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列傳第三十袁淑
Biography 30: Yuan Shu
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袁淑，字陽源，陳郡陽夏人，丹陽尹豹少子也。 少有風氣，年數歲，伯湛謂家人曰：「此非凡兒。」 至十餘歲，為姑夫王弘所賞。 不為章句之學，而博涉多通，好屬文，辭采遒豔，縱橫有才辯。 本州命主簿，著作佐郎，太子舍人，並不就。 彭城王義康命為軍司祭酒。 義康不好文學，雖外相禮接，意好甚疏。 劉湛，淑從母兄也，欲其附己，而淑不以為意，由是大相乖失，以久疾免官。 補衡陽王義季右軍主簿，遷太子洗馬，以腳疾不拜。 衛軍臨川王義慶雅好文章，請為諮議參軍。 頃之，遷司徒左西屬。 出為宣城太守，入補中書侍郎，以母憂去職。 服闋，為太子中庶子。
Yuan Shu, styled Yangyuan, came from Yangxia in Chen commandery and was the youngest son of Danyang Governor Bao. Even as a small child he showed spirit; his uncle Zhan told the household, "This is no ordinary boy." By his teens he had won the admiration of his uncle-by-marriage Wang Hong. He skipped narrow exegetical study yet ranged widely across learning; he loved to write, in a forceful and brilliant style, and debated with eloquent skill. The province made him chief clerk and offered him posts as assistant in the writing office and attendant of the heir apparent, but he declined them all. Prince of Pengcheng Yikang appointed him libationer of the army staff. Yikang cared little for letters; though he treated Shu with outward courtesy, inwardly he kept his distance. Liu Zhan, a maternal cousin, wanted Shu at his side, but Shu would not oblige; they fell out sharply, and Shu was dismissed after a long illness. He was made right-army chief clerk to Prince of Hengyang Yiji, then promoted to groom of the heir apparent, but a foot ailment kept him from taking office. Prince of Linchuan Yiqing, a great lover of literature, asked for him as consultation officer. Soon after he became western attendant of the left in the Ministry of Works. He served as administrator of Xuancheng, returned as gentleman of the secretariat, and left office to mourn his mother. After mourning he became palace aide to the heir apparent.
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元嘉二十六年，遷尚書吏部郎。 其秋，大舉北伐，淑侍坐從容曰：「今當鳴鑾中嶽，席捲趙、魏，檢玉岱宗，今其時也。 臣逢千載之會，願上《封禪書》一篇。」 太祖笑曰：「盛德之事，我何足以當之。」 出為始興王征北長史、南東海太守。 淑始到府，浚引見，謂曰：「不意舅遂垂屈佐。」 淑答曰：「朝廷遣下官，本以光公府望。」 還為禦史中丞。 時索虜南侵，遂至瓜步，太祖使百官議防禦之術，淑上議曰：
In the twenty-sixth year of Yuanjia he was made gentleman of the ministry of personnel. That autumn, as a great northern campaign was launched, Shu said calmly at court: "Now is the time to ring the bells at Mount Song, sweep Zhao and Wei, and inspect the jade at Mount Dai. I meet an age that comes once in a millennium and wish to present a treatise on the feng and shan rites." Emperor Wen laughed and said, "A deed of supreme virtue—how could I be worthy of that?" He went out as chief clerk of the pacification of the north to Prince of Shixing and administrator of Eastern Nanhai. When Shu first arrived, Jun received him and said, "I never expected my uncle to condescend to serve as my aide." Shu replied, "The court sent me precisely to lend luster to your princely house." He returned as director of the censorate. The northern enemy pushed south as far as Guabu; Emperor Wen had officials debate defense, and Shu submitted a memorial:
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臣聞函車之獸，離山必斃； 絕波之鱗，宕流則枯。 羯寇遺醜，趨致畿甸，蟻萃螽集，聞已崩殪。 天險岩曠，地限深遐，故全魏戢其圖，盛晉輟其議，情屈力殫，氣挫勇竭，諒不虞於來臨，本無怵於能濟矣。 乃者燮定攜遠，阻違授律，由將有弛拙，故士少鬥志。 圍潰之眾，匪寇傾淪，攻制之師，空自班散，濟西勁騎，急戰蹴旅，淮上訓卒，簡備靡旗。 是由綏整寡衷，戎昭多昧，遂使栲潞入患，泉伊來擾，紛殄姬風，泯毒禹績，騰書有渭陰之迫，懸烽均咸陽之警。 然而切揣虛實，伏匿先彰，校索伎能，譎詭既顯。 綿地千里，彌行阻深，表裏躓硋，後先介逼。 舍陵衍之習，競湍沙之利。 今虹見萍生，土膏泉動，津陸陷溢，痁禍洊興，芻稿已單，米粟莫系，水宇衿帶，進必傾殞，河隘扁固，退亦墮滅。 所謂棲烏於烈火之上，養魚于叢棘之中。
I have heard that beasts carried in covered carts die once they leave the mountains; fish that ride the waves wither when the current fails. The Jie remnant has rushed to the capital region; swarming like ants and locusts, they are said already to be collapsing. Heaven's barriers are vast, earth's limits remote—so Wei folded its plans and Jin stayed its hand; will bent, strength spent, spirit broken, courage exhausted; they never expected our coming and never feared we could prevail. Yet lately, in pacifying the distant, we blocked and violated the laws of war—the generals grew lax, the troops lost heart. Besieged masses were not crushed by the foe; attacking armies scattered on their own; Ji's strong cavalry fought in haste and trampled their ranks; Huai trainees were lightly armed and lost their banners. Command was poorly harmonized, military discipline dim; Gaolu brought disaster, Quanyi harassed; Ji customs scattered, Yu's legacy poisoned; dispatches pressed Wei's north, beacons matched Xianyang's alarm. Yet probing substance and void, their hiding was revealed; testing skill, their deceits were exposed. A thousand li of territory, yet march is blocked and deep; inside and outside they stumble, front and rear press tight. They abandon level hills and compete for rushing sands. Now rainbows appear, duckweed sprouts, clay oozes, springs stir; fords flood, plague returns; fodder gone, grain untied—waters belt the land: advance means ruin, rivers narrow: retreat means doom. This is nesting birds over fire and raising fish in thorns.
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或謂損緩江右，寬繕淮內。 竊謂拯扼閩城，舊史為允，棄遠涼士，前言稱非。 限此要荒，猶弗委割。 況聯被京國，咫尺神甸，數州摧掃，列邑殲痍，山淵反覆，草木塗地。 今丘賦千乘，井算萬集，肩摩倍于長安，締袂百於臨淄，什一而籍，實慊氓願，履畝以稅，既協農和。 戶競戰心，人含銳志，皆欲贏糧請奮，釋緯乘城。 謂宜懸金鑄印，要壯果之士，重幣甘辭，招摧決之將，舉薦板築之下，抽登臺皁之間，賞之以焚書，報之以相爵，俄而昭才賀闕，異能間至。
Some say ease the Yang's right bank and relax Huai defenses. I hold that saving Min city is approved in old histories, but abandoning distant borderlands was called wrong before. Even that remote frontier they would not cast away. How much more when the capital lies linked, the sacred domain within reach—provinces swept bare, cities ruined, land overturned, grass and trees painted with dead. Now hill taxes field a thousand chariots, wells reckon ten thousand households; shoulders crowd beyond Chang'an, sleeves press beyond Linzi; one-tenth levies answer the people, mu taxation suits the harvest. Households compete in war spirit; men hold sharp resolve—all wish to carry grain and fight, cast off looms and man the walls. Hang gold and cast seals for fierce men; heavy gifts and sweet words for the resolute; draw talent from the lowly and the clerks; reward with burned books, repay with rank—soon talent and skill will arrive.
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戎貪而無謀，肆而不整，迷乎向背之次，謬於合散之宜，犯軍志之極害，觸兵家之甚諱。 鹹畜憤矣，僉策戰矣，稱願影從，謠言緡命。 宜選敢悍數千，騖行潛掩，偃旗裹甲，鉗馬銜枚，檜稽而起，晨壓未陣，旌噪亂舉，火鼓四臨，使景不暇移，塵不及起，無不禽鎩獸讋，冰解霧散，掃洗哨類，漂鹵浮山。 如有決罦漏網，逡窠逗穴，命淮、汝戈船，遏其還徑，兗部勁卒，梗其歸塗。 必剪元雄，懸首麾下，乃將只輪不反，戰轊無旋矣。 於是信臣騰威，武士繕力，緹組接陰，鞞柝聯響。
They are greedy without plan, rampant without order, lost in advance and retreat, wrong in gathering and scattering, touching the army's worst harm and the strategist's greatest taboo. All store anger; all draw battle plans; they beg to follow, rumor binds their lives. Choose thousands of daring men, ride swift and strike hidden, lower banners, wrap armor, muzzle horses, gag mouths; rise at dawn and press the unformed camp; chaos, fire, drums on four sides—they cannot move; all will be seized, ice melt, scouts swept, captives heaped like mountains. If any escape the net, order Huai and Ru boats to block return and Yan's crack troops to choke the homeward road. Surely the chief will be cut down, head hung beneath the banners; not a wheel will return. Then loyal ministers rise in might, warriors sharpen strength, patrol cords link, watch-rattles sound in turn.
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若其偽遁羸張，出沒無際，楚言漢旆，顯默如神，固已日月蔽虧，川穀蕩貿。 負塞殘孽，阻山燼黨，收險竊命，憑城借土，則當因威席捲，乘機芟剿。 泗、汴秀士，星流電燭，徐、阜嚴兵，雨湊雲集，蹶亂桑溪之北，搖潰浣海以南，絕其心根，勿使能植，銜索之枯，幾何不蠹。 是由涸澤而漁，焚林而狩，若浚風之亻舞輕籜，杲日之拂浮霜。 既而尉洽荷掠之餘，望吊網悲之鬼。 然後天行樞運，猋舉煙升，青蓋西巡，翠華東幸，經啟州野，滌一軫策，俾高闕再勒，燕然後銘。 方乃奠山沉河，創禮輯策，闡耀炎、昊之遺則，貫軼商、夏之舊文。
If they feign retreat, appear and vanish without bound, Chu speech and Han banners, manifest and hidden like spirits—sun and moon eclipsed, valleys overturned. Remnants holding passes and hills, stealing life behind walls—then roll up power and cut them down at once. Si and Bian's fine men stream like stars; Xu and Fu's troops gather like clouds; trample north of Sangxi, shake south of Huanghai; cut the root so nothing grows—the bound dry tree cannot fail to rot. Thus drain the marsh to fish, burn the forest to hunt—like keen wind on bamboo, like bright sun on frost. Then comfort those left from the net's sweep and mourn the ghosts caught in sorrow. Then heaven's pivot turns, whirlwinds rise; the green canopy tours west, emerald banner east; provinces opened, wild lands cleansed at one rein-turn—the high tower carved again, Yanran inscribed after. Then mountains laid, rivers sunk, ritual made, registers compiled, blazing Yan and Hao's legacy, threading Shang and Xia's old texts.
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今眾賈拳勇，而將術疏怯，意者稔泰日積，承平歲久，邑無驚赴之急，家緩饋戰之勤，闕閱訓之禮，簡參屬之飾，且亦薦采之法，庸未蔇歟。 若乃邦造裏選，攉論深切，躬擐盡幽，斬帶尋遠，設有沉明能照，俊偉自宣，誠感泉雨，流通金石，氣懾飛、賁，知窮苴、起，審邪正順逆之數，達昏明益損之宜，能睽合民心，愚睿物性，登丹墀而敷策，躡青蒲而揚謀，上說辰鑒，下弭素言，足以安民紓國，救災恤患。 則宜拔過寵貴之上，褒升戚舊之右，別其旂章，榮其班祿，出得專譽，使不稟命。 降席折節，同廣武之請； 設壇致禮，均淮陰之授。 必有要盟之功，竊符之捷。
Now the masses are brave but generals timid—long peace piled high, ease for years; towns lack alarm, homes lack war toil, drill rites wanting, muster adornment thin, and recommending talent may not yet have ripened. If the state chooses deeply from districts, bears utmost secrets, traces the far—one whose clarity shines, excellence declares itself, sincerity moves rain, spirit awes heroes, knowledge exhausts sages, judges fortune and loss, harmonizes hearts, knows dull and keen, lays plans on cinnabar steps, raises counsel on green rush, persuades the throne and quiets plain speech—he could settle the people and save disaster. Then pull him above the over-favored, raise him above honored kin, give distinct banners and glorious stipends, going out with sole praise without awaiting orders. Lower the mat and bend the knee, as Guangwu requested; set up the altar and grant rites, as Huaiyin was invested. Surely there will be sworn alliance's merit and stealing the tally's swiftness.
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夷裔暴狠，內外侮棄，始附之眾，分茷無序，蠱以威利，勢必攜離，首順之徒，靡然自及。 今淶繹故典，瀍土纓緌，翦焉幽播，折首凶狡。 是猶眇者願明，痿之思步，動商遄會，功終易感。 劫晉在於善覘，全鄭實寄良諜，多縱反間，汨惑心耳，發險易之前，抵興喪之術，沖其猜伏，拂其嫌嗜，汨以連率之貴，餌以析壤之資。 罄筆端之用，展辭鋒之銳，振辯則堅圍可解，馳羽而岩邑易傾。 必府鬲土崩，枝幹瓦裂，故燕、樂相悔，項、範交疑矣。
Barbarians are violent; inner and outer scorn them; first attachments split without order—bewitch with might and profit and they fall apart; leaders in submission crumble themselves. Now old canons are glossed, land sprinkled with tassels, the hidden scattered, fierce heads cut down. This is the dim wishing for light, the lame wishing to walk—move and the meeting comes swift, work ends and feeling follows. Seizing Jin lay in keen sight; preserving Zheng in good spies—use counter-schemes, muddy their ears, strike rise and fall, probe suspicion, brush dislike, muddy with joint command, bait with carved lands. Exhaust the brush, unfold rhetoric's edge—debate shakes stout walls, a feather leans stony towns. Surely the storehouse collapses, trunk splits like tile—Yan and Yue regret each other, Xiang and Fan grow doubt.
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或乃言約功深，事邇應廣，齊圉反駕，趙養還君，盡輿誦之道，畢能事之效。 臣幸得出內層禁，遊心明代，澤與身泰，恩隨年行，無以逢迎昌運，潤飾鴻法。 今塗有遺鏃，蠆未息蜂，敢思涼識，少酬閎施。 但坐幕既乏昭文，免胄不能致果，竊觀都護之邊論，屬國之兵謨，終、晁之抗辭，杜、耿之言事，咸云及經之棘，猶闕上算，燭郛之敬，裁收下策。 自恥懦木，智不綜微，敢露昧見，無會昭采。
Or few words, deep merit, near affairs, wide response—Qi lord returned carriage, Zhao lord restored lord, all cart and recitation's ways, full able service. I have been fortunate to leave the inner forbidden, wander heart in this bright age, grace with body, favor with years, yet have nothing to meet flourishing fortune and adorn great law. Now spent arrows lie on the road; the scorpion's sting has not ceased—I dare think cool thoughts and slightly repay broad grace. Yet command lacks brilliance; without helmet no result—I have seen frontier discussions, dependency plans, Zhong and Chao's words, Du and Geng's policy—all say classics' thorns still lack highest calculation, beacon respect barely reaches lower strategy. Ashamed of timid wood, wisdom not gathering subtlety—I dare reveal dull views, without meeting bright selection.
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淑喜為誇誕，每為時人所嘲。 始興王浚嘗送錢三萬餉淑，一宿複遣追取，謂使人謬誤，欲以戲淑。 淑與浚書曰：「袁司直之視館，敢寓書于上國之宮尹。 日者猥枉泉賦，降委弊邑。 弊邑敬事是遑，無或違貳。 懼非郊贈之禮，覲饗之資，不虞君王惠之於是也，是有懵焉。 弗圖旦夕發咫尺之記，籍左右而請，以為胥授失旨，爰速先幣。 曾是附庸臣委末學孤聞者，如之何勿疑。 且亦聞之前志曰，七年之中，一與一奪，義士猶或非之。 況密邇旬次，何其裒益之亟也。 藉恐二三諸侯，有以觀大國之政。 是用敢布心腹。 弊室弱生，砥節清廉，好是潔直，以不邪之故，而貧聞天下。 甯有昧夫嗟金者哉。 不腆供賦，束馬先璧以俟命。 唯執事所以圖之。」
Shu loved grand exaggeration and was often mocked by contemporaries. Prince of Shixing Jun once sent thirty thousand cash to Shu; after one night he sent to recover it, claiming a messenger's error, intending to tease him. Shu wrote to Jun: "Director Yuan ventures to lodge a letter with the upper state's palace steward. Recently you wrongly sent a spring levy upon my poor district. My district respectfully attends and dares not be double-minded. I fear it is not suburban gift or audience resource, and did not expect the king's grace—therefore confusion. I did not think that within the day a note would arrive through your attendants to take it back, thinking relay error and hastening the first gift. How could a dependent minister of meager learning not doubt? Moreover former records say that within seven years one giving and one taking—even a righteous man might fault it. How much more within a ten-day span—how sudden this gain and loss. I fear feudal lords may observe the great state's government through this. Therefore I dare lay bare my heart. My poor house polishes integrity; I love straightness and, because I am not crooked, am known poor throughout the realm. Would anyone blind sigh over gold? With meager tribute I bind horses and send jade first to await command. Only the steward may decide."
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遷太子左衛率。 元兇將為弑逆，其夜淑在直，二更許，呼淑及蕭斌等流涕謂曰：「主上信讒，將見罪廢。 內省無過，不能受枉。 明旦便當行大事，望相與戮力。」 淑及斌並曰：「自古無此，願加善思。」 劭怒變色，左右皆動。 斌懼，乃曰：「臣昔忝伏事，常思效節，況憂迫如此，輒當竭身奉令。」 淑叱之曰：「卿便謂殿下真有是邪？ 殿下幼時嘗患風，或是疾動耳。」 劭愈怒，因問曰：「事當克不？」 淑曰：「居不疑之地，何患不克。 但既克之後，為天地之所不容，大禍亦旋至耳。 願急息之。」 劭左右引淑等袴褶，又就主衣取錦，截三尺為一段，又中破，分斌、淑及左右，使以縛袴。 淑出環省，繞床行，至四更乃寢。 劭將出，已與蕭斌同載，呼淑甚急，淑眠終不起。 劭停車奉化門，催之相續。 徐起至車後，劭使登車，又辭不上。 劭因命左右：「與手刃。」 見殺於奉化門外，時年四十六。 劭即位，追贈太常，賜賵甚厚。
He was made general of the left guard of the heir apparent. When the Traitor Prince was about to commit regicide, Shu was on duty that night; about the second watch Shao called Shu and Xiao Bin, weeping: "The emperor trusts slander; I am about to be charged and deposed. Looking within I have no fault and cannot accept injustice. Tomorrow I must act; I hope you will strive with me. Shu and Bin both said, "Since antiquity there has never been this; please think again." Shao's face changed in anger; those around stirred. Bin in fear said, "I once served you and thought to repay with loyalty; pressed so, I will obey." Shu rebuked him, "Do you think His Highness truly intends this? His Highness in youth suffered wind ailment; perhaps the illness stirs again." Shao grew angrier and asked, "Will it succeed or not? Shu said, "In a position without doubt, why fear failure? But once you succeed, heaven and earth will not contain you; great disaster will swiftly come. I beg you to stop at once." Shao's men pulled their trousers; took brocade from the wardrobe, cut three-foot sections, halved them, and divided them to bind Bin, Shu, and attendants. Shu went out, walked around the hall circling the bed, and slept only at the fourth watch. When Shao was about to go out with Xiao Bin, he called urgently for Shu; Shu slept on and did not rise. Shao stopped at Fenghua Gate and urged him again and again. Shu slowly came behind the carriage; Shao ordered him up, and again he refused. Shao ordered those around him, "Cut him down." He was killed outside Fenghua Gate at the age of forty-six. When Shao took the throne he posthumously made him director of ceremonies with lavish funeral goods.
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子幾、敳、棱、凝、標。 敳，世祖步兵校尉。 凝，太宗世禦史中丞，出為晉陵太守。 太宗初與四方同反，兵敗歸降，以補劉湛冠軍府主簿。 淑諸子並早卒。
His sons were Ji, Ai, Leng, Ning, and Biao. Ai was commandant of the footsoldiers under Emperor Xiaowu. Ning was director of the censorate under the Taizong Emperor and went out as administrator of Jinling. In Taizong's first year he rebelled with the four quarters; defeated, he surrendered and was made chief clerk in Liu Zhan's champion army. All Shu's sons died young.
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史臣曰：天長地久，人道則異於斯。 蕣華朝露，未足以言也。 其間夭遽，曾何足雲。 宜任心去留，不以存沒嬰心。 徒以靈化悠遠，生不再來，雖天行路險，而未之斯遇，謂七尺常存，百年可保也。 所以據洪圖而輕天下，吝寸陰而敗尺璧。 若乃義重乎生，空炳前誥，投軀殉主，世罕其人。 若無陽源之節，丹青何貴焉爾！
The historian says: Heaven is long and earth enduring, yet the human way differs. Hibiscus in morning dew is not enough to speak of. Sudden early death among them—how can it be worth mentioning? Let the heart go or stay; do not let life and death trouble the mind. Because spirit is far and life does not return, though heaven's road is perilous one has not met it, one thinks the body will always remain and a hundred years can be kept. Therefore one holds great design lightly, grudges an inch of shadow and loses a foot of jade. If righteousness outweighs life, it shines in former edicts; to die for one's lord is rare in the world. Without Yangyuan's integrity, how would vermillion and green be prized!