1
孝弟之行，雖曰天性，豈不賴有教化哉。 自聖賢之道明，誼壁英君莫不汲汲以厚人倫、敦行義為正風俗之首務。 旌勸之典，賁於閭閻，下逮委巷。 布衣之氓、匹夫匹婦、兒童稚弱之微賤，行修於閨闥之中，而名顯於朝廷之上。 觀其至性所激，感天地，動神明，水不能濡，火不能爇，猛獸不能害，山川不能阻，名留天壤，行卓古今，足以扶樹道教，敦厲末俗，綱常由之不泯，氣化賴以維持。 是以君子尚之，王政先焉。 至或刑政失平，復仇泄忿，或遭時不造，荒盜流離，誓九死以不回，冒白刃而弗顧。 時則有司之辜，民牧之咎，為民上者，當為之惻然動念。 故史氏誌忠孝義烈之行，如恐弗及，非徒以發側陋之幽光，亦以覘世變，昭法戒焉。
Filial and fraternal conduct may be called inborn, yet it surely depends on instruction and moral cultivation as well. Once the teaching of the sages was fully clarified, ruler after ruler of outstanding virtue made it an urgent priority to strengthen human bonds and encourage righteous conduct as the first step in reforming public morals. Honors and incentives for virtue were displayed in every ward and extended even into the humblest lanes. Plain cloth commoners, ordinary husbands and wives, even the smallest children of the humblest families—when virtue was practiced within the household, fame could still reach the imperial court. When their utmost sincerity was aroused, it touched Heaven and Earth and moved the spirits: water could not drown them, fire could not consume them, wild beasts could not harm them, and mountains and rivers could not bar their way. Their names endured under heaven, their deeds towered above antiquity and the present, enough to uphold moral teaching, stiffen a lax age, keep the bonds of society from perishing, and sustain the transforming power of custom. For this reason the gentleman honors such conduct, and good government makes it a priority. Yet at times when justice failed and men took revenge to vent their wrath, or when misfortune brought famine, brigandage, and exile, they still vowed never to turn back though death came nine times over, and marched unflinching against naked steel. In such cases the blame rested on local officials and on those charged with governing the people; anyone who held authority over the populace ought to be stirred to pity by their plight. That is why historians record loyal, filial, righteous, and heroic deeds as though they could never catch them all—not merely to lift obscure virtue into the light, but also to read the signs of the times and set forth lessons for the law.
2
明太祖詔舉孝弟力田之士，又令府州縣正官以禮遣孝廉士至京師。 百官聞父母喪，不待報，得去官。 割股臥冰，傷生有禁。 其後遇國家覃恩海內，輒以詔書從事。 有司上禮部請旌者，歲不乏人，多者十數。 激勸之道，綦雲備矣。 實錄所載，莫可殫述，今采其尤者輯為傳。 余援《唐書》例，臚其姓氏如左。
The Hongwu Emperor ordered the recommendation of men distinguished for filial piety, fraternal duty, and diligent farming, and directed prefectural, departmental, and county magistrates to escort filial and incorrupt candidates to the capital in due ceremonial form. All officials, on hearing of a parent's death, were allowed to resign their posts at once without awaiting formal approval. Self-mutilation such as cutting flesh from one's thigh to heal a parent, or lying on ice to procure medicine, was banned because such practices endangered life. Afterward, whenever the court proclaimed a general amnesty or grace throughout the empire, edicts on such matters were issued at once. Each year local authorities forwarded petitions to the Ministry of Rites for commendation, and candidates were never lacking; in busy years there might be ten or more. The means of encouragement and reward were, one might say, fully in place. The Veritable Records record more than can be told in full; here the most remarkable cases are gathered into biographical accounts. Following the Book of Tang as a model, I list their names below.
3
其事親盡孝，或萬里尋親，或三年廬墓，或聞喪殞命，或負骨還鄉者，洪武時，則有麗水祝昆，上元徐真童、李某女，龍江衛丁歪頭，懷寧曹鏞、鏞妻王氏，徐州王僧兒，廣德姚觀壽，廣武衛陳禮關，桃源張註，江浦張二女勝奴，上海沈德，溧陽史以仁，丹徒唐川，邳州李英，北平東安王重，遵化張拾，保定顧仲禮，樂亭杜仁義妻韓氏，昌平劉驢兒，保定新城王興，祁陽郝安童，山東寧海姜瑜，汶上侯昱，孟縣李德，鞏縣給事中魏敏，登封王中，舞陽周炳，臨桂李文選。 而鈞州張宗魯以瞽子有孝行，十七年被旌。
Among those who served their parents with utmost devotion, traveled vast distances to find lost kin, mourned three years beside the grave, perished on hearing of a parent's death, or bore their parents' remains home from afar, the Hongwu reign counted Lishui's Zhu Kun; Shangyuan's Xu Zhengtong and a daughter surnamed Li; Longjiang Guard's Ding Waitou; Huaining's Cao Yong and his wife, née Wang; Xuzhou's Wang Senger; Guangde's Yao Guanshou; Guangwu Guard's Chen Liguan; Taoyuan's Zhang Zhu; Jiangpu's Zhang the Second's daughter Shengnu; Shanghai's Shen De; Liyang's Shi Yiren; Dantu's Tang Chuan; Pizhou's Li Ying; Beiping Dong'an's Wang Chong; Zunhua's Zhang Shi; Baoding's Gu Zhongli; Leting's Du Renyi's wife, née Han; Changping's Liu Lü'er; Baoding Xincheng's Wang Xing; Qiyang's Hao Antong; Shandong Ninghai's Jiang Yu; Wenshang's Hou Yu; Meng County's Li De; Gong County supervising secretary Wei Min; Dengfeng's Wang Zhong; Wuyang's Zhou Bing; and Lingui's Li Wenxuan. Junzhou's Zhang Zonglu, a blind son whose filial conduct was outstanding, received imperial commendation in the seventeenth year of Hongwu.
4
永樂間，則有大興王萬僧奴，東光回滿住，金吾右衛何黑廝，金吾後衛包三，武功中衛蔣小保、周阿狗，錦州衛趙興祖，旗手衛周來保，大寧前衛滑中，保安衛徐宗賢，羽林前衛孫誌，漢府左護衛千戶許信男斌，江寧浦阿住、沈得安、嚴分保，上元馮添孫、邵佛定，上海沈氏妙蘭，儀真韓福緣，江陰衛徐佛保，府軍衛浦良兒，府軍後衛王保兒、潘醜兒，水軍右衛黃阿回，廣武衛百戶劉玉，蘇州衛張阿童，廣洋衛鄭小奴，大河衛朱阿金，興武衛張彥昇，龍江提舉司匠張貴、胡佛保、聶廣，永新左興兒，濟陽張思名，泰安張翼，肥城趙讓，安邑張普圓，永寧王仕能，陽武劉大，靈寶賀貳，鈞州袁節，膚施陳七兒，鳳翔梁準。
Under Yongle there were Daxing's Wang Wansengnu; Dongguang's Hui Manzhu; Jinyou Right Guard's He Heisi; Jinyou Rear Guard's Bao San; Wugong Central Guard's Jiang Xiaobao and Zhou Agou; Jinzhou Guard's Zhao Xingzu; Qishou Guard's Zhou Laibao; Daining Front Guard's Hua Zhong; Bao'an Guard's Xu Zongxian; Yulin Front Guard's Sun Zhi; Hanfu Left Guard company commander Xu Xin's son Bin; Jiangning's Pu Azu, Shen De'an, and Yan Fenbao; Shangyuan's Feng Tiansun and Shao Foding; Shanghai's Shen-clan Miaolan; Yizhen's Han Fuyuan; Jiangyin Guard's Xu Fobao; Fujun Guard's Pu Liang'er; Fujun Rear Guard's Wang Bao'er and Pan Chou'er; Shuijun Right Guard's Huang Ahui; Guangwu Guard company commander Liu Yu; Suzhou Guard's Zhang Atong; Guangyang Guard's Zheng Xiaonu; Dahe Guard's Zhu Ajin; Xingwu Guard's Zhang Yansheng; Longjiang Directorate artisans Zhang Gui, Hu Fobao, and Nie Guang; Yongxin's Zuo Xing'er; Jiyang's Zhang Siming; Tai'an's Zhang Yi; Feicheng's Zhao Rang; Anyi's Zhang Puyuan; Yongning's Wang Shineng; Yangwu's Liu Da; Lingbao's He Er; Junzhou's Yuan Jie; Fushi's Chen Qi'er; and Fengxiang's Liang Zhun.
5
洪熙間，則有江陰越鉉。
In the brief Hongxi reign, Jiangyin's Yue Xuan was honored.
6
宣德間，則有慶都邊靖，南樂康祥、楊鐸，內黃崔克昇，江寧張繼宗，定遠王絅，舒城錢敏，徐州衛張文友，歸德衛任貴，浮梁洪信文，堂邑趙巖，汶上馬威，翼城劉原真，太康順孫陳智，鈞州楊鼐，延安衛指揮王永、安嶽、李遇中。
The Xuande reign produced Qingdu's Bian Jing; Nanle's Kang Xiang and Yang Duo; Neihuang's Cui Kesheng; Jiangning's Zhang Jizong; Dingyuan's Wang Jiong; Shucheng's Qian Min; Xuzhou Guard's Zhang Wenyuo; Guide Guard's Ren Gui; Fuliang's Hong Xinwen; Tangyi's Zhao Yan; Wenshang's Ma Wei; Yicheng's Liu Yuanzhen; Taikang's Shun-sun Chen Zhi; Junzhou's Yang Nai; and Yan'an Guard commander Wang Yong, An Yue, and Li Yuzhong.
7
正統間，則有大興劉懷義，元城谷真，邢臺劉鏞，獻縣崔鑒，通州左衛總旗孫雄，昌黎侯顯，新樂孫禮，定興魏整，交河田畯，柏鄉張本，歸德楊敬，井陘畢鸞，永年楊忠，永清右衛穆弘，武驤左衛成貴，江寧顧昜，舒城吏部主事胡紀、御史王紹，廬江張政，武進胡長寧，徐州金暠、王豫，桐城檀郁，歸德衛呂仲和，麻城趙說，聊城裴俊，陵縣虎賁左衛經歷張讓，費縣葛子成，樂安孫整，冠縣陳勉，臨清賈貴，郯城郭秉，東平張琛，德州張泰，平陰王福緣，猗氏王約，高平王起孝、太仆丞王遂，介休楊智，興縣郭安，朔州衛吳順，杞縣高朗，太康軒茂良，鄭州邢恭，祥符李斌，鳳翔石玫，膚施劉友得、張信，邠州郭元，延安衛薛廣，蘭州吳仕坤。
Under Zhengtong were Daxing's Liu Huaiyi; Yuancheng's Gu Zhen; Xingtai's Liu Yong; Xian County's Cui Jian; Tongzhou Left Guard chief banner Sun Xiong; Changli's Hou Xian; Xinle's Sun Li; Dingxing's Wei Zheng; Jiaohe's Tian Jun; Baixiang's Zhang Ben; Guide's Yang Jing; Jingxing's Bi Luan; Yongnian's Yang Zhong; Yongqing Right Guard's Mu Hong; Wuxiang Left Guard's Cheng Gui; Jiangning's Gu Yang; Shucheng's Ministry director Hu Ji and censor Wang Shao; Lujiang's Zhang Zheng; Wujin's Hu Changning; Xuzhou's Jin Hao and Wang Yu; Tongcheng's Tan Yu; Guide Guard's Lü Zhonghe; Macheng's Zhao Yue; Liaocheng's Pei Jun; Ling County Huben Left Guard registrar Zhang Rang; Fei County's Ge Zicheng; Le'an's Sun Zheng; Guan County's Chen Mian; Linqing's Jia Gui; Tancheng's Guo Bing; Dongping's Zhang Chen; Dezhou's Zhang Tai; Pingyin's Wang Fuyuan; Yishi's Wang Yue; Gaoping's Wang Qixiao and Vice Minister of the Imperial Stud Wang Sui; Jiexiu's Yang Zhi; Xing County's Guo An; Shuozhou Guard's Wu Shun; Qi County's Gao Lang; Taikang's Xuan Maoliang; Zhengzhou's Xing Gong; Xiangfu's Li Bin; Fengxiang's Shi Mei; Fushi's Liu Youde and Zhang Xin; Binzhou's Guo Yuan; Yan'an Guard's Xue Guang; and Lanzhou's Wu Shikun.
8
景泰間，則有成安張憲，威縣傅海，邳州岑義，鳳陽李忠，徐州朱環，宿州郭興、李寬，泗州衛蔡興，龍泉顧佛僧，龍遊常州通判徐珙，武昌衛吳綬，靖州衛方觀，鄆城李逵，朝城王禮，聊城朱舉，洛陽昌黎訓導閻禹錫。
The Jingtai years saw Cheng'an's Zhang Xian; Wei County's Fu Hai; Pizhou's Cen Yi; Fengyang's Li Zhong; Xuzhou's Zhu Huan; Suzhou's Guo Xing and Li Kuan; Sizhou Guard's Cai Xing; Longquan's Gu Foseng; Longyou Changzhou prefectural judge Xu Yu; Wuchang Guard's Wu Shou; Jingzhou Guard's Fang Guan; Yuncheng's Li Kui; Chaocheng's Wang Li; Liaocheng's Zhu Ju; and Luoyang Changli instructor Yan Yuxi.
9
天順間，則有宛平龔然勝，遷安蔣盛，永清賈懋，任丘黃文，唐縣寇林、大寧指揮張英，平山衛房鎮，忠義衛總旗鐘通，潼關衛楊順通、順素，蒙城汪泉，六合胡琛，合肥高興、張俊，和州獲嘉知縣薛良，上元龍景華，杭州姚文、姚得，平湖夔州知府沈琮，金華宗祉，德州尹綸，東昌許通，臨汾續鳳，絳州陳璽，鄢陵解禮、順孫張縉，上蔡朱儉，同州侯智，醴泉張璉，西安前衛張軫，延安衛指揮柏英，太和楊寧，金齒衛徐訥。
Tianshun brought forth Wanping's Gong Ransheng; Qian'an's Jiang Sheng; Yongqing's Jia Mao; Renqiu's Huang Wen; Tang County's Kou Lin and Daining commander Zhang Ying; Pingshan Guard's Fang Zhen; Zhongyi Guard chief banner Zhong Tong; Tongguan Guard's Yang Shuntong and Shunsu; Mengcheng's Wang Quan; Liuhe's Hu Chen; Hefei's Gao Xing and Zhang Jun; Hezhou Huojia magistrate Xue Liang; Shangyuan's Long Jinghua; Hangzhou's Yao Wen and Yao De; Pinghu Kuizhou prefect Shen Cong; Jinhua's Zong Zhi; Dezhou's Yin Lun; Dongchang's Xu Tong; Linfen's Xu Feng; Jiangzhou's Chen Xi; Yanling's Xie Li and Shun-sun Zhang Jin; Shangcai's Zhu Jian; Tongzhou's Hou Zhi; Liquan's Zhang Lian; Xi'an Front Guard's Zhang Zhen; Yan'an Guard commander Bai Ying; Taihe's Yang Ning; and Jinchi Guard's Xu Ne.
10
成化間，則有神機營指揮方榮，大醫院生安陽郭本，順天舉人萬盛，順天東安昌樂訓導周尚文，武清柳芳，玉田李茂，無極李皚，開州任勉、陳璋、僉事侯英及弟侃、副使甘澤，贊皇劉哲，平山光祿署丞李傑，莘縣李誌及子忱，邢臺井澍，豐潤馬敬，柏鄉高明，定州竇文真、王達，平鄉張翺、史諫、史誼，永平秦良、朱輝，武平衛成綱、楊升，隆慶左衛衛瑾，宣府左衛何文玘，潼關衛千戶藍瑄，遼東定遼左衛劉定、東寧衛序班劉鼎，江寧福建參議盧雍，徐州吳友直、路車、張棟，山陽楊旻、順孫王钅宏，滁州黃正，長洲朱灝，無錫秦永孚、仲孚，合肥沈諲，六安黃用賢，沭陽支儉，休寧吳仲成，懷寧吳本清，沛縣蔡清，歸德衛沈忠，杭州右衛金洪，黃巖項茂，富陽何訥，浙江西安錦衣百戶鄭得，麗水葉伯廣，海寧董謙，浙江建德蔡廷茶，奉化陸洪，余幹桃源訓導張憲，永豐呂盛，晉江史惠，平谿汪浩，江夏傅實、周璽，監利劉祥，湘陰邵敏，東昌張銳，莘縣孔昭、趙全，恩縣王弘，汶上張鄜，堂邑王歡，陽谷錢道，單縣徐洲，聊城王安、孫良，歷城湖廣布政使王允，曹州黃表、張倫，臨清劉端，壽陽吳宗，潞州張倫，大同楊茂、楊瑞、焦鑒，渾源慶都縣丞王誠，高平李振民，平陽衛指揮僉事楊輔，安東中屯衛王經，許州何清，汜水張俊，信陽王綱、袁洪，汲縣張琛，封丘陳瑛，光州太平通判劉進，羅山王賓，衛輝徐寧，郟縣劉濟，西平尹冕，新鄉王興，確山劉政，長葛蒙陰訓導羅貴，陽武舉人蕭盛，弘農衛習潤，涇陽趙謐、駱森、趙遂，同州張鼎，洋縣武全，甘州左衛毛綱，華陰周祿，保安李端，合州陳伯剛，臨桂劉本，姚州土官高紫、潼賜。
Chenghua honored Shenji Camp commander Fang Rong; Imperial Medical Academy student Anyang Guo Ben; Shuntian graduate Wan Sheng; Shuntian Dong'an Changle instructor Zhou Shangwen; Wuqing's Liu Fang; Yutian's Li Mao; Wuji's Li Hao; Kaizhou's Ren Mian and Chen Zhang, commissioner Hou Ying with his brother Kan, and vice commissioner Gan Ze; Zanhuang's Liu Zhe; Pingshan Director of the Imperial Household Li Jie; Shen County's Li Zhi and son Chen; Xingtai's Jing Shu; Fengrun's Ma Jing; Baixiang's Gao Ming; Dingzhou's Dou Wenzhen and Wang Da; Pingxiang's Zhang Hao, Shi Jian, and Shi Yi; Yongping's Qin Liang and Zhu Hui; Wuping Guard's Cheng Gang and Yang Sheng; Longqing Left Guard's Wei Jin; Xuanfu Left Guard's He Wenqi; Tongguan Guard company commander Lan Xuan; Liaodong Dingliao Left Guard's Liu Ding and Dongning registrar Liu Ding; Jiangning Fujian commissioner Lu Yong; Xuzhou's Wu Youzhi, Lu Che, and Zhang Dong; Shanyang's Yang Min and Shun-sun Wang Xian; Chuzhou's Huang Zheng; Changzhou's Zhu Hao; Wuxi's Qin Yongfu and Zhongfu; Hefei's Shen Yin; Lu'an's Huang Yongxian; Shuyang's Zhi Jian; Xiuning's Wu Zhongcheng; Huaining's Wu Benqing; Pei County's Cai Qing; Guide Guard's Shen Zhong; Hangzhou Right Guard's Jin Hong; Huangyan's Xiang Mao; Fuyang's He Ne; Zhejiang Xi'an Jinyi company commander Zheng De; Lishui's Ye Boguang; Haining's Dong Qian; Zhejiang Jiande's Cai Tingcha; Fenghua's Lu Hong; Yugan Taoyuan instructor Zhang Xian; Yongfeng's Lü Sheng; Jinjiang's Shi Hui; Pingxi's Wang Hao; Jiangxia's Fu Shi and Zhou Xi; Jianli's Liu Xiang; Xiangyin's Shao Min; Dongchang's Zhang Rui; Shen County's Kong Zhao and Zhao Quan; En County's Wang Hong; Wenshang's Zhang Fu; Tangyi's Wang Huan; Yanggu's Qian Dao; Shan County's Xu Zhou; Liaocheng's Wang An and Sun Liang; Licheng Huguang commissioner Wang Yun; Caozhou's Huang Biao and Zhang Lun; Linqing's Liu Duan; Shouyang's Wu Zong; Luzhou's Zhang Lun; Datong's Yang Mao, Yang Rui, and Jiao Jian; Hunyuan Qingdu vice magistrate Wang Cheng; Gaoping's Li Zhenmin; Pingyang Guard vice commander Yang Fu; Andong Zhongtun Guard's Wang Jing; Xuzhou's He Qing; Qishui's Zhang Jun; Xinyang's Wang Gang and Yuan Hong; Ji County's Zhang Chen; Fengqiu's Chen Ying; Guangzhou Taiping judge Liu Jin; Luoshan's Wang Bin; Weihui's Xu Ning; Jia County's Liu Ji; Xiping's Yin Mian; Xinxiang's Wang Xing; Queshan's Liu Zheng; Changge Mengyin instructor Luo Gui; Yangwu graduate Xiao Sheng; Hongnong Guard's Xi Run; Jingyang's Zhao Mi, Luo Sen, and Zhao Sui; Tongzhou's Zhang Ding; Yang County's Wu Quan; Ganzhou Left Guard's Mao Gang; Huayin's Zhou Lu; Bao'an's Li Duan; Hezhou's Chen Bogang; Lingui's Liu Ben; and Yaozhou native officials Gao Zi and Tong Ci.
11
弘治間，則有大興錢福，宛平序班夏琮，青縣張俸，南和張彪，曲周趙象賢，長垣王鼐，開州甘潤、馬宗範，薊州孟振，遷安韓廷玉，元氏王懋，深州王寧，天津衛鄭海，武平衛王矩，廣寧右衛李周，霍丘徐汝楫，海州定邊衛經歷徐謐，邳州丁友，懷遠徐本忠、劉澄，宣城吳宗周，潁上王翊，鳳陽衛張全，鳳陽張欽、王澄，嘉定縣沈輔、沈呈，昆山徐協祥，豐縣周潭，徐州權宇、楊輔，績谿許欽，英山段弘仁，六安張時厚，蕭縣唐鸞、南傑，錢塘朱昌，仁和陳璋、璋妻錢氏，余姚黃濟之，桐廬王瑁，江西樂安謝紳，南昌左衛黃璉，安福劉珍，豐城余壽，湖廣寧鄉同知劉端，湘陰甘準，祁陽張機，閩縣高惟一，龍谿王彜，濟南序班谷珍，莘縣白溥，鄒平辛恕，堂邑李尚質，益都冀琮，文登致仕縣丞劉鑒，臨清王祐，寧海州卜懷，陵川徐河、徐瑛，平遙趙澄，澤州宋甫、裴春、舉人李用，興縣白好古，解州李錦，陽曲薛敬，榆次趙復性，屯留衛李清，儀封謝欽，祥符陳鎧、周府儀賓史經，西平張文佐，河南唐縣李擴，登封王祺，嵩縣杜端，裕州劉宗周，閿鄉薛璋，洛陽護衛軍余章瀚，鈞州陣希全，新鄭張遂，郟縣黃錦，鹹寧舉人楊時敷，涇陽熊玻、張憲，隴西李琦，甘州後衛徐行，博羅何宇新，雲南芮城李錦及子澤、澤子柄，太和楊謫仙，靖安陳伯瑄及子恩。
Hongzhi produced Daxing's Qian Fu; Wanping registrar Xia Cong; Qing County's Zhang Feng; Nanhe's Zhang Biao; Quzhou's Zhao Xiangxian; Changyuan's Wang Nai; Kaizhou's Gan Run and Ma Zongfan; Jizhou's Meng Zhen; Qian'an's Han Tingyu; Yuanshi's Wang Mao; Shenzhou's Wang Ning; Tianjin Guard's Zheng Hai; Wuping Guard's Wang Ju; Guangning Right Guard's Li Zhou; Huoqiu's Xu Ruji; Haizhou Dingbian registrar Xu Mi; Pizhou's Ding You; Huaiyuan's Xu Benzhong and Liu Cheng; Xuancheng's Wu Zongzhou; Yingshang's Wang Yi; Fengyang Guard's Zhang Quan; Fengyang's Zhang Qin and Wang Cheng; Jiading's Shen Fu and Shen Cheng; Kunshan's Xu Xiexiang; Feng County's Zhou Tan; Xuzhou's Quan Yu and Yang Fu; Jixi's Xu Qin; Yingshan's Duan Hongren; Lu'an's Zhang Shihou; Xiao County's Tang Luan and Nan Jie; Qiantang's Zhu Chang; Renhe's Chen Zhang and his wife née Qian; Yuyao's Huang Jizhi; Tonglu's Wang Mao; Jiangxi Le'an's Xie Shen; Nanchang Left Guard's Huang Lian; Anfu's Liu Zhen; Fengcheng's Yu Shou; Huguang Ningxiang vice prefect Liu Duan; Xiangyin's Gan Zhun; Qiyang's Zhang Ji; Min County's Gao Weiyi; Longxi's Wang Yi; Jinan registrar Gu Zhen; Shen County's Bai Pu; Zouping's Xin Shu; Tangyi's Li Shangzhi; Yidu's Ji Cong; Wendeng's retired vice magistrate Liu Jian; Linqing's Wang You; Ninghaizhou's Bu Huai; Lingchuan's Xu He and Xu Ying; Pingyao's Zhao Cheng; Zezhou's Song Fu, Pei Chun, and graduate Li Yong; Xing County's Bai Haogu; Jiezhou's Li Jin; Yangqu's Xue Jing; Yuci's Zhao Fuxing; Tunliu Guard's Li Qing; Yifeng's Xie Qin; Xiangfu's Chen Kai and Zhou Mansion son-in-law Shi Jing; Xiping's Zhang Wenzuo; Henan Tang County's Li Kuo; Dengfeng's Wang Qi; Song County's Du Duan; Yuzhou's Liu Zongzhou; Minxiang's Xue Zhang; Luoyang guard Yu Zhanghan; Junzhou's Chen Xiquan; Xinzheng's Zhang Sui; Jia County's Huang Jin; Xianning graduate Yang Shifu; Jingyang's Xiong Bo and Zhang Xian; Longxi's Li Qi; Ganzhou Rear Guard's Xu Xing; Boluo's He Yuxin; Yunnan Ruicheng's Li Jin with sons Ze and Ze's son Bing; Taihe's Yang Zhexian; and Jing'an's Chen Boxuan with his son En.
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正德間，則有高邑湘潭驛丞董玄，槁城劉強，定州趙鵬，吳橋段興，直隸新城李瑟，沙河王得時，青陽李希仁，永康歸德訓導應剛，進賢趙氏郡珍，宜春易直，善化陳大用，湘陰蘇純，侯官黃文會，邵武謝思，長山許嗣聰，聊城梁瑾，曲阜孔承夏，日照張旻，臨汾李大經及子承芳，新鄭王科，蒲城雷瑜，嵩明陳大韶。
Zhengde saw Gaoyi's Xiangtan post assistant Dong Xuan; Gaocheng's Liu Qiang; Dingzhou's Zhao Peng; Wuqiao's Duan Xing; Zhili Xincheng's Li Se; Shahe's Wang Deshi; Qingyang's Li Xiren; Yongkang Guide instructor Ying Gang; Jinxian's Zhao-clan Junzhen; Yichun's Yi Zhi; Shanhua's Chen Dayong; Xiangyin's Su Chun; Houguan's Huang Wenhui; Shaowu's Xie Si; Changshan's Xu Sicong; Liaocheng's Liang Jin; Qufu's Kong Chengxia; Rizhao's Zhang Min; Linfen's Li Dajing and son Chengfang; Xinzheng's Wang Ke; Pucheng's Lei Yu; and Songming's Chen Dachao.
13
嘉靖以後，國史不詳載，姓名所可考者，嘉靖間，則有直隸趙進、黃流、張節，冀州王國臣，六安順孫李九疇，望江順孫龍湧，太湖呂腆，沛縣楊冕，潁上王敷政，華亭徐億，浙江龔曇、王晁、孫堪、樓階、丘敘、吳燧，江西余冠雄、曾柏，福建吳毓嘉、孫炳、丘子能，莆田舉人方重傑，山東宮守禮、王選，河南馮金玉、劉一魁，信陽趙謨，孝婦韓氏、安氏，杞縣邊雲鵡，陜西黃驥、張琛、李實，環縣趙璋，新會容，四川李應麒，嘉定州舉人王表，祿豐唐文炳、文蔚，蒙化舉人範運吉、黃巖。 又有旌表天下孝子鮑燦、陸爻、徐億等，俱軼其鄉里。
From Jiajing onward the official history grows sparse; of names still traceable, Jiajing alone yielded Zhili's Zhao Jin, Huang Liu, and Zhang Jie; Jizhou's Wang Guochen; Lu'an Shun-sun Li Jiuchou; Wangjiang Shun-sun Long Yong; Taihu's Lü Tian; Pei County's Yang Mian; Yingshang's Wang Fuzheng; Huating's Xu Yi; Zhejiang's Gong Tan, Wang Chao, Sun Kan, Lou Jie, Qiu Xu, and Wu Sui; Jiangxi's Yu Guanxiong and Zeng Bai; Fujian's Wu Yujia, Sun Bing, and Qiu Zineng; Putian graduate Fang Chongjie; Shandong's Gong Shouli and Wang Xuan; Henan's Feng Jinyu and Liu Yikui; Xinyang's Zhao Mo; filial wives née Han and née An; Qi County's Bian Yun'e; Shaanxi's Huang Ji, Zhang Chen, and Li Shi; Huan County's Zhao Zhang; Xinhui's Rong Ti; Sichuan's Li Yingqi; Jiadingzhou graduate Wang Biao; Lufeng's Tang Wenbing and Wenwei; and Menghua graduates Fan Yunji and Huang Yan. The court also honored empire-wide filial sons such as Bao Can, Lu Yao, and Xu Yi, each of whose renown exceeded his native place.
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隆慶間，則有大興李彪，靜海周一念、周斐，遷安楊騰，松江舉人馮行可，新鄉張登元，興業何世錦，崇善何呈。
Longqing added Daxing's Li Biao; Jinghai's Zhou Yinian and Zhou Fei; Qian'an's Yang Teng; Songjiang graduate Feng Xingke; Xinxiang's Zhang Dengyuan; Xingye's He Shijin; and Chongshan's He Cheng.
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萬歷間，則有直隸韓錫，深州林基，井陘張民望，清豐侯燦，河間吳應奎，平山舉人邢雲衢，邳州張縝，直隸華亭楊應祈、高承順，太湖顧槐，盱眙蔣臚，六安何金，遂安毛存元，江西余鑰、徐信，都昌曹珊，萬安劉靜，新建樊儆、舒泰，會昌歐於復，鄱陽李岐，奉新周勃，南昌曹必和，湖廣賈應進，光化蔡玉、蔡佩，黃岡唐治，浦城徐彪，泉州訓導王熺及熺子文升，晉江韋起宗，山東馬致遠，冠縣申一琴、一攀，嶽陽王應科，河南侯鶴齡，歸德賈洙，密縣陳邦寵，舞陽楊愈光，汜水王謙，淅川劉待徵，陜西劉燧，涇陽韓汝復，寧州周大賢，成都後衛楊茂勛，井研曾海，大姚金鯉，蒙化範潤，四川孝女解氏。 又有馬錦、張浩、杜惠、孝女楊氏等，不詳邑裏。
Wanli produced Zhili's Han Xi; Shenzhou's Lin Ji; Jingxing's Zhang Minwang; Qingfeng's Hou Can; Hejian's Wu Yingkui; Pingshan graduate Xing Yunqu; Pizhou's Zhang Chen; Zhili Huating's Yang Yingqi and Gao Chengshun; Taihu's Gu Huai; Xuyi's Jiang Lu; Lu'an's He Jin; Suian's Mao Cunyuan; Jiangxi's Yu Yao and Xu Xin; Duchang's Cao Shan; Wan'an's Liu Jing; Xinjian's Fan Jing and Shu Tai; Huichang's Ou Yufu; Poyang's Li Qi; Fengxin's Zhou Bo; Nanchang's Cao Bihe; Huguang's Jia Yingjin; Guanghua's Cai Yu and Cai Pei; Huanggang's Tang Zhi; Pucheng's Xu Biao; Quanzhou instructor Wang Xi and his son Wensheng; Jinjiang's Wei Qizong; Shandong's Ma Zhiyuan; Guan County's Shen Yiqin and Yi Pan; Yueyang's Wang Yingke; Henan's Hou Heling; Guide's Jia Zhu; Mi County's Chen Bangchong; Wuyang's Yang Yuguang; Qishui's Wang Qian; Xichuan's Liu Daizheng; Shaanxi's Liu Sui; Jingyang's Han Rufu; Ningzhou's Zhou Daxian; Chengdu Rear Guard's Yang Maoxun; Jingyan's Zeng Hai; Dayao's Jin Li; Menghua's Fan Run; and Sichuan's filial daughter née Jie. Also honored were Ma Jin, Zhang Hao, Du Hui, filial daughter née Yang, and others whose home districts the records do not specify.
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天啟間，則有安州邵桂，棗強先自正，晉州張蘭，高邑孫喬，上海張秉介，高淳葛至學，旌德江景宗，山陽張致中，歙縣吳榮讓、孝童女胡之憲、玉娥，慈谿馮象臨，吉水郭元達，宜春鐘名揚，峽江黃國賓，臨川傅合，萬載彭夢瑞，南康楊可幸，萬安羅應賫，江西樂安曹希和，安福孝婦王三重妻謝氏，孝感施文星，福建李躍龍，甌寧陳榮，晉江丘應賓，浦城吳昂，禹城給事中楊士衡，泰安範希賢，曹縣王治寧，曲阜孔弘傳，德州紀紹堯，聞喜張學孔，陳州郭一肖，虞城呂桂芳，淅川何大縉，華州孫繩祖，梁山李資孝，又有王錫光不詳邑裏。
Tianqi saw Anzhou's Shao Gui; Zaoqiang's Xian Zizheng; Jinzhou's Zhang Lan; Gaoyi's Sun Qiao; Shanghai's Zhang Bingjie; Gaochun's Ge Zhixue; Jingde's Jiang Jingzong; Shanyang's Zhang Zhizhong; She County's Wu Rongrang, filial child Hu Zhixian, and Yue'e; Cixi's Feng Xianglin; Jishui's Guo Yuanda; Yichun's Zhong Mingyang; Xiajiang's Huang Guobin; Linchuan's Fu He; Wanzai's Peng Mengrui; Nankang's Yang Kexing; Wan'an's Luo Yingbin; Jiangxi Le'an's Cao Xihe; Anfu filial wife Wang Sanzhong's wife née Xie; Xiaogan's Shi Wenxing; Fujian's Li Yuelong; Ouning's Chen Rong; Jinjiang's Qiu Yingbin; Pucheng's Wu Ang; Yucheng supervising secretary Yang Shiheng; Tai'an's Fan Xixian; Cao County's Wang Zhining; Qufu's Kong Hongchuan; Dezhou's Ji Shaoyao; Wenxi's Zhang Xuekong; Chenzhou's Guo Yixiao; Yucheng's Lü Guifang; Xichuan's He Dajin; Huazhou's Sun Shengzu; Liangshan's Li Zixiao; and Wang Xiguang, whose district is likewise unspecified.
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崇禎間，則有應天王之卿，故城李華先，仁和沈尚誌，江西王之範，福建吳宗烜，山東朱文龍，忻州趙裕心，稷山舉人史宗禹，淳化高起鳳，雲南趙文宿。 又有王宅中、任萬庫、武世捷、孔維章、浦某、褚鹹、孫良輔等，不詳邑裏。 皆以孝行旌其門。
Chongzhen's roll included Yingtian's Wang Zhiqing; Gucheng's Li Huaxian; Renhe's Shen Shangzhi; Jiangxi's Wang Zhifan; Fujian's Wu Zongxuan; Shandong's Zhu Wenlong; Xinzhou's Zhao Yuxin; Jishan graduate Shi Zongyu; Chunhua's Gao Qifeng; and Yunnan's Zhao Wensu. Also listed were Wang Zaizhong, Ren Wanku, Wu Shijie, Kong Weizhang, Pu Mou, Chu Xian, Sun Liangfu, and others whose home districts remain unspecified. Each received gate commendation for filial conduct.
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其同居敦睦者，則有洪武時龍遊夏文昭，四世同居。 成化間，霸州秦貴，建德何永敬，蒲圻李玘，句容戴睿，饒陽耿寬，俱七世同居，石首王宗義五世同爨，宿遷張賓八世同爨，安東蘇勒，潞城韓錦、李昇，永州唐汝賢，豐城劉誌清，俱六世同居。 弘治間，密雲李琚，合肥鄭元，陵川徐梁，安東朱勇，五世同居，慶都黃鐘，定邊衛韓鵬，俱六世同居，孝感程昂七世同居，泰州王玉八世同爨。 正德間，山陽丁震五世同居。 嘉靖間，石偉十一世同居，遂安毛彥恭六世同居。 萬歷間，蕭梅七世同居，滁州盧守一，長治仇大，六世同居，先後得節烈貞女二十三人，太平楊乙六累世同居。 天啟間，南城吳煥八世同居。 皆旌曰義門。
Among households that lived together in harmony, Hongwu produced Longyou's Xia Wenzhao, whose clan shared one roof for four generations. Chenghua saw Bazhou's Qin Gui, Jiande's He Yongjing, Puqi's Li Zhi, Jurong's Dai Rui, and Raoyang's Geng Kuan, each clan united for seven generations; Shishou's Wang Zongyi, five generations at one hearth; Suqian's Zhang Bin, eight generations at one hearth; Andong's Su Le; Lucheng's Han Jin and Li Sheng; Yongzhou's Tang Ruxian; and Fengcheng's Liu Zhiqing, each united for six generations. Hongzhi produced Miyun's Li Ju, Hefei's Zheng Yuan, Lingchuan's Xu Liang, and Andong's Zhu Yong, five generations under one roof; Qingdu's Huang Zhong and Dingbian Guard's Han Peng, six generations each; Xiaogan's Cheng Ang, seven generations; and Taizhou's Wang Yu, eight generations at one hearth. Zhengde added Shanyang's Ding Zhen, whose household endured five generations together. Jiajing saw Shi Wei's clan united for eleven generations and Suian Mao Yangong's for six. Wanli brought Xiao Mei's seven-generation household; Chuzhou's Lu Shouyi and Changzhi's Qiu Da, six generations each, with twenty-three women honored in turn for chastity and fidelity; and Taiping's Yang Yi, six successive generations united. Tianqi produced Nancheng's Wu Huan, eight generations under one roof. Each received commendation as a Gate of Righteousness.
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其輸財助官振濟者，則有正統間千戶胡文郁，訓術李昺，訓科劉文勝，吉安胡有初、謝子寬，浮梁範孔孫，榆次於敏，邳州鞏得海、岑仲暉、高興、葉旺、高宗泰，沭陽葛禎，清河王仲英，山陽鮑越，懷遠廖冠平、張簡，石州張雷，淮安梁辟、李成、俞勝、徐成，潞州李廷玉，羅山王必通，溧陽陸旺，余幹舒彥祥，溫州李倫、鄒有真，四安何仕能、王清。 景泰間，江陰陳安常。 天順間，潮陽郭吾，太原栗仲仁，代州李斌。 弘治中，歸善吳宗益、宗義及宗義子璋。 隆慶間，永寧王潔、胥瓚。 萬歷間，少卿吳炯，浙江董欽等，臨清張氏，江西胡士琇、丁果、婁世潔、黎金球，山西孫光勛、高自修，亳州李文明，順義楊惟孝。 天啟間南城吳煥。 崇禎間席本楨等。 皆旌為義門，或賜璽書褒勞。
Among those who donated wealth to aid official famine relief, Zhengtong honored company commander Hu Wenyu; Xunshu Li Bing; Xunku Liu Wensheng; Ji'an's Hu Youchu and Xie Zikuan; Fuliang's Fan Kongsun; Yuci's Yu Min; Pizhou's Gong Dehai, Cen Zhonghui, Gao Xing, Ye Wang, and Gao Zongtai; Shuyang's Ge Zhen; Qinghe's Wang Zhongying; Shanyang's Bao Yue; Huaiyuan's Liao Guanping and Zhang Jian; Shizhou's Zhang Lei; Huai'an's Liang Pi, Li Cheng, Yu Sheng, and Xu Cheng; Luzhou's Li Tingyu; Luoshan's Wang Bitong; Liyang's Lu Wang; Yugan's Shu Yanxiang; Wenzhou's Li Lun and Zou Youzhen; and Si'an's He Shineng and Wang Qing. Jingtai added Jiangyin's Chen Anchang. Tianshun saw Chaoyang's Guo Wu, Taiyuan's Li Zhongren, and Daizhou's Li Bin. Hongzhi produced Guishan's Wu Zongyi and Wu Zongyi, and Wu Zongyi's son Zhang. Longqing added Yongning's Wang Jie and Xu Zan. Wanli honored Vice Minister Wu Jiong; Zhejiang's Dong Qin and others; Linqing's Zhang clan; Jiangxi's Hu Shixiu, Ding Guo, Lou Shijie, and Li Jinqiu; Shanxi's Sun Guangxun and Gao Zixiu; Bozhou's Li Wenming; and Shunyi's Yang Weixiao. Tianqi again listed Nancheng's Wu Huan. Chongzhen saw Xi Benzhen and others. Each was honored as a Gate of Righteousness, and some received sealed imperial writings of praise and reward.
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○孝義一
○ Filial Acts, Part One
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鄭濂 〈（王澄）〉 徐允讓 〈（石永壽）〉 錢瑛 〈（曾鼎）〉 姚比丘鐸 〈（李茂）〉 崔敏 〈（劉鎬顧琇）〉 周琬 〈（虞宗濟等）〉 伍洪 〈（劉文煥）〉 朱煦 〈（危貞昉）〉 劉謹李德成沈德四謝定住 〈（包實夫蘇奎章）〉 權謹趙紳 〈（向化陸尚質）〉 麹祥
Zheng Lian (Wang Cheng)〉 Xu Yunrang (Shi Yongshou)〉 Qian Ying (Zeng Ding)〉 Yao the Buddhist monk Qiu Duo (Li Mao)〉 Cui Min (Liu Hao, Gu Xiu)〉 Zhou Wan (Yu Zongji and others)〉 Wu Hong (Liu Wenhuan)〉 Zhu Xu (Wei Zhenfang)〉 Liu Jin, Li Decheng, Shen Desi, Xie Dingzhu (Bao Shifu, Su Kuizhang)〉 Quan Jin, Zhao Shen (Xiang Hua, Lu Shangzhi)〉 Qu Xiang
22
鄭濂，字仲德，浦江人。 其家累世同居，幾三百年。 七世祖綺載《宋史·孝義傳》。 六傳至文嗣，旌為義門，載《元史·孝友傳》。 弟文融，字太和，部使者余闕表為東浙第一家。 鄭氏家法，代以一人主家政。 文融卒，嗣子欽繼之，嘗刺血療本生父疾。 欽卒，弟鉅繼。 鉅卒，弟銘當主家政，以兄子渭宗子也，相讓久之，始受事。 銘受業於吳萊。 銘卒，弟鉉繼。 父喪，慟哭三日，發須盡白。 元末兵起，大將數入其境，相戒無犯義門。 樞密判官阿魯灰軍奪民財，鉉以利害折之，引去。 明兵臨婺州，鉉挈家避，右丞李文忠為扃鑰其家，而遣兵護之歸。 至正中卒，渭繼。 渭卒，弟濂繼。
Zheng Lian, styled Zhongde, came from Pujiang. His clan had lived together for generations, nearly three hundred years in all. His seventh-generation ancestor Qi appears in the Treatise on Filial Acts of the History of Song. Six generations on, Wensi was honored as a Gate of Righteousness and entered the Treatise on Filial Friends of the History of Yuan. His younger brother Wenrong, styled Taihe, was proclaimed by regional commissioner Yu Que the foremost household in eastern Zhejiang. By Zheng family rule, one man in each generation directed the household. After Wenrong's death his heir Qin took charge and once lanced his arm to heal his birth father's sickness. When Qin died, his brother Ju assumed the role. When Ju died, brother Ming was due to head the household; because his elder brother's son Wei was the designated heir, the two deferred to each other at length before Ming at last took office. Ming had studied under Wu Lai. After Ming's death his brother Xuan succeeded. During his father's mourning he wailed for three days until his beard and hair had turned wholly white. As rebellion spread late in the Yuan, one great commander after another entered their lands, each ordering his men not to harm the Gate of Righteousness. When Privy Council judge Aru Hui's troops plundered the people, Xuan confronted him with argument on profit and loss until the army withdrew. When Ming forces approached Wuzhou, Xuan moved his household to safety. Li Wenzhong, vice minister of the right, locked up the family residence and sent soldiers to bring them home under guard. He died during the Zhizheng reign, and Wei took his place. After Wei's death, his younger brother Lian assumed household leadership.
23
濂受知於太祖，昆弟由是顯。 濂以賦長詣京師，太祖問治家長久之道。 對曰：「謹守祖訓，不聽婦言。」 帝稱善，賜之果，濂拜賜懷歸，剖分家人。 帝聞嘉嘆，欲官之，以老辭。 時富室多以罪傾宗，而鄭氏數千指獨完。 會胡惟庸以罪誅，有訴鄭氏交通者，吏捕之，兄弟六人爭欲行，濂弟湜竟往。 時濂在京師，迎謂曰：「吾居長，當任罪。」 湜曰：「兄年老，吾自往辨。」 二人爭入獄。 太祖召見曰：「有人如此，肯從人為逆耶？」 宥之，立擢湜為左參議，命舉所知。 湜舉同郡王應等五人，皆授參議。 湜，字仲持，居官有政聲。 南靖民為亂，詿誤者數百家，湜言於諸將，盡釋免。 居一歲，入覲，卒於京。
Lian won the Founding Emperor's trust, and the brothers rose to prominence. Lian traveled to the capital in his capacity as village head; the Founding Emperor asked him how a family might endure for generations. He answered, "Hold fast to the ancestral rules and pay no heed to women's counsel." The Emperor approved and gave him fruit. Lian bowed, tucked the gift in his robe, went home, and shared it with the whole family. When the Emperor heard of this he sighed in admiration and offered him an appointment, but Lian refused on grounds of old age. In those days wealthy clans were often destroyed on criminal charges, yet the Zheng household alone—thousands strong—remained intact. After Hu Weiyong was put to death, an informer charged the Zhengs with treasonous contact. Officers came to seize them. Six brothers each insisted on going; in the end Lian's younger brother Shi went. Lian was in the capital at the time and met him on the way. "I am the eldest," he said. "The guilt should be mine." "You are old, brother," Shi replied. "I will go and argue the matter myself." The two of them fought over who would enter the jail. The Founding Emperor summoned them and said, "Men like this—would they ever willingly follow another in treason?" He released them, immediately promoted Shi to Left Participation Councilor, and told him to recommend men he knew. Shi nominated five men from his commandery, among them Wang Ying, and all five were made participation councilors. Shi, styled Zhongchi, earned a reputation for effective government. When Nanjing county rose in revolt, several hundred families were caught up by mistake. Shi persuaded the generals to release them all. A year later he came to court for an audience and died in the capital.
24
十九年，濂坐事當逮，從弟洧曰：「吾家稱義門，先世有兄代弟死者，吾可不代兄死乎？」 詣吏自誣服，斬於市。 洧，字仲宗，受業於宋濂，有學行，鄉人哀之，私謚貞義處士。
In the nineteenth year Lian was implicated and faced arrest. His cousin Wei said, "Our clan is known as the Gate of Righteousness. Ancestors have died in a brother's place—why should I not die for my elder brother?" He went to the magistrates, confessed falsely, and was beheaded in the marketplace. Wei, styled Zhongzong, had studied under Song Lian and was a man of learning and integrity. The countryside mourned him and privately styled him the Recluse of Loyal Righteousness.
25
初，渶嘗仕元為浙江行省宣使，主家政數年。 建文帝表其門，渶朝謝，禦書「孝義家」三字賜之。 燕兵既入，有告建文帝匿其家者，遣人索之。 渶家廳事中，列十大櫃，五貯經史，五貯兵器備不虞。 使者至，所發皆經史，置其半不啟，乃免於禍，人以為至行所感雲。 成化十年，有司奏鄭永朝世敦行義，復旌以孝義之門。
Earlier Ying had served the Yuan as pacification commissioner of the Zhejiang branch secretariat and managed the household for several years. The Jianwen Emperor honored his gate. Ying came to court to give thanks, and the emperor wrote with his own hand the three words "House of Filial Piety and Righteousness" and bestowed them. After the Yan armies entered the capital, someone reported that the Jianwen Emperor was concealed in his home, and searchers were sent. In the main hall of Ying's house stood ten great chests: five held the Classics and histories, five held arms against the unexpected. When the envoys came, every chest they opened held only books. They left the rest unopened, and the family escaped harm—people said it was the reward of supreme virtue. In the tenth year of Chenghua the local office reported that Zheng Yongchao's line had for generations upheld righteous conduct, and again honored their gate as a Gate of Filial Piety and Righteousness.
26
自文融至渶，皆以篤行著。 文融著《家範》三卷，凡五十八則，子欽增七十則，從子鉉又增九十二則，至濂弟濤與從弟泳、澳、湜，白於兄濂、源，共相損益，定為一百六十八則，刊行焉。
From Wenrong down to Ying, each was noted for steadfast moral conduct. Wenrong composed 《Family Standards》 in three juan—fifty-eight precepts in all. His son Qin added seventy; his nephew Xuan added ninety-two more. Lian's younger brother Tao and his cousins Yong, Ao, and Shi consulted their elder brothers Lian and Yuan, revised the text together, and settled on one hundred sixty-eight precepts, which they published.
27
王澄，字德輝，亦浦江人。 歲儉，出粟貸人，不取其息。 有鬻產者，必增直以足之。 慕義門鄭氏風，將終，集子孫誨之曰：「汝曹能合食同居如鄭氏，吾死目瞑矣。」 子孫鹹拜受教。 澄生三子子覺、子麟、子偉，克承父誌。 子覺生應，即為鄭湜所舉擢參議者。 子偉生懃，即與鄭濟並擢庶子者。 義門王氏之名，遂埒鄭氏。
Wang Cheng, styled Dehui, was likewise a man of Pujiang. In lean years he lent grain to neighbors and charged no interest. If someone had to sell land, he always added to the price so the seller would have enough. Admiring the Zheng clan's Gate of Righteousness, he gathered his descendants as death approached and told them, "If you can eat from one pot and live under one roof like the Zhengs, I shall die content." All his descendants bowed and accepted his charge. Cheng had three sons—Jue, Lin, and Wei—who fulfilled their father's wish. Jue's son Ying was the Wang Ying whom Zheng Shi recommended and raised to participation councilor. Wei's son Qin was the man promoted to junior tutor alongside Zheng Ji. The Wang Gate of Righteousness thus came to stand on a par with the Zhengs.
28
又有王燾者，蘄水人，七世同居，一家二百余口，人無間言。 洪武九年十一月，詔旌為孝義之門。
There was also Wang Shen of Qishui: seven generations under one roof, more than two hundred mouths in a single household, and not a whisper of discord. In the eleventh month of Hongwu's ninth year an edict honored them as a Gate of Filial Piety and Righteousness.
29
徐允讓，浙江山陰人。 元末，賊起，奉父安走避山谷間。 遇賊，欲斫安頸。 允讓大呼曰：「寧殺我，勿殺我父！」 賊遂舍安殺允讓。 將辱其妻潘，潘紿曰：「吾夫已死，從汝必矣。 若能焚吾夫，則無憾也。」 賊許之，潘聚薪焚夫，投烈焰中死。 賊驚嘆去，安獲全。 洪武十六年，夫婦並旌。
Xu Yunrang came from Shanyin in Zhejiang. When rebellion broke out at the end of the Yuan, he took his father An and fled into the hills. They met bandits who were about to strike An's neck. Yunrang cried out, "Kill me instead—spare my father!" The bandits let An go and killed Yunrang. They were about to violate his wife Pan. Pan deceived them: "My husband is dead. I will go with you—that much is certain. But first burn my husband's body, and I shall have no regret." The bandits agreed. Pan piled fuel, cremated her husband, then leapt into the flames and died. The bandits marveled and withdrew. An survived unharmed. In Hongwu's sixteenth year husband and wife were both commended.
30
同時石永壽者，新昌人。 負老父避賊，賊執其父將殺之，號泣請代，賊殺永壽而去。
About the same time there was Shi Yongshou of Xinchang. He was carrying his old father when bandits caught them. They seized the father to kill him. Yongshou wept and begged to die in his stead. The bandits killed Yongshou and left.
31
錢瑛，字可大，吉水人。 生八月而孤，年十三能應秋試。 及長，值元季亂，奉祖本和及母避難，歷五六年。 遇賊，縛本和，瑛奔救，並縛之。 本和哀告貰其孫，瑛泣請代不已，賊憐而兩釋之。 時瑛母亦被執，瑛妻張從伏莽中窺見，即趨出，謂賊曰：「姑老矣，請縛我。」 賊從之，既就縛，擲袖中鞋與姑，訣曰：「婦無用此矣。」 且行且睨姑，稍遠即罵賊不肯行。 賊持之急，罵益厲，賊怒，攢刃刺殺之。 是定，有司知瑛賢，凡三薦，並以親老辭。 子遂誌成進士，官山東僉事。
Qian Ying, styled Keda, was from Jishui. His father died when he was eight months old. At thirteen he could sit for the autumn examination. As an adult, in the turmoil at the end of the Yuan, he led his grandfather Benhe and his mother through five or six years of flight. Bandits seized Benhe. Ying ran to save him and was bound as well. Benhe begged piteously that they spare his grandson. Ying wept and pleaded without end to die in his place. The bandits took pity and freed them both. Ying's mother had also been taken. His wife Zhang had been hiding in the brush to watch. She ran forward and said to the bandits, "My mother-in-law is old. Bind me instead." They agreed. Once she was tied, she threw shoes from her sleeve to her mother-in-law and said farewell: "I have no more need of these." She walked on, glancing back at her mother-in-law. When she was some distance away she cursed the bandits for not moving faster. They hurried her along. She cursed all the louder. Enraged, the bandits stabbed her to death. After the dynasty was established, officials who knew his worth recommended him three times. Each time he declined because his elders were still alive. His son Sui passed the metropolitan examination and became vice commissioner in Shandong.
32
同時曾鼎，字元友，泰和人。 祖懷可、父思立，並有學行。 元末，鼎奉母避賊。 母被執，鼎跪而泣請代。 賊怒，將殺母，鼎號呼以身翼蔽，傷頂肩及足，控母不舍。 賊魁繼至，憫之，攜其母子入營療治，獲愈。 行省聞其賢，辟為濂谿書院山長。 洪武三年，知縣郝思讓辟教設學。 鼎好學能詩，兼工八分及邵子數學。
In the same period there was Zeng Ding, styled Yuanyou, of Taihe. His grandfather Huaike and his father Silu were both men of learning and integrity. At the end of the Yuan, Ding fled with his mother from bandits. When his mother was captured, Ding knelt and wept, begging to die in her stead. The bandits grew angry and were about to kill her. Ding shouted and covered her with his body. They wounded his head, shoulders, and feet, but he would not let go. The bandit chief arrived, took pity, and brought mother and son into the camp to be treated. Both recovered. The branch secretariat, hearing of his virtue, appointed him mountain chief of Lianxi Academy. In Hongwu's third year Magistrate Hao Sirang recruited him to set up local schooling. Ding loved learning and wrote poetry. He was also accomplished in clerical script and the numerology of Master Shao.
33
姚比，松江人。 元至正中，苗帥楊完者兵入境。 比奉母避於野，阻河不可渡。 母泣曰：「兵至，吾誓不受辱。」 遂沈於水。 比急投水救之，負母而出。 已，數遇盜，中矢，比佯死伏屍間以免，以奉母過湖、淮。 後母疾思食魚，暮夜無從得，家養一烏，忽飛去攫魚以歸。 洪武初，行省聞其賢，辟之，以親老不就。
Yao Bi was from Songjiang. In the Zhizheng era, the Miao commander Yang Wanzhe's army entered the region. Bi took his mother to flee in the countryside. A river barred their way and they could not cross. His mother wept and said, "When the soldiers come, I will not live to be shamed." She threw herself into the water. Bi plunged in after her, pulled her out, and carried her on his back to safety. Later they met bandits again and again. He took an arrow. Bi played dead among the slain and so survived, bringing his mother across the lakes and the Huai. When his mother later fell ill and craved fish, none could be found at night. A crow they kept at home suddenly flew off, caught a fish, and brought it back. Early in Hongwu the branch secretariat sought to employ him, but he refused office because his parents were old.
34
丘鐸，字文振，祥符人。 元末，父為湖廣儒學提舉。 值兵亂，鐸奉父母播遷，賣藥供甘旨。 母卒，哀慟幾絕。 葬鳴鳳山，結廬墓側，朝夕上食如生時。 當寒夜月黑，悲風蕭瑟，鐸輒繞墓號曰：「兒在斯！ 兒在斯！」 山深多虎，聞鐸哭聲避去。 時稱真孝子。 鐸初避寇慶元，從祖父母居故鄉者八人，貧不能自存，鐸悉迎養之。 有姑年十八，夫亡守節，鐸養之終身。
Qiu Duo, styled Wenzhen, was from Xiangfu. At the end of the Yuan his father served as Huguang intendant of Confucian learning. When war broke out, Duo wandered with his parents and sold medicine to provide them fine food. When his mother died, his mourning nearly cost him his life. He buried her on Mingfeng Mountain, built a hut by the grave, and morning and evening set out food as though she were still alive. On bitter nights when the moon was dark and the wind mourned, Duo would pace the grave calling, "Your son is here! Your son is here!" Tigers were plentiful in those hills, yet at the sound of his weeping they kept their distance. People of the time called him a true filial son. When Duo first fled bandits at Qingyuan, eight relatives who had stayed in the hometown with his grandparents were too poor to live. He brought them all in and supported them. He had a widowed aunt who at eighteen lost her husband and held to her chastity; Duo cared for her to the end of her days.
35
後有李茂者，澄城諸生也。 母患惡瘡。 茂日吮膿血，夜則叩天祈代。 及卒，結廬墓旁，朝夕悲泣。 天大雨，懼沖其墓，伏墓而哭，雨止乃已。 父卒，廬墓如之。 成化二生旌。 二子表、森，森為國子生。 茂卒，兄弟同廬於墓。 弘治五年旌。 表子俊亦國子生，表卒，俊方弱冠，廬墓終喪。 母卒，亦如初。 正德四年旌。
Later there was Li Mao, a licentiate of Chengcheng. His mother had a foul running sore. Each day Mao sucked out the pus and blood. Each night he knelt and prayed heaven to give him her illness instead. When she died he built a mourning hut by the grave and wept there morning and night. A great rain fell. Fearing it would wash away the mound, he lay on the grave and wept until the storm passed. When his father died he did the same. In 1466 he received an imperial commendation. He had two sons, Biao and Sen; Sen enrolled as a student at the Imperial Academy. After Mao died, the brothers both lived in mourning huts beside his grave. In 1492 the court officially commended them. Biao's son Jun was also at the Imperial Academy. When Biao died, Jun had only just come of age, yet he kept a mourning hut at the grave through the entire mourning term. When his mother died, he observed the same rites again. In 1509 he received an official commendation.
36
崔敏，字好學，襄陵人。 生四十日，其父仕元為綿竹尹，父子隔絕者三十年。 敏依母兄以居。 元季寇亂，母及兄俱相失。 亂定，入陜尋母不得。 由陜入川，抵綿竹，求父冢，無知者。 復還陜，訪諸親故，始知父殯所在，乃啟攢負骸歸。 時稱崔孝子。
Cui Min, who went by Haoxue, came from Xiangling. When he was forty days old, his father was already serving the Yuan as magistrate of Mianzhu, and father and son remained separated for thirty years. Min lived with his mother and elder brother. When the Yuan collapsed into rebellion, he lost both his mother and his elder brother. After order returned, he went into Shaanxi to find his mother, but could not. He traveled from Shaanxi into Sichuan, reached Mianzhu, and searched for his father's grave, but no one could tell him where it lay. Back in Shaanxi he questioned every kinsman and old acquaintance until he learned where his father had been laid in temporary burial. He opened the grave, carried the bones home on his back, and buried them properly. People at the time called him Filial Son Cui.
37
同時劉鎬，江西龍泉人。 父允中，洪武五年舉人，官憑祥巡檢，卒於任。 鎬以道遠家貧，不能返柩，居常悲泣。 父友憐之，言於廣西監司，聘為臨桂訓導。 尋假公事赴憑祥，莫知葬處。 鎬晝夜環哭，一蒼頭故從其父，已轉入交址。 忽暮至，若有憑之者，因得冢所在。 刺血驗之良是，乃負歸葬。
Around the same time there was Liu Hao of Longquan in Jiangxi. His father Yunzhong had passed the provincial examination in 1372 and served as inspector of Pingxiang, where he died in office. The journey was too far and the family too poor for Hao to bring his father's body home, and he wept in grief day after day. His father's friends took pity on him and appealed to the Guangxi surveillance commissioner, who appointed him instructor at Lingui. Before long he used official business as a pretext to reach Pingxiang, yet still no one knew where his father was buried. Hao wept day and night as he searched the area. An old servant who had once attended his father had already been reassigned to Jiaozhi. Then, at dusk, the old servant suddenly appeared, as though led by fate, and showed him where the grave stood. Hao pricked his finger and let the blood fall on the bones to confirm they were his father's. Satisfied, he carried them home for burial.
38
有顧琇者，字季粟，吳縣人。 洪武初，父充軍鳳翔，母隨行，留琇守丘墓。 越六年，母歿。 琇奔赴，負母骨行數千里，寢則懸之屋梁，涉則戴之於頂。 父釋歸卒。 水漿不入口五日，不勝喪而死。
There was also Gu Xiu, known as Jisu, from Wu County. Early in the Hongwu reign his father was conscripted to military service at Fengxiang. His mother went with him, leaving Xiu behind to tend the family graves. Six years later his mother died. Xiu hurried to her side, gathered her bones, and carried them thousands of li homeward. When he slept he hung the bundle from a roof beam; when he crossed water he bore it on his head. His father was eventually released and came home, but soon died. For five days he refused food and drink, and grief finally killed him.
39
周琬，江寧人。 洪武時，父為滁州牧，坐罪論死。 琬年十六，叩閽請代。 帝疑受人教，命斬之，琬顏色不變。 帝異之，命宥父死，謫戍邊。 琬復請曰：「戍與斬，均死爾。 父死，子安用生為，顧就死以贖父戍。」 帝復怒，命縛赴市曹，琬色甚喜。 帝察其誠，即赦之，親題禦屏曰「孝子周琬。」 尋授兵科給事中。
Zhou Wan came from Jiangning. During the Hongwu reign his father served as prefect of Chuzhou, but after committing a crime was sentenced to death. At sixteen Wan went to the palace gate and begged to die in his father's stead. The emperor suspected someone had put him up to it and ordered him executed, but Wan's face never changed. Struck by the boy's composure, the emperor spared his father's life and commuted the sentence to exile on the frontier. Wan petitioned again: "Frontier service and execution are both death all the same. If my father must die, what good is my life? Let me die instead and redeem his exile. The emperor flew into a fresh rage and had him bound for the execution ground, yet Wan looked almost glad. Seeing that his devotion was genuine, the emperor pardoned him at once and personally wrote on the imperial screen, "Filial Son Zhou Wan. Soon afterward he was appointed supervising secretary in the Bureau of Military Affairs.
40
同時子代父死者，更有虞宗濟、胡剛、陳圭。 宗濟，字思訓，常熟人。 父兄並有罪，吏將逮治。 宗濟謂兄曰：「事涉徭役，國法嚴，往必死。 父老矣，兄冢嗣，且未有後，我幸產兒，可代死。」 乃挺身詣吏，白父兄無所預。 吏疑而訊之，悉自引伏。 洪武四年竟斬於市，年二十二。 剛，浙江新昌人。 洪武初，父謫役泗上，以逃亡當死，敕駙馬都尉梅殷監刑。 剛時方走省，立河上俟渡。 聞之，即解衣泅水而往，哀號泣代。 殷憫之，奏聞，詔宥其父，並宥同罪者八十二人。 圭，黃巖人。 父為仇人所訐當死，圭詣闕上章曰：「臣為子不能諫父，致陷不義，罪當死，乞原父使自新。」 帝大喜曰：「不謂今日有此孝子，宜赦其父，俟四方朝覲官至，播告之，以風勵天下。」 刑部尚書開濟奏曰：「罪有常刑，不宜屈法開僥幸路。」 乃聽圭代，而戍其父雲南。
Other men of the same era who offered their lives for their fathers included Yu Zongji, Hu Gang, and Chen Gui. Zongji, who went by Sixun, was from Changshu. Both his father and elder brother stood accused, and the clerks were preparing to arrest them. Zongji told his brother, "This concerns corvée labor, and the law is merciless. If you go, you will surely die. Father is old, you are the heir and still without a son, while I already have a child. Let me die in your stead. He went straight to the magistrates and declared that his father and brother had nothing to do with the offense. The officials questioned him suspiciously, but he confessed everything himself. In 1371 he was beheaded in the marketplace at the age of twenty-two. Gang came from Xinchang in Zhejiang. Early in Hongwu his father was doing penal labor on the Si River. He had fled and was condemned to death, and the emperor ordered Prince Consort Mei Yin to supervise the execution. Gang happened to be visiting home at the time and was waiting on the riverbank to cross. When he heard the news he stripped off his clothes, swam the river, and rushed to the scene, wailing and begging to die in his father's place. Moved to pity, Yin reported the matter to the throne. An edict pardoned his father and, with him, eighty-two others convicted of the same offense. Gui was from Huangyan. His father had been denounced by an enemy and was condemned to death. Gui went to the palace gate with a memorial: "As a son I failed to counsel my father and let him fall into wrongdoing. The fault is mine and I deserve to die. I beg you to spare my father so he may reform. The emperor was delighted and said, "I never thought to see such a filial son in my own day. His father should be pardoned. When officials from every region arrive for audience, proclaim this throughout the realm to stir others to virtue." But the Minister of Justice Kai Ji objected: "Every crime has its proper penalty. We must not bend the law and open a door to wishful thinking." The court therefore accepted Gui's substitution and exiled his father to Yunnan instead.
41
十七年，左都御史詹徽奏言：「太平府民有毆孕婦至死者，罪當絞，其子請代。」 章下大理卿鄒俊議，曰：「子代父死，情固可嘉。 然死婦系二人之命，冤曷由申； 犯人當二死之條，律何可貸。 與其存犯法之父，孰若全無罪之兒。」 詔從其議。
In 1384 the Left Censor-in-Chief Zhan Hui reported: "A man in Taiping Prefecture beat a pregnant woman to death. The statute calls for strangulation, but his son asks to die in his place. The case was referred to the Chief Minister of Justice Zou Jun, who wrote: "A son offering himself for his father is touching, and the feeling behind it is admirable. Yet the murdered woman carried two lives within her. How would her grievance ever be answered? The offender is liable under the statute for two deaths. How can the law be set aside? Better to spare an innocent son than to keep alive a father who has broken the law. An edict approved his reasoning.
42
伍洪，字伯宏，安福人。 洪武四年進士。 授績谿主簿，擢上元知縣。 丁外艱，服除，以母老不復仕。 推資產與諸弟，而己獨隱居養母。 有異母弟得罪逃，使者捕弗獲，執其母，洪哭訴求代。 母曰：「汝往必死，莫若吾自當之。」 洪曰：「安有子在而累母者。」 遂行，竟死於市。
Wu Hong, known as Bohong, came from Anfu. He passed the metropolitan examination in 1371. He was appointed clerk of Jixi and later promoted to magistrate of Shangyuan. After his father's death he observed mourning, and when the mourning term ended he refused further office because his mother was old. He divided his property among his younger brothers and withdrew alone to care for his mother. A younger half-brother committed a crime and fled. When officers could not catch him they seized their mother instead. Hong wept and begged to take her place. His mother said, "If you go you will certainly die. Better that I answer for this myself. Hong replied, "How can a son go on living while his mother bears the punishment?" He went at once and was executed in the marketplace.
43
時有劉文煥者，廣濟人。 與兄文煇運糧愆期，當死。 兄以長坐，文煥詣吏請代，叩頭流血。 所司上其狀，命宥之，則兄已死矣。 太祖特書「義民」二字獎之。
Around the same time there was Liu Wenhuan of Guangji. He and his elder brother Wenhui had delivered grain late and were both condemned to death. Because Wenhui was the elder, he was held responsible. Wenhuan went to the magistrates and begged to die in his place, knocking his forehead on the ground until blood ran. The office reported his plea upward, and an edict granted mercy—but by then his brother was already dead. The Hongwu Emperor personally wrote the two words "Righteous Commoner" to honor him.
44
時京師有兄坐法，兩弟各自縛請代。 太祖遣使問故，同詞對曰：「臣少失父，非兄無以至今日。 兄當死，弟安敢愛其生。」 帝陽許之，而戒行刑者曰：「有難色者殺之，否則奏聞。」 兩人皆引頸就刃，帝大嗟異，欲並其兄貰之。 左都御史詹徽持不可，卒殺其兄。
About the same time in the capital an elder brother was condemned under the law, and two younger brothers each bound themselves and begged to die in his place. The Hongwu Emperor sent an envoy to ask why. Both gave the same answer: "We lost our father as children. Without our elder brother we could never have survived to this day. Now that he must die, how can we younger brothers cling to our lives? The emperor pretended to agree, then secretly told the executioners, "If either shows fear, kill him. If not, report back to me." Both brothers stretched out their necks for the blade. Deeply moved, the emperor wanted to pardon all three. But the Left Censor-in-Chief Zhan Hui objected that the law could not be bent, and in the end the elder brother was executed.
45
朱煦，仙居人。 父季用，為福州知府。 洪武十八年詔盡逮天下積歲官吏為民害者，赴京師築城。 季用居官僅五月，亦被逮，病不能堪，謂煦曰：「吾辦一死耳，汝第收吾骨歸葬。」 煦惶懼不敢頃刻離。 時訴枉令嚴，訴而戍極邊者三人，抵極刑者四人矣。 煦奮曰：「訴不訴，等死耳，萬一父緣訴獲免，即戮死無恨。」 即具狀叩闕。 太祖憫其意，赦季用，復其官。
Zhu Xu came from Xianju. His father Jiyong had served as prefect of Fuzhou. In 1385 an edict ordered the arrest of long-serving officials throughout the empire who had oppressed the people and their dispatch to the capital for wall-building labor. Jiyong had been in office only five months, yet he too was seized. Sick beyond endurance, he told Xu, "I am as good as dead. You need only collect my bones and carry them home for burial. Xu was terrified and would not leave his side for a moment. Appeals of injustice were forbidden under severe penalties: three men who appealed had already been exiled to the farthest frontier, and four had suffered the death penalty. Xu steeled himself and said, "Whether I appeal or not, death is the same. If by some chance my father is spared through my plea, I will gladly die myself and feel no regret. He drew up a petition at once and went to knock on the palace gate. The Hongwu Emperor was moved by his devotion, pardoned Jiyong, and restored him to office.
46
有危貞昉者，字孟陽，臨海諸生。 父孝先，洪武四年進士。 官陵川縣丞，坐法輸作江浦。 貞昉詣闕上疏曰：「臣父絓吏議輸作，筋力向衰，不任勞苦，而大母年逾九十，恐染霜露之疾，貽臣父終天之恨。 臣犬馬齒方壯，願代父作勞，俾父獲歸養，死且不朽。」 詔從之。 貞昉力作不勝勞，閱七月病卒。
There was also Wei Zhenfang, known as Mengyang, a student from Linhai. His father Xiaoxian had passed the metropolitan examination in 1371. He served as assistant magistrate of Lingchuan, but after a legal offense was sentenced to labor at Jiangpu. Zhenfang went to the palace gate with a memorial: "My father has been condemned to penal labor. His strength is failing and he cannot endure the work. My grandmother is more than ninety years old. I fear the cold will sicken her and leave my father with a grief he can never undo. I am still young and strong. Let me labor in his place so he may return home to care for her. Even if I die, my name will not perish. An edict approved his request. Zhenfang could not endure the labor. Seven months later he fell ill and died.
47
劉謹，浙江山陰人。 洪武中，父坐法戍雲南。 謹方六歲，問家人「雲南何在？」 家人以西南指之，輒朝夕向之拜。 年十四，矍然曰：「雲南雖萬里，天下豈有無父之子哉！」 奮身而往，閱六月抵其地，遇父於逆旅，相持號慟。 俄父患瘋痹，謹告官乞以身代。 法令戍邊者必年十六以上，嫡長男始許代。 時謹未成丁，伯兄先死，乃歸家攜兄子往。 兄子亦弱未能自立，復歸悉鬻其產畀兄子，始獲奉其父還，孝養終身。
Liu Jin came from Shanyin in Zhejiang. During the Hongwu reign his father was convicted of a crime and exiled to military service in Yunnan. When Liu Jin was only six, he asked the people at home, "Where is Yunnan? They pointed southwest; from then on he bowed toward that direction every morning and evening. At fourteen he said with sudden resolve, "Yunnan may lie ten thousand li away, but can there be a son under heaven who has no father? He set out with all his strength. Six months later he arrived, found his father at an inn, and they clung together, wailing in grief. Before long his father was stricken with paralysis. Jin petitioned the authorities to take his father's place in exile. The law required border exiles to be at least sixteen, and only the eldest legitimate son could serve in a father's stead. Jin was not yet of age, and his elder brother had already died, so he went home and brought his brother's son with him. The nephew was too young to support himself. Jin went back, sold everything he owned, and gave it all to the nephew; only then could he bring his father home and care for him filially for the rest of his life.
48
李德成，浹水人。 幼喪父。 元末，年十二，隨母避寇至河濱。 寇騎迫，母投河死。 德成長，娶婦王氏。 摶土為父母像，與妻朝夕事之。 方嚴冬，大雪，水堅至河底。 德成夢母曰：「我處水下，寒不得出。」 覺而大慟，旦與妻徒跣行三百里，抵河濱。 臥水七日，水果融數十丈，恍惚若見其母，而他處堅凍如故。 久之，乃歸。 洪武十九年舉孝廉，屢擢尚寶丞。 二十七年旌為孝子。 建文中，燕兵逼濟南。 德成往諭令還兵，燕兵不退。 德成歸，以辱命下吏，已而釋之。 永樂初復官，屢遷陜西布政使。
Li Decheng was from Jiaoshui. He lost his father in childhood. In the final years of the Yuan, at age twelve, he fled bandits with his mother to the riverbank. Bandit horsemen closed in; his mother threw herself into the river and drowned. When Decheng came of age, he married a woman of the Wang clan. He molded clay images of his parents, and he and his wife tended them morning and evening. It was deep winter. Snow fell heavily, and the river froze to the bottom. Decheng dreamed that his mother said, "I am under the water. The cold will not let me out. He woke in anguish. At dawn he and his wife walked three hundred li barefoot to the riverbank. He lay on the ice seven days. The river opened for dozens of yards around him, and he seemed dimly to see his mother, while everywhere else the ice remained as hard as before. After a long while he returned home. In Hongwu year 19 he was recommended as a filial and incorrupt candidate and was repeatedly promoted to Vice Director of the Imperial Treasures. In year 27 he was honored as an exemplar of filial piety. During the Jianwen reign, the Prince of Yan's army pressed upon Jinan. Decheng went to urge them to withdraw; the Yan army did not retreat. Decheng returned. For failing his mission he was handed over to the magistrates, but was soon released. At the start of the Yongle reign his office was restored, and he rose repeatedly to Shaanxi Provincial Administration Commissioner.
49
沈德四，直隸華亭人。 祖母疾，刲股療之愈。 己而祖父疾，又刲肝作湯進之，亦愈。 洪武二十六年被旌。 尋授太常贊禮郎。 上元姚金玉、昌平王德兒亦以刲肝愈母疾，與德四同旌。
Shen Desi was from Huating in Zhili. When his grandmother fell ill, he cut flesh from his thigh to heal her, and she recovered. When his grandfather later fell ill, he cut out part of his liver, made broth, and fed it to him; he too recovered. In Hongwu year 26 he was publicly commended. Soon after he was appointed Assistant Master of Ceremonies in the Court of Imperial Sacrifices. Yao Jinyu of Shangyuan and Wang De'er of Changping likewise cured their mothers by cutting out their own liver; they were honored together with Desi.
50
至二十七年九月，山東守臣言：「日照民江伯兒，母疾，割肋肉以療，不愈。 禱岱嶽神，母疾瘳，願殺子以祀。 已果瘳，竟殺其三歲兒。」 帝大怒曰：「父子天倫至重。 《禮》父服長子三年。 今小民無知，滅倫害理，亟宜治罪。」 遂逮伯兒，仗之百，遣戍海南。 因命議旌表例。
In the ninth month of year 27 the Shandong frontier official reported: "Jiang Bo'er, a commoner of Rizhao, cut flesh from his ribs to treat his mother's illness, but she did not recover. He prayed to the god of Mount Tai. When his mother recovered, he vowed to kill his son as an offering. She did recover, and in the end he killed his three-year-old son. The Emperor was furious. "The bond between father and son is the weightiest tie in human relations," he said. The Rites prescribe that a father mourn his eldest son for three years. These ignorant commoners have destroyed human bonds and violated moral principle. They must be punished without delay. He had Bo'er arrested, beaten one hundred strokes with the staff, and exiled to Hainan. He then ordered the Ministry of Rites to deliberate on the rules for commendation.
51
禮臣議曰：「人子事親，居則致其敬，養則致其樂，有疾則醫藥籲禱，迫切之情，人子所得為也。 至臥冰割股，上古未聞。 倘父母止有一子，或割肝而喪生，或臥冰而致死，使父母無依，宗祀永絕，反為不孝之大。 皆由愚昧之徒，尚詭異，駭愚俗，希旌表，規避裏徭。 割股不已，至於割肝，割肝不已，至於殺子。 違道傷生，莫此為甚。 自今父母有疾，療治罔功，不得已而臥冰割股，亦聽其所為，不在旌表例。」 制曰：「可。」
The ritual officials submitted: "In serving parents, a son should show reverence in daily life and joy in their care; when they fall ill he may give medicine and pray with all his heart. Such urgent devotion is what a son may properly offer. Lying on ice or cutting flesh from one's thigh—antiquity never heard of such things. If parents have only one son, and he dies cutting out his liver or lying on ice, leaving them unsupported and the ancestral line extinguished forever, that is the greatest filial impiety of all. All this springs from ignorant men who prize the bizarre, shock common people, hope for public honor, and scheme to escape village corvée. Cutting the thigh was not enough—they went on to cutting the liver; cutting the liver was not enough—they went on to killing a child. Nothing violates the Way or destroys life more gravely than this. Henceforth, when parents are ill and medicine fails, if there is truly no alternative but to lie on ice or cut the thigh, let them do as they must—but such acts shall not fall under the rules for commendation. The decree read: "Approved."
52
永樂間，江陰衛卒徐佛保等復以割股被旌。 而掖縣張信、金吾右衛總旗張法保援李德成故事，俱擢尚寶丞。 迨英、景以還，即割股者亦格於例，不以聞，而所旌，大率皆廬墓者矣。
During the Yongle reign, Xu Fobao of Jiangyin Guard and others were again commended for cutting flesh from their thighs. Yexian's Zhang Xin and Chief Banner Zhang Fabao of the Right Gold Guard, citing Li Decheng's precedent, were both promoted to Vice Director of the Imperial Treasures. From the Ying and Jing reigns onward, even thigh-cutting was excluded by regulation and no longer reported upward; honors went mostly to those who mourned at the grave.
53
謝定住，大同廣昌人。 年十二，家失牛。 母抱幼子追逐，定住隨母後。 虎躍出噬其母，定住奮前擊之，虎逸去。 取弟抱之，扶母行。 虎復追嚙母頸，定住再擊之，虎復去。 行數武，虎還嚙母足。 定住復取石擊，虎乃舍去，母子三人並全。 永樂十二年，帝召見嘉獎，賜米十石、鈔二百錠，旌其門。
Xie Dingzhu was from Guangchang in Datong. At twelve the family lost an ox. His mother took the baby and ran after it; Dingzhu followed behind her. A tiger leaped out to seize his mother. Dingzhu rushed forward and struck it, and the tiger fled. He picked up his younger brother, helped his mother walk on, and carried the child. The tiger came back and bit his mother's neck. Dingzhu struck again, and the tiger withdrew. They had gone only a few paces when the tiger returned and bit her foot. Dingzhu seized stones and struck again. The tiger let go and left. Mother and all three children survived. In Yongle year 12 the Emperor summoned him, praised and rewarded him, granted ten shi of grain and two hundred ingots of paper money, and honored his household gate.
54
先是，洪武中，有包實夫者，進賢人。 授徒數十里外，途遇虎，銜衣入林中，釋而蹲。 實夫拜請曰：「吾被食，命也，如父母失養何？」 虎即舍去。 後人名其地為拜虎岡。 其後，嘉靖中，筠連諸生蘇奎章，從父入山，猝遇虎。 奎章倉皇泣告，願舍父食己，虎曳尾徐去。 後為岷府教授。
Earlier, in the Hongwu reign, there was Bao Shifu of Jinxian. He was teaching pupils several tens of li from home when he met a tiger on the road. It seized his robe, dragged him into the woods, released him, and crouched. Shifu bowed and pleaded, "If I am eaten, that is fate—but what will become of my parents? The tiger at once let go and left. Later generations named the place Tiger-Bowing Ridge. Later, in the Jiajing reign, the Junlian student Su Kuizhang went into the mountains with his father and suddenly met a tiger. Kuizhang wept in panic and offered himself in his father's place. The tiger lowered its tail and walked slowly away. He later became Instructor in the Princedom of Min.
55
權謹，字仲常，徐州人。 十歲喪父，即哀毀，奉母至孝。 永樂四年薦授樂安知縣，遷光祿署丞，以省侍歸。 母年九十終，廬墓三年，致泉湧免馴之異。 有司以聞，仁宗命馳驛赴闕，出其事狀，令侍臣朗誦大廷，以示百僚，即拜文華殿大學士。 謹辭，帝曰：「朕擢卿以風天下為子者，他非卿責也。」 尋扈從皇太子監國南京。 宣宗嗣位，以疾乞歸，改通政司右參議，賜白金文綺致仕。 子倫，舉永樂中鄉試。 養親二十年，親終不仕。 倫子宇，父母卒，皆廬墓。 成化十二年亦獲旌。
Quan Jin, style name Zhongchang, was from Xuzhou. He lost his father at ten and mourned with devastating grief; he served his mother with utmost filial devotion. In Yongle year 4 he was recommended and appointed magistrate of Le'an, then transferred to Deputy Director in the Court of Imperial Sacrifices; he returned home on leave to care for his mother. When his mother died at ninety he kept vigil at her grave three years, and marvels appeared—a spring burst forth and hares grew tame. Local officials reported the matter. Emperor Renzong ordered him rushed to court by post relay, had his deeds read aloud in the great hall for all officials to hear, and appointed him Grand Academician of the Wenhua Hall on the spot. Jin declined. The Emperor said, "I have elevated you to set an example for sons everywhere. Other duties are not your charge. Soon after he accompanied the Crown Prince in governing the realm from Nanjing. When Emperor Xuanzong succeeded, he begged leave on grounds of illness, was reassigned as Right Vice Commissioner in the Office of Transmission, and retired with gifts of white gold and patterned silks. His son Lun passed the provincial examination during the Yongle reign. He supported his parents for twenty years and never took office after they died. Lun's son Yu likewise kept vigil at the grave when each parent died. In Chenghua year 12 he too was publicly honored.
56
趙紳，字以行，諸暨人。 父秩，永樂中為高郵州學正，考滿赴京，至武城縣墮水。 紳奮身下救，河流湍悍，俱不能出。 明日屍浮水上，紳兩手抱父臂不釋。 宣德五年旌其門。
Zhao Shen, style name Yixing, was from Zhuji. His father Zhi served as Director of Studies in Gaoyou Prefecture during the Yongle reign. When his term ended he traveled to the capital and fell into the water at Wucheng County. Shen leaped in to save him, but the current was fierce and neither could escape. The next day their bodies floated to the surface. Shen still clasped his father's arm with both hands and would not let go. In Xuande year 5 his household gate was honored.
57
有向化者，靜海衛人。 父上為衛指揮，墮海死。 化號泣求屍不得，亦投於海。 忽父屍浮出，衣服盡脫。 天方晴霽，雷雨驟作。 既息，化首頂父衣，浮至一處。 眾異而收葬之。
There was also Xiang Hua of Jinghai Guard. His father Shang was a guard commander and drowned at sea. Hua wept and searched for the body in vain, then threw himself into the sea as well. Suddenly his father's corpse rose to the surface, stripped of all clothing. The sky had just cleared when thunder and rain broke out at once. When the storm passed, Hua bore his father's garment on his head and drifted ashore. Onlookers marveled and gathered the remains for burial.
58
陸尚質者，山陰人。 父渡江遇風，飄舟將入海。 尚質自崖見之，即躍入濤中，欲挽舟近岸。 父舟獲濟，而尚質竟溺死。 裏人呼其處為陸郎渡。
Lu Shangzhi was from Shanyin. His father crossed the river into a gale; the boat was being driven out to sea. Shangzhi saw it from the cliff, leaped into the waves, and tried to pull the boat toward shore. His father's boat reached safety, but Shangzhi drowned. Villagers still call the place Young Master Lu's Crossing.
59
麹祥，字景德，永平人。 永樂中，父亮為金山衛百戶。 祥年十四，被倭掠。 國王知為中國人，召侍左右，改名元貴，遂仕其國，有妻子，然心未嘗一日忘中國也，屢諷王入貢。 宣德中，與使臣偕來，上疏言：「臣夙遭俘掠，抱釁痛心，流離困頓，艱苦萬狀。 今獲生還中國，夫豈由人。 伏乞賜歸侍養，不勝至願。」 天子方懷柔遠人，不從其請，但許給驛暫歸，仍還本國。 祥抵家，獨其母在，不能識，曰：「果吾兒，則耳陰有赤痣。」 驗之信，抱持痛哭。 未幾別去，至日本，啟以帝意。 國王允之，仍令入貢。 祥乃復申前請，詔許襲職歸養。 母子相失二十年，又有華夷之限，竟得遂其初誌，聞者異之。
Qu Xiang, style name Jingde, was from Yongping. During the Yongle reign his father Liang was a company commander at Jinshan Guard. At fourteen Xiang was seized by Japanese raiders. Learning he was Chinese, the king kept him at court, renamed him Yuan Gui, and he entered that country's service and raised a family there—yet never for a single day forgot China, and repeatedly urged the king to send tribute. In the Xuande reign he came with the envoys and memorialized: "Your subject was long ago taken captive. I have borne shame and grief, wandered in exile, and endured hardships beyond counting. Now I have been granted life and return to China. Surely this is not merely by human effort. I humbly beg permission to return home and care for my mother. I can scarcely express my longing. The Emperor was then cultivating ties with distant peoples and denied his request, but allowed him post relays for a brief visit home before returning to his adopted country. When Xiang reached home only his mother remained. She could not recognize him and said, "If you are truly my son, there is a red mole behind your ear. He showed it; she believed, and they embraced and wept. Before long he took leave and departed. Reaching Japan, he reported the Emperor's intent. The king agreed and again ordered him to come on tribute missions. Xiang renewed his earlier plea. An edict allowed him to inherit his father's military post and return home to care for his mother. Mother and son had been apart twenty years, separated by the gulf between China and a foreign land—yet he at last fulfilled the wish he had carried from the first. All who heard it marveled.