1
王珪王珪,字叔玠。 祖僧辯,梁太尉、尚書令。 父顗,北齊樂陵郡太守。 世居郿。 性沉澹,志量隱正,恬於所遇,交不苟合。 隋開皇十三年,召入秘書內省,讎定群書,爲太常治禮郎。 季父頗,通儒有鑒裁,尤所器許。 頗坐漢王諒反,誅,珪亡命南山十餘年。 高祖入關,李綱薦署世子府諮議參軍事。 建成爲皇太子,授中舍人,遷中允,禮遇良厚。 太子與秦王有隙,帝責珪不能輔導,流巂州。 太子已誅,太宗召爲諫議大夫。 帝嘗曰:「正主御邪臣,不可以致治; 正臣事邪主,亦不可以致治。 唯君臣同德,則海內安。 朕雖不明,幸諸公數相諫正,庶致天下於平。」 珪進曰:「古者,天子有爭臣七人,諫不用,則相繼以死。 今陛下開聖德,收采芻言,臣願竭狂瞽,佐萬分一。」 帝可,乃詔諫官隨中書、門下及三品官入閣。 珪推誠納善,每存規益,帝益任之。 封永甯縣男、黃門侍郎,遷侍中。
Wang Gui, whose courtesy name was Shujie. His grandfather Sengbian had served the Liang as Grand Marshal and Director of the Department of State Affairs. His father Yan had been governor of Leling commandery under the Northern Qi. The family had long lived at Mei. He was grave and reserved by nature, with hidden but upright purposes; he was content with his lot and did not make friends lightly. In 593, the thirteenth year of Emperor Wen's Kaihuang reign, he was summoned to the Inner Secretariat to collate the classics and appointed a ritual officer in the Ministry of Rites. His uncle Puo, a broadly learned Confucian of keen judgment, especially admired and encouraged him. When Puo was executed for joining Prince Liang's rebellion against the Sui, Gui lived as a fugitive in the southern mountains for more than ten years. After Gaozu entered the capital region, Li Gang recommended him for appointment as adviser to the heir apparent's household. When Li Jiancheng became crown prince, Gui was made a palace attendant and later promoted to junior mentor, receiving exceptional favor. When the crown prince and the Prince of Qin fell out, the emperor blamed Gui for failing to guide the heir and exiled him to Xizhou. After the crown prince was put to death, Taizong summoned him and appointed him remonstrance grand master. The emperor once said, "A righteous ruler with wicked ministers cannot bring good government; nor can righteous ministers serving a wicked ruler bring good government. Only when ruler and ministers share the same purpose will the realm be at peace. Though I am not wise, I am fortunate that you gentlemen often correct me, so that I may bring peace to the realm. Gui stepped forward and said, "In antiquity the Son of Heaven had seven remonstrating ministers; if their counsel went unheeded, they died one after another. Now Your Majesty has opened your sage virtue and gathers even humble counsel; I wish to offer whatever poor insight I have, however slight its help. The emperor agreed and decreed that remonstrance officials should enter the privy council together with the Central Secretariat, the Chancellery, and officials of the third rank and above. Gui was sincere in accepting good counsel and always offered constructive advice; the emperor relied on him all the more. He was enfeoffed as Baron of Yongning, appointed vice director of the Yellow Gate, and later promoted to palace attendant.
2
它日進見,有美人侍帝側,本廬江王瑗姬也。 帝指之曰:「廬江不道,賊其夫而納其室,何有不亡乎?」 珪避席曰:「陛下以廬江爲是邪? 非邪?」 帝曰:「殺人而取妻,乃問朕是非,何也?」 對曰:「臣聞齊桓公之郭,問父老曰:『郭何故亡?』 曰:『以其善善而惡惡也。』 公曰:『若子之言,乃賢君也,何至於亡?』 父老曰:『不然,郭君善善不能用,惡惡不能去,所以亡。』 今陛下知廬江之亡,其姬尚在,竊謂陛下以爲是。 審知其非,所謂知惡而不去也。」 帝嗟美其言。
On another day when he came to audience, a beautiful woman stood at the emperor's side; she had originally been a concubine of Prince Yuan of Lujiang. The emperor pointed to her and said, "Lujiang was wicked: he murdered her husband and took his household into his own—how could he not be destroyed? Gui rose from his place and said, "Does Your Majesty regard Lujiang as in the right? Or not? The emperor said, "He killed a man and took his wife—yet you ask me whether that was right or wrong; what do you mean?" He replied, "I have heard that when Duke Huan of Qi was at Guo, he asked the elders, 'Why did Guo perish? They said, 'Because he honored the good and hated the wicked.' The duke said, 'If what you say is so, he was a worthy ruler—how could he have come to ruin?' The elders said, 'Not so. The lord of Guo honored the good but could not employ them, hated the wicked but could not remove them—that is why he perished.' Now Your Majesty knows why Lujiang perished, yet his concubine remains; I privately think Your Majesty regard it as right. If you truly know it was wrong, this is what is called knowing evil yet not removing it.' The emperor sighed in admiration at his words.
3
帝使太常少卿祖孝孫以樂律授宮中音家,伎不進,數被讓。 珪與溫彥博同進曰:「孝孫,修謹士,陛下使教女樂,又責譙之,天下其以士爲輕乎!」 帝怒曰:「卿皆我腹心,乃附下罔上,爲人遊説邪?」 彥博懼,謝罪,珪不謝,曰:「臣本事前宮,罪當死,陛下矜其性命,引置樞密,責以忠效。 今疑臣以私,是陛下負臣,臣不負陛下。」 帝默然慚,遂罷。 明日,語房玄齡曰:「昔武王不用夷、齊,宣王殺杜伯,自古帝王納諫固難矣。 朕夙夜庶幾於前聖,昨責珪等,痛自悔,公等勿懲是不進諫也!」
The emperor had Vice Minister of Rites Zu Xiaosun teach musical pitch to palace musicians; the performers made no progress and were repeatedly rebuked. Gui and Wen Yanbo advanced together and said, "Xiaosun is a cultivated and careful gentleman. Your Majesty has him teach female musicians and then reproaches him—will not the realm come to hold scholars lightly! The emperor said angrily, "You are all my closest confidants—yet you side with inferiors to deceive your superiors and plead for others, is it not so?" Yanbo was afraid and apologized; Gui did not apologize but said, "I originally served the former palace and deserved death; Your Majesty spared my life and placed me in the inner councils, charging me with loyal service. Now to suspect me of private motives is for Your Majesty to fail me; I have not failed Your Majesty. The emperor fell silent in shame and then dropped the matter. The next day he said to Fang Xuanling, "In the past King Wu did not employ Boyi and Shuqi, and King Xuan killed Duke of Du—since antiquity it has indeed been hard for rulers to accept remonstrance. I day and night hope to approach the former sages; yesterday I rebuked Gui and the others and deeply repented—do not let this discourage you from remonstrating!"
4
時珪與玄齡、李靖、溫彥博、戴胄、魏征同輔政。 帝以珪善人物,且知言,因謂曰:「卿標鑒通晤,爲朕言玄齡等材,且自謂孰與諸子賢?」 對曰:「孜孜奉國,知無不爲,臣不如玄齡; 兼資文武,出將入相,臣不如靖; 敷奏詳明,出納惟允,臣不如彥博; 濟繁治劇,眾務必舉,臣不如胄; 以諫諍爲心,恥君不及堯、舜,臣不如征。 至激濁揚清,疾惡好善,臣於數子有一日之長。」 帝稱善。 而玄齡等亦以爲盡己所長,謂之確論。
At that time Gui, together with Xuanling, Li Jing, Yanbo, Dai Zhou, and Wei Zheng, jointly assisted in government. Because Gui was skilled at judging men and spoke well, the emperor said to him, "You are penetrating in appraisal—tell me the talents of Xuanling and the others, and say yourself which of them you surpass in worth. He replied, "In diligent service to the state, knowing nothing he would not do—I am not the equal of Xuanling; combining civil and military ability, going out as general and entering as chancellor—I am not the equal of Jing; in presenting memorials with clarity and detail, in intake and output with sole fairness—I am not the equal of Yanbo; in managing the complex and governing the urgent, in all affairs surely accomplishing—I am not the equal of Zhou; with remonstrance as his heart, ashamed if his lord did not reach Yao and Shun—I am not the equal of Zheng. But in stirring the muddy and raising the clear, in hating evil and loving good—I have a slight edge over these several men. The emperor praised his answer. Xuanling and the others also thought he had fairly stated their strengths and called it a sound judgment.
5
進封郡公。 坐漏禁近語,左除同州刺史。 帝念名臣,俄召拜禮部尚書兼魏王泰師。 王見之,爲先拜,珪亦以師自居。 王問珪何以爲忠孝,珪曰:「陛下,王之君,事思盡忠; 陛下,王之父,事思盡孝。 忠孝可以立身,可以成名。」 王曰:「忠孝既聞命矣,願聞所習。」 珪曰:「漢東平王蒼稱『爲善最樂』,願王志之。」 帝聞,喜曰:「兒可以無過矣!」
He was promoted in rank to duke of a commandery. He was punished for leaking words from within the forbidden precincts and demoted to governor of Tongzhou. The emperor, remembering a renowned minister, soon summoned him and appointed him minister of rites and concurrently tutor to Prince Wei Tai. When the prince saw him, he bowed first; Gui also took the position of teacher upon himself. The prince asked Gui what constituted loyalty and filial piety; Gui said, "Your Majesty is the prince's lord—in affairs think to exhaust loyalty; Your Majesty is the prince's father—in affairs think to exhaust filial piety. Loyalty and filial piety can establish the person and can establish a name. The prince said, "I have received instruction on loyalty and filial piety; I wish to hear what I should practice." Gui said, "Prince Cang of Dongping in Han said, 'Doing good is the greatest joy'—may the prince keep this in mind." When the emperor heard, he said with joy, "The boy may be without fault!"
6
子敬直,尚南平公主。 是時,諸主下嫁,以帝女貴,未嘗行見舅姑禮。 珪曰:「主上循法度,吾當受公主謁見。 豈爲身榮,將以成國家之美。」 於是,與夫人坐堂上,主執笄盥饋乃退。 其後公主降,有舅姑者,備婦禮,本於珪。
His son Jingzhi married Princess Nanping. At that time when princesses married down, because an emperor's daughter was deemed too exalted, they had never performed the rite of seeing their parents-in-law. Gui said, "The sovereign follows law and regulation; I ought to receive the princess's visit of respect. It is not for personal glory but to complete the state's beauty. Thereupon he and his wife sat in the hall; the princess took the hairpin, performed the washing, and presented food before withdrawing. Afterward when princesses married down, if there were parents-in-law, they prepared the wife's rites—this originated with Gui.
7
十三年,病。 帝遣公主就第省視,復遣民部尚書唐儉增損藥膳。 卒,年六十九。 帝素服哭別次,詔魏王率百官臨哭。 贈吏部尚書,諡曰懿。
In the thirteenth year he fell ill. The emperor sent the princess to his residence to visit him and also sent Minister of Revenue Tang Jian to adjust his medicines and food. He died at the age of sixty-nine. The emperor in plain dress wept at a separate lodge and decreed that the Prince of Wei should lead the hundred officials to attend the mourning. He was posthumously made minister of personnel; his posthumous title was Yi.
8
珪少孤且貧,人或饋遺,初無讓。 及貴,厚報之,雖已亡,必酬贍其家。 性不苛察,臨官務舉綱維,去甚不可者,至僕妾亦不見喜慍。 奉寡嫂,家事咨而後行。 教撫孤侄,雖其子不過也。 宗族匱乏,周恤之,薄於自奉。 獨不作家廟,四時祭於寢,爲有司所劾,帝爲立廟愧之,不罪也。 世以珪儉不中禮,少之。 始,隱居時,與房玄齡、杜如晦善,母李嘗曰:「而必貴,然未知所與遊者何如人,而試與偕來。」 會玄齡等過其家,李窺大驚,敕具酒食,歡盡日,喜曰:「二客公輔才,汝貴不疑。」 敬直封南城縣男,後坐交皇太子承乾,徙嶺外。 珪孫燾、旭。 珪孫燾燾,性至孝,爲徐州司馬。 母有疾,彌年不廢帶,視絮湯劑。 數從高醫遊,遂窮其術,因以所學作書,號《外臺秘要》,討繹精明,世寶焉。 歴給事中、鄴郡太守,治聞於時。 旭,見《酷吏傳》。 薛收薛收,字伯褒。 蒲州汾陰人。 隋內史侍郎道衡子也,出繼從父孺。 年十二,能屬文。 以父不得死於隋,不肯仕。 郡舉秀才,不應。 聞高祖興,遁入首陽山,將應義舉。 通守堯君素覺之,迎置其母城中,收不得去。 及君素東連王世充,遂挺身歸國。 房玄齡亟言之秦王,王召見,問方略。 所對合旨,授府主簿,判陝東大行臺金部郎中。 是時方討世充,軍事繁綜,收爲書檄露布,或馬上占辭,該敏如素構,初不竄定。 竇建德來援,諸將爭言斂軍以觀賊形勢,收獨曰:「不然。 世充據東都,府庫盈衍,其兵皆江淮選卒,正苦乏食爾,是以求戰不得,爲我所持。 今建德身總眾以來,必飛轂轉糧,更相資哺。 兩賊連固,則伊、洛間勝負未可歲月定也。 不若勒諸將嚴兵締壘,浚其溝防,戒毋出兵。 大王親督精銳據成皋,厲兵按甲,邀建德路。 彼以疲老,當吾堂堂之鋒,一戰必舉。 不旬日,二賊可縛致麾下矣。」 王曰:「善。」 遂禽建德,降世充。
Gui was orphaned young and poor; when people gave him gifts, at first he did not decline. When he became eminent he repaid them generously; even if they had died, he surely compensated and supported their families. By nature he was not harsh in scrutiny; in office he strove to uphold essentials, removing only what could not be tolerated—even toward servants and concubines he showed no joy or anger. He served his widowed sister-in-law; on household affairs he consulted her before acting. He taught and nurtured his orphaned nephews, not treating them less than his own sons. When clansmen were in want, he relieved them generously and was sparing in his own maintenance. He alone did not build a family temple but sacrificed at the four seasons in his bedchamber; the authorities impeached him, and the emperor built a temple for him out of shame on his behalf and did not punish him. The age thought Gui's frugality did not accord with ritual and slighted him for it. At the beginning, while in seclusion, he was on good terms with Fang Xuanling and Du Ruhui; his mother Lady Li once said, "You will surely become eminent, yet I do not know what sort of men those you associate with are—bring them to try them with me. When Xuanling and the others happened to pass his home, Lady Li peered out and was greatly startled; she ordered wine and food prepared, and they rejoiced the whole day; she said with joy, "These two guests have the talent of chief ministers—your eminence is beyond doubt." Jingzhi was enfeoffed as Baron of Nancheng; later he was punished for associating with Crown Prince Chengan and was banished beyond the ranges. Gui's grandsons were Tao and Xu. Gui's grandson Tao was supremely filial by nature and served as vice governor of Xuzhou. When his mother was ill, for a full year he did not remove his belt and personally attended to her bedding and medicines. He often associated with eminent physicians and thoroughly mastered their arts; accordingly he wrote a book from what he had learned, titled Essentials from the Outer Terrace, with exposition refined and penetrating—the age treasures it. He served as attendant within the Yellow Gate and governor of Ye commandery; his governance was renowned in his time. Xu is treated in the Biography of Harsh Officials. Xue Shou, whose courtesy name was Bobao. He was a native of Fenyin in Puzhou. He was the son of Daoheng, vice director of the inner secretariat of Sui, and was given in adoption to his father's younger cousin Ru. At twelve he could compose literary pieces. Because his father had not been permitted to die for Sui, he refused to take office. The commandery recommended him as presented scholar; he did not respond. When he heard that Gaozu had risen, he fled into Mount Shouyang, intending to join the righteous rising. Circuit administrator Yao Junsu detected him, welcomed his mother into the city, and Shou could not leave. When Junsu linked eastward with Wang Shichong, he then threw himself forward and returned to the Tang cause. Fang Xuanling urged the Prince of Qin again and again to see him. The Prince called him in and questioned him on plans of war. His answers hit the mark. The Prince made him Master of Records in his household and put him in charge of the Gold Department under the Eastern Shaanxi Grand Commandery. They were then pressing the campaign against Wang Shichong, and the military burden was heavy. Shou wrote dispatches and field bulletins, sometimes drafting on horseback—apt and swift, as though the words had always been there, never needing a second pass. When Dou Jiande marched to the rescue, the generals all urged pulling back to watch how the enemy shaped up. Shou alone said, "No. Shichong holds Luoyang, his granaries are full, and his men are elite troops from the Jiang-Huai—but they are starving. That is why they cannot force a fight and remain pinned by us. Now Jiande has come at the head of his army himself. He will have to fly grain wagons back and forth, and the two armies will sustain each other. If the two rebel forces join and dig in, the outcome between the Yi and Luo may not be decided for months. Better to have the generals drill their men, seal the camps, deepen the moats and ramparts, and forbid anyone to sally out. Your Highness should take the picked troops in hand, seize Chenggao, keep the army ready under arms, and cut off Jiande on the road. They will meet our fresh, disciplined line with tired, aging men—one stroke and they will fall. In less than ten days both enemies can be bound and delivered into your hands." The Prince said, "Well said." Jiande was taken, and Shichong surrendered.
9
王入觀隋宮室,且歎煬帝無道,殫人力以事誇侈。 收進曰:「峻宇雕牆,殷辛以亡; 土階茅茨,唐堯以昌。 始皇興阿房而秦禍速,文帝罷露臺而漢祚永。 後主曾不是察,奢虐是矜,死一夫之手,爲後世笑,何此之能保哉?」 王重其言。 俄授天策府記室參軍。 從平劉黑闥,封汾陰縣男。 嘗上書諫王止畋獵,王答曰:「覽所陳,知成我者,卿也。 明珠兼乘,未若一言,今賜黃金四十鋌。」
The Prince toured the Sui palaces and lamented that Emperor Yang had abandoned the Way, wasting the people's strength on empty display. Shou advanced and said, "Towering halls and painted walls ruined King Xin of Shang; earthen steps and a thatched roof made Tang Yao prosper. The First Emperor built Epang and Qin perished in haste; Emperor Wen stopped work on the Terrace of Dew and Han endured. The Last Ruler of Chen never took this to heart, but gloried in cruelty and excess. He died by one man's hand and became a laughingstock for ages to come—how could such a house endure?" The Prince weighed his words heavily. Before long he was made Secretary in the Heavenly Stratagem Office. He took part in crushing Liu Heitu and was enfeoffed as Baron of Fenyin County. He once memorialized the Prince to stop hunting. The Prince answered, "Reading what you wrote, I see that you are the one who makes me whole. Bright pearls and matched horses are worth less than one true word. I now give you forty ingots of gold."
10
武德七年,寢疾。 王遣使臨問,相望於道。 命輿疾至府,親舉袂撫之,論敘生平,感激涕泗。 卒,年三十三。 王哭之慟,與其從兄子元敬書曰:「吾與伯褒共軍旅間,何嘗不驅馳經略,款曲襟抱,豈期一朝成千古也。 且家素貧而子幼,善撫安之,以慰吾懷。」 因遣使弔祭,贈帛三百段。 其後圖學士像,歎其早死不得與。 既即位,語房玄齡曰:「收若在,朕當以中書令處之。」 又嘗夢收如平生,賜其家粟、帛。 貞觀七年,贈定州刺史。 永徽中,又贈太常卿,陪葬昭陵。 收子元超子元超,九歲襲爵。 及長,好學,善屬文。 尚巢王女和靜縣主,累授太子舍人。 高宗即位,遷給事中,數上書陳當世得失,帝嘉納。 轉中書舍人、弘文館學士。 省中有磐石,道衡爲侍郎時,常據以草制,元超每見,輒泫然流涕。 以母喪解,奪服授黃門侍郎、檢校太子左庶子。 所薦豪俊士,若任希古、高智周、郭正一、王義方、孟利貞、鄭祖玄、鄧玄挺、崔融等,皆以才自名於時。 累拜東臺侍郎。 李義府流巂州,舊制,流人不得乘馬,元超爲請,坐貶簡州刺史。 歲餘,又坐與上官儀文章款密,流巂州。 上元初,赦還,拜正諫大夫。 三年,遷中書侍郎、同中書門下三品。
In the seventh year of Wude he fell gravely ill. The Prince sent messengers to inquire after him, and they passed one another on the road. He had Shou carried by litter to the palace though he was sick, lifted his own sleeve to touch him, talked over their lives together, and wept until the tears ran. He died at thirty-three. The Prince mourned him bitterly and wrote to his clansman's son Yuanjing: "Bobao and I shared the hardships of camp life. When did we not ride out together to plan campaigns and speak freely from the heart? Who thought one morning would part us forever? His house has always been poor and his son is still young. Be kind to them and keep them safe, to comfort me." He sent envoys to mourn and offer sacrifice, and gave three hundred bolts of silk. Later, when the portraits of the Literary Scholars were painted, he sighed that Shou's early death had kept him from joining them. Once he had taken the throne, he told Fang Xuanling, "If Shou were alive, I would have made him Grand Councilor." He also dreamed of Shou as in life and gave his family grain and silk. In the seventh year of Zhenguan he was posthumously made Governor of Ding Prefecture. In the Yonghui period he was again honored as Minister of Ceremonies and buried beside Zhaoling. Shou's son Yuanchao inherited the title at nine. When he came of age he loved study and wrote well. He married Princess Hejing, daughter of Prince Chao, and rose through several posts as Attendant to the Heir Apparent. When Emperor Gaozong came to the throne, he was moved to Drafting Censor and often wrote in on the rights and wrongs of the day. The emperor praised and accepted his counsel. He was made Drafting Secretary of the Central Secretariat and a Scholar of the Hongwen Academy. In the Secretariat stood a great stone on which Daoheng, when he was Vice Minister, had often sat to draft edicts. Each time Yuanchao saw it, he wept. He left office to mourn his mother, but before the mourning was finished was recalled as Vice Minister of the Yellow Gate and Acting Left Subordinate of the Heir Apparent. Among the able men he recommended—Ren Xigu, Gao Zhizhou, Guo Zhengyi, Wang Yifang, Meng Lizhen, Zheng Zuxuan, Deng Xunting, Cui Rong, and others—each won fame in his day for talent. He rose by stages to Vice Minister of the Eastern Terrace. When Li Yifu was banished to Xizhou, old rules forbade exiles to ride horses. Yuanchao pleaded for him and was demoted to prefect of Jian Prefecture. More than a year later he was punished again for close literary ties with Shangguan Yi and sent into exile at Xizhou. At the start of the Shangyuan reign he was pardoned and recalled, and made remonstrance grand master. In the third year he became vice minister of the Central Secretariat and a third-rank participant in the Secretariat and Chancellery.
11
帝校獵溫泉,諸蕃酋長得持弓矢從。 元超奏:「夷狄野心,而使挾兵在圍中,非所宜。」 帝納可。 嘗宴諸王,召元超與,從容謂曰:「任卿中書,寧藉多人哉!」 俄拜中書令兼左庶子。 帝幸東都,留輔太子監國,手敕曰:「朕留卿,若失一臂。 顧太子未習庶務,關中事,卿悉專之。」 時太子射獵,詔得入禁御,故太子稍怠政事。 元超諫曰:「內苑之地,繚叢薄,冒翳薈,絶磴險途。 殿下截輕禽,逐狡兔,銜橛之變,詎無可虞? 又戸奴多反逆餘族,或夷狄遺醜,使凶謀竊發,將何以禦哉? 夫爲人子者,不登高,不臨深,謂其近危辱也。 天皇所賜書戒丁甯,惟殿下罷馳射之勞,留情墳典,豈不美歟!」 帝知之,遣使厚賜慰其意,召太子還東都。 帝疾劇,政出武后。 因陽喑,乞骸骨。 加金紫光祿大夫。 卒,年六十二,贈光祿大夫、秦州都督,陪葬乾陵。 子曜,聖曆中,附會張易之,官正諫大夫。 收從子元敬元敬,隋選部郎邁之子,與收及收族兄德音齊名,世稱「河東三鳳」。 收爲長離雛,德音爲鸑鷟,元敬年最少,爲鵷雛。 武德中,爲秘書郎、天策府參軍,直記室、文學館學士。 是時,收與房、杜處心腹之寄,更相結附。 元敬謹畏,未嘗申款曲。 如晦歎曰:「小記室不可得而親,不可得而疏!」 秦王爲皇太子,除舍人。 於是軍國之務總於東宮,而元敬掌文翰,號稱職。 卒於官。 收孫稷稷,字嗣通,道衡曾孫。 擢進士第。 累遷禮部郎中、中書舍人。 與從祖兄曜更踐兩省,俱以辭章自名。 景龍末,爲諫議大夫、昭文館學士。 初,貞觀、永徽間,虞世南、褚遂良以書顓家,後莫能繼。 稷外祖魏征家多藏虞、褚書,故銳精臨仿,結體遒麗,遂以書名天下。 畫又絶品。 睿宗在籓,喜之,以其子伯陽尚仙源公主。 及踐阼,遷太常少卿,封晉國公,實封三百戸。 會鐘紹京爲中書令,稷諷使讓,因入言於帝曰:「紹京本胥史,無素才望,今特以勳進,師長百僚,恐非朝廷具瞻之美。」 帝然之,遂許紹京讓,改戸部尚書。 翌日,遷稷黃門侍郎,參知機務。 與崔日用數爭事帝前,罷爲左散騎常侍。 歷太子少保、禮部尚書。 帝以翊贊功,每召入宮中與決事,恩絶群臣。 竇懷貞誅,稷以知本謀,賜死萬年獄,年六十五。 稷子伯陽伯陽爲駙馬都尉、安邑郡公,別食實封四百戸。 稷死,坐貶晉州員外別駕,又流嶺表,自殺。 伯陽子談,尚玄宗恒山公主,拜駙馬都尉、光祿員外卿。 馬周馬周,字賓王,博州茌平人。 少孤,家窶狹。 嗜學,善《詩》、《春秋》。 資曠邁,鄕人以無細謹,薄之。 武德中,補州助教,不治事。 刺史達奚恕數咎讓,周乃去,客密州。 趙仁本高其才,厚以裝,使入關。 留客汴,爲浚儀令崔賢所辱,遂感激而西,舍新豐,逆旅主人不之顧,周命酒一斗八升,悠然獨酌,眾異之。 至長安,舍中郎將常何家。
When the emperor hunted at the Hot Springs, chieftains of the frontier peoples were permitted to carry bows and arrows in the chase. Yuanchao submitted: "The hearts of the barbarians are untamed. To let them carry weapons inside the hunting grounds is unwise." The emperor agreed. Once, while feasting the princes, he called Yuanchao to him and said lightly, "With you at the Central Secretariat, do I need a crowd?" Before long Yuanchao was made grand councilor of the Central Secretariat and left subordinate as well. When the emperor went to the Eastern Capital, he left Yuanchao to assist the heir apparent in governing the realm. In his own hand he wrote, "Leaving you behind is like losing an arm. The heir apparent is still unused to the business of state. For all affairs in Guanzhong, you alone shall decide." At that time the heir apparent was out hunting. An edict allowed him into the forbidden park, and he slowly let state affairs slide. Yuanchao remonstrated: "The inner park is dense with brush and shadow, its paths steep and dangerous. Your Highness brings down small birds and runs down clever hares—if the bridle should jerk or the horse bolt, what then? Besides, many of the household slaves are kin of rebels, or the dregs of foreign tribes. If treachery should break out in secret, how would you defend yourself? A dutiful son does not climb high or stand at the edge—that is, he keeps away from danger and shame. The Son of Heaven's letter of warning was full and earnest. If Your Highness would leave off riding and shooting and turn your heart to the classics, would that not be fine?" When the emperor learned of this, he sent rich gifts to comfort Yuanchao and recalled the heir apparent to the Eastern Capital. When the emperor's illness turned grave, power passed to Empress Wu. He then pretended to be mute and asked to resign on grounds of age and infirmity. He was given the honorary title of grand master of the golden-girdled purple. He died at sixty-two and was posthumously honored as grand master of splendid brightness and military commissioner of Qin Prefecture, and buried beside Qianling. His son Yao, in the Shengli period, joined Zhang Yizhi's faction and served as remonstrance grand master. Shou's clansman Yuanjing, son of Mai, who had been a selection officer under the Sui, was as famous as Shou and Shou's elder clansman Deyin. Their generation called them the Three Phoenixes of Hedong. Shou was likened to a young changli phoenix, Deyin to a young zhuo, and Yuanjing, the youngest of the three, to a young yuan. In the Wude period he served as secretary, staff officer in the Heavenly Stratagem Office, attendant in the Secretarial Office, and scholar of the Literary Academy. At that time Shou, Fang, and Du stood in the Prince's inner circle and leaned on one another. Yuanjing was guarded and reserved and never offered easy intimacy. Ruhui sighed and said, "That young secretary—you cannot get close to him, yet you cannot keep him at arm's length either!" When the Prince of Qin became crown prince, Yuanjing was made attendant. Military and civil affairs then centered on the Eastern Palace, and Yuanjing managed the documents—people said he filled the role. He died in office. Shou's grandson Ji, styled Sitong, was the great-great-grandson of Daoheng. He passed the jinshi examination. He rose through the Ministry of Rites and the Central Secretariat, serving as lang and drafting secretary. He and his clansman Yao each served in turn in both secretariats, and both were known for their writing. Near the end of Jinglong he was remonstrating and advising grand master and a scholar of the Zhaowen Academy. In Zhenguan and Yonghui, Yu Shinan and Chu Suiliang had dominated calligraphy; afterward no one matched them. Ji's maternal grandfather Wei Zheng owned many works by Yu and Chu. Ji copied them with fierce devotion until his hand grew strong and graceful, and his calligraphy became famous under heaven. His painting, too, was unmatched. While Ruizong was still a prince, he favored Ji and had Ji's son Boyang marry Princess Xianyuan. When Ruizong took the throne, Ji became vice minister of ceremonies, was enfeoffed as Duke of Jin, and received three hundred households as his fief. When Zhong Shaojing was grand councilor, Ji prompted him to step down and then told the emperor, "Shaojing began as a petty clerk without long-standing talent or standing. To raise him now on merit alone to lead the hundred officials is hardly the sight the court should present to the realm." The emperor agreed, allowed Shaojing to resign the post, and made him minister of revenue instead. The next day Ji was made vice minister of the Yellow Gate and given a share in deciding state affairs. He quarreled repeatedly with Cui Riyong before the throne and was removed to left regular attendant of cavalry. He later served as junior tutor to the heir apparent and minister of rites. Because of his help in bringing Ruizong to the throne, the emperor often called him into the palace to decide matters with him, and his favor stood above all the rest. When Dou Huaizhen was put to death, Ji was judged to have known the plot from the start and was ordered to die in the prison at Wannian. He was sixty-five. Ji's son Boyang was commandant of escort cavalry and Duke of Anyi, with an additional fief of four hundred households. After Ji's death Boyang was demoted to supernumerary assistant prefect of Jin Prefecture, then banished south of the Ling range, where he took his own life. Boyang's son Tan married Emperor Xuanzong's Princess Hengshan and was made commandant of escort cavalry and supernumerary director of splendid brightness. Ma Zhou, whose courtesy name was Binwang, was from Chiping in Bozhou. He lost his father early, and the family was poor and narrow in means. He loved learning and was accomplished in the Odes and the Spring and Autumn Annals. He was gifted with a broad, unbounded spirit, but his fellow townsfolk thought him careless in small matters and held him in contempt. During the Wude reign, he was appointed assistant instructor in the prefecture but neglected his duties. Prefect Daxi Shu rebuked him again and again, so Ma Zhou departed and took lodging as a guest in Mizhou. Zhao Renben admired his gifts, lavished travel provisions on him, and sent him toward the capital. He stopped at Bian as a guest and was humiliated by Cui Xian, magistrate of Junyi. Stung to indignation, he traveled west and stopped at Xinfeng, where the innkeeper ignored him entirely. Ma Zhou ordered a peck and eight tenths of wine and drank alone with serene ease, to the wonder of all who saw him. When he reached Chang'an, he took lodging in the household of Chang He, captain of the Central Guard.
12
貞觀五年,詔百官言得失。 何武人,不涉學,周爲條二十餘事,皆當世所切。 太宗怪問何,何曰:「此非臣所能,家客馬周教臣言之。 客,忠孝人也。」 帝即召之,間未至,遣使者四輩敦趣。 及謁見,與語,帝大悅,詔直門下省。 明年,拜監察御史,奉使稱職。 帝以何得人,賜帛三百段。 周上疏曰:
In the fifth year of the Zhenguan reign, the emperor decreed that all officials should speak on the empire's strengths and failings. Chang He was a soldier who had never touched scholarship; Ma Zhou drew up more than twenty items for him, each a matter urgently pressing upon the age. Taizong questioned Chang He in astonishment. He replied, "This is beyond what I could do alone—my house guest Ma Zhou taught me what to say. That guest is a man of loyalty and filial devotion. The emperor at once summoned him, and before Ma Zhou had even arrived sent four successive envoys to press him onward. When he was received in audience and the emperor spoke with him, the emperor was greatly pleased and ordered him stationed at the Secretariat gate. The following year he was appointed investigating censor and, on the missions entrusted to him, fulfilled his charge with distinction. The emperor, considering that Chang He had found a worthy man, rewarded him with three hundred bolts of silk. Ma Zhou submitted a memorial, saying:
13
臣每讀前史,見賢者忠孝事,未嘗不廢卷長想,思履其跡。 臣不幸早失父母,犬馬之養,已無所施; 顧來事可爲者,惟忠義而已。 是以徒歩二千里,歸於陛下。 陛下不以臣愚,擢臣不次。 竊自惟念無以論報,輒竭區區,惟陛下所擇。
Whenever I read the chronicles of former ages and encounter the loyal and filial deeds of worthy men, I cannot but set the scroll aside and dwell upon them at length, longing to walk in their footsteps. I was sadly bereft of my parents while still young, and can no longer offer them even the meanest care. Of what lies ahead, only loyalty and righteousness remain for me to perform. For this reason I walked two thousand li to place myself in Your Majesty's service. Your Majesty did not deem me unworthy and raised me beyond ordinary rank. I can find no adequate way to repay such grace, and can only pour out what little I have—let Your Majesty take or leave it as you see fit.
14
臣伏見大安宮在宮城右,牆宇門闕,方紫極爲卑小。 東宮,皇太子居之,而在內; 大安,至尊居之,反在外。 太上皇雖志清儉,愛惜人力,陛下不敢違,而蕃夷朝見,四方觀聽,有不足焉。 臣願營雉堞門觀,務從高顯,以稱萬方之望,則大孝昭矣。
I observe that Da'an Palace stands to the right within the palace city, yet its walls, towers, and gates are plainly mean beside the Purple Forbidden. The Eastern Palace, where the crown prince dwells, lies within the inner precincts; yet Da'an Palace, where the supreme sovereign dwells, is set outside instead. Though the retired emperor wishes to remain pure and frugal and to spare human labor—and Your Majesty dare not disobey—when foreign tribes come to audience and all the world looks on, something is still lacking. I would have battlements, gates, and towers raised high and made conspicuous, to answer the hopes of all lands—then great filial piety would shine clear for all to see.
15
臣伏讀明詔,以二月幸九成宮。 竊惟太上皇春秋高,陛下宜朝夕視膳。 今所幸宮去京三百里而遠,非能旦發暮至也。 萬有一太上皇思感,欲即見陛下,何以逮之? 今茲本爲避暑行也,太上皇留熱處,而陛下走涼處,溫清之道,臣所未安。 然詔書既下,業不中止,願示還期,以開眾惑。
Reading reverently Your Majesty's clear edict, I see that in the second month you will sojourn at Jiucheng Palace. I reflect that the retired emperor's years are advanced, and Your Majesty ought to attend his meals morning and evening. The palace you now favor lies three hundred li from the capital—not a distance one can cover between dawn and dusk. Should the retired emperor, moved by longing, wish at once to see Your Majesty, how could you reach him in time? This journey is meant to escape the heat, yet the retired emperor stays where it is hot while Your Majesty hastens to where it is cool—the proper care owed a parent in warmth and comfort leaves me deeply uneasy. Yet the edict has already gone forth and the journey cannot be called off—still, I ask that a date of return be announced, to lay the people's doubts to rest.
16
臣伏見詔宗室功臣悉就籓國,遂貽子孫,世守其政。 竊惟陛下之意,誠愛之重之,欲其裔緒承守,與國無疆也。 臣謂必如詔書者,陛下宜思所以安存之,富貴之,何必使世官也? 且堯、舜之父,有硃、均之子。 若令有不肖子襲封嗣職,兆庶被殃,國家蒙患。 正欲絶之,則子文之治猶在也; 正欲存之,則欒黶之惡已暴也。 必曰與其毒害於見存之人,甯割恩於已亡之臣,則向所謂愛之重之者,適所以傷之也。 臣謂宜賦以茅土,疇以戸邑,必有材行,隨器而授。 雖幹翮非強,亦可以免累。 漢光武不任功臣以吏事,所以終全其世者,良得其術也。 願陛下深思其事,使得奉大恩,而子孫終其福祿也。
I observe the edict directing all imperial clansmen and meritorious ministers to take up their fiefdoms, granting them to their descendants to hold and govern in perpetuity. I take Your Majesty's intent to be a true desire to love and honor them—to have their lineages inherit and hold fast, sharing unending years with the realm. If matters must follow the edict as written, Your Majesty ought rather to consider how to keep them secure and make them prosper—why must they hold hereditary office? Even Yao and Shun had worthy fathers—and sons in Zhu and Jun besides. If unworthy sons were allowed to inherit fiefs and succeed to office, the myriad people would suffer and the state would bear the calamity. When one wishes to cut a line off entirely, Ziwen's good governance still stands in memory; when one wishes to preserve it, Luan Yan's wickedness already stands exposed to all. If one must choose between letting poison afflict the living and cutting off the grace owed the dead, then what was called love and honor becomes, in truth, the very thing that destroys them. I hold that they should be granted fiefs and allotted households and estates, and that office should be conferred only where talent and conduct warrant it, each according to his measure. Even if their wings are not strong, they may yet be spared ruin and disgrace. Emperor Guangwu of Han did not burden his meritorious ministers with administrative affairs—that he was able to preserve them to the end of their days shows he had mastered the right art indeed. I ask that Your Majesty ponder this deeply, that they may receive your great grace and their descendants enjoy fortune and rank to the end of their days.
17
臣聞聖人之化天下,莫不以孝爲本,故曰:「孝莫大於嚴父,嚴父莫大於配天」,「國之大事,在祀與戎」,孔子亦言「吾不與祭,如不祭」,是聖人之重祭祀也。 自陛下踐祚,宗廟之享,未嘗親事。 竊惟聖情,以乘輿一出,所費無蓺,故忍孝思,以便百姓。 而一代史官,不書皇帝入廟,將何以貽厥孫謀、示來葉邪? 臣知大孝誠不在俎豆之間,然聖人訓人,必以己先之,示不忘本也。
I have heard that in transforming the realm, the sage takes filial piety as root. Hence the saying: "Of filial acts none is greater than honoring the father; of honoring the father none is greater than matching Heaven"; "The great affairs of state lie in sacrifice and war"; and Confucius said, "If I do not personally take part in the sacrifice, it is as though no sacrifice were held at all"—such is the weight the sage placed upon sacrifice. Since Your Majesty ascended the throne, you have never personally attended the offerings at the ancestral temple. I understand that in Your Majesty's sage heart, since even a single departure of the imperial carriage costs beyond reckoning, you restrain your filial longing to spare the people. Yet if the historians of this age record no entry of the emperor into the temple, what counsel will this leave to your descendants, what example to generations yet unborn? I know that great filial piety is not truly measured by sacrificial vessels alone, yet the sage, in instructing others, always leads by his own example, showing that one must never forget one's roots.
18
臣聞致化之道,在求賢審官。 孔子曰:「惟名與器,不可以假人。」 是言慎舉之爲重也。 臣伏見王長通、白明達本樂工輿皁雜類; 韋般提、斛斯正無他材,獨解調馬。 雖術逾等夷,可厚賜金帛以富其家。 今超授高爵,與外廷朝會,騶豎倡子,鳴玉曳履,臣竊恥之。 若朝命不可追改,尚宜不使在列,與士大夫爲伍。
I have heard that the way to bring about good order lies in seeking worthy men and scrutinizing appointments to office. Confucius said, "Titles and the instruments of rank must not be lent to others. This speaks to how weighty careful selection truly is. I observe that Wang Changtong and Bai Mingda were originally musicians, grooms, and common menials; Wei Bandi and Husi Zheng had no other gifts—they knew only how to train horses. Though their skills surpass the common run, they might richly be rewarded with gold and silk to enrich their households. Now they have been promoted beyond measure to high rank and attend court alongside outer officials—grooms, jesters, and songboys, jade ornaments chiming at their belts, hems sweeping the floor—and I am secretly ashamed of it. If the court's appointments cannot be recalled, at the least they ought not to stand in the ranks alongside grand masters and officials.
19
帝善其言,除侍御中。 又言:
The emperor approved his words and appointed him attendant censor. He spoke again, saying:
20
臣歷觀夏、商、周、漢之有天下,傳祚相繼,多者八百餘年,少者猶四五百年,皆積德累業,恩結於人,豈無僻王,賴先哲以免。 自魏、晉逮周、隋,多者五六十年,少者三二十年而亡。 良由創業之君不務仁化,當時僅能自守,後無遺德可思,故傳嗣之主,其政少衰,一夫大呼,天下土崩矣。 今陛下雖以大功定天下,而積德日淺,固當隆禹、湯、文、武之道,使恩有餘地,爲子孫立萬世之基,豈特持當年而已。 然自古明王聖主,雖因人設教,而大要節儉於身,恩加於人,故其下愛之如父母,仰之如日月,畏之如雷霆,卜祚遐長,而禍亂不作也。 今百姓承喪亂之後,比於隋時才十分一,而徭役相望,兄去弟還,往來遠者五六千里,春秋冬夏,略無休時。 陛下雖詔減省,而有司不得廢作,徒行文書,役之如故。 四五年來,百姓頗嗟怨,以爲陛下不存養之。 堯之茅茨土階,禹之惡衣菲食,臣知不可復行於今。 漢文帝惜百金之費而罷露臺,集上書囊以爲殿帷,所幸慎夫人衣不曳地; 景帝亦以錦繡纂組妨害女功,特詔除之,所以百姓安樂。 至孝武帝雖窮奢極侈,承文、景遺德,故人心不搖。 向使高祖之後即值武帝,天下必不能全。 此時代差近,事蹟可見。 今京師及益州諸處,營造供奉器物,並諸王妃主服飾,皆過靡麗。 臣聞昧旦丕顯,後世猶怠,作法於治,其弊猶亂。 陛下少處人間,知百姓辛苦,前代成敗,目所親見,尚猶如此,而皇太子生長深宮,不更外事,即萬歲後,聖慮之所當憂也。
Surveying in turn how Xia, Shang, Zhou, and Han held the realm—the longest enduring more than eight hundred years, the shortest still four or five hundred, each dynasty heaping up virtue upon virtue and binding grace to the people—I see that though wayward kings arose, the legacy of former sages preserved them from ruin. From Wei and Jin down through Zhou and Sui, the longest endured five or six decades, the shortest perished in twenty or thirty years. This came chiefly because founding rulers did not pursue humane governance: they could barely hold what they had in their own day and left no lingering virtue for later ages to cherish. When their heirs succeeded, governance soon faltered—a single man cried out, and the realm collapsed like crumbling earth. Though Your Majesty has by great merit settled the realm, the store of accumulated virtue grows daily shallow. You ought rather to exalt the way of Yu, Tang, Wen, and Wu, leaving grace with room to spare and laying a foundation that will endure for ten thousand generations—not merely holding fast to the present day alone. Yet since antiquity, even sage kings and luminous sovereigns, though they adapted their teaching to the men before them, made frugality in their own persons and grace extended to others their great principle; hence their subjects loved them as parents, looked up to them as sun and moon, feared them as thunder—and their reigns ran long, and calamity and disorder did not arise. Today the people, emerging from war and chaos, number scarcely one tenth what they did under the Sui; yet corvée assignments follow one upon another—one brother goes out, another returns—and those traveling from afar journey five or six thousand li through spring, summer, autumn, and winter with scarcely a moment of rest. Though Your Majesty has decreed reductions, the responsible offices dare not halt their works and merely circulate documents—the levies continue as before. Over the past four or five years the people have grown openly resentful, believing that Your Majesty does not care for and nurture them. Yao's thatched hut and earthen steps, Yu's coarse garments and meager fare—I know these cannot be practiced again in our age. Emperor Wen of Han, sparing the hundred-gold cost of the Exposed Terrace, abandoned the project; he gathered the satchels from memorials to make hall draperies, and Lady Shen, whom he favored, wore robes that did not sweep the ground; Emperor Jing likewise held that brocade and ornamental stitching wasted women's labor and specially decreed their abolition—hence the people's peace and contentment. When it came to Emperor Wu, though he exhausted the realm in extravagance, he still inherited the lingering virtue of Wen and Jing, and the people's hearts did not waver. Had Gaozu's heirs immediately succeeded to Emperor Wu's reign, the realm could not have remained whole. That age is not far removed from our own, and the record stands plain before us. Today in the capital and throughout Yizhou, objects crafted for imperial service and the robes and adornments of princes' consorts and imperial princesses all exceed proper splendor. I have heard that though one rises at dawn in pursuit of excellence, later ages still grow lax; establish custom in a time of order, and its decay will still breed disorder. Your Majesty once lived among common men and knows the people's hardship; the triumphs and failures of former ages you witnessed with your own eyes—yet things stand thus already. How much greater the matter for concern when the crown prince, raised deep within the palace and knowing nothing of the world outside, succeeds you in years to come.
21
臣竊尋自古黎庶怨叛,聚爲盜賊,其國無不即滅,人主雖悔,未有重能安全者。 凡脩政教,當脩之於可脩之時。 若事變一起而後悔之,無益也。 故人主每見前代之亡,則知其政教之所由喪,而不知其身之失。 故紂笑桀之亡,而幽、厲笑紂之亡,隋煬帝又笑齊、魏之失國也。 今之視煬帝,猶煬帝之視齊、魏也。
I reflect that since antiquity, when the common people turn resentful and gather as bandits, no state has failed to perish at once; though the ruler afterward repents, none has ever secured safety again. In all reform of governance and teaching, one must act while reform is still possible. To wait until disaster has already struck and only then repent avails nothing. Hence rulers, whenever they witness the fall of a former age, know through what failure of governance and teaching it was lost—yet cannot see their own errors. Thus Zhou of Shang laughed at Jie of Xia's ruin; Kings You and Li of Zhou laughed at Zhou of Shang's fall; and Emperor Yang of Sui laughed at Qi and Wei's loss of their realms. Those who look upon Emperor Yang today stand where Emperor Yang himself stood when he looked upon Qi and Wei.
22
往貞觀初,率土荒儉,一匹絹才易斗米,而天下帖然者,百姓知陛下憂憐之,故人人自安無謗讟也。 五六年來,頻歲豐稔,一匹絹易粟十餘斛,而百姓咸怨,以爲陛下不憂憐之。 何則? 今營爲者,多不急之務故也。 自古以來,國之興亡,不由積畜多少,在百姓苦樂也。 且以近事驗之,隋貯洛口倉而李密因之,積布帛東都而王世充據之,西京府庫亦爲國家之用。 向使洛口、東都無粟帛,王世充、李密未能必聚大眾。 但貯積者,固有國之常,要當人有餘力而後收之,豈人勞而強斂之以資寇邪?
In the early Zhenguan years famine gripped the land—a bolt of silk scarcely bought a peck of grain—yet the empire remained tranquil because the people knew Your Majesty grieved for and pitied them; each man rested secure, and there was no outcry of complaint. Over the past five or six years harvests have run abundant—a bolt of silk buys more than ten hu of grain—yet the people all complain, believing that Your Majesty no longer grieves for and pities them. Why is this? Because what is now undertaken is mostly business of no urgent need. Since antiquity the rise and fall of states has never depended on the size of the treasury, but on whether the people suffered or prospered. Judge by recent events: the Sui stored grain at the Luokou granary and Li Mi seized upon it; it piled cloth and silk at the eastern capital and Wang Shichong took possession; the western capital's treasuries likewise became spoils for rebels and usurpers. Had Luokou and the eastern capital held no grain or silk, Wang Shichong and Li Mi could not so readily have gathered great hosts. To store up reserves is indeed the constant practice of statecraft—but one ought collect only when the people have strength to spare. How can one levy harshly while they toil and thereby arm one's enemies?
23
夫儉以息人,貞觀初,陛下己躬爲之,今行之不難也。 爲之一日,則天下知之,式歌且舞矣。 若人既勞,而周之不息,萬一中國水旱,而邊方有風塵之警,狂狡竊發,非徒旰食晏寢而已。 古語云:「動人以行不以言,應天以實不以文。」 以陛下之明,誠欲厲精爲政,不煩遠采上古,但及貞觀初,則天下幸甚。
Frugality to give the people rest—in early Zhenguan Your Majesty already practiced this yourself; to practice it now would not be hard. Practice it for a single day and the realm will know it—the people will sing and dance in joy. If the people are already exhausted and the levies do not cease, then should the heartland suffer flood or drought while the frontier raises alarms of war, and the violent and cunning rise in rebellion—the danger would be far graver than merely losing sleep and skipping meals. An old saying runs, "Move men by deeds, not words; respond to Heaven with substance, not ornament. With Your Majesty's luminous understanding, if you truly wish to sharpen your spirit in governance, there is no need to reach back to high antiquity—only return to early Zhenguan, and the realm would be greatly blessed.
24
昔賈誼謂漢文帝云「可痛哭及長歎息者」,言:「當韓信王楚、彭越王梁、英布王淮南之時,使文帝即天子位,必不能安。」 又言:「賴諸王年少,傅相制之,長大之後,必生禍亂。」 後世皆以誼言爲是。 臣竊觀今諸將功臣,陛下所與定天下,無威略振主如韓、彭者; 而諸王年並幼少,縱其長大,陛下之日,必無他心,然則萬代之後,不可不慮。 漢、晉以來,亂天下者,何嘗不在諸王。 皆由樹置失宜,不豫爲節制,以至滅亡。 人主豈不知其然,溺於私愛爾。 故前車既覆,而後車不改轍也。 今天下百姓尚少,而諸王已多,其寵遇過厚者,臣愚慮之,非特恃恩驕矜也。 昔魏武帝寵陳思王,文帝即位,防守禁閉同獄囚焉。 何則? 先帝加恩太多,故嗣主疑而畏之也。 此武帝寵陳思王,適所以苦之也。 且帝子身食大國,何患不富,而歲別優賜,曾無限極。 里語曰:「貧不學儉,富不學奢。」 言自然也。 今大聖創業,豈唯處置見子弟而已,當制長久之法,使萬代奉行。
In former times Jia Yi told Emperor Wen of Han of matters "that could make one weep aloud and sigh deeply," saying, "When Han Xin held Chu, Peng Yue held Liang, and Ying Bu held Huainan—had Wen immediately ascended the throne, he could not have remained secure." He also said, "They were spared only because the princes were still young and tutors and ministers restrained them—but once grown, calamity and disorder would surely arise." Later ages have all held Jia Yi's words to be true. I observe that among the generals and meritorious ministers who fixed the realm with Your Majesty, none possesses such terrifying power and stratagem as Han and Peng did, such as might shake the throne; Yet all the princes are still young; even when grown, so long as Your Majesty lives they will surely harbor no other intent—yet for ten thousand generations to come, this cannot go unconsidered. Since Han and Jin, has the realm ever been thrown into chaos by anyone other than the princes? All because they were established in the wrong measure, with no restraint laid down in advance, until ruin followed. Do rulers not know this? They are drowned in private affection—that is all. Hence the cart ahead overturns, yet the cart behind does not change its track. Today the people of the realm are still few, yet the princes are already many; those who receive excessive favor—I fear, in my foolish view—will not merely grow arrogant on imperial grace. In former times Emperor Wu of Wei favored Prince Si of Chen; when Emperor Wen succeeded, he was guarded and confined like a prisoner in a dungeon. Why was this? The former emperor had bestowed too much favor, so the succeeding sovereign suspected and feared him. Thus in favoring Prince Si of Chen, Emperor Wu had only brought him suffering. Moreover, an emperor's son feeds upon a great fief—what need has he to fear poverty? Yet year after year special grants are made, without limit or end. A village saying runs, "The poor do not need to learn thrift; the rich do not need to learn extravagance. This speaks to what is natural. Now the Great Sage has founded the enterprise—surely this is not merely a matter of arranging his sons and younger brothers; he ought to establish lasting law that ten thousand generations may follow.
25
臣聞天下者以人爲本。 必也使百姓安樂,在刺史、縣令爾。 縣令既眾,不可皆賢,但州得良刺史可矣。 天下刺史得人,陛下端拱岩廊之上,夫復何爲? 古者郡守、縣令皆選賢德,欲有所用,必先試以臨人,或由二千石高第入爲宰相。 今獨重內官,縣令、刺史頗輕其選。 又刺史多武夫勳人,或京官不稱職始出補外; 折沖果毅身力強者入爲中郎將,其次乃補邊州。 而以德行才術擢者,十不能一。 所以百姓未安,殆在於此。
I have heard that the realm takes the people as its foundation. Surely to make the common people secure and at ease lies with the prefectural inspectors and county magistrates. Magistrates are many and cannot all be worthy—but if each province finds a good inspector, that suffices. If the empire's inspectors are well chosen, what need has Your Majesty to do anything, seated in dignity upon the lofty hall? In antiquity, prefects and magistrates were all chosen for virtue and talent; when one was to be employed, he was first tested in governing men, or might enter the chancellorship through high standing among the two-thousand-bushel officials. Today inner court officials alone are heavily esteemed, while the selection of magistrates and inspectors is rather slighted. Moreover, most inspectors are military men and men of merit—or capital officials who proved unfit for their posts are sent out to fill outer appointments; Those strongest in repelling enemies and resolute in combat enter as commandants of the palace guard; only the next rank are assigned to frontier provinces. Of those promoted for virtue, conduct, talent, and skill, not one in ten can be found. That the people are not yet at ease lies, I suspect, in this.
26
疏奏,帝稱善。 擢拜給事中,轉中書舍人。
When the memorial was submitted, the emperor praised it. Ma Zhou was promoted to Gentleman Attendant-at-Discussions and then transferred to drafting secretary of the Secretariat.
27
周善敷奏,機辯明銳,動中事會,裁處周密,時譽歸之。 帝每曰:「我暫不見周即思之。」 岑文本謂所親曰:「馬君論事,會文切理,無一言可損益,聽之纚纚,令人忘倦。 蘇、張、終、賈正應此耳。 然鳶肩火色,騰上必速,恐不能久。」 俄遷治書侍御史,兼知諫議大夫,檢校晉王府長史。 王爲皇太子,拜中書侍郎,兼太子右庶子。 十八年,遷中書令,猶兼庶子。 時置太子司議郎,帝高其除。 周歎曰:「恨吾資品妄高,不得歷此官。」 帝征遼,留輔太子定州。 及還,攝吏部尚書,進銀青光祿大夫。 帝嘗以飛白書賜周曰:「鸞鳳沖霄,必假羽翼; 股肱之寄,要在忠力。」
Ma Zhou excelled at laying out memorials: quick and sharp in debate, always striking the crux of affairs, thorough in deciding and disposing—and the acclaim of the age flowed to him. The emperor often said, "Briefly away from Ma Zhou, I already miss him. Cen Text told those close to him, "When Master Ma discusses affairs, his language meets the text and cuts to principle—not a word can be added or taken away; listening to him, the flow never wearies one. Su Qin, Zhang Yi, Zhong Jun, and Jia Yi were truly men of this kind. Yet his shoulders are like a kite's and his complexion fire-red—those who rise swiftly cannot long endure, I fear." Not long after he was transferred to supervising secretary of the Censorate, concurrently acting as remonstrance counsellor, and made acting chief administrator of the Prince of Jin's household. When the prince became crown prince, Ma Zhou was appointed vice director of the Secretariat, concurrently right assistant to the crown prince. In the eighteenth year he was transferred to Director of the Secretariat, still concurrently assistant to the crown prince. At that time the office of remonstrance adviser to the crown prince was established, and the emperor held Ma Zhou's appointment in high regard. Ma Zhou sighed and said, "I regret that my qualifications were unduly elevated—I was not able to hold this office myself. When the emperor campaigned against Liaodong, Ma Zhou was left behind at Dingzhou to assist the crown prince. Upon the emperor's return, he served as acting Minister of Personnel and was advanced to Grand Master with Silver Seal and Blue Ribbon. The emperor once wrote in flying-white script and bestowed it upon Ma Zhou, saying, "The luan and phoenix soar to the sky—they must borrow wings; the charge laid upon my arms and thighs lies above all in loyalty and strength."
28
周病消渴連年,帝幸翠微宮,求勝地爲構第,每詔尚書食具膳,上醫使者視護,躬爲調藥,太子問疾。 疾甚,周取所上章奏悉焚之,曰:「管、晏暴君之過,取身後名,吾不爲也!」 二十二年卒,年四十八,贈幽州都督,陪葬昭陵。
Ma Zhou suffered from wasting thirst for years; the emperor visited the Cuiwei Palace, sought a fine site to build him a mansion, repeatedly ordered the Ministry of Revenues to supply full meals, sent the finest physicians to attend him, personally mixed medicines for him, and the crown prince inquired after his illness. When his illness grew severe, Ma Zhou took all the memorials he had submitted and burned them, saying, "Guan Zhong and Yan Ying reproached their rulers' failings to win fame after death—I will not do this! In the twenty-second year he died, aged forty-eight; he was posthumously made regional commander of Youzhou and buried beside the Zhaoling tomb.
29
初,帝遇周厚,周頗自負。 爲御史時,遣人以圖購宅,眾以其興書生,素無貲,皆竊笑。 它日,白有佳宅,直二百萬,周遽以聞,詔有司給直,並賜奴婢什物,由是人乃悟。 周每行郡縣,食必進雞,小吏訟之。 帝曰:「我禁御史食肉,恐州縣廣費,食雞尚何與?」 榜吏斥之。 及領選,猶廢浚儀令。 先是,京師晨暮傳呼以警眾,後置鼓代之,俗曰「冬冬鼓」; 品官舊服止黃紫,於是三品服紫,四品五品硃,六品七品綠,八品九品青; 城門入由左,出由右; 飛驛以達警急; 納居人地租; 宿衞大小番直; 截驛馬尾; 城門、衞舍、守捉士,月散配諸縣,各取一,以防其過; 皆周建白。 自周亡,帝思之甚,將假方士術求見其儀形。 高宗即位,追贈尚書右僕射、高唐縣公。 垂拱中,配享高宗廟庭。 周子載子載,咸亨中爲司列少常伯,與裴行儉分掌選事,言吏部者稱裴、馬焉。 終雍州長史。
At first the emperor treated Ma Zhou with great favor, and Ma Zhou grew rather self-assured. While serving as censor he sent men with a blueprint to buy a house; the crowd, knowing him for a penniless scholar risen from nothing, all secretly laughed. Another day he was told of a fine house worth two million cash; Ma Zhou immediately reported it, and an edict ordered the offices to pay the price and also bestowed slaves, maids, and furnishings—whereupon people understood. Whenever Ma Zhou traveled through commanderies and counties, chicken was invariably served at meals; a petty clerk sued him over it. The emperor said, "I forbade censors from eating meat for fear counties and prefectures would expend lavishly—what has chicken to do with this? He had the clerk beaten and driven off. When he took charge of selections, he still abolished the post of magistrate of Junyi. Before this, the capital at dawn and dusk used call-and-response to warn the populace; afterward drums were installed in place of this—the people called them the "dong-dong drums"; Officials of rank had formerly worn only yellow and purple; then third rank wore purple, fourth and fifth cinnabar, sixth and seventh green, eighth and ninth blue-green; city gates: enter by the left, exit by the right; flying courier stations to convey urgent alarms; collecting ground rent from residents; palace guards of all ranks on rotating watch; trimming courier horses' tails; gate guards, guard barracks, and garrison soldiers—each month one from each was assigned among the counties to prevent misconduct; all these were Ma Zhou's proposals. After Ma Zhou's death the emperor missed him deeply and intended to employ alchemical arts to see his likeness. When Emperor Gaozong ascended, Ma Zhou was posthumously made Right Vice Director of the Department of State Affairs and Duke of Gaotang County. In the Chuigong era he was enshrined in the hall of Emperor Gaozong's temple. Ma Zhou's son Ma Zai, courtesy name Zizai—in the Xianheng era served as vice minister of the Secretariat for ranking, shared charge of appointments with Pei Xingjian, and those who spoke of the Ministry of Personnel named Pei and Ma. He ended as chief administrator of Yongzhou.
30
贊曰:周之遇太宗,顧不異哉! 由一介草茅言天下事,若素宦於朝、明習憲章者,非王佐才,疇以及茲? 其自視與築岩、釣渭亦何以異! 跡夫帝銳於立事,而周所建皆切一時,以明佐聖,故君宰間不膠漆而固,恨相得晩,宜矣。 然周才不逮傅説、呂望,使後世未有述焉,惜乎! 韋挺韋挺,京兆萬年人。 父沖,仕隋爲民部尚書。 挺少與隱太子善,高祖平京師,署隴西公府祭酒。 累遷太子左衞驃騎,檢校左衞率。 太子遇之厚,宮臣無與比。 武德七年,帝避暑仁智宮。 或言太子與宮臣謀逆,又慶州刺史楊文幹坐大逆誅,辭連東宮,帝專責宮臣,由是挺與杜淹、王珪等皆流越巂。 未幾,召拜主爵郎中。 貞觀初,王珪數薦之,遷尚書右丞。 歷吏部、黃門侍郎,拜御史大夫、扶陽縣男。 太宗謂挺曰:「卿之任大夫,獨朕意,左右無爲卿地者!」 挺曰:「臣駑下,不足以辱高位,且非勳非舊,而在籓邸故僚上,願後臣以勸立功者。」 不聽。 是時承隋大亂,風俗薄惡,人不知教。 挺上疏曰:「父母之恩,昊天罔極; 創巨之痛,終身何已。 今衣冠士族,辰日不哭,謂爲重喪,親賓來吊,輒不臨舉。 又閭里細人,每有重喪,不即發問,先造邑社,待營辦具,乃始發哀。 至假車乘,雇棺槨,以榮送葬。 既葬,鄰伍會集,相與酣醉,名曰出孝。 夫婦之道,王化所基,故有三日不息燭、不舉樂之感。 今昏嫁之初,雜奏絲竹,以窮宴歡。 官司習俗,弗爲條禁。 望一切懲革,申明禮憲。」 俄復爲黃門侍郎,兼魏王泰府事。 時泰有寵,太子多過失,帝密欲廢立,語杜正倫,正倫以漏言貶。 帝謂挺曰:「不忍復置卿於法。」 改太常卿。
The encomium says: Was Ma Zhou's meeting with Emperor Taizong not singular indeed! From a single blade of thatch in the fields to speak of the empire's affairs as though he had always served at court and knew the statutes by heart—had he not possessed talent fit to assist a king, who could have reached this? How was his view of himself different from building on a cliff or fishing beside the Wei! Mark how the emperor was keen to establish affairs, and all Ma Zhou proposed was urgent to the moment; with a clear man assisting a sage, lord and minister needed no glue or lacquer to bind firm—regret that they found each other late was only fitting. Yet Ma Zhou's talent did not reach Fu Yue or Lü Wang—and that later ages have no full account of him is a pity! Wei Ting, a native of Wannian in Jingzhao. His father Chong served the Sui as Minister of the Ministry of Revenue. In youth Wei Ting was on good terms with the Hidden Crown Prince; when Emperor Gaozu pacified the capital, he was appointed libationer of the Duke of Longxi's household. He was promoted in succession to commander of the Left Guard Wing of Cavalry in the crown prince's household, and acting commander of the Left Guard. The crown prince treated him generously—among palace officials none could compare. In the seventh year of Wude the emperor spent the summer at Renzhi Palace. Some said the crown prince and palace officials plotted rebellion; moreover Yang Wengan, prefect of Qingzhou, was executed for great treason and implicated the Eastern Palace in his confession—the emperor blamed the palace officials exclusively, and for this Wei Ting, Du Yan, Wang Gui, and others were all exiled to Yuexi. Before long he was recalled and appointed director of the Bureau of Enfeoffment. At the beginning of Zhenguan, Wang Gui repeatedly recommended him, and he was transferred to right vice director of the Department of State Affairs. He passed through the Ministry of Personnel and Vice Director of the Department of the Imperial Household, and was appointed Censor-in-Chief and Baron of Fuyang County. Emperor Taizong said to Wei Ting, "In appointing you Censor-in-Chief, only my own intent decided it—none at my side made room for you! Wei Ting said, "I, your servant, am slow and base—not worthy to disgrace so high a post; moreover I neither earned merit nor am an old companion, yet I stand above former colleagues of Your Majesty's princely household; I would ask that you place me after others, to encourage those who have achieved merit." The emperor would not hear of it. At that time, inheriting the great disorder of the Sui, customs were shallow and corrupt, and men knew nothing of teaching. Wei Ting submitted a memorial, saying, "The grace of parents—boundless as heaven; the pain of deepest wound—when can it ever end in a lifetime? Today among gentry clans, on chen days they do not weep, calling it a doubly heavy mourning; when kin and guests come to condole, they do not even attend the rites. Among common folk in the lanes, whenever there is a heavy mourning they do not immediately raise the inquiry; first they visit the village altar, wait until all arrangements are ready, and only then begin wailing. They even hire carriages and coffins to make the funeral procession glorious. After burial the neighbors gather and drink together until drunk—calling it "bringing out mourning." The way of husband and wife is the foundation of royal transformation; hence the feeling of three days without extinguishing candles or raising music. Today at the start of marriage, string and bamboo are mixed in performance to exhaust all revelry. Officialdom follows custom and makes no prohibitory statutes. I hope all these may be punished and reformed, and the ritual code clearly declared. Not long after he was again made Vice Director of the Department of the Imperial Household, concurrently administering the household of Prince Tai of Wei. At that time Prince Tai was favored, the crown prince had many faults, and the emperor secretly wished to depose and install anew; he spoke to Du Zhenglun, and Du Zhenglun was demoted for leaking the words. The emperor said to Wei Ting, "I cannot bear to place you under the law again. He was transferred to Minister of Ceremonies.
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初,挺爲大夫時,馬周爲監察御史,挺不甚禮。 及周爲中書令,帝欲湔拭用之,周言挺佷於自用,非宰相器,遂止。 帝將討遼東,擇主餉運者。 周言挺才任粗使,帝謂然。 挺父故爲營州總管,嘗經略高麗,故劄藏家,挺上之。 帝悅曰:「自幽距遼二千里無州縣,吾軍靡所仰食,卿爲朕圖之。 苟吾軍用不乏,是公之功。 其自擇文武官四品十人爲子使,取幽、易、平三州銳士若馬各三百以從。」 即詔河北列州皆取挺節度,許以便宜。 帝親解貂裘及中廄馬賜之。 挺遣燕州司馬王安德行渠,作漕艫轉糧,自桑乾水抵盧思臺,行八百里,渠塞不可通。 挺以方苦寒,未可進,遂下米臺側,廥之,待凍泮乃運以爲解。 即上言:「度王師至,食且足。」 帝不悅曰:「兵寧拙速,無工遲。 我明年師出,挺乃度它歲運,何哉?」 即詔繁畤令韋懷質馳按。 懷質還劾:「挺在幽州,日置酒,弗憂職,不前視渠長利,即造船行粟,綿八百里,乃悟非是,欲進則不得,還且水涸。 六師所須,恐不如陛下之素。」 帝怒,遣將少監李道裕代之。 敕治書侍御史唐臨馳傳,械挺赴洛陽,廢爲民,使白衣從。
At first, when Wei Ting was Censor-in-Chief, Ma Zhou was investigating censor, and Wei Ting did not show him much courtesy. When Ma Zhou became Director of the Secretariat, the emperor wished to cleanse and employ Wei Ting; Ma Zhou said Wei Ting was obstinate in self-will and not material for chancellor—the matter was dropped. The emperor was about to campaign against Liaodong and was choosing one to oversee provisions and transport. Ma Zhou said that Ting's talents were fit only for coarse assignments, and the emperor agreed. Ting's late father had served as governor-general of Yingzhou and had once campaigned against Goguryeo; old maps were kept in the family, and Ting presented them to the throne. The emperor said with pleasure, "From Youzhou to Liaodong stretches two thousand li without a single prefecture or county; our army has nowhere to draw its provisions—you must devise a plan for Us. If Our army's supplies never run short, that will be your achievement. Choose for yourself ten civil and military officials of the fourth rank to serve as your lieutenants, and take three hundred picked soldiers and as many horses from each of the three prefectures of You, Yi, and Ping. An edict was immediately issued that all prefectures of Hebei should obey Ting's command, with discretionary powers granted. The emperor personally removed his sable fur coat and bestowed it on him, along with a horse from the imperial stables. Ting dispatched Wang An, assistant administrator of Yanzhou, to open a canal and build transport barges to move grain from the Sanggan River to Lusi Terrace—a distance of eight hundred li—but the canal was blocked and could not be opened. Ting judged that the bitter cold made advance impossible, so he unloaded the grain beside the terrace, stored it in granaries, and planned to transport it once the ice thawed. He immediately memorialized, "I estimate that when the imperial army arrives, provisions will suffice. The emperor said displeased, "In war, better clumsy speed than skillful delay. Our army marches next year—yet Ting plans transport for some other year. What is the meaning of this? An edict was issued ordering Fanzhi magistrate Wei Huizhi to ride posthaste and investigate. Huizhi returned with impeachment charges: "Ting in Youzhou spends his days feasting and neglects his duties. He did not first inspect whether the canal's length would serve, but at once built ships to transport grain over eight hundred li; only then did he realize his error, yet could not advance, and on the return journey the water had already dried up. The requirements of the six armies will probably fall short of Your Majesty's expectations. The emperor in anger dispatched Vice Director of Palace Receptions Li Daoyu to replace him. He ordered Investigating Censor Tang Lin to ride posthaste, put Ting in fetters and escort him to Luoyang, stripped him of rank and made him a commoner, yet allowed him to follow in plain clothes.
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帝破蓋牟城,詔挺將兵鎮守,示復用。 城與賊新城接,日夜轉鬥無休時。 挺以失職,內不平,作書謝所善公孫常。 常,善數者也,以他事系,投繯死。 索橐中得挺書,言所屯危蹙,意怨望,貶象州刺史。 歲餘卒,年五十八。
When the emperor captured Gaimou Fortress, he ordered Ting to lead troops to garrison it—a sign that he would be employed again. The fortress adjoined the enemy's Xincheng, and day and night the fighting raged without respite. Ting, having lost his office, felt inwardly aggrieved and wrote a letter to his friend Gongsun Chang. Chang, who was skilled in divination, had been detained on another matter and hanged himself. In searching his belongings they found Ting's letter, which spoke of his garrison's peril and distress and betrayed resentment; he was demoted to prefect of Xiangzhou. More than a year later he died, aged fifty-eight.
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子待價、萬石。 挺子待價待價,初爲左千牛備身,永徽中,江夏王道宗得罪,待價以婿貶盧龍府果毅。 時將軍辛文陵招慰高麗,次吐護真水,爲虜所襲,待價與中郎將薛仁貴率所部兵殺之,文陵亦苦戰,遂免。 待價重創,矢著左足,隱不言,卒以疾免。 起爲蘭州刺史。 吐蕃盜邊,高宗以沛王賢爲涼州大都督,而待價爲司馬。 俄遷肅州刺史,以功召拜右武衞將軍。 儀鳳三年,吐蕃復入寇,以待價檢校涼州都督,兼知鎮守兵馬事。 召還,封扶陽侯。 武后臨朝,攝司空,護營乾陵,改天官尚書、同鳳閣鸞臺三品。 待價起武力,典選無銓總才,故朝野共蚩薄之。 俄爲燕然道行軍大總管,禦突厥。 逾年還,拜文昌右相、同鳳閣鸞臺三品。 不自安,累表辭職,不聽。 且請盡力行陣,許之,於是拜安息道行軍大總管,督三十六總管以討吐蕃,進爵公。 軍至寅識迦河,與吐蕃合戰,勝負略相當。 會其副閻溫古逗留,又天大寒,待價不善撫御,師人多死,餉道乏,乃旋師頓高昌。 後大怒,斬溫古,流待價繡州,卒。 挺玄孫武曾孫武。 武少孤。 年十一,廕補右千牛,累遷長安丞。 德宗幸梁州,委妻子奔行在,除殿中侍御史。 戸部侍郎元琇爲水陸轉運使,表武以倉部員外郎充判官。 謀不用,杜門數月而琇敗。 轉刑部員外郎。 是時,帝以反正告郊廟,大兵後,典章苟完,執事者時時咨武。 武酌宜約用,得禮之衷,群司奉焉。 後爲絳州刺史,鑿汾水灌田萬三千餘頃,璽書勞勉。 憲宗時,入爲京兆尹,護治豐陵,未成,卒,贈吏部尚書。 挺子萬石萬石,頗涉學,善音律。 上元中,遷累太常少卿。 當時郊廟燕會樂曲,皆萬石與太史令姚元辯增損之,號任職。 始,萬石奏「太樂博士弟子遭喪者,先無它業,請以卒哭追集」。 侍御史劉思立劾奏萬石曰:「移風易俗,莫善於樂; 睦親化人,莫善於孝。 所以三年之禮,天下通喪。 今遣音聲人釋服爲樂,帶絰治音,豈以小人不能執禮,遂欲約爲非法? 萬石官太常,首紊風化,請付吏論罪。」 高宗方委任萬石,罷其奏。 後知吏部選事,卒於官。 贊贊曰:王者用人非難,盡其才之爲難。 觀太宗之責任也,謀斯從,言斯聽,才斯奮,洞然不疑,故人臣未始遺力,天子高拱操成功,致太平矣。 始皆奮亡命布衣,嬪然列置上袞。 薛收雖早夭,帝本以中書令待之。 御臣之方,顧不善哉! 挺晩節流落,蓋有致而然。
His sons were Daijia and Wanshi. Ting's son Daijia—Daijia at first served as a Left Palace Guard attendant; in the Yonghui era, when the Prince of Jiangxia, Li Daozong, fell from favor, Daijia, as his son-in-law, was demoted to captain of Lulong District. At that time General Xin Wenling was pacifying Goguryeo and encamped at the Tuhuzhen River, where he was attacked by the enemy; Daijia with General of the Palace Guard Xue Rengui led their troops and killed them, Wenling also fought bitterly, and they escaped danger. Daijia was severely wounded, an arrow lodged in his left foot, which he concealed and did not report; he was eventually dismissed on grounds of illness. He was recalled and made prefect of Lanzhou. When the Tibetans raided the frontier, Emperor Gaozong made Prince Pei Xian governor-general of Liangzhou, with Daijia as his vice administrator. Soon he was transferred to be prefect of Suzhou; for his achievements he was summoned and appointed General of the Right Martial Guard. In the third year of the Yifeng era, when the Tibetans again invaded, Daijia was made acting governor of Liangzhou and concurrently charged with garrison troops and horses. Recalled to court, he was enfeoffed as Marquis of Fuyang. When Empress Wu assumed the regency, he served as acting Minister of Works, supervised construction of the Qianling tomb, and was made Minister of the Heavenly Office and Third Rank of the Phoenix Gate and Crane Terrace. Daijia had risen through military prowess and had no talent for overall management of appointments, so court and country alike looked down on him. Soon he was made commander-in-chief of the campaign route to Mount Yanran to repel the Turks. After more than a year he returned and was appointed Right Chancellor of the Directorate of Literature and Third Rank of the Phoenix Gate and Crane Terrace. Ill at ease, he repeatedly submitted memorials resigning; his requests were not granted. He also petitioned to serve fully in the field; this was granted, and he was then appointed commander-in-chief of the Anxi campaign route, directing thirty-six commanders against the Tibetans, and advanced to duke. The army reached the Yinshijia River and joined battle with the Tibetans; victory and defeat were roughly even. But his deputy Yan Wengu dallied, and the weather turned bitterly cold; Daijia was poor at keeping his troops in hand, many soldiers died, supplies ran out, and he withdrew to encamp at Gaochang. Later the empress was greatly angered, executed Wengu, and banished Daijia to Xiuzhou, where he died. Ting's great-great-grandson was Wu. Wu lost his father while young. At eleven he inherited appointment as a Right Palace Guard and rose through successive posts to aide of Chang'an. When Emperor Dezong went to Liangzhou, Wu left wife and children and rushed to the imperial encampment, and was appointed Palace Assistant Censor. When Vice Minister of Revenue Yuan Xiu served as commissioner for land and water transport, he recommended Wu as his aide in the capacity of Vice Director of the Granary Department. His plans were not adopted; he shut his doors for several months, and then Xiu fell from power. He was transferred to Vice Director of the Ministry of Justice. At that time the emperor had announced the restoration at the suburban altars; after the great wars, though the rites and regulations were barely intact, those in charge frequently consulted Wu. Wu weighed what was suitable and applied it with restraint, hitting the heart of ritual propriety, and the various offices followed his lead. Later as prefect of Jiangzhou he cut channels from the Fen River to irrigate more than thirteen thousand qing of fields, and received an imperial letter of commendation. Under Emperor Xianzong he entered court as chief administrator of the capital region, supervised construction of Fengling tomb, died before it was finished, and was posthumously made Minister of the Civil Service. Ting's son Wanshi—Wanshi was broadly learned and skilled in music. In the Shangyuan era he rose through successive posts to Vice Minister of the Court of Imperial Sacrifices. At that time the music for suburban sacrifices, temple rites, and banquet gatherings was all revised by Wanshi together with Court Astronomer Yao Yuanbian, and he was praised as diligent in office. At first Wanshi memorialized: "Students of the Grand Music Master who suffer bereavement, having no other occupation, should be recalled after the end of mourning." Censor Liu Sili impeached Wanshi, saying, "Of all means to transform custom and reform manners, none surpasses music; to harmonize kin and transform the people, none surpasses filial piety. Hence the rites of three years' mourning are universal throughout the realm. Now you send musicians to lay aside mourning garb and perform music, wearing hemp bands while regulating musical affairs—is it because common men cannot observe ritual that you wish to reduce it to something unlawful? Wanshi holds office as Vice Minister of Imperial Sacrifices yet leads in corrupting custom and teaching; I ask that he be handed over to the officials for judgment. Emperor Gaozong was then placing trust in Wanshi and dismissed the impeachment. Later he oversaw appointments in the Ministry of Personnel and died in office. The encomium says: For a sovereign to employ men is not difficult; to exhaust their talents is difficult. Consider how Emperor Taizong charged his men: counsel he followed, words he heeded, talents he unleashed, with clear vision and no doubt—hence ministers never held back their strength, the Son of Heaven sat elevated with folded hands yet achieved success, and great peace was attained. At first they were all daring men who had risked their lives, commoners in plain cloth—yet they were arranged in succession among the highest rank. Though Xue Shou died young, the emperor had intended to treat him as Grand Counselor. Was his way of governing ministers not admirable! That Ting in his later years fell to ruin was surely something he brought upon himself.