1
文苑二
Literary Grove, Part Two.
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○高頔李度韓溥鞠常宋準柳開夏侯嘉正羅處約安德裕錢熙
Gao Di, Li Du, Han Pu, Ju Chang, Song Zhun, Liu Kai, Xia Houjiazheng, Luo Chuyue, An Deyu, and Qian Xi.
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高頔字子奇，開封雍丘人。 後唐清泰中舉進士，同輩紿之曰：「何不從裴僕射求知乎？」 時裴皞以左僕射致仕，後進無至其門者。 頔性純樸，信其言，以文贄於皞。 明年，禮部侍郎馬裔孫知貢舉，乃皞門下生也。 皞以頔語之，遂擢乙科，四遷魏博觀察支使。
Gao Di, styled Ziqi, came from Yongqiu in Kaifeng. During the Qingtai era of Later Tang he passed the jinshi examination. His fellow candidates tricked him, saying, "Why not ask Vice Censor Pei for a letter of recommendation?" At the time Pei Hao had retired from his post as Left Vice Censor, and no younger scholars ever called on him. Di was plain and guileless by nature. He took them at their word and presented a literary gift to Pei Hao. The next year Ma Yisun, Vice Minister of Rites, supervised the examinations. He had been a disciple of Pei Hao. Pei Hao spoke of Di to him, and Di was placed in the second rank. After four promotions he became administrative aide to the Weibo Observation Commissioner.
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周顯德中，符彥卿奏署掌書記。 時太宗親迎懿德皇后於大名，彥卿遣頔迎候，日夕陪接，尤伸款好。 後隨彥卿鎮鳳翔，會詔留彥卿洛陽，頔復為天雄軍掌書記。 後以病免，居於魏。
During the Xiande era of Zhou, Fu Yanqing memorialized to appoint him chief secretary. At that time Emperor Taizong went in person to Daming to welcome Empress Yide. Yanqing sent Di to greet him, and Di attended him day and night, drawing especially close in mutual regard. Later he followed Yanqing to his command at Fengxiang. When an edict ordered Yanqing to remain at Luoyang, Di again served as chief secretary of the Tianxiong Army. Later he resigned on account of illness and settled in Wei.
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雍熙二年，太宗親試貢士，頔子南金舉學究，自陳曰：「臣父年八十四，嘗佐使幕，久已罷職，家貧無以存養。 願賜一第，庶獲寸祿，以及老父。」 上問左右其父何人，宰相宋琪以頔對，且言其素行廉介，老而彌厲，甚為搢紳推重。 上曰：「此高頔子耶！ 頔在大名幕中，嘗與朕遊處，迨逾旬月。 晨暮對案飲食，常拱手危坐，未曾少懈，其恭謹蓋天性也。 惜其老矣，不欲煩以官政。」 即擢南金第，拜頔左補闕致仕，賜錢十萬。 後卒於家。
In the second year of Yongxi, Emperor Taizong personally examined tribute scholars. Di's son Nanjin entered for the xueju degree and declared: "My father is eighty-four. He once served on a commissioner staff but has long been out of office. Our family is poor and cannot support him. I beg to be granted a degree, that I may receive even a modest stipend and provide for my aged father." The emperor asked those around him who the father was. Chief Minister Song Qi named Gao Di and said that his conduct had always been incorruptible and grew only stricter with age, and that the gentry held him in high esteem. The emperor said, "This is the son of Gao Di! Di was on the staff at Daming and once kept company with me for more than a month. Morning and evening at meals across the table he always sat upright with hands folded and never once slackened. Such respectful diligence was plainly in his nature. It is a pity he is old; I do not wish to burden him with official duties." Thereupon Nanjin was granted a degree. Di was appointed Left Remonstrator with retirement status and given a hundred thousand cash. He later died at home.
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頔有清節，力學強記，手寫書千餘卷。 彥卿待之甚厚，或過致優給，頔計口受費，餘皆不納。 彥卿左右多肆貪虐，民不能堪，及彥卿罷鎮，其故時將吏、賓客皆心愧，無敢復遊魏者。 惟頔清苦守法，魏人愛之。 在魏三十年，無一人言其非者。 所乘馬老，以糜飼之。 仆夫年七十，待之如初，時稱其長者。
Di was known for upright integrity. He studied hard, had a formidable memory, and hand-copied more than a thousand scrolls of books. Yanqing treated him very generously and sometimes sent extra provisions, but Di calculated what he needed per mouth and would accept nothing beyond that. Many of Yanqing's attendants were greedy and cruel, and the people could not bear it. When Yanqing left his command, his former officers and guests all felt ashamed, and none dared visit Wei again. Only Di lived in hardship yet kept the law, and the people of Wei loved him. For thirty years in Wei, not one person spoke ill of him. The horse he rode was old, and he fed it with grain porridge. His servant was seventy, yet he treated him as he had from the first. People of the time called him a man of exemplary character.
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次子鼎，舉進士，至殿中丞。
His second son Ding passed the jinshi examination and rose to the post of Director in the Palace Secretariat.
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李度，河南洛陽人。 周顯德中舉進士。 度工於詩，有「醉輕浮世事，老重故鄉人」之句。 時翰林學士申文炳知貢舉，樞密使王樸移書錄其句以薦之，文炳即擢度為第三人。 釋褐永寧縣主簿。
Li Du came from Luoyang in Henan. During the Xiande era of Zhou he passed the jinshi examination. Du was skilled at poetry and had the lines, "In drunkenness worldly affairs seem light; in old age one holds dear the people of one's hometown." At that time Hanlin Academician Shen Wenbing supervised the examinations. Privy Councilor Wang Pu sent a letter quoting Du's lines to recommend him, and Wenbing immediately ranked Du third. Upon entering office he became chief clerk of Yongning County.
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累遷殿中丞、知歙州。 坐事左遷絳州團練使，十年不調。 度在歙州，嘗以所著詩刻於石，有中黃門得其石本，傳入禁中，太宗見之，謂宰相曰：「度今安在？」 即令召至，對於便殿，與語甚悅，擢為虞部員外郎、直史館，賜緋。 端拱初，籍田畢，交州黎桓加恩，命度借太常少卿充官告國信副使，上賜詩以寵行。 未至交州，卒於太平軍傳舍，年五十七。
After successive promotions he became Director in the Palace Secretariat and prefect of She Prefecture. For an offense he was demoted to regimental commissioner of Jiang Prefecture and received no new appointment for ten years. While Du was in She Prefecture, he once had his poems carved on stone. A middle palace eunuch obtained a rubbing and it reached the inner palace. Emperor Taizong saw it and asked the chief ministers, "Where is Du now?" He was immediately summoned and received in the informal hall. The emperor was greatly pleased in conversation and promoted him to Vice Director in the Ministry of Works, assigned him to the Historiography Institute, and granted him scarlet robes. At the beginning of the Duangong era, after the plowing ceremony, Li Huan of Jiaozhou was granted honors. Du was ordered to serve temporarily as Vice Director of the Ministry of Ritual and deputy envoy bearing the imperial patent and credentials, and the emperor granted him a poem to honor his departure. Before reaching Jiaozhou he died at a relay station in Taiping Army, aged fifty-seven.
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度之南使，每至州府，即借圖經觀其勝跡，皆形篇詩，以上所賜詩有「奉使南遊多好景」之句，遂題為《奉使南遊集》，未成編而亡。 弟康亦善詩，太平興國二年，登進士第，官至太子右讚善大夫。
On Du's mission south, whenever he reached a prefecture or district he borrowed local gazetteers to view famous sites and turned each into a poem. Because the poem the emperor had granted him contained the line "On mission to the south, many fine vistas," he titled the collection 《Collection of a Mission Journey South》, but it was never compiled before he died. His younger brother Kang was also skilled at poetry. In the second year of Taiping Xingguo he passed the jinshi examination and rose to the office of Right Tutor to the Heir Apparent.
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韓溥，京兆長安人，唐相休之裔孫。 少俊敏，善屬文。 周顯德初舉進士，累遷曆使府。 開寶三年，自靜難軍掌書記召為監察御史，三遷至庫部員外郎、知華州，同判靈州，再轉司門郎中。 淳化二年被病，表請辭職尋醫，許之。 溥博學善持論，詳練台閣故事，多知唐朝氏族，與人談亹然可聽，號為「近世肉譜」，搢紳頗推重之。 尤善筆劄，人多藏尺牘。
Han Pu came from Chang'an in Jingzhao and was a descendant of Tang chief minister Han Xiuzhi. In youth he was clever and quick and skilled at literary composition. At the beginning of the Xiande era of Zhou he passed the jinshi examination and through successive promotions served in various commissioner staffs. In the third year of Kaibao he was summoned from chief secretary of the Jingnan Army to serve as investigating censor. After three promotions he became Vice Director in the Ministry of Revenue, prefect of Hua Prefecture, concurrently judging Ling Prefecture, and then transferred again to Director in the Ministry of Revenues. In the second year of Chunhua he fell ill, memorialized requesting leave to resign and seek treatment, and was permitted. Pu was broadly learned and skilled at argument, thoroughly versed in the precedents of the central administration, and knew much about Tang clans. When he spoke with others he was engaging to listen to. He was called the "living genealogy of recent times," and the gentry greatly respected him. He was especially skilled at letters, and many people collected his writings.
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弟洎，亦進士及第。
His younger brother Ji also passed the jinshi examination.
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鞠常，字可久，密州高密人。 祖真，黃縣令。 父慶孫，申州團練判官，有詩名。 常少好學，善屬文。 漢乾祐二年擢進士第，裁二十一，釋褐秘書省校書郎。 周廣順中，宰相範質奏充集賢校理，出為鄆州觀察支使，曆永興軍節度掌書記、伊陽令。 顯德四年，詣闕進策，召試，復授猗氏令，遷蔡州防禦判官，復宰介休、魏縣。 開寶中，趙普為相，擢為著作佐郎。 時任此官，惟常與楊徽之、李若拙、趙鄰幾四人，皆有名於時。 常應舉時，著《四時成歲賦》萬餘言，又為《春蘭賦》，頗存興托。 後為清河令。 七年，卒，年四十七。
Ju Chang, styled Kejiu, came from Gaomi in Mizhou. His grandfather Zhen was magistrate of Huang County. His father Qingsun was defense commissioner judge of Shen Prefecture and had a reputation for poetry. From youth Chang loved learning and was skilled at literary composition. In the second year of Gan You of Han he was selected for the jinshi degree at only twenty-one and upon entering office became collator in the Secretariat. During the Guangshun era of Zhou, Chief Minister Fan Zhi memorialized to appoint him collator in the Hall of Assembled Worthies. He went out to serve as administrative aide to the Yunzhou Observation Commissioner and subsequently served as chief secretary under the Yongxing military commissioner and as magistrate of Yiyang. In the fourth year of Xiande he went to court to submit a policy memorial, was summoned for examination, and was again appointed magistrate of Yishi. He was transferred to defense commissioner judge of Cai Prefecture and again served as magistrate of Jiexiu and Wei County. During Kaibao, when Zhao Pu was chief minister, he was promoted to Assistant Archivist. At that time only Chang, together with Yang Huizhi, Li Ruozhuo, and Zhao Linji, held this office—four men all famous in their day. When Chang took the examinations he composed 《Fu on the Four Seasons Completing the Year》, more than ten thousand characters, and also wrote 《Fu on Spring Orchids》, which preserved considerable allegorical intent. Later he served as magistrate of Qinghe. In the seventh year he died, aged forty-seven.
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子仲謀，字有開，雍熙中進士，有材幹，曆御史、東京留守推官、陝西轉運，至兵部員外郎。 仲謀集其父所為文成二十卷。 弟愉，周廣順中進士，與常齊名。
His son Zhongmou, styled Youkai, passed the jinshi in Yongxi. Capable and resourceful, he successively served as censor, judicial officer under the eastern capital garrison commander, transport commissioner for Shaanxi, and rose to Vice Director in the Ministry of War. Zhongmou collected his father's writings into twenty scrolls. His younger brother Yu passed the jinshi during the Guangshun era of Zhou and was as famous as Chang.
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宋準，字子平，開封雍丘人。 祖彥升，庫部員外郎。 父鵬，秘書郎。 準開寶中舉進士，翰林學士李皞知貢舉，擢準甲科。 會貢士徐士廉擊登聞鼓，訴皞用情取舍非當。 太祖怒，召準覆試於便殿，見準形神偉茂，程試敏速，甚嘉之，以為宜首冠俊造，由是復擢準甲科，即授秘書省校書郎、直史館。
Song Zhun, styled Ziping, came from Yongqiu in Kaifeng. His grandfather Yansheng was Vice Director in the Ministry of Revenue. His father Peng was a secretary in the Palace Secretariat. Zhun passed the jinshi during Kaibao. Hanlin Academician Li Hao supervised the examinations and ranked Zhun in the top class. When tribute scholar Xu Shilian struck the Denunciation Drum at court, accusing Li Hao of favoritism in selection. Emperor Taizu was angered and summoned Zhun for a retest in the informal hall. Seeing Zhun's imposing presence and swift performance in the timed examination, he greatly admired him and judged that he should head the outstanding graduates. Thereupon Zhun was again ranked in the top class and immediately appointed collator in the Secretariat and assigned to the Historiography Institute.
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八年，受詔修定諸道圖經。 俄奉使契丹，復命稱旨。 明年，出知南平軍，會改軍為太平州，依前知州事，就加著作佐郎。 太平興國四年，遷著作郎、通判梓州，轉左拾遺。 歸朝，預修諸書。 八年，同知貢舉，出為河北轉運使，歲餘，以本官知制誥。 雍熙中，加主客員外郎，復預知貢舉，俄判大理寺。 四年，被病，遷金部郎中，罷知制誥。 端拱二年卒，年五十二，賜錢百萬。
In the eighth year he received an edict to revise and fix the gazetteers of all circuits. Soon after he went on mission to the Khitan, and on his return his report pleased the emperor. The next year he went out to administer Nanping Army. When the army was changed to Taiping Prefecture, he continued to administer prefectural affairs and was concurrently promoted to Assistant Archivist. In the fourth year of Taiping Xingguo he was transferred to Archivist and administrative vice prefect of Zizhou, and became Left Reminder. Returning to court, he participated in compiling various books. In the eighth year he jointly supervised the examinations, went out as transport commissioner of Hebei, and after a year was appointed drafter of edicts in his existing rank. During Yongxi he was additionally appointed Vice Director in the Ministry of Reception, again jointly supervised the examinations, and soon judged the Court of Judicial Review. In the fourth year he fell ill, was transferred to Director in the Ministry of Revenue, and relieved of duty as drafter of edicts. In the second year of Duangong he died, aged fifty-two, and was granted a million cash.
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準美風儀，善談論，辭采清麗，蒞官所至，皆有治聲。 盧多遜之南流也，李穆坐同門生黜免，左右無敢言者。 準因奏事，盛言穆長者，有檢操，常惡多遜專恣，固非其黨也。 上寤，未幾，盡復穆舊官。 時論以此稱之。 天禧三年，錄其子大年試秘書省校書郎。
Zhun had fine bearing, was skilled at discourse, and his diction was clear and elegant. Wherever he took office he had a reputation for good governance. When Lu Duoxun was exiled south, Li Mu was dismissed for being a fellow disciple, and no one around the emperor dared speak on his behalf. While reporting on affairs, Zhun spoke at length that Mu was a man of exemplary character with self-restraint, had always hated Lu Duoxun's willfulness, and was certainly not of his faction. The emperor came to his senses, and before long fully restored Mu's former offices. Public opinion praised him for this. In the third year of Tianxi his son Danian was recorded and tested as collator in the Secretariat.
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準從弟可觀，金部郎中。 族子郊、祁，並天聖二年進士甲科，別有傳。
Zhun's cousin Keguan was Director in the Ministry of Revenue. His clansmen Jiao and Qi both passed the top jinshi class in the second year of Tiansheng; they have separate biographies.
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柳開，字仲塗，大名人。 父承翰，乾德初監察御史。 開幼穎異，有膽勇。 周顯德末，侍父任南樂，夜與家人立庭中，有盜入室，眾恐不敢動，開裁十三，亟取劍逐之，盜逾垣出，開揮刃斷二足指。
Liu Kai, styled Zhongtu, came from Daming. His father Chenghan, at the beginning of the Qian De era, served as investigating censor. From childhood Kai was exceptionally bright and had courage. At the end of the Xiande era of Zhou, while attending his father on assignment at Nanle, one night he stood in the courtyard with his family. A thief entered the house; everyone was afraid and dared not move. Kai was only thirteen. He quickly took a sword and pursued. The thief climbed over the wall to escape, and Kai swung his blade and severed two toes.
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既就學，喜討論經義。 五代文格淺弱，慕韓愈、柳宗元為文，因名肩愈，字紹先。 既而改名字，以為能開聖道之塗也。 著書自號東郊野夫，又號補亡先生，作二傳以見意。 尚氣自任，不顧小節，所交皆一時豪雋。 範杲好古學，尤重開文，世稱為「柳、範」。 王祐知大名，開以文贄大蒙賞激。 楊昭儉、盧多遜並加延獎。 開寶六年舉進士，補宋州司寇參軍，以治獄稱職，遷本州錄事參軍。 太平興國中，擢右讚善大夫。 會征太原，督楚、泗八州運糧。 選知常州，遷殿中丞，徙潤州，拜監察御史。 召還，知貝州，轉殿中侍御史。 雍熙二年，坐與監軍忿爭，貶上蔡令。
Once he began his studies he delighted in discussing the meaning of the classics. The literary style of the Five Dynasties was shallow and weak. He admired Han Yu and Liu Zongyuan in writing and therefore took the name Jingyou, styled Shaoxian. Later he changed his given name and style, believing he could open the path of the sage Way. In his writings he styled himself Eastern Suburb Recluse and also called himself Master Who Makes Up for Loss. He wrote two biographies to express his meaning. He valued bold spirit and trusted himself, heedless of minor proprieties, and those he befriended were all leading men of talent of the age. Fan Gao loved ancient learning and especially valued Kai's writing. The world called them "Liu and Fan." When Wang You was prefect of Daming, Kai presented literary gifts and received great encouragement and praise. Yang Zhaojian and Lu Duoxun both extended praise and encouragement. In the sixth year of Kaibao he passed the jinshi examination and was appointed Si Kou Canjun in Songzhou. He earned a reputation for competence in judging legal cases and was promoted to Luchshi Canjun in the same prefecture. During the Taiping Xingguo era he was promoted to Right Zanshan Dafu. When the campaign against Taiyuan was launched, he supervised grain transport from the eight prefectures of Chu and Si. He was selected to serve as prefect of Changzhou, promoted to Dianzhong Cheng, transferred to Runzhou, and appointed Supervising Censor. He was recalled to court, appointed prefect of Beizhou, and transferred to Palace Attendant Supervising Censor. In the second year of Yongxi, after a heated quarrel with the military inspector, he was demoted to magistrate of Shangcai.
21
會大舉北征，開部送軍糧，將至涿州，有契丹酋長領萬騎與米信戰，相持不解，俄遣使紿言求降，開謂信曰：「兵法云：『無約而請和，謀也。』 彼將有謀，急攻之必勝。」 信遲疑不決。 逾二日，賊復引兵挑戰，後偵知果以矢盡，俟取於幽州也。 師還，詣闕上書，願從邊軍效死，太宗憐之，復授殿中侍御史。
When a major northern campaign was launched, Kai escorted military grain supplies. As they neared Zhuozhou, a Khitan chieftain leading ten thousand horsemen fought Mi Xin to a standstill. Soon emissaries arrived with a false offer of surrender. Kai said to Xin, "The Art of War says: 'To seek peace without prior agreement is a stratagem. They are plotting. Attack at once and you are sure to win." Xin hesitated and could not make up his mind. More than two days later the enemy again led troops out to offer battle. Later reconnaissance revealed they had indeed run out of arrows and were waiting for fresh supplies from Youzhou. When the army returned, he went to the capital and submitted a memorial offering to follow the frontier armies and die in service. Emperor Taizong took pity on him and restored him as Palace Attendant Supervising Censor.
22
雍熙中，使河北，因抗疏曰：「臣受非常恩，未有以報，年裁四十，膽力方壯。 今契丹未滅，願陛下賜臣步騎數千，任以河北用兵之地，必能出生入死，為陛下復幽、薊，雖身沒戰場，臣之願也。」 上以五代戰爭以來，自節鎮至刺史皆用武臣，多不曉政事，人受其弊。 欲兼用文士，乃以侍御史鄭宣、戶部員外郎趙載、司門員外郎劉墀並為如京使，左拾遺劉慶為西京作坊使，開為崇儀使、知寧邊軍。
During Yongxi, while on mission to Hebei, he submitted a direct memorial saying, "I have received extraordinary grace and have no way to repay it. I am barely forty, and my courage and strength are at their peak. The Khitan are not yet destroyed. I beg Your Majesty to grant me several thousand infantry and cavalry and assign me a field of operations in Hebei. I can surely risk life and limb to recover You and Ji for Your Majesty—even if I fall on the battlefield, that is my wish." The Emperor knew that since the wars of the Five Dynasties, from military commissioners down to prefects, posts had gone to military men who often did not understand civil administration, and the people had suffered for it. Wishing also to employ literary men, he appointed Supervising Censor Zheng Xuan, Vice Commissioner of Revenue Zhao Zai, and Vice Director of the Gate Office Liu Chi all as Rujing Envoys; Left Remonstrance Official Liu Qing as West Capital Workshop Commissioner; and Kai as Chongyi Commissioner and commander of the Ningbian Army.
23
徙全州。 全西溪洞有粟氏，聚族五百餘人，常鈔劫民口糧畜，開為作衣帶巾帽，選牙吏勇辯者得三輩，使入，諭之曰：「爾能歸我，即有厚賞，給田為屋處之； 不然，發兵深入，滅爾類矣。」 粟氏懼，留二吏為質，率其酋四人與一吏偕來。 開厚其犒賜，吏民爭以鼓吹飲之。 居數日遣還，如期攜老幼悉至。 開即賦其居業，作《時鑒》一篇，刻石戒之。 遣其酋入朝，授本州上佐。 賜開錢三十萬。
He was transferred to Quanzhou. In West Creek Cave of Quanzhou lived the Su clan, more than five hundred strong, who regularly robbed the people of grain and livestock. Kai had clothing, belts, caps, and hats made for them, chose three groups of brave and eloquent clerks, and sent them in with this message: "If you submit to me, you will receive rich rewards—we will give you fields and houses to settle in; otherwise I will send troops deep into your territory and wipe out your entire clan." The Su clan were afraid. They left two clerks as hostages and led four of their chiefs together with one clerk to come in person. Kai richly rewarded them with gifts and feasts, and officials and commoners vied to entertain them with drums and pipes. After several days he sent them back, and on schedule they returned with all their old and young. Kai then assessed their dwellings and property, composed 《Season Mirror》, and had it carved in stone as a warning. He sent their chiefs to court and had them appointed senior aides of the prefecture. Kai was granted three hundred thousand cash.
24
淳化初，移知桂州。 初，開在全州，有卒訟開，開即杖背黥麵送闕下。 有司言卒罪不及徒，召開下御史獄劾係，削二官，黜為復州團練副使，移滁州。 復舊官，知環州。 三年，移邠州。 時調民輦送趨環慶，己再運，民皆蕩析產業，轉運使復督後運，民數千人入州署號訴。 開貽書轉運使曰：「開近離環州，知芻糧之數不增，大兵可支四年，今蠶農方作，再運半發，老幼疲弊，畜乘困竭，奈何又苦之？ 不罷，開即馳詣闕下，白於上前矣。」 卒罷之。 又知曹、邢二州。
At the beginning of Chunhua he was transferred to serve as prefect of Guizhou. Earlier, while Kai was at Quanzhou, a soldier brought suit against him. Kai immediately had him beaten on the back, tattooed on the face, and sent to the capital. The authorities ruled that the soldier's offense did not warrant banishment. Kai was summoned, imprisoned in the censor's jail for investigation, stripped of two ranks, demoted to Deputy Military Training Commissioner of Fuzhou, and transferred to Chuzhou. His former rank was restored and he was appointed prefect of Huanzhou. In the third year he was transferred to Binzhou. At the time the people were levied to haul supplies in haste to Huan and Qing. They had already made two transport runs and exhausted their property, yet the transport commissioner again pressed for further runs. Several thousand people entered the prefectural office wailing in protest. Kai sent a letter to the transport commissioner saying, "I have recently left Huanzhou and know the amount of forage has not increased—the main army can be supplied for four years. Sericulture and farming are now underway, and the second transport run is only half complete. The old and young are worn out and draft animals exhausted—why afflict them further? If you do not halt it, I will ride post-haste to the capital and report it directly before the throne." In the end the order was stopped. He also served as prefect of Cao and Xing prefectures.
25
真宗即位，加如京使，歸朝，命知代州。 上言曰：
When Emperor Zhenzong ascended the throne, Kai was given the additional title of Rujing Envoy, recalled to court, and appointed prefect of Daizhou. He submitted a memorial saying:
26
國家創業將四十年，陛下紹二聖之祚，精求至治。 若守舊規，斯未盡善。 能立新法，乃顯神機。
The state has been established for nearly forty years. Your Majesty has inherited the fortune of two sages and diligently seeks perfect governance. If we merely abide by old rules, we have not yet attained what is best. Only by establishing new methods can divine ingenuity be displayed.
27
臣以益州稍靜，望陛下選賢能以鎮之，必須望重有威，即群小畏服。 又西鄙今雖歸明，他日未可必保，苟有翻覆，須得人制禦，若以契丹比議，為患更深。 何者？ 契丹則君臣久定，蕃、漢久分，縱萌南顧之心，亦須自有思慮。 西鄙積恨未泯，貪心不悛，其下猖狂，競謀凶惡，侵漁未必知足，姑息未能感恩，望常預備之。 以良將守其要害，以厚賜足其貪婪，以撫慰來其情，以寬假息其念。 多命人使西入甘、涼，厚結其心，為我聲援，如有動靜，使其掩襲，令彼有後顧之憂，乃可制其輕動。 今甲兵雖眾，不及太祖之時人人練習，謀臣猛將則又縣殊，是以比年西北屢遭侵擾，養育則月費甚廣，征戰則軍捷未聞。 誠願訓練禁戢，使如往日行伍必求於勇敢，指顧無縱於後先，失律者悉誅，獲功者必賞。 偏裨主將，不威嚴者去之。 聽斷之暇，親臨殿庭，更召貔虎，使其擊刺馳驟，以彰神武之盛。
I consider that Yizhou has grown somewhat calm. I hope Your Majesty will select a worthy man of ability to guard it—one whose prestige and authority are weighty, so that petty men will fear and submit. Further, though the western borderlands now submit to the court, they cannot be guaranteed in future. Should they turn, men must be found to check them—and compared with the Khitan threat, the harm would be even deeper. Why? With the Khitan, ruler and ministers have long been settled and tribal and Han long separated. Even if they harbor thoughts of turning south, they must still weigh the matter for themselves. In the western borderlands accumulated hatred is not yet extinguished and greed is not reformed. Those below are reckless and compete in wicked plots. Plunder may never know satiety, and indulgence cannot win gratitude. I hope constant preparation will be made. Place good generals to guard critical points; use lavish gifts to satisfy their greed; use soothing words to win their hearts; use leniency to quiet their restless thoughts. Frequently send envoys west into Gan and Liang to bind their hearts closely and make them our allies in word and deed. If there is any movement, have them launch surprise attacks so the enemy will have worries behind them—only then can their rash actions be restrained. Now though armored troops are numerous, they fall short of the Taizu era when every man drilled. Strategists and fierce generals are even scarcer. Therefore in recent years the northwest has suffered repeated incursions—rearing troops costs vast monthly expense, yet in campaigns no victories are heard of. I earnestly wish training and discipline enforced, so that as in former days ranks seek the brave, commands allow no lagging fore or aft, all who break discipline be punished, and all who gain merit be rewarded. Assistant commanders and chief generals who lack awesomeness should be removed. In leisure from judging affairs, personally visit the palace yard, summon the brave warriors again, and have them strike, thrust, gallop, and charge—to display the splendor of divine martial prowess.
28
臣又以宰相、樞密，朝廷大臣，委之必無疑，用之必至當。 銓總僚屬，評品職官，內則主管百司，外則分治四海。 今京朝官則別置審官，供奉、殿直則別立三班，刑部不令詳斷，別立審刑，宣徽一司全同散地。 大臣不獲親信，小臣乃謂至公。 至如銀台一司，舊屬樞密，近年改製，職掌甚多，加倍置人，事則依舊，別無利害，虛有變更。 臣欲望停審官、三班，復委中書、樞密、宣徽院，銀台司復歸樞密，審刑院復歸刑部，去其繁細，省其頭目。
I further hold that the Chancellor and Military Affairs Commissioner, as great ministers of court, if entrusted inspire no doubt and if used reach full appropriateness. They oversee and gather subordinates and assess and rank officials—within they manage the hundred offices, without they divide governance of the four seas. Now for capital officials a separate Bureau of Review is established; for inner-palace attendants and palace direct attendants a separate Three Ranks is set up; the Ministry of Justice is not allowed to conduct detailed judgments and a separate Bureau of Reviewed Sentences is established; the Xuanhui Department as a whole is like idle territory. Great ministers cannot gain intimate trust, while petty officials are deemed perfectly impartial. As for the Yintai Office—it formerly belonged to Military Affairs; in recent years its system was changed, duties greatly multiplied, and personnel doubled, yet the work remains as before—no benefit or harm, only empty change. I wish to abolish the Bureau of Review and Three Ranks, restore authority to the Secretariat, Military Affairs, and Xuanhui Court, return the Yintai Office to Military Affairs and the Bureau of Reviewed Sentences to the Ministry of Justice, and cut away excessive detail and reduce the ranks of officials.
29
又京府大都，萬方軌則，望仍舊貫，選委親賢。 今皇族宗子悉多成長，但令優逸，無以試材，宜委之外藩，擇文武忠直之士，為左右讚弼之任。
Further, the capital prefectures are great metropolises and models for all regions. I hope the old practice may be restored and trusted kinsmen and worthies selected and appointed. Now imperial clan members and royal sons are mostly grown, yet given only ease and comfort with no means to test their talents. They should be assigned to outer prefectures, with loyal and upright men of civil and military talent chosen as their left and right aides and advisors.
30
又天下州縣官吏不均，或冗長至多，或歲年久闕。 欲望縣四千戶已上選朝官知，三千戶已上選京官知。 省去主簿，令縣尉兼領其事。 自餘通判、監軍、巡檢、監臨使臣並酌量省減，免虛費於利祿，仍均濟於職官。
Further, officials in prefectures and counties throughout the realm are unevenly distributed—some places have excessive redundancy, others have posts vacant for years. I wish that for counties with four thousand households and above, capital officials be selected as magistrates, and for three thousand households and above, capital-service officials be selected. Abolish the registrar and have the county sheriff concurrently perform those duties. All remaining military supervisors, patrol inspectors, and supervising envoys should be proportionally reduced, eliminating wasteful salary expenditure while balancing official posts.
31
又人情貪競，時態輕浮，雖骨肉之至親，臨勢利而多變。 同僚之內，多或不和，伺隙則致於傾危，患難則全無相救，仁義之風蕩然不復。 欲望有頒告諭，各使改更，庶厚化原，永敦政本。
Further, human nature is grasping and competitive and the temper of the times frivolous—even the closest of kin, when power and profit are at stake, often change. Among colleagues many are not harmonious—watching for openings they bring each other to ruin, and in hardship they offer no rescue. The wind of benevolence and righteousness has utterly vanished. I hope an edict may be issued instructing all to reform, that the source of deep transformation may be cultivated and the foundation of governance perpetually upheld.
32
恭惟太祖神武，太宗聖文，光掩百王，威加萬國，無賢不用，無事不知。 望陛下開豁聖懷，如天如海，可斷即斷，合行即行，愛惜忠直之臣，體察奸諛之黨。 臣久塵著位，寢荷恩寵，辭狂理拙，唯聖明恕之！
Reverently considering Taizu divine in martial prowess and Taizong sage in literary accomplishment—splendor eclipsing the hundred kings, might extending over the myriad states—no worthy left unused and nothing of affairs unknown. I hope Your Majesty will open wide Your sage mind, vast as heaven and sea—decide when decision is needed, act when action is fitting, cherish loyal and straight officers, and discern the factions of flattery and sycophancy. Your subject long tarnishes a prominent post, ever burdened by grace and favor. My words are wild and my reasoning crude—only may the sage brilliance forgive!
33
開至州，葺城壘戰具，諸將多沮議不協。 開謂其從子曰：「吾觀昂宿有光，雲多從北來犯境上，寇將至矣。 吾聞師克在和，今諸將怨我，一旦寇至，必危我矣。」 即求換郡，徙忻州刺史。 及契丹犯邊，開上書，又請車駕觀兵河朔。 四年，徙滄州，道病首瘍卒，年五十四。 錄其子涉為三班奉職。
When Kai reached the prefecture, he repaired walls, ramparts, and battle equipment, but many generals discouraged the plan and would not agree. Kai said to his attendant son, "I observe the Horn constellation has light and clouds mostly come from the north across our borders—the enemy is about to arrive. I have heard that an army conquers through harmony. Now the generals resent me—once the enemy comes, they will surely endanger me." He immediately requested transfer to another prefecture and was moved to prefect of Xinzhou. When the Khitan invaded the border, Kai submitted a memorial again requesting that the imperial carriage observe troops in the Hebei region. In the fourth year he was transferred to Cangzhou; on the road he died of a head sore at age fifty-four. His son She was enrolled as a Three-Ranks Attendant.
34
開善射，喜弈棋。 有集十五卷。 作《家戒》千餘言，刻石以訓諸子。 性倜儻重義。 在大名，嘗過酒肆飲，有士人在旁，辭貌稍異，開詢其名，則至自京師，以貧不克葬其親，聞王祐篤義，將丐之。 問所費，曰：「二十萬足矣。」 開即罄所有，得白金百餘兩，益錢數萬遣之。
Kai was skilled at archery and fond of weiqi. He left a collected works in fifteen juan. He wrote 《Family Admonitions》, more than a thousand words long, and had it carved in stone to instruct his sons. By nature he was free-spirited and valued righteousness. At Daming, once passing a wine shop to drink, he noticed a scholar at his side whose speech and appearance were somewhat unusual. Kai asked his name and learned he had come from the capital—too poor to bury his parents, he had heard Wang You was deeply righteous and intended to beg him for help. Asked the cost, he said, "Two hundred thousand would suffice." Kai immediately emptied all he had—gathering more than a hundred taels of white silver and adding several ten-thousands in cash, he sent the man on his way.
35
開兄肩吾，至御史。 肩吾三子，湜、灝、沆並進士第，灝秘書丞。
Kai's elder brother Jianwu rose to the rank of censor. Jianwu's three sons Shi, Hao, and Hang all passed the jinshi examination; Hao served as Secretary Director.
36
夏侯嘉，正字會之，江陵人，少有俊才。 太平興國中舉進士，曆官至著作佐郎。 使於巴陵，為《洞庭賦》曰：
Xia Houjiazheng, styled Huizhi, was a native of Jiangling and in youth possessed outstanding talent. During Taiping Xingguo he passed the jinshi examination and rose through offices to Assistant Author. On mission to Baling, he wrote 《Rhapsody on Dongting》, which begins:
37
楚之南有水曰洞庭，環帶五郡，淼不知其幾百里。 臣乙酉夏使嶽陽，抵湖上，思構賦。 明日披襟而觀之，則翼然動，促然跂，慄然駭，愕然眙。 怳若駕春雲而軾霓，浩若浮汗漫而朝躋。 退若據泰山之安，進若履千仞之危。 懵若無識，智若通微。 跛若不倚，蹌若將馳。 耳不及掩，目不暇逃，情悸心嬉。 二三日而後，神始宅，氣始正，若此不敢以賦為事者二年，然眷眷不已。
South of Chu lies a body of water called Dongting, girdling five commanderies in a vast expanse whose breadth no man can reckon in hundreds of li. Your subject, in the summer of the yiwei year on mission to Yueyang, came to the lake's shore and resolved to compose a rhapsody. The next day, baring my breast to gaze upon it, I saw the waters flutter as though winged, surge upward on tiptoe, shiver in dread, and startle me to wide-eyed awe. I grew dizzy as though driving spring clouds and striding a rainbow, vast as floating on the boundless heavens while climbing toward dawn. In retreat it seemed as secure as standing on Mount Tai; in advance as perilous as treading a cliff a thousand ren high. I was dazed as if without consciousness, then awakened as if penetrating the subtle. It lurched as if without support, then strode as if about to gallop. My ears could not cover fast enough, my eyes could not flee in time—my heart trembled even as it rejoiced. Two or three days passed before my spirit at last settled and my breath at last righted. For two years after that I dared not take up the rhapsody as my task—yet longing never ceased.
38
一日登崇丘，望大澤，有雲卒兮興，兮止。 興止未霽，急若有遇。 由是漬陽輝，沐芳澤，睹一異人於岩之際，霞為裾，雲為袂，冰膚雪肌，金玦玉佩，浮丘、羨門，斯實其對。
One day I ascended a lofty hill and gazed upon the great marsh—clouds suddenly rose, then suddenly halted. Before rise and halt had cleared, urgency seized me as though I had met with something. Thereby bathed in solar radiance and rinsed in fragrant dew, I beheld a strange being at the cliff's verge—rainbow for skirt, cloud for sleeve, flesh of ice and limbs of snow, golden ring and jade pendants. Fuqiu and Xianmen were truly his match.
39
因言曰：「若非好辭者耶？」 臣曰：「然。」 「然則若智有所不通，識有所不窮，用不通不窮而循乎無端之紀，若得無殆乎？」 臣又曰：「然。」 「然誌極則物應，思精則道來，嘉若之勤無嘩談，吾為若稱云：『太極之生，曰地曰天。 中含五精，五精之用而水居一焉。 水之疏，邇則為江兮，遠則為河； 積則為瀦兮，總則為湖。 若今所謂洞庭者，傑立而孤，廓然如無區，其大無徒。 含陽字陰，玄神之都。 曖曖昧昧，百川不敢逾。 有若臣者，有若賓者，有若仆者，有若子者，有若附庸者，有若娣姒者。 若禹會塗山，武巡牧野，千出百會，咸處麾下。 每六合澄靜，中流回睨。 莽莽蒼蒼，纖靄不翳。 太陽望舒，出沒其間。 萬頃咸沸，強而名之為巨澤，為長川，為水府，為大淵。 縱之不逾，忠心之不卑。 乍若賢人，以重自持。 誘之不前，犯之愈堅。 又若良將，以謀守邊。 澎澎濞濞，浩爾一致。 又若太始，未有仁義。 衝訓漠漠，二氣交錯。 又若混沌，凝然未鑿。 此乃方輿之心胸，溟海之郛郭也。 三代之前，其氣落。 浩浩滔天，與物回薄。 滅木襄陵，無際無廓。 上帝降鑒，巨人斯作。 乃命玄夷，授禹之機。 隧山陻穀，滌源暢微。 然後若金在熔，若木在工，流精成器，夫何不通。 是澤之設，允執厥中。 既巽其性，遂得其正。 有升有降，有動有靜。』」
Then he spoke, saying, "Are you not one who loves fine composition?" The minister said, "It is so." Then if your wisdom has blind spots and your understanding its limits, and you apply what is limited and incomplete to follow an endless principle—will you not come to harm?" The minister again said, "It is so." Yet when purpose reaches its utmost, things respond; when thought is refined, the Way arrives. I praise your earnest labor without idle chatter, and will compose a hymn for you, saying: 'From the birth of the Great Ultimate came earth and heaven. Within them lay the five essences; among the workings of the five essences, water holds one place. When water spreads abroad, near at hand it becomes rivers; far away it becomes the Yellow River; where it pools it becomes marshes; where it gathers altogether it becomes lakes. As for what is now called Dongting—it rears up solitary and grand, boundless as though without quarter, so vast it has no equal. It embraces yang and arrays yin, a capital of the dark divine. Dim and obscure, a hundred streams dare not cross it. Some are like ministers, some like guests, some like servants, some like sons, some like vassals, some like sisters-in-law. As when Yu assembled at Mount Tu and King Wu reviewed the field at Muye—thousands issuing forth, hundreds converging, all arrayed beneath its command. Whenever the six directions grow clear and still, it turns a backward glance from midstream. Boundless and blue-green, the finest mists cannot shroud it. The sun and the moon, rising and setting, pass through it. Ten thousand acres all seething—one must force names upon it: Great Marsh, Long River, Palace of Waters, Grand Abyss. Release it and it does not overstep; confine it and it does not grow abject. At times like a worthy man, holding himself by weight and dignity. Lure it and it will not advance; assail it and it grows ever firmer. Again like a fine general, guarding the frontier by strategy. Surging and billowing, vast and of one accord. Again like primordial beginning, before benevolence and righteousness existed. Churning and boundless, the two breaths interweave. Again like chaos, solidified and yet unshaped. This is the breast of the square earth, the outer rampart of the dark sea. Before the Three Dynasties, its breath ran wild. Roaring to the skies, rolling with all things. Drowning trees and swamping hills, without limit or margin. The Supreme Lord sent down his regard, and the giant arose. He commanded Xuan Yi and entrusted Yu with the secret mechanism. He cut through mountains and filled valleys, cleared the sources and opened the subtle channels. Then, as metal in the smelting, as wood in the craftsman's hands, flowing essence became vessels—how could anything remain blocked? Thus this marsh was established, truly holding the center. Once its nature was made yielding, it attained its proper order. It has rising and falling, movement and stillness.'"
40
臣應之曰：「升降動靜，可得聞乎？」 神曰：「水之性非圓非方，非柔非剛，非直非曲，非玄非黃。 劃象為《坎》，本乎羲皇。 外婉而固，內健而彰。 降以《後》始，升以《復》張。 其靜處陰，其動隨陽。 六府之甲，萬化之綱。 式觀是澤，乃知天常。 若乃四序之變，九夏攸處。 烘然而炎，沸然而煮。 群物鴻洞，爍為隆暑。 澤之作，頎然其容，若去若住，若茹若吐。 靈趨怪覲，杳不可睹。 蒸之為雲，散之為雨。 倏急萬象，如還太古。 真可嘉也。 若乃秋之為神，素氣清泚。 肅肅翛閹，群籟四起。 澤之動，黝然其姿，若挺若倚，若行若止，《巽》宮離離，為之騰風。 蒼梧崇崇，為之供雲。 四顧一色，黯然氤氳。 其聲瀰瀰，若商非商，若徵非徵。 東湊海門，一浪千里。 又足畏也。 言其狀，則石然而骨，岸然而革。 氣然而榮，洚然而脈。 有山而心，有洞而腹。 有玉而體，有珠而目。 穹鼻孤島，呀口萬穀。 臂帶三吳，足跬荊、巫。 或跂然而望，或翼然而趨。 彭蠡、震澤，詎可雲乎？」
The minister replied, "Rising, falling, movement, and stillness—might I hear of them? The spirit said, "Water's nature is neither round nor square, neither soft nor hard, neither straight nor curved, neither black nor yellow. It was traced as the hexagram 《Kan》, rooted in the age of Fuxi. Outwardly gentle yet firm, inwardly strong and manifest. Its lowering begins with 《Gou》; its rising opens with 《Fu》. In stillness it rests in yin; in movement it follows yang. Chief among the six storehouses, the guiding cord of ten thousand transformations. Observe this marsh and you may know heaven's constant way. As for the turnings of the four seasons, the height of midsummer. Blazing hot, boiling as if in a cauldron. All creatures swim in vast profusion, blazing into deepest summer heat. When the marsh stirs, its aspect grows tall—seeming to go yet seeming to stay, to swallow yet to spit forth. Spirits hurry and strange beings visit, too dim to be seen. Steamed into clouds, dispersed into rain. In a flash the ten thousand forms rush, as though returning to utmost antiquity. Truly it is worthy of praise. As for autumn's spirit, the plain breath runs clear and cold. Grave and whirling, a hundred sounds rise on every side. When the marsh moves, its form grows dark—now upright, now leaning, now walking, now halting; the palace of 《Xun》 stands scattered, whipping up wind for it. Cangwu towers high, supplying it with clouds. Looking on every side, one color alone—dim and thick with mist. Its sound rolls on and on, like the note shang yet not shang, like zhi yet not zhi. It gathers eastward at the sea gate, one wave for a thousand li. Again, it is truly awesome. To speak of its form: stony in bone, shore-like in hide. Breathing yet luxuriant, flood-deep yet pulsing. With mountains for its heart, caverns for its belly. Jade for its body, pearls for its eyes. Its arched snout is a lone isle; its gaping mouth, ten thousand valleys. Its arms girdle the Three Wu; its feet stand a pace from Jing and Wu. Some stand on tiptoe and gaze; some spread wings and hasten. Can Pengli and Zhenze even be mentioned in the same breath?"
41
臣又問曰：「澤之態已聞命矣。 水之族將如何居？」 神曰：「大道變易，或文或質。 沉潛自遂，其類非一。 或被甲而，或曳裾而圓。 或禿而跂，或角而蜿。 或吞而呀，或去而牙。 或心以之蟹，或目以之蝦。 或修臂而立，或橫騖而疾。 或發於首，或髯於肘。 或儼而莊，或毅而黝。 彪彪玢玢，若大虛之含萬彙，名循其生而合乎群者也。」
The minister asked again, "I have heard your command concerning the marsh's mien. How do the tribes of the water dwell within it? The spirit said, "The Great Way shifts and changes—sometimes refined, sometimes plain. They sink and plunge as each finds its way; their kinds are not one. Some wear armor and move with deliberate pace; some trail skirts and wheel in circles. Some bald and striding; some horned and winding. Some swallow with gaping mouths; some baring fangs wide. Some take the crab for a heart; some take the shrimp for eyes. Some stand on long arms; some gallop sideways in haste. Some bristle from the head; some grow beards upon the elbows. Some stern and dignified; some fierce and dark. Striped and mottled, bright and dappled, as though the great void held ten thousand forms—each follows its birth and finds its place among the flock."
42
臣又問曰：「若神之資，其品何如也？」 神曰：「清矣靜矣，麗矣至矣，邈難知矣。 肇於古，古有所未達； 形於今，今有所未察。 非希夷合其心於自然，然後上天入地，把三根六。 況水居陸處，夫何不燭。 彼鞚鯉之賢，轡龍之仙，乃吾之肩也。 其餘海若、天吳，陽侯、神胥，齪齪而遊，曾不我儔。」
The minister asked again, "As for a spirit's endowments, what is their rank and quality? The spirit said, "Pure, tranquil, beautiful, utmost—and far beyond knowing. Born from antiquity, yet antiquity had not fully grasped them; taking form in the present, yet the present has not fully discerned them. Only one who, like Xi Yi, unites his heart with nature may then ascend to heaven and enter earth, grasp the three roots and six limbs. How much less when dwelling in water or on land—is there anything their light does not reach? Those sages who mounted carp and bridled dragons—they alone are fit to stand shoulder to shoulder with me. As for the rest—Hairuo, Tianwu, Yanghou, Shenxu—they scrabble about in their narrow rounds and are not fit to be my peers."
43
臣又問曰：「《易》稱『王公設險』，是澤之險可以為固。 而歷代興衰，其義安取？」 神曰：「天道以順不以逆，地道以謙不以盈。 故治理之世，建仁為旌，聚心為城。 而弧不暇弦，矛不暇鋒，四海以之而大同。 何必恃險阻，何必據要衝？ 若秦得百二為帝，齊得十二而王。 其山為金，其水為湯。 守之不義，然而亡。 水不在大，恃之者敗。 水不在微，怙之者危。 若漢疲於昆明，桀困於酒池，亦其類也。 故黃帝張樂而興，三苗棄義而傾。 則知洞庭之波以仁不以亂，以道不以賊，惟賢者觀其知而後得也。」
The minister asked again, "The 《Yi》 says, 'Kings and dukes establish defenses'—the peril of this marsh might serve as a bulwark. Yet through the rise and fall of dynasties, what lesson is to be drawn? The spirit said, "Heaven's Way favors accord, not rebellion; earth's way favors modesty, not fullness. Thus in ages of good rule, benevolence is raised as a banner and united hearts become the wall. Bows need not be strung nor spears whetted, and the four seas thereby reach great unity. Why must one rely on steep passes? Why must one hold strategic crossroads? As Qin with its hundred-and-two passes became emperor, and Qi with its twelve gates became king. Their mountains were ore, their waters boiling springs— yet held without righteousness, they perished all the same. It is not that water's size matters; those who lean upon it are ruined. Nor that water's meagerness matters; those who depend on it blindly face danger. As Han exhausted itself over the Kunming Pool, and Jie was trapped by his Wine Pool—these belong to the same class of folly. Thus the Yellow Emperor spread music and flourished, while the Three Miao forsook righteousness and fell. Then one knows that Dongting's waters are ruled by benevolence, not chaos, by the Way, not by violence—only the worthy, discerning its wisdom, can truly understand."
44
於是盤桓徙倚，凝精流視。 罄以辭對，倏然而晦。 徐鉉見之，曰：「是玄虛之流也。」 人多傳寫。
Thereupon he lingered and paced, his spirit fixed in a flowing gaze. He exhausted his words in reply, and suddenly all grew dark. Xu Xuan read it and said, "This is the sort of writing that traffics in arcane mystery." Many people copied and circulated it.
45
端拱初，太宗知其名，召試辭賦，擢為右正言、直史館兼直秘閣，賜緋魚。 元夕，上御乾元門觀燈，嘉正獻五言十韻詩，其末句云：「兩製誠堪羨，青雲侍玉輿。」 上依韻和以賜之，有「狹劣終雖舉，通才列上居」之句，議者以為誡嘉正之好進也。 未幾被病，詔以為益王生辰使。 所獲金幣，鬻得錢輦歸家，忽一緡自地起立，良久而仆，聞者異之。 嘉正疾遂篤，月餘卒，年三十七。
At the start of the Duangong era, Emperor Taizong knew his reputation, summoned him to test his prose and poetry, and promoted him to Right Rectifier, Direct Historiographer with concurrent Directorship of the Secret Pavilion, bestowing a crimson fish tally. On Lantern Festival night the emperor went to Qianyuan Gate to view the lamps. Jiazheng presented a pentasyllabic poem in ten rhymes whose closing lines read, "Both Hanlin posts are truly enviable— amid azure clouds attending the jade carriage." The emperor replied in matching rhyme and bestowed his poem, including the lines "Though narrow and petty, in the end you are raised; the broadly talented take the higher place." Commentators took this as a rebuke of Jiazheng's eagerness to advance. Before long he fell ill. An edict appointed him birthday envoy to Prince Yi. The gold and coins he received he sold for cash and carted home. Suddenly one string of cash rose from the ground, stood upright a long while, then toppled over—those who heard of it were astonished. Jiazheng's illness grew grave, and after more than a month he died at the age of thirty-seven.
46
子紓，太子中舍。
His son Shu served as a Palace Attendant in the Crown Prince's household.
47
羅處約，字思純，益州華陽人，唐酷吏希奭之裔孫。 伯祖袞，唐末為諫官。 父濟，仕蜀為升朝官。 歸朝，至太常丞。 處約嘗作《黃老先六經論》，曰：
Luo Chuyue, styled Sichun, was a native of Huayang in Yizhou and a descendant of Xi Yi, the Tang dynasty's notorious harsh official. His father's elder brother Gun served as a remonstrating official in the late Tang. His father Ji served Shu as an official qualified to attend court at the capital. After submitting to the Song court he rose to Assistant Director of the Imperial Music Office. Chuyue once wrote 《On Huang-Lao Preceding the Six Classics》, which says:
48
先儒以太史公論道德，先黃、老而後《六經》，此其所以病也。 某曰：「不然，道者何？ 無之稱也，無不由也。 混成而仙，兩儀至虛而應萬物，不可致詰。 況名之曰『道』，道既名矣，降而為聖人者，為能知來藏往，與天地準，故黃、老、姬、孔通稱焉。 其體曰道，其用曰神，無適也，無莫也，一以貫之，胡先而尊，孰後而愧。」
Earlier Confucians faulted Grand Historian Sima Qian's Treatise on the Way of Heaven for placing Huang-Lao before the 《Six Classics》—that is their objection. I say, "Not so. What is the Way? It is a name for the formless; nothing exists that does not proceed through it. Blended from chaos into the sublime, the two powers are utterly empty yet answer the ten thousand things—this cannot be pursued to the end by questioning. Moreover, once it is named 'the Way,' those who descend to become sages can know what is coming and hold what has passed, aligning themselves with Heaven and Earth—hence Huangdi, Laozi, the house of Ji, and Confucius are all honored by the same title. Its substance is called the Way, its function called spirit—it reaches everywhere and pervades all things. One thread runs through them—why should one be honored first and another left ashamed to follow?"
49
「《六經》者，《易》以明人之權而本之於道； 《禮》以節民之情，趣於性也； 《樂》以和民之心，全天真也； 《書》以敘九疇之秘，煥二帝之美； 《春秋》以正君臣而敦名教； 《詩》以正風雅而存規戒。 是道與《六經》一也。」
"The 《Six Classics》: the 《Changes》 clarifies human discretion while grounding it in the Way; the 《Rites》 restrains the people's emotions and guides them toward their nature; the 《Music》 harmonizes the people's hearts and completes their innate truth; the 《Documents》 recounts the secret of the Nine Categories and brings forth the glory of the Two Emperors; the 《Spring and Autumn》 rectifies the relation of lord and minister and strengthens the teaching of names; the 《Odes》 corrects the feng and ya styles and preserves admonition. Thus the Way and the 《Six Classics》 are one."
50
「矧仲尼祖述堯、舜，則況於帝鴻氏乎？ 華胥之治，太上之德，史傳詳矣。 老聃世謂方外之教，然而與《六經》皆足以治國治身，清淨則得之矣。 漢文之時，未遑學校，竇後以之而治，曹參得之而相，幾至措刑。 且仲尼嘗問禮焉，俗儒或否其說。」
"Moreover, since Confucius traced his teaching to Yao and Shun, how much more should this apply to the Emperor Hong? The governance of Huaxu and the virtue of the Supreme Lord are fully recorded in the histories. Laozi is regarded as a teaching outside the world, yet both he and the 《Six Classics》 suffice to govern state and self—through clarity and stillness one attains this. In Emperor Wen's time schools had not yet been established. Empress Dowager Dou governed by it, Cao Shen mastered it as chancellor, and punishments nearly fell into disuse. Moreover Confucius once inquired about rites from him, though pedantic Confucians sometimes reject this."
51
餘曰：「《春秋》昭十七年，郯子來朝，仲尼從而學焉，俾後之人敦好問之旨。 矧老子有道之士，周之史氏乎？ 餘謂《六經》之教，化而不已則臻於大同，大道之行則蠟賓息歎。 黃、老之與《六經》，孰為先而孰為後乎？ 又何必繅藉玉帛然後為禮，筍虡鏞鼓然後為樂乎？ 餘謂太史公之志，斯見之矣。 惡可以道之跡、儒之末相戾而疾其說？ 病之者可以觀徼，未可以觀妙。」
I say, "In the 《Spring and Autumn》, the seventeenth year of Duke Zhao, Lord Tan of Tan came to court. Confucius followed and learned from him, enabling later generations to honor the spirit of earnest inquiry. Moreover, was Laozi not a man of the Way—a historiographer of Zhou? I hold that when the teaching of the 《Six Classics》 transforms without cease it reaches great unity, and when the Great Way is practiced even distant Labin sighs and rests content. Between Huang-Lao and the 《Six Classics》, which comes first and which after? Why must silk and jade be laid out before there is rites, or reed frames, bell-stands, and great drums before there is music? I say Grand Historian Sima's purpose is seen here. How can one despise his account merely because the trace of the Way and the fringes of Confucianism diverge? Those who fault it may discern the outward trace, but not the inward mystery."
52
人多重之。
Many people valued it.
53
登第，為臨渙主簿，再遷大理評事、知吳縣。 王禹偁知長洲縣，日以詩什唱酬，蘇、杭間多傳誦。 後並召赴闕，上自定題以試之，以禹偁為右拾遺，處約著作郎，皆直史館，賜緋魚。 會下詔求讜言，處約上奏曰：
He passed the examinations, served as registrar of Linhuan, and was twice promoted to judicial reviewer and magistrate of Wu County. Wang Yucheng was magistrate of Changzhou; day by day they exchanged verses in poetry, and their work was widely copied and recited between Suzhou and Hangzhou. Later both were summoned to court. The emperor set the topics himself to test them, appointing Yucheng Right Reminder and Chuyue Literary Scholar—both with direct appointment to the Historiography Institute and the bestowal of crimson fish tallies. When an edict was issued seeking frank counsel, Chuyue submitted a memorial saying:
54
伏睹今年春詔旨，責以諫官備員未嘗言事，雖九寺、三監之官，亦得盡其讜議。 陛下虔恭勞神，厲精求理，力行王道，坐致太平。 心先天而不違，德生民而未有，所以散玄黃之協氣，為動植之休祥，而猶不伐功成，屢求獻替，此真唐堯、虞舜之用心也。
I have respectfully observed this spring's edict rebuking remonstrating officials for holding posts yet never speaking—even officials of the nine directorates and three bureaus may fully offer frank counsel. Your Majesty devoutly labors in spirit, striving with rigor to seek good governance, earnestly practicing the royal Way and achieving peace without stirring from the throne. Your heart precedes Heaven without violating it; your virtue nurtures the people beyond anything yet seen—therefore dispersing the harmonizing breath of black and yellow and bringing auspicious signs to the moving and rooted, and yet still not boasting of your achievements, repeatedly seeking counsel and reform—this is truly the spirit in which Tang Yao and Yu Shun applied themselves.
55
臣累日以來，趨朝之暇，或於卿士之內預聞時政之言，皆曰聖上以三司之中，邦計所屬，簿書既廣，綱條實繁，將求盡善之規，冀協酌中之道。 竊聞省上言，欲置十二員判官兼領其職，貴各司其局，允執厥中。 臣以三司之制非古也。 蓋唐朝中葉之後，兵寇相仍，河朔不王，軍旅未弭，以賦調筦榷之所出，故自尚書省分三司以董之。 然國用所須，朝廷急務，故僚吏之屬倚注尤深。 或重其位以處之，優其祿以寵之，黽勉從事者姑務其因循，盡瘁事國者或生於睚眥，因循則無補於國，睚眥則不協於時。 或淺近之人用指瑕於心計，深識之士以多可為身謀。 蠹弊相沿，為日已久。 今若如十二員判官之說，亦從權救敝之一端也。
For several days now, in the intervals of attending court, I have occasionally heard talk of current affairs among ministers, all saying that the sage emperor, regarding the Three Departments to which state revenue belongs—the account books are vast and the regulations numerous—seeks a fully perfected plan, hoping to harmonize the middle way. I have heard it reported that the department proposes appointing twelve adjunct officials each to supervise their duties, so each office handles its own business and truly holds the center. I hold that the Three Departments system is not ancient. It arose after the middle Tang, when warfare persisted in succession, the north of the Yellow River did not acknowledge royal rule, and military affairs were not settled. Because tax levies and monopoly revenues issued from there, the Ministry of Revenue was split into three departments to oversee them. Yet what the state requires and what the court urgently needs—the subordinate officials are especially relied upon. Sometimes weighty posts are used to place them, generous salaries to favor them. Those who toil and comply merely maintain routine, while those who exhaust their hearts for the state may provoke petty grudges. Routine brings no benefit to the state; petty grudges are incompatible with the times. Shallow men pick at flaws in fiscal planning, while deep thinkers use versatility as personal strategy. Corruption and abuse have followed in succession for a long time. Now if one follows the proposal of twelve adjunct officials, that too is merely one expedient for remedying abuse.
56
然而聖朝之政臻乎治平，當求稽古之規，以為垂世之法。 臣嘗讀《說命》之書，以為「事不師古，匪說攸聞」又《二典》曰：「若稽古帝堯。」 「若稽古帝舜。」 皆謂順考古道而致治平。 以臣所見，莫若復尚書都省故事，其尚書丞郎、正郎、員外郎、主事、令史之屬，請依六典舊儀。 以今三司錢刀粟帛筦筦榷支度之事，均在二十四司，如此則各有司存，可以責其集事。 今則金部、倉部安能知儲廩帑藏之盈虛，司田、司川孰能知屯役河渠之遠近？ 有名無實，積久生常。 況此卻復都省之事，下臣猶能僉知其可，況陛下聰明濬哲乎！
Yet the sage court's governance has reached order and peace—the time has come to seek regulations traced to antiquity as law for generations. I have read in the 《Announcement of Yue》, which says, "He who does not model on the ancients will never hear the teaching of Fu Yue." The 《Two Canonical Documents》 also say, "We examine antiquity with Emperor Yao." "We examine antiquity with Emperor Shun." All mean following and investigating ancient ways to achieve order and peace. In my view, nothing surpasses restoring the old practices of the consolidated Ministry. As for assistant ministers, directors, senior and junior clerks, chief clerks, and recorders—please follow the ancient rites of the Six Offices. Put today's Three Departments matters of money, grain, silk, tolls, monopoly revenues, and disbursements all under the twenty-four offices—then each will have its proper charge and can be held accountable for completing its business. As things stand, how can the Gold and Granary Sections know whether storehouses and treasuries run surplus or short? Who among the Field and Water Offices can know how far garrison labor and canal works extend? Titles without substance, long accumulated, become custom. Moreover, if even this restoration of consolidated Ministry affairs is understood by low ministers like myself as feasible, how much more so for Your Majesty, wise and perspicacious!
57
然議者以為不行已久，難於改更，若斷自宸心，下於相府，都省之制，故典存焉。 上令下從，孰為不可，蓋人者可與習常，難與適變； 可與樂成，難與慮始。 在《周易》有之：「天地革而四時成。」 此言能改命而創製，及小人樂成則革麵以順上矣。 況三司之名興於近代，堆案盈幾之籍，何嘗能省覽之乎？ 復就三司之中，更分置僚屬，則愈失其本原矣。 今三司勾院即尚書省，比部元為勾覆之司，周知內外經費，陛下若欲復之，則制度盡在。 迨及九寺、三監多為冗長之司，雖有其民，不舉其職。
Yet critics say it has not been practiced for long and would be hard to change. If Your Majesty decides from the depths of the throne and orders the chancellor's office, the consolidated Ministry system—the old statutes—still remain. When superiors command and inferiors follow, what cannot be done? Generally people can be accustomed to routine but have difficulty adapting to change; they can rejoice at completion but have difficulty planning the start. It appears in the 《Book of Changes》: "Heaven and Earth revolve and the four seasons complete." This means that when one can change destiny and create institutions, once petty men rejoice in completion they change their faces to follow their superiors. Moreover the name Three Departments arose in recent times—have the piled files heaping on desks ever truly been reviewed? To further divide and appoint subordinates within the Three Departments would lose the root principle all the more. Today's Three Departments auditing office is the old Ministry—the Audit Section was originally the verification office, comprehensively knowing internal and external expenditures. If Your Majesty wishes to restore it, the entire system remains intact. By then the nine directorates and three bureaus are largely redundant offices—though they have staffs, they do not perform their duties.
58
伏望陛下當治平之日，建垂久之規，不煩更差使臣，別置公署。 如此則名正而言順，言順而事成，省其冗員則息其經費，故《書》曰：「唐虞稽古，建官惟百。 夏、商官倍，亦克用乂。」 伏望法天地簡易之化，建《洪範》大中之道，可以億萬斯年，垂衣裳而端拱矣。
I respectfully hope that in these days of order and peace Your Majesty will establish enduring regulations, without troubling to dispatch special envoys or set up separate offices. Then names would be correct and words accordant, words accordant and business accomplished. Reducing redundant staff would ease expenditures. Therefore the 《Documents》 says, "Tang and Yu examined antiquity and established one hundred offices. Xia and Shang doubled the offices, yet still could govern well." I respectfully hope to follow the simplified transformation of Heaven and Earth and establish the great middle Way of the 《Grand Plan》, so the realm may endure ten thousand generations, draped in regal robes and seated in repose.
59
受詔荊湖路巡撫，欲以苛察立名，所奏劾甚眾，官吏多被黜責。 淳化三年卒，年三十三。
He received orders as inspector of the Jing-Hu circuit, wishing to establish a reputation for harsh scrutiny—his impeachments were numerous and many officials were dismissed and punished. In the third year of Chunhua he died at the age of thirty-three.
60
初，濟為開封府司錄，太宗尹京，頗嘉其強幹。 太平興國中，處約與兄賁同舉進士，上臨試，知賁，濟之子，遂置之高等。 八年，處約復登第。 賁後至員外郎。
Earlier, when Ji was chief clerk of the Kaifeng prefectural office, Taizong was prefect of the capital and greatly admired his strong competence. During the Taiping Xingguo era Chuyue and his elder brother Ben both passed the jinshi examination together. When the emperor supervised the examination in person and recognized Ben as Ji's son, he placed him in the highest rank. In the eighth year Chuyue passed the examination again. Ben later rose to outer desk officer.
61
處約形神豐碩，見者加重，雖有詞采而急於進用，時論亦以此薄之。 卒後，蘇易簡、王禹偁集其文凡十卷，題曰《東觀集》。 禹偁為序，易簡表上之，詔付史館。
Chuyue was tall and imposing; those who saw him gave him extra weight. Though he had literary talent he was eager for advancement, and contemporary opinion likewise held this against him. After his death Su Yijian and Wang Yucheng collected his writings in ten fascicles, titled 《Collected Writings of the Eastern Pavilion》. Yucheng wrote the preface, Yijian submitted it via memorial, and an edict ordered it delivered to the Historiography Institute.
62
蜀士又有嚴儲者，太平興國中進士，後直史館，使河北督軍糧，陷於契丹。
There was also a Shu scholar named Yan Chu—a jinshi of the Taiping Xingguo era, later a direct historiographer, sent to Hebei to supervise military grain, and captured by the Khitan.
63
安德裕，字益之，一字師皋，河南人。 父重榮，晉成德軍節度，《五代史》有傳。 德裕生於真定，未期，重榮舉兵敗，乳母抱逃水竇中。 將出，為守兵所得，執以見軍校秦習，習與重榮有舊，因匿之。 習先養石守瓊為子，及年壯無嗣，以德裕付瓊養之，因姓秦氏。 習世兵家，以弓矢、狗馬為事。 德裕孩提即喜筆硯，遇文字輒為誦讀聲，諸子不之齒，習獨異之。 既成童，俾就學，遂博貫文史，精於《禮》、《傳》，嗜《西漢書》。 習卒，德裕行三年服，然後還本姓。 習家盡以橐裝與之，凡白金萬餘兩。 德裕卻之，曰：「斯秦氏之蓄，於我何有？ 丈夫當自樹功名，以取富貴，豈屑於他人所有耶！」 聞者高之。
An Deyu, styled Yizhi, also styled Shigao, was a native of Henan. His father Chongrong was military governor of Chengde under Jin; the 《History of the Five Dynasties》 contains his biography. Deyu was born in Zhending. Before he was a year old Chongrong raised troops and was defeated. His wet nurse fled carrying him into a water culvert. As they emerged they were seized by garrison troops and brought before the military officer Qin Xi. Xi had old ties with Chongrong and therefore hid the child. Xi had earlier raised Shi Shouqiong as his son; when he grew old without heirs he entrusted Deyu to Qiong to raise, and Deyu took the surname Qin. The Xi family were hereditary soldiers, occupied with bows, arrows, dogs, and horses. From childhood Deyu delighted in brush and inkstone; whenever he encountered writing he would recite it aloud. The other sons did not regard him, but Xi alone found him unusual. When he reached youth he was sent to study, and came to be broadly versed in literature and history, expert in the 《Rites》 and the 《Traditions》, and devoted to the 《Book of Han for the Western Han》. When Xi died, Deyu observed three years of mourning, then restored his original surname. The Xi family gave him all their traveling funds—more than ten thousand taels of silver in all. Deyu refused, saying, "These are the Qin family's savings—what have they to do with me? A man should establish his own reputation and win wealth and rank through merit—why should he stoop to take what belongs to others!" Those who heard of it admired him.
64
開寶二年，擢進士甲科、歸州軍事推官，曆大理寺丞、著作佐郎。 太平興國中，累遷秘書丞、知廣濟軍。 時軍城新建，德裕作《軍記》及《圖經》三卷，優詔嘉獎。 俄改太常博士。 八年，通判秦州，就知州事。 雍熙初，遷主客員外郎、通判廣州，未行，宰相李昉言其有史才，即以本官直史館。 端拱初，改金部員外郎。
In the second year of Kaibao he passed the jinshi examination with highest honors and was appointed military judge of Guizhou; he then served successively as vice director of the Court of Judicial Review and assistant editor in the Bureau of Authorship. During Taiping Xingguo he was repeatedly promoted, serving as secretary of the Secretariat and military commissioner of Guangji Army. At the time the garrison city was newly built; Deyu wrote the 《Military Record》 and three fascicles of the 《Gazetteer》, and received an edict of special commendation. Soon after he was reassigned as Erudite of the Court of Imperial Sacrifices. In the eighth year he became vice-prefect of Qinzhou and assumed the duties of prefect. At the start of Yongxi he was promoted to vice director of the Bureau of Receiving Guests and appointed vice-prefect of Guangzhou; before he could depart, Chief Councilor Li Fang cited his talent for history, and he was retained at his current rank as a direct historiographer. At the beginning of Duangong he was transferred to vice director of the Bureau of Revenue.
65
淳化初，知開封縣，會備三館職，改直昭文館。 三年春，廷試貢士，德裕與史館修撰梁周翰並為考官，上顧宰相曰：「此皆有聞之士而老於郎署，周翰狹中，德裕嗜酒，朕聞其能改矣。」 遂並賜金紫。 俄遷司勳員外郎。 至道初，德裕常作《九弦琴五弦阮頌》以獻，上稱其詞采古雅。 至道三年，轉金部郎中、出知睦州，還判太府寺。 咸平五年卒，年六十三。
Early in Chunhua he governed Kaifeng county; when a vacancy opened among the Three Institutes he was reassigned as a direct contributor to the Hall of Spreading Culture. In the spring of the third year, at the palace examination of presented scholars, Deyu and the historiography institute compiler Liang Zhouhan served together as examiners. The emperor turned to his chief councilors and said, "These are both men of established reputation who have grown old in directorate posts—Zhouhan is narrow-minded, and Deyu is given to drink, but I hear he has reformed." Thereupon both were granted the gold seal and purple robe. Soon after he was promoted to vice director of the Bureau of Merits. At the start of Zhidao, Deyu composed and presented the 《Ode to the Nine-String Zither and Five-String Ruan》; the emperor praised its diction as classical and refined. In the third year of Zhidao he was transferred to director of the Bureau of Revenue, sent out as prefect of Muzhou, then recalled to serve as vice director of the Court of the Imperial Treasury. He died in the fifth year of Xianping, at the age of sixty-three.
66
德裕性介潔，以風鑒自負。 王禹偁、孫何皆初遊詞場，德裕力為延譽。 及領考試，何又其首選。 然酣飲太過，故不被獎擢。 有集四十卷。
Deyu was upright and fastidious by nature, and prided himself on his judgment of character. When Wang Yucheng and Sun He were first entering the literary arena, Deyu actively promoted their reputations. When he later served as chief examiner, He was again his first choice. Yet because he drank to excess he was never singled out for reward and promotion. He left a collected works of forty fascicles.
67
錢熙，字太雅，泉州南安人。 父居讓，陳洪進署清溪令。 熙幼穎悟，及長，博貫群籍，善屬文，洪進嘉其才，以弟之子妻之。 將署熙府職，辭不就，著《楚雁賦》以見誌。 尋復辟為巡官，專掌箋奏。
Qian Xi, styled Taiya, was a native of Nan'an in Quanzhou. His father Juren was appointed magistrate of Qingxi by Chen Hongjin. Xi was precocious as a boy; when grown he mastered many texts and excelled at literary composition. Hongjin admired his talent and gave him his younger brother's daughter in marriage. When Hongjin was about to appoint him to a post in his administration, Xi declined and wrote the 《Rhapsody on the Chu Wild Goose》 to express his resolve. Soon he was again recruited as a patrol officer, exclusively drafting memorials and reports.
68
洪進歸朝，熙不敘舊職，舉進士。 雍熙初，攜文謁宰相李昉，昉深加賞重，為延譽於朝，令子宗諤與之遊。 明年，登甲科，補度州觀察推官。 代還，寇準掌吏部選，上封薦錢若水、陳充、王扶洎熙皆有文，得試中書，遷殿中丞，賜緋魚。 著《四夷來王賦》以獻，凡萬餘言，太宗嘉之，即以本官直史館。
When Hongjin submitted to the court, Xi did not claim his former office and instead took the jinshi examination. Early in Yongxi he brought his writings to visit Chief Councilor Li Fang, who deeply admired them, promoted his reputation at court, and had his son Zong'e keep company with him. The following year he passed with highest honors and was appointed observation bureau judge of Duzhou. On returning from his term, Kou Zhun was in charge of personnel selection in the Ministry of Personnel; Xi submitted a sealed memorial recommending Qian Ruoshui, Chen Chong, Wang Fu, and himself as men of literary talent, all qualified for the Zhongshu examination; he was promoted to palace attendant and granted the red official robe and fish tally. He composed and presented the 《Rhapsody on the Four Barbarians Coming to Court》, more than ten thousand characters in all; Emperor Taizong was pleased and immediately appointed him at his current rank as a direct historiographer.
69
淳化中，參知政事。 蘇易簡對太宗言趙鄰幾追補《唐實錄》，鄰幾卒，家睢陽，即命熙乘傳而往，盡取其書來上。 熙嘗與楊徽之言及張洎、錢若水將被進用，熙與劉昌言同鄉里，相親善，又語及其事。 昌言因以語洎，洎疑熙交構，訴之，熙坐削職、通判朗州，俄徙衡州，就改太常博士。 真宗即位，遷右司諫。 李宗諤、楊億素厚善熙，乃與梁顥、趙況、趙安仁同表請復熙舊職，不報。 尋通判杭州，政多專達，為轉運使所奏，徙通判越州。
During Chunhua, Su Yijian served as Vice Grand Councilor. Su Yijian told Emperor Taizong that Zhao Linji was continuing the 《Veritable Records of Tang》; when Linji died, his family was in Suiyang, and the emperor immediately ordered Xi to travel by relay post there and bring back all his manuscripts for submission. Xi once told Yang Hui that Zhang Ji and Qian Ruoshui were about to receive appointment; Xi was from the same hometown as Liu Changyan and on close terms with him, and he also spoke of the matter to him. Changyan then told Ji; Ji suspected Xi of sowing discord and lodged a complaint. Xi was demoted, made vice-prefect of Langzhou, soon transferred to Hengzhou, and then changed to Erudite of the Court of Imperial Sacrifices. When Emperor Zhenzong took the throne, Xi was promoted to remonstrance officer of the Right Secretariat. Li Zong'e and Yang Yi, who had long been close friends with Xi, joined Liang Hao, Zhao Kuang, and Zhao Anren in submitting a joint memorial asking that Xi's former office be restored; there was no reply. Soon he was made vice-prefect of Hangzhou; his administration was often self-directed, and the transport commissioner reported him, so he was transferred as vice-prefect of Yuezhou.
70
熙負氣好學，善談笑，精筆劄，狷躁務進。 自罷職，因憤恚成疾，咸平三年卒，年四十八。 嘗擬古樂府，著《雜言》十數篇及《措刑論》，為識者所許。 有集十卷。
Xi was proud and studious, skilled at witty conversation, expert in brush correspondence, and impatient and ambitious for advancement. From the time of his demotion, resentment and indignation brought on illness; he died in the third year of Xianping, at the age of forty-eight. He once modeled ancient yuefu, wrote more than ten pieces of 《Miscellaneous Words》 and the 《Essay on Abating Punishment》, and was praised by those with discernment. He left a collected works of ten fascicles.
71
子蒙吉，亦進士及第。
His son Mengji also passed the jinshi examination.