1
安金全，代北人。 世為邊將，少驍果，便騎射。 武皇時為騎將，屢從征討。 莊宗之救潞州及平河朔，皆有戰功，累為刺史，以老病退居太原。 天祐中，汴將王檀率師三萬，乘莊宗在鄴，來襲并州。 時城無備兵，敵軍奄至，監軍張承業大恐，計無所出，閱諸司丁匠，登陴禦捍。 外攻甚急，金全遽出謂承業曰：「老夫退居抱病，不任軍事。 然吾王家屬在此，王業本根之地，如一旦為敵所有，大事去矣。 請以庫甲見授，為公備寇。」 承業即時授之。 金全被甲跨馬，召率子弟及退閑諸將，得數百人。 夜出北門，擊賊於羊馬城內，梁人驚潰，由是退卻。 俄而石君立自潞州至，汴軍退走。 微金全之奮命，城幾危矣。 莊宗性矜伐，凡大將立功，不時行賞，故金全終莊宗世，名位不進。 明宗與之有舊，及登極，授金全同平章事，充振武軍節度使。 在任二年，治民為政非所長，詔赴闕，俄而病卒。 廢視朝二日。 初，南北對壘，汴之遊騎每出，必為金全所獲，故梁之偵邏者鹹懼，目之為「安五道」，蓋比鬼將有五道之名也。
An Jinquan came from northern Dai. His family had served for generations as frontier commanders; from youth he was bold and adept at mounted archery. Under the Martial Emperor he served as a cavalry commander and took part in many campaigns. He distinguished himself when Emperor Zhuangzong relieved Luzhou and pacified Heshuo, rose through several prefectural posts, and finally retired to Taiyuan because of age and infirmity. During the Tianyou reign the Liang general Wang Tan marched thirty thousand men against Bingzhou while Emperor Zhuangzong was away at Ye. The city had no garrison on hand when the enemy appeared without warning. Army Supervisor Zhang Chengye was terrified and at a loss until he mustered artisans and laborers from the government workshops to man the ramparts. As the assault grew fierce, Jinquan came forward at once and told Chengye, "I have retired and am ill; I am in no condition to command. But the royal household is here—this is the foundation of the throne. If the enemy takes it in a day, everything is lost. Give me what armor the storehouses hold, and I will help you repel them." Chengye handed over the arms immediately. He armored himself, mounted, and rallied his sons and kinsmen along with retired officers until he had several hundred men. That night he sallied from the north gate and struck the enemy in the livestock pens outside the wall; the Liang troops broke in panic and drew off. Soon afterward Shi Junli came up from Luzhou, and the Liang army withdrew. Without Jinquan's desperate stand, the city would almost certainly have fallen. Emperor Zhuangzong was vain and slow to reward victorious commanders, and Jinquan therefore gained no further promotion throughout Zhuangzong's reign. Emperor Mingzong had known him long before; on taking the throne he made Jinquan Associate Grand Councillor and commissioner of the Zhenwu circuit. After two years in the post—civil administration was never his strength—he was recalled to court and died of illness shortly after. The emperor suspended court audiences for two days. Earlier, while the two sides faced each other along the front, Liang raiders sent out were almost always taken by Jinquan; Liang scouts dreaded him and nicknamed him "An of the Five Roads," after a demon general of that name.
2
子審琦等，皆位至方鎮，別有傳。
His sons Shenqi and the rest all rose to governorships of frontier circuits and are treated in separate biographies.
3
審通，金全之猶子也。 幼事莊宗，累有戰功，轉先鋒指揮使。 同光初，為北京右廂馬軍都指揮使，屯奉化軍。 四年春，赴明宗急詔，軍趨夷臒，為前鋒。 天成初，授單州刺史，改齊州防禦使，兼諸道先鋒馬軍都指揮使。 奉詔北征，從房知溫營於盧台。 會龍至部下兵亂，審通脫身酒筵，奪般以濟，促騎士介馬，及亂兵南行，盡戮之，以功授檢校太傅、滄州節度使。 圍王都於中山，躬冒矢石，為飛石所中而卒。 贈太尉。
Shentong was a nephew of Jinquan. He entered Zhuangzong's service as a youth, won repeated distinction in battle, and was promoted to commander of the vanguard. Early in the Tongguang era he commanded the right wing of the Northern Capital cavalry and was posted to the Fenghua garrison. In the spring of the fourth year he answered Mingzong's urgent summons, marched the army toward Yimen, and led the van. At the opening of the Tiancheng reign he was made prefect of Shan, then defense commissioner of Qi, while retaining command of the vanguard cavalry of all circuits. Ordered north on campaign, he joined Fang Zhiwen's camp at Lutai. When Longzhi's troops mutinied, Shentong left the banquet, commandeered a boat to cross the water, armed his riders, overtook the rebels marching south, and killed them to a man; for this he was made acting Grand Mentor and commissioner of Cangzhou. While besieging Wang Du at Zhongshan he exposed himself to missile fire and was killed by a stone cast from the wall. The court posthumously enfeoffed him as Grand Commandant.
4
安元信，字子言，代北人。 父順琳，為降野軍使。 元信以將族子，便騎射，幼事武皇，從平巢、蔡。 光啟中，吐渾赫連鐸寇雲中，武皇使元信拒之，元信兵敗於居庸關。 武皇性嚴急，元信不敢還，遂奔定州； 王處存待之甚厚，用為突騎都校。 乾寧中，處存子郜嗣位。 時梁軍攻河朔三鎮，奔命不暇，梁將張存敬軍奄至城下，既無宿備，郜懼，挈其族奔太原，元信從之； 武皇待之如初，用為鐵林軍使。 梁將氏叔琮之攻河東也，別將葛從周自馬嶺入，元信伏於榆次，挫其前鋒。 梁將李思安之攻上黨也，王師將壁高河，為梁軍所逼。 別將秦武者，尤為難敵，元信與鬥，斃之。 由是梁軍解去，城壘得立。 武皇賜所乘馬及細鎧仗，遷突陣都將。 莊宗嗣晉王位，元信從救上黨，破夾寨，復澤、潞，以功授檢校司空、遼州刺史，賜玉鞭名馬。 柏鄉之役，日晚戰酣，元信重傷，莊宗自臨傅藥。 其年，改檢校司徒、武州刺史，充內衙副都指揮使、山北諸州都團練副使。 從莊宗定魏博，移為博州刺史。 與梁對壘德勝渡，元信為右廂排陣使。 未幾，為大同軍節度使。 莊宗平定河南，移授橫海軍節度使。 時契丹犯邊，元信與霍彥威從明宗屯常山。 元信恃功，每對明宗以成敗勇怯戲侮彥威，彥威不敢答。 明宗曰：「成由天地，不由於人。 當氏叔琮圍太原，公有何勇！ 今國家運興，致我等富貴。」 勿以小勝小捷掛於口吻，取笑於長者。 元信乃起謝，不復以彥威為戲。 明宗即位，以元信嘗為內衙都校，尤厚待之，加同中書門下平章事。 明年，移鎮徐州。 王師之討高季興，襄帥劉訓逗撓軍期，移授元信山南東道節度使以代訓。 歲餘，改歸德軍節度使，就加兼侍中。 明宗不豫，求入。 末帝即位，授潞州節度使，加檢校太尉。 清泰三年二月，以疾卒於鎮，時年七十四。 贈太師。 晉高祖即位，以元信宿望，令禮官定諡曰忠懿。
An Yuanxin, whose style was Ziyan, came from northern Dai. His father Shunlin served as commander of the Jiangye garrison. Born into a military family, he was adept at horsemanship and archery and entered the Martial Emperor's service young, fighting through the campaigns against Huang Chao and Qin Zongquan. During Guangqi the Tujue chieftain Helian Duo raided Yunzhong; the Martial Emperor sent Yuanxin against him, and Yuanxin was defeated at Juyong Pass. The Martial Emperor was severe; Yuanxin did not dare go back and fled to Dingzhou. Wang Chucun received him warmly and made him commander of the shock cavalry. During Qianning, Chucun's son Gao succeeded him. The Liang were pressing the three Hebei circuits and Gao had no time to prepare when Zhang Cunjing's army appeared before the walls. In fear Gao took his family to Taiyuan, and Yuanxin went with him. The Martial Emperor welcomed him as before and appointed him commander of the Iron Forest guard. When Shi Shuzong attacked Hedong and Ge Congzhou came in by Maling, Yuanxin ambushed him at Yuci and broke his leading columns. When Li Si'an of Liang attacked Shangdang, the Jin army was trying to hold Gaohe but was hard pressed by Liang forces. Their subordinate Qin Wu was a formidable opponent; Yuanxin met him in combat and killed him. The Liang army then withdrew, and the defenses held. The Martial Emperor gave him his own mount, fine armor, and arms, and promoted him to commander of the assault corps. When Zhuangzong succeeded to the Jin throne, Yuanxin joined the relief of Shangdang, broke the encircling camps, and recovered Ze and Lu; he was made acting Minister of Works and prefect of Liao, and received a jade whip and a celebrated horse. At Baixiang, as dusk fell and the fighting raged, Yuanxin was badly wounded; Zhuangzong came in person to dress his wounds. That same year he was made acting Minister of Education and prefect of Wu, with the posts of deputy commander of the inner guard and deputy overseer of the northern circuits. He followed Zhuangzong in pacifying Weibo and was transferred to prefect of Bo. When the armies faced each other at Desheng Ford, Yuanxin commanded the right wing in battle order. Soon afterward he was made commissioner of the Datong circuit. After Zhuangzong pacified Henan, Yuanxin was transferred to commissioner of the Henghai circuit. When the Khitan raided the border, Yuanxin and Huo Yanwei campaigned with Mingzong at Changshan. Yuanxin, proud of his record, would bait Yanwei before Mingzong with jibes about who had won or lost and who was brave or timid; Yanwei never answered back. Mingzong said, "Victory belongs to Heaven and earth, not to any man. When Shi Shuzong besieged Taiyuan, what courage did you show then! It is the dynasty's rising fortune that has made us rich and honored." Do not parade petty triumphs in your speech and make a laughingstock of yourself before your seniors. Yuanxin rose to apologize and never again mocked Yanwei. When Mingzong came to the throne he treated Yuanxin with exceptional favor because they had served together in the inner guard, and made him Associate Grand Councillor. The following year he was transferred to Xuzhou. During the campaign against Gao Jixing, the Xiang commander Liu Xun dragged his feet; Yuanxin was made commissioner of Shannan East to replace him. A year later he was transferred to commissioner of Guide and concurrently made Palace Attendant. When Mingzong fell ill, he asked to return to court. When the Last Emperor succeeded, Yuanxin was made commissioner of Lu and acting Grand Commandant. In the second month of Qingtai 3 he died of illness at his post, aged seventy-four. The court posthumously enfeoffed him as Grand Preceptor. When the Jin founder Gaozu came to the throne, he honored Yuanxin's long service by having the ritual officers confer the posthumous name Loyal and Admirable.
5
有子六人，長曰友權，曆諸衛大將軍。 次曰友親，為滁州刺史，卒於任。
He had six sons. The eldest, Youquan, rose through the great generalships of the palace guards. The second, Youqin, served as prefect of Chu and died in office.
6
安重霸，雲州人也。 性狡譎，多智算。 初，自代北與明宗俱事武皇，因負罪奔梁； 在梁復以罪奔蜀，蜀以蕃人善騎射，因為親將。 蜀後主王衍，幼年襲位，其政多僻。 宦官王承休居中用事，與成都尹韓昭內外相結，專采擇聲色，以固寵幸。 武臣宿將，居常切齒。 重霸諂事承休，特見委信。 梁末，岐下削弱，蜀人奪取秦、成、階等州，重霸說承休求鎮秦州。 仍於軍中選山東驍果，得數千人，號龍武都，以承休為軍帥，重霸副焉，俱在天水。 歲餘，承休欲求旄鉞，乃以隴西花木入獻，又稱秦州山水之美，人物之盛，請後主臨幸，而韓昭讚成之。 〈（《太平廣記》引《王氏見聞錄》云：承休請從諸軍揀選官健，得驍勇數千，號龍武軍，承休自為統帥，並特加衣糧，日有優給。 因乞秦州節度使，且云：「願與陛下於秦州采掇美麗。」 且說秦州風土，多出國色，仍請幸天水。 少主甚悅，即遣仗節赴鎮，應所選龍武精銳，並充衙隊從行。）〉
An Zhongba came from Yunzhou. He was cunning and full of schemes. He had served the Martial Emperor in northern Dai alongside Mingzong, then fled to Liang after a crime. He fled Liang for Shu on another charge; Shu valued his frontier horsemanship and made him a personal guard. Shu's young ruler Wang Yan came to the throne as a boy, and his rule was deeply erratic. The eunuch Wang Chengxu dominated the court, conspiring with the Chengdu prefect Han Zhao to stock the palace with entertainers and secure their hold on the emperor's favor. The old military commanders ground their teeth in rage. Zhongba curried favor with Chengxu and won his special trust. Late in Liang, as Qi weakened, Shu seized Qin, Cheng, Jie, and neighboring prefectures; Zhongba urged Chengxu to seek the Qinzhou commission. From the army he picked several thousand fierce fighters from the east, called them the Dragon Martial Division, made Chengxu their commander with Zhongba as deputy, and stationed them at Tianshui. After a year Chengxu wanted a full military commission; he sent Longxi flowers and trees as tribute, praised Qinzhou's scenery and beauties, and asked the emperor to visit in person, with Han Zhao seconding the plan. (The 《Taiping Guangji》, citing the 《Wangshi Jianwenlu》: Chengxu asked to select troops from every army and gathered several thousand elite fighters called the Dragon Martial army under his own command, with extra rations and daily allowances.) He then asked for the Qinzhou commission, saying, "I wish to gather beauties at Qinzhou together with Your Majesty." He added that Qinzhou's countrywomen were famed for their beauty and again asked the emperor to visit Tianshui. The young emperor was delighted, sent him off with credentials to his post, and made the Dragon Martial elite his escort on the march.)〉
7
同光二年十月，蜀主率眾數萬，由劍閣將出興、鳳，以遊秦州； 至興州，遇魏王繼岌軍至，狼狽而旋。 承休遽聞東師入討，大恐，計無從出，問於重霸。 對曰：「開府何患？ 蜀中精兵，不下十萬，咫尺之險，安有不濟，縱東軍盡如狼虎，豈能入劍門！ 然國家有患，開府特受主知，不得失於奔赴，此州製置事定，無虞得失，重霸願從開府赴闕。」 承休素信以為忠赤。 重霸出秦州金帛以賂群羌，買由州山路歸蜀。 承休擁龍武軍及招置僅萬人從行，令重霸權握部署，州人祖送，秦州軍亦列部隊。 承休登乘，重霸馬前辭曰：「國家費盡事力，收獲隴西，若從開府南行，隴州即時疏失，請開府自行，重霸且為國守藩。」 承休既去，重霸在秦州，聞明宗起河北，即時遣使以秦、成等州來降。 天成初，用為閬州團練使。 未幾，召還為左衛大將軍。 常以奸佞揣人主意，明宗尤愛之。 長興末，明宗謂侍臣曰：「安重霸朕之故人，以秦州歸國，其功不細，酬以團練防禦，恐非懷來之道。」 範延光曰：「將校內有自河東、河北從陛下龍飛故人，尚有未及團防者，今若遽授重霸方鎮，恐為人竊議。」 明宗不悅。 未幾，竟以同州節鉞授之。 清泰初，移授西京留守、京兆尹。 先是，秦、雍之間，令長設酒食，私丐於部民者，俗謂之「搗蒜」。 及重霸之鎮長安，亦為之，故秦人目重霸為「搗蒜老」。 其年冬，改雲州節度。 居無何，以病求代，時家寄上黨，及歸而卒。 重霸善悅人，好賂遺，時人目之為俊。
In the tenth month of Tongguang 2 the Shu emperor led tens of thousands through Jian'ge toward Xing and Feng on his way to tour Qinzhou. At Xingzhou he met the army of Prince Jiji of Wei and fled back in disorder. Chengxiu heard abruptly that the eastern armies were advancing, was terrified, and asked Zhongba what to do. Zhongba answered, "What is there to fear, Commissioner? Shu has a hundred thousand elite troops, and the passes are at hand—how can we fail? Even if every eastern soldier were a wolf or tiger, they cannot pass Jianmen! But the realm is in peril and you enjoy the emperor's special trust—you must not fail to go to him. Once affairs here are settled there is nothing to lose; Zhongba will accompany you to court." Chengxu, who had always trusted him, took this for loyal devotion. Zhongba spent Qinzhou gold and silk bribing the Qiang tribes to open a mountain route back into Shu through Youzhou. Chengxiu marched with the Dragon Martial division and recruits, nearly ten thousand men, leaving Zhongba in charge of arrangements; the prefectural populace and Qinzhou troops turned out to see them off. As Chengxu mounted his horse, Zhongba bowed from the stirrup and said, "The state spent everything to win Longxi. If you march south, Longzhou will be left empty at once. Go on alone, Commissioner—I will hold the frontier for the realm." Once Chengxu had departed, Zhongba heard that Mingzong had risen in Hebei and immediately sent envoys offering Qin, Cheng, and the other prefectures in surrender. Early in Tiancheng he was made training commissioner of Lang. Soon he was recalled as great general of the Left Guard. He was forever scheming and flattering to read men's minds, and Mingzong favored him above others. Late in Changxing Mingzong told his attendants, "An Zhongba is an old friend. His surrender of Qinzhou was no small service; to reward him with only a training or defense post may not be the way to win men's hearts." Fan Yanguang said, "Among the commanders are old companions from Hedong and Hebei who followed Your Majesty from the beginning and have not yet received even training or defense commands; to give Zhongba a circuit commission at once may invite whispered complaint." Mingzong was displeased. Before long he received the Tongzhou commission anyway. Early in Qingtai he was made regent of the Western Capital and metropolitan prefect of Jingzhao. Previously in Qin and Yong, when local officials held feasts and privately extorted from their subjects, the people called it "pounding garlic." When Zhongba governed Chang'an he did likewise, and the Qin people nicknamed him "Old Pound-Garlic." That winter he was transferred to commissioner of Yunzhou. Soon he asked to be relieved on account of illness; his family was at Shangdang, and he died on the way home. Zhongba knew how to please people and loved to hand out gifts; contemporaries considered him a clever operator.
8
弟重進，尤凶惡。 事莊宗，以試劍殺人，奔淮南。 〈（《玉堂閑話》：安重進，性凶險，莊宗潛龍時為小校，常佩劍列於翊衛。 後攜劍南馳，投於梁祖，梁祖壯之，俾隸淮之鎮戍。 復以射殺掌庾吏，逃竄江湖，淮帥得之，擢為裨將。）〉 重霸在蜀，聞之蜀主，取之於吳，用為裨將。 隨重霸為龍武小將，戍長道，又殺人，奔歸洛陽。 〈（《玉堂閑話》云：蜀破，重進東歸，明宗補為諸州馬步軍都指揮使，後有過，鞭背卒。）〉
His younger brother Chongjin was even more brutal. He served Zhuangzong, killed a man while trying out his sword, and fled to Huainan. (The 《Yutang Xianhua》: An Chongjin was violent by nature. While Zhuangzong was still heir apparent he served as a junior officer in the imperial guard, sword at his side.) He later rode south with his sword, joined the Liang founder, who admired his spirit and assigned him to the Huai frontier garrison. He later shot dead a granary officer, fled into the countryside, and was taken up by the Huai commander as an adjutant.)〉 When Zhongba was in Shu he told the Shu emperor, who obtained Chongjin from Wu and made him an adjutant. He followed Zhongba as a Dragon Martial junior officer at Changdao, killed again, and fled back to Luoyang. (The 《Yutang Xianhua》: After Shu fell Chongjin returned east; Mingzong made him commander of the combined horse and foot forces of the prefectures. He later offended and was flogged to death.)〉
9
重霸之子曰懷浦，晉天福中，為禁軍指揮使。 契丹寇澶州，以臨陣忸怩，為景延廣所誅。
Zhongba's son Huaipu served in the Jin Tianfu era as a palace guard commander. When the Khitan attacked Chunzhou he shrank from the fight and was executed by Jing Yanguang.
10
劉訓，字遵範，隰州永和人也。 出身行間，初事武皇為馬軍隊長，漸至散將。 屬河中王氏昆仲有尋戈之役，訓從史儼攻陝州。 武皇討王行瑜，以訓為前鋒，後隸河中，為隰州防禦都將。 居無何，殺陝州刺史，以郡歸莊宗，曆瀛州刺史。 同光初，拜左監衛大將軍。 三年，授襄州節度使。 四年四月，洛陽有變，訓以私忿害節度副使胡裝，族其家，聞者冤之。 天成中，荊南高季興叛，詔訓為南面行營招討使，知荊南行府事。 是時，湖南馬殷請以舟師會，及王師至荊渚，殷軍方到岳州。 仍傳意於訓，許助軍儲弓甲之類，久之，略無至者。 〈（案《通鑒》：劉訓至荊南，楚王殷遣都指揮使許德勳等將水軍屯岳州。 高季興堅壁不戰，求救於吳，吳人遣水軍援之。）〉 荊渚地氣卑濕，漸及霖潦，糧運不繼，人多疾疫。 訓本無將略，人鹹苦之。 及孔循至，得襄之小校獻竹龍之術，及造竹龍二道，傅於城下，竟無所濟。 遂罷兵，令將士散略居民而回。 詔訓赴闕，尋責授檀州刺史，續敕濮州安置，未幾，起為龍武大將軍，尋授建雄軍節度使，移鎮延平。 卒贈太尉。
Liu Xun, whose style was Zunfan, came from Yonghe in Xi prefecture. He rose through the ranks, first serving the Martial Emperor as a cavalry captain and eventually becoming a field general. During the civil war among the Wang brothers of Hezhong, Xun followed Shi Yan in the attack on Shanzhou. When the Martial Emperor campaigned against Wang Xingyu, Xun led the van; he later entered Hezhong service as defense commander of Xi. Soon he killed the prefect of Shan, surrendered the commandery to Zhuangzong, and later served as prefect of Ying. Early in Tongguang he was made great general of the Left Guard. In the third year he was made commissioner of Xiang. In the fourth month of the fourth year, when Luoyang was in turmoil, Xun killed his deputy Hu Zhuang in a private grudge and wiped out Hu's family—a deed widely judged unjust. During Tiancheng, when Gao Jixing of Jingnan rebelled, Xun was appointed southern campaign commander with authority over the Jingnan field headquarters. Ma Yin of Hunan had offered a naval contingent, but when the imperial army reached Jingzhou his fleet had only just reached Yue. Yin still sent assurances of grain, arms, and armor, yet after a long wait almost nothing came. (Per the 《Zizhi Tongjian》: When Liu Xun reached Jingnan, King Yin of Chu sent Xu Dexun and others with the fleet to encamp at Yue. Gao Jixing held his walls and refused battle, begged Wu for help, and Wu sent naval reinforcements.)〉 The Jingzhou lowlands were humid; rains and floods followed, supplies failed, and pestilence spread through the army. Xun had no talent for command, and the troops suffered under him. When Kong Xun came, a junior officer from Xiang offered a "bamboo dragon" siege device; they built two and set them against the walls, but they accomplished nothing. They withdrew the army and let the troops plunder the countryside on the march home. Xun was recalled to court, demoted to prefect of Tan, then confined at Pu; soon he was restored as Dragon Martial great general, made commissioner of Jianxiong, and transferred to Yanping. He died and was posthumously enfeoffed as Grand Commandant.
11
劉彥琮，字比德，雲中人也。 事武皇，累從征役。 先是，絳州刺史王瓘叛，武皇言於彥琮，意欲致之。 無幾，從略於汾、晉之郊，彥琮奔絳，瓘以為附己，待之甚厚，因命為騎將。 會瓘出獵，於馳驅之際，彥琮刃瓘之首來獻，武皇甚奇之。 從莊宗解上黨之圍。 同光初，稍遷至鐵林指揮使、磁州刺史。 後明宗赴難京師，授華州留後，尋正授節旄。 天成三年，改左武衛上將軍。 未幾，改陝州節度使，尋移鎮邠州，卒於鎮，時年六十四。 贈太傅。
Liu Yancong, whose style was Bide, came from Yunzhong. He served the Martial Emperor through many campaigns. Earlier the Jiang prefect Wang Jin had rebelled; the Martial Emperor told Yancong he wanted Jin brought in. Soon, on a raid near Fen and Jin, Yancong defected to Jiang; Jin thought he had come over willingly, treated him generously, and made him a cavalry officer. When Jin went hunting, Yancong struck off his head in mid-gallop and presented it to the Martial Emperor, who was astonished. He followed Zhuangzong in relieving the siege of Shangdang. Early in Tongguang he rose to commander of the Iron Forest guard and prefect of Ci. When Mingzong marched to save the capital, Yancong was made regent of Hua and soon received a full commission. In Tiancheng 3 he was made senior general of the Left Martial Guard. Soon he was made commissioner of Shan, then transferred to Bin, where he died at sixty-four. The court posthumously enfeoffed him as Grand Tutor.
12
袁建豐，武皇破巢時得於華陰，年方九歲，愛其精神爽俊，俾收養之。 漸長，列於左右，復習騎射，補鐵林都虞候。 從破邠州王行瑜，以功遷左親騎軍使，轉突騎指揮使。 從莊宗解圍上黨，破柏鄉陣，累功遷右僕射、左廂馬軍指揮使。 明宗為內衙指揮使，建豐為副。 北討劉守光，常身先士伍，轉都教練使，權蕃漢副總管。 莊宗入鄴，以心腹幹能，選為魏府都巡檢使。 從征劉鄩，下衛、磁、洺有功，加檢校司空，授州洺州刺史。 於臨洺西敗梁將王遷數千人，生獲將領七十餘人，俄拜相州刺史。 征赴河上，豫戰於胡柳陂。 建豐領相州軍士，行營在外，委州事於小人，失於撫馭，指揮使孟守謙據城以叛，建豐引兵討平之。 改隰州刺史，染風痹於任。 明宗嗣位，念及平昔副貳之舊，詔赴洛下，親幸其第，撫問隆厚，加檢校太傅，遙授鎮南節度使，俾請俸自給。 後卒於洛陽，年五十六。 廢朝一日，贈太尉。
Yuan Jianfeng was taken at Huayin when the Martial Emperor defeated Huang Chao; he was only nine, and his bright bearing led the emperor to adopt him. As he grew he served at court, trained in horsemanship and archery, and became deputy commander of the Iron Forest guard. He fought in the defeat of Wang Xingyu of Bin and was promoted to commander of the Left Personal Cavalry, then of the shock cavalry. He relieved Shangdang with Zhuangzong, broke the enemy at Baixiang, and rose through merit to Right Vice Director and commander of the left cavalry wing. When Mingzong commanded the inner guard, Jianfeng served as his deputy. Campaigning north against Liu Shouguang he often led from the front; he became chief training officer and acting deputy overseer of the combined frontier forces. When Zhuangzong entered Ye he chose Jianfeng, a trusted and capable man, as chief inspector of the Wei prefecture. In the campaign against Liu Kun he captured Wei, Ci, and Ming, was made acting Minister of Works, and appointed prefect of Ming. West of Linming he routed several thousand men under the Liang general Wang Qian and took more than seventy officers alive; he was soon made prefect of Xiang. Marching to the Yellow River front he fought at Huliu Ford. With his army in the field Jianfeng left Xiang in the hands of unworthy subordinates; Commander Meng Shouqian rebelled and seized the city, and Jianfeng returned to crush him. He was transferred to Xi prefecture and contracted paralysis while in office. When Mingzong succeeded he recalled their old partnership, summoned Jianfeng to Luoyang, visited his home with warm condolences, made him acting Grand Tutor and titular commissioner of Zhennan, and allowed him to draw a salary for his upkeep. He later died in Luoyang at fifty-six. The emperor suspended court for a day and posthumously enfeoffed him as Grand Commandant.
13
子可鈞，仕皇朝，位至諸衛大將軍。
His son Kejun served the dynasty and rose to great general of the palace guards.
14
西方鄴，定州滿城人也。 父再遇，為州軍校。 鄴居軍中，以勇力聞。 年二十，南渡河遊梁，不見用，復歸。 莊宗以為孝義軍指揮使，累從征伐皆有功。 同光中，為曹州刺史，以州兵屯汴州。 明宗自魏州，南渡河，時莊宗東幸汴州。 汴州節度使孔循懷二誌，使北門迎明宗，西門迎莊宗，所以供帳委積悉如一，曰：「先至者入之。」 鄴因責循曰：「主上破梁室於公，有不殺之恩，奈何欲納總管而負國？」 循不答。 鄴度循不可爭，以石敬瑭妻，明宗女也，時方在汴，欲殺之以堅人心。 循知其謀，取之藏其家，鄴無如之何。 而明宗已及汴，乃將麾下兵五百騎西迎莊宗，見於汜水，嗚咽泣下，莊宗亦為之噓唏，使以兵為先鋒。 莊宗至汴西，不得入，還洛陽，遇弑。 明宗入洛，鄴請死於馬前，明宗嘉歎久之。 明年，荊南高季興叛，明宗遣襄州節度使劉訓等招討，而以東川董璋為西南招討使，乃拜鄴夔州刺史，副璋，以兵出三峽。 已而訓等無功見黜，諸將皆罷，璋未嘗出兵，惟鄴獨取夔、忠、萬三州，乃以夔州為寧江軍，拜鄴節度使。 已而又取歸州，數敗季興之兵。 鄴，武人，所為多不中法度，判官譚善達數以諫鄴，鄴怒，遣人告善達受人金，下獄。 善達素剛，辭益不遜，遂死於獄中。 鄴病，見善達為祟，卒於鎮。
Xi Fangye came from Mancheng in Ding prefecture. His father Zaiyu was a prefectural garrison officer. Fangye grew up in the army and was famed for his strength. At twenty he crossed south to seek service with Liang, found no post, and came home. Zhuangzong made him commander of the Xiaoyi army, and he distinguished himself in campaign after campaign. During Tongguang he was prefect of Cao and posted his troops at Bian. Mingzong marched south from Wei while Zhuangzong was traveling east to Bian. The Bian commissioner Kong Xun hedged his bets, prepared the north gate for Mingzong and the west gate for Zhuangzong, stocked both equally, and said, "Whoever arrives first may enter." Fangye rebuked him: "Our lord destroyed Liang for your sake and spared your life—how can you welcome the chief commander and betray the throne?" Xun made no reply. Seeing that Xun would not yield, Fangye considered killing Shi Jingtang's wife—the emperor's daughter, then at Bian—to steady loyalty. Xun learned of the plan, took her into hiding, and Fangye was helpless. Mingzong had already reached Bian; Fangye led five hundred horsemen west to meet Zhuangzong at Sishui, wept before him, and Zhuangzong, moved in turn, made his men the vanguard. Zhuangzong reached the west bank of Bian but could not enter, returned to Luoyang, and was murdered. When Mingzong entered Luoyang, Fangye asked to die at his horse's feet; Mingzong praised him at length. The following year, when Gao Jixing of Jingnan rebelled, Mingzong sent Liu Xun of Xiang and others against him and made Dong Zhang of Dongchuan southwestern commander; Fangye was made prefect of Qi to assist Zhang and marched through the Three Gorges. Soon Xun and the others were dismissed for failure; the other generals were recalled and Zhang never marched—only Fangye captured Qi, Zhong, and Wan, after which Qi was organized as the Ningjiang circuit and Fangye was made its commissioner. He then took Gui as well and repeatedly defeated Jixing's forces. A soldier by trade, Fangye often ignored the law; his aide Tan Shanda remonstrated repeatedly until Fangye, enraged, had him accused of bribery and thrown into prison. Shanda was stubborn by nature and grew only more defiant in speech until he died in prison. Fangye fell ill, was haunted by visions of Shanda, and died at his post.
15
孫璋，齊州曆城人。 出身行間，隸梁將楊師厚麾下，稍補奉化軍使。 莊宗入鄴，累遷澶州都指揮使。 明宗鎮常山，擢為裨校。 鄴兵之變，從明宗赴難京師。 天成初，曆趙、登二州刺史，齊州防禦使。 王都之據中山，璋為定州行營都虞候，賊平，加檢校太保。 長興初，授鄜州節度使，罷鎮，卒於洛陽，年六十一。 贈太尉。
Sun Zhang came from Licheng in Qi prefecture. He rose through the ranks under the Liang general Yang Shihou and was eventually made commander of the Fenghua garrison. When Zhuangzong entered Ye, Zhang rose to commander of Chun. When Mingzong governed Changshan, Zhang was promoted to adjutant. During the Ye mutiny he followed Mingzong to save the capital. Early in Tiancheng he served as prefect of Zhao and Deng in turn, then as defense commissioner of Qi. When Wang Du held Zhongshan, Zhang was chief adjutant of the Ding field camp; after the rebellion was crushed he was made acting Grand Guardian. Early in Changxing he was made commissioner of Fu; after leaving his post he died in Luoyang at sixty-one. The court posthumously enfeoffed him as Grand Commandant.
16
史臣曰：夫天地斯晦，則帝王於是龍飛； 雲雷構屯，則王侯以之蟬蛻。 良以適遭亂世，得奮雄圖，故金全而下，咸以軍旅之功，坐登藩閫之位，垂名簡冊，亦可貴焉。 惟重霸以奸險而仗旄鉞，蓋非數子之儔也。
The historian writes: When heaven and earth fall into darkness, emperors rise like dragons. When cloud and thunder gather as in the hexagram Tun, lords cast off their old forms. Having come of age in turmoil and seized their chance to prove themselves, Jinquan and the men below him won frontier commands through military service and a place in the annals—an achievement worth honoring. Only Zhongba, cunning and treacherous, won a commander's commission—he was hardly the equal of the others.