1
于休烈
Yu Xiulie
2
于休烈，河南人也。 高祖志寧，貞觀中任左僕射，為十八學士。 父默成，沛縣令，早卒。 休烈至性貞愨，機鑒敏悟。 自幼好學，善屬文，與會稽賀朝、萬齊融、延陵包融為文詞之友，齊名一時。 舉進士，又應制策登科，授秘書省正字。 累遷右補闕、起居郎、集賢殿學士，轉比部員外郎，郎中。 楊國忠輔政，排不附己者，出為中部郡太守。
Yu Xiulie came from Henan. His great-grandfather Zhining had served as Left Vice Director of the Department of State Affairs under Zhenguan and was numbered among the Eighteen Scholars. His father Mocheng had been magistrate of Pei County and died young. Xiulie was upright by nature, with a sharp and discerning mind. From boyhood he loved study and wrote well. With He Chao of Kuaiji, Wan Qirong, and Bao Rong of Yanling he formed a circle of literary friends, and for a time their names were linked together. He passed the jinshi examination and also placed on the decree examination, then was appointed a proofreader in the Secretariat. He rose through Right Remonstrator, Diarist, and Academician of the Hall of Assembled Worthies, then served as Vice Director and then Director in the Ministry of Revenue. When Yang Guozhong dominated the government, he pushed aside those who would not follow him and sent Xiulie out as prefect of Zhongbu Commandery.
3
值祿山構難，肅宗踐祚，休烈自中部赴行在，擢拜給事中。 遷太常少卿，知禮儀事，兼修國史。 肅宗自鳳翔還京，勵精聽受，嘗謂休烈曰：「君舉必書，良史也。 朕有過失，卿書之否？」 對曰：「禹、湯罪己，其興也勃焉。 有德之君，不忘規過，臣不勝大慶。」 時中原蕩覆，典章殆盡，無史籍檢尋。 休烈奏曰：「《國史》一百六卷，《開元實錄》四十七卷，起居註並餘書三千六百八十二卷，並在興慶宮史館。 京城陷賊後，皆被焚燒。 且《國史》、《實錄》，聖朝大典，修撰多時，今並無本。 伏望下御史臺推勘史館所由，令府縣招訪。 有人別收得《國史》、《實錄》，如送官司，重加購賞。 若是史官收得，仍赦其罪。 得一部，超授官資，得一卷賞絹十匹。」 數月之內，唯得一兩卷。 前修史官工部侍郎韋述陷賊，入東京，至是以其家藏《國史》一百一十三卷送於官。
When Lushan rebelled and Suzong took the throne, Xiulie came from Zhongbu to the imperial camp and was promoted to Supervising Censor. He was made Vice Director of the Court of Imperial Sacrifices, placed in charge of ritual affairs, and concurrently assigned to compile the national history. When Suzong returned from Fengxiang to the capital, he applied himself diligently to governance and once said to Xiulie, "You record every action— you are a fine historian. If I commit faults, will you write them down too?" He replied, "Yu and Tang blamed themselves, and their rise was swift. A ruler of virtue never forgets to be corrected. Your subject is filled with joy at this." At that time the Central Plain lay in ruins and canonical institutions were nearly lost; there were no historical records to consult. Xiulie memorialized, "The National History in one hundred six juan, the Veritable Record of the Kaiyuan Reign in forty-seven juan, the Diaries of Activity and Rest, and other books totaling three thousand six hundred eighty-two juan are all in the Historiography Office of the Xingqing Palace. After the capital fell to the rebels, all were burned. Moreover the National History and Veritable Records are great canonical works of the sacred dynasty, compiled over many years, and now there are no originals at all. I respectfully ask that the Censorate investigate those responsible in the Historiography Office and have prefectures and counties seek the books out. If anyone has separately recovered the National History or Veritable Records and delivers them to the authorities, let a heavy reward be added. If a historiographer recovered them, still pardon his offense. For recovering one complete work, grant an extraordinary promotion; for one juan, reward ten bolts of silk." Within a few months only one or two juan were recovered. The former historiographer and Vice Director of the Ministry of Works Wei Shu, who had fallen into rebel hands and entered the Eastern Capital, at this time sent the National History in one hundred thirteen juan from his family collection to the authorities.
4
肅宗以太常鐘磬，自隋已來，所傳五音，或有不調，乾元初謂休烈曰：「古者聖人作樂，以應天地之和，以合陰陽之序，則人不夭紮，物不疵癘。 且金石絲竹，樂之器也。 比親享郊廟，每聽懸樂，宮商不備，或鐘磬失度。 可盡將鐘磬來，朕當於內自定。」 太常集樂工考試，數日審知差錯，然後令別鑄造磨刻。 及事畢，上臨殿親試考擊，皆合五音，群臣稱慶。
Suzong, regarding the bells and chimes of the Court of Imperial Sacrifices, held that since Sui times the five tones handed down had at times been out of tune; at the beginning of the Qianyuan era he said to Xiulie, "In antiquity the sages made music to accord with the harmony of Heaven and earth and to fit the order of yin and yang, so that people did not die young and things were not afflicted. Metal, stone, silk, and bamboo are the instruments of music. Recently, whenever I personally performed the suburban and ancestral sacrifices and listened to the suspended music, the pitch modes were incomplete or the bells and chimes were off pitch. Bring all the bells and chimes here; I shall set the pitch myself within the palace." The Court of Imperial Sacrifices assembled music masters to test them; after several days the errors were identified, and then new casting, carving, and polishing were ordered. When the work was finished, the emperor personally tested them in the hall; all matched the five tones, and the officials congratulated him.
5
休烈尋轉工部侍郎、修國史，獻《五代帝王論》，帝甚嘉之。 宰相李揆矜能忌賢，以休烈修國史與己齊列，嫉之，奏為國子祭酒，權留史館修撰以下之。 休烈恬然自持，殊不介意。 舊儀，元正冬至，百官不於光順門朝賀皇后，乾元元年，張皇后遂行此禮。 休烈奏曰：「《周禮》有命夫朝人主，命婦朝女君。 自顯慶已來，則天皇后始行此禮。 其日，命婦又朝光順門，與百官雜處，殊為失禮。」 肅宗詔停之。
Xiulie was soon transferred to Vice Director of the Ministry of Works and compiler of the national history; he presented An Essay on the Five Dynasties' Emperors, and the emperor greatly praised it. The chancellor Li Kuo, proud of his talent and jealous of the worthy, resented that Xiulie compiled the national history on equal footing with himself; he memorialized to make Xiulie Director of the Directorate of Education while retaining him in the Historiography Office to compile, thereby demoting him. Xiulie remained calm and self-possessed and did not mind at all. By old practice, on New Year's Day and the winter solstice officials did not attend court at Guangshun Gate to congratulate the empress; in the first year of Qianyuan, Empress Zhang carried out this rite. Xiulie memorialized, "The Rites of Zhou provide that titled husbands attend the ruler and titled wives attend the lady. Since the Xianqing era, Empress Wu began this practice. On that day titled wives also attended at Guangshun Gate and mingled with officials— a grave breach of ritual." Suzong issued an edict stopping it.
6
代宗即位，甄別名品，宰臣元載稱之，乃拜右散騎常侍，依前兼修國史，尋加禮儀使。 遷工部侍郎。 又改檢校工部尚書，兼判太常卿事，正拜工部尚書，累封東海郡公，加金紫光祿大夫。 在朝凡三十餘年，歷掌清要，家無提石之蓄。 恭儉溫仁，未嘗以喜慍形於顏色。 而親賢下士，推轂後進，雖位崇年高，曾無倦色。 篤好墳籍，手不釋卷，以至於終。 大歷七年卒，年八十一。 有集十卷行於代。
When Daizong ascended the throne and ranked officials by quality, the chancellor Yuan Zai praised Xiulie; he was appointed Right Regular Attendant and continued to compile the national history, then added Master of Ceremonies. He was transferred to Vice Director of the Ministry of Works. He was then changed to Acting Director of the Ministry of Works and concurrently judged affairs of the Court of Imperial Sacrifices, formally appointed Director of the Ministry of Works, enfeoffed as Duke of Donghai Commandery, and granted the Grand Master of the Gold Seal and Purple Ribbon. In court for more than thirty years, he repeatedly held prestigious posts, yet his household had no store of even a few pecks of grain. Respectful, frugal, and gentle, he never showed joy or anger in his face. Yet he honored the worthy and treated inferiors well, promoting later generations; though high in rank and advanced in years, he never showed weariness. He deeply loved the classics and never put books down, even to the end. In the seventh year of Dali he died at age eighty-one. A collection in ten juan circulated in his age.
7
嗣子益，次子肅，相繼為翰林學士。
His heir Yi and second son Su both served in succession as Hanlin Academicians.
8
是歲春，休烈妻韋氏卒。 上以休烈父子儒行著聞，特詔贈韋氏國夫人，葬日給鹵簿鼓吹。 及聞休烈卒，追悼久之，褒贈尚書左僕射，賻絹百匹、布五十端，遣謁者內常侍吳承倩就私第宣慰。 儒者之榮，少有其比。
That spring Xiulie's wife, Lady Wei, died. Because the emperor considered the Confucian conduct of Xiulie and his sons renowned, he specially ordered Lady Wei enfeoffed as Lady of the State, and on the day of burial granted an honor guard and musical escort. When he heard Xiulie had died, he mourned him for a long time, posthumously granted him Left Vice Director of the Department of State Affairs, gave one hundred bolts of silk and fifty bolts of cloth as funeral gifts, and sent Palace Usher and Inner Attendant Wu Chengqian to his private residence to convey consolation. Few Confucians had such honor.
9
肅官至給事中。 肅子敖。
Su rose to Supervising Censor. Su's son Ao.
10
敖字蹈中，以家世文史盛名。 少為時彥所稱，誌行修謹。 登進士第，釋褐秘書省校書郎。 湖南觀察使楊憑辟為從事； 府罷，鳳翔節度使李鄘、鄂嶽觀察使呂元膺相繼辟召。 自協律郎、大理評事試監察御史，元和六年，真拜監察御史，轉殿中，歷倉部司勛二員外、萬年令，拜右司郎中，出為商州刺史。 長慶四年，入為吏部郎中。 其年，遷給事中。
Ao, styled Daozhong, was famed for his family's literary and historical tradition. In youth he was praised by men of the age for his conduct and was careful in word and deed. He passed the jinshi examination and on leaving office was appointed collator in the Secretariat. The Hunan Observation Commissioner Yang Ping recruited him as aide; when that office closed, the Fengxiang Military Commissioner Li Yong and the E-Yue Observation Commissioner Lü Yuanying recruited him in succession. From Director of Music, Grand Court Assessor, and Acting Investigating Censor, in the sixth year of Yuanhe he was formally appointed Investigating Censor, transferred to the Palace Secretariat, served as Vice Director in the Granaries and Merits ministries, magistrate of Wannian County, appointed Right Director in the Secretariat, and went out as prefect of Shang Prefecture. In the fourth year of Changqing he entered court as Director in the Ministry of Personnel. That year he was transferred to Supervising Censor.
11
昭湣初即位，李逢吉用事，與翰林學士李紳素不葉，遂誣紳以不測之罪，逐於嶺外。 紳同職駕部郎中知制誥龐嚴、司封員外郎知制誥蔣防，坐紳黨左遷信、汀等州刺史。 黜詔下，敖封還詔書。 時人以為與嚴相善，訴其非罪，皆曰：「於給事犯宰執之怒，伸龐、蔣之屈，不亦仁乎？」 及駁奏出，乃是論龐嚴貶黜太輕，中外無不大噱，而逢吉由是獎之。 尋轉工部侍郎，遷刑部，出為宣歙觀察使、兼御史中丞。
When Emperor Muzong of Zhaomin first ascended the throne, Li Fengji held power; he and Hanlin Academician Li Shen had long been at odds, so he falsely charged Shen with an unforeseeable crime and banished him beyond the Ling mountain range. Shen's colleagues, Drafting Director of the Transport Bureau and Drafter of Edicts Pang Yan, and Vice Director in the Ministry of Rites and Drafter of Edicts Jiang Fang, were demoted as Shen's faction to prefects of Xin, Ting, and other prefectures. When the demotion edict was issued, Ao sealed and returned the edict. People at the time thought he was on good terms with Yan and were protesting their innocence, all saying, "Supervising Censor Yu has offended the chief minister yet speaks up for Pang and Jiang's wrong— is that not humane?" When the rebuttal memorial came out, it in fact argued that Pang Yan's demotion was too light; inside and outside the court there was great ridicule, yet Fengji therefore rewarded him. He was soon transferred to Vice Director of the Ministry of Works, then Minister of Justice, and went out as Observation Commissioner of Xuan and She and Concurrent Censor-in-Chief.
12
敖溫裕長者，與物無忤，居官亦未嘗有立。 周踐臺閣，三為列曹侍郎，謹順自容而已。 太和四年八月卒，年六十六，贈禮部尚書。
Ao was mild and long-suffering and got along with no one; in office he never took a stand. For years he passed through the central offices and three times served as Vice Director of a ministry, merely keeping himself unobtrusive. In the eighth month of the fourth year of Taihe he died at age sixty-six and was posthumously granted Minister of Rites.
13
四子：球、珪、瑰、琮，皆登進士第。
Four sons: Qiu, Gui, Gui, and Cong— all passed the jinshi examination.
14
琮，落拓有大志，雖以門資為吏，久不見用。 大中朝，駙馬都尉鄭顥以琮世故，獨以器度奇之。 會有詔於士族中選人才尚公主，衣冠多避之。 顥謂琮曰：「子人才甚佳，但不護細行，為世譽所抑，久而不調，能應此命乎？」 琮然之。 會李籓知貢舉，顥托之登第； 其年遂升諫列，尚廣德公主，拜駙馬都尉。 累踐臺閣，揚歷籓府。 乾符中同平章事。
Cong was unrestrained and had great ambition; though he entered office through family standing, for a long time he was not employed. In the Dazhong era, the Emperor's Son-in-law Commandant Zheng Hao, because of Cong's family background, alone regarded his capacity as extraordinary. When there was an edict to select talent from the gentry to marry a princess, many in official dress avoided it. Hao said to Cong, "Your talent is excellent, but you do not guard small conduct and are suppressed by public reputation; long without promotion— can you answer this appointment?" Cong agreed. When Li Fan supervised the examination, Hao secured his passing; that year he rose to the remonstrance ranks, married Princess Guangde, and was appointed Emperor's Son-in-law Commandant. He repeatedly passed through the central offices and served in succession in provincial administrations. In the Qianfu era he served as Co-Director of the Secretariat.
15
黃寇犯京師，僖宗出幸，琮病不能從。 既僭號，起琮為相。 琮以疾辭。 迫脅不已，琮曰：「吾病亟矣，死在旦夕。 加以唐室親姻，義不受命，死即甘心。」 竟為賊所害，而赦公主。 主視琮受禍，謂賊曰：「妾李氏女也，義不獨存，願與於公並命。」 賊不許，公主入室自縊而卒。 廣德閨門有禮，咸通、乾符中譽在人口。 於族內外冠婚喪祭，主必自預行禮，諸婦班而見之，尊卑答勞，鹹有儀法，為時所稱。 珪、球皆至清顯。
When the Yellow Bandits invaded the capital and Emperor Xizong fled, Cong was ill and could not follow. After they usurped the title, they raised Cong as chancellor. Cong declined on grounds of illness. When coercion did not cease, Cong said, "My illness is grave and death is near at hand. Moreover, as kin of the Tang house, by principle I cannot accept the appointment; if I die, I accept it willingly." In the end he was killed by the bandits, and the princess was pardoned. Seeing Cong suffer calamity, the princess said to the bandits, "I am a daughter of the Li house; by principle I cannot live alone. I wish to die together with Lord Yu." The bandits would not allow it; the princess entered her chamber and hanged herself to death. Princess Guangde's household observed ritual propriety; in the Xian Tong and Qianfu eras her reputation was on everyone's lips. Within and outside the clan at weddings, funerals, and sacrifices, the princess always attended in person to perform the rites; the wives lined up to see her, and superiors and inferiors exchanged courtesies and labor— all with proper forms, and she was praised by the age. Gui and Qiu both reached clear and prominent rank.
16
令狐峘
Ling Huhuan
17
令狐峘，德棻之玄孫。 登進士第。 祿山之亂，隱居南山豹林谷，谷中有亙別墅。 司徒楊綰未仕時，避亂南山，止於峘舍。 峘博學，貫通群書，有口辯，綰甚稱之。 及綰為禮部侍郎，修國史，乃引峘入史館。 自華原尉拜右拾遺，累遷起居舍人，皆兼史職，修《玄宗實錄》一百卷、《代宗實錄》四十卷。 著述雖勤，屬大亂之後，起居註亡失，峘纂開元、天寶事，雖得諸家文集，編其詔策，名臣傳記十無三四，後人以漏落處多，不稱良史。 大歷八年，改刑部員外郎。
Ling Huhuan was a great-great-grandson of Defen. He passed the jinshi examination. In the chaos of Lushan's rebellion he hid in Leopard Forest Valley in the Southern Mountains; in the valley was the Gen villa. Minister Yang Wan, before he took office, fled the chaos to the Southern Mountains and stayed at Huhuan's lodge. Huhuan was broadly learned, mastered all books, and was eloquent; Wan greatly praised him. When Wan became Vice Director of the Ministry of Rites and compiled the national history, he brought Huhuan into the Historiography Office. From Magistrate of Huayuan he was appointed Right Remonstrator, repeatedly promoted to Diarist, all concurrently historiographical posts, compiling the Veritable Record of Emperor Xuanzong in one hundred juan and the Veritable Record of Emperor Daizong in forty juan. Though he wrote diligently, it fell after great chaos when the Diaries of Activity and Rest were lost; Huhuan compiled Kaiyuan and Tianbao events and, though he obtained collected works of various houses and edited their edicts and policies, biographies of eminent ministers were three or four in ten; later men, because of many omissions, did not call him a fine historian. In the eighth year of Dali he was changed to Vice Director in the Ministry of Justice.
18
德宗即位，將厚奉元陵，峘上疏諫曰：
When Dezong ascended the throne and was about to lavishly supply Yuanling, Huhuan submitted a remonstrance memorial:
19
臣聞《傳》曰：「近臣盡規」，《禮記》曰：「事君有犯而無隱」。 臣幸偶昌運，謬參近列，敢竭狂愚，庶裨分寸，伏惟陛下詳察。
Your subject has heard the Commentary says, "Close ministers fully remonstrate," and the Book of Rites says, "In serving the ruler there is offense but no concealment." Your subject has fortunately met a prosperous age and wrongly holds a close post; I dare exhaust my rash foolishness, hoping it may help in the least; I respectfully ask Your Majesty to examine it closely.
20
臣讀《漢書·劉向傳》，見論王者山陵之誡，良史稱嘆，萬古芬芳。 何者？ 聖賢之心，勤儉是務，必求諸道，不作無益。 故舜葬蒼梧，不變其肆； 禹葬會稽，不改其列。 周武葬於畢陌，無丘壟之處； 漢文葬於霸陵，因山谷之勢。 禹非不忠也，啟非不順也，周公非不悌也，景帝非不孝也，其奉君親，皆從微薄。 昔宋文公始為厚葬，用蜃炭，益車馬，其臣華元、樂舉，《春秋》書為不臣。 秦始皇葬驪山，魚膏為燈燭，水銀為江海，珍寶之藏，不可勝計，千載非之。 宋桓魋為石槨，夫子曰：「不如速朽」。 子遊問喪具，夫子曰：「稱家之有無」。 張釋之對孝文曰：「使其中無可欲，雖無石槨，又何戚焉？」 漢文帝霸陵皆以瓦器，不以金銀為飾。 由是觀之，有德者葬逾薄，無德者葬逾厚，昭然可睹矣！
Your subject read the Han Annals biography of Liu Xiang and saw the discussion of warnings regarding imperial tombs; fine historians praised it and its fragrance lasts through ten thousand ages. Why? The minds of sages and worthies take frugality as their task and surely seek the Way, making nothing without benefit. Therefore Shun was buried at Cangwu without changing its marketplace; Yu was buried at Kuaiji without changing its rows. King Wu of Zhou was buried at Bimo with no mound or tomb; Emperor Wen of Han was buried at Baling following the terrain of valley and hill. Yu was not disloyal, Qi was not unfilial, the Duke of Zhou was not undutiful to younger brothers, and Emperor Jing was not unfilial; in serving ruler and parent they all followed modest practice. Formerly Duke Wen of Song first made lavish burial, using clam charcoal and adding chariots and horses; his ministers Hua Yuan and Yue Ju were recorded in the Spring and Autumn Annals as disloyal ministers. The First Emperor of Qin was buried at Mount Li with fish fat for lamps and mercury for rivers and seas; treasures stored were beyond counting, and for a thousand years he has been condemned. Huan Tui of Song made a stone outer coffin; the Master said, "Better to decay quickly." Ziyou asked about funeral equipment; the Master said, "Match what the family has." Zhang Shizhi replied to Emperor Xiaowen, "If inside there is nothing desirable, though there be no stone outer coffin, what sorrow is there?" Emperor Wen of Han's Baling tomb all used earthenware and did not use gold or silver as ornament. From this it is seen that the burial of the virtuous grows ever more modest and that of the unvirtuous grows ever more lavish— plainly visible!
21
陛下自臨禦天下，聖政日新。 進忠去邪，減膳節用，不珍雲物之瑞，不近鷹犬之娛。 有司給物，悉依元估，利於人也。 遠方底貢，唯供祀事，薄於己也。 故澤州奏慶雲，詔曰：「以時和為嘉祥」； 邕州奏金坑，詔曰：「以不貪為寶」。 恭惟聖慮，無非至理。 而獨六月一日制節文雲「應緣山陵制度，務從優厚，當竭帑藏，以供費用」者，此誠仁孝之德，切於聖衷。 伏以尊親之義，貴於合禮。 陛下每下明詔，發德音，皆比蹤唐、虞，超邁周、漢。 豈取悅凡常之目，有違賢哲之心，與失德之君競其奢侈者也？ 臣又伏讀遺詔曰：「其喪儀制度，務從儉約，不得以金銀錦彩為飾。」 陛下恭順先誌，動無違者。 若制度優厚，豈顧命之意耶？
Since Your Majesty personally governs the realm, sacred governance grows daily new. You advance the loyal and remove the corrupt, reduce meals and economize expense, do not prize auspicious clouds and objects, and do not draw near to hawk and hound amusements. When offices supply goods, all follow original estimates— benefiting the people. Tribute from distant regions supplies only sacrificial affairs— sparing yourself. Therefore when Ze Prefecture reported auspicious clouds, the edict said, "Take timely harmony as auspicious omen;" when Yong Prefecture reported a gold mine, the edict said, "Take not being greedy as treasure." Respectfully considering the sacred mind, nothing is not ultimate principle. Yet alone in the regulation text of the first day of the sixth month it says, "Because of the tomb system, strive for generous treatment and exhaust the treasury to supply expense"— this is truly virtue of benevolence and filial piety, pressing on the sacred heart. I respectfully consider that the meaning of honoring parents values conforming to ritual. Whenever Your Majesty issues bright edicts and sends forth virtuous words, you always trace Tang and Yu and surpass Zhou and Han. Would you please common eyes and go against the mind of sages and worthies, competing in extravagance with rulers who lost virtue? Your subject also respectfully read the testamentary edict: "Its funeral rites and system should strive for frugality and not use gold, silver, brocade, or colored silk as ornament." Your Majesty respectfully follows the prior will and in action never violates it. If the system is generous, how is that the meaning of the dying command?
22
伏惟陛下遠覽虞、夏、周、漢之制，深惟夫子、張釋之之誡，虔奉先旨，俯遵禮經，為萬代法，天下幸甚！ 今赦書雖已頒行，諸條尚猶未出，此時奉遺制，敷聖理，固未晚也。 伏望速詔有司，悉從古禮。 臣聞愚夫之言，明主擇焉。 況臣忝職史官，親逢睿德，恥同華元、樂舉之為不臣也，願以舜、禹之理，紀聖猷也。 夙夜懇迫，不敢不言，抵犯聖明，實憂罪譴。 言行身黜，雖死猶生。
I respectfully ask Your Majesty to look far to the systems of Yu, Xia, Zhou, and Han, deeply weigh the warnings of the Master and Zhang Shizhi, reverently follow the prior intent, defer to the ritual classics, and make a law for ten thousand generations— great fortune for the realm! Though the amnesty edict has already been promulgated, the various articles have not yet come out; at this time to follow the testamentary system and spread sacred principle is still not late. I respectfully hope you will quickly order the responsible offices to follow entirely the ancient rites. Your subject has heard that the words of foolish men are chosen by a bright ruler. Moreover your subject disgracefully holds the post of historiographer and personally met enlightened virtue; ashamed to be like Hua Yuan and Yue Ju in disloyalty, I wish to record the principle of Shun and Yu in the sacred plan. Day and night in urgent pleading I dare not fail to speak; offending the sacred brightness, I truly fear punishment. If words are heeded though the person is dismissed, though one dies one still lives.
23
優詔答曰：「朕頃議山陵，心方迷謬，忘遵先旨，遂有優厚之文。 卿聞見該通，識度弘遠，深知不可，形於至言。 援引古今，依據經禮，非唯中朕之病，抑亦成朕之躬。 免朕獲不子之名，皆卿之力也。 敢不聞義而徙，收之桑榆，奉以始終，期無失墜。 古之遺直，何以加焉！」
A gracious reply answered, "I recently deliberated on the imperial tomb and my mind was confused and mistaken; forgetting to follow the prior intent, there came the generous text. You are comprehensive in knowledge and far-reaching in judgment, deeply knowing it cannot be done, and expressed it in utmost words. Citing past and present and relying on the classics and rites, you not only hit my fault but also completed my person. Spared me the name of an unfilial son— all your power. How dare I not hear righteousness and move, gather it at sunset, and follow it to the end, expecting no lapse! How can the upright men of antiquity be surpassed!"
24
初，大歷中，劉晏為吏部尚書，楊炎為侍郎，晏用峘判吏部南曹事。 峘荷晏之舉，每分闕，必擇其善者送晏，不善者送炎，炎心不平之。 及建中初，亙為禮部侍郎，炎為宰相，不念舊事。 有士子杜封者，故相鴻漸子，求補弘文生。 炎嘗出杜氏門下，托封於峘。 峘謂使者曰：「相公誠憐封，欲成一名，乞署封名下一字，峘得以誌之。」 炎不意峘賣，即署名托封。 峘以炎所署奏論，言宰相迫臣以私，臣若從之，則負陛下，不從則炎當害臣。 德宗出疏問炎，炎具言其事，德宗怒甚，曰：「此奸人，無可奈何！」 欲決杖流之，炎苦救解，貶衡州別駕。 遷衡州刺史。
Formerly in the Dali era Liu Yan was Director of the Ministry of Personnel and Yang Yan was Vice Director; Yan used Huhuan to judge southern bureau affairs in the Ministry of Personnel. Huhuan, obliged by Liu Yan's recommendation, whenever dividing vacancies always sent the best candidates to Liu Yan and the weaker ones to Yang Yan; Yang Yan was displeased. At the beginning of the Jianzhong era Gen was Vice Director of the Ministry of Rites and Yan was chancellor; he did not remember old affairs. There was a scholar named Du Feng, son of the former chancellor Hongjian, who sought appointment as a student of the Hongwen Institute. Yan had once been a client of the Du house and entrusted Feng to Huhuan. Huhuan said to the messenger, "If the chancellor truly pities Feng and wishes to make a name for him, please sign one character below Feng's name so Huhuan may record it." Yan did not expect Huhuan's trick and at once signed, entrusting Feng. Huhuan submitted a memorial with Yan's signature, saying the chancellor forced your subject for private reasons; if your subject followed, then he failed Your Majesty; if he did not follow, Yan would harm your subject. Dezong issued the memorial to question Yan; Yan fully explained the matter, and Dezong was greatly angry and said, "This is a treacherous man— nothing can be done!" He wished to have him beaten with the rod and banished; Yan bitterly pleaded for mercy and Huhuan was demoted Assistant Administrator of Heng Prefecture. He was transferred to Prefect of Heng Prefecture.
25
貞元中，李泌輔政，召拜右庶子、史館修撰。 性既僻異，動失人和。 在史館，與同職孔述睿等爭忿細故，數侵述睿。 述睿長者，讓而不爭。 無何，泌卒，竇參秉政，惡其為人，貶吉州別駕。 久之，授吉州刺史。
In the Zhenyuan era Li Mi assisted in governance and summoned him as Right Subordinate and Historiography Compiler. By nature he was eccentric and often failed in human harmony. In the Historiography Office he quarreled over small matters with colleagues such as Kong Shurui and repeatedly offended Shurui. Shurui was a man of forbearance and yielded without quarreling. Before long Mi died and Dou Can held power; he hated Huhuan's conduct and demoted him Assistant Administrator of Ji Prefecture. After a long time he was appointed Prefect of Ji Prefecture.
26
齊映廉察江西，行部過吉州。 故事，刺史始見觀察使，皆戎服趨庭致禮； 映雖嘗為宰相，然驟達後進，峘自恃前輩，有以過映，不欲以戎服謁。 入告其妻韋氏，恥抹首趨庭。 謂峘曰：「卿自視何如人，白頭走小生前，卿如不以此禮見映，雖黜死，我亦無恨。」
Qi Ying inspected Jiangxi and on tour passed through Ji Prefecture. By precedent, when a prefect first met an observation commissioner he all wore military dress and hastened to the court to perform ritual; though Ying had once been chancellor, he had suddenly risen as a later arrival; Huhuan relied on being a senior and looked down on Ying and did not wish to meet in military dress. He told his wife Lady Wei and was ashamed to smear his head and hasten to court. He said to Huhuan, "What sort of man do you take yourself for— white-haired, running before a junior? If you do not meet Ying with this rite, though demoted to death, I have no regret."
27
峘曰「諾」，即以客禮謁之。 映雖不言，深以為憾。 映至州，奏峘糾前政過失，鞫之無狀，不宜按部臨人，貶衢州別駕。 衢州刺史田敦，峘知舉時進士門生也。 初峘當貢部，放榜日貶逐，與敦不相面。 敦聞峘來，喜曰：「始見座主。」 迎謁之禮甚厚。 敦月分俸之半以奉峘。 峘在衢州殆十年。 順宗即位，以秘書少監征，既至而卒。
Huhuan said, "Agreed," and met him with guest rites. Though Ying did not speak of it, he deeply resented it. When Ying reached the prefecture he memorialized that Huhuan had investigated faults of the prior administration; investigation found no basis, and he was unsuitable to inspect the region and govern people; Huhuan was demoted Assistant Administrator of Qu Prefecture. Prefect Tian Dun of Qu Prefecture was a jinshi disciple when Huhuan supervised the examination. When Huhuan first supervised the Ministry of Rites, on the day the list was posted he was demoted and banished and never met Dun face to face. When Dun heard Huhuan was coming he rejoiced and said, "At last I see my examiner." The welcoming and audience rites were very generous. Each month Dun gave half his salary to support Huhuan. Huhuan was in Qu Prefecture for nearly ten years. When Emperor Shunzong ascended the throne he was summoned as Vice Director of the Secretariat; once he arrived he died.
28
元和三年，峘子太仆寺丞丕，始獻峘所撰《代宗實錄》四十卷。 初，亙坐李泌貶，監修國史奏峘所撰實錄一分，請於貶所畢功。 至是方奏，以功贈工部尚書。
In the third year of Yuanhe Huhuan's son Pi, Assistant Director of the Court of the Imperial Stud, first presented the Veritable Record of Emperor Daizong in forty juan that Huhuan had compiled. Formerly Gen was demoted because of Li Mi; the supervising compiler of the national history memorialized one copy of the Veritable Record Huhuan had compiled and asked that he finish the work at his place of demotion. Only then was it submitted; for the achievement he was posthumously granted Director of the Ministry of Works.
29
歸崇敬
Gui Chongjing
30
歸崇敬，字正禮，蘇州吳郡人也。 曾祖奧，以崇敬故，追贈秘書監。 祖樂，贈房州刺史。 父待聘，亦贈秘書監。
Gui Chongjing, styled Zhengli, came from Wu Commandery in Suzhou. His great-grandfather Ao, because of Chongjing, was posthumously granted Vice Director of the Secretariat. His grandfather Le was posthumously granted Prefect of Fang Prefecture. His father Daipin was also posthumously granted Vice Director of the Secretariat.
31
崇敬少勤學，以經業擢第。 遭喪哀毀，以孝聞，調授四門助教。 天寶末，對策高第，授左拾遺，改秘書郎。 遷起居郎、贊善大夫，兼史館修撰，又加集賢殿校理。 以家貧求為外職，歷同州、潤州長史，會玄宗、肅宗二帝山陵，參掌禮儀，遷主客員外郎。 又兼史館修撰，改膳部郎中。
Chongjing from youth studied diligently and was selected by classical learning. When he encountered mourning he was destroyed in grief and was famed for filial piety; he was appointed Assistant Instructor of the Four Gates. Near the end of the Tianbao era, he placed at the top of the policy-response examination, was appointed Left Reminder, and was reassigned as Secretary Gentleman. He was promoted to Diarist and Mentor to the Heir Apparent, served concurrently as a History Office compiler, and was also made collator of the Hall of Assembled Worthies. Seeking an outside appointment because his family was poor, he served successively as chief administrator of Tong and Run Prefectures; when the tombs of Emperors Xuanzong and Suzong were prepared, he helped manage the rites, and was promoted to Assistant Director of the Bureau of Receiving Guests. He again served concurrently as a History Office compiler and was reassigned as Director of the Bureau of Food and Drink.
32
崇敬以百官朔望朝服褲褶非古，上疏云：「按三代典禮，兩漢史籍，並無褲褶之制，亦未詳所起之由。 隋代已來，始有服者。 事不師古，伏請停罷。」 從之。
Gui Chongjing argued that having officials wear trousers and short jackets at the new- and full-moon court audiences was not ancient practice, and submitted a memorial, "Examining the canonical rites of the Three Dynasties and the historical records of the two Han, one finds no institution of trousers and short jackets, nor any clear account of when it began. Only since the Sui dynasty have people begun to wear them. Because this does not follow antiquity, I humbly ask that it be abolished." His request was granted.
33
又諫：「東都太廟，不合置木主。 謹按典禮，虞主用桑，練主用栗。 作桑主則埋栗主，作栗主則埋桑主，所以神無二主，天無二日，土無二王也。 東都太廟，是則天皇后所建，以置武氏木主。 中宗去其主而存其廟，蓋將以備行幸遷都之置也。 且殷人屢遷，前八後五，則前後遷都一十三度，不可每都而別立神主也。 議者或云：『東都神主已曾虔奉而禮之，豈可一朝廢之乎？』 且虞祭則立桑主而虔祀，練祭則立栗主而埋桑主，豈桑主不曾虔祀而乃埋之？ 又所闕之主，何須更作？ 作之不時，恐非禮也。」
He also remonstrated, "The Eastern Capital Ancestral Temple ought not to keep wooden spirit tablets. According to canonical ritual, the mourning tablet is made of mulberry, and the refined tablet of chestnut. When a mulberry tablet is made, the chestnut tablet is buried; when a chestnut tablet is made, the mulberry tablet is buried—so that the spirit has no two masters, Heaven no two suns, and the land no two kings. The Eastern Capital Ancestral Temple was built by Empress Wu to install wooden tablets for the Wu clan. Emperor Zhongzong removed her tablets but preserved the temple, evidently to keep a reserve for imperial tours and possible relocation of the capital. Moreover, the Yin moved their capital repeatedly—eight times before and five after, thirteen relocations in all—so one cannot set up separate spirit tablets at every capital. Some object, 'The Eastern Capital spirit tablets were once reverently served in ritual—how can they be cast aside overnight?' Yet at the yu sacrifice a mulberry tablet is erected and reverently worshipped, and at the lian sacrifice a chestnut tablet is erected while the mulberry tablet is buried—surely the mulberry tablet was reverently worshipped before it was buried? And for the tablets that are lacking, why must new ones be made at all? To make them at the wrong time, I fear, would not be ritual."
34
又議云：「每年春秋二時釋奠文宣王，祝板禦署訖，北面揖，臣以為禮太重。 謹按《大戴禮》，師尚父授周武王丹書，武王東面而立。 今署祝板，伏請準武王東面之禮，輕重庶得其中。」
He also submitted an opinion, "In the spring and autumn sacrifices to Confucius, after the prayer board is signed by the emperor the officiant bows facing north; I consider this excessively solemn. According to the Greater Dai Book of Rites, Military Instructor Shangfu presented King Wu with the Red Book, and Wu stood facing east. When the prayer board is signed today, I humbly ask that the east-facing rite of King Wu be taken as the standard, so that the ceremony's weight may be properly balanced."
35
時有術士巨彭祖上疏云：「大唐土德，千年合符，請每四季郊祀天地。」 詔禮官儒者議之。 崇敬議曰：「按舊禮，立春之日，迎春於東郊，祭青帝。 立夏之日，迎夏於南郊，祭赤帝。 先立秋十八日，迎黃靈於中地，祀黃帝。 秋、冬各於其方。 黃帝於五行為土王，在四季生於火，故火用事之末而祭之，三季則否。 漢、魏、周、隋，共行此禮。 國家土德乘時，亦以每歲六月土王之日，祀黃帝於南郊，以後土配，所謂合禮。 今彭祖請用四季祠祀，多憑緯候之說，且據陰陽之說。 事涉不經，恐難行用。」 又議祭五人帝不稱臣云：「太昊五帝，人帝也，於國家即為前後之禮，無君臣之義。 若於人帝而稱臣，則於天帝復何稱也？ 議者或云：『五人帝列於《月令》，分配五時。』 則五神、五音、五祀、五蟲、五臭、五谷皆備，以備其時之色數，非謂別有尊崇也。」 又請太祖景皇帝配天，事已具《禮儀志》。 自是國典大禮，崇敬常參議焉。
At that time the adept Ju Pengzu submitted a memorial, "The Great Tang possesses the virtue of Earth and the thousand-year tally is fulfilled—I ask that Heaven and Earth be sacrificed to in all four seasons." An edict ordered ritual officials and Confucian scholars to discuss the proposal. Gui Chongjing submitted an opinion, "According to the old rites, on the day of Beginning of Spring one welcomes spring at the eastern suburb and sacrifices to the Green Emperor. On the day of Beginning of Summer one welcomes summer at the southern suburb and sacrifices to the Red Emperor. Eighteen days before Beginning of Autumn one welcomes the Yellow Spirit at the central region and sacrifices to the Yellow Emperor. Autumn and winter each have their own directional rites. The Yellow Emperor, as sovereign of Earth among the Five Phases, arises at the end of Fire's season; therefore he is sacrificed at the close of Fire's dominion, but not in the other three seasons. Han, Wei, Zhou, and Sui all followed this rite. Our state, inheriting the virtue of Earth, likewise each year on the day of the Earth sovereign in the sixth month sacrifices to the Yellow Emperor at the southern suburb with Hou Tu as associate—this is true conformity to ritual. Now Pengzu asks to sacrifice in all four seasons, relying heavily on apocryphal prognostications and yin-yang theory. The proposal is uncanonical, and I fear it would be difficult to carry out." He also argued against calling oneself subject when sacrificing to the Five Human Sovereigns, "Taihao and the Five Sovereigns are human sovereigns; toward the state they are only predecessors in ritual sequence, not rulers in a relationship of subject and sovereign. If one calls oneself subject to human sovereigns, then what title does one use before the Sovereign of Heaven? Some object, 'The Five Human Sovereigns are listed in the Monthly Ordinances and assigned to the five seasons.' In that case the five spirits, five tones, five sacrifices, five creatures, five odors, and five grains are all complete, supplying the colors and numbers of each season—not meaning that they receive separate exalted worship." He also requested that Founding Emperor Jing be associated with Heaven; the matter is fully recorded in the Treatise on Ritual. Thereafter, in the great rites of state, Gui Chongjing regularly took part in deliberation.
36
大歷初，以新羅王卒，授崇敬倉部郎中、兼御史中丞，賜紫金魚袋，充吊祭、冊立新羅使。 至海中流，波濤迅急，舟船壞漏，眾鹹驚駭。 舟人請以小艇載崇敬避禍，崇敬曰：「舟中凡數十百人，我何獨濟？」 逡巡，波濤稍息，竟免為害。 故事，使新羅者，至海東多有所求，或攜資帛而往，貿易貨物，規以為利。 崇敬一皆絕之，東夷稱重其德。 使還，授國子司業，兼集賢學士。 與諸儒官同修《通志》，崇敬知《禮儀志》，眾稱允當。
At the beginning of the Dali era, when the king of Silla died, Gui Chongjing was appointed Director of the Bureau of Granaries and Concurrent Censor-in-Chief, granted the purple robe and gold fish tally, and dispatched as envoy to mourn, invest, and install the new king of Silla. Midway across the sea the waves surged violently, the ship was damaged and leaking, and everyone was terrified. The boatmen asked to carry Gui Chongjing off in a small boat to escape disaster. Gui Chongjing said, "There are several dozen or a hundred people in this vessel—how can I alone be saved?" Before long the waves gradually subsided, and they ultimately escaped harm. By precedent, envoys to Silla often made many demands once they reached the eastern sea; some carried silks and goods to trade for profit. Gui Chongjing refused all of this, and the eastern barbarians greatly respected his integrity. On his return he was appointed Vice Director of the Directorate of Education and Concurrent Academician of the Hall of Assembled Worthies. Together with the various Confucian officials he revised the Comprehensive Treatises; Gui Chongjing was in charge of the Treatise on Ritual, which all praised as appropriate.
37
時皇太子欲以仲秋之月，於國學行齒胄之禮。 崇敬以國學及官名不稱，請改國學之制，兼更其名，曰：
At that time the Crown Prince wished to perform the capping-and-enfeoffment rite at the Directorate of Education in mid-autumn. Gui Chongjing held that the directorate and its official titles were improperly named, and requested reform of its institutions and a change of name, arguing,
38
《禮記·王制》曰，天子學曰「辟雍」。 又《五經通義》云：「辟雍，養老教學之所也。」 以形制言之，雍，壅也； 辟，璧也，壅水環之，圓如璧形。 以義理言之，辟，明也； 雍，和也，言以禮樂明和天下。 《禮記》亦謂之澤宮。 《射義》云：天子將祭，必先習射於澤宮。 故前代文士，亦呼雲璧池，亦曰璧沼，亦謂之學省。 後漢光武立明堂、辟雍、靈臺，謂之三雍宮。 至明帝，躬行養老於其中。 晉武帝亦作明堂、辟雍、靈臺，親臨辟雍，行鄉飲酒之禮。 又別立國子學，以殊士庶。 永嘉南遷，唯有國子學，不立辟雍。 北齊立國子寺，隋初亦然。 至煬帝大業十三年，改為國子監。 今國家富有四海，聲明文物之盛，唯辟雍獨闕，伏請改國子監為辟雍省。
The "Royal Regulations" chapter of the Book of Rites says the Son of Heaven's academy is called "Piyong." The Exegesis of the Five Classics also says: "Piyong is the place where the aged are cared for and teaching is carried out." In terms of form, yong means "to dam"; pi means "jade disk"—water is dammed around it, round as a disk. In terms of meaning, pi means "to illumine"; yong means "harmony"—that is, to harmonize the realm through ritual and music. The Book of Rites also calls it the Marsh Palace. The Archery Rites says: before the Son of Heaven sacrifices, he must first practice archery at the Marsh Palace. Therefore scholars of former ages also called it the Cloud Disk Pool, the Disk Marsh, and the Academy Office. Emperor Guangwu of Later Han built the Bright Hall, Piyong, and Spirit Terrace—the Three Yong Palaces. By the time of Emperor Ming he personally performed the rite of caring for the aged there. Emperor Wu of Jin also built the Bright Hall, Piyong, and Spirit Terrace, personally attended Piyong, and performed the district drinking rite. He also separately established the Directorate of the Sons of the State to distinguish them from commoners. When the court moved south at Yongjia, only the Directorate of the Sons of the State remained; Piyong was not built. Northern Qi established the Directorate of the Sons of the State as a temple; early Sui did likewise. In the thirteenth year of Daye under Emperor Yang it was changed to the Directorate of Education. Now the state possesses all within the four seas, and in the splendor of culture and ritual only Piyong is lacking—I humbly ask that the Directorate of Education be renamed the Piyong Office.
39
又以：
He also argued,
40
祭酒之名，非學官所宜。 按《周禮》：「師氏掌以義詔王，教國子。」 請改祭酒為太師氏，位正三品。 又司業者，義在《禮記》，雲「樂正司業」。 正，長也，言樂官之長，司主此業。 《爾雅》云：「大板謂之業。」 按《詩·周頌》：「設業設虡，崇牙樹羽。」 則業是懸鐘磬之栒虡也。 今太學既不教樂，於義則無所取，請改司業一為左師，一為右師，位正四品。
The title Director of Sacrifices is unsuitable for an academic official. According to the Rites of Zhou: "The Director of Masters is charged to instruct the king in righteousness and to teach the sons of the state." I ask that Director of Sacrifices be changed to Grand Director of Masters, with rank of regular third grade. As for Vice Director, the meaning appears in the Book of Rites, which speaks of the "Music Master Vice Director." Zheng means "chief"—the chief of the music officials who presides over this work. The Erya says: "A large board is called ye." According to the Zhou Odes of the Book of Poetry: "They set up the ye and the ju, with high teeth and planted feathers." Thus ye is the crossbeam from which bells and chime-stones are suspended. Since the Grand Academy no longer teaches music, the title has no real meaning—I ask that the two Vice Director posts be changed to Left Master and Right Master, with rank of regular fourth grade.
41
又以：
He also argued,
42
《五經》六籍，古先哲王致理之式也。 國家創業，制取賢之法，立明經，發微言於眾學，釋回增美，選賢與能。 自艱難已來，取人頗易，考試不求其文義，及第先取於帖經，遂使專門業廢，請益無從，師資禮虧，傳受義絕。 今請以《禮記》、《左傳》為大經； 《周禮》、《儀禮》、《毛詩》為中經； 《尚書》、《周易》為小經，各置博士一員。 其《公羊》、《穀梁》文疏少，請共準一中經，通置博士一員。 所擇博士，兼通《孝經》、《論語》，依憑章疏，講解分明，註引旁通，問十得九； 兼德行純潔，文詞雅正，儀形規範，可為師表者。 令四品以上各舉所知。 在外者給驛，年七十已上者蒲輪。 其國子、太學、四門、三館，各立五經博士，品秩上下，生徒之數，各有差。 其舊博士、助教、直講、經直及律館、算館助教，請皆罷省。
The Five Classics and Six Books are the models by which the ancient sage-kings brought order. When the state was founded it established methods for selecting the worthy, instituted the Mingjing examination, drew subtle meaning from the many schools, refined the coarse and elevated the fine, and selected the worthy and able. Since the times of hardship, selection has become too easy; examinations no longer test textual meaning, and passing depends first on reciting passages by heart—thus specialized study has collapsed, instruction has withered, the teacher's ritual is impaired, and the transmission of meaning is broken. Now I ask that the Book of Rites and the Zuo Commentary be made major classics; the Rites of Zhou, Ceremonial Rites, and Mao Odes be made middle classics; the Book of Documents and Book of Changes be made minor classics, with one erudite appointed for each. The Gongyang and Guliang commentaries have sparse exegeses—I ask that together they be treated as one middle classic, with one erudite appointed for both. The erudites chosen should also be thoroughly versed in the Classic of Filial Piety and Analects, able to explain clearly according to chapter and commentary, cite broadly in answer, and answer nine of ten questions correctly; and also pure in conduct, elegant in literary expression, and correct in bearing—fit to serve as models for teachers. Let all officials of fourth rank and above each recommend those they know. Those from outside the capital should be given post horses; those seventy years of age and above should receive rush-wheeled carts. The Directorate of the Sons of the State, Grand Academy, Four Gates, and Three Halls should each establish erudites of the Five Classics, with ranks and numbers of students varying by grade. The old erudites, assistant instructors, lecturers, scripture directors, and the assistant instructors of the Law Hall and Arithmetic Hall—I ask that all be abolished.
43
其教授之法，學生至監，謁同業師。 其所執贄，脯脩一束、清酒一壺，衫布一段，其色隨師所服。 師出中門，延入與坐，割脩斟酒，三爵而止。 乃發篋出經，摳衣前請。 師為依經辨理，略舉一隅，然後就室。 每朝、晡二時請益，師亦二時居講堂，說釋道義，發明大體，兼教以文行忠信之道，示以孝悌睦友之義。 旬省月試，時考歲貢。 以生徒及第多少，為博士考課上下。 其有不率教，者，則槚楚撲之。 國子不率教者，則申禮部，移為太學。 太學之不變者，移之四門。 四門之不變者，歸本州之學。 州學之不變者，復本役，終身不齒。 雖率教九年而學不成者，亦歸之州學。
As for the method of instruction: when a student arrives at the directorate, he calls on the master of his specialty. The gifts he presents are one bundle of dried meat, one jar of clear wine, and one length of shirt cloth, the color matching the master's dress. When the master goes out the middle gate, the student is invited in to sit; meat is cut, wine poured, and three cups offered before stopping. Then the chest is opened and the classic brought out; the student gathers his robe and steps forward to request instruction. The master explains according to the text, briefly opening one corner of meaning, and then the student withdraws to his room. Morning and afternoon he twice requests further instruction; the master also twice sits in the lecture hall, explaining meaning, clarifying the great principles, and teaching the Way of culture, conduct, loyalty, and faith, showing the meaning of filial piety, brotherhood, harmony, and friendship. Each ten-day period is reviewed, each month tested, and each year tribute is assessed. The number of students who pass determines whether an erudite's performance review is rated high or low. Those who do not follow instruction are beaten with rods and paddled. Those in the Directorate of the Sons of the State who do not follow instruction are reported to the Ministry of Rites and transferred to the Grand Academy. Those in the Grand Academy who do not reform are transferred to the Four Gates. Those in the Four Gates who do not reform are returned to their home prefecture's school. Those in the prefecture school who do not reform are returned to corvée duty and for life are not ranked among peers. Even if they follow instruction for nine years yet fail to complete their studies, they too are returned to the prefecture school.
44
其禮部考試之法，請無帖經，但於所習經中問大義二十，得十八為通； 兼《論語》、《孝經》各問十得八，兼讀所問文註義疏，必令通熟者為一通。 又於本經問時務策三道，通二為及第。 其中有孝行聞於鄉閭者，舉解具言於習業之下。 省試之日，觀其所實，義少兩道，亦請兼收。 其天下鄉貢，亦如之。 習業考試，並以明經為名。 得第者，授官之資與進士同。 若此，則教義日深，而禮讓興； 禮讓興，則強不犯弱，眾不暴寡。 此由太學而來者也。
As for the Ministry of Rites examination method, I ask that recitation by heart be abolished; instead, from the classic studied one should be asked twenty questions on great meaning, and answering eighteen correctly counts as passing; on the Analects and Classic of Filial Piety ten questions each with eight correct answers, and one must also read aloud the text, commentary, and exegesis asked about and be thoroughly fluent—this counts as one pass. Also ask three policy questions on current affairs from the classic studied; answering two correctly counts as passing. If any have filial conduct renowned in their village, let the recommendation fully state this beneath the record of their study. On the day of the provincial examination, observe the facts; if they fall short by two policy answers, I still ask that they be admitted. Provincial tribute throughout the realm should follow the same rule. Study and examination should both be called Mingjing. Those who pass should receive appointment qualifications equal to jinshi graduates. If this is done, teaching and meaning will deepen daily, and ritual and deference will rise; when ritual and deference rise, the strong will not violate the weak, and the many will not oppress the few. This is what comes from the Grand Academy.
45
詔下尚書集百僚定議以聞。 議者以為省者，禁也，非外司所宜名。 《周禮》代掌其職者曰氏，國學非代官，不宜曰太師氏。 其餘大抵以習俗既久，重難改作，其事不行。
An edict ordered the Ministry of Revenue to gather the hundred officials, settle deliberation, and report. Those in debate held that "office" means "prohibition," and is not a name outer departments should use. The Rites of Zhou calls one who acts in another's stead shi; the Directorate of the Sons of the State is not a substitute post, and should not be called Grand Director of Masters. On the rest, they mostly held that custom was long established and reform would be difficult; the proposal was not carried out.
46
會國學胥吏以餐錢差舛，御史臺按問，坐貶饒州司馬。 建中初，又拜國子司業。 尋選為翰林學士，遷左散騎常侍，加銀青光祿大夫。 尋兼普王元帥參謀，累加光祿大夫。 以兩河叛渙之徒初稟朝命，令崇敬以本官兼御史大夫持節宣慰，奉使稱旨。 及還，上表請歸拜墓，許之，賜以繒帛，儒者榮之。 尋加特進、檢校戶部尚書，遷工部尚書，並依前翰林學士，充皇太子侍讀。 累表辭，以年老乞骸骨，改兵部尚書致仕。 貞元十五年卒，時年八十，廢朝一日，贈左僕射。 子登嗣。
It happened that clerks of the Directorate of the Sons of the State had errors in meal money; the Censorate investigated, and he was demoted to military advisor of Rao Prefecture. At the beginning of Jianzhong he was again appointed Vice Director of the Directorate of Education. Soon he was selected as Academician of the Hanlin Academy, promoted to Regular Attendant of the Left, and granted the silver-blue robe and Grand Master of the Palace. Soon he also served as staff adviser to Prince Pu the Marshal, and was repeatedly promoted to Grand Master of the Palace. When the rebel bands of the two He regions first received imperial orders, Gui Chongjing was ordered to serve in his existing post as Concurrent Censor-in-Chief, bearing the staff of office as pacification envoy; he fulfilled the mission to the emperor's satisfaction. On his return he submitted a memorial requesting leave to return and worship at his ancestors' tombs; permission was granted, and silks were bestowed—a honor rare among Confucians. Soon he was specially promoted to Specially Advanced, Acting Director of the Department of Public Works, then Director of the Department of Public Works, while still serving as Hanlin Academician and tutor to the Crown Prince. Repeatedly submitting memorials declining office on account of old age and requesting retirement, he was reassigned as Director of the Department of War and retired. In the fifteenth year of Zhenyuan he died, aged eighty; court was suspended for one day, and he was posthumously granted Left Vice Director of the Department of State. His son Gui Deng succeeded him.
47
登，字沖之。 雅實弘厚，事紀母以孝稱。 大歷七年，舉孝廉高第，補四門助教。 貞元初，復登賢良科，自美原尉拜右拾遺。 時裴延齡以奸佞有恩，欲為相，諫議大夫陽城上疏切直，德宗赫怒。 右補闕熊執易等亦以危言忤旨。 初執易草疏成，示登，登愕然曰：「願寄一名。 雷電之下，安忍令足下獨當！」 自是同列切諫。 登每聯署其奏，無所回避，時人稱重。 轉右補闕、起居舍人，三任十五年。 同列嘗出其下者，多以馳騖至顯官，而登與右拾遺蔣武，退然自守，不以淹速介意。 後遷兵部員外郎，充皇子侍讀，尋加史館修撰。
Gui Deng, styled Chongzhi. Elegant and solid in character, he was famed for filial service to his stepmother. In the seventh year of Dali he placed at the top in the Filial and Incorrupt examination and was appointed assistant instructor of the Four Gates. At the beginning of Zhenyuan he again passed the Exemplary Talent examination, and from assistant magistrate of Meiyuan was appointed Right Reminder. At that time Pei Yanling, through treachery and flattery, had the emperor's favor and sought to become chancellor; Remonstrance Grandee Yang Cheng submitted a blunt, direct memorial, and Dezong was furious. Right Supplementation Censor Xiong Zhiyi and others also spoke harsh truths and offended the emperor's intent. When Xiong Zhiyi first finished drafting his memorial and showed it to Gui Deng, Gui Deng was startled and said, "I wish to add my name. Under heaven's thunder and lightning, how can I bear to let you bear it alone!" From then on his colleagues remonstrated together. Gui Deng each time joined his name to their memorials without evasion, and people of the time respected him. He was transferred to Right Supplementation Censor and Diarist, serving three terms over fifteen years. Colleagues who had once ranked below Gui Deng often rose through ambition to eminent posts, while Gui Deng and Right Reminder Jiang Wu quietly kept themselves and did not mind whether advancement was slow or fast. Later he was promoted to Assistant Director of the Department of War, served as tutor to the princes, and soon was additionally made History Office compiler.
48
順宗初，以東朝舊恩，超拜給事中，旋賜金紫，仍錫衫笏焉。 遷工部侍郎。 與孟簡、劉伯芻、蕭俛受詔同翻譯《大乘本生心地觀經》。 又為東宮及諸王侍讀，獻《龍樓箴》以諷。 久之，改左散騎常侍。 因中謝，憲宗問時所切，登以納諫為對，時論美之。 轉兵部侍郎，兼判國子祭酒事，遷工部尚書。 元和十五年卒，年六十七，贈太子少保。
At the beginning of Shunzong's reign, because of old favor from his days in the Eastern Palace, he was abruptly promoted to Supervising Censor, soon granted the gold-purple robe, and also given robe and court tablet. He was promoted to Vice Minister of the Department of Public Works. Together with Meng Jian, Liu Bochou, and Xiao Mian he received orders to translate the Mahayana Sutra of the Mind-Ground from the Great Vehicle. He also served as tutor to the Eastern Palace and the various princes, and presented the "Admonition of the Dragon Tower" as remonstrance. After a long time he was changed to Regular Attendant of the Left. When he came to offer thanks at court, Xianzong asked what was most urgent at the time; Gui Deng answered with accepting remonstrance, and opinion of the time praised him. He was transferred to Vice Minister of the Department of War, concurrently judged affairs as Director of Sacrifices of the Directorate of Education, and was promoted to Director of the Department of Public Works. In the fifteenth year of Yuanhe he died, aged sixty-seven, and was posthumously granted Junior Guardian of the Heir Apparent.
49
登有文學，工草隸。 寬博容物。 嘗使僮飼馬，馬蹄踶，僮怒，擊折馬足，登知而不責。 晚年頗好服食，有饋金石之藥者，且雲先嘗之矣，登服之不疑。 藥發毒幾死，方訊雲未之嘗； 他人為之怒，登視之無慍色。 常慕陸象先之為人，議者亦以為近之。 子融嗣。
Gui Deng had literary talent and was skilled in cursive and clerical script. He was broad and tolerant in bearing toward others. Once Gui Deng sent a servant to feed a horse; the horse kicked, and in anger the servant struck and broke the horse's leg. Gui Deng knew of it yet did not punish him. In his later years Gui Deng greatly favored taking medicines; someone offered him a mineral drug and claimed he had already tried it himself—Gui Deng took it without doubt. When the drug's poison nearly killed him, he then learned the man had not tried it; others were angry on Gui Deng's behalf, yet Gui Deng showed no sign of resentment. He always admired the conduct of Lu Xiangxian; commentators also held him close to that model. His son Gui Rong succeeded him.
50
融，進士擢第，自監察拾遺入省，拜工部員外郎，遷考功員外。 六年，轉工部郎中，充翰林學士。 八年，正拜舍人。 九年，轉戶部侍郎。 開成元年，兼御史中丞。 湖南觀察使盧周仁違敕進羨餘錢十萬貫。 融奏曰：「天下一家，何非君土？ 中外財賦，皆陛下府庫也。 周仁輒陳小利，妄設異端，言南方火災，恐成灰燼，進於京國，姑徇私誠。 入財貨以希恩，待朝廷而何淺！ 臣恐天下放效，以羨餘為名，因緣刻剝，生人受弊。 周仁請行重責，以例列籓。 其所進錢，請還湖南，代貧下租稅。」 詔周仁所進於河陰院收貯，以備水旱。 金部員外郎韓益判度支案，子弟受人賂三千餘貫，半是擬贓。 上問融曰：「韓益所犯，與盧元中、姚康孰甚？」 對曰：「元中與康枉破官錢三萬餘貫，益所取受人事，比之殊輕。」 乃貶梧州司戶。
Gui Rong passed the jinshi examination, entered the Secretariat from investigating censor and reminder, was appointed Assistant Director of the Department of Public Works, and was promoted to Assistant Director of the Bureau of Appointments. In the sixth year he was transferred to Director of the Department of Public Works and appointed Academician of the Hanlin Academy. In the eighth year he was formally appointed Drafter. In the ninth year he was transferred to Vice Minister of the Department of Revenue. In the first year of Kaicheng he was additionally made Censor-in-Chief. Hunan observation commissioner Lu Zhouren, violating an edict, submitted surplus funds of one hundred thousand strings. Gui Rong submitted, "Under Heaven all is one family—what is not the sovereign's soil? Revenues within and without are all stored in Your Majesty's treasury. Lu Zhouren rashly presents a small profit and presumptuously sets up a separate category, alleging that fire disaster in the south may reduce all to ash, and that sending funds to the capital is merely private loyalty. He brings wealth to seek favor—how shallow his regard for the court! I fear the realm will imitate him, using surplus funds as a pretext to extort and strip the people, who will suffer harm. I ask that Lu Zhouren receive heavy punishment as a warning to the other circuits. As for the funds he submitted, I ask that they be returned to Hunan to replace taxes owed by the poor." An edict ordered that Lu Zhouren's submission be stored at the Heyin depot to prepare for flood and drought. Han Yi, Assistant Director of the Bureau of Coinage, judged revenue cases; his younger relatives accepted bribes of more than three thousand strings, half of which counted as embezzlement. The emperor asked Gui Rong, "Between what Han Yi committed and what Lu Yuanzhong and Yao Kang did, which is the graver?" Gui Rong replied, "Lu Yuanzhong and Yao Kang improperly disbursed more than thirty thousand strings of official funds; what Han Yi accepted as bribes from others is comparatively much lighter." Han Yi was then demoted to registrar of Wuzhou.
51
尋遷京兆尹。 時府司物力不充，特敕賜錢五萬貫； 府司以所賜之半還司農寺菜錢，融因對言之。 上以融學家，因問「『蔬糲』字有賴音，何也？ 『糲』是飯之極粗者耶？」 融以義類對之。 時兩公主出降，府司供帳事殷，又俯近上巳，曲江賜宴奏請改日。 上曰：「去年重陽，取九月十九日，未失重陽之意，今改取十三日可也。」 既而李固言作相，素不悅融，罷尹。 月餘，授秘書監。 俄而固言罷，楊嗣復輔政，以融權知兵部侍郎。 一年內拜吏部。 三年檢校禮部尚書、興元尹、兼御史大夫，充山南西道節度使。
Soon Gui Rong was promoted to metropolitan magistrate. At that time the metropolitan office lacked sufficient supplies; a special edict bestowed fifty thousand strings; the office returned half the grant to the Ministry of Agriculture as vegetable money, and Gui Rong spoke of this when answering at court. Since Gui Rong was a scholar, the emperor asked, "'Shu li'—does the character have a reading as 'lai'? Why? Is 'li' the coarsest grade of rice?'" Gui Rong answered by analogy of meaning. At that time two princesses were being married off, and the metropolitan office's provisioning was heavy; moreover, as Shangsi Festival drew near, a memorial requested postponing the Qujiang imperial banquet. The emperor said, "Last year for Double Ninth we chose the nineteenth of the ninth month, without losing the intent of Double Ninth; this year the thirteenth day will suffice." Soon afterward Li Guyin became chancellor; he had never liked Gui Rong, and Gui Rong was removed as magistrate. After more than a month he was appointed Director of the Secretariat. Before long Li Guyin was dismissed, Yang Sifu took power as chancellor, and Gui Rong was appointed acting Vice Minister of the Department of War. Within one year he was appointed Director of the Department of Personnel. In the third year he was made Acting Director of the Department of Rites, metropolitan magistrate of Xingyuan, Concurrent Censor-in-Chief, and military commissioner of the Shannan West Circuit.
52
融子仁晦、仁翰、仁憲、仁召、仁澤，皆登進士第。 咸通中並至達官。
Gui Rong's sons Renhui, Renhan, Renxian, Renzhao, and Renze all passed the jinshi examination. In the Xiantong era they all reached high office.
53
奚陟
Xi Zhi
54
奚陟，字殷卿，亳州人也。 祖翰繹，天寶中弋陽郡太守。 陟少好讀書，登進士第，又登制舉文詞清麗科，授弘文館校書，尋拜大理評事。 佐入吐蕃使，不行，授左拾遺。 丁父母憂，哀毀過禮，親朋湣之。 車駕幸興元，召拜起居郎、翰林學士。 辭以疾病，久不赴職，改太子司議郎。 歷金部、吏部員外郎、左司郎中，彌綸省闥。 又累奉使，皆稱旨。
Xi Zhi, styled Yinqing, was a native of Bozhou. His grandfather Han Yi served as prefect of Yiyang Commandery during the Tianbao era. From youth Zhi loved reading. He passed the jinshi examination and then the decree examination in refined literary diction, was appointed collator in the Hongwen Institute, and soon became an evaluating official in the Court of Judicial Review. He was assigned as aide to the envoy to Tibet but did not go, and was appointed Left Remonstrance Official. Upon the deaths of his parents he mourned with such grief and self-mortification that he exceeded ritual propriety, and relatives and friends pitied him. When the emperor traveled to Xingyuan, Zhi was summoned and appointed Master of Ceremonial for the Emperor's Movements and Hanlin Academician. He declined on grounds of illness, long failed to report to duty, and was reassigned as Secretary for Discussion in the Heir Apparent's Household. He served successively as Vice Director in the Ministries of Revenue and Personnel and as Director in the Left Department of the Secretariat, handling affairs within the imperial secretariat. He also undertook repeated missions, all of which pleased the emperor.
55
貞元八年，擢拜中書舍人。 是歲，江南、淮西大雨為災，令陟勞問巡慰，所在人安悅之。 中書省故事，姑息胥徒，以常在宰相左右也，陟皆以公道處之。 先是右省雜給，率分等第，皆據職田頃畝，即主書所受與右史等。 陟乃約以料錢為率，自是主書所得減拾遺。 時中書令李晟所請紙筆雜給，皆不受； 但告雜事舍人，令且貯之，他日便悉以遺舍人。 前例，雜事舍人自攜私入，陟以所得均分省內官。 又躬親庶務，下至園蔬，皆悉自點閱，人以為難，陟處之無倦。 遷刑部侍郎。
In the eighth year of Zhenyuan he was promoted to Secretariat Drafter. That year heavy rains brought disaster to Jiangnan and Huaixi; Zhi was ordered to tour the regions offering consolation, and wherever he went the people were reassured and grateful. By Secretariat precedent, clerks and runners were indulged because they were always at the chancellors' side; Zhi treated them all with impartial justice. Previously, miscellaneous allowances in the Right Secretariat were generally apportioned by rank according to the acreage of official fields, so that chief clerks received the same share as right historians. Zhi then set the standard according to stipend funds, and from that time the chief clerks' share was reduced below that of the remonstrance officials. At the time the paper, brushes, and miscellaneous supplies requested by Chief Councilor Li Sheng were all refused; he only told the miscellaneous-affairs drafter to store them temporarily, and later gave them all to the drafters. By former precedent the miscellaneous-affairs drafter brought in private goods; Zhi divided what he received equally among officials within the secretariat. He also personally attended to routine affairs down to garden vegetables, inspecting everything himself; people thought it arduous, but Zhi handled it without tiring. He was transferred to Vice Minister of Justice.
56
裴延齡惡京兆尹李充有能政，專意陷害之，誣奏充結陸贄，數厚賂遺金帛。 充既貶官，又奏充比者妄破用京兆府錢穀至多，請令比部勾覆，以比部郎中崔元翰陷充，怨惡贄也。 詔許之。 元翰曲附延齡，劾治府史。 府史到者，雖無過犯，皆笞決以立威，時論喧然。 陟乃躬自閱視府案，具得其實，奏言：「據度支奏，京兆府貞元九年兩稅及已前諸色羨餘錢，共六十八萬餘貫，李充並妄破用。 今所勾勘，一千二百貫已來是諸縣供館驛加破，及在諸色人戶腹內合收，其斛鬥共三十二萬石，唯三百餘石諸色輸納所由欠折，其餘並是準敕及度支符牒，給用已盡。」 陟之寬平守法，多如此類。 元翰既不遂其誌，因此憤恚而卒。
Pei Yanling hated Jingzhao Intendant Li Chong for his capable administration and deliberately set out to entrap him, falsely memorializing that Chong had allied with Lu Zhi and repeatedly sent him lavish gifts of gold and silk. After Chong was demoted, Yanling further memorialized that Chong had recently misappropriated vast sums from the Jingzhao Metropolitan Government's treasury, requesting an audit by the Audit Bureau; he used Audit Bureau Director Cui Yuanhan to entrap Chong, motivated by hatred for Zhi. The emperor approved the request. Yuanhan curried favor with Yanling and prosecuted the metropolitan clerks. Clerks who were summoned, though guilty of no offense, were all flogged to establish authority, and public opinion was in uproar. Zhi then personally reviewed the metropolitan records and established the facts, memorializing: "According to the Finance Commission's memorial, surplus funds from the Jingzhao Metropolitan Government's two-tax levies of the ninth year of Zhenyuan and earlier miscellaneous items totaled more than 680,000 strings of cash, all of which Li Chong was alleged to have misappropriated without authorization. The present audit shows that amounts of 1,200 strings and below were additional expenditures by various counties for relay stations and posthouses, and grain to be collected within miscellaneous household quotas, totaling 320,000 bushels; only more than 300 bushels involved shortages in delivery by the responsible parties for miscellaneous tax items. The remainder was fully disbursed in accordance with imperial edicts and Finance Commission directives." Zhi's leniency, fairness, and fidelity to law were mostly of this kind. Yuanhan, unable to achieve his aim, died in anger and resentment.
57
陟尋以本官知吏部選事，銓綜平允，有能名，遷吏部侍郎。 所蒞之官，時以為稱職。 貞元十五年卒，年五十五，贈禮部尚書。
Zhi soon oversaw selection affairs in the Ministry of Personnel in his existing office; his evaluations were fair and even and he gained a reputation for ability, and he was transferred to Vice Minister of Personnel. Every office he held was regarded at the time as a good fit. He died in the fifteenth year of Zhenyuan at the age of fifty-five and was posthumously awarded Minister of Rites.
58
張薦
Zhang Jian
59
張薦，字孝舉，深州陸澤人。 祖翾，字文成，聰警絕綸，書無不覽。 為兒童時，夢紫色大鳥，五彩成文，降於家庭。 其祖謂之曰：「五色赤文，鳳也； 紫文，趯翾也，為鳳之佐，吾兒當以文章瑞於明廷。」 因以為名字。 初登進士第，對策尤工，考功員外郎謇味道賞之曰：「如此生，天下無雙矣！」 調授岐王府參軍。 又應下筆成章及才高位下、詞標文苑等科。 翾凡應八舉，皆登甲科。 再授長安尉，遷鴻臚丞。 凡四參選，判策為銓府之最。 員外郎員半千謂人曰：「張子之文如青錢，萬簡萬中，未聞退時。」 時流重之，目為「青錢學士」。 然性褊躁，不持士行，尤為端士所惡，姚崇甚薄之。 開元初，澄正風俗，翾為御史李全交所糾，言翾語多譏刺，時坐貶嶺南。 刑部尚書李日知奏論，乃追敕移於近處。 開元中，入為司門員外郎卒。 翾下筆敏速，著述尤多，言頗詼諧。 是時天下知名，無賢不肖，皆記誦其文。 天後朝，中使馬仙童陷默啜，默啜謂仙童曰：「張文成在否？」 曰：「近自御史貶官。」 默啜曰：「國有此人而不用，漢無能為也。」 新羅、日本東夷諸蕃，尤重其文，每遣使入朝，必重出金貝以購其文，其才名遠播如此。
Zhang Jian, styled Xiaoju, was a native of Luzhe in Shen Prefecture. His grandfather Xuan, styled Wencheng, was exceptionally quick-witted and brilliant; there was no book he did not read. As a child he dreamed of a great purple bird with five-colored patterned plumage descending into the family courtyard. His grandfather told him: "Five-colored red writing is the phoenix; purple writing is Yue Xuan, the phoenix's assistant. My boy will bring literary glory to the bright court through his writings." On this basis his name and style were chosen. When he first passed the jinshi examination, his policy response was especially accomplished; Evaluation Officer Jian Weidao praised him: "Such a young man — there is no peer under Heaven!" He was appointed aide in the household of the Prince of Qi. He also entered the examinations for Instant Composition, High Talent with Low Rank, and Literary Excellence in the Garden of Letters. Xuan entered eight examinations in all and each time passed in the top grade. He was again appointed bailiff of Chang'an and transferred to Vice Director of the Court of Imperial Entertainments. He participated in four selection rounds in all; his graded policy responses ranked highest in the selection office. Vice Director Yuan Banqian told others: "Master Zhang's writings are like green cash coins — ten thousand selections, ten thousand hits; never have I heard of a miss." Men of the age esteemed him and called him the "Green Cash Academician." Yet his nature was narrow and impetuous; he did not maintain the conduct of a gentleman, and upright men especially detested him; Yao Chong held him in very low regard. In the early Kaiyuan era, when customs were being rectified, Xuan was impeached by Censor Li Quanjiao, who charged that his words were mostly sarcastic and cutting; at the time he was demoted to Lingnan. Minister of Justice Li Rizhi memorialized in his defense, and an edict was then sent recalling him to a nearer place. In the Kaiyuan era he entered the capital as Vice Director in the Ministry of Justice and died in office. Xuan wrote with quick fluency and produced especially many works; his language was quite humorous. At that time he was famous throughout the realm; whether worthy or unworthy, all memorized his writings. In the era of Empress Wu, when the palace envoy Ma Xiantong was trapped by Mohe, Mohe asked Xiantong: "Is Zhang Wencheng still alive?" He replied: "Recently he was demoted from censor." Mohe said: "A state that has such a man and does not employ him — the Han are incapable." Silla, Japan, and the various eastern barbarian tribes especially prized his writings; whenever they sent envoys to court they would bring out gold and shells to purchase his works — his literary fame spread so far.
60
薦少精史傳，顏真卿一見嘆賞之。 天寶中，浙西觀察使李涵表薦其才可當史任，乃詔授左司禦率府兵曹參軍。 既至闕下，以母老疾，竟不拜命。 母喪闋，禮部侍郎於邵舉前事以聞，召充史館修撰，兼陽翟尉。 硃泚之亂，變姓名伏匿城中，因著《史遁先生傳》。 德宗還宮，擢拜左拾遺。 貞元元年冬，上親郊。 時初克復，簿籍多失，禮文錯亂，乃以薦為太常博士，參典禮儀。 四年，回紇和親，以檢校右僕射、刑部尚書關播充使，送鹹安公主入蕃，以薦為判官，轉殿中侍御史。 使還，轉工部員外郎，改戶部本司郎中。 十一年，拜諫議大夫，仍充中館修撰。
Jian from youth was skilled in history and biography; Yan Zhenqing sighed in admiration at first sight of him. In the Tianbao era, Zhexi Observation Commissioner Li Han memorialized that Jian's talent was fit for historiographical duty; an edict then appointed him Military Affairs Clerk in the Left Bureau of the Imperial Guard. After he reached the capital, because his mother was old and ill, he ultimately did not accept the appointment. When the period of mourning for his mother ended, Vice Minister of Rites Yu Shao reported the earlier matter to the throne; he was summoned to serve as historiographer in the History Institute, concurrently as bailiff of Yangdi. During Zhu Ci's rebellion he changed his name and hid within the city, and accordingly wrote the "Biography of Master Shitun." When Dezong returned to the palace, he was promoted and appointed Left Remonstrance Official. In the winter of the first year of Zhenyuan, the emperor personally performed the suburban sacrifice. At that time, just after recovery, registers were mostly lost and ritual texts were in disorder; Jian was therefore made Doctor of the Court of Imperial Sacrifices to assist in managing ceremonial protocol. In the fourth year, when the Uyghurs made a marriage alliance, Acting Right Vice Director of the Department of State Affairs and Minister of Justice Guan Bo was made envoy to escort Princess Xian'an into the frontier; Jian served as aide and was transferred to Attending Censor. After the mission returned, he was transferred to Vice Director in the Ministry of Public Works and reassigned as Director in the Ministry of Revenue in his home ministry. In the eleventh year he was appointed Remonstrance Official and continued to serve as historiographer in the Central Institute.
61
時裴延齡恃寵，譖毀士大夫。 薦欲上書論之，屢揚言未果。 延齡聞之怒，奏曰：「諫官論朝政得失，史官書人君善惡，則領史職者不宜兼諫議。」 德宗以為然。 薦為諫議月餘，改秘書少監。 延齡排擯不已，會差使冊回紇毗伽懷信可汗及吊祭，乃命薦兼御史中丞，入回紇。 二十年，吐蕃贊普死，以薦為工部侍郎、兼御史大夫，充入吐蕃吊祭使。 涉蕃界二千餘里，至赤嶺東被病，歿於紇壁驛，吐蕃傳其柩以歸。 順宗即位，兇問至，詔贈禮部尚書。
At the time Pei Yanling relied on imperial favor and slandered scholar-officials. Jian wished to submit a memorial discussing this and repeatedly announced his intent, but never carried it through. Yanling heard of this and was angry; he memorialized: "Remonstrance officials discuss the gains and losses of court governance, and historiographers record the ruler's good and evil — therefore one who holds historiographical office should not concurrently hold remonstrance office." Dezong thought this correct. Jian had been Remonstrance Official for little more than a month when he was reassigned as Vice Director of the Palace Library. Yanling kept pressing him out; when missions were assigned to invest the Uyghur Qaghan Pijia Huaixin and to offer condolences, Jian was ordered to serve concurrently as Imperial Censor and enter the Uyghur lands. In the twentieth year, when the Tibetan tsenpo died, Jian was made Vice Minister of Public Works and Concurrent Imperial Censor and sent as envoy to Tibet to offer condolences. He crossed more than two thousand li of Tibetan territory, fell ill east of Chiling, and died at Hewall Post Station; the Tibetans conveyed his coffin back. When Shunzong took the throne and news of his death arrived, an edict posthumously awarded him Minister of Rites.
62
薦自拾遺至侍郎，僅二十年，皆兼史館修撰。 三使絕域，皆兼憲職。 以博洽多能，敏於占對被選。 有文集三十卷，及所撰《五服圖》、《宰輔略》、《靈怪集》、《江左寓居錄》等，並傳於時。 子又新、希復，皆登進士第。
From Remonstrance Official to Vice Minister — barely twenty years — he always concurrently served as historiographer in the History Institute. On three missions to distant regions he always concurrently held censorial office. He was selected because he was broadly learned and multitalented and quick in extemporaneous response. He had a collected works in thirty juan, and works he compiled such as the "Diagram of Five Ranks of Mourning Garments," "Brief Account of Chancellors," "Collection of Marvels," and "Record of Residence in the Lower Yangtze," all circulated in his time. His sons Youxin and Xifu both passed the jinshi examination.
63
又新，幼工文，善於傅會。 長慶中，宰相李逢吉用事，翰林學士李紳深為穆宗所寵，逢吉惡之； 求朝臣中兇險敢言者掎摭紳陰事，俾暴揚於搢紳間。 又新與拾遺李續之、劉棲楚，尤蒙逢吉睠待，指為鷹犬。 穆宗崩，昭湣初即位，又新等構紳，敗端州司馬，朝臣表賀，又至中書賀宰相。 及門，門者止之曰：「請少留，緣張補闕在齋內與相公談。」 俄而又新揮汗而出，旅揖群官曰：「端溪之事，又新不敢多讓。」 人皆辟易憚之。 與續之等七人，時號「八關十六子」。
Youxin from childhood was skilled in letters and adept at ingratiating himself. In the Changqing era, Chancellor Li Fengji held power; Hanlin Academician Li Shen was deeply favored by Muzong; Fengji hated him; he sought among court officials those fierce and daring in speech to seize upon Shen's private affairs and expose them among the gentry. Youxin, together with Remonstrance Officials Li Xuzhi and Liu Qichu, was especially favored by Fengji and designated his hawk and hound. When Muzong died and Zhaomin first took the throne, Youxin and the others framed Shen; he was defeated and made prefectural aide at Duanzhou; court officials submitted congratulations, and they again went to the Secretariat to congratulate the chancellor. Upon reaching the gate, the gatekeeper stopped them: "Please wait a moment — Remonstrance Official Zhang is in the study talking with the Chancellor." Soon Youxin came out waving sweat and bowed to the assembled officials: "As for the affair at Duanxi, Youxin dares not claim much credit." All shrank back and feared him. Together with Xuzhi and six others, they were at the time called the "Eight Passes and Sixteen Sons."
64
寶歷三年，逢吉出為山南東道節度使，請又新為副使，李續之為行軍司馬。 逢吉為宰相時，用門下省主事田伾。 伾犯贓亡命，逢吉保之於外。 及罷相，裴度發其事，逢吉坐罰俸。 又詔曰：「朕在億兆人之上，不令而人化，不言而人信者，法也。 法行則君主重，法廢則朝廷輕。 田伾常掛亡命之章，偷請養賢之祿，跡在搜捕，公行人間，而更冒選吏曹，顯擬郡佐。 及黃樞覆驗，烏府追擒，證逮皆明，奸狀盡得。 三移憲牒，一無申陳。 眾狀滿前，群議溢耳，終則步健不至，瑯珰空來。 蔑視紀綱，頗同侮謔，顧茲參畫，負我上臺。 閱視連名，伊爾二子，又新可汀州刺史，李續之可涪州刺史。」 及逢吉致仕，李訓用事，復召二子為尚書郎。 訓貶，復貶而卒。
In the third year of Baoli, Fengji went out as military commissioner of Shannan East Circuit and requested Youxin as vice commissioner and Li Xuzhi as campaigning staff officer. When Fengji was chancellor he employed Chief Clerk Tian Si of the Gate Department. Si committed corruption and fled as a fugitive; Fengji sheltered him outside. When he was removed as chancellor, Pei Du exposed the matter; Fengji was punished by forfeiture of salary. Another edict stated: "I stand above hundreds of millions of people; that the people are transformed without my issuing orders and trust me without my speaking — this is law. When law is enforced the ruler's weight is heavy; when law is abandoned the court is light. Tian Si long bore the mark of a fugitive, stealthily requesting the stipend meant to nurture talent; though sought in arrest, he walked openly among the people, yet further presumed upon selection in the clerical bureau and was openly nominated as a prefectural aide. When the Yellow Pivot reviewed and verified, and the Censorate pursued and seized him, the evidence and arrests were all clear and the wicked conduct fully established. Three times the censorial warrant was sent; not once was there a reply. Charges filled the fore, public discussion overflowed the ears — yet in the end no swift steps arrived and only empty clanking came. He scorned discipline and regulation, much like mockery; considering this counsel, he failed my high platform. Reviewing the linked names — you two — Youxin may be made Prefect of Tingzhou, and Li Xuzhi may be made Prefect of Fu Prefecture." When Fengji retired, Li Xun held power and again summoned the two sons as directors in the ministries. When Xun was demoted, they were again demoted and died.
65
希復子讀，登進士第，有俊才。 累官至中書舍人、禮部侍郎，典貢舉，時稱得士。 位終尚書左丞。
Xifu's son Du passed the jinshi examination and had outstanding talent. He rose through repeated offices to Secretariat Drafter and Vice Minister of Rites, directed the examinations, and at the time was praised for obtaining good men. He ended his career as Left Vice Director of the Department of State Affairs.
66
蔣乂
Jiang Yi
67
蔣乂，字德源，常州義興人也。 祖瑰，太子洗馬，開元中弘文館學士。 父將明，累遷至左司郎中、國子司業、集賢殿學士、副知院事，代為名儒。 而乂，史官吳兢之外孫，以外舍富墳史，幼便記覽不倦。 七歲時，誦庾信《哀江南賦》，數遍而成誦在口，以聰悟強力，聞於親黨間。 弱冠博通群籍，而史才尤長。 其父在集賢時，以兵亂之後，圖籍混雜，乃白執政，請攜乂入院，令整比之。 宰相張鎰見而奇之，乃署為集賢小職。 乂編次逾年，於亂中勒成部帙，得二萬餘卷，再遷王屋尉，充太常禮院修撰。 貞元九年，轉右拾遺，充史館修撰。
Jiang Yi, styled Deyuan, was a native of Yixing in Chang Prefecture. His grandfather Gui served as Groom of the Heir Apparent's Stables and was a Hanlin academician in the Hongwen Institute in the Kaiyuan era. His father Jiangming rose through repeated offices to Director in the Left Department of the Secretariat, Vice Director of the Directorate of Education, academician of the Hall of Assembled Worthies, and deputy director of the institute — generation after generation a famous Confucian scholar. Yi was the maternal grandson of historiographer Wu Jian; because the maternal household was rich in historical documents, from childhood he memorized and reviewed without tiring. At age seven he recited Yu Xin's "Lament for the South of the River"; after several repetitions he could recite it by heart, and for keen intelligence and strength he was known among kin and neighbors. In his weak year he broadly mastered the classics, and his talent for history was especially outstanding. When his father was at the Hall of Assembled Worthies, after the military chaos books and registers were mixed in disorder; he reported to those in power and requested to bring Yi into the institute and have him put them in order. Chancellor Zhang Yi saw him and marveled; he was appointed to a minor post in the Hall of Assembled Worthies. Yi compiled and arranged them for more than a year; amid the chaos he completed the sets and obtained more than twenty thousand juan; he was twice transferred to bailiff of Wangwu and served as compiler in the Court of Imperial Sacrifices Ritual Office. In the ninth year of Zhenyuan he was transferred to Right Remonstrance Official and served as historiographer in the History Institute.
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十三年，以故河中節度使張茂昭弟光祿少卿同正茂宗尚義章公主，茂宗方居母喪，有詔起復雲麾將軍成禮。 詔下，乂上疏諫曰：「墨缞之禮，本緣金革。 從古已來，未有駙馬起復尚主者。 既乖典禮，且違人情，切恐不可。」 上令中使宣諭云：「茂宗母臨亡有請，重違其心。」 乂又拜疏，辭逾激切。 德宗於延英特召入對，上曰：「卿所言，古禮也。 朕聞如今人家，往往有借吉為婚嫁者，卿何苦固執？」 對曰：「臣聞裏俗有不甚知禮法者，或女居父母服內，家既貧匱，旁無至親，即有借吉以就禮者。 男子借吉而娶，臣未嘗聞之。 況陛下臨禦已來，每事憲章典禮。 建中年郡縣主出降，皆詔有司依禮，不用俗儀，天下慶戴。 忽今駙馬起復成禮，實恐驚駭物聽。 臣或聞公主年甚幼小，即更俟一年出降，時既未失，且合禮經，實天下幸甚！」 上曰：「卿言甚善，更俟商量。」 俄而韋彤、裴堪諫疏繼入，上不悅，促令奉行前詔，然上心頗重乂。
In the thirteenth year, because the younger brother of the former military commissioner of Hezhong, Zhang Maozhao — the Honorary Vice Director of the Court of Imperial Entertainments with Concurrent Regular Appointment Maozong — was to marry Princess Yizhang, and Maozong was then in mourning for his mother, an edict ordered his recall from mourning as Cloud Banner General to complete the marriage. When the edict was issued, Yi submitted a memorial remonstrating: "The ritual of ink mourning garments originally arose from metal and leather warfare. From antiquity to the present, there has never been an imperial son-in-law recalled from mourning to marry a princess. It both violates canonical ritual and goes against human feeling; I deeply fear it cannot be done." The emperor ordered a palace envoy to proclaim: "Maozong's mother on her deathbed made a request; to heavily violate her heart would be wrong." Yi again submitted a memorial bowing, his words increasingly forceful. Dezong specially summoned him for audience in the Yanying Hall; the emperor said: "What you speak is ancient ritual. I hear that in households nowadays people often borrow auspicious days for marriage — why must you be so stubborn?" He replied: "I hear that in village custom there are those not very knowing in ritual law: sometimes a daughter is within mourning for her parents, the family is poor and destitute, and with no close kin nearby, there are those who borrow auspicious days to complete the rites. A man borrowing auspicious days to marry — I have never heard of it. Moreover, since Your Majesty has held the throne, in every matter you have upheld canonical ritual. In the Jianzhong era when commandery and county princesses married down, edicts all ordered the responsible offices to follow ritual and not use vulgar ceremonies; the realm rejoiced and revered this. Suddenly now having the imperial son-in-law recalled from mourning to complete marriage truly fears it will startle and alarm all who hear. I have also heard the princess is very young; if she waits one more year to marry down, the time will not yet be lost and it will accord with ritual canon — it would truly be the realm's great fortune!" The emperor said: "Your words are very good; we will wait further for deliberation." Soon memorials of remonstrance from Wei Tong and Pei Kan followed; the emperor was displeased and urgently ordered the previous edict carried out, yet in his heart he greatly valued Yi.
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上嘗登淩煙閣，見左壁頹剝，文字殘缺，每行僅有三五字，命錄之以問宰臣。 宰臣遽受宣，無以對； 即令召乂至，對曰：「此聖歷中《侍臣圖贊》，臣皆記憶。」 即於御前口誦，以補其缺，不失一字。 上嘆曰：「虞世南暗寫《列女傳》，無以加也。」 十八年，遷起居舍人，轉司勛員外郎，皆兼史職。 時集賢學士甚眾，會詔問神策軍建置之由。 相府討求，不知所出，諸學士悉不能對，乃訪於乂。 乂征引根源，事甚詳悉，宰臣高郢、鄭珣瑜相對曰：「集賢有人矣！」 翌日，詔兼判集賢院事。 父子代為學士，儒者榮之。 時順宗祔廟，將行祧遷之禮，詔公卿議。 咸云：「中宗中興之主，不當遷。」 乂建議云：「中宗既正位柩前，乃受母後篡奪，五王翼戴，方復大業。 此乃由我失之，因人得之，止可同於返正，不得號為中興。」 群議紛然，竟依乂所執。
The emperor once ascended Lingyan Pavilion and saw the left wall peeling and decayed, the characters incomplete — each line had only three or five characters; he ordered them copied and used to question the chancellors. The chancellors hastily received the command and had nothing with which to reply; they then ordered Yi summoned, and he replied: "This is the 'Portraits and Encomia of Attending Ministers' from the Shengli era; I remember them all." He then recited before the throne from memory to fill the gaps, not missing a single character. The emperor sighed: "Yu Shinan copied the 'Biographies of Exemplary Women' from memory in the dark — this cannot surpass it." In the eighteenth year he was transferred to Master of Ceremonial for the Emperor's Movements and then to Vice Director in the Ministry of Personnel, all while concurrently holding historiographical office. At the time the Hall of Assembled Worthies had very many academicians; an edict then asked the origin of the establishment of the Divine Strategy Army. The chancellery sought it but did not know where it came from; all the academicians could not answer, and they then consulted Yi. Yi cited origins and sources; the matter was very detailed; chancellors Gao Ying and Zheng Xunyu said to each other: "The Hall of Assembled Worthies has its man!" The next day an edict ordered him to serve concurrently as acting director of the Hall of Assembled Worthies. Father and son served as academicians in succession; Confucian scholars took it as an honor. At the time Shunzong was to be enshrined in the ancestral temple; the rite of removing a distant ancestor was to be performed; an edict ordered the high ministers to discuss it. All said: "Zhongzong was a restoration sovereign; he should not be removed." Yi proposed: "Zhongzong, having already taken the throne before the coffin, then received the usurpation of his mother the empress dowager; the Five Princes supported and raised him, and only then did he restore the great enterprise. This was a case of losing it through ourselves and gaining it through others; he may only be classed with returning to legitimacy and may not be styled a restoration." The assembled discussion was contentious; in the end they followed what Yi held.
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元和二年，遷兵部郎中。 與許孟容、韋貫之等受詔刪定制敕，成三十卷，奏行用。 改秘書少監，復兼史館修撰。 尋奉詔與獨孤郁、韋處厚同修《德宗實錄》。 五年，書成奏禦，以功拜右諫議大夫。 明年監修國史裴垍罷相，李吉甫再入，以乂垍之修撰，改授太常少卿。 久之，遷秘書監。
In the second year of Yuanhe he was transferred to Director in the Ministry of War. Together with Xu Mengrong, Wei Guanzhi, and others he received an edict to revise and fix regulations and edicts; thirty juan were completed, submitted, and put into use. He was reassigned as Vice Director of the Palace Library and again served concurrently as historiographer in the History Institute. Soon he received an edict together with Dugu Yu and Wei Chuhou to revise the Veritable Records of Dezong. In the fifth year the book was completed and submitted to the throne; for this service he was appointed Right Remonstrance Official. The next year Pei Ji, supervising editor of the national history, was removed as chancellor; Li Jifu entered again; because Yi was Ji's compiler, he was reassigned as Vice Director of the Court of Imperial Sacrifices. After a long time he was transferred to Director of the Palace Library.
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乂性樸直，不能事人，或遇權臣專政，輒數歲不遷官。 在朝垂三十年，前後每有大政事、大議論，宰執不能裁決者，必召以咨訪。 乂征引典故，以參時事，多合其宜，然亦以此自滯。 而好學不倦，老而彌篤，雖甚寒暑，手不釋卷。 旁通百家，尤精歷代沿革。 家藏書一萬五千卷。 本名武，因憲宗召對，奏曰，「陛下已誅群寇，偃武修文，臣名於義未允，請改名乂。」 上忻然從之。 時帝方用兵兩河，乂亦因此諷諭耳。 乂居史任二十年，所著《大唐宰輔錄》七十卷、《淩煙閣功臣》、《秦府十八學士》、《史臣》等傳四十卷。 長慶元年卒，年七十五，贈禮部尚書，謚曰懿。 子係、伸、偕、仙、佶。
Yi's nature was plain and upright; he could not serve men; when he encountered powerful ministers monopolizing government, he would go several years without transfer. In court for nearly thirty years, whenever there were great state affairs or great debates that the chancellors could not decide, he was always summoned for consultation. Yi cited canonical precedents to compare with current affairs; mostly they fit what was fitting, yet he also on this account stagnated himself. Yet he loved learning without tiring; in old age he became only more earnest; even in extreme cold and heat his hand did not release his scroll. He broadly mastered the hundred schools and was especially expert in the changes of successive dynasties. His household collection held fifteen thousand juan of books. His original name was Wu; because Xianzong summoned him for audience, in memorial he stated: "Your Majesty has already executed the bandit rebels and is now laying down arms to cultivate culture — my name no longer suits the meaning; I request to change it to Yi." The emperor gladly assented. At the time the emperor was just then using troops on the two He regions; Yi also on this account offered indirect counsel. Yi held historiographical office for twenty years; works he authored include the "Record of Tang Chancellors" in seventy juan, biographies of the Lingyan Pavilion meritorious ministers, the eighteen scholars of the Prince of Qin's household, and historiographers — forty juan in all. He died in the first year of Changqing at the age of seventy-five; he was posthumously awarded Minister of Rites and given the posthumous title Yi. His sons were Xi, Shen, Xie, Xian, and Ji.
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係，太和初授昭應尉，直史館。 二年，拜右拾遺、史館修撰，典實有父風。 與同職沈傳師、鄭浣、陳夷行、李漢等受詔撰《憲宗實錄》。 四年，書成奏禦，轉尚書工部員外，遷本司郎中，仍兼史職。 宰相宋申錫為北軍羅織，罪在不測，係與諫官崔玄亮泣諫於玉階之下，申錫亦減死，時論稱之。 開成中，轉諫議大夫。 武宗朝，李德裕用事，惡李漢，以係與漢僚婿，出為桂管都護禦觀察使。 中宗即位，征拜給事中、集賢殿學士、判院事。 轉吏部侍郎，改左丞。 出為興元節度使，入為刑部尚書。 俄檢校戶部尚書、鳳翔尹，充鳳翔隴節度使，入為兵部尚書。 以弟伸為丞相，懇辭朝秩，檢校尚書左僕射、襄州刺史、山南東道節度使，封淮陽縣開國公，食邑五百戶。
Xi, in the early Taihe era, was appointed bailiff of Zhaoying and served directly in the History Institute. In the second year he was appointed Right Remonstrance Official and historiographer in the History Institute; in handling substance he had his father's manner. Together with colleagues Shen Chuanshi, Zheng Huan, Chen Yixing, and Li Han he received an edict to compile the Veritable Records of Xianzong. In the fourth year the book was completed and submitted to the throne; he was transferred to Vice Director in the Ministry of Public Works in the Ministry of Works, then to Director in his home ministry, still concurrently holding historiographical office. When Chancellor Song Shenxi was framed by the Northern Armies and his guilt was uncertain, Xi together with remonstrance officials Cui Xuanliang wept and remonstrated below the jade steps; Shenxi also had his death sentence reduced, and public opinion praised this. In the Kaicheng era he was transferred to Remonstrance Official. In the Wuzong era Li Deyu held power and hated Li Han; because Xi was son-in-law to Han's colleague, he was sent out as Military Commissioner, Surveillance Commissioner, and Defense Commissioner of Guiguan. When Zhongzong took the throne, he was summoned and appointed Supervising Secretary, academician of the Hall of Assembled Worthies, and acting director of the institute. He was transferred to Vice Minister of Personnel and reassigned as Left Vice Director. He went out as military commissioner of Xingyuan and entered as Minister of Justice. Soon he was made Acting Minister of Revenue, Intendant of Fengxiang, and Military Commissioner of Fengxiang and Long, and entered as Minister of War. Because his younger brother Shen became chancellor, he earnestly declined court rank and was made Acting Left Vice Director of the Department of State Affairs, Prefect of Xiang Prefecture, and Military Commissioner of Shannan East Circuit, enfeoffed as Duke of Huaiyang County with a fief of five hundred households.
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伸，登進士第，歷佐使府。 大中初入朝，右補闕、史館修撰，轉中書舍人，召入翰林為學士。 自員外郎中，至戶部侍郎、學士承旨，轉兵部侍郎。 大中末，中書侍郎、平章事。
Shen passed the jinshi examination and successively served as staff officer in commissioner offices. In the early Dazhong era he entered court as Right Supplementation Official and historiographer in the History Institute, was transferred to Secretariat Drafter, and was summoned into the Hanlin Academy as academician. From vice director and director he rose to Vice Minister of Revenue and chief academician, then was transferred to Vice Minister of War. At the end of Dazhong he was Vice Director of the Secretariat and Associate Councilor of State.
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仙、佶，皆至刺史。
Xian and Ji both rose to prefect.
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偕，有史才，以父任歷官左拾遺、史館修撰，轉補闕。 咸通中，與同職盧耽、牛叢等受詔修《文宗實錄》。
Xie had talent for history; through his father's office he successively served as Left Remonstrance Official and historiographer in the History Institute, and was transferred to Supplementation Official. In the Xiantong era he together with colleagues Lu Dan and Niu Cong received an edict to revise the Veritable Records of Wenzong.
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蔣氏世以儒史稱，不以文藻為事，唯伸及系子兆有文才，登進士第，然不為文士所譽。 與柳氏、沈氏父子相繼修國史實錄，時推良史，京師云《蔣氏日曆》，士族靡不家藏焉。
The Jiang clan for generations was famed for Confucian learning and historiography and did not make literary ornament their business; only Shen and Xi's son Zhao had literary talent and passed the jinshi examination, yet they were not praised by literary men. Along with the Liu and Shen families, father and son in succession edited the national history and veritable records; contemporaries hailed them as exemplary historians. In the capital the work was known as the Chiang Family Calendar, and every gentry household kept a copy.
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柳登
Liu Deng
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柳登，字成伯，河東人。 父芳，肅宗朝史官，與同職韋述受詔添修吳兢所撰《國史》； 殺青未竟而述亡，芳緒述凡例，勒成《國史》一百三十卷。 上自高祖，下止乾元，而敘天寶後事，絕無倫類，取舍非工，不為史氏所稱。 然芳勤於記註，含毫罔倦。 屬安、史亂離，國史散落，編綴所聞，率多闕漏。 上元中坐事徙黔中，遇內官高力士亦貶巫州，遇諸途。 芳以所疑禁中事，咨於力士。 力士說開元、天寶中時政事，芳隨口誌之。 又以《國史》已成，經於奏禦，不可復改，乃別撰《唐歷》四十卷，以力士所傳，載於年歷之下。 芳自永寧尉、直史館，轉拾遺、補闕、員外郎，皆居史任，位終右司郎中、集賢學士。
Liu Deng, styled Chengbi, was from Hedong. His father Fang served as a historiographer under Emperor Suzong and, with his colleague Wei Shu, was ordered to supplement and revise Wu Jing's National History; before the final editing was complete Wei Shu died; Fang followed Shu's outline and completed the National History in one hundred thirty scrolls. It covered the reign from Gaozu down to the Qianyuan era, but its account of events after the Tianbao period lacked all order and proportion, and its editorial choices were poor; historians did not commend it. Yet Fang was tireless in recording and annotating, never wearying at his desk. During the An and Shi rebellions the national history was scattered and lost, and what he pieced together from hearsay was largely incomplete. In the Shangyuan era he was punished and exiled to Qianzhong; on the road he met the inner-palace eunuch Gao Lishi, likewise demoted to Wuzhou. Fang asked Lishi about matters of the inner palace that puzzled him. Lishi recounted political affairs of the Kaiyuan and Tianbao eras, and Fang recorded them as he spoke. Since the National History was already complete and had been presented to the throne, it could not be revised; he therefore separately compiled the Tang Annals in forty scrolls, recording Lishi's account under the yearly entries. Fang rose from aide of Yongning and direct appointment to the Historiography Institute through remonstrance and reviser and external official—all historiographical posts—and ended as Right Director in the Ministry of Revenue and Academician of the Hall of Assembled Worthies.
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登少嗜學，與弟冕鹹以該博著稱。 登年六十餘，方從宦遊，累遷至膳部郎中。 元和初，為大理少卿，與刑部侍郎許孟容等七人，奉詔刪定開元已後敕格。 再遷右庶子，以衰病改秘書監，不拜，授右散騎常侍致仕。 長慶二年卒，時九十餘，輟朝一日，贈工部尚書。 弟冕。
Deng loved learning from youth; he and his younger brother Mian were both renowned for encyclopedic learning. Deng was over sixty before he took up office on the circuit; he rose through repeated promotions to Director in the Ministry of Rites. At the opening of Yuanhe he served as Vice Director of the Court of Judicial Review and, with Vice Minister of Justice Xu Mengrong and six others, was ordered to abridge and codify statutes and regulations issued after Kaiyuan. Promoted again to Right Vice Director of the Crown Prince's Household, he declined transfer to Director of the Palace Library on account of age and illness and was granted retirement as Right Regular Palace Attendant. He died in the second year of Changqing, aged over ninety; the court suspended audiences for one day and posthumously honored him as Minister of Works. His younger brother was Mian.
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冕，文史兼該，長於吏職。 貞元初，為太常博士。 二年，昭德王皇后之喪，論皇太子服紀。 左補闕穆質請依禮周期而除，冕與同職張薦等奏議曰：
Mian was accomplished in both letters and history and excelled in administrative affairs. At the opening of Zhenyuan he served as Erudite of the Court of Imperial Sacrifices. In the second year, at the mourning for Empress Zhaode, the question arose of what mourning the crown prince should wear. Left Reviser Mu Zhi asked that mourning be removed after the ritual period; Mian, together with Zhang Jian and others of the same office, submitted a memorial stating:
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準《開元禮》，子為母齊衰三年，此王公已下服紀。 皇太子為皇后喪服，國禮無聞。 昔晉武帝元皇后崩，其時亦疑太子所服。 杜元凱奏議曰：「古者天子三年之喪，既葬除服。 魏氏革命，亦以既葬為節。 故天子諸侯之禮，嘗已具矣，惡其害己而削去其節。 今其存者唯《士喪禮》一篇，戴勝之記錯雜其內，亦難以取正。 皇太子配二尊，與國為體，固宜卒哭而除服。」 於是山濤、魏舒並同其議，晉朝從之。 歷代遵行，垂之不朽。
According to the Kaiyuan Rites, a son wears unhemmed sackcloth mourning for his mother for three years—this is the mourning prescribed for kings and dukes downward. The state rites say nothing about mourning dress for the crown prince at an empress's funeral. In former times, when Empress Yuan of Emperor Wu of Jin died, there was likewise doubt about the crown prince's mourning dress. Du Yuankai submitted a memorial stating, "In antiquity the Son of Heaven observed three years of mourning and removed mourning garments after the burial. When Wei transformed the mandate, it likewise took burial as the limit. Thus the rites for Son of Heaven and feudal lords had once been fully established, but rulers hated the burden on themselves and cut away the limits. What survives now is only the one scroll of Rites of the Scholar's Mourning, with Dai Sheng's records jumbled within it, and it is hard to take as authoritative. The crown prince is paired with two exalted persons and is one body with the state; he should indeed end wailing and remove mourning dress." Thereupon Shan Tao and Wei Shu both agreed, and the Jin court followed their view. Successive dynasties observed it, and it has endured ever since.
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臣謹按實錄，文德皇后以貞觀十年九月崩，十一月葬，至十一年正月，除晉王，治為并州都督。 晉王即高宗在籓所封，文德皇后幼子，據其命官，當已除之義也。 今請皇太子依魏、晉故事，為大行皇后喪服，葬而虞，虞而卒哭，卒哭而除，心喪終制，庶存厭降之禮。
Your subjects respectfully examine the veritable record: Empress Wende died in the ninth month of the tenth year of Zhenguan and was buried in the eleventh month; by the first month of the eleventh year the Prince of Jin was released from mourning and appointed concurrently as Governor-General of Bing. The Prince of Jin was the title Gaozong held in the fief; he was Empress Wende's youngest son, and from his appointment to office it is clear he had already been released from mourning. We now request that the crown prince follow Wei and Jin precedent in mourning for the late empress: burial, then the offering rite; the offering rite, then the end of wailing; the end of wailing, then removal of dress—with inner mourning carried through the full period, thus preserving the rite of suppressed mourning.
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事下中書，宰臣召問禮官曰：「《語》云：『子食於有喪者之側，未嘗飽也。』 今豈可令皇太子衰服侍膳，至於既葬乎？ 準令，群臣齊衰，給假三十日即公除。 約於此制，更審議之。」 張薦曰：「請依宋、齊間皇后為父母服三十日公除例，為皇太子喪服之節。」 三十日公除詣於正內，則服墨慘，歸至本院，衰麻如故。 穆質曰：「杜元凱既葬除服之論，不足為法。 臣愚以為遵三年之制則太重，從三十日之變太輕，唯行古之道，以周年為定。」 詔宰臣與禮官定可否。 宰臣以穆質所奏問博士，冕對曰：「準《禮》，三年喪，無貴賤一也。 豈有以父母貴賤而差降喪服之節乎？ 且《禮》有公門脫齊衰，《開元禮》皇后為父母服十三月，其稟朝旨，十三日而除； 皇太子為外祖父母服五月，其從朝旨，則五日而除。 所以然者，恐喪服侍奉，有傷至尊之意也。 故從權制，昭著國章，公門脫衰，義亦在此，豈皆為金革乎？ 皇太子今若抑哀，公除墨慘朝覲，歸至本院，依舊衰麻，酌於變通，庶可傳繼。」 宰臣然其議，遂命太常卿鄭叔則草奏，以冕議為是。 而穆質堅執前義，請依古禮，不妨太子墨衰於內也。 宰臣齊映、劉滋參酌群議，請依叔則之議，制從之。 及董晉為太常卿，德宗謂之曰：「皇太子所行周服，非朕本意，有諫官橫論之。 今熟計之，即禮官請依魏、晉故事，斯甚折衷。」 明年冬，上以太子久在喪，合至正月晦受吉服，欲以其年十一月釋衰麻，以及新正稱慶。 有司皆論不可，乃止。
The matter was referred to the Secretariat; the chief ministers summoned the ritual officials and asked, "The Analects says, 'When the Master ate beside someone in mourning, he never ate his fill.' How can we now have the crown prince serve meals in sackcloth mourning until after the burial? According to statute, when officials wear unhemmed sackcloth, they are granted thirty days' leave and then publicly released from mourning. Measured against this regulation, reconsider the matter." Zhang Jian said, "I ask that we follow the Song and Qi precedent, when the empress mourned her parents with thirty days of public mourning followed by removal of dress, to set the crown prince's mourning periods." On the thirtieth day of public removal he would proceed to the inner court in dark mourning dress; on returning to his own residence he would wear sackcloth as before. Mu Zhi said, "Du Yuankai's argument for removing mourning dress after burial is not fit to serve as law. I believe that following the three-year system would be too heavy, while adopting the thirty-day variation would be too light; only by following the ancient way and fixing one year as the standard can it be settled." An edict ordered the chief ministers and ritual officials to determine what was acceptable. The chief ministers questioned the erudites on Mu Zhi's submission; Mian replied, "According to the Rites, three years of mourning make no distinction between noble and humble. How could mourning dress be graded according to whether one's parents were noble or humble? Moreover the Rites provide for removing unhemmed sackcloth at the public gate; the Kaiyuan Rites prescribe thirteen months of mourning when the empress mourns her parents, and following court instruction mourning is removed on the thirteenth day; the crown prince wears five months of mourning for maternal grandparents, and following court instruction it is removed on the fifth day. The reason is fear that serving in mourning dress would wound the supreme person's sensibilities. Therefore expedient regulations were adopted and clearly set forth in state statutes; removing sackcloth at the public gate has its meaning here too—surely it is not all because of military exigency? If the crown prince now suppresses grief, publicly removes mourning and attends court in dark dress, and on returning to his residence wears sackcloth as before, this balance of adaptation can be handed down." The chief ministers approved this opinion and ordered Director of the Court of Imperial Sacrifices Zheng Shuzhe to draft the memorial, taking Mian's opinion as correct. But Mu Zhi firmly held to his earlier view and asked to follow the ancient rites, without preventing the crown prince from wearing dark mourning within. Chief ministers Qi Ying and Liu Zi weighed the various opinions and asked to follow Shuzhe's opinion; the regulation was adopted. When Dong Jin became Director of the Court of Imperial Sacrifices, Dezong told him, "The full-year mourning the crown prince is observing is not my original intent; remonstrance officials argued forcefully against it. On mature consideration, following the ritual officials' request to observe Wei and Jin precedent is a very balanced compromise." The next winter, because the crown prince had long been in mourning and should by the last day of the first month receive auspicious dress, the emperor wished to release sackcloth in the eleventh month so the new year could be celebrated. All the relevant offices argued it was impermissible, and the plan was abandoned.
84
六年十一月，上親行郊享。 上重慎祀典，每事依禮。 時冕為吏部郎中，攝太常博士，與司封郎中徐岱、倉部郎中陸質、工部郎中張薦，皆攝禮官，同修郊祀儀註，以備顧問。 初，詔以皇太子亞獻終獻，當受誓戒否，冕對曰：「準《開元禮》有之，然誓詞雲『不供其職，國有常刑』，今太子受誓，請改雲『各揚其職，肅奉常儀』。」 上又問升郊廟去劍履，及象劍尺寸之度，祝文輕重之宜，冕據禮經沿革聞奏，上甚嘉之。
In the eleventh month of the sixth year the emperor personally performed the suburban sacrifice. The emperor treated the sacrificial canon with great care and followed ritual in every detail. At that time Mian was Director in the Ministry of Appointments and acting Erudite of the Court of Imperial Sacrifices; together with Director in the Ministry of Seals Xu Dai, Director in the Ministry of Revenue Lu Zhi, and Director in the Ministry of Works Zhang Jian—all acting ritual officials—he jointly revised the suburban sacrifice protocol for consultation. Initially an edict asked whether the crown prince, as secondary and final offerer, should receive the oath of abstinence; Mian replied, "The Kaiyuan Rites provide for it, yet the oath text says, 'If one fails in his duty, the state has fixed punishments.' Since the crown prince receives the oath, I request changing it to read, 'Each shall perform his duty and reverently observe the regular rites.'" The emperor also asked about removing sword and shoes on ascending to the suburban altar and temple, the dimensions of ceremonial swords, and the proper weight of prayer texts; Mian reported according to the changes and continuities in the ritual classics, and the emperor greatly praised him.
85
冕言事頗切，執政不便之，出為婺州刺史。 十三年，兼御史中丞、福州刺史，充福建都團練觀察使。 冕在福州，奏置萬安監牧，於泉州界置群牧五，悉索部內馬五千七百匹、驢騾牛八百頭、羊三千口，以為監牧之資。 人情大擾，期年，無所滋息，詔罷之。 以政無狀，詔以閻濟美代歸而卒。 子璟，登進士第，亦以著述知名。
Mian's statements on affairs were quite pointed; the chief ministers found them inconvenient and sent him out as prefect of Wu. In the thirteenth year he was concurrently Vice Censor-in-Chief and prefect of Fuzhou, serving as defense commissioner and circuit supervisor of Fujian. While in Fuzhou, Mian memorialized to establish the Wan'an supervisory pasture; within Quanzhou he set up five group pastures, requisitioning throughout his jurisdiction five thousand seven hundred horses, eight hundred donkeys, mules, and cattle, and three thousand sheep as capital for the pasture. Popular sentiment was greatly disturbed; after a year there was no increase at all, and an edict abolished the project. Because his governance was without merit, an edict replaced him with Yan Jimei; he died on the return journey. His son Jing passed the jinshi examination and was also known for literary composition.
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璟，寶歷初登進士第，三遷監察御史。 時郊廟告祭，差攝三公行事，多以雜品； 璟時監察，奏曰：「準開元二十三年敕，宗廟大祠，宜差左右丞相、嗣王、特進、少保、少傅、尚書、賓客、御史大夫。 又二十五年敕，太廟五享，差丞相、師傅、尚書、嗣、郡王通攝，餘司不在差限。 又元和四年敕，太廟告祭攝官，太尉以宰相充，其攝司空、司徒，以僕射、尚書、師傅充，餘司不在差限。 比來吏部因循，不守前後敕文，用人稍輕。 請自今年冬季，勒吏部準開元、元和敕例差官。」 從之。 再遷度支員外郎，轉吏部。 開成初，換庫部員外郎、知制誥，尋以本官充翰林學士。
Jing passed the jinshi examination at the opening of Baoli and was thrice promoted to Investigating Censor. At that time when suburban and temple sacrifices were announced, the acting officials assigned to perform the rites as the Three Dukes were mostly men of mixed rank; Jing, then an investigating censor, memorialized, "According to the edict of the twenty-third year of Kaiyuan, for great sacrifices at the ancestral temple the Left and Right Chancellors, heir apparent kings, specially advanced officials, Junior Guardian, Junior Mentor, ministers, guest of honor, and censor-in-chief should be assigned. Again, the edict of the twenty-fifth year: for the five offerings at the Imperial Ancestral Temple, the chancellor, mentor, minister, heir, and commandery kings should serve in general substitution; other offices are outside the limit of assignment. Again, the edict of the fourth year of Yuanhe: for announced sacrifices at the Imperial Ancestral Temple, the acting Grand Marshal is filled by the chancellor; acting Minister of Works and Minister of Education are filled by vice directors, ministers, and mentors; other offices are outside the limit of assignment. Recently the Ministry of Appointments has followed routine and not observed the earlier and later edicts; the men appointed have been somewhat unworthy. I request that from this winter onward the Ministry of Appointments be ordered to assign officials according to Kaiyuan and Yuanhe edict precedent." The request was adopted. He was promoted again to External Official in the Ministry of Revenue and transferred to the Ministry of Appointments. At the opening of Kaicheng he was transferred to External Official in the Ministry of Treasury and charged with drafting imperial documents; soon afterward he served in that office as Academician of the Hanlin Academy.
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初，璟祖芳精於譜學，永泰中按宗正譜牒，自武德已來宗枝昭穆相承，撰皇室譜二十卷，號曰《永泰新譜》，自後無人修續。
Initially Jing's grandfather Fang was expert in genealogy; in the Yongtai era he examined the genealogical registers of the Court of the Imperial Clan, traced the imperial branches and generations from Wude onward, and compiled the Imperial Clan Genealogy in twenty scrolls, titled the New Yongtai Genealogy; afterward no one continued it.
88
璟因召對，言及圖譜事，文宗曰：「卿祖嘗為皇家圖譜，朕昨觀之，甚為詳悉。 卿檢永泰後試修續之。」 璟依芳舊式，續德宗後事，成十卷，以附前譜，仍詔戶部供紙筆廚料。 五年，拜中書舍人充職。 武宗朝，轉禮部侍郎，再司貢籍，時號得人。 子韜亦以進士擢第。
When Jing was summoned for audience and spoke of genealogical matters, Wenzong said, "Your grandfather once compiled the imperial genealogy; I read it yesterday and found it very detailed. Examine events after Yongtai and try to continue it." Jing followed Fang's old format, continued events after Dezong, and completed ten scrolls to append to the earlier genealogy; an edict also ordered the Ministry of Revenue to supply paper, brushes, and pantry provisions. In the fifth year he was appointed Secretariat Drafter and continued in that office. In the Wuzong reign he was transferred to Vice Minister of Rites and twice supervised the examination registry; at the time he was praised for selecting capable men. His son Tao also passed the jinshi examination.
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沈傳師
Shen Chuanshi
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沈傳師，字子言，吳人。 父既濟，博通群籍，史筆尤工，吏部侍郎楊炎見而稱之。 建中初，炎為宰相，薦既濟才堪史任，召拜左拾遺、史館修撰。 既濟以吳兢撰《國史》，以則天事立本紀，奏議非之曰：
Shen Chuanshi, styled Ziyan, was from Wu. His father Ji Ji was broadly versed in all books and especially skilled with the historiographer's brush; Vice Minister of Appointments Yang Yan saw him and praised him. At the opening of Jianzhong Yan became chancellor and recommended Ji Ji's talent for historiographical duty; he was summoned and appointed Left Remonstrance and Reviser and Compiler in the Historiography Institute. Because Wu Jing had compiled the National History and established a basic annal for Empress Wu Zetian's reign, Ji Ji submitted a memorial objecting:
91
史氏之作，本乎懲勸，以正君臣，以維家邦。 前端千古，後法萬代，使其生不敢差，死不妄懼。 緯人倫而經世道，為百王準的； 不止屬辭比事，以日系月而已。 故善惡之道，在乎勸誡； 勸誡之柄，存乎褒貶。 是以《春秋》之義，尊卑輕重升降，幾微仿佛，雖一字二字，必有微旨存焉。 況鴻名大統，其可以貸乎？
The historiographer's work is rooted in admonition and encouragement—to correct ruler and subject and to sustain family and state. It takes the front of a thousand ages and makes law for ten thousand generations, so that while living they dare not err and in death they dare not presume. It weaves human relations and threads the way of the world, serving as the standard for a hundred kings; it is not merely arranging words and comparing events, month following month. Thus the way of good and evil lies in admonition and warning; the handle of admonition and warning rests in praise and blame. Therefore the meaning of the Spring and Autumn Annals—in raising and lowering noble and humble, light and heavy, in the slightest shades—is that even in one or two characters a subtle intent must be preserved. How much more when it is a great name and supreme succession—can that be lent out?
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伏以則天皇后，初以聰明睿哲，內輔時政，厥功茂矣。 及弘道之際，孝和以長君嗣位，而太后以專制臨朝； 俄又廢帝，或幽或徙。 既而握圖稱箓，移運革名，牝司燕啄之蹤，難乎備述。 其後五王建策，皇運復興，議名之際，得無降損。 必將義以親隱，禮從國諱，茍不及損，當如其常，安可橫絕彜典，超居帝籍？ 昔仲尼有言，必也正名，故夏、殷二代為帝者三十世矣，而周人通名之曰王； 吳、楚、越之君為王者百餘年，而《春秋》書之為子。 蓋高下自乎彼，而是非稽乎我。 過者抑之，不及者援之，不為弱減，不為僭奪。 握中持平，不振不傾，使其求不可得，而蓋不可掩，斯古君子所以慎其名也。
I respectfully observe that Empress Wu Zetian, by her intelligence and sagacity at first, assisted in governing from within, and her achievements were abundant. At the time of the Hongdao transition, Xiaozong as the elder sovereign succeeded to the throne, yet the empress dowager held sole rule over the court; soon she deposed the emperor, imprisoning or banishing him. Then she grasped the chart and claimed the succession, shifted the mandate and changed the dynastic name; the traces of a hen ruling and a swallow usurping are hard to recount in full. Afterward the Five Princes devised policy and the imperial fortune was revived; at the moment of deciding the name, could there be no lowering or reduction? If righteousness requires concealing kin and ritual follows state taboo, if it cannot reach the point of injury it should remain as usual—how can one recklessly sever the constant canon and leap above the register of emperors? Confucius once said, "One must rectify names"; thus though Xia and Shang had thirty generations of rulers called emperors, the Zhou uniformly named them kings; the rulers of Wu, Chu, and Yue were kings for more than a hundred years, yet the Spring and Autumn Annals records them as sons. High and low depend on them, but right and wrong are judged by us. Where there is excess, suppress it; where there is deficiency, support it—neither diminishing the weak nor seizing from the presumptuous. Holding the center level, neither stirring nor tilting, so that what is sought cannot be obtained yet what is covered cannot be hidden—this is how the ancient gentleman was careful with names.
93
夫則天體自坤順，位居乾極，以柔乘剛，天紀倒張，進以強有，退非德讓。 今史臣追書，當稱之太后，不宜曰「上」。 孝和雖迫母後之命，降居籓邸，而體元繼代，本吾君也，史臣追書，宜稱曰「皇帝」，不宜曰「廬陵王」。 睿宗在景龍已前，天命未集，徒稟後制，假臨大寶，於倫非次，於義無名，史臣書之，宜曰「相王」，未宜曰「帝」。 若以得失既往，遂而不舉，則是非褒貶，安所辨正，載筆執簡，謂之何哉？ 則天廢國家歷數，用周正朔，廢國家太廟，立周七廟。 鼎命革矣，徽號易矣，旂裳服色，既已殊矣！ 今安得以周氏年歷而列為《唐書》帝紀？ 征諸禮經，是謂亂名。 且孝和繼天踐祚，在太后之前，而敘年制紀，居太后之下； 方之躋僖。 是謂不智，詳今考古，並未為可。
Empress Wu by nature followed Kun's yielding yet occupied Qian's summit, using softness to overcome hardness; heaven's order was overturned, advancing by forcible possession and retreating without virtuous yielding. Now when historiographers write in retrospect they should call her Empress Dowager and should not say "Sovereign." Though Xiaozong was compelled by his mother's command and demoted to a princely residence, he embodied the origin and succeeded to the age—he is fundamentally our sovereign; historiographers writing in retrospect should call him "Emperor" and should not say "Prince of Luling." Before Jinglong Ruizong's mandate was not yet gathered; he merely received the empress dowager's command and temporarily held the great treasure—out of order in human relations and without name in righteousness; historiographers writing of him should say "Prince Regent" and should not yet say "Emperor." If because gain and loss are already past one lets it pass and does not raise it, then how are right and wrong, praise and blame, to be distinguished and corrected—what does it mean to hold the brush and keep the record? Empress Wu abolished the state's dynastic succession, adopted Zhou's calendar, abolished the state's Imperial Ancestral Temple, and established Zhou's seven temples. The mandate of the tripod was changed, imperial titles were altered, banners, robes, and colors of dress were already different! How can one now use Zhou's yearly chronology and list it as an imperial annal in the Book of Tang? Consulting the ritual classics, this is called disordering names. Moreover Xiaozong succeeded to heaven and took the throne before the empress dowager, yet in arranging years and fixing annals he is placed below the empress dowager; compared to elevating Duke Xi, this is called unwise. Examining the present against antiquity, none of it is acceptable.
94
或曰：班、馬良史也，編述漢事，立高後以續帝載，豈有非之者乎？ 答曰：昔高後稱制，因其曠嗣，獨有分王諸呂，負於漢約，無遷鼎革命之甚。 況其時孝惠已歿，孝文在下，宮中二子，非劉氏種，不紀呂後，將紀誰焉？ 雖雲其然，議者猶為不可，況遷鼎革命者乎？
Some say: Ban and Sima were fine historians; in compiling Han affairs they established Empress Gao to continue the imperial record—was there anyone who objected? The reply: In former times Empress Gao held sole rule because the heir's line was vacant; she alone enfeoffed the various Lüs, betraying Han's covenant—there was nothing so grave as shifting the tripod and transforming the mandate. Moreover at that time Emperor Xiaohui was already dead and Emperor Xiaowen was below; the two sons in the palace were not of the Liu clan—if Empress Lü were not recorded, whom would one record? Though one may say it was so, debaters still held it impermissible—how much more when the tripod is shifted and the mandate transformed?
95
或曰：若天後不紀，帝緒缺矣，則二十二年行事，何所系乎？ 曰：孝和以始年登大位，以季年復舊業，雖尊名中奪，而天命未改，足以首事，足以表年，何所拘閡，裂為二紀？ 昔魯昭之出也，《春秋》歲書其居，曰「公在乾侯」。 且君在，雖失位，不敢廢也。 今請並《天後紀》合《孝和紀》，每於歲首，必書孝和所在以統之，書曰某年春正月，皇帝在房陵，太后行某事，改某制云云。 則紀稱孝和，而事述太后，俾名不失正，而禮不違常； 名禮兩得，人無間矣！ 其姓氏名諱，入宮之由，歷位之資，才藝智略，年辰崩葬，別纂錄入《皇后傳》，列於廢後王庶人之下，題其篇曰「則天順聖武後」云。
Some say: If the empress dowager is not recorded, the imperial line is broken—then to what are twenty-two years of actions attached? The answer: Xiaozong at the first year ascended the great throne and at the last year restored the former enterprise; though his honored name was seized in the middle, the mandate of heaven was not changed—sufficient to head affairs and sufficient to mark the year; what constraint requires splitting it into two annals? In former times when Duke Zhao of Lu went into exile, the Spring and Autumn Annals each year recorded where he was, saying, "The Duke was at Ganhou." Moreover while the ruler lives, though he loses position, he is not abolished. I now request merging the Empress Dowager Annal with the Xiaozong Annal; at the head of each year one must record where Xiaozong was to unify it, writing: In such-and-such year, spring, first month, the emperor was at Fangling; the empress dowager performed such-and-such affair and changed such-and-such regulation, and so on. Then the annal would be titled Xiaozong while affairs would narrate the empress dowager, so that the name would not lose rectitude and ritual would not violate the constant; name and ritual both obtained, and no one would find fault! Her surname, personal name, taboo, the reason for entering the palace, qualifications for successive offices, talent, wisdom, and stratagem, year of birth, death, and burial should be separately compiled into the Biography of the Empress, placed below the deposed empress and commoner consorts, with the chapter title "Empress Zetian Shunsheng Wu."
96
事雖不行，而史氏稱之。
Though the proposal was not adopted, historians praised it.
97
德宗初即位，銳於求理。 建中二年夏，敕中書、門下兩省，分置待詔官三十員，以見官前任及同正試攝九品已上，擇文學理道、韜鈐法度之深者為之，各準品秩給俸錢，廩餼、幹力、什器、館宇之設，以公錢為之本，收息以贍用。 物論以為兩省皆名侍臣，足備顧問，無勞別置冗員。 既濟上疏論之曰：
When Dezong first ascended the throne he was keen to seek good governance. In summer of the second year of Jianzhong an edict ordered the Secretariat and Chancellery to each establish thirty awaiting-edict posts, drawn from former officials of rank nine and above in regular, probationary, and acting status who were skilled in letters, principles, military arts, and law—each receiving salary according to rank, with pantry provisions, laborers, utensils, and lodging established from public funds as capital, collecting interest to support expenses. Public opinion held that both bureaus already had attendant ministers sufficient for consultation and there was no need separately to establish superfluous posts. Ji Ji submitted a memorial arguing:
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臣伏以陛下今日之理，患在官煩，不患員少； 患在不問，不患無人。 且中書、門下兩省常侍、諫議、補闕、拾遺，總四十員，及常參待制之官，日有兩人，皆備顧問，亦不少矣。 中有二十一員，尚闕人未充，他司缺職，累倍其數。 陛下若謂見官非才，不足與議，則當選求能者，以代其人。 若欲務廣聰明，畢收淹滯，則當擇其可者，先補缺員。 則朝無曠官，俸不徒費。 且夫置錢息利，是有司權宜，非陛下經理之法。 今官三十員，皆給俸錢，幹力及廚廩什器、建造廳宇，約計一月不減百萬，以他司息例準之，當以錢二千萬為之本，方獲百萬之利。 若均本配人，當復除二百戶，或許其入流。 反覆計之，所損滋甚。 當今關輔大病，皆為百司息錢，傷人破產，積於府縣。 實思改革，以正本源。 又臣嘗計天下財賦耗篸之大者，唯二事焉：最多者兵資，次多者官俸。 其餘雜費，十不當二事之一。 所以黎人重困，杼軸猶空。 方期緝熙，必藉裁減。 今四方形勢，兵罷未得，資費之廣，蓋非獲已。 陛下躬行儉約，節用愛人，豈俾閑官，復為冗食？ 籍舊而置，猶可省也，若之何加焉？ 陛下必以制出不可改，請重難慎擇，遷延寢罷。
Your subject respectfully observes that in Your Majesty's governance today the worry is that offices are too numerous, not that posts are too few; the worry is that inquiry is not made, not that there are no men. Moreover the Secretariat and Chancellery together have forty regular attendants, remonstrance and reviser, and remonstrance and reviser posts, and two officials on regular court attendance each day—all sufficient for consultation and not few. Among them twenty-one posts still lack men to fill them; other offices lack incumbents by many times that number. If Your Majesty thinks the current officials lack talent and are unfit for deliberation, then capable men should be sought to replace them. If Your Majesty wishes to extend intelligence widely and gather all the overlooked, then among those fit the vacancies should first be filled. Then the court would have no vacant offices and salaries would not be wasted. Moreover establishing capital to collect interest is an expedient of the relevant offices, not Your Majesty's method of governance. Now thirty posts all receive salaries, laborers, and pantry provisions, utensils, and construction of halls—estimated for one month not less than one million cash; measured against interest rates in other offices, capital of twenty million cash would be required to obtain one million in profit. If the capital were distributed per person, two hundred households would again have to be exempted, or they might be permitted entry into the official stream. Reckoned back and forth, the harm grows ever greater. Today the great illness of the capital region is that every office lends money at interest, injuring people and ruining households, accumulating in prefectures and counties. I truly wish for reform to rectify the root source. Moreover your subject once calculated the greatest drains on the empire's revenue and expenditure: of two matters, the most is military supplies, the next is official salaries. All other miscellaneous expenses do not equal one of these two. Therefore the common people are heavily afflicted and the loom is still empty. When one expects order and brilliance, one must rely on cutting and reducing. Now in the four directions the military situation has not yet ceased and expenses are broad—this is surely unavoidable. Your Majesty personally practices frugality, economizes expenditure, and cherishes the people—how can idle offices again become superfluous eaters? To establish them from the old registers could still be reduced—how then add more? If Your Majesty must hold that the regulation once issued cannot be changed, I request weighing the difficulty carefully, choosing with care, and deferring until it is abandoned.
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其事竟不得行。 既而楊炎譴逐，既濟坐貶處州司戶。 後復入朝，位終禮部員外郎。
The matter in the end was not carried out. Soon afterward Yang Yan was punished and banished; Ji Ji was implicated and demoted to Registrar of Chuzhou. Later he reentered court and ended as External Official in the Ministry of Rites.
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傳師擢進士，登制科乙第，授太子校書郎、鄠縣尉，直史館，轉左拾遺、左補闕，並兼史職。 遷司門員外郎、知制誥，召充翰林學士。 歷司勛、兵部郎中，遷中書舍人。 性恬退無競，時翰林未有承旨，次當傳師為之，固稱疾，宣召不起，乞以本官兼史職。 俄兼御史中丞，出為潭州刺史、湖南觀察使。 入為尚書右丞。 出為洪州刺史、江南西道觀察使，轉宣州刺史、宣歙池觀察使。 入為吏部侍郎。 太和元年卒，年五十九，贈吏部尚書。
Chuanshi passed the jinshi examination and ranked in the second class of the decree examination; he was appointed Proofreader of the Crown Prince and aide of E County, direct appointment to the Historiography Institute, transferred to Left Remonstrance and Reviser and Left Reviser—all concurrently historiographical posts. He was promoted to External Official in the Ministry of Justice and charged with drafting imperial documents, and was summoned to serve as Academician of the Hanlin Academy. He served successively as Director in the Ministries of Merit and War and was promoted to Secretariat Drafter. By nature retiring and without contention, at that time the Hanlin Academy had no chief drafter and Chuanshi was next in line; he firmly pleaded illness, would not rise when summoned by imperial order, and begged to hold his current office concurrently with historiographical duty. Soon he was concurrently Vice Censor-in-Chief and sent out as prefect of Tan and circuit supervisor of Hunan. He returned to court as Right Vice Director of the Ministry of Revenue. He was sent out as prefect of Hong and circuit supervisor of Jiangxi, transferred to prefect of Xuan and circuit supervisor of Xuan, She, and Chi. He returned to court as Vice Minister of Appointments. In the first year of Taihe he died, aged fifty-nine; posthumously honored as Minister of Appointments.
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初，傳師父既濟撰《建中實錄》十卷，為時所稱。 傳師在史館，預修《憲宗實錄》未成，廉察湖南，特詔賫一分史稿，成於理所。
Initially Chuanshi's father Ji Ji compiled the Jianzhong Veritable Record in ten scrolls, praised at the time. While Chuanshi was in the Historiography Institute he participated in compiling the Xianzong Veritable Record, which was unfinished; when he was made supervisory commissioner of Hunan, a special edict sent him one portion of the historiographical draft, and he completed it in his prefecture.
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有子樞、詢，皆登進士第。
He had sons Shu and Xun; both passed the jinshi examination.
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詢歷清顯，中書舍人、翰林學士、禮部侍郎。 咸通中，檢校戶部尚書、潞州長史、昭義節度使。 為政簡易，性本恬和。 奴歸秦者，通詢侍者，詢將戮之未果； 奴結牙將為亂，夜攻府第，詢舉家遇害。
Xun held clear and eminent posts: Secretariat Drafter, Academician of the Hanlin Academy, and Vice Minister of Rites. In the Xiantong era he served as acting Minister of Revenue, Chief Administrator of Lu Prefecture, and military commissioner of Zhaoyi. His governance was simple and easy; by nature he was fundamentally mild and harmonious. A slave named Gui Qin had relations with Xun's attendants; Xun intended to execute him but did not succeed; the slave joined with the garrison officers to raise disorder, attacked the prefectural residence by night, and Xun's entire household was killed.
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史臣曰
The historiographer comments
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史臣曰：前代以史為學者，率不偶於時，多罹放逐，其故何哉？ 誠以褒貶是非在於手，賢愚輕重系乎言，君子道微，俗多忌諱，一言切己，嫉之如仇。 所以峘、薦坎壈於仕塗，沈、柳不登於顯貫，後之載筆執簡者，可以為之痛心！ 道在必伸，物不終否，子孫藉其餘祐，多至公卿者，蓋有天道存焉！
The historiographer comments: Scholars who took history as their study in former ages mostly did not meet with fortune in their times and often suffered banishment—why is this? Truly because praise and blame, right and wrong, rest in the hand, and the weight of worthy and unworthy hangs on words—when the gentleman's way is slight and the vulgar are full of taboo, one word that cuts to the self is hated like an enemy. Therefore Han and Zhang suffered hardship on the official road, and Shen and Liu did not reach eminent rank—later men who hold the brush and keep the record may grieve for them! The Way must extend; things do not end in denial—their descendants relied on their remaining blessing and many reached the rank of chief minister; surely the Way of Heaven is preserved therein!
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贊曰：褒貶以言，孔道是模。 誅亂以筆，亦有董狐。 邦家大典，班、馬何辜？ 懲惡勸善，史不可無。
In praise it is said: Praise and blame lie in words; the way of Confucius is the model. To punish disorder with the brush—there is also a Dong Hu. The great canon of state and family—what wrong did Ban and Sima commit? To punish evil and encourage good—history cannot be absent.