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Book of the Southern Qi, Volume 25 — Biographies 6
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垣崇祖
Yuan Chongzu
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垣崇祖字敬遠，下邳人也。 族姓豪彊，石虎世，自略陽徙之於鄴。 曾祖敞，爲慕容德偽吏部尚書。 祖苗，宋武征廣固，率部曲歸降，仍家下邳，官至龍驤將軍、汝南新蔡太守。 父詢之，積射將軍，宋孝武世死事，贈冀州刺史。
Yuan Chongzu, styled Jingyuan, was a man of Xiapi. The clan was great and strong; under Shi Hu they had moved from Lueyang to Ye. His great-grandfather Chang had been minister of the masters of writing under Murong De's puppet court. His grandfather Miao, when Song's Emperor Wu attacked Guanggu, brought his private following over in surrender and made his home at Xiapi; he reached general of the flying dragon and administrator of Runan and Xincai. His father Xunzhi was general of accumulated shot; he fell in the service of Emperor Xiaowu of Song and was posthumously made inspector of Ji.
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崇祖年十四，有幹略，伯父豫州刺史護之謂門宗曰：「此兒必大成吾門，汝等不及也。」 刺史劉道隆辟爲主簿，厚遇之。 除新安王國上將軍。 景和世，道隆求出爲梁州，啓轉崇祖爲義陽王征北行參軍，與道隆同行，使還下邳召募。
At fourteen Chongzu already showed talent and resolve; his uncle Huzhi, inspector of Yu, told the kindred: 「This boy will surely make our line great—you cannot equal him. 」Inspector Liu Daolong took him on as chief clerk and favored him warmly. He was named senior general of the kingdom of Xin'an. In the Jinghe years Daolong sought a posting as inspector of Liang and had Chongzu moved to acting staff officer on Prince of Yiyang's northern campaign staff; they went together, and Daolong sent him back to Xiapi to recruit men.
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明帝立，道隆被誅。 薛安都反，明帝遣張永、沈攸之北討，安都使將裴祖隆、李世雄據下邳。 祖隆引崇祖共拒戰，會青州援軍主劉彌之背逆歸降，祖隆士衆沮敗，崇祖與親近數十人夜救祖隆，與俱走還彭城。 虜旣陷徐州，崇祖仍爲虜將游兵琅邪閒不復歸，虜不能制。 密遣人於彭城迎母，欲南奔，事覺，虜執其母爲質。 崇祖妹夫皇甫肅兄婦，薛安都之女，故虜信之。 肅仍將家屬及崇祖母奔朐山，崇祖因將部曲據之，遣使歸命。 太祖在淮陰，板爲朐山戍主，送其母還京師，明帝納之。
When Emperor Ming came to the throne, Daolong was put to death. Xue Andu rose in revolt; Emperor Ming sent Zhang Yong and Shen Youzhi north against him, and Andu set his generals Pei Zulong and Li Shixiong to hold Xiapi. Zulong called Chongzu to fight at his side; then Liu Mizhi, who led the Qingzhou relief, betrayed his post and surrendered, Zulong's host broke, and Chongzu with a few dozen close men went out by night to save Zulong and escaped with him to Pengcheng. Once the northerners held Xu province, Chongzu stayed on as a roaming officer in the Langya country and would not come back; the enemy could not rein him in. He sent men in secret to Pengcheng to bring out his mother, planning to run south; the affair came to light, and the northerners took his mother hostage. Chongzu's brother-in-law Huangfu Su was tied by marriage to Xue Andu—his elder brother's wife was Andu's daughter—so the enemy trusted him. Su then moved his family and Chongzu's mother to Qushan; Chongzu gathered his troops, held the town, and sent envoys to offer his allegiance. The Grand Ancestor was at Huaiyin; he named Chongzu commander of the Qushan garrison, had his mother escorted to the capital, and Emperor Ming received him.
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朐山邊海孤險，人情未安。 崇祖常浮舟舸於水側，有急得以入海。 軍將得罪亡叛，具以告虜。 虜偽圂城都將東徐州刺史成固公始得青州，聞叛者說，遣步騎二萬襲崇祖，屯洛要，去朐山城二十里。 崇祖出送客未歸，城中驚恐，皆下船欲去。 崇祖還，謂腹心曰：「賊比擬來，本非大舉，政是承信一說，易遣誑之。 今若得百餘人還，事必濟矣。 但人情一駭，不可斂集。 卿等可急去此二里外大呌而來，唱『艾塘義人已得破虜，須戍軍速往，相助逐退』。」 船中人果喜，爭上岸，崇祖引入據城，遣羸弱入島。 令人持兩炬火登山鼓呌。 虜參騎謂其軍備甚盛，乃退。
Qushan hugged the coast, cut off and steep; the people there were still uneasy. Chongzu kept boats afloat along the shore so that if trouble came he could slip out to sea. An officer who had been punished deserted and laid the whole matter before the enemy. The enemy's puppet commandant of Weicheng, Duke Cheng of Gu, inspector of East Xu, had only just won Qingzhou; when he heard the turncoat's story he sent twenty thousand infantry and cavalry against Chongzu and camped at Luoyao, twenty li from the walls of Qushan. Chongzu was still abroad seeing a guest off; inside the walls fear ran high, and men scrambled for the boats to flee. Chongzu returned and said to his intimates: 「The foe is only probing as rumor suggests—not a major campaign, just men sent because someone talked. They can be fooled. Bring back a hundred-odd men and the thing is done. But one fright scatters the crowd beyond recall. Go quickly two li out, then come back yelling, 「The Aitang loyalists have routed the northerners—the garrison must hurry to help finish them!」 」Men in the boats took heart at once and fought to land; Chongzu brought them inside the walls and sent the weak onto the islands. He sent men up the hill with two beacon fires, beating drums and shouting. Enemy scouts decided the garrison was far stronger than they had thought, and pulled back.
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崇祖啓明帝曰：「淮北士民，力屈胡虜，南向之心，日夜以冀。 崇祖父伯竝爲淮北州郡，門族布在北邊，百姓所信，一朝嘯吒，事功可立。 第名位尚輕，不足威衆，乞假名號，以示遠近。」 明帝以爲輔國將軍、北琅邪蘭陵二郡太守。 亡命司馬從之謀襲郡，崇祖討捕斬之。 數陳計算，欲剋復淮北。
Chongzu wrote to Emperor Ming: 「North of the Huai the people have been broken by the northerners; they look south day and night. My father and uncles held command north of the Huai; our house is planted along the frontier and the people believe in us—one shout and the deed is there for the taking. Yet my name and rank are still too light to overawe the crowd; grant me a borrowed title so all may see. 」The emperor named him general who assists the state and administrator of North Langya and Lanling. A fugitive named Sima Congzhi plotted to take the commandery by surprise; Chongzu ran him down and struck off his head. He pressed plan after plan, bent on winning back the Huai north.
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時虜聲當寇淮南，明帝以問崇祖，崇祖因啓「宜以輕兵深入，出其不意，進可立不世之勳，退可絕其窺窬之患」。 帝許之。 崇祖將數百人入虜界七百里，據南城，固蒙山，扇動郡縣。 虜率大衆攻之，其別將梁湛母在虜，虜執其母，使湛告部曲曰：「大軍已去，獨住何爲！」 於是衆情離阻，一時奔退。 崇祖謂左右曰：「今若俱退，必不獲免。」 乃住後力戰，大敗追者而歸。 以久勞，封下邳縣子。
Rumors said the northerners would cross into Huainan; the emperor asked Chongzu, who answered that 「a light force should drive deep and catch them unaware—go forward, and a fame beyond the age is there for the taking; draw back, and their hunger to pry south is ended.」 The emperor agreed. Chongzu took several hundred men seven hundred li into enemy country, held South City, fortified Mount Meng, and set the prefectures and counties alight. The enemy came in force; their detached commander Liang Zhan's mother was in their hands, and they took her and made Zhan call to his men: 「The main host has left—why stand alone here! 」At once hearts split and the men ran. Chongzu said to his men: 「If we all run now, not one of us will get away. 」He stayed behind and fought his way out, shattered the pursuers, and came home. After long toil he was made baron of Xiapi.
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，行徐州事，徙戍龍沮，在朐山南。 崇祖啓斷水注平地，以絕虜馬。 帝以問劉懷珍，云可立。 崇祖率將吏塞之，未成。 虜主謂偽彭城鎮將平陽公曰：「龍沮若立，國之恥也，以死爭之。」 數萬騎掩至。 崇祖馬槊陷陣不能抗，乃築城自守。 會天雨十餘日，虜乃退。 龍沮竟不立。 歷盱眙、平陽、東海三郡太守，將軍如故。 轉邵陵王南中郎司馬，復爲東海太守。
He was given acting charge of Xu, shifted the garrison to Longju on the south side of Qushan. Chongzu proposed to dam the stream and flood the flats so northern horses could not pass. The emperor consulted Liu Huaizhen, who said the plan would hold. Chongzu led his officers and clerks to seal the channel, but the work was not yet done. The northern king told the puppet commander at Pengcheng, the Duke of Pingyang: 「If Longju is finished, it shames the state—fight for it with your lives. 」Tens of thousands of horsemen swept down on them without warning. Chongzu led a cavalry charge with the lance but could not break through; he walled a camp and held inside. Rain fell for more than ten days; the northern foe withdrew. Longju was never built in the end. He held in turn the three prefectures of Xuyi, Pingyang, and Donghai; his rank as general stayed the same. He was made southern center-section marshal to the Prince of Shaoling, then again administrator of Donghai.
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初，崇祖遇太祖於淮陰，太祖以其武勇，善待之。 崇祖謂皇甫肅曰：「此眞吾君也，吾今逢主矣，所謂千載一時。」 遂密布誠節。 元徽末，太祖憂慮，令崇祖受旨卽以家口託皇甫肅，勒數百人將入虜界，更聽後旨。 會蒼梧廢，太祖召崇祖領部曲還都，除游擊將軍。
Early on Chongzu met the Founder at Huaiyin; struck by his courage, the Founder favored him. Chongzu told Huangfu Su: 「This is my true sovereign; I have found my lord at last—the chance of a lifetime. 」He began at once to weave his loyalty in secret. Late in the Yuanhui era the Founder grew anxious; he told Chongzu that on taking his orders he was to leave his family with Huangfu Su, gather several hundred men, and cross into enemy country until word came again. When Emperor Cangwu was cast down, the Founder called Chongzu and his men home and made him General of Raiding Attack.
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沈攸之事平，以崇祖爲持節、督兖青冀三州諸軍事，累遷冠軍將軍、兖州刺史。 太祖踐阼，謂崇祖曰：「我新有天下，夷虜不識運命，必當動其蟻衆，以送劉昶爲辭。 賊之所衝，必在壽春。 能制此寇，非卿莫可。」 徙爲使持節、監豫司二州諸軍事、豫州刺史，將軍如故。 封望蔡縣侯，七百戶。
After Shen Youzhi was crushed, Chongzu was given the staff of authority over Yan, Qing, and Ji, then rose to General of Champion Armies and governor of Yan. When the Founder took the throne he told Chongzu: 「I am new to the empire; the northerners cannot read the times and will swarm like ants, using Liu Chang's restoration as their pretext. Their blow will fall on Shouchun. No one but you can stop them. 」He was made extraordinary bearer of the staff over Yu and Si, governor of Yu, with his rank unchanged. He was enfeoffed as Marquis of Wangcai with a fief of seven hundred households.
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，虜遣偽梁王郁豆眷及劉昶，馬步號二十萬，寇壽春。 崇祖召文武議曰：「賊衆我寡，當用奇以制之。 當脩外城以待敵，城旣廣闊、非水不固，今欲堰肥水却淹爲三面之險，諸君意如何？」 衆曰：「昔佛狸侵境，宋南平王士卒完盛，以郭大難守，退保內城。 今日之事，十倍於前。 古來相承，不築肥堰，皆以地形不便，積水無用故也。 若必行之，恐非事宜。」 崇祖曰：「卿見其一，不識其二。 若捨外城，賊必據之，外脩樓櫓，內築長圍，四周無礙，表裏受敵，此坐自爲擒。 守郭築堰，是吾不諫之策也。」 乃於城西北立堰塞肥水，堰北起小城，周爲深塹，使數千人守之。 崇祖謂長史封延伯曰：「虜貪而少慮，必悉力攻小城，圖破此堰。 見塹狹城小，謂一往可剋，當以蟻附攻之。 放水一激，急踰三峽，事窮奔透，自然沈溺。 此豈非小勞而大利邪？」 虜衆由西道集堰南，分軍東路肉薄攻小城。 崇祖著白紗帽，肩轝上城，手自轉式。 至日晡時，決小史埭。 水勢奔下，虜攻城之衆，漂墜塹中，人馬溺死數千人，衆皆退走。
, the enemy sent the false Prince of Liang Yudouquan and Liu Chang with a host said to be two hundred thousand foot and horse against Shouchun. Chongzu gathered his officers and said: 「They outnumber us; we must beat them with guile. We should strengthen the outer wall and wait. The circuit is broad and cannot hold without water. I mean to dam the Fei and let it flood back on three sides—what say you?」 」The officers replied: 「When Fotu crossed the border, the Prince of Nanping of Song had his army intact, yet the outer works were too large to hold and he fell back to the inner city. Today's danger is tenfold worse. For generations no one has built the Fei dam; the ground is wrong and pooled water does no good. If we press ahead, I fear it will not serve. 」Chongzu said: 「You see one thing and miss the other. Abandon the outer wall and they will take it, raise towers outside and a long ring inside; with nothing between, we are caught from both sides—that is to sit and hand ourselves over. Hold the outer works and build the dam—that is the plan I have pressed from the first. 」On the city's northwest they threw up a dam across the Fei; north of it they built a small fort ringed with a deep trench and posted several thousand men. Chongzu told his chief clerk Feng Yanbo: 「The enemy are greedy and rash; they will throw everything at the small fort to smash the dam. The trench is narrow and the fort small—they will think one push will take it and climb like ants. Let the flood go in one rush, swift as through the Three Gorges; when they break and run, they will drown of themselves. Is that not a little labor for a great prize? 」The enemy massed on the west road south of the dam and sent a column up the east road to storm the small fort at close quarters. Chongzu put on a white gauze cap, was carried shoulder-high onto the wall, and worked the sluice with his own hands. At sunset he broke the Xiaoshi dam. The flood poured down; the attackers were swept into the trench; thousands of men and horses drowned, and the host broke and ran.
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初，崇祖在淮陰，見上，便自比韓信、白起，咸不信，唯上獨許之，崇祖再拜奉旨。 及破虜啓至，上謂朝臣曰：「崇祖許爲我制虜，果如其言。 其恒自擬韓、白，今眞其人也。」 進爲都督號平西將軍，增封爲千五百戶。 崇祖聞陳顯達李安民皆增給軍儀，啓上求鼓吹橫吹。 上敕曰：「韓、白何可不與衆異。」 給鼓吹一部。
Earlier, at Huaiyin, Chongzu had told the emperor he was another Han Xin or Bai Qi; none believed him but the throne alone; Chongzu bowed twice and took the word. When news of the victory came in, the emperor told the court: 「Chongzu vowed he would break the northerners for me—and so he has. He always named himself with Han Xin and Bai Qi; today he has earned the name. 」He was promoted to grand marshal as General Who Pacifies the West, and his fief was raised to fifteen hundred households. Hearing that Chen Xianda and Li Anmin had both been granted extra military pomp, Chongzu asked the throne for drums, pipes, and transverse flutes. The emperor wrote back: 「Men like Han Xin and Bai Qi must stand apart. 」He was given one suite of drums and pipes.
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崇祖慮虜復寇淮北，啓徙下蔡戍於淮東。 其冬，虜果欲攻下蔡，旣聞內徙，乃揚聲平除故城。 衆疑虜當於故城立戍，崇祖曰：「下蔡去鎮咫尺，虜豈敢置戍； 實欲除此故城。 政恐奔走殺之不盡耳。」 虜軍果夷掘下蔡城，崇祖自率衆渡淮與戰，大破之，追奔數十里，殺獲千計。
Fearing another strike north of the Huai, Chongzu asked to shift the Xiaocai garrison to the river's east bank. That winter the enemy did mean to take Xiaocai; learning the garrison had moved inland, they announced they would raze the old town. Many thought the enemy would hold the old town; Chongzu said: 「Xiaocai lies a stone's throw from headquarters—the northerners would never dare leave a post there; they only want the old walls gone. They fear only that routed men will escape the slaughter. 」The enemy did level Xiaocai; Chongzu crossed the Huai at the head of his men, broke them, chased them several tens of li, and killed or captured by the thousand.
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上遣使入關參虜消息還，敕崇祖曰：「卿視吾是守江東而已邪？ 所少者食，卿但努力營田，自然平殄殘醜。」 敕崇祖脩治芍陂田。
The emperor sent an envoy through the passes to learn the enemy's movements; on his return he told Chongzu: 「Do you think I mean only to hold the lands east of the Yangtze? What we lack is grain—work the fields with all your might, and the last of the enemy will fall of themselves. 」He ordered Chongzu to restore and work the Shao Po irrigation lands.
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世祖卽位，徵爲散騎常侍、左衞將軍。 俄詔留本任，加號安西。 仍遷五兵尚書，領驍騎將軍。 初，豫章王有盛寵，世祖在東宮，崇祖不自附結。 及破虜，詔使還朝，與共密議，世祖疑之，曲加禮待，酒後謂崇祖曰：「世閒流言，我已豁諸懷抱，自今已後，富貴見付也。」 崇祖拜謝。 崇祖去後，上復遣荀伯玉口敕，以邊事受旨夜發，不得辭東宮，世祖以崇祖心誠不實，銜之。 太祖崩，慮崇祖爲異，便令內轉。 永明元年四月九日，詔曰：「垣崇祖凶詬險躁，少無行業。 昔因軍國多虞，採其一夫之用。 大運光啓，頻煩升擢，溪壑靡厭，浸以彌廣。 去歲在西，連謀境外，無君之心，已彰遐邇。 特加遵養，庶或悛革。 而猜貳滋甚，志興亂階，隨與荀伯玉驅合不逞，窺窬非覬，構扇邊荒，互爲表裏。 寧朔將軍孫景育究悉姦計，具以啓聞。 除惡務本，刑茲罔赦。 便可收掩，肅明憲辟。」 死時年四十四。 子惠隆，徙番禺卒。
When Shizu took the throne, Chongzu was called back as Attendant Cavalier-in-Ordinary and General of the Left Guard. Soon an edict kept him in his present post and added the style Pacifies the West. He was then made Minister of the Five Armies, while retaining the post of General of Raiding Cavalry. Earlier the Prince of Yuzhang stood in high favor; while Shizu was crown prince at the Eastern Palace, Chongzu would not court him. After the northern enemy was broken, an edict brought him to court for secret talks with the crown prince. Shizu distrusted him yet treated him with studied honor; after wine he told Chongzu: 「The rumors in the world—I have emptied them from my breast. From this day forward, fortune and office are entrusted to you. 」Chongzu bowed his thanks. When Chongzu had gone, the throne again sent Xun Boyu with an oral command: on border business he was to take orders and ride out that same night, without farewell at the Eastern Palace. Shizu read this as proof that Chongzu's loyalty was hollow, and he nursed the wound. At the Founding Emperor's death, fearing Chongzu might turn dangerous, the court moved him inland. On the ninth day of the fourth month of Yongming 1, an edict ran: 「Yuan Chongzu is brutal, foul-tongued, reckless, and hot-tempered; in youth he showed no decent way of life. In days when army and realm were beset on every side, we used what little one man could offer. When the great mandate brightened, he was raised again and again—yet gully and ravine could not fill him, and his appetite only widened. Last year in the west he conspired beyond the frontier; his disloyal heart was plain to all, near and far. We treated him with special forbearance, hoping he might mend his ways. Instead his duplicity deepened, his will set on rebellion. With Xun Boyu he rallied the restless, eyed what was not his to take, and fanned trouble on the marches—court and border acting as one skin. General of Pacifying the North Sun Jingyu uncovered the whole treachery and laid it before the throne. To destroy evil you must cut the root; on such guilt the law knows no mercy. Take him now, and let justice run its course. 」He was put to death at forty-four. His son Huilong was exiled to Panyu and died there.
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張敬兒
Zhang Jing'er
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張敬兒，南陽冠軍人也。 本名苟兒，宋明帝以其名鄙，改焉。 父醜，爲郡將軍，官至節府參軍。
Zhang Jing'er came from Guanjun in Nanyang commandery. He had been named Gou'er; Emperor Ming of Song thought the name base and gave him another. His father Zhang Chou was a commandery general and rose to staff aide on a frontier headquarters.
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敬兒年少便弓馬，有膽氣，好射虎，發無不中。 南陽新野風俗出騎射，而敬兒尤多膂力，求入隊爲曲阿戍驛將，州差補府將，還爲郡馬隊副，轉隊主。 稍官寧蠻府行參軍。 隨同郡人劉胡領軍伐襄陽諸山蠻，深入險阻，所向皆破。 又擊湖陽蠻，官軍引退，蠻賊追者數千人，敬兒單馬在後，衝突賊軍，數十合，殺數十人，箭中左腋，賊不能抗。
From boyhood Jing'er excelled at bow and saddle, had nerve to spare, loved hunting tigers, and never missed. Xinye in Nanyang bred riders and archers, and Jing'er had uncommon thews. He asked to enter the ranks as relay captain at the Qu'e garrison; the province posted him as a headquarters guard, then as deputy of the commandery horse troop, and at last troop chief. He rose to acting staff officer on the Pacify-the-Barbarians staff. With his countryman Liu Hu he marched under the army commander against the hill Man of Xiangyang, plunging into the roughest ground and shattering every force he met. He fought the Huyang Man as well. The imperial column fell back; thousands of tribesmen gave chase. Jing'er alone brought up the rear, drove into the pursuers through dozens of passes, cut down scores of men, and took an arrow under the left arm—yet the enemy could not bring him down.
20
平西將軍山陽王休祐鎮壽陽，求善騎射人。 敬兒自占見寵，爲長兼行參軍，領白直隊。 泰始初，除寧朔將軍，隨府轉參驃騎軍事，署中兵。 領軍討義嘉賊，與劉胡相拒於鵲尾洲，啓明帝乞本郡，事平，爲南陽太守，將軍如故。 初，王玄謨爲雍州，土斷敬兒家屬舞陰，敬兒至郡，復還冠軍。
Wang Xiuyou, Prince of Shanyang, General Who Pacifies the West, held Shouyang and wanted men who could ride and shoot. Jing'er volunteered and won his notice, becoming senior acting staff officer commanding the white-guard company. At the opening of the Taishi era he was made General of Pacifying the North, followed the staff as aide on the Rapid Cavalry headquarters, and was placed in charge of central military affairs. When the army commander marched against the Yijia rebels, he held Liu Hu at Magpie-Tail Isle, asked Emperor Ming for his home command, and after victory received Nanyang as administrator, his general's rank unchanged. Earlier, when Wang Xuamo governed Yong, the land census had shifted Jing'er's kin to Wuyin; once Jing'er took office he moved them back to Guanjun.
21
三年，薛安都子柏令、環龍等竊據順陽、廣平，略義成、扶風界，刺史巴陵王休若遣敬兒及新野太守劉攘兵攻討，合戰，破走之。 徙爲順陽太守，將軍如故。
In the third year Boling, Huanlong, and other sons of Xue Andu seized Shunyang and Guangping and raided Yicheng and Fufeng. Wang Xiuruo, Prince of Baling, as inspector, sent Jing'er and Liu Rangbing of Xinye against them; in joint battle they broke the rebels and drove them out. He was transferred to Shunyang as administrator, still holding his general's rank.
22
南陽蠻動，復以敬兒爲南陽太守。 遭母喪還家，朝廷疑桂陽王休範，密爲之備，乃起敬兒爲寧朔將軍、越騎校尉。 桂陽事起，隷太祖頓新亭，賊矢石旣交，休範白服乘轝往勞樓下，城中望見其左右人兵不多，敬兒與黃回白太祖曰：「桂陽所在，備防寡闕，若詐降而取之，此必可擒也。」 太祖曰：「卿若能辦事，當以本州相賞。」 敬兒相與出城南，放仗走，大呼稱降，休範喜，召至轝側，回陽致太祖密意，休範信之。 回目敬兒，敬兒奪取休範防身刀，斬休範首，休範左右數百人皆驚散，敬兒馳馬持首歸新亭。 除驍騎將軍，加輔國將軍。
When the Nanyang tribes stirred, Jing'er was again named administrator of Nanyang. Mourning his mother, he went home. The court feared a move by Wang Xiufan, Prince of Guiyang, and quietly made ready; Jing'er was then recalled as General of Pacifying the North and Commandant of Valiant Cavalry. When Guiyang rose, he served under the Founding Emperor at Xinting. Stones and bolts were already flying when Xiufan came below the wall in white robes on a litter to cheer his men; from the city his guard looked few. Jing'er and Huang Hui urged the Founding Emperor: 「Guiyang's post is lightly held. Feign surrender and close on him—he can be taken.」 」The Founding Emperor said: 「If you bring this off, I will give you the province as your prize.」 」The two went out the south gate, threw down their arms, and fled, crying that they yielded. Xiufan rejoiced and called them to his litter; Huang spoke aloud the Founding Emperor's secret plan, and Xiufan trusted him. Huang caught Jing'er's eye; Jing'er snatched Xiufan's own blade and struck off his head. Several hundred of Xiufan's men broke and ran. Jing'er raced to Xinting with the head in his hand. He was named General of Raiding Cavalry and also General Who Assists the State.
23
太祖以敬兒人位旣輕，不欲便使爲襄陽重鎮，敬兒求之不已，乃微動太祖曰：「沈攸之在荊州，公知其欲何所作？ 不出敬兒以防之，恐非公之利也。」 太祖笑而無言，乃以敬兒爲持節、督雍梁二州郢司二郡軍事、雍州刺史，將軍如故，封襄陽縣侯，二千戶。 部伍泊沔口，敬兒乘舴艋過江，詣晉熙王燮。 中江遇風船覆，左右丁壯者各泅走，餘二小吏沒艙下，呌呼「官」，敬兒兩掖挾之，隨船覆仰，常得在水上，如此翻覆行數十里，方得迎接。 失所持節，更給之。
The Founding Emperor thought Jing'er still too slight in standing to trust with the great post at Xiangyang. Jing'er would not cease his pleading, and at last nudged him: 「Shen Youzhi sits in Jing Province—do you know what he intends? If you do not send me to hold him in check, I doubt it will serve your interest.」 」The Founding Emperor smiled and did not answer, then made Jing'er Bearer of the Staff, overall commander of Yong and Liang and of two Ying and Si commanderies, Inspector of Yong, with his general's rank as before, and enfeoffed him as Marquis of Xiangyang at two thousand households. His column lay at Hankou. Jing'er crossed the river in a skiff to pay his respects to Xiao Xie, Prince of Jinxi. Midstream a gale struck and the boat went over. The strong swimmers on his left and right each struck out alone; two junior clerks were caught under the deck, shouting 「My lord!」 Jing'er pinned one under each arm. The skiff rolled and righted, rolled and righted again, yet he stayed on the surface; so he was thrown along for many li before a rescue boat took him up. He had lost the credential staff he bore; the court gave him another.
24
沈攸之聞敬兒上，遣人伺覘。 見雍州迎軍儀甚盛，慮見掩襲，密自防備。 敬兒至鎮，厚結攸之，信饋不絕。 得其事迹，密白太祖。 攸之得太祖書翰，論選用方伯密事，輙以示敬兒，以爲反閒，敬兒終無二心。 元徽末，襄陽大水，平地數丈，百姓資財皆漂沒，襄陽虛耗。 太祖與攸之書，令賑貸之，攸之竟不歷意。
When Shen Youzhi learned that Jinger had gone to his command, he sent men to watch him. He saw the Yongzhou welcoming column drawn up in great state, feared a sudden strike, and quietly braced himself. Once Jinger was in the province, he courted Youzhi hard; gifts and messages flowed without pause. He learned Youzhi's every move and sent secret word to the Grand Ancestor. Youzhi received the Grand Ancestor's letters about the secret selection of regional governors and kept showing them to Jinger, hoping to bait a double game—but Jinger never broke faith. Late in Yuanhui, Xiangyang was struck by flood; level ground lay several zhang deep, the people's wealth was washed away, and the region was left empty. The Grand Ancestor wrote to Youzhi telling him to open relief grain; Youzhi never so much as looked to the task.
25
敬兒與攸之司馬劉攘兵情款，及蒼梧廢，敬兒疑攸之當因此起兵，密以問攘兵，攘兵無所言，寄敬兒馬鐙一隻，敬兒乃爲之備。 冬，攸之反，遣使報敬兒，敬兒勞接周至，爲設酒食，謂之曰：「沈公那忽使君來，君殊可命。」 乃列仗於廳事前斬之，集部曲，偵攸之下，當襲江陵。
Jinger and Youzhi's chief aide Liu Rangbing were close; when Cangwu was cast down, Jinger feared Youzhi would seize the hour to rise, and quietly put the question to Rangbing. Rangbing answered not a word, only sent him a single stirrup—and Jinger armed himself at once. That winter Youzhi turned rebel and sent an envoy to Jinger; Jinger welcomed him with every courtesy, set food and wine before him, and said, 「Why has Lord Shen sent you so suddenly, sir? You are ripe for the headsman. 」Then he drew up his men before the hall and struck off the envoy's head, mustered his command, watched Youzhi's lower camps, and made to fall on Jiangling.
26
時攸之遺太祖書曰：
At that time Youzhi sent the Grand Ancestor a letter, which read:
27
太祖出頓新亭，報攸之書曰：
The Grand Ancestor moved out to camp at Xinting and answered Youzhi in a letter, saying:
28
攸之與兼長史江乂、別駕傅宣等守江陵城。 敬兒軍中力授，因以爲別。 敬兒告變使至，太祖大喜，進號鎮軍將軍，加散騎常侍，改爲都督，給鼓吹一部。 攸之於郢城敗走，其子元琰與兼長史江乂、別駕傅宣等守江陵城。 敬兒軍至白水，元琰聞城外鶴唳，謂是呌聲，心懼欲走。 其夜，乂、宣開門出奔，城潰，元琰奔寵洲，見殺。 百姓旣相抄敓，敬兒至江陵，誅攸之親黨，沒入其財物數十萬，悉以入私。 攸之於湯渚村自經死，居民送首荊州，敬兒使楯擎之，蓋以青繖，徇諸市郭，乃送京師。 進號征西將軍，爵爲公，增邑爲四千戶。
Youzhi, with acting chief clerk Jiang Yi, registrar Fu Xuan, and the rest, held Jiangling. They thought Jinger's host too slight to matter and set it aside. When Jinger's messenger came with word of the betrayal, the Grand Ancestor was overjoyed; Jinger was raised to General Who Pacifies the Army, made Regular Attendant of the Scattered Riders, named overall commander, and given a suite of martial music. Youzhi was broken at Ying and fled; his son Yuan Yan, with Jiang Yi, Fu Xuan, and the rest, still held Jiangling. Jinger's army came to White Water; Yuan Yan heard cranes beyond the wall and mistook them for battle cries—his heart failed and he meant to bolt. That night Jiang Yi and Fu Xuan opened the gates and ran; the defenses gave way; Yuan Yan fled to Chong Isle and was slain. The people were already tearing at one another; when Jinger entered Jiangling he killed Youzhi's kin and allies, seized goods worth several hundred thousand, and kept every coin for himself. Youzhi hanged himself at Tangzhu village; the locals sent his head to Jing; Jinger had it carried on a shield under a green canopy, displayed through the wards, and then forwarded to the capital. He was raised to General Who Pacifies the West, made duke, and his fief increased to four thousand households.
29
敬兒於襄陽城西起宅，聚財貨。 又欲移羊叔子墮淚碑，於其處立臺，綱紀諫曰：「羊太傅遺德，不宜遷動。」 敬兒曰：「太傅是誰？ 我不識也。」 敬兒弟恭兒，不肯出官，常居上保村中，與居民不異。 敬兒呼納之甚厚，恭兒月一出視敬兒，輙復去。 恭兒本名豬兒，隨敬兒改名也。
Jinger raised a great house west of Xiangyang and piled up treasure. He also meant to shift Yang Hu's Weeping Stele and build a terrace where it stood; his steward pleaded, 「Grand Tutor Yang's grace still lingers here—it should not be moved. 」Jinger said, 「Grand Tutor? Who is that? I never heard of him.」 Jinger's younger brother Gong'er refused office and lived in Shangbao village no differently from the neighbors. Jinger called him in and lavished gifts on him; Gong'er came once a month to visit and always went home again. Gong'er had been named Zhuer and changed his name when he followed Jinger.
30
初，敬兒旣斬沈攸之，使報隨郡太守劉道宗，聚衆得千餘人，立營頓。 司州刺史姚道和不殺攸之使，密令道宗罷軍。 及攸之圍郢，道和遣軍頓堇城爲郢援，事平，依例蒙爵賞。 敬兒具以啓聞。 ，太祖令有司奏道和罪，誅之。 道和字敬邕，羌主姚興孫也。 父萬壽，偽鎮東大將軍，降宋武帝，卒於散騎侍郎。 道和出身爲孝武安北行佐，有世名，頗讀書史。 常誑人云：「祖天子，父天子，身經作皇太子。」 元徽中爲游擊將軍，隨太祖新亭破桂陽賊有功，爲撫軍司馬，出爲司州，疑怯無斷，故及於誅。
When Jinger first struck down Shen Youzhi, he reported to Suixian Administrator Liu Daozong; Daozong mustered more than a thousand men and made camp. Sizhou Inspector Yao Daohe spared Youzhi's envoy and secretly told Daozong to stand his men down. When Youzhi besieged Ying, Daohe sent a column to hold Jincheng in Ying's aid; when the war ended he took honors and reward like the rest. Jinger laid the whole matter before the throne. The Grand Ancestor ordered the offices to indict Daohe, and he was put to death. Daohe, styled Jingyong, was grandson to the Di king Yao Xing. His father Wanshou had been a puppet Grand General Who Pacifies the East, surrendered to Emperor Wu of Song, and died as Attendant-in-Ordinary of the Scattered Riders. Daohe first served as acting staff on Emperor Xiaowu's Pacifying North campaign, came of a great house, and read widely in the histories. He loved to brag: 「Grandfather was Son of Heaven, father was Son of Heaven, and I myself was once within a breath of the crown prince. 」In Yuanhui he was General of the Rapid Attack; at Xinting with the Grand Ancestor he helped crush the Guiyang rebels and won merit, became Chief Aide of the Pacifying Army, and went out as inspector of Sizhou—but doubt and timidity left him without judgment, and that brought him to the axe.
31
三年，徵敬兒爲護軍將軍，常侍如故。 敬兒武將，不習朝儀，聞當內遷，乃於密室中屏人學揖讓答對，空中俯仰，如此竟日，妾侍竊窺笑焉。 太祖卽位，授侍中，中軍將軍。 以敬兒秩窮五等，一仍前封。 ，遷散騎常侍，車騎將軍，置佐史。 太祖崩，敬兒於家竊泣曰：「官家大老天子，可惜！ 太子年少，向我所不及也。」 遺詔加敬兒開府儀同三司，將拜，謂其妓妾曰：「我拜後，應開黃閤。」 因口自爲鼓聲。 旣拜，王敬則戲之，呼爲褚淵。 敬兒曰：「我馬上所得，終不能作華林閤勳也。」 敬則甚恨。
In the third year Jinger was called in as General of the Protecting Army, Regular Attendant as before. Jinger was a soldier and knew nothing of court forms; when he heard he was to enter the capital, he cleared a inner room, sent everyone out, and rehearsed bows, steps, and answers to the throne, bobbing at the empty air all day while his women stole looks and laughed. When the Grand Ancestor took the throne, Jinger was made Palace Attendant and General of the Central Army. Jinger's rank had already touched the fifth degree of nobility, so his old fief was left as it was. Soon he was shifted to Regular Attendant of the Scattered Riders and General of the Flying Cavalry, with a full staff. When the Grand Ancestor died, Jinger wept at home and said, 「The old emperor is gone—what a pity for the Son of Heaven! The crown prince is young; he will never favor me as the old man did.」 The testamentary edict made him Defender of the State with ritual parity of the Three Excellencies; on the eve of the audience he told his women, 「Once I take the seal, the Yellow Gate should swing wide. 」And he beat a drum pattern with his mouth. After the rites Wang Jingze mocked him and hailed him as Chu Yuan. Jinger said, 「What I won in the saddle will never turn me into one of those Huailin Pavilion courtiers.」 Jingze hated him for it from that day on.
32
敬兒始不識書，晚旣爲方伯，乃習學讀《孝經》《論語》。 於新林慈姥廟爲妾乞兒祝神，自稱三公。 然而意知滿足，初得鼓吹，羞便奏之。
Jing'er began illiterate; not until he was a regional governor did he take up study and read the Classic of Filial Piety and the Analects. At the Cimu Shrine in Xinlin he sent a concubine to beg alms and pray to the spirit, styling herself a member of the Three Excellencies. He knew, though, when he had enough; the first time he was granted martial drums and pipes, he was too ashamed to let them sound.
33
初娶前妻毛氏，生子道文。 後娶尚氏，尚氏有美色，敬兒棄前妻而納之。 尚氏猶居襄陽宅不自隨，敬兒慮不復外出，乃迎家口悉下至都。 啓世祖，不蒙勞問，敬兒心疑。 及垣崇祖死，愈恐懼，妻謂敬兒曰：「昔時夢手熱如火，而君得南陽郡。 元徽中，夢半身熱，而君得本州。 今復夢舉體熱矣。」 有閹人聞其言，說之。 事達世祖。 敬兒又遣使與蠻中交關，世祖疑其有異志。 ，敕朝臣華林八關齋，於坐收敬兒。 敬兒左右雷仲顯知有變，抱敬兒而泣。 敬兒脫冠貂投地曰：「用此物誤我。」 少日，伏誅。 詔曰：
His first marriage was to the Lady Mao; she bore Daowen. Later he married the Lady Shang, who was beautiful; Jing'er cast off his first wife and brought her in. Lady Shang stayed in the Xiangyang house and would not follow; afraid he would never leave the capital again, he moved the whole household down to court. He memorialized Emperor Shizu and won no gracious reply; Jing'er's heart turned doubtful. When Yuan Chongzu died his terror mounted. His wife told Jing'er: 「Long ago I dreamed my hand burned like fire, and you won Nanyang commandery. In the Yuangui years I dreamed half my body burned, and you won this province. Now I dream my whole body burns again.」 A palace eunuch heard her and told others. Word reached Emperor Shizu. Jing'er also sent envoys to traffic with the southern barbarians; Shizu suspected treason in his heart. He ordered the court to the Hualin Eight Precepts fast and took Jing'er in his seat. Jing'er's attendant Lei Zhongxian knew something was wrong, held Jing'er, and wept. Jing'er stripped off his sable cap and flung it down, saying: 「This is what destroyed me.」 Within days he was put to death. The edict read:
34
子道文，武陵內史，道暢，征虜功曹，道固弟道休，竝伏誅。 少子道慶，見宥。 後數年，上與豫章王嶷三日曲水內宴，舴艋船流至御坐前覆沒，上由是言及敬兒，悔殺之。
His sons Daowen, administrator of Wuling; Daochang, registrar on the staff of the General Who Punishes the Barbarians; and Daogu's younger brother Daoxiu were all put to death. The youngest son, Daoqing, was pardoned. Years on, at the third-day spring banquet by the winding stream, a skiff drifted to the throne and sank; the emperor spoke of Jing'er and rued having killed him.
35
恭兒官至員外郎。 在襄陽，聞敬兒敗，將數十騎走入蠻中，收捕不得。 後首出，上原其罪。
Gong'er reached the post of Outer Attendant. At Xiangyang, when he heard Jing'er had fallen, he rode off with several dozen followers into the barbarian hills; hunters could not take him. Later he came forward of his own accord; the emperor forgave his crime.
36
【史論】
Historical appraisal
37
史臣曰：平世武臣，立身有術，若非愚以取信，則宜智以自免，心迹無阻，乃見優容。 崇祖恨結東朝，敬兒情疑鳥盡，嗣運方初，委骨嚴憲。 若情非發憤，事無感激，功名之閒，不足爲也。
The historian writes: In settled ages a fighting man who means to keep his skin must either seem dull enough to be trusted or sharp enough to slip away—only when mind and deed raise no bar does he win easy grace. Chongzu's grudge was knotted with the eastern court; Jing'er's heart read the proverb of birds spent and bow stowed—the new reign had barely opened, yet their bones were given to harsh law. If the heart is not moved by outrage but by reward, then between fame and gain such deeds are hardly worth the name.
38
贊曰：崇祖爲將，志懷馳逐。 規搔淮部，立勳豫牧。 敬兒莅雍，深心防楚。 豈不劬勞，實興師旅。 烹犬藏弓，同歸異緒。
In praise: Chongzu the commander—his will lived in the gallop after enemies. He plotted to rake the Huai country and raise his fame as lord of Yu. Jing'er held Yong, his inmost thought a wall against Chu. Was it not labor? In truth he set armies marching. Cook the hound and stash the bow—one road home, two threads of fate.
39
「賴原卽大世」，疑。
「Lai yuan ji da shi」—doubtful reading.
41
案
Note