1
明皇帝諱叡,字元仲,文帝太子也。 生而太祖愛之,常令在左右。 〈《魏書》曰:帝生數歲而有岐嶷之姿,武皇帝異之,曰:「我基於爾三世矣。」 每朝宴會同,與侍中近臣並列帷幄。 好學多識,特留意於法理。〉 年十五,封武德侯,黃初二年爲齊公,三年爲平原王。 以其母誅,故未建爲嗣。 〈《魏略》曰:文帝以郭后無子,詔使子養帝。 帝以母不以道終,意甚不平。 後不獲已,乃敬事郭后,旦夕因長御問起居,郭后亦自以無子,遂加慈愛。 文帝始以帝不恱,有意欲以他姬子京兆王爲嗣,故久不拜太子。 魏末傳曰:帝常從文帝獵,見子母鹿。 文帝射殺鹿母,使帝射鹿子,帝不從,曰:「陛下已殺其母,臣不忍復殺其子。」 因涕泣。 文帝即放弓箭,以此深奇之,而樹立之意定。〉 七年夏五月,帝病篤,乃立爲皇太子。 丁巳,即皇帝位,大赦。 尊皇太后曰太皇太后,皇后曰皇太后。 諸臣封爵各有差。 〈《世語》曰:帝與朝士素不接,即位之後,羣下想聞風采。 居數日,獨見侍中劉曄,語盡日。 衆人側聽,曄旣出,問「何如」? 曄曰:「秦始皇、漢孝武之儔,才具微不及耳。」〉 癸未,追謚母甄夫人曰文昭皇后。 壬辰,立皇弟蕤爲陽平王。
Emperor Ming—personal name Rui, courtesy Yuanzhong—was the crown prince of Emperor Wen (Cao Pi). From infancy Cao Cao (posthumously Emperor Wu of Wei) doted on the boy and kept him constantly at his side. 〈The Wei Shu relates that even as a small child he showed unusual promise; Cao Cao marveled and told him, "You will be the foundation for three generations of my line." At banquets and assemblies he was brought in with the adults, standing beside Palace Attendants and senior ministers inside the curtain. He was studious and well read, with a particular eye for law and jurisprudence.〉 At fifteen he received the title Marquis of Wude; in Huangchu 2 he was made Duke of Qi, and in Huangchu 3 Prince of Pingyuan. Because his birth mother had been put to death, he was not immediately named successor. 〈The Wei Lue records that Empress Guo had no children, so Emperor Wen ordered her to adopt the boy as her own. He still burned with resentment over the unjust fate of his natural mother. In time he had no choice but to honor Empress Guo; each day he sent senior attendants to ask after her, and she, childless herself, responded with growing affection. Cao Pi saw the boy's discontent and for a time considered naming another son—the Prince of Jingzhao—as heir, so Rui went long without the crown prince's title. The Wei Mo Zhuan tells how he once joined his father on a hunt and came upon a doe and fawn. Cao Pi killed the doe and ordered the boy to shoot the fawn; Rui refused: "You have already slain the mother—I cannot bring myself to kill the young." He burst into tears. Cao Pi lowered his bow and was struck by the boy's character; from then on his mind was set on making Rui his heir.〉 In the fifth month of summer in the seventh year of Huangchu, as Cao Pi lay dying, Rui was at last named crown prince. On dingsi he ascended the throne and issued a general amnesty. The empress dowager was elevated to grand empress dowager, and the empress became empress dowager. Officials were ennobled according to their merit. 〈The Shi Yu notes that Rui had kept to himself before his accession; once on the throne, the whole court was eager to see what kind of ruler he would be. A few days in, he held a private, day-long interview with only Liu Ye, the Palace Attendant. Others strained to overhear; when Liu Ye emerged, they pressed him: "Well? What is he like?" Liu Ye replied: "In the mold of Qin Shi Huang and Emperor Wu of Han—perhaps a notch below in sheer ability."〉 On guiwei he posthumously ennobled his mother Lady Zhen as Empress Wenzhao. On renchen his younger brother was invested as Prince of Yangping.
2
八月,孫權攻江夏郡,太守文聘堅守。 朝議欲發兵救之,帝曰:「權習水戰,所以敢下船陸攻者,幾掩不備也。 今已與聘相持,夫攻守勢倍,終不敢久也。」 先時遣治書侍御史荀禹慰勞邊方,禹到,於江夏發所經縣兵及所從步騎千人乘山舉火,權退走。
That August Sun Quan struck Jiangxia; Grand Warden Wen Pin refused to yield. The court wanted to dispatch a relief force, but the emperor objected: "Sun Quan lives on the water—he only braves a land attack to catch us off guard. He is already tied down by Wen Pin; besiegers wear down faster than defenders, and Sun Quan will not linger." The court had already sent Imperial Clerk Xun Yu to comfort the borderlands; when he reached Jiangxia he mustered county troops along his route, took a thousand of his escort up a ridge, and lit signal fires—whereupon Sun Quan broke off the siege and withdrew.
3
太和元年春正月,郊祀武皇帝以配天,宗祀文皇帝於明堂以配上帝。 分江夏南部,置江夏南部都尉。 西平麴英反,殺臨羌令、西都長,遣將軍郝昭、鹿磐討斬之。 二月辛未,帝耕于藉田。 辛巳,立文昭皇后寢廟於鄴。 丁亥,朝日于東郊。 夏四月乙亥,行五銖錢。 甲申,初營宗廟。 秋八月,夕月于西郊。 冬十月丙寅,治兵于東郊。 焉耆王遣子入侍。 十一月,立皇后毛氏。 賜天下男子爵人二級,鰥寡孤獨不能自存者賜穀。 十二月,封后父毛嘉爲列侯。 新城太守孟達反,詔驃騎將軍司馬宣王討之。 〈《三輔決錄》曰:伯郎,涼州人,名不令休。 其注曰:伯郎姓孟,名他,扶風人。 靈帝時。 中常侍張讓專朝政,讓監奴典護家事。 他仕不遂,乃盡以家財賂監奴,與共結親,積年家業爲之破盡。 衆奴皆慙,問他所欲,他曰:「欲得卿曹拜耳。」 奴被恩久,皆許諾。 時賔客求見讓者,門下車常數百乘,或累日不得通。 他最後到,衆奴伺其至,皆迎車而拜,徑將他車獨入。 衆人悉驚,謂他與讓善,爭以珍物遺他。 他得之,盡以賂讓,讓大喜。 他又以蒲桃酒一斛遺讓,即拜涼州刺史。 他生達,少入蜀。 其處蜀事迹在劉封傳。 《魏略》曰:達以延康元年率部曲四千餘家歸魏。 文帝時初即王位,旣宿知有達,聞其來,甚恱,令貴臣有識察者往觀之,還曰「將帥之才也」,或曰「卿相之器也」,王益欽達。 逆與達書曰:「近日有命,未足達旨,何者? 昔伊摯背商而歸周,百里去虞而入秦,樂毅感鴟夷以蟬蛻,王遵識逆順以去就,皆審興廢之符效,知成敗之必然,故丹青畫其形容,良史載其功勳。 聞卿姿度純茂,器量優絕,當騁能明時,收名傳記。 今者翻然濯鱗清流,甚相嘉樂,虛心西望,依依若舊,下筆屬辭,歡心從之。 昔虞卿入趙,再見取相,陳平就漢,一覲參乘,孤今於卿,情過於往,故致所御馬物以昭忠愛。」 又曰:「今者海內清定,萬里一統,三垂無風塵之警,中夏無狗吠之虞,以是弛罔闊禁,與世無疑,保官空虛,初無資任。 卿來相就,當明孤意,慎勿令家人繽紛道路,以親駭疏也。 若卿欲來相見,且當先安部曲,有所保固,然後徐徐輕騎來東。」 達旣至譙,進見閑雅,才辯過人,衆莫不屬目。 又王近出,乘小輦,執達手,撫其背戲之曰:「卿得無爲劉備刺客邪?」 遂與同載。 又加拜散騎常侍,領新城太守,委以西南之任。 時衆臣或以爲待之太猥,又不宜委以方任。 王聞之曰:「吾保其無他,亦譬以蒿箭射蒿中耳。」 達旣爲文帝所寵,又與桓階、夏侯尚親善,及文帝崩,時桓、尚皆卒,達自以羈旅久在疆場,心不自安。 諸葛亮聞之,陰欲誘達,數書招之,達與相報荅。 魏興太守申儀與達有隙,密表達與蜀潛通,帝未之信也。 司馬宣王遣參軍梁幾察之,又勸其入朝。 達驚懼,遂反。 干寶《晉紀》曰:達初入新城,登白馬塞,歎曰:「劉封、申耽,據金城千里而失之乎!」〉
In the first month of spring, Taihe 1, he offered the suburban sacrifice to Emperor Wu (Cao Cao) as Heaven's counterpart and honored Emperor Wen in the Bright Hall as God's counterpart. The southern portion of Jiangxia was split off and placed under a new southern Jiangxia commandant. Qu Ying rose in Xiping, murdered the magistrate of Linqiang and the chief of Xidu; Generals Hao Zhao and Lu Pan were sent to crush the revolt and executed him. On xinwei in the second month the emperor performed the spring plowing rite in the sacred field. On xinsi a temple for Empress Wenzhao was dedicated at Ye. On dinghai he performed the rite to the sun at the eastern suburban altar. In the fourth month of summer, on yihai, the five-zhu coin was put into circulation. On jiashen work began on the imperial ancestral shrine. In the eighth month of autumn he sacrificed to the moon at the western suburban altar. On bingyin in the tenth winter month he reviewed the army at the eastern suburbs. The ruler of Yanqi sent a royal son to the Wei court as hostage-attendant. In the eleventh month Lady Mao was enthroned as empress. Every male subject received two steps in rank; grain was granted to widowers, widows, orphans, and others unable to fend for themselves. In the twelfth month the empress's father, Mao Jia, was made a full marquis. When Grand Warden Meng Da rebelled at Xincheng, Sima Yi was ordered to lead the punitive expedition. 〈The Sanfu Juelu introduces "Bo Lang," a Liangzhou native registered as Bu Lingxiu. The gloss identifies him as Meng Ta of Fufeng—Bo Lang was his nickname. This was under Emperor Ling of Han. Eunuch Zhang Rang dominated the court; a steward-slave ran his household. Meng Ta could not get ahead in office, so he poured his fortune into bribing that steward, sealed the tie with a marriage—and ruined himself over several years. The slaves were all ashamed; they asked what he desired, and he said, "I wish to obtain your company's bows to me." Indebted to him by then, they agreed. Clients mobbed Zhang Rang's gate—hundreds of carriages—yet many waited days without an audience. Meng Ta arrived last; the stewards rushed out, bowed at his carriage, and ushered only him straight through the gate. The crowd assumed he was Zhang Rang's intimate and showered him with gifts. Meng Ta passed every gift on to Zhang Rang, who was delighted. A hu of wine sealed the deal—he received appointment as governor of Liangzhou. Meng Ta's son was Meng Da, who went to Shu while young. His career in Shu is told in Liu Feng's biography. The Wei Lue records that in Yan Kang 1 Meng Da brought over four thousand households of followers and surrendered to Wei. At the time of Emperor Wen, when [the king of Wei] had first assumed the princely rank, he had long known of Da's existence; hearing of his coming, he was greatly pleased and ordered eminent ministers with judgment to go observe him; they returned saying "He has the talent of a general," others saying "He has the capacity of a minister"; the king esteemed Da all the more. He wrote back at once: "My recent order barely hinted at my meaning—why? Think of Yi Yin leaving Shang for Zhou, Baili Xi quitting Yu for Qin, Yue Yi slipping away as legend tells, Wang Zun reading the times—they saw how dynasties rise and fall, so artists painted them and historians enshrined them. They say your gifts are ample and your stature uncommon—you belong in a brilliant reign and merit a place in the histories. Now that you have crossed into clear water I rejoice; I wait toward the west as toward an old friend, and every line I write follows gladly. Yu Qing won Zhao's premiership on his second audience; Chen Ping became Liu Bang's companion after one meeting—I cherish you more than those tales warrant, so I send horses from my own stable as a token." The letter went on: "Now the seas within are settled and clear, the ten thousand li are unified, the three frontiers have no alarm of dust and wind, and the central realm has no danger of barking dogs. Therefore nets are loosened and prohibitions broadened; the age is treated without suspicion, and official posts stand empty with no initial qualification required. When you come, heed my meaning—do not clog the roads with kin and wagons and frighten observers. If you want a meeting, settle your troops and rear echelon first, then come east at an easy pace with a light escort." When Meng Da reached Qiao, his bearing at audience was poised and his eloquence striking—all eyes were on him. Soon after Cao Pi went out in a small carriage, took Meng Da's hand, clapped his back, and joked, "You aren't Liu Bei's assassin, are you?" Then he pulled Meng Da into the carriage beside him. He named him irregular palace attendant and concurrent grand warden of Xincheng, charging him with the southwest. Some ministers felt he was rewarded too lavishly and unsuited to frontier command. The king replied, "I trust him—it is like shooting mugwort with a mugwort arrow," meaning little threat. Meng Da had enjoyed Cao Pi's favor and been close to Huan Jie and Xiahou Shang; when Cao Pi died both men were already gone, and Meng Da—long a wanderer on the frontier—grew uneasy. Zhuge Liang learned of his anxiety and secretly courted him with repeated letters; Meng Da answered back. Shen Yi of Weixing, who despised Meng Da, secretly reported a Shu conspiracy—the emperor dismissed it. Sima Yi sent staff officer Liang Ji to watch him and pressed him to come to court. Panicked, Meng Da rose in revolt. Gan Bao records Meng Da sighing atop Baima Pass when he first took Xincheng: "Liu Feng and Shen Dan held a thousand li of strongholds—and lost them all."〉
4
二年春正月,宣王攻破新城,斬達,傳其首。 〈《魏略》曰:宣王誘達將李輔及達甥鄧賢,賢等開門內軍。 達被圍旬有六日而敗,焚其首于洛陽四達之衢。〉 分新城之上庸、武陵、巫縣爲上庸郡,錫縣爲錫郡。
In the first month of spring in the second year of Taihe, Sima Yi took Xincheng, executed Meng Da, and sent his head to the capital. 〈The Wei Lue says Sima Yi turned Meng Da's general Li Fu and nephew Deng Xian, who opened the gates to Wei troops. After sixteen days under siege Meng Da fell; his head was burned at the great crossroads in Luoyang.〉 Shangyong, Wuling, and Wu were carved out of Xincheng as a new Shangyong commandery; Xi county became Xi commandery.
5
蜀大將諸葛亮寇邊,天水、南安、安定三郡吏民叛應亮。 〈《魏書》曰:是時朝臣未知計所出,帝曰:「亮阻山爲固,今者自來,旣合兵書致人之術; 且亮貪三郡,知進而不知退,今因此時,破亮必也。」 乃部勒兵馬步騎五萬拒亮。〉 遣大將軍曹真都督關右,並進兵。 右將軍張郃擊亮於街亭,大破之。 亮敗走,三郡平。 丁未,行幸長安。 〈《魏略》載帝露布天下并班告益州曰:「劉備背恩,自竄巴蜀。 諸葛亮棄父母之國,阿殘賊之黨,神人被毒,惡積身滅。 亮外慕立孤之名,而內貪專擅之實。 劉升之兄弟守空城而已。 亮又侮易益土,虐用其民,是以利狼、宕渠、高定、青羌莫不瓦解,爲亮仇敵。 而亮反裘負薪,裏盡毛殫,刖趾適屨,刻肌傷骨,反更稱說,自以爲能。 行兵於井底,游步於牛蹄。 自朕即位,三邊無事,猶哀憐天下數遭兵革,且欲養四海之耆老,長後生之孤幼,先移風於禮樂,次講武於農隙,置亮畫外,未以爲虞。 而亮懷李熊愚勇之智,不思荊邯度德之戒,驅略吏民,盜利祁山。 王師方振,膽破氣奪,馬謖、高祥望旗奔敗。 虎臣逐北,蹈尸涉血,亮也小子,震驚朕師。 猛銳踊躍,咸思長驅。 朕惟率土莫非王臣,師之所處,荊棘生焉,不欲使十室之邑忠信貞良與夫淫昏之黨,同受塗炭。 故先開示,以昭國誠,勉思變化,無滯亂邦。 巴蜀將吏士民諸爲亮所劫迫,公卿已下皆聽束手。」〉 夏四月丁酉,還洛陽宮。 〈《魏略》曰:是時譌言云帝已崩,從駕羣臣迎立雍丘王植。 京師自卞太后羣公盡懼。 及帝還,皆私察顏色。 卞太后悲喜,欲推始言者,帝曰:「天下皆言,將何所推?」〉 赦繫囚非殊死以下。 乙巳,論討亮功,封爵增邑各有差。 五月,大旱。 六月,詔曰:「尊儒貴學,王教之本也。 自頃儒官或非其人,將何以宣明聖道? 其高選博士,才任侍中常侍者。 申勑郡國,貢士以經學爲先。」 秋九月,曹休率諸軍至皖,與吳將陸議戰於石亭,敗績。 乙酉,立皇子穆爲繁陽王。 庚子,大司馬曹休薨。 冬十月,詔公卿近臣舉良將各一人。 十一月,司徒王朗薨。 十二月,諸葛亮圍陳倉,曹真遣將軍費曜等拒之。 〈《魏略》曰:先是使將軍郝昭築陳倉城; 會亮至,圍昭,不能拔。 昭字伯道,太原人,爲人雄壯,少入軍爲部曲督,數有戰功,爲雜號將軍,遂鎮守河西十餘年,民夷畏服。 亮圍陳倉,使昭鄉人靳詳於城外遙說之,昭於樓上應詳曰:「魏家科法,卿所練也; 我之爲人,卿所知也。 我受國恩多而門戶重,卿無可言者,但有必死耳。 卿還謝諸葛,便可攻也。」 詳以昭語告亮,亮又使詳重說昭,言人兵不敵,無爲空自破滅。 昭謂詳曰:「前言已定矣。 我識卿耳,箭不識也。」 詳乃去。 亮自以有衆數萬,而昭兵纔千餘人,又度東救未能便到,乃進兵攻昭,起雲梯衝車以臨城。 昭於是以火箭逆射其雲梯,梯然,梯上人皆燒死。 昭又以繩連石磨壓其衝車,衝車折。 亮乃更爲井闌百尺以付城中,以土丸填壍,欲直攀城,昭又於內築重牆。 亮足爲城突,欲踊出於城裏,昭又於城內穿地橫截之。 晝夜相攻拒二十餘日,亮無計,救至,引退。 詔嘉昭善守,賜爵列侯。 及還,帝引見慰勞之,顧謂中書令孫資曰:「卿鄉里乃有爾曹快人,爲將灼如此,朕復何憂乎?」 仍欲大用之。 會病亡,遺令戒其子凱曰:「吾爲將,知將不可爲也。 吾數發冢,取其木以爲攻戰具,又知厚葬無益於死者也。 汝必斂以時服。 且人生有處所耳,死復何在邪? 今去本墓遠,東西南北,在汝而已。」〉 遼東太守公孫恭兄子淵劫奪恭位,遂以淵領遼東太守。
Zhuge Liang struck the frontier; Tianshui, Nan'an, and Anding rose for him. 〈The Wei Shu states: At this time court ministers did not know what plan to pursue; the Emperor said, "Liang relies on mountains as fortifications; now he has come himself—it already accords with the Art of War's technique of luring the enemy. Moreover Liang craves the three commanderies; he knows advance and does not know retreat; if we use this moment, our crushing Liang is certain." He mustered fifty thousand horse and foot to meet Zhuge Liang.〉 Cao Zhen was placed in command west of the pass and ordered forward. Zhang He of the right wing crushed Zhuge Liang at Jieting. Zhuge Liang retreated and the three commanderies were recovered. On dingwei the imperial progress reached Chang'an. 〈The Wei Lue records the Emperor's bulletin to all under heaven and proclamation distributed to Yizhou, stating: "Liu Bei betrayed grace and fled of himself into Ba and Shu. It brands Zhuge Liang as a traitor who fled to villains—poison to gods and men, doomed by his own crimes. Outwardly he plays regent; inwardly he hoards power. Liu Shan and his kin are holding hollow shells of towns. His arrogance toward Yizhou and cruelty to its people have turned Li Lang, Dangqu, Gao Ding, and the Qingqiang tribes against him. Like wearing a coat inside out or trimming toes for shoes, he ruins Shu yet boasts of skill. He campaigns from the bottom of a well and marches in hoofprints—utter folly. Since Our accession the borders have been quiet; We pitied a realm long wasted by war and hoped to succor the old and the young, reform customs through rites and music, and train armies between harvests—We scarcely counted Zhuge Liang a concern. Yet Zhuge Liang clings to the rash bravado of Li Xiong and spurns Jing Han's counsel to weigh the enemy's moral strength; he sweeps up officials and commoners and plunders Qishan for advantage. The imperial host struck; Ma Su and Gao Xiang broke and ran at the first sight of Wei banners. Wei's champions drove the rout across heaps of dead—Zhuge Liang, that provincial pedant, quailed before Our armies. Every crack regiment burned to pursue without pause. All lands owe allegiance to the throne, but armies leave wasteland in their wake—We would not see honest villagers perish alongside wicked courtiers. So We publish this warning in good faith: reconsider your allegiance and do not stay chained to a doomed insurrection. All Shu generals, officials, soldiers, and commoners whom Liang has coerced—from ministers on down—may surrender with bound hands.〉" On dingyou in the fourth summer month the court returned to Luoyang. 〈The Wei Lue reports rumors of the emperor's death and a plot among the entourage to enthrone Cao Zhi, Prince of Yongqiu. The capital—from Empress Dowager Bian to the senior ministers—was panic-stricken. When the emperor came back, everyone watched his face for a sign. Lady Bian wept and laughed by turns and wanted the rumor traced; the emperor replied, "The whole realm was whispering it—where would I begin?"〉 Noncapital convicts were offered amnesty. On yisi rewards for the campaign against Zhuge Liang were handed out—titles and added households according to merit. May brought severe drought. In the sixth month an edict stated: "To honor the learned and esteem scholarship is the root of royal instruction. If the wrong men hold chairs in the academies, how can the sage's teaching be made clear? Choose outstanding erudites fit to serve as palace attendants. Command every province to send up candidates grounded first in the classics." That autumn, in the ninth month, Cao Xiu marched to Wan and met Lu Xun at Shiting—the Wei army was routed. On yiyou Prince Mu received the title Prince of Fanyang. On gengzi Grand Marshal Cao Xiu passed away. In the tenth winter month each senior minister was to nominate one proven commander. In November Minister of Education Wang Lang died. In December Zhuge Liang surrounded Chencang; Cao Zhen dispatched Fei Yao and others to hold the line. 〈The Wei Lue explains that Hao Zhao had already fortified Chencang. When Zhuge Liang came he invested Hao Zhao but could not break the defense. Hao Zhao of Taiyuan (courtesy Bodao) was a formidable soldier who rose from unit commander to frontier general and kept the Hexi corridor quiet for over a decade. When Liang besieged Chencang, he had Zhao's fellow townsman Jin Xiang outside the walls shout persuasion at a distance; Zhao answered Xiang from the tower, saying, "Wei statutes on rewards and punishments—those you have mastered; You know what kind of man I am. He had received too much from Wei and owed too much to his clan—there was nothing to discuss but death before surrender. He told Jin to tell Zhuge Liang to attack whenever he pleased." Jin relayed the reply; Zhuge Liang sent him back to argue that resistance was hopeless against such odds. Hao Zhao answered, "My mind is made up. I recognize you—my arrows will not." Jin withdrew. Zhuge Liang, counting tens of thousands against Hao Zhao's thousand and assuming relief would be slow, pressed the assault with ladders and rams. Hao Zhao answered with fire arrows; the ladders blazed and every man on them died. He counterweighted stone rollers with ropes and smashed the rams. Zhuge Liang raised hundred-foot towers, packed the ditch with earth to close with the walls, and Hao Zhao threw up an inner barrier behind the first. Zhuge Liang mined toward the town; Hao Zhao dug a counter-trench and blocked him. Twenty days of storm failed; when Wei reinforcements neared, Zhuge Liang lifted the siege. The court praised Hao Zhao's defense and enfeoffed him as a full marquis. When [Zhao] returned, the Emperor received him in audience to console and praise him; turning to Central Document Director Sun Zi he said, "Your home region yet has such forthright men—if generals burn this bright, what more have We to fear? He planned to promote him further. Soon afterward [Zhao] died of illness; his dying instructions warned his son Kai: "In serving as a general I learned how impossible it is to be a general. He had plundered graves for siege timber and knew rich tombs brought the dead nothing. He ordered a plain shroud—no finery. The living have homes; the dead need none. We lie far from the family graves—bury me wherever you must."〉" Gongsun Yuan ousted his uncle Gongsun Gong as Liaodong governor and was confirmed in the post.
6
三年夏四月,元城王禮薨。 六月癸卯,繁陽王穆薨。 戊申,追尊高祖大長秋曰高皇帝,夫人吳氏曰高皇后。
In the fourth summer month of the third year of Taihe, Prince Li of Yuancheng died. On guimao in the sixth month Prince Mu of Fanyang died. On wushen Cao Teng was posthumously titled Emperor Gao and Lady Wu as Empress Gao.
7
秋七月,詔曰:「禮,王后無嗣,擇建支子以繼太宗,則當纂正統而奉公義,何得復顧私親哉! 漢宣繼昭帝後,加悼考以皇號; 哀帝以外藩援立,而董宏等稱引亡秦,或誤時朝,旣尊恭皇,立廟京都,又寵藩妾,使比長信,敘昭穆於前殿,並四位於東宮,僭差無度,人神弗祐,而非罪師丹忠正之諫,用致丁、傅焚如之禍。 自是之後,相踵行之。 昔魯文逆祀,罪由夏父; 宋國非度,譏在華元。 其令公卿有司,深以前世行事爲戒。 後嗣萬一有由諸侯入奉大統,則當明爲人後之義; 敢爲佞邪導諛時君,妄建非正之號以干正統,謂考爲皇,稱妣爲后,則股肱大臣,誅之無赦。 其書之金策,藏之宗廟,著于今典。」
In autumn, seventh month, an edict stated: "By ritual, when the queen has no heir one selects a collateral son to continue the great shrine—then one ought to uphold the legitimate succession and serve public righteousness; how could one still look to private kinship? When Emperor Xuan followed Emperor Zhao on the throne he unjustly titled his father "emperor. Emperor Ai's advent unleashed Dong Hong's Qin-style sophistries—honoring a common father as emperor, twin temples in the capital, elevating a minor concubine beside the empress dowager—until Heaven turned away and worthy advisers like Shi Dan were silenced while the Ding and Fu clans burned. Later Han repeated those mistakes one reign after another. The fault for Duke Wen's illicit sacrifices fell on Xiafu Ji. Song's breach of ritual drew criticism upon Hua Yuan. Ministers are to treat past errors as a solemn warning. If an emperor ever rises from a princely house he must honor his ritual adoption above blood ties. Flatterers who urge illicit imperial honors on birth parents will die at the ministers' hands. The decree was cast on golden slips, lodged in the ancestral shrine, and written into law."
8
冬十月,改平望觀曰聽訟觀。 帝常言「獄者,天下之性命也」,每斷大獄,常幸觀臨聽之。
The Pingwang watchtower became the "Listening to Litigation" tower. The Emperor often said, "Prisons are the life-blood of the realm"; whenever he judged great criminal cases he habitually visited the tower to hear them in person.
9
初,洛陽宗廟未成,神主在鄴廟。 十一月,廟始成,使太常韓曁持節迎高皇帝、太皇帝、武帝、文帝神主于鄴,十二月己丑至,奉安神主于廟。 〈臣松之按:黃初四年,有司奏立二廟,太皇帝大長秋與文帝之高祖共一廟,特立武帝廟,百世不毀。 今此無高祖神主,蓋以親盡毀也。 此則魏初唯立親廟,祀四室而已。 至景初元年,始定七廟之制。 孫盛曰:事亡猶存,祭如神在,迎遷神主,正斯宜矣。〉
Until Luoyang's temple stood empty, the ancestral tablets stayed at Ye. When construction finished in the eleventh month, Han Ji fetched the tablets from Ye; they reached Luoyang on twelfth-month jichou and were enshrined. 〈Pei Songzhi notes Huangchu 4: twin temples were planned—one sharing Cao Teng with a collateral ancestor, another immortal shrine for Cao Cao. The absence of a "high ancestor" tablet reflects destruction after generational limits ran out. Early Wei therefore maintained four generations of close ancestors only. The seven-temple system came only with Jingchu 1. Sun Sheng approved: rites demand honoring tablets like living lieges—moving them to Luoyang was proper.
10
癸卯,大月氏王波調遣使奉獻,以調爲親魏大月氏王。
On guimao the Kushana lord Bodiao sent tribute and received the title "Yuezhi king allied to Wei."
11
四年春二月壬午,詔曰:「世之質文,隨教而變。 兵亂以來,經學廢絕,後生進趣,不由典謨。 豈訓導未洽,將進用者不以德顯乎? 其郎吏學通一經,才任牧民,博士課試,擢其高第者,亟用; 其浮華不務道本者,皆罷退之。」 戊子,詔太傅三公:以文帝《典論》刻石,立于廟門之外。 癸巳,以大將軍曹真爲大司馬,驃騎將軍司馬宣王爲大將軍,遼東太守公孫淵爲車騎將軍。 夏四月,太傅鍾繇薨。 六月戊子,太皇太后崩。 丙申,省上庸郡。 秋七月,武宣卞后祔葬于高陵。 詔大司馬曹真、大將軍司馬宣王伐蜀。 八月辛巳,行東巡,遣使者以特牛祠中嶽。 〈《魏書》曰:行過繁昌,使執金吾臧霸行太尉事,以特牛祠受禪壇。 臣松之按:《漢紀》章帝元和三年,詔高邑縣祠即位壇,五成陌北,臘祠門戶。 此雖前代已行故事,然爲壇以祀天,而壇非神也,今無事於上帝,而致祀於虛壇,求之義典,未詳所據。〉 乙未,幸許昌宮。 九月,大雨,伊、洛、河、漢水溢,詔真等班師。 冬十月乙卯,行還洛陽宮。 庚申,令:「罪非殊死聽贖各有差。」 十一月,太白犯歲星。 十二月辛未,改葬文昭甄后于朝陽陵。 丙寅,詔公卿舉賢良。
In the fourth year, spring, second month, on day renwu an edict stated: "The age's plainness or refinement follows teaching in changing. War had extinguished classical studies—young men chased careers outside the canon. Had moral education failed—or did appointments ignore virtue? Court clerks who prove mastery of one classic and aptitude for magistracy—after examination promote the top scorers at once. Dismiss every candidate of empty cleverness who neglects the roots of learning." On wuzi the Grand Tutor and three dukes were told to engrave Cao Pi's Dian Lun and set the stele before the temple gates. On guisi Cao Zhen became grand marshal, Sima Yi grand general, and Gongsun Yuan general of chariots and cavalry. Grand Tutor Zhong Yao died in the fourth summer month. On wuzi in the sixth month Lady Bian, the grand empress dowager, died. On bingshen Shangyong commandery was suppressed. In the seventh autumn month Empress Dowager Wuxuan was laid beside Emperor Wu at Gaoling. He sent Cao Zhen and Sima Yi west against Shu. On xinsi he began an eastern tour and offered a black ox at Mount Song. 〈The Wei Shu adds that at Fanchang Zang Ba officiated as grand commandant and sacrificed at the Wei enthronement mound. Pei cites Han Ji: Emperor Zhang once ordered sacrifice at an old accession terrace. Pei wonders why one worships an empty platform when Heaven is not confined to bricks—precedent does not clarify the rite. On yiwei the progress reached Xuchang. September floods on the Yi, Luo, Yellow, and Han forced the Shu expedition to turn back. On yimao in the tenth winter month the court was back in Luoyang. On gengshen noncapital crimes could be redeemed for graded fines." In November Venus passed Jupiter—an ominous conjunction. On twelfth-month xinwei Lady Zhen was moved to Chaoyang tomb. On bingyin ministers were told to nominate worthy candidates.
12
八月,詔曰:「古者諸侯朝聘,所以敦睦親親協和萬國也。 先帝著令,不欲使諸王在京都者,謂幼主在位,母后攝政,防微以漸,關諸盛衰也。 朕惟不見諸王十有二載,悠悠之懷,能不興思! 其令諸王及宗室公侯各將適子一人朝。 後有少主、母后在宮者,自如先帝令,申明著于令。」 十一月乙酉,月犯軒轅大星。 戊戌晦,日有蝕之。 十二月甲辰,月犯鎮星。 戊午,太尉華歆薨。
In the eighth month an edict stated: "In antiquity the feudal lords paid court visits—that was how they thickened kinship ties and harmonized the myriad states. Cao Pi had barred imperial brothers from the capital lest regencies invite faction—the policy guarded against gradual usurpation. Twelve years without seeing his brothers—the emperor confessed how sorely he missed them. Each prince and dynastic marquis was to send one legitimate heir to the capital for audience. Whenever a child emperor and a dowager ruled, the old rule would apply and be spelled out in law." On yiyou in the eleventh month the moon occluded the brightest star in the Xuanyuan constellation. Month-end on the wuxu cycle brought an eclipse of the sun. On twelfth-month jiachen the moon passed Saturn. On wuwu Grand Commandant Hua Xin died.
13
保塞鮮卑大人步度根與叛鮮卑大人軻比能私通,并州刺史畢軌表,輒出軍以外威比能,內鎮步度根。 帝省表曰:「步度根以爲比能所誘,有自疑心。 今軌出軍,適使二部驚合爲一,何所威鎮乎?」 促勑軌,以出軍者慎勿越塞過句注也。 比詔書到,軌以進軍屯陰館,遣將軍蘇尚、董弼追鮮卑。 比能遣子將千餘騎迎步度根部落,與尚、弼相遇,戰於樓煩,二將敗沒。 步度根部落皆叛出塞,與比能合寇邊。 遣驍騎將軍秦朗將中軍討之,虜乃走漠北。
While peacekeeping Xianbei chief Buzhugen secretly dealt with rebel chief Kebineng, Bing governor Bi Gui sought to threaten Kebineng abroad and reassure Buzhugen at home. The Emperor reviewed the memorial and said, "Buzhugen believes himself enticed by Kebineng and harbors doubt toward himself. Dispatching troops would only scare both factions into uniting—hardly a policy of divide and rule." He wired Bi Gui that no column was to advance beyond Gouzhu. The order arrived too late—Bi had already moved to Yinguan and sent Su Shang and Dong Bi in pursuit. Kebineng's son escorted Buzhugen's people with a thousand horse and met the Wei generals at Loufan—both Wei commanders died. Buzhugen's people bolted through the passes and joined Kebineng in border raids. Qin Lang led the central host against them and drove the tribes into the northern sands.
14
秋九月,安定保塞匈奴大人胡薄居姿職等叛,司馬宣王遣將軍胡遵等追討,破降之。
That autumn Anding's peacekeeping Xiongnu chiefs rose; Sima Yi sent Hu Zun to crush and accept their surrender.
15
冬十月,步度根部落大人戴胡阿狼泥等詣并州降,朗引軍還。 〈《魏氏春秋》曰:朗字元明,新興人。 《獻帝傳》曰:朗父名宜祿,爲呂布使詣袁術,術妻以漢宗室女。 其前妻杜氏留下邳。 布之被圍,關羽屢請於太祖,求以杜氏爲妻,太祖疑其有色,及城陷,太祖見之,乃自納之。 宜祿歸降,以爲銍長。 及劉備走小沛,張飛隨之,過謂宜祿曰:「人取汝妻,而爲之長,何蚩蚩若是邪! 隨我去乎?」 宜祿從之數里,悔欲還,飛殺之。 朗隨母氏畜于公宮,太祖甚愛之,每坐席,謂賔客曰:「豈有人愛假子如孤者乎?」 《魏略》曰:朗游遨諸侯間,歷武、文之世而無尤也。 及明帝即位,授以內官,爲驍騎將軍、給事中,每車駕出入,朗常隨從。 時明帝喜發舉,數有以輕微而致大辟者,朗終不能有所諫止,又未甞進一善人,帝亦以是親愛; 每顧問之,多呼其小字阿穌,數加賞賜,爲起大第於京城中。 四方雖知朗無能爲益,猶以附近至尊,多賂遺之,富均公侯。 《世語》曰:朗子秀,勁厲能直言,爲晉武帝博士。 《魏略》以朗與孔桂俱在佞倖篇。 桂字叔林,天水人也。 建安初,數爲將軍楊秋使詣太祖,太祖表拜騎都尉。 桂性便辟,曉博弈、蹹鞠,故太祖愛之,每在左右,出入隨從。 桂察太祖意,喜樂之時,因言次曲有所陳,事多見從,數得賞賜,人多餽遺,桂由此侯服玉食。 太祖旣愛桂,五官將及諸侯亦皆親之。 其後桂見太祖久不立太子,而有意於臨菑侯,因更親附臨菑侯而簡於五官將,將甚銜之。 及太祖薨,文帝即王位,未及致其罪。 黃初元年,隨例轉拜駙馬都尉。 而桂私受西域貨賂,許爲人事。 事發,有詔收問,遂殺之。 魚豢曰:爲上者不虛授,處下者不虛受,然後外無伐檀之歎,內無尸素之刺,雍熙之美著,太平之律顯矣。 而佞倖之徒,但姑息人主,至乃無德而榮,無功而祿,如是焉得不使中正日朘,傾邪滋多乎! 以武皇帝之慎賞,明皇帝之持法,而猶有若此等人,而況下斯者乎?〉
In the tenth winter month Xianbei leaders under Buzhugen submitted at Bingzhou and Qin Lang withdrew. 〈The Wei Shi Chunqiu identifies Qin Lang as Yuanming of Xinjin. The Xiandi Zhuan adds that his father Qin Yilu served Lu Bu as envoy to Yuan Shu and married a Han princess. His first wife Lady Du stayed behind in Xiapi. During Lu Bu's siege Guan Yu begged Cao Cao for Lady Du; Cao Cao suspected her beauty and kept her when the city fell. After surrendering, Qin Yilu was made magistrate of Zhi. When Liu Bei fled to Xiaopei, Zhang Fei followed him; passing by he said to Yilu, "Another man took your wife while you hold office for him—how can you be so dull-witted! Come away with us?" Qin Yilu followed a few miles, tried to turn back, and Zhang Fei cut him down. Lang was raised by his mother in the duke's palace; Taizu greatly loved him; whenever seated among guests he said to them, "Is there anyone who loves a foster son as I do? The Wei Lue says he drifted among the princes yet offended neither Cao Cao nor Cao Pi. Emperor Ming brought him inside as valiant-cavalry general and attendant—always at the emperor's stirrup. Mingdi loved harsh justice—minor faults earned death; Qin Lang never checked him nor recommended good men, yet the emperor loved him for it. He called him by his pet name Asu, showered gifts, and built him a palace mansion. Everyone knew he was useless, but proximity to the throne brought bribes equal to a noble's fortune. His son Qin Xiu, blunt and upright, later served as Jin Wudi's erudite. The Wei Lue pairs Qin Lang with Kong Gui among favorite sycophants. Kong Gui, courtesy Shulin, came from Tianshui. Early in Jian'an he ran errands for Yang Qiu to Cao Cao and won appointment as commandant of cavalry. Slick and skilled at weiqi and kickball, he became Cao Cao's constant companion. He watched Cao Cao's moods and slipped in requests when he was merry—winning gifts until he lived like a lord. Once Cao Cao favored him, Cao Pi and the other princes courted him too. Seeing Cao Cao hesitate between heirs and favor Cao Zhi of Linzi, Kong Gui shifted to Cao Zhi and snubbed Cao Pi—who never forgave him. Cao Pi became king before he could settle scores with Kong Gui. Huangchu 1 brought routine promotion to commandant of the coachmen. He took Western Regions bribes to fix appointments. Exposed, he was arrested and executed. Yu Huan warns that rulers must not sell offices nor ministers take empty pay—else integrity rots within and without. Favorites who flatter the throne create honor without virtue and salaries without merit—no wonder honest men fade and knaves multiply. If even cautious Cao Cao and strict Mingdi bred such men, what of lesser courts?
16
十二月,公孫淵斬送孫權所遣使張彌、許晏首,以淵爲大司馬樂浪公。 〈《世語》曰:并州刺史畢軌送漢故度遼將軍范明友鮮卑奴,年三百五十歲,言語飲食如常人。 奴云:「霍顯,光後小妻。 明友妻,光前妻女。」 《博物志》曰:時京邑有一人失其姓名,食啖兼十許人,遂肥不能動。 其父曾作遠方長吏,官徙送彼縣,令故義傳供食之; 一二年中,一鄉中輒爲之儉。 《傅子》曰:時太原發冢破棺,棺中有一生婦人,將出與語,生人也。 送之京師,問其本事,不知也。 視其冢上樹木可三十歲,不知此婦人三十歲常生於地中邪? 將一朝欻生,偶與發冢者會也?〉
In December Gongsun Yuan sent Sun Quan's envoys Zhang Mi and Xu Yan's heads to Luoyang and received grand marshal and Duke of Lelang. 〈Bi Gui reportedly offered a 350-year-old Xianbei slave of Fan Mingyou who ate and spoke like any man. The slave said: "Huo Xian was Guang's junior wife after his principal wife died. Fan Mingyou's wife was a daughter of Huo Guang's first wife." The Bowuzhi tells of a glutton in the capital who ate for ten and grew immobile. His father, a transferred official, left him to be fed by county hosts. Within two years he beggared the whole district. The Fu Zi records a living woman unearthed from a Taiyuan tomb. Sent to Luoyang, she remembered nothing of her past. The mound's trees were only thirty years old—had she lain underground three decades? Or had she revived overnight when grave robbers broke in?
17
二年春二月乙未,太白犯熒惑。 癸酉,詔曰:「鞭作官刑,所以糾慢怠也,而頃多以無辜死。 其減鞭杖之制,著于令。」 三月庚寅,山陽公薨,帝素服發哀,遣使持節典護喪事。 己酉,大赦。 夏四月,大疫。 崇華殿災。 丙寅,詔有司以太牢告祠文帝廟。 追謚山陽公爲漢孝獻皇帝,葬以漢禮。 〈《獻帝傳》曰:帝變服,率羣臣哭之,使使持節行司徒太常和洽弔祭,又使持節行大司空大司農崔林監護喪事。 詔曰:「蓋五帝之事尚矣,仲尼盛稱堯、舜巍巍蕩蕩之功者,以爲禪代乃大聖之懿事也。 山陽公深識天祿永終之運,禪位文皇帝以順天命。 先帝命公行漢正朔,郊天祀祖以天子之禮,言事不稱臣,此舜事堯之義也。 昔放勛殂落,四海如喪考妣,遏密八音,明喪葬之禮同於王者也。 今有司奏喪禮比諸侯王,此豈古之遺制而先帝之至意哉? 今謚公漢孝獻皇帝。」 使太尉具以一太牢告祠文帝廟,曰:「叡聞夫禮也者,反本請吉,不忘厥初,是以先代之君,尊尊親親,戚有尚焉。 今山陽公寢疾棄國,有司建言喪紀之禮視諸侯王。 叡惟山陽公昔知天命永終於己,深觀歷數允在聖躬,傳祚禪位,尊我民主,斯乃陶唐懿德之事也。 黃初受終,命公于國行漢正朔,郊天祀祖禮樂制度率乃漢舊,斯亦舜、禹明堂之義也。 上考遂初,皇極攸建,允熙克讓,莫明于茲。 蓋子以繼志嗣訓爲孝,臣以配命欽述爲忠,故詩稱『匪棘其猶,聿追來孝』,書曰『前人受命,茲不忘大功』。 叡敢不奉承徽典,以昭皇考之神靈。 今追謚山陽公曰孝獻皇帝,冊贈璽紱。 命司徒、司空持節弔祭護喪,光祿、大鴻臚爲副,將作大匠、復土將軍營成陵墓,及置百官羣吏,車旗服章喪葬禮儀,一如漢氏故事; 喪葬所供羣官之費,皆仰大司農。 立其後嗣爲山陽公,以通三統,永爲魏賔。」 於是贈冊曰:「嗚呼,昔皇天降戾于漢,俾逆臣董卓,播厥凶虐,焚滅京都,劫遷大駕。 于時六合雲擾,姦雄熛起。 帝自西京,徂唯求定,臻茲洛邑。 疇咨聖賢,聿改乘轅,又遷許昌,武皇帝是依。 歲在玄枵,皇師肇征,迄于鶉尾,十有八載,羣寇殲殄,九域咸乂。 惟帝念功,祚茲魏國,大啟土宇。 爰及文皇帝,齊聖廣淵,仁聲旁流,柔遠能邇,殊俗向義,乾精承祚,坤靈吐曜,稽極玉衡,允膺歷數,度于軌儀,克猒帝心。 乃仰欽七政,俯察五典,弗采四嶽之謀,不俟師錫之舉,幽贊神明,承天禪位。 祚逮朕躬,統承洪業。 蓋聞昔帝堯,元愷旣舉,凶族未流,登舜百揆,然後百揆時序,內平外成,授位明堂,退終天祿,故能冠德百王,表功高嶽。 自往迄今,彌歷七代,歲曁三千,而大運來復,庸命底績,纂我民主,作建皇極。 念重光,紹咸池,繼韶夏,超羣后之遐蹤,邈商、周之慙德,可謂高朗令終,昭明洪烈之懿盛者矣。 非夫漢、魏與天地合德,與四時合信,動和民神,格于上下,其孰能至於此乎? 朕惟孝獻享年不永,欽若顧命,考之典謨,恭述皇考先靈遺意,闡崇弘謚,奉成聖美,以章希世同符之隆,以傳億載不朽之榮。 魂而有靈,嘉茲弘休。 嗚呼哀哉!」 八月壬申,葬于山陽國,陵曰禪陵,置園邑。 葬之日,帝制錫衰弁絰,哭之慟。 適孫桂氏鄉侯康,嗣立爲山陽公。〉
On yiwei in the second spring month Venus passed Mars. On day guiyou an edict stated: "The whip as official punishment exists to correct slackness and negligence; yet recently many innocents have died under it. Flogging rules were to be softened and codified." On third-month gengyin Emperor Xian died; Mingdi mourned in white and sent officers to manage the rites. On jiyou came a general amnesty. Summer brought a terrible plague. Fire destroyed Chonghua Hall. On bingyin officials sacrificed an ox at Cao Pi's shrine. The abdicated Han sovereign received posthumous title Emperor Xiaoxian and a Han-style burial. 〈The Xiandi Zhuan adds that Mingdi wore mourning, wept with his ministers, and sent He Qia and Cui Lin to officiate. An edict stated: "The affairs of the Five Emperors lie remote; Confucius greatly praised Yao and Shun's lofty, vast deeds because abdication is the fine affair of great sages. It praised Emperor Xian for seeing Han's mandate expire and yielding to Cao Pi. Cao Pi had let him keep Han rites and calendar as Yao had indulged Shun. It cited Yao's death—universal grief and silenced music—to justify imperial funeral honors. The court had proposed mere kingly rites—Mingdi asked whether that honored Cao Pi's promise. He therefore elevated the duke to Emperor Xiaoxian." He ordered the Grand Commandant to report with one bull at Emperor Wen's temple, saying: "Rui has heard that ritual turns back to the root and seeks good fortune, not forgetting its beginning—therefore former ages' rulers honored forebears and kin according to degree. Officials had ranked the funeral as for a mere king. Mingdi insisted Emperor Xian had knowingly surrendered the mandate to Wei. Huangchu had preserved Han ritual inside the duchy—like Shun and Yu's precedent. He praised the abdication as the clearest act of yielding. He cited the Classic of Poetry and Documents on filial succession and loyal commemoration. He vowed to fulfill his father's compact with the abdicated house. He granted posthumous title, patent, and ribbons. Ministers would officiate, engineers build the mausoleum, and Han-era funeral standards applied throughout. The minister of agriculture funded officials' funeral expenses. A new Duke of Shanyang would continue the Han line as Wei's ceremonial ally." Thereupon the patent read: "Alas—of old August Heaven sent calamity upon Han, enabling the rebellious minister Dong Zhuo to spread his fierce cruelty, burn and destroy the capital, and seize and move the great chariot. Chaos followed across the realm. The Han emperor fled west, then settled at Luoyang. He sought advisers, moved court to Xu, and relied on Cao Cao. Eighteen years of campaigns crushed the warlords and pacified the nine provinces. He rewarded merit by founding Wei. It hymned Cao Pi's virtue, cosmology, and right to the throne. Cao Pi needed no Yao-Shun ceremony—Heaven crowned him. The mandate passed to Mingdi himself. It praised Yao's abdication to Shun as the model of righteous transfer. Seven cycles later Han's mandate returned to Wei. It stacked mythical parallels to praise the abdication's perfection. Who but a cosmic harmony of Han and Wei could achieve such virtue? Mingdi framed the posthumous honors as fulfilling his father's pledge to Emperor Xian. May the spirit approve this bounty. Alas—the ritual cry of mourning." On eighth-month renshen he was buried at Shanling in Shanyang with an endowed tomb precinct. At the funeral Mingdi donned tin-hemp mourning and wept as for a true parent. His heir's grandson, Marquis Kang of Guishi, succeeded as Duke of Shanyang.
18
是月,諸葛亮出斜谷,屯渭南,司馬宣王率諸軍拒之。 詔宣王:「但堅壁拒守以挫其鋒,彼進不得志,退無與戰,乆停則糧盡,虜略無所獲,則必走矣。 走而追之,以逸待勞,全勝之道也。」 〈《魏氏春秋》曰:亮旣屢遣使交書,又致巾幗婦人之飾,以怒宣王。 宣王將出戰,辛毗杖節奉詔,勒宣王及軍吏已下,乃止。 宣王見亮使,唯問其寢食及其事之煩簡,不問戎事。 使對曰:「諸葛公夙興夜寐,罰二十已上,皆親覽焉; 所啖食不過數升。」 宣王曰:「亮體斃矣,其能久乎?」〉
Zhuge Liang emerged from Xie Valley onto the Wei south bank; Sima Yi confronted him. An edict told Sima Yi: "Only hold fast behind walls to blunt his edge; when he advances he cannot achieve his aim, when he retreats none will fight him—a long halt exhausts grain and plunder yields nothing—then he must flee. Strike him in retreat while your men are fresh—that is total victory." 〈The Wei Shi Chunqiu says Zhuge Liang taunted Sima Yi with letters and women's hats. When Sima Yi tried to fight, Xin Pi arrived with an imperial staff and held him to the defensive. Sima Yi asked Zhuge Liang's envoy only about diet and workload—not war. The envoy replied: "Lord Zhuge rises early and sleeps late; for punishments of twenty strokes or more he personally reviews each; He ate only a few sheng of grain a day." Sima Yi answered: "He is killing himself—how long can he last?"〉
19
五月,太白晝見。 孫權入居巢湖口,向合肥新城,又遣將陸議、孫韶各將萬餘人入淮、沔。 六月,征東將軍滿寵進軍拒之。 寵欲拔新城守,致賊壽春,帝不聽,曰:「昔漢光武遣兵縣據略陽,終以破隗囂,先帝東置合肥,南守襄陽,西固祁山,賊來輒破於三城之下者,地有所必爭也。 縱權攻新城,必不能拔。 勑諸將堅守,吾將自往征之,比至,恐權走也。」 秋七月壬寅,帝親御龍舟東征,權攻新城,將軍張頴等拒守力戰,帝軍未至數百里,權遁走,議、韶等亦退。 羣臣以爲大將軍方與諸葛亮相持未解,車駕可西幸長安。 帝曰:「權走,亮膽破,大將軍以制之,吾無憂矣。」 遂進軍幸壽春,錄諸將功,封賞各有差。 八月己未,大曜兵,饗六軍,遣使者持節犒勞合肥、壽春諸軍。 辛巳,行還許昌宮。
In May Venus appeared in daylight. Sun Quan threatened Hefei while Lu Xun and Sun Shao drove up the Huai. In June Man Chong marched to meet him. Chong wished to abandon New City's defense and lure the bandits to Shouchun—the Emperor did not consent and said: "Of old Emperor Guangwu of Han sent troops to seize Lüeyang and in the end defeated Wei Ao; the late Emperor set Hefei on the east, defended Xiangyang on the south, fortified Mount Qi on the west—whenever bandits came they were crushed below those three cities because those grounds had to be contested. Sun Quan could not crack New Hefei even if he tried. Hold the walls—Mingdi would sail east himself and expected Sun Quan to run." On autumn renyin Mingdi took the dragon fleet east; Sun Quan fled before the imperial host neared, and Wu's generals followed. Courtiers wanted the emperor to rush west to Zhuge Liang's front. The Emperor said: "Quan has fled—Liang's courage is broken—the Grand General controls him—We have no worry. He proceeded to Shouchun and handed out battle honors. On jiwei he reviewed the armies and sent gifts to Hefei and Shouchun. On xinsi the court returned to Xuchang.
20
司馬宣王與亮相持,連圍積日,亮數挑戰,宣王堅壘不應。 會亮卒,其軍退還。
Sima Yi refused Zhuge Liang's taunts and stayed entrenched. Zhuge Liang's death broke the siege.
21
冬十月乙丑,月犯鎮星及軒轅。 戊寅,月犯太白。 十一月,京都地震,從東南來,隱隱有聲,搖動屋瓦。 十二月,詔有司刪定大辟,減死罪。
On winter yichou the moon passed Saturn and Xuanyuan. On wuyin the moon occulted Venus. November brought a southeast earthquake to Luoyang. In December capital statutes were trimmed to spare more convicts.
22
三年春正月戊子,以大將軍司馬宣王爲太尉。 己亥,復置朔方郡。 京都大疫。 丁巳,皇太后崩。 乙亥,隕石于壽光縣。 三月庚寅,葬文德郭后,營陵于首陽陵澗西,如終制。 〈顧愷之《啟蒙注》曰:魏時人有開周王冢者,得殉葬女子,經數日而有氣,數月而能語; 年可二十。 送詣京師,郭太后愛養之。 十餘年,太后崩,哀思哭泣,一年餘而死。〉
On wuzi in spring of the third year of Qinglong Sima Yi became grand commandant. On jihai Shuofang commandery was revived. Plague ravaged Luoyang. On dingsi Empress Dowager Guo died. On yihai a meteorite struck Shouguang. In third-month gengyin Lady Guo was buried west of Shouyang per her modest burial wishes. 〈Gu Kaizhi tells of a woman revived from an ancient Zhou tomb. She looked about twenty. Empress Dowager Guo adopted her at Luoyang. When the empress dowager died a decade later, the girl grieved herself to death within a year.
23
是時,大治洛陽宮,起昭陽、太極殿,築緫章觀。 百姓失農時,直臣楊阜、高堂隆等各數切諫,雖不能聽,常優容之。 〈《魏略》曰:是年起太極諸殿,築緫章觀,高十餘丈,建翔鳳於其上; 又於芳林園中起陂池,楫櫂越歌; 又於列殿之北立八坊,諸才人以次序處其中,貴人夫人以上轉南附焉,其秩石擬百官之數。 帝常游宴在內,乃選女子知書可付信者六人,以爲女尚書,使典省外奏事,處當畫可,自貴人以下至尚保,及給掖庭灑掃,習伎歌者,各有千數。 通引穀水過九龍殿前,爲玉井綺欄,蟾蜍含受,神龍吐出。 使博士馬均作司南車,水轉百戲。 歲首建巨獸,魚龍曼延,弄馬倒騎,備如漢西京之制,築閶闔諸門闕外罘罳。 太子舍人張茂以吳、蜀數動,諸將出征,而帝盛興宮室,留意於玩飾,賜與無度,帑藏空竭; 又錄奪士女前已嫁爲吏民妻者,還以配士,旣聽以生口自贖,又簡選其有姿首者內之掖庭,乃上書諫曰:「臣伏見詔書,諸士女嫁非士者,一切錄奪,以配戰士,斯誠權時之宜,然非大化之善者也。 臣請論之。 陛下,天之子也,百姓吏民,亦陛下之子也。 禮,賜君子小人不同日,所以殊貴賤也。 吏屬君子,士爲小人,今奪彼以與此,亦無以異於奪兄之妻妻弟也,於父母之恩偏矣。 又詔書聽得以生口年紀、顏色與妻相當者自代,故富者則傾家盡產,貧者舉假貸貰,貴買生口以贖其妻; 縣官以配士爲名而實內之掖庭,其醜惡者乃出與士。 得婦者未必有懽心,而失妻者必有憂色,或窮或愁,皆不得志。 夫君有天下而不得萬姓之懽心者,尠不危殆。 且軍師在外數千萬人,一日之費非徒千金,舉天下之賦以奉此役,猶將不給,況復有宮庭非員無錄之女,椒房母后之家賞賜橫興,內外交引,其費半軍。 昔漢武帝好神仙,信方士,掘地爲海,封土爲山,賴是時天下爲一,莫敢與爭者耳。 自衰亂以來,四五十載,馬不捨鞍,士不釋甲,每一交戰,血流丹野,創痍號痛之聲于今未已。 猶彊寇在疆,圖危魏室。 陛下不兢兢業業,念崇節約,思所以安天下者,而乃奢靡是務,中尚方純作玩弄之物,炫燿後園,建承露之盤,斯誠快耳目之觀,然亦足以騁寇讎之心矣。 惜乎,舍堯舜之節儉,而爲漢武之侈事,臣竊爲陛下不取也。 願陛下沛然下詔,萬幾之事有無益而有損者悉除去之,以所除無益之費,厚賜將士父母妻子之飢寒者,問民所疾而除其所惡,實倉廩,繕甲兵,恪恭以臨天下。 如是,吳賊面縛,蜀虜輿櫬,不待誅而自服,太平之路可計日而待也。 陛下可無勞神思於海表,軍師高枕,戰士備員。 今羣公皆結舌,而臣所以不敢不獻瞽言者,臣昔上要言,散騎奏臣書,以聽諫篇爲善,詔曰:『是也』,擢臣爲太子舍人; 且臣作書譏爲人臣不能諫諍,今有可諫之事而臣不諫,此爲作書虛妄而不能言也。 臣年五十,常恐至死無以報國,是以投軀沒身,冒昧以聞,惟陛下裁察。」 書通,上顧左右曰:「張茂恃鄉里故也。」 以事付散騎而已。 茂字彥林,沛人。〉
Luoyang's palace sprouted Zhaoyang, Taiji, and the Zongzhang viewing tower. Palace labor stole the sowing season; Yang Fu and Gaotang Long protested relentlessly—Mingdi heard them out politely if not obediently. 〈The Wei Lue describes Taiji and a ten-zhang Zongzhang tower topped by a phoenix. Fanglin Garden gained pools for boating and song. Eight courts housed ranked concubines whose stipends mirrored the civil list. He ran the court from the harem—six female clerks vetted memorials while thousands of attendants filled the inner palace. They plumbed the Gu past Jiulong Hall with jade-faced wells and bronze dragon fountains. Ma Jun built a south-pointing carriage and water-powered automata. New Year's shows aped Western Han pageantry; screens rose outside Changhe Gate. Zhang Mao noted wars abroad while Mingdi poured the treasury into ornament. also registering gentlewomen already married to clerks and commoners and returning them to assign to soldiers—having permitted ransom with captives of matching age, yet also selecting the fair ones for the Rear Palace—thereupon he memorialized: "Your servant humbly sees the edict—all gentlewomen married to non-gentlemen are altogether registered and seized to match warriors—this is indeed expedient for the moment yet not the best of great transformation. He asked leave to explain. The emperor and his people were equally sons of Heaven. Ritual separates gifts to nobles and commoners. Moving clerks' wives to soldiers was like stealing a brother's bride—it skewed parental fairness. Ransom rules beggared households buying stand-in slaves. Officials skimmed beauties for the harem and foisted plain women on the troops. Neither new husbands nor robbed husbands ended content. A ruler who forfeits popular goodwill courts ruin. Field armies drained the treasury—harem excess and consort clans cost half as much again. Han Wudi's extravagance worked only in a unified empire. Forty years of war had left Wei's people bleeding and weary. Wu and Shu still threatened the throne. Mingdi chased luxury while foes watched—vanity armed the enemy. Choosing Han Wudi over Yao's austerity was a mistake. Cut waste, feed soldiers' families, fill granaries, mend arms—that was his remedy. Spend rightly and Wu and Shu would surrender without another battle. Wise rule would let generals rest. Zhang Mao cited his earlier promotion for frank counsel. Silence now would brand his own essays hypocrisy. At fifty he feared dying disloyal if he stayed mute." When the memorial had passed through, the Emperor looked to left and right and said, "Zhang Mao relies on fellow-townsmen ties. He routed it to petty bureaucrats and forgot it. Zhang Mao, courtesy Yanlin, was a native of Pei.
24
秋七月,洛陽崇華殿災,八月庚午,立皇子芳爲齊王,詢爲秦王。 丁巳,行還洛陽宮。 命有司復崇華,改名九龍殿。 冬十月己酉,中山王衮薨。 壬申,太白晝見。 十一月丁酉,行幸許昌宮。 〈《魏氏春秋》曰:是歲張掖郡刪丹縣金山玄川溢涌,寶石負圖,狀象靈龜,廣一丈六尺,長一丈七尺一寸,圍五丈八寸,立于川西。 有石馬七,其一仙人騎之,其一羈絆,其五有形而不善成。 有玉匣關蓋於前,上有玉字,玉玦二,璜一。 麒麟在東,鳳鳥在南,白虎在西,犧牛在北,馬自中布列四面,色皆蒼白。 其南有五字,曰「上上三天王」; 又曰「述大金,大討曹,金但取之,金立中,大金馬一匹在中,大吉開壽,此馬甲寅述水」。 凡「中」字六,「金」字十; 又有若八卦及列宿孛彗之象焉。 《世語》曰:又有一雞象。 《搜神記》曰:初,漢元、成之世,先識之士有言曰,魏年有和,當有開石於西三千餘里,繫五馬,文曰「大討曹」。 及魏之初興也,張掖之柳谷,有開石焉,始見於建安,形成於黃初,文備於太和,周圍七尋,中高一仞,蒼質素章,龍馬、麟鹿、鳳皇、仙人之象,粲然咸著,此一事者,魏、晉代興之符也。 至晉泰始三年,張掖太守焦勝上言,以留郡本國圖校今石文,文字多少不同,謹具圖上。 桉其文有五馬象,其一有人平上幘,執戟而乘之,其一有若馬形而不成,其字有「金」,有「中」,有「大司馬」,有「王」,有「大吉」,有「正」,有「開壽」,其一成行,曰「金當取之」。 《漢晉春秋》曰:氐池縣大柳谷口夜激波涌溢,其聲如雷,曉而有蒼石立水中,長一丈六尺,高八尺,白石畫之,爲十三馬,一牛,一鳥,八卦玉玦之象,皆隆起,其文曰「大討曹,適水中,甲寅」。 帝惡其「討」也,使鑿去爲「計」,以蒼石窒之,宿昔而白石滿焉。 至晉初,其文愈明,馬象皆煥徹如玉焉。〉
After Chonghua burned, on gengwu he named Princes Fang and Xun of Qi and Qin. On dingsi the court returned to Luoyang. Chonghua rose again as Jiulong Hall. On winter jiyou Prince Gun of Zhongshan died. On renshen Venus shone at noon. On dingyou in November he moved court to Xuchang. 〈A Zhangye flood allegedly revealed a tortoise-shaped chart stone. Seven stone horses—some riders, some unfinished. Jade fittings and inscriptions surrounded it. Carvings placed omens on four sides—azure beasts and horses. One legend read 'Highest Three Heaven Kings.' Another prophetic string promised Wei would fall to 'great metal'—catering to Jin propaganda. The omens stacked 'center' and 'metal' glyphs. Shapes echoed trigrams and constellations. The Shi Yu adds a rooster carving. Han scholars allegedly predicted a 'punish Cao' stone in the west. Pei Songzhi ties Willow Valley stones from Jian'an through Taihe to Wei-Jin legitimacy. In the third year of Taishi, Jiao Sheng re-measured the glyphs against older rubbings. The cracks promised Jin ('metal') would supplant Wei. Another flood tale etched 'punish Cao' on a river stone. Mingdi had 'punish' carved to 'calculate' and buried the omen—stones multiplied overnight in legend. By Western Jin the omens supposedly shone like jade.
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四年春二月,太白復晝見,月犯太白,又犯軒轅一星,入太微而出。 夏四月,置崇文觀,徵善屬文者以充之。 五月乙卯,司徒董昭薨。 丁巳,肅慎氏獻楛矢。
Spring omens: Venus by day, lunar occultations, and entry into Taiwei. Summer founded Chongwen Hall for literati. On yimao in May Dong Zhao died. On dingsi Sushen envoys brought birch-bark arrows.
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六月壬申,詔曰:「有虞氏畫象而民弗犯,周人刑錯而不用。 朕從百王之末,追望上世之風,邈乎何相去之遠? 法令滋章,犯者彌多,刑罰愈衆,而姦不可止。 往者桉大辟之條,多所蠲除,思濟生民之命,此朕之至意也。 而郡國斃獄,一歲之中尚過數百,豈朕訓導不醇,俾民輕罪,將苛法猶存,爲之陷穽乎? 有司其議獄緩死,務從寬簡,及乞恩者,或辭未出而獄以報斷,非所以究理盡情也。 其令廷尉及天下獄官,諸有死罪具獄以定,非謀反及手殺人,亟語其親治,有乞恩者,使與奏當文書俱上,朕將思所以全之。 其布告天下,使明朕意。」
On day renshen in the sixth month an edict stated: "The You Yu clan painted images and the people did not offend; the Zhou people set punishments aside and did not use them. Living after late kings, Mingdi mourned how far his justice fell short of antiquity. More laws bred more crime—punishment multiplied without ending fraud. He had already eased capital statutes to spare lives. Yet hundreds still died in jail yearly—was teaching weak or the law still a snare? He ordered reviews before execution so mercy pleas could reach the throne. Death sentences needed kin notified and clemency petitions bundled with court findings—except treason and murder. The edict was published empire-wide."
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景初元年春正月壬辰,山茌縣言黃龍見。 〈茌音仕狸反。〉 於是有司奏,以爲魏得地統,宜以建丑之月爲正。 三月,定歷改年爲孟夏四月。 〈《魏書》曰:初,文皇帝即位,以受禪于漢,因循漢正朔弗改。 帝在東宮著論,以爲五帝三王雖同氣共祖,禮不相襲,正朔自宜改變,以明受命之運。 及即位,優游者久之,史官復著言宜改,乃詔三公、特進、九卿、中郎將、大夫、博士、議郎、千石、六百石博議,議者或不同。 帝據古典,甲子詔曰:「夫太極運三辰五星於上,元氣轉三統五行於下,登降周旋,終則又始。 故仲尼作春秋,於三微之月,每月稱王,以明三正迭相爲首。 今推三統之次,魏得地統,當以建丑之月爲正月。 考之羣藝,厥義章矣。 其改青龍五年三月爲景初元年四月。」〉 服色尚黃,犧牲用白,戎事乘黑首白馬,建大赤之旂,朝會建大白之旗。 〈臣松之桉:魏爲土行,故服色尚黃。 行殷之時,以建丑爲正,故犧牲旂旗一用殷禮。 禮記云:「夏后氏尚黑,故戎事乘驪,牲用玄; 殷人尚白,戎事乘翰,牲用白; 周人尚赤,戎事乘騵,牲用騂。」 鄭玄云:「夏后氏以建寅爲正,物生色黑; 殷以建丑爲正,物牙色白; 周以建子爲正,物萌色赤。 翰,白色馬也,易曰『白馬翰如』。」 周禮巾車職「建大赤以朝」,大白以即戎,此則周以正色之旗以朝,先代之旗即戎。 今魏用殷禮,變周之制,故建大白以朝,大赤即戎。〉 改 〈大和歷〉 曰 〈景初歷〉。 其春夏秋冬孟仲季月雖與正歲不同,至於郊祀、迎氣、礿祠、蒸甞、巡狩、蒐田、分至啟閉、班宣時令、中氣早晚、敬授民事,皆以正歲斗建爲歷數之序。
On Jingchu renchen Shanzhi reported a yellow dragon omen. 〈Phonetic gloss for the place-name character (fanqie: shi plus li).〉 Officials argued Wei held 'earth' phase and should begin the year in jianchou (twelfth month). They reset the calendar so summer's first month opened the year. 〈Cao Pi had kept Han's calendar after abdication. As heir Mingdi had already argued new dynasties need new calendars. He stalled until scholars renewed the debate with divided opinions. He relied on classical antiquity; on jiazi day an edict stated: "The Grand Ultimate moves the three luminaries and five planets above; primordial breath turns the three systems and five phases below—ascending, descending, circling—when ended then again beginning. Confucius' Annals honored three competing calendar starts. Wei matched the earth 'tong'—year must begin in jianchou. Canon backed the reform. Qinglong 5 month 3 became Jingchu 1 month 4."〉" Court dress yellow, victims white, war horses black-maned white, banners scarlet for court and white for martial display. 〈Pei notes earth element dictated yellow robes. Animal and banner colors followed Yin precedent under jianchou. The Record of Rites states: "The Xia dynasty esteemed black—therefore military affairs rode black horses and victims used dark blood; Yin favored white horses and white victims. Zhou preferred sorrel mounts and chestnut victims." Zheng Xuan states: "The Xia took jianyin as correct—things' born color is black; Yin's white matched sprouting under jianchou. Zhou's red matched buds under jianzi. Han' glosses as white—the Zhou Yi cites white horses.' The Zhou li Director of Chariots' duty: 'Raise great scarlet for court'—great white for going to war—thus Zhou used orthodox-color banner at court and former dynasties' banner for war. Wei inverted Zhou: white at peace, scarlet in war—per Yin. [Calendar heading:] Amendment. 〈From the Dahe calendar treatise.〉 It reads 〈to the Jingchu calendar treatise.〉 Seasonal rites still tracked the old dipper month despite civil date shift.
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五月己巳,行還洛陽宮。 己丑,大赦。 六月戊申,京都地震。 己亥,以尚書令陳矯爲司徒,尚書右僕射衞臻爲司空。 丁未,分魏興之魏陽、錫郡之安富、上庸爲上庸郡。 省錫郡,以錫縣屬魏興郡。
On jisi in May the court returned to Luoyang. On jichou came amnesty. On sixth-month wushen Luoyang quaked. On jihai Chen Jiao became minister of education and Wei Zhen minister of works. On dingwei new Shangyong commandery was carved from three counties. Xi commandery was folded and its seat joined Weixing.
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有司奏:武皇帝撥亂反正,爲魏太祖,樂用武始之舞。 文皇帝應天受命,爲魏高祖,樂用咸熙之舞。 帝制作興治,爲魏烈祖,樂用章武之舞。 三祖之廟萬世不毀,其餘四廟親盡迭毀,如周后稷、文、武廟祧之制。 〈孫盛曰:夫謚以表行,廟以存容,皆於旣沒然後著焉,所以原始要終,以示百世也。 未有當年而逆制祖宗,未終而豫自尊顯。 昔華樂以厚斂致譏,周人以豫凶違禮,魏之羣司,於是乎失正。〉
Cao Cao's temple music was Wushi. Cao Pi's shrine used Xianxi. Mingdi claimed Liezu with Zhangwu choreography. Three eternal shrines plus rotating four—mirroring Zhou geneology rules. 〈Sun Sheng scolds premature temple honors. Living rulers should not name themselves founding ancestors. Sun Sheng compares Mingdi to notorious precedents of vanity.
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詔青、兖、幽、冀四州大作海船。 九月,冀、兖、徐、豫四州民遇水,遣侍御史循行沒溺死亡及失財產者,在所開倉振救之。 庚辰,皇后毛氏卒。 冬十月丁未,月犯熒惑。 癸丑,葬悼毛后于愍陵。 乙卯,營洛陽南委粟山爲圜丘。 〈《魏書》載詔曰:「蓋帝王受命,莫不恭承天地以章神明,尊祀世統以昭功德,故先代之典旣著,則禘郊祖宗之制備也。 昔漢氏之初,承秦滅學之後,采摭殘缺,以備郊祀,自甘泉后土、雍宮五畤,神祇兆位,多不見經,是以制度無常,一彼一此,四百餘年,廢無禘祀。 古代之所更立者,遂有闕焉。 曹氏繫世,出自有虞氏,今祀圜丘,以始祖帝舜配,號圜丘曰皇皇帝天; 方丘所祭曰皇皇后地,以舜妃伊氏配; 天郊所祭曰皇天之神,以太祖武皇帝配; 地郊所祭曰皇地之祇,以武宣后配; 宗祀皇考高祖文皇帝於明堂,以配上帝。」 至晉泰始二年,并圜丘、方丘二至之祀於南北郊。〉 十二月壬子冬至,始祀。 丁巳,分襄陽臨沮、宜城、旍陽、邔 〈邔音其己反〉 四縣,置襄陽南部都尉。 己未,有司奏文昭皇后立廟京都。 分襄陽郡之鄀葉縣屬義陽郡。 〈《魏略》曰:是歲,徙長安諸鐘簴、駱駝、銅人、承露盤。 盤折,銅人重不可致,留于霸城。 大發銅鑄作銅人二,號曰翁仲,列坐於司馬門外。 又鑄黃龍、鳳皇各一,龍高四丈,鳳高三丈餘,置內殿前。 起土山於芳林園西北陬,使公卿羣僚皆負土成山,樹松竹雜木善草於其上,捕山禽雜獸置其中。 《漢晉春秋》曰:帝徙盤,盤折,聲聞數十里,金狄或泣,因留於霸城。 《魏略》載司徒軍議掾河東董尋上書諫曰:「臣聞古之直士,盡言於國,不避死亡。 故周昌比高祖於桀、紂,劉輔譬趙后於人婢。 天生忠直,雖白刃沸湯,往而不顧者,誠爲時主愛惜天下也。 建安以來,野戰死亡,或門殫戶盡,雖有存者,遺孤老弱。 若今宮室狹小,當廣大之,猶宜隨時,不妨農務,況乃作無益之物,黃龍、鳳皇,九龍、承露盤,土山、淵池,此皆聖明之所不興也,其功參倍於殿舍。 三公九卿侍中尚書,天下至德,皆知非道而不敢言者,以陛下春秋方剛,心畏雷霆。 今陛下旣尊羣臣,顯以冠冕,被以文繡,載以華輿,所以異於小人; 而使穿方舉土,面目垢黑,沾體塗足,衣冠了鳥,毀國之光以崇無益,甚非謂也。 孔子曰:『君使臣以禮,臣事君以忠。』 無忠無禮,國何以立! 故有君不君,臣不臣,上下不通,心懷鬱結,使陰陽不和,災害屢降,凶惡之徒因閒而起,誰當爲陛下盡言是者乎? 又誰當干萬乘以死爲戲乎? 臣知言出必死,而臣自比於牛之一毛,生旣無益,死亦何損? 秉筆流涕,心與世辭。 臣有八子,臣死之後,累陛下矣!」 將奏,沐浴。 旣通,帝曰:「董尋不畏死邪!」 主者奏收尋,有詔勿問。 後爲貝丘令,清省得民心。〉
Four northern provinces mass-produced war junks. September floods brought imperial grain relief. On gengchen Empress Mao passed away. On winter dingwei the moon occulted Mars. On guichou Lady Mao was buried at Minling. On yimao he shaped southern Weisu hill into Heaven's round altar. 〈The Wei Shu records an edict: "Emperors receiving mandate all reverently inherit Heaven and earth to manifest spirits; honor sacrificial succession to display merit—therefore former dynasties' canons once fixed, the suburban and ancestral temple system is complete. Han sacrifices had been patchwork since the book burning. Ancient recovery remained flawed. Wei claimed descent from Shun—Heaven's altar honored Shun as counterpart. Earth's altar paired Lady Yi. Southern suburb matched Cao Cao. Northern suburb matched Lady Bian. The Bright Hall paired Cao Pi with High God." Jin later fused the dual earth-heaven sites. Winter solstice renzi saw the first new ritual. On dingsi four Xiangyang counties—Linju, Yicheng, Jingyang, and Yi (graph splits across sentences)—were partitioned. 〈Phonetic gloss for the county name (fanqie: qi plus ji syllables).〉 Those four counties formed southern Xiangyang command. On jiwei officials asked a capital shrine for Lady Zhen. Ru and Ye moved from Xiangyang to Yiyang. 〈Wei looted Han bronze monuments from Chang'an. The dew dish snapped; giants stayed at Ba. They recast bronze into two Wengzhong statues by Sima Gate. Monumental dragon and phoenix bronzes flanked the inner court. Ministers packed earth for an imperial hunting mound in Fanglin. Legend says the Han bells shattered en route and wept bronze tears. The Wei Lue records Staff Counselor of the Minister of Education Dong Xun of Hedong memorializing: "Your servant has heard ancient straight officers exhausted speech for the state and did not avoid death. He named Zhou Chang and Liu Fu's blunt analogies. True advisers brave death for the realm's sake. Decades of war had beggared families. Monuments wasted labor far beyond useful building. Senior ministers stayed mute fearing a young emperor's wrath. High ministers rode in splendor—why humiliate them? Making nobles haul dirt ruined dignity for toys. He quoted Analects on mutual ritual. Without mutual duty the state fails. Silence breeds cosmic disorder and traitors. Who else would speak truth to power? Dong Xun called his life negligible. He wrote through tears, ready to die. He begged mercy for his eight sons." He purified himself before submitting. When it had passed through the Emperor said, "Does Dong Xun not fear death! Censors wanted him arrested—the emperor spared him. Dong Xun later ruled Beiqiu honestly.
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二年春正月,詔太尉司馬宣王帥衆討遼東。 〈干竇《晉紀》曰:帝問宣王:「度淵將何計以待君?」 宣王對曰:「淵棄城預走,上計也; 據遼水拒大軍,其次也; 坐守襄平,此爲成禽耳。」 帝曰:「然則三者何出?」 對曰:「唯明智審量彼我,乃預有所割棄,此旣非淵所及,又謂今往縣遠,不能持久,必先拒遼水,後守也。」 帝曰:「往還幾日?」 對曰:「往百日,攻百日; 還百日,以六十日爲休息,如此,一年足矣。」 魏名臣奏載散騎常侍何曾表曰:「臣聞先王制法,必於全慎,故建官授任,則置假輔,陳師命將,則立監貳,宣命遣使,則設介副,臨敵交刃,則參御右,蓋以盡謀思之功,防安危之變也。 是以在險當難,則權足相濟,隕缺不預,則手足相代,其爲固防,至深至遠。 及至漢氏,亦循舊章。 韓信伐趙,張耳爲貳; 馬援討越,劉隆副軍。 前世之迹,著在篇志。 今懿奉辭誅罪,步騎數萬,道路迴阻,四千餘里,雖假天威,有征無戰,寇或潛遁,消散日月,命無常期。 人非金石,遠慮詳備,誠宜有副。 今北邊諸將及懿所督,皆爲僚屬,名位不殊,素無定分,卒有變急,不相鎮攝。 存不忘亡,聖達所戒,宜選大臣名將威重宿著者,盛其禮秩,遣詣懿軍,進同謀略,退爲副佐。 雖有萬一不虞之災,軍主有儲,則無患矣。」 毌丘儉志記云,時以儉爲宣王副也。〉
Jingchu 2 opened with Sima Yi's Liaodong expedition. 〈Gan Bao's Jin Ji states: The Emperor asked Sima Yi, "How do you estimate Yuan will plan to await you? Sima Yi replied: "If Yuan abandons the city and flees beforehand—that is the best plan; Second: defend the Liao River. If he only sits in Xiangping, we will bag him like game." Which of the three stratagems will he choose?" Sima Yi expected Yuan to lack foresight—long supply lines would force him to hold the Liao first, then the walls." How long is the full campaign?" He replied: "Go one hundred days, attack one hundred days; One hundred back plus sixty rest—twelve months all told." Wei Mingchen Zou records Palace Attendant He Zeng's memorial: "Your servant has heard former kings in establishing law must be wholly cautious—therefore when establishing offices and granting appointment they set deputy assistants; when deploying hosts and appointing generals they establish overseers and seconds; when proclaiming orders and dispatching envoys they set deputies; when facing the enemy and crossing blades they assign chariot companions on the right—by these means they exhaust planning thought and guard against safety-peril shifts. Seconds cover emergencies—true defense runs deep. Han followed the same rule. Han Xin had Zhang Er as deputy against Zhao. Ma Yuan took Liu Long on the southern campaign. Precedent fills the histories. Liaodong was four thousand li—Yuan might flee and drag out time. Mortals need a second-in-command for a distant war. Northern officers lacked clear chain under Sima Yi—crisis could bring chaos. He urged sending a senior deputy to Sima Yi's camp. A backup commander contained risk." The note identifies Guanqiu Jian as that deputy.
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秋八月,燒當羌王芒中、注詣等叛,涼州刺史率諸郡攻討,斬注詣首。 癸丑,有彗星見張宿。 〈《漢晉春秋》曰:史官言於帝曰:「此周之分野也,洛邑惡之。」 於是大脩禳禱之術以厭焉。 《魏書》曰:九月,蜀陰平太守廖惇反,攻守善羌侯宕蕈營。 雍州刺史郭淮遣廣魏太守王贇、南安太守游弈將兵討惇。 淮上書:「贇、弈等分兵夾山東西,圍落賊表,破在旦夕。」 帝曰:「兵勢惡離。」 促詔淮勑弈諸別營非要處者,還令據便地。 詔勑未到,弈軍爲惇所破; 贇爲流矢所中死。〉
Autumn: Shaodang Qiang rose; Liangzhou forces killed Zhuyi. On guichou a comet streaked through Zhang. 〈The Han Jin Chunqiu states: The historian reported to the Emperor: "This is Zhou's field division—Luoyi dreads it. The court staged grand apotropaic rites. September: Shu's Yinping governor mutinied against the Qiang. Guo Huai sent Wang Yun and You Yi against Liao Dun. Huai memorialized: "Yun and Yi divided troops east and west of the mountain, surrounding the bandits' outer ring—victory within dawn. The Emperor said: "Military momentum hates splitting." He ordered consolidation before the edict arrived. Too late—You Yi was routed. Wang Yun fell to a stray shaft.
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丙寅,司馬宣王圍公孫淵於襄平,大破之,傳淵首于京都,海東諸郡平。 冬十一月,錄討淵功,太尉宣王以下增邑封爵各有差。 初,帝議遣宣王討淵,發卒四萬人。 議臣皆以爲四萬兵多,役費難供。 帝曰:「四千里征伐,雖云用奇,亦當任力,不當稍計役費。」 遂以四萬人行。 及宣王至遼東,霖雨不得時攻,羣臣或以爲淵未可卒破,宜詔宣王還。 帝曰:「司馬懿臨危制變,擒淵可計日待也。」 卒皆如所策。
On bingyin Sima Yi took Xiangping and shipped Yuan's head south. Winter rewards went to Sima Yi and subordinates. The Liaodong expedition began with forty thousand men. Critics called forty thousand excessive. The Emperor said: "A four-thousand-li expedition—even if called using strangeness—still must rely on strength—ought not slightly reckon labor expense." Forty thousand went east. Rain stalled the siege; courtiers wanted recall. The Emperor said: "Sima Yi masters emergencies and controls changes—capturing Yuan can be awaited counted days. Events unfolded exactly as predicted.
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壬午,以司空衞臻爲司徒,司隷校尉崔林爲司空。 閏月,月犯心中央大星。 十二月乙丑,帝寢疾不豫。 辛巳,立皇后。 賜天下男子爵人二級,鰥寡孤獨穀。 以燕王宇爲大將軍,甲申免,以武衞將軍曹爽代之。 〈《漢晉春秋》曰:帝以燕王宇爲大將軍,使與領軍將軍夏侯獻、武衞將軍曹爽、屯騎校尉曹肈、驍騎將軍秦朗等對輔政。 中書監劉放、令孫資久專權寵,爲朗等素所不善,懼有後害,陰圖間之,而宇常在帝側,故未得有言。 甲申,帝氣微,宇下殿呼曹肈有所議,未還,而帝少間,惟曹爽獨在。 放知之,呼資與謀。 資曰:「不可動也。」 放曰:「俱入鼎鑊,何不可之有?」 乃突前見帝,垂泣曰:「陛下氣微,若有不諱,將以天下付誰?」 帝曰:「卿不聞用燕王耶?」 放曰:「陛下忘先帝詔勑,藩王不得輔政。 且陛下方病,而曹肈、秦朗等便與才人侍疾者言戲。 燕王擁兵南面,不聽臣等入,此即豎刀、趙高也。 今皇太子幼弱,未能統政,外有彊暴之寇,內有勞怨之民,陛下不遠慮存亡,而近係恩舊。 委祖考之業,付二三凡士,寢疾數日,外內擁隔,社稷危殆,而己不知,此臣等所以痛心也。」 帝得放言,大怒曰:「誰可任者?」 放、資乃舉爽代宇,又白「宜詔司馬宣王使相參」,帝從之。 放、資出,曹肈入,泣涕固諫,帝使肈勑停。 肈出戶,放、資趨而往,復說止帝,帝又從其言。 放曰:「宜爲手詔。」 帝曰:「我困篤,不能。」 放即上牀,執帝手強作之,遂齎出,大言曰:「有詔免燕王宇等官,不得停省中。」 於是宇、肈、獻、朗相與泣而歸第。〉
On renwu Wei Zhen headed education and Cui Lin works. Intercalary month: lunar occultation of Antares. Twelfth-month yichou Mingdi took to bed. On xinsi he named an empress. General ranks and grain like earlier reigns. Cao Yu briefly held grand general—then Cao Shuang replaced him on jiashen. 〈Cao Yu was to share power with Xiahou Xian, Shuang, Zhao, and Lang. Liu Fang and Sun Zi feared Cao Yu's regency while he blocked access. A bedside shuffle left only Cao Shuang when Yu stepped out. Liu Fang alerted Sun Zi. Zi said: "We cannot move." Fang said: "Both enter the cauldron—what cannot be done?" They suddenly advanced to see the Emperor—weeping said: "Your Majesty's breath is faint—if there is misfortune—to whom will You entrust all under heaven?" The Emperor said: "Have you not heard—employ Prince of Yan?" Fang said: "Your Majesty forgets the late Emperor's edict—feudal kings must not assist government. He smeared Zhao and Lang for flirting with nurses. He compared Cao Yu to classic usurping eunuchs. He warned of weak heir and foreign foes. Mediocre regents would doom the state." Hearing Fang's words the Emperor grew greatly angry and said: "Who can be appointed?" Fang and Zi thereupon raised Shuang to replace Yu—also stated "ought to order Sima Yi to join consultation"—the Emperor consented. Cao Zhao protested the coup—brief halt. Fang and Zi overruled Zhao twice. "We need your seal in your own hand." The Emperor said: "I am desperately tired—cannot." Fang then mounted the bed—grasped the Emperor's hand—forced it to write—thereupon carried it out—shouting loudly: "There is an edict dismissing Prince of Yan Yu and others from office—may not linger in the palace. The princely regents were sent home weeping.
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初,青龍三年中,壽春農民妻自言爲天神所下,命爲登女,當營衞帝室,蠲邪納福。 飲人以水,及以洗創,或多愈者。 於是立館後宮,下詔稱揚,甚見優寵。 及帝疾,飲水無驗,於是殺焉。
A Shouchun woman claimed divine possession—Qinglong 3. Her water supposedly healed. The court housed and praised her. When Mingdi sickened her magic failed—she was executed.
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三年春正月丁亥,太尉宣王還至河內,帝驛馬召到,引入卧內,執其手謂曰:「吾疾甚,以後事屬君,君其與爽輔少子。 吾得見君,無所恨!」 宣王頓首流涕。 〈《魏略》曰:帝旣從劉放計,召司馬宣王,自力爲詔,旣封,顧呼宮中常所給使者曰:「辟邪來! 汝持我此詔授太尉也。」 辟邪馳去。 先是,燕王爲帝畫計,以爲關中事重,宜便道遣宣王從河內西還,事以施行。 宣王得前詔,斯須復得後手筆,疑京師有變,乃馳到,入見帝。 勞問訖,乃召齊、秦二王以示宣王,別指齊王謂宣王曰:「此是也,君諦視之,勿誤也!」 又教齊王令前抱宣王頸。 《魏氏春秋》曰:時太子芳年八歲,秦王九歲,在于御側。 帝執宣王手,目太子曰:「死乃復可忍,朕忍死待君,君其與爽輔此。」 宣王曰:「陛下不見先帝屬臣以陛下乎?」〉 即日,帝崩于嘉福殿, 〈《魏書》曰:殯于九龍前殿。〉 時年三十六。 〈臣松之桉:魏武以建安九年八月定鄴,文帝始納甄后,明帝應以十年生,計至此年正月,整三十四年耳。 時改正朔,以故年十二月爲今年正月,可彊名三十五年,不得三十六也。〉 癸丑,葬高平陵。
In the third year, spring, first month, on day dinghai Grand Commandant Sima Yi returned to He interior—the Emperor by relay horse summoned him—led him into the bedchamber—grasped his hand saying: "My illness is severe—I entrust later affairs to you—you shall assist the young son together with Shuang. Seeing Sima Yi fulfilled his last wish." Sima Yi kowtowed in tears. 〈The Wei Lue states: After the Emperor followed Liu Fang's plan summoning Sima Yi—he personally drafted the edict—when sealed—turned calling the usual palace messenger: "Bixie come! Hand this edict to the grand commandant." The runner Bixie dashed away. Cao Yu had already routed Sima Yi toward Guanzhong. Conflicting orders brought Sima Yi racing to Luoyang. After consoling finished he summoned Qi and Qin two princes to show Sima Yi—separately pointing at Qi prince telling Sima Yi: "This is the one—look carefully—do not mistake! Young Fang embraced Sima Yi. Fang was eight, the Qin prince nine. The Emperor grasped Sima Yi's hand—eyeing the crown prince said: "Death then again can be endured—I endure death awaiting you—you shall assist this together with Shuang. Sima Yi invoked Cao Pi's trust."〉 He died that day in Jiafu Hall. 〈The lying-in-state was before Jiulong Hall. He was thirty-six by civil reckoning. 〈Pei argues Mingdi died at thirty-four not thirty-six. Calendar reform inflated his recorded age. On guichou he went to Gaoling tomb.
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〈《魏書》曰:帝容止可觀,望之儼然。 自在東宮,不交朝臣,不問政事,唯潛思書籍而已。 即位之後,褒禮大臣,料簡功能,真偽不得相貿,務絕浮華譖毀之端,行師動衆,論決大事,謀臣將相咸服帝之大略。 性特彊識,雖左右小臣官簿性行,名跡所履,及其父兄子弟,一經耳目,終不遺忘。 含垢藏疾,容受直言,聽受吏民士庶上書,一月之中至數十百封,雖文辭鄙陋,猶覽省究竟,意無猒倦。 孫盛曰:聞之長老,魏明帝天姿秀出,立髮垂地,口吃少言,而沉毅好斷。 初,諸公受遺輔導,帝皆以方任處之,政自己出。 而優禮大臣,開容善直,雖犯顏極諫,無所摧戮,其君人之量如此之偉也。 然不思建德垂風,不固維城之基,至使大權偏據,社稷無衞,悲夫!〉
〈Wei Shu praises his majestic presence. As heir he studied books and avoided faction. His reign mixed meritocracy and decisive war policy. He memorized every clerk's dossier. He read mountains of plebeian petitions. Sun Sheng describes his appearance and stutter. He sidelined regents to frontier posts. He tolerated blunt advisers. Sun Sheng laments weak princes and lost power to Sima.
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評曰:明帝沉毅斷識,任心而行,蓋有君人之至槩焉。 于時百姓彫弊,四海分崩,不先聿脩顯祖,闡拓洪基,而遽追秦皇、漢武,宮館是營,格之遠猷,其殆疾乎!
Chen Shou praises his ruler's spine. Chen Shou faults palace building over restoring unity.