1
楊師厚，潁州斤溝人也。 為李罕之部將，以猛決聞，尤善騎射。 及罕之敗，退保澤州，師厚與李鐸、何絪等來降，太祖署為忠武軍牙將，繼曆軍職，累遷檢校右僕射，表授曹州刺史。 唐天復三年，從太祖迎昭宗於岐下，李茂貞以勁兵出戰，為師厚所敗。 及王師範以青州叛，太祖遣師厚率兵東討，時淮賊王景仁以眾二萬來援師範，師厚逆擊，破之，追至輔唐縣，斬數百級，授齊州刺史。 將之任，太祖急召見於鄆西境，遣師厚率步騎屯於臨朐，而聲言欲東援密州，留輜重於臨朐。 師範果出兵來擊，師厚設伏於野，追擊至聖王山，殺萬餘眾，擒都將八十人。 未幾，萊州刺史王師誨以兵救師範，又大敗之。 自是，師範不復敢戰。 師厚移軍寨於城下，師範力屈，竟降。 天復四年三月，加檢校司徒、徐州節度使。
Yang Shihou came from Jinchou in Yingzhou. A general under Li Hanzhi, he was known for boldness in battle and was an expert horse archer. After Hanzhi's defeat and retreat to Zezhou, Shihou surrendered with Li Duo, He Yin, and others; the Founder made him a Zhongwu staff officer, and he rose through the ranks to acting Right Vice Director and governor of Cao. In Tianfu 3 he joined the Founder in bringing Emperor Zhaozong back from Qi; Li Maozhen marched out with elite troops and Shihou routed him. When Wang Shifan rose at Qingzhou, the Founder sent Shihou east; Wang Jingren of the Huai came with twenty thousand to relieve Shifan; Shihou met him, shattered his force, pursued to Futang, took hundreds of heads, and received Qi prefecture. Before he could take office the Founder called him urgently to Yan's western border, posted him at Linqu with foot and horse, announced a march to relieve Mizhou, and left the baggage train there. Shifan did march out; Shihou laid an ambush, chased the enemy to Shengwang Mountain, killed over ten thousand, and took eighty officers. Soon Laizhou prefect Wang Shihui came to Shifan's aid and was beaten again. After that Shifan would not fight again. Shihou shifted his camp under the walls; Shifan, exhausted, submitted at last. In the third month of Tianfu 4 he was made acting Minister of Works and commissioner of Xuzhou.
2
天祐元年，加諸軍行營馬步都指揮使。 二年八月，太祖討趙匡凝於襄陽，命師厚統前軍以進，趙匡凝嚴兵以備。 師厚至穀城西童山，刊材造浮橋，引軍過漢水。 一戰，趙匡凝敗散，攜妻子沿漢遁去。 翌日，表師厚為山南東道節度留後。 〈（《舊唐書》：天祐三年六月甲申，敕：「襄州近因趙匡凝作帥，請別立忠義軍額，既非往製，固是縱權，忠義軍額宜停廢，依舊為山南東道節度使。」）〉 即令南討荊州，留後趙匡明亦棄軍上峽，不浹旬，並下兩鎮，乃正授襄州節度使。 先是，漢南無羅城，師厚始興板築，周十餘里，郛郭完壯。
In Tianyou 1 he was named supreme field commander of horse and foot for all armies. In the eighth month of year 2 the Founder attacked Zhao Kuangning at Xiangyang and put Shihou at the head of the advance; Kuangning drew up in full strength. Shihou reached Tongshan west of Gucheng, cut timber for a pontoon bridge, and crossed the Han with his men. One engagement broke Kuangning's army; he fled down the Han with his family. Next day he was memorialized acting commissioner of Shannan East Circuit. (The 《Old Book of Tang》 records that on jiashen in the sixth month of Tianyou 3 an edict declared that because Kuangning had seized Xiangzhou and sought a separate Loyal and Righteous Army commission—neither ancient practice nor lawful—the old Shannan East Circuit title alone should stand.)〉 He was sent south on Jingzhou; acting commander Zhao Kuangming fled up the Yangzi gorges; within ten days both commands fell, and Shihou received full appointment at Xiang. The Han south had lacked a city wall until Shihou built plank defenses for more than ten li and made the suburbs strong.
3
開平元年，加檢校太保、同平章事。 明年，又加檢校太傅。 三年三月，入朝，詔兼潞州行營都招討使。 無何，劉知俊據同州叛，師厚與劉鄩率軍西討，至潼關，擒知俊弟知浣以獻。 知俊聞師厚至，即西走鳳翔，師厚進攻，至長安。 時知俊已引岐寇據其城，師厚以奇兵傍南山急行，自西門而入，賊將王建驚愕，不知所為，遽出降。 製加師厚檢校太尉。 頃之，晉王與周德威、丁會、符存審等以大眾攻晉州甚急，太祖遣師厚帥兵援之。 軍至絳州，晉軍扼蒙坑之險，師厚整眾而前，晉人乃徹圍而遁。 四年二月，移授陝州節度使。 五年正月，王景仁敗於柏鄉，晉人乘勝圍邢州，掠魏博，南至黎陽。 師厚受詔以兵屯衛州，晉軍攻魏州，不克而退； 師厚追襲，過漳河，解邢州之圍，改授滑州節度使。 明年，太祖北征，令師厚以大軍攻棗強，逾旬不能克，太祖屢加督責，師厚晝夜奮擊，乃破之，盡屠其城。 車駕還，師厚屯魏州。
In Kaiping 1 he was made acting Grand Guardian and given co-equal ministerial rank. The following year he rose to acting Grand Tutor. In the third month of year 3 he came to court and was named overall commander for the Lu expedition. Soon Liu Zhijun rebelled at Tongzhou; Shihou and Liu Yan marched west, took his brother Zhihuan at Tong Pass, and sent him up. Zhijun fled west to Fengxiang when he heard Shihou was coming; Shihou drove on to Chang'an. Zhijun had already brought Qi forces into the city; Shihou raced picked men along the southern hills, burst in the west gate, and rebel commander Wang Jian, stunned, surrendered at once. He was promoted to acting Grand Commandant. Soon the Prince of Jin, Zhou Dewei, Ding Hui, Fu Cunshen, and others besieged Jinzhou fiercely; the Founder sent Shihou to the rescue. At Jiangzhou the Jin held Mengkeng Pass; Shihou formed line and marched forward, and the Jin broke off and withdrew. In the second month of year 4 he was transferred to Shan circuit. In the first month of year 5 Wang Jingren fell at Baixiang; the Jin swept on, besieged Xing, plundered Weibo, and reached Liyang. Shihou was ordered to Weizhou; the Jin assaulted Wei, failed, and pulled back; Shihou chased them over the Zhang, broke the siege of Xing, and was made commissioner of Hua. Next year on the northern campaign the Founder ordered Shihou against Zaoqiang; for ten days the city held; the Founder drove him hard; Shihou stormed day and night, took it, and put every soul to the sword. When the emperor returned, Shihou remained at Wei.
4
及庶人友珪篡位，魏州衙內都指揮使潘晏與大將臧延範、趙訓謀變，有密告者，師厚布兵擒捕，斬之。 〈（《歐陽史》云：師厚乘間殺魏牙將潘晏、臧延範等，逐出節度使羅周翰。）〉 越二日，又有指揮使趙賓夜率部軍擐甲，俟旦為亂。 師厚以衙兵圍捕，賓不能起，乃越城而遁； 師厚遣騎追至肥鄉，擒其黨百餘人，歸斬於府門。 友珪即以師厚為魏博節度使、檢校侍中。 未幾，鎮人、晉人侵魏之北鄙，師厚率軍至唐店，破之，斬首五千級，擒其都將三十餘人。 是時師厚握河朔兵，威望振主，友珪患之，詔師厚赴闕。 師厚乃率精甲萬人至洛陽，嚴兵於都外，自以十餘人入謁，友珪懼，厚禮而遣之。 及末帝將圖友珪，遣使謀於師厚，深陳款效，且馳書於侍衛軍使袁象先及主軍大將； 又遣都指揮使朱漢賓率兵至滑州以應禁旅。 友珪既誅，末帝即位於東京，首封師厚為鄴王，加檢校太師、中書令。 每下詔不名，以官呼之，事無巨細，必先謀於師厚，師厚頗亦驕誕。 先是，鎮人以我柏鄉不利之後，屢擾邊境，師厚總大軍直抵鎮州城下，焚蕩閭舍，移軍掠槁城、束鹿，至深州而歸。 乾化五年三月，卒於鎮。 廢朝三日，贈太師。
After Yougui seized the throne, Weizhou commander Pan Yan and generals Zang Yanfan and Zhao Xun plotted revolt; Shihou learned of it, seized them, and executed them. (The 《Ouyang History》 says Shihou killed Pan Yan, Zang Yanfan, and other Wei staff officers and expelled commissioner Luo Zhouhan.)〉 Two days later commander Zhao Bin armed his men by night to rise at dawn. Shihou's guards surrounded them; Bin could not break out and fled over the wall; Cavalry ran him down at Feixiang, took a hundred-odd accomplices, and executed them before the yamen. Yougui appointed Shihou commissioner of Weibo and acting Palace Attendant. Soon locals and Jin struck Wei's north; Shihou met them at Tangdian, killed five thousand, and took thirty-odd officers. Shihou now commanded Hebei and towered over the throne; Yougui, uneasy, summoned him to court. He marched ten thousand elite to Luoyang, camped in force outside the walls, and entered with only a dozen followers; Yougui feared him, honored him lavishly, and let him go. When the Last Emperor moved against Yougui he won Shihou's pledge and wrote urgently to guard commissioner Yuan Xiangxian and the chief commanders; and sent overall commander Zhu Hanbin to Hua to back the palace troops. When Yougui fell the Last Emperor enthroned himself at the Eastern Capital and first made Shihou Prince of Ye, Grand Preceptor, and Chief Minister. Edicts no longer named him but called him by title; every matter, great or small, went first to Shihou, and he grew arrogant. After Baixiang the Jin had harried the frontier; Shihou marched the main host to Zhenzhou, burned villages, raided Gaocheng and Shulu, and withdrew from deep in Zhao territory. In the third month of Qianhua 5 he died at his post. Mourning halted court for three days; he was posthumously made Grand Preceptor.
5
師厚純謹敏幹，深為太祖知遇，委以重兵劇鎮，他莫能及。 然而末年矜功恃眾，驟萌不軌之意，於是專割財賦，置銀槍效節軍凡數千人，皆選摘驍銳，縱恣豢養，復故時牙軍之態，時人病之。 向時河朔之俗，上元比屋夜遊，及師厚作鎮，乃課魏人戶立燈竿，千釭萬炬，洞照一城，縱士女嬉遊。 復彩畫舟舫，令女妓棹歌於御河，縱酒彌日。 又於黎陽采巨石，將紀德政，以鐵車負載，驅牛數百以拽之，所至之處，丘墓廬舍悉皆毀壞，百姓望之，皆曰「碑來」。 及碑石才至，而師厚卒，魏人以為「悲來」之應。 末帝聞其卒也，於私庭受賀，乃議裂魏州為兩鎮。 既而所樹親軍，果為叛亂，以招外寇，致使河朔淪陷，宗社覆滅，由師厚兆之也。
Pure, careful, and capable, Shihou won the Founder's deepest trust and held the heaviest commands as no one else did. In old age he swaggered over his troops, skimmed the treasury, raised several thousand Silver Spear guards picked for brutality, pampered them, and brought back the old yamen-army arrogance that the people hated. Hebei families once roamed all night at Lantern Festival; Shihou forced every Wei household to raise lamp poles until thousands of lights blazed over the city and soldiers and women caroused in the streets. He painted pleasure boats, set courtesans to pole and sing on the imperial canal, and feasted for days on end. At Liyang he took a great stone for a virtue monument, loaded it on an iron cart, and drove hundreds of oxen to drag it; graves and homes in its path were smashed, and people cried, "The stele is coming." The stone had barely arrived when Shihou died; Wei folk heard in "The stele is coming" the omen "Grief is coming." The Last Emperor rejoiced privately at the news and planned to split Wei in two. Soon his private guard rebelled, called in foreign enemies, and Hebei fell with the dynasty—the trail began with Shihou.
6
牛存節，字讚貞，青州博昌人也。 本名禮，太祖改而字之。 少以雄勇自負。 唐乾符末，鄉人諸葛爽為河陽節度使，存節往從之。 爽卒，存節謂同輩曰：「天下洶洶，當擇英主事之，以圖富貴。」 遂歸於太祖。 初授宣義軍小將。 屬蔡寇至金堤驛，犯酸棗、靈昌，存節日與之鬥，凡二十餘往，每往必執俘而還，前後斬首二十餘級，獲孳畜甚眾。 太祖擊蔡賊於板橋、赤岡、酸棗門、封禪寺、枯河北，存節皆預其行，與諸將於濮州南劉橋、範縣大破鄆眾，自此深為太祖獎遇。
Niu Cunjie, who styled himself Zanzhen, came from Bochang in Qingzhou. Born Li, he received the style Zanzhen from the Founder. As a youth he counted on his strength and daring. Late in Qianfu his fellow townsman Zhuge Shuang took Heyang; Cunjie entered his service. After Shuang's death Cunjie told his fellows, "The empire boils; choose a great master, serve him, and win rank and riches." Then he joined the Founder. He began as a junior officer in the Xuanyi army. When Cai rebels hit Jindi and raided Suanzao and Lingchang, he fought them twenty-odd times in as many days, always bringing back prisoners, twenty heads, and great herds of booty. He fought with the Founder at Banqiao, Chigang, Suanzao Gate, Fengchan Temple, and north of the dry river, and with the other generals routed Yan troops at Liuqiao south of Pu and in Fan—after which the Founder prized him highly.
7
文德元年夏，李罕之以並軍圍張宗奭於河陽，太祖遣存節率軍赴之。 屬歲歉，餉饋不至，村民有儲幹椹者，存節以器用、錢帛易之，以給軍食。 大破賊於浿河，罕之引眾北走。 又預討徐、宿有功。 及討河北，存節前鋒下黎陽，收臨河，至內黃西，以兵千餘人當魏人萬二千眾，大破其陣，僵仆蔽野。 太祖深所歎激，謂有神兵之助。 大順元年，改滑州左右廂牢城使。 與諸將討時溥，累破賊軍。 景福元年秋，改遏後都指揮使。 攻濮之役，領軍先登，遂拔其壘。 二年四月，下徐州，梟時溥，存節力戰，其功居多。 乾寧二年，授檢校工部尚書。 三年夏，太祖東討鄆州，存節領軍次故樂亭，扼其要路，都指揮使龐師古屯馬頰，存節密與都將王言謀入鄆壘。 十二月，存節遣王言夜伏勇士於州西北，以船逾濠，舉梯登陴。 既而王言不克入，存節獨率伏軍負梯童破其西甕城，奪其濠橋，諸軍俱進。 四年四月，陷其城，尋與葛從周降下兗州，加檢校右僕射。
In the summer of Wende 1 Li Hanzhi besieged Zhang Zongshuang at Heyang with Bing troops; the Founder sent Cunjie to relieve him. Famine blocked supplies; Cunjie bought dried mulberry the villagers had stored, paying with goods and cash to feed his men. He crushed the enemy on the Pei; Hanzhi fled north. He later fought at Xu and Su with distinction. On the Hebei campaign he took Liyang and Linhe in the van; west of Neihuang a thousand men routed twelve thousand Wei troops until the field was heaped with corpses. The Founder marveled and said heaven had sent him soldiers. In Dashun 1 he became commander of both wings of Hua's garrison force. He joined the generals against Shi Pu and broke his armies again and again. In the autumn of Jingfu 1 he was made commander of the Rearward Check. At Pu he led the first escalade and took the camp. In the fourth month of year 2 Xuzhou fell and Shi Pu's head was sent up; Cunjie's fighting won the largest share of credit. In Qianning 2 he was made acting Minister of Works. In the summer of year 3 the Founder marched on Yan; Cunjie blocked the road at old Leting while Pang Shigu camped at Majia; Cunjie and commander Wang Yan plotted a night entry into Yan. In the twelfth month he sent Wang Yan to hide men northwest of the city; boats crossed the ditch and ladders reached the parapet. Yan failed to get in; Cunjie alone rushed the west gate with hidden men and scaling ladders, took the bridge, and the whole force poured in. In the fourth month of year 4 the city fell; with Ge Congzhou he then took Yan and rose to acting Right Vice Director.
8
其年秋，大舉以伐淮南，至濠州東，聞前軍失利於清口，諸軍退至間河，無復隊伍。 存節遏其後，諸將釋騎步鬥，諸軍稍得濟，收合所部並敗兵共八千餘人，至於淮涘，時不食已四日矣。 存節訓勵部分，以禦追寇，遂得旋師。 五年，除亳州刺史，俄遷宣武軍都指揮使，改宿州刺史。 明年，淮賊大至彭城，存節乃以部下兵夜發，直趣彭門； 淮人訝其神速，震恐而退，諸將服其智識。
That autumn the great Huainan expedition reached east of Hao, learned the vanguard had lost at Qingkou, and fell back to Jian River in disorder. Cunjie held the rear while generals fought on foot; units straggled across; he rallied his own men and stragglers—eight thousand—and reached the Huai starving after four days without food. He drilled and formed them against pursuit and brought the column home. In year 5 he became prefect of Bo, soon Xuanyi commander, then governor of Su. Next year Huai rebels swarmed Pengcheng; Cunjie marched by night straight for the Peng gate; the Huai were stunned by his speed and fled; the other generals praised his judgment.
9
開平二年二月，自右監門衛上將軍轉右龍虎統軍，駐留洛下。 是歲，王師敗於上黨，晉人乘勝進迫澤州，州城將陷。 河南留守張全義召存節謀，遂以本軍及右龍虎、羽林等軍往應接上黨。 師至天並關，存節謂諸將曰：「是行也，雖不奉詔旨，然要害之地，不可致失。」 時晉人新勝，其鋒甚盛，存節引從而前，銜枚夜至澤州，適遇守埤者已縱火鼓噪，以應外軍，刺史保衙城，不知所為。 存節才入，晉軍已至矣，乃分布守禦。 晉軍四面攻鬥，開地道以入城，存節亦以隧道應之，逆戰於地中，晉軍不能進； 又以勁弩射之，中者人馬皆洞，經十三日，晉軍死傷者甚眾，焚營而退，郡以獲全，太祖屢歎賞之。 五月，遷左龍虎統軍，充六軍馬步都指揮使。 十月，授絳州刺史。
In the second month of Kaiping 2 he rose from Right Gate Guard senior general to commander of the Right Dragon-Tiger army and stayed at Luoyang. That year Wang's force lost at Shangdang; the Jin swept on toward Ze, and the city was near collapse. Zhang Quanyi, regent of Henan, called Cunjie; he marched his own troops plus the Right Dragon-Tiger and Feathered Forest to relieve Shangdang. At Tianbing Pass Cunjie told his officers, "We have no fresh orders, but this choke point cannot be abandoned." The Jin were fresh from victory and fierce; Cunjie pushed on, marched by night with gags, and reached Ze as the wall guards were already firing beacons and shouting to the relief force; prefect Bao Ya stood in the city in confusion. He had barely entered when the Jin arrived; he spread his men for defense. The Jin assaulted from four sides and mined under the wall; Cunjie mined back and met them underground until they could not advance; he raked them with heavy crossbows that pierced men and horses; after thirteen days the Jin losses were heavy; they burned their camp and left; the prefecture was saved, and the Founder praised him again and again. In the fifth month he became commander of the Left Dragon-Tiger army and supreme horse-and-foot commander of the Six Armies. In the tenth month he was made prefect of Jiang.
10
三年四月，除鄜州留後。 六月，劉知俊以同州叛，尋授同州留後，未幾，加檢校太保、同州節度使。 乾化二年，加檢校太傅，進封開國公。 存節戒嚴軍旅，常若敵至。 先是，州中井水鹹苦，人不可飲。 及並人、岐人來迫州城，或以為兵士渴乏，陷在旦夕。 存節及肅拜虔祝，擇地鑿八十餘井，其味皆甘淡，由是人馬汲濯有餘，眾以為至誠之感。 自八月至三年春末，人馬未嘗釋甲，以至寇退。 尋加同平章事，詔赴闕。 末帝召慰勉，賞賜甚厚。 十一月，加開府儀同三司，食邑一千戶，授鄆州節度使。 四年，加淮南西北面行營招討使，控扼淮濆，邊境安之。
In the fourth month of year 3 he was relieved as regent of Fuzhou. In the sixth month Liu Zhijun rebelled at Tongzhou; Cunjie was soon made regent there, then honorary Grand Guardian and military commissioner of Tong. In Qianhua 2 he was made honorary Grand Mentor and advanced to Founding Duke. Cunjie kept his troops on war footing as though the enemy were always near. The city wells had long been brackish and undrinkable. When Jin and Qi armies besieged the city, some feared the troops would die of thirst and the walls would fall within days. Cunjie bowed and prayed, then sank more than eighty wells whose water was sweet and clear; men and horses had plenty to drink, and the people called it a reward for his sincerity. From the eighth month through the spring of year 3 his men never doffed armor until the enemy withdrew. He was soon made Tongping Grand Councilor and summoned to court. The Last Emperor received him with warm praise and rich gifts. In the eleventh month he was given the Golden Pocket, Honored Equal to the Three Dukes, a thousand-household fief, and the Yanzhou command. In year 4 he was made pacification commissioner for the northwest Huainan campaign, held the Huai shore, and kept the frontier quiet.
11
其冬，蔣殷據徐州逆命，存節方以大眾戍潁州，得殷逆謀，密以上聞，遽奉詔與劉鄩同討之，頓於埇上。 淮賊朱瑾以兵救殷，距宿之兩舍，聞存節兵大至，即委糧棄甲而遁，竟平徐州。 詔加太尉。 夏中病渴且痟，屬河北用軍，末帝令率軍屯陽留以張劉鄩之勢。 存節忠憤彌篤，未嘗言病，料敵治戎，旦夕愈厲。 病革，詔歸汶陽，翌日而卒。 將終，戒其子知業、知讓等以忠孝，言不及他。 冊贈太師。 存節武鷙慷慨，有大節，野戰壁守，皆其所長，威名聞於境外，深為末帝所重，而木強忠厚，有賈復之風焉。
That winter Jiang Yin rebelled at Xuzhou while Cunjie was at Yingzhou with a large force; he reported in secret, received orders to join Liu Zhen, and encamped at Yong. Zhu Jin of Huai marched to relieve Yin, but two stages from Su he heard Cunjie was coming in force, abandoned stores and arms, and fled; Xuzhou was pacified. An edict made him Grand Marshal. Midsummer he fell ill with fever and malaria; with Hebei in crisis the Last Emperor sent him to Yangliu to stiffen Liu Zhen's line. His loyal zeal only sharpened; he never mentioned his illness and grew sterner each day in reading the enemy and commanding the host. When he worsened, an edict recalled him to Wenyang; he died the next day. Dying, he urged his sons Zhiye and Zhirang to loyalty and filial piety and said nothing else. He was posthumously enfeoffed as Grand Preceptor. Fierce, generous, and resolute, he excelled in the field and behind walls; his fame reached beyond the border and the Last Emperor prized him, yet he was bluntly honest in the manner of Jia Fu.
12
王檀，字眾美，京兆人也。 曾祖泚，唐左金吾衛將軍、隴州防禦使。 祖曜，定難功臣、渭橋鎮遏使。 父環，鴻臚卿，以檀貴，累贈左僕射。 檀少英悟，美形儀，好讀兵書，洞曉韜略。 唐中和中，太祖鎮大梁，檀為小將。 四年，汴將楊彥洪破巢將尚讓、李讜於尉氏門外，檀在戰中，摧鋒陷陣，遂為太祖所知，稍蒙擢用。 預破蔡賊於斤溝、淝河、八角，遷踏白都副將。 光啟二年，從胡真擊淮西之眾，解河陽之圍。 蔡賊張存敢乘亂據洛陽，檀與勇士數十人潛入賊柵，邀其輜重，存敢遁走。 胡真至陝州，開通貢路，遣檀攻玉山寨，降賊帥石令殷。 從擊秦宗賢於鄭州西北河灘之上，於太祖馬前射賊將孫安，應弦而斃。 三年，佐都指揮使朱珍敗徐戎於孫師陂，獲其將孫用和、束詡以獻。 從擊蔡賊於板橋，偏將李重裔追賊馬躓，為蔡人所擒，檀奪取而旋，獲賊將薛注。 太祖破朱瑾於劉橋，檀盡收其軍實。 文德元年三月，討羅宏信，敗魏人於內黃，檀獲其將周儒、邵神劍以歸，補衝山都虞候。 是歲，與諸軍平蔡州。 明年，佐朱珍大破時溥之眾，檀獲賊將何肱，改左踏白馬軍副將。 預征兗、鄆，累立戰功。
Wang Tan, styled Zhongmei, came from Jingzhao. His great-grandfather Chi had been Left Golden Guard general and defense commissioner of Long. His grandfather Yao was a Pacifier of Difficulties merit lord and commissioner at Wei Bridge. His father Huan was Chamberlain for Dependencies and, through Tan's eminence, was repeatedly promoted to Left Vice Director. As a youth Tan was quick-witted and handsome, read military works, and mastered strategy. In Tang Zhonghe, when the Founder held Daliang, Tan served as a junior officer. In year 4 Yang Yanhong of Bian defeated Shang Rang and Li Kan outside Weishi Gate; Tan fought in the van, broke the enemy line, won the Founder's notice, and rose in rank. He helped defeat Cai rebels at Jingou, the Fei, and Bajiao and became deputy commander of the Taibai corps. In Guangqi 2 he followed Hu Zhen against Huaixi and raised the siege of Heyang. Zhang Cungan of Cai seized Luoyang in the turmoil; Tan slipped into the camp with a few dozen men, seized their baggage, and Cungan fled. At Shaanzhou Hu Zhen opened the tribute route and sent Tan against Yushan stockade, where he subdued the bandit chief Shi Lingyin. At the river beach northwest of Zhengzhou he shot the bandit general Sun An dead before the Founder's horse. In year 3, aiding Zhu Zhen, he defeated Xu forces at Sunshi Slope and presented the generals Sun Yonghe and Shu Xu. At Banqiao, when Li Chongyi's horse fell and Cai men seized him, Tan rescued him and captured the bandit general Xue Zhu. When the Founder beat Zhu Jin at Liuchiao, Tan gathered all his supplies. In the third month of Wende 1, campaigning against Luo Hongxin, he defeated Wei troops at Neihuang, took Zhou Ru and Shao Shenjian, and was made commandant of the Chongshan corps. That year he joined in the pacification of Caizhou. The next year, aiding Zhu Zhen, he routed Shi Pu and captured He Gong, then became deputy commander of the Left Taibai Horse Army. He campaigned in Yan and Yun and won repeated distinction.
13
大順元年，從龐師古渡淮深入，討孫儒之亂，奪邵伯堰，破高郵軍。 檀奮命擊賊，刃傷左臂。 未幾，遷順義都將。 天復中，從太祖率四鎮之師圍鳳翔，以迎昭宗。 屢立戎效，遷左踏白指揮使。 從攻王師範於青州，檀以偏師收復密郡， 〈（《永陽志》云：張訓守密州刺史，朱全忠至青州，訓謂諸將曰：「汴人將至，何以禦之？」 諸將請焚城大掠而歸。 訓曰：「不可。」 乃封府庫，植旗幟於城上，遣羸弱居前，自以精兵殿其後而去。 全忠遣王檀攻密州，數日乃敢入城。）〉 遂權知軍州事，充本州馬步軍都指揮使，尋表授檢校右僕射，守密州刺史。 郡接淮戎，舊無壁壘，乃率夫修築羅城，六旬而畢，居民賴之，加檢校司空。 開平二年六月，授邢州保義軍節度使、檢校司徒。 三年，加檢校太保，充潞州東北面行營招討使。 乾化元年正月，王景仁與晉人戰於柏鄉，王師敗績，河朔大震。 景仁與眾為敵騎所追，檀嚴設備，應接敗軍，助以資裝，獲濟者甚眾。 俄而晉軍大至，重圍四合，土山地穴，晝夜攻擊，太祖憂之。 檀密上表，請駕不親征，而悉力枝梧，竟全城壘。 三月，以功就加檢校太傅、同平章事。 七月，又加開府儀同三司、檢校太尉，進封琅琊郡王，命宣徽使趙殷衡賚詔慰諭，賜絹千匹、銀千兩，賞守禦邢州之功也。 庶人友珪僭位，授鄧州宣化軍節度使、檢校太尉、兼侍中。
In Dashun 1 he followed Pang Shigu deep across the Huai against Sun Ru, took Shaobo weir, and routed the Gaoyou force. Tan fought desperately and took a blade wound in his left arm. Soon he was made commander of Shunyi. In Tianfu he followed the Founder with the armies of four commands to besiege Fengxiang and restore Zhaozong. He won repeated distinction and became commander of the Left Taibai corps. In the attack on Wang Shifan at Qingzhou, Tan with a detached column recovered Mizhou, (The 《Record of Yongyang》 says Zhang Xun was prefect of Mizhou; when Zhu Quanzhong reached Qingzhou, Xun asked his officers, "The Bian army is coming—how shall we meet them?" His officers urged burning the city, looting it bare, and retreating. Xun said, "That we cannot do." He sealed the treasury, raised banners on the walls, sent the weak forward, and withdrew with his best troops in the rear. Quanzhong sent Wang Tan against Mizhou, and only after several days did Tan dare enter the city.)〉 He then acted as military and civil commissioner of the prefecture and commander of its forces, and was soon made honorary Right Vice Director and defender of Mizhou. The prefecture bordered Huai rebels and had no walls; he built an outer rampart in sixty days, to the people's relief, and was made honorary Grand Master. In the sixth month of Kaiping 2 he was made Baoyi commissioner of Xing and honorary Minister of Works. In year 3 he was made honorary Grand Guardian and pacification commissioner for the northeast Luzhou campaign. In the first month of Qianhua 1, Wang Jingren fought the Jin at Baixiang; the imperial army was routed and Hebei was shaken. Jingren and his men were chased by enemy horse; Tan stood ready, received the fugitives, and supplied them so that many escaped. Soon the Jin came in force, besieged the city on every side with ramparts and mines, and attacked day and night; the Founder was deeply worried. Tan secretly urged the Founder not to take the field in person and braced the defense until the city held. In the third month his merit won him honorary Grand Mentor and Tongping Grand Councilor. In the seventh month he received the Golden Pocket, Honored Equal to the Three Dukes, honorary Grand Marshal, and princely rank of Langya; Zhao Yinheng brought the edict, with a thousand bolts of silk and a thousand taels of silver for holding Xing. When Yougui seized the throne he made Tan Xuanhua commissioner of Deng, honorary Grand Marshal, and concurrent Palace Attendant.
14
末帝即位，移授許州匡國軍節度使，加檢校太師。 五年，蔡州刺史王彥溫作亂，檀受詔討平之，加兼中書令。 貞明元年三月，魏博軍亂。 六月，晉王入魏州，分兵收下屬郡，河北大擾，檀受詔與開封尹劉鄩犄角進師，以援河北。 檀攻澶州魏縣，下之，擒賊將李岩、王開關以獻。 頃之，檀密疏請以奇兵西趣河中，自陰地關襲取晉陽，末帝許之，即馳兵而去。 二年二月，師至晉陽，晝夜急攻其壘，并州幾陷。 既而蕃將石家才自潞州以援兵至，檀引軍大掠而還。 尋授天平軍副大使，知節度使事，棄鄆、齊、曹等州觀察等使。 先是，檀招誘群盜，選其勁悍者置於帳下，以為爪牙。 至是，數輩竊發，突入府第，檀素不為備，遂為所害，時年五十一。 節度副使裴彥聞變，率府兵盡擒諸賊，州城帖然。 尋冊贈太師，諡曰忠毅，葬於開封縣之皋門原。 有子六人，皆升朝列。
At the Last Emperor's accession he was moved to Kuangguo commissioner of Xu and made honorary Grand Preceptor. In year 5, when Cai prefect Wang Yanwen rebelled, Tan was ordered to crush him and was made concurrent Director of the Secretariat. In the third month of Zhenming 1 the Weibo army mutinied. In the sixth month the Prince of Jin took Weizhou and seized its dependencies; Hebei was in turmoil; Tan was ordered to advance with Liu Zhen of Kaifeng in support of Hebei. Tan stormed Weixian in Chuan, captured it, and presented the rebel generals Li Yan and Wang Kaiguan. Soon he asked leave to strike west through Hezhong and take Jinyang by Yindi Pass; the Last Emperor agreed and he marched at once. In the second month of year 2 he reached Jinyang and assaulted its walls day and night until Bingzhou nearly fell. When the foreign general Shi Jiacai marched from Luzhou with relief, Tan plundered heavily and withdrew. He was soon made deputy ambassador and acting commissioner of Tianping, with concurrent observation over Yan, Qi, and Cao. Earlier he had recruited bandits and kept their fiercest men as personal guards. Now several of them broke into his residence unawares and killed him; he was fifty-one. Deputy commissioner Pei Yan heard the alarm, seized the assassins with prefectural troops, and the city quieted. He was posthumously made Grand Preceptor, given the posthumous name Loyal Resolute, and buried at Gaomen in Kaifeng. He left six sons, all of whom entered court office.
15
史臣曰：夫大都偶國，《春秋》所非。 當師厚之據鄴城也，綰數萬之甲兵，擅六州之輿賦，名既震主，勢亦滔天。 逮其喪亡，須議分割。 由茲以失河朔，因是以啟晉人，《詩》所謂「誰生厲階」者，師厚之謂歟！ 存節、王檀俱出身事主，底力圖功，觀其方略，皆將帥之良者也。
The historian writes: A great city rivaling the throne is what the 《Spring and Autumn》 condemns. When Shihou held Yecheng he commanded tens of thousands of troops and the revenues of six prefectures; his fame overawed his master and his power seemed to touch the sky. At his death his domains had to be carved up at once. Thus Hebei was lost and the Jin were let in—the 《Odes》 line "who raised this mischief" surely means Shihou! Cunjie and Wang Tan both rose in their lord's service and gave their strength to his cause; in strategy each proved an excellent commander.