Volume 88 Biographies 38: Wei Siqian, Lu Yuanfang, Su Gui

韋思謙（子承慶嗣立）陸元方（子象先）蘇瓌（子頲）

Wei Siqian (His sons Chengqing and Silizhi carried on his line.) Lu Yuanfang (His son Xiangxian.) Su Gui (His son Ting.)

韋思謙，鄭州陽武人也。本名仁約，字思謙，以音類則天父諱，故稱字焉。其先自京兆南徙，家於襄陽。舉進士，累補應城令，歲餘調選。思謙在官，坐公事微殿，舊制多未敘進。吏部尚書高季輔曰：“自居選部，今始得此一人，豈以小疵而棄大德。 ”擢授監察御史，由是知名。嚐謂人曰：“御史出都，若不動搖山嶽，震懾州縣，誠曠職耳。 ”時中書令諸遂良賤市中書譯語人地，思謙奏劾其事，遂良左授同州刺史。及遂良復用，思謙不得進，出為清水令。謂人曰：“吾狂鄙之性，假以雄權，觸機便發，固宜為身災也。大丈夫當正色之地，必明目張膽以報國恩，終不能為碌碌之臣保妻子耳。 ”左肅機皇甫公義檢校沛王府長史，引思謙為同府倉曹，謂思謙曰：“公豈池中之物，屈公為數旬之客，以望此府耳。 ”累遷右司郎中。

Wei Siqian came from Yangwu in Zheng Prefecture. His birth name was Renyue, but he went by his style Siqian, since the former sounded too close to the taboo name of Empress Wu's father. His family had migrated south from the Jingzhao region and settled in Xiangyang. After taking his jinshi degree, he served repeatedly as magistrate of Yingcheng; a little over a year later he entered the regular rotation for promotion. Siqian had incurred a slight demotion over an official matter, and under the old rules such men were usually passed over for advancement. Gao Jifu, Minister of Personnel, said, "In all my time running selection, this is the first man of his caliber I have seen. How could I reject great merit over a trifling fault?" Siqian was promoted to investigating censor and soon made a name for himself. He once remarked, "A censor who leaves the capital without shaking the hills and terrifying the districts has plainly failed in his post." When Chief Minister Chu Suiliang sold off Secretariat translators' land at a contemptuous price, Siqian impeached him, and Suiliang was demoted to prefect of Tong Prefecture. Once Suiliang returned to power, Siqian found his career blocked and was posted out as magistrate of Qingshui. He told others, "Give my rash, uncouth temperament real power and I strike at the first provocation—disaster for myself was only to be expected." A true man belongs where he can show an honest face and repay the throne openly and boldly—not end as some timid clerk clinging to wife and children. Huangfu Gongyi of the Left Su-ji, acting as chief administrator of the Prince of Pei's household, brought Siqian in as granary officer and told him, "You are no fish for a shallow pond—I only keep you here a few weeks as a guest until this household can rise to your stature." He rose through several posts to director of the right bureau.

永淳初，曆尚書左丞、御史大夫。時武候將軍田仁會與侍御史張仁禕不協而誣奏之。高宗臨軒問仁禕，仁禕惶懼，應對失次。思謙曆階而進曰：“臣與仁禕連曹，頗知事由。仁禕懦而不能自理。若仁會眩惑聖聰，致仁禕非常之罪，即臣亦事君不盡矣。請專對其狀。 ”辭辯縱橫，音旨明暢，高宗深納之。思謙在憲司，每見王公，未嚐行拜禮。或勸之，答曰：“雕鶚鷹鸇，豈眾禽之偶，奈何設拜以狎之？且耳目之官，固當獨立也。 ”初拜左丞，奏曰：“陛下為官擇人，非其人則闕。今不惜美錦，令臣製之，此陛下知臣之深，亦微臣盡命之秋。 ”振舉綱目，朝廷肅然。

At the start of the Yongchun period he served in turn as left vice director of the Secretariat and as censor-in-chief. Military Guard General Tian Renhui, feuding with Attending Censor Zhang Renyi, lodged a false charge against him. Emperor Gaozong questioned Renyi in open court; terrified, Renyi answered incoherently. Siqian mounted the steps and said, "I served with Renyi in the same office and know the facts fairly well." Renyi is too timid to defend himself. If Renhui should mislead Your Majesty and bring Renyi to an extreme penalty, then I too would have failed in my duty to the throne. I ask leave to answer the charge on the facts alone. His reply was forceful and lucid, and Emperor Gaozong took it to heart. In the Censorate, Siqian never bowed when he met princes or dukes. When others urged him, he answered, "Are eagles and falcons companions of barnyard fowl? Why bow and make yourself familiar with them?" Besides, the censor is the ruler's eyes and ears—he ought to keep his distance. On first taking office as left vice director, he memorialized: "Your Majesty chooses the man for the post, and leaves the post empty rather than fill it with the wrong man." Now you hand me fine brocade and bid me cut the garment—this shows how deeply Your Majesty knows me, and it is the moment when your servant must give his all. He restored order to the statutes, and the court grew grave and disciplined.

則天臨朝，轉宗正卿，會官名改易，改為司屬卿。光宅元年，分置左、右肅政台，復以思謙為右肅政大夫。大夫舊與御史抗禮，思謙獨坐受其拜。或以為辭，思謙曰：“國家班列，自有差等，奈何以姑息為事耶？ ”垂拱初，賜爵博昌縣男，遷鳳閣鸞台三品。二年，代蘇良嗣為納言。三年，上表告老請致仕。許之，仍加太中大夫。永昌元年九月，卒於家，贈幽州都督。二子：承慶、嗣立。

When Empress Wu took power, he became Director of the Imperial Clan; when titles were revised, the post was renamed Director of Imperial Dependents. In the first year of Guangzhai the Left and Right Su-Zheng platforms were split apart, and Siqian was again named Right Su-Zheng Grandee. By old custom the grandee and the censors exchanged equal courtesies; Siqian alone remained seated and accepted their bows. Some objected, but Siqian said, "The court has its ranks—why make indulgence your policy?" Early in the Chuigong era he was made Baron of Bochang and promoted to third rank in the Fenige Luantai. In his second year he succeeded Su Liangsi as chief counselor. In the third year he memorialized his advanced age and asked to retire. The request was granted, and he was further honored as Grand Master of Palace Counsel. He died at home in the ninth month of the first year of Yongchang and was posthumously named regional commander of Youzhou. He had two sons: Chengqing and Silizhi.

承慶，字延休。少恭謹，事繼母以孝聞。弱冠舉進士，補雍王府參軍。府中文翰，皆出於承慶，辭藻之美，擅於一時。累遷太子司議郎。儀鳳四年五月，詔皇太子賢監國。時太子頗近聲色，與戶奴等款狎，承慶上書諫曰：

Chengqing, styled Yingxiu, was from youth respectful and careful, and won renown for treating his stepmother with filial devotion. At twenty he took the jinshi degree and became adjutant in the household of the Prince of Yong. Every document in the prince's household came from Chengqing's pen; for a time none could rival the grace of his prose. He rose through several posts to remonstrator in the heir apparent's household. In the fifth month of the fourth year of Yifeng, Crown Prince Xian was ordered to supervise the realm. The crown prince had grown fond of music and women and kept close company with household slaves; Chengqing submitted a memorial of remonstrance:

臣聞太子者，君之貳，國之本也。所以承宗廟之重，係億兆之心，萬國以貞，四海屬望。殿下以仁孝之德，明睿之姿，嶽峙泉渟，金貞玉裕。天皇升殿下以儲副，寄殿下以監撫，欲使照無不及，恩無不覃，百僚仰重曜之暉，萬姓聞洊雷之響。

I have heard that the crown prince is the ruler's second self and the foundation of the state. He bears the weight of the ancestral shrines and holds the hearts of the myriad people; all lands look to him for steadiness, and the four seas fix their hopes upon him. Your Highness combines benevolence and filial piety with bright intelligence—steady as a mountain, deep as a spring, firm as gold, generous as jade. His Majesty has raised you as heir and entrusted you with oversight of the realm, that your light may leave nothing in shadow and your grace reach every corner; officials look to you as to a second sun, and the people listen for your voice as for rolling thunder.

夫君無民，無以保其位；人非食，無以全其生。故孔子曰：“百姓足，君孰與不足；百姓不足，君孰與足？ ”自頃年已來，頻有水旱，菽粟不能豐稔，黎庶自致煎窮。今夏亢陽，米價騰踴，貧窶之室，無以自資，朝夕遑遑，唯憂餒饉。下人之瘼，實可哀矜，稼穡艱難，所宜詳悉。天皇所以垂衣北極，殿下所以守器東宮，為天下之所尊，得天下之所利者，豈唯上玄之幽讚，亦百姓之力也。百姓危，則社稷不得獨安。百姓亂，則帝王不能獨理。故古之明君，飽而知人饑，溫而知人寒，每以天下為憂，不以四海為樂。今關、隴之外，凶寇憑淩，西土編，凋喪將盡，干戈日用，烽柝薦興，千里有勞於饋糧，三農不遑於稼穡。殿下為臣為子，乃國乃家。為臣在於竭忠，為子期於盡孝。在家不可以自逸，在國不可以自康。一物有虧，聖上每留神念；三邊或梗，殿下豈不兢懷。況當養德之秋，非是任情之日。

A ruler without the people cannot keep his throne; and the people without food cannot live. Confucius said, "When the people have enough, how can the ruler alone lack?" When the people lack, how can the ruler alone have enough?" In recent years floods and droughts have come again and again; harvests have failed, and the people have been driven to destitution. This summer's drought has sent grain prices soaring; poor families cannot support themselves and live from hour to hour in dread of famine. The suffering of the humble is truly pitiable, and the hardships of the fields deserve your close attention. His Majesty rules from the north and you guard the heir's charge in the eastern palace; the honor and benefit you receive from the realm come not from heaven alone but from the people's strength as well. When the people are in peril, the state cannot stand secure by itself. When the people fall into disorder, the throne cannot govern alone. The sage rulers of old, though well fed, knew others starved; though warm, knew others froze; they made the realm their worry, not the four seas their playground. Beyond Guan and Long fierce enemies press the frontier; the people of the west are dying off, war is daily, beacon fires never cease, supply lines strain for a thousand li, and farmers have no time left for the fields. You are at once a subject and a son—the state and the family rest on you alike. As a subject you must give your utmost loyalty; as a son you must fulfill your utmost filial duty. At home you may not indulge ease; in the realm you may not indulge comfort. If anything goes wrong, His Majesty always takes it to heart; if the frontiers are blocked, how can Your Highness fail to be vigilant? This is the season to cultivate virtue, not the time to follow whim.

伏承北門之內，造作不常，玩好所營，或有煩費。倡優雜伎，不息於前，鼓吹繁聲，亟聞於外，既喧聽覽，且黷宮闈。兼之仆隸小人，緣此得親左右，亦既奉承顏色，能不恃托恩光。作福作威，莫不由此，不加防慎，必有愆非。儻使微累德音，於後悔之何及？《書》云：“不作無益害有益。 ”此皆無益之事，固不可耽而悅之。

I understand that within the palace there is unceasing construction, and your amusements may entail wasteful expense. Singers, actors, and variety performers never leave your sight; drums and pipes sound without cease; they deafen the court and profane the inner quarters. Servants and petty men use these pleasures to draw near you; once they have won your favor, they will surely trade on your grace. Blessing and authority alike flow from such company; without caution, wrongdoing is sure to follow. If your good name should suffer the slightest blemish, what use will regret be afterward? The Book of Documents says, "Do not do what is useless to the harm of what is useful." These are all useless pursuits and must not be indulged or enjoyed.

臣又聞“高而不危，所以長守貴；滿而不溢，所以長守富。 ”是知高危不可不慎，滿溢不可不持。《易》曰：“君子終日乾乾，夕惕若厲，無咎。 ”敬慎之謂也。在於凡庶，參守而行之，猶可以高振聲華，坐致榮祿。況殿下有少陽之位，有天挺之姿，片善而天下必聞，小能而天下咸服，豈可不為盡善盡美之道，以取可大可久之名哉！伏願博覽經書以廣其德，屏退聲色以抑其情。靜默無為，恬虛寡欲，非禮勿動，非法不言。居處服玩，必循節儉；畋獵遊娛，不為縱逞。正人端士，必引而親之；便僻側媚，必斥而遠之。使惠聲溢於遠近，仁風翔於內外，則可以克享終吉，長保利貞，為上嗣之稱首，奉聖人之鴻業者矣。

I have also heard, "Stand high yet avoid peril, and you may long keep your nobility;" "be full yet never overflow, and you may long keep your wealth." Hence height and peril demand caution, and fullness demands restraint. The Book of Changes says, "The noble man strives all day and at evening is wary as if in danger—then he is without blame." That is what reverence and caution mean. Even ordinary men who live by this may raise their renown and win rank and emolument. You hold the heir's place and heaven-given gifts: a single good act is heard throughout the realm, a small talent wins universal respect. How can you fail to pursue what is wholly good and beautiful and win a name that will endure? I beg you to read the classics widely and enlarge your virtue, and to put aside music and women and restrain your passions. Be still and unforced, calm and sparing in desire; do nothing against ritual, speak nothing against law. In dwelling, dress, and ornaments, hold to frugality; in hunting and pastimes, do not give way to excess. Draw upright men and proper scholars near you; drive away the smooth, the crooked, and the fawning. Let your gracious name spread far and near and humane influence fill the realm within and without, and you may enjoy lasting good fortune, preserve profit and constancy, stand first among heirs, and inherit the sage sovereign's great enterprise.

又嚐為《諭善箴》以獻太子。太子善之，賜物甚厚。承慶又以人之用心，多擾濁浮躁，罕詣衝和之境，乃著《靈台賦》以廣其誌，辭多不載。

He also wrote an "Admonition on Goodness" and presented it to the crown prince. The crown prince praised it and rewarded him generously. Chengqing also observed that men's minds are usually restless and turbid and rarely attain serene harmony; he wrote the "Rhapsody on the Spirit Terrace" to set forth his views, but most of the text is omitted here.

調露初，東宮廢，出為烏程令，風化大行。長壽中，累遷鳳閣舍人，兼掌天官選事。承慶屬文迅捷，雖軍國大事，下筆輒成，未嚐起草。尋坐忤大臣旨，出為沂州刺史。未幾，詔復舊職，依前掌天官選事。久之，以病免，改授太子諭德。後曆豫、虢等州刺史，頗著聲績，制書褒美。長安初，入為司仆少卿，轉天官侍郎，兼修國史。承慶自天授以來，三掌天官選事，銓授平允，海內稱之。尋拜鳳閣侍郎、同鳳閣鸞台平章事，仍依舊兼修國史。神龍初，坐附推張易之弟昌宗失實，配流嶺表。時易之等既伏誅，承慶去巾解帶而待罪。時欲草赦書，眾議以為無如承慶者，乃召承慶為之。承慶神色不撓，援筆而成，辭甚典美，當時鹹歎服之。歲餘，起授辰州刺史，未之任，入為秘書員外少監，兼修國史。尋以修《則天實錄》之功，賜爵扶陽縣子，賚物五百段。又製撰《則天皇后紀聖文》，中宗稱善，特加銀青光祿大夫。俄授黃門侍郎，仍依舊兼修國史，未拜而卒。中宗傷悼久之，乃召其弟相州刺史嗣立令赴葬事，仍拜黃門侍郎，令繼兄位，其見用如此。贈秘書監，諡曰溫。子長裕，膳部員外郎。

When Tiaolu began, the crown prince was deposed; Chengqing was posted as magistrate of Wucheng, where he carried out a great moral transformation. During the Changshou era he rose to attendant of the Fenige and concurrently oversaw personnel selection in the Ministry of Personnel. Chengqing wrote with extraordinary speed; even on weighty matters of state, his compositions were finished at a stroke, and he never needed a draft. Soon afterward he offended the senior ministers and was posted out as prefect of Yi. Not long after, an edict restored him to his former office, and he again oversaw personnel selection in the Ministry of Personnel. After some time illness forced his retirement, and he was reassigned as mentor to the crown prince. He later served successively as prefect of Yu, Guo, and other prefectures, winning notable distinction, and received imperial commendations. Early in the Chang'an era he was appointed vice minister of the Court of the Imperial Stud, then transferred to vice minister of the Ministry of Personnel while also serving as a compiler of the national history. From the Tianshou era onward Chengqing had thrice overseen personnel selection; his appointments were fair and impartial, and he was praised throughout the realm. He was soon made vice minister of the Fenige and associate chief minister, continuing to compile the national history as before. Early in the Shenlong era he was condemned for falsely implicating Zhang Changzong, Zhang Yizhi's younger brother, in an impeachment, and was exiled to the far south. By then Zhang Yizhi and his faction had already been executed; Chengqing removed his cap and belt and waited to accept punishment. When the court needed to draft an amnesty edict, everyone agreed no one could do it better than Chengqing, and he was summoned to write it. Chengqing showed not the slightest unease; he took up his brush and the draft was finished at once—elegant and polished—and all who witnessed it admired him. More than a year later he was recalled and appointed prefect of Chen, but before assuming the post he was made acting vice director of the Secretariat and again charged with compiling the national history. Soon afterward, for compiling the Veritable Records of Empress Wu, he was ennobled as Viscount of Fuyang County and given five hundred rolls of goods. He also composed the "Commemorative Text on the Sagely Virtue of Empress Zetian"; Zhongzong praised it and specially promoted him to Grand Master with the Silver Seal and Blue Ribbon. He was soon appointed vice minister of the Huangmen and was still compiling the national history, but he died before he could take up the new post. Zhongzong mourned him deeply, summoned his younger brother Silizhi, then prefect of Xiang, to oversee the funeral, and appointed him vice minister of the Huangmen to succeed his brother's office—such was the esteem in which the family was held. He was posthumously made director of the Secretariat, with the posthumous epithet Wen. His son Changyu served as a staff officer in the Ministry of Rites.

嗣立，承慶異母弟也。母王氏，遇承慶甚嚴，每有杖罰，嗣立必解衣請代，母不聽，輒私自杖，母察知之，漸加恩貸，議者比晉從王祥、王覽。少舉進士，累補雙流令，政有殊績，為蜀中之最。三遷萊蕪令。會承慶自鳳閣舍人以疾去職，則天召嗣立謂曰：“卿父往日嚐謂朕曰‘臣有兩男忠孝，堪事陛下。 ’自卿兄弟效職，如卿父言。今授卿鳳閣舍人，令卿兄弟自相替代。 ”即日遷鳳閣舍人。

Silizhi was Chengqing's half-brother. Their mother, Lady Wang, was very strict with Chengqing; whenever he was to be beaten, Silizhi would bare his back and beg to take the punishment in his stead. When she refused, he would beat himself in secret. Once she found out, she grew more lenient with Chengqing. Commentators likened the brothers to Wang Xiang and Wang Lan of Jin. He passed the jinshi examination in his youth, served successively as magistrate of Shuangliu with outstanding results, and ranked first among officials in Shu. After three promotions he was made magistrate of Laiwu. When Chengqing resigned as Fenige attendant on account of illness, Empress Wu summoned Silizhi and said, "Your father once told me, 'I have two sons, loyal and filial, fit to serve Your Majesty. ' Since you and your brother have taken office, it has been just as your father said. I now appoint you Fenige attendant, so that you and your brother may take turns in the post. " That same day he was promoted to Fenige attendant.

時學校頹廢，刑法濫酷，嗣立上疏諫曰：

At that time schools had fallen into ruin and the law had grown cruel and excessive; Silizhi submitted a memorial of remonstrance, saying:

臣聞古先哲王立學官，掌教國子以六德、六行、六藝，三教備而人道畢矣。《禮記》曰：“化人成俗，必由學乎。 ”學之於人，其用蓋博。故立太學以教於國，設庠序以化於邑，王之諸子、卿大夫士之子及國之俊選皆造焉。八歲入小學，十五入太學。春秋教以《禮》、《樂》，冬夏教以《詩》、《書》。是以教洽而化流，行成而不悖。自天子以至於庶人，未有不須學而成者也。

I have heard that the sage kings of antiquity established schools to teach the sons of the state the six virtues, six modes of conduct, and six arts; when these three teachings were complete, the full way of humanity was realized. The Book of Rites says, "To transform people and shape custom, one must begin with learning. " Learning's uses for human beings are far-reaching indeed. Therefore they established the Grand Academy to teach the realm and founded local schools to transform the districts; the king's sons, the sons of ministers and officials, and the state's most promising candidates all attended. At eight they entered primary school; at fifteen they entered the Grand Academy. In spring and autumn they were taught the Rites and Music; in winter and summer they were taught the Odes and Documents. Thus instruction reached everywhere and moral transformation spread; conduct was formed and did not stray from the right path. From the Son of Heaven down to the common people, none could be fully formed without learning.

國家自永淳已來，二十餘載，國學廢散，胄子衰缺，時輕儒學之官，莫存章句之選。貴門後進，競以僥幸升班；寒族常流，復因淩替弛業。考試之際，秀茂罕登，驅之臨人，何以從政？又垂拱之後，文明在辰，盛典鴻休，日書月至，因藉際會，入仕尤多。加以讒邪凶黨來俊臣之屬，妄執威權，恣行枉陷，正直之伍，死亡為憂，道路以目，人無固誌，罕有執不撓之懷，殉至公之節，偷安苟免，聊以卒歲。遂使綱領不振，請托公行，選舉之曹，彌長渝濫。隨班少經術之士，攝職多庸瑣之才，徒以猛暴相誇，罕能清惠自勖。使海內黔首，騷然不安，州縣官僚，貪鄙未息，而望事必循理，俗致康寧，不可得也。陛下誠能下明製，發德音，廣開庠序，大敦學校，三館生徒，即令追集。王公已下子弟，不容別求仕進，皆入國學，服膺訓典。崇飾館廟，尊尚儒師，盛陳奠菜之儀，宏敷講說之會，使士庶觀聽，有所發揚，弘獎道德，於是乎在。則四海之內，靡然向風，延頸舉足，鹹知所向。然後審持衡鏡，妙擇良能，以之臨人，寄之調俗。則官無侵暴之政，人有安樂之心，居人則相與樂業，百姓則皆戀桑梓，豈復憂其逃散而貧窶哉！今天下戶口，亡逃過半，租調既減，國用不足。理人之急，尤切於茲。故知務學之源，豈唯潤身進德而已？將以誨人利國，可不務之哉！

For more than twenty years since the Yongchun era, the national academy has lain abandoned, its students dwindled and dispersed; the age has slighted Confucian learning, and no one any longer selects officials by mastery of the classics. Young men from noble families competed to advance by sheer luck; while men from humble families, worn down by hardship, abandoned their studies altogether. At examination time, outstanding talent rarely succeeds; if such men are sent out to govern, how can they administer affairs? Moreover, after Chuigong, when the age was at its height of civilization, grand ceremonies and glorious blessings followed one after another, and many seized the moment to enter office. To this was added the slanderous and vicious faction led by Lai Junchen, who usurped power and freely framed the innocent; upright men lived in constant fear of death, people averted their eyes in the streets, and few held to unwavering integrity or sacrificed themselves for the public good—they merely sought safety and drifted through the year. As a result governance slackened, patronage ran rampant, and the appointment offices grew ever more corrupt. Those advancing through the ranks had little knowledge of the classics, while those holding office were mostly petty mediocrities, boasting only of severity and violence and rarely striving for cleanness and kindness. This left the common people throughout the realm in restless turmoil, official greed unchecked, and made orderly governance and peaceful customs impossible. If Your Majesty would issue clear edicts and proclaim benevolent decrees, widely reopen the schools, greatly revive learning, and immediately recall the students of the three halls, sons of princes and dukes must not seek office by other routes but must all enter the national academy and devote themselves to the canonical teachings. Adorn the academies, honor Confucian teachers, hold solemn sacrificial ceremonies and grand lectures, and let scholars and commoners witness them and be inspired—thus moral cultivation would be greatly encouraged. Then throughout the realm all would turn toward virtue, every eye and every step knowing where to go. Then carefully weigh merit and select the truly capable, appoint them to govern the people, and charge them with transforming local customs. Then officials would govern without oppression, and the people would live in contentment; residents would gladly pursue their occupations, and common folk would cherish their native places—who would then fear flight, dispersal, and poverty! Today more than half the registered households under Heaven have fled; tax revenues have fallen, and state funds are insufficient. The urgency of governing the people bears most pressingly on this point. Thus one sees that the root of learning is not merely to enrich oneself and advance in virtue— it is also to instruct the people and benefit the state. How can it be neglected!

臣聞堯、舜之日，畫其衣冠；文、景之時，幾致刑措。曆茲千載，以為美談。臣伏惟陛下睿哲欽明，窮神知化，自軒、昊已降，莫之與京。獨有往之論法，或未盡善，皆由主司奸凶，惑亂視聽。尋而陛下聖察，具詳之矣，然竟未能顯其本源，明其前事，令天下萬姓識陛下本心，尚使四海多銜冤之人，九泉有抱痛之鬼。臣誠愚暗，不識大綱，請為陛下始末而言其事。

I have heard that in the days of Yao and Shun, punishment amounted to no more than depicting the offenders' garb; and in the reigns of Emperor Wen and Emperor Jing of Han, capital punishment was nearly abolished altogether. For a thousand years these have been held up as shining examples. I humbly consider that Your Majesty is wise, reverent, and discerning, penetrating the workings of spirit and transformation; since the sage kings Xuanyuan and Haohao, none has equaled you. Only in the administration of law in times past was the practice perhaps not wholly good—and this was entirely because wicked officials in charge confused what reached your eyes and ears. Your Majesty's sage scrutiny has since fully examined the matter, yet the root cause has still not been made clear nor past wrongs fully explained, so that the people under Heaven may know your true intent; many throughout the realm still harbor grievances, and in the realm below there are spirits who died in pain. I am truly dull and do not grasp the full scope of affairs, but I beg leave to set forth the matter for Your Majesty from beginning to end.

揚、豫之後，刑獄漸興，用法之伍，務於窮竟，連坐相牽，數年不絕。遂使巨奸大猾伺隙乘間，內苞豺狼之心，外示鷹鸇之跡，陰圖潛結，共相影會，構似是之言，成不赦之罪。皆深為巧詆，恣行楚毒，人不勝痛，便乞自誣，公卿士庶，連頸受戮。道路籍籍，雖知非辜，而鍛練已成，辯占皆合。縱皋陶為理，於公定刑，則謂汙宮毀柩，猶未塞責。雖陛下仁慈哀念，恤獄緩死，及覽辭狀，便已周密，皆謂勘鞫得情，是其實犯，雖欲寬舍，其如法何？於是小乃身誅，大則族滅，相緣共坐者，不可勝言。此豈宿構仇嫌，將申報復，皆圖苟成功效，自求官賞。當時稱傳，謂為羅織。其中陷刑得罪者，雖有敏識通材，被告言者便遭枉抑，心徒痛其冤酷，口莫能以自明。或受誅夷，或遭竄殛，並甘心引分，赴之如歸。故知弄法徒文，傷人實甚。賴陛下特回聖察，昭然詳究。周興、丘勣之類，弘義、俊臣之徒，皆相次伏誅，事暴遐邇，而朝野慶泰，若再睹陽和。且如仁傑、元忠，俱罹枉陷，被勘鞫之際，亦皆已自誣。向非陛下至明，垂以省察，則菹醢之戮，已及其身，欲望輸忠聖代，安可復得！陛下擢而升之，各為良輔，國之棟幹，稱此二人。何乃前非而後是哉？誠由枉陷與甄明爾。但恐往之得罪者多並此流，則向時之冤者其數甚眾。昔殺一孝婦，尚或降災。而濫者蓋多，寧無怨氣！怨氣上達則水旱所興，欲望歲登，不可得也。

After the Yang and Yu reign periods, criminal prosecutions gradually multiplied; those who applied the law strove to pursue cases to the end, implicating associates in endless chains that continued for years. Thus great villains watched for openings; inwardly they harbored wolfish hearts while outwardly they showed the ferocity of hawks and falcons; they plotted in secret, colluded with one another, fabricated plausible accusations, and fashioned unpardonable crimes. They practiced cunning slander and freely inflicted cruel torture; unable to bear the pain, victims begged to confess falsely; ministers, officials, and commoners alike were led to execution in chains. Rumor spread along the roads; though people knew the accused were innocent, the fabricated evidence was complete and every confession and oracle matched. Even if Gao Yao himself were to judge the case and Yu Gong to fix the sentence, it would be said that defiling the palace and destroying the coffin still fell short of the debt owed. Though Your Majesty was benevolent and compassionate, pitying prisoners and deferring executions, when you reviewed the case records they appeared thorough and complete; all said the investigation had obtained the truth and the crimes were real—how could you show leniency when the law seemed to forbid it? Thus in lesser cases the accused were executed, in greater cases entire clans were exterminated; those implicated and punished jointly are beyond counting. This was not born of old grudges seeking revenge; all schemed merely to achieve results and win office and reward for themselves. At the time people called this practice "fabricated nets." Among those condemned, even men of keen insight and broad talent, once accused, immediately suffered wrongful suppression; they grieved at the injustice in their hearts but could not speak to clear themselves. Some were executed, some banished or put to sudden death; all willingly accepted their fate and went to it as if returning home. Thus one sees that manipulating the law with empty formalities inflicts grave harm upon people. Thanks to Your Majesty's specially turning your sage scrutiny to the matter, the truth was clearly and thoroughly investigated. Men like Zhou Xing and Qiu Ji, and the followers of Hongyi and Lai Junchen, were executed one after another; the affair was exposed far and wide, and court and countryside rejoiced as if beholding the warm spring sun again. Moreover, men such as Di Renjie and Yuan Zhong both suffered wrongful entrapment; under interrogation they too had already falsely confessed. Had Your Majesty not been supremely discerning and extended your scrutiny, they would already have suffered execution by dismemberment; how then could they ever again devote loyal service to this sage age! Your Majesty raised and promoted them; each became a fine minister and a pillar of the state—such are these two men. Why were they condemned before and vindicated afterward? Truly it was because of wrongful entrapment on the one hand and discerning clarification on the other. But I fear that many of those condemned in the past belong to this same category; the number of wrongfully punished must then be very great indeed. In antiquity, the execution of even one filial woman could bring down calamity. Yet those wrongly condemned were surely many—how could there be no resentment! When resentment reaches Heaven, flood and drought follow; to hope for abundant harvests is then impossible.

倘陛下弘天地之大德，施雷雨之深仁，歸罪於削刻之徒，降恩於枉濫之伍。自垂拱已來，大辟罪已下，常赦所不原者，罪無輕重，一皆原洗，被以昭蘇。伏法之輩，追還官爵，緣累之徒，普沾恩造。如此則天下知此所陷罪，元非陛下之意，鹹是虐吏之辜。幽明歡欣，則感通和氣；和氣下降，則風雨以時；風雨以時，則五穀豐稔；歲既稔矣，人亦安矣。太平之美，亦何遠哉！伏願陛下深察。

If Your Majesty would magnify the great virtue of Heaven and Earth and bestow the deep benevolence of thunder and rain, assign guilt to the harsh persecutors, and extend grace to the wrongly condemned, from Chuigong onward, for capital crimes and below, even those normally excluded from ordinary amnesties—regardless of severity—all would be pardoned and restored to life. Those who suffered execution would have their offices and ranks restored, and those implicated by association would all share in your grace. Then all under Heaven would know that the crimes for which they were condemned were never Your Majesty's intent but entirely the fault of cruel officials. When the living and the dead rejoice together, harmonious qi responds; when harmonious qi descends, wind and rain come in season; when wind and rain come in season, the five grains flourish; when harvests are abundant, the people are at peace. The beauty of great peace—how far off can it be! I humbly beg Your Majesty to consider this deeply.

尋遷秋官侍郎，三過鳳閣侍郎、同鳳閣鸞台平章事。長安中，則天嚐與宰臣議及州縣官吏，納言李嶠、夏官尚書唐休璟等奏曰：“臣等謬膺大任，不能使兵革止息，倉府殷盈，戶口尚有逋逃，官人未免貪濁，使陛下臨朝軫歎，屢以為言，夙夜慚惶，不知啟處。伏思當今要務，莫過富國安人。富國安人之方，在擇刺史。竊見朝廷物議，莫不重內官，輕外職，每除授牧伯，皆再三披訴。比來所遣外任，多是貶累之人，風俗不澄，實由於此。今望於台閣寺監，妙簡賢良，分典大州，共康庶績。臣等請輟近侍，率先具僚，務在憂國濟人，庶當有所補益。 ”則天曰：“卿等處鸞台鳳閣，誰為此行？ ”嗣立率先對曰：“臣以庸愚，謬膺獎擢，內掌機密，非臣所堪。承乏外台，庶當盡節，倘垂采錄，臣願此行。 ”於是嗣立帶本官檢校汴州刺史。

Soon afterward he was transferred to vice minister of the Ministry of Justice, and three times served as vice minister of the Fenige and associate chief minister. During the Chang'an era, Empress Wu once discussed prefectural and county officials with her chief ministers; Chief Minister Li Qiao, Minister of War Tang Xiujing, and others memorialized, saying, "We have undeservedly received great responsibility yet cannot halt warfare, fill the granaries, stop the flight of registered households, or keep officials from greed and corruption—so that Your Majesty sighs at court and speaks of this repeatedly; day and night we are ashamed and do not know what to do. We humbly consider that among the urgent tasks of the day, none surpass enriching the state and securing the people. The way to enrich the state and secure the people lies in selecting good prefects. We have observed that court opinion universally values capital appointments and slighted provincial posts; whenever a prefectural appointment is made, officials repeatedly plead and protest. Recently those sent to provincial posts have mostly been men under demotion or implicated in others' crimes; that local customs have not improved stems truly from this. We ask that worthy men be carefully chosen from among the central ministries and directorates, assigned to govern major prefectures, and together restore good order throughout the realm. We ask to leave our posts at court, take the lead among our colleagues, devote ourselves to serving the state and helping the people, and thereby bring some real benefit. Empress Wu said, "You hold office in the Secretariat — who among you will undertake this appointment?" Sili answered first: "I am a mediocre and unworthy man who was undeservedly promoted; I am not fit to handle state secrets at court." If I may fill a provincial post, I will do my utmost; should Your Majesty approve, I am willing to go. Sili was then appointed acting Prefect of Bianzhou while retaining his existing rank.

無幾，嗣立兄承慶入知政事，嗣立轉成均祭酒，兼檢校魏州刺史。又徙洺州刺史。尋坐承慶左授饒州長史。歲餘，徵為太仆少卿，兼掌吏部選事。神龍二年，為相州刺史。及承慶卒，代為黃門侍郎，轉太府卿，加修文館學士。

Soon afterward Sili's elder brother Chengqing entered the chief council; Sili became Superintendent of the Directorate of Education and acting Prefect of Weizhou. He was later transferred to Prefect of Mingzhou. Soon he was demoted because of Chengqing's fall and appointed Senior Administrator of Raozhou. After more than a year he was recalled as Vice Minister of the Stud and put in charge of personnel selection at the Ministry of Personnel. In 706 he was appointed Prefect of Xiangzhou. When Chengqing died, he succeeded him as Vice Minister of the Chancellery, then became Minister of the Court of the Imperial Treasury and was made a Scholar of the Xiuxuan Pavilion.

景龍三年，轉兵部尚書、同中書門下三品。時中宗崇飾寺觀，又濫食封邑者眾，國用虛竭。嗣立上疏諫曰：

In 709 he was made Minister of War and appointed Associate Grand Counselor. At that time Emperor Zhongzong lavishly decorated temples and monasteries, fief incomes were granted indiscriminately, and the treasury was drained dry. Sili submitted a memorial of remonstrance, saying:

臣聞國無九年之儲，家無三年之蓄，家非其家，國非其國。故知立國立家，皆資於儲蓄矣。夫水旱之災，關之陰陽運數，非人智力所能及也。堯遭大水，湯遭大旱，則知仁聖之君所不能免，當此時不至於困弊者，積也。今陛下倉庫之內，比稍空竭，尋常用度，不支一年。倘有水旱，人須賑給，徵發時動，兵要資裝，則將何以備之？其緣倉庫不實，妨於政化者，觸類而是。

I have heard it said that when a state has no nine years' reserves and a household no three years' savings, neither household nor state can endure. This shows that both states and households depend upon reserves. Floods and droughts belong to the workings of yin and yang and the cycles of fate, beyond what human wisdom can control. Yao suffered great floods and Tang a severe drought — even sage rulers cannot escape such calamities; that they did not collapse in those times was because they had built up reserves. Your Majesty's granaries and treasuries are nearly empty; ordinary expenditures will not suffice for even a year. If flood or drought strikes, people must be fed; when levies and campaigns are called, armies must be equipped — how will you meet these needs? Every kind of harm to good governance that stems from empty treasuries applies here.

臣竊見比者營造寺觀，其數極多，皆務取宏博，競崇環麗。大則費耗百十萬，小則尚用三五萬餘，略計都用資財，動至千萬已上。轉運木石，人牛不停，廢人功，害農務，事既非急，時多怨谘。故《書》曰：“不作無益害有益，功乃成；不貴異物賤用物，民乃足。 ”誠哉此言，非虛談也。且玄旨秘妙，歸於空寂，苟非修心定慧，諸法皆涉有為。至如土木雕刻等功，唯是殫竭人力，但學相誇壯麗，豈關降伏身心。且凡所興功，皆須掘鑿，蟄蟲在土，種類實多。每日殺傷，動盈萬計，連年如此，損害可知。聖人慈悲為心，豈有須行此事，不然之理，皎在目前。世俗眾僧，未通其旨，不慮府庫空竭，不思聖人憂勞，謂廣樹福田，即是增修法教。倘水旱為災，人至饑餒，夷狄作梗，兵無資糧，陛下雖有龍象如雲，伽藍概日，豈能裨萬分之一，救元元之苦哉！於道法既有乖，在生人極為損，陛下豈可不深思之！

I observe that temple and monastery construction has proliferated lately, each project striving for grandeur and competing in splendor. Large projects cost a million or more; even small ones run to thirty or fifty thousand — altogether, expenditures easily exceed ten million. Timber and stone are hauled without cease, wasting labor and harming agriculture — all for projects that are not urgent, yet provoking widespread resentment. Thus the Book of Documents says: "Do nothing useless that would harm what is useful, and your work will succeed; Do not prize exotic things and neglect what is useful, and the people will have enough." These words are true, not idle talk. The deepest teachings of the Way return to emptiness and stillness; unless one cultivates the mind through meditation and wisdom, all religious practices remain mere worldly exertion. Building in earth and wood, carving and ornament — these only exhaust labor and teach rivals to outdo one another in grandeur; they have nothing to do with mastering the self. Moreover, every construction project requires digging, and countless kinds of creatures lie dormant in the earth. Each day tens of thousands are killed; continued year after year, the damage is obvious. The sage's heart is compassion — surely there is no reason to do such things; that this is wrong is plain for all to see. Ordinary monks, failing to grasp this teaching, never worry about empty treasuries or the ruler's burdens — they believe that building more temples is itself deepening the faith. If flood and drought bring famine, barbarians raid, and armies lack provisions — though you had monks as countless as clouds and monasteries blotting out the sun, could they relieve one ten-thousandth of the people's suffering? This deviates from the true Way and deeply harms the living — Your Majesty must weigh this carefully!

臣竊見食封之家，其數甚眾。昨略問戶部，雲用六十餘萬丁，一丁兩匹，即是一百二十萬已上。臣頃在太府，知每年庸調絹數，多不過百萬，少則七八十萬已來，比諸封家，所入全少。倘有蟲霜旱澇，曾不半在，國家支供，何以取給？臣聞自封茅土，裂山河，皆須業著經綸，功申草昧，然後配宗廟之享，承帶礪之恩。皇運之初，功臣共定天下，當時食封才上三二十家，今以尋常特恩，遂至百家已上。國家租賦，太半私門，私門則資用有餘，國家則支計不足。有餘則或致奢侈，不足則坐致憂危，製國之方，豈謂為得？封戶之物，諸家自徵，或是官典，或是奴仆，多挾勢騁威，淩突州縣。凡是封戶，不勝侵擾，或輸物多索裹頭，或相知要取中物，百姓怨歎，遠近共知。復有因將貨易，轉更生釁，徵打紛紛，曾不寧息，貧乏百姓，何以克堪！若必限丁物送太府，封家但於左藏請受，不得輒自征催，則必免侵擾，人冀蘇息。

I observe that the number of fief-holding households has grown very large. I recently asked the Ministry of Revenue: they reported over six hundred thousand able-bodied men levied, at two bolts of silk per man — more than 1.2 million bolts in all. When I served at the Court of the Imperial Treasury, I knew that annual revenue from labor and land taxes totaled at most a million bolts, sometimes only seventy or eighty thousand — far less than what fief holders receive. If insects, frost, drought, or flood cut the harvest by half, how will the state meet its obligations? I have heard that fiefs and territorial grants are given only to those whose achievements in ordering the realm were proven at the dynasty's founding — and only then do they receive ancestral temple honors and the covenant of the girdle and whetstone. When the dynasty was founded, meritorious ministers together won the realm — only twenty or thirty families held fiefs; now, through routine special favors, their number exceeds a hundred. More than half the state's tax revenue now goes to private households, leaving them abundantly supplied while the government falls short. Surplus breeds extravagance; shortfall brings crisis — is this a sound way to govern? Fief income is collected by each household itself — by agents or by servants — who often abuse their power and bully local officials. Fief households suffer constant harassment — inflated delivery charges, kickbacks demanded by intermediaries — and the people's grievances are known everywhere. Trade disputes lead to new violence; constant seizures and beatings never cease — how can poor common people endure it? If tribute per household were sent directly to the treasury and fief holders drew their share from the Left Treasury without collecting it themselves, harassment would cease and the people could recover.

臣又聞設官分職，量事置吏，此本於理人而務安之也。故《書》曰“在官人，在安人。官人則哲，安人則惠。能哲而惠，何憂乎歡兜，何畏乎有苗”者也！是明官得其人，而天下自理矣。古者取人，必先采鄉曲之譽，然後辟於州郡；州郡有聲，然後辟於五府；才著五府，然後升之天朝。此則用一人所擇者甚悉，擢一士所曆者甚深。孔子曰：“譬有美錦，不可使人學製。 ”此明用人不可不審擇也。用得其才則理，非其才則亂，理亂所設，焉可不深擇之哉！今之取人，有異此道。多未甚試效，即頓至遷擢。夫趨競者人之常情，僥幸人之所趣。而今務進不避僥幸者，接踵比肩，布於文武之列。有文者用理內外，則有回邪贓汙上下敗亂之憂；有武者用將軍戎，則有庸懦怯弱師旅喪亡之患。補授無限，員闕不供，遂至員外置官，數倍正闕。曹署典吏，困於祗承，府庫倉儲，竭於資奉。國家大事，豈甚於此！古者懸爵待士，唯有才者得之，若任用無才，則有才之路塞，賢人君子所以遁跡銷聲，常懷歎恨者也。且賢人君子，守於正直之道，遠於僥幸之門，若僥幸開，則賢者不可復出矣。賢者遂退，若欲求人安化洽，復不可得也。人若不安，國將危矣，陛下安可不深慮之！又刺史、縣令，理人之首。近年已來，不存簡擇。京官有犯及聲望下者，方遣牧州；吏部選人，暮年無手筆者，方擬縣令。此風久扇，上下同知，將此理人，何以率化？今歲非豐稔，戶口流亡，國用空虛，租調減削。陛下不以此留念，將何以理國乎？臣望下明製，具論前事，使有司改換簡擇，天下刺史、縣令，皆取才能有稱望者充。自今已往，應有遷除諸曹侍郎、兩省、兩台及五品已上清望官，先於刺史、縣令中選用。牧宰得人，天下大理，萬姓欣欣然，豈非太平樂事哉！唯陛下詳擇。

I have also heard that offices are established and officials assigned according to need — the whole purpose is to govern the people and keep them secure. Thus the Book of Documents says: "In appointing officials, in securing the people." "Choose wise men for office, and govern the people with kindness." "With wisdom and kindness combined, what need to fear Huan Dou or dread the Miao?" — so it runs! This shows that when the right men hold office, the realm governs itself. In antiquity, officials were chosen first for local reputation, then summoned to serve in the prefectures; those who distinguished themselves there were recruited to the central ministries; only after proving themselves at court were they promoted to the capital. Thus the selection of a single official was exhaustive, and the testing of a single candidate was thorough. Confucius said: "Fine brocade should not be put into the hands of an untrained craftsman." This shows that appointments must be made with the greatest care. The right talent brings order; the wrong man brings chaos — how can appointment not be made with utmost care? Today's appointments follow a different path entirely. Many are promoted abruptly without having been adequately tested. Ambition is human nature, and luck-seeking is what all pursue. Today those who scramble for advancement by any means crowd the civil and military ranks. Put unworthy literati in charge of governance, and corruption and disorder follow; Put unworthy warriors in command of armies, and troops will be routed through incompetence and cowardice. Appointments know no limit while regular posts go unfilled — supernumerary officials now outnumber authorized posts several times over. Bureau staffs are overwhelmed with ceremonial obligations, and treasuries drained by salaries. Could any matter be more urgent for the state than this! In antiquity offices awaited the worthy — only men of talent received them. When the unworthy are appointed, the talented are shut out; that is why worthy men withdraw from public life, nursing their grievances in silence. Worthy men hold to integrity and shun the path of favor-seeking; once favor-seeking is opened wide, the worthy will not come forward again. Once the worthy withdraw, you cannot hope to secure the people and bring harmony to the realm. When the people are insecure, the state is in danger — Your Majesty must weigh this carefully! Moreover, prefects and magistrates are the foremost officials in governing the people. In recent years no care has been taken in selecting them. Only capital officials who have committed offenses or whose reputation is poor are sent out as prefects; Only Ministry of Personnel candidates who are aging and untalented are slated for county magistrate. This practice has long been known at every level — how can such men lead and transform the people? This has not been a plentiful year; population is fleeing; the treasury is empty; tax revenues are shrinking. If Your Majesty does not heed these matters, how will you govern the realm? I ask that Your Majesty issue clear orders, review these matters in full, and require that prefects and magistrates throughout the realm be chosen from among men of proven talent and reputation. Henceforth, whenever appointing vice ministers, officials of the Two Departments and Two Commissions, or prestigious fifth-rank posts and above, choose first from among serving prefects and magistrates. With the right men governing the provinces, the realm would be well ordered and the people glad — would that not be the joy of true peace! I ask only that Your Majesty choose with care.

疏奏不納。

The memorial was rejected.

嗣立與韋庶人宗屬疏遠，中宗特令編入屬籍，由是顧賞尤重。賞於驪山構營別業，中宗親往幸焉，自製詩序，令從官賦詩，賜絹二千匹。因封嗣立為逍遙公，名其所居為清虛原幽棲穀。韋氏敗，幾為亂兵所害，寧王憲以嗣立是從母之夫，救護免之。睿宗踐祚，拜中書令。尋日，出為許州刺史。以定冊尊立睿宗之功，賜實封一百戶。開元初，入為國子祭酒。先是，中宗遺製睿宗輔政，宗楚客、韋溫等改削槁草，嗣立時在政事府，不能正之。至是為憲司所劾，左遷岳州別駕。久之，遷陳州刺史。時河南道巡察使、工部尚書劉知柔奏嗣立清白可陟之狀，詔命未下，開元七年卒，贈兵部尚書，諡曰孝。中書門下又奏：“嗣立衣冠之內，夙表才名；兄弟之間，特稱和睦。承恩曆事，位列宰臣。中年以不能正身，頗近凶戚，為憲司糾劾，因茲出貶。若循其始，終是吉人，宜棄其瑕，以從眾望。請贈物一百段。 ”從之。

Sili was only distantly related to Consort Wei, but Emperor Zhongzong specially enrolled him in the clan register, and thereafter favored him with exceptional generosity. He was rewarded with an estate built for him at Mount Li; Emperor Zhongzong visited in person, wrote a preface to the occasion, had his officials compose poems, and granted two thousand bolts of silk. Sili was enfeoffed as Duke of Unfettered Ease, and his estate was named the Plain of Pure Emptiness and the Valley of Secluded Dwelling. When the Wei faction fell, he nearly perished at the hands of mutinous soldiers; Prince Xian of Ning, recognizing that Sili was husband to his maternal aunt, rescued him and saved his life. When Emperor Ruizong took the throne, Sili was appointed Director of the Secretariat. Soon afterward he was posted out as Prefect of Xuzhou. For his role in securing the succession and enthroning Emperor Ruizong, he was granted a fief of one hundred actual households. At the start of the Kaiyuan era he was recalled as Chancellor of the Directorate of Education. Earlier, Emperor Zhongzong's death edict had named Emperor Ruizong to assist in government, but Zong Chuke, Wei Wen, and others altered the draft; Sili was then in the chief council and failed to stop them. He was then impeached by the censorate and demoted to Assistant Administrator of Yuezhou. After some time he was transferred to Prefect of Chenzhou. At that time Liu Zhirou, inspection commissioner of the Henan Circuit and Minister of Works, memorialized recommending Sili for promotion on account of his integrity; before the edict was issued, Sili died in 719. He was posthumously made Minister of War and given the posthumous title Filial. The Chancellery and Secretariat further memorialized: "Among officials, Sili had long been known for talent and reputation; among his brothers he was especially noted for harmony. Favored through successive offices, he rose to the rank of chief minister. In middle age, because he failed to keep himself upright, he drew too close to disreputable kin, was impeached by the censorate, and was demoted on that account. If one considers how he began, he was ultimately a good man; his faults should be set aside to satisfy public expectation. We request that one hundred bolts of gifts be granted. The emperor assented.

嗣立、承慶俱以學行齊名。長壽中，嗣立代承慶為鳳閣舍人。長安三年，承慶代嗣立為天官侍郎，頃之又代嗣立知政事。及承慶卒，嗣立又代為黃門侍郎，前後四職相代。又父子三人，皆至宰相。有唐已來，莫與為比。嗣立三子：孚、恒、濟，皆知名。孚，累遷至左司員外郎。恒，開元初為碭山令。為政寬惠，人吏愛之。會車駕東巡，縣當供帳，時山東州縣皆懼不辦，務於鞭撲，恒獨不杖罰而事皆濟理，遠近稱焉。御史中丞宇文融，即恒之姑子也，嚐密薦恒有經濟之才，請以己之官秩回授，乃擢拜殿中侍御史。曆度支左司等員外、太常少卿、給事中。二十九年，為隴右道河西黜陟使。恒至河西時，節度使蓋嘉運恃托中貴，公為非法，兼偽敘功勞，恒抗表請劾之，人代其懼。因出為陳留太守，未行而卒，時人甚傷惜之。濟，早以辭翰聞。開元初，調補鄄城令。時有人密奏玄宗：“今歲吏部選敘太濫，縣令非材，全不簡擇。 ”及縣令謝官日，引入殿庭，問安人策一道，試者二百餘人，獨濟策第一，或有不書紙者。擢濟為醴泉令，二十餘人還舊官，四五十人放歸習讀，侍郎盧從願、李朝隱貶為刺史。濟至醴泉，以簡易為政，人用稱之。三遷為庫部員外郎。二十四年，為尚書戶部侍郎。累歲轉太原尹。製《先德詩》四章，述祖、父之行，辭致高雅。天寶七載，又為河南尹，遷尚書左丞。三代為省轄，衣冠榮之。濟從容雅度，所蒞人推善政，後出為馮翊太守。

Silizhi and Chengqing were both equally renowned for scholarship and character. During the Changshou era, Silizhi succeeded Chengqing as Fenige attendant. In the third year of Chang'an, Chengqing took Silizhi's place as Vice Minister of Personnel; soon afterward he also replaced him in managing state affairs. When Chengqing died, Silizhi again succeeded him as Vice Minister of the Chancellery; in all, four offices passed back and forth between them. Moreover, father and two sons—all three—rose to chief minister. Since the founding of the Tang, none could match them. Silizhi had three sons—Fu, Heng, and Ji—all of whom were well known. Fu rose through successive promotions to Supernumerary Director of the Left Department. Heng served as Magistrate of Dangshan at the beginning of the Kaiyuan era. His administration was lenient and benevolent, and officials and commoners alike loved him. When the emperor toured eastward, the county had to provide for the imperial retinue; counties and prefectures across the eastern provinces feared they could not meet the burden and relied on flogging, but Heng alone used neither staff nor punishment and still got everything done—earning praise far and near. Censor-in-Chief Yuwen Rong, Heng's cousin by marriage, once secretly recommended Heng as a man of statecraft and asked to surrender his own rank in exchange; Heng was then promoted to Attending Censor Within the Palace. He served successively as Supernumerary Director in the Left Department of the Revenue Bureau and other posts, Vice Minister of Ceremonies, and Drafting Attendant. In the twenty-ninth year of Kaiyuan, he was made Inspection Commissioner for Promotion and Demotion in the Hexi region of the Longyou Circuit. When Heng reached Hexi, Military Commissioner Gai Jiayun, leaning on favored eunuchs, abused his office and falsified his record of merit; Heng submitted a memorial demanding his impeachment, and others feared for him. He was therefore posted out as Prefect of Chenliu, but died before he could take up the post; people of the time deeply mourned his loss. Ji was known early on for his literary gifts. At the beginning of Kaiyuan, through regular selection he was appointed Magistrate of Juancheng. At that time someone secretly memorialized Emperor Xuanzong: "This year's Ministry of Personnel selections are far too lax; county magistrates are unqualified and receive no real scrutiny. " On the day the county magistrates took leave of office, they were brought into the palace hall and given one policy question on governing the people; of more than two hundred tested, Ji alone ranked first—some did not even write a line on paper. Ji was promoted to Magistrate of Liquan; more than twenty magistrates kept their posts, forty or fifty were sent home to study, and Vice Ministers Lu Congyuan and Li Chaoyin were demoted to prefects. When Ji took office at Liquan, he governed with simplicity and ease, and the people praised him. After three promotions he became Supernumerary Director of the Treasury Bureau. In the twenty-fourth year of Kaiyuan, he became Vice Minister of Revenue. Over the next several years he was transferred to Governor of Taiyuan. He composed four chapters of Poems of Prior Virtue recounting the conduct of his grandfather and father; the language was refined and elevated. In the seventh year of Tianbao, he again served as Governor of Henan and was transferred to Left Vice Director of the Ministry of Revenue. Three generations served in the central ministries—a distinction the gentry greatly admired. Ji had a calm and dignified bearing; wherever he served, people praised his good governance; later he was posted out as Prefect of Pingyi.

陸元方，蘇州吳縣人。世為著姓。曾祖琛，陳給事中黃門侍郎。伯父柬之，以工書知名，官至太子司議郎。元方舉明經，又應八科舉，累轉監察御史。則天革命，使元方安輯嶺外。將涉海，時風濤甚壯，舟人莫敢舉帆。元方曰：“我受命無私，神豈害我？ ”遽命之濟，既而風濤果息。使還稱旨，除殿中侍御史。即以其月擢拜鳳閣舍人，仍判侍郎事。俄為來俊臣所陷，則天手敕特赦之。長壽二年，再遷鸞台侍郎、同鳳閣鸞台平章事。延載初，又加鳳閣侍郎。證聖初，內史李昭德得罪，以元方附會昭德，貶綏州刺史。尋復為春官侍郎，又轉天官侍郎、尚書左丞，尋拜鸞台侍郎、平章事。則天嚐問以外事，對曰：“臣備位宰臣，有大事即奏，人間碎務，不敢以煩聖覽。 ”由是忤旨，責授太子右庶子，罷知政事。尋轉文昌左丞，病卒。

Lu Yuanfang was a native of Wuxian in Suzhou. His family had been an eminent clan for generations. His great-grandfather Chen served the Chen dynasty as Drafting Attendant and Vice Minister of the Chancellery. His paternal uncle Jianzhi was famous for his calligraphy and rose to Remonstrance Officer of the Crown Prince. Yuanfang passed the Mingjing examination and also took the Eight Special Examinations; through successive transfers he became Supervising Censor. When Empress Wu seized power, she sent Yuanfang to pacify the regions south of the Ling Mountains. When he was about to cross the sea, the wind and waves ran very high, and the boatmen dared not raise sail. Yuanfang said, "I received my commission without private motive—would the spirits harm me? " He immediately ordered them to set out, and the wind and waves soon subsided. When he returned from his mission with the emperor's approval, he was appointed Attending Censor Within the Palace. That same month he was promoted to Fenige attendant and continued to discharge the duties of a vice minister. Soon he was framed by Lai Junchen, but Empress Wu personally issued a special edict pardoning him. In the second year of Changshou, he was again promoted to Vice Minister of the Phoenix Terrace and Associate Chief Minister. At the beginning of the Yanzai era, he was further made Vice Minister of the Fenige. At the beginning of the Zhengsheng era, Inner Secretary Li Zhaode fell from favor; because Yuanfang had sided with him, Yuanfang was demoted to Prefect of Suizhou. Soon he was restored as Vice Minister of Rites, then transferred to Vice Minister of Personnel and Left Vice Director of the Ministry of Revenue, and soon afterward appointed Vice Minister of the Phoenix Terrace and Chief Minister. Empress Wu once asked him about affairs outside the court; he replied, "Your servant holds a chief minister's post in name only—when there are great matters I will memorialize; petty affairs of the world I dare not trouble Your Majesty's attention with. " For this he gave offense; he was punished with appointment as Right Supervisor of the Crown Prince's Household and removed from managing state affairs. Soon afterward he was transferred to Left Vice Director of the Literary Brilliance Department, where he died of illness.

元方在官清謹，再為宰相，則天將有遷除，每行以訪之，必密封以進，未嚐露其私恩。臨終，取前後草奏悉命焚之，且曰：“吾陰德於人多矣，其後庶幾福不衰矣。 ”又有書一匣，常自緘封，家人莫有見者，及卒視之，乃前後敕書，其慎密如此。贈越州都督。開元十八年，又贈揚州大都督。子象先。

Yuanfang was scrupulous and careful in office; twice chief minister—whenever Empress Wu was about to make appointments and promotions, she consulted him on her travels; he always sealed his recommendations before submitting them and never once showed private favoritism. At the end of his life he gathered all his draft memorials and ordered them burned, saying, "I have done much hidden good for others; perhaps my descendants' fortune will not fail. " There was also a box of documents, always sealed by his own hand, which no member of his household had ever seen; after his death they opened it and found it contained successive imperial edicts—such was his discretion. He was posthumously made Defender-General of Yuezhou. In the eighteenth year of Kaiyuan, he was further posthumously made Defender-General-in-Chief of Yangzhou. His son was Xiangxian.

象先，本名景初。少有器量，應製舉，拜揚州參軍。秩滿調選，時吉頊為吏部侍郎，擢授洛陽尉，元方時亦為吏部，固辭不敢當。頊曰：“為官擇人，至公之道。陸景初才望高雅，非常流所及，實不以吏部之子妄推薦也。 ”竟奏授之。遷左台監察御史，轉殿中，曆授中書侍郎。

Xiangxian—his original name was Jingchu. From youth he showed capacity and bearing; he passed an imperial examination and was appointed Staff Officer of Yangzhou. When his term ended and he entered regular selection, Ji Xu was Vice Minister of Personnel and selected him for Luoyang Assistant Magistrate; Yuanfang was then also serving in the Ministry of Personnel and firmly declined, not daring to accept. Ji Xu said, "In office one selects the man—this is the way of utmost fairness. Lu Jingchu has talent and reputation refined and lofty, beyond what ordinary men can reach—I am not recklessly recommending him simply because he is the son of a Ministry of Personnel official. " In the end he memorialized and the appointment was granted. He was promoted to Supervising Censor of the Left Office, transferred to service within the palace, and successively appointed Vice Minister of the Central Secretariat.

景雲二年冬，同中書門下平章事，監修國史。初，太平公主將引中書侍郎崔湜知政事，密以告之，湜固讓象先，主不許之，湜因亦請辭。主遽言於睿宗，乃並拜焉。象先清淨寡欲，不以細務介意，言論高遠，雅為時賢所服。湜每謂人曰：“陸公加於人一等。 ”太平公主時既用事，同時宰相蕭至忠、岑義及湜等鹹傾附之，唯象先孤立，未嚐造謁。先天二年，至忠等伏誅，象先獨免其難。以保護功封兗國公，賜實封二百戶，加銀青光祿大夫。時窮討至忠等枝黨，連累稍眾，象先密有申理，全濟甚多，然未嚐言及，當時無知之者。

In the winter of the second year of Jingyun, he became Associate Director of the Chancellery and Secretariat and supervised compilation of the national history. At first Princess Taiping intended to bring in Vice Minister of the Central Secretariat Cui Shi to manage state affairs and secretly told him; Cui firmly yielded the place to Xiangxian, but the Princess would not allow it, and Cui therefore asked to decline as well. The Princess hastily spoke to Emperor Ruizong, and both men were appointed. Xiangxian was pure and free of desire, unconcerned with petty affairs; his discourse was lofty and far-reaching, and the worthy men of the age properly admired him. Cui Shi often told people, "Lord Lu is a cut above the rest. " By then Princess Taiping already held power; fellow chief ministers Xiao Zhizhong, Cen Yi, and Cui Shi all leaned toward her, but Xiangxian alone stood apart and never once paid her a visit. In the second year of Xiantian, Zhizhong and the others were executed; Xiangxian alone escaped the calamity. For his protective service he was enfeoffed as Duke of Yan, granted two hundred taxable households, and given the title Grand Master of Brilliant Happiness with Silver Seal. At the time the thorough pursuit of Zhizhong's faction implicated many people; Xiangxian secretly intervened on their behalf and saved a great number, yet he never spoke of it, and at the time no one knew.

其年，出為益州大都督府長史，仍為劍南道按察使。在官務以寬仁為政，司馬韋抱真言曰：“望明公稍行杖罰，以立威名。不然，恐下人怠墮，無所懼也。 ”象先曰：“為政者理則可矣，何必嚴刑樹威。損人益己，恐非仁恕之道。 ”竟不從抱真之言。曆遷河中尹。六年，廢河中府，依舊為蒲州，象先為刺史，仍為河東道按察使。嚐有小人犯罪，但示語而遣之。錄事白曰：“此例當合與杖。 ”象先曰：“人情相去不遠，此豈不解吾言？若必須行杖，即當自汝為始。 ”錄事慚懼而退。象先嚐謂人曰：“天下本自無事，隻是庸人擾之，始為繁耳。但當靜之於源，則亦何憂不簡。 ”前後為刺史，其政如一，人吏鹹懷思之。按察使停，入為太子詹事，曆工部尚書。十年冬，知吏部選事，又加刑部尚書，以繼母憂免官。十三年，起復同州刺史，尋遷太子少保。二十四年卒，年七十二，贈尚書左丞相，諡曰文貞。

That year he was posted out as Chief Administrator of the Great Protectorate General of Yizhou and continued to serve as Inspection Commissioner of the Jiannan Circuit. In office he focused on lenient and benevolent governance; Assistant Administrator Wei Baozhen said, "I hope Your Excellency will apply beating and punishment from time to time to establish your authority. Otherwise I fear your subordinates will grow idle and negligent, with nothing to fear. " Xiangxian said, "For one who governs, order is enough—why must one use harsh punishments to build authority? Harming others to benefit oneself—I fear that is not the way of benevolence and forbearance. " In the end he did not follow Baozhen's advice. He was successively transferred to Governor of Hezhong. In the sixth year, the Hezhong Prefecture was abolished and restored as Puzhou; Xiangxian became Prefect and continued to serve as Inspection Commissioner of the Hedong Circuit. Once a petty offender committed a crime; Xiangxian only spoke to him and sent him away. The recording clerk reported, "By precedent this case calls for a beating. " Xiangxian said, "Human nature does not differ by much—would he not understand what I mean? If a beating must be applied, then let it begin with you. " The recording clerk withdrew in shame and fear. Xiangxian once said, "Under Heaven there are originally no affairs—it is only mediocrities who stir things up and make them complicated. Still them at the source, and why worry that affairs will not be simple? " Before and after, as prefect, his governance was the same; officials and commoners alike cherished and remembered him. When the inspection commissioner post was abolished, he entered the capital as Grand Mentor of the Crown Prince and later served as Minister of Works. In the winter of the tenth year he managed Ministry of Personnel selection affairs and was also given the added post of Minister of Justice; he was dismissed from office to mourn his stepmother. In the thirteenth year he was recalled from mourning as Prefect of Tongzhou and soon transferred to Junior Mentor of the Crown Prince. In the twenty-fourth year he died at seventy-two; he was posthumously made Left Director of the Ministry of Revenue and given the posthumous title Wenzhen.

象先弟景倩，曆監察御史。景融，曆大理正、滎陽郡太守、河南尹、兵吏部侍郎、左右丞、工部尚書、東都留守、襄陽郡太守、陳留郡太守，並兼采訪使。景獻，曆殿中侍御史、屯田員外郎。景裔，河南令、庫部郎中。皆有美譽。僧一行少時，嚐與象先昆弟相善，常謂人曰：“陸氏兄弟皆有才行，古之荀、陳，無以加也。 ”其為當時所稱如此。

Xiangxian's younger brother Jingqian served as Supervising Censor. Jingrong served successively as Director of the Court of Judicial Review, Prefect of Xingyang Commandery, Governor of Henan, Vice Minister of War and Personnel, Left and Right Vice Director, Minister of Works, Eastern Capital Garrison Commander, Prefect of Xiangyang Commandery, and Prefect of Chenliu Commandery—all concurrently as Touring Commissioner. Jingxian served successively as Attending Censor Within the Palace and Supernumerary Director of the Directorate of Public Works. Jingyi served as Magistrate of Henan and Director of the Treasury Bureau. All enjoyed fine reputations. When the monk Yixing was young, he was on good terms with Xiangxian and his brothers; he often said, "The Lu brothers all have talent and character—the ancient clans of Xun and Chen could not surpass them. "Such was the praise he received in his day.

元方從叔餘慶，陳右軍將軍珣孫也。少與知名之士陳子昂、宋之問、盧藏用、道士司馬承禎、道人法成等交遊，雖才學不逮子昂等，而風流強辯過之。累遷中書舍人。則天嚐引入草詔，餘慶惶惑，至晚竟不能措一辭，責授左司郎中。累除大理卿、散騎常侍、太子詹事。以老疾致仕，尋卒。象先四代孫。文宗太和四年，除釋褐參軍文學。

Yuqing, a collateral uncle of Yuanfang, was grandson of Xun, Right Army General of Chen. In his youth he moved in circles with renowned men such as Chen Zi'ang, Song Zhiwen, Lu Cangyong, the Daoist priest Sima Chengzhen, the monk Facheng, and others; though his talent and learning fell short of Zi'ang and his peers, he surpassed them in charm and forceful eloquence. He rose through successive promotions to Secretariat Draftee. Empress Wu once summoned him to draft an edict; Yuqing was flustered and, by evening, still could not compose a single line. He was demoted and appointed Director of the Left Office. He served successively as Director of the Court of Judicial Review, Attendant-in-Ordinary, and Grand Mentor of the Crown Prince. He retired due to old age and illness and died soon afterward. He was a fourth-generation descendant of Xiangxian. In the fourth year of the Taihe era under Emperor Wenzong, he was appointed Literary Aide upon first taking office.

蘇瓌，字昌容，京兆武功人，隋尚書右僕射威曾孫也。祖夔，隋鴻臚卿。父亶，貞觀中台州刺史。瓌弱冠本州舉進士，累授豫王府錄事參軍。長史王德真、司馬劉禕之皆器重之。長安中，累遷揚州大都督府長史。揚州地當衝要，多富商大賈，珠翠珍怪之產，前長史張潛、於辯機皆致之數萬，唯瓌挺身而去。神龍初，入為尚書右丞，以明習法律，多識台閣故事，特命刪定律、令、格、式。尋加銀青光祿大夫。是歲，再遷戶部尚書，奏計帳，所管戶時有六百一十五萬六千一百四十一。

Su Gui, courtesy name Changrong, was a native of Wugong in Jingzhao and great-grandson of Wei, Right Vice Director of the Ministry of Revenue under the Sui. His grandfather Kui served as Director of the Court of Diplomatic Reception under the Sui. His father Dan served as Prefect of Taizhou in the Zhenguan period. At his capping age Gui was nominated as jinshi by his home prefecture and was repeatedly appointed Recording Officer of the Prince of Yu's household. Chief Administrator Wang Dezhen and Vice Administrator Liu Yizhi both esteemed him highly. During the Chang'an era he was repeatedly promoted to Chief Administrator of the Yangzhou Metropolitan Area Command. Yangzhou stood at a strategic crossroads and was home to many wealthy merchants trading pearls, jade, and rare treasures; previous chief administrators Zhang Qian and Yu Bianji each amassed tens of thousands in gifts, but Gui alone left office upright and untouched. At the beginning of the Shenlong era he entered the capital as Right Vice Director of the Ministry of Revenue; because he was well versed in law and knew many central-administration precedents, he was specially ordered to revise the statutes, ordinances, regulations, and forms. Soon he was additionally granted the title Silver-Gleaming Grand Master of the Palace. That year he was again transferred to Minister of Revenue; when he submitted the census register, the households under his jurisdiction numbered 6,156,141.

尋加侍中。封淮陽縣子，充西京留守。時秘書員外監鄭普思謀為妖逆，雍、岐二州妖黨大發，瓌收普思係獄考訊之。普思妻第五氏以鬼道為韋庶人所寵，居止禁中，由是中宗特敕慰諭瓌，令釋普思之罪。瓌上言普思幻惑，罪當不赦。中宗至京，又麵陳其狀。尚書左僕射魏元忠奏曰：“蘇瓌長者，其忠懇如此，願陛下察之。 ”帝乃配流普思於儋州，其黨並誅。瓌遷吏部尚書，進封淮陽縣侯。

Soon he was additionally made Attendant-in-Ordinary. He was enfeoffed as Viscount of Huaiyang and appointed Garrison Commander of the Western Capital. At the time Zheng Pusi, Assistant Director of the Secretariat, plotted sedition through sorcery; sorcerous factions in Yong and Qi prefectures rose up on a large scale, and Gui arrested Pusi, imprisoned him, and interrogated him. Pusi's wife, Lady Diwu, practiced ghostly arts and was favored by Empress Wei; she lived within the inner palace, and for this reason Emperor Zhongzong specially issued an edict comforting Gui and ordering him to release Pusi. Gui submitted a memorial arguing that Pusi had deluded and bewitched the people and that his crime deserved no pardon. When Emperor Zhongzong reached the capital, Gui again laid out the facts before him in person. Left Vice Director of the Ministry of Revenue Wei Yuanzhong submitted: "Su Gui is a man of integrity, and his loyalty and earnestness are as you see — I hope Your Majesty will take note. "The emperor then banished Pusi to Danzhou, and his followers were all executed. Gui was transferred to Minister of Personnel and advanced in enfeoffment to Marquis of Huaiyang.

景龍三年，轉尚書右僕射、同中書門下三品，進封許國公。是歲，將拜南郊，國子祭酒祝欽明希庶人旨，建議請皇后為亞獻，安樂公主為終獻。瓌深非其議，嚐於御前麵折欽明，帝雖悟，竟從欽明所奏。公卿大臣初拜官者，例許獻食，名為“燒尾”。瓌拜僕射無所獻。後因侍宴，將作大匠宗晉卿曰：“拜僕射竟不燒尾，豈不喜耶？ ”帝默然。瓌奏曰：“臣聞宰相者，主調陰陽，代天理物。今粒食踴貴，百姓不足，臣見宿衛兵至有三日不得食者。臣愚不稱職，所以不敢燒尾。 ”是歲六月，與唐休璟並加監修國史。

In the third year of Jinglong he was transferred to Right Vice Director of the Ministry of Revenue, made Grand Councilor of the Secretariat and Chancellery, and advanced in enfeoffment to Duke of Xu. That year, as the southern suburban sacrifice was about to be performed, Zhu Qinming, Director of the Directorate of Education, seeking to please the empress dowager, proposed that the empress serve as secondary offerer and Princess Anle as final offerer. Gui deeply disapproved of the proposal and once rebuked Qinming to his face before the emperor; though the emperor came to understand, in the end he followed Qinming's recommendation. When high ministers and great officials were first appointed to office, they were customarily permitted to present a feast — a practice called "burning the tail." When Gui took office as vice director, he offered no feast. Later, while attending a banquet, Zong Jinqing, Master Craftsman of the Directorate of Palace Buildings, said, "Upon appointment as vice director he still did not burn the tail — is he not pleased? "The emperor fell silent. Gui submitted: "I have heard that a chief minister regulates yin and yang on Heaven's behalf and governs all things. Now grain is scarce and prices soar; the common people lack enough; I have seen palace guards go as long as three days without food. I am foolish and unfit for my post — that is why I did not dare burn the tail. "In the sixth month of that year he and Tang Xiujing were both additionally made supervisors of the compilation of the national history.

四年，中宗崩，秘不發喪，韋庶人召諸宰相韋安石、韋巨源、蕭至忠、宗楚客、紀處訥、韋溫、李嶠、韋嗣立、唐休璟、趙彥昭及瓌等十九人入禁中會議。初，遺製遣韋庶人輔少主知政事，授安國相王太尉參謀輔政。中書令宗楚客謂溫曰：“今須請皇太后臨朝，宜停相王輔政。且皇太后於相王居嫂叔不通問之地，甚難為儀注，理全不可。 ”瓌獨正色拒之，謂楚客等曰：“遺製是先帝意，安可更改！ ”楚客及韋溫大怒，遂削相王輔政而宣行焉。是月，韋氏敗，相王即帝位，下詔曰：“尚書右僕射、同中書門下三品、監修國史、許國公蘇瓌，自周旋近密，損益樞機，謀猷有成，匡讚無忌。頃者遺恩顧托，先意昭明，奸回動搖，內外危逼，獨申讜議，實挫邪謀。況藩邸僚屬，念殷惟舊，無德不報，抑惟令典。可尚書左僕射，餘如故。”

In the fourth year Emperor Zhongzong died; the death was kept secret and no mourning was announced; Empress Wei summoned the chief ministers Wei Anshi, Wei Juyuan, Xiao Zhizhong, Zong Chuke, Ji Chune, Wei Wen, Li Jiao, Wei Silizhi, Tang Xiujing, Zhao Yanzhao, Gui, and eighteen others — nineteen in all — into the inner palace for consultation. At first the final edict entrusted Empress Wei to assist the young ruler in managing state affairs and appointed the Prince of Xiang, Grand Marshal of An, to advise and assist in governance. Secretariat Director Zong Chuke said to Wen: "Now we must request that the empress dowager preside over court; the Prince of Xiang's role in assisting governance should be stopped. Moreover, between the empress dowager and the Prince of Xiang, as sister-in-law and younger brother-in-law, there is a realm where they do not exchange visits; arranging the ritual forms would be very difficult — in principle it is entirely impossible. "Gui alone sternly refused, saying to Chuke and the others: "The final edict expresses the late emperor's intent — how can it be altered! "Chuke and Wei Wen were greatly angered; they then struck the Prince of Xiang's role in assisting governance and promulgated the edict. That month the Wei faction was defeated; the Prince of Xiang took the throne and issued an edict: "Right Vice Director of the Ministry of Revenue, Grand Councilor of the Secretariat and Chancellery, supervisor of the compilation of the national history, Duke of Xu, Su Gui — from intimate service at court he has improved the pivot of state; his plans have succeeded and his loyal support has been without reserve. Recently, in the entrustment of final grace, his prior intent was clear and bright; when treacherous factions stirred and danger pressed within and without, he alone voiced upright counsel and truly thwarted wicked designs. Moreover, as a former member of the prince's household staff, remembering past kindness — no virtue goes unrewarded — this is indeed the proper precedent. He is appointed Left Vice Director of the Ministry of Revenue; the rest of his posts remain as before.

景雲元年，以老疾轉太子少傅。是歲十一月薨，贈司空、荊州大都督，諡曰文貞。瓌臨終遺令薄葬，及祖載之日，官給儀仗外，唯有布車一乘，論者稱焉。開元二年，下詔曰：“疇庸賞善，百王攸先；追還飾終，千載同德，故尚書左丞相、太子少傅、贈司空、荊州大都督、許國文貞公，瓌履正體道，外方內直，悉心奉上，卑身率禮。協讚帷幄，三朝有鹽梅之任；燮諧台袞，九命為社稷之臣。先朝晏駕，釁起宮掖，國擅稱製之奸，人懷綴旒之懼。凶威孔熾，宗祀幾傾。顧命遺恩，太皇輔政，逆臣刊削，韋氏臨朝。遂能首發昌言，侃然正色，列諸視聽，暴於朝野。鬆檟已遠，風烈猶存，緬懷誠節，良深耿歎。可賜實封一百戶。 ”四年，詔與徐國公劉幽求配享睿宗廟庭。十七年，加贈司徒。

In the first year of Jingyun, due to old age and illness he was transferred to Junior Mentor of the Crown Prince. In the eleventh month of that year he died; he was posthumously granted Minister of Works and Area Commander of Jingzhou and given the posthumous title Wenzhen. On his deathbed Gui left instructions for a simple burial; on the day the coffin was escorted to the tomb, apart from the official ceremonial guard there was only a single cloth-covered cart — commentators praised this. In the second year of Kaiyuan, an edict was issued: "Rewarding merit and honoring the good — all kings put this first; restoring honors at the end of life, the same virtue through the ages — the late Left Director of the Ministry of Revenue, Junior Mentor of the Crown Prince, posthumously granted Minister of Works, Area Commander of Jingzhou, Duke of Xu with posthumous title Wenzhen, Gui — walked the upright path and embodied the Way, outwardly firm and inwardly straight, devoted himself in serving the throne, and humbled himself in observing ritual. He assisted within the command tent; through three reigns he bore the task of salt and plums; he harmonized the ministers' robes; through nine appointments he was a minister of the altars of soil and grain. When the previous emperor passed away, trouble arose within the palace; the state was usurped by the wicked who forged edicts; people harbored fear for the suspended imperial line. Ferocious power burned fiercely; the ancestral sacrifices nearly toppled. In the entrustment of final grace, the empress dowager assisted in governance; treacherous ministers excised provisions, and the Wei clan held court. Yet he was able to speak out first with upright words, stern in countenance, set before all eyes and ears, exposed throughout court and countryside. The pine and catalpa are long gone, yet his wind and force remain; recalling his loyal integrity, I am deeply moved with admiration and sighing. Let one hundred households of actual fief be granted to him. "In the fourth year, an edict ordered that he and Duke of Xu Liu Youqiu be granted paired sacrifice in the temple hall of Emperor Ruizong. In the seventeenth year he was additionally posthumously granted Minister of Works.

瓌子頲，少有俊才，一覽千言。弱冠舉進士，授烏程尉，累遷左台監察御史。長安中，詔頲按覆來俊臣等舊獄，頲皆申明其枉，由此雪冤者甚眾。

Gui's son Ting had outstanding talent in youth; with one reading he mastered a thousand words. At his capping age he passed the jinshi examination; he was appointed Magistrate of Wucheng and was repeatedly promoted to Supervising Censor of the Left Censorate. During the Chang'an era an edict ordered Ting to review the old cases of Lai Junchen and others; Ting clarified the injustice in each, and by this means many were cleared of wrongful charges.

神龍中，累遷給事中，加修文館學士，俄拜中書舍人。尋而頲父同中書門下三品，父子同掌樞密，時以為榮。機事填委，文誥皆出頲手。中書令李嶠歎曰：“舍人思如湧泉，嶠所不及也。 ”俄遷太常少卿。景雲中，瓌薨，詔頲起復為工部侍郎，加銀青光祿大夫。頲抗表固辭，辭理懇切，詔許其終製。服闋就職，襲父爵許國公。玄宗謂宰臣曰：“有從工部侍郎得中書侍郎否？ ”對曰：“任賢用能，非臣等所及。 ”玄宗曰：“蘇頲可中書侍郎，仍供政事食。 ”明日，加知制誥。有政事食，自頲始也。頲入謝，玄宗曰：“常欲用卿，每有好官闕，即望宰相論及。宰相皆卿之故人，卒無言者，朕為卿歎息。中書侍郎，朕極重惜，自陸象先歿後，朕每思之，無出卿者。 ”時李乂為紫微侍郎，與頲對掌文誥。他日，上謂頲曰：“前朝有李嶠、蘇味道，謂之蘇、李；今有卿及李乂，亦不讓之。卿所製文誥，可錄一本封進，題雲‘臣某撰’，朕要留中披覽。 ”其禮遇如此。玄宗欲於靖陵建碑，頲諫曰：“帝王及後，無神道碑，且事不師古，動皆不法。若靖陵獨建，陛下祖宗之陵皆須追造。 ”玄宗從其言而止。

During the Shenlong era he was repeatedly promoted to Palace Attendant, additionally made a Scholar of the Xiuxian Hall, and soon appointed Secretariat Draftee. Soon afterward Ting's father became Grand Councilor of the Secretariat and Chancellery; father and son together managed the pivot of state — at the time this was considered an honor. State affairs piled up in profusion; all edicts and proclamations came from Ting's hand. Secretariat Director Li Jiao sighed and said: "The draftee's thought flows like a spring — Jiao cannot match it. "Soon he was transferred to Vice Director of the Court of Imperial Sacrifices. During the Jingyun era Gui died; an edict ordered Ting recalled from mourning as Vice Minister of Works and additionally granted the title Silver-Gleaming Grand Master of the Palace. Ting submitted a memorial firmly refusing; his reasoning was earnest and sincere; an edict permitted him to complete mourning. When mourning ended he took up his post and inherited his father's title as Duke of Xu. Emperor Xuanzong said to the chief ministers: "Has anyone ever gone from Vice Minister of Works to Vice Director of the Secretariat? "They replied: "Selecting the worthy and employing the capable — that is not within our reach. "Emperor Xuanzong said: "Su Ting may be Vice Director of the Secretariat, and he shall still receive administrative provisions. "The next day he was additionally made Drafter of Edicts. The practice of administrative provisions began with Ting. When Ting entered to give thanks, Emperor Xuanzong said: "I have long wished to employ you; whenever a good post fell vacant, I hoped the chief ministers would mention you. The chief ministers are all your old acquaintances, yet in the end none spoke — I sigh on your behalf. Vice Director of the Secretariat — I value it extremely; since Lu Xiangxian died, I have thought of it often, and no one surpasses you. "At the time Li Yi was Vice Director of the Palace Secretariat; he and Ting jointly managed edicts and proclamations. On another day the emperor said to Ting: "In the previous reign there were Li Jiao and Su Weidao — they were called Su and Li; now with you and Li Yi, they are not inferior. The edicts and proclamations you compose — copy one set, seal it, and submit it, titled "Composed by your subject so-and-so"; I wish to keep it within the palace and read it. "Such was the courtesy shown him. Emperor Xuanzong wished to erect a stele at Jing Mausoleum; Ting remonstrated: "For emperors and empresses there are no spirit-way steles, and moreover the matter does not follow antiquity — every move is unlawful. If Jing Mausoleum alone has one built, the mausoleums of Your Majesty's ancestors would all have to be retroactively provided with them. "Emperor Xuanzong followed his words and stopped.

開元四年，遷紫微侍郎、同紫微黃門平章事，與侍中宋璟同知政事。璟剛正，多所裁斷，頲皆順從其美；若上前承旨、敷奏及應對，則頲為之助，相得甚悅。璟嚐謂人曰：“吾與蘇家父子，前後同時為宰相。僕射長厚，誠為國器；若獻可替否，罄盡臣節，斷割吏事，至公無私，即頲過其父也”。八年，除禮部尚書，罷政事。俄知益州大都督府長史事。前司馬皇甫恂破庫物織新樣錦以進，頲一切罷之。或謂頲曰：“公今在遠，豈得忤聖意？ ”頲曰：“明主不以私愛奪至公，豈以遠近間易忠臣節也！ ”竟奏罷之。巂州蠻酋苴院私與吐蕃連謀，將為內寇，頲獲其間諜，將士鹹請出兵討之，頲不從，乃作書並間諜以送苴院，苴院慚悔，竟不敢入寇。

In the fourth year of Kaiyuan he was transferred to Vice Director of the Palace Secretariat, made Grand Councilor of the Palace Secretariat and Chancellery, and together with Attendant-in-Ordinary Song Jing managed state affairs. Jing was upright and firm and made many decisions; Ting always followed what was good in them; when before the throne receiving the emperor's intent, presenting memorials, or responding, then Ting assisted, and the two worked together with great satisfaction. Jing once told people: "The Su father and son and I have successively served as chief ministers at the same time. The vice director was long in virtue and truly a vessel of state; but in offering what is acceptable and replacing what is not, exhausting ministerial duty, cutting through official business, utterly public and without private interest — in that Ting surpasses his father." In the eighth year he was appointed Minister of Rites and removed from managing state affairs. Soon he was made acting Chief Administrator of the Yizhou Metropolitan Area Command. The former military aide Huangfu Xun broke into the treasury stores, wove brocade in a new pattern, and presented it as tribute; Ting abolished the practice entirely. Some said to Ting: "You are far from court now — how can you defy the emperor's wish? "Ting said: "An enlightened ruler does not let private affection override supreme public duty — how could distance or nearness change a loyal minister's constancy! "In the end he submitted a memorial and had it abolished. The tribal chieftain Juyuan of Xizhou secretly plotted with Tibet and was about to raid the interior; Ting captured his spy. Officers and soldiers all urged him to send troops against the chieftain, but Ting refused. Instead he wrote a letter and sent it along with the spy to Juyuan. Ashamed and remorseful, Juyuan in the end did not dare invade.

十三年，從駕東封，玄宗令頲撰朝覲碑文。俄又知吏部選事。頲性廉儉，所得俸祿，盡推與諸弟，或散之親族，家無餘資。十五年卒，年五十八。初，優贈之製未出，起居舍人韋述上疏曰：“臣伏見貞觀、永徽之時，每有公卿大臣薨卒，皆輟朝舉哀，所以成終始之恩，厚君臣之義。上有旌賢錄舊之德，下有生榮死哀之美，列於史冊，以示將來。昔智悼子卒，平公宴樂，杜蒯一言，言始感悟。《春秋》載其盛烈，禮經以為美談，今古舊事，昭然可睹。臣伏見故禮部尚書蘇頲，累葉輔弼，代傳忠清。頲又伏事軒陛二十餘載，入參謀猷，出總藩牧。誠績斯著，操履無虧，天不憖遺，奄違聖代。伏願陛下思帷蓋之舊，念股肱之親，修先朝之盛典，鑒晉平之遠跡，為之輟朝舉哀，以明同體之義。使歿者荷德於泉壤，存者盡節於周行，凡百卿士，孰不幸甚。臣官忝記事，君舉必書，敢申舊典，上黷宸扆，希降恩貸，俯垂詳擇。 ”即日於洛城南門舉哀，輟朝兩日，贈尚書右丞相，諡曰文憲。及葬日，玄宗遊咸宜宮，將出獵，聞頲喪出，愴然曰：“蘇頲今日葬，吾寧忍娛遊。 ”中路還宮。頲弟詵、冰、乂。

In the thirteenth year he accompanied the emperor on the eastern tour and fengshan rite; Emperor Xuanzong ordered Ting to compose the inscription for the imperial audience. Soon he was additionally placed in charge of Ministry of Personnel selections. Ting was honest and frugal by nature; he gave all his salary to his younger brothers or distributed it among his kin, and his household kept no surplus wealth. In the fifteenth year he died, at the age of fifty-eight. At first, before the decree of posthumous honors had been issued, Diarist-Attendant Wei Shu submitted a memorial saying: "Your servant has observed that in the Zhenguan and Yonghui eras, whenever a high minister died, the court always suspended sessions and held mourning—thereby completing the grace owed from first to last and deepening the bond between ruler and minister. Above, the court honors the worthy and records past service; below, men receive honor in life and mourning in death—set down in the historical annals as an example for generations to come. In antiquity, when Zhi Daozi died, Duke Ping continued to feast and make music; a single remonstrance from Du Kui at last moved him to see his error. The Spring and Autumn Annals records that splendid deed; the ritual classics treat it as a celebrated example—an old story from past and present, plain for all to see. Your servant has observed the late Minister of Rites Su Ting—a family that for generations served as chief ministers and handed down loyalty and integrity from age to age. Ting moreover served humbly at the imperial throne for more than twenty years—entering court to share in counsel, going out to govern the provinces. His achievements were truly manifest and his conduct without blemish, yet Heaven did not long preserve him, and suddenly he departed this enlightened age. Your servant humbly wishes that Your Majesty will recall your long bond with him, remember how close he stood as your right hand, restore the grand rites of former courts, take Duke Ping of Jin's distant example to heart, and for him suspend court and hold mourning—thereby making clear that ruler and minister are one body. Let the dead receive your grace in the underworld; let the living devote themselves fully among their colleagues—among all ministers and officials, who would not count himself deeply fortunate? Your servant's office is charged with recording events—the ruler's acts must be written down—so I dare appeal to this old precedent, though it offends the imperial presence; I beg your gracious pardon and humbly ask for your careful consideration. "That same day mourning was held at the south gate of Luoyang; court was suspended for two days; he was posthumously made Right Director of the Department of State Affairs and given the posthumous title Wenxian. On the day of the burial, Emperor Xuanzong was at Xianyi Palace and about to go hunting; when he heard that Ting's funeral procession had set out, he said mournfully: "Su Ting is being buried today—how could I bear to amuse myself with sport? "Halfway there he turned back to the palace. Ting's younger brothers were Shen, Bing, and Yi.

詵，曆授右司郎中、給事中、徐州刺史。先是，拜給事中時，頲為中書侍郎，上表讓詵所授。玄宗曰：“古來有內舉不避親乎？ ”頲曰：“晉祁奚是也。 ”玄宗曰：“若然，則朕用蘇詵，何得屢言？近日卿父子猶同在中書，兄弟有何不得？卿言非至公也。 ”冰，為虞部郎中。乂，為職方郎中。

Shen was successively appointed Director in the Right Bureau, Attendant Censor, and Prefect of Xuzhou. Earlier, when Shen was appointed Attendant Censor, Ting was Vice Director of the Secretariat and submitted a memorial declining the appointment given to Shen. Emperor Xuanzong said: "Since antiquity, has there not been recommending one's own kin without favoritism? "Ting said: "Qi Xi of Jin was such a man. "Emperor Xuanzong said: "If so, then when I employ Su Shen, why do you speak of it again and again? Recently you and your father were still together in the Secretariat—why should brothers not be allowed? Your words are not utterly public-minded. "Bing served as Director in the Bureau of Parks and Forests. Yi served as Director in the Bureau of Military Appointments.

幹，瓌從父兄也。父勖，武德中為秦王府文學館學士。貞觀中，尚南康公主，拜駙馬都尉，累選魏王泰府司馬。勖既博學有美名，甚為泰所重。因勸泰請開文學館，引才名之士，撰《括地志》。後曆吏部郎、太子左庶子，卒。幹少以明經累授徐王府記室參軍。徐王好畋獵，幹每諫止之。垂拱中，曆遷魏州刺史。時河北饑饉，舊吏苛酷，百姓多有逃散。幹乃督察奸吏，務勸農桑，由是逃散者皆來復業，稱為良牧。召拜右羽林將軍，尋遷冬官尚書。酷吏來俊臣素忌嫉之，遂誣奏幹在魏州與琅邪王衝私書往復，因係獄鞫訊，幹發憤而卒。

Gan was Gui's cousin—the son of his father's elder brother. His father Xu served during the Wude era as a literary academy scholar in the Prince of Qin's household. During the Zhenguan era he married Princess Nankang, was appointed Commandant-Escort, and through successive appointments became Secretary in the household of Prince Tai of Wei. Xu was broadly learned and enjoyed a fine reputation; Tai greatly valued him. Accordingly he urged Tai to request the opening of a literary academy, invite men of talent and renown, and compile the Comprehensive Gazetteer of the Realm. Later he served successively as Director in the Ministry of Personnel and Left Mentor of the Crown Prince, then died. In youth Gan passed the Mingjing examination and was repeatedly appointed Recorder-Attendant in the household of the Prince of Xu. The Prince of Xu loved hunting; Gan repeatedly remonstrated and tried to stop him. During the Chuigong era he was successively transferred to Prefect of Weizhou. At the time Hebei was suffering famine; the old officials were harsh and cruel, and many common people fled and scattered. Gan then inspected and punished corrupt officials and devoted himself to encouraging agriculture and sericulture; those who had fled all returned to their occupations, and he was acclaimed as a good governor. He was summoned and appointed Right General of the Feathered Forest Guard; soon he was transferred to Minister of Works. The cruel official Lai Junchen had long envied and hated him; he then falsely memorialized that Gan in Weizhou had exchanged private letters with Prince Langye Chong. Gan was imprisoned and interrogated, and died in a fit of rage.

瓌四代孫翔，文宗太和四年，釋褐文學參軍。

Gui's fourth-generation descendant Xiang, in the fourth year of the Taihe era under Emperor Wenzong, took his first office as Literary Aide.

史臣曰：韋思謙始以州縣，奮於煙霄，持綱不避於權豪，報國能忘於妻子。自強不息，剛毅近仁，信有之矣！高季輔、皇甫公義，可謂知人矣！且福善餘慶，不謂無徵，二子構堂，俱列相輔，文皆經濟，政盡明能。加以承慶方危，染翰而曾非恐悚；嗣立見用，襲封而罔墜逍遙。無忝父風，寧慚祖德，諡溫諡孝，何愧易名？陸元方博學大度，再踐鈞衡，當則天時，非有忠貞，應無黜責，綏州之任，抑又何慚！觀其濟海無私，狂風自止，臨終焚槁，溫樹始彰。故知正可以動神明，德可以延家代。象先益高人品，尤著相才，全濟有名，孤立無禍。景倩、景融、景獻、景裔等鹹居清列，得非有後於魯乎？蘇瓌，孔子云：“居其室，出其言善，則千里之外應之，況其邇者乎！ ”又“言行君子之樞機，樞機之發，榮辱之主也”。當中宗棄代，韋氏奪權，預謀者十有九人，咸生異議，瓌誌存大節，獨發讜言。其後善惡顯彰，黜陟明著。聖人之言，驗於斯矣。頲唯公是相，以儉承家，李嶠許之湧泉，宋璟稱其過父。艱難之際，節操不回，善始令終，先後無愧。

The historiographer says: Wei Siqian began from county and prefecture posts and rose to the heights of power; he upheld the law without flinching before the mighty, and in serving the state could forget wife and children. Ceaseless self-strengthening, resolute firmness close to benevolence—truly it was so! Gao Jifu and Huangfu Gongyi—one may say they truly knew men! Moreover, fortune follows virtue and blessings accumulate for posterity—not without signs; the two sons raised the family to eminence, both rose to chief minister; their writings all served statecraft, and their governance was throughout clear and capable. Add to this that when Chengqing was in peril, he took up the brush and showed not the slightest fear; Silizhi was employed and inherited the enfeoffment without losing his ease and dignity. They did not fail their father's example—how could they shame their ancestors' virtue? Posthumous titles Wen and Xiao—what shame could there be in such names? Lu Yuanfang was broadly learned and magnanimous, twice serving as chief minister; in Empress Wu's time, without loyalty and steadfastness he would surely have suffered dismissal and blame—the appointment to Suizhou, what shame could there be in that! Observe him crossing the sea without selfish motive—the wild winds stopped of themselves; at life's end burning his draft memorials—the warm tree at last became manifest. Thus one knows that rectitude can move the spirits, and virtue can extend a family through generations. Xiangxian stood even higher in personal character and was especially renowned for ministerial talent; Quan Ji was famed for saving many lives, and though he stood alone he suffered no calamity. Jingqian, Jingrong, Jingxian, Jingyi, and the rest all held high office—is this not having worthy successors, as Confucius said of Lu? Su Gui—Confucius said: "When one dwells in his room and his words are good, then from a thousand li away men respond—how much more those near at hand! "And again: "Speech and conduct are the hinge of the gentleman; when the hinge moves, honor and disgrace follow." When Emperor Zhongzong passed from the throne and the Wei clan seized power, of the nineteen who took part in the planning all raised differing views; Gui held to great integrity and alone spoke forthright words. Afterward good and evil were clearly revealed, and demotions and promotions plainly shown. The sage's words were verified in this. Ting regarded only public duty in serving as minister and inherited the family tradition of frugality; Li Jiao acknowledged his thought flowed like a spring, and Song Jing said he surpassed his father. In times of difficulty his constancy did not bend; he had a good beginning and a fine end—father and son alike without shame.

讚曰：善人君子，懷忠秉正。盡富文章，咸推諫諍。豈愧明廷，無慚重柄。子子孫孫，演承餘慶。

Praise says: Good men and gentlemen, cherishing loyalty and upholding rectitude. Rich in literary talent, all praised for their remonstrance. How could they shame the bright court? They felt no shame in wielding great power. Son after son, grandson after grandson, they expanded the blessings they inherited.

Cite this Chapter