Volume 98: Xiao Daocheng of the Daoyi People, Xiaoyan of the Daoyi

島夷蕭道成島夷蕭衍

Xiao Daocheng of the Daoyi People; Xiao Yan of the Daoyi People.

島夷蕭道成，字紹伯，晉陵武進楚也。僭晉時，以武進之東城為蘭陵郡縣，遂為蘭陵人。父承之，常隨宗人蕭思話征伐，久乃得為其橫野司馬，以軍功仕劉義隆，位至右軍將軍。

Xiao Daocheng of the Daoyi People, whose courtesy name was Shaobo, came from the Chu district of Wujin in Jinling commandery. During the pseudo-Jin regime, the eastern quarter of Wujin was established as Lanling commandery and county, and his family thereafter counted as natives of Lanling. His father Chengzhi had long campaigned at the side of his kinsman Xiao Sihua and only after many years became Sihua's marshal of the horizontal field army; for his military service he entered the employ of Liu Yilong and eventually reached the post of General of the Right.

道成少好武事，初從散冗，每充征役，前後為討蠻小帥，以堪勤劇見知。思話之鎮襄陽，啟之自隨，任以統戍。稍遷左軍中兵參軍，每在疆埸，擾動邊民，曾至談堤，大敗而走。劉駿時間關偽職，至建業令。駿死，子業以為後軍將軍、直閤。

Daocheng took to military affairs from youth. He began among the miscellaneous ranks and was repeatedly sent on campaign, serving in succession as a junior commander against the southern tribes, and won notice for his stamina under harsh and demanding assignments. When Sihua took up his post at Xiangyang, he had Daocheng brought along in his train and placed him in charge of the garrison forces. He was promoted in time to Army Aide in the central corps of the Left Army. On the frontier he repeatedly harassed the border population; at Tan Embankment he once met a crushing defeat and fled the field. Under Liu Jun he held a series of frontier posts in the puppet administration, rising as far as magistrate of Jianye. After Jun's death, Ziye appointed him General of the Rear Army and gave him a place in the Direct Attendance.

子業死，劉彧除右軍將軍。時子業江州刺史、晉安王子勛，會稽太守、尋陽王子房等並舉兵。彧加道成輔國將軍東討，平定諸縣。晉陵太守袁摽、吳郡太守顧琛、吳興太守王雲生皆棄郡奔走。時徐州刺史薛安都遣從子索兒率銳眾度淮，徵道成拒焉。以功封西陽縣開國侯，食邑六百戶。子勛遣臨川內史張淹自東嶠入，規欲擾動三吳，劉彧遣道成率三千人統軍主沈思仁拒淹，淹便奔走。張永、沈攸之大敗於彭城，劉彧以道成為冠軍將軍督諸軍事，假節，戍淮陰。

When Ziye died, Liu Yu named him General of the Right. At that time Zixun, Prince of Jin'an and inspector of Jiangzhou, Zifang, Prince of Xunyang and grand administrator of Kuaiji, and others all took up arms. Yu promoted Daocheng to Supporting-the-State General and sent him east on campaign, where he pacified the counties in revolt. Yuan Biao, grand administrator of Jinling, Gu Chen of Wu commandery, and Wang Yunsheng of Wuxing all abandoned their posts and fled. At that time Xue Andu, inspector of Xuzhou, sent his nephew Suo'er at the head of picked troops across the Huai, and Daocheng was called up to oppose him. For his service he was enfeoffed as Marquis Who Establishes the State, with Xiyang county as his fief and an income of six hundred households. Zixun sent Zhang Yan, interior secretary of Linchuan, in through the eastern passes intending to unsettle the Three Wu region. Liu Yu dispatched Daocheng with three thousand men to take overall command under the army commander Shen Siren and block Yan, who fled at once. After Zhang Yong and Shen Youzhi were routed at Pengcheng, Liu Yu appointed Daocheng Champion General with authority over all military affairs, granted him provisional credentials, and posted him to garrison Huaiyin.

彧死，子昱以道成為右衞將軍，領衞尉，加兵五百人，與尚書令袁粲、護軍褚淵、領軍劉勔參掌朝事。尋解衞尉，加侍中，戍石頭城。劉休範舉兵，以討王道隆等為名，治嚴數日，便率大眾席卷而下。道成等率眾拒戰。事平，以道成為散騎常侍、中領軍、都督南兗兗徐青冀五州、鎮軍將軍、南兗州刺史，持節、侯如故。後進爵為公，增邑二千戶。

After Yu's death, Ziyu named Daocheng General of the Right Guard and Commandant of the Guard, added five hundred men to his command, and had him join Yuan Can, Director of the Masters of Writing, Chu Yuan, Protector of the Army, and Liu Mian, Director of the Army, in directing court affairs. Before long he was relieved of the guard commandancy, made a Palace Attendant, and stationed at Stone City. Liu Xiufan took up arms on the pretext of punishing Wang Daolong and his faction. After several days of preparation he marched south at the head of a vast army. Daocheng and his colleagues led their forces out to meet them in battle. Once the revolt was suppressed, Daocheng was appointed Regular Attendant of the Scattered Cavalry and Central Army Director, given overall command of Southern Yanzhou, Yanzhou, Xuzhou, Qingzhou, and Jizhou, and named Pacifying-the-Army General and inspector of Southern Yanzhou, retaining his credentials and marquisal rank. He was later promoted to duke, with two thousand additional households added to his fief.

劉昱凶虐日甚，道成與直閤王敬則、昱左右楊玉夫同謀殺昱，迎弟準立之，改年為昇明，時太和元年也。道成移鎮東城，以甲仗五十人入殿，進位侍中、司空、錄尚書事、驃騎大將軍、持節、都督、刺史，加故封竟陵郡公五千戶，給班劍三十人，又進督豫司二州。荊州刺史沈攸之舉兵討道成，道成率眾入鎮朝堂。司徒袁粲先鎮石頭，據城與尚書令劉秉、前湘州刺史王蘊謀討道成，密信要攸之速下，將為內應。不克，粲與子最俱死，秉父子踰城走於頟檐湖，王蘊走向鬬場，並見擒。攸之至于夏口，敗走，與第三子中書郎太和單騎南奔華容縣，俱自縊死。道成又為太尉，增封三千戶，班劍四十人，甲仗百人入殿。

As Liu Yu's cruelty grew worse by the day, Daocheng joined Wang Jingze of the Direct Attendance and Yang Yufu, a member of Yu's personal staff, in a plot to kill him. They installed his younger brother Zhun on the throne and changed the era name to Shengming—the first year of our Taihe era. Daocheng shifted his base to the eastern city and entered the palace hall escorted by fifty armed men. He was promoted to Palace Attendant, Minister of Works, and recorder of the Masters of Writing, named Rapid Cavalry Grand General with full credentials and provincial command, and his former enfeoffment as Duke of Jingling was increased by five thousand households. Thirty ceremonial sword-bearers were assigned to him, and he was given supervision over Yuzhou and Sizhou as well. Shen Youzhi, inspector of Jingzhou, took up arms against Daocheng, who in response led his forces into the court hall and made it his command post. Yuan Can, Minister of Works, had earlier been posted to Stone City. Holding the fortress, he joined Liu Bing, Director of the Masters of Writing, and Wang Yun, former inspector of Xiangzhou, in a plot against Daocheng and sent secret messages urging Youzhi to march down at once, planning to serve as his allies within the capital. The plot failed. Can and his son Zui were both killed. Bing and his son climbed over the wall and fled toward E'yan Lake; Wang Yun fled toward the drill ground. All were taken prisoner. Youzhi reached Xiakou, was defeated, and fled. He and his third son Taihe, a gentleman of the Secretariat, rode south alone to Huarong county, where both hanged themselves. Daocheng was next appointed Grand Commandant, his fief was increased by three thousand households, he was given forty ceremonial sword-bearers, and a hundred armed men were authorized to enter the palace hall with him.

道成將有大志，準侍中王儉請間，勸之，道成曰：「卿言何？我今當依事相啟。」言辭雖厲，而意色甚悅。儉諷動在位，乃加道成黃鉞、都督中外諸軍事、太傅、領揚州牧，劍履上殿、入朝不趨、贊拜不名，置左右長史、司馬，從事中郎、掾、屬各四人，使持節、侍中、太尉、驃騎大將軍、錄尚書、南徐州刺史如故。道成詐辭殊禮。重申前命，劍履上殿、入朝不趨、贊拜不名。進位相國，總百揆，封十郡為齊公，備九錫之禮，加璽紱、遠遊冠，位在諸王上，加相國、綠綟綬，其驃騎大將軍、揚州牧、南徐州刺史如故。於是建齊臺，置百官，以東府為齊宮，又增封十郡，進公為王。尋僭大號，封其主劉準為汝陰王，未幾而死。

As Daocheng was preparing to seize supreme power, Wang Jian, Palace Attendant to Zhun, asked for a private audience and urged him on. Daocheng said, "What is it you wish to say? I shall now lay the matter before you as it stands." His words were stern, but his face showed unmistakable pleasure. Jian worked on those in high office until they assented, and Daocheng was then granted the yellow battle-axe, supreme command over all armies at home and abroad, the title of Grand Tutor, and the governorship of Yangzhou. He was allowed to wear sword and shoes in the hall, to enter court without hastening his step, and to be addressed without his name in congratulatory obeisance. Four chief clerks and marshals were appointed to his left and right, with four attendant gentlemen, clerks, and aides each. He retained provisional credentials and continued as Palace Attendant, Grand Commandant, Rapid Cavalry Grand General, recorder of the Masters of Writing, and inspector of Southern Xuzhou. Daocheng pretended to decline these extraordinary honors. The earlier appointments were confirmed anew: sword and shoes in the hall, no need to hurry in court audience, and no naming in congratulatory obeisance. He was promoted to Chancellor of State with authority over all government affairs. Ten commanderies were enfeoffed to him as Duke of Qi with the full ceremony of the Nine Bestowals, including the imperial seal ribbon and the Far Roaming cap, placing him above all princes, with the green ribbon of the chancellorship. He retained his titles as Rapid Cavalry Grand General, governor of Yangzhou, and inspector of Southern Xuzhou. He then established the Qi Terrace, appointed the full bureaucracy, made the eastern residence his Qi palace, added ten more commanderies to his domain, and was advanced from duke to king. Before long he seized the imperial title for himself, enfeoffed his former sovereign Liu Zhun as King of Runan, and Zhun died not long afterward.

於是高祖詔梁郡王嘉督二將出淮陰，隴西公元琛三將出廣陵，[1]河東公薛虎子三將出壽春以討之。元琛等攻其馬頭戍，克之。道成遣其徐州刺史崔文仲攻陷茬眉戍，詔遣尚書游明根討之。又遣平南將軍郎大檀三將出昫城，將軍白吐頭二將出海西，將軍元泰二將出漣口，將軍封延三將出角城，鎮南將軍賀羅出下蔡。道成梁州刺史崔慧景遣長史裴叔保率眾寇武興關城，氐帥楊鼠擊破之，叔保還南鄭。梁郡王嘉破道成將盧紹之、玄元度於昫山。下蔡戍主棄城遁走。又詔昌黎王馮熙為西道都督，與征南將軍桓誕出義陽，鎮南將軍賀羅自下蔡東出鍾離，道成游擊將軍桓康於淮陽，[2]破之。道成豫州刺史垣崇祖寇下蔡，昌黎王馮熙擊破之。梁郡王嘉大破道成將，俘獲二萬餘口送京師。

Thereupon Emperor Gaozu ordered Prince Jia of Liang commandery to lead two generals out from Huaiyin, Prince Yuan Chen of Longxi with three generals from Guangling, [1] and Duke Xue Huzi of Hedong with three generals from Shouchun to campaign against him. Yuan Chen and his colleagues attacked the Matou garrison and captured it. Daocheng sent his inspector of Xuzhou, Cui Wenzhong, to take the Chamei garrison. An imperial edict then dispatched You Minggen of the Masters of Writing to campaign against him. He further sent Pacifying-the-South General Lang Datan with three generals from Xucheng, General Bai Tutou with two from Haixi, General Yuan Tai with two from Lian Estuary, General Feng Yan with three from Jiaocheng, and Pacifying-the-South General Heluo from Xia Cai. Cui Huijing, Daocheng's inspector of Liangzhou, sent his chief clerk Pei Shubao at the head of a force to attack Wuxing Pass City. The Di chieftain Yang Shu routed them, and Shubao retreated to Nanzheng. Prince Jia of Liang commandery defeated Daocheng's generals Lu Shaozhi and Xuan Yuandu at Xushan. The commander of the Xia Cai garrison abandoned the fortress and fled. Another edict appointed Prince Feng Xi of Changli commander of the western route and sent him with Campaigning-the-South General Huan Dan out from Yiyang, while Pacifying-the-South General Heluo marched east from Xia Cai toward Zhongli. Daocheng's Mobile Corps General Huan Kang, posted at Huaiyang, [2] was defeated. Yuan Chongzu, Daocheng's inspector of Yuzhou, attacked Xia Cai, but Prince Feng Xi of Changli routed him. Prince Jia of Liang commandery inflicted a major defeat on Daocheng's forces, took more than twenty thousand captives, and sent them to the capital.

道成遣後軍參軍車僧朗朝貢。先是，劉準遣使殷靈誕、苟昭先，未反而道成僭立。及僧朗至，朝廷處之靈誕之下，僧朗與靈誕競前後，降人解奉君遂於朝會刃僧朗。詔加殯斂，送喪令還。

Daocheng sent Che Senglang, an aide in the Rear Army, to present tribute at our court. Earlier Liu Zhun had dispatched the envoys Yin Lingdan and Gou Zhaoxian, but before they could return Daocheng had seized the throne. When Senglang arrived, the court seated him below Lingdan. Senglang and Lingdan quarreled over precedence, and the defector Xie Fengjun drew a blade at the court assembly and killed Senglang. An edict ordered full funeral honors and had his remains sent home.

道成死，子賾僭立，改年為永明。賾遣其驍騎將軍劉纘、前將軍張謨朝貢。八年，又遣兼員外散騎常侍司馬憲、兼員外散騎侍郎庾習朝獻。九年，遣輔國將軍劉纘、通直郎裴昭明朝貢。十年，又遣昭明與冠軍參軍司馬迪之朝貢。

When Daocheng died, his son Ze seized the throne and changed the era name to Yongming. Ze sent his Valiant Cavalry General Liu Zuan and Former Van General Zhang Mo to present tribute at our court. In the eighth year he again sent the concurrent Extraordinary Master of the Scattered Cavalry Sima Xian and the concurrent Extraordinary Gentleman of the Scattered Cavalry Yu Xi on a presentation mission. In the ninth year he sent Supporting-the-State General Liu Zuan and Direct Communication Gentleman Pei Zhaoming on a tribute mission. In the tenth year he again sent Zhaoming together with Champion Army Aide Sima Dizhi on a tribute mission.

賾初為太子時，特奢侈，道成每欲廢之，賴王敬則和諧。賾性貪惏，常謂人曰：「唯崔慧景知我貧。」賾嘗至其益州刺史劉悛宅晝臥，覺，悛自捧金澡盤面廣三尺，愛姬執金澡灌受四升，以充沃盥，因以奉獻。賾納之。其好利若此。賾遊獵無度，其殿中將軍邯鄲超上表諫，賾殺之。

When Ze was still crown prince he was extravagantly wasteful, and Daocheng more than once considered deposing him; only Wang Jingze's mediation kept the peace. Ze was grasping by nature and often remarked to others, "Only Cui Huijing understands how poor I am." Ze once visited the home of his inspector of Yizhou, Liu Jun, and napped there through the day. When he woke, Jun himself presented a gold washing basin three feet across, while a favorite concubine held a gold ewer of four sheng to pour the rinse water, and the two of them made him this gift. Ze accepted the gift. Such was his greed for gain. Ze hunted without restraint. His Palace Army General Handan Chao submitted a memorial of remonstrance, and Ze had him executed.

十三年，遣平南參軍顏幼明、冗從僕射劉思效朝貢。十四年，賾巴東王子響殺長史劉寅、司馬席恭穆，謀殺賾，賾遣丹陽尹蕭順之討殺之。十五年二月，遣員外散騎常侍裴昭明、員外散騎侍郎謝竣朝貢。九月，又遣司徒參軍蕭琛、范縝朝貢。十六年，復遣琛與司徒參軍范雲朝貢，又遣車騎功曹庾蓽、南豫州別駕何憲朝貢。十七年，賾雍州刺史王奐與南蠻長史劉興祖論眾罪，賾以興祖付獄，令送還建業。奐輒於獄殺之，而云自死。賾怒，遣其直閤將軍曹道剛、梁州刺史曹虎收奐，奐閉門拒戰。司馬黃瑤起於城內起兵攻奐，殺之，奐子祕書丞肅、肅弟秉來降。

In the thirteenth year he sent Pacifying-the-South Army Aide Yan Youming and Supernumerary Attendant Liu Sixiao on a tribute mission. In the fourteenth year Ze's son Zixiang, Prince of Badong, killed chief clerk Liu Yin and marshal Xi Gongmu and plotted to assassinate Ze. Ze sent Xiao Shunzhi, governor of Danyang, to campaign against him and put him to death. In the second month of the fifteenth year he sent Extraordinary Master of the Scattered Cavalry Pei Zhaoming and Extraordinary Gentleman of the Scattered Cavalry Xie Jun on a tribute mission. In the ninth month he again sent Minister of Works Aide Xiao Chen and Fan Zhen on a tribute mission. In the sixteenth year he again sent Chen with Minister of Works Aide Fan Yun on a tribute mission, and also dispatched Rapid Cavalry Merit Officer Yu Bi and Southern Yuzhou registrar He Xian. In the seventeenth year Wang Huan, Ze's inspector of Yongzhou, and Liu Xingzu, chief clerk for the Southern Man, quarreled over the culpability of the local population. Ze had Xingzu imprisoned and ordered him sent back to Jianye. Huan promptly killed him in prison and reported that he had died by his own hand. Ze in his anger sent his Direct Attendance General Cao Daogang and Cao Hu, inspector of Liangzhou, to seize Huan, who shut the city gates and resisted. Marshal Huang Yao raised forces inside the city and attacked Huan, killing him. Huan's son Su, a secretariat assistant, and Su's younger brother Bing came over to our side.

賾子長懋死，立其孫南郡王昭業為太孫。賾遇疾暫絕，其子竟陵王子良在殿內，昭業未入。中書郎王融戎服於中書省閤口斷東宮仗不得進，欲立子良。賾既蘇，昭業入殿。融知子良不得立，乃釋服還省。

When Ze's son Changmao died, he named Changmao's son Zhaoye, Prince of Nankun, as grand heir. When Ze fell gravely ill and briefly lost consciousness, his son Ziliang, Prince of Jingling, was in the hall but Zhaoye had not yet arrived. Wang Rong, a gentleman of the Secretariat, appeared at the Secretariat gate in military dress and blocked the Eastern Palace guard from entering, intending to install Ziliang on the throne. Once Ze had regained consciousness, Zhaoye entered the hall. Seeing that Ziliang could not be enthroned, Rong changed out of his military dress and returned to his office.

賾死，昭業立。十數日，收融付廷尉殺之。昭業生而為其叔子良所養。而矯情飾詐，陰懷鄙慝，與左右無賴羣小二十許人共衣食，同臥起。妻何氏擇其中美貌者與交通。密就富商大賈取錢無數。既與子良同居，未得肆意。子良移西邸，昭業獨住西州，每至昏夜，輒開後閤，與諸小人共至諸營署恣淫宴。凡諸不逞，皆迭加爵位，許以南面之日，便即施行，皆疏官位名號於黃牋紙與之，各各囊盛，帶之肘後。昭業師史仁祖、侍書胡天翼聞之，相與謀曰：「若言之二宮，則其事未易，若於營署為異人所毆打，及為犬物所傷殘，豈直罪止一身，亦當盡室及禍。年各已七十餘，生寧足吝也。」數日，仁祖、天翼皆自殺。

When Ze died, Zhaoye ascended the throne. Within a fortnight he had Rong arrested, handed over to the Minister of Justice, and executed. Zhaoye had been raised from birth by his uncle Ziliang. Yet he feigned virtue while secretly nursing base desires, sharing food, clothing, bed, and waking hours with some twenty worthless hangers-on of his personal staff. His wife, of the He clan, chose the best-looking among them and took them as lovers. In secret he extorted untold sums from wealthy merchants. As long as he still lived under the same roof as Ziliang, he could not indulge himself as he wished. After Ziliang moved to the western residence, Zhaoye lived alone in the Western Quarter. Each night he would open the rear gate and roam with his low companions to the various barracks and offices for unrestrained debauchery. He promoted every scoundrel in turn, promising that their appointments would take effect the day he faced south as emperor. He wrote out each office and title on yellow slips, which they tucked into pouches and wore at their elbows. Zhaoye's tutor Shi Renzu and the attendant scribe Hu Tianyi heard of these goings-on and said to each other, "If we report this to the two palaces, the matter will not be easily settled. But if at the barracks we are beaten by strangers, or mauled by dogs, the blame will not fall on us alone—our whole households will be destroyed as well. We are each past seventy. Is life so precious that we should cling to it?" Within a few days Renzu and Tianyi both took their own lives.

昭業父長懋自患及死，昭業侍奉憂哀，號毀過禮，及還私室，與所親愛欣笑酣飲，備諸甘滋。葬畢，立為皇太孫。截壁為閤，於母房內往何氏間，每入輒彌時不出。賾至東宮，昭業迎拜號慟，絕而後蘇，賾自下輿抱持之，寵愛隆重。初，昭業在西州，令女巫楊氏禱祝，速求天位，及其父死，謂由楊氏之力，倍加敬信。楊氏子珉亦有美貌，何氏尤愛悅之。昭業呼楊氏為婆。劉氏以來，民間亦作楊婆兒歌，蓋為此也。及在東宮，賾有疾，令楊氏日夕祈禱，令賾早死。與何氏書，於紙中作一大「喜」字，作小「喜」三十六字遶之。賾謂其必能負荷大業，謂曰：「五年已來，一委宰相，汝多庴意。五年以後，勿復委人。」臨死，執昭業手曰：「阿奴若憶翁，當好作。」如此者再而死。子良時在中書省，昭業疑畏，使虎賁中郎將潘淑領百人屯太極殿西階以防之。 [3]大斂之始，呼賾伎人備舉眾樂，諸伎雖畏威從事，莫不哽咽流涕。及成服，悉遣諸王還第。子良固乞留過賾葬，不許。

From the onset of his father Changmao's illness until his death, Zhaoye played the dutiful mourner in public, wailing beyond all propriety. Back in his private quarters he laughed and drank with his favorites, feasting on every delicacy. After the funeral he was named imperial grand heir. He cut a passage through the wall from his mother's apartments to Madame He's quarters and would stay there for hours on end whenever he went. When Ze visited the Eastern Palace, Zhaoye came forward to bow and wailed until he fainted, only to revive again. Ze stepped down from his carriage to embrace him and lavished extraordinary affection upon him. Earlier, while Zhaoye was in the Western Quarter, he had the witch Yang perform prayers to hasten his ascent to the throne. When his father died he credited Yang's magic and redoubled his devotion to her. Yang's son Min was also handsome, and Madame He was especially fond of him. Zhaoye addressed the witch Yang as "Granny." Since the Liu dynasty the people had also sung the ballad "Granny Yang's Boy"—no doubt for this very reason. While he was in the Eastern Palace and Ze fell ill, he had the witch Yang pray day and night for Ze's swift death. In a letter to Madame He he drew one large character for "joy" on the paper, ringed by thirty-six smaller "joy" characters. Ze believed Zhaoye could shoulder the great inheritance and told him: "These five years I have left everything to the chancellor; you have paid little heed yourself. After five years, do not hand affairs over to others again." On his deathbed he took Zhaoye's hand and said, "Child, if you remember your father, you must govern well." He said this twice, then died. Ziliang was then at the Secretariat. Fearful of him, Zhaoye sent Tiger Guard Commander Pan Shu with a hundred men to hold the western steps of the Hall of Supreme Ultimate as a precaution. [3] When the grand encoffinement began, he called Ze's musicians to play every sort of music. Though they obeyed out of fear, all wept and could hardly sing. Once the mourning rites were finished, he dismissed every prince to his own house. Ziliang pleaded repeatedly to stay until after Ze's funeral, but was refused.

昭業素好狗馬，立未十日，便毀賾所起招婉殿，以殿材乞閹人徐龍駒造宅，於其處為馬埒，馳走墜馬，面額並傷，稱疾不出者數日。多聚名鷹快犬，以粱肉奉之。賾將葬，喪車未出端門，昭業便稱疾還內，裁入閤，便於內奏胡伎，鞞鐸之聲，震響內外。時司空王敬則問射聲校尉蕭坦之曰：「便如此，不當怱怱邪？」坦之曰：「此政當是內人哭聲響徹耳。」自賾葬後，昭業微服而出，遊走里市，又多往其父母陵隧中，與羣小共作鄙藝，擲塗賭跳，放鷹走狗諸雜狡獪，日日輒往，以此為常。朝事大小，皆斷於尚書令蕭鸞。初蕭賾聚錢，上庫至五億萬，齋庫亦出三億萬，金銀布帛絲綿不可稱計，至此歲末，所用過半，皆賜與左右厮卒之徒。及至廢黜，府庫空盡。昭業在內，常着紫綿紅繡雜衣或錦帽。 [4]

Zhaoye had long been devoted to hounds and horses. Less than ten days after his accession he tore down Ze's Zhao Wan Hall, gave the timbers to the eunuch Xu Longju for a private house, and turned the ground into a riding ring. He fell in a gallop and cut both face and brow, then pleaded illness and stayed away for days. He collected celebrated hawks and fleet hounds and fed them grain and meat. As Ze's funeral was about to leave the palace, before the bier had passed the Duan Gate Zhaoye feigned illness and went back inside. Hardly within the private apartments, he had barbarian musicians play; drums and cymbals thundered through the palace. The Minister of Works Wang Jingze asked the Commandant of Archers Xiao Tanzhi, "With things like this, should it not be a bit too soon?" Tanzhi replied, "That is surely just the palace women's wailing echoing everywhere." After the funeral Zhaoye slipped out in disguise to wander the streets and markets, and often visited his parents' tombs to join low companions in vulgar games, mud-throwing, gambling, hawking, and dog-racing—making such outings his daily habit. Great and small matters of state all fell to the Minister of Works Xiao Luan. Ze had once hoarded wealth: the upper treasury held five hundred million cash and the fasting treasury three hundred million, with gold, silver, silks, and brocades beyond reckoning. By year's end more than half was gone, lavished on lackeys and runners. By the time he was deposed, the treasuries were utterly bare. Inside the palace Zhaoye habitually dressed in purple brocade, red embroidery, motley finery, or a cap of figured silk. Editorial note [4].

改年為隆昌。以黃門郎周奉叔為冠軍將軍、青州刺史。奉叔諂諛為事，昭業甚悅之，而專恣跋扈，無所忌憚，常從單刀二十口，出入禁闥，門衞莫敢訶止。每語人云：「周郎刀不識君。」徐龍駒自東宮齋師以便佞見寵，構造姦邪，以取容媚，凡諸鄙黷雜事，皆龍駒所勸誘也。昭業為龍駒置美女伎樂，常住含章殿，著黃綸帽，被貂裘，南面向案，代昭業畫敕，左右侍直，與昭業不異。蕭鸞固請誅之，楊珉及母亦並下獄死。珉及母為昭業所寵，恩情特隆，賞賜傾府藏。珉為何氏所幸，常居中內侍。蕭鸞初令衞尉蕭諶、征北諮議蕭坦之請誅珉，何氏與昭業同席坐，流涕覆面，謂坦之曰：「楊郎好年少，無罪，何可枉殺！」坦之乃耳語於昭業曰：「此事別有一意，不可令人聞。」昭業呼何氏曰：「阿奴暫起去。」坦之乃曰：「外間並云楊珉與皇后有情，聞彰遐邇，此事自古所無，恐必誤官事。」昭業不得已，乃許之，俄敕原之，已行刑矣。益州刺史劉悛罷任還，昭業以其饋奉不豐，收付廷尉，將加大辟。悛弟中書郎繪乞以身代，得不死，禁錮終身。昭業與其父寵姬霍氏淫通，納之後宮。蕭鸞謀廢之，率眾而入。時昭業裸身與霍氏相對，聞兵至，拔劍起拒鸞，鸞自殺之。左右死者十餘人。

The reign era was changed to Longchang. Zhou Fengshu, Gentleman of the Yellow Gate, was made Champion General and Governor of Qing Province. Fengshu won favor through sycophancy, which delighted Zhaoye, but he grew domineering and unchecked. He habitually carried twenty swords, passed freely through the inner gates, and no guard dared challenge him. He liked to boast, "Young Zhou's blades do not recognize you." Xu Longju, once a fasting tutor in the Eastern Palace, rose by smooth flattery. He devised depravity to please his master, and every vulgar excess was Longju's doing. Zhaoye installed women and musicians for Longju, who lived permanently in the Hall of Manifest Pattern, wore a yellow silk cap and sable fur, faced south at the desk, and drafted imperial orders for him. Attendants waited on him as on the emperor himself. Xiao Luan pressed hard for his execution; Min and his mother were imprisoned and put to death as well. Min and his mother enjoyed Zhaoye's special favor; gifts to them emptied the treasury. Min was Madame He's favorite and always waited on her inside the palace. Luan first had the Commandant of the Guard Xiao Chen and the Northern Campaign Adviser Xiao Tanzhi seek Min's death. Madame He sat beside Zhaoye, weeping with her face covered, and told Tanzhi, "Young Yang is still a boy and guilty of nothing—how can you kill him unjustly!" Tanzhi then whispered to Zhaoye, "There is another purpose here; no one must hear of it." Zhaoye called to Madame He, "Dear, get up and leave us for a moment." Tanzhi then said, "Outside everyone says Young Yang and the empress are lovers. The rumor has spread everywhere. Nothing like this has ever been heard, and it will ruin the court." Zhaoye reluctantly agreed and soon issued a pardon—but the execution had already taken place. Liu Jun of Yi Province, returning after his term, was arrested because his gifts to the throne were deemed meager, sent to the Minister of Justice, and marked for execution. His brother Hui, a Secretariat Gentleman, offered his own life in exchange; Jun was spared but imprisoned for life. Zhaoye slept with his father's concubine Huo and brought her into the inner palace. Xiao Luan plotted deposition and entered the palace at the head of his forces. Zhaoye was then naked with Huo. Hearing soldiers approach, he seized a sword to resist Luan, and Luan killed him. A dozen or so of his attendants were killed.

鸞立其弟昭文，自為使持節、都督揚南徐二州、驃騎大將軍、開府、錄尚書事、揚州刺史，加班劍三十人，封宣城郡公，二千戶。以兵五千人出鎮東城。殺其鄱陽王鏘、隨王子隆。遣中護軍王玄邈殺昭文南兗州刺史、安陸王子敬，豫州刺史王廣之殺江州刺史、晉安王子懋，又殺湘州刺史、南平王銳，郢州刺史、晉熙王銶，南豫州刺史、宜都王鑑。鸞加黃鉞，進授都督中外諸軍、太傅、領大將軍、揚州牧；增班劍四十人，前後部羽葆鼓吹；劍履上殿，入朝不趨，贊拜不名；封宣城郡王，食邑五千戶；使持節、中書監、錄尚書並如故。又殺昭文桂陽王鑠、衡陽王鈞、江夏王鋒、廬陵王子卿、建安王子真、巴陵王子倫。乃廢昭文為海陵王，尋死。鸞僭立焉。

Luan set up Zhaoye's younger brother Zhaowen and took for himself the posts of Bearer of the Staff, commissioner over Yang and southern Xu, General of Agile Cavalry, Director of the Masters of Writing, and Governor of Yang, with thirty ceremonial swords and the title Duke of Xuancheng at two thousand households. He marched out to hold the eastern city with five thousand men. He executed the Prince of Poyang, Qiang, and the Prince of Sui, Zilong. He dispatched Wang Xuanyao to kill the Prince of Anlu, Zijing, Governor of southern Yan; Wang Guangzhi to kill the Prince of Jin'an, Zimao, Governor of Jiang; and also killed the Princes of Nanping, Jinxi, and Yidu, who held Xiang, Ying, and southern Yu. Luan received the yellow battle-axe and was promoted to commissioner over all armies at home and abroad, Grand Tutor, commander-in-chief, and Governor of Yang; his ceremonial swords rose to forty, with imperial parasols and drums fore and aft; he might enter the hall armed and shod, approach the throne without hurrying, and be hailed in obeisance without his name; he was made Prince of Xuancheng with a fief of five thousand households; his posts as Bearer of the Staff, Director of the Secretariat, and Director of the Masters of Writing were unchanged. He also killed Zhaowen's kinsmen: the Princes of Guiyang, Hengyang, Jiangxia, Luling, Jian'an, and Baling. He deposed Zhaowen to Prince of Hailing, who soon died. Luan then usurped the throne himself.

鸞，字景栖。其叔父道成寵愛之，過於諸子。蕭賾末，為尚書左僕射，甚親委之。賾死，遂秉朝政。既殺昭業，專權酷暴，屠滅賾等子孫。既而自立，時太和十八年也，號年建武。其宣德太僕劉朗之、游擊將軍劉璩之坐不贍給兄子，致使隨母他嫁，免官禁錮，時論者謂薄義之由，實自鸞始。

Luan, courtesy name Jingqi. His uncle Daocheng loved him more than his own sons. In Ze's last years he was Left Vice Minister of the Masters of Writing and enjoyed exceptional trust. After Ze's death he seized control of the government. Once Zhaoye was dead he ruled with savage monopoly and exterminated Ze's descendants. He soon took the throne himself in the eighteenth year of Taihe and proclaimed the era Jianwu. His Director of Virtue Liu Langzhi and Mobile General Liu Zhuanzhi were stripped of office and imprisoned for failing to support a nephew, who was forced to remarry with his mother. Contemporary opinion held that the decay of family duty began with Luan.

鸞殺其西陽王子明、南海王子罕、邵陵王子真。

Luan executed the Princes of Xiyang, Nanhai, and Shaoling—Ziming, Zihan, and Zizhen.

二十一年，車駕討鸞，鸞前將軍韓季方、弋陽太守王嗣之、後將軍趙祖悅等十五將來降。大破鸞軍於江北，獲其將軍王伏保等。車駕遂巡沔東而還。鸞將王曇紛等萬餘人寇南青州，黃郭戍主崔僧淵擊破之，悉虜其眾。又克新野城，斬鸞輔國將軍、新野太守劉忌。鸞湖陽戍主蔡道福，赭陽戍主成公期及軍主胡松，舞陰戍主、輔國將軍、西汝南北義陽二郡太守黃瑤起及直閤將軍、軍主鮑舉，南鄉太守席謙並委戍走，擒瑤起、鮑舉。

In the twenty-first year our emperor marched against Luan. Luan's former Van General Han Jifang, Governor of Yiyang Wang Sizhi, Rear General Zhao Yueyue, and fifteen other commanders defected to us. Our forces routed Luan's army north of the Yangzi and took his general Wang Fubao among others. The emperor then toured the eastern Han valley and withdrew. Luan's general Wang Tanfen led over ten thousand men against southern Qing Province; Cui Sengyuan, commander of Huang Guo garrison, crushed them and took all captive. Our troops also took Xinye and beheaded Luan's Supporting State General and Governor of Xinye, Liu Ji. Luan's garrison chiefs Cai Daofu at Huyang, Cheng Gongqi at Zheyang, Hu Song, Huang Yaoqi at Wuyin, Bao Ju, and Nanxiang governor Xi Qian all abandoned their posts and fled; Yaoqi and Ju were seized.

鸞又殺其河東王鉉、臨賀王子岳、西陽王子文、衡陽王子珉、[5]湘東王子建、南郡王子夏、巴陵王昭秀、桂陽王昭粲。

Luan also executed the Princes of Hedong, Linhe, Xiyang, Hengyang, [5] Xiangdong, Nan commandery, Baling, and Guiyang—Xuan, Ziyue, Ziwen, Zimin, Zijian, Zixia, Zhaoxiu, and Zhaocan.

車駕幸南陽，進攻宛北城，拔之，冠軍將軍、南陽太守房伯玉以城降。又大敗鸞平北將軍崔慧景、黃門郎蕭衍於鄧城，斬獲首虜二萬有餘。鸞憂怖，遂疾甚。乃大赦，改年為永泰。其大司馬王敬則於會稽舉兵，將以誅鸞，鎮北諮議謝眺，敬則女夫也，告之，敬則敗而死。

The emperor went to Nanyang, stormed Wabei north of Wan, captured it, and Fang Boyu, Champion General and Governor of Nanyang, surrendered. At Deng city he again routed Luan's Pacifier of the North Cui Huijing and the Gentleman of the Yellow Gate Xiao Yan, taking more than twenty thousand heads and captives. Luan, stricken with fear, then fell seriously ill. He declared a general amnesty and changed the era to Yongtai. His Grand Marshal Wang Jingze rebelled at Kuaiji to kill Luan, but Northern Garrison Adviser Xie Tiao, Jingze's son-in-law, betrayed him; Jingze was defeated and killed.

鸞死，子寶卷僭立。二十三年春，寶卷改元為永元，遣其太尉陳顯達率崔慧景攻馬圈城，詔前將軍元英討之。寶卷遣將寇順陽，詔振威將軍慕容平城率騎討之。顯達攻陷馬圈城，車駕南伐，詔鎮南大將軍、廣陽王嘉斷均口。顯達戰敗，潰圍夜走，斬其左軍將軍張子順[6]賊將蔡道福、成公期等數萬人棄順陽遁走。

After Luan's death his son Baojuan usurped the throne. In spring of the twenty-third year Baojuan adopted the era Yongyuan and sent Grand Marshal Chen Xianda with Cui Huijing against Macheng; our court ordered Former Van General Yuan Ying to oppose them. Baojuan sent troops to harass Shunyang; an edict dispatched Inspiring Awe General Murong Pingcheng with cavalry to repel them. Xianda took Macheng; the emperor marched south, and an edict ordered Prince Jia of Guangyang, Pacifying South General, to hold Jun Ford. Xianda was beaten, broke out by night, and fled; his Left Army General Zhang Zishun [6] was slain, and rebel commanders Cai Daofu, Cheng Gongqi, and tens of thousands more abandoned Shunyang and ran.

寶卷昏狂，政出羣竪。其始安王遙光據東府反，不克，見殺。并殺其右僕射蕭坦之、左衞將軍曹虎、領軍將軍劉暄。尋殺司空徐孝嗣、左僕射沈文季、前撫軍長史沈昭略。其太尉、江州刺史陳顯達舉兵襲建業，不果而死。

Baojuan was deranged and cruel; power lay with a clique of low favorites. His Prince of Shi'an, Yaoguang, seized the Eastern Mansion in revolt, failed, and was executed. He also killed the Right Vice Minister Xiao Tanzhi, Left Guard General Cao Hu, and Army Commander Liu Xuan. Soon after he executed Minister of Works Xu Xiaosi, Left Vice Minister Shen Wenji, and former Pacification Army chief clerk Shen Zhaolue. His Grand Marshal and Governor of Jiang, Chen Xianda, marched on Jianye, failed, and was killed.

景明初，寶卷豫州刺史裴叔業以壽陽降，寶卷遣其衞尉蕭懿為征虜將軍、豫州刺史，步道伐壽陽，頓軍小峴。詔遣軍司李煥及統軍奚康生、楊大眼等率眾入壽陽。驃騎大將軍、彭城王勰，車騎將軍王肅率步騎十萬赴之。寶卷遣將胡松、李居士率眾萬餘屯死虎，陳伯之水軍泝淮而上，以逼壽春。勰、肅大破之，斬首萬數。陳伯之又寇淮南，勰破之肥口。豫州刺史田益宗破寶卷將吳子陽、鄧元起於長風。 [7]

Early in Jingming, Baojuan's Governor of Yu, Pei Shuye, surrendered Shouyang. Baojuan sent his Commandant of the Guard Xiao Yi as Pacifying the Barbarians General and Governor of Yu to march on Shouyang by land and camp at Little Xian. Our court sent Army Supervisor Li Huan and commanders Xi Kangsheng and Yang Dayan with troops into Shouyang. Prince Xi of Pengcheng, General of Agile Cavalry, and Wang Su, General of the Chariots and Cavalry, marched with a hundred thousand infantry and cavalry to relieve the city. Baojuan sent Hu Song and Li Jushi with over ten thousand men to hold Sihu, while Chen Bo's fleet advanced up the Huai to threaten Shouchun. Xi and Su routed them and took ten thousand heads. Chen Bo raided Huainan again; Xi beat him at Fei Ford. Our Governor of Yu, Tian Yizong, defeated Baojuan's generals Wu Ziyang and Deng Yuanqi at Changfeng. Editorial note [7].

寶卷遣侍中崔慧景率諸軍自廣陵水路，欲赴壽陽。慧景見寶卷狂虐，不復自保，及得專征，欣然即路。慧景子覺時為直閤，與之密期。慧景至廣陵，覺遂出奔。慧景過廣陵數十里便回軍還，時廣陵闕鎮，司馬崔恭納之，因率眾濟江，遂攻建業。寶卷嬰城自守。寶卷豫州刺史蕭懿擊破慧景，擒殺之。

Baojuan sent Palace Attendant Cui Huijing to lead the armies by water from Guangling toward Shouyang. Seeing Baojuan's madness and cruelty, Huijing knew he could not long survive; once given independent command he marched gladly. His son Jue, then in the Direct Attendance, arranged a secret rendezvous with him. When Huijing reached Guangling, Jue slipped out and joined him. A few dozen li past Guangling, Huijing wheeled his army about. The post lacked a commander; Chief Clerk Cui Gong admitted him, and he crossed the Yangzi to strike Jianye. Baojuan shut himself in the capital to defend it. Baojuan's Governor of Yu, Xiao Yi, defeated Huijing, seized him, and executed him.

慧景既死，寶卷便自得志，無所忌憚，日日出遊。愛幸茹法珍、梅虫兒等及左右應敕、捉御刀之徒並專國命，民間謂之「刀敕」。寶卷每常輕騎戎服，往此諸家，與之讌飲。此等每有吉凶，寶卷輒往弔慶，不欲令人見之，驅斥百姓，惟置空宅而已。所往之處，既無定所，官司常慮得罪，東行驅西面人，南出驅北面人，旦或應出，夜便驅遣，吏司奔馳，叫呼盈路，老少震驚，啼號塞路，處處禁斷，不知所適。疾患困篤者悉輿去之，其有無人輿者，匍匐道側，主司又加捶打，絕命者相繼。還宮之時，常至半夜，左右輒入富室取物蕩盡。前魏興太守王敬賓新死未斂，家人被驅，不得守視，及家人還，鼠食敬賓兩眼都盡，如此者非一。寶卷酷亂逾甚，其尚書令蕭懿雖有大勳，忌而殺之，并殺其弟衞尉卿蕭暢。

With Huijing dead, Baojuan did as he pleased without restraint, roaming abroad daily. His favorites Ru Fazhen and Mei Chong'er, with edict-runners and sword-bearers of the inner service, held the realm's power; folk called them the "Blade Edicts." Baojuan often rode out lightly armed in military garb to their houses for drinking bouts. Whenever they had weddings or funerals Baojuan appeared in person, but cleared the streets so no one could watch, leaving only empty houses behind. His destinations were never fixed, and officials lived in dread of giving offense. A procession to the east meant clearing the western streets; setting out south meant emptying the north. If he might ride out at dawn, the night before brought forced evacuations. Runners dashed through the city, cries filled every road, and people of every age fled in panic, weeping until the ways were choked; barriers rose on every side, and none knew which way to turn. The seriously ill were hauled away in sedan chairs; those with no bearers crawled along the ditches while overseers flogged them, and corpses lined the route. He seldom returned to the palace before midnight, and his attendants looted wealthy households until nothing remained. Wang Jingbin, former governor of Weixing, had just died and lay unburied; his kin were driven away and could not keep vigil. When they returned, rats had devoured both his eyes—a horror repeated more than once. Baojuan's tyranny deepened. Though Minister of Works Xiao Yi had rendered great service, Baojuan slew him out of jealousy, together with his brother Xiao Chang, Commandant of the Guard.

世宗詔冠軍將軍，南豫州刺史席法友三萬人圍寶卷輔國將軍北新蔡、安豐二郡太守胡景略於建安城，[8]克之，擒景略。

Our Emperor Shizong ordered Champion General Xi Fayou, Governor of South Yu, to invest thirty thousand troops against Baojuan's Hu Jinglue—Assistant General and governor of North Xincai and Anfeng—at Jian'an.[8] The city fell and Jinglue was taken prisoner.

寶卷雍州刺史蕭衍據襄陽，舉兵伐之，荊州行事蕭穎冑應衍。三月，穎冑叛寶卷，以南康王寶融為天子。於是寶融僭即帝位。穎冑為侍中、尚書令；衍為左僕射、都督征討諸軍、征東大將軍，使持節如故。穎冑請封寶卷為虞陽縣侯，寶融不許，又封涪陵王。穎冑監八州諸軍事、行荊州刺史。假衍黃鉞。蕭衍軍至沔口，郢州嬰城自守。

Xiao Yan, Baojuan's governor of Yong, seized Xiangyang and marched against him; Xiao Yingzhou, acting governor of Jing, joined the rebellion. In the third month Yingzhou turned on Baojuan and enthroned Prince Baorong of Nankang as emperor. Baorong then usurped the throne. Yingzhou became Palace Attendant and Minister of Works; Yan was appointed Left Vice Director, supreme commander of the punitive armies, and Grand General Who Pacifies the East, retaining his credential-bearing commission. Yingzhou asked to reduce Baojuan to Marquis of Yuyang, but Baorong refused and instead made him Prince of Fuling. Yingzhou took overall command of eight provinces and served as acting governor of Jing. Yan was granted the ceremonial yellow axe. When Xiao Yan's forces reached Hankou, the governor of Ying walled the city and held out.

寶卷又殺巴陵王昭冑、永新侯昭秀、[9]黃門郎蕭寅。寶卷昏暴日甚，內外不堪，其前南譙太守王靈秀等於石頭迎寶卷弟寶夤率城內文武向其臺城，百姓空手隨從者萬數。會日暮，城門閉，不克。衍兵至建業，所在棄寶卷降之。衍兵入宮，寶卷在含德殿，吹笙歌作女兒子，臥未及睡。聞兵入，趨出北戶，欲還後宮，清曜閤已閉。閹人禁防黃泰平刀傷其膝，仆地，顧曰：「奴反也！」直後張齊斬首送衍，衍追封東昏侯，廢其皇后、太子為庶人。衍殺寶卷弟湘東王寶晊，衍又殺邵陵王寶攸、晉熙王寶松、桂陽王寶貞，其建安王寶夤來奔。尋逼寶融禪位於己，封為巴陵王，宮于姑熟。寶融尋暴死。

Baojuan executed Prince Zhaozhou of Baling, Marquis Zhaoxiu of Yongxin,[9] and Gentleman of the Yellow Gate Xiao Yin. As Baojuan's madness and cruelty mounted, the court and populace could endure no more. Former governor of South Qiao Wang Lingxiu and others at Stone City rallied Baojuan's brother Baoyin, marched the garrison toward the imperial city, and were joined by tens of thousands of unarmed townspeople. Night fell before they arrived; the gates were shut and the rising failed. As Xiao Yan approached Jianye, garrisons along the route abandoned Baojuan and submitted. Rebel troops burst into the palace while Baojuan lounged in the Hall of Contained Virtue, piping and singing in a woman's voice, not yet asleep. Hearing soldiers enter, he ran for the north gate to reach the inner quarters, but the Pure Radiance Pavilion was already barred. Eunuch guard Huang Taiping slashed his knee; Baojuan fell and cried, "The slaves have turned on me!" Attendant Zhang Qi struck off his head and sent it to Xiao Yan, who posthumously named him Marquis of Eastern Darkness and reduced empress and heir to common rank. Xiao Yan executed Baojuan's brother Prince Baozhi of Xiangdong, then Prince Baoyou of Shaoling, Prince Baosong of Jinxi, and Prince Baozhen of Guiyang; Prince Baoyin of Jian'an fled to our side. He soon forced Baorong to abdicate, made him Prince of Baling, and imprisoned him at Gushu. Baorong was murdered shortly afterward.

島夷蕭衍，字叔達，亦晉陵武進楚也。父順之，蕭賾光祿大夫。衍少輕薄有口辯，歷王儉衞軍府戶曹屬，累遷為蕭鸞黃門侍郎、太子中庶子。太和二十二年，高祖南伐，詔諸軍圍襄陽，衍時率眾來援，為武衞將軍宇文福所破，單騎走免。

Xiao Yan of the Daoyi People, courtesy name Shuda, likewise came from Wujin in Jinling commandery. His father Shunzhi had served Xiao Ze as Grand Master of Splendid Happiness. As a young man Yan was flighty and glib, entered service under Wang Jian's Rear Army, and rose to be Gentleman of the Yellow Gate and Junior Mentor to the Heir under Xiao Luan. In Taihe year 22 our Grand Emperor marched south and ordered a siege of Xiangyang. Yan came to its relief, was broken by Valiant Guard General Yuwen Fu, and escaped only by fleeing alone on horseback.

蕭鸞末，出為輔國將軍、雍州刺史。鸞死，子寶卷立，殺衍兄懿，遣巴西、梓潼二郡太守劉山陽西上，聲云之郡，實令襲衍。山陽至荊州，為蕭劉冑所殺。景明二年，衍乃與冑冑推寶卷弟荊州刺史寶融為主，號年中興，舉兵伐寶卷。其年十二月，克建業，殺寶卷及其妻子。衍為大司馬、錄尚書事、揚州刺史，建安郡公，邑萬戶。三年，又自為相國、揚州牧，封十郡為梁王。

Near the end of Luan's life Yan was posted out as Assistant General and governor of Yong. After Luan's death Baojuan took the throne, executed Yan's brother Yi, and dispatched Liu Shanyang, governor of Baxi and Zitong, westward—ostensibly to assume his posts, in truth to attack Yan. Shanyang was cut down at Jingzhou by Xiao Yingzhou. In Jingming year 2 Yan and Yingzhou enthroned Baojuan's brother Baorong, governor of Jing, proclaimed the era Zhongxing, and marched against Baojuan. That December they seized Jianye and killed Baojuan together with his family. Yan became Grand Marshal, Recorder of the Masters of Writing, and governor of Yang, enfeoffed as Duke of Jian'an with ten thousand households. The next year he declared himself chancellor and governor of Yang, taking ten commanderies as the Liang princedom.

衍尋僭立，自稱曰梁，號年天監。五月，揚州小峴戍主党法宗襲衍大峴戍，破之，擒其龍驤將軍邾菩薩送京師。衍又遣將張囂寇揚州，州軍擊破之，斬二千餘級。四年三月，揚州刺史、任城王澄遣長風戍主奇道顯攻衍陰山戍，破之，斬其龍驤將軍、都亭侯梅興祖；仍攻白藁戍，又破之，斬其寧朔將軍吳道爽等，獲數千級。衍又遣其徐州長史潘伯憐屯軍淮陵，徐州刺史司馬明素又據九山，澄遣軍並擊破之，斬伯憐，擒明素。衍將吳子陽寇白沙，中山王英大破之，擒斬千數。衍梁州刺史平陽縣開國侯翟遠、徐州刺史、永昌縣開國侯陳虎牙來降。 [10]

He soon usurped the throne, named his dynasty Liang, and adopted the era Tianjian. In the fifth month Dang Fazong, commander of the Little Xian garrison on Yang, stormed Yan's Great Xian fort, routed the garrison, and sent the captive Dragon Cavalry General Zhu Pusa to our capital. Yan sent Zhang Xiao against Yang Province; our provincial troops defeated him and took more than two thousand heads. In the fourth year, third month, Prince Cheng of Rencheng, governor of Yang, sent Changfeng garrison chief Qi Daoxian against Yan's Yinshan fort; the fort fell and Dragon Cavalry General Mei Xingzu, Marquis of Duting, was beheaded; then stormed White Reed garrison, killed Pacifying the North General Wu Daoshuang and others, and took several thousand heads. Yan posted his Xu chief clerk Pan Bolian at Huailing and governor Sima Mingsu on Jiushan; Cheng's forces crushed both columns, killed Bolian, and seized Mingsu. Yan's Wu Ziyang raided Baisha; Prince Ying of Zhongshan routed him and took thousands of heads. Zhai Yuan, Yan's governor of Liang and Marquis of Pingyang, and Chen Huya, governor of Xu and Marquis of Yongchang, defected to our court. Editorial note [10].

十二月，衍梁秦二州行事夏侯道遷據漢中內附，詔尚書邢巒率眾赴之。二年四月，巒頻破衍軍，遂入劍閣，執其輔國將軍范始男送京師。巒又遣統軍王足破衍諸將，斬其輔國將軍馮文豪等。六月，衍遣將王超宗寇邊，揚州刺史薛真度大破之，俘斬三千級。七月，王足又大破衍眾，斬其秦梁二州刺史魯方達、王明達等三十餘將，俘虜二千五百人。九月，衍湘州刺史楊公則率眾寇壽春，揚州刺史元嵩擊破之，斬獲數千級。

In the twelfth month Xiahou Daoyuan, Yan's acting governor of Liang and Qin, surrendered Hanzhong; our court ordered Minister of Works Xing Luan to march to his support. In the second year, fourth month, Luan repeatedly routed Yan's forces, forced Jianmen Pass, and sent the captive Assistant General Fan Shinan to our capital. Luan then sent Commander Wang Zu to shatter Yan's columns and behead Assistant General Feng Wenhao and others. In the sixth month Yan's Wang Chao-zong raided the frontier; Governor Xue Zhendu of Yang crushed him and took three thousand heads. In the seventh month Wang Zu again routed Yan's main force, executing governors Lu Fangda and Wang Mingda of Qin and Liang and more than thirty other commanders, with twenty-five hundred prisoners. In the ninth month Yang Gongze of Xiang led a force against Shouchun; Yuan Song, governor of Ying, drove him off and took several thousand heads.

三年正月，[11]衍徐州刺史昌義之寇梁城，江州刺史王茂先寇荊州，屯河南城。平南將軍陳伯之擊義之，平南將軍楊大眼擊茂先，並大破之，斬其輔國將軍王花，俘斬二千，茂先逃潰，追奔至於漢水，拔其五城。將軍宇文福略衍司州，俘獲千餘口而還。五月，衍將蕭昞寇淮陽，張惠紹寇宿豫，蕭密寇梁城，韋叡寇合肥。平南將軍奚康生破惠紹，斬其徐州刺史宋黑。七月，衍徐州刺史王伯敖入寇陰陵，中山王英大破之，斬將二十五人，首虜五千。衍又遣將桓和屯孤山，冠軍將軍桓方慶屯固城，龍驤將軍矯道儀屯蒙山。八月，安東將軍邢巒擊桓和，破之。將軍元恒攻克固城，[12]統軍畢祖朽攻克蒙山，斬獲及赴沂水死者四千有餘。衍又遣張惠紹屯宿豫，蕭昞屯淮陽。九月，都督邢巒大破之，斬其大將藍懷恭等三十餘人，惠紹、蕭昞並棄戍南走，追斬數萬級。衍中軍大將軍、臨川王蕭密，右僕射柳惔，徐州刺史昌義之等屯據梁城，中山王英大破之，密等棄城沿淮東走，追奔至於馬頭，衍冠軍將軍、馬頭戍主朱思遠棄城走，擒衍將三十餘人，斬獲五萬有餘。十月，衍征虜將軍馬仙琕率眾三萬寇義陽，郢州刺史婁悅以州軍擊走之。

In the third year, first month,[11] Yan's Xu governor Chang Yizhi struck Liang city and Jiang governor Wang Maoxian opened a drive on Jing, encamping at Henan city. Pacifying the South Chen Bozhi broke Chang Yizhi while Pacifying the South Yang Dayan shattered Wang Maoxian; both victories cost Yan Assistant General Wang Hua and two thousand killed or captured. Maoxian fled to the Han, and five cities were recovered. General Yuwen Fu harried Yan's Si province, took more than a thousand captives, and withdrew. In the fifth month Xiao Bing of Yan struck Huaiyang, Zhang Huishao Suyu, Xiao Mi Liang city, and Wei Rui Hefei. Pacifying the South Xi Kangsheng routed Huishao and killed Xu governor Song Hei. In the seventh month Yan's Xu governor Wang Bo'ao invaded Yinling; Prince Ying of Zhongshan annihilated him, taking twenty-five commanders' heads and five thousand prisoners. Yan posted Huan He on Gushan, Champion Huan Fangqing on Gucheng, and Dragon Cavalry Jiao Daoyi on Mengshan. In the eighth month Pacifying the East Xing Luan struck Huan He and broke his camp. General Yuan Heng seized Gucheng;[12] Commander Bi Zuxiu took Mengshan; slain, captured, and drowned along the Yi exceeded four thousand. Yan re-established Zhang Huishao at Suyu and Xiao Bing at Huaiyang. In the ninth month Commander Xing Luan crushed them, killing great general Lan Huai-gong and thirty-odd others; Huishao and Xiao Bing abandoned their forts and fled south, and the pursuit left tens of thousands dead. Yan's Central Army commander Prince Mi of Linchuan, Right Vice Director Liu Yan, and Xu governor Chang Yizhi held Liang city; Prince Ying of Zhongshan shattered them. Mi and the rest fled down the Huai; our troops chased them to Matou, where garrison chief Zhu Siyuan abandoned his post; thirty-odd Yan generals were taken and casualties passed fifty thousand. In the tenth month Ma Xianbi of Yan led thirty thousand against Yiyang; Lou Yue, governor of Ying, repelled him with provincial troops.

二年正月，中山王英攻克衍長薄戍，殺傷數萬； [13]仍攻拔武陽關，擒衍雲騎將軍、松滋縣開國侯馬廣，冠軍將軍、遷陵縣開國子彭瓫，驍騎將軍、當陽縣開國伯徐元秀等二十六將，俘獲七千餘人；又進攻黃峴西關，衍將軍馬仙琕棄西關，李元履棄黃峴遁走。

In the second year, first month, Prince Ying of Zhongshan stormed Yan's Changbo garrison, inflicting tens of thousands of casualties; [13]he pressed on to take Wuyang Pass, seizing Cloud Cavalry General Ma Guang, Marquis of Songzi, Champion Peng Fan, Viscount of Qianling, Valiant Cavalry Xu Yuanxiu, Earl of Dangyang, and twenty-six other commanders, with over seven thousand prisoners; then advanced on the western gate of Huang Pass; Ma Xianbi abandoned the west gate and Li Yuanlu fled Huang Pass.

四年春三月，衍琅邪郡民王萬壽等斬衍輔國將軍、琅邪東莞二郡太守、帶昫山戍主劉晣并將士四十餘人，以城內屬。徐州刺史盧昶遣兼郯城戍副張天惠率眾赴之，而衍郁洲已遣二軍以拒天惠，天惠與萬壽等內外齊擊，俘斬數百。昶仍遣琅邪戍主傅文驥入城據守，衍又遣將張稷、馬仙琕等攻圍文驥。詔昶率眾赴之，而文驥以糧盡降衍，昶遂失利而還。

In the fourth year, third month, Wang Wanshou of Langye and his fellows slew Yan's Liu Xi—Assistant General, governor of Langye and Dongguan, and commander of Mount Yang garrison—along with forty-odd officers, and surrendered the city to us. Xu governor Lu Chang dispatched Zhang Tianhui, deputy of the Yancheng garrison, to reinforce them; Yan's Yuzhou had already sent two columns against Tianhui, who joined Wanshou in a pincer that cost the enemy hundreds of lives. Chang sent Langye garrison chief Fu Wenji to hold the town; Yan countered with Zhang Ji, Ma Xianbi, and others to besiege him. Our court ordered Chang forward, but Wenji, his grain exhausted, surrendered to Yan; Chang withdrew in defeat.

延昌二年二月，郁洲徐玄明斬送衍鎮北將軍、青冀二州刺史張稷首，以州內附。三年六月，衍遣眾寇九山，荊州刺史桓叔興大破之，[14]斬其虎旅將軍蔡令孫、冠軍將軍席世興、貞義將軍藍次孫。四年二月，衍寧州刺史任太洪率眾寇關城，益州長史成興孫擊破之。

In Yan-chang second year, second month, Xu Xuanming of Yuzhou killed Yan's Pacifying the North Zhang Ji, governor of Qing and Ji, sent his head to us, and surrendered the province. In the third year, sixth month, Yan raided Jiushan; Jing governor Huan Shuxing routed them,[14] killing Tiger Guard Cai Lingsun, Champion Xi Shixing, and Upright Righteousness Lan Cisun. In the fourth year, fourth month, Yan's Ning governor Ren Taihong struck Guancheng; Yi chief clerk Cheng Xingsun repulsed him.

正光元年，衍改稱普通，至三年，其弟子西豐侯正德棄衍來奔，尋復亡歸，衍初忿之，改其姓為背氏，既而復焉，封為臨賀王。五年九月，衍將裴邃、虞鴻襲據壽春外郭，刺史長孫稚擊走之。

In Zhengguang 1 Yan adopted the era Putong. In year 3 his nephew Marquis Zhengde of Xifeng defected, then fled back; Yan first changed his surname to "Back" in anger, then relented and made him Prince of Linhe. In the ninth year, fifth month, Yan's Pei Sui and Yu Hong seized Shouchun's outer ramparts; governor Chang Sunzhi expelled them.

孝昌元年正月，徐州刺史元法僧據城南叛，衍遣豫章王綜鎮彭城，綜，蕭寶卷之遺腹子也。初，衍平建業，因納其母吳氏，吳氏先有孕，後生綜，衍謂為己子，甚寵愛之。綜既長，母密告綜，綜遂潛圖叛衍，既鎮彭城，及大軍往討，綜乃拔身來奔。餘將退走，國軍追躡，所獲萬計。衍初聞之，慟哭氣絕，甚為慚惋，猶云其子，言其病風所致，時人咸笑之。

In Xiaochang 1, first month, Xu governor Yuan Faseng rebelled and held the southern city; Yan sent Prince Zong of Yuzhang to hold Pengcheng—Zong was Baojuan's posthumous child. When Yan took Jianye he took Baojuan's consort Lady Wu, already pregnant; she later bore Zong, whom Yan claimed as his own and cherished. When Zong came of age his mother revealed his true parentage; he plotted against Yan, and once posted to Pengcheng he deserted to our army when we marched against him. The other commanders fled; our forces pursued and took tens of thousands. Yan first wailed until he fainted, then, mortified, still called Zong his son and blamed "wind sickness"—to the mockery of all.

三月，衍遣其北梁州長史錫休儒、司馬魚和、上庸太守姜平洛等入寇直城，梁州刺史傅豎眼遣息敬紹率眾大敗之，擒斬三千人，休儒等遁走。四月，衍益州刺史蕭淵猷遣將樊文熾等率眾圍小劍戍，[15]益州刺史邴虬遣子子達，行臺魏子建遣別將淳于誕拒擊之。五月，誕等大破文熾，俘斬二萬，擒其次將蕭世澄等十二人，[16]文熾走免。是歲，衍又改年為大通。 [17]

In the third month Yan's Xi Xiuru of North Liang, Marshal Yu He, and Shangyong governor Jiang Pingluo raided Zhicheng; Liang governor Fu Shuyan sent his son Jingshao to crush them, taking three thousand heads; the survivors fled. In the fourth month Yi governor Xiao Yuan-you sent Fan Wenchì to besiege Little Sword garrison;[15] Yi governor Bing Qiu sent his son Zida, and mobile headquarters Wei Zijian sent detached commander Chunyu Dan to meet them. In the fifth month Chunyu Dan shattered Wenchì's army, killing twenty thousand and capturing twelve subordinate commanders including Xiao Shicheng;[16] Wenchì himself escaped. That year Yan adopted the era Datong. Editorial note [17].

二年七月，衍將元樹、湛僧珍等寇壽春。又攻逼新野，詔都督魏承祖討破之。三年二月，衍將成景儁寇彭城，行臺崔孝芬率諸將擊走之。

In the second year, seventh month, Yan's Yuan Shu and Zhan Sengzhen struck Shouchun. They also threatened Xinye; our court ordered Commander Wei Chengzu to rout them. In the third year, third month, Cheng Jingjun of Yan raided Pengcheng; mobile headquarters Cui Xiaofen and his commanders repelled him.

永熙元年夏，衍遣其鄴王元樹及譙州刺史朱文開入據譙城，東南道行臺樊子鵠率諸軍攻克之，擒元樹、文開等送於京師。

In Yongxi 1, summer, Yan's Prince Yuan Shu of Ye and Qiao governor Zhu Wenkai seized Qiao city; Southeast Route commander Fan Zihu retook it and sent Shu, Wenkai, and their fellows to our capital.

天平元年十月，衍雄信將軍紀耕率眾入寇[山＋尃]嵣，都督曹仲尼破走之，斬其軍主沈達、閔莊等。二年正月，衍將湛僧珍寇南兗州，州軍擊破之。行臺元晏又破湛僧珍等於項城，虜其□□刺史楊㬓。二月，衍司州刺史陳慶之、郢州刺史田朴特等寇邊，豫州刺史堯雄擊走之。五月，衍仁州刺史黃道始寇北濟陰，徐州刺史任祥討破之。十月，衍將梁秉儁寇單父，祥又大敗之，俘斬萬餘人。十一月，衍雍州刺史蕭恭遣將柳仲禮寇荊州，刺史王元軌破之於牛飲，斬其將張殖、王世興。是年，衍又改號為中大通。 [18]三年五月，豫州刺史堯雄攻衍白苟堆鎮，克之，擒其北平太守苟元曠。十月，行臺侯景攻陷衍楚城，獲其楚州刺史桓和兄弟。四年九月，衍青冀二州刺史徐子彥寇圉城，南青州刺史陸景元擊走之。

In Tianping 1, tenth month, Yan's Trustworthy Faith General Ji Geng raided a frontier post whose name is damaged in the manuscript; Commander Cao Zhongni routed him and killed army masters Shen Da and Min Zhuang. In the second year, first month, Zhan Sengzhen of Yan invaded South Yan Province and was beaten by provincial troops. Mobile headquarters Yuan Yan again defeated Sengzhen at Xiangcheng and took his prefect Yang [name damaged in manuscript]. In the second month Si governor Chen Qingzhi and Ying governor Tian Putè raided the frontier; Yu governor Yao Xiong repulsed them. In the fifth month Ren governor Huang Daoshi struck North Jiyin; Xu governor Ren Xiang defeated him. In the tenth month Liang Bingjun of Yan raided Shanfu; Ren Xiang annihilated him, taking more than ten thousand heads. In the eleventh month Yong governor Xiao Gong sent Liu Zhongli against Jing; Jing governor Wang Yuan-gui crushed him at Niuyin, killing Zhang Zhi and Wang Shixing. That year Yan renamed his era Zhong Datong. [18]In the third year, fifth month, Yu governor Yao Xiong stormed Yan's Baigoudui fort, seized it, and took North Ping governor Gou Yuankuang prisoner. In the tenth month mobile headquarters Hou Jing stormed Yan's Chucheng and took Chu governor Huan He and his brothers prisoner. In the fourth year, ninth month, Yan's Qing-Ji governor Xu Ziyan raided Yucheng; South Qing governor Lu Jingyuan repelled him.

先是，益州刺史傅和以城降衍，衍資送和，令申意於齊獻武王，求通交好，王志綏邊遠，乃請許之。四年冬，衍遣其散騎常侍張臯、通直常侍劉孝儀、通直常侍崔曉朝貢。二年夏，[19]又遣散騎常侍沈山卿、通直常侍劉研朝貢。興和二年春，又遣散騎常侍柳豹、通直常侍劉景彥朝貢。其年冬，又遣散騎常侍陸晏子、通直常侍沈景徽朝貢。是年，衍改號大同。 [20]三年夏，又遣散騎常侍明少遐、通直郎謝藻朝貢。四年春，又遣散騎常侍袁狎、通直常侍賀文發朝貢。其年冬，又遣散騎常侍劉孝勝、通直常侍謝景朝貢。武定元年夏，又遣散騎常侍沈眾、通直常侍殷德卿朝貢。其年冬，又遣散騎常侍蕭確、通直常侍陸緬朝貢。三年秋，又遣散騎常侍徐君房、通直常侍庾信朝貢。四年夏，又遣散騎常侍蕭瑳、通直常侍賀德瑒朝貢。五年春，又遣散騎常侍謝藺、[21]通直常侍鮑至朝貢。朝廷亦遣使報之。十餘年間，南境寧息。

Earlier Yi governor Fu He had surrendered his city to Yan; Yan sent him back with gifts to convey overtures to Duke of Qi Xianwu Wang Gaohuan and seek friendly ties. Our sovereign wished to pacify the distant marches and asked that this be allowed. In the fourth year, winter, Yan sent attendant cavalier Zhang Gao and direct-attendants Liu Xiaoyi and Cui Xiao to present tribute. In the second year, summer,[19] he again sent attendant cavalier Shen Shanqing and direct-attendant Liu Yan to present tribute. In Xinghe 2, spring, he again sent attendant cavalier Liu Bao and direct-attendant Liu Jingyan to present tribute. That winter he again sent attendant cavalier Lu Yanzi and direct-attendant Shen Jinghui to present tribute. That year Yan adopted the era Datong. [20]In the third year, summer, he again sent attendant cavalier Ming Shaoxia and direct secretary Xie Zao to present tribute. In the fourth year, spring, he again sent attendant cavalier Yuan Xia and direct-attendant He Wenfa to present tribute. That winter he again sent attendant cavalier Liu Xiaosheng and direct-attendant Xie Jing to present tribute. In Wuding 1, summer, he again sent attendant cavalier Shen Zhong and direct-attendant Yin Deqing to present tribute. That winter he again sent attendant cavalier Xiao Que and direct-attendant Lu Mian to present tribute. In the third year, autumn, he again sent attendant cavalier Xu Junfang and direct-attendant Yu Xin to present tribute. In the fourth year, summer, he again sent attendant cavalier Xiao Chang and direct-attendant He Deyang to present tribute. In the fifth year, spring, he again sent attendant cavalier Xie Lin[21] and direct-attendant Bao Zhi to present tribute. Our court also sent envoys in return. For more than a decade the southern marches knew peace.

六年，衍又改號為中大同，其年又改為太清。 [22]是歲，司徒侯景反，遣使通衍，請其拯援。衍惑景遊說，遂絕貢使。衍子綱及朝臣並切諫以為不可，衍不從。乃遣其兄子豫州刺史、貞陽侯淵明，北兗州刺史胡貴孫等寇逼徐州，與侯景為聲援，仍堰泗水以灌彭城。齊文襄王遣行臺慕容紹宗、儀同三司高岳、潘相樂等率眾討之。紹宗檄衍境內曰：

In the sixth year Yan renamed his era Zhong Datong, then Taiqing within the same year. [22]That year Minister of Works Hou Jing rose in rebellion, sent envoys to Yan, and begged for rescue. Yan, swayed by Jing's blandishments, broke off tribute missions. Yan's son Gang and the ministers urgently warned against it; Yan refused to listen. He then sent his nephew Yu governor and Marquis of Zhenyang Yuanming, North Yan governor Hu Guisun, and others against Xuzhou in concert with Hou Jing, and dammed the Si to flood Pengcheng. Prince Wenxiang of Qi sent mobile headquarters Murong Shaozong, Senior Pallad Gao Yue, Pan Xiangle, and others to campaign against them. Shaozong issued a proclamation throughout Yan's realm:

夫乾坤交泰，明聖興作，有冥運行之力，俱盡變化之途。抱識含靈，融然並至；呈形賦命，混而同往。所以玄功潛運，至德旁通，百姓日用而不知，萬國受賜而無迹。豈徒鑿其耳目，易其心慮，悟以風雲，一其文軌，使夫日月之照不私，雨露之施均洽，運諸仁壽之域，納於福祿之林。自晉政多僻，金行淪蕩，中原作戰鬬之場，生民為鳥獸之餌；則我皇魏握玄帝之圖，納水靈之祉，駕雲車而自北，策龍御以圖南，致符上帝，援溺下土，怪物殛死，淫水不作，運神器於顧眄，定寶命於踟躕，恢之以武功，振之以文德，宇內反可封之俗，員首識堯舜之心。沙海荒忽之外，瀚漠羈縻之表，方志所不傳，荒經所不綴，莫不繩谷釣山，依風託水，共仰中國之聖，同欣大道之行。唯夫三吳、百越獨阻聲教，匪民之咎，責有由焉。

When heaven and earth stand in harmonious union, the bright sage arises; hidden destiny moves beneath all things, and every creature walks the road of change to its end. All who hold mind and bear spirit come forth blended as one; given shape and allotted life, they mingle and advance together. Thus the hidden work moves in silence, supreme virtue reaches everywhere: the people use it daily yet do not know it; ten thousand realms receive its grace yet see no mark. Is it only to clear their ears and eyes, turn their hearts, awaken them with wind and cloud, and make one their script and wheel-ruts—so that sun and moon shine without favor, rain and dew fall with equal bounty, and all are borne into the domain of benevolence and long life, gathered into the grove of blessing and rank? Since Jin rule turned crooked and the Metal mandate collapsed, the Central Plains became a battlefield and the people prey for birds and beasts; then our august Wei seized the Dark Emperor's chart, took in the Water Spirit's blessing, drove the cloud-chariot from the north and urged the dragon-steed toward the south, presented the tally to Heaven, rescued the drowning world below, slew monstrous things and stilled the floods, shifted the sacred vessel at a glance and fixed the precious mandate where it wavered—restoring order by arms, uplifting it by civil virtue—until within the seas the custom of enfeoffment returned and every head knew the mind of Yao and Shun. Beyond shifting sands and trackless wastes, outside the tables of tethered submission, in lands no regional gazetteer records and no lost classic stitches together—all tied valleys and fished mountains, leaning on wind and trusting water—alike look up to the Central State's sage and rejoice in the Great Way's going. Only the Three Wu and the Hundred Yue still block our transforming voice—not the people's fault, but blame lies elsewhere.

自偽晉之後，劉蕭作慝，擅僭一隅，號令自己。惟我祖宗馭宇，愛民重戰，未極謀臣之畫，不窮節將之兵，聊遣行人，降以尺一，圓臺已築，黃屋輒去，賜其几杖，置之度外。蕭衍輕險有素，士操蔑聞，睥睨君親，自少而長，好亂樂禍，惡直醜正，巧用其短，以少為多。詃惑愚淺，大言以驚俗；驅扇邪僻，口兵以作威。曲體脅肩，搖脣鼓舌，候當朝之顧指，邀在位之餘論。遂汙辱冠帶，偷竊藩維。及寶卷昏狂，下不堪命，曾無北面有犯之節，遽滅人倫在三之禮，憑妖假怪，鬼語神言，稱兵指闕，傾朝鴆主，陵虐孤寡，聾愚士民。天不悔禍，姦醜得志，內恣彫靡，外逞殘賊。驅羸國之兵，迫糊口之眾，南出五嶺，北防九江，屯戍不解，役無寧歲。死亡矢刃之下，夭折霧露之中，哭泣者無已，傷痍者不絕。託身人上，忽下如草。遂使頑嚚子弟，肆行淫虐；狡猾羣小，縱極貪惏。剝割蒼生，肌肉略盡；刳剔黔首，骨髓俱罄。猛虎未方其害，餓狼詎侔其禍，惵惵周餘，救死無地。至於矯情飾詐，事非一緒。毒螫滿懷，妄敦戒業；躁競盈胸，謬治清靜。至乃大興寺塔，廣繕臺堂，昭陽到景，垂珠銜璧，崢嶸刻削，千門萬戶。鞭撻疲民，盡其筋骨，延壤運石，悲歌掩途，死而可祈，甘同仙化。智淺謀疏，曾不自揆。遏桐柏之流，翻為己害；子亡齊之胤，忽為戎首。書契迄茲，罕聞其事。至於廢捐冢嫡，崇樹愚子，朋黨路開，彼我側目。疾視扼腕，十室而九，翹足有待，良亦多人。

Since the pseudo-Jin, the Liu and Xiao lines have wrought evil, usurping a corner and issuing commands as they please. Yet our forebears ruled the realm, loving the people and sparing blood: they did not exhaust every stratagem or every loyal general's army—only sent envoys, lowered a foot-long edict; though the Round Terrace was built, the yellow canopy soon departed; they granted armrest and staff and set the matter aside. Xiao Yan has always been frivolous and treacherous, his scholar's conduct beneath notice; he looks down on ruler and kin, has from youth loved turmoil and welcomed disaster, hated the upright and loathed the correct, cleverly turned others' flaws to his gain, and made a little seem much. He flatters the foolish and shallow, startling the vulgar with grand words; stirs the crooked and perverse, wielding words as weapons to awe others. Bowing low and hunching his shoulders, wagging lips and drumming tongue, he watches the court's glance and courts the idle talk of officeholders. Thus he defiled the scholar's regalia and stole a regional domain. When Baojuan grew mad and cruel and the people could not endure him, Yan lacked even the rectitude of a subject who faces north yet dares offense; he abruptly cast aside the rites binding men, leaned on demons and borrowed omens, ghost-speech and spirit-words, raised arms against the palace, overturned the court and poisoned the sovereign, bullied orphans and widows, and deafened scholar and commoner alike. Heaven did not repent the calamity; the wicked triumphed, indulging carved luxury within and cruel brigandage without. He drove the troops of a drained state and pressed a people living mouth to mouth—south beyond the Five Ridges, north guarding Jiujiang—garrisons never stood down, corvée without a year of rest. Men died beneath arrow and blade; children perished in mist and dew; mourners never ceased; the wounded never ended. Men were placed in his trust above others; he cast them down like grass. Thus obstinate sons and younger brothers ran wild in lust and cruelty; crafty petty men indulged greed to the limit. They flayed the people until little flesh remained; they gouged the common folk until marrow was wholly drained. Even tigers could not match their harm; starving wolves could not equal their ruin; the trembling Zhou remnant had nowhere to flee death. As for feigned feeling and dressed-up fraud, the instances are beyond counting. Venom filled his breast, yet he falsely honored abstinence; restless rivalry brimmed his chest, yet he pretended to rule through quiet purity. He even raised temples and pagodas on a vast scale and rebuilt terraces and halls—from Zhaoyang to Jing, pearls hung and jades joined, towers carved sharp, a thousand gates and ten thousand doors. He whipped the exhausted people until bone and sinew were spent; they dragged earth and hauled stone, dirges muffling the roads—if death could be prayed for, they would gladly call it immortality. Shallow in wisdom and loose in planning, he never measured himself. He blocked the Tongbai current and turned it to his own harm; the lost heir of Qi suddenly became a war-leader. Since records began, such a thing has rarely been heard. He cast aside the legitimate heir and elevated a foolish son; factional paths opened wide and each side glared at the other. Hatred glared and wrists clenched—nine houses in ten; many stood on tiptoe awaiting their moment.

二紀於茲，王家多故，始則車馳之警，終有驚墜之哀，神祇痛憤，宇縣崩震。於是故相國、齊獻武高王感天壤之慘黷，激雲雷以慨然，仗高義而率民，奮大節以成務。爰有匡國定霸之圖，非直討賊雪耻之舉。於是叡略紛紜，靈武冠世，盪滌逋孽，尊主康邦。皇上秉歷受圖，天臨日鏡，道隨玄運，德與神行。既而元首懷舞戚之風，上宰薄兵車之會，遂解縶南冠，喻以好睦，舟車遵溯，川陸光華，亭徼相望，欣然自泰，反肉還童，不待羊、陸。雖嘉謀長算，爰自我始，罷戰息民，兩獲其泰。王者之信，明如四時，豈或為人君父，二三其德，書而不法，可不惜哉！

Two reign-periods have passed; the royal house has known many troubles—first the alarm of rushing chariots, at last the grief of a sudden fall; the spirits were pained and enraged, the realm shook apart. Thereupon the late Chancellor, Duke of Qi Xianwu Wang Gaohuan, feeling heaven and earth's calamity and defilement, was stirred by cloud and thunder to righteous wrath; relying on lofty righteousness he led the people and exerted great integrity to accomplish the task. His design was to steady the state and fix hegemony—not merely to punish rebels and wash away shame. Sagacious strategy swirled in profusion, martial spirit crowned the age; he swept away fleeing remnants, honored the sovereign, and brought peace to the state. The Son of Heaven holds the calendar and receives the chart; heaven draws near, the sun mirrors forth; the Way follows the hidden cycle, virtue moves with the spirits. Soon the sovereign took up the wind of dancing with shields; the chief minister lightened the muster of chariots and troops; he released the southern captives and instructed them in friendly kinship; boats and carts followed upstream, rivers and roads shone, watch-pavilions faced one another, all gladly at ease—flesh restored, youth returned—without waiting for Yang Hu and Lu Kai. Though fine counsel and long reckoning began with us, war ceased and the people rested—both sides gained peace. A king's faith is bright as the four seasons—how could one be sovereign and father to others yet be two-faced in virtue, writing yet not honoring the law? How lamentable!

侯景一介役夫，出自凡賤，身名淪蔽，無或可紀。直以趨馳便習，見愛尒朱，小人叨竊，遂忝名位。及中興之際，義旗四指，元惡不赦，實在羣胡。景荷人成拔，藉其股肱，主人有丹頸之期，所天蹈族滅之釁。雖不能蔽捍左右，以命酬恩，猶當慘顏後至，義形於色。而趣利改圖，速如覆手，投身麾下，甘為僕隸。獻武王棄其瑕穢，錄其小誠，得厠五命之末，預在一隊之後。參跡驅馳，庶其來效，長鞭利鎩，術以制之。既關隴逋誅，每事經略，以河南空虛之地，非兵戰之衝，薄存掎角，聊示旗鼓，豈資實效，寄以遊聲。軍機催勒，蓋唯景任，總兵統旅，別有司存。而愚褊有積，驕愎遂甚，犯違軍紀，仍自猜貳，禍心潛構，翻為亂階。負恩棄德，罔恤天討，不義不昵，厚而必顛。委慈母如脫屣，棄少弟如遺土，羣子陸陸，妻姪成行，慕姜兒之爽言，蔑伯春之宛轉。跳梁猖蹶，夫欲誰欺！比之梟鏡，異類同醜；欲擬蛇鼠，顧匪其倫。及遠託關右，委命寇逆，寶炬定君臣之分，黑獺結兄弟之親，授以名器之尊，救其重圍之死，憑人繫援，假人鼻息。俄而忘恩背惠，親尋干戈，釁暴惡盈，側首無託。以金陵逋逃之藪，江南流禦之地，甘辭卑體，進熟圖身。詭言浮說，抑可知矣，叛豎救命，豈將擇音。偽朝大夫幸災忘義，主耄於上，臣蔽於下。逐雀去草，曾不是圖；竊寶叛邑，椒蘭比好。人而無禮，其能國乎！

Hou Jing was a common laborer sprung from vulgar baseness; his person and name sank into obscurity, with nothing worth recording. Only because he was skilled at rushing errands did Erzhu favor him; the petty man stole rank and disgraced his post. At restoration, righteous banners pointed on every side; the chief evil was not to be pardoned—the guilt lay with the barbarian hosts. Jing owed his rise to another man's achievement and borrowed his strength; his master faced the day of the red neck, yet the lord he served courted clan extermination. Though he could not shield his lord left and right and repay favor with his life, he should still have worn a grim face and let righteousness show in his bearing. Yet he turned his plan for profit as fast as turning the hand, cast himself under another's banner, and gladly became a menial. Xianwu Wang cast aside his flaws, noted his small sincerity, let him reach the lowest of the five orders of rank, and placed him in the rear of a company. He joined the ranks in rapid service, hoping he would prove useful; with long whip and sharp blade our side controlled him by method. Once Guanlong's fleeing rebels were punished, in every strategic matter the vacant lands of Henan were not the main thrust of war; a thin corner-hold merely displayed banners and drums—no real effect was expected, only a roaming feint. Military affairs were largely Jing's assignment alone; overall command of armies and brigades had separate officers in charge. Yet stupidity and narrowness accumulated, arrogance and obstinacy grew extreme; he violated military discipline, still harbored divided loyalty, secretly built treason, and became the stair of rebellion. He betrayed favor and cast aside virtue, heedless of heaven's punishment; unrighteous and unkin—where kindness was thick, overturn was sure. He cast off a loving mother like shoes, abandoned a younger brother like discarded earth; sons stood in ranks, wives and nephews marched in files; he admired Jiang Er's blunt words and scorned Bo Chun's winding pleas. Leaping and rampant—whom does he think to deceive! Compared to owl and mirror-beast, different kinds yet alike in ugliness; if one wished to liken him to snake and rat, he would not even match their kind. When he entrusted himself west of the pass to bandit rebels, Baoju fixed ruler and minister, Hei Ta made brotherly kin, bestowed honor and title, and rescued him from death in heavy siege—relying on others for rescue, borrowing others' breath. Soon he forgot favor and betrayed kindness, personally seeking arms; outrage and cruelty brimmed over, and he had nowhere to turn. Taking Jinling as a marsh of fugitives and the lands south of the Yangtze as a drifting court, he offered sweet words and a humble body, advancing seasoned plans for his own survival. Deceptive words and floating talk—this is plain enough; a rebel rogue begging for his life—would he choose his tone? The great officers of the false court rejoiced in disaster and forgot righteousness; the sovereign was senile above, the ministers blind below. Driving off sparrows and removing weeds—this was never their plan; they stole treasure and betrayed their towns, drawing close like pepper and orchid. If men are without rites, how can there be a state!

夫安危有大勢，成敗有恒兆，不假離朱之目，不藉子野之聽，聊陳刺心之說，且吐伐謀之言。今帝道休明，皇猷允塞，四民樂業，百靈效祉。雖上相云亡，而伊陟繼事，秉文經武，虎視龍驤。驅日下之俊雄，收一世之英銳，擊刺猶雷電，合戰如風雨，控弦躍馬，固敵是求。蠕蠕昔遭離亂，輻分瓦裂，匹馬孤征，告困於我。國家深敦隣附，愍其入懷，盡憂人之禮，極繼絕之義，保衞出於故地，資給唯其多少，存其已亡之業，成其莫大之基。深仁厚德，鏤其骨髓，引領思報，義如手足。吐谷渾深執忠孝，膠漆不渝，萬里仰德，奏款屬路，並申以婚好，行李如歸。蠕蠕境斜界黃河，望通豳夏，飛雪千里，層冰洞積。北風轉勁，實筋角之時；沍寒方猛，正氈裘之利。吐谷渾疾彼凶逆，強兵歲舉，傾河及鄯，塵通隴峽。驅龍池之種，藉常勝之氣，二方候隙，企其移踵。加以獨孤如願擁眾秦中，治兵劫脅。黑獺北備西擬，內營腹心，救首救尾，疲於奔命。豈暇稱兵東指，出師函谷。且秋風揚塵，國有恒防，關河形勝之際，山川襟帶之所，猛將精兵，基跱岳立。 [23]又寶炬河陰之北，黑獺芒山之走，[24]眾無一旅，僅以身歸。就其不顧根本，輕懷進趣，斯則一勞永逸，天贊我也。言之旦旦，日月經天，舉世所知，義非徒語。持此量之，理有可見，則侯景遊辭，莫非虛誕。

Security and danger follow a great tendency; success and failure have constant omens—without Li Zhu's eyes or Ziye's hearing, I briefly set forth words that pierce the heart and speak plans for punitive campaign. Now the imperial Way is flourishing and bright, the royal plan truly fulfilled; the four peoples rejoice in their occupations, the hundred spirits present blessings. Though the chief minister above is gone, Yi Zhi continues the work, holding civil and martial together, tiger-gazing and dragon-rising. He drives the outstanding heroes under the sun, gathers the keen blades of an age; thrust and stab are like thunder and lightning, joined battle like wind and rain; drawing bow and leaping horse, he firmly seeks the enemy. The Rouran once suffered disunion and chaos, their realm split apart; a lone horse on a solitary campaign, they reported distress to us. Our state deeply honored neighboring ties, pitied their plight, fully performed the rites of caring for others and carried neighborly aid to the utmost; protection issued from their former lands, supplies given according to need; we preserved their perished enterprise and completed their greatest foundation. Our deep benevolence and enduring virtue are carved into their marrow; they crane their necks in longing to repay us, bound in righteousness like hand and foot. Tuyuhun hold fast to loyalty and filial piety, steadfast as glue and lacquer; from ten thousand li they look up to our virtue, tribute missions crowd the roads, marriage alliances are all proposed, and their envoys travel as though returning home. The Rouran realm borders the Yellow River on a slant, gazing toward Bin and Xia; snow flies for a thousand li, and layered ice piles deep in the hollows. The north wind turns fierce—this is truly the season for sinew bows and horn weapons; Piercing cold is at its height—exactly when felt and fur serve them best. Tuyuhun hate their villainy and rebellion; each year they raise strong armies, flooding west to Shan and raising dust through the Long Gorge. They drive the Dragon Pool breed and borrow an air of constant victory; both realms watch for an opening, expecting our armies to shift their heels. Moreover Dugu Ruyuan holds a host in the Qin heartland, drilling troops and menacing by raid. Hei Ta makes ready in the north and schemes in the west, inwardly fortifying his core; saving head and tail alike, he is worn out running to every alarm. How could they spare troops to point east and march out through Hangu Pass? Moreover, with autumn winds raising dust, the state keeps its standing defenses; at the strategic passes and rivers, where mountains and streams gird the land like a belt, fierce generals and keen troops stand rooted as peaks. [23]Again Baoju's defeat north of Heyin and Hei Ta's flight at Mangshan—[24]not a single brigade remained; each barely escaped with his own person. If they disregard their foundations and lightly rush forward, then one effort will bring lasting ease—Heaven assists us. These words are earnest as sun and moon crossing the sky; all the world knows them—the meaning is no empty phrase. Measured by this, the truth is plain to see: Hou Jing's wandering claims are nothing but vain fabrication.

夫景繩樞席牖之子，阡陌鄙俚之夫，遭風塵之會，逢馳騖之日，遂位在三吏，邑啟千社，揣身量分，久當止足。而乃周章去就，離跂不已，夫豈徒爾，事可搉揚。度其眾叛親離，守死不暇，乃聞將棄懸瓠，遠赴彭城。老賊姦謀，復將作矣。固揚聲赴助，計在圖襲，吞淵明之眾，招厭虐之民，舉長淮以為斷，仍鵄張歲月，南面假名，死而後已。此蓋蚌鷸之禍，我承其弊。

As for Jing—a man of hemp pivots and mat windows, a vulgar fellow of the fields—he met an age of turmoil and days of reckless chase, rose among the three chief clerks, and had towns with a thousand altars opened to him; measuring his stature and his portion, he should long ago have known when to stop. Yet he bustles between flight and return, straying from the path without end—this is surely not for nothing; the matter can be weighed and exposed. Judging that his followers rebel and his kin desert him, that he can barely hold on for his life, one now hears he will abandon Xuanchi and hurry far to Pengcheng. The old villain's crafty schemes are about to move again. He will surely raise a cry of hurrying to aid them, while his plan aims at seizure: to swallow Yuanming's host, recruit people sick of cruelty, take the long Huai as a barrier, and still spread his wings for months, assuming a southern throne in borrowed name until death ends him. This is the calamity of clam and snipe—and we bear the harm.

且偽主昏悖，不惟善隣，賊忍之心，老而彌篤。納逋叛之詭譎，蔑信義以猖狂，天喪其神，人重其怨，將踐瓜圃之蹤，且追兒侯之轍。今徵發犬羊，侵軼徐部，築壘擁川，覬覦小利，此而可忍，孰不可懷！兵凶戰危，出不得已，謬奉朝規，肅茲九伐。扛鼎拔樹之眾，超乘投石之旅，練甲爭途，波聚霧合。虎班龍文之逸，蘭池蒲梢之駔，噓天陸野，躡影追風，振旅南轅，長驅討蹙。非直三吳鼠面，一麾魚駭，乘此而往，青蓋將歸。且衍虐網蚩，兵權在外，持險躁之風俗，兼輕薄之子孫。蕭綸兇狡之魁，豈無商臣之佷；蕭譽失志之憤，當召專諸之客。外崩中潰，今也其時。

Moreover the false sovereign is muddled and perverse, heedless of good neighbors; his brigand heart grows only crueler with age. He welcomes the craft of fugitive rebels and scorns faith and righteousness in wild arrogance; Heaven has abandoned his spirit and men heap up their hatred—he will soon tread the tracks of Melon Garden and follow the wheel-ruts of the Son of Hou. Now he mobilizes dogs and goats, raids the Xu region, builds ramparts and dams the rivers, and covets petty gain—if this can be borne, what outrage cannot be harbored in the breast! Arms are ominous and battle dangerous; we march only because we must. Erring on the side of court rule, I solemnly undertake the nine punitive campaigns. Hosts that could shoulder cauldrons and uproot trees, troops that leap chariots and hurl stones—drilled armor fills the roads, gathering like waves and merging like mist. Steeds marked with tiger stripes and dragon patterns, thoroughbreds from Orchid Pool and cattail tips—breathing heaven across the land, treading shadow and chasing wind—we shake the army southward and drive far to press and crush them. It is not only that the Three Wu will show rat faces and scatter like fish at one command—with this going forth, the green canopy will return. Moreover Yan is cruel in his nets toward the common folk and keeps military authority outside his grasp; his realm holds precipitous, rash customs, and frivolous sons and grandsons besides. Xiao Lun, ringleader of fierce craftiness—how could he lack a Shang Chen's wickedness; Xiao Yu, burning with thwarted ambition—surely he will summon guests like Zhuan Zhu. Outer collapse and inner rot—now is the hour.

幕府師行以禮，兵動以義，弔民伐罪，理有存焉。其有知機審變，翻然鵲起，立功立事，去危就安，賞典未忘，事必加等。若軍威所至，敢有拒違，尺兒已上，咸從梟戮。今三禮四義之將，豹虎熊羆之士，深銜逋偽信納叛亡，違卜愎諫，實興伐役。莫不含怒作色，如赴私讎；茹肝涉血，義不旋踵。攻戰之日，事若有神，莽積麻亂，匪旦伊夕。以彼曲師危卒，望我軍鋒，何異蛣蜣被甲，蝍蛆舉尾。正恐旗鼓一接，芝藋俱摧，先事喻懷，備知翰墨。王侯無種，禍福由人，斯蓋丈夫肉食之秋，壯士封侯之會。冬冰可折，時不再來，凡百君子，勉求多福。檄之所到，咸共申省，知我國行師之意。

This headquarters marches troops by rite and moves arms by righteousness—comforting the people and punishing crime; the principle stands firm. Whoever reads the moment and judges change, who rises abruptly like a startled magpie, establishes merit and service, leaves danger and seeks safety—the reward canon is not forgotten, and his reward will surely rise by ranks. Wherever our military authority reaches, if anyone dares resist, every boy a foot tall and above shall be put to decapitation display. Now the generals of the three rites and four righteousnesses, warriors like leopard, tiger, bear, and grizzly, deeply resent the false court's shelter of fugitives and reception of rebels, its defiance of divination and rejection of remonstrance—truly rousing this punitive campaign. None fail to hold wrath and show it on their faces, as though marching to a private feud; they would gnaw liver and wade blood without turning heel from righteousness. On the day battle is joined, affairs will move as if spirit-aided; weeds will pile like hemp in chaos—not from dawn to dusk alone. With that crooked army and endangered remnant staring at our army's edge—how is it different from a dung beetle in armor or a caterpillar raising its tail? I fear only that when banners and drums once meet, mushroom and weed alike will crumble; I forewarn your hearts in advance, that you may know it fully from brush and ink. Kings and marquises have no fixed seed—fortune and calamity follow the man; this is the season when bold men win meat on the table and stalwarts earn their enfeoffments. Winter ice can be broken—time does not return; all you gentlemen, strive to win your blessings. Where this proclamation reaches, let all declare and examine it, and know our state's intent in raising arms.

冬十二月，紹宗、高岳等大破衍眾寒山，擒淵明、貴孫等，俘斬五萬，其凍溺燒之而死，不可勝數。衍既慚悔，六年，復遣使羊珍孫款關乞和，并修弔書於齊文襄王。文襄王欲以威德懷之，許其通而不復其書。衍於是遣其散騎常侍謝珽、[25]通直常侍徐陵詣闕朝貢。

In the twelfth month of winter, Shaozong, Gao Yue, and others routed Yan's army at Hanshan, capturing Yuanming, Guisun, and others; fifty thousand were taken or slain, and those who died by freezing, drowning, or fire were beyond counting. Ashamed and remorseful, in the sixth year Yan again sent the envoy Yang Zhensun to present courtesy at the passes and beg for peace, and also sent a letter of condolence to Prince Wenxiang of Qi. Prince Wenxiang wished to win them by majesty and virtue; he permitted their envoys but did not answer their letter. Yan thereupon sent his Regular Attendant of the Scattered Cavalry Xie Ting [25] and Regular Attendant of Direct Communication Xu Ling to our court to present tribute.

珽等未及還而侯景舉兵襲衍，密與衍弟子臨賀王正德交通，許推為主。景至橫江，衍令正德率軍拒景，正德因而迎之。景濟江，立以為主，以趣建業。衍好人佞己，末年尤甚，或有云國家強盛者，即便忿怒，有云朝廷衰弱者，因致喜悅。是以其朝臣左右皆承其風旨，莫敢正言。初景之將渡江也，衍沿道軍戍，皆有啟列，而中領軍朱异恐忤衍意，且謂景不能渡，遂不為聞。景至嵫湖，方大驚駭，乃令其太子綱守中書省，軍事悉以委之。又逼居民入城，百姓因相剝掠，不可禁止。衍令直從監俞景茂赦二冶、尚方、錢署罪人及建康、廷尉諸囚，欲押令入城以充防捍。諸徒囚放火燒冶，一時散走。衍憂懣無計，唯令其王公已下分屯諸門；攝諸寺藏錢皆入聚德陽堂，以充軍實。

Before Ting and the others could return, Hou Jing raised troops against Yan, secretly dealing with Yan's nephew Prince Zhengde of Linhe and promising to set him up as ruler. When Jing reached Heng River, Yan ordered Zhengde to lead troops against him; Zhengde thereupon welcomed him in instead. Jing crossed the river, set him up as ruler, and pressed on toward Jiankang. Yan loved men who flattered him, and in his last years this was especially so: if anyone said the state was strong, he at once grew furious; if anyone said the court was weak, he showed delight. Thus his ministers and attendants all followed his mood, and none dared speak plainly. When Jing was first about to cross the river, every garrison along Yan's route had sent reports in succession, but Central Army Director Zhu Yi feared to offend Yan and moreover judged that Jing could not cross—so he did not pass the word along. When Jing reached Cihu, Yan was at last greatly alarmed; he ordered his Heir Apparent Gang to hold the Secretariat and entrusted all military affairs to him. He also forced residents into the city; the people then plundered one another, and it could not be stopped. Yan ordered Direct Attendant Supervisor Yu Jingmao to pardon the criminals of the Two Forges, the Imperial Workshop, and the Coinage Office, and the prisoners held by Jiankang and the Minister of Justice, intending to drive them into the city as defenders. The convicts set fire to the forges and at once scattered and fled. Worried and at wit's end, Yan could only order his kings, dukes, and the rest to camp separately at the gates; he requisitioned money hoarded in the temples, all of it sent into the Accumulated Virtue Yang Hall to fill the military stores.

景既至，便圍其城，縱火燒爇，掘長圍，築土山以攻衍。衍亦於城內起山以應之。衍令文武運土，人責二十石，於是其王侯朝貴皆自負檐。蕭綱亦欲自負，僉議以為太示迫屈，乃止。衍每募人出戰，素無號令，初或暫勝，後必奔背。景宣言曰「城中非無菜，但無醬耳」，以戲侮之。衍太官及軍人無柴，乃發取尚書省、武庫、左右藏以充用。衍州鎮外援雖有至者，而景圍柵深固，內外斷絕。衍數募人出戰，常為景所執獲。有一小兒請以飛鵄傳致消息，綱乃作數千丈繩，綴紙鵄於繩端，縛書其背，又題鵄口：「若有得鵄送援軍者賞銀百兩。」綱出太極殿，因西北風而颺之，頻放數鵄，景令走馬射取之，竟不能達也。

Once Jing arrived, he besieged the city at once, set fires, dug a long encirclement, and built earthen mounds to attack Yan. Yan likewise raised mounds inside the city to answer them. Yan ordered civil and military officers to haul earth, each man charged twenty piculs; thereupon his kings, marquises, and court nobles all shouldered carrying poles themselves. Xiao Gang also wished to shoulder loads himself, but collective counsel held that this would show too much abasement, and he desisted. Whenever Yan recruited men to sally forth, he had no proper commands; they might win briefly at first, but always turned and fled in the end. Jing proclaimed, "The city is not without vegetables—only without sauce," to mock them. Yan's Grand Provisioner and his soldiers had no fuel; they then stripped the Secretariat, the Arsenal, and the Left and Right Treasuries to supply themselves. Though relief from Yan's provinces and garrisons did arrive, Jing's encircling palisade was deep and firm, and inner and outer were cut off. Yan repeatedly sent men out to fight, and they were constantly seized by Jing. A boy asked to use flying kites to carry messages; Gang thereupon made ropes several thousand zhang long, tied paper kites to the ends, bound letters on their backs, and wrote on the kites' mouths: "Whoever catches a kite and delivers it to the relief army will receive a hundred taels of silver." Gang went out from the Hall of Supreme Ultimate and lofted them on the northwest wind, releasing several kites in succession; Jing ordered horsemen to shoot them down, but in the end none reached the relief armies.

衍城內大饑，人相食，米一斗八十萬，皆以人肉雜牛馬而賣之。軍人共於德陽堂前立市，屠一牛得絹三千匹，賣一狗得錢二十萬。皆燻鼠捕雀而食之，至是雀鼠皆盡，死者相枕。初有盜取其池魚者，衍猶大怒，敕付廷尉，既而宿昔都盡。其不識事宜如此。

Famine struck Yan's city; men ate one another; rice sold for eight hundred thousand per dou, and human flesh was mixed with ox and horse meat for sale. Soldiers set up a market before the Virtue Yang Hall; one ox brought three thousand bolts of silk, one dog twenty myriad in cash. All smoked rats and caught sparrows to eat; by then sparrows and rats were gone, and the dead lay pillow upon pillow. At first, when men stole fish from the palace ponds, Yan was still furious and ordered them handed to the Minister of Justice; soon afterward the ponds were emptied overnight. Such was his failure to grasp what the moment required.

景久攻未拔，而衍外援雖多，各各乖張，無有總制，更相妬忌，不肯奮擊。唯衍子邵陵王綸再於鍾山決戰，戰敗而走。景糧既少，遂譎衍求和。衍信之，乃割江西四州授景，封為壽陽王，遣其朝貢。與部下歃血盟訖，景詐引軍還石頭。衍乃敕援軍令下，諸軍初不受詔，後重敕乃從。衍又令援軍以船三百艘給景，景猶嫌其少，又敕付二百。衍永安侯蕭確、直閤將軍趙威方頗有勇略，為景所憚。景乃謂衍曰：「確與威方頻隔岸見罵，云：『天子自與汝和，我終不置汝！』我今便不敢去，若召此二人入城者，吾當解圍。」衍復遣使徵確等，確等不從。衍又為手書與諸軍，云：「確若不入者，宜以軍法送之。」確等不得已，乃赴衍。景復謂衍曰：「始有西信至，北軍已克壽春、鍾離，我今便無委足處，求權借廣陵、譙州，待征復兩城，還以此州相歸。」衍又許之。景外云欲和，伺其懈怠，衍君臣上下信景欺詐，所有戰具，悉皆收去。後知非實，更狼狽設備，有甚於初。城轉危急，衍等計窮，乃復遣使詣景。景又詭云：「今時既熱，便不能得去，正當乞留京師，為朝廷立效耳。」而悉力大攻，七年三月遂拔之。

Jing besieged long without taking the city; though Yan's outer relief was plentiful, each force pulled apart, with no overall command, jealous of one another, and unwilling to strike hard. Only Yan's son Prince Lun of Shaoling fought another decisive battle at Zhongshan, was defeated, and fled. Jing's grain was running low, and he thereupon deceived Yan into seeking peace. Yan believed him, ceded four provinces west of the river to Jing, enfeoffed him as King of Shouyang, and continued sending court tribute. After he and his men had sworn a blood oath, Jing falsely withdrew his army to Shitou. Yan then ordered the relief armies to withdraw; at first they refused the edict, and only after a second command did they obey. Yan again ordered the relief armies to give Jing three hundred boats; Jing still thought it too few, and Yan ordered two hundred more delivered. Yan's Marquis of Yong'an Xiao Que and Standard Bearer General Zhao Weifang were men of real courage and stratagem, and Jing feared them. Jing then said to Yan, "Que and Weifang have been cursing you from across the river, saying, 'The Son of Heaven himself made peace with you—I will never let you go! I dare not leave now; if you summon these two men into the city, I will lift the siege." Yan again sent envoys to summon Que and the others, but they would not obey. Yan then wrote in his own hand to the armies, saying, "If Que will not enter, you should deliver him by military law." Que and the others had no choice and thereupon went to Yan. Jing again said to Yan, "Word has just come from the west that the northern army has taken Shouchun and Zhongli; I now have nowhere to set foot; I beg to borrow Guangling and Qiao province for the moment, and when the campaign retakes the two cities, I will return the province." Yan assented again. Outwardly Jing spoke of peace while watching for slackness; Yan and his court trusted Jing's deceit and had all weapons gathered in and put away. When they later learned it was false, they set up defenses again in still greater disarray than before. As the city grew ever more desperate, Yan and his court, at wit's end, again sent envoys to Jing. Jing deceived them again, saying, "The season is hot now and I cannot leave at once; I only beg to remain in the capital and serve the court." Yet he mustered his full strength for a great assault, and in the third month of the seventh year he took the city at last.

景自至建業，縱軍士前後虜掠，倉庫所有皆掃地盡矣。景乃從數百騎見衍，歔欷流涕，因請香火為作義兒，還以衍為主。令正德通啟云：「前為景所擒，使攝四海，辭不獲免，權總萬機，今景既入輔，乞解僭濫，以王還邸。」自景圍建業，城中多有腫病，死者相繼，無復板木，乃刳柱為棺。自雲龍、神虎門外，橫屍重沓，血汁漂流，無復行路。及景入城，悉聚尸焚之，煙氣張天，臭聞數十里。初，城中男女十餘萬人，及陷，存者纔二三千人，又皆帶疾病，蓋天亡之也。衍尋為景所餓殺。自衍為景攻圍歷百餘日，衍子荊州刺史、湘東王繹，益州刺史、武陵王紀各擁兵自守，坐看衍之懸危，竟不奔赴。始景渡江至陷城之後，江南之民及衍王侯妃主、世冑子弟為景軍人所掠，或自相賣鬻，漂流入國者蓋以數十萬口，加以飢饉死亡，所在塗地，江左遂為丘墟矣。

From the time Jing reached Jiankang, he let his soldiers plunder far and near until the storehouses were swept utterly bare. Jing then came with several hundred horsemen to see Yan, sobbed and wept, begged for incense to become his ritual adoptive son, and restored Yan as ruler. He had Zhengde send a memorial saying, "Formerly I was seized by Jing and made to administer the realm; I could not decline, and provisionally held all affairs—now that Jing has entered as aide, I beg to end this usurpation and return the king to his residence." From the time Jing besieged Jiankang, swelling sickness spread through the city; the dead followed one upon another, and with no planks left for coffins, men hollowed pillars instead. Outside the Yunlong and Shenhu gates, corpses lay in heaped layers; blood and filth pooled across the ground until no path remained. When Jing entered the city he gathered every corpse and burned them; smoke blotted the sky, and the stench carried for dozens of li. At first the city held more than a hundred thousand men and women; when it fell, barely two or three thousand remained, and all were sick—it was Heaven's annihilation. Before long Jing starved Yan to death. For more than a hundred days Jing besieged Yan; yet Yan's son, Inspector of Jing and Prince of Xiangdong Yi, and Inspector of Yi and Prince of Wuling Ji each clung to his own forces and looked on while Yan's life hung by a thread, never marching to his aid. From Jing's crossing of the river until the city's fall, Jiangnan's people and Yan's princes, consorts, princesses, and noble heirs were seized by Jing's troops or sold one another into slavery; those who drifted into our realm numbered in the hundreds of thousands. Famine and death followed until the ground was strewn with corpses, and the lands east of the Yangtze became a ruin.

初，衍崇信佛道，於建業起同泰寺，又於故宅立光宅寺，於鍾山立大愛敬寺，兼營長干二寺，皆窮工極巧，殫竭財力，百姓苦之。曾設齋會，自以身施同泰寺為奴，其朝臣三表不許，於是內外百官共斂珍寶而贖之。衍每禮佛，捨其法服，著乾陀袈裟。令其王侯子弟皆受佛誡，有事佛精苦者，輒加以菩薩之號。其臣下奏表上書亦稱衍為皇帝菩薩。衍所部刺史郡守初至官者，皆責其上禮獻物，多者便云稱職，所貢微少，言為弱惰。故其牧守，在官皆競事聚斂，劫剝細民，以自封殖，多妓妾、粱肉、金綺。百姓怨苦，咸不聊生。又發召兵士，皆須鎖械，不爾便即逃散。其王侯貴人，奢淫無度，弟兄子姪，侍妾或及千數，至乃回相贈遺。其風俗頹喪，綱維不舉若此。衍自以持戒，乃至祭其祖禰，不設牢牲，時人皆竊云，雖僭司王者，然其宗廟實不血食矣。衍未敗前，災其同泰寺，衍祖父墓前石麟一旦亡失，識者咸知其將滅也。景又立衍子綱，尋復殺之。衍之親屬並見屠害矣。

Yan had long exalted the Buddhist teaching. At Jianye he built Tongtai Temple; at his old residence, Guangzhe Temple; on Zhongshan, Great Aijing Temple; and he also kept the two Changgan temples—every project strained craft to its limit and emptied the treasury, and the people groaned under it. He once held a great fast and gave his own body to Tongtai Temple as a temple slave; his ministers thrice memorialized in refusal, and then officials throughout the court pooled jewels to ransom him. Whenever Yan worshipped the Buddha he put off his court robes and wore a Gandharan kasaya. He required princes, marquises, and noble sons to take Buddhist precepts; whoever practiced with exceptional zeal he promptly styled a bodhisattva. His officials in memorials and letters also addressed him as "Emperor Bodhisattva." Every inspector and grand administrator under Yan, on first taking office, was charged a presentation gift: a rich tribute meant he was deemed competent; a meager one marked him weak and indolent. Hence his governors and defenders competed in levies, stripping commoners to fill their own coffers—concubines by the score, fine grain and meat, gold and brocade. The people groaned in bitterness and could scarcely live. When he drafted troops they had to be chained; otherwise they fled at once. Kings, marquises, and magnates were profligate beyond measure; brothers, sons, and nephews might keep a thousand concubines, even passing them among one another as gifts. Customs collapsed and the bonds of rule were upheld no better than this. Yan, claiming to keep the precepts, would not even offer penned livestock at sacrifices to his ancestors; men whispered that though he played king, his ancestral temple in truth received no blood sacrifice. Before Yan's fall, Tongtai Temple suffered calamity, and the stone qilin before his grandfather's tomb vanished overnight; those who read omens knew his end was near. Jing set up Yan's son Gang, then soon killed him as well. Yan's kin were slaughtered to the last.

史臣曰：二蕭競塗泥之中，同蝸角之戰，或年纔三紀，或身不獲終，而偷名江徼，自擬王者，考之遂古，所未前聞。昔句踐致貢而延世，夫差爭長而後死，兩寇方之吳越，不乃劣乎？

The historiographer comments: The two Xiao houses fought in the mud as if over a snail's horn—one line barely three reign-periods, another ruler not living out his span—yet each stole a name on the Yangtze marches and styled himself king; search remotest antiquity and nothing like it was ever heard. Goujian once sent tribute and prolonged his house; Fuchai strove for supremacy and died afterward—set these two marauders against Wu and Yue, and are they not the lesser?

校勘記

Collation Notes

隴西公元琛三將出廣陵諸本「琛」作「操」，卷七上高祖紀太和三年十一月癸丑記此事作「琛」。按卷一五陳留王虔傳，虔兄顗，子崘封隴西公，卒，子琛襲爵。別無隴西公元操。「操」字乃「琛」之訛，今據紀改。下「元操等攻其馬頭戍」同改。

"Prince of Longxi Yuan Chen with three generals set out from Guangling": in all editions Chen is written Cao; juan 7, Part One, Basic Annals of Gaozu, eleventh month, day guichou of Taihe 3 records Chen. Per juan 15, biography of Prince of Chenliu Yuan Qian: Qian's elder brother Yan's son Kun was enfeoffed Prince of Longxi; on Kun's death his son Chen inherited the title. There is no other Prince of Longxi Yuan Cao. Cao is a corruption of Chen; emended here on the authority of the annals. Below, "Yuan Cao and others attacked their Matou garrison" is emended likewise.

道成游擊將軍桓康於淮陽按此句不成文理，卷七上高祖紀上太和五年二月庚戌記此事，「道成」上有「擊破」二字，此傳「破」字移在句後作「破之」，則「道成」上當脫「擊」字。

"Daocheng, Mobile Raider General, Huan Kang at Huaiyang": the sentence is ungrammatical. Juan 7, Part One, Basic Annals of Gaozu, second month, day gengxu of Taihe 5 places jipo ("struck and broke") before Daocheng; in this biography po has shifted after the clause as po zhi, so ji must have dropped before Daocheng.

使虎賁中郎將潘淑領百人屯太極殿西階以防之按南齊書卷四０竟陵王子良傳、卷五六呂文度傳「潘淑」作「潘敞」，南史卷四四子良傳同。這裏「淑」字當是「敞」之訛。

"He sent Tiger Vanguard Central Commandant Pan Shu leading a hundred men to encamp on the western steps of the Hall of Supreme Ultimate to guard against them": Nan Qishu juan 40, biography of Prince of Jingling Ziliang, and juan 56, biography of Lü Wendu, write Pan Shu as Pan Chang; Nanshi juan 44, Ziliang's biography, agrees. Here Shu should be the corruption Chang.

常着紫綿紅繡雜衣或錦帽按南史卷五齊本紀下此句作「着紅紫錦繡新衣、錦帽、紅縠褌、雜采袒服」。這裏「紫綿」當是「紫錦」之訛。

"Often wore purple brocade and red embroidered mixed garments or brocade caps": Nanshi juan 5, Basic Annals of Qi, Part Two, reads "wore new red and purple brocade garments, brocade cap, red gauze drawers, and mixed-color open jacket." Here "purple cotton" should be the corruption "purple brocade."

斬其左軍將軍張子順按卷七下高祖紀下太和二十三年三月己亥記此事「子順」作「于達」，南齊書卷二六陳顯達傳單作「千」。通鑑卷一四二〈四四三八頁〉考異云：「魏書作『張千達』」，則傳本魏書高祖紀作「于達」誤。此傳敍齊梁間南北戰事，大抵即撮合本紀所記，這裏「子順」疑也是「千達」之訛，但「順」「達」二字音形俱遠，不知何以致誤。

"Beheaded their Left Army General Zhang Zishun": juan 7, Part Two, Basic Annals of Gaozu, third month, day jihai of Taihe 23 has Zishun as Yuda; Nan Qishu juan 26, biography of Chen Xianda, has simply Qian. Zizhi Tongjian juan 142 〈p. 4438〉 Examining Variants says: "The Book of Wei has 'Zhang Qianda'"; thus the transmitted Book of Wei Basic Annals reading Yuda is wrong. This biography's battles between Qi and Liang are mostly stitched from annal entries; here Zishun is probably also a corruption of Qianda, but shun and da are far apart in sound and form, and it is unclear how the error arose.

豫州刺史田益宗破寶卷將吳子陽鄧元起於長風諸本「鄧元起」作「劉元超」，卷八世宗紀景明元年九月乙丑作「鄧元起」。按事見梁書卷一０鄧元起傳，唯「田益宗」作「田孔明」，又云梁勝。這裏「劉元超」乃「鄧元起」之訛，今改正。

"Inspector of Yu Tian Yizong defeated Baojuan's generals Wu Ziyang and Deng Yuanqi at Changfeng": all editions write Deng Yuanqi as Liu Yuanchao; juan 8, Basic Annals of Shizong, ninth month, day yichou of Jingming 1 has Deng Yuanqi. The affair appears in Liangshu juan 10, biography of Deng Yuanqi, except Tian Yizong is written Tian Kongming, and it says Liang won. Here Liu Yuanchao is the corruption Deng Yuanqi; corrected now.

南豫州刺史席法友三萬人圍寶卷輔國將軍北新蔡安豐二郡太守胡景略於建安城諸本「北新」下無「蔡」字，錢氏考異卷二八以為「脫『蔡』字」。按南齊書卷五七魏虜傳正作「北新蔡」。本書卷七一席法友傳云：「稍遷至安豐、新蔡二郡太守，建安戍主，蕭寶卷遣胡景略代之。」是景略之官即法友之官。席傳脫「北」字，這裏脫「蔡」字。錢說是，今據魏虜傳補。

"Inspector of Southern Yu Xi Fayou with thirty thousand men besieged Baojuan's Supporting-the-State General, joint grand administrator of Beixin and Anfeng commanderies Hu Jinglue at Jian'an City": all editions lack Cai after Beixin; Qian's Textual Variants juan 28 holds Cai dropped out. Nan Qishu juan 57, Account of the Northern Barbarians, correctly reads Beixin Cai. This book, juan 71, biography of Xi Fayou, says: "He was gradually promoted to grand administrator of Anfeng and Xincai commanderies, garrison commander of Jian'an; Xiao Baojuan sent Hu Jinglue to replace him." Thus Jinglue's office was Fayou's former office. Xi's biography dropped Bei; here Cai dropped out. Qian is right; supplemented here on the authority of the Account of the Northern Barbarians.

永新侯昭秀按南齊書卷四０、南史卷四四竟陵王子良附子昭冑傳，「昭秀」作「昭穎」，疑此傳誤。

"Marquis of Yongxin Zhaoxiu": Nan Qishu juan 40 and Nanshi juan 44, biography of Ziliang's son Zhaozhou, write Zhaoxiu as Zhaoying—this biography is probably wrong.

衍梁州刺史平陽縣開國侯翟遠徐州刺史永昌縣開國侯陳虎牙來降按陳虎牙即陳伯之子，上年八月已隨父降魏，此事甚可疑，參卷八校記[八]。

"Yan's Inspector of Liang and Marquis of Pingyang Kaiguo Hou Zhai Yuan, Inspector of Xu and Marquis of Yongchang Kaiguo Hou Chen Huya came to surrender": Chen Huya is Chen Bo's son; in the preceding year, eighth month, he had already followed his father in surrendering to Wei—this entry is very doubtful; see collation note [8] in juan 8.

三年正月按此下敍梁將昌義之攻梁城，王茂先攻荊州，平南將軍陳伯之擊義之，楊大眼擊茂先，皆系於正月。據卷八世宗紀，陳伯之擊昌義之，事在是年二月，王茂先攻荊州，事在四月，陳伯之先已於三月降梁。今牽連敍述，並括以「並大破之」一語，敍事不明。此傳敍戰事，大抵即取本紀記事，撮合成文，常有錯誤，如下文五月敍梁將「蕭昞寇淮陽，張惠紹寇宿豫」，而八月又記「衍又遣張惠紹屯宿豫，蕭昞屯淮陽」，其實自五月梁取淮陽、宿豫，直到九月，始戰敗退出，本非兩事，也是撮合紀文失當。凡此種錯誤，今不列舉。

"Third year, first month": what follows narrates Liang generals Chang Yizhi attacking Liangcheng, Wang Maoxian attacking Jingzhou, General Who Pacifies the South Chen Bozhi striking Yizhi, and Yang Dayan striking Maoxian—all tied to the first month. Per juan 8, Basic Annals of Shizong, Chen Bozhi's strike at Chang Yizhi falls in the second month of that year; Wang Maoxian's attack on Jingzhou in the fourth month; Chen Bozhi had already surrendered to Liang in the third month. The present passage strings these together under "and routed them utterly," so the narrative is unclear. This biography's battles are mostly annal entries stitched into prose, and errors are common—for example, below the fifth month has Liang generals "Xiao Bing raiding Huaiyang, Zhang Huiniao raiding Suyu," while the eighth month again records "Yan also sent Zhang Huiniao to encamp at Suyu, Xiao Bing at Huaiyang." In fact from the fifth month, when Liang took Huaiyang and Suyu, until the ninth month they were defeated and withdrew—it was not two affairs but clumsy annal stitching. Such errors are not listed exhaustively here.

將軍元恒攻克固城諸本「恒」作「常」。按卷八世宗紀正始三年八月、卷六五邢巒傳作「元恒」。這裏本當作「元恒」，宋刻印時避宋諱改，今回改。

"General Yuan Heng captured Gucheng": all editions write Heng as Chang. Juan 8, Basic Annals of Shizong, eighth month of Zhengshi 3, and juan 65, biography of Xing Luan, read Yuan Heng. Here it should read Yuan Heng; the Song block print altered it to avoid Song taboo—reverted now.

攻克衍長薄戍殺傷數萬卷八世宗紀永平二年正月丙申記此事，「數萬」作「千數」。按長薄小戍，且據卷一九下南安王楨附元英傳稱「英至長薄，馬廣夜遁，入於武陽」，並未大戰，豈有殺傷數萬之理？這裏「萬」字當是「千」之訛。

"Captured Yan's Changbo garrison with casualties in the tens of thousands": juan 8, Basic Annals of Shizong, first month, day bingshen of Yongping 2 records "tens of thousands" as "a few thousand." Changbo is a small garrison, and juan 19, Part Two, appended biography of Prince of Nan'an Yuan Zhen, biography of Yuan Ying, says "Ying reached Changbo; Ma Guang fled by night and entered Wuyang"—there was no great battle; how could casualties run to tens of thousands? Here wan ("ten thousand") should be the corruption qian ("thousand").

荊州刺史桓叔興大破之卷八世宗紀延昌三年六月「荊州」上有「南」字。錢氏考異卷二八云：「當作『南荊州』，脫『南』字。」按桓叔興為南荊州刺史，見卷一０一蠻傳，錢說是。

"Inspector of Jing Huan Shuxing inflicted a great defeat": juan 8, Basic Annals of Shizong, sixth month of Yanchang 3 has Nan before Jing. Qian's Textual Variants juan 28 says: "It should read 'Southern Jing'; the character 'Nan' dropped out." Per juan 101, Account of the Man, Huan Shuxing was Inspector of Southern Jing; Qian is right.

衍益州刺史蕭淵猷遣將樊文熾等率眾圍小劍戍諸本「淵」作「潤」，卷九肅宗紀孝昌元年四月作「淵」。錢氏考異卷二八云：「『潤』當作『淵』。」按卷七一淳于誕傳敍此事也作「蕭淵猷」。淵猷是蕭懿子，弟兄都以「淵」為名之上一字。懿子淵業、淵藻、淵明，梁書避唐諱，例改「淵」為「深」，此「淵猷」也改作「深猷」〈見梁書卷三武帝紀中大通三年六月及五年七月〉。南史則徑去「淵」字，單稱下一字，「淵猷」單稱「猷」〈見卷五一長沙王懿附諸子傳〉。這裏「潤」乃「淵」之訛，錢說是，今改正。

"Yan's Inspector of Yi Xiao Yuanyou sent generals Fan Wenchì and others leading troops to besiege the Xiaojian garrison": all editions write Yuan as Run; juan 9, Basic Annals of Suzong, fourth month of Xiaochang 1 has Yuan. Qian's Textual Variants juan 28 says: "'Run' should be 'Yuan.'" Juan 71, biography of Chunyu Dan, also writes Xiao Yuanyou for this affair. Yuanyou was a son of Xiao Yi; among the brothers the upper character of each name was Yuan. Yi's sons Yuanye, Yuanzao, and Yuanming—in the Liangshu, avoiding Tang taboo, Yuan is routinely changed to Shen; this Yuanyou was also changed to Shenyou 〈see Liangshu juan 3, Basic Annals of Emperor Wu, sixth month of Datong 3 and seventh month of Datong 5〉 The Nanshi simply drops Yuan and uses only the lower character: Yuanyou is given singly as You 〈see juan 51, appended biography of Prince of Changsha Yi, section on his sons〉 Here Run is the corruption Yuan; Qian is right; corrected now.

擒其次將蕭世澄等十二人諸本「澄」作「隆」，卷九肅宗紀孝昌元年五月作「澄」。按卷七一淳于誕傳、卷八七胡小虎傳記此事都作「蕭世澄」，這裏「隆」字乃「澄」之訛，今改正。

"Captured his second-rank general Xiao Shicheng and twelve others": all editions write Cheng as Long; juan 9, Basic Annals of Suzong, fifth month of Xiaochang 1 has Cheng. Juan 71, biography of Chunyu Dan, and juan 87, biography of Hu Xiaohu, record this affair as Xiao Shicheng; here Long is the corruption Cheng; corrected now.

是歲衍又改年為大通按「是歲」承上文是孝昌元年〈五二五〉，而改元大通，實當魏孝昌三年〈五二七〉三月，此誤。

"That year Yan again changed the era name to Datong": "that year" here follows the preceding text as Xiaochang 1 〈525〉 , but adopting the era Datong actually corresponds to Wei Xiaochang 3 〈527〉 the third month—this is an error.

是年衍又改號為中大通張森楷云：「中大通元年於魏為永安二年〈五二九〉，此所謂『是年』，乃天平二年〈五三五〉，梁改元『大同』，非『中大通』也。前漏書改號中大通，此誤以『大同』為『中大通』，並非。」

"That year Yan again changed the reign title to Zhongdatong": Zhang Senkai says: "The first year of Zhongdatong in Wei terms is Yong'an 2 〈529〉 ; the 'that year' meant here is actually Tianping 2 〈535〉 ; Liang changed the era to 'Datong,' not 'Zhongdatong.' The prior passage omitted recording the change to Zhongdatong; here Datong was mistaken for Zhongdatong—both are wrong."

二年夏按前記天平四年，下記興和二年，則這裏所謂「二年」乃「元象二年」。元象二年十一月改號興和，此在夏，尚未改號，故仍稱「二年」。上當脫「元象」二字。

"Second year, summer": the prior entry records Tianping 4 and the next Xinghe 2; thus "second year" here means Yuanxiang 2. In the eleventh month of Yuanxiang 2 the reign title was changed to Xinghe; this entry is in summer, before the change, hence it still says "second year." Above, the two characters Yuanxiang must have dropped out.

是年衍改號大同張森楷云：「是年〈興和二年五四０〉是梁大同六年，非始改號。」

"That year Yan changed the reign title to Datong": Zhang Senkai says: "That year 〈Xinghe 2, 540〉 is the sixth year of Liang Datong, not the inaugural change of the era."

又遣散騎常侍謝藺諸本「藺」作「蘭」。張森楷云：「『蘭』當作『藺』，梁書謝藺傳〈卷四七〉可證。」按傳稱「藺字希如」，又云阮孝緒說他是「藺生之匹」，「因名之曰『藺』」。其出使東魏也見於本傳。「蘭」字乃「藺」之訛，張說是，今據本傳改。

"He also sent Palace Attendant-in-Ordinary Xie Lin": all editions write Lin as Lan. Zhang Senkai says: "'Lan' should be 'Lin'; the Liangshu biography of Xie Lin 〈juan 47〉 proves it." The biography says "Lin, styled Xiru," and also relates that Ruan Xiaoxu said he was "a match for Master Lin's birth," "and so he was named 'Lin.'" His mission to Eastern Wei also appears in that biography. The character Lan is a corruption of Lin; Zhang is right, and we emend here according to the main biography.

六年衍又改號為中大同其年又改為太清張森楷云：「中大同之改，當魏武定四年〈五四六〉，五年改元太清，六年則太清二年，初非六年改『中大同』，亦非一年併改。」

The text says that in the sixth year Yan changed the era name to Zhong Datong and in the same year to Taiqing. Zhang Senkai argued: "The Zhong Datong change should correspond to the fourth year of our Wuding era 〈546 CE〉 ; the fifth year adopted Taiqing, and the sixth year was Taiqing year 2. The era was not first changed to Zhong Datong in the sixth year, nor were both names adopted in a single year."

基跱岳立按「基」當作「棊」，即「棋」，「跱」即「峙」。「棊峙」見三國志卷一五梁習傳、卷二五高堂隆傳、卷五八陸遜傳。意謂如棋之對峙。後漢書卷一００鄭太傳亦作「基峙」，劉邠亦謂「基」當作「棊」。

The phrase rendered "ji zhi yue li" should read qi zhi: "ji" is a mistake for qi, meaning chess, and zhi means to stand facing each other. The expression qi zhi appears in Records of the Three Kingdoms, juan 15 (Biography of Liang Xi), juan 25 (Biography of Gaotang Long), and juan 58 (Biography of Lu Xun). It means to stand in confrontation like pieces on a chessboard. The Book of the Later Han, juan 100, Biography of Zheng Tai, likewise has ji zhi, and Liu Bin also argues that ji should be qi.

衍於是遣其散騎常侍謝珽諸本「珽」作「班」。按本書卷一０四自序，北史卷五六、北齊書卷三七魏收傳，梁書卷三八朱异傳都作「謝珽」。這裏「班」字乃「珽」之訛，今改正。

The text says Yan then sent his Regular Attendant of the Scattered Cavalry Xie Ting; all editions write Ting as Ban. The juan 104 preface of this book, Northern History juan 56, Northern Qi History juan 37 (Biography of Wei Shou), and Liang History juan 38 (Biography of Zhu Yi) all have Xie Ting. Here Ban is a corruption of Ting, and we emend accordingly.

Cite this Chapter