1
耶律曷魯蕭敵魯耶律斜涅赤耶律欲穩耶律海里
Yelu Helu, Xiao Dilu, Yelu Xieniechi, Yelu Yuwen, and Yelu Haili
2
○耶律曷魯蕭敵魯 〈（阿古只）〉 耶律斜涅赤 〈（老古頗德）〉 耶律欲穩耶律海裏
● Yelu Helu and Xiao Dilu Aguzhi)〉 Yelu Xieniechi Laogu and Pide)〉 Yelu Yuwen and Yelu Haili
3
耶律曷魯，字控溫，一字洪隱，叠剌部人。 祖匣馬葛，簡憲皇帝兄。 父偶思，遙輦時為本部夷離堇，曷魯其長子也。 性質厚。 在髫鬌，與太祖遊，從父釋魯奇之曰：「興我家者，必二兒也。」 太祖既長，相與易裘馬為好，然曷魯事太祖彌謹。 會滑哥弒其父釋魯，太祖顧曷魯曰：「滑哥弒父，料我必不能容，將反噬我。 今彼歸罪臺哂為解，我姑與之。 是賊吾不忘也！」 自是曷魯常佩刀從太祖，以備不虞。 居久之，曷魯父偶思病，召曷魯曰：「阿保機神略天授，汝率諸弟赤心事之。」 已而太祖來問疾，偶思執其手曰：「爾命世奇才。 吾兒曷魯者，他日可委以事，吾已諭之矣。」 既而以諸子屬之。
Yelu Helu, whose style was Kongwen and who was also known as Hongyin, came from the Yila tribe. His grandfather Xiamage was the elder brother of Emperor Jianxian. His father Ousi had been yilijin of the tribe in the Yaolian era, and Helu was his eldest son. He was sincere and steadfast by nature. As a child he roamed with Taizu, and Shilu, his uncle by marriage, remarked in wonder, "These two boys will be the ones to restore our house. When Taizu came of age, they exchanged garments and horses in friendship, yet Helu served him with ever greater devotion. When Huage murdered his father Shilu, Taizu told Helu, "Huage has killed his father. He assumes I cannot bear it and will turn on me. He is shifting the blame onto Taishan for now, so I shall pretend to accept it for the moment. But I will not forget that villain! From then on Helu always kept a sword at his side and stayed with Taizu against any surprise. Some time later, when Helu's father Ousi fell ill, he called Helu and said, "Abaoji has a heaven-given genius for strategy. Lead your brothers and serve him with all your hearts. When Taizu came to visit him, Ousi took his hand and said, "You are a talent born once in an age. My son Helu may be entrusted with matters hereafter. I have already spoken with him. He then entrusted his sons to Taizu.
4
太祖為撻馬狘沙裏，參預部族事，曷魯領數騎召小黃室韋來附。 太祖素有大志，而知曷魯賢，軍國事非曷魯議不行。 會討越兀與烏古部，曷魯為前鋒，戰有功。 及太祖為叠剌部夷離堇，討奚部，其長術裏逼險而壘，攻莫能下，命曷魯持一笴往諭之。 既入，為所執。 乃說奚曰：「契丹與奚言語相通，實一國也。 我夷離堇於奚豈有夌轢之心哉？ 漢人殺我祖奚首，夷離堇怨次骨，日夜思報漢人。 顧力單弱，使我求援於奚，傳矢以示信耳。 夷離堇受命於天，撫下以德，故能有此眾也。 今奚殺我，違天背德，不祥莫大焉。 且兵連禍結，當自此始，豈爾國之利乎！」 術裏感其言，乃降。 太祖為於越，秉國政，欲命曷魯為叠剌部夷離堇。 辭曰：「賊在君側，未敢遠去。」 太祖討黑車子室韋，幽州劉仁恭遣養子趙霸率眾來救。 曷魯伏兵桃山，俟霸眾過半而要之； 與太祖合擊，斬獲甚眾，遂降室韋。 太祖會李克用於雲州，時曷魯侍，克用顧而壯之曰：「偉男子為誰？」 太祖曰：「吾族曷魯也。」
While Taizu was tamagh boshuli and took part in tribal council, Helu led a small party of horsemen to bring the Lesser Yellow Shiwei into allegiance. Taizu had long cherished great ambitions and knew Helu's worth; no military or civil measure went forward without Helu's counsel. On campaigns against the Yuewu and the Uighur tribe, Helu led the van and won merit in battle. When Taizu became yilijin of the Yila tribe and attacked the Xi, their chief Shuli held the high ground behind fortifications and could not be dislodged. Taizu sent Helu with a single arrow as envoy to reason with them. Once he entered, they seized him. He then addressed the Xi: "The Khitan and the Xi speak the same tongue and are in truth one people. Why would our yilijin harbor any thought of grinding the Xi down? The Han killed our ancestor the Xi chief. Our yilijin bears a hatred to the marrow and thinks day and night of repaying the Han. His strength alone is too slight, so he sent me to seek aid from the Xi and to pass this arrow as proof of good faith. Our yilijin received Heaven's mandate and rules his people with virtue. That is why he commands such a host. If the Xi kill me now, you defy Heaven and turn from virtue. No omen could be more dire! And when war chains one disaster to the next, it will begin here. How could that serve your people's good? Shuli was moved by his words and submitted. When Taizu became Yuyue and held state power, he wished to appoint Helu yilijin of the Yila tribe. Helu declined, saying, "The villain is at your side. I dare not go far away. Taizu campaigned against the Black Cart Shiwei. Liu Rengong of Youzhou sent his adopted son Zhao Ba with an army to relieve them. Helu lay in ambush at Mount Tao and waited until more than half of Ba's force had passed before striking; then joined Taizu in a combined attack, killed and captured a great host, and the Shiwei submitted. Taizu met Li Keyong at Yunzhou with Helu in attendance. Keyong looked him over and said in admiration, "Who is this imposing man? Taizu said, "He is Helu of my clan."
5
會遙輦痕德堇可汗歿，群臣奉遺命請立太祖。 太祖辭曰：「昔吾祖夷離堇雅裏嘗以不當立而辭，今若等復為是言，何歟？」 曷魯進曰：「曩吾祖之辭，遺命弗及，符瑞未見，第為國人所推戴耳。 今先君言猶在耳，天人所與，若合符契。 天不可逆，人不可拂，而君命不可違也。」 太祖曰：「遺命固然，汝焉知天道？」 曷魯曰：「聞於越之生也，神光屬天，異香盈幄，夢受神誨，龍錫金佩。 天道無私，必應有德。 我國削弱，齮龁於鄰部日久，以故生聖人以興起之。 可汗知天意，故有是命。 且遙輦九營棋布，非無可立者； 小大臣民屬心於越，天也。 昔者於越伯父釋魯嘗曰：『吾猶蛇，兒猶龍也。』 天時人事，幾不可失。」 太祖猶未許。 是夜，獨召曷魯責曰：「眾以遺命迫我。 汝不明吾心，而亦俯隨耶？」 曷魯曰：「在昔夷離堇雅裏雖推戴者眾，辭之而立阻午為可汗。 相傳十餘世，君臣之分亂，紀綱之統隳。 委質他國，若綴斿然。 羽檄蜂午，民疲奔命。 興王之運，實在今日。 應天順人，以答顧命，不可失也。」 太祖乃許。 明日，即皇帝位，命曷魯總軍國事。 時制度未講，國用未充，扈從未備，而諸弟剌葛等往往覬非望。 太祖宮行營始置腹心部，選諸部豪健二千餘充之，以曷魯及蕭敵魯總焉。 已而諸弟之亂作，太祖命曷魯總領軍事，討平之，以功為叠剌部夷離堇。 時民更兵焚剽，日以抏敝，曷魯撫輯有方，畜牧益滋，民用富庶。 乃討烏古部，破之。 自是震懾，不敢復叛。 乃請制朝儀、建元，率百官上尊號。 太祖既備禮受冊，拜曷魯為阿魯敦於越。 「阿魯敦」者，遼言盛名也。
When the Yaolian khan Hendijin died, the ministers invoked his dying command and asked that Taizu be enthroned. Taizu declined, saying, "Long ago my ancestor the yilijin Yali refused the throne on the grounds that he ought not to rule. If you now repeat such words, what does that mean? Helu stepped forward and said, "When our ancestor declined, there was no dying command, no auspicious signs had appeared. The people simply pressed him forward. Now the late ruler's words still ring in our ears. Heaven and men bestow the throne as if tally and seal matched. Heaven cannot be turned back, men cannot be resisted, and a ruler's command cannot be disobeyed. Taizu said, "The dying command is indeed so. But how do you know the Way of Heaven? Helu said, "I have heard that at your birth divine light reached to Heaven, strange fragrance filled the tent, you received divine instruction in dreams, and a dragon bestowed a golden pendant. The Way of Heaven is impartial and must respond to the virtuous. Our state had grown weak and for long had been gnawed at by neighboring tribes. For this reason a sage was born to raise it up. The khan knew Heaven's intent and therefore gave this command. Moreover, the nine camps of Yaolian are set out like chess pieces. There are others who could be enthroned. Yet ministers great and small and the people all set their hearts on you. That is Heaven's doing. Long ago your uncle Shilu said, "I am still a snake; my son is already a dragon. The season of Heaven and the affairs of men—such a moment can scarcely be missed. Taizu still did not consent. That night he summoned Helu alone and reproached him. "The multitude forces me with the dying command. You do not understand my heart, yet you too bow and follow? Helu said, "In the past, though many pressed the yilijin Yali forward, he declined and enthroned Zuowu as khan. The succession passed through more than ten generations. The distinction between ruler and minister fell into disorder, and law and regulation collapsed. They submitted to other states like a trailing pennant. Urgent dispatches swarmed like bees at noon, and the people grew weary running to and fro on command. The fortune of a king who would raise the state truly lies in this day. To answer Heaven, follow the people, and respond to the dying charge—this must not be lost. Taizu then consented. The next day he took the imperial throne and put Helu in charge of all military and state affairs. Institutions were not yet ordered, revenue was not yet ample, and the imperial escort was not yet complete, while his younger brothers Cige and others often cast covetous eyes on the throne. Taizu's palace traveling camp first established the Inner Guard Corps, selecting more than two thousand stalwarts from the tribes to fill it, with Helu and Xiao Dilu placed in overall charge. Before long the rebellion of the younger brothers broke out. Taizu put Helu in overall command of the armies, pacified it, and for his merit made him yilijin of the Yila tribe. The people had suffered war, fire, and plunder in turn and daily grew exhausted. Helu pacified and gathered them with skill, livestock flourished, and the people's livelihood grew prosperous. He then campaigned against the Uighur tribe and defeated them. From then on they were awed and did not dare rebel again. He then requested that court ritual be instituted and an era name established, and led the hundred officials in offering a honorific title. After Taizu had completed the rites and received the investiture, he appointed Helu Arudun Yuyue. "Arudun" in the Liao language means great renown.
6
後太祖伐西南諸夷，數為前鋒。 神冊二年，從逼幽州，與唐節度使周德威拒戰可汗州西，敗其軍，遂圍幽州，未下。 太祖以時暑班師，留曷魯與盧國用守之。 俄而救兵繼至，曷魯等以軍少無援，退。
Later, when Taizu campaigned against the tribes of the southwest, Helu often led the van. In the second year of Shence he joined the advance on Youzhou and, west of Kehan Prefecture, fought the Tang military governor Zhou Dewei, defeated his army, and then besieged Youzhou without taking it. Taizu withdrew because of the summer heat and left Helu and Lu Guoyong to hold the city. Before long relief forces arrived in succession. Helu and the others, their army being few and without support, withdrew.
7
論曰：曷魯以肺腑之親，任帷幄之寄，言如蓍龜，謀成戰勝，可謂算無遺策矣。 其君臣相得之誠，庶吳漢之於光武歟？ 夫信其所可信，智也，太祖有焉。 故曰：惟聖知聖，惟賢知賢，斯近之矣。
The commentary says: Helu, by virtue of kinship at the ruler's very core, bore the trust of the command tent. His words were like divination with yarrow and tortoise, his plans achieved victory in battle. One may say his calculations left no strategy unspent. The sincerity with which ruler and minister found one another perhaps resembles Wu Han toward Emperor Guangwu? To trust what is truly trustworthy is wisdom, and Taizu possessed it. Hence it is said: only the sage knows the sage, only the worthy knows the worthy. This comes close to the mark.
8
攻渤海，破扶餘城，獨將騎兵五百，敗老相軍三萬。 渤海既平，改東丹國。 頃之，已降郡縣復叛，盜賊蜂起。 阿古只與康默記討之，所向披靡。 會賊遊騎七千自鴨淥府來援，勢張甚。 阿古只帥麾下精銳，直犯其鋒，一戰克之，斬馘三千餘，遂進軍破回跋城。 以病卒。
In the attack on Bohai he stormed Fuyu city. Leading five hundred horsemen alone, he defeated Lao Xiang's army of thirty thousand. Once Bohai was pacified, it was reorganized as the Eastern Dande state. Before long the commanderies and counties that had submitted rebelled again, and bandits swarmed forth. Aguzhi and Kang Mojie campaigned against them and swept all before them. Seven thousand rebel scouting horsemen came from Yalu Prefecture as reinforcements, and their momentum was very strong. Aguzhi led the elite troops under his command straight against their front, defeated them in a single battle, killed and captured more than three thousand, and then advanced to storm Huiba city. He died of illness.
9
功臣中喻阿古只為耳雲。 子安團，官至右皮室詳穩。
Among the meritorious ministers, Aguzhi was spoken of as the ear—that is, as indispensable. His son Antuan rose to the office of Right Pishi xiangwen.
10
耶律斜涅赤，字撒剌，六院部舍利古直之族。 始字鐸碗，早隸太祖幕下，嘗有疾，賜樽酒飲而愈，遼言酒樽曰「撒剌」，故詔易字焉。 太祖即位，掌腹心部。 天贊初，分叠剌部為北、南院，斜涅赤為北院夷離堇。 帝西徵至流沙，威聲大振，諸夷潰散，乃命斜涅赤撫集之。 及討渤海，破扶餘城，斜涅赤從太子大元帥率眾夜圍忽汗城，大諲譔降。 已而復叛，命諸將分地攻之。 詰旦，斜涅赤感勵士伍，鼓噪登陴，敵震懾，莫敢禦，遂破之。 天顯中卒，年七十，居佐命功臣之一。 侄老古、頗德。
Yelu Xieniechi, whose style was Sala, came from the clan of Sheluguzhi in the Six Yuan tribes. His original style was Duowan. Early on he entered Taizu's service. Once when he fell ill, he was granted a jar of wine to drink and recovered. In the Liao language a wine jar is called "sala," and therefore an edict changed his style name. When Taizu took the throne, Xieniechi directed the Inner Guard Corps. At the beginning of Tianzan, the Yila tribe was divided into Northern and Southern Yuan, and Xieniechi became yilijin of the Northern Yuan. The emperor campaigned west as far as the drifting sands. His martial renown shook all sides and the various tribes scattered in rout, whereupon he ordered Xieniechi to pacify and gather them. When Bohai was attacked and Fuyu city taken, Xieniechi followed the crown prince, grand marshal, in leading the host to besiege Hohan city by night, and Dayinzan submitted. Before long they rebelled again, and the emperor ordered the generals to attack them each in his assigned territory. At dawn the next day, Xieniechi roused and encouraged the soldiers, beating drums and shouting as they scaled the battlements. The enemy was awed and dared not resist, and the city fell. He died in the Tianxian era at the age of seventy and ranked among the founding ministers who aided the throne. His nephews were Laogu and Pide.
11
頗德，字兀古鄰。 弱冠事太祖。 天顯初，為左皮室詳穩，典宿衛，遷南院夷離堇，治有聲。 石敬瑭破張敬達軍於太原北，時頗德勒兵為援，敬達遁。 敬瑭追至晉安寨圍之，頗德領輕騎襲潞州，塞其餉道。 唐諸將懼，殺敬達以降。 會同初，改叠剌部夷離堇為大王，即拜頗德，既而加采訪使。 舊制，肅祖以下宗室稱院，德祖宗室號三父房，稱橫帳，百官子弟及籍沒人稱著帳。 耶律斜的言，橫帳班列，不可與北、南院並。 太宗詔在廷議，皆曰然，乃詔橫帳班列居上。 頗德奏曰：「臣伏見官制，北、南院大王品在惕隱上。 今橫帳始圖爵位之高，願與北、南院參任； 茲又恥與同列。 夫橫帳與諸族皆臣也，班列奚以異？」 帝乃諭百官曰：「朕所不知，卿等不宜面從。」 詔仍舊制。 其強直不撓如此。 頗德狀貌秀偉，初，太祖見之曰：「是子風骨異常兒，必為國器。」 後果然。 卒年四十九。
Pide, whose style was Wugulin. In his youth he entered Taizu's service. At the beginning of Tianxian he served as Left Pishi xiangwen and directed the palace guard, then was transferred to yilijin of the Southern Yuan, where his governance won renown. Shi Jingtang defeated Zhang Jingda's army north of Taiyuan. Pide led troops in relief at the time, and Jingda fled. Jingtang pursued to Jin'an Stockade and besieged it. Pide led light cavalry to strike Luzhou and cut off their supply route. The Tang generals were afraid and killed Jingda to submit. At the beginning of Huitong the office of yilijin of the Yila tribe was changed to Grand Prince, and Pide was immediately appointed. Shortly thereafter he was additionally made Investigation Commissioner. Under the old system, imperial clansmen from Suzu downward were called yuan. Dezong's imperial clan was styled the Three Fathers' Houses and called the Horizontal Account. Sons of the hundred officials and persons on the confiscated registers were called the Attached Account. Yelu Xiedi said that the Horizontal Account's place in court ranks could not be placed alongside the Northern and Southern Yuan. Emperor Taizong ordered discussion in court. All agreed, and an edict placed the Horizontal Account's rank above. Pide memorialized, "Your subject has observed the official system: the rank of the Northern and Southern Yuan grand princes is above that of the tiyin. Now the Horizontal Account is just beginning to seek high noble rank and wishes to share appointments with the Northern and Southern Yuan; yet they are ashamed to stand in the same row. The Horizontal Account and the various tribes are all subjects. Why should court ranks differ? The emperor then instructed the hundred officials, "What I do not understand, you should not simply agree to my face. An edict restored the old system. His firm uprightness and refusal to yield were like this. Pide was handsome and imposing in appearance. Early on Taizu saw him and said, "This boy's bearing is unlike ordinary children. He will surely be an instrument of state. Later it proved so. He died at the age of forty-nine.
12
耶律欲穩，字轄剌幹，突呂不部人。 祖臺押，遙輦時為北邊拽剌。 簡獻皇后與諸子之罹難也，嘗倚之以免。 太祖思其功不忘，又多欲穩嚴重有濟世誌，乃命典司近部，以遏諸族窺覬之想。 欲穩既見器重，益感奮思報。 太祖始置宮分以自衛，欲穩率門客首附宮籍。 帝益嘉其忠，詔以臺押配享廟廷。 及平剌葛等亂，以功遷奚叠剌部夷離堇。 從征渤海有功。 天顯初卒。 後諸帝以太祖之與欲穩也為故，往往取其子孫為友。 宮分中稱「八房」，皆其後也。 弟霞裏，終奚六部禿裏。
Yelu Yuwen, whose style was Xialagan, came from the Tulubu tribe. His grandfather Taiya had served on the northern frontier as zhuaila in the Yaolian era. When Empress Jianxian and her sons suffered calamity, they once relied on him to escape harm. Taizu, mindful of his merit and never forgetting it, and also because Yuwen was solemn and possessed the ambition to aid the age, ordered him to supervise the nearby tribes to curb the covetous designs of the various clans. Once Yuwen was shown such favor, he was all the more stirred to repay with service. When Taizu first established the palace partition for his own protection, Yuwen led his retainers to be the first enrolled on the palace register. The emperor further praised his loyalty and ordered Taiya to share sacrifice in the ancestral temple. When the rebellion of Cige and others was pacified, for his merit he was transferred to yilijin of the Xi-Yila tribe. He followed the campaign against Bohai and won merit. He died at the beginning of Tianxian. Later emperors, because of Taizu's bond with Yuwen, often took his descendants as friends. Among the palace partition they were called the "Eight Houses," all his descendants. His younger brother Xiali ultimately became chief of the Xi Liu tribes.
13
耶律海裏，字涅剌昆，遙輦昭古可汗之裔。 太祖傳位，海裏與有力焉。 初受命，屬籍比局萌覬覦，而遙輦故族尤觖望。 海裏多先帝知人之明，而素服太祖威德，獨歸心焉。 以故太祖托為耳目，數從征討。 既清內亂，始置遙輦敞穩，命海裏領之。 天顯初，征渤海，海裏將遙輦糺破忽汗城。 師般，卒。
Yelu Haili, whose style was Nielikun, was a descendant of the Yaolian khan Zhaogu. When Taizu transferred the throne, Haili contributed force to it. At the first receiving of the mandate, clansmen in the registrar's bureau nursed covetous thoughts, and the old families of Yaolian were especially resentful. Haili knew well the late emperor's gift for discerning men, yet had long submitted to Taizu's martial virtue and alone set his heart on him. For this reason Taizu entrusted him as eyes and ears and often took him on campaigns. Once internal rebellion was cleared, the Yaolian Changwen guard was first established and Haili was ordered to lead it. At the beginning of Tianxian, in the campaign against Bohai, Haili led the Yaolian jiu and stormed Hohan city. On the army's return he died.