Volume 93 Biographies 81: Vassal States

僭偽附庸

Usurping Pretenders and Vassal States

列傳第八十一僭偽附庸

Biographies 81: Usurping Pretenders and Vassal States

夏赫連氏燕慕容氏後秦姚氏北燕馮氏西秦乞伏氏北涼沮渠氏梁蕭氏

Xia (Helian), Yan (Murong), Later Qin (Yao), Northern Yan (Feng), Western Qin (Qifu), Northern Liang (Juqu), and Liang (Xiao)

晉自永嘉之亂，宇縣瓜分，胡羯憑陵，積有年代，各言膺運，咸居大寶。竟而自相吞滅，終為魏臣。然魏自昭成已前，王跡未顯，至如劉石之徒，時代不接，舊書為傳，編之四夷，有欺耳目，無益緗素。且于時五馬浮江，正朔示改，《陽秋》記注，具存紀錄。雖朝政叢脞，而年代已多。太宗文皇帝爰動天文，大存刊勒，其時事相接，已編之《載記》。今斷自道武已來所吞併者，序其行事，紀其滅亡。其餘不相關涉，皆所不取。至如晉、宋、齊、梁雖曰偏據，年漸三百，鼎命相承。《魏書》命曰《島夷》，列之於傳，亦所不取。故不入今篇，蕭察雖云帝號，附庸周室，故從此編，次為《僭偽附庸傳》云爾。

After the Yongjia upheaval the Jin realm was carved into rival domains. For years the northern peoples pressed their advantage; each claimed Heaven's mandate and seized the throne in turn. In the end they destroyed one another, and all became subjects of Wei. Before Emperor Zhaocheng, Wei's royal mantle had barely shown. Dynasties such as the Liu and Shi had risen in an earlier age; older histories placed them among the "four barbarians" in separate biographies—a display that misled readers and added nothing to the historical record. Moreover, when the five imperial sons crossed the Yangzi, the court calendar itself shifted; the Spring and Autumn tradition and its commentators left a full written record. Though court politics was chaotic, those years were already well documented. Emperor Taizong Wen took up the work of heaven and greatly expanded what was carved in stone and written on silk; affairs that linked directly to Wei had already been gathered in the Accounts (Zaiji). This chapter begins with Emperor Daowu and lists only those states Wei annexed, narrating their conduct and recording their fall. Everything else without a direct connection is omitted. Jin, Song, Qi, and Liang held only parts of the empire, yet for nearly three centuries the mandate passed from throne to throne in due order. The Book of Wei called the southern courts "island barbarians" and placed them in ordinary biographies; those entries are likewise excluded here. They therefore do not appear in this chapter. Xiao Cha bore an imperial title, yet he remained a vassal of the Zhou court, and so his line is included here. What follows is arranged as the "Biographies of Usurping Pretenders and Vassal States."

鐵弗劉武，南單于苗裔，左賢王去卑之孫，北部帥劉猛之從子，居於新興慮虒之北。北人謂胡父鮮卑母為「鐵弗」，因以號為姓。武父誥汁爰，世領部落。汁爰死，武代焉。武死，子務桓代領部落，與魏和通。務桓死，弟閼陋頭代立，密謀反叛。後務桓子悉勿祈遂閼陋頭而立。悉勿祈死，弟衛辰代立。

Liu Wu of the Tiefu clan was a descendant of the Southern Chanyu, grandson of the Left Wise King Qubei and nephew of the northern commander Liu Meng. His people lived north of Xinxing Lüsi. Northerners called a child of a Hu father and a Xianbei mother a "Tiefu," and the clan took that term as its surname. Wu's father Haozhiai had led the tribe for generations. When Zhiai died, Wu succeeded him. After Wu's death his son Wuhuan led the tribe and entered into peaceful relations with Wei. When Wuhuan died, his younger brother Elutou took power and secretly plotted rebellion. Later Wuhuan's son Xiwuqi overthrew Elutou and made himself chief. When Xiwuqi died, his younger brother Weichen succeeded him.

衛辰，務桓之第三子也。既立，遣子朝獻，昭成以女妻之。衛辰潛通苻堅，堅以為左賢王。遣使請堅求田地。春去秋來，堅許之。後乃背堅，專心歸魏。舉兵伐堅，堅遣其將鄧討擒之。堅自至朔方，以衛辰為夏陽公，統其部落，衛辰復附於堅，昭成討大破之，遂走奔苻堅。堅送還朔方，遣兵戍之。

Weichen was the third son of Wuhuan. After he took power he sent his son to court, and Emperor Zhaocheng gave him a princess in marriage. Weichen secretly allied with Fu Jian, who appointed him Left Wise King. He sent envoys to Jian to request grazing lands. Season after season passed until Jian granted the request. He then turned against Jian and threw in his lot with Wei alone. He raised troops against Jian, but Jian sent his general Deng Tao to capture him. Jian went in person to Shuofang, made Weichen Duke of Xiayang, and restored him to his tribe. Weichen submitted to Jian again, but Zhaocheng attacked and routed him, and he fled back to Fu Jian. Jian sent him back to Shuofang and posted troops to guard him.

昭成末，衛辰導苻堅寇魏南境，王師敗績。堅遂分國人為二部，自河以西，屬之衛辰；自河以東，屬之劉庫仁。堅後以衛辰為單于，督攝河西新類，屯於代來。慕容永據長子，拜衛辰使持節、都督河西諸軍事、大將軍、朔州牧、朔方王。姚萇亦遣使結好，拜衛辰使持節、都督北朔雜夷諸軍事、大將軍、大單于、河西王、幽州牧。

Late in Zhaocheng's reign, Weichen guided Fu Jian in raiding Wei's southern frontier, and the imperial army was defeated. Jian then split the tribes into two groups: those west of the Yellow River were assigned to Weichen; those east of the river were assigned to Liu Kuren. Later Jian made Weichen Chanyu, put him in charge of the new tribes of Hexi, and stationed him at Dilai. Murong Yong, holding Changzi, appointed Weichen Bearer of the Staff, Commander of Hexi forces, Grand General, Governor of Shuozhou, and King of Shuofang. Yao Chang also sent envoys to court him and appointed Weichen Bearer of the Staff, Commander of northern and mixed-barbarian forces, Grand General, Grand Chanyu, King of Hexi, and Governor of Youzhou.

登國中，衛辰遣子直力鞮寇南部，其眾八九萬。道武軍五六千人，為其所圍。帝乃以車為方營，並戰並前，大破之於鐵岐山南。直力鞮單騎而走。帝乘勝追之，自五原金津南度河，徑入其國。遂至衛辰所居悅跂城，衛辰父子驚遁。乃分遣陳留西元虔南至白鹽池，虜衛辰家屬；將軍伊謂至木根山，擒直力鞮。衛辰單騎遁走，為其部下所殺，傳首行宮。先是河水赤如血，衛辰惡之，及衛辰之亡，誅其族類，並投之於河。衛辰第三子屈丐奔薛幹部帥太悉伏。

During the Dengguo era Weichen sent his son Zhilidi to raid the southern frontier with eighty or ninety thousand men. Emperor Daowu had only five or six thousand troops and was surrounded. The Emperor formed his wagons into a square camp, fought while advancing, and won a great victory south of Mount Tieqi. Zhilidi fled alone on horseback. The Emperor pressed the victory, crossed the river south from Wuyuan's Golden Ford, and marched straight into their territory. He reached Yueqi, where Weichen lived; father and son fled in panic. He sent Prince Yuan Qian of Chenliu south to White Salt Pool to seize Weichen's family; and General Yi Yu reached Mugen Mountain and captured Zhilidi. Weichen fled alone, was killed by his own followers, and his head was sent to the imperial camp. Earlier the river had run red as blood, which Weichen took as an ill omen. After his fall his entire clan was executed and thrown into the river. Weichen's third son Qu Fu fled to Taisifu, chief of the Xuegan tribe.

屈丐，本名勃勃，明元改其名曰屈丐。北方言屈丐者卑下也。太悉伏送之姚興。興高平公破多羅沒弈于妻之以女。屈丐身長八尺五寸，興見而奇之。拜驍騎將軍，加奉車都尉，常參軍國大議，寵遇逾於勳舊。興弟濟南公邕言於興曰：「屈丐天性不仁，難以親育，寵之太甚，臣竊惑之。」興曰：「屈丐有濟世之才，吾方收其藝用，興之共平天下，有何不可？」乃以屈丐為安遠將軍，封陽川侯，使助沒弈于鎮高平。邑固諫以為不可。興乃止。以屈丐為持節、安北將軍、五原公，配以三交五部鮮卑二萬餘落，鎮朔方。

Qu Fu's original name was Bobo; Emperor Mingyuan changed it to Qu Fu. In the northern languages Qu Fu means "base and lowly." Taisifu sent him to Yao Xing. Xing's Duke of Gaoping, Poduoluo Moyu, gave him his daughter in marriage. Qu Fu stood eight chi and five cun tall; Xing was struck by his appearance. He was made General of Valiant Cavalry and Director of the Imperial Carriage, took part in major state councils, and was favored even above long-serving ministers. Xing's brother, the Duke of Jinan Yong, said to him: "Qu Fu is cruel by nature and hard to keep close. Your excessive favor toward him troubles me." Xing replied: "Qu Fu has talent to redeem the age. I mean to employ his abilities and rise with him to pacify the realm—what is wrong with that?" He then made Qu Fu General Who Pacifies the Distance, enfeoffed him as Marquis of Yangchuan, and sent him to assist Moyu in holding Gaoping. Yi Gu remonstrated strongly that this was unwise. Xing then abandoned the plan. Instead he made Qu Fu Bearer of the Staff, General Who Pacifies the North, and Duke of Wuyuan, gave him more than twenty thousand households of the Sanjiao and Wubu Xianbei, and posted him to Shuofang.

道武末，屈丐襲殺沒弈於而並其眾，僭稱大夏天王，號年龍升，置百官。興乃悔之。屈丐恥姓鐵弗，遂改為赫連氏，自雲徽赫與天連。又號其支庶為鐵伐氏，雲族剛銳如鐵，皆堪伐人。晉將劉裕攻長安，屈丐聞而喜曰：「姚泓豈能拒裕？裕必克之。待裕去後，吾取之如拾遺耳。」於是秣馬勵兵，休養士卒。及劉裕禽泓，留子義真守長安。屈丐伐之，大破義真，積人頭為京觀，號曰髑髏台。遂僭皇帝于氵霸上，號年為昌武，定都統萬，勒銘城南，頌其功德，以長安為南都。

Late in Daowu's reign Qu Fu murdered Moyu and seized his forces, declared himself Great Heavenly King of Xia, adopted the era name Longsheng, and set up a full bureaucracy. Only then did Xing regret his trust. Ashamed of the name Tiefu, Qu Fu took the surname Helian, claiming that his glory was brilliant and linked with Heaven. He called his collateral kin the Tiefa clan, saying they were hard as iron and fit to strike men down. When the Jin general Liu Yu attacked Chang'an, Qu Fu rejoiced and said: "How can Yao Hong hold out against Liu Yu? Liu Yu is sure to take the city. Once Liu Yu withdraws I shall seize it as easily as picking up something dropped on the road." He then fed his horses, drilled his troops, and let his men recover their strength. When Liu Yu captured Hong he left his son Yizhen to hold Chang'an. Qu Fu attacked him, routed Yizhen utterly, piled the dead into a mound of skulls, and called it Skull Terrace. He then declared himself emperor at Bashang, adopted the era name Changwu, made Tongwan his capital, had his achievements carved on a stele south of the city, and kept Chang'an as his southern capital.

性驕虐，視人如草，蒸土以築城，鐵錐刺入一寸，即殺作人而並築之。所造兵器，匠呈必死：射甲不入，即斬弓人，如其入，便斬鎧匠，殺工匠數千人。常居城上，置弓劍於側，有所嫌忿，手自殺人。群臣忤視者，鑿其目，笑者決其脣，諫者謂之誹謗，先截其舌，而後斬之。議廢其子璝，璝自長安起兵攻屈丐，丐遣子太原公昌破璝殺之。屈丐以昌為太子。始光二年，屈丐死，昌僭立。

Arrogant and cruel by nature, he treated people like weeds. He steamed earth to build his walls; if an iron awl sank a full cun into the rammed earth, he killed the worker and built his body into the wall. When testing new arms, craftsmen faced death either way: if an arrow failed to pierce armor he killed the bow-maker; if it pierced, he killed the armorer. He slaughtered thousands of craftsmen. He often lived atop the city wall with bow and sword at hand and killed with his own hands whenever he took offense. He gouged out the eyes of courtiers who met his gaze wrongly, cut the lips of those who laughed, called remonstrance slander, cut out the tongue first, and then beheaded the man. When he planned to depose his son Gui, Gui rose in Chang'an against him; Qu Fu sent his son Chang, Prince of Taiyuan, who defeated and killed Gui. Qu Fu then named Chang crown prince. In the second year of Shiguang Qu Fu died, and Chang seized the throne.

昌字還國，一名折，屈丐之第二子也。既僭位，改年承光。太武聞屈丐死，諸子相攻，關中大亂，於是西伐。乃以輕騎一萬八千，濟河襲昌。時冬至之日，昌宴饗，王師奄到，上下驚擾。車駕次於黑水，去其城三十餘里，昌乃出戰。太武馳往擊之，昌退走入城，未閉門，軍士乘勝入其西宮，焚其西門，夜宿城北。明日分軍四出，徙萬餘家而還。

Chang, styled Huanguo and also called Zhe, was Qu Fu's second son. After usurping the throne he adopted the era name Chengguang. When Emperor Taiwu heard that Qu Fu was dead and his sons were fighting one another, throwing Guanzhong into chaos, he marched west. With eighteen thousand light horsemen he crossed the river and struck at Chang by surprise. It was the winter solstice, and Chang was feasting when the imperial army appeared without warning and threw the court into panic. The Emperor halted at Black Water, a little more than thirty li from the city, and Chang came out to give battle. Taiwu charged him in person. Chang fled back into the city; before the gates could shut, the troops burst into the western palace, burned the western gate, and camped north of the walls that night. The next day he sent his forces out on four sides, relocated more than ten thousand households, and withdrew.

後昌遣弟定與司空奚斤相持于長安，太武乘虛西伐，濟君子津，輕騎三萬，倍道兼行。群臣咸諫曰：「統萬城堅，非一日可拔。今輕軍討之，進不可克，退無所資。不若步軍攻具，一時俱往。」帝曰：「夫用兵之術，攻城最下，不得已而用之。如其攻具一時俱往，賊必懼而堅守。若攻不時拔，則食盡兵疲，外無所掠，非上策也。朕以輕騎至其城下，彼先聞有步軍，步從見騎至，必當心閑。朕且羸師以誘之，若得一戰，擒之必矣。所以然者，軍士去家二千里，後有黃河之難，所謂置之死地而後生也。以是決戰則有餘，攻城則不足。」遂行，次於黑水，分軍伏于穀，而以少眾至其城下。昌將狄子玉來降，說：使人追其弟定，定曰：「城堅峻未可攻拔，待擒斤等，然後徐往，內外擊之，有何不濟？」昌以為然。太武惡之，退軍城北，示昌以弱，遣永昌王健及娥清等分騎五千，西掠居人。會軍士負罪，亡入昌城，言官軍糧盡，士卒食菜，輜重在後，步兵未至，擊之為便。昌信其言，引眾出城，步騎三萬。司徒長孫翰等咸言昌步陣難陷，宜避其鋒，且待步兵，一時奮擊。帝曰：「不然，遠來求賊，恐其不出。今避而不擊，彼奮我弱，非計也。」遂收軍偽北，引而疲之。昌以為退，鼓噪而前，舒陣為翼。行五六里，帝沖之，賊陣不動。稍前行，會有風起，方術官趙倪勸帝更待後日，崔浩叱之。帝乃分騎為左右以掎之。帝墜馬，賊已逼，帝騰馬刺殺其尚書斛黎文，殺騎賊十餘人。流矢中帝，帝奮擊不輟。昌軍大潰，不及入城，奔投上邽。遂克其城。

Later Chang sent his brother Ding to face Minister of Works Xi Jin at Chang'an. Taiwu seized the moment to strike west, crossed Junzi Ford, and with thirty thousand light horsemen pressed forward at forced march. His ministers all remonstrated: "Tongwan's walls are strong and cannot be taken in a day. If you go with a light force, you may fail to take it and have nothing to fall back on when you withdraw. Better send infantry and siege engines together in one expedition." The Emperor said: "In the art of war, storming a city is the worst option, used only when there is no choice. If we march up with siege train and infantry together, the enemy will be frightened and hold the walls all the harder. If we cannot take it quickly, our food will run out, the troops will tire, and we will have nothing to forage—that is no good plan. I shall ride to their walls with light cavalry alone. They will already have heard that infantry is coming; when they see only horsemen, they will take us lightly. I will feign weakness to draw them out; one battle will be enough to capture them. My men are two thousand li from home with the Yellow River at their backs—this is what it means to place an army on death ground so that it will fight to live. That is why we have enough strength for a decisive battle but not enough for a prolonged siege." He marched on, halted at Black Water, hid troops in the valleys, and appeared before the walls with only a small force. Chang's general Di Ziyu defected and urged him to recall his brother Ding. Ding replied: "The walls are too strong to storm. Wait until Xi Jin is captured, then advance at leisure and strike them from within and without—how can we fail?" Chang agreed. Emperor Taiwu took this badly. He pulled his army back north of the city to make Chang think he was weak, then sent Prince Yongchang Jian and E Qing with five thousand horsemen to raid westward and carry off the local inhabitants. By chance a soldier fleeing punishment entered Chang's city and reported that the imperial army was out of food, the men were eating vegetables, the baggage train lagged behind, and the infantry had not yet arrived—now was the time to attack. Chang believed him and marched out with thirty thousand foot and horse. Minister of Education Changsun Han and others all urged that Chang's infantry line would be hard to break; they should avoid his main force, wait for the foot soldiers, then attack together at one blow. The Emperor said: "No. We marched far to find this enemy and feared he would never leave his walls. If we hang back now, they will fight with spirit while we look weak. That is no strategy." He then drew his troops back and feigned a northward retreat, luring the enemy on until they were exhausted. Chang took this for a full retreat and advanced with drums and war cries, extending his lines to either side. After five or six li the Emperor charged, but the enemy line held firm. As they pressed forward, wind suddenly rose. The diviner Zhao Ni urged the Emperor to wait another day, but Cui Hao shouted him down. The Emperor then split his cavalry to left and right to take the enemy from both flanks. The Emperor was unhorsed with the enemy upon him. He sprang back into the saddle, ran through their Secretary of the Masters of Writing Huli Wen, and cut down more than a dozen horsemen. A stray arrow hit him, but he fought on without pause. Chang's army collapsed in rout. They never regained the city and fled toward Shanggui. Wei then took the city.

初，屈丐奢，好修宮室，城高十仞，基厚三十步，上廣十步，宮牆五仞，其堅可以礪刀斧。台榭高大，飛閣相連，皆雕鏤圖畫，被以綺繡，飾以丹青，窮極文采。帝顧謂左右曰：「蕞爾小國，而用人如此，雖欲不亡，其可得乎？」

Earlier Qu Fu had been extravagant and fond of building palaces. Tongwan's walls stood ten ren high on foundations thirty paces thick and ten paces wide at the top; the palace walls were five ren high, hard enough to hone blades. Towers and terraces soared high, linked by flying galleries, carved and painted, hung with brocades and silk, painted in red and green—the utmost in luxury. The Emperor turned to his companions and said: "A kingdom so small, yet spending its people like this—if it does not perish, what ever could?"

侍御史安頡禽昌，帝使侍中古弼迎昌至京師，舍之西宮門內，給以乘輿之副。又詔昌尚始平公主，假會稽公，封為秦王，坐謀反伏誅。

Supervising Secretary An Jie captured Chang. The Emperor sent Palace Attendant Gu Bi to escort him to the capital, lodged him inside the West Palace Gate, and provided a secondary royal carriage. He also ordered Chang to marry Princess Shiping, granted him the provisional title Duke of Kuaiji and enfeoffed him as Prince of Qin. Later, convicted of plotting rebellion, he was put to death.

昌弟定，小字直獖，屈丐之第五子也。凶暴無賴。昌敗，定奔於平涼，自稱尊號，改年勝光。定登陰槃山，望其本國，泣曰：「先帝以朕承大業者，豈有今日之事乎！使天假朕年，當與卿諸人建季興之業。」俄而群狐百數，鳴於其側，定命射之，無所獲。惡之曰：「所見亦大不臧，咄咄天道，復何言哉！」

Chang's brother Ding, known familiarly as Zhiben, was Qu Fu's fifth son. He was savage, violent, and utterly unscrupulous. After Chang's defeat Ding fled to Pingliang, declared himself emperor, and adopted the era name Shengguang. Ding climbed Mount Yinpan, gazed toward his lost realm, and wept: "Did the late emperor choose me to carry on the great enterprise for this day to come? If Heaven grants me more years, I shall rise again with all of you and restore our house." Suddenly a hundred foxes or more yowled beside him. Ding ordered them shot but none were hit. He took this as an evil omen and cried: "What we see could scarcely be worse. Heaven's will is plain—what more can be said?"

定與宋連和，遙分河北。自恆山以東，屬宋；恆山以西，屬定。太武親率輕騎襲平涼。定救平涼，方陣自固。帝四面圍之，斷其水草，定不得水，引眾下原，詔武衛將軍丘眷擊之。定眾潰，被創，單騎遁走，由其餘眾，乃西保上邽。神蒨四年，為吐谷渾慕璝所襲，禽定送京師，伏誅。

Ding allied with Song and agreed to divide the North China plain between them. Everything east of Mount Heng would belong to Song; everything west of Mount Heng to Ding. Emperor Taiwu personally led light cavalry in a raid on Pingliang. Ding marched to relieve Pingliang and drew up a square battle formation. The Emperor besieged him on all sides and cut off water and grazing. Unable to find water, Ding led his men down from the high ground. The Emperor ordered Martial Guard General Qiu Juan to attack. Ding's army broke. Wounded, he fled alone on horseback, gathered what troops remained, and withdrew west to hold Shanggui. In the fourth year of Shenrui, Mugui of Tuyuhun attacked him, captured Ding, sent him to the capital, and he was executed.

徒河慕容廆，字弈洛瑰，本出昌黎。曾祖莫護跋，魏初，率諸部落入居遼西，從司馬宣王討公孫氏，拜率義王，始建王府於棘城之北。祖木延，從毌丘儉征高麗有功，始號左賢王。父涉歸，以勳進拜鮮卑單于，遷邑遼東。涉歸死，廆代領部落。以遼東僻遠，遷於徒河之青山。穆帝世，頗為東部之患。廆死，子晃嗣。

Murong Guang of Tuhe, styled Yiluogui, was originally from Changli. His great-grandfather Mohuban, at the start of Wei rule, led the tribes into Liaoxi, followed Sima Yi in the campaign against the Gongsun house, and received the title King Who Leads in Righteousness. He first established a princely residence north of Jicheng. His grandfather Muyan accompanied Guanqiu Jian against Goguryeo and earned distinction, receiving the title Left Wise King. His father Shegui, for his services, was promoted to Xianbei Chanyu and moved his seat to Liaodong. When Shegui died, Guang took leadership of the tribe. Finding Liaodong too remote, he moved to Green Mountain on the Tu River. During Emperor Mu's reign he became a serious menace in the east. When Guang died, his son Huang succeeded him.

痈字景茂，號年建熙。痈政無綱紀。有神降於鄴，曰湘女，有聲，與人相接，數日而去。後苻堅遣將王猛代鄴，禽痈，封新興侯。道武之七年，苻堅敗於淮南。痈叔父垂叛堅，攻苻丕於鄴。痈弟濟北王泓先為北地長史，聞垂攻鄴，亡奔關東，還屯華陰，自稱雍州牧、濟北王；推垂為丞相、大司馬、吳王。堅遣子钜鹿公睿伐泓。泓弟中山王沖，先為平陽太守，亦起兵河東，奔泓。泓眾至十萬，遣使謂堅，求分王天下。堅大怒，責痈。痈叩頭流血謝，堅待之如初，命痈以書招垂及泓、沖。痈密遣使謂泓：「勉建大業，可以吳王為相國；中山王為太宰，領大司馬；汝可為大將軍，領司徒，承制封拜。聽吾死問，汝便即尊位。」泓進向長安，年號燕興。泓謀臣高蓋、宿勤崇等以泓德望後沖，且持法苛峻，乃殺泓，立沖為皇太弟，承制行事，置百官。進據阿房。初，堅之滅燕，沖姊清河公主年十四，有殊色，堅納之。沖年十二，亦有龍陽之姿，堅又幸之。姊弟專寵。長安歌之曰：「一雌復一雄，雙飛入紫宮。」王猛切諫，乃出沖。及其母卒，葬之以燕後之禮。長安又謠曰：「鳳皇，鳳皇，止阿房。」時以鳳皇非梧桐不棲，非竹實不食，乃蒔梧竹數千株于阿城，以待鳳皇。沖小字鳳皇，至是，阿城終為堅賊。痈入見堅謝，因言二子昨婚，欲堅幸第，堅許之。痈出，術士王嘉曰：「椎蘆作蘧蒢，不成文章。會天大雨，不得殺羊。」言痈將殺堅而不果也。堅與群臣莫解。是夜大雨，晨不果出。事發，堅乃誅痈父子及宗族，城內鮮卑無少長男女皆殺之。

Huang, styled Jingmao, took the reign title Jianxi. Huang's rule was lawless and without order. A spirit appeared at Ye calling itself Lady Xiang. It spoke aloud and mingled with people for several days, then vanished. Later Fu Jian sent his general Wang Meng to take Ye, captured Huang, and enfeoffed him as Marquis of Xinxing. In the seventh year of Daowu's reign, Fu Jian was defeated at Huainan. Huang's uncle Chui rebelled against Fu Jian and besieged Fu Pi at Ye. Huang's brother Hong, Prince of Jibei, had been chief clerk of Beidi. When he heard that Chui was attacking Ye, he fled east of the passes, returned to camp at Huayin, and declared himself Governor of Yong Province and Prince of Jibei; and they offered Chui the titles Chancellor, Grand Marshal, and Prince of Wu. Fu Jian sent his son, the Duke of Julu Rui, to attack Hong. Hong's brother Chong, Prince of Zhongshan, had been administrator of Pingyang. He too raised troops in Hedong and joined Hong. Hong's forces grew to one hundred thousand. He sent envoys to Fu Jian demanding that the empire be divided and each rule as king. Fu Jian was furious and rebuked Huang. Huang kowtowed until his forehead bled in apology. Fu Jian treated him as before and ordered him to write letters summoning Chui, Hong, and Chong. Huang secretly sent envoys to Hong: "Press on with the great enterprise. Let the Prince of Wu serve as Chancellor; let the Prince of Zhongshan be Grand Preceptor and Grand Marshal; you may be Grand General and Minister of Education, with authority to enfeoff and appoint officials. When you hear of my death, take the throne at once." Hong marched on Chang'an and adopted the era name Yanxing. Hong's advisers Gao Gai and Suqin Chong, judging Hong's stature inferior to Chong's and finding his rule harsh and severe, killed Hong and made Chong Imperial Younger Brother, with full authority to govern and appoint officials. They advanced and seized A-fang. When Fu Jian first conquered Yan, Chong's elder sister Princess Qinghe was fourteen and exceptionally beautiful. Fu Jian took her into the palace. Chong was twelve and possessed a beauty of the Longyang type; Fu Jian favored him as well. Brother and sister held the court's exclusive favor. Chang'an sang: "One hen and one cock, flying together into the Purple Palace." Wang Meng remonstrated forcefully, and Chong was sent away from court. When their mother died, he buried her with the rites due a Yan empress. Chang'an had another song: "Phoenix, phoenix, alight at A-fang." Because the phoenix was said to roost only in the parasol tree and eat only bamboo seeds, they planted thousands of parasol trees and bamboo shoots at A-fang to await its coming. Chong's childhood name was Phoenix. Now at last A-fang became the enemy of Fu Jian. Huang went in to apologize to Fu Jian and said that his two sons had married the day before; he invited Fu Jian to visit his home, and Fu Jian agreed. As Huang left, the diviner Wang Jia said: "Chopping rushes to weave a mat will never make a brocade. When heaven sends a great rain, the sheep cannot be slaughtered." This meant that Huang would try to kill Fu Jian but fail. Fu Jian and his ministers could make nothing of it. That night a heavy rain fell, and in the morning the visit did not take place. When the plot was exposed, Fu Jian executed Huang, his sons, and their entire clan. Within the city every Xianbei, young or old, male or female, was put to death.

沖敗，其左僕射慕容恆與永潛謀，襲殺隨，立宜都王子覬為燕王，號年建明。率鮮卑男女三十餘萬口，乘輿服御，禮樂器物，去長安而東。以永為武衛將軍。恆弟護軍將軍韜，陰有貳志，誘覬殺之于臨晉。恆怒，去之。永與武衛將軍刁雲率眾攻韜。韜遣司馬宿勤黎逆戰，永執而戮之。韜懼，出奔恆營。恆立慕容衝子望為帝，改年建平。眾悉去望奔永，永執望殺之，立慕容泓子忠為帝，改年建武。忠以永為太尉，守尚書令，封河東公。東至聞喜，知慕容垂稱尊號，托以農要弗進，築燕熙城以自固。刁雲等又殺忠，推永為大都督、大將軍、大單于、雍秦梁涼四州牧、河東王，稱蕃於垂。

After Chong was defeated, his Left Deputy Premier Murong Heng and Yong plotted in secret, killed Sui in a surprise attack, and set up Ke, Prince of Yidu, as king of Yan with the era name Jianming. They led more than three hundred thousand Xianbei men and women, along with imperial carriages, regalia, ritual vessels, and musical instruments, and departed Chang'an for the east. They appointed Yong Martial Guard General. Heng's brother Tao, Protecting the Army General, secretly turned disloyal, lured Ke in, and killed him at Linjin. Heng was enraged and broke with him. Yong and Martial Guard General Diao Yun led troops against Tao. Tao sent his major Suqin Li to meet the attack. Yong captured and executed him. Tao fled in fear to Heng's camp. Heng set up Murong Chong's son Wang as emperor and changed the era name to Jianping. The whole host abandoned Wang and rallied to Yong. Yong seized Wang and killed him, then set up Hong's son Zhong as emperor and changed the era name to Jianwu. Zhong made Yong Grand Commandant and acting Secretary of the Masters of Writing, and enfeoffed him as Duke of Hedong. When they reached Wenxi in the east and learned that Murong Chui had declared himself emperor, they halted on the pretext of urgent farm work and built Yanxi city to fortify their position. Diao Yun and others killed Zhong as well and proclaimed Yong Grand Coordinator, Grand General, Grand Chanyu, Governor of Yong, Qin, Liang, and Liang provinces, and Prince of Hedong, acknowledging Chui as overlord.

永進據長子，僭稱帝，號年中興。垂攻丁零翟釗於滑台，釗敗降永。永以釗為車騎大將軍、東郡王。歲餘，謀殺永，永誅之。垂來攻永，永敗，為前驅所獲，垂數而戮之。並斬永公卿已下刁雲、大逸豆歸等四十餘人。永所統新舊人戶、服御、圖書、器樂、珍寶，垂悉獲之。

Yong advanced to hold Changzi, declared himself emperor, and adopted the era name Zhongxing. Chui attacked the Dingling chieftain Zhai Zhao at Huatai. Zhao was defeated and surrendered to Yong. Yong made Zhao Grand General of Chariots and Cavalry and Prince of Dongjun. After more than a year Zhao plotted to kill Yong, and Yong had him executed. Chui came to attack Yong. Yong was defeated, captured by the vanguard, and Chui recited his crimes before executing him. He also beheaded more than forty of Yong's officials, including Diao Yun and Dayidou Gui. All the old and new subjects, regalia, books, musical instruments, and treasures under Yong's rule Chui took for himself.

垂字道明，晃第五子也。甚見寵愛，常自謂諸弟子曰：「此兒闊達好奇，終能破人家，或能成人家。」故名霸，字道業。恩遇逾於俊。俊弗能平，及即王位，以垂墜馬傷齒，改名為缺，外以慕郤缺為名，內實惡之。尋以讖記之文，乃去夬，以垂為名。年十三，為偏將，所在征伐，勇冠三軍。俊平中原，垂為前鋒，累戰有大功。及俊僭尊號，封吳王。

Chui, styled Daoming, was Huang's fifth son. He was deeply favored, and Huang would often tell his sons, "This boy is open-handed and restless; in the end he will either ruin a house or perhaps build one." For this reason he was named Ba, with the courtesy name Daoye. The favor shown him surpassed that given Murong Jun. Jun never made his peace with it. When he took the throne, he changed Chui's name to Que because Chui had fallen from his horse and broken his teeth—claiming outwardly to admire Xi Que while in truth he loathed the character. Before long, following a prophetic text, Jun dropped the component guai from the name and fixed it as Chui. At thirteen he was made a divisional commander; in every campaign his courage ranked first in the army. When Jun pacified the Central Plains, Chui led the vanguard and won great distinction in battle after battle. When Jun arrogated the imperial title, he enfeoffed Chui as Prince of Wu.

後以車騎大將軍敗桓溫於枋頭，威名大震，不容於痈，西奔苻堅。堅甚重之，拜冠軍將軍，封賓都侯。堅敗淮南，入於垂軍。子寶勸垂殺之，垂以堅遇之厚也，不聽。行至洛陽，請求拜墓，堅許之。遂起兵攻苻丕於鄴。垂稱燕王，置百官，年號燕元。

Later, as Grand General of Chariots and Cavalry, he defeated Huan Wen at Fangtou. His fame resounded far and wide, but Murong Jun would not tolerate him, and he fled west to Fu Jian. Jian held him in high esteem, made him Champion General, and enfeoffed him as Marquis of Bindu. When Jian was defeated at Huainan, he came into Chui's camp. His son Bao urged Chui to kill him, but Chui, remembering how generously Jian had treated him, refused. When they reached Luoyang, Chui asked leave to visit the ancestral tombs, and Jian granted it. He then raised an army and attacked Fu Pi at Ye. Chui declared himself King of Yan, set up a full bureaucracy, and adopted the era name Yanyuan.

登國元年，垂僭位，號年為建興。繕宗廟社稷於中山，盡有幽、冀、平州之地，遣使朝貢。三年，道武遣九原公儀使於垂，垂又遣使朝貢。四年，道武遣陳留公虔使於垂，垂又遣使朝貢。五年，又遣秦王觚使於垂，垂留觚不遣，遂絕行人。垂議討慕容水，太史令靳安言於垂曰：「彗星經尾、箕之分，燕當有野死之王。不出五年，其國必亡。歲在鶉火，必克長子。」垂乃止。安出而謂人曰：「此眾既並，終不能久。」安蓋知道武之興也，而不敢言。先是，丁零翟遼叛垂，後遣使謝罪，垂不許。遼怒，遂自號大魏天王，屯滑台，與垂相擊。死，子釗代之。及垂征克滑台，釗奔長子。垂議征長子，諸將咸諫。以永國未有釁，請他年。垂將從之，垂弟司徒、范陽王德固勸垂。垂曰：「司徒議與吾同，且吾投老，叩囊底智足以克之，不復留逆賊以累子孫。」乃伐永克之。

In the first year of Dengguo, Chui declared himself emperor and adopted the era name Jianxing. He restored the ancestral temple and state altars at Zhongshan, held all of You, Ji, and Ping provinces, and sent envoys bearing tribute. In the third year, Emperor Daowu sent the Duke of Jiuyuan Yi to Chui, and Chui again sent envoys with tribute. In the fourth year, Emperor Daowu sent the Duke of Chenliu Qian to Chui, and Chui again sent envoys with tribute. In the fifth year he sent the Prince of Qin, Tuoba Gu, to Chui; Chui detained Gu and refused to release him, and diplomatic contact ceased. Chui planned to attack Murong Yong, but the Director of Astronomy Jin An told him, "A comet has crossed the Wei and Ji asterisms; Yan will see a king die far from his capital. Within five years the state will surely fall. When the year reaches the Quhuo station, Changzi will be taken." Chui then abandoned the plan. After leaving, An told others, "Now that these forces are united, they cannot endure for long." He surely knew of Emperor Daowu's rise, but did not dare say so openly. Earlier the Dingling chieftain Zhai Liao had rebelled against Chui; when he later sent envoys to apologize, Chui refused to forgive him. Enraged, Liao declared himself Grand Heavenly King of Great Wei, encamped at Huatai, and fought Chui. When he died, his son Zhao succeeded him. When Chui captured Huatai, Zhao fled to Changzi. Chui planned to march on Changzi, but all his generals urged him against it. They argued that Yong's state had given no provocation and asked that the campaign be deferred. Chui was about to accept their advice, but his younger brother De, Prince of Fanyang and Minister of Education, pressed him to go ahead. Chui said, "The Minister of Education sees it as I do. I am old now, but every scrap of wit I have left in my bag is enough to take him—I will not leave this rebel to plague my descendants." He then attacked Yong and defeated him.

十年，垂遣其太子寶來寇。始寶之來，垂已有疾。自到五原，道武斷其行路，父子問絕。帝乃詭其行人之辭，臨河告之曰：「汝父已死，何不遽還？」寶兄弟聞之憂怖，以為信然，於是士卒駭動。初，寶至幽州，其所乘車軸無故自折。占工靳安以為大凶，固勸令還，寶怒，不從。至是，問安。安曰：「速去可免。」寶愈恐。安退告人曰：「今將死於他鄉，屍骸委於草野，為烏鳶螻蟻所食，不復見家族。」十月，寶燒船夜遁。時河冰未成，寶謂帝不能度，不設斥候。十一月，天暴風寒，冰合，帝進軍濟河急追之。至參合陂西，靳安言於寶曰：「今日西北風動，是軍將至之應，宜兼行速去，不然必危。」其夜，帝部分眾軍，東西為掎角之勢。約勒士卒，束馬口，銜枚無聲。昧爽，眾軍齊進，日出登山，下臨其營。寶眾晨將東引，顧見軍至，遂驚擾。帝縱騎騰躡，馬者蹶倒冰上。寶及諸父兄弟，軍馬迸散，僅以身免。寶軍四五萬人，一時放仗，斂手就羈。擒其王公文武數千。垂復欲來寇，太史曰：「太白夕沒西方，數日後見東方，此為躁兵，先舉者亡。」垂不從，鑿山開道，至寶前敗所，見積骸如丘，設祭吊之。死者父兄子弟遂皆栎皋哭，聲震山川，垂慚忿嘔血，發病而還，死于上穀。寶僭立。

In the tenth year, Chui sent his heir apparent Murong Bao to invade. By the time Bao marched out, Chui was already ill. Once Bao reached Wuyuan, Emperor Daowu cut his lines of communication, and father and son could no longer reach each other. The Emperor then falsified the reports of captured envoys and, standing by the river, called out, "Your father is already dead—why not turn back at once?" When Bao and his brothers heard this they were stricken with fear and took it for truth; the army fell into panic. Earlier, when Bao reached Youzhou, the axle of his carriage had snapped without cause. The diviner Jin An took this as a dire omen and strongly urged him to turn back, but Bao was angry and refused. Now he questioned An again. An said, "Leave at once and you may yet escape." Bao was more terrified than ever. An withdrew and told others, "He is about to die in a foreign land; his body will lie in the open fields for crows, kites, and ants to devour, and he will never see his kin again." In the tenth month, Bao burned his boats and fled under cover of night. The river had not yet frozen, and Bao assumed the Emperor could not cross; he posted no scouts. In the eleventh month a sudden bitter cold snap sealed the river with ice, and the Emperor crossed in force and gave chase. At the west of Canhe Slope, Jin An told Bao, "The northwest wind today is the sign that the enemy is near. You must march without rest and flee at once, or you will be lost." That night the Emperor divided his forces into eastern and western wings to take Bao in a pincer. He ordered his men to muzzle their horses and march in silence with gag-sticks in their mouths. At dawn the whole army moved as one; as the sun rose they took the heights and looked down on Bao's camp. Bao's army was preparing to march east at daybreak when they looked back, saw the enemy upon them, and fell into panic. The Emperor unleashed his cavalry in pursuit; horses slipped and fell on the ice. Bao and his kinsmen broke and fled; men and horses scattered, and they escaped with their lives alone. Forty or fifty thousand of Bao's soldiers cast down their weapons at once and surrendered. Several thousand princes, nobles, and civil and military officials were taken prisoner. Chui planned to invade again, but the Grand Astrologer said, "Venus sets in the west at dusk and reappears in the east days later—an omen of a restless army. He who strikes first will fall." Chui ignored the warning, cut a road through the mountains, and came to the site of Bao's defeat. Seeing bones heaped like hills, he made offerings and mourned the dead. The fathers, elder brothers, and sons of the dead all wailed before the burial mounds until the sound shook the hills; Chui, shamed and furious, vomited blood, took ill on the march home, and died at Shanggu. Bao declared himself emperor.

寶字道裕，垂之第四子也。少輕果，無志操，好人佞己。為太子，砥厲自修。垂妻段氏謂垂曰：「寶姿質雍容，柔而不斷，承平則為仁明之主，處難則非濟世之雄。今托以大業，未見克昌之美。遼西、高陽，兒之俊賢者，宜擇一以樹之。趙王驎奸詐負氣，常有輕寶之心，恐難作。」垂不納。寶聞，深以為恨。寶既僭位，年號永康。遣驎逼其母段氏自裁。段氏怒曰：「汝兄弟尚逼殺母，安能保社稷？吾豈惜死！」遂自殺。寶議以後謀廢嫡，稱無母之道，不宜成喪，群臣咸以為然。寶中書令眭邃執意抗言，寶從之而止。

Bao, styled Daoyu, was Chui's fourth son. In youth he was impulsive and rash, lacked firm resolve, and favored flatterers. As heir apparent he disciplined himself and tried to improve. Chui's wife, Lady Duan, told him, "Bao is gracious in manner, gentle but indecisive. In peaceful times he would make a benevolent ruler, but in crisis he is no hero who can rescue the realm. To entrust the great enterprise to him now is to see no promise of lasting success. Of your sons, Liaoxi and Gaoyang are the able ones; you should choose one of them and make him heir. The Prince of Zhao, Murong Lin, is cunning, proud, and contemptuous of Bao; I fear he would be difficult to control." Chui would not hear of it. When Bao learned of this he nursed a deep grudge. Once Bao had declared himself emperor, he adopted the era name Yongkang. He sent Lin to force his mother, Lady Duan, to kill herself. Lady Duan cried in rage, "You brothers would drive your own mother to her death—how can you hope to preserve the realm? Do you think I fear death!" She then took her own life. Bao argued that since he later planned to depose the heir, and citing the rites for a son without a living mother, a full funeral was inappropriate; the ministers all agreed. Bao's Secretariat Director Sui Sui stood firm against the proposal, and Bao yielded to him.

皇始元年，道武南伐。及克信都，寶大懼，夜來犯營，帝擊破之。寶走中山，遂奔薊。寶子清河王會先守龍城，聞寶被圍，率眾赴難，逢寶于路。寶分奪其軍，以授弟遼西王農等。會怒，襲農殺之，勒兵攻寶。寶走龍城，會追圍之。侍御郎高雲襲敗會師，會奔中山。寶命雲為子，封夕陽公。會至中山，為慕容普鄰所殺。寶至龍城，垂舅蘭汗拒之，寶南走奔薊。汗復遣迎。寶以汗，垂之季舅，子盛又汗之婿也，必謂無二，乃還龍城。汗殺之，及子策等百餘人。汗自稱大都督、大單于、昌黎王，號年青龍。以盛子婿，哀而宥之。

In the first year of Huangshi, Emperor Daowu marched south against Yan. When Xindu fell, Bao was terrified; he attacked the Wei camp by night, but the Emperor routed him. Bao fled to Zhongshan, then pressed on to Ji. Bao's son Hui, Prince of Qinghe, had been holding Longcheng; when he heard Bao was besieged, he marched to the rescue and met his father on the road. Bao stripped him of his troops and gave them to his younger brother Nong, Prince of Liaoxi, and others. Enraged, Hui ambushed Nong and killed him, then turned his army against Bao. Bao fled to Longcheng, and Hui pursued and besieged him there. The attendant Gao Yun routed Hui's army in a surprise attack, and Hui fled to Zhongshan. Bao adopted Yun as his son and enfeoffed him as Duke of Xiyang. When Hui reached Zhongshan, Murong Pulín killed him. When Bao reached Longcheng, Chui's maternal uncle Lan Han barred him; Bao fled south to Ji. Lan Han then sent envoys to welcome him back. Bao assumed Han, as Chui's youngest maternal uncle and the father-in-law of his son Sheng, would never betray him, and returned to Longcheng. Lan Han killed him, along with his son Ce and more than a hundred others. Lan Han declared himself Grand Coordinator, Grand Chanyu, and Prince of Changli, and adopted the era name Qinglong. Because Sheng was his son-in-law, he spared him out of pity.

盛字道運，寶長子也。垂封為長樂公，寶僭立，進爵為王。蘭汗之殺寶也，以盛為侍中、左光祿大夫。盛乃間汗兄弟，使相疑害。李旱、衛雙、劉志、張貞等皆盛之舊昵，汗太子穆並引為腹心。盛結旱等，因汗、穆等醉，夜襲殺之。僭尊號，改年為建平，又號年為長樂。盛改稱庶人大王。盛以寶暗而不斷，遂峻極威刑，於是上下震局。前將軍段璣等夜鼓噪攻盛；傷之。遂輦升殿，召叔父河間公熙，屬以後事，熙未至而死。

Sheng, styled Daoyun, was Bao's eldest son. Chui had enfeoffed him as Duke of Changle; when Bao declared himself emperor, he was raised to princely rank. When Lan Han killed Bao, he appointed Sheng Attendant-in-Chief and Left Grand Master of Splendid Happiness. Sheng then sowed discord among Lan Han's brothers until they turned on one another. Li Han, Wei Shuang, Liu Zhi, Zhang Zhen, and others were all old friends of Sheng; Lan Han's heir Mu brought them all into his inner circle. Sheng allied with Li Han and the others and, when Lan Han and Mu were drunk, struck by night and killed them. He declared himself emperor, adopted the era name Jianping, and also called his reign Changle. Sheng restyled himself Great King of the Common People. Like his father Bao, Sheng was muddled and unable to decide; he therefore resorted to the harshest punishments, and court and country alike shook with fear. Forward General Duan Ji and others attacked Sheng by night, raising drums and a great uproar; and wounded him. He was then borne by carriage into the hall, summoned his uncle Xi, Prince of Hejian, to entrust him with the succession, and died before Xi arrived.

熙字道文，小字長生，垂之少子也。群臣與盛伯母丁氏議，以其家多難，宜立長君，遂廢盛子定，迎熙立之。熙立，殺定，年號光始。築龍騰苑，起雲山于苑內。又起逍遙宮、甘露殿，連房數百，觀閣相交。鑿天河渠，引水入宮。又為妻苻氏鑿曲光海、清涼池。季夏盛暑，不得休息，暍死者太半。熙游城南，止大柳樹下，若有人呼曰：「大王且止。」熙惡之，伐其樹，下有蛇長丈餘。熙盡殺寶諸子，改年為建始。又為其妻起承華殿，負土於北門，土與穀同價。典軍杜靜載棺詣闕，上書極諫，熙大怒，斬之。熙妻當季夏思凍魚膾，仲冬須生地黃，切責不得，加有司大辟。苻氏死，熙擁其屍僵僕絕息，久而乃蘇，悲號擗踴，斬衰食粥。大斂之後，復啟而交接。制百官哭臨，沙門素服。令有司案檢，有淚者為忠，無淚者罪之，群臣莫不含辛以為淚。及葬，熙被髮徒步，從轜車毀城門而出。長老相謂曰：「慕容氏自毀其門，將不久矣。」衛中將軍馮跋兄弟閉門拒熙，執而殺之。立夕陽公雲為王。雲，寶之養子也，復姓高氏，年號正始。跋又殺雲自立。

Xi, styled Daowen and known in youth as Changsheng, was Chui's youngest son. The ministers consulted with Sheng's grand-aunt Lady Ding; since the clan had suffered repeated disasters, they agreed that an older ruler should be chosen. They deposed Sheng's son Ding and installed Xi in his place. Once enthroned, Xi killed Ding and adopted the era name Guangshi. He built Longteng Park and constructed Cloud Mountain inside it. He also built Free-and-Easy Palace and Sweet-Dew Hall, with hundreds of connected rooms and galleries and towers woven together. He dug the Heavenly River canal to bring water into the palace. For his wife Lady Fu he also excavated Curved-Light Sea and Cool Pool. In midsummer's fierce heat the laborers were given no rest, and more than half died of sunstroke. While touring the southern city, Xi stopped under a great willow tree, and someone seemed to call out, "Great King, wait." Xi took this as an ill omen, had the tree cut down, and found beneath it a serpent more than ten feet long. Xi put all of Bao's sons to death and changed the era name to Jianshi. He also built Chenghua Palace for his wife; laborers hauled earth at the north gate until soil sold for the same price as grain. Palace Guard Commander Du Jing brought a coffin to the palace gate and submitted a desperate memorial of remonstrance. Xi flew into a rage and had him executed. In midsummer Xi's wife craved frozen fish sashimi; in midwinter she demanded fresh rehmannia root. When officials failed to procure them despite furious rebukes, she had the responsible officers sentenced to death. When Lady Fu died, Xi clutched her body until he collapsed rigid and breathless; only after a long while did he come to. He then wailed, beat his breast, and stamped in grief, put on the coarsest mourning hemp, and ate nothing but thin gruel. After the grand encoffinment he opened the coffin again and lay with her corpse. He commanded all officials to attend the mourning and weep, and ordered Buddhist monks to wear plain white robes. He had officials inspect the mourners: those who wept were judged loyal, those who did not were punished. The courtiers all held hot spices in their mouths to force out tears. At the funeral Xi went barefoot with his hair unbound, following the hearse and smashing through the city gate as he went out. The elders said to one another, "The Murong are tearing down their own house. Their days are numbered." Guard General of the Right Feng Ba and his brothers barred the gates against Xi, seized him, and killed him. They enthroned the Duke of Xiyang, Yun, as king. Yun had been Bao's adopted son; he restored the surname Gao and adopted the era name Zhengshi. Ba then killed Yun and seized the throne himself.

雲之立也，熙幽州刺史、上庸公慕容懿以遼西歸降。道武以懿為征東大將軍、平州牧、昌黎王。後坐反伏誅。

When Yun came to the throne, Murong Yi, Duke of Shangyong and Governor of Youzhou under Xi, surrendered Liaoxi to Wei. Emperor Daowu appointed Yi General Who Conquers the East, Governor of Pingzhou, and King of Changli. Later he was executed for rebellion.

超字祖明，德兄北海王納之子也。既僭位，號年太上。超南郊柴燎，焰起而煙不出，靈台令張光告人曰：「今火盛而煙滅，國其亡乎！」天賜五年，晉將劉裕伐超，超將公孫五樓勸拒之於大峴，不從。裕入大峴，超戰於臨朐，為裕敗。退還廣固，圍之。廣固鬼夜哭，有流星長十餘丈，隕於廣固。城潰，裕執超。送建康市斬之。

Chao, styled Zuming, was the son of Na, Prince of Beihai and elder brother of De. After seizing the throne, he adopted the era name Taishang. When Chao burned the firewood offering at the southern suburb, the flames leapt up but no smoke rose. Director of the Spirit Terrace Zhang Guang said to those around him, "The fire blazes yet the smoke dies—is the realm doomed?" In the fifth year of Tianci, the Jin general Liu Yu marched against Chao. Chao's general Gongsun Wulou urged him to hold Da Pass, but he refused. Yu broke through Da Pass; Chao gave battle at Linqu and was defeated. Chao withdrew to Guanggu, and Liu Yu besieged the city. Ghosts were heard weeping by night in Guanggu, and a meteor more than a hundred feet long fell upon the city. When the city fell, Yu captured Chao. Chao was taken to the marketplace at Jiankang and executed.

姚萇，字景茂，出於南安赤亭，燒當之後也，祖柯回，助魏掎姜維於遝中，以功假綏戎校尉、西羌都督。父弋仲，晉永嘉之亂，東徙榆眉。劉曜以弋仲為平西將軍，平襄公。後隨石季龍遷於清河灄頭，勒以弋仲為奮武將軍，封襄平公。弋仲死，子襄代，屯於譙城。慕容俊以襄為豫州刺史、丹陽公，屯淮南。自稱大將軍、大單于，為晉將桓溫所敗，奔河東。後為苻眉所殺。

Yao Chang, styled Jingmao, came from Chiting in Nan'an and was descended from the Shaodang Qiang. His grandfather Ke Hui had helped Wei trap Jiang Wei at Tazhong and, for that service, was provisionally appointed Colonel Who Pacifies the Barbarians and Commander of the Western Qiang. His father Yizhong moved east to Yumei during the Yongjia upheaval of Jin. Liu Yao appointed Yizhong General Who Pacifies the West and Duke of Pingxiang. Later he followed Shi Hu to Zhaotou in Qinghe, where Shi Le made him General Who Rouses the Martial and enfeoffed him as Duke of Xiangping. After Yizhong's death his son Xiang succeeded him and encamped at Qiaocheng. Murong Jun appointed Xiang Governor of Yuzhou and Duke of Danyang, stationing him in Huainan. He declared himself Grand General and Grand Chanyu, but was defeated by the Jin general Huan Wen and fled to Hedong. He was later killed by Fu Mei.

弋仲有子四十二人，萇第二十四。隨兄襄征伐，襄甚奇之。襄敗，降於苻堅。從堅征伐，頻有功。堅伐晉，以萇為龍驤將軍，督益梁州諸軍事，謂萇曰：「朕本以龍驤建業，龍驤之號，初未假人，今特以相授。山南之事，一以委卿。」堅左將軍竇中進曰：「王者無戲言，此亦不臧之徵也，惟陛下察之。」堅默然。及慕容泓起兵華澤，堅遣子衛大將軍睿討之，戰敗，為泓所殺。時萇為睿司馬，懼罪奔馬牧。聚眾萬餘，自稱大將軍、大單于、萬年秦王，號年白雀。數月之間，眾至十餘萬。與慕容沖連和，進屯北地。苻堅出五將山，萇執而殺之。

Yizhong had forty-two sons; Chang was the twenty-fourth among them. He followed his elder brother Xiang on campaign, and Xiang came to think very highly of him. After Xiang's defeat, he surrendered to Fu Jian. Serving under Fu Jian in his campaigns, he won repeated distinction. When Fu Jian marched against Jin, he made Chang Dragon General and put him in charge of military affairs in Yi and Liang provinces. He told Chang, "I first rose to power as Dragon General. That title had never been given to anyone else, and I now bestow it on you alone. All affairs south of the mountains I leave entirely in your hands." Fu Jian's Left General Dou Zhongjin said, "A ruler must not speak in jest. This is an ill omen as well—Your Majesty should consider it carefully." Fu Jian said nothing. When Murong Hong rebelled at Huaze, Fu Jian sent his son Rui, Guard General, to suppress him. Rui was defeated and killed by Hong. Chang was then Rui's Chief Commandant; fearing punishment for the defeat, he fled to Mumu. He gathered more than ten thousand followers, declared himself Grand General, Grand Chanyu, and Eternal King of Qin, and adopted the era name Baique. Within a few months his forces swelled to more than one hundred thousand. He allied with Murong Chong and advanced to encamp in Beidi. When Fu Jian emerged from Wujiang Mountain, Chang captured and killed him.

興字子略，萇長子也。既滅苻登，然後發喪行服。僭稱皇帝，年號皇初。天興元年，興去皇帝之號，降稱天王，號年洪始。興克洛陽，以其弟東平公紹鎮之。三年，興遣使來聘，道武遣謁者僕射張濟使於興。天興五年夏，興遣其弟義陽公平率眾四萬侵平陽，攻乾壁六十餘日，陷之。七月，車駕親征。八月，次永安，平募遣勇將率精騎二百窺軍，為前鋒將長孫肥所禽，匹馬不反。平遂退走。帝急追，及于柴壁，圍之。興乃悉舉其眾，救平。帝增築重圍，內以防平之出，外以距興之入。又截汾曲為南北浮橋，乘西岸築圍。帝帥師度蒙阬南四十里，逆擊興。興晨行北引，未及安營，大軍卒至，興眾怖憂。帝知興氣挫，乃南絕蒙阬之口，東杜新阪之隘，守天度，屯賈山，令平水陸路絕，將坐甲而禽之。又令緣汾帶罔樹柵，以衛芻牧者。九月，興從汾西北下，憑壑為壘以自固。興又將數千騎乘西橋。官軍鉤取，以為薪蒸。興還壘，道武度其必攻西圍，乃命修塹，增廣之。至夜，興果來攻，梯短不及，棄之塹中而還。興又分其眾，臨汾為壘，叩逼水門，與平相望。帝因截水中，興內外隔絕，士眾喪氣。於是平糧盡，窘急，夜悉眾將突西南而出。興列兵汾西，舉烽鼓噪，為平接援。帝簡諸軍精銳，屯汾西固守，南絕水口。興夜聞聲，望平力戰突免；平聞外鼓，望興攻圍引接。故但叫呼，虛相應和，莫敢逼圍。平不得出，窮逼，乃將二妾赴水死。興安遠將軍不蒙世、揚武將軍雷重等將士四千餘人隨平投水，帝令泅水鉤捕，無得免者。平眾三千餘人，皆斂手受執。擒興尚書右僕射狄伯支已下四十餘人。興遠來救，自觀其窮，力不能免，舉軍悲號，震動山谷，數日不止。頻遣使請和，帝不許，乃班師。興還長安。有雀數萬頭鬥於興廟，毛羽折落，多有死者，月餘乃止。識者曰：「今雀鬥廟上，子孫當有爭亂者乎？」又興殿有聲如牛栎句。有二狐入長安，一登興殿屋，走入宮，一入市，求之不得。永興三年，興遣周寶來聘。五年，興遣使來聘，並請進女，明元許之。神瑞元年，興遣兼散騎常侍，尚書吏部郎嚴康來聘。二年，興遣散騎常侍、東武侯姚敞、尚書姚軌奉其西平公主于明元，明元以後禮納之。

Xing, styled Zilue, was Chang's eldest son. Only after defeating Fu Deng did he announce his father's death and enter mourning. He declared himself emperor and adopted the era name Huangchu. In the first year of Tianxing, Xing relinquished the title of emperor, styled himself Heavenly King instead, and adopted the era name Hongshi. Xing took Luoyang and left his younger brother Shao, Duke of Dongping, to hold it. In the third year Xing sent envoys on a diplomatic mission, and Emperor Daowu sent Master of Ceremonies Zhang Ji to Qin in return. In the summer of the fifth year of Tianxing, Xing sent his brother Ping, Duke of Yiyang, at the head of forty thousand men to invade Pingyang. After besieging Ganbi for more than sixty days, Ping took the fortress. In the seventh month the emperor led the campaign in person. In the eighth month the emperor halted at Yong'an. Ping sent a bold officer with two hundred elite horsemen to scout the Wei army, but Vanguard General Changsun Fei captured them all—not one horse returned. Ping then withdrew in retreat. The emperor pressed the pursuit, caught up with him at Chaibi, and besieged the fortress. Xing then mobilized his entire army to rescue Ping. The emperor strengthened the siege lines, building inner works to keep Ping from breaking out and outer works to block Xing from entering. He also dammed the bend of the Fen River to build pontoon bridges north and south of the water, and erected siege works along the west bank. The emperor led his troops forty li south of Mengkeng and attacked Xing head-on. Xing marched north through the night, but before his camp was set the main Wei force was upon him, and his troops were seized with fear. Seeing that Xing's morale was broken, the emperor blocked the southern mouth of Mengkeng, sealed the eastern pass at Xinban, held Tiandu, and encamped at Jiashan, cutting off all of Ping's routes by land and water and preparing to capture him without fighting. He also had nets and wooden palisades set up along the Fen to protect the foragers. In the ninth month Xing descended from the northwest along the Fen and fortified himself in the ravines. Xing then led several thousand horsemen across the west bridge. Wei troops dragged them out with grappling hooks and burned them for fuel. When Xing withdrew to his camp, Emperor Daowu judged that he would surely attack the western siege line and ordered the ditches repaired and widened. That night Xing attacked as expected, but his ladders were too short to reach the walls. He abandoned them in the ditches and withdrew. Xing then split his forces, built fortifications along the Fen, pressed up to the water gate, and faced Ping across the river. The emperor then blocked the river between them, cutting Xing off from both sides. His soldiers lost heart. Ping's supplies then ran out. In desperation he gathered his entire force by night and tried to break out to the southwest. Xing lined up his troops west of the Fen, raised beacon fires, and beat drums and shouted to cover Ping's breakout. The emperor picked the best troops from every unit, held the west bank of the Fen, and blocked the southern water gate. Hearing the commotion by night, Xing looked toward Ping and saw him fighting desperately to break out; Ping heard the drums outside and expected Xing to storm the siege lines and bring him out. But each side only shouted in empty reply to the other, and neither dared press the siege. Unable to break out and driven to the end, Ping took two concubines with him into the river and drowned. More than four thousand of Ping's followers, including General Who Pacifies the Distance Bu Mengshi and General Who Displays Martial Lei Zhong, leaped into the water with him. The emperor ordered swimmers to drag them out with hooks, and none escaped. More than three thousand of Ping's remaining troops surrendered without a fight. They also captured more than forty of Xing's officials, including Right Vice Director of the Masters of Writing Di Bozhi. Xing had marched from afar to save him, but seeing Ping's hopeless plight and knowing he could not break through, his whole army wailed until the mountains and valleys shook, and the lament did not cease for days. Xing repeatedly sent envoys to sue for peace, but the emperor refused, and he withdrew his army. Xing returned to Chang'an. Tens of thousands of sparrows fought at the temple of Xing's ancestors; feathers broke off and many birds died, and the strange event did not cease for more than a month. The knowledgeable said, "Sparrows fighting atop the temple—surely strife awaits his descendants? In Xing's palace hall there also appeared a sound like the creaking of an ox-yoke. Two foxes entered Chang'an. One climbed onto the roof of Xing's palace and ran into the inner palace; the other entered the market. A search was mounted, but neither could be found. In the third year of Yongxing, Xing sent Zhou Bao on a diplomatic mission to Wei. In the fifth year, Xing sent an envoy on a diplomatic visit and also asked to send a daughter for marriage. Emperor Mingyuan agreed. In the first year of Shenrui, Xing sent Yan Kang, Concurrent Regular Attendant of the Scattered Cavalry and Bureau Director in the Masters of Writing, on a diplomatic mission. In the second year, Xing sent Regular Attendant of the Scattered Cavalry Yao Chang, Marquis of Dongwu, and Master of Writing Yao Gui to present his daughter, the Princess of Xiping, to Emperor Mingyuan, who received her with the rites due an empress consort.

馮跋，字文起，小名乞直代，本出長樂信都。慕容永僭號長子，以跋父安為將。永為垂所滅，安東徙昌黎，家于長穀，遂同夷俗。

Feng Ba, courtesy name Wenqi, childhood name Qizhidai, was originally from Xindu in Changle Commandery. When Murong Yong declared himself ruler at Changzi, he appointed Ba's father An as a general. After Yong was destroyed by Murong Chui, An moved east to Changli and settled at Changgu, where the family adopted local non-Han customs.

神蒨二年，跋有疾，其長子永先死，立次子翼為世子，攝國事，勒兵以備非常。跋妾宋氏規立其子受居，深忌翼，謂之曰：「主上疾將瘳，奈何代父臨國乎！」翼遂還。樣氏矯絕內外，遣閽人傳問。翼及跋諸子、大臣並不得省疾，唯中給事胡福獨得出入，專掌禁衛。跋疾甚，福慮宋氏將成其計，乃言于跋弟弘。勒兵而入，跋驚怖而死。弘襲位，翼勒兵出戰不利，遂死。跋有子男百餘人，悉為弘所殺。

In the second year of Shenqian, Ba fell ill. His eldest son Yong had already died, so he made his second son Yi heir apparent, gave him charge of state affairs, and mustered troops against any emergency. Ba's concubine Lady Song plotted to make her son Shouju heir and deeply resented Yi. She told him, "Our lord's illness is nearly cured—how can you replace your father and rule in his stead! Yi thereupon withdrew. Lady Song cut off all communication between the palace and the outside world and had gatekeepers relay all inquiries. Neither Yi nor any of Ba's other sons nor the chief ministers were allowed to visit him. Only Central Palace Attendant Hu Fu had free access and held sole command of the palace guard. As Ba's illness worsened, Fu, fearing Lady Song would succeed in her scheme, told Ba's younger brother Hong. Hong led troops into the palace. Ba died of shock and terror. Hong seized the throne. Yi took the field but was defeated and killed. Ba had more than a hundred sons, and Hong had them all killed.

弘字文通，跋之少弟也。跋立，為尚書右僕射，封中山公，領中領軍，內掌禁衛，外總朝政。歷位司徒。及自立，乃與宋氏通和。延和元年，太武親討之，弘嬰城固守。其營丘、遼東、成周、樂浪、帶方、玄菟六郡皆降，太武徙其人三萬餘家於幽州。其尚書郭深勸之歸誠進女，乞為附庸，保守宗廟。弘曰：「負釁在前，忿形已露，附降取死。不如守志，更圖所適也。」先是，弘廢其元妻王氏，黜世子崇，令鎮肥如，以後妻慕容氏子曰王仁為世子。崇母弟廣平公朗、樂陵公邈相謂曰：「禍將至矣！」於是遂出奔遼西，勸崇來降，崇納之。會太武使給事中王德陳示成敗，崇遣邈入朝。太武封崇遼西王，錄其國尚書事，遼西十郡，承制假授文官尚書、刺史，武官征虜已下。弘遣其將封羽率眾圍崇，太武詔永昌王健督諸軍救之。封羽又以凡城降，徙其人三千餘家而還。弘遣其尚書高顒請罪，乞以季女充掖庭。帝許之，徵其子王仁入朝，弘不遣。其散騎常侍劉訓諫，弘大怒，殺之。太武又詔樂平王丕等計之。日就蹙削，上下危懼。弘太常陽曵昬復勸弘請罪乞降，令王仁入侍。弘不聽，乃密求迎於高麗。太延二年，高麗遣將葛居盧等率眾迎之，弘乃擁其城內士女入於高麗。先是，其國有狼夜繞城群嗥。如是終歲。又有鼠集於城西，闐滿數里，西行，至水則在前者銜馬矢，迭相齧尾而度。宿軍地燃，一旬而滅，觸地生蛆，月餘乃止。和龍城生白毛，一尺二寸。

Hong, courtesy name Wentong, was Ba's youngest brother. When Ba founded his state, Hong was appointed Right Vice Director of the Masters of Writing and enfeoffed as Duke of Zhongshan. He commanded the Central Guard Army, controlled palace security, and directed court affairs. He rose to the post of Minister over the Masses. When he took the throne for himself, he reconciled with Lady Song. In the first year of Yanhe, Emperor Taiwu marched against him in person. Hong shut himself inside the city and held out. Six of his commanderies—Yingqiu, Liaodong, Chengzhou, Lelang, Daifang, and Xuantu—all surrendered, and Taiwu resettled more than thirty thousand households to You Province. His Master of Writing Guo Shen urged him to submit in good faith, send a daughter as tribute, accept vassal status, and preserve his ancestral temples. Hong said, "We are already guilty, and our hostility is plain. Submission would be death. Better to hold firm and look for another way out. Earlier, Hong had deposed his first wife, Lady Wang, removed his heir Chong and sent him to hold Feiru, and made Wang Ren—the son of his later Murong wife—heir apparent. Chong's younger brothers by the same mother, the Duke of Guangping Lang and the Duke of Leling Miao, said to each other, "Disaster is coming! They fled to Liaoxi and urged Chong to surrender to Wei, and Chong agreed. At that point Taiwu sent Palace Attendant Wang De to explain what victory or defeat would mean, and Chong sent Miao to court. Taiwu enfeoffed Chong as King of Liaoxi, put him in charge of his state's Masters of Writing over ten Liaoxi commanderies, and authorized him to appoint civil officials as Masters of Writing or governors and military officers of rank General Who Conquers Barbarians and below. Hong sent his general Feng Yu to besiege Chong, and Taiwu ordered Prince Yongchang Jian to command the relief armies. Feng Yu also surrendered Fancheng, and Wei resettled more than three thousand of its households and withdrew. Hong sent his Master of Writing Gao Yong to apologize and ask to send his youngest daughter into the imperial harem. The emperor agreed but summoned Wang Ren to court. Hong refused to send him. His Regular Attendant of the Scattered Cavalry Liu Xun remonstrated with him. Hong flew into a rage and had him killed. Taiwu again ordered Prince of Leping Pi and others to take counsel against him. With each passing day the realm was narrowed further, and high and low alike were gripped by fear. Hong's Minister of Ceremonies Yang Pin again urged him to apologize and surrender and to send Wang Ren to court as hostage. Hong refused to listen and secretly asked Koguryo to receive him. In the second year of Taiyan, Koguryo sent Generals Ge Julu and others to fetch him, and Hong took the men and women of the city with him into Koguryo. Earlier, wolves had circled the city howling by night. This went on for an entire year. Rats also gathered west of the city for several li. When they reached water, those in front held horse dung in their mouths and bit one another's tails in turn to cross over. The army camp burned overnight and smoldered for ten days. Maggots appeared wherever the ground was touched, and this did not cease for more than a month. White hair one foot two inches long sprouted at Helong City.

弘至遼東，高麗遣使勞之曰：「龍城王馮君，爰適野次，士馬勞乎？」弘慚怒，稱制答讓之。高麗乃處之于平郭，尋徙北豐。弘素侮高麗，政刑賞罰，猶如其國。高麗乃奪其侍人，質任王仁。弘忿怨之，謀將用奔。太武又徵弘於高麗。乃殺之于北豐，子孫同時死者十餘人。弘子朗、邈。朗子熙，在《外戚傳》。

When Hong reached Liaodong, Koguryo sent an envoy to greet him: "King of Longcheng, Lord Feng, you have come to this wild encampment—are your men and horses weary? Hong, shamed and angry, answered as sovereign and rebuked them. Koguryo then housed him at Pingguo and soon moved him to Beifeng. Hong had always despised Koguryo, yet still dispensed government, punishments, and rewards as though he were still in his own kingdom. Koguryo then stripped him of his attendants and held Wang Ren hostage. Hong nursed his resentment and planned to flee. Taiwu again demanded that Koguryo surrender Hong. Koguryo then killed him at Beifeng, and more than ten of his descendants died with him. Hong's sons were Lang and Miao. Lang's son Xi is treated in the Biography of the Consort Clans.

乞伏國仁，隴西人也。其先如弗，自漠北南出。五世祖佑鄰，並兼諸部，眾漸盛。父司繁，擁部落降苻堅，堅以為南單于，又拜鎮西將軍，鎮勇士川。司繁死，國仁為將軍。及堅敗，國仁叔步頹叛于隴石。堅令國仁討之，步頹大悅，迎而推之，部眾十餘萬。道武時，私署大都督、大將軍、大單于、秦河二州牧，號年建義，署置官屬。分部內為十一郡，築勇士城以都之。

Qifu Guoren was a native of Longxi. His ancestors were the Rufu, who had come south from beyond the northern deserts. His fifth-generation ancestor Youlin gradually absorbed the surrounding tribes, and their numbers steadily grew. His father Sifu led the tribe in submission to Fu Jian, who named him Southern Chanyu and also appointed him General Who Guards the West at Yongshi River. After Sifu's death, Guoren became a general. When Fu Jian was defeated, Guoren's uncle Bufei rebelled in Longshi. Fu Jian ordered Guoren to attack him, but Bufei was delighted and welcomed Guoren instead, making him leader of a following of more than one hundred thousand. During the reign of Emperor Daowu, he declared himself Grand Commander-in-Chief, Grand General, Grand Chanyu, and Governor of Qin and He provinces, adopted the era name Jianyi, and established a full court. He divided his territory into eleven commanderies and built Yongshi City as his capital.

國仁死，弟乾歸統事，自署大都督、大將軍、大單于、河南王，改年為太初，置百官。登國中，遷于金城。城門自壞，乾歸惡之，遷于苑川。尋為姚興所破，又奔枹罕，遂降姚興。拜為河州刺史，封歸義侯。尋遣還苑川。乾歸乃背姚興，私稱秦王，置百官，號年更始。遣使請援，明元許之。田於五溪，有梟集其手，尋為其兄子公府所殺。

After Guoren's death, his younger brother Qiangui took power, declared himself Grand Commander-in-Chief, Grand General, Grand Chanyu, and King of Henan, adopted the era name Taichu, and established a full bureaucracy. During the Dengguo era he moved his capital to Jincheng. When the city gate collapsed by itself, Qiangui took it as a bad omen and moved to Yuanchuan. He was soon defeated by Yao Xing, fled to Fuhan, and submitted to him. Yao Xing appointed him Governor of He Province and enfeoffed him as Marquis Who Returns to Righteousness. He was soon sent back to Yuanchuan. Qiangui then broke with Yao Xing, declared himself King of Qin, restored his bureaucracy, and adopted the era name Gengshi. He sent envoys to request aid, and Emperor Mingyuan agreed. While hunting in the fields at Wuxi, an owl perched on his hand. Soon afterward he was killed by his nephew Gongfu.

子熾盤殺公府，代統任。熾盤自稱大將軍、河南王，改年為永康。後襲禿發傉檀于樂都，滅之，乃私署秦王，置百官，改年為建弘。後遣其尚書郎莫者胡、積射將軍乞伏又寅貢金二百斤，請伐赫連昌，太武許之。及統萬事平，熾盤乃遣其叔平遠將軍泥頭、弟安遠將軍安度質于京師。又使其中書侍郎王愷、丞相從事中郎烏訥闐奉表貢其方物。熾盤死，子慕末統任。

His son Chipan killed Gongfu and took power. Chipan declared himself Grand General and King of Henan and adopted the era name Yongkang. He later attacked and destroyed Tufa Rutan at Ledu, then declared himself King of Qin, restored his bureaucracy, and adopted the era name Jianhong. Later he sent his Bureau Director Mo Zhehu and General of Accumulated Archery Qifu Youyin with two hundred jin of gold, asking leave to attack Helian Chang. Taiwu agreed. After Tongwan fell, Chipan sent his uncle General Who Pacifies the Distance Nitou and his younger brother General Who Pacifies the Far Andu to the capital as hostages. He also sent his Secretariat Gentleman Wang Kai and Attendant of the Chancellor Wune Tian with a memorial and tribute goods. After Chipan's death, his son Mumo succeeded him.

慕末字安石跋。既立，改年為永弘。其尚書隴西辛進嘗隨熾盤遊後園，進彈鳥，丸誤傷慕末母面。至是，誅進五族二十七人。慕末弟殊羅蒸熾盤左夫人禿發氏，慕末知而禁之，殊羅與叔父什夤謀殺慕末，使禿發氏盜門鑰。鑰誤，門不開。門者以告，慕末收其黨，盡殺之。欲鞭什夤，什夤曰：「我負汝死，不負汝鞭。」慕末怒，刳其腹，投屍於河。什夤母弟白養及去列，頗有怒言，又殺之。政刑酷濫，內外崩離，部人多叛。

Mumo, courtesy name Anshibo. Upon taking the throne, he adopted the era name Yonghong. His Master of Writing Xin Jin of Longxi had once gone with Chipan to the rear garden, where Jin was shooting birds. A pellet accidentally struck Mumo's mother in the face. Now Mumo executed twenty-seven members of Xin Jin's extended family across five clans. Mumo's younger brother Shuluo had an affair with Chipan's left consort, Lady Tufa. When Mumo learned of it and forbade it, Shuluo and his uncle Shi Yin plotted to kill him and had Lady Tufa steal the gate key. The key was wrong and the gate would not open. The gate guards reported the attempt, and Mumo seized the conspirators and had them all killed. When Mumo meant to whip Shi Yin, Shi Yin said, "I owe you death, not a beating. Mumo in rage cut open his belly and threw the corpse into the river. Shi Yin's younger brothers Bai Yang and Qu Lie spoke bitterly against him, and Mumo killed them as well. His government was savage and arbitrary, his regime collapsed from within, and many of his followers rebelled.

後為赫連定所逼，遣王愷、烏訥闐請迎于太武。太武許以安定以西，平涼以東封之。慕末乃焚城邑，毀寶器，率戶萬五千至高田穀。為赫連定所拒，遂保南安。太武遣師迎之，慕末衛將軍吉毗固諫，以為不宜內徙，慕末從之。赫連定遣其北平公韋代率眾萬人攻南安。城內大饑，人相食。神蒨四年，慕末及宗族五百餘人出降，送於上邽，遂為定滅。

Later, harried by Helian Ding, he sent Wang Kai and Wune Tian to ask Taiwu to receive him. Taiwu agreed to grant him the lands west of Anding and east of Pingliang. Mumo then burned his towns, destroyed his treasures, and led fifteen thousand households to Gaotiangu Valley. Blocked by Helian Ding, Mumo withdrew to hold Nan'an. Taiwu sent an army to fetch him, but Mumo's Defender General Ji Bi firmly remonstrated, arguing that moving inward was unwise. Mumo took his advice. Helian Ding sent his Duke of Beiping, Wei Dai, at the head of ten thousand men to attack Nan'an. Famine gripped the city, and people turned to cannibalism. In the fourth year of Shenqian, Mumo and more than five hundred kinsmen surrendered and were sent to Shanggui, where Ding destroyed them.

大沮渠蒙遜，本張掖臨松盧水人也，匈奴有左沮渠官，蒙遜之先為此職，羌之酋豪曰大，故以官為氏，以大冠之。世居盧水為酋豪。遜高祖暉仲歸、曾祖遮，皆雄健有勇名。祖祁復延，封伏地王。父法弘，襲爵。苻氏以為中田護軍。

Da Juqu Mengxun came originally from Lushui in Linshi, Zhangye. The Xiongnu had an office called Left Juqu, which Mengxun's ancestors had held. Among the Qiang, a tribal chieftain was styled da, "great," so the family took the office as its surname and prefixed it with that word. For generations they had lived at Lushui as tribal chieftains. Mengxun's great-grandfather Huizhonggui and his grandfather Zhe were both powerful men with reputations for valor. His grandfather Qifuyan was enfeoffed as King of Fudi. His father Fahong inherited the title. Fu Jian's court appointed him Central Field Protector of the Army.

蒙遜代父領部曲，有勇略，多計數，頗曉天文，為諸胡所推服，呂光自王於涼土，使蒙遜自領營人，配箱直。又以蒙遜叔父羅仇為西平太守。後遣其子慕率羅仇伐乞伏乾歸於枹罕，為乾歸所敗，殺之。蒙遜求還葬羅仇，因聚眾屯金山，與從兄晉昌太守男成共推建康太守段業為使持節、大都督、龍驤大將軍、涼州牧、建康公，稱神璽元年。業以蒙遜為張掖太守，封臨池侯，男成為輔國將軍，委以軍國之任。業又自稱涼王，以蒙遜為尚書左丞。忌蒙遜威名，微疏遠之。天興四年，蒙遜內不自安，請為西安太守。蒙遜欲激怒其眾，乃密誣告男成叛逆，業殺之。蒙遜泣而告眾，陳欲復讎之意。男成素有恩信，眾情怨憤，泣而從之。蒙遜因舉兵攻殺業，私署使持節、大都督、大將軍、涼州牧、張掖公，年號永安。居張掖。是月，涼武昭王亦起兵，年號庚子。

Mengxun succeeded his father as head of the tribal force. Bold and scheming, versed in astronomy and admired by the frontier peoples, he entered Lü Guang's service when Guang declared himself king in Liang. Guang had him lead camp followers attached to the baggage train. Guang also appointed Mengxun's uncle Luo Chou governor of Xiping. Later Guang sent his son Mu with Luo Chou to attack Qifu Qiangui at Fuhan. Qiangui defeated them and killed Luo Chou. Mengxun asked leave to bury Luo Chou, then gathered troops at Jinshan. With his cousin Nancheng, governor of Jinchang, he set up Duan Ye, governor of Jiankang, as Bearer of the Staff of Authority, Grand Commander-in-Chief, Grand Dragon Cavalry General, Governor of Liang Province, and Duke of Jiankang, and proclaimed the era Shenxi. Ye made Mengxun governor of Zhangye and enfeoffed him as Marquis of Linchi, appointed Nancheng General Who Supports the State, and entrusted both with military and civil affairs. Ye also styled himself King of Liang and made Mengxun Left Director in the Masters of Writing. Jealous of Mengxun's standing, Ye kept him at arm's length. In the fourth year of Tianxing, uneasy at court, Mengxun asked to be made governor of Xi'an. Seeking to rouse his followers, Mengxun secretly accused Nancheng of treason, and Ye had Nancheng executed. Mengxun wept before the assembly and declared his intent to avenge Nancheng. Nancheng had long enjoyed the people's trust. The army was outraged; weeping, they followed Mengxun. Mengxun then took the field, killed Ye, and declared himself Bearer of the Staff, Grand Commander-in-Chief, Grand General, Governor of Liang Province, and Duke of Zhangye, with the era name Yong'an. He established his capital at Zhangye. That same month the Martial and Revered King of Liang also rose in arms under the era name Gengzi.

神蒨中，遣尚書郎宗舒、左常侍高猛朝貢，上表稱臣。前後貢使相望。後遣子安周內侍。太武遣兼太常李順持節拜蒙遜為假節，加侍中、都督涼州西域羌戎諸軍事、太傅、行征西大將軍、涼州牧、涼王。使崔浩為冊書以褒賞之。蒙遜又改義和元年。延和二年四月，蒙遜死，詔遣使監護喪事，私諡武宣王。蒙遜性淫忌，忍于刑戮，閨庭之中，略無風禮。

During the Shenqian era he sent Bureau Director Zong Shu and Left Regular Attendant Gao Meng to court with tribute and a memorial declaring himself a subject. Tribute missions followed one after another. Later he sent his son Anzhou to serve at court. Taiwu sent Concurrent Minister of Ceremonies Li Shun with credentials to invest Mengxun as acting Bearer of the Staff, Palace Attendant, Commander of Liang Province, the Western Regions, and all Qiang and Rong forces, Grand Tutor, Acting Grand General Who Conquers the West, Governor of Liang Province, and King of Liang. He had Cui Hao draft the enfeoffment patent to praise and reward him. Mengxun then adopted the era name Yihe. In the second month of the second year of Yanhe, Mengxun died. An edict sent envoys to oversee the funeral, and he received the private posthumous title King Wu Xuan. Mengxun was lustful and suspicious by nature, savage in punishment, and his inner household knew almost no propriety.

第三子牧犍統任，自稱河西王，遣使請朝命。並遣使通宋，受宋褒授。先是，太武遣李順迎蒙遜女為夫人，會蒙遜死，牧犍受蒙遜遺意，送妹于京師，並為右昭儀。改稱承和元年。太武又遣李順拜牧犍為使持節、侍中、都督涼沙河三州西域羌戎諸軍事、車騎將軍、開府儀同三司、領護西戎校尉、涼州刺史、河西王。牧犍以無功受賞，乃留順，上表乞安、平一號，優詔不許。牧犍尚太武妹武威公主，遣其相宋繇表謝，獻馬五百匹，黃金百斤。繇又表請公主及牧犍母妃後定號。朝議謂禮母以子貴，妻從夫爵，牧犍母宜稱河西國太后；公主于國內可稱王后，于京師則稱公主。詔從之。牧犍遣建節將軍沮渠旁周朝京師，太武遣侍中古弼、尚書李順賜其侍臣衣服有差，並徵世子封壇入侍。牧犍乃遣封壇朝京師。

His third son Mujian took power, styled himself King of Hexi, and sent envoys to request formal recognition from the court. He also sent envoys to Liu Song and accepted Song investiture and honors. Earlier Taiwu had sent Li Shun to fetch Mengxun's daughter as consort. When Mengxun died, Mujian honored his father's wish and sent a younger sister to the capital, where she became Right Lady of Brilliant Comportment. He adopted the era name Chenghe. Taiwu again sent Li Shun to invest Mujian as Bearer of the Staff, Palace Attendant, Commander of Liang, Sha, and He provinces and all Western Regions Qiang and Rong forces, General of Chariots and Cavalry, Equal in Rank to the Three Excellencies with an open office, Grand Protector of the Western Barbarians, Governor of Liang Province, and King of Hexi. Mujian, who had been honored without merit, detained Shun and memorialized begging for the titles "Secure" or "Tranquil." A gracious edict refused. Mujian married Emperor Taiwu's younger sister, the Princess of Wuwei, and sent his minister Song Yao with thanks, five hundred horses, and a hundred jin of gold. Song Yao memorialized again, asking that titles be fixed for the princess and for Mujian's mother and principal consort. Court deliberation held that by ritual a mother rises with her son's rank and a wife follows her husband's; Mujian's mother should be styled Grand Dowager of Hexi; within the kingdom the princess could be called queen, but at the capital she would remain Princess of Wuwei. An edict approved this. Mujian sent General Who Establishes Authority Juqu Pang Zhou to court. Taiwu sent Palace Attendant Gu Bi and Master of Writing Li Shun to bestow robes on his ministers by rank and summoned the heir Fengtan to serve at court. Mujian then sent Fengtan to the capital.

太延五年，太武遣尚書賀羅使涼州，且觀虛實。帝以牧犍雖稱籓致貢，而內多乖悖，於是親征之。詔公卿為書讓之，數其罪十二。官軍濟河，牧犍曰：「何故爾也？」用其左丞姚定國計，不肯出迎，求救於蠕蠕。遣大將董來萬餘人拒軍于城南，戰退。車駕至姑臧，遣使喻牧犍令出。牧犍聞蠕蠕內侵善無，幸車駕返旆，遂嬰城自守。牧犍兄子祖逾城出降，具知其情。太武乃引諸軍進攻，牧犍兄子萬年率麾下又來降。城拔，牧犍與左右文武，面縛請罪，詔釋其縛。徙涼州人三萬餘家于京師。初，太延中，有一老父投書于敦煌城東門，忽然不見。其書紙八字，文曰：「涼王三十年，若七年。」又于震電所得石，丹書曰：「河西，河西，三十年。破帶石，樂七年。」帶石青山名，在姑臧南。山祀傍泥陷不通，牧犍征南大將軍董來曰：「祀豈有知乎！」遂毀祀伐木，通道而行。牧犍立，果七年而滅。初，牧犍淫嫂李氏，兄弟三人傳嬖之。李與牧犍姊共毒公主，上遣醫乘傳救公主，得愈。上徵李氏，牧犍不遣，厚送居於酒泉。上大怒，既克，猶以妹婿待之。其母死，以王太妃禮葬焉。又為蒙遜置守塚三十家，授牧犍征西大將軍，王如故。初，官軍未入之間，牧犍使人斫開府庫，取金銀珠玉及珍奇器物，不更封閉，百姓因之入盜，巨細蕩盡。有司求賊不得。真君八年，其所親人及守藏者告之，乃窮竟其事，搜其家中，番得所藏器物。又告牧犍父子多畜毒藥，前後隱竊殺人，乃有百數，姊妹皆為左道，朋行淫佚，曾無愧顏。始罽賓沙門曰曇無讖，東入鄯善，自雲能使鬼療病，令婦人多子。與鄯善王妹曼頭陀林淫通，發覺，亡奔涼州。蒙遜寵之，號曰聖人。曇無讖以男女交接術教授婦女，蒙遜諸女、子婦，皆往受法。太武聞諸行人言曇無讖術，乃召之。蒙遜不遣，遂髮露其事，拷訊殺之。至此，帝知之，於是賜昭儀沮渠氏死，誅其宗族。唯萬年及祖以前先降，得免。是年，人又告牧犍猶與故臣交通謀反，詔司徒崔浩就公主第賜牧犍死。與主決良久，乃自裁。葬以王禮，諡曰哀王。及公主薨，詔與牧犍合葬。公主無男，有女，以國甥得襲母爵為武威公主。

In the fifth year of Taiyan, Taiwu sent Master of Writing Heluo to Liang Province to observe conditions there. The emperor judged that although Mujian styled himself a vassal and sent tribute, he was deeply disloyal at heart, and marched against him in person. He ordered the chief ministers to draft a letter of rebuke listing twelve offenses. When the imperial army crossed the river, Mujian cried, "Why has it come to this?" He took the counsel of his Left Director Yao Dingguo, refused to come out to welcome them, and appealed to the Rouran for aid. He sent his great general Dong Lai with more than ten thousand men to block the army south of the city, but they were driven back in battle. The imperial carriage reached Guzang, and envoys were sent ordering Mujian to come out. Hearing that the Rouran had invaded at Shannwu, Mujian hoped the emperor would turn back and shut himself inside the city to hold out. Mujian's nephew Zu climbed over the wall and surrendered, revealing everything. Taiwu pressed the attack, and Mujian's nephew Wannian also came over with his followers. The city fell. Mujian and his chief civil and military officers bound themselves and begged for punishment, and an edict released their bonds. More than thirty thousand households from Liang Province were resettled at the capital. Earlier, during Taiyan, an old man left a letter at Dunhuang's east gate and then vanished. The paper bore eight characters: "The King of Liang: thirty years, or seven. Lightning also yielded a stone inscribed in cinnabar: "Hexi, Hexi—thirty years. Break Dai Shi, enjoy seven years." Dai Shi was the name of a green mountain south of Guzang. Mud had collapsed around a mountain shrine and blocked the road. Mujian's Grand General Dong Lai said, "Does a shrine know anything?" He destroyed the shrine, felled trees, and cleared a path. Mujian had reigned exactly seven years when he was destroyed. Earlier Mujian had taken his sister-in-law Lady Li as lover, and three brothers shared her. Li and Mujian's elder sister together poisoned the princess. The emperor sent physicians posthaste, and the princess recovered. The emperor summoned Lady Li, but Mujian refused to send her and instead settled her lavishly at Jiuquan. The emperor was furious, yet after the conquest still treated him as a kinsman by marriage. When Mujian's mother died, she was buried with the rites due a royal consort. Thirty families were assigned to guard Mengxun's tomb, and Mujian was appointed Grand General Who Conquers the West with his royal title unchanged. Before the imperial army entered, Mujian had the treasury broken open and its gold, silver, pearls, jade, and curios left unsealed. The people rushed in to loot until nothing remained. The authorities hunted the thieves in vain. In the eighth year of Zhenjun, his intimates and the treasury guards denounced him. A full investigation turned up hoarded goods throughout his household. Reports also held that Mujian and his father had long kept poisons and secretly killed scores of people, that his sisters practiced sorcery and moved in debauchery without shame. There had been a Kashmiri monk named Dharmaksema who entered Shanshan from the east, claiming he could heal by spirits and make women bear many sons. He had an affair with the King of Shanshan's younger sister Mandhatolin; when this was exposed, he fled to Liang Province. Mengxun favored him and styled him "the Sage." Dharmaksema taught women arts of sexual congress, and Mengxun's daughters and daughters-in-law all went to learn them. Taiwu heard travelers describe Dharmaksema's arts and summoned him. Mengxun refused to send him, exposed the affair, tortured him under interrogation, and killed him. Only then did the emperor learn the full story. He ordered Lady Juqu, the Brilliant Comportment, to die and executed her clan. Only Wannian and Zu, who had surrendered earlier, were spared. That year men again reported that Mujian was still in contact with former ministers and plotting rebellion. An edict ordered Minister over the Masses Cui Hao to the princess's residence to grant Mujian death. He took long leave of the princess and then killed himself. He was buried with royal rites and given the posthumous title King Ai. When the princess died, an edict ordered that she be buried with Mujian. The princess had no sons but a daughter, who as imperial kin by marriage inherited her mother's title as Princess of Wuwei.

蒙遜子季義，位東雍州刺史。真君中，與河東薛安都謀逆，召至京師，付其兄弟扼殺之。萬年、祖並以先降，萬年拜張掖王，祖廣武公。後坐謀逆，俱死。

Mengxun's son Jiyi served as Governor of Eastern Yong Province. During Zhenjun he plotted rebellion with Xue Andu of Hedong. Summoned to the capital, he was given to his brothers to be strangled. Wannian and Zu, for surrendering early, were enfeoffed: Wannian as King of Zhangye, Zu as Duke of Guangwu. Later both were executed for plotting rebellion.

初，牧犍之敗，弟樂都太守安周南奔吐谷渾，太武遣鎮南將軍奚眷討之。牧犍弟酒泉太守無諱奔晉昌，乃使弋陽西元潔守酒泉。真君初，無諱圍酒泉，陷之。又圍張掖，不能克，退保臨松。太武不伐，詔諭之。時永昌王健鎮涼州，無諱使其中尉梁偉詣健，求奉酒泉。又送潔及統帥兵士于健軍。二年，太武遣使拜無諱為征西大將軍、涼州牧、酒泉王。尋以無諱復規叛，遣南陽公奚眷討酒泉，克之。無諱遂謀度流沙，遣安周西擊鄯善，鄯善欲降，會魏使者勸令拒守，安周不能克，退保東城。三年春，鄯善王比龍西奔且末，其世子乃從安周。鄯善大亂。無諱遂度流沙，士卒渴死者太半，仍據鄯善。先是高昌太守闞爽為李寶舅唐契所攻，聞無諱至鄯善，使詐降，欲令無諱與唐契相擊。無諱留安周住鄯善，從焉耆東北趣高昌。會蠕蠕殺唐契，爽拒無諱。無諱將衛興奴遂屠其城。爽奔蠕蠕，無諱因留高昌。五年夏，無諱病死，安周立，為蠕蠕所並。

When Mujian was first defeated, his younger brother Anzhou, governor of Ledu, fled south to Tuyuhun. Taiwu sent General Who Guards the South Xi Juan against him. Mujian's younger brother Wuhui, governor of Jiuquan, fled to Jinchang and sent Xiyuan Jie of Yiyang to hold Jiuquan. At the opening of Zhenjun, Wuhui besieged and captured Jiuquan. He also besieged Zhangye but failed to take it, withdrew, and held Linshi. Taiwu did not march against him but sent an edict of instruction. Prince Yongchang Jian was then guarding Liang Province. Wuhui sent his Central Commandant Liang Wei to Jian to offer Jiuquan in submission. He also sent Jie and the garrison troops over to Jian's command. In the second year, Taiwu sent envoys to invest Wuhui as Grand General Who Conquers the West, Governor of Liang Province, and King of Jiuquan. Before long Wuhui was plotting rebellion again, so Taiwu sent the Duke of Nanyang, Xi Juan, against Jiuquan and captured it. Wuhui then planned to cross the desert. He sent Anzhou west against Shanshan, which was ready to surrender, but Wei envoys arrived and urged resistance. Anzhou failed to take the city and fell back to hold the eastern quarter. In the spring of the third year, King Bilong of Shanshan fled west to Qiemo, and his heir went over to Anzhou. Shanshan was thrown into chaos. Wuhui then crossed the desert; more than half his men died of thirst, but he still took Shanshan. Earlier, Gaochang governor Kan Shuang had been attacked by Li Bao's uncle Tang Qi. When he heard Wuhui had reached Shanshan, he feigned submission, hoping to set Wuhui and Tang Qi against each other. Wuhui left Anzhou at Shanshan and marched from Yanqi northeast on Gaochang. The Rouran then killed Tang Qi, and Shuang refused to submit to Wuhui. Wuhui's general Wei Xingnu then sacked the city. Shuang fled to the Rouran, and Wuhui settled at Gaochang. In the summer of the fifth year Wuhui died of illness. Anzhou took power but was soon swallowed up by the Rouran.

梁帝蕭詧，字理孫，蘭陵人，武帝之孫，昭明太子統之第三子也。幼好學，善屬文，尤長佛義，特為梁武嘉賞。梁普通中，封曲江縣公。及昭明太子薨，封詧岳陽郡王，位東揚州刺史，領會稽太守。初，昭明卒，梁武舍詧兄弟而立簡文，內常愧之，故寵亞諸子。以會稽人物殷阜，一都之會，故有此授，以慰其心，詧既以其昆季不得為嗣，常懷不平。又以梁武衰老，朝多秕政，有敗亡之漸。遂蓄聚貨財，交通賓客，招募輕俠，折節下之。其勇敢者，多歸附焉。左右遂至數千人，皆厚加資給。中大同元年，除西中郎將、雍州刺史，都督五州諸軍事，甯蠻校尉。詧以襄陽形勝之地，又梁武創基之所，時平足以樹根本，時亂足以圖霸功，遂務修刑政。

Emperor Xiao Cha of Liang, courtesy name Lisun, came from Lanling. He was a grandson of Emperor Wu and the third son of Crown Prince Zhaoming. From childhood he loved learning, wrote well, and excelled in Buddhist doctrine. Emperor Wu of Liang singled him out for praise. During the Putong era he was enfeoffed Duke of Qujiang County. After Crown Prince Zhaoming's death, Cha was made Prince of Yueyang, Governor of Eastern Yang Province, and concurrent Administrator of Kuaiji. When Zhaoming died, Emperor Wu passed over Cha and his brothers to make Jianwen heir—a choice that weighed on him. He therefore favored Cha almost as much as his own sons. Kuaiji was populous and prosperous—the chief city of the region—so he received the post to soothe him. Still, Cha resented that he and his brothers had been passed over for the succession. He also saw that Emperor Wu was aging, the court was riddled with bad policy, and the dynasty was sliding toward collapse. He began hoarding wealth, cultivating clients, recruiting bold adventurers, and humbling himself to win them over. Many brave men rallied to him. His personal following soon numbered in the thousands, all richly maintained. In the first year of Zhongdatong he was made General of the Household for the West, Governor of Yong Province, commander of five provinces' military affairs, and Colonel Who Pacifies the Man. Cha saw Xiangyang as a strategic stronghold and the cradle of the Liang dynasty—a base for power in peace and for ambition in chaos. He set himself to tightening law and administration.

太清二年，梁武以詧兄河東王譽為湘州刺史，徙湘州刺史張纘為雍州。纘恃才輕譽，州府迎候有闕，譽深銜之，遂托疾不與相見。後聞侯景作亂，頗陵蹙纘。纘構譽及詧于梁元帝，元帝令其世子方等及王僧辯相繼攻譽。譽告于詧，詧聞之大怒。及梁元將援建業，令所督諸州併發兵赴都，詧遣府司馬劉方貴領兵為前軍，出漢口。及將發，梁元又使諮議參軍劉玨召詧自行，詧不從。而方貴潛與梁元相知，克期襲詧。未及發，會詧以他事召方貴，謀泄，遂據樊城拒命。詧遣軍攻之。梁元乃厚資遣張纘，若將述職，而密援方貴。纘次大堤，而樊城已陷。詧擒方貴兄弟黨與，並斬之。詧時以譽危急，乃留諮議參軍蔡大寶守襄陽，率眾伐江陵以救之。梁元大懼，乃遣參軍庾奐謂詧曰：「以侄伐叔，逆順安在？」詧曰：「家兄無罪，屢被攻圍，七父若顧先恩，豈應若是？如能退兵湘水，吾便旋旆襄陽。」時攻柵不克，會大雨暴至，平地四尺，眾頗離心。軍主杜岸、岸弟幼安及其兄子龕，以其屬降於江陵。詧夜遁歸襄陽，器械輜重多沒于湕水。詧恐不能自固，乃遣蔡大寶求附庸於西魏。時西魏大統十五年也。周文令丞相東閣祭酒榮權使焉。

In the second year of Taiqing, Emperor Wu made Cha's elder brother Prince Hedong Yu governor of Xiang Province and moved Zhang Zuan from Xiang to Yong Province. Zuan, confident in his talents, looked down on Yu and slighted him in the courtesies of office. Yu deeply resented it and pleaded illness to avoid meeting him. Later, when Hou Jing's rebellion broke out, Yu began to bully and humiliate Zuan. Zuan denounced Yu and Cha to Emperor Yuan of Liang, who sent his heir Fangdeng and then Wang Sengbian to attack Yu. Yu sent word to Cha, who flew into a rage. When Emperor Yuan prepared to relieve Jiankang, he ordered all provinces under his command to send troops to the capital. Cha dispatched his chief of staff Liu Fanggui at the head of the vanguard through Hankou. Just before departure, Emperor Yuan sent Advisory Assistant Liu Jue to summon Cha in person. Cha refused. Fanggui, however, was secretly in league with Emperor Yuan and set a date to strike Cha. Before they could move, Cha summoned Fanggui on another matter, the plot leaked, and Fanggui seized Fancheng and rebelled. Cha sent troops against him. Emperor Yuan then sent Zhang Zuan west with generous supplies, as though to take up his post, while secretly backing Fanggui. Zuan reached Dadi, but Fancheng had already fallen. Cha captured Fanggui, his brothers, and their followers and executed them all. Yu was in grave danger, so Cha left Advisory Assistant Cai Dabao to hold Xiangyang and marched on Jiangling to relieve him. Emperor Yuan was terrified and sent Staff Officer Yu Huan to Cha, saying, "A nephew attacking his uncle—where is the right in that?" Cha replied, "My brother is innocent yet has been attacked again and again. If my uncle truly valued old ties, how could things have come to this? Withdraw your army to the Xiang River, and I will turn back to Xiangyang." The assault on the stockade failed. Then torrential rain flooded the plain to a depth of four chi, and morale began to crack. Army commander Du An, his brother You'an, and their nephew Kan defected to Jiangling with their men. Cha fled by night to Xiangyang, losing much of his arms and baggage in the Jianshui. Fearing he could not hold out alone, Cha sent Cai Dabao to offer submission to Western Wei. This was the fifteenth year of Western Wei's Datong era. Duke Wen of Zhou sent Chancellor and Libationer of the Eastern Pavilion Rong Quan as envoy.

是歲，梁元令柳仲禮圖襄陽，詧乃遣妃王氏及世子{山愰}為質請救。周文令榮權報命，仍遣開府楊忠為援。十六年，忠擒仲禮，平漢東。西魏命詧發喪嗣位，使假散騎常侍鄭孝穆及榮權策命詧為梁王。乃於襄陽置百官，承制封拜。十七年，留尚書僕射蔡大寶守雍部而朝于京師。周文謂曰：「王之來此，頗由榮權。」乃召權見，曰：「權起士也，寡人與之從事，未嘗見失信。」詧曰：「榮常道二國之言無私，故詧今者得歸誠魏闕耳。」

That year Emperor Yuan sent Liu Zhongli against Xiangyang. Cha dispatched his consort Lady Wang and his heir Xiao Kui as hostages to beg for aid. Duke Wen sent Rong Quan back with a reply and dispatched Commissioner Yang Zhong to his aid. In the sixteenth year Yang Zhong captured Liu Zhongli and pacified the Han River east. Western Wei ordered Cha to mourn and take the throne, and sent Acting Regular Attendant Zheng Xiaomu and Rong Quan with credentials investing him as King of Liang. He then established a full court at Xiangyang and enfeoffed and appointed officials by commission. In the seventeenth year he left Vice Director Cai Dabao to guard Yong Province and went to court at the Wei capital. Duke Wen said to him, "Your coming here owes much to Rong Quan." He then summoned Quan and said, "Quan came up from humble origins. I have worked with him and never known him to break faith." Cha said, "Rong always relayed our two states' words without favor. That is why I have been able to submit in loyalty to Wei."

初，江陵滅，梁元將王琳據湘州，志圖匡復。及詧立，琳乃遣其將潘純陀、侯方兒來寇。詧禦之，純陀等退歸夏口。詧之四年，詧遣其大將軍王操略取王琳之長沙、武陵、南平等郡。五年，王琳又遣其將雷文柔襲陷監利郡，太守蔡大有死之。尋而琳與陳人相持，稱蕃乞師於詧，詧許之。師未出而琳軍敗，附于齊。是歲，其太子巋來朝京師。六年四月，大雨震，前殿崩，壓二百餘人。七年冬，有鵩鳥鳴於寢殿。八年二月，詧終於前殿，時年四十四。是歲，周保定二年也。八月，葬于平陵，諡曰宣皇帝，廟號中宗。

After Jiangling fell, Liang general Wang Lin held Xiang Province and sought to restore the dynasty. When Cha took the throne, Lin sent his generals Pan Chuntuo and Hou Fanger to attack him. Cha drove them off, and Chuntuo and the others retreated to Xiakou. In the fourth year of his reign Cha sent Grand General Wang Cao to seize Changsha, Wuling, and Nanping from Wang Lin. In the fifth year Wang Lin sent Lei Wenrou to raid and capture Jianli Commandery; Administrator Cai Dayou was killed. Soon Lin was deadlocked with Chen and, styling himself a vassal, asked Cha for troops. Cha agreed. Before the army marched, Lin was defeated and submitted to Northern Qi. That year his heir Xiao Kui came to court at the capital. In the fourth month of the sixth year a violent thunderstorm struck; the front hall collapsed and killed more than two hundred people. In the winter of the seventh year a hawk-owl cried in the royal bedchamber. In the second month of the eighth year Cha died in the front hall at the age of forty-four. That year corresponded to the second year of Northern Zhou's Baoding era. In the eighth month he was buried at Pingling with the posthumous title Emperor Xuan and temple name Zhongzong.

詧少有大志，不拘小節，雖多猜忌，而知人善任使，撫將士有恩，能得其死力。性不飲酒，安於儉素。事母以孝聞。又不好聲色，尤惡見婦人，雖相去數步，亦云遙聞其臭。經禦婦人之衣，更不著，並皆棄之。一幸姬媵，病臥累旬。又惡見人發，白事者，必方便避之，擔輿者，冬月必須裹頭，夏日則加蓮葉帽。其在東揚州，頗放誕，省覽簿領，好為戲弄之言，以此獲譏於世。及江陵平，宿將尹德毅謂詧曰：「臣聞人主之行，與匹夫不同。匹夫者，飾小行，競小廉，以取名譽；人主者，定天下，安社稷，以成大功。今魏虜貪婪，罔顧吊伐之義，俘囚士庶，並充軍實。然此等戚屬，咸在江東。悠悠之人，可門到戶說？既塗炭至此，咸謂殿下為之。殿下既殺人父兄，孤人子弟，人盡讎也，又誰與為國？但魏之精銳，盡萃於此，犒師之禮，非無故事。若殿下為設享會，固請於謹等為歡，彼無我虞，當相率而至，預伏武士，因而斃之。江陵百姓，撫而安之，文武官僚，隨即銓授。魏人懾息，未敢送死；僧辯之徒，折簡可致。然後朝服濟江，入踐皇極，纘堯復禹，萬世一時。」詧謂德毅曰：「卿此策非不善也，然魏人待我甚厚，未可背德。若遽為卿計，則鄧祁侯所謂人將不食吾餘。」既而闔城長幼，被虜入關，又失襄陽之地。詧恨，乃曰：「不用德毅之言，以至於是！」又見邑居殘毀，干戈日用，恥其威略不振，常懷憂憤，乃著《湣時賦》，以見志焉。居常怏怏，每誦「老馬伏櫪，志在千里。烈士暮年，壯心不已」，未嘗不盱衡扼腕歎吒者久之。遂以憂憤發背而死。

From youth Cha had great ambition and scorned petty proprieties. Suspicious by nature, he nevertheless knew men and used them well, treated his officers and soldiers generously, and could command their utmost loyalty. He did not drink and was content with plain living. He was known for filial devotion to his mother. He also shunned music and women and hated even to see them; he claimed he could smell a woman from several paces away. If he passed a woman's garment he would never wear clothes again that day and would discard them. Once, after favoring a concubine, he fell ill and lay abed for weeks. He also hated the sight of exposed hair. Petitioners had to keep theirs covered; sedan-chair bearers had to wrap their heads in winter and wear lotus-leaf hats in summer. As governor of Eastern Yang Province he was rather unrestrained, pored over paperwork, and loved jocular speech, for which the world mocked him. After Jiangling fell, veteran general Yin Deyi said to Cha, "I have heard that a ruler's conduct is not a common man's. A common man polishes small deeds and petty integrity to win a name; a ruler settles the realm, secures the state, and achieves great things. Now the Wei invaders are greedy and heedless of justice. They seize gentry and commoners alike to fill their armies. Yet all their kin remain east of the Yangzi. Can you win over every soul from door to door? Suffering as they do, all blame Your Highness. You have killed fathers and elder brothers and orphaned sons and younger brothers. Everyone is your enemy—who will serve the realm with you? Yet Wei's best troops are all gathered here. Feasting the army is nothing new. If Your Highness holds a banquet and invites Yu Jin and the others, they will come unguarded. Hide warriors beforehand and kill them there. Pacify the people of Jiangling and appoint the civil and military officials at once. The Wei troops will be cowed and dare not fight; men like Wang Sengbian can be summoned with a letter. Then, robed for court, cross the river, take the throne, and restore the dynasty—a chance that comes once in an age." Cha told Deyi, "Your plan is not bad, but Wei has treated me generously. I cannot betray that. If I followed your plan, it would be as the Duke of Deng Qi warned—no one would touch what I left behind." Soon the whole city was marched off as captives into the passes, and Xiangyang was lost as well. Cha was filled with regret and cried, "For not heeding Deyi's counsel, it has come to this!" Seeing his towns in ruins and war unending, ashamed that his power had come to nothing, he brooded in grief and wrote the "Rhapsody Lamenting the Times" to express his mind. He lived in constant dejection, often reciting, "An old horse may lie in the stable, yet its will is for a thousand li. A hero in his twilight years—his bold heart never ceases," and each time he would stare, clench his fists, and sigh for a long while. He died at last of a back carbuncle brought on by grief and rage.

詧篤好文義，所著文集十五卷，內典《華嚴》、《般若》、《法華》、《金光明義疏》三十六卷，並行於世。武帝又命其太子巋嗣位，年號天保。

Cha was devoted to letters. His collected writings ran to fifteen scrolls, and his commentaries on the Avatamsaka, Prajna, Lotus, and Golden Light sutras to thirty-six scrolls—all widely circulated. Emperor Wu then had his heir Xiao Kui take the throne, adopting the era name Tianbao.

五年，陳湘州刺史華皎、巴州刺史戴僧朔並來附。皎送其子玄響為質於巋，仍請兵伐陳。巋上言其狀。武帝詔衛公直督荊州總管權景宣、大將軍元定等赴之。巋亦遣其柱國王操率水軍二萬，會皎于巴陵。既而與陳將吳明徹等戰於沌口，直軍不利，元定遂沒，巋大將軍李廣等亦為陳人所虜，長沙、巴陵並陷於陳。衛公直乃歸罪於巋之柱國殷亮。巋雖以退敗不獨罪亮，然不敢違命，遂誅之。吳明徹乘勝攻克巋河東郡，獲其守將許孝敬。明年，明徹進寇江陵，引江水灌城。巋出頓紀南，以避其銳。江陵副總管高琳與其尚書僕射王操拒守。巋馬軍主馬武、吉徹等擊明徹，明徹退保公安，巋乃還江陵。巋之八年，陳又遣其司空章昭達來寇，江陵總管陸騰及巋之將士擊走之。昭達又寇竟陵之青泥，巋令其大將軍許世武赴援，大為昭達所破。

In the fifth year, Chen governors Hua Jiao of Xiang Province and Dai Sengshuo of Ba Province both defected to Kui. Jiao sent his son Xuanxiang as a hostage to Kui and asked for troops to attack Chen. Kui memorialized the Wei court with a report. Emperor Wu ordered Duke of Wei Zhi to lead Jing Province commander Quan Jingxuan, Grand General Yuan Ding, and others to the scene. Kui also sent Pillar of State Wang Cao with twenty thousand naval troops to rendezvous with Jiao at Baling. They then fought Chen generals led by Wu Mingche at Dunkou. Zhi's army was defeated, Yuan Ding was lost, Kui's Grand General Li Guang and others were taken prisoner, and Changsha and Baling both fell to Chen. Duke of Wei Zhi blamed the defeat on Kui's Pillar of State Yin Liang. Kui knew the retreat was not solely Liang's fault, but he dared not disobey orders and had him executed. Wu Mingche pressed his advantage and seized Kui's Hedong Commandery, capturing its defender Xu Xiaojing. The next year Wu Mingche marched on Jiangling and diverted the river to flood the walls. Kui moved his camp to Jinan to avoid the brunt of the attack. Jiangling deputy commander Gao Lin and Vice Director Wang Cao held the city. Kui's cavalry commanders Ma Wu and Ji Che attacked Wu Mingche, who fell back to Gong'an. Kui then returned to Jiangling. In the eighth year of his reign Chen sent Minister of Works Zhang Zhaoda against him. Jiangling commander Lu Teng and Kui's troops drove him off. Zhaoda raided Qingni in Jingling. Kui sent Grand General Xu Shiwu to relieve the place, but Zhaoda routed him.

初，華皎、戴僧朔從衛公直與陳人戰敗，率其麾下數百人歸於巋。巋以皎為司空，封江夏郡公；僧朔為車騎將軍，封吳興縣侯。巋之十年，皎將來朝，至襄陽，請衛公直曰：「梁主既失江南諸郡，人少國貧，朝廷興亡繼絕，理宜資贍。豈使齊桓、楚莊獨擅救衛復陳之美？望借數州，以裨梁國。」直然之，乃遣使言狀。帝許之，詔以基、平、鄀三州歸之於巋。

Earlier, after Hua Jiao and Dai Sengshuo followed Duke of Wei Zhi against Chen and were defeated, they brought several hundred followers to Kui. Kui made Jiao Minister of Works and enfeoffed him Duke of Jiangxia; he made Sengshuo General of Chariots and Cavalry and enfeoffed him Marquis of Wuxing. In the tenth year of his reign Jiao came to court. At Xiangyang he appealed to Duke of Wei Zhi: "The Liang ruler has lost the Jiangnan commanderies. His people are few and his treasury empty. It is only right that the court support a dynasty it has pledged to preserve. Should Duke Huan of Qi and King Zhuang of Chu alone be praised for rescuing a fallen state and restoring a lost dynasty? I ask that a few provinces be granted to strengthen the Liang realm. Zhi agreed and sent envoys to report the request. The emperor approved and decreed that the three provinces of Ji, Ping, and E be restored to Kui.

及平齊，巋朝於鄴，帝雖以禮接之，然未之重也。巋知之，後因宴承間，乃陳其父荷周文拯救之恩，並敘二國艱虞，脣齒掎角之事。辭理辯暢，因涕泣交流，帝亦為之噓欷。自是大加賞異，禮遇日隆。後帝復與之宴，齊氏故臣叱列長叉亦預焉，帝指謂巋曰：「是登陴罵朕者也。」巋曰：「長叉未能輔桀，翻敢吠堯！」帝大笑。及酒酣，帝又命琵琶自彈之，仍謂巋曰：「當為梁主盡歡。」巋乃起請舞，帝曰：「王乃能為朕舞乎？」巋曰：「陛下既親撫五弦，臣何敢不同百獸？」帝大悅，賜雜繒萬段、良馬數十疋，並賜齊後主妓妾，及帝所乘五百里駿馬以遣之。及隋文帝執政，尉遲迥、王謙、司馬消難等各起兵。時巋將帥皆密請興師，與迥等為連衡之勢，進可以盡節于周氏，退可以席捲山南。巋以為不可。俄而消難奔陳，迥等相次破滅。隋文帝既踐極，恩禮彌厚，遣使賜金五百兩、銀千兩、布帛萬疋、馬五百疋。開皇二年，隋文帝備禮納巋女為晉王妃，又欲以其子瑒尚蘭陵公主，由是罷江陵總管，巋專制其國。四年，來朝長安。帝甚敬待之，詔巋位在王公之上。巋被服端麗，進退閒雅，天子矚目，百僚傾慕。帝賜巋縑萬疋，珍玩稱是。及還，親執其手謂之曰：「梁主久滯荊楚，未復舊都，朕當振旅長江，相送旋反。」巋拜謝而歸。五年五月，寢疾薨。臨終上表奉辭，並獻所服金裝劍，帝覽而嗟悼。巋在位二十三年。梁之臣子，葬之顯陵，諡曰孝明皇帝，廟號世宗。

After the conquest of Qi, Kui attended court at Ye. The emperor treated him politely but did not yet hold him in high regard. Aware of this, Kui seized an occasion at a banquet to recall his father's debt to Duke Wen of Zhou and the two states' shared peril—the mutual dependence of lip and teeth. He spoke eloquently and wept freely. The emperor was moved to sigh as well. From then on the emperor valued him highly and treated him with ever greater honor. Later at another banquet Qi former minister Chilie Changcha was present. The emperor pointed him out to Kui and said, "That man climbed the walls and cursed me. Kui said, "Changcha could not serve Jie properly and now dares bark at Yao!" The emperor roared with laughter. When the wine was flowing freely, the emperor took up the pipa and played himself, saying to Kui, "I shall entertain the Lord of Liang to the full. Kui rose to offer a dance. The emperor said, "Will you dance for me?" Kui said, "Your Majesty plays the five strings yourself. How dare I not join the hundred beasts in dancing?" The emperor was delighted and gave him ten thousand bolts of silk, dozens of fine horses, the concubines of the Qi Last Ruler, and his own swift five-hundred-li steed as a parting gift. When Emperor Wen of Sui assumed power, Yuchi Jiong, Wang Qian, Sima Xiaonan, and others each rose in arms. Kui's generals secretly urged him to march, join Jiong and the others in alliance, prove loyalty to Zhou if things went well, and if not sweep the lands south of the mountains. Kui refused. Soon Xiaonan fled to Chen, and Jiong and the others were crushed one after another. Once enthroned, Emperor Wen of Sui treated him with even greater favor, sending envoys with five hundred taels of gold, a thousand taels of silver, ten thousand bolts of cloth, and five hundred horses. In Kaihuang 2 Emperor Wen took Kui's daughter as bride for the Prince of Jin with full ceremony and planned to marry his son Yang Chang to Princess Lanling. The Jiangling garrison was then removed and Kui ruled his realm independently. In the fourth year he went to court at Chang'an. The emperor received him with great respect and decreed that Kui ranked above the princes and dukes. Kui was elegantly dressed and moved with graceful poise. The emperor watched him closely and the officials looked on in admiration. The emperor gave him ten thousand bolts of silk and treasures to match. As he was leaving, the emperor took his hand and said, "You have long remained in Jing-Chu without recovering your old capital. I shall march to the Yangzi and send you home. Kui bowed in thanks and departed. In the fifth month of the fifth year he died after a lingering illness. On his deathbed he submitted a farewell memorial and offered the gold-mounted sword he had worn. The emperor read it and mourned. Kui reigned for twenty-three years. His Liang ministers buried him at Xianling with the posthumous title Emperor Xiaoming and temple name Shizong.

巋孝悌慈仁，有君人之量。四時祭享，未嘗不悲慕流涕。性尤儉約，禦下有方，境內安之。所著文集及《孝經》、《周易義記》及《大小乘幽微》，並行於世。文帝又命其太子琮嗣位。

Kui was filial, benevolent, and kind, and possessed the qualities of a true ruler. At the seasonal sacrifices he never failed to weep in grief and longing. He was notably frugal, governed his people with skill, and kept his realm at peace. His collected writings, his commentaries on the Classic of Filial Piety and the Book of Changes, and his Subtleties of the Greater and Lesser Vehicles all circulated widely. Emperor Wen then had his heir Xiao Cong take the throne.

琮字溫文，性俶儻不羈，博學有文義。兼善弓馬，遣人伏地持帖，琮奔馬射之，十發十中，持帖者亦不懼。初封東陽王，尋立為梁太子。及嗣位，帝賜以璽書，敦勉之。又賜梁之大臣璽書，誡勉之。時琮年號廣運，有識者曰：「運之為字，軍走也，吾君將奔走乎！」其年，琮遣大將軍戚昕以舟師襲陳公安，不克而還。文帝徵琮叔父岑入朝，拜大將軍，封懷義公，因留不遣。復置江陵總管以監之。琮所署大將軍許世武密以城召陳將宜黃侯陳紀，謀泄，琮誅之。後二歲，上征琮入朝，率臣下二百餘人朝京師。江陵父老莫不殞涕曰：「吾君其不反矣！」上以琮來朝，遣武鄉公崔弘度將兵戍之。軍至鄀州，琮叔父岩及弟瓛等懼弘度掩襲之，遂引陳人至城下，虜居人而叛。於是廢梁國。上遣左僕射高熲安集之，曲赦江陵死罪，給復十年。梁二主各給守墓十戶，拜琮柱國，賜爵莒國公。

Cong, courtesy name Wenwen, was bold and unrestrained by nature, widely learned, and gifted with letters. He was also skilled with bow and horse. He had men lie on the ground holding targets while he galloped and shot—ten arrows, ten hits—yet the target-holders did not flinch. He was first enfeoffed Prince of Dongyang, then named heir of Liang. When he took the throne, the emperor sent him an imperial letter of exhortation. He also sent imperial letters of admonition to Liang's senior ministers. Cong's era name was Guangyun. Men of insight said, "The character yun means 'army flees'—our lord will be driven to flight! That year Cong sent Grand General Qi Xin with a fleet to raid Chen's Gong'an. The attack failed and he withdrew. Emperor Wen summoned Cong's uncle Cen to court, made him Grand General and Duke of Huaiyi, and kept him at the capital. He restored the Jiangling garrison to keep watch over him. Cong's appointee Grand General Xu Shiwu secretly invited Chen general Marquis of Yihuang Chen Ji to take the city. When the plot was exposed, Cong had him executed. Two years later the emperor summoned Cong to court. He brought more than two hundred officials to the capital. The elders of Jiangling wept and said, "Our lord will never come back! With Cong at court, the emperor sent Duke of Wuxiang Cui Hongdu with troops to occupy Jiangling. When the army reached E Province, Cong's uncle Yan and his brother Xuan, fearing a surprise attack by Hongdu, brought Chen troops to the walls, seized the townspeople, and rose in rebellion. The Liang state was then abolished. The emperor sent Left Vice Director Gao Jiong to pacify the region, granted a partial amnesty for capital offenses in Jiangling, and remitted taxes for ten years. Each of the two Liang rulers was granted ten tomb-guard households. Cong was made Pillar of State and enfeoffed Duke of Ju.

自詧初即位，歲在乙亥，至是，歲在丁未，凡三十三載而亡。

From Cha's accession in the yihai year to this dingwei year, the state endured thirty-three years before its end.

琮至煬帝嗣位，甚見親重，拜內史令，改封梁公。琮之宗族，緦麻以上，並隨才擢用，於是諸蕭昆弟，布列朝廷。琮性淡雅，不以職務自嬰，退朝縱酒而已。內史令楊約與琮同列，帝令約宣旨誡勵。約復以私情諭之，琮曰：「琮若復事事，則何異公哉？」約笑而退。約兄素時為尚書令，見琮嫁從父妹于鉗耳氏，謂曰：「公帝王之族，何乃適妹鉗耳氏？」琮曰：「前已嫁妹于侯莫陳氏，此復何疑？」素曰：「鉗耳，羌也，侯莫陳，虜也。何得相比？」琮曰：「以羌異虜，未之前聞。」素慚而止。琮雖羈旅，見北間豪貴，無所降下。常與賀若弼深友，弼既誅，復有童謠曰「蕭蕭亦復起」，帝由是忌之，遂廢於家。卒，贈左光祿大夫。

Under Emperor Yang, Cong was warmly favored, made Director of the Masters of Writing, and re-enfeoffed Duke of Liang. Cong's kin within the third degree of mourning were promoted by merit, and Xiao clansmen filled the court. Cong was easy-going by nature and did not burden himself with office. After court he simply drank his fill. Director Yang Yue ranked alongside Cong, and the emperor had Yue deliver an imperial admonition. Yue also spoke to him privately. Cong said, "If I handled every detail of office, how would I differ from you? Yue smiled and withdrew. Yue's elder brother Su, then Director of the Masters of Writing, saw Cong give a cousin in marriage to the Qian'er clan and said, "You are of imperial stock—why marry your cousin to the Qian'er? Cong said, "I already married a sister to the Houmochen clan—what objection is there?" Su said, "The Qian'er are Diang; the Houmochen are barbarians. How can they be compared?" Cong said, "That the Diang differ from barbarians—is news to me." Su fell silent in embarrassment. Though an exile in the north, Cong showed no deference to its grandees. He was close with He Ruobi. After Bi was executed, a children's rhyme said "Xiao Xiao will rise again." The emperor grew suspicious and confined him at home. When he died he was posthumously made Left Grand Master of Splendid Brightness.

子鉉，位襄城通守。復以琮弟子钜為梁公。钜小名曰藏，煬帝甚昵之，以為千牛。與宇文皛出入宮掖，伺詧內外。帝每有遊宴，钜未嘗不從。遂于宮中，多行淫穢。江都之變，為宇文化及所殺。

His son Xuan served as magistrate of Xiangcheng. Cong's nephew Ju was again enfeoffed Duke of Liang. Ju, childhood name Zang, was a favorite of Emperor Yang, who made him a Palace Guards officer. With Yuwen Xiao he moved freely in the inner palace, keeping watch on affairs within and without. Ju never missed the emperor's pleasure outings and banquets. In the palace they carried on many licentious affairs. During the Jiangdu uprising he was killed by Yuwen Huaji.

詧子{山愰}，追諡孝惠太子；岩，封安平王；岌，封東平王；岑，封河間王，後改封吳郡王。琮弟瓛，義興王；曁彖，晉陵王；璟，臨海王；珣，南海王；瑒，義安王，瑀，新安王。

Cha's son Xiao Kui was posthumously titled Crown Prince Xiaohui; Yan was enfeoffed Prince of Anping; Ji was enfeoffed Prince of Dongping; Cen was first enfeoffed Prince of Hejian, later renamed Prince of Wu Commandery. Cong's younger brother Xuan was Prince of Yixing; Ji Juan was Prince of Jinling; Jing was Prince of Linhai; Xun was Prince of Nanhai; Yang was Prince of Yi'an and Yu Prince of Xin'an.

以蔡大寶為股肱，王操為腹心，魏益德、尹正、薛暉、許孝敬、薛宣為爪牙，甄玄成、劉盈、岑善方、傅淮、褚珪、蔡大業典眾務，張綰以舊齒處顯位，沈重以儒學蒙厚禮。自餘多所獎拔，咸盡其器能。及巋纂業，親賢並用。將相則華皎、殷亮、劉忠義，宗室則蕭欣、蕭翼，人望則蕭確、謝溫、柳洋、王氵是、徐岳，外戚則王洋、王誦、殷璉，文章則劉孝勝、范迪、沈君遊、君公、柳信言，政事則袁敞、柳莊、蔡延壽、甄詡、皇甫茲。故能保其疆土而和其人焉。今載詧子{山愰}等及蔡大寶以下尤著者，附于左。其在梁、陳、隋已有傳，及巋諸子未任職者，則不兼錄。

He relied on Cai Dabao as his right arm and Wang Cao as his closest advisor. Wei Yide, Yin Zheng, Xue Hui, Xu Xiaojing, and Xue Xuan served as his enforcers; Zhen Xuancheng, Liu Ying, Cen Shanfang, Fu Huai, Chu Gui, and Cai Daye handled daily governance; Zhang Wan held high office on account of his seniority, and Shen Zhong was honored for his scholarly attainments. He promoted many others as well, making full use of their abilities. When Kui took the throne, he appointed both kinsmen and men of talent. His generals and ministers included Hua Jiao, Yin Liang, and Liu Zhongyi; the imperial clan, Xiao Xin and Xiao Yi; men of public esteem, Xiao Que, Xie Wen, Liu Yang, Wang Shi, and Xu Yue; maternal kin, Wang Yang, Wang Song, and Yin Lian; literary figures, Liu Xiaosheng, Fan Di, Shen Junyou, Jun Gong, and Liu Xinyan; and administrators, Yuan Chang, Liu Zhuang, Cai Yanshou, Zhen Xu, and Huangfu Ci. Thus he was able to hold his territory and keep his people at peace. Recorded below are Cha's son Xiao Kui and others, together with the most notable figures beginning with Cai Dabao. Those who already have entries in the Liang, Chen, and Sui histories, and Kui's sons who never held office, are omitted.

{山愰}字道遠，詧之長子也。母曰宣靜皇后。詧之為梁王，立為世子。尋病卒。及詧稱帝，追諡焉。

Xiao Kui, courtesy name Daoyuan, was Cha's eldest son. His mother was Empress Xuanjing. When Cha was made Prince of Liang, Kui was named heir. He soon fell ill and died. When Cha took the throne, Kui was posthumously honored.

岩字義遠，詧第五子也。性仁厚，善撫接，曆尚書令、太尉、太傅。入陳，授東揚州刺史。及陳亡，百姓推岩為主。為總管宇文述所破，伏法于長安。

Xiao Yan, courtesy name Yiyuan, was Cha's fifth son. He was benevolent and generous by nature and skilled at winning people over. He served as Director of the Masters of Writing, Grand Commandant, and Grand Tutor. In Chen service he was made Governor of Eastern Yang Province. When Chen fell, the people rallied behind Yan as their leader. Yuwen Shu defeated him, and he was executed at Chang'an.

岌，詧第六子也。性淳和，位至侍中、中衛將軍。巋之五年，卒。贈司空，諡曰孝。

Ji was Cha's sixth son. Pure and mild by nature, he rose to Attendant-in-Ordinary and Central Guard General. He died in the fifth year of Kui's reign. He was posthumously made Minister of Works with the posthumous title Xiao.

岑字智遠，詧第八子也。位至太尉。性簡貴，禦下嚴整。及琮嗣位，自以望重屬尊，頗有不法。故隋文徵入朝，拜大將軍，封懷義郡公。

Xiao Cen, courtesy name Zhiyuan, was Cha's eighth son. He rose to Grand Commandant. Austere and dignified by nature, he governed his subordinates with strict discipline. When Cong took the throne, Cen considered himself senior in rank and prestige and behaved with considerable license. Emperor Wen of Sui therefore summoned him to court, made him Grand General, and enfeoffed him Duke of Huaiyi.

瓛字欽文，巋第三子也。幼有令譽，能屬文。位荊州刺史，頗有能名。崔弘度兵至鄀州，瓛懼，與其叔父岩奔陳。陳主以為侍中、吳州刺史，甚得物情。三吳父老皆曰：「吾君之子。」陳亡，吳人推之為主。吳人見梁武、簡文及詧、巋等兄弟中並第三，而踐尊位。瓛自以巋第三子，深自矜負。有謝異者，頗知廢興，梁陳之際，言無不驗，江南人甚敬信之。及陳主被禽，異奔瓛，由是益為眾所歸。宇文述討之，瓛遣王褒守吳州，自將拒述。述遣兵別道襲褒，褒衣道士服，棄城而遁。瓛敗，將左右數人，逃於太湖，匿於人家。被執，述送長安斬之。

Xiao Xuan, courtesy name Qinwen, was Kui's third son. He enjoyed a fine reputation from youth and was skilled in writing. As Governor of Jing Province he earned a solid reputation for competence. When Cui Hongdu's army reached E Province, Xuan fled to Chen with his uncle Yan. The Chen ruler made him Attendant-in-Ordinary and Governor of Wu Province, and he won great popular favor. The elders of the Three Wu regions said, "He is our lord's son. When Chen fell, the people of Wu rallied behind him as their leader. The people of Wu noted that among the Liang founders—from Emperor Wu and Emperor Jianwen to Cha and Kui—the third sons had all taken the throne. As Kui's third son, Xuan took great pride in this pattern. A man named Xie Yi was skilled at reading dynastic fortunes; during the Liang-Chen period his predictions always came true, and southerners greatly respected and trusted him. When the Chen ruler was captured, Xie Yi fled to Xuan, winning him even greater popular support. Yuwen Shu marched against him. Xuan sent Wang Bao to defend Wu Province while he personally led troops to resist Shu. Shu sent troops by another route against Wang Bao, who donned Taoist robes and fled the city. Defeated, Xuan fled to Lake Tai with a few followers and hid in a private home. He was captured and sent to Chang'an, where Yuwen Shu had him executed.

璟，仕隋，尚衣奉御；瑒，衛尉卿、秘書監、陶丘侯；瑀，內史侍郎、河池太守。

Jing served the Sui as Director of the Imperial Wardrobe; Yang was Commandant of the Guards, Supervisor of the Secretariat, and Marquis of Taoqiu; Yu was Vice Director of the Masters of Writing and Administrator of Hechi.

蔡大寶，字敬位，濟陽考城人。祖履，齊尚書祠部郎。父點，梁尚書儀曹郎、南兗州別駕。

Cai Dabao, courtesy name Jingwei, was from Kaocheng in Jiyang. His grandfather Lu was Director of Sacrificial Affairs under the Qi. His father Dian was Director of Ceremonial Affairs under Liang and Chief Assistant of Southern Yan Province.

大寶少孤，而篤學不倦，善屬文。初以明經對策第一，解褐武陵王國左常侍。嘗以書幹僕射徐勉，勉大賞異，乃令與其子遊處，所有墳籍，盡以給之。遂博覽群書，學無不綜。詧初出第，勉仍薦大寶為侍讀，兼掌記室。尋除尚書儀曹郎。詧出鎮會稽，大寶詣選曹求諮議，不得，以為記室。大寶攘臂而出曰：「不為孫秀，非人也。」詧蒞襄陽，遷諮議參軍，謀謨皆自大寶出。及梁元與河東王譽結隙，詧令大寶使江陵以觀之。梁元素知大寶，見之甚悅，乃示所制《玄覽賦》，令注解焉。三日而畢。梁元大嗟賞之，贈遺甚厚。大寶還，白詧云：「湘東必有異圖，禍亂將作，不可下援台城。」詧納之。及詧於江陵稱帝，為侍中、尚書令，參掌選事，進位柱國、軍師將軍，封安豐縣侯。巋嗣位，冊授司空、中書監、中權大將軍、領吏部尚書。固讓司空，許之，加特進。巋之三年，卒。及葬，巋三臨其喪。贈司徒，進爵為公，諡曰文凱，配食詧廟。

Orphaned young, Dabao studied tirelessly and was skilled in writing. He ranked first in the Classicist examination and entered office as Left Regular Attendant in the Kingdom of Wuling. He once wrote to Vice Director Xu Mian, who was greatly impressed and had him keep company with his son, giving him his entire library. He read widely and mastered every field of learning. When Cha first took up his princely establishment, Mian recommended Dabao as Lecturer-in-Waiting and secretary. He was soon made Director of Ceremonial Affairs. When Cha was posted to Kuaiji, Dabao sought the post of Advisor from the Selection Office but was given secretary instead. Dabao stormed out saying, "Anyone who won't push for his patron like Sun Xiu is no man at all. When Cha arrived at Xiangyang, Dabao was promoted to Advisor; all strategy came from him. When Emperor Yuan of Liang quarreled with Prince Yu of Hedong, Cha sent Dabao to Jiangling to sound out the situation. Emperor Yuan already knew of Dabao and was delighted to meet him. He showed him his "Rhapsody on Mysterious Contemplation" and asked him to annotate it. He finished in three days. Emperor Yuan was deeply impressed and gave him lavish gifts. On his return Dabao told Cha, "The Prince of Xiangdong has ulterior designs. Disaster is coming—we must not march to relieve the capital. Cha accepted his advice. When Cha declared himself emperor at Jiangling, Dabao became Attendant-in-Ordinary and Director of the Masters of Writing with control over appointments. He was made Pillar of State and Strategist General and enfeoffed Marquis of Anfeng. When Kui succeeded, Dabao was appointed Minister of Works, Supervisor of the Secretariat, Central Authority Grand General, and head of the Ministry of Personnel. He firmly declined Minister of Works; this was accepted, and he was given the honorary rank of Extraordinary Promotion instead. He died in the third year of Kui's reign. At the funeral Kui visited the mourning hall three times. He was posthumously made Minister over the Masses and Duke with the posthumous title Wenkai, and granted a place in Cha's temple sacrifices.

大寶性嚴整，有智謀，雅達政事，文辭贍速。詧之章表、書記、教令、詔冊，並大寶專掌之。詧推心委任，以為謀主。時人以詧之有大寶，猶劉先主之有孔明焉。所著文集三十卷，及《尚書義疏》，並行於世。

Dabao was stern and disciplined, shrewd in counsel, skilled in administration, and wrote with speed and fluency. Dabao alone handled Cha's memorials, dispatches, orders, and imperial documents. Cha trusted him completely and relied on him as his chief strategist. Contemporaries said Cha's reliance on Dabao was like Liu Bei's on Zhuge Liang. His thirty-scroll collected writings and his Exposition of the Documents both circulated widely.

有四子。次於延壽有器識，博涉經籍，尤善當世之務。尚詧女宣城公主，曆中書郎、尚書右丞、吏部郎、御史中丞。從琮入隋。授開府儀同三司、秘書丞。終於成州刺史。

He had four sons. His second son Yanshou had talent and judgment, was widely read in the classics, and was especially skilled in contemporary affairs. He married Cha's daughter, Princess of Xuancheng, and served as Gentleman of the Secretariat, Vice Director in the Masters of Writing, Director of Personnel, and Imperial Censor. He followed Cong into Sui service. He was made Grand Master with Honor Attached to the Secretariat and Assistant Director of the Secretariat. He ended his career as Governor of Cheng Province.

大寶弟大業，字敬道。有至行，位散騎常侍、衛尉卿、都官尚書、太常卿。卒，贈金紫光祿大夫，諡曰簡。有五子，允恭最知名。位太子舍人。梁滅入陳，為尚書庫部郎。陳亡仕隋，起居舍人。

Dabao's younger brother Daye, courtesy name Jingdao. A man of exemplary conduct, he served as Cavalier Attendant-in-Ordinary, Commandant of the Guards, Director of Judgments, and Minister of Ceremonies. When he died he was posthumously made Grand Master of Splendid Brightness with the Gold Seal and given the posthumous title Jian. He had five sons; Yungong was the most famous. He served as Attendant of the Crown Prince. After the fall of Liang he entered Chen service as Director of the Storehouse Department. After Chen fell he served the Sui as Imperial Diarist.

王操，字子高，其先太原晉陽人，詧母龔氏之外弟也。性敦厚，有籌略。初為詧外兵參軍，親任亞于蔡大寶。及詧稱帝，曆五兵尚書、郢州刺史，進位柱國，封新康縣侯。巋嗣位，授鎮右將軍、尚書僕射。及吳明徹為寇，巋出頓紀南，操撫循將士，莫不用命。明徹既退，江陵獲全，操之力也。遷侍中、中衛將軍、尚書令、開府儀同三司，領荊州刺史。操既位居朝右，每自挹損，深得當時之譽。卒，巋舉哀於朝堂，流涕曰：「天不使吾平蕩江表，何奪吾賢相之速也！」及葬，親祖於瓦官門。贈司空，進爵為公，諡曰康節。

Wang Cao, courtesy name Zigao, was descended from Jinyang in Taiyuan and was a maternal cousin of Cha's mother Lady Gong. Honest and generous by nature, he was also a capable strategist. He first served as Cha's External Army Staff Officer and ranked second only to Cai Dabao in Cha's trust. When Cha took the throne, Wang Cao served as Director of the Five Armies and Governor of Ying Province, was made Pillar of State, and enfeoffed Marquis of Xinkang. When Kui succeeded, he was appointed General Who Guards the Right and Vice Director of the Masters of Writing. When Wu Mingche invaded, Kui moved camp to Jinan. Wang Cao rallied the troops, and all obeyed without fail. When Wu Mingche withdrew, Jiangling was saved—thanks to Wang Cao. He was promoted to Attendant-in-Ordinary, Central Guard General, Director of the Masters of Writing, and Grand Master with Honor Attached to the Secretariat, concurrently serving as Governor of Jing Province. Though he stood at the pinnacle of the court, Wang Cao always kept himself in check and won wide acclaim. When Wang Cao died, Kui mourned him in the court hall and wept, saying, "Heaven will not let me pacify the south—why take my worthy chancellor so soon! At the burial Kui personally led the funeral procession at Waguan Gate. Wang Cao was posthumously made Minister of Works, promoted to duke, and given the posthumous title Kangjie.

有七子，次子衡最知名。有才學，位中書、黃門侍郎。

He had seven sons; the second, Heng, was the best known. Talented and learned, he served as Secretariat Director and Yellow Gate Attendant.

魏益德，襄陽人也。有材幹，膽勇過人。詧稱帝，進位柱國，封上黃縣侯。卒，贈司空，諡曰忠壯，進爵為公。巋之五年，以益德配食察廟。

Wei Yide was from Xiangyang. Capable and resolute, he was exceptionally bold. When Xiao Cha took the throne, Wei Yide was made Pillar of State and enfeoffed Marquis of Shanghuang. When he died he was posthumously made Minister of Works, given the posthumous title Zhongzhuang, and promoted to duke. In the fifth year of Kui's reign, Wei Yide was granted paired sacrificial honors at Emperor Cha's temple.

尹正，其先天水人。詧蒞雍州，正為其府中兵參軍。禽張纘，獲杜岸，皆正之力。詧稱帝，除護軍將軍，位柱國，封新野縣侯。卒，贈開府儀同三司，諡曰剛。巋之五年，以正配食詧廟。

Yin Zheng's family came from Tianshui. When Cha governed Yong Province, Yin Zheng served as Central Army Staff Officer in his princely establishment. The capture of Zhang Zan and Du An was entirely Yin Zheng's doing. When Cha took the throne, Yin Zheng was made General Who Protects the Army and Pillar of State, and enfeoffed Marquis of Xinye. When he died he was posthumously made Grand Master with Honor Attached to the Secretariat and given the posthumous title Gang. In the fifth year of Kui's reign, Yin Zheng was granted paired sacrificial honors at Cha's temple.

子德毅，多權略，位大將軍。後以見疑賜死。

His son Deyi was a master of stratagem and served as Grand General. Later he fell under suspicion and was ordered to take his own life.

甄玄成，字敬平，中山人。博達經史，善屬文。少為簡文所知。以錄事參軍隨詧鎮襄陽，轉中記室參軍，頗參政事。以江陵甲兵殷盛，遂懷貳心，密書與元帝，具申誠款。或有得其書，送於詧。詧深信佛法，常願不殺誦《法華經》人。玄成素誦《法華經》，遂以此獲免。詧後見之，常曰：「甄公好得《法華經》力。」後位吏部尚書，有文集二十卷。

Zhen Xuancheng, courtesy name Jingping, was from Zhongshan. Broadly versed in the classics and histories, he was an accomplished writer. In his youth he won the notice of Emperor Jianwen of Liang. He followed Cha to Xiangyang as Recording Affairs Staff Officer, became Central Secretariat Staff Officer, and took an active part in governance. Seeing Jiangling's military strength, he turned disloyal and secretly wrote to Emperor Yuan pledging his allegiance. Someone intercepted the letter and turned it over to Cha. Cha was a devout Buddhist and often vowed never to execute anyone who recited the Lotus Sutra. Xuancheng had long recited the Lotus Sutra, and so was spared on that account. Whenever Cha saw him afterward he would say, "Master Zhen was lucky to have the Lotus Sutra on his side. He later served as Director of the Ministry of Personnel and left a collected works in twenty scrolls.

子詡，少沈敏，閑習政事。曆中書舍人、尚書右丞。從琮入隋，授開府儀同三司，終於太府少卿。

His son Xu was thoughtful and quick-witted from youth and well versed in administration. He served successively as Secretariat Drafting Officer and Right Assistant Director of the Masters of Writing. He followed Xiao Cong into Sui service, was made Grand Master with Honor Attached to the Secretariat, and ended his career as Vice Director of the Court of the Imperial Treasury.

岑善方，字思義，南陽棘陽人。祖惠甫，給事中。父昶，散騎侍郎。善方有器局，博綜經史。同刑獄參軍隨詧至襄陽。詧初請內附，以善方兼記室充使，往來凡數十反。魏恭帝二年，封長寧縣公。及詧稱帝，位散騎侍郎、起部尚書。善方性清慎，有當世幹能，故詧委以機密。卒，贈太常卿，諡曰敬。所著文集十卷。

Cen Shanfang, courtesy name Siyi, was from Jiyang in Nanyang. His grandfather Huifu served as Attendant Within the Yellow Gate. His father Chang served as Cavalier Attendant-in-Ordinary. Shanfang had breadth of character and a comprehensive command of the classics and histories. As Associate Criminal Justice Staff Officer he accompanied Cha to Xiangyang. When Cha first sought to submit to the Northern Wei, Shanfang served concurrently as Secretariat Officer and envoy, making dozens of round trips. In the second year of Wei Emperor Gong he was enfeoffed Duke of Changning. When Cha took the throne, Cen Shanfang served as Cavalier Attendant-in-Ordinary and Director of the Ministry of Construction. Pure and cautious by nature, with real administrative talent, he was entrusted by Cha with confidential affairs. When he died he was posthumously made Director of the Court of Imperial Sacrifices and given the posthumous title Jing. He left a collected works in ten scrolls.

有七子，並有操行。之元、之利、之象最知名。之元太子舍人，早卒。之利仕隋，位零陵郡丞。之象仕隋，尚書虞部員外侍郎，邵陵、上宜、渭南、邯鄲四縣令。

He had seven sons, all men of good character. Zhiyuan, Zhili, and Zhixiang were the best known. Zhiyuan served as Crown Prince Attendant and died young. Zhili served the Sui as Assistant Governor of Lingling Commandery. Zhixiang served the Sui as Outer Assistant Director in the Parks Department and as magistrate of Shaoling, Shangyi, Weinan, and Handan.

宗如周，南陽人。有才學，以府僚隨詧，後至度支尚書。如周面狹長，詧以《法華經》云：「聞經隨喜，面不俠長。」嘗戲之曰：「卿何為謗經？」如周踧躇，自陳不謗。詧又謂之如初。如周懼，出告蔡大寶。大寶知其旨，笑謂之曰：「君當不謗餘經，正應不信《法華》耳。」如周乃悟。又嘗有人訴事于如周，謂為經作如州官也。乃曰：「某有屈滯，故來訴如州官。」如周曰：「爾何小人，敢呼我名！」其人慚謝曰：「祗言如周官作如州，不知如州官名如周，早知如州官名如周，則不敢喚如周官作如州。」如周乃笑曰：「令卿自責，見侮反深。」眾咸服其寬雅。

Zong Ru Zhou was from Nanyang. Learned and talented, he followed Cha as a member of his princely staff and later rose to Director of the Ministry of Revenue. Ru Zhou had a narrow, elongated face. Cha quoted the Lotus Sutra: "Having heard the sutra, one rejoices—faces are not narrow and long. Cha once teased him, "Why are you slandering the sutra?" Ru Zhou hesitated and protested that he was doing no such thing. Cha repeated the same teasing remark. Alarmed, Ru Zhou went to Cai Dabao for advice. Dabao saw the point and laughed, "You aren't slandering the other scriptures—you just don't believe the Lotus Sutra. Only then did Ru Zhou understand. On another occasion a man came to Ru Zhou with a grievance, mistaking him for an official of Ru Province rather than a person named Ru Zhou. The man said, "I have a grievance, and have come to petition the Ru Province official. Ru Zhou snapped, "You wretch—how dare you call me by name!" Ashamed, the man apologized: "I meant only that the official Ru Zhou sounded like Ru Province—I didn't know the Ru Province official's name was actually Ru Zhou. If I'd known his name was Ru Zhou, I'd never have called the Ru Zhou official Ru Province." Ru Zhou laughed and said, "Making you reproach yourself has only made the insult worse." All admired his magnanimity and easy grace.

袁敞，陳郡人。祖昂，司空。父士俊，安成內史。敞少有識量，博涉文史。以吏部郎使詣周。時主者以敞班在陳使之後，敞固不從命曰：「昔陳之祖父，乃梁諸侯下吏，盜有江東。今周朝宗萬國，招攜以禮。若使梁之行人在陳之後，便恐彝倫失序。豈使臣之所望焉。」主者不能屈，遂以狀奏。周武帝善之，乃詔敞與陳使異日而進。使還，以稱旨，遷侍中。轉左戶尚書。從琮入隋，授開府儀同三司。終於譙州刺史。

Yuan Chang was from Chen Commandery. His grandfather Ang served as Minister of Works. His father Shijun served as Internal Secretary of Ancheng. From youth Yuan Chang showed judgment and breadth of mind and was widely read in literature and history. As Director in the Ministry of Personnel he was sent on embassy to Northern Zhou. The master of ceremonies ranked him after the Chen envoy, but Chang refused, saying, "Chen's grandfather was once a subordinate of Liang who seized the lands east of the Yangzi. Now the Zhou court is suzerain of all states and receives envoys with proper ceremony. If Liang envoys were ranked below Chen, the proper order of precedence would be overturned. That is not what I, your servant, would wish. The master of ceremonies could not prevail and reported the matter to the throne. Emperor Wu of Zhou approved and ordered that Chang and the Chen envoy be received on separate days. On his return, having pleased the throne, he was promoted to Attendant-in-Ordinary. He was then made Director of the Left Ministry of Households. He followed Xiao Cong into Sui service and was made Grand Master with Honor Attached to the Secretariat. He ended his career as Governor of Qiao Province.

論曰：自金行運否，中原喪亂，元氏唯天所命，方一函復。鐵弗、徒何之輩，雖非行錄所歸，觀其遞為割據，亦一時之傑。然而卒至夷滅，可謂魏之驅除。梁主任術好謀，愛賢養士，蓋有英雄之志，霸王之略焉。及淮海版蕩，骨肉猜貳，擁眾自固，稱籓內款，終能據有全楚，中興頹運。雖士宇殊於舊邦，而位號同於曩日。眙厥自遠，享國雖短，可不謂賢哉！嗣子纂業，增修遣構，賞罰得衷，舉厝有方。密邇寇讎，則威略具舉；朝宗上國，則聲猷遠振。豈非繼世之令主乎？琮大去其邦，因而不反，遂為外戚。不事自持，蓋亦守滿之道也。

The commentary says: After the fall of the Jin and the chaos of the Central Plain, only the Yuan clan, Heaven's chosen, restored unity within the four seas. The Tiefu and Tuhe peoples, though outside the orthodox line of succession, were formidable rivals in their day, each carving out territory in turn. Yet in the end they were utterly destroyed—clearing the way, one might say, for Wei. The Lord of Liang was resourceful and fond of strategy, cherishing talent and nurturing scholars—he had the makings of a hero and the vision of a hegemon. When the Huai-Hai region fell into chaos and kin turned against one another, he gathered troops, secured his position, declared vassalage to the north, and in the end held all of Chu—reviving a failing dynasty. Though his domain was not the old Liang heartland, his titles matched those of former days. Though he died far from home and his reign was brief, can he not be called a worthy ruler! His successor continued the work, building on what had been begun; rewards and punishments were even-handed and affairs were managed with sound judgment. When enemies pressed close, he deployed his full military authority; when paying court to the northern suzerain, his reputation resounded far. Was he not an exemplary ruler of his generation? Xiao Cong left his homeland for good and never returned, becoming instead an imperial affinal kinsman. By not holding himself apart from court affairs, he perhaps practiced the wisdom of knowing when enough is enough.

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