Volume 437 Biographies 196: Confucian Scholars 7 - Cheng Jiong, Liu Qingzhi, Zhen Dexiu, Wei Leweng, Liao Deming

儒林七○程迥劉清之真德秀魏了翁廖德明

Confucian Scholars 7: Cheng Jiong, Liu Qingzhi, Zhen Dexiu, Wei Leweng, and Liao Deming

程迥，字可久，應天府寧陵人。家於沙隨，靖康之亂，徙紹興之餘姚。年十五，丁內外艱，孤貧飄泊，無以自振。二十餘，始知讀書，時亂甫定，西北士大夫多在錢塘，迥得以考德問業焉。

Cheng Jiong, whose courtesy name was Kejiu, came from Ningling in Yingtian Prefecture. His family had lived at Shasui, but during the upheaval of the Jingkang era they relocated to Yuyao in Shaoxing. At fifteen he lost both parents and was left orphaned, destitute, and adrift, with no way to recover his footing. Not until he was past twenty did he begin to study. The realm had only just settled after the chaos, and many scholar-officials from the northwest had gathered at Qiantang, where Jiong was able to seek out teachers and pursue his studies.

登隆興元年進士第，曆揚州泰興尉。訓武郎楊大烈有田十頃，死而妻女存。俄有訟其妻非正室者，官沒其貲，且追十年所入租。部使者以諉迥，迥曰：“大烈死，貲產當歸其女。女死，當歸所生母可也。”

He passed the jinshi examination in the first year of the Longxing era (1163) and served as marshal of Taixing in Yangzhou. Yang Dalie, a Training Martial Gentleman, owned ten qing of land. After his death his wife and daughter remained. Before long someone sued, claiming the wife was not the lawful principal consort. The authorities confiscated the estate and demanded repayment of ten years' rent. The circuit commissioner put the case on Jiong, who replied, "When Dalie died, his property should have passed to his daughter. If the daughter had died, it would rightly have gone to her birth mother."

調饒州德興丞。盜入縣民齊匊家，平素所不快者，皆罥絓逮獄。州屬迥決禁囚，辨其冤者縱遣之。匊訟不已。會獲盜寧國，匊猶訟還所縱之人，迥曰：“盜既獲矣，再令追捕，或死於道路，使其骨肉何依，豈審冤之道哉！ ”唐肅宗時，縣有程氏女，其父兄為盜所殺，因掠女去，隱忍十餘年，手刃盡誅其黨，刳其肝心以祭其父兄。迥取《春秋》復仇之義，頌之曰：“大而得其正者也。 ”表之曰“英孝程烈女”。

He was transferred to serve as assistant magistrate of Dexing in Raozhou. When thieves broke into the home of a county resident named Qi Ju, everyone Ju had long resented was implicated and thrown into prison. The prefecture assigned Jiong to review prisoners in custody, and he released those he found innocent. Ju kept filing suit without end. When the thieves were captured in Ningguo, Ju still demanded that those Jiong had released be rearrested. Jiong said, "The thieves are already in custody. To hunt down the men I released again risks their dying on the road—what would become of their families? Is that how one clears the wrongly accused? " In the reign of Emperor Suzong of Tang, a woman of the Cheng clan in the county had seen her father and brothers killed by bandits who carried her off. She bore it in silence for more than ten years, then with her own hand killed every member of the band, cutting out their livers and hearts to offer to her father and brothers. Jiong invoked the Spring and Autumn Annals' doctrine of vengeance and composed a eulogy calling her "great in scale yet true to what is right." He submitted a memorial honoring her as the "Heroic and Filial Stern Woman of the Cheng Clan.

改知隆興府進賢縣。省符下，知平江府王佐決陳長年輒私賣田，其從子訴有司十有八年，母魚氏年七十坐獄。廷辨按法追正，令候母死服闋日，理為己分，令天下郡縣視此為法。迥為議曰：“天下之人孰無母慈？子若孫宜定省溫凊，不宜有私財也。在律，別籍者有禁，異財者有禁。當報牒之初，縣令杖而遣之，使聽命於其母可矣，何稽滯遍訴有司，而達於登聞院乎？《春秋穀梁傳》注曰：‘臣無訟君之道’，為衛侯鄭與元咺發論也。夫諸侯之於命大夫猶若此，子孫之於母乃使坐獄以對吏，愛其親者聞之，不覺泣涕之橫集也。按令文：分財產，謂祖父母、父母服闋已前所有者。然則母在，子孫不得有私財。借使其母一朝盡費，其子孫亦不得違教令也。既使歸於其母，其日前所費，乃卑幼輒用尊長物，法須五年尊長告乃為理。何至豫期母死，又開他日爭訟之端也？抑亦安知不令之子孫不死於母之前乎？守令者，民之師帥，政教之所由出。誠宜正守令不職之愆與子孫不孝之罪，以敬天下之為人母者。”

He was reassigned as magistrate of Jinxian in Longxing Prefecture. A provincial directive arrived: Wang Zuo, prefect of Pingjiang, had ruled that Chen Changnian had sold family land on his own authority. The nephew had been suing before the authorities for eighteen years, and the mother, Lady Yu, now seventy, sat in prison. After court deliberation the ruling was corrected by law: the nephew was to wait until mourning for his mother was complete after her death, then receive his proper share. All commanderies and counties were ordered to follow this precedent. Jiong submitted a memorial arguing, "Who under Heaven lacks a mother's love? Sons and grandsons ought to attend her morning and evening and see to her comfort in cold and heat; they ought not to hold private property. The statutes forbid establishing separate household registers and forbid holding property apart from the family estate. When the case was first reported, the county magistrate should simply have beaten the nephew with the staff and sent him home to obey his mother. Why let the suit drag through every office for eighteen years until it reached the Court of Memorials? The commentary on the Guliang Commentary to the Spring and Autumn Annals says, "A subject has no right to sue his lord"—an argument raised in the case of Marquis Zheng of Wei and Yuan Xuan. If even a feudal lord may not be sued by his grandee, how much worse to make a mother sit in prison answering before clerks because her son and grandson sued one another. Anyone who loves his parents, hearing of this, cannot keep the tears from streaming down. The ordinances state that dividing property applies only to what grandparents and parents owned before the mourning period was complete. Therefore, while the mother lives, sons and grandsons may not hold private property. Even if the mother spent the entire estate in a single morning, her sons and grandsons still could not defy her authority. If the property is returned to the mother, what was spent earlier amounts to juniors using a senior's property without permission; by law a claim may be heard only after five years and only if the senior files it. Why anticipate the mother's death in advance and open the door to future lawsuits? Besides, who can guarantee that an unfilial son or grandson will not die before his mother? Prefects and magistrates are the teachers and leaders of the people; from them government and moral instruction proceed. They ought to punish negligent prefects and magistrates and unfilial sons and grandsons alike, so as to show due respect to every mother under Heaven.

民饑，府檄有訴閉糴及糶與商賈者，迥即論報之曰：“力田之人，細米每鬥才九十五文，逼於稅賦，是以出糶，非上戶也。縣境不出貨寶，苟不與外人交易，輸官之錢何由而得？今強者群聚，脅持取錢，毆傷人者甚眾，民不敢入市，坐致缺食。 ”申論再三，見從乃已。

During a famine the prefecture issued orders citing complaints of grain hoarding and of selling grain to merchants. Jiong replied at once: "Farmers sell fine rice for only ninety-five cash per dou, driven by tax burdens—not wealthy households hoarding grain. Our county produces no luxury goods. If farmers cannot trade with outsiders, how will they obtain the cash to pay their taxes? Now bullies gather in gangs, extort money by force, and beat many people. The people dare not enter the markets, and food grows scarce as a result. " He argued his case repeatedly, and the orders were withdrawn only when his view prevailed.

縣大水，亡稻麥，郡蠲租稅至薄，迥白於府曰：“是驅民流徙耳！賦不可得，徒存欠籍。 ”乃悉蠲之。郡僚猶曰：“度江後來，未嚐全放，恐戶部不從。 ”迥力論之曰：“唐人損七，則租、庸、調俱免。今損十矣。夏稅、役錢不免，是猶用其二也，不可謂寬。 ”議乃息。

A great flood destroyed the county's rice and wheat crops. The prefecture offered only a slight tax remission. Jiong reported to the prefecture, "This will only drive the people into exile! No revenue can be collected, yet empty records of arrears will remain on the books. " He then remitted the taxes entirely. His colleagues at the prefecture still objected, "Since the court crossed the Yangzi, we have never granted a full remission—the Ministry of Revenue may not approve." " Jiong argued forcefully: "Under the Tang, when crop loss reached seven-tenths, rent, corvée, and the equalization levy were all waived. Here the loss is total—ten-tenths. Yet summer tax and service levies remain—this still collects two parts of what cannot be paid. That cannot be called relief. " The debate then ended.

境內有婦人傭身紡績舂簸，以養其姑。姑感婦孝，每受食，即以手加額仰天而祝之。其子為人牧牛，亦幹飯以餉祖母。迥廉得之，為紀其事，白於郡，郡給以錢粟。

In his jurisdiction a woman hired out her labor—spinning, weaving, pounding, and winnowing—to support her mother-in-law. Moved by her daughter-in-law's devotion, the mother-in-law, each time she was fed, would press her hand to her forehead and look up to Heaven in prayer. Her son, while herding cattle for others, also brought dry rice to feed his grandmother. Jiong learned of the case through investigation, recorded it, and reported to the prefecture, which granted them money and grain.

調信州上饒縣。歲納租數萬石，舊法加倍，又取斛麵米。迥力止絕之，嚐曰：“令與吏服食者，皆此邦之民膏血也。曾不是思，而橫斂虐民，鬼神其無知乎！ ”州郡督索經總錢甚急，迥曰：“斯錢古之除陌之類，今其類乃三倍正賦，民何以堪？。反復言之當路。

He was transferred to Shangrao County in Xinzhou. Each year tens of thousands of piculs of rent were collected. Under the old practice the amount was doubled, and husked surface rice was taken as well. Jiong worked hard to abolish these exactions, saying once, "What magistrates and clerks eat and wear is the lifeblood of the people of this land. Yet you never reflect on this, but levy harshly and oppress the people—do the spirits not see? " The prefecture pressed urgently for collection of the comprehensive transit levy. Jiong said, "This levy is like the ancient chumo surcharge, yet today it amounts to triple the regular tax—how can the people bear it? He argued this point repeatedly to those in power.

奉祠，寓居番陽之蕭寺。程祥者，從伯父待制昌禹來居番陽，昌禹死，遂失所依。祥繼亡，祥妻度氏猶質賣奩具以撫育孤子，久之罄竭，瀕死，鄰家皆莫識其面。有欲醮之者，度曰：“吾兒幼，若事他人，使母不得撫其子，豈不負良人乎？ ”終辭焉。或為迥言其事，迥走告於郡守，月給之錢粟。

After receiving a temple stipend he lodged at a Buddhist monastery in Poyang. A man named Cheng Xiang had come to Poyang with his father's elder brother Changyu, a Hanlin Attendant-Drafter. When Changyu died, Xiang was left without support. Xiang also died. His wife Lady Du pawned and sold her dowry to raise their orphaned son. After years everything was gone and she was near death; her neighbors scarcely knew her by sight. When someone proposed remarriage for her, Lady Du said, "My son is still young. If I married another man, I could not raise my own child—would I not betray my late husband? " She refused in the end. When someone told Jiong of her plight, he hurried to inform the prefect, who granted her a monthly allowance of money and grain.

迥居官臨之以莊，政寬而明，令簡而信，綏強撫弱，導以恩義。積年讎訟，一語解去。猾吏奸民，皆以感激，久而悛悔，欺詐以革。暇則賓禮賢士，從容盡歡，進其子弟之秀者與之均禮，為之陳說《詩》、《書》。質疑問難者，不問蚤暮。勢位不得以交私，祠廟非典祀不謁。隱德潛善，無問幽明，皆表而出之，以勵風俗。或周其窮厄，俾全節行。聽決獄訟，期於明允。凡上官所未悉者，必再三抗辨，不為苟止。貴溪民偽作吳漸名，誣訴縣令石邦彥，迥言匿名書不當受，轉運使不謂然，遂興大獄，瘐死者十有四人。及聞省寺，訖報如迥言。

In office Jiong met people with dignified bearing. His administration was lenient yet clear, his orders simple yet trustworthy. He pacified the strong, comforted the weak, and guided all with kindness and righteousness. Feuds of many years' standing were settled with a single word from him. Crafty clerks and dishonest commoners were all moved by his example; in time they repented, and fraud was rooted out. In his leisure he entertained worthy men as honored guests and enjoyed their company fully. He treated their most promising sons and nephews as equals and expounded the Odes and Documents for them. He answered questions from students at any hour, early or late. He accepted no private favors on account of rank or position, and visited no shrine except for canonical state sacrifices. Hidden virtue and quiet good deeds, whether known or unknown, he brought to light in memorials to encourage moral conduct. Sometimes he relieved their poverty so they could preserve their integrity. In hearing lawsuits he aimed at clarity and fairness. Whenever his superiors misunderstood a matter, he argued against them repeatedly and would not give way lightly. A man in Guixi forged the name Wu Jian and falsely accused the county magistrate Shi Bangyan. Jiong argued that anonymous accusations should not be accepted, but the transport commissioner disagreed and launched a major prosecution in which fourteen people died of mistreatment in custody. When the case reached the provincial offices, the final ruling matched Jiong's argument.

迥嚐授經學於昆山王葆、嘉禾聞人茂德、嚴陵喻樗。所著有《古易考》、《古易章句》、《古占法》、《易傳外編》、《春秋傳顯微例目》、《論語傳》、《孟子章句》《文史評》、《經史說諸論辨》、《太玄補讚》、《戶口田製貢賦書》、《乾道振濟錄》、《醫經正本書》、《條具乾道新書》、《度量權三器圖義》、《四聲韻》、《淳熙雜志》、《南齋小集》。卒官。

Jiong had studied the classics under Wang Bao of Kunshan, Wenren Maode of Jiahe, and Yu Chu of Yanling. His writings include Investigations into the Ancient Changes, Section-and-clause on the Ancient Changes, Ancient Methods of Divination, Supplementary Compilation to the Commentary on the Changes, Outline of Subtle Examples in the Commentary on the Spring and Autumn Annals, Commentary on the Analects, Section-and-clause on Mencius, Literary and Historical Critique, Various Discussions and Debates on Classics and Histories, Supplementary Praise to the Supreme Mystery, Book on Household Registers, Field Systems, and Tribute and Levies, Record of Longxing Relief, Correct Text of the Medical Canon, Memorial Itemizing the Longxing New Books, Illustrated Meaning of the Three Measures, Weights, and Vessels, Rhymes of the Four Tones, Miscellaneous Records of the Chunxi Era, and Small Collection from the Southern Studio. He died in office.

朝奉郎朱熹以書告迥子絢曰：“敬惟先德，博聞至行，追配古人，釋經訂史，開悟後學，當世之務又所通該，非獨章句之儒而已。曾不得一試，而奄棄盛時，此有誌之士所為悼歎谘嗟而不能已者。然著書滿家，足以傳世，是亦足以不朽。 ”絢以致仕恩調巴陵尉，攝邑事，能理冤獄。孫仲熊，亦有名。

Court Gentleman Zhu Xi wrote to Jiong's son Xuan: "I deeply respect your late father's virtue—his broad learning and exemplary conduct worthy of the ancients, his exegesis of the classics and revision of historical texts, his enlightenment of later students, and his thorough grasp of affairs of the age. He was no mere commentator on individual passages. Yet he was never given a full trial of his talents before he was suddenly taken in his prime—this is what men of purpose mourn and lament without end. Yet his writings fill the house and are enough to pass down through the ages—that alone is immortality enough. " Xuan, through his father's retirement privilege, was appointed marshal of Baling, where he acted in county affairs and was able to clear wrongful convictions. His grandson Zhongxiong also won renown.

劉清之

Liu Qingzhi

劉清之，字子澄，臨江人，受業於兄靖之，甘貧力學，博極書傳。登紹興二十七年進士第。調袁州宜春縣主簿，未上，丁父憂，服除，改建德縣主簿。請於州，俾民自實其戶。由是賦役平，爭訟息。

Liu Qingzhi, whose courtesy name was Zicheng, came from Linjiang. He studied under his elder brother Jingzhi, willingly endured poverty while pursuing learning, and mastered the breadth of the classical tradition. He passed the jinshi examination in the twenty-seventh year of the Shaoxing era (1157). He was appointed chief clerk of Yichun in Yuanzhou, but before taking up the post he mourned his father's death. When the mourning period ended, he was reassigned as chief clerk of Jiande. He petitioned the prefecture to let the people register their own households truthfully. As a result tax and corvée burdens were fair, and litigation died down.

調萬安縣丞。時江右大侵，郡檄視旱，徒步阡陌，親與民接，凡所蠲除，具得其實。州議減常平米直，清之曰：“此惠不過三十里內耳，外鄉遠民勢豈能來？老幼疾患之人必有餒死者。今有粟之家閉不肯糶，實窺伺攘奪者眾也。在我有政，則大家得錢，細民得米，兩適其便。 ”乃請均境內之地為八，俾有粟者分振其鄉，官為主之。規畫防閑，民甚賴之。帥龔茂良以救荒實跡聞於朝，又偕諸公薦之。

He was transferred to serve as assistant magistrate of Wan'an. At the time Jiangyou suffered a severe famine. When the prefecture ordered drought inspection, he walked the fields on foot, met the people personally, and verified every remission on the ground. The prefecture proposed lowering the price of ever-normal granary rice. Qingzhi objected, "That relief would reach no more than thirty li. How could people from distant townships come? The old, the young, and the sick would surely starve. Now households with grain hoard it and refuse to sell, while many others watch for a chance to seize grain by force. With sound policy, wealthy households would get their money and common people their rice—both would benefit. " He then proposed dividing the jurisdiction into eight districts so that households with grain could distribute relief in their own townships under official supervision. He devised safeguards for the scheme, and the people relied on him greatly. Military Commissioner Gong Maoliang reported Qingzhi's famine-relief work to the court, and together with other officials recommended him for promotion.

發運使史正誌按部至筠，俾清之拘集州縣畸零之賦，清之不可。清之有同年生在幕中，謂曰：“侍郎因子言，謂子愛民特立，將薦子矣，其以閥閱來。 ”清之貽之以書曰：“所謂贏資者，皆州縣侵刻於民，法所當禁。縱有贏資，是所謂羨餘也，獻之自下而詔止之，今則止而求之，乃自上焉。不奪不饜，其弊有不可勝言者。願侍郎自請於朝，姑歸貳卿之班，主大農經費，以佐國家。如此，則士孰不願出侍郎之門？不然，某誠不敢玷侍郎知人之鑒。 ”以薦者兩有審察之命，清之竟不見丞相，詣吏部銓，得知宜黃縣。

Transport Commissioner Shi Zhengzhi, on circuit inspection, reached Jun and ordered Qingzhi to round up odd fractional levies from prefectures and counties. Qingzhi refused. A fellow jinshi-year graduate on the commissioner's staff told him, "The Vice Minister, impressed by your stand, says he will recommend you—come present your pedigree of eminence." " Qingzhi wrote back: "What you call surplus funds is what prefectures and counties have extorted from the people—what the law forbids. Even if surplus funds existed, they would be excess remainders properly presented from below and halted by imperial edict. Now you halt them and then demand them—from above. If officials are never satisfied, the abuses are beyond reckoning. I urge the Vice Minister to petition the court to return to a vice-ministerial post and oversee state finances to serve the realm. Then which scholar would not wish to be your protégé? Otherwise I dare not accept a recommendation that would stain your judgment of men." Because both recommenders received orders for scrutiny, Qingzhi never called on the chief councilor but went directly to the Ministry of Personnel and was appointed magistrate of Yihuang.

茂良入為參知政事，與丞相周必大薦清之於孝宗。召入對，首論：“民困兵驕，大臣退托，小臣苟偷。願陛下廣覽兼聽，並謀合智，清明安定，提要挈綱而力行之。古今未有俗不可變、弊不可革者，變而通之，亦在陛下方寸之間耳。 ”又言用人四事：“一曰辨賢否。謂道義之臣，大者可當經綸，小者可為儀刑。功名之士，大者可使臨政，小者可使立事。至於專謀富貴利達而已者下也。二曰正名實。今百有司職守不明，非曠其官，則失之侵逼。願詔史官考究設官之本意，各指其合主何事，製旨親定，載之命書，依開寶中差諸州通判故事，使人人曉然知之而行賞罰焉。三曰使材能。謂軍旅必武臣，錢穀必能吏，必臨之以忠信不欺之士，使兩人者皆得以效其所長。四曰聽換授。謂文武之官不可用違其才，然不當許之自列，宜令文武臣四品以上，各以性行材略及文武藝，每歲互舉堪充左右選者一人，於合入資格外，稍與優獎。”

When Maoliang entered court as Vice Grand Councilor, he and Chief Councilor Zhou Bida recommended Qingzhi to Emperor Xiaozong. Summoned for audience, he began: "The people are distressed and the troops arrogant; great ministers withdraw behind excuses while petty officials grow careless and corrupt. I urge Your Majesty to listen broadly, combine counsel, keep government clear and stable, grasp the essentials, and carry reform through with resolve. No custom is unchangeable and no abuse irreformable—to transform them lies within Your Majesty's own resolve." He also set forth four principles of appointment. First: distinguish the worthy from the unworthy. Men of moral principle—the great may govern the realm, the lesser may serve as models of conduct. Men of achievement—the great may administer government, the lesser may carry out tasks. Those who scheme only for wealth and advancement rank lowest. Second: rectify names and realities. Today the duties of the hundred offices are unclear—officials either neglect their posts or encroach on others' responsibilities. I urge Your Majesty to order the historiographers to investigate the original intent behind each office, specify what each should oversee, have an imperial rescript recorded in the command book following the Kaibao precedent for assigning supervisory commissioners, so that all may understand their duties and rewards and punishments may be applied. Third: employ talent according to ability. Military affairs require martial officials and revenue requires capable administrators, each overseen by men of loyalty and integrity so that both may display their strengths. Fourth: permit transfer of appointment. Civil and military officials should not be used contrary to their talents, but they should not nominate themselves. Officials of the fourth rank and above should each year recommend one colleague fit for appointment near the throne, with slight preferential reward beyond normal qualification requirements.

改太常寺主簿。丁內艱，服除，通判鄂州。鄂大軍所駐，兵籍多偽，清之白郡及諸司，請自通判廳始，俾偽者以實自言而正之。州有民妻張以節死，嘉祐中，詔封旌德縣君，表其墓曰“烈女”，中更兵火，至是無知其墓者，清之與郡守羅願訪而祠之。鄂俗計利而尚鬼，家貧子壯則出贅，習為當然，而尤謹奉大洪山之祠，病者不藥而聽於巫，死則不葬而畀諸火，清之皆諭止之。

He was reassigned as registrar of the Court of Imperial Sacrifices. After mourning his mother's death he served as supervisory commissioner of Ezhou. A great army was stationed at Ezhou, and many military registers were fraudulent. Qingzhi reported to the prefecture and various offices, asking to begin with his own office and let those falsely registered confess and be corrected. A commoner's wife surnamed Zhang had died preserving her chastity. In the Jiayou era she was enfeoffed as Lady of Jingde County and her tomb was marked "Stern Woman." After the fires of war no one knew where the tomb lay. Qingzhi and Prefect Luo Yuan found it and established a shrine. The people of Ezhou were profit-minded and superstitious. Poor families with grown sons sent them out as sons-in-law, taking this as natural. They especially revered the shrine on Great Hong Mountain: the sick took no medicine but obeyed shamans; the dead were not buried but cremated. Qingzhi admonished the people and put a stop to these practices.

差權發遣常州，改衡州。衡自建炎軍興，有所請大軍月樁過湖錢者，歲送漕司，無慮七八萬緡，以四邑所入曲引錢及郡計畸零苗米折納充之。舊法，民有吉凶聚會，許買引為酒曲，謂之曲引錢，其後直以等第敷納。衡有五邑，獨敷其四。取民之辭不正，良民遍受其害，而黠民往往侮易其上，乃並與常賦不輸。雖得曲引錢四五萬緡，而常賦之失，不啻數萬緡矣。清之請於朝，願與總領所酌損補移，漸圖蠲減。不報。遂戒諸邑：董常賦，緩雜征，閣舊逋，戒預折，新簿籍，謹推收，督勾銷，明逋負，防帶鈔，治頑梗，柅吏奸，擾戶長，費用有節，滲漏有防，稽考有政，補置有漸。

He was assigned on temporary authority to administer Changzhou and was then reassigned to Hengzhou. Since the Jianyan military campaigns, Heng had owed an annual levy called the great army's monthly pile and lake-crossing money—some seventy or eighty thousand strings of cash sent to the transport office—paid from quyin money collected in four districts and odd fractional rice converted to payment. Under the old law, when people held gatherings for weddings or funerals they could buy permits to brew yeast, called quyin money. Later the levy was imposed directly by household rank. Heng had five districts but levied only four. The levy lacked legitimate grounds. Honest commoners suffered throughout, while crafty ones often defied their superiors and refused to pay even regular taxes. Although forty or fifty thousand strings of quyin money were collected, the loss in regular levies amounted to tens of thousands more. Qingzhi petitioned the court to consult with the general supervisory office on reductions and gradually seek remission. No reply came. He then instructed all districts: supervise regular levies, ease miscellaneous exactions, suspend old arrears, forbid advance conversion, renew registers, pursue collection carefully, supervise verification, clarify outstanding debts, guard against carrying over notes, deal with the stubborn, restrain clerical corruption, stop harassing household heads, keep expenditures within bounds, guard against leakage, conduct disciplined audits, and make replacements gradually.

先是，郡飾廚傳以事常平、刑獄二使者，月一會集，互致折饋。清之歎曰：“此何時也？與其取諸民，孰若裁諸公。吾之所以事上官者，惟究心於所職，無負於吾民足矣。豈以酒食貨財為勤哉？ ”清之自常祿外，悉歸之公帑，以佐經用。至之日，兵無糧，官無奉，上供送使無可備。已而郡計漸裕。民力稍蘇。或有報白，手自書之，吏不與焉。

Previously the prefecture had lavishly entertained the commissioners of the Ever-Normal Granary and Penal Affairs, meeting monthly and exchanging gifts. Qingzhi sighed and said, "What times are these? Better to cut public expenditures than to take from the people. What I owe my superiors is devotion to my duties and not failing my people—that is enough. How could wine, food, and gifts count as diligence? " Beyond his regular salary Qingzhi turned everything over to the public treasury to assist regular expenditures. When he arrived, the troops had no grain, officials had no salaries, and nothing could be prepared for tribute payments or dispatch envoys. Before long the prefectural treasury grew ample. The people's burdens eased somewhat. When reports arrived he wrote them out himself without involving clerks.

嚐作《諭民書》一編，首言畏天積善，勤力務本，農工商賈莫不有勸，教以事親睦族，教子祀先，謹身節用，利物濟人，婚姻以時，喪葬以禮。詞意質直，簡而易從。邦人家有其書，非理之訟日為衰息。

He composed a book Admonishing the People, opening with reverence for Heaven and accumulation of virtue, urging diligence and attention to fundamentals, with encouragement for farmers, craftsmen, merchants, and traders alike. He taught filial devotion to parents, harmony within the clan, instruction of sons and sacrifice to ancestors, personal restraint and frugality, benefiting others, timely marriage, and burial according to ritual. The language was plain and direct, simple and easy to follow. Every household in the prefecture possessed a copy, and unreasonable lawsuits daily declined.

念士風未振，每因月講，復具酒肴以燕諸生，相與輸情論學，設為疑問，以觀其所向，然後從容示以先後本末之序。來者日眾，則增築臨蒸精舍居之。其所講，先正經，次訓詁音釋，次疏先儒議論，次述今所繹之說，然後各指其所宜用，人君治天下，諸侯治一國，學者治心治身治家治人，確然皆有可舉而措之之實。

Mindful that scholarly culture had not yet revived, at each monthly lecture he prepared wine and food to feast the students, exchanging views and discussing learning. He posed difficult questions to observe their inclinations, then calmly showed them the proper order of study from fundamentals to applications. As students grew in number he enlarged and built the Linying Hermitage to house them. His lectures proceeded from the canonical classics to exegesis and phonetic glosses, then to commentaries on former Confucians, then to his own interpretations, and finally to practical application—how the ruler governs the realm, how the feudal lord governs a state, how the scholar governs mind, person, family, and community—with concrete principles that could be put into practice.

為閱武場。凡禁軍役於他所，隱於百工者，悉按軍籍俾詣訓閱。作朱陵道院，祠張九齡、韓愈、寇準、周敦頤、胡安國於左，祠晉死節太守劉翼、宋死節內史王應之於右。雅儒吉士日相周旋其間，而參佐謀論多在焉。劉孝昌者，摯之孫也，貧不自立，清之買田以給之。部使者以清之不能媚己，惡之，貽書所厚台臣，誣以勞民用財，論罷，主管雲台觀。

He established a drill ground. All forbidden troops serving elsewhere who had hidden among civilian trades were checked against the military registers and ordered to report for training and review. He built the Zhuling Daoist Abbey, enshrining on the left Zhang Jiuling, Han Yu, Kou Zhun, Zhou Dunyi, and Hu Anguo, and on the right the Jin martyr Prefect Liu Yi and the Song martyr Palace Secretary Wang Yingzhi. Refined scholars and worthy gentlemen gathered there daily, and most policy deliberations among his staff took place there. Liu Xiaochang, grandson of Zhi, was too poor to support himself; Qingzhi bought land to provide for him. The circuit commissioner, resenting Qingzhi's refusal to flatter him, wrote to a favored censor falsely accusing him of wasting public funds on the people. Qingzhi was dismissed and appointed to supervise the Yuntai Abbey.

初，清之既舉進士，欲應博學宏詞科。及見朱熹，盡取所習焚之，慨然誌於義理之學。呂伯恭、張栻皆神交心契，汪應辰、李燾亦敬慕之。母不逮養，每展閱手澤，涕泗交頤。從兄肅流落新吳，族父曄寓丹陽、艾寓臨川，皆迎養之。從祖子僑為邵州錄事參軍，死吳錫之亂，清之遣其孫晉之致書邵守，得其遺骨歸葬焉。族人自遠來，館留之，不忍使之遽去。嚐序範仲淹《義莊規矩》，勸大家族眾者隨力行之。本之家法，參取先儒禮書，定為祭禮行之。高安李好古以族人有以財為訟，見清之豫章，清之為說《訟》、《家人》二卦，好古惕然，遽舍所訟，市程氏《易》以歸，卒為善士。

After passing the jinshi examination, Qingzhi had wished to compete in the erudite learning and grand rhetoric examination. When he met Zhu Xi he burned all he had studied and devoted himself wholeheartedly to the learning of moral principle. Lü Zuqian and Zhang Shi were spiritual friends of matching hearts; Wang Yingchen and Li Tao also admired him. Unable to serve his mother in her lifetime, he wept whenever he read her surviving handwriting. His cousin Su, adrift in Xinwu; his clan uncles Ye in Danyang and Ai in Linchuan—he received and supported them all. His collateral ancestor Ziqiao, recorder of Shaozhou, had died in the disorder of Wu Xi. Qingzhi sent his grandson Jinzhi to write the prefect of Shao and recovered his remains for burial. When clansmen came from afar he lodged them and was reluctant to let them leave quickly. He arranged Fan Zhongyan's Rules of the Charity Estate and urged large clans to implement them according to their means. Drawing on his family's rules and former Confucians' ritual books, he established sacrificial rites and carried them out. Li Haogu of Gao'an met Qingzhi in Yuzhang while suing a clansman over property. Qingzhi expounded the hexagrams Litigation and Family for him. Startled into reflection, Haogu abandoned the suit, bought the Cheng clan's Changes, and in the end became a good man.

所著有《曾子內外雜篇》、《訓蒙新書外書》、《戒子通錄》、《墨莊總錄》、《祭儀》、《時令書》、《續說苑》、文集、《農書》。

His writings include the Inner and Outer Miscellaneous Chapters of Zengzi, Outer Book of the New Book for Instruction of the Young, General Record for Admonishing Sons, General Record of the Ink Estate, Sacrificial Rites, Book of Seasons, Continued Garden of Persuasions, collected writings, and Book of Agriculture.

真德秀

Zhen Dexiu

真德秀，字景元，後更為希元，建之浦城人。四歲受書，過目成誦。十五而孤，母吳氏力貧教之。同郡楊圭見而異之，使歸共諸子學，卒妻以女。

Zhen Dexiu, whose courtesy name was Jingyuan and who later changed it to Xiyuan, came from Pucheng in Jian Prefecture. At four he began to study; what he read once he could recite from memory. Orphaned at fifteen, he was raised in poverty by his mother, Lady Wu. Yang Gui of the same commandery, struck by his talent, had him study with his sons and eventually gave him his daughter in marriage.

登慶元五年進士第，授南劍州判官。繼試，中博學宏詞科，入閩帥幕，召為太學正，嘉定元年遷博士。時韓侂胄已誅，入對，首言：“權臣開邊，南北塗炭，今茲繼好，豈非天下之福？然日者以行人之遣，金人欲多歲幣之數，而吾亦曰可增；金人欲得奸臣之首，而吾亦曰可與。往來之稱謂，犒軍之金帛，根括歸明流徙之民，皆承之唯謹，得無滋嫚我乎？抑善謀國者不觀敵情，觀吾政事。今號為更化，而無以使敵情之畏服，正恐彼資吾歲賂以厚其力，乘吾不備以長其謀，一旦挑爭端而吾無以應，此有識所為寒心。 ”又言：“侂胄自知不為清議所貸，至誠憂國之士則名以好異，於是忠良之士斥，而正論不聞，正心誠意之學則誣以好名，於是偽學之論興，而正道不行。今日改弦更張，正當褒崇名節，明示好尚。

He passed the jinshi examination in the fifth year of the Qingyuan era (1199) and was appointed judge of Nanjian Prefecture. He then passed the erudite learning and grand rhetoric examination, entered the Fujian commander's staff, was summoned as Director of the Imperial Academy, and in the first year of Jiading (1208) was promoted to Erudite. Han Tuozhou had already been executed. In his first audience Dexiu said: "The powerful minister opened hostilities and north and south were laid waste. Now that good relations are renewed, is this not the fortune of the realm? Yet recently, when envoys were dispatched, the Jurchens demanded an increase in annual tribute, and we agreed; the Jurchens demanded the head of the treacherous minister, and we agreed to give it. Terms of address in diplomatic exchanges, gold and silk to reward their troops, rounding up refugees who had fled to the Song—all were accepted without question. Will this not only increase their contempt for us? Those skilled in statecraft do not look to the enemy's situation but to our own government. We call this an era of reform, yet we give the enemy no reason to respect us. I fear they will use our annual payments to strengthen themselves, exploit our unpreparedness to advance their schemes, and one day provoke conflict while we cannot respond. This is what men of insight find chilling." He also said: "Tuozhou knew he was not trusted by public opinion. Sincere patriots were labeled heterodox, loyal men were expelled, and upright discourse was silenced. The learning of rectifying the mind was slandered as mere love of fame, the charge of false learning arose, and the correct Way was blocked. Today, in this era of reform, we ought to honor integrity and clearly display what the court values.

召試學士院，改秘書省正字兼檢討玉牒。二年，遷校書郎。又對，言暴風、雨雹、熒惑、蝻蝗之變，皆贓吏所致。尋兼沂王府教授、學士院權直。三年，遷秘書郎。入對，乞開公道，窒旁蹊，以抑小人道長之漸；選良牧，勵戰士，以扼群盜方張之銳。四年，選著作佐郎。同列相惎讒之，德秀恬不與較。宰相將用德秀，會言官牴之，德秀力辭。兼禮部郎官，上疏言：“金有必亡之勢，亦可為中國憂。蓋金亡則上恬下嬉，憂不在敵而在我，多事之端恐自此始。 ”五年，遷軍器少監，升權直。

He was examined at the Hanlin Academy and appointed proofreader of the Secretariat, concurrently collating the imperial genealogical record. In the second year he was promoted to collator. In another audience he argued that violent winds, hail, the Sparkling Deluder, and locust plagues were all caused by corrupt officials. Soon he was concurrently instructor of the Prince of Yi's establishment and acting duty officer of the Hanlin Academy. In the third year he was promoted to secretary. In audience he urged the emperor to open the path of public justice, block side paths, and check the gradual rise of petty men; select good prefects, encourage fighting troops, and contain the growing power of bandit armies. In the fourth year he was selected as assistant compiler. Colleagues envied and slandered him; Dexiu remained calm and did not contend. The chief councilor was about to appoint Dexiu, but censors opposed it and Dexiu firmly declined. As a director in the Ministry of Rites he submitted a memorial: "Jin is headed for certain destruction, yet this may also worry China. For when Jin falls, those above grow complacent and those below grow careless. The danger lies not in the enemy but in ourselves—the beginnings of many troubles may start here." In the fifth year he was transferred to Vice Director of the Directorate of Military Equipment and promoted to acting duty officer.

六年，遷起居舍人，奏：“權奸擅政十有四年，朱熹、彭龜年以抗論逐，呂祖儉、周端朝以上書斥，當時近臣猶有爭之者。其後呂祖泰之貶，非惟近臣莫敢言，而台諫且出力以擠之，則嘉泰之失已深於慶元矣。更化之初，群賢皆得自奮。未幾，傅伯成以諫官論事去，蔡幼學以詞臣論事去，鄒應龍、許奕又繼以封駁論事去。是數人者，非能大有所矯拂，已皆不容於朝。故人務自全，一辭不措。設有大安危、大利害，群臣喑嘿如此，豈不殆哉！今欲與陛下言，勤訪問、廣謀議、明黜陟三者而已。 ”時鈔法楮令行，告訐繁興，抵罪者眾，莫敢以上聞。德秀奏：“或一夫坐罪，而並籍昆弟之財；或虧陌四錢，而沒入百萬之貲。至於科富室之錢，拘鹽商之舟，視產高下，配民藏楮，鬻田宅以收券者，雖大家不能免，尚得名便民之策？ ”自此籍沒之產以漸給還。

In the sixth year he was appointed Diarist and memorialized: "The powerful traitor monopolized government for fourteen years. Zhu Xi and Peng Guinian were expelled for opposing him; Lü Zujian and Zhou Duanchao were cast out for submitting memorials. At the time, some close attendants still spoke against this. After Lü Zutai was demoted, not only did close attendants dare not speak, but censorial officials actively worked to suppress him. The failings of the Jiatai era were already worse than those of Qingyuan. At the beginning of the reform, worthy men were all able to exert themselves. Before long, Fu Bocheng left office after remonstrating as a remonstrance official, Cai Youxue left after remonstrating as a literary attendant, and Zou Yinglong and Xu Yi followed by leaving after sealed rebuttals. These men had not attempted great reforms, yet they were already intolerable at court. Thus men strove only to preserve themselves and would not speak at all. If great matters of safety or danger, benefit or harm arose, and the ministers remained as mute as this, would it not be perilous! What I wish to say to Your Majesty is only this: diligent inquiry, broad counsel and debate, and clear promotion and demotion. At that time paper-money laws were strictly enforced, denunciations flourished, many were punished, and none dared report upward. Dexiu memorialized: "Sometimes one man was guilty, yet the property of his brothers was all registered and confiscated; sometimes a shortfall of four cash in changing money led to the confiscation of property worth a million. As for levying money on wealthy households, detaining salt merchants' boats, assigning people to hoard paper notes according to their wealth, and selling fields and houses to collect notes—even great families could not escape. Can this still be called a policy that benefits the people? From this point, confiscated property was gradually returned.

兼太常少卿。又言金人必亡，君臣上下皆當以祈天永命為心。充金國賀登位使，及盱眙，聞金人內變而返。言於上曰：“臣自揚之楚，自楚之盱眙，沃壤無際，陂湖相連，民皆堅悍強忍，此天賜吾國以屏障大江，使強兵足食為進取資。顧田疇不辟，溝洫不治，險要不扼，丁壯不練，豪傑武勇不收拾，一旦有警，則徒以長江為恃。豈如及今大修墾田之政，專為一司以領之，數年之後，積儲充實，邊民父子爭欲自保，因其什伍，勒以兵法，不待糧餉，皆為精兵。 ”又言邊防要事。

He was concurrently Vice Director of the Court of Imperial Sacrifices. He also said the Jurchens would certainly perish, and that ruler and subject alike ought to take praying to Heaven for an enduring mandate as their guiding principle. He was appointed envoy to congratulate Jin on the new accession. When he reached Xuyi he heard of internal turmoil among the Jurchens and returned. He said to the emperor: "Your servant traveled from Yang to Chu, from Chu to Xuyi. Fertile soil stretched without end, marshes and lakes connected. The people are staunch, fierce, and enduring. Heaven has given our state the Great River as a barrier so that strong soldiers may have full provisions as resources for advance. Yet fields are not opened, ditches not maintained, strategic points not held, able-bodied men not trained, and heroes and the martial brave not gathered. Once alarm comes, we can only rely on the Yangtze. Would it not be better to greatly repair the policy of reclaiming fields now and establish a single bureau to oversee it? After several years stores would be full, frontier people fathers and sons would struggle to protect themselves, and organizing them in groups of five and ten and driving them with military law, without waiting for rations, all would become crack troops. He also spoke of important frontier matters.

時史彌遠方以爵祿縻天下士，德秀慨然謂劉爚曰：“吾徒須急引去，使廟堂知世亦有不肯為從官之人。 ”遂力請去，出為秘閣修撰、江東轉運副使。山東盜起，朝廷猶與金通聘，德秀朝辭，奏：“國恥不可忘，鄰盜不可輕，幸安之謀不可恃，導諛之言不可聽，至公之論不可忽。 ”寧宗曰：“卿力有餘，到江東日為朕撙節財計，以助邊用。”

At the time Shi Miyuan was using rank and salary to tether men of talent throughout the realm. Dexiu said with feeling to Liu Yan: "We must quickly withdraw, to let the court know that in the world there are also men unwilling to serve as attendant officials. He then forcefully requested departure and was sent out as Compiler of the Hall of Secret Relics and Deputy Transport Commissioner of Jiangdong. Bandits rose in Shandong, yet the court still exchanged envoys with Jin. At his farewell audience Dexiu memorialized: "National humiliation must not be forgotten, neighboring bandits must not be slighted, plans for fortunate peace must not be relied on, words that guide flattery must not be heeded, and utterly public opinion must not be neglected. Emperor Ningzong said: "You have strength to spare. When you reach Jiangdong, daily economize finances for Us to assist frontier expenditures.

江東旱蝗，廣德、太平為甚，德秀遂與留守、憲司分所部九郡大講荒政，而自領廣德、太平。親至廣德，與太守魏峴同以便宜發廩，使教授林庠振給，竣事而還。百姓數千人送之郊外，指道傍叢塚泣曰：“此皆往歲餓死者。微公，我輩已相隨入此矣。 ”索毀太平州私創之大斛。新徽州守林琰無廉聲，寧國守張忠恕私匿振濟米，皆劾之，而以李道傳攝徽。先是，都司胡貙、薛拯每誚德秀迂儒，試以事必敗，至是政譽日聞，因倡言旱傷本輕，監司好名，振贍太過，使峴劾庠以撼德秀。德秀上章自明，朝廷悟，與峴祠，授庠幹官，而道傳尋亦召還。

Jiangdong suffered drought and locusts; Guangde and Taiping were worst affected. Dexiu together with the Military Commissioner and Judicial Commissioner divided the nine prefectures under them to vigorously implement famine relief, while personally taking charge of Guangde and Taiping. He personally went to Guangde, and together with Prefect Wei Xian used discretionary authority to open granaries and had Instructor Lin Xiang distribute relief. When the work was finished he returned. Several thousand common people escorted him to the outskirts of the city, pointing to tomb mounds by the road and weeping: "These are all those who starved to death in past years. But for you, sir, we would already have followed one another into this place. He demanded destruction of the privately created large measuring bushel in Taiping Prefecture. The new prefect of Huizhou, Lin Yan, had no reputation for integrity; the prefect of Ningguo, Zhang Zhongshu, privately hoarded relief grain. Dexiu impeached both and had Li Daochuan act as prefect of Huizhou. Previously Capital Bureau officers Hu Chi and Xue Cheng had often mocked Dexiu as an impractical scholar and tried matters certain to fail. Now his reputation for governance grew daily, so they advocated that drought damage was originally slight, the commissioners sought fame, and relief was excessive. They had Wei Xian impeach Lin Xiang to shake Dexiu. Dexiu submitted a memorial clarifying himself. The court understood, gave Wei Xian a sinecure, appointed Lin Xiang a staff officer, and Li Daochuan was soon also recalled.

德秀以右文殿修撰知泉州。番舶畏苛征，至者歲不三四，德秀首寬之，至者驟增至三十六艘。輸租令民自概，聽訟惟揭示姓名，人自詣州。泉多大家，為閭裏患，痛繩之。有訟田者，至焚其券不敢爭。海賊作亂，將逼城，官軍敗衄，德秀祭兵死者，乃親授方略，禽之。復遍行海濱，審視形勢，增屯要害處，以備不虞。

Dexiu was appointed Compiler of the Hall of Right Culture and prefect of Quanzhou. Foreign ships feared harsh levies; only three or four arrived each year. Dexiu first eased the levies, and arrivals suddenly increased to thirty-six vessels. For rent payment he had the people measure grain themselves. For hearing lawsuits he only posted names, and people came to the prefecture on their own. Quanzhou had many powerful families who were a scourge to their neighborhoods; he strictly punished them. Some who sued over land burned their deeds rather than contest. Sea bandits rebelled and were about to threaten the city. Government troops were defeated. Dexiu sacrificed to the dead soldiers, then personally handed down strategy and captured the bandits. He again traveled throughout the coast, examined the terrain, and increased garrisons at strategic points to guard against the unexpected.

十二年，以集英殿修撰知隆興府。承寬弛之後，乃稍濟以嚴。尤留意軍政，欲分鄂州軍屯武昌，及通廣鹽於贛與南安，以弭汀、贛鹽寇。未及行，以母喪歸。明年，蘄、黃失守，盜起南安，討之數載始平，人服德秀先見。

In the twelfth year he was appointed Compiler of the Hall for Gathering Eminence and prefect of Longxing Prefecture. After lenient laxity, he slightly tempered governance with strictness. He especially attended to military administration, wished to divide Ezhou troops to garrison Wuchang, and extend Guang salt to Gan and Nan'an to pacify the salt bandits of Ting and Gan. Before this could be carried out, he returned home on his mother's death. The next year Qi and Huang fell, bandits rose in Nan'an, and suppressing them took several years before peace was restored. People admired Dexiu's foresight.

十五年，以寶謨閣待制、湖南安撫使知潭州。以“廉仁功勤”四字勵僚屬，以周惇頤、胡安國、朱熹、張栻學術源流勉其士。罷榷酤，除斛麵米，申免和糴，以甦其民。民艱食，既極力振贍之，復立惠民倉五萬石，使歲出糶。又易穀九萬五千石，分十二縣置社倉，以遍及鄉落。別立慈幼倉立義阡。惠政畢舉。月試諸軍射，捐其回易之利及官田租。凡營中病者、死未葬者、孕者、嫁娶者，贍給有差。朝廷從壽昌朱橐請，以飛虎軍戍壽昌，並致其家口，力爭止之。江華縣賊蘇師入境殺劫，檄廣西共討平之。司馬遵守武岡，激軍變，劾遵而誅其亂者。

In the fifteenth year he was appointed Awaiting Orders at the Hall of Treasured Plans, Pacification Commissioner of Hunan, and prefect of Tanzhou. With the four characters "Integrity, Benevolence, Merit, Diligence" he encouraged his staff, and with the academic lineage of Zhou Dunyi, Hu Anguo, Zhu Xi, and Zhang Shi he exhorted his scholars. He abolished the salt monopoly, removed the surcharge on rice measured by the bushel, and petitioned exemption from compulsory grain purchase to revive the people. The people had difficulty obtaining food. Having exerted utmost strength in relief, he also established a Beneficial People Granary of fifty thousand shi and had it sell grain annually. He also exchanged ninety-five thousand shi of grain and established community granaries in twelve counties to extend coverage to villages. He separately established a Caring for Infants Granary and a public burial ground. Beneficent policies were fully implemented. Monthly he tested the troops in archery, donating profits from their trading and official field rents. For those sick in camp, dead but not yet buried, pregnant, or marrying, support was given in gradations. The court, acceding to Zhu Nuo of Shouchang's request, would garrison the Flying Tiger Army at Shouchang and bring their families. Dexiu forcefully argued to stop it. The bandit Su Shi of Jianghua entered the territory to kill and plunder. Dexiu dispatched Guangxi to jointly suppress and pacify him. Sima Zun governed Wugang and incited a military mutiny. Dexiu impeached Zun and executed the mutineers.

理宗即位，召為中書舍人，尋擢禮部侍郎、直學士院。入見，奏：“三綱五常，扶持宇宙之棟幹，奠安生民之柱石。晉廢三綱而劉、石之變興，唐廢三綱而安祿山之難作。我朝立國，先正名分。陛下不幸處人倫之變，流聞四方，所損非淺。霅川之變，非濟王本誌，前有避匿之跡，後聞討捕之謀，情狀本末，灼然可考。願討論雍熙追封秦王舍罪恤孤故事，濟王未有子息，亦惟陛下興滅繼絕。 ”上曰：“朝廷待濟王亦至矣。 ”德秀曰：“若謂此事處置盡善，臣未敢以為然。觀舜所以處象，則陛下不及舜明甚。人主但當以二帝、三王為師。 ”上曰：“一時倉猝耳。 ”德秀曰：“此已往之咎，惟願陛下知有此失而益講學進德。 ”次言：“霅川之獄，未聞參聽於公朝，淮、蜀二閫乃出於僉論所期之外。天下之事非一家之私，何惜不與眾共之？ ”且言：“乾道、淳熙間，有位於朝者以饋及門為恥，受任於外者以包苴入都為羞。今饋賂公行，薰染成風，恬不知怪。 ”又疏言：“朝廷之上，敏銳之士多於老成，雖嚐以耆艾褒傅伯成、楊簡，以儒學褒柴中行，以恬退用趙蕃、劉宰，至忠亮敢言如陳宓、徐僑，皆未蒙錄用。 ”上問謙吏，德秀以知袁州趙{政}夫對，親擢{政}夫直秘閣、為監司。具手劄入謝，因言崔與之帥蜀，楊長儒帥閩，皆有廉聲，乞廣加谘訪。

When Emperor Lizong ascended, Dexiu was summoned as Drafting Secretary of the Central Secretariat and soon promoted to Vice Minister of Rites and duty officer of the Hanlin Academy. Entering audience he memorialized: "The Three Bonds and Five Constants are the beams that uphold the cosmos and the pillars that settle the people. Jin abolished the Three Bonds and the disorders of Liu and Shi arose. Tang abolished the Three Bonds and An Lushan's catastrophe occurred. Our dynasty founded the state by first rectifying names and ranks. Your Majesty has unfortunately been placed in a change of human relations. It has circulated to the four quarters, and the harm is not slight. The Zhaochuan affair was not Prince Ji's original intent. Before there were traces of hiding and evasion; afterward came word of pursuit and capture. The circumstances from beginning to end are clearly traceable. I wish to discuss the precedent of Yongxi, when the Qin Prince was posthumously ennobled, faults pardoned, and orphans consoled. Prince Ji has no offspring; may Your Majesty also revive what is extinguished and continue what is broken. The emperor said: "The court's treatment of Prince Ji has also been thorough. Dexiu said: "If one says this matter was handled entirely well, your servant does not dare think so. Considering how Shun dealt with Xiang, Your Majesty falls far short of Shun's wisdom. A ruler ought only take the Two Emperors and Three Kings as teachers. The emperor said: "It was a moment of haste. Dexiu said: "This is past fault. I only wish Your Majesty to know there was this failing and further exert yourself in study and advancing virtue. Next he said: "In the Zhaochuan case, I have not heard joint deliberation in the open court. The appointments of the two frontier commanders of Huai and Shu came entirely outside what public consensus expected. Affairs under Heaven are not the private concern of one house. Why be reluctant to share them with all? He also said: "Between the Qiandao and Chunxi eras, those in office at court were ashamed when gifts reached their doors, and those appointed outside were ashamed to bring bribes to the capital. Now gifts and bribes proceed openly, corruption has become custom, and people calmly do not find it strange. He also submitted a memorial: "At court, keen-minded men outnumber seasoned veterans. Though Fu Bocheng and Yang Jian were once praised for aged virtue, Chai Zhonghang for Confucian learning, and Zhao Fan and Liu Zai employed for quiet withdrawal, loyal and upright men who dare speak, such as Chen Mi and Xu Qiao, have all not received appointment. The emperor asked about upright officials. Dexiu answered with Zhao Bianfu, prefect of Yuanzhou. The emperor personally promoted Zhao Bianfu to Direct Attendant at the Hall of Secret Classics and made him a supervisory commissioner. He submitted a handwritten note to give thanks and spoke of Cui Yuzhi commanding Shu and Yang Changru commanding Min—both had reputations for integrity—begging broad inquiry and consultation.

上初禦清暑殿，德秀因經筵侍上，進曰：“此高、孝二祖儲神燕閑之地，仰瞻楹桷，當如二祖實臨其上。陛下所居處密邇東朝，未敢遽當人主之奉。今宮閣之義浸備，以一心而受眾攻，未有不浸淫而蠹蝕者，惟學可以明此心，惟敬可以存此心，惟親君子可以維持此心。 ”因極陳古者居喪之法與先帝視朝之勤。

When the emperor first attended court at the Clear Summer Hall, Dexiu as lecturer attended the emperor and advanced, saying: "This is the place where the two ancestors Gaozong and Xiaozong stored their spirits and passed leisure. Looking up at the pillars and rafters, one ought to feel as if the two ancestors truly preside above. The place where Your Majesty dwells is close to the Eastern Palace. I do not yet dare hastily accept the support due a ruler. Now the meaning of palace halls is gradually complete. With one mind assailed on many sides, there is none that does not gradually spread and corrode. Only learning can clarify this mind, only reverence can preserve this mind, and only keeping close to gentlemen can sustain this mind. He then exhaustively set forth ancient methods of mourning and the former emperor's diligence in holding court.

寧宗小祥，詔群臣服純吉，德秀爭之曰：“自漢文帝率情變古，惟我孝宗方衰服三年，朝衣朝冠皆以大布，惜當時不並定臣下執喪之禮，此千載無窮之憾。孝宗崩，從臣羅點等議，令群臣易月之後，未釋衰服，惟朝會治事權用黑帶公服，時序仍臨慰，至大祥始除。侂胄枋政，始以小祥從吉。且帶不以金，鞓不以紅，佩不以魚，鞍轎不以文繡。此於群臣何損？朝儀何傷？ ”議遂格。

At Emperor Ningzong's xiao xiang, an edict ordered the ministers to wear pure auspicious dress. Dexiu contested: "Since Emperor Wen of Han changed the ancient rites by following emotion, only our Emperor Xiaozong wore mourning for three years. Court robes and caps were all of coarse cloth. It is a pity that at the time the rites for ministers observing mourning were not also fixed. This is a regret without end for a thousand years. When Emperor Xiaozong died, attendant ministers Luo Dian and others deliberated that after ministers changed dress at one month, they did not yet remove mourning garments. Only for court assembly and handling affairs they provisionally used black-belt official dress. On seasonal occasions they still paid condolence visits. Only at da xiang did they remove mourning. When Tuozhou held power, they first followed auspicious dress at xiao xiang. Moreover belts were not of gold, girdles not red, pendants not fish, and saddles and palanquins not embroidered. What harm would this do to the ministers? What injury to court ceremony? The proposal was then blocked.

德秀屢進鯁言，上皆虛心開納，而彌遠益嚴憚之，乃謀所以相撼，畏公議，未敢發。給事中王塈、盛章始駁德秀所主濟王贈典，繼而殿中侍御史莫澤劾之，遂以煥章閣待制提舉玉隆宮。諫議大夫朱端常又劾之，落職罷祠。監察御史梁成大又劾之，請加竄殛。上曰：“仲尼不為已甚。 ”乃止。

Dexiu repeatedly offered blunt words, and the emperor opened his mind and accepted them all. Yet Miyuan feared him more and more and plotted how to shake him. Fearing public opinion, he did not yet dare act. Supervising Secretaries Wang Xi and Sheng Zhang first rebutted the posthumous honors for Prince Ji that Dexiu had advocated. Then Palace Censor Mo Ze impeached him, and he was demoted to Awaiting Orders at the Hall of Resplendent Chapters, charged with the Jade Ascent Palace. Remonstrance Grandee Zhu Duanchang again impeached him, and he was stripped of office and lost his sinecure. Investigating Censor Liang Chengda again impeached him, requesting added exile and execution. The emperor said: "Confucius did not go too far. And so it stopped.

既歸，修《讀書記》，語門人曰：“此人君為治之門，如有用我者，執此以往。 ”汀寇起，德秀薦陳韡有文武才幹，常平使者史彌忠言於朝，遂起韡討平之。紹定四年，改職與祠。

After returning home, he compiled Records of Reading and told his disciples: "This is the gate by which a ruler governs. If anyone uses me, take this and go forth. Bandits rose in Ting. Dexiu recommended Chen Wei as having civil and military talent. Ever-Normal Granary Commissioner Shi Mizhong spoke to the court, and Chen Wei was raised and suppressed them. In the fourth year of Shaoding, his title was changed and he received a sinecure.

五年，進徽猷閣、知泉州。迎者塞路，深村百歲老人亦扶杖而出，城中歡聲動地。諸邑二稅法預借至六七年，德秀入境，首禁預借。諸邑有累月不解一錢者，郡計赤立不可為。或咎寬恤太驟，德秀謂民困如此，寧身代其苦。決訟自卯至申未已。或勸嗇養精神，德秀謂郡弊無力惠民，僅有政平、訟理事當勉。建炎初置南外宗政司於泉，公族僅三百人，漕司與本州給之，而朝廷歲助度牒。已而不復給，而增至二千三百餘人，郡坐是愈不可為。德秀請於朝，詔給度牒百道。

In the fifth year he was promoted to the Hall of Splendid Plans and appointed prefect of Quanzhou. Those welcoming him blocked the roads. Centenarians in deep villages also leaned on staves and came out, and joy in the city shook the earth. In every district, advance collection under the two-tax system had reached six or seven years ahead. When Dexiu took up his post, his first act was to forbid it. In some districts people went months without paying a single coin. The prefectural treasury was stripped bare and the administration could scarcely function. Some blamed him for easing burdens too abruptly. Dexiu replied that with the people so afflicted, he would rather bear their hardship himself. He heard lawsuits from dawn until late afternoon without cease. Some urged him to conserve his strength. Dexiu said the prefecture was so exhausted it could do little for the people; fair governance and orderly lawsuits were all he could still strive for. At the start of the Jianyan era the Southern External Clan Affairs Office was set up at Quanzhou. The imperial clansmen numbered only three hundred; the transport commission and the prefecture supported them, and the court each year supplied ordination certificates. Before long the court stopped the aid, yet the clansmen grew to more than twenty-three hundred. The prefecture, burdened thus, grew ever harder to govern. Dexiu petitioned the court, and an edict granted one hundred ordination certificates.

彌遠薨，上親政，以顯謨閣待制知福州。戒所部無濫刑橫斂，無徇私黷貨，罷市令司，曰：“物同則價同，寧有公私之異？ ”閩縣裏正苦督賦，革之。屬縣苦貴糴，便宜發常平賑之。海寇縱橫，次第禽殄之。未幾，聞金滅，京湖帥奉露布圖上八陵，而江、淮有進取潼關、黃河之議。德秀以為憂，上封事曰：“移江、淮甲兵以守無用之空城，運江、淮金穀以治不耕之廢壤，富庶之效未期，根本之弊立見。惟陛下審之重之。”

When Miyuan died and the emperor took the reins of government himself, Dexiu was appointed Exalted Virtue Pavilion Attendant-in-Waiting and prefect of Fuzhou. He admonished his jurisdiction to forgo indiscriminate punishments and extortionate levies, and to shun private favor and corrupt gain. He abolished the market superintendent office, saying, "When goods are the same, prices should be the same. How can there be a difference between public and private?" In Min County village headmen had suffered under forced tax collection; he abolished the office. Subordinate counties were hard pressed by dear grain purchases; he expediently released Ever-Normal Granary stores to relieve them. Sea bandits ran rampant; he captured and destroyed them one after another. Before long came word that Jin had fallen. The Jing-Hu commander-in-chief presented a victory dispatch and a map of the Eight Imperial Tombs, while along the Yangzi and Huai plans were debated for advancing upon Tong Pass and the Yellow River. Dexiu took this as cause for alarm and submitted a sealed memorial: "To shift Yangzi-Huai armored troops to guard useless empty cities, and to transport Yangzi-Huai grain and gold to reclaim uncultivated wasteland—before prosperity can be hoped for, the fundamental harm will at once appear. Only Your Majesty should examine and weigh this carefully.

召為戶部尚書，入見，上迎謂曰：“卿去國十年，每切思賢。 ”乃以《大學衍義》進，復陳祁天永命之說，謂“敬者德之聚。儀狄之酒，南威之色，盤遊弋射之娛，禽獸狗馬之玩，有一於茲，皆足害敬”。上欣然嘉納，改翰林學士、知制誥，時政多所論建。逾年，知貢舉，已得疾，拜參知政事，同編修敕令、《經武要略》。三乞祠祿，上不得已，進資政殿學士、提舉萬壽觀兼侍讀，辭。疾亟，冠帶起坐，迄謝事，猶神爽不亂。遺表聞，上震悼，輟視朝，贈銀青光祿大夫。

He was summoned as Minister of Revenue. On entering audience the emperor came forward and said, "You have been away from court ten years. I have constantly yearned for the worthy. He then presented Extension of the Great Learning and again set forth the doctrine of revering Heaven and securing the Mandate, saying, "Reverence is where virtue gathers. The wine of Yi Di, the beauty of Nanwei, the diversions of wandering, hunting, and archery, the playthings of birds, beasts, dogs, and horses—if any one of these is present, all are enough to harm reverence." The emperor gladly accepted this with praise. Dexiu was made Hanlin Academician and Drafting Drafter, and on current affairs he offered many proposals. The next year he oversaw the examinations. Already ill, he was appointed Vice Administrator and helped compile edicts and the Essentials of Statecraft and Military Affairs. Three times he begged for a nominal temple post. The emperor, with reluctance, promoted him to Academician of the Hall for Supporting Governance and Director of the Longevity Abbey with concurrent Reader-in-Waiting. He declined. As his illness grew critical he put on cap and belt and sat up. To the end, when he left office, his spirit remained clear and undisturbed. When his death memorial was received the emperor was shaken with grief, suspended court audience, and posthumously granted him Silver-Gleam Grandee of Splendid Happiness.

德秀長身廣額，容貌如玉，望之者無不以公輔期之。立朝不滿十年，奏疏無慮數十萬言，皆切當世要務，直聲震朝廷。四方人士誦其文，想見其風采。及宦遊所至，惠政深洽，不愧其言，由是中外交頌。都城人時驚傳傾洞，奔擁出關曰：“真直院至矣！ ”果至，則又填塞聚觀不置。時相益以此忌之，輒擯不用，而聲愈彰。及歸朝，適鄭清之挑敵，兵民死者數十萬，中外大耗，尤世道升降治亂之機，而德秀則既衰矣。杜範方攻清之誤國，且謂其貪黷更甚於前，而德秀乃奏言：“此皆前權臣玩悽之罪，今日措置之失，譬如和、扁繼庸醫之後，一藥之誤，代為庸醫受責。 ”其議論與範不同如此。然自侂胄立偽學之名以錮善類，凡近世大儒之書，皆顯禁以絕之。德秀晚出，獨慨然以斯文自任，講習而服行之。黨禁既開，而正學遂明於天下後世，多其力也。

Dexiu was tall in stature with a broad forehead; his countenance was like jade. All who saw him expected he would reach the highest offices. In office at court for less than ten years, his memorials amounted to no less than several hundred thousand words. All struck at the urgent affairs of the age, and his forthright voice shook the court. Men throughout the realm recited his writings and longed to see his bearing. Wherever his official travels took him, benevolent governance deeply reached the people and he did not fall short of his words. Hence within and without the court all praised him. People in the capital at times were startled by rumor spreading like thunder. They rushed and crowded out the gate, crying, "The True Straight Academician has arrived!" When he did arrive, they again packed the streets and watched without end. The chief ministers all the more envied him for this and repeatedly kept him out of office, yet his renown grew only brighter. When he returned to court, Zheng Qingzhi had just provoked the enemy. Soldiers and civilians dead numbered in the hundreds of thousands, and within and without the court was greatly drained. It was especially the pivot on which the age's rise and fall, order and chaos, turned—and Dexiu by then was already in decline. Du Fan was then attacking Qingzhi for ruining the state and saying his greed and corruption exceeded what had gone before. Yet Dexiu memorialized, "These are all the crimes of the former powerful minister's negligent governance and today's failures in handling affairs. It is like Yi He and Bian Que succeeding quack doctors—one mistaken dose, and the successor takes the quack's blame. His opinions differed from Fan's to this extent. Yet from the time Tuozhou established the name of False Learning to lock away men of worth, all books of the great recent Confucians were openly banned to cut them off. Dexiu emerged late and alone took up this culture with resolve, lecturing on it and practicing it in earnest. When the factional prohibition was lifted, correct learning was then made clear to the realm and later ages—much of this was his doing.

所著《西山甲乙稿》、《對越甲乙集》、《經筵講義》、《端平廟議》、《翰林詞草四六》、《獻忠集》、《江東救荒錄》、《清源雜志》、《星沙集志》。既薨，上思之不置，諡曰文忠。

His works included Western Mountain Drafts A and B, Reverence toward Yue Collection A and B, Lectures for the Classics Mat, Duanping Temple Discussions, Hanlin Rhyme-prose Drafts, Offering Loyalty Collection, Jiangdong Famine Relief Record, Qingyuan Miscellany, and Xingsha Local Gazetteer. After he died the emperor thought of him ceaselessly and granted the posthumous title Literary Loyal.

魏了翁

Wei Leweng

魏了翁，字華父，邛州蒲江人。年數歲，從諸兄入學，儼如成人。少長，英悟絕出，日誦千餘言，過目不再覽，鄉里稱為神童。年十五，著《韓愈論》，抑揚頓挫，有作者風。

Wei Leweng, whose courtesy name was Huafu, came from Pujiang in Qiong Prefecture. At a few years of age he followed his elder brothers to school, as solemn as an adult. As he grew, his brilliance and insight were unmatched. Daily he recited more than a thousand words, and what he read once he never needed to read again. His village called him a prodigy. At fifteen he wrote On Han Yu, with cadence and force in rise and fall. It had the air of a master writer.

慶元五年，登進士第。時方諱言道學，了翁策及之。授僉書劍南西川節度判官廳公事，盡心職業。嘉泰二年，召為國子正。明年，改武學博士。開禧元年，召試學士院。韓侂胄用事，謀開邊以自固，遍國中憂駭而不敢言。了翁乃言：“國家紀綱不立，國是不定，風俗苟偷，邊備廢弛，財用凋耗，人才衰弱，而道路籍籍，皆謂將有此北伐之舉，人情恟恟，憂疑錯出。金地廣勢強，未可卒圖，求其在我，未見可以勝人之實。盍亦急於內修，姑逭外攘。不然，舉天下而試於一擲，宗社存亡係焉，不可忽也。 ”策出，眾大驚。改秘書省正字。御史徐柟即劾了翁對策狂妄，獨侂胄持不可而止。

In the fifth year of the Qingyuan era he passed the jinshi examination. At the time Dao Learning was taboo to speak of. Leweng's examination essay touched on it. He was appointed Registry Clerk for the Martial Affairs Section of the Sword-South West Circuit Military Commission and devoted himself wholeheartedly to his duties. In the second year of the Jiatai era he was summoned as Instructor of the National University. The next year he was transferred to Erudite of the Military Academy. In the first year of the Kaixi era he was summoned to the Hanlin Examination. Han Tuozhou held power and plotted to open the frontier to secure himself. Throughout the realm all were anxious and alarmed yet dared not speak. Leweng then said, "The state's institutions are not established. The national direction is unsettled. Customs are careless and lax, frontier defense is neglected, revenues are drained, and talent is enfeebled. Yet on the roads there is widespread talk that a northern expedition is about to take place. Hearts are agitated; worry and doubt arise everywhere. Jin's territory is broad and its power strong; it cannot be quickly taken. Seeking what lies within ourselves, I see no substance by which we can overcome others. Why not urgently attend to internal cultivation and for now defer external conflict? Otherwise, to stake the whole realm on one throw—on this the altars of state and ancestral temple rise or fall. It cannot be lightly treated. When the examination essay was released, all were greatly startled. He was transferred to Corrector of the Secretariat. Censor Xu Shan immediately impeached Leweng for reckless answers in the examination. Only Tuozhou held that it could not be done and stopped the matter.

明年，遷校書郎，以親老乞補外，乃知嘉定府。行次江陵，蜀大將吳曦以四川叛，了翁策其必敗。又明年，曦誅，蜀平，了翁奉親還裏。侂胄亦以誤國誅。朝廷收召諸賢，了翁預焉。會史彌遠入相專國事，了翁察其所為，力辭召命。丁生父憂，解官心喪，築室白鶴山下，以所聞於輔廣、李燔者開門授徒，士爭負笈從之。由是蜀人盡知義理之學。

The next year he was promoted to Collator. As his parents were aged he begged an outer post and was made prefect of Jiading Prefecture. En route he stopped at Jiangling. The great Shu general Wu Xi rebelled with Sichuan. Leweng reckoned he would surely fail. The year after, Xi was executed, Shu was pacified, and Leweng escorted his parents home. Tuozhou was also executed for ruining the state. The court recalled the worthies, and Leweng was among them. When Shi Miyuan entered as chief minister and monopolized state affairs, Leweng scrutinized his conduct and forcefully declined the summons. On the death of his birth father he left office in heart-mourning, built a house beneath White Crane Mountain, and with what he had learned from Fu Guang and Li Fan opened his doors to teach. Scholars vied to carry books and follow him. From this the people of Shu came fully to know the learning of principle and righteousness.

差知漢州。漢號為繁劇，了翁以化善俗為治。首蠲積逋二十餘萬，除科抑賣酒之弊，嚴戶婚交訐之禁，復為文諭以厚倫止訟，其民敬奉條教不敢犯。會境內橋壞，民有壓死者，部使者以聞，詔降官一秩、主管建寧府武夷山衝佑觀。未數月，復元官、知眉州。眉雖為文物之邦，然其俗習法令，持吏短長，故號難治。聞了翁至，爭試以事。乃尊禮耆耇，簡拔俊秀，朔望詣學宮，親為講說，誘掖指授，行鄉飲酒禮以示教化，增貢士員以振文風。復蟆頤堰，築江鄉館，利民之事，知無不為。士論大服，俗為之變，治行彰聞。

He was appointed prefect of Han Prefecture. Han was known as busy and complex. Leweng took transforming customs toward goodness as his method of rule. First he remitted accumulated arrears of more than two hundred thousand. He removed the abuse of forced wine monopolies under tax levies and strictly forbade household and marriage denunciations. Again he issued written admonitions to strengthen human relations and halt lawsuits. The people reverently obeyed his regulations and did not dare violate them. When a bridge within the jurisdiction collapsed and people were crushed to death, the circuit commissioner reported it. An edict demoted him one rank and made him Director of the Chongyou Abbey on Mount Wuyi in Jianning Prefecture. Within a few months his original rank was restored and he was made prefect of Mei Prefecture. Mei, though a land of culture and refinement, had a custom of studying laws and regulations and finding fault with officials. Hence it was called hard to govern. When they heard Leweng had arrived, they vied to test him with incidents. He then honored the aged and selected and promoted talented youths. On the first and fifteenth of each month he went to the school and personally lectured, guiding and instructing. He performed the village drinking ceremony to show moral transformation and increased the quota for tribute students to revive literary culture. He restored the Mafu weir and built the Riverside Lodge. For anything benefiting the people, if he knew of it he did not fail to act. Public opinion among scholars was greatly won over. Customs changed accordingly, and his record of governance was widely heard.

嘉定四年，擢潼川路提點刑獄公事。八年，兼提舉常平等事，遷轉運判官。戢吏奸，詢民瘼，舉刺不避權右，風采肅然。上疏乞與周惇頤、張載、程顥、程頤錫爵定諡，示學者趣向，朝論韙之，如其請。遂寧闕守，了翁行郡事。即具奏乞修城郭備不虞，廷議靳其費，了翁增埤浚隍，如待敵至者。後一年，潰卒攻掠郡縣，知其有備不敢逞，人始服豫防之意。十年，遷直秘閣、知瀘州、主管潼川路安撫司公事。丁母憂，免喪，差知潼川府。約己裕民，厥績大著。若遊似、吳泳、牟子才，皆蜀名士，造門受業。

In the fourth year of the Jiading era he was promoted to Judicial Intendant of the Tongchuan Circuit. In the eighth year he concurrently held charge of Ever-Normal and related affairs and was transferred to Transport Vice Commissioner. He curbed official corruption and inquired into the people's distress. He reported and censured without avoiding the powerful and noble, and his authority was austere and commanding. He submitted a memorial begging that Zhou Dunyi, Zhang Zai, Cheng Hao, and Cheng Yi be granted noble ranks and fixed posthumous titles to show scholars where to turn. Court opinion approved, and his request was granted. Suining lacked a prefect, and Leweng administered the prefectural affairs. He immediately submitted a full memorial begging to repair walls and guard against the unexpected. Court deliberation was stingy with the expense, yet Leweng added ramparts and dredged moats as if awaiting the enemy's arrival. A year later mutinous soldiers attacked and plundered prefectures and counties. Knowing he was prepared they did not dare act rashly, and people then came to approve his intention of advance precaution. In the tenth year he was transferred to Direct Associate of the Secretariat Archive, prefect of Luzhou, and Supervisor of the Tongchuan Circuit Pacification Commission. On his mother's death he mourned. When mourning ended he was appointed prefect of Tongchuan Prefecture. He restrained himself and enriched the people. His achievements were greatly conspicuous. Men such as You Si, Wu Yong, and Mou Zicai—all noted Shu scholars—came to his gate to receive instruction.

十五年，被召入對，疏二千餘言。首論人與天地一本，必與天地相似而後可以無曠天位，並及人才、風俗五事，明白切暢。又論郡邑強幹弱枝之弊，所宜變通。蓋自了翁去國十有七年矣，至是上迎勞優渥，嘉納其言。進兵部郎中，俄改司封郎中兼國史院編修官。轉對，論江、淮、襄、蜀當分為四重鎮，擇人以任，虛心以聽，假以事權，資以才用，為聯絡守禦之計。次論蜀邊墾田及實錄闕文等事，皆下其章中書。十六年，為省試參詳官，遷太常少卿兼侍立修注官。

In the fifteenth year he was summoned for audience and submitted a memorial of more than two thousand words. First he argued that man and Heaven and Earth share one root, and that only by being similar to Heaven and Earth can one not neglect Heaven's position. Together with five matters of talent and custom, his meaning was clear, incisive, and fluent. He again discussed the harm of strong branches and weak trunks in prefectures and counties, which ought to be changed. Leweng had been away from court seventeen years. When he arrived the emperor welcomed and treated him with exceptional favor and praised and accepted his words. He was promoted to Vice Director of the Ministry of War and soon transferred to Vice Director of the Department of Feudatory Affairs with concurrent Compiler of the National History Institute. In rotation audience he argued that the Yangzi, Huai, Xiang, and Shu regions should be divided into four key garrisons. Choose men to appoint them, listen with an open mind, lend them authority over affairs, and supply them with talent and use—forming a plan of linked defense. Next he discussed Shu frontier reclamation and lacunae in the Veritable Records, and the like. All his memorials were sent down to the Secretariat. In the sixteenth year he served as Evaluation Officer for the provincial examination and was promoted to Vice Director of the Court of Imperial Sacrifices with concurrent Attendant Recorder and Annotator.

十七年，遷秘書監，尋以起居舍人再辭而後就列。入奏，極言事變倚伏、人心向背、疆埸安危、鄰寇動靜，其幾有五，謂：“宜察時幾而共天命，尊道揆而嚴法守，集思廣益，汲汲圖之，不猶愈於坐觀事會，而聽其勢之所趨乎？ ”又論士大夫風俗之弊，謂：“君臣上下同心一德，而後平居有所補益，緩急有所倚仗。如人自為謀，則天下之患有不可終窮者。今則麵從而腹誹，習諛而踵陋，臣實懼焉。盍亦察人心之邪正，推世變之倚伏，開拓規模，收拾人物，庶幾臨事無乏人之歎。 ”其言剴切，無所忌避，而時相始不樂矣。

In the seventeenth year he was transferred to Director of the Secretariat. Soon, as Recorder of the Emperor's Words, he declined twice before finally taking his post. Entering to memorialize, he spoke at length on the ebb and flow of affairs, the turn of hearts toward or away, the safety or peril of the borders, and the movements of neighboring enemies—of these there are five critical points. He said, "One should discern the times and share Heaven's Mandate, honor the Way and measure affairs and strictly uphold the law, gather thoughts and broaden benefit, and urgently plan for them. Is this not better than sitting and watching events unfold while letting the tide of power run its course?" He again discussed the corruption of scholar-official custom, saying, "Only when ruler and ministers above and below share one heart and one virtue can they in ordinary times give mutual benefit and in urgent crisis have one another to rely on. If each man schemes for himself, then the realm's troubles will have no end that can ever be exhausted. Now men comply to one's face yet slander in their hearts, habitually flatter and perpetuate vulgarity. I truly fear this. Why not examine whether hearts are upright or crooked, trace the ebb and flow of change in the world, broaden the scope of governance, and gather capable men—so that when crisis comes there will be no lament over a shortage of talent? His words were incisive and without fear or evasion, and the chief minister at last became displeased.

寧宗崩，理宗自宗室入即位，時事忽異，了翁積憂成疾，三疏求閑不得請，遷起居郎。明年，改元寶慶，雷發非時，上有“朕心終夕不安”之語，了翁入對，即論：“人主之心，義理所安，是之謂天，非此心之外，別有所謂天地神明也。陛下盍即不安而求之，對天地，事太母，見群臣，親講讀，皆隨事反求，則大本立而無事不可為矣。 ”又論：“講學不明，風俗浮淺，立朝無犯顏敢諫之忠，臨難無仗節死義之勇。願敷求碩儒，丕闡正學，圖為久安長治之計。 ”又請申命大臣，於除授之際，公聽並觀，然後實意所孚，善類皆出矣。

When Ningzong died and Lizong ascended the throne from among the imperial clan, affairs suddenly changed. Leweng's accumulated worries turned to illness. Thrice he memorialized to request retirement but was not granted it, and he was transferred to Attendant of the Emperor's Words. The next year the era name was changed to Baoqing. Thunder struck out of season, and the emperor said, “My heart is uneasy all night long.” Leweng entered audience and at once argued, “The ruler’s heart—what righteousness and principle can settle is what is called Heaven. Beyond this heart there is no separate Heaven, Earth, and spirits.” Your Majesty, why not take your unease and seek into it—before Heaven and Earth, in serving the Grand Empress Dowager, in receiving your ministers, in personally attending the lectures—reflecting back upon each matter as it arises? Then the great foundation will be established and nothing will be impossible. He again argued, “The pursuit of learning is unclear and customs are shallow. In court there is no loyalty of those who risk the ruler’s displeasure to remonstrate; facing crisis there is no courage of those who uphold integrity and die for righteousness.” I wish that eminent scholars be widely sought and orthodox learning greatly expounded, plotting the plan for lasting peace and long-term governance. He again requested that clear orders be issued to grand ministers: at the time of appointments and dismissals, listen openly and observe together—then when sincerity is trusted, the good will all emerge.

屬濟王黜削以死，有司顧望，治葬弗虔。了翁每見上，請厚倫紀，以弭人言。應詔言事者十餘人，朝士惟了翁與洪谘夔、胡夢昱、張忠恕所言能引義劘上，最為切至，而了翁亦以疾求去。右正言李知孝劾夢昱竄嶺南，了翁出關餞別，遂指了翁首倡異論，將擊之，彌遠猶外示優容。俄權尚書工部侍郎，了翁力以疾辭，乃以集英殿修撰知常德府。越二日，諫議大夫朱端常遂劾了翁欺世盜名，朋邪謗國，詔降三官、靖州居住。初，了翁再入朝，彌遠欲引以自助，了翁正色不撓，未嚐私謁。故三年之間，循格序遷，未嚐處以要地。了翁至靖，湖、湘、江、浙之士，不遠千里負書從學。乃著《九經要義》百卷，訂定精密，先儒所未有。

When the Prince of Ji was demoted and stripped of rank until he died, the responsible officials hesitated, and his burial was not handled with due reverence. Each time Leweng saw the emperor he urged strengthening moral obligations to quiet public talk. More than ten men responded to the imperial decree to speak on affairs. Among court officials only Leweng, Hong Zikui, Hu Mengyu, and Zhang Zhongshu could draw on principle to admonish the emperor—their words were the most incisive—and Leweng also requested leave on grounds of illness. Right Remonstrator Li Zhixiao impeached Mengyu and banished him south of the Ling. Leweng went out of the pass to see him off with a farewell feast. Li then pointed to Leweng as the first to raise heterodox views and was about to attack him, but Miyuan still outwardly showed forbearance. Soon he was made acting Vice Minister of the Ministry of Works. Leweng forcefully declined on grounds of illness and was instead appointed Compiler at the Hall for Cultivating Talent and prefect of Changde. Two days later Remonstrance and Discussion Grandee Zhu Duanchang impeached Leweng for deceiving the world and stealing renown, befriending the wicked and slandering the state. An edict demoted him three ranks and ordered him to reside at Jing Prefecture. At first, when Leweng reentered court, Miyuan wished to draw him in as an ally. Leweng remained stern and unyielding and never once paid a private visit. Thus for three years he was transferred in rank order and was never placed in an important post. When Leweng reached Jing, scholars from Hunan, the Xiang region, Jiang, and Zhe traveled from afar bearing books to study under him. He then authored one hundred fascicles of Essentials of the Nine Classics, exquisitely refined in collation—something earlier Confucians had never produced.

紹定四年復職，主管建寧府武夷山衝佑觀。五年，改差提舉江州太平興國宮，尋知遂寧府，辭不拜。進寶章閣待制、潼川路安撫使、知瀘州。瀘大藩，控製邊麵二千里，而武備不修，城郭不治。了翁乃奏葺其城樓櫓雉堞，增置器械，教習牌手，申嚴軍律，興學校，蠲宿負，復社倉，創義塚，建養濟院。居數月，百廢具舉。彌遠薨，上親庶政，進華文閣待制，賜金帶，因其任。

In the fourth year of Shaoding he was restored to office and put in charge of the Chongyou Abbey on Mount Wuyi in Jianning Prefecture. In the fifth year he was reassigned to oversee the Taiping Xingguo Palace in Jiang Prefecture. Soon he was made prefect of Suining Prefecture but declined and did not accept. He was promoted to Baochan Pavilion Attendant-in-Waiting, made Sichuan Pacification Commissioner of Tongchuan Circuit, and appointed prefect of Lu Prefecture. Lu was a major commandery controlling two thousand li of frontier, yet military preparedness was neglected and the walls and moats were unrepaired. Leweng then memorialized to repair the towers, ramparts, and battlements; add weapons and equipment; drill shield-bearers; strictly enforce military discipline; establish schools; remit long-standing debts; restore community granaries; create burial grounds for the destitute; and build homes for the relief of the needy. Within several months a hundred neglected affairs were all set right. When Miyuan died and the emperor personally handled governance, Leweng was promoted to Huawen Pavilion Attendant-in-Waiting and granted a gold belt, retaining his existing duties.

了翁念國家權臣相繼，內擅國柄，外變風俗，綱常淪斁，法度墮弛，貪濁在位，舉事弊蠹，不可滌濯。遂應詔上章論十弊，乞復舊典以彰新化：“一曰復三省之典以重六卿，二曰復二府之典以集眾議，三曰復都堂之典以重省府，四曰復侍從之典以來忠告，五曰復經筵之典以熙聖學，六曰復台諫之典以公黜陟，七曰復製誥之典以謹命令，八曰復聽言之典以通下情，九曰復三衙之典以強主威，十曰復製閫之典以黜私意。疏列萬言，先引故實，次陳時弊，分別利害，粲若白黑。上讀之感動，即於經筵舉之成誦。其後，舊典皆復其初。

Leweng reflected that successive powerful ministers had monopolized state power within and corrupted custom without. Moral bonds had collapsed, laws and institutions had fallen into disrepair, the greedy and corrupt held office, and every undertaking was riddled with corruption beyond cleansing. He then responded to an imperial decree with a memorial discussing ten abuses, requesting restoration of old institutions to manifest new transformation: “First, restore the institution of the Three Departments to give weight to the Six Ministers; second, restore the institution of the Two Councils to gather collective deliberation; third, restore the institution of the Chief Council Hall to give weight to the secretariat and prefectures; fourth, restore the institution of attendant officials to draw forth loyal counsel; fifth, restore the institution of the Classics Colloquium to illumine sage learning; sixth, restore the institution of the Censorate and Remonstrance Bureau to make promotions and demotions public; seventh, restore the institution of drafting edicts to keep commands strict; eighth, restore the institution of receiving speech to communicate conditions below; ninth, restore the institution of the Three Commands to strengthen the ruler’s authority; tenth, restore the institution of appointing commanders to dismiss private intent.” The memorial ran to ten thousand words. First it cited ancient precedents, then stated present abuses, distinguishing benefit and harm as clearly as black and white. The emperor read it and was moved. He immediately recited it from memory at the Classics Colloquium. Thereafter the old institutions were all restored to their original form.

臣庶封章多乞召還了翁及真德秀，上因民望而並招之，用了翁權禮部尚書兼直學士院。入對，首乞明君子小人之辨，以為進退人物之本，以杜奸邪窺伺之端。次論故相十失猶存，又及修身、齊家、選宗賢、建內小學等，皆切於上躬者。他如和議不可信，北軍不可保，軍實財用不可恃，凡十餘端。復口奏利害，晝漏下四十刻而退。兼同修國史兼侍讀，俄兼吏部尚書。經幃進讀，上必改容以聽，詢察政事，訪問人才。復條十事以獻，皆苦心空臆，直述事情，言人所難。上悉嘉納，且手詔獎諭。又奏乞收還保全彌遠家御筆，乞定趙汝愚配享寧廟，乞趣崔與之參預政事，乞定履畝之令以寬民力，乞詔從臣集議以救楮弊，乞儲閫才以備緩急。又因進故事：如儲人才、凝國論，如力圖自治之策，如下罪己之詔，如分別襄、黃二帥是非，如究見黃陂叛卒利害，如分任諸帥區處降附。

Officials and commoners in sealed memorials largely begged to recall Leweng and Zhen Dexiu. Following public regard, the emperor summoned both. Leweng was made acting Minister of Rites with concurrent duty in the Hanlin Academy. Entering audience, he first urged clarifying the distinction between gentlemen and petty men, taking this as the foundation for advancing and dismissing men and blocking the openings by which wicked men watch for advantage. Next he discussed the ten faults of the former chief minister that still remained, and also touched on self-cultivation, ordering the family, selecting worthy members of the imperial clan, and establishing an inner school—all matters cutting close to the emperor’s own person. He also addressed more than ten other points: the peace agreement could not be trusted, northern armies could not be relied upon, and military stores and revenues could not be depended on. He again orally memorialized on benefit and harm and withdrew when the day clepsydra had passed forty markings. He was concurrently Associate Compiler of the National History and Reader, and soon concurrently Minister of Personnel. When he advanced to read in the Classics Curtain, the emperor always composed his expression to listen, inquiring into government affairs and asking about men of talent. He again listed ten matters to present. All were born of bitter earnestness, directly stating affairs and speaking what others found difficult. The emperor fully praised and accepted them and issued a personal edict of commendation. He again memorialized requesting recovery of the imperial brush writings preserved in Shi Miyuan's household; fixing Zhao Ruyu's enshrinement in Ningzong's temple; urging Cui Yu'zhi to participate in governance; fixing the land-measurement order to ease the people's burden; an edict for attendant ministers to gather and deliberate to rescue paper currency; and storing commandery talent against urgent need. He also drew on historical examples in advancing his views: storing talent and consolidating national debate; vigorously plotting policies of self-governance; issuing an edict of self-reproach; distinguishing right and wrong between the two commanders of Xiang and Huang; thoroughly assessing the benefit and harm of the mutinous soldiers at Huangpi; and dividing responsibility among commanders to settle surrendered adherents.

還朝六閱月，前後二十餘奏，皆當時急務。上將引以共政，而忌者相與合謀排擯，而不能安於朝矣。執政遂謂近臣惟了翁知兵體國，乃以端明殿學士、同僉書樞密院事督視京湖軍馬。會江、淮督府曾從龍以憂畏卒，並以江、淮付了翁。朝論大駭，以為不可，三學亦上書爭之。適邊警遝至，上心焦勞，了翁嫌於避事，既五辭弗獲，遂受命開府，宣押同二府奏事，上勉勞尤至。尋兼提舉編修《武經要略》，恩數同執政，進封臨邛郡開國侯，又賜便宜詔書如張浚故事。朝辭，麵賜禦書唐人嚴武詩及“鶴山書院”四大字，仍賜金帶鞍馬，詔宰臣飲餞於關外。乃酌上下流之中，開幕府江州，申儆將帥，調遣援師，褒死事之臣，黜退懦之將，奏邊防十事。甫二旬，召為僉書樞密院事。赴闕奏事，時以疾力辭不拜。蓋在朝諸人始謀假此命以出了翁，既出，則復以建督為非，雖恩禮赫奕，而督府奏陳動相牽製，故遽召還，前後皆非上意也。

Six months after returning to court he submitted more than twenty memorials in all, each addressing pressing affairs of the time. The emperor was about to draw him in to share governance, but jealous men conspired together to exclude him, and he could no longer be at ease at court. The chief ministers then said that among recent ministers only Leweng understood military affairs and grasped the state. He was made Duanming Hall Academician and Associate Commissioner of the Bureau of Military Affairs to oversee Jinghu armies and horses. It happened that Zeng Conglong, commissioner of the Jiang-Huai command, died of worry and fear, and both the Jiang and Huai regions were entrusted to Leweng. Court debate was greatly alarmed and held it impossible. The Three Academies also submitted memorials disputing the appointment. Just then frontier alarms arrived in succession and the emperor's heart was anxious and weary. Leweng was reluctant to seem to avoid duty. Having declined five times without success, he accepted the commission and opened his command. An edict ordered him to present affairs jointly with the Two Councils, and the emperor's encouragement was especially full. Soon he was concurrently put in charge of compiling Essentials of Military Classics. His honors matched those of chief ministers. He was advanced to Marquis of Linqiong Commandery and again granted discretionary edicts as in the precedent of Zhang Jun. At his court farewell he was personally granted an imperial copy of a Tang poem by Yan Wu and the four large characters “Heshan Academy,” along with a gold belt, saddle, and horse. An edict ordered the chief ministers to feast and see him off outside the pass. He then chose the middle ground between the upper and lower reaches, opened his command at Jiang Prefecture, sternly warned the generals, dispatched relief armies, praised ministers who died in service, dismissed cowardly generals, and memorialized on ten frontier matters. Barely twenty days later he was summoned as Associate Commissioner of the Bureau of Military Affairs. When he went to court to memorialize, he forcefully declined on grounds of illness and did not accept. For the men at court had at first plotted to use this appointment to get Leweng out. Once he was out, they again held establishing the command wrong. Though honors and courtesy were splendid, the command's memorials and reports were constantly constrained and checked, so he was hastily recalled. Before and after, none of this accorded with the emperor’s intent.

尋改資政殿學士、湖南安撫使、知潭州，復力辭，詔提舉臨安府洞霄宮。未幾，改知紹興府、浙東安撫使。嘉熙元年，改知福州、福建安撫使。累章乞骸骨，詔不允。疾革，復上疏。門人問疾者，猶衣冠相與酬答，且曰：“吾平生處己，澹然無營。 ”復語蜀兵亂事，蹙額久之，口授遺奏，少焉拱手而逝。後十日，詔以資政殿大學士、通奉大夫致仕。

Soon he was changed to Zizheng Hall Academician, Hunan Pacification Commissioner, and prefect of Tan Prefecture. Again he forcefully declined, and an edict made him overseer of the Dongxiao Abbey in Lin'an Prefecture. Before long he was changed to prefect of Shaoxing Prefecture and Zhedong Pacification Commissioner. In the first year of Jiaxi he was changed to prefect of Fuzhou and Fujian Pacification Commissioner. Repeated memorials begged to retire on old age, but an edict did not grant it. When his illness became critical he again submitted a memorial. Disciples who came to inquire after his illness still dressed properly and conversed with one another, and he said, “All my life in treating myself I have been tranquil and without striving. ” He again spoke of the disorder of Shu troops, knitted his brow a long while, orally dictated his final memorial, and shortly thereafter bowed with clasped hands and died. Ten days later an edict made him Zizheng Hall Grand Academician and Grandee for Appeasing the Court, retired from office.

遺表聞，上震悼，輟視朝，歎惜有用才不盡之恨。詔贈太師，諡文靖，賜第宅蘇州，累贈秦國公。

When his final memorial was reported the emperor was shaken and grieved. He suspended court audience and sighed with regret that useful talent had not been fully employed. An edict posthumously made him Grand Preceptor with the posthumous name Wenjing, granted a residence in Suzhou, and repeatedly advanced him to Duke of Qin.

所著有《鶴山集》、《九經要義》、《周易集義》、《易舉隅》、《周禮井田圖說》、《古今考》、《經史雜抄》、《師友雅言》。

His authored works include Collected Works of Heshan, Essentials of the Nine Classics, Collected Meanings of the Changes, Corners of the Changes, Diagrammatic Explanation of the Well-Field System in the Rites of Zhou, Ancient and Modern Researches, Miscellaneous Extracts from Classics and Histories, and Elegant Words of Masters and Friends.

廖德明

Liao Deming

廖德明，字子晦，南劍人。少學釋氏，及得龜山楊時書，讀之大悟，遂受業朱熹。登乾道中進士第。知莆田縣。民有奉淫祠者，罪之，沉像於江。會有顯者欲取邑地廣其居，德明不可，守會僚屬諭之，德明曰：“太守，天子守土之臣，未聞以土地與人者。 ”守乃慚服。

Liao Deming, whose courtesy name was Zihui, came from Nanjian. In youth he studied Buddhism. When he obtained the writings of Yang Shi of Guishan and read them he greatly awakened, and then received instruction from Zhu Xi. He passed the jinshi examination in the Qiandao era. He served as magistrate of Putian County. When the people worshipped illicit shrines he punished them and sank the images in the river. It happened that a prominent man wished to take county land to expand his residence. Deming would not allow it. The prefect convened subordinates to instruct him, and Deming said, “The prefect is the Son of Heaven’s minister guarding the land—I have never heard of giving land to others. ” The prefect then felt ashamed and submitted.

累官知潯州，有聲。諸司且交薦之，德明曰：“今老矣，況以道徇人乎？ ”固辭不受。選廣東提舉刑獄，彈劾不避權要。歲當薦士，朝貴多以書托之，德明曰：“此國家公器也。 ”悉不啟封還之。有鄉人為主簿，德明聞其能，薦之。會德明行縣，簿感其知己，置酒延之，悉假富人觴豆甚盛。德明怒曰：“一主簿乃若是侈耶？必貪也。 ”於是追還薦章，其公嚴類此。

Through successive offices he became prefect of Xun Prefecture and earned a reputation. Various offices were about to jointly recommend him. Deming said, “I am old now—how could I still bend the Way to please men? ” He firmly declined and did not accept. He was selected as Guangdong Judicial Intendant and in impeachment did not avoid the powerful and privileged. In the year when candidates were to be recommended, court nobles largely sent letters entrusting him. Deming said, “This is the state’s public vessel. ” He did not open any and returned them all. A fellow townsman served as registrar. Deming heard of his ability and recommended him. When Deming was touring the county the registrar, moved by his knowing him, set out wine and invited him, borrowing entirely from the rich for vessels and dishes in great abundance. Deming angrily said, “For one registrar to be so extravagant? He must be corrupt. ” He then recalled the recommendation. His public sternness was of this kind.

時盜陷桂陽，迫韶，韶人懼，德明燕笑自如，遣將弛擊，而親持小麾督戰，大敗之。乃分戍守，遠斥堠，明審賞罰，宣布威信，韶晏然如平時。徙知廣州，遷吏部左選郎官，奉祠，卒。

At the time bandits seized Guiyang and pressed on Shaozhou. The people of Shao were afraid, but Deming feasted and laughed as usual, sent generals in swift attack, and personally held a small command baton to direct the battle, greatly defeating them. He then divided garrisons to hold positions, pushed watch-posts far out, clearly examined rewards and punishments, and proclaimed trust and authority. Shaozhou was tranquil as in ordinary times. He was transferred to prefect of Guang Prefecture, promoted to Left Selection Officer in the Ministry of Personnel, granted a sinecure, and died.

德明初為潯州教授，為學者講明聖賢心學之要，手植三柏於學，潯士愛敬之如甘棠。在南粵時，立師悟堂，刻朱熹《家禮》及程氏諸書。公餘，延僚屬及諸生親為講說，遠近化之。嚐語人以仕學之要曰：“德明自始仕，以至為郡，惟用三代直道而行一句而已。 ”有《槎溪集》行於世。

At first Deming was professor at Xun Prefecture. For scholars he expounded the essentials of the sages’ learning of the heart. He personally planted three cypresses at the school, and Xun scholars loved and revered them as the sweet pear. While in the southern Yue region he established the Shiwu Hall and carved Zhu Xi’s Family Rituals and the books of the Cheng school. In spare time from official duties he invited subordinates and students to lecture in person, and near and far were transformed by it. Once he told people the essentials of office and learning, saying, “From the time Deming first entered office until serving as prefect, I used only the one phrase of the Three Dynasties—walk the straight path. ” Collected Works of Chaxi circulated in the world.

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