1
耶律斡特剌孩裏竇景庸耶律引吉楊績趙徽王觀耶律喜孫
Yelu Wotela, Hai Li, Dou Jingyong, Yelu Yinji, Yang Ji, Zhao Hui, Wang Guan, and Yelu Xisun
2
耶律斡特剌，字乙辛隱，許國王寅底石六世孫。 少不喜官祿，年四十一，始補本班郎君。 時樞密使耶律乙辛擅權，讒害忠良，斡特剌恐禍及，深自抑畏。 大康中，為宿直官，歷左、右護衛太保。 大安元年，升燕王傅，徙左夷離畢。 四年，改北院樞密副使。 帝賜詩褒之，遷知北院樞密使事，賜翼聖佐義功臣。 北阻卜酋長磨古斯叛，斡特剌率兵進討。 會天大雪，敗磨古斯四別部，斬首千餘級，拜西北路招討使，封漆水郡王，加賜宣力守正功臣。 尋拜南府宰相。 復討閘古胡裏扒部，破之，召為契丹行宮都部署。 先是，北、南府有訟，各州府得就按之； 比歲，非奉樞密檄，不得鞫問，以故訟者稽留。 斡特剌奏請如舊，從之。 壽隆五年，復為西北路招討使，討耶睹刮部，俘斬甚眾，獲馬、駝、牛、羊各數萬。 明年，擒磨古斯，加守太保，賜奉國匡化功臣。 乾統初，乞致仕，不許，止罷招討。 復兼南院樞密使，封混同郡王。 遷北院樞密使，加守太師，賜推誠贊治功臣。 致仕，薨，謚曰敬肅。
Yelu Wotela, whose style name was Yixin Yin, was a sixth-generation descendant of Prince Xu of State, Yindi. As a young man he cared little for office and emolument; only at forty-one did he first receive appointment as an attendant of the standard corps. At the time Yelu Yixin, Commissioner of Military Affairs, held power arbitrarily and slandered loyal ministers; fearing that disaster might reach him, Wotela kept himself deeply subdued and cautious. During the Dakang era he served on night duty at court and successively held the posts of Left and Right Guard Commissioner. In the first year of Da'an he was promoted to Tutor to the Prince of Yan and transferred to the post of Left Tribal Affairs Commissioner. In the fourth year he was appointed Vice Commissioner of the Northern Administration. The emperor composed a poem in his praise, promoted him to Acting Commissioner of the Northern Administration, and granted him the merit title Worthy Assistant in Supporting the Sage. When Mogusi, chief of the northern Zubu, rebelled, Wotela led troops to suppress him. Heavy snow fell at the time; he defeated four of Mogusi's sub-divisions, took more than a thousand heads, was appointed Commissioner for Pacification of the Northwest Route, enfeoffed as Prince of Qishui Commandery, and further granted the merit title Upholding Integrity with Dedicated Strength. He was soon appointed Chancellor of the Southern Administration. He again campaigned against the Zanguhuliba tribe, defeated them, and was summoned to serve as Chief Deployer of the Khitan Imperial Camp. Previously, when the Northern and Southern Administrations had lawsuits, each prefecture and district could go on site to investigate them; in recent years, however, unless one held an order from the Military Affairs Commission, one could not conduct interrogations, and for this reason litigants were long detained. Wotela memorialized asking that the former practice be restored, and the court agreed. In the fifth year of Shoulong he again served as Commissioner for Pacification of the Northwest Route and campaigned against the Yedugua tribe, capturing and beheading a great many and taking tens of thousands each of horses, camels, cattle, and sheep. The following year he captured Mogusi, was promoted to Defender Grand Guardian, and was granted the merit title Supporting the State and Rectifying Transformation. At the beginning of Qiantong he asked to retire, but permission was refused; he was only removed from the pacification command. He again served concurrently as Commissioner of the Southern Administration and was enfeoffed as Prince of Huntong Commandery. He was transferred to Commissioner of the Northern Administration, promoted to Defender Grand Preceptor, and granted the merit title Sincere in Counsel and Praiseworthy in Governance. He retired from office, died, and was posthumously titled Jingsu.
3
孩裏，字胡輦，回鶻人。 其先在太祖時來貢，願留，因任用之。 孩裏重熙間歷近侍長。 清寧九年，討重元之亂有功，加金吾衛上將軍，賜平亂功臣。 累遷殿前都點檢，以宿衛嚴肅稱。 大康初，加守太子太保。 二年，加同中書門下平章事。 三年，改同知南院宣徽使事。 會耶律乙辛出守中京，孩裏入賀； 及議復召，陳其不可。 後乙辛再入樞府，出孩裏為廣利軍節度使。 及皇太子被誣，孩裏當連坐，有詔勿問。 大安初，歷品達魯虢部節度使。 壽隆五年，有疾，自言吾數已盡，卻醫藥，卒，年七十七。 孩裏素信浮圖。 清寧初，從上獵，墮馬，憒而復蘇。 言始見二人引至一城，宮室宏敞，有衣絳袍人坐殿上，左右列侍，導孩裏升階。 持牘者示之曰：「本取大腹骨欲，誤執汝。」 牘上書「官至使相，壽七十七」。 須臾還，擠之大壑而寤。 道宗聞之，命書其事。 後皆驗。
Hai Li, whose style name was Hunian, was a Uyghur. His ancestors had come to offer tribute in the time of Taizu, asked to remain, and were therefore given office. During the Chongxi era Hai Li successively served as chief palace attendant. In the ninth year of Qingning he had merit in suppressing the rebellion of Chongyuan and was promoted to General-in-Chief of the Golden Crow Guard and granted the merit title Pacifier of Disorder. He was repeatedly promoted until he became Commander of the Palace Front and was known for the strictness with which he maintained palace guard duty. At the beginning of Dakang he was promoted to Defender Heir Apparent Grand Guardian. In the second year he was promoted to Associate Director of the Department of State Affairs with the Chancellery. In the third year he was transferred to Vice Director of the Southern Administration Commissioner of the Imperial Household. When Yelu Yixin went out to guard the Central Capital, Hai Li entered court to offer congratulations; when the court deliberated recalling him, Hai Li argued that this should not be done. Later, when Yixin again entered the Military Affairs Commission, he had Hai Li sent out as Military Commissioner of Guangli Army. When the crown prince was falsely accused, Hai Li would have been implicated by association, but an edict ordered that he not be prosecuted. At the beginning of Da'an he successively served as Military Commissioner of the Pindaluoguo Division. In the fifth year of Shoulong he fell ill, declaring that his allotted span was exhausted; he refused medicine and died at seventy-seven. Hai Li had long been a believer in Buddhism. At the beginning of Qingning, while accompanying the emperor on a hunt, he fell from his horse, lost consciousness, and then revived. He said that at first two men led him to a city of vast palaces and halls, where a man in a crimson robe sat upon the dais with attendants ranked to left and right, and they guided Hai Li up the steps. The man holding the document showed it to him and said, "We originally meant to take Dafugu, but mistakenly seized you. On the document was written, "Office reaches commissioner and chancellor; lifespan seventy-seven." After a moment he was sent back, thrust into a great ravine, and awoke. Emperor Daozong heard of it and ordered the affair recorded in writing. Later events all proved it true.
4
耶律引吉，字阿括，品部人。 父雙古，鎮西邊二十餘年，治尚嚴肅，不殖貨利，時多稱之。 引吉寅畏好義。 以蔭補官，累遷東京副留守、北樞密院侍御。 時蕭革、蕭圖古辭等以佞見任，鬻爵納賄，引吉以直道處其間，無所阿唯。 改客省使。 時朝廷遣使括三京隱戶不得，以引吉代之，得數千餘戶。 時昭懷太子知北南院事，選引吉為輔導。 樞密使乙辛將傾太子，惡引吉在側，奏出之，為群牧林牙。 大康元年，乙辛請賜牧地，引吉奏曰：「今牧地褊狹，畜不蕃息，豈可分賜臣下。」 帝乃止。 乙辛由是益嫉之，除懷德軍節度使，徙漠北猾水馬群太保，卒。
Yelu Yinji, whose style name was Akuo, was a man of the Pin tribe. His father Shuanggu guarded the western frontier for more than twenty years; his governance was strict, he did not pursue profit, and at the time many praised him. Yinji was cautious and respectful and loved righteousness. Through hereditary privilege he entered office and was repeatedly promoted to Vice Military Governor of the Eastern Capital and Palace Attendant of the Northern Military Affairs Commission. At the time Xiao Ge, Xiao Tuguci, and others were employed for their flattery, selling offices and accepting bribes; Yinji stood among them on the straight path and would not fawn or agree to anything. He was transferred to the post of Reception Commissioner. At the time the court had sent envoys to register hidden households in the Three Capitals without success; Yinji replaced them and obtained more than several thousand households. At the time Crown Prince Zhaohuai oversaw the affairs of the Northern and Southern Administrations and selected Yinji as his instructor. Commissioner of Military Affairs Yixin was about to bring down the crown prince and hated having Yinji at his side; he memorialized to have him sent out and appointed him Commissioner of Herds. In the first year of Dakang, Yixin requested that pasture lands be granted; Yinji memorialized, saying, "At present the pasture lands are narrow and cramped and livestock do not multiply—how can they be divided and granted to subordinates? The emperor thereupon stopped the matter. Yixin therefore hated him all the more, removed him as Military Commissioner of Huaide Army, transferred him to Grand Guardian of the Huashui Horse Herds in the far north, and he died in office.
5
趙徽，南京人。 重熙五年，擢甲科，累遷大理正。 清寧二年，銅州人妄毀三教，徽按鞫之，以狀聞，稱旨。 歷煩劇，有能名。 累遷翰林學士承旨。 咸雍初，為度支使。 三年，拜參知政事。 出為武定軍節度使，及代，軍民請留。 後同知樞密院事，兼南府宰相、門下侍郎、平章事。 致仕，卒。 追贈中書令，謚文憲。
Zhao Hui was a native of the Southern Capital. In the fifth year of Chongxi he passed the examinations in the top grade and was repeatedly promoted until he became Chief of the Court of Justice. In the second year of Qingning a man of Tong Prefecture wantonly slandered the Three Teachings; Hui investigated and interrogated the case, reported it in a memorial, and pleased the emperor. He passed through arduous and demanding posts and earned a reputation for ability. He was repeatedly promoted to Academician Expositor-in-Chief of the Hanlin Academy. At the beginning of Xianyong he served as Commissioner of Revenue. In the third year he was appointed Vice Grand Councilor. He went out as Military Commissioner of Wuding Army, and when his term ended the soldiers and people asked that he be retained. Later he served as Vice Director of the Military Affairs Commission, concurrently Chancellor of the Southern Administration, Vice Minister of the Chancellery, and Director of the Department of State Affairs. He retired from office and died. Posthumously he was granted the title of Director of the Department of State Affairs and given the posthumous title Wenxian.
6
王觀，南京人。 博學有才辯。 重熙七年，中進士乙科。 興宗崩，充夏國報哀使； 還，除給事中。 咸雍初，遷翰林學士。 五年，兼乾文閣學士。 七年，改南院樞密副使，賜國姓，參知政事，兼知南院樞密事。 坐矯制修私第，削爵為民，卒。
Wang Guan was a native of the Southern Capital. He was broadly learned and had a gift for rhetoric. In the seventh year of Chongxi he passed the civil examinations in the second grade. When Emperor Xingzong died, he served as envoy to the Xia state to announce the mourning; on his return he was appointed Supervising Censor. At the beginning of Xianyong he was promoted to Hanlin Academician. In the fifth year he additionally served as Academician of the Qianwen Pavilion. In the seventh year he was changed to Vice Commissioner of the Southern Administration, granted the imperial surname, appointed Vice Grand Councilor, and concurrently Acting Commissioner of the Southern Administration. He was punished for forging an edict to build a private residence, was stripped of his rank and reduced to commoner status, and died.
7
耶律喜孫，字盈隱，永興宮分人。 興宗在青宮，嘗居左右輔導。 聖宗大漸，喜孫與馮家奴告仁德皇后同宰相蕭浞卜等謀逆事。 及欽哀為皇太后稱制，喜孫尤見寵任。 重熙中，其子涅哥為近侍，坐事伏誅。 帝以喜孫有翼戴功，且悼其子罪死，欲世其官，喜孫無所出之部，因見馬印文有品部號，使隸其部，拜南府宰相。 尋出為東北路詳穩，卒。
Yelu Xisun, whose style name was Yinyin, was a man of the Yongxing Palace Division. When Xingzong was heir apparent in the Eastern Palace, Xisun had once served at his side as instructor. When Emperor Shengzong was critically ill, Xisun together with Feng Jianu reported that Empress Rende, Chancellor Xiao Pobu, and others were plotting treason. When Empress Dowager Qin'ai assumed regency, Xisun was especially favored and trusted. During the Chongxi era his son Niege served as a palace attendant and was executed for an offense. Because Xisun had merit in supporting the emperor's accession and the emperor also grieved that his son had died for a crime, he wished to make his office hereditary; as Xisun had no division of origin, the emperor saw on a horse-brand the mark of the Pin tribe, had him attached to that tribe, and appointed him Chancellor of the Southern Administration. Soon afterward he was sent out as Detailed Inspector of the Northeast Route and died.
8
論曰：孩裏、引吉之為臣也，當乙辛擅權、蕭革貪黷之日，雖與同官，而能以正自處，不少阿唯，其過人遠矣。 傳曰：「歲寒知松柏之後雕。」 二子有焉。 若斡特剌之戰功，竇景庸之讞獄，楊績之忠告，亦賢矣夫。
The commentary says: As ministers, Hai Li and Yinji lived in the days when Yixin monopolized power and Xiao Ge was greedy and corrupt; though they served alongside such men, they were able to maintain themselves by rectitude and would not fawn or agree—how far they surpassed others. The Classic says, "Only when the year turns cold do we know that the pine and cypress are the last to wither. These two men had it. As for Wotela's military achievements, Dou Jingyong's adjudication of cases, and Yang Ji's loyal counsel—they too were worthy men indeed.