1
進遼史表
Memorial Table on the Presentation of the History of Liao
2
開府儀同三司、上柱國、錄軍國重事、中書右丞相、監修國史、領經筵事臣脫脫言：竊惟天文莫驗於璣衡，人文莫證於簡策。 人主監天象之休咎，則必察乎璣衡之精； 監人事之得失，則必考乎簡策之信。 是以二者所掌，俱有太史之稱。 然天道幽而難知，人情顯而易見。 動靜者吉兇之兆，敬怠者興亡之機。 史臣雖述前代之設施，大意有助人君之鑒戒。
Your subject Toqto'a, Grand Preceptor with protocol equal to the Three Excellencies, Supreme Pillar of State, Recorder of Weighty Affairs of Army and State, Right Chancellor of the Secretariat, Supervisor of the National History, and Director of the Classics Lectures, respectfully observes: Heaven can be verified only through the armillary sphere and its instruments; human affairs can be established only through the written records of history. When a ruler watches the fortunes and misfortunes revealed in the heavens, he must scrutinize the precision of the armillary sphere; when he weighs the successes and failures of human affairs, he must test the reliability of the historical records. For this reason both offices were alike known as the Grand Astrologer. Yet the Way of Heaven is hidden and hard to fathom, whereas human affairs are plain and readily perceived. Activity and restraint foretell good fortune and ill; diligence and neglect hold the key to rise and ruin. Though historians recount the policies of past dynasties, their chief purpose is to furnish the ruler with lessons for reflection.
3
遼自唐季，基於朔方。 造邦本席於幹戈，致治能資於黼黻。 敬天尊祖，而出入必祭； 親仁善鄰，而和戰以宜。 南府治民，北府治兵。 春狩省耕，秋狩省斂。 吏課每嚴於芻牧，歲饑屢賜乎田租。 至若觀市赦罪，則吻合六典之規； 臨軒策士，則恪遵三歲之制。 享國二百一十九載，政刑日舉，品式備具，蓋有足尚者焉。 迨夫子孫失禦，上下離心。 驕盈盛而釁隙生，讒賊興而根本蹙。 變強為弱，易於反掌。 籲！ 可畏哉！
The Liao state arose in the closing years of the Tang and took root on the northern frontier. The founding of the realm rested on arms, yet good government could draw strength from ritual and civil order. They revered Heaven and honored their ancestors, offering sacrifices whenever they departed or returned; they cultivated benevolence and good relations with neighbors, choosing peace or war as circumstances demanded. The Southern Chancellery administered civil affairs; the Northern Chancellery administered military affairs. Spring hunts allowed them to review agriculture; autumn hunts allowed them to review the collection of taxes. Official evaluations were strict each year over grazing and livestock; in years of famine they repeatedly remitted field rents. When they reviewed the markets and granted amnesties, their practice matched the standards of the Six Canons; when they held imperial examinations in the palace hall, they faithfully observed the three-year cycle. They held the realm for two hundred and nineteen years; government and penal administration advanced day by day, and regulations and forms were fully in place—there was indeed much in their rule worthy of respect. But when their descendants lost control of the realm, court and country alike fell apart. Arrogance and excess ran rampant and cracks appeared; slanderers and traitors arose and the dynasty's foundation was squeezed. Strength turned to weakness as easily as turning one's palm. Alas! How dreadful it is!
4
天祚自絕，大石茍延。 國既丘墟，史亦蕪茀。 耶律儼語多避忌，陳大任辭乏精詳。 《五代史》系之終篇，宋舊史埒諸載記。 予奪各徇其主，傳聞況失其真。 我世祖皇帝一視同仁，深加湣惻。 嘗敕詞臣，撰次三史，首及於遼。 六十餘年，歲月因循，造物有待。
Emperor Tianzuo brought ruin upon himself, while Yelü Dashi barely managed to prolong the line. The state lay in ruins, and its history too was overgrown and neglected. Yelü Yan's account was full of evasions and taboo; Chen Daren's text lacked precision and detail. The 《History of the Five Dynasties》 relegated it to a closing appendix; the old Song histories treated it as a mere chronicle. Praise and blame each served its own master, and hearsay all the more distorted the truth. Our Founder Emperor treated all peoples alike with compassion and was deeply moved to pity. He once ordered the court scholars to compile the three histories, giving first place to the Liao. For more than sixty years the work dragged on, as though Heaven itself still waited for the right moment.
5
臣脫脫誠惶誠恐頓首：欽惟皇帝陛下，如堯稽古，而簡寬容眾； 若舜好問，而浚哲冠倫。 講經兼誦乎祖謨，訪治旁求乎往牒。 茲修史事，斷自宸衷。 睿旨下而征聘行，朝士賀而遺逸起。 於是命臣脫脫以中書右丞相領都總裁，中書平章政事臣鐵睦爾達世、中書右丞今平章政事臣賀惟一、御史中丞今翰林學士承旨臣張起巖，翰林學士臣歐陽玄、侍御史今集賢侍講學士兼國子祭酒臣呂思誠、翰林侍講學士臣揭傒斯奉命為總裁官。 中書遴選儒臣宗文太監今兵部尚書臣廉惠山海牙、翰林直學士臣王沂、秘書著作佐郎臣徐昺、國史院編修官臣陳繹曾分撰《遼史》。 起至正三年四月，迄四年三月。 發故府之櫝藏，集遐方之匭獻，搜羅剔抉，刪潤研劘。 紀誌表傳，備成一代之書； 臧否是非，不迷千載之實。 臣脫脫叨承隆寄，幸睹成功。 載宣日月之光華，願效涓埃之補報。 我朝之論議歸正，氣之直則辭之昌； 遼國之君臣有知，善者喜而惡者懼。 所撰本紀三十卷、志三十二卷、表八卷、列傳四十六卷，各著論贊，具存體裁，隨表以聞。 上塵天覽，下情無任慚懼戰汗屏營之至。 臣脫脫誠惶誠懼頓首頓首謹言。
Your subject Toqto'a, in deepest reverence and fear, bows his head and reports: I respectfully observe that Your Majesty, like Yao in studying antiquity, is concise in manner yet magnanimous toward all; like Shun in his love of inquiry, yet profound in wisdom and unmatched among men. You lecture on the classics while reciting the plans of the ancients, and in seeking good government you consult widely the records of the past. Now the work of compiling history proceeds from Your Majesty's own resolve. Once Your sagely decree was issued, recruitment began; court officials rejoiced and hidden scholars came forward. Thereupon Your Majesty appointed your subject Toqto'a, Right Chancellor of the Secretariat, as overall chief compiler, and ordered the Secretariat Councilor Tiemuer Dashi, Right Vice Chancellor and now Councilor He Wei, Censor-in-Chief and now Hanlin Expositor-in-Chief Zhang Qiyan, Hanlin Academician Ouyang Xuan, Attending Censor and now Academician Lecturer of the Hall of Gathered Worthies and Concurrent Director of the Imperial Academy Lü Sicheng, and Hanlin Lecturer Jie Xisi to serve as chief compilers. The Secretariat selected the scholar-officials Zongwen Supervisor and now Minister of War Lian Hui Shanhaiya, Hanlin Academician Expositor Wang Yi, Secretariat Assistant Compiler Xu Bing, and National History Office Compiler Chen Yiceng to draft the 《History of Liao》 in sections. Work began in the fourth month of the third year of Zhizheng and was completed in the third month of the fourth year. We opened the archives of former offices, gathered memorials submitted from distant regions, searched and sifted the sources, and edited, polished, and refined the text. The annals, treatises, tables, and biographies are now complete as a history of a full dynasty; praise and blame, right and wrong, do not obscure the truth of a thousand years. Your subject Toqto'a has been honored with this weighty commission and is fortunate to see the work completed. May it reflect the splendor of sun and moon; I wish only to repay Your grace with the smallest service. Our dynasty's judgments are upright; where the moral tone is straight, the writing flourishes; and the rulers and ministers of Liao who understand will rejoice at what is good and fear what is evil. The work comprises thirty juan of annals, thirty-two juan of treatises, eight juan of tables, and forty-six juan of biographies, each with its discussion and appraisal, fully preserving proper historiographical form, and is herewith submitted with this memorial. Though unworthy to meet Your exalted gaze, I submit it with deepest shame, fear, and trembling reverence. Your subject Toqto'a, in deepest reverence and fear, bows his head repeatedly and respectfully submits this report.