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卷二十 列傳第十四: 到仲舉 韓子高 華皎

Volume 20: Dao Zhongju; Han Zigao; Hua Jiao

Chapter 20 of 陳書 · Book of Chen
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Chapter 20
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1
Book of Chen, Volume 20
2
Biographies, Part Fourteen
3
Dao Zhongju; Han Zigao; Hua Jiao
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Dao Zhongju, styled Deyan, came from Wuyuan in Pengcheng. His grandfather Tan had been Qi’s secretariat attendant. His father Qia was a palace attendant under Liang.
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簿 宿 滿
Zhongju had no special craft, but he stood upright in his conduct. He entered service as editorial officer of writings, palace gentleman in attendance, and chief clerk of a princely establishment. Posted as magistrate of Changcheng, he won a name for honest, even rule. While Emperor Wen was still in the countryside he once called on Zhongju. Rain fell under a leaden sky. Zhongju sat alone in his study and heard flutes and drums beyond the wall. Then Emperor Wen arrived. Struck by the omen, Zhongju gave him his deepest trust. Emperor Wen once spent the night in Zhongju’s tent after wine. A five-colored light suddenly filled the room. From then on Zhongju served him with still greater reverence. When Hou Jing rebelled, Zhongju cast his lot with Emperor Wen. After Jing fell, Emperor Wen became administrator of Wu Commandery and made Zhongju his deputy. He and Yu Chi of Yingchuan both served as Emperor Wen’s clients. When Emperor Wen was made general who displays martial resolution, he named Zhongju chief clerk and soon gave him the magistracy of Shanyin as well. When Emperor Wen took the throne, Zhongju was made palace attendant and helped manage appointments. In the first year of Tiancheng (560) he was made acting minister of the masters of writing for officials and enfeoffed as Marquis of Bao’an with five hundred households. In the third year he was appointed minister of the masters of writing for officials. That year he was made right vice director of the masters of writing and metropolitan governor of Danyang, with the same role in government as before. Soon his title was changed to Marquis of Jianchang. Zhongju had no learning and court law was not his field. Every appointment came from Yuan Shu. He was spare by nature, kept out of public business, and was close to no courtier. He only hoarded money and drank. In the sixth year his term ended and he left the metropolitan governorship.
6
使 祿
By then Emperor Wen had lain ill for years and no longer ran the realm himself. Everything in the masters of writing went to Zhongju for decision. In the first year of Tiankang (566) he was made palace attendant and vice director of the masters of writing, with the same powers as before. When Emperor Wen grew desperately ill, Zhongju entered to nurse him with medicine. When Emperor Wen died, Emperor Xuan took the testament as director of the masters of writing and entered to govern. Zhongju, with the left assistant Wang Xian and secretariat attendants Liu Shizhi and Yin Bujiu, judged where the court’s hopes lay and sent Bujiu to forge an edict ordering Emperor Xuan back to the Eastern Mansion. When the plot came out, Shizhi was sent to the northern prison and granted death. Xian and Bujiu were handed over for trial. Zhongju was reduced to steadfast-resolution general and grandee with the gold seal and purple ribbon.
7
輿
Earlier Zhongju’s son Yu had married Emperor Wen’s sister, Princess Xin’an the Long of Xinyi. He rose to attendant gentleman of the secretariat, then went out as administrator of Xuancheng, and Emperor Wen gave him troops and horses. That year he was named interior minister of Nankang but had not yet taken office because of the state mourning. Zhongju, dismissed and living at home, and Yu both felt uneasy. Han Zigao was then in the capital with a large following of men and horses. Yu would ride in a small carriage dressed as a woman to plot with him. One of Zigao’s army commanders reported the affair. Emperor Xuan seized Zigao, Zhongju, and Yu and sent them to the court of trials. An edict declared: “Dao Zhongju is a mediocre man raised by luck. The former court heaped rank on him: father in the government, son in a great commandery, affinal honors as grand as kinship, power to match the imperial clan. Yet he grew arrogant and dark, insulting every office. At the start of the mourning silence he seized the government, drove out worthy kin, and mocked the Terrace. Han Zigao is a nothing raised from the gutter. He entered the palace guard and won the innermost trust, yet like a bee or scorpion he turned to bite. Zhongju and Zigao worked as outer shell and inner core, weaving treason in secret. The Prince of Ancheng is my uncle, the closest of kin. He was charged to guide the state and bear the late emperor’s trust. Because I am young, he should protect me. The realm’s safety belongs to its chief ministers. The weight of Yi and Zhou is beyond dispute. Every old general and minister knows to look to him. Yet they gathered villains for a surprise strike, massed at the Eastern City and pressed Chongli, meant to set up Zhongju and seize power, drive off the minister of works and rule alone, knit secret factions, and were about to endanger the dynasty. Thanks to the ancestors’ spirits, the plot came to light. The former magistrate of Shangyu, Lu Fang, and others laid out the whole affair with proof. They had set the seventh of this month for the crime. Area commander Mingche, left guard general and commandant of the guards Bao’an, and the other dukes knew it as well. Their tracks show in court and country alike. Their treason shocks every eye and ear. Now the great villain is cut down and the guilty taken. Let all be sent to the court of trials and judged by law. Guilt ends with Zhongju, his son, and Zigao—three people only. All others are wholly pardoned and will not be questioned.” Zhongju and Yu were granted death in prison. He was fifty-one. Yu’s sons and daughters were spared as the emperor’s affinal kin.
8
Han Zigao came from Shanyin in Kuaiji. His family was very lowborn. During Hou Jing’s rebellion he stayed in the capital. After Jing fell, Emperor Wen went out to hold Wu Commandery. Zigao was sixteen, still wearing the boy’s knot, beautiful as a woman. At Huai Ford he joined a convoy bound home. Emperor Wen saw him and asked, “Will you serve me?” Zigao agreed. His name had been Manzi; Emperor Wen renamed him. He was respectful and careful, always at hand with the belt knife, pouring wine and serving roast meat. Emperor Wen was quick-tempered; Zigao always read his mind. As he grew he learned riding and archery, showed daring, and wanted to be a commander. When Du Kan fell, he was given troops. Emperor Wen doted on him and never let him leave his side. Emperor Wen once dreamed he rode uphill on a perilous path about to fall. Zigao pushed and lifted him up.
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[1] [2]
When the Founder campaigned against Zhang Biao, Shen Tai and others had already surrendered. The Founder held the prefectural city, and Zhou Wenyü garrisoned north of the city at Xiang (Yan) [Yan] Temple. [1] Zhang Biao returned by night from Shan county to storm the city. The Founder slipped out the north gate. In the sudden dark the troops panicked. Wenyü did not know where the Founder was—only Zigao stood beside him. The Founder sent Zigao through the chaos to Wenyü, bring back his orders, then go again in the dark to steady the army. The Founder’s scattered men slowly gathered. Zigao led him into Wenyü’s camp and together they threw up palisades. The next day they fought Biao. Biao’s general Shen Jin surrendered again. [2] Biao fled to Song mountain and eastern Zhe was pacified. The Founder then gave Zigao many of his own followers. Zigao was generous and courteous to officers, and men flocked to him.
10
When Emperor Xuan entered to govern, Zigao’s military power weighed too heavy. Uneasy, he frequented the Terrace offices and asked to be posted to Heng and Guang. In the eighth month of Guangda year 1 (567), the former magistrate of Shangyu, Lu Fang, and one of Zigao’s army commanders reported a plot to rebel. Emperor Xuan was in the masters of writing office and called the officials to discuss the crown prince. Zigao came at dawn, was seized and sent to the court of trials, and that evening was granted death with Dao Zhongju. He was thirty. His father Yanqing and his brothers and sons were all pardoned. Through Zigao’s favor Yanqing rose to secretariat attendant and magistrate of Shanyin.
11
使
When Wang Lin marched east, Jiao followed Hou Tian to resist him. When Lin fell, Jiao garrisoned Pen city and ran Jiangzhou affairs. Southern prefects and magistrates were often local strongmen who ignored the court. Emperor Wen ordered Jiao to bring them to heel by law. When Wang Lin’s army broke up, his officers and men mostly joined Jiao. In the third year he was given provisional credentials, direct-communication regular attendant, benevolent and martial general, and inspector of Xinzhou’s salary while supervising Jiangzhou. Soon he was ordered to command armies in Xunyang, Taiyuan, Gaotang, and North and South Xincai and was made administrator of Xunyang, keeping his credentials, general’s title, salary, and supervision. Zhou Di rebelled and sent his nephew with hidden troops aboard ship, posing as merchants, to strike Jiao at Pen city. Before they moved, the plot was found out. Jiao sent men against them and took all their ships and weapons. That year Jiao followed area commander Wu Mingche against Di. When Di fell, he was made regular attendant, general who pacifies the south, and administrator of Linchuan, raised to marquis with five hundred households in all. Before he took office he went to court and was given credentials as area commander over Xiang, Ba, and the other provinces and made inspector of Xiangzhou, retaining his attendant and general titles.
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[4] 使
Jiao rose from a petty clerk and knew how to build wealth. The Xiang region yields much, and he sent it all to court—grain, bamboo, timber, and convoys beyond count; As for oil, honey, cured meats, and vegetables—nothing was left unprovided. He also fought the hill peoples and sent bronze drums and captives to the capital in great numbers. When the Deposed Emperor succeeded, Jiao was made general who pacifies the south and re-enfeoffed as Marquis of Chong’an [4] with one thousand five hundred households. Emperor Wen, since Xiangzhou furnished fir for ships, ordered Jiao to build more than two hundred Golden-Wing great ships and all river-war gear, intending to enter the Han and the gorges.
13
使 [5]
After Zigao’s death Jiao grew uneasy, armored men and gathered followers, and lavished gifts on his subordinate officials. Emperor Xuan repeatedly ordered him to send the Golden-Wing great ships. Jiao stalled and would not deliver. In the first year of Guangda (567) he secretly asked for Guangzhou to test the court’s mind. Emperor Xuan pretended to agree, but no edict had yet gone out. Jiao also sent envoys to draw in Northern Zhou troops and set up Xiao Kui as his sovereign. His army grew very large. An edict then named Wu Mingche inspector of Xiangzhou, intending in truth to strike Jiao with a light force. Fearing Jiao would move first, they sent Mingche with thirty thousand men in Golden-Wing ships straight for Yingzhou, and pacifying-the-army grand general Chunyu Liang with fifty thousand in great ships behind him, and ordered provisional-credentials crowned-with-martiality general Yang Wentong by a separate route from An (Cheng) [Cheng] by the foot-path through Chaling, [5] and ordered Bashan administrator Huang Fahui from Yiyang through Liling for a surprise blow, together with Jiangzhou inspector Zhang Zhaoda, Yingzhou inspector Cheng Lingxi, and others to plan the suppression.
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[6] 輿忿 [7]
Xiao Kui then sent a river fleet to support Jiao. Emperor Wu of Zhou also sent his brother the Duke of Weiguo, Yuwen Zhi, to camp at Lushan, and his pillar of state Tuoba Ding with thirty thousand troops to besiege Yingzhou. Xiao Kui made Jiao minister of works and set Dai Sengshuo over Ba, Ren Mannu over Hengyang, Pan Zhizhen over Baling, and Zhang Zhaoyu over Yueyang; (Du) [Gui]yang administrator Cao Xuan, [6] Xiangdong administrator Qian Ming, and others—all under Jiao’s command. Changsha administrator Cao Qing and others had already been Jiao’s men and now served him. The emperor feared upstream governors would side with Jiao and issued an edict: “The traitor Jiao rose from cart and stable. Promoted by chance to a frontier post, he should have been grateful. Instead he rebelled, enthroned the Xiao line, sealed open pacts, and aimed at the dynasty. He stirred the borders, drove the people, swarmed Ba and Xiang like ants, and charged Yan and Ying like boars—heaven and earth alike revile him. Campaigning-south general Liang, pacifying-south general Mingche, and Yingzhou inspector Lingxi took the law and marched with all their strength, heartening the brave as the fleets advanced together. Valor flared, the wicked were crushed, victory reports came in waves, and the foul air cleared. In judging guilt I look to renewal. Let Xiang and Ba be partly pardoned: all who were forced into the rebel ranks and joined the guilty faction shall go unquestioned; their rebel chieftains, commanders, and (xiang) [generals] [7] may all surrender with clemency and share in a general amnesty."
15
便
Earlier an edict had also sent Xu Du, minister of works, with Yang Wentong and others out from Ancheng overland through eastern Xiang to hit Jiao from behind. Jiao then held his line at White Snail in Ba commandery, his ships drawn up against the imperial fleet in an unresolved standoff. Learning that Xu Du was marching on Xiangzhou, he took his army down from Ba and Ying with a fair wind and joined battle. Chunyu Liang and Wu Mingche raised small boats from the ranks, paid them well in gold and silver, and sent them out first to take the enemy great ships' ramming blows. Once the rebel ships had spent their rams, the imperial great ships rammed them; every rebel vessel was broken and went down mid-river. The rebels then packed great ships with fuel and tried to burn the fleet downwind; the wind swung back and set their own ships ablaze, and they were routed. Jiao fled with Dai Sengshuo in one boat; at Baling he dared not enter the walls and ran straight for Jiangling. Tuoba Ding and his men had no ships to cross with and marched on Baling on foot; the Baling towns were already in imperial hands, so they headed for Xiangzhou. At the river mouth they could not get across; with provisions almost gone they came in and surrendered. More than ten thousand prisoners and four thousand-odd horses were sent to the capital. Jiao's followers Cao Qing, Qian Ming, Pan Zhiquan, Lu Xian, Xi Huilüe, and more than forty others were put to death; only Ren Mannu, Zhang Zhaoyu, Cao Xuan, and Liu Guangye were pardoned.
16
使
Dai Sengshuo was from Qiantang in Wu commandery. Powerful, bold, and a capable fighter, he was much favored by his kinsman Sengxi, right general. As Sengxi aged, he regularly put Sengshuo in command on campaign. He earned merit in the campaign that pacified Wang Lin. After Sengxi's death he replaced him as administrator of South Danyang and held Caishi. Campaigning against Liu Yi, Hou Andu fought the enemy below the cliff and was wounded; Sengshuo went in alone on foot with one sword to pull him out. For this he was made trustworthy-martial general and inspector of North Jiangzhou, and also administrator of Nanling. He campaigned again against Zhou Di with merit, was moved to administrator of Ba commandery, and kept his staff and general's rank. He then rebelled with Jiao and was executed at Jiangling.
17
Cao Qing had been one of Wang Lin's generals; the puppet ruler Xiao Zhuang made him left guard general and inspector of Wu commandery, ranking below Pan Chuntuo. After Lin's defeat Emperor Wen placed him under Jiao; he rose to administrator of Changsha. Qian Ming had once been a chief commander under the Founder and later held several posts as prefect in the Xiang region. Pan Zhiquan was Chuntuo's son—spirited from youth and made inner administrator of Baling at twenty. Lu Xian was from Qiantang in Wu commandery. Xi Huilüe was from Anding. Xian had served Zhang Biao as chief commander and Huilüe had been under Wang Lin; Emperor Wen gave both to Jiao, and each became a commandery governor. All were put to death.
18
Zhang Zhaoyu was Zhaoda's younger brother; Liu Guangye was Guangde's younger brother; Cao Xuan was an old minister of the Founder; Ren Mannu had once sent a secret memorial to the court; for which they were all spared.
19
輿 [8]
The historian writes: Han Zigao and Hua Jiao were trifling men of humble birth, yet Emperor Wen—seeing how past ages chose talent and how pressing his own troubles were—used sharp judgment and policies that calmed the realm, and gave them his full trust without asking after their pedigrees. Jiao had long served him closely [8], had shared danger, and showed he had nothing to hide; the emperor repaid him with full trust—grounds for confidence, not for doubt. Jiao held the upper river and had been loyal to Emperor Wen. Dao Zhongju and Zigao, too, had not failed in subject's duty.
20
Collation notes
21
On "Zhou Wenyü garrisoned the North Suburb Xiang" (yan) On "[yan] Monastery"—emended per 〈Biography of Zhou Wenyü〉 and the main biography in the History of the Southern Dynasties and 〈Biography of Zhang Biao〉 changed.
22
·
On "Biao's general Shen Jin again surrendered": the History of the Southern Dynasties, 〈Biography of Zhang Biao〉, reads Shen Jin (advance) for Shen Jin (silken cord).
23
On "in the Liang era he was a clerical aide in the masters of writing bureau for comparison": the graph bi was originally blank in the ink and is supplied from other editions.
24
On "changed in enfeoffment to Marquis of Chong'an county": the History of the Southern Dynasties reads duke for marquis.
25
On "he also ordered acting-with-staff crown martial general Yang Wentong to set out separately from An" (cheng) On "[cheng], marching by land route out through Chaling"—emended per the Comprehensive Mirror. The passage below also reads Ancheng.
26
(Du) On "[Gui]yang Administrator Cao Xuan"—emended per the History of the Southern Dynasties and the Comprehensive Mirror.
27
On "their rebel chieftains', commanders', and" (xiang) On "[jiang]"—emended per the History of the Southern Dynasties.
28
On "Jiao early took part in intimate service"—Zhang Senkai 〈Collation note〉 writes: "'Jiao' should probably read 'Zhongju,' for this passage ought not to leave out Zhongju." Present review: Zhang is right. Below, "Jiao held the upper river and was loyal to Emperor Wen" is where Hua Jiao is first discussed in earnest.
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