Volume 2 Annals 2: Taizong 1

太宗上太宗文武大聖大廣孝皇帝諱世民，高祖第二子也。母曰太穆順聖皇后竇氏。隋開皇十八年十二月戊午，生於武功之別館。時有二龍戲於館門之外，三日而去。高祖之臨岐州，太宗時年四歲。有書生自言善相，謁高祖曰：「公貴人也，且有貴子。」見太宗，曰：「龍鳳之姿，天日之表，年將二十，必能濟世安民矣。」高祖懼其言洩，將殺之，忽失所在，因採「濟世安民」之義以為名焉。太宗幼聰睿，玄鑒深遠，臨機果斷，不拘小節，時人莫能測也。

Taizong, Part One. Taizong, posthumously styled Emperor Wenwu the Great Sage, Greatly Broad and Filial, bore the taboo name Shimin and was Gaozu's second son. His mother was Empress Taimu the Shunsheng of the Dou clan. On wuwu of the twelfth month in the eighteenth year of Sui Kaihuang, he was born at the detached lodge in Wugong. At that time two dragons were seen sporting outside the lodge gate; after three days they vanished. When Gaozu assumed office at Qizhou, Taizong was four years old. A scholar claiming skill in physiognomy called on Gaozu and said, "Your Excellency is a man of eminent rank, and you have a son who will be still greater." When he saw Taizong, he said, "He has the bearing of dragon and phoenix and a countenance like heaven and sun. When his years approach twenty, he will surely save the realm and bring peace to the people." Gaozu feared the prophecy would leak out and was about to have him killed, but the man vanished without trace; Gaozu therefore drew on the phrase "save the age and bring peace to the people" and gave him the name. As a youth Taizong was clever and penetrating, with vision that ran deep; in crisis he acted with decision and scorned petty scruples—contemporaries could not take his measure.

大業末，煬帝於雁門為突厥所圍，太宗應募救援，隸屯衛將軍云定興營。將行，謂定興曰：「必齎旗鼓以設疑兵。且始畢可汗舉國之師，敢圍天子，必以國家倉卒無援。我張軍容，令數十里幡旗相續，夜則鉦鼓相應，虜必謂救兵雲集，望塵而遁矣。不然，彼眾我寡，悉軍來戰，必不能支矣。」定興從焉。師次崞縣，突厥候騎馳告始畢曰：王師大至。由是解圍而遁。及

Late in the Daye reign, when Emperor Yang was besieged by the Turks at Yanmen, Taizong answered the call for relief and served under Garrison Guard General Yun Dingxing. Before marching, he told Dingxing, "You must bring banners and drums to stage a feint. Shibi Khagan has thrown the whole nation into this campaign and dared to hem in the Son of Heaven; he surely believes the court has no sudden help at hand. If we parade a vast host—banners and flags unbroken for tens of li, gongs and drums answering through the night—the enemy will take it for clouds of relief troops and flee at the first whiff of dust. Otherwise, outnumbered, if they throw their full strength into battle, we cannot stand." Dingxing did as he advised. When the army reached Guo County, Turkic scouts galloped to Shibi with word that the imperial host had arrived in strength. The Turks thereupon broke the siege and withdrew. Later, when

高祖之守太原，太宗時年十八。有高陽賊帥魏刀兒，自號歷山飛。來攻太原，高祖擊之，深入賊陣。太宗以輕騎突圍而進，射之，所向皆披靡，拔高祖於萬眾之中。適會步兵至，高祖與太宗又奮擊，大破之。時隋祚已終，太宗潛圖義舉，每折節下士，推財養客，群盜大俠，莫不願效死力。及義兵起，乃率兵略徇西河，克之。拜右領大都督，右三軍皆隸焉，封燉煌郡公。

Gaozu was garrisoning Taiyuan, Taizong was eighteen. A Gaoyang bandit chieftain, Wei Dao'er, styled himself Lishan Fei. He attacked Taiyuan; Gaozu counterattacked and plunged deep into the rebel formation. Taizong led light cavalry through the encirclement, shooting as he charged; wherever he turned the enemy broke, and he drew Gaozu out from amid ten thousand men. Just then the foot soldiers came up; Gaozu and Taizong attacked again with fury and won a great victory. The Sui mandate was already spent; Taizong secretly planned a righteous uprising. He lowered himself to win men of talent, spent his wealth to keep clients—outlaws and wandering champions alike were ready to die for him. When the righteous army rose, he led troops to overrun Xihe and captured it. He was made Right Army Commander-in-chief, with all three right armies under his command, and enfeoffed as Duke of Dunhuang.

大軍西上賈胡堡，隋將宋老生率精兵二萬屯霍邑，以拒義師。會久雨糧盡，高祖與裴寂議，且還太原，以圖後舉。太宗曰：「本興大義以救蒼生，當須先入咸陽，號令天下；遇小敵即班師，將恐從義之徒一朝解體。還守太原一城之地，此為賊耳，何以自全！」高祖不納，促令引發。太宗遂號泣於外，聲聞帳中。高祖召問其故，對曰：「今兵以義動，進戰則必克，退還則必散。眾散於前，敵乘於後，死亡須臾而至，是以悲耳。」高祖乃悟而止。

As the main host marched west toward Jiahu Fort, Sui general Song Laosheng led twenty thousand elite troops to Huoyi to block the righteous army. Endless rain had exhausted their grain; Gaozu and Pei Ji debated falling back to Taiyuan to try again later. Taizong said, "We took up arms to save the people; we must first enter Xianyang and command the realm. If we retreat at the first small foe, those who joined us will scatter overnight. Holding one city at Taiyuan would make us nothing but bandits—how could we survive?" Gaozu would not listen and ordered a prompt withdrawal. Taizong wept outside the tent until his voice carried inside. Gaozu called him in and asked why; he answered, "The army marches on righteousness now—advance and we win, retreat and we scatter. Our men will break before us and the enemy will strike from behind—death in an instant. That is why I weep." Gaozu understood and called off the retreat.

八月己卯，雨霽，高祖引師趣霍邑。太宗恐老生不出戰，乃將數騎先詣其城下，舉鞭指麾，若將圍城者，以激怒之。老生果怒，開門出兵，背城而陣。高祖與建成合陣於城東，太宗及柴紹陣於城南。老生麾兵疾進，先薄高祖，而建成墜馬，老生乘之，高祖與建成軍咸卻。太宗自南原率二騎馳下峻阪，沖斷其軍，引兵奮擊，賊眾大敗，各舍仗而走。懸門發，老生引繩欲上，遂斬之，平霍邑。至河東，關中豪傑爭走赴義。太宗請進師入關，取永豐倉以賑窮乏，收群盜以圖京師，高祖稱善。太宗以前軍濟河，先定渭北。三輔吏民及諸豪猾詣軍門請自效者日以千計，扶老攜幼，滿於麾下。收納英俊，以備僚列，遠近聞者，咸自托焉。師次於涇陽，勝兵九萬，破胡賊劉鷂子，並其眾。留殷開山、劉弘基屯長安故城。太宗自趣司竹，賊帥李仲文、何潘仁、向善志等皆來會，頓於阿城，獲兵十三萬。長安父老齎牛酒詣旌門者不可勝紀，勞而遣之，一無所受。軍令嚴肅，秋毫無所犯。尋與大軍平京城。高祖輔政，受唐國內史，改封秦國公。會薛舉以勁卒十萬來逼渭濱，太宗親擊之，大破其眾，追斬萬餘級，略地至於隴坻。

On jimao of the eighth month the skies cleared; Gaozu marched on Huoyi. Fearing Laosheng would not sally forth, Taizong rode ahead with a few horsemen to the wall, gestured with his whip as though to invest the city, and goaded him into battle. Laosheng took the bait, opened the gates, and formed his line with the wall at his back. Gaozu and Jiancheng drew up east of the city; Taizong and Chai Shao south of it. Laosheng drove his men forward; they first bore down on Gaozu. Jiancheng was thrown from his horse, and Laosheng pressed the advantage—Gaozu's and Jiancheng's lines gave way. Taizong swept down the southern heights with two horsemen, smashed through the enemy line, and led a furious charge; the rebels broke completely, casting aside weapons as they fled. The drawbridge rose; Laosheng tried to climb the rope but was cut down; Huoyi fell. When they reached the east of the River, Guanzhong's champions hurried to the cause. Taizong asked leave to enter the Pass, seize Yongfeng Granary to feed the hungry, and rally the outlaws against the capital; Gaozu approved. Taizong crossed first with the vanguard and secured the north bank of the Wei. Each day thousands of officials, commoners, and local strongmen of the Three Adjuncts came to his gate to serve—old and young crowding under his banner. He gathered able men for his staff; all who heard of him from afar came to his side. Halting at Jingyang with ninety thousand fighting men, he defeated the Hu bandit Liu Yaozi and took his force into his own. He left Yin Kaishan and Liu Hongji to hold the old walls of Chang'an. Taizong pressed on to Sizhu; bandit chiefs Li Zhongwen, He Panren, Xiang Shanzi, and others joined him. He camped at Acheng with a hundred and thirty thousand men. Countless Chang'an elders brought oxen and wine to his camp; he thanked them and sent them away, taking nothing. Discipline was iron; not a hair of the people was touched. Soon he joined the main host in taking the capital. While Gaozu acted as regent, Taizong became Director of the Secretariat for the State of Tang and was raised to Duke of Qin. When Xue Ju brought a hundred thousand crack troops to the Wei, Taizong met him in person, shattered his army, cut down more than ten thousand in pursuit, and carried the frontier to Longdi.

義寧元年十二月，復為右元帥，總兵十萬徇東都。及將旋，謂左右曰：「賊見吾還，必相追躡。」設三伏以待之。俄而隋將段達率萬餘人自後而至，度三王陵，發伏擊之，段達大敗，追奔至於城下。因於宜陽、新安置熊、穀二州，戍之而還。徙封趙國公。高祖受禪，拜尚書令、右武候大將軍，進封秦王，加授雍州牧。

In the twelfth month of Yining 1 he was again Right Grand Marshal, commanding a hundred thousand men against the Eastern Capital. Before turning back he told his staff, "When the enemy sees us withdraw, they will surely give chase." He laid three ambushes to receive them. Soon Sui general Duan Da came from behind with more than ten thousand men; at Sanwang Mound the ambush sprang and Da was shattered; pursuit carried to the walls. He then set up the prefectures of Xiong and Gu at Yiyang and Xin'an, left garrisons, and returned. He was transferred to Duke of Zhao. When Gaozu took the throne, Taizong became Director of the Secretariat and Right Martial Guard Grand General, was advanced to Prince of Qin, and made Governor of Yong.

武德元年七月，薛舉寇涇州，太宗率眾討之，不利而旋。九月，薛舉死，其子仁杲嗣立。太宗又為元帥以擊仁杲，相持於折墌城，深溝高壘者六十餘日。賊眾十餘萬，兵鋒甚銳，數來挑戰，太宗按甲以挫之。賊糧盡，其將牟君才、梁胡郎來降。太宗謂諸將軍曰：「彼氣衰矣，吾當取之。」遣將軍龐玉先陣於淺水原南以誘之，賊將宗羅㬋並軍來拒，玉軍幾敗。既而太宗親御大軍，奄自原北，出其不意。羅㬋望見，復回師相拒。太宗將驍騎數十入賊陣，於是王師表裏齊奮，羅㬋大潰，斬首數千級，投澗穀而死者不可勝計。太宗率左右二十餘騎追奔，直趣折墌以乘之。仁杲大懼，嬰城自守。將夕，大軍繼至，四面合圍。詰朝，仁杲請降，俘其精兵萬餘人、男女五萬口。既而諸將奉賀，因問曰：「始大王野戰破賊，其主尚保堅城，王無攻具，輕騎騰逐，不待步兵，徑薄城下，咸疑不克，而竟下之，何也？」太宗曰：「此以權道迫之，使其計不暇發，以故克也。羅㬋恃往年之勝，兼復養銳日久，見吾不出，意在相輕。今喜吾出，悉兵來戰，雖擊破之，擒殺蓋少。若不急躡，還走投城，仁杲收而撫之，則便未可得矣。且其兵眾皆隴西人，一敗披退，不及回顧，散歸隴外，則折墌自虛，我軍隨而迫之，所以懼而降也。此可謂成算，諸君盡不見耶？」諸將曰：「此非凡人所能及也。」獲賊兵精騎甚眾，還令仁杲兄弟及賊帥宗羅㬋、翟長孫等領之。太宗與之游獵馳射，無所間然。賊徒荷恩懾氣，咸願效死。時李密初附，高祖令密馳傳迎太宗於豳州。密見太宗天姿神武，軍威嚴肅，驚悚嘆服，私謂殷開山曰：「真英主也。不如此，何以定禍亂乎？」凱旋，獻捷於太廟。拜太尉、陜東道行臺尚書令，鎮長春宮，關東兵馬並受節度。尋加左武候大將軍、涼州總管。

In the seventh month of Wude 1, Xue Ju raided Jing Prefecture; Taizong marched against him, fared badly, and withdrew. In the ninth month Xue Ju died; his son Rengao took his place. Taizong was again Grand Marshal against Rengao; for more than sixty days they faced each other at Zheyu behind deep trenches and high walls. The rebels numbered more than a hundred thousand, keen and bold, challenging battle again and again; Taizong kept his men under cover to break their spirit. When their grain ran out, generals Mou Jun'ai and Liang Hulang defected. Taizong told his commanders, "Their spirit is broken; I will finish them." He sent Pang Yu to draw them on south of Qianshui Plain; rebel general Zong Luohou brought his full host to meet him, and Yu nearly broke. Then Taizong led the main host himself, sweeping from the north of the plain to strike where they did not expect. Luohou saw him and turned back to meet the blow. Taizong plunged in with several dozen of his finest horsemen; the imperial line struck from every side at once. Luohou's host collapsed; thousands were slain, and the dead choked the ravines beyond counting. With barely twenty horsemen at his side, Taizong chased the rout straight to Zheyu to press the kill. Rengao was terrified and walled himself in. By evening the main host arrived and ringed the city. At dawn Rengao surrendered; they took more than ten thousand of his best troops and fifty thousand men and women captive. The generals then congratulated him and asked, "Your Highness shattered them in the field, yet their lord still held a strong city; you had no engines of siege, yet with light horse you raced in pursuit without waiting for the foot, and pressed straight to the walls—we doubted you could take it, yet you did. How? Taizong said, "I pressed them by stratagem so their plans never had time to form—that is how we took it. Luohou trusted his old victories and had long been resting on his steel; seeing us hold back, he thought little of us. When he saw us advance, he threw his whole strength into battle; though we broke him, few were killed or taken. Had we not pressed hard at once, they would have fled back to the city for Rengao to rally and steady them, and the prize would have slipped away. And his men were Longxi men—once broken they would flee without a backward glance, scattering beyond Long, leaving Zheyu empty; our host pressed on their heels, and that is why he surrendered in fear. It was a settled plan—did none of you see it?" The generals said, "No ordinary man could have done this." They had taken many of the enemy's best horse; Taizong put Rengao's brothers and chiefs Zong Luohou, Zhai Changsun, and others in command of them. Taizong rode to hunt and shoot with them in the open without reserve. Bound by gratitude and fear, the captives were ready to die for him. Li Mi had just submitted; Gaozu sent him with a fast courier to welcome Taizong at Bin. Mi saw Taizong's bearing—heaven-sent, his host iron-disciplined—and was shaken to admiration; privately he told Yin Kaishan, "This is a true hero-emperor. Without such a man, how could this chaos ever be stilled?" On his triumphant return he reported victory at the Imperial Ancestral Temple. He was made Grand Commandant and Director of the Secretariat for the Shaan-dong Circuit, garrisoned Changchun Palace, and all armies east of the Pass answered to him. Soon he was also Left Martial Guard Grand General and Overall Commander of Liang.

宋金剛之陷澮州也，兵鋒甚銳。高祖以王行本尚據蒲州，呂崇茂反於夏縣，晉、澮二州相繼陷沒，關中震駭，乃手敕曰：「賊勢如此，難與爭鋒，宜棄河東之地，謹守關西而已。」太宗上表曰：「太原王業所基，國之根本，河東殷實，京邑所資。若舉而棄之，臣竊憤恨。願假精兵三萬，必能平殄武周，克復汾、晉。」高祖於是悉發關中兵以益之，又幸長春宮親送太宗。二年十一月，太宗率眾趣龍門關，履冰而渡之，進屯柏壁，與賊將宋金剛相持。尋而永安王孝基敗於夏縣，於筠、獨孤懷恩、唐儉並為賊將尋相、尉遲敬德所執，將還澮州。太宗遣殷開山、秦叔寶邀之於美良川，大破之，相等僅以身免，悉虜其眾，復歸柏壁。於是諸將咸請戰，太宗曰：「金剛懸軍千里，深入吾地，精兵驍將，皆在於此。武周據太原，專倚金剛以為捍。士卒雖眾，內實空虛，意在速戰。我堅營蓄銳以挫其鋒，糧盡計窮，自當遁走。」

When Song Jingang seized Fen Prefecture, his armies were at their sharpest. Wang Xingben still held Pu, Lü Chongmao had risen at Xia, Jin and Fen had fallen in turn, and Guanzhong trembled; Gaozu wrote in his own hand, "The enemy is too strong to meet head-on—we should yield the east of the River and hold only the west of the Pass. Taizong memorialized, "Taiyuan is where our house was founded, the root of the realm; Hedong is rich and feeds the capital. To win it and then throw it away—I cannot bear the thought. Give me thirty thousand picked men, and I will destroy Wu Zhou and win back Fen and Jin. Gaozu then sent every soldier Guanzhong could spare to strengthen him, and went in person to Changchun Palace to see him off. In the eleventh month of Wude 2 Taizong marched on Longmen Pass, crossed the frozen river, and camped at Baibi to hold Song Jingang at bay. Soon after, Prince of Yong'an Xiaoji was beaten at Xia County; Yu Jun, Dugu Huai'en, and Tang Jian fell into the hands of Xun Xiang and Yuchi Jingde and were marched toward Huai Prefecture. Taizong sent Yin Kaishan and Qin Shubao to ambush them on the Meiliang River, crushed the column, and captured the lot; Xiang alone slipped away. The army then returned to Baibi. The commanders all pressed for battle. Taizong said: "Jingang has marched a thousand li and plunged deep into our land; every elite soldier and bold captain he has is in this camp. Wuzhou sits in Taiyuan and trusts Jingang alone to shield him. Their host looks vast, but it is empty at the core—they want a swift decision. We will stand fast, husband our strength, and break their momentum; when supplies fail and schemes run dry, they will break and run without our chasing them. [End of his reply.]

三年二月，金剛竟以眾餒而遁，太宗追之至介州。金剛列陣，南北七里，以拒官軍。太宗遣總管李世勣、程咬金、秦叔寶當其北，翟長孫、秦武通當其南。諸軍戰小卻，為賊所乘。太宗率精騎擊之，沖其陣後，賊眾大敗，追奔數十里。敬德、相率眾八千來降，還令敬德督之，與軍營相參。屈突通懼其為變，驟以為請。太宗曰：「昔蕭王推赤心置人腹中，並能畢命，今委任敬德，又何疑也。」於是劉武周奔於突厥，並、汾悉復舊地。詔就軍加拜益州道行臺尚書令。

In the second month of Wude 3 Jingang finally broke away with a starving army; Taizong chased him to Jie Prefecture. Jingang formed a line seven li long from north to south to meet the Tang forces. Taizong posted Li Shiji, Cheng Yaojin, and Qin Shubao on the north; Zhai Zhangsun and Qin Wutong on the south. The Tang lines buckled slightly and the rebels pressed the advantage. Taizong himself led the elite horse, hit their rear, and shattered them; the pursuit carried tens of li. Jingde and Xiang brought eight thousand men over; Taizong put Jingde in charge of them, mixed in among his own units. Qu Tu Tong, fearing treachery, urgently asked that they be disarmed or removed. Taizong said: "Long ago the Duke of Xiao trusted men with his whole heart, and they died for him without reserve. Jingde has my trust—why should I doubt him? Liu Wuzhou fled to the Turks; Bing and Fen were recovered in full. By edict he was promoted in the field to Chief Minister of the Yizhou Circuit headquarters.

七月，總率諸軍攻王世充於洛邑，師次穀州。世充率精兵三萬陣於慈澗，太宗以輕騎挑之。時眾寡不敵，陷於重圍，左右咸懼。太宗命左右先歸，獨留後殿。世充驍將單雄信數百騎夾道來逼，交搶競進，太宗幾為所敗。太宗左右射之，無不應弦而倒，獲其大將燕頎。世充乃拔慈澗之鎮歸於東都。太宗遣行軍總管史萬寶自宜陽南據龍門，劉德威自太行東圍河內，王君廓自洛口斷賊糧道。又遣黃君漢夜從孝水河中下舟師襲回洛城，克之。黃河已南，莫不響應，城堡相次來降。大軍進屯邙山。九月，太宗以五百騎先觀戰地，卒與世充萬餘人相遇，會戰，復破之，斬首三千餘級，獲大將陳智略，世充僅以身免。其所署筠州總管楊慶遣使請降，遣李世勣率師出轘轅道安撫其眾。滎、汴、洧、豫九州相繼來降。世充遂求救於竇建德。

In the seventh month he took supreme command against Wang Shichong at Luoyang and encamped at Gu Prefecture. Shichong brought thirty thousand elite troops to Ciyong Stream; Taizong baited him with a light horse screen. Outnumbered, he was hemmed in; even his attendants feared the worst. Taizong sent his companions ahead and alone covered the retreat. Shan Xiongxin, Shichong's boldest captain, closed in with hundreds of horse along the road; Taizong came within a hair of defeat. He shot to either flank; every arrow found its mark, and he captured the great general Yan Xie. Shichong then abandoned the Ciyong strongpoint and pulled back to the Eastern Capital. He sent Shi Wanbao south from Yiyang to seize Longmen, Liu Dewei east of the Taihang to besiege Henei, and Wang Junkuo from Luokou to cut Shichong's supply line. Huang Junhan was sent by night down the Xiaoshui with a fleet to storm Huiluo city and took it. South of the Yellow River the country rose in answer; strongpoints surrendered in succession. The main force moved up and camped on Mount Mang. In the ninth month, scouting with five hundred horse, he stumbled on more than ten thousand of Shichong's troops, routed them, took three thousand heads and the general Chen Zhilue, and Shichong fled alone. Yang Qing, Shichong's commander at Yun Prefecture, sent envoys to submit; Taizong sent Li Shiji by the Xuanyuan road to bring his troops over. Xing, Bian, Wei, and Yu—the nine prefectures of the region—came over one after another. Shichong turned to Dou Jiande for aid.

四年二月，又進屯青城宮。營壘未立，世充眾二萬自方諸門臨谷水而陣。太宗以精騎陣於北邙山，令屈突通率步卒五千渡水以擊之，因誡通曰：「待兵交即放煙，吾當率騎軍南下。」兵才接，太宗以騎沖之，挺身先進，與通表裏相應。賊眾殊死戰，散而復合者數焉。自辰及午，賊眾始退。縱兵乘之，俘斬八千人，於是進營城下。世充不敢復出，但嬰城自守，以待建德之援。太宗遣諸軍掘塹，匝布長圍以守之。吳王杜伏威遣其將陳正通、徐召宗率精兵二千來會於軍所。偽鄭州司馬沈悅以武牢降，將軍王君廓應之，擒其偽荊王王行本。會竇建德以兵十餘萬來援世充，至於酸棗。蕭瑀、屈突通、封德彞皆以腹背受敵，恐非萬全，請退師穀州以觀之。太宗曰：「世充糧盡，內外離心，我當不勞攻擊，坐收其敝。建德新破孟海公，將驕卒惰，吾當進據武牢，扼其襟要。賊若冒險與我爭鋒，破之必矣。如其不戰，旬日間世充當自潰。若不速進，賊入武牢，諸城新附，必不能守。二賊並力，將若之何？」通又請解圍就險以候其變，太宗不許。於是留通輔齊王元吉以圍世充，親率步騎三千五百人趣武牢。

In the second month of Wude 4 he moved forward again to Qingcheng Palace. Before the camp was complete, twenty thousand of Shichong's troops issued from Fangzhu Gate and formed along the stream. Taizong lined his elite horse on the northern slope of Mount Mang and ordered Qu Tu Tong with five thousand foot to cross and attack, telling him: "The moment the foot engage, light the signal—I will come down with the cavalry. The instant the armies met, Taizong drove in with his horse, took the lead himself, and struck in concert with Tong from both sides. The enemy fought with desperate fury, breaking and re-forming again and again. From mid-morning until noon the enemy line finally broke. He sent the army in pursuit; eight thousand were killed or taken, then he pitched camp under the city walls. Shichong would not sally again; he held the walls and waited for Jiande. Taizong had trenches dug and a full cordon drawn round the city. Du Fuwei, Prince of Wu, sent Chen Zhengtong and Xu Zhaozong with two thousand picked men to the camp. Shen Yue, Shichong's marshal at Zheng Prefecture, surrendered Hulao; Wang Junkuo moved up and seized the bogus Prince of Jing, Wang Xingben. Dou Jiande marched to Shichong's aid with more than a hundred thousand men and reached Suanzao. Xiao Yu, Qu Tu Tong, and Feng Deyi all warned that caught between Shichong and Jiande the position was perilous and urged a withdrawal to Gu Prefecture to wait. Taizong said: "Shichong is out of grain and his people are splitting within and without. We need not storm the walls—we can let exhaustion do our work. Jiande has just crushed Meng Haigong; his officers are arrogant and his men lax. We should seize Hulao and grip him by the throat. If they dare meet us in the open, we will break them. If they refuse battle, Shichong will fall apart within ten days. If we delay and Jiande takes Hulao, every city that just submitted will slip from our grasp. When the two of them join forces, what will we do then? Qu Tu Tong again asked to raise the siege and fall back to defensible ground; Taizong refused. He left Qu Tu Tong with Prince of Qi Yuanji to keep the siege and marched in person with thirty-five hundred foot and horse for Hulao.

建德自滎陽西上，築壘於板渚，太宗屯武牢，相持二十餘日。諜者曰：「建德伺官軍芻盡，候牧馬於河北，因將襲武牢。」太宗知其謀，遂牧馬河北以誘之。詰朝，建德果悉眾而至，陳兵氾水，世充將郭士衡陣於其南，綿互數里，鼓噪，諸將大懼。太宗將數騎升高丘以望之，謂諸將曰：「賊起山東，未見大敵。今度險而囂，是無政令；逼城而陣，有輕我心。我按兵不出，彼乃氣衰，陣久卒饑，必將自退，追而擊之，無往不克。吾與公等約，必以午時後破之。」建德列陣，自辰至午，兵士饑倦，皆坐列，又爭飲水，逡巡斂退。太宗曰：「可擊矣！」親率輕騎追而誘之，眾繼至。建德回師而陣，未及整列，太宗先登擊之，所向皆靡。俄而眾軍合戰，囂塵四起。太宗率史大奈、程咬金、秦叔寶、宇文歆等揮幡而入，直突出其陣後，張我旗幟。賊顧見之，大潰。追奔三十里，斬首三千餘級，虜其眾五萬，生擒建德於陣。太宗數之曰：「我以干戈問罪，本在王世充，得失存亡，不預汝事，何故越境，犯我兵鋒？」建德股慄而言曰：「今若不來，恐勞遠取。」高祖聞而大悅，手詔曰；「隋氏分崩，崤函隔絕。兩雄合勢，一朝清蕩。兵既克捷，更無死傷。無愧為臣，不憂其父，並汝功也。」乃將建德至東都城下。世充懼，率其官屬二千餘人詣軍門請降，山東悉平。太宗入據宮城，令蕭瑀、竇軌等封守府庫，一無所取，令記室房玄齡收隋圖籍。於是誅其同惡段達等五十餘人，枉被囚禁者悉釋之，非罪誅戮者祭而誄之。大饗將士，班賜有差。高祖令尚書左僕射裴寂勞於軍中。

Jiande advanced from west of Xingyang and fortified Banzhu; Taizong held Hulao. For twenty days the armies watched each other. Intelligence reported that Jiande meant to wait until Tang fodder gave out, then attack while the horses were grazing north of the river. Taizong saw the trap and deliberately grazed his horses north of the river as bait. At dawn Jiande came in full strength, lined the Fan River for miles, and Guo Shiheng, Shichong's general, formed to the south—the din terrified Taizong's officers. Taizong rode to a hill with a handful of men, studied the host, and told his commanders: "These men came out of Shandong and have never met a real army. They have crossed hard country yet strut about—that means no discipline. They crowd the walls yet offer battle—that means they think little of us. Hold still and their spirit will sink; stand in line till noon and they will hunger and pull back. Then pursue—and we cannot fail. I swear to you—we will break them after noon. Jiande formed his line; from morning to noon his men grew hungry and slack, sitting in the ranks, scrambling for water, then edging back. Taizong cried: "Now—hit them! He himself led the light horse forward in a feigned chase; the main body came after. Jiande wheeled to form, but before the ranks settled Taizong was already among them; nothing held against his charge. Soon the whole field was locked in battle, dust and shouting everywhere. Taizong with Shi Danai, Cheng Yaojin, Qin Shubao, Yu Wenxin, and others drove their banners through to the enemy rear and planted the Tang colors. The enemy looked behind, saw Tang banners in their rear, and collapsed. The pursuit ran thirty li: three thousand heads, fifty thousand prisoners, and Jiande taken alive on the field. Taizong upbraided him: "I marched to punish Wang Shichong. Your quarrel was not mine—why did you cross my border and meet my blades? Jiande shook and said: "If I had stayed away, I feared you would wear yourself out marching so far." When Gaozu heard, he was overjoyed and wrote in his own hand: "The Sui house is broken; Xiaoshan and Hangu stand between us and the east. Two great enemies joined—and you cleared them in a single morning. The battle was won without another man lost. No shame to the minister, no grief to the father—that glory is yours alone. He then paraded Jiande before the Eastern Capital. Shichong, in terror, came with two thousand officials to the camp gate and submitted; Shandong was pacified. Taizong entered the palace precinct, set Xiao Yu and Dou Ji to seal the vaults without plunder, and had Fang Xuanling collect the Sui archives and maps. More than fifty ringleaders, including Duan Da, were put to death; the innocent were freed, and those wrongly executed were mourned and given posthumous praise. He feasted the army and gave rewards by rank. Gaozu sent Pei Ji, Left Vice Director of the Department of State Affairs, to congratulate the army.

六月，凱旋。太宗親披黃金甲，陣鐵馬一萬騎，甲士三萬人，前後部鼓吹，俘二偽主及隋氏器物輦輅獻於太廟。高祖大悅，行飲至禮以享焉。高祖以自古舊官不稱殊功，乃別表徽號，用旌勛德。

In the sixth month he marched home in triumph. Taizong wore golden armor, paraded ten thousand armored horses and thirty thousand mail-clad troops with full martial music, and presented the two captive kings and the Sui regalia at the ancestral temple. Gaozu rejoiced and held the "drink on return" rite to honor him. Gaozu judged that ancient titles could not match such merit and created new honors to mark it.

十月，加號天策上將、陜東道大行臺，位在王公上。增邑二萬戶，通前三萬戶。賜金輅一乘，袞冕之服，玉璧一雙，黃金六千斤，前後部鼓吹及九部之樂，班劍四十人。於時海內漸平，太宗乃銳意經籍，開文學館以待四方之士。行臺司勛郎中杜如晦等十有八人為學士，每更直閣下，降以溫顏，與之討論經義，或夜分而罷。未幾，竇建德舊將劉黑闥舉兵反，據洺州。

In the tenth month he received the added title Heavenly Stratagem General and chief of the Shaanxi-East headquarters, ranking above princes and dukes. His fief rose by twenty thousand households to thirty thousand in all. He received a golden chariot, full royal regalia, a pair of jade disks, six thousand jin of gold, imperial music, and forty ceremonial swords. As the realm grew quiet, Taizong turned to scholarship and opened the Hall of Literary Endeavor for scholars from every quarter. Du Ruhui and eighteen others of the circuit staff became academicians, rotating below the pavilion to debate the classics with him far into the night. Soon Liu Heita, once Jiande's officer, rebelled and held Ming Prefecture.

十二月，太宗總戎東討。五年正月，進軍肥鄉，分兵絕其糧道，相持兩月。黑闥窘急求戰，率步騎二萬，南渡洺水，晨壓官軍。太宗親率精騎，擊其馬軍，破之，乘勝蹂其步卒，賊大潰，斬首萬餘級。先是，太宗遣堰洺水上流使淺，令黑闥得渡。及戰，乃令決堰，水大至，深丈餘，賊徒既敗，赴水者皆溺死焉。黑闥與二百餘騎北走突厥，悉虜其眾，河北平。時徐圓朗阻兵徐、兗，太宗回師討平之，於是河、濟、江、淮諸郡邑皆平。十月，加左右十二衛大將軍。

In the twelfth month Taizong took supreme command and marched east against him. In the first month of Wude 5 he moved on Feixiang, detached columns to sever supplies, and held Heita at bay for two months. Heita, cornered, forced a battle: at dawn he led twenty thousand foot and horse south across the Ming River and struck at daybreak. Taizong led the elite horse himself, shattered the cavalry, rolled over the foot, and broke Heita completely—more than ten thousand heads. Before the fight Taizong had dammed the upper Ming to shallow the river so Heita would cross. At the clash he had the dam opened; the flood rose more than ten feet, and the broken army drowned in the Ming by the thousands. Liu Heida fled north to the Turks with some two hundred riders; his remaining forces were captured, and Hebei was pacified. Xu Yuanlang still held Xu and Yan with armed force; Taizong swung his army south, subdued him, and brought the Yellow, Ji, Yangzi, and Huai regions under control. In the tenth month he was made Grand General of the Left and Right Twelve Guards.

七年秋，突厥頡利、突利二可汗自原州入寇，侵擾關中。有說高祖云：「只為府藏子女在京師，故突厥來，若燒卻長安而不都，則胡寇自止。」高祖乃遣中書侍郎宇文士及行山南可居之地，即欲移都。蕭瑀等皆以為非，然終不敢犯顏正諫。太宗獨曰：「霍去病，漢廷之將帥耳，猶且志滅匈奴。臣忝備籓維，尚使胡塵不息，遂令陛下議欲遷都，此臣之責也。幸乞聽臣一申微效，取彼頡利。若一兩年間不系其頸，徐建移都之策，臣當不敢復言」。高祖怒，仍遣太宗將三十餘騎行刬。還日，固奏必不可移都，高祖遂止。八年，加中書令。武德九年九年，皇太子建成、齊王元吉謀害太宗。六月四日，太宗率長孫無忌、尉遲敬德、房玄齡、杜如晦、宇文士及、高士廉、侯君集、程知節、秦叔寶、段志玄、屈突通、張士貴等於玄武門誅之。甲子，立為皇太子，庶政皆斷決。太宗乃縱禁苑所養鷹犬，並停諸方所進珍異，政尚簡肅，天下大悅。又令百官各上封事，備陳安人理國之要。己巳，令曰：「依禮，二名不偏諱。近代已來，兩字兼避，廢闕已多，率意而行，有違經典。其官號、人名、公私文籍，有『世民』兩字不連續者，並不須諱。」罷幽州大都督府。辛未，廢陜東道大行臺，置洛州都督府，廢益州道行臺，置益州大都督府。壬午，幽州大都督廬江王瑗謀逆，廢為庶人。乙酉，罷天策府。七月壬辰，太子左庶子高士廉為侍中，右庶子房玄齡為中書令，尚書右僕射蕭瑀為尚書左僕射，吏部尚書楊恭仁為雍州牧，太子左庶子長孫無忌為吏部尚書，右庶子杜如晦為兵部尚書，太子詹事宇文士及為中書令，封德彞為尚書右僕射。

That autumn the Turk qaghans Jieli and Tuli invaded from Yuanzhou and raided Guanzhong. An adviser told Gaozu: "The Turks come only because the treasury and the court's families are in Chang'an. Burn the city, move the capital, and the raids will end on their own." Gaozu sent Secretariat Vice Director Yuwen Shiji to scout habitable country south of the Qinling range and prepared to move the capital at once. Xiao Yu and the others all opposed the plan, yet none dared speak bluntly to the Emperor's face. Taizong alone replied: "Huo Qubing was merely a Han general, yet he set his heart on destroying the Xiongnu. I hold a prince's commission, yet barbarian dust still clouds the frontier and Your Majesty must even consider abandoning Chang'an — the fault is mine. Grant me one more chance to prove myself and I will bring you Jieli's head. If I fail to collar him within a year or two, then discuss relocation at leisure — and I will never raise the matter again." Gaozu was furious, yet still sent Taizong with a few dozen horsemen on a probing strike. When he returned he memorialized again that the capital must not be moved, and Gaozu abandoned the plan. In the eighth year he was appointed Director of the Secretariat. In the ninth year of Wude, Crown Prince Li Jiancheng and Prince of Qi Li Yuanji plotted to kill Taizong. On the fourth day of the sixth month Taizong led Zhangsun Wuji, Yuchi Jingde, Fang Xuanling, Du Ruhui, Yuwen Shiji, Gao Shilian, Hou Junji, Cheng Zhijie, Qin Shubao, Duan Zhixuan, Qu Tu Tong, Zhang Shigui, and others to ambush and kill them at the Xuanwu Gate. On jiazi he was named crown prince and took charge of daily administration. He freed the hunting birds and dogs kept in the imperial park, stopped exotic tribute from the provinces, governed with austere simplicity, and the realm rejoiced. He also ordered every official to submit sealed memorials on how to settle the people and govern the realm. On jisi an edict declared: "By classical rite, a two-character personal name is not tabooed when only one character appears. Lately both characters have been avoided everywhere, countless words have been lost, and custom has departed from the canon. In titles, names, and public or private writing, wherever the characters for Shimin do not stand together, no avoidance is required. The Youzhou metropolitan protectorate was abolished. On xinwei the Shaanxi east circuit headquarters was dissolved and a Luozhou protectorate set up; the Yizhou circuit headquarters was dissolved and a Yizhou metropolitan protectorate set up. On renwu Li Yuan of Lujiang, metropolitan protector of Youzhou, plotted rebellion and was reduced to commoner rank. On yiyou the Celestial-Strategy headquarters was abolished. On renchen of the seventh month Gao Shilian moved from senior adviser to the heir to Palace Attendant; Fang Xuanling from junior adviser to Secretariat Director; Xiao Yu from right to left vice director of the Masters of Writing; Yang Gongren from Minister of Personnel to Yongzhou prefect; Zhangsun Wuji to Minister of Personnel; Du Ruhui to Minister of War; Yuwen Shiji to Secretariat Director; and Feng Deyi to right vice director.

八月癸亥，高祖傳位於皇太子，太宗即位於東宮顯德殿。遣司空、魏國公裴寂柴告於南郊。大赦天下。武德元年以來責情流配者並放還。文武官五品已上先無爵者賜爵一級，六品已下加勛一轉。天下給復一年。癸酉，放掖庭宮女三千餘人。甲戌，突厥頡利、突利寇涇州。乙亥，突厥進寇武功，京師戒嚴。丙子，立妃長孫氏為皇后。己卯，突厥寇高陵。辛巳，行軍總管尉遲敬德與突厥戰於涇陽，大破之，斬首千餘級。癸未，突厥頡利至於渭水便橋之北，遣其酋帥執失思力入朝為覘，自張形勢，太宗命囚之。親出玄武門，馳六騎幸渭水上，與頡利隔津而語，責以負約。俄而眾軍繼至，頡利見軍容既盛，又知思力就拘，由是大懼，遂請和，詔許焉。即日還宮。乙酉，又幸便橋，與頡利刑白馬設盟，突厥引退。九月丙戌，頡利獻馬三千匹、羊萬口，帝不受，令頡利歸所掠中國戶口。丁未，引諸衛騎兵統將等習射於顯德殿庭，謂將軍已下曰：「自古突厥與中國更有盛衰。若軒轅善用五兵，即能北逐獯鬻；周宣驅馳方、召，亦能制勝太原。至漢、晉之君，逮於隋代，不使兵士素習干戈，突厥來侵，莫能抗禦，致遺中國生民塗炭於寇手。我今不使汝等穿池築苑，造諸淫費，農民恣令逸樂，兵士唯習弓馬，庶使汝鬥戰，亦望汝前無橫敵。」於是每日引數百人於殿前教射，帝親自臨試，射中者隨賞弓刀、布帛。朝臣多有諫者，曰：「先王制法，有以兵刃至御所者刑之，所以防萌杜漸，備不虞也。今引裨卒之人，彎弧縱矢於軒陛之側，陛下親在其間，正恐禍出非意，非所以為社稷計也。」上不納。自是後，士卒皆為精銳。壬子，詔私家不得輒立妖神，妄設淫祀，非禮祠禱，一皆禁絕。其龜易五兆之外，諸雜占卜，亦皆停斷。長孫無忌封齊國公，房玄齡邢國公，尉遲敬德吳國公，杜如晦蔡國公，侯君集潞國公。

On guihai of the eighth month Gaozu abdicated in favor of the crown prince; Taizong ascended the throne in the Xiande Hall of the Eastern Palace. He dispatched Pei Ji, Duke of Wei and Minister of Works, to offer firewood at the southern altar and announce the succession to Heaven. The court proclaimed a general amnesty. Everyone exiled on aggravated charges since the first year of Wude was pardoned and sent home. Officials of fifth rank and above without titles received a noble rank; those of sixth rank and below received an extra grade of merit. Taxes were waived empire-wide for one year. On guiyou more than three thousand women of the inner palace were freed. On jiaxu the Turk qaghans Jieli and Tuli attacked Jingzhou. On yihai the Turks advanced on Wugong and Chang'an was placed under martial alert. On bingzi Lady Changsun was enthroned as empress. On jimao the Turks struck Gaoling. On xinsi Yuchi Jingde, campaign commander, met the Turks at Jingyang, crushed them, and took more than a thousand heads. On guiwei Jieli camped north of the Bian Bridge on the Wei; he sent the chieftain Zhishi Sili to court as a spy and paraded his strength — the Emperor had him seized. He rode out the Xuanwu Gate himself with six horsemen to the Wei, hailed Jieli across the water, and rebuked him for breaking treaty. Soon the main forces came up; seeing their array and learning his envoy was held, Jieli was terrified and sued for peace, which the Emperor granted. That day he returned to the palace. On yiyou he returned to the Bian Bridge, slew a white horse with Jieli to seal a pact, and the Turks withdrew. On bingxu Jieli offered three thousand horses and ten thousand sheep; the Emperor refused the gift and demanded the return of captured Chinese subjects. On dingwei he gathered the guard cavalry officers for archery drill in the Xiande Hall courtyard and told the commanders: "Turks and China have waxed and waned since antiquity. When the Yellow Emperor mastered the five arms, he drove the Xianyun north; when King Xuan of Zhou sent Fang and Shao, he too mastered the north. From Han and Jin through Sui, rulers let arms training lapse; when Turks struck, China could not defend herself, and her people paid in blood. I will not have you dig parks or squander treasure; farmers may rest while soldiers train only with bow and horse — I mean you to fight, and I expect no foe to stand before you." Each day thereafter he drilled several hundred men in archery before the hall, tested them himself, and rewarded hits with bows, blades, cloth, and silk. Courtiers objected: "Ancient law punished anyone who brought arms to the throne room — a guard against sudden harm. Now common soldiers bend bows on the palace steps while Your Majesty stands among them — disaster may come from nowhere; this does not secure the dynasty. The Emperor would not listen. From then on the army became a corps of veterans. On renzi an edict forbade private cults to rogue spirits, illicit shrines, and all prayer outside orthodox rite. Divination beyond the tortoise, the Changes, and the Five Omens was likewise banned. Zhangsun Wuji was created Duke of Qi, Fang Xuanling Duke of Xing, Yuchi Jingde Duke of Wu, Du Ruhui Duke of Cai, and Hou Junji Duke of Lu.

冬十月丙辰朔，日有蝕之。癸亥，立中山王承乾為皇太子。癸酉，裴寂食實封一千五百戶，長孫無忌、王君廓、尉遲敬德、房玄齡、杜如晦一千三百戶，長孫順德、柴紹、羅藝、趙郡王孝恭一千二百戶，侯君集、張公謹、劉師立一千戶，李世勣、劉弘基九百戶，高士廉、宇文士及、秦叔寶、程知節七百戶，安興貴、安修仁、唐儉、竇軌、屈突通、蕭瑀、封德彞、劉義節六百戶，錢九隴、樊世興、公孫武達、李孟常、段志玄、龐卿惲、張亮、李藥師、杜淹、元仲文四百戶，張長遜、張平高、李安遠、李子和、秦行師、馬三寶三百戶。十一月庚寅，降宗室封郡王者並為縣公。十二月癸酉，親錄囚徒。是歲，新羅、龜茲、突厥、高麗、百濟、黨項並遣使朝貢。貞觀元年貞觀元年春正月乙酉，改元。辛丑，燕郡王李藝據涇州反，尋為左右所斬，傳首京師。庚午，以僕射竇軌為益州大都督。

On bingchen, the first day of the tenth winter month, the sun was eclipsed. On guihai Li Chengqian, Prince of Zhongshan, was named crown prince. On guiyou permanent fiefs were granted: Pei Ji fifteen hundred households; Zhangsun Wuji, Wang Junguo, Yuchi Jingde, Fang Xuanling, and Du Ruhui thirteen hundred each; Zhangsun Shunde, Chai Shao, Luo Yi, and Prince Xiaogong of Zhao twelve hundred each; Hou Junji, Zhang Gongjin, and Liu Shili one thousand each; Li Shiji and Liu Hongji nine hundred each; Gao Shilian, Yuwen Shiji, Qin Shubao, and Cheng Zhijie seven hundred each; An Xinggui, An Xiuren, Tang Jian, Dou Gui, Qu Tu Tong, Xiao Yu, Feng Deyi, and Liu Yijie six hundred each; Qian Jiulong, Fan Shixing, Gongsun Wuda, Li Mengchang, Duan Zhixuan, Pang Qingyun, Zhang Liang, Li Yaoshi, Du Yan, and Yuan Zhongwen four hundred each; and Zhang Changsun, Zhang Pinggao, Li Anyuan, Li Zihe, Qin Xingshi, and Ma Sanbao three hundred each. On gengyin of the eleventh month imperial princes holding commandery-king titles were demoted to county marquises. On guiyou of the twelfth month he reviewed prisoners in person. That year Silla, Kucha, the Turks, Goguryeo, Baekje, and the Tangut presented tribute missions. In the first year of Zhenguan, on yiyou of the first spring month, the reign title was changed. On xinchou Li Yi, Prince of Yan Commandery, rebelled at Jingzhou; his own guards soon killed him and sent his head to Chang'an. On gengwu Pei Gui, Vice Director of the Masters of Writing, was appointed metropolitan protector of Yizhou.

三月癸巳，皇后親蠶。尚書左僕射、宋國公蕭瑀為太子少師。丙午，詔：「齊故尚書僕射崔季舒、給事黃門侍郎郭遵、尚書右丞封孝琰等，昔仕鄴中，名位通顯，志存忠讜，抗表極言，無救社稷之亡，遂見龍逢之酷。其季舒子剛、遵子雲、孝琰子君遵，並以門遭時譴，淫刑濫及。宜從褒獎，特異常倫，可免內侍，量才別敘。」

On guisi of the third month the empress led the spring silkworm ceremony. Xiao Yu, Duke of Song and left vice director of the Masters of Writing, became junior tutor to the crown prince. On bingwu an edict recalled Cui Jishu, Guo Zun, and Feng Xiaoyan of Northern Qi — men of high office who spoke truth to power at Ye, could not save their state, and died like Long Feng. Their sons Cui Gang, Guo Yun, and Feng Junzun had suffered exile and harsh punishment with their families. They were to be honored beyond ordinary measure, released from menial palace service, and given posts suited to their ability. Thus ran the edict.

夏四月癸巳，涼州都督、長樂王幼良有罪伏誅。

In the fourth summer month, on guisi, Li Youliang, Prince of Changle and protector of Liangzhou, was executed for his crimes.

六月辛巳，尚書右僕射、密國公封德彞薨。壬辰，太子少保宋國公蕭瑀為尚書左僕射。是夏，山東諸州大旱，令所在賑恤，無出今年租賦。

On xinsi Feng Deyi, Duke of Mi and right vice director of the Masters of Writing, died. On renchen Xiao Yu, Duke of Song and junior tutor to the crown prince, became left vice director of the Masters of Writing. That summer Shandong suffered severe drought; the court ordered local relief and waived the year's land tax.

秋七月壬子，吏部尚書、齊國公長孫無忌為尚書右僕射。

In the seventh month, on renzi, Zhangsun Wuji, Duke of Qi and Minister of Personnel, became right vice director of the Masters of Writing.

八月戊戌，貶侍中、義興郡公高士廉為安州大都督。戶部尚書裴矩卒。是月，關東及河南、隴右沿邊諸州霜害秋稼。

On wuxu Gao Shilian, Duke of Yixing and Palace Attendant, was demoted to metropolitan protector of Anzhou. Pei Ju, Minister of Revenue, died. That month frost ruined the autumn harvest in the east, Henan, and the Longyou frontier.

九月辛酉，命中書侍郎溫彥博、尚書右丞魏徵等分往諸州賑恤。中書令、郢國公宇文士及為殿中監。御史大夫、檢校吏部尚書、參預朝政、安吉郡公杜淹署位。

On xinyou he sent Secretariat Vice Director Wen Yanbo, Right Assistant Director Wei Zheng, and others to the provinces on famine relief. Yuwen Shiji, Duke of Ying and Secretariat Director, became director of the palace bureau. Du Yan, Duke of Anji, censor-in-chief and acting Minister of Personnel, left office.

十二月壬午，上謂侍臣曰：「神仙事本虛妄，空有其名。秦始皇非分愛好，遂為方士所詐，乃遣童男女數千人隨徐福入海求仙藥，方士避秦苛虐，因留不歸。始皇猶海側踟躕以待之，還至沙丘而死。漢武帝為求仙，乃將女嫁道術人，事既無驗，便行誅戮。據此二事，神仙不煩妄求也。」尚書左僕射、宋國公蕭瑀坐事免。戊申，利州都督義安王孝常、右武衛將軍劉德裕等謀反，伏誅。是歲，關中饑，至有鬻男女者。貞觀二年二年春正月辛丑，尚書右僕射、齊國公長孫無忌為開府儀同三司。徙封漢王屬為恪王，衛王泰為越王，楚王祐為燕王。復置六侍郎，副六尚書事，並置左右司郎中各一人。前安州大都督、趙王元景為雍州牧，蜀王恪為益州大都督，越王泰為揚州大都督。二月丙戌，靺鞨內屬。三月戊申朔，日有蝕之。丁卯，遣御史大夫杜淹巡關內諸州。出御府金寶，贖男女自賣者還其父母。庚午，大赦天下。

On renwu the Emperor told his ministers: "Immortality is a lie — nothing but a name. Qin Shihuang's obsession led fangshi to trick him; he sent thousands of youths with Xu Fu to seek elixirs across the sea, and the adepts, fleeing Qin's cruelty, never came back. The First Emperor waited on the shore until he died at Shaqiu on the homeward march. Han Wudi sought immortality, married a princess to a Daoist adept, and when the rites failed, executed him. These two tales should warn anyone against chasing immortals. Xiao Yu, Duke of Song and left vice director of the Masters of Writing, was dismissed for misconduct. On wushen Li Xiaochang, Prince of Yi'an and protector of Lizhou, Right Martial Guard General Liu Deyu, and others plotted rebellion and were executed. That year Guanzhong starved so badly that parents sold their children. In the second year of Zhenguan, on xinchou of the first spring month, Zhangsun Wuji, Duke of Qi and right vice director, was made Grand Master of Honor with golden seal and purple ribbon. Prince Shu of Han was retitled Prince of Ke; Prince Tai of Wei became Prince of Yue; Prince You of Chu became Prince of Yan. Six vice directors were restored under the six ministries, each ministry gaining left and right bureau directors. Li Yuanjing, former metropolitan protector of Anzhou and Prince of Zhao, became Yongzhou prefect; Li Ke, Prince of Shu, metropolitan protector of Yizhou; and Li Tai, Prince of Yue, metropolitan protector of Yangzhou. On bingxu the Mohe tribes submitted to Tang rule. On wushen, the first day of the third month, the sun was eclipsed. On dingmao he dispatched Censor-in-Chief Du Yan to inspect the Guanzhong prefectures. He drew on the imperial treasury to buy back children sold into bondage and restore them to their parents. On gengwu he proclaimed a general amnesty.

夏四月己卯，詔骸骨暴露者，令所在埋瘞。丙申，契丹內屬。初詔天下州縣並置義倉。夏州賊帥梁師都為其從父弟洛仁所殺，以城降。五月，大雨雹。六月庚寅，皇子治生，宴五品以上，賜帛有差，仍賜天下是日生者粟。辛卯，上謂侍臣曰：「君雖不君，臣不可以不臣。裴虔通，煬帝舊左右也，而親為亂首。朕方崇獎敬義，豈可猶使宰民訓俗。」詔曰：

On jimao in the fourth summer month he decreed that exposed remains everywhere were to be interred. On bingshen the Khitan came within the fold. He first commanded charity granaries in every prefecture and county throughout the realm. Liang Shidu, rebel leader at Xiazhou, was slain by his cousin Luoren, who then surrendered the city. In the fifth month hail fell in abundance. On gengyin of the sixth month Prince Zhi was born. The emperor entertained officials of the fifth rank and above and distributed graded gifts of silk; every child born in the realm on that day received a grant of grain. On xinmao he told his ministers: "A ruler may fail as ruler, but a minister must not fail as minister. Pei Qiantong had been one of Yang's closest retainers—yet he led the coup himself. I mean to exalt loyalty and duty; how could I still let such a man govern the people and set the moral tone?" He thereupon issued an edict:

秋七月戊申，詔：「萊州刺史牛方裕、絳州刺史薛世良、廣州都督府長史唐奉義、隋武牙郎將高元禮，並於隋代俱蒙任用，乃協契宇文化及，構成弒逆。宜依裴虔通，除名配流嶺表。」太宗謂侍臣曰：「天下愚人，好犯憲章，凡赦宥之恩，唯及不軌之輩。古語曰：『小人之幸，君子之不幸。』『一歲再赦，好人喑啞。』凡養稂莠者傷禾稼，惠奸宄者賊良人。昔文王作罰，刑茲無赦。又蜀先主嘗謂諸葛亮曰：『吾周旋陳元方、鄭康成間，每見啟告理亂之道備矣，曾不語赦也。』夫小人者，大人之賊，故朕有天下已來，不甚放赦。今四海安靜，禮義興行，非常之恩，施不可數，將恐愚人常冀僥幸，唯欲犯法，不能改過。」八月甲戌朔，幸朝堂，親覽冤屈。自是，上以軍國無事，每日視膳於西宮。癸巳，公卿奏曰：「依禮，季夏之月，可以居臺榭。今隆暑未退，秋霖方始，宮中卑濕，請營一閣以居之。」帝曰：「朕有氣病，豈宜下濕。若遂來請，糜費良多。昔漢文帝將起露臺，而惜十家之產。朕德不逮於漢帝，而所費過之，豈謂為民父母之道也。」竟不許。是月，河南、河北大霜，人饑。

On wushen of the seventh autumn month he proclaimed: "Niu Fangyu, prefect of Laizhou; Xue Shiliang, prefect of Jiangzhou; Tang Fengyi, chief administrator of Guangzhou; and Gao Yuanli, a Sui adjutant of Wuya—all had held office under the Sui, yet they conspired with Yuwen Huaji in the murder of the emperor. Let them be treated like Pei Qiantong: name struck from the rolls and exiled beyond the southern ranges." Taizong told his ministers: "The ignorant everywhere delight in breaking the law. An act of grace should extend only to those who have not crossed the line of rebellion. As the ancients said: "When petty men prosper, gentlemen suffer." Two amnesties in a single year leave honest men speechless. Nurturing weeds ruins the crop; coddling criminals harms the upright. Long ago King Wen laid down punishments with the rule that certain crimes admitted no pardon. The Former Lord of Shu once told Zhuge Liang: "Among Chen Yuanfang and Zheng Kangcheng I heard every argument for order and against chaos—yet never once did they speak of amnesty." Petty men are the enemies of the worthy; that is why, since I took the throne, I have seldom proclaimed amnesty. Now the realm is at peace and ritual and righteousness prevail. Extraordinary mercy cannot be handed out again and again, or the foolish will count on luck, break the law on purpose, and never mend their ways." On jiaxu, the first day of the eighth month, he went to the main hall and heard grievances in person. Thereafter, with war and state business quiet, he went each day to the Western Palace to see that his father was served at table. On guisi the chief ministers memorialized: "By ritual, in the last month of summer one may lodge in a raised pavilion. The great heat has not yet broken, and the autumn rains are only beginning. The palace stands low and damp. We beg that a pavilion be built for Your Majesty's residence. The emperor replied: "I suffer from a breathing ailment. How could I endure such damp? If I yielded to your pleas, the cost would be enormous. Emperor Wen of Han once planned the Dew Terrace but stayed his hand for the sake of ten families' livelihood. My virtue falls short of that Han emperor's, yet I would spend even more. Is that the conduct of a ruler who is parent to his people?" In the end he refused. That month severe frost struck Henan and Hebei, and the people went hungry.

九月丙午，詔曰：「尚齒重舊，先王以之垂範；還章解組，朝臣於是克終。釋菜合樂之儀，東膠西序之制，養老之義，遺文可睹。朕恭膺大寶，憲章故實，乞言尊事，彌切深衷。然情存今古，世踵澆季，而策名就列，或乖大體。至若筋力將盡，桑榆且迫，徒竭夙興之勤，未悟夜行之罪。其有心驚止足，行堪激勵，謝事公門，收骸閭里，能以禮讓，固可嘉焉。內外文武群官年高致仕、抗表去職者，參朝之日，宜在本品見任之上。」丁未，謂侍臣曰：「婦人幽閉深宮，情實可愍。隋氏末年，求採無已，至於離宮別館，非幸御之所，多聚宮人，皆竭人財力，朕所不取。且灑掃之餘，更何所用？今將出之，任求伉儷，非獨以惜費，亦人得各遂其性。」於是遣尚書左丞戴胄、給事中杜正倫等，於掖庭宮西門簡出之。

On bingwu of the ninth month he decreed: "To honor the aged and esteem the old was the example former kings left to later ages; to return one's seals and lay aside office was how ministers of the court might bring their service to a worthy close. The rites of the vegetable offering and communal music, the eastern and western academies—the way of caring for the elderly still shines in the old records. I have taken the throne in reverence for antiquity, govern by the ordinances of former times, and hold counsel with the elders as the core of my intent. Yet hearts still waver between past and present, and the age follows a decadent course; some who take office and enter the ranks fall short of the larger principle. When strength fails and evening draws on, they wear themselves out with dawn labors yet never grasp that they should have retired at dusk. But those who know when to stop, whose conduct may inspire others, who leave office and return home, and who yield their place with proper grace—these deserve praise. Civil and military officials, at court or in the provinces, who retire on account of age or who submit memorials to resign—on days they attend court they shall take precedence over those currently serving in the rank they once held." On dingwei he told his ministers: "Women shut away in the inner palace—one cannot but pity them. In the Sui's final years the court took women without cease; even at detached palaces the emperor never visited, palace women were hoarded until the people were drained of wealth and strength. I will not follow that path. Once the halls are swept, what further use are they? I mean to release them and let them marry—not only to save expense, but so each may live as nature intended." He then sent Dai Zhou, Left Assistant Director of the Masters of Writing, Du Zhenlun, Presentation Attendant, and others to select them out at the west gate of the Rear Palace.

冬十月庚辰，御史大夫、安吉郡公杜淹卒。戊子，殺瀛州刺史盧祖尚。

On gengchen in the tenth winter month Du Yan, Censor-in-Chief and Duke of Anji, died. On wuzi Lu Zushang, prefect of Yingzhou, was put to death.

十一月辛酉，有事於圓丘。

On xinyou he offered sacrifice at the Circular Mound.

十二月壬午，黃門侍郎王珪為侍中。貞觀三年三年春正月辛亥，契丹渠帥來朝。戊午，謁太廟。癸亥，親耕籍田。辛未，司空、魏國公裴寂坐事免。

On renwu Wang Gui, Huangmen Attendant, was appointed Palace Attendant. In the third year of Zhenguan, on xinhai of the first spring month, a Khitan chieftain came to court. On wuwu he paid visit to the Imperial Ancestral Temple. On guihai he performed the plowing rite at the sacred field. On xinwei Pei Ji, Minister of Works and Duke of Wei, was dismissed for an offense.

二月戊寅，中書令、邢國公房玄齡為尚書左僕射，兵部尚書、檢校侍中、蔡國公杜如晦為尚書右僕射，刑部尚書、檢校中書令、永康縣公李靖為兵部尚書，右丞魏徵為守秘書監，參預朝政。

On wuyin of the second month Fang Xuanling, Chief Minister of the Secretariat and Duke of Xing, became Left Vice Director of the Masters of Writing; Du Ruhui, Minister of War and Acting Palace Attendant, Duke of Cai, became Right Vice Director; Li Jing, Minister of Punishments and Acting Chief Minister of the Secretariat, Duke of Yongkang, became Minister of War; and Wei Zheng, Right Assistant Director, became Acting Director of the Palace Library with a seat in deliberations.

夏四月辛巳，太上皇徙居大安宮。甲子，太宗始於太極殿聽政。

On xinsi of the fourth summer month the Retired Emperor moved to Da'an Palace. On jiazi Taizong began holding court at Taiji Hall.

五月，周王元方薨。

In the fifth month the Prince of Zhou, Yuanfang, died.

六月戊寅，以旱，親錄囚徒。遣長孫無忌、房玄齡等祈雨於名山大川，中書舍人杜正倫等往關內諸州慰撫。又令文武官各上封事，極言得失。已卯，大風折木。

On wuyin of the sixth month, because of drought, he personally reviewed prisoners. He sent Zhangsun Wuji, Fang Xuanling, and others to pray for rain at renowned mountains and rivers; Du Zhenlun, Presentation Draftsman, and others went to the Guannei circuits to comfort the people. He also ordered civil and military officials to submit sealed memorials setting forth whatever was right or wrong in government. On jimao a violent wind snapped trees.

秋八月己巳朔，日有蝕之。薛延陀遣使朝貢。

On jisi, the first day of the eighth month, the sun was eclipsed. The Xueyantuo sent a tribute mission.

九月癸丑，諸州置醫學。

On guichou of the ninth month medical schools were established in the prefectures.

冬十一月丙午，西突厥、高昌遣使朝貢。庚申，以並州都督李世勣為通漢道行軍總管，兵部尚書李靖為定襄道行軍總管，以擊突厥。

On bingwu in the eleventh winter month the Western Turks and Gaochang sent tribute missions. On gengshen Li Shiji, commander at Bingzhou, was made overall commander on the Tonghan front and Li Jing, Minister of War, overall commander on the Dingxiang front, to campaign against the Turks.

十二月戊辰，突利可汗來奔。癸未，杜如晦以疾辭位，許之。癸丑，詔

On wuchen Qaghan Tuli fled to the court and submitted. On guiwei Du Ruhui asked leave of office because of illness, and the request was granted. On guichou he issued an edict:

建義以來交兵之處，為義士勇夫殞身戎陣者各立一寺，命虞世南、李伯藥、褚亮、顏師古、岑文本、許敬宗、硃子奢等為之碑銘，以紀功業。

For every battlefield since the founding struggle, a temple was to be raised for each loyal man who fell in arms; Yu Shinan, Li Boyao, Chu Liang, Yan Shigu, Cen Wenben, Xu Jingzong, Zhu Zishe, and others were charged to write stele inscriptions commemorating their deeds.

是歲，戶部奏言：中國人自塞外來歸及突厥前後內附、開四夷為州縣者，男女一百二十餘萬口。

That year the Ministry of Revenue reported that Chinese returning from beyond the passes, Turks who had submitted in succession, and peoples of the four frontier regions newly organized as prefectures and counties together amounted to more than 1,200,000 souls.

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