Volume 193 Biographies 81: Fei Hong, Di Luan, Li Shi, Gu Dingchen, Yan Ne, Li Chunfang, Chen Yiqin, Zhao Zhenji, Gao Yi

費宏〈（弟寀從子懋中子懋賢世父瑄）〉翟鑾李時顧鼎臣嚴訥〈（袁煒）〉李春芳〈（孫思誠等）〉陳以勤趙貞吉〈（殷士儋）〉高儀

Fei Hong (His younger brother Cai, his nephew Maozhong, his son Maoxian, and his clan elder father Xuan)〉 Zhai Luan, Li Shi, Gu Dingchen, and Yan Ne (Yuan Wei)〉 Li Chunfang (Sun Sicheng and others)〉 Chen Yiqin and Zhao Zhenji (Yin Shidan)〉 Gao Yi

費宏，字子充，鉛山人。甫冠，舉成化二十三年進士第一，授修撰。弘治中，遷左贊善，直講東宮，進左諭德。武宗立，擢太常少卿，兼侍講讀。預修《孝宗實錄》。充日講官。正德二年拜禮部右侍郎，尋轉左。五年進尚書。帝耽於逸樂，早朝日講俱廢。宏請勤政、務學、納諫，報聞。魯府鄒平王子當潩當襲父爵，為弟當涼所奪且數年矣。宏因當潩奏辨，據法正之。當涼怒，誣宏受賂，宏不為動。明年冬十二月，命宏兼文淵閣大學士參預機務。尋加太子太保、武英殿大學士，進戶部尚書。

Fei Hong, courtesy name Zichong, came from Qianshan. Still in his teens, he placed first in the palace examination of Chenghua 23 and was made a Hanlin expositor. Under Hongzhi he rose to left assistant tutor to the heir apparent, lectured in the Eastern Palace, and was promoted to left preceptor. When the Zhengde Emperor came to the throne, he was appointed vice minister of rites and also served as lecturer and reader at court. He helped compile the Veritable Records of the Hongzhi Emperor. He served among the lecturers at the emperor's daily briefings. In Zhengde 2 he was made vice minister of rites on the right, and soon moved to the left vice ministership. In the fifth year he was promoted to minister. The emperor gave himself to pleasure, and both morning court and daily lectures lapsed. Hong urged diligent rule, serious study, and openness to remonstrance; the court merely noted that his memorial had been received. Dangyi, son of the Prince of Lu's Zouping domain, ought to have succeeded to his father's rank, but his younger brother Dangliang had seized it years before. Hong took up Dangyi's cause in a memorial and set the succession right under the law. Dangliang, furious, accused Hong of taking bribes, but Hong stood firm. The following winter, in the twelfth month, he was made grand secretary of the Wenyuan Pavilion with a seat in policy deliberations. Soon afterward he was named grand guardian of the heir apparent and grand secretary of the Wuying Hall, and promoted to minister of revenue.

幸臣錢寧陰黨宸濠，欲交歡宏，饋彩幣及他珍玩。拒卻之。寧慚且恚。宸濠謀復護衛、屯田，輦白金巨萬，遍賂朝貴，寧及兵部尚書陸完主之。宏從弟編修寀，其妻與濠妻，兄弟也，知之以告宏。宏入朝，完迎問曰：「寧王求護衛，可復乎？」宏曰：「不知當日革之者何故？」完曰：「今恐不能不予。」宏峻卻之。及中官持奏至閣，宏極言不當予，詔卒予之。於是宸濠與寧合，而恚宏。寧數偵宏事無所得。以御史余珊嘗劾寀不當留翰林，即指為宏罪。中旨責陳狀，宏乞休。命並寀致仕。寧遣騎伺宏後，抵臨清，焚其舟，資裝盡毀。宏歸，杜門謝客。宸濠復求與通，宏謝絕之，益怒。會宏族人與邑奸人李鎮等訟，宸濠陰令鎮賊宏。鎮等遂據險作亂，率眾攻費氏。索宏不得，執所與訟者支解之，發宏先人冢，毀其家，劫掠遠近，眾至三千人。宏馳使訴於朝。下巡撫孫燧按狀，始遣兵剿滅。宸濠敗，言者爭請召宏。世宗即位，遣行人即家起宏，加少保，入輔政。

The favorite Qian Ning was secretly in league with Prince Ning Zhu Chenhao and tried to win Hong over with brocades and other rare gifts. Hong refused them. Ning was shamed and furious. Chenhao sought to recover his princely guard and military estates and sent cartloads of silver worth tens of thousands to bribe officials throughout the court; Ning and the minister of war Lu Wan led the effort on his behalf. Hong's younger cousin, the Hanlin expositor Cai, was married to Chenhao's wife's sister; learning of the plot, he told Hong. When Hong arrived at court, Wan met him and asked, "The Prince of Ning wants his guard back — can it be restored? Hong replied, "I do not know why it was taken away in the first place." Wan said, "I fear we may not be able to refuse now." Hong sharply rejected the proposal. When a eunuch brought the memorial to the Grand Secretariat, Hong argued forcefully that the guard must not be restored, but an edict granted it all the same. Chenhao and Ning then joined forces and turned their hatred on Hong. Ning repeatedly spied on Hong but found nothing to use against him. Because the censor Yu Shan had once impeached Cai as unfit to remain in the Hanlin, they made that Hong's offense. An imperial rescript demanded an explanation; Hong asked to retire. An order went out for both Hong and Cai to leave office. Ning sent horsemen to track Hong; when he reached Linqing they burned his boat and destroyed everything he carried. Hong went home and shut his door to callers. Chenhao again tried to open contact; Hong refused, and Chenhao grew still angrier. When Hong's kinsmen were in a lawsuit with local ruffians led by Li Zhen, Chenhao secretly incited Zhen to harm Hong. Zhen and his followers seized strong positions and rose in revolt, leading a mob against the Fei family. Unable to seize Hong, they took his kinsman in the suit, dismembered him, opened the Fei ancestral tombs, wrecked the household, and plundered the countryside until their band numbered three thousand. Hong sent a messenger posthaste to appeal to the court. The matter was referred to the grand coordinator Sun Sui for investigation, and troops were finally sent to crush the rebels. After Chenhao's defeat, memorialists vied to have Hong recalled. When the Jiajing Emperor acceded, he sent an envoy to summon Hong from his home, gave him the rank of junior guardian, and brought him back into government.

宏持重識大體，明習國家故事。與楊廷和、蔣冕、毛紀同心協贊，數勸帝革武宗弊政。「大禮」之議，諸臣力與帝爭，帝不能堪。宏頗揣知帝旨，第署名公疏，未嘗特諫，以是帝心善之。及廷和等去位，宏為首輔。加少師兼太子太師、吏部尚書、謹身殿大學士，委任甚至。

Hong was grave and saw the larger pattern, thoroughly versed in state precedent. With Yang Tinghe, Jiang Mian, and Mao Ji he worked as one and repeatedly urged the emperor to undo the abuses of the Zhengde reign. In the Great Rites controversy the ministers strove with the emperor until he could bear it no longer. Hong had some sense of the emperor's mind; he only signed collective memorials and never remonstrated on his own, and for that the emperor looked on him kindly. When Yang Tinghe and the others left office, Hong became chief grand secretary. He was made junior preceptor, concurrently grand preceptor of the heir apparent, minister of personnel, and grand secretary of the Jinshen Hall; the trust placed in him was at its height.

戶部議督正德時逋賦，宏偕石缶、賈詠請斷自十年以後。從之。帝以四方災異，敕群臣修省。宏等因言：「陛下用度無節，工役不休。畿內土地半成莊田，內庫收納要求逾倍。太倉無三年之積而冗食日增，京營無十萬之兵而赴工不已。直臣得罪未見原，言官舉職乃被詰。律所當行者數經讞不誅，罪無可辨者遽傳旨獲免。幹和召怨，自非一端。」帝引咎褒答，然不能用也。大同兵變，張璁請討之。宏曰：「討而勝，玉石俱焚；不勝，彼將據城守，損威重多矣。莫若觀變而徐圖之。」事果旋定。

When the Ministry of Revenue proposed to press for Zhengde tax arrears, Hong joined Shi Fu and Jia Yong in asking that collection be limited to the last ten years. The emperor agreed. When disasters and portents arose in every quarter, the emperor ordered the ministers to examine themselves. Hong and the others then said, "Your Majesty's spending knows no limit and public works never cease. Half the land in the capital region has been turned into estates, and demands on the inner treasury have more than doubled. The Taicang granaries hold less than three years' grain while useless mouths grow daily; the capital garrison lacks a hundred thousand soldiers yet men are still sent to labor without end. Straight-speaking ministers who fell afoul of the throne have not been forgiven, while censors who did their duty have been rebuked. Men who by law ought to die have repeatedly escaped execution after trial, while others whose guilt was unclear have suddenly been freed by rescript. Such breaches of harmony invite resentment, and they are not the only ones. The emperor took the blame upon himself in a gracious reply, yet he could not act on their advice. When the troops mutinied at Datong, Zhang Cong asked that they be put down by force. Hong said, "If we attack and win, the innocent will perish with the guilty; if we fail, they will hold the city and our prestige will suffer far more. Better to watch how things unfold and move against them gradually. The affair was indeed settled soon afterward.

宏為人和易，好推轂後進。其於「大禮」不能強諫，亦未嘗附離。而是時席書、張璁、桂萼用事。書弟檢討春，故由他曹改用。及《武宗實錄》成，宏議出為僉事，書由是憾宏。璁、萼由郎署入翰林，驟至詹事，舉朝惡其人。宏每示裁抑，璁、萼亦大怨。帝嘗禦平臺，特賜禦制七言一章，命輯倡和詩集，署其銜曰「內閣掌參機務輔導首臣」。其見尊禮，前此未有也。

Hong was affable and liked to advance younger men. On the Great Rites he could not remonstrate forcefully, yet he never joined the opposing faction either. But by then Xi Shu, Zhang Cong, and Gui E held sway at court. Shu's younger brother Chun, a reviser, had earlier been transferred in from another office. When the Veritable Records of the Zhengde Emperor were completed, Hong proposed posting Chun out as an administration vice commissioner, and Shu bore a grudge from that day. Cong and E had entered the Hanlin from the secretariat and were suddenly made tutors to the heir apparent; the whole court detested them. Hong often held them in check, and Cong and E hated him in return. The emperor once held court on the terrace, gave Hong a seven-character poem of his own composition, and ordered a collection of responsive verses compiled under the title "chief minister of the Grand Secretariat who participates in state affairs and guides policy." Such honor had never been shown to a minister before.

璁、萼滋害宏寵。萼言：「詩文小技，不足勞聖心，且使宏得馮寵靈，淩壓朝士。」帝置不省。萼遂與璁毀宏於帝，言宏納郎中陳九川所盜天方貢玉，受尚書鄧璋賕謀起用，並及其居鄉事。宏上書乞休，略曰：「萼、璁挾私怨臣屢矣。不與經筵講官則怨，不與修獻皇帝實錄則怨，不為兩京鄉試考官則怨，不為教習則又怨。萼、璁疑內閣事屬臣操縱，抑知臣下采物望，上稟聖裁，非可專擅。萼、璁日攘袂搤掔，覬覦臣位。臣安能與小人相齮龁？祈賜骸骨。」不允。及璁居兵部，宏欲用新寧伯譚綸掌奮武營，璁遂劾宏劫制府部。無何，又因宏子懋良坐罪下吏，攻之益力，復錄前後劾疏上之。不得請，則力求罷，詆宏尤切，章數上。宏亦連疏乞休，帝輒下優詔慰留，然終不以譴璁、萼。於是奸人王邦奇承璁、萼指，上書汙故大學士廷和等，並誣宏。宏竟致仕去。時六年二月也。十月，璁遂以尚書、大學士入直內閣。間一歲萼亦入矣。

Cong and E grew still more jealous of Hong's favor. Gui E said, "Poetry is a minor art and not worth the sage mind; it only lets Hong trade on imperial favor and lord it over the court. The emperor took no notice. Gui E then joined Zhang Cong in slandering Hong to the emperor, alleging that Hong had accepted Western tribute jade stolen by the director Chen Jiuchuan, taken bribes from Minister Deng Zhang to secure appointments, and attacking his conduct at home as well. Hong submitted a memorial asking to retire, writing in part, "Gui E and Zhang Cong have attacked me again and again out of private spite. They resent me if I do not make them lecturers at the Classics Colloquium, if I do not put them on the Veritable Records of the Xian Emperor, if I do not make them provincial examiners in the two capitals, and if I do not make them instructors besides. They suspect that I alone manipulate Grand Secretariat business, yet they should know that I only gather opinion below and report upward for the sage decision — that is not something one man may monopolize. Day after day they roll up their sleeves and clench their fists, coveting my place. How can I go on wrangling with such petty men? I beg leave to retire with my bones. The request was denied. When Zhang Cong became minister of war, Hong wished to put the Baron of Xinning, Tan Lun, in command of the Exalted Martial Camp; Cong then impeached Hong for coercing the ministries. Soon afterward, when Hong's son Maoliang was charged and sent to the magistrates, Cong pressed his attack harder and submitted a compilation of his earlier impeachments. When he was not allowed to leave office, he pressed all the harder to be dismissed, vilifying Hong with especial bitterness in memorial after memorial. Hong too submitted memorial after memorial asking to retire; the emperor repeatedly issued gracious edicts to keep him, yet never rebuked Cong and E. Then the schemer Wang Bangqi, acting at Cong's and E's prompting, submitted a memorial defaming the former grand secretary Yang Tinghe and others, and slandering Hong as well. Hong finally left office altogether. This was in the second month of the sixth year. In the tenth month Zhang Cong entered the Grand Secretariat as minister and grand secretary. A year later Gui E entered as well.

十四年，萼既前死，璁亦去位，帝始追念宏。四月，再遣行人即家起官如故。七月至京師。使中使勞以上尊禦饌，面諭曰：「與卿別久，卿康健無恙，宜悉心輔導稱朕意。」宏頓首謝。自是眷遇益厚。偕李時召入無逸殿，與周覽殿廬，從容笑語，移時始出。賜銀章曰「舊輔元臣」。數有咨問，宏亦竭誠無隱。承璁、萼操切之後，易以寬和，朝士皆慕樂之。未幾卒，年六十有八。帝嗟悼，賻恤加等，贈太保，謚文憲。

In the fourteenth year Gui E had already died and Zhang Cong had left office; only then did the emperor begin to miss Hong. In the fourth month he again sent an envoy to summon Hong from his home to the same posts as before. He reached the capital in the seventh month. The emperor sent a eunuch to greet him with imperial fare and told him in person, "We have been apart a long time; you are hale and well — guide me with all your heart so that I am pleased." Hong kowtowed in thanks. From then on the favor shown him grew still greater. With Li Shi he was summoned into the Hall of No Dissipation to tour the palace buildings, talking and laughing at ease until a long while had passed before they emerged. He was given a silver seal inscribed "Former Chief Minister and Principal Subject." The emperor often sought his counsel, and Hong answered with complete loyalty and without reserve. After the harsh rule of Zhang Cong and Gui E, he governed with leniency and harmony, and the court looked up to him with delight. Before long he died, at the age of sixty-eight. The emperor mourned him, doubled the funeral gifts and condolence payments, posthumously made him grand guardian, and gave him the posthumous title Wenxian.

宏三入內閣，佐兩朝殆十年。中遭讒構，訖以功名終。其自少保入也，弟寀為贊善，從子懋中由進士及第為編修，宏長子懋賢方改庶吉士，父子兄弟並列禁近。寀官至少保、禮部尚書，謚文通。懋中終湖廣提學副使。懋賢歷兵部郎中。

Hong entered the Grand Secretariat three times and served two reigns for nearly ten years. Though he suffered slander in between, he ended his career with honor intact. When he returned as junior guardian, his younger brother Cai was an assistant tutor, his nephew Maozhong had placed first in the metropolitan examination and become an expositor, and his eldest son Maoxian had just become a Hanlin bachelor — father, sons, and brothers all held posts close to the throne. Cai rose to junior guardian and minister of rites, with the posthumous title Wentong. Maozhong ended as vice commissioner for education in Huguang. Maoxian rose to director in the Ministry of War.

宏世父瑄，成化十一年進士。弘治時為兵部員外郎。貴州巡撫謝昶、總兵官吳經等奏爛土苗反，僭稱王，乞發大軍征討。以兵部尚書馬文升請，令瑄與御史鄧庠往按。白苗無反狀，撫定之。劾昶、經及鎮守中官張成罪。遷貴州參議以終。

Hong's clan elder father Xuan passed the metropolitan examination in Chenghua 11. Under Hongzhi he was a vice director in the Ministry of War. The Guizhou grand coordinator Xie Chang and regional commander Wu Jing memorialized that the Lantu Miao had rebelled and styled themselves kings, asking that a great army be sent against them. At the request of the minister of war Ma Wensheng, Xuan was sent with the censor Deng Xiang to investigate. He reported that the Miao had not rebelled and pacified them. He impeached Chang, Jing, and the eunuch defender Zhang Cheng. He was transferred to administration commissioner in Guizhou, where he ended his career.

翟鑾，字仲鳴，其先諸城人。曾祖為錦衣衛校尉，因家京師。舉弘治十八年進士，改庶吉士。正德初，授編修。劉瑾改翰林於他曹，以鑾為刑部主事。旋復官，進侍讀。嘉靖中，累遷禮部右侍郎。六年春，廷推閣臣。帝意在張孚敬，弗與。命再推，乃及鑾。中貴人多譽鑾者，帝遂逾次用之。楊一清以鑾望輕，請用吳一鵬、羅欽順。帝不許，命鑾以吏部左侍郎兼學士入直文淵閣。尋賜銀章曰「清謹學士。」

Zhai Luan, courtesy name Zhongming, was originally from Zhucheng. His great-grandfather became a corporal in the Embroidered-Uniform Guard, and the family settled in the capital. He passed the metropolitan examination in Hongzhi 18 and was made a Hanlin bachelor. At the start of the Zhengde reign he was appointed expositor. Liu Jin transferred the Hanlin to another bureau, and Luan was made a principal clerk in the Ministry of Punishments. Soon his original post was restored and he was promoted to reader. Under Jiajing he rose step by step to vice minister of rites on the right. In the spring of the sixth year the court recommended candidates for the Grand Secretariat. The emperor had Zhang Fuxing in mind and passed him over. He ordered another round of recommendations, and Luan was included. Many eunuchs praised Luan, and the emperor appointed him out of turn. Yang Yiqing, thinking Luan too slight in standing, asked that Wu Yipeng or Luo Qinshun be appointed instead. The emperor refused and ordered Luan to enter the Wenyuan Pavilion as left vice minister of personnel with the rank of academician. Soon he was given a silver seal inscribed "Pure and Diligent Scholar."

鑾初入閣，一清、謝遷輔政，既而孚敬與桂萼入，鑾皆謹事之。孚敬、萼皆以所賜銀章密封言事，鑾獨無所言。詰之，則頓首謝曰：「陛下明聖，臣將順不暇，何獻替之有。」帝心愛之。一清、萼、孚敬先後罷，鑾留獨秉政者兩月。其後李時、方獻夫入，位皆居鑾上，鑾亦無所怫。帝數召時、鑾入見，嘗問：「都察院擬籍谷大用貲產，當乎？」時、鑾皆北人，與中貴合。時曰：「所擬不中律。」鑾曰：「按律，籍沒止三條，謀反、叛逆及奸黨耳。不合三尺法，何以信天下。」帝曰：「大用亂政先朝，正奸黨也。」鑾曰：「陛下，即天也。春生秋殺，何所不可。」帝卒從重擬。丁生母憂歸。服闋，久不召。夏言、顧鼎臣居政府，鑾與謀召己。會帝將南巡，慮塞上有警，議遣重臣巡視，言等因薦鑾充行邊使。十八年二月改兵部尚書兼右都御史，諸邊文武將吏鹹受節制。且賫帑金五十萬犒邊軍，東西往返三萬餘里。明年春入京，遂命以原官入閣。在大同與總督毛伯溫議築五堡，過甘肅與總督劉天和議拓嘉峪關，皆受蔭敘。

When Luan first entered the Grand Secretariat, Yang Yiqing and Xie Qian were in charge; later Zhang Fuxing and Gui E entered, and Luan deferred to them all. Fuxing and E both used their granted silver seals to submit sealed memorials; Luan alone submitted nothing. When questioned, he kowtowed and said, "Your Majesty is enlightened and sage; I can scarcely keep up with obedience — what could I have to remonstrate about?" The emperor came to favor him. Yang Yiqing, Gui E, and Zhang Fuxing left office one after another; Luan alone held power for two months. Later Li Shi and Fang Xianfu entered, both ranking above Luan, yet he showed no resentment. The emperor often summoned Shi and Luan and once asked, "The Censorate proposes to confiscate Gu Dayong's property — is that proper? Shi and Luan were both northerners and sided with the eunuchs. Shi said, "The proposal does not accord with the law." Luan said, "By law, confiscation applies only in three cases: treason, rebellion, and factionalism. If it does not accord with the code, how can the empire be made to trust the law?" The emperor said, "Dayong disturbed government in the previous reign — he is precisely a factionalist." Luan said, "Your Majesty is Heaven itself. Spring growth and autumn killing — what may Heaven not do? The emperor finally followed the heavier proposal. He went home to observe mourning for his birth mother. When mourning ended he was not summoned for a long time. Xia Yan and Gu Dingchen were in power; Luan plotted with them to have himself recalled. When the emperor planned a southern tour and feared trouble on the northern frontier, Yan and the others recommended Luan as frontier envoy. In the second month of the eighteenth year he was made minister of war and right censor-in-chief; civil and military officials on every frontier were placed under his command. He was also given five hundred thousand in treasury silver to reward the border troops and traveled more than thirty thousand li east and west. The next spring he entered the capital and was ordered back into the Grand Secretariat at his former rank. At Datong he worked with the grand coordinator Mao Bowen on building five forts; in Gansu he worked with Liu Tianhe on expanding Jiayu Pass — both earned him ennoblement for merit.

二十一年，言罷，鑾為首輔。時已加少保、武英殿大學士，進少傅、謹身殿。嚴嵩初入，鑾以資地居其上，權遠出嵩下，而嵩終惡鑾，不能容。御史趙大佑劾鑾私同年，吏部尚書許贊亦發鑾請屬私書，帝皆不問。會鑾子汝儉、汝孝與其師崔奇勛所親焦清同舉二十三年進士，嵩遂屬給事中王交、王堯日劾其有弊。帝怒，下吏部、都察院。鑾疏辨，引西苑入直自解。帝益怒，勒鑾父子、奇勛、清及分考官編修彭鳳、歐陽奐為民，而下主考少詹事江汝璧及鄉試主考諭德秦鳴夏、贊善浦應麒詔獄，並杖六十，褫其官。

In the twenty-first year Xia Yan was dismissed and Luan became chief minister. By then he had been made junior guardian and grand secretary of the Wuying Hall; he was advanced to junior preceptor of the Jinshen Hall. Yan Song had just entered; Luan outranked him in seniority and his power far exceeded Song's, yet Song hated him and could not tolerate him. The censor Zhao Dayou impeached Luan for favoring a fellow provincial; the minister of personnel Xu Zan also exposed private letters in which Luan solicited favors — the emperor pursued neither. Then Luan's sons Rujian and Ruxiao, with their teacher Cui Qixun's protégé Jiao Qing, all passed the metropolitan examination of the twenty-third year; Song had the supervising secretaries Wang Jiao and Wang Yaori impeach them for fraud. The emperor was furious and referred the matter to the Ministry of Personnel and the Censorate. Luan submitted a defense, citing his duty in the Western Park as his excuse. The emperor grew still angrier, stripped Luan, his sons, Qixun, Qing, and the sectional examiners Peng Feng and Ouyang Huan of office, sent the chief examiner Jiang Rubi and the provincial chief examiners Qin Mingxia and Pu Yingqi to prison, beat them all sixty strokes, and deprived them of office.

鑾初輔政，有修潔聲。中持服家居，至困頓不能自給。其用行邊起也，諸邊文武大吏俱櫜郊迎，恒恐不得當鑾意，饋遺不貲。事竣，歸裝千輛，用以遺貴近，得再柄政，聲譽頓衰。又為其子所累，訖不復振。逾三年卒，年七十。穆宗即位，復官，謚文懿。

When Luan first entered government he had a reputation for integrity. While observing mourning at home he was so poor he could not support himself. When he was sent on the frontier mission, civil and military officials on every border met him in full armor beyond the suburbs, fearing to displease him, and gave gifts beyond counting. When the mission ended he returned with a thousand cartloads of gifts, used them to bribe those close to the throne, and thus regained power — his reputation collapsed at once. He was also ruined by his sons and never recovered. More than three years later he died, at the age of seventy. When the Longqing Emperor came to the throne his offices were restored and he was given the posthumous title Wenyi.

李時，字宗易，任丘人。父棨，進士，萊州知府。時舉弘治十五年進士，改庶吉士，授編修。正德中，歷侍讀、右諭德。世宗嗣位，為講官，尋遷侍讀學士。

Li Shi, courtesy name Zongyi, came from Renqiu. His father Qi was a metropolitan graduate and served as prefect of Laizhou. Shi passed the metropolitan examination in Hongzhi 15, was made a Hanlin bachelor, and appointed expositor. Under Zhengde he rose through reader and right preceptor. When the Jiajing Emperor succeeded, he was a lecturer and soon became academician reader.

嘉靖三年，擢禮部右侍郎。俄以憂歸。服除，為戶部右侍郎。復改禮部，尋代方獻夫為尚書。帝既定尊親禮，慨然有狹小前人之誌，欲裁定舊章，成一朝制作。張孚敬、夏言用事，鹹好更張。所建諸典禮，鹹他人發端，而時傅會成之。或廷議不合，率具兩端，待帝自擇，終未嘗顯爭。以故帝愛其恭順。四方上嘉瑞，輒拜疏請賀。帝謙讓，時必再請。由是益以時為忠。賜銀章曰「忠敏安慎」，俾密封言事。久而失之，請罪，帝再賜焉。十年七月，四郊成，加太子太保。雷震午門，彗星見東井，時請敕臣工修省，令言官指陳利害興革。帝以建言乃科道專責，寢不行。光祿寺廚役王福、錦衣衛千戶陳昇請遷顯陵於天壽山，時等力陳不可。巡檢徐震奏於安陸建京師，時等駁其非制，遂議改州為承天府。

In Jiajing 3 he was promoted to vice minister of rites on the right. Soon he went home on mourning. When mourning ended he became vice minister of revenue on the right. He was transferred back to rites and soon replaced Fang Xianfu as minister. After the emperor had settled the rites honoring his parents, he wished to surpass his predecessors and to fix old regulations and complete the institutions of his own reign. Zhang Fuxing and Xia Yan were in power and both loved to change established practice. The ritual codes they established were all initiated by others, while Shi chimed in and completed them. When court debate was divided he usually offered both sides and waited for the emperor to choose, and never openly contended. For this reason the emperor valued his deference. Whenever the provinces reported auspicious omens he would submit a memorial requesting congratulations. The emperor would demur, and Shi would always ask again. The emperor therefore regarded Shi as all the more loyal. He was given a silver seal inscribed "Loyal, Keen, Steady, and Careful" and permitted to submit sealed memorials. After a long while he lost it, asked to be punished, and the emperor granted it again. In the seventh month of the tenth year, when the suburban sacrifices in all four quarters were completed, he was made grand guardian of the heir apparent. Lightning struck the Meridian Gate and a comet appeared at the Eastern Well; Shi asked for an edict ordering ministers to examine themselves and censors to set forth what should be reformed. The emperor held that remonstrance was the special duty of the supervising secretaries and censors, and took no action. The kitchen servant Wang Fu and the thousand-commander Chen Sheng asked to move the Xianling mausoleum to Tianshou Mountain; Shi and others strongly opposed it. The inspector Xu Zhen proposed making Anlu a capital; Shi and others rejected this as irregular and the court instead made the prefecture Chengtian Prefecture.

其秋，桂萼卒，命時兼文淵閣大學士入參機務。時張孚敬已罷，翟鑾獨相。時後入，以宮保官尊，反居鑾上。兩人皆謙遜，無齟齬。帝御無逸殿，召時坐講《無逸篇》，鑾講《豳風·七月》詩，武定侯郭勛及九卿翰林俱入侍。講畢，帝退禦豳風亭賜宴。自是，數召見，諮謀政務。

That autumn Gui E died, and Shi was ordered into the Wenyuan Pavilion as grand secretary with a seat in policy deliberations. By then Zhang Fuxing had already left office, and Zhai Luan alone was chief minister. Shi entered later, but because his palace guardian rank was higher he in fact ranked above Luan. Both men were deferential, and there was no friction between them. The emperor held court in the Hall of No Dissipation, had Shi lecture on the "No Dissipation" chapter and Luan on the "Seventh Month" from the Odes of Bin, with the Marquis of Wuding Guo Xun and the nine ministers and Hanlin in attendance. When the lecture ended the emperor withdrew to the Binwind Pavilion and gave a feast. From then on he summoned them often to consult on government affairs.

明年春，孚敬還內閣，事取獨裁，時不敢有所評議。未幾，方獻夫入，與時亦相得。彗星復出，帝召見時等，諭以引咎修省之意，從容語及乏才。時等退，條上務安靜、惜人才、慎刑獄三事，頗及「大禮」大獄廢斥諸臣。帝優詔褒答之，然卒不能用也。給事中魏良弼、御史馮恩先後劾吏部尚書汪鋐，觸帝怒，時皆為論救。十二年，孚敬復入，鑾以憂去，獻夫致仕。時隨孚敬後，拱手唯諾而已，以故孚敬安之。孚敬謝政，費宏再入，未幾卒，時遂獨相。時素寬平，至是益鎮以安靜。帝亦恒召對便殿，接膝咨詢。時雖無大匡救，而議論恒本忠厚，廷論鹹以時為賢。客星見天棓旁，帝問所主事應。對曰：「事應之說起漢京房，未必皆合。惟在人君修德以弭之。」帝稱善。扈蹕謁陵，道沙河，帝見居民蕭索，愴然曰：「七陵在此，宜加守護。」時對曰：「昔邱濬建議，京師當設四輔，以臨清為南，昌平為北，薊州、保定為東西，各屯兵一二萬。今若於昌平增一總兵，可南衛京師，北護陵寢。」帝乃下廷臣勘議，於沙河築鞏華城，為置戍焉。屢加少傅、太子太師、吏部尚書、華蓋殿大學士。會夏言入輔，時不與抗，每事推讓言，言亦安之。帝待時不如孚敬、言，然少責辱，始終不替。孚敬、言亦不敢望也。十七年十二月卒官，贈太傅，謚文康。

The next spring Fuxing returned to the Grand Secretariat and decided affairs on his own; Shi did not dare to comment. Before long Fang Xianfu entered, and he and Shi also got along. When a comet appeared again the emperor summoned Shi and the others, spoke of taking blame and examining conduct, and mentioned the lack of talent. When they withdrew Shi and the others submitted items on seeking tranquility, cherishing talent, and being cautious in punishments, touching on ministers banished in the Great Rites cases and great prosecutions. The emperor issued a gracious edict in praise, yet in the end could not act on their advice. The supervising secretary Wei Liangbi and the censor Feng En impeached the minister of personnel Wang Zhen, provoking the emperor's anger; Shi argued in defense of both. In the twelfth year Fuxing returned; Luan left on mourning and Xianfu retired. Shi followed after Fuxing, bowing with clasped hands and assenting to everything, and Fuxing was at ease with him. When Fuxing left office Fei Hong returned; before long Hong died, and Shi then served alone as chief minister. Shi had always been lenient and fair; now he governed all the more with quiet restraint. The emperor also often summoned him to the side hall and consulted him knee to knee. Though he effected no great rescue of the state, his discourse was always rooted in loyalty and generosity, and the court regarded him as worthy. A guest star appeared beside the Celestial Lance; the emperor asked what it foretold. He replied, "The theory of events foretold arose with Jing Fang of Han and does not necessarily always fit. Only if the ruler cultivates virtue may it be stilled. The emperor praised this. Accompanying the imperial procession to the tombs, on the road at Shahe the emperor saw the inhabitants desolate and said with distress, "The seven tombs are here — they ought to receive added protection." Shi replied, "Formerly Qiu Jun proposed four auxiliaries for the capital — Linqing to the south, Changping to the north, Jizhou and Baoding to east and west — each garrisoning ten or twenty thousand troops. If a regional commander were added at Changping, he could guard the capital to the south and the tombs to the north. The emperor ordered the court to investigate, and at Shahe the Gonghua walled city was built with a garrison. He was repeatedly made junior preceptor, grand preceptor of the heir apparent, minister of personnel, and grand secretary of the Huagai Hall. When Xia Yan entered to assist, Shi did not contend with him but yielded in every matter, and Yan was at ease. The emperor did not treat Shi as he did Fuxing and Yan, yet seldom rebuked him, and he was never removed. Fuxing and Yan also did not dare to expect such treatment. In the twelfth month of the seventeenth year he died in office; he was posthumously made grand preceptor with the title Wenxian.

顧鼎臣，字九和，昆山人。弘治十八年進士第一。授修撰。正德初，再遷左諭德。嘉靖初，直經筵。進講範浚《心箴》，敷陳剴切。帝悅，乃自為註釋，而鼎臣特受眷。累官詹事。給事中劉世揚、李仁劾鼎臣汙佞。帝下世揚等獄，以鼎臣救，得薄譴。拜禮部右侍郎。帝好長生術，內殿設齋醮。鼎臣進《步虛詞》七章，且列上壇中應行事。帝優詔褒答，悉從之。詞臣以青詞結主知，由鼎臣倡也。

Gu Dingchen, courtesy name Jiuhe, came from Kunshan. He placed first in the metropolitan examination of Hongzhi 18. He was appointed expositor. At the start of Zhengde he was twice promoted to left preceptor. At the start of Jiajing he lectured at the Classics Colloquium. He lectured on Fan Jun's Maxims of the Mind with force and clarity. The emperor was pleased, wrote a commentary himself, and Dingchen received special favor. He rose to tutor of the heir apparent. The supervising secretaries Liu Shiyang and Li Ren impeached Dingchen as corrupt and fawning. The emperor sent Shiyang and the others to prison; because Dingchen interceded they received only light punishment. He was appointed vice minister of rites on the right. The emperor loved the arts of longevity and set up fasting and offerings in the inner palace. Dingchen presented seven stanzas of Pacing the Void and listed what ought to be done on the altar. The emperor issued a gracious edict in praise and followed all of it. It was from Dingchen that literary officials began winning the sovereign's favor with green prose.

改吏部左侍郎，掌詹事府。請令曾子後授《五經》博士，比三氏子孫，從之。大同軍變，張孚敬主用兵，鼎臣言不可，帝嘉納。十三年孟冬，享廟，命鼎臣及侍郎霍韜捧主。二人有期功服，當辭。乃上言：「古禮，諸侯絕期。今公卿即古諸侯，請得毋避。」禮部尚書夏言極詆其非，乃已。尋進禮部尚書，仍掌府事。京師淫雨，四方多水災，鼎臣請振饑弭盜，報可。

He was transferred to left vice minister of personnel and directed the Household of the Heir Apparent. He asked that descendants of Zengzi be appointed doctors of the Five Classics, on the model of the three sages' descendants, and this was granted. When the Datong garrison mutinied Zhang Fuxing advocated using troops; Dingchen opposed it, and the emperor praised and accepted his view. In the first winter month of the thirteenth year, at the temple sacrifice, Dingchen and Vice Minister Huo Tao were ordered to carry the spirit tablets. Both were in mourning for relatives within one year and ought to have declined. They submitted, "In ancient rites feudal lords did not observe mourning for relatives within one year. Present-day grand secretaries are the ancient feudal lords — we ask not to be excused. The minister of rites Xia Yan fiercely denounced this as wrong, and the matter was dropped. Soon he was promoted to minister of rites while still directing the household. In the capital there was incessant rain and floods in every quarter; Dingchen requested relief and suppression of banditry, and the court approved.

十七年八月，以本官兼文淵閣大學士入參機務。尋加少保、太子太傅、進武英殿。初，李時為首輔，夏言次之，鼎臣又次之。時卒，言當國專甚，鼎臣素柔媚，不能有為，充位而已。帝將南巡，立皇太子，命言扈行，鼎臣輔太子監國。御史蕭祥曜劾吏部侍郎張潮受鼎臣屬，調刑部主事陸昆為吏部。潮言：「兵部主事馬承學恃鼎臣有聯，自詭必得銓曹，臣故抑承學而用昆。」帝下承學詔獄，鼎臣不問。十九年十月卒官，年六十八。贈太保，謚文康。

In the eighth month of the seventeenth year he entered the Wenyuan Pavilion as minister with a seat in state affairs. Soon he was made junior guardian and grand preceptor of the heir apparent and advanced to the Wuying Hall. At first Li Shi was chief minister, Xia Yan second, and Dingchen third. When Shi died Yan dominated government entirely; Dingchen had always been soft and fawning and accomplished nothing, merely filling a seat. When the emperor planned a southern tour and installed the crown prince, he ordered Yan to accompany him and Dingchen to assist the prince in overseeing the state. The censor Xiao Xiangyao impeached Vice Minister Zhang Chao for accepting Dingchen's solicitation and transferring the principal clerk Lu Kun from Punishments to Personnel. Chao said, "The principal clerk Ma Chengxue, relying on his connection with Dingchen, boasted he would obtain a personnel post, and I suppressed Chengxue and used Kun instead." The emperor sent Chengxue to prison and did not inquire into Dingchen. In the tenth month of the nineteenth year he died in office at the age of sixty-eight. He was posthumously made grand guardian with the title Wenxian.

鼎臣官侍從時，憫東南賦役失均，屢陳其弊，帝為飭撫按。巡撫歐陽鐸厘定之。昆山無城，言於當事為築城。後倭亂起，昆山獲全，鄉人立祠祀焉。

When Dingchen served in attendance he pitied uneven levies in the southeast and repeatedly set forth their abuses; the emperor ordered grand coordinators to rectify them. The grand coordinator Ouyang Duo put them in order. Kunshan had no city wall; he spoke to those in charge and a wall was built. Later when Japanese raids broke out Kunshan was preserved, and the townspeople erected a shrine to him.

嚴訥，字敏卿，常熟人。舉鄉試，以主司試錄觸忌，一榜皆不得會試。嘉靖二十年成進士，改庶吉士，授編修，遷侍讀。三吳數中倭患，歲復大祲，民死徙幾半，有司征斂益急。訥疏陳民困，請蠲貸。帝得疏感動，報如其請。尋與李春芳入直西苑。撰青詞，超授翰林學士。歷太常少卿，禮部左、右侍郎，改吏部，皆兼學士，仍直西苑。所撰青詞皆稱旨。禮部尚書郭樸遷吏部，遂以訥代之。樸遭父喪，復代為吏部尚書。嚴嵩當國，吏道汙雜。嵩敗，樸典銓猶未能盡變。訥雅意自飭，徐階亦推心任之。訥乃與朝士約，有事白於朝房，毋謁私邸。慎擇曹郎，務抑奔競，振淹滯。又以資格太拘，人才不能盡，仿先朝三途並用法，州縣吏政績異者破格超擢，銓政一新。尋錄供奉勞，加太子太保。

Yan Ne, courtesy name Minqing, came from Changshu. He passed the provincial examination, but because the chief examiner's trial record offended someone, the entire list was barred from the metropolitan examination. In Jiajing 20 he became a metropolitan graduate, was made a Hanlin bachelor, appointed expositor, and promoted to reader. The three Wu regions were repeatedly struck by Japanese raids, and that year famine struck again; nearly half the people died or fled while the authorities pressed collection all the harder. Ne memorialized the people's distress and requested exemption and loans. The emperor was moved on reading the memorial and approved as requested. Soon he entered the Western Park on duty together with Li Chunfang. He composed green prose and was abruptly appointed Hanlin academician. He rose through vice minister of ceremonies, left and right vice minister of rites, and was transferred to personnel — all concurrently academician while still serving in the Western Park. The green prose he composed all pleased the emperor. When Minister Guo Pu was transferred to personnel, Ne replaced him. When Pu went home on mourning for his father, Ne again replaced him as minister of personnel. When Yan Song held the government, personnel practice was corrupt and confused. After Song fell Pu still presided over appointments and could not wholly reform them. Ne sincerely wished to discipline himself, and Xu Jie also trusted him wholeheartedly. Ne agreed with court officials that matters should be reported in the morning hall and not at private residences. He carefully chose bureau directors, striving to check frantic competition and revive those long neglected. Because qualification rules were too rigid, he imitated the former practice of three parallel routes: officials in prefectures and counties with outstanding records were promoted out of turn, and personnel practice was renewed. Soon, recording his service in attendance, he was made grand guardian of the heir apparent.

四十四年，袁煒罷，命兼武英殿大學士入參機務。以代者郭樸未至，仍掌銓政。帝齋居西苑，侍臣直廬皆在苑中。訥晨出理部事，暮宿直廬，供奉青詞，小心謹畏，至成疾久不愈。其年冬十一月，遂乞歸。逾年，世宗崩，遂不復出。

In the forty-fourth year Yuan Wei was dismissed, and Ne was ordered into the Wuying Hall as grand secretary with a seat in policy deliberations. Because his replacement Guo Pu had not yet arrived, he still presided over appointments. The emperor dwelt in seclusion in the Western Park, and attending ministers' duty lodges were all in the park. Ne went out each morning to handle ministry business and lodged in the duty quarters each evening, composing green prose with careful fear until he fell ill and could not recover. In the eleventh month of that winter he asked to return home. More than a year later the Jiajing Emperor died, and he never came out again.

訥既歸裏，父母皆在。晨夕潔餐孝養，人以為榮。訥嘗語人曰：「銓臣與輔臣必同心乃有濟。吾掌銓二年，適華亭當國，事無阻。且所任選郎賢，舉無失人。」華亭謂徐階，選郎則陸光祖也。家居二十年卒，年七十有四。贈少保，謚文靖。

After Ne returned home both his parents were still alive. Morning and evening he served them with pure devotion, and people regarded it as an honor. Ne once said, "The personnel minister and the chief minister must be of one mind for things to succeed. I presided over appointments for two years while Huating held the government, and nothing was obstructed. Moreover the selection directors I appointed were worthy, and no appointment failed." Huating refers to Xu Jie; the selection director was Lu Guangzu. After twenty years at home he died at the age of seventy-four. He was posthumously made junior guardian with the title Wenjing.

袁煒，字懋中，慈溪人。嘉靖十七年會試第一，殿試第三，授編修。煒性行不羈，為御史包孝所劾，帝宥不罪。進侍讀。久之，簡直西苑。撰青詞，最稱旨。三十五年，閣臣推修撰全元立掌南京翰林院，帝特用煒。煒疏辭，願以故官供奉。帝大喜，立擢煒侍講學士。甫兩月，手詔拜禮部右侍郎。明年，加太子賓客兼學士，賜一品服。三十九年，復以供奉恩加俸二等，俄進左侍郎。明年二月調吏部，兼官供奉如故。逾月遷禮部尚書，加太子少保，仍命入直。煒自供奉以後，六年中進宮保、尚書，前未有也。

Yuan Wei, courtesy name Maozhong, came from Cixi. In Jiajing 17 he placed first in the metropolitan examination and third in the palace examination, and was appointed expositor. Wei's conduct was unrestrained; the censor Bao Xiao impeached him, but the emperor pardoned him. He was promoted to reader. After a long while he was selected for duty in the Western Park. The green prose he composed most pleased the emperor. In the thirty-fifth year the grand secretaries recommended the expositor Quan Yuanli to direct the Nanjing Hanlin; the emperor specially chose Wei. Wei declined, wishing to serve in attendance at his former rank. The emperor was greatly pleased and immediately made him academician reader. After only two months an imperial rescript in the emperor's own hand made him vice minister of rites. The next year he was made guest of the heir apparent with the rank of academician and granted first-rank robes. In the thirty-ninth year he was again given two added salary grades for service in attendance; soon he was promoted to left vice minister. In the second month of the next year he was transferred to personnel while his attendance post remained the same. A month later he was made minister of rites and junior guardian of the heir apparent, and was still ordered to enter on duty. From the time Wei entered attendance, in six years he rose to palace guardian and minister — there had been nothing like it before.

先是二月朔，日食微陰，煒言不當救護。禮部尚書吳山不從，得譴去。帝聞煒言善之，遂以代山。及七月朔，又日食。歷官言食止一分五杪，例免救護。煒乃阿帝意上疏言：「陛下以父事天，以兄事日，群陰退伏，萬象輝華。是以太陽晶明，氛祲銷爍，食止一分，與不食同。臣等不勝欣忭。」疏入，帝益喜。其冬，遂命以戶部尚書兼武英殿大學士入閣典機務。累加少傅兼太子太傅、建極殿大學士。四十四年春，疾篤，請假歸，道卒，年五十八。贈少師，謚文榮。

Earlier, on the first day of the second month, there was a slight eclipse; Wei said rescue rites should not be performed. The minister of rites Wu Shan did not agree and was rebuked and dismissed. The emperor heard Wei's view and approved; he replaced Shan with Wei. On the first day of the seventh month there was another solar eclipse. The Astronomical Bureau said the eclipse reached only one and five-tenths parts and rescue was waived by precedent. Wei flattered the emperor's intent and submitted, "Your Majesty serves Heaven as a father and the sun as an elder brother; all yin forces have retreated and the myriad phenomena shine forth. Therefore the sun is crystal clear, malign influences are dispelled, and the eclipse reached only one part — the same as no eclipse. Your servants cannot contain our joy. When the memorial entered the emperor was still more pleased. That winter he was ordered into the Grand Secretariat as minister of revenue with a seat in state affairs at the Wuying Hall. He was repeatedly made junior preceptor, grand preceptor of the heir apparent, and grand secretary of the Jianji Hall. In the spring of the forty-fourth year he was gravely ill and asked to return home; he died on the road at the age of fifty-eight. He was posthumously made junior preceptor with the title Wenrong.

煒才思敏捷。帝中夜出片紙，命撰青詞，舉筆立成。遇中外獻瑞，輒極詞頌美。帝畜一貓死，命儒臣撰詞以醮。煒詞有「化獅作龍」語，帝大喜悅。其詭詞媚上多類此。以故帝急枋用之，恩賜稠疊，他人莫敢望。

Wei was quick and agile in talent and thought. The emperor would produce a slip of paper in the middle of the night ordering green prose, and Wei would finish at once. Whenever auspicious omens were presented from within or without the court he would use the most florid language in praise. When a cat the emperor kept died he ordered the Confucian officials to compose a text for the offering. Wei's text had the phrase "transforming a lion into a dragon," and the emperor was greatly delighted. His strange words flattering the sovereign were mostly of this kind. For this reason the emperor urgently raised and used him; favors and gifts were heaped upon him as others did not dare to hope.

自嘉靖中年，帝專事焚修，詞臣率供奉青詞。工者立超擢，卒至入閣。時謂李春芳、嚴訥、郭樸及煒為「青詞宰相」。而煒貴倨鮮淟，故出徐階門，直以氣淩之。與階同總裁《承天大志》，諸學士呈稿，煒竄改殆盡，不以讓階。諸學士不平，階第曰任之而已。其後煒死，階亦盡竄改之。煒自負能文，見他人所作，稍不當意，輒肆詆誚。館閣士出其門者，斥辱尤不堪，以故人皆畏而惡之。

From the middle Jiajing reign the emperor devoted himself to Daoist cultivation; literary officials mostly served in composing green prose. Those skilled at it were abruptly promoted and in the end entered the Grand Secretariat. The age called Li Chunfang, Yan Ne, Guo Pu, and Wei the "green-prose grand secretaries." Yet Wei was arrogant and aloof; though he came from Xu Jie's school he directly lorded it over Jie by temperament. Together with Jie he served as chief compiler of the Great Record of Chengtian; when the academicians presented drafts Wei altered them nearly entirely and did not defer to Jie. The academicians were displeased; Jie only said to let him have his way. After Wei died Jie altered everything back. Wei prided himself on literary ability; when others' work slightly failed to please him he would slander and ridicule at will. Those in the Hanlin who came from his school he insulted beyond bearing, and for this reason people feared and hated him.

李春芳，字子實，揚州興化人。嘉靖二十六年舉進士第一，除修撰。簡入西苑撰青詞，大被帝眷，與侍讀嚴訥超擢翰林學士。尋遷太常少卿，拜禮部右侍郎，俱兼學士，直西苑如故。佐理部事，進左侍郎，轉吏部，代訥為禮部尚書。時宗室蕃衍，歲祿苦不繼。春芳考故事，為書上之。諸吉兇大禮及歲時給賜，皆嚴為之制。帝嘉之，賜名《宗藩條例》。尋加太子太保。四十四年命兼武英殿大學士，與訥並參機務。世宗眷侍直諸臣厚，凡遷除皆出特旨。春芳自學士至柄政，凡六遷，未嘗一由廷推。

Li Chunfang, courtesy name Zishi, came from Xinghua in Yangzhou. In Jiajing 26 he placed first in the metropolitan examination and was appointed expositor. He was selected to compose green prose in the Western Park and received great favor; with the reader Yan Ne he was abruptly made Hanlin academician. Soon he was made vice minister of ceremonies and vice minister of rites on the right, both with the rank of academician, serving in the Western Park as before. Assisting in ministry affairs he was promoted to left vice minister, transferred to personnel, and replaced Ne as minister of rites. At this time the imperial clans had proliferated and annual stipends could scarcely be sustained. Chunfang investigated precedents and submitted a book. All auspicious and inauspicious rites and annual grants were strictly regulated. The emperor praised it and granted the title Regulations for the Imperial Clans. Soon he was made grand guardian of the heir apparent. In the forty-fourth year he was ordered into the Wuying Hall as grand secretary with a seat in state affairs together with Ne. The Jiajing Emperor favored those who attended him; nearly all promotions came by special edict. From academician to holding the government Chunfang was promoted six times and never once through court recommendation.

春芳恭慎，不以勢淩人。居政府持論平，不事操切，時人比之李時；其才力不及也，而廉潔過之。時徐階為首輔，得君甚。春芳每事必推階，階亦雅重之。隆慶元年春，有詔修翔鳳樓，春芳曰：「上新即位，而遽興土木，可乎？」事遂止。

Chunfang was deferential and cautious and did not lord it over others by power. In government he held moderate views and did not pursue harsh measures; contemporaries compared him to Li Shi; his talent did not match Shi's, but he surpassed him in integrity. At this time Xu Jie was chief minister and had the sovereign's heart. Chunfang yielded the lead to Jie in every matter, and Jie also esteemed him highly. In the spring of Longqing 1 an edict ordered repair of the Soaring Phoenix Tower; Chunfang said, "The sovereign has just acceded — how can we at once undertake construction? The matter was stopped.

齊康之劾徐階也，語侵春芳。春芳疏辨求去，帝慰留之。及代階為首輔，益務以安靜，稱帝意。時同列者陳以勤、張居正。以勤端謹，而居正恃才淩物，視春芳蔑如也。始階以人言罷，春芳嘆曰：「徐公尚爾，我安能久？容旦夕乞身耳。」居正遽曰：「如此，庶保令名。」春芳愕然，三疏乞休，帝不允。既而趙貞吉入代以勤，剛而負氣。及高拱再入直，淩春芳出其上，春芳不能與爭，謹自飭而已。俺答款塞求封，春芳偕拱、居正即帝前決之。會貞吉為拱逐，拱益張，修階故怨。春芳嘗從容為階解，拱益不悅。時春芳已累加少師兼太子太師，進吏部尚書，改中極殿，度拱輩終不容己，兩疏請歸養，不允。南京給事中王禎希拱意，疏詆之，春芳求去益力。賜敕乘傳，遣官護行，有司給夫廩如故事。閱一歲，拱復為居正所擠，幾不免。而春芳歸，父母尚無恙，晨夕置酒食為樂，鄉里艷之。父母歿數年乃卒，年七十五，贈太師，謚文定。

When Qi Kang impeached Xu Jie his words also touched Chunfang. Chunfang submitted a defense asking to leave; the emperor comforted and retained him. When he replaced Jie as chief minister he governed all the more with quiet restraint, pleasing the emperor. His colleagues were Chen Yiqin and Zhang Juzheng. Yiqin was upright and cautious, while Juzheng relied on talent and treated Chunfang with contempt. When Jie left office because of public opinion Chunfang sighed, "Even Lord Xu is like this — how long can I remain? I can only beg to leave before long. Juzheng quickly said, "In that case you may perhaps preserve a good name. Chunfang was startled and submitted three memorials requesting retirement; the emperor would not agree. Before long Zhao Zhenji entered to replace Yiqin — stern and proud by nature. When Gao Gong again entered on duty he looked down on Chunfang and ranked above him; Chunfang could not contend and only disciplined himself. When Altan made peace at the border and sought enfeoffment, Chunfang together with Gong and Juzheng decided the matter before the emperor. When Zhenji was driven out by Gong, Gong grew still more overbearing and nursed old resentment against Jie. Chunfang once spoke at ease in Jie's defense; Gong was still more displeased. By then Chunfang had been repeatedly made junior preceptor, grand preceptor, minister of personnel, and grand secretary of the Zhongji Hall; seeing that Gong and his faction would not tolerate him, he submitted two memorials asking to return home to care for his parents, but was not granted leave. The Nanjing supervising secretary Wang Zhen, hoping to please Gong, memorialized vilifying him; Chunfang asked to leave all the harder. He was granted an edict to travel by relay post, officials were sent to escort him, and local offices supplied porters and grain as by precedent. A year later Gong was again squeezed out by Juzheng and nearly could not escape ruin. Chunfang had returned home and his parents were still well; morning and evening he set out wine and food for their pleasure, and the countryside envied him. Several years after his parents died he died at the age of seventy-five; he was posthumously made grand preceptor with the title Wending.

孫思誠，天啟六年官禮部尚書，尋罷。崇禎初，坐頌榼閑住。

Sun Sicheng, in Tianqi 6 served as minister of rites and was soon dismissed. At the beginning of Chongzhen he was punished for praising Rongkan and made to live in retirement.

思誠孫清，字映碧。崇禎四年進士。由寧波推官擢刑科給事中。熊文燦撫張獻忠，清論其失策。以久旱請寬刑，忤旨，貶浙江按察司照磨。未赴，憂歸。起吏科給事中。俄出封淮府，國變得不與。福王時，請追謚開國名臣及武、熹兩朝忠諫諸臣，於是李善長等十四人、陸震等十四人、左光鬥等九人並得謚。

Sicheng's grandson Qing, courtesy name Yingbi. Metropolitan graduate of Chongzhen 4. From magistrate of Ningbo he was promoted to supervising secretary in the Punishments Bureau. Xiong Wencan pacified Zhang Xianzhong; Qing argued that his strategy was mistaken. Because of long drought he requested leniency in punishments, offended the emperor, and was demoted to registrar in the Zhejiang surveillance commission. Before he took up the post he returned home on mourning. He was raised to supervising secretary in the Personnel Bureau. Soon he was sent on mission to the Huai princedom and could not reach it because of the national upheaval. Under the Prince of Fu he requested posthumous titles for founding ministers and loyal remonstrators of the Wu and Xi reigns; Li Shanchang and fourteen others, Lu Zhen and fourteen others, and Zuo Guangdou and nine others all received posthumous titles.

春芳曾孫信，廣東平和知縣。城破，與二子泓遠、淑遠同時死。

Chunfang's great-grandson Xin was magistrate of Pinghe in Guangdong. When the city fell he died together with his two sons Hongyuan and Shuyuan.

陳以勤，字逸甫，南充人。嘉靖二十年進士。選庶吉士，授檢討。久之，充裕王講官，遷修撰，進洗馬。時東宮位號未定，群小多構釁。世宗於父子素薄，王歲時不得燕見。常祿外，例有給賜，王亦不敢請。積三歲，邸中窘甚。王左右以千金賄嚴世蕃，世蕃喜，以屬戶部，得並給三歲資。然世蕃常自疑，一日屏人語以勤及高拱曰：「聞殿下近有惑誌，謂家大人何？」拱故為謔語，以勤正色曰：「國本默定久矣。生而命名，從後從土，首出九域，此君意也。故事，諸王講官止用檢討，今兼用編修，獨異他邸，此相意也。殿下每謂首輔社稷臣，君安從受此言？」世蕃默然去。裕邸乃安。

Chen Yiqin, courtesy name Yifu, came from Nanchong. Metropolitan graduate of Jiajing 20. Selected as Hanlin bachelor, appointed reviser. After a long while he was made lecturer to the Prince of Yu, transferred to expositor, and advanced to groom. At the time the heir apparent's title was not yet settled and petty men often provoked trouble. The Jiajing Emperor had always been cold toward father and son; the prince could not obtain an audience at the New Year feast. Apart from regular stipends there were customary grants, but the prince did not dare to request them. For three years the princedom was in dire straits. Those around the prince bribed Yan Shifan with a thousand in gold; Shifan had the Ministry of Revenue grant three years' funds at once. Yet Shifan often doubted himself; one day he dismissed attendants and said to Yiqin and Gao Gong, "I hear the prince lately has confused thoughts — what of my father?" Gong deliberately jested; Yiqin said sternly, "The foundation of the state has long been settled. At birth he was named with the character for heir, following the rear and the earth — foremost in the nine regions; this is the sovereign's intent. By precedent princely lecturers used only revisers; now editors are also used, unique among princedoms — this is the chief minister's intent. The prince often calls the chief minister a pillar of the state — how can you accept such talk? Shifan left in silence. The Yu princedom was thereby settled.

為講官九年，有羽翼功，而深自晦匿，王嘗書「忠貞」二字賜之。父喪除，還為侍讀學士，掌翰林院。進太常卿，領國子監。擢禮部右侍郎，尋轉左，改吏部，掌詹事府。

He served nine years as lecturer with merit in supporting the prince, yet deeply concealed himself; the prince once wrote "loyal and steadfast" and bestowed the words on him. When mourning for his father ended he returned as academician reader and directed the Hanlin. He was advanced to vice minister of ceremonies and directed the Directorate of Education. He was promoted to vice minister of rites on the right, soon transferred to the left, transferred to personnel, and directed the Household of the Heir Apparent.

穆宗即位，以勤自以潛邸舊臣，條上謹始十事，曰定誌、保位、畏天、法祖、愛民、崇儉、攬權、用人、接下、聽言。其言攬權、聽言尤切。詔嘉其忠懇。隆慶元年春，擢禮部尚書兼文淵閣大學士，入參機務。累加少傅兼太子太傅，改武英殿。穆宗朝講希禦，政無所裁決，近幸多緣內降得厚恩。以勤請勵精修政。帝心動，欲有所舉措，卒為內侍所阻，疏亦留中。四年，條上時務因循之弊，請慎擢用：酌久任、治贓吏、廣用人、練民兵、重農谷。帝嘉之，下所司議。高拱掌吏部，惡所言侵己職，寢其奏，惟都察院議行贓吏一事而已。

When the Longqing Emperor acceded, Yiqin as a former servant of the hidden princedom submitted ten items on beginning with caution: fixing resolve, preserving position, fearing Heaven, following the ancestors, loving the people, cherishing frugality, gathering power, employing men, receiving subordinates, and heeding words. His words on gathering power and heeding words were especially forceful. An edict praised his loyal earnestness. In the spring of Longqing 1 he was promoted to minister of rites and grand secretary of the Wenyuan Pavilion with a seat in state affairs. He was repeatedly made junior preceptor and grand preceptor of the heir apparent and transferred to the Wuying Hall. Under Longqing audiences were rare and government was decided nowhere; favorites often obtained lavish favors through inner rescripts. Yiqin requested diligent effort in government. The emperor was moved and wished to take action, but was obstructed by inner attendants; the memorial also remained in the palace. In the fourth year he submitted the abuses of routine in current affairs and requested careful promotion: weighing long tenure, punishing corrupt officials, broadening employment, drilling militia, and valuing grain. The emperor praised this and referred it to the relevant offices. Gao Gong directed personnel and hated that the words encroached on his office; he shelved the memorial, and only the Censorate's item on punishing corrupt officials was carried out.

初，以勤之入閣也，徐階為首輔，而拱方向用，朝士各有所附，交相攻。以勤中立無所比，亦無私人，竟階與拱去，無訾及之者。及拱再入，與趙貞吉相軋，張居正復中構之。以勤與拱舊僚，貞吉其鄉人，而居正則所舉士也，度不能為解，恐終不為諸人所容，力引疾求罷。遂進兼太子太師、吏部尚書，賜敕馳傳歸，詔其子編修於陛侍行。後二年，拱被逐，倉皇出國門，嘆曰：「南充，哲人也。」以勤歸十年，年七十。復頒上方銀幣，命於陛馳歸賜之，且敕有司存問。又六年卒。贈太保，謚文端。於陛別有傳。

When Yiqin first entered the Grand Secretariat Xu Jie was chief minister while Gong was being brought into use; court officials each had factions and attacked one another. Yiqin stood in the middle with no faction and no private followers; when Jie and Gong left, no one criticized him. When Gong entered again and clashed with Zhao Zhenji, Zhang Juzheng also sowed discord between them. Yiqin was an old colleague of Gong and Zhenji was his fellow townsman, while Juzheng was a man he had recommended; seeing he could not mediate, he strongly pleaded illness and asked to leave. He was promoted to grand preceptor of the heir apparent and minister of personnel, granted an edict to travel by relay post home, and his son the expositor Yubi was ordered to attend him. Two years later Gong was driven out and left the capital gate in haste, sighing, "Nanchong — a wise man. After Yiqin returned home ten years passed and he reached seventy. The court again bestowed imperial silver and coins, ordered Yubi to hurry home to grant them, and commanded local offices to inquire after him. Six years later he died. He was posthumously made grand guardian with the title Wenduan. Yubi has a separate biography.

趙貞吉，字孟靜，內江人。六歲日誦書一卷。及長，以博洽名。最善王守仁學。舉嘉靖十四年進士，選庶吉士，授編修。時方士初進用，貞吉請求真儒贊大業。執政不懌，因請急歸。還朝遷中允，掌司業事。

Zhao Zhenji, courtesy name Mengjing, came from Neijiang. At six he could recite one scroll of books a day. When grown he was famed for broad learning. He was best versed in Wang Yangming's learning. He passed the metropolitan examination in Jiajing 14, was selected as Hanlin bachelor, and appointed expositor. At the time Daoist masters were first brought into use; Zhenji asked that true Confucians be sought to support the great enterprise. Those in power were displeased, and he requested urgent leave to return home. On returning to court he was transferred to middle attendant and directed student affairs.

俺答薄都城，謾書求貢。詔百官廷議，貞吉奮袖大言曰：「城下之盟，《春秋》恥之。既許貢則必入城，倘要索無已，奈何？」徐階曰：「君必有良策。」貞吉曰：「為今之計，請至尊速禦正殿，下詔引咎。錄周尚文功以勵邊帥，出沈束於獄以開言路；輕損軍之令，重賞功之格；遣官宣諭諸將，監督力戰，退敵易易耳。」時帝遣中使間廷臣，日中莫發一語。聞貞吉言，心壯之，諭嚴嵩曰：「貞吉言是，第不當及周尚文、沈束事耳。」召入左順門，令手疏便宜。立擢左諭德兼監察御史，奉敕宣諭諸軍。給白金五萬兩，聽隨宜勞賞。初，貞吉廷議罷，盛氣謁嚴嵩。嵩辭不見，貞吉怒叱門者。適趙文華至，貞吉復叱之。嵩大恨。及撰敕，不令督戰，以輕其權，且不與一卒護行。時敵騎充斥，貞吉馳入諸將營，散金犒士，宣諭德意，明日即復命。帝大怒，謂貞吉漫無區畫，徒為尚文、束遊說。下之詔獄，杖於廷，謫荔波典史。稍遷徽州通判，進南京吏部主事。

Altan pressed close to the capital and sent an insulting letter requesting tribute. An edict ordered all officials to debate at court; Zhenji rolled up his sleeves and said loudly, "A covenant under the walls — the Spring and Autumn Annals count it a disgrace. Once tribute is granted they will certainly enter the city; if their demands are endless, what then? Xu Jie said, "You must have a good plan. Zhenji said, "For the present, let the sovereign quickly hold court in the main hall and issue an edict taking blame upon himself. Record Zhou Shangwen's merit to encourage border commanders, release Shen Shu from prison to open the way for remonstrance; lighten orders that harm the army and weight rewards for merit; send envoys to proclaim to the generals and supervise them in fighting hard — driving off the enemy is easy. The emperor had sent eunuchs to sound out court officials; by midday not one word had been spoken. Hearing Zhenji's words the emperor took heart and told Yan Song, "Zhenji is right, only he ought not to have mentioned Zhou Shangwen and Shen Shu. He was summoned to the Zuoshun Gate and ordered to write out expedients in his own hand. He was immediately made left preceptor and concurrently investigating censor and, by imperial command, sent to proclaim to the armies. He was given fifty thousand taels of white silver and permitted to reward as he saw fit. Earlier, when Zhenji left the court debate he went in high spirits to visit Yan Song. Song declined and would not see him; Zhenji angrily rebuked the gatekeepers. When Zhao Wenhua arrived Zhenji rebuked him as well. Song hated him deeply. When drafting the imperial command he did not order supervision of battle, thereby lightening his authority, and gave him not a single soldier as escort. Enemy horsemen filled the land; Zhenji galloped into the generals' camps, scattered gold to reward the troops, proclaimed the sovereign's intent, and returned the next day. The emperor was furious, saying Zhenji had no plan at all and had merely lobbied for Shangwen and Shu. He was sent to prison by rescript, beaten at court, and demoted to registrar in Libo. He was gradually transferred to assistant prefect of Huizhou and advanced to principal clerk in the Nanjing Ministry of Personnel.

四十年，遷至戶部右侍郎。廷議遣大臣赴薊州督餉練兵，嵩欲用貞吉，召飲示之意。貞吉曰：「督餉者，督京運乎，民運乎？若二運已有職掌，添官徒增擾耳。況兵之不練，其過宜不在是，即十戶侍出，何益練兵？」嵩怫然罷。會嵩請告，吏部用倉場侍郎林應亮。比嵩出，益怒。令都給事中張益劾應亮，調之南京，而改用僉都御史霍冀。益又言：「督餉戶部專職，今貞吉與左侍郎劉大賓廷推不及，是不職也，宜罷。」於是二人皆奪官。

In the fortieth year he rose to vice minister of revenue on the right. The court debated sending a high minister to Jizhou to supervise grain transport and drill troops; Song wished to use Zhenji and summoned him to drink and show his intent. Zhenji said, "Does supervising grain mean capital transport or civilian transport? If both already have responsible offices, adding officials only increases disturbance. Moreover if troops are not drilled the fault should not lie here — even ten household stewards would not help drill troops. Song left displeased. When Song requested leave the Ministry of Personnel appointed the granary vice minister Lin Yingliang. When Song came out he was still more angry. He had the supervising secretary Zhang Yi impeach Yingliang and transfer him to Nanjing, and instead used the vice censor-in-chief Huo Ji. Yi also said, "Supervising grain is the special duty of Revenue; Zhenji and left vice minister Liu Dabin were not reached in court recommendation — they ought to be dismissed. Thereupon both men were stripped of office.

隆慶初，起禮部左侍郎，掌詹事府。穆宗幸太學，祭酒胡傑適論罷，以貞吉攝事。講《大禹謨》稱旨，命充日講官。貞吉年逾六十，而議論侃直，進止有儀，帝深註意焉。尋遷南京禮部尚書。既行，帝念之，仍留直講。三年秋，命兼文淵閣大學士參預機務。貞吉入謝，奏：「朝綱邊務一切廢弛，臣欲捐軀任事，惟陛下主之。」帝益喜。會寇入大同，總兵官趙岢失事，總督陳其學反以捷聞，為御史燕如宦所發。貞吉欲置重罰，兵部尚書霍冀僅議貶秩。貞吉與同官爭不得，因上言：「邊帥失律，祖宗法具在。今當事者屈法徇人，如公論何？臣老矣，效忠無術，乞賜罷。」不許。俄加太子太保。貞吉以先朝禁軍列三大營，營各有帥，今以一人總三營，權重難制。因極言其弊，請分五營，各統以大將，稍復祖宗之舊。帝善之，命兵部會廷臣議。尚書霍冀前與貞吉議不合，頗不然其言。廷臣亦多謂強兵在擇將，不在變法。冀等乃上議三大營宜如故。惟以一人為總督，權太重，宜三營各設一大將，而罷總督，以文臣為總理。報可。

At the beginning of Longqing he was raised to left vice minister of rites and directed the Household of the Heir Apparent. When the Longqing Emperor visited the Directorate of Education, Chancellor Hu Jie had just been dismissed; Zhenji acted in his place. He lectured on the Counsels of Yu the Great and pleased the emperor, who ordered him to serve among the daily lecturers. Zhenji was over sixty yet his discourse was forthright and his bearing dignified; the emperor paid him close attention. Soon he was transferred to minister of rites in Nanjing. After he set out the emperor thought of him and still retained him to lecture. In the autumn of the third year he was ordered into the Wenyuan Pavilion as grand secretary with a seat in state affairs. When Zhenji entered to give thanks he memorialized, "Court discipline and border affairs are all in decay; I wish to devote my body to service — let Your Majesty decide. The emperor was still more pleased. When bandits entered Datong the regional commander Zhao Ke lost the engagement and the grand coordinator Chen Qixue falsely reported victory, exposed by the censor Yan Ruguan. Zhenji wished to impose heavy punishment; the minister of war Huo Ji proposed only demotion in rank. Zhenji contended with his colleagues without success and submitted, "When border commanders violate discipline, the ancestral laws are fully in place. Now those in charge bend the law to favor men — what of public opinion? I am old and have no means left to serve; I beg to be dismissed. The request was denied. Soon he was made grand guardian of the heir apparent. Zhenji said that under the previous reign the forbidden army was arranged in three great camps, each with its own commander; now one man commanded all three — authority was too heavy and hard to control. He set forth the abuses at length and asked to divide them into five camps, each commanded by a great general, somewhat restoring the ancestral pattern. The emperor approved and ordered the Ministry of War to meet with court officials. Minister Huo Ji had earlier disagreed with Zhenji and opposed his view. Court officials also mostly said strong armies lie in choosing generals, not in changing regulations. Ji and the others submitted that the three great camps ought to remain as before. Only because one overall commander had authority too heavy, each camp ought to have a great general, the overall commander abolished, and a civil official made overall administrator. Approval was granted.

初，給事中楊镕劾冀貪庸。帝已留冀，冀以镕貞吉鄉人，疑出貞吉意，疏辨乞罷，且詆貞吉。貞吉亦疏辨求去。詔留貞吉，褫冀官。其後營制屢更，未逾年即復其舊，貞吉亦不能爭也。俺答款塞求封，貞吉力贊其議。

Earlier the supervising secretary Yang Rong had impeached Ji as greedy and incompetent. The emperor had retained Ji; Ji, because Rong was Zhenji's fellow townsman, suspected Zhenji and memorialized asking to leave while vilifying Zhenji. Zhenji also memorialized in defense asking to leave. An edict retained Zhenji and stripped Ji of office. Afterward the camp system was changed repeatedly; within a year the old pattern was restored, and Zhenji could not contend. When Altan made peace at the border and sought enfeoffment Zhenji strongly supported the proposal.

先是，高拱再入閣即掌吏部。貞吉言於李春芳，亦得掌都察院。拱以私憾欲考察科道。貞吉與同事上言：「頃因御史葉夢熊言事忤旨，陛下嚴諭考核言官，並及升任在籍者。應考近二百人，其中豈無懷忠報主謇諤敢言之士？今一以放肆奸邪罪之，竊恐所司奉行過當，忠邪不分，致塞言路，沮士氣，非國家福也。」帝不從。拱以貞吉得其情，憾甚。及考察，拱欲去貞吉所厚者，貞吉亦持拱所厚以解。於是斥者二十七人，而拱所惡者鹹與。拱猶以為憾也，嗾門生給事中韓楫劾貞吉庸橫，考察時有私。貞吉疏辨乞休，且言：「臣自掌院務，僅以考察一事與拱相左。其他壞亂選法，縱肆作奸，昭然耳目者，臣噤口不能一言，有負任使，臣真庸臣也。若拱者，斯可謂橫也已。臣放歸之後，幸仍還拱內閣，毋令久專大權，廣樹眾黨。」疏入，竟允貞吉去，而拱握吏部權如故。

Earlier, when Gao Gong re-entered the Grand Secretariat he immediately took charge of personnel. Zhenji spoke to Li Chunfang and also obtained charge of the Censorate. Gong, from private resentment, wished to conduct an evaluation of the supervising secretaries and censors. Zhenji and his colleagues submitted, "Recently because the censor Ye Mengxiong offended the emperor, Your Majesty ordered evaluation of remonstrating officials, extending even to those promoted or on leave. Nearly two hundred are to be evaluated — among them are there not men loyal, upright, and daring to speak? Now to charge them all with reckless wickedness — I fear the offices will carry this too far, loyal and wicked undistinguished, blocking speech and dampening morale — this is not the fortune of the state. The emperor did not agree. Gong, because Zhenji had grasped his intent, resented him deeply. At the evaluation Gong wished to remove those Zhenji favored; Zhenji also held back those Gong favored to mediate. Twenty-seven were dismissed, and those Gong hated were all among them. Gong still felt resentment and incited his student Han Ji to impeach Zhenji as mediocre and overbearing, with favoritism at the evaluation. Zhenji memorialized asking to leave, saying, "Since I took charge of the Censorate, in only the evaluation have I differed from Gong. Other ruin of selection law and open wickedness plain to all — I have kept silent; I have failed my charge and am truly mediocre. As for Gong — he may be called overbearing. After I return home, I pray Gong may still return to the Grand Secretariat — do not let him long monopolize power and plant factions. When the memorial entered Zhenji's departure was granted, while Gong held personnel power as before.

貞吉學博才高。然好剛使氣，動與物迕。九列大臣，或名呼之，人亦以是多怨。高拱、張居正名輩出貞吉後，而進用居先。鹹負才好勝不相下，竟齟齬而去。萬歷十年卒，贈少保，謚文肅。

Zhenji's learning was broad and his talent high. Yet he loved to be forceful and show his temper, always clashing with others. Among the nine chief ministers he sometimes called them by name; people therefore resented him. Gao Gong and Zhang Juzheng were junior to Zhenji in standing yet were promoted before him. All were talented and competitive and would not yield; in the end they clashed and left. In Wanli 10 he died; he was posthumously made junior guardian with the title Wensu.

殷士儋，字正甫，歷城人。嘉靖二十六年進士。選庶吉士，授檢討。久之，充裕王講官。凡關君德治道，輒危言激論，王為動色。遷右贊善，進洗馬，直論如故。隆慶元年擢侍讀學士，掌翰林院事，進禮部右侍郎，未幾改吏部。明年春，拜禮部尚書，掌詹事府事。其冬，還理部事。四年正月朔望，日月俱食。士儋疏請布德、緩刑、納諫、節用，飭內外臣工講求民瘼。報聞。以舊恩，進太子太保。時寒暑皆罷講，士儋請如故事，四時無輟，並進講《祖訓》及《大學衍義》、《貞觀政要》。帝嘉納之。

Yin Shidan, courtesy name Zhengfu, came from Licheng. Metropolitan graduate of Jiajing 26. Selected as Hanlin bachelor, appointed reviser. After a long while he was made lecturer to the Prince of Yu. Whenever it touched the prince's virtue or governance he spoke stern warnings; the prince was moved. He was transferred to right assistant companion and advanced to groom, lecturing as before. In Longqing 1 he was promoted to academician reader and directed Hanlin affairs, advanced to vice minister of rites on the right, and soon transferred to personnel. The next spring he was appointed minister of rites and directed the Household of the Heir Apparent. That winter he returned to directing ministry affairs. On New Year's Day in the fourth year both sun and moon were eclipsed. Shidan memorialized requesting spreading virtue, leniency in punishments, acceptance of remonstrance, and frugality, and ordering officials to seek the people's distress. The court noted receipt. Because of old favor he was made grand guardian of the heir apparent. Lectures were suspended in both cold and heat; Shidan asked to follow precedent without pause through the four seasons, and also to lecture on the Ancestral Injunctions, the Extended Meaning of the Great Learning, and the Essentials of Government from the Zhenguan Reign. The emperor praised and accepted this.

始世宗定宗藩條例，親王無後，以兄弟及兄弟之子嗣，不得以旁繼。嘉靖末，肅懷王薨，無子。其大母定王妃請以輔國將軍縉貴嗣，禮部議縉貴實懷王從叔，不可承祧。詔許以將軍攝府事。及帝即位，王妃復請，前尚書高儀執不可。縉貴重賄中官，屬宗人為奏，祈必得。士儋持之甚力。帝以肅藩越在遠塞，不王無以鎮之，遂許縉貴嗣。士儋爭曰：「肅府自甘州徙蘭州，實內地。且請別選郡王賢者理府事，毋遂私請，壞條例。」而帝意堅不可奪。士儋乃請封為郡王，諸宗率以此令從事，帝終不許。故事，郊畢，舉慶成宴。自世宗倦勤，典禮久廢。帝即位三載，猶未舉行，士儋始考定舊儀行之。十一月，命以本官兼文淵閣大學士入閣辦事。俄俺答封事成，進少保，改武英殿。

When the Jiajing Emperor first fixed regulations for the imperial clans, if a prince had no heir a brother or brother's son might succeed, but collateral succession was not permitted. At the end of Jiajing the Prince of Su Huai died without a son. His grandmother the Princess of Ding requested that the assistant-state general Jin Gui succeed; the Ministry of Rites argued Jin Gui was the prince's uncle and could not inherit the ancestral line. An edict permitted the general to administer the princedom. When the emperor acceded the princess again requested; the former minister Gao Yi held firm that it could not be done. Jin Gui heavily bribed inner attendants and had clansmen memorialize, insisting he must obtain succession. Shidan held out very firmly. The emperor, because the Su princedom was on the frontier and without a prince could not be secured, permitted Jin Gui to succeed. Shidan contended, "The Su princedom was moved from Ganzhou to Lanzhou — it is in fact inner territory. Moreover choose another worthy commandery prince to administer the princedom — do not follow this private request and ruin the regulations. The emperor's intent was firm and could not be changed. Shidan asked for enfeoffment as commandery prince; the clans took this as precedent, yet the emperor would not agree. By precedent after the suburban sacrifice a celebration banquet was held. From the time the Jiajing Emperor wearied of government the ritual had long lapsed. Three years after the emperor acceded it had still not been held; Shidan investigated the old ritual and carried it out. In the eleventh month he was ordered into the Grand Secretariat as minister with a seat in affairs. Soon Altan's enfeoffment was completed and he was made junior guardian and transferred to the Wuying Hall.

始士儋與陳以勤、高拱、張居正並為裕邸僚，三人皆柄用，士儋仍尚書，不能無望。拱素善張四維，欲引共政，而惡士儋不親己，不為援。士儋遂藉太監陳洪力，取中旨入閣，以故怨拱及四維。四維父擅鹽利，為御史郜永春所劾。事已解，他御史復及之。拱、四維疑出士儋指，益相構。御史趙應龍遂劾士儋進由陳洪，不可以參大政。士儋再辨求去，不允。而拱門生都給事中韓楫復揚言脅之，士儋亦疑出拱指。故事，給事中朔望當入閣會揖。士儋面詰楫曰：「聞君有憾於我，憾自可耳，毋為他人使。」拱曰：「非體也。」士儋勃然起，詬拱曰：「若逐陳公，逐趙公，復逐李公，今又為四維逐我，若能常有此座耶？」奮臂欲毆之。居正從旁解，亦誶而對。御史侯居良復劾士儋始進不正，求退不勇。士儋再疏請益力，乃賜道里費，乘傳歸，有司給稟隸如故事。家居十一年卒。時居正垂沒，四維為政，怨士儋。贈太保，謚文通。久之，改謚文莊。

At first Shidan with Chen Yiqin, Gao Gong, and Zhang Juzheng had all been colleagues in the Yu princedom; the three held power while Shidan remained minister — he could not be without hope. Gong had always been friendly with Zhang Siwei and wished to bring him into government, yet hated that Shidan was not close to him and did not support him. Shidan relied on the eunuch Chen Hong and obtained an inner rescript to enter the Grand Secretariat; for this he resented Gong and Siwei. Siwei's father monopolized salt profits and was impeached by the censor Hao Yongchun. The matter was resolved when other censors raised it again. Gong and Siwei suspected Shidan and sowed discord all the more. The censor Zhao Yinglong impeached Shidan for entering through Chen Hong and being unfit for great affairs. Shidan again defended himself and asked to leave; this was denied. Gong's student Han Ji again spread threats, and Shidan suspected Gong. By precedent supervising secretaries on the first and fifteenth ought to enter the Grand Secretariat for the assembly bow. Shidan confronted Ji: "I hear you resent me — that is your affair, but do not be another's tool. Gong said, "This is not proper. Shidan rose in anger and reviled Gong, "You drove out Lord Chen, Lord Zhao, Lord Li — now you drive me out for Siwei; can you keep this seat forever? He swung his arm as if to strike him. Juzheng mediated from the side and also reviled in reply. The censor Hou Juliang impeached Shidan for improper entry and lack of courage in seeking to leave. Shidan submitted another memorial; he was granted travel expenses, traveled by relay post home, and local offices supplied grain and attendants as by precedent. After eleven years at home he died. At the time Juzheng was near death and Siwei held the government; he resented Shidan. He was posthumously made grand guardian with the title Wentong. After a long while the title was changed to Wenzhuang.

高儀，字子象，錢塘人。嘉靖二十年進士。選庶吉士，授編修。歷侍講學士，掌南京翰林院。召為太常卿，掌國子監事。擢禮部右侍郎，改吏部，教習庶吉士。四十五年代高拱為禮部尚書。穆宗即位，諸大典禮皆儀所酌定。世宗遺命，郊社及祔享祔葬諸禮，悉稽祖制更定。儀乃會廷臣議：天地分祀不必改；既祭先農，不當復祈谷西苑；帝社、帝稷、睿宗明堂配天與玉芝宮專祀，當廢；孝潔皇后當祔廟，別祀孝烈於他所。帝皆報可。既而中官李芳復請天地合祀如洪武制，御史張槚請易皇極諸殿名，盡復其舊，儀皆持不可。帝踐阼四月，未召對大臣，儀屢請。隆慶二年正月饗太廟，帝將遣代，儀偕僚屬諫，閣臣亦以為言，乃親祀如禮。慶府輔國將軍縉貴請襲王爵，儀執不從。太子生七齡，儀疏請出閣，帝命待十齡行之。詔取光祿銀二十萬兩，儀力爭。初，世宗崇道教，太常多濫員，儀奏汰四十八人。寺卿陳慶奏供事乏缺，儀堅持不可。掌禮部四年，每歲暮類奏四方災異，遇事秉禮循法，居職甚稱。引疾章六上，卒見留。會御史傅寵以先帝時撰文叩壇事劾儀，儀四疏求去，乃加太子少保馳傳歸。

Gao Yi, courtesy name Zixiang, came from Qiantang. Metropolitan graduate of Jiajing 20. Selected as Hanlin bachelor, appointed expositor. He rose through academician reader and directed the Nanjing Hanlin. He was summoned as vice minister of ceremonies and directed the Directorate of Education. He was promoted to vice minister of rites on the right, transferred to personnel, and instructed Hanlin bachelors. In the forty-fifth year he replaced Gao Gong as minister of rites. When the Longqing Emperor acceded, all the great ritual codes were set by Yi. By the Jiajing Emperor's testament, suburban sacrifices and the rites of enshrinement, joint sacrifice, and burial were investigated against ancestral regulations and revised. Yi met with court officials: separate sacrifice to Heaven and Earth need not be changed; since the First Farmer is already sacrificed to, there should be no further prayer for grain in the Western Park; the Imperial Altar of Soil and Grain, the Ruizong Hall's matching Heaven in the Bright Hall, and exclusive sacrifice at the Yuzhi Palace ought to be abolished; Empress Xiaojie ought to be enshrined in the temple, with Xiaolie separately sacrificed elsewhere. The emperor approved all. Soon the eunuch Li Fang again requested combined sacrifice as in the Hongwu system; the censor Zhang Ji requested restoring old hall names — Yi held firm against both. Four months after the emperor acceded he had not summoned the great ministers; Yi repeatedly requested it. In the first month of Longqing 2, at the feast in the Imperial Ancestral Temple, the emperor was about to send a substitute; Yi remonstrated, the grand secretaries spoke — the emperor performed the sacrifice in person. The assistant-state general Jin Gui of the Qing princedom requested to inherit the princely title; Yi held firm and did not agree. When the crown prince reached seven Yi memorialized requesting he leave the palace; the emperor ordered this at ten. An edict took two hundred thousand taels of silver from the Court of Imperial Sacrifices; Yi strove against it. Earlier the Jiajing Emperor revered Daoism and the Court of Imperial Sacrifices had many supernumerary posts; Yi memorialized to cut forty-eight. Director Chen Qing said service posts lacked personnel; Yi held firm and would not agree. Directing the Ministry of Rites for four years, each year's end he submitted calamities from every quarter; he upheld ritual and law — his tenure was highly praised. He submitted six memorials citing illness, yet was always retained. When the censor Fu Chong impeached Yi for altar rites in the previous reign, Yi submitted four memorials asking to leave and was made junior guardian and sent home by relay post.

歸二年，用高拱薦，命以故官侍東宮講讀，掌詹事府。六年四月詔兼文淵閣大學士入閣辦事。逾月，帝崩，預顧命。及拱為張居正所逐，儀已病，太息而已。未幾卒。贈太子太保，謚文端。

Two years after returning, on Gao Gong's recommendation he was ordered to his former rank to lecture the heir apparent and direct the Household of the Heir Apparent. In the fourth month of the sixth year an edict ordered him into the Grand Secretariat as minister with a seat in affairs. A month later the emperor died; he was named in the testamentary command. When Gong was driven out by Zhang Juzheng, Yi was already ill and could only sigh. Before long he died. He was posthumously made grand guardian with the title Wenduan.

儀性簡靜，寡嗜欲，室無妾媵。舊廬毀於火，終身假館於人。及沒，幾無以殮。

Yi was simple and quiet, with few desires; he had no concubines. His old house was destroyed by fire and he lodged in others' houses all his life. When he died he almost had nothing for burial.

贊曰：費宏等皆起家文學，致位宰相。宏卻錢寧，拒宸濠，忤張、桂，再躓再起，終亦無損清譽。李時、翟鑾皆負才望，而鑾晚節不振。貞吉負氣自高，然處傾軋之勢，即委蛇，庸得免乎？顧鼎臣等雍容廟堂，可謂極遭逢之盛。而陳以勤誠心輔導，獻納良多。後賢濟美，繼登相位。終明之世，稱韋、平者，數以勤父子。天之報之，何其厚哉。

The appraiser says: Fei Hong and the others all rose from literary studies to the rank of chief minister. Hong refused Qian Ning, rejected Chenhao, opposed Zhang and Gui, fell and rose again, and his clear reputation was undiminished. Li Shi and Zhai Luan both had talent and standing, yet Luan's late years did not hold firm. Zhenji was proud and self-exalting, yet in crushing pressure — even with compliance, how could he escape? Gu Dingchen and the others were at ease in the hall of state — they met with the fullest favor of the times. Yet Chen Yiqin sincerely guided and remonstrated with much offered. Later worthy men carried on the excellence and reached the chief ministership. Through the Ming dynasty, those called Wei and Ping were numbered among the Yiqin father and son. How thick Heaven's reward to them!

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