1
隋書卷七十四列傳第三十九
Book of Sui, Volume 74, Biography 39
2
○酷吏
Cruel Officials
3
夫為國之體有四焉:一曰仁義,二曰禮制,三曰法令,四曰刑罰。 仁義禮制,政之本也,法令刑罰,政之末也。 無本不立,無末不成。 然教化遠而刑罰近,可以助化而不可以專行,可以立威而不可以繁用。 《老子》曰:「其政察察,其人缺缺。」 又曰:「法令滋章,盜賊多有。」 然則令之煩苛,吏之嚴酷,不能致理,百代可知。 考覽前載,有時而用之矣。 昔秦任獄吏,赭衣滿道。 漢革其風,矯枉過正。 禁網疏闊,遂漏吞舟,大奸巨猾,犯義侵禮。 故剛克之吏,摧拉凶邪,一切禁奸,以救時弊,雖垂教義,或有所取焉。 高祖膺期,平一江左,四海九州,服教從義。 至於威行郡國,力折公侯,乘傳賦人,探丸斫吏者,所在蔑聞焉。 無曩時之弊,亦已明矣。 士文等功不足紀,才行無聞,遭遇時來,叨竊非據,肆其褊性,多行無禮,君子小人,咸罹其毒。 凡厥所蒞,莫不懍然。 居其下者,視之如蛇虺,過其境者,逃之如寇仇。 與人之恩,心非好善,加人之罪,事非疾惡。 其所笞辱,多在無辜,察其所為,豺狼之不若也。 無禁奸除猾之志,肆殘虐幼賤之心,君子惡之,故編為《酷吏傳》也。
The foundations of statecraft are fourfold: benevolence and righteousness, ritual and institutional order, laws and ordinances, and punishments and penalties. Benevolence, righteousness, ritual, and propriety form the root of government; laws, ordinances, and criminal sanctions are its branches. Without the root, governance cannot stand; without the branches, it cannot be brought to completion. Yet moral instruction works slowly while punishments take immediate effect. Punishments may reinforce teaching but must not replace it; they may establish authority but must not be applied incessantly. Laozi said, "When government is overly scrutinizing, the people grow defective. He also said, "When laws proliferate, thieves and bandits multiply." Thus burdensome edicts and cruel officials cannot bring good order—a truth evident across the ages. A review of earlier histories shows that such measures were sometimes employed. In antiquity the Qin entrusted power to prison officials, until the roads swarmed with prisoners in ochre garb. The Han revised this practice, but in correcting the excess they swung too far the other way. The penal net grew so lax that even great offenders slipped through; powerful criminals and cunning rogues violated duty and trampled ritual. Hence stern, hard-driving officials who shattered wickedness and banned all corruption to remedy the disorders of their day—though they often trampled proper teaching—sometimes had something to recommend them. When Emperor Gaozu assumed the throne, he unified the south of the Yangtze, and throughout the realm the people submitted to moral instruction and observed proper conduct. Those who lorded it over commanderies and kingdoms, who bent nobles by force, who rode the courier relays to extort the people, and who carried pellets to ambush officials—such figures were nowhere to be found. The absence of the abuses of earlier ages was already plain. Men such as Shiwen had no achievements worth recording and no reputation for talent or conduct; they merely seized an opportune moment and usurped posts they did not deserve. They indulged their narrow tempers and habitually acted without propriety, and both gentlemen and commoners alike suffered at their hands. Every place they governed was filled with dread. Subordinates looked on them as serpents and vipers; travelers who entered their jurisdictions fled as from mortal enemies. When they showed favor, it did not spring from a love of goodness; when they piled on guilt, it did not spring from a hatred of wickedness. Most of those they beat and humiliated were innocent; judged by their actions, they were worse than wolves. They had no wish to root out corruption, only to indulge cruelty toward the weak and humble. Men of principle despised them, and for this reason they are gathered in the Biographies of Cruel Officials.
4
○厙狄士文
Yuku Di Shiwen
5
厙狄士文,代人也。 祖幹,齊左丞相。 父敬,武衛將軍、肆州刺史。 士文性孤直,雖鄰里至親莫與通狎。 少讀書。 在齊襲封章武郡王,官至領軍將軍。 周武帝平齊,山東衣冠多迎周師,唯士文閉門自守。 帝奇之,授開府儀同三司、隨州刺史。 高祖受禪,加上開府,封湖陂縣子,尋拜貝州刺史。 性清苦,不受公料,家無餘財。 其子常啖官廚餅,士文枷之於獄累日,杖之一百,步送還京。 僮隸無敢出門,所買鹽菜,必於外境。 凡有出入,皆封署其門,親舊絕跡,慶吊不通。 法令嚴肅,吏人股戰,道不拾遺。 有細過,必深文陷害。 嘗入朝,遇上置酒高會,賜公卿入左藏,任取多少。 人皆極重,士文獨口銜絹一匹,兩手各持一匹。 上問其故,士文曰:「臣口手俱滿,餘無所須。」 上異之,別加賞物,勞而遣之。 士文至州,發擿奸隱,長吏尺布升粟之贓,無所寬貸。 得千餘人而奏之,上悉配防嶺南,親戚相送,哭泣之聲遍於州境。 至嶺南,遇瘴癘死者十八九,於是父母妻子唯哭士文。 士文聞之,令人捕捉,撾捶盈前,而哭者彌甚。 有京兆韋焜為貝州司馬,河東趙達為清河令,二人並苛刻,唯長史有惠政。 時人為之語曰:「刺史羅刹政,司馬蝮蛇瞋,長史含笑判,清河生吃人。」 上聞而歎曰:「士文之暴,過於猛獸。」 竟坐免。 未幾,以為雍州長史,士文謂人曰:「我向法深,不能窺候要貴,必死此官矣。」 及下車,執法嚴正,不避貴戚,賓客莫敢至門,人多怨望。 士文從父妹為齊氏嬪,有色,齊滅之後,賜薛國公長孫覽為妾。 覽妻鄭氏性妒,譖之於文獻後,後令覽離絕。 士文恥之,不與相見。 後應州刺史唐君明居母憂,娉以為妻,由是士文、君明並為禦史所劾。 士文性剛,在獄數日,憤恚而死。 家無餘財,有子三人,朝夕不繼,親友無內之者。
Yuku Di Shiwen was a native of Dai. His grandfather Gan served as Left Chancellor of Northern Qi. His father Jing was Martial Guard General and Governor of Sizhou. By nature Shiwen was aloof and upright; he would not socialize even with close neighbors and relatives. In his youth he studied the classics. Under Qi he inherited the title Prince of Zhangwu and rose to the post of Defender-in-Chief. When Emperor Wu of Zhou conquered Qi, the gentry of Shandong largely welcomed the Zhou armies, but Shiwen alone shut his gates and held himself apart. The emperor was impressed and appointed him Grand Master for Splendid Happiness with independent establishment, and Governor of Suizhou. When Gaozu accepted the abdication, Shiwen was further promoted to Superlative Pillar of State, enfeoffed as Viscount of Hubo, and soon appointed Governor of Beizhou. He lived in austere integrity, refused his official stipend, and kept no surplus wealth at home. When his son ate cakes from the official kitchen, Shiwen had him shackled in prison for days, beaten a hundred strokes, and sent on foot back to the capital. His servants dared not step outside the gate; even salt and vegetables had to be bought beyond his jurisdiction. Every coming and going was sealed and signed on the door; kin and friends were shut out, and no visits for joy or mourning were permitted. His laws were severe and solemn; officials and commoners trembled with fear, and no one picked up lost property in the streets. Even for trifling faults he invariably twisted the law to entrap people. Once when he attended court the emperor was holding a grand banquet and granted the nobles entry to the Left Storehouse to take whatever they wished. Others loaded themselves to the utmost; Shiwen alone carried one bolt of silk in his mouth and one in each hand. The emperor asked why; Shiwen said, "My mouth and hands are both full—I need nothing more. The emperor was astonished, gave him additional gifts, commended him, and sent him away. At his province Shiwen ferreted out hidden wrongdoing; even the smallest bribe from senior clerks he would not forgive. He uncovered more than a thousand offenders and reported them; the emperor sent them all to garrison Lingnan. As relatives escorted them off, weeping filled the province. In Lingnan eight or nine in ten died of pestilence; then parents, wives, and children wept only against Shiwen. When Shiwen heard of this he had people seize and beat them until the ground before him was covered with victims, yet the weeping only grew louder. Wei Kun of Jingzhao served as Beizhou Assistant Administrator, and Zhao Da of Hedong as Qinghe Magistrate—both were harsh, while only the Chief Clerk showed benevolent governance. People of the day said, "The governor's demon rule, the assistant's viper glare, the chief clerk's smiling verdict, Qinghe's raw man-eating. The emperor heard and sighed, "Shiwen's brutality surpasses that of savage beasts." In the end he was dismissed from office for it. Soon he was appointed Chief Administrator of Yongzhou. Shiwen told others, "I have enforced the law too strictly and cannot court the powerful—I am sure to die in this post. Once he took office he enforced the law with stern rectitude, showed no deference to the nobility, and guests dared not approach his gate; resentment spread widely. His cousin had been a concubine of Qi and was beautiful; after Qi fell she was given to Changsun Lan, Duke of Xue, as a concubine. Lan's wife Lady Zheng was jealous and slandered her to Empress Dowager Wenxian, who ordered Lan to dismiss her. Shiwen was ashamed of this and refused to see her. Later Yingzhou Governor Tang Junming, while mourning his mother, took her as wife; for this both Shiwen and Junming were impeached by the censor. Shiwen was unyielding by nature; after several days in prison he died of rage. His household had no surplus; he left three sons who could not secure their next meal, and neither kin nor friends would shelter them.
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○田式
Tian Shi
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田式,字顯標,馮翊下邦人也。 祖安興,父長樂,仕魏,俱為本郡太守。 式性剛果,多武藝,拳勇絕人。 周明帝時,年十八,授都督,領鄉兵。 後數載,拜渭南太守,政尚嚴猛,吏人重足而立,無敢違法者。 遷本郡太守,親故屏跡,請托不行。 武帝聞而善之,進位儀同三司,賜爵信都縣公,擢拜延州刺史。 從帝平齊,以功加上開府,徙為建州刺史,改封梁泉縣公。 高祖總百揆,尉迥作亂鄴城,從韋孝寬擊之。 以功拜大將軍,進爵武山郡公。 及受禪,拜襄州總管,專以立威為務。 每視事于外,必盛氣以待其下,官屬股栗,無敢仰視。 有犯禁者,雖至親昵,無所容貸。 其女婿京兆杜甯,自長安省之,式誡寧無出入。 寧久之不得還,竊上北樓,以暢羈思。 式知之,笞寧五十。 其所愛奴,嘗詣式白事,有蟲上其衣衿,揮袖拂去之。 式以為慢己,立棒殺之。 或僚吏奸贓,部內劫盜者,無問輕重,悉禁地牢中,寢處糞穢,令其苦毒,自非身死,終不得出。 每赦書到州,式未暇讀,先召獄卒,殺重囚,然後宣示百姓。 其刻暴如此。 由是為上所譴,除名為百姓。 式慚恚不食,妻子至其所,輒怒,唯侍僮二人給使左右。 從家中索椒,欲以自殺,家人不與。 陰遣所侍僮詣市買毒藥,妻子又奪而棄之。 式恚臥。 其子信時為儀同,至式前流涕曰:「大人既是朝廷舊臣,又無大過。 比見公卿放辱者多矣,旋複升用,大人何能久乎? 乃至於此!」 式欻然而起,抽刀斫信,信遽走避之,刃中於閾。 上知之,以式為罪己之深,複其官爵。 尋拜廣州總管,卒官。
Tian Shi, courtesy name Xianbiao, was a native of Xiabang in Fengyi. His grandfather Anxing and his father Changle both served Wei as governors of their home commandery. Shi was firm and resolute, skilled in martial arts, and unmatched in physical prowess. Under Emperor Ming of Zhou, at eighteen he was appointed Colonel and commanded local militia. Several years later he was appointed Governor of Weinan. His rule was severe and fierce; officials and commoners stood with feet together, none daring to break the law. Promoted to governor of his home commandery, kin and friends vanished from sight and no plea for favor could pass. Emperor Wu heard of this with approval, promoted him to Grand Master for Splendid Happiness with independent establishment, enfeoffed him as Duke of Xindu, and appointed him Governor of Yanzhou. He followed the emperor in pacifying Qi and for his merit was made Superlative Pillar of State, transferred to Governor of Jianzhou, and enfeoffed as Duke of Liangquan. When Gaozu assumed overall command, Wei Chong rebelled at Yecheng and Shi followed Wei Xiaokuan to attack him. For his merit he was appointed Great General and advanced to Duke of Wushan. When Gaozu accepted the throne he was made General-in-Chief of Xiangzhou and devoted himself solely to imposing his authority. Whenever he held court outside he displayed a fierce demeanor toward his subordinates; his staff trembled and none dared meet his gaze. Whoever broke his rules, even close kin, received no leniency. His son-in-law Du Ning of Jingzhao came from Chang'an to visit; Shi forbade Ning to go out. Unable to leave for a long time, Ning secretly climbed the north tower to ease his longing. When Shi learned of this he had Ning beaten fifty strokes. A favorite slave once came to report to him; an insect crawled on his collar and the slave brushed it away with his sleeve. Shi took this as disrespect and had him beaten to death on the spot. Whether an official was corrupt or a bandit struck within his territory, regardless of severity he confined them in a dungeon amid filth until they suffered bitterly; unless they died they never emerged. Whenever an amnesty reached his province, before reading it he first summoned the jailers to execute the serious criminals, then announced the edict to the people. His cruelty was of this sort. For this the emperor censured him, struck his name from the rolls, and reduced him to commoner status. Ashamed and furious, Shi refused food; when wife and children came he raged at them, and only two attendant slaves waited on him. He asked his household for pepper to kill himself, but his family refused. He secretly sent his slaves to buy poison at market, but his wife seized and discarded it. Shi lay abed in fury. His son Xin, then a court grandee, came weeping and said, "Father, you are a veteran minister of the court and have committed no grave offense. I have lately seen many nobles publicly shamed who were soon restored—how can you bear to remain in this state? How did it come to this! Shi suddenly rose, drew a knife, and hacked at Xin; Xin fled in haste and the blade struck the door sill. The emperor learned of this and, judging that Shi's self-reproach ran deep, restored his office and rank. Soon he was appointed General-in-Chief of Guangzhou and died in office.
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○燕榮
Yan Rong
9
燕榮,字貴公,華陰弘農人也。 父偘,周大將軍。 榮性剛嚴,有武藝,仕周為內侍上士。 從武帝伐齊,以功授開府儀同三司,封高邑縣公。 高祖受禪,進位大將軍,封落叢郡公,拜晉州刺史。 從河間王弘擊突厥,以功拜上柱國,遷青州總管。 榮在州,選絕有力者為伍伯,吏人過之者,必加詰問,輒楚撻之,創多見骨。 奸盜屏跡,境內肅然。 他州縣人行經其界者,畏若寇仇,不敢休息。 上甚善之。 後因入朝覲,特加勞勉。 榮以母老,請每歲入朝,上許之。 及辭,上賜宴於內殿,詔王公作詩以餞之。 伐陳之役,以為行軍總管,率水軍自東萊傍海,入太湖,取吳郡。 既破丹陽,吳人共立蕭瓛為主,阻兵于晉陵,為宇文述所敗,退保包山。 榮率精甲五千躡之,瓛敗走,為榮所執,晉陵、會稽悉平。 檢校揚州總管。 尋征為右武候將軍。 突厥寇邊,以為行軍總管,屯幽州。 母憂去職。 明年,起為幽州總管。 榮性嚴酷,有威容,長史見者,莫不惶懼自失。 范陽盧氏,代為著姓,榮皆署為吏卒以屈辱之。 鞭笞左右,動至千數,流血盈前,飲啖自若。 嘗按部,道次見叢荊,堪為笞棰,命取之,輒以試人。 人或自陳無咎,榮曰:「後若有罪,當免爾。」 及後犯細過,將撾之,人曰:「前日被杖,使君許有罪宥之。」 榮曰:「無過尚爾,況有過邪!」 榜棰如舊。 榮每巡省管內,聞官人及百姓妻女有美色,輒舍其室而淫之。 貪暴放縱日甚。 是時元弘嗣被除為幽州長史,懼為榮所辱,固辭。 上知之,敕榮曰:「弘嗣杖十已上罪,皆須奏聞。」 榮忿曰:「豎子何敢弄我!」 於是遣弘嗣監納倉粟,颺得一糠一秕,輒罰之。 每笞雖不滿十,然一日之中,或至三數。 如是歷年,怨隙日構,榮遂收付獄,禁絕其糧。 弘嗣饑餒,抽衣絮,雜水咽之。 其妻詣闕稱冤,上遣考功侍郎劉士龍馳驛鞫問。 奏榮虐毒非虛,又賊穢狼籍,遂征還京師,賜死。 先是,榮家寢室無故有蛆數斛,從地墳出。 未幾,榮死於蛆出之處。 有子詢。
Yan Rong, courtesy name Guigong, was a native of Hongnong in Huayin. His father Kan was a Great General of Zhou. Rong was stern and martial by nature and under Zhou served as Superior Attendant of the Inner Palace. He followed Emperor Wu in the campaign against Qi and for merit was made Grand Master for Splendid Happiness with independent establishment and enfeoffed as Duke of Gaoyi. When Gaozu accepted the throne he was promoted to Great General, enfeoffed as Duke of Luocong, and appointed Governor of Jinzhou. He followed the Prince of Hejian in attacking the Turks, and for merit was made Pillar of State and transferred to General-in-Chief of Qingzhou. At his province Rong selected the strongest men as ward chiefs; whenever officials or commoners passed by they were questioned and beaten with the cudgel until wounds often exposed the bone. Bandits vanished and the realm within his borders grew solemn and orderly. Travelers from other jurisdictions who passed through his territory feared him as they would bandits and dared not pause to rest. The emperor greatly approved of him. Later, when he came to court for an audience, the emperor personally commended and encouraged him. Because his mother was elderly, Rong asked to attend court every year, and the emperor granted his request. At his farewell the emperor hosted a banquet in the inner palace and ordered the nobles to compose parting poems. During the conquest of Chen he served as Campaign Commander, leading a naval force from Donglai along the coast into Lake Tai to seize Wujun. After Danyang fell, the people of Wu set up Xiao Huan as their leader, resisted at Jinling, were defeated by Yuwen Shu, and withdrew to hold Baoshan. Rong pursued with five thousand elite troops; Huan was defeated, captured by Rong, and Jinling and Kuaiji were fully pacified. He was appointed Acting General-in-Chief of Yangzhou. He was soon summoned to serve as General of the Right Martial Guard. When the Turks raided the frontier he was made Campaign Commander and stationed at Youzhou. He left office to observe mourning for his mother. The following year he was recalled as General-in-Chief of Youzhou. By nature Rong was stern and cruel, with a formidable bearing; chief clerks who met him invariably lost their composure in fear. The Lu clan of Fanyang had long been a prominent lineage; Rong appointed them all as lowly clerks and runners to humiliate them. He beat those around him, often to a thousand strokes; blood pooled before him while he ate and drank as calmly as ever. Once on tour he saw brambles along the road fit for cudgels, had them gathered, and used them to test people. If someone protested innocence, Rong said, "If you commit an offense later, I shall pardon you for this. Later when they committed a minor offense and he was about to beat them, the man said, "The other day you beat me and promised to pardon any later offense." Rong said, "When you were guiltless I still beat you—how much more when you are guilty!" The beating proceeded as before. Whenever Rong toured his territory and heard that an official or commoner had a beautiful wife or daughter, he would take over their house and violate her. His greed, cruelty, and license grew worse by the day. At that time Yuan Hongsi was appointed Chief Administrator of Youzhou and, fearing humiliation by Rong, firmly declined. The emperor learned of this and instructed Rong, "Any offense by Hongsi warranting ten strokes or more must be reported to the throne. Rong raged, "How dare that stripling play games with me!" He then sent Hongsi to supervise granary intake; for every husk or chaff winnowed out he imposed punishment. Though each beating fell short of ten strokes, in a single day there might be two or three rounds. For years resentment mounted; Rong then had him imprisoned and cut off his provisions. Starving, Hongsi tore padding from his clothes and swallowed it with water. His wife appealed at court; the emperor sent Reviewing Officer Liu Shilong by urgent relay to investigate. The memorial reported that Rong's cruelty was real and that plunder and defilement were rampant; Rong was summoned to the capital and ordered to die. Earlier, maggots suddenly appeared by the bushel in Rong's bedchamber, burrowing up from the ground. Before long Rong died at the very spot where the maggots had appeared. He had a son Xun.
10
○趙仲卿
Zhao Zhongqing
11
趙仲卿,天水隴西人也。 父剛,周大將軍。 仲卿性粗暴,有膂力,周齊王憲甚禮之。 從擊齊,攻臨秦、統戎、威遠、伏龍、張壁等五城,盡平之。 又擊齊將段孝先于姚襄城,苦戰連日,破之。 以功授大都督,尋典宿衛。 平齊之役,以功遷上儀同,兼趙郡太守。 入為畿伯中大夫。 王謙作亂,仲卿使在利州,即與總管豆盧勣發兵拒守。 為謙所攻,仲卿督兵出戰,前後一十七陣。 及謙平,進位大將軍,封長垣縣公,邑千戶。 高祖受禪,進爵河北郡公。 開皇三年,突厥犯塞,以行軍總管從河間王弘出賀蘭山。 仲卿別道俱進,無虜而還。 複鎮平涼,尋拜石州刺史。 法令嚴猛,纖微之失,無所容舍,鞭笞長史,輒至二百。 官人戰忄栗,無敢違犯,盜賊屏息,皆稱其能。 遷兗州刺史,未之官,拜朔州總管。 于時塞北盛興屯田,仲卿總管統之。 微有不理者,仲卿輒召主掌,撻其胸背,或解衣倒曳於荊棘中。 時人謂之猛獸。 事多克濟,由是收穫歲廣,邊戍無饋運之憂。 會突厥啟民可汗求婚于國,上許之。 仲卿因是間其骨肉,遂相攻擊。 十七年,啟民窘迫,與隋使長孫晟投通漢鎮。 仲卿率騎千餘馳援之,達頭不敢逼。 潛遣人誘致啟民所部,至者二萬餘家。 其年,從高熲指白道以擊達頭。 仲卿率兵三千為前鋒,至族蠡山,與虜相遇,交戰七日,大破之。 追奔至乞伏泊,複破之,虜千餘口,雜畜萬計。 突厥悉眾而至,仲卿為方陣,四面拒戰。 經五日,會高熲大兵至,合擊之,虜乃敗走。 追度白道,逾秦山七百餘裡。 時突厥降者萬餘家,上命仲卿處之恆安。 以功進位上柱國,賜物三千段。 朝廷慮達頭掩襲啟民,令仲卿屯兵二萬以備之,代州總管韓洪、永康公李藥王、蔚州刺史劉隆等,將步騎一萬鎮恆安。 達頭騎十萬來寇,韓洪軍大敗,仲卿自樂寧鎮邀擊,斬首虜千餘級。 明年,督役築金河、定襄二城,以居啟民。 時有表言仲卿酷暴者,上令禦史王偉按之,並實,惜其功不罪也。 因勞之曰:「知公清正,為下所惡。」 賜物五百段。 仲卿益恣,由是免官。 仁壽中,檢校司農卿。 蜀王秀之得罪,奉詔往益州窮按之。 秀賓客經過之處,仲卿必深文致法,州縣長吏坐者太半。 上以為能,賞婢奴五十口,黃金二百兩,米粟五千石,奇寶雜物稱是。 煬帝嗣位,判兵部、工部二曹尚書事。 其年,卒,時年六十四。 諡曰肅。 贈物五百段。 子弘嗣。
Zhao Zhongqing was a native of Longxi in Tianshui. His father Gang was a Great General of Zhou. Zhongqing was rough and violent, possessed great strength, and Prince Xian of Qi treated him with exceptional courtesy. In the campaign against Qi he attacked the five cities of Linqin, Tongrong, Weiyuan, Fulong, and Zhangbi and pacified them all. He also attacked the Qi general Duan Xiaoxian at Yaoxiang; after days of bitter fighting he defeated him. For merit he was appointed Great Colonel and soon managed palace guard duty. In the pacification of Qi he was promoted to Senior Grand Master for Court Audience and concurrently made Magistrate of Zhao Commandery. He entered service as Metropolitan Commandery Central Grand Master. When Wang Qian rebelled, Zhongqing was in Lizhou and at once joined General-in-Chief Dou Lu Ji in raising troops to resist. Besieged by Qian, Zhongqing led troops into battle in seventeen engagements. When Qian was suppressed he was promoted to Great General and enfeoffed as Duke of Changyuan with a fief of one thousand households. When Gaozu accepted the throne his rank was advanced to Duke of Hebei. In the third year of Kaihuang, when the Turks raided the frontier, he served as Campaign Commander under the Prince of Hejian to Helan Mountain. Zhongqing advanced by a separate route, found no enemy, and returned. He again garrisoned Pingliang and was soon appointed Governor of Shizhou. His laws were stern and fierce; the slightest fault received no leniency, and he flogged the Chief Clerk up to two hundred strokes. Officials trembled with fear and none dared offend; bandits were silenced, and all praised his effectiveness. He was transferred to Governor of Yanzhou but, before taking office, was appointed General-in-Chief of Shuozhou. At that time military colonies flourished on the northern frontier, and Zhongqing had overall command. For the slightest irregularity he summoned the responsible officer, beat his chest and back, or stripped him and dragged him through brambles. People of the day called him a savage beast. His methods mostly succeeded; harvests grew year by year and frontier garrisons no longer feared supply shortages. At that time Qimin Khan of the Turks sought a marriage alliance; the emperor granted it. Zhongqing exploited this to sow discord among their kin, and they soon attacked one another. In the seventeenth year Qimin, hard pressed, fled with Sui envoy Changsun Sheng to seek refuge at Han Fort. Zhongqing rode with more than a thousand cavalry to relieve him; Tardu dared not press the attack. He secretly sent men to lure Qimin's tribes, and more than twenty thousand households came over. That year he followed Gao Jiong along the White Road to strike Tardu. Zhongqing led three thousand men as vanguard; at Zulü Mountain he met the enemy and after seven days of fighting won a great victory. Pursuing to Qifu Marsh he defeated them again, taking more than a thousand captives and tens of thousands of livestock. The Turks came in full force; Zhongqing formed a square array and fought on four sides. After five days Gao Jiong's main force arrived; joining battle they drove the enemy to flight. The pursuit crossed the White Road and went more than seven hundred li beyond Qin Mountain. At that time more than ten thousand Turk households had surrendered; the emperor ordered Zhongqing to settle them at Heng'an. For merit he was advanced to Pillar of State and granted three thousand lengths of goods. The court feared Tardu would strike Qimin by surprise and ordered Zhongqing to station twenty thousand troops in reserve; Han Hong, Acting General-in-Chief of Daizhou, Li Yaowang, Duke of Yongkang, Liu Long, Governor of Wei, and others led ten thousand infantry and cavalry to garrison Heng'an. Tardu raided with a hundred thousand horsemen; Han Hong's army was routed; Zhongqing intercepted from Lening Fort and beheaded more than a thousand. The next year he supervised construction of the Jinhe and Dingxiang forts to house Qimin. Memorials then accused Zhongqing of cruelty; the emperor ordered Censor Wang Wei to investigate—all proved true, yet valuing his merit he did not punish him. He then comforted him, saying, "I know you are upright and pure, and are hated by your subordinates. He granted him five hundred lengths of goods. Zhongqing grew still more unrestrained and was dismissed from office. During the Renshou reign he served as Acting Minister of Agriculture. When the Prince of Shu Xiu fell from grace he was ordered to Yizhou to investigate exhaustively. Wherever Xiu's associates had passed, Zhongqing twisted the law to ensnare them; more than half the prefectural and county chiefs were implicated. The emperor judged him capable and rewarded him with fifty slave men and women, two hundred taels of gold, five thousand shi of grain, and rare treasures in like measure. When Emperor Yang succeeded he concurrently oversaw the ministries of War and Works. That year he died at the age of sixty-four. His posthumous title was Solemn. Five hundred lengths of goods were granted in burial gifts. His son was Hongsi.
12
崔弘度弟弘升
Cui Hongdu and his younger brother Hongsheng
13
崔弘度,字摩訶衍,博陵安平人也。 祖楷,魏司空。 父說,周敷州刺史。 弘度膂力絕人,儀貌魁岸,須面甚偉。 性嚴酷。 年十七,周大塚宰宇文護引為親信。 尋授都督,累轉大都督。 時護子中山公訓為蒲州刺史,令弘度從焉。 嘗與訓登樓,至上層,去地四五丈,俯臨之,訓曰:「可畏也。」 弘度曰:「此何足畏!」 欻然擲下,至地無損傷。 訓以其拳捷,大奇之。 後以戰勳,授儀同。 從武帝滅齊,進位上開府,鄴縣公,賜物三千段,粟麥三千石,奴婢百口,雜畜千計。 尋從汝南公宇文神舉破盧昌期於范陽。 宣帝嗣位,從鄖國公韋孝寬經略淮南。 弘度與化政公宇文忻、司水賀婁子幹至肥口,陳將潘琛率兵數千來拒戰,隔水而陣。 忻遣弘度諭以禍福,琛至夕而遁。 進攻壽陽,降陳守將吳文立,弘度功最。 以前後勳,進位上大將軍,襲父爵安平縣公。 及尉迥作亂,以弘度為行軍總管,從韋孝寬討之。 弘度募長安驍雄數百人為別隊,所當無不披靡。 弘度妹先適迥子為妻,及破鄴城,迥窘迫升樓,弘度直上龍尾追之。 迥彎弓將射弘度,弘度脫兜鍪謂迥曰:「相識不? 今日各圖國事,不得顧私。 以親戚之情,謹遏亂兵,不許侵辱。 事勢如此,早為身計,何所待也?」 迥擲弓於地,罵大丞相極口而自殺。 弘度顧其弟弘升曰:「汝可取迥頭。」 弘升遂斬之,進位上柱國。 時行軍總管例封國公,弘度不時殺迥,致縱惡言,由是降爵一等,為武鄉郡公。 開皇初,突厥入寇,弘度以行軍總管出原州以拒之。 虜退,弘度進屯靈武。 月余而還,拜華州刺史。 納其妹為秦孝王妃。 尋遷襄州總管。 弘度素貴,禦下嚴急,動行捶罰,吏人讋氣,聞其聲,莫不戰慄。 所在之處,令行禁止,盜賊屏跡。 梁王蕭琮來朝,上以弘度為江陵總管,鎮荊州。 弘度未至,而琮叔父嚴擁居人以叛,弘度追之不及。 陳人憚弘度,亦不敢窺荊州。 平陳之役,以行軍總管從秦孝王出襄陽道。 及陳平,賜物五千段。 高智慧等作亂,複以行軍總管出泉門道,隸于楊素。 弘度與素,品同而年長,素每屈下之,一旦隸素,意甚不平,素言多不用。 素亦優容之。 及還,檢校原州事,仍領行軍總管以備胡,無虜而還,上甚禮之,複以其弟弘升女為河南王妃。 仁壽中,檢校太府卿。 自以一門二妃,無所降下,每誡其僚吏曰:「人當誠恕,無得欺誑。」 皆曰:「諾。」 後嘗食鱉,侍者八九人,弘度一一問之曰:「鱉美乎?」 人懼之,皆雲:「鱉美。」 弘度大罵曰:「傭奴何敢誑我? 汝初未食鱉,安知其美?」 俱杖八十。 官屬百工見之者,莫不流汗,無敢欺隱。 時有屈突蓋為武候驃騎,亦嚴刻,長安為之語曰:「寧飲三升酢,不見崔弘度。 甯茹三升艾,不逢屈突蓋。」 然弘度理家如官,子弟斑白,動行捶楚,閨門整肅,為當時所稱。 未幾,秦王妃以罪誅,河南王妃複被廢黜。 弘度憂恚,謝病于家,諸弟乃與之別居,彌不得志。 煬帝即位,河南王為太子,帝將複立崔妃,遣中使就第宣旨。 使者詣弘升家,弘度不之知也。 使者返,帝曰:「弘度有何言?」 使者曰:「弘度稱有疾不起。」 帝默然,其事竟寢。 弘度憂憤,未幾,卒。
Cui Hongdu, courtesy name Moheyan, was a native of Anping in Boling. His grandfather Kai was Minister of Works of Wei. His father Yue was Governor of Fuzhou under Zhou. Hongdu possessed peerless strength; his stature was towering and his beard and face remarkably imposing. His nature was stern and cruel. At seventeen Grand Chancellor Yuwen Hu of Zhou took him as a trusted intimate. He was soon appointed Colonel and repeatedly promoted to Great Colonel. At that time Hu's son, the Duke of Zhongshan Xun, was Governor of Pu Prefecture, and Hongdu accompanied him. Once he climbed with Xun to the upper story, four or five zhang above the ground; looking down Xun said, "How frightening. Hongdu said, "This is nothing to fear!" He suddenly leapt down and reached the ground unharmed. Xun was astonished by his swift fists. For battle merit he was later appointed Grand Master for Court Audience. After Emperor Wu conquered Qi he was promoted to Superlative Pillar of State and Duke of Ye, granted three thousand lengths of goods, three thousand shi of grain, a hundred slaves, and thousands of livestock. He soon followed the Duke of Runan Yuwen Shenju in defeating Lu Changqi at Fanyang. When Emperor Xuan succeeded he followed the Duke of Yun Wei Xiaokuan in operations along the Huai. Hongdu, with the Duke of Transformational Governance Yuwen Xin and Director of Waters Helou Zigan, reached Feikou; the Chen general Pan Chen led several thousand men to resist and arrayed across the water. Xin sent Hongdu to admonish him with warnings of fortune and ruin; Chen withdrew by evening. In the assault on Shouyang the Chen defender Wu Wenli surrendered; Hongdu's merit ranked first. For cumulative merit he was promoted to Senior Great General and inherited his father's title as Duke of Anping. When Wei Chong rebelled, Hongdu served as Campaign Commander under Wei Xiaokuan. Hongdu recruited several hundred of Chang'an's fiercest fighters as a separate corps; wherever they struck the enemy broke. Hongdu's sister had married Chong's son; when Yecheng fell Chong fled up a tower in distress, and Hongdu climbed the Dragon Tail ramp in pursuit. Chong drew his bow to shoot Hongdu; Hongdu removed his helmet and said, "Do you know who I am? Today we each serve the state and cannot indulge private ties. Out of kinship I have restrained the troops from insult and abuse. Matters stand as they do—look to your own safety. What are you waiting for? Chong threw down his bow, cursed the Grand Chancellor bitterly, and killed himself. Hongdu told his brother Hongsheng, "Take Chong's head. Hongsheng beheaded him, and Hongdu was advanced to Pillar of State. Campaign commanders were normally enfeoffed as state dukes, but because Hongdu had not killed Chong promptly and allowed slander to spread, his rank was reduced one grade to Duke of Wuxiang. In early Kaihuang, when the Turks invaded, Hongdu marched from Yuanzhou as Campaign Commander to resist them. The enemy withdrew and Hongdu advanced to garrison Lingwu. After more than a month he returned and was appointed Governor of Huazhou. He gave his younger sister in marriage to the Prince of Qin. He was soon transferred to General-in-Chief of Xiangzhou. Hongdu had always been high-born; he governed subordinates with stern urgency, beating and punishing at every turn; officials and commoners trembled at the sound of his name. Wherever he served, his orders were obeyed and bandits vanished. When the Liang prince Xiao Cong came to court, the emperor appointed Hongdu General-in-Chief of Jiangling to garrison Jingzhou. Before Hongdu arrived, Cong's uncle Yan seized the populace in rebellion; Hongdu pursued but could not catch him. The Chen feared Hongdu and dared not probe Jingzhou. In the conquest of Chen he served as Campaign Commander under the Prince of Qin along the Xiangyang route. When Chen fell he was granted five thousand lengths of goods. When Gao Zhihui and others rebelled he again served as Campaign Commander on the Quanmen route under Yang Su. Hongdu and Su were peers, but Hongdu was older and Su always deferred to him. Once placed under Su's command he resented it deeply and mostly ignored Su's orders. Su nevertheless treated him with forbearance. On his return he acted as Governor of Yuanzhou and still held command against the barbarians; finding no enemy he returned. The emperor honored him greatly and again gave Hongsheng's daughter to the Prince of Henan as consort. During Renshou he served as Acting Minister of the Palace Treasury. With two imperial consorts in his family he bowed to no one; he often warned his staff, "One must be sincere and forbearing and must not deceive. They all answered, "Yes." Later, while eating turtle with eight or nine attendants, he asked each, "Is turtle delicious?" Terrified, they all said, "It is delicious." Hongdu raged, "Servile wretches—how dare you deceive me! You have never eaten turtle—how would you know it is delicious?" He had them all beaten eighty strokes. Officials and artisans who witnessed it broke into a sweat; none dared conceal anything. Qu Tu Gai of the Martial Guard was likewise severe, and Chang'an said, "Better drink three sheng of vinegar than meet Cui Hongdu. Better endure three sheng of moxa than encounter Qu Tu Gai. Yet Hongdu ran his household like a government office; even gray-haired sons and brothers were beaten for the slightest fault, and his household discipline was praised at the time. Soon the Prince of Qin's consort was executed for crime and the Prince of Henan's consort was deposed. Grieved and resentful, Hongdu retired ill at home; his brothers moved out to live separately, and his frustration deepened. When Emperor Yang succeeded, the Prince of Henan became heir; the emperor intended to restore the Cui consort and sent a palace envoy to proclaim the edict. The envoy went to Hongsheng's house, and Hongdu knew nothing of it. The envoy returned and the emperor asked, "What did Hongdu say? The envoy said, "Hongdu claimed illness and would not rise." The emperor fell silent and the matter was dropped. Grieved and indignant, Hongdu soon died.
14
○元弘嗣
Yuan Hongsi
15
元弘嗣,河南洛陽人也。 祖剛,魏漁陽王。 父經,周漁陽郡公。 弘嗣少襲爵,十八為左親衛。 開皇九年,從晉王平陳,以功授上儀同。 十四年,除觀州總管長史,在州專以嚴峻任事,吏人多怨之。 二十年,轉幽州總管長史。 于時燕榮為總管,肆虐于弘嗣,每被笞辱。 弘嗣心不伏,榮遂禁弘嗣於獄,將殺之。 及榮誅死,弘嗣為政,酷又甚之。 每推鞫囚徒,多以酢灌鼻,或襜弋其下竅,無敢隱情,奸偽屏息。 仁壽末,授木工監,修營東都。 大業初,煬帝潛有取遼東之意,遣弘嗣往東萊海口監造船。 諸州役丁苦其捶楚,官人督役,晝夜立于水中,略不敢息,自腰以下,無不生蛆,死者十三四。 尋遷黃門侍郎,轉殿內少監。 遼東之役,進位金紫光祿大夫。 明年,帝複征遼東,會奴賊寇隴右,詔弘嗣擊之。 及玄感作亂,逼東都,弘嗣屯兵安定。 或告之謀應玄感者,代王侑遣使執之,送行在所。 以無反形當釋,帝疑不解,除名,徙日南,道死,時年四十九。 有子仁觀。
Yuan Hongsi was a native of Luoyang in Henan. His grandfather Gang was Prince of Yuyang of Wei. His father Jing was Duke of Yuyang under Zhou. Hongsi inherited the title in youth and at eighteen became Left Imperial Guard Attendant. In the ninth year of Kaihuang he followed the Prince of Jin in pacifying Chen and was appointed Senior Grand Master for Court Audience. In the fourteenth year he became Chief Administrator of Guanzhou and governed solely by severity, earning much resentment among his staff. In the twentieth year he was transferred to Chief Administrator of Youzhou. At that time Yan Rong was general-in-chief and tyrannized Hongsi, who was often beaten and humiliated. Hongsi refused to submit; Rong imprisoned him and was about to kill him. When Rong was executed, Hongsi took power—and his cruelty surpassed Rong's. In interrogations he often poured vinegar into prisoners' nostrils or stuffed their lower orifices; none dared hide the truth, and fraud ceased. At the end of Renshou he was appointed Director of the Carpentry Office to build the eastern capital. In early Daye the emperor secretly planned an expedition to Liaodong and sent Hongsi to Donglai to supervise shipbuilding. The conscript laborers suffered under his beatings; overseers stood day and night in the water; from the waist down maggots bred, and thirteen or fourteen in ten died. He was soon promoted to Gentleman of the Yellow Gate and then Junior Director of the Palace Interior. During the Liaodong campaign he was advanced to Grand Master for Splendid Happiness with Golden Seal and Purple Ribbon. The next year the emperor campaigned in Liaodong again; when slave bandits raided Longyou, Hongsi was ordered to attack them. When Yang Xuangan rebelled and threatened the eastern capital, Hongsi garrisoned Anding. Someone accused him of plotting with Xuangan; the Prince of Dai sent men to seize him and escort him to the imperial camp. With no evidence of rebellion he should have been released, but the emperor remained suspicious, struck his name, and exiled him to Rinan; he died on the road at forty-nine. He had a son Renguan.
16
○王文同
Wang Wentong
17
王文同,京兆潁陽人也。 性明辯,有幹用。 開皇中,以軍功拜儀同,尋授桂州司馬。 煬帝嗣位,征為光祿少卿,以忤旨,出為恆山郡丞。 有一人豪猾,每持長吏長短,前後守令鹹憚之。 文同下車,聞其名,召而數之。 因令左右剡木為大橛,埋之於庭,出尺餘,四角各埋小橛。 令其人踣心於木橛上,縛四支於小橛,以棒毆其背,應時潰爛。 郡中大駭,吏人相視懾氣。 及帝征遼東,令文同巡察河北諸郡。 文同見沙門齋戒菜食者,以為妖妄,皆收系獄。 比至河間,召諸郡官人,小有遲違者,輒皆覆面於地而箠殺之。 求沙門相聚講論,及長老共為佛會者數百人,文同以為聚結惑眾,盡斬之。 又悉裸僧尼,驗有淫狀非童男女者數千人,複將殺之。 郡中士女號哭于路,諸郡驚駭,各奏其事。 帝聞而大怒,遣使者達奚善意馳鎖之,斬於河間,以謝百姓,仇人剖其棺,臠其肉而啖之,斯須鹹盡。
Wang Wentong was a native of Yingyang in Jingzhao. He was sharp in debate and capable in practical affairs. During Kaihuang he was appointed Grand Master for Court Audience for military merit, then Assistant Administrator of Guizhou. When Emperor Yang succeeded he was summoned as Vice Director of the Imperial Household; for offending the throne he was sent out as Assistant Governor of Hengshan. A fierce local bully always held officials' weaknesses over them; successive governors and magistrates all feared him. On taking office Wentong heard of him, summoned him, and rebuked him. He had attendants carve a great wooden stake, buried it in the courtyard with more than a chi exposed, and set four smaller stakes at the corners. He laid the man chest-down on the great stake, bound his limbs to the small stakes, and beat his back until it burst open. The whole commandery was terrified; officials and commoners looked on one another in dread. When the emperor campaigned in Liaodong he ordered Wentong to inspect the Hebei commanderies. Seeing monks on vegetarian fasts, he judged them deluded and had them all imprisoned. At Hejian he summoned the commandery officials; anyone slightly tardy was thrown face-down and beaten to death. Finding several hundred monks gathered for lectures and Buddhist assemblies, he judged them sedition and beheaded them all. He stripped monks and nuns and examined them; several thousand who were not chaste he prepared to kill as well. Men and women wailed in the streets; alarmed commanderies each reported the matter. The emperor was enraged, sent envoy Daxi Shanyi to seize and behead him at Hejian to appease the people; enemies opened his coffin, carved his flesh, and devoured it until nothing remained.
18
史臣曰:禦之良者,不在於煩策,政之善者,無取於嚴刑。 故雖寬猛相資,德刑互設,然不嚴而化,前哲所重。 士文等運屬欽明,時無桀黠,未閑道德,實懷殘忍。 賊人肌體,同諸木石,輕人性命,甚於芻狗。 長惡不悛,鮮有不及,故或身嬰罪戮,或憂恚顛隕。 凡百君子,以為有天道焉。 嗚呼! 後來之士,立身從政,縱不能為子高門以待封,其可令母掃墓而望喪乎?
The historiographer remarks: Good governance does not lie in multiplying policies; sound administration does not rely on harsh punishments. Though leniency and severity may complement each other and virtue and punishment alternate, the sages valued transforming people without relying on severity. Men such as Shiwen lived in an age of enlightened rule without fierce villains; ignorant of moral power, they truly harbored cruelty. They flayed human flesh as though it were wood and stone and valued life less than straw dogs. Persisting in wickedness without repentance, few escaped ruin—some were punished and executed, others died of grief and resentment. Men of principle took this as proof that Heaven's justice still operated. Ah—alas! For those who follow, in taking up office and public life: even if one cannot rise like Zi Gao with honor waiting at one's gate, must one reduce one's mother to sweeping the grave and watching for the funeral train?