1
2
Huandu was of the Wanyan tribe. His grandfather Shilu was Zhaozu's contemporary, clansman, and namesake; the two became fast friends and swore an oath: "In life we shall share one river's bank; in death one valley's grave." The people called Zhaozu "Brave Shilu" and Shilu "Virtuous Shilu."
3
Long before, the Usazha clan had a renowned beauty named Badihui, whom raiders from the Shushui east of Qingling on the Hun Tong carried away. She bore two daughters, the elder Dahui and the younger Zisai. Zhaozu and Shilu plotted to recover them, went together beyond the ridge, and shot arrows tipped with burning tinder. The Shushui people took this for an evil omen and all fled into rough country. After a long interval with no further sign of them, Zhaozu and Shilu withdrew to their own settlements. Zhaozu and Shilu then marched in force, seized their goods, and carried off the two women. Zhaozu took one for himself and Virtuous Shilu the other; each made his a concubine. The tribes still refused law and custom. Zhaozu showed his strength at Qingling and White Mountain and pressed into Subin and Yelan, with Virtuous Shilu at his side throughout. Later the two men went their separate ways.
4
5
Huandu was Hesun's son. When Shizu first came to power, Huandu inherited the post of military governor. Bahei, however, stood high in the lineage and nursed designs of his own; he could not be brought to heel. Tribe after tribe refused obedience and rose in revolt. Huandu came in to counsel and went out to command on the field; he never left Shizu's side.
6
斡勒部人杯乃，自景祖時與其兄弟俱居安出虎水之北，及烏春作難，杯乃將與烏春合，間誘斡魯紺出水居人與之相結，欲先除去歡都。 會其家被火，陰約隸人不歌束，詭稱放火乃歡都、胡土二人，使注都來謂世祖曰：「不歌束來告曰'前日之火，歡都等縱之'。 若不棄舊好，其執縱火之人以來。」 世祖疑之。 石盧斡勒勃堇曰：「杯乃兄弟也，豈以一二人之故，而與兄弟構怨乎。 彼自取之，又將尤誰，不如與之便。」 歡都被甲執戟而起曰：「彼為亂之人也，若取太師兄弟，則亦與之乎。 今取我輩，我輩決不可往，若必用戰，當盡力致死。」 穆宗曰：「壯哉歡都，以我所見，正如此爾。」 贈歡都以馬，曰：「戰則乘此。」 眾皆稱善。 世祖乃往見杯乃，隔鱉刺水而與之言曰：「不歌束既告縱火由歡都等，謹當如約。 當先遣不歌束來。」 不歌束至，世祖于馬前殺之，使杯乃見之。 既而聞之，放火者杯乃家人阿出胡山也，杯乃欲開此釁，故以誣歡都雲。
Beinai of the Wole clan had lived with his brothers north of the Anchu River since Jingzu's day. When Wuchun rebelled, Beinai was ready to join him and secretly won over the Woluguan water-folk, intending to destroy Huandu first. When his house burned, he secretly suborned the bondservant Bugesou to claim that Huandu and Hutu had set the blaze, and sent Zhudu to Shizu with the message: "Bugesou reports that the fire the other day was the work of Huandu and his party. If you will not break the old bond of friendship, seize the arsonists and deliver them." Shizu was doubtful. The Wole tribal chief Shilu Wole said: "Beinai is your brother. Would you for the sake of one or two men make an enemy of your own kin? He brought this on himself. Whom else can he blame? Better to give way to him." Huandu buckled on armor, seized his halberd, and rose. "He is a rebel. If they demand the Grand Preceptor's brothers, will you surrender them as well? If they demand us, we will never go. If it must come to war, we shall fight to the last man." Muzong said: "How bold Huandu is! In my judgment he is entirely right." He gave Huandu a horse and said: "When you fight, ride this one." All approved. Shizu then went to Beinai and, standing across the Biecih River, said: "Bugesou has named Huandu and the rest as the arsonists. I shall keep our agreement to the letter. Send Bugesou to me first." When Bugesou came, Shizu struck him down before his horse and made Beinai witness it. It later came out that the fire had been set by Beinai's servant Achuhushan. Beinai had sought a pretext for strife and had framed Huandu.
7
Lapei and Machan met Shizu at the Wild Magpie River. Dusk had fallen and Shizu had barely fifty or sixty riders. Huandu plunged into the enemy line and fought back and forth four times over before Shizu, wounded, called a halt. Wuchun and Womouhan held the Huocihun River. Shizu had already accepted their surrender and marched his army home. The tribal chiefs Saola and Fuzhe Talan watched to see which side would win and withheld their support. Both had previously joined Lapei and Machan, so Shizu meant to destroy them on the march home and spurred his horse forward. Talan was Empress Zhenhui's younger brother. Huandu dismounted, seized the bridle, and pleaded: "Have you no thought for your beloved younger brother Puyangwen and his wife?" Shizu was moved and drew rein. Puyangwen is the Jurchen name for "younger brother" in Chinese. Of Shizu's maternal brothers Muzong was the youngest, and so earned that name. Muzong remembered Huandu's counsel and later arranged for Talan's daughter Heluoshen to marry Huandu's son Gushen. When Taizu pursued Machan, Huandu struck him in the head with an arrow and took him prisoner. Liao appointed Muzong, Taizu, Cibushi, and Huandu each to the office of xiangwen.
8
Woshan and Wotuo brought the Guli contingent in submission, and Shizu sent the tribal chief Xiebo to settle them. Gushi, Bashi, and others of the Pucha tribe lured the troops into a city and trapped more than three hundred men. Huandu was made commander-in-chief and sent to investigate Xiebo's loss of the force. He relieved Xiebo of his entire command, crushed Wuchun and Womouhan at Xiedui, and captured Gushi and Bashi.
9
初，耶悔水納喝部撒八之弟曰阿注阿，與人爭部族官，不得直，來歸穆宗。 阿注阿之甥曰三濱、曰撒達。 辭不失破烏春窩謀罕城，獲三濱、撒達，並獲其母，以為次室，撫其二子。 撒達告阿注阿必為變，不信而殺之。 撒達臨刑歎曰：「後必知之。」 至是，阿注阿果為變。 因穆宗晨出獵，糾率七八人操兵入宅，奪據寢門，劫貞惠皇后及家人等。 歡都入見阿注阿曰：「汝輩所謀之事奈何。 閨門眷屬豈足劫質，徒使之驚恐耳。 汝固識我，盍以我為質也。」 再三言之，阿注阿從之，貞惠皇后乃得解，而質歡都。 而撒改、辭不失使人告急於獵所。 穆宗亦心動，罷獵。 中途逢告者，日午至，阿注阿謂穆宗曰：「可使系案女直知名官僚相結，送我兄弟親屬由咸州路入遼國，庫金廄馬與我勿惜，歡都亦當送我至遼境，然後還。」 而耍穆宗盟，穆宗皆從之。 遂執歡都及阿魯太彎、阿魯不太彎等七人，以衣裾相結，與阿注阿俱行，至遼境，乃釋歡都。 歡都至濟州，實黃龍府，使人馳驛要遮阿注阿黨屬，惟縱其親人使去。 遂殺三濱並其母，具報於遼，乞還阿注阿，遼人流之曷堇城。 其後，阿注阿懷思鄉土，亡歸，附於系案女直，因亂其官僚之室，捕之，不伏，乃見殺。
Earlier Azu'a, younger brother of Saba of the Nahana tribe on the Yehui River, had quarreled over a tribal post and failed to obtain justice. He came in submission to Muzong. Azu'a's nephews were Sanbin and Sada. When Cibushi stormed the stronghold of Wuchun and Womouhan he took Sanbin and Sada and their mother as well. He made her a secondary consort and raised the two boys. Sada warned that Azu'a would rebel. Cibushi disbelieved him and had him executed. Facing death Sada sighed: "You will know soon enough." By then Azu'a had indeed risen in revolt. While Muzong was out hunting at dawn, he rallied seven or eight armed men, forced their way into the palace, seized the inner gate, and took Empress Zhenhui and the household hostage. Huandu went in to Azu'a and said: "What end do you intend for this plot of yours? The women of the inner quarters are poor hostages; you only terrify them to no purpose. You know me well. Take me instead." He pressed the point again and again until Azu'a agreed. The empress was freed and Huandu held in her place. Sagai and Cibushi meanwhile sent word in haste to the hunt. Muzong's heart misgave him and he broke off the hunt. He met the messenger on the road and reached home at noon. Azu'a told Muzong: "Let the noted bureaucrats of the registered Jurchen band together, send my brothers and kin by the Xianzhou road into Liao, give me gold from the treasury and horses from the stables without stint, and let Huandu escort me to the Liao frontier before he returns." He also extorted an oath from Muzong, who yielded to every demand. They bound Huandu together with Alutaiwan, Alutaibuwan, and five others, linking their robe-hems, and marched with Azu'a. At the Liao border they set Huandu free. Huandu reached Jizhou, which was in fact Huanglong Prefecture, and sent riders by relay to cut off Azu'a's party, sparing only his kin. He then killed Sanbin and his mother, reported the whole affair to Liao, and asked that Azu'a be returned. Liao banished him to Yijin. Later, homesick for his own country, Azu'a fled back and joined the registered Jurchen. He raided the dwellings of their officials, was seized, refused to yield, and was executed.
10
Early in Muzong's reign, his cousins Xilie and Xiebo, together with his elder brothers, murmured dissent: "Those men made themselves lord and minister—what of us?" Huandu said: "If you quarrel among yourselves, I shall not stand idly by." At his words the company fell quiet, and from that day no one spoke out again.
11
Huandu served four sovereigns across forty years. In battle he always met the enemy first; in great council his counsel was often followed. Shizu once said: "With Huandu at my side, what could I not accomplish?" Under Suzong his trust outranked every courtier near the throne. When Muzong came to the throne, every matter touching Liao was placed solely in his hands. Kangzong treated him as a veteran of his father and uncles' generation, honored him the more, and drew great profit from his service.
12
In the second month of Kangzong 11 (guisi) he fell ill, withdrew to the Milimei River to convalesce, and died at sixty-three. When the bier came home Kangzong met it on the road, escorted it to Huandu's house, and oversaw the burial himself. In Tianhui 15 he was posthumously made Bearer of the Triple Staff with Equal Protocol and Duke of Dai. In Mingchang 5 he was raised to Grand Master of the Palace with Equal Protocol and given the posthumous name Zhongmin, Loyal and Keen. His sons were Gushen and Mouyan. Gushen has his own biography elsewhere.
14
During Azu'a's revolt Mouyan went with Huandu and stood hostage in his place. Later Mouyan and Zongjun both attended Taizu. When Zongjun seated himself above Mouyan, the emperor was angered and ordered Zongjun to take the lower place. The tribal chiefs Laobolun, Baheru, and Xiabasu quarreled over a thousand-household command. The emperor said: "Have any of you served the state as Huandu and his son have?" He made Mouyan commander of a thousand households and placed all three under him—such was the regard in which the house was held. He died in the twelfth month of Tianfu 5 and in Tianhui 15 was posthumously made Junior Tutor of the Heir Apparent.
15
Yehe traced his line to Jingzu, lived with the Wanyan on the Shenyin River, and was chief of his division. Yehe came in submission together with Balai of his own division, Huduhua and Sidu of the Pucha on the Womin River, Antuan of the Wanyan on the Taishentebai River, and Huoligai of the Wendihen on the Tongmen River. From that time the Jin state grew still stronger.
16
Suzong had twice been beaten by Huanhan. Shizu sent Huandu and Yehe with the commandery levies of their tribes to reinforce him. Yehe and Huandu were always at Shizu's side, joining his councils in camp and taking their places in the battle line in the field. They were never absent from his affairs.
17
In Tianhui 15 he was posthumously made Grand Master of Splendid Happiness with Silver-Green Tally. In Mingchang 5 he was raised to Special Advancement with the posthumous name Zhongji, Loyal and Succoring, and together with Duke of Dai Huandu, Special Advancement Hezhe, Grand Master of the Palace Penna, and Bearer of the Triple Staff Bada was granted collateral sacrifice in Shizu's temple.
18
20
Alubu was Yehe's son. He was a man of imposing stature and keen stratagem, fearless in battle. Before he came of age he took the field and helped reduce Xianzhou and Dongjing. When the Liao marched to recover Haizhou he went with the tribal chief Maji to its relief, met a heavy enemy force on the road, fought hard, and took more than a thousand heads. He followed Wolugu against Hao and Yizhou, routed seven hundred men with barely a dozen riders, and pressed the attack on the Liao emperor himself. Alubu ranged the northern lands and won over twenty-four encampments and several thousand households. The Western Capital had fallen. Zhamu failed to take Yingzhou and withdrew to camp north of the city. That night he sent Alubu with four hundred men to scout. The garrison sallied with three thousand in a surprise attack; Alubu met them on the road, took more than a hundred heads, and captured sixty horses. When thirty thousand Liao troops marched from Mayi, he met them with a thousand men, broke their line, and killed their general on the field.
21
Early in Tianhui, Zongwang, Prince of Song, marched against Zhang Jue at Pingzhou. Learning that more than ten thousand men from Yingzhou were marching to his aid, he sent Alubu and Alidai to intercept them; they took several thousand heads and returned. He again followed his elder brother Yuhua with three thousand men against Qianzhou. Yuhua died on the march and Alubu took over his command. At Qianzhou he received the surrender of the garrison and thirty encampments, seized forty seals, and with Puhui reduced Yizhou.
22
When Zongwang marched on Song he fought Guo Yaoshi at the White River. Zongwang ordered Alubu to lead two commanderies in the first assault. He fought with exceptional valor and was rewarded beyond the common measure. At Bian he routed the Huainan relief force and killed two of its generals. The main army withdrew to Mengyang. Yao Pingzhong struck by night with a heavy force. Alubu stood directly in their path, fought hard, and drove them off. On the return march he learned that Daming and Kaide had united more than a hundred thousand men to contest the river crossing. At the river he saw the enemy was still distant and sent light troops by night. By dawn he reached Weixian, met the foe, took several thousand heads, and put the rest to flight. The army halted at Xingzhou, where the Hutuo bridge had been burned. Alubu threw a detachment across the water first; by the time the main body arrived the bridge was finished. Zongwang praised his service, rewarded him from the Zhending treasury, and made him a thousand-household commander in the Ever-Victorious Army.
23
On the second campaign against Song he followed Zongwang, broke the enemy at Jingxing, and took Luancheng. The army crossed from Daming; Alubu held the approaches to Mingzhou. Prince Kang was then at Xiangzhou. Daming sent troops against the Jin camp; Alubu took two hundred horsemen by night, slipped behind them, and routed them. A few days later the enemy returned. Commander Su arrived first with twenty thousand men. Alubu struck before they could mass, rode out with three hundred horsemen, shattered their force, took Su alive, and executed him. After Bianjing fell the army attacked Mingzhou, routed Daming's relief force, and took the city. Returning from Talanwen's campaign against Enzhou, Mingzhou rose again. Alubu reached the walls first, defeated a sally, seized the defending officials, and with Puluhuan took Xinde.
24
Zongbi, Prince of Liang, took Kaide, and Alubu marched to his support with five thousand foot. Banditry was rife in Daming, and he was ordered to remain and garrison the region. Bandits struck Shenxian but scattered at word of Alubu's approach. He pursued a day and a night, overtook them at Guantao, and took them all prisoner.
25
He followed Zongbi in the pursuit of Prince Kang and crossed the Huai. Alubu remained at Hezhou with four thousand men, commanding the garrisons between the Yangzi and Huai to bring in counties still holding out. He took Taipingzhou and razed its walls. When Luzhou rebelled he led a detachment against it, routed six thousand horsemen, and took three commanders prisoner. The next day he broke twenty thousand of the enemy at Shenxian and took five hundred heads. Zhang Yong brought tens of thousands of foot and horse against him. Alubu had only two thousand and was surrounded. He burst the ring, fought through, routed the enemy, pursued forty li, and returned with three hundred captured horses. He attacked Luzhou again. With Digubu he broke ten thousand men at Tuogao. At the city walls five hundred horsemen sallied; he defeated them and killed two commanders. The army marched home. Zongbi hurried west toward Shaanxi. On the road he learned Daming had rebelled again and sent Alubu to deal with it. Alubu went to the walls alone with an interpreter, called on the city to yield, and Daming submitted. The next day he ordered all private weapons surrendered to the authorities, and officials and people alike returned to their former quiet. He was made commander-in-chief of the Daming-Kaide circuit.
26
When the Qi puppet state was set up, Alubu encamped his troops outside Bian. In Tianhui 15 an edict abolished Qi. Liu Lin was already in custody, and Alubu entered Bianjing first to guard against trouble. The following year he was appointed prefect of Guide. When the lands south of the river were ceded to Song, he entered service as Inner Secretariat envoy at Yanjing. When Zongbi recovered the south, Alubu crossed the river first, pacified the prefectures, and again became prefect of Guide and commander-in-chief of Henan. Song troops came to recover the south. Zongbi summoned Alubu, Han Chang of Xuzhou, Dachou of Yingzhou, and Chisan Hui of Chenzhou to assemble at Bian. Alubu alone stayed away, for the enemy was at his gates. Song generals Yue Fei, Liu Guangshi, and others did seize the moment, took Xu, Ying, and Chen, and neighboring districts rose in support. The columns that threatened Guide he beat back again and again, retook Bo, Su, and other prefectures, and pacified the south—no man's service surpassed his.
27
皇統五年，為行台參知政事，授世襲猛安，兼合紮謀克。 改元帥右監軍，婆速路統軍，歸德軍節度使，累階儀同三司。
In Huangtong 5 he became Associate Administrator of the Branch Secretariat, received a hereditary meng'an, and held a combined commandery command. He became Right Army Supervisor of the Marshal's Office, commander of the Basu circuit, and military governor of Guide, rising by stages to Bearer of the Triple Staff with Equal Protocol.
28
While at Bian he had taken timber from government buildings and built a private house at Enzhou. The affair now came to light. By law the case called for "deliberation on merit" and "deliberation on kinship". Hailing, who had once served in the ranks and disliked Alubu, decreed: "Measured by merit and service, others have done more than this. His rank already stands at the first grade, reward enough in itself. The state's law makes no distinction between high and low. Kinship and rank cannot set it aside." He was condemned to death. He was fifty-five.
29
Born to a warrior house, Alubu followed campaign after campaign and won repeated distinction. In every post he ruled with kindness and won the people's hearts. At his death all mourned him. In Dading 3 he was posthumously made Bearer of the Triple Staff with Equal Protocol. His son was appointed Right Guard General, inherited the meng'an and personal commandery, and received five hundred taels of silver, twenty bolts of heavy brocade, and three hundred bolts of silk.
31
Gunan, Yehe's son, was skilled in horsemanship and archery and gifted with ability. He took part in suppressing the rebellions of Huanhan, Sanda, Wuchun, Womouhan, and Liuke and distinguished himself in each. When Taizu campaigned against Liao, Gunan fought at Ningjiangzhou and Chuhedian, broke the Liao emperor's personal guard, and was rewarded each time for valor in battle. He inherited his father's commandery. He led a thousand households under Zonghan, Prince of Qin, and helped take the Central and Western capitals.
32
When Zonghan marched on Song he besieged Taiyuan without success and returned to the Western Capital. Gunan held Taiyuan with the right wing under Yinshu Ke. Relief columns came from Fenzhou, Tuanbai, Yuci, Lan, Xian, and Lu. Gunan fought four engagements and won them all. While the main army besieged Bian, Gunan led the ten-thousand-household force and repeatedly routed Song relief columns. When Xian, Lu, and other prefectures rebelled again, he retook them, pacified Baode and Huoshan, and returned.
33
He later commanded the Xia frontier garrison for twelve years. In Tianhui 8 he received a hereditary meng'an. At the opening of Tianjuan he became military governor of Tiande Army and retired. He rose by stages to Grand Master of the Palace with Equal Protocol and died at eighty-five. His son Xige inherited the meng'an and was made General of Manifest Martiality.
35
Egunai, Yehe's son, was a man of imposing stature. At fourteen he entered Prince of Qin Zonghan's army and often led the van as scout. When the main army struck at the Liao emperor, Egunai took sixty armored riders, ran down the Liao Pacification Commissioner Tushan, and captured him. With seven riders he overtook the Liao princess Yabulai and presented her as a prize. A Liao relief army drew up for battle. One man spurred out from the line. The commander said to Egunai: "Can you take him for me?" He answered: "I can." He did, and brought him back alive. The man's name was Tonggua, reckoned among the bravest of the northern tribes.
36
Egunai was famed for relay riding and could cover a thousand li in a day. On the campaigns against Song he was repeatedly sent on urgent dispatches. In Tianhui 8, while with the Prince of Qin at Yan, he learned Yudu had rebelled in the northwest. The prince sent him by relay post. He left at dawn for Tiande and arrived before sunset.
37
皇統元年，以功授甯遠大將軍，迭刺唐古部節度使。 五年，授千戶。 六年，遷西北路招討使。 九年，再遷天德尹、西南路招討使。 天德二年，召見。 四年，遷臨洮尹，加金紫光祿大夫。 卒官，年五十三。
In Huangtong 1 his service won him the rank of General of Tranquil Reach and the governorship of the Dieci Tanggu tribe. In year 5 he received command of a thousand households. In year 6 he became Pacification Commissioner of the Northwest Circuit. In year 9 he was made prefect of Tiande and Pacification Commissioner of the Southwest Circuit. In Tiande 2 he was summoned to audience. In year 4 he became prefect of Lintao and Grand Master of Splendid Happiness with Gold-Purple Tally. He died in office at fifty-three.
39
Pucha moved from the Meijian River in the Upper Capital to settle at Tiande. He first served as a staff officer of the Marshal's Office. Dispatched to the four quarters he acquitted himself well, and in investigation he always reached the truth. He headed a meng'an. During Huangtong he became Associate Military Governor of Kaiyuan Army. His scouts were strict and the frontier knew no trouble. Early in Zhenglong he became Military Affairs Judge of the Zhongdu circuit. Bandits were rife about the capital. Pucha took more than forty ringleaders, and the people breathed easier. He was made Associate Military Governor of Anhua Army. In Dading 2 he led the campaign ten-thousand-household force as prefect of Pizhou and director of military affairs, commanded the local ten-thousand households and nine garrisoned meng'an armies, served as military governor of Changwu Army, and as Deputy Commander-in-Chief of Shandong. When Sagai marched south, the Marshal's Office appointed Pucha acting deputy commander-in-chief. He entered court as Junior Household Master of the Heir Apparent, became Military Governor of Kaiyuan Army, inherited his paternal uncle Gunan's meng'an, served as overall commander of Basu and as Pacification Commissioner of the Northwest Circuit, and died.
40
41
The encomium reads: Virtuous Shilu was friend to Zhaozu; Huandu served Jingzu and Shizu as minister. From Jingzu's day Jin began its rise, and the lord-and-minister order among the tribes was first fixed. Hence among ministers of other surnames Huandu leads the roll. Yehe, though of the imperial house, shared Huandu's merit, and is therefore set down here beside him.