1
是儀字子羽，北海營陵人也。 本姓氏，初為縣吏，後仕郡。 郡相孔融嘲儀，言"氏"字"民"無上，可改為"是"，乃遂改焉。 〈徐众评曰：古之建姓，或以所生，或以官号，或以祖名，皆有义体，以明氏族。 故曰胙之以土而命之氏，此先王之典也，所以明本重始，彰示功德，子孙不忘也。 今离文析字，横生忌讳，使仪易姓，忘本诬祖，不亦谬哉！ 教人易姓，从人改族，融既失之，仪又不得也。〉 後依劉繇，避亂江東。 繇軍改，儀徙會稽。 孫權承攝大業，優文征儀。 到見親任，專典機密，拜騎都尉。 呂蒙圖襲關羽，權以問儀，儀善其計，勸權聽之。 從討羽，拜忠義校尉。 儀陳謝，權令曰："孤雖非趙簡子，卿安得不自屈為周捨邪？ "既定荊州，都武昌，拜裨將軍，後封都亭侯，守侍中。 欲復授兵，儀自以非材，固辭不受。 黃武中，遣儀之皖就將軍劉邵，欲誘致曹休。 休到，大破之，遷偏將軍，入闕省尚書事，外總平諸官，兼領辭訟，又令都諸公於書學。
Shi Yi (courtesy Ziyu) came from Yingling in Beihai commandery. His clan name had been Shi; he began as a county clerk and later entered commandery service. Commandery chief Kong Rong teased him that the graph for his surname looked like the people radical with nothing sovereign above it, and jokingly suggested he adopt the homophone meaning "yes"—so he did. 〈Commentator Xu Zhong remarks that ancient surnames were coined from birth tokens, offices, or forebears' names—each carried meaning that bound a lineage together. Hence the ritual formula: grant land and bestow the clan name—former kings used that to mark origins, celebrate merit, and keep descendants mindful of their roots. To split characters for superstitious puns and make a man discard his surname is to sever him from his ancestors—surely that is folly. To urge another to change his lineage was Kong Rong's mistake; Shi Yi ought not to have complied.〉 He then joined Liu Yao and crossed south to escape the wars. After Liu Yao's defeat he resettled in Kuaiji. Sun Quan, taking charge of Wu's destiny, sent him a warm letter of invitation. Once he arrived he won Sun Quan's confidence, handled confidential affairs, and was named chief of the capitals grooms. When Lü Meng planned the strike on Guan Yu, Sun Quan consulted Shi Yi, who endorsed the scheme and urged him to act. He accompanied the campaign against Guan Yu and received the rank of colonel of loyalty and righteousness. Shi Yi tried to decline; Sun Quan told him, "I may not be Zhao Jianzi, but will you not humble yourself as Zhou She did for him?" After Jingzhou fell the court moved to Wuchang, where Shi Yi became a rear-guard general, then village marquis at the metropolitan gate, while remaining palace attendant. Sun Quan later offered him a military command; Shi Yi, judging himself no soldier, refused firmly. During Huangwu he sent Shi Yi to Wan to work with General Liu Shao on the ruse to draw Cao Xiu forward. Cao Xiu walked into the trap and was crushed; Shi Yi rose to lieutenant general, took charge of Secretariat review, coordinated civil offices, heard lawsuits, and oversaw the palace school of writing.
2
大駕東遷，太子登留鎮武昌，使儀輔太子。 太子敬之，事先咨詢，然後施行。 進封都鄉侯。 後從太子還建業，復拜侍中、中執法，平諸官事、領辭訟如舊。 典校郎呂壹誣白故江夏太守刁嘉謗仙國政，權怒，收嘉系獄，悉驗問。 時同坐人皆怖畏壹，並言聞之，儀獨雲無聞。 於是見窮詰累日，詔旨轉厲，群臣為之屏息。 儀對曰："今刀鋸已在臣頸，臣何敢為嘉隱諱，自取夷滅，為不忠之鬼!顧以聞知當有本末。 "據實答問，辭不傾移。 權遂捨之，嘉亦得免。 〈徐众评曰：是仪以羁旅异方，客仕吴朝，值谗邪殄行，当严毅之威，命县漏刻，祸急危机，不雷同以害人，不苟免以伤义，可谓忠勇公正之士，虽祁奚之免叔向，庆忌之济硃云，何以尚之？ 忠不谄君，勇不慑耸，公不存私，正不党邪，资此四德，加之以文敏，崇之以谦约，履之以和顺，保傅二宫，存身爱名，不亦宜乎！〉 蜀相諸葛亮卒，權垂心西州，遣儀使蜀申固盟好。 奉使稱意，後拜尚書僕射。 南、魯二宮初立，儀以本職領魯王傅。 儀嫌二宮相近切，乃上疏曰："臣竊以魯王天挺懿德，兼資文武，當今之宜，宜鎮四方，為國藩輔。 宣揚德美，廣耀威靈，乃國家之良規，海內所瞻望。 但臣言辭鄙野，不能究盡其意。 愚以二宮宜有降殺，正上下之序，明教化之本。 "書三四上。 為傅盡忠，動輒規諫； 事上勤，與人恭。
When Sun Quan shifted east, Crown Prince Sun Deng stayed to hold Wuchang with Shi Yi as his aide. The crown prince honored him and never acted on policy until he had asked his advice. His fief was raised to capital-district village marquis. He later accompanied the heir to Jianye and resumed palace attendant and central law enforcer, with the same civil and judicial duties. Inspector Lü Yi denounced former Jiangxia prefect Diao Jia for criticizing the throne; Sun Quan jailed Diao and ordered a full inquiry. Everyone present feared Lü Yi and claimed to have heard the slander—only Shi Yi said he had heard nothing. For days the interrogators pressed him while the emperor's tone hardened; the whole court held its breath. Shi Yi answered, "The executioner's blade is at my throat; I would not lie to shield Diao Jia and die a traitor's death—yet anything truly heard has a clear beginning and end." He stuck to the facts and never shifted his story. Sun Quan dropped the case, and Diao Jia went free. 〈Xu Zhong praises him as a stranger in Wu who, when slander threatened an innocent life, refused to parrot lies or save his skin at the cost of honor—loyal, brave, and just, rivaling the finest exemplars of old. He was loyal without flattery, resolute without swagger, fair without favor, upright without faction—add wit, humility, and gentleness, and you have the ideal guardian for both heirs.〉 After Zhuge Liang's death Sun Quan turned his eyes westward and sent Shi Yi to Chengdu to renew the alliance. The embassy succeeded, and he was promoted to secretariat supervisor. When the Heir Apparent and Prince of Lu each received a household, Shi Yi kept his offices and became tutor to the Prince of Lu. He disliked having the two residences cheek by jowl and wrote, "The Prince of Lu is gifted in civil and military affairs; in my humble view he should be posted on the frontier as a pillar of the realm." Let him broadcast Wu's virtue and majesty abroad—that is sound policy and what the realm expects. I am coarse of speech and cannot say it half so well. I beg you to set clear precedence between the two households so that rank and ritual instruction are unambiguous. He sent up the same memorial three or four times. As tutor he spoke his mind whenever duty required; he was tireless toward superiors and courteous to everyone.
3
不治產業，不受施惠，為屋舍財足自容。 鄰家有起大宅者，權出望見，問起大室者誰。 左右對曰："似是儀家也。 "權曰："儀儉，必非也。 "問果他家。 其見知信如此。 服不精細，食不重膳，拯贍貧困，家無儲畜。 權聞之，幸儀捨，求視蔬飯，親嘗之，對之歎息，即增俸賜，益田宅。 儀累辭讓，以恩為戚。
He built no fortune, accepted no gifts, and kept a house just large enough for his needs. When a neighbor put up a grand mansion Sun Quan noticed it from the palace and asked whose it was. Attendants said, "It looks like Shi Yi's place." Sun Quan answered, "Shi Yi is too frugal—that cannot be his." A check proved it was someone else's. Such was the ruler's faith in his austerity. He wore plain cloth, ate simple meals, helped the needy, and kept no hoard at home. Sun Quan called at his home, tasted his spare fare, sighed, and raised his stipend and land grants. Shi Yi tried to refuse the extras, embarrassed by such bounty.
4
時時有所進達，未嘗盲人之短。 權常責儀以不言事，無是所非，儀對曰："聖主在上，臣下守職，懼於不稱，實不敢以愚管之畜，上干天聽。 "事國數十年，未嘗有過。 呂壹歷白將相大臣，或一人以罪聞者數四，獨無以白儀。 權歎曰："使人盡如是儀，當安用科法為?"
He recommended talent when he saw it but never gossiped about others' faults. Sun Quan once scolded him for holding his tongue; Shi Yi answered, "Under a sage king each man has his charge; I fear falling short of mine and would not waste your ear with trifles." He served Wu for decades without a stain on his record. Lü Yi impeached everyone, some officers four times over, yet never found a handle on Shi Yi. Sun Quan sighed, "If all my men were like Shi Yi, I could throw away the law codes."
5
及寢疾，遺令素棺，斂以時服，務從省約，年八十一卒。
At his deathbed he ordered a plain coffin, everyday clothes for burial, and the simplest rites; he died at eighty-one.
6
黃武八年夏，黃龍見舉口，於是權稱尊號，因瑞改元。 又作黃龍大牙，常在中軍，諸軍進退，視其所向，命綜作賊曰：
That summer of 229 a yellow dragon was sighted at Jukou; Sun Quan thereupon took the imperial title and renamed the era after the omen. He had a great yellow-dragon banner made for the central command; every column took its cue from it, and he commissioned Hu Zong to write a martial ode that begins:
7
乾坤肇立，三才是生。 狼弧垂象，實惟兵精； 聖人觀法，是效是營，始作器械，爰求厥成。 黃、農創代，拓定皇基，上順天心，下息民災。 高辛誅共，舜征有苗，啟有甘師，湯有鳴條。 周之牧野，漢之垓下，靡不由兵，克定厥緒。 明明大吳，實天生德，神武是經，惟皇之極。 乃自在昔，黃、虞是祖，越歷五代，繼世在下。 應期受命，發跡南土，將恢大繇，革我區夏。 乃律天時，制為神軍，取象太一，五將三門； 疾則如電，遲則如雲，進止有度，約而不煩。 四靈既布，黃龍處中，周制日月，實曰太常，桀然特立，六軍所望。 仙人在上，鑒觀四方，神實使之，為國休祥。 軍欲轉向，黃龍先移，金鼓不鳴，寂然變施，暗謨若神，可謂秘奇。 在昔周室，赤烏銜書，今也大吳，黃龍吐符。 合契河洛，動與道俱，天贊人和，歛曰惟休。
Heaven and earth were fixed in place, and the three realms of nature took shape. The Bow and Wolf constellations hung overhead—the very emblems of war; the sage read their pattern, fashioned weapons after them, and brought the craft of war to perfection. The Yellow Emperor and Shennong opened new eras, widened the royal foundation, matched heaven's will above, and stilled the people's woes below. Emperor Ku slew Gonggong; Shun chastised the Miao; Qi mustered the host of Gan; Tang struck at Mingtiao. Zhou won at Muye, Han at Gaixia—no mandate was settled without the sword. Bright great Wu, heaven-taught in virtue, makes divine arms its warp and reaches the pole of kingship. From high antiquity, claiming the Yellow Emperor and Shun as forebears, your house endured five ages of exile before rising again. You answered the times, rose from the southern land, and set out to renew the great design and remake the heartland. You tuned the army to heaven's clock, formed a host on the Taiyi pattern—five commands, three gates; swift as lightning in the charge, broad as clouds in the pause—every movement measured, never chaotic. The four spirit guards take post, the yellow dragon holds the center like the Zhou king's Grand Constancy banner—lofty, alone, the cynosure of six hosts. The immortal presence above watches every quarter; spirit drives the standard and brings good fortune to Wu. When the line wheels, the dragon banner leads; drums need not roll—the host shifts in silent order, as if by hidden design. The Zhou saw a red crow bear its mandate; now great Wu sees the yellow dragon spit its sign. It matches the charts of the Yellow River and Luo, moves with the Dao—heaven approves, the people join—this is called supreme blessing.
8
蜀聞權踐阼，遣使重申前好。 綜為盟文，文義甚美，語在《權傳》。
Learning that Sun Quan had taken the throne, Shu sent envoys to renew the alliance. Hu Zong drafted the treaty; the text was elegant—the full wording appears in Sun Quan's biography.
9
權下都建業，詳、綜並為侍中，進封鄉侯，兼左、右領軍。 時魏降人或雲魏都督河北振威將軍吳質頗見猜疑，綜乃偽質為作降文三條：
After the court settled at Jianye, Xu Xiang and Hu Zong became joint palace attendants, village marquises, and left and right commanders of the guard. Wei turncoats claimed that Wu Zhi, Wei's Hebei commander and general who awes the foe, had fallen under suspicion; Hu Zong forged three "surrender" pieces in his name:
10
其一曰：“天綱弛絕，四海分崩，群生憔悴，士人播越，兵寇所加，邑無居民，風塵煙火，往往而處。 自三代以來，大亂之極，未有若今時者也。 臣質志薄，處時無方，繫於土壤，不能翻飛，遂為曹氏執事戎役。 遠處河朔，天衢隔絕，雖望風慕義，思托大命，愧無因緣，得展其志。 每往來者，竊聽風化，伏知陛下齊德乾坤，同明日月，神武之姿，受之自然。 敷演皇極，流化萬里，自江以南，戶受覆燾。 英雄俊傑，上達之士，莫不心歌腹詠，樂在歸附者也。 今年六月末，奉聞吉日，龍興踐阼，恢弘大繇，整理天綱，將使遺民，睹見定主。 營武王伐殷，殷氏倒戈； 高祖誅項，四面楚歌。 方之今日，未足以喻。 臣質不勝吳天至願，謹遣所親同郡黃定恭行奉表，及托降叛，間關求達，其欲所陳，載列於左。”
The first begins: The cosmic order has snapped; the realm is shattered; the people are worn thin and scholars wander homeless; where armies march, cities stand empty under a haze of war. Since the Three Dynasties there has been no chaos to match this age. I, Wu Zhi, am a man of small ambition, pinned to the north with no way to fly free, and so I serve the Cao house in arms. The imperial road is blocked to me on the northern plain; though I long to join your righteous cause, I have had no opening—until now. From every traveler I glean news of your rule: you match heaven and earth in virtue, share light with the sun and moon, and your martial majesty is nature's own gift. You extend the royal polestar; your civilizing sway runs ten thousand li; south of the river every hearth rests beneath your wing. Every hero and man of note sings your praise in secret and yearns to come over. At the close of the sixth month I learned of your accession: the dragon has mounted the throne, widened the great design, and restored order so that lost folk may at last see their true sovereign. When King Wu marched on Shang, the Shang warriors lowered their blades; Gaozu struck down Xiang Yu while Chu songs rose on every side. Those old stories scarcely match the joy of your accession. I cannot contain my longing for your mandate; I send my kinsman Huang Ding with this memorial, threading the border by devious routes—my full plea is set out below.
11
其三曰：“昔遠子捨袁就曹，規畫計較，應見納受，遂破袁軍，以定曹業。 向使曹氏不信子遠，懷疑猶豫，不決於心，則今天下袁氏有也。 願陛下思之。 間聞界上將閻浮、趙楫欲歸大化，唱和不速，以取破亡。 今臣款款，遠授其命，若復懷疑，不時舉動，令臣孤絕，受此厚禍，即恐天下雄夫烈士欲立功者，不敢復托命陛下矣，願陛下思之。 皇天后土，實聞其言。”
The third reads: When Xu You left Yuan Shao for Cao Cao, his counsel was heeded, Yuan's host was broken, and Cao's power was secured. Had Cao Cao doubted Xu You and hesitated, the realm would belong to the Yuans today. Think on that, Your Majesty. I hear frontier officers Yan Fu and Zhao Ji meant to come over but moved too slowly and were destroyed. I offer my allegiance in good faith; if you delay and leave me exposed, every bold man who might serve you will think twice about crossing over—ponder that, I beg you. Heaven and earth are witness to this pledge.
12
此文既流行，而質已人為侍中矣。
By the time the forgery spread, the real Wu Zhi had already been appointed palace attendant in Wei.
13
二年，青州人隱蕃歸吳。 上書曰：“臣聞紂為無道，微子先出。 高祖寬明，陳平先入。 臣年二十二，委棄封域，歸命有道，賴蒙天靈，得自全致。 臣至北有日，而主者同之降人，未見精別，使臣徽言妙旨，不得上達。 於邑三歎，曷惟其已。 謹詣闕拜章，乞蒙引見。” 權即召入。 蕃謝答問，及陳時務，甚有辭觀。 綜時侍坐，權問何如。 綜對曰："蕃上書，大語有似東方朔，巧捷詭辯有似彌衡。 而才皆不及。 "權又問可堪何官？ 綜對曰："未可以治民，且試以都輦小職。 "權以蕃盛論刑獄，用為廷尉監。 左將軍朱據、廷尉郝普稱蕃有王佐之才，普尤與之親善，常怨歎其屈。 後蕃謀叛，事覺伏誅， 〈吴录曰：蕃有口才，魏明帝使诈叛如吴，令求作廷尉职，重案大臣以离间之。 既为廷尉监，众人以据、普与蕃亲善，常车马云集，宾客盈堂。 及至事觉，蕃亡走，捕得，考问党与，蕃无所言。 吴主使将入，谓曰：“何乃以肌肉为人受毒乎？” 蕃曰：“孙君，丈夫图事，岂有无伴！ 烈士死，不足相牵耳。” 遂闭口而死。 吴历曰：权问普：“卿前盛称蕃，又为之怨望朝廷，使蕃反叛，皆卿之由。”〉 普見責自殺。 據禁止，歷時乃解。 拜綜偏將軍，兼左執法，領辭訟。 遼東之事，輔吳將軍張昭以諫權言辭切至，權亦大怒，其和協彼此，使之無隙，綜有力焉。 性嗜酒，酒後歡呼極意，或推引杯觴，搏擊左右。 權愛其才，弗之責也。
In the second year of that era a Qingzhou adventurer named Yin Fan crossed over to Wu. He presented a memorial: I have heard that when Zhou was cruel, Weizi left the court first. When Gaozu showed clemency, Chen Ping was first through the gate. At twenty-two I abandoned my fief and came to a righteous sovereign; heaven spared me and I arrived intact. I have been here for days, yet your clerks lump me with common deserters and will not carry my plea upward. I choke back sob after sob—there is no end to this grief. I therefore present myself at the gate with this memorial and beg for an audience. Sun Quan had him brought in at once. Yin Fan parried the emperor's questions and discoursed on policy with striking eloquence. Hu Zong was present; Sun Quan asked his opinion of the man. Hu Zong said, His memorial sounds like Dongfang Shuo at his broadest and like Mi Heng at his sharpest. But he is not their equal in genius. The emperor asked what post might suit him. Hu Zong answered, "Not yet a magistrate—give him a small post around the capital first." Because Yin Fan spoke well of criminal law, Sun Quan made him an assistant in the ministry of justice. Zhu Ju, general of the left, and Hao Pu, chief justice, hailed him as ministerial timber; Hao Pu grew especially close and complained that such a man was underemployed. Later Yin Fan plotted treason; when it leaked he was put to death. 〈The Wu Records say Cao Rui sent him south as a spy to angle for the post of commandant of justice and use reopened cases against high ministers to sow discord. Once he held that office, Zhu Ju and Hao Pu were seen at his door so often that rumor painted a conspiracy. When the plot broke, Yin Fan ran, was caught, and under torture about accomplices said nothing. Sun Quan sent an officer to ask why he would let his body absorb another man's torture. Yin Fan replied, My lord, a man who plays for high stakes always has partners. A man of honor may die; he will not drag others down with him. He shut his mouth and died. The Wu Calendar records Sun Quan confronting Hao Pu: "You heaped praise on Yin Fan and grumbled against the court until he rebelled—that fault is yours." Hao Pu killed himself under the reproach. Zhu Ju was confined for a long stretch before he was cleared. Hu Zong was promoted to lieutenant general, left law enforcer, and again put in charge of lawsuits. When the Liaodong campaign drove Zhang Zhao, general who assists Wu, to remonstrate in blistering terms and Sun Quan raged, Hu Zong helped heal the rift between sovereign and chief counselor. He loved wine; drunk, he would whoop with delight, shove the cups about, and even cuff his neighbors. Sun Quan prized his gifts and overlooked the excess.
14
凡自權統事，諸文誥策命，鄰國書符，略皆綜之所造也。 初以內外多事，特立科，長吏遭喪，皆不得去，而數有犯者。 權患之，使朝臣下議。 綜議以為宜定科文，示以大辟，行之一人，其後必絕。 遂用綜言，由是奔喪乃斷，
From Sun Quan's accession onward, most edicts, patents, and diplomatic notes to rival courts came from Hu Zong's brush. Early in his reign Sun Quan barred senior officials from quitting post for funerals, yet men kept breaking the rule. Annoyed, he asked the court for a remedy. Hu Zong urged a written statute and a single public execution to stop the practice cold. Sun Quan took his advice, and unauthorized leave for mourning ended.
15
赤烏六年卒，子沖嗣。 沖平和有文干，天紀中為中書令。 〈吴录曰：冲后仕晋尚书郎、吴郡太守。〉
He died in 243; his son Hu Chong inherited the fief. Hu Chong was even-tempered and literate; under the Tianji era he rose to director of the palace secretariat. 〈The Wu Records add that Hu Chong later served Jin as a secretariat gentleman and prefect of Wu commandery.〉
16
徐詳者字子明，吳郡烏程人也，先綜死。
Xu Xiang, courtesy Ziming, came from Wucheng in Wu commandery and died before Hu Zong.
17
作者評論
Editorial comment.
18
評曰：是儀、徐詳、胡綜，皆孫權之時干興事業者也。 儀清恪貞素，詳數通使命，綜文采才用，各見信任，譬之廣夏，其榱椽之佐乎!
Chen Shou concludes that Shi Yi, Xu Xiang, and Hu Zong were the men who kept Sun Quan's government running. Shi Yi was incorruptible, Xu Xiang a veteran envoy, Hu Zong a brilliant pen—all earned deep trust; they were the beams that held up Sun Quan's hall.