Volume 131 Biographies 56: Imperial Clan and Chancellor

宗室宰相

Imperial Clan Members Who Served as Chancellors

李適之

Li Shizhi

李適之，恒山湣王孫也，始名昌。神龍初，擢左衛郎將。開元中，遷累通州刺史，以辦治聞。按察使韓朝宗言諸朝，擢秦州都督。徙陜州刺史、河南尹。其政不苛細，為下所便。玄宗患谷、洛歲暴耗徭力，詔適之以禁錢作三大防，曰上陽、積翠、月陂，自是水不能患。刻石著功，詔永王璘書，皇太子瑛署額。進御史大夫。二十七年，兼幽州長史，知節度事。適之以祖被廢，而父象見逐武后時，葬有闕，至是丐陪瘞昭陵闕中，詔可。褒冊典物，焜照都邑，行道為咨嘆。遷刑部尚書。適之喜賓客，飲酒至鬥餘不亂。夜宴娛，晝決事，案無留辭。

Li Shizhi was a grandson of Prince Min of Hengshan and had originally been named Chang. In the early Shenlong period he was promoted to commandant of the Left Guard. Under Kaiyuan he rose through successive posts to prefect of Tongzhou, where his capable governance won renown. When the investigatory commissioner Han Zhaozong commended him at court, he was elevated to military commissioner of Qinzhou. He was then moved to prefect of Shanzhou and intendant of Henan. He did not govern with petty severity, and his subordinates welcomed it. Because Emperor Xuanzong worried that annual flooding on the Gu and Luo rivers was exhausting corvée labor, he ordered Shizhi to use reserved funds to build three major embankments—Shangyang, Jicui, and Yuepo—after which the rivers ceased to be a scourge. He had the achievement inscribed on stone, with Prince Yong Li Lin ordered to compose the text and Crown Prince Ying to sign the heading. He was promoted to censor-in-chief. In year twenty-seven of Kaiyuan he additionally held chief administrator of Youzhou and directed its military commission. Shizhi's grandfather had been deposed and his father Xiang exiled under Empress Wu, leaving their burial arrangements incomplete; he now petitioned to be interred with them in the vacant place at Zhaoling, and the emperor granted it. The encomium, patent, and ceremonial regalia shone over the capital, and passersby paused to marvel. He was moved to minister of justice. Shizhi loved to host guests and could drink more than a dou of wine without losing his composure. He held evening banquets for pleasure yet decided cases by day, leaving no paperwork on his desk.

天寶元年，代牛仙客為左相，累封清和縣公。嘗與李林甫爭權不協，林甫陰賊，即好謂適之曰：「華山生金，采之可以富國，顧上未之知。」適之性疏，信其言，他日從容為帝道之。帝喜以問林甫，對曰：「臣知之舊矣，顧華山陛下本命，王氣之舍，不可以穿治，故不敢聞。」帝以林甫為愛己，而薄適之不親。於是，皇甫惟明、韋堅、裴寬、韓朝宗皆適之厚善，悉為林甫所構得罪。適之懼不自安，乃上宰政求散職，以太子少保罷，欣然自以為免禍。俄坐韋堅累，貶宜春太守。會御史羅希奭陰被詔殺堅等貶所，州且震恐，及過宜春，適之懼，仰藥自殺。

In Tianbao 1 he succeeded Niu Xianke as left chancellor and was enfeoffed repeatedly as duke of Qinghe county. He had clashed with Li Linfu over power; Linfu, secretly malicious, would casually tell Shizhi, "Mount Hua bears gold—mining it could enrich the state, though the emperor does not yet know." Shizhi, being open by nature, believed him and one day mentioned it casually to the emperor. The emperor was pleased and questioned Linfu, who answered, "I have known this for some time, but Mount Hua is Your Majesty's natal mountain, the seat of royal aura—it must not be mined, so I dared not speak of it." The emperor thought Linfu cherished him and grew cool toward Shizhi. Thereupon Huangfu Weiming, Wei Jian, Pei Kuan, and Han Zhaozong—all close to Shizhi—were framed by Linfu and ruined. Fearing for his safety, Shizhi petitioned the chief ministers for a nominal post and was relieved as junior tutor of the heir apparent, congratulating himself that he had escaped harm. Soon he was implicated through Wei Jian and demoted to prefect of Yichun. About then the censor Luo Xiyi was secretly ordered to kill Jian and the others at their places of exile; the region was terrified, and when he passed through Yichun, Shizhi, in dread, took poison and died.

李峴，吳王恪孫也。折節下士，長吏治。天寶時，累遷京兆尹。玄宗歲幸溫湯，甸內巧供億以媚上，峴獨無所獻，帝異之。楊國忠使客騫昂、何盈擿安祿山陰事，諷京兆捕其第，得安岱、李方來等與祿山反狀，縊殺之。祿山怒，上書自言，帝懼變，出峴為零陵太守。峴為政得人心，時京師米翔貴，百姓乃相與謠曰：「欲粟賤，追李峴。」尋徙長沙。永王為江陵大都督，假峴為長史。至德初，肅宗召之，拜扶風太守，兼御史大夫。明年，擢京兆尹，封梁國公。

Li Xian was a grandson of Prince Wu Ke. He humbled himself before scholars and excelled in governance. In the Tianbao era he rose through successive posts to intendant of the capital. Each year Emperor Xuanzong visited the hot springs, and officials in the capital district vied to supply lavish gifts to please him; Xian alone brought nothing, which the emperor noted with surprise. Yang Guozhong sent agents Qian Ang and He Ying to expose An Lushan's secret dealings and prompted the capital intendant to raid his residence; An Dai, Li Fanglai, and others were found complicit in Lushan's plot and were strangled. Lushan was furious and memorialized in his own defense; fearing unrest, the emperor transferred Xian to prefect of Lingling. Xian governed in a way that won the people's hearts; grain in the capital had become ruinously expensive, and folk sang, "Want cheap grain? Bring back Li Xian." He was soon transferred to Changsha. When Prince Yong became grand governor of Jiangling, he appointed Xian acting chief administrator. Early in Zhide, Emperor Suzong summoned him and appointed him prefect of Fufeng while also making him censor-in-chief. The following year he was made intendant of the capital and enfeoffed as duke of Liang.

乾元二年，以中書侍郎同中書門下平章事。於是呂諲、李揆、第五琦同輔政，而峴位望最舊，事多獨決，諲等不平。李輔國用權，制詔或不出中書，百司莫敢覆。峴頓首帝前，極言其惡，帝悟，稍加檢制，輔國由是讓行軍司馬，然深銜峴。鳳翔七馬坊押官盜掠人，天興令謝夷甫殺之。輔國諷其妻使訴枉，詔監察御史孫鎣鞫之，直夷甫。其妻又訴，詔御史中丞崔伯陽、刑部侍郎李曄、大理卿權獻為三司訊之，無異辭。妻不承，輔國助之，乃令侍御史毛若虛覆按。若虛委罪夷甫，言御史用法不端，伯陽怒，欲質讓，若虛馳入自歸帝，帝留若虛簾中，頃，伯陽等至，劾若虛傅中人失有罪，帝怒叱之，貶伯陽高要尉、權獻杜陽尉，逐李曄嶺南，流鎣播州。峴謂責太重，入言於帝曰：「若虛希旨用刑，亂國法。陛下信為重輕，示無御史臺。」帝怒，李揆不敢爭，乃出峴為蜀州刺史。時右散騎常侍韓擇木入對，帝曰：「峴欲專權耶？乃雲任毛若虛示無御史臺。朕今出之，尚恨法太寬。」擇木曰：「峴言直，不敢專權。陛下寬之，祗益盛德耳。」

In Qianyuan 2 he was made vice director of the Secretariat with concurrent status as grand councilor. Lü Yin, Li Kui, and Diwu Qi served with him, but Xian's senior standing let him decide much on his own, which the others resented. Li Fuguo wielded power so that edicts sometimes never reached the Secretariat, and no office dared review them. Xian kowtowed before the emperor and denounced Fuguo's abuses at length; the emperor took heed and tightened control, and Fuguo yielded the post of army marshal, though he deeply resented Xian. A custodian of the Seven Horse Paddocks at Fengxiang robbed people; Xie Yifu, magistrate of Tianxing, had him executed. Fuguo prompted the man's wife to claim wrongful death; the emperor ordered investigating censor Sun Jin to try the case, and Jin upheld Yifu. She appealed again; Cui Boyang, Li Ye, and Quan Xian were ordered to re-examine the case as a three-office tribunal, and the finding did not change. She would not accept the verdict; with Fuguo's backing, Attending Censor Mao Ruoxu was ordered to reinvestigate. Ruoxu blamed Yifu and accused the censors of misapplying the law; Boyang grew angry and meant to confront him, but Ruoxu galloped ahead to report to the emperor, who kept him behind the curtain; when Boyang and the others arrived and impeached Ruoxu for falsely implicating a palace attendant, the emperor rebuked them, demoted Boyang and Quan Xian to commandant posts, sent Li Ye to Lingnan, and banished Jin to Bozhou. Xian said the penalties were too harsh and told the emperor, "Ruoxu curried favor in applying punishment and has thrown the state's law into disorder. If Your Majesty lets him decide severity and leniency, you show that the Censorate does not exist." The emperor was furious; Li Kui dared not object, and Xian was sent out as prefect of Shuzhou. When Right Regular Attendant Han Zemu came to audience, the emperor said, "Does Xian want to monopolize power? He even said that letting Mao Ruoxu decide showed there was no Censorate. I have sent him out, yet I still think the law was too lenient." Zemu said, "Xian spoke frankly; he did not dare monopolize power. If Your Majesty is lenient with him, it will only add to your great virtue."

代宗立，改荊南節度，知江淮選補使。入為禮部尚書兼宗正卿。乘輿在陜，由商山走帝所。還京，拜門下侍郎、同中書門下平章事。故事，政事堂不接客。自元載為相，中人傳詔者引升堂，置榻待之。峴至，即敕吏撤榻。又奏常參官舉才任諫官、憲官者，無限員。不逾月，為要近譖短，遂失恩，罷為太子詹事。遷吏部尚書，復知江淮選，改檢校兵部尚書兼衢州刺史。卒，年五十八。

When Emperor Daizong ascended, Xian was made military commissioner of Jingnan and overseer of Jiang-Huai appointments. He entered the capital as minister of rites and concurrently director of the imperial clan. When the court was at Shan, he traveled by Shangshan to reach the emperor. After the return to the capital he was made vice director of the Chancellery with concurrent status as grand councilor. By precedent the Hall of State Affairs did not receive guests. Since Yuan Zai became chancellor, palace attendants bearing edicts had been led into the hall and given couches. When Xian arrived he immediately ordered the couches removed. He also memorialized that regular court attendees who recommended talent for remonstrance and censor posts should face no numerical limit. Within a month powerful courtiers slandered him; he lost favor and was dismissed to supervisor of the heir apparent's household. He was moved to minister of personnel, again oversaw Jiang-Huai selection, and was made acting minister of war while also serving as prefect of Quzhou. He died at the age of fifty-eight.

初，東京平，陳希烈等數百人待罪，議者將悉抵死，帝意亦欲懲天下，故崔器等附致深文。峴時為三司，獨曰：「法有首有從，情有重有輕，若一切論死，非陛下與天下惟新意。且羯胡亂常，誰不淩汙，衣冠奔亡，各顧其生，可盡責邪？陛下之新戚勛舊子若孫，一日皆血鐵砧，尚為仁恕哉？《書》稱『殲厥渠魁，脅從罔治』。況河北殘孽劫服官吏，其人尚多，今不開自新之路而盡誅之，是堅叛者心，使為賊致死。困獸猶鬥，況數萬人乎？」於是，器與呂諲皆齪齪文吏，操常議，不及大體，尚騰頰固爭，數日乃見聽。衣冠蒙更生，賊亦不能使人歸怨天子，峴力也。

Earlier, when the Eastern Capital was pacified, Chen Xilie and several hundred others awaited judgment; many argued they should all die, and the emperor wished to chasten the realm, so Cui Qi and others pressed severe charges. Xian then served on the three-office tribunal and alone said, "The law distinguishes leaders from followers and circumstances heavy from light; if all are sentenced to death, that is not Your Majesty and the realm renewing their intent. When the Jie rebels threw the realm into disorder, who was not defiled? Officials and gentry fled for their lives—can all be held accountable? If Your Majesty's new kin, meritorious ministers, and their sons and grandsons were all to bleed on the executioner's block in a single day, would that still be benevolence and forbearance? The Documents says, "Destroy the ringleaders; do not punish those coerced to follow." Moreover, in Hebei remnant rebels still coerce officials, and their numbers remain large; if you do not open a path to renewal but execute them all, you harden rebels' hearts and make them die for the bandits. A cornered beast still fights—how much more so tens of thousands of men?" Qi and Lü Yin were petty clerks clinging to routine opinion and failing to grasp the larger design, yet still flushed and stubbornly contending; only after several days was Xian heeded. Officials and gentry received a second life, and the rebels could not make people blame the Son of Heaven—this was Xian's doing.

峴兄亙、嶧。亙從上皇，峴翊戴肅宗，以勛力相高，同時為御史大夫，俱判臺事，又合制封公，而嶧為戶部侍郎、銀青光祿大夫，同居長興裏第，門列三戟。

Xian's elder brothers were Gen and Yi. Gen followed the Retired Emperor while Xian supported Emperor Suzong; each vaunted his merit, and both served at once as censor-in-chief and jointly oversaw the bureau; by regulation they were enfeoffed as dukes together, while Yi was vice minister of revenue and grand master of splendid happiness with golden seal; all three lived in one mansion in Changxing Lane with three halberds at the gate.

李勉，字玄卿，鄭惠王元懿曾孫。父擇言，累為州刺史，封安德郡公，以吏治稱。張嘉貞為益州都督，性簡貴，接部刺史倨甚，擇言守漢州，獨引同榻坐，講繹政事，名重當時。

Li Mian, courtesy name Xuanqing, was a great-grandson of Prince Hui of Zheng, Yuan Yi. His father Zeyan served repeatedly as provincial prefect, was enfeoffed as duke of Ande commandery, and was known for administrative skill. When Zhang Jiazhen was military commissioner of Yizhou, he was austere and lofty and treated subordinate prefects with great arrogance; Zeyan, prefect of Hanzhou, alone was invited to share his couch and discuss governance, and his name weighed heavily in the age.

勉少喜學，內沈雅，外清整。始調開封尉，汴州水陸一都會，俗厖錯，號難治，勉摧奸決隱為有名。從肅宗於靈武，擢監察御史。時武臣崛興，無法度，大將管崇嗣背闕坐，笑語嘩縱，勉劾不恭，帝嘆曰：「吾有勉，乃知朝廷之尊！」遷司膳員外郎。關東獻俘百，將即死，有嘆者，勉過問，曰：「被脅而官，非敢反。」勉入見帝曰：「寇亂之汙半天下，其欲澡心自歸無繇。如盡殺之，是驅以助賊也。」帝馳騎完宥，後歸者日至。

From youth Mian delighted in learning; inwardly he was deep and refined, outwardly clear and orderly. He was first assigned as commandant of Kaifeng; Bianzhou was a great metropolis by water and land, its customs tangled and called hard to govern, and Mian became famous for crushing wickedness and exposing hidden wrongs. He followed Emperor Suzong at Lingwu and was promoted to investigating censor. Military men were rising without restraint; the great general Guan Chongsi sat with his back to the palace gate, laughing and talking loudly; Mian impeached him for disrespect, and the emperor sighed, "With Mian I know the court's dignity!" He was transferred to outer gentleman of the Bureau of Provisions. A hundred captives from east of the Pass were presented for execution; one sighed as he passed, and Mian asked why; the man said, "I was coerced into office and did not dare rebel." Mian told the emperor, "Rebellion has defiled half the realm; those who wish to cleanse their hearts and return have no means to do so. If you kill them all, you drive them to aid the bandits." The emperor sent riders at full speed to grant a full pardon, and thereafter defectors returned day by day.

累為河東王思禮、朔方河東都統李國貞行軍司馬，進梁州刺史。勉假王晬南鄭令，晬為權幸所誣，詔誅之。勉曰：「方藉牧宰為人父母，豈以讒殺郎吏乎？」即拘晬，為請得免。晬後以推擇為龍門令，果有名。

He served repeatedly as army marshal for Hedong's Wang Sili and for Shuofang-Hedong commander-in-chief Li Guozhen, and was advanced to prefect of Liangzhou. Mian appointed Wang Hui magistrate of Nanzheng; Hui was slandered by a favorite, and an edict ordered his execution. Mian said, "We are relying on prefects and magistrates as fathers and mothers to the people—how can we kill a clerk on slander?" He immediately detained Hui and pleaded successfully for his pardon. Hui was later recommended as magistrate of Longmen and indeed won renown.

羌、渾、奴剌寇州，勉不能守，召為大理少卿。然天子素重其正，擢太常少卿，欲遂柄用。而李輔國諷使下己，勉不肯，乃出為汾州刺史。歷河南尹，徙江西觀察使。厲兵睦鄰，平賊屯。部人父病，為蠱求厭者，以木偶署勉名埋之，掘治驗服，勉曰：「是為其父，則孝也。」縱不誅。入為京兆尹兼御史大夫。魚朝恩領國子監，威寵震赫，前尹黎幹諂事之，須其入，敕吏治數百人具以餉。至是吏請，勉不從，曰：「吾候太學，彼當見享，軍容幸過府，則脩具。」朝恩銜之，亦不復至太學。

Qiang, Hun, and Nula raided the prefecture; Mian could not hold it and was recalled as vice minister of the Court of Judicial Review. Yet the emperor had long valued his integrity and promoted him to vice minister of the Court of Imperial Sacrifices, intending soon to employ him at the center. But Li Fuguo hinted that he should submit; Mian refused and was sent out as prefect of Fenzhou. He served as intendant of Henan and was transferred to Jiangxi observation commissioner. He trained troops, befriended neighbors, and pacified rebel encampments. A subject whose father was ill sought a sorcerer for exorcism; a wooden figure bearing Mian's name was buried, and when the case was tried the man confessed; Mian said, "He did this for his father—that is filial piety." He released him without punishment. He entered the capital as intendant of the capital while also serving as censor-in-chief. Yu Chao'en headed the Directorate of Education with overwhelming power and favor; the previous intendant Li Gan flattered him, and whenever Chao'en visited, Gan ordered clerks to prepare provisions for hundreds of men as gifts. When clerks now made the same request, Mian refused, saying, "I await him at the Imperial Academy, where he should be received; if the army supervisor deigns to visit my office, then I shall prepare provisions." Chao'en resented this and never again visited the Imperial Academy.

尋拜嶺南節度使。番禺賊馮崇道、桂叛將朱濟時等負險為亂，殘十餘州，勉遣將李觀率容州刺史王翃討斬之，五嶺平。西南夷舶歲至才四五，譏視苛謹。勉既廉潔，又不暴征，明年至者乃四十餘柁。居官久，未嘗抆飾器用車服。後召歸，至石門，盡搜家人所蓄犀珍投江中。時人謂可繼宋璟、盧奐、李朝隱；部人叩闕請立碑頌德，代宗許之。進工部尚書，封汧國公。

He was soon appointed military commissioner of Lingnan. The Panyu bandit Feng Chongdao, the Gui rebel Zhu Jishi, and others held rugged terrain and ravaged more than ten prefectures; Mian sent Li Guan with Rongzhou prefect Wang Hong to attack and behead them, pacifying the Five Ridges. Southwestern barbarian ships arrived only four or five a year, subjected to harsh scrutiny. Because Mian was incorrupt and did not levy excessive taxes, more than forty ships arrived the following year. He held office for many years and never once refurbished his utensils, carriage, or robes. When later recalled, at Shimen he searched out all the rhinoceros horn and treasures his household had stored and cast them into the river. Men of the time said he could succeed Song Jing, Lu Huan, and Li Chaoyin; his subjects petitioned at court for a stele praising his virtue, and Emperor Daizong granted it. He was promoted to minister of works and enfeoffed as duke of Qian.

滑亳節度使令狐彰且死，表勉為代，從之。勉居鎮且八年，以舊德方重，不威而治，東諸帥暴桀者皆尊憚之。田神玉死，詔勉節度汴宋，未行，汴將李靈耀反，魏將田悅以兵來，叩汴而屯，勉與李忠臣、馬燧合討之。淮西軍據汴北，河陽軍壁其東，大將杜如江、尹伯良與悅戰匡城，不勝。徙壘與靈耀合，忠臣將軍李重倩夜攻其營，與河陽軍合噪，賊不陣潰，悅走河北，靈耀奔韋城，為如江所禽，勉縛以獻，斬闕下。既而忠臣專汴，故勉還滑臺。明年，忠臣為麾下所逐，復詔勉移治汴。德宗立，就加同中書門下平章事。俄為汴宋、滑亳、河陽等道都統。

As Huabo military commissioner Linghu Zhang was dying, he recommended Mian as his successor, and the court agreed. Mian held the commission nearly eight years; his longstanding virtue commanded respect, and he governed without severity, so that even the violent eastern commanders honored and feared him. When Tian Shenyu died, Mian was ordered to take the Bian-Song commission; before he set out, Bian general Li Lingyao rebelled and Wei general Tian Yue marched on Bian; Mian joined Li Zhongchen and Ma Sui to attack them. The Huai-Xi army held north of Bian while the Heyang army fortified to the east; Du Rujiang and Yin Boliang fought Yue at Kuangcheng and were defeated. They shifted camps to join Lingyao; Li Chongqian attacked by night with the Heyang army shouting together; the rebels broke and fled; Yue fled to Hebei; Lingyao fled to Weicheng and was captured by Rujiang; Mian bound him and presented him, and he was beheaded below the palace gate. Soon Zhongchen monopolized Bian, so Mian returned to Huatai. The next year Zhongchen was driven out by his subordinates, and Mian was again ordered to administer Bian. When Emperor Dezong ascended, Mian was at once made grand councilor. Shortly he became overall commander of the Bian-Song, Huabo, Heyang, and other circuits.

建中四年，李希烈圍襄城，詔勉出兵救之，帝又遣神策將劉德信以兵三千援接。勉奏言：「賊以精兵攻襄城，而許必虛，令兵直搗許，則襄圍解。」不待報，使其將唐漢臣與德信襲許，未至數十里，有詔詰讓，二將懼而還，次扈澗，不設備，為賊所乘，殺傷什五，輜械盡亡。漢臣走汴，德信走汝。勉懼東都危，復遣兵四千往戍，賊斷其後不得歸。於是希烈自將攻勉，勉氣索，嬰守累月，援莫至，裒兵萬人潰圍出，東保睢陽。

In Jianzhong 4, Li Xilie besieged Xiangcheng; Mian was ordered to rescue it, and the emperor also sent Shence general Liu Dexin with three thousand men to reinforce him. Mian memorialized, "The rebels are using elite troops against Xiangcheng while Xu must be undefended; strike Xu directly and the siege of Xiang will lift." Without awaiting reply he sent Tang Hanchen and Dexin to raid Xu; still tens of li away, a rebuking edict arrived; the two generals, afraid, withdrew and halted at Hujian without precautions; the rebels seized the chance, killing half their force and losing all baggage and equipment. Hanchen fled to Bian; Dexin fled to Ru. Fearing danger to the Eastern Capital, Mian sent four thousand more troops to garrison it; the rebels cut off their rear so they could not return. Xilie then personally attacked Mian; Mian's spirit was exhausted; he held out under siege for months without relief; he gathered ten thousand troops, broke out, and fled east to hold Suiyang.

興元元年，勉固讓都統，以檢校司徒平章事召。既見帝，素服待罪，詔不許，勉內愧，取充位而已，不敢有所與。貞元初，帝起盧杞為刺史，袁高還詔不得下。帝問勉曰：「眾謂盧杞奸邪，朕顧不知，謂何？」勉曰：「天下皆知，而陛下獨不知，此所以為奸邪也。」時韙其對，然自是益見疏。居相二歲，辭位，以太子太師罷。卒，年七十二，贈太傅，謚曰貞簡。

In Xingyuan 1 he firmly declined overall command and was summoned as acting grand mentor with appointment as grand councilor. On meeting the emperor he wore plain robes to await punishment; the edict forbade it; inwardly ashamed, Mian merely filled the post without daring to participate in decisions. Early in Zhenyuan the emperor appointed Lu Qi prefect; Yuan Gao returned the edict and refused to promulgate it. The emperor asked Mian, "Everyone says Lu Qi is treacherous and wicked, yet I alone do not know—what do you say?" Mian said, "All under Heaven knows, yet Your Majesty alone does not—that is why he is treacherous and wicked." His reply was praised at the time, yet from then on he was increasingly estranged. After two years as chancellor he resigned and was dismissed as grand tutor of the heir apparent. He died at seventy-two; posthumously he was made grand tutor with the posthumous title Zhenjian.

勉少貧狹，客梁、宋，與諸生共逆旅，諸生疾且死，出白金曰：「左右無知者，幸君以此為我葬，余則君自取之。」勉許諾，既葬，密置余金棺下。後其家謁勉，共啟墓出金付之。位將相，所得奉賜，悉遺親黨，身沒，無贏藏。其在朝廷，鯁亮廉介，為宗臣表。禮賢下士有終始，嘗引李巡、張參在幕府，後二人卒，至宴飲，仍設虛位沃饋之。遣戍兵，常視其資糧，春秋存問家室，故能得人死力。善鼓琴，有所自制，天下寶之，樂家傳《響泉》、《韻磬》，勉所愛者。

When young Mian was poor, he lodged in Liang and Song and shared an inn with several students; one fell mortally ill and produced silver, saying, "No one around me knows of this—please use this to bury me; keep the remainder for yourself." Mian agreed; after the burial he secretly placed the remaining silver beneath the coffin. Later the man's family visited Mian; together they opened the tomb, retrieved the silver, and gave it to them. As general and chancellor he gave all salary and gifts to kin and associates; when he died nothing remained in store. In court he was upright, bright, and incorruptible—a model among imperial clansmen. He honored the worthy and humbled himself before scholars consistently; he once brought Li Xun and Zhang Can into his staff; after both died, even at banquets he still set empty seats and poured offerings for them. When dispatching garrison troops he inspected their provisions and inquired after their households in spring and autumn, and thus won men's utmost loyalty. He was skilled at the zither and composed pieces treasured throughout the realm; musicians transmitted "Resounding Spring" and "Tuned Chime," which Mian loved.

李夷簡

Li Yijian

李夷簡，字易之，鄭惠王元懿四世孫。以宗室子始補鄭丞。德宗幸奉天，朱泚外示迎天子，遣使東出關至華，候吏李翼不敢問。夷簡謂曰：「泚必反。向發幽、隴兵五千救襄城，乃賊舊部，是將追還耳。上越在外，召天下兵未至，若凶狡還西，助泚送死，危禍也。請驗之。」翼馳及潼關，果得召符，白於關大將駱元光，乃斬賊使，收偽符，獻行在。詔即拜元光華州刺史。元光掠功，故無知者。

Li Yijian, courtesy name Yizhi, was a fourth-generation descendant of Prince Hui of Zheng, Yuan Yi. As a member of the imperial clan he was first appointed assistant magistrate of Zheng. When Emperor Dezong went to Fengtian, Zhu Ci outwardly showed he would welcome the emperor and sent envoys east through the Pass to Hua; the border officer Li Yi dared not question them. Yijian told him, "Ci will certainly rebel. He recently sent five thousand troops from You and Long to rescue Xiangcheng—they are the rebels' old followers and are about to be recalled. The emperor is abroad; troops summoned from all the realm have not arrived; if these fierce men return west to aid Ci, it will be peril and calamity. Please verify this." Yi galloped to Tong Pass, obtained the recall tally, reported to pass commander Luo Yuanguang, beheaded the rebel envoy, seized the false tally, and presented it to the traveling court. An edict at once appointed Yuanguang prefect of Hua. Yuanguang seized the credit, so Yijian's role went unknown.

夷簡棄官去，擢進士第，中拔萃科，調藍田尉。遷監察御史。坐小累，下遷虔州司戶參軍。九歲，復為殿中侍御史。元和時，至御史中丞。京兆尹楊憑性驁侻，始為江南觀察使，冒沒於財。夷簡為屬刺史，不為憑所禮。至是發其貪，憑貶臨賀尉，夷簡賜金紫，以戶部侍郎判度支。

Yijian left office; he passed the Presented Scholar examination and the Outstanding Selection, and was assigned commandant of Lantian. He was transferred to investigating censor. Implicated in a minor matter, he was demoted to revenue adjutant of Qianzhou. Nine years later he was again made attending censor within the palace. Under Yuanhe he rose to vice censor-in-chief. Capital intendant Yang Ping was arrogant and rash; he had first been Jiangnan observation commissioner and had embezzled wealth. Yijian had been a subordinate prefect and was not treated courteously by Ping. Now he exposed Ping's corruption; Ping was demoted to commandant of Linhe; Yijian was granted golden seal and purple robe and served as vice minister of revenue overseeing the treasury.

俄檢校禮部尚書、山南東道節度使。初，貞元時，取江西兵五百戍襄陽，制蔡右脅，仰給度支，後亡死略盡，而歲取貲不置。夷簡曰：「跡空文，茍軍興，可乎？」奏罷之。閱三歲，徙帥劍南西川。巂州刺史王颙積奸贓，屬蠻怒，叛去。夷簡逐颙，占檄諭禍福，蠻落復平。始，韋臯作奉聖樂，于頔作《順聖樂》，常奏之軍中，夷簡輒廢去，謂禮樂非諸侯可擅制，語其屬曰：「我欲蓋前人非，以詒戒後來。」

Shortly he was acting minister of rites and military commissioner of Shannan East Circuit. Earlier, in Zhenyuan, five hundred Jiangxi troops garrisoned Xiangyang to check Cai on the right flank, supported by the treasury; later they died or deserted until nearly gone, yet funds were still levied yearly without cease. Yijian said, "The records are empty on paper—if war should arise, would that be acceptable?" He memorialized to abolish the levy. After three years he was transferred to command Jiannan West Circuit. Xizhou prefect Wang Yong accumulated wicked corruption; the subordinate tribes were enraged and rebelled. Yijian drove out Yong, composed a proclamation on fortune and misfortune, and the tribes were pacified again. Earlier Wei Gao had composed the Ode to the Sagely Sovereign and Yu Di the Ode to the Compliant Sovereign, regularly performed in the armies; Yijian always abolished them, saying ritual music was not for regional commanders to arrogate, and told his staff, "I wish to cover predecessors' faults to warn those who come after."

十三年，召為御史大夫，進門下侍郎、同中書門下平章事。李師道方叛，裴度當國，帝倚以平賊，夷簡自謂才不能有以過度，乃求外遷，以檢校尚書左僕射平章事為淮南節度使。

In year thirteen he was summoned as censor-in-chief and made vice director of the Chancellery with concurrent status as grand councilor. Li Shidao had just rebelled; Pei Du held the state and the emperor relied on him to pacify the rebels; Yijian judged his talent could not surpass Du's and sought transfer outward as acting left vice director with appointment as grand councilor and military commissioner of Huainan.

穆宗立，有司方議廟號，夷簡建言：「王者祖有功，宗有德。大行皇帝有武功，廟宜稱祖。」詔公卿禮官議，不合，止。久之，請老，朝廷謂夷簡齒力可任，不聽，以右僕射召，辭不拜，復以檢校左僕射兼太子少師，分司東都。明年卒，年六十七，贈太子太保。

When Emperor Muzong ascended, the offices were debating the temple name; Yijian proposed, "The king takes as Ancestor one of merit and as Temple Sovereign one of virtue. The late emperor had military achievement; the temple name should be Zu." An edict ordered the chief ministers and ritual officers to debate; they did not agree, and the proposal was dropped. After a long time he requested retirement; the court judged his age and strength still fit for service and refused; summoned as right vice director, he declined; he was again made acting left vice director concurrently junior tutor of the heir apparent, with duties at the Eastern Capital. The next year he died at sixty-seven; posthumously he was made junior tutor of the heir apparent.

夷簡致位顯處，以直自閑，未嘗茍辭氣悅人。歷三鎮，家無產貲。病不迎醫，將終，戒毋厚葬，毋事浮屠，無碑神道，惟識墓則已。世謂行己能有終始者。

Yijian reached eminent position and by his integrity kept himself at ease, never using careless words or a pleasing manner to win others. He held three commissions, yet his household had no property or wealth. When ill he did not summon physicians; nearing death he admonished against lavish burial, Buddhist rites, and spirit-way steles—only a grave marker would suffice. The age said that in conduct he maintained consistency from beginning to end.

李程，字表臣，襄邑恭王神符五世孫也。擢進士宏辭，賦《日五色》，造語警拔，士流推之。調藍田尉，縣有滯獄十年，程單言輒判。京兆狀最，遷監察御史。召為翰林學士，再遷司勛員外郎，爵渭源縣男。德宗季秋出畋，有寒色，顧左右曰：「九月猶衫，二月而袍，不為順時。朕欲改月，謂何？」左右稱善，程獨曰：「玄宗著《月令》，十月始裘，不可改。」帝矍然止。學士入署，常視日影為候，程性懶，日過八磚乃至，時號「八磚學士」。

Li Cheng, courtesy name Biaochen, was a fifth-generation descendant of Prince Gong of Xiangyi, Shenfu. He passed the Presented Scholar and Broad Learning examinations; his rhapsody "Five Colors of the Sun" used startling, elevated language, and scholars praised him. Assigned commandant of Lantian, he found cases stalled in prison for ten years and decided them with a single statement each. His capital district evaluation was highest; he was transferred to investigating censor. He was summoned as Hanlin academician, transferred to outer gentleman of the Bureau of Merit, and ennobled baron of Weiyuan county. In late autumn Emperor Dezong went hunting and looked cold; he told those beside him, "In the ninth month one still wears a shirt, yet in the second month one wears a robe—this does not accord with the seasons. I wish to alter the months—what do you think?" Those beside him praised the idea; Cheng alone said, "Emperor Xuanzong composed the Monthly Ordinances—fur robes begin in the tenth month; this cannot be changed." The emperor started awake and stopped. Academicians commonly watched the sun's shadow as a timekeeper; Cheng was lazy and arrived only after the sun had passed eight bricks, earning the nickname "the Eight-Brick Academician."

元和三年，出為隨州刺史，以能政賜金紫服。李夷簡鎮西川，辟成都少尹。以兵部郎中入知制誥。韓弘為都統，命程宣慰汴州。歷御史中丞、鄂嶽觀察使，還為吏部侍郎。

In Yuanhe 3 he went out as prefect of Suizhou and was granted golden seal and purple robe for capable governance. When Li Yijian commanded Jiannan West, he recruited Cheng as junior intendant of Chengdu. As gentleman of the ministry of war he entered to draft imperial edicts. When Han Hong was overall commander, he ordered Cheng to proclaim consolation at Bianzhou. He served as vice censor-in-chief and E-Yue observation commissioner and returned as vice minister of personnel.

敬宗初，以本官同中書門下平章事。帝沖逸，好宮室畋獵，功用奢廣。程諫曰：「先王以儉德化天下，陛下方諒陰，未宜興作，願回所費奉園陵。」帝嘉納。又請置侍講學士，選名臣備訪問。加中書侍郎，進彭原郡公。寶歷二年，檢校吏部尚書、同平章事，為河東節度使。徙河中。召拜尚書左僕射。俄檢校司空，領宣武、山南東道節度。再為僕射。先是，元和、長慶時，僕射視事，百官皆賀，四品以下官答拜。大和四年，詔不答拜。王涯。竇易直行之自如，程循其故，不自安，言諸朝。御史中丞李漢謂不答拜於禮太重，文宗不許，聽用大和詔書。議者不善也。

At the beginning of Jingzong he was made grand councilor in his existing post. The emperor was impetuous and dissolute, fond of palaces and hunting; public works were extravagant and vast. Cheng remonstrated, "Former kings used frugal virtue to transform all under Heaven; Your Majesty is still in mourning and should not undertake construction; I beg that the expenditures be redirected to serve the imperial tombs." The Emperor praised the proposal and adopted it. He also asked that lecturing scholars be appointed and eminent ministers chosen to serve as advisors on call. He was promoted to vice director of the Secretariat and enfeoffed as duke of Pengyuan. In Baoli 2 he was made acting minister of personnel and grand councilor, and sent out as military commissioner of Hedong. He was reassigned to Hezhong. He was recalled to court and named left vice director of the Department of State Affairs. Shortly afterward he was made acting grand minister of works, with concurrent command of Xuanwu and Shannan East circuits. He served once more as vice director. Earlier, in the Yuanhe and Changqing periods, whenever a vice director took up his post, the whole bureaucracy offered congratulations, and officials of the fourth rank and below returned his bow. In Dahe 4 an imperial edict abolished the return of bows. Wang Ya. Dou Yizhi continued the old practice as he pleased, while Cheng adhered to the former custom, grew uneasy, and raised the matter at court. Vice censor-in-chief Li Han argued that dispensing with the return of bows went too far against proper ritual, but Wenzong refused and insisted on enforcing the Dahe edict. Critics were displeased.

程為人辯給多智，然簡侻無儀檢，雖在華密，而無重望。最為帝所遇，嘗曰：「高飛之翮，長者在前。卿朝廷羽翮也。」武宗立，為東都留守。卒，年七十七，贈太保，謚曰繆。

Cheng was quick-witted and resourceful, but loose in manner and careless of propriety; though he occupied high and sensitive offices, he commanded little weight at court. He enjoyed the emperor's greatest favor. Wenzong once told him, "When wings soar high, the elder bird leads the way. You are the court's wings. When Wuzong took the throne, Cheng was appointed governor of the Eastern Capital. He died at seventy-seven, was posthumously honored as grand preceptor, and given the posthumous name Miu.

子廓，第進士，累遷刑部侍郎。大中中，拜武寧節度使，不能治軍。補闕鄭魯奏言：「新麥未登，徐必亂。」既而果逐廓，乃擢魯起居舍人。

His son Kuo earned the jinshi degree and rose through successive appointments to vice minister of justice. During the Dazhong reign he was made military commissioner of Wuning but proved unable to command troops. The remonstrance official Zheng Lu submitted a memorial: "The new wheat is not yet in—Xuzhou is bound to erupt in rebellion. Before long Kuo was indeed expelled from his post, and Zheng Lu was promoted to palace recorder.

李石，字中玉，襄邑恭王神符五世孫。元和中，擢進士第，辟李聽幕府，從歷四鎮，有材略，為吏精明。聽每征伐，必留石主後務。大和中，為行軍司馬。聽以兵北渡河，令石入奏，占對華敏，文宗異之。府罷，擢工部郎中，判鹽鐵案。令孤楚節度河東，引為副使。入遷給事中，累進戶部侍郎，判度支。

Li Shi, courtesy name Zhongyu, was a fifth-generation descendant of Prince Gong Shenfu of Xiangyi. In the Yuanhe period he passed the jinshi examination, joined Li Ting's staff, served successively in four frontier commands, showed both ability and strategic insight, and was a meticulous administrator. Whenever Li Ting took the field, he invariably left Li Shi behind to manage rear administration. During the Dahe reign he served as campaigning marshal. When Li Ting marched north across the Yellow River, he sent Li Shi to the capital to report. Shi's replies were polished and swift, and Wenzong took notice. After Li Ting's command was dissolved, Li Shi was promoted to director in the ministry of works with responsibility for the Salt and Iron Commission. When Linghu Chu became military commissioner of Hedong, he took Li Shi on as his deputy. Recalled to the capital, he was made drafting attendant, then rose step by step to vice minister of revenue with charge of the treasury commission.

帝惡李宗閔等以黨相排，背公害政，凡舊臣皆疑不用，取後出孤立者，欲懲刈之，故李訓等至宰相。訓誅死，乃擢石以本官同中書門下平章事，仍領度支。石器雄遠，當軸秉權亡所撓。

The emperor resented Li Zongmin and his faction for using cliques to purge rivals and for governing in secret against the throne. He grew suspicious of the older ministers and refused to employ them, instead elevating men who had risen later and stood apart, intending to cut down the old guard—thus Li Xun and his allies reached the chancellorship. After Li Xun's execution, Li Shi was promoted from his existing rank to grand councilor while retaining control of the treasury commission. Li Shi was forceful and far-sighted; once he held the reins of government, nothing could deflect him.

方是時，宦寺氣盛，陵暴朝廷，每對延英，而仇士良等往往斥訓以折大臣，石徐謂曰：「亂京師者訓、註也，然其進，孰為之先？」士良等恧縮不得對，氣益奪，搢紳賴以為強。它日紫宸殿，宰相進及陛，帝喟而嘆，石進曰：「陛下之嘆，臣固未諭，敢問所從。」帝曰：「朕嘆治之難也。且朕即位十年，不能得治本。故前發有疾，今茲震擾，皆自取之。夫托億兆之上，不能以美利及百姓，焉得久無事乎？」石曰：「陛下罪己當然，然責治太早，雖十年孜孜養德，適成爾。天下治不治，要自今觀之。且人之氣誌，雖賢聖猶有優劣，故仲尼稱：『三十而立，四十不惑。』陛下春秋少，非起人間也，而知人情偽。今自視何如即位時？」帝曰：「有間矣。」石曰：「古之聖賢，必觀書以考察往行，然後成治功。陛下積十年，盛德日新，然向所以疾戾震驚者，天其固陛下之志乎！誠務修將來之政，視太宗致升平之期，猶不為晚。」帝曰：「行之得至乎？」石曰：「今四海夷一，唯登拔才良，使小大各任其職，愛人節用，國有餘力，下不加賦，太平之術也。」

At the time the eunuchs were ascendant and rode roughshod over the court. Whenever audiences were held in the Yanying Hall, Qiu Shiliang and his fellows would berate Li Xun to cow the chief ministers. Li Shi replied calmly, "The men who threw the capital into turmoil were Li Xun and Zheng Zhu—but who put them in power in the first place? Qiu and the rest flushed and fell silent, their swagger checked still further; the official class took heart from Li Shi's stand. On another occasion in the Zichen Hall, as the chancellors came up to the dais, the emperor sighed. Li Shi stepped forward: "I do not yet grasp the reason for Your Majesty's sigh. Dare I ask what lies behind it? The emperor said, "I sigh because good government is so hard to achieve. I have already reigned ten years, and still I have not touched the root of sound rule. The illness that seized me earlier and the upheaval of today—I brought them all on myself. A ruler who sits above tens of millions of subjects yet fails to shower them with good—how can the realm stay at peace for long?" Li Shi said, "Your Majesty is right to blame yourself, but it is too early to demand perfect order. Ten years of steady moral cultivation is only just enough to ripen. Whether the empire is well or poorly governed will be decided from here on. Besides, even sages mature by degrees in mind and will. Confucius said, "At thirty I stood firm; at forty I was free of doubt." Your Majesty is still young. You were not raised among common people, yet you already see through human deceit. How do you judge yourself now against the day you first ascended the throne?" The emperor said, "I have changed since then." Li Shi said, "The sages of antiquity always studied the classics and tested themselves against past example before they could govern well. Your Majesty has already built up ten years of rule, and your virtue grows day by day. Perhaps the illness and convulsions of the past were Heaven's way of hardening your will. If you earnestly set your hand to the work ahead, you would still not be late in matching Taizong's age of peace." The emperor asked, "If I follow this path, can I truly get there?" Li Shi said, "The realm is already united under one rule. The way to lasting peace is to promote the worthy, let every office large and small perform its proper function, love the people and spend sparingly, keep the treasury strong, and add no new burdens on the people below."

於時大臣新族死，歲苦寒，外情不安。帝曰：「人心未舒何也？」石曰：「刑殺太甚，則致陰沴。比鄭註多募風翔兵，至今誅索不已，臣恐緣以生變，請下詔慰安之。」帝曰：「善。」又問：「奈何致太平之難？」鄭覃曰：「欲天下治，莫若恤人。」石即贊曰：「恤之得術，尚何太平之難？陛下節用度，去冗食，簿最不得措其奸，則百司治。百司治，天下安矣。」帝戚然曰：「我思貞觀、開元時以視今日，即氣拂吾膺。」石曰：「治道本於上，而下罔敢不率。」帝曰：「不然。張元昌為左街副使，而用金唾壺，比坐事誅之。吾聞禁中有金鳥錦袍二，昔玄宗幸溫泉，與楊貴妃衣之，今富人時時有之。」石曰：「毛玠以清德為魏尚書，而人不敢鮮衣美食，況天子獨不可為法乎？」

At the time many chief ministers and their families had just been killed; the winter was harsh, and unease spread beyond the palace. The emperor asked, "Why are the people's hearts still unsettled? Li Shi replied, "When punishments and killings go too far, they summon calamity of yin. Zheng Zhu recently raised large numbers of troops from Fengxiang, and even now the investigations and executions have not stopped. I fear this will breed rebellion. I ask that Your Majesty issue an edict to reassure them." The emperor said, "Well said." He asked again, "Why is it so difficult to bring about true peace?" Zheng Tan said, "If you want the realm well governed, nothing matters more than caring for the people." Li Shi at once agreed: "If you care for them in the right way, what obstacle remains to peace? Your Majesty should cut spending, abolish useless sinecures, and tighten the account books so fraud has no foothold—then every office will run properly. When the bureaucracy is in order, the empire is secure." The emperor said bleakly, "When I compare today with the ages of Zhenguan and Kaiyuan, the grief catches in my throat." Li Shi said, "Good government begins at the top; once it does, those below dare not fail to follow." The emperor said, "That is not how it is. Zhang Yuanchang was only deputy commander of the Left Street, yet he used a golden spittoon—and for that he was put to death. I am told there are two brocade robes embroidered with golden birds inside the palace—the very ones Xuanzong and Consort Yang wore at the Hot Springs—and now rich men wear them openly." Li Shi said, "When Mao Jie served as minister of Wei with spotless integrity, no one dared dress gaudily or feast extravagantly. How then can the Son of Heaven alone refuse to set the example?"

是時，宰相吏卒因內變多死，詔江西、湖南索募直助召士力。石建言：「宰相左右天子教化，若徇正忘私，宗廟神靈，猶當佑之，雖有盜，無害也。有如挾奸自欺，植權黨，害正直，雖加之防，鬼得以誅。無所事於召募，請直以金吾為衛。」帝嘗顧鄭覃曰：「覃老矣，當無妄，試諭我猶漢何等主？」覃曰：「陛下文、宣主也。」帝曰：「渠敢望是！」石欲強帝誌使不怠，因曰：「陛下之問而覃之對，臣皆以為非。顏回匹夫耳，自比於舜。陛下有四海，春秋富，當觀得失於前，日引月長，以齊堯、舜，奈何比文、宣而又自以為不及。惟陛下開肆厥誌，不以文、宣自安，則大業濟矣。」

By then many of the chancellors' clerks and attendants had perished in the recent upheaval. An edict directed Jiangxi and Hunan to raise funds and recruit men to reinforce the chancellors' guard. Li Shi advised, "The chief ministers stand at the emperor's side to aid his civilizing rule. If they pursue justice and set aside private interest, the spirits of the ancestral temple will protect them—even common thieves would do little harm. But if a minister hides treachery, deludes himself, builds a faction, and destroys the upright, then even the strongest guard cannot save him—ghosts themselves would see him punished. There is no need for special recruitment. I ask that the Gold Crow Guard alone be assigned as protection. The emperor once turned to Zheng Tan and said, "Tan, you are old—you ought not to flatter. Tell me plainly: which Han emperor am I like?" Zheng Tan answered, "Your Majesty resembles Emperor Wen or Emperor Xuan of Han." The emperor said, "How could I dare claim such a comparison!" Li Shi, wanting to stiffen the emperor's ambition and keep him from growing complacent, said, "I think both Your Majesty's question and Tan's answer miss the mark. Yan Hui was only a common man, yet he measured himself against Shun. Your Majesty holds the four seas and your years are still full. You should weigh every gain and loss before you, growing day by day until you stand with Yao and Shun. Why compare yourself only to Wen and Xuan—and then declare yourself beneath even them? Only if Your Majesty opens wide his ambition and refuses to settle for matching Wen and Xuan will the great work be accomplished."

中人自邊還，走馬入金光門，道路妄言兵且至，京師讙走塵起，百官或襪而騎，臺省吏稍稍遁去。鄭覃將出，石曰：「事未可知，宜坐須其定。宰相走，則亂矣。若變出不虞，逃將安適？人之所瞻，不可忽也。」益治簿書，沛然如平時。里閭群無賴望南闕，陰持兵俟變。金吾大將軍陳君賞率眾立望仙門，內使趣闔門，君賞不從，日入乃止。當是時，非石鎮靜、君賞有謀，幾亂。

Eunuchs returning from the border galloped through the Jinguang Gate. Rumors spread through the streets that armies were approaching. The capital broke into panic; dust billowed as people fled. Some officials rode off in their stocking feet, and secretariat and censorate clerks quietly vanished. Zheng Tan was about to flee. Li Shi said, "The situation is still unclear. We should remain seated and wait until it is settled. If the chief ministers run, the disorder will become real. If disaster strikes without warning, where would running take you? The whole realm is watching us—we must not treat this lightly. He threw himself back into the paperwork, working with the same steady bustle as on any normal day. Bands of local thugs stared toward the Southern Gate, weapons hidden, waiting for trouble to break. Gold Crow Guard general Chen Junshang marched his men to the Wangxian Gate and held position. Palace envoys pressed him to shut the gates, but he refused. They did not stand down until nightfall. At that hour, but for Li Shi's steadiness and Chen Junshang's judgment, the capital would almost certainly have descended into chaos.

開成赦令：賜京畿一歲租；停方鎮正、至、端午三歲獻，以其直代百姓配緡；天下非藥物茗果，它貢悉禁；又罷宣索、營造。帝曰：「朕務其實，不欲事空文。」石以異時詔令，天子多自逾之，因請「內置赦令一通，以時省覽。臨遣十道黜陟使，敕以政治根本，使與長吏奉行之，乃盡病利。」

Among the Kaicheng amnesty measures: remission of one year's land tax in the capital region; abolition of the triennial regional tributes presented at the solstices and Dragon Boat Festival, with their cash value applied instead to the people's cloth levy; throughout the empire, all tribute gifts except medicines, tea, and fruit were banned; and an end to palace requisitions and new construction. The emperor said, "I care for real results, not hollow proclamations. Li Shi observed that past emperors often broke their own edicts, and therefore asked that one copy of the amnesty be kept inside the palace for periodic review. When sending out the ten-circuit promotion-and-demotion commissioners, instruct them in these governing fundamentals and require them and the regional governors to carry them out faithfully—that will expose every abuse and remedy every benefit owed the people."

俄進中書侍郎。帝嘗曰：「朕觀晉君臣以夷曠致傾覆，當時卿大夫過邪？」石曰：「然。古詩有之：『人生不滿百，常懷千歲憂。』畏不逢也；『晝短苦夜長』，暗時多也；『何不秉燭遊』，勸之照也。臣願捐軀命濟國家，惟陛下鑒照不惑，則安人強國其庶乎？」又言：「致治之道在得人。德宗多猜貳，仕進之塗塞，奏請輒報罷，東省閉闥累月，南臺惟一御史。故兩河諸侯競引豪英，士之喜利者多趨之，用為謀主，故藩鎮日橫，天子為旰食。元和間進用日廣，陛下嗣位，惟賢是咨，士皆在朝廷。彼疆宇甲兵如故，而低摧順屈者，士不之助也。」帝曰：「天下之勢猶持衡然，此首重則彼尾輕矣。其為我博選士，朕且用之。」石奏：「咸陽令韓遼治興成渠，渠當咸陽右十八里，左直永豐倉，秦、漢故漕。渠成，起咸陽，抵潼關，三百里無車挽勞，則轅下牛盡可耕，永利秦中矣。」李固言曰：「然恐役非其時，奈何？」帝曰：「以陰陽拘畏乎？茍利於人，朕奚慮哉？」石用韓益判度支案，以贓敗。石曰：「臣本以益知財利，不保其貪。」帝曰：「宰相任人，知則用，過則棄，謂之至公。它宰相所用，強蔽其過，此其私也。」

Shortly afterward he was promoted to vice director of the Secretariat. The emperor once said, "I see that the Jin dynasty fell because its rulers and ministers grew reckless and unmoored. Were the high officials of that age at fault? Li Shi said, "They were. An old poem puts it this way: "Life lasts less than a hundred years, yet men carry a thousand years of worry." They worried they would fail to live up to what was required of them. "The days are short and the nights are long and weary"—meaning there is too much obscurity. "Why not take up candles and make merry?"—a counsel to bring light where it is needed. This minister is willing to give his life for the realm—if only Your Majesty sees clearly and is not led astray, might we not yet secure the people and strengthen the state?" He went on: "The path to good order lies in winning the right men. Emperor Dezong was deeply suspicious; the roads to office were choked; petitions were routinely turned down; the Secretariat kept its gates shut for months; the Censorate had but a single inspector. So the warlords of the Two He regions vied to recruit the bold and brilliant; scholars hungry for gain flocked to them as chief advisers—and the provinces grew bolder by the day, while the emperor could barely eat his meals for worry. Under Yuanhe, recruitment steadily broadened; since Your Majesty took the throne, you have sought only the worthy—and now the best minds are gathered at court. Their domains and armies are unchanged, yet they bow and yield—not because they have grown weaker of themselves, but because men of talent no longer serve them." The emperor replied: "The empire is like a steelyard in the hand: weight added here lifts the other end. Search widely for men of talent on my behalf—I mean to use them." Li Shi reported: "Han Liao, magistrate of Xianyang, has overseen the Xingcheng Canal—it lies eighteen li west of the city, running east to Yongfeng Granary along the old Qin-Han grain route. Once finished, it will run from Xianyang to Tong Pass—three hundred li freed from cart-dragging. Then every draft ox may return to the fields, and the heartland of Qin will prosper for generations." Li Gongyan objected: "But what if the labor comes at the wrong season—what then?" The emperor said: "Are we to be shackled by omens and the calendar? If it serves the people, what have I to fear?" Li Shi had Han Yi handle fiscal affairs at the Revenue Board—Han was disgraced for graft. Li Shi said: "I appointed Yi for his fiscal skill—I never vouched for his honesty. The emperor said: "A chancellor hires for talent and dismisses for fault—that is true impartiality. Other chancellors shield their appointees' failings—that is partiality, plain and simple."

三年正月，將朝，騎至親仁裏，狙盜發，射石傷，馬逸，盜邀斫之坊門，絕馬尾，乃得脫。天子駭愕，遣使者慰撫，賜良藥。始命六軍衛士二十人從宰相。是日京師震恐，百官造朝才十一。石因臥家固辭位，有詔以中書侍郎平章事為荊南節度使。始，訓、註亂，權歸閹豎，天子畏偪，幾不立。石起為相，以身徇國，不恤近幸，張權綱，欲強王室，收威柄。而仇士良疾之，將加害，帝知其然，而未為之，遂罷去。遣日，饗賚都闕，士人恨憤。石讓中書侍郎，換檢校兵部尚書，它不聽。

In the first month of his third year, riding to court through Qinren Ward, assassins struck from hiding—wounding him and spooking his horse. They cut him off at the ward gate and hacked at him, shearing off the horse's tail before he could break free. The emperor was appalled. He sent envoys with comforts and fine medicines. For the first time, twenty Imperial Guard soldiers were assigned to escort the chancellor. That day terror gripped the capital—only eleven officials attended court. Li Shi took to his bed and steadfastly resigned. An edict made the grand councillor and vice director of the Secretariat military commissioner of Jingnan. At first, after the upheaval of Li Xun and Zheng Zhu, power passed to the eunuchs; the emperor lived under intimidation and nearly lost his throne. When Li Shi became chancellor, he devoted himself to the realm without regard for the emperor's favorites, tightening the reins of power to fortify the throne and win back imperial authority. Qiu Shiliang hated him and meant to destroy him. The emperor knew—and did nothing. Li Shi was removed. On the day of his dismissal, the court lavished feasts and gifts at the capital; scholars seethed with indignation. Li Shi relinquished his vice-directorship for an acting post as minister of war—and refused every other concession offered.

會昌三年，檢校司空，徙節河東。會伐潞，詔以太原兵助王逢軍榆社。石起橫水態千五百人，令別將楊弁領之。常日軍興，人賜二縑治裝，會財匱而給以半，士怨，又促其行，弁乘隙激眾以亂，還兵逐石出之。詔以太子少傅分司東都，俄檢校吏部尚書，即拜留守。卒，年六十二，贈尚書右僕射。

In Huichang 3, he was made acting grand secretary and transferred to Hedong as military commissioner. During the campaign against Lu, an edict sent Taiyuan troops to reinforce Wang Feng at Yushe. Li Shi mustered fifteen hundred troops from Hengshui stockade and placed them under Lieutenant Commander Yang Bian. Customarily each soldier received two bolts of silk when mobilized—but funds were short, and they got half. The men grumbled, and when orders came to march at once, Yang Bian seized the moment to stir mutiny; the troops turned on Li Shi and drove him out. He was named honorary tutor of the heir apparent, assigned to Luoyang; soon after, acting minister of personnel—and immediately appointed Luoyang's chief administrator. He died at sixty-two, posthumously honored as right vice director of the Department of State Affairs.

弟福，字能之。大和中，第進士。楊嗣復領劍南，辟幕府。崔鄲輔政，兼集賢殿大學士，引為校理。調藍田尉。後石當國，薦福可任治人，繇監察御史至戶部郎中，累歷州刺史，進諫議大夫。大中時，党項羌震擾，議者以將臣貪牟產虜怨，議擇儒臣治邊。乃授福夏綏銀節度使，宣宗臨軒諭遣。福以善政聞，徙鎮鄭滑，再遷兵部侍郎，判度支，出為宣武節度使，入遷戶部尚書。會蠻侵蜀，詔福持節宣撫，即拜劍南西川節度使，同中書門下平章事。與蠻戰敗績，貶蘄王傅，分司東都。

His brother, Li Fu, courtesy name Nengzhi. In the Dahe reign he earned his jinshi degree. When Yang Sifu took command of Jiannan, he joined his staff. When Cui Yin came to power as grand academician of the Hall of Assembled Worthies, he brought Li Fu in as a collator. He was posted as magistrate of Lantian. When Li Shi came to power, he recommended Fu as a capable administrator. Fu rose from censor to bureau director in the Ministry of Revenue, served several terms as prefect, and was promoted to remonstrance counsellor. Under Dazhong, Tangut raids convulsed the frontier. Critics blamed greedy generals for stoking tribal hatred—and urged sending scholar-officials to the border instead. Li Fu was appointed military commissioner of Xia-Sui-Yin; Emperor Xuanzong personally addressed him at court before his departure. Known for enlightened rule, he was moved to Zheng-Hua, then promoted to vice minister of war and overseer of the Revenue Board, then military commissioner of Xuanwu. Returning to court, he became minister of revenue. When tribal forces invaded Shu, Li Fu was dispatched with full credentials as pacification commissioner—and immediately named military commissioner of Jiannan West with a seat on the grand council. Defeated in battle against the tribes, he was demoted to tutor of the Prince of Qi and sent to Luoyang.

僖宗初，以檢校尚書左僕射就拜留守，改山南東道節度使。王仙芝寇山南，福團訓鄉兵，邀險須之。賊不敢入，轉略岳、鄂，以逼江陵。節度使楊知溫求援於福，乃自將州兵，率沙陀壯騎五百赴之。賊已殘江陵郛而聞福至，乃走。以勞檢校司空、同中書門下平章事。還朝，以太子太傅卒。

Early in Xizong's reign he was named Luoyang's chief administrator with the honorary title of left vice director, then made military commissioner of Shannan East. When Wang Xianzhi invaded Shannan, Li Fu trained local militia and held the defiles to intercept him. The rebels dared not enter; they swung toward Yue and E, threatening Jiangling. When Military Commissioner Yang Zhiwen called for help, Li Fu led his prefectural troops—and five hundred Shatuo horsemen—to the relief. The rebels had already pillaged Jiangling's suburbs when word of Li Fu's approach reached them—they fled. For his service he was honored as grand secretary and given a seat on the grand council. He returned to court and died in office as grand tutor of the heir apparent.

李回，字昭度，新興王德良六世孫，本名躔，字昭回，避武宗諱改焉。長慶中，擢進士第，又策賢良方正異等，辟義成、淮南幕府，稍遷監察御史，累進起居郎。李德裕雅知之。為人強幹，所蒞無不辦。繇職方員外郎判戶部案。四遷中書舍人。

Li Hui, courtesy name Zhaodu, was sixth in descent from Prince Deiliang of Xinxing. Born Li Chan, styled Zhaohui—he renamed himself to avoid the taboo of Emperor Wuzong's name. Under Changqing he took the jinshi and ranked top among decree-eligible scholars. He served on the staffs at Yicheng and Huainan, rose to censor, and eventually to recorder of the emperor's daily proceeding. Li Deyu thought highly of him. Forceful and resourceful, he finished whatever he undertook. He moved from vice director in the Ministry of War to overseeing fiscal affairs at the Ministry of Revenue. After four promotions he reached drafting secretary.

會昌中，以刑部侍郎兼御史中丞。時方伐劉稹，武宗慮河朔列鎮陰相締以撓兵事，德裕薦回持節往諭何弘敬、王元逵，以「澤潞邇京、洛，非若河北三鎮，國家許世以壤地傳子孫者。且稹父子無功，悖誼理。上以邢、洺、磁三州與河北比境，用軍莫便魏、鎮。且王師不欲輕出山東，請公等取三州報天子。」二將聽命。又張仲武以幽州兵攻回鶻，而與劉沔不協。回至，諭以大義，仲武釋然，即合太原軍攻潞。復以回為使，督戰至蒲東，王宰、石雄櫜謁道左，回不弛行，顧左右呼直史責破賊限牒，宰等震恐，期六旬取潞，否則死之。未及期二日，賊平。以戶部侍郎判戶部事。俄進中書侍郎、同中書門下平章事。

During Huichang he served as vice minister of justice and censor-in-chief. At the time they were campaigning against Liu Zhen. Wuzong feared the Hebei governors might secretly ally to obstruct the war effort, and Deyu recommended that Hui go as imperial envoy to instruct He Hongjing and Wang Yuankui: "Ze-Lu lies close to the capital and Luoyang—not like the three Hebei provinces, where the throne allows hereditary succession of territory. Besides, the Zhens have earned no merit—their rebellion defies every principle of loyalty. The throne offers Xing, Ming, and Ci—the three prefectures on Hebei's border. No bases are better placed for campaigning than Wei and Zhen. The emperor's army would rather not march lightly from the east—we ask you to seize the three prefectures and report your success to the throne. Both generals accepted. Meanwhile Zhang Zhongwu led Youzhou troops against the Uyghurs—but fell out with Liu Yan. Li Hui arrived and spoke to the greater cause; Zhongwu's resentment eased, and the two armies joined Taiyuan's forces to strike at Lu. Li Hui was sent again as imperial envoy, driving the campaign to the east bank of the Pu. Wang Zai and Shi Xiong waited roadside with tribute—but Hui did not slow his stride. He summoned his clerk and publicly waved the deadline decree in their faces: sixty days to take Lu, or die. Two days before the deadline, Lu fell. He was appointed vice minister of revenue with full control of fiscal affairs. Soon after he rose to vice director of the Secretariat and grand councillor.

武宗崩，為山陵使，遷門下侍郎，兼戶部尚書。出為劍南西川節度使。以與德裕善，決吳湘獄，時回為中丞，坐不糾擿，貶湖南觀察使。俄以太子賓客分司東都。給事中還制，謂責回薄，遂貶賀州刺史。徙撫州刺史。卒，大中九年，詔復湖南觀察使，贈刑部尚書。

When Wuzong died, Li Hui oversaw the imperial burial and was promoted to vice director under the Gate and concurrent minister of revenue. He was posted as military commissioner of Jiannan West. His alliance with Li Deyu caught him in the Wu Xiang scandal. As censor-in-chief he had failed to investigate—and was demoted to governor of Hunan. Soon he was named honorary companion to the heir apparent, posted to Luoyang. When a supervising secretary sent the demotion edict back as too lenient, Li Hui was stripped further—to prefect of Hezhou. He was moved to prefect of Fuzhou. He died in Dazhong 9. An edict restored his title as governor of Hunan and posthumously honored him as vice minister of justice.

贊曰：周之卿士，周、召、毛、原，皆同姓國也。唐宰相以宗室進者九人。林甫奸諛，幾亡天下。李程和柔，在位無所發明。其餘以材稱職，號賢宰相。秦、隋棄親侮賢，皆二世而滅。周、唐任人不疑，得親親用賢之道，饗國長久。嗚呼盛歟！

In praise: Zhou's great ministers—the houses of Zhou, Shao, Mao, and Yuan—were all states of the royal clan. Nine Tang chancellors rose through the imperial clans. Li Linfu's sycophancy and treachery nearly cost the empire. Li Cheng was mild and yielding—he distinguished himself in office by doing nothing. The rest earned their posts through talent and were hailed as true statesmen. Qin and Sui cast aside their kin and scorned their worthies—and both collapsed within two reigns. Zhou and Tang trusted their appointees, balancing nepotism with merit—and their dynasties endured. What glory was theirs!

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