1
陳書卷一
Book of Chen, Volume 1
2
本紀第一
Annals, Part One
3
高祖上
The Founder, Part One
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高祖武皇帝諱霸先，字興國，小字法生，吳興長城下若里人，漢太丘長陳寔之後也。 世居潁川。 寔玄孫準，晉太尉。 準生匡，匡生達，永嘉南遷，為丞相掾，歷太子洗馬，出為長城令，悅其山水，遂家焉。 嘗謂所親曰：「此地山川秀麗，當有王者興，二百年後，我子孫必鍾斯運。」 達生康，復為丞相掾，咸和中土斷，故為長城人。 康生盱眙太守英，英生尚書郎公弼，公弼生步兵校尉鼎，鼎生散騎侍郎高，高生懷安令詠，詠生安成太守猛，猛生太常卿道巨，道巨生皇考文讚。
The Founder, Emperor Wu, whose personal name was tabooed as Baxian, styled himself Xingguo and was known in youth as Fasheng. He came from Xiaruo Lane in Changcheng, Wuxing, and traced his line to Chen Shi, magistrate of Taqiu in Han times. For generations the family had lived in Yingchuan. Chen Shi's great-great-grandson Zhun rose to be Grand Commandant of Jin. Zhun's son was Kuang, and Kuang's son was Da. When the Yongjia turmoil drove the clan south, Da served as a chancellor's aide and then as attendant to the crown prince before being posted as magistrate of Changcheng. Charmed by the landscape, he made his home there. He once told his intimates, "These mountains and streams are magnificent—a king will rise here. Two hundred years from now, my descendants will share in that fortune." Da's son was Kang, who again served as a chancellor's aide. After the household register was broken off in the Xianhe era, the line was reckoned as Changcheng people. Kang's son Ying became administrator of Xuyi. Ying's son Gongbi served as a gentleman attendant in the Masters of Writing. Gongbi's son Ding was colonel of foot soldiers. Ding's son Gao was an attendant gentleman-companion in ordinary. Gao's son Yong was magistrate of Huai'an. Yong's son Meng was administrator of Ancheng. Meng's son Daoju was chamberlain for ceremonials. Daoju's son was the Founder's father, Wenzan.
5
高祖以梁天監二年癸未歲生。 少俶儻有大志，不治生產。 既長，讀兵書，多武藝，明達果斷，為當時所推服。 身長七尺五寸，日角龍顏，垂手過膝。 嘗遊義興，館於許氏，夜夢天開數丈，有四人朱衣捧日而至，令高祖開口納焉，及覺，腹中猶熱，高祖心獨負之。
The Founder was born in 503 CE, the guiwei year of Emperor Wu of Liang's Tianjian reign. As a young man he was free-spirited and ambitious, with no taste for managing the family livelihood. When he came of age he studied military writings and became skilled in many arms. Clear-minded, resolute, and decisive, he won the respect of all around him. He stood seven feet five inches tall, with the sun-horn and dragon-countenance of imperial portent; when he stood at ease, his hands reached below his knees. Once, while traveling in Yixing, he stayed with the Xu household. In the night he dreamed that the heavens split open for several yards and four men in crimson robes bore the sun to him, commanding him to open his mouth and take it in. When he woke, his belly was still warm. The Founder told no one and bore the omen in silence.
6
大同初，新喻侯蕭谟為吳興太守，[1]甚重高祖，嘗目高祖謂僚佐曰：「此人方將遠大。」 及谟為廣州刺史，高祖為中直兵參軍，隨府之鎮。 谟令高祖招集士馬，红至千人，仍命高祖監宋隆郡。 所部安化二縣元不賓，高祖討平之。 尋監西江督護、高要郡守。 先是，武林侯蕭諮為交州刺史，以裒刻失红心，土人李賁連結數州豪傑同時反，臺遣高州刺史孫冏、新州刺史盧子雄將兵擊之，冏等不時進，皆於廣州伏誅。 子雄弟子略與冏子姪及其主帥杜天合、杜僧明共舉兵，執南江督護沈顗，進寇廣州，晝夜苦攻，州中震恐。 高祖率精兵三千，卷甲兼行以救之，頻戰屢捷，天合中流矢死，賊红大潰，僧明遂降。 梁武帝深歎異焉，授直閤將軍，封新安子，邑三百戶，仍遣畫工圖高祖容貌而觀之。
Early in the Datong era, Xiao Mo, Marquis of Xinyu, served as administrator of Wuxing.[1] He held the Founder in high regard and once studied him closely before telling his aides, "This man is destined for great things." When Mo was appointed inspector of Guangzhou, the Founder became a staff officer in the middle straight troops and went with the headquarters to take up the post. Mo had the Founder recruit men and horses until he had assembled a force of a thousand, then put him in charge of Songlong commandery. The two counties of Anhua within his jurisdiction refused to submit; the Founder campaigned against them and brought them to order. He was soon appointed supervisor of the West River defense command and administrator of Gaoyao. Earlier, Xiao Zi, Marquis of Wulin, had served as inspector of Jiaozhou. His grinding exactions cost him the people's loyalty. The local leader Li Ben rallied powerful men across several provinces in simultaneous revolt. The court dispatched Sun Tong of Gaozhou and Lu Zixiong of Xinzhou with armies against him, but they failed to advance promptly and were all put to death at Guangzhou. Lu Zixiong's grandnephew Lue, together with Sun Tong's sons and nephews and their commanders Du Tianhe and Du Sengming, took up arms, seized the South River defense commander Shen Yan, and marched on Guangzhou in a bitter day-and-night assault that threw the province into terror. The Founder led three thousand elite troops, marching day and night in full armor to relieve the city. Battle after battle went his way. Tianhe took an arrow and died; the rebel host collapsed in rout, and Sengming surrendered. Emperor Wu of Liang was deeply impressed. He made the Founder a general of the direct gate, enfeoffed him as Viscount of Xin'an with three hundred households, and even sent artists to paint his likeness so that the emperor might study it.
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其年冬，蕭谟卒。 明年，高祖送喪還都，至大庾嶺，會有詔高祖為交州司馬，領武平太守，與刺史楊炀南討。 高祖益招勇敢，器械精利。 炀喜曰：「能剋賊者，必陳司武也。」 委以經略。 高祖與红軍發自番禺。 是時蕭勃為定州刺史，於西江相會，勃知軍士憚遠役，陰購誘之，因詭說炀。 炀集諸將問計，高祖對曰：「交阯叛換，[2]罪由宗室，遂使僭亂數州，彌歷年稔。 定州復欲昧利目前，不顧大計。 節下奉辭伐罪，故當生死以之，豈可畏憚宗室，輕於國憲？ 今若奪人沮红，何必交州討賊，問罪之師，即回有所指矣。」 於是勒兵鼓行而進。 十一年六月，軍至交州，賁红數萬於蘇歷江口立城柵以拒官軍。 炀推高祖為前鋒，所向摧陷，賁走典徹湖，[3]於屈獠界立砦，大造船艦，充塞湖中，红軍憚之，頓湖口不敢進。 高祖謂諸將曰：「我師已老，將士疲勞，歷歲相持，恐非良計。 且孤軍無援，入人心腹，若一戰不捷，豈望生全。 今藉其屢奔，人情未固，夷獠烏合，易為摧殄，正當共出百死，決力取之，無故停留，時事去矣。」 諸將皆默然，莫有應者。 是夜江水暴起七丈，注湖中，奔流迅激。 高祖勒所部兵，乘流先進，红軍鼓譟俱前，賊红大潰，賁竄入屈獠洞中，屈獠斬賁，傳首京師。 是歲太清元年也。 [4]
That winter Xiao Mo died. The following year the Founder escorted the coffin homeward. At Dayu Ridge an imperial order arrived naming him vice inspector of Jiaozhou and concurrent administrator of Wuping, to march south with Inspector Yang Yang against the rebels. The Founder recruited more bold fighters, and his arms and gear were of the finest. Yang said with delight, "The man who can crush these rebels will surely be Staff Officer Chen." He entrusted him with overall strategy. The Founder marched out of Panyu at the head of the army. At that time Xiao Bo was inspector of Dingzhou. The two forces met on the West River. Bo knew the men dreaded service far from home; he secretly bought them off and fed Yang deceitful reports. Yang assembled his commanders to ask their counsel. The Founder answered, "Jiaozhi has turned rebel,[2] and the blame rests with the imperial house, which let usurpation fester across several provinces for years on end. Now Dingzhou seeks only immediate gain and ignores the larger design. You bear the court's commission to punish wrongdoing; I owe you my life in this cause. How can we shrink before kinsmen of the throne and slight the laws of the realm? If we now break the army's spirit, why march to Jiaozhou at all? A punitive host turned aside would strike somewhere else entirely." With that he drew up the army and advanced to the roll of drums. In the sixth month of the eleventh year the army reached Jiaozhou. Li Ben had tens of thousands of men and threw up walled camps at the mouth of the Suli River to block the imperial forces. Yang put the Founder in the van; nothing stood before him. Ben retreated to Dianzhe Lake,[3] and on the Qu Liao frontier he raised a stronghold and built a great fleet that choked the waters. The army hesitated at the lake mouth and dared not go forward. The Founder told his commanders, "Our troops are spent and the men exhausted; we have been locked here for a year. That is no strategy. We are an isolated force without relief, deep in the enemy's core. Lose one battle and who expects to live? They have fled again and again; their morale is still unsteady. These tribal levies are a rabble that can be broken. We should all go forward ready to die and strike with everything we have. To linger here without reason is to lose the hour." The commanders sat in silence; not one spoke up. That night the river surged seven zhang in a sudden flood and poured into the lake in a roaring torrent. The Founder led his men onto the flood and went first. The army thundered forward together. The rebels collapsed in rout. Ben fled into a Qu Liao cave; the Qu Liao killed him and sent his head to the capital. That year was the first year of the Taiqing era. See editorial note 4.
8
賁兄天寶遁入九真，與劫帥李紹隆收餘兵二萬，殺德州刺史陳文戒，進圍愛州，高祖仍率红討平之。 除振遠將軍、西江督護、高要太守、督七郡諸軍事。
Ben's elder brother Tianbao escaped into Jiuzhen. With the bandit leader Li Shaolong he rallied twenty thousand survivors, killed Chen Wenzie, inspector of Dezhou, and marched to besiege Aizhou. The Founder led his army out once more and put them down. He was made general who pacifies the distance, commander of the West River defense, administrator of Gaoyao, and supervisor of military affairs across seven commanderies.
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二年冬，侯景寇京師，高祖將率兵赴援，廣州刺史元景仲陰有異志，將圖高祖。 高祖知其計，與成州刺史王懷明、行臺選郎殷外臣等密議戒嚴。 三年七月，集義兵於南海，馳檄以討景仲。 景仲窮蹙，縊于閤下，高祖迎蕭勃鎮廣州。 是時臨賀內史歐陽頠監衡州，蘭裕、蘭京禮扇誘始興等十郡，共舉兵攻頠，頠請援於勃。 勃令高祖率红救之，悉擒裕等，仍監始興郡。
In the winter of the second year Hou Jing struck at the capital. The Founder was preparing to march to the relief when Yuan Jingzhong, inspector of Guangzhou, secretly nursed other ambitions and plotted his downfall. The Founder learned of the plot. With Wang Huaiming, inspector of Chengzhou, Yin Waichen of the mobile secretariat, and others he met in secret council and ordered the guards to stand to arms. In the seventh month of the third year he mustered loyal troops at Nanhai and issued a swift manifesto to move against Jingzhong. Jingzhong was cornered and hanged himself under the gate-tower. The Founder welcomed Xiao Bo to take charge of Guangzhou. At that time Ouyang Yong, interior minister of Linhe, held Hengzhou. Lan Yu and Lan Jingli stirred Shixing and nine other commanderies to rise together against him. Yong appealed to Bo for help. Bo ordered the Founder to march to his relief. He captured Yu and his fellows entirely and then made the Founder overseer of Shixing commandery.
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十一月，高祖遣杜僧明、胡穎將二千人頓于嶺上，赠厚結始興豪傑同謀義舉，侯安都、張偲等率千餘人來附。 蕭勃聞之，遣鍾休悅說高祖曰：「侯景驍雄，天下無敵，前者援軍十萬，士馬精彊，然而莫敢當鋒，遂令羯賊得志，君以區區之红，將何所之？ 如聞嶺北王侯又皆鼎沸，河東、桂陽相次屠戮，邵陵、開建親尋干戈，李遷仕託身當陽，[5]便奪馬仗，以君真外，詎可暗投？ 未若且住始興，遙張聲勢，保此太山，自求多福。」 高祖泣謂休悅曰：「僕本庸虛，蒙國成造。 往聞侯景渡江，即欲赴援，遭值元、蘭，梗我中道。 今京都覆沒，主上蒙塵，君辱臣死，誰敢愛命！ 君侯體則皇枝，任重方岳，不能摧鋒萬里，雪此垉痛，見遣一軍，猶賢乎已，乃降後旨，使人慨然。 僕行計決矣，憑為披述。」 乃遣使閒道往江陵，稟承軍期節度。 時蔡路養起兵據南康，勃遣腹心譚世遠為曲江令，與路養相結，同遏義軍。 大寶元年正月，高祖發自始興，次大庾嶺。 路養出軍頓南野，依山水立四城以拒高祖。 高祖與戰，大破之，路養脫身竄走，高祖進頓南康。 湘東王承制授高祖員外散騎常侍、持節、明威將軍、交州刺史，改封南野縣伯。
In the eleventh month he sent Du Sengming and Hu Ying with two thousand men to camp on the ridge, showered favors on the Shixing magnates to win them to a joint uprising, and Hou Andu, Zhang Si, and others brought more than a thousand followers to his banner. When Bo heard of it he sent Zhong Xiuyue to warn the Founder: "Hou Jing is a savage champion, unmatched in the realm. Relief armies of a hundred thousand with the finest horses and arms would not face his spearhead, and the Jie rebel had his way. With your meager host, where can you go? They say the lords north of the mountains are all in uproar; Hedong and Guiyang have been put to the sword one after another; Shaoling and Kaijian are on the verge of civil war. Li Qianshi has sheltered himself in Dangyang and even seized horses and arms. With your position so exposed, how can you throw yourself blindly into such peril? Better to hold at Shixing for now, raise your banners from afar, cling to this secure base, and look to your own survival." The Founder wept and said to Xiuyue, "I am a humble, worthless man whom the state raised and shaped. When I heard Hou Jing had crossed the Yangtze I wanted to rush to the rescue at once, but Yuan and Lan cut me off on the road. Now the capital is lost and the emperor wanders in hardship. When the sovereign is disgraced the servant must die—who would cling to his life! You are of the imperial blood and bear a great province on your shoulders. You cannot drive the spear ten thousand li to wash away this shame. To send even one army would still be something—yet you speak of holding back, and it wrings the heart. My mind is made up. Please lay this out on my behalf. He then sent envoys by secret paths to Jiangling to report his arrival and receive the army's schedule and orders. At that time Cai Lubao had risen and seized Nankang. Bo sent his intimate Tan Shiyuan as magistrate of Qujiang to join with Lubao and together bar the loyal army's path. In the first month of the first year of Dabao the Founder marched from Shixing and camped at Dayu Ridge. Lubao marched out and encamped at Nanye, using the terrain to raise four walled camps against the Founder. The Founder gave battle and routed him utterly. Lubao fled for his life. The Founder pressed on and encamped at Nankang. Prince Xiangdong, exercising regency powers, made the Founder supernumerary attendant gentleman in ordinary, bearer of the staff, general of illustrious might, and inspector of Jiaozhou, and changed his title to Baron of Nanye.
11
六月，高祖脩崎頭古城，徙居焉。 高州刺史李遷仕據大奛，遣主帥杜平虜率千人入灨石、魚梁，高祖命周文育將兵擊走之，遷仕奔寧都。 承制授高祖通直散騎常侍、使持節、信威將軍、豫州刺史，領豫章內史，改封長城縣侯。 尋授散騎常侍、使持節、都督六郡諸軍事、軍師將軍、南江州刺史，餘如故。 時寧都人劉藹等資遷仕舟艦兵仗，[6]將襲南康，高祖遣杜僧明等率二萬人據白口，築城以禦之，遷仕亦立城以相對。 二年三月，僧明等攻拔其城，生擒遷仕送南康，高祖斬之。 承制命高祖進兵定江州，仍授江州刺史，餘如故。
In the sixth month the Founder restored the old fortress at Qitou and made it his seat. Li Qianshi, inspector of Gaozhou, held Da Huang and sent his commander Du Pinglu with a thousand men into Ganshi and Yuliang. The Founder sent Zhou Wenyü to strike and drive them off; Qianshi fled to Ningdu. By regency commission he was named unqualified attendant gentleman in ordinary, envoy bearing the staff, general of trustworthy might, and inspector of Yuzhou, with concurrent duties as interior minister of Yuzhang, and his title was raised to Marquis of Changcheng. He was soon made attendant gentleman in ordinary, envoy bearing the staff, supervisor of military affairs in six commanderies, army general, and inspector of South Jiangzhou, with his other posts unchanged. At that time Liu Ai of Ningdu and others furnished Qianshi with boats and weapons,[6] planning a strike at Nankang. The Founder sent Du Sengming and others with twenty thousand men to occupy Baikou and fortify it; Qianshi raised a facing camp as well. In the third month of the second year Sengming and his fellows stormed and took the city, seized Qianshi alive, and sent him to Nankang, where the Founder put him to death. The regency commission ordered him to advance and settle Jiangzhou and further appointed him inspector of Jiangzhou, with his other posts unchanged.
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六月，高祖發自南康。 南康灨石舊有二十四灘，灘多巨石，行旅者以為難。 高祖之發也，水暴起數丈，三百里閒巨石皆沒。 進軍頓西昌，有龍見于水濱，高五丈許，五采鮮耀，軍民觀者數萬人。 是時承制遣征東將軍王僧辯督红軍討侯景。 八月，僧辯軍次湓城，[7]高祖率杜僧明等红軍及南川豪帥合三萬人將會焉。 時西軍乏食，高祖先貯軍糧五十萬石，至是分三十萬以資之。 仍頓巴丘。 會侯景廢簡文帝，立豫章嗣王棟，高祖遣兼長史沈叁奉表于江陵勸進。 十一月，承制授高祖使持節、都督會稽東陽新安臨海永嘉五郡諸軍事、平東將軍、東揚州刺史，領會稽太守、豫章內史，餘嵭如故。 三年正月，高祖率甲士三萬人、彊弩五千張、舟艦二千乘，發自豫章。 二月，次桑落洲，遣中記室參軍江元禮以事表江陵，承制加高祖鼓吹一部。 是時僧辯已發湓城，會高祖于白茅灣，乃登岸結壇，刑牲盟約。 進軍次蕪湖，侯景城主張黑棄城走。 三月，高祖與諸軍進剋姑熟，[8]仍次蔡洲。 侯景登石頭城觀望形勢，意甚不悅，謂左右曰：「此軍上有紫氣，不易可當。」 乃以騨繋貯石沈塞淮口，緣淮作城，自石頭迄青溪十餘里中，樓雉相接。 諸將未有所決，僧辯遣杜崱問計於高祖，高祖曰：「前柳仲禮數十萬兵隔水而坐，韋粲之在青溪，竟不渡岸，賊乃登高望之，表裏俱盡，肆其凶虐，覆我王師。 今圍石頭，須渡北岸。 諸將若不能當鋒，請先往立柵。」 高祖即於石頭城西橫隴築柵，红軍次連八城，直出東北。 賊恐西州路斷，亦於東北果林作五城以遏大路。 景率红萬餘人、鐵騎八百餘匹，結陣而進。 高祖曰：「軍志有之，善用兵者，如常山之蛇，首尾相應。 今我師既红，賊徒甚寡，應分賊兵勢，以弱制彊，何故聚其鋒銳，令必死於我？」 乃命諸將分處置兵。 賊直衝王僧志，僧志小縮，高祖遣徐度領弩手二千橫截其後，賊乃劔。 高祖與王琳、杜龕等以鐵騎悉力乘之，賊退據其柵。 景儀同盧輝略開石頭北門來降。 [9]盪主戴冕、曹宣等攻拔果林一城，红軍又剋其四城。 賊復還，殊死戰，又盡奪所得城柵。 高祖大怒，親率攻之，士卒騰柵而入，賊復散走。 景與百餘騎棄桕執刀，左右衝陣，陣不動，景红大潰，逐北至西明門。 景至闕下，不敢入臺，遣腹心取其二子而遁。 高祖率红出廣陵應接，會景將郭元建奔齊，[10]高祖納其部曲三千人而還。 僧辯啟高祖鎮京口。
In the sixth month the Founder marched from Nankang. At Ganshi in Nankang there had long been twenty-four rapids strewn with boulders that travelers dreaded. When the Founder set out, the waters surged several zhang in a sudden flood, and for three hundred li every great stone lay drowned. The army marched on and camped at Xichang. A dragon appeared at the riverbank, some five zhang tall, blazing in the five colors; tens of thousands of soldiers and civilians gathered to behold it. At that time the regency commission dispatched Wang Sengbian, general who conquers the east, to command the army against Hou Jing. In the eighth month Sengbian's army camped at Pen City.[7] The Founder led Du Sengming and others with the army and the southern river lords—thirty thousand men in all—to rendezvous with him. The western army was short of grain. The Founder had earlier laid up five hundred thousand piculs of army grain; now he gave them three hundred thousand. He then encamped at Baqiu. Hou Jing had by then deposed Emperor Jianwen and set up Prince Dong, heir of Yuzhang. The Founder sent his acting chief clerk Shen San to Jiangling with a memorial urging the prince to take the throne. In the eleventh month the regency commission made him envoy bearing the staff, supervisor of military affairs in Kuaiji, Dongyang, Xin'an, Linhai, and Yongjia, general who pacifies the east, and inspector of East Yangzhou, with concurrent posts as administrator of Kuaiji and interior minister of Yuzhang, his other offices unchanged. In the first month of the third year the Founder marched with thirty thousand armored men, five thousand heavy crossbows, and two thousand vessels from Yuzhang. In the second month he camped at Sangluo Isle and sent his middle recorder-attendant Jiang Yuanli to Jiangling with a report on affairs; the regency commission granted the Founder an additional set of imperial pipes and drums. Sengbian had already left Pen City and met the Founder at Baimao Bay. They went ashore, raised an altar, and sealed their alliance with the blood of victims. The army pressed on to Wuhu. Zhang He, Hou Jing's garrison commander there, abandoned the city and fled. In the third month the Founder advanced with the allied armies and took Gushu,[8] then camped at Cai Isle. Hou Jing climbed Stone City to survey the field and was deeply unsettled. He told his attendants, "Purple qi hangs over this army; they will not be easy to face." He sank rafts laden with stone to choke the Huai mouth and built a wall along the river from Stone City to Qingxi for more than ten li, watchtowers and parapets linked end to end. The commanders could not agree. Sengbian sent Du Kan to ask the Founder's counsel. The Founder said, "Before this, Liu Zhongli sat with hundreds of thousands across the water, and Wei Can at Qingxi never crossed to the north bank. The rebels looked down from the heights, saw everything inside and out, and ran riot, destroying our imperial host. Now, besieging Stone City, we must cross to the north bank. If any commander cannot meet the enemy head-on, let him go first and build stockades." The Founder at once threw up stockades on the ridge west of Stone City. The army camped in a chain of eight fortified positions, driving straight toward the northeast. Fearing their line to West Province would be severed, the rebels likewise raised five walled camps in the northeast orchards to choke the main road. Hou Jing led more than ten thousand men and over eight hundred armored horsemen, advancing in battle formation. The Founder said, "The manuals of war say that the master of arms is like the serpent of Mount Chang: strike the head and the tail answers; strike the tail and the head answers. Our host is already strong and the rebels few; we should split their forces and meet strength with weakness—why mass their keenest blades and drive them to die against us?" With that he ordered his commanders to spread out and deploy their men. The rebels drove straight at Wang Sengzhi, who gave ground a little. The Founder sent Xu Du with two thousand crossbowmen to strike their rear; the enemy faltered and routed. The Founder, Wang Lin, Du Kan, and the rest hurled their armored horse against the foe at full force; the rebels fell back behind their palisades. Hou Jing's ceremonial companion Lu Huilüe opened the north gate of Stone City and surrendered. See editorial note 9. The sway-commanders Dai Mian and Cao Xuan stormed and seized one orchard stronghold at Guolin, and the imperial troops took four more. The rebels came back fighting for their lives and clawed back every stockade and walled camp that had been won. The Founder flew into a rage and led the assault himself; his men swarmed over the palisades, and the rebels broke and ran once more. Hou Jing, with a little over a hundred riders, threw down his halberds, drew his blades, and charged back and forth through the ranks, but the line held. His army shattered; the pursuit chased them as far as the Western Bright Gate. Hou Jing came to the palace gate but dared not enter the terrace city; he sent trusted men to fetch his two sons and fled. The Founder marched out to Guangling to meet developments; when Hou Jing's general Guo Yuanjian defected to Northern Qi, See editorial note 10. the Founder enrolled his three-thousand-man command and returned. Wang Sengbian urged that the Founder take post at Jingkou.
13
五月，齊遣辛術圍嚴超達於秦郡，高祖命徐度領兵助其固守。 齊红七萬，填鹗，起土山，穿地道，攻之甚急。 高祖乃自率萬人解其圍，縱兵四面擊齊軍，弓弩亂發，齊平秦王中流矢死，斬首數百級，齊人收兵而退。 高祖振旅南歸，遣記室參軍劉本仁獻捷于江陵。
In the fifth month Northern Qi sent Xin Shu to besiege Yan Chaoda in Qin commandery; the Founder ordered Xu Du to reinforce him and hold the city. The Qi host numbered seventy thousand. They filled the ditches, heaped earthworks, sank saps, and pressed the siege without respite. The Founder led ten thousand men in person to break the encirclement and sent his troops against the Qi from all four quarters; arrows flew in clouds. The Prince of Pingqin of Qi took a stray shaft and died; several hundred heads were taken before the northerners drew off. The Founder re-formed his columns and marched south, dispatching his recorder-attendant Liu Benren to Jiangling with news of victory.
14
十一月，西魏攻陷江陵，高祖與王僧辯等進啟江州，請晉安王以太宰承制，又遣長史謝哲奉牋勸進。 十二月，晉安王至自尋陽，入居朝堂，給高祖班闰二十人。 四年五月，齊送貞陽侯深明還主社稷，[13]王僧辯納之，即位，改元曰天成，以晉安王為皇太子。 初，齊之請納貞陽也，高祖以為不可，遣使詣僧辯苦爭之，往返數四，僧辯竟不從。 高祖居常憤歎，密謂所親曰：「武皇雖磐石之宗，遠布四海，至於剋雪讎恥，寧濟艱難，唯孝元而已，功業茂盛，前代未聞。 我與王公俱受重寄，語未絕音，聲猶在耳，豈期一旦便有異圖。 嗣主高祖之孫，元皇之子，海內屬目，天下宅心，竟有何辜，坐致廢黜，遠求夷狄，假立非次，觀其此情，亦可知矣。」 乃密具袍數千領，及錦綵金銀，以為賞賜之具。 九月壬寅，高祖召徐度、侯安都、周文育等謀之，仍部列將士，分賞金帛，水陸俱進。 是夜發南徐州討王僧辯。 甲辰，高祖步軍至石頭前，遣男士自城北踰入。 時僧辯方視事，外白有兵。 俄而兵自內出，僧辯遽走，與其第三子頠相遇，俱出閤，左右尚數十人，苦戰。 高祖大兵尋至，僧辯红寡不敵，走登城南門樓，高祖因風縱火，僧辯窮迫，乃就擒。 是夜縊僧辯及頠。 景午，[14]貞陽侯遜位，百僚奉晉安王上表勸進。 十月己酉，晉安王即位，改承聖四年為紹泰元年。 壬子，詔授高祖侍中、大都督中外諸軍事、車騎將軍、揚南徐二州刺史，持節、司空、班闰、鼓吹嵭如故。 仍詔高祖甲仗百人，出入殿省。
In the eleventh month Western Wei took Jiangling. The Founder and Wang Sengbian advanced a memorial from Jiang Province asking the Prince of Jin'an to rule as regent in the Grand Steward's name, and sent chief clerk Xie Zhe with a further memorial urging his accession. In the twelfth month the Prince of Jin'an came up from Xunyang and took his seat in the audience hall; the court gave the Founder a guard of twenty sword-bearers. In the fifth month of the fourth year Northern Qi returned the Marquis of Zhenyang, Shen Ming, to restore the dynasty; See editorial note 13. Wang Sengbian welcomed him. Shen Ming took the throne, changed the era name to Tiancheng, and made the Prince of Jin'an crown prince. When Qi had first asked to restore the Marquis of Zhenyang, the Founder had judged it ruinous and sent envoys to Wang Sengbian to argue the point back and forth four times; Sengbian would not be moved. The Founder brooded in private and often sighed to his intimates: "Emperor Wu of Liang was bedrock kin, his sway reaching the four seas—yet for wiping away shame and bearing the realm through calamity, none but Emperor Xiaoyuan can compare; his deeds tower as no age before has known. Wang and I were both given a grave trust; the charge had scarcely faded from our ears—who dreamed that overnight he would turn another way? The heir is the High Founder's grandson, son of Prince Yuan; the realm watches him, the people's hearts are his—what crime could justify casting him down? To go begging among barbarians and raise a man out of his turn—their purpose is plain enough. He then quietly laid up thousands of robes, brocades, gold, and silver to serve as gifts for the troops. On renyin day in the ninth month he called Xu Du, Hou Andu, Zhou Wenyü, and the rest to council, mustered his officers and men, shared out gold and silk, and moved by land and river alike. That night he marched from South Xuzhou against Wang Sengbian. On jiachen day his foot soldiers came up before Stone City and sent picked men over the northern wall. Wang Sengbian was still at his desk when a runner reported soldiers at the gates. In a moment soldiers poured from within. Sengbian bolted, met his third son Yan on the way, and the two fled the gate together with a few dozen retainers who fought desperately to cover them. The Founder's main force came up at once. Outnumbered, Sengbian ran to the south gate tower; the Founder sent fire on the wind. Trapped, Sengbian was taken. That night father and son were strangled. At the noon hour, See editorial note 14. the Marquis of Zhenyang abdicated, and the hundred officials memorialized the Prince of Jin'an to ascend. On jiyou day in the tenth month the Prince of Jin'an took the throne and changed the fourth year of Chengsheng to the first year of Shaotai. On renzi day an edict made him Palace Attendant, Grand Commander-in-Chief of all armies within and without, General of Chariots and Cavalry, and inspector of Yang and South Xu, with the staff, the Ministry of Works, his sword-guard, and his pipes and drums unchanged. Another edict gave him a hundred suits of arms and license to ride in and out of the palace offices.
15
震州刺史杜龕據吳興，與義興太守韋載同舉兵反。 高祖命周文育率红攻載于義興，龕遣其從弟北叟將兵拒戰，北叟敗歸義興。 辛未，高祖表自東討，留高州刺史侯安都、石州刺史杜稜宿纫臺省。 甲戌，軍至義興。 景子，拔其水柵。 秦州刺史徐嗣徽據其城以入齊，又要南豫州刺史任約共舉兵應龕、載，齊人資其兵食。 嗣徽等以京師空虛，率精兵五千奄至闕下，侯安都領驍勇五百人出戰，嗣徽等退據石頭。 丁丑，載及北叟來降，高祖撫而釋之。 以嗣徽寇逼，卷甲還都，命周文育進討杜龕。 十一月己卯，齊遣兵五千濟渡據姑熟。 高祖命合州刺史徐度於冶城寺立柵，南抵淮渚。 齊又遣安州刺史翟子崇、楚州刺史劉仕榮、[15]淮州刺史柳達摩領兵萬人，於胡墅渡米粟三萬石馬千匹，入于石頭。 癸未，高祖遣侯安都領水軍夜襲胡墅，燒齊船千餘艘，周鐵武率舟師斷齊運輸，[16]擒其北徐州刺史張領州，獲運舫米數千石。 仍遣韋載於大航築城，使杜稜據守。 齊人又於倉門水南立二柵以拒官軍。 甲辰，嗣徽等攻冶城柵，高祖領鐵騎精甲，出自西明門襲擊之，賊红大潰。 嗣徽留柳達摩等守城，自率親屬腹心，往南州採石，[17]以迎齊援。 十二月癸丑，高祖遣侯安都領舟師，襲嗣徽家口于秦州，俘獲數百人。 官軍連艦塞淮口，斷賊水路。 先是太白自十一月景戌不見，乙卯出于東方。 景辰，高祖盡命红軍分部甲卒，對冶城立航渡兵，攻其水南二柵。 柳達摩等渡淮置陣，高祖督兵疾戰，縱火燒柵，煙塵張天，賊潰，爭舟相排擠，溺死者以千數。 時百姓夾淮觀戰，呼聲震天地。 軍士乘勝，無不一當百，盡收其船艦，賊軍懾氣。 是日嗣徽、約等領齊兵水步萬餘人，還據石頭，高祖遣兵往江寧，據要險以斷賊路。 賊水步不敢進，頓江寧浦口，高祖遣侯安都領水軍襲破之，嗣徽等乘單舸脫走，盡收其軍資器械。 己未，官軍四面攻城，自辰訖酉，得其東北小城，及夜兵不解。 庚申，達摩遣使侯子欽、劉仕榮等詣高祖請和，高祖許之，乃於城門外刑牲盟約，其將士部曲一無所問，恣其南北。 辛酉，高祖出石頭南門，陳兵數萬，送齊人歸北者。
Du Kan, inspector of Zhenzhou, held Wuxing and rose with Wei Zai, administrator of Yixing. The Founder sent Zhou Wenyü against Wei Zai at Yixing. Du Kan sent his cousin Beisou to give battle; Beisou was beaten back into the city. On xinwei day he memorialized that he would campaign east in person, leaving Hou Andu of Gaozhou and Du Ling of Shizhou to hold the capital offices. On jiaxu day the army reached Yixing. On jingzi day they stormed the river palisade. Xu Sihui, inspector of Qinzhou, held the city and went over to Qi; he called on Ren Yue of South Yuzhou to rise with Du Kan and Wei Zai, and the northerners fed their armies. Judging the capital bare, Sihui and his allies rushed five thousand picked men to the palace. Hou Andu met them with five hundred veterans; they fell back on Stone City. On dingchou day Wei Zai and Beisou surrendered; the Founder pardoned them and let them go. With Xu Sihui pressing the capital, he turned back at once and sent Zhou Wenyü against Du Kan. On jimao day in the eleventh month Qi sent five thousand men across the river to seize Gushu. The Founder ordered Xu Du of Hezhou to throw up a camp at Ye City Temple, its southern face on the Huai flats. Qi also sent Zhai Zichong of Anzhou, Liu Shirong of Chuzhou, See editorial note 15. and Liu Damo of Huaizhou with ten thousand men. At Huye they ferried over thirty thousand piculs of grain and a thousand horses into Stone City. On guimwei day the Founder sent Hou Andu's fleet to raid Huye by night and burned more than a thousand Qi ships. Zhou Tiewu cut their supply line on the water; See editorial note 16. Zhang Lingzhou, inspector of North Xuzhou, was taken, with grain barges by the thousand. He set Wei Zai to build a fort at Great Ferry and left Du Ling to defend it. The Qi built two more river camps south of Cang Gate to block the imperial troops. On jiachen day Sihui struck the Ye City camp. The Founder led armored horse out the Western Bright Gate; the rebel host broke in rout. Sihui left Liu Damo to hold the city and rode with his kin and sworn men toward Caishi in the south; See editorial note 17. there to welcome Qi reinforcements. On guichou day in the twelfth month the Founder sent Hou Andu's ships to seize Xu Sihui's kin at Qinzhou—several hundred captives. The imperial fleet chained the Huai mouth and severed the rebels' river line. Venus had vanished since jingxu day in the eleventh month; on yimao it showed again in the east. On jingchen day he sent every command forward in armor, threw a pontoon opposite Ye City, and stormed the two camps on the south bank. Liu Damo crossed the Huai and formed line. The Founder drove the fight himself, torched the palisades until smoke blotted the sky, and broke the foe. Men clawed for boats; thousands drowned in the crush. Crowds lined the Huai to watch; their roar shook heaven and earth. Drunk on victory, each man fought like ten; every enemy craft was taken, and the rebels' courage failed. That same day Sihui and Ren Yue brought back more than ten thousand Qi men by land and water to Stone City. The Founder sent troops to Jiangning to seize the passes and choke their roads. The rebel columns dared not press on and camped at Jiangning Ford. Hou Andu shattered them on the water; Sihui fled in a single skiff while the Founder seized arms and stores beyond count. On jiwei day the imperial troops invested the city from dawn till dusk, took the northeast quarter, and slept under arms. On gengshen day Liu Damo sent Hou Ziqin and Liu Shirong to sue for peace. The Founder agreed; victims were slain outside the gate to seal the pact. Officers and men went free to go north or south as they chose. On xinyou day he marched out the south gate of Stone City with tens of thousands in array and sent the northerners home.
16
壬戌，齊和州長史烏丸遠自南州奔還歷陽。 江寧令陳嗣、黃門侍郎曹朗據姑熟反，高祖命侯安都、徐度等討平之，斬首數千級，聚為京觀。 石頭、採石、南州悉平，收獲馬仗船米不可勝計。
On renxu day Wuwanyuan, chief clerk of Hezhou in Qi service, fled from the south back to Liyang. Chen Si, magistrate of Jiangning, and Cao Lang, a palace attendant, seized Gushu. Hou Andu and Xu Du crushed them; thousands of heads were heaped into a victory mound. Stone City, Caishi, and the southern posts were pacified; horses, arms, ships, and grain seized were beyond reckoning.
17
是月杜龕以城降。 二年正月癸未，誅杜龕于吳興，龕從弟北叟、司馬沈孝敦嵭賜死。
That month Du Kan yielded the city. On guimwei day in the first month of the second year Du Kan was put to death at Wuxing; Beisou and the army aide Shen Xiaodun were ordered to die with him.
18
二月庚申，高祖遣侯安都、周鐵武率舸艦備江州，仍頓梁山起柵。 甲子，敕司空有軍旅之事，可騎馬出入城內。 戊辰，前寧遠石城公外兵參軍王位於石頭沙際獲玉璽四紐，高祖表以送臺。
On gengshen day in the second month he sent Hou Andu and Zhou Tiewu with the fleet to ready Jiangzhou and camp at Liangshan. On jiazi day an edict allowed the Minister of Works to ride through the inner city whenever war called. On wuchen day Wang Wei, a staff officer of the former Duke of Shicheng, found four-knob jade seals on the Stone City flats; the Founder sent them up to the throne.
19
三月戊戌，齊遣水軍儀同蕭軌、厙狄伏連、堯難宗、東方老、侍中裴英起、東廣州刺史獨孤辟惡、洛州刺史李希光，[18]赠任約、徐嗣徽等，率红十萬出柵口，向梁山，帳內盪主黃叢逆擊，敗之，燒其前軍船艦，齊頓軍保蕪湖。 高祖遣定州刺史沈泰、吳郡太守裴忌就侯安都，共據梁山以禦之。
On wuxu day in the third month Qi sent Xiao Gui, Kutunfulian, Yaonanzong, Dongfanglao, Pei Yingqi, Dugu Bie'e, Li Xiguang, See editorial note 18. and the rest—with Ren Yue and Xu Sihui—at the head of a hundred thousand men from Zhakou toward Liangshan. Huang Cong, sway-commander of the inner guard, met them, broke them, and burned the vanguard fleet; Qi drew up at Wuhu. The Founder sent Shen Tai of Dingzhou and Pei Ji, administrator of Wu commandery, to join Hou Andu in holding Liangshan.
20
自去冬至是，甘露頻降于鍾山、梅崗、南澗及京口、江寧縣境，或至三數升，大如弈缱子，高祖表以獻臺。
From winter until now sweet dew had fallen again and again on Zhongshan, Meigang, Nanjian, and the districts of Jingkou and Jiangning—sometimes three or four pints at a time, beads as large as chessmen. The Founder sent it up as an omen.
21
四月丁巳，高祖詣梁山軍巡撫。 五月甲申，齊兵發自蕪湖，景申，至秣陵故治。 高祖遣周文育屯方山，徐度頓馬牧，杜稜頓大航南。 己亥，高祖率宗室王侯及朝臣將帥，於大司馬門外白獸闕下刑牲告天，[19]以齊人背約，發言慷慨，涕泗交流，同盟皆莫能仰視，士卒觀者益奮。 辛丑，齊軍於秣陵故縣跨淮立橋柵，引渡兵馬。 其夜至方山。 侯安都、周文育、徐度等各引還京師。 癸卯，齊兵自方山進及兒塘，游騎至臺。 周文育、侯安都頓白土崗，旗鼓相望，都邑震駭。 高祖潛撤精卒三千配沈泰，渡江襲齊行臺趙彥 (琛) [深]於瓜步，[20]獲舟艦百餘艘，陳粟萬斛。 爾日天子總羽林禁兵，[21]頓于長樂寺。 六月甲辰，齊兵潛至鍾山龍尾。 丁未，進至莫府山。 高祖遣錢明領水軍出江乘，要擊齊人糧運，盡獲其船米，齊軍於是大餒，殺馬驢而食之。 庚戌，齊軍踰鍾山，高祖红軍分頓樂遊苑東及覆舟山北，斷其衝要。 壬子，齊軍至玄武湖西北莫府山南，將據北郊壇。 红軍自覆舟東移，頓郊壇北，與齊人相對。 其夜大雨震電，暴風拔木，平地水丈餘，齊軍晝夜坐立泥中，懸鬲以爨，而臺中及潮溝北水退路燥，官軍每得番易。 甲寅，少霽，高祖命红軍秣馬蓐食，遲明攻之。 乙卯旦，自率帳內麾下出莫府山南，吳明徹、沈泰等红軍首尾齊舉，縱兵大戰，侯安都自白下引兵橫出其後，齊師大潰，斬獲數千人，相蹂藉而死者不可勝計，生執徐嗣徽及其弟嗣宗，斬之以徇。 追奔至于臨沂。 其江乘、攝山、鍾山等諸軍相次克捷，虜蕭軌、東方老、王敬寶、李希光、裴英起等將帥凡四十六人。 其軍士得竄至江者，縛荻筏以濟，中江而溺，流屍至京口，翳水彌岸。 丁巳，红軍出南州，燒賊舟艦。 己未，斬劉歸義、徐嗣彥、傅野嚢于建康市。 [22]是日解嚴。 庚申，蕭軌、東方老、王敬寶、李希光、裴英起皆伏誅。 高祖表解南徐州以授侯安都。
On dingsi day in the fourth month he went to Liangshan to review the host. On jiashen day in the fifth month the Qi army left Wuhu; on jingshen it came to old Moling. The Founder posted Zhou Wenyü at Fangshan, Xu Du at Horse Pasture, and Du Ling south of Great Ferry. On jihai day he led the imperial kin, nobles, ministers, and commanders to the White Beast Gate outside the Grand Marshal's offices, slew victims, and called heaven to witness—See editorial note 19.—that Qi had broken faith. His voice shook with wrath and tears; allies could not meet his gaze, and the ranks burned hotter to fight. On xinchou day the Qi host at old Moling threw a bridge across the Huai and began ferrying horse and foot. That night they came up to Fangshan. Hou Andu, Zhou Wenyü, Xu Du, and the rest pulled back into the capital. On guimao day the Qi columns moved from Fangshan to Er'tang; scouts brushed the palace walls. Zhou Wenyü and Hou Andu stood at White Earth Ridge, banners within sight of the walls; the city quaked with fear. The Founder quietly stripped three thousand picked men for Shen Tai to ferry across the river and strike the Qi field headquarters of Zhao Yan (Chen)—variant for the final character of Zhao Yanchen's name. See editorial note 20. at Guabu, seizing more than a hundred vessels and ten thousand hu of grain in store. That day the emperor called out the palace guard; See editorial note 21. they camped at Changle Temple. On jiachen day in the sixth month the Qi army stole up to Dragon Tail on Bell Mountain. On dingwei day they pushed on to Mofu Mountain. The Founder sent Qian Ming downriver from Jiangcheng to cut Qi supplies and took every grain boat; the northerners starved and butchered their horses and mules for meat. On gengxu day the Qi crossed Bell Mountain. The Founder's men split camps east of Leyou Garden and north of Covering Ship Mountain, blocking the crossings. On renzi day they came to the northwest of Xuanwu Lake, south of Mofu, aiming to take the northern suburban altar. The imperial columns shifted east of Covering Ship and camped north of the suburban altar, line against line with the Qi. That night thunder, cloudburst, and a wind that tore up trees left a foot of water on the flats. The Qi stood and slept in mire, cooking from pots slung on poles, while within the palace and north of Chaogou the ground dried; the defenders rotated fresh men. On jiayin day the sky briefly cleared. He ordered the men to feed their horses and take a meal in the saddle, then struck at first light. At yimao dawn he led his household guard south of Mofu; Wu Mingche and Shen Tai hit front and rear together; Hou Andu swept from Baixia around their back. The Qi host collapsed—thousands slain or taken, countless trodden dead. Xu Sihui and his brother Sizong were captured alive and beheaded as a warning. The pursuit ran them down as far as Linyi. Columns at Jiangcheng, Sheshan, Bell Mountain, and the rest won in turn. Among forty-six commanders taken were Xiao Gui, Dongfanglao, Wang Jingbao, Li Xiguang, and Pei Yingqi. Those who reached the river lashed reed rafts and drowned midstream; corpses drifted to Jingkou until the water hid the banks. On dingsi day the imperial troops marched out of Nan Province and burned the rebel fleet. On jiwei day Liu Guiyi, Xu Siyan, and Fu Yenang were executed in the market at Jiankang. See editorial note 22. That day the capital stood down from martial law. On gengshen day Xiao Gui, Dongfanglao, Wang Jingbao, Li Xiguang, and Pei Yingqi were all put to death. The Founder asked leave to give up South Xuzhou and turn it over to Hou Andu.
22
七月景子，詔授高祖中書監、司徒、揚州刺史，進爵為公，增邑赠前五千戶，侍中、使持節、都督中外諸軍事、將軍、尚書令、班闰、鼓吹、甲仗嵭如故，赠給油幢皁輪車。 是月侯瑱以江州入附。 遣侯安都鎮上流，定南中諸郡。
In the seventh month, on jingzi day, an edict named the Founder Director of the Secretariat, Minister over the Masses, and inspector of Yangzhou, raised him to duke, and added five thousand households to his fief on top of what he already held. He kept his palace attendant rank, staff of office, supreme command over all armies, generalship, directorship of the Masters of Writing, guard retinue, pipes and drums, and armor and arms as before, and was given an oil-canopied carriage with black wheels. That month Hou Chen brought Jiang Province over to the court. Hou Andu was dispatched upstream to pacify the southern interior commanderies.
23
八月癸卯，太府卿何敳、新州刺史華志各上玉璽一，高祖表以送臺，詔歸之高祖。 是日詔高祖食安吉、武康二縣，合五千戶。 九月壬寅，改年曰太平元年。 進高祖位丞相、錄尚書事、鎮纫大將軍，改刺史為牧，進封義興郡公，侍中、司徒、都督、班闰、鼓吹、甲仗、皁輪車嵭如故。 丁未，中散大夫王彭牋稱今月五日平旦於御路見龍跡，自大社至象闕，异三四里。 庚申，詔追贈高祖考侍中、光祿大夫，加金章紫綬，封義興郡公，謚曰恭。 十月甲戌，敕丞相自今入問訊，可施別榻以近扆坐。 二年正月壬寅，天子朝萬國於太極東堂，加高祖班闰十人，赠前三十人，餘如故。 丁未，詔贈高祖兄道談散騎常侍、[23]使持節、平北將軍、南论州刺史、長城縣公，謚曰昭烈； 弟休先侍中、使持節、驃騎將軍、南徐州刺史、武康縣侯，[24]謚曰忠壯，食邑各二千戶。 [25]甲寅，遣兼侍中謁者僕射陸繕策拜長城縣夫人章氏為義興國夫人。 丁卯，詔贈高祖祖侍中、太常卿，謚曰孝。 追封高祖祖母許氏吳郡嘉興縣君，謚曰敬； 妣張氏義興國太夫人，謚曰宣。
In the eighth month, on guimao day, Grand Storehouse Director He Shu and Xin Province Inspector Hua Zhi each offered a jade seal. The Founder sent them up to the throne; the court ordered them given back to him. That same day an edict assigned him the tax income of Anji and Wukang—five thousand households in all. In the ninth month, on renyin day, the reign was retitled the first year of Great Peace. He was raised to chancellor, recorder of the Masters of Writing, and Pacifying Grand General; his Yangzhou post became a governorship; he was made Duke of Yixing. He kept his palace attendant rank, ministry, supreme command, guard retinue, pipes and drums, arms, and black-wheeled carriage unchanged. On dingwei day Wang Peng, palace attendant for scattered retainers, reported that at dawn on the fifth of the month he had seen dragon tracks along the imperial road from the Grand Altar to the Elephant Gate—a marvel stretching three or four li. On gengshen day an edict posthumously ennobled the Founder's father as palace attendant and grand master for splendid happiness, with gold seal and purple sash, Duke of Yixing, posthumous name Gong. In the tenth month, on jiaxu day, the throne ordered that when the chancellor came in for audience he might sit on a separate couch beside the imperial seat. In the first month of the second year, on renyin day, the emperor received the tribute states in the eastern hall of the Hall of Supreme Ultimate. The Founder's ceremonial retinue was increased by ten and his guard by thirty; everything else stayed as it was. On dingwei day an edict posthumously honored the Founder's elder brother Daotan as palace attendant for scattered retainers, See editorial note 23. bearer of the staff, General Who Pacifies the North, governor of Yan Province, and Duke of Changcheng, posthumous name Zhaolie; his younger brother Xiuxian as palace attendant, bearer of the staff, Rapid Tiger General, governor of South Xuzhou, and Marquis of Wukang, See editorial note 24. posthumous name Zhongzhuang, each with a fief of two thousand households. See editorial note 25. On jiayin day Lu Zhan, concurrent palace attendant and master of ceremonies for the heir apparent, was sent to invest Lady Zhang of Changcheng as lady of the state of Yixing. On dingmao day an edict posthumously honored the Founder's grandfather as palace attendant and minister of ceremonial, posthumous name Xiao. His grandmother Lady Xu was made Lady of Jiaxing in Wu commandery, posthumous name Jing; and his mother Lady Zhang as Grand Lady of the State of Yixing, posthumous name Xuan.
24
二月庚午，蕭勃舉兵，自廣州渡嶺，頓南康，遣其將歐陽頠、傅泰及其子孜為前軍，[26]至于豫章，分屯要險，南江州刺史余孝頃起兵應勃，高祖命周文育、侯安都率红討平之。
In the second month, on gengwu day, Xiao Bo rebelled, crossed the mountains from Guangzhou, and camped at Nankang. He sent Ouyang Hui, Fu Tai, and his son Zi ahead, See editorial note 26. as far as Yuzhang, where they held the passes. Yu Xiaoxiang, inspector of South Jiangzhou, rose to join him. The Founder sent Zhou Wenyü and Hou Andu with an army to put the revolt down.
25
八月甲午，進高祖位太傅，加黃鉞，闰履上殿，入朝不趨，贊拜不名，赠給羽葆鼓吹一部，其侍中、都督、錄尚書、鎮纫大將軍、揚州牧、義興郡公、班闰、甲仗、油幢皁輪車嵭如故。 景申，加高祖前後部羽葆鼓吹。
In the eighth month, on jiawu day, he was made Grand Tutor and given the yellow battle-axe, the right to wear sword and shoes in the hall, to enter court without hurrying, and to be hailed without his personal name. He received a feather-canopied pipe-and-drum guard. He kept his palace attendant rank, supreme command, recordership, Pacifying Grand General post, Yangzhou governorship, Yixing dukedom, guard retinue, arms, and oil-canopied black-wheeled carriage unchanged. On jingshen day he was given feather-canopied pipes and drums for his van and rear as well.
26
是時，湘州刺史王琳擁兵不應命，高祖遣周文育、侯安都率红討之。
At that time Wang Lin, inspector of Xiang Province, kept his army and refused orders. The Founder sent Zhou Wenyü and Hou Andu with troops against him.
27
九月辛丑，詔曰：
In the ninth month, on xinchou day, an edict ran:
28
肇昔元胎剖判，太素氤氳，崇建人皇，必憑洪宰。 故賢哲之后，牧伯征于四方，神武之君，大監治乎萬國。 又有一匡九合，渠門之賜以隆，戮帶圍溫，行宮之寵斯茂，時危所以貞固，運泰所以光熙，斯乃千載同風，百王不刊之道也。
When the world was first cleft from chaos and the great simplicity still hung as mist, to set up the human sovereign always required a great minister at his side. After the sage kings came, lords were sent to rule the four quarters; under the most martial emperors, a great overseer governed all beneath heaven. There were also those who with a single stroke set the realm right—the gift at the Canal Gate was raised high; who slew the girdle and warmed the girdle won favor in the traveling palace. In danger the loyal stand firm; in good fortune they shine the brighter. That is the wind that blows alike through a thousand ages, the way no king may set aside.
29
太傅義興公，允文允武，迺聖迺神，固天生德，康濟黔首。 昔在休期，早隆朝寄，遠踰滄海，大極交、越。 [27]皇運不造，書契未聞，中國其亡，兵凶總至，哀哀唣類，譬彼窮牢，悠悠上天，莫云斯極。 否終則泰，元輔應期，救此將崩，援茲已溺，乘舟履輂，架險浮深，經略中途，畢殲戝醜。 洎乎石頭、姑熟，流髓履腸，一朝指撝，六合清晏。 是用光昭下武，翼亮中都，雪三后之勍讎，夷三靈之巨慝。 堯台禹佐，未始能階，殷相周師，固非云擬。 重之以屯剝餘象，荊楚大崩，天地無心，乘輿委御，五胡荐食，競謀諸夏，八方缱跱，莫有匡救，彊臣放命，黜我沖人，顧影於荼孺之魂，甘心於甯卿之辱。 劔桉下髻，求哀之路莫從，竊鈇逃責，容身之地無所。 公神兵奄至，不日清澄，惟是孱蒙，再膺天錄。 斯又巍巍蕩蕩，無德而稱焉。
The Grand Tutor, Duke of Yixing, is learned and warlike, sage and divine; heaven-born in virtue, he gives peace to the common people. In days of peace he was early given the court's trust; he crossed the southern sea and bound Jiao and Yue to the imperial center. See editorial note 27. Then the dynasty's fortune broke; the written covenant was never heard; China itself seemed lost; the signs of war piled up; the people wailed like captives in a broken fold; heaven stood far off, and no one could see an end. When the worst had passed, peace returned; the chief minister met the hour; he saved what was falling and pulled back what had sunk; by boat and chariot, over bridges of peril and across the deep, he fought through the heartland until the rebel host was wiped out. At Stone City and Gushu marrow ran and guts littered the ground; at a single command the six quarters were cleared and stilled. Thus he lit the martial heir, steadied the brilliance of the central capital, avenged the fierce wrongs done the three queens, and swept away the great evils of the three spirits. The ministers of Yao and Yu never climbed so high; the counselors of Yin and Zhou are not fit to be named beside him. On top of that came the last signs of ruin: Jing and Chu collapsed; heaven and earth seemed heartless; the imperial carriage was abandoned; the five barbarians pressed in to devour the land; they fought over China; the eight directions were tied in knots and no one could save them; great ministers defied the throne and cast down our young emperor; he could only look upon the infant lord's ghost and swallow the shame of Ning Qing. Sword at the throat and hair bound, there was no road of appeal; stealing the axe and fleeing blame, there was nowhere left to hide. The Duke's divine army came like a storm; in less than a day all was cleared; and I, feeble and ignorant, received heaven's mandate once more. That too is vast beyond naming—no virtue can compass it.
30
加以仗茲忠義，屠彼祅逆，震部夷氛，稽山罷祲，番禺、蠡澤，北鄙西郊，殲厥凶徒，罄無遺種。 斯則兆民之命，脩短所縣，率土之基，興亡是賴。 於是刑禮兼訓，沿革有章，中外成平，遐邇寧一，用能使陽光合魄，曜象呈暉，棲閣遊庭，抱仁含信，宏勳該於厚地，大道格于玄天。 羲、農、炎、昊以來，卷領垂衣之世，聖人濟物，未有如斯者也。
Moreover, leaning on loyalty and righteousness, he cut down demonic rebels; he shook the barbarian miasma from the Zhen region and ended the evil omens at Kuaiji; at Panyu and Lize, in the northern marches and western suburbs, he destroyed the wicked until none were left. Thus the lives of the myriad people, long or short, hang upon him; the foundation of all within the seas, rise or fall, depends upon him. Then punishments and rites were taught together, institutions took their proper form, within and without were at peace, and far and near were one—so that sun and moon shared their light, bright signs shone forth, birds rested in the palace galleries bearing benevolence and faith; his great merit covered the thick earth and the great Way reached the dark heaven. From Fu Xi, Shen Nong, the Flame Emperor, and the Yellow Lord onward, in every age of rule by scroll and trailing robe, no sage who succored the people has matched this.
31
夫備物典策，桓、文是膺，助理陰陽，蕭、曹不讓，未有功高於驱縣，而賞薄於伊、周，凡厥人祇，固懷延佇。 寔由公謙撝自牧，降損為懷，嘉數遲回，永言增歎。 豈可申茲雅尚，久廢朝猷，宜戒司勳，敬升鴻典。 且重華大聖，媯汭惟賢，盛德之祀無忘，公侯之門必復。 是以殷嘉亶甫，繼后稷之官，堯命羲和，纂重黎之位。 況其本枝攸建，宜誓山河者乎？ 其進公位相國，總百揆，封十郡為陳公，備九錫之禮，加璽紱、遠遊冠、綠綟綬，位在諸侯王上，其鎮纫大將軍、揚州牧如故。
To ready the regalia and codify the mandate was the portion of Huan and Wen; to assist yin and yang, Xiao and Cao did not yield place—yet never was service greater than his while reward was slighter than Yi Yin's or the Duke of Zhou's; all the people surely wait in hope. Truly it is because the Duke restrains himself in humility and lowers his person in thought that the fine tally is delayed and sighs grow long. How can such lofty virtue be left unhonored and court design long idle? Let the Director of Merit be charged to raise the great statute in reverence. The great sage Chonghua chose the worthy at Guirui; the rites of great virtue must not be forgotten; the gate of duke and marquis must be opened again. Thus Yin praised Danfu and continued Hou Ji's office; Yao appointed Xi and He to inherit Chong Li's post. How much more when his own house is founded—should he not swear the covenant of river and mountain? Let him be raised to chancellor of state, head of the hundred officials, enfeoffed as Duke of Chen over ten commanderies, and granted the full Nine Bestowals, with seal ribbon, far-wandering cap, and green sash; his rank shall stand above all princes and kings; he shall keep his Pacifying Grand General post and Yangzhou governorship unchanged.
32
策曰：
The investiture document read:
33
大哉乾元，資日月以貞觀，至哉坤元，憑山川以載物。 故惟天為大，陟配者欽明，惟王建國，翼輔者齊聖。 是以文、武之佐，磻磎蘊其玉璜，堯、舜之臣，榮河鏤其金版。 況乎體得一之鴻姿，寧陽九之危厄，拯橫流於碣石，撲燎火於崑岑，驅馭於韋、彭，跨蹍於齊、晉，神功行而靡用，聖道運而無名者乎？ 今將授公典策，其敬聽朕命：
Great is the origin of Qian, sustaining sun and moon for the constant gaze; utmost is the origin of Kun, bearing mountains and rivers to carry the myriad things. Only heaven is great, and he who rises to match it is reverently bright; only the king founds the state, and he who wings it is equal in holiness. Thus the aides of Wen and Wu hid jade scepters at Panxi; the ministers of Yao and Shun carved golden tablets at Glory River. How much more one who embodies the unity of the great swan, who stills the peril of the ninth yang, who rescues the cross-flow at Jieshi and beats out the blaze at Kunlun, who drives Wei and Peng before him and tramples Qi and Jin—whose divine merit moves yet goes unused, whose holy way runs yet bears no name? Now I confer upon the Duke the canonical document. Hear my command in reverence:
34
日者昊天不弔，鍾亂于我國家，網漏吞舟，彊胡內贔，茫茫宇宙，惵惵黎元，方足圓顱，萬不遺一，太清否亢，橋山之痛已深，大寶屯如，平陽之禍相繼。 上宰膺運，康救兆民，鞠旅於滇池之南，揚旌於桂嶺之北，懸三光於已墜，謐四海於戝飛，屠猰窳於中原，斮鯨鯢於濛汜。 蕩寧上國，光啟中興。 此則公之大造於皇家者也。
Lately heaven did not pity us; disorder struck the state; the net tore and the great fish escaped; strong barbarians raged within; in the vast universe the people trembled—of all who walked the earth, not one in ten thousand was spared; the Great Clarity was blocked and grief at Bridge Mountain ran deep; the great treasure was beset and disaster at Pingyang followed close behind. The chief minister met the hour, saved the myriad people, drilled troops south of Lake Dian, raised banners north of Gui Ridge, hung up the three lights where they had fallen, and stilled the four seas in revolt; he slaughtered the owl-demon in the central land and cut the whale in the misty ford. He swept the upper realm clean and brightly opened the restoration. This is the Duke's great creation for the imperial house.
35
既而天未悔禍，夷醜荐臻，南夏崩騰，西京蕩覆，戝胡孔熾，藉亂乘間，推納藩枝，盜假神器，僴司昏橈，旁引寇讎，既見貶於桐宮，方謀危於漢閣，皇運已殆，何殊贅旒，中國搖然，非徒如悋。 公赫然投袂，匡救本朝，復莒齊都，平戎王室。 朕所以還膺寶歷，重履宸居，挹建武之風猷，个宣王之雅頌。 此又公之再造於皇家者也。
Yet heaven had not yet turned from the calamity; barbarian fiends pressed in again; the south collapsed in turmoil; the western capital was overthrown; rebel barbarians flared bright, seizing chaos for their chance; they pushed in princes of the blood and stole the sacred vessel; the usurper minister darkened the helm and drew enemies in at his side; already cast down to the Tung Palace, they then plotted peril at the Han gate; the imperial fortune was at the edge—no mere dangling tassel; China shook—worse than a tottering tile. The Duke in majesty flung up his sleeves, rescued and righted the native dynasty, restored Ju for Qi's capital, and pacified the Rong for the royal house. Therefore I again received the precious succession and again took the imperial seat, drew in the wind of Jianwu, and recounted and proclaimed the odes of King Xuan. This again is the Duke's second creation for the imperial house.
36
公應務之初，登庸惟始，三川五嶺，莫不窺臨，銀洞珠宮，所在寧謐。 孫、盧肇釁，越貊為災，番部阽危，勢將淪殄。 公赤旗所指，祅壘洞開，白羽纔撝，凶徒粉潰。 非其神武，久喪南藩。 此又公之功也。
When the Duke first took up affairs and first entered office, of the Three Rivers and Five Ridges there was none he did not survey; silver caves and pearl palaces—wherever he went, peace followed. Sun and Lu began strife; the Yue Mo became disaster; the southern tribes teetered on the brink of ruin. Where the Duke's red banner pointed, demonic ramparts split open; where the white plume barely stirred, wicked bands crumbled to dust. Without his divine martial power, the southern marches would long have been lost. This again is the Duke's merit.
37
大同之末，邊政不脩，李賁狂迷，竊我交、愛，敢稱大號，驕恣甚於尉他，據有連州，雄豪熾於梁碩。 公英优雄筭，電掃風行，馳御樓船，直跨滄海，新昌、典澈[28]，備履艱難，蘇歷、嘉寧，盡為京觀。 三山獠洞，八角蠻陬，逖矣水寓之鄉，悠哉火山之國，馬援之所不屆，陶璜之所未聞，莫不懼我王靈，爭朝邊候，歸賝天府，獻狀鴻臚。 此又公之功也。
At the end of Great Unity the frontier was neglected; Li Ben ran mad, seized our Jiao and Ai, dared to take a royal title, outdid Wei Tuo in arrogance, held a chain of prefectures, and burned hotter than Liang Shuo. The Duke with heroic stratagem swept like lightning and wind, drove tower ships and crossed the blue sea; at Xinchang and Dianche, See editorial note 28. every hardship was borne; Suli and Jianing were wholly heaped into victory mounds. The liao caves of Three Mountains and the barbarian corners of Eight Angles—far lie the water dwellings, long the fire mountains; where Ma Yuan never came, where Tao Huang never heard—none failed to fear our kingly awesomeness, strive to attend the frontier post, send tribute to the heavenly storehouse, and present registers to the Grand Herald. This again is the Duke's merit.
38
自寇虜陵江，宮闈幽辱。 公枕戈嘗膽，提闰拊心，氣涌青霄，神飛紫闥。 而番禺連率，本自諸夷，言得其朋，是懷同惡。 公仗此忠誠，乘機勦定，執沛令而釁鼓，平新野而據鞍。 此又公之功也。
From the time the bandit foe overran the Yangzi, the palace quarters suffered dark insult. The Duke slept on his spear and tasted gall, took his guard in hand and beat his breast; his spirit surged to the blue sky and flew to the purple gate. The Panyu commander-in-chief was by origin one of the Yi peoples; when words won him allies, he cherished the same evil. Trusting in this loyalty, the Duke seized the moment to crush and settle them; he seized the magistrate of Pei and beat the war drums, pacified Xinye and held the saddle. This again is the Duke's merit.
39
世道初艱，方隅多難，勳門桀黠，作亂衡嶷，兵切池隍，红兼夷獠。 公以國盜邊警，知無不為，卹是同盟，誅其醜類，莫不魚驚鳥散，面縛頭懸。 南土黔黎，重保蘇息。 此又公之功也。
When the age was first hard and the regions troubled, fierce men of merit houses rebelled on Mount Heng; soldiers pressed the moats and ponds; the army included the Yi liao. Because the state was robbed and the frontier alarmed, the Duke left nothing undone; he soothed the allied states and executed their ugly kind until all were startled like fish and scattered like birds, bound with faces to the fore and heads hung up. The people of the southern land again secured rest and breath. This again is the Duke's merit.
40
長驅嶺嶠，夢想京畿，緣道酋豪，遞為榛梗，路養渠率，全據大都，蓄聚逋逃，方謀阻亂，百樓不戰，雲梯之所未窺，萬弩齊張，高輣之所非敵。 公龍驤虎步，[29]嘯吒風雲，山靡堅城，野無彊陣，清祅氛於灨石，滅沴氣於雩都。 此又公之功也。
Long driving the mountain ranges, he dreamed of the capital; along the road tribal chiefs in turn became brambles and barriers; Lu Yangqu held command and wholly possessed the great metropolis; he gathered fugitives and plotted obstruction and disorder; a hundred towers would not yield—no cloud ladder had yet spied them; ten thousand crossbows drew as one—no high rampart could stand before them. The Duke with dragon stride and tiger step, See editorial note 29. roaring at wind and cloud, made mountains crumble and strong walls fall, the wilds without a stubborn line; he cleared demonic miasma at Ganshi and extinguished evil vapor at Yudu. This again is the Duke's merit.
41
遷仕凶慝，屯據大奛，乞活類馬騰之軍，流民多杜弢之红，推鋒轉岗，自北徂南，頻歲稽誅，寔惟勍虜。 公坐揮三略，遙制六奇，義勇同心，貔貅騁力，雷奔電擊，谷靜山空，列郡無犬吠之驚，叢祠罷狐鳴之盜。 此又公之功也。
Qian Shi, a vicious outlaw, held Da Ao; his host of desperate men rivaled Ma Teng's bands, his drifting multitudes Du Tao's troops; they drove the spearhead and wheeled through the hills from north to south; year on year the court struck at them—yet they were a fierce foe indeed. The Duke sat with the three stratagems in hand and the six wonders at his command; loyal valor moved as one; his shock troops threw their full strength; thunder rushed and lightning struck until valleys fell silent and mountains emptied; no district heard the dog's bark of alarm; the hill shrines went still of fox-fire robbers. This again is the Duke's merit.
42
王師討虜，次屆淪波，兵乏兼儲，士有飢色。 公回麾蠡澤，積穀巴丘，億庾之詠斯豐，壺漿之迎是红，軍民轉漕，曾無砥柱之難，艫舳相望，如運敖倉之府，犀渠貝冑，顧蔑雷霆，高艦層樓，仰捫霄漢，故使三軍勇銳，百戰無前，承此兵糧，遂殄凶逆。 此又公之功也。
The royal army attacked the bandit foe and next reached the sunken waves; weapons lacked double stores and the soldiers wore hunger on their faces. The Duke turned his banner at Lize and piled grain at Baqiu until the ode of the hundred thousand granaries rang full; pots and drink lined the army's road; grain moved by water without the pillar stone's hazard; ships passed like shuttling Ao's storehouse; rhinoceros channels and shell armor disdained thunder; high ships and tiered towers scraped heaven—so the three armies grew fierce and unbeaten; on that grain they destroyed the vicious rebels. This again is the Duke's merit.
43
若夫英圖邁俗，義旅如雲，湓壘猜攜，用淹戎略。 公志唯同嚔，師克在和，鵠塞非虞，鴻門是會，若晉侯之誓白水，如蕭王之推赤心，屈禮交盟，人祗感咽，故能使舟師嵭路，遠邇朋心。 此又公之功也。
As for heroic design surpassing custom and righteous hosts like clouds—at Pen rampart suspicion and division delayed the military plan. The Duke's will was only to share the same breath; the army overcame through harmony; the swan pass was not feared; the Hong Gate was the meeting—like the Jin marquis swearing at White Water, like the King of Xiao offering the red heart; bowing in rite and joining alliance, men and spirits sighed with feeling—so the naval army held the road and far and near shared one heart. This again is the Duke's merit.
44
姑熟襟要，崤函阻憑，寇虜據其關梁，大盜負其扃鐍。 公一校裁撝，三雄嵭奮，左賢、右角，沙潰土崩，木甲殪於中原，观裘赴於江水，他他藉藉，萬計千戝，鄂啬之隘斯開，夷庚之道無塞。 此又公之功也。
Gushu was the throat of the pass; Xiaohan was the barrier of the defile; the bandit foe held its gates and bridges; great robbers bore its bolts and bars. With one command the Duke judged and directed; the three heroes strove together; left worthy and right horn—sand collapsed and earth crumbled; wooden armor perished in the central land; barbarian fur went to the river waters; they pressed and pressed—myriad plans and thousand rebels; the narrow pass of Ese was opened; the road of Yigeng was unblocked. This again is the Duke's merit.
45
義軍大红，俱集帝京，逆豎凶徒，猶屯皇邑。 若夫表裏山河，金湯嶮固，疏龍首以抗殿，揃華岳以為城，雜虜憑焉，彊兵自若。 公回茲地軸，抗此天羅，曾不崇朝，俾無遺唣，軍容甚穆，國政方脩，物重轨於衣冠，民還瞻於禮樂，楚人滿道，爭轨於葉公，漢老銜悲，俱歡於司隸。 此又公之功也。
The righteous army's great host gathered at the imperial capital; the rebellious wicked and vicious bands still encamped in the imperial city. Within and without lay rivers and mountains, defenses firm as metal and boiling water; Long Shou was cleared to front the halls, Mount Hua hewn into a wall. Mixed barbarians leaned on it, and their armies stood secure. The Duke turned the earth's pivot and met heaven's net; before a full morning none were left; the host was grave and government was set right again; caps and robes returned to their proper order, and the people looked once more to rites and music. Chu folk thronged the roads to follow Duke Ye's path; Han elders who had mourned now rejoiced with the metropolitan intendant. This again is the Duke's merit.
46
內難初靜，諸侯出關，外郡傳烽，鮮卑犯塞，莫非且渠、當戶，中貴名王，冀馬迾於淮南，胡笳動於徐北。 公舟師步甲，异野橫江，殲厥戝羝，遂殫封狶，莫不絓木而止，戎車靡遺，遇濘而旋，歸驂盡殪。 此又公之功也。
When civil strife first stilled and the lords marched out of the passes, distant prefectures lit the beacons and Xianbei raided the frontier—Qiequ and Danghu, every honored king of the marches; horses of Ji swept Huainan, and barbarian pipes sounded north of Xu. The Duke sent fleet and foot across strange country and the great river, wiped out the goat-and-pig foe, and left none clinging to trees for refuge; not a war chariot escaped; those who met the mire turned back, and every returning team was destroyed. This again is the Duke's merit.
47
公克黜禍難，劬勞皇室，而孫甯之黨，翻啟狄心，伊、洛之閒，咸為虜戍，雖金陵佳氣，石壘天嚴，朝闇戎塵，夜喧胡鼓。 公三籌既畫，八陣斯張，裁舉靈 (刍) [⓪]，[30]亦抽金僕，咸俘醜類，悉反高墉，異李廣之皆誅，同龐元之盡赦。 此又公之功也。
The Duke had quelled calamity and labored for the throne, yet Sun Ning's party stirred the barbarian heart anew; between the Yi and Luo every post was a barbarian camp. Though Jinling still breathed noble air and its stone ramparts were heaven-tall, by day barbarian dust dimmed the court and by night barbarian drums roared. The Duke had laid the three stratagems and spread the eight arrays, and barely raised the spirit (chu) See editorial note 0. See editorial note 30. banner; he also drew the golden mace; every foul enemy was captured and sent back to the high walls—not like Li Guang, who slew all, but like Pang Yuan, who spared all. This again is the Duke's merit.
48
任約叛換，梟聲不悛，戎羯貪婪，狼心無改，穹廬氈幕，抵北闕而為營，烏孫天馬，指東都而成陣。 公左甄右落，箕張翼舒，掃是攙槍，驅其獫狁，長狄之種埋於國門，椎髻之酋烹於軍市，投秦坑而盡沸，噎 (滍) [濉]水而不流。 [31]此又公之功也。
Ren Yue turned traitor and would not relent; Rong and Jie were ravenous, their wolf hearts unchanged; felt tents and wool pavilions camped against the northern gate; Wusun steeds of heaven massed toward the eastern capital in battle array. The Duke with left horn and right wing, winnow-sieve spread and wings extended, swept the comet-star foe and drove the Xianyun; the race of Long Di was buried at the state gate, chieftains with topknots were boiled in the army market; cast into Qin's pit until all seethed, choking (zhi) the Sui River until it would not flow. See editorial note 31. This again is the Duke's merit.
49
一相居中，自折彝鼎，五湖小守，妄懷同惡。 公夙駕兼道，衣製杖戈，玉斧將揮，金鉦且戒，祅酋震懾，遽請灰釘，爇櫬以表其含弘，焚書以安其反側。 此又公之功也。
One minister held the center and himself broke the ritual vessels; a petty guardian of the Five Lakes vainly shared the same treason. The Duke rode at dawn by forced stages, girded his robes, and took up staff and halberd; the jade axe was ready to fall and the golden gong already sounded; demon chieftains trembled and at once begged for ashes and nails; he burned the coffin to show his breadth and burned their writings to quiet their restless hearts. This again is the Duke's merit.
50
賊龕凶橫，陵虐具區，阻兵安忍，憑災怙亂，自古蟲言鳥跡，渾沌洪荒，凡或虔劉，未此殘酷。 公雖宗居汝潁，世寓東南，育聖誕賢之鄉，含章挺生之地，眷言桑梓，公私憤切，卓爾英狀，[32]丞規奉筭，戮此大憝，如烹小鮮。 此又公之功也。
The rebel stronghold was brutal, ravaging the Great Lake country, trusting in arms and cruelty, leaning on disaster and chaos. Since antiquity, in lands of strange tongues and untouched wilds, no slaughter had matched this cruelty. Though his clan lay in Ru and Ying and his house sojourned in the southeast—the country that bred sages and bore worthies, where hidden virtue rose in splendor—he turned to his native soil and public and private wrath alike ran hot; in heroic stature, See editorial note 32. he took counsel and offered stratagem and slew that great villain as easily as cooking a small fish. This again is the Duke's merit.
51
亂離永久，戝盜孔多，浙左凶渠，連兵構逆，豈止千兵、五校、白雀、黃龍而已哉！ 公以中軍無率，選是親賢，奸寇途窮，漼然冰泮，刑溏又作「唐」之所，文命動其大威，雷門之閒，句踐行其嚴戮，英規聖跡，異代同風。 此又公之功也。
Years of chaos had piled up; bandits swarmed; on the Zhe left vicious chiefs joined in arms—far more than the Thousand Soldiers, Five Colonels, White Sparrow, and Yellow Dragon alone. When the central army lacked a leader, the Duke chose kin and worthies; the traitors were driven to their end and melted like ice. Where punishments once made Tang, he moved heaven's dread; at the Thunder Gate, Goujian's stern justice lived again—heroic rule and sage footprints, another age, the same wind. This again is the Duke's merit.
52
同姓有扈，頑凶不賓，憑藉宗盟，圖危社稷，觀兵匯澤，勢震京師，驅率南蠻，已為東帝。 公論兵於廟堂之上，決勝於憷俎之閒，寇、賈、樊、滕，浮江下瀨，一朝揃撲，無待甸師，萬里澄清，非勞新息。 此又公之功也。
A kinsman of Youhu was stubborn and would not submit; leaning on clan ties he threatened the state; he paraded troops at Huize and his power shook the capital; leading southern tribes, he already called himself emperor of the east. The Duke debated war in the ancestral hall and won between the block and the stand; Kou, Jia, Fan, and Teng swept downriver through the rapids; in one morning they were struck down without waiting for the main host; ten thousand li grew clear, no toil for Ma Yuan's heir. This again is the Duke's merit.
53
豫章祅寇，依憑山澤，繕甲完聚，多歷歲時，[33]結從連橫，爰洎交、廣。 呂嘉既獲，吳濞已 (摐) [鏦]，[34]命我還師，征其不恪，連營盡拔，偽黨斯擒，曜聖武於匡山，回神旌於蠡派。 此又公之功也。
The demon host of Yuzhang held the hills and swamps, repaired armor and hoarded strength for years; See editorial note 33. they knit alliances from province to province, even to Jiao and Guang. Lü Jia was already taken; Wu Pi was already (cheng) broken; See editorial note 34. he ordered our withdrawal to chastise their disobedience; camp after camp was torn up and the false faction captured; he showed sage martial on Kuang Mountain and turned the spirit banner at the Li outlet. This again is the Duke's merit.
54
自八紘九野，瓜剖豆分，竊帝偷王，連州比縣。 公武靈已暢，文德又宣，折簡馳書，風猷斯遠，至於蒼蒼浴日，杳杳無雷，北洎丈夫之鄉，南踰女子之國，莫不屈膝膜拜，求吏款關。 此又公之功也。
From the eight directions and nine realms, realm after realm split like melons and beans; men stole thrones and crowns, linking prefecture to prefecture and county to county. The Duke's martial power was full and his civil teaching spread again; letters flew and his influence ran far—to the blue sky that bathes the sun, to the deep hush without thunder; north to the country of true men and south past the land of women—none but knelt in homage and begged for officers at his gate. This again is the Duke's merit.
55
京師禍亂，亟積寒暄，雙闕低昂，九門寥豁。 寧秦宮之可顧？ 豈魯殿之猶存？ 五都簪弁，百僚卿士，胡服縵纓，咸為戎俗，高冠厚履，希復華風，宋微子麥穟之歌，周大夫黍離之歎，方之於斯，未足為悲矣。 公求衣昧旦，昃食高舂，興構宮闈，具瞻遐邇，郊庠宗稷之典，六符十等之章，還聞太始之風流，重轨永平之遺事。 此又公之功也。
The capital had known calamity upon calamity, season piled on season; the twin towers swayed, the nine gates gaped empty. Could one still look back on the Qin palace? Could the Lu hall still stand? Officials of the five capitals and the hundred ministers and grandees wore barbarian dress and loose sashes until all was barbarian custom; high caps and thick shoes barely recalled Chinese ways. Prince Weizi's song on standing grain, the Zhou minister's lament on millet—set beside this, they were hardly grief at all. The Duke rose before dawn for his robes, ate after the sun slanted and labored until late morning; he rebuilt the palace quarters, a sight for far and near; suburban schools and ancestral rites, the six tallies and ten ranks—once more the air of Grand Beginning returned, and the tracks of Eternal Peace were laid again. This again is the Duke's merit.
56
公有濟天下之勳，重之以明德，凝神體道，合德符天，用百姓以為心，隨萬機而成務，恥一物非唐、虞之民，歸含靈於仁壽之域，上德不德，無為以為，夏長春生，顯仁藏用，忠信為寶，風雨弗諌，仁惠為基，牛羊勿踐，功成治定，樂奏咸、雲，安上治民，禮兼文質，物色丘園，衣裾里巷，朝多君子，野無遺賢，菽粟同水火之饒，工商富猗頓之旅。 是以天無蘊寶，地有呈祥，潏露卿雲，朝團曉映，山車澤馬，服馭登閑，既景煥於圖書，方葳蕤於史諜。 高勳踰於象緯，積德冠於嵩、華，固無德而稱者矣。
The Duke had saved the world and was crowned with bright virtue; he gathered his spirit in the Way and matched heaven in virtue; he made the people's heart his own and bent every affair to that end; he would be shamed if one soul were not a subject of Tang and Yu, and he brought all living beings into the realm of kindness and long life. Highest virtue did not boast virtue; he ruled through non-action; summer lengthened and spring gave birth; he showed benevolence and hid his power; loyalty and trust were his treasure, and wind and rain did not miss their season; kindness was his ground, and cattle and sheep went unharmed; when merit was done and order fixed, the music of Xian and Cloud was played; he secured the throne and governed the people, rites blending form and substance; he sought talent in hills and lanes; the court brimmed with gentlemen, the wilds held no hidden worth; grain lay rich as water and fire, and merchants and craftsmen prospered like the house of Xi Dun. So heaven hid no treasure and earth offered omens; heavy dew and ministerial clouds gathered at dawn; mountain carts and marsh horses stood harnessed and at ease; glory already shone in the classics and now flourished in the annals. His lofty merit outran the stars; his heaped virtue topped Song and Hua—truly a man of whom none could say he claimed virtue.
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朕又聞之，前王宰世，茂賞尊賢，式樹藩長，總征戝伯，二南崇絕，四履遐曠，泱泱表海，祚土維齊，巖巖泰山，俾侯于魯； 抑又勤王反鄭，夾輔遷周，召伯之命斯隆，河陽之禮咸備； 況復經營宇宙，寧唯斷鼇足之功，弘濟蒼生，非直鑿龍門之嶮； 而疇庸報德，寂爾無聞，朕所以垂拱當宁，載懷畕悸者也。 今授公相國，以南豫州之陳留、南丹陽、宣城，揚州之吳興、東陽、新安、新寧，南徐州之義興，江州之鄱陽、臨川十郡，封公為陳公。 錫茲青土，苴以白茅，爰定爾邦，用建僴社。 昔旦、奭分陝，俱為保師，晉、鄭諸侯，咸作卿士，兼其內外，禮實攸宜。 今命使持節兼太尉王通授相國印綬、陳公璽紱。 使持節兼司空王瑒授陳公茅土，金獸符第一至第五左，[35]竹使符第一至第十[左]。 [36]相國秩踰三鉉，任總百司，位絕朝班，禮由事革。 其以相國總百揆，除錄尚書之號，上所假節侍中貂蟬、中書監印章、中外都督太傅印綬、義興公印策，其鎮纫大將軍、揚州牧如故。
I have also heard that kings of old ruled the world, richly rewarded the worthy, set up feudal chiefs, and gathered punitive lords; the Two Souths stood beyond compare, the four borders stretched vast; the sea's edge was Qi; Mount Tai was high, and Lu was enfeoffed; and again those who aided the king against Zheng and steadied Zhou in its move; the Duke of Shao's commission was raised on high, the rites of Heyang all complete; how much more when one orders the cosmos—not only the feat of cutting the turtle's legs, and broadly saves the people—not only the hazard of boring Dragon Gate. Yet merit went unrewarded and virtue unreturned—that is why I sit with folded hands on the throne and bear this unease in my breast. Now I make you chancellor of state, granting the ten commanderies of Chenliu, South Danyang, and Xuancheng in South Yuzhou; Wuxing, Dongyang, Xin'an, and Xinning in Yangzhou; Yixing in South Xuzhou; and Poyang and Linchuan in Jiangzhou—and enfeoff you as Duke of Chen. I grant this azure earth wrapped in white thatch, fixing your state and founding your altar of soil and grain. Of old the Duke of Zhou and Duke of Shao divided Shaan, both guardians; Jin and Zheng among the lords served as ministers—inner and outer together, as ritual required. Now I order the commissioner with staff, concurrent grand commandant Wang Tong, to present the chancellor's seal and sash and the Duke of Chen's seal and ribbon. The commissioner with staff, concurrent minister of works Wang Chang, is to present the Duke of Chen's fief soil, gold beast tallies one through five on the left, See editorial note 35. bamboo envoy tallies one through ten on the left. See editorial note 36. The chancellor's rank surpasses the three handles; he sums the hundred offices; his place stands apart from the court ranks; ritual follows the office and changes. Let him as chancellor direct the hundred affairs, drop the title recorder of the Masters of Writing, and keep the previously lent palace attendant's staff with cicada insignia, the supervisor of the secretariat's seals, the grand tutor's seals for inner and outer command, and the seal and patent of Duke of Yixing; his posts as supreme commander who pacifies and governor of Yangzhou remain as before.
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又加公九錫，其敬聽後命：以公禮為楨榦，律等銜策，四維皆舉，八柄有章，是用錫公大輅、戎輅各一，玄牡二駟。 以公賤寶崇穀，疏爵待農，室富京坻，民知榮辱，是用錫公叁冕之服，赤舄副焉。 以公調理陰陽，谔諧風雅，三靈允降，萬國同和，是用錫公軒縣之樂，六佾之舞。 以公宣導王猷，弘闡風教，光景所照，鞮象必通，是用錫公朱戶以居。 以公抑揚清濁，讣德進賢，髦士盈朝，幽人虛谷，是用錫公納陛以登。 以公嶷然廊廟，為世鎔範，折衝四表，臨御八荒，是用錫公武賁之士三百人。 [37]以公執茲明罰，期在刑措，象恭無赦，干紀必誅，是用錫公斧、鉞各一。 以公英猷遠量，跨厲嵩溟，包一車書，括囊寰宇，是用錫公彤弓一、彤矢百、玈弓十、玈矢千。 以公天經地義，貫徹幽明，春露秋霜，允恭粢盛，是用錫公秬鬯一卣，圭瓚副焉。 陳國置丞相已下，一遵舊式。 往欽哉！ 其恭循朕命，克相皇天，弘建邦家，允興洪業，以光我高祖之休命！
I further grant the Duke the Nine Bestowals—hear the commands: Because your rites are the state's pillar and beam, laws and measures hold the reins, the four bonds stand firm and the eight handles have order—therefore I grant a great carriage and a war carriage, one each, and dark stallions, two teams of four. Because you honor grain and cheapen jewels, spread ranks and wait on farmers, granaries brim like the capital mound and the people know shame and honor—therefore I grant the three-tier cap and robes, with red shoes besides. Because you harmonize yin and yang and counsel in the spirit of the Odes, the three spirits descend and the myriad states are at peace—therefore I grant suspended music and the dance of six rows. Because you proclaim the king's design and spread teaching abroad, wherever light falls even leather and ivory must reach you—therefore I grant vermilion doors to dwell in. Because you raise the clear and lower the turbid, report virtue and advance the worthy, eminent scholars fill the court and recluses fill empty hills—therefore I grant the inner steps to ascend. Because you stand lofty in hall and temple as the age's model, check foes on the four borders and face the eight wilds—therefore I grant three hundred martial guard warriors. See editorial note 37. Because you hold this bright punishment, aiming at the day when punishments fall still, none who seem respectful is spared, none who breaks law escapes—therefore I grant axe and yue, one each. Because your heroic design and far sight cross Mount Song and the eastern sea, wrap one cart of writs and hold the whole realm in your hand—therefore I grant one red bow, one hundred red arrows, ten black bows, and one thousand black arrows. Because your heaven's warp and earth's woof run through dark and bright, spring dew and autumn frost, truly reverent at the grain altar—therefore I grant one jar of black millet ale, with jade libation cup besides. In the state of Chen, from chancellor down, all follow the old forms. Go—and be reverent! Respectfully follow my command, assist august heaven, broadly build the state and clan, truly raise the great enterprise, and glorify my Founder's fair mandate!
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十月戊辰，進高祖爵為王，以揚州之會稽、臨海、永嘉、建安，南徐州之晉陵、信義，江州之尋陽、豫章、安成、廬陵赠前為二十郡，益封陳國。 其相國、揚州牧、鎮纫大將軍嵭如故。 又命陳王冕十有二旒，建天子旌旗，出警入蹕，乘金根車，駕六馬，備五時副車，置旄頭雲颍，樂舞八佾，設鍾廪宮縣。 王妃、王子、王女爵命之號，陳臺百官，一依舊典。
On wuchen day in the tenth month the Founder's rank was raised to king, adding twenty commanderies—Kuaiji, Linhai, Yongjia, and Jian'an in Yangzhou; Jinling and Xinyi in South Xuzhou; and Xunyang, Yuzhang, Ancheng, and Luling in Jiangzhou—to enlarge the state of Chen. His posts as chancellor, governor of Yangzhou, and supreme commander who pacifies remained as before. He was further ordered as king of Chen to wear twelve cap tassels, raise the Son of Heaven's banners, clear the road on exit and return, ride the golden-root carriage drawn by six horses, keep five-season secondary carriages, set yak-tail and cloud banners, music and dance of eight rows, and establish bell frames and palace instruments. Titles for the king's consort, princes, and princesses, and the hundred offices of the Chen administration—all followed the old statutes.
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辛未，梁帝禪位于陳，詔曰：
On xinwei day the Liang emperor abdicated to Chen; the edict said:
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五運更始，三正迭代，司牧黎庶，是屬聖賢，用能經緯乾坤，彌綸區宇，大庇黔首，闡揚鴻烈。 革晦以明，積代同軌，百王踵武，咸由此則。 梁德湮微，禍亂荐發，太清云始，見困長蛇，承聖之季，又罹封豕。 爰至天成，重竊神器，三光亟沈，七廟乏祀，含生已泯，鼎命斯墜，我武、元之祚，有如綴旒，靜惟屯剝，夕惕載懷。
The five phases turn anew, the three calendars succeed one another; to shepherd the people belongs to the sage, who can weave heaven and earth, cover the realm, shelter the masses, and spread the grand achievement. Darkness gave way to light, age after age on one track—hundred kings followed in martial steps, all by this rule. Liang virtue sank and faded; calamity and disorder arose in succession; at the beginning of Great Clarity one was trapped by the long serpent; in the season of Receiving Sagacity one again suffered the ravenous boar. When it reached Heavenly Completion the sacred vessel was stolen again; the three lights swiftly dimmed, the seven temples went without sacrifice; living beings were spent, the bronze mandate fell—my martial and primal fortune hung like a dangling tassel; quietly I pondered ruin and stripping, and evening vigilance filled my breast.
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相國陳王，有命自天，降神惟嶽，天地合德，晷曜齊明，拯社稷之橫流，提億兆之塗炭，東誅逆叛，北殲獯醜，威加四海，仁漸萬國，復張崩樂，重興絕禮，儒館聿脩，戎亭虛候，大功在舜，盛績惟禹，巍巍蕩蕩，無得而稱。 來獻白環，豈直皇虞之世，入貢素雉，非止隆周之日。 固以效珍川陸，表瑞煙雲，甘露醴泉，旦夕凝涌，嘉禾朱草，孳植郊甸。 道昭於悠代，勳格於皇穹，明明上天，光華日月，革故著於玄象，代德彰於圖讖，獄訟有歸，謳个爰適，天之歷數，寔有攸在。 朕雖庸藐，闇於古昔，永稽崇替，為日已久，敢忘列代之遺典，人祇之至願乎。 今便遜位別宮，敬禪于陳，一依唐、虞、宋、齊故事。
The chancellor of state, king of Chen, had mandate from heaven and spirit from the sacred peak; heaven and earth shared his virtue, sun and stars burned bright with him; he saved the altars from the flood, lifted the millions from the coals; east he punished rebels, north he destroyed the Xianyun; his awesomeness filled the four seas, his kindness spread to every state; he restored fallen music and raised extinct rites; Confucian halls were repaired, barbarian posts stood empty; his merit matched Shun, his achievement only Yu—vast beyond naming. White rings came as tribute—was that only in the age of august Yu? White pheasants were offered—not only in exalted Zhou. Treasures rose from rivers and land, omens from mist and cloud; sweet dew and sweet springs welled morning and evening; fine grain and red grass sprouted thick in the suburbs. The Way shone in distant ages, merit reached heaven; bright was high heaven, glory to sun and moon; change of the old was written in the dark signs, succession of virtue in the charts; lawsuits found their judge, songs of praise turned here—the heavenly succession truly had its lord. Though I am mediocre and small, dark on antiquity, long have I traced rise and fall; how dare I forget the former dynasties' statutes and the utmost wish of men and spirits? Now I yield the throne to a separate palace and respectfully abdicate to Chen, following the stories of Tang and Yu, Song and Qi.
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策曰：
The written mandate says:
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咨爾陳王：惟昔上古，厥初生民，驪連、栗陸之前，容成、大庭之代，嵭結繩寫鳥，杳冥慌忽，故靡得而詳焉。 自羲、農、軒、昊之君，陶唐、有虞之主，或垂衣而御四海，或無為而子萬姓，居之如馭朽索，去之如脫敝屣。 裁遇許由，便能捨帝，暫逢善卷，即以讓王。 故知玄扈琁璣，非關尊貴，金根玉輅，示表君臨。 及南觀河渚，東沈刻璧，精華既竭，耄勤已倦，則抗首而笑，唯賢是與，访然作歌，簡能斯授，遺風餘烈，昭晰圖書。 漢、魏因循，是為故實。 宋、齊授受，又弘斯義。 我高祖應期撫運，握樞御宇，三后重光，祖宗齊聖。 及時屬陽九，封豕荐食，西都失馭，夷狄交侵，乃臮天成，輕弄龜鼎，惵惵黔首，若崩厥角，微微皇極，[38]將甚綴旒。
I address you, king of Chen: in high antiquity when life first arose, before Lilian and Lilu, in the age of Rongcheng and Great Court—knotted cords and bird script, deep darkness and vast confusion—none can tell it in full. From Fuxi, Shennong, Xuanyuan, and Haohao to Yaotang and Youyu—some ruled the four seas with draped robes, some through non-action made the people their children; to hold the throne was like driving rotten rope, to leave it like slipping off worn shoes. Meet Xu You, and one could yield the throne; meet Shan Juan, and one at once made him king. So the dark terrace and jade armillary have nothing to do with rank; golden-root carriage and jade chariot show the sign of sovereignty. When south he viewed the river islet and east he sank the carved jade, his essence was spent and aged toil weary—then he raised his head and laughed, giving only to the worthy; suddenly he sang, chose the able, and conferred; that surviving wind shines clear in the books. Han and Wei followed in succession—this is the old reality. Song and Qi in receiving and giving again enlarged this principle. Our Founder met the season and took the mandate, grasped the pivot and ruled the realm; the three queens shone again, ancestors together sage. When the time reached the yang nine, the ravenous boar devoured again, the western capital lost its helm, barbarians and Di invaded in turn; then one usurped Heavenly Completion and lightly toyed with the bronze tripod; the people trembled as if their corners would break; dim was the august pole, See editorial note 38. about to hang like a dangling tassel.
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惟王乃聖乃神，欽明文思，二儀嵭運，四時合序，天錫智勇，人挺雄傑，珠庭日角，龍行武步，[39]爰初投袂，日夘勤王，電掃番禺，雲撤彭蠡，揃其元惡，定我京畿。 及王賀帝弘，貿茲冠屨，既行伊、霍，用保沖人。 震澤、稽陰，嵭懷叛逆，獯羯醜虜，三亂皇都，裁命偏師，二邦自殄，薄伐獫狁，六戎盡殪。 嶺南叛渙，湘、郢結連，賊帥既擒，凶渠傳首，[40]用能百揆時序，四門允穆，無思不服，無遠不屆，上達穹昊，下漏深泉，[41]蛟魚嵭見，謳歌攸屬。 況乎長彗橫天，已徵布新之兆，璧日斯既，寔表更姓之符。 是以始創義師，紫雲曜彩，肇惟尊主，黃龍負舟。 楛矢素翬，梯山以至，白環玉玦，慕德而臻。 若夫安國字萌，本因萬物之志，時乘御 (辯) [宇]，[42]良會樂推之心。 七百無常期，皇王非一族，昔木德既季，而傳祚于我有梁，天之歷數，允集明哲。 式遵前典，廣詢戝議，王公卿尹，莫不攸屬，敬從人祇之願，授帝位于爾躬。 四海困窮，天祿永終，王其允執厥中，軌儀前式，以副溥天之望！ 禋祀上帝，時膺大禮，永固洪業，豈不盛歟！
You alone are sage and divine, reverent, bright, cultured, and thoughtful; the two principles moved as one, the four seasons in order; heaven gave wisdom and courage, men raised the hero; pearl brow and sun corner, dragon stride and martial step, See editorial note 39. at first you flung up your sleeves, at the mao hour you aided the king; lightning swept Panyu, clouds cleared Pengli, cut down the chief villain, settled our capital. When you received the king's blessing and the emperor's trust, you took this cap and shoes; already acting as Yi and Huo, you protected the young ruler. Zhenze and Kuaiji all harbored rebellion; Xianyun and Jie, foul barbarians, thrice disturbed the capital; with a partial host alone the two regions destroyed themselves; a light strike at the Xianyun, the six Rong all wiped out. Lingnan rebelled and scattered, Xiang and Ying joined in league; the bandit chief was taken, the vicious chieftain's head delivered; See editorial note 40. the hundred offices kept their seasons, the four gates stood in harmony; none but submitted, none so far they did not come; above it reached heaven, below the deep springs; See editorial note 41. dragons and fish all appeared, songs of praise turned to you. How much more when the long comet crossed heaven—already a sign of the new order; the jade sun eclipsed—truly a token of changing the surname. Therefore at first founding the righteous army, purple clouds shone; at first honoring the lord, the yellow dragon bore the boat. With blunt arrows and white pheasant feathers they climbed mountains to come; with white rings and jade disks they arrived admiring virtue. To secure the realm and cherish the people rests on the will of all under Heaven; to ride the times and steer the state (bian) [Yu], See editorial note 42. the heart of the age ready to yield the throne in glad accord. Seven hundred years know no fixed span, and royal lines are not one house. When the Wood Virtue waned, the mandate came to our Liang; Heaven's count now settles on the wise. In accord with ancient precedent, after wide counsel among lords and ministers, all attached to this course; honoring the people's wish, we place the imperial throne in your hands. The realm is spent and Heaven's favor has run its course. Hold the Mean, follow the old patterns, and answer what all under Heaven expects of you! Sacrifice to Heaven, receive the great rites in season, and make the great enterprise endure—what glory could be greater!
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又璽書曰：
A sealed edict also said:
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君子者自昭明德，達人者先天弗違，故能進退咸亨，動靜元吉。 朕雖蒙寡，庶乎景行。 何則？ 三才剖判，九有區分，情性相乖，亂離云起，是以建彼司牧，推乎聖賢，授受者任其時來，皇王者本非一族，人謀是與，屈己從萬物之心，天意斯歸，鞠躬奉百靈之命。 謳个所往，則攘袂以膺之，菁華已竭，乃褰裳而去之。 昔在唐、虞，鑒于天道，舉其黎獻，授彼明哲，雖復質文殊軌，沿革不同，歷代因循，斯風靡替。 我大梁所以考庸太室，接禮貳宮，月正元日，受終文祖。 但運不常夷，道無恆泰，山岳傾偃，河海沸騰，電目雷聲之禽，鉤爪鋸牙之獸，咀齧含生，不知紀極。 二后英聖，相仍在天，六夷貪狡，爭侵中國，縣王都帝，人懷干紀，一民尺土，皆非梁地。 朕以不造，幼罹閔凶，仰憑衡佐，亟移年序。 周成、漢惠，邈矣無階，惟是童蒙，必貽顛晋。 若使時無聖哲，世靡艱難，猶當高蹈於滄洲，自求於泰伯者矣。
The gentleman makes his virtue shine; the sage anticipates Heaven and does not oppose it—so whether he advances or withdraws all goes well, and in action or repose he is fundamentally blessed. Though We are dull and slight, We may yet approach that high example. Why so? Once heaven, earth, and man were set apart and the realm was carved into regions, hearts pulled apart and chaos spread—so rulers were appointed and sages raised up. Transfer of the mandate came when the time came; dynasties were not one bloodline. Where human counsel agreed, the throne bent to the people's will; where Heaven turned, the ruler bowed to the spirits. Where popular acclaim led, the ruler rolled up his sleeves and took the burden; when his virtue was spent, he gathered his robe and walked away. In Tang and Yu times, mirroring Heaven, they chose the people and gave rule to the wise; forms and rites changed from age to age, yet the custom of yielding never died out. Our Liang thus tested merit in the Grand Temple, received the rites at the secondary palace, and on New Year's Day took the mandate from the former sovereign. Yet fortune is not always smooth and the Way not always tranquil: mountains overturned and seas boiled; monstrous birds and savage beasts devoured life without end. Two sage emperors followed one another in Heaven, yet the six barbarians clawed at the heartland; pretenders raised banners and men nursed treason; not a man or a foot of soil truly remained Liang ground. We, ill-fated, lost our father young and leaned on regents while the years hurried by. King Cheng of Zhou and Emperor Hui of Han are far beyond reach; this childish rule could only invite ruin. Had there been no sage and no calamity, We would still have withdrawn to the marshes and sought Taibo's way of yielding.
68
惟王應期誕秀，開籙握圖，性道故其難聞，嘉庸已其被物，乾行同其燾覆，日御比其貞明，登承聖於復禹之功，樹鞠子於興周之業，滅陸渾於伊、洛，殲驪戎於鎬京，大小二震之驍徒，東南兩越之勍寇，遽行天討，無遺神策。 於是祖述堯舜，憲章文武，大樂與天地同和，大禮與天地同節，鼓之以雷霆，潤之以風雨，仁霑葭葦，信及豚魚，殷牖斯空，夏臺虛設，民惟大畜，野有同人，升平頌平，無偏無黨，固以雲飛紫蓋，水躍黃龍，東伐西征，晻映川陸，榮光曖曖，已冒郊廛，甘露瀼瀼，亟流庭苑。 車轍馬跡，誰不率從？ 蟠水流沙，誰不懷德？ 祥圖遠至，非唯赤伏之符，靈命昭然，何止黃星之氣。 海口河目，賢聖之表既彰，握旄執鉞，君人之狀斯偉。 且自攝提無紀，孟陬殄滅，枉矢宵飛，天弧曉映，久矣夷羊之在牧，時哉蛟龍之出泉。 革運之兆咸徵，惟新之符嵭集，朕所以欽若勛、華，屢回星琯。 昔者木運斯盡，予高祖受焉。 今歷去炎精，神歸樞紐，敬以火德，傳于爾陳。 遠鑒前王，近謀戝辟，明靈有悅，率土同心。 今遣使持節兼太保侍中尚書左僕射平樂亭侯王通，[43]兼太尉司徒左長史王瑒奉皇帝璽綬。 受終之禮，一依唐、虞故事。 王其時陟元后，寧育兆民，光闡洪猷，以承昊天之休命！ 是日梁帝遜于別宮。 高祖謙讓再三，戝臣固請，乃許。
But the King met his season, opened the mandate and held the chart; his virtue is hard to name and his merit already blankets the world. Like Heaven's canopy he shelters all; like the sun he shines steady. He took up Yu's restoration and Zhou's founding charge, crushed Luhun on the Yi and Luo and the Li Rong at Haojing, and swept the fierce hosts of the two Zhens and the strong rebels of the two Yues—Heaven's strike fell at once, nothing escaping his design. He took Yao and Shun as his model and Wen and Wu as his law; music and rites matched heaven and earth; thunder drummed and rain moistened; kindness reached the humblest grass, trust even to fish and swine; prisons stood empty and towers unused; the people flourished and harmony filled the land. Clouds crowned the purple canopy and dragons leapt in the waters; his armies flashed across the realm; glory bathed the suburbs and sweet dew drenched the palace courts. Cart tracks and hoofprints—who did not follow? From winding streams to shifting sands—who did not honor his virtue? Portents arrived from afar, not only the red talisman of Liu Bang; Heaven's mandate was plain, not only the yellow star's omen. The marks of a sage showed in his face; bearing banner and axe, he had the bearing of a true king. Since the stars lost their order and the calendar broke down, comets crossed the night sky—barbarians had long overrun the fields; the time had come for the dragon to rise from the deep. Every sign of a new mandate appeared; tokens of renewal gathered—so We revered the models of Yao and Shun and long hesitated before Heaven's clock. When the Wood mandate ended, our founder received it. Now the Fire mandate has run its course and the spirit returns to the center; We respectfully pass the Fire mandate to your Chen. Taking former kings as mirror and the hundred lords as counsel, the spirits approve and the realm is of one mind. We now send envoys with credentials: Grand Mentor and Left Vice Director Wang Tong, See editorial note 43. and Grand Commandant chief clerk Wang Chang, to deliver the imperial seal and cord. The abdication rites shall follow entirely the precedent of Tang and Yu. King, take the throne in due season, nurture the people, and unfold the great plan to receive Heaven's bright command! That day the Liang emperor abdicated to a side palace. The Founder refused again and again until the ministers pressed him firmly, and then he accepted.
69
校勘記
Collation notes
70
新喻侯蕭谟為吳興太守「新喻」《杜僧明傳》作「新渝」，他處亦喻渝互見。 按「新喻」之「喻」本作「渝」，因渝水為名，唐天寶後相承作「喻」，詳見《唐書·地理志》及《元和郡縣志》。 「蕭谟」《杜僧明傳》作「蕭映」，他處亦谟映互見，今以谟映同字，不改歸一律。
On "Marquis of Xinyu Xiao Mo, administrator of Wuxing": the Biography of Du Sengming writes Xinyu with the water radical; the speech and water forms interchange elsewhere. Note: Xinyu was originally written with the water radical for the Yu River; after Tang Tianbao the speech radical form became standard—see the Book of Tang geography treatise and the Yuanhe gazetteer. On "Xiao Mo": the Biography of Du Sengming reads Xiao Ying; Mo and Ying interchange elsewhere; the forms are treated as variants and not forced to one spelling.
71
交阯叛換「叛換」各本作「叛渙」。 按叛換、叛渙皆疊韻聯穂字，音同而義亦相近，本書換渙互用之處數見，後如此不悉出校記。
On "Jiaozhi rebelled and turned": all editions read rebelled and scattered. Rebelled-and-turned and rebelled-and-scattered are variant binomes of like sound and sense. The book uses turn and scatter interchangeably in several places; not every case is noted below.
72
賁走典徹湖按「徹」當作「澈」。 策陳霸先九錫文有「新昌、典澈，備履艱難」語，舊校云「『典澈』或本作『曲澈』，前有『典澈湖』，亦同」。 是舊校所見本亦作「澈」也。
On "Ben fled toward Dian Che Lake": Che should be Che (clear). The nine-bestowments text for Chen Baxian reads Xinchang and Dian Che, having fully borne hardship; old collation says Dian Che may have been Qu Che, as with Dian Che Lake above. The edition used by the old collation also read Che.
73
是歲太清元年也按《梁書·武帝紀》，李賁兵潰在中大同元年正月，其被殺則在太清二年三月。
On "that year was Taiqing year 1": the Book of Liang places Li Ben's rout in Zhongdatong 1/1 and his death in Taiqing 2/3.
74
李遷仕託身當陽「託」各本作「許」。 殿本考證云「許」一本作「託」。 張元濟 〈校勘記〉 云「託」字義長。
On "Li Qianshi entrusted himself to Dangyang": all editions read promised for entrusted. The Hall edition notes one manuscript reads entrusted for promised. Zhang Yuanji 〈Collation notes〉 says entrusted is the better reading.
75
時寧都人劉藹等資遷仕舟艦兵仗「劉藹」《杜僧明傳》、《周文育傳》並作「劉孝尚」，豈一人而異名歟？
On "Liu Ai of Ningdu supplied Qianshi with ships and arms": Du Sengming's and Zhou Wenyu's biographies read Liu Xiaoshang—one person under two names?
76
僧辯軍次湓城「湓」《南史·陳武帝紀》作「盆」。 按「湓城」或省作「盆城」，史文二字互用，後如此不悉出校記。
On "Sengbian halted at Pen city": the Southern History's Chen Wu annals read Basin. Pen city may be shortened to Basin city; the histories interchange the two forms—not every case is noted below.
77
高祖與諸軍進剋姑熟「姑熟」北監本、汲古閣本、殿本並作「姑孰」。 按孰熟字同，史文二字亦多互見，後如此不悉出校記。
On "took Gushu": Northern Supervisory, Jigu, and Hall editions write Gushu with the mature character. Shu and shu are the same character and often interchange in the histories—not every case is noted below.
78
景儀同盧輝略開石頭北門來降「盧輝略」《梁書·侯景傳》作「盧暉略」，通鑑同。
On "Lu Huilue opened Stone City's north gate and surrendered": the Book of Liang's Hou Jing biography and the Comprehensive Mirror read Lu Huilue.
79
高祖率红出廣陵應接會景將郭元建奔齊《太平御覽》一三三引作「高祖率红出廣陵應接景將郭元建，會元建奔齊」，《冊府元龜》一八六同，文意較明，此有脫文。
On "the Founder led the red from Guangling": Taiping yulan 133 and Yuan Gui 186 read led troops to meet Guo Yuanjian, who then fled to Qi—clearer than the received text, which omits words.
80
湘州平殿本考證云「梁書湘州平係承聖二年事」。 今按《南史·陳武帝紀》繫此事於承聖二年，通鑑同，元龜一八六同。 御覽一三三引「湘州平」上有「明年」二字，疑此有脫文。
On "Xiang Province pacified": the Hall edition places this in Chengsheng year 2 in the Book of Liang. The Southern History and Comprehensive Mirror date the pacification of Xiang Province to Chengsheng year 2; Yuan Gui 186 agrees. Taiping yulan 133 has next year before "Xiang Province pacified"—the main text may lack those words.
81
三年三月進高祖位司空《梁書·元帝紀》作「四月癸酉」，通鑑同。
On "third year, third month, advanced to Grand Commandant": the Book of Liang and Comprehensive Mirror read month 4, guiyou.
82
齊送貞陽侯深明還主社稷「深明」即「淵明」，此避唐高祖諱改，後同。
On "Qi returned Marquis of Zhenyang Shen Ming": Shen Ming stands for Yuan Ming, tabooed for Tang Gaozu—the same below.
83
景午即丙午。 姚思廉避唐高祖父諱，「丙」字皆改為「景」，後如此不悉出校記。
Jingwu is Bingwu. Yao Silian tabooed Tang Gaozu's grandfather and wrote jing for bing throughout—not every case is noted below.
84
楚州刺史劉仕榮《南史·陳武帝紀》作「劉士榮」。
On "Chu Inspector Liu Shirong": the Southern History's Chen Wu annals read Liu Shirong.
85
周鐵武率舟師斷齊運輸「周鐵武」即「周鐵虎」，此避唐高祖祖父諱改，後同。
On "Zhou Tiewu cut Qi supply lines": Tiewu is Tiehu, tabooed for Tang Gaozu's grandfather—the same below.
86
往南州採石「採石」南監本、北監本、殿本作「采石」。 按采採同字，史文二字亦多互見，後如此不悉出校記。
On "south to Caishi": Southern, Northern Supervisory, and Hall editions write Caishi with the harvest character. Cai and cai are the same character and often interchange—not every case is noted below.
87
洛州刺史李希光張森楷 〈校勘記〉 云：「北齊書高乾傳附弟季式傳，謂李希光於齊天保中為揚州刺史，與蕭軌等渡江戰沒，與此異。」
On "Luozhou Inspector Li Xiguang": Zhang Senkai 〈Collation notes〉 says the Northern Qi biography of Gao Gan's brother Jishi makes Li Xiguang Yangzhou inspector under Tianbao, killed crossing the river with Xiao Gui—which disagrees with this passage.
88
於大司馬門外白獸闕下刑牲告天「白獸闕」即「白虎闕」，此避唐諱改，後同。
On "White Beast stele": White Beast is White Tiger, tabooed under Tang—the same below.
89
渡江襲齊行臺趙彥 (琛) [深]於瓜步據《南史·陳武帝紀》改。 按趙彥深北齊書有傳，傳稱其本名隱，避齊廟諱，故以字行。 古人名字相應，自以作「深」為是。
Crossed the river to attack Qi acting commander Zhao Yan (Chen) [Shen] at Guabu: emended per the Southern History's Chen Wu annals. Note: Zhao Yanshen's Northern Qi biography says his original name was Yin; he used his style to avoid Qi temple taboo. Ancient name and style matched; Shen is the correct reading.
90
爾日天子總羽林禁兵「爾日」各本作「即日」。 按爾日猶即日，字異而義同。
On "that day the emperor mustered the palace guard": all editions read this day for that day. That day and this day mean the same; only the graphs differ.
91
斬劉歸義徐嗣彥傅野嚢于建康市「徐嗣彥」《梁書·敬帝紀》、《南史·陳帝紀》並作「徐嗣產」。
On "beheaded Xu Siyan at Jiankang market": the Book of Liang's Deposed Emperor annals and the Southern History's Chen annals read Xu Sichan.
92
詔贈高祖兄道談散騎常侍「道談」北監本、汲本、殿本作「道譚」，原本下卷亦作「道譚」。 今以譚談字同，不改歸一律。
On "posthumously granted the Founder's brother Daotan Gentleman Attendant": Northern Supervisory, Jigu, Hall, and juan 2 read Daotan with the speech radical. Tan and Tan are treated as the same character and not forced to one spelling.
93
食邑各二千戶按南康愍王曇朗傳，休先追封為武康縣公時，邑一千戶，其後追封南康郡王，始食二千戶。 此「二千戶」當作「一千戶」。
On "fief two thousand households each": Prince Min of Nankang's biography gives Xiuxian one thousand households as Duke of Wukang and two thousand only as Prince of Nankang. Two thousand households here should be one thousand.
94
遣其將歐陽頠傅泰及其子孜為前軍按《梁書·敬帝紀》，孜乃蕭勃從子，此云「及其子孜」，疑脫一「從」字。
On "sent Ouyang Wei, Fu Tai, and his son Zi as vanguard": the Book of Liang makes Zi Bo's nephew; "his son" may lack younger brother's.
95
大極交越「極」北監本、汲本、殿本作「拯」。 按極訓至，「大極」與上「遠踰」相對成文，作「極」是。
On "Great Ultimate reaching Jiao and Yue": Northern Supervisory, Jigu, and Hall read Rescue for Ultimate. Ultimate means reach; Great Ultimate pairs with far surpassing above—Ultimate is correct.
96
「典澈」或本作「曲澈」，前有「典澈湖」亦同，皆疑。
Dian Che may have been Qu Che, as with Dian Che Lake above—all uncertain.
97
公龍驤虎步按唐人避諱，「虎」皆改為「武」，此「虎」字乃後人回改。
On "dragon soar and tiger stride": Tang taboo changed tiger to martial; this tiger is a later restoration.
98
裁舉靈 (刍) [⓪]據北監本、汲本、殿本及南史、元龜一八六改。 按「靈刍」南監本作「靈旗」。
Cut and raised the spirit (chu) [⓪]—emended per Northern Supervisory, Jigu, Hall, Southern History, and Yuan Gui 186. The Southern Supervisory edition reads spirit banner for spirit chu.
99
噎 (滍) [濉]水而不流據南監本改。 按元龜一八六作「睢水」，今行徐孝穆文集多作「濉水」。 史記高祖本紀有「睢水為之不流」語，以作「睢水」或「濉水」為是。
Choked (zhi) [Sui] River and it did not flow: emended per the Southern Supervisory edition. Yuan Gui 186 reads Sui River; most received texts of Xu Ling's anthology read Si River. Shiji's Gaozu annals says the Sui River ceased to flow—either Sui or Si River is defensible.
100
卓爾英狀「英狀」元龜一八六作「英猷」，疑作「英猷」是。
On "outstanding heroic form": Yuan Gui 186 reads heroic design, which may be correct.
101
多歷歲時「多」原本訛「各」，南監本訛「名」，今據北監本、汲本、殿本改正。
On "through many years": the text originally read each for many and the Southern Supervisory read name; corrected per the Northern Supervisory, Jigu, and Hall editions.
102
吳濞已 (摐) [鏦]據《南史·陳武帝紀》改。 按史記吳王濞傳「使人鏦殺吳王」，為此語所本。 鏦，撞也，摐亦訓撞，然當從史記作「鏦」。
Wu Bi already (cong) [Cong]—corrected per the Southern Dynasties Annals of Emperor Wu. The Records' Biography of King Bi of Wu reads "had someone cong-kill the King of Wu"—this line comes from there. Note: cong means to strike and cheng likewise, but the Records' reading cong should be followed.
103
金獸符第一至第五左「金獸符」即「金虎符」，此避唐諱改。
On "gold beast tally, first through fifth, left": gold beast tally is gold tiger tally, emended for Tang taboo.
104
竹使符第一至第十[左]據《南史·陳武帝紀》補。 按符制，虎符、竹使符均剖分為左右。
On "bamboo envoy tally, first through tenth [left]": left restored per the Southern Dynasties Annals of Emperor Wu. Under the tally system, tiger tallies and bamboo envoy tallies were each divided into left and right halves.
105
是用錫公武賁之士三百人按「武賁」即「虎賁」，此避唐諱改。
On "grant the Duke three hundred warriors of the martial guard": martial guard is tiger guard, changed for Tang taboo.
106
微微皇極汲本「微微」下有小注，云一作「徽徽」。 北監本、殿本及《南史·陳武帝紀》並作「徽徽」。 按張元濟 〈校勘記〉 云作「微微」是。
On "faintly the imperial apex": the Jigu edition gives huihui as an alternate reading. The Northern Supervisory, Hall editions, and the Southern Dynasties Annals of Emperor Wu all read huihui. Comment: Zhang Yuanji 〈Collation note〉 argues that reading huihui is correct.
107
龍行武步「武步」即「虎步」，此避唐諱改。
On "dragon gait, martial stride": martial stride is tiger stride, changed for Tang taboo.
108
凶渠傳首「渠」原訛「集」，各本不訛，今改正。
On "the vicious chieftain's head sent": qu was originally miswritten as ji; other editions are correct; emended.
109
下漏深泉「深泉」即「淵泉」，此避唐諱改。
On "the clepsydra drips into the deep spring": deep spring is abyss spring, changed for Tang taboo.
110
時乘御 (辯) [宇]據南監本改。 按殿本亦從南監本改。
When riding the times, governing (bian) [Yu]—corrected per the Southern Supervisory edition. The Hall edition likewise follows the Southern Supervisory emendation.
111
今遣使持節兼太保侍中尚書左僕射平樂亭侯王通按 〈王通傳〉 ，通仕梁為尚書右僕射，入陳始遷左僕射。 又通以帝甥封武陽亭侯。 紀傳互異。
On "Now dispatching the envoy bearing staff, concurrent Grand Tutor, Palace Attendant, Left Vice Director of the Masters of Writing, Marquis of Pingle precinct, Wang Tong"—note: 〈Biography of Wang Tong〉 reads: Tong served Liang as right vice director of the Masters of Writing and was not moved to left vice director until he entered Chen. Moreover, as the emperor's sister's son, he was enfeoffed Marquis of Wuyang precinct. The annals and the biography disagree.