1
孫承宗子:鉁等
The sons of Sun Chengzong: Qin, et al.
2
孫承宗
Sun Chengzong
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孫承宗，字稚繩，高陽人。 貌奇偉，須髯戟張。 與人言，聲殷牆壁。 始為縣學生，授經邊郡。 往來飛狐、拒馬間，直走白登，又從紇干、清波故道南下。 喜從材官老兵究問險要厄塞，用是曉暢邊事。
Sun Chengzong, whose style name was Zhisheng, came from Gaoyang. He had a striking, imposing bearing, with a beard and mustache that stood out like crossed halberds. When he spoke, his voice boomed so that the walls seemed to reverberate. He began as a county school student and later taught the classics in the frontier districts. He traveled between Feihu and Juma, went directly to Baideng, and also followed the old southern routes through Heggan and Qingbo. He liked to question seasoned frontier officers about strategic terrain and passes, and in this way became thoroughly versed in border affairs.
4
萬曆三十二年，登進士第二人，授編修，進中允。 「梃擊」變起，大學士吳道南以諮承宗。 對曰：「事關東宮，不可不問； 事連貴妃，不可深問。 龐保、劉成而下，不可不問也； 龐保、劉成而上，不可深問也。」 道南如其言，具揭上之，事遂定。 出典應天鄉試，發策著其語。 攖黨人忌，將以大計出諸外，學士劉一景保持，乃得免。 歷諭德、洗馬。
In Wanli 32 (1604) he ranked second on the jinshi examination, was appointed a Hanlin compiler, and later promoted to junior mentor of the heir apparent. When the Staff Assault affair broke out, Grand Secretary Wu Daonan sought Chengzong's advice. He answered: "Because it concerns the crown prince, it cannot go uninvestigated; but because it also involves the imperial consort, it cannot be pursued too deeply. Those below Pang Bao and Liu Cheng must be questioned; but those above Pang Bao and Liu Cheng must not be questioned too deeply. Daonan followed his advice, submitted a full report to the throne, and the matter was settled. When he served as chief examiner for the Yingtian provincial examination, his policy questions quoted his own remarks. He provoked the hostility of rival factions, who were about to banish him from the capital on a major pretext, but Academician Liu Yijing intervened on his behalf and he was spared. He later served as mentor and as study attendant to the heir apparent.
5
熹宗即位，以左庶子充日講官。 帝每聽承宗講，輒曰「心開」，故眷注特殷。 天啟元年進少詹事。 時沈、遼相繼失，舉朝洶洶。 御史方震孺請罷兵部尚書崔景榮，以承宗代。 廷臣亦皆以承宗知兵，遂推為兵部添設侍郎，主東事。 帝不欲承宗離講筵，疏再上不許。 二年擢禮部右侍郎，協理詹事府。
When the Xizong Emperor came to the throne, Chengzong was made left junior mentor and served as his daily lecturer. Whenever the emperor heard Chengzong lecture, he would say, "My mind is opened," and therefore showed him exceptional favor. In Tianqi 1 (1621) he was promoted to junior commissioner of the heir apparent's household. Shenyang and Liaoyang had just fallen in succession, and the entire court was in an uproar. Censor Fang Zhenru urged that Minister of War Cui Jingrong be removed and Chengzong put in his place. Court officials likewise agreed that Chengzong understood military affairs, and he was therefore made an additional vice minister of war in charge of eastern frontier affairs. The emperor did not want Chengzong to leave the lecture hall, and twice refused memorials urging his appointment elsewhere. In the second year he was promoted to right vice minister of rites and helped administer the heir apparent's household.
6
未幾，大清兵逼廣寧，王化貞棄城走，熊廷弼與俱入關。 兵部尚書張鶴鳴懼罪，出行邊。 帝亦急東事，遂拜承宗兵部尚書兼東閣大學士，入直辦事。 越數日，命以閣臣掌部務。 承宗上疏曰：「邇年兵多不練，餉多不核。 以將用兵，而以文官招練； 以將臨陣，而以文官指發； 以武略備邊，而日增置文官於幕； 以邊任經、撫，而日問戰守於朝； 此極弊也。 今天下當重將權，擇一沉雄有氣略者，授之節鉞，得自辟置偏裨以下，勿使文吏用小見沾沾陵其上。 邊疆小勝小敗，皆不足問，要使守關無闌入，而徐為恢復計。」 因列上撫西部、恤遼民、簡京軍、增永平大帥、修薊鎮亭障、開京東屯田數策，帝褒納焉。 時邊警屢告，閣部大臣幸旦暮無事，而言路日益紛呶。 承宗乃請下廷弼於理，與化貞並讞，用正朝士黨護。 又請逮給事中明時舉、御史李達，以懲四川之招兵致寇者。 又請詰責遼東巡按方震孺、登萊監軍梁之垣、薊州兵備邵可立，以警在位之骫骳者。 諸人以次獲譴，朝右聳然，而側目怨咨者亦眾矣。
Before long the Qing army threatened Guangning; Wang Huazhen abandoned the city and fled, and Xiong Tingbi retreated into the passes with him. Minister of War Zhang Heming, fearing punishment, went out to inspect the frontier. The emperor was also deeply anxious about the eastern frontier, and so appointed Chengzong minister of war and concurrently Eastern Lodge grand secretary, with duty at court. A few days later he was ordered, as a grand secretary, to take charge of the ministry's affairs. Chengzong submitted a memorial saying: "In recent years the troops are largely untrained and the rations largely unaudited. Generals are supposed to command troops, yet civil officials recruit and drill them; generals are supposed to face battle, yet civil officials direct deployments; military strategy is meant to defend the frontier, yet more civil officials are added to staffs every day; frontier commissioners and governors are entrusted with the border, yet war and defense are debated daily at court— these are the worst abuses imaginable. The empire should now restore real authority to generals: choose a man of depth, boldness, and strategic vision, grant him full command, let him appoint his own officers down to the rank of deputy commander, and do not let petty civil officials ride over him with small-minded objections. Minor frontier victories and defeats are not worth debating; what matters is to hold the passes so that no enemy breaks through, and then plan recovery step by step." He then submitted several policies—pacifying the western tribes, relieving the people of Liaodong, streamlining capital troops, adding a supreme commander at Yongping, repairing Ji garrison defenses, and opening military colonies east of the capital—and the emperor praised and accepted them. Border alarms were coming in repeatedly; grand secretaries and ministers counted themselves lucky if each day passed without crisis, while the censorial and remonstrance offices grew ever more clamorous. Chengzong then asked that Xiong Tingbi be handed over for trial and jointly judged with Wang Huazhen, so as to curb the court factions that had been shielding them. He also asked that supervising secretary Ming Shiju and censor Li Da be arrested, to punish those in Sichuan whose reckless recruitment of troops had invited rebellion. He also asked that Liaodong touring censor Fang Zhenru, Deng-Lai army supervisor Liang Zhiyuan, and Jizhou military intendant Shao Keli be called to account, as a warning to timid and evasive officials still in office. These men were punished one after another; the court was shaken, but many also looked on with resentment and complaint.
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兵部尚書王在晉代廷弼經略遼東，與總督王象乾深相倚結。 象乾在薊門久，習知西部種類情性，西部亦愛戴之，然實無他才，惟啖以財物相羈縻，冀得以老解職而已。 在晉謀用西部襲廣寧，象乾惎之曰：「得廣寧，不能守也，獲罪滋大。 不如重關設險，衛山海以衛京師。」 在晉乃請於山海關外八里鋪築重關，用四萬人守之。 其僚佐袁崇煥、沈棨、孫元化等力爭不能得，奏記於首輔葉向高。 向高曰：「是未可臆度也。」 承宗請身往決之。 帝大喜，加太子太保，賜蟒玉、銀幣。 抵關，詰在晉曰：「新城成，即移舊城四萬人以守乎？」 在晉曰：「否，當更設兵。」 曰：「如此，則八里內守兵八萬矣。 一片石西北不當設兵乎？ 且築關在八里內，新城背即舊城趾，舊城之品坑地雷為敵人設，抑為新兵設乎？ 新城可守，安用舊城？ 如不可守，則四萬新兵倒戈舊城下，將開關延入乎，抑閉關以委敵乎？」 曰：「關外有三道關可入也。」 曰：「若此，則敵至而兵逃如故也，安用重關？」 曰：「將建三寨於山，以待潰卒。」 曰：「兵未潰而築寨以待之，是教之潰也。 且潰兵可入，敵亦可尾之入。 今不為恢復計，畫關而守，將盡撤籓籬，日哄堂奧，畿東其有寧宇乎？」 在晉無以難。 承宗乃議守關外。 監軍閻鳴泰主覺華島，袁崇煥主寧遠衛，在晉持不可，主守中前所。 舊監司邢慎言、張應吾逃在關，皆附和之。
Minister of War Wang Zaijin replaced Xiong Tingbi as Liaodong commissioner and was closely allied with Governor-General Wang Xiangqian. Xiangqian had long served at the Ji frontier, knew the western tribes well, and was popular among them; but he had no real ability and relied only on gifts to keep them in check, hoping to retire on grounds of age. Zaijin planned to use the western tribes to retake Guangning, but Xiangqian dissuaded him, saying, "If we take Guangning and cannot hold it, our guilt will be even greater. Better to build layered defenses and guard Shanhai Pass in order to protect the capital. Zaijin then proposed building a second line of fortifications at Balipu, eight li outside Shanhai Pass, and garrisoning it with forty thousand men. His subordinates Yuan Chonghuan, Shen Qi, Sun Yuanhua, and others argued strenuously in vain and submitted a report to Chief Grand Secretary Ye Xianggao. Xianggao said, "That cannot be decided in advance. Chengzong asked to go in person to settle the question. The emperor was delighted, promoted him to junior guardian of the heir apparent, and bestowed python robes, jade, and silver. On reaching the pass he questioned Zaijin: "When the new fort is finished, will you move the old fort's forty thousand men to garrison it? Zaijin said, "No—we must assign new troops." Chengzong said, "In that case there will be eighty thousand garrison troops within eight li. Should we not also post troops northwest of Yipianshi? Besides, if the new fort is built eight li inside the pass, its rear will abut the old fort—were the old fort's trenches, pits, and land mines laid for the enemy, or for your new troops? If the new fort can be held, why keep the old one? If it cannot be held, when your forty thousand new troops turn on the old fort below them, will they open the gate to let the enemy in, or close it and surrender the pass?" Zaijin said, "There are three passes outside by which one can still enter." Chengzong said, "Then when the enemy comes the troops will flee just as before—what use is a second line of fortifications?" Zaijin said, "We will build three stockades on the hills to receive routed troops." Chengzong said, "If you build stockades before the troops have routed, you are teaching them to rout. Besides, routed troops may enter—but so can the enemy following close behind them. If we make no plan for recovery but merely draw a line at the pass and defend it, we will pull up every outer defense; day by day the enemy will press toward the heartland—will the eastern capital region ever know peace?" Zaijin had no answer. Chengzong then proposed holding territory outside the pass. Army supervisor Yan Mingtai was assigned Juehua Island and Yuan Chonghuan Ningyuan Guard; Zaijin objected and insisted on holding only Zhongqiansuo. Former supervisors Xing Shenyan and Zhang Yingwu, who had fled to the pass, all sided with him.
8
初，化貞等既逃，自寧遠以西五城七十二堡悉為哈喇慎諸部所據，聲言助守邊。 前哨游擊左輔名駐中前，實不出八里鋪。 承宗知諸部不足信，而寧遠、覺華之可守，已決計將自在晉發之，推心告語凡七晝夜，終不應。 還朝，言：「敵未抵鎮武而我自燒寧、前，此前日經、撫罪也； 我棄寧、前，敵終不至，而我不敢出關一步，此今日將吏罪也。 將吏匿關內，無能轉其畏敵之心以畏法，化其謀利之智以謀敵，此臣與經臣罪也。 與其以百萬金錢浪擲於無用之版築，曷若築寧遠要害？ 以守八里鋪之四萬人當寧遠沖，與覺華相犄角。 敵窺城，令島上卒旁出三岔，斷浮橋，繞其後而橫擊之。 即無事，亦且收二百里疆土。 總之，敵人之帳幕必不可近關門，杏山之難民必不可置膜外。 不盡破庸人之論，遼事不可為也。」 其他制置軍事又十余疏。 帝嘉納。 無何，御講筵，承宗面奏在晉不足任，乃改南京兵部尚書，並斥逃臣慎言等，而八里築城之議遂熄。
After Huazhen and the others fled, the five cities and seventy-two forts west of Ningyuan were all seized by the Kharchin tribes, who claimed they were helping guard the frontier. Forward ranger Zuo Fu was nominally stationed at Zhongqian but in fact never ventured beyond Balipu. Chengzong knew the tribes could not be trusted and that Ningyuan and Juehua could be held; he had already decided to act despite Zaijin and spoke to him frankly for seven days and nights, but Zaijin would not agree. On returning to court he said: "The enemy had not yet reached Zhenwu when we ourselves abandoned Ningyuan and the forward posts—that was the fault of the former commissioners and governors; we abandoned Ningyuan and the forward posts, yet the enemy still has not come, while we dare not step one pace outside the pass—that is the fault of today's generals and officials. Generals and officials hide inside the pass, unable to turn their fear of the enemy into fear of the law or their scheming for profit into scheming against the enemy—that is my fault and the fault of the minister in charge. Rather than squander a million taels on useless fortifications, why not build up the strategic strongpoint at Ningyuan? Deploy the forty thousand men now guarding Balipu to hold the approach to Ningyuan, with Juehua Island as a supporting pincer. When the enemy probes the city, troops on the island can sally out through Sancha, cut the pontoon bridge, circle behind them, and strike from the rear. Even if no battle is fought, we will still recover two hundred li of territory. In short, the enemy's camps must not be allowed to approach the pass, and the refugees of Xingshan must not be abandoned beyond our defenses. Unless we thoroughly overturn the arguments of mediocre men, nothing can be done for Liaodong." He also submitted more than ten further memorials on military arrangements. The emperor praised and accepted them. Before long, at the imperial lecture hall Chengzong reported in person that Zaijin was unfit for office; Zaijin was transferred to minister of war at Nanjing, fugitive officials such as Shenyan were dismissed, and the Balipu fortification plan was dropped.
9
在晉既去，承宗自請督師。 詔給關防敕書，以原官督山海關及薊、遼、天津、登、萊諸處軍務，便宜行事，不從中制，而以鳴泰為遼東巡撫。 承宗乃辟職方主事鹿善繼、王則古為贊畫，請帑金八十萬以行。 帝特御門臨遣，賜尚方劍、坐蟒，閣臣送之崇文門外。 既至關，令總兵江應詔定軍制，僉事崇煥建營舍，廢將李秉誠練火器，贊畫善繼、則古治軍儲，沈棨、杜應芳繕甲仗，司務孫元化築砲臺，中書舍人宋獻、羽林經歷程侖主市馬，廣寧道僉事萬有孚主採木，而令游擊祖大壽佐金冠於覺華，副將陳諫助趙率教於前屯，游擊魯之甲拯難民，副將李承先練騎卒，參將楊應乾募遼人為軍。
After Zaijin left, Chengzong volunteered to take command in the field. He was given the pass seal and an imperial commission to supervise military affairs at Shanhai Pass and in Ji, Liaodong, Tianjin, Deng, and Lai, with authority to act on his own discretion without awaiting orders from the capital; Yan Mingtai was made Liaodong governor. Chengzong then appointed Bureau of War section chiefs Lu Shanji and Wang Zegu as staff planners and requested eight hundred thousand taels from the treasury for the campaign. The emperor came in person to the palace gate to send him off, bestowed the imperial sword and python robe, and grand secretaries escorted him as far as outside Chongwen Gate. On reaching the pass he put regional commander Jiang Ying'e in charge of military regulations, commissioner Yuan Chonghuan in charge of building barracks, dismissed general Li Bingcheng in charge of drilling firearms, staff planners Shanji and Zegu in charge of supplies, Shen Qi and Du Yingfang in charge of repairing armor and weapons, clerk Sun Yuanhua in charge of building gun platforms, secretariat attendant Song Xian and imperial guard clerk Cheng Lun in charge of purchasing horses, Guangning circuit commissioner Wan Youfu in charge of procuring timber, ranger Zu Dashou to assist Jin Guan on Juehua Island, vice commander Chen Jian to assist Zhao Shuaijiao at Qiantun, ranger Lu Zhijia to rescue refugees, vice commander Li Chengxian to drill cavalry, and colonel Yang Yingqian to recruit Liaodong men into the army.
10
是時，關上兵名七萬，顧無紀律，冒餉多。 承宗大閱，汰逃將數百人，遣還河南、真定疲兵萬余，以之甲所救難民七千發前屯為兵。 應乾所募遼卒出戍寧遠，咨朝鮮使助聲援。 犒毛文龍於東江，令復四衛。 檄登帥沈有容進據廣鹿島。 欲以春防躬詣登、萊商進取，而中朝意方急遼，弗許也。 應詔被劾，承宗請用馬世龍代之，以尤世祿、王世欽為南北帥，聽世龍節制，且為世龍請尚方劍。 帝皆可之。 世龍既受事，承宗為築壇，拜行授鉞禮。 率教已守前屯，盡驅哈喇慎諸部，撫場猶在八里鋪。 象乾議開水關，撫之關內，承宗不可，乃定於高臺堡。
At that time the pass nominally had seventy thousand troops, but they lacked discipline and rations were widely padded. Chengzong held a grand review, eliminated several hundred deserter officers, sent back more than ten thousand exhausted troops from Henan and Zhending, and deployed seven thousand refugees rescued by Lu Zhijia to Qiantun as soldiers. The Liaodong troops Yingqian had recruited were sent to garrison Ningyuan, and Korea was asked to lend supporting pressure. He rewarded Mao Wenlong on the Eastern River and ordered him to recover the four guards. He ordered Deng commander Shen Yourong to advance and occupy Guanglu Island. He wished to go in person to Deng and Lai during the spring defense to plan an offensive, but the court was focused on Liaodong and would not allow it. When Ying'e was impeached, Chengzong asked that Ma Shilong replace him, appointed You Shilu and Wang Shiqin as northern and southern commanders under Shilong's authority, and also requested an imperial sword for Shilong. The emperor approved all of this. After Shilong took command, Chengzong built an altar and performed the ceremony of investing him with command. Zhao Shuaijiao was already holding Qiantun and had driven out all the Kharchin tribes, but the pacification market still remained at Balipu. Xiangqian proposed opening the Water Pass and keeping the tribes inside the pass; Chengzong objected, and the market was finally established at Gaotaibao.
11
時大清兵委廣寧去，遼遺民入居之。 插漢部以告有孚，有孚謀挾西部乘間殲之，冒恢復功。 承宗下檄曰：「西部殺我人者，致罰如盟言。」 是役也，全活千余人。 帝好察邊情，時令東廠遣人詣關門，具事狀奏報，名曰「較事」。 及魏忠賢竊政，遣其黨劉朝、胡良輔、紀用等四十五人齎內庫神砲、甲仗、弓矢之屬數萬至關門，為軍中用，又以白金十萬，蟒、麒麟、獅子、虎、豹諸幣頒賚將士，而賜承宗蟒服、白金慰勞之，實覘軍也。 承宗方出關巡寧遠，中路聞之，立疏言：「中使觀兵，自古有戒。」 帝溫旨報之。 使者至，具杯茗而已。
The Qing army had just abandoned Guangning, and Liaodong refugees moved back in. The Chahar reported this to Wan Youfu, who planned to use the western tribes to wipe them out and claim credit for recovering the territory. Chengzong issued an order: "Any western tribe that kills our people shall be punished as the treaty requires. In this affair more than a thousand lives were saved. The emperor liked to keep close watch on frontier affairs and often sent Eastern Depot agents to the pass to report detailed accounts, called "verification reports." When Wei Zhongxian seized power he sent his followers Liu Chao, Hu Liangfu, Ji Yong, and forty-five others with tens of thousands of imperial cannon, armor, bows, and arrows from the inner treasury for use at the pass; he also distributed one hundred thousand taels of silver and ceremonial banners to reward the troops, and gave Chengzong python robes and silver as a gesture of comfort—in reality to spy on the army. Chengzong was on his way out of the pass to inspect Ningyuan when he heard the news and immediately memorialized: "Eunuch inspection of troops has been a warning sign since antiquity. The emperor replied with a reassuring edict. When the envoys arrived, he offered them nothing but tea.
12
鳴泰之為巡撫也，承宗薦之。 後知其無實，軍事多不與議。 鳴泰怏怏求去，承宗亦引疾。 言官共留承宗，詆鳴泰，巡關御史潘雲翼復論劾之。 帝乃罷鳴泰，而以張鳳翼代。 鳳翼怯，復主守關議。 承宗不悅，乃復出關巡視。 抵寧遠，集將吏議所守。 眾多如鳳翼指，獨世龍請守中後所，而崇煥、善繼及副將茅元儀力請守寧遠，承宗然之，議乃定。 令大壽興工，崇煥、滿桂守之。 先是，虎部竊出盜掠，率教捕斬四人。 象乾欲斬率教謝虎部，承宗不可。 而承宗所遣王楹戍中右，護其兵出採木，為西部朗素所殺。 承宗怒，遣世龍剿之。 象乾恐壞撫局，令郎素縛逃人為殺楹者以獻，而增市賞千金。 承宗方疏爭，而象乾以憂去。
Chengzong had recommended Mingtai when he became governor. Later, finding him incompetent, Chengzong largely excluded him from military deliberations. Mingtai resentfully asked to resign, and Chengzong also cited illness. Remonstrance officials united to keep Chengzong and attack Mingtai; border-inspecting censor Pan Yunyi again impeached him. The emperor dismissed Mingtai and replaced him with Zhang Fengyi. Fengyi was timid and again advocated holding only the pass. Displeased, Chengzong went out of the pass again to inspect the frontier. On reaching Ningyuan he gathered the officers to decide what positions to hold. Most sided with Fengyi; only Shilong favored holding Zhonghousuo, while Chonghuan, Shanji, and vice commander Mao Yuanji strongly urged holding Ningyuan; Chengzong agreed with them, and the decision was made. He ordered Dashou to build the fort, with Chonghuan and Man Gui to defend it. Earlier the Tiger tribe had slipped out to raid; Shuaijiao captured and executed four of them. Xiangqian wanted to execute Shuaijiao to appease the Tiger tribe; Chengzong refused. Meanwhile Wang Ying, whom Chengzong had posted at Zhongyou, was escorting troops out to gather timber when he was killed by the western tribesman Langsu. Enraged, Chengzong sent Shilong to punish them. Xiangqian, fearing the pacification policy would collapse, had Langsu hand over fugitives as Ying's killers and increased market rewards by a thousand taels. Chengzong was still memorializing in protest when Xiangqian resigned on grounds of illness.
13
承宗患主款者撓己權，言督師、總督可勿兼設，請罷己，不可，則弗推總督。 並請以遼撫移駐寧遠。 帝命止總督推，而鳳翼謂置己死地也，因大恨。 與其鄉人雲翼、有孚等力毀世龍，以撼承宗。 無何，有孚為薊撫岳和聲所劾，益疑世龍與崇煥構陷，乃共為浮言，撓出關計。 給事中解學龍遂極論世龍罪。 承宗憤，抗疏陳守御策，言：「拒敵門庭之中，與拒諸門庭外，勢既辨。 我促敵二百里外，敵促我二百里中，勢又辨。 蓋廣寧，我遠而敵近； 寧遠，我近而敵遠。 我不進逼敵，敵將進而逼我。 今日即不能恢遼左，而寧遠、覺華終不可棄。 請敕廷臣雜議主、客之兵可否久戍，本折之餉可否久輸，關外之土地人民可否捐棄，屯築戰守可否興舉，再察敵人情形果否坐待可以消滅。 臣不敢為百年久計，只計及五年間究竟何如。 倘臣言不當，立斥臣以定大計，無紆迴不決，使全軀保妻子之臣附合眾喙，以殺臣一身而誤天下也。」 復為世龍辯，而發有孚等交構狀。
Chengzong worried that appeasement advocates were undermining his authority; he argued that army supervisor and governor-general need not both exist, asked to resign, and if refused, asked that no governor-general be appointed. He also asked that the Liaodong governor be relocated to Ningyuan. The emperor ordered that no governor-general be appointed; Fengyi felt this left him in an impossible position and came to hate Chengzong bitterly. He joined with his fellow townsman Yunyi, Youfu, and others to attack Shilong relentlessly, hoping to undermine Chengzong. Before long Youfu was impeached by Ji governor Yue Hesheng; he increasingly suspected Shilong and Chonghuan of framing him, and together they spread rumors to obstruct Chengzong's plans outside the pass. Supervising secretary Xie Xuelong then launched a full attack on Shilong's conduct. Indignant, Chengzong submitted a forceful memorial on defense strategy, saying: "Resisting the enemy at your own doorstep and resisting him beyond it are already two entirely different strategic situations. We press the enemy two hundred li away, while the enemy presses us within two hundred li—the difference is again clear. At Guangning we were far from our base and the enemy was near; at Ningyuan we are near our base and the enemy is far. If we do not press the enemy, the enemy will advance and press us. Even if we cannot recover eastern Liaodong today, Ningyuan and Juehua must never be abandoned. I ask Your Majesty to order the court to debate whether our troops and the enemy's can garrison long, whether capital grain payments can be sustained, whether territory and people beyond the pass can be abandoned, whether military colonies and fortifications can be built, and whether the enemy truly can be destroyed by waiting. I dare not plan for a century—only ask what the outcome will be within five years. If I am wrong, dismiss me at once and settle the grand strategy—do not waver and let officials who care only for their own safety echo the crowd, sacrificing me while misleading the empire." He again defended Shilong and exposed the plotting of Youfu and his allies.
14
有孚者，故侍郎世德子也，為廣寧理餉同知。 城陷逃歸，象乾題為廣寧道僉事，專撫插漢，乾沒多。 至是以承宗言被斥。 鳳翼亦以憂歸，喻安性代。 而廷臣言總督不可裁，命吳用先督薊、遼，代象乾。 承宗惡本兵越彥多中制，稱疾求罷，舉彥自代以困之，廷議不可而止。
Youfu was the son of former vice minister Shide and had served as Guangning grain intendant. When the city fell he fled; Xiangqian appointed him Guangning circuit commissioner in charge of pacifying the Chahar, and he embezzled heavily. He was now dismissed on Chengzong's recommendation. Fengyi also resigned on grounds of illness, and Yu Anxing replaced him. But the court insisted the governor-general post could not be abolished; Wu Yongxian was appointed to supervise Ji and Liaodong, replacing Xiangqian. Chengzong disliked Minister of War Yue Yan's frequent interference from the capital, cited illness to resign, and recommended Yan to replace himself to embarrass him; the court rejected this and the matter ended.
15
時寧遠城工竣，關外守具畢備。 承宗圖大舉，奏言：「前哨已置連山大凌河，速畀臣餉二十四萬，則功可立奏。」 帝命所司給之。 兵、工二部相與謀曰：「餉足，渠即妄為，不如許而不與，文移往復稽緩之。」 承宗再疏促，具以情告。 帝為飭諸曹，而師竟不果出。
By then the Ningyuan fort was finished and frontier defenses outside the pass were fully in place. Chengzong planned a major offensive and memorialized: "Forward posts are already established at Lianshan on the Greater Ling River; grant me two hundred forty thousand taels in rations at once and success can be reported immediately." The emperor ordered the relevant offices to provide it. The Ministries of War and Works plotted together: "Once he has the funds he will act recklessly; better to promise but not deliver and delay him with paperwork. Chengzong memorialized again to press for payment and reported the full situation. The emperor rebuked the ministries, but in the end the army never marched.
16
初，方震孺、游士任、李達、明時舉之譴，承宗實劾之，後皆為求宥。 復稱楊鎬、熊廷弼、王化貞之勞，請免死遣戍，朝端嘩然。 給事中顧其仁、許譽卿，御史袁化中交章論駁，帝皆置弗省。 會承宗敘五防效勞諸臣，且引疾乞罷，乃遣中官劉應坤等齎帑金十萬犒將士，而賜承宗坐蟒、膝襴，佐以金幣。
Earlier Chengzong had impeached Fang Zhenru, You Shiren, Li Da, and Ming Shiju when they were punished, but later sought pardons for all of them. He also praised the services of Yang Hao, Xiong Tingbi, and Wang Huazhen and asked that they be spared execution and sent to frontier garrison duty; the court was in an uproar. Supervising secretaries Gu Qiren and Xu Yuqing and censor Yuan Huazhong submitted successive refutations; the emperor ignored them all. Just then Chengzong reported the merits of officials who had served on the five defense lines and cited illness to resign; the emperor sent eunuch Liu Yingkun and others with one hundred thousand taels to reward the troops, and gave Chengzong python robes and gold as consolation.
17
當是時，忠賢益盜柄。 以承宗功高，欲親附之，令應坤等申意。 承宗不與交一言，忠賢由是大憾。 會忠賢逐楊漣、趙南星、高攀龍等，承宗方西巡薊、昌。 念抗疏帝未必親覽，往在講筵，每奏對輒有入，乃請以賀聖壽入朝面奏機宜，欲因是論其罪。 魏廣微聞之，奔告忠賢：「承宗擁兵數萬將清君側，兵部侍郎李邦華為內主，公立齏粉矣！」 忠賢悸甚，繞御床哭。 帝亦為心動，令內閣擬旨。 次輔顧秉謙奮筆曰：「無旨離信地，非祖宗法，違者不宥。」 夜啟禁門召兵部尚書入，令三道飛騎止之。 又矯旨諭九門守閹，承宗若至齊化門，反接以入。 承宗抵通州，聞命而返。 忠賢遣人偵之，一襆被置輿中，後車鹿善繼而已，意少解。 而其黨李蕃、崔呈秀、徐大化連疏詆之，至比之王敦、李懷光。 承宗乃杜門求罷。
By then Zhongxian was increasingly usurping power. Because Chengzong's achievements were great, he wished to win him over and had Yingkun convey his intentions. Chengzong would not exchange a word with him; Zhongxian therefore came to hate him deeply. Just then Zhongxian drove out Yang Lian, Zhao Nanxing, Gao Panlong, and others; Chengzong was on an inspection tour of Ji and Changping. Knowing that defiant memorials might never reach the emperor's eyes, whereas in the lecture hall his words had always been heard, he asked to enter court for the emperor's birthday and report strategy in person, intending to denounce Zhongxian's crimes. Wei Guangwei heard of it and ran to tell Zhongxian: "Chengzong is marching on the capital with tens of thousands of troops to purge the court; Vice Minister Li Banghua is his inside patron—you will be destroyed! Zhongxian was terrified and circled the imperial bed weeping. The emperor was also alarmed and ordered the Grand Secretariat to draft an edict. Second Grand Secretary Gu Bingqian wrote swiftly: "Leaving one's post without imperial authorization violates ancestral law; violators shall not be pardoned. That night the forbidden gate was opened to summon the minister of war and dispatch swift riders on three routes to stop Chengzong. They also forged an edict instructing the gatekeepers that if Chengzong reached Qihua Gate he was to be arrested and brought in. Chengzong reached Tongzhou, heard the order, and turned back. Zhongxian sent spies; Chengzong had only a bundle of bedding in his carriage and Lu Shanji alone following behind, and Zhongxian's suspicions eased somewhat. But his partisans Li Fan, Cui Chengxiu, and Xu Dahua submitted successive attacks, even comparing him to Wang Dun and Li Huai'guang. Chengzong then shut his doors and asked to resign.
18
五年四月，給事中郭興治請令廷臣議去留，論冒餉者復踵至，遂下廷臣雜議。 吏部尚書崔景榮持之，乃下詔勉留，而以簡將、汰兵、清餉三事責承宗。 奏報，承宗方遣諸將分戍錦州、大小凌河、松、杏、右屯諸要害，拓地復二百里，罷大將世欽、世祿，副將李秉誠、孫諫，汰軍萬七千余人，省度支六十八萬。 而言官論世龍不已。 至九月，遂有柳河之敗，死者四百余人，語詳《世龍傳》。 於是臺省劾世龍並及承宗，章疏數十上。 承宗求去益力，十月始得請。 先已屢加左柱國、少師、太子太師、中極殿大學士，遂加特進光祿大夫，廕子中書舍人，賜蟒服、銀幣，行人護歸。 而以兵部尚書高第代為經略。 無何，安性亦罷，遂廢巡撫不設。
In the fourth month of the fifth year supervising secretary Guo Xingzhi asked the court to debate whether Chengzong should stay or go; memorials on padded rations poured in again, and the court was ordered to debate. Minister of Personnel Cui Jingrong supported him; an edict urged him to stay while charging him with streamlining generals, cutting troops, and clearing padded rations. In his report Chengzong had just posted generals at Jinzhou, the Greater and Lesser Ling Rivers, Song, Xing, and Youyun; recovered two hundred li of territory; dismissed generals Shiqin, Shilu, Li Bingcheng, and Sun Jian; cut more than seventeen thousand troops; and saved six hundred eighty thousand taels in expenditures. But remonstrance officials continued to attack Shilong without cease. By the ninth month came the defeat at Liuhe, with more than four hundred dead; details are given in Shilong's biography. Censors and remonstrance officials then impeached Shilong and implicated Chengzong as well; dozens of memorials poured in. Chengzong pressed ever harder to resign and only in the tenth month was his request granted. He had already been repeatedly promoted to Left Pillar of State, junior mentor, junior preceptor of the heir apparent, and grand secretary of the Central Hall; he was now given the special rank of Grand Master of Splendid Happiness, his son ennobled as secretariat attendant, bestowed python robes and silver, and escorted home by imperial messengers. Minister of War Gao Di replaced him as frontier commissioner. Before long Anxing was also dismissed, and the governorship was abolished altogether.
19
初，第力扼承宗，請撤關外以守關內。 承宗駁之，第深憾。 明年，寧遠被圍，乃疏言關門兵止存五萬，言者益以為承宗罪。 承宗告戶部曰：「第初蒞關，嘗給十一萬七千人餉，今但給五萬人餉足矣。」 第果以妄言引罪。 後忠賢遣其黨梁夢環巡關，欲傅致承宗罪，無所得而止。 承宗在關四年，前後修復大城九、堡四十五，練兵十一萬，立車營十二、水營五、火營二、前鋒後勁營八，造甲胄、器械、弓矢、砲石、渠答、鹵楯之具合數百萬，拓地四百里，開屯五千頃，歲入十五萬。 後敘寧遠功，廕子錦衣世千戶。
At first Di had strongly opposed Chengzong and urged abandoning territory outside the pass to defend only within it. Chengzong refuted this; Di came to resent him deeply. The next year, when Ningyuan was besieged, he memorialized that only fifty thousand troops remained at the pass; critics increasingly blamed Chengzong. Chengzong told the Ministry of Revenue: "When Di first arrived at the pass he was given rations for one hundred seventeen thousand men; now rations for fifty thousand are enough. Di indeed confessed to making false statements. Later Zhongxian sent his follower Liang Menghuan to inspect the pass, hoping to fabricate charges against Chengzong; finding nothing, he gave up. During his four years at the pass Chengzong restored nine major cities and forty-five forts, drilled one hundred ten thousand troops, established twelve chariot camps, five water camps, two fire camps, and eight vanguard and reserve camps, and produced millions of items of armor, weapons, bows, arrows, cannon stones, caltrops, and shields; he expanded territory four hundred li, opened five thousand qing of military colonies, and brought in one hundred fifty thousand taels in annual revenue. Later, when the defense of Ningyuan was rewarded, his son was ennobled as hereditary commander of the Brocade Guard at one thousand households.
20
庄烈帝即位，在晉入為兵部尚書，恨承宗不置，極論世龍及元儀熒惑樞輔壞關事，又嗾臺省交口詆承宗，以沮其出。 二年十月，大清兵入大安口，取遵化，將薄都城，廷臣爭請召承宗。 詔以原官兼兵部尚書守通州，仍入朝陛見。 承宗至，召對平臺。 帝慰勞畢，問方略。 承宗奏：「臣聞袁崇煥駐薊州，滿桂駐順義，侯世祿駐三河，此為得策。 又聞尤世威回昌平，世祿駐通州，似未合宜。」 帝問：「卿欲守三河，何意？」 對曰：「守三河可以沮西奔，遏南下。」 帝稱善，曰：「若何為朕保護京師？」 承宗言：「當緩急之際，守陴人苦饑寒，非萬全策。 請整器械，厚犒勞，以固人心。」 所條畫俱稱旨。 帝曰：「卿不須往通，其為朕總督京城內外守御事務，仍參帷幄。」 趣首輔韓爌草敕下所司鑄關防。 承宗出，漏下二十刻矣，即周閱都城，五鼓而畢，復出閱重城。 明日夜半，忽傳旨守通州。 時烽火遍近郊，承宗從二十七騎出東便門，道亡其三，疾馳抵通，門者幾不納。 既入城，與保定巡撫解經傳、御史方大任、總兵楊國棟登陴固守。 而大清兵已薄都城，乃急遣游擊尤岱以騎卒三千赴援。 旋遣副將劉國柱督軍二千與岱合，而發密雲兵三千營東直門，保定兵五千營廣寧門。 以其間遣將復馬蘭、三屯二城。
When the Chongzhen Emperor ascended the throne, Zaijin became minister of war, resentful that Chengzong had not been appointed; he attacked Shilong and Mao Yuanji for misleading the chief minister and ruining frontier affairs, and incited censors and remonstrance officials to denounce Chengzong in concert to block his return. In the tenth month of the second year the Qing army entered Da'an Pass, took Zunhua, and threatened the capital; court ministers competed to summon Chengzong. He was ordered, retaining his original rank and concurrently as minister of war, to defend Tongzhou and also appear at court. When Chengzong arrived he was summoned to audience at the terrace. After the emperor had finished comforting him, he asked about strategy. Chengzong reported: "I hear that Yuan Chonghuan is at Jizhou, Man Gui at Shunyi, and Hou Shilu at Sanhe—that is the right disposition. I also hear that You Shiwei has returned to Changping while Shilu is at Tongzhou—that seems less suitable." The emperor asked, "You want to hold Sanhe—what is your reasoning?" He answered, "Holding Sanhe can block a westward retreat and check a southward advance." The emperor approved and asked, "How will you protect the capital for me?" Chengzong said, "In a crisis, men on the battlements suffer hunger and cold—that is not a fully secure plan. Please put the weapons in order and reward the troops generously to steady their morale. All his proposals pleased the emperor. The emperor said, "You need not go to Tongzhou; instead supervise the defense of the capital inside and out, and remain in council. He ordered Chief Grand Secretary Han Kuang to draft an edict and have the seal cast. Chengzong left court late at night, immediately made a full inspection of the capital, finished at the fifth watch, and went out again to inspect the inner citadel. At midnight the next day he was suddenly ordered to defend Tongzhou. Beacon fires blazed across the suburbs; Chengzong rode out the East Convenient Gate with twenty-seven horsemen, lost three on the way, galloped to Tongzhou, and the gatekeepers nearly refused him entry. Once inside he joined Baoding governor Xie Jingchuan, censor Fang Daren, and regional commander Yang Guodong on the walls to hold the city. The Qing army was already threatening the capital; he urgently sent ranger You Dai with three thousand cavalry to reinforce it. He then sent vice commander Liu Guozhu with two thousand men to join Dai, posted three thousand Miyun troops at Dongzhimen, and five thousand Baoding troops at Guangningmen. In the meantime he sent generals to recover Malan and Santun.
21
至十二月四日，而有祖大壽之變。 大壽，遼東前鋒總兵官也，偕崇煥入衛。 見崇煥下吏，懼誅，遂與副將何可綱等率所部萬五千人東潰，遠近大震。 承宗聞，急遣都司賈登科齎手書慰諭大壽，而令游擊石柱國馳撫諸軍。 大壽見登科，言：「麾下卒赴援，連戰俱捷，冀得厚賞。 城上人群詈為賊，投石擊死數人。 所遣邏卒，指為間諜而殺之。 勞而見罪，是以奔還。 當出搗朵顏，然後束身歸命。」 柱國追及諸軍，其將士持弓刀相向，皆垂涕，言：「督師既戮，又將以大砲擊斃我軍，故至此。」 柱國復前追，大壽去已遠，乃返。 承宗奏言：「大壽危疑已甚，又不肯受滿桂節制，因訛言激眾東奔，非部下盡欲叛也。 當大開生路，曲收眾心。 遼將多馬世龍舊部曲，臣謹用便宜，遣世龍馳諭，其將士必解甲歸，大壽不足慮也。」 帝喜從之。 承宗密札諭大壽急上章自列，且立功贖督師罪，而己當代為剖白。 大壽諾之，具列東奔之故，悉如將士言。 帝優詔報之，命承宗移鎮關門。 諸將聞承宗、世龍至，多自拔來歸者。 大壽妻左氏亦以大義責其夫，大壽斂兵待命。
By the fourth day of the twelfth month came the crisis of Zu Dashou. Dashou was the Liaodong vanguard commander and had entered the capital with Chonghuan. Seeing Chonghuan arrested, he feared execution and with vice commander He Kegang led his fifteen thousand troops in an eastward rout, shocking the entire region. On hearing this Chengzong urgently sent bureau director Jia Dengke with a personal letter to reassure Dashou and ordered ranger Shi Zhuguo to ride out and calm the troops. Dashou told Dengke, "My men went to reinforce the capital, fought several battles and won each one, hoping for generous reward. Men on the walls cursed them as traitors and threw stones, killing several. Patrol soldiers we sent out were called spies and killed. We fought hard yet were punished, and so we fled. We mean to raid the Tümed and then submit to judgment. Zhuguo overtook the troops; their officers and men faced one another with weapons drawn, all in tears, saying, "The army supervisor has been executed and they are about to bombard us with cannon—that is why we are here." Zhuguo pressed on again, but Dashou was already far away, and he turned back. Chengzong memorialized: "Dashou is deeply suspicious and refused Man Gui's command; false rumors drove his men east—not all his troops wish to rebel. We should open a way back for them and win back their hearts. Many Liaodong officers were Shilong's old followers; I have sent Shilong to reassure them—they will lay down arms and return, and Dashou need not be feared. The emperor gladly agreed. Chengzong sent a secret letter urging Dashou to submit a memorial explaining himself, win merit to redeem Chonghuan, and promising to speak on his behalf. Dashou agreed and listed the reasons for the flight, matching what his men had said. The emperor replied graciously and ordered Chengzong to take command at the pass. When the generals heard Chengzong and Shilong had arrived, many returned of their own accord. Dashou's wife Lady Zuo also rebuked him on grounds of loyalty; Dashou gathered his troops and awaited orders.
22
當潰兵出關，關城被劫掠，閉門罷市。 承宗至，人心始定。 關城故十六里，衛城止二里。 今敵在內，關城無可守，衛城連關，可步屟而上也。 乃別築牆，橫互於關城，穴之使砲可平出。 城中水不足，一晝夜穿鑿百井。 舊汰牙門將僑寓者千人，窮而思亂，皆廩之於官，使巡行街衢，守台護倉，均有所事。 內間不得發，外來者輒為邏騎所得，由是關門守完。 乃遣世龍督步騎兵萬五千入援，令游擊祖可法等率騎兵四營西戍撫寧。 三年正月，大壽入關謁承宗，親軍五百人甲而候於門。 承宗開誠與語，即日列其所統步騎三萬於教場，行誓師禮，群疑頓釋。
When the routed troops passed through, the pass city was looted, gates were closed, and markets shut down. When Chengzong arrived, morale finally steadied. The pass city was originally sixteen li around; the inner guard city only two. Now with the enemy inside, the outer pass city could not be held; the inner guard city connected to it and could be climbed on foot. He therefore built a separate wall across the pass city with embrasures so cannon could fire level outward. Water in the city was scarce; in one day and night a hundred wells were dug. A thousand dismissed gate officers and displaced men, poor and restless, were all fed at government expense and assigned to patrol streets, guard platforms, and protect granaries. Internal agents could not operate; outsiders were promptly seized by patrol cavalry, and the pass defenses held firm. He sent Shilong with fifteen thousand infantry and cavalry to reinforce the capital and ordered ranger Zu Kefa and others with four cavalry camps to garrison Funing in the west. In the first month of the third year Dashou entered the pass to see Chengzong; five hundred personal guards in armor waited at the gate. Chengzong spoke to him frankly; that same day he paraded his thirty thousand infantry and cavalry on the drill ground and held the oath-taking ceremony, and all suspicion vanished.
23
時我大清已拔遵化而守之。 是月四日拔永平。 八日拔遷安，遂下灤州。 分兵攻撫寧，可法等堅守不下。 大清兵遂向山海關，離三十里而營，副將官惟賢等力戰。 乃還攻撫寧及昌黎，俱不下。 當是時，京師道梗，承宗、大壽軍在東，世龍及四方援軍在西。 承宗募死士沿海達京師，始知關城尚無恙。 關西南三縣：曰撫寧、昌黎、樂亭，西北三城：曰石門、台頭、燕河。 六城東護關門，西繞永平，皆近關要地。 承宗飭諸城嚴守，而遣將戍開平，復建昌，聲援始接。
By then the Qing had taken Zunhua and were holding it. On the fourth day of that month Yongping fell. On the eighth day Qian'an fell, and then Luanzhou. They sent detachments against Funing, but Kefa and others held firm and it did not fall. The Qing army then turned toward Shanhai Pass, encamped thirty li away, and vice commanders Guan Weixian and others fought hard. They then returned to attack Funing and Changli, but neither fell. At that time the road to the capital was blocked; Chengzong and Dashou were in the east, while Shilong and relief armies from all directions were in the west. Chengzong recruited dare-to-die men to reach the capital by sea and only then learned the pass city was still safe. Southwest of the pass were three counties—Funing, Changli, and Leting; northwest were three forts—Shimen, Taitou, and Yanhe. These six places guarded the pass to the east and curved around Yongping to the west—all key positions near the pass. Chengzong ordered all the cities to hold firm, sent generals to garrison Kaiping and recover Jianchang, and supporting forces were finally linked.
24
方京師戒嚴，天下勤王兵先後至者二十萬，皆壁於薊門及近畿，莫利先進。 詔旨屢督趣，諸將亦時戰攻，然莫能克復。 世龍請先復遵化，承宗曰：「不然，遵在北，易取而難守，不如姑留之，以分其勢，而先圖灤。 今當多為聲勢，示欲圖遵之狀以牽之。 諸鎮赴豐潤、開平，聯關兵以圖灤。 得灤則以開平兵守之，而騎兵決戰以圖永。 得灤、永則關、永合，而取遵易易矣。」 議既定，乃令東西諸營併進，親詣撫寧以督之。 五月十日，大壽及張春、邱禾嘉諸軍先抵灤城下，世龍及尤世祿、吳自勉、楊麒、王承恩繼至，越二日克之，而副將王維城等亦入遷安。 我大清兵守永平者，盡撤而北還，承宗遂入永平。 十六日，諸將謝尚政等亦入遵化。 四城俱復。 帝為告謝郊廟，大行賞賚，加承宗太傅，賜蟒服、白金，世襲錦衣衛指揮僉事。 力辭太傅不受，而屢疏稱疾乞休，優詔不允。
While the capital was under martial law, two hundred thousand relief troops arrived from across the empire but all camped at the Ji gate and nearby suburbs, none willing to advance first. Edicts repeatedly urged them forward; the generals fought from time to time but could recover nothing. Shilong asked to retake Zunhua first; Chengzong said, "No—Zunhua is to the north, easy to take but hard to hold; better to leave it for now to divide their strength and target Luan first. Now we should make a great show of intending to attack Zunhua to tie them down. The various garrisons should move to Fengrun and Kaiping and join pass troops to take Luan. Once Luan is taken, garrison it with Kaiping troops and let cavalry fight a decisive battle for Yongping. Once Luan and Yongping are taken, the pass and Yongping will be linked, and Zunhua will be easy to recover." Once the plan was settled, he ordered the eastern and western camps to advance together and went in person to Funing to supervise. On the tenth day of the fifth month Dashou and the armies of Zhang Chun and Qiu Hejia reached Luan first; Shilong, You Shilu, Wu Zimian, Yang Qi, and Wang Chengen followed; two days later Luan fell, and vice commander Wang Weicheng entered Qian'an. The Qing troops holding Yongping all withdrew north; Chengzong then entered Yongping. On the sixteenth day generals Xie Shangzheng and others also entered Zunhua. All four cities were recovered. The emperor reported thanks at the suburban altars, rewarded him lavishly, promoted him to grand preceptor, granted python robes and silver, and ennobled him as hereditary assistant commander of the Brocade Guard. He strenuously declined the grand preceptor title but repeatedly memorialized citing illness to retire; gracious edicts refused.
25
朵顏束不的反覆，承宗令大將王威擊敗之，復賚銀幣。 先以冊立東宮，加太保； 及《神宗實錄》成，加官亦如之。 並辭免，而乞休不已。 帝命閣臣議去留，不能決。 特遣中書齎手詔慰問，乃起視事。 四年正月出關東巡，抵松山、錦州，還入關，復西巡，遍閱三協十二路而返。 條上東西邊政八事，帝咸採納。 五月以考滿，詔加太傅兼食尚書俸，廕尚寶司丞，賚蟒服、銀幣、羊酒，復辭太傅不受。
The Tümed chief Subu wavered again; Chengzong ordered general Wang Wei to defeat him and again bestowed silver. Earlier, when the crown prince was invested, he was made grand guardian; and when the Veritable Records of Emperor Shenzong were completed, he received a similar promotion. He declined both but continued to ask to retire. The emperor ordered the grand secretaries to debate whether he should stay or go, but they could not decide. He specially sent a secretariat attendant with a handwritten edict of comfort, and Chengzong then resumed duty. In the first month of the fourth year he toured east beyond the pass to Songshan and Jinzhou, returned, then toured west, inspecting all three commands and twelve routes before returning. He submitted eight proposals on eastern and western frontier administration; the emperor adopted them all. In the fifth month, on completion of his performance review, he was promoted to grand preceptor with ministerial salary, his son ennobled as vice director of the Imperial Treasures Office, and given python robes, silver, sheep, and wine; he again declined the grand preceptor title.
26
初，右屯、大凌河二城，承宗已設兵戍守。 後高第來代，盡撤之，二城遂被毀。 至是，禾嘉巡撫遼東，議復取廣寧、義州、右屯三城。 承宗言廣寧道遠，當先據右屯，築城大凌河，以漸而進。 兵部尚書梁廷棟主之，遂以七月興工，工甫竣，我大清兵大至，圍數周。 承宗聞，馳赴錦州，遣吳襄、宋偉往救。 禾嘉屢易師期，偉與襄又不相能，遂大敗於長山。 至十月，城中糧盡援絕，守將祖大壽力屈出降，城復被毀。 廷臣追咎築城非策也，交章論禾嘉及承宗，承宗復連疏引疾。 十一月得請，賜銀幣乘傳歸。 言者追論其喪師辱國，奪官閒住，並奪寧遠世廕。 承宗復列上邊計十六事，而極言禾嘉軍謀牴牾之失，帝報聞而已。 家居七年，中外屢請召用，不報。
Earlier Chengzong had garrisoned the two cities of Youyun and Dalinghe. Later, when Gao Di replaced him, he withdrew all the garrisons and both cities were destroyed. At this point Hejia was Liaodong governor and proposed recovering Guangning, Yizhou, and Youyun. Chengzong said Guangning was too far and one should first hold Youyun, build a fort on the Greater Ling River, and advance step by step. Minister of War Liang Tingdong supported this; work began in the seventh month, and just as it was finished the Qing army arrived in force and besieged it repeatedly. On hearing this Chengzong galloped to Jinzhou and sent Wu Xiang and Song Wei to relieve the siege. Hejia repeatedly changed the mobilization date; Wei and Xiang could not cooperate, and they suffered a crushing defeat at Changshan. By the tenth month the city had run out of food and relief; defending general Zu Dashou surrendered, and the city was destroyed again. Court ministers blamed the fort-building as a mistaken policy and attacked Hejia and Chengzong; Chengzong again cited illness in successive memorials. In the eleventh month his request was granted; he was given silver and escorted home by relay post. Critics pursued charges of losing troops and disgracing the state; his office was stripped, he was placed in retirement, and the hereditary ennoblement from Ningyuan was revoked. Chengzong again submitted sixteen frontier proposals and spoke at length of Hejia's failures in military planning; the emperor merely acknowledged receipt. He lived at home for seven years; court and country repeatedly asked that he be recalled, but received no response.
27
十一年，我大清兵深入內地。 以十一月九日攻高陽，承宗率家人拒守。 大兵將引去，繞城納喊者三，守者亦應之三，曰：「此城笑也，於法當破」，圍復合。 明日城陷，被執。 望闕叩頭，投繯而死，年七十有六。
In the eleventh year the Qing army penetrated deep into the interior. On the ninth day of the eleventh month they attacked Gaoyang; Chengzong led his household in defense. The army was about to withdraw; they circled the city shouting three times, and the defenders answered three times; they said, "This city mocks us—by their law it must be taken," and the siege closed again. The next day the city fell and he was captured. He faced the capital, kowtowed, and hanged himself; he was seventy-six years old.
28
子鉁等
His sons: Qin, et al.
29
子舉人鉁，尚寶丞鑰，官生鈰，生員鋡、鎬，從子煉，及孫之沆、之滂、之澋、之潔、之瀗，從孫之澈、之渼、之泳、之澤、之渙、之瀚，皆戰死。 督師中官高起潛以聞。 帝嗟悼，命所司優恤。 當國者楊嗣昌、薛國觀輩陰扼之，但復故官，予祭葬而已。 福王時，始贈太師，諡文忠。
His son the juren Qin, Imperial Treasures vice director Yao, official student Shi, students Qian and Hao, nephew Lian, grandsons Zhihao, Zhipang, Zhihuan, Zhijie, and Zhixian, and grandnephews Zhiche, Zhimei, Zhiyong, Zhize, Zhihuan, and Zhihan—all died fighting. Army-supervising eunuch Gao Qiqian reported the news. The emperor mourned and ordered generous relief for the family. Men in power such as Yang Sichang and Xue Guoguan secretly blocked further honors; he was only restored to his former rank and granted funeral rites—that was all. Only under the Prince of Fu was he posthumously made grand preceptor and given the posthumous title Wenzong, Loyal in Culture.
30
贊曰：承宗以宰相再視師，皆粗有成效矣，奄豎斗筲，後先齮扼，卒屏諸田野，至闔門膏斧釒質，而恤典不加。 國是如此，求無危，安可得也。 夫攻不足者守有余，度彼之才，恢復固未易言，令專任之，猶足以慎固封守； 而廷論紛呶，亟行翦除。 蓋天眷有德，氣運將更，有莫之為而為者夫。
The appraiser says: As chief minister Chengzong twice took field command and each time achieved real results; petty eunuchs gnawed at him one after another until he was driven into retirement, and when his whole household perished by the sword, no fitting posthumous honors were granted. When the state is like this, how can it hope to escape peril? A man weak in attack may still be strong in defense; judging his talent, recovery was never easy to promise, yet if given full authority he was still enough to hold the frontier firm; yet the court clamored and he was swiftly removed. Surely Heaven favors the virtuous and the age is turning—there are forces at work beyond any man's doing.