1
王翃，太原晉陽人也。 兄翊，乾元中累官至京兆少尹。 性謙柔，淡於聲利。 自商州刺史遷襄州刺史、山南東道節度觀察等使。 入朝，充北蕃宣慰使，稱職。 代宗素重之，及即位，目為純臣。 遷刑部侍郎、御史中丞。 居憲司，雖不能舉振綱條，然以謹重知名。 大歷二年卒。
Wang Hong came from Jinyang in Taiyuan. His elder brother Yi, in the Qianyuan period, rose through successive offices to Vice Magistrate of the Capital District. He was modest and unassuming, and cared little for reputation or profit. He was moved from prefect of Shang to prefect of Xiang and commissioner for military affairs and observation in the Eastern Circuit of Shannan. On entering court he served as envoy to pacify the northern frontier peoples and acquitted himself well. Emperor Daizong had long esteemed him, and when he acceded regarded him as a minister of unblemished loyalty. He was promoted to Vice Minister of Justice and Censor-in-Chief. Though he could not revitalize the censorial code, he was known in the Censorate for prudence and dignity. He died in the second year of Dali (767).
2
翊為侍郎時，翃自折沖授辰州刺史，遷朗州，有威望智術，所蒞立名。 大歷五年遷容州刺史、容管經略使。
While Yi was vice minister, Hong was appointed from Commander Who Repels the Enemy to prefect of Chen, then transferred to Lang; he had authority, wit, and strategy, and everywhere he served he made a name for himself. In the fifth year of Dali he was made prefect of Rong and commissioner for Rong Circuit.
3
自安、史之亂，頻詔征發嶺南兵募，隸南陽魯炅軍。 炅與賊戰於葉縣，大敗，余眾離散。 嶺南溪洞夷獠，乘此相恐為亂，其首領梁崇牽，自號「平南十道大都統」。 及其黨覃問等，誘西原賊張侯、夏永攻陷城邑，據容州。 前後經略使陳仁琇、李抗、侯令儀、耿慎惑、元結、長孫全緒等，雖容州刺史，皆寄理藤州，或寄梧州。
After the An Lushan and Shi Siming rebellions, repeated edicts had raised troops in Lingnan and placed them under Lu Kun of Nanyang. Kun fought the rebels at Ye County and suffered a crushing defeat; the survivors dispersed. The stream-and-cave tribes of Lingnan, exploiting the chaos, stirred one another to revolt; their leader Liang Chongqian styled himself "Grand Commander-in-Chief of the Ten Circuits for Pacifying the South." He and his followers such as Tan Wen incited the Xiyuan rebels Zhang Hou and Xia Yong to overrun towns and seize Rong Prefecture. Successive commissioners Chen Renqiu, Li Kang, Hou Lingyi, Geng Shenhuo, Yuan Jie, and Changsun Quanxu, though nominally prefects of Rong, all governed from Teng or Wuzhou.
4
及翃至藤州，言於眾曰：「吾為容州刺史，安得寄理他邑！」 乃出私財募將健，許奏以好爵，以是人各盡力。 不數月，斬賊魁歐陽珪。 馳於廣州，見節度使李勉，求兵為援。 勉曰：「容州陷賊已久，群獠方強，卒難圖也。 若務速攻，只自敗耳，郡不可復也。」 翃請曰：「大夫如未暇出師，但請移牒諸州，揚言出千兵援助，冀藉聲勢，成萬一之功。」 勉然之。 翃乃以手劄告諭義州刺史陳仁璀、藤州刺史李曉庭等，同盟約討賊。 翃復募三千余人。 力戰，日數合。 節度使牒止翃用兵。 翃慮惑將士，匿其牒，奮起士卒，大破賊數萬眾，擒其帥梁崇牽。 賊遁數百里外，盡復容州故境。 翃發使以聞，奏置順州，以遏余寇。 前後大小百余戰，生擒賊帥上獻者七十余人。 累加銀青光祿大夫、兼御史中丞，充招討處置使。
When Hong arrived at Teng Prefecture, he told the gathering, "I am prefect of Rong—how can I administer the prefecture from somewhere else!" He spent his own money to recruit fighting men, promising to petition the throne for honorable appointments, and each man strove to the limit. Within months he beheaded the rebel chieftain Ouyang Gui. He rode posthaste to Guangzhou to see Military Commissioner Li Mian and request reinforcements. Mian said, "Rong has been in rebel hands for years; the tribal bands are still powerful and cannot be taken at a stroke. If you press for a hasty assault, you will only ruin yourself—the prefecture cannot be won back." Hong pleaded, "If you cannot march yourself, send dispatches to the prefectures announcing a thousand men in relief—perhaps their reputation alone may win us a slender chance." Mian consented. Hong wrote in his own hand to Prefect Chen Renrui of Yi, Prefect Li Xiaoting of Teng, and others, binding them in alliance to attack the rebels. Hong raised another three thousand-odd men. They fought hard, meeting in battle several times a day. The military commissioner sent orders for Hong to halt operations. Fearing the order would unsettle his men, Hong hid the dispatch, rallied his troops, and routed tens of thousands of rebels, capturing their leader Liang Chongqian. The rebels fled hundreds of li, and Rong's former borders were fully restored. Hong reported the victory and petitioned to establish Shun Prefecture to hem in the remaining raiders. In over a hundred engagements, great and small, he took more than seventy rebel leaders alive for presentation to the court. He was repeatedly promoted, eventually to Silver Radiance Grand Master of Splendid Happiness and concurrent Censor-in-Chief, and made Commissioner for Pacification and Disposition.
5
翃又令其將張利用、李實等分兵討襲西原。 遂收復郁林諸州，部內漸安。 後因哥舒晃殺節度使呂崇賁，嶺南復亂。 翃遣大將李實悉所管兵赴援廣州。 西原賊率覃問復招合夷獠曰：「容州兵馬盡赴廣州，郡可圖也。」 於是悉眾來襲。 翃知其來，伏兵禦之，生擒覃問，其眾大敗。 代宗聞而壯之，遣中使慰勞，加金紫光祿大夫。
Hong also sent his generals Zhang Liyong, Li Shi, and others in divided columns against Xiyuan. They recovered the Yulin prefectures, and the circuit gradually settled. Later, after Geshu Huang murdered Military Commissioner Lü Chongben, Lingnan erupted in chaos again. Hong dispatched his senior general Li Shi with every soldier under his command to relieve Guangzhou. Tan Wen, leader of the Xiyuan rebels, again gathered the tribes and said, "Rong's entire force has marched to Guangzhou—the prefecture is ripe for the taking." They then attacked in full strength. Forewarned, Hong laid an ambush, took Tan Wen alive, and shattered his army. Emperor Daizong, admiring the feat, sent a palace envoy with rewards and promoted him to Golden Radiance Grand Master of Splendid Happiness.
6
時西蕃入寇河中，元帥郭子儀統兵備之。 乃征翃為河中少尹，充節度留後，領子儀之務。 有悍將淩正者，橫暴擾軍政，約其徒夜噪斬關以逐翃。 有告者，翃縮夜漏數刻，以差其期。 賊驚而遁，卒誅正，軍城乂安。
At that time the western Tibetans raided Hezhong, and Commander-in-Chief Guo Ziyi mobilized to meet them. Hong was summoned as vice magistrate of Hezhong and acting military commissioner, assuming Ziyi's responsibilities. A brutal officer named Ling Zheng tyrannized the army and plotted with his men to riot by night, break the gate, and expel Hong. On receiving word, Hong advanced the water-clock several marks to upset their schedule. The conspirators fled in alarm; Ling Zheng was eventually executed, and the camp and city were secured.
7
歷汾州刺史、京兆尹。 屬發涇原兵討李希烈，軍次浐水。 翃備供頓，肉敗糧臭，眾怒以叛。 翃奔至奉天，加御史大夫，改將作監，從幸山南。 車駕還京，改大理卿。 出為福州刺史、福建觀察使，入為太子賓客。
He served in turn as prefect of Fen and as magistrate of the capital district. When Jingyuan troops were sent against Li Xilie, the army encamped at Chan River. Hong had arranged provisions, but the meat had rotted and the grain soured; the soldiers mutinied in fury. Hong fled to Fengtian, was made chief censor, then director of palace construction, and followed the emperor into Shannan. When the court returned to Chang'an, he was appointed chief justice. He was sent out as prefect of Fuzhou and observation commissioner of Fujian, then recalled as mentor of the heir apparent.
8
貞元十二年，檢校禮部尚書，代董晉為東都留守，判尚書省事、東畿汝防禦使。 凡開置二十余屯，市勁筋良鐵以為兵器，簡練士卒，軍政頗修。 無何，吳少誠阻命，翃賦車籍甲，不待完繕，東畿之人賴之。 十八年卒，時七十余，贈禮部尚書。
In the twelfth year of Zhenyuan he was made acting minister of rites and replaced Dong Jin as guardian of the eastern capital, directing the secretariat there and serving as commissioner for the eastern capital and the Ru and Fang defense command. He opened more than twenty garrison colonies, bought stout sinew and good iron for arms, drilled the soldiers, and brought military affairs into good order. When Wu Shaocheng rebelled, Hong requisitioned carts and mustered armor; though preparations were unfinished, the eastern capital looked to him for protection. He died in the eighteenth year at over seventy and was posthumously given the title minister of rites.
9
郗士美，字和夫，高平金鄉人也。 父純，字高卿，為李邕、張九齡等知遇，尤以詞學見推。 與顏真卿、蕭穎士、李華皆相友善。 舉進士，繼以書判制策，三中高第，登朝歷拾遺、補闕、員外、郎中、諫議大夫、中書舍人。 處事不回，為元載所忌。 魚朝恩署牙將李琮為兩街功德使。 琮暴橫，於銀臺門毀辱京兆尹崔昭。 純詣元載抗論，以為國恥，請速論奏。 載不從，遂以疾辭。 退歸東洛凡十年，自號「伊川田父。」 清名高節，稱於天下。 及德宗即位，崔祐甫作相，召拜左庶子、集賢學士。 到京，以年老乞身，表三上。 除太子詹事致仕，東歸洛陽。 德宗召見，屢加褒嘆，賜以金紫。 公卿大夫皆賦詩祖送於都門，搢紳以為美談。 有文集六十卷行於世。
Chi Shimei, whose courtesy name was Hefu, came from Jinxiang in Gaoping. His father Chun, courtesy name Gaoqing, won favor from Li Yong, Zhang Jiuling, and others and was especially admired for letters. He was close friends with Yan Zhenqing, Xiao Yingshi, and Li Hua. He passed the jinshi, then excelled in the document judgment and policy examinations with three high placings; in court he rose through remonstrance official, supplementer, vice director, director, remonstrance grandee, and secretariat drafter. He would not compromise in office, and Yuan Zai came to resent him. Yu Chaoen appointed the gate general Li Cong commissioner for merit in the Two Streets. Cong was brutal; at the Silver Terrace Gate he publicly humiliated Capital Magistrate Cui Zhao. Chun confronted Yuan Zai, calling the affair a national shame and urging immediate memorialization. Zai refused; Chun resigned citing illness. He lived in retirement at the eastern capital Luoyang for ten years, styling himself "Father of the Fields by the Yi River." His unsullied reputation and high integrity were celebrated across the empire. When Dezong acceded, Chief Minister Cui Youfu summoned him as left subdirector and academician of the Hall of Assembled Worthies. On reaching the capital he pleaded age and petitioned three times to retire. He was made supervisor of the heir apparent's household with permission to retire and went back to Luoyang. Emperor Dezong received him in audience, praised him repeatedly, and granted him gold and the purple robe. Ministers and grandees composed farewell poems at the city gate; the gentry took it as a celebrated occasion. His collected works in sixty scrolls circulated widely.
10
士美少好學，善記覽。 父友顏真卿、蕭潁士輩嘗與之討論經傳，應對如流。 既而相謂曰：「吾曹異日，當交於二郗之間矣。」 未冠，為陽翟丞。 李抱真鎮潞州，辟為從事，雅有參贊之績。 其後易二帥，皆詔士美佐之。
From boyhood Shimei loved study and had a keen memory. His father's friends Yan Zhenqing, Xiao Yingshi, and others once debated the classics with him; he answered without hesitation. They then said to one another, "One day we shall stand between the two houses of Chi." Before coming of age he became assistant magistrate of Yangzhai. When Li Baozhen governed Luzhou he took Shimei on staff; Shimei proved adept in counsel. Two successive commanders were each ordered to keep Shimei as his aide.
11
由坊州刺史為黔州刺史、兼御史大夫、持節黔中經略招討觀察鹽鐵等使。 時溪州賊帥向子琪連結夷獠，控據山洞，眾號七八千。 士美設奇略討平之。 詔書勞慰，加檢校右散騎堂侍，封高平郡公，再遷京兆尹。 每別殿延問，必咨訪大政。 出為鄂州觀察使。
From prefect of Fang he became prefect of Qian, concurrent chief censor, and commissioner for Qianzhong with authority over pacification, recruitment, observation, and salt and iron. At that time the Xi Prefecture bandit Xiang Ziqi allied with tribal peoples, held the mountain caves, and mustered seven or eight thousand men. Shimei devised a stratagem and suppressed them. The throne commended him; he was made acting right regular attendant of the scattered cavalry and enfeoffed as Duke of Gaoping, then transferred again to capital magistrate. Whenever the emperor received him in a side hall, he was consulted on weighty policy. He was sent out as observation commissioner of E.
12
貞元十八年，伊慎有功，特授安黃節度。 二十年，慎來朝，其子宥主留事，朝廷未能去。 會宥母卒於京師，利主軍權，不時發喪。 士美命從事托以他故過其境。 宥果迎之，告以兇問，先備肩籃，即日遣之。
In the eighteenth year of Zhenyuan, Yi Shen was specially made military commissioner of An and Huang for his service. In the twentieth year Shen came to court while his son You held the post; the court could not dislodge him. When You's mother died in the capital, he clung to military authority and delayed the funeral. Shimei sent a staff member through the territory on a fabricated errand. You received him, learned of the death, had a shoulder basket prepared, and dispatched him the same day.
13
元和五年，拜河南尹。 明年三月，檢校工部尚書、潞州大都督府長史，充昭義節度。 前政之豐給浮費，至皆減損，號令嚴肅。
In the fifth year of Yuanhe he was made capital magistrate. In the third month of the next year he was made acting minister of works, grand general of Luzhou, and military commissioner of Zhaoyi. The prior regime had been wasteful; he cut every extravagance and enforced strict discipline.
14
及朝廷討王承宗，士美遣兵馬使王獻領勁兵一萬為先鋒。 獻兇惡恃亂，逗撓不進； 遽令召至，數其罪斬之。 下令曰：「敢後出者斬！」 士美親鼓之。 兵既合，而賊軍大敗，下三營，環柏鄉，屢以捷聞。 上大悅曰：「吾故知士美能辦吾事。」 於時四面七、八鎮兵共十余萬，以環鎮、冀，未有首功，多犯法。 士美兵士勇敢畏法，威聲甚振。 承宗大懼，指期有破亡之勢，會詔班師，至今兩河間稱之。
When the court attacked Wang Chengzong, Shimei sent Military Commissioner Wang Xian with ten thousand elite troops as vanguard. Xian was brutal and defiant; he dawdled and refused to advance; Shimei had him summoned at once, listed his crimes, and executed him. He proclaimed, "Whoever marches out last dies!" Shimei beat the war drums himself. When the armies met the rebels were shattered; three camps were taken, Baixiang was encircled, and victory dispatches followed in succession. The emperor was delighted and said, "I always knew Shimei could finish this for me." At the time seven or eight circuits fielded over a hundred thousand men around Zhen and Ji; no one won the first laurels, and lawlessness was rife. Shimei's men were bold yet law-abiding; his authority rang far. Chengzong was terrified and seemed doomed within days, but an edict recalled the armies; to this day he is spoken of with respect in the two He provinces.
15
十二年，以疾征為工部尚書。 稍間，拜忠武節度使、檢校刑部尚書。 至鎮逾月，寢疾。 元和十四年九月卒，年六十四。 贈尚書左僕射，謚曰景。
In the twelfth year he was recalled, ill, to be minister of works. Soon after he was made military commissioner of Zhongwu and acting minister of justice. Barely a month after taking up the post he fell gravely ill. He died in the ninth month of the fourteenth year of Yuanhe (819), aged sixty-four. He was posthumously made left vice minister of the secretariat with the posthumous title Jing.
16
士美善與人交，然諾之際豁如也，當時名稱翕然。
Shimei made friends easily and kept his word without reserve; his name shone among contemporaries.
17
李鄘，字建侯，江夏人。 北海太守邕之侄孫。 父暄，官至起居舍人。 鄘大歷中舉進士，又以書判高等，授秘書正字。 為李懷光所辟，累遷監察御史。 及懷光據蒲津叛，鄘與母、妻陷賊中。 恐禍及親，因偽白懷光曰：「兄病在洛，請母往視之。」 懷光許焉，且戒妻子無得從。 鄘皆遣行。 後懷光知，責之。 對曰：「鄘名隸軍籍，不得隨侍老母，奈何不使婦隨姑行也。」 懷光無以罪之。 時與故相高郢同在賊廷，乃密奏賊軍虛實及攻取之勢。 德宗賜手詔以勞之。 後事泄，懷光嚴兵召郢與鄘詰責。 鄘詞激氣壯，三軍義之。 懷光不敢殺，囚之獄中。 懷光死，馬燧就獄致禮，表為河東從事。 尋以言不行，歸養洛中。 襄州節度使嗣曹王臯致禮延辟，署從事，奏兼殿中侍御史。 入為吏部員外郎。
Li Yong, courtesy name Jianhou, was from Jiangxia. He was a grandnephew of Li Yong, prefect of Beihai. His father Xuan rose to attendant of the bureau of imperial seals. In the Dali period Yong passed the jinshi and ranked high in the document judgment examination; he was made corrector of the secretariat. Recruited by Li Huaiguang, he rose to surveillance censor. When Huaiguang rebelled and held Pu Ford, Yong, his mother, and his wife were trapped in rebel territory. Fearing for his family, he falsely told Huaiguang, "My brother lies ill in Luoyang—let my mother go to him." Huaiguang agreed but forbade wife and children to accompany her. Yong sent them all off. When Huaiguang learned of it, he rebuked him. Yong answered, "My name is on the rolls and I cannot serve my mother—why should my wife not go with hers?" Huaiguang could find no fault. At the time he was with former chief minister Gao Ying in the rebel camp and secretly reported rebel strength and the chances for recovery. Emperor Dezong rewarded him with a handwritten edict. When the affair leaked, Huaiguang mustered troops and summoned Ying and Yong for interrogation. Yong spoke with fiery defiance; the whole army honored his courage. Huaiguang dared not execute them and threw them in prison. After Huaiguang's death, Ma Sui visited the prison with full courtesy and petitioned to make Yong an aide in Hedong. Soon, when his counsel went unheeded, he retired to Luoyang to support his mother. Xiangzhou Military Commissioner Prince of Cao Gao honored him, took him on staff, and petitioned for concurrent service as attendant censor. He entered court as vice director of the ministry of personnel.
18
徐州張建封卒，其子愔為將校所迫，俾領軍務。 詔擇臨難不懾者，即其軍以諭之，遂命鄘為徐州宣慰使。 鄘直抵其軍，召將士，傳朝旨，陳禍福，脫監軍使桎梏，令復其位。 兇黨不敢犯。 及愔上表稱兵馬留後，鄘以為非詔令所加，不宜稱號，立使削去，方受其表。 遷吏部郎中。
When Zhang Jianfeng of Xuzhou died, his son Yin was forced by the officers to assume command. The throne chose a man unafraid in crisis and sent him to that army with instructions; Yong was made pacification envoy of Xuzhou. Yong went straight to camp, assembled the troops, announced the imperial will, weighed gain and loss, removed the army supervisor's bonds, and restored him to office. The mutinous faction dared not move. When Yin memorialized calling himself acting commander of troops and horses, Yong said the title was unauthorized; he made Yin delete it before accepting the document. He was promoted to director of the ministry of personnel.
19
順宗登極，拜御史中丞，遷京兆尹、尚書右丞。 元和初，以京師多盜，復選為京兆尹，擒奸禁暴，威望甚著。 尋拜檢校禮部尚書、鳳翔尹、鳳翔隴右節度使。 是鎮承前命帥，多用武將，有「神策行營」之號。 初受命，必詣軍修謁。 鄘既受命，表陳其不可，詔遂去「神策行營」字，但為鳳翔隴右節度。 未幾，遷鎮太原，入為刑部尚書、兼御史大夫、諸道鹽鐵轉運使。
When Shunzong acceded, Yong became censor-in-chief, then capital magistrate and right vice minister of the secretariat. Early in Yuanhe, with banditry rife in the capital, he was again made capital magistrate; he seized criminals and suppressed violence, and his authority was formidable. Soon he was made acting minister of rites, magistrate of Fengxiang, and military commissioner of Fengxiang and Longyou. That post had long been held by court-appointed generals, mostly soldiers, under the name "Shence Field Headquarters." On appointment one was expected to visit the army and pay homage. Yong memorialized that this was improper; the throne dropped the words "Shence Field Headquarters," leaving only military commissioner of Fengxiang and Longyou. Soon he was transferred to Taiyuan, then recalled as minister of justice, concurrent chief censor and transport commissioner for salt and iron of all circuits.
20
五年冬，出為揚州大都督府長史、淮南節度使。 鄘前在兩鎮，皆以剛嚴操下，遽變舊制，人情不安，故未幾即改去。 至淮南數歲，就加檢校左僕射，政嚴事理，府廩充積。
In the winter of the fifth year he went out as grand general of Yangzhou and military commissioner of Huainan. Yong had ruled two commands with harsh discipline; he abruptly altered old practice, unsettling morale, and was soon moved. After several years in Huainan he was made acting left vice minister; his rule was strict and orderly, and the storehouses overflowed.
21
及王師征淮夷，鄆寇李師道表裏相援。 鄘發楚、壽等州二萬餘兵，分壓賊境，日費甚廣，未嘗請於有司。 時憲宗以兵興，國用不足，命鹽鐵副使程异乘驛諭江淮諸道，俾助軍用。 鄘以境內富實，乃大籍府庫，一年所蓄之外，咸貢於朝廷。 諸道以鄘為倡首，悉索以獻，自此王師無匱乏之憂。
When the imperial army marched against the Huai rebels, the Yan bandit Li Shidao aided them inside and out. Yong sent more than twenty thousand men from Chu, Shou, and other prefectures to pressure the rebel frontier; costs were enormous, yet he never petitioned the central offices. With war draining the treasury, Xianzong sent Vice Commissioner for Salt and Iron Cheng Yi through the Jianghuai circuits to demand military aid. Finding his domain prosperous, Yong inventoried the treasury and sent the court everything beyond a year's reserve. Other circuits, following Yong's lead, scraped together contributions; thereafter the imperial armies never lacked supplies.
22
先是，吐突承璀監淮南軍，貴寵莫貳。 鄘亦以剛嚴素著，而差相敬憚，未嘗稍失。 承璀歸，遂引以為相。 十二年，徵拜門下侍郎、同平章事。 鄘出入顯重，素不以公輔自許，年侵勢過，頗安外鎮。 登祖筵，聞樂而泣下，曰：「宰相之任，非吾所長也。」 行頗緩，至京師，又辭疾歸第。 既未朝謁，亦不領政事，竟以疾辭，改授戶部尚書。 俄換檢校左僕射，兼太子賓客，分司東都。 尋以太子少傅致仕。 元和十五年八月卒，贈太子太保，謚曰肅。
Earlier Tutu Chengcui had supervised the Huainan army and stood unrivaled in favor. Yong too was famed for severity; the two respected and feared each other and never breached decorum. When Chengcui returned to court he recommended Yong for the chancellorship. In the twelfth year he was summoned as vice director of the secretariat and associate chief minister. Yong had risen high but never saw himself as chancellor material; as age advanced he preferred life in the provinces. At his farewell feast, moved by the music, he wept and said, "The chancellorship is not my strength." He traveled slowly; on reaching the capital he again pleaded illness and withdrew to his house. He neither attended court nor handled affairs, and finally resigned on grounds of illness, becoming minister of revenue. Soon he was made acting left vice minister and mentor of the heir apparent, with duties at the eastern capital. Shortly afterward he retired as junior tutor of the heir apparent. He died in the eighth month of the fifteenth year of Yuanhe (820) and was posthumously made grand mentor of the heir apparent with the posthumous title Su.
23
鄘強直無私飾，與楊憑、穆質、許孟容、王仲舒友善，皆任氣自負。 然鄘當官嚴重，為吏以峻法立操，所至稱理，而剛決少恩。 鎮揚州七年，令行禁止。 擒擿生殺，一委軍吏，參佐束手，居人頗陷非法，物議以此少之。 子柱，官至浙東觀察使。
Yong was blunt and unadorned; he was close to Yang Ping, Mu Zhi, Xu Mengrong, and Wang Zhongshu—proud men who trusted their own mettle. In office he was grave; he governed by harsh law and was praised for order everywhere he served, though his firmness left little room for mercy. For seven years at Yangzhou his commands were obeyed without exception. Arrests and executions he left entirely to army clerks; his staff stood idle while many civilians suffered illegal punishment—opinion held this against him. His son Zhu rose to observation commissioner of Zhedong.
24
柱子磎，字景望，博學多通，文章秀絕。 大中十三年，一舉登進士第。 歸仁晦鎮大梁，穆仁裕鎮河陽，自監察、殿中相次奏為從事。 入為尚書水部員外郎，累遷吏部郎中，兼史館修撰，拜翰林學士、中書舍人。 廣明中，分司洛下。 遇巢、讓之亂，逃於河橋。 光啟中，避亂淮海，有偽襄王詔命，磎皆不從。
Zhu's son Xi, courtesy name Jingwang, was erudite and versatile, his prose exceptionally fine. In the thirteenth year of Dazhong he passed the jinshi on the first try. When Gui Renhui governed Daliang and Mu Renyu governed Heyang, they successively petitioned to keep him on staff, from surveillance censor to attendant censor. He entered court as vice director of the water bureau, rose to director of the ministry of personnel and compiler at the History Institute, and was made Hanlin academician and secretariat drafter. In the Guangming period he served at Luoyang. During the disorders of Huang Chao and Shang Rang he fled to Heqiao. In the Guangqi period, fleeing chaos on the Huaihai coast, he rejected every false edict of the bogus Prince of Xiang.
25
王鐸鎮滑臺，杖策詣之。 鐸表薦於朝。 昭宗雅重之，復召入翰林為學士，拜戶部侍郎，遷禮部尚書。
When Wang Duo governed Huatai, Xi came to him staff in hand. Duo memorialized recommending him to court. Emperor Zhaozong esteemed him, recalled him to the Hanlin, made him vice minister of revenue, then minister of rites.
26
景福二年十月，與韋昭度並命中書門下平章事。 宣制日，水部郎中、知制誥劉崇魯掠其麻哭之，奏云：「李磎奸邪，挾附權幸，以忝學士，不合為相。」 時宰臣崔昭緯與昭度及磎素不相協，密遣崇魯沮之也，乃左授太子少師。 磎因上十章及《納諫論》三篇自雪，且數崇魯之惡。 議者重其才而鄙其訟。 昭宗素愛其才，而急於大用。 至乾寧初，又上第十一表，乃復命為相。 數月，與昭度同為王行瑜等所殺。
In the tenth month of the second year of Jingfu he was appointed associate chief minister together with Wei Zhaodu. On proclamation day Liu Chonglu, director of the water bureau and drafter of edicts, seized Xi's appointment scroll and wept, memorializing, "Li Xi is treacherous, clinging to the powerful; he disgraces the Hanlin and is unfit for the chancellorship." Chief Minister Cui Zhaowei, hostile to Zhaodu and Xi, secretly sent Chonglu to block the appointment; Xi was demoted to junior tutor of the heir apparent. Xi submitted ten memorials and three essays On Receiving Remonstrance to clear himself and denounced Chonglu. Opinion respected his talent but scorned his quarrelsomeness. Zhaozong had long prized his talent and wished to promote him. Early in Qianning, after an eleventh memorial, he was again made chief minister. Within months he and Zhaodu were killed by Wang Xingyu and his faction.
27
磎自在臺省，聚書至多，手不釋卷，時人號曰「李書樓」。 所撰文章及註解書傳之闕疑，僅百余卷，經亂悉亡。 王行瑜死，德音昭雪，贈司徒，謚曰文。
From his years in the censorate and secretariat Xi amassed books and never laid a scroll aside; men called him "Li the Book Tower." His writings and commentaries filling lacunae in the classics totaled barely a hundred scrolls; all were lost in the chaos. After Wang Xingyu's death an amnesty restored his name; he was posthumously made grand mentor with the posthumous title Wen.
28
子沇，字東濟，有俊才。 與父同日遇害，詔贈禮部員外郎。
His son Yan, courtesy name Dongji, had remarkable talent. He was killed the same day as his father; an edict posthumously made him vice director of the ministry of rites.
29
辛秘，隴西人。 少嗜學。 貞元年中，累登《五經》、《開元禮》科，選授華原尉，判入高等，調補長安尉。 高郢為太常卿，嘉其禮學，奏授太常博士。 遷祠部、兵部員外郎，仍兼博士。 山陵及郊丘二禮儀使，皆署為判官。 當時推其達禮。
Xin Mi was from Longxi. From youth he loved study. In the Zhenyuan era he repeatedly passed the Five Classics and Kaiyuan Rites examinations, was appointed defender of Huayuan, ranked high in evaluation, and was transferred to defender of Chang'an. When Gao Ying was minister of ceremonies he admired Mi's ritual scholarship and petitioned to make him erudite of the Court of Imperial Sacrifices. He became vice director of the bureaus of supplications and of military affairs while retaining his erudite post. The commissioners for the imperial tomb and suburban sacrifice rites both named him aide. Contemporaries praised his mastery of ritual.
30
元和初，拜湖州刺史。 未幾，屬李锜命，將收支郡，遂令大將監守五郡。 蘇常杭睦四州刺史，或以戰敗，或被拘執。 賊黨以秘儒者，甚易之。 秘密遣衙門將丘知二勒兵數百人，候賊將動，逆戰大破之。 知二中流矢墜馬，起而復戰，斬其將，焚其營，一州遂安。 賊平，以功賜金紫，由是僉以秘材堪將帥。
Early in Yuanhe he was made prefect of Hu. Soon after Li Qi took command, intending to absorb the subordinate prefectures, he stationed a senior general to oversee five of them. The prefects of Su, Chang, Hang, and Mu were either defeated or captured. The rebels, seeing Mi was a scholar, took him lightly. Mi secretly sent Gate General Qiu Zhier with several hundred men; when the rebel column moved, they intercepted and routed it. Zhier took an arrow, fell from his horse, rose and fought on, beheaded the enemy commander, burned the camp, and the prefecture was saved. After the rebellion was crushed he was awarded gold and purple; thereafter all agreed Mi had the makings of a commander.
31
及太原節度範希朝領全師出討王承宗，征秘為河東行軍司馬，委以留務。 尋召拜左司郎中，出為汝州刺史。
When Fan Xichao of Taiyuan marched against Wang Chengzong with his full force, Mi was summoned as military secretary of the Hedong field army and left in charge of the rear. Soon he was recalled as left director of the department of state affairs, then sent out as prefect of Ru.
32
九年，征拜諫議大夫，改常州刺史，選為河南尹。 蒞職修政，有可稱者。
In the ninth year he was made remonstrance grandee, then prefect of Chang, then chosen as capital magistrate. In office he improved administration and earned praise.
33
十二年，拜檢校工部尚書，代郗士美為潞州大都督府長史、御史大夫，充昭義軍節度、澤潞磁洺邢等州觀察使。 是時以再討王承宗，澤潞壓境，雕費尤甚。 朝議以兵革之後，思能完復者，遂以命秘。 凡四歲，府庫積錢七十萬貫，餱糧器械稱是。
In the twelfth year he was made acting minister of works, replacing Chi Shimei as grand general of Luzhou and chief censor, military commissioner of Zhaoyi, and observation commissioner of Ze, Lu, Ci, Ming, and Xing. With Wang Chengzong under attack again, Ze and Lu lay on the frontier and had suffered especially heavy losses. The court, seeking someone who could rebuild after war, entrusted the post to Mi. In four years the treasury amassed seven hundred thousand strings of cash; grain, fodder, and arms were sufficient.
34
及歸，道病，先自為墓誌。 將歿，又為書一通，命緘致幾上。 其家發之，皆送終遵儉之旨。 久歷重任，無豐財厚產，為時所稱。 元和十五年十二月卒，年六十四。 贈左僕射，謚曰昭。
On the journey home he fell ill and beforehand wrote his own epitaph. Near death he also wrote one letter and ordered it sealed on his desk. His family opened it and found only instructions for a spare funeral. Though he had long held high office, he left no great fortune; contemporaries praised him for it. He died in the twelfth month of the fifteenth year of Yuanhe (820), aged sixty-four. He was posthumously made left vice minister with the posthumous title Zhao.
35
馬摠，字會元，扶風人。 少孤貧好學。 性剛直，不妄交遊。 貞元中，姚南仲鎮滑臺，辟為從事。 南仲與監軍使不葉，監軍誣奏南仲不法。 及罷免，摠坐貶泉州別駕，監軍入掌樞密。 福建觀察使柳冕希旨欲殺摠，從事穆贊鞫摠，贊稱無罪，摠方免死。 後量移恩王傅。
Ma Zong, courtesy name Huiyuan, was from Fufeng. Orphaned and poor from youth, he loved learning. He was upright and would not make friends lightly. In the Zhenyuan era, when Yao Nanzhong governed Huatai, he took Zong on staff. Nanzhong quarreled with the army supervisor, who falsely reported his misconduct. When Nanzhong was removed, Zong was demoted to vice prefect of Quanzhou; the supervisor entered court to dominate the privy council. Fujian Observation Commissioner Liu Mian, eager to please, sought to kill Zong; staff member Mu Zan tried him and found no guilt, sparing his life. Later he was transferred by quota to tutor of the Prince of En.
36
元和初，遷虔州刺史。 四年，兼御史中丞，充嶺南都護、本管經略使。 摠敦儒學，長於政術。 在南海累年，清廉不撓，夷獠便之。 於漢所立銅柱之處，以銅一千五百斤特鑄二柱，刻書唐德，以繼伏波之跡。 以綏蠻功，就加金紫。
Early in Yuanhe he was made prefect of Qian. In the fourth year he was made concurrent chief censor, protector-general of Lingnan, and commissioner for that circuit. Zong honored Confucian learning and excelled in administration. For years on the southern sea he was incorruptible and unbending; the tribes found him just. Where the Han had set bronze pillars, he cast two new ones from fifteen hundred jin of bronze, inscribing Tang virtue to follow Ma Yuan's precedent. For pacifying the tribes he was immediately awarded golden radiance grand master.
37
八年，轉桂州刺史、桂管經略觀察使，入為刑部侍郎。 裴度宣慰淮西，奏為制置副使。 吳元濟誅，度留摠蔡州，知彰義軍留後。 尋檢校工部尚書、蔡州刺史、兼御史大夫，充淮西節度使。 摠以申、光、蔡等州久陷賊寇，人不知法，威刑勸導，咸令率化。 奏改彰義軍曰淮西，賊之偽跡，一皆削蕩。
In the eighth year he became prefect of Gui and observation commissioner of Gui Circuit, then entered court as vice minister of justice. When Pei Du pacified Huaixi he petitioned to make Zong vice commissioner for disposition. After Wu Yuanji was executed, Du left Zong at Caizhou as acting commander of the Zhangyi army. Soon he was made acting minister of works, prefect of Cai, concurrent chief censor, and military commissioner of Huaixi. Because Shen, Guang, Cai, and other prefectures had long been under rebels and knew no law, Zong governed by stern example until all were reformed. He petitioned to rename the Zhangyi army Huaixi and erased every vestige of the rebellion.
38
十三年，轉許州刺史、忠武軍節度、陳許溵等州觀察處置等使。 明年，改華州刺史、潼關防禦、鎮國軍等使。
In the thirteenth year he became prefect of Xu, military commissioner of Zhongwu, and commissioner for observation and disposition of Chen, Xu, and Wen. The next year he became prefect of Hua, defender of Tong Pass, and commissioner of Zhenguo army.
39
十四年，遷檢校刑部尚書、鄆州刺史、天平軍節度、鄆曹濮等州觀察等使，就加檢校尚書左僕射。 入為戶部尚書。 長慶三年卒，贈右僕射。
In the fourteenth year he became acting minister of justice, prefect of Yan, military commissioner of Tianping, observation commissioner of Yan, Cao, and Pu, and was immediately made acting left vice minister. He entered court as minister of revenue. He died in the third year of Changqing (823) and was posthumously made right vice minister.
40
摠理道素優，軍政多暇，公務之余，手不釋卷。 所著《奏議集》、《年歷》、《通歷》、《子鈔》等書百余卷，行於世。
Zong had always governed well; with military affairs in order he had leisure, and outside office never laid a book aside. His Collected Memorials, Chronological Calendar, Comprehensive Calendar, and Extracts of the Masters—more than a hundred scrolls—circulated widely.
41
韋弘景，京兆人，後周逍遙公夐之後。 祖嗣立，終宣州司戶。 父堯，終洋州興道令。 弘景貞元中始舉進士，為汴州、浙東從事。
Wei Hongjing was from the capital district and descended from Wei Jiong, Duke of Xiaoyao of the Later Zhou. His grandfather Silizhi ended as registrar of Xu prefecture. His father Yao ended as magistrate of Xingdao in Yang prefecture. Hongjing first passed the jinshi in the Zhenyuan era and served on staff in Bian and Zhedong.
42
元和三年，拜左拾遺，充集賢殿學士，轉左補闕。 尋召入翰林為學士。 普潤鎮使蘇光榮為涇原節度使，弘景草麻，漏敘光榮之功，罷學士，改司門員外郎，轉吏部員外、左司郎中，改吏部度支郎中。 張仲方貶李吉甫謚，上怒，貶仲方。 弘景坐與仲方善，出為綿州刺史。 宰相李夷簡出鎮淮南，奏為副使，賜以金紫。 入為京兆少尹，遷給事中。
In the third year of Yuanhe he was made left remonstrance official and academician of the Hall of Assembled Worthies, then left supplementer. Soon he was summoned to the Hanlin as academician. When Su Guangrong of Puerun became military commissioner of Jingyuan, Hongjing drafted the edict but omitted his achievements; he was dismissed from the Hanlin, made vice director of the gate office, then vice director of personnel and left director of state affairs, then director of revenue in personnel. When Zhang Zhongfang attacked Li Jifu's posthumous title, the emperor was angry and demoted him. Because Hongjing was close to Zhongfang, he was sent out as prefect of Mian. When Chief Minister Li Yijian went to Huainan he petitioned for Hongjing as deputy and granted him gold and purple. He entered court as vice capital magistrate, then drafting attendant.
43
劉士涇以駙馬交通邪幸，穆宗用為太僕卿。 弘景與給事薛存慶封還詔書，諭士涇曰：「伏以司僕正卿，位居九列。 在周之命，伯冏其人，所以惟月膺名，象河稱重。 漢朝亦以石慶之謹願，陳萬年之行潔，皆踐斯職，謂之大僚。 今士涇戚里常人，班敘散秩，以父任將帥，家富貲財，聲名不在於士林，行義無聞於朝野，忽長卿寺，有瀆官常。 以親則人物未賢，以勳則寵待常厚，今叨顯任，誠謂謬官。 《傳》曰：『惟名與器，不可假人。』 蓋士涇之謂。 臣等職司違失，實在守官。 其劉士涇新除太僕卿敕，未敢行下。」 穆宗遣宰臣宣諭，弘景等固執如前。 宰臣不得已，改衛尉少卿。 穆宗復遣諭弘景曰：「士涇父昌有邊功，士涇為少列十餘年，又尚雲安公主，宜有加恩。 朕思賞勞睦親之意，竟行前命。」 穆宗怒，乃令弘景使安南、邕、容宣慰，時認翕然推重。
Liu Shijing, an imperial son-in-law, trafficked with corrupt favorites; Muzong appointed him minister of the imperial stud. Hongjing and Drafting Attendant Xue Cunqing sealed the edict shut and addressed Shijing: "We submit that the minister of the imperial stud, a minister of the first rank among the nine ministries, in Zhou's appointments Bo Jiong held this office; hence the moon receives its title and the river its weight. The Han too appointed the scrupulous Shi Qing and the upright Chen Wannian—each held this post and was called a great minister. Shijing is a common in-law, ranked among the scattered grades; his father was a general and the family is wealthy; he is unknown among scholars and unheard of at court—suddenly to head the stud ministry violates proper appointment. By kinship he is no worthy man; by merit his favor has always been lavish—to give him so lofty a post is plainly a mistaken appointment. The Transmission says, 'Titles and regalia must not be lent to others.' This surely refers to Shijing. We have failed in duty by guarding our posts. The new appointment of Liu Shijing as minister of the imperial stud—we dare not promulgate it." Muzong sent chief ministers to explain; Hongjing and the others held firm. The chief ministers had no choice and changed the post to vice minister of the imperial guard. Muzong again sent word to Hongjing: "Shijing's father Chang had frontier merit; Shijing has held junior rank for more than ten years and married Princess Yun'an—he deserves added favor. I mean to reward service and cherish kin—carry out the original appointment." Angry, Muzong sent Hongjing as envoy to pacify Annan, Yong, and Rong; opinion unanimously respected him.
44
時蕭俛以清直在位，弘景議論，常所輔助。 遷刑部侍郎，轉吏部侍郎，銓綜平允，權邪憚其嚴勁，不敢干以非道。 掌選二歲，改陜虢觀察使。 歲滿，征拜尚書左丞，駁吏部授官不當者六十人。 弘景素以鯁亮稱，及居綱轄之地，郎吏望風修整。 會吏部員外郎楊虞卿以公事為下吏所訕，獄未能辨，詔下弘景與憲司就尚書省詳讞。 虞卿多朋遊，人多向附之。 弘景素所不悅，時已請告在第，及準詔就召，以公服來謁。 弘景謂之曰：「有敕推公。」 虞卿失容自退。 轉禮部尚書，充東都留守，判東都尚書省事。 繕完宮室，至今賴之。
At that time Xiao Mian served for his purity; Hongjing often found support in his counsel. He became vice minister of justice, then vice minister of personnel; his selections were evenhanded, and the powerful feared his sternness and dared not approach him improperly. After two years managing selection he was made observation commissioner of Shaan and Guo. When his term ended he was summoned as left vice director and rejected sixty improper personnel appointments. Hongjing had always been famed for blunt integrity; once he held authority, clerks straightened themselves at his glance. When Vice Director Yang Yuqing was slandered by a clerk in a public matter and the case stalled, an edict ordered Hongjing and the censorate to investigate at the ministry of personnel. Yuqing had many friends; many sided with him. Hongjing disliked him; already on leave at home, he came when summoned under the edict. Hongjing told him, "There is an edict to investigate you." Yuqing, stricken, withdrew. He was made minister of rites, guardian of the eastern capital, directing the eastern secretariat. He repaired the palatial buildings; the eastern capital still relies on his work.
45
太和五年五月卒，年六十六，贈尚書左僕射。 弘景歷官行事，始終以直道自立，議論操持，無所阿附，當時風教，尤為倚賴。 自長慶已來，目為名卿。
He died in the fifth month of the fifth year of Taihe (831), aged sixty-six, and was posthumously made left vice minister. In every post Hongjing stood on the straight path; in counsel he never flattered, and the age especially relied on him. From the Changqing era onward he was counted among celebrated ministers.
46
王彥威，太原人。 世儒家，少孤貧苦學，尤通《三禮》。 無由自達，元和中遊京師，求為太常散吏。 卿知其書生，補充檢討官。 彥威於禮閣掇拾自隋已來朝廷沿革、吉兇五禮，以類區分，成三十卷獻之，號曰《元和新禮》，由是知名，特授太常博士。
Wang Yanwei was from Taiyuan. His family were scholars for generations; orphaned and poor, he studied hard and was especially versed in the Three Rites. Unable to advance, in the Yuanhe era he went to the capital seeking a minor post at the Court of Imperial Sacrifices. The minister, seeing he was a scholar, appointed him collator. Yanwei gathered from the ritual archives, from Sui onward, court reforms and the five rites of auspice and inauspice, arranged them in thirty scrolls as New Rites of the Yuanhe, and was thereby famed and specially made erudite of the Court of Imperial Sacrifices.
47
憲宗晏駕，未定謚。 淮南節度使李夷簡以憲宗功高列聖，宜特稱祖，穆宗下禮官議。 彥威奏曰：「據禮經，三代之制，始封之君，謂之太祖。 太祖之外，又祖有功而宗有德，故夏後氏祖顓頊而宗禹，殷人祖契而宗湯，周人郊祀后稷，祖文王而宗武王。 自東漢魏晉，漸違經意，沿革不一。 子孫以推美為先，自始祖已下並有建祖之制。 蓋非典訓，不可法也。 國朝祖宗制度，本於《周禮》，以景皇帝為太祖，又祖神堯而宗太宗。 自高宗已降，但稱宗。 謂之尊名，可為成法。 不然，則太宗造有區夏，理致升平； 玄宗掃清內難，翊戴聖父； 肅宗龍飛靈武，收復兩都，此者應天順人，撥亂返正，至於廟號，亦但稱宗。 謹按經義，祖者始也，宗者尊也，故《傳》曰：『始封必為祖。』 《書》曰：『德高可宗，故號高宗。』 今宜本三代之定制，去魏、晉之亂法，守貞觀、開元之憲章，而擬議大名，垂以為訓。 大行廟號，宜稱宗。」 制從之。
When Xianzong died, his temple title was undecided. Huainan Military Commissioner Li Yijian argued that Xianzong's merit surpassed the sage emperors and he should be specially styled Ancestor; Muzong ordered the ritual officials to deliberate. Yanwei memorialized: "According to the ritual classics, in the Three Dynasties the first enfeoffed ruler is called Grand Ancestor. Beyond the Grand Ancestor, those with merit become ancestors and those with virtue exemplars: Xia honored Zhuanxu and took Yu as exemplar; Yin honored Qi and Tang as exemplar; Zhou in suburban sacrifice honored Houji, taking King Wen as ancestor and King Wu as exemplar. From Eastern Han and Wei-Jin they gradually departed from the classics, with inconsistent reforms. Descendants, eager for praise, from the founding ancestor downward all established ancestor-titles. This is not canonical and cannot be imitated. Our ancestral system, based on the Rites of Zhou, takes Emperor Jing as Grand Ancestor, honors Shen Yao as ancestor and Taizong as exemplar. From Gaozong downward they are styled only Exemplar. This is called honoring the title and may stand as settled law. Otherwise Taizong founded the realm and brought peace; Xuanzong quelled internal strife and upheld the sage father; Suzong rose at Lingwu and recovered the two capitals—each answered Heaven, turned chaos to order—yet their temple titles too are only Exemplar. By the classics, ancestor means beginning and exemplar means honor; the Transmission says, 'The first enfeoffment must be made ancestor.' The Documents say, 'When virtue is lofty one may be honored—hence the title High Exemplar.' We should follow the Three Dynasties, discard Wei and Jin's confusion, keep the charters of Zhenguan and Kaiyuan, and in choosing the great title set a teaching for posterity. The late emperor's temple title should be Exemplar." The throne accepted the memorial.
48
故事，祔廟之禮，先告於太極殿，然後奉神主赴太廟。 祔禮畢，不再告於太極殿。 時憲宗祔廟禮畢，執政詳舊典，令有司再告祔享禮畢於太極殿。 彥威執議以為不可，執政怒。 會宗正寺進祝版，誤以憲宗為睿宗。 執政銜其強，奏祝版參差，博士之罪，彥威坐削一階，奪兩季俸。 彥威殊不低回，每議禮事，守正不阿附，君子稱之。 累轉司封員外郎中。 弘文館舊不置學士，文宗特置一員以待彥威。 尋使魏博宣慰，特賜金紫。 五年，遷諫議大夫。 朝廷自誅李師道，收復淄青十二州，未定戶籍。 乃命彥威充十二州勘定兩稅使。 朝法振舉，人不以為煩。 以本官兼史館修撰。
By precedent, before enshrining in the ancestral temple one announces at the Hall of Supreme Ultimate, then conveys the spirit tablet to the temple. When enshrinement was complete, one did not announce again at the Hall of Supreme Ultimate. When Xianzong's enshrinement was complete, those in power examined precedent and ordered a second announcement at the Hall of Supreme Ultimate that enshrinement and offering were finished. Yanwei argued this was improper; those in power were angry. When the Court of Imperial Clan presented the prayer boards, they mistakenly wrote Ruizong for Xianzong. Resenting his stubbornness, they memorialized that the prayer boards were inconsistent and blamed the erudites; Yanwei was demoted one rank and forfeited two seasons' salary. Yanwei was unbowed; in every ritual debate he stood upright without flattery; gentlemen praised him. He rose to vice director and director in the bureau of enfeoffments. The Hongwen Hall had had no academician; Emperor Wenzong specially created one post for Yanwei. Soon he was sent to pacify Weibo and was specially granted gold and purple. In the fifth year he was promoted to remonstrance grandee. After Li Shidao was executed and the twelve Ziqing prefectures recovered, household registers were unsettled. Yanwei was ordered to serve as commissioner for fixing the two-tax system in the twelve prefectures. Court law was vigorously enforced without burdening the people. He was concurrently compiler at the History Institute.
49
彥威通悉典故，宿儒碩學皆讓之。 時以僕射上事儀註，前後不定，中丞李漢奏定，朝議未以為允。 中書門下奏請依元和七年已前儀註，左右僕射上日，請受諸司四品六品丞郎已下拜。 彥威奏論曰：「臣謹按《開元禮》：凡受冊官，並與卑官答拜。 國朝官品，令三師三公正一品，尚書令正二品，並是冊拜授官。 上之日，亦無受朝官再拜之文。 僕射班次三公，又是尚書令副貳之職，雖端揆之重，有異百寮，然與群官比肩事主。 《禮》曰『非其臣即答拜之』。 又曰『大夫之臣不稽首』。 非尊家臣，以避君也。 即僕射上日受常參官拜，事頗非儀。 況元和七年已經奏議，酌為定制，編在國章。 近年上儀，又有受拜之禮，禮文乍變，物論未安，請依元和七年敕為定。」 時李程為左僕射，宰執難於改革，雖不從其議，論者稱之。
Yanwei knew precedents thoroughly; senior scholars deferred to him. At that time protocol for vice ministers conducting business had long been unsettled; Vice Censor Li Han memorialized to fix it, but opinion was unsatisfied. The secretariat petitioned to follow protocol before the seventh year of Yuanhe: on the day left and right vice ministers took office, subordinates through the fourth and sixth ranks and directors and vice directors should bow. Yanwei argued in a memorial: "I respectfully note the Kaiyuan Rites: all officials receiving appointment documents also return bows to lower officials. In our ranks the three dukes and three masters are first rank and the director of the secretariat second rank—all offices conferred by appointment edict. On assumption day there is no provision for court officials to bow again. The vice minister ranks with the three dukes and is deputy to the director; though heavier than the hundred officials, he still serves the throne alongside them. The Rites say, 'If he is not his minister, then return the bow.' It also says, 'A great officer's servants do not perform the forehead bow.' This is not to honor house servants but to avoid the lord. For a vice minister on assumption day to receive bows from regularly attending officials is quite unritual. Moreover, in the seventh year of Yuanhe this was already deliberated and fixed in the national statutes. Recently assumption protocol again includes receiving bows; ritual has suddenly changed and opinion is uneasy—please fix it by the seventh-year edict." Li Cheng was then left vice minister; the chief ministers found reform awkward and though they did not accept his view, commentators praised him.
50
興平縣人上官興，因醉殺人亡竄，吏執其父下獄，興自首請罪，以出其父。 京兆尹杜悰、御史中丞宇文鼎，以其首罪免父，有光孝義，請減死配流。 彥威與諫官上言曰：「殺人者死，百王共守。 若許殺人不死，是教殺人。 興雖免父，不合減死。」 詔竟許決流。 彥威詣中書投宰相面論，語訐氣盛。 執政怒，左授河南少尹。 未幾，改司農卿。 李宗閔重之。 既秉政，授青州刺史、兼御史大夫，充平盧軍節度、淄青等觀察使。 開成元年，召拜戶部侍郎，尋判度支。
Shangguan Xing of Xingping, drunk, killed a man and fled; officers arrested his father; Xing surrendered to free his father. Capital Magistrate Du Cong and Vice Censor Yuwen Ding, because Xing confessed to the capital crime to free his father and displayed filial duty, asked that death be reduced to exile. Yanwei and the remonstrance officials memorialized: "He who kills shall die—all kings uphold this. If killers need not die, we teach killing. Though Xing freed his father, his death should not be reduced." An edict nevertheless permitted exile after sentencing. Yanwei went to the secretariat and argued face to face with the chief ministers, his words sharp and his manner overbearing. Those in power were angry and demoted him to vice magistrate of Henan. Soon he was made minister of the court of the imperial granaries. Li Zongmin esteemed him. Once in power Li Zongmin made Yanwei prefect of Qing, concurrent chief censor, military commissioner of Pinglu, and observation commissioner of Ziqing. In the first year of Kaicheng he was summoned as vice minister of revenue and soon directed the department of revenue.
51
彥威儒學雖優，亦勤吏事，然貨泉之柄，素非所長，性既剛訐，自恃有余。 嘗紫宸廷奏曰：「臣自計司按見管錢穀文簿，皆量入以為出，使經費必足，無所刻削。 且百口之家，猶有歲蓄，而軍用錢物，一切通用，悉隨色額占定，終歲支給，無毫厘之差。 倘臣一旦愚迷，欲自欺竊，亦不可得也。」 名曰《度支占額圖》。 既而又進《供軍圖》曰：「起至德、乾元之際，迄於永貞、元和之初，天下有觀察者十，節度二十有九，防禦者四，經略者三。 掎角之師，犬牙相制，大都通邑，無不有兵，都計中外各額，至八十余萬。 長慶戶口凡三百三十五萬，而兵額約九十九萬，通計三戶資一兵。 今計天下租賦，一歲所入，總不過三千五百余萬，而上供之數三之一焉。 三萬之中，二給衣賜。 自留州留使兵士衣賜之外，其余四十萬眾，仰給度支。 伏以時逢理安，運屬神聖，然而兵不可弭，食哉惟時。 憂勤之端，兵食是切。 臣謬司邦計，虔奉睿圖，輒纂事功，庶裨聖覽。」 又纂集國初已來至貞元帝代功臣，如《左氏傳》體敘事，號曰《唐典》，進之。
Though Yanwei's scholarship was excellent and he was diligent in office, finance had never been his strength; he was blunt and contentious, confident in his own sufficiency. Once at audience in the Purple Forbidden Hall he said: "Reviewing the money and grain ledgers under my charge, I measure output against input so expenditures are always sufficient, without arbitrary cuts. Even a household of a hundred keeps yearly stores; military funds are all in common use, fixed by category and amount, paid through the year without the slightest discrepancy. If I one day wished to deceive and steal, it would still be impossible." He titled it Chart of Revenue Quotas. He then presented the Chart of Army Supply, saying: "From Zhide and Qianyuan to the beginning of Yongzhen and Yuanhe, the realm had ten observation commissioners, twenty-nine military commissioners, four defenders, and three pacification commissioners. Forces interlocked like dogs' teeth; every great road and walled city had troops; inner and outer quotas totaled more than eight hundred thousand. In Changqing registered households totaled 3,350,000 while military quotas were about 990,000—three households per soldier. Annual land tax collection does not exceed thirty-five million; the amount sent upward is one third. Of that total, two parts go to clothing and rewards. Apart from clothing and rewards for troops retained locally, the remaining four hundred thousand depend on the department of revenue. Though the age meets ordered rule and fortune rests with a sacred ruler, troops cannot be disbanded and food is ever urgent. At the root of anxious toil, troops and provisions are foremost. Wrongly holding the state's accounts, I reverently serve the sage design and compile this in hope of aiding the imperial view." He also compiled meritorious ministers from the founding through the Zhenyuan era in Zuo Tradition style as Tang Canon and presented it.
52
彥威既掌利權，心希大用。 時內官仇士良、魚弘誌禁中用事。 先是左右神策軍多以所賜衣物於度支中估，判使多曲從，厚給其價。 開成初，有詔禁止，然趨利者猶希意從其請托。 至是，彥威大結私恩，凡內官請托，無不如意，物議鄙其躁妄。 復修王播舊事，貢奉羨余，殆無虛日。 會邊軍上訴衣賜不時，兼之朽故。 宰臣惡其所為，令攝度支人吏付臺推訊。 彥威略不介懷，入司視事。 及人吏受罰，左授衛尉卿，停務，方還私第。
Now holding the lever of profit, Yanwei inwardly hoped for high office. At that time inner attendants Qiu Shiliang and Yu Hongzhi wielded power in the palace. Earlier the left and right Shence armies often had gifted clothing appraised at the department of revenue; acting commissioners mostly yielded generous prices. Early in Kaicheng an edict forbade this, yet profiteers still pleased them and granted requests. Now Yanwei cultivated private favor lavishly; whatever inner attendants asked he granted; opinion despised his rashness. He revived Wang Bo's old practice, presenting surplus tribute almost daily. When frontier troops complained that clothing and rewards came late and were rotten, the chief ministers hated his conduct and handed his revenue clerks to the censorate for interrogation. Yanwei was unconcerned and entered the office to work. When the clerks were punished he was demoted to minister of the imperial guard, suspended, and only then went home.
53
三年七月，檢校禮部尚書，代殷侑為許州刺史，充忠武軍節度、陳許溵觀察等使。 會昌中，入為兵部侍郎，歷方鎮，檢校兵部尚書。 卒，贈僕射，謚曰靖。
In the seventh month of the third year he was made acting minister of rites, replacing Yin You as prefect of Xu, military commissioner of Zhongwu, and observation commissioner of Chen, Xu, and Wen. In the Huichang era he entered court as vice minister of war and served in outer commands as acting minister of war. He died and was posthumously made vice minister with the posthumous title Jing.
54
【贊】=史臣曰：世以治軍戎，決權變，非儒者之事。 而王翃、郗士美釋縫掖之儒衣，奮將軍之旗鼓，俾士赴湯火，威振籓籬，何其壯也！ 所謂非秦無人，吾謀適不用也。 二子遭遇英主，伸其效用，宜哉！ 李建侯不屈於賊庭，馬會元見伸於貝錦，臨危挺操，所謂貞臣，將相之榮，固其宜矣。 辛潞州之特達，韋僕射之峻整，王尚書之果敢，皆一時之偉器也。 若以道自牧，求福不回，即能臣也。 而彥威欲為巧宦，不亦疏乎？
[Commentary] The historians say: The world holds that governing armies, deciding expedients, and wielding authority are not the affairs of Confucian scholars. Yet Wang Hong and Chi Shimei put off the scholar's robe, raised the general's banners and drums, sent men into fire and water, and shook prestige along the frontier—how magnificent! As the saying goes, 'If not for Qin, there would be no man in Qin'—our stratagem just happened not to be used. The two men met enlightened rulers and gave full play to their talents—fitting indeed! Li Jianhou did not bend in the rebel court; Ma Huiyuan showed himself amid slanderous brocade; facing peril they upheld integrity—true loyal ministers; ministerial and general glory was surely their due. Xin of Luzhou's exceptional attainment, Vice Minister Wei's stern rectitude, and Minister Wang's bold decisiveness were all great vessels of the age. Had they cultivated themselves by the Way and sought blessing without turning aside, they could have been able ministers. Yet Yanwei wished to be a clever office-seeker—is he not shallow?
55
贊曰：見危致命，臨難不恐。 士美、建侯，仁者之勇。 弘景陸離，駁正黃扉。 貪名喪道，狂哉彥威。
The encomium says: Meeting peril they gave their lives; facing hardship they did not fear. Shimei and Jianhou—the courage of the benevolent. Hongjing was varied and brilliant, correcting the yellow gate. Greedy for fame and losing the Way—how reckless, Yanwei!