1
綦儁山偉劉仁之宇文忠之
Qi Jun; Shan Wei; Liu Renzhi; Yuwen Zhongzhi
2
綦儁，字𢶏顯，河南洛陽人也，其先代人。 祖辰，并州刺史。 儁，莊帝時仕累遷為滄州刺史，甚為吏人畏悅。 尋除太僕卿。
Qi Jun, whose courtesy name was Junxian, came from Luoyang in Henan; his ancestors were northerners of Dai. His grandfather Chen served as governor of Bing Province. Under Emperor Zhuang, Jun rose through successive posts to governor of Cang Province, where officials and commoners alike both feared and welcomed him. He was soon transferred to the post of Grand Master of Splendid Horses.
3
及尒朱世隆等誅，齊獻武王赴洛，止於邙山。 上召文武百司，下及士庶，令之曰：「尒朱暴虐，矯弄天常，孤起義信都，罪人斯翦。 今將翼戴親賢，以昌魏曆，誰主社稷，允愜天人？」 申令頻煩，莫有應者。 儁乃避席曰：「人主之體，必須度量深遠，明哲仁恕。 廣陵王遇世艱難，不言淹載，以人謀察之，雖為尒朱扶戴，[2]當今之聖主也。」 獻武王欣然是之。 時黃門侍郎崔㥄作色而前，謂儁曰：「廣陵王為主，不能紹宣魏網，[3]布德天下，為君如此，何聖之有！ 若言其聖，應待大王。」 時高乾邕、魏蘭根等固執言，遂立出帝。 及出帝失德，齊獻武王深思儁言，常以為恨。
After Erzhu Shilong and his faction were put to death, King Xianwu of Qi marched to Luoyang and camped at Mount Mang. He summoned the civil and military ranks, from high ministers down to gentry and commoners, and declared: "The Erzhu were brutal and perverted Heaven's order; I raised righteous arms at Xindu, and the guilty have been destroyed. Now I mean to support and enthrone a worthy kinsman to revive the Wei line—who shall hold the altars of state and satisfy both Heaven and the people?" He repeated the charge again and again, yet no one responded. Jun then rose from his place and said: "A ruler's character must be broad in measure, wise, clear-sighted, benevolent, and forgiving. The Prince of Guangling has weathered hard times; without dwelling on years spent in obscurity, judged by men's counsel—though the Erzhu set him on the throne[2]—he is the sage ruler of our day." King Xianwu was delighted and agreed. Then Yellow Gate Attendant Cui Lin stepped forward with a dark look and said to Jun: "The Prince of Guangling as ruler could not carry on and spread the Wei mandate,[3] or extend virtue through the realm—a lord like this, what sage is he! If you speak of a sage, it should be Your Highness." Gao Ganyu, Wei Langen, and others held stubbornly to their view, and so the fleeing emperor was enthroned. When the fleeing emperor proved unworthy, King Xianwu of Qi often thought back on Jun's words and regretted them.
4
尋除御史中尉，於路與僕射賈顯度相逢，顯度恃勳貴，排儁騶列倒，儁忿見於色，自入奏之。 尋加散騎常侍、驃騎大將軍、左光祿大夫、儀同三司。 儁佞巧，能候當塗，斛斯椿、賀拔勝皆與友善。 斛斯椿之搆間也，出帝令儁奉詔晉陽，齊獻武王集文武與儁申釋，儁辭屈而退。
He was soon appointed chief of the imperial censors. On the road he met Vice Director Jia Xiandu, who, trusting in his noble merit, shoved aside Jun's escort until the column overturned; Jun's anger showed plainly, and he went in to report it himself. He was soon also made regular attendant at scattered cavalry, grand general of agile cavalry, left grand master of resplendent fortune, and bearer of ritual equal to the Three Excellencies. Jun was sycophantic and cunning, skilled at watching those who held power; Dusi Chun and Heba Sheng were both his friends. When Dusi Chun stirred up discord, the fleeing emperor sent Jun to Jinyang with an edict; King Xianwu of Qi assembled his civil and military officers to clear matters with Jun, and Jun, defeated in argument, withdrew.
5
性多詐。 賀拔勝出鎮荊州，過儁別，因辭儁母，儁故見敗氊弊被，勝更遺之錢物。 後兼吏部尚書，復為滄州刺史。 徵還，兼中尉，章武縣伯。 尋除殷州刺史，薨於州。 贈司空公，諡曰文貞。
He was by nature deeply deceitful. When Heba Sheng took up command of Jing Province he called on Jun to bid farewell and also paid his respects to Jun's mother; Jun deliberately showed tattered felt and ragged bedding, and Sheng sent him still more money and goods. Later he served concurrently as minister of the Ministry of Personnel and again as governor of Cang Province. Recalled to court, he again held the censorate and was enfeoffed as Baron of Zhangwu. He was soon made governor of Yin Province and died there. He was posthumously made Duke of Works, with the posthumous title Wenzhen.
6
子洪寔，字巨正。 位尚書左右郎，魏郡邑中正。 嗜酒好色，無行檢。 卒官。
His son Hongshi, courtesy name Juzheng. He served as left and right gentleman of the Masters of Writing and as district eligibility director for Wei commandery. He was addicted to wine and women and utterly without moral restraint. He died in office.
7
山偉，字仲才，河南洛陽人也，其先代人。 祖強，美容貌，身長八尺五寸，工騎射，彎弓五石。 為奏事中散，從顯祖獵方山，有兩狐起於御前，詔強射之，百步內二狐俱獲。 位內行長。 父稚之，營陵令。 偉隨父之縣，遂師事縣人王惠，涉獵文史。 稚之位金明太守。
Shan Wei, courtesy name Zhongcai, came from Luoyang in Henan; his ancestors were northerners of Dai. His grandfather Qiang was handsome, stood eight feet five inches tall, excelled at mounted archery, and could draw a bow rated at five shi. As a memorial-presenting palace attendant, he followed Emperor Xianzu hunting at Mount Fang; two foxes broke cover before the imperial carriage, and the emperor ordered Qiang to shoot—within a hundred paces he took both. He rose to chief of inner conduct. His father Zhizhi served as magistrate of Yingling. Wei went with his father to the county and took Wang Hui, a local scholar, as his teacher, reading widely in literature and history. Zhizhi later became governor of Jinming.
8
肅宗初，元匡為御史中尉，以偉兼侍御史。 入臺五日，便遇正會。 偉司神武門，其妻從叔為羽林隊主，撾直長於殿門，偉即劾奏。 匡善之，俄然奏正。 帖國子助教，遷員外郎、廷尉評。
Early in Emperor Suzong's reign Yuan Kuang was chief of the censors and appointed Wei as concurrent attendant censor. Five days after entering the censorate he attended a full court assembly. Wei was stationed at the Divine Martial Gate; his wife's cousin, a leader of the feathered guard, beat a straight officer at the palace gate, and Wei at once impeached him. Kuang commended him, and before long he was promoted to a regular post. He was assigned as assistant tutor at the National University, then moved to outside-section gentleman and assessor in the Court of Justice.
9
時天下無事，進仕路難，代遷之人，多不霑預。 及六鎮、隴西二方起逆，領軍元叉欲用代來寒人為傳詔以慰悅之，而牧守子孫投狀求者百餘人。 又欲杜之，因奏立勳附隊，令各依資出身。 自是北人悉被收敍。 偉遂奏記，贊叉德美。 叉素不識偉，訪侍中安豐王延明、黃門郎元順，順等因是稱薦之。 叉令僕射元欽引偉兼尚書二千石郎，後正名士郎。 [4]修起居注。 僕射元順領選，表薦為諫議大夫。
The realm was then at peace and advancement was hard; northerners of the Dai generation were largely passed over. When the six garrisons and Longxi rebelled, army supervisor Yuan Cha wished to appoint newly arrived northerners from Dai as edict-bearers to win them over, yet more than a hundred sons and grandsons of governors and defenders submitted petitions seeking posts. Cha also wished to block this and memorialized to establish an attached merit corps, ordering each man to enter office according to his qualifications. From then on northerners were all given appointments. Wei then sent in a memorial praising Cha's virtue. Cha had never known Wei and asked Palace Attendant Prince Anfeng, Yanming, and yellow gate gentleman Yuan Shun; Shun and the others thereupon recommended him. Cha had Vice Director Yuan Qin bring Wei in as concurrent gentleman of two thousand piculs in the Masters of Writing; later he was made regular gentleman of famous scholars. [4] He worked on the imperial diary. Vice Director Yuan Shun, who oversaw selection, memorialized recommending him as remonstrator and adviser.
10
尒朱榮之害朝士，偉時守直，故免禍。 及莊帝入宮，仍除偉給事黃門侍郎。 先是，偉與儀曹郎袁昇、屯田郎李延孝、外兵郎李奐、三公郎王延業方駕而行，偉少居後。 路逢一尼，望之歎曰：「此輩緣業，同日而死。」 謂偉曰：「君方近天子，當作好官。」 而昇等四人，皆於河陰遇害，果如其言。 俄領著作郎。 前廢帝立，除安東將軍、祕書監，仍著作。
When Erzhu Rong slaughtered court officials, Wei happened to be on straight duty and so escaped harm. When Emperor Zhuang took the palace, Wei was made gentleman attendant at the yellow gate. Earlier Wei had been riding with Ritual Director Yuan Sheng, Field Director Li Yanxiao, External Troops Director Li Huan, and Three Ducal Houses Director Wang Yanye; Wei, being the youngest, trailed behind. On the road they met a nun who looked at them and sighed: "These men's karmic lot binds them to die on the same day." She said to Wei: "You are about to draw near the Son of Heaven—you will hold a fine office." Sheng and the other four were all killed at Heyin, exactly as she had foretold. Before long he headed the Bureau of Compilation. When the former Deposed Emperor was enthroned, he was made general who pacifies the east and supervisor of the secretariat while still heading compilation.
11
初，尒朱兆之入洛，官守奔散，國史典書高法顯密埋史書，故不遺落。 偉自以為功，訴求爵賞。 偉挾附世隆，遂封東阿縣伯，而法顯止獲男爵。 偉尋進侍中。 孝靜初，除衞大將軍、中書令、監起居。 後以本官復領著作，卒官。 贈驃騎大將軍、開府儀同三司、都督、幽州刺史，諡曰文貞公。
When Erzhu Zhao first entered Luoyang, officials fled in disorder; state historian and keeper of the canon Gao Faxian secretly buried the historical records, so nothing was lost. Wei claimed the credit for himself and petitioned for rank and reward. Wei relied on Shilong's patronage and was enfeoffed Baron of Dong'e, while Faxian received only a baron's rank. Wei was soon promoted to palace attendant. At the start of Emperor Xiaojing's reign he was made grand general of the guard, director of the secretariat, and overseer of the imperial diary. Later, while still holding those posts, he again headed compilation and died in office. He was posthumously made grand general of agile cavalry, bearer of the open bureau with ritual equal to the Three Excellencies, area commander, and governor of You Province, with the posthumous title Duke Wenzhen.
12
國史自鄧淵、崔琛、崔浩、高允、李彪、崔光以還，諸人相繼撰錄，綦儁及偉等諂說上黨王天穆及尒朱世隆，以為國書正應代人修緝，不宜委之餘人，是以儁、偉等更主大籍。 守舊而已，初無述著。 故自崔鴻死後，迄終偉身，二十許載，時事蕩然，萬不記一，後人執筆，無所憑據，史之遺闕，偉之由也。 外示沉厚，內實矯競。 與綦儁少甚相得，晚以名位之間，遂若水火。 與宇文忠之之徒、代人為黨，時賢畏惡之。 而愛尚文史，老而彌篤。 偉弟少亡，偉撫寡訓孤，同居二十餘載，恩義甚篤。 不營產業，身亡之後，賣宅營葬，妻子不免飄泊，士友歎愍之。 長子昂襲爵。
Since Deng Yuan, Cui Chen, Cui Hao, Gao Yun, Li Biao, and Cui Guang, the national history had been compiled in turn by successive scholars; Qi Jun, Wei, and others flattered Shangdang Prince Tianmu and Erzhu Shilong, arguing that the state annals ought to be edited by men of Dai and not entrusted to outsiders—so Jun, Wei, and their circle again took charge of the great registers. They merely preserved what was already there and produced nothing new. From Cui Hong's death until Wei's own end—roughly twenty years—the events of the age were left in chaos; scarcely one in ten thousand was recorded, and later historians had nothing to work from. The gaps in the history were Wei's doing. Outwardly he seemed grave and steady; inwardly he was fiercely competitive. He and Qi Jun were close in youth; in later years, over rank and standing, they became like fire and water. He formed a faction with Yuwen Zhongzhi and other men of Dai; the worthies of the day feared and despised them. Yet he loved literature and history, and grew only more devoted in old age. Wei's younger brother died young; Wei raised the widow and taught the orphan, and they lived together more than twenty years in deep affection. He never built up an estate; after his death his house was sold to pay for burial, and his wife and children were left adrift—scholar-officials mourned them. His eldest son Ang inherited the title.
13
劉仁之，字山靜，河南洛陽人。 其先代人，徙于洛。 父爾頭，在外戚傳。 仁之少有操尚，粗涉書史，真草書迹，頗號工便。 御史中尉元昭引為御史。 前廢帝時，兼黃門侍郎，深為尒朱世隆所信用。 出帝初，為著作郎，兼中書令，既非其才，在史未嘗執筆。 出除衞將軍、西兗州刺史，在州有當時之譽。 武定二年卒，贈衞大將軍、吏部尚書、青州刺史，諡曰敬。
Liu Renzhi, courtesy name Shanjing, was from Luoyang in Henan. His ancestors were northerners of Dai who had moved to Luoyang. His father Er'tou is treated in the biographies of consorts' kin. Renzhi in youth had moral resolve, read broadly in books and histories, and was known as skilled in both regular and cursive script. Chief of censors Yuan Zhao brought him in as a censor. Under the former Deposed Emperor he served concurrently as gentleman of the yellow gate and was deeply trusted by Erzhu Shilong. At the start of the fleeing emperor's reign he was made compilation gentleman and concurrently director of the secretariat; the post was beyond his ability, and in the history office he never actually wrote. He left court to serve as general of the guard and governor of Western Yan Province, where he won a fine reputation. He died in the second year of Wuding and was posthumously made grand general of the guard, minister of the Ministry of Personnel, and governor of Qing Province, with the posthumous title Jing.
14
仁之外示長者，內懷矯詐。 其對賓客，破牀弊席，粗飯冷菜，衣服故敗，乃過逼下。 善候當途，能為詭激。 每於稠人廣眾之中，或撾一姦吏，或縱一孤貧，大言自眩，示己高明，矜物無知。 淺識皆稱其美，公能之譽，動過其實。 性又酷虐，在晉陽曾營城雉，仁之統監作役，以小稽緩，遂杖前殷州刺史裴瑗、并州刺史王綽，齊獻武王大加譴責。 性好文字，吏書失體，便加鞭撻，言韻微訛，亦見捶楚，吏民苦之。 而愛好文史，敬重人流。 與齋帥馮元興交款，元興死後積年，仁之營視其家，常出隆厚。 時人以此尚之。
Outwardly Renzhi played the elder; inwardly he was full of deceit. With guests he offered broken beds and ragged mats, coarse rice and cold dishes, and worn-out clothes—going to excess to humble himself. He was skilled at watching those in power and could stage sudden dramatic gestures. In crowded public gatherings he would sometimes beat a corrupt official or sometimes release a lone poor man, declaiming loudly to dazzle others, showing himself lofty and looking down on the ignorant world. Shallow observers all praised him; his reputation for public virtue far outran the reality. He was also cruel by nature. At Jinyang, when city walls were under construction, Renzhi supervised the labor; for a slight delay he had the former governor of Yin Province, Pei Yuan, and the governor of Bing Province, Wang Chuo, beaten—King Xianwu of Qi rebuked him severely. He was exacting about written forms; if a clerk's document was improperly formatted he would flog him, and if a word's pronunciation or tone was slightly off he would beat him as well—officials and commoners alike suffered under him. Yet he loved literature and history and treated men of letters with respect. He was close to director of auspices Feng Yuanxing; years after Yuanxing's death Renzhi still looked after his household and often gave generously. Men of the time esteemed him for this.
15
字文忠之，河南洛陽人也。 其先南單于之遠屬，世據東部，後入居代都。 祖阿生，安南將軍，巴西公。 父侃，卒於治書侍御史。 忠之獵涉文史，頗有筆札，釋褐太學博士。 天平初，除中書侍郎。 裴伯茂與之同省，常侮忽之，以忠之色黑，呼為「黑宇」。 後敕修國史。 元象初，兼通直散騎常侍，副鄭伯猷使蕭衍。 武定初，為安南將軍、尚書右丞，仍修史。 未幾，以事除名。 忠之好榮利，自為中書郎，六七年矣，遇尚書省選右丞，預選者皆射策，忠之入試焉。 既獲丞職，大為忻滿，志氣囂然，有驕物之色，識者笑之。 既失官爵，怏怏發病卒。 子君山。
Yuwen Zhongzhi was from Luoyang in Henan. His ancestors were distant kin of the southern Chanyu; for generations they held the eastern territories, later settling at the Dai capital. His grandfather Asheng was general who pacifies the south and Duke of Brazil. His father Kan died while serving as editorial court attendant. Zhongzhi read widely in literature and history, wrote competently, and on entering office was made erudite of the Imperial University. At the start of the Tianping era he was made attendant of the secretariat. Pei Bomao served in the same bureau and often slighted him; because Zhongzhi was dark-skinned, he nicknamed him "Black Yu." Later he received orders to compile the national history. At the start of the Yuanxiang era he served concurrently as regular attendant of direct communication at scattered cavalry and accompanied Zheng Boyou on a mission to Xiao Yan. At the start of Wuding he was made general who pacifies the south and right vice director of the Masters of Writing while still compiling history. Before long he was dismissed and stripped of rank because of an offense. Zhongzhi loved rank and profit; he had been an attendant of the secretariat for six or seven years when the Masters of Writing selected a right vice director—all candidates took the archery examination—and Zhongzhi entered the competition. Once he won the vice director post he was elated, swaggering with arrogant airs and a look that scorned others—those who knew him laughed. After losing his office and rank he fell ill with resentment and died. His son Junshan.
16
史臣曰：綦儁遭逢受職； 山偉位行頗爽； 仁之雖內懷矯詐，而交情自篤； 忠之雖文史足用，而雅道蔑聞。 謂全德者，其難矣哉！
The historian writes: Qi Jun met with opportunity and took office; Shan Wei's rank and conduct were fairly upright; Renzhi, though inwardly deceitful, was steadfast in friendship; Zhongzhi, though competent in letters and history, showed no trace of refined conduct. To call any of them wholly virtuous—how difficult indeed!
17
校勘記
Textual notes
18
魏書卷八十一諸本目錄此卷注「闕」。 殿本考證云：「魏收書闕，後人所補。」 按此卷以北史卷五０綦儁、山偉、宇文忠之三傳及卷二０劉庫仁附劉仁之傳補。 卷末無宋人校語，當是脫去。
Wei shu juan 81: In the tables of contents of various editions this scroll is marked "lacunose." The Palace Edition notes: "Wei Shou's text is missing; later hands supplied this." This scroll was patched from Beishi juan 50 (biographies of Qi Jun, Shan Wei, and Yuwen Zhongzhi) and juan 20 (Liu Kuren appendix, Liu Renzhi). The scroll ends without Song-dynasty collation notes; they must have dropped out.
19
雖為尒朱扶戴諸本「戴」訛「載」，今據北史卷五０綦儁傳改。
"Though installed by the Erzhu": editions wrongly read dai (install) as zai (carry); emended per Beishi juan 50, Qi Jun biography.
20
不能紹宣魏網按文義「網」當是「綱」之訛。
"Could not continue and spread the Wei mandate": by sense wang (net) should read gang (cord/principle).
21
後正名士郎張森楷云：「『名士』二字疑誤。」 按墓誌集釋元湛墓誌 〈圖版一五二〉 稱「尋補尚書左士郎中」，周書卷三四楊敷傳稱敷「歷尚書左士郎中」。 左右士曹見晉書卷二四職官志。 疑這裏「名」字乃「右」字之訛。
"Later made regular gentleman of famous scholars": Zhang Senkai says, "The two characters mingshi (famous scholars) are probably wrong." Per Jishi jishi, epitaph of Yuan Zhan 〈Plate 152〉 it reads "soon supplemented as gentleman of the left scholar office in the Masters of Writing"; Zhou shu juan 34, Yang Fu biography, says Fu "served as gentleman of the left scholar office in the Masters of Writing." The left and right scholar offices appear in Jin shu juan 24, Treatise on Offices. Here ming (famous) is probably a corruption of you (left).