1
王敬則
Wang Jingze
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王敬則，臨淮射陽人也。 僑居晉陵南沙縣。 母為女巫，常謂人云：「敬則生時胞衣紫色，應得鳴鼓角。」 人笑之曰：「汝子得為人吹角可矣。」
Wang Jingze was a native of Sheyang in Linhuai commandery. His family had relocated and settled in Nansha County in Jinling. His mother was a shamaness and often told people, "When Jingze was born his afterbirth was purple—he was destined to command drums and horns. People laughed at her and said, "Your son might at best earn his keep blowing a horn for someone."
3
敬則年長，而兩腋下生乳，各長數寸。 夢騎五色師子。 性倜儻不羈，好刀劍，嘗與暨陽縣吏鬥，謂曰：「我若得暨陽縣，當鞭汝小吏背。」 吏唾其面曰：「汝得暨陽縣，我亦得司徒公矣。」 屠狗商販，遍于三吳。 使于高麗，與其國女子私通，因不肯還，被收錄然後反。
As Jingze grew older, breasts formed under both armpits, each several inches long. He once dreamed that he was riding a five-colored lion. By nature he was bold and unrestrained, fond of swords and knives. He once brawled with a clerk of Jiyang County and told him, "If I ever become magistrate of Jiyang, I will flog your clerkly back. The clerk spat in his face and said, "If you get Jiyang County, I might as well become Minister over the Masses." He butchered dogs and peddled goods all across the Three Wu region. On a mission to Goguryeo he took a Goguryeo woman as his lover and refused to return home; he was detained and only then sent back.
4
敬則少時於草中射獵，有蟲如烏豆集其身，擿去乃脫，其處皆流血。 敬則惡之，詣道士卜，道士曰：「此封侯瑞也。」 敬則聞之喜，故出都自效。
In his youth Jingze was hunting in the grass when insects the size of black beans swarmed over him; when he picked them off they came away with his skin and every spot bled. Jingze took this as a bad sign and consulted a Daoist priest, who said, "This is an omen that you will be enfeoffed as a marquis. Jingze was delighted to hear this and left the capital to seek his fortune in government service.
5
後補暨陽令，昔日鬥吏亡叛，勒令出，遇之甚厚。 曰：「我已得暨陽縣，汝何時得司徒公邪？」 初至暨陽縣陸主山下，宗侶十餘船同發，敬則船獨不進，乃令弟入水推之，見烏漆棺。 敬則祝云：「若是吉，使船速進，吾富貴當改葬爾。」 船須臾去，入縣收此棺葬之。
Later he was appointed magistrate of Jiyang. The clerk with whom he had once brawled had fled and joined the rebels, but when he was ordered to surrender, Jingze received him with great kindness. He said to him, "I have Jiyang County now—when will you become Minister over the Masses? When he first arrived at Jiyang below Mount Luzhu, more than ten boats of kinsmen set out together, but Jingze's alone would not move forward. He had his younger brother dive in to push it and they found a black-lacquered coffin. Jingze prayed, "If this is a good omen, let the boat move on at once; when I am rich and honored I will give you a proper reburial. The boat moved on at once. After he took office in the county he recovered the coffin and buried it properly.
6
時軍荒後，縣有一部劫逃入山中為人患，敬則遣人致意劫帥使出首，當相申論。 郭下廟神甚酷烈，百姓信之，敬則引神為誓，必不相負。 劫帥既出，敬則於廟中設酒會，於坐收縛曰：「吾啟神，若負誓，還神十牛。 今不得違誓。」 即殺十牛解神，並斬諸劫，百姓悅之。
In the aftermath of the military disorders, a band of robbers in the county had fled into the mountains and become a scourge. Jingze sent word to their leader that if he surrendered, they could settle matters fairly. The local temple god was feared as stern and the people trusted in him; Jingze swore by the god that he would not betray them. After the robber chief came out, Jingze held a feast in the temple and at the table seized and bound them, saying, "I told the god that if I broke my oath I would repay him with ten oxen. Now I cannot break that oath. He immediately slaughtered ten oxen as an offering to the god and beheaded all the robbers as well, to the great satisfaction of the people.
7
元徽二年，隨齊高帝拒桂陽賊於新亭，敬則與羽林監陳顯達、甯朔將軍高道慶乘舸迎戰，大破賊水軍。 事甯，帶南泰山太守、右俠轂主，轉越騎校尉、安成王車騎參軍。 蒼梧王狂虐，左右不自安。 敬則以高帝有威名，歸誠奉事，每下直輒往領軍府。 夜著青衣，扶匐道路，為高帝聽察。 高帝令敬則於殿內伺機。 及楊玉夫將首投敬則，敬則馳謁高帝，乃戎服入宮。 至承明門，門郎疑非蒼梧還，敬則慮人覘見，以刀環塞窐孔，呼開門甚急。 衛尉丞顏靈寶窺見高帝乘馬在外，竊謂親人：「今若不開內領軍，天下會是亂爾。」 門開，敬則隨帝入殿。
In the second year of Yuanhui, he followed Emperor Gao of Qi to resist the Guiyang rebels at Xinting. Jingze, together with the Feathered Forest commandant Chen Xianda and Ningshuo general Gao Daoqing, took boats to meet them in battle and routed the rebel fleet. After peace was restored he concurrently served as Administrator of Southern Mount Tai and Right Master of the Chariot Axle, then was transferred to Commandant of the Rapid-as-Leopards Cavalry and Cavalry-and-Chariots Attendant of the Prince of Ancheng. Emperor Fei of Cangwu was violent and cruel, and those around him lived in fear. Jingze, impressed by Emperor Gao's reputation for authority, pledged himself to him and after every shift went straight to the commandant's residence. At night he dressed in plain blue clothes and crept along the roads to spy for Emperor Gao. Emperor Gao stationed Jingze inside the palace to watch for an opportunity. When Yang Yufu brought the emperor's head and handed it to Jingze, Jingze galloped to report to Emperor Gao and then entered the palace in armor. At the Chenming Gate the gatekeeper suspected this was not Emperor Fei returning. Jingze, fearing someone might peer through the wicket, blocked the opening with his sword ring and urgently demanded that the gate be opened. Yan Lingbao, aide to the Commandant of the Guards, caught sight of Emperor Gao waiting on horseback outside and whispered to his kin, "If we do not admit the commandant of the army now, the realm will fall into chaos. The gate was opened, and Jingze followed the emperor into the hall.
8
敬則不識書，止下名，然甚善決斷。 齊台建，為中領軍。 高帝將受禪，材官薦易太極殿柱。 順帝欲避上，不肯出宮遜位。 明日當臨軒，順帝又逃宮內。 敬則將輿入迎帝，啟譬令出，引令升車。 順帝不肯即上，收淚謂敬則曰：「欲見殺乎？」 敬則答曰：「出居別宮爾，官先取司馬家亦復如此。」 順帝泣而彈指：「唯願後身生生世世不復天王作因緣。」 宮內盡哭，聲徹於外。 順帝拍敬則手曰：「必無過慮，當餉輔國十萬錢。」
Jingze was illiterate and could sign only his name, yet he was remarkably decisive. When the Qi regime was established he was appointed Commandant of the Army for the Center. When Emperor Gao was about to receive the abdication, the craftsmen recommended replacing the pillars of the Hall of Supreme Ultimate. Emperor Shun wished to avoid yielding to his superior and refused to leave the palace to abdicate. The next day, when he was to appear before the throne, Emperor Shun again hid himself inside the palace. Jingze brought in a carriage to fetch the emperor, urged him to come out, and helped him into the carriage. Emperor Shun would not get in at once. Holding back tears he said to Jingze, "Do you mean to have me killed? Jingze answered, "You will only move to another palace—the court did the same when it took over the house of Sima." Emperor Shun wept and snapped his fingers. "I only pray that in all my future lives I may never again be tied by karma to the throne." Everyone inside the palace wept, and the sound carried far outside. Emperor Shun patted Jingze's hand and said, "You need not worry—I shall give the Duke Who Supports the State a hundred thousand cash."
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二年，魏軍攻淮、泗，敬則恐，委鎮還都，百姓皆驚散奔走。 上以其功臣不問，以為都官尚書，遷吳興太守。 郡舊多剽掠，有十數歲小兒于路取遺物，敬則殺之以徇。 自此路不拾遺，郡無劫盜。 又錄得一偷，召其親屬于前鞭之。 令偷身長掃街路，久之，乃令偷舉舊偷自代。 諸偷恐為所識，皆逃走，境內以清。 仍入烏程，從市過，見屠肉枅，歎曰：「吳興昔無此枅，是我少時在此所作也。」 召故人飲酒說平生，不以屑也。 遷護軍，以家為府。
In the second year Wei troops attacked the Huai and Si region. Jingze was frightened, abandoned his post, and returned to the capital, and the people fled in panic. The emperor, because he was a meritorious minister, did not punish him and appointed him Minister of Justice, then transferred him to Administrator of Wuxing. The commandery had long been plagued by banditry. When a boy of about ten picked up something someone had dropped on the road, Jingze had him executed as a warning. After that no one dared leave anything on the roads, and banditry vanished from the commandery. He also captured a thief and had the man's relatives flog him in his presence. He made the tall thief sweep the streets. After a long while he ordered the thief to name his former accomplices to take his place. The thieves, fearing exposure, all fled, and the region was pacified. He then went into Wucheng and, passing through the market, saw a butcher's chopping block and sighed, "Wuxing never had one like this before—I made this one here when I was young. He summoned old friends to drink and reminisce about his life, unashamed of his humble past. He was transferred to Guardian of the Army and used his own home as his headquarters.
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三年，以改葬去職，詔贈敬則母尋陽國太夫人，改授侍中、撫軍。 高帝遺詔敬則以本官領丹陽尹，尋遷會稽太守，加都督。 永明二年，給鼓吹一部。 會土邊帶湖海，人丁無士庶皆保塘役。 敬則以功力有餘，悉評斂為錢送台庫，以為便宜。 上許之。
In the third year he left office to rebury his kin. An edict ennobled Jingze's mother as Grand Lady of the State of Xunyang, and he was reassigned as Palace Attendant and Pacifier of the Army. Emperor Gao's testamentary edict had Jingze retain his original office and concurrently serve as Intendant of Danyang. Soon he was transferred to Administrator of Kuaiji with the added title of Area Commander. In the second year of Yongming he was granted a full set of martial music. In Kuaiji the land bordered lakes and the sea, and every man, whether commoner or gentry, was liable for dike labor. Jingze, finding that labor quotas left a surplus, assessed the excess as a cash levy and sent the money to the central treasury, regarding this as a practical arrangement. The emperor approved the arrangement.
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三年，進號征東將軍。 宋廣州刺史王翼之子妾路氏酷暴，殺婢媵，翼之子法朗告之，敬則付山陰獄殺之。 路氏家訴，為有司所奏，山陰令劉岱坐棄市刑。 敬則入朝，上謂敬則曰：「人命至重，是誰下意殺之？ 都不啟聞。」 敬則曰：「是臣愚意。 臣知何物科法，見背後有節，便言應得殺人。」 劉岱亦引罪，上乃赦之； 敬則免官，以公領郡。
In the third year his title was advanced to General Who Pacifies the East. Lu, a concubine of the son of Wang Yi, former Governor of Guangzhou under Song, was cruel and murdered maids and secondary wives. Wang Yi's son Falang reported her, and Jingze had her thrown into the Shanyin jail and executed. Lu's family lodged a complaint. The responsible offices reported the case, and Liu Dai, magistrate of Shanyin, was sentenced to execution in the marketplace. When Jingze came to court the emperor said to him, "Human life is precious—who gave the order to kill her? You never reported it to me at all. Jingze said, "It was my own decision. I know nothing of the statutes. I saw she had a mole on her back and said she deserved to die." Liu Dai also accepted blame, and the emperor pardoned him; Jingze was stripped of office but retained the commandery in his capacity as a duke.
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後與王儉俱即本號開府儀同三司。 時徐孝嗣於崇禮門候儉，因嘲之曰：「今日可謂連璧。」 儉曰：「不意老子遂與韓非同傳。」 人以告敬則，敬則欣然曰：「我南沙縣吏，徼幸得細鎧左右，逮風雲以至於此。 遂與王衛軍同日拜三公，王敬則復何恨。」 了無恨色。 朝士以此多之。
Later he and Wang Jian were both simultaneously granted the privilege of an office equal to the Three Excellencies while retaining their existing titles. At that time Xu Xiaosi was waiting for Wang Jian at the Chongli Gate and teased him, saying, "Today we may truly call this a pairing of jades. Wang Jian said, "I never expected that I, an old scholar, would share a biography with Han Fei." When someone told Jingze, he said cheerfully, "I was only a clerk in Nansha County. By chance I won a place in light armor at the ruler's side and rode the winds of fortune to where I stand today. To receive the Three Excellencies on the same day as Wang the Defender of the Army—what more could Wang Jingze ask." He showed not the slightest resentment. The court gentlemen admired him all the more for this.
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十一年，授司空。 敬則名位雖達，不以富貴自遇。 初為散輩使魏，於北館種楊柳。 後員外郎虞長曜北使還，敬則問：「我昔種楊柳樹，今若大小？」 長曜曰：「虜中以為甘棠。」 武帝令群臣賦詩，敬則曰：「臣幾落此奴度內。」 上問之，敬則對曰：「臣若解書，不過作尚書都令史爾，那得今日。」 敬則雖不大識書，而性甚警黠，臨郡令省事讀辭，下教判決，皆不失理。 明帝輔政，密有廢立意。 隆昌元年，出敬則為會稽太守，加都督。 海陵王立，進位太尉。 明帝即位，為大司馬，台使拜授日，雨大洪注，敬則文武皆失色。 一客旁曰：「公由來如此，昔拜丹陽尹、吳興時亦然。」 敬則大悅曰：「我宿命應得雨。」 乃引羽儀、備朝服、導引出聽事拜受，意猶不自得，吐舌久之。 帝既多殺害，敬則自以高、武舊臣，心懷憂懼。 帝雖外厚其禮而內相疑備，數訪問敬則飲食體幹。 聞其衰老，且以居內地，故得少安。 後遣蕭坦之將齋仗五百人行晉陵，敬則諸子在都，憂怖無計。 上知之，問計于梁武帝，武帝曰：「敬則豎夫，易為感，唯應錫以子女玉帛，厚其使人，如斯而已。」 上納之。 吳人張思祖，敬則謀主也，為府司馬，頻銜使。 上偽傾意待之，以為遊擊將軍。 遣敬則世子仲雄入東。 仲雄善彈琴，江左有蔡邕焦尾琴在主衣庫，上敕五日一給仲雄。 仲雄在御前鼓琴，作懊儂曲，歌曰：「常歎負情儂，郎今果行許。」 又曰：「君行不淨心，那得惡人題。」 帝愈猜愧。
In the eleventh year he was appointed Minister of Works. Although Jingze had risen to great fame and rank, he did not put on airs of wealth and privilege. On his first mission to Wei as a member of the casual embassy, he planted a willow at the Northern Lodge. Later Yu Changyao, an outer court official, returned from a mission to the north, and Jingze asked him, "The willow I planted back then—how large is it now? Changyao said, "Among the northerners they treat it as a sweet pear tree." Emperor Wu ordered the ministers to compose poems. Jingze said, "I nearly fell within that fellow's measure." The emperor asked what he meant. Jingze replied, "If I could read, I would be no more than a chief clerk in the Masters of Writing—how could I have reached where I am today." Although Jingze was barely literate, he was by nature very sharp. When governing a commandery he had subordinates summarize documents for him, issued instructions and judgments, and none failed to be sound. When Emperor Ming was regent he secretly intended to depose the emperor. In the first year of Longchang he sent Jingze out as Administrator of Kuaiji with the added title of Area Commander. When the Prince of Hailing was enthroned, Jingze was advanced to Grand Commandant. When Emperor Ming took the throne Jingze became Grand Marshal. On the day the court envoy came to invest him with the seal, rain poured down in torrents, and all his civil and military officers turned pale. A guest at his side said, "My lord has always been like this—it was the same when you received appointment as Intendant of Danyang and as Administrator of Wuxing. Jingze was greatly pleased and said, "It is my destined fate to receive rain." He then brought out his guard of honor, put on court dress, and with guides and ushers went out to the reception hall to receive the investiture. In his mind he still felt uneasy and stuck out his tongue for a long while. Since the emperor had killed so many people, Jingze, as an old minister of the Gao and Wu emperors, lived in fear. Outwardly the emperor treated him with generous ceremony, but inwardly he was suspicious and on guard, repeatedly inquiring about Jingze's diet and health. Hearing that he was aged and that he lived in the interior, the emperor felt somewhat reassured. Later he sent Xiao Tanzhi with five hundred ceremonial guards to Jinling. Jingze's sons were all in the capital and were terrified, with no idea what to do. The emperor learned of this and asked Emperor Wu of Liang for advice. Emperor Wu said, "Jingze is a common soldier at heart, easy to sway. You need only bestow children, jade, and silks on him and treat his envoys generously—nothing more. The emperor adopted this advice. Zhang Sizu of Wu, Jingze's chief strategist, served as headquarters marshal and was frequently sent as envoy. The emperor pretended to treat him with full favor and appointed him General of Roaming Attack. He sent Jingze's heir Zhongxiong to the eastern capital. Zhongxiong was skilled at the zither. Cai Yong's famous Scorch-Tail zither was kept in the imperial wardrobe, and the emperor ordered that it be lent to Zhongxiong once every five days. Zhongxiong played before the emperor, performing the Melancholy Nong tune and singing, "I always lament a faithless lover—my lord has now truly gone so far. He also sang, "If your heart is not pure in what you do, how can you bear the mark of a wicked man?" The emperor grew ever more suspicious and ashamed.
14
永泰元年，帝疾屢經危殆，以張瑰為平東將軍、吳郡太守，置兵佐，密防敬則。 內外傳言當有處分。 敬則聞之，竊曰：「東今有誰，只是欲平我耳。 東亦何易可平，吾終不受金罌。」 金罌謂鴆酒也。 諸子怖懼，第五子幼隆遣正員將軍徐岳以情告徐州行事謝朓為計，若同者當往報敬則。 朓執嶽馳啟之。 敬則城局參軍徐庶家在京口，其子密以報庶，庶以告敬則五官王公林。 公林，敬則族子也，常所委信。 公林勸敬則急送啟賜兒死，單舟星夜還都。 敬則曰：「若爾，諸郎要應有信，且忍一夕。」 其夜，呼僚佐文武摴蒱賭錢，謂眾曰：「卿諸人欲令我作何計？」 莫敢先答。 防合丁興懷曰：「官只應作爾。」 敬則不作聲。 明旦，召山陰令王詢、台傳御史鍾離祖願，敬則橫刀跂坐，問詢等發丁可得幾人，庫見有幾錢物，詢、祖願對並乖旨，敬則怒，將出斬之。 王公林又諫敬則曰：「官詎不更思？」 敬則唾其面，曰：「小子，我作事何關汝小子。」 乃起兵，招集配衣，二三日便發。 欲劫前中書令何胤還為尚書令，長史王弄璋、司馬張思祖止之曰：「何令高蹈，必不從，不從便應殺之。 舉大事先殺朝賢，事必不濟。」 乃率實甲萬人過浙江，謂曰：「應須作檄。」 思祖曰：「公今自還朝，何用作此？」 乃止。 朝廷遣輔國將軍前軍司馬左興盛、直合將軍馬軍主胡松三千餘人，築壘于曲阿長岡； 尚書左僕射沈文秀為持節、都督，屯湖頭，備京口路。
In the first year of Yongtai the emperor's illness repeatedly turned critical. He appointed Zhang Gui General Who Pacifies the East and Administrator of Wu commandery, stationed military aides, and secretly guarded against Jingze. Inside and outside the court rumors spread that he was about to be dealt with. Jingze heard this and muttered, "Who is there in the east now? They only want to get rid of me. The east is not so easily pacified, and I will never accept the golden goblet. The golden goblet meant poisoned wine. His sons were terrified. His fifth son Youlong sent Regular General Xu Yue to confide in Xie Tiao, who was acting for Xuzhou, and ask his advice—if Xie Tiao agreed, he would report back to Jingze. Xie Tiao seized Xu Yue and galloped to report the matter to the throne. Jingze's headquarters aide Xu Shu had family in Jingkou. Shu's son secretly reported the news to him, and Shu told Jingze's aide of the Five Offices Wang Gonglin. Gonglin was Jingze's clansman and one of his most trusted men. Gonglin urged Jingze to send an urgent memorial asking that his son be put to death and to return to the capital alone that very night by boat. Jingze said, "If that were so, my sons ought to have sent word. Let us wait one night. That night he summoned his civil and military staff to play pitch-pot and gamble, and asked the assembly, "What do you want me to do?" No one dared answer first. Guard commander Ding Xinghuai said, "My lord should do just that. Jingze said nothing. At dawn the next day he summoned the magistrate of Shanyin Wang Xun and investigating censor Zhongli Zuyuan. Jingze sat with his sword across his knees and asked how many men could be mobilized and how much cash was in the treasury. Wang Xun and Zhongli Zuyuan gave answers he did not want to hear. Jingze flew into a rage and was about to have them beheaded. Wang Gonglin again remonstrated with him, saying, "My lord, will you not reconsider? Jingze spat in his face and said, "Boy—what does my business have to do with you?" He then raised troops, gathered his followers, and set out within two or three days. He planned to seize former Secretariat Director He Yin and make him Director of the Masters of Writing again. Chief administrator Wang Nongzhang and headquarters marshal Zhang Sizu stopped him, saying, "Director He lives in lofty seclusion and will never go along. If he refuses, you would have to kill him. To launch a great enterprise by first killing court worthies—the affair will certainly fail. He then led ten thousand armored men across the Zhe River and said, "We ought to issue a proclamation." Zhang Sizu said, "You are returning to court yourself—why bother with that?" He dropped the idea. The court sent Pacifying-the-State general and former army marshal Zuo Xingsheng and direct-gate general and cavalry commander Hu Song with more than three thousand men to build fortifications at Changgang in Qu'a; and Left Vice Director of the Masters of Writing Shen Wenxiu was made bearer of the staff of authority and area commander, encamped at Hutou to guard the route to Jingkou.
15
敬則以舊將舉事，百姓擔篙荷鍤隨逐之十餘萬眾。 至武進陵口慟哭，乘肩輿而前。 遇興盛、山陽二柴，盡力攻之。 官軍不敵，欲退而圍不開，各死戰。 胡松領馬軍突其後，白丁無器仗，皆驚散。 敬則大叫索馬，再上不得上，興盛軍容袁文曠斬之傳首。
As an old general raising a revolt, Jingze was followed by more than a hundred thousand common people carrying poles and spades. When he reached the mouth of the Wujin imperial tombs he wept bitterly and was carried forward in a sedan chair. He encountered the two palisades of Xingsheng and Shanyang and attacked them with all his strength. The government troops could not hold and tried to retreat, but the encirclement would not break, and both sides fought to the death. Hu Song led the cavalry in a charge at their rear. The common levies had no weapons or armor and fled in panic. Jingze shouted for a horse but could not mount again. Yuan Wenkuan, aide to Xingsheng's army, cut him down and sent his head to the capital.
16
是時上疾已篤，敬則倉卒東起，朝廷震懼。 東昏侯在東宮議欲叛，使人上屋望，見征虜亭失火，謂敬則至，急裝欲走。 有告敬則者，敬則曰：「檀公三十六策，走是上計，汝父子唯應急走耳。」 蓋譏檀道濟避魏事也。
By then the emperor's illness was grave. Jingze had risen hastily in the east, and the court was shaken with fear. The Marquis of Donghun in the Eastern Palace discussed rebelling. He sent someone onto the roof to look out, saw the Zheng Lu Pavilion catch fire, thought Jingze had arrived, and hurriedly packed to flee. When someone reported this to Jingze, he said, "Lord Tan's thirty-six stratagems—running away is the best plan. You father and son ought to flee at once. This mocked Tan Daoji's flight from the Wei.
17
敬則之來，聲勢甚盛，凡十日而敗。 時年六十四。 朝廷漆其首藏在武庫，至梁天監元年，其故吏夏侯亶表請收葬，許之。
Jingze's revolt had seemed overwhelmingly powerful, yet within ten days it was crushed. He was sixty-four years old. The court lacquered his head and stored it in the armory. In the first year of Tianjian under Liang, his former clerk Xiahou Dan memorialized requesting burial, and permission was granted.
18
陳顯達
Chen Xianda
19
陳顯達，南彭城彭城人也。 仕宋以軍功封彭澤縣子，位羽林監、濮陽太守，隸齊高帝討桂陽賊於新亭壘。 劉勉大桁敗，賊進杜姥宅。 及休范死，顯達出杜姥宅，大戰于宣陽津陽門，大破賊，矢中左目而鏃不出。 地黃村潘嫗善禁，先以釘釘柱，嫗禹步作氣，釘即出，乃禁顯達目中鏃出之。 事平，封豐城侯，再遷平越中郎將、廣州刺史，加都督。
Chen Xianda was a native of Pengcheng in Southern Pengcheng commandery. He served under Song and for military merit was enfeoffed as Viscount of Pengze County. He held the posts of Feathered Forest commandant and Administrator of Puyang and served under Emperor Gao of Qi against the Guiyang rebels at the Xinting ramparts. Liu Mian was routed at the Great Beam, and the rebels advanced to the Old Woman Du's residence. When Xiu Fan died, Xianda came out of the Old Woman Du's residence and fought a great battle at the Xuanyang Ford Yang Gate, routing the rebels. An arrow struck his left eye and the arrowhead would not come out. Old woman Pan of Dihuang village was skilled at exorcism. First a nail was driven into a pillar; she paced in ritual steps and made breath, the nail came out at once, and then she exorcised the arrowhead out of Xianda's eye. When peace was restored he was enfeoffed as Marquis of Fengcheng, then was transferred to General of the Gentlemen of the Household for Pacifying the Yue and Administrator of Guangzhou, with the added title of Area Commander.
20
武帝即位，進號鎮西將軍。 益部山險，多不賓服。 大度村獠，前刺史不能制，顯達遣使責其租賧。 獠帥曰：「兩眼刺史尚不敢調我。」 遂殺其使。 顯達分部將吏，聲將出獵，夜往襲之，男女無少長皆斬之。 自此山夷震服。
When Emperor Wu took the throne his title was advanced to General Who Guards the West. The mountains of Yizhou were rugged, and many tribes did not submit. The Liao of Dadu village had defied previous governors. Xianda sent envoys to demand their rent and tribute. The Liao chief said, "Even the two-eyed governor did not dare press me. He then killed the envoy. Xianda divided his officers, announced that he would go hunting, attacked them by night, and beheaded men and women without regard to age. From then on the mountain tribes submitted in awe.
21
永明二年，徵為侍中、護軍將軍。 顯達累任在外，經高帝之憂。 及見武帝，流涕悲咽，上亦泣，心甚嘉之。 八年，為征南大將軍、江州刺史。
In the second year of Yongming he was summoned to serve as Palace Attendant and Guardian of the Army. Xianda had long served in the provinces and had been away during Emperor Gao's final illness. When he saw Emperor Wu he wept aloud. The emperor wept as well and was deeply moved. In the eighth year he became Grand General Who Campaigns South and Inspector of Jiangzhou.
22
顯達謙厚有智計，自以人微位重，每遷官常有愧懼之色。 子十餘人，誡之曰：「我本意不及此，汝等勿以富貴陵人。」 家既豪富，諸子與王敬則諸兒並精車牛，麗服飾。 當世快牛稱陳世子青、王三郎烏、呂文顯折角、江瞿曇白鼻，而皆集陳舍。 顯達知此不悅。 及子休尚為郢府主簿，過九江拜別。 顯達曰：「凡奢侈者鮮有不敗，麈尾蠅拂是王、謝家物，汝不須捉此自逐。」 即取於前燒除之。 其靜退如此。
Xianda was modest, thoughtful, and shrewd. Considering himself a man of humble origin in a weighty post, he often looked ashamed and uneasy whenever he was promoted. He had more than ten sons and admonished them, saying, "I never intended to rise this high—you must not use wealth and rank to bully others. His family was already wealthy, and his sons, like the sons of Wang Jingze, kept fine chariots and oxen and dressed lavishly. The finest oxen of the day were known as Chen the Heir's Green, Wang the Third Son's Black, Lü Wenxian's Bent Horn, and Jiang Qudan's White Nose, and all were kept at Chen's residence. Xianda knew of this and was displeased. When his son Xiushang, chief clerk of the Ying headquarters, passed through Jiujiang to take leave, Xianda said to him, "The extravagant rarely escape ruin. Deer-tail and fly-whisk fans are the trappings of the Wang and Xie families—you need not chase after such things. He immediately took them and burned them before him. Such was his restraint.
23
豫廢郁林之勳，延興元年，為司空，進爵為公。 明帝即位，進太尉，封鄱陽郡公。 加兵二百人，給油絡車。 後以太尉封鄱陽郡公，為三公事，而職典連率，人以為格外三公。 上欲悉除高、武子孫，上微言問顯達，答曰：「此等豈足介慮。」 上乃止。
For his merit in deposing the Prince of Yulin, in the first year of Yanxing he was appointed Minister of Works and advanced to duke. When Emperor Ming took the throne he was advanced to Grand Commandant and enfeoffed as Duke of Poyang commandery. Two hundred soldiers were added to his guard, and he was given an oil-lacquered carriage. Later, as Grand Commandant and Duke of Poyang commandery, he held the rank of the Three Excellencies while also serving as regional inspector, and people regarded him as a Three Excellency beyond the ordinary. The emperor wished to eliminate all the descendants of the Gao and Wu emperors. He spoke subtly to Xianda, who answered, "Such people are hardly worth troubling over. The emperor then abandoned the plan.
24
顯達建武世心懷不安，深自貶退，車乘朽敗，導從鹵簿皆用羸小。 侍宴，酒後啟上借枕，帝令與之。 顯達撫枕曰：「臣年已老，富貴已足，唯少枕枕死，特就陛下乞之。」 上失色曰：「公醉矣。」 以年老告退，不許。
In the Jianwu era Xianda lived in unease, deliberately lowered his profile, used broken-down carriages, and kept only weak, undersized men in his escort and ceremonial guard. At a banquet, after drinking he asked the emperor to lend him a pillow, and the emperor had one given to him. Xianda stroked the pillow and said, "I am already old and have had wealth and honor enough. I lack only a pillow on which to die, and I come before Your Majesty specially to beg it. The emperor turned pale and said, "You are drunk." He asked to retire on grounds of age, but permission was refused.
25
永泰元年，乃遣顯達北侵。 永元元年，顯達督平北將軍崔慧景眾軍四萬圍南鄉界馬圈城，去襄陽三百里。 攻之四十日，魏軍食盡，噉死人肉及樹皮。 周邊急，魏軍突走。 顯達入據其城，遣軍主莊丘黑進取南鄉縣。 魏孝文帝自領十餘萬騎奄至，軍主崔恭祖、胡松以烏布幔盛顯達，數人擔之，出汮水口，台軍緣道奔退，死者三萬餘人。 顯達素有威名，著於外境，至是大損喪焉。 御史中丞範岫奏免顯達官，又表解職，並不許。 以為江州刺史，鎮盆城。 初，王敬則事起，始安王遙光啟明帝慮顯達為變，欲追軍還，事平乃寢。 顯達亦懷危怖。 及東昏立，彌不樂還都，得此授甚喜。 尋加領征南大將軍，給三望車。 顯達聞都下大相殺戮，徐孝嗣等皆死，傳聞當遣兵襲江州。 顯達懼禍，十一月十五日舉兵，欲直襲建鄴，以掩不備，又遙指郢州刺史建安王寶寅為主。 朝廷遣後軍將軍胡松等據梁山，顯達率眾數千人發尋陽，與松戰於採石，大破之，都下震恐。 十二月，潛軍度取石頭北上襲城，宮掖大駭，閉門守備。 顯達馬睄從步軍數百人，於西州前與台軍戰，再合大勝，綃折，手猶殺十餘人。 官軍繼至，顯達不能抗，退走至西州後烏榜村。 騎官趙潭注綃刺落馬，斬之籬側，血湧湔籬，似淳于伯之被刑。 時年七十三。
In the first year of Yongtai he sent Xianda to invade the north. In the first year of Yongyuan Xianda supervised an army of forty thousand men under Pacifying-the-North general Cui Huijing in besieging Horse-Pen city on the Nanxiang border, three hundred li from Xiangyang. The siege lasted forty days. The Wei army ran out of food and ate the flesh of the dead and tree bark. With the encirclement pressing in, the Wei army broke out and fled. Xianda entered and occupied the city and sent army commander Zhuangqiu Hei to seize Nanxiang county. Emperor Xiaowen of Wei himself led more than a hundred thousand horsemen and came upon them suddenly. Army commanders Cui Gongzu and Hu Song wrapped Xianda in a black-cloth canopy and several men carried him out at the Fenshui mouth. The court army fled along the road, and more than thirty thousand men died. Xianda had long enjoyed a formidable reputation on the frontier, but on this occasion he suffered a crushing defeat. Investigating censor Fan Xiu memorialized to strip Xianda of office, and Xianda also submitted a resignation—both were refused. He was appointed Inspector of Jiangzhou and garrisoned Pencheng. When Wang Jingze's revolt broke out, the Prince of Shi'an Yao Guang warned Emperor Ming that Xianda might turn against the court and urged that the army be recalled. When the revolt was crushed the idea was dropped. Xianda also lived in fear. When Emperor Donghun was enthroned he was even less willing to return to the capital and was very pleased to receive this appointment. Soon he was additionally made concurrent Grand General Who Campaigns South and given a three-canopy carriage. Xianda heard that the capital was engulfed in slaughter and that Xu Xiaosi and others had all been killed. Rumors spread that troops would be sent to attack Jiangzhou. Fearing for his life, on the fifteenth day of the eleventh month Xianda raised troops, intending to strike Jianye directly and catch the court off guard, while nominating the Inspector of Yingzhou, the Prince of Jian'an Bao Yin, as his sovereign. The court sent Rear Army general Hu Song and others to hold Liangshan. Xianda led several thousand men from Xunyang, fought Hu Song at Caishi, routed him, and threw the capital into terror. In the twelfth month he secretly sent troops across the river to seize Shitou and advance north to assault the city. The palace was thrown into panic and closed its gates to defend. Xianda, his eyes bloodshot, followed several hundred infantry. Before the Western Quarter he fought the court army, won two great victories in succession, had his silk armor cut through, and still killed more than ten men with his own hands. Government troops kept arriving. Xianda could not hold and retreated to Wubang village behind the Western Quarter. Cavalry officer Zhao Tan drove his blade through Xianda's silk armor and knocked him from his horse, then beheaded him beside a hedge. Blood gushed and splashed the hedge, recalling the execution of Chunyu Bo. He was seventy-three years old.
26
顯達在江州遇疾，不療之而差，意甚不悅。 是時連冬大雪，梟首朱雀而雪不集，諸子皆伏誅。
Xianda fell ill in Jiangzhou and recovered without treatment, which displeased him greatly. That winter snow fell continuously. His head was displayed at the Vermilion Bird gate, yet snow would not settle on it, and all his sons were executed.
27
張敬兒
Zhang Jing'er
28
張敬兒，南陽冠軍人也。 父醜，為郡將軍，官至節府參軍。 敬兒年少便弓馬、有膽氣，好射猛獸，發無不中。 南陽新野風俗出騎射，而敬兒尤多膂力。 稍官至寧蠻行參軍，隨郡人劉胡伐襄陽諸山蠻，深入險阻，所向皆破。 又擊胡陽蠻，官軍引退，敬兒單馬在後，賊不能抗。
Zhang Jing'er was a native of Guanjun in Nanyang commandery. His father Chou was a commandery general and rose to headquarters aide. From youth Jing'er was skilled with bow and horse and full of courage. He loved hunting fierce beasts and never missed his mark. Xinye in Nanyang was known for producing horsemen and archers, but Jing'er had exceptional physical strength. He gradually rose to acting aide for Pacifying the Barbarians and followed Liu Hu of Suizhou in attacking the mountain tribes around Xiangyang. Penetrating deep into rugged terrain, he broke every force he met. He also attacked the Huyang tribes. When the government army withdrew, Jing'er alone on horseback brought up the rear, and the rebels could not stand against him.
29
山陽王休佑鎮壽陽，求善騎射士，敬兒及襄陽俞湛應選。 敬兒善事人，遂見寵，為長兼行參軍。 泰始初，隨府轉驃騎參軍，署中兵，領軍討義嘉賊，與劉胡相拒於鵲尾洲，啟明帝乞本郡。 事平，除南陽太守。
The Prince of Shanyang Xiuyou garrisoned Shouyang and sought skilled horsemen and archers. Jing'er and Yu Zhan of Xiangyang were selected. Jing'er knew how to please his superiors and won favor, becoming chief acting aide. At the beginning of Taishi he was transferred to Rapid-as-Leopards aide and acted as central army commander, leading troops against the Yijia rebels and facing Liu Hu at Magpie-Tail Islet. He memorialized Emperor Ming requesting his home commandery. When peace was restored he was appointed Administrator of Nanyang.
30
敬兒之為襄陽府將也，家貧，每休假輒傭賃自給。 嘗為城東吳泰家擔水，通泰所愛婢。 事發，將被泰殺，逃賣棺材中，以蓋加上，乃免。 及在鵲尾洲，啟明帝云：「泰以絲助雍州刺史袁顗為弩弦，黨同為逆，若事平之日，乞其家財。」 帝許之。 至是收籍吳氏，唯家人裸身得出，僮役財貨直數千萬，敬兒皆有之。 先所通婢，即以為妾。
When Jing'er was a headquarters general at Xiangyang his family was poor, and on every leave he hired himself out for wages to make ends meet. He once carried water for Wu Tai east of the city and had an affair with Tai's favorite maid. When the affair was discovered he was about to be killed by Tai. He fled and hid inside a coffin for sale, had the lid placed on top, and thus escaped. At Magpie-Tail Islet he reported to Emperor Ming, "Tai supplied silk to Yuan Yi, Governor of Yongzhou, for crossbow strings. He was a partisan in rebellion—when peace is restored, I ask for his family property. The emperor granted the request. The Wu household was then registered and confiscated. Only the family members escaped naked, while servants, goods, and property worth tens of millions all fell to Jing'er. The maid with whom he had earlier had the affair he immediately took as his concubine.
31
後為越騎校尉，桂陽王事起，隸齊高帝頓新亭。 賊矢石既交，休范白服乘輿勞樓下。 敬兒與黃回白高帝求詐降以取之。 高帝曰：「卿若辦事，當以本州相賞。」 敬兒相與出城南，放仗走，大呼稱降。 休範喜，召至輿側。 回陽致高帝密意，休範信之。 回目敬兒，敬兒奪取休范防身刀斬之，其左右百人皆散。 敬兒持首歸新亭。 除驍騎將軍，加輔國將軍。 高帝置酒謂敬兒曰：「非卿之功無今日。」
Later he became Commandant of the Rapid-as-Leopards Cavalry. When the Prince of Guiyang's revolt broke out he served under Emperor Gao of Qi at Xinting. As arrows and stones flew between the armies, Xiu Fan appeared in white dress in a carriage to encourage his troops below the tower. Jing'er and Huang Hui asked Emperor Gao's permission to feign surrender in order to seize Xiu Fan. Emperor Gao said, "If you succeed, I shall reward you with your home province. Jing'er went out south of the city with his men, cast aside their weapons, ran forward, and shouted that they surrendered. Xiu Fan was delighted and summoned them to the side of his carriage. Huang Hui conveyed Emperor Gao's secret intent, and Xiu Fan believed them. Huang Hui signaled Jing'er with his eyes. Jing'er seized Xiu Fan's personal sword and cut him down, and his hundred-odd attendants scattered. Jing'er carried the head back to Xinting. He was appointed Valiant Cavalry general and additionally made Pacifying-the-State general. Emperor Gao set out wine and said to Jing'er, "Without your merit there would be no today."
32
高帝以敬兒人位既輕，不欲使便為襄陽重鎮。 敬兒求之不已，乃微動高帝曰：「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。」 帝笑而無言，乃除雍州刺史，加都督，封襄陽縣侯。 部伍泊沔口，敬兒乘舴艋過江，詣晉熙王燮。 中江遇風船覆，左右丁壯者各泅水走，餘二小史沒船下求敬兒救，敬兒兩掖挾之，隨船仰得在水上，如此翻覆行數十里，方得迎接。 失所持節，更給之。
Emperor Gao, considering Jing'er's rank still too low, did not wish to place him immediately in the weighty post of Xiangyang. Jing'er begged without cease and then subtly urged Emperor Gao, saying, "Shen Youzhi is in Jingzhou—you know what he intends. If you do not send me out to guard against him, I fear it will not be to your advantage. The emperor smiled and said nothing, then appointed him Governor of Yongzhou with the added title of Area Commander and enfeoffed him as Marquis of Xiangyang county. His troops moored at Hankou. Jing'er took a skiff across the river to visit the Prince of Jinxi Xie Xie. Mid-river a storm capsized the boat. The strong young men on either side swam away, while two junior clerks clung under the boat begging Jing'er to save them. He held one under each arm, kept himself atop the overturned boat, and drifted for several tens of li before he was rescued. He lost the staff of authority he was carrying and was given a replacement.
33
至鎮，厚結攸之，得其事蹟，密白高帝，終無二心。 又與攸之司馬劉攘兵情款。 及蒼梧廢，敬兒疑攸之當因此起兵，密問攘兵，攘兵無所言，寄敬兒馬鐙一隻。 敬兒乃為備。
Upon reaching his post he cultivated close ties with Youzhi, gathered intelligence on his activities, secretly reported to Emperor Gao, and never wavered in loyalty. He also formed a warm bond with Youzhi's headquarters marshal Liu Rangbing. When Emperor Fei of Cangwu was deposed Jing'er suspected Youzhi would raise troops. He secretly questioned Liu Rangbing, who said nothing but sent Jing'er a single horse stirrup. Jing'er then made preparations.
34
升明元年冬，攸之反，遣使報敬兒。 勞接周至，為設食訖，列仗於聽事前斬之。 集部曲。 偵攸之下，當襲江陵。 敬兒告變使至，高帝大喜，進號鎮軍將軍，改督。
In the winter of the first year of Shengming Youzhi rebelled and sent envoys to notify Jing'er. He received them with exhaustive courtesy, entertained them at a meal, and when it was finished arrayed troops before the reception hall and beheaded them. He assembled his troops. Scouting Youzhi's movements, he prepared to strike Jiangling. When Jing'er's envoys reporting the rebellion arrived, Emperor Gao was greatly pleased and advanced his title to Pacifying-the-Army general with a change of area command.
35
攸之至郢城敗走，其子元琰與兼長史江乂、別駕傅宣等還江陵。 敬兒軍至白水，元琰聞城外鶴唳，謂是叫聲，恐懼欲走。 其夜，乂、宣開門出奔，城潰，元琰奔寵洲見殺。 敬兒至江陵，誅攸之親黨，沒入其財物數千萬，善者悉以入私，送台者百不一焉。 攸之于湯渚村自經死，居人送首荊州。 敬兒使楯擎之，蓋以青傘，徇諸市郭，乃送建鄴。 進爵為公。
Youzhi reached Yingcheng, was defeated, and fled. His son Yuan Yan, together with acting chief administrator Jiang Yi, vice-director Fu Xuan, and others returned to Jiangling. When Jing'er's army reached Baishui, Yuan Yan heard cranes crying outside the walls and mistook it for human shouting. Terrified, he prepared to flee. That night Jiang Yi and Fu Xuan opened the gates and fled. The city fell apart, and Yuan Yan fled to Chongzhou where he was killed. Jing'er reached Jiangling, executed Youzhi's kin and partisans, and confiscated property worth tens of millions. The best items he kept for himself; scarcely one in a hundred was sent to the court. Youzhi hanged himself at Tangzhu village, and the local people sent his head to Jingzhou. Jing'er had it borne on a shield, covered with a green umbrella, paraded through the market towns, and then sent to Jianye. His noble rank was advanced to duke.
36
敬兒在雍州貪殘，人間一物堪用，莫不奪取。 於襄陽城西起宅，聚物貨，宅大小殆侔襄陽。 又欲移羊叔子墮淚碑，於其處置台。 綱紀諫曰：「此羊太傅遺德，不宜遷動。」 敬兒曰：「太傅是誰，我不識。」
In Yongzhou Jing'er was greedy and cruel. Any usable object among the people, he seized it. West of Xiangyang he built a mansion and amassed goods until the estate in size nearly rivaled the city itself. He also wished to move Yang Hu's Falling-Tears stele and build a terrace in its place. The disciplinary officer remonstrated, saying, "This is the legacy of Grand Tutor Yang—it must not be moved. Jing'er said, "Who is the Grand Tutor? I do not know him."
37
及齊受禪，轉侍中、中軍將軍，遷散騎常侍、車騎將軍，置佐史。 高帝崩，遺詔加開府儀同三司。 於家竊泣曰：「官家大老天子可惜，太子年少，向我所不及也。」 及拜，王敬則戲之，呼為褚彥回。 敬兒曰：「我馬上所得，終不能作華林合勳也。」 敬則甚恨焉。
When Qi received the abdication he was transferred to Palace Attendant and General of the Army for the Center, then to Regular Attendant of the Scattered Cavalry and General of Chariots and Cavalry with a full staff. When Emperor Gao died, his testamentary edict granted him the privilege of an office equal to the Three Excellencies. At home he wept privately and said, "The old emperor is a pity. The crown prince is young—not the man I could have matched. When he went to receive the appointment Wang Jingze teased him and called him Chu Yanhui. Jing'er said, "What I won on horseback—I could never become one of those Huailin merit-holders. Jingze took great offense.
38
初，敬兒微時，有妻毛氏，生子道門，而鄉里尚氏女有色貌，敬兒悅之，遂棄毛氏而納尚氏為室。 及居三司，尚氏猶居襄陽宅。 慮不復外出，乃迎家口悉下至都，啟武帝，不蒙勞問。 敬兒心自疑。 及垣崇祖死，愈恐懼。 性好卜術，信夢尤甚，初征荊州，每見諸將帥，不遑有餘計，唯敘夢云：「未貴時，夢居村中，社樹欻高數十丈。 及在雍州，又夢社樹直上至天。」 以此誘說部曲，自雲貴不可言。 由是不自測量，無知。 又使於鄉里為謠言，使小兒輩歌曰：「天子在何處？ 宅在赤谷口，天子是阿誰？ 非豬如是狗。」 敬兒家在冠軍，宅前有地名赤穀。 既得開府，又望班劍，語人曰：「我車邊猶少班蘭物。」
In his early days Jing'er had a wife of the Mao clan who bore the son Daomen, but a daughter of the Shang clan in his village was beautiful. Jing'er was smitten, abandoned Lady Mao, and took Lady Shang as his principal wife. Even after he held one of the Three Excellencies, Lady Shang still lived at the Xiangyang residence. Fearing he would never leave the capital again, he brought his entire household to the capital and reported to Emperor Wu, but received no gracious inquiry. Jing'er grew suspicious. When Yuan Chongzu was killed his fear only grew. By nature he loved divination and especially trusted dreams. When he first went out to Jingzhou, whenever he met the generals he had no time for anything else but to recount his dreams, saying, "Before I was honored I dreamed I lived in a village where the community tree suddenly grew several tens of zhang high. In Yongzhou he dreamed again that the community tree shot straight up to heaven. With this he wooed his troops, declaring that his destiny was beyond words. Thus he lost all sense of measure and judgment. He also spread rumors in his home village and had little boys sing, "Where is the Son of Heaven? His residence is at Red Valley Mouth—who is the Son of Heaven? Not a pig but like a dog. Jing'er's family was in Guanjun, and before his residence was a place named Red Valley. Once he had obtained the privilege of an equal office he also coveted the ceremonial swords and told people, "Beside my carriage I still lack the ceremonial guard."
39
敬兒長自荒遠，少習武事，既從容都下，又四方寧靖，益不得志。 其妻尚氏亦曰：「吾昔夢一手熱如火，而君得南陽郡； 元徽中，夢一髀熱如火，君得本州； 建元中，夢半體熱，尋得開府； 今復舉體熱矣。」 以告所親，言其妻初夢次夢，又言：「今舉體熱矣」。 閹人聞其言說之，事達武帝。 敬兒又遣使與蠻中交關，武帝疑有異志，永明元年，敕朝臣華林八關齋，於坐收敬兒。 初，左右雷仲顯常以盈滿誡敬兒，不能從，至是知有變，抱敬兒泣，敬兒脫冠貂投地曰：「用此物誤我。」 及子道門、道暢、道休並伏誅，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。
Jing'er had long come from remote borderlands and in youth knew only military affairs. Once he was settled in the capital and the realm was at peace, he grew all the more restless. His wife Lady Shang also said, "I once dreamed one hand hot as fire, and you obtained Nanyang commandery; in the Yuanhui era I dreamed one thigh hot as fire and you obtained your home province; in the Jianyuan era I dreamed half my body hot, and soon you obtained the equal office; now my whole body is hot again. She told her intimates of these dreams in sequence and again said, "Now my whole body is hot." Eunuchs heard her words and reported them, and the matter reached Emperor Wu. Jing'er also sent envoys to maintain relations with the tribes, and Emperor Wu suspected disloyal intent. In the first year of Yongming he ordered the court gentlemen to the Huailin Eight-Gates fast and seized Jing'er at the gathering. His attendant Lei Zhongxian had often warned him against excess, but he would not listen. When trouble came Lei embraced him and wept. Jing'er cast off his cap and sable to the ground and said, "These things have ruined me. His sons Daomen, Daochang, and Daoxiu were all executed, while the youngest son Daoqing was spared. Several years later the emperor and the Prince of Yuzhang Xie held a three-day winding-water banquet. A skiff drifted before the imperial seat and capsized, and the emperor spoke of Jing'er and regretted having killed him.
40
敬兒始不識書，及為方伯，乃習學讀孝經、論語。 初徵為護軍，乃潛於密室中屏人學揖讓答對，空中俯仰，妾侍竊窺笑焉。 將拜三司，謂其妻嫂曰：「我拜後府開黃合。」 因口自為鼓聲。 初得鼓吹，羞便奏之。 又于新林慈姥廟為妾祈子祝神，口自稱三公，其鄙俚如此。
Jing'er at first could not read. When he became a regional commander he studied the Classic of Filial Piety and the Analects. When first summoned as Guardian of the Army he secretly practiced bowing, yielding, and court replies alone in a sealed room, bowing up and down to empty air while his concubines peeked in and laughed. When about to receive appointment among the Three Excellencies he told his wife and sisters-in-law, "After I am appointed my headquarters will open the yellow gate. He then beat out drum sounds with his mouth. When he first obtained martial music he was embarrassed but had it played at once. He also prayed at the Cimu Temple in Xinlin for a son on behalf of a concubine, calling himself one of the Three Excellencies aloud—such was his vulgarity.
41
始其母于田中臥，夢犬子有角舐之，已而有娠而生敬兒，故初名苟兒。 又生一子，因苟兒之名復名豬兒。 宋明帝嫌苟兒名鄙，改為敬兒，故豬兒亦改為恭兒，位正員郎，謝病歸本縣，常居上保村，不肯出仕，與居人不異。 與敬兒愛友甚篤。 及聞敬兒敗，走入蠻。 後首出，原其罪。
His mother once lay in the fields and dreamed a horned dog-pup licked her. She then became pregnant and bore Jing'er, who was first named Gou'er. She bore another son and, following Gou'er's name, called him Zhu'er. Emperor Ming of Song disliked the vulgarity of the name Gou'er and changed it to Jing'er, so Zhu'er was renamed Gong'er. He held the post of regular gentleman, cited illness, and returned to his home county, living in Shangbao village and refusing office, no different from the local people. He and Jing'er were deeply devoted to each other. When he heard of Jing'er's defeat he fled into the tribal lands. Later he surrendered and was pardoned.
42
崔慧景
Cui Huijing
43
崔慧景字君山，清河東武城人也。 祖構，奉朝請。 父系之，州別駕。
Cui Huijing, styled Junshan, was a native of Dongwucheng in Qinghe commandery. His grandfather Gou was a court gentleman attendant. His father Xizhi was a provincial vice-director.
44
慧景少有志業，仕宋為長水校尉。 齊高帝在淮陰，慧景與宗人祖思同時自結。 及高帝受禪，封樂安縣子，為都督、梁南秦二州刺史。 永明四年，為司州刺史。 母喪，詔起復本任。 慧景每罷州，輒傾資獻奉，動數百萬。 武帝以此嘉之。 十年，為都督、豫州刺史。
From youth Huijing was ambitious. He served under Song as Commandant of the Long River. When Emperor Gao of Qi was in Huaiyin, Huijing and his clansman Zusi pledged themselves to him at the same time. When Emperor Gao received the abdication he was enfeoffed as Viscount of Le'an county and appointed Area Commander and Governor of Liang and Nanqin provinces. In the fourth year of Yongming he became Inspector of Sizhou. When his mother died an edict ordered him to resume his former post before mourning was complete. Whenever Huijing left a province he poured out his wealth in tribute to the throne, often reaching millions. Emperor Wu praised him for this. In the tenth year he became Area Commander and Inspector of Yuzhou.
45
郁林即位，慧景以少主新立，密與魏通，朝廷疑之。 明帝輔政，遣梁武帝至壽春安慰之。 慧景密啟送誠勸進。 建武四年，為度支尚書，領太子左率。
When the Prince of Yulin took the throne Huijing, seeing a young emperor newly enthroned, secretly communicated with Wei, and the court grew suspicious. When Emperor Ming was regent he sent Emperor Wu of Liang to Shouchun to reassure him. Huijing secretly memorialized pledging his loyalty and urging the regent to advance. In the fourth year of Jianwu he became Minister of Revenue and concurrently led the Left Guard of the Crown Prince.
46
東昏即位，為護軍。 時輔國將軍徐世標專權號令，慧景備員而已。 帝既誅戮將相，舊臣皆盡，慧景自以年宿位重，轉不自安。 及裴叔業以壽陽降魏，即授慧景平西將軍，假節、侍中、護軍如故。 率軍水路征壽陽。 軍頓白下將發，帝長圍屏除，出琅邪城送之。 帝戎服坐樓上，召慧景騎進圍內，無一人自隨，裁交數言，拜辭而去。 慧景出至白下甚喜，曰：「頸非復小豎等所折也。」 子覺為直合將軍，慧景密與之期。
When Emperor Donghun took the throne he was appointed Guardian of the Army. At that time Pacifying-the-State general Xu Shibiao monopolized power; Huijing was only a name on the roster. Since the emperor had executed generals and ministers and the old officials were gone, Huijing, aged and high in rank, grew ever more uneasy. When Pei Shuye surrendered Shouyang to Wei, Huijing was at once appointed General Who Pacifies the West, with borrowed staff, retaining his posts as Palace Attendant and Guardian of the Army. He led the army by water to campaign against Shouyang. The army halted at Baixia about to set out. The emperor had the long screens removed and went out from Langye city to see him off. The emperor in military dress sat on the tower and summoned Huijing to ride into the enclosure alone. They exchanged only a few words before Huijing bowed and departed. Huijing left for Baixia greatly pleased and said, "This neck is no longer something those little boys can break. His son Jue was a direct-gate general, and Huijing secretly made an appointment with him.
47
時江夏王寶玄鎮京口，聞慧景北行，遣左右余文興說之曰：「朝廷任用群小，猜害忠賢，江、劉、徐、沈，君之所見，身雖魯、衛，亦不知滅亡何時。 君今段之舉，有功亦死，無功亦死，欲何求所免。 機不可失，今擁強兵，北取廣陵，收吳、楚勁卒； 身舉州以相應，取大功如反掌耳。」 慧景常不自安，聞言回應。
At that time the Prince of Jiangxia Bao Xuan garrisoned Jingkou. Hearing Huijing was marching north he sent his attendant Yu Wenxing to persuade him, saying, "The court employs petty men and suspects and harms the loyal—Jiang, Liu, Xu, Shen, as you have seen. Though one be as secure as Lu or Wei, one still cannot know when ruin will come. In this expedition, with merit you die, without merit you die—what do you seek by which to escape? The opportunity cannot be lost. Now that you hold a strong army, take Guangling in the north and gather the stalwart troops of Wu and Chu; I shall raise my province to join you—great merit will be as easy as turning your hand over. Huijing was often ill at ease and, hearing these words, agreed.
48
于時廬陵王長史蕭寅、司馬崔恭祖守廣陵城，慧景以寶玄事告恭祖。 恭祖先無宿契，口雖相和，心實不同。 還以事告寅，共為閉城計。 寅心謂恭祖與慧景同，謂曰：「廢昏立明，人情所樂，寧可違拒。」 恭祖猶執不同。 俄而慧景至，恭祖閉門不敢出。 慧景知其異己，泣數行而去。
At that time the Prince of Luling's chief administrator Xiao Yin and headquarters marshal Cui Gongzu guarded Guangling. Huijing told Gongzu of Bao Xuan's plan. Gongzu had no prior bond with him. Though he agreed in words, his heart was not in it. He returned and told Yin, and together they planned to shut the city gates. Yin assumed Gongzu was of one mind with Huijing and said to him, "To depose the benighted and establish the enlightened is what all men desire—how can we refuse? Gongzu still refused. Soon Huijing arrived. Gongzu shut the gates and would not come out. Huijing knew he was not with him, wept, and departed.
49
中兵參軍張慶延、明岩卿等勸慧景襲取廣陵，及密遣軍主劉靈運間行突入。 慧景俄系至，遂據其城。 子覺至，仍使領兵襲京口。 寶玄本謂大軍並來，及見人少，極失所望，拒覺，擊走之。 恭祖及覺精兵八千濟江。 恭祖心本不同反，至蒜山，欲斬覺以軍降京口，事既不果而止。
Central army aide Zhang Qingyan, Ming Yanqing, and others urged Huijing to seize Guangling by surprise and secretly sent army commander Liu Lingyun by a hidden route to burst in. Huijing soon arrived and occupied the city. His son Jue arrived and was at once sent to lead troops in a surprise attack on Jingkou. Bao Xuan had expected the full army to come. When he saw only a small force he was bitterly disappointed, rejected Jue, and drove him off. Gongzu and Jue crossed the river with eight thousand picked troops. Gongzu had never agreed to rebellion. Reaching Suanshan he wished to behead Jue and surrender the army to Jingkou, but when the plan failed he abandoned it.
50
覺等軍器精嚴，柳憕、沈佚之等謂寶玄曰：「崔護軍威名既重，乃誠可見，既已唇齒，忽中道立異。 彼以樂歸之眾，亂江而濟，誰能拒之。」 於是登北固樓，並千蠟燭為烽火，舉以應覺。 帝聞變，以右衛將軍左興盛假節、督都下水陸眾軍。 慧景停二日，便率大眾一時俱濟江，趣京口，寶玄仍以覺為前鋒，恭祖次之，慧景領大都督為眾軍節度。 東府、石頭、白下、新亭諸城皆潰，左興盛走，不得入宮，逃淮渚荻船中，慧景禽殺之。 慧景稱宣德皇后令，廢帝為吳王。
Jue's troops were well armed. Liu Yun, Shen Yizhi, and others said to Bao Xuan, "Guardian of the Army Cui's reputation is formidable and his sincerity is plain. We are already bound together—why break apart midway? They cross the river with troops eager for victory—who can stop them? Thereupon they ascended the Beigu tower, lit a thousand wax candles as beacon fires, and signaled to Jue. The emperor heard of the revolt and made Right Guard general Zuo Xingsheng bearer of borrowed staff to command all land and water forces below the capital. Huijing halted two days, then led his entire force across the river at once toward Jingkou. Bao Xuan made Jue the vanguard, Gongzu second, and Huijing as Grand Commander directed all the armies. The Eastern Headquarters, Shitou, Baixia, Xinting, and all the cities fell. Zuo Xingsheng fled, could not enter the palace, hid among reed boats on the Huai shallows, and Huijing captured and killed him. Huijing proclaimed an order in the name of the Empress Dowager of Xuande and deposed the emperor as Prince of Wu.
51
時柳憕別推寶玄，恭祖為寶玄羽翼，不復承奉，慧景嫌之。 巴陵王昭胄先逃人間，出投慧景，意更向之，故猶豫未知所立，此聲頗泄。 憕、恭祖始貳于慧景。 又恭祖勸慧景射火箭燒北掖樓，慧景以大事垂定，後若更造，費用功多，不從其計。 性好談義，兼解佛理，頓法輪寺，對客高談，恭祖深懷怨望。
At that time Liu Yun backed Bao Xuan separately. Gongzu served as Bao Xuan's wing and no longer obeyed Huijing, who resented this. The Prince of Baling Zhao Zhou had earlier fled into hiding and came out to join Huijing. Huijing leaned toward enthroning him and hesitated, unsure whom to establish, and word of this leaked out. Liu Yun and Gongzu then turned against Huijing. Gongzu also urged Huijing to shoot fire arrows and burn the North Wing Attendant tower. Huijing, thinking the great affair nearly settled and that rebuilding would cost too much labor, refused. By nature he loved philosophical discourse and understood Buddhist doctrine. He halted at Falun Temple and discoursed loftily with guests, while Gongzu harbored deep resentment.
52
先是，衛尉蕭懿為豫州刺史，自歷陽步道征壽陽，帝遣密使告之。 懿率軍主胡松、李居士等自採石濟岸，頓越城舉火，台城中鼓叫稱慶。 恭祖先勸慧景遣二千人斷西岸軍，令不得度，慧景以城旦夕降，外救自然應散，不許。 恭祖請擊義師，又不許。 乃遣子覺將精甲數千人度南岸，義師昧旦進戰，覺大敗。 慧景人情離沮。
Earlier Commandant of the Guards Xiao Yi, Inspector of Yuzhou, was marching from Liyang by land to campaign against Shouyang. The emperor sent a secret envoy to inform him. Yi led army commanders Hu Song, Li Jushi, and others across from Caishi, halted at Yuecheng and raised beacon fires, and within the capital drums and shouts proclaimed celebration. Gongzu first urged Huijing to send two thousand men to block the army on the west bank. Huijing, thinking the city would surrender within days and outside relief would disperse on its own, refused. Gongzu asked to attack the loyalist army, and again Huijing refused. He then sent his son Jue with several thousand picked troops across the south bank. The loyalist army attacked at dawn and routed Jue. Huijing's men lost heart.
53
恭祖頓軍興皇寺，於東宮掠得女妓，覺來逼奪，由是忿恨。 其夜，崔恭祖與驍將劉靈運詣城降。 慧景乃將腹心數人潛去，欲北度江，城北諸軍不知，猶為拒戰。 城內出蕩，殺數百人，慧景餘眾皆奔。
Gongzu encamped at Xinghuang Temple and plundered female entertainers from the Eastern Palace. When Jue came to seize them by force he grew resentful. That night Cui Gongzu and fierce general Liu Lingyun went to the city to surrender. Huijing then slipped away secretly with several trusted men, intending to cross the river north. The armies north of the city did not know and still fought on. The city sent out raiders and killed several hundred men. Huijing's remaining troops all fled.
54
慧景圍城凡十二日，軍旅散在都下，不為營壘。 及走，眾於道稍散，單馬至蟹浦，投漁人太叔榮之。 榮之故為慧景門人，時為蟹浦戍，謂之曰：「吾以樂賜汝，汝為吾覓酒。」 既而為榮之所斬，以頭內魷籃中擔送都。
Huijing besieged the city for twelve days in all. His troops were scattered through the capital and made no encampments. As he fled his men gradually dispersed along the road. Alone on horseback he reached Xiepu and threw himself on the fisherman Taishu Rongzhi. Rongzhi had formerly been Huijing's follower and was then garrisoned at Xiepu. He said to him, "I give you my belt as a gift—you find wine for me. Shortly afterward Rongzhi beheaded him, placed his head in a cuttlefish basket, and carried it to the capital.
55
恭祖者，慧景宗人，驍果便馬韒，氣力絕人，頻經軍陣。 討王敬則，與左興盛軍容袁文曠爭敬則首，訴明帝曰：「恭祖禿馬絳衫，手刺倒敬則，故文曠得斬其首。 以死易勳而見枉奪。 若失此勳，要當刺殺左興盛。」 帝以其勇健，謂興盛曰：「何容令恭祖與文曠爭功。」 慧景平後，恭祖系尚方，少時殺之。 覺亡命為道人，見執伏法。
Gongzu was Huijing's clansman, fierce and bold, skilled with horse and saddle, of surpassing strength, and had seen many battles. Campaigning against Wang Jingze he disputed with Zuo Xingsheng's army aide Yuan Wenkuan over Jingze's head and appealed to Emperor Ming, saying, "Gongzu, bareheaded on a red horse in a crimson shirt, personally stabbed and felled Jingze, so Wenkuan was able to cut off his head. I risked death for merit yet was wrongly deprived of it. If I lose this merit I shall certainly kill Zuo Xingsheng. The emperor, impressed by his courage, said to Xingsheng, "How can we let Gongzu and Wenkuan dispute over merit?" After Huijing's revolt was crushed Gongzu was imprisoned in the Masters of Works and soon executed. Jue fled and became a Daoist priest. He was seized and executed.
56
覺弟偃，年十八便身長八尺，博涉書記，善蟲篆，為始安內史，藏竄得免。 和帝西台立，以為甯朔將軍。 中興元年，詣公車尚書申冤，言多指斥，尋下獄死。
Jue's younger brother Yan was already eight chi tall at eighteen, widely read in documents, skilled in seal script, and served as Inner Scribe of Shi'an. He hid and escaped punishment. When Emperor He established the Western Terrace he was made Ningshuo general. In the first year of Zhongxing he went to the Masters of Carriages to declare his grievance. His words were largely accusatory, and soon he was imprisoned and died.
57
先是，東陽女子婁逞變服詐為丈夫，粗知圍棋，解文義，遍遊公卿，仕至揚州議曹從事。 事發，明帝驅令還東。 逞始作婦人服而去，歎曰：「如此之伎，還為老嫗，豈不惜哉。」 此人妖也。 陰而欲為陽，事不果故泄，敬則、遙光、顯達、慧景之應也。 舊史裴叔業有傳，事終於魏，今略之云。
Earlier a woman named Lou Cheng of Dongyang disguised herself as a man. She knew go roughly, understood literary texts, traveled among the great families, and rose to Attendant of the Deliberation Office of Yangzhou. When the affair was exposed Emperor Ming sent her back east. Cheng put on women's dress again and departed, sighing, "With such talents, to return to being an old woman—is that not a pity? This person was an omen of disorder. Yin wishing to become yang—the affair failed and was exposed; this was the omen fulfilled by Jingze, Yaoguang, Xianda, and Huijing. The old history had a biography of Pei Shuye, whose story ended in Wei; it is omitted here.
58
論曰：光武功臣所以能終身名者，豈唯不任職事，亦以繼奉章、明，心存正嫡。 王、陳拔跡奮飛，則建元、永明之運，身極鼎將，則建武、永明之朝。 勳非往時，位踰昔等，禮授雖重，情分不交。 加以主猜政亂，危亡慮及，舉手扞頭，人思自免。 干戈既用，誠淪犯上之跡，敵國起於同舟，況又疏於此也。 敬兒挾震主之勇，當鳥盡之運，內惑邪夢，跡涉覬覦，其至殲亡，亦其理也。 慧景以亂濟亂，能無及乎。
Discussion: The meritorious ministers of Emperor Guangwu preserved their reputations to the end not only because they stepped back from office, but also because they continued to serve the Zhang and Ming emperors and upheld the legitimate succession. Wang and Chen rose from humble origins in the age of Jianyuan and Yongming, and reached the pinnacle of power as generals and ministers in the courts of Jianwu and Yongming. Their merit did not match that of earlier times, their posts exceeded past ranks, ceremonial honors were lavish, but emotional bonds were never formed. Added to this, the ruler was suspicious and government chaotic. With ruin in sight, every man raised his hands to his head and thought only of saving himself. Once arms were taken up, they truly became rebels. Enemies arose even among those in the same boat—how much more when even that bond was gone? Jing'er, relying on the courage that awes the ruler, met the fortune of when the bow is unstrung, was inwardly deluded by evil dreams, and showed the marks of ambition—to be destroyed was only to be expected. Huijing used disorder to answer disorder—how could he escape the same end?