1
八年春正月辛巳，大軍集于涿郡。 以兵部尚書段文振為左候衞大將軍。 壬午，下詔曰：
In spring of year eight, on xinsi day in the first month, the main force gathered at Zhuo Commandery. Duan Wenzhen, Minister of War, was made General-in-Chief of the Left Guard. On renwu day the emperor promulgated an edict:
2
天地大德，降繁霜於秋令，聖哲至仁，著甲兵於刑典。 故知造化之有肅殺，義在無私，帝王之用干戈，蓋非獲已。 版泉、丹浦，莫匪龔行，取亂覆昏，咸由順動。 況乎甘野誓師，夏開承大禹之業，商郊問罪，周發成文王之志。 永監前載，屬當朕躬。
Heaven and Earth in their vast goodness send killing frost with autumn; the sage in supreme humanity records arms in the law of punishment. Creation itself holds stern killing, and its justice is impartial; when emperors take up arms, they do so only because they must. At Banquan and Danpu every host marched as if to a funeral rite; overthrowing chaos and crushing the benighted all arose from righteous action. All the more when Xia Qi swore his host at Gan Wilds and carried on Yu's work, and Zhou Fa arraigned guilt outside Shang and fulfilled Wen's design. Let the past be our mirror: the charge is mine to bear.
3
粵我有隋，誕膺靈命，兼三才而建極，一六合而為家。 提封所漸，細柳、盤桃之外，聲教爰暨，紫舌、黃枝之域。 遠至邇安，罔不和會，功成治定，於是乎在。 而高麗小醜，迷昏不恭，崇聚勃、碣之間，荐食遼、獩之境。 雖復漢、魏誅戮，巢窟暫傾，亂離多阻，種落還集。 [1]萃川藪於往代，播實繁以迄今，眷彼華壤，翦為夷類。 歷年永久，惡稔既盈，天道禍淫，亡徵已兆。 亂常敗德，非可勝圖，掩慝懷姦，唯日不足。 移告之嚴，未嘗面受，朝覲之禮，莫肯躬親。 誘納亡叛，不知紀極，充斥邊垂，亟勞烽候，關柝以之不靜，生人為之廢業。 在昔薄伐，已漏天網，既緩前擒之戮，未即後服之誅，曾不懷恩，翻為長惡，乃兼契丹之黨，虔劉海戍，習靺鞨之服，侵軼遼西。 又青丘之表，咸修職貢，碧海之濱，同稟正朔，遂復奪攘琛賮，遏絕往來，虐及弗辜，誠而遇禍。 輶軒奉使，爰暨海東，旌節所次，途經藩境，而擁塞道路，拒絕王人，無事君之心，豈為臣之禮！ 此而可忍，孰不可容！ 且法令苛酷，賦斂煩重，強臣豪族，咸執國鈞，朋黨比周，以之成俗，賄貨如市，寃枉莫申。 重以仍歲災凶，比屋饑饉，兵戈不息，徭役無期，力竭轉輸，身填溝壑。 百姓愁苦，爰誰適從？ 境內哀惶，不勝其弊。 迴首面內，各懷性命之圖，黃髮稚齒，咸興酷毒之歎。 省俗觀風，爰屆幽朔，弔人問罪，無俟再駕。 於是親總六師，用申九伐，拯厥阽危，協從天意，殄茲逋穢，克嗣先謨。
Our Sui received the sacred mandate, took up heaven, earth, and man to establish the summit of rule, and united the realm into one household. Our domains stretched beyond Thin Willow and Pan-Peach, and our civilizing sway reached even to Purple-Tongue and Yellow-Branch lands. The far arrived, the near rested easy, all were brought into harmony, and with achievement complete and order settled, the work stood fulfilled. Yet petty Goguryeo, benighted and insolent, clustered between Bo and Jie and again and again ravaged the Liao and Hui frontier. Han and Wei had punished them and their strongholds briefly collapsed, but through chaos and distance the clans reassembled. [1] Since old times they have crowded the river marshes and multiplied to this day, carving our fine lands into barbarian country. Years have piled up, their evil is ripe, Heaven punishes the licentious, and the omens of extinction are already plain. They violate order and ruin virtue beyond all reckoning, hiding malice and nursing treachery without cease. They never receive our solemn notices in person, and they will not come themselves to pay court. They shelter deserters without limit, swarm the frontier, exhaust the beacon stations, unsettle the border posts, and drive the people from their work. Even when we marched lightly before, Heaven's net was already slack; we spared those once taken and did not at once punish those who submitted late, yet they repaid kindness with lasting malice, allied with the Khitan to butcher coastal defenses, and dressed as Mohe to raid western Liao. Beyond the Blue Hills all kept tribute; along the Blue Sea all accepted our calendar — yet they robbed envoys, blocked the roads, and slaughtered the guiltless. Our envoys bound for the Eastern Sea passed through their territory, yet they blocked the roads and refused the throne's officers — this is no mind to serve a sovereign, nor any rite of a subject! If we tolerate this, what outrage could we not endure! Their statutes are savage, their taxes crushing; great families hold the reins of power, factions rule by custom, bribes trade like goods in a market, and the wronged find no hearing. On top of this come years of disaster, hunger in every home, endless war and corvée, men spent hauling supplies until they fall dead in the ditches. The people groan in misery — whom can they follow? Inside their realm grief and despair exceed what men can endure. Every man turns inward seeking a way to live; old and young alike lament the savage oppression. I come to You and Shuo to read their customs and winds; to succor the people and demand an accounting, one campaign is enough. I shall take command of the six hosts, proclaim the nine chastisements, snatch them from the brink, follow Heaven's will, wipe out this fleeing refuse, and complete the design of our ancestors.
4
今宜授律啟行，分麾屆路，掩勃澥而雷震，歷夫餘以電掃。 比戈按甲，誓旅而後行，三令五申，[2]必勝而後戰。 左第一軍可鏤方道，第二軍可長岑道，第三軍可海冥道，[3]第四軍可蓋馬道，第五軍可建安道，第六軍可南蘇道，第七軍可遼東道，第八軍可玄菟道，第九軍可扶餘道，第十軍可朝鮮道，第十一軍可沃沮道，第十二軍可樂浪道。 右第一軍可黏蟬道，第二軍可含資道，第三軍可渾彌道，第四軍可臨屯道，第五軍可候城道，第六軍可提奚道，第七軍可踏頓道，第八軍可肅慎道，第九軍可碣石道，第十軍可東暆道，第十一軍可帶方道，第十二軍可襄平道。 凡此眾軍，先奉廟略，駱驛引途，總集平壤。 莫非如豺如貔之勇，百戰百勝之雄，顧眄則山岳傾頹，叱吒則風雲騰鬱，心德攸同，爪牙斯在。 朕躬馭元戎，為其節度，涉遼而東，循海之右，解倒懸於遐裔，問疾苦於遺黎。 其外輕齎遊闕，隨機赴響，卷甲銜枚，出其不意。 又滄海道軍舟艫千里，高帆電逝，巨艦雲飛，橫斷浿江，[4]逕造平壤，島嶼之望斯絕，坎井之路已窮。 其餘被髮左衽之人，控弦待發，微、盧、彭、濮之旅，不謀同辭。 杖順臨逆，人百其勇，以此眾戰，勢等摧枯。
Now let the armies take their orders and march, divide their flags along their routes, roll over the Bo Sea like thunder, and sweep Buyeo like lightning. Spears lowered and armor set, they shall muster and swear before marching; warned again and again, [2] they shall engage only when sure of victory. Left Wing Army One shall advance by the Roufang route; Two by Changcen; Three by Haiming; [3] Four by Gaima; Five by Jian'an; Six by Nansu; Seven by Liaodong; Eight by Xuantu; Nine by Fuyu; Ten by Chaoxian; Eleven by Woju; Twelve by Lelang. Right Wing Army One shall advance by the Nianchan route; Two by Hanzhi; Three by Hunmi; Four by Lintun; Five by Houcheng; Six by Tixi; Seven by Tadun; Eight by Sushen; Nine by Jieshi; Ten by Dongyi; Eleven by Daifang; Twelve by Xiangping. All these hosts shall first obey the plan set before the temple, press forward along their roads, and converge on Pyongyang. Each is fierce as wolf or leopard, a veteran of a hundred victories; one look from them would shake the hills, one shout would stir the clouds; of one mind and one will, their teeth and claws are ready. I shall lead the main force in person, cross east of the Liao, follow the coast, lift the upside-down suffering of distant peoples, and ask after the woes of the survivors. Light raiding columns shall move at need, armor rolled and mouths gagged, to strike from nowhere. The Coastal Army too shall sail a thousand li of ships, sails high and swift as lightning, great hulls cloudlike on the sea, cut the Pei River, [4] and strike straight for Pyongyang until island redoubts lose all hope and the trapped have no way out. Others with flowing hair and left-lapped coats stand bow in hand; the forces of Wei, Lu, Peng, and Pu are of one voice without debate. Marching with justice against rebellion, every soldier fights as ten; with such an army, victory will be like breaking dead wood.
5
然則王者之師，義存止殺，聖人之教，必也勝殘。 天罰有罪，本在元惡，人之多僻，脅從罔治。 若高元泥首轅門，自歸司寇，即宜解縛焚櫬，弘之以恩。 其餘臣人歸朝奉順，咸加慰撫，各安生業，隨才任用，無隔夷夏。 營壘所次，務在整肅，芻蕘有禁，秋毫勿犯，布以恩宥，喻以禍福。 若其同惡相濟，抗拒官軍，國有常刑，俾無遺類。 明加曉示，稱朕意焉。
Yet the king's army exists to stop killing, and the sage's teaching must overcome savagery. Heaven punishes guilt, and the chief villain is the target; among the many who stray, the compelled shall go unpunished. If King Gao Yuan binds himself and comes to the camp gate to surrender to justice, unbind him, burn the coffin of submission, and show him mercy. Other subjects who submit shall be reassured, left to their trades, and employed by merit without regard to barbarian or Han. Where camps are set, order must be strict; forbid foraging and touch not even a hair; proclaim mercy and warn of ruin. Those who side with the wicked and resist our troops shall face the fixed penalties of the state until none are left. Make this known far and wide, as I intend.
6
總一百一十三萬三千八百，號二百萬，其餽運者倍之。 癸未，第一軍發，終四十日，引師乃盡，旌旗亘千里。 近古出師之盛，未之有也。 乙未，以右候衞大將軍衞玄為刑部尚書。 甲辰，內史令元壽卒。
The total was 1,133,800 men, called up as two million; supply troops doubled that figure. On guiwei day the First Army marched; within forty days the last units had departed; flags and banners stretched a thousand li. Never in recent memory had an expedition matched this in scale. On yiwei day Wei Xuan, General-in-Chief of the Right Guard, was made Minister of Punishments. On jiachen day Palace Secretary Yuan Shou died.
7
三月辛卯，兵部尚書、左候衞大將軍段文振卒。 癸巳，上御師。 甲午，臨戎于遼水橋。 戊戌，大軍為賊所拒，不果濟。 右屯衞大將軍、左光祿大夫麥鐵杖，武賁郎將錢士雄、孟金叉等，皆死之。 甲午，[5]車駕渡遼。 大戰于東岸，擊賊破之，進圍遼東。 乙未，[6]大頓，見二大鳥，高丈餘，皜身朱足，遊泳自若。 上異之，命工圖寫，并立銘頌。
In the third month, on xinmao day, Duan Wenzhen, Minister of War and General-in-Chief of the Left Guard, died. On guisi day the emperor assumed command of the host. On jiawu day he inspected the army at the bridge over the Liao River. On wuxu day the main force was stopped by the enemy and could not cross. Mai Tiezhang, General-in-Chief of the Right Encampment Guard and Left Grand Master of the Palace, and the Martial Guard commanders Qian Shixiong and Meng Jingou, among others, were killed. On jiawu day, [5] the emperor crossed the Liao River. On the east bank a great battle was fought; the enemy was routed and the siege of Liaodong began. On yiwei day, [6] during a major halt two great birds appeared, over ten feet tall, white-bodied and red-footed, swimming calmly. The emperor was astonished and had them painted and a commemorative stele erected in praise.
8
五月壬午，納言楊達卒。
In the fifth month, on renwu day, Censor-in-Chief Yang Da died.
9
于時諸將各奉旨，不敢赴機。 既而高麗各城守，攻之不下。
Meanwhile each general held strictly to his orders and would not act on opportunity. Soon every Goguryeo city stood on the defensive, and none could be taken.
10
六月己未，幸遼東，責怒諸將。 止城西數里，御六合城。
In the sixth month, on jiwei day, he went to Liaodong and furiously upbraided his generals. He stopped a few li west of the city and lodged at Liuhe Fortress.
11
七月壬寅，宇文述等敗績于薩水，右屯衞將軍辛世雄死之。 九軍並陷，將帥奔還亡者二千餘騎。 [7]癸卯，班師。
In the seventh month, on renyin day, Yuwen Shu and others were routed at the Salsu; Right Encampment Guard General Xin Shixiong was killed. Nine armies were destroyed; the surviving commanders fled back with barely two thousand riders. [7] On guimao day the army turned back.
12
九月庚辰，上至東都。 己丑，詔曰：「軍國異容，文武殊用，匡危拯難，則霸德攸興，化人成俗，則王道斯貴。 時方撥亂，屠販可以登朝，世屬隆平，經術然後升仕。 豐都爰肇，儒服無預于周行，建武之朝，功臣不參于吏職。 自三方未一，四海交爭，不遑文教，唯尚武功。 設官分職，罕以才授，班朝治人，乃由勳叙，莫非拔足行陣，出自勇夫，斅學之道，既所不習，政事之方，故亦無取。 是非暗于在己，威福專於下吏，貪冒貨賄，不知紀極，蠹政害民，實由於此。 自今已後，諸授勳官者，並不得回授文武職事，庶遵彼更張，取類於調瑟，求諸名製，不傷于美錦。 若吏部輒擬用者，御史即宜糾彈。」
In the ninth month, on gengchen day, the emperor reached the Eastern Capital. On jichou day an edict declared: "Army and state wear different faces; civil and martial skills serve different ends. Saving the realm from crisis raises hegemonic virtue; shaping custom elevates the kingly Way. In times of chaos, butchers and peddlers may sit in court; in ages of peace, only the learned may rise in rank. When Fengdu was first established, Confucian robes did not walk the court ranks; under Jianwu, men of merit did not hold civil posts. While the realm was still divided and the four seas at war, there was no time for letters — only arms were prized. Posts were rarely given for talent; court and people were governed by battle honors — men pulled straight from the ranks, raised from the ranks of fighters who had never studied and therefore knew nothing of administration. They could not see their own faults, delegated all power to underlings, gorged on bribes without limit, and from this came ruined government and ruined people. Henceforth no holder of a merit office may be reassigned to civil or military duty — like retuning a lute so the brocade of office is not spoiled. If the Ministry of Personnel proposes such an appointment, the censorate shall impeach at once."
13
冬十月甲寅，工部尚書宇文愷卒。
In the tenth month of winter, on jiayin day, Minister of Works Yuwen Kai died.
14
十一月己卯，以宗女華容公主嫁于高昌王。 辛巳，光祿大夫韓壽卒。 [8]甲申，敗將宇文述、于仲文等並除名為民，斬尚書右丞劉士龍以謝天下。 是歲，大旱，疫，人多死，山東尤甚。 密詔江、淮南諸郡閱視民間童女，姿質端麗者，每歲貢之。
In the eleventh month, on jimao day, Princess Huarong, a clanswoman, was given in marriage to the king of Gaochang. On xinsi day Grand Master of the Palace Han Shou died. [8] On jiashen day the defeated generals Yuwen Shu and Yu Zhongwen were stripped of rank and reduced to commoners; Vice Director Liu Shilong was executed to answer to the realm. That year brought severe drought and plague; multitudes died, above all in Shandong. Secret orders went to the Jiang-Huai commanderies to search households for pretty girls and send them up as tribute every year.
15
九年春正月丁丑，徵天下兵，募民為驍果，集于涿郡。 壬午，賊帥杜彥冰、王潤等陷平原郡，大掠而去。 辛卯，置折衝、果毅、武勇、雄武等郎將官，以領驍果。 乙未，平原李德逸聚眾數萬，稱「阿舅賊」，劫掠山東。 靈武白榆妄，[9]稱「奴賊」，劫掠牧馬，北連突厥，隴右多被其患。 遣將軍范貴討之，連年不能剋。 戊戌，大赦。 己亥，遣代王侑、刑部尚書衞玄鎮京師。 辛丑，以右驍騎將軍李渾為右驍衞大將軍。
In spring of year nine, on dingchou day in the first month, the empire was called to arms and civilians enrolled as Elite Striking Forces at Zhuo Commandery. On renwu day the rebel leaders Du Yanbing and Wang Run took Pingyuan Commandery, looted heavily, and withdrew. On xinmao day posts of Breakthrough, Resolute, Martial Brave, and Heroic Martial commanders were created to lead the Elite Striking Forces. On yiwei day Li Deyi of Pingyuan raised tens of thousands, called himself "Uncle the Bandit," and ravaged Shandong. Bai Yuwang of Lingwu, [9] styled "Slave the Bandit," raided horse pastures, allied with the Turks in the north, and Longyou bore the brunt of his raids. General Fan Gui was dispatched against him but could not defeat him for years. On wuxu day a general amnesty was declared. On jihai day Prince You of Dai and Minister of Punishments Wei Xuan were sent to hold the capital. On xinchou day Li Hun, Right Valiant Cavalry General, was made General-in-Chief of the Right Valiant Guard.
16
二月己未，濟北人韓進洛聚眾數萬為羣盜。 壬午，[10]復宇文述等官爵。 又徵兵討高麗。
In the second month, on jiwei day, Han Jinluo of Jibei raised tens of thousands and turned bandit. On renwu day, [10] Yuwen Shu and the others were restored to office and rank. The empire was called to arms again for another campaign against Goguryeo.
17
三月丙子，濟陰人孟海公起兵為盜，眾至數萬。 丁丑，發丁男十萬城大興。 戊寅，幸遼東。 以越王侗、民部尚書樊子蓋留守東都。 庚子，北海人郭方預聚徒為盜，[11]自號盧公，眾至三萬，攻陷郡城，大掠而去。
In the third month, on bingzi day, Meng Haigong of Jiyin took up arms as a bandit with followers numbering in the tens of thousands. On dingchou day a hundred thousand men were levied to build up Daxing. On wuyin day the emperor set out for Liaodong. Prince Tong of Yue and Minister of the People Fan Zigai were left to hold the Eastern Capital. On gengzi day Guo Fangyu of Beihai raised a band of followers, [11] styled himself Duke Lu, gathered thirty thousand men, stormed the commandery city, looted heavily, and withdrew.
18
夏四月庚午，車駕渡遼。 壬申，遣宇文述、楊義臣趣平壤。
In the fourth month of summer, on gengwu day, the emperor crossed the Liao River. On renshen day Yuwen Shu and Yang Yichen were sent to advance on Pyongyang.
19
五月丁丑，熒惑入南斗。 己卯，濟北人甄寶車聚眾萬餘，寇掠城邑。
In the fifth month, on dingchou day, Mars entered the Southern Dipper constellation. On jimao day Zhen Baoche of Jibei raised over ten thousand men and raided towns throughout the region.
20
六月乙巳，禮部尚書楊玄感反於黎陽。 丙辰，玄感逼東都。 河南贊務裴弘策拒之，[12]反為賊所敗。 戊辰，兵部侍郎斛斯政奔于高麗。 庚午，上班師。 高麗犯後軍，勑右武衞大將軍李景為後拒。 遣左翊衞大將軍宇文述、左候衞將軍屈突通等馳傳發兵，以討玄感。
In the sixth month, on yisi day, Minister of Rites Yang Xuangan rose in rebellion at Liyang. On bingchen day Xuangan advanced on the Eastern Capital. Pei Hongce, Henan Assistant Minister, tried to hold him off, [12] but was routed by the rebels. On wuchen day Vice Minister of War Qisi Zheng defected to Goguryeo. On gengwu day the emperor ordered the army to withdraw. Goguryeo struck the rear; the emperor appointed Li Jing, General-in-Chief of the Right Martial Guard, to cover the retreat. Yuwen Shu, General-in-Chief of the Left Wing Guard, Qu Tu Tong, Left Guard General, and others were sent by fast courier to raise troops against Xuangan.
21
秋七月己卯，令所在發人城縣府驛。 癸未，餘杭人劉元進舉兵反，眾至數萬。
In the seventh month of autumn, on jimao day, orders went out to levy men everywhere to fortify counties, prefectures, and post stations. On guiwei day Liu Yuanjin of Yuhang took up arms in rebellion with followers numbering in the tens of thousands.
22
八月壬寅，左翊衞大將軍宇文述等破楊玄感於閿鄉，斬之。 餘黨悉平。 癸卯，吳人朱爕、晉陵人管崇擁眾十萬餘，自稱將軍，寇江左。 甲辰，制驍果之家蠲免賦役。 丁未，詔郡縣城去道過五里已上者，徙就之。 戊申，制盜賊籍沒其家。 乙卯，賊帥陳瑱等眾三萬，攻陷信安郡。 辛酉，司農卿、光祿大夫、葛國公趙元淑以罪伏誅。
In the eighth month, on renyin day, Yuwen Shu, General-in-Chief of the Left Wing Guard, and others routed Yang Xuangan at Wen Village and executed him. The remaining rebels were all suppressed. On guimao day Zhu Can of Wu and Guan Chong of Jinling mustered over a hundred thousand men, called themselves generals, and ravaged the Jiangzuo region. On jiachen day an edict exempted Elite Striking Force households from taxes and labor service. On dingwei day an edict commanded that county seats lying more than five li from the highway be relocated nearer to it. On wushen day an edict declared that the property of bandits and thieves would be confiscated. On yimao day the bandit leader Chen Zhen and thirty thousand followers stormed Xin'an Commandery. On xinyou day Zhao Yuanshu, Director of the Granaries, Grand Master of the Palace, and Duke of Ge, was put to death for his crimes.
23
九月己卯，濟陰人吳海流、東海人彭孝才並舉兵為盜，眾數萬。 庚辰，賊帥梁慧尚率眾四萬，陷蒼梧郡。 甲午，車駕次上谷，以供費不給，上大怒，免太守虞荷等官。 丁酉，東陽人李三兒、向但子舉兵作亂，眾至萬餘。
In the ninth month, on jimao day, Wu Hailiu of Jiyin and Peng Xiaocai of Donghai each turned bandit with followers in the tens of thousands. On gengchen day the bandit leader Liang Huishang with forty thousand men took Cangwu Commandery. On jiawu day the emperor stopped at Shanggu; when provisions ran short he flew into a rage and removed Prefect Yu He and others from office. On dingyou day Li San'er of Dongyang and Xiang Danzi rebelled with over ten thousand followers.
24
閏月己巳，幸博陵。 庚午，上謂侍臣曰：「朕昔從先朝周旋於此，年甫八歲，日月不居，倏經三紀，追惟平昔，不可復希！」 言未卒，流涕嗚咽，侍衞者皆泣下沾襟。
In the intercalary month, on jisi day, the emperor traveled to Boling. On gengwu day the emperor told his courtiers: "Long ago I traveled here with the late emperor when I was only eight. Years do not stand still — three decades have rushed by. Those days cannot come again! He could not finish; tears choked him and he wept aloud, and every attendant and guard wept until his collar was soaked.
25
冬十月丁丑，賊帥呂明星率眾數千圍東郡，武賁郎將費青奴擊斬之。 乙酉，詔曰：「博陵昔為定州，地居衝要，先皇歷試所基，王化斯遠，故以道冠豳風，義高姚邑。 朕巡撫氓庶，爰屆茲邦，瞻望郊廛，緬懷敬止，思所以宣播德澤，覃被下人，崇紀顯號，式光令緒。 可改博陵為高陽郡。 赦境內死罪已下。 給復一年。」 於是召高祖時故吏，皆量材授職。 壬辰，以納言蘇威為開府儀同三司。 朱爕、管崇推劉元進為天子。 遣將軍吐萬緒、魚俱羅討之，連年不能剋。 齊人孟讓、王薄等眾十餘萬，據長白山，攻剽諸郡，清河賊張金稱眾數萬，渤海賊帥格謙自號燕王，孫宣雅自號齊王，眾各十萬，山東苦之。 丁亥，[13]以右候衞將軍郭榮為右候衞大將軍。
In the tenth month of winter, on dingchou day, the bandit Lü Mingxing with several thousand men besieged Dong Commandery; Martial Guard Commander Fei Qingnu attacked and killed him. On yiyou day an edict declared: "Boling was once Dingzhou, a place of strategic weight where the late emperor first proved himself and from which his royal influence spread — its virtue outshines the Bin ode, its righteousness exceeds Yao's city. I have come to comfort the people and now stand in this land; looking out over its fields and markets, I seek to spread grace and virtue to all below, ennoble its name, and brighten its legacy. Boling shall be renamed Gaoyang Commandery. All crimes short of death shall be pardoned within the commandery. Grant a one-year exemption from taxes and labor service. Former officials who had served under Gaozu were then summoned and given posts suited to their talents. On renchen day Censor-in-Chief Su Wei was made Grand Master of the State with Honor Equal to the Three Excellencies. Zhu Can and Guan Chong proclaimed Liu Yuanjin emperor. Generals Tuwann Xu and Yu Juluo were sent against them but could not defeat them for years on end. Meng Rang and Wang Bo of Qi held Changbai Mountain with over a hundred thousand men and raided the commanderies; Zhang Jincheng of Qinghe had tens of thousands; Ge Qian of Bohai styled himself Prince of Yan and Sun Xuanya styled himself Prince of Qi, each commanding a hundred thousand — Shandong groaned under their depredations. On dinghai day, [13] Guo Rong, Right Guard General, was made General-in-Chief of the Right Guard.
26
十一月己酉，右候衞將軍馮孝慈討張金稱於清河，反為所敗，孝慈死之。
In the eleventh month, on jiyou day, Feng Xiaoci, Right Guard General, attacked Zhang Jincheng in Qinghe but was routed and killed.
27
十二月甲申，車裂玄感弟朝請大夫積善及黨與十餘人，仍焚而揚之。 丁亥，扶風人向海明舉兵作亂，[14]稱皇帝，建元白烏。 遣太僕卿楊義臣擊破之。
In the twelfth month, on jiashen day, Xuangan's brother Jishan, Court Gentleman for Consultation, and more than ten accomplices were torn apart by chariots, then burned and their ashes scattered. On dinghai day Xiang Haiming of Fufeng rebelled, [14] declared himself emperor, and adopted the era name White Crow. Grand Master of the Stud Yang Yichen was sent against him and routed his forces.
28
十年春正月甲寅，以宗女為信義公主，嫁於突厥曷娑那可汗。 [15]
In spring of year ten, on jiayin day in the first month, a clanswoman was created Princess Xinyi and married to the Turkish qaghan Yisafu. Editorial note on Qaghan Yisafu: the name element here written "suo" appears as "sa" in the Biographies of Pei Ju and of the Western Turks — a variant transliteration.
29
二月辛未，詔百僚議伐高麗，數日無敢言者。 戊子，詔曰：「竭力王役，致身戎事，咸由徇義，莫匪勤誠，委命草澤，棄骸原野，興言念之，每懷愍惻。 往年出車問罪，將屆遼濱，廟算勝略，具有進止。 而諒惛凶，罔識成敗，高熲愎很，本無智謀，臨三軍猶兒戲，視人命如草芥，不遵成規，坐貽撓退，遂令死亡者眾，不及埋藏。 今宜遣使人分道收葬，設祭於遼西郡，立道場一所。 恩加泉壤，庶弭窮魂之寃，澤及枯骨，用弘仁者之惠。」 辛卯，詔曰：
In the second month, on xinwei day, an edict called on the hundred officials to debate war with Goguryeo; for days no one dared speak up. On wuzi day an edict declared: "Men who gave their all in royal service and fell in battle did so from loyalty and duty. They died in the wilds and lie unburied on the plain — at the thought I am filled with pity. When we marched out in former years to punish guilt, we nearly reached the Liao coast; the temple had settled the strategy of advance and halt. Yet Liang was blind to victory and defeat; Gao Jiong was stubborn and witless — he treated the three armies as a game and human lives as straw, ignored the plan, and by his delay left multitudes dead and unburied. Now let envoys go by separate routes to collect and bury the dead, offer rites in Liaoxi Commandery, and establish a ritual ground. Let grace reach the underworld to still the wronged dead; let mercy touch dry bones and show the humane ruler's kindness. On xinmao day a further edict was promulgated:
30
黃帝五十二戰，成湯二十七征，方乃德施諸侯，令行天下。 盧芳小盜，漢祖尚且親戎，隗囂餘燼，光武猶自登隴，豈不欲除暴止戈，勞而後逸者哉！
The Yellow Emperor fought fifty-two times; Cheng Tang marched twenty-seven — only then did virtue reach the lords and command run under heaven. Lu Fang was a petty bandit, yet Han Gaozu still went to war in person; Wei Xiao's remnant embers remained, yet Guangwu still climbed Long himself — for he meant to end violence and rest only after the labor was done!
31
朕纂成寶業，君臨天下，日月所照，風雨所沾，孰非我臣，獨隔聲教。 蕞爾高麗，僻居荒表，鴟張狼噬，侮慢不恭，抄竊我邊陲，侵軼我城鎮。 是以去歲出軍，問罪遼、碣，殪長蛇於玄菟，戮封豕於襄平。 扶餘眾軍，風馳電逝，追奔逐北，徑踰浿水，滄海舟楫，衝賊腹心，焚其城郭，污其宮室。 高元伏鑕泥首，送款軍門，尋請入朝，歸罪司寇。 朕以許其改過，乃詔班師。 而長惡靡悛，宴安鴆毒，此而可忍，孰不可容！ 便可分命六師，百道俱進。 朕當親執武節，臨御諸軍，秣馬丸都，觀兵遼水，順天誅於海外，救窮民於倒懸，征伐以正之，明德以誅之，止除元惡，餘無所問。 若有識存亡之分，悟安危之機，翻然北首，自求多福； 必其同惡相濟，抗拒王師，若火燎原，刑茲無赦。 有司便宜宣布，咸使知聞。
I have inherited the sacred charge and rule the realm; wherever sun and moon shine and rain falls, all are my subjects — yet Goguryeo alone stands apart from our civilizing sway. Petty Goguryeo, tucked away in the wilderness, struts and bites like wolves, scorning our court, raiding our frontier and storming our towns. Last year we marched to punish them at Liao and Jie, struck down their long serpent at Xuantu and slaughtered their great boar at Xiangping. The Fuyu columns raced like wind and lightning, chased the broken foe across the Pei River; our ships struck at their heart, burned their walls, and laid waste their palaces. King Gao Yuan came in chains with dust on his head and offered submission at the camp gate; he then asked to come to court and answer before the minister of justice. Believing he would reform, I ordered the army to withdraw. Yet he clung to evil and refused to repent, fattening on ease like drinking poison — if we tolerate this, what outrage could we not endure! Let the six armies now advance together on a hundred roads. I shall take the martial standard in hand, command the hosts in person, water horses at Wandu and review troops on the Liao, carry Heaven's punishment overseas and lift the people from their upside-down plight — only the chief villain shall die; the rest shall go unharmed. If any see the line between life and death, grasp the turning point of safety and danger, and turn north to save themselves — But those who side with the wicked and resist the throne's army shall be punished without mercy, like fire sweeping a plain. Let the responsible offices proclaim this at once so all may hear.
32
丁酉，扶風人唐弼舉兵反，眾十萬，推李弘為天子，[16]自稱唐王。
On dingyou day Tang Bi of Fufeng rebelled with a hundred thousand followers, proclaimed Li Hong emperor, [16] and styled himself Prince of Tang.
33
三月壬子，行幸涿郡。 癸亥，次臨渝宮，親御戎服，禡祭黃帝，斬叛軍者以釁鼓。
In the third month, on renzi day, the emperor set out for Zhuo Commandery. On guihai day he stopped at Linyu Palace, put on armor, sacrificed to the Yellow Emperor in the military rite, and beheaded a rebel to consecrate the drums.
34
夏四月辛未，彭城賊張大彪聚眾數萬，保懸薄山為盜。 遣榆林太守董純擊破，斬之。 甲午，車駕次北平。
In the fourth month of summer, on xinwei day, the Pengcheng bandit Zhang Dabiao raised tens of thousands and fortified Xuanshi Mountain. Yulin Prefect Dong Chun was sent against him, routed his force, and executed him. On jiawu day the emperor stopped at Beiping.
35
五月庚子，詔舉郡孝悌廉潔各十人。 壬寅，賊帥宋世謨陷琅邪郡。 庚申，延安人劉迦論舉兵反，自稱皇王，建元大世。
In the fifth month, on gengzi day, an edict called for each commandery to recommend ten men noted for filial piety, brotherliness, integrity, and purity. On renyin day the bandit leader Song Shimai took Langye Commandery. On gengshen day Liu Jialun of Yan'an rebelled, declared himself August King, and adopted the era name Great Age.
36
六月辛未，賊帥鄭文雅、林寶護等眾三萬，陷建安郡，太守楊景祥死之。
In the sixth month, on xinwei day, the bandits Zheng Wenya and Lin Baohu with thirty thousand men took Jian'an Commandery; Prefect Yang Jingxiang was killed.
37
秋七月癸丑，車駕次懷遠鎮。 乙卯，曹國遣使貢方物。 甲子，高麗遣使請降，囚送斛斯政。 上大悅。
In the seventh month of autumn, on guichou day, the emperor stopped at Huaiyuan Garrison. On yimao day Cao sent envoys bearing tribute. On jiazi day Goguryeo sent envoys to sue for peace and delivered the bound fugitive Qisi Zheng. The emperor was overjoyed.
38
八月己巳，班師。 庚午，右衞大將軍、左光祿大夫鄭榮卒。
In the eighth month, on jisi day, the army turned back. On gengwu day Zheng Rong, General-in-Chief of the Right Guard and Left Grand Master of the Palace, died.
39
冬十月丁卯，上至東都。 己丑，還京師。
In the tenth month of winter, on dingmao day, the emperor reached the Eastern Capital. On jichou day he returned to the capital.
40
十一月丙申，支解斛斯政於金光門外。 乙巳，有事於南郊。 己酉，賊帥司馬長安破長平郡。 乙卯，離石胡劉苗王舉兵反，自稱天子，以其弟六兒為永安王，眾至數萬。 將軍潘長文討之，不能剋。 是月，賊帥王德仁擁眾數萬，保林慮山為盜。
In the eleventh month, on bingshen day, Qisi Zheng was torn limb from limb outside the Golden Light Gate. On yisi day the emperor performed the southern suburban sacrifice. On jiyou day the bandit leader Sima Chang'an took Changping Commandery. On yimao day Liu Miaowang, a Lishi Hu tribesman, rebelled, declared himself emperor, made his brother Liu'er Prince of Yong'an, and gathered tens of thousands. General Pan Changwen was dispatched against him but could not defeat him. That month the bandit Wang Deren with tens of thousands held Linlu Mountain.
41
十二月壬申，上如東都。 其日，大赦天下。 戊子，入東都。 庚寅，賊帥孟讓眾十餘萬，據都梁宮。 遣江都郡丞王世充擊破之，盡虜其眾。
In the twelfth month, on renshen day, the emperor set out for the Eastern Capital. That same day a general amnesty was declared for the empire. On wuzi day he entered the Eastern Capital. On gengyin day the bandit Meng Rang with over a hundred thousand men seized Duliang Palace. Jiangdu Assistant Prefect Wang Shichong was sent against him, routed his force, and took every man captive.
42
十一年春正月甲午朔，大宴百僚。 突厥、新羅、靺鞨、畢大辭、訶咄、傳越、烏那曷、波臘、吐火羅、俱慮建、忽論、靺鞨、訶多、沛汗、龜茲、疎勒、于闐、安國、曹國、何國、穆國、畢、衣密、失范延、伽折、契丹等國並遣使朝貢。 戊戌，武賁郎將高建毗破賊帥顏宣政於齊郡，虜男女數千口。 乙卯，大會蠻夷，設魚龍曼延之樂，頒賜各有差。
In spring of year eleven, on the new moon jiawu day in the first month, the emperor held a great feast for the hundred officials. The Turks, Silla, Mohe, Bida, Hedu, Chuanyue, Wunahuo, Bola, Tuhuoluo, Julujian, Hulun, Mohe, Heduo, Peihan, Kucha, Shule, Khotan, An, Cao, He, Mu, Bi, Yimi, Shifanyan, Jiazhe, Khitan, and other states all sent envoys with tribute. On wuxu day Martial Guard Commander Gao Jianpi routed the bandit Yan Xuanzheng in Qi Commandery and took several thousand captives. On yimao day the emperor held a great feast for the barbarian envoys, staged fish-dragon pageantry, and distributed gifts in graded amounts.
43
二月戊辰，賊帥揚仲緒率眾萬餘，攻北平，滑公李景破斬之。 庚午，詔曰：「設險守國，著自前經，重門禦暴，事彰往策，所以宅土寧邦，禁邪固本。 而近代戰爭，居人散逸，田疇無伍，郛郭不修，遂使遊惰實繁，寇𣤸未息。 今天下平一，海內晏如，宜令人悉城居，田隨近給，使強弱相容，力役兼濟，穿窬無所厝其姦宄，萑蒲不得聚其逋逃。 有司具為事條，務令得所。」 丙子，上谷人王須拔反，自稱漫天王，國號燕，賊帥魏刁兒自稱歷山飛，眾各十餘萬，北連突厥，南寇趙。
In the second month, on wuchen day, the bandit Yang Zhongxu with over ten thousand men attacked Beiping; Li Jing, Duke of Hua, routed and executed him. On gengwu day an edict declared: "Defending the state with strategic barriers is ordained in the classics; repelling violence with layered gates is proven in old strategy — to secure the realm, forbid evil, and strengthen the foundation. Yet recent wars scattered the people, left fields untended and walls unrepaired, and filled the land with idlers while bandit raids never ceased. Now that the realm is united and the empire at peace, all should live in walled towns with fields assigned nearby, so strong and weak share the burden, thieves find no refuge, and fugitives cannot gather in the wilds. Let the responsible offices draw up detailed rules and ensure fair implementation. On bingzi day Wang Xuba of Shanggu rebelled as Heavenly King of Man with the state name Yan; the bandit Wei Diao'er styled himself Flying Over Mount Li; each commanded over a hundred thousand men, allied with the Turks in the north, and raided Zhao in the south.
44
五月丁酉，殺右驍衞大將軍、光祿大夫、郕公李渾，將作監、光祿大夫李敏，並族滅其家。 癸卯，賊帥司馬長安破西河郡。 己酉，幸太原，避暑汾陽宮。
In the fifth month, on dingyou day, Li Hun, General-in-Chief of the Right Valiant Guard, Grand Master of the Palace, and Duke of Zheng, and Li Min, Director of Palace Construction and Grand Master of the Palace, were executed and their entire families exterminated. On guimao day the bandit Sima Chang'an took Xihe Commandery. On jiyou day the emperor went to Taiyuan to escape the heat at Fenyang Palace.
45
秋七月己亥，淮南人張起緒舉兵為盜，眾至三萬。 辛丑，光祿大夫、右禦衞大將軍張壽卒。
In the seventh month of autumn, on jihai day, Zhang Qixu of Huainan turned bandit with thirty thousand followers. On xinchou day Zhang Shou, Grand Master of the Palace and General-in-Chief of the Right Imperial Guard, died.
46
八月乙丑，巡北塞。 戊辰，突厥始畢可汗率騎數十萬，謀襲乘輿，義成公主遣使告變。 壬申，車駕馳幸雁門。 癸酉，突厥圍城，官軍頻戰不利。 上大懼，欲率精騎潰圍而出，民部尚書樊子蓋固諫乃止。 齊王暕以後軍保于崞縣。 甲申，詔天下諸郡募兵，於是守令各來赴難。
In the eighth month, on yichou day, he toured the northern border. On wuchen day Qaghan Shibi of the Turks led hundreds of thousands of horsemen to ambush the emperor; Princess Yicheng sent word of the plot. On renshen day the emperor raced to Yanmen. On guiyou day the Turks besieged the city and the imperial troops lost battle after battle. Terrified, the emperor wanted to break out with elite cavalry; Fan Zigai, Minister of the People, remonstrated firmly and stopped him. Prince Jun of Qi held the rear guard at Guo County. On jiashen day an edict called on every commandery to raise troops; prefects and magistrates rushed to the rescue.
47
九月甲辰，突厥解圍而去。 丁未，曲赦太原、雁門郡死罪已下。
In the ninth month, on jiachen day, the Turks broke the siege and withdrew. On dingwei day a partial amnesty was declared in Taiyuan and Yanmen for all crimes short of death.
48
冬十月壬戌，上至于東都。 丁卯，彭城人魏騏驎聚眾萬餘為盜，寇魯郡。 壬申，賊帥盧明月聚眾十餘萬，寇陳、汝間。 東海賊帥李子通擁眾度淮，自號楚王，建元明政，寇江都。
In the tenth month of winter, on renxu day, the emperor reached the Eastern Capital. On dingmao day Wei Qilin of Pengcheng raised over ten thousand bandits and raided Lu Commandery. On renshen day the bandit Lu Mingyue with over a hundred thousand men raided the Chen-Ru region. The Donghai bandit Li Zitong crossed the Huai with his host, declared himself Prince of Chu, adopted the era name Bright Governance, and raided Jiangdu.
49
十一月乙卯，賊帥王須拔破高陽郡。
In the eleventh month, on yimao day, the bandit Wang Xuba took Gaoyang Commandery.
50
十二月戊寅，有大流星如斛，墜明月營，破其衝車。 庚辰，詔民部尚書樊子蓋發關中兵，討絳郡賊敬盤陀、柴保昌等，經年不能剋。 譙郡人朱粲擁眾數十萬，寇荊襄，僭稱楚帝，建元昌達。 漢南諸郡多為所陷焉。
In the twelfth month, on wuyin day, a great meteor the size of a bushel fell on Lu Mingyue's camp and destroyed his siege engines. On gengchen day an edict ordered Fan Zigai, Minister of the People, to send Guanzhong troops against the Jiang Commandery bandits Jing Panto and Chai Baochang; after a year they still could not defeat them. Zhu Can of Qiao Commandery commanded hundreds of thousands, ravaged Jing and Xiang, declared himself Emperor of Chu, and adopted the era name Flourishing Reach. Many commanderies south of the Han fell to him.
51
十二年春正月甲午，雁門人翟松柏起兵於靈丘，眾至數萬，轉攻傍縣。
In spring of year twelve, on jiawu day in the first month, Zhai Songbai of Yanmen rebelled at Lingqiu with tens of thousands and raided neighboring counties.
52
二月己未，真臘國遣使貢方物。 甲子夜，有二大鳥似鵰，飛入大業殿，止于御幄，至明而去。 癸亥，[17]東海賊盧公暹率眾萬餘，保于蒼山。
In the second month, on jiwei day, Chenla sent envoys with tribute. On jiazi night two great eagle-like birds flew into the Daye Hall, settled on the imperial canopy, and left at dawn. On guihai day, [17] the Donghai bandit Lu Gongxian with over ten thousand men held Cang Mountain.
53
夏四月丁巳，顯陽門災。 癸亥，魏刁兒所部將甄翟兒復號歷山飛，眾十萬，轉寇太原。 將軍潘長文討之，反為所敗，長文死之。
In the fourth month of summer, on dingsi day, the Xianyang Gate caught fire. On guihai day Zhen Zhai'er, a lieutenant of Wei Diao'er, again styled himself Flying Over Mount Li, gathered a hundred thousand men, and raided Taiyuan. General Pan Changwen was dispatched against him but was routed and killed.
54
五月丙戌朔，日有蝕之，既。 癸巳，大流星隕于吳郡，為石。 壬午，[18]上於景華宮徵求螢火，得數斛，夜出遊山，放之，光徧巖谷。
In the fifth month, on the new moon bingxu day, there was a total eclipse of the sun. On guisi day a great meteor fell in Wu Commandery and turned to stone. On renwu day, [18] at Jinghua Palace the emperor collected fireflies by the bushel; that night he toured the mountains and released them until the cliffs and valleys glowed.
55
秋七月壬戌，民部尚書、光祿大夫濟北公樊子蓋卒。 [19]甲子，幸江都宮，以越王侗、光祿大夫段達、太府卿元文都、檢校民部尚書韋津、右武衞將軍皇甫無逸、右司郎盧楚等總留後事。 奉信郎崔民象以盜賊充斥，於建國門上表，諫不宜巡幸。 上大怒，先解其頤，乃斬之。 戊辰，馮翊人孫華自號總管，舉兵為盜。 高涼通守洗珤徹舉兵作亂，嶺南溪洞多應之。 己巳，熒惑守羽林，月餘乃退。 車駕次汜水，奉信郎王愛仁以盜賊日盛，諫上請還西京。 上怒，斬之而行。
In the seventh month of autumn, on renxu day, Fan Zigai, Minister of the People, Grand Master of the Palace, and Duke of Jibei, died. [19] On jiazi day the emperor went to the Jiangdu Palace; Prince Tong of Yue, Duan Da, Yuan Wendu, Wei Jin, Huangfu Wuyi, Lu Chu, and others were left in charge of affairs. Attendant Gentleman Cui Minxiang, citing the bandit plague, memorialized at the Jianguo Gate that the emperor should not continue the tour. The emperor flew into a rage, had his jaw cut off, then beheaded him. On wuchen day Sun Hua of Fufeng styled himself Chief Commandant and turned bandit. Xian Baoche, Assistant Administrator of Gaoliang, rebelled, and many Lingnan hill tribes joined him. On jisi day Mars lingered in the Feathered Forest constellation for over a month. At Sishui, Attendant Gentleman Wang Airen, citing the worsening bandit crisis, urged the emperor to return to the Western Capital. The emperor had him executed and pressed on.
56
八月乙巳，賊帥趙萬海眾數十萬，自恒山寇高陽。 壬子，有大流星如斗，出王良閣道，聲如隤牆。 癸丑，大流星如甕，出羽林。
In the eighth month, on yisi day, the bandit Zhao Wanhai with hundreds of thousands of men raided Gaoyang from Heng Mountain. On renzi day a great meteor the size of the Big Dipper burst from the Wangliang Pass Way with a sound like a falling wall. On guichou day a great meteor the size of a jar emerged from the Feathered Forest constellation.
57
九月丁酉，東海人杜揚州、沈覔敵等作亂，眾至數萬。 右禦衞將軍陳稜擊破之。 戊午，有二枉矢出北斗魁，委曲蛇形，注於南斗。 壬戌，安定人荔非世雄殺臨涇令，舉兵作亂，自號將軍。
In the ninth month, on dingyou day, Du Yangzhou of Donghai, Shen Midí, and others rebelled with tens of thousands of followers. Right Imperial Guard General Chen Leng was sent against them and routed them. On wuwu day two crooked comets issued from the Dipper's head in serpentine curves toward the Southern Dipper. On renxu day Li Feishixiong of Anding killed the magistrate of Linjing, rebelled, and styled himself General.
58
冬十月己丑，開府儀同三司、左翊衞大將軍、光祿大夫、許公宇文述薨。
In the tenth month of winter, on jichou day, Yuwen Shu, Grand Master of the State with Honor Equal to the Three Excellencies, General-in-Chief of the Left Wing Guard, Grand Master of the Palace, and Duke of Xu, died.
59
十二月癸未，鄱陽賊操天成舉兵反，[20]自號元興王，建元始興，攻陷豫章郡。 乙酉，以右翊衞大將軍來護兒為開府儀同三司、行左翊衞大將軍。 壬辰，鄱陽人林士弘自稱皇帝，國號楚，建元太平，攻陷九江、廬陵郡。 唐公破甄翟兒於西河，虜男女數千口。
In the twelfth month, on guiwei day, the Poyang bandit Cao Tiancheng rebelled, [20] styled himself Prince of Yuanxing, adopted the era name Initial Flourish, and took Yuzhang Commandery. On yiyou day Lai Huer, General-in-Chief of the Right Wing Guard, was made Grand Master of the State with Honor Equal to the Three Excellencies and Acting General-in-Chief of the Left Wing Guard. On renchen day Lin Shihong of Poyang declared himself emperor, named his state Chu, adopted the era name Great Peace, and took Jiujiang and Luling commanderies. The Duke of Tang routed Zhen Zhai'er in Xihe and took several thousand captives.
60
十三年春正月壬子，齊郡賊杜伏威率眾渡淮，攻陷歷陽郡。 丙辰，勃海賊竇建德設壇於河間之樂壽，自稱長樂王，建元丁丑。 辛巳，賊帥徐圓朗率眾數千，破東平郡。 弘化人劉企成聚眾萬餘人為盜，[21]傍郡苦之。
In spring of year thirteen, on renzi day in the first month, the Qi Commandery bandit Du Fuwei crossed the Huai and took Liyang Commandery. On bingchen day the Bohai bandit Dou Jiande raised an altar at Leshou in Hejian, declared himself Prince of Changle, and adopted the era name Dingchou. On xinsi day the bandit Xu Yuanlang with several thousand men took Dongping Commandery. Liu Qicheng of Honghua raised over ten thousand bandits; [21] neighboring commanderies groaned under their raids.
61
二月壬午，朔方人梁師都殺郡丞唐世宗，據郡反，自稱大丞相。 遣銀青光祿大夫張世隆擊之，反為所敗。 戊子，賊帥王子英破上谷郡。 己丑，馬邑校尉劉武周殺太守王仁恭，舉兵作亂，北連突厥，自稱定楊可汗。 庚寅，賊帥李密、翟讓等陷興洛倉。 越王侗遣武賁郎將劉長恭、光祿少卿房崱擊之，反為所敗，死者十五六。 庚子，李密自號魏公，稱元年，開倉以振羣盜，眾至數十萬，河南諸郡相繼皆陷焉。 壬寅，劉武周破武賁郎將王智辯于桑乾鎮，智辯死之。
In the second month, on renwu day, Liang Shidu of Shuofang killed Assistant Prefect Tang Shizong, seized the commandery, and styled himself Grand Chancellor. Zhang Shilong, Silver-Gleaming Grand Master of the Palace, was sent against him but was routed. On wuzi day the bandit Wang Ziying took Shanggu Commandery. On jichou day Liu Wuzhou, Commandant of Mayi, killed Prefect Wang Rengong, rebelled, allied with the Turks in the north, and styled himself Qaghan Dingyang. On gengyin day the bandits Li Mi and Zhai Rang took Xingluo Granary. Prince Tong of Yue sent Martial Guard Commander Liu Changgong and Vice Director of the Masters of Ceremony Fang Ze against them but they were routed; five or six out of every ten were killed. On gengzi day Li Mi styled himself Duke of Wei, proclaimed a new reign, opened the granaries to feed the rebels, gathered hundreds of thousands, and one Henan commandery after another fell. On renyin day Liu Wuzhou routed Martial Guard Commander Wang Zhibian at Sanggan Garrison and killed him.
62
三月戊午，廬江人張子路舉兵反。 遣右禦衞將軍陳稜討平之。 丁丑，賊帥李通德眾十萬，寇廬江，左屯衞將軍張鎮州擊破之。
In the third month, on wuwu day, Zhang Zilu of Lujiang rebelled. Right Imperial Guard General Chen Leng was sent against him and suppressed the revolt. On dingchou day the bandit Li Tongde with a hundred thousand men raided Lujiang; Zhang Zhenzhou, General of the Left Encampment Guard, routed him.
63
夏四月癸未，金城校尉薛舉率眾反，自稱西秦霸王，建元秦興，攻陷隴右諸郡。 己丑，賊帥孟讓，夜入東都外郭，燒豐都市而去。 癸巳，李密陷迴洛東倉。 丁酉，賊帥房憲伯陷汝陰郡。 是月，光祿大夫裴仁基、淮陽太守趙佗等並以眾叛歸李密。
In the fourth month of summer, on guiwei day, Xue Ju of Jincheng rebelled, styled himself Overlord of Western Qin, adopted the era name Qin Flourish, and overran the Longyou commanderies. On jichou day the bandit Meng Rang broke into the outer wall of the Eastern Capital at night, burned Fengdu Market, and withdrew. On guisi day Li Mi took Huiluo East Granary. On dingyou day the bandit Fang Xianbo took Runan Commandery. That month Grand Master of the Palace Pei Renji, Huaiyang Prefect Zhao Tuo, and others defected with their troops to Li Mi.
64
五月辛酉，夜有流星如甕，墜於江都。 甲子，唐公起義師於太原。 丙寅，突厥數千寇太原，唐公擊破之。
In the fifth month, on xinyou night, a meteor the size of a jar fell at Jiangdu. On jiazi day the Duke of Tang raised a righteous army at Taiyuan. On bingyin day several thousand Turks raided Taiyuan; the Duke of Tang routed them.
65
秋七月壬子，熒惑守積屍。 丙辰，武威人李軌舉兵反，攻陷河西諸郡，自稱涼王，建元安樂。
In the seventh month of autumn, on renzi day, Mars entered the Heap of Corpses constellation. On bingchen day Li Gui of Wuwei rebelled, overran the Hexi commanderies, declared himself King of Liang, and adopted the era name Secure Joy.
66
八月辛巳，唐公破武牙郎將宋老生於霍邑，斬之。
In the eighth month, on xinsi day, the Duke of Tang routed Martial Guard Commander Song Laosheng at Huoyi and executed him.
67
九月己丑，[22]帝括江都人女寡婦，以配從兵。 是月，武陽郡丞元寶藏以郡叛歸李密，與賊帥李文相攻陷黎陽倉。 彗星見於營室。
In the ninth month, on jichou day, [22] the emperor seized unmarried women and widows of Jiangdu and assigned them to his attendant soldiers. That month Wuyang Assistant Prefect Yuan Baozang surrendered his commandery to Li Mi and, with the bandit Li Wenxiang, took Liyang Granary. A comet was seen in the Encampment constellation.
68
冬十月丁亥，太原楊世洛聚眾萬餘人，寇掠城邑。 丙申，羅令蕭銑以縣反，鄱陽人董景珍以郡反，迎銑於羅縣，號為梁王，攻陷傍郡。 戊戌，武賁郎將高毗敗濟北郡賊甄寶車於𡽳山。
In the tenth month of winter, on dinghai day, Yang Shiluo of Taiyuan raised over ten thousand men and raided towns. On bingshen day Magistrate Xiao Xian of Luo rebelled with his county; Dong Jingzhen of Poyang rebelled with his commandery, welcomed Xian at Luo County, and proclaimed him Prince of Liang; neighboring commanderies fell. On wuxu day Martial Guard Commander Gao Pi routed the Jibei bandit Zhen Baoche at Qiu Mountain.
69
十一月丙辰，唐公入京師。 辛酉，遙尊帝為太上皇，立代王侑為帝，改元義寧。 上起宮丹陽，將遜于江左。 有烏鵲來巢幄帳，驅不能止。 熒惑犯太微。 有石自江浮入于揚子。 日光四散如流血。 上甚惡之。
In the eleventh month, on bingchen day, the Duke of Tang entered the capital. On xinyou day the emperor was honored from afar as Retired Emperor; Prince You of Dai was enthroned and the era name changed to Yining. The emperor began building a palace at Danyang, planning to retreat to the lands south of the Yangzi. Crows and magpies nested in the imperial tent; though driven off, they kept returning. Mars encroached upon the Supreme Palace constellation. A stone floated up from the river into the Yangzi. Sunlight scattered in all directions like blood. The emperor was deeply troubled by these portents.
70
二年三月，右屯衞將軍宇文化及，武賁郎將司馬德戡、元禮，監門直閣裴虔通，將作少監宇文智及，武勇郎將趙行樞，鷹揚郎將孟景，[23]內史舍人元敏，符璽郎李覆、牛方裕，千牛左右李孝本、弟孝質，直長許弘仁、薛世良，城門郎唐奉義，醫正張愷等，以驍果作亂，入犯宮闈。 上崩于溫室，時年五十。 蕭后令宮人撤牀簀為棺以埋之。 化及發後，右禦衞將軍陳稜奉梓宮於成象殿，葬吳公臺下。 發斂之始，容貌若生，眾咸異之。 大唐平江南之後，改葬雷塘。
In the third month of year two, Yuwen Huaji, General of the Right Encampment Guard, Sima Dekan and Yuan Li, Martial Guard commanders, Pei Qiantong, Gate Guard Attendant, Yuwen Zhiji, Assistant Director of Palace Construction, Zhao Xingshu, Meng Jing, [23] Yuan Min, Palace Secretary Attendant, Li Fu and Niu Fangyu, Seal Attendants, Li Xiaoben and his brother Xiaozhi, Thousand-Ox Guards, Xu Hongren and Xue Shiliang, Attendant Supervisors, Tang Fengyi, Gate Gentleman, Zhang Kai, Chief Physician, and others mutinied with the Elite Striking Forces and stormed the inner palace. The emperor died in the Warm Chamber at the age of fifty. Empress Xiao had palace women strip bed mats to make a coffin and bury him. After Huaji left, Chen Leng, Right Imperial Guard General, conveyed the coffin to Chengxian Hall and buried it below the Terrace of Duke Wu. When the body was first exhumed, his face looked as if he were still alive; all who saw it were astonished. After the Tang pacified the south, he was reburied at Lei Tang.
71
初，上自以藩王，次不當立，每矯情飾行，以釣虛名，陰有奪宗之計。 時高祖雅信文獻皇后，而性忌妾媵。 皇太子勇內多嬖幸，以此失愛。 帝後庭有子，皆不育之，示無私寵，取媚於后。 大臣用事者，傾心與交。 中使至第，無貴賤，皆曲承顏色，申以厚禮。 婢僕往來者，無不稱其仁孝。 又常私入宮掖，密謀於獻后，楊素等因機構扇，遂成廢立。 自高祖大漸，暨諒闇之中，烝淫無度，山陵始就，即事巡遊，以天下承平日久，士馬全盛，慨然慕秦皇、漢武之事。 乃盛治宮室，窮極侈靡，召募行人，分使絕域。 諸蕃至者，厚加禮賜，有不恭命，以兵擊之。 盛興屯田於玉門、柳城之外。 課天下富室，益市武馬，匹直十餘萬，富強坐是凍餒者十家而九。 帝性多詭譎，所幸之處，不欲人知。 每之一所，輒數道置頓，四海珍羞殊味，水陸必備焉，求市者無遠不至。 郡縣官人，競為獻食，豐厚者進擢，疎儉者獲罪。 姦吏侵漁，內外虛竭，頭會箕斂，人不聊生。 于時軍國多務，日不暇給，帝方驕怠，惡聞政事，冤屈不治，奏請罕決。 又猜忌臣下，無所專任，朝臣有不合意者，必構其罪而族滅之。 故高熲、賀若弼先皇心膂，參謀帷幄，張衡、李金才藩邸惟舊，績著經綸，或惡其直道，或忿其正議，求其無形之罪，加以刎頸之誅。 其餘事君盡禮，謇謇匪躬，無辜無罪，橫受夷戮者，不可勝紀。 政刑弛紊，賄貨公行，莫敢正言，道路以目。 六軍不息，百役繁興，行者不歸，居者失業。 人飢相食，邑落為墟，上不之恤也。 東西遊幸，靡有定居，每以供費不給，逆收數年之賦。 所至唯與後宮流連躭湎，惟日不足，招迎姥媼，朝夕共肆醜言，又引少年，令與宮人穢亂，不軌不遜，以為娛樂。 區宇之內，盜賊蜂起，劫掠從官，屠陷城邑，近臣互相掩蔽，隱賊數不以實對。 或有言賊多者，輒大被詰責，各求苟免，上下相蒙，每出師徒，敗亡相繼。 戰士盡力，必不加賞，百姓無辜，咸受屠戮。 黎庶憤怨，天下土崩，至於就擒而猶未之寤也。
At first, knowing himself a mere enfeoffed prince and not the heir by birth order, he constantly played at virtue to win hollow praise while secretly plotting to seize the throne. Gaozu then trusted Empress Wenxian above all, and she was fiercely jealous of rival consorts. Crown Prince Yong kept many favorites and thereby lost the empress's favor. When sons were born in his inner quarters, he refused to raise them, feigning impartiality to please the empress. He cultivated powerful ministers with every show of devotion. Palace envoys of every rank found him obliging and lavish with gifts. Every servant who passed through his household praised his benevolence and filial devotion. He often stole into the inner palace to plot with Empress Xian; Yang Su and others seized the moment, and the heir was deposed. From Gaozu's death through the mourning period he indulged in licentious excess; the tomb was barely finished when he began touring, and seeing the realm long at peace and the armies strong, he yearned to emulate Qin Shihuang and Han Wudi. He vastly expanded the palaces to extravagant extremes, recruited travelers, and sent them to the ends of the earth. Foreign envoys were richly rewarded; those who defied his orders were attacked. He greatly expanded military colonies beyond Yumen and Liucheng. He taxed the empire's wealthy to buy war horses at over a hundred thousand per mount; nine out of ten prosperous households were ruined by cold and hunger. The emperor was cunning by nature and kept his destinations secret. Every destination had multiple relay routes; delicacies from land and sea were supplied from every quarter; merchants traveled from the ends of the earth to sell. Local officials competed to offer feasts; the lavish were promoted, the frugal were punished. Corrupt officials plundered until the state was hollow; taxes were squeezed from every source and the people could not live. Military and civil affairs overwhelmed the court, yet the emperor grew arrogant and idle, refused to hear petitions, left injustices unresolved, and rarely decided submitted business. He suspected every minister and trusted no one; any courtier who displeased him was framed and his clan exterminated. Gao Jiong and He Ruo Bi, the late emperor's closest counselors, and Zhang Heng and Li Jincai, old companions of his princely days — some he hated for their blunt honesty, some for their upright remonstrance — were killed on invented charges. Countless others who served loyally and spoke honestly were slaughtered without cause — too many to record. Government collapsed, bribes ruled openly, no one dared speak truth, and men met each other's eyes in silence on the road. The six armies never rested, a hundred labors multiplied, those who marched never came home, and those who stayed lost their trades. The starving fed on one another, villages became wasteland, and the emperor did not care. He wandered east and west without rest; whenever supplies ran short, he collected several years' taxes in advance. Wherever he stopped he drank with the harem until dawn, summoned old women to talk obscenely with him, and brought in young men to debauch palace women for sport. Bandits swarmed across the realm, robbed the emperor's escort, and stormed cities; courtiers lied to one another about the numbers. Anyone who reported many bandits was savagely rebuked; officials lied to save themselves; every campaign ended in defeat. Soldiers who fought their hardest went unrewarded; innocent civilians were slaughtered. The people seethed with rage, the realm crumbled, and even when capture was at hand he still would not see it.
72
史臣曰：煬帝爰在弱齡，早有令聞，南平吳、會，北却匈奴，昆弟之中，獨著聲績。 於是矯情飾貌，肆厥姦回，故得獻后鍾心，文皇革慮，天方肇亂，遂登儲兩，踐峻極之崇基，承丕顯之休命。 地廣三代，威振八紘，單于頓顙，越裳重譯。 赤仄之泉，流溢于都內，紅腐之粟，委積於塞下。 負其富強之資，思逞無厭之欲，狹殷、周之制度，尚秦、漢之規摹。 恃才矜己，傲狠明德，內懷險躁，外示凝簡，盛冠服以飾其姦，除諫官以掩其過。 淫荒無度，法令滋章，教絕四維，刑參五虐，鋤誅骨肉，屠勦忠良，受賞者莫見其功，為戮者不知其罪。 驕怒之兵屢動，土木之功不息，頻出朔方，三駕遼左，旌旗萬里，徵稅百端，猾吏侵漁，人不堪命。 乃急令暴條以擾之，嚴刑峻法以臨之，甲兵威武以董之，自是海內騷然，無聊生矣。 俄而玄感肇黎陽之亂，匈奴有雁門之圍，天子方棄中土，遠之揚、越。 姦宄乘釁，強弱相陵，關梁閉而不通，皇輿往而不反。 加之以師旅，因之以饑饉，流離道路，轉死溝壑，十八九焉。 於是相聚萑蒲，蝟毛而起，大則跨州連郡，稱帝稱王，小則千百為羣，攻城剽邑，流血成川澤，死人如亂麻，炊者不及析骸，食者不遑易子。 茫茫九土，並為麋鹿之場，𢛐𢛐黔黎，俱充蛇豕之餌。 四方萬里，簡書相續，猶謂鼠竊狗盜，不足為虞，上下相蒙，莫肯念亂，振蜉蝣之羽，窮長夜之樂。 土崩魚爛，貫盈惡稔，普天之下，莫匪仇讎，左右之人，皆為敵國。 終然不悟，同彼望夷，遂以萬乘之尊，死於一夫之手。 億兆靡感恩之士，九牧無勤王之師。 子弟同就誅夷，骸骨棄而莫掩，社稷顛隕，本枝殄絕，自肇有書契以迄于茲，宇宙崩離，生靈塗炭，喪身滅國，未有若斯之甚也。 書曰：「天作孽，猶可違，自作孽，不可逭。」 傳曰：「吉凶由人，祅不妄作。」 又曰：「兵猶火也，不戢將自焚。」 觀隋室之存亡，斯言信而有徵矣！
The historiographer writes: In youth Emperor Yang already enjoyed a fine reputation — he pacified Wu and Kuai in the south and drove back the Xiongnu in the north, outshining all his brothers. He feigned virtue and hid his malice, won Empress Xian's heart and turned Emperor Wen's mind, and amid rising chaos ascended the throne to inherit the glorious mandate. His domain outstripped the Three Dynasties, his might shook the eight directions, the chanyu bowed low, and distant Yuechang sent tribute through many translators. Copper cash overflowed in the capital; grain rotted in heaps below the frontier passes. Flush with wealth and power, he indulged boundless desire, narrowed Yin and Zhou institutions, and exalted Qin and Han scale. Arrogant and self-admiring, harsh toward the virtuous, inwardly restless yet outwardly grave, he dressed his treachery in ceremony and silenced remonstrance officials to hide his faults. Licentious beyond measure, he multiplied laws, severed the four bonds of teaching, and matched the five cruelties; he killed kin and slaughtered the loyal — the rewarded saw no merit, the executed knew no crime. His wrathful armies marched again and again, construction never ceased, he repeatedly visited Shuofang and thrice campaigned to the Liao, banners stretched ten thousand li, taxes took a hundred forms, and corrupt officials preyed until men could not endure. He answered with urgent edicts and savage statutes, harsh laws and armed coercion — and the empire erupted in turmoil until none could live. Then Xuangan rebelled at Liyang, the Turks besieged Yanmen, and the emperor abandoned the heartland for distant Yang and Yue. Evildoers seized their chance, the strong crushed the weak, passes closed, and the imperial carriage departed never to return. Armies marched and famine followed; refugees died in ditches — eight or nine out of ten. They gathered in the wilds and rose like quills; great rebels crossed commanderies and proclaimed themselves kings, small bands of hundreds stormed towns — blood ran like rivers, corpses piled like hemp; the living cooked the dead and ate their own children. The vast realm became a deer park; the common people became fodder for beasts. Dispatches poured in from ten thousand li, yet he still dismissed the rebels as petty thieves; court and country lied to one another while he fluttered like a mayfly through endless nights of pleasure. The realm crumbled, his evil was ripe; under heaven all were enemies, and even those at his side became foes. He never awakened, shared Wang E's fate, and died by a single assassin's hand though he bore the honor of ten thousand chariots. Not one in the hundred million felt gratitude; not one of the nine provinces sent armies to save him. Sons and brothers were executed together, bones lay unburied, the altars fell, the dynasty's root and branches were severed — since records began, never had collapse and ruin gone so far. The Documents say: "Heaven's calamity may still be avoided; self-made calamity cannot be escaped. The Tradition says: "Fortune and misfortune lie with men; omens do not arise without cause." It also says: "War is like fire; unchecked, it burns the hand that holds it." Looking at the Sui dynasty's rise and fall, these words are proven true!
73
校勘記
Textual Collation Notes
74
種落還集「還」，朝鮮金富軾三國史記二０作「遝」。
On "gathered once more": Kim Busik's Samguk Sagi 20 reads "in succession" instead.
75
三令五申「三」原作「先」，據三國史記二０及北史隋本紀下改。
On "thrice ordered and five times admonished": "thrice" originally read "first"; emended per Samguk Sagi 20 and the Northern History annals of Sui.
76
海冥道三國史記二０作「冥海道」。
On the Haiming Route: Samguk Sagi 20 reads "Minghai Route."
77
浿江「浿」原作「沮」，據三國史記二０改。 本書高麗傳：「都於平壤，南臨浿水。」
On the Pei River: "Pei" originally read "Ju"; emended per Samguk Sagi 20. The Goguryeo biography in this book states: "The capital was at Pyongyang, south on the Pei River."
78
甲午通鑑考異：長曆是月庚辰朔，戊戌之下，不容有甲午、乙未。 此必誤也。 按：此處「甲午」疑應作「甲子」，屬四月。
On jiawu day: Zizhi Tongjian Collation Notes observes that with gengchen as the month's first day, jiawu and yiwei cannot fall after wuxu. This must be an error. Note: "jiawu" here is probably "jiazi," belonging to the fourth month.
79
乙未本書虞綽傳，隋煬帝於四月丙子至臨海頓，則此處乙未應屬五月。 但五月乙未 (十七日) 不應在下文「五月壬午」 (四日) 前。 紀文當有訛誤或顛倒。
On yiwei day: Yu Chuo's biography states that Emperor Yang reached Linhai on bingzi of the fourth month; yiwei here should therefore belong to the fifth month. But fifth-month yiwei (the seventeenth day) should not precede "renwu of the fifth month" below (the fourth day) below. The annal text must contain an error or transposition.
80
將帥奔還亡者二千餘騎按：本書宇文述傳作「及還至遼東城，唯二千七百人。」 「亡」，通志一八作「至」。
On "fled back with barely two thousand riders": Yuwen Shu's biography reads "On returning to Liaodong city, only 2,700 men remained. On "fled": Comprehensive Records 18 reads "reached."
81
韓壽即韓僧壽，本書有傳。
On Han Shou: this is Han Sengshou, who has a biography in this book.
82
白榆妄通鑑隋紀六從大業略紀作「白榆娑」。
On Bai Yuwang: Zizhi Tongjian Sui Annals 6, following the Daye Summary Annals, reads "Bai Yusuo."
83
壬午此月乙巳朔，無壬午。 日干有誤。
On renwu day: with yisi as the month's first day, there is no renwu. The day stem is wrong.
84
郭方預「預」原作「頂」，據北史隋本紀下、通鑑隋紀六及御覽一０六改。
On Guo Fangyu: "Yu" originally read "Ding"; emended per the Northern History annals of Sui, Zizhi Tongjian Sui Annals 6, and Imperial Readings 106.
85
贊務應作「贊治」，唐人諱改。
On "Assistant Minister": should read "Assistant Administrator"; altered under Tang taboo.
86
丁亥此月辛未朔，丁亥 (十七日) 應在壬辰 (二十二日) 前，紀文當有訛誤或顛倒。
On dinghai day: with xinwei as the month's first day, dinghai (the seventeenth day) should precede renchen (the twenty-second day) below; the annal text must contain an error or transposition.
87
向海明本書楊義臣傳作「向海公」。
On Xiang Haiming: Yang Yichen's biography reads "Xiang Haigong."
88
曷娑那可汗「娑」，本書裴矩傳、又西突厥傳作「薩」，音譯異字。
On Qaghan Yisafu: "suo" appears as "sa" in the Biographies of Pei Ju and of the Western Turks — a variant transliteration.
89
李弘舊唐書薛舉傳作「李弘芝」。
On Li Hong: the Old Book of Tang biography of Xue Ju reads "Li Hongzhi."
90
癸亥此月戊午朔，癸亥 (六日) 應在甲子 (七日) 前。 紀文當有訛誤或顛倒。
On guihai day: with wuwu as the month's first day, guihai (the sixth day) should precede jiazi (the seventh day) below. The annal text must contain an error or transposition.
91
壬午此月丙戌朔，無壬午。 日干有誤。
On renwu day: with bingxu as the month's first day, there is no renwu. The day stem is wrong.
92
濟北公通鑑隋紀七作「濟景公」。 胡注：「樊子蓋傳，帝以子蓋守東都、平玄感之功，進爵濟公，謂其功濟天下，封以嘉名，無此郡國也。」 「北」字疑誤。
On Duke of Jibei: Zizhi Tongjian Sui Annals 7 reads "Duke of Jing." Hu's note: "Fan Zigai's biography states that the emperor ennobled him as Duke of Ji for defending the Eastern Capital and suppressing Xuangan — an honorific title meaning his merit aided the realm, not an actual commandery. The character bei is probably wrong.
93
操天成新唐書林士弘傳作「操師乞」，稱「師乞自號元興王，建元天成」。
On Cao Tiancheng: the New Book of Tang biography of Lin Shihong reads "Cao Shiji," who styled himself Prince of Yuanxing and adopted the era name Tiancheng.
94
劉企成原作「到仚成」。 舊唐書梁師都傳、又建成傳，新唐書梁師都傳，通鑑唐紀五作「劉仚成」； 冊府四四九、九七七、九八五作「劉企成」。 「仚」是「企」的別體字。 今改。
On Liu Qicheng: the original text read "Dao Xincheng." The Old Book of Tang biographies of Liang Shidu and Li Jiancheng, the New Book of Tang biography of Liang Shidu, and Zizhi Tongjian Tang Annals 5 read "Liu Xincheng"; Imperial Archives 449, 977, and 985 read "Liu Qicheng." The character xian is a variant form of qi. Emended accordingly.
95
九月己丑此月己酉朔，無己丑。 日干有誤。
On jichou day of the ninth month: with jiyou as the month's first day, there is no jichou. The day stem is wrong.
96
孟景「景」應作「秉」。 唐人諱「昞」，因「秉」、「昞」同音，遂改「秉」為「景」。
On Meng Jing: "Jing" should read "Bing." Under Tang taboo for Emperor Taizong's personal name, the homophone bing in the original name was written as jing.