1
南齊書卷三十二‧列傳第十三
Book of the Southern Qi, Volume 32 — Biography 13
2
王琨張岱褚炫何戢王延之阮韜
Wang Kun; Zhang Dai; Chu Xuan; He Ji; Wang Yanzhi; Ruan Tao
3
王琨，琅邪臨沂人也。 祖薈，晉衞將軍。 父懌，不慧，侍婢生琨，名爲崑崙。 懌後娶南陽樂玄女，無子，改琨名，立以爲嗣。
Wang Kun was a man of Linyi in Langye. His grandfather Hui had been a guard general under the Jin. His father Yi was dull of wit; a serving maid bore Kun, and the boy was named Kunlun. Later Yi married a daughter of Yue Xuan of Nanyang; when she bore no son, he changed Kun's name and set him up as heir.
4
琨少謹篤，爲從伯司徒謐所愛。 宋永初中，武帝以其娶桓脩女，除郎中，駙馬都尉，奉朝請。 元嘉初，從兄侍中華有權寵，以門戶衰弱，待琨如親，數相稱薦。 爲尚書儀曹郎，州治中。 累至左軍諮議，領錄事，出爲宣城太守，司徒從事中郎，義興太守。 歷任皆廉約。 還爲北中郎長史，黃門郎，寧朔將軍，東陽太守。 孝建初，遷廷尉卿，竟陵王驃騎長史，加臨淮太守，轉吏部郎。 吏曹選局，貴要多所屬請，琨自公卿下至士大夫，例爲用兩門生。 江夏王義恭嘗屬琨用二人，後復遣屬琨，答不許。
From youth Kun was careful and steadfast, and his father's cousin Grand Steward Mi doted on him. At the opening of the Song Yongchu era, Emperor Wu, because Kun had married Huan Xiu's daughter, named him gentleman of the palace, commandant-escort for the imperial son-in-law, and attendant at court. Early in Yuanjia his cousin Hua, attendant-in-chief, held power and favor; with the clan's standing enfeebled, he treated Kun as close kin and often praised him for office. He became a gentleman in the ministry of rites' ceremony bureau and a provincial aide. He rose by stages to left-army adviser, leading the recording aide, then went out as administrator of Xuancheng, gentleman-attendant of the grand steward, and administrator of Yixing. In every post he was frugal and sparing. He returned as chief clerk of the northern central commandant, gentleman of the yellow gate, general who stills the north, and administrator of Dongyang. At the opening of Xiaojian he was moved to director of the court of justice, chief clerk to Prince of Jingling's grand marshal, with added duty as administrator of Linhuai, then transferred to director of the ministry of personnel. In the personnel bureau's selection office the great often pressed requests for their clients; Kun, from grand ministers down to gentlemen-scholars, as a rule took on only two local recruits. Prince of Jiangxia Yigong once asked Kun to place two men; when he sent the request again, Kun refused.
5
出爲持節、都督廣交二州軍事、建威將軍、平越將軍、平越中郎將、廣州刺史。 南土沃實，在任者常致巨富，世云「廣州刺史但經城門一過，便得三千万」也。 琨無所取納，表獻祿俸之半。 州鎮舊有鼓吹，又啓輸還。 及罷任，孝武知其清，問還資多少？ 琨曰：「臣買宅百三十萬，餘物稱之。」 帝悅其對。 爲廷尉，加給事中，轉寧朔將軍長史、歷陽內史。
He went out bearing the staff, as supervisor of military affairs for Guang and Jiao, general who establishes might, general who pacifies Yue, middle-rank commandant who pacifies Yue, and inspector of Guangzhou. The south was rich country; those who held office there commonly grew fabulously wealthy. People said, 「An inspector of Guangzhou need only pass once through the city gate to gain thirty million.」 Kun took nothing for himself and memorialized that he turned over half his salary. The provincial garrison had long kept a military band; he memorialized to send that back as well. When his term ended, Emperor Xiaowu, knowing how clean he was, asked how much he was bringing home. Kun said: 「Your servant bought a house for 1.3 million; the rest matches that. 」The emperor was pleased with his reply. He was made director of the court of justice, with added duty as cadet within the establishment, then transferred to chief clerk to the general who stills the north and interior administrator of Liyang.
6
上以琨忠實，徙爲寵子新安王東中郎長史，加輔國將軍，遷右衞將軍，度支尚書。 出爲永嘉王左軍、始安王征虜二府長史，加輔國將軍、廣陵太守，皆孝武諸子。 泰始元年，遷度支尚書，尋加光祿大夫。
The emperor, finding Kun loyal and true, moved him to chief clerk on the eastern-rank staff of the favored Prince of Xin'an, with added duty as general who assists the state, then to general of the right guard and director of the revenue bureau. He went out as chief clerk on Prince of Yongjia's left-army staff and Prince of Shi'an's campaigning staff, with added duty as general who assists the state and administrator of Guangling—both were sons of Emperor Xiaowu. In the first year of Taishi he was moved to director of the revenue bureau, and soon after was given the added title grand master for splendid virtue.
7
初，從兄華孫長襲華爵爲新建侯，嗜酒多諐失。 琨上表曰：「臣門姪不休，從孫長是故左衞將軍嗣息，少資常猥，猶冀晚進。 頃更昏酣，業身無檢。 故衞將軍華忠肅奉國，善及世祀； 而長負釁承封，將傾基緒。 嗣小息佟閑立保退，不乖素風，如蒙拯立，則存亡荷榮，私祿更搆。」
Earlier his cousin's grandson Chang had inherited Hua's marquisate of Xinjian; he was a drunkard and piled up fault upon fault. Kun memorialized: 「Your servant's clansman's son will not reform; your servant's collateral grandson Chang is the surviving heir of the former left guard general—from youth his means were scant and his conduct coarse, yet one still hoped he might improve in time. Of late he has sunk deeper into drunken stupor, and his person knows no restraint. The late guard general Hua was loyal and solemn in serving the state, and his good name reached the sacrifices of generations; yet Chang bears guilt and inherits the fief; he is about to overturn the foundation and succession. The heir's young son Tong, raised in unhurried withdrawal, does not stray from the family's wont; if he might be rescued and established, then survival and extinction would owe their glory to grace, and private stipend would take a new form.」
8
出爲冠軍將軍、吳郡太守，遷中領軍。 坐在郡用朝舍錢三十六萬營餉二宮諸王及作絳襖奉獻軍用，左遷光祿大夫，尋加太常及金紫，加散騎常侍。 廷尉虞龢議社稷合爲一神，琨案舊糾駮。 時龢深被親寵，朝廷多琨強正。
He went out as general who commands champions and administrator of Wu, then was moved to general of the central guard. Because in the commandery he had spent 360,000 in court lodging funds to provision the two palaces' princes and to make crimson jackets as a military offering, he was demoted to grand master for splendid virtue; soon after he was given the added titles grand minister of ceremonies and golden battle-axe with purple trim, and additional gentleman attendant-in-chief. Court of justice director Yu He argued that the altars of soil and grain should be merged into one god; Kun searched the precedents and impeached him. At the time He was deeply favored; the court often found Kun forceful and upright.
9
明帝臨崩，出爲督會稽東陽新安臨海永嘉五郡軍事、左軍將軍、會稽太守，常侍如故。 坐誤竟囚，降號冠軍。 元徽中，遷金紫光祿，弘訓太僕，常侍如故。 本州中正，加特進。 從帝卽位，進右光祿大夫，常侍餘如故。 從帝遜位，琨陪位及辭廟，皆流涕。 太祖卽位，領武陵王師，加侍中，給親信二十人。
When Emperor Ming lay dying, Kun was sent out as supervisor of military affairs for Kuaiji, Dongyang, Xin'an, Linhai, and Yongjia, general of the left army, and administrator of Kuaiji, attendant unchanged. For an error involving a prisoner whose term had run out, he was reduced in rank to general who commands champions. In the Yuanhui era he was moved to golden battle-axe with splendid-virtue grand master, grand coachman of glorious instruction, attendant unchanged. He was comparison bureau chief for his home province, with added extraordinary promotion. When the deposed emperor took the throne, Kun was advanced to right splendid-virtue grand master, his attendancies otherwise unchanged. When the deposed emperor yielded the throne, Kun was present at the investiture and at the farewell at the ancestral temple, and wept both times. When the Founder took the throne, Kun led Prince of Wuling's tutoring staff, with added attendant-in-chief, and was given twenty intimate guardsmen.
10
時王儉爲宰相，屬琨用東海郡迎吏。 琨謂信人曰：「語郎，三臺五省，皆是郎用人； 外方小郡，當乞寒賤，省官何容復奪之。」 遂不過其事。
At the time Wang Jian was prime minister and asked Kun to place the welcome officer of Donghai commandery. Kun told a trusted man: 「Tell the gentleman: the Three Platforms and Five Bureaus are all places where the gentleman places his men; a petty outer commandery ought to beg for someone humble and poor—how can a court officer be allowed to seize him again? 」And so he did not forward the matter.
11
琨性旣古慎，而儉嗇過甚，家人雜事，皆手自操執。 公事朝會，必夙夜早起，簡閱衣裳，料數冠幘，如此數四，世以此笑之。 尋解王師。
By nature Kun was old-fashioned and cautious, yet his thrift went too far; great and small household chores he did with his own hands. For public business and court assemblies he always rose in the deep of night, inspected his garments, counted caps and kerchiefs—thus several times over—and the age laughed at him for it. Before long he was relieved of his post as tutor to the prince.
12
建元四年，太祖崩，琨聞國諱，牛不在宅，去臺數里，遂步行入宮。 朝士皆謂琨曰：「故宜待車，有損國望。」 琨曰：「今日奔赴，皆應爾。」 遂得病，卒。 贈左光祿大夫，餘如故。 年八十四。
In Jianyuan year four the founding emperor died. When Kun heard the mourning edict, his cart ox was away from home; the court stood several li off, yet he walked in on foot. Men at court all told Kun, 「You ought to have waited for your carriage; it hurts the dignity of the realm. 」Kun said, 「On a day like this, every man should do the same. 」He fell ill on the spot and died. He was posthumously made left household minister with the golden seal; his other honors were left unchanged. He was eighty-four.
13
張岱字景山，吳郡吳人也。 祖敞，晉度支尚書，父茂度，宋金紫光祿大夫。
Zhang Dai, styled Jingshan, came from Wu in Wu commandery. His grandfather Chang had been Jin revenue superintendent; his father Maodu, a Song household minister with the purple-gold seal.
14
岱少與兄太子中舍人寅、新安太守鏡、征北將軍永、弟廣州刺史辨俱知名，謂之張氏五龍。 鏡少與光祿大夫顏延之隣居，顏談議飲酒，喧呼不絕； 而鏡靜翳無言聲。 後延之於籬邊聞其與客語，取胡牀坐聽，辭義清玄，延之心服，謂賔客曰：「彼有人焉。」 由此不復酣呌。 寅、鏡名最高，永、辨、岱不及也。
Young, Dai and his brothers—Yin, a crown-prince household court gentleman; Jing, administrator of Xin'an; Yong, general who pacifies the north; and the younger Bian, administrator of Guangzhou—were all celebrated; people spoke of the Zhang clan's Five Dragons. As a youth Jing lived beside household minister Yan Yanzhi; Yan held drinking debates that roared on without pause; while Jing kept still and never raised his voice. Later Yanzhi overheard him speaking with guests beyond the fence, brought a folding stool to sit and listen, and found his words lucid and deep. Yanzhi was convinced and told his guests, 「There is a man over there. 」After that he never again drank himself into a racket. Yin and Jing stood highest in renown; Yong, Bian, and Dai could not equal them.
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郡舉岱上計掾，不行，州辟從事。 累遷南平王右軍主簿，尚書水部郎。 出補東遷令。 時殷沖爲吳興，謂人曰：「張東遷親貧須養，所以栖遲下邑。 然名器方顯，終當大至。」
The commandery nominated him as tribute-accounting clerk, but he would not go; the prefecture then called him in as a staff officer. He advanced step by step to secretariat clerk on the South Ping prince's right-army staff and gentleman in the ministry's water bureau. He was sent out to fill the post of magistrate of Dongqian. Yin Chong was then in Wuxing and told others, 「Zhang of Dongqian stays close to kin who are poor and must be fed—that is why he lingers in a small county. Yet his name and standing are only beginning to show; in the end he will rise very high.」
16
隨王誕於會稽起義，以岱爲建威將軍，輔國長史，行縣事。 事平，爲司徒左西曹。 母年八十，籍注未滿，岱便去官從實還養，有司以岱違制，將欲糾舉。 宋孝武曰：「觀過可以知仁，不須案也。」 累遷撫軍諮議參軍，領山陰令，職事閑理。
When Prince Sui Dan rose in arms at Kuaiji, Dai was named general who establishes might and chief of staff who supports the state, and handled the county's business in his stead. Once the rising was put down he entered the minister of state's left western bureau. His mother was eighty, but the household register had not yet caught up; Dai resigned at once and went home in earnest to care for her. The authorities judged that he had broken the rules and were ready to prosecute. Emperor Xiaowu of Song said, 「From a man's lapses you may read his heart; let there be no inquiry. 」He advanced to military advisor on the pacification army staff and served concurrently as magistrate of Shanyin, where the work ran calm and clear.
17
巴陵王休若爲北徐州，未親政事，以岱爲冠軍諮議參軍，領彭城太守，行府、州、國事。 後臨海王爲征虜廣州，豫章王爲車騎揚州，晉安王爲征虜南兖州，岱歷爲三府諮議、三王行事，與典籤主帥共事，事舉而情得。 或謂岱曰：「主王旣幼，執事多門，而每能緝和公私，云何致此？」 岱曰：「古人言一心可以事百君。 我爲政端平，待物以禮，悔吝之事，無由而及。 明闇短長，更是才用之多少耳。」
Prince Baling Xiuruo was posted to northern Xuzhou yet did not govern in person; Dai became military advisor of the champion, concurrently administrator of Pengcheng, and ran the mansion, prefecture, and princedom in his stead. Later the prince of Linhai held Guangzhou as pacify-the-far-reaches, the prince of Yuzhang Yangzhou as chariots-and-horses, and the prince of Jin'an southern Yanzhou in the same role; Dai served in turn as advisor to three households and chief administrator for three princes, sharing work with registry clerks and chief stewards until business was finished and tempers stayed smooth. Someone asked Dai, 「Your lords are still young, and power is split among many officers—yet you always reconcile public duty and private feeling. How do you manage it? 」Dai said, 「The ancients said that with one loyal heart a man may serve a hundred masters. I govern straight and even, and meet men with ritual; regret has no door to reach me. What looks bright or dim, skilled or wanting, is only how much talent the post allows.」
18
入爲黃門郎，遷驃騎長史，領廣陵太守。 新安王子鸞以盛寵爲南徐州，割吳郡屬焉。 高選佐史，孝武帝召岱謂之曰：「卿美效夙著，兼資宦已多。 今欲用卿爲子鸞別駕，總刺史之任，無謂小屈，終當大伸也。」 帝崩，累遷吏部郎。
He entered court as a yellow gate gentleman, then became chief of staff to the swift cavalry and concurrently administrator of Guangling. Prince Xin'an Ziluan, deep in imperial favor, took southern Xuzhou, and Wu commandery was cut away to fall under him. The prince sought men of high rank for his staff; Emperor Xiaowu called Dai in and said, 「Your merit has shown for years, and you have already filled many posts. Now I mean to make you Ziluan's vice administrator with full charge of the prefecture. Do not take it as a slight setback; in time you will rise far higher. 」After the emperor's death he advanced step by step to gentleman in the ministry of personnel.
19
明帝初，四方反，帝以岱堪幹舊才，除使持節、督西豫州諸軍事、輔國將軍、西豫州刺史。 尋徙爲冠軍將軍、北徐州刺史，都督北討諸軍事，竝不之官。 泰始末，爲吳興太守。 元徽中，遷使持節、督益寧二州軍事、冠軍將軍、益州刺史。 數年，益土安其政。 徵侍中，領長水校尉，度支尚書，領左軍，遷吏部尚書。 王儉爲吏部郎，時專斷曹事，岱每相違執，及儉爲宰相，以此頗不相善。
When Mingdi first took the throne and rebellion flared on every side, the emperor deemed Dai a tested man of affairs and named him bearer of the staff, commander of western Yuzhou, general who supports the state, and inspector of western Yuzhou. He was soon moved to general of the champion and inspector of northern Xuzhou, with command of the northern campaign, but never took up either post. Late in the Taishi reign he served as administrator of Wuxing. In the Yuangui era he was made bearer of the staff, commander of Yi and Ning, general of the champion, and inspector of Yi. Within a few years the people of Yi had settled under his rule. He was recalled as palace attendant, then held in turn the everlasting water guard, the revenue superintendency, and command of the left army, and was promoted to director of the ministry of personnel. Wang Jian, as gentleman of the ministry of personnel, had long run the bureau on his own; Dai often stood against him, and after Jian rose to chief minister the two were scarcely on good terms.
20
兄子瓌、弟恕，誅吳郡太守劉遐。 太祖欲以恕爲晉陵郡，岱曰：「恕未閑從政，美錦不宜濫裁。」 太祖曰：「恕爲人，我所悉。 且又與瓌同勳，自應有賞。」 岱曰：「若以家貧賜祿，此所不論； 語功推事，臣門之恥。」
His nephew Gui and his younger brother Shu killed Liu Xia, administrator of Wu. The founding emperor meant to give Shu Jinling commandery; Dai said, 「Shu has not yet learned how to govern—fine brocade should not be hacked at random. 」The founding emperor said, 「I know Shu's character well enough. And he won his merit beside Gui; reward is only fair. 」Dai said, 「If you mean to enrich a poor household, I have nothing to say; but to dress it up as reward for merit would disgrace our clan.」
21
世祖卽位，復以岱爲散騎常侍、吳興太守，秩中二千石。 岱晚節在吳興，更以寬恕著名。 遷使持節監南兖兖徐青冀五州諸軍事、後將軍、南兖州刺史，常侍如故。 未拜，卒。 年七十一。 岱初作遺命，分張家財，封置箱中，家業張減，隨復改易，如此十數年。 贈本官，諡貞子。
When Shizu came to the throne, Dai was again named irregular attendant at court and administrator of Wuxing, with rank at the middle two-thousand-bushel level. In his later years Dai held Wuxing and grew still more famous for his leniency. He was raised to Bearer of the Staff over Nan Yan, Yan, Xu, Qing, and Ji, Rear General, and governor of Nan Yan, while keeping his seat as regular attendant. He died before he could take up the post. He was seventy-one. Early on Dai made his last wishes, parceling the Zhang family wealth into sealed chests; as the estate waxed and waned he redrew the shares again and again—for more than ten years. His former offices were granted posthumously; he was given the posthumous name Lord of Integrity.
22
褚炫字彥緒，河南陽翟人也。 祖秀之，宋太常。 父法顯，鄱陽太守。 兄炤，字彥宣，少秉高節，一目眇，官至國子博士，不拜。 常非從兄淵身事二代，聞淵拜司徒，歎曰：「使淵作中書郎而死，不當是一名士邪！ 名德不昌，遂令有期頤之壽。」
Chu Xuan, styled Yanxu, came from Yangzhai in Henan. His grandfather Xiuzhi had been grand minister of ceremonies under the Song. His father Faxian had been administrator of Poyang. His elder brother Zhao, styled Yanxuan, had been high-minded from youth; blind in one eye, he rose to national university erudite and declined the post. He often reproached his cousin Yuan for serving two houses; when he heard Yuan named grand commandant, he sighed: 「If Yuan had died a secretariat director, would he not have died a gentleman? Fame and virtue did not bloom—and so he is granted a life to the full hundred.」
23
炫少清簡，爲從舅王景文所知。 從兄淵謂人曰：「從弟廉勝獨立，乃十倍於我也。」 宋義陽王昶爲太常，板炫補五官，累遷太子舍人，撫軍車騎記室，正員郎。
Xuan was pure and spare from youth, and his maternal uncle Wang Jingwen marked him early. Cousin Yuan told others: 「My cousin outdoes me in integrity tenfold—he stands alone where I do not. 」When the Prince of Yiyang, Chang of Song, was grand minister of ceremonies he drafted Xuan into the Five Offices; he climbed from crown prince attendant to recorder on the pacification and flying-cavalry staffs, then to regular attendant.
24
從宋明帝射雉，至日中，無所得。 帝甚猜羞，召問侍臣曰：「吾旦來如皐，遂空行，可笑。」 座者莫荅。 炫獨曰：「今節候雖適，而雲露尚凝，故斯翬之禽，驕心未警。 但得神駕游豫，羣情便爲載懽。」 帝意解，乃於雉場置酒。 遷中書侍郎，司徒右長史。
He went with Emperor Ming of Song to hunt pheasant; by midday the bag was still empty. The emperor was touchy and ashamed, and called the attendant ministers: 「I rode out this morning for the marsh country and returned with nothing—ridiculous. 」No one at the table spoke. Xuan alone said: 「The season is fair, but cloud and dew still hold; these bright-plumed birds keep their pride and have not yet grown wary. Let Your Majesty's sacred carriage roam in ease alone, and every heart will brim with joy. 」The emperor's mood lifted, and wine was laid out on the hunting ground. He was raised to secretariat vice director and right chief aide to the grand commandant.
25
昇明初，炫以清尚，與劉俁、謝朏、江效入殿侍文義，號爲「四友」。 遷黃門郎，太祖驃騎長史，遷侍中，復爲長史。 齊臺建，復爲侍中，領步兵校尉。 以家貧，建元初，出補東陽太守，加秩中二千石。 還，復爲侍中，領步兵。 凡三爲侍中。 出爲竟陵王征北長史，加輔國將軍，尋徙爲冠軍長史、江夏內史，將軍如故。
At the opening of Shengming, Xuan's purity won him a place with Liu Yu, Xie Tiao, and Jiang Xiao in the hall for literary discourse—they were called the 「Four Friends.」 He became gentleman at the Yellow Gate, then chief aide on the Grand Ancestor's marshal staff; he was named regular attendant and again made chief aide. When the Qi platform was raised he again sat as regular attendant and held the colonelcy of footsoldiers. Household poverty sent him out in early Jianyuan as acting governor of Dongyang, with rank raised to 2000-dan. Back at court he again became regular attendant and kept the footsoldiers. Three times in all he held regular attendant. He went out as army chief aide on the Prince of Jingling's Pacify-the-North staff, with added rank as general who assists the state; before long he was shifted to champion chief aide and interior administrator of Jiangxia, still holding his general's title.
26
何戢字慧景，廬江灊人也。 祖尚之，宋司空。 父偃，金紫光祿大夫，被遇於宋武。 選戢尚山陰公主，拜駙馬都尉。 解褐祕書郎，太子中舍人，司徒主簿，新安王文學，祕書丞，中書郎。
He Ji, styled Huijing, came from Qian in Lujiang. His grandfather Shangzhi had been minister of works under the Song. His father Yan was golden-crown deputy grand master and had been favored by Song Wu. Ji was matched to the Princess of Shanyin and named commandant of escort cavalry. On leaving lacquer he served as secretariat gentleman, crown prince central attendant, grand commandant chief clerk, literary aide to the Prince of Xin'an, secretariat vice director, and secretariat director.
27
景和世，山陰主就帝求吏部郎褚淵入內侍己，淵見拘逼，終不肯從，與戢同居止月餘日，由是特申情好。 明帝立，遷司徒從事中郎，從建安王休仁征赭圻，板轉戢司馬，除黃門郎，出爲宣威將軍、東陽太守，吏部郎。 元徽初，褚淵參朝政，引戢爲侍中，時年二十九。 戢以年未三十，苦辭內侍，表疏屢上，時議許之。 改授司徒左長史。
In the Jinghe reign the Princess of Shanyin asked the throne to place Chu Yuan of the ministry of personnel in her inner service; Yuan felt himself cornered and refused; he shared Ji's roof for more than a month, and from that their friendship grew singularly close. When Emperor Ming acceded, Ji became grand commandant attendant; he followed Prince of Jian'an Xiuren against Zhuchi, was transferred to Ji as army marshal, named gentleman at the Yellow Gate, then sent out as general who proclaims might and governor of Dongyang, and made director of the ministry of personnel. At the opening of Yuanhui, Chu Yuan took a hand in government and drew Ji in as regular attendant; he was twenty-nine. Still short of thirty, Ji pressed hard to decline inner service; he sent memorial after memorial, and men of the day thought him right. He was given instead the grand commandant's left chief aide.
28
戢美容儀，動止與褚淵相慕，時人呼爲「小褚公」。 家業富盛，性又華侈，衣被服飾，極爲奢麗。 三年，出爲左將軍、吳興太守。
Ji was fair of face and figure; in bearing and gait he modeled himself on Chu Yuan, and the age called him 「Little Lord Chu.」 The house was rich and his taste extravagant; dress and adornment were carried to the utmost. In the third year he went out as left general and governor of Wuxing.
29
上頗好畫扇，宋孝武賜戢蟬雀扇，善畫者顧景秀所畫。 時陸探微、顧彥先皆能畫，歎其巧絕。 戢因王晏獻之，上令晏厚酬其意。
The throne doted on painted fans; Emperor Xiaowu of Song had once given Ji a cicada-and-sparrow fan by the master Gu Jingxiu. Lu Tanwei and Gu Yanxian were both painters of note, and they gasped at its supreme craft. Ji presented it through Wang Yan; the throne had Yan reward him handsomely.
30
四年，卒。 時年三十六。 贈散騎常侍、撫軍，太守如故。 諡懿子。 女爲雞林王后，又贈侍中、光祿大夫。
In the fourth year he died. He was thirty-six. Posthumously he was made grand master of palace leisure and pacification army, still holding his governorship. He was given the posthumous name Lord of Grace. His daughter became queen of Silla; he was again granted regular attendant and grand master of palace illumination posthumously.
31
王延之字希季，琅邪臨沂人也。 祖裕，宋左光祿儀同三司。 父昇之，都官尚書。 延之出繼伯父秀才粲之。
Wang Yanzhi, styled Xiji, came from Langye in Linyi. His grandfather Yu had served under Song as left grand master of splendid honour with appointments equal to the Three Offices. His father Shengzhi had been director of justice. Yanzhi was adopted by his father's elder brother, the presented scholar Canzhi.
32
延之少而靜默，不交人事。 州辟主簿，不就。 舉秀才。 除北中郎法曹行參軍，轉署外兵尚書外兵部，司空主簿，竝不就。 除中軍建平王主簿、記室，仍度司空、北中郎二府，轉祕書丞，西陽王撫軍諮議，州別駕，尋陽王冠軍、安陸王後軍司馬，加振武將軍，出爲安遠護軍，武陵內史，不拜。 宋明帝爲衞軍，延之轉爲長史，加宣威將軍。 司徒建安王休仁征赭圻，轉延之爲左長史，加寧朔將軍。
From youth Yanzhi was silent and withdrawn, keeping clear of the world's traffic. The province called him to serve as chief clerk; he would not go. He was recommended as presented scholar. He was named acting adjutant in the north army's law office, then to the outer-troops section of the war ministry and as master of records under the minister of works—and declined every post. He was made master of records and recorder on Prince Jianping's central-army staff, then passed through the minister of works and north army in turn, became secretary director, adviser on the Prince of Xiyang's pacification army, provincial aide, and military assistant under the princes of Xunyang and Anlu, with the title striking warrior general; when offered protector-general of pacification and magistrate of Wuling, he would not accept. When Emperor Ming of Song held the guard command, Yanzhi became his chief of staff with the title proclaiming prestige general. When the minister of works, Prince Jian'an Huoren, marched on Zhuchi, Yanzhi was shifted to left chief of staff with the title pacifying the north general.
33
延之清貧，居宇穿漏。 褚淵往候之，見其如此，具啓明帝，帝卽敕材官爲起三閒齋屋。 遷侍中，領射聲校尉，未拜，出爲吳郡太守。 罷郡還，家產無所增益。 除吏部尚書，侍中，領右軍，竝不拜。 復爲吏部尚書，領驍騎將軍，出爲後軍將軍、吳興太守。 遷都督浙東五郡、會稽太守。 轉侍中，祕書監，晉熙王師。 遷中書令，師如故，未拜，轉右僕射。 昇明二年，轉左僕射。
Yanzhi was poor to the bone; rain came through the roof of his house. Chu Yuan called on him, saw how he lived, and laid the matter fully before Emperor Ming, who at once ordered the works office to build him three study rooms. He was raised to palace attendant and colonel of the archery corps, but before he could take office was sent out as governor of Wu commandery. When he left the prefecture and came home, his household had not grown by a single thing. He was named minister of personnel, palace attendant, and commander of the right guard—and would not accept any of them. Again made minister of personnel and bold cavalry general, then sent out as rear army general and governor of Wuxing. He was promoted to supervisor of the five eastern Zhe provinces and governor of Kuaiji. He became palace attendant, director of the secretariat, and tutor to the Prince of Jinxi. He was raised to director of the secretariat while keeping his tutorship, but before he could take office was moved to right vice director. In Shengming year two he was made left vice director.
34
宋德旣衰，太祖輔政，朝野之情，人懷彼此。 延之與尚書令王僧虔中立無所去就，時人爲之語曰：「二王持平，不送不迎。」 太祖以此善之。 三年，出爲使持節、都督江州豫州之新蔡晉熙二郡諸軍事、安南將軍、江州刺史。 建元二年，進號鎮南將軍。
Song virtue was already spent; with the founding emperor guiding the state, court and countryside each leaned its own way. Yanzhi and the director Wang Sengqian stood in the middle and would not commit; people said of them, 「The two Wangs hold the beam level—they neither see you off nor come to meet you. 」The founding emperor thought well of him for it. In year three he went out bearing the staff, as supervisor of military affairs in Jiangzhou and the Xincai and Jinxi districts of Yuzhou, pacifying south general and inspector of Jiangzhou. In Jianyuan year two his title was raised to guard-the-south general.
35
延之與金紫光祿大夫阮韜，俱宋領軍劉湛外甥，竝有早譽。 湛甚愛之，曰：「韜後當爲第一，延之爲次也。」 延之甚不平。 每致餉下都，韜與朝士同例。 太祖聞其如此，與延之書曰：「韜云卿未嘗有別意，當緣劉家月旦故邪？」 在州祿俸以外，一無所納，獨處齋內，吏民罕得見者。
Yanzhi and the golden-purple grand master Ruan Tao were both nephews of Song's director of the palace guard Liu Tan, and both had won early renown. Tan favored them both and said, 「Tao will stand first hereafter; Yanzhi second. 」Yanzhi took the ranking bitterly to heart. Whenever tribute was sent down to the capital, Tao was classed with the men at court. The founding emperor heard of it and wrote Yanzhi, 「Tao tells me you never meant him any slight—could this go back to the Liu family's monthly ratings? 」In his province he took nothing beyond his salary, kept to his study alone, and officials and commoners seldom laid eyes on him.
36
四年，遷中書令，右光祿大夫，本州大中正。 轉左僕射，光祿、中正如故。 尋領竟陵王師。 永明二年，陳疾解職，世祖許之。 轉特進，右光祿大夫，王師、中正如故。 其年卒，年六十四。 追贈散騎常侍，右光祿大夫、特進如故。 諡簡子。
In year four he was made director of the secretariat, right grand master of splendid honour, and chief equitable judge of his home province. He was moved to left vice director; his grand master title and chief judgeship stood as before. Soon he also took charge as tutor to the Prince of Jingling. In Yongming year two he pleaded illness and asked to leave office; Emperor Shizu allowed it. He was made extraordinary privy counselor and right grand master; his tutorship and chief judgeship remained as they were. That same year he died, at sixty-four. After death he was given the post of regular attendant at the scattered cavalry service, with right grand master and extraordinary counselor unchanged. His posthumous title was Master of Refinement.
37
延之家訓方嚴，不妄見子弟，雖節歲問訊，皆先克日。 子倫之，見兒子亦然。 永明中，爲侍中。 世祖幸琅邪城，倫之與光祿大夫全景文等二十一人坐不參承，爲有司所奏。 詔倫之親爲陪侍之職，而同外惰慢，免官，景文等贖論。 建武中，至侍中，領前軍將軍，都官尚書，領游擊將軍，卒。
Yanzhi's household rule was severe: he would not see sons or nephews without cause, and even festival greetings had to be booked in advance. His son Lunzhi dealt with his own sons in the same way. In the Yongming reign he served as palace attendant. When Emperor Shizu visited Langye city, Lunzhi and twenty others, among them the grand master Quan Jingwen, were impeached for failing to attend the imperial progress. An edict said Lunzhi held close attendance yet had been as slack as the rest; he was stripped of office, while Jingwen and the others were allowed to redeem their cases with fines. Under Jianwu he reached palace attendant, commander of the forward army, director of justice, and raiding army commander, then died.
38
阮韜字長明，陳留人，晉金紫光祿大夫裕玄孫也。 韜少歷清官，爲南兖州別駕，刺史江夏王劉義恭逆求資費錢，韜曰：「此朝廷物。」 執不與。
Ruan Tao, styled Changming, was of Chenliu, a great-great-grandson of Jin's golden-purple grand master Ruan Yu. In youth Tao rose through clean offices; as aide of southern Yanzhou, when the inspector, Prince Jiangxia Liu Yigong, pressed him for money in advance, Tao said, 「This is the court's property. 」He stood firm and would not hand it over.
39
宋孝武選侍中四人，竝以風貌。 王彧、謝莊爲一雙，韜與何偃爲一雙。 常充兼假。 泰始末，爲征南江州長史。 桂陽王休範在鎮，數出行遊，韜性方峙，未嘗隨從。 至散騎常侍，金紫光祿大夫，領始興王師。 永明二年，卒。
Emperor Xiaowu of Song picked four palace attendants, every one chosen for face and bearing. Wang Yu and Xie Zhuang were paired; Tao and He Yan were paired. He was often named to concurrent and acting posts. At the close of Taishi he served as chief aide to the Pacify-the-South General for Jiangzhou. While the Prince of Guiyang Xiu Fan was in command he went out on pleasure tours again and again; Tao, upright and unyielding by nature, never went along. He rose to Regular Attendant of the Scattered Cavalry, Household Minister with the golden seal and purple ribbon, and preceptor to the Prince of Shixing. In Yongming year 2 he died.
40
史臣曰：內侍樞近，世爲華選，金璫熲耀，朝之麗服，久忘儒藝，專授名家。 加以簡擇少姿，簪貂冠冕，基蔭所通，後才先貌，事同謁者，以形骸爲官，斯違舊矣。 辟強之在漢朝，幼有妙察； 仲宣之處魏國，見貶容陋。 何戢之讓，雖未能深識前古之美，與夫尸官靦服者，何等級哉！
The historiographer writes: Palace attendants at the hinge of power were for generations a glittering pick—gold pins ablaze, the court's show-robe; scholarship was long forgotten and posts went only to great clans. Selection besides prized few for beauty: ermine hats and coronets passed by patronage, talent came after looks, and the case matched the chamberlains—men were made officials from their frames alone. That is a breach of the ancient rule. Bi Qiang in Han times, still a child, read men with sharp sight; Zhongxuan under Wei was scorned for his plain looks. He Zhan's resignations—even without full grasp of the ancients' standard, how many ranks above the men who cling to office in shame and still wear the gown?
41
贊曰：萬石祗慎，琨旣爲倫。 五龍一氏，張亦繼荀。 炫清褚族，戢遺何姻。 延之居簡，名峻王臣。 [1]
The encomium runs: Wan Shi's wary reverence—Kun already matched that mold. Five Dragons in one house; Zhang likewise stood in Xun's mold. Chu Xuan kept the Chu house pure; He Zhan resigned his post yet held the He marriage bond. Yanzhi lived simply; a famed and austere minister of Wang. [1] Endnote marker.
42
全文以中華書局、一九七二年一月版《南齊書》爲本校。
The entire text has been collated against the Zhonghua Shuju edition of the Book of Southern Qi (January 1972).