1
李穀，字惟珍，潁州汝陰人。 身長八尺，容貌魁偉。 少勇力善射，以任俠為事，頗為鄉人所困，發憤從學，所覽如宿習。 年二十七，舉進士，連辟華、泰二州從事。
Li Gu, whose courtesy name was Weizhen, came from Ruyin in Ying Prefecture. He stood eight chi in height, with a tall and imposing bearing. As a young man he was bold and powerful and excelled at archery. He lived as a knight-errant and was often at odds with his neighbors, until in frustration he turned to study; everything he read seemed to come back to him as if he had known it all along. At twenty-seven he passed the jinshi examination and was successively appointed aide in Hua and Tai prefectures.
2
開運二年秋，出為磁州刺史、北面水陸轉運使。 契丹入汴，少帝蒙塵而北，舊臣無敢候謁者，穀獨拜迎於路，君臣相對泣下。 穀曰：“臣無狀，負陛下。 ”因傾囊以獻。 會契丹主發使至州，穀禽斬之，密送款於漢祖，潛遣河朔酋豪梁暉入據安陽，契丹主患之，即議北旋。
In the autumn of Kaiyun 2, he was sent out as prefect of Cizhou and commissioner for northern land-and-water transport. When the Khitan entered Bian, the deposed emperor was borne north in disgrace. None of his former ministers dared to meet him on the road—only Gu bowed to receive him, and ruler and subject wept face to face. Gu said, "I am unworthy and have failed Your Majesty." He then emptied his purse and offered everything he had. When the Khitan emperor sent envoys to his prefecture, Gu seized and executed them, secretly pledged loyalty to the founder of Later Han, and quietly sent the Hebei magnate Liang Hui to seize Anyang. Troubled by this, the Khitan ruler soon decided to withdraw north.
3
會有告契丹以城中虛弱者，契丹還攻安陽，陷其城，穀自郡候契丹，遂見獲。 契丹主先設刑具，謂之曰：“爾何背我歸太原？ ”穀曰：“無之。 ”契丹主因引手車中，似取所獲文字，而穀知其詐，因請曰：“如實有此事，乞顯示之。 ”契丹國制，人未伏者不即置死。 自後凡詰穀者六次，穀詞不屈。 契丹主病，且曰：“我南行時，人云爾謂我必不得北還，爾何術知之？ 今我疾甚，如能救我，則致爾富貴。 ”穀曰：“實無術，蓋為人所陷耳。 ”穀氣色不撓，卒寬之。
Someone informed the Khitan that the city was poorly defended. They returned to attack Anyang, captured it, and when Gu came from the prefecture to present himself to the Khitan, he was taken prisoner. The Khitan ruler first had torture implements set out and said to him, "Why did you betray me and go over to Taiyuan?" Gu replied, "Nothing of the kind. The Khitan ruler reached into his carriage as if to produce captured documents, but Gu knew it was a bluff and said, "If this really happened, please show me the evidence. Under Khitan law, a man who had not yet submitted was not executed at once. Thereafter Gu was questioned six times in all, and each time his answers never wavered. When the Khitan ruler fell ill, he also said, "When I marched south, people said you had predicted I would never return north. What magic told you that?" Now I am gravely ill. If you can cure me, I will make you rich and honored. Gu said, "I have no such power at all—I was merely set up by others. Gu's composure never broke, and in the end he was spared.
4
俄而德光道殂，永康繼立，署穀給事中。 時契丹將麻答守真定，而李崧、和凝與家屬皆在城中。 會李筠、何福進率兵逐麻答，推護聖指揮使白再榮權知留後。 再榮利崧等家財，令甲士圍其居以求賂，既得之，復欲殺崧等滅口。 穀遽見再榮謂之曰：“今國亡主辱，公輩握勁兵，不能死節，雖逐一契丹將，城中戰死者數千人，非獨公之力也。 一朝殺宰相，即日中原有主，責公以專殺，其將何辭以對？ ”再榮甚懼，崧等獲免。
Soon afterward Deguang died on the march; Empress Dowager Yingtian took power and appointed Gu Supervising Censor. At that time the Khitan general Mada held Zhending, and Li Song, He Ning, and their families were all inside the city. Li Yun and He Fujin then led troops to expel Mada and installed the Protecting-the-Sage director Bai Zairong as acting military commissioner. Zairong coveted the wealth of Song and his colleagues, sent soldiers to surround their homes to extort bribes, and once he had the money still planned to kill them to silence witnesses. Gu hurried to see Zairong and said, "The state is lost and the sovereign humiliated. You hold strong armies yet failed to die for your lord. Though you drove out one Khitan general, thousands died in the fighting—not by your power alone." Kill a chief minister in one morning, and that very day the Central Plains will have a master who will charge you with murder on your own authority—what defense will you offer? Zairong was terrified, and Song and the others were spared.
5
漢初，入拜左散騎常侍。 舊制，罷外郡歸本官，至是進秩，獎之也。 俄權判開封府。 時京畿多盜，中牟尤甚，穀誘邑人發其巢穴。 有劉德輿者，梁時屢攝畿佐，居中牟，素有幹材，穀即署攝本邑主簿。 浹旬，穀請侍衛兵數千佐德輿，悉禽賊黨，其魁一即縣佐史，一御史臺吏。 搜其家，得金玉財貨甚眾，自是行者無患。 俄遷工部侍郎。
When Later Han was founded, he entered court and was appointed Left Regular Attendant of the Scattered Cavalry. Under the old rule, leaving a provincial post meant reverting to one's former rank; this time he was promoted instead, as a reward. Soon he was appointed acting administrator of Kaifeng. Bandits were rife around the capital, worst of all at Zhongmou. Gu persuaded locals to reveal their hideouts. One Liu Deyu had often served in capital posts under Later Liang and lived at Zhongmou; he was known as capable. Gu immediately appointed him acting chief clerk of the county. Within ten days Gu obtained several thousand palace guards to assist Deyu. The entire gang was captured; one leader was a county aide, the other a censorate clerk. Searches of their homes turned up vast hoards of gold, jade, and goods. After that, travelers went unharmed. He was soon promoted to Vice Minister of Works.
6
周祖西征，為西南面行營水陸轉運使。 關右平，改陳州刺史。 會有內難，急召赴闕。 周祖兵入汴，命權判三司。 廣順初，加戶部侍郎。 未幾，拜中書侍郎、平章事，仍判三司。 初，漢乾祐中，周祖討河中，穀掌轉運，時周祖已有人望，屬漢政紊亂，潛貯異志，屢以諷穀，穀但對以人臣當盡節奉上而已。 故開國之初，倚以為相。 是歲，淮陽吏民數千詣闕請立生祠，許之，穀懇讓得止。
When the founder of Later Zhou marched west, Gu served as commissioner for land-and-water transport of the southwestern campaign headquarters. After the Guan region was pacified, he was made prefect of Chen. When civil strife broke out, he was urgently summoned to the capital. When the Zhou founder's army entered Bian, Gu was ordered to act as administrator of the Three Departments. At the start of the Guangshun era he was made Vice Minister of Revenue as well. Soon he was appointed Vice Director of the Secretariat and Grand Councilor, while continuing to administer the Three Departments. Earlier, during the Qianyou era of Later Han, when the Zhou founder campaigned against Hezhong, Gu managed supplies. The founder already enjoyed wide esteem; with Han politics in chaos he secretly nursed larger ambitions and often sounded Gu out, but Gu would only say that a minister must serve his sovereign with full loyalty. That is why, at the founding of the dynasty, he relied on Gu as his chief minister. That year several thousand people from Huaiyang petitioned the court for a living shrine in his honor. Though approval was granted, Gu firmly declined and the plan was dropped.
7
先是，禁牛革法甚峻，犯者抵死。 穀乃校每歲用革之數，凡田十頃歲出一革，餘聽民私用。 又奏罷屯田務，以民隸州縣課役，盡除宿弊。 穀父祖本居河南洛陽，經巢之亂，園廬蕩盡，穀生於外。 既貴，訪得舊地，建蘭若，又立垣屋，凡族人之不可仕者分田居之。 詔改清風鄉高陽里為賢相鄉勳德里。
Previously the ban on cattle hide had been extremely harsh—violators faced death. Gu then calculated annual hide requirements: one hide per year for every ten qing of farmland, with the rest free for private use. He also memorialized to abolish the garrison-field office, assigning the people to normal prefectural and county labor duties, and swept away long-standing abuses. Gu's forebears had lived in Luoyang, Henan. Huang Chao's rebellion destroyed their estates entirely, and Gu was born away from home. After he rose to high rank, he found the old family lands, built a monastery, and erected walled dwellings, giving fields and homes to kinsmen who could not serve in office. An edict renamed Qingfeng township's Gaoyang lane to Worthy Minister township, Merit lane.
8
二年，晨起仆階下，傷右臂，在告，旬中三上表辭相位，周祖不允，免朝參，視事本司，賜白藤肩輿，召至便殿勉諭。 穀不得已，起視事。 征兗州，為東京留守、判開封府事。
In his second year in office he fell down the steps one morning and injured his right arm. While on sick leave he three times within ten days asked to resign as chief minister; the Zhou founder refused, excused him from court attendance, had him work from his own office, gave him a white-rattan sedan chair, and summoned him to the side hall to urge him on. Gu had no choice but to return to duty. During the campaign against Yanzhou he served as regent of the eastern capital and administrator of Kaifeng.
9
顯德初，加右僕射、集賢殿大學士。 從世宗征太原，遇賊於高平，匿山谷中，信宿而出，追及乘輿，世宗慰撫之。 世宗將趨太原，命穀先調兵食，又代符彥卿判太原行府事。 師還，進位司空、門下侍郎，監修國史。 穀以史氏所述本於起居注，喪亂以來遂廢其職，上言請令端明、樞密直學士編記言動，為內廷日曆，以付史官。 是歲，河大決齊、鄆，發十數州丁壯塞之，命穀領護，刻期就功。
At the start of the Xiande era he was made Right Vice Director and Grand Academician of the Hall for Assembling the Worthy. Accompanying Shizong on the Taiyuan campaign, he ran into the enemy at Gaoping, hid in a mountain valley for two nights, then rejoined the imperial train. Shizong comforted him warmly. As Shizong prepared to advance on Taiyuan, he ordered Gu to arrange troops and supplies first and to replace Fu Yanqing as administrator of the Taiyuan campaign headquarters. When the army returned, he was promoted to Grandee of Works and Vice Director of the Chancellery, with charge of compiling the national history. Gu argued that historical writing depended on the diary of attendance and conduct, an office abandoned since the civil wars. He memorialized that Duanming and Privy Council academician-directors should compile a record of imperial words and deeds as an inner-court calendar for the historians. That year the Yellow River broke through catastrophically in Qi and Yun. Laborers from more than ten prefectures were mobilized for the repairs, and Gu was put in charge with a fixed deadline.
10
二年冬，議伐南唐，以穀為淮南道行營前軍都部署，兼知廬、壽等州行府事，忠武軍節度王彥副之，韓令坤以下十二將率從。 穀領兵自正陽渡淮，先鋒都將白延遇敗吳軍數千於來遠，又破千餘人於山口鎮，進攻上窯，又敗千餘眾，獲其小校數十人，長圍壽春。 南唐遣大將劉彥貞來援，穀召將佐謀曰：“今援軍已過來遠，距壽陽二百里，舟棹將及正陽。 我師無水戰之備，萬一斷橋梁，隔絕王師，則腹背受敵矣。 不如退守浮梁，以待戎輅之至。 ”初，世宗至圉鎮，已聞此謀，亟走內侍乘驛止之。 穀已退保正陽，仍焚芻糧，回軍之際，遞相掠奪，淮北役夫數百悉陷於壽春。 世宗聞之怒，亟命李重進率師伐之，以穀判壽州行府。 是秋，詔歸闕，得風痹疾，告滿百日，累表請致仕，優詔不允。 每軍國大事，令中使就第問之。
In the winter of the second year the court debated war against Southern Tang. Gu was made overall commander of the Huainan vanguard and concurrently administrator of the campaign offices at Lu, Shou, and other prefectures. Wang Yan of Zhongwu served as his deputy, with twelve generals including Han Lingkun under his command. Gu led his army across the Huai from Zhengyang. Vanguard commander Bai Yanyu routed several thousand Wu troops at Laiyuan, destroyed another thousand at Shankou, took Shangyao after defeating a further thousand, captured dozens of enemy officers, and settled in for a long siege of Shouchun. Southern Tang sent the great general Liu Yanzhen to relieve the siege. Gu called his officers together and said, "The relief force has already passed Laiyuan and is two hundred li from Shouyang; their fleet will soon reach Zhengyang." Our troops are not prepared for naval fighting. If they cut the bridges and cut off the imperial army, we will be caught between two enemies. We had better fall back to Fuliang and wait for the emperor to arrive. Shizong had already heard of this plan when he reached Yuan town and urgently sent a eunuch by relay post to forbid it. Gu had already fallen back to Zhengyang and burned fodder and grain. During the retreat the troops looted one another, and several hundred laborers north of the Huai were captured at Shouchun. Shizong was furious when he heard and immediately ordered Li Chongjin to lead an attack, with Gu as administrator of the Shouzhou campaign office. That autumn he was recalled to court. He developed rheumatic paralysis; when his sick leave reached a hundred days he repeatedly asked to retire, but the emperor's gracious edicts refused. On every major military or state matter, palace envoys were sent to his home to consult him.
11
四年春，吳人壁紫金山，築甬道以援壽春，不及者數里。 師老無功，時請罷兵為便，世宗令范質、王溥就穀謀之。 穀手疏請親征，有必勝之利者三，世宗大悅，用其策。 及淮南平，賞賜甚厚。 出穀疏，令翰林學士承旨陶穀為讚以賜之。 是夏，世宗還，穀扶疾見便殿，詔令不拜，命坐御坐側。 以抱疾既久，請辭相位。 世宗怡然勉之，謂曰：“譬如家有四子，一人有疾，棄而不養，非父之道也。 朕君臨萬方，卿處輔相之位，君臣之間，分義斯在，奈何以祿奉為言。 ”穀愧謝而退。 俄以平壽州，敘功加爵邑。 是秋，穀抗表乞骸骨，罷相，守司空，加邑封，令每月肩輿一詣便殿，訪以政事。
In the spring of the fourth year the Wu fortified Purple Gold Mountain and built a covered approach to relieve Shouchun, stopping several li short. The army was exhausted with little to show for it, and many urged withdrawal. Shizong sent Fan Zhi and Wang Pu to consult Gu. Gu wrote in his own hand urging a personal campaign and listed three reasons for certain victory. Shizong was delighted and adopted his plan. When Huainan was pacified, his rewards were lavish. Gu's memorial was published, and Hanlin expositor Tao Gu was commissioned to write a laudatory inscription as a gift. That summer Shizong returned. Gu, leaning on attendants through illness, was received in the side hall, excused from bowing, and seated beside the throne. Having been ill for so long, he asked to resign as chief minister. Shizong cheerfully urged him on and said, "Suppose a household has four sons and one falls ill— to cast him aside and refuse to care for him is no way for a father to act." I rule the realm; you hold the post of chief minister. Between us the bond of ruler and minister still holds— why talk of salary and stipend? Gu withdrew, ashamed and grateful. Soon afterward, for the capture of Shouzhou, his merit was recognized with added noble rank and fief. That autumn Gu firmly asked to retire. He left the chief ministership but kept the title Grandee of Works with an enlarged fief, and was told to come once a month by sedan chair to the side hall for consultation on state affairs.
12
五年夏，世宗平淮南回，賜穀錢百萬、米麥五百斛、芻粟薪炭等。 恭帝即位，加開府儀同三司，進封趙國公。 求歸洛邑，賜錢三十萬，從其請。 太祖即位，遣使就賜器幣。 建隆元年，卒，年五十八。 太祖聞之震悼，贈侍中。
In the summer of the fifth year, when Shizong returned from pacifying Huainan, he gave Gu a million in cash, five hundred hu of grain, and supplies of fodder, fuel, and charcoal. When Emperor Gong succeeded, Gu was made Grand Preceptor with ceremonial equal to the Three Dukes and advanced to Duke of Zhao. He asked to return to Luoyang; the court gave him three hundred thousand in cash and granted his request. When Taizu of Song took the throne, envoys were sent to his home with gifts of vessels and silks. In Jianlong 1 he died at the age of fifty-eight. Taizu was deeply shaken when he heard and posthumously made him Palace Attendant.
13
穀為人厚重剛毅，深沉有城府，雅善談論，議政事能近取譬，言多詣理，辭氣明暢，人主為之聳聽。 人有難必救，有恩必報。 好汲引寒士，多至顯位。 與韓熙載善，熙載將南渡，密告穀曰：“若江東相我，我當長驅以定中原。 ”穀笑曰：“若中原相我，下江南探囊中物耳。 ”穀後果如其言。 李昉嘗為穀記室，在淮上被病求先歸。 穀視之曰：“子他日官祿當如我。 ”昉後至宰相、司空。
Gu was grave, steadfast, and resolute, deep-minded and shrewd. He spoke eloquently on affairs of state, drawing apt comparisons from everyday life; his reasoning was sound, his language clear, and rulers listened with rapt attention. He always helped those in trouble and always repaid a kindness. He delighted in promoting poor scholars, many of whom rose to high office. He was close to Han Xizai. When Xizai was about to flee south, he confided to Gu, "If the south makes me chief minister, I will march north and conquer the Central Plains." Gu laughed and said, "If the north makes me chief minister, taking Jiangnan will be like reaching into one's own purse. Gu's words later proved exactly true. Li Fang had once served as Gu's secretariat officer. While on the Huai he fell ill and asked to return home early. Gu looked at him and said, "One day your rank and salary will match mine." Fang later rose to chief minister and Grandee of Works.
14
周顯德中，扈載以文章馳名，樞密使王樸薦令知制誥。 除書未下，樸詣中書言之。 穀曰：“斯人薄命，慮不克享耳。 ”樸曰：“公在衡石之地，當以材進人，何得言命而遺才。 ”載遂知制誥，遷翰林學士，未幾卒。 世謂樸能薦士，穀能知人。 穀歸洛中，昭義李筠以穀周朝名相，遺錢五十萬，他物稱是，穀受之。 既而筠叛，穀憂恚而終。 子吉至補闕，拱至太子中允。
During the Xiande era of Later Zhou, Hu Zai was famed for his writing. Privy Council commissioner Wang Pu recommended him for drafting edicts. Before the appointment edict was issued, Pu went to the Secretariat to discuss it. Gu said, "That man has thin fortune—I doubt he will live to enjoy the post." Pu said, "You hold the scales of office—you should promote men for talent. How can you speak of fate and abandon ability? Zai was appointed to draft edicts, promoted to Hanlin academician, and died soon afterward. People of the time said that Wang Pu had a gift for recommending talent and that Li Gu had a gift for judging character. After Li Gu retired to Luoyang, Li Jun of Zhaoyi Circuit, taking him for a celebrated minister of the Later Zhou court, sent him five hundred thousand cash and comparable gifts in kind, and Gu accepted them. Soon afterward Li Jun rebelled, and Li Gu died of grief and distress. His son Ji rose to Reminder, and Gong rose to Junior Mentor in the Eastern Palace.
15
昝居潤
Zan Jurun
16
昝居潤，博州高唐人。 善書計。 後唐長興中，隸樞密院為小吏，以謹願稱。 晉初，出掌滑州廩庾，遂補牙職。 會景延廣留守西洛，署為右職。 延廣卒，居潤往依陝帥白文珂，文珂致仕，乃表薦居潤於周祖。
Zan Jurun came from Gaotang in Bo Prefecture. He was skilled at writing and bookkeeping. During the Changxing era of Later Tang he served in the Bureau of Military Affairs as a junior clerk and was known for his careful and conscientious manner. At the start of Later Jin he was sent out to manage the grain storehouse of Hua Prefecture and was then appointed to a staff post in the prefectural yamen. When Jing Yanyuan was left in charge of western Luoyang, he appointed Jurun to a senior post on his staff. After Yanyuan died, Jurun went to serve under Bai Wenke, military commissioner of Shaan Circuit. When Wenke retired, he submitted a memorial recommending Jurun to the founder of Later Zhou.
17
太祖立，加檢校太尉。 及征澤、潞，命赴澶州巡警。 師還，權知鎮州，加左領軍衛上將軍。 建隆二年，又權知澶州。 八月，拜義武軍節度，在鎮數年，得風痹，詔還京師。 乾德四年，卒，年五十九，贈太師。
When Emperor Taizu took the throne, Jurun was given the additional honorary title of Grand Preceptor. During the campaign against Ze and Lu, he was ordered to Chanyang to patrol and maintain security. After the army returned, he was appointed acting prefect of Zhen Prefecture and given the additional title of General-in-Chief of the Left Metropolitan Guard. In Jianlong 2 he was again appointed acting prefect of Chanyang. In the eighth month he was appointed military governor of the Yiwu Army. After several years in the province he developed rheumatic paralysis, and an edict recalled him to the capital. In Qiande 4 he died at the age of fifty-nine and was posthumously enfeoffed as Grand Preceptor.
18
居潤性明敏，有節概，篤於行義。 初，晉室將亡，景延廣委其族自洛赴難，至則為遼人所執。 遼人在洛者遽欲恣摽掠，延廣僚吏部曲悉遁，獨居潤力保護，其家以安。 居潤與太祖同事世宗，情好款浹，嘗薦沈倫於太祖，以為純謹可用，後至宰相，世稱其知人。
Jurun was bright and quick by nature, possessed moral fiber, and was deeply committed to doing what was right. Earlier, when the Later Jin regime was on the verge of collapse, Jing Yanyuan sent his family from Luoyang to answer the crisis, but on arrival they were seized by the Khitan. The Khitan in Luoyang at once set about plundering at will. Yanyuan's staff and followers all fled, but Jurun alone stood firm in their defense, and the family was kept safe. Jurun and Emperor Taizu had served under Emperor Shizong together, and their friendship was warm and close. He once recommended Shen Lun to Taizu as a man of pure and careful character who could be trusted; Shen later rose to chief minister, and people praised Jurun for knowing men.
19
子惟質至內園使，弟居濟至水部員外郎。 大中祥符三年，錄其孫建中為三班借職。
His son Weizhi rose to Director of the Inner Park, and his younger brother Juji rose to Vice Director of the Waterworks Bureau. In Dazhong Xiangfu 3 his grandson Jianzhong was granted a provisional third-rank military appointment.
20
竇貞固
Dou Zhengu
21
天福三年，詔百僚各上封事，貞固疏曰：“臣聞舉善為明，知人則哲。 聖君在位，藪澤豈有隱淪； 昭代用材，政理固無紊亂。 求賢若渴，從諫如流，鄭所以譽子皮； 囗囗囗囗，囗囗囗囗，魯所以譏文仲。 為國之要，進賢是先。 陛下方樹丕基，宜求多士。 乞降詔百僚，令各司議定一人，有何能識，堪何職官，朝廷依奏用之。 若能符薦引，果謂當才，所奏之官，望加獎賞； 如乖其舉，或涉徇私，所奏之官，宜加黜罰。 自然官由德序，位以才升。 三人同行，尚聞擇善； 十目所視，必不濫知。 臣職在論思，敢陳狂狷。 ”書奏，帝深嘉之，命所司著為令典。 明年，改御史中丞，與太常卿崔棁、刑部侍郎呂琦、禮部侍郎張允同詳定正冬朝會禮節、樂章及二舞行列。 歷刑部、門下二侍郎。
In Tianfu 3 an edict ordered every official to submit a sealed memorial. Zhengu wrote, "I have heard that promoting the good is the mark of an enlightened ruler and knowing men the mark of a wise one. When a sage ruler sits on the throne, how can talent remain hidden in the marshes and wilds? In an enlightened age that puts talent to use, government is naturally free of disorder. Thirsting for talent as for water and receiving remonstrance as a flowing stream—that is why the state of Zheng praised Zi Pi; [text illegible], [text illegible]—that is why the state of Lu scorned Wen Zhong. The first duty of governing a state is to advance worthy men. Your Majesty is just now laying a great foundation and ought to seek out many men of talent. I ask that Your Majesty issue an edict to all officials, directing each department to select one man after deliberation, set out his abilities and insight, and state what office he is fit to hold, so that the court may appoint him as recommended. If the recommendation proves accurate and the man is truly fit for office, the official who submitted the recommendation should be rewarded; if the recommendation misses the mark or involves favoritism, the official who submitted it should be demoted or punished. Then offices will naturally be ordered by virtue and rank will rise with talent. Even when three men walk together, one still hears of choosing the good; what ten eyes behold will certainly not be judged carelessly. My duty is to deliberate and advise, and I venture to offer this blunt counsel. " When the memorial was submitted, the emperor greatly praised it and ordered the appropriate office to codify it as a standing regulation. The following year he was made Censor-in-Chief and, together with Grandee of Ceremonies Cui Shuai, Vice Minister of Justice Lü Qi, and Vice Minister of Rites Zhang Yun, worked out the rites of the winter court assembly, the musical sections, and the formations of the two ritual dances. He served successively as Vice Minister of Justice and Vice Minister of the Chancellery.
22
少帝即位，拜工部尚書。 遷禮部尚書，知貢舉。 舊制，進士夜試，繼以三燭。 長興二年改令晝試，貞固以晝晷短，難盡士材，奏復夜試。 擇士平允，時論稱之。 改刑部尚書，出為潁州團練使。 歲餘，復拜刑部尚書。
When the Young Emperor acceded to the throne, Zhengu was appointed Minister of Works. He was transferred to Minister of Rites and put in charge of the civil service examinations. Under the old system, jinshi candidates were examined at night and allotted three candles. In Changxing 2 the rule was changed to daytime examination. Zhengu argued that the daylight hours were too short to allow candidates to show their full ability and memorialized to restore the night examination. In selecting candidates he was fair and even-handed, and public opinion praised him. He was transferred to Minister of Justice and sent out as training commissioner of Ying Prefecture. After a little more than a year he was again appointed Minister of Justice.
23
漢祖入汴，貞固與禮部尚書王松率百官見於滎陽西，漢祖駐駕，勞問久之。 初營宗廟，帝以姓自漢出，遂襲國號，尊光武為始祖，並親廟為五。 詔群臣議，貞固上言曰：“按《王制》：‘天子七廟，諸侯五，大夫三，士一。 ’《正義》曰：‘周之制七廟者，太祖及文王、武王之祧與親廟四也。 ’又曰：‘七廟者，據周也。 有其人則七，無其人則五。 ’至光武中興，及魏、晉、宋、齊、隋、唐，或立六廟，或立四廟，蓋建國之始，未盈其數也。 《禮》曰‘德厚者流光’，此天子可以祀六世之義也。 今陛下大定寰區，重興漢祚，旁求典禮，用正宗祧，伏請立高、曾、祖、禰四親廟。 及自古聖王祖有功、宗有德、更立始祖在四廟之外，不拘定數，所以或五廟或七廟。 今請尊高皇帝、光武皇帝為始祖，法文王、武王不遷之制，用歷代六廟之規，庶合典禮。 ”漢祖從之。 論者以天子建國，各從其所起，堯自唐侯，禹生大夏是也。 立廟皆祖其有功，商之契，周之後稷，魏之武帝，晉之三廟是也。 高祖起於晉陽，而追嗣兩漢，徒以同姓為遠祖，甚非其義； 貞固又以四親匹庶，上合高、光，失之彌遠矣。 但援立親廟可也，餘皆非禮。 俄遷吏部尚書。
When the founder of Later Han entered Bian, Zhengu and Minister of Rites Wang Song led the hundred officials to meet him west of Xingyang. The founder halted his carriage and spoke with them at length in encouragement. When the ancestral temples were first being established, the emperor, taking his surname from Han, adopted that dynastic name, honored Emperor Guangwu as founding ancestor, and set the direct ancestral temples at five. An edict ordered the ministers to deliberate. Zhengu submitted, "According to the Royal Regulations: 'The Son of Heaven has seven temples, feudal lords five, grandees three, and officers one.' ' The Correct Meaning says: 'In the Zhou system of seven temples, there were the founding ancestor, the distant shrines of King Wen and King Wu, and four direct ancestral temples.' ' It also says: 'Seven temples refers to the Zhou model.' ' When there are such men there are seven; when there are not, there are five.' ' Down to the restoration of Guangwu and through Wei, Jin, Song, Qi, Sui, and Tang, some established six temples and some four, for at the founding of a state the full number had not yet been reached.' The Rites say, 'Those of deep virtue leave lasting light,' and this is the sense in which a Son of Heaven may sacrifice to six generations. Now Your Majesty has greatly settled the realm, revived the Han fortune, and sought ritual precedents on every side to establish the correct main ancestral line. I humbly ask that four direct ancestral temples be established for the great-great-grandfather, great-grandfather, grandfather, and father. Moreover, from antiquity sage rulers have honored merit as founding ancestors and virtue as cult ancestors and have additionally established a founding ancestor outside the four temples, not bound by a fixed number; hence there were sometimes five temples and sometimes seven. Now I ask that Emperor Gao and Emperor Guangwu be honored as founding ancestors, following the system by which King Wen and King Wu were immovable shrines and adopting the six-temple rule of successive dynasties, so that this may accord with ritual. " The founder of Later Han accepted this. Critics held that when a Son of Heaven founded a state he traced his origin to where he had risen: Yao from the Lord of Tang and Yu born in Great Xia were cases in point. In establishing temples all took as ancestors those who had merit: Shang's Qi, Zhou's Hou Ji, Wei's Emperor Wu, and Jin's three temples were cases in point. The High Ancestor rose at Jinyang yet traced succession to the two Han dynasties, taking distant ancestors merely because the surname was the same—this was very much against the proper meaning; Zhengu further matched the four direct ancestors to commoners while linking them above with Gao and Guangwu, which missed the mark all the more. Only in citing the establishment of direct ancestral temples was he acceptable; the rest was all against ritual. Before long he was transferred to Minister of Personnel.
24
周祖兵起，貞固與蘇逢吉奉隱帝兵次於野，敗。 逢吉倉黃自殺，貞固遂詣周祖。 周祖稱太后制，委貞固與蘇禹珪、王峻同掌軍國政事。 周祖登位，加兼侍中。 會以馮道為首相，改監修國史。 俄罷相，守司徒，封沂國公。 世宗即位，以范質為司徒，貞固遂歸洛陽，輸課役，齒為編民。 貞固不能堪，訴於留守向拱，拱不聽。
When the founder of Later Zhou raised troops, Zhengu and Su Fengji escorted Emperor Yindi's army into the field, but they were defeated. Fengji, in panic, killed himself, and Zhengu then went over to the Zhou founder. The Zhou founder, invoking an order of the empress dowager, entrusted Zhengu together with Su Yugui and Wang Jun to administer military and state affairs jointly. When the Zhou founder ascended the throne, Zhengu was additionally given the concurrent title of Palace Attendant. When Feng Dao became chief minister, Zhengu was reassigned as Supervisor of the National History. Before long he was removed as chief minister, retained the title of Minister of Education, and was enfeoffed as Duke of Yi. When Emperor Shizong acceded to the throne, Fan Zhi was made Minister of Education, and Zhengu returned to Luoyang, paid taxes and corvée labor, and was counted as an ordinary registered citizen. Zhengu could not bear it and appealed to the left-behind commander Xiang Gong, but Gong would not listen.
25
宋初，以前三公赴闕陪位，詣范質，求任東宮三少，預朝請，質不為奏。 乃還洛，放曠山水，與布衣輩攜妓載酒以自適。 開寶二年病困，自為墓誌，卒，年七十八。
At the beginning of the Song, because of his former rank as one of the Three Excellencies he went to court to take his place in attendance. He called on Fan Zhi and asked to be appointed one of the three junior tutors of the Eastern Palace and to attend court audiences, but Zhi would not submit the memorial. He then returned to Luoyang, gave himself over to mountains and streams, and with commoners took courtesans and wine for his pleasure. In Kaibao 2, gravely ill, he wrote his own epitaph and died at the age of seventy-eight.
26
李濤，字信臣，京兆萬年人。 唐敬宗子郇王瑋十世孫。 祖鎮，臨濮令。 父元，將作監。 朱梁革命，元以宗室懼禍，挈濤避地湖南，依馬殷，署濤衡陽令。 濤從父兄郁仕梁為閣門使，上言濤父子旅湖湘，詔殷遣歸京師，補河陽令。
Li Tao, whose courtesy name was Xinchen, came from Wannian in Jingzhao. He was a tenth-generation descendant of Prince Wei of Xun, son of Emperor Jingzong of Tang. His grandfather Zhen was magistrate of Linpu. His father Yuan was Director of Palace Buildings. When the Later Liang replaced Tang, Yuan, as a member of the imperial clan, feared disaster, took Tao and fled to Hunan, placed himself under Ma Yin, and had Tao appointed magistrate of Hengyang. Tao's older male cousin Yu served the Liang as Gate Commissioner and reported that Tao and his father were living in exile in Hunan and Hubei. An edict ordered Yin to send them back to the capital, and Tao was appointed magistrate of Heyang.
27
後唐天成初，舉進士甲科，自晉州從事拜監察御史，遷右補闕。 宋王從厚鎮鄴，以濤為魏博觀察判官。 歲餘，入為起居舍人。
At the beginning of Tiancheng in Later Tang he passed the jinshi examination in the top class, was promoted from aide in Jin Prefecture to Investigating Censor, and was transferred to Remonstrance and Advice on the Right. When Song Wang Conghou governed Ye, Tao was made administrative aide of the Weibo observation commission. After a little more than a year he entered court service as Drafting Secretary in Attendance.
28
晉天福初，改考功員外郎、史館修撰。 晉祖幸大梁，張從賞以盟津叛，陷洛陽，扼虎牢。 故齊王全義子張繼祚者實黨之，晉祖將族其家。 濤上疏曰：“全義歷事累朝，頗著功效。 當巢、蔡之亂，京師為墟，全義手披荊棘，再造都邑，垂五十年，洛民賴之。 乞以全義之故，止罪繼祚妻子。 ”從之。 嘗奉詔為宋州括田使，前雄州刺史袁正辭齎束帛遺濤，以田園為託，濤表其事，晉祖嘉之。 正辭坐降一階，濤遷浚儀令。 改比部郎中、鹽判官，改刑部郎中。
At the beginning of Tianfu in Later Jin he was made Vice Director of the Bureau of Evaluations and compiler in the History Office. When the Jin founder visited Daliang, Zhang Congshang rebelled at the Mengjin crossing, captured Luoyang, and seized Hulao Pass. Zhang Jizuo, son of the former Prince of Qi, Quan Yi, was in fact his partisan, and the Jin founder was about to exterminate the family. Tao submitted a memorial, saying, "Quan Yi served successive courts and achieved considerable merit. During the disorders of Chao and Cai the capital was reduced to ruins; Quan Yi with his own hands cleared the brambles and rebuilt the city. For nearly fifty years the people of Luoyang relied on him. I beg that for Quan Yi's sake punishment be limited to Jizuo's wife and children. " The emperor accepted this. He once received an edict to serve as land-survey commissioner of Song Prefecture. The former prefect of Xiong, Yuan Zhengci, brought silk gifts and presented them to Tao, asking him to look after his fields and gardens. Tao memorialized the matter, and the Jin founder praised him. Zhengci was demoted one rank for it, and Tao was transferred to magistrate of Junyi. He was made Director of the Bureau of Comparisons and salt commissioner aide, then Director of the Bureau of Punishments.
29
涇帥張彥澤殺記室張式，奪其妻，式家人詣闕上訴。 晉祖以彥澤有軍功，釋其罪。 濤伏閣抗疏，請置於法。 晉祖召見諭之，濤植笏叩階，聲色俱厲，晉祖怒叱之，濤執笏如初。 晉祖曰：“吾與彥澤有誓約，恕其死。 ”濤厲聲曰：“彥澤私誓，陛下不忍食其言； 范延光嘗賜鐵券，今復安在？ ”晉祖不能答，即拂衣起，濤隨之，諫不已。 晉祖不得已，召式父鐸、弟守貞、子希範等皆拜以官，罷彥澤節製。 濤歸洛下，賦詩自悼，有“三諫不從歸去來”之句。 先是，范延光據鄴叛，晉祖賜鐵券許以不死，終亦不免，故濤引之。 晉祖崩，濤坐不赴臨，停。 未幾，起為洛陽令，遷屯田職方郎中、中書舍人。
The military commissioner of Jing Circuit, Zhang Yanze, killed his secretary Zhang Shi and seized his wife. Shi's family went to court to appeal. The Jin founder, because Yanze had military merit, released him from punishment. Tao prostrated himself at the palace gate and submitted a forceful memorial asking that Yanze be punished according to law. The Jin founder summoned him and admonished him. Tao planted his tablet and knocked on the steps; his voice and expression were both stern. The Jin founder angrily shouted at him, but Tao held his tablet as before. The Jin founder said, "I have a sworn pact with Yanze; I pardon his life." Tao answered in a harsh voice: "That was Yanze's private pledge. Your Majesty cannot bear to go back on your word— Fan Yanguang was once granted an iron certificate promising he would not be put to death—where is that now?" The Jin founder had no reply. He shook out his robes and rose at once; Tao followed him and kept remonstrating without cease. When he could do nothing else, the Jin founder summoned Shi's father Duo, his younger brother Shouzhen, his son Xifan, and the rest, conferred offices on them all, and stripped Yanze of his military command. Tao returned to Luoyang and wrote a poem of self-lament containing the line, "Three remonstrances unheeded—I return whence I came." Earlier, when Fan Yanguang rebelled from Ye, the Jin founder had granted him an iron certificate of indemnity promising that he would not be executed, yet in the end that promise availed him nothing—hence Tao's allusion. When the Jin founder died, Tao was punished for failing to attend the mourning rites and was dismissed from office. Before long he was reappointed magistrate of Luoyang, then promoted to Director in the Bureaus of State Farms and Works and Drafting Secretary in the Secretariat.
30
會契丹入汴，彥澤領突騎入京城，恣行殺害，人皆為濤危之。 濤詣其帳，通刺謁見。 彥澤曰：“舍人懼乎？ ”濤曰：“今日之懼，亦猶足下昔年之懼也。 向使先皇聽僕言，寧有今日之事。 ”彥澤大笑，命酒對酌，濤神氣自若。
When the Khitan entered Bian, Yanze led crack cavalry into the capital and slaughtered at will; everyone feared for Tao's life. Tao went to Yanze's tent, presented his calling card, and requested an audience. Yanze said, "Secretariat Drafter, are you afraid?" Tao said, "The fear I feel today is no different from the fear you felt back then. Had the late emperor listened to me, how could today's events have come to pass?" Yanze laughed loudly, ordered wine, and they drank facing each other; Tao remained perfectly composed.
31
漢祖起義至洛，濤自汴奉百官表入對，漢祖問京師財賦，從契丹去後所存幾何，濤具對稱旨，漢祖嘉之。 至汴，以為翰林學士。 杜重威據鄴叛，高祖命高行周、慕容彥超討之，二帥不協。 濤密疏請親征。 高祖覽奏，以濤堪任宰輔，即拜中書侍郎兼戶部尚書、平章事。
When the Han founder raised his uprising and reached Luoyang, Tao came from Bian bearing the memorial of the hundred officials to audience. The Han founder asked about the capital's finances and how much remained after the Khitan withdrawal; Tao answered in full to his satisfaction, and the Han founder praised him. When he reached Bian he was appointed Hanlin Academician. When Du Chongwei rebelled holding Ye, Gaozu ordered Gao Xingzhou and Murong Yanchao to suppress him, but the two commanders would not cooperate. Tao submitted a secret memorial asking that the emperor lead the campaign in person. Gaozu read the memorial and, judging Tao fit for chief minister, at once appointed him Vice Director of the Secretariat, concurrent Minister of Revenue, and Grand Councillor.
32
隱帝即位，楊邠、周祖共掌機密，史弘肇握兵柄，與武德使李鄴等中外爭權，互作威福。 濤疏請出邠等藩鎮，以清朝政。 隱帝不能決，白於太后，太后召邠等諭之，反為所構，免相歸第。 時中書廚釜鳴者數四，濤晝寢閣中，夢嚴飾廳事，群吏趨走，云迎新宰相帶諸司使，既寤，心異之。 數日濤罷，以邠為相兼樞密使。 及周祖舉兵，太后倉皇涕泣曰：“不用李濤之言，宜其亡也。”
When Emperor Yin acceded, Yang Bin and the Zhou founder jointly controlled secret affairs; Shi Hongzhao held military power and, with the Military Virtue envoy Li Ye and others, vied for authority inside and outside the court, each wielding power for his own ends. Tao submitted a memorial asking that Bin and the others be sent out to provincial commands so that court government might be clarified. Emperor Yin could not decide; he informed the Empress Dowager, who summoned Bin and the others to instruct them—but they turned the tables on her instead; Tao was dismissed as chancellor and sent home. At the time the cauldrons in the Secretariat kitchen rang four times. Tao napped in the office and dreamed of a richly adorned hall where clerks rushed about, announcing that a new chancellor was arriving bearing the various commissioner titles. When he awoke he found it strange. Within days Tao was dismissed, and Bin was made chancellor and concurrent Commissioner of Military Affairs. When the Zhou founder raised troops, the Empress Dowager wept in panic and said, "Had we not heeded Li Tao's counsel, this ruin was to be expected.
33
周初，起為太子賓客，歷刑部、戶部二尚書。 世宗宴駕，為山陵副使。 恭帝即位，封莒國公。
At the beginning of Zhou he was reappointed Grand Mentor of the Heir Apparent and successively served as Minister of Punishments and Minister of Revenue. When Shizong died he served as deputy commissioner for the imperial tomb. When Emperor Gong acceded he was enfeoffed as Duke of Ju.
34
宋初，拜兵部尚書。 建隆二年，濤被病。 有軍校尹勳董浚五丈河，陳留丁壯夜潰，勳擅斬隊長陳琲等十人，丁夫七十人皆杖一百，刵其左耳。 濤聞之，力疾草奏，請斬勳以謝百姓。 家人謂濤曰：“公久病，宜自愛養，朝廷事且置之。 ”濤憤言曰：“人孰無死，但我為兵部尚書，坐視軍校無辜殺人，烏得不奏？ ”太祖覽奏嘉之，詔削奪勳官爵，配隸許州。 濤卒，年六十四，贈右僕射。
At the beginning of Song he was appointed Minister of War. In the second year of Jianlong, Tao fell ill. The army commander Yin Xun was supervising dredging of the Wuzhang River when the able-bodied men of Chenliu scattered by night. Xun on his own authority executed the squad leaders Chen Pei and nine others, had seventy corvée laborers flogged a hundred strokes each, and branded their left ears. When Tao heard of this he forced himself, though ill, to draft a memorial asking that Xun be executed to appease the people. His family said to Tao, "You have been ill a long time; you should look after yourself and leave court affairs aside for now. Tao said angrily, "Who does not die? But I am Minister of War—how can I sit by while an army commander kills people without cause and not submit a memorial?" Taizu read the memorial and praised it; an edict stripped Xun of rank and office and banished him as convict labor to Xu Prefecture. Tao died at sixty-four and was posthumously given the title of Vice Director of the Left.
35
濤慷慨有大志，以經綸為己任。 工為詩，筆劄遒媚，性滑稽，善諧謔，亦未嘗忤物，居家以孝友聞。 景德三年，其孫惟勤詣闕自陳，詔授許州司士參軍。 子承休至尚書水部郎中，承休子仲容。
Tao was open-handed and ambitious, taking the ordering of the state as his personal charge. He was skilled at poetry and wrote letters of vigorous elegance. His nature was humorous and he excelled at witty banter, yet he never gave offense; at home he was known for filial piety and brotherly affection. In the third year of Jingde, his grandson Wei Qin came to court to petition in person and was appointed by edict Registrar in Xu Prefecture. His son Chenghua rose to Director in the Ministry of Works' Water Bureau; Chenghua's son was Zhongrong.
36
弟澣
Younger Brother Huan
37
濤弟澣，字日新。 幼聰敏，慕王、楊、盧、駱為文章。 後唐長興初，吳越王錢騑卒，詔兵部侍郎楊凝式撰神道碑，令澣代草，凡萬餘言，文彩遒麗，時輩稱之。 秦王從榮召至幕中，從榮敗，勒歸田里。 久之，起為校書郎、集賢校理。 晉天福中，拜右拾遺，俄召為翰林學士。 會廢學士院，出為吏部員外郎，遷禮部郎中、知制誥。 復置翰林，遷中書舍人，再為學士。 時濤在西掖，縉紳榮之。
Tao's younger brother Huan, whose courtesy name was Rixin. From childhood he was clever and took Wang, Yang, Lu, and Luo as models in prose. At the beginning of Changxing in Later Tang, when Qian Liu, King of Wu-Yue, died, an edict ordered Vice Minister of War Yang Ningshi to compose a spirit-way stele inscription; Huan was ordered to draft it in his place. The text ran to more than ten thousand characters, its literary color vigorous and elegant, and contemporaries praised it. He was summoned to the staff of the Prince of Qin, Congrong; when Congrong was defeated he was compelled to return to his village. After a long time he was reappointed Proofreader and collator in the Hall of Assembled Worthies. In the Tianfu era of Later Jin he was appointed Remonstrance and Review on the Right, and soon after was summoned as Hanlin Academician. When the Hanlin Academy was abolished he was sent out as Vice Director in the Ministry of Personnel, then transferred to Director in the Ministry of Rites and drafter of edicts. When the Hanlin was restored he was transferred to Drafting Secretary in the Secretariat and again served as Academician. At the time Tao served in the western secretariat; the gentry regarded it as an honor for the family.
38
契丹入汴，澣與同職徐台符俱陷塞北。 永康王兀欲襲位，置澣宣政殿學士。 兀欲死，述律立，以其妻族蕭海貞為幽州節度使。 海貞與澣相善，澣乘間諷海貞以南歸之計，海貞納之。
When the Khitan entered Bian, Huan and his colleague Xu Taifu both fell captive north of the border. When Prince Yongkang Wuyu seized the throne, he appointed Huan Academician of the Xuanzheng Hall. When Wuyu died, Shulü succeeded to the throne and appointed her clansman by marriage, Xiao Haizhen, military commissioner of You Prefecture. Haizhen was on good terms with Huan; Huan seized an opportunity to hint to Haizhen a plan to return south, and Haizhen accepted it.
39
周廣順二年，澣因定州孫方諫密表言契丹衰微之勢，周祖嘉焉，遣諜者田重霸齎詔慰撫，仍命澣通信。 澣復表述契丹主幼弱多寵，好擊鞠，大臣離貳，若出師討伐，因與通好，乃其時也，請速行之。 屬中原多事，不能用其言。
In the second year of Guangshun in Zhou, Huan had Sun Fangjian of Ding Prefecture submit a secret memorial on the Khitan's weakening. The Zhou founder was pleased, sent the spy Tian Chongba bearing an edict of comfort and reassurance, and ordered Huan to carry correspondence. Huan again memorialized that the Khitan ruler was young and weak, much indulged by favorites, fond of cuju, and that the high ministers were divided—if an army were sent on campaign while friendship was opened at the same time, the moment would be right, and he asked that this be done at once. But the Central Plains were beset with many troubles, and his counsel could not be adopted.
40
澣在契丹嘗逃歸，為其所獲，防禦彌謹。 契丹應曆十二年六月卒，時建隆三年也。 濤收澣文章編之為《丁年集》。 澣二子，承確，主客郎中，承續，職方郎中。
While in Khitan lands Huan once tried to escape south but was captured; thereafter his guard was tightened. In the sixth month of the twelfth year of Yingli under the Khitan he died—at the time it was the third year of Jianlong. Tao collected Huan's writings and compiled them as the Dingnian Collection. Huan had two sons: Chengque, Director in the Bureau of Hosts, and Chengxu, Director in the Bureau of Works.
41
孫仲容
Grandson Zhongrong
42
仲容，字儀父，舉進士甲科，除大理評事、知三原縣。 累擢監察御史，為殿試進士考官。 真宗問題義，對稱旨，詔試中書，擢左司諫、直史館。 天聖中，以起居郎為知制誥，累遷右諫議大夫。 在西掖八年，次當補學士，而不為宰相張士遜所喜，罷為給事中、集賢院學士、判史館、司農寺，復知制誥。 及石中立、張觀補學士，始以為翰林侍讀學士。 久之，兼龍圖閣學士，至戶部侍郎卒。
Zhongrong, whose courtesy name was Yifu, passed the jinshi examination in the top class and was appointed Reviewer in the Court of Judicial Review and magistrate of Sanyuan County. He was repeatedly promoted to Investigating Censor and served as examiner for the palace jinshi examination. Emperor Zhenzong questioned him on the meaning of the Classics; his answers pleased the emperor, who ordered a trial at the Secretariat and promoted him to Left Remonstrance and Attendant of the History Office. In the Tiansheng era he served as Drafting Secretary on Attendance and drafter of edicts, and was repeatedly promoted to Right Remonstrance and Advice. After eight years in the western secretariat his turn to be supplemented as Academician came, but he was not favored by the chancellor Zhang Shisun; he was dismissed to Palace Recipient, Academician of the Hall of Assembled Worthies, concurrently Director of the History Office and Commissioner of the Ministry of Revenue, and again drafter of edicts. Only when Shi Zhongli and Zhang Guan were supplemented as Academicians was he made Hanlin Attendant Academician. After a long time he was concurrently Academician of the Dragon Diagram Pavilion and died while serving as Vice Minister of Revenue.
43
仲容性醇易，喜飲酒，不與物忤，與人言，未嘗及勢利。 三弟早卒，字其諸孤十餘人如己子，當世稱其長者。 然於吏事非所長。 自集制草為《冠鳳集》十二卷。
Zhongrong was plain and easygoing by nature. He loved wine, gave offense to no one, and in conversation never touched on power or profit. Three younger brothers died early; he raised their orphaned children—more than ten of them—as if they were his own sons, and contemporaries called him a man of virtue. Yet he was not strong in administrative matters. He compiled his collected drafts into the Crowned Phoenix Collection in twelve volumes.
44
王易簡
Wang Yijian
45
王易簡，字國寶，京兆萬年人。 性介特寡合。 曾祖朏，唐劍州刺史。 祖遠，連州刺史。 父貫，唐州刺史。 易簡少好學，工詩。 會僖宗幸蜀，長安兵亂，避地山谷。 梁乾化中，邵王友誨鎮陝，易簡舉進士，詣府拔解，友誨贈錢二十萬。 明年遂擢第，復隱華山。 邠帥韓恭辟觀察支使。 府罷，華帥李保衡復辟從事。 逾年，尹皓代保衡，易簡仍在幕府。
Wang Yijian, whose courtesy name was Guobao, was a native of Wannian in Jingzhao. By nature he was upright and exceptional, and he seldom found company. His great-grandfather Fei was prefect of Jian in Tang. His grandfather Yuan was prefect of Lian. His father Guan was prefect of Tang. From youth Yijian loved learning and was skilled at poetry. When Emperor Xizong went to Shu, Chang'an fell into military chaos, and he fled to the mountains. In the Ganning era of Liang, when the Prince of Shao, Youhui, governed Shaan, Yijian passed the jinshi examination, went to the prefecture for release from provincial qualification, and Youhui gave him two hundred thousand in cash. The next year he passed the highest examination and again withdrew into seclusion on Mount Hua. The Binzhou military commissioner Han Gong summoned him as administrative aide of the observation commission. When that prefecture was abolished, the Hua military commissioner Li Baoheng again summoned him as aide. More than a year later Yin Hao replaced Baoheng, and Yijian remained on the staff.
46
會朱友謙以河中叛歸莊宗，攻華州甚急，城中危懼，咸請築月城以自固。 皓恃勇不聽，下令曰：“有敢復言者斬。 ”易簡固請，乃許。 板築始畢，外城果壞，軍民賴之。 會夜不能攻，友謙遂遁去。 皓卒，易簡歸田里。 久之，召為著作郎，數月棄去。 復召為右拾遺，上書忤旨，出為鄧州節度推官。
When Zhu Youqian rebelled from Hezhong and submitted to Zhuangzong, he pressed the attack on Hua Prefecture fiercely; inside the city all were terrified and pleaded to build a crescent bastion for self-defense. Hao, trusting in his courage, would not listen and ordered, "Whoever dares speak of this again shall be beheaded. Yijian pressed his request firmly, and Hao then consented. The rammed-earth walls had just been finished when the outer wall indeed collapsed; soldiers and civilians relied on them for their lives. The enemy could not press the attack through the night, and Youqian then withdrew. When Hao died, Yijian returned to his village. After a long time he was summoned as Editor, but after several months he abandoned the post. He was again summoned as Remonstrance and Review on the Right; he submitted a memorial against the emperor's wishes and was sent out as judicial investigator under the Dengzhou military commission.
47
晉初，賜金紫，判弘文館、史館事。 晉祖為治務求速效，易簡上《漸治論》以諫之，詔書褒答，以論付史館。 及廢翰林學士，易簡兼知內制，又拜御史中丞，歷右丞、吏部侍郎、左丞、判吏部銓。 嘗上言：“選門格敕條件具存，藩府官僚習熟者少，凡給文解，未曉規程，以致選人詣都，親求解樣，往來跋涉，重可傷閔，傳寫少差，旋復驗放。 乞自今委南曹詳定解樣，兼錄長定格取解條，下諸州，板置州院門，每取解時，準條式遵行。 ”從之。 晉祖在大梁，臺省湫隘，易簡奏舉故事，一歲得元省錢二百萬，繕治省署及造器物，號為舉職。
At the beginning of Later Jin he was granted gold and purple insignia and concurrently directed the Hongwen Academy and History Office. The Jin founder in governing sought quick results; Yijian submitted the Gradual Governance Discourse to remonstrate with him. An edict praised and answered him, and the discourse was sent to the History Office. When the Hanlin Academicians were abolished, Yijian concurrently managed inner edicts, was again appointed Censor-in-Chief, and successively served as Vice Director on the Right, Vice Minister of Personnel, Vice Director on the Left, and concurrently Director of Personnel Selection. He once submitted a memorial: "The regulations and edicts governing the selection gate remain fully in force, yet officials on military governors' staffs are little acquainted with them. Whenever they issue examination credentials, they do not understand the rules, so that candidates who reach the capital must personally request sample forms, toiling back and forth—a grievous waste—and if a copy errs even slightly, it is immediately rejected upon verification. He requested that from then on the Southern Bureau be charged to set the credential form in detail and to compile the standing rules for presenting credentials; that these be sent to every prefecture and posted on boards at the yamen gates; and that whenever credentials were submitted, the regulations be followed exactly. The request was granted. While the Jin founder held court at Daliang, the central ministries were severely cramped. Yijian memorialized citing precedent and in a single year raised two million strings in original provincial funds, which he used to repair the ministry compounds and supply furnishings—a performance hailed as true fulfillment of office.
48
周朝諱“簡”，易止名易。 廣順初，遷禮部尚書。 是冬，合三銓為一，令易簡權判，俄改刑部尚書。 周祖將親郊，命判兵部，會冊四廟，命為副使。 周祖晏駕，為山陵副使。 顯德四年，告老，以太子少保致仕，歸鄉里。
Because the Zhou dynasty tabooed the character for "jian," he shortened his name to Yi alone. At the beginning of Guangshun he was promoted to Minister of Rites. That winter the three personnel selection bureaus were merged into one, and Yijian was appointed acting director; shortly afterward he was transferred to Minister of Justice. When the Zhou founder was preparing to conduct the suburban sacrifice in person, Yijian was placed in charge of the Ministry of War; during the enshrinement rites for the Four Ancestral Temples, he served as deputy commissioner. When the Zhou founder died, he served as deputy commissioner for the imperial mausoleum. In Xiande 4 he petitioned to retire on grounds of age, stepped down as Junior Guardian of the Heir Apparent, and returned home.
49
宋初，召加少傅。 所居華陰，構一鳴堂、二品樓，優遊自適。 建隆四年四月，無疾卒，年七十九。 子景讓，進士及第，至尚書郎。
At the founding of the Song he was recalled and further honored as Junior Tutor. He made his home in Huayin, where he built the Hall of Singing Once and the Tower of Second Rank, and passed his days in leisurely contentment. In the fourth month of Jianlong 4 he died suddenly, without prior illness, at seventy-nine. His son Jingrang passed the jinshi examination and rose to become a director in the Secretariat.
50
趙上交
Zhao Shangjiao
51
趙上交，涿州范陽人。 本名遠，字上交，避漢祖諱，遂以字稱。 祖光鄴，鄂州錄事參軍。 父簡章，涿州司馬。 上交身長七尺，黑色，美風儀，善談論，負才任氣，為鄉里所推。
Zhao Shangjiao came from Fanyang in Zhuo Prefecture. His original name was Yuan and his courtesy name Shangjiao; to avoid the taboo on the Han founder's name, he was known thereafter by his courtesy name alone. His grandfather Guangye served as recording secretary in E Prefecture. His father Jianzhang served as vice prefect of Zhuo Prefecture. Shangjiao stood seven chi tall, with a dark complexion and handsome bearing. Eloquent and bold, trusting in his own talent and proud in spirit, he was highly regarded in his home district.
52
後唐同光中，嘗詣中山干王都。 有和少微者亦在都門下，忌之，頗毀訾上交，都遂不為禮。 上交不得志，因南遊洛陽，與中官驃騎大將軍馬紹宏善。 紹宏領北面轉運制置大使，表為判官，遷殿中丞。 秦王從榮開府兼判軍衛，以上交為虞部員外郎，充六軍諸衛推官。 李澣、張沆、魚崇遠皆白衣在秦府，悉與上交友善。 累遷司封郎中，充判官。 從榮素豪邁，不遵禮法，好昵群小。 上交從容言曰：“王位尊崇，當修令德以慰民望，王忍為此，獨不見恭世子、戾太子之事乎？ ”從榮怒出之，歷涇、秦二鎮州節度判官。 從榮及禍，僚屬皆坐斥，上交由是知名。
During the Tongguang reign of Later Tang he once traveled to Zhongshan to seek an audience with Wang Du. A man named He Shaowei also served under Wang Du. Jealous of Shangjiao, he slandered him relentlessly, and Wang Du therefore refused to receive him properly. Unable to find a patron, Shangjiao went south to Luoyang, where he struck up a friendship with the eunuch general Ma Shaohong. When Shaohong became commissioner for northern transport, he recommended Shangjiao as his judicial investigator, and Shangjiao was promoted to palace aide. When the Prince of Qin, Congrong, established his princely establishment and concurrently directed the army guard, Shangjiao was appointed vice director in the Ministry of Works and served as investigating officer for the Six Armies and the palace guards. Li Huan, Zhang Hang, and Yu Chongyuan, though still commoners in the prince's household, all became close friends of Shangjiao. He rose through successive promotions to director in the Ministry of Personnel and served as the prince's judicial investigator. Congrong had always been bold and unrestrained, careless of ritual and law, and fond of surrounding himself with petty companions. Shangjiao spoke to him calmly: "Your rank is exalted; you ought to cultivate virtuous conduct to satisfy the people's hopes. How can you bear to act like this? Have you forgotten what happened to Crown Prince Gong and Crown Prince Li? Congrong angrily dismissed him. Shangjiao then served in turn as judicial investigator under the military commissioners of Jing and Qin. When Congrong's rebellion brought him to ruin, all his staff were punished and dismissed—an outcome that made Shangjiao's name widely known.
53
晉初，召為左司郎中、度支判官，歷右諫議大夫。 會廢翰林學士，以上交為中書舍人、知內外制，遷刑部侍郎。 嘗上言：“伏睹長興中詔書：‘州縣官在任詳讞刑獄、昭雪人命者，不限歲月赴選，許令超資注官，仍賜章服。 諸道州府給付公驗，躬赴行部投狀，隨給優牒，庶絕欺罔，以存激勸。 ’載詳元詔，止言州縣，未該內外職司。 乞自今但能雪活冤獄，不限中外官，並加旌賞。 諸道州縣委長吏抄案以聞。 俟本人考滿，即詣刑部投狀，毋得隔越年歲，庶使內外同律。 ”詔從之。 俄遷戶部侍郎，拜御史中丞，彈舉無所阿避。
At the beginning of Later Jin he was recalled as director in the Left Office and revenue investigator, and later served as remonstrance and review on the right. When the Hanlin Academy was abolished, Shangjiao was appointed drafting archivist and put in charge of inner and outer edicts, then promoted to vice minister of justice. He once submitted a memorial: "I have read the Changxing-era edict: 'When a prefecture or county official, while in office, thoroughly reviews criminal cases and vindicates the wrongfully condemned, he may proceed to selection without waiting for the normal term, be granted promotion beyond seniority, and receive an award of insignia. Each circuit, prefecture, and commission shall issue an official certificate; the official shall go in person to the inspectorate and file a petition, whereupon a commendation certificate shall be issued at once—so that fraud may be prevented and merit duly rewarded. ' On examining the original edict, it applies only to prefecture and county officials and does not extend to offices at court or in the provinces. I request that henceforth any official, whether at court or in the provinces, who vindicates the innocent and saves lives in wrongful cases shall receive commendation and reward. Let each circuit, prefecture, and county charge its chief official to copy the relevant case and report it upward. When the official completes his term of service, let him proceed directly to the Ministry of Justice to file his petition, without skipping years in between, so that the same standard may apply at court and in the provinces. The emperor approved the request by edict. Shortly afterward he was promoted to vice minister of revenue and appointed censor-in-chief; in his impeachments he showed favor to none and shrank from none.
54
契丹入汴，立明宗幼子許王從益為帝，以禮部尚書王崧為左丞相，上交為右丞相。 契丹去，上交請去偽號，稱梁王。 漢祖將至，從益遣上交馳表獻款，授檢校禮部尚書、太僕卿，遷秘書監。 周祖監國，命太師馮道迎湘陰公於徐州，以上交副之。
When the Khitan entered Bian, they enthroned Mingzong's young son, Prince Xu Congyi, as emperor, appointing Wang Song, minister of rites, as left chief minister and Shangjiao as right chief minister. After the Khitan withdrew, Shangjiao petitioned to abolish the usurped imperial title and have Congyi styled Prince of Liang instead. As the Han founder approached, Congyi sent Shangjiao ahead with a pledge of allegiance; Shangjiao was appointed honorary minister of rites and grand stable master, then promoted to director of the secretariat. When the Zhou founder assumed supervisory rule, he ordered Grand Preceptor Feng Dao to welcome the Duke of Xiangyin at Xuzhou, with Shangjiao as his deputy.
55
廣順初，拜禮部侍郎。 會將試貢士，上交申明條制，頗為精密，始復糊名考校。 擢扈載甲科，及取梁周翰、董淳之流，時稱得士。 轉戶部侍郎。 明年再知舉，謗議紛然。 時樞密使王峻用事，常薦童子，上交拒之。 峻怒，奏上交選士失實，貶商州司馬，朝議以為太重，會峻貶乃止，但坐所取士李觀、侯璨賦落韻，改太子詹事。
At the beginning of Guangshun he was appointed vice minister of rites. When the civil service examination was about to be held, Shangjiao set out the regulations with unusual precision, restoring for the first time the practice of sealed-name grading. He placed Hu Zai in the top grade and also selected men such as Liang Zhouhan and Dong Chun; contemporaries praised him for having chosen genuine talent. He was transferred to vice minister of revenue. The following year, when he directed the examination again, criticism erupted on all sides. At the time the military affairs commissioner Wang Jun held real power and often pressed recommendations of favored candidates; Shangjiao refused them. Jun grew furious and memorialized that Shangjiao had falsified the selection of scholars, and Shangjiao was demoted to vice prefect of Shangzhou. Court opinion held the punishment excessive, but when Jun himself was demoted the demotion was halted—though because the candidates Shangjiao had passed, Li Guan and Hou Can, had committed rhyme violations in their rhapsodies, he was instead stripped of his post and made grand mentor of the heir apparent.
56
顯德初，遷賓客。 二年，拜吏部侍郎，多請告不朝，時出遊別墅。 世宗因問陶穀曰：“上交豈衰老乎？ ”穀對曰：“上交昔掌貢舉，放鬻市家子李觀及第，受所獻名園，多植花卉，優遊自適。 ”世宗怒，免其官。
At the beginning of Xiande he was transferred to host for the crown prince. In the second year he was appointed vice minister of personnel; he frequently took leave from court and was often found at his country villa. Emperor Shizong then asked Tao Gu, "Has Shangjiao simply grown old? Tao Gu replied, "When Shangjiao directed the examinations, he passed Li Guan—the son of a market vendor—accepted a famous garden Li offered him, filled it with flowers, and lived there in leisurely comfort. The emperor was enraged and stripped him of his office.
57
宋初，起為尚書右丞。 建隆二年正月，卒，年六十七。 上交所蒞官以幹聞，當時稱有公輔器。 尤好吟詠，有集二十卷，張昭為序。
At the founding of the Song he was recalled as vice director of the secretariat on the right. In the first month of Jianlong 2 he died at sixty-seven. Shangjiao was known for executive ability in office, and contemporaries said he had the makings of a chief minister. He was especially fond of poetry; his collected works ran to twenty scrolls, with a preface by Zhang Zhao.
58
子曮，字可畏。 七歲喪母過哀。 十二能屬文，與兄晙同舉進士，未成名而兄夭，遂以蔭補千牛備身，歷秘書郎、殿中丞、著作郎。 卒，年二十六。 有集十卷，太宗嘗取以入內。
His son Yan, whose courtesy name was Kewei. When he was seven he lost his mother and mourned with exceptional grief. At twelve he could already write competently. He and his elder brother Jun both attempted the jinshi examination; before either could make a name, his brother died young, and Yan entered office by yin privilege as an armed attendant of the heir apparent, later serving as secretariat attendant, palace aide, and editor. He died at twenty-six. He left a collection of ten scrolls, which Emperor Taizong once had brought into the palace.
59
張錫，福州閩縣人。 梁末，劉君鐸任棣州刺史，辟為軍事判官。 棣為鄆之屬郡，郡有麴務，鄆以牙將主之，頗橫恣，民有犯麴三斤，牙將欲置於死，君鐸力不能救。 既而牙將盜麥百斛私造麴，事覺，錫判曰：“麴犯三斤，求生不克，麥盜百斛，免死誠難。 ”時郡吏以使府牙將乞免，錫不允，固置於法。
Zhang Xi came from Min County in Fu Prefecture. Near the end of Liang, when Liu Junduo became prefect of Di, he recruited Xi as his military judicial investigator. Di was subordinate to Yun Prefecture, which maintained a liquor monopoly administered by a guard officer who ruled with gross arrogance. When a man was found with three jin of illicit liquor, the guard officer sought to execute him, and Junduo was powerless to intervene. Not long afterward the guard officer stole a hundred hu of wheat and brewed liquor on his own; when the crime came to light, Xi rendered judgment: "A man guilty of three jin of illicit liquor could not obtain mercy—yet one who steals a hundred hu of wheat can hardly expect to escape death. The prefectural clerks, acting on behalf of the guard officer from the military commission, pleaded for leniency, but Xi refused and had the man executed according to law.
60
同光末，趙在禮舉兵於鄴，瀕河諸州多構亂，錫權知州事，即出省錢賞軍，皆大悅，一郡獨全，棣人賴之。 後為淄川令，不畏強禦，專務愛民，刺史有所徵，不答，由是銜之。 及代，白其事於宰相馮道。 道知錫介直，即奏召為監察御史，出為陝、虢觀察判官。 晉開運二年，拜右補闕，歷起居郎、刑部員外郎、開封府判官、浚儀令、司門駕部二郎中，並以清節聞。 周顯德中，以老疾求解官，授右諫議大夫致政。
At the end of Tongguang, when Zhao Zaili rebelled at Ye, prefectures along the Yellow River fell into turmoil one after another. Xi acted as provisional prefect and immediately paid out provincial funds to reward the troops; the soldiers were delighted, and Di alone remained secure—its people owed their safety to him. Later, as magistrate of Zichuan, he feared no powerful bully and devoted himself wholly to the people's welfare. When the prefect demanded levies he refused to comply, and the prefect thereafter bore him a grudge. When his term ended, he reported the affair to Chief Minister Feng Dao. Recognizing Xi's upright character, Dao immediately memorialized to have him summoned as investigating censor; Xi was then sent out as judicial investigator under the Shan-Guo observation commission. In Kaiyun 2 of Later Jin he was appointed right supplementer and successively served as diarist, vice director in the ministry of justice, judicial investigator of Kaifeng, magistrate of Junyi, and director in the ministries of revenue and works—always renowned for incorruptible conduct. During the Xiande reign of Later Zhou, citing age and illness he requested retirement and was granted it with the title remonstrance and review on the right.
61
宋初，改給事中。 錫無子，宰相范質嘗兄事之，館於別墅。 錫以執政之門，不欲久處，往依鄉人鄧州觀察判官黃保緒。 建隆二年六月，卒於穰下。
At the founding of the Song he was reassigned as attendant censor. Xi had no sons; Chief Minister Fan Zhi treated him as an elder brother and kept him at his country estate. Unwilling to remain long in a chief minister's household, Xi went to stay with his fellow townsman Huang Baoxu, judicial investigator under the Dengzhou observation commission. In the sixth month of Jianlong 2 he died at Rang.
62
張鑄，字司化，河南洛陽人。 性清介，不事生產。 曾祖居卿，祖裼，父文蔚，在唐俱舉進士。 裼至翰林學士承旨、天平軍節度、檢校吏部尚書。 文蔚，中書侍郎、平章事，《五代史》有傳。
Zhang Zhu, whose courtesy name was Sihua, came from Luoyang in Henan. By nature he was upright and austere and took no interest in material gain. His great-grandfather Juqing, grandfather Ti, and father Wenwei had all passed the jinshi examination under the Tang. Ti rose to Hanlin academician-in-attendance, military commissioner of Tianping, and honorary minister of personnel. Wenwei served as vice director of the secretariat and grand councilor; his biography appears in the History of the Five Dynasties.
63
鑄，梁貞明三年舉進士，補福昌衛、集賢校理，拜監察御史，遷殿侍御史。 仕後唐，歷起居郎、金部員外郎，賜緋，改右司員外郎。
Zhu passed the jinshi examination in Zhenming 3 of Later Liang, was appointed to the Fuchang guard and as collator in the Hall of Assembled Worthies, then became investigating censor and was promoted to palace attending censor. Under Later Tang he served successively as diarist and vice director in the ministry of revenue, was granted crimson insignia, and was transferred to vice director in the right office.
64
明宗初，轉金部郎中，賜金紫。 嘗上言曰：“國家以務農為本，守令以勸課為先，廣辟田疇，用實倉廩。 竊見所在鄉村浮戶，方事墾辟，甫成生計，種田未至二頃，植木未及十年，縣司以定色役，民畏責斂，捨之而去，殊乖撫恤之方，徒設招攜之令。 望令諸州應有荒田縱民墾蒔，俟及五頃已上，三年外始聽差科。 ”從之。 使兩浙還，遷考功郎中。
At the beginning of Mingzong's reign he was promoted to director in the ministry of revenue and granted gold and purple insignia. He once submitted a memorial: "The state takes agriculture as its foundation, and prefects and magistrates must make the encouragement of farming their first duty, opening fields broadly so that the granaries may be genuinely filled. I have observed that migrant households in the countryside are just beginning to reclaim wasteland and have barely established a livelihood; their fields amount to less than two qing and their trees are fewer than ten years old—yet county officials already fix their corvée assignments. Fearing tax levies, these people abandon their holdings and flee—precisely the opposite of compassionate governance, and a mockery of policies meant to attract settlers. I ask that all prefectures be ordered to allow the people to reclaim and cultivate wasteland freely, and that corvée and tax levies be imposed only after holdings reach five qing and only after three years have elapsed. The request was granted. After returning from a mission to the Two Zhes, he was promoted to director in the ministry of personnel charged with merit evaluation.
65
鑄美姿儀，善筆劄，老能燈下細書如蠅頭。 由晉以來，天地、宗廟及上徽號、封拜王公冊文，皆詔鑄書之。 及卒，身無兼衣，家人鬻其服馬、園圃，得錢十萬以葬。
Zhu was handsome in bearing and skilled with the brush; even in old age he could write by lamplight script as fine as fly's heads. From Later Jin onward, he was commissioned to write all sacrificial texts for Heaven, Earth, and the ancestral temples, all documents conferring imperial honorific titles, and all investiture scrolls for kings and dukes. When he died he did not even own a change of clothes; his family sold his garments, horses, and garden for a hundred thousand cash to pay for his burial.
66
邊歸讜
Bian Guidang
67
邊歸讜，字安正，幽州薊人，父退思，檀州刺史。 歸讜弱冠以儒學名。 後唐末，客遊幷、邠。 晉祖鎮太原，召置門下，表為河東節度推官、試秘書省校書郎，改太原府推官、試大理評事。
Bian Guidang, whose courtesy name was Anzheng, came from Ji in You Prefecture; his father Tuisi had served as prefect of Tan. Guidang was already known for Confucian scholarship while still in his teens. Near the end of Later Tang he traveled as a guest scholar in Bing and Bin. When the Later Jin founder was stationed at Taiyuan, he summoned Guichan into his service. Guichan was recommended as investigating officer of the Hedong military commission and Acting Collator of the Secretariat, then transferred to investigating officer of Taiyuan Prefecture and Acting Case Reviewer of the Court of Judicial Review.
68
天福初，拜監察御史。 歷殿中侍御史、禮部員外郎，充戶部判官。 遷水部郎中，賜金紫，拜比部郎中、知制誥。 歷右諫議大夫、給事中。 嘗上言：“使臣經過州縣，券料外妄自徵需，以豐傔從，多索人驢，用遞行李。 挾命為勢，淩下作威，供億稍遲，即加鞭箠，吏民受辱，寧免怨嗟。 欲望察訪得情，嚴示懲戒。 ”從之。 俄遷右散騎常侍。
At the beginning of the Tianfu era he was appointed Supervising Censor. He successively served as Palace Attendant Censor and Outer Gentleman of the Ministry of Rites, and also served as administrative aide in the Ministry of Revenue. He was transferred to Director of the Ministry of Works and granted gold and purple insignia, then appointed Director of the Ministry of Revenue and charged with drafting edicts. He successively served as Right Remonstrance Counselor and Attendant Gentleman. He once submitted a memorial: "When envoys pass through prefectures and counties, beyond their authorized vouchers they recklessly levy demands to enrich their attendants, often requisitioning people's donkeys to transport relay baggage. Wielding their commissions as power, they lord it over subordinates and throw their weight around. If provisions are even slightly delayed they immediately resort to whipping and beating. How can officials and commoners who suffer such insults avoid resentment and lament? I hope that investigations may ascertain the facts and stern punishment be displayed as a warning. The request was approved. Soon he was transferred to Right Regular Attendant of the Palace Horse.
69
漢初，歷禮部、刑部二侍郎。 時史弘肇怙權專殺，閭里告訐成風。 歸讜言曰：“邇來有匿名書及言風聞事，構害善良，有傷風化，遂使貪吏得以報復私怨，讒夫得以肆其虛誕。 請明行條制，禁遏誣罔。 凡顯有披論，具陳姓名。 其匿名書及風聞事者並望止絕。 ”論者韙之。
At the beginning of Later Han he successively served as Vice Minister of Rites and Vice Minister of Justice. At the time Shi Hongzhao relied on power and killed at will, and denunciation among neighbors became the fashion. Guichan said, "Recently there have been anonymous letters and reports based on hearsay that frame and harm the good, injuring public morals, so that greedy officials can avenge private grudges and slanderers can indulge their fabrications. I request that regulations be clearly promulgated to forbid and stop false accusations. Whenever there is an open accusation, the accuser's name should be fully stated. Anonymous letters and hearsay reports should all be stopped entirely. Commentators approved of this.
70
周廣順初，遷兵部、戶部二侍郎。 世宗聞其亮直，擢為尚書右丞、樞密直學士，以備顧問。 就轉左丞，世宗以累朝以來憲綱不振，命為御史中丞。
At the beginning of the Guangshun era of Later Zhou he was transferred to Vice Minister of War and Vice Minister of Revenue. Emperor Shizong heard of his integrity and forthrightness and promoted him to Vice Director of the Secretariat on the Right and Academician-in-Attendance of the Privy Council, to serve as an adviser. He was immediately transferred to Vice Director on the Left. Because over successive reigns the censorial regulations had not been enforced, Emperor Shizong appointed him Censor-in-Chief.
71
歸讜雖號廉直，而性剛介，言多忤物。 顯德三年冬，大宴廣德殿，歸讜酒酣，揚袂言曰：“至於一杯而已。 ”世宗命黃門扶出之。 歸讜回顧曰：“陛下何不決殺趙守微。 ”守微者，本村民，因獻策擢拾遺，有妻復娶，又言涉指斥，坐決杖配流，故歸讜語及之。 翌日，伏閣請罪，詔釋之，仍於閣門復飲數爵，以愧其心。 五年秋，歸讜與百官班廣德殿門外，忽厲聲聞於帝，詔奪一季奉。
Although Guichan was known as incorrupt and upright, by nature he was rigid and uncompromising, and his words often offended others. In the winter of the third year of Xiande, at a great banquet in the Hall of Broad Virtue, Guichan, flushed with wine, waved his sleeve and said, "It comes to no more than one cup, that's all." Emperor Shizong ordered the palace attendants to escort him out. Guichan looked back and said, "Your Majesty, why not simply execute Zhao Shouwei?" Shouwei had originally been a village commoner. Because he submitted a policy proposal he was promoted to Reminder, but he took a second wife while his first still lived, and his words were also deemed seditious, for which he was sentenced to beating with the rod and exile—hence Guichan mentioned him. The next day he prostrated himself at the palace gate to beg forgiveness. An edict pardoned him, and he was made to drink several more cups at the Gate Pavilion to shame him into repentance. In the autumn of the fifth year, as Guichan stood in rank with the officials outside the gate of the Hall of Broad Virtue, he suddenly raised his voice loudly enough for the emperor to hear. An edict stripped him of one season's salary.
72
宋初，遷刑部尚書。 建隆三年，告老，拜戶部尚書致仕。 乾德二年，卒，年五十七。 子定，雍熙二年進士及第。
At the beginning of the Song dynasty he was transferred to Minister of Justice. In the third year of Jianlong he requested retirement on grounds of age and was granted Minister of Revenue in retirement. In the second year of Qiande he died, at the age of fifty-seven. His son Ding passed the jinshi examination in the second year of Yongxi.
73
劉溫叟
Liu Wensou
74
劉溫叟，字永齡，河南洛陽人。 性重厚方正，動遵禮法。 唐武德功臣政會之後。 叔祖崇望，相昭宗。 父岳，後唐太常卿。 溫叟七歲能屬文，善楷隸。 岳時退居洛中，語家人曰：“吾兒風骨秀異，所未知者壽耳。 今世難未息，得與老夫皆為溫、洛之叟足矣。 ”故名之溫叟。 以蔭補國子四門助教，河南府文學。 清泰中，為左拾遺、內供奉。 以母老乞歸就養，改監察御史，分司。 時臺署廢弛，溫叟作新之。 未幾，召為右補闕。
Liu Wensou, style name Yongling, was a native of Luoyang in Henan. By nature he was grave, solid, and upright, and in his conduct he always observed ritual and law. He was a descendant of Zhenghui, a meritorious minister of the Wude era of Tang. His grand-uncle Chongwang served as chief minister to Emperor Zhaozong. His father Yue served as Director of the Court of Imperial Sacrifices under Later Tang. At the age of seven Wensou could compose prose and was skilled in regular and clerical script. When Yue was retired and living in Luoyang, he told his family, "My son's bearing and bone structure are outstanding. The only thing unknown is his span of life. In this age troubles have not yet ceased. It would be enough if he and I could both grow old as men of Wen and Luo. Hence he was named Wensou. By yin privilege he was appointed Assistant Instructor of the Four Gates in the Directorate of Education and Literary Scholar of Henan Prefecture. During the Qingtai era he served as Left Reminder and Inner Attendant. Because his mother was old he requested to return home to support her, and was changed to Supervising Censor with a detached commission. At the time the censorate offices had fallen into neglect, and Wensou restored them. Before long he was summoned to serve as Right Supplementation Secretary.
75
契丹入汴，溫叟懼，隨契丹北遷，與承旨張允共上表求解職。 契丹主怒，欲出允等為縣令。 趙延壽曰：“若學士才不稱職求解者，守本官可也，不可加貶出。 ”遂得罷職出院。 漢祖南下，溫叟自洛從至鄭州，稱疾不行。 及入汴，溫叟久之方至，授駕部郎中。
When the Khitan entered Bian, Wensou was afraid and followed the Khitan north. Together with Expositor-in-Chief Zhang Yun he submitted a memorial requesting release from office. The Khitan ruler grew angry and wished to send Yun and the others out as county magistrates. Zhao Yanshou said, "If an academician's talent does not fit his post and he requests release, he may keep his original rank—that is enough. He should not be further demoted and sent out." Thus they were able to resign their posts and leave the academy. When the Han founder marched south, Wensou followed from Luoyang as far as Zhengzhou, then claimed illness and did not go on. When the Han founder entered Bian, Wensou arrived only after a long delay and was granted Director of the Carriage Bureau.
76
周初，拜左諫議大夫，逾年，改中書舍人，加史館修撰，判館事。 顯德初，遷禮部侍郎、知貢舉，得進士十六人。 有譖於帝者，帝怒，黜十二人，左遷太子詹事。 溫叟實無私，後數年，其被黜者相繼登第。 溫叟與張昭同修漢隱帝及周祖實錄，恭帝即位，遷工部侍郎兼判國子祭酒事。
At the beginning of Later Zhou he was appointed Left Remonstrance Counselor. After a year he was changed to Secretariat Drafter, given the additional title of Compiler of the History Office, and directed its affairs. At the beginning of the Xiande era he was transferred to Vice Minister of Rites and served as chief examiner, selecting sixteen jinshi. Someone slandered him to the emperor. The emperor grew angry, dismissed twelve of the candidates, and demoted Wensou to Heir Apparent Household Director. Wensou had in fact shown no partiality. Several years later those who had been dismissed passed the examinations in succession. Wensou and Zhang Zhao together compiled the Veritable Records of Emperor Yindi of Later Han and the Zhou founder. When Emperor Gongdi ascended the throne, Wensou was transferred to Vice Minister of Works and concurrently directed the affairs of the Chancellor of the Directorate of Education.
77
宋初，改刑部。 建隆九年，拜御史中丞。 丁內艱，退居西洛，旋復本官。 三年，兼判吏部銓。 因上言曰：“伏見兩京百司，漸乏舊人，多隳故事。 雖檢閱具存於往冊，而舉行須在於攸司。 蓋因年限得官，歸司者例與減選； 冬集赴調，授任者尋又出京。 兼有裁滿初官，不還舊局，但稱前資，用圖免役。 又有嘗因停任，切欲歸司，而元敕不該，無由復職。 遂使在司者失於教習，歷事者難於追還。 伏望自今諸司職掌，除官勒留及歸司者，如理減外欠三選以下，仍須在司執行公事，及三十月即許赴集； 如理選外欠三選以上，及在官不成資考者，即準元敕處分。 若在任停官及在司停職者，經恩後於刑部出給雪牒，卻勒歸司，如無闕員，即令守闕，餘依敕格處分。
At the beginning of the Song dynasty he was transferred to the Ministry of Justice. In the ninth year of Jianlong he was appointed Censor-in-Chief. Upon the death of his mother he withdrew to western Luoyang, and soon resumed his original post. In the third year he concurrently directed the Ministry of Personnel selection board. He therefore submitted a memorial, saying, "I respectfully observe that in the hundred offices of the two capitals, veterans are gradually lacking and precedents are often abandoned. Although review shows them fully preserved in former registers, their implementation depends on the responsible offices. This is because those who obtain office by seniority and return to their bureaus are by precedent given reduced selection credit; those who attend the winter assembly for appointment, once given posts, soon leave the capital again. There are also those whose initial appointments have expired who do not return to their former bureaus but cite prior qualifications to seek exemption from service. There are also those who once had their appointments suspended and earnestly wish to return to their bureaus, but the original edict does not cover their cases and they have no way to resume their posts. Thus those remaining in the bureaus lack instruction and training, and those with experience are hard to recall. I respectfully hope that from now on, for all bureau posts, except those ordered to remain or returning to their bureaus, if beyond reasonable reduction they owe fewer than three selections, they must still perform official duties in the bureau, and after thirty months may be permitted to attend the assembly; if beyond reasonable selection credit they owe three selections or more, or if while in office they fail to complete a term of evaluation, they should be handled according to the original edict. If while in post one's appointment is suspended or while in the bureau one's duties are suspended, after an amnesty the Ministry of Justice should issue a vindication certificate, and the official should then be ordered back to the bureau. If there is no vacancy, he should be made to await one, and the rest handled according to edicts and regulations.
78
一日晚歸由闕前，太祖方與中黃門數人偶登明德門西闕，前騶者潛知之，以白溫叟。 溫叟令傳呼如常過闕。 翌日請對，具言：“人主非時登樓，則近制咸望恩宥，輦下諸軍亦希賞給。 臣所以嗬導而過者，欲示眾以陛下非時不登樓也。 ”太祖善之。 憲府舊例，月賞公用茶，中丞受錢一萬，公用不足則以贓罰物充。 溫叟惡其名不取。 任臺丞十二年，屢求代。 太祖難其人，不允。 開寶四年被疾，太祖知其貧，就賜器幣，數月卒，年六十三。
One day, returning late, he passed before the gate tower. Taizu happened to be ascending the western tower of the Gate of Bright Virtue with several palace attendants. The outriders secretly learned of this and informed Wensou. Wensou ordered the heralds to announce his passage as usual when crossing before the gate. The next day he requested an audience and fully stated, "When the sovereign ascends a tower at an unscheduled time, those nearby all hope for grace and pardon, and the various armies in the capital also hope for rewards. The reason I had them shout the procession and passed by normally was to show the multitude that Your Majesty does not ascend the tower at unscheduled times." Taizu approved of this. By old custom of the censorate, each month public-use tea was rewarded. The censor-in-chief received ten thousand in cash, and if public funds were insufficient, confiscated goods from corruption cases were used to make up the difference. Wensou loathed the taint of this practice and did not accept it. He served as censorate commissioner for twelve years and repeatedly requested a replacement. Taizu found no one to replace him and did not grant the request. In the fourth year of Kaibao he fell ill. Taizu knew he was poor and sent gifts of vessels and silks to his home. Several months later he died, at the age of sixty-three.
79
溫叟事繼母以孝聞，雖盛暑非冠帶不敢見。 五代以來，言執禮者惟溫叟焉。 立朝有德望，精賞鑒，門生中尤器楊徽之、趙鄰幾，後皆為名士。 范杲幼時，嘗以文贄溫叟，大加稱獎，以女妻之。
Wensou was famed for filial service to his stepmother. Even in the height of summer he would not see her unless fully dressed in cap and sash. Since the Five Dynasties, when one spoke of observing ritual, it was Wensou alone. In court he had virtue and prestige, and was skilled in appraisal. Among his students he especially valued Yang Huizhi and Zhao Linji, who later both became eminent men. When Fan Gao was young he once presented a literary work to Wensou, who greatly praised it and gave him his daughter in marriage.
80
太宗在晉邸，聞其清介，遣吏遺錢五百千，溫叟受之，貯廳西舍中，令府吏封署而去。 明年重午，又送角黍、執扇，所遣吏即送錢者，視西舍封識宛然，還以白太宗。 太宗曰：“我錢尚不用，況他人乎？ 昔日納之，是不欲拒我也； 今周歲不啟封，其苦節愈見。 ”命吏輦歸邸。 是秋，太宗侍宴後苑，因論當世名節士，具道溫叟前事，太祖再三賞歎。
When Taizong was at the Prince of Jin's residence, hearing of Wensou's integrity he sent an official to present five hundred thousand in cash. Wensou accepted it, stored it in the western wing of the hall, had the prefectural clerk seal it, and departed. The next year on the Double Fifth Festival he again sent rice dumplings and a hand fan. The official sent was the same one who had brought the money. Seeing the seal on the western wing intact, he returned and reported this to Taizong. Taizong said, "Even my money he would not use—how much less anyone else's? In accepting it then, he did not wish to reject me; now that a full year has passed without breaking the seal, his austere integrity is all the more evident." He ordered the official to have it carted back to the residence. That autumn, while attending a banquet in the rear garden, Taizong discussed eminent men of integrity in the age and fully recounted Wensou's earlier conduct. Taizu repeatedly praised and sighed in admiration.
81
雍熙初，子炤罷徐州觀察推官待選，以貧詣登聞求注官。 及引對，太宗問誰氏子，炤以溫叟對。 太宗愀然，召宰相語其事，且言當今大臣罕有其比。 因問：“炤當得何官？ ”宰相言：“免選以為厚恩。 ”帝曰：“其父有清操，錄其子登朝，庶足示勸。 ”擢炤太子右讚善大夫，歷判三司理欠、憑由司，江南轉運司，入朝為司封郎中。 炳、燁並進士及第。
At the beginning of Yongxi, his son Zhao, having left his post as administrative aide to the Xuzhou Observation Commissioner and awaiting selection, went in poverty to the Petition Gate to request registration for office. When he was brought in for audience, Taizong asked whose son he was. Zhao answered that he was Wensou's son. Taizong looked grave, summoned the chief minister to tell him of the matter, and said that among great ministers today few could compare with Wensou. He then asked, "What office should Zhao receive?" The chief minister said, "Exempting him from selection would already be a generous favor." The emperor said, "His father had integrity. Enrolling his son at court would suffice to show encouragement. Zhao was promoted to Right Supplementation Master of the Heir Apparent, and successively served as director of the Three Offices' Arrears and Voucher Bureaus and the Jiangnan Transport Commission. Upon entering court he became Director in the Ministry of Personnel. Bing and Ye both passed the jinshi examination.
82
子燁
Son Ye
83
燁，字耀卿，進士及第。 積官秘書省著作郎。 知龍門縣，群盜殺人，燁捕得之，將械送府，恐道亡去，皆斬之。 眾服其果。 通判益州，召還，時王曙治蜀，或言其政苛暴。 真宗問：“曙治狀與淩策孰愈？ ”燁曰：“策在蜀，歲豐事簡，故得以寬假民。 比歲小歉，盜賊竊發，非誅殺不能禁。 然曙所行，亦未嘗出陛下法外。 ”帝善之。
Ye, whose courtesy name was Yaoqing, passed the jinshi examination. He rose through the ranks to Academician in the Secretariat. While serving as magistrate of Longmen County, he captured a band of murderers. Intending to send them under escort to the prefectural seat, he feared they might escape en route—and so had them all executed. The people respected his decisiveness. While serving as vice prefect of Yizhou he was recalled to court. Wang Shu was then governing Shu, and some said his administration was harsh and brutal. Emperor Zhenzong asked, "How does Shu's record of governing compare with Ling Ce's—which is better?" Ye replied, "When Ce was in Shu the harvests were plentiful and affairs were simple, so he could afford to be lenient with the people. In recent years the harvests have been somewhat poor and banditry has flared up. Without harsh punishment it cannot be checked. Yet nothing Shu has done has ever exceeded the bounds of Your Majesty's law. The emperor approved of his answer.
84
天禧元年，始置監官。 帝謂宰相曰：“諫官御史，當識朝廷大體。 ”於是以燁為右正言。 會歲薦饑，河決滑州，大興力役，饑殍相望。 燁請策免宰相，以應天變。 都城東南有泉出，民爭傳可以已疾，詔即其地建祥源觀。 燁言其詭妄不經，且亢旱，不可興土木以營不急； 又請罷提點刑獄，禁民棄父母事佛老者。 皆不報。
In Tianxi 1 remonstrance officials were first established. The emperor told the chief minister, "Remonstrance officials and censors must understand the court's larger interests. Ye was accordingly appointed Right Remonstrance Official. That year famine struck, the Yellow River burst its banks at Huazhou, corvée labor was mobilized on a great scale, and the starving lay dead one after another along the roads. Ye petitioned that the chief minister be dismissed to answer Heaven's warning. A spring burst forth southeast of the capital, and people widely claimed its water could cure disease. An edict ordered a Xiangyuan Abbey built on the site. Ye argued that the claim was absurd and unfounded, and that in a time of severe drought it was wrong to launch construction projects for no pressing need. He also asked that regional judicial intendants be abolished and that people be forbidden to forsake their parents for Buddhist or Daoist religious life. None of his petitions received a response.
85
表請補外，帝以燁屢言事，乃以判三司戶部勾院，出安撫京西。 還，直集賢院，同修起居注，遷右司諫。 以尚書工部員外郎兼侍御史知雜事，權判吏部流內銓。 請京朝官遭父母憂，官司毋得奏留，故事當起復者如舊。 因詔益、梓、利、夔路長吏，仍舊奏裁，餘乞免持服者論其罪。 改三司戶部副使，擢龍圖閣待制，提舉諸司庫務，權發遣開封府事。 累遷刑部郎中、龍圖閣直學士、知河南府，徙河中府，卒。
He memorialized asking for an outside post. Because Ye had repeatedly remonstrated, the emperor appointed him director of the Three Offices' Household Bureau Audit Office and sent him out as Pacification Commissioner of West Jing. After returning he was assigned to the Hall of Assembled Worthies, helped compile the imperial diary, and was promoted to Remonstrance Official of the Right Bureau. As Vice Director of the Ministry of Works and concurrently Vice Censor-in-Chief in charge of miscellaneous cases, he acted as director of the Ministry of Personnel's in-passing selection office. He asked that when capital officials entered mourning for a parent, offices be forbidden to petition to keep them on duty, while established cases permitting resumption of office should remain unchanged. An edict followed: chief officials of the Yi, Zi, Li, and Kui circuits might still petition for the throne's decision, but all others who sought to be excused from observing mourning would be punished. He was made Vice Commissioner of the Three Offices' Household Bureau, promoted to Attendant-in-Waiting at the Hall of Dragon Illustrations, put in charge of the various treasury offices, and given interim authority over Kaifeng Prefecture. He rose through the posts of Director in the Ministry of Justice and Direct Academician at the Hall of Dragon Illustrations, served as prefect of Henan, was transferred to Hezhong Prefecture, and died there.
86
初，王曙坐寇準貶官，在朝無敢往見者。 燁歎曰：“友朋之義，獨不行於今歟？ ”往餞之，經宿而還。 嘗善河中處士李瀆，瀆死，為陳其高行，詔以著作郎贈之。
Earlier, when Wang Shu was demoted on Kou Zhun's account, no one at court dared visit him. Ye sighed and said, "Has the bond of friendship ceased to apply in our own time? He went to see him off and did not return until the next morning. He had long been friends with the reclusive scholar Li Du of Hezhong. When Du died, Ye memorialized about his exemplary conduct, and the throne posthumously granted him the title of Academician in the Secretariat.
87
唐末五代亂，衣冠舊族多離去鄉里，或爵命中絕而世系無所考。 惟劉氏自十二代祖北齊中書侍郎環俊以下，仕者相繼，而世牒具存焉。 子几。
In the chaos of late Tang and the Five Dynasties, many old gentry families scattered from their homelands; some saw their offices and lines extinguished and their genealogies lost beyond recovery. Only the Liu clan, from their twelfth-generation ancestor Huanjun—Vice Director of the Secretariat under Northern Qi—downward, produced officeholders in unbroken succession, with their genealogical records fully intact. His son was Ji.
88
孫几
Grandson Ji
89
几，字伯壽，以燁任為將作監主簿。 生而豪俊，長折節讀書，第進士。
Ji, whose courtesy name was Boshou, entered office as Chief Clerk of the Directorate of Works through Ye's influence. Bold and spirited by nature, he later applied himself to study and passed the jinshi examination.
90
從范仲淹辟，通判邠州。 邠地鹵，民病遠汲，几浚渠引水注城中。 役興，客曰：“自郭汾陽城此州，苟外水可釃，何待今日？ 無為虛費勞人也！ ”几不答。 未幾，水果至，鑿五池於通逵，民大便利。
Recruited by Fan Zhongyan, he was appointed vice prefect of Bin Prefecture. The land around Bin was brackish and the people suffered from having to draw water from far away. Ji dug a canal to channel water into the city. When the project began, a visitor said, "Since Guo Ziyi fortified this prefecture, if outside water could have been brought in, why wait until now? Do not waste everyone's labor in vain! Ji made no reply. Before long water did arrive. He excavated five pools along the main thoroughfare, to the people's great benefit.
91
孫沔薦其才堪將帥，換如京使、知寧州。 俗喜巫，軍校仗妖法結其徒，亂有日。 几使他兵伏壘門以伺，夜半盡禽之。 加本路兵馬鈐轄、知邠州。
Sun Mian recommended him as capable of military command. He was transferred to Palace Envoy and appointed prefect of Ning Prefecture. The people there were fond of shamanism. A military officer used occult arts to gather a following, and an uprising seemed only days away. Ji posted other troops in ambush at the camp gate. At midnight they captured the entire band. He was additionally appointed Coordinator of the circuit's military forces and prefect of Bin.
92
儂智高犯嶺南，几上書願自效，以為廣東、西捉殺。 道聞蔣偕、張忠戰沒，疾馳至長沙，見狄青曰：“賊若退守巢穴，瘴毒方興，當班師以俟再舉。 若恃勝求戰，此成擒耳。 ”賊果悉眾來，大戰於歸仁鋪。 前鋒孫節死，几以右軍搏鬥，自辰至巳，勝負未決。 几言於青，出勁騎五千，張左右翼搗其中堅，賊駭潰。
When Nong Zhigao invaded the Lingnan region, Ji volunteered his services and was appointed Suppression Commissioner for Guangdong and Guangxi. En route he learned that Jiang Xie and Zhang Zhong had fallen in battle. He galloped to Changsha and told Di Qing, "If the rebels fall back to their strongholds while the miasma season is coming on, we should withdraw and wait for another offensive. If they grow overconfident and come out to fight, they will be easy prey." The rebels did indeed march out in full force, and a great battle was fought at Guirenpu. The vanguard commander Sun Jie was killed. Ji fought with the right wing from morning until mid-morning, but the outcome remained in doubt. Ji urged Qing to commit five thousand elite cavalry, send them against the enemy center from both flanks, and the rebels broke in panic.
93
進皇城使、知涇州。 陛見，辭以母老，丐復文階歸養。 仁宗諭之曰：“涇，內地也，將母莫便焉。 ”命特賜冠帔。 領循州刺史，遷西上閣門使，再歸郎中班。 曾公亮薦之，復以嘉州團練使為太原、涇原路總管。
He was promoted to Commissioner of the Imperial Inner City and appointed prefect of Jing Prefecture. At audience he declined the post on the grounds that his mother was elderly, asking to be restored to civil rank so he could return home to care for her. Emperor Renzong told him, "Jing lies in the interior. There is no better place to keep your mother nearby." The emperor ordered special gifts of cap and ceremonial robes for his mother. He held the nominal post of prefect of Xunzhou, was promoted to Western Upper Gate Commissioner, and then returned once more to the civil director rank. On Zeng Gongliang's recommendation he was again appointed regimental commissioner of Jiazhou and overall commander of the Taiyuan and Jingyuan circuits.
94
夏人寇周家堡，轉運使陳述古攝渭帥，几移文索援兵，不聽，率諸將偕請，又不聽，乃趣以手書。 述古怒，移几為鳳翔，且劾生事。 朝廷以總管非轉運使所得徙置，遣御史出按，述古黜，几亦改鄜州。 召判三班院。 邊吏告夏人趨大順，英宗問几。 几曰：“大順天險，非夏人可得近，正恐與趙明為仇爾。 ”帝曰：“明之子奔馬入城，幾為所掩，卿料敵一何神也。 ”以為秦鳳總管。
When the Tanguts attacked Zhoujiabao, Transport Commissioner Chen Shugu was acting commander of Wei. Ji formally requested reinforcements but was refused. He then led the generals in a joint petition and was refused again, and finally pressed the matter with a personal letter. Shugu grew angry, had Ji transferred to Fengxiang, and impeached him for stirring up trouble. The court ruled that a transport commissioner had no authority to move an overall commander and dispatched a censor to investigate. Shugu was dismissed, and Ji was reassigned to Yan Prefecture. He was recalled to serve as director of the Three Ranks Bureau. Border officials reported that the Tanguts were moving on Dashun. Emperor Yingzong consulted Ji. Ji said, "Dashun is a natural fortress the Tanguts cannot easily reach. I suspect this is really a feud with Zhao Ming, nothing more. The emperor said, "Ming's son barely escaped on horseback when they rushed the city—you read the enemy uncannily well." He was appointed overall commander of Qin and Feng.
95
神宗即位，轉四方館使、知保州，治狀為河北第一。 逾六年，即請老，還為秘書監致仕。 元豐三年，祀明堂，大臣言几知音，詔詣太常定雅樂。 几曰：“古樂備四清聲，沿五季亂離廢，請增之。 ”樂成，予一子官。
When Emperor Shenzong ascended the throne, Ji became Commissioner of the Four Directions Hall and prefect of Bao Prefecture. His record of governance ranked first in Hebei. After six years he asked to retire and was granted the post of Retired Overseer of the Secretariat. In the third year of Yuanfeng, during the Bright Hall sacrifice, leading ministers said Ji understood musical pitch. An edict summoned him to the Court of Imperial Sacrifices to set the ceremonial music. Ji said, "Ancient music employed all four clear tones, but they were abandoned amid the chaos of the Five Dynasties. I ask that they be restored. When the music was completed, one of his sons was granted an official appointment.
96
几得謝二十年，放曠嵩、少間，遇唐末異人靖長宮者得養生訣，故益老不衰。 間與人語邊事，謂張耒曰：“比見詔書禁邊吏夜飲。 此曹一旦有急，將使輸其肝腦，此平日禁其為樂，為今役者不亦難乎？ 夫椎牛釃酒，豐犒而休養之，非欲以醉飽為德，所以增士氣也。 ”耒敬識其語。 再加通議大夫，卒，年八十一。
Ji spent twenty years in retirement, wandering freely among Mount Song and the lesser peaks. He met the late-Tang recluse Jing Changgong and learned the secrets of longevity, and so only grew more vigorous with age. Once, discussing border affairs with others, he said to Zhang Lei, "I recently saw an edict forbidding frontier officers to drink at night. When crisis comes you expect these men to lay down their lives. Yet in peacetime you forbid them even simple pleasure—how can you expect ready service when trouble strikes?" Feasting them with butchered cattle and strained wine, giving them generous rewards and time to rest—that is not indulgence for its own sake, but the way to raise their fighting spirit." Lei respectfully committed his words to memory. He was further promoted to Grandee of Counselling and died at the age of eighty-one.
97
几篤於風義，推父遺恩官從兄，已得任子，必先兄弟子之孤者。 其議樂律最善，以為：“律主於人聲，不以尺度求合。 古今異時，聲亦隨變，猶以古冠服加於今人，安得而稱。 儒者泥古，致詳於形名度數間，而不知清濁輕重之用，故求於器雖合，而考於聲則不諧。 ”嘗遊佛寺，聞鍾聲，曰：“聲澌而悲，主者且不利。 ”是夕，主僧死。 在保州，聞角聲，曰：“宮微而商離，至秋，守臣憂之。 ”及期，几遇疾。 然所學頗雜鄭、衛云。
Ji was deeply devoted to honor and righteousness. When using his father's remaining patronage to secure office for a cousin, though his own son already held a hereditary appointment, he always gave priority to orphaned nephews. He was at his best discussing pitch and tuning, holding that "pitch standards should follow the human voice, not be forced to conform to measure alone." Times change, and so does the quality of sound. Imposing ancient cap and robes on a man of today—how could they be made to fit?" Confucian scholars cling to antiquity, fussing over names, forms, and numbers while missing what clarity, turbidity, lightness, and weight actually do. Their instruments may match on paper, yet when tested by ear the tones fail to harmonize." Once at a Buddhist temple he heard the bell and said, "That tone is thinning and mournful—the abbot will soon come to harm. That very night the chief monk died. While at Bao Prefecture he heard the horn signals and said, "The gong is faint and the shang misplaced—by autumn the local commander will be in trouble." When autumn came, Ji himself fell ill. It was said, however, that his learning also leaned rather heavily toward licentious Zheng and Wei music.
98
劉濤，字德潤，徐州彭城人，後唐天成中，舉進士，釋褐為鳳翔掌書記，拜右拾遺，賜緋。 時太常丞史在德上章，詞理鄙俗，仍犯廟諱。 濤上言請正其罪，雖不允，時論是之。 出為山南東道節度判官，召為左補闕，遷起居舍人。
Liu Tao, whose courtesy name was Derun, came from Pengcheng in Xuzhou. In the Tiancheng era of Later Tang he passed the jinshi examination, entered office as secretary at Fengxiang, was appointed Right Reminder, and was granted crimson robes. At the time the Director of the Court of Imperial Sacrifices, Shi Zaide, submitted a memorial whose language was crude and also violated ancestral temple name taboos. Tao memorialized asking that he be punished. Though the request was denied, public opinion sided with Tao. He served as aide to the military governor of Shannan East Circuit, was recalled as Left Supplementation Master, and was promoted to Diarist.
99
晉天福初，改司勳員外郎、史館修撰，遷工部郎中，賜金紫。 歷度支、職方二郎中，掌左藏庫。 時少帝奢侈，常以銀易金，廣其器皿。 李崧判三司，令上庫金之數。 及崧以元簿較之，少數千鎰。 崧責曰：“帑庫通式，一日不受虛數，毫厘則有重典。 ”濤曰：“帑司常有報不盡數，以備宣索。 ”崧令有司劾濤，濤事迫，以情告樞密使桑維翰，乃止罰一月奉。 漢初，宰相蘇禹珪薦為中書舍人。
At the beginning of the Tianfu era under Later Jin he became Vice Director in the Ministry of Personnel's Merits Bureau and Compiler of the Historiography Institute, rose to Director in the Ministry of Works, and was granted gold and purple robes. He served successively as Director in the Revenue and Credentials bureaus and managed the Left Treasury. The young emperor was extravagant at the time, often trading silver for gold to enlarge his ceremonial vessels. Li Song, director of the Three Offices, ordered a tally of the gold in the upper treasury. When Song checked the figure against the original ledger, the count fell short by several thousand ingots. Song rebuked him, saying, "Treasury regulations allow no false count for even a single day. The slightest discrepancy carries severe punishment." Tao replied, "The treasury office habitually reports less than the full amount, keeping a reserve against sudden imperial requisitions." Song had the authorities impeach Tao. Hard pressed, Tao confided the truth to Chief Councilor Sang Weihan, and the penalty was reduced to one month's salary. At the founding of Later Han, Chief Minister Su Yugui recommended him for the post of Secretariat Drafter.
100
周廣順中，坐令子監察御史頊代草誥命，左遷少府少監，分司西京； 頊亦貶復州司戶。 顯德初，就改太常少卿，俄拜右諫議大夫。 四年，再知貢舉。 樞密使王樸嘗薦童子劉譜於濤，濤不納，樸銜之。 時世宗南征在迎鑾，濤引新及第人赴行在。 樸時留守上都，飛章言濤取士不精。 世宗命翰林學士李昉覆試，出者七人。 濤坐責授太子右讚善大夫。 恭帝即位，遷右詹事。 濤性剛毅不撓，素與宰相范質不協，常鬱鬱不得志，遂退居洛陽之清化里，杜門以書史自娛。
During the Guangshun era of Later Zhou, Tao was demoted to Vice Director of the Palace Supplies Office and assigned to the Western Capital as a supernumerary official on the charge that he had his son, Supervising Censor Xu, draft edicts for him. Xu was also demoted to Revenue Clerk of Fu Prefecture. At the beginning of the Xiande era, he was promptly transferred to Vice Director of the Court of Imperial Sacrifices and soon appointed Right Remonstrance and Discussion Grandee. In the fourth year he again directed the civil service examinations. Chief Councilor Wang Pu once recommended the prodigy Liu Pu to Tao, but Tao would not take him, and Pu thereafter bore him a grudge. At the time Emperor Shizong was campaigning in the south at Yingluan, Tao brought the newly passed jinshi to the imperial camp. Pu was then left in charge at the capital and sent urgent memorials accusing Tao of selecting scholars without sufficient rigor. The emperor ordered Hanlin Academician Li Fang to re-examine the candidates, and seven were failed. Tao was punished and appointed Right Supporter of the Heir Apparent. When Emperor Gongdi ascended the throne, he was transferred to Right Mentor of the Heir Apparent. Tao was by nature resolute and unyielding. He had long been at odds with Chief Minister Fan Zhi, lived in constant frustration, and finally withdrew to Qinghua Lane in Luoyang, shutting his doors and finding solace in books and history.
101
太祖素知濤履行，開寶二年召赴闕，以老病求退，授秘書監致仕。 年七十二卒。
The Taizu had long known Tao's character. In Kaibao 2 he was summoned to court, but pleaded old age and illness and was granted Superintendent of the Secretariat with retirement honors. He died at the age of seventy-two.
102
清泰初，中書舍人盧導受詔主文，將鎖宿，濤力薦薛居正，以為文章器業必至臺輔，導取之，後果為相。 世稱其知人。
At the beginning of the Qingtai era, Secretariat Drafter Lu Dao received an edict to preside over the examinations and was about to begin the seclusion period. Tao strongly recommended Xue Juzheng, declaring that his literary talent and capacity would surely carry him to the highest offices. Dao selected him, and he later indeed became chief minister. His contemporaries praised him for knowing men well.
103
頊子晟，晟子訥、譚，並進士及第。 晟至屯田員外郎，訥為殿中侍御史。
Xu's son Sheng, and Sheng's sons Ne and Tan, all passed the jinshi examination. Sheng rose to Vice Director in the Agriculture Bureau, and Ne became Imperial Censor.
104
邊光範
Bian Guangfan
105
邊光範，字子儀，幷州陽曲人。 性謙退和雅，有吏材。 父仁嗣，忠武軍節度副使。 光範，後唐天成二年，起家榆次令，召為殿中丞，賜緋。 長興四年，改太常丞。 丁內艱。 晉天福初，服闋，授檢校戶部員外郎、北京留守判官兼侍御史。 二年，拜太府少卿。 上書曰：“臣聞唐太宗有言：‘朕居深宮之中，視聽不能及遠，所委者惟都督、刺史。 ’則知此官實係治亂，必須得人。 今則刺史或因緣世祿，或貢奉家財，或微立軍功，或但循官序。 實恐撫民無術，御吏無方，以此牧民，而民受其賜鮮矣。 望選能吏以蘇民瘼，用致升平。 ”奏入，留中不出。 俄為冊秦王李從嚴副使。 張從恩以外戚為河南尹，奏授判官。 遷秘書監兼御史中丞，入拜大理少卿。
Bian Guangfan, whose courtesy name was Ziyi, came from Yangqu in Bing Prefecture. He was modest, unassuming, and refined by nature, and had a gift for administration. His father Rensi served as deputy military governor of the Zhongwu Army. Guangfan began his career in Tiancheng 2 of Later Tang as magistrate of Yuci, was summoned as Director in the Palace Administration, and was granted crimson robes. In Changxing 4 he was transferred to Director of the Court of Imperial Sacrifices. He entered mourning for his mother. At the beginning of the Tianfu era under Later Jin, when his mourning ended, he was appointed Titular Vice Director in the Ministry of Revenue, judicial aide to the regent of the Northern Capital, and concurrently Attendant Censor. In the second year he was appointed Vice Director of the Palace Treasury. He submitted a memorial saying, "Your servant has heard that Emperor Taizong of Tang said, 'I dwell deep within the palace, and what I see and hear cannot reach far. Those to whom I entrust affairs are only regional commanders and prefects. ' From this one knows that these offices truly bear on order and disorder, and that men of ability must be chosen. Today prefects may rise through hereditary emolument, by presenting family wealth as tribute, by slight military merit, or merely by following the ordinary sequence of promotion. I truly fear that they have no skill in comforting the people and no method for controlling officials. Governing the people in this way, the people receive little benefit indeed. I hope that able administrators may be chosen to relieve the people's distress and thereby bring about peace and order. " The memorial was submitted but kept within the palace and not issued. Soon afterward he served as deputy envoy in the investiture of Li Congyan as Prince of Qin. Zhang Cong'en, an imperial in-law, became Governor of Henan and memorialized to appoint Guangfan as his judicial aide. He was promoted to Superintendent of the Secretariat and concurrent Censor-in-Chief, then entered court as Vice Director of the Court of Judicial Review.
106
漢初，改檢校刑部尚書、衛尉卿。 上言：“伏見朝廷除刺史，不限年月，或未及期年，又聞除代。 往來跋涉，豈暇撫懷。 望慎選良牧，立定年限，以責輯綏之效。 ”疏入，不報。 乾祐二年，連使宋州虞城、汝州襄城，按視民田之傷稼者。 是冬，為吳越加恩使。
At the founding of Later Han he was transferred to Titular Minister of Justice and Commandant of the Guards. He submitted a memorial saying, "Your servant observes that when the court appoints prefects, no fixed term of years is set. Sometimes before a full year has passed, word already comes of replacement. Traveling back and forth on long journeys, how can they find leisure to comfort and care for the people? I hope that good governors may be carefully chosen and fixed terms established, so that they may be held accountable for the results of their pacification and governance. " The memorial was submitted, but no response was given. In Qianyou 2 he was sent in succession to Yucheng in Song Prefecture and Xiangcheng in Ru Prefecture to inspect civilian fields damaged by crop failure. That winter he served as envoy to extend imperial favor to Wuyue.
107
周廣順初，出知陳州，遷秘書監，俄召拜御史中丞，賜襲衣、銀器、繒彩、鞍勒馬，復為禮部侍郎。 時禮部侍郎於貢部或掌或否，光範拜官，將及秋試，乃言於執政曰：“單門偶進，何言名第。 若他曹公事，光範不敢辭； 若處文衡，校閱名賢，品藻優劣，非下走所能。 ”執政曰：“公晉末為翰林、樞密直學士，勿避事也。 ”及期，光節辭疾不出，乃以翰林學士承旨徐台符掌之，時論多其自知。
At the beginning of the Guangshun era of Later Zhou he was sent out as prefect of Chen Prefecture, promoted to Superintendent of the Secretariat, and soon recalled and appointed Censor-in-Chief. He was granted court robes, silver vessels, silk brocade, and saddled horses, and again made Vice Minister of Rites. At the time the Vice Minister of Rites sometimes did and sometimes did not oversee the examination bureau. Guangfan received his appointment as the autumn examinations drew near, and said to the chief ministers, "From a humble household I was advanced by chance—what talk is there of rank and degree? If it is the public business of another bureau, Guangfan would not dare decline it; but if it is presiding over the literary scales, reviewing famous worthies, and judging merit and flaw—that is beyond what this lowly servant can do. " The chief ministers said, "You were a Hanlin Academician and Commissioner of the Palace Secretariat at the end of Later Jin. Do not shirk the duty. " When the time came, Guangfan pleaded illness and did not appear. Hanlin Academician-in-Charge Xu Taifu was then placed in charge, and contemporary opinion largely approved his self-knowledge.
108
宋初，征澤、潞，命光範為前軍轉運，計度鄭、洛、汝、孟、懷芻糧。 秋，拜太常卿。 時張昭為吏部尚書，朝議以其耆老，令光範簽判選事。
At the beginning of the Song, when campaigning against Ze and Lu, he was ordered to serve as transport commissioner for the advance army, calculating and supplying fodder and grain for Zheng, Luo, Ru, Meng, and Huai. In autumn he was appointed Director of the Court of Imperial Sacrifices. At the time Zhang Zhao was Minister of the Civil Service. Court discussion held that because of his great age, Guangfan was ordered to countersign and judge selection affairs.
109
建隆四年，襄州節度慕容延釗征湖南，以光範權知州事，路當衝會，餉饋無闕。 是冬郊祀，召還。 會延釗卒，復知襄州。 大軍數萬由陝路討蜀，出漢上，光範復當供億，人不知勞。 嘗舉本鎮判官李楫為殿中侍御史，楫後坐事除籍，光範左遷太子賓客，仍知襄州。
In Jianlong 4, when Military Governor Murong Yanzhao of Xiang Prefecture campaigned in Hunan, Guangfan was appointed acting prefect. The route was a critical junction, and provisions were never lacking. That winter, at the suburban sacrifice, he was recalled. When Yanzhao died, he again served as prefect of Xiang. When tens of thousands of troops marched by the Shaan route to chastise Shu and emerged on the Han, Guangfan again bore responsibility for supplies, and the people felt no burden. He once recommended his circuit's judicial aide Li Ji as Imperial Censor. Ji was later struck from the rolls for an offense, and Guangfan was demoted to Retainer of the Heir Apparent while still serving as prefect of Xiang.
110
五年，兼橋道使，朝廷遣使督治道，常六七輩，一使所調發民皆數百人，吏緣為奸，多私取民課，所發不充數，而道益不修。 光範計其工，以州卒代民，官給器用，役不淹久，人以無擾。 詔書褒美。 開寶四年，復判吏部銓曹。 御史中丞劉溫叟卒，以光範判御史臺事，數月，真拜中丞。 六年，以疾解銓曹任。 卒，年七十三。
In the fifth year he concurrently served as Commissioner for Bridge and Road Works. The court sent envoys to supervise road repair, often six or seven at a time. Each envoy's requisition mobilized several hundred civilians. Clerks used this as cover for fraud and privately took the people's labor levies. What was requisitioned fell short, and the roads grew worse instead of better. Guangfan calculated the labor required, used district soldiers in place of civilians, supplied tools from the government, and kept service from dragging on. The people found the work undisturbing. An edict praised his work. In Kaibao 4 he again served as acting head of the Ministry's selection bureau. When Censor-in-Chief Liu Wensou died, Guangfan was placed in charge of the Censorate. After several months he was formally appointed Censor-in-Chief. In the sixth year, on account of illness, he relinquished his post in the selection bureau. He died at the age of seventy-three.
111
光範性至孝，謙退和易，雅有吏幹。 母病疽，光範嘗吮之。 景德中，錄其孫易從同學究出身。
Guangfan was deeply filial by nature, modest and easy in manner, and had an elegant gift for administration. When his mother suffered from an abscess, Guangfan once sucked the wound. In the Jingde era his grandson Yicong was granted office on the basis of the same scholar status.
112
劉載，字德輿，涿州范陽人。 唐盧龍節度濟之六世孫。 父昭，下蔡令。 載，後唐清泰中舉進士。 晉初，解褐校書郎，遷著作佐郎，賜緋，拜左拾遺、集賢殿直學士。 漢初，為殿中侍卿御史，丁內艱，服闋，復拜舊官。 判西京留臺，改倉部員外郎。 嘗著五論，曰《為君》、《為相》、《為將》、《去讒》、《納諫》，頗為文士所稱。
Liu Zai, whose courtesy name was Deyu, came from Fanyang in Zhuo Prefecture. He was a sixth-generation descendant of Ji, military governor of Lulong under Tang. His father Zhao served as magistrate of Xia Cai. Zai passed the jinshi examination during the Qingtai era of Later Tang. At the beginning of Later Jin he entered office as collator, was promoted to Assistant Compiler, granted crimson robes, and appointed Left Reminder and Academician-in-Attendance of the Hall for Worthies. At the founding of Later Han he served as Imperial Censor. After entering mourning for his mother and completing the mourning period, he was again appointed to his former office. He served as judicial officer of the Western Capital regency and was transferred to Vice Director in the Granaries Bureau. He once composed five treatises titled "On Being Ruler," "On Being Chief Minister," "On Being General," "On Removing Slander," and "On Accepting Remonstrance," which literary men much praised.
113
周世宗初，擢知制誥。 顯德三年，拜右諫議大夫，與右拾遺鄭起、尚書博士李寧同校道書。 遷給事中，使許州定田租。 俄賜金紫，為魏王符彥卿加恩國信使。
At the beginning of the reign of Shizong of Later Zhou, he was elevated to Drafting Edicts. In Xiande 3 he was appointed Right Remonstrance and Discussion Grandee and, together with Right Reminder Zheng Qi and Doctor of the Masters Bureau Li Ning, collated Daoist texts. He was promoted to Palace Attendant and sent to Xu Prefecture to fix land tax assessments. Soon he was granted gold and purple robes and served as imperial envoy to extend favor to Fu Yanqing, Prince of Wei.
114
宋初，浚五丈河，自陳橋達曹州之西境，命護其役。 建隆四年，貝州節度使張光翰來朝，遣載權知州事。 光翰歸鎮，載還，知貢舉。 乾德初，掌建安榷貨務。 六年，就為江南國主生辰使，召還，令知鎮州。
At the beginning of the Song, when the Wuzhang River was dredged from Chen Bridge to the western border of Cao Prefecture, he was ordered to oversee the labor. In Jianlong 4, when Military Governor Zhang Guanghan of Bei Prefecture came to court, Zai was dispatched to serve as acting prefect. When Guanghan returned to his command, Zai came back and directed the civil service examinations. At the beginning of the Qiande era he managed the Jian'an Monopoly Bureau. In the sixth year he served as birthday envoy to the lord of Jiangnan. Recalled, he was ordered to govern Zhen Prefecture.
115
開寶四年，坐與何繼筠不協，改山南東道行軍司馬。 十年不召，嘗受詔權點檢州事。 太平興國初，復入為給事中。 三年，出知襄州，六年，代還。 告老，改工部侍郎致仕，乃賜一子出身。 八年，卒，年七十一。
In Kaibao 4, for failing to get along with He Jiyun, he was transferred to Adjutant of the campaign staff of Shannan East Circuit. For ten years he was not summoned to court. He once received an edict to serve temporarily as inspector of prefectural affairs. At the beginning of the Taiping Xingguo era he again entered service as Palace Attendant. In the third year he went out as prefect of Xiang; in the sixth year he was replaced and returned. He requested retirement and was granted the post of Vice Minister of Works with retirement honors. One son was then granted office by imperial favor. In the eighth year he died at the age of seventy-one.
116
載尤好學，博通史傳，善屬文。 嘗受詔撰明憲皇后諡冊文，又作《吊戰國賦》萬餘言行於世。 雅信釋典，敦尚名節。
Zai was especially fond of learning, thoroughly versed in historical texts, and skilled at literary composition. He once received an edict to compose the posthumous title document for Empress Mingxian, and also wrote "Elegy on the Warring States," more than ten thousand characters in length, which circulated widely. He deeply trusted Buddhist scripture and earnestly upheld reputation and integrity.
117
子宗言，至比部郎中。 宗望，景德二年進士及第。 大中祥符四年，其孫介以載文集來獻，以為試將作主簿。
His son Zongyan rose to Director in the Finance Bureau. Zongwang passed the jinshi examination in Jingde 2. In Dazhong Xiangfu 4 his grandson Jie presented Zai's collected writings and was made provisional chief clerk on trial.
118
程羽，字冲遠，深州陸澤人。 少好學，能屬文。 晉天福中，擢進士第，授陽穀主簿。 歷虞鄉、醴泉、新都令，皆有政績。 開寶中，選為兩使判官，入對，太祖詢以時事，敷奏稱旨，擢著作郎，出知興州。 逾年，改知興元府。 八年，詔歸闕，以本官領開封府判官。
Cheng Yu, whose courtesy name was Chongyuan, came from Luze in Shen Prefecture. As a youth he loved learning and could compose texts. During the Tianfu era of Later Jin he passed the jinshi examination and was appointed chief clerk of Yanggu. He served successively as magistrate of Yuxiang, Liquan, and Xindu, and in each post had notable administrative achievements. During the Kaibao era he was selected as judicial aide to a diplomatic envoy. Entering audience, the Taizu inquired about current affairs. His full presentation pleased the emperor, and he was promoted to Compiler and sent out as prefect of Xing. A year later he was made administrator of Xingyuan Prefecture. In the eighth year he was recalled to court and, while keeping his rank, was made judicial investigator of Kaifeng.
119
羽性淳厚，蒞事恪謹。 時太宗尹京，頗以長者待之。 及即位，拜給事中，知開封府。 未幾，出知成都府，為政寬簡，蜀人便之。 入朝，拜禮部侍郎。 上欲優以清職。 故事，端明殿設學士二員，居翰林學士上，專備顧問，馮道、趙鳳始居是職，累朝因之。 及是，即殿名以羽為文明殿學士，位在樞密副使下，且即泰寧坊營第以賜之。
Yu was sincere and generous by nature and conducted every duty with scrupulous care. At that time the future Taizong governed the capital and treated him with the respect due an elder. When Taizong took the throne, Yu was appointed Attendant Gentleman and administrator of Kaifeng. Soon he was sent out as administrator of Chengdu. His rule was lenient and unburdensome, and the people of Shu were well served. When he returned to court he was made Vice Minister of Rites. The emperor wished to honor him with a prestigious court post. By precedent the Duanming Hall had two academicians who ranked above the Hanlin and served solely as imperial advisers. Feng Dao and Zhao Feng were the first to hold the post, and successive dynasties kept the custom. On this occasion Yu was made Academician of the Hall of Civilization, ranking below the Vice Commissioner of the Privy Council, and a mansion was built for him in Taining Ward as a gift.
120
太平興國五年，典試貢士，御試得人居多。 六年，以老疾求解職，拜兵部侍郎，未幾致仕，仍給全奉。 雍熙元年，卒，年七十二。 贈禮部尚書。
In Taiping Xingguo 5 he directed the civil examinations, and many of those who passed the palace test under his charge proved outstanding. In the sixth year he asked to retire because of age and illness. He was made Vice Minister of War and soon retired, while still receiving his full salary. In Yongxi 1 he died at the age of seventy-two. He was posthumously made Minister of Rites.
121
子希振，以蔭至尚書虞部員外郎。 大中祥符元年卒。 其子適，賜同學究出身。 從孫琳，別傳。
His son Xizhen, through yin privilege, rose to Outer Gentleman in the Ministry of Works' Department of Parks. He died in Dazhong Xiangfu 1. His son Shi was granted the status of a fellow licentiate. His collateral descendant Lin is treated in a separate biography.
122
論曰：五季為國，不四、三傳輒易姓，其臣子視事君猶傭者焉，主易則他役，習以為常。 故唐方滅即北面於晉，漢甫稱禪已相率下拜於周矣。 君子傷之，此《雜臣傳》所繇立也。 李穀、邊歸讜、竇貞固、李濤輩，或在廟堂，或侍帷幄，世主之所寵任，社稷之所倚賴，而更事異姓，不能以名節生死，倫義廢矣。 且穀以籌策自名，乃不能料藝祖有容人之量，及受李筠饋遺，懼其見殺，遂以憂死，又何繆耶？ 嗚呼，魏范粲、齊顏見遠，宜見褒於前史也。
The commentators say: During the Five Dynasties, thrones changed every few reigns. Ministers treated service to a ruler like hired labor—when the master changed they simply took a new employer, until this became normal. Tang had barely fallen when they turned to Jin; Han had scarcely abdicated when they were already bowing to Zhou. Men of principle were grieved by this—hence the 'Biographies of Miscellaneous Ministers.' Li Gu, Bian Guidang, Dou Zhengu, Li Tao, and men like them—whether in the council hall or at the emperor's side—were trusted by successive rulers and relied upon by the state, yet they served new dynasties and would not stake their honor on life or death. Moral obligation was cast aside. Gu moreover made his name as a strategist, yet failed to see that Taizu was magnanimous enough to spare him. After accepting Li Jun's gifts he feared execution and died of anxiety—how mistaken! Alas—Fan Can of Wei and Yan Jingyouan of Qi saw further than their age; earlier histories were right to honor them.