1
陳次升
Chen Cisheng
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陳次升，字當時，興化仙遊人。 入太學，時學官始得王安石《字說》，招諸生訓之，次升作而曰：「丞相豈秦學邪？ 美商鞅之能行仁政，而為李斯解事，非秦學而何？」 坐屏斥。 既而第進士，知安丘縣。 轉運使吳居厚以聚斂進，檄尉罔徵稅於遠郊，得農家敗絮，捕送縣，次升縱遣之。 居厚怒，將被以文法，會御史中丞黃履薦，為監察御史。
Chen Cisheng, whose courtesy name was Dangshi, came from Xianyou in Xinghua prefecture. When he enrolled in the Imperial University, the academy's officers had just acquired Wang Anshi's 《Explanation of Characters》 and called the students together for instruction. Cisheng stood up and asked, "Does the Chancellor really follow the learning of Qin? He praises Shang Yang for being able to enact benevolent government, yet he explains things on Li Si's behalf — if that is not the learning of Qin, what is it? For this he was expelled and dismissed from the university. He later passed the jinshi examination and was appointed magistrate of Anqiu County. The transport commissioner Wu Juhou had risen by squeezing revenue from the people. He ordered constables to levy taxes under false pretenses in distant suburbs; when they found only worn-out cotton padding in a peasant household, they arrested the family and sent them to the county seat. Cisheng released them and let them go. Juhou was furious and was about to have him prosecuted under the law, but the vice censor-in-chief Huang Lü recommended him, and he was appointed investigating censor.
3
哲宗立，使察訪江、湖。 先是，蹇周輔父子經畫江右鹽法，為民害，次升舉劾之。 還言：「額外上供之數未除，異日必有非法之斂，願從熙寧以來創行封椿名錢悉賜豁免。 又役法未定，人情熒惑，乞速定差雇及均數之等，先為之節而審行之。」 提點淮南、河東刑獄。
When Emperor Zhezong came to the throne, Cisheng was dispatched on an inspection tour of the Jiang and Hu regions. Earlier, Jian Zhoufu and his son had devised the salt monopoly in Jiangyou, to the people's harm; Cisheng impeached them. On his return he reported: "The quotas for extra tribute to the court have not been abolished; in time there will surely be unlawful exactions. I ask that all the sealed-reserve funds created since the Xining reign be granted a full exemption. Moreover, the labor-service law remains unsettled and the people are unsettled and confused. I ask that the categories for corvée assignment, hired labor, and equalization be fixed quickly, with limits set first and then implemented with care." He was appointed intendant of judicial prisons for Huainan and Hedong.
4
紹聖中，復為御史，轉殿中。 論章惇、蔡卞植黨為姦，乞收還威福之柄。 禁中火，彗出西方，次升請修德求言，以弭天變。 掖庭鞫厭魅獄，次升言：「事關中宮，宜付外參治。 今屬於閹寺之手，萬一有冤濫，貽後世譏。」 濟陽郡王宗景請以妾為妻，論其以宗藩廢禮，為聖朝累。
During the Shaosheng reign he again served as censor and was promoted within the Palace Censorate. He charged that Zhang Dun and Cai Bian had built factions to do harm and asked that their grip on power and patronage be taken away. When fire broke out in the palace and a comet appeared in the west, Cisheng urged the emperor to cultivate virtue and welcome counsel in order to appease Heaven's warning. When a sorcery case was tried in the palace women's quarters, Cisheng said, "This matter touches the inner palace; it should be referred to outside officials for investigation. If it remains in the hands of eunuch officials, any wrongful conviction will invite ridicule from posterity." When the Prince of Jiyang, Zong Jing, asked to elevate a concubine to wife, Cisheng argued that he had set aside ritual propriety by virtue of his princely rank and was bringing disgrace on the dynasty.
5
初，惇、卞以次升在元祐間外遷，意其不能無怨望，卞又與同鄉里，故延置憲府，欲使出力為助，擠排眾賢，而一無所附。 時方編元祐章疏，毒流搢紳。 次升言：「陛下初即位，首下詔令，導人使諫； 親政以來，又揭敕榜，許其自新。 今若考一言之失，致於譴累，則前之詔令適所以誤天下，後之敕榜適所以誑天下，非所以示大信也。」 又論卞客周穜貪鄙，鄭居中憸佞。 由是惇、卞交惡之，使所善太府少卿林顏致己意，嘗以美官。 次升曰：「吾知守官而已，君為天子卿士，而為宰相傳風旨邪？」 惇、卞益不樂，乘間白為河北轉運使，帝曰：「漕臣易得耳，次升敢言，不當去。」 更進左司諫。
At first Zhang Dun and Cai Bian, knowing that Cisheng had been posted outside the capital during the Yuanyou years, assumed he must harbor resentment. Bian was also a fellow townsman, so they brought him into the censorate hoping he would help them drive out worthy officials — but he would not join them. At that time the court was compiling memorials from the Yuanyou period, and persecution spread among the official class. Cisheng said, "When Your Majesty first took the throne, you issued edicts encouraging people to speak frankly; since assuming personal rule you have posted placards offering offenders a chance to reform. If a single ill-chosen word now leads to punishment, then your earlier edicts will have misled the realm and your later placards will have deceived it — that is no way to show the people that your word can be trusted. He also denounced Bian's client Zhou Cong as greedy and base, and Zheng Juzhong as crafty and sycophantic. Thereupon Dun and Bian turned against him. They had Lin Yan, vice director of the Court of the Imperial Treasury, convey their wishes and once offered him a lucrative post. Cisheng replied, "I know only how to do my duty. You are a minister of the Son of Heaven — and yet you carry private messages from the chancellor?" Dun and Bian were still more displeased. They seized an opportunity to recommend him for transport commissioner of Hebei. The emperor said, "Transport commissioners are easy to find; Cisheng dares to speak out — he should not be sent away." Instead he was promoted to Left Remonstrator of the Secretariat.
6
宣仁有追廢之議，次升密言：「先太后保佑聖躬，始終無間，願勿聽小人銷骨之謗。」 帝曰：「卿安所聞？」 對曰：「臣職許風聞，陛下毋詰其所從來可也。」 呂升卿察訪廣南，次升言：「陛下無殺流人之意，而遣升卿出使。 升卿資性慘刻，喜求人過，今使逞志釋憾，則亦何所不至哉？」 乃止不遣。
When there was talk of posthumously demoting Empress Dowager Xuanren, Cisheng spoke privately: "The late empress dowager guarded Your Majesty's person from first to last without fail; do not heed petty men's slanders meant to destroy her memory." The emperor asked, "Where did you hear this?" He answered, "It is my duty to report what I hear; Your Majesty need not ask where I learned it." When Lü Shengqing was to be sent on an inspection tour of Guangnan, Cisheng said, "Your Majesty has no wish to kill the exiled, yet you are sending Shengqing on this mission. Shengqing is by nature cruel and harsh and delights in finding fault with others. If he is allowed to indulge his will and settle old scores, what limit will there be to his actions? The emperor then canceled the mission and did not send him.
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次升累章劾章惇，皆留中。 帝嘗謂曰：「章惇文字勿令絕。」 次升退告王鞏，鞏曰：「君胡不云：諫臣，耳目也； 帝王，心也。 心所不知，則耳目為之傅達； 既知之，何以耳目為？」 居數日，復入見，帝申前旨，乃以鞏語對。 帝曰：「然。 顧未有代之者爾。」 訖不克去。 京師富家乳婢怨其主，坐兒于上而嵩呼者三，邏繫獄。 次升乞戒有司無得觀望。 帝問大臣何謂，蔡卞曰：「正謂觀望陛下爾。」 誣其毀先烈，擬謫監全州酒稅，帝以為遠，改南安軍。
Cisheng repeatedly memorialized to impeach Zhang Dun, but the emperor kept every memorial and took no action. The emperor once told him, "Do not let Zhang Dun's writings disappear from the record." Cisheng withdrew and told Wang Gong. Gong said, "Why did you not say: Remonstrating officials are the eyes and ears; the emperor is the heart. What the heart does not know, the eyes and ears report; once it is known, what need is there for eyes and ears?" Several days later he was received again. When the emperor repeated his earlier remark, Cisheng answered with Gong's words. The emperor said, "That is so. Only there is no one yet to replace him." In the end Zhang Dun could not be removed. In the capital a wet nurse in a wealthy household, resentful of her master, seated a child on a high place and shouted three times in a loud voice; she was arrested and thrown into prison. Cisheng asked that officials be warned not to wait on the emperor's mood before acting. When the emperor asked the chief ministers what he meant, Cai Bian said, "He means waiting to see which way Your Majesty leans." They accused him of slandering the former worthies and proposed demoting him to supervise the wine tax of Quan prefecture. The emperor thought that too distant and changed the sentence to Nan'an circuit.
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徽宗立，召為侍御史。 極論惇、卞、曾布、蔡京之惡，竄惇于雷，居卞于池，出京于江寧。 遷右諫議大夫。 獻體道、稽古、修身、仁民、崇儉、節用六事，言多規切。 崇寧初，以寶文閣待制知潁昌府，降集賢殿修撰，繼又落修撰，除名徙建昌，編管循州，皆以論京、卞故。 政和中，用赦恩復舊職。 卒，年七十六。
When Emperor Huizong came to the throne, Cisheng was recalled as attendant censor. He spoke at length against the crimes of Zhang Dun, Cai Bian, Zeng Bu, and Cai Jing, banishing Dun to Lei, posting Bian to Chi, and sending Jing out to Jiangning. He was promoted to Right Remonstrating Grandee. He presented six proposals — embodying the Way, studying antiquity, cultivating the self, showing benevolence to the people, honoring frugality, and practicing economy — and his memorials were largely pointed admonitions. At the start of the Chongning era he was made academician-expecting appointment of the Baowen Pavilion and prefect of Yingchang, then demoted to compiler of the Hall for Cherishing Worthies, then stripped of that title, removed from the rolls and sent to Jianchang, and finally placed under registered exile in Xunzhou — all because he had criticized Cai Jing and Cai Bian. During the Zhenghe reign he was restored to his former rank through an amnesty. He died at the age of seventy-six.
9
次升三居言責，建議不苟合，劉安世稱其有功於元祐人，謂能遏呂升卿之行也。 它所言曾肇、王覿、張庭堅、賈易、李昭玘、呂希哲、范純禮、蘇軾等，公議或不謂然。
Cisheng three times held remonstrating office and never trimmed his proposals to please others. Liu Anshi praised his service to those persecuted in the Yuanyou years, saying he had been able to stop Lü Shengqing's mission. His other attacks on Zeng Zhao, Wang Di, Zhang Tingjian, Jia Yi, Li Zhaoxu, Lü Xizhe, Fan Chunli, Su Shi, and others were not always endorsed by public opinion.
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陳師錫
Chen Shixi
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陳師錫，字伯修，建州建陽人。 熙寧中，遊太學，有俊聲。 神宗知其材，及廷試，奏名在甲乙間，帝偶閱其文，屢讀屢歎賞，顧侍臣曰：「此必陳師錫也。」 啟封果然，擢為第三。 調昭慶軍掌書記，郡守蘇軾器之，倚以為政。 軾得罪，捕詣臺獄，親朋多畏避不相見，師錫獨出餞之，又安輯其家。
Chen Shixi, whose courtesy name was Boxiu, came from Jianyang in Jian prefecture. During the Xining reign he studied at the Imperial University and earned a reputation for brilliance. Emperor Shenzong knew his ability. At the palace examination his name was listed between the top and second ranks. The emperor happened upon his essay, read it repeatedly with admiration, and said to his attendants, "This must be Chen Shixi." When the papers were unsealed it proved true, and he was placed third. He was appointed secretary of the Zhaoqing Army command; the prefect Su Shi valued him and relied on him in governing the prefecture. When Su Shi fell from favor and was arrested and taken to the censorate prison, most of his friends and kin feared to be seen with him. Shixi alone went out to bid him farewell and looked after his family.
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知臨安縣，為監察御史。 上言：「宋興，享國長久號稱太平者，莫如仁宗，切考致治之本，不過延直言，御群下，進善退邪而已。 明道中，親覽萬幾，見政事之多辟，輔佐之失職，自呂夷簡、張耆、夏竦、陳堯佐、范雍、晏殊等，一日罷去。 寶元初，冬雷地震，用諫官韓琦之言，王隨、陳堯佐、韓億、石中立同時見黜。 其後，不次擢用杜衍、范仲淹、富弼、韓琦，以成慶曆、嘉祐之治。 願稽皇祖納諫、御臣之意，以興治功。」 帝善其言。
He served as magistrate of Lin'an County and was then appointed investigating censor. He memorialized: "Since the founding of Song, no reign has been so long and so peaceful as that of Emperor Renzong. The root of his good government was simply to welcome frank counsel, govern his officials firmly, advance the worthy, and remove the corrupt. In the Mingdao era the emperor personally attended to affairs of state, saw that government had gone badly wrong and that his chief ministers had failed in their duties, and in a single day dismissed Lü Yijian, Zhang Qi, Xia Song, Chen Yaozuo, Fan Yong, Yan Shu, and others. At the start of the Baoyuan era, winter thunder and an earthquake occurred; heeding remonstrator Han Qi, Wang Sui, Chen Yaozuo, Han Yi, and Shi Zhongli were dismissed on the same day. Afterward he promoted Du Yan, Fan Zhongyan, Fu Bi, and Han Qi ahead of their seniority, bringing about the good government of the Qingli and Jiayou eras. I ask Your Majesty to follow our imperial ancestor's example of welcoming remonstrance and governing his ministers firmly, so as to restore good government." The emperor approved his memorial.
13
時詔進士習律，師錫言：「陛下方大闡學校，用經術訓迪士類，不應以刑名之學亂之。 夫道德，本也； 刑名，末也。 教之以本，人猶趨末，況教之以末乎？ 望追寢其制，使得悉意本業。」 用事者謂倡為詖說，出知宿遷縣。
When an edict ordered jinshi graduates to study law, Shixi said, "Your Majesty is now greatly expanding the schools and training scholars in the classics; you should not confuse that training with the study of penal law. Morality and virtue are the root; penal law is the branch. If you teach the root, people still rush to the branch — how much more if you teach the branch? I ask that this regulation be withdrawn so that scholars may devote themselves fully to their proper studies. Those in power accused him of spreading heterodox views and sent him out as magistrate of Suqian County.
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元祐初，蘇軾三上章，薦其學術淵源，行己潔素，議論剛正，器識靖深，德行追蹤于古人，文章冠絕於當世。 乃入為秘書省校書郎，遷工部員外郎，加秘閣校理，提點開封縣鎮。 建言：「銓法，選人用舉者遷升，而歲有定額。 今請託者濫數，而寒畯有不足之患，請為之限約。」 畿內將官苛慘，失士心，方大閱，群卒譁譟，將吏莫知所為。 師錫馳至軍，推首惡者致諸法，按閱如初，而劾斥其將，縣人歎服。 樞密院猶以事不先白為罪，罷知解州。 歷考功員外郎，知宣州、蘇州。
At the start of the Yuanyou era Su Shi three times memorialized in his favor, praising his profound learning, pure conduct, forthright judgment, calm and deep insight, virtue that matched the ancients, and writing unmatched in his generation. He was then appointed proofreader of the Secretariat, promoted to vice director of the Ministry of Works, given the added title of collator of the Secret Archive, and made intendant of the counties and market-towns of Kaifeng. He proposed: "Under the selection law, candidates advance through their recommenders, and each year there is a fixed quota. Today those who advance through patronage exceed the quota, while poor scholars from humble families are left short. I ask that limits be imposed. Within the capital region the commandery generals were harsh and cruel and had lost the soldiers' loyalty. During a grand review the troops broke into an uproar, and the officers did not know what to do. Shixi rode at once to the camp, had the ringleaders punished by law, completed the review as planned, and impeached the generals. The people of the county marveled at his firmness. The Bureau of Military Affairs still faulted him for not reporting the matter in advance and dismissed him to serve as prefect of Jie prefecture. He later served as vice director of the Ministry of Personnel and as prefect of Xuan and Su prefectures.
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徽宗立，召拜殿中侍御史。 疏言：「元豐之末，中外洶洶矣。 宣仁聖后再安天下，委國而治者，司馬光、呂公著爾。 章惇誣其包藏禍心，至於追貶。 天相陛下，發潛繼統，而惇猶據高位，光等贈諡未還，墓碑未復。 願早攄宸略，以慰中外之望。」
When Emperor Huizong came to the throne, Shixi was recalled and appointed palace attendant censor. In a memorial he said, "At the end of the Yuanfeng reign the court and country were in turmoil. Empress Dowager Xuanren restored peace to the realm; those to whom she entrusted government were Sima Guang and Lü Gongzhu. Zhang Dun slandered them as harboring treacherous intent and even pursued posthumous demotion. Heaven aided Your Majesty in succeeding to the throne, yet Zhang Dun still holds high office; Guang and the others have not had their posthumous honors restored, nor their tomb tablets re-erected. I ask that Your Majesty act quickly to satisfy the hopes of the court and the country.
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蔡京為翰林學士，師錫言：「京與弟卞同惡，迷國誤朝。 而京好大喜功，銳於改作，日夜交結內侍、戚里，以覬大用。 若果用之，天下治亂自是而分，祖宗基業自是而隳矣。 京援引死黨至數百人，鄧洵武內行汙惡，搢紳不齒，豈可滓穢史筆？ 向宗回、宗良亦陰為京助。 是皆國之深患，為陛下憂，為宗廟憂，為賢人君子憂。 若出之於外，社稷之福也。」 帝曰：「此於東朝有礙，卿為我處之。」 對曰：「審爾，臣當具白太后。」 遂上封事言：「自昔母后臨朝，危亂天下，載在史冊，可考而知。 至於手書還政，未有如聖母，退抑謙遜，真可為萬世法。 而蔡京陰通二向，妄言宮禁預政，以誣聖德，不可不察也。」
When Cai Jing was Hanlin academician, Shixi said, "Jing and his younger brother Bian are alike in wickedness; they have led the state astray and harmed the court. Jing loves grand projects and is eager for innovation; day and night he cultivates eunuchs and imperial relatives, seeking high office. If he is given real power, whether the realm is well governed or in chaos will be decided from that moment, and the ancestral foundation will be endangered. Jing has brought back hundreds of his faction's dead partisans. Deng Xunwu's private conduct is vile; the official class will not acknowledge him — how can such men stain the historical record? Xiang Zonghui and Zong Liang also secretly aid Jing. These are grave dangers to the state — dangers for Your Majesty, for the ancestral temple, and for worthy men. If they are sent away from court, it will be a blessing for the dynasty. The emperor said, "This touches the empress dowager's palace; see to it for me." He replied, "If that is so, I shall report the matter fully to the empress dowager." He then submitted a sealed memorial: "Since antiquity, empresses dowager who have held court have brought crisis and disorder to the realm — the histories record this plainly for all to read. Yet in personally writing to return power to the throne, none has ever matched the Sagely Empress Dowager; in yielding authority she showed such restraint and humility that she may truly stand as a model for all ages. Yet Cai Jing secretly colluded with the two Xiangs, falsely claiming that the inner palace meddled in government so as to slander her virtue — this demands careful scrutiny."
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詔索秘閣圖畫，師錫言：「《六經》載道，諸子言理，歷代史籍，祖宗圖畫，天人之蘊，性命之妙，治亂安危之機，善惡邪正之跡在焉。 望留意於此，以唐山水圖代《無逸》為監。」
An edict ordered paintings brought from the Secret Archive. Shixi said, "The 《Six Classics》 bear the Way; the philosophers expound principle; dynastic histories and ancestral portraits hold the mysteries of Heaven and man, the subtlety of nature and fate, the turning points of order and chaos, and the record of good and evil. I ask that Your Majesty attend to these — not substitute a Tang landscape for the 《No Dissipation》 hung as a moral warning."
18
俄改考功郎中，師錫抗章言曰：「臣在職數月，所言皆當今急務。 若以為非，陛下方開納褒獎； 若以為是，則不應遽解言職。 如蔡京典刑未正，願受竄貶。」 於是出知潁、廬、滑三州。 坐黨論，監衡州酒； 又削官置郴州。 卒，年六十九。 師錫始與陳瓘同論京、卞，時號「二陳」。 紹興中，贈直龍圖閣。
Soon he was reassigned as director of personnel evaluation. Shixi submitted a forceful memorial: "In the few months I have served, everything I have addressed has been an urgent matter of the day. If Your Majesty thought me wrong, you had only just welcomed counsel and praised me; if you thought me right, you should not have abruptly stripped me of my remonstrating post. If Cai Jing has not yet received his due punishment, I am willing to accept banishment and demotion myself." He was then sent out to serve in succession as prefect of Ying, Lu, and Hua prefectures." Convicted in a factional case, he was assigned to supervise the wine monopoly at Hengzhou;" his rank was then reduced and he was banished to Chenzhou." He died at sixty-nine." Shixi had originally joined Chen Guan in attacking Cai Jing and Cai Bian; contemporaries called them the "Two Chens." In the Shaoxing period he was posthumously granted the title Direct Dragon Diagram Pavilion."
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彭汝礪
Peng Ruli
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彭汝礪，字器資，饒州鄱陽人。 治平二年，舉進士第一。 歷保信軍推官、武安軍掌書記、潭州軍事推官。 王安石見其《詩義》，補國子直講，改大理寺丞，擢太子中允，既而惡之。
Peng Ruli, courtesy name Qizi, was a native of Poyang in Raozhou." In the second year of the Zhiping reign he took first place in the jinshi examination." He served in succession as judicial officer of the Baoxin Army, secretary of the Wu'an Army, and military judicial officer in Tan Prefecture. Wang Anshi read his 《Commentary on the Odes》 and appointed him direct lecturer at the Imperial University, then made him vice director of the Court of Judicial Review and promoted him to vice director in the Eastern Palace — only to turn against him later.
21
御史中丞鄧綰將舉為御史，召之不往； 既上章，復以失舉自列。 神宗怒，逐綰，用汝礪為監察御史裏行。 首陳十事：一正己，二任人，三守令，四理財，五養民，六振救，七興事，八變法，九青苗，十鹽事。 指擿利害，多人所難言者。 又論呂嘉問市易聚斂非法，當罷； 俞充諂中人王中正，至使妻拜之，不當檢正中書五房事。 神宗為罷充，詰其語所從，汝礪曰：「如此，非所以廣聰明也。」 卒不奉詔。 及中正與李憲主西師，汝礪言不當以兵付中人，因及漢、唐禍亂之事。 神宗不懌，語折之。 汝礪拱立不動，伺間復言，神宗為改容，在廷者皆歎服。 宗室以女賣婚民間，有司奏罷之。 汝礪言：「此雖疏屬，皆天家子孫，不可使閭閻之賤得以貨取，願更著婚法。」
When Vice Censor-in-Chief Deng Guan was about to recommend him for the censorate and summoned him, he refused to come; after submitting his memorial, he again impeached himself for Guan's mistaken recommendation. Emperor Shenzong was enraged, removed Guan, and appointed Ruli acting investigating censor. He opened with ten proposals: rectifying oneself, appointing the right men, prefects and magistrates, fiscal management, nourishing the people, relief, public works, legal reform, the Green Sprouts program, and the salt monopoly. He laid out costs and benefits, raising many matters others dared not voice. He also argued that Lü Jiawen's market-exchange levies were illegal and should be abolished; that Yu Chong fawned on the eunuch Wang Zhongzheng — even making his wife perform obeisance to him — and was unfit to oversee the Secretariat's Fifth Office. Shenzong removed Chong and demanded to know his informant. Ruli replied, "Handled this way, Your Majesty will not broaden your sources of intelligence." He never obeyed the order. When Zhongzheng and Li Xian were placed in command of the western armies, Ruli argued that arms should not be put in eunuchs' hands and invoked the disasters of Han and Tang. Shenzong took offense and sharply rebuked him. Ruli stood with folded hands and did not stir; when a moment opened, he spoke again. Shenzong's manner changed, and everyone at court marveled. A clansman had sold his daughter's hand in marriage to a commoner, and officials memorialized to forbid it. Ruli said, "Remote though the connection may be, they are still the emperor's kin. Vulgar commoners must not be able to buy them with money. I ask that the marriage law be rewritten."
22
元豐初，以館閣校勘為江西轉運判官，陛辭，復言：「今不患無將順之臣，患無諫諍之臣； 不患無敢為之臣，患無敢言之臣。」 神宗嘉其忠藎。 代還，提點京西刑獄。
In early Yuanfeng he moved from archival collator to transport judge of Jiangxi. At his farewell audience he said again, "The court today does not lack men who flatter — it lacks men who speak plainly. It does not lack men who dare act — it lacks men who dare speak." Shenzong commended his loyalty. When his tour ended he was appointed chief judicial officer for the Jingxi circuit.
23
元祐二年，召為起居舍人。 時相問新舊之政，對曰：「政無彼此，一於是而已。 今所更大者，取士及差役法，行之而士民皆病，未見其可。」 逾年，遷中書舍人，賜金紫。 詞命雅正，有古人風。 其論詩體四韻事尤力，大臣有持平者，頗相左右，一時進取者疾之，欲排去其類，未有以發。
In the second year of Yuanyou he was recalled as recorder. The chief minister asked his view of the old and new policies. He answered, "Policy knows no factions — only right and wrong. The greatest changes now are to the civil service examinations and the corvée-dispatch law. In practice they afflict scholars and commoners alike, and I see no proof they work." A year later he was promoted to drafting counselor and granted gold-and-purple insignia. His edict language was refined and upright, in the manner of the ancients. He fought hardest over the four-rhyme poetry examination; fair-minded ministers largely sided with him, while office-seekers resented him and wanted his circle removed but could find no pretext.
24
會知漢陽軍吳處厚得蔡確安州詩上之，傅會解釋，以為怨謗。 諫官交章請治之，又造為危言，以激怒宣仁后，欲置之法。 汝礪謂此羅織之漸也，數以白執政，不能救，遂上疏論列，不聽。 方居家待罪，得確謫命除目草詞，曰：「我不出，誰任其責者。」 即入省，封還除目，辨論愈切。 諫官指汝礪為朋黨，宣仁后曰：「汝礪豈黨確者，亦為朝廷論事爾。」 及確貶新州，又須汝礪草詞，遂落職知徐州。 初，汝礪在臺時，論呂嘉問事，與確異趣，徙外十年，確為有力。 後治嘉問它獄，以不阿執政，坐奪二官。 至是，又為確得罪，人以此益賢之。
Then Wu Chuhou, prefect of Hanyang, obtained a poem Cai Que had written in Anzhou and submitted it, twisting the words into an accusation of slander. Remonstrators flooded the court with impeachments; some invented dire charges to provoke Empress Dowager Xuanren and have Que condemned. Ruli saw the makings of a frame-up and repeatedly warned the chief ministers, but could not save Que; he memorialized at length and was ignored. While awaiting punishment at home, he received the draft appointment for Que's exile. He said, "If I stay away, who will answer for this?" He went straight to the ministry, sealed the appointment back, and argued with mounting force. Remonstrators called Ruli Que's partisan. Empress Dowager Xuanren said, "Ruli is no ally of Que's — he too speaks for the court." When Que was banished to Xinzhou and Ruli was again ordered to draft the edict, Ruli was demoted and sent out as prefect of Xuzhou. Earlier, at the censorate, Ruli had taken a different line from Que on Lü Jiawen; exiled from court for ten years, he had watched Que rise. Later, prosecuting Jiawen on another charge, he lost two ranks for refusing to yield to the administration. Now he suffered again for Que's sake, and the public admired him all the more.
25
加集賢殿修撰，入權兵、刑二部侍郎。 有獄當貸，執政以特旨殺之，汝礪持不下。 執政怒，罰其屬。 汝礪言：「制書有不便，許奏論。 汝礪屬又何罪？」 遂自劾請去，章四上。 詔免屬罰，徙汝礪禮部，真拜吏部侍郎。
He was made Academician of the Hall for Cherishing Worthies and entered to serve concurrently as acting vice minister of War and of Justice. In one case the sentence should have been commuted, but the chief ministers sought a special order of execution; Ruli withheld the draft. The ministers were furious and punished his staff. Ruli said, "When an edict is unsound, officials may memorialize against it. What crime had my staff committed?" He then impeached himself and asked to leave — four memorials in all. An edict lifted the punishment on his staff and moved Ruli to the Ministry of Rites; he was then formally appointed vice minister of Personnel.
26
哲宗躬聽斷，修熙寧、元豐政事，人皆爭獻所聞，汝礪獨無建白。 或問之，答曰：「在前日則無敢言，於今則人人能言之矣。」 進權吏部尚書。 言者謂嘗附會劉摯，以寶文閣直學士知成都府。 未行，章數上，又降待制、知江州。 將行，哲宗問所欲言，對曰：「陛下今所復者，其政不能無是非，其人不能無賢否。 政惟其是，則無不善； 人惟其賢，則無不得矣。」
When Zhezong began hearing cases himself and revived Xining and Yuanfeng policies, everyone rushed to offer opinions; Ruli alone offered nothing. Asked why, he answered, "Before, no one dared speak; now everyone can." He was promoted to acting minister of Personnel. Accusers said he had once aligned with Liu Zhi; he was appointed Straight Academician of the Hall for Treasuring Culture and sent to govern Chengdu. Before he could leave he memorialized repeatedly and was demoted again to Awaiting Drafts and made prefect of Jiangzhou. About to set out, Zhezong asked what he wished to say. He replied, "In what Your Majesty restores, policies cannot all be equally sound, nor can men all be equally worthy. Choose what is right in policy, and nothing will go wrong; choose what is worthy in men, and nothing will be beyond reach."
27
至郡數月而病去。 其遺表略云：「土地已有餘，願撫以仁； 財用非不饒，願節以禮。 佞人初若可悅，而其患在後； 忠言初若可惡，而其利甚博。」 至於恤河北流移，察江南水旱，凡數百言。 朝廷方以樞密都承旨命之而已卒，乃以告賜其家。 年五十四。
He reached his post, fell ill within months, and resigned. His final memorial read in part: "The land already yields enough — govern it with benevolence; wealth is not scarce — restrain it with ritual. Sycophants please at first, but their harm comes later; Honest counsel offends at first, but its good is vast." On succoring displaced people in Hebei and investigating flood and drought in Jiangnan, he wrote several hundred words more. The court had just named him Chief Coordinator of the Bureau of Military Affairs when he died; the appointment was granted posthumously to his family. He was fifty-four.
28
汝礪讀書為文，志於大者，言動取捨，必合於義，與人交，必盡誠敬。 兄無子，為立後，官之。 少時師事桐廬倪天隱，既死，並其母妻葬之，且衣食其女。 同年生宋渙死，經理其後，不啻如子。 所著《易義》、《詩義》、《詩文》凡五十卷。 弟：汝霖、汝方。
In scholarship he aimed high; in word and deed he measured every choice by righteousness; in friendship he gave full sincerity and respect. His elder brother had no heir; he adopted one for him and secured him an official post. As a youth he studied under Ni Tianyin of Tonglu; when Ni died, he buried him together with Ni's mother and wife and supported Ni's daughter. When his examination-year companion Song Huan died, he handled the aftermath as devotedly as a son would. He authored the 《Commentary on the Changes》, the 《Commentary on the Odes》, and 《Poetry and Prose》, fifty juan in all. His younger brothers were Rulin and Rufang.
29
弟汝霖
Younger brother Rulin
30
汝霖，字岩老。 第進士，以曾布薦，為秘書丞，擢殿中侍御史，由是附布。 時紹述之論復興，都水丞李夷行乞復詩賦，汝霖劾之。 韓忠彥議權合祭，汝霖言其非禮。 遷侍御史。 門下侍郎李清臣與布異，布先諷江公望使擊之，將處以諫議大夫，公望弗聽。 汝霖竟逐清臣，果得諫議。
Rulin, courtesy name Yanlao. He passed the jinshi examination; recommended by Zeng Bu, he became secretary director, was promoted to palace attendant censor, and thereafter attached himself to Bu. When the "revival of the ancestral reforms" gained ground, Li Yixing of the Directorate of Waterways asked to restore the poetry-and-rhapsody examination; Rulin impeached him. Han Zhongyan proposed combining ancestral sacrifices; Rulin declared it unritual. He was promoted to attendant censor. Vice Director Li Qingchen opposed Bu. Bu first urged Jiang Gongwang to attack Qingchen, planning to reward Gongwang with a remonstrance grandee post, but Gongwang refused. Rulin finally drove Qingchen out and received the remonstrance post himself.
31
鞫趙諗反獄，窮其黨與。 元祐禍再興，吳材、王能甫排斥不已，汝霖言：「諸人罪狀，已經紹聖出削，案籍具在，但可據以行，不必候指名彈擊。」 於是司馬光以下復貶。 布失位，汝霖罷知泰州，又謫濮州團練副使。 後以顯謨閣待制卒。
He tried the treason case of Zhao Shen and pursued every associate to the end. When Yuanyou-era retribution returned, Wu Cai and Wang Nengfu pressed the purge relentlessly. Rulin said, "These men's offenses were already set out in the Shaosheng demotion edicts; the records are complete — act on them directly; there is no need to wait for named impeachments." Sima Guang and his associates were demoted again. When Bu fell, Rulin was removed as prefect of Taizhou and further demoted to regiment vice commissioner at Puzhou. He later died while holding the title Awaiting Drafts of the Hall for Illustrious Counsel.
32
弟汝方
Younger brother Rufang
33
汝方，字宜老。 以汝礪蔭為滎陽尉、臨城主簿。 汝礪卒，棄官歸葬。 豐稷留守南京，辟司錄。 宣和初，通判衢州，使者疏其治狀，擢知州事。
Rufang, courtesy name Yilao. Through Ruli's privilege of inheritance he became defender of Xingyang and chief clerk of Lincheng. When Ruli died, Rufang resigned his post and went home to bury him. Feng Ji, who was holding Nanjing as military commissioner, recruited him as registrar. In the early Xuanhe period he served as vice-prefect of Quzhou; when an imperial envoy reported on his administration, he was promoted to acting prefect.
34
方臘起睦之青溪，與衢接境。 寇至，無兵可禦，眾望風奔潰。 汝方獨與其僚段約介守孤城，三日而陷，罵賊以死，年六十六。 徽宗褒歎之，超贈龍圖閣直學士、通議大夫，諡曰「忠毅」，官其家七人。
Fang La raised his rebellion at Qingxi in Mu prefecture, on the border of Qu prefecture. When the rebels arrived there were no troops to meet them, and the people broke and fled at the first alarm. Rufang alone, with his colleague Duan Yue, held the isolated city to the end; after three days it fell, and he died cursing the rebels. He was sixty-six. Emperor Huizong praised and mourned him, posthumously granting him the ranks of Direct Academician of the Hall of Dragon Illustrations and Grandee for Propagation of Righteousness, with the posthumous title Loyal and Resolute; seven members of his family were given official posts.
35
呂陶，字元鈞，成都人。 蔣堂守蜀，延多士入學，親程其文，嘗得陶論，集諸生誦之，曰：「此賈誼之文也。」 陶時年十三，一坐皆驚。 由是禮諸賓筵。 一日，同遊僧舍，共讀寺碑，酒闌，堂索筆書碑十紙，行斷句闕，以示陶曰：「老夫不能盡憶，子為我足之。」 陶書以獻，不繆一字。
Lu Tao, courtesy name Yuanjun, was a native of Chengdu. When Jiang Tang governed Shu, he invited many scholars into the academy and personally graded their compositions. Once he came upon an essay by Tao, gathered the students to recite it, and said, "This is the writing of Jia Yi. Tao was then only thirteen, and everyone present was astonished. From that time on he was honored at every gathering of guests. One day they visited a monastery together and read the temple stele. When the wine was nearly finished, Tang asked for brush and ink and copied out ten sheets of the stele text, leaving broken lines and gaps where he could not remember, then showed them to Tao and said, "This old man cannot recall it all. You fill in the rest for me. Tao wrote it out and presented it—not a single character wrong.
36
中進士第，調銅梁令。 民龐氏姊妹三人冒隱幼弟田，弟壯，訴官不得直，貧至庸奴於人。 及是又訴。 陶一問，三人服罪，弟泣拜，願以田半作佛事以報。 陶曉之曰：「三姊皆汝同氣，方汝幼時，適為汝主之爾； 不然，亦為他人所欺。 與其捐半供佛，曷若遺姊，復為兄弟，顧不美乎？」 弟又拜聽命。
He passed the jinshi examination and was appointed magistrate of Tongliang. Among the people, three sisters of the Pang clan had fraudulently concealed their young brother's land. When the brother came of age he sued but could obtain no justice, and grew so poor that he had to hire himself out as a servant. By then he brought suit again. Tao questioned them once; the three sisters confessed, and the brother wept and bowed, offering to give half the land for Buddhist rites in gratitude. Tao reasoned with him: "Your three elder sisters share your blood. When you were small they were merely managing things on your behalf; otherwise they too would have been cheated by others. Rather than give half away to the Buddha, would it not be better to leave the land to your sisters and become brothers again in deed? Would that not be finer?" The brother bowed again and did as he was told.
37
知太原壽陽縣。 府帥唐介辟簽書判官，暇日促膝晤語，告以立朝事君大節，曰：「君廊廟人也。」 以介薦，應熙寧制科。 時王安石從政，改新法，陶對策枚數其過，大略謂：「賢良之旨，貴犯不貴隱。 臣愚，敢忘斯義？ 陛下初即位，願不惑理財之說，不間老成之謀，不興疆埸之事。 陛下措意立法，自謂庶幾堯、舜，然陛下之心如此，天下之論如彼，獨不反而思之乎？」 及奏第，神宗顧安石取卷讀，讀未半，神色頗沮。 神宗覺之，使馮京竟讀，謂其言有理。 司馬光、范鎮見陶，皆曰：「自安石用事，吾輩言不復效，不意君及此，平生聞望，在茲一舉矣。」
He served as magistrate of Shouyang County in Taiyuan prefecture. The prefectural commander Tang Jie recruited him as administrative assistant. On free days they would sit knee to knee and talk, and Jie spoke to him of the great principles of serving at court and serving the ruler, saying, "You are a man meant for the halls of state. On Jie's recommendation he entered the Xining special decree examination. At that time Wang Anshi was in power and reforming the New Policies. In his examination response Tao listed their faults one by one, saying in essence, "The purpose of the Worthy and Capable examination is to honor frank criticism, not concealment. I am but a dull subject—how dare I forget that principle? Your Majesty has only just ascended the throne. I pray that you will not be swayed by talk of revenue management, that you will not shut out the counsel of seasoned men, and that you will not stir up trouble on the borders. Your Majesty sets your heart on making laws and tells yourself that you nearly equal Yao and Shun—yet your heart is one way and the talk of the realm another. Will you not turn back and reflect on that? When the results were announced, Emperor Shenzong turned to Wang Anshi and had him read the paper. Before Anshi was halfway through, his face had fallen considerably. Shenzong noticed this and had Feng Jing read it through to the end, saying that Tao's words had merit. Sima Guang and Fan Zhen both met Tao and said, "Since Anshi came to power, nothing we say has any effect. We never expected you to go this far. A lifetime's reputation now hangs on this single act."
38
安石既怒孔文仲，科亦隨罷，陶雖入等，才通判蜀州。 張商英為御史，請廢永康軍，下旁郡議，陶以為不可。 及知彭州，威、茂夷入寇，陶召大姓潛具守備，城門啟閉如平時，因以永康前議上於朝，軍遂不廢。
Anshi, already enraged at Kong Wenzhong, had the examination abolished as well. Although Tao ranked among the successful candidates, he received only the post of vice-prefect of Shuzhou. When Zhang Shangying was censor he asked to abolish Yongkang Army and sent the proposal to neighboring prefectures for discussion. Tao argued that it should not be done. When he governed Pengzhou, the Yi of Wei and Mao invaded. Tao secretly summoned the leading local clans to prepare defenses, kept the city gates opening and closing as in normal times, and submitted the earlier proposal on Yongkang to court; the army was not abolished.
39
王中正為將，蜀道畏事之甚謹，而其所施悉謬戾，陶奏召還之。 李杞、蒲宗閔來榷茶，西州騷動。 陶言：「川蜀產茶，視東南十不及一，諸路既皆通商，兩川獨蒙禁榷。 茶園本是稅地，均出賦租，自來敷賣以供衣食，蓋與解鹽、晉礬不同。 今立法太嚴，取息太重，遂使良民枉陷刑辟，非陛下仁民愛物之意也。」 宗閔怒，劾其沮敗新法，責監懷安商稅。 或往吊之，陶曰：「吾欲假外郡之虛名，救蜀民百萬之實禍。 幸而言行，所濟多矣。 敢有榮辱進退之念哉。」 起知廣安軍，召為司門郎中。
Wang Zhongzheng served as a general on the Shu road, where everyone feared him and treated him with the utmost deference, yet everything he did was perverse and wrongheaded. Tao memorialized to have him recalled. When Li Qi and Pu Zongmin came to impose the tea monopoly, the western prefectures were thrown into turmoil. Tao said, "Sichuan produces tea—less than a tenth of what the southeast produces. Every other circuit already allows free trade, yet the Two Rivers alone remain under a state monopoly. Tea gardens are taxed land like any other; owners pay the regular land tax and have always sold their tea openly to make a living. That is not the same as the salt monopoly in Jie or the alum monopoly in Jin. Now the law is too harsh and the exactions too heavy, so that good people are being driven into criminal punishment. That is not what Your Majesty intends by cherishing the people and caring for their livelihood. Zongmin was furious and impeached him for obstructing and undermining the New Policies, assigning him to supervise the commercial tax office at Huai'an. Some went to comfort him. Tao said, "I mean to borrow the hollow title of an outer prefecture in order to avert real disaster for a million people in Shu. If my words are heeded and put into effect, a great deal will be saved. How could I care about honor, disgrace, advancement, or withdrawal?" He was then appointed to govern Guangan Army and summoned to the capital as Director of the Gate Section.
40
元祐初，擢殿中待御史，首獻邪正之辨曰：「君子小人之分辨，則王道可成，雜處於朝，則政體不純。 今蔡確、韓縝、張璪、章惇，在先朝，則與小人表裏，為賊民害物之政，使人主德澤不能下流； 在今日，則觀望反覆，為異時子孫之計。 安燾、李清臣又依阿其間，以伺勢之所在而歸之。 昔者負先帝，今日負陛下。 願亟加斥逐，以清朝廷。」 於是數人相繼罷去。
In the early Yuanyou period he was promoted to palace attendant censor and first submitted a memorial distinguishing the upright from the corrupt, saying, "When gentlemen and petty men are clearly separated, the royal way can be achieved; when they are mixed together at court, the body of government cannot remain pure. Cai Que, Han Zong, Zhang Can, and Zhang Dun—in the previous reign they worked hand in glove with petty men, pushing policies that robbed the people and harmed the realm, so that the sovereign's grace could not reach those below; now they watch which way the wind blows and shift with it, scheming for their descendants' future. An Yan and Li Qingchen fawn and drift among them as well, waiting to see where power lies before they commit themselves. Yesterday they failed the late emperor; today they fail Your Majesty. I ask that they be swiftly expelled and driven out, so that the court may be cleansed. Several of them were dismissed in succession.
41
時議行差役，陶言：「郡縣風俗異制，民之貧富不均，當此更法之際，若不預設防禁，則民間雖無納錢之勞，反有偏頗之害。 莫若以新舊二法，裁量厥中。」 會陶謁告歸，詔於本道定議。 陶考究精密，民以為便。 還朝，遂正兩路轉運使李琮、蒲宗閔之罪； 又奏十事，皆利害切於蜀者。
At the time the court was debating the corvée-substitution system. Tao said, "Customs differ from county to county, and wealth is unevenly distributed among the people. At a moment of legal change, if safeguards are not set in advance, the people may be spared paying money in lieu of labor, yet suffer new forms of unfairness instead. Better to take the old and new laws together and strike a measured balance between them. Just then Tao took leave to return home, and an edict ordered that the policy be settled in his circuit. Tao worked out the details with care and precision, and the people found the result workable. On returning to court he secured convictions against the transport commissioners Li Cong and Pu Zongmin; and memorialized on ten matters, all of them bearing directly on the welfare of Shu.
42
蘇軾策館職，為朱光庭所論，軾亦乞補郡，爭辨不已。 陶言：「臺諫當徇至公，不可假借事權以報私隙。 議者皆謂軾嘗戲薄程頤，光庭乃其門人，故為報怨。 夫欲加軾罪，何所不可，必指其策問以為譏謗，恐朋黨之敝，自此起矣。」 由是兩置之。
Su Shi took the examination for an academy post and was impeached by Zhu Guangting. Su Shi in turn asked to be sent to a prefectural post, and the dispute would not end. Tao said, "Censors and remonstrators must pursue the utmost public good and must not use official power to settle private scores. Everyone says that Su Shi once slighted Cheng Yi in jest, and that Guangting, as Cheng's disciple, is now taking revenge. If they want to punish Su Shi, they can find any pretext—but to fix on his examination answers as slander will, I fear, open the door to the evils of factional strife. Both sides were therefore set aside.
43
陶與同列論張舜民事不合，傅堯俞、王岩叟攻之，太皇太后不納，遷陶左諫議，繼出為梓州、淮西、成都路轉運副使。 入拜右司郎中、起居舍人。 大臣上殿，有乞屏左右及史官者，陶曰：「屏左右已不可，況史官乎？ 大臣奏事而史官不得聞，是所言私也。」 詔定為令。 遷中書舍人。 奏使契丹歸，乞修邊備。 哲宗喜曰：「臣僚言邊事，惟及陝西，不及河北。 殊不知河北有警，則十倍陝西矣！ 卿言甚善。」 進給事中。
Tao fell out with his colleagues over Zhang Shunmin's case. Fu Yaoyu and Wang Yansou attacked him, but the Grand Empress Dowager would not accept their charge. Tao was moved to Left Remonstrance Censor, then sent out as deputy transport commissioner for Zizhou, Huai West, and the Chengdu circuit. He was recalled to serve as Right Section Director and Drafting Recorder. When senior ministers came before the throne, some asked that attendants and the recorder be dismissed. Tao said, "Dismissing attendants is already unacceptable—how much less the recorder? If ministers report business while the recorder is barred from hearing it, then what is said is private business. An edict made this the fixed rule. He was promoted to Secretariat Drafter. After returning from an embassy to the Khitan, he memorialized asking that border defenses be strengthened. Emperor Zhezong said with approval, "When my officials speak of frontier matters, they speak only of Shaanxi and never of Hebei. They do not realize that if Hebei is threatened, the danger is ten times what it is in Shaanxi! Your words are very well said. He was promoted to Supervising Censor.
44
哲宗始親政，陶言：「太皇保祐九年，陛下所深知，尊而報之，惟恐不盡。 然臣猶以無可疑為疑，不必言而言，萬一有姦邪不正之謀，上惑淵聽，謂某人宜復用，某事宜復行，此乃治亂安危之機，不可不察也。」 俄以集賢院學士知陳州，徙河陽、潞州，例奪職，再貶庫部員外郎，分司。 徽宗立，復集賢殿修撰、知梓州，致仕。 卒年七十七。
When Zhezong began to rule in his own right, Tao said, "The Grand Empress Dowager protected you for nine years—Your Majesty knows that better than anyone, and in honoring and repaying her you fear only that you have not done enough. Yet I still worry where perhaps there is nothing to worry about. Though there may be no need to speak, I must speak: if treacherous men should ever confuse Your Majesty's judgment, urging that so-and-so be restored or such-and-such policy revived, that would touch the hinge between order and chaos, safety and ruin—and it cannot go unexamined. Soon afterward, as Academician of the Hall of Assembled Worthies he was sent to govern Chen prefecture, then transferred to Heyang and Luzhou; his office was stripped under the usual penalty, and he was demoted again to Vice Director of the Treasury Department with a nominal appointment. When Huizong came to the throne, he was restored as Compiler of the Hall of Assembled Worthies, appointed to govern Zizhou, and then retired. He died at the age of seventy-seven.
45
張庭堅
Zhang Tingjian
46
張庭堅，字才叔，廣安軍人。 進士高第，調成都觀察推官，為太學《春秋》博士。 紹聖經廢，通判漢州。 入為樞密院編修文學，坐折簡別鄒浩免。 徽宗召對，除著作佐郎，擢右正言。 帝方銳意圖治，進延忠鯁，庭堅與鄒浩、龔𡙇、江公望、常安民、任伯雨皆在諫列，一時翕然稱得人。
Zhang Tingjian, courtesy name Caishu, was a native of Guangan Army. Placed high on the jinshi list, he was assigned as investigative judge under the Chengdu observation commissioner and served as lecturer on the 《Spring and Autumn Annals》 at the Imperial University. When the Classics were abolished in the Shaosheng period, he served as vice-prefect of Han prefecture. He entered service as literary compiler at the Bureau of Military Affairs, but was dismissed for sending a brief note to bid Zou Hao farewell. Huizong summoned him for an audience, appointed him Associate Compiler, and promoted him to Right Rectifier. The emperor was then intent on good government and sought out loyal and outspoken men. Tingjian, together with Zou Hao, Gong Que, Jiang Gongwang, Chang Anmin, and Ren Boyu, all held remonstrance posts, and for a time people agreed that the right men had been found.
47
庭堅在職逾月，數上封事，其大要言：
Tingjian had been in office little more than a month when he submitted several sealed memorials. Their gist was this:
48
「世之論孝，必曰紹復神考，然後謂孝。 夫前後異宜，法亦隨變，而欲纖悉必復，然則將敝於一偏，久必有不便於民而招怨者，如此而謂之孝，可乎？ 司馬光因時變革，以便百姓，人心所歸，不為無補於國家； 陳瓘執義論諍，將以去小人，士論所推，不為無益于宮禁。 乞盡復光贈典以悅人心，召還瓘言職以慰士論。 又士大夫多以繼志述事勸陛下者，臣恐必有營私之人，欲主其言以自售，謂復紹先烈非其徒不可，將假名繼述，而實自肆焉。 今遠略之耗於內者，棄不以為守，則兵可息； 特旨之重於法者，刪不以為例，則刑可省。 近以青唐反叛，棄鄯守湟。 既以鄯為可棄，則區區之湟，亦安足守？ 臣謂並棄湟州便。」
"In talk of filial piety today, people insist that one must restore the policies of the late Emperor Shenzong before one can be called filial at all. Times differ, and laws must change with them. Yet to insist on restoring every detail would trap us in one-sided rigidity; in time measures that do not suit the people will breed resentment. Can that truly be called filial piety? Sima Guang reformed government to suit the times and ease the people's burdens; the hearts of the realm turned to him, and the state was not the worse for it. Chen Guan remonstrated in the name of righteousness, seeking to remove petty men from power; scholar-official opinion holds him in esteem, and the palace was not the worse for it. I ask that Guang's posthumous honors be fully restored to satisfy the people's hearts, and that Guan be recalled to his remonstrance post to satisfy scholarly opinion. Again, many scholar-officials urge Your Majesty to 'continue the late emperor's will and carry forward his work.' I fear that some are scheming for private advantage, hoping to lead that talk and sell themselves through it, claiming that only their faction can restore the late emperor's legacy—borrowing the language of succession while in fact doing as they please. In frontier strategy, abandon distant posts that drain our strength and cannot realistically be held, and the army may rest; strike from special edicts provisions harsher than the code itself and refuse to treat them as precedent, and punishments may be reduced. Recently, when Qingtang rebelled, we abandoned Shan and tried to hold only Huang. If Shan could be abandoned, how can tiny Huang alone be worth holding? I hold that we should abandon Huangzhou as well."
49
庭堅言論深切，退輒焚稿。
Tingjian's words were penetrating and forceful; whenever he withdrew he burned his drafts.
50
是時，議者往往指元祐舊臣在廷者太多。 庭堅為帝言司馬光、呂公著之賢，且曰：「陛下踐阼以來，合人心事甚眾，惟夫邪正殊未差別。 如光、公著甄敘，但用赦恩，初未嘗別其無罪也。」 又薦蘇軾、蘇轍可用，頗忤旨。 曾布因稱其所論不常，帝命徙為郎，俄出為京東轉運判官。 任伯雨言庭堅立身有本末，不應罷言職。 庭堅亦辭新命，改知汝州，又送吏部。 伯雨復爭之，乞以庭堅章付外，考其所言，毋使言者為三省所脅。 李清臣從而擠之，改通判陳州。
At that time critics often complained that too many old ministers from the Yuanyou era still remained at court. Tingjian spoke to the emperor of the worth of Sima Guang and Lü Gongzhu, and added, "Since Your Majesty ascended the throne, you have done much that wins the people's hearts—yet the upright and the corrupt have still not been clearly distinguished. In the review of Sima Guang and Lü Gongzhu, officials relied solely on amnesty edicts and never clearly marked the innocent. He also recommended Su Shi and Su Zhe as qualified for office, which strongly offended the emperor. Zeng Bu argued that his opinions were inconsistent; the emperor moved him to a court lang post and soon sent him out as capital Eastern circuit transport assistant commissioner. Ren Boryu argued that Tingjian's personal integrity was sound and that he should not be stripped of his censorial post. Tingjian also declined the new appointment, was reassigned as prefect of Ruzhou, and was again referred to the Ministry of Personnel. Boryu protested again, asking that Tingjian's memorial be referred outside the court to test his claims, so remonstrators would not be intimidated by the Three Departments. Li Qingchen joined in forcing him out and had him reassigned as assistant prefect of Chen prefecture.
51
初，蔡京守蜀，庭堅在幕府與相好。 及京還朝，欲引以為己用，先令鄉人諭意，庭堅不肯往。 京大恨，後遂列諸黨籍。 又坐嘗談瑤華非辜事，編管虢州，再徙鼎州、象州。 久之，復故官。 卒，年五十七。 紹興初，詔贈直徽猷閣。
When Cai Jing was prefect of Shu, Tingjian served on his staff and the two were on friendly terms. After Jing returned to the capital he wanted to recruit him; he first sent a townsman to explain his intent, but Tingjian refused to come. Jing deeply resented this and later had him entered on the faction roll. He was also punished for having once spoken of the Yaohua case as an injustice; he was banished to Guozhou, then transferred to Ding and Xiang prefectures. After many years he was restored to his former rank. He died at the age of fifty-seven. At the start of the Shaoxing era an edict posthumously granted him the title Direct Attendant of the Huayou Pavilion.
52
龔𡙇
Gong Que
53
龔𡙇，字彥和，瀛州人。 清介自守，有重名。 進士第三，簽書河陽判官。 從曾布於瀛。 紹聖初，擢監察御史，以親老，求通判相州，知洺州。
Gong Que, courtesy name Yanhe, was a native of Ying prefecture. Scrupulous and self-contained, he enjoyed a high reputation. Placing third on the jinshi examination, he was appointed signing assistant magistrate of Heyang. He followed Zeng Bu at Ying. At the start of the Shaosheng era he was promoted to investigating censor; citing aged parents, he sought and received appointment as assistant prefect of Xiangzhou and then prefect of Luozhou.
54
徽宗立，召拜殿中侍御史。 始上殿，即抗疏請辨忠邪，曰：「好惡未明，則人迷所向； 忠邪未判，則眾必疑。 今聖政日新，遠近忻悅，進退人材，皆出睿斷，此甚盛之舉也。 然姦黨既破，必將早夜熟計，廣為身謀。 或遽革面以求自文，或申邪說以拒正論，或詭稱禍福以動朝廷，或託言祖宗以脅人主。 巧事貴戚，陰結左右，變亂是非，姦計百出，幸其既敗復用，已去復留。 君子直道而行，則必墮其術中。 然則天下治忽，未可知也。 故宜洞察忠邪，行之以決。 若小不忍，則害大政。 臣願陛下明好惡以示之，使遠近知進賢退姦之意，太平之治，不難致也。」 又言：「朝廷累下赦令，洗滌元祐愆負被坐之人，至於官職資蔭，多未給還。 願申詔有司，亟為施行，以伸先帝寬仁之意。」
When Emperor Huizong ascended the throne he was summoned and appointed palace censor. On his first audience he immediately submitted a bold memorial asking that loyalty and corruption be distinguished, saying, "If likes and dislikes are not yet clear, people lose their bearings; if the loyal and the corrupt are not yet judged, everyone will be uncertain. Your sage governance improves daily; the realm rejoices; promotions and dismissals all proceed from your discernment — this is a magnificent achievement. Yet the defeated faction will surely scheme day and night to advance their own interests. Some will hastily change their faces to seem respectable; some will peddle perverse doctrines to block honest criticism; some will invoke fortune and calamity to sway the court; some will cite the ancestors to intimidate the throne. They will flatter the imperial clan, secretly cultivate favorites at court, invert right and wrong, and deploy countless treacherous schemes, hoping that though cast down they may rise again and though dismissed they may be retained. If upright men follow the straight path, they will surely fall into their traps. Then whether the realm will be well or poorly governed cannot be known. Therefore you should see through loyalty and corruption and act decisively. If you show forbearance in small matters, great policy will suffer. I beg Your Majesty to clarify likes and dislikes for all to see, so that everyone knows you mean to promote the worthy and remove the wicked; then the rule of great peace will be easy to achieve. He also said, "The court has repeatedly issued amnesties to clear the offenses of those punished in the Yuanyou era, yet many offices and inherited privileges have still not been restored. I ask that you instruct the responsible offices to carry this out promptly, extending the late emperor's generous lenience."
55
時章惇、蔡卞用事，𡙇首論其惡，大略以為：
At that time Zhang Dun and Cai Bian were in power; Que was the first to denounce their wickedness, arguing in general that:
56
「昔日丁謂當國，號為恣睢，然不過陷一寇準而已。 及至於惇，而故老、元輔、侍從、臺省之臣，凡天下之所謂賢者，一日之間，佈滿嶺海，自有宋以來，未之聞也。 當是時，惇之威勢震於海內，此陛下所親見。 蓋其立造不根之語，文致悖逆之罪，是以人人危懼，莫能自保，俾其朽骨銜冤於地下，子孫禁錮於炎荒，忠臣義士，憤悶而不敢言，海內之人，得以歸怨先帝。 其罪如此，尚何俟而不正典刑哉？ 卞事上不忠，懷姦深理，凡惇所為，皆卞發之，為力居多。 望采之至公，昭示譴黜。」
"In the past, when Ding Wei dominated the government he was called overbearing, yet he ruined only Kou Zhun. When Dun took power, however, elder statesmen, chief ministers, attendants, and censors — everyone the realm regarded as worthy — in a single day were scattered across the far south; nothing like it had been seen since the Song began. At that time Dun's power shook the entire realm — Your Majesty saw it yourself. He invented baseless charges and dressed them up as treason, so that everyone lived in terror; loyal dead bore grievances in their graves, descendants were exiled to the hot south, righteous men fumed in silence, and the people could blame the late emperor. Crimes such as these — why delay in applying the proper punishment? Bian was disloyal in serving the throne; he nursed deep treachery; whatever Dun did, Bian set in motion and supplied most of the force. I hope you will, with the utmost fairness, announce their dismissal and punishment."
57
又論：「蔡京治文及甫獄，本以償報私仇，始則上誣宣仁，終則歸咎先帝，必將族滅無辜，以逞其欲。 臣料當時必有案牘章疏，可以見其鍛煉附會。 如方天若之凶邪，而京收置門下，賴其傾險，以為腹心，立起犴獄，多斥善士，天下冤之，皆京與天若為之也。 願考證其實，以正姦臣之罪。」 於是三人者皆去。
He also argued, "Cai Jing handled the Wen Jifu case chiefly to settle a private score; he first falsely implicated Empress Dowager Xuanren and finally shifted blame onto the late emperor, intending to destroy the innocent to satisfy his desires. I suppose that at the time there must have been dossiers and memorials showing how evidence was forged and charges fabricated. A villain such as Fang Tianruo was taken in by Jing and kept at his side as a trusted agent of intrigue; he suddenly opened prison cases and drove out many good officials — the realm resented it, and Jing and Tianruo were responsible. I ask that the facts be verified so the treacherous minister may be punished. Thereupon all three men were dismissed.
58
又上疏乞正元祐后冊位號，及元符后不當並立，書報聞。 已而元祐后冊再廢，言者論𡙇首尾建言，詔削籍，編管房州。 繼徙象，又徙化。 徒步適貶所，持扇乞錢以自給。 逢赦令得歸，政和元年卒，年五十五。 紹興元年，贈直龍圖閣。 六年，再贈右諫議大夫，官其後二人。
He also memorialized asking that the Yuanyou empress's title be properly restored and that the Yuanfu empress should not be installed as co-empress; the memorial was acknowledged. Soon the Yuanyou empress's title was abolished again; critics said Que had argued both ways; an edict struck him from the rolls and banished him to Fangzhou. He was then transferred to Xiang, and again to Hua. He walked to his place of exile and supported himself by begging with a fan. When an amnesty permitted his return, he died in the first year of Zhenghe at the age of fifty-five. In the first year of Shaoxing he was posthumously granted Direct Attendant of the Longtu Pavilion. In the sixth year he was again posthumously made Right Remonstrance Grandee, and two of his descendants were given office.
59
弟大壯，少有重名，清介自立。 從兄官河陽，曾布欲見之，不可得，乃往謁𡙇，邀之出，從容竟日，題詩壁間，有「得見兩龔」之語。 𡙇為御史，大壯勸使早去，𡙇以為畏友。 不幸早卒。
His younger brother Dazhuang, even in youth, had a great name for integrity and self-reliance. When his elder cousin served at Heyang, Zeng Bu wanted to meet him but could not; he therefore visited Que and invited Dazhuang out; they passed the day together, and Bu inscribed on the wall a poem with the phrase "having seen both Gongs." When Que was a censor, Dazhuang urged him to withdraw early; Que treated him as a friend who kept him honest. He unfortunately died young.
60
孫諤，字元忠，睢陽人。 父文用，以信厚稱鄉里，死諡慈靜居士。 諤少挺特不群，為張方平所器。 登進士第，調哲信主簿，選為國子直講。 陷虞蕃獄，免。
Sun E, courtesy name Yuanzhong, was a native of Suiyang. His father Wenyong was known locally for trustworthiness and kindness; after his death he received the posthumous title Gentleman of Cijing. From youth E was exceptional; Zhang Fangping prized him. He passed the jinshi examination, was appointed registrar to the Prince of Zhexin, and was selected as lecturer in the Directorate of Education. He was implicated in the Yu Fan case and removed from office.
61
元祐初，起為太常博士，遷丞。 哲宗卜后，太史惑陰陽拘忌之說，諤上疏太皇太后言：「家人委巷之語，不足以定大計，願斷自聖慮。」 出為利梓路轉運判官，召拜禮部員外郎、左正言。
At the start of Yuanyou he was recalled as erudite of the Court of Sacrifices and promoted to assistant director. When Emperor Zhezong was selecting an empress, the Grand Astrologer was swayed by yin-yang taboos; E memorialized the Grand Empress Dowager, saying, "Neighborhood gossip is not enough to settle a great decision; I beg you to decide by your own sacred judgment. He was sent out as Lizhi circuit transport assistant commissioner, then recalled as outer vice minister of Rites and Left Rectifier.
62
紹聖治元祐黨，諤言：「漢、唐朋黨之禍，其監不遠。」 蹇序辰編類章疏，諤又言：「朝廷當示信，以靜安天下，請如前詔書，一切勿問。」 嘗侍對，論星文變咎，願修省消復，罷幸西池及寢內降除授。 帝每患臺諫乏人，諤曰：「士豈乏于世，顧陛下不知爾。」 立疏可用者二十二人。 章惇惡其拂己，出知廣德軍，徙唐州，提點湖南刑獄。
During the Shaosheng purge of the Yuanyou faction, E said, "The disaster of factions in Han and Tang is not far behind us. When Jian Xuchen compiled and classified memorials, E again said, "The court should show good faith to calm the realm; I ask that, as in the earlier edict, everything be left uninvestigated. On one audience he discussed celestial omens and disasters and urged self-restraint to restore order, and asked that visits to the West Pond and inner-palace grants and appointments be suspended. The emperor often complained that censors and remonstrators were scarce; E replied, "Are worthy men lacking in the world? Your Majesty simply does not know them. He immediately listed twenty-two men who could serve. Zhang Dun resented his opposition and sent him out as prefect of Guangde Army, then moved him to Tang prefecture and appointed him judicial intendant of Hunan.
63
徽宗立，復為右司諫，首論大臣邪正、政事可廢置因革者，帝稱其鯁直。 議者欲以群臣封事付外詳定，諤言：「君不密則失臣，是將速忠臣之禍矣，不宜宣洩。」 乃止。 遷左司諫，俄以疾卒。
When Huizong ascended the throne he was again appointed Right Remonstrance of the Department of State Affairs; he was the first to discuss which ministers were corrupt or upright and which policies should be abolished or reformed; the emperor praised his blunt integrity. When others proposed sending sealed memorials outside for review, E said, "If the ruler is not discreet he loses his ministers — that would quickly bring disaster on loyal men; such matters should not be disclosed. The proposal was dropped. He was promoted to Left Remonstrance of the Department of State Affairs and soon died of illness.
64
諤與彭汝礪以氣節相尚，汝礪亡，諤語所知曰：「吾居言責，不愧器資於地下矣。」 及再入諫省，不能旬月，時論惜之。
E and Peng Ruli admired each other for their integrity; when Ruli died, E told acquaintances, "In holding the remonstrance office I need not be ashamed before the dead. When he returned to the remonstrance office he lasted less than ten days; opinion mourned it.
65
陳軒，字元輿，建州建陽人。 進士第二，授平江軍節度推官。 元祐中，為禮部郎中、徐王翊善，再遷中書舍人。 上疏言：「祖宗舊制，諸道帥守、使者辭見之日，並召對便殿，非特可以周知利害，亦可觀閱人才。 今視朝數刻而退，惟執政大臣得在帝所，或經旬閱月，臺諫官乃得覲，餘皆無因而前，殆非所謂廣覽兼聽之道。 願詔有司，使如故事。」 又言：「所在巡檢，招惰游惡少以隸土軍，習暴橫，為田野患，請使以廂卒代。」 皆從之。 高麗入貢，軒館客，其使求市歷代史、《策府元龜》，抄鄭、衛曲譜，皆為上聞。 禮部尚書蘇軾劾其失體，以龍圖閣待制知廬州，徙杭州、江寧潁昌府。
Chen Xuan, courtesy name Yuanyu, was a native of Jianyang in Jian prefecture. Placing second on the jinshi examination, he was appointed military push officer of the Pingjiang Army. During Yuanyou he served as outer director of the Ministry of Rites and tutor to Prince Xu, then was promoted to drafting secretary of the Secretariat. He memorialized, "Under the ancestral system, when circuit commanders, prefects, and commissioners took leave and were received in audience, they were all summoned to the convenient hall — not only to learn benefits and harms, but also to observe talent. Today audience at court lasts only moments before withdrawal; only chief ministers remain with the emperor, sometimes for ten days or a month, before censors and remonstrators gain access; everyone else has no way forward — this is hardly broad consultation. I ask that the responsible offices be ordered to follow the old precedent. He also said, "Local inspectors recruit idle and vicious youths into local militia; they learn brutality and plague the countryside; I ask that garrison troops replace them. Both proposals were approved. When Goryeo sent tribute, Xuan hosted the envoys; they asked to buy dynastic histories, the Cefu yuangu, and copies of Zheng and Wei music — all of which he reported to the throne. Minister of Rites Su Shi impeached him for impropriety; he was made Longtu Pavilion attendant and appointed prefect of Luzhou, then transferred to Hangzhou, Jiangning, and Yingchang.
66
徽宗立，為兵部侍郎兼侍讀。 論監司、守臣數易之弊，如江淮發運使，十五年間至更三十二人，願稍久其任。 又言：「比更定役法，欲以寬民力，而有司生事，急切苟營贏羨。 散青苗以抑兼併，拯難困，不當以散多予賞。」 入侍經闈，每勸帝以治貴清淨，願法文、景之恭儉，帝頗聽行之。 加龍圖閣直學士、知成都府，不行，改杭州、福州。 卒，年八十四。
When Huizong ascended the throne he was Vice Minister of War and concurrent reader-in-waiting. He discussed the harm of constantly rotating circuit intendants and prefects — for instance, the Huai-Hai transport commissioner changed thirty-two times in fifteen years; he asked that terms be lengthened. He also said, "When the corvée law was recently revised the intent was to lighten the people's burden, yet officials created trouble, rushing to squeeze out surpluses. Green-sprout grain was dispersed to check encroachment and relieve distress; officials should not be rewarded simply for dispersing more. In the classics hall he often urged the emperor that good government values clarity and restraint and that he should follow the reverent frugality of Emperors Wen and Jing; the emperor largely heeded him. He was promoted to Direct Attendant of the Longtu Pavilion and appointed prefect of Chengdu but declined; he was reassigned to Hangzhou and Fuzhou. He died at the age of eighty-four.
67
江公望
Jiang Gongwang
68
江公望，字民表，睦州人。 舉進士。 建中靖國元年，由太常博士拜左司諫。 時御史中丞趙挺之與戶部尚書王古用赦恩理逋欠，古多所蠲釋，挺之劾古傾天下之財以為私惠。 公望以為天子登極大赦，將與天下更始，故一切與民，豈容古行私惠於其間，乃上疏曰：「人君所以知時政之利病、人臣之忠邪，無若諫官、御史之為可信。 若飾情肆誣，快私忿以罔上聽，不可不察也。 臣聞挺之與古論事每不相合，屢見於辭氣，懷不平之心，有待而發。 俚語有之，『私事官仇』，比小人之所不為，而挺之安為之，豈忠臣乎？」
Jiang Gongwang, courtesy name Minbiao, was a native of Mu prefecture. He passed the jinshi examination. In the first year of Jianzhong Jingguo he rose from erudite of the Court of Sacrifices to Left Remonstrance of the Department of State Affairs. At that time Vice Censor-in-Chief Zhao Tingzhi and Minister of Revenue Wang Gu used amnesty edicts to settle overdue tax debts; Gu remitted many amounts; Tingzhi impeached Gu for draining the realm's wealth to buy private favor. Jiang Gongwang argued that the emperor's accession amnesty was meant to give the realm a fresh start, so sweeping relief belonged to the people as a whole — Wang Gu could not be allowed to turn it into private patronage. He memorialized: "If a ruler is to know what helps or harms the times and which ministers are loyal or corrupt, no voices are more reliable than those of remonstrance officers and censors. If officials dress up private feelings as fact and slander others to satisfy personal grudges, deceiving what reaches the throne, that must be scrutinized. I have observed that Zhao Tingzhi and Wang Gu never agree in debate; their tone shows it again and again — Tingzhi harbors resentment and waits for a chance to strike. As the proverb says, "settling private scores in public office" — even small men avoid that, yet Tingzhi does it without shame. Is that the conduct of a loyal minister?"
69
又上疏曰：
He submitted another memorial, saying:
70
「自哲宗有紹述之意，輔政非其人，以媚於己為同，忠於君為異。 一語不合時學，必目為流俗； 一談不俟時事，必指為橫議。 借威柄以快私隙，必以亂君臣父子之名分感動人主，使天下騷然，泰陵不得盡繼述之美。 元祐人才，皆出於熙寧、元豐培養之餘，遭紹聖竄逐之後，存者無幾矣。 神考與元祐之臣，其先非有射鉤斬祛之隙也，先帝信仇人而黜之。 陛下若立元祐為名，必有元豐、紹聖為之對，有對則爭興，爭興，則黨復立矣。 陛下改元詔旨，亦稱思建皇極，蓋嘗端好惡以示人，本中和而立政，皇天后土，實聞斯言。 今若欲渝之，奈皇天后土何？」
After Emperor Zhezong sought to carry forward his father's reforms, the wrong men held power — they treated sycophancy as loyalty and true loyalty to the throne as dissent. A single phrase that did not fit the reigning doctrine was stamped as vulgar opinion; any criticism not timed to their agenda was denounced as reckless meddling. Wielding power to settle private scores, they stirred up the moral order of ruler and subject, father and son, unsettling the realm so that even Emperor Shenzong's legacy of orderly succession could not shine as it should. The capable men of the Yuanyou era were largely products of the Xining and Yuanfeng reforms; after the Shaosheng purges, only a handful survived. Emperor Shenzong and the Yuanyou ministers had no old blood feud like Duke Huan's with Guan Zhong — yet the late emperor listened to enemies and drove them out. If Your Majesty raises the banner of Yuanyou, Yuanfeng and Shaosheng will rise as its rivals; rivalry breeds strife, and strife will rebuild the factions. Your accession edict spoke of establishing the great standard, of clarifying likes and dislikes for all to see and governing from the mean — Heaven and Earth heard those words. If you now wish to go back on them, what account will you give to Heaven and Earth?"
71
內苑稍蓄珍禽奇獸，公望力言非初政所宜。 它日入對，帝曰：「已縱遣之矣，唯一白鷳畜之久，終不肯去。」 先是，帝以柱杖逐鷳，鷳不去，乃刻公望姓名於杖頭，以識其諫。 蔡王似府史以語言疑似成獄，公望極言論救，出知淮陽軍。 未幾，召為左司員外郎，以直龍圖閣知壽州。 蔡京為政，編管南安軍。 遇赦還家，卒。 建炎中，與陳瓘同贈右諫議大夫。
The inner park was slowly filling with exotic birds and beasts; Gongwang insisted that this was no way to begin a new reign. On another audience the emperor said, "I have already set them free — only one white pheasant, kept a long time, still refuses to go." Earlier the emperor had tried to shoo the bird with his staff; when it would not leave, he had Gongwang's name carved on the staff to mark the remonstrance. When Prince of Cai Wang Si's clerk was prosecuted on vague charges of seditious speech, Gongwang pleaded forcefully for mercy; he was sent out as prefect of Huaiyang Army. Soon he was recalled as outer-section vice director of the Left Department and appointed acting prefect of Shou with the rank of straight attendant of the Longtu Pavilion. When Cai Jing took power, Gongwang was banished under registration to Nan'an Army. He returned home on amnesty and died there. During the Jianyan era he was posthumously granted Right Remonstrance of the Department of State Affairs, together with Chen Guan.
72
陳祐，字純益，仙井人。 第進士。 元符末，以吏部員外郎拜右正言。 上疏徽宗曰：「有旨令臣與任伯雨論韓忠彥援引元祐臣僚事。 按賈易、岑象求、豐稷、張耒、黃庭堅、龔原、晁補之、劉唐老、李昭玘人才均可用，特跡近嫌疑而已。 今若分別黨類，天下之人，必且妄意陛下逐去元祐之臣，復興紹聖政事。 今紹聖人才比肩于朝，一切不問； 元祐之人數十，輒攻擊不已，是朝廷之上，公然立黨也。」
Chen You, courtesy name Chunyi, was a native of Xianjing. He passed the jinshi examination. At the end of the Yuanfu era he rose from outer director of the Ministry of Personnel to Right Rectifier of Speech. He memorialized Emperor Huizong: "I have been instructed, together with Ren Boryu, to examine Han Zhongyan's recommendations of Yuanyou officials. Jia Yi, Cen Xiangqiu, Feng Ji, Zhang Lei, Huang Tingjian, Gong Yuan, Chao Buzhi, Liu Tanglao, and Li Zhaoji are all men of talent who could serve — their only fault is that their records look slightly suspect. If we now sort men by faction, the realm will assume Your Majesty means to purge Yuanyou ministers and restore Shaosheng policies. Men of the Shaosheng faction stand shoulder to shoulder at court and are never questioned; yet dozens from Yuanyou are attacked again and again — that is to proclaim factionalism openly at court."
73
遷右司諫。 言：「林希紹聖初掌書命，草呂大防、劉摯、蘇轍、梁燾等制，皆務求合章惇之意。 陛下頃用臣言褫其職，自大名移揚州，而希謝表具言皆出於先朝。 大抵姦人詆毀善類，事成則攄己所憤，事敗則歸過於君。 至如過失未形而訓辭先具，安得為責人之實？ 歷辨詆誣而上侵聖烈，安得為臣子之誼？ 不一二年，致位樞近，而希尚敢忿躁不平，謝章慢上不敬。 此而可忍，孰可不忍！」 希再降知舒州。 又論章惇、蔡京、蔡卞、郝隨、鄧洵武，忤旨，通判滁州。 卞乞貶伯雨等，祐在數中，編管澧州，徙歸州。 復承議郎，卒。
He was promoted to Right Remonstrance of the Department of State Affairs. He said, "At the start of Shaosheng, Lin Xi drafted the dismissal edicts for Lü Dafang, Liu Zhi, Su Zhe, Liang Tao, and others, tailoring every word to Zhang Dun's wishes. Your Majesty recently acted on my advice and removed him from office, transferring him from Daming to Yangzhou — yet in his letter of thanks Xi claimed everything had been done at the previous emperor's command. Wicked men always slander the good: when their schemes succeed they vent private rage; when they fail they blame the sovereign. How can prefabricated condemnation edicts, written before any crime appeared, count as judging a man on the facts? To parade slanderous distinctions while encroaching on the late emperor's honor — how is that the conduct of a loyal subject? Within a year or two he rose near the center of power — yet Xi still dared to rage in his letter of thanks, treating the throne with disrespect. If this can be tolerated, what cannot?" Lin Xi was demoted again to prefect of Shuzhou. He again denounced Zhang Dun, Cai Jing, Cai Bian, Hao Sui, and Deng Xunwu; offending the throne, he was sent out as administrative vice-prefect of Chuzhou. When Cai Bian sought to demote Boryu and others, You was included; he was banished under registration to Lizhou and later moved to Guizhou. He was restored to the rank of Certified Gentleman and died.
74
常安民
Chang Anmin
75
常安民，字希古，邛州人。 年十四，入太學，有俊名。 熙寧以經取士，學者翕然宗王氏，安民獨不為變。 春試，考第一，主司啟封，見其年少，欲下之。 判監常秩不可，曰：「糊名較藝，豈容輒易？」 具以白王安石。 安石稱其文，命學者視以為準，由是名益盛。 安石欲見之，不肯往。 登六年進士舉，神宗愛其策，將使魁多士。 執政謂其不熟經學，列之第十。
Chang Anmin, courtesy name Xigu, was a native of Qiongzhou. At fourteen he entered the Imperial University and was already celebrated for his talent. When Xining made the classics the basis of recruitment, students flocked to Wang Anshi's learning — Anmin alone held to his own course. In the spring examination he placed first; when the chief examiner unsealed the papers and saw how young he was, he wanted to demote his rank. Supervisor Chang Zhi refused, saying, "Exams are judged blind on merit — how can ranks be changed at whim?" He reported the matter fully to Wang Anshi. Wang Anshi praised the essay and told students to treat it as a model; Anmin's reputation soared. Wang Anshi wished to meet him; Anmin would not go. In the sixth jinshi cycle he passed; Emperor Shenzong admired his policy essay and meant to place him first among the graduates. The chief ministers said he lacked depth in classical learning and ranked him tenth.
76
授應天府軍巡判官，選成都府教授。 與安惇為同僚，惇深刻姦詐，嘗偕謁府帥，輒毀素所厚善者。 安民退謂惇曰：「若人不厚於君乎？ 何詆之深也。」 惇曰：「吾心實惡之，姑以為面交爾。」 安民曰：「君所謂匿怨而友其人，乃李林甫也。」 惇笑曰：「直道還君，富貴輸我。」 安民應之曰：「處厚貴，天下事可知，我當歸山林，豈復與君校是非邪！ 第恐累陰德爾。」 後惇貴，遂陷安民，而惇子坐法誅死，如安民言。 秩滿寓京師。 妻孫氏與蔡確之妻，兄弟也。 確時為相，安民惡其人，絕不相聞。 確夫人使招其妻，亦不往。 調知長洲縣，以主信為治，人不忍欺。 縣故多盜，安民籍嘗有犯者，書其衣，揭其門，約能得它盜乃除，盜為之息。 追科不下吏，使民自輸，先它邑以辦。 轉運使許懋、孫昌齡入境，邑民頌其政，皆稱為古良吏。 元祐初，李常、孫覺、范百祿、蘇軾、鮮于侁連章論薦，擢大理、鴻臚丞。
He was appointed military patrol judge of Yingtian prefecture, then selected as professor of Chengdu prefecture. He served alongside An Dun, who was harsh and treacherous; whenever they called on the prefect, Dun would slander men he had once treated as close friends. Anmin later said to Dun, "Was that man not kind to you? Why speak of him with such venom?" Dun replied, "I truly despise him in my heart; I only keep up appearances for now." Anmin said, "What you describe — nursing hatred while playing the friend — is Li Linfu's way." Dun laughed, "You keep the straight road; leave wealth and rank to me." Anmin answered, "When men like you rise high, the realm's fate is clear. I will go back to the hills — why should I still argue right and wrong with you? I only fear it will cost you your secret store of merit." Later Dun rose to power and ruined Anmin; Dun's son was executed for a crime — just as Anmin had foretold. When his term ended he stayed in the capital. Anmin's wife, née Sun, was cousin to the wife of Cai Que. Que was then chief councilor; Anmin loathed him and cut off all contact. Que's wife sent for Anmin's wife; she too refused to visit. Transferred as magistrate of Changzhou county, he governed through trust — the people would not bring themselves to cheat him. The county had long been plagued by thieves; he registered prior offenders, marked their garments, posted notices at their doors, and promised removal from the list only if they helped catch others — theft subsided. For tax collection he did not rely on underlings to press people; he had taxpayers deliver directly, and his district finished ahead of the rest. When transport commissioners Xu Mao and Sun Changling toured the county, the people praised his rule and called him an official in the old worthy mold. Early in Yuanyou, Li Chang, Sun Jue, Fan Bailu, Su Shi, and Xianyu Zuo jointly recommended him; he was promoted to assistant in the Court of Judicial Review and the Court of Imperial Sacrifices.
77
是時，元豐用事之臣，雖去朝廷，然其黨分佈中外，起私說以搖時政。 安民竊憂之，貽書呂公著曰：
Men of the Yuanfeng faction, though no longer at court, still spread their network everywhere, peddling private theories to shake policy. Anmin wrote privately to Lü Gongzhu, saying:
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「善觀天下之勢，猶良醫之視疾，方安寧無事之時，語人曰：『其後必將有大憂』，則眾必駭笑。 惟識微見幾之士，然後能逆知其漸。 故不憂於可憂，而憂之於無足憂者，至憂也。
"Reading the trend of the realm is like a skilled physician reading an illness: in calm times, if you say great trouble is coming, people laugh in alarm. Only those who see the first faint signs can foresee how disaster grows. To ignore real dangers while fretting over trifles — that is the worst blindness.
79
今日天下之勢，可為大憂。 雖登進忠良，而不能搜致海內之英才，使皆萃於朝，以勝小人，恐端人正士，未得安枕而臥也。 故去小人不為難，而勝小人為難。 陳蕃、竇武協心同力，選用名賢，天下想望太平，然卒死曹節之手，遂成黨錮之禍。 張柬之五王中興唐室，以謂慶流萬世，及武三思一得志，至於竄移淪沒。 凡此者皆前世已然之禍也。 今用賢如倚孤棟，拔士如轉巨石，雖有奇特瓌卓之才，不得一行其志，甚可歎也。 猛虎負嵎，莫之敢攖，而卒為人所勝者，人眾而虎寡也。 故以十人而制一虎則人勝，以一人而制十虎則虎勝，奈何以數十人而制千虎乎？ 今怨忿已積，一發其害必大，可不謂大憂乎。」
The trend of the realm today is truly cause for grave concern. We may promote loyal men, but unless we gather every worthy talent in the empire to court to outnumber the petty, upright officials will never sleep easy. Removing small villains is easy; defeating their entrenched power is hard. Chen Fan and Dou Wu united, elevated famous worthies, and the realm hoped for peace — yet they died at eunuch Cao Jie's hands and the faction proscriptions followed. Zhang Jianzhi and the Five Princes restored the Tang, believing their glory would last forever — yet once Wu Sansi prevailed, they were exiled and destroyed. These are calamities history has already written. Today using the worthy is like leaning on a single pillar; elevating talent is like rolling a boulder — even extraordinary men cannot act on their aims. It is heartbreaking. A tiger at bay on a cliff fears no one — yet men still bring it down, because men are many and the tiger is one. Ten men can master one tiger; one man cannot master ten. How then can a few dozen upright officials defeat a thousand tigers? Resentment has piled up; when it breaks loose the damage will be immense — can we call that anything but great worry?"
80
及章惇作相，其言遂驗。
When Zhang Dun became chief councilor, Anmin's warning proved true.
81
歷太常博士，轉為丞。 與少卿朱光庭論不合，出為江西轉運判官，不行，改宗正丞。 蘇轍薦為御史，宰相不樂，除開封府推官。 紹聖初，召對，為哲宗言：「今日之患，莫大於士不知恥。 願陛下獎進廉潔有守之士，以厲風俗。 元祐進言者，以熙、豐為非，今之進言者反是，皆為偏論。 願公聽並觀，擇其中而歸於當。」 拜監察御史。 論章惇顓國植黨，乞收主柄而抑其權，反復曲折，言之不置。 惇遣所親信語之曰：「君本以文學聞于時，奈何以言語自任，與人為怨？ 少安靜，當以左右相處。」 安民正色斥之曰：「爾乃為時相遊說邪？」 惇益怒。
He served as erudite of the Court of Imperial Sacrifices and was transferred to assistant director. He clashed with Vice Director Zhu Guangting and was slated for transport vice-commissioner of Jiangxi but declined; he was reassigned as assistant director of the Court of the Imperial Clan. Su Zhe recommended him as censor; the chief minister disliked it and made him push officer of Kaifeng prefecture instead. At the start of Shaosheng he was summoned and told Emperor Zhezong, "The greatest ill today is that gentlemen no longer feel shame. Reward the honest and principled, I beg you, to stiffen public morals. Yuanyou critics condemned Xining and Yuanfeng; today's critics condemn Yuanyou — both sides speak from bias. Listen to both openly, choose the mean, and hold to what is right." He was appointed investigating censor. He denounced Zhang Dun for monopolizing government and building a faction, begging the throne to reclaim authority and curb him — arguing again and again without letup. Zhang Dun sent a trusted agent to say, "You were known for scholarship — why make yourself a professional critic and invite hatred? Keep quiet for a while, and you can be treated as an intimate." Anmin answered coldly, "Are you here to plead for the current chief councilor? Zhang Dun grew even angrier.
82
中官裴彥臣建慈雲院，戶部尚書蔡京深結之，強毀人居室，訴于朝，詔御史劾治。 安民言：「事有情重而法輕者，中官豪橫，與侍從官相交結，同為欺罔，此之姦狀，恐非法之所能盡。 願重為降責，以肅百官。」 獄具，惇主之甚力，止罰金。 安民因論京：「姦足以惑眾，辨足以飾非，巧足以移奪人主之視聽，力足以顛倒天下之是否。 內結中官，外連朝士，一不附己，則誣以黨於元祐； 非先帝法，必擠之而後已。 今在朝之臣，京黨過半，陛下不可不早覺悟而逐去之。 他日羽翼成就，悔無及矣。」 是時，京之姦始萌芽，人多未測，獨安民首發之。
The eunuch official Pei Yanchen built the Ciyun Cloister, and Cai Jing, the Minister of Revenue, closely allied himself with him and forcibly demolished people's homes. When the victims appealed at court, the emperor ordered the censorate to investigate. Anmin said, "Sometimes the facts are serious while the law is too mild: eunuch officials bully people with impunity, collude with palace attendants, and together deceive the court—conduct so corrupt that the statutes may not fully reach it. I ask that heavier penalties be imposed to discipline the officials." When the case was concluded, Zhang Dun strongly supported him, and the penalty was only a fine. Anmin then attacked Jing: "His wickedness can mislead the people, his eloquence can cover up wrongdoing, his cunning can turn the ruler's eyes and ears, and his power can invert right and wrong under Heaven. Within he ties himself to eunuch officials; without he connects with courtiers—anyone who will not follow him he smears as a Yuanyou partisan; whatever is not the late emperor's policy, he must drive out before he is satisfied. More than half the ministers at court now belong to Jing's faction—Your Majesty must awaken to this early and remove them. When his wings are full, it will be too late for regret." At that time Jing's wickedness was only beginning to show; most people had not yet seen it—Anmin alone was the first to call it out.
83
又言：「今大臣為紹述之說，皆借此名以報復私怨，朋附之流，遂從而和之。 張商英在元祐時上呂公著詩求進，諛佞無恥，近乞毀司馬光及公著神道碑。 周秩為博士，親定光諡為『文正』，近乃乞斫棺鞭屍。 陛下察此輩之言，果出於公論乎？」 章疏前後至數十百上，度終不能回，遂丐外，帝慰勉而已。
He also said, "The great ministers who preach 'continuing the reforms' all use that label to settle private scores, and their followers join in the chorus. Zhang Shangying, during the Yuanyou era, submitted a poem to Lü Gongzhu to seek promotion—shamelessly fawning—and recently asked to destroy the spirit-way steles of Sima Guang and Gongzhu. Zhou Zhi, as a erudite, personally set Guang's posthumous title as 'Wenzheng,' yet recently asked to break open his coffin and whip his corpse. Does Your Majesty think such words truly come from public opinion?" Memorial after memorial went up—dozens upon hundreds—until, seeing he could not change course, he asked to leave the capital, and the emperor only comforted him.
84
大饗明堂，劉賢妃從侍齋宮。 安民以為萬眾觀瞻，虧損聖德，語頗切直，帝微怒。 曾布始以安民數憾章惇，意其附已，屢稱之於朝。 其後並論，曾布亦恨，於是與惇比而排之，乃取其所貽呂公著書白於帝。 它日，帝謂安民曰：「卿所上宰相書，比朕為漢靈帝，何也？」 安民曰：「姦臣指擿臣言，推其世以文致臣爾，雖辨之，何益？」
At the great Bright Hall sacrifice, Consort Liu attended in the fasting palace. Anmin held that with all eyes upon the ceremony this damaged imperial dignity; his words were blunt, and the emperor was somewhat displeased. Zeng Bu had first assumed that because Anmin had repeatedly crossed Zhang Dun, he would side with him, and he often praised Anmin at court. Later, when they argued on the same side, Zeng Bu also turned against him; he then joined Dun in driving him out and produced a letter Anmin had written to Lü Gongzhu and showed it to the emperor. On another day the emperor said to Anmin, "In the letter you sent the chief councilor you compared me to Emperor Ling of Han—why?" Anmin replied, "Wicked ministers seized on my words and stretched the comparison across reigns to trap me—what would arguing accomplish?"
85
董敦逸再為御史，欲劾蘇軾兄弟，安民謂二蘇負天下文章重望，恐不當爾。 至是，敦逸奏之，詔與知軍，惇徑擬監滁州酒稅。 至滁，日親細務。 郡守曾肇約為山林之遊，曰：「謫官例不治事。」 安民謝曰：「食焉而怠其事，不可。」 滿三歲，通判溫州。
Dong Dunyi again became a censor and wanted to impeach the Su brothers; Anmin said the two Sus carried the empire's greatest literary prestige and should not be treated that way. When Dunyi did memorialize, the edict made him a military commissioner, and Zhang Dun directly drafted an appointment as supervisor of the Chuzhou wine tax. When he reached Chuz, he personally handled minor business every day. The prefect Zeng Zhao invited him on a mountain outing and said, "Exiled officials usually do not handle official business." Anmin declined, saying, "To take one's pay and neglect one's duties—that will not do." After three years he was made vice prefect of Wenzhou.
86
徽宗立，朝論欲起為諫官，曾布沮之，以提點永興軍路刑獄。 蔡京用事，入黨籍，流落二十年。 政和末，卒，年七十。 建炎四年，贈右諫議大夫。 子：同，為御史中丞，自有傳。
When Emperor Huizong took the throne, court opinion wanted to recall him as a remonstrance official, but Zeng Bu blocked it and appointed him intendant of criminal justice on the Yongxing Army circuit. When Cai Jing came to power, Anmin was entered on the faction register and lived in obscurity for twenty years. At the end of the Zhenghe era he died, at age seventy. In the fourth year of Jianyan he was posthumously awarded Right Remonstrance Grandee. His son Tong became vice censor-in-chief and has his own biography.
87
論曰：次升從容一言，止呂升卿之使嶺南，大有功于元祐諸臣。 師錫謂蔡京若用，天下治亂自是而分，惜其言不行於當時，而徒有驗於其後。 汝礪辨捄蔡確，以直報怨。 陶言榷茶為西南害，毅然觸蒲、李之鋒。 庭堅論紹復未足以盡孝道。 諤言世非乏士，患上不知，乃薦可用者二十有二人，號稱鯁直，裨益尤多。 軒力陳青苗貽害，願以清淨為治。 祐擊林希，且論惇、京、卞輩，斥死弗悔。 公望謂神宗于元祐諸臣非有射鉤斬祛之隙，而終不能移姦邪先入之言。 𡙇擊逐章惇、蔡京、蔡卞于外，亦足少泄四海臣民之憤，然京、卞既仆即起，已去復來，於阽危不悟也，庸暗之主，可與言哉？ 安民人虎多少之喻，惴惴焉懼不足以勝小人，不幸而羣姦相繼用事，在廷忠直之臣，因事而斥去之，馴致靖康之禍，其所由來，遠矣。 小人之得政可畏夫！
The commentator says: Cisheng, with one calm remark, stopped Lü Shengqing's mission to Lingnan—a great service to the Yuanyou ministers. Shixi said that if Cai Jing had been used, the empire's peace or ruin would have turned on that choice; it is a pity his warning was not heeded then and only proved true later. Ruli defended Cai Que and repaid injury with integrity. Tao said the tea monopoly harmed the southwest and boldly confronted Pu and Li. Tingjian argued that restoring the temples did not fully satisfy filial duty. E said the age was not short of talent—the ruler simply did not know it—and recommended twenty-two usable men, styled upright and direct, to great effect. Xuan forcefully argued that the Green Sprouts policy caused harm and wished to rule through quiet simplicity. You attacked Lin Xi and also denounced Dun, Jing, and Bian, dying in banishment without regret. Gongwang said Emperor Shenzong bore the Yuanyou ministers no grudge like shooting a hook or cutting a sleeve, yet he never overcame the slanders that had first reached his ears. Kui drove Zhang Dun, Cai Jing, and Cai Bian from office—enough to relieve somewhat the rage of people across the empire; yet Jing and Bian fell only to rise again, removed only to return—blind at the edge of collapse; with so dull a ruler, what could one say? Anmin's image of one tiger against many men—fearing he might not overcome the petty—unhappily saw wicked men hold power in succession; upright ministers at court were driven out one by one, step by step to the Jingkang catastrophe; the roots lie far back. How fearsome it is when petty men seize power!