1
李綱李綱,字文紀,觀州蓚人也。 祖元則,後魏清河太守。 父制,周車騎大將軍。 綱少慷慨有志節,每以忠義自許。 初名瑗,字子玉,讀《後漢書·張綱傳》,慕而改之。 周齊王憲引為參軍。 宣帝將害憲,召僚屬證成其罪,綱誓之以死,終無撓辭。 及憲遇害,露車載屍而出,故吏皆散,唯綱撫棺號慟,躬自埋瘞,哭拜而去。
Li Gang, styled Wenji, came from Zhuo in Guanzhou. His grandfather Yuanze had served as prefect of Qinghe under the Later Wei. His father Zhi had been Grand General of Cavalry under Northern Zhou. From youth Gang was ardent and high-minded, and he constantly held himself to a standard of loyalty and righteousness. He had first been named Yuan, styled Ziyu; after reading the biography of Zhang Gang in the Book of the Later Han, he admired the man and took Gang as his name. The Northern Zhou Prince of Qi, Xian, took him on as a staff officer. When Emperor Xuan was about to destroy Xian, he summoned his staff to testify to Xian's crimes; Gang swore he would die rather than comply, and in the end never wavered in what he said. When Xian was killed, his body was carried out on an open cart and his former officers all scattered; only Gang clung to the coffin and wailed, buried the body himself, and left after bowing in grief.
2
隋開皇末,為太子洗馬。 皇太子勇嘗以歲首宴宮臣,左庶子唐令則自請奏琵琶,又歌《武媚娘》之曲。 綱自勇曰:「令則身任宮卿,職當調護,乃於宴座自比倡優,進淫聲,穢視聽。 事若上聞,令則罪不測,豈不累於殿下? 臣請遽正其罪。」 勇曰:「我欲為樂耳,君勿多事。」 綱趨而出。 及勇廢黜,文帝召東宮官屬切讓之,無敢對者。 綱對曰:「今日之事,乃陛下之過,非太子罪也。 勇器非上品,性是常人,若得賢明之士輔導之,足堪繼嗣皇業。 方今多士盈朝,當擇賢者居其任,奈何以絃歌鷹犬之才侍側,至令致此? 乃陛下訓導不足,豈太子之罪耶!」 辭氣凜然,左右皆為之失色。 文帝曰:「令汝在彼,豈非擇人?」 綱曰:「臣在東宮,非得言者。」 帝奇其對,擢拜尚書右丞。 時左僕射楊素、蘇威當朝用事,綱每固執所見,不與之同,由是二人深惡之。 會遣大將軍劉方誅討林邑,楊素言於文帝曰:「林邑多珍寶,自非正人不可委。」 因言綱可任,文帝以為行軍司馬。 劉方承素之意,屈辱綱,幾至於死。 及軍還,久不得調。 後拜齊王府司馬。 未幾,蘇威復令綱詣南海應接林邑,久而不召。 綱後自來奏事,威復言綱擅離所職,以之屬吏。 綱見善卜者,令筮之,遇《鼎》,因謂綱曰:「公易姓之後,方可得志而為卿輔。 宜早退; 不然,有折足之敗也。」 尋會赦免,屏居於鄠。
Near the end of the Sui Kaihuang era he served as Academician to the Heir Apparent. Crown Prince Yong once held a New Year's banquet for his palace staff; the Left Assistant Censor Tang Lingze volunteered to play the pipa and also sang the tune "Lady Wumei." Gang spoke to Yong himself: "Lingze holds a palace counselor's post and his duty is to oversee your conduct—yet at this banquet he compares himself to entertainers, offers licentious music, and defiles what your eyes and ears should take in. If the emperor hears of this, Lingze's offense cannot be foreseen—will that not bring disaster upon Your Highness as well? I ask that his offense be corrected at once." Yong said: "I only wanted some amusement—do not make so much of it." Gang strode out at once. When Yong was deposed, Emperor Wen summoned the Eastern Palace staff and rebuked them harshly; no one dared answer. Gang replied: "What has happened today is Your Majesty's fault, not the Crown Prince's crime. Yong's talents were not of the highest order and his nature was that of an ordinary man; had worthy and enlightened men guided him, he would have been fully adequate to inherit the imperial enterprise. Scholars now fill the court; the worthy ought to be placed in office—how could men skilled only in song and hawking be kept at his side until things came to this? It is that Your Majesty's instruction and guidance were insufficient—how could it be the Crown Prince's crime!" His words were stern and commanding; those at his side all turned pale because of him. Emperor Wen said: "Sending you there—was that not choosing a man?" Gang said: "In the Eastern Palace I had no one who was permitted to speak frankly." The emperor was struck by his answer and promoted him to Vice Director of the Secretariat. At that time the Left Directors Yang Su and Su Wei dominated the court; Gang constantly held to his own views and would not go along with them, and the two came to hate him deeply. When the great general Liu Fang was sent to campaign against Linyi, Yang Su told Emperor Wen: "Linyi holds many precious goods; only an upright man may be entrusted with such a post." He then said Gang was fit for the duty, and the emperor appointed him campaigning staff officer. Liu Fang, carrying out Su's intent, humiliated Gang almost to the point of death. When the army returned, he went for a long time without a new appointment. Later he was appointed secretary in the household of the Prince of Qi. Before long Su Wei again sent Gang to the Southern Sea to handle affairs with Linyi, and for a long time did not summon him back. When Gang later came on his own to report to court, Su again accused him of leaving his post without leave and handed him over to the judicial officers. Gang met a skilled diviner and had him cast the hexagram; the result was Ding, and the man therefore told Gang: "Only after the ruling house changes its surname will you realize your ambition and serve as a minister to the throne. You ought to withdraw early; otherwise you will meet the disaster of a broken leg." Before long an amnesty was declared and he was released; he withdrew to live in seclusion at E.
3
大業末,賊帥何潘仁以綱為長史。 義師至京城,綱來謁見。 高祖大悅,授丞相府司錄,封新昌縣公,專掌選。 高祖踐祚,拜禮部尚書,兼太子詹事,典選如故。
Near the end of the Daye era, the rebel leader He Panren appointed him chief clerk. When the righteous army reached the capital, Gang came to pay his respects. Gaozu was greatly pleased, appointed him Registrar in the Chancellor's Office, enfeoffed him as Duke of Xinchang, and put him solely in charge of official selection. When Gaozu took the throne, he was appointed Minister of Rites and concurrently Grand Mentor to the Heir Apparent, with charge of selection unchanged.
4
先是,巢王元吉授并州總管,於是縱其左右攘奪百姓,宇文歆頻諫不納,乃上表曰:「王在州之日,多出微行,常共竇誕遊獵,蹂踐谷稼,放縱親暱,公行攘奪,境內獸畜,取之殆盡。 當衢而射,觀人避箭以為笑樂。 分遣左右,戲為攻戰,至相擊刺疻傷致死。 夜開府門,宣淫他室。 百姓怨毒,各懷憤嘆。 以此守城,安能自保!」 元吉竟坐免。 又諷父老詣闕請之,尋令復職。 時劉武週率五千騎至黃蛇嶺,元吉遣車騎將軍張達以步卒百人先嘗之。 達以步卒少,固請不行。 元吉強遣之,至則盡沒於賊。 達憤怒,因引武周攻陷榆次,進逼并州。 元吉大懼,紿其司馬劉德威曰:「卿以老弱守城,吾以強兵出戰。」 因夜出兵,攜其妻孥,棄軍奔還京師,并州遂陷。 高祖怒甚,謂綱曰:「元吉幼小,未習時事,故遣竇誕、宇文歆輔之。 強兵數萬,食支十年,起義興運之資,一朝而棄。 宇文歆首畫此計,我當斬之。」 綱曰:「賴歆令陛下不失愛子,臣以為有功。」 高祖問其故,綱對曰:「罪由竇誕不能規諷,致令軍人怨憤。 又齊王年少,肆行驕逸放縱,左右侵漁百姓,誕曾無諫止,乃隨順掩藏,以成其釁,此誕之罪。 宇文歆論情則疏,向彼又淺,王之過失,悉以聞奏。 且父子之際,人所難言,歆言之,豈非忠懇? 今欲誅罪,不錄其心,臣愚竊以為過。」 翌日,高祖召綱入,升御坐謂曰:「今我有公,遂使刑罰不濫。 元吉自惡,結怨於人。 歆既曾以表聞,誕亦焉能制禁?」
Earlier, Prince Yuanji of Qi had been made commander at Bingzhou, where he allowed his attendants to plunder the people. Yuwen Xin remonstrated again and again without being heeded and therefore submitted a memorial: "While the prince was in the prefecture he often went out incognito, regularly went hunting with Dou Dan, trampled the grain in the fields, indulged his favorites, and openly seized property by force until the livestock within the borders were nearly exhausted. He shot arrows in the public streets and took people's scrambling to avoid them as a source of amusement. He sent his attendants to play at warfare until they stabbed one another and some died of their wounds. At night he opened the government gate and debauched other men's households. The common people were filled with bitter resentment, each nursing angry grief. With such conduct, how could he defend a city and keep himself safe!" Yuanji was in the end dismissed from office on account of this. They also prompted the local elders to go to court and request his return; before long he was ordered to resume his duties. At that time Liu Wuzhou led five thousand horsemen to Huangshe Ridge; Yuanji sent the General of Chariots and Cavalry Zhang Da with a hundred foot soldiers to test the enemy first. Da, seeing the infantry too few, firmly refused to go. Yuanji forced him to go anyway; upon arrival they were all wiped out by the rebels. In fury Da then guided Wuzhou to storm and take Yuci and advance on Bingzhou. Yuanji was terrified and deceived his secretary Liu Dewei, saying: "You with the aged and weak will defend the city; I with strong troops will go out to give battle." That night he marched his army out, took wife and children with him, abandoned the troops, and fled back to the capital; Bingzhou was thus lost. Gaozu was furious and said to Gang: "Yuanji is still young and unversed in affairs; that is why I sent Dou Dan and Yuwen Xin to assist him. Tens of thousands of strong troops and provisions to last ten years—the resources on which our righteous uprising and good fortune rested—thrown away in a single morning. Yuwen Xin first devised this plan—I ought to execute him." Gang said: "It is thanks to Xin that Your Majesty did not lose a beloved son; I consider that a merit." Gaozu asked why; Gang replied: "The fault lay with Dou Dan's failure to admonish and instruct, which made the soldiers resentful. Moreover the Prince of Qi was young and indulged in arrogant excess; his attendants preyed on the people, yet Dan never remonstrated or stopped them—he only followed along and covered matters up, thereby completing the prince's offenses; that was Dan's crime. Yuwen Xin was distant in personal ties and shallow in his relation to the prince, yet he reported every one of the prince's faults to the throne. Between father and son it is what people find hardest to speak of—when Xin spoke out, was that not loyal earnestness? To wish to punish him now without crediting his intent—I humbly consider that excessive." The next day Gaozu summoned Gang in, took the imperial seat, and said: "Now that I have you, punishments are not abused. Yuanji brought evil on himself and made enemies among men. Since Xin had already memorialized, how could Dan have restrained him?"
5
時高祖拜舞人安叱奴為散騎常侍,綱上疏諫曰:「謹案《周禮》,均工、樂胥不得預於仕伍。 雖復才如子野,妙等師襄,皆身終子繼,不易其業。 故魏武使祢衡擊鼓,衡先解朝服,露體而擊之,雲不敢以先王法服為伶人之衣。 雖齊高緯封曹妙達為王,授安馬駒為開府,既招物議,大絜彝倫,有國有家者以為殷鑑。 方今新定天下,開太平之基。 起義功臣,行賞未遍; 高才碩學,猶滯草萊。 而先令舞胡,致位五品; 鳴玉曳組,趨馳廊廟,顧非創業垂統貽厥子孫之道也。」 高祖不納。 尋令參詳律令。
At that time Gaozu appointed the dancer An Chinu Gentleman Attendant at the Imperial Suite; Gang submitted a memorial remonstrating: "According to the Rites of Zhou, directors of craftsmen and music masters may not enter the ranks of office. Even if one's talent matched Ziye and one's skill equaled Master Xiang, each ended his life with a son succeeding him and did not change his profession. Thus when Cao Cao had Mi Heng beat the drum, Heng first stripped off his court robes and beat it with his body bare, saying he dared not use the ritual garments of former kings as a performer's costume. Although Gao Wei of Northern Qi enfeoffed Cao Miaoda as king and appointed An Maju Director of the Palace, they already drew public censure and gravely disturbed the great norms; rulers of states and families have taken this as a warning. The realm has only just been settled and the foundation of great peace laid. The meritorious men of the righteous uprising have not yet all been rewarded; men of lofty talent and great learning still linger in obscurity. yet you first set a dancing barbarian in a post of the fifth rank; with jade sounding at his belt and official ribbons trailing, rushing through the halls of state—surely this is not the way to found an enterprise, hand down a tradition, and bequeath it to one's descendants." Gaozu did not accept the advice. Before long he was ordered to take part in reviewing the statutes and ordinances.
6
綱在東宮,隱太子建成初甚禮遇。 建成常往溫湯,綱時以疾不從。 有進生魚於建成者,將召饔人作鱠。 時唐儉、趙元楷在座,各自讚能為鱠,建成從之,既而謂曰:「飛刀鱠鯉,調和鼎食,公實有之; 至於審諭弼諧,固屬於李綱矣。」 於是遣使送絹二百匹以遺之。 建成後漸狎無行之徒,有猜忌之謀,不可諫止。 又思筮者之言,頻乞骸骨。 高祖漫罵之曰:「卿為潘仁長史,何乃羞為朕尚書? 且建成在東宮,遣卿輔導,何為屢致辭乎?」 綱頓首陳謝曰:「潘仁,賊也,誠在殺害,每諫便止,所活極多,為其長史,故得無愧。 陛下功成業泰,頗自矜伐,臣以凡劣,才乖元凱,所言如水投石,安敢久為尚書? 兼以愚臣事太子,所懷鄙見,復不探納,既無補益,所以請退。」 高祖謝曰:「知公直士,勉弼我兒。」 於是擢拜太子少保,尚書、詹事並如故。 綱又上書諫太子曰:「綱耄矣,日過時流,墳樹已拱,幸未就土,許傅聖躬,無以酬恩,請效愚直,伏願殿下詳之。 竊見飲酒過多,誠非養生之術。 且凡為人子者,務於孝友,以慰君父之心,不宜聽受邪言,妄生猜忌。」 建成覽書不懌,而所為如故。 綱以數言事忤太子旨,道既不行,鬱鬱不得志。 武德二年,以老表辭職,優詔解尚書,仍為太子少保。 高祖以綱隋代名臣,甚加優禮,每手敕未嘗稱名,其見重如此。
Gang served in the Eastern Palace; the Hidden Heir, Crown Prince Jiancheng, at first treated him with great courtesy. Jiancheng often went to the hot springs; Gang sometimes, owing to illness, did not go with him. Someone presented live fish to Jiancheng; he was about to summon the cook to prepare sashimi. Tang Jian and Zhao Yuankai were present; each praised his own skill at sashimi, and Jiancheng let them do it; afterward he said: "Flying-knife sashimi of carp and harmonizing the food in the cauldron—you truly have these; as for examining and instructing and assisting in harmony, that surely belongs to Li Gang." He then sent an envoy with two hundred bolts of silk as a gift to him. Later Jiancheng gradually grew intimate with worthless men and harbored schemes of suspicion; nothing could be said to stop him. Gang also recalled the diviner's words and repeatedly asked to retire. Gaozu casually scolded him: "You served as chief clerk to Panren—how can you be ashamed to be my Minister? Moreover Jiancheng is in the Eastern Palace and I sent you to guide him—why do you keep resigning?" Gang bowed his head and replied: "Panren was a rebel and truly meant to kill; each time I remonstrated he stopped, and an enormous number of lives were saved—serving as his chief clerk, I therefore had nothing to be ashamed of. Your Majesty's merit is accomplished and your enterprise secure, yet you are rather self-congratulatory; I am commonplace and my talent falls short of the great ministers—what I say is like water cast on stone—how dare I long remain Minister? Moreover, serving the Heir Apparent as a foolish subordinate, the humble views I hold are again not heeded; since I can do no good, I ask to withdraw." Gaozu apologized: "I know you are an upright man—do your best to assist my son." He was therefore promoted to Junior Mentor to the Heir Apparent, while his posts as Minister and Grand Mentor remained unchanged. Gang again submitted a letter remonstrating with the Heir Apparent: "I am old; the days pass and the times flow on; the trees at my grave already arch over it—fortunately I have not yet gone into the earth, yet I am permitted to attend upon your sacred person; I have no way to repay your grace and beg to offer my foolish frankness; I humbly ask Your Highness to consider it carefully. I have observed that drinking too much is truly not the way to nurture one's health. Moreover, every son ought to devote himself to filial piety and brotherly harmony to comfort his father and sovereign; he ought not heed perverse words and rashly harbor suspicion." Jiancheng read the letter without pleasure, yet continued as before. Because Gang repeatedly spoke on affairs contrary to the Heir Apparent's wishes, his counsel went unheeded and he grew depressed without realizing his aims. In the second year of Wude he submitted a memorial resigning on account of age; an edict graciously released him from the Ministry but kept him as Junior Mentor to the Heir Apparent. Because Gang had been a famous minister of the Sui, Gaozu treated him with exceptional courtesy; in each personal edict he never used Gang's personal name—such was the esteem in which he was held.
7
貞觀四年,拜太子少師。 時綱有腳疾,不堪踐履,太宗特賜步輿,令綱乘至閣下,數引入禁中,問以政道。 又令輿入東宮,皇太子引上殿,親拜之。 綱於是陳君臣父子之道、問寢視膳之方,理順辭直,聽者忘倦。 太子每親政事,太宗必令綱及左僕射房玄齡、侍中王珪侍坐。 太子嘗商略古來君臣名教竭忠盡節之事,綱凜然曰:「托六尺之孤,寄百里之命,古人以為難,綱以為易。」 每吐論發言,皆辭色慷慨,有不可奪之志。 及遇疾,太宗遣尚書左僕射房玄齡詣宅存問,賜絹二百匹。 五年卒,年八十五。 贈開府儀同三司,謚曰貞。 太子為之立碑。 初,周齊王憲女孀居孑立,綱自以齊王故吏,贍恤甚厚。 及綱卒,其女被髮號哭,如喪所生焉。 孫少植子少植,隋武陽郡同功書佐,先綱卒。
In the fourth year of Zhenguan he was appointed Junior Mentor to the Heir Apparent. Gang then suffered from a foot ailment and could not walk; Taizong specially granted him a sedan chair and had him ride it to the steps of the hall, and repeatedly brought him into the inner palace to question him on the way of government. He also had the chair brought into the Eastern Palace; the Heir Apparent led him up to the hall and bowed to him in person. Gang thereupon expounded the way of ruler and minister and of father and son, and the methods of inquiring after one's health and attending to meals; his reasoning was orderly and his words forthright, and those who heard him forgot weariness. Whenever the Heir Apparent personally attended to government affairs, Taizong always had Gang sit with the Left Director Fang Xuanling and the Attendant-in-Ordinary Wang Gui. The Heir Apparent once discussed ancient affairs of moral teaching between ruler and minister and of exhausting loyalty to the utmost; Gang said sternly: "To entrust a six-foot orphan and commit the fate of a hundred miles—men of old thought that hard; I think it easy." Whenever he spoke, his tone and expression were ardent, with a resolve that could not be shaken. When he fell ill, Taizong sent the Left Director Fang Xuanling to his residence to inquire after him and bestowed two hundred bolts of silk. In the fifth year he died, at the age of eighty-five. He was posthumously made Grand Master of the Palace with Golden Seal and Ribbon of the First Rank, with the posthumous title Zhen (Upright). The Heir Apparent had a stele erected for him. Earlier, a daughter of the Northern Zhou Prince of Qi Xian lived as a widow in isolation; Gang, considering himself a former officer of the Prince of Qi, supported and comforted her generously. When Gang died, the daughter let down her hair and wailed as though she had lost a parent. His grandson Sun Shaozhi, a tonggong clerical aide in Wuyang commandery under the Sui, predeceased Gang.
8
少植子安仁,永徽中為太子左庶子。 屬太子被廢,歸於陳邸,宮僚皆逃散,無敢辭送者,安仁獨涕泣拜辭而去,朝野義之。 後卒於恆州刺史。 鄭善果鄭善果,鄭州滎澤人也。 祖孝穆,西魏少司空、岐州刺史。 父誠,周大將軍、開封縣公。 大象初,討尉遲迥,力戰遇害。 善果年九歲,以父死王事,詔令襲其官爵。 家人以其嬰孺,弗之告也,受冊悲慟,擗踴不能勝,觀者莫不為之流涕。 隋開皇初,改封武德郡公,拜沂州刺史。 大業中,累轉魯郡太守。 善果篤慎,事親至孝。 母崔氏,賢明曉於政道,每善果理務,崔氏嘗於閣內聽之。 聞其剖斷合理,歸則大悅; 若處事不允,母則不與之言,善果伏於床前,終日不敢食。 崔氏謂之曰:「吾非怒汝,反愧汝家耳。 汝先君在官清恪,未嘗問私,以身徇國,繼之以死。 吾亦望汝繼父之心。 自童子承襲茅土,今位至方伯,豈汝身能致之耶? 安可不思此事而妄加嗔怒? 內則墜爾家風,或亡官爵; 外則虧天子之法,以取罪戾。 吾寡婦也,有慈無威,使汝不知教訓,以負清忠之業,吾死之日,亦何面以事汝先君乎!」 善果由此遂勵己為清吏,所在有政績,百姓懷之。 及朝京師,煬帝以其居官儉約,蒞政嚴明,與武威太守樊子蓋者為天下第一,各賞物千段,黃金百兩,再遷大理卿。 後突厥圍煬帝於雁門,以守禦功,拜右光祿大夫。 從幸江都。 宇文化及弒逆,署為民部尚書,隨化及至遼城。 淮安王神通圍化及,善果為化及守禦督戰,為流矢所中。 及神通退還,竇建德進軍克之。 建德將王琮獲善果,誚之曰:「公隋室大臣也,自尊夫人亡後而清稱益衰,又忠臣子,奈何為弒君之賊殉命苦戰而傷痍若此?」 善果深愧赧,欲自殺,偽中書令宋正本馳往救止之。 建德又不為之禮,乃奔相州。 淮安王神通送於京師,高祖遇之甚厚,拜太子左庶子,檢校內史侍郎,封滎陽郡公。 善果在東宮,數進忠言,多所匡諫。 未幾,檢校大理卿,兼民部尚書。 正身奉法,甚有善績。 制與裴寂等十人,每奏事及侍立,並令升殿,與從兄元璹在其數,時以為榮。 尋坐事免。 及山東平,持節為招撫大使,坐選舉不平除名。 後歷禮部、刑部二尚書。 貞觀元年,出為岐州刺史,復以公事免。 三年,起為江州刺史,卒。 從兄元璹元璹,隋岐州刺史、沛國公譯子也。 少以父功拜儀同大將軍,襲爵沛國公,累轉右武候將軍,改封莘國公。 大業中,出為文城郡守。 義師至河東,元璹以郡來降,征拜太常卿。 及定京城,以本官兼參旗將軍。 元璹少在戎旅,尤明軍法,高祖常令巡諸軍,教其兵事。 突厥始畢可汗弟乙力設代其兄為叱羅可汗,又劉武周將宋金剛與叱羅共為掎角,來寇汾、晉。 詔元璹入蕃,諭以禍福,叱羅竟不納,乃欲總其部落,入寇太原,以為武周聲援。 未幾,叱羅遇疾,療之弗愈,其下疑元璹令人毒之,乃囚執元璹,不得歸,叱羅竟死。 頡利嗣立,留元璹,每隨其牙帳,經數年。 頡利後聞高祖遺其財物,又許結婚,始放元璹來還。 高祖勞之曰:「卿在虜庭,累載拘繫,蘇武弗之過也。」 拜鴻臚卿。 尋而突厥又寇并州,時元璹在母喪,高祖令墨絰充使招慰。 突厥從介休至晉州,數百里間,精騎數十萬,填映山谷。 及見元璹,責中國違背之事,元璹隨機應對,竟無所屈,因數突厥背誕之罪,突厥大慚,不能報。 元璹又謂頡利曰:「漢與突厥,風俗各異,漢得突厥,既不能臣,突厥得漢,復何所用? 且抄掠資財,皆入將士,在於可汗,一無所得。 不如早收兵馬,遣使和好,國家必有重賚,幣帛皆入可汗,免為劬勞,坐受利益。 大唐初有天下,即與可汗結為兄弟,行人往來,音問不絕。 今乃舍善取怨,違多就少,何也?」 頡利納其言,即引還。 太宗致書慰之曰:「知公已共可汗結和,遂使邊亭息警,爟火不然。 和戎之功,豈唯魏絳,金石之錫,固當非遠。」 元璹自義寧已來,五入蕃充使,幾至於死者數矣。 貞觀三年,又使入突厥,還奏曰:「突厥興亡,唯以羊馬為準。 今六畜疲羸,人皆菜色,又其牙內炊飯,化而為血。 征祥如此,不出三年,必當覆滅。」 太宗然之。 無幾,突厥果敗。 元璹後累轉左武候大將軍,坐事免。 尋起為宜州刺史,復封沛國公。 元璹有干略,所在頗著聲譽。 然其父譯事繼母失溫凊之禮,隋文帝曾賜以《孝經》; 至元璹事親,又不以孝聞,清論鄙之。 二十年卒,贈幽州刺史,謚曰簡。
Shaozhi's son Anren served as Left Assistant Censor to the Heir Apparent during the Yonghui era. When the Heir Apparent was deposed and returned to the Prince of Chen's residence, the palace staff all fled and none dared formally take leave; only Anren wept, bowed in farewell, and departed—court and country praised his conduct. He later died while serving as prefect of Hengzhou. Zheng Shanguo came from Yingze in Zhengzhou. His grandfather Xiaomu had been Vice Minister of Works under Western Wei and prefect of Qi. His father Cheng had been a great general of Northern Zhou and Duke of Kaifeng. At the beginning of the Daxiang era, while campaigning against Yuwen Jiong, he fought fiercely and was killed in battle. Shanguo was nine years old; because his father had died in the state's service, an edict ordered him to inherit his father's office and rank. Because he was still a child, his family had not told him; when he received the patent of succession he grieved and stamped his feet in mourning beyond bearing, and all who watched wept for him. At the beginning of Sui Kaihuang his fief was changed to Duke of Wude commandery and he was appointed prefect of Yizhou. During the Daye era he rose through successive posts to become prefect of Lu commandery. Shanguo was sincere and cautious and served his parents with the utmost filial piety. His mother, of the Cui clan, was worthy and enlightened and understood governance; whenever Shanguo handled official business, Lady Cui would listen from within the pavilion. if she heard that his judgments were sound, she was greatly pleased when he returned; if his handling of affairs was unjust, his mother would not speak with him; Shanguo would prostrate himself before her bed and go the whole day without eating. Lady Cui said to him: "I am not angry with you—I am ashamed for your family. Your late father in office was pure and scrupulous and never pursued private gain; he gave his life for the state and followed that devotion with his death. I also hope you will carry on your father's spirit. From childhood you inherited a fief; today you stand as a regional lord—could you have brought that about by yourself? How can you fail to reflect on this and rashly give way to anger? inwardly you would bring down your family's reputation and perhaps lose office and rank; outwardly you would violate the Son of Heaven's laws and incur punishment. I am a widow with kindness but no authority; if I let you go without instruction and fail the work of purity and loyalty, on the day I die what face shall I have to meet your late father!" From this Shanguo strove to make himself an upright official; wherever he served he achieved good administration, and the people cherished him. When he came to court, Emperor Yang ranked him with Fan Zigai, prefect of Wuwei, as the finest administrators in the realm for his frugal conduct in office and strict, clear governance; each was rewarded with a thousand lengths of goods and a hundred taels of gold, and Shanguo was again promoted to Director of the Court of Judicial Review. Later, when the Turks besieged Emperor Yang at Yanmen, he was appointed Right Grand Master of Splendid Happiness for his merit in defense. He accompanied the emperor to Jiangdu. When Yuwen Huaji committed regicide, he appointed Shanguo Minister of the Household; Shanguo followed Huaji to Liaocheng. When Prince of Huai'an Li Shentong besieged Huaji, Shanguo directed the defense on Huaji's behalf and was struck by a stray arrow. When Shentong withdrew, Dou Jiande advanced and captured the place. Jiande's general Wang Cong captured Shanguo and mocked him: "You are a great minister of the Sui; since your mother's death your reputation for purity has only declined; moreover you are a loyal minister's son—why do you fight to the death for a regicide and suffer wounds like these?" Shanguo was deeply ashamed and wished to kill himself; the false Director of the Secretariat Song Zhengben galloped to him and stopped him. Jiande also did not treat him with courtesy, so he fled to Xiangzhou. Prince of Huai'an Shentong sent him to the capital; Gaozu received him very generously, appointed him Left Assistant Censor to the Heir Apparent and acting Vice Director of the Secretariat, and enfeoffed him as Duke of Xingyang commandery. In the Eastern Palace Shanguo repeatedly offered loyal counsel and remonstrated on many matters. Before long he was made acting Director of the Court of Judicial Review and concurrently Minister of the Household. He kept his person upright, upheld the law, and achieved excellent results. By ordinance he was grouped with Pei Ji and nine others: whenever they presented matters or stood in attendance, all were ordered to ascend the hall; his cousin Yuan Ku was among them, and at the time this was considered a great honor. Before long he was dismissed on account of an offense. When Shandong was pacified, he served as pacification commissioner bearing the staff of authority; on account of unfair selections he was removed from office. He later served successively as Minister of Rites and Minister of Punishments. In the first year of Zhenguan he was sent out as prefect of Qizhou and was again dismissed on account of official business. In the third year he was recalled as prefect of Jiangzhou and died in office. His cousin Yuan Ku was the son of Yi, who had been Sui prefect of Qi and Duke of Pei. In youth, on account of his father's merit, he was appointed General of the Palace with Equal Honours; he inherited the rank of Duke of Pei, rose through posts to General of the Right Martial Guards, and his fief was changed to Duke of Shen. During the Daye era he was sent out as prefect of Wencheng commandery. When the righteous army reached Hedong, Yuan Ku surrendered the commandery and was summoned as Director of the Court of Imperial Sacrifices. When the capital was secured, he retained his post and concurrently served as General of the Banner of Participation. Yuan Ku had been in the army from youth and was especially versed in military law; Gaozu often ordered him to tour the armies and instruct them in military affairs. Yilish, younger brother of the Turkic Shibi Qaghan, replaced his brother as Chiluo Qaghan; moreover Liu Wuzhou's general Song Jingang and Chiluo coordinated as pincers and raided Fen and Jin. An edict ordered Yuan Ku into the steppe to instruct Chiluo on fortune and misfortune; Chiluo would not accept and instead wished to gather his tribes, invade Taiyuan, and support Wuzhou. Before long Chiluo fell ill and could not be cured; his followers suspected Yuan Ku of having had him poisoned, imprisoned Yuan Ku so he could not return, and Chiluo eventually died. Jieli succeeded to the throne, kept Yuan Ku with him, and he followed the royal tent for several years. Later Jieli heard that Gaozu had sent him goods and also promised a marriage alliance, and only then released Yuan Ku to return. Gaozu comforted him: "You were in the barbarian court, detained for many years—even Su Wu did no more." He was appointed Director of the Court for Dependencies. Before long the Turks again raided Bingzhou; Yuan Ku was then in mourning for his mother, but Gaozu ordered him to wear unhemmed mourning garb and serve as envoy to summon and comfort them. From Jiexiu to Jinzhou the Turks stretched for several hundred li, with hundreds of thousands of elite horsemen filling the valleys. When they saw Yuan Ku, they reproached China for breaches of faith; Yuan Ku answered as the occasion required and was not overborne; he then enumerated the Turks' crimes of faithlessness, and the Turks were greatly ashamed and could not reply. Yuan Ku also said to Jieli: "Han and the Turks differ in customs; if the Han obtain Turks, they cannot be made subjects; if the Turks obtain Han subjects, of what use are they? Moreover the goods seized in raids all go to officers and soldiers; as for the qaghan, he gains nothing. Better to withdraw your troops early, send envoys to make peace—the state will surely give rich rewards, and silk and cloth will all go to the qaghan; you are spared toil and receive benefit while seated. When Great Tang first possessed the realm, it at once entered brotherhood with the qaghan; envoys went back and forth and messages never ceased. Now you abandon what is good and take up resentment, go against the many for the few—why?" Jieli accepted his words and at once led his forces back. Taizong sent a letter of comfort: "Knowing that you have made peace with the qaghan, the border posts are quiet of alarms and the beacon fires do not blaze. The merit of pacifying the barbarians—is it only Wei Jiang's? Rewards of metal and stone surely cannot be far off." From Yining onward Yuan Ku entered the steppe five times as envoy and several times nearly died. In the third year of Zhenguan he was again sent among the Turks; on his return he reported: "The rise and fall of the Turks depends solely on sheep and horses as the measure. Now the livestock are worn and weak, the people all show the pallor of famine, and moreover within the royal tent cooked rice turned into blood. With omens such as these, within three years they will surely be destroyed." Taizong agreed with this. Before long the Turks were indeed defeated. Later Yuan Ku rose to General of the Left Martial Guards and was dismissed on account of an offense. Before long he was recalled as prefect of Yizhou and again enfeoffed as Duke of Pei. Yuan Ku had capacity and strategic talent; wherever he served he won a considerable reputation. Yet his father Yi in serving his stepmother failed the rites of warmth in winter and coolness in summer; Emperor Wen of Sui once bestowed on him the Classic of Filial Piety; as for Yuan Ku in serving his parents, he likewise was not known for filial piety, and respectable opinion despised him. In the twentieth year he died; he was posthumously made prefect of Youzhou, with the posthumous title Jian (Simple).
9
弟孫杲知名,則天時為天官侍郎。 楊恭仁楊恭仁,本名綸,弘農華陰人,隋司空、觀王雄之長子也。 隋仁壽中,累除甘州刺史。 恭仁務舉大綱,不為苛察,戎夏安之。 文帝謂雄曰:「恭仁在州,甚有善政,非唯朕舉得人,亦是卿義方所致也。」 大業初,轉吏部侍郎。 楊玄感作亂,煬帝制恭仁率兵經略,與玄感戰於破陵,大敗之。 玄感兄弟挺身遁走,恭仁與屈突通等追討獲之。 軍旋,煬帝召入內殿,謂曰:「我聞破陵之陣,唯卿力戰,功最難比。 雖知卿奉法清慎,都不知勇決如此也。」 納言蘇威曰:「仁者必有勇,固非虛也。」 時蘇威及左衛大將軍宇文述、御史大夫裴蘊、黃門侍郎裴矩等皆受詔參掌選事,多納賄賂,士流嗟怨。 恭仁獨雅正自守,不為蘊等所容,由是出為河南道大使,討捕盜賊。 時天下大亂,行至譙郡,為硃粲所敗,奔還江都。 宇文化及弒逆,署吏部尚書,隨至河北,為化及守魏縣。 時元寶藏據有魏郡,會行人魏徵說下寶藏,執恭仁送於京師。 高祖甚禮遇之,拜黃門侍郎,封觀國公。 尋為涼州總管。 恭仁素習邊事,深悉羌胡情偽,推心馭下,人吏悅服,自蔥嶺已東,併入朝貢。 未幾,遙授納言,總管如故。 俄而突厥頡利可汗率眾數萬奄至州境,恭仁隨方備御,多設疑兵,頡利懼而退走。 屬瓜州刺史賀拔威擁兵作亂,朝廷憚遠,未遑征討。 恭仁乃募驍勇,倍道兼進,賊不虞兵至之速,克其二城。 恭仁悉放俘虜,賊眾感其寬惠,遂相率執威而降。 久之,征拜吏部尚書,遷左衛大將軍、鼓旗將軍。 貞觀初,拜雍州牧,加左光祿大夫,行揚州大都督府長史。 五年,遷洛州都督。 太宗曰:「洛陽要重,古難其人。 朕之子弟多矣,恐非所任,特以委公也。」 恭仁性虛澹,必以禮度自居,謙恭下士,未嘗忤物,時人方之石慶。 恭仁弟師道,尚桂陽公主,從侄女為巢剌王妃,弟子思敬,尚安平公主,連姻帝室,益見崇重。 後以老病乞骸骨,聽以特進歸第。 十三年卒,冊贈開府儀同三司、潭州都督,陪葬昭陵,謚曰孝。 子思訓子思訓襲爵。 顯慶中,歷右屯衛將軍。 時右衛大將軍慕容寶節有愛妾,置於別宅,嘗邀思訓就之宴樂。 思訓深責寶節與其妻隔絕,妾等怒,密以毒藥置酒,思訓飲盡便死。 寶節坐是配嶺表。 思訓妻又詣闕稱冤,制遣使就斬之。 仍改《賊盜律》,以毒藥殺人之科,更從重法。
His younger brother's grandson Sun Gao was well known; under Empress Wu he served as Vice Director of the Bureau of Appointments. Yang Gongren, originally named Lun, came from Huayin in Hongnong; he was the eldest son of Xiong, Sui Minister of Works and Prince of Guan. During the Sui Renshou era he rose through successive appointments to prefect of Ganzhou. Gongren devoted himself to the great outlines of governance and did not engage in harsh scrutiny; both barbarians and Chinese were at peace under him. Emperor Wen said to Xiong: "Gongren in the prefecture has governed very well—not only did I choose the right man, it is also due to your righteous instruction." At the beginning of the Daye era he was transferred to Vice Director of the Ministry of Personnel. When Yang Xuangan rebelled, Emperor Yang ordered Gongren to lead troops against him; Gongren fought Xuangan at Poling and defeated him utterly. Xuangan's brothers broke away and fled; Gongren, together with Qu Tutong and others, gave chase and captured them. When the army returned, Emperor Yang summoned him into the inner hall and said: "I have heard that at Poling you alone fought with all your strength, and your achievement is beyond comparison. Though I knew you upheld the law with clarity and caution, I never knew you were so bold and decisive." Chancellor Su Wei said: "The benevolent man must have courage—this is by no means an empty maxim." At that time Su Wei, Left Guard General-in-Chief Yuwen Shu, Censor-in-Chief Pei Yun, Huangmen Attendant-in-Ordinary Pei Ju, and others had all received edicts to help manage selection affairs; they took many bribes, and men of standing sighed in resentment. Gongren alone maintained elegant rectitude and would not be tolerated by Yun and the others; on this account he was sent out as envoy of the Henan Circuit to hunt down bandits and thieves. At that time the realm was in great disorder; when he reached Qiao commandery he was defeated by Zhu Can and fled back to Jiangdu. When Yuwen Huaji committed regicide, he appointed Gongren Minister of Personnel; following Huaji to Hebei, Gongren was left to defend Wei county for him. At that time Yuan Baocang held Weijun; the envoy Wei Zheng persuaded Baocang to submit, and Baocang seized Gongren and sent him to the capital. Gaozu treated him with great courtesy, appointing him Huangmen Attendant-in-Ordinary and enfeoffing him as Duke of Guan State. Before long he became Commander of Liangzhou. Gongren had long been versed in frontier affairs and thoroughly understood the true and false among the Qiang and Hu; he won the hearts of those below him, and officials and clerks were pleased to submit—from beyond the Onion Mountains eastward, all came to court bearing tribute. Before long he was appointed in absentia as Chancellor, while remaining Commander as before. Soon the Tujue qaghan Illig led tens of thousands straight to the prefectural border; Gongren defended on every side as circumstances required and set up many decoy troops, and Illig withdrew in fear. At that time the prefect of Guazhou Heba Wei raised troops in rebellion; the court dreaded the distance and had no leisure to campaign against him. Gongren then recruited fierce warriors and pressed forward at double speed; the rebels did not expect the army to arrive so swiftly, and he captured two of their cities. Gongren released all the captives; the rebel host was moved by his leniency, and they successively seized Wei and surrendered. After a long while he was summoned and appointed Minister of Personnel, then transferred to Left Guard General-in-Chief and General of Drum and Banner. At the beginning of Zhenguan he was appointed Prefect of Yongzhou, with the added title Left Glory Grand Master of the Palace, and served as acting Long Chief Administrator of the Yangzhou Grand Protectorate. In the fifth year he was transferred to Protector-General of Luozhou. The Emperor said: "Luoyang is strategically vital; since antiquity it has been hard to find the right man. I have many sons and younger kin, yet I fear none is fit for the duty—I entrust it to you alone." Gongren was by nature unassuming and mild; he invariably held himself to ritual propriety, was modest and courteous to men below him, and never gave offense; people of the time compared him to Shi Qing. Gongren's younger brother Shidao married Princess Guiyang; his brother's daughter by marriage became consort of the Prince of Chao, and his son by marriage Sijing married Princess Ping'an—through marriage with the imperial house the family came to be honored all the more. Later, owing to old age and illness, he petitioned to retire; he was permitted to return home with the special-advancement stipend. In the thirteenth year he died; he was posthumously enfeoffed as Grand Mentor of the Palace with golden insignia and Protector-General of Tanzhou, buried with attendant honors at Zhaoling, and given the posthumous name Xiao (Filial). His son Sixun inherited the peerage. During Xianqing he served successively as General of the Right Garrison Guards. At that time the Right Guard General-in-Chief Murong Baojie had a beloved concubine kept in a separate residence; he once invited Sixun there for feasting and revelry. Sixun sternly reproached Baojie for separating himself from his wife; the concubines grew angry and secretly placed poison in the wine—Sixun drank it all and died at once. Baojie on this account was banished to Lingnan. Sixun's wife again went to the palace gates to plead her wrong; an edict dispatched envoys to go and execute Baojie. The Theft and Robbery Statutes were also revised: the article on killing by poison was made subject to heavier penalties.
10
思訓孫睿交,本名璬,少襲爵觀國公,尚中宗女長寧公主。 預誅張易之有功,賜實封五百戶。 神龍中,為秘書監。 後被貶,卒於絳州別駕。 弟續恭仁弟續,頗有辭學。 貞觀中,為鄆州刺史。
Sixun's grandson Ruijiao, originally named Jiao, inherited the peerage Duke of Guan State in his youth and married Princess Changning, daughter of Emperor Zhongzong. For merit in the preliminary execution of Zhang Yizhi he was granted five hundred households of substantive fief. During Shenlong he was Director of the Palace Library. Later he was demoted and died while serving as Vice-Prefect of Jiangzhou. His younger brother Xu—Gongren's younger brother Xu—was quite accomplished in literary learning. During Zhenguan he was Prefect of Yanzhou.
11
續孫執柔,則天時為地官尚書,則天以外氏近屬,甚優寵之。 時武承嗣、攸寧相次知政事,則天嘗曰:「我今當宗及外家,常一人為宰相。」 由是執柔同中書門下三品,尋卒。 執柔子滔,開元中官至吏部侍郎、同州刺史。 執柔弟執一,神龍初,以誅張易之功封河東郡公,累至右金吾衛大將軍。 少弟師道恭仁少弟師道,隋末自洛陽歸國,授上儀同,為備身左右。 尋尚桂陽公主,超拜吏部侍郎,累轉太常卿,封安德郡公。 貞觀七年,代魏徵為侍中。 性周慎謹密,未嘗漏洩內事,親友或問禁中之言,乃更對以他語。 嘗曰:「吾少窺漢史,至孔光不言溫室之樹,每欽其餘風,所庶幾也。」 師道退朝後,必引當時英俊,宴集園池,而文會之盛,當時莫比。 雅善篇什,又工草隸,酣賞之際,援筆直書,有如宿構。 太宗每見師道所制,必吟諷嗟賞之。 十三年,轉中書令。 太子承乾逆謀事洩,與長孫無忌、房玄齡同按其獄。 師道妻前夫之子趙節與承乾通謀,師道微諷太宗,冀活之,由是獲譴,罷知機密。 轉吏部尚書。 師道貴家子,四海人物,未能委練,所署用多非其才,而深抑貴勢及其親黨,以避嫌疑,時論譏之。 太宗嘗從容謂侍臣曰:「楊師道性行純善,自無愆過。 而情實怯懦,未甚更事,緩急不可得力。」 未幾,從征高麗,攝中書令。 及軍還,有毀之者,稍貶為工部尚書,尋轉太常卿。 二十一年卒,贈吏部尚書、并州都督,陪葬昭陵,賜東園秘器,並為立碑。 子豫之,尚巢剌王女壽春縣主。 居母喪,與永嘉公主淫亂,為主婿竇奉節所擒,具五刑而殺之。
Xu's grandson Zhirou—during Wu Zetian's time he was Minister of the Ministry of Earth; because he was a close relative on her mother's side, she greatly favored him. At that time Wu Chengsi and Youning succeeded one another in managing state affairs; Wu Zetian once said: "Hereafter in the clan and the maternal kin I shall always have one man as Chancellor." On this account Zhirou became coequal with Secretariat-Chancellery of the Third Rank; before long he died. Zhirou's son Tao—in the Kaiyuan era reached the posts of Vice Director of the Ministry of Personnel and Prefect of Tongzhou. Zhirou's younger brother Zhiyi—in the beginning of Shenlong, for merit in executing Zhang Yizhi was enfeoffed Duke of Hedong commandery, and rose successively to General-in-Chief of the Right Golden-Avenging Guards. His youngest brother Shidao—Gongren's youngest brother Shidao—at the end of Sui returned to the Tang from Luoyang, was appointed Upper Pillar of State with golden insignia, and served as an attendant in the personal guard. Before long he married Princess Guiyang, was promoted over the regular order to Vice Director of the Ministry of Personnel, rose through successive transfers to Minister of Rites, and was enfeoffed Duke of Ande commandery. In the seventh year of Zhenguan he replaced Wei Zheng as Palace Attendant. By nature he was thorough, cautious, and secretive; he never leaked inner-court affairs—if kin or friends asked about palace matters, he would answer with other topics instead. He once said: "In youth I glanced into Han histories; when I came to Kong Guang not speaking of the trees in the Greenhouse, I always admired that lingering virtue—it is what I hope in some measure to emulate." After Shidao left court he would always gather the outstanding men of the time for banquets in garden and pool; for the splendor of literary gatherings none of the day could compare. He was skilled in poetry and also adept at cursive and clerical script—amid his cups he would take up the brush and write straight off, as though composed long before. Whenever the Emperor saw what Shidao composed he would recite it and sigh in admiration. In the thirteenth year he was transferred to Secretariat Director. When Crown Prince Chenghan's treasonous plot leaked out, he together with Zhangsun Wuji and Fang Xuanling investigated the case. Shidao's wife's son by a former marriage Zhao Jie had conspired with Chenghan; Shidao subtly urged the Emperor, hoping to save him—and on this account was reprimanded and dismissed from handling confidential affairs. He was transferred to Minister of Personnel. Shidao was a son of an eminent house; with all the personages under heaven he had not yet gained seasoned experience—those he appointed were often not fit for their posts, while he deeply repressed noble clans and their kin and associates to avoid suspicion; opinion of the time criticized him. The Emperor once said at leisure to the attendant ministers: "Yang Shidao's conduct is purely good; he has no fault of his own. Yet in truth he is timid and weak, not very experienced in affairs—in urgent need he cannot deliver force." Before long he followed the campaign against Koguryŏ as acting Secretariat Director. When the army returned, there were those who slandered him; he was slightly demoted to Minister of Works, and soon transferred to Minister of Rites. In the twenty-first year he died; he was posthumously awarded Minister of Personnel and Protector-General of Bingzhou, buried with attendant honors at Zhaoling, granted eastern-garden secret vessels, and a stele was erected for him. His son Yuzhi married the daughter of the Prince of Chao, Princess of Shouchun county. While in mourning for his mother he committed debauchery with Princess Yongjia; he was seized by the princess's husband Dou Fengjie, and after the full five punishments was put to death.
12
師道兄子思玄,高宗時為吏部侍郎、國子祭酒。 玄弟思敬,禮部尚書。 師道從兄子崇敬,太子詹事。
Shidao's elder brother's son Sixuan—in Gaozong's time was Vice Director of the Ministry of Personnel and Chancellor of the Imperial University. Sixuan's younger brother Sijing was Minister of Rites. Shidao's cousin's son Chongjing was Tutor of the Heir Apparent.
13
始恭仁父雄在隋,以同姓寵貴,自武德之後,恭仁兄弟名位尤盛,則天時,又以外戚崇寵。 一家之內,駙馬三人,王妃五人,贈皇后一人,三品已上官二十餘人,遂為盛族。 皇甫無逸皇甫無逸,字仁儉,安定烏氏人。 父誕,隋并州總管府司馬。 其先安定著姓,徙居京兆萬年。 仁壽末,漢王諒於并州起兵反,誕抗節不從,為諒所殺。 無逸時在長安,聞諒反,即同居喪之禮。 人問其故,泣而對曰:「大人平生徇節義,既屬亂常,必無苟免。」 尋而凶問果至。 在喪柴毀過禮,事母以孝聞。 煬帝以誕死節,贈柱國、弘義郡公,令無逸襲爵。 時五等皆廢,以其時忠義之後,特封平輿侯。 拜涓陽太守,甚有能名,差品為天下第一。 再轉右武衛將軍,甚見親委。 帝幸江都,以無逸留守洛陽。 及江都之變,與段達、元文都尊立越王侗為帝。 王世充作難,無逸棄老母妻子,斬關而走,追騎且至,無逸曰:「吾死而後已,終不能同爾為逆。」 因解所服金帶投之於地,曰:「以此贈卿,無為相迫。」 追騎競下馬取帶,自相爭奪,由是得免。 高祖以隋代舊臣,甚尊禮之,拜刑部尚書,封滑國公,歷陝東道行台民部尚書。 明年,遷御史大夫。 時益部新開,刑政未洽,長吏橫恣,贓污狼藉; 令無逸持節巡撫之,承製除授。 無逸宣揚朝化,法令嚴肅,蜀中甚賴之。 有皇甫希仁者,見無逸專制方面,徼幸上變,云:「臣父在洛陽,無逸為母之故,陰遣臣與王世充相知。」 高祖審其詐,數之曰:「無逸逼於世充,棄母歸朕。 今之委任,異於眾人。 其在益州,極為清正。 此蓋群小不耐,欲誣之也。 此乃離間我君臣,惑亂我視聽。」 於是斬希仁於順天門,遣給事中李公昌馳往慰諭之。 俄而又告無逸陰與蕭銑交通者,無逸時與益州行台僕射竇璡不協,於是上表自理,又言璡罪狀。 高祖覽之曰:「無逸當官執法,無所迴避,必是邪佞之徒,惡直丑正,共相構扇也。」 因令劉世龍、溫彥博將按其事,卒無驗而止,所告者坐斬,竇璡亦以罪黜。 無逸既返命,高祖勞之曰:「公立身行己,朕之所悉。 比多譖訴者,但為正直致邪佞所憎耳。」 尋拜民部尚書,累轉益州大都督府長史。 閉門自守,不通賓客,左右不得出門。 凡所貨易,皆往他州; 每按部,樵採不犯於人。 嘗夜宿人家,遇燈炷盡,主人將續之,無逸抽佩刀斷衣帶以為炷,其廉介如此。 然過於審慎,所上表奏,懼有誤失,必讀之數十遍,仍令官屬再三披省; 使者就路,又追而更審,每遣一使,輒連日不得上道。 議者以此少之。 母在長安疾篤,太宗令驛召之。 無逸性至孝,承問惶懼,不能飲食,因道病卒。 贈禮部尚書,太常考行,謚曰「孝」。 禮部尚書王珪駁之曰:「無逸入蜀之初,自當扶侍老母,與之同去,申其色養,而乃留在京師,子道未足,何得為孝?」 竟謚為良。
In the beginning, Gongren's father Xiong under the Sui, because of sharing the imperial surname, received favor and dignity; after Wude, the Gongren brothers' names and posts were especially prominent; in Wu Zetian's time they were again exalted as maternal kin. Within one household there were three imperial sons-in-law, five princesses-consort, one posthumously honored empress, and more than twenty officials of the third rank and above—they thus became a great clan. Huangfu Wuyi, styled Renjian, came from Wushi in Anding. His father Dan had served as Prefectural Army Aide-de-Camp of the Bingzhou General Headquarters under the Sui. His ancestors were a renowned clan of Anding and had migrated to settle in Wannian, Jingzhao. At the end of Renshou, the Prince of Han Liang raised troops in rebellion at Bingzhou; Dan resisted and would not follow, and Liang killed him. Wuyi was then in Chang'an; when he heard Liang had rebelled he immediately observed the mourning rites for one dwelling together. When asked the reason he wept and replied: "My father all his life devoted himself to integrity and righteousness; now that disorder has come, he will surely not seek a dishonorable escape." Before long word of disaster indeed arrived. In mourning he wasted his frame beyond ritual propriety; in serving his mother he was famed for filial piety. Emperor Yang because Dan died for integrity enfeoffed him posthumously as Pillar of State and Duke of Hongyi commandery, and ordered Wuyi to inherit the peerage. At that time the five ranks were all abolished; because he was the descendant of a man of loyalty and righteousness, he was specially enfeoffed Marquis of Pingyu. He was appointed Prefect of Juanyang and won a great reputation for ability; his grade ranked first under heaven. He was transferred again to General of the Right Martial Guards and was greatly trusted and entrusted. When the emperor went to Jiangdu, he left Wuyi to guard Luoyang. When the Jiangdu upheaval occurred, he together with Duan Da and Yuan Wendu honored and established the Prince of Yue Tong as emperor. When Wang Shichong raised trouble, Wuyi abandoned his aged mother, wife, and children, cut through the passes and fled; pursuing horsemen were about to overtake him—Wuyi said: "I shall die thereafter and never join you in rebellion." He then untied the gold belt he wore and cast it to the ground, saying: "Take this in gift to you—do not press me further." The pursuers dismounted competing for the belt and contended with one another; on this account he escaped. Gaozu, because he was an old minister of the Sui, treated him with great courtesy, appointing him Minister of Justice and enfeoffing him Duke of Huaguo, and he served successively as People's Minister of the Shandong Circuit Eastern Secretariat. The next year he was transferred to Censor-in-Chief. At that time the Yi region had newly been opened; penal government was not yet harmonized—long administrators were overbearing and willful, and bribery and corruption were piled in heaps; the emperor ordered Wuyi to hold credentials and tour and pacify the region, appointing and removing officials according to edict. Wuyi proclaimed and spread court transformation; laws and orders were stern and solemn, and Shu relied greatly on him. There was one Huangfu Xiren who, seeing Wuyi monopolize power in the region, sought favor by submitting a report, saying: "My father was in Luoyang; for his mother's sake Wuyi secretly sent me to make contact with Wang Shichong." Gaozu examined his fraud and reprimanded him, saying: "Wuyi was pressed by Shichong, abandoned his mother and returned to me. Today's trust in him differs from that given ordinary men. In Yizhou he was utterly clear and upright. This is surely petty men who cannot endure him, wishing to slander him. This is nothing but driving wedges between emperor and minister and confusing what we see and hear." He then executed Xiren at the Shuntian Gate and dispatched Attendant of the Imperial Secretariat Li Gongchang posthaste to comfort and instruct Wuyi. Before long there was another who reported that Wuyi had secretly communicated with Xiao Xian; Wuyi was then at odds with the Vice Director of the Yi Circuit Eastern Secretariat and Servitor Dou Jin—he submitted a memorial to vindicate himself and also set forth Dou's offenses. Gaozu read it and said: "Wuyi in office enforces the law without turning aside—this must be wicked flatterers who hate the upright and resent the true, conspiring together to slander and incite." He then ordered Liu Shilong and Wen Yanbo to investigate the matter; in the end nothing was verified and the case was closed—the accuser was executed, and Dou Jin was dismissed for his crimes. When Wuyi had returned and reported, Gaozu comforted him, saying: "Duke, in conduct and self-discipline you are a man I know well. Of late the many slanders are only because your uprightness has made the wicked and the flattering hate you, that is all. Soon he was appointed Minister of the Ministry of Revenue and was transferred in succession to Chief Administrator of the Yi Prefecture Grand Area Commander's headquarters. He kept his gates shut and held himself apart, receiving no guests, and those around him were not allowed to go out. whatever trade he conducted was carried out in other prefectures; whenever he toured his jurisdiction, woodcutters gathering fuel never trespassed on others' land. Once he lodged overnight in a private home; when the lamp wick burned out and the host was about to replace it, Wuyi drew his belt knife and cut his sash for a wick—such was his integrity and austerity. Yet he was excessively cautious: every memorial he submitted, fearing a mistake, he read dozens of times and still had his staff review it again and again; when an envoy was already on the road, he would pursue him and examine the matter again—each envoy he sent could not depart for days on end. Critics for this reason thought somewhat less of him. His mother in Chang'an was gravely ill; Taizong ordered her summoned by post relay. Wuyi was by nature deeply filial; when he received the summons he was stricken with fear and could not eat or drink, and died of illness on the road. He was posthumously appointed Minister of Rites; the Director of Ceremonies assessed his conduct and gave him the posthumous name Filial. Minister of Rites Wang Gui objected, saying: "When Wuyi first entered Shu he ought to have supported his aged mother and gone with her, to fulfill his duty of tending her in person—yet he left her in the capital. His conduct as a son fell short—how could he be called filial?" In the end his posthumous name was changed to Good.
14
孫忠,開元中為衛尉卿。 李大亮李大亮,雍州涇陽人。 後魏度支尚書琰之曾孫也。 其先本居隴西狄道,代為著姓。 祖綱,後魏南岐州刺史。 父充節,隋朔州總管、武陽公。 大亮少有文武才幹,隋末,署韓國公龐玉行軍兵曹。 在東都與李密戰,敗,同輩百餘人皆就死,賊帥張弼見而異之,獨釋與語,遂定交於幕下。 義兵入關,大亮自東都歸國,授土門令。 屬百姓饑荒,盜賊侵寇,大亮賣所乘馬分給貧弱,勸以墾田,歲因大稔。 躬捕寇盜,所擊輒平。 時太宗在籓,巡撫北境,聞而嗟嘆,下書勞之,賜馬一匹、帛五十段。 其後,胡賊寇境,大亮眾少不敵,遂單馬詣賊營,召其豪帥,諭以禍福,群胡感悟,相率請降。 大亮又殺所乘馬,以與之宴樂,徒步而歸。 前後降者千餘人,縣境以清。 高祖大悅,超拜金州總管府司馬。 時王世充遣其兄子弘烈據襄陽,令大亮安撫樊、鄧,以圖進取。 大亮進兵擊之,所下十餘城。 高祖下書勞勉,遷安州刺史。 又令徇廣州巴東,行次九江,會輔公祏反,大亮以計擒公祏將張善安。 公祏尋遣兵圍猷州,刺史左難當嬰城自守,大亮率兵進援,擊賊破之。 以功賜奴婢百人,大亮謂曰:「汝輩多衣冠子女,破亡至此,吾亦何忍以汝為賤隸乎!」 一皆放遣。 高祖聞而嗟異,復賜婢二十人,拜越州都督。 貞觀元年,轉交州都督,封武陽縣男。 在越州寫書百卷,及徙職,皆委之廨宇。 尋召拜太府卿,出為涼州都督,以惠政聞。 嘗有台使到州,見有名鷹,諷大亮獻之。 大亮密表曰:「陛下久絕畋獵,而使者求鷹。 若是陛下之意,深乖昔旨; 如其自擅,便是使非其人。」 太宗下之書曰:「以卿兼資文武,志懷貞確,故委籓牧,當茲重寄。 比在州鎮,聲績遠彰,念此忠勤,無忘寤寐。 使遣獻鷹,遂不曲順,論今引古,遠獻直言,披露腹心,非常懇到,覽用嘉嘆,不能便已。 有臣若此,朕復何憂! 宜守此誠,終始若一。 古人稱一言之重,侔於千金,卿之此言,深足貴矣。 今賜卿胡瓶一枚,雖無千鎰之重,是朕自用之物。」 又賜荀悅《漢紀》一部,下書曰:「卿立志方直,竭節至公,處職當官,每副所委,方大任使,以申重寄。 公事之閒,宜尋典籍。 然此書敘致既明,論議深博,極為治之體,盡君臣之義,今以賜卿,宜加尋閱也。」 時頡利可汗敗亡,北荒諸部相率內屬。 有大度設、拓設、泥熟特勒及七姓種落等,尚散在伊吾,以大亮為西北道安撫大使以綏之,多所降附。 朝廷愍其部眾凍餒,遣於磧石貯糧,特加賑給。 大亮以為於事無益,上疏曰:
His grandson Zhong served as Commandant of the Guard during the Kaiyuan era. Li Daliang was a native of Jingyang in Yong Prefecture. He was the great-grandson of Yanzhi, Director of Revenue under the Later Wei. His clan had originally lived at Didao in Longxi and for generations had been a family of note. His grandfather Gang had been Governor of Southern Qi Prefecture under the Later Wei. His father Chongjie had been Sui Commander-in-Chief of Shuozhou and Duke of Wuyang. Daliang in his youth showed talent in both civil and military affairs; at the end of the Sui he served as acting Military Staff Officer on the campaign staff of Pang Yu, Duke of Han. At the Eastern Capital he fought Li Mi and was defeated; more than a hundred of his companions were put to death. The rebel commander Zhang Bi saw him and marveled, released him alone to speak with him, and they formed a bond in the camp. When the righteous army entered the passes, Daliang returned from the Eastern Capital to join the cause and was appointed magistrate of Tumen. The people were suffering famine and bandits were raiding; Daliang sold the horse he rode and distributed the proceeds among the poor, urging them to open new fields—and that year brought a great harvest. He personally led raids against bandits; wherever he struck, they were subdued. At the time the Prince of Qin held his fief and was touring the northern frontier; when he heard of it he sighed in admiration, sent a letter of commendation, and granted one horse and fifty bolts of silk. Later, when Hu raiders invaded the border, Daliang's force was too small to resist; he rode alone to the enemy camp, summoned their chieftains, and spoke to them of fortune and ruin. The Hu clans were moved, and one after another they came forward to surrender. Daliang slaughtered the horse he had ridden and used it to feast with them, then walked home. More than a thousand submitted in all, and the county was pacified. Gaozu was greatly pleased and promoted him by exception to Acting Senior Administrator of the Jinzhou Area Commander's headquarters. At the time Wang Shichong had sent his elder brother's son Honglie to hold Xiangyang and ordered Daliang to pacify Fan and Deng as a step toward further advance. Daliang advanced to attack him and took more than ten cities. Gaozu sent a letter of commendation and transferred him to Governor of An Prefecture. He was also ordered to traverse Guangzhou and Badong; en route at Jiujiang he encountered Fu Gongshi's rebellion, and Daliang by stratagem captured Gongshi's general Zhang Shan'an. Gongshi soon sent troops to besiege You Prefecture; Governor Zuo Nandang held the city fast; Daliang led troops to relieve him and defeated the rebels. For his merit he was granted a hundred bondsmen and bondswomen; Daliang said to them: "Most of you are daughters of families in caps and gowns, ruined and brought to this—how could I bear to make you base slaves!" He released them all. Gaozu heard of it and marveled; he granted twenty maidservants again and appointed him Area Commander of Yue Prefecture. In the first year of Zhenguan he was transferred to Area Commander of Jiao Prefecture and enfeoffed as Baron of Wuyang County. While in Yue Prefecture he copied a hundred scrolls of books; when he left his post, he left them all in the government offices. Soon he was summoned and appointed Director of the Palace Treasury, then sent out as Area Commander of Liang Prefecture, where his benevolent governance became renowned. Once an envoy from the central ministries came to the prefecture, saw a fine hawk, and hinted that Daliang should present it to the throne. Daliang submitted a secret memorial, saying: "Your Majesty has long ceased the hunt, yet this envoy asks for a hawk. If this is Your Majesty's intent, it runs deeply counter to your former resolve; if he acted on his own authority, then he is not the right man to have been sent. Taizong sent him a letter, saying: "Because you unite civil and military talent and your will is upright and firm, I entrusted you with a frontier governorship at so weighty a charge. Since you have governed the prefecture, your reputation has spread far; when I think of such loyalty and diligence, I do not forget you even in my sleep. When the envoy came to present the hawk you would not bend to please him; citing the present you invoked the past and offered straight counsel from afar, laying bare your inmost heart with uncommon earnestness. Reading it, I praised and exclaimed and could not soon set it down. With a minister such as this, what have I to worry about! Hold to this sincerity from first to last, unchanged. The ancients said the weight of a single word equals a thousand in gold—your words are deeply to be treasured. Now I grant you one Hu flask; though it lacks the weight of a thousand yi, it is something I use myself." He also granted a copy of Xun Yue's Records of Han and wrote: "You set your will square and upright and exhaust your integrity to the utmost; in every office you have fulfilled what was entrusted to you. I am about to give you great employment to fulfill this weighty trust. In the intervals of public business you should turn to the classics. This book's narrative is clear and its argument deep and broad; it exhausts the substance of good government and fully sets forth the duties of ruler and minister. I now give it to you—read it with care. At that time the Qaghan Jieli was defeated and destroyed, and the tribes of the northern wastes submitted one after another. The Dadu she, Tuoshe, the Nishu tegin, and the seven-surname clans and others were still scattered at Yiwu; Daliang was made Pacification Commissioner of the Northwest Circuit to soothe them, and very many submitted. The court pitied their tribes' hunger and cold, had grain stored at Qishi, and gave them special relief. Daliang considered this of no benefit and submitted a memorial, saying:
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太宗納其奏。 八年,為劍南道巡省大使。 大亮激濁揚清,甚獲當時之譽。 及討吐谷渾,以大亮為河東道行軍總管。 與大總管李靖等出北路,涉青海,歷河源,遇賊於蜀渾山,接戰破之,俘其名王,虜雜畜五萬計。 以功進爵為公,賜物千段、奴婢一百五十人,悉遺親戚。 仍罄其家資,收葬五葉宗族無後者三十餘喪,送終之禮,一時稱盛。 後拜左衛大將軍。 十七年,晉王為皇太子,東宮僚屬,皆盛選重臣。 以大亮兼領太子右衛率,俄兼工部尚書,身居三職,宿衛兩宮,甚為親信。 大亮每當宿直,必通宵假寐。 太宗嘗勞之曰:「至公宿直,我便通夜安臥。」 其見任如此。 太宗每有巡幸,多令居守。 房玄齡甚重之,每稱大亮有王陵、周勃之節,可以當大位。 大亮雖位望通顯,而居處卑陋,衣服儉率。 至性忠謹,雖妻子不見其惰容。 事兄嫂有同於父母。 每懷張弼之恩,而久不能得。 弼時為將作丞,自匿不言。 大亮嘗遇諸途而識之,持弼而泣,恨相得之晚。 多推家產以遺弼,弼拒而不受。 大亮言於太宗曰:「臣有今日之榮,張弼力也。 有官爵請回。」 太宗遂遷弼為中郎將,俄代州都督。 時人皆賢大亮不背恩,而多弼不自伐也。 十八年,太宗幸洛陽,令大亮副司空玄齡居中。 尋遇疾,太宗親為調藥,馳驛賜之。 臨終上表,請停遼東之役,又言京師宗廟所在,願深以關中為意。 表成而嘆曰:「吾聞禮,男子不死婦人之手。」 於是命屏婦人,言終而卒,時五十九。 死之日,家無珠玉可以為唅,唯有米五石、布三十端。 親戚孤遺為大亮所鞠養,服之如父者十五人。 太宗為舉哀於別次,哭之甚慟,廢朝三日。 贈兵部尚書、秦州都督,謚曰懿,陪葬昭陵。
Taizong accepted his memorial. In the eighth year he was appointed Touring Commissioner of the Jiannan Circuit. Daliang stirred the foul and raised the clear, and won great renown in his day. When the court campaigned against Tuyuhun, Daliang was made Campaign Commander-in-Chief of the Hedong Circuit. With Grand Campaign Commander Li Jing and others he marched by the northern route, crossed the Blue Sea and passed the River Source, met the enemy at Shuhun Mountain, joined battle and defeated them, captured their named kings, and took livestock and captives numbering about fifty thousand. For his merit his rank was advanced to duke; he was granted a thousand bolts of goods and a hundred fifty bondsmen and bondswomen, all of which he gave to his kin. He still exhausted his family's wealth, gathered and buried more than thirty coffins of kin of five generations who had left no heirs, and the funeral rites were at the time called magnificent. Afterward he was appointed General of the Left Guards. In the seventeenth year the Prince of Jin became Crown Prince, and the Eastern Palace staff were chosen in strength from leading ministers. Daliang was made concurrently Right Leader of the Crown Prince's Guard; soon he also held the Ministry of Works—holding three offices, he guarded both palaces by night and was deeply trusted. Whenever Daliang stood night watch he never slept through the night. Taizong once comforted him, saying: "With you on watch with such utter fairness, I can sleep soundly through the night." Such was the trust placed in him. Whenever Taizong went on tour he often left Daliang behind to guard the capital. Fang Xuanling greatly valued him and often said Daliang had the integrity of Wang Ling and Zhou Bo and was fit for the highest office. Though Daliang's rank and renown were great, his dwelling was humble and his dress plain. His nature was deeply loyal and careful—even his wife and children never saw him slack. He served his elder brother and sister-in-law as he would his parents. He always cherished Zhang Bi's kindness, yet for long could not find him. Bi was then Master of Palace Construction and kept himself hidden without revealing himself. Daliang once met him on the road and recognized him; he seized Bi and wept, grieving that they had found each other so late. He repeatedly pressed his family's wealth on Bi, but Bi refused to accept it. Daliang said to Taizong: "The honor I have today is Zhang Bi's doing. Whatever rank and title I hold, I beg that they be turned over to him." Taizong then promoted Bi to General of the Gentlemen of the Household and soon appointed him Area Commander of Dai Prefecture. People of the time admired Daliang for not betraying a kindness, and admired Bi all the more for not boasting of what he had done. In the eighteenth year Taizong went to Luoyang and ordered Daliang to assist Minister of Works Fang Xuanling in remaining at the capital. Soon he fell ill; Taizong personally prepared medicine for him and sent it posthaste by relay. At life's end he submitted a memorial asking that the Liaodong campaign be halted, and also said that the capital was where the ancestral temples stood and begged that Guanzhong be kept deeply in mind. When the memorial was finished he sighed and said: "I have heard that by the rites a man must not die in a woman's hands." He then ordered the women kept away; when he had finished speaking he died, at the age of fifty-nine. On the day of his death the household had no pearls or jade for the mouth-rite—only five shi of rice and thirty bolts of cloth. Fifteen orphaned kin he had raised wore mourning for him as for a father. Taizong held mourning for him in a separate hall and wept with great grief; he suspended court for three days. He was posthumously appointed Minister of War and Area Commander of Qin Prefecture, given the posthumous name Yi, and buried with honor at Zhaoling.
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兄子道裕,永徽中為大理卿。 族孫迥秀迥秀,大亮族孫也。 祖玄明,濟州刺史。 父義本,宣州刺史。 迥秀弱冠應英材傑出舉,拜相州參軍,累轉考功員外郎。 則天雅愛其材,甚寵待之。 掌舉數年,遷鳳閣舍人。 迥秀母氏庶賤而色養過人,其妻崔氏嘗叱其媵婢,母聞之不悅,迥秀即時出之。 或止云:「賢室雖不避嫌疑,然過非出狀,何遽如此?」 迥秀曰:「娶妻本以承順顏色,顏色苟違,何敢留也?」 竟不從。 長安初,歷天官、夏官二侍郎,俄同鳳閣鸞台平章事。 則天令宮人參問其母,又嘗迎入宮中,待之甚優。 迥秀雅有文才,飲酒斗余,廣接賓朋,當時稱為風流之士。 然頗托附權幸,傾心以事張易之、昌宗兄弟,由是深為讜正之士所譏。 俄坐贓,出為廬州刺史。 景龍中,累轉鴻臚卿、修文館學士,又持節為朔方道行軍大總管。 所居宅中生芝草數莖,又有貓為犬所乳,中宗以為孝感所致,使旌其門閭。 俄代姚崇為兵部尚書,病卒。 子齊損,開元十年,與權梁山等構逆伏誅,籍沒其家也。 史評史臣曰:孔子雲,「邦有道,危言危行。」 如李綱直道事人,執心不回。 始對隋文,慷慨獲免; 終忤楊素,屈辱尤深。 及高祖臨朝,諫舞胡鳴玉,懷不吐不茹之節,存有始有卒之規,可謂危矣。 非逢有道,焉能免諸? 《易》曰,「王臣蹇蹇,匪躬之故」,李綱有焉。 善果幼事賢母,長為正人。 元璹於國有功,祗練邊事,承家不孝,終為匪人。 恭仁仕隋忠厚,馭眾謙恭。 破賊立功,方見仁者有勇; 掌選被斥,所謂獨正者危。 自偽歸朝,懷才遇主,連婚帝室,列位籓宣,始終無玷者鮮矣! 師道慎密純善,怯懦無更事之名; 抑勢避嫌,署用致非才之誚。 無逸知父守節陷難,離母避逆終吉,忠信之道著矣; 絕賓客以閉府門,斷衣帶以續燈炷,廉介之志彰矣。 於乎,蜀道初開,親老地梗,至孝滅性,子道可知,不得謚為「孝」也,惜哉! 大亮文武兼才,貞確成性。 賣馬勸農,是為政也; 投身諭賊,略也; 放奴婢從良者,仁也; 因鷹諫獵,臨終上表,忠也; 論伊吾之眾,智也; 葬五葉無後,報張弼恩,義也; 侍兄嫂如父母,孝也; 不死婦人之手,禮也; 無珠玉為唅,廉也。 房玄齡雲,大亮有王陵、周勃之節,名下無虛士矣! 迥秀諂事權幸,爰至台司,余不足觀,清風替矣。
His elder brother's son Daoyu served as Director of the Court of Judicial Review during the Yonghui era. Clan grandson Jiongxiu was Daliang's clan grandson. His grandfather Xuanming had been Governor of Ji Prefecture. His father Yiben had been Governor of Xuan Prefecture. While still in his youth Jiongxiu passed the examination for Outstanding Talent and Eminent Excellence, received appointment as adjutant in Xiang Prefecture, and rose in succession to Vice Director of the Bureau of Appointments. Wu Zetian greatly admired his ability and treated him with exceptional favor. He oversaw the civil examinations for several years, then was transferred to Drafting Secretary of the Phoenix Pavilion. Jiongxiu's mother, born a concubine of humble rank, yet tended her with devotion surpassing all others; when his wife Lady Cui rebuked her attendants, the mother heard of it and was displeased, and Jiongxiu at once divorced her. Someone tried to dissuade him, saying: "Your worthy wife may have failed to avoid suspicion, yet her offense fell short of grounds for divorce—why act so hastily?" Jiongxiu said: "One marries to keep one's parents content; if she offends them, how dare I keep her?" In the end he would not listen. Early in the Chang'an era he served in succession as Vice Director of the Bureaus of Appointments and of War, and soon became Vice Chairman of the Phoenix Pavilion and Crane Terrace. Wu Zetian sent palace women to visit and inquire after his mother, once welcomed her into the palace, and treated her with exceptional kindness. Refined and gifted in letters, Jiongxiu could drink more than a bushel of wine at a sitting, entertained guests and friends widely, and was acclaimed in his day as a man of grace and style. Yet he relied heavily on the favorites of power, giving himself wholeheartedly to Zhang Yizhi and the Changzong brothers; for this he was deeply scorned by upright men. Soon he was convicted of graft and demoted to Governor of Lu Prefecture. During the Jinglong era he rose in succession to Minister of Ceremonies and Scholar of the Cultivating Literature Hall, and also served as Grand General on Campaign for the Shuofang Circuit. Several stalks of auspicious fungus grew at his house, and a cat was even nursed by a dog; Zhongzong took these as signs of filial virtue and ordered his gate and lane honored. Soon he replaced Yao Chong as Minister of War and died of illness. His son Qisun—in Kaiyuan year ten, joined Quan Liangshan and others in plotting rebellion, was executed, and his family's property was confiscated. Historiographical appraisal—The historiographer remarks: Confucius said, "When the state follows the Way, speak boldly and act with caution." Li Gang served others on the straight path and never bent his will. When he first confronted Emperor Wen of Sui, he spoke boldly and was spared; yet in the end he offended Yang Su and suffered humiliation all the deeper. When Gaozu took the throne, he remonstrated against Hu dancers with jade at their belts; he bore an integrity that would neither yield nor clash, and kept faith from first to last—truly living on the edge. Had he not lived under a ruler who followed the Way, how could he have survived? The Book of Changes says, "The king's minister labors in hardship—not for his own person"—and Li Gang embodied it. Shanguo as a boy served a worthy mother and as a man became upright. Yuanfan served the state with merit and mastered frontier affairs, yet was unfilial toward his family and in the end became a villain. Gongren under the Sui was loyal and steadfast, governing his subordinates with humility. In destroying bandits and winning merit he showed that the benevolent can be brave; in managing personnel selection he was dismissed—proving that "the solitary upright court danger." From his return from the pseudo-state to court service, through talent rewarded by his lord, marriage ties with the imperial clan, and posts as frontier commissioner—few remained blameless from beginning to end! Shidao was cautious, guileless, and thoroughly good, yet timid and without a reputation for handling affairs; in restraining powerful interests and avoiding suspicion, his appointments drew reproach for elevating unworthy men. Wuyi knew his father died holding to integrity; he left his mother to flee rebellion and in the end prospered—the Way of loyalty and faith was plain in him; he shut his gates to guests, tore his belt to trim a lamp wick—his integrity and austerity shone clear. Alas! When the road to Shu first opened, his aged mother trapped in that land, his filial devotion consumed his very life—his conduct as a son speaks for itself—yet he could not receive the posthumous name Filial—a pity indeed! Daliang possessed both civil and military gifts, and uprightness was his nature. Selling his horse to urge the people to farm—that was statesmanship; throwing himself among the bandits to persuade them—that was daring strategy; releasing bondmen and bondmaids to freedom—that was benevolence; remonstrating against the hunt because of a hawk, at life's end submitting a memorial—that was loyalty; counsel on the tribes at Yiwu—that was wisdom; burying five generations of kin who had no heirs, repaying Zhang Bi's kindness—that was righteousness; treating his elder brother and sister-in-law as parents—that was filial piety; refusing to die in a woman's hands—that was ritual propriety; having no pearls or jade to place in his mouth—that was integrity. Fang Xuanling said Daliang had the integrity of Wang Ling and Zhou Bo—his reputation was no empty honor! Jiongxiu fawned on the favorites of power until he reached the highest ministerial rank—the rest is not worth recounting; the noble tradition is gone.
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贊曰:李綱守道,言行俱危。 善果母訓,清貞是資。 元璹父子,要道何虧。 恭仁獨正,令德無違。 師道慎密,抑勢見機。 無逸廉介,終於孝思。 大亮才德,陵、勃名隨。 迥秀托附,實污台司。
In praise: Li Gang kept to the Way—precarious in word and deed alike. Shanguo—his mother's teaching; purity and integrity his foundation. Yuanfan father and son—how did they fail the essential Way? Gongren, solitary in his uprightness—admirable virtue without breach. Shidao cautious and discreet, restraining power and discerning the moment. Wuyi—integrity and austerity; his end in filial devotion. Daliang in talent and virtue—worthy of Wang Ling and Zhou Bo. Jiongxiu clung to the powerful—truly a stain on the highest office.