1
竇劉二張楊熊柏
Dou, Liu, the two Zhangs, Yang, Xiong, and Bai
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Dou Qun, whose style name was Danlie, came from Jincheng in Jingzhao. His father Shuxiang was famed for his verse; under Emperor Daizong he served as Left Reminder. All of Qun's brothers won the jinshi degree; he alone lived as a retired scholar in hiding at Piling. At his mother's death he severed a finger and laid it in her coffin, dwelt in a mourning hut by the grave, and completed the full mourning rites. He followed Lu Pi in the Tan Zhu school of Spring and Autumn studies and composed several dozen works. Prefect Wei Xiaqing of Suzhou recommended him to the throne and submitted his books together with the recommendation; the court took note but did not call him in. When Xiaqing later became metropolitan magistrate of Jingzhao, he spoke for him again to Dezong, who appointed him Left Reminder. When Zhang Jian held credentials as envoy to Tibet, Qun was moved to Attending Censor and made his judicial aide. He appeared before the emperor and said, "Sire, in twenty years on the throne you have only now lifted me from the thatched hut to Reminder—how rare such advancement is! Yet you would make a man you found so hard to promote over twenty years the aide for a Tibetan peace mission—how lightly you treat such a post!" The emperor was stirred by his remonstrance and did not dispatch him.
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Wang Shuwen's party was ascendant and had little regard for Qun; Qun in turn sullenly refused to join them. They wanted to expel him, but Wei Zhiyi objected, and the plan was dropped. Qun went to Shuwen and said, "Some things cannot be foreseen." Shuwen asked, "What do you mean?" He replied, "Last year Li Shi abused grace and monopolized authority, terrifying the empire; you were then hesitating on the roadside—no more than a petty official south of the Yangtze. Now you occupy Shi's place—have you not thought that someone like you may again be waiting by the roadside?" Shuwen was shaken, and in the end never used him.
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Under Emperor Xianzong he became Vice Minister of Rites and concurrently Attending Censor with charge of miscellaneous business. He was sent out as prefect of Tangzhou. Military commissioner Yu Di, hearing of him, conversed with him, marveled at him, and requested him as personal aide. Wu Yuanheng and Li Jifu both favored him, and he was recalled as Director in the Ministry of Personnel. Yuanheng, as chief minister, recommended Qun to replace him as censor-in-chief. Qun nominated Lü Wen and Yang Shie as censors; Jifu judged them reckless and would not confirm them. Qun was spiteful and turned his resentment on Jifu. When Jifu went out to Huainan as military commissioner, Qun thought he had fallen from grace and worked to squeeze him out. A man named Chen Deng, versed in divination, visited Jifu's house at night; Qun seized him, tortured him, and accused Jifu of clandestine affairs. Xianzong examined Deng face to face, learned the facts, flew into a rage and nearly put Qun to death; Jifu interceded, he was spared, and was demoted to observation commissioner of Hunan. His post was changed to Qianzhong. Floods ruined the ramparts; he drafted the stream-dwelling tribes for repair work, the tribes rose in disorder, and he was demoted to prefect of Kai. He was later transferred to military commissioner of Rongguan. Summoned back, he died on the road at fifty-five and was posthumously made Left Regular Cavalryman-in-Attendance.
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群狠自用，果於復怨。 始召，將大任之，眾皆懼，及聞其死，乃安。
Qun was harsh, willful, and swift to settle scores. At first his recall promised high appointment and everyone feared him; when he died, the court breathed easier.
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Chang, style name Zhongxing, took the jinshi under Dali, declined office, stayed at Guangling writing, and remained in retirement twenty years. Wang Wujun of Zhenzhou, hearing of his gifts, invited him to his staff, but Chang would not come. Du You, as Huainan commissioner, made him a staff planner. He held prefectures of Lang, Kui, Jiang, and Fu, became Director of the Directorate of Education, and retired. After death he was posthumously made Governor-General of Yue.
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Mou, style name Yizhou, served many times on frontier staffs. In later years he followed Lu Congshi of Zhaoyi; when Congshi grew insolent, Mou saw counsel would fail, feigned illness, and returned to Luoyang. When Congshi fell, Mou did not parade his early withdrawal as wisdom. He rose to Vice Director of the Directorate of Education. Ku, style name Zhouqing, died as prefect of Wuzhou.
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劉棲楚，其出寒鄙。 為鎮州小吏，王承宗奇之，薦於李逢吉，繇鄧州司倉參軍擢右拾遺。 逢吉之罷裴度、逐李紳，皆嗾而為奸者。 敬宗立，視朝常晏，數遊畋失德。 棲楚諫曰：「惟前世王者初嗣位，皆親庶政，坐以待旦。 陛下新即位，安臥寢內，日晏乃作。 大行殯宮密邇，鼓吹之聲日聞諸朝。 且憲宗及先帝皆長君，朝夕恪勤，四方猶有叛者。 陛下以少主，踐祚未幾，惡德流布，恐福祚之不長也。 臣以諫為官，使陛下負天下譏，請碎首以謝。」 遂額叩龍墀，血被面。 李逢吉傳詔：「毋叩頭，待詔旨。」 棲楚捧首立，帝動容，揚袂使去。 棲楚曰：「不聽臣言，臣請死於此。」 有詔尉諭，乃出。 遷起居郎，辭疾歸洛。 後諫官對延英，帝問：「向廷爭者在邪？」 以諫議大夫召。 未幾，宣授刑部侍郎。 故事，侍郎無宣授者，逢吉喜助己，故不次任之。
Liu Qichu sprang from poor and low birth. A minor clerk in Zhenzhou, he won Wang Chengzong's notice, was recommended to Li Fengji, and rose from Dengzhou warehouse aide to Right Reminder. Fengji's ouster of Pei Du and banishment of Li Shen were both driven by Qichu as his scheming henchman. Under Jingzong, audiences were habitually late and the emperor often hunted to the neglect of rule. Qichu admonished: "Ancient kings at the start of their reigns personally handled government, sitting up to await dawn. Yet Your Majesty, newly enthroned, rests in the inner quarters and does not rise until late morning. The late emperor's mourning hall is near, and dirges daily resound through the palace. Xianzong and the previous emperor were seasoned rulers who labored dawn to dusk, yet rebels still rose on every side. Your Majesty is a young ruler newly enthroned; bad conduct is already rumored—I fear your blessing will not last. As remonstrator, if Your Majesty earns the empire's censure, I ask to dash out my brains in atonement." He then beat his brow on the dragon pavement until his face ran with blood. Fengji relayed the decree: "Cease knocking your head; await the throne's word." Qichu stood clutching his head; the emperor was stirred, gestured dismissal, and had him led away. Qichu said, "If you will not hear me, I beg to die on this spot." An edict soothed him, and only then did he withdraw. He became Diarist, pleaded illness, and retired to Luoyang. Later, when remonstrators met the emperor at Yanying, he asked, "Is the one who quarreled in court here?" He was recalled as Remonstrator of the Left. Soon he received direct appointment as Vice Minister of Justice. By precedent vice ministers were not directly commissioned; Fengji, glad of his support, broke precedent to elevate him.
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Months later he became metropolitan magistrate of Jingzhao, harsh in penalties and fearless of magnates. Hoodlums had hidden in the northern armies, insulting the gentry; on crime they fled to the camps and none dared seize them. Qichu pursued every case to the limit; within ten days old evils drew in their claws. Once a drunken soldier caused a disturbance; youths nearby yelled, "Idiot—have you forgotten the magistrate above your head?"
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Yet he was perverse and rash, performing shocking stunts and courting danger as if fearless, while inwardly he leaned on patronage to claw upward. At the chancellors' offices he glared and spoke rudely; Wei Chuhou loathed him and posted him to Guiguan as observation commissioner. He died and was posthumously given Left Regular Cavalryman-in-Attendance.
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Zhang Youxin, style name Kongzhao, was the son of Vice Minister of Works Zhang Jian. In Yuanhe he placed high on the jinshi and served as Left and Right Supplementation Officer. He was by nature devious. Fengji, hating Li Shen, sought grounds against him, found bold speakers at court, and richly paid them to imperil Shen. Youxin, with Li Xu and Liu Qichu, were detested as Fengji's attack dogs, earning the name "Eight Passes and Sixteen Sons."
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At Jingzong's accession Shen was demoted to Duanzhou Sima; officials coming to congratulate the chancellor were told, "Wait—the chancellor is with the Supplementation Officer." When Youxin emerged, drenched in sweat, he bowed to the officials: "The Duanxi affair—I dare not deny my part." Everyone recoiled in dread. He was soon made Vice Director of the Ministry of Rites. He once bought a maidservant then reneged; the broker searched and humiliated him; censors impeached him, but Fengji protected him and the matter was not pressed. When Fengji lost office and went to the Shannan East Circuit, he took Youxin as campaign Sima. Implicated in Tian Pi's case, he was demoted to prefect of Ting. When Li Xun rose, Youxin was restored, made Director of Justice, and sent to Shen as prefect. After Xun's death he was demoted again. He finished as Left Department Director. Youxin wrote well yet twice destroyed his house's reputation by fawning on power.
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Yang Yuqing, style name Shigao, came from Hongnong in Guo. His father Ning was high-minded, eloquent, and engaging in discourse. Ning passed the Mingjing, served as Linhuan chief clerk, quit office, returned home to Xia, and became Yang Cheng's closest friend. Dezong summoned Cheng as Left Remonstrator; before Cheng accepted, the throne ordered Ning to urge him, and both arrived. Observation commissioner Li Qiyun of Shan-Guo placed him on staff. When Qiyun became Jingzhao magistrate, he recommended Ning as Fengxian chief clerk; Ning became Attending Censor but was dismissed for a fault. Early in Shunzong's reign he was recalled as Palace Attending Censor and died as Director of Education.
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Yuqing took jinshi and erudite macrocosmic degrees and served as collator. Bound for Huainan with betrothal gifts, he found Chen Shang burying his ancestors too poor to proceed; though strangers, Yuqing gave all he had to aid him. He rose through successive appointments as Attending Censor.
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穆宗初立，逸遊荒恣，虞卿上疏曰：「烏鳶遭害仁鳥逝，誹謗不誅良臣進。 臣敢冒誅獻瞽言。 臣聞堯、舜以天下為憂，不以位為樂。 況今北虜方梗，西戎弗靖，兩河有瘡痏之虞，五嶺罹氛厲之役。 人之疾苦積下，朝之制度莫脩。 邊亡見儲，國用浸屈，固未可以高枕而息也。 陛下初臨萬幾，宜有憂天下心。 當日見輔臣公卿百執事，垂意以問，使四方內外灼有所聞。 而聽政六十日，入對延英，獨三數大臣承聖問而已，它內朝臣偕入齊出，無所咨詢。 諫臣盈廷，忠言不聞，臣實羞之。 蓋主恩疏而正路塞也。 公卿大臣宜朝夕燕見，則君臣情接而治道得矣。 今宰臣四五人，或頃刻侍坐，鞠躬隕越，隨旨上下，無能往來，此繇君太尊、臣太卑故也。 公卿列位，雖陟降清地，曾未奉優眷、承下問。 雖陛下神聖如五帝，猶宜周爰顧逮，惠以氣色，使支體相成，君臣昭明。 陛下求治於宰相，宰相求治於臣等，進忠若趨利，論政若訴冤，此而不治，無有也。 自古天子居危思安之心同，而居安慮危之心則異，故不得皆為聖明也。」 時又有衡山布衣趙知微，亦上書指言帝倡優在側，馳騁無度，內作色荒，外作禽荒。 辭頗危切，帝詔宰相尉謝。 宰相因是賀天子納諫，然不能用也。 俄詔行勞西北邊。 還，遷侍御史，改禮部員外郎、史館脩撰。 進吏部。 會曹史李賨等鬻偽告，調官六十五員，贓千六百萬以上，虞卿發其奸，賨等系御史府。 而虞卿親吏嘗受二百萬，亡命，私奴受三十萬，虞卿縛奴送獄。 三司嚴休復、高鉞、韋景休雜推，賨等皆誅死。 虞卿坐不檢下免官。
At Muzong's accession, given to idle roaming and dissipation, Yuqing submitted: "When carrion birds are harmed, the virtuous birds flee; when calumny goes unpunished, good ministers come forward. I dare risk death to offer my humble counsel. I have heard that Yao and Shun worried for the realm rather than rejoiced in their rank. The northern enemy blocks the frontier, the western tribes are unquiet, the two He circuits bear festering troubles, and the Five Ridges labor under plague and levy. Popular hardship piles up below, yet court institutions go unmended. Border granaries stand empty and the treasury shrinks; one cannot pillow one's head high and sleep in peace. Your Majesty has only just taken the myriad reins; you should bear the empire in mind. Meet your chief ministers, nobles, and the hundred officers daily, question them with care, and let the realm see it plainly. Yet in sixty days at court, at Yanying audiences only a few senior ministers heard your questions; the rest of the inner officials filed in and out with no counsel sought. The remonstrators crowd the hall yet loyal speech never reaches you—I am ashamed of it. Imperial grace has grown remote and the straight road is blocked. High ministers should meet you morning and evening in relaxed audience, so feeling joins between ruler and servant and governance is secured. Today four or five chancellors may sit a moment, bowing until they nearly fall, bobbing at your nod, unable to speak freely—because the throne is too lofty and the servants too abject. The ranked nobles, though raised to exalted posts, have never tasted your gracious notice or your questioning ear. Even if you are as sage as the Five Emperors, you should still look widely, show a warm face, and knit trunk and limbs so ruler and minister shine upon each other. You seek order from the chancellor, the chancellor from us; if loyalty is pursued like profit and policy debated like a grievance, nothing will remain ungoverned. In danger all rulers think of safety alike, but in safety their thoughts of peril differ—so not every throne is sage." Meanwhile Zhao Zhiwei, a Hengshan commoner, also wrote, accusing the emperor of keeping entertainers at hand, hunting without restraint, indulging lust within and sport without. His language was severe; the emperor had the chancellor console and thank him. The chancellor then congratulated the throne on heeding criticism, but nothing was acted upon. Soon he was ordered to tour and comfort the northwest border. Returning, he became Attending Censor, then Vice Director of Rites and Historiography compiler. He rose to the Ministry of Personnel. Clerks led by Li Bin sold forged appointment notices for sixty-five posts, taking more than sixteen million in bribes; Yuqing exposed them and they were jailed in the censorate. His own clerk had taken two million and fled; a household slave took three hundred thousand—Yuqing tied the slave and sent him to jail. The Three Offices, Yan Xiufu, Gao Qian, and Wei Jingxiu, jointly judged them; Bin and his fellows were all put to death. Yuqing lost office for failing to discipline his staff.
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Under Li Zongmin and Niu Sengru he became Right Department Director and Hongwen academician. He was promoted again to Supervising Censor. Yuqing was pliant and flattering, adept at charming favorites, and traded on them for corrupt profit. Annual candidates thronged his door; he marked ranks and posts, and none missed his favor—advancement or ruin hung on his word. Su Jingyin and Zhang Yuanfu still mattered, but Yuqing's brothers Rushi and Hangong drew the crowds, so people said: "For the examination field, ask Su and Zhang; Su and Zhang may suffice—the three Yangs will ruin you." Zongmin favored him most; in the clique he led the chorus and steered affairs by rumor, earning the title "Faction Chief."
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When Deyu took the chancellorship, Yuqing was posted to Changzhou as prefect. Zongmin's return brought him back as Vice Minister of Works and Jingzhao magistrate. In Taihe year nine the capital rumored that Zheng Zhu brewed elixir for the emperor by cutting out children's livers and hearts. Families panicked and locked their children in. The emperor was angered; Zhu, ill at ease and hostile to Yuqing, with Li Xun claimed: "The tale began in Yuqing's household and was spread by Jingzhao runners throughout the capital." Censor-in-chief Li Guyan, who loathed Yuqing's faction ties, seized on loose ends. The emperor flew into a rage and imprisoned Yuqing. His sons and brothers then chained themselves at the palace gate pleading injustice; he was freed, demoted to Qianzhou army aide, and died.
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Hangong, style name Yongyi. He began on Li Jiang's Xingyuan staff; when Jiang perished, he escaped the purge. He advanced from Revenue Director and Historiography compiler to Rites Director. Implicated through Yuqing, he was demoted to Shu prefect, then served Hu, Bo, and Su. He became observation commissioner of Guiguan and Zhedong. From Revenue Vice Minister he was made Jingnan military commissioner, then recalled as Minister of Works. Accused of graft in Jingnan, he was demoted to Secretariat Director. He was later made Director of Education.
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Emperor Xuanzong appointed him prefect of Tong. Supervising Censors Zheng Yichuo and Zheng Gongyu then wrote that Hangong was brazen and corrupt, unfit for the inner court, and thrice returned the appointment edict. On ordinary days the throne never overruled Secretariat objections. Hangong had long cultivated palace eunuchs who backed him in secret. Now the emperor wavered and ignored them; the appointment stood. At a Cold Food feast he played ball himself, greeted his intimates, and told Yichuo and the others: "You never oppose me except over Hangong—that is faction." Yichuo alone answered: "Tong was where Taizong began his kingship. As his descendant you should choose governors carefully; Hangong is already stained by ink—can you give a major post to a known grafter for favor?" Anger flickered on the emperor's face. Next day Yichuo was sent out as Shang prefect. Hangong went from Tong to Xuanwu and Tianping as military commissioner and died. Sons Chou and Fan likewise achieved distinction.
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Rushi, style name Muchao. He took the jinshi and also the erudite macrocosmic degree. The Niu-Li factions favored him and made him Secretariat Drafter. Early in Kaicheng he rose from War Vice Minister to Dongchuan military commissioner. Sifu then held Xichuan; as kinsmen they faced each other with banners, and the world honored their clan. He died as Minister of Justice.
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Zhang Su was born poor yet called himself a literatus. As Prince of Guangling, Xianzong took him in through Zhang Maozong as aide; he entered the mansion, sly and outspoken. On becoming heir apparent he rose from commoner to Left Reminder, courted favorites, and gifts from every quarter clogged his door. Called to audience repeatedly, he could not hold his tongue and was demoted to Chen aide for over ten years for leaking inner-court words.
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He rose step by step to Revenue Vice Director. Fengji often called him treacherous and had him sent to Hao as prefect; Su petitioned in his own defense and was kept at court. The emperor wanted him as Left Remonstrator; Fengji said: "That office is weighty and should go to a worthy man. Su is a small man and must not defile it. If you insist on using him, remove me first." The emperor took offense. After Fengji's fall an edict made Su acting Left Remonstrator; Cui Qun and Wang Ya petitioned together: "Remonstrators of old came from reclusion or the army, yet all stood out in conduct. Su's standing is light; an exceptional appointment will not honor him—only harm him." They asked another post; the emperor refused and a eunuch proclaimed the appointment. Su hated the chancellors for not backing him and daily slandered, clinging to Huangfu Bo and wounding upright men. Late in Yuanhe he bore credentials to Ziqing; Li Shidao offered to yield land and send his son to court. He then regretted it and sent Su again; Su died suddenly on the road and was posthumously made Secretariat Director.
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Xiong Wang, style name Yuanshi, took the jinshi. He was rash and treacherous, moving among grandees by debate. As Qichu built power as Jingzhao magistrate, Wang came and went daily, picking up intelligence and plotting in secret. Jingzong loved verse and talked of Eastern Head academicians for private amusement. Qichu recommended Wang, but before the post was filled the emperor died. Under Wenzong, Wei Chuhou ruled and condemned Wang for scheming toward secret posts and imperial intimacy; the uproar sent him to Zhangzhou as army aide.
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柏耆者，有縱橫學。 父良器，為時威名將。 耆誌健而望高，急於立名。 是時，王承宗以常山叛，朝廷厭兵，耆杖策詣淮西行營謁裴度，且言願得天子一節馳入鎮，可掉舌下之。 度為言，乃以左拾遺往。 既至，以大誼動承宗，至泣下。 乃請獻二州，以二子入質。 真擢耆左拾遺，由是聲震一時。 遷起居舍人。 王承元徙義成軍，遣諫議大夫鄭覃往慰成德軍，賚緡錢百萬。 賚未至，舉軍嘩議，穆宗遣耆諭天子意，眾乃信悅。 轉兵部郎中、諫議大夫。 太和初，李同捷反，詔兩河諸鎮出兵，久無功。 乃授耆德州行營諸軍計會使，與判官沈亞之諭旨。 會橫海節度使李祐平德州，同捷窮，請降，祐使大將萬洪代守滄州，同捷未出也，耆以三百騎馳入滄，以事誅洪，與同捷朝京師。 既行，諜言王廷湊欲以奇兵劫同捷，耆遂斬其首以獻。 諸將嫉耆功，比奏攢詆，文宗不獲已，貶耆循州司戶參軍、亞之南康尉。 宦人馬國亮譖耆受同捷先所得王稷女及奴婢珍貲。 初，祐聞耆殺洪，大驚，疾遂劇。 帝曰：「祐若死，是耆殺之。」 至是，積前怒，詔長流愛州，賜死。
Bai Ji mastered alliance and stratagem. His father Liangqi was a renowned general of the time. Ji was vigorous and ambitious, hungry for renown. Wang Chengzong had rebelled at Changshan while the court wearied of war; Ji visited Pei Du's western Huainan headquarters and vowed that with a single imperial commission he could talk the garrison into submission. Du endorsed him, and he went out as Left Reminder. He moved Chengzong with lofty argument until the rebel wept. Chengzong then offered two prefectures and sent two sons as hostages. The throne made him Left Reminder, and his name thundered across the realm. He became Palace Diarist. Wang Chengyuan was shifted to Yicheng; Remonstrator Zheng Tan was sent to comfort Chengde with a million strings of cash. The bounty had not arrived when the army erupted; Muzong sent Ji to proclaim the emperor's intent, and the troops were reassured. He rose to War Director and Left Remonstrator. Early in Taihe, Li Tongjie rebelled; troops from the two He circuits were ordered out, yet victory lingered. Ji was appointed commissary of the Dezhou field armies and, with aide Shen Yazhi, delivered the throne's orders. Li You of Transverse Sea took Dezhou; Tongjie, desperate, offered to yield. You left Wan Hong to hold Cangzhou while Tongjie lingered; Ji raced in with three hundred riders, killed Hong, and brought Tongjie to court. As they marched, word came that Wang Tingcou would ambush Tongjie; Ji beheaded Tongjie and presented the head. Generals jealous of Ji's glory piled accusations; Wenzong, constrained, demoted Ji to Xunzhou army aide and Yazhi to Nan Kang aide. The eunuch Ma Guoliang accused Ji of taking Tongjie's spoils—Wang Ji's daughter and treasured slaves. When You first heard Ji had killed Hong, he was stunned and his illness worsened. The emperor said, "If You dies, Ji has killed him." Now, anger piled upon anger, an edict banished him to Aizhou and commanded him to take his own life.
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The commentator says: The Odes condemn slanderers most fiercely—throw them to wolves and tigers, drive them to the northern wilds, show no mercy. Men such as Qun and Qichu do the same—parade accusation as public duty, knit factions for private ends; their speech glides like truth, yet ends in ruin. Are they not Confucius's "pliant in wrong yet glossy of tongue" and "clever mouths that overturn kingdom and house"? Ji stole the army's credit and rushed to his doom—how lamentable!