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梁書卷第十四列傳第八
Book of Liang, Volume 14, Biographies 8
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Jingsu, Prince of Jianping under Song, prized men of letters; Yan served him in Southern Yanzhou. Guangling magistrate Guo Yanwen ran afoul of the law; Yan was caught up in the case and held in the provincial prison. From his cell Yan sent up a memorial, which said:
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昔者，賤臣叩心，飛霜擊於燕地； 庶女告天，振風襲於齊臺。 下官每讀其書，未嘗不廢卷流涕。 何者？ 士有一定之論，女有不易之行。 信而見疑，貞而爲戮，是以壯夫義士伏死而不顧者此也。 下官聞仁不可恃，善不可依，始謂徒語，乃今知之。 伏願大王暫停左右，少加憐鑒。
Long ago a loyal subject struck his heart in anguish, and frost answered on the plains of Yan; a common daughter cried to Heaven, and a rending wind struck the tower of Qi. Whenever your servant reads those lines he cannot close the book without tears. Why is that? A gentleman holds to a fixed standard; a woman keeps faith that will not bend. Believed in yet doubted, steadfast yet slain—for that reason stalwarts and men of honor face death and never turn aside. Your servant heard that kindness cannot be trusted and virtue cannot be depended on; he took it for empty saying—now he knows it true. He bows and begs Your Highness to stay your attendants briefly and lend a measure of pity and clear judgment.
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下官本蓬戶桑樞之民，布衣韋帶之士，退不飾《詩書》以驚愚，進不買名聲於天下。 日者謬得升降承明之闕，出入金華之殿，何嘗不局影凝嚴，側身扃禁者乎？ 竊慕大王之義，爲門下之賓，備鳴盜淺術之餘，豫三五賤伎之末。 大王惠以恩光，眄以顏色。 實佩荊卿黃金之賜，竊感豫讓國士之分矣。 常欲結纓伏劍，少謝萬一，剖心摩踵，以報所天。 不圖小人固陋，坐貽謗缺，迹墜昭憲，身限幽圄。 履影弔心，酸鼻痛骨。 下官聞虧名爲辱，虧形次之，是以每一念來，忽若有遺。 加以涉旬月，迫季秋，天光沉陰，左右無色。 身非木石，與獄吏爲伍。 此少卿所以仰天搥心，泣盡而繼之以血者也。 下官雖乏鄉曲之譽，然嘗聞君子之行矣。 其上則隱於簾肆之間，臥於巖石之下； 次則結綬金馬之庭，高議雲臺之上； 次則虜南越之君，繫單于之頸：俱啓丹册，並圖青史。 寧當爭分寸之末，競刀錐之利哉！ 然下官聞積毀銷金，積讒糜骨。 古則直生取疑於盜金，近則伯魚被名於不義。 彼之二才，猶或如此； 況在下官，焉能自免。 昔上將之恥，絳侯幽獄； 名臣之羞，史遷下室，如下官尚何言哉！ 夫魯連之智，辭祿而不反； 接輿之賢，行歌而忘歸。 子陵閉關於東越，仲蔚杜門於西秦，亦良可知也。 若使下官事非其虛，罪得其實，亦當鉗口吞舌，伏匕首以殞身，何以見齊魯奇節之人，燕趙悲歌之士乎？
Your servant is a man of wicker doors and mulberry pivots, a common scholar in hemp and leather; he did not dress up the Odes and Documents to dazzle fools, nor purchase renown under heaven. Not long ago, by error, he passed the Bright Hall gate and walked the Golden Flower halls—was he not always folding his shadow before the guards and edging past the locks? He secretly honored Your Highness's righteousness and entered your gate as a retainer, given only the dregs of shallow craft and a place among the meanest talents. Your Highness favored him with grace and looked on him with kindness. He truly bore the gift of Jing Ke's gold and felt in his bones the debt Yu Rang owed a lord of the land. He often meant to knot his cap and offer his sword, to repay you in the least part, to break his heart and grind his heels for the lord he served. He never dreamed a petty man's spite would trap him in accusation; his name fell from the bright statutes, his body was caged in the black jail. He treads on his shadow and weeps in his heart; acid rises in his nose and pain cuts his bones. Your servant has heard that to lose one's name is shame and to lose one's body is worse still; each time the thought returns he feels something torn away. Moreover a month has passed into late autumn; heaven hangs dark and there is no light at either hand. He is not wood or stone, yet he keeps company with the turnkeys. That is why Sir Shaoqing beat his breast to Heaven, wept his eyes dry, and still shed blood. Your servant lacks fame in his district, yet he has heard the gentleman's way. At the highest he hides behind shop curtains or sleeps on mountain stone; next he ties his sash in the hall of golden horses and argues great policy on the Cloud Terrace; next he seizes the lord of Southern Yue and collars the Chanyu: each enters the vermilion book and wins a line in the blue annals. Would he fight for a hair's breadth or compete for a needle's point! Yet your servant has heard that slander heaped high can melt gold and malice heaped high can grind bone to dust. In antiquity Straightborn was doubted over stolen gold; in recent times Boyu was marked with an unjust name. Men of such gifts suffered thus; how much more your servant—how could he be spared! Of old a great general's shame was Jiang Hou in the cells; a famous minister's blush was the Historian in the pit—as for your servant, what words remain! Lu Zhonglian had wisdom yet refused rank and never came back; Jieyu had worth yet sang as he walked and forgot the homeward road. Yan Ziling closed his door in Eastern Yue and Zhong Wei sealed his gate in Western Qin—the meaning is clear enough. If your servant's charge were true and his guilt solid, he should seal his mouth, swallow his tongue, and die on a blade—why meet the strange honor of Qi and Lu or the mourning singers of Yan and Zhao!
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方今聖曆欽明，天下樂業，青雲浮雒，榮光塞河。 西洎臨洮、狄道，北距飛狐、陽原，莫不浸仁沐義，照景飲醴。 而下官抱痛圜門，含憤獄戶，一物之微，有足悲者。 仰惟大王少垂明白，則梧丘之魂，不愧於沉首； 鵠亭之鬼，無恨於灰骨。 不任肝膽之切，敬因執事以聞。 此心旣照，死且不朽。
Now the sacred reign is revered and bright; all under heaven delights in its labor; azure clouds drift above the Luo, splendor blocks the river. West to Lintao and Didao, north to Flying Fox and Yangyuan—every land is steeped in kindness, washed in duty, lit by the sun, drinking the sweet cup. Yet your servant nurses pain at the round gate and hoards rage in the jail— the smallest matter is cause for grief. He looks up and begs Your Highness to grant a little clear sight; then the shade at Wuzhu Mound need not blush for a buried head; the ghost at Goose Pavilion need not regret bones burned to ash. Unable to bear the cut of heart and liver, he respectfully reports through your officers. Once this heart is known, even death will not die.
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Jingsu read the letter and freed him the same day. Soon he was recommended as South Xuzhou village scholar, topped the policy exam, and became left regular attendant in the Prince of Baling's household.
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When Jingsu took Jing province, Yan went with him to the command. When the Depraved Emperor took the throne, his conduct failed in many ways. Jingsu held the upper river country alone; many urged him to strike while he could. Yan often urged him gently: "Rumor draws ruin— that is how the Two Uncles died as one; nursing a grudge at the board— that is how the Seven States were destroyed. Your Highness does not seek the altars' safety but trusts men at your ear; then you will again see deer in frost and dew on the Terrace of Gusu." Jingsu would not listen. When he held Jingkou, Yan became pacifying-army staff officer and also magistrate of Southern Donghai. Jingsu and his inner circle schemed night and day; Yan saw disaster near and offered fifteen poems as warning.
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會南東海太守陸澄丁艱，淹自謂郡丞應行郡事，景素用司馬柳世隆。 淹固求之，景素大怒，言於選部，黜爲建安吳興令。 淹在縣三年。 昇明初，齊帝輔政，聞其才，召爲尚書駕部郎、驃騎參軍事。 俄而荊州刺史沈攸之作亂，高帝謂淹曰：「天下紛紛若是，君謂何如？」 淹對曰：「昔項強而劉弱，袁衆而曹寡，羽號令諸侯，卒受一劍之辱，紹跨躡四州，終爲奔北之虜。 此謂『在德不在鼎』。 公何疑哉？」 帝曰：「聞此言者多矣，試爲慮之。」 淹曰：「公雄武有奇略，一勝也； 寬容而仁恕，二勝也； 賢能畢力，三勝也； 民望所歸，四勝也； 奉天子而伐叛逆，五勝也。 彼志銳而器小，一敗也； 有威而無恩，二敗也； 士卒解體，三敗也； 搢紳不懷，四敗也； 懸兵數千里，而無同惡相濟，五敗也。 故雖豺狼十萬，而終爲我獲焉。」 帝笑曰：「君談過矣。」 是時軍書表記，皆使淹具草。 相國建，補記室參軍事。 建元初，又爲驃騎豫章王記室，帶東武令，參掌詔册，並典國史。 尋遷中書侍郎。 永明初，遷驍騎將軍，掌國史。 出爲建武將軍、廬陵內史。 視事三年，還爲驍騎將軍，兼尚書左丞，尋復以本官領國子博士。 少帝初，以本官兼御史中丞。
When Southern Donghai prefect Lu Cheng began mourning, Yan assumed the aide should run the commandery; Jingsu gave the post to staff officer Liu Shilong. Yan insisted; Jingsu raged, spoke to personnel, and demoted him to Jian'an magistrate in Wu-xing. Yan served in the county three years. At the start of Ascendant Bright, with Qi's emperor as regent, he heard of Yan and made him secretariat director of the imperial equipage and valiant-cavalry staff officer. Soon Jing inspector Shen Youzhi rose in arms; Gaodi asked Yan, "The world is chaos like this—what is your view?" Yan answered, "Once Xiang Yu was strong and Liu Bang weak, Yuan Shao had numbers and Cao Cao few; Yu ruled the lords yet died by one sword, Yuan held four provinces yet fled north in defeat. That is what men mean by 'power lies in virtue, not in the tripod.' What doubt remains for you?" The emperor said, "Many say the same—work it through for me." Yan said, "You are boldly martial with a singular plan—first victory; tolerant and humane—second victory; the worthy give all their strength—third victory; the people's hopes rest on you—fourth victory; you hold the Son of Heaven and punish rebellion—fifth victory. Their will is keen but their measure small—first defeat; they inspire fear but grant no grace—second defeat; their troops are slack—third defeat; the gentry do not stand with them—fourth defeat; they stretch an army a thousand li with no ally of one heart—fifth defeat. Though jackals number in the tens of thousands, in the end they are yours." The emperor laughed and said, "You overspeak." In those days every army dispatch and memorial passed through Yan's hand. When the chief minister's office was set up, he became record-keeper on the staff. At Jianyuan's opening he was again valiant-cavalry record-keeper to the Prince of Yuzhang, magistrate of Dongwu in addition, drafting edicts and patents and tending the national history. Soon he rose to secretariat gentleman. At Yongming's opening he became valiant cavalry general and still held the national history. He went out as general who establishes martial glory and Luling interior magistrate. After three years he returned as valiant cavalry general and vice director of the masters of writing; soon he held the same rank and led the national university as erudite. When the Depraved Emperor began his reign Yan kept his rank and also served as censor.
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Mingdi was regent and told Yan, "In the secretariat you never moved without public business; in office you could balance mercy and severity; now as southern inspector you can shake the hundred officials sober." Yan answered, "Today's charge is to act as the post requires; I only fear my gift is small and my resolve thin for your clear command." He then impeached secretariat director Xie Fei, minister of education left chief of staff Wang Ji, and protecting-army chief clerk Yu Hongyuan—for long illness and absence from the imperial tomb rites; he also charged former Yi inspector Liu Jun and former Liang inspector Yin Zhibo with bribes in the tens of thousands and sent them straight to the court for judgment. Linhai prefect Shen Zhaolue, Yongjia prefect Yu Tanlong, and many two-thousand-bushel magistrates in great districts were impeached and punished; inside and outside the court turned severe. Mingdi told Yan, "Since the Song there has been no censor this stern; you may be called alone in our age."
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When Mingdi succeeded, Yan became chief of staff to the valiant-cavalry prince of Linhai. Soon he was court commandant and supplicator in addition, then champion chief of staff and assistant state general. He went out as Xuancheng prefect, general's rank unchanged. Four years in office, then back to court as yellow-gate gentleman and infantry colonel, soon keeper of the palace library. In Yongyuan, Cui Huijing besieged the capital; every gentleman sent his card, but Yan pleaded sickness and stayed away. When the storm passed, the world praised his foresight.
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東昏末，淹以秘書監兼衛尉，固辭不獲免，遂親職。 謂人曰：「此非吾任，路人所知，正取吾空名耳。 且天時人事，尋當飜覆。 孔子曰：『有文事者必有武備。』 臨事圖之，何憂之有？」 頃之，又副領軍王瑩。 及義師至新林，淹微服來奔，高祖板爲冠軍將軍，秘書監如故，尋兼司徒左長史。 中興元年，遷吏部尚書。 二年，轉相國右長史，冠軍將軍如故。 天監元年，爲散騎常侍、左衛將軍，封臨沮縣開國伯，食邑四百戶。 淹乃謂子弟曰：「吾本素宦，不求富貴，今之忝竊，遂至於此。 平生言止足之事，亦以備矣。 人生行樂耳，須富貴何時。 吾功名旣立，正欲歸身草萊耳。」 其年，以疾遷金紫光祿大夫，改封醴陵侯。 四年卒，時年六十二。 高祖爲素服舉哀。 賻錢三萬，布五十匹。 諡曰憲伯。
At the end of Donghun's reign, Yan, as Palace Library Director, was also made Commandant of the Guards. He firmly declined but could not be excused, and so took up the office himself. He told someone, "This is not a post suited to me; even passersby know it. They are simply using my empty name. Besides, the timing of Heaven and the affairs of men will soon be overturned. Confucius said, 'Those who have civil affairs must also have military preparations.' If one plans when events arrive, what is there to worry about?" Soon afterward he again served as deputy to Wang Ying, Commander of the Army. When the righteous army reached Xinlin, Yan came over in plain clothes. Gaozu provisionally appointed him Champion General, leaving him as Palace Library Director as before, and soon made him concurrently left chief clerk to the Minister over the Masses. In Zhongxing 1, he was transferred to Minister of Personnel. In the second year, he was moved to right chief clerk to the Chancellor of State, remaining Champion General as before. In Tianjian 1, he became Regular Attendant and Left Guard General, and was enfeoffed as founding Count of Linju county with a fief of four hundred households. Yan then told his sons and younger kinsmen, "I was originally a plain official and did not seek wealth or rank. Now, through undeserved favor, I have reached this point. What I have said all my life about knowing when to stop is now fully satisfied. Life is only for taking one's pleasure; when does one need wealth and rank? Now that my achievements and name are established, I simply wish to return myself to the fields." That year, because of illness, he was transferred to Grand Master for Splendid Happiness with Gold Seal and Purple Ribbon, and his fief was changed to Marquis of Liling. He died in the fourth year, aged sixty-two. Gaozu wore plain mourning dress and held a lamentation for him. He granted funeral gifts of thirty thousand cash and fifty bolts of cloth. His posthumous title was Xianbo.
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淹少以文章顯，晚節才思微退，時人皆謂之才盡。 凡所著述百餘篇，自撰爲前後集，幷《齊史》十志，並行於世。
He had risen on his pen, yet in old age his gift thinned; men said his talent was spent. He left more than a hundred works, front and rear collections of his own, and the Ten Annals of Qi—all still in the world.
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Ren Fang, styled Yansheng, came from Bochang in Le'an—a line from Han's censor-in-chief Ao. His father Yao was Qi's central regular grandee. Yao's wife, Lady Pei, napped and dreamed of a colored canopy with bells at four corners falling from heaven; one bell struck her breast, her heart leapt, and soon she bore Fang. He stood seven chi five cun tall. As a boy he loved books and was known early. Liu Bing, Song's Danyang intendant, took him as chief clerk. Fang was sixteen and crossed Bing's son with his pride. In time he became court attendant, was named Yanzhou outstanding talent, made a ritual academician, then staff officer on the northern campaign.
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Early in Yongming, Wang Jian of the guards, as Danyang intendant, drew him back as chief clerk. Jian prized him deeply and said no man of the time matched him. He rose to prison staff in the criminal office, then palace attendant in the secretariat, then recorder to the Prince of Jingling, and left for his father's mourning. He was filial to the bone; in mourning he kept every rite. When that mourning ended, his mother died; he kept a hut by the grave, and where he wept the grass would not grow. When mourning ended he was heir-apparent infantry colonel, keeper of the eastern palace papers.
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初，齊明帝旣廢郁林王，始爲侍中、中書監、驃騎大將軍、開府儀同三司、揚州刺史、錄尚書事，封宣城郡公，加兵五千，使昉具表草。 其辭曰：「臣本庸才，智力淺短。 太祖高皇帝篤猶子之愛，降家人之慈； 世祖武皇帝情等布衣，寄深同氣。 武皇大漸，實奉詔言。 雖自見之明，庸近所蔽，愚夫一至，偶識量己，實不忍自固於綴衣之辰，拒違於玉幾之側，遂荷顧托，導揚末命。 雖嗣君棄常，獲罪宣德，王室不造，職臣之由。 何者？ 親則東牟，任惟博陸，徒懷子孟社稷之對，何救昌邑爭臣之譏。 四海之議，於何逃責？ 陵土未乾，訓誓在耳，家國之事，一至於斯，非臣之尤，誰任其咎！ 將何以肅拜高寢，虔奉武園？ 悼心失圖，泣血待旦。 寧容復徼榮於家恥，宴安於國危。 驃騎上將之元勳，神州儀刑之列岳，尚書是稱司會，中書實管王言。 且虛飾寵章，委成禦侮，臣知不愜，物誰謂宜。 但命輕鴻毛，責重山岳，存沒同歸，毀譽一貫。 辭一官不減身累，增一職已黷朝經。 便當自同體國，不爲飾讓。 至於功均一匡，賞同千室，光宅近甸，奄有全邦，殞越爲期，不敢聞命，亦願曲留降鑒，卽垂聽許。 鉅平之懇誠必固，永昌之丹慊獲申，乃知君臣之道，綽有餘裕，苟曰易昭，敢守難奪。」 帝惡其辭斥，甚慍，昉由是終建武中，位不過列校。
When Qi's Emperor Ming deposed the Emperor of Lin, he first took attendant, palace library director, agile-cavalry general with full staff, Yangzhou inspector, and recorder of the secretariat, was made duke of Xuancheng with five thousand more troops, and had Fang draft the memorial. It runs: "Your servant is a mediocrity, shallow in wit and short in strength. Grand Ancestor Gao cherished a nephew as a son and gave the kindness of kin under one roof; Ancestor Emperor Wu treated him as an equal of the robe and bound him with shared blood. When Emperor Wu lay dying, I truly received his charge in words. Though I saw my own light, the near blinded me—yet even a fool, once, may know his measure—and I could not harden myself at the hour of mourning dress nor turn away beside the jade throne; so I bore the trust and carried out the last command. Though the heir abandoned the norm and was judged for upholding virtue, the royal house was broken—and the fault is mine. Why is that? Kin was the Prince of Eastern Mou, the charge was Bolu's—he only kept Zimeng's answer for throne and altar; how could he spare Changyi the rebuke of contentious ministers? The judgment of the four seas—how shall I escape blame? The imperial tomb is not yet dry, the charge still rings in the ear—house and state have come to this; if not my fault, whose is it? How shall I bow at the high inner chamber and serve the martial park with devotion? A grieving heart has lost its map; I wait for dawn in tears of blood. How can I again seek glory on family shame and feast while the state is in peril? The founding merit of the agile-cavalry general, the model lord of the divine land—the secretariat is called steward of assemblies, the palace director truly holds the king's words. Yet empty ornaments of favor, entrusting the ward of insult—I know it will not satisfy; who would call it fitting? Yet life is lighter than a goose feather and duty heavier than mountains; alive or dead we go together, ruin and praise one thread. To refuse one office does not lighten the body's load; to add one post already stains the court's rule. I should then be one body with the state and not make a show of yielding. As for merit like one rectification and reward like a thousand households, shining over the nearby suburbs and holding the whole realm—for my life's term I dare not hear the command; yet I beg you bend your lowered gaze and grant it at once. Juping's earnest plea must stand, Yongchang's cinnabar heart may be declared—then one knows the way of ruler and minister still has room; if change is plain, I dare keep what is hard to take." The emperor hated the rebuke in his words and was furious; from this Fang through all Jianwu never rose above colonel.
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Fang excelled at prose, especially at the brush; his talent never ran dry—every king and duke of the age asked him for memorials. Fang's drafts were done at once, without a dot changed. Shen Yue, master of the age's words, prized him deeply. When Emperor Ming died he was made secretariat gentleman. At Yongyuan's end he was right chief of staff of the secretariat.
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高祖克京邑，霸府初開，以昉爲驃騎記室參軍。 始高祖與昉遇竟陵王西邸，從容謂昉曰：「我登三府，當以卿爲記室。」 昉亦戲高祖曰：「我若登三事，當以卿爲騎兵。」 謂高祖善騎也。 至是故引昉，符昔言焉。 昉奉牋曰：「伏承以今月令辰，肅膺典策，德顯功高，光副四海，含生之倫，庇身有地； 況昉受教君子，將二十年，咳唾爲恩，眄睞成飾，小人懷惠，顧知死所。 昔承清宴，屬有緒言，提挈之旨，形乎善謔，豈謂多幸，斯言不渝。 雖情謬先覺，而迹淪驕餌，湯沐具而非弔，大廈構而相驩。 明公道冠二儀，勳超邃古，將使伊周奉轡，桓文扶轂，神功無紀，化物何稱。 府朝初建，俊賢驤首，惟此魚目，唐突璵璠。 顧己循涯，𢉴知塵忝，千載一逢，再造難答。 雖則殞越，且知非報。」
When Gaozu took the capital and the hegemon's office opened, Fang was staff officer and recorder to the agile-cavalry general. When Gaozu first met Fang at the Prince of Jingling's western residence, he said lightly, "When I reach the three offices, you shall be my recorder." Fang joked back, "If I reach the three ministries, you shall be my cavalry officer." He meant Gaozu rode well. Now he drew Fang in—keeping the old jest. Fang submitted a letter: "I humbly receive that on this appointed day you solemnly take the canonical charter—virtue bright, merit high, light over the four seas; every living kind has ground to shelter its body; As for Fang, I have received a gentleman's teaching nearly twenty years—cough and spit were grace, a glance was ornament; the small man who cherishes favor knows where to die. Once at a clear banquet there was a thread of words, shaped in friendly jest; who thought such fortune—that those words would hold. Though feeling erred in foresight, my tracks fell among proud bait—bath and wash stood ready yet no condolence came, the great hall was built yet we rejoiced together. My lord's Way crowns the two principles, merit passes the deepest past—you will make Yi and Zhou hold the reins, Huan and Wen steady the wheels; divine work beyond record, transforming beings beyond name. As the office first rose, worthy men tossed their heads—only this fish's eye bumped the pearl jade by mistake. Looking back at my own bank, I know how dust stains the frontier—a meeting once in a thousand ages, a rebirth hard to repay. Though I overstep and die, I know it is not repayment."
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In Tianjian year 2 he went out as administrator of Yixing. In office he was pure and spare—concubines and sons ate only wheat. His friend Dao Gai of Pengcheng—Gai's younger brother Qia—had roamed mountains and streams with him. When he was replaced and boarded the boat, he had only five hu of rice. On arrival he had no clothes; Shen Yue the suppressing-army general sent skirt and robe to meet him. He was again personnel section director, helping with great selections—in the post he did not excel. Soon he was censor-in-chief, palace library director, and front army general together. Since Qi's Yongyuan the secret library's four sections were tangled—Fang collated them by hand, and the catalog was fixed.
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In the sixth year's spring he went out as pacify-the-north general and administrator of Xin'an. In the commandery he did not trouble about dress; staff in hand, he walked the town on foot—whoever brought suit or plea, he judged on the road. His rule was pure and spare; officials and people found it easy. After a full year in office he died in the government house, at forty-nine. The whole territory grieved; the people together built a shrine south of the city. When Gaozu heard, that very day he mourned and wept with extreme grief. Posthumously he was made grand master of ceremonies, posthumous title Jingzi.
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Fang loved friendship and lifted scholar friends—those who won his praise mostly rose; so gentry and nobles all vied to know him, and guests at his seat were always several tens. Men of the age admired this and called him Lord Ren—as with the Three Lords of Han. Yin Yun of Chen commandery wrote to Dao Gai, administrator of Jian'an: "The wise man has passed; the compass fails. To whom does the divine tortoise belong? Who will carry the lodestone?" Thus gentlemen friends pushed him. Fang did not manage livelihood—so much so that he had no house. The world sometimes mocked him for much begging and borrowing, yet he at once gave it away to kin and friends. Fang often sighed, "Those who know me know me by Uncle Ze; those who do not know me also know me by Uncle Ze." Fang had seen every book in the land—though his house was poor, his library held more than ten thousand scrolls, mostly rare editions. After Fang died, Gaozu had Academician He Zong and Shen Yue collate his catalog—what the office lacked, they took from Fang's house. Fang's writings ran to several hundred thousand words and flourished in the world.
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Early on Fang stood among the gentry and drew many up; if someone favored him, he thickened that person's fame. When he died his sons were all young; few came to support the bereaved. Liu Xiaobiao of Pingyuan wrote a discourse, saying:
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The guest asked the host, "Was Zhu Gongshu's Discourse on Severing Friendship right? Or wrong?" The host said, "Guest, why this question?" The guest said, "When the grass insect chirps, the mole cricket leaps; when the sculpted tiger roars, the clear wind rises. Thus kin-muffled things answer one another—mist wells, clouds steam; crying calls crying summons—stars stream, lightning lashes. Therefore when Wang Yang rose, Lord Gong rejoiced; when Han Sheng left, Guozi grieved. Hearts were tuned like qin and se; words breathed orchid and iris; the Way clung like glue and lacquer; wills leaned together like paired pipes. For this the sages cut gold plates, graved bronze vessels, wrote jade registers, and struck bells and tripods. As when the craftsman sets aside the wind's subtle craft, or Boya stills the flowing wave's elegant tune. Fan and Zhang kept faith in the underworld spring; Yin and Ban lingered easy through the long night. They galloped crosswise, veiled in mist, scattered in rain—beyond any clever reckoner, beyond any heart's measure. Yet Zhu of Yizhou wrote his Yi narrative and Yue admonition, struck down straight speech, cut off all fellowship, saw common folk as hawks and kites, and weighed human ties against jackals and tigers. I am puzzled—please resolve my doubt."
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主人听然曰：「客所謂撫弦徽音，未達燥濕變響； 張羅沮澤，不睹鵠雁高飛。 蓋聖人握金鏡，闡風烈，龍驤蠖屈，從道汙隆。 日月聯璧，歎亹亹之弘致； 雲飛電薄，顯棣華之微旨。 若五音之變化，濟九成之妙曲。 此朱生得玄珠於赤水，謨神睿而爲言。 至夫組織仁義，琢磨道德，歡其愉樂，恤其陵夷。 寄通靈臺之下，遺迹江湖之上，風雨急而不輟其音，霜雪零而不渝其色，斯賢達之素交，歷萬古而一遇。 逮叔世民訛，狙詐飇起，谿谷不能逾其險，鬼神無以究其變，競毛羽之輕，趨錐刀之末。 於是素交盡，利交興，天下蚩蚩，鳥驚雷駭。 然利交同源，派流則異，較言其略，有五術焉：
The host smiled and said, "You speak of stroking strings for pure tone, yet miss how dryness and dampness change the sound; you spread nets in the marsh and never see swan and wild goose wheel high. The sage holds the golden mirror, unfolds wind and merit; dragon rampant or silkworm bent, he follows the Way in rise or fall. Sun and moon like linked jades—he sighs at tireless vast reach; clouds flying, lightning thin—he shows the subtle bloom of flowering paulownia. Like the five tones' changes completing the nine accomplishments' subtle melody— this is Zhu winning the dark pearl from Red Water—divine wisdom turned into words. As for weaving benevolence and righteousness, polishing the moral Way, rejoicing in its pleasure, grieving its ruin— lodging beneath the Spirit Terrace, leaving traces on rivers and lakes—wind and rain urgent yet the tone never breaks, frost and snow fallen yet the hue never stains—such is the sage's plain friendship, once in ten thousand ages. When the age turned corrupt, trickery rose like a gale; ravines could not hold its peril, spirits could not trace its shifts; all raced after feather-light gain and hurried to the knife's edge. Then plain friendship died and profit friendship rose; the world seethed—birds startled, thunder crashed. Yet profit friendship shares one source with differing streams; in outline, five arts:
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Consider those who enjoy favor like Dong Xian and Shi Chong, whose power crushes Liang Ji and the Dou clan. They carve the hundred crafts, smelt ten thousand things; breath out cloud and rain, breath in frost and dew; the nine regions shudder at their dust, the four seas pile their scorch. All gaze at their star and run, borrow their echo and flock like stream geese; at the cock's first cry crane-canopies mass into shade, high gates open at dawn, carriages link hub to hub. All would grind crown to heel, crush gall and draw gut, pledge with Yao Li to burn wife and children, vow with Jing Ke to drown seven clans. This is power friendship—the first current.
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Wealth rivals Tao Zhugong and Bai Gui, assets exceed Cheng and Luo; mountains hold copper mines, houses hide gold pits; leaving the plain they link horses, in the lane they ring bells. Then poor-lane guests and hemp-door scholars hope for the night candle's last gleam, beg the dripping-house's slight favor; they string in like fish, hop like ducks, rustling in heaps, share the goose's grain, dip from the jade goblet's lees. They bear favor, advance earnest regard, offer green pine to show the heart, point to white water to display faith. This is bribe friendship—the second current.
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Grand Master Lu feasted in the western capital; Guo the Worthy ranked men in the eastern state; nobles prized his fame, gentry envied his ascent among immortals. Add drawn chin and knitted brow, tears and spittle flying, fierce debate on yellow horses, bold argument on green cocks—speak of warmth and the cold valley turns mild; speak of drought and spring thickets shed leaves; rise or fall follows a glance, glory or shame on one word. Then young lords in silk caps and brocade heirs whose Way never snags on the accomplished, whose voice never rings in the cloud pavilion, climb their scales and wings, beg spare discourse, cling to the qiji's mane-tip, outpace the homing goose at Jieshi. This is talk friendship—the third current.
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Yang ease and yin grim are the great feelings of living folk; sorrow joined and joy parted are things' constant nature. Fish bubble when the spring dries; birds mourn as death nears. Those who share affliction pity one another, stringing the river-bank's mournful tune; fear placed in the breast displays the Gu Feng ode's grand ceremony. Thus broken gold comes from narrow straits; severed necks rise from thatched mourning. So Wu Yuan was washed by Zai Pi; King Zhang spread wings under Chancellor Chen. This is destitution friendship—the fourth current.
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In the rushing-grouse age, the thin and shallow sort—none fails to hold the balance-scale and grasp gossamer. The scale weighs heaviness and lightness; the gossamer tests their breath. If the scale cannot lift and the gossamer cannot fly, though Yan and Ran had dragon sinews and phoenix pinions, Zeng and Shi orchid scent and snow-white, Shu and Xiang gold, jade, and the abyss-sea, Qing and Yun embroidery and the Milky Way—they are wandering dust. Met as clay puppets, none spends half a bean; rarely does one lose a single hair. If the scale weighs heavy as a cash-weight and the gossamer stirs the slightest breath, though Gong Gong's evil, Huan Dou's masked righteousness, southern Jing's arrogance, eastern mound's great knavery—all crawl and writhe, break branches and lick hemorrhoids; gold paste and kingfisher plumes suit their intent, grease and rush smooth their sincerity. Thus wherever carriage wheels travel, it is not Bo Yi and Liu Xiahui's house; wherever bribes enter, it is truly Zhang and Huo's home. They plot before they act—not a hair's error. This is measure friendship—the fifth current.
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All five friendships share the righteousness of buying and selling; Huan Tan compared them to the market stall, Lin Hui to sweet wine. Cold and heat advance in turn, flourishing and decline succeed; some glory first then wither, some rich then poor, some whole then perish, some austere once and opulent now—turning in cycles, swift as waves. Thus the feeling that runs after profit never differs, yet the Way of change cannot be one. Viewed thus, why Zhang and Chen met violent ends, why Xiao and Zhu found rifts at the close—clear at a glance. Yet Duke Zhai stood primly at his gate to admonish guests—how late his sight!
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Yet from these five friendships three faults arise: ruining virtue and extinguishing righteousness, beasts matching beasts—the first fault; hard to bind, easy to break, quarrels and lawsuits gather—the second fault; name fallen to gluttony, integrity shamed—the third fault. The ancients knew the three faults obstructed and feared the five friendships' swift blame. Thus Wang Dan chastised his son with the mulberry rod; Zhu Mu spoke plainly to show severance—how apt!
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近世有樂安任昉，海內髦傑，早綰銀黃，夙招民譽。 遒文麗藻，方駕曹、王； 英特俊邁，聯衡許、郭。 類田文之愛客，同鄭莊之好賢。 見一善則盱衡扼腕，遇一才則揚眉抵掌。 雌黃出其脣吻，硃紫由其月旦。 於是冠蓋輻湊，衣裳雲合，輜軿擊轊，坐客恒滿。 蹈其閫閾，若升闕里之堂； 入其奧隅，謂登龍門之阪。 至於顧盼增其倍價，剪拂使其長鳴，彯組雲臺者摩肩，趨走丹墀者疊迹。 莫不締恩狎，結綢繆，想惠、莊之清塵，庶羊、左之徽烈。 及瞑目東越，歸骸雒浦，繐帳猶懸，門罕漬酒之彥； 墳未宿草，野絕動輪之賓。 藐爾諸孤，朝不謀夕，流離大海之南，寄命瘴癘之地。 自昔把臂之英，金蘭之友，曾無羊舌下泣之仁，寧慕郈成分宅之德。 嗚呼！ 世路險巇，一至於此！ 太行孟門，寧云嶄絕。 是以耿介之士，疾其若斯，裂裳裹足，棄之長祇。 獨立高山之頂，歡與麋鹿同羣，皦皦然絕其雰濁，誠恥之也，誠畏之也。」
In recent times Ren Fang of Le'an, a crest of the realm, early bound the silver seal and long drew the people's praise. His forceful prose and gorgeous pattern rivaled Cao and Wang; outstanding and far-reaching, he matched Xu and Guo in the scales. Like Lord Mengchang he loved guests; like Zheng Zhuang he delighted in the worthy. See one good deed and he threw back his head and clenched his wrist; meet one talent and he arched his brow and clapped his palm. Orpiment and cinnabar came from his lips; scarlet and purple from his monthly rating. Carriage canopies converged like wheel spokes, robes clouded together, curtained coaches clattered at the hubs, seated guests always full. Tread his threshold as if ascending the Hall of the Confucian temple; enter his inner chambers as if climbing the Dragon Gate's slope. One glance from him doubled a man's worth; one comb-stroke along the mane made the horse cry long. Cloud-platform ribbons pressed shoulder to shoulder; runners on the cinnabar steps left tracks in layers. All bound favor close and knotted intimacy tight—dreaming of Hui Shi and Zhuang Zhou's clear dust, reaching for Yang and Zuo's bright merit. Then his eyes closed in eastern Yue and his bones went home to the Luo ford; the mourning curtain still hung, yet scarcely a worthy soul came to steep the gate in wine. The mound had not yet taken last year's grass; in the wild, no guest turned carriage wheels. How slight those orphans—morning without a plan for evening, cast adrift to the great sea's south, lives entrusted to the land of miasma. Of all those arm-clasping heroes, those gold-and-orchid friends—not one wept Yangshe Xi's tears below the bier; who would emulate Hou Chengzi's virtue of dividing his house? Alas! The world's road is perilous—even to this! Mount Taihang, Meng Gate—are they not called sheer? Therefore the upright man hates it so, tears his robe to bind his feet, and casts it off on the long road, stands alone on the high mountain's crown, takes joy in sharing a flock with deer, and in brightness severs the murky haze—he is ashamed of it; he is afraid of it."
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Chen Minister of Personnel Yao Cha said: In the two Han they sought the worthy and put classical learning first; in recent times men were taken mostly through letters and histories. The two men's works are gorgeously ornate—truly they matched their time. Yan could hold stillness within; Fang kept inner conduct—both ended in name and rank from start to finish, as they should. Had Jiang not been foreknowing and Ren not held old favor, high rank and splendid gifts at the end would not have come about.