Volume 266 Biographies 25: Qian Ruoshui, Su Yijian, Guo Zhi, Li Zhi, Xin Zhongfu, Wang Mian, Wen Zhongshu, Wang Huaji

錢若水

Qian Ruoshui

錢若水，字澹成，一字長卿，河南新安人。父文敏，漢青州帥劉銖辟為錄事參軍，歷長水酆都尉、扶風令、相州錄事參軍。先是，府帥多以筆牘私取官庫錢，韓重贇領節制，頗仍其弊。文敏不從，重贇假他事廷責之，文敏不為屈。太祖嘉其有守，授右讚善大夫、知瀘州，召見講武殿，謂曰：「瀘州近蠻境，尤宜綏撫。聞知州郭思齊、監軍郭重遷掊斂不法，恃其荒遠，謂朝廷不知爾。至，為朕鞫之，苟一毫有侵於民，朕必不赦。」至郡，有政跡，夷人詣闕借留。詔改殿中丞，許再任。三遷司封員外郎，又知洺州、建昌軍。卒，年七十二。

Qian Ruoshui, courtesy name Dancheng and also known as Changqing, was a native of Xin'an in Henan. His father Wen Min entered the service of Liu Zhu, military governor of Qingzhou under the Later Han, as recording secretary, and went on to hold the posts of commandant of Changshui and Feng, magistrate of Fufeng, and recording secretary of Xiangzhou. Before this, many prefectural commanders had privately drawn funds from the government treasury through written requisitions, and when Han Chongyun took command he largely continued the practice. Wen Min refused to go along, whereupon Chongyun seized on another matter to denounce him at court, yet Wen Min would not bend. Emperor Taizu admired his steadfastness, made him Right Supporter of Goodness Grandee and prefect of Luzhou, and received him in audience at the Hall of Martial Lectures, saying, "Luzhou lies close to the barbarian borderlands and above all must be governed with conciliation. I have heard that the prefect Guo Siqi and the military inspector Guo Chongqian are extorting the people in violation of the law, trusting that their post is so remote the court will never find out. When you arrive, investigate them for me, and if they have harmed the people in the slightest degree, I shall show them no mercy." After he took up his post, his governance won praise, and the tribal peoples went to court to ask that he be retained. He was promoted to palace attendant by imperial order and allowed to serve a second term. After three promotions he reached the post of outer-office clerk in the Bureau of Enfeoffments, and later served as prefect of Mingzhou and of Jianchang Military Prefecture. He died at the age of seventy-two.

若水幼聰悟，十歲能屬文。華山陳摶見之，謂曰：「子神清，可以學道；不然，當富貴，但忌太速爾。」雍熙中，舉進士，釋褐同州觀察推官，聽決明允，郡治賴之。淳化初，寇準掌選，薦若水洎王扶、程肅、陳充、錢熙五人文學高第，召試翰林，若水最優，擢秘書丞、直史館。歲餘，遷右正言、知制誥。會置理檢院於乾元門外，命若水領之。俄同知貢舉，加屯田員外郎。詔詣原、鹽等州制置邊事，還奏合旨，翌日，改職方員外郎、翰林學士，與張洎並命。俄知審官院、銀臺通進封駁司。嘗草賜趙保忠詔，有云：「不斬繼遷，開狡兔之三穴，潛疑光嗣，持首鼠之兩端。」太宗大以為當。

Ruoshui was exceptionally bright as a child and could compose essays by the age of ten. Chen Tuan of Mount Hua met him and said, "Your spirit is unusually clear; you could cultivate the Way; otherwise you are destined for wealth and high rank, though you must beware of rising too quickly." In the Yongxi period he passed the jinshi examination and took his first appointment as investigating censor under the Tongzhou observation commission; his decisions were lucid and equitable, and the prefecture came to depend on him. Early in the Chunhua era Kou Zhun oversaw civil appointments and recommended Ruoshui, together with Wang Fu, Cheng Su, Chen Chong, and Qian Xi, as five scholars of exceptional literary attainment. Summoned to a trial examination at the Hanlin Academy, Ruoshui placed first and was appointed secretary of the Secretariat and academician of the Historiography Institute. A little over a year later he was made Right Remonstrator and drafter of edicts. When the Court of Petition Review was set up outside the Qianyuan Gate, Ruoshui was placed in charge of it. Shortly afterward he served as associate chief examiner and was given the additional rank of outer-office clerk in the Bureau of State Farms. He was ordered to Yuan, Yan, and other prefectures to organize frontier affairs. When he returned, his memorial pleased the emperor, and the next day he was made outer-office clerk in the Bureau of Military Appointments and Hanlin academician, receiving the appointment together with Zhang Ji. He soon also took charge of the Court of Official Review and the Silver Terrace Office for Transmission, Presentation, and Memorial Rebuttal. He once drafted an edict for Zhao Baozhong that declared, "If you do not destroy Jiqian, you leave the crafty hare his three burrows; if you secretly distrust Guangsi, you waver between two courses like a timid rodent." Emperor Taizong thought the wording exactly right.

至道初，以右諫議大夫同知樞密院事。真宗即位，加工部侍郎。數月，以母老上章，求解機務，詔不許。若水請益堅，遂以本官充集賢院學士、判院事。俄詔修《太宗實錄》，若水引柴成務、宗度、吳淑、楊億同修，成八十卷。真宗覽書流涕，錫賚有差。

At the opening of the Zhidao era he became Right Remonstrance Grandee and associate commissioner of the Bureau of Military Affairs. When Emperor Zhenzong came to the throne, Ruoshui was given the additional rank of vice minister of works. Several months later, pleading that his mother was elderly, he submitted a memorial asking to be relieved of confidential duties, but the emperor refused. When Ruoshui pressed his request more insistently, he was allowed to keep his existing rank while serving as academician of the Hall of Assembled Worthies and administrator of the institute. He was soon ordered to compile the Veritable Records of Emperor Taizong. Ruoshui enlisted Chai Chengwu, Zong Du, Wu Shu, and Yang Yi as co-compilers, and they produced eighty juan. When Emperor Zhenzong read the work he wept, and rewards were distributed in varying degrees.

初，太宗有畜犬甚馴，常在乘輿左右。及崩，嗚號不食，因送永熙陵寢。李至嘗詠其事，欲若水書之以戒浮俗，若水不從。呂端雖為監修，以不蒞局不得署名，至抉其事以為專美。若水稱詔旨及唐朝故事以折之，時議不能奪。既又重修《太祖實錄》，參以王禹偁、李宗諤、梁顥、趙安仁，未周歲畢。安仁時為宗正卿，上言夔王於太宗屬當為兄，《實錄》所紀繆誤。若水援國初詔令，廷諍數四乃定。

Emperor Taizong had once kept a remarkably tame dog that was always at his side when he rode in the imperial carriage. When the emperor died, the dog wailed and refused food, and was therefore sent to remain at the Yongxi mausoleum. Li Zhi once composed a poem about the incident and asked Ruoshui to inscribe it as a rebuke to shallow fashion, but Ruoshui refused. Although Lü Duan was titular supervising compiler, he had not actually attended the bureau and therefore could not sign the work; Li Zhi seized on this and accused Ruoshui of hogging the credit. Ruoshui cited imperial instructions and Tang precedent in rebuttal, and public opinion could not overturn him. He next oversaw a new compilation of the Veritable Records of Emperor Taizu, with Wang Yucheng, Li Zong'e, Liang Hao, and Zhao Anren as collaborators, and finished within the year. At that time Anren was director of the Imperial Clan Court. He memorialized that Prince Kui, in genealogical relation to Emperor Taizong, ought to be recorded as his elder brother, and that the Veritable Records were in error. Ruoshui cited founding-era edicts and argued the point repeatedly at court before the matter was finally settled.

俄判吏部流內銓。從幸大名，若水陳禦敵安邊之策，有曰：

He soon took charge of the flowing-within selection board in the Ministry of Personnel. When the emperor visited Daming, Ruoshui presented a plan for defending against the enemy and securing the border. He said:

「孫武著書，以伐謀為主；漢高將將，以用法為先。伐謀者，以將帥能料敵制勝也；用法者，以朝廷能賞罰不私也。今傅潛領雄師數萬，閉門不出，坐視邊寇俘掠生民，上孤委注之恩，下挫銳師之氣，蓋潛輩不能制勝，朝廷未能用法使然也。軍法，臨陣不用命者斬。今若斬潛以徇，然後擢如楊延朗、楊嗣者五七人，增其爵秩，分授兵柄，使將萬人，間以強弩，分路討除，孰敢不用命哉？敵人聞我將帥不用命，退則有死，豈獨思遁，抑亦來歲不敢犯邊矣。如此則可以坐清邊塞，然後鑾輅還京，天威懾於四海矣。

"In Sun Wu's Art of War, the supreme aim is to overcome the enemy's plans; when Emperor Gaozu of Han employed his generals, he put enforcing discipline first. To overcome the enemy's plans means that commanders can anticipate the foe and win; to enforce discipline means that the court can reward and punish without favoritism. Today Fu Qian commands tens of thousands of crack troops yet keeps his gates shut and will not march out, standing by while border raiders seize and plunder the people. Above, he betrays the trust placed in him; below, he crushes the morale of a sharp army. The reason is that commanders like Qian cannot win battles, and the court has failed to enforce military law. Military law decrees that whoever disobeys orders in battle is to be executed. If Your Majesty were to execute Qian as an example, then promote five or seven officers such as Yang Yanlang and Yang Si, raise their ranks, and divide command among them so that each leads ten thousand men, with strong crossbows deployed between columns and punitive columns sent by separate routes—who would dare disobey? When the enemy learns that our commanders who fail in battle die for it, they will not only think of fleeing, but will not dare raid the border the following year either. In this way the border can be pacified without further exertion, the imperial carriage can return to the capital, and the imperial majesty will awe all within the four seas.

若將來安邊之術，請以近事言之，太祖朝制置最得其宜。止以郭進在邢州，李漢超在關南，何繼筠在鎮定，賀惟忠在易州，李謙溥在隰州，姚內斌在慶州，董遵誨在通遠軍，王彥昇在原州，但授緣邊巡檢之名，不加行營部署之號，率皆十餘年不易其任。立邊功者厚加賞賚，其位皆不至觀察使。蓋位不高則朝廷易製，任不易則邊事盡知。然後授以聖謀，來則掩殺，去則勿追，所以十七年中，北邊、西蕃不敢犯塞，以至屢使乞和，此皆陛下之所知也。苟能遵太祖故事，慎擇名臣，分理邊郡；罷部署之號，使不相統轄；置巡檢之名，俾遞相救應。如此則出必擊寇，入則守城，不數年間，可致邊烽罷警矣。」

As for how to secure the frontier in the future, let me speak from recent experience: the arrangements of Emperor Taizu's reign were the most apt. Emperor Taizu stationed Guo Jin at Xingzhou, Li Hanchao at Guannan, He Jijun at Zhending, He Weizhong at Yizhou, Li Qianbo at Xizhou, Yao Neibin at Qingzhou, Dong Zunhui at Tongyuan Army, and Wang Yansheng at Yuanzhou. He gave them only the title of frontier inspector, not that of campaign deployment commander, and for the most part left them in post for more than ten years without change. Those who won frontier merit received generous rewards, yet none of them rose as high as observation commissioner. Because their rank was not high, the court could control them easily; because their appointments were stable, frontier affairs were thoroughly understood. They were then entrusted with the emperor's strategy: strike when the enemy came, but do not pursue when they withdrew. For seventeen years the northern tribes and the western Tibetans did not dare breach the passes, until they repeatedly sent envoys suing for peace—all of which Your Majesty well knows. If Your Majesty will follow Emperor Taizu's precedent, carefully choose distinguished ministers, and divide the administration of the frontier prefectures among them; abolish the title of deployment commander so that they do not stand over one another; restore the title of inspector so that they may come to one another's aid in turn. In this way they will strike the enemy when they go out and hold the cities when they come in, and within a few years the frontier beacons can fall silent."

俄知開封府。時北邊未寧，內出手劄訪若水以策。若水陳備邊之要有五：一曰擇郡守；二曰募鄉兵；三曰積芻粟；四曰革將帥；五曰明賞罰。

He was soon appointed prefect of Kaifeng. The northern frontier was still unsettled, and the emperor sent Ruoshui a personal note asking for his counsel. Ruoshui set forth five essentials for defending the frontier. First, select prefects; second, recruit local militia; third, stockpile fodder and grain; fourth, reform the command structure; fifth, make rewards and punishments clear.

「何謂擇郡守？今之所患，患在戰守不同心。望陛下選沉厚有謀諳邊事者，任為邊郡刺史，令兼緣邊巡檢，許召勇敢之士為隨身部曲。廩贍不充則官為支給。然後嚴亭障，明斥候，每得事宜，密相報示。寇來則互為救應，齊出討除；寇去則不令遠追，各務安靜。苟無大過，勿為替移；儻立微功，就加爵賞。如此則戰守必能同心，敵人不敢近塞矣。

"What does it mean to select prefects? The trouble today is that the field commanders and the garrison commanders do not act in concert. I ask that Your Majesty choose men who are steady, shrewd, and experienced in frontier affairs, appoint them prefects of border commanderies with concurrent duty as frontier inspectors, and allow them to recruit brave men as personal retinues. If their rations fall short, let the government make up the difference. Then tighten the border posts and beacons, keep scouts and sentries alert, and whenever anything significant occurs, share intelligence in secret. When raiders come, they should aid one another and march out together to drive them off; when the raiders withdraw, do not order distant pursuit, but let each post keep its peace. So long as they commit no serious fault, do not transfer them; if they win even modest merit, promote and reward them at once. In this way the field and garrison forces will surely act as one, and the enemy will not dare approach the border passes.

何謂募鄉兵？今之所患，患在不知敵情。望詔逐州沿邊民為招收軍，給與糧賜，蠲其賦租。彼兩地之中，各有親族，使其懷惠，來布腹心。彼若舉兵，此必預知，苟能預知，則百戰百勝矣。

What does it mean to recruit local militia? The trouble today is that we do not know the enemy's movements. I ask that Your Majesty order the frontier peoples of each prefecture enrolled as local defense forces, grant them rations and stipends, and exempt them from taxes and corvée. On both sides of the border people have kin among the enemy; if we treat them generously, they will bring us intelligence from the heart of the foe. If the enemy mobilizes, we will know in advance; and if we know in advance, we will prevail in every engagement.

何謂積芻粟？今之所患，患在困民力。望陛下令緣邊各廣營田，以州郡長官兼其使額，每歲秋夏，較其課程，立鼓旗以齊之，行賞罰以勸之。仍縱商人入粟緣邊。儻鎮戍有三年之備，則敵人不敢動矣。

What does it mean to stockpile fodder and grain? The trouble today is that the people's strength is being exhausted. I ask that Your Majesty order expanded military farming along the frontier, with prefectural chiefs serving concurrently as farming commissioners. Each year in autumn and summer compare their yields, set drums and banners to organize them, and apply rewards and punishments to spur them on. Also allow merchants to transport grain to the frontier. If the frontier garrisons hold three years' supplies, the enemy will not dare move against us.

何謂革將帥？今之所患，患在重兵居外，輕兵居內。去歲傅潛以八萬騎屯中山，魏、博之間鎮兵全少，非鑾輅親征，則城邑危矣。望陛下慎選將臣任河北近鎮，仍依舊事節制邊兵，未能削部署之名，望且減行營之號；有警則暫巡邊徼，無事則卻復舊藩。豈惟不啟戎心，況復待勞以逸。如此則不失備邊之要，又無舉兵之名，且使重兵不屯一處，進退動靜，無施不可矣。

What does it mean to reform the command structure? The trouble today is that the main army is posted abroad while the home garrisons are weak. Last year Fu Qian kept eighty thousand cavalry at Zhongshan, while the garrisons between Wei and Bo were almost bare. Had the emperor not marched in person, the cities would have been lost. I ask that Your Majesty carefully choose generals and ministers for the Hebei commands nearest the capital, and let them control frontier troops as in former times. If the title of deployment commander cannot yet be abolished, at least reduce the number of campaign headquarters; when alarm comes they may temporarily patrol the border; when all is quiet they return to their regular posts. This would not only avoid provoking the enemy, but let our troops rest while theirs grow weary. In this way we keep the essentials of frontier defense without the appearance of mobilizing for war, and the main army is not massed in one place, so that in advance or retreat, in movement or rest, nothing is impossible.

何謂明賞罰？今之所患，患在戎卒驕惰。臣自知府以來，見侍衛、殿前兩司送到邊上亡命軍卒，人數甚多。臣試訊之，皆以思親為言，此蓋令之不嚴也。平時尚敢如此，況臨大敵乎？望陛下以此言示將帥，俾申嚴號令，以警其下。古人云：『賞不勸，謂之止善；罰不懲，謂之縱惡。』又曰：『法不可移，令不可違。』臣嘗聞郭進出鎮西山，太祖每遣戍卒，必諭之曰：『汝等謹奉法。我猶赦汝，郭進殺汝矣！』其假借如此，故郭進所至，未嘗少衄。陛下能鑒前日之事，即今日之元龜也。」

What does it mean to make rewards and punishments clear? The trouble today is that frontier troops have grown arrogant and slack. Since I took office as prefect I have seen the Palace Guard and Hall Guard directorates send a great many deserters to the frontier. When I questioned them, all said they missed their families. This shows that discipline is lax. If they dare behave so in peacetime, what will they do when they face a great enemy? I ask that Your Majesty convey these words to the commanders and have them enforce their orders strictly as a warning to their men. The ancients said, "When rewards fail to encourage, it is called stopping goodness; when punishments fail to deter, it is called indulging evil." They also said, "Law must not be bent; orders must not be disobeyed. I have heard that when Guo Jin took command of the Western Hills, whenever Taizu sent out garrison troops he would always warn them, "You must strictly obey the law. I may still spare you, but Guo Jin will have you executed!" Such was the authority entrusted to him, and wherever Guo Jin went he never met with defeat. If Your Majesty can take the events of the past as your mirror, they will serve as the great precedent for today."

若水又言：「邊部用兵，唯視太白與月為進退者，誠以太白者將軍也，星辰者廷尉也。合則有戰，不合則無戰；合於東則主勝，合於西則客勝。陛下能用臣言以謹邊備，則邊部不召而自來矣。太祖臨御十七年間，未嘗生事疆埸，而敵人往往遣使乞和者，以其任用得人而備禦有方也。陛下苟思兵者凶器，戰者危事，而不倒持太阿，授人以柄，則守在四夷，而常獲靜勝，此備禦之上策也。」

Ruoshui went on to say, "On the frontier, troops are moved according to the conjunction of Venus and the Moon—for Venus represents the general, and the stars represent the minister of justice. When they conjoin, there will be fighting; when they do not, there will be none; if they conjoin in the east, the defender wins; if in the west, the invader wins. If Your Majesty will heed my advice and keep the frontier defenses in good order, the border tribes will submit without being summoned. During the seventeen years of Taizu's reign he never provoked trouble on the borders, yet enemies repeatedly sent envoys suing for peace—because he placed the right men in office and organized his defenses effectively. If Your Majesty bears in mind that arms are tools of calamity and war a dangerous undertaking, and does not hold the great sword Tai'e by the blade and hand another the hilt, then your defense will rest with the four quarters and you will win peace without fighting—this is the supreme strategy of frontier defense."

未幾，出知天雄軍兼兵馬部署。時言事者請城綏州，屯兵積穀以備党項。邊城互言利害，前後遣使數輩按視，不能決。時已大發丁夫，將興其役，詔若水自大名馳往視之。若水上言：「綏州頃為內地，民賦登集，尚須旁郡轉餉。自賜地趙保忠以來，人戶凋殘，若復城之，即須增戍。芻糧之給，全仰河東。其地隔越黃河、鐵碣二山，無定河在其城下，緩急用兵，輸送艱阻。且其地險，若未葺未完，邊寇奔衝，難於固守。況城邑焚毀，片瓦不存，所過山林，材木匱乏。城之甚勞，未見其利。」復詣闕面陳其事，上嘉納之，遂罷役。初，若水率眾過河，分布軍伍，咸有節制，深為戍將推服。上謂左右曰：「若水，儒臣中知兵者也。」是秋，又遣巡撫陝西緣邊諸郡，令便宜制置邊事。還拜鄧州觀察使、幷代經略使、知幷州事。

Before long he was sent out to serve as prefect of the Tianxiong Army and concurrent commissioner for troops and horses. At the time, officials submitting memorials urged that Suizhou be walled, garrisoned, and stocked with grain as a defense against the Tangut. The border commanderies argued back and forth over the pros and cons, and although several missions were dispatched in succession to inspect the site, no decision could be reached. Corvée labor had already been mobilized on a large scale and construction was about to begin, when an edict ordered Ruoshui to ride post-haste from Daming to inspect the project. Ruoshui submitted a memorial saying, "Suizhou was until recently an interior district. Even when its taxes were fully collected, it still had to rely on neighboring prefectures to forward supplies. Since the territory was granted to Zhao Baozhong, the population has declined sharply. If the city is rebuilt, garrisons must be increased as well. Fodder and grain would have to come entirely from Hedong. The terrain is cut off by the Yellow River and the two Iron Jie mountains, with the Wuding River flowing beneath the city walls. In an emergency, moving supplies for military use would be extremely difficult. Moreover, the ground is treacherous. If the fortifications are not fully repaired before border raiders strike, the place will be hard to defend. Besides, the towns have been burned to the ground, not a tile left standing, and the forests along the route are depleted of timber. Rebuilding the city would cost enormous labor with no clear benefit to show for it." He then went to court in person to present his views. The emperor praised and accepted his advice, and the project was abandoned. Earlier, when Ruoshui led his troops across the river, he deployed the units with strict discipline, winning the deep respect of the frontier commanders. The emperor remarked to those around him, "Of all the scholar-officials, Ruoshui is one who truly understands military affairs." That autumn he was again dispatched to tour and reassure the border prefectures of Shaanxi, with authority to handle frontier affairs as he saw fit. On his return he was appointed Observer of Dengzhou, Commissioner for Bing and Dai, and Prefect of Bingzhou.

六年春，因疾灸兩足，創潰出血數斗，自是體貌羸瘵，手詔慰勞之，俾歸京師。數月，始赴朝謁，因與僚友會食僧舍，假寢而卒，年四十四。贈戶部尚書，賜其母白金五百兩。子延年，甫七歲，錄為太常奉禮郎。

In the spring of the sixth year he treated an illness with moxibustion on both feet; the wounds ulcerated and he lost several dou of blood. From then on his health declined sharply. The emperor sent a handwritten edict to comfort him and ordered him back to the capital. Several months later he made his first appearance at court. While dining with colleagues at a Buddhist monastery, he lay down for a rest and died, at the age of forty-four. He was posthumously appointed Minister of Revenue, and his mother was granted five hundred taels of silver. His son Yannian, only seven years old, was enrolled as a Ceremonial Attendant of the Imperial Ancestral Temple.

若水美風神，有器識，能斷大事，事繼母以孝聞。雅善談論，尤輕財好施。所至推誠待物，委任僚佐，總其綱領，無不稱治。汲引後進，推賢重士，襟度豁如也。精術數，知年壽不永，故懇避權位。其死也，士君子尤惜之。有集二十卷。

Ruoshui possessed a striking presence and sound judgment, could decide weighty matters, and was renowned for the filial devotion he showed his stepmother. He was an engaging conversationalist and especially generous with his wealth. Wherever he served he treated people with sincerity, delegated tasks to his staff while keeping hold of the overall plan, and was everywhere praised for good governance. He promoted younger talent, valued the worthy, and treated scholars with respect; his generosity of spirit was boundless. Proficient in divination, he knew his life would be short and therefore earnestly sought to avoid high office. At his death, men of learning and principle mourned him with particular sorrow. He left a collected works in twenty juan.

兄若愚，比部員外郎。從弟若冲，大中祥符中，調河陽令。有僕酗酒，杖之百數。僕挾刀夜潛室中，斷其臂，若冲大呼；又害其幼子。詔磔僕於其門。真宗念若水母老，遣使存問，賜緡、綿、羊、酒；且賜若冲帛三十端，補孟州別駕。延年後以獻文賜進士出身，歷太常博士、集賢校理。

His elder brother Ruoyu served as Vice Director of the Ministry of Justice. His cousin Ruochong was transferred to the post of magistrate of Heyang during the Dazhong Xiangfu period. A servant came to him drunk, and he had him beaten more than a hundred strokes. The servant took a knife and crept into his room at night, severing his arm. Ruochong cried out in alarm; the servant also killed his young son. An edict ordered the servant dismembered at Ruochong's gate. Zhenzong, mindful that Ruoshui's mother was elderly, sent an envoy to inquire after her welfare and bestowed cash, cotton, sheep, and wine; and also granted Ruochong thirty bolts of silk and appointed him Assistant Prefect of Mengzhou. Yannian later received jinshi status by presenting a literary composition and served successively as Doctor of the Imperial Ancestral Temple and Collator in the Hall of Assembled Worthies.

蘇易簡

Su Yijian

蘇易簡，字太簡，梓州銅山人。父協，舉蜀進士，歸宋，累任州縣，以易簡居翰林，任開封縣兵曹參軍，俄遷光祿寺丞，卒，特贈秘書丞。

Su Yijian, styled Taijian, was a native of Tongshan in Zizhou. His father Xie had passed the Shu jinshi examination and submitted to the Song. He served in several prefectural and county posts. Because Yijian held a post in the Hanlin Academy, Xie was appointed military affairs official of Kaifeng County, and soon after promoted to Director of the Court for Imperial Sacrifices. He died and was posthumously granted the title of Secretary Director.

易簡少聰悟好學，風度奇秀，才思敏贍。太平興國五年，年踰弱冠，舉進士。太宗方留心儒術，貢士皆臨軒覆試。易簡所試三千餘言立就，奏上，覽之稱賞，擢冠甲科。解褐將作監丞，通判昇州，遷左讚善大夫。八年，以右拾遺知制誥。雍熙初，以郊祀恩進秩祠部員外郎。二年，與賈黃中同知貢舉。有詔，凡親屬就舉者，籍名別試。易簡妻弟崔範，匿父喪充貢，奏名在上第；又王千里者，水部員外郎孚之子，協為孚門生，千里預薦。上聞，坐範及千里罪。易簡緣是罷知制誥，以本官奉朝請。未幾，復知制誥。三年，充翰林學士。初，易簡充貢，宋白掌貢部，至是裁七年。易簡幼時隨父河南，賈黃中來使，嘗教之屬辭；及是，悉為同列。易簡連知貢舉，陳堯叟、孫何並甲廷試。

As a youth Yijian was clever and eager to learn, with a striking bearing and quick, abundant talent. In the fifth year of Taiping Xingguo, having passed the age of twenty, he entered the jinshi examination. Taizong was then devoted to Confucian learning, and all candidates were re-examined before the throne. Yijian's examination essay of more than three thousand characters was completed on the spot. When it was submitted, the emperor read it with high praise and placed him first in the top grade. On leaving office he was appointed Director of the Directorate of Palace Buildings, made transit prefect of Shengzhou, and promoted to Left Remonstrator. In the eighth year he was appointed Right Reminder and charged with drafting imperial edicts. At the beginning of the Yongxi era, he was promoted to Vice Director of the Bureau of Temples by grace of the suburban sacrifice. In the second year he and Jia Huangzhong jointly supervised the metropolitan examination. An edict was issued that whenever a relative of an examiner took the examination, his name was to be registered and he was to sit for a separate test. Yijian's brother-in-law Cui Fan concealed his father's death to sit for the examination and was ranked among the top graduates; also one Wang Qianli, son of Vice Director of the Ministry of Works Wang Fu. Xie had been Fu's student, and Qianli had been recommended through that connection. When the emperor learned of this, Fan and Qianli were punished. Yijian was consequently dismissed from his post drafting edicts and retained only his original rank as a court attendee. Before long he was restored to his post drafting edicts. In the third year he was appointed Hanlin Academician. When Yijian first sat for the examination, Song Bai had headed the examination bureau—only seven years had passed since then. In his youth Yijian had accompanied his father to Henan, where Jia Huangzhong came on an official visit and once taught him how to compose literary pieces; now they were all colleagues of equal rank. Yijian supervised the metropolitan examination on several occasions, and Chen Yaosou and Sun He both placed first in the palace examination.

淳化元年，丁外艱。二年，同知京朝官考課，遷中書舍人，充承旨。先是，曲宴將相，翰林學士皆預坐，梁迥啟太祖罷之；又皇帝御丹鳳樓，翰林承旨侍從升樓西南隅，禮亦廢。至是，易簡請之，皆復舊制。易簡續唐李肇《翰林志》二卷以獻，帝賜詩以嘉之。帝嘗以輕綃飛白大書『玉堂之署』四字，令易簡牓於廳額。易簡會韓伾、畢士安、李至等往觀。上聞，遣中使賜宴甚盛，至等各賦詩紀其事，宰相李昉等亦作詩頌美之。他日，易簡直禁中，以水試欹器。上密聞之，因晚朝，問曰：「卿所玩得非欹器耶？」易簡曰：「然，江南徐邈所作也。」命取試之，易簡奏曰：「臣聞日中則昃，月滿則虧，器盈則覆，物盛則衰。願陛下持盈守成，慎終如始，以固丕基，則天下幸甚。」

In the first year of Chunhua he entered mourning for his father. In the second year he jointly supervised the performance review of capital officials, was promoted to Secretariat Drafter, and appointed chief Hanlin academician. Previously, at informal banquets with chief ministers, Hanlin academicians had all been seated among them, until Liang Jiong persuaded Taizu to abolish the practice; also, when the emperor mounted the Crimson Phoenix Tower, the Hanlin chief academician and his attendants would ascend to the southwest corner of the tower—a ceremony that too had been discontinued. At this point Yijian petitioned for their restoration, and all the old regulations were reinstated. Yijian continued Li Zhao of Tang's Hanlin Annals in two juan and presented it to the throne. The emperor bestowed a poem in praise. The emperor once wrote the four characters "Hall of Jade Splendor" in large flying-white script on fine silk and ordered Yijian to post them over the hall entrance. Yijian gathered Han Yi, Bi Shi'an, Li Zhi, and others to go view the inscription. When the emperor heard of this, he sent a palace envoy to host a lavish feast. Li Zhi and the others each composed a poem to commemorate the occasion, and Chief Councillor Li Fang and others also wrote poems in praise. On another occasion, while on duty in the inner palace, Yijian tested a tipping vessel with water. The emperor heard of it in secret, and at the evening audience asked, "What you were playing with—was it not a tipping vessel?" Yijian replied, "Yes—it was made by Xu Miao of Jiangnan." He was ordered to fetch it and demonstrate. Yijian submitted: "I have heard that when the sun reaches its zenith it begins to decline, when the moon is full it begins to wane, when a vessel is full it overturns, and when things reach their peak they decay. I pray that Your Majesty will hold fast to fullness and guard what has been achieved, being as cautious at the end as at the beginning, so as to secure the great foundation of the state—then all under Heaven will be greatly blessed."

會郊祀，充禮儀使。先是，扈蒙建議以宣祖升配。易簡引唐故事，請以宣祖、太祖同配。從之。知審官院，言初任京朝官未嘗歷州縣，不得擬知州、通判，，詔可。改知審刑院，俄掌吏部選，遷給事中、參知政事。時趙昌言亦參知政事，與易簡不協，至忿爭上前，上皆優容之。未幾，昌言出使劍南，中路命改知鳳翔府。明年，易簡亦以禮部侍郎出知鄧州，移陳州。至道二年，卒，年三十九，贈禮部尚書。

At the suburban sacrifice he served as ritual commissioner. Earlier, Hu Meng had proposed that Xuanzu be elevated to share in the imperial sacrifices. Yijian cited Tang precedent and petitioned that Xuanzu and Taizu be honored together in the sacrifices. The petition was accepted. As director of the Bureau of Review, he proposed that capital officials on their first appointment who had never served in prefectures or counties should not be nominated as prefect or transit prefect. An edict approved the proposal. He was transferred to director of the Bureau of Punishments, soon took charge of Ministry of Personnel selections, and was promoted to Impartial in Affairs and Participant in Governance. At the time Zhao Changyan was also a Participant in Governance and was at odds with Yijian. They even quarreled heatedly before the emperor, who treated both with forbearance. Before long Changyan was sent as envoy to Jiannan, but mid-journey he was ordered reassigned as prefect of Fengxiang. The following year Yijian too was sent out as Vice Minister of Rites and prefect of Dengzhou, then transferred to Chenzhou. In the second year of Zhidao he died at the age of thirty-nine and was posthumously appointed Minister of Rites.

易簡外雖坦率，中有城府。由知制誥入為學士，年未滿三十。屬文初不達體要，及掌誥命，頗自刻勵。在翰林八年，眷遇敻絕倫等。李沆後入，在易簡下，先參知政事，故以易簡為承旨，錫賚均焉。太宗遵舊制，且欲稔其名望而後正臺輔，易簡以親老急於進用，因亟言時政闕失，遂參大政。

Outwardly Yijian appeared frank and open, but inwardly he was calculating. He rose from drafting edicts to Hanlin academician before the age of thirty. His early literary compositions did not grasp the essentials of the form, but once he took charge of drafting edicts he applied himself with great discipline. During his eight years in the Hanlin Academy, the favor shown him far surpassed that accorded his peers. Li Hao entered the academy after Yijian and ranked below him, yet became Participant in Governance first. For this reason Yijian was made chief academician so that their gifts and honors would be equal. Taizong followed the established practice of allowing a man's reputation to mature before appointing him to the highest offices. But Yijian, anxious to advance because his parents were elderly, repeatedly spoke out on failures in current policy and thus gained entry to the highest councils of state.

蜀人何光逢，易簡之執友也，嘗任縣令，坐賂削籍，流寓京師。會易簡典貢部，光逢代人充試以取貲，易簡於稠人中屏出之，光逢遂造謗書，斥言朝廷事，且譏易簡。易簡得其書以聞，逮捕光逢，獄具，坐棄市。易簡以殺光逢非其意，居常怏怏。母薛氏以殺父執切責之，易簡泣曰：「不謂及此，易簡罪也。」及易簡參知政事，召薛氏入禁中，賜冠帔，命坐，問曰：「何以教子成此令器？」對曰：「幼則束以禮讓，長則教以詩書。」上顧左右曰：「真孟母也。」

He Guangfeng of Shu, a close friend of Yijian, had once served as a county magistrate but was struck from the rolls and demoted for taking bribes, and was now living in exile in the capital. When Su Yijian directed the metropolitan examination, Guangfeng had someone take the test on his behalf for money. Yijian had him driven out of the throng. Guangfeng then wrote a libelous tract attacking court affairs and mocking Yijian as well. Yijian obtained the tract and reported it to the throne. Guangfeng was arrested, and when the investigation was complete he was executed in public. Yijian felt that Guangfeng's execution had not been what he intended, and he was often troubled in spirit. His mother Lady Xue sharply rebuked him for killing her husband's sworn brother. Yijian wept and said, "I never thought it would come to this—the blame is mine." When Yijian was appointed Vice Grand Councilor, Lady Xue was summoned to the inner palace, granted ceremonial cap and stole, and told to be seated. The emperor asked, "How did you raise your son to become such a fine man?" She answered, "In childhood I restrained him with courtesy and yielding; when he grew older I taught him the Odes and the Documents." The emperor looked to those around him and said, "She is a true Mother Meng."

易簡性嗜酒，初入翰林，謝日飲已微醉，餘日多沉湎。上嘗戒約深切，且草書《勸酒》二章以賜，令對其母讀之。自是每入直，不敢飲。及卒，上曰：「易簡果以酒死，可惜也。」易簡常居雅善筆劄，尤善談笑，旁通釋典，所著《文房四譜》、《續翰林志》及《文集》二十卷，藏於秘閣。三子，曰宿、曰壽、曰耆，大中祥符間，皆祿之以官云。

Yijian was naturally addicted to wine. When he first entered the Hanlin Academy, on the day of his audience of thanks he was already slightly drunk, and on most other days he drank to excess. The emperor once warned him sternly and also wrote out in cursive two chapters of "Exhortation against Wine" as a gift, instructing him to read them to his mother. After that, whenever he went on palace duty he did not dare to drink. When he died, the emperor said, "Yijian truly drank himself to death. What a pity." Yijian lived in elegant refinement and excelled at correspondence, especially at witty conversation, and was also well versed in Buddhist texts. His "Four Treatises on the Scholar's Studio," "Continuation of the Hanlin Chronicle," and a twenty-juan collected works were kept in the Imperial Library. He had three sons—Su, Shou, and Qi—and during the Dazhong Xiangfu period they were all granted official salaries.

郭贄，字仲儀，開封襄邑人。乾德中，舉進士，中首薦。太宗尹京，因事藩邸。太平興國初，擢為著作佐郎、右讚善大夫。俄兼皇子侍講，賜緋魚。太宗至東宮，出《戒子篇》，命贄注解，且令委曲講說，以喻諸王。三年，與劉兼、張洎、王克正同知貢舉，遷右補闕，與宋白並拜中書舍人，賜金紫。五年，復與程羽、侯陟、宋白同知貢舉。置京朝官差遣院，凡將命出入、受代歸闕官，悉考校勞績，銓量才品，命贄、洎、滕中正、雷德驤領之。

Guo Zhi, styled Zhongyi, was a native of Xiangyi in Kaifeng prefecture. During the Qiande period he entered the jinshi examination and ranked first among the recommended candidates. When the future Taizong was administering the capital, Zhi entered his service at the princely mansion. At the start of the Taiping Xingguo era he was promoted to Assistant in the Office for Writing and Right Attendant-in-Waiting for the Heir Apparent. Soon after he was also made lecturer to the imperial princes and granted the scarlet robe and fish tally. Taizong came to the Eastern Palace, produced the "Admonition to Sons," and ordered Zhi to annotate it and explain it thoroughly so as to instruct all the princes. In the third year he served with Liu Jian, Zhang Ji, and Wang Kezheng as directors of the metropolitan examination, was promoted to Right Remonstrator, and together with Song Bai was appointed Secretariat Drafter and granted the gold seal and purple robe. In the fifth year he again directed the metropolitan examination together with Cheng Yu, Hou Zhi, and Song Bai. The Office for Assignment of Metropolitan Officials was established. For every official sent out on commission, returning after completing a tour, or coming back to court after succession, merit was reviewed and talent weighed, and Zhi, Ji, Teng Zhongzheng, and Lei Deqiang were put in charge.

七年，以本官參知政事。曹彬為弭德超所誣，贄極言救解，深為宰相趙普所重。嘗因論事奏曰：「臣受不次之遇，誓以愚直上報。」太宗曰：「愚直何益於事？」贄言：「雖然，猶勝姦邪。」

In the seventh year he became Vice Grand Councilor while retaining his existing rank. When Cao Bin was framed by Mi Dechao, Zhi spoke out forcefully to save him and won the deep regard of Grand Councilor Zhao Pu. Once, while discussing policy, he submitted a memorial saying, "I have received an exceptional promotion and swear to repay it with blunt honesty." Taizong said, "What good does blunt honesty do for governing?" Zhi replied, "Even so, it is still better than treachery."

無何，以入對宿酲未解，左遷秘書少監、知荊南府。府俗尚淫祀，屬久旱，盛陳禱雨之具。贄始至，命悉撤去，投之江，不數日大雨。就加左諫議大夫，入為鹽鐵使。時諸路積逋欠犯人，雖死猶繫其子孫。贄條陳其事，多所蠲貸。籍田，超拜工部侍郎。淳化中，知澶州，坐河決免所居官。久之，起為給事中，復工部侍郎，知審官院、通進銀臺封駁司。

Before long, because he entered audience while still suffering from the previous night's wine, he was demoted to Vice Director of the Secretariat and appointed prefect of Jingnan. The region was given to extravagant cult worship. During a prolonged drought, rain-prayer paraphernalia were set out in great profusion. When Zhi first arrived he ordered everything removed and thrown into the river, and within a few days heavy rain fell. He was soon further promoted to Left Remonstrator and recalled to the capital as Salt and Iron Commissioner. At that time accumulated debts on the circuits still bound offenders' families: even after a man died, his sons and grandsons remained liable. Zhi laid out the problem in a detailed memorial, and many obligations were forgiven. At the ceremonial plowing of the sacred field he was specially promoted to Vice Minister of Works. During the Chunhua period he governed Danzhou, but was removed from office when the Yellow River broke its banks. After some time he was recalled as Censor-in-Chief, again made Vice Minister of Works, and put in charge of the Bureau for Review of Appointments and the Memorials Gateway Silver Terrace Sealing and Rejection Office.

初，真宗未出閣，贄已授經，上嘗至其家；後楊可法繼其任，上以為輔導不及贄，嘗稱贄純厚長者。至是，在秘府，屢賜對，詢訪舊事。且愍其已老，特拜工部尚書、翰林侍讀學士，作詩賜之，有『啟發冲言曉典常』語。東封，遷禮部尚書。太宗在晉邸時，凡製篇詠，多令屬和。真宗嘗訪其賜本，贄集為四卷以獻，詔獎之。大中祥符三年，卒，年七十六。上以舊學之故，特親臨哭之，贈左僕射，諡文懿。錄其子昭度為大理寺丞，昭升、昭用並大理評事，昭允左讚善大夫。

Long before Zhenzong left the palace school, Zhi had already taught him the classics, and the emperor had once visited his home. Later Yang Kefa succeeded him, but the emperor thought his instruction fell short of Zhi's and once praised Zhi as a sincere and generous elder. Now, in the imperial archives, he was repeatedly granted audiences and asked about events of earlier days. Pitying his advanced age, the court specially appointed him Minister of Works and Hanlin Reader-in-Waiting, composed a poem in his honor, and granted it to him, including the line "Opening the heir's understanding of the classics and their norms." At the eastern feng sacrifice he was promoted to Minister of Rites. When Taizong was still in the Jin princely mansion, whenever he wrote poetry he often had Zhi compose matching verses. Zhenzong once asked after the originals of those poems. Zhi gathered them into four juan and presented them, and the emperor issued an edict praising him. In the third year of Dazhong Xiangfu he died at the age of seventy-six. Because of their long teacher-student bond, the emperor came in person to mourn him, posthumously appointed him Left Vice Director of the Secretariat, and gave him the posthumous title Wenyi. His son Zhaodu was made an assistant in the Court of Judicial Review; Zhaosheng and Zhaoyong were both made evaluators in the same court; and Zhaoyun was appointed Left Attendant-in-Waiting for the Heir Apparent.

贄屬文敏速而不雕刻，昭度集為三十卷上之，賜名《文懿集》。性溫和，頗能延譽時雋。宋白以文學沉下位，贄薦引之，遂同掌誥命。趙昌言兒時，一見器之，及掌貢部，以為奏名之首，後卒貴顯。贄初充賦有聲，邑人同在籍中者忌之，潛加構毀，自是連上不中選。洎贄再知貢舉，邑人子以明經充薦，詔下日，悔泣而去。贄聞之，命其所親召還，慰諭俾就舉，遂預薦中第。然吝嗇，切於治生，晚節不事事，人頗以是少之。

Zhi wrote swiftly and gracefully without overwrought ornament. Zhaodu collected his works into thirty juan and presented them, and the collection was given the title Wenyi Collection. He was mild by nature and quite skilled at recommending talented men of his day. Song Bai was accomplished in literature but languished in a low post until Zhi recommended him; the two then served together drafting imperial edicts. When Zhao Changyan was still a boy, Zhi recognized his promise at first meeting. Later, when Zhi directed the examinations, he placed Zhao first on the list, and Zhao eventually rose to high rank. When Zhi first sat for the examinations he was already well known. Fellow townsmen on the same registry envied him and secretly slandered him, so he failed again and again. When Zhi again directed the metropolitan examination, a townsman's son qualified as a mingjing candidate. On the day the edict was issued he wept and left in shame. When Zhi heard of this he had a close associate bring the young man back, comforted him, and urged him to sit for the examination. He was recommended and passed. Yet he was miserly and obsessed with managing his household. In his later years he neglected public business, and people looked down on him for it.

李至，字言幾，真定人。母張氏，嘗夢八仙人自天降，授字圖使吞之，及寤，猶若有物在胸中，未幾，生至。七歲而孤，鞠於飛龍使李知審家。幼沉靜好學，能屬文。及長，辭華典贍。舉進士，釋褐將作監丞，通判鄂州。旋擢著作郎、直史館。會征太原，命督澤、潞芻糧，累遷右補闕、知制誥。太平興國八年，轉比部郎中，為翰林學士。冬，拜右諫議大夫、參知政事。

Li Zhi, styled Yanji, was a native of Zhending. His mother Lady Zhang once dreamed that eight immortals descended from heaven and gave her a chart of characters to swallow. When she awoke she still felt as though something remained in her chest, and not long afterward she gave birth to Zhi. Orphaned at seven, he was raised in the household of the Flying Dragon envoy Li Zhongshen. As a boy he was quiet and studious and could already write essays. When he matured, his writing was elegant and full. He passed the jinshi examination, took his first office as an assistant in the Directorate of Imperial Construction, and was made vice-prefect of Ezhou. He was soon promoted to Gentleman of the Writing Office with a concurrent appointment in the History Academy. When the campaign against Taiyuan began, he was ordered to supervise fodder and grain in Ze and Lu, and was repeatedly promoted until he became Right Remonstrator and Drafter of Edicts. In the eighth year of Taiping Xingguo he was transferred to Bureau Director in the Ministry of Revenue and made a Hanlin Academician. That winter he was appointed Right Remonstrator and Vice Grand Councilor.

雍熙初，加給事中。時議親征范陽，至上疏以為：「兵者凶器，戰者危事，用之之道，必務萬全。幽州為敵右臂，王師所嚮，彼必拒張，攻城數萬，兵食倍之。今日邊庾未充，況范陽之傍，坦無陵阜，去山既遠，取石尤難。金湯之堅，必資機石，儻有未備，願且繕完。畜威養銳，觀釁以伐謀，更縱彌年，亦未為晚。必若聖心獨斷，在於必行，則京師天下之本，陛下恭守宗廟，不離京國，示敵人以閑暇，慰億兆之仰望，策之上也。大名，河朔之咽喉，或暫駐鑾輅，揚言自將，以壯軍威，策之中也。若乃遠提師旅，親抵邊陲，北有契丹之虞，南有中原之慮，則曳裾之懇切，斷鞅之狂愚，臣雖不肖，恥在二賢後也。」

At the beginning of the Yongxi era he was given the additional title of Censor-in-Chief. When the court debated a personal campaign against Fanyang, Zhi submitted a memorial arguing: "Weapons are instruments of ill omen and war a perilous undertaking; the way to use them must be to seek complete security. Youzhou is the enemy's right arm. Wherever the imperial army advances, the foe is sure to resist in force. A siege requires tens of thousands of men, and provisions must be twice that number. The border granaries are not yet full. Moreover, the country around Fanyang is flat, without hills or mounds; stone is far away and especially hard to obtain. The strength of walls and moats depends on siege engines and stones. If anything is lacking, I beg that it be prepared first. Store up strength, sharpen the army, watch for openings, and defeat the enemy's plans—even waiting another year would not be too late. If Your Majesty's mind is fixed and the campaign must go forward, then the capital is the foundation of the realm. To remain at court, guard the ancestral temples, show the enemy that we are unhurried, and reassure the people—that is the best plan. Daming is the gateway of Hebei. Your Majesty might temporarily station the imperial carriage there and announce that you will take command in person to bolster the army's morale—that is the second-best plan. But to lead the army in person to the frontier, with Khitan danger in the north and anxiety for the central plains in the south, is to invite the earnest remonstrance of those who seized the emperor's robe and the reckless folly of those who cut the chariot reins. Though I am unworthy, I would be ashamed to fall short of those two loyal counselors."

至以目疾累表求解機政，授禮部侍郎，進秩吏部。

Because of eye trouble Zhi repeatedly asked to be relieved of governing duties. He was made Vice Minister of Rites and then promoted within the Ministry of Personnel.

會建秘閣，命兼秘書監，選三館書置閣中，俾至總之。至每與李昉、王化基等觀書閣下，上必遣使賜宴，且命三館學士皆與焉。至是昇秘閣，次於三館，從至請也。上嘗臨幸秘閣，出草書《千字文》為賜，至勒石，上曰：「《千文》乃梁武得破碑鍾繇書，命周興嗣次韻而成，理無足取。若有資於教化，莫《孝經》若也。」乃書以賜至。薦潘慎修、舒雅、杜鎬、吳淑等入充直館校理。請購亡書，間以新書奏御，必便坐延見，恩禮甚厚。淳化五年，兼判國子監。至上言：「《五經》書疏已板行，惟二《傳》、二《禮》、《孝經》、《論語》、《爾雅》七經疏未備，豈副仁君垂訓之意。今直講崔頤正、孫奭、崔偓佺皆勵精強學，博通經義，望令重加讎校，以備刊刻。」從之。後又引吳淑、舒雅、杜鎬檢正訛謬，至與李沆總領而裁處之。

When the Secret Archives were built, he was made concurrent Director of the Secretariat, books from the Three Institutes were chosen for the new pavilion, and Zhi was placed in overall charge. Whenever Zhi joined Li Fang, Wang Huaji, and others to examine books in the pavilion, the emperor would send attendants with a feast, and ordered all Hanlin academicians to take part. At this time the Elevated Secret Archives was ranked just below the Three Institutes, as Zhi had requested. The emperor once visited the Secret Archives in person and presented a cursive copy of the Thousand-Character Classic as a gift; Zhi had it carved on stone. The emperor said, "The Thousand-Character Classic was made when Emperor Wu of Liang obtained a broken stele of Zhong You's calligraphy and had Zhou Xingsi arrange rhymes—it has little worth as doctrine. If a text is to serve moral instruction, nothing surpasses the Classic of Filial Piety. He then wrote out the Classic of Filial Piety and granted it to Zhi. He recommended Pan Shenxiu, Shu Ya, Du Hao, and Wu Shu to serve as duty editors and collators in the pavilion. He asked that lost books be purchased, and from time to time presented newly acquired volumes to the throne. The emperor invariably received him at the informal seat with exceptional kindness. In the fifth year of Chunhua he was made concurrent Director of the Directorate of Education. Zhi submitted a memorial saying, "Commentaries on the Five Classics have already been printed, but those on the two Traditions, the two Rites, the Classic of Filial Piety, the Analects, and the Erya—the seven classics—are still incomplete. How can this satisfy Your Majesty's wish to spread learning? The duty lecturers Cui Yizheng, Sun Shi, and Cui Weiquan are all diligent scholars thoroughly versed in the classics. I ask that they be ordered to collate these texts again so they may be printed. The emperor approved. Later Wu Shu, Shu Ya, and Du Hao were again called in to correct errors, while Zhi and Li Hang supervised and made the final decisions.

至道初，真宗初正儲位，以至與李沆並兼賓客，詔太子事以師傅禮，真宗每見必先拜，至等上表，不敢當禮。詔答曰：「朕旁稽古訓，肇建承華，用選端良，資於輔導。借卿宿望，委以護調，蓋將勖以謙冲，故乃異其禮數。勿飾當仁之讓，副予知子之心。」至等相率謝。太宗謂曰：「太子賢明仁孝，國本固矣。卿等可盡心規誨，若動皆由禮，則宜贊助，事有未當，必須力言。至於《禮》、《樂》、《詩》、《書》義有可裨益者，皆卿等素習，不假朕之言諭也。」

At the beginning of the Zhidao era, when Zhenzong was first established as heir apparent, Zhi and Li Hang were jointly appointed his tutors. An edict directed that the heir's affairs be conducted with the etiquette due teachers, and whenever Zhenzong saw them he bowed first. Zhi and the others submitted memorials saying they could not accept such honor. The edict in reply said, "We have examined ancient instruction and established the heir's household, choosing upright and worthy men to assist in guidance. Relying on your long-standing reputation, We entrust you with his training and protection. It is because We wish to encourage humility that We alter the ritual forms. Do not embellish the modest refusal of one who ought to accept duty; fulfill Our trust in Our son. Zhi and the others together submitted their thanks. Taizong said to them, "The heir apparent is worthy, humane, and filial; the foundation of the state is already secure. You should all instruct and admonish him with your whole hearts. When his conduct accords with ritual, support it; when anything is amiss, speak out forcefully. Whatever in the Rites, Music, Poetry, and Documents may benefit him, you have long studied these yourselves and need not wait for Us to tell you."

真宗即位，拜工部尚書、參知政事。一日，上訪以靈武事，至上疏曰：「河湟之地，夷夏雜居，是以先王置之度外。繼遷異類，騷動疆埸，然臍不足弭其患，擢髮不足數其罪。然聖人之道，務屈己含垢以安億民，蓋所損者小，所益者大。望陛下以元元為念，不以巨憝介意。料彼脅從亦厭兵久矣，苟朝廷舍之不問，啖以厚利，縻以重爵，亦安肯迷而不復，訖於淪胥哉？昨鄭文寶絕青鹽，使不入漢界，禁粒食使不及羌夷，致彼有詞，而我無謂，此之失策，雖悔何追。今若復禁止不許通糧，恐非制敵懷遠、不戰屈人之意。昔唐代宗雖罪田承嗣而不禁魏鹽，陛下宜行此事，以安邊鄙。使其族類有無交易，售鹽以利之，通糧以濟之，彼雖遠夷，必然向化，互相誥諭。一旦懷恩，舍逆效順，則繼遷豎子孤而無輔，又安能為我蜂蠆哉！今靈州不可不棄，非獨臣愚以為當然，若移朔方軍額於環州，亦一時之權也。或指靈州為咽喉之地，西北要衝，安可棄之以為敵有，此不智之甚，非臣之所敢知也。」後靈武卒不能守。

When Zhenzong took the throne, Zhi was appointed Minister of Works and Vice Grand Councilor. One day the emperor asked his view on affairs at Lingwu. Zhi submitted a memorial saying, "The lands of the He and Huang rivers are a mix of barbarian and Chinese peoples; the former kings therefore set them outside their direct rule. Jiqian is a foreign chieftain who troubles the frontier, yet killing him would not end the trouble, nor could one count all his offenses. Yet the way of the sage is to humble oneself and bear insult so as to secure peace for the people. What is lost is small; what is gained is great. I hope Your Majesty will keep the common people in view and not let this great enemy trouble your mind. Those who followed him under coercion must be weary of war by now as well. If the court would overlook their offenses, entice them with rich rewards, and bind them with high rank, why would they persist in rebellion until they were utterly destroyed? Recently Zheng Wenbao cut off trade in green salt so it would not enter our territory and barred grain from reaching the Qiang and tribal peoples, giving them grievance while we had no grounds for complaint. That mistaken policy cannot be undone even with regret. To forbid grain shipments again would, I fear, run counter to the principle of winning over distant peoples and subduing foes without fighting. In Tang times, although Emperor Daizong punished Tian Chengsi, he did not cut off salt from Wei. Your Majesty should do the same to secure the frontier. Let their tribes trade for what they lack, sell them salt for their profit and send grain to relieve their want. Though they are distant tribes, they will surely incline toward the court and counsel one another accordingly. Once they accept favor and turn from rebellion to loyalty, Jiqian will be isolated and without allies. How then could he still sting us like hornets and scorpions? Lingzhou cannot be held, in my view—not mine alone, but plainly so for all. Moving the Shuofang army headquarters to Huanzhou would be a timely expedient. Some say Lingzhou is the throat of the northwest and a vital pass that must not be abandoned to the enemy. That is supreme folly, and not a view this minister can share. In the end, Lingwu could not be defended.

咸平元年，以目疾求解政柄，授武信軍節度，入辭節制，不允。居二年，徙知河南府。四年，以病求歸本鎮，許之。詔甫下，卒，年五十五。贈侍中，詔給其子惟良、惟允、惟熙等奉終制。

In the first year of Xianping, citing eye disease he asked to relinquish office. He was made military commissioner of Wuxin circuit and came to court to decline full control of the command, but the request was denied. After two years he was transferred to serve as prefect of Henan. In the fourth year, on grounds of illness he asked to return to his original post, and the request was granted. The edict had scarcely been issued when he died, at the age of fifty-five. He was posthumously made Palace Attendant, and an edict granted his sons Weiliang, Weiyun, Weixi, and the others the full mourning observances due at the end of service.

至嘗師徐鉉，手寫鉉及其弟鍇集，置於幾案。又賦《五君詠》，為鉉及李昉、石熙載、王祐、李穆作也。至剛嚴簡重，人士罕登其門。性吝嗇。幼育於知審，及貴，即逐其養子以利其資。知審因至亦至右金吾衛大將軍。

Zhi had studied under Xu Xuan and copied by hand the collected works of Xuan and his brother Kai, which he kept on his desk. He also wrote the Five Lords' Odes in honor of Xu Xuan, Li Fang, Shi Xizai, Wang You, and Li Mu. Zhi was stern, reserved, and weighty in manner, and men of standing rarely called at his door. By nature he was miserly. As a child he had been raised by Zhi Shen, but once he rose to high rank he drove out Shen's adopted son to seize that son's property. Through Zhi's influence, Zhi Shen also rose to Grand General of the Right Golden Crow Guard.

辛仲甫

Xin Zhongfu

辛仲甫，字之翰，汾州孝義人。曾祖實，石州推官。祖迪，壽陽令。父藩，河東節度判官。仲甫少好學，及長，能吏事，偉姿儀，器局沉厚。周廣順中，郭崇掌親軍，領武定節制，置仲甫掌書記。顯德初，出鎮澶淵，仍署舊職。崇所親吏為廂虞候，部民有被劫殺者，訴陰識賊魁，即捕盜吏也，官不敢詰。仲甫請自捕逮，鞫之，吏故稽其獄，仲甫曰：「民被寇害而使自誣服，蠹政甚矣，焉用僚佐為？」請易吏以雪冤憤。崇悟，移鞫之，乃得實狀。崇移鎮真定，改深、趙、鎮觀察判官。

Xin Zhongfu, styled Zhihan, was a native of Xiaoyi in Fenzhou. His great-grandfather Shi served as investigating officer of Shizhou. His grandfather Di was magistrate of Shouyang. His father Fan served as administrative aide to the Hedong military commissioner. Zhongfu loved learning from youth, and when grown he proved capable in administration, with imposing bearing and a deep, steady temperament. During the Guangshun era of Later Zhou, Guo Chong commanded the imperial guard and held the Wuding commission, and appointed Zhongfu chief secretary. At the beginning of Xiande he went out to command at Chanyuan and kept Zhongfu in the same post. One of Chong's favorite officers served as garrison commander. When a local resident was robbed and murdered, the complaint secretly identified the bandit leader as that very officer charged with catching thieves, and the officials dared not pursue the case. Zhongfu asked to make the arrest and conduct the trial himself. The officer deliberately delayed the case. Zhongfu said, "The people suffer robbery and murder, yet are made to confess falsely—how corrupt is government! What use are assistants?" He asked that the officer be replaced to clear the injustice and public anger. Chong took his meaning, transferred the case for retrial, and thus obtained the true facts. When Chong was transferred to command at Zhending, Zhongfu became administrative aide of the Shen, Zhao, and Zhen observation commission.

太祖受命，以崇為監軍。陳思誨密奏崇有奸狀，上怒且疑，遣中使馳往驗之。未至，崇憂懣失據，謂賓佐曰：「苟人主不察，為之奈何？」皆愕相視。仲甫曰：「皇帝膺運，公首效節，軍民處置，率循常度，且何以加辭。第遠偵使者，率僚屬盡郊迎禮，聽彼伺察，久當自辨矣。」崇如其言。使者至，視崇無他意，還奏，上大喜，歸罪於思誨。仲甫又隨崇為平盧軍節度判官。崇卒，改鄆、齊觀察判官，累雪冤枉。

When Taizu received the Mandate, Chong was appointed army supervisor. Chen Sihui secretly reported that Chong had engaged in treacherous conduct. The emperor grew angry and suspicious and sent a palace envoy posthaste to investigate. Before the envoy arrived, Chong was anxious and at a loss. He said to his staff, "If the sovereign does not see the truth, what can we do?" All stared at one another in dismay. Zhongfu said, "The emperor has received the Mandate, and you were the first to show loyalty. In managing army and people you have followed established practice throughout—what case can be made against you? Only send scouts far ahead to watch for the envoy, lead all your subordinates in the full suburban welcome ceremony, and let him observe you. In time the truth will clear itself." Chong followed his advice. When the envoy arrived and saw that Chong had no ulterior intent, he returned and reported. The emperor was greatly pleased and blamed Sihui instead. Zhongfu again followed Chong as administrative aide of the Pinglu military commission. After Chong died, he became administrative aide of the Yan and Qi observation commission and repeatedly cleared wrongful convictions.

乾德五年，入拜右補闕，出知光州。州有橫河與城直，會霖潦暴疾，水溢潰廬舍。仲甫集船數百艘，軍資民儲，皆賴以濟。六年，移知彭州。州卒誘營兵及諸屯戍，謀以長春節宴集日為亂。屬春初，仲甫出城巡視，見壕中草深，意可藏伏，命燒薙之。凶黨疑謀泄，有自首者，擒百餘人，盡斬之。先是州少種樹，暑無所休，仲甫課民栽柳蔭行路，郡人德之，名為『補闕柳』。太祖問群臣文武兼資者為誰，趙普以仲甫對。徙益州兵馬都監，代還，選為三司戶部判官。

In the fifth year of Qiande he was appointed Right Supplementation Censor and sent out to serve as prefect of Guangzhou. A river ran across the prefecture in line with the city wall. When torrential rains and sudden flooding came, the waters overflowed and destroyed dwellings. Zhongfu gathered several hundred boats, and both military supplies and civilian stores were saved by this means. In the sixth year he was transferred to serve as prefect of Pengzhou. Prefectural soldiers incited camp troops and various garrison posts to plot a rising on the day of the Changchun festival banquet. Early that spring Zhongfu went outside the city on inspection, saw the moat grass grown deep and fit to conceal ambushers, and ordered it burned and cleared. The conspirators suspected the plot had leaked, and some turned themselves in. More than a hundred were seized and all beheaded. Previously the prefecture had few trees, and in summer travelers had no shade. Zhongfu ordered the people to plant willows along the roads. The people were grateful and called them the "Supplementation Censor Willows." Taizu asked his ministers who combined civil and military talent, and Zhao Pu named Zhongfu. He was transferred to military supervisor of Yizhou, and on his return was selected administrative judge of the Revenue Section of the Three Offices.

太平興國初，遷起居舍人，奉使契丹。遼主問：「党進何如人？如進之比有幾？」仲甫曰：「國家名將輩出，如進鷹犬材耳，何足道哉！」遼主欲留之，仲甫曰：「信以成命，義不可留，有死而已。」遼主竟不能屈。使還，以刑部郎中知成都府。既至，奏免歲輸銅錢，罷榷酤，政尚寬簡，蜀人安之。八年，加右諫議大夫。時彭州盜賊連結為害，詔捕未獲。仲甫誘令自縛詣吏者凡百餘人，餘因散去。

At the beginning of Taiping Xingguo he was promoted to Attendant of the Heir Apparent and sent on embassy to the Khitan. The Liao ruler asked, "What sort of man is Dang Jin? How many men like him are there?" Zhongfu said, "Famous generals of our state come forth in succession. A man like Jin is merely hawk-and-hound stuff—how is he worth mentioning!" The Liao ruler wished to detain him. Zhongfu said, "Faith fulfills the charge; by duty one cannot stay—only death awaits." In the end the Liao ruler could not bend him. On his return from the embassy he was made Bureau Vice Director of Punishments and appointed prefect of Chengdu. Once he arrived, he memorialized to end the annual delivery of copper cash and abolished the liquor monopoly. His administration favored lenience and simplicity, and the people of Shu were reassured. In the eighth year he was given the additional title of Right Remonstrance Grandee. At that time bandits in Pengzhou were acting in concert, and though an edict ordered their capture, none were taken. Zhongfu induced more than a hundred to bind themselves and surrender to the authorities, and the rest dispersed.

淳化初，宰相趙普出守西洛。呂蒙正以寬簡自任，政事多決於沔，沔與張齊賢同掌樞務，頗不叶。齊賢出知代州，沔遂為副使，參預政事。陳恕好苛察，亦嘗與沔忤。淳化二年，齊賢洎恕參知政事，沔不自安，慮僚屬有以中書舊事告齊賢等，會左司諫王禹偁上言：「自今宰相及樞密使不得於本廳見客，許於都堂延接。」沔喜，即奏行之。直史館謝泌以為如此是疑大臣以私也，疏駁之。太宗追還前詔，沔暨恕因是罷守本官。翌日，蒙正亦罷。沔見上，涕泣，不願離左右。未幾，鬚鬢皆白。會省吏事發，連中書，因有奏毀者。上語毀者曰：「呂蒙正有大臣體，王沔甚明敏。」毀者慚而止。

At the beginning of Chunhua, Grand Councilor Zhao Pu was sent out to guard the Western Luo capital. Lü Mengzheng took lenience and simplicity as his guiding principle, but most government affairs were decided by Mian. Mian and Zhang Qixian jointly held key affairs and were often at odds. When Qixian was sent out to administer Daizhou, Mian became deputy commissioner and took part in government affairs. Chen Shu favored harsh scrutiny and had also clashed with Mian. In the second year of Chunhua, Qixian and Shu became Vice Grand Councilors. Mian grew uneasy, fearing that subordinates might report old Secretariat affairs to Qixian and the others. At that time Left Remonstrator Wang Yucheng submitted a memorial saying, "From now on grand councilors and commissioners of the Bureau of Military Affairs may not receive guests in their own offices, but only in the main hall of the Secretariat." Mian was pleased and immediately memorialized to put the proposal into effect. Academician of the Historiography Institute Xie Bi held that this amounted to suspecting grand ministers of private dealings and submitted a memorial refuting it. Taizong recalled the previous edict, and Mian and Shu therefore left office and retained only their original ranks. The next day Mengzheng was dismissed as well. When Mian saw the emperor he wept and said he did not wish to leave his side. Before long his beard and temples had turned completely white. It happened that a provincial clerk's misconduct came to light, implicating the Secretariat, and some submitted memorials attacking them. The emperor said to the attackers, "Lü Mengzheng has the bearing of a great minister, and Wang Mian is very clear and keen." The attackers were ashamed and desisted.

三年，上欲黜陟官吏，命沔與謝泌、王仲華同知京朝官考課。沔上言，應京朝官殿犯，乞令刑部條報，以贓及公私罪分三等以聞。立法苛察，欲因是以求再用。受命甫旬日，方視事，以暴疾卒，年四十三，贈工部尚書。

In the third year the emperor wished to promote and demote officials and ordered Mian, together with Xie Bi and Wang Zhonghua, jointly to oversee the performance review of capital officials. Mian submitted a memorial asking that for capital officials guilty of serious offenses, the Ministry of Punishments report in detail, dividing bribery and public and private crimes into three grades for the court's review. He framed the law in harsh and scrutinizing terms, hoping thereby to win reinstatement. He had held the appointment only ten days and had just begun to conduct affairs when he died suddenly of acute illness, at the age of forty-three. He was posthumously made Minister of Works.

沔聰察敏辯，有適時之用，上前言事，能委曲敷繹。每對御讀所試進士辭賦，音吐明暢，經讀者多中高第。性苛刻，少誠信。掌機務日，凡謁見者必啖以甘言，皆喜過望，既而進退非允，人胥怨之。

Mian was perceptive, keen, and eloquent, with timely usefulness. When he spoke before the emperor he could unfold and explain matters with tact. Whenever he read before the emperor the examination essays of jinshi candidates, his delivery was clear and fluent, and many of those he read won high ranks. By nature he was harsh and demanding, and little trustworthy. While he held key affairs, every visitor was greeted with flattering words, and all rejoiced beyond expectation. Yet when promotions and demotions did not follow as promised, everyone resented him.

沔弟淮，太平興國五年進士，任殿中丞。嘗掌香藥榷易院，坐贓論當棄市，以沔故，詔杖一百，降定遠主簿。沔以是頻為寇準所詆云。

Mian's younger brother Huai, a jinshi of the fifth year of Taiping Xingguo, served as Palace Attendant. He once directed the Fragrant Medicines Monopoly Exchange Office and, on a bribery conviction, was sentenced to death. Because of Mian, an edict ordered one hundred strokes of the staff and demotion to registrar of Dingyuan. For this reason Mian was frequently attacked by Kou Zhun.

溫仲舒

Wen Zhongshu

溫仲舒，字秉陽，河南人。太平興國二年，舉進士，為大理評事，通判吉州。再遷秘書丞、知汾州，坐事除名。未幾，復起為右讚善大夫，通判睦州。端拱初，拜右正言、直史館、判戶部憑由司。三年，拜工部郎中、樞密直學士，知三班院。秋，彗星見，召對別殿，仲舒以為「國家平太原以來，燕、代之交，城守年深，殺傷剽掠，彼此迭見。大河以北，農桑廢業，戶口減耗。凋弊之餘，極力奉邊。丁壯備徭，老弱供賦。遺廬壞堵，不亡即死。邪人媚上，猶云樂輸。加以兵卒踐更，行者辛苦，居者怨曠。願推恩宥，以綏民庶。」太宗嘉納之，遂赦河北。

Wen Zhongshu, styled Bingyang, was a native of Henan. In the second year of Taiping Xingguo he passed the jinshi examination, became Evaluator of the Court of Judicial Review, and served as deputy prefect of Jizhou. He was later made Secretary of the Secretariat and prefect of Fenzhou, but on an offense was struck from the rolls. Before long he was restored as Right Supporter of Goodness Grandee and deputy prefect of Muzhou. At the beginning of Duangong he was appointed Right Rectifier, academician of the Historiography Institute, and administrator of the Revenue Section's Credentials Office. In the third year he was appointed Bureau Director of Works, direct academician of the Bureau of Military Affairs, and director of the Three-Rank Office. That autumn a comet appeared. He was summoned to audience in a separate hall. Zhongshu said, "Since the state pacified Taiyuan, along the Yan and Dai frontier garrison defense has gone on for years, with killing, wounding, and plunder alternating between the two sides. North of the Yellow River, farming and sericulture lie in ruins and the population has declined. On top of this exhaustion they strain every effort to supply the frontier. Able-bodied men stand ready for corvée labor, while the old and weak supply taxes. Abandoned homes and ruined walls—those who escape death still face ruin. Wicked officials who flatter their superiors still claim the people pay taxes willingly. On top of this, soldiers cycle through corvée rotations; those on the march endure hardship, while those left behind chafe at abandonment. I beg that Your Majesty extend grace and pardon to bring peace to the people." The Taizong emperor praised and accepted his counsel, and thereupon granted an amnesty in Hebei.

淳化二年，拜右諫議大夫、樞密副使，改同知樞密院事。四年，罷知秦州。先是，俗雜羌、戎，有兩馬家、朵藏、梟波等部，唐末以來，居於渭河之南，大洛、小洛門砦，多產良木，為其所據。歲調卒采伐給京師，必以貲假道於羌戶。然不免攘奪，甚至殺掠，為平民患。仲舒至，部兵歷按諸砦，諭其酋以威信，諸部獻地內屬。既而悉徙其部落於渭北，立堡砦以限之。民感其惠，為畫像祠之。會有言仲舒生事者，上謂近臣曰：「仲舒嘗總機密之職，在吾左右，當以綏懷為務。古伊、洛之間，尚有羌、渾雜居，況此羌部內屬，素居渭南，土著已久，一旦擅意斥逐，或至騷動，又煩吾關右之民。」乃命知鳳翔薛惟吉與仲舒對易其任。連知興元、江陵二府，加給事中。會內侍藍繼宗使秦州還，言得地甚利。乃召仲舒，拜戶部侍郎，尋參知政事。二砦後為內地，歲獲巨木之利。

In the second year of Chunhua he was appointed Right Remonstrance Councilor and Vice Commissioner of the Bureau of Military Affairs, then made Associate Commissioner of the Bureau of Military Affairs. In the fourth year he was relieved of his central post and appointed prefect of Qinzhou. Previously the region was intermixed with Qiang and Rong peoples. Tribes such as the Liangma, Duocang, and Xiaobo had lived south of the Wei River at the Great Luo and Little Luomen stockades since the late Tang. These places produced fine timber, which the tribes controlled. Each year conscript laborers were sent to harvest timber for the capital and had to pay passage fees to Qiang households along the route. Yet they still could not escape plunder, and at times even killing and raiding, which became a scourge to the common people. When Zhongshu arrived, he led troops on inspection through the stockades and won the chieftains over with authority and good faith; the tribes presented land and submitted to the court. Thereafter he moved all their tribes north of the Wei and established fortified stockades to keep them within bounds. The people were grateful for his kindness and painted his portrait for veneration. When someone reported that Zhongshu was stirring up trouble, the emperor said to his close ministers, "Zhongshu once held the most confidential posts and stood at my side; his duty should be to win people over by kindness. Even between ancient Yi and Luo, Qiang and Hun still lived intermingled—how much more so these Qiang tribes, now submitted, who have long been natives south of the Wei. If he drives them out on his own authority, there may be unrest, and again the people west of the Pass will suffer." He thereupon ordered Xue Weiji, prefect of Fengxiang, to exchange posts with Zhongshu. In succession he governed Xingyuan and Jiangling and was promoted to Supervising Secretary. When the inner attendant Lan Jizong returned from a mission to Qinzhou, he reported that the land secured there was highly profitable. Zhongshu was summoned, appointed Vice Minister of Revenue, and soon made Associate Administrator. The two stockades later became inner territory, yielding great annual profits in timber.

咸平初，拜禮部尚書，罷政，出知河陽。逾年，知開封府。五年，以京府務劇求罷，遂以本官兼御史中丞，尋遷刑部尚書、知天雄軍，徙河南。景德中，幷州缺守，上以北門重鎮須大臣鎮撫，非張齊賢、溫仲舒不可，令宰相諭旨，皆不願往。未幾，復知審官院。大中祥符中，進秩戶部尚書。三年，判昭文館大學士，命下，卒，年六十七。贈左僕射，諡恭肅。

At the beginning of Xianping he was appointed Minister of Rites, left the central administration, and went out as prefect of Heyang. After more than a year he was appointed prefect of Kaifeng. In the fifth year, because the capital prefecture's duties were onerous he sought dismissal; he was then given his present rank concurrently as Censor-in-Chief, and soon transferred to Minister of Justice and military commissioner of Tianxiong, then moved to Henan. During Jingde, Bingzhou lacked a defender. The emperor held that this northern gate stronghold required a great minister to pacify it and that none but Zhang Qixian or Wen Zhongshu would do. He ordered the chief ministers to convey his intent, but both declined to go. Before long he was again made director of the Court of Review. During Dazhong Xiangfu his rank was advanced to Minister of Revenue. In the third year he was appointed Grand Academician of the Zhaowen Hall; the order had barely been issued when he died, aged sixty-seven. He was posthumously given the post of Left Vice Director and the posthumous title Gongsu.

仲舒敏於應務。少與呂蒙正契厚，又同登第。仲舒黜廢累年，蒙正居中書，極力援引，及被任用，反攻蒙正，士論薄之。自為正言至貳樞密，皆與寇準同進，時人謂之『溫寇』。子嗣宗、嗣良、嗣先、嗣立。仲舒既卒，帝憫其孤弱，並祿以官。

Zhongshu was quick-witted in practical affairs. In youth he was on close terms with Lü Mengzheng, and they passed the examinations in the same year. Zhongshu had been demoted and idle for many years; Mengzheng, holding the Secretariat, exerted himself to recommend him. Once in office, he turned and attacked Mengzheng, and opinion among the gentlemen held him in low regard. From Right Rectifier to second-rank Commissioner of the Bureau of Military Affairs he rose together with Kou Zhun; people of the time called them "Wen-Kou." His sons were Sizong, Siliang, Sixian, and Sili. After Zhongshu died, the emperor pitied his orphaned sons and granted them all salaries and offices.

王化基

Wang Huaji

王化基，字永圖，鎮定人。太平興國二年，舉進士，為大理評事，通判常州。遷太子右贊善大夫、知嵐州。時趙普為相，建議以驟用人無益於治，改淮南節度判官，入為著作郎，遷右拾遺，抗疏自薦。太宗覽奏曰：「化基自結人主，慷慨之士也。」召試，知制誥，以右諫議大夫權御史中丞。一日，侍便殿，問以邊事，對曰：「治天下猶植木焉，所患根本未固，固則枝幹不足憂。朝廷治，則邊鄙何患乎不安？」又嘗令薦士，即一疏數十人，王嗣宗、薛映、耿望，皆其人也。

Wang Huaji, courtesy name Yongtu, was a native of Zhending. In the second year of Taiping Xingguo he passed the jinshi examination, became Evaluator of the Court of Judicial Review, and served as deputy prefect of Changzhou. He was transferred to Right Supporter of Goodness Grandee and prefect of Lanzhou. At the time Zhao Pu was chief minister and argued that sudden appointments did the state no good. Huaji was reassigned as military administration judge of Huainan, entered the capital as Compiler, was made Right Remembrancer, and submitted a bold memorial recommending himself. The Taizong emperor read the memorial and said, "Huaji has sought the ruler's favor on his own initiative—a man of generous spirit." He summoned him for examination, made him Drafter, and gave him the concurrent post of Right Remonstrance Councilor acting as Censor-in-Chief. One day, while attending in the informal hall, he was asked about frontier affairs and replied, "Governing the empire is like planting a tree: what one fears is that the roots are not firm; once they are firm, the branches need cause no worry. When the court is well governed, why should one fear that the frontier will not be secure?" He was also once ordered to recommend scholars; in a single memorial he named several dozen men, among them Wang Sigong, Xue Ying, and Geng Wang.

化基嘗慕范滂為人，獻《澄清略》，言時事有五：

Huaji once admired Fan Pang and presented the "Clarification Summary," setting forth five points on current affairs:

其一，復尚書省，曰：「國家立制，動必法天。尚書省上應玄象，對臨紫垣，故六卿擬喉舌之官，郎吏應星辰之位，斯實乾文昭著，故事具明。方今省署，名實未稱。夫三司使額，乃近代權制；判官、推官、勾院、開拆、磨勘、憑由、理欠、孔目、勾押、前後行，皆州郡吏局之名。請廢三司，止於尚書省設六尚書分掌其事；廢判官、推官，設郎官分掌二十四司及左右司公事，使一人掌一司；廢孔目、勾押、前後行為都事、主事、令史；廢勾院、開拆、磨勘、憑由、理欠等司歸比部及左右司。如此即事益精詳，且盡去州郡吏局之名也。六卿如闕，即選名品相近、有才望者權之；郎官如闕，則於兩省三院選名幹有清望者，依資除之。其二十四司公事，若繁簡不同，望下本省府屬參酌其類，均而行之。」

The first: restore the Department of State Affairs. It said, "When the state establishes institutions, it must always take heaven as its model. The Department of State Affairs corresponds above to the dark asterism and faces the Purple Forbidden Enclosure; therefore the six ministers stand as the throat-and-tongue offices, and the bureau directors match the stations of the stars. This truly manifests the pattern of heaven, and the precedent is fully clear. At present the provincial offices fall short of their names in practice. The title Commissioner of the Three Departments is a recent expedient of power; the posts of administrative aide, investigating aide, checking office, opening-and-sorting, audit, credentials, arrears settlement, clerks, checking clerk, and front and rear runners are all names drawn from prefectural and district clerical offices. I beg that the Three Departments be abolished and that within the Department of State Affairs alone six ministers be established to divide their affairs; that administrative and investigating aides be abolished and bureau directors appointed to divide the affairs of the twenty-four bureaus and the left and right secretariats, with one man in charge of each bureau; that clerks, checking clerks, and front and rear runners be abolished and replaced by chief clerks, clerks, and recorders; that the checking office, opening-and-sorting, audit, credentials, arrears settlement, and other offices be abolished and returned to the Ministry of Comparisons and the left and right secretariats. Thus affairs would be handled with greater precision, and all names borrowed from prefectural and district clerical offices would be entirely removed. If a ministerial post is vacant, select a man of comparable standing and talent to serve in an acting capacity; if a bureau director post is vacant, choose from the two departments and three institutes a man of reputation and ability and appoint him according to seniority. As for the affairs of the twenty-four bureaus, if their complexity differs, I beg that subordinates of this department be consulted to weigh their kinds and distribute the work evenly."

其二，慎公舉，曰：「朝廷頻年下詔，以類求人。但聞例得舉官，未見擇其舉主。欲望自今先責朝官有聲望者，各舉所知，其舉得官員則置籍，並舉主名姓籍之。所舉之官，實著廉能，則特旌舉主；若所舉貪冒敗事，連坐舉主。陛下自登寶位，十年於茲，七經選掄，得人多矣。然下僚遠官，不無沉滯。望令采訪司及州郡長吏，廉察以聞，籍以待用，則下無遺材矣。」

The second: be careful in public recommendation. It said, "In recent years the court has repeatedly issued edicts seeking men by category. Yet one hears only of men obtaining office through the quota of recommendation, and not of any scrutiny of the recommender. I desire that from now on court officials of established reputation first be charged each to recommend those he knows; when the recommended obtain office, keep a register and record the recommender's name as well. If the official recommended proves truly incorrupt and capable, then specially honor the recommender; if the one recommended proves greedy and corrupt and ruins affairs, punish the recommender by association. Your Majesty, since ascending the throne, has ruled for ten years; selection has been carried out seven times, and many able men have been obtained. Yet among lower officials and distant magistrates some remain sunk in obscurity. I beg that the Inspection Office and prefectural and district chief magistrates investigate and report, keep registers to await employment, and then no talent below will be overlooked."

其三，懲貪吏，曰：「貪吏之於民，其損甚大。屈法煩刑，徇私肆虐，使民之受害甚於木之受蠹。若乃用非其人而不繩以法，雖夷、齊、顏、閔不能自見。蓋中人之性，如水之在器，方員不常，顧用之者何如爾。望令諸路轉運使副兼采訪之名，責以覺察州、府、軍、監長吏得失，俟其澄清部內，則待以不次之擢，置於侍從之間。所貴周知物理，能備顧問，且足為外官之勸也。」

The third: punish greedy officials. It said, "Greedy officials do the people very great harm. Bending the law and heaping punishments, indulging private interest and raging tyrannically—the harm they inflict on the people is worse than worms in timber. If one employs the wrong man and does not restrain him by law, even men like Boyi, Shuqi, Yan Hui, and Min Ziqian could not make their virtue visible. For the nature of ordinary men is like water in a vessel—square or round is not fixed; everything depends on how one employs them. I beg that transport commissioners and their deputies be given the additional title of inspection and charged to detect the gains and losses of prefectural, district, army, and supervisory chief magistrates; when they have clarified their jurisdictions, reward them with extraordinary promotion and place them among the emperor's attendants. This would be valuable for thorough knowledge of affairs and readiness as advisers, and would also serve as encouragement to officials in the provinces."

其四，省冗官，曰：「古人建官，初不必備者，惟得其人也。國家封疆雖逾前世，而分設庶官實倍常數，意欲盡籠天下之利，而民物轉加凋弊。二十年前，江、淮諸郡，揚、楚最居要衝，務穰事眾，地廣民繁。然止設知州一人署領官事，其餘通判官、推官及州官等，悉皆分管榷務、倉庫。當時事無不集，兼少獄訟。其後十年，臣任揚州時，朝廷添置監臨、使臣等職，實逾本州官數。諸州冗員，似此非一。今以朝官、諸色使臣及縣令、簿、尉等高卑相折而計之，一人月費不啻十千，以千人約之，歲計用十餘萬千，更倍萬約之，萬又過倍。使皆廉吏，止糜公帑；設或貪夫參錯其間，則取於民者又加倍焉。望委各路轉運使副，與知州同議裁減。若縣令、簿、尉等官自前多不備置，可兼者兼之，如此則冗官汰矣。」

The fourth: reduce superfluous officials. It said, "When the ancients established offices, they did not at first need to fill every post—only to obtain the right men. Our state's territory exceeds that of past dynasties, yet the various offices established are truly double the usual number; the intent is to gather all profit under heaven, yet the people's goods grow ever more exhausted. Twenty years ago, among the prefectures along the Yangzi and Huai, Yang and Chu were the most strategically vital, with heavy harvest duties and many affairs, broad territory and a dense population. Yet only one prefect was appointed to oversee official affairs; the rest—the deputy prefect, investigating aide, and prefectural officials—all divided management of monopoly duties and storehouses. At that time nothing failed to be accomplished, and lawsuits were few as well. Ten years later, when I served at Yangzhou, the court added supervisory and envoy posts that truly exceeded the original number of officials in that prefecture. Superfluous posts in the prefectures are like this in more than one place. Now, counting court officials, envoys of various ranks, and magistrates, registrars, and constables high and low together, one man's monthly cost is no less than ten thousand cash; estimating for a thousand men, yearly expenditure runs to more than a hundred million; double that figure again, and ten thousand becomes more than double once more. If all were honest officials, they would only drain the public treasury; but if greedy men are mixed among them, what is taken from the people is doubled again. I beg that transport commissioners and deputies discuss reductions jointly with prefects. Where magistrates, registrars, constables, and such posts were formerly often not fully staffed, let combined posts be combined where possible; thus superfluous officials would be eliminated."

其五，擇遠官，曰：「負罪之人，多非良善，貪殘凶暴，無所不至。若授以遠方牧民之官，其或怙惡不悛，恃遠肆毒。小民罹殃，卒莫上訴，甚非撫綏遠人之意也。若自今以往，西川、廣南長吏不任負罪之人，則遠人受賜矣。」

The fifth: select distant officials. It said, "Men bearing guilt are mostly not good; greedy, cruel, and violent, there is nothing they will not do. If given distant posts as shepherds of the people, some may cling to evil and refuse to reform, relying on distance to unleash their poison. The common people suffer disaster and in the end cannot appeal above—this falls very far short of the intent to soothe distant peoples. If from now on chief magistrates of Xichuan and Guangnan are not assigned men bearing guilt, then distant peoples will receive a true benefit."

書奏，太宗嘉納之。

When the memorial was submitted, the Taizong emperor praised and accepted it.

初，柴禹錫任樞密，有奴受人金，而禹錫實不知也。參知政事陳恕欲因以中禹錫。太宗怒，引囚訊其事，化基為辨其誣。太宗感悟，以化基為長者。淳化中，拜中丞，俄知京朝官考課，遷工部侍郎。至道三年，超拜參知政事。咸平四年，以工部尚書罷知揚州。移知河南府，進禮部尚書。大中祥符三年，卒，年六十七。贈右僕射，諡惠獻。化基寬厚有容，喜慍不形，僚佐有相淩慢者，輒優容之。在中書，不以蔭補諸子官，然善教訓，故其子舉正、舉直、舉善、舉元皆有所立。

Previously, when Chai Yuxi held the Bureau of Military Affairs, a slave accepted gold from someone, though Yuxi truly did not know of it. Associate Administrator Chen Shu wished to use this to strike at Yuxi. The Taizong emperor was angry and summoned the prisoner to question the matter; Huaji argued that the charge was false. The Taizong emperor came to his senses and regarded Huaji as a man of mature judgment. During Chunhua he was appointed Censor-in-Chief, and soon after made director of capital official performance review, then transferred to Vice Minister of Works. In the third year of Zhidao he was abruptly promoted to Associate Administrator. In the fourth year of Xianping he left the central administration as Minister of Works and was made prefect of Yangzhou. He was transferred to prefect of Henan and advanced to Minister of Rites. In the third year of Dazhong Xiangfu he died, aged sixty-seven. He was posthumously given the post of Right Vice Director and the posthumous title Huixian. Huaji was generous and forbearing, never showing joy or anger on his face; when subordinates were somewhat disrespectful, he always treated them with indulgence. While serving at the Central Secretariat he would not use yin privilege to place his sons in office, yet he trained them well; as a result his sons Juzheng, Juzhi, Jushan, and Juyuan each made names for themselves.

子舉正

Son: Juzheng

舉正，字伯仲，幼嗜學，厚重寡言。化基以為類己，器愛異諸子，以蔭補秘書省校書郎。進士及第，知伊闕、任丘縣，館閣校勘、集賢校理、《真宗實錄》院檢討、國史編修官。三遷尚書度支員外郎、直集賢院，修《三朝寶訓》，同修起居注，擢知制誥。其妻父陳堯佐為相，改龍圖閣待制、堯佐罷，以兵部郎中復知制誥，為翰林學士，拜右諫議大夫、參知政事。前一日，吏有馳報者，舉正方燕居齋舍，徐謂吏曰：「安得漏禁中語？」既入謝，仁宗曰：「卿恬於進取，未嘗干朝廷以私，故不次用卿。」

Juzheng, courtesy name Bozhong, loved learning from childhood; he was grave and substantial, and spoke little. Huaji saw in him a temperament like his own, cherished him above his other sons, and secured for him a yin-privilege appointment as collator in the Secretariat. He passed the jinshi examination and governed Yique and Renqiu counties, then served as a Hanlin collation editor, collator of the Hall of Assembled Worthies, reviewer for the Veritable Records of Zhenzong, and compiler of the national history. Promoted three times, he became Vice Director of Revenue in the Ministry of Revenue and a direct academician of the Hall of Assembled Worthies, helped compile the Precious Instructions of Three Reigns, served as co-compiler of the Diary of Actions and Repose, and was elevated to drafter of edicts. When his father-in-law Chen Yaozuo became chief councilor, he was reassigned as attendant of the Dragon Diagram Hall; after Yaozuo left office he returned to drafting edicts as Director in the Ministry of War, entered the Hanlin Academy, and was appointed Right Remonstrator and Participant in Governance. The day before, when a clerk came galloping with the news, Juzheng was at leisure in his study and said calmly to the clerk, "How could talk from within the palace have been leaked?" When he came in to give thanks, Emperor Renzong said, "You are indifferent to advancement and have never importuned the court for private ends; that is why We have promoted you out of turn."

時陝西用兵，呂夷簡以宰相判樞密院，舉正曰：「判名重，不可不避也。」乃改兼樞密使。遷給事中。御史臺舉李徽之為御史，舉正友婿也，格不行。徽之訟曰：「舉正妻悍不能制，如謀國何？」歐陽修等亦論舉正懦默不任事，舉正亦自求去，遂以資政殿學士、尚書禮部侍郎知許州。光化軍叛卒轉寇傍境，而州兵有謀起為應者，舉正潛捕首惡者斬之。徙知應天府，累遷左丞。

War was then being waged in Shaanxi, and Lü Yijian as chief councilor was concurrently directing the Bureau of Military Affairs. Juzheng said, "The title of concurrent director carries great weight and ought not to be accepted without stepping aside." He was therefore reassigned as concurrent Military Affairs Commissioner. He was promoted to Impartial in Affairs. The Censorate nominated Li Huizhi for censor, but as he was Juzheng's friend and son-in-law the nomination was blocked. Huizhi brought suit, saying, "Juzheng's wife is fierce and he cannot control her—how can such a man plan for the state?" Ouyang Xiu and others also argued that Juzheng was timid, silent, and unfit for office. Juzheng asked to resign as well and was made Academician of the Hall for Assisting Governance, Vice Minister of Rites, and prefect of Xuzhou. Mutinous soldiers of Guanghua Army turned to raid neighboring districts, and some local troops plotted to rise in support; Juzheng secretly seized the ringleaders and had them executed. He was transferred to prefect of Yingtianfu and rose in stages to Left Vice Director.

皇佑初，拜御史中丞，乃奏：「張堯佐庸人，緣妃家，一日領四使，使賢士大夫無所勸。」不報，舉正因留班廷諍，乃奪宣徽、景靈二使。又曰：「先朝用人，雖守邊累年者，官止遙郡刺史。今所用未盡得人，而克期待遷，使後有功者何所勸耶？且轉運使察官吏能否，生民休戚賴焉。命甫下而數更，不終歲而再易，恩澤所以未宣，民疾所以未瘳者，職此故也。」御史唐介坐言事貶春州，舉正力言之，介得徙英州。居半歲，堯佐復為宣徽使，家居凡七上疏。及狄青為樞密使，又言青出兵伍不可為執政，力爭不能奪，因請解言職。帝稱其得風憲體，遣賜就第，賜白金三百兩，除觀文殿學士、禮部尚書、知河南府，入兼翰林侍讀學士。每進讀及前代治亂之際，必再三諷諭。

At the beginning of Huangyou he was made Censor-in-Chief and memorialized, "Zhang Yaozuo is a mediocrity who rose through the imperial consort's family. In a single day he received four commissioner posts, leaving worthy scholar-officials nothing to strive for." The court did not respond. Juzheng therefore remained after audience to remonstrate in the hall, and the Xuanhui and Jingling commissioner posts were stripped away. He also said, "Under the previous reign, even men who guarded the frontier for many years rose no higher than remote prefectural governor. Those appointed now are not all the right men, yet they still expect swift promotion. What will encourage those who earn merit later? Moreover, transport commissioners judge whether officials are capable, and the people's welfare depends on them. Orders are barely issued before they are changed again, and appointments rarely last a year. That is why imperial grace does not reach the people and why their afflictions are not healed." Censor Tang Jie was demoted to Chunzhou for speaking out on state affairs. Juzheng argued forcefully on his behalf, and Jie was transferred to Yingzhou. Half a year later Yaozuo was again made Xuanhui commissioner. While at home Juzheng submitted seven memorials in all. When Di Qing became Military Affairs Commissioner, he again argued that a man raised from the ranks could not hold high governance. He fought the appointment strenuously but could not prevail, and therefore asked to be relieved of his remonstrance duties. The emperor praised him for grasping the censorial spirit, sent gifts to his home, bestowed three hundred taels of white silver, appointed him Academician of the Hall for Viewing Culture, Minister of Rites, and prefect of Henan, and made him a concurrent Hanlin attendant reader. Whenever he lectured before the throne and reached passages on order and disorder in former ages, he would admonish the emperor again and again.

以太子少傅致仕，卒，贈太子太保，諡安簡，賜黃金百兩。文章雅厚如其為人，有《平山集》、《中書制集》、《內制集》五十卷。

He retired as Junior Tutor of the Heir Apparent and died. He was posthumously made Junior Guardian of the Heir Apparent, given the posthumous title Anjian, and granted one hundred taels of gold. His writings were as elegant and substantial as the man himself. He left the Pingshan Collection, Central Secretariat Draft Collection, and Inner Draft Collection in fifty juan.

子舉元

Son: Juyuan

舉元，字懿臣，以上文章賜進士出身。知潮州，江水敗堤，盜乘間竊發，舉元夜召里豪計事，盜既獲，乃治堤。為河陰發運判官，或言大河決，將犯京師，舉元適入對，具論地形證其妄，已而果然。歷郡牧、戶部判官、京東轉運使。沙門島多流人，守吏顧貨橐，陰殺之。舉元請立監以較賞罰，自是全活者眾。徙淮南、河東。夏人來爭屈野地，舉元從數騎度河，設幕與之議，示以赤心，夏人感服。

Juyuan, courtesy name Yichen, was granted jinshi standing by imperial favor for his superior literary compositions. As prefect of Chaozhou, when floodwaters breached the dikes bandits seized the moment to rise. Juyuan summoned local leaders by night to plan the response; once the bandits were captured, he repaired the dikes. As transport judge of Heyin, when reports said the Yellow River had burst and would threaten the capital, Juyuan happened to attend audience and argued from the terrain that the alarm was false—and so it proved. He served in turn as prefect, judge in the Ministry of Revenue, and transport commissioner of Jingdong. Shamen Island held many exiles, and the guarding officials eyed their goods and secretly killed them. Juyuan asked that a supervisory office be established to weigh rewards and punishments, and from then on far more exiles were kept alive. He was transferred to Huainan and Hedong. When the Xia came to dispute Quye territory, Juyuan crossed the river with only a few horsemen, pitched a tent to negotiate with them, and showed his sincere heart. The Xia were moved and submitted.

治平中，又徙成都。邙井鹽歲入二百五十萬，為丹棱卓箇所侵，積不售，下令止之，鹽登於舊。召提舉在京修造，英宗勞之曰：「官廬舍害於水，僅有存者，卿究心公家，毋憚其勞。」俄進鹽鐵副使，拜天章閣待制，知滄州，改河北都轉運使，知永興軍。慶人、夏人屯境上，有窺我意，舉元使二裨將以千騎扼其要害。長安遣從事來會兵涇原，戒勿輕舉。大將竇舜卿銳意請行，不聽。舉元曰：「不過三日，虜去矣。」至期果去。神宗以細劄諮攻守策，舉元請省官減戍，益備去兵，勿營亭障。輿論不合，遂引疾求解，徙陳州，未行而卒。官至給事中，年六十二。子詔。

During the Zhiping era he was transferred again to Chengdu. Mangjing salt yielded 2,500,000 in annual revenue but was being encroached upon by Danling Zhuoge, leaving stocks piled up unsold. He ordered the encroachment stopped, and salt revenues returned to their former level. He was summoned to supervise capital repairs. Emperor Yingzong encouraged him, saying, "Official residences have suffered from flood; only a few remain. Devote yourself wholeheartedly to the public service and do not shrink from the labor." Soon he was promoted Vice Commissioner of Salt and Iron, made attendant of the Heavenly Writings Hall and prefect of Cangzhou, then overall transport commissioner of Hebei and military commissioner of Yongxing. Qing and Xia forces camped on the border as if to probe our intentions. Juyuan sent two lieutenant generals with a thousand horsemen to hold the vital passes. Chang'an sent an aide to join forces at Jingyuan and warned against rash action. The great general Dou Shunqing eagerly asked to take the field, but was not permitted. Juyuan said, "Within three days at most the enemy will withdraw." When the day came they indeed withdrew. Emperor Shenzong consulted him by detailed note on offensive and defensive strategy. Juyuan recommended reducing officials and border garrisons, increasing preparedness while withdrawing forward troops, and not building pavilions and stockade barriers. Public opinion did not agree. He therefore cited illness and asked to resign, was transferred to Chenzhou, and died before he could take up the post. He rose to Impartial in Affairs and died at the age of sixty-two. His son was Zhao.

孫詔

Grandson: Zhao

詔，字景獻，用蔭補官，通判廣信軍事，知博州。魏俗尚椎剽，姦盜相囊橐，詔請開反告殺並贖罪法，以攜其黨。元祐初，朝廷起回河之議，未決，而開河之役遽興。詔言：「河朔秋潦，水淫為災，民人流徙，賴發廩振贍恩，稍蘇其生，謂宜安之，未可以力役傷也。」從之。擢開封府推官。富民貸後絕僧牒為緡錢三十萬，逾期復責倍輸，身死貲籍，又錮其妻子，詔請免之。出為滑州，州屬縣有退灘百餘頃，歲調民刈草給河堤，民病其役，詔募人佃之，而收其餘。為度支郎中，使契丹，時方討西夏，迓者耶律誠欲嘗我，言曰：「河西無禮，大國能容之乎？」詔曰：「夏人侮邊，既正其罪矣，何預兩朝和好事？」入賀，故事，跪而飲，蓋有誤拜者，乃強詔，詔曰：「南北百年，所守者禮，其可紛更耶？」卒跪飲之。

Zhao, courtesy name Jingxian, entered office by yin privilege, served as military vice prefect of Guangxin, and governed Bozhou. Wei custom favored violent robbery, and villains and thieves backed one another. Zhao asked to revive the law allowing counter-accusation to execution with commutation through fines, so as to break up their factions. At the beginning of Yuanyou the court raised debate on redirecting the river. Before a decision was reached, work to open the channel was suddenly launched. Zhao said, "In autumn the Hebei region suffered floods. Excessive water brought disaster and the people were displaced. They have barely revived through granary relief and sustaining grace. They ought to be settled in peace and must not be harmed by forced labor." The court followed his advice. He was promoted investigating officer of Kaifeng prefecture. A wealthy man had borrowed money and later had his monk certificate invalidated for a debt of three hundred thousand strings of cash. When he fell overdue he was charged double payment, died with his estate seized, and his wife and children were imprisoned. Zhao asked that they be released. Sent out as prefect of Huazhou, he found that a subordinate county had more than a hundred qing of receded shoals. Each year the people were levied to cut grass for the river dikes and suffered under the labor. Zhao had the land leased out and took the surplus revenue. As Director in the Revenue Section he served as envoy to Khitan while the court was campaigning against Western Xia. The welcoming officer Yelü Cheng wished to test the Song and said, "The Hexi people are without propriety—can the great state tolerate them?" Zhao said, "The Xia have insulted the border and their offense has already been corrected. What has that to do with the good relations of our two courts?" When he entered to offer congratulations, by precedent one knelt to drink. Because some had bowed incorrectly, they tried to force Zhao. Zhao said, "North and South have stood for a hundred years. What we observe is ritual—how can it be changed recklessly?" In the end he knelt and drank.

崇寧中，由大理少卿為卿，徙司農。御史論詔在滁日請蘇軾書《醉翁亭碑》，罷主崇福宮。旋知汝州，鑄錢卒罵大校，詔斬以徇，而上章待罪。除直秘閣，言者復抉滁州事，罷去。起知深、兗二州，徙同州，過闕，留為左司郎中，遷衛尉、太府卿、刑部侍郎，詳定敕令。舊借緋紫者不佩魚，詔言：「章服所以辨上下，今與胥吏不異。」遂皆佩魚。歷工、兵、戶三部侍郎，轉開封尹。時子璹使京西，攝尹洛。父子兩京相望，人以為榮。

During Chongning he rose from Vice Director of the Court of Judicial Review to Director, then was transferred to Minister of Agriculture. Censors charged that while in Chuzhou Zhao had asked Su Shi to write the Stele of the Drunken Old Man Pavilion. He was dismissed and made custodian of Chongfu Palace. Soon he was made prefect of Ruzhou. Coin-casting soldiers cursed a senior officer, and Zhao had them executed as a warning, then submitted a memorial awaiting punishment. He was appointed direct academician of the Secret Archive, but critics again dredged up the Chuzhou affair and he was dismissed. He was recalled to govern Shen and Yan prefectures, transferred to Tongzhou, passed through the capital and was retained as Left Department Director, then promoted Commandant of the Guard, Minister of the Palace Storehouse, Vice Minister of Punishments, and charged with revising statutes and ordinances. Formerly those who borrowed scarlet and purple robes did not wear fish pendants. Zhao said, "Court dress distinguishes high from low, yet now they are no different from clerks." They were therefore all required to wear fish pendants. He served as vice minister of Works, War, and Revenue in turn, then became Prefect of Kaifeng. At the time his son Jun was envoy to Jingxi and acted as prefect of Luoyang. Father and son faced each other across the two capitals, and people regarded it as an honor.

進刑部尚書，拜延康殿學士，提舉上清寶籙宮，復為工部尚書。徽宗閔其老，命毋拜，詔惶恐，於是但朝朔望。俄以銀青光祿大夫致仕，卒，年七十九。

He was advanced to Minister of Punishments, appointed Academician of the Yankang Hall, made custodian of the Shangqing Precious Registers Palace, and again made Minister of Works. Emperor Huizong pitied his age and ordered that he need not bow. Zhao was fearful and thereafter attended court only on the first and fifteenth of the month. Soon he retired as Silver-Gleaming Grandee for Splendid Happiness and died at the age of seventy-nine.

論曰：自昔參大政、贊機務，非明敏特達之士，不能勝其任。若又飭以文雅，濟以治具，則盡善矣。若水機鑒明敏，儒而知兵；李至剛嚴簡重，好古博雅，其於柄用宜矣。王沔臨事精密，能遠私謁，而考課之議，頗傷苛刻；仲甫以吏事為時用，未免苟容之誚，瑕瑜固不相掩也。仲舒見舉於蒙正，而反攻其短；易簡不能周恤光逢，而置之死地，其不可與郭贄辨曹彬之誣、化基伸禹錫之枉同日而語也明矣。此純厚長者之稱，所以獨歸於二子歟！舉正繼踐臺佐，得風憲體；舉元任職邊郡，有持重稱。矧詔之父子又並尹兩京，克濟其美，何王氏子孫之多賢也！

The critique says: From antiquity, to participate in great governance and assist in state affairs, only a man who is bright, keen, and outstanding can bear the burden. If in addition he is disciplined by refinement and supplied with the tools of governance, then he is complete. Ruoshui was keen in insight and bright, a scholar who understood warfare; Li Zhi was firm, stern, simple, and weighty, fond of antiquity and broad in learning—fit indeed to wield power. Wang Mian was precise in handling affairs and could keep private petitions at a distance, yet his proposals on performance review were rather harsh; Zhongfu was valued by the age for administrative skill, yet could not escape criticism for easy indulgence; flaw and merit indeed do not conceal one another. Zhongshu was promoted by Mengzheng yet turned to attack his faults; Yijian could not show comprehensive care for Guangfeng and put him to death. Clearly this cannot be spoken of in the same breath as Guo Zhi's refuting Cao Bin's false charge or Huaji's righting Chai Yuxi's wrong. This reputation for pure generosity and senior virtue belongs to those two alone! Juzheng followed in censorial service and grasped the censorial spirit; Juyuan served on the frontier and had a reputation for steadiness. Moreover, Zhao and his son together governed the two capitals, fulfilling their excellence. How many worthy men there are among the Wang clan's descendants!

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