "I am no frontier bondsman—why this sudden enfeoffment?" Such episodes made him a target of ridicule among the discerning. He studied tirelessly and ranged widely through the classics and histories; his prose was never showy, yet it remained measured and authoritative. Wei Shou had held him in low regard; after Wei's death contemporaries hailed him as a senior man of letters. For all his eminence he met others with genuine openness, and the gentry loved and respected him.

周武帝平齊，與吏部尚書袁聿脩、衛尉卿李祖欽、度支尚書元脩伯、大理卿司馬幼之、司農卿崔達拏、秘書監源宗、散騎常侍兼中書侍郎李若、散騎常侍兼給事黃門侍郎李孝貞、給事黃門侍郎盧思道、給事黃門侍郎顏之推、通直散騎常侍兼中書侍郎李德林、通直散騎常侍兼中書舍人陸乂、中書侍郎薛道衡、中書舍人元行恭、辛德源、王邵、陸開明十八人同徵，令隨駕後赴長安。尋除開府儀同，依例封臨澤縣男。曆納言中大夫、太子少保，進位上開府，除和州刺史。隨開皇二年罷任，終於洛陽。所著文集四十卷，又撰《幽州人物志》，並行於世。

When Emperor Wu of Zhou conquered Qi, Xiuzhi was summoned with seventeen other eminent northerners—among them Yuan Yuxiu, Li Zuqin, Yan Zhitui, Li Delin, and Xue Daoheng—and ordered to follow the imperial procession to Chang'an. He was soon appointed Kaifu yitong and, by precedent, enfeoffed as Baron of Linze. He rose through the inner-court speech office and the junior tutorship of the heir apparent, was promoted to Upper Kaifu, and was appointed governor of He province. In the second year of Kaihuang he retired from office and died at Luoyang. His collected works ran to forty scrolls; he also compiled Biographies of Notables of Youzhou, and both circulated in his day.

初，休之在洛，將仕，夜夢見黃河北驛道上行，從東向西。道南有一塚，極高大。休之步登塚頭，見一銅柱，趺為連花形。休之從西北登一柱礎上，以手捉一柱，柱遂右轉。休之咒曰：「柱轉三匝，吾至三公」，柱遂三匝而止。休之尋寤，意如在鄴城東南者，其夢竟驗云。

Earlier, while Xiuzhi was in Luoyang on the eve of taking office, he dreamed one night that he was walking the north courier road along the Yellow River from east to west. South of the road stood an enormous mound. Xiuzhi climbed to the summit and saw a bronze pillar on a lotus-shaped pedestal. From the northwest he mounted a pillar base, seized a pillar with his hand, and the pillar turned to the right. Xiuzhi declared, "When the pillar has turned three times I shall reach the Three Dukes," and the pillar halted after three revolutions. He soon awoke, convinced the scene lay southeast of Ye—and the dream, it is said, was wholly fulfilled.

子辟強，字君大，性疏脫，又無藝，休之亦引入文林館，為時人所嗤鄙。武平末，為尚書水部郎中。

His son Piqiang, styled Junda, was dissolute and without talent; Xiuzhi nevertheless secured him a place in the Forest of Literature Hall, to the contempt of contemporaries. In the late Wuping era he served as director in the Ministry of Works' water bureau.

休之弟綝之，天平中入關。次俊之，位兼通直常侍，聘陳副，尚書郎。當文襄時，多作六言歌辭，淫蕩而拙，世俗流傳，名為《陽五伴侶》，寫而賣之，在市不絕。俊之嘗過市，取而改之，言其字誤。賣書者曰：「陽五古之賢人，作此《伴侶》，君何所知，輕敢議論！」俊之大喜。後待詔文林館，自言：「有文集十卷，家兄亦不知吾是才士也。」固從兄藻。

Xiuzhi's younger brother Zinchen crossed into the Guanzhong region during the Tianping era. Next came Junzhi, who served as regular attendant, deputy envoy to Chen, and master of writing. In Gao Cheng's day vulgar six-line songs—lewd and clumsy—circulated under the title Yang Five Companions, copied and hawked without end in the markets. Junzhi once passed through the market, bought a copy, corrected it, and declared the text full of errors. The seller retorted, "Yang Five was a sage of antiquity who wrote these Companions—what do you know of it that you dare criticize the text?" Junzhi was delighted. Later, as a scholar awaiting edicts in the Forest of Literature Hall, he boasted, "I have ten scrolls of collected writings—even my elder brother does not know I am a man of letters." Gu's cousin on the male line was Zao.

藻字景德，少孤，有雅志，涉獵經史。位中書博士，詔兼禮官，拜燕宣王廟于長安。還，賜爵魏昌男。累遷瀛州安東府長史，以年老歸家，為賊杜洛周所囚，發病卒。永熙中，贈幽州刺史。子裴。

Zao, styled Jingde, lost his father early, cultivated refined aims, and ranged widely through the classics and histories. He served as a doctor of the secretariat, was additionally charged with ritual matters by edict, and performed obeisance at the Temple of King Xuan of Yan in Chang'an. On his return he was enfeoffed as Baron of Weichang. He rose to chief clerk of Ying province's Pacification-East prefecture, retired home in old age, was seized by the rebel Du Luozhou, fell ill in captivity, and died. In the Yongxi era he was posthumously appointed regional inspector of You province. His son was Fei.

斐字叔鸞，魏孝莊時，於西袞州督護流人有功，賜爵方城伯。曆廣平王開府中郎，修起居注。除起部郎中，兼通直散騎常侍，聘梁。梁尚書羊侃，魏之叛人也，與斐舊故，欲召斐至宅，三致書，斐不答。梁人曰：「羊來已久，經貴朝遷革，李、盧亦詣宅相見，卿何致難？」斐曰：「柳下惠則可，吾不可。」梁武帝又親謂斐曰：「侃極願相見，今二國和好，安得復論彼此。」斐終辭焉。還，除廷尉少卿。石齊河溢，橋壞，斐移津于白馬，中河起石氵單，兩岸造關城，累年乃就。東郡太守陸士佩以黎陽關河形勝，欲因山壑以為公家苑囿。斐書答以國步始康，人勞未息，誠宜輕徭薄賦，勤恤人隱，不從。天保中，除都水使者。詔斐監築長城。累遷殿中尚書，以本官監瀛州事，拜儀同三司。卒，贈中書監、北豫州刺史，諡曰簡。子師孝，中書舍人固從弟昭。

Fei, styled Shuluan, earned merit supervising refugees in Western Yan under Emperor Xiaozhuang of Wei and was enfeoffed as Baron of Fangcheng. He served as gentleman on the staff of the Prince of Guangping's Kaifu establishment and helped compile the imperial diary. He was appointed director in the ministry of personnel and concurrent regular attendant, then sent as envoy to Liang. Liang minister Yang Kan was a Wei defector with old ties to Fei and wished to invite him home; he wrote three times, and Fei did not answer. His Liang hosts said, "Yang has been here for years and has lived through your court's upheavals; Li and Lu have both called on him—why do you hold back?" Fei replied, "What Liuxiahui could do, he might do; I may not." Emperor Wu of Liang told him in person, "Kan ardently wishes to see you; the two realms are now at peace—how can we still speak of 'us' and 'them'?" In the end Fei declined. When the mission returned he was appointed vice director of the court of justice. The Stone Ford reach of the Qi River flooded and destroyed the bridge; Fei relocated the crossing to White Horse, raised stone weirs midstream, and built fortified towns on both banks—work that took many years to complete. Lu Shipei, administrator of Dong commandery, because Liyang Pass and the river terrain were strategically strong, wished to turn the hills and ravines into a state park and hunting preserve. Fei wrote back that the realm had only just regained its footing, the people were still exhausted, and the time called for lighter burdens and attentive care of popular hardship; Shipei did not prevail. In the Tianbao era he was appointed commissioner of waterworks. An edict put Fei in charge of building the Long Wall. He rose to palace master of writing, supervised affairs in Ying province in that capacity, and was granted yitong sansi. He died and was posthumously made director of the secretariat and regional inspector of North Yuzhou, with the posthumous title Jian. His son was Shixiao. Gu's cousin on the male line was Zhao, a secretariat aide.

昭字元景，學涉史傳，尤閑案牘。為齊文襄府墨曹參軍，甚見親委，與陳元康、崔暹等參謀機密。及崔甗為崔暹所告，元景劾成其獄，賴邢子才證白以免，時以元景為告而順旨。初，文襄擇日將受魏禪，令元景等定儀注，草詔冊，並授官，未畢而文襄殂，罷府。天保初，除給事黃門侍郎。後以風氣彌留，不堪近侍，出除青州高陽內史，卒於郡。文集十卷。

Zhao, styled Yuanjing, was versed in histories and biographies and especially adept at official paperwork. He served as an ink-bureau officer on Gao Cheng's staff, enjoyed deep trust, and with Chen Yuankang, Cui Xian, and others plotted confidential affairs. When Cui Yan was denounced by Cui Xian, Yuanjing prosecuted the case to conviction; only Xing Zicai's testimony cleared Yan, and contemporaries judged Yuanjing an informer who bent to the will of power. Earlier Gao Cheng had chosen a day to accept the Wei abdication and ordered Yuanjing and others to draft ritual protocols, edicts, and investiture documents and assign offices; Gao Cheng died before the work was done and the princely establishment was dissolved. At the opening of the Tianbao era he was appointed master of writing in the Yellow Gate. Later, chronic wind ailments left him unfit for attendance at court; he was sent out as inner administrator of Gaoyang in Qing province and died there. His collected writings ran to ten scrolls.

子靜立，性淳孝，操履清方，美詞令，善尺牘。仕齊，位三公郎中。隋開皇初，州主簿。

His son Jingli was sincerely filial, upright in conduct, graceful in speech, and skilled at correspondence. Under Qi he served as a gentleman in the Three Excellencies. In early Kaihuang he was a prefectural chief clerk.

賈思伯，字仕休，齊郡益都人也。其先自武威徙焉。世父元壽，中書侍郎，有學行，見稱于時。思伯自奉朝請累遷中書侍郎，頗為孝文所知。任城王澄之圍鐘離也，以思伯持節為其軍司。及澄失利，思伯為後殿。澄以其儒者，謂之必死。及至，大喜曰：「仁者必有勇，常謂虛談，今于軍司見之矣！」思伯托以失道，不伐其功，時論稱其長者。累遷南青州刺史。初，思伯與弟思同師事北海陰鳳，業竟，無資酬之，鳳遂質其衣物。時人為之語曰：「陰生讀書不免癡，不識雙鳳脫人衣。」及思伯之部送縑百匹遺鳳，因具車馬迎之，鳳慚不往。時人稱歎焉。昭帝時，拜涼州刺史，思伯以邊遠不願，辭以男女未婚。靈太后不許，因舍人徐紇言乞得停。後除廷尉卿，自以儒素為業，不好法律，希言事。俄轉衛尉卿。

Jia Sibo, styled Shixiu, came from Yidu in Qi commandery. His ancestors had moved there from Wuwei. His uncle Yuanshou, a secretariat gentleman, was learned and upright and won praise in his day. Sibo rose from court gentleman to secretariat gentleman and won considerable notice from Emperor Xiaowen. When Prince Cheng of Ren commandery besieged Zhongli, Sibo served as his army marshal with imperial credentials. When Cheng's attack failed, Sibo commanded the rearguard. Cheng, taking him for a bookish man, assumed he would not survive. When Sibo returned, Cheng exclaimed with delight, "The benevolent must also be brave—I always thought that a hollow saying, but today I have seen it in my army marshal!" Sibo pleaded that he had merely lost his way and would not boast of his merit; contemporaries hailed him as a man of mature character. He was eventually appointed regional inspector of South Qing province. Early on Sibo and his brother Sitong studied under Yin Feng of Beihai; when their lessons ended they could not pay him, and Feng pawned their clothes. People mocked him in verse: "Student Yin reads his books yet stays a fool—he never guessed the Twin Phoenixes would strip a man's coat." When Sibo assumed office he sent Feng a hundred bolts of silk and dispatched carriage and horses to fetch him; Feng was too ashamed to come. Contemporaries praised him for it. Under Emperor Zhaodi he was appointed regional inspector of Liang; Sibo declined on the grounds that the frontier was remote and his children were still unmarried. Empress Dowager Ling refused; through palace gentleman Xu He he pleaded successfully for the appointment to be withdrawn. He was later made minister of justice; a Confucian scholar by vocation, he disliked legal technicalities and seldom spoke in court. He was soon transferred to minister of the guard.

時議建明堂，多有同異。思伯上議曰：

At the time the court debated building the Bright Hall, and opinion was deeply divided. Sibo submitted a memorial of opinion, saying:

案《周禮》，夏後氏世室，殷重屋，周明堂，皆五室。鄭注云：「此三者或舉宗廟，或舉王寢，或舉明堂，互言之以明其制同也。」若然，則夏、殷之世已有明堂矣。唐、虞以前，其事未聞。戴德《禮記》云：「明堂凡九室十二堂。」蔡邕云：「明堂者，天子太廟，饗功、養老、教學、選士皆於其中，九室十二堂。」案戴德撰《記》，世所不行。且九室十二堂，其於規制，恐難得厥衷。《周禮》：營國，左祖右社，明堂在國之陽。則非天子太廟明矣。然則《禮記月令》四堂及太室皆謂之廟者，當以天子暫配享五帝故耳。又《王制》云：「周人養國老於東膠。」鄭注云：「東膠即辟雍，在王宮之東。」又《詩·大雅》云：「邕邕在宮，肅肅在廟。」鄭注云：「宮謂辟雍宮也，所以助王，養老則尚和，助祭則尚敬。」又不在明堂之驗矣。案《孟子》雲齊宣王謂孟子曰：「吾欲毀明堂。」若明堂是廟，則不應有毀之問。且蔡邕論明堂之制云：「堂方百四十尺，象坤之策；屋圓徑二百一十六尺，象乾之策；方六丈，徑九丈，象陰陽九六之數；九室以象九州；屋高八十一尺，象黃鐘九九之數；二十八柱以象宿；外廣二十四丈以象氣。」案此皆以天地陰陽氣數為法，而室獨象九州，何也？若立五室以象五行，豈不快也？如此，蔡邕之論，非為通典；九室之言，或未可從。

According to the Rites of Zhou, the Xia World Chamber, the Shang Heavy Roof, and the Zhou Bright Hall each had five chambers. Zheng Xuan's commentary says, "These three terms refer by turns to the ancestral temple, the royal sleeping quarters, and the Bright Hall—each name used in turn to show that the underlying institution was one." If that is so, the Bright Hall already existed in the Xia and Shang ages. Before the reigns of Yao and Shun nothing of the kind is recorded. Dai De's Record of Rites says, "The Bright Hall has nine chambers and twelve halls in all." Cai Yong says, "The Bright Hall is the Son of Heaven's grand temple: rewarding merit, nurturing the aged, instruction, and selection of scholars all take place within it—nine chambers and twelve halls." Yet Dai De's compilation is not the ritual canon the world follows. Moreover, nine chambers and twelve halls are so elaborate in plan that it would be hard to realize them faithfully. The Rites of Zhou lays out the capital with the ancestral temple to the left, the altar of soil and grain to the right, and the Bright Hall on the state's southern, sunny side. It is therefore clear that the Bright Hall was not the Son of Heaven's grand temple. When the Record of Rites' Monthly Ordinances calls the four halls and the Grand Chamber "temples," it is only because the Son of Heaven temporarily honored the Five Emperors there. The Royal Regulations also says, "The Zhou nurtured the state's elders at the Eastern Glue." Zheng's commentary explains, "The Eastern Glue is the Ringed Moat, east of the royal palace." The Major Court Hymns of the Book of Odes also says, "Harmonious, harmonious in the palace; solemn, solemn in the temple." Zheng's commentary explains, "'Palace' means the Ringed Moat palace, which assists the king: in nurturing the aged harmony is prized; in assisting sacrifice reverence is prized." That too falls outside what the Bright Hall tradition would confirm. The Mencius records King Xuan of Qi telling Mencius, "I mean to tear down the Bright Hall." If the Bright Hall were a temple, he would not have asked about demolishing it. Cai Yong's treatise on the Bright Hall's design says, "The hall is a square of one hundred forty chi, symbolizing the reckoning of Kun; the roof is circular, two hundred sixteen chi across, symbolizing the reckoning of Qian; six zhang on the side and nine across, embodying the yin-yang numbers nine and six; nine chambers for the Nine Provinces; eighty-one chi in height, matching the Yellow Bell's nine-squared measure; twenty-eight pillars for the lunar lodges; and twenty-four zhang in outer breadth for the cosmic breaths." All of these follow heaven, earth, yin, yang, and the numbers of cosmic qi—so why should the chambers alone stand for the Nine Provinces? Would it not be more fitting to build five chambers for the Five Phases? On such grounds Cai Yong's argument cannot count as authoritative; and the doctrine of nine chambers may well be rejected.

竊尋《考工記》雖是補闕之書，相承已久，諸儒注述，無言非者，方之後作，不亦優乎。其《孝經援神契》、《五經要義》、舊《禮圖》皆作五室，及徐、劉之論，謂同《考工》者多矣。朝廷若獨絕今古，自為一代製作者，則所願也。若猶祖述舊章，規摹前事，不應舍殷、周成法，襲近代妄作。且損益之極，極于三王，後來疑議，難可准信。鄭玄云：「周人明堂五室，是帝各有一室也，合於五行之數，《周禮》依數以為之室。施行於今，雖有不同，時說然矣。」尋鄭此論，非為無當。案《月令》亦無九室之文，原其制置，不乖五室。其青陽右個即明堂左個，明堂右個即總章左個，總章右個即玄堂左個，玄堂右個即青陽左個。如此，則室猶是五，而布政十二。五室之理，謂為可按。其方圓高廣自依時量。戴氏九室之言，蔡子廟學之議，子幹靈台之說，裴逸一屋之論，及諸家紛紜，並無取焉。

I hold that although the Records of the Examination of Crafts is a supplement to a broken canon, it has been received for generations without scholars gainsaying it—and compared with later theorizing, is it not the sounder guide? The Filial Piety Apocrypha, Essential Meanings of the Five Classics, and older ritual diagrams all prescribe five chambers, and Xu and Liu among others line up with the Examination of Crafts on this point. If the court means to break with past and present and decree a design wholly its own, that would be welcome. If it still looks to ancestral statutes and earlier examples, it should not discard the settled standards of Yin and Zhou for recent fancy. The limit of ritual addition and subtraction was reached with the Three Dynasties; later doubts are poor authorities. Zheng Xuan says, "The Zhou Bright Hall's five chambers gave each Thearch his own chamber, in accord with the Five Phases; the Rites of Zhou shaped its chambers by that reckoning. Applied today there are variants, yet current opinion holds with this view." Zheng's argument is not without merit. The Monthly Ordinances nowhere mentions nine chambers; traced to its design, it agrees with five. The Green Yang hall's right wing is the Bright Hall's left wing; the Bright Hall's right is the Grand Completion's left; Grand Completion's right is the Dark Hall's left; the Dark Hall's right is Green Yang's left. There are still five chambers, yet government is apportioned across twelve months. The case for five chambers can be pressed home. As for proportions—square, round, height, and breadth—let them follow present measure. Dai's nine chambers, Cai's temple argument, Zigan's Spirit Terrace theory, Pei Yi's single-roof scheme, and the rest of the clamor deserve no adoption.

學者善其義。後為都官尚書。時崔光疾甚，表薦思伯侍講，中書舍人馮元興為侍讀。思伯遂入授明帝杜氏《春秋》。思伯少雖明經，從官廢業，至是更延儒生，夜講晝授。性謙和，傾身禮士，雖在街途，停車下馬，接誘恂恂，曾無倦色。客有謂曰：「公今貴重，寧能不驕？」思伯曰：「衰至便驕，何常之有？」當世以為雅言。思伯與元興同事，大相友昵，元興時為元叉所寵，論者譏其趨勢云。卒，贈青州刺史，又贈尚書左僕射，諡曰文貞。

Scholars approved his reasoning. He was later appointed Minister of the Capital Offices. When Cui Guang fell seriously ill, he memorialized recommending Sibo as lecturing attendant and Feng Yuanxing, Secretariat Gentleman, as reading attendant. Sibo then entered the palace to teach Emperor Ming the Du tradition of the Spring and Autumn. Though versed in the classics in youth, official service had interrupted his studies; now he again gathered scholars, teaching by night and by day. Humble by nature, he inclined his person to honor men of learning; even in the street he would halt his carriage and dismount, greeting them with unflagging courtesy. A visitor said to him, "You are eminent now—surely you need not be humble?" Sibo replied, "When decline comes, pride follows—what constancy is there in that?" His contemporaries took this for a saying of grace. Sibo and Yuanxing served together and were close friends; because Yuanxing was then a favorite of Yuan Cha, critics said they were currying power. When he died he was posthumously named Inspector of Qing Province, then Vice Director of the Imperial Secretariat Left, with the posthumous epithet Wenzhen.

子彥始，武定中淮陽太守。

His son Yanshi served as Administrator of Huaiyang under Wuding.

思伯弟思同，字仕明，少勵志行，雅好經史，與兄思伯，年少時俱為鄉里所重。累遷襄州刺史，雖無明察之譽，百姓安之。元顥之亂，思同與廣州刺史鄭光護並不降。莊帝還宮，封營陵縣男。後與國子祭酒韓子熙並為侍講，授靜帝杜氏《春秋》。加散騎常侍，兼七兵尚書，尋拜侍中。卒，贈尚書右僕射、司徒公，諡曰文獻。

Sibo's younger brother Sitong, styled Shiming, cultivated his character from youth and loved the classics and histories; he and his brother were both esteemed in their home district. He rose to Inspector of Xiang Province; though not famed for sharp judgment, the people were content. During Yuan Hao's revolt, Sitong and Zheng Guanghu, Inspector of Guang Province, both refused to submit. When Emperor Zhuang returned to the capital, Sitong was enfeoffed as Baron of Yingling. He later served with Han Zixi, Libationer of the National University, as lecturing attendants, teaching Emperor Jing the Du Spring and Autumn. He was made Supernumerary Cavalier Attendant-in-Ordinary and concurrent Minister of the Seven Arms, then soon appointed Palace Attendant. At his death he was posthumously named Vice Director of the Imperial Secretariat Right and Duke of the Ministry of Education, with the epithet Wenxian.

初，思同為青州別駕，清河崔光韶先為中從事，自恃資地，恥居其下，聞思同還鄉，遂便去職，州里人物為思同恨之。及光韶亡，遺誡子侄不聽求贈。思同遂表訟光韶操業，特蒙贈諡，論者歎尚焉。

Earlier, when Sitong was Assistant Governor of Qing Province, Cui Guangshao of Qinghe had been Chief Clerk before him; trusting in his pedigree, he was ashamed to rank below Sitong and resigned when he heard Sitong was coming home—the provincials resented this on Sitong's behalf. When Guangshao died, he forbade his sons and nephews to seek posthumous honors. Sitong then memorialized on behalf of Guangshao's conduct and won him a special posthumous title, which men of judgment admired.

思同之侍講也，國子博士遼西衛冀隆精服氏學，上書難杜氏《春秋》六十三事，思同復駁冀隆乖錯者一十餘條，互相是非，積成十卷。詔下國學，集諸儒考之，事未竟而思同卒。後魏郡姚文安、樂陵秦道靜復述思同意。冀隆亦尋物故，浮陽劉休和又持冀隆說。竟未能裁正。

During Sitong's service as lecturing attendant, Wei Jilong of Liaoxi, Erudite of the National University and a master of the Fu school, memorialized sixty-three objections to the Du Spring and Autumn; Sitong rebutted more than a dozen of Jilong's errors, and their exchange grew to ten fascicles. An edict sent the case to the National University for the scholars to adjudicate, but Sitong died before it was settled. Later Yao Wen'an of Wei Commandery and Qin Daojing of Leling took up Sitong's side again. Jilong soon died as well; Liu Xiuhe of Fuyang then upheld Jilong's position. In the end no definitive ruling was reached.

祖瑩，字元珍，范陽遒人也。曾祖敏，仕慕容垂為平原太守。道武定中山，賜爵安固子，拜尚書左丞。卒，贈并州刺史。祖嶷，字元達，以從征平原功進爵，為侯，位馮翊太守，贈幽州刺史。父季真，多識前言往行，位中書侍郎、钜鹿太守。瑩年八歲能誦詩書，十二為中書學生，耽書。父母恐其成疾，禁之不能止。常密于灰中藏火，驅逐僮僕，父母寢睡之後，燃火讀書，以衣被蔽塞窗戶，恐漏光明，為家人所覺。由是聲譽甚盛，內外親屬呼為聖小兒。尤好屬文，中書監高允每歎曰：「此子才器，非諸生所及，終當遠至。」時中書博士張天龍講《尚書》，選為都講。生徒悉集。瑩夜讀勞倦，不覺天曉，催講既切，遂誤持同房生趙郡李孝怡《曲禮》卷上座。博士嚴毅，不敢復還，乃置《禮》於前，誦《尚書》三篇，不遺一字。孝文聞之，召入，令誦《五經》章句並陳大義。帝戲盧昶曰：「昔流共工於幽州，北裔之地那得忽有此子？」昶對曰：「當是才為世生。」以才名拜太學博士。徵署司徒彭城王勰法曹行參軍。帝顧謂勰曰：「蕭賾以王元長為子良法曹，今為汝用祖瑩，豈非倫匹也？」敕令掌勰書記。瑩與陳郡袁翻齊名秀出，時人為之語曰：「京師楚楚袁與祖，洛中翩翩祖與袁。」再遷尚書三公郎中。尚書令王肅曾於省中詠《悲平城詩》云：「悲平城，驅馬入雲中。陰山常晦雪，荒松無罷風。」彭城王勰甚嗟其美，欲使肅更詠，乃失語云：「公可更為誦《悲彭城詩》。」肅因戲勰云：「何意呼《悲平城》為《悲彭城》也？」勰有慚色。瑩在座，即云：「悲彭城，王公自未見。」肅云：「可為誦之。」瑩應聲云：「悲彭城，楚歌四面起。屍積石梁亭，血流睢水裏。」蕭甚嗟賞之。勰亦大悅，退謂瑩曰：「卿定是神口，今日若不得卿，幾為吳子所屈。」

Zu Ying, styled Yuanzhen, came from You District in Fanyang. His great-grandfather Min served Murong Chui as Administrator of Pingyuan. When Emperor Daowu took Zhongshan, Min was ennobled as Viscount of Angu and made Left Assistant Director of the Imperial Secretariat. At his death he was posthumously named Inspector of Bing Province. His grandfather Ni, styled Yuanda, followed the campaign in Pingyuan, was raised to marquis for his service, became Administrator of Fenyin, and was posthumously named Inspector of You Province. His father Jizhen was versed in earlier records and precedent and served as Gentleman of the Secretariat and Administrator of Julu. At eight Ying could recite the Poetry and Documents; at twelve he entered the Secretariat school and became devoted to books. His parents feared illness and forbade him, but could not stop him. He would hide embers in the ash, dismiss the servants, and after his parents slept light a lamp to read, muffling the windows with bedding lest the glow betray him. His fame spread, and kin called him the "sage-boy." He especially loved composition; Secretariat Supervisor Gao Yun often said, "This boy's gifts no student can match; he will go far." When Secretariat Erudite Zhang Tianlong lectured on the Documents, Ying was chosen chief lecturer. The students all assembled. Reading through the night, Ying did not notice dawn; pressed to begin, he mistakenly brought Li Xiaoyi of Zhao's fascicle of the Etiquette and Ceremonial to the chair instead of his own. Tianlong was stern; Ying dared not fetch the right book, set the Rites before him, and recited three chapters of the Documents without missing a word. Emperor Xiaowen heard of this, summoned him, and had him recite passages from the Five Classics and expound their larger sense. The emperor teased Lu Chang, "Gun once exiled Gong Gong to You Province—how does this boy suddenly appear in the far north?" Lu Chang answered, "Talent is born when the age needs it." On the strength of his renown he was appointed Erudite of the National University. He was summoned as Acting Legal Clerk on the staff of Prince Pengcheng of Pengcheng, Minister of Education. The emperor said to Xie, "Xiao Ze gave Wang Yuanzhang to Prince of Jingling as legal clerk; I give you Zu Ying—is that not a fair match?" He ordered Ying to manage Xie's correspondence. Ying and Yuan Fan of Chen were rivals in fame, and contemporaries said, "In the capital, resplendent Yuan and Zu; in Luoyang, graceful Zu and Yuan." He was twice promoted to Gentleman of the Three Councils in the Imperial Secretariat. Director Wang Su once in the Secretariat recited his "Lament for Pingcheng": "Lament for Pingcheng—drive your horse into Yunzhong. The Yin Mountains forever dim with snow; wild pines never cease their wind." Prince Pengcheng admired it and asked Su to recite again, but blurted, "Sir, please recite your 'Lament for Pengcheng' again." Su teased him, "Why call 'Lament for Pingcheng' 'Lament for Pengcheng'?" Xie flushed with embarrassment. " Ying, present, said at once, "'Lament for Pengcheng'—my lord has never heard it." Su said, "Then chant it for us." Ying answered on the spot, "Lament for Pengcheng—the Chu songs rise on every side. Corpses heap at Shiliang Pavilion; blood runs in the Sui River." Wang Su marveled at it. " Xie was delighted too; afterward he told Ying, "You have a god's tongue—without you today I would have been shamed by Wang Su."

為冀州鎮東府長史，以貨賄事發，除名。後侍中崔光舉為國子博士，仍領尚書左戶郎。李崇為都督北討，引瑩為長史，坐截沒軍資除名。未幾，為散騎侍郎。孝昌中，于廣平王第掘得古玉印，敕召瑩與黃門侍郎李琰之辨之。瑩云：「此是于闐國王晉太康中所獻。」乃以墨塗字觀之，果如瑩言，時人稱為博物。累遷國子祭酒，領給事黃門侍郎、幽州大中正，監起居事，又監議事。

As Chief Clerk of the Eastern Headquarters at Ji Province he was disgraced and struck from the rolls for bribery. Later Cui Guang, Palace Attendant, recommended him as Erudite of the National University while he also headed the Left Household section of the Secretariat. When Li Chong served as commander of the northern campaign he took Ying as chief clerk; Ying was again struck from the rolls for seizing army supplies. Before long he was appointed Gentleman of the Palace Cavalry. In the Xiaochang era an ancient jade seal was unearthed at the mansion of the Prince of Guangping; Ying and Li Yanzhi, Gentleman of the Yellow Gate, were ordered to identify it. Ying said, "This was offered by the king of Khotan in Jin's Taikang reign." They rubbed ink over the inscription to read it and found he was right; his contemporaries called him encyclopedic in learning. He rose to Libationer of the National University, concurrently Gentleman of the Yellow Gate in Attendance, Grand Rectifier of You Province, overseer of the court diary, and overseer of deliberations.

元顥入洛，以瑩為殿中尚書。莊帝還宮，坐為顥作詔罪狀爾硃榮，免官。後除秘書監，中正如故。以參義律曆，賜爵容城縣子。坐事系于廷尉。會爾硃兆入，焚燒樂署，鐘石管弦略無存者。敕瑩與錄尚書事長孫承業、侍中元孚典造金石雅樂，三載乃就。遷車騎大將軍。及孝武登阼，瑩乙太常行禮，封文安縣子。天平初，將遷鄴，齊神武困召瑩議之，以功進爵為伯。卒，贈尚書左僕射、司徒公。

When Yuan Hao entered Luoyang, Ying was made Director of the Palace Secretariat. When Emperor Zhuang returned to the capital, Ying was dismissed for drafting Yuan Hao's denunciation of Erzhu Rong. He was later made Director of the Secretariat while retaining his role as Grand Rectifier. For helping compile the commentaries on calendrical law, he was enfeoffed as Viscount of Rongcheng. He was implicated in a case and held at the Court of Justice. When Erzhu Zhao entered the capital, the Music Office was burned and almost nothing remained of bells, chimes, strings, or pipes. Ying was ordered, with Changsun Chengye, who recorded Secretariat affairs, and Palace Attendant Yuan Fu, to direct the making of court music in metal and stone; three years passed before it was complete. He was promoted to General of the Agile Cavalry. When Emperor Xiaowu took the throne, Ying was appointed Minister of Ceremonies to conduct the rites and enfeoffed as Viscount of Wen'an. Early in Tianping, as the court prepared to move to Ye, Gao Huan urgently summoned Ying for counsel and, for that merit, raised his rank to marquis. He died and was posthumously honored as Left Vice-Director of the Secretariat and Duke of Works.

瑩以文學見重，常語人云：「文章須自出機杼成一家風骨，何能共人同生活也。」蓋譏世人好竊他文以為己用。而瑩之筆劄亦無乏天才，但不能均調，玉石兼有，其制裁之體減于袁、常焉。性爽俠，有節氣，士有窮厄，以命歸之，必見存拯，時亦以此多之。其文集行於世。子珽襲。

Esteemed for his scholarship, Ying often said, "Literature must be woven on one's own loom and bear a family's bones and sinew—how can you live another man's life?" He meant to mock those who steal others' prose and pass it off as their own. Ying's own letters were never short of genius, yet he could not keep an even tone—jade and pebbles mingled—and the discipline of his style fell below Yuan's and Chang's. Open and chivalrous by nature, with a strong spine, he never failed to shelter scholars who entrusted their lives to him in distress, and the age admired him for it. His collected works circulated widely. His son Ting succeeded him.

珽字孝徵，神情機警，詞藻遒逸，少馳令譽，為當世所推。起家秘書郎，對策高第，為尚書儀曹郎中，典儀注。嘗為冀州刺史万俟受洛制《清德頌》，其文典麗，由是齊神武聞之。時文宣為并州刺史，署珽開府倉曹參軍。神武口授珽三十六事，出而疏之，一無遺失，大為僚類所賞。時神武送魏蘭陵公主出塞嫁蠕蠕，魏收賦《出塞》及《公主遠嫁詩》二首，珽皆和之，大為時人傳詠。

Ting, styled Xiaozheng, was quick of wit and spirit; his diction was taut and fleet. In youth he won a brilliant name and was acclaimed by his contemporaries. He entered service as a Secretariat Gentleman, took top honors in the policy examination, and became a Bureau of Ceremonies Gentleman in the Secretariat, in charge of ritual regulations. He once wrote the "Ode to Pure Virtue" for Murong Shouluo, governor of Ji Province; the piece was classical and ornate, and Gao Huan heard of him thereby. At the time Gao Yang was governor of Bing Province and appointed Ting Acting Registrar of his opening staff. Gao Huan dictated thirty-six items to Ting; Ting went out and memorialized them without omitting a single point, to the great admiration of his colleagues. When Gao Huan sent the Princess of Lanling beyond the passes to marry the Rouran, Wei Shou wrote "Beyond the Frontier" and two poems on the princess's distant marriage; Ting matched them all, and they were widely sung.

珽性疏率，不能廉慎守道。倉曹雖云州局，及受山東課輸，由此大有受納，豐於財產。又自解彈琵琶，能為新曲，招城市年少，歌舞為娛，游集諸倡家，與陳元康、穆子容、任胄、元士亮等為聲色之遊。諸人嘗就珽宿，出山東大文綾並連珠孔雀羅等百餘匹，令諸嫗擲摴蒱賭之，以為戲樂。參軍元景獻，故尚書令元世俊子也，其妻司馬慶雲女，是魏孝靜帝故博陵長公主所生。珽忽迎景獻妻赴席，與諸人遞寢，亦以貨物所致。其豪縱淫逸如此。常云：「丈夫一生不負身。」

Ting was careless by nature and could not keep honest caution or hold to the Way. Though the registrar's office was nominally a provincial bureau, he also handled tax deliveries from east of the mountains and took in a great deal, growing wealthy. He taught himself the pipa and new tunes, gathered city youths for song and dance, haunted the houses of entertainers, and with Chen Yuankang, Mu Zirong, Ren Zhou, Yuan Shiliang, and others pursued pleasures of voice and beauty. When his friends stayed with him, he brought out more than a hundred bolts of heavy patterned silk from Shandong and pearl-inlaid peacock gauze, had the women cast for liubo stakes, and made a game of it. The registrar Yuan Jingxian was son of the former Director of the Secretariat Yuan Shijun; his wife was Sima Qingyun's daughter, born to the former Princess of Boling, eldest daughter of Emperor Xiaojing of Wei. Ting suddenly brought Jingxian's wife to the feast and passed her from man to man—another fruit of his ill-gotten goods. Such were his arrogance and dissipation. He often said, "A man should never sell himself short in this life."

已文宣罷州，珽例應隨府，規為倉局之間，致請于陳元康。元康為白，由是還任倉曹。珽又委體附參軍事，攝典簽陸子先，為畫計，請糧之際，令子先宣教出倉粟十車。為僚官捉送。神武親問之，珽自言不署，歸罪子先，神武信而釋之。珽出而言曰：「此丞相天緣明鑒，然實孝徵所為。」性不羈，放縱。曾至膠州刺史司馬世雲家飲酒，遂藏銅疊二面，廚人請搜諸客，果於珽懷中得之。見者以為深恥。所乘老馬，常稱騮駒。又與寡婦王氏奸通，每人前相聞往復。裴讓之與珽早狎，於眾中嘲珽曰：「卿那得如此詭異，老馬年十歲，猶號騮駒，奸耳順，尚稱娘子。」于時喧然傳之。後為神武中外府功曹。神武宴僚屬，于坐失金叵羅，竇太令飲酒者皆脫帽，於珽髻上得之，神武不能罪也。後為秘書丞，領舍人，事文襄。州客至，請賣《華林遍略》。文襄多集書人，一日一夜寫畢，退其本曰：「不須也。」珽以《遍略》數帙質錢摴蒱，文襄杖之四十。又與令史李雙、倉督成祖等作晉州啟，請粟三千石，代功曹參軍趙彥深宣神武教，給城局參軍。事過典簽高景略，景略疑其不實，密以問彥深。彥深答都無此事，遂被推檢。珽即引伏。神武大怒，決鞭二百，配甲坊，加鉗刓，其穀倍徵。未及科，會并州定國寺成，神武謂陳元康、溫子升曰：「昔作芒山寺碑文，時稱妙絕，今定國寺碑當使誰作詞也？」元康因薦珽才學並解鮮卑語。乃給筆劄，就禁所具草，二日內成，其文甚麗。神武以其工而且速，特恕不問，然猶免官，散參相府。

When Gao Yang left the prefecture, Ting by rule should have followed the headquarters, but he schemed to keep the granary post and appealed to Chen Yuankang. Yuankang spoke for him, and he was restored as registrar. Ting again leaned on the acting registrar and Lu Zixian, who was acting commandery registrar; scheming together, at grain requisition time he had Zixian proclaim an order to release ten cartloads of granary grain. His colleagues seized him and handed him over. Gao Huan questioned him in person; Ting said he had not signed and blamed Zixian; Gao Huan believed him and released him. Ting left and said, "The Chancellor has heaven's discernment—but in truth Xiaozheng did it. Unbridled by nature, he was utterly unrestrained. Once at a drinking party at Jiao Province inspector Sima Shiyun's home he hid two nested copper trays; the cook asked to search the guests and found them in Ting's robe. Witnesses found it deeply shameful. The old horse he rode he always called a sorrel colt. He also carried on with the widow Wang, exchanging messages openly before others. Pei Rangzhi, who had long been close to Ting, mocked him before the crowd: "How bizarre you are—a ten-year-old horse still called a sorrel colt, adultery at sixty yet still calling her 'my lady.' The story spread at once. Later he served as registrar of Gao Huan's internal-and-external headquarters. At a feast for his staff Gao Huan lost a gold koru cup; Dou Tai had the drinkers remove their caps, and it was found in Ting's hair knot—yet Gao Huan could not punish him. Later he was Secretariat Assistant and headed the palace attendants, serving Gao Cheng. A provincial client came offering to sell the Forest of Glory Encyclopedia. Gao Cheng gathered many copyists, finished transcribing it in a day and a night, and returned the original: "I do not need it. Ting pawned several fascicles of the Encyclopedia for gambling money; Gao Cheng had him beaten forty strokes. With clerk Li Shuang, granary overseer Cheng Zu, and others he drafted a Jinzhou memorial requesting three thousand shi of grain, impersonating registrar Zhao Yanshen in proclaiming Gao Huan's order to supply the city-bureau registrar. The matter reached commandery registrar Gao Jinglüe; Jinglüe doubted its authenticity and secretly asked Yanshen. Yanshen replied that nothing of the kind had happened, and an investigation was launched. Ting confessed at once. Gao Huan was furious: two hundred strokes of the staff, assignment to the armor works, stocks and cangue added, the grain levied at double. Before sentence could be carried out, the Dingguo Temple in Bingzhou was completed. Gao Huan said to Chen Yuankang and Wen Zisheng, "The Mangshan Temple stele was once called matchless—who should compose the Dingguo Temple inscription now? Yuankang recommended Ting's talent and noted that he also understood Xianbei. Writing materials were supplied; in confinement he drafted the full text, and within two days finished a very beautiful piece. Gao Huan, impressed by his skill and speed, especially pardoned him, yet still removed him from office and kept him as a loose participant at the chancellor's office.

文襄嗣事，以為功曹參軍。及文襄遇害，元康被傷創重，倩珽作書，屬家累事，並云「祖喜邊有少許物，宜早索取。」珽乃不通此書，喚祖喜私問，得金二十五挺，唯與祖喜二挺，餘儘自入，又盜元康家書數千卷。祖喜懷恨，遂告元康二弟叔諶、季璩等。叔諶以語楊愔，愔嚬眉答曰：「恐不益亡者。」因此得停。

When Gao Cheng took charge, he was made registrar. When Gao Cheng was killed, Yuankang was gravely wounded; he asked Ting to write a letter about family affairs, adding, "There are a few things by Zuxi's side—you should fetch them soon. Ting did not deliver the letter; he summoned Zuxi privately and learned of twenty-five gold ingots—he gave Zuxi only two and kept the rest, and also stole several thousand scrolls from Yuankang's library. Zuxi, nursing resentment, told Yuankang's younger brothers Shuchen and Jiji. Shuchen told Yang Yin; Yin frowned and said, "I fear it will not help the dead. The matter was dropped.

珽天性聰明，事無難學，凡諸伎藝，莫不措懷。文章之外，又善音律，解四夷語及陰陽占候。醫藥之術，尤是所長。帝雖嫌其數犯刑憲，而愛其才技，令直中書省掌詔誥。珽通密狀，列中書侍郎陸元規，敕令裴英推問，元規以應對忤旨，被配甲坊。除珽尚藥丞，尋選典禦。又奏造胡桃油，復為割藏免官。文宣每見之，常呼為賊。文宣崩，普選勞舊，除為章武太守。會楊愔等誅，不之官。授著作郎。數上密啟，為孝昭所忿，敕中書、門下二省斷珽奏事。

Clever by nature, Ting learned everything with ease; there was no craft he did not master. Beyond literature he excelled at music, understood the languages of the four quarters, and practiced yin-yang divination. Medicine was his greatest strength. Though the emperor resented his repeated breaches of law, he valued his talents and had him attend the Secretariat to draft edicts. Ting sent a secret report denouncing Vice-Director Lu Yuangui of the Secretariat; Pei Ying was ordered to investigate; Yuangui, for answers that offended the throne, was sent to the armor works. Ting was made Director of the Imperial Pharmacy and soon chosen as palace physician. He memorialized on making walnut oil and was again dismissed for embezzlement. Whenever Gao Yang saw him he called him "thief." After Gao Yang's death, in the general selection of veterans he was made administrator of Zhangwu. When Yang Yin and others were executed, he never took up the post. He was appointed Gentleman of the Writings. He sent many secret memorials, arousing Emperor Xiaozhao's anger; an edict barred him from presenting business to the Secretariat and Chancellery.

初，珽於乾明、皇建之時，知武成陰有大志，遂深自結納，曲相祗奉。武成於天保頻被責，心常銜之。珽至是希旨，上書請追尊太祖獻武皇帝為神武，高祖文宣皇帝改為威宗景烈皇帝，以悅武成。武成從之。

Early in the Qianming and Huangjian reigns Ting saw that Wucheng harbored secret ambition; he attached himself closely and waited on him with elaborate deference. During Tianbao, Wucheng had often been rebuked and nursed a lasting grievance. Ting now played to that mood, memorializing to posthumously honor the founding ancestor as Emperor Divine Martial and rename the high ancestor Emperor Wenxuan as Emperor Weizong Jinglie, to please Wucheng. Wucheng agreed.

時皇后愛少子東平王儼，願以為嗣，武成以後主體正居長，難於移易。珽私於士開曰：「君之寵倖，振古無二。宮車一日晚駕，欲何以克終？」士開因求策焉。珽曰：「宜說主上云：襄、宣、昭帝子俱不得立，今宜命皇太子早踐大位，以定君臣。若事成，中宮少主皆德君，此萬全計也。君且微說，令主上相解，珽當自外表論之。」士開許諾。因有慧星出，太史奏雲除舊佈新之徵，珽於是上書，言：「陛下雖為天子，未是極貴。案《春秋元命苞》云：'乙酉之歲，除舊革政。 '今年太歲乙酉，宜傳位東宮，令君臣之分早定。且以上應天道。」並上魏獻文禪子故事。帝從之。由是拜秘書監，加儀同三司，大被親寵。

The empress favored her younger son, Prince Dongping Yan, as heir, but Wucheng held that the crown prince, as the legitimate eldest son, could not easily be set aside. Ting told He Shikai privately, "Your favor is unmatched in history. When the imperial carriage halts one day, how will you secure your end? Shikai asked him for a plan. Ting said, "Tell our lord that the sons of Emperors Xiang, Xuan, and Zhao all failed to hold the throne; the crown prince should ascend early to fix the roles of ruler and minister. If it succeeds, empress and young prince alike will owe you—this is the surest plan. Hint to our lord first; Ting will argue it openly in a memorial. Shikai agreed. A comet appeared; the Grand Astrologer reported a sign of removing the old and laying down the new. Ting memorialized, "Your Majesty is Son of Heaven, yet not yet supremely exalted. The Spring and Autumn Yuanming Bao says, 'In the yiyou year, remove the old and reform the government. This year the year-star is yiyou; you should abdicate to the Eastern Palace and fix the roles of ruler and minister early. This also answers to Heaven's will above. He also cited Emperor Xianwen of Wei's abdication to his son. The emperor agreed. He was made Director of the Secretariat with the additional rank of Palace Companionship of the Third Rank and won great favor.

既見重二宮，遂志于宰相。先與黃門侍郎劉逖友善，乃疏侍中尚書令趙彥深、侍中左僕射元文遙、侍中和士開罪狀，令逖奏之。逖懼，不敢通，其事頗泄。彥深等先詣帝自陳。帝大怒，執珽詰曰：「何故毀我士開？」珽因厲聲曰：「臣由士開得進，本無心毀之。陛下今既問臣，臣不敢不以實對。士開、文遙、彥深等專弄威權，控制朝廷，與吏部尚書尉瑾內外交通，共為表裏，賣官鬻獄，政以賄成，天下歌謠。若為有識所知，安可聞於四裔？陛下不以為意，臣恐大齊之業隳矣！」帝曰：「爾乃誹謗我。」珽曰：「不敢誹謗，陛下取人女。」帝曰：「我以其儉餓，故收養之。」珽曰：「何不開倉振給，乃買取將入後宮乎？」帝益怒，以刀鐶築口，鞭杖亂下，將撲殺之。大呼曰：「不殺臣，陛下得名；殺臣，臣得名。若欲得名，莫殺臣，為陛下合金丹。」遂少獲寬放。珽又曰：「陛下有一范增不能用，知如何！」帝又怒曰：「爾自作范增，以我為項羽邪？」珽曰：「項羽人身亦何由可及，但天命不至耳。項羽布衣，率烏合眾，五年而成霸王業。陛下藉父兄資財得至此，臣以謂項羽未易可輕。臣何止方于范增？縱擬張良，亦不能及。張良身傅太子，猶因四皓，方定漢嗣。臣位非輔弼，疏外之人，竭力盡忠，勸陛下禪位，使陛下尊為太上，子居宸扆，於己及子，俱保休祚。蕞爾張良，何足可數！」帝愈怒，令以土塞其口，珽且吐且言，無所屈撓。乃鞭二百，配甲坊。尋徙於光州。刺史李祖勳遇之甚厚。別駕張奉禮希大臣意，上言珽雖為流囚，常與刺史對坐。敕報曰：「牢掌。」奉禮曰：「牢者，地牢也。」乃為深坑，置諸內，苦加防禁，桎梏不離其身，家人親戚不得臨視，夜中以蕪菁子燭熏眼，因此失明。

Esteemed by both palaces, he set his sights on the chancellorship. He was close to Yellow Gate Gentleman Liu Ti and drafted charges against Palace Attendant and Director Zhao Yanshen, Palace Attendant and Left Vice-Director Yuan Wenyao, and Palace Attendant He Shikai, ordering Ti to present them. Ti was afraid and did not deliver the memorial; the affair leaked. Yanshen and the others went to the emperor first to defend themselves. The emperor was furious, seized Ting, and demanded, "Why do you slander my Shikai? Ting answered sharply, "I advanced through Shikai and never meant to slander him. Now that Your Majesty has asked, I dare not answer with anything but the plain truth. Shikai, Wenyao, Yanshen, and their faction wield power unchecked, dominate the court, and collude inside and out with Wei Jin, Minister of Personnel—they sell appointments and verdicts alike until bribery is the whole of government, and ballads of their corruption fill the land. How could such conduct reach the ears of our neighbors if men of sense truly understood it? If Your Majesty turns a blind eye, I fear the dynasty of Great Qi will be undone." The emperor said, "You are slandering your sovereign." Ting replied, "I do not slander you—Your Majesty took another man's daughter." The emperor said, "She was in want; I took her in to provide for her." Ting said, "Why not open the storehouses and feed the hungry, rather than purchase her for the harem?" The emperor flew into a greater rage, struck his mouth with the pommel of his sword, and showered him with random blows of whip and cudgel, ready to beat him to death. He cried out, "Spare me, and Your Majesty wins renown; kill me, and I win renown. If it is renown you want, do not kill me—I will brew the golden elixir for Your Majesty. And so he was spared, for the moment. Ting went on, "Your Majesty possesses a Fan Zeng and will not employ him—what do you make of that? The emperor snapped, "So you cast yourself as Fan Zeng and me as Xiang Yu? Ting said, "Who could match Xiang Yu as a man? Only fate did not favor him. Xiang Yu began as a common soldier at the head of a rabble, yet within five years he had built a hegemon's realm. Your Majesty reached this height with your father's and brother's legacy; I would not belittle Xiang Yu. And I am no mere Fan Zeng— even matched against Zhang Liang, I would surpass him. Zhang Liang served at the crown prince's side and still needed the Four Graybeards to settle the succession of Han. I hold no post as chief counselor—I am an outsider—yet I give my utmost loyalty in urging Your Majesty to abdicate, take the title of Retired Emperor, and let your son hold the throne, so that you and he alike may secure lasting peace. That petty Zhang Liang is not worth mentioning!" The emperor was enraged further and ordered earth stuffed into his mouth; Ting spat it out and kept speaking without bending. He was given two hundred lashes and sent to the armorer's yard as a bonded convict. Before long he was exiled to Guang Province. The provincial inspector Li Zuxun treated him generously. The vice-prefect Zhang Fengli, currying favor with the magnates at court, reported that though Ting was a transported convict, he routinely sat facing the inspector on equal footing. The imperial reply ordered, "Keep him in custody. Fengli said, "Custody means an underground pit." So they dug a deep pit and cast him in, guarded him relentlessly with fetters that never left his limbs, barred kin from visiting, and at night burned turnip oil lamps before his eyes until he went blind.

武成崩，後主憶之，就除海州刺史。是時陸令萱外幹朝政，其子穆提婆愛幸。珽乃遺陸媼弟悉達書曰：「趙彥深心腹陰沈，欲行伊、霍事，儀同姊弟豈得平安！何不早用智士邪？」和士開亦以珽能決大事，欲以為謀主，故棄除舊怨，虛心待之。與陸媼言於帝曰：「襄、宣、昭三帝，其子皆不得立，令至尊獨在帝位者，實由祖孝徵。又有大功，宜重報之。孝徵心行雖薄，奇略出人，緩急真可馮仗。且其雙盲，必無反意。請喚取，問其謀計。」帝從之。入為銀青光祿大夫、秘書監，加開府儀同三司。

After Emperor Wucheng's death, the reigning sovereign recalled him and appointed him regional inspector of Hai Province. Lu Lingxuan then meddled openly in government, and her son Muti'ba held the emperor's favor. Ting wrote to Lu Matron's brother Xida: "Zhao Yanshen is secretive and ruthless and plots an Yi Yin–Huo Guang coup—how can you and your sister remain safe? Why not enlist a strategist while there is still time? He Shikai too believed Ting could decide weighty matters and meant to use him as mastermind; old grudges were set aside and he was welcomed sincerely. He and Lu Matron told the emperor, "Under Emperors Xiang, Xuan, and Zhao, none of the sons secured the throne; that Your Majesty alone reigns is truly owing to Zu Xiaozheng. He rendered great service and deserves a rich reward. Xiaozheng's character may be slight, but his stratagems are matchless—in crisis or calm he is truly one to rely on. And he is blind in both eyes—surely he harbors no treason. Summon him and seek his counsel. The emperor agreed. He was recalled as Silver-Gleaming Light Grand Master of the Palace and Director of the Secretariat, with the additional title Commissioner Equal to the Third Rank with an opening office.

和士開死後，仍說陸媼出彥深，以珽為侍中。在晉陽通密啟，請誅琅邪王。其計既行，漸被任遇。又靈太后之被幽也，珽欲以陸媼為太后，撰魏帝皇太后故事，為太姬言之。謂人曰：「太姬雖云婦人，實是雄傑，女媧已來無有也。」太姬亦稱珽為「國師」、「國寶」。由是拜尚書左僕射，監國史，加特進，入文林館，總監撰書；封燕郡公，食太原郡幹，給兵七十人。所住宅在義井坊，旁拓鄰居，大事修築。陸媼自往案行，勢傾朝野。

After He Shikai died, he persuaded Lu Matron to oust Yanshen and had Ting appointed Attendant-in-Chief. From Jinyang he sent a secret memorial urging the execution of the Prince of Langye. When the plot succeeded, his influence grew step by step. When Empress Dowager Ling was confined, Ting sought to elevate Lu Matron to empress dowager, drafted precedents from Wei on empresses dowager, and laid them before the Grand Matron. He told others, "The Grand Matron is called a woman, yet she is a hero unrivaled since the age of Nüwa. The Grand Matron in turn called Ting "National Teacher" and "National Treasure." He was then appointed Left Vice Director of the Department of State Affairs, put in charge of the national history, granted superlative advancement, admitted to the Forest of Letters Academy as chief overseer of the compilation; enfeoffed Duke of Yan commandery with a stipend from Taiyuan commandery and a guard of seventy men. His mansion stood in Yijing Ward; he bought up neighboring properties and undertook major building works. Lu Matron inspected the site herself; his sway overshadowed the entire court.

斛律光甚惡之，遙見竊罵云：「多事乞索小人，欲作何計數！」嘗謂諸將云：「邊境消息，處分兵馬，趙令恆與吾等參論之。盲人掌機密來，全不共我輩語，止恐誤他國家事。」又珽頗聞其言，因其女皇后無寵，以謠言聞上，曰「百升飛上天，明月照長安」。令其妻兄鄭道蓋奏之。帝問珽，珽證實。又說謠云：「高山崩，槲樹舉，盲老公背上下大斧，多事老母不得語。」珽並云：「盲老公是臣」，自雲與國同憂戚，勸上行，語「其多事老母，似道女侍中陸氏」。帝以問韓長鸞、穆提婆，並令高元海、段士良密議之，眾人未從。因光府參軍封士讓啟告光反，遂滅其族。

Hulü Guang loathed him and, seeing him from afar, muttered, "That meddling beggar of a man—what is he plotting now? He once told his commanders, "Border reports and troop dispositions—Commandant Zhao always debates them with us. This blind man has seized the secrets of state and will not consult us at all—I fear he will ruin the kingdom. Ting learned of this. Because Hulü's daughter the empress had fallen from favor, he reported a prophecy to the throne: "A hundred sheng fly to heaven; the bright moon illumines Chang'an." He had his wife's brother Zheng Daogai submit the memorial. When the emperor asked Ting, he confirmed it. He circulated another rhyme: "The high mountain crumbles, the oak tree rises; the blind old man bears a great axe on his back; the meddling old mother may not speak. Ting explained, "The blind old man is I"—claiming he shared the state's woes—and urged the emperor to act, identifying "the meddling old mother" as Attendant-in-Chief Lu, the Daoist-woman favorite. The emperor consulted Han Changluan and Muti'ba, and secretly charged Gao Yuanhai and Duan Shiliang to weigh the matter; the group would not agree. Through a staff officer of Hulü Guang's household, Feng Shiran, he lodged an accusation of treason, and the entire clan was destroyed.

珽又附陸媼，求為領軍，後主許之。詔須覆述，取侍中斛律孝卿署名。孝卿密告高元海，元海語侯呂芬、穆提婆云：「孝徵漢兒，兩眼又不見物，豈合作領軍也？」明旦面奏，具陳珽不合之狀，並書珽與廣甯王孝珩交結，無大臣體。珽亦求面見，帝令引入。珽自分疏，並云：「與元海素嫌，必是元海譖臣。」帝弱顏，不能諱，曰：「然。

Ting again relied on Lu Matron and sought the post of colonel-in-chief of the guards; the sovereign consented. The edict had to be reviewed and required the countersignature of Attendant-in-Chief Hulü Xiaoqing. Xiaoqing secretly informed Gao Yuanhai, who told Hou Lüfen and Muti'ba, "Xiaozheng is a Han man and blind in both eyes—how can he command the guards? The next morning he memorialized in person, detailing why Ting was unfit, and wrote that Ting consorted with Prince Xiaoxing of Guangning without proper ministerial dignity. Ting also demanded an audience and was summoned in. Ting presented his defense, saying, "Yuanhai and I have long been at odds—he must have slandered me. The emperor blanched and could not deny it. "It is so," he admitted.

珽列元海共司農卿尹子華、太府少卿李叔元、平准令張叔略等結朋樹黨。遂除子華仁州刺史，叔元襄城郡守，叔略南營州錄事參軍。陸媼又唱和之，復除元海鄭州刺史。

Ting denounced Yuanhai, Grand Minister of Agriculture Yin Zihua, Vice Director of the Imperial Storehouse Li Shuyuan, Director of Market Standards Zhang Shulüe, and others for forming factions. Zihua was banished to inspector of Ren Province, Shuyuan to magistrate of Xiangcheng, Shulüe to registrar on the staff of South Ying Province. Lu Matron joined the chorus and had Yuanhai sent out as inspector of Zheng Province.

珽自是專主機衡，總知騎兵、外兵事。內外親戚，皆得顯位。後主亦令中要數人扶侍出入，著紗帽直至永巷，出萬春門向聖壽堂，每同禦榻，論決政事，委任之重，群臣莫比。自和士開執事以來，政體隳壞，珽推崇高望，官人稱職，內外稱美。復欲增損政務，沙汰人物。始奏罷京畿府並於領軍，事連百姓，皆歸郡縣；宿衛都督等號位從舊官名，文武服章並依故事。又欲黜諸閹豎及群小輩，推誠延士，為致安之方。

From then on Ting held the levers of state alone, directing cavalry and all forces beyond the capital. His kin by blood and marriage alike won high office. The sovereign had eunuchs escort him in and out; he wore a gauze cap through the Eternal Lane, passed Wanchun Gate to the Hall of Sacred Longevity, sat on the imperial couch to decide policy, and was entrusted beyond any peer at court. Government had rotted since He Shikai's ascendancy; Ting restored dignity to office, matched men to posts, and won praise inside and outside the court. He proposed further reforms and a purge of personnel. He first moved to abolish the Capital Region prefecture and fold its functions into the guards—civilian affairs reverting to the commanderies and counties; guard commanders' titles were restored to ancient designations, and civil and military regalia followed established precedent. He also sought to dismiss the eunuchs and petty favorites, recruit loyal scholars, and secure lasting stability.

陸媼、穆提婆議頗同異。珽乃諷御史中丞麗伯律，令劾主書王子沖納賂，知其事連提婆，欲使贓罪相及，望因此坐，並及陸媼。猶恐後主溺于近習，欲因後黨為援，請以皇后兄胡君瑜為侍中、中領軍，又徵君瑜兄梁州刺史君璧，欲以為御史中丞。陸媼聞而懷怒，百方排毀，即出君瑜為金紫光祿大夫，解中領軍，君璧還鎮梁州。皇后之廢，頗亦由此。王子沖釋而不問。珽日以益疏，又諸宦者更共譖毀之，無所不至。後主問諸太姬，憫嘿不對。三問，乃下床拜曰：「老婢合死，本見和士開道孝徵多才博學，言為善人，故舉之。此來看之，極是罪過，人實難容，老婢合死。」後主令韓鳳檢案，得其詐出敕受賜十餘事，以前與其重誓不殺，遂解珽侍中、僕射，出為北徐州刺史。

Lu Matron and Muti'ba sharply disagreed. Ting induced Censor-in-Chief Li Bolü to impeach Chief Clerk Wang Zichong for bribery, knowing the case would entangle Muti'ba, hoping guilt by association would bring down Lu Matron as well. Fearing the sovereign's indulgence of favorites, he sought backing from the empress's clan, recommending the empress's brother Hu Junyu as Attendant-in-Chief and central colonel-in-chief, and summoning Junyu's brother Junbi, inspector of Liang Province, to serve as censor-in-chief. Lu Matron flew into a rage and blocked him at every turn—Junyu was made a ceremonial grand master and stripped of the central command, and Junbi was sent back to Liang Province. The empress's deposition owed much to this affair. Wang Zichong was released without punishment. Ting grew more isolated daily while the eunuchs heaped slander on him without restraint. The sovereign questioned the Grand Matron; grief-stricken, she remained silent. Asked thrice, she rose from her seat and bowed, "This old woman deserves death. He Shikai praised Xiaozheng as learned and good—that is why I recommended him. Now I see he is utterly wicked, impossible to tolerate—I deserve death. The sovereign had Han Feng investigate and found more than ten counts of his forging edicts for gifts. Bound by a former oath never to kill him, the sovereign merely stripped him of Attendant-in-Chief and Vice Director and sent him to North Xu Province as regional inspector.

珽求見分疏，韓長鸞積嫌於珽，遣人推出柏閣。珽固求面見，坐不肯行。長鸞乃令軍士牽曳而出，立珽於朝堂，大加誚責。上道後，復令追還，解其開府儀同、郡公，直為刺史。

Ting demanded an audience to plead his case, but Han Changluan, who loathed him, had men thrust him from the Cypress Pavilion. Ting insisted on seeing the emperor and sat refusing to move. Changluan had soldiers drag him out, stood him in the court, and heaped abuse on him. After he had set out, they recalled him, stripped his commissioner and ducal titles, and left him plain regional inspector.

至州，會有陳寇，百姓多反。珽不閉城門，守陴者皆令下城靜坐，街巷禁斷人行，雞犬不聽鳴吠。賊無所聞見，莫測所以。或疑人走城空，不設警備。至夜，珽忽令大叫，鼓噪聒天。賊眾大驚，登時走散。後復結陳向城，珽乘馬自出，令錄事參軍王君植率兵馬，仍親臨戰。賊先聞其盲，謂為不能拒抗，忽見親在戎行，彎弧縱鏑，相與驚怪，畏之而罷。時提婆憾之不已，欲令城陷沒賊，雖知危急，不遣救援。珽且守且戰十餘日，賊竟奔走，城卒保全。卒於州。

When he reached his province, Chen raiders appeared and many of the populace rebelled. Ting did not close the gates but ordered the defenders down from the walls to sit quietly, forbade anyone to move through the streets, and silenced even dogs and cocks. The enemy heard and saw nothing and could not fathom his intent. Some guessed the city had been abandoned and advanced without caution. At nightfall Ting suddenly ordered his men to shout at the top of their lungs; drums and clamor filled the sky. The enemy troops were terrified and fled at once. When Chen forces besieged the city again, Ting rode out in person, ordered Recorder Wang Junzhi to lead the troops, and himself took command in the fighting. The enemy had heard he was blind and assumed he could not fight; when they suddenly saw him in the ranks drawing his bow and shooting, they were astonished and afraid, and withdrew. Tipo still hated him and hoped the city would fall to the enemy; though he knew the danger was extreme, he sent no relief. Ting defended and fought for more than ten days until the enemy fled and the city was saved. He died in office in the province.

子君信，涉獵書史，多諳雜藝。位兼通直散騎常侍，聘陳使副，中書郎。珽出，亦見廢免。

His son Junxin was widely read in history and skilled in many arts. He served as Regular Attendant Cavalier in Direct Service, deputy envoy to Chen, and Gentleman of the Secretariat. When Ting fell from power, Junxin was dismissed as well.

君信弟君彥，容貌短小，言辭澀訥，少有才學。隋大業中，位至東平郡書佐。郡陷翟讓，因為李密所得。密甚禮之，署為記室，軍書羽檄，皆成其手。及密敗，為王世充所殺。

Junxin's younger brother Junyan was short in stature, awkward in speech, and showed little promise in scholarship. During the Sui Daye era he rose to clerk of Dongping commandery. When the commandery fell to Zhai Rang, he came into Li Mi's hands. Li Mi honored him and made him his recorder; military documents and urgent dispatches all passed through his hand. When Li Mi was defeated, Wang Shichong had him killed.

珽弟孝隱，亦有文學，早知名。詞章雖不逮兄，機警有口辨，兼解音律。魏末為兼散騎常侍，迎梁使。時徐君房、庾信來聘，名譽甚高，魏朝聞而重之。接對者多取一時之秀，盧元景之徒，並降階攝職，更遞司賓。孝隱少處其中，物議稱美。

Ting's younger brother Xiaoyin was also a man of letters and won early renown. His writing did not equal his brother's, but he was quick-witted and eloquent and understood music as well. At the end of the Wei he served as acting Regular Attendant Cavalier to receive the Liang envoy. Xu Junfang and Yu Xin came on a mission then, men of the highest reputation, and the Wei court honored them accordingly. Those assigned to receive them were drawn from the finest men of the day; Lu Yuanjing and others stepped down a rank to serve in rotation as masters of guests. Xiaoyin in his youth was among them, and public opinion praised him warmly.

孝隱從父弟茂，頗有辭情，然好酒性率，不為時所重。大寧中，以經學為本鄉所薦，除給事，以疾辭，仍不復仕。珽受任寄，故令呼茂，茂不獲已，暫來就之。珽欲為奏官，茂乃逃去。

Xiaoyin's cousin Mao had real literary talent but loved wine and lived freely, and his contemporaries did not esteem him. During the Daning era his home district recommended him for classical learning; he was appointed Attendant but declined because of illness and never served again. Ting had received an appointment and summoned Mao, who could not refuse and came to serve him for a time. When Ting tried to have him appointed to office, Mao fled.

珽族弟崇儒，涉學有辭，少以幹局知名。武平末，位司州別駕、通直常侍。入周，為容昌郡太守。隋開皇初，終宕州長史。

Ting's kinsman Chongru was learned and eloquent and was known in youth for his executive ability. At the end of the Wuping era he served as Vice Director of Sizhou and Regular Attendant in Direct Service. Under the Zhou he became administrator of Rongchang commandery. At the beginning of the Sui Kaihuang era he died while serving as chief clerk of Dangzhou.

論曰：袁翻弟兄，可為一時才秀；聿修行業，亦乃不殞家風。景文學義見稱，敬安正情自立，休之加以藻思，可謂載德者焉。思伯經明行修，乃惟門素。祖瑩幹能藝用，實曰時良；孝徵俊才雖多，適足敗國。叔鸞器懷清峻，元景才幹知名，並匡佐齊初，一時推重，美矣哉！

The historians comment: Yuan Fan and his brothers ranked among the outstanding talents of their age; Shouxiu's conduct and achievement likewise did not dishonor his family's name. Jingwen was praised for learning and integrity; Jing'an stood firm in upright character; Xiuzhi added literary grace—they were men who truly bore virtue. Sibo mastered the classics and cultivated his conduct—the family's pure standard of integrity. Zu Ying combined practical ability with artistic talent and was truly a worthy man of his age; Xiaozheng's brilliant talent, abundant as it was, was enough to ruin a state. Shuluan's character was pure and severe; Yuanjing's talent was renowned—both aided the early Qi and were honored in their day. Admirable indeed!

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