1
=韋溫=
Wei Wen
2
韋溫，字弘育，京兆人。 祖肇，吏部侍郎。 父綬，德宗朝翰林學士，以散騎常侍致仕。 綬弟貫之，憲宗朝宰相，自有傳。 溫七歲時，日念《毛詩》一卷。 年十一歲，應兩經舉登第。 釋褐太常寺奉禮郎。 以書判拔萃，調補秘書省校書郎。 時綬致仕田園，聞溫登第，愕然曰：「判入高等，在群士之上，得非交結權幸而致耶？」 令設席於廷，自出判目試兩節。 溫命筆即成，綬喜曰：「此無愧也！」 調授咸陽尉。 入為監察御史，以父在田裏，憲府禮拘，難於省謁，不拜。 換著作郎，一謝即還。 侍省父疾，溫侍醫藥，衣不解帶，垂二十年。 父憂，毀瘠逾制。 免喪，久之為右補闕，忠鯁救時。 宋申錫被誣，溫倡言曰：「宋公履行有素，身居臺輔，不當有此，是奸人陷害也。 吾輩諫官，豈避一時之雷電，而致聖君賢相蒙蔽惑之咎耶？」 因率同列伏閣切爭之，由是知名。
Wei Wen, courtesy name Hongyu, came from Jingzhao. His grandfather Zhao had served as Vice Minister of Personnel. His father Shou had been a Hanlin Academician under Emperor Dezong and retired with the title of Regular Attendant-in-Ordinary of the Cavalry. Shou's younger brother Guanzhi had served as chief minister under Emperor Xianzong and is the subject of a separate biography. At the age of seven, Wen could recite one fascicle of the Mao Odes every day. At eleven he took the examinations in the two Classics and passed. On completing his studies he was appointed Ceremonial Attendant in the Court of Imperial Sacrifices. After distinguishing himself in the document-judgment examination, he was posted as Proofreader in the Secretariat. Shou had by then retired to his country estate. When he heard that Wen had passed the examination, he exclaimed in surprise, "To place in the highest grade, above all the other candidates—surely this was not won by cultivating connections with the powerful?" He set out a seat in the courtyard and himself drew up judgment topics to test Wen on two sections. Wen took up his brush and completed the exercise at once. Shou said with delight, "There is nothing here to be ashamed of!" Wen was then appointed magistrate of Xianyang. He was appointed Investigating Censor, but because his father was living in the countryside and the censorate's ritual restrictions made it difficult to visit him, he declined the post. He was transferred to the post of Archivist, paid one visit of thanks at court, and then returned home. When his father fell ill, Wen nursed him, attending to his medicine and never removing his belt at night, for nearly twenty years. During mourning for his father he grieved himself into emaciation beyond what ritual required. After the mourning period he eventually became Right Remonstrator, serving with loyal forthrightness to remedy the times. When Song Shenxi was falsely accused, Wen spoke out first: "Lord Song's conduct has always been upright. As a chief minister he should not be subject to such charges—this is a frame-up by schemers. Are we remonstrating officials to shrink from a moment's wrath and thereby bear the guilt of letting our sage ruler and worthy chancellor be deceived?" He then led his colleagues in kneeling at the palace gate and pressing their remonstrance, and by this act won wide renown.
3
太和五年，太廟第四、第六室缺漏，上怒，罰宗正卿李銳、將作王堪，乃詔中使鳩工補葺之。 溫上疏曰：「臣聞吏舉其職，國家所以治； 事歸於正，朝廷所以尊。 夫設制度，立官司，事存典故，國有經費，而最重者，奉宗廟也。 伏以太廟當修，詔下逾月，有司弛墮，曾不加誡。 宜黜慢官，以懲不恪之罪； 擇可任者，責以繕完之功。 此則事歸於正，吏舉其職也。 而聖思不勞，百職無曠。 今慢官不恪，止於罰俸，宗廟所切，便委內臣，是許百司之官，公然廢職，以宗廟之重，為陛下所私，群官有司，便同委棄。 此臣竊為聖朝惜此事也。 事關宗廟，皆書史策，茍非舊典，不可率然。 伏乞更下詔書，得委所司營繕，則制度不紊，官業交修。」 上乃止內使。
In the fifth year of the Taihe era, the fourth and sixth chambers of the Imperial Ancestral Temple were found damaged. The emperor was enraged, penalized Director of the Imperial Clan Li Rui and Director of Palace Construction Wang Kan, and ordered eunuch commissioners to gather workmen to make repairs. Wen submitted a memorial: "Your servant has heard that when officials perform their proper duties, the state is governed; when affairs are handled as they should be, the court is thereby honored. In establishing institutions, creating offices, preserving precedents, and allocating state funds, nothing is more weighty than the service of the ancestral temple. When the Imperial Temple required repair, more than a month passed after the edict was issued while the responsible offices remained negligent, yet no additional reprimand was imposed. Negligent officials should be removed to punish their lack of diligence; capable men should be selected and charged with completing the repairs. In this way affairs would be handled properly and officials would perform their duties. Your Majesty's mind would not be burdened and no office would be left neglected. Yet now negligent officials received only salary penalties, while what the ancestral temple urgently required was entrusted to inner attendants. This permits officials throughout the government openly to abandon their duties, treats the weight of the ancestral temple as Your Majesty's private affair, and effectively casts aside the assembled officials and responsible offices. Your servant privately grieves that the sage court should suffer this. Matters touching the ancestral temple are all recorded in the histories; if they are not established precedent, they cannot be undertaken lightly. Your servant humbly begs that another edict be issued entrusting the repairs to the proper offices, so that institutions would not be disordered and official duties would be properly performed." The emperor thereupon recalled the inner attendants.
4
群臣上尊號，溫上疏曰：「德如三皇止稱皇，功如五帝止稱帝。 徽號之來，乃聖王之末事。 今歲三川水災，江淮旱歉，恐非崇飾徽稱之時。」 帝深嘉之，乃止。 改侍御史。
When the assembled ministers proposed an honorific title, Wen submitted a memorial: "If one's virtue equals the Three Sovereigns, one is called only Huang; if one's merit equals the Five Emperors, one is called only Di. Honorific epithets belong to the last resort of sage kings. This year the Three Rivers have flooded, and the Huai and Yangzi regions have suffered drought and poor harvests—this is scarcely the time to exalt oneself with honorific titles." The emperor greatly approved and abandoned the proposal. He was transferred to the post of Attending Censor.
5
李德裕作相，遷禮部員外郎。 或以溫厚於牛僧孺，言於德裕。 德裕曰：「此人堅正中立，君子也。」 鄭註鎮鳳翔，自知不為所齒，求德門弟子為參佐，請溫為副使。 或以為理不可拒，拒則生患。 溫曰：「擇禍莫若輕。 拒之止於遠貶，從之有不測之禍。」 鄭註誅，轉考功員外郎。 尋知制誥，召入翰林為學士。 以父職禁廷，憂畏成病，遺誡不令居禁職，懇辭不拜。
When Li Deyu became chief minister, Wen was promoted to Vice Director of the Ministry of Rites. Some people, noting Wen's closeness to Niu Sengru, mentioned this to Deyu. Deyu replied, "This man is firm, upright, and impartial—a true gentleman." Zheng Zhu was posted to Fengxiang. Knowing he was not regarded as an equal by men of standing, he sought a disciple of the Virtue Gate as an aide and requested Wen as his deputy commissioner. Some argued that reason forbade refusal and that to refuse would invite trouble. Wen said, "When choosing between calamities, take the lighter one. Refusal would at worst mean distant demotion; compliance could bring unforeseeable disaster." After Zheng Zhu was executed, Wen was transferred to Vice Director in the merit section of the Ministry of Personnel. Soon he was made Drafting Secretary and summoned into the Hanlin Academy as Academician. Because his father had served within the forbidden precincts of the court, Wen was consumed by worry and fear until he fell ill. His father's dying injunction forbade him from holding such a post, and he earnestly declined the appointment.
6
俄兼太子侍讀，每晨至少陽院，午見莊恪太子。 溫曰：「殿下盛年，宜早起，學周文王為太子，雞鳴時問安西宮。」 太子幼，不能行其言。 稱疾。 上不悅，改太常少卿。 未幾，拜給事中。 王晏平為靈武，刻削軍士，贓罪發，帝以智興之故，減死，貶官。 溫三封詔書，文宗深獎之。 莊恪得罪，召百僚諭之。 溫曰：「太子年幼，陛下訓之不早，到此非獨太子之過。」 遷尚書右丞。
Soon he was additionally appointed Reader-in-Waiting to the Heir Apparent. Each morning he went to the Shaoyang Court, and at noon he attended upon Heir Apparent Zhuangke. Wen said, "Your Highness is in the prime of youth and ought to rise early, following the example of King Wen of Zhou as crown prince, who at cockcrow went to inquire after the empress dowager in the Western Palace." The heir was young and could not follow his advice. Wen pleaded illness. The emperor was displeased and transferred him to Vice Director of the Court of Imperial Sacrifices. Before long he was appointed Supervising Secretary. Wang Yanping, posted to Lingwu, had extorted his soldiers. When his corruption was exposed, the emperor, out of regard for Zhixing, commuted the death sentence and demoted him. Wen three times returned the edict unapproved, and Emperor Wenzong greatly commended him. When Zhuangke fell from favor, the emperor summoned the officials to explain the matter. Wen said, "The heir is young. Your Majesty did not instruct him early enough—what has happened is not the heir's fault alone." He was promoted to Right Assistant Director of the Department of State Affairs.
7
吏部員外郎張文規父弘靖，長慶初在幽州為硃克融所囚； 文規不時省赴，人士喧然罪之。 溫居綱轄，首糾其事，出文規為安州刺史。 鹽鐵判官姚勖知河陰院，嘗雪冤獄。 鹽鐵使崔珙奏加酬獎，乃令權知職方員外郎。 制出，令勖上省。 溫執奏曰：「國朝已來，郎官最為清選，不可以賞能吏。」 上令中使宣諭，言勖能官，且放入省。 溫堅執不奉詔，乃改勖檢校禮部郎中。 翌日，帝謂楊嗣復曰：「韋溫不放姚勖入省，有故事否？」 嗣復對曰：「韋溫誌在銓擇清流。 然姚勖士行無玷，梁公元崇之孫，自殿中判鹽鐵案，陛下獎之，宜也。 若人有吏能，不入清流，孰為陛下當煩劇者？ 此衰晉之風也。」 上素重溫，亦不奪其操，出為陜虢觀察使。
Zhang Wengui, Vice Director in the Ministry of Personnel, had a father named Hongjing who in the early Changqing era had been imprisoned at Youzhou by Zhu Kerong; Wengui had not promptly gone to visit him, and men of standing loudly condemned him. Wen, holding authority in personnel matters, was the first to impeach him and had Wengui sent out as prefect of Anzhou. Yao Xu, assessor of the Salt and Iron Commission, supervised the Heyin depot and had once cleared a wrongful conviction. Salt and Iron Commissioner Cui Qiong memorialized recommending additional reward, and Yao was ordered to serve as acting Vice Director in the Bureau of Appointments. When the appointment was issued, Yao was ordered to take up his post in the inner offices. Wen held firm and memorialized: "Since the founding of our dynasty, bureau director posts have been the most select appointments—they cannot be used to reward capable clerks." The emperor sent a eunuch commissioner to announce that Yao was a capable official and should for the time being be allowed into the inner offices. Wen firmly refused to obey and had Yao's appointment changed to Acting Director in the Ministry of Rites. The next day the emperor said to Yang Sifu, "Wei Wen would not let Yao Xu into the inner offices—is there precedent for this?" Sifu replied, "Wei Wen aims to select only men of the pure stream. Yet Yao Xu's conduct is without stain—he is the grandson of Liang-dynasty Yuan Chong. From his post in the Palace Secretariat he handled Salt and Iron cases, and Your Majesty rewarded him, as was fitting. If men of administrative ability cannot enter the pure stream, who will undertake arduous duties for Your Majesty? This is the spirit of decadent Jin." The emperor had always valued Wen and did not override his principles, but sent him out as Military Commissioner of Shan-Guo.
8
武宗即位，李德裕用事，召拜吏部侍郎，欲引以為相。 時李漢以家行不謹，貶汾州司馬。 溫從容白德裕曰：「李漢不為相公所知，昨以不孝之罪絀免，乞加按問。」 德裕曰：「親情耶？」 溫曰：「雖非親昵，久相知耳。」 德裕不悅。 居無何，出溫為宣歙觀察使，辟鄭處誨為觀察判官，德裕愈不悅。 池州人訟郡守，溫按之無狀，杖殺之。
When Emperor Wuzong took the throne, Li Deyu held power. Wen was summoned and appointed Vice Minister of Personnel, with the intention of making him chief minister. At that time Li Han had been demoted to Vice-Prefect of Fenzhou for misconduct in family affairs. Wen calmly told Deyu, "Li Han is not known to you, Chief Minister. He was just dismissed on a charge of unfilial conduct—I beg that the case be reinvestigated." Deyu asked, "Is he a relative?" Wen replied, "He is not a close relation, but I have known him for a long time." Deyu was displeased. Before long Wen was sent out as Military Commissioner of Xuan-She. He recruited Zheng Chuhui as his administrative aide, and Deyu was still more displeased. A man of Chizhou sued the prefect. Wen investigated and found no substance to the case, and had the plaintiff beaten to death.
9
明年，瘍生於首，謂愛婿張復魯曰：「予任校書郎時，夢二黃衣人賫符來追，及浐，將渡，一人續至曰：『彼墳至大，功須萬日。』 遂不涉而寤。 計今萬日矣，與公訣矣。」 明日卒，贈工部尚書，謚曰孝。
The next year a carbuncle grew on his head. He said to his beloved son-in-law Zhang Fulü, "When I served as Proofreader I dreamed that two men in yellow robes bearing tally-sticks came to pursue me. Reaching Chan, as I was about to cross, one who followed said, 'That tomb is very great—the merit requires ten thousand days. I did not cross and awoke. I calculate that ten thousand days have now passed—it is time to bid you farewell." The next day he died. He was posthumously made Minister of Works, with the posthumous name Xiao (Filial).
10
溫在朝時，與李玨、楊嗣復周旋。 及楊、李禍作，嘆曰：「楊三、李七若取我語，豈至是耶！」 初溫以楊、李與德裕交怨，及居位，溫勸楊、李征用德裕，釋憾解慍。 二人不能用，故及禍。 溫無子，女適薛蒙，善著文，續曹大家《女訓》十二章，士族傳寫，行於時。 溫剛腸寡合，人多疏簡，唯與常侍蕭祐善。 附蕭祐蕭祐者，蘭陵人。 少孤貧。 耿介苦學，事親以孝聞。 自處士征拜左拾遺，累遷至考功郎中。 祐博雅好古，尤喜圖畫。 前代鐘、王遺法，蕭、張筆勢，編序真偽，為二十卷，元和末進禦，優詔嘉之，授兵部郎中。 出為虢州刺史，入為太常少卿，轉諫議大夫。 逾月為桂州刺史、御史中丞、桂管防禦觀察使。 太和二年八月，卒於官，贈右散騎常侍。
While Wen was at court he associated closely with Li Jue and Yang Sifu. When the disasters befell Yang and Li, he sighed and said, "If Yang the Third and Li the Seventh had taken my advice, how could it have come to this!" Earlier, because Yang and Li were at odds with Deyu, Wen had urged them when they took office to employ Deyu and lay aside their resentment. The two would not follow his advice, and therefore met with disaster. Wen had no sons. His daughter married Xue Meng, who was skilled at writing and continued Lady Cao's Admonitions for Women in twelve chapters, which the gentry copied and circulated widely. Wen was stiff-spirited and made few close friends; most kept their distance, and only Regular Attendant Xiao You was truly close to him. Appendix: Xiao You. Xiao You came from Lanling. In youth he was orphaned and poor. Upright and austere, he studied diligently and was known for filial devotion to his parents. Summoned from private life, he was appointed Left Remembrancer and rose in succession to Director in the merit section. You was broadly learned and fond of antiquity, and especially loved paintings. He compiled and distinguished authentic from spurious works among the surviving methods of Zhong and Wang and the brush manner of Xiao and Zhang into twenty fascicles. At the end of the Yuanhe era he presented them to the throne, received an edict of high praise, and was appointed Director in the Ministry of War. He was sent out as Prefect of Guo, recalled as Vice Director of the Court of Imperial Sacrifices, and transferred to Remonstrating Grand Master. Within a month he was appointed Prefect of Gui, Vice Censor-in-Chief, and Military Commissioner of the Gui Circuit. In the eighth month of the second year of the Taihe era he died in office and was posthumously made Right Regular Attendant-in-Ordinary of the Cavalry.
11
祐閑淡貞退，善鼓琴賦詩，書畫盡妙。 遊心林壑，嘯詠終日，而名人高士，多與之遊。 給事中韋溫尤重之，結為林泉之友。
You was leisurely, plain, upright, and retiring. He was skilled at playing the zither and composing poetry, and his calligraphy and painting were all exquisite. His mind roamed among forests and ravines; he whistled and chanted poetry all day long, and many famous men and lofty scholars associated with him. Supervising Secretary Wei Wen especially valued him, and they became close friends in retirement.
12
=獨孤郁=
Dugu Yu
13
獨孤郁，河南人。 父及，天寶末與李華、蕭潁士等齊名。 善為文，所著《仙掌銘》，大為時流所賞，位終常州刺史。 郁，貞元十四年登進士第，文學有父風，尤為舍人權德輿所稱，以子妻之。 貞元末，為監察御史。
Dugu Yu came from Henan. His father Ji was, in the late Tianbao era, as famous as Li Hua, Xiao Yingshi, and others. He was skilled at writing. His Inscription on the Immortal's Palm was greatly admired by men of the age, and he ended his career as Prefect of Changzhou. Yu passed the jinshi examination in the fourteenth year of Zhenyuan. In literary accomplishment he had his father's manner and was especially praised by Attendant Quan Deyu, who gave him his daughter in marriage. At the end of the Zhenyuan era he served as Investigating Censor.
14
元和初，應制舉才識兼茂、明於體用，策入第四等，拜左拾遺。 太子司議郎杜從郁拜左補闕，郁與同列，論之曰：「從郁是宰臣佑之子，父居宰執，從郁不宜居諫列。」 乃改為左拾遺，又論曰：「補闕之與拾遺，資品雖殊，同是諫官，若時政或有得失，不可令子論父。」 從郁竟改他官。
In the early Yuanhe era he entered the special examination for talent and insight combined with excellence and clarity in substance and function. His policy essay ranked fourth class, and he was appointed Left Remembrancer. Heir Apparent Admonisher Du Congyu was appointed Left Supplementation Censor. Yu and his colleagues argued, "Congyu is the son of Chief Minister Du You. With his father holding the chief ministership, Congyu ought not to hold a remonstrance post." He was thereupon changed to Left Remembrancer, and they argued again: "Supplementation Censor and Remembrancer differ in rank, but both are remonstrance officials. If current policy has gains or losses, a son cannot be allowed to remonstrate about his father." Congyu was finally transferred to another post.
15
四年，轉右補闕，又與同列拜章論中官吐突承璀不宜為河北招討使，乃改招撫宣慰使。
In the fourth year he was transferred to Right Supplementation Censor. Again with his colleagues he submitted a memorial arguing that the eunuch Tutu Chenghui ought not to be Hebei Campaign Commissioner, and Chenghui was changed to Pacification and Comfort Commissioner.
16
五年，兼史館修撰。 尋召充翰林學士，遷起居郎。 權德輿作相，郁以婦公辭內職。 憲宗曰：「德輿乃有此佳婿。」 因詔宰相於士族之家，選尚公主者。 遷郁考功員外郎，充史館修撰、判館事，預修《德宗實錄》。
In the fifth year he was additionally appointed Compiler at the History Office. Soon he was summoned to serve as Hanlin Academician and promoted to Diarist. When Quan Deyu became chief minister, Yu declined the inner post because of his relationship as son-in-law. Emperor Xianzong said, "Deyu has such a fine son-in-law." Thereupon he ordered the chief ministers to select men from gentry families to marry princesses. Yu was promoted to Vice Director in the merit section and appointed Compiler at the History Office with charge of office affairs, participating in the compilation of the Veritable Records of Emperor Dezong.
17
七年，以本官復知制誥。 八年，轉駕部郎中。 其年十月，復召為翰林學士。 九年，以疾辭內職。 十一月，改秘書少監，卒。 弟朗郁弟朗，嘗居諫官，請罷淮西用兵，不協旨，貶興元戶曹。 入為監察御史，轉殿中。 十五年，兼充史館修撰，遷都官員外郎。
In the seventh year, while retaining his original post, he again served as Drafting Secretary. In the eighth year he was transferred to Director in the Bureau of Transport. In the tenth month of that year he was again summoned as Hanlin Academician. In the ninth year he resigned the inner post on grounds of illness. In the eleventh month he was transferred to Vice Director of the Secretariat and died. Younger brother Lang. Yu's younger brother Lang had once served as a remonstrance official. He requested cessation of military action in Huaixi, failed to accord with the imperial will, and was demoted to Registrar of Xingyuan. He was recalled as Investigating Censor and transferred to the Palace Secretariat. In the fifteenth year he was additionally appointed Compiler at the History Office and promoted to Vice Director in the Bureau of Justice.
18
長慶初，諫議大夫李景儉於史館飲酒，憑醉謁宰相，語辭侵侮； 朗坐同飲，出為漳州刺史。 入為左司員外郎，遷諫議大夫。 揚州節度使王播罷兼鹽鐵使，行賂於中人，求復領銅鹽。 朗上章論之。
In the early Changqing era Remonstrating Grand Master Li Jingjian drank at the History Office and, while drunk, called on the chief minister with insulting words; Lang was punished for drinking together with him and was sent out as Prefect of Zhangzhou. He was recalled as Vice Director in the Left Bureau and promoted to Remonstrating Grand Master. Yangzhou Military Commissioner Wang Bo had been removed from his concurrent post as Salt and Iron Commissioner. He offered bribes to inner attendants seeking to resume charge of copper and salt. Lang submitted a memorial arguing against this.
19
寶歷元年十一月，拜御史中丞。 二年六月，賜金紫之服。 侍御史李道樞乘醉謁朗； 朗劾之，左授司議郎。 憲府故事，三院御史由大夫、中丞自辟，請命於朝。 時崔晃、鄭居中不由憲長而除，皆丞相之僚舊也，敕命雖行，朗拒而不納，晃竟改太常博士，居中分司東臺。 其年十月，高少逸入閣失儀，朗不彈奏，宰相銜阻崔晃事，左授少逸贊善大夫，朗亦罰俸。 朗稱執法不稱，乞罷中丞，敬宗令中使諭之，不允其讓。 文宗即位，改工部侍郎。 太和元年八月，出為福州刺史、御史中丞、福建觀察使。 是月赴官，暴卒於路，贈右散騎常侍。 子庠郁子庠，亦登進士第。 大中後官達，亦至侍郎。
In the eleventh month of the first year of the Baoli era he was appointed Vice Censor-in-Chief. In the sixth month of the second year he was granted gold and purple robes. Attending Censor Li Daoshu, while drunk, called on Lang; Lang impeached him and had him demoted to Admonisher. By censorate precedent, censors of the three bureaus were recruited by the chief censor or vice chief censor and then requested appointment from the court. At that time Cui Huang and Zheng Juzhong were appointed without going through the censorate chief—both were old associates of the chief minister. Though the edict was issued, Lang refused to accept them. Huang was finally changed to Doctor of the Court of Imperial Sacrifices and Juzhong was assigned to the Eastern Terrace. In the tenth month of that year Gao Shaoyi entered the gate with breach of ritual. Lang did not impeach him. The chief minister, bearing a grudge over the Cui Huang affair, demoted Shaoyi to Supplementation Grand Master and penalized Lang's salary as well. Lang said his enforcement of the law was unworthy and begged to be removed as vice chief censor. Emperor Jingzong sent a eunuch commissioner to instruct him and did not grant his resignation. When Emperor Wenzong took the throne, he was transferred to Vice Minister of Works. In the eighth month of the first year of the Taihe era he was sent out as Prefect of Fuzhou, Vice Censor-in-Chief, and Military Commissioner of Fujian. That month he set out to take up his post and died suddenly on the road. He was posthumously made Right Regular Attendant-in-Ordinary of the Cavalry. Son Xiang. Yu's son Xiang also passed the jinshi examination. After the Dazhong era he reached high office and also attained the rank of Vice Minister.
20
=錢徽=
Qian Hui
21
錢徽，字蔚章，吳郡人。 父起，天寶十年登進士第。 起能五言詩。 初從鄉薦，寄家江湖，嘗於客舍月夜獨吟，遽聞人吟於庭曰：「曲終人不見，江上數峰青。」 起愕然，攝衣視之，無所見矣，以為鬼怪，而誌其一十字。 起就試之年，李暐所試《湘靈鼓瑟詩》題中有「青」字，起即以鬼謠十字為落句，暐深嘉之，稱為絕唱。 是歲登第，釋褐秘書省校書郎。 大歷中，與韓翃、李端輩十人，俱以能詩，出入貴遊之門，時號「十才子」，形於圖畫。 起位終尚書郎。
Qian Hui, courtesy name Weizhang, came from Wu Commandery. His father Qi passed the jinshi examination in the tenth year of Tianbao. Qi was skilled at five-character poetry. When he first received recommendation from his district, his family lodged on the rivers and lakes. Once on a moonlit night at an inn he chanted alone and suddenly heard someone chanting in the courtyard: "The tune ends and the man is not seen—on the river, several peaks are green." Qi was startled, straightened his robes and looked, but saw nothing. He thought it a ghost and recorded the ten characters. In the year Qi took the examination, Li Wei set the topic Xiangling Plays the Zither, which contained the character for "green." Qi used the ghost's ten characters as his closing line. Wei greatly praised it and called it a supreme composition. That year he passed and on completing his studies was appointed Proofreader in the Secretariat. In the Dali era, together with Han Hong, Li Duan, and nine others, all skilled at poetry, they moved in and out of the gates of noble pleasure-seekers. The age called them the Ten Talents, and they were depicted in paintings. Qi ended his career as a Director in a ministry.
22
徽，貞元初進士擢第，從事戎幕。 元和初入朝，三遷祠部員外郎，召充翰林學士。 六年，轉祠部郎中、知制誥。 八年，改司封郎中、賜緋魚袋，職如故。 九年，拜中書舍人。 十一年，王師討淮西，詔朝臣議兵，徽上疏言用兵累歲，供饋力殫，宜罷淮西之征。 憲宗不悅，罷徽學士之職，守本官。
Hui passed the jinshi examination in the early Zhenyuan era and served in military staffs. When the Yuanhe era began he entered court, was thrice promoted to Vice Director in the Ministry of Rites, and was summoned as Hanlin Academician. In the sixth year he was transferred to Director in the Ministry of Rites and made Drafting Secretary. In the eighth year he was transferred to Director in the Bureau of Seals and Grants and given the crimson fish bag; his duties remained as before. In the ninth year he was appointed Secretariat Drafter. In the eleventh year the imperial army campaigned against Huaixi. The court ordered the assembled ministers to discuss military affairs. Hui submitted a memorial saying that troops had been used for successive years, supplies were exhausted, and the Huaixi campaign ought to be halted. Emperor Xianzong was displeased, removed Hui from his academicianship, and kept him at his original post.
23
長慶元年，為禮部侍郎。 時宰相段文昌出鎮蜀川。 文昌好學，尤喜圖書古畫。 故刑部侍郎楊憑兄弟，以文學知名，家多書畫，鐘、王、張、鄭之跡在《書斷》、《畫呂》者，兼而有之。 憑子渾之求進，盡以家藏書畫獻文昌，求致進士第。 文昌將發，面托錢徽，繼以私書保薦。 翰林學士李紳亦托舉子周漢賓於徽。 及榜出，渾之、漢賓皆不中選。 李宗閔與元稹素相厚善。 初稹以直道譴逐久之，及得還朝，大改前志。 由逕以僥進達，宗閔亦急於進取，二人遂有嫌隙。 楊汝士與徽有舊。 是歲，宗閔子婿蘇巢及汝士季弟殷士俱及第。 故文昌、李紳大怒。 文昌赴鎮。 辭日，內殿面奏，言徽所放進士鄭朗等十四人，皆子弟藝薄，不當在選中。 穆宗以其事訪於學士元稹、李紳，二人對與文昌同。 遂命中書舍人王起、主客郎中知制誥白居易，於子亭重試，內出題目《孤竹管賦》、《鳥散余花落》詩，而十人不中選。 詔曰：
In the first year of Changqing he was Vice Minister of Rites. At that time Chief Minister Duan Wenchang was posted to command Shu. Wenchang loved learning and especially loved books, paintings, and antiquities. The brothers Yang Ping, former Vice Minister of Justice, were known for literary accomplishment. Their household possessed many books and paintings, including works by Zhong, Wang, Zhang, and Zheng recorded in Judgment on Calligraphy and Record of Painting. Ping's son Hunzhi sought advancement and presented all the family's collected books and paintings to Wenchang, seeking to obtain a jinshi degree. When Wenchang was about to depart, he entrusted Hui in person and followed with a private letter recommending Hunzhi. Hanlin Academician Li Shen also entrusted his examination candidate Zhou Hanbin to Hui. When the list was issued, neither Hunzhi nor Hanbin was selected. Li Zongmin and Yuan Zhen had long been close friends. At first Zhen, because of his upright conduct, had been censured and banished for a long time. When he was able to return to court, he greatly changed his former resolve. Thereupon he advanced through opportunism. Zongmin also was eager for advancement, and the two came to bear mutual resentment. Yang Rushi and Hui had an old association. That year Zongmin's son-in-law Su Chao and Rushi's youngest brother Yinshi both passed the examination. Therefore Wenchang and Li Shen were greatly angered. Wenchang departed for his command. On the day of his farewell audience he reported in the inner hall that the jinshi Hui had passed—Zheng Lang and fourteen others—were all sons of officials with thin accomplishment and ought not to have been selected. Emperor Muzong inquired about the matter of the Academicians Yuan Zhen and Li Shen; the two answered in accord with Wenchang. Thereupon he ordered Secretariat Drafter Wang Qi and Director in the Bureau of Guests Bai Juyi, who also served as Drafting Secretary, to conduct a re-examination at the Ziting. Topics issued from within were the rhapsody Guzhu Pipes and the poem Birds Scatter, Flowers Yet Fall, and ten men failed to pass. An edict said:
24
國家設文學之科，本求才實，茍容僥幸，則異至公。 訪聞近日浮薄之徒，扇為朋黨，謂之關節，幹撓主司。 每歲策名，無不先定，永言敗俗，深用興懷。 鄭朗等昨令重試，意在精核藝能，不於異書之中，固求深僻題目，責令所試成就，以觀學藝淺深。 孤竹管是祭天之樂，出於《周禮》正經； 閱其呈試之文，都不知其本事，辭律鄙淺，蕪累亦多。 比令宣示錢徽，庶其深自懷愧，誠宜盡棄，以警將來。 但以四海無虞，人心方泰，用弘寧撫，式示殊恩，特掩爾瑕，庶明予誌。 孔溫業、趙存約、竇洵直所試粗通，與及第； 裴撰特賜及第； 鄭朗等十人並落下。 自今後禮部舉人，宜準開元二十五年敕，及第訖，所試雜文並策，送中書門下詳覆。
The state establishes the literary examination to seek real talent. If it tolerates opportunism, it falls short of utmost fairness. It has been learned that recently shallow men have formed factional ties, called "gate connections," and have interfered with the chief examiner. Each year the successful candidates are all predetermined beforehand. Speaking of the corruption of custom, I am deeply moved. Zheng Lang and the others were ordered to re-examine yesterday. The intent was to scrutinize their artistic ability—not to seek abstruse topics from strange books, but to require them to complete what was tested and observe the depth or shallowness of their learning. Guzhu pipes are music for sacrificing to Heaven, coming from the orthodox classic Rites of Zhou; Reading their submitted examination compositions, they did not know the basic matter at all. Their diction and prosody were vulgar and shallow, and their work was also abundantly redundant. This was shown to Qian Hui, hoping he would deeply feel shame. They truly ought all to be rejected to warn the future. But because within the four seas there is no worry and people's hearts are at peace, employing broad pacification and showing special grace, I specially cover your flaws, hoping to make clear my intent. Kong Wenye, Zhao Cunyue, and Dou Xunzhi were roughly competent in what was tested and were given passing grades; Pei Zhuan was specially granted a passing grade; Zheng Lang and ten others were all struck from the list. From now on candidates of the Ministry of Rites ought to follow the edict of the twenty-fifth year of Kaiyuan: when the examination is complete, the miscellaneous compositions and policy essays tested shall be sent to the Secretariat and Chancellery for detailed review.
25
尋貶徽為江州刺史，中書舍人李宗閔劍州刺史，右補闕楊汝士開江令。 初議貶徽，宗閔、汝士令徽以文昌、李紳私書進呈，上必開悟。 徽曰：「不然。 茍無愧心，得喪一致，修身慎行，安可以私書相證耶？」 令子弟焚之，人士稱徽長者。
Soon Hui was demoted to Prefect of Jiangzhou, Secretariat Drafter Li Zongmin to Prefect of Jianzhou, and Right Supplementation Censor Yang Rushi to Magistrate of Kaijiang. When demotion of Hui was first discussed, Zongmin and Rushi urged Hui to present Wenchang's and Li Shen's private letters to the throne—the emperor would surely be enlightened. Hui said, "Not so. If one's conscience is clear, gain and loss are alike. By cultivating oneself and acting with care, how can one use private letters as evidence?" He had his sons and younger relatives burn them, and men of society praised Hui as a man of integrity.
26
既而穆宗知其朋比之端，乃下詔曰：
Before long Muzong learned of their factional collusion and issued an edict saying:
27
昔者，卿大夫相與讓於朝，士庶人相與讓於列； 周成王刑措不用，漢文帝恥言人過，真理古也，朕甚慕焉。 中代已還，爭端斯起，掩抑其言則專蔽，誘掖其說則侵誣。 自非責實循名，不能彰善癉惡，故孝宣必有告訐及下，光武不以單辭遽行。 《語》稱訕上之非，律有匿名之禁，皆以防三至之毀，重兩造之明。 是以爵人於朝則皆勸，刑人於市則皆懼，罪有歸而賞當事也。
In antiquity, ministers and grandees yielded to one another at court, and scholars and commoners yielded to one another in their ranks; King Cheng of Zhou set punishments aside and did not use them; Emperor Wen of Han was ashamed to speak of others' faults. Truth indeed lies in antiquity, and I greatly admire this. From the middle ages onward, disputes arose. Suppress speech and one becomes monopolistic and secretive; encourage and draw out talk and one invites slander and false accusation. Unless one demands facts and follows names, one cannot reward good and punish evil. Thus Emperor Xuan always required informants to reach down, and Emperor Guangwu did not act hastily on a single accusation. The Analects condemns slandering one's superiors, and the law forbids anonymous accusations—all to guard against rumor thrice repeated and to ensure clarity for both sides. Thus when a man is ennobled at court, all are encouraged; when a man is punished in the marketplace, all are in fear. Crime has its proper attribution, and rewards match the deeds.
28
末代偷巧，內荏外剛。 卿大夫無進思盡忠之誠，多退有後言之謗； 士庶人無切磋琢磨之益，多鑠浸潤之讒。 進則諛言諂笑以相求，退則群居州處以相議。 留中不出之請，蓋發其陰私； 公論不容之誅，是生於朋黨。 擢一官，則曰恩皆自我； 黜一職，則曰事出他門。 比周之跡已彰，尚矜介特； 由徑之蹤盡露，自謂貞方。 居省寺者不以勤恪蒞官，而曰務從簡易； 提紀綱者不以準繩檢下，而曰密奏風聞。 獻章疏者更相是非，備顧問者互有憎愛。 茍非秦鏡照膽，堯羊觸邪，時君聽之，安可不惑？ 參斷一謬，俗化益訛。 禍發齒牙，言生枝葉，率是道也，朕甚憫焉。
In the final age men grew shrewd and crafty—soft within and hard without. Ministers and grandees lack the sincerity to advance with loyal counsel; once withdrawn, many speak slander behind one's back; Scholars and commoners lack the benefit of mutual refinement; many suffer slander that seeps in and saturates. In office they use flattery and servile smiles to seek favor from one another; out of office they gather in groups and dwell together to gossip about one another. Memorials held within and not issued largely serve to expose private secrets; Punishments that public opinion cannot tolerate arise from factional cliques. Promote one man to office, and they say the favor all came from themselves; Dismiss one man from office, and they say the matter came from another faction. Evidence of factional collusion is already plain, yet they still pride themselves on exceptional integrity; Tracks of taking shortcuts are fully exposed, yet they call themselves upright and proper. Those in the ministries and courts do not attend to office with diligence and reverence, but say they aim for simplicity and ease; Those who hold the reins of law do not examine subordinates by rule and measure, but say they secretly memorialize on hearsay. Those who submit memorials contradict one another; those who serve as advisers mutually harbor likes and dislikes. Without Qin's mirror that illuminates the heart and Yao's goat that butts the wicked, when the ruler of the age hears such things, how could he not be confused? One error in judgment, and custom and moral transformation grow ever more corrupt. Disaster arises from teeth and tongue; words spawn branches and leaves—all follow this path, and I am deeply grieved.
29
我國家貞觀、開元，同符三代，風俗歸厚，禮讓皆行。 兵興已來，人散久矣。 始欲導之以德，不欲驅之以刑。 然而信有未孚，理有未至，曾無恥格，益用雕元刂。 小則綜核之權，見侵於下輩； 大則樞機之重，旁撓於薄徒。 尚念因而化之，亦冀去其尤者。 而宰臣懼其浸染，未克澄清。 備引祖宗之書，願垂勸誡之詔，遂伸告諭，頗用殷勤。 各當自省厥躬，與我同底於道。
In our state's Zhenguan and Kaiyuan eras, we matched the Three Dynasties; custom returned to earnestness, and courtesy and yielding were fully practiced. Since warfare arose, the people have long been scattered. At first we wished to guide them with virtue, not drive them with punishments. Yet trust has not been fully realized and principle has not fully prevailed. Shame has never been sufficient to reform conduct, and harsh legal measures have been applied all the more. In small matters the power of comprehensive review is encroached upon by junior men; In great matters the weight of state policy is sidelined and interfered with by shallow men. Still we hoped to transform them thereby and to remove the worst among them. But the chief ministers feared their spread and corruption and could not achieve clarity. Fully citing the books of the ancestors, they asked that an edict of admonition and warning be issued; thus they extended proclamation and instruction with considerable earnestness. Each of you ought to examine yourselves and with me reach the same foundation in the Way.
30
元稹之辭也。 制出，朋比之徒，如撻於市，鹹睚眥於紳、稹。
These were the words of Yuan Zhen. When the edict was issued, the factionalists, as though publicly flogged, all bore grudges against Li Shen and Yuan Zhen.
31
徽明年遷華州刺史、潼關防禦、鎮國軍等使。 文宗即位，征拜尚書左丞。 太和元年十二月，復授華州刺史。 二年秋，以疾辭位，授吏部尚書致仕。 三年三月卒，時年七十五。 子可復、可及，皆登進士第。
The next year Hui was transferred to Prefect of Hua Prefecture, Defense Commissioner of Tong Pass, and military commissioner of the Zhenguo Army and other posts. When Wenzong acceded, Hui was summoned and appointed Left Vice Director of the Department of State Affairs. In the twelfth month of the first year of Taihe, he was again appointed Prefect of Hua Prefecture. In the autumn of the second year, he resigned on grounds of illness and was granted the title Minister of the Ministry of Personnel with retirement status. In the third month of the third year he died, at the age of seventy-five. His sons Kefu and Keji both passed the jinshi examination.
32
可復累官至禮部郎中。 太和九年，鄭註出鎮鳳翔，李訓選名家子以為賓佐，授可復檢校兵部郎中、兼御史中丞，充鳳翔節度副使。 其年十一月，李訓敗，鄭註誅，可復為鳳翔監軍使所害。
Kefu rose through successive offices to Director in the Ministry of Rites. In the ninth year of Taihe, Zheng Zhu went out to command Fengxiang. Li Xun selected sons of eminent families to serve on his staff and appointed Kefu Acting Director in the Ministry of War, also serving as Vice Censor-in-Chief, as deputy military commissioner of Fengxiang. In the eleventh month of that year, Li Xun was defeated and Zheng Zhu was executed. Kefu was killed by the Fengxiang army supervisory commissioner.
33
=高釴=
Gao Xi
34
高釴，字翹之。 祖鄭賓，宋州寧陵令。 父去疾，攝監察御史。 釴，元和初進士及第，判入等，補秘書省校書郎，累遷至右補闕，充史館修撰。 十四年，上疏請不以內官為京西北和糴使。 十五年，轉起居郎，依前充職。
Gao Xi, styled Qiaozhi. His grandfather Zheng Bin was Magistrate of Ningling in Song Prefecture. His father Quji served as Acting Investigating Censor. Xi passed the jinshi examination in the early Yuanhe reign, ranked in the document-judgment category, was appointed Proofreader in the Secretariat, and through successive promotions reached Right Supplementation Censor, serving as compiler at the History Office. In the fourteenth year he submitted a memorial requesting that inner palace officials not be appointed commissioners for grain purchase in the northwest of the capital region. In the fifteenth year he was transferred to Diarist while continuing in his previous additional duties.
35
釴孤貞無黨，而能累陳時政得失。 長慶元年，穆宗憐之，面賜緋於思政殿，仍命以本官充翰林學士。 二年，遷兵部員外郎，依前充職。 四年四月，禁中有張韶之變，敬宗幸左軍。 是夜，釴從帝宿於左軍。 翌日賊平，賞從臣，賜釴錦彩七十匹，轉戶部郎中、知制誥。 十二月，正拜中書舍人，充職如故。 謝恩於思政殿，因諫敬宗，以求理莫若躬親，用示憂勤之旨也。 帝深納其言，又賜錦彩五十匹。
Xi was upright and independent, belonging to no faction, yet repeatedly presented the strengths and failings of current policy. In the first year of Changqing, Muzong took pity on him, personally bestowed scarlet robes at Sizheng Hall, and appointed him Hanlin Academician while retaining his original office. In the second year he was promoted to Vice Director in the Ministry of War while continuing in his previous additional duties. In the fourth month of the fourth year, the Zhang Shao disturbance occurred within the palace, and Jingzong went to the Left Army. That night Xi accompanied the emperor and lodged with the Left Army. The next day the rebels were suppressed. The emperor rewarded the accompanying ministers, bestowed seventy bolts of brocade on Xi, and transferred him to Director in the Ministry of Revenue with charge of drafting edicts. In the twelfth month he was formally appointed Secretariat Drafter while continuing in his duties as before. When giving thanks at Sizheng Hall, he remonstrated with Jingzong that in seeking good governance nothing surpasses personal involvement, thereby expressing the principle of concern and diligence. The emperor deeply accepted his words and again bestowed fifty bolts of brocade.
36
寶曆二年三月，罷學士，守本官。 太和三年七月，授刑部侍郎。 四年冬，遷吏部侍郎。 銓綜之司，官業振舉。 七年，出為同州刺史、兼御史中丞。 八年六月卒，贈兵部尚書，遺命薄葬。 釴少時孤貧，潔己力行，與弟銖、鍇皆以檢靜自立，致位崇顯，居家友睦，為搢紳所重。 釴弟銖銖，元和六年登進士第。 穆宗即位，入朝為監察御史，累遷員外郎、吏部郎中。 太和五年，拜給事中。 七年，為外官監考使。 八年十月，文宗用國子助教李仲言為侍講，銖率諫官伏閣論曰：「仲言素行纖邪，若聽用，必亂國經。」 上令中使宣諭曰：「朕要仲言講書，非有聽用也。」 是歲，先旱後水，京師谷價騰踴； 彗星為變，舉選皆停，人情雜然流議。 鄭註奸謀，日聞於外。 銖等犯難論諍，冀上省悟。 既奉宣傳，相顧失色，以其危亡可翹足而待也。 明年，訓、註竊權，惡銖不附己，五月，出為越州刺史、御史中丞、浙東觀察使。 開成三年，就加檢校左散騎常侍，尋入為刑部侍郎。 四年七月，出為河南尹。 會昌末，為吏部侍郎。 釴弟鍇鍇，元和九年登進士第，升宏辭科，累遷吏部員外。 太和三年，準敕試別頭進士明經鄭齊之等十八人。 榜出之後，語辭紛競。 監察御史姚中立以聞，詔鍇審定。 乃升李景、王淑等，人以為公。 六年二月，自司勛郎中轉諫議大夫。 七年，遷中書舍人。 九年十月，以本官權知禮部貢舉。 開成元年春，試畢，進呈及第人名，文宗謂侍臣曰：「從前文格非佳，昨出進士題目，是朕出之，所試似勝去年。」 鄭覃曰：「陛下改詩賦格調，以正頹俗，然高鍇亦能勵精選士，仰副聖旨。」 帝又曰：「近日諸侯章奏，語太浮華，有乖典實。 宜罰掌書記，以誡其流。」 李石曰：「古人因事為文，今人以文害事，懲弊抑末，實在盛時。」 乃以鍇為禮部侍郎。 凡掌貢部三年，每歲登第者四十人。 三年，榜出後，敕曰：「進士每歲四十人，其數過多，則乖精選。 官途填委，要窒其源，宜改每年限放三十人，如不登其數，亦聽。」 然鍇選擢雖多，頗得實才，抑豪華，擢孤進，至今稱之。 尋轉吏部侍郎。 其年九月，出為鄂州刺史、御史大夫、鄂嶽觀察使，卒。
In the third month of the second year of Baoli, he was removed from the Hanlin Academy and retained his original office. In the seventh month of the third year of Taihe, he was appointed Vice Minister of the Ministry of Justice. In the winter of the fourth year he was transferred to Vice Minister of the Ministry of Personnel. In the office of selection and review, official business was vigorously conducted. In the seventh year he was sent out as Prefect of Tong Prefecture, also serving as Vice Censor-in-Chief. In the sixth month of the eighth year he died. He was posthumously granted Minister of the Ministry of War and left instructions for a simple burial. Xi was orphaned and poor in youth. He kept himself pure and acted with integrity. He and his younger brothers Zhu and Kai all established themselves through restraint and quiet conduct, reached eminent positions, lived harmoniously at home, and were respected by the gentry. Xi's younger brother Zhu passed the jinshi examination in the sixth year of Yuanhe. When Muzong acceded, Zhu entered court as Investigating Censor and through successive promotions reached Vice Director and Director in the Ministry of Personnel. In the fifth year of Taihe he was appointed Supervising Secretary. In the seventh year he served as commissioner for examining external officials. In the tenth month of the eighth year, Wenzong employed National University Assistant Instructor Li Zhongyan as lecture attendant. Zhu led remonstrating officials to prostrate at the gate and argue, saying, "Zhongyan's conduct has long been petty and depraved. If he is employed, he is sure to disorder the state's institutions." The emperor ordered a palace envoy to proclaim, "I want Zhongyan to lecture on the classics; I do not intend to employ him." That year drought came first and then flood, and grain prices in the capital soared; A comet appeared as an omen; all examinations and selections were halted; public sentiment was mixed with widespread discussion. Zheng Zhu's treacherous schemes were daily heard outside the court. Zhu and the others braved danger to argue and remonstrate, hoping the emperor would awaken. Once they received the proclamation, they looked at one another in dismay, thinking that disaster and ruin were imminent. The next year Xun and Zhu usurped power. Hating Zhu for not siding with them, in the fifth month they sent him out as Prefect of Yue Prefecture, Vice Censor-in-Chief, and Zhedong Observation Commissioner. In the third year of Kaicheng he was additionally appointed Acting Left Regular Attendant-in-Ordinary of the Cavalry. Soon he entered court as Vice Minister of the Ministry of Justice. In the seventh month of the fourth year he was sent out as Intendant of Henan. At the end of the Huichang reign he served as Vice Minister of the Ministry of Personnel. Xi's younger brother Kai passed the jinshi examination in the ninth year of Yuanhe, advanced in the Hongci examination, and through successive promotions reached Vice Director in the Ministry of Personnel. In the third year of Taihe, per edict he tested eighteen alternate-track jinshi and classics graduates including Zheng Qizhi. After the roster was issued, disputes and contentious talk arose. Investigating Censor Yao Zhongli reported this, and an edict ordered Kai to review and decide. Thereupon he promoted Li Jing, Wang Shu, and others, and people considered the decision fair. In the second month of the sixth year he transferred from Director in the Bureau of Merits to Remonstrance Grand Master. In the seventh year he was transferred to Secretariat Drafter. In the tenth month of the ninth year, while retaining his original office, he was temporarily placed in charge of the Ministry of Rites examination. In the spring of the first year of Kaicheng, when the examination was complete, the names of those who passed were presented. Wenzong said to the attending ministers, "Former literary forms were not good. Yesterday the jinshi examination topics issued were mine, and what was tested seems better than last year." Zheng Tan said, "Your Majesty changed the style of poetry and rhapsody to correct declining custom, and Gao Kai also exerted himself in selecting scholars, fulfilling the imperial intent." The emperor again said, "Recently the memorials of regional lords are too florid in language and depart from canonical substance. They ought to punish the chief secretaries to warn against this trend." Li Shi said, "The ancients wrote according to affairs; today men harm affairs with writing. To punish abuses and restrain the secondary truly belongs in a flourishing age." Thereupon Kai was appointed Vice Minister of the Ministry of Rites. In all he held charge of the examination department for three years, and each year forty men passed. In the third year, after the roster was issued, an edict said, "Each year forty jinshi pass. If the number is too great, it departs from careful selection. The official ranks are overcrowded, and the source must be choked off. The yearly quota should be reduced to thirty graduates; if fewer than that number qualify, that too is permitted." Yet although Kai selected and promoted many candidates, he found men of genuine talent, checked the grand and ostentatious, and elevated those who had risen alone—and to this day he is praised for it. Soon afterward he was transferred to Vice Minister of the Ministry of Personnel. In the ninth month of that year he was posted as Prefect of Ezhou, Grand Censor, and E-Yue Observation Commissioner, and died in office.
37
釴子湜，鍇子湘，偕登進士第。 湜，咸通十二年為禮部侍郎。 湘自員外郎知制誥，正拜中書舍人。 咸通年，改諫議大夫。 坐宰相劉瞻親厚，貶高州司馬。 乾符初，復為中書舍人。 三年，遷禮部侍郎，選士得人。 出為潞州大都督府長史、昭義節度、澤潞觀察等使，卒。
Yi's son Shi and Kai's son Xiang both passed the jinshi examination in the same year. In the twelfth year of Xiantong, Shi served as Vice Minister of the Ministry of Rites. Xiang rose from Supernumerary Gentleman with charge of drafting edicts to a formal appointment as Secretariat Drafter. During the Xiantong era he was transferred to Remonstrance Grand Master. Because of his close ties with Chief Minister Liu Zhan, he was demoted to Military Assistant of Gaozhou. At the beginning of the Qianfu era he was again appointed Secretariat Drafter. In the third year he was transferred to Vice Minister of the Ministry of Rites and, in selecting candidates, chose men of real merit. He was posted as Chief Secretary of the Lu Prefecture Grand Protectorate, Military Commissioner of Zhaoyi, and Ze-Lu Observation Commissioner, and died in office.
38
=馮宿=
Feng Su
39
馮宿，東陽人。 丱歲隨父子華廬祖墓，有靈芝、白兔之祥。 宿昆弟二人，皆幼有文學。 宿登進士第，徐州節度張建封辟為掌書記。 後建封卒，其子愔為軍士所立，李師古欲乘喪襲取。 時王武俊且觀其釁，愔恐懼，計無所出。 宿乃以檄書招師古，而說武俊曰：「張公與君為兄弟，欲同力驅兩河歸天子，眾所知也。 今張公歿，幼子為亂兵所脅，內則誠款隔絕於朝廷，外則境土侵逼於強寇。 孤危若此，公安得坐視哉！ 誠能奏天子，念先僕射之忠勛，舍其子之迫脅，使得束身自歸，則公於朝廷有靖亂之功，於張氏有繼絕之德矣！」 武俊大悅，即以表聞。 由是朝廷賜愔節鉞，仍贈建封司徒。
Feng Su was a native of Dongyang. As a boy he followed his father Zihua to live at the ancestral tomb, where auspicious signs appeared in the form of spirit fungus and a white hare. Su and his two brothers all showed literary talent from an early age. Su passed the jinshi examination, and Zhang Jianfeng, Military Commissioner of Xuzhou, summoned him to serve as chief secretary. Later, after Jianfeng died, his son Yin was installed by the troops, and Li Shigu sought to exploit the mourning period to seize the command by force. At the time Wang Wujun was also watching for an opening, and Yin was terrified, with no plan to save himself. Su then sent a proclamation summoning Shigu and said to Wujun, "Lord Zhang and you were as brothers, both wishing to drive the Two He regions back to the Son of Heaven—everyone knows this. Now Lord Zhang is dead. His young son is held hostage by mutinous troops; inwardly his loyal submission is cut off from the court, and outwardly his territory is menaced by powerful foes. Alone and endangered like this—how can you simply sit and watch! If you can truly memorialize the Son of Heaven, recalling the former Pushe's loyal service, overlooking the coercion of his son and allowing him to surrender and return of his own accord, then you will have won the court the merit of quelling disorder and the Zhang clan the virtue of preserving a line that would otherwise have been cut off!" Wujun was greatly pleased and immediately reported the matter to the throne. Thereupon the court bestowed on Yin the commission and battle-axe, and posthumously enfeoffed Jianfeng as Situ.
40
宿以嘗從建封，不樂與其子處，乃從浙東觀察使賈全府辟。 愔恨其去己，奏貶泉州司戶。 征為太常博士。 王士真死，以其子承宗不順，不加謚。 宿以為懷柔之義，不可遺其忠勞，乃加之美謚。 轉虞部、都官二員外郎。
Because Su had once served under Jianfeng, he was unwilling to remain with his son and instead accepted a summons from Jia Quan, Observation Commissioner of Zhedong. Yin resented his departure and memorialized to have him demoted to Revenue Assistant of Quanzhou. He was summoned to serve as a Master of Rites Doctor. When Wang Shizhen died, no posthumous title was granted because his son Chengzong was disobedient. Su held that the principle of gentle conciliation required that loyal service not be forgotten, and therefore added a fine posthumous title. He was transferred to Supernumerary Gentleman in the Bureaus of Parks and Forests and of Justice.
41
元和十二年，從裴度東征，為彰義軍節度判官。 淮西平，拜比部郎中。 會韓愈論佛骨，時宰疑宿草疏，出為歙州刺史。 入為刑部郎中。 十五年，權判考功。 宿以宰臣及三品已下官，故事內校考，別封以進； 翰林學士，職居內署，事莫能知，請依前書上考； 諫官御史亦請仍舊，並書中上考。
In the twelfth year of Yuanhe he followed Pei Du on the eastern campaign and served as administrative aide to the Military Commissioner of the Zhangyi Army. After Huai West was pacified, he was appointed Director in the Bureau of Revenue. When Han Yu memorialized against the Buddha bone relic, the chief ministers suspected that Su had drafted the memorial, and he was sent out as Prefect of Shezhou. He was recalled to the capital as Director in the Ministry of Justice. In the fifteenth year he was temporarily placed in charge of the Bureau of Evaluations. Su held that for chief ministers and officials of the third rank and below, precedent called for the internal court evaluation to be separately sealed and submitted; as for Hanlin Academicians, whose duties lay within the inner offices and whose affairs could not be known, he requested that they continue to receive the highest grade as before; remonstrance officials and censors also requested that the old practice be followed, with all receiving the middle highest grade.
42
長慶元年，以本官知制誥。 二年，轉兵部郎中，依前充職。 牛元翼以深州不從王庭湊，詔授襄州節度使。 元翼未出，深州為庭湊所圍。 二年，以宿檢校右庶子、兼御史中丞，賜紫金魚袋，往總留務。 監軍使周進榮不遵詔命，宿以狀聞。 元翼既至，宿歸朝，拜中書舍人，轉太常少卿。
In the first year of Changqing, while retaining his original office, he was given charge of drafting edicts. In the second year he was transferred to Director in the Ministry of War and continued to fill the same office as before. Because Niu Yuanyi at Shen Prefecture refused to submit to Wang Tingcou, an edict appointed him Military Commissioner of Xiang Prefecture. Before Yuanyi could depart, Shen Prefecture was besieged by Tingcou. In the second year Su was made Acting Right Vice Director of the Crown Prince's Household and concurrently Vice Censor-in-Chief, granted the purple-gold fish tally, and sent to take overall charge of local affairs. Army Supervisor Zhou Jinrong disobeyed the edict, and Su reported the matter to the throne. Once Yuanyi had arrived, Su returned to court, was appointed Secretariat Drafter, and was transferred to Vice Director of the Court of Imperial Sacrifices.
43
敬宗即位，宿常導引乘輿，出為華州刺史。 以父名拜章乞罷，改左散騎常侍，兼集賢殿學士，充考制策官。
When Emperor Jingzong took the throne, Su often guided the imperial carriage and was posted as Prefect of Hua Prefecture. Because his father's personal name conflicted with the post, he submitted a memorial requesting dismissal and was reassigned as Left Regular Attendant-in-Ordinary of the Cavalry, concurrently Academician of the Hall of Assembled Worthies, with charge of examining policy-essay candidates.
44
太和二年，拜河南尹。 時洛苑使姚文壽縱部下侵欺百姓，吏不敢捕。 一日，遇大會，嘗所捕者傲睨於文壽之側，宿知而掩之，杖死。
In the second year of Taihe he was appointed Prefect of Henan. At the time Luoyang Park Commissioner Yao Wenshou allowed his subordinates to bully and cheat the common people, and officials did not dare arrest them. One day, during a great assembly, a man he had once sought to arrest stared defiantly at Wenshou's side. Su learned of it, seized the man, and had him beaten to death.
45
太和四年，入為工部侍郎。 六年，遷刑部侍郎，修《格後敕》三十卷，遷兵部侍郎。 九年，出為劍南東川節度使，檢校禮部尚書。
In the fourth year of Taihe he was recalled to the capital as Vice Minister of the Ministry of Works. In the sixth year he was transferred to Vice Minister of the Ministry of Justice, compiled thirty fascicles of the Supplementary Edicts After the Administrative Codes, and was then transferred to Vice Minister of the Ministry of War. In the ninth year he was posted as Military Commissioner of Eastern Chuan in Jiannan, with acting appointment as Minister of the Ministry of Rites.
46
開成元年十二月卒，廢朝，贈吏部尚書，謚曰懿。 有文集四十卷。 子圖、陶、韜，三人皆登進士，揚歷清顯。 弟定宿弟定，字介夫。 儀貌壯偉，與宿俱有文學，而定過之。 貞元中皆舉進士，時人比之漢朝二馮君。 於頔牧姑蘇也，定寓焉，頔友於布衣間。 後頔帥襄陽，定乘驢詣軍門； 吏不時白，定不留而去。 頔慚，笞軍吏，馳載錢五十萬，及境謝之。 定飯逆旅，復書責以貴傲而返其遺，頔深以為恨。 權德輿掌貢士，擢居上第，後於澗州佐薛蘋幕，得校書郎，尋為鄠縣尉，充集賢校理。 定先時居父憂，因號毀得肺病，趨府或不及時，大學士疑其恃才簡怠，乃奪其職，俾為大理評事。 登朝為大常博士，轉祠部員外郎。
In the twelfth month of the first year of Kaicheng he died. Court audiences were suspended. He was posthumously granted Minister of the Ministry of Personnel, with the posthumous title Yi. He left collected writings in forty fascicles. His sons Tu, Tao, and Tao all passed the jinshi examination and rose through distinguished offices. Younger brother Ding. Su's younger brother Ding, courtesy name Jiefu. He was strong and imposing in bearing and appearance. He and Su both possessed literary talent, but Ding surpassed him. In the Zhenyuan era both passed the jinshi examination, and men of the time compared them to the Two Fengs of the Han dynasty. When Yu Di governed Gusu, Ding lodged there, and Di befriended him while he was still a commoner. Later, when Di took command at Xiangyang, Ding rode a donkey to the army gate; the clerks did not promptly announce him, and Ding did not wait but departed. Di was ashamed, flogged the army clerks, galloped after him with five hundred thousand cash, and apologized at the border. Ding ate at a roadside inn, wrote back reproaching him for the arrogance of rank, and returned the gift; Di deeply resented this. Quan Deyu, in charge of the examinations, placed him in the highest grade. Later he served on Xue Pin's staff in Jian Prefecture, obtained the post of Proofreader, and soon became magistrate of E County and collator in the Hall of Assembled Worthies. Ding had earlier been in mourning for his father and, through excessive grief, contracted lung disease. When hurrying to the office he sometimes failed to arrive on time. The Grand Academician suspected him of relying on his talent to be negligent and lax, stripped him of his post, and made him a court reviewer in the Ministry of Justice. On entering court he served as Master of Rites Doctor and was transferred to Supernumerary Gentleman in the Bureau of Sacrifices.
47
寶歷二年，出為郢州刺史。 長壽縣尉馬洪沼告定強奪人妻，及將闕官職田祿粟入己費用，詔監察御史李顧行鞫之。 獄具上聞，制曰：「馮定經使臣推問，無入己贓私，所告罰錢，又皆公用。 然長吏之體，頗涉無儀，刑賞或乖，宴遊不節。 緣經恩赦，難更科書，猶持郡符，公議不可，宜停見任。」 尋除國子司業、河南少尹。
In the second year of Baoli he was posted as Prefect of Ying Prefecture. Changshou County Magistrate Ma Hongzhao accused Ding of forcibly seizing another man's wife and of appropriating for his own use the salary grain from official fields that should have gone to the state. An edict ordered Investigating Censor Li Guxing to investigate the case. When the investigation was complete, an edict declared, "Feng Ding, after examination by commissioners, was found to have embezzled nothing for himself; the fines in question were all used for public purposes. Yet as a senior official his deportment was quite lacking in propriety; punishments and rewards were sometimes wrong, and his feasting and pleasure were unrestrained. Because he had already received an amnesty, further statutory penalties could not be imposed, yet he still held the prefectural commission—and public opinion would not allow it. He should be removed from his current post." Soon afterward he was appointed Vice Director of the Directorate of Education and Vice Prefect of Henan.
48
太和九年八月，為太常少卿。 文宗每聽樂，鄙鄭、衛聲，詔奉常習開元中《霓裳羽衣舞》，以《雲韶樂》和之。 舞曲成，定總樂工閱於庭，定立於其間。 文宗以其端凝若植，問其姓氏。 翰林學士李玨對曰：「此馮定也。」 文宗喜，問曰：「豈非能為古章句者耶？」 乃召升階。 文宗自吟定《送客西江詩》，吟罷益喜，因錫禁中瑞錦，仍令大錄所著古體詩以獻。 尋遷諫議大夫、知匭事。
In the eighth month of the ninth year of Taihe he became Vice Director of the Court of Imperial Sacrifices. Whenever Emperor Wenzong listened to music he despised the licentious sounds of Zheng and Wei. An edict ordered the Director of Imperial Sacrifices to rehearse the Kaiyuan-era Rainbow Skirt and Feathered-Robe Dance, harmonized with the Cloud Harmony Music. When the dance music was complete, Ding gathered the musicians for review in the courtyard and stood among them. Wenzong, seeing him dignified and upright as a planted pillar, asked his name. Hanlin Academician Li Jue replied, "This is Feng Ding." Wenzong was pleased and asked, "Is this not the man who writes classical verse?" Thereupon he summoned him to ascend the steps. Wenzong himself recited Ding's "Seeing Off a Guest on the Western River." When he finished he was still more pleased, bestowed palace brocade from within the forbidden precincts, and ordered a full transcription of his ancient-style poems to be presented. Soon he was transferred to Remonstrance Grand Master and given charge of the suggestion box.
49
是歲，李訓事敗伏誅，衣冠橫罹其禍，中外危疑。 及改元禦殿，中尉仇士良請用神策仗衛在殿門； 定抗疏論罷，人情危之。 又請許左右史隨宰臣入延英記事，宰臣不樂。 二年，改太子詹事。 三年，宰臣鄭覃拜太子太師，欲於尚書省上事。 定奏曰：「據《六典》，太師居詹事府，不合於都省禮上。」 乃詔於本司上事，人推美之。 四年，遷衛尉卿。 是歲，上章請老，詔以左散騎常侍致仕。 會昌六年，改工部尚書而卒。
That year Li Xun's plot failed and he was executed. Officials and gentry were struck down in great numbers, and fear and uncertainty spread within and without the court. When the era name was changed and the emperor took the throne in audience, Palace Commandant Qiu Shiliang requested that Shence Army ceremonial guards be posted at the palace gates; Ding submitted a forceful memorial arguing against it, and people feared for his safety. He also requested that the Left and Right Historiographers be allowed to follow chief ministers into Yanying Hall to record proceedings, and the chief ministers were displeased. In the second year he was transferred to Supervisor of the Crown Prince's Household. In the third year Chief Minister Zheng Tan was appointed Grand Preceptor of the Crown Prince and wished to assume office at the Department of State Affairs. Ding memorialized, "According to the Six Statutes, the Grand Preceptor resides in the Supervisor of the Crown Prince's Household and ought not to assume office by the rites of the central departments." Thereupon an edict ordered him to assume office in his own bureau, and people praised the decision. In the fourth year he was transferred to Director of the Court of the Imperial Stud. That year he submitted a memorial requesting retirement and was granted retirement as Left Regular Attendant-in-Ordinary of the Cavalry. In the sixth year of Huichang he was appointed Minister of the Ministry of Works and died.
50
先長慶中，源寂使新羅國，見其國人傳寫諷念定所為《黑水碑》、《畫鶴記》。 韋休符之使西番也，見其國人寫定《商山記》於屏障。 其文名馳於戎夷如此。
Earlier, during the Changqing era, Yuan Ji served as envoy to Silla and saw its people copying and reciting Ding's "Black Water Stele Inscription" and "Record of Painting a Crane." When Wei Xiufu served as envoy to the Western Tibetans, he saw its people writing Ding's "Mount Shang Record" on screens. Thus his writings were famed among the frontier peoples.
51
子袞、顓、軒、巖四人，皆進士登第。 咸通中，歷任臺省。 宿從弟審、寬。 從弟審審父子郁。 審，貞元十二年登進士第，累辟使府。 入為監察御史，累遷至兵部郎中。 開成三年，遷諫議大夫。 四年九月，出為桂州刺史、桂管觀察使。 入為國子祭酒。 國子監有《孔子碑》，睿宗篆額，加「大周」兩字，蓋武后時篆也。 審請琢去偽號，復「大唐」字，從之。 咸通中，卒於秘書監。 審弟寬審弟寬，子緘，皆進士擢第，知名於時。
His four sons Gun, Zhuan, Xuan, and Yan all passed the jinshi examination. During the Xiantong era they successively held posts in the censorate and secretariat. Su's younger cousins Shen and Kuan. Cousin Shen. Shen's son was Yu. Shen passed the jinshi examination in the twelfth year of Zhenyuan and was repeatedly recruited to commissioner staffs. He was recalled as Investigating Censor and rose in succession to Director in the Ministry of War. In the third year of Kaicheng he was transferred to Remonstrating Grand Master. In the ninth month of the fourth year he was sent out as Prefect of Gui and Military Commissioner of the Gui Circuit. He was recalled as Chancellor of the Directorate of Education. The Directorate of Education had a Stele of Confucius with an inscription by Emperor Ruizong, to which the two characters "Great Zhou" had been added—this had been inscribed in the time of Empress Wu. Shen requested that the false title be carved away and the characters "Great Tang" restored, and his request was approved. In the Xiantong era he died while serving as Director of the Secretariat. Younger brother Kuan. Shen's younger brother Kuan and his son Jian all passed the jinshi examination and were renowned in their time.
52
=封敖=
Feng Ao
53
封敖，字碩夫，其先渤海蓚人。 祖希奭。 父諒，官卑。 敖，元和十年登進士第，累辟諸侯府。 太和中，入朝為右拾遺。 會昌初，以員外郎知制誥，召入翰林為學士，拜中書舍人。
Feng Ao, courtesy name Shuofu, came originally from Su in Bohai. His grandfather was Xiyi. His father Liang held a low office. Ao passed the jinshi examination in the tenth year of Yuanhe and was repeatedly recruited to regional commissioner staffs. In the Taihe era he entered court as Right Remembrancer. In the early Huichang era, as Vice Director he served as Drafting Secretary, was summoned into the Hanlin Academy as Academician, and was appointed Secretariat Drafter.
54
敖構思敏速，語近而理勝，不務奇澀，武宗深重之。 嘗草《賜陣傷邊將詔》，警句云：「傷居爾體，痛在朕躬。」 帝覽而善之，賜之宮錦。 李德裕在相位，定策破回鶻，誅劉稹。 議兵之際，同列或有不可之言，唯德裕籌計指畫，竟立奇功。 武宗賞之，封衛國公，守太尉。 其制語有：「遏橫議於風波，定奇謀於掌握。 逆稹盜兵，壺關晝鎖，造膝嘉話，開懷靜思，意皆我同，言不他惑。」 制出，敖往慶之，德裕口誦此數句，撫敖曰：「陸生有言，所恨文不迨意。 如卿此語，秉筆者不易措言。」 座中解其所賜玉帶以遺敖，深禮重之。
Ao conceived swiftly and composed with agility. His language was plain yet his reasoning prevailed, and he did not pursue the strange and obscure. Emperor Wuzong valued him deeply. He once drafted an Edict Conferring Rewards on Wounded Frontier Generals, with a striking line: "The wound lies in your body, but the pain is in My person." The emperor read it and approved, bestowing palace brocade on him. When Li Deyu was chief minister, he settled strategy to defeat the Uyghurs and executed Liu Zong. When military affairs were discussed, colleagues sometimes dissented. Only Deyu planned and directed, and in the end established extraordinary merit. Emperor Wuzong rewarded him, enfeoffed him as Duke of Wei, and appointed him Grand Preceptor. The appointment prose included: "He checked reckless debate amid wind and waves and settled extraordinary stratagems within his grasp. When the rebel Zong raised troops in rebellion, Huguan was locked by day. At intimate audience he offered fine counsel, and with open heart and quiet thought our intentions were alike and his words led no other astray." When the appointment was issued, Ao went to congratulate him. Deyu recited these several lines from memory and, patting Ao, said, "Master Lu said that what one regrets is when writing fails to match intent. With words like yours, the one who holds the brush cannot easily set them down." In the gathering he removed the jade belt he had been granted and gave it to Ao, honoring him deeply.
55
然敖不持士範，人重其才而輕其所為，德裕不能大用之。 德裕罷相，敖亦罷內職。 宣宗即位，遷禮部侍郎。 大中二年，典貢部，多擢文士。 轉吏部侍郎、渤海男、食邑七百戶。 四年，出為興元尹、御史大夫、山南西道節度使，歷左散騎常侍。 十一年，拜太常卿，出為淄青節度使，入為戶部尚書，卒。
Yet Ao did not uphold the model of a gentleman. Men valued his talent but looked lightly on his conduct, and Deyu could not employ him to the full. When Deyu was removed as chief minister, Ao also lost his inner post. When Emperor Xuanzong took the throne, Ao was transferred to Vice Minister of Rites. In the second year of Dazhong he presided over the examination bureau and promoted many men of letters. He was transferred to Vice Minister of Personnel, made Baron of Bohai, and granted a fief of seven hundred households. In the fourth year he was sent out as Prefect of Xingyuan, Censor-in-Chief, and Military Commissioner of Shannan West Circuit, and also served as Left Regular Attendant-in-Ordinary of the Cavalry. In the eleventh year he was appointed Director of the Court of Imperial Sacrifices, sent out as Military Commissioner of Ziqing, recalled as Minister of Revenue, and died.
56
子彥卿、望卿，從子特卿，皆進士及第，咸通後，歷位清顯。
His sons Yanqing and Wangqing and his nephew Teqing all passed the jinshi examination. After the Xiantong era they held eminent offices.
57
史臣曰：韋公鯁亮守官，犯而得禮。 蕭子恬於吏隱，抑亦名賢。 蔚章操韻非高，而從容長者。 郁、朗襟概，郁有世風。 三高並秀於一時，二馮爭驅於千里，威以摛英掞藻，華國揚名。 潤色之能，封無與讓，壽考垂慶，儒何負哉！
The historiographer says: Lord Wei was upright and bright in holding office. He offended yet obtained what was proper. Master Xiao was content in official retirement. He too was a famed worthy. Weizhang's conduct and tone were not lofty, yet he was an easygoing elder. Yu and Lang had breadth of spirit. Yu had the manner of his generation. The three Gao all flourished together in one age. The two Feng vied in galloping a thousand li. By wielding fine phrases and splendid diction they glorified the state and spread their fame. In the power to polish and adorn, Feng had no equal. Long life brought down blessings—what did the Confucian scholar lack!
58
贊曰：伏蒲進諫，染翰為文。 獨孤、韋氏，誌在匡君。 馮、高諸子，綺繡繽紛。 禁垣擅美，渤海淩云。
The encomium says: Prostrating at the rush mat to remonstrate, staining the brush to compose literature. The Dugu and Wei clans set their will on aiding the ruler. The sons of Feng and Gao were brocade and embroidery in profusion. Within the forbidden precincts they monopolized literary excellence; from Bohai they rose to the clouds.