Volume 202 Biographies 127: Literature and Arts 2 - Li Shizi, Ji Qing, Liu Yunji, Song Zhiwen, Liu Xian, Li Yong, Lu Xiang, Sun Ti and descendent: Jian, Li Bai and relative: Zhang Xu, Pei Min, Wang Wei, Zheng Qian, Xiao Yingshi, Su Yuanming

李適李適，字子至，京兆萬年人。舉進士，再調猗氏尉。武后修《三教珠英》書，以李嶠、張昌宗為使，取文學士綴集，於是適與王無競、尹元凱、富嘉謨、宋之問、沈佺期、閻朝隱、劉允濟在選。書成，遷戶部員外郎，俄兼脩書學士。景龍初，又擢脩文館學士。睿宗時，待詔宣光閣，再選工部侍郎。卒，年四十九，贈貝州刺史。

Li Shi, whose courtesy name was Zizi, came from Wannian in the capital district of Jingzhao. He earned his jinshi degree and served two terms as magistrate of Yi County. When Empress Wu undertook compilation of the Pearls of Excellence from the Three Teachings, appointing Li Jiao and Zhang Changzong as commissioners to gather literary scholars for the work, Li Shi was among those chosen, along with Wang Wujing, Yin Yuankai, Fu Jiamou, Song Zhiwen, Shen Quanqi, Yan Chaoyin, and Liu Yunji. After the work was finished, he was promoted to Assistant Director in the Ministry of Revenue and, before long, was also made a Scholar of the Book Compilation Institute. At the opening of the Jinglong era, he was promoted once more, this time to Scholar of the Hall of Cultivation of Literature. Under Emperor Ruizong he served as a waiting attendant at the Xuanguang Pavilion and was twice appointed Vice Minister of the Ministry of Works. He died at forty-nine and was posthumously enfeoffed as Governor of Beizhou.

嘗夢與人論大衍數，寤而曰：「吾壽盡此乎！」敕其子曰：「霸陵原西視京師，吾樂之，可營墓，樹十松焉。」及未病時，衣冠往，寢石榻上，置所撰《九經要句》及素琴於前，士貴其達。子季卿子季卿，亦能文，舉明經、博學宏辭，調鄠尉。肅宗時，為中書舍人，以累貶通州別駕。代宗立，還為京兆少尹，復授舍人，進吏部侍郎、河南江淮宣慰使。振拔幽滯，號振職。大曆中，終右散騎常侍，遺命以布車一乘葬，贈禮部尚書。季卿在朝，薦進才髦，與人交，有終始，恢博君子也。

He once dreamed that he was debating the numerology of the Great Expansion with another man; when he awoke he said, "Surely my allotted years end here! He charged his son: "West of the Ba Mausoleum plateau, where one looks out upon the capital—that is where I would be content. Have a tomb prepared there and plant ten pines." While still in health he went there in full official dress, lay upon a stone couch, and set before him his own compilation, Essential Lines from the Nine Classics, together with an unadorned zither. Men of standing praised his enlightened composure. His son Ji Qing was likewise accomplished in letters. He passed the Classicist examination and the Broad Learning and Eloquent Prose examination and was appointed magistrate of Hu County. Under Emperor Suzong he served as a Secretariat Drafter, but because of repeated offenses was demoted to Vice-Prefect of Tongzhou. When Emperor Daizong came to the throne, Ji Qing was restored as Vice Magistrate of the capital prefecture, again appointed Drafter, and then promoted to Vice Minister of Personnel and Commissioner to Pacify Henan and the Jiang-Huai region. He lifted up the neglected and the overlooked, and was known for invigorating the duties of his post. In the Dali period he ended as Right Regular Attendant of the Privy Council, left orders that he be buried with only one cart of plain cloth, and was posthumously enfeoffed as Minister of Rites. In office Ji Qing recommended men of talent, and in friendship he was steadfast from first to last—a man of expansive learning and true gentlemanly bearing.

初，中宗景龍二年，始于脩文館置大學士四員、學士八員，直學士十二員，象四時、八節、十二月。於是李嶠、宗楚客、趙彥昭、韋嗣立為大學士，適、劉憲、崔湜、鄭愔、盧藏用、李乂、岑羲、劉子玄為學士，薛稷、馬懷素、宋之問、武平一、杜審言、沈佺期、閻朝隱為直學士，又召徐堅、韋元旦、徐彥伯、劉允濟等滿員。其後被選者不一。凡天子饗會游豫，唯宰相及學士得從。春幸梨園，並渭水祓除，則賜細柳圈辟癘；夏宴蒲萄園，賜硃櫻；秋登慈恩浮圖，獻菊花酒稱壽；冬幸新豐，曆白鹿觀，上驪山，賜浴湯池，給香粉蘭澤，從行給翔麟馬，品官黃衣各一。帝有所感即賦詩，學士皆屬和。當時人所歆慕，然皆狎猥佻佞，忘君臣禮法，惟以文華取幸。若韋元旦、劉允濟、沈佺期、宋之問、閻朝隱等無它稱，附篇左雲。韋元旦韋元旦，京兆萬年人。祖澄，越王府記室，撰《女誡》傳于時。元旦擢進士第，補東阿尉，遷左台監察御史。與張易之有姻屬，易之敗，貶感義尉。俄召為主客員外郎，遷中書舍人。舅陸頌妻，韋後弟也，故元旦憑以復進雲。劉允濟劉允濟，字允濟，河南鞏人，其先出沛國，齊彭城郡丞瓛六世孫。少孤，事母尤孝。工文辭，與王勃齊名。舉進士，補下邽尉，累遷著作佐郎。采魯哀公後十二世接戰國為《魯後春秋》獻之，遷左史，兼直弘文館。

At first, in the second year of Jinglong under Emperor Zhongzong, the Hall of Cultivation of Literature was given four Grand Scholars, eight Scholars, and twelve Direct Scholars, in correspondence with the four seasons, eight solar terms, and twelve months. Thereupon Li Jiao, Zong Chuke, Zhao Yanzhao, and Wei Sili were made Grand Scholars; Li Shi, Liu Xian, Cui Shi, Zheng Yin, Lu Zangyong, Li Yi, Cen Xi, and Liu Zixuan were made Scholars; and Xue Ji, Ma Huaisu, Song Zhiwen, Wu Pingyi, Du Shenyan, Shen Quanqi, and Yan Chaoyin were made Direct Scholars. Xu Jian, Wei Yuandian, Xu Yanbo, Liu Yunji, and others were also summoned until every post was filled. Afterward the men chosen for these posts varied from time to time. Whenever the emperor held banquets or went on pleasure excursions, only the chief ministers and the scholars of the hall were allowed to follow. In spring, when the court visited the Pear Orchard and performed the Wei River rite of purification, the scholars were granted fine willow circlets to ward off pestilence; in summer, at banquets in the Grape Garden, they received crimson cherries; in autumn, when the emperor climbed the Ci'en Pagoda, they offered chrysanthemum wine and voiced wishes for his longevity; in winter, when he visited Xinfeng, passed through the Bailu Abbey, and went up Mount Li, they were granted baths in the hot springs and supplied with fragrant powder and orchid unguents; those in the retinue were given Xianglin horses, and each attendant of rank received a yellow robe. Whenever the emperor was stirred to feeling he would compose a poem, and the scholars would all supply matching verses. People of the day envied them, yet they were all overly familiar, frivolous, and obsequious, heedless of the proprieties between ruler and minister and relying on literary brilliance alone to win favor. Figures such as Wei Yuandian, Liu Yunji, Shen Quanqi, Song Zhiwen, and Yan Chaoyin had no other distinction worth noting; their biographies are appended below. Wei Yuandian was a native of Wannian in Jingzhao. His grandfather Wei Cheng had been secretary to the Prince of Yue and wrote the Admonitions for Women, which was widely circulated in his time. Yuandian passed the jinshi examination, was appointed magistrate of Dong'e, and was then promoted to Investigating Censor of the Left Censorate. He was connected by marriage to Zhang Yizhi; when Yizhi was overthrown, Yuandian was demoted to magistrate of Ganyi. Soon afterward he was recalled as Assistant Director in the Ministry of Rites and was promoted to Secretariat Drafter. His wife's mother was the wife of Lu Song, who was the younger sister of Empress Wei; thus Yuandian was able to rely on this tie to regain advancement. Liu Yunji, whose courtesy name was Yunji, came from Gong in Henan. His forebears were descended from Pei Commandery and were sixth-generation descendants of Liu Huan, assistant magistrate of Pengcheng Commandery under Qi. Orphaned in youth, he was especially filial toward his mother. He was accomplished in literary composition and was ranked equal in fame with Wang Bo. He passed the jinshi examination, was appointed magistrate of Xi'gui, and rose by stages to Assistant Historian. Taking the twelve generations after Duke Ai of Lu through the Warring States period, he compiled the Post-Lu Annals and presented it to the throne. He was promoted to Left Historian and concurrently appointed Direct Attendant of the Hongwen Academy.

武后明堂成，奏賦述功德，手詔褒咨，除著作郎。為來俊臣飛構當死，以母老丐餘年，繫獄，會赦免，貶大庾尉。復為著作佐郎，修國史。常曰：「史官善惡必書，使驕主賊臣懼，此權顧輕哉？而班生受金，陳壽求米，僕乃視如浮雲耳。」遷鳳閣舍人，坐二張昵狎，除青州長史，有清白稱，巡察使路敬潛言狀。以內憂去官。服除，召為修文館學士，既久斥，喜甚，與家人樂飲，數日卒。沈佺期沈佺期，字雲卿，相州內黃人。及進士第，由協律郎累除給事中，考功受賕，劾未究，會張易之敗，遂長流驩州。稍遷台州錄事參軍事。入計，得召見，拜起居郎兼修文館直學士。既侍宴，帝詔學士等舞《回波》，佺期為弄辭悅帝，還賜牙、緋。尋曆中書舍人、太子少詹事。開元初卒。弟全交、全宇，皆有才章而不逮佺期。宋之問宋之問，字延清，一名少連，汾州人。父令文，高宗時為東臺詳正學士。之問偉儀貌，雄於辯。甫冠，武后召與楊炯分直習藝館。累轉尚方監丞、左奉宸內供奉。武后游洛南龍門，詔從臣賦詩，左史東方蚪詩先成，后賜錦袍，之問俄頃獻，后覽之嗟賞，更奪袍以賜。

When the Bright Hall of Empress Wu was completed, he submitted a rhapsody describing its achievements and virtues. The empress issued a personal edict of praise and commendation, and he was appointed Historian. Lai Junchen trumped up charges against him warranting death. Because his mother was aged, he begged to be granted a few remaining years; he was imprisoned, then spared by a general amnesty and demoted to magistrate of Dayu. He was again made Assistant Historian and assigned to compile the national history. He often said, "The historian's task is to record good and evil without exception, so that arrogant rulers and treacherous ministers may be afraid. Can such authority be thought slight? Yet Ban Gu took gold and Chen Shou sought rice—as for me, I regard such things as floating clouds. He was promoted to Drafting Attendant of the Phoenix Pavilion, but because of his close association with the two Zhangs was dismissed and appointed Long Administrator of Qingzhou, where he won a reputation for clean conduct; the inspection commissioner Lu Jingqian reported the facts of the case. He left office to observe mourning for a close relative. When his mourning was complete he was summoned as Scholar of the Hall of Cultivation of Literature. Long excluded from office, he was overjoyed; he drank in celebration with his family for several days and then died. Shen Quanqi, whose courtesy name was Yunqing, came from Neihuang in Xiangzhou. After earning the jinshi degree he rose from Director of Harmonization through successive posts to Secretariat Receptionist. He was under investigation for taking bribes while serving in the Ministry of Personnel, but before the case was concluded Zhang Yizhi fell, and Quanqi was banished to distant Huanzhou. He was gradually transferred to Recording Secretary of Taizhou. When he came to the capital to render accounts he was granted an audience and appointed Attendant of the Emperor's Movements and Direct Scholar of the Hall of Cultivation of Literature. Having attended a banquet, he and the other scholars were ordered to perform the Returning Waves dance. Quanqi composed witty verses that delighted the emperor, and upon leaving he was rewarded with ivory and a crimson robe. Before long he served in succession as Secretariat Drafter and Junior Chamberlain to the Crown Prince. He died at the opening of the Kaiyuan era. His younger brothers Quanjiao and Quanyu were both gifted in letters, yet neither equaled Quanqi. Song Zhiwen, whose courtesy name was Yanqing and who was also known as Shaolian, came from Fenzhou. His father Song Lingwen served under Emperor Gaozong as Scholar of Detailed Verification of the Eastern Terrace. Zhiwen had an imposing bearing and was formidable in debate. Just after reaching adulthood he was summoned by Empress Wu, together with Yang Jiong, to serve on rotating duty at the Hall for Practicing the Arts. He rose through successive appointments to Supervisor of the Court of Imperial Manufactories and Inner Attendant of the Left Palace Secretariat. When Empress Wu visited Longmen south of the Luo River, she ordered those accompanying her to compose poems. Left Historian Dongfang Diou finished first, and the empress rewarded him with a brocade robe. Moments later Zhiwen submitted his poem; the empress read it, sighed in admiration, reclaimed the robe, and gave it to him instead.

于時張易之等烝昵寵甚，之問與閻朝隱、沈佺期、劉允濟傾心媚附，易之所賦諸篇，盡之問、朝隱所為，至為易之奉溺器。及敗，貶瀧州，朝隱崖州，並參軍事。之問逃歸洛陽，匿張仲之家。會武三思復用事，仲之與王同皎謀殺三思安王室，之問得其實，令兄子曇與冉祖雍上急變，因丐贖罪，由是擢鴻臚主簿，天下醜其行。

At that time Zhang Yizhi and his clique enjoyed the deepest favor. Zhiwen, together with Yan Chaoyin, Shen Quanqi, and Liu Yunji, gave themselves over entirely to fawning attachment. Every piece Yizhi claimed as his own was actually written by Zhiwen and Chaoyin; Zhiwen even served as the bearer of Yizhi's chamber pot. When they fell, Zhiwen was demoted to Longzhou and Chaoyin to Yazhou, each as a military aide. Zhiwen fled back to Luoyang and concealed himself in the home of Zhang Zhongzhi. When Wu Sansi again came to power, Zhongzhi and Wang Tongjiao plotted to kill Sansi and secure the throne for the imperial house. Zhiwen learned the details and had his brother's son Tan, together with Ran Zuyong, submit an urgent report of the plot, thereby begging remission of his guilt. He was thereupon promoted to Chief Clerk of the Palace of Imperial Entertainments, though the whole realm reviled his behavior.

景龍中，遷考功員外郎，諂事太平公主，故見用。及安樂公主權盛，復往諧結，故太平深疾之。中宗將用為中書舍人，太平發其知貢舉時賕餉狼藉，下遷汴州長史，未行，改越州長史。頗自力為政。窮歷剡溪山，置酒賦詩，流布京師，人人傳諷。

In the Jinglong period he was promoted to Assistant Director in the Ministry of Personnel and fawned upon Princess Taiping; for this reason he was kept in office. When Princess Anle's influence rose, he went to cultivate ties with her as well; Princess Taiping therefore came to hate him deeply. Emperor Zhongzong was about to appoint him Secretariat Drafter, but Princess Taiping revealed the bribes and gifts he had accepted while supervising the examinations. He was demoted to Long Administrator of Bianzhou; before he departed, the appointment was changed to Long Administrator of Yuezhou. He applied himself diligently to the duties of administration. He traveled thoroughly through the mountains and streams of Shan, held banquets and composed poems, and when these works spread to the capital everyone recited and admired them.

睿宗立，以獪險盈惡詔流欽州。祖雍歷中書舍人、刑部侍郎。倡飲省中，為御史劾奏，貶蘄州刺史。至是，亦流嶺南，並賜死桂州。之問得詔震汗，東西步，不引決。祖雍請使者曰：「之問有妻子，幸聽訣。」使者許之，而之問荒悸不能處家事。祖雍怒曰：「與公俱負國家當死，奈何遲回邪？」乃飲食洗沐就死。祖雍，江夏王道宗甥，及進士第，有名于時。

When Emperor Ruizong ascended the throne, an edict exiled him to Qinzhou for treachery, ruthlessness, and overflowing wickedness. Ran Zuyong had served as Secretariat Drafter and Vice Minister of Punishments. He was discovered drinking in the offices of the Secretariat and was impeached by the censorate; he was demoted to Prefect of Qizhou. At this time he too was exiled to Lingnan, and both men were ordered to die at Guizhou. When Zhiwen received the edict he broke into a cold sweat and paced east and west, but would not kill himself. Ran Zuyong asked the envoy, "Zhiwen has a wife and children; please permit him to bid them farewell. The envoy consented, but Zhiwen, distraught and bewildered, was unable to put his household affairs in order. Ran Zuyong said in anger, "You and I have both betrayed the state and ought to die—why do you linger? Thereupon he ate, washed himself, and went to meet death. Ran Zuyong was a nephew of Prince Dao of Jiangxia. After passing the jinshi examination he was renowned in his day.

魏建安後迄江左，詩律屢變，至沈約、庾信，以音韻相婉附，屬對精密。及之問、沈佺期，又加靡麗，回忌聲病，約句准篇，如錦繡成文，學者宗之，號為「沈宋」。語曰「蘇李居前，沈宋比肩」，謂蘇武、李陵也。

From the Wei and Jian'an periods down through the Eastern Jin, poetic forms changed again and again. With Shen Yue and Yu Xin, tonal harmony lent grace and parallel phrasing was wrought with precision. Zhiwen and Shen Quanqi then added further ornate elegance, guarded against tonal faults, and fixed lines to regulated stanzas, like brocade woven into pattern. Scholars took them as models and called them the "Shen-Song" school. People said, "Su and Li lead the way; Shen and Song stand shoulder to shoulder"—meaning Su Wu and Li Ling.

初，之問父令文，富文辭，且工書，有力絕人，世稱「三絕」。都下有牛善觸，人莫敢嬰，令文直往拔取角，折其頸殺之。既之問以文章起，其弟之悌以蹻勇聞，之愻精草隸，世謂皆得父一絕。

Earlier, Zhiwen's father Song Lingwen was rich in literary skill and also excelled at calligraphy; his strength surpassed other men, and his age called these his "three supreme talents." In the capital there was an ox skilled at goring, and no one dared go near it. Lingwen went straight up, seized its horn, broke its neck, and killed it. Once Zhiwen rose through literary accomplishment, his younger brother Zhitie became known for leaping valor, and Zhisun mastered cursive and clerical script. People said that each had inherited one of the father's supreme talents.

之悌，長八尺。開元中，歷劍南節度使、太原尹。嘗坐事流硃鳶，會蠻陷驩州，授總管擊之。募壯士八人，被重甲，大呼薄賊曰：「獠動即死！」賊七百人皆伏不能興，遂平賊。

Zhitie stood eight feet in height. During the Kaiyuan era he served in succession as Military Commissioner of Jiannan and Intendant of Taiyuan. Once, because of an offense, he was banished to Zhuyuan. When the barbarians captured Huanzhou he was appointed overall commander to strike them. He recruited eight stalwart men, clad them in heavy armor, and shouted as they pressed close upon the enemy, "Move and you die! Seven hundred of the enemy prostrated themselves and could not rise; the bandits were thereupon pacified.

之愻為連州參軍，刺史聞其善歌，使教婢，日執笏立簾外，唱吟自如。閻朝隱閻朝隱，字友倩，趙州欒城人，少與兄鏡幾、弟仙舟皆著名。連中進士、孝悌廉讓科，補陽武尉。中宗為太子，朝隱以舍人幸。性滑稽，屬辭奇詭，為武后所賞。累遷給事中、仗內供奉。后有疾，令往禱少室山，乃沐浴，伏身俎盤為犧，請代后疾。還奏，會后亦愈，大見褒賜。其資佞諂如此。景龍初，自崖州遇赦還，累遷著作郎。先天中，為秘書少監，坐事貶通州別駕，卒。尹元凱尹元凱，瀛州樂壽人。由慈州司倉參軍坐事免，棲遲不出者三十年。與張說、盧藏用厚，詔起為右補闕。

Zhisun served as military aide of Lianzhou. The prefect, hearing that he sang well, had him instruct a maid; each day he stood outside the curtain holding his tablet, chanting and reciting with perfect ease. Yan Chaoyin, whose courtesy name was Youqian, came from Luancheng in Zhao. In youth he and his elder brother Jingji and younger brother Xianzhou were all celebrated. He passed the jinshi examination and the Filial Piety, Integrity, and Forbearance examination and was appointed magistrate of Yangwu. When Zhongzong was crown prince, Chaoyin enjoyed favor as a Drafter. By nature he was comically witty, and his phrasing was strange and bizarre; Empress Wu admired him for it. He rose by stages to Secretariat Receptionist and Inner Attendant within the imperial guard. When the empress fell ill she sent him to pray at Mount Shaoshi. He bathed himself, lay prostrate upon the offering tray as a sacrificial victim, and begged to take the empress's illness upon himself. When he returned and made his report, the empress had likewise recovered; she praised and rewarded him lavishly. Such was the sycophantic bent of his gifts. At the opening of Jinglong he returned from Yazhou under a general pardon and rose by stages to Historian. During the Xiantian era he served as Vice Director of the Secretariat. After an offense he was demoted to Bieda of Tongzhou, where he died. Yin Yuankai, whose courtesy name was Yuankai, came from Leshou in Yingzhou. After serving as Army Supervision Officer of Cizhou he was dismissed for an offense and lived in seclusion without emerging for thirty years. On close terms with Zhang Yue and Lu Zangyong, he was summoned by imperial edict and appointed Right Supplementation Censor.

時又有富嘉謨、吳少微，皆知名。附富嘉謨吳少微嘉謨，武功人，舉進士。長安中，累轉晉陽尉；少微，新安人，亦尉晉陽，尤相友善；有魏穀倚者，為太原主簿，並負文辭，時稱「北京三傑」。天下文章尚徐、庾，浮俚不競，獨嘉謨、少微本經術，雅厚雄邁，人爭慕之，號「吳富體」。豫修《三教珠英》。韋嗣立薦嘉謨、少微並為左台監察御史。已而嘉謨死，少微方病，聞之為慟，亦卒。劉憲劉憲，字元度，宋州寧陵人。父思立，在高宗時為名御史。于時河南、北大旱，詔遣御史中丞崔謐等分道賑贍，思立建言：「蠶務未畢而遣使撫巡，所至不能無勞餞。又賑給須立簿最，稽出入，往返停滯，妨廢且廣。若無驛處，馬須豫集，以一馬勞數家，今農事待雨興作，輟日役，破歲計，本欲安存，更煩擾之。望且責州縣給貸，須秋遣使便。」詔聽，罷謐等行。遷考功員外郎。始議加明經帖、進士雜文。卒官下。

At that time Fu Jiamou and Wu Shaowei were also celebrated figures. Appended accounts: Fu Jiamou and Wu Shaowei. Jiamou came from Wugong and earned his jinshi degree. During the Chang'an era he rose by stages to Assistant Magistrate of Jinyang; Shaowei came from Xin'an and likewise served as magistrate of Jinyang; the two were especially close friends; There was also Wei Guyi, Recorder of Taiyuan. All three were celebrated for their writing and were known as the Three Outstanding Men of the Northern Capital. Writers across the realm still favored the styles of Xu Ling and Yu Xin—light, vulgar work hardly worth emulating—whereas Jiamou and Shaowei, grounded in classical learning, wrote in an elegant, weighty, and bold manner. People rushed to imitate them, and their style was known as the Wu-Fu manner. They participated in compiling Pearls of Excellence from the Three Teachings. Wei Sili recommended Jiamou and Shaowei, and both were made Censors of the Left Office. Before long Jiamou died. Shaowei was already ill; when he heard the news he was overcome with grief and died as well. Liu Xian, whose courtesy name was Yuandu, came from Ningling in Songzhou. His father Sili was a celebrated censor under Emperor Gaozong. At that time Henan and the northern regions were stricken by severe drought. The court ordered Vice Censor-in-Chief Cui Mi and others to travel separate routes and provide relief. Sili submitted a proposal: "If inspection envoys are dispatched before silkworm work is finished, every place they reach will require labor and hospitality expenses. Relief distribution also requires ledgers and tallies, checking receipts and expenditures, and the delays of travel back and forth will cause widespread disruption and waste. Where there are no relay stations, horses must be assembled in advance, and a single horse will burden several households. Farm work now waits on the rains; to suspend daily labor and wreck the year's plans is to add fresh hardship when the goal was to keep people alive. I ask that for now the prefectures and counties be ordered to extend loans, and that envoys be sent only in autumn, when travel will be easier." The edict approved the proposal, and the missions of Mi and the others were called off. He was promoted to Assistant Director in the Bureau of Personnel. He was the first to propose adding written papers to the Mingjing examination and literary compositions to the jinshi examination. He died while still in office.

憲擢進士，調河南尉，累進左臺監察御史。天授中，奉詔按來俊臣罪，憲疾其酷，欲痛繩之，反爲所構，貶潾水令。俊臣死，召為給事中，轉中書舍人。坐善張易之，出為渝州刺史。除太僕少卿，脩國史，兼脩文館學士，遷太子詹事。時玄宗在東宮，雅意墳史，憲啟曰：「殿下位副君，有絕人之才，非以尋擿章句，要通大意而已。侍讀褚無量經明行脩，耆年宿望，宜數召問以察其言。」太子順納。會卒，贈兗州都督。

Xian earned his jinshi degree, was appointed Assistant Magistrate of Henan, and rose by stages to Censor of the Left Office. During the Tianshou era he was ordered to investigate Lai Junchen's crimes. Xian loathed the man's cruelty and meant to punish him severely, but was instead framed by him and demoted to Magistrate of Linshui. After Junchen's death he was recalled as Secretariat Receptionist and then promoted to Drafting Officer at the Secretariat. For associating with Zhang Yizhi he was sent out as Governor of Yuzhou. He was appointed Vice Minister of the Stud, put in charge of compiling the national history, and made a concurrent Scholar of the Hall of Cultivation of Literature before being promoted to Grand Tutor of the Heir Apparent. At that time Xuanzong was in the Eastern Palace and devoted himself to the classics and histories. Xian submitted a memorial saying, "Your Highness stands as heir to the throne and possesses surpassing talent; the point is not to pick over clauses and sentences, but to grasp the larger meaning. Your Reader Chu Wuliang is thoroughly versed in the classics and upright in conduct, a man of advanced years and established reputation; he should be summoned often and questioned so that his counsel may be weighed." The crown prince readily accepted the advice. He died soon afterward and was posthumously enfeoffed as Military Governor of Yanzhou.

武后時，敕吏部糊名考判，求高才，惟憲與王適、司馬鍠、梁載言入第二等。適，幽州人，終雍州司功參軍。鍠，河南人，神龍初，以中書侍郎卒。事繼母孝，奉祿不入私舍。與弟銓、伯父希象皆歷殿中侍御史。希象，剛直不諂，終主爵員外郎。載言，聊城人，歷鳳閣舍人，專知制誥，終懷州刺史。李邕李邕，字泰和，揚州江都人。父善，有雅行，淹貫古今，不能屬辭，故人號「書簏」。顯慶中，累擢崇賢館直學士兼沛王侍讀。為《文選注》，敷析淵洽，表上之，賜賚頗渥。除潞王府記室參軍，為涇城令，坐與賀蘭敏之善，流姚州，遇赦還。居汴、鄭間講授，諸生四遠至，傳其業，號「《文選》學」。

During Empress Wu's reign the Ministry of Personnel was ordered to conduct sealed-name examinations and judgments in search of outstanding talent; only Xian, Wang Shi, Sima Huang, and Liang Zaiyan were placed in the second rank. Shi came from Youzhou and ended his career as Army Supervision Officer of Yongzhou. Huang came from Henan and died at the opening of the Shenlong era while serving as Vice Director of the Secretariat. He was filial toward his stepmother and never kept his official salary for private use. He, his younger brother Quan, and his uncle Xixiang all held posts as Palace Censors. Xixiang was upright and would not flatter; he ended his career as Assistant Director of the Bureau of Enfeoffment. Zaiyan came from Liaocheng, served as Drafting Officer of the Phoenix Pavilion and was put in charge of imperial edicts, and ended his career as Governor of Huaizhou. Li Yong, whose courtesy name was Taihe, came from Jiangdu in Yangzhou. His father Shan was a man of refined conduct, thoroughly versed in matters ancient and modern, but unable to compose prose; people therefore called him the Book Cabinet. During the Xianqing era he rose by stages to Direct Scholar of the Chongxian Hall and concurrently served as Reader to the Prince of Pei. He wrote a Commentary on Selections of Refined Literature, explaining its passages with deep and thorough learning, presented it to the throne, and received lavish rewards. He was appointed Secretary of the Prince of Lu's household and served as Magistrate of Jingcheng. For associating with Helan Minzhi he was exiled to Yaozhou, but returned under a general pardon. He lived between Bian and Zheng and lectured there. Students came from far and wide to carry on his teaching, which came to be known as Wenxuan Studies.

邕少知名。始善注《文選》，釋事而忘意。書成以問邕，邕不敢對，善詰之，邕意欲有所更，善曰：「試為我補益之。」邕附事見義，善以其不可奪，故兩書並行。既冠，見特進李嶠，自言「讀書未遍，願一見秘書」。嶠曰：「秘閣萬卷，豈時日能習邪？」邕固請，乃假直秘書。未幾辭去，嶠驚，試問奧篇隱帙，了辯如響。嶠歎曰：「子且名家！」

Yong was celebrated from youth. At first Shan annotated Selections of Refined Literature by explaining the facts while missing the meaning. When the book was finished he asked Yong to review it. Yong did not dare answer. Shan pressed him, and Yong meant to make changes. Shan said, "Then try to supplement and improve it for me." Yong added explanations that brought out the meaning behind the facts. Shan, seeing that his own work could not be displaced, let both books circulate side by side. After coming of age he visited Li Jiao, who held the honorary title of Special Advancement, and said, "I have not yet read widely enough and wish to spend time among the books of the Secretariat." Jiao said, "The Secret Archive holds ten thousand scrolls—how could they be mastered in a short time?" Yong pressed his request, and Jiao finally lent him temporary access to the Secretariat. Before long he took his leave. Jiao was astonished and tested him with abstruse texts and hidden volumes; Yong answered with perfect clarity, as if the books themselves were speaking. Jiao sighed and said, "You will surely become a master!"

嶠為內史，與監察御史張廷珪薦邕文高氣方直，才任諫諍，乃召拜左拾遺。御史中丞宋璟劾張昌宗等反狀，武后不應，邕立階下大言曰：「璟所陳社稷大計，陛下當聽。」后色解，即可璟奏。邕出，或讓曰：「子位卑，一忤旨，禍不測。」邕曰：「不如是，名亦不傳。」

When Jiao served as Director of the Secretariat, he and Censor Zhang Tinggui recommended Yong for the loftiness of his writing, the squareness and uprightness of his character, and his fitness for remonstrance; he was summoned and appointed Left Reminder. Vice Censor-in-Chief Song Jing impeached Zhang Changzong and others for treason, but Empress Wu did not respond. Yong stood below the steps and cried out, "What Jing has presented concerns the great plan of the state; Your Majesty should listen." The empress's expression softened, and she immediately approved Jing's memorial. When Yong left, someone reproached him, saying, "Your rank is low; one offense against the throne and disaster is unforeseeable." Yong said, "If I had not done so, my name would not be handed down either."

中宗立，鄭普思以方技幸，擢秘書監。邕諫曰：「陛下躬政日淺，有九重之嚴，未聞道路橫議。今籍籍皆言普思馮詭惑，說妖祥，陛下不知，猥見驅使。孔子曰：『《詩》三百，一言以蔽之，曰：思無邪。』陛下誠以普思術可致長生，則爽鳩氏且因之永有天下，非陛下乃今可得；能致神人邪，秦、漢且因之永有天下，非陛下乃今可得；能致佛法邪，梁武帝且因之永有天下，非陛下乃今可得；能鬼道邪，墨翟、干寶且各獻其主，永有天下，非陛下乃今可得。自古堯、舜稱聖者，臣觀所以行，皆在人事，敦睦九族，平章百姓，不聞以鬼神道治天下，惟陛下省察。」不納。

When Emperor Zhongzong ascended the throne, Zheng Pusi won favor through occult arts and was promoted to Director of the Secretariat. Yong remonstrated, saying, "Your Majesty has personally governed for only a short time, and within the ninefold palaces there is solemn dignity; one does not yet hear reckless talk in the streets. Now everywhere people are saying that Pusi relies on deceit and delusion, preaching omens and portents, yet Your Majesty, unaware of this, has demeaned yourself by employing him. Confucius said, "The three hundred pieces of the Book of Poetry may be summed up in one phrase: Have no depraved thoughts. If Your Majesty truly believes Pusi's arts can bring long life, then Lord Shuangjiao would long ago have possessed the realm forever through them, and it would not be Your Majesty who holds it today; if they could summon divine beings, then Qin and Han would long ago have possessed the realm forever through them, and it would not be Your Majesty who holds it today; if they could summon the power of Buddhism, then Emperor Wu of Liang would long ago have possessed the realm forever through it, and it would not be Your Majesty who holds it today; if they could summon the way of ghosts, then Mozi and Gan Bao would each have offered them to their lords and possessed the realm forever, and it would not be Your Majesty who holds it today. From antiquity the men called sage rulers, such as Yao and Shun, governed, as I observe, entirely through human affairs—making the nine clans harmonious and giving proper weight to the common people. I have never heard of ruling the realm by the way of ghosts and spirits. I ask only that Your Majesty reflect on this." The advice was not accepted.

五王誅，坐善張柬之，出為南和令，貶富州司戶參軍事。韋氏平，召拜左臺殿中侍御史，彈劾任職，人頗憚之。譙王重福謀反，邕與洛州司馬崔日知捕支黨，遷戶部員外郎。岑羲、崔湜惡日用，而邕與之交，玄宗在東宮，邕及崔隱甫、倪若水同被禮遇，羲等忌之，貶邕舍城丞。玄宗即位，召為戶部郎中。張廷珪為黃門侍郎，而姜皎方幸，共援邕為御史中丞。姚崇疾邕險躁，左遷括州司馬，起為陳州刺史。

When the Five Princes were executed, Yong was punished for associating with Zhang Jianzhi; he was sent out as Magistrate of Nanhe and demoted to Army Supervision Officer of Fuzhou. After the Wei clan was suppressed, he was summoned and appointed Palace Censor of the Left Office. He performed his impeachments conscientiously, and people greatly feared him. When Prince Qiao Chongfu plotted rebellion, Yong and Luozhou Assistant Governor Cui Rizhi captured his followers, and Yong was promoted to Assistant Director in the Ministry of Revenue. Cen Xi and Cui Shi hated Cui Riyong, but Yong associated with him. When Xuanzong was in the Eastern Palace, Yong, together with Cui Yinpu and Ni Ruoshui, all enjoyed favored treatment; Cen and the others resented this and demoted Yong to Assistant Magistrate of Shecheng. When Xuanzong ascended the throne, Yong was summoned as Director in the Ministry of Revenue. Zhang Tinggui served as Vice Director of the Yellow Gate, and Jiang Jiao was then in favor; together they promoted Yong to Censor-in-Chief. Yao Chong disliked Yong's rash and volatile character and transferred him to Assistant Governor of Kuozhou; he was later recalled as Governor of Chenzhou.

帝封泰山還，邕見帝汴州，詔獻辭賦，帝悅。然矜肆，自謂且宰相。邕素輕張說，與相惡。會仇人告邕贓貸枉法，下獄當死。許昌男子孔璋上書天子曰：

When the emperor returned from performing the feng and shan rites on Mount Tai, Yong met the emperor at Bianzhou, submitted a rhapsody by imperial command, and pleased the emperor. Yet he was arrogant and unrestrained, telling himself that he would soon become chief minister. Yong had long looked down on Zhang Yue, and the two detested each other. Then an enemy reported that Yong had taken bribes and perverted the law; he was imprisoned and sentenced to death. A man of Xuchang named Kong Zhang submitted a memorial to the Son of Heaven, saying:

:明主舉能而捨過，取才而棄行，烈士抗節，勇者不避死，故晉用林父不以過，漢任陳平不以行，禽息隕身不祈生，北郭碎首不愛死。向若林父誅，陳平死，百里不用，晏嬰見逐，是晉無赤狄之土，漢無天子之尊，秦不強，齊不霸矣。伏見陳州刺史邕，剛毅忠烈，難不苟免。往者折二張之角，挫韋氏之鋒，雖身受謫屈，而奸謀沮解，即邕有功于國。且邕所能者，拯孤恤窮，救乏賙急，家無私聚。今聞坐贓下吏，死在旦夕。臣聞生無益于國者，不若殺身以明賢。臣願以六尺之軀膏鈇鉞，以代邕死。臣與邕生平不款曲，臣知有邕，邕不知有臣，臣不逮邕明矣。夫知賢而舉，仁也；任人之患，義也。獲二善以死，臣又何求？伏惟陛下寬邕之死，使率德改行。興林父、曲逆之功，臣得瞑目；附禽息、北郭之跡，大願畢矣。若以陽和方始，重行大戮，則臣請伏劍，不敢煩有司，皇天后土，實聞臣言。昔吳、楚反，漢得劇孟則不憂，夫以一賢而敵七國之眾，伏惟敷含垢之道，棄瑕之義，遠思劇孟，近取於邕。況告成岱宗，天地更新，赦而復論，人誰無罪，惟明主圖之。臣聞士為知己者死，臣不為死者所知，而甘之死者，非特惜邕賢，亦以成陛下矜能之慈。

A wise ruler promotes ability and overlooks faults, selects talent and sets aside personal conduct. A man of fierce integrity holds fast to principle; the brave do not shun death. Therefore Jin employed Xun Linfu despite his faults, and Han entrusted Chen Ping despite his character. Qin Xi gave up his life without praying to live; Bei Guo smashed his head without cherishing death. If Linfu had been executed, Chen Ping had died, Baili Xi had not been employed, and Yan Ying had been driven away, then Jin would have had no lands of the Red Di, Han would have lacked the dignity of the Son of Heaven, Qin would not have grown strong, and Qi would not have become hegemon. I humbly observe that Yong, Governor of Chenzhou, is resolute, loyal, and fierce, and would not seek to escape danger at the cost of integrity. In the past he broke the power of the two Zhangs and blunted the edge of the Wei clan. Though he himself suffered demotion and humiliation, treacherous plots were thwarted and dissolved—this is Yong's service to the state. Moreover, what Yong excels at is rescuing the orphaned and pitying the destitute, relieving want and aiding the urgent; his household keeps no private hoard. Now I hear that on a charge of corruption he has been handed over to the officials, and death is imminent. I have heard that one who lives without benefit to the state is not as good as giving up his life to make clear the worth of a worthy man. I wish to offer my six-foot frame to the axe and halberd in place of Yong's death. Yong and I were never close in life; I know of Yong, but Yong does not know of me. That I do not measure up to Yong is clear. To recognize worth and promote it is benevolence; to bear another's afflictions is righteousness. To obtain these two virtues and die—what more could your subject ask? I humbly ask Your Majesty to spare Yong from death and allow him to lead others in virtue and reform his conduct. To revive the achievements of Linfu and the Marquis of Quyong—then your subject may close his eyes in peace; to follow in the footsteps of Qin Xi and Bei Guo—then my great wish will be fulfilled. If, just as the warm spring is beginning, a great execution is carried out again, then your subject asks to submit to the sword and dares not trouble the officials. May Heaven and Earth hear my words. In the past, when Wu and Chu rebelled, Han had no worry once it obtained Jiemeng. With one worthy man to match the hosts of seven states, I humbly ask Your Majesty to spread the way of bearing disgrace and the principle of overlooking flaws—looking far to Jiemeng and taking Yong from nearer at hand. Moreover, now that the rites at Mount Tai are announced complete and heaven and earth are renewed, pardon and reconsideration are in order—who among men is without guilt? Only a wise ruler should weigh this. I have heard that a gentleman dies for one who knows him. Your subject is unknown to the man for whom he dies, yet he willingly dies—not only out of regard for Yong's talent, but also to complete Your Majesty's merciful esteem for ability.

疏奏，邕得減死，貶遵化尉，流璋嶺南。邕妻溫，復為邕請戍邊自贖，曰：

When the memorial was submitted, Yong's death sentence was reduced; he was demoted to warden of Zunhua, and Zhang was exiled to Lingnan. Yong's wife, the Wen clan, again petitioned that Yong might redeem himself by serving on the frontier, saying:

:邕少習文章，疾惡如仇，不容於眾，邪佞切齒，諸儒側目。頻謫遠郡，削跡朝端，不啻十載。歲時歎戀，聞者傷懷。屬國家有事泰山，法駕旋路，邕獻牛酒，例蒙恩私。妾聞正人用則佞人憂，邕之禍端，故自此始。且邕比任外官，卒無一毀，天意暫顧，罪過旋生。諺曰：「士無賢不肖，入朝見疾。」惟陛下明察。邕初蒙訊責，便繫牢戶，水不入口者逾五日，氣息奄奄，惟吏是聽。事生吏口，迫邕手書。貸人蠶種，以為枉法；市羅貢奉，指為奸贓。于時匭使朝堂，守捉嚴固，號天訴地，誰肯為聞？泣血去國，投身荒裔，永無還期。妾願使邕得充一卒，效力王事，膏塗朔邊，骨糞沙壤，成邕夙心。

From youth Yong trained in letters and hated wickedness as he would a personal foe; the crowd could not tolerate him, the sycophantic gnashed their teeth, and the literati glared at him sidelong. He was repeatedly demoted to distant prefectures and vanished from the capital for no less than ten years. Year after year he sighed with longing, and those who heard it were moved to grief. When the state undertook the rites at Mount Tai and the imperial carriage returned by its route, Yong presented oxen and wine and, by precedent, received a private grant of favor. Your handmaid has heard that when upright men are put to use, flatterers grow anxious; the root of Yong's calamity began here. Moreover, in Yong's recent service as an outer official, in the end there was not a single charge against him; heaven briefly favored him, and guilt sprang up at once. A proverb says, "Whether a gentleman is worthy or base, once he enters court he meets with hatred. I ask only that Your Majesty see clearly. When Yong first faced interrogation, he was at once bound in a prison cell; for more than five days he took no water, his breath grew faint, and he had only the clerks to obey. The case sprang from the clerks' mouths, and they compelled Yong to write it out in his own hand. Lending someone silkworm seed was treated as bending the law; buying silk for tribute was called corrupt bribery. At that time the casket-messengers were at court and the guards were strict; he cried to heaven and appealed to earth, yet who would report it for him? Weeping blood, he left the realm, cast himself into the wild borderlands, and would never again have a day of return. Your handmaid asks that Yong be allowed to serve as a common soldier, to give his strength to the king's service, to smear his flesh on the northern marches and let his bones manure the sandy soil, fulfilling Yong's lifelong wish.

表入不省。

The memorial was submitted but received no response.

邕後從中人楊思勖討嶺南賊有功，徙澧州司馬。開元二十三年，起為括州刺史，喜興利除害。復坐誣枉，且得罪，天子識其名，詔勿劾。後歷淄、滑二州刺史，上計京師。始，邕蚤有名，重義愛士，久斥外，不與士大夫接。既入朝，人間傳其眉目瑰異，至阡陌聚觀，後生望風內謁，門巷填隘。中人臨問，索所為文章，且進上。以讒媢不得留，出為汲郡、北海太守。

Later Yong followed the palace eunuch Yang Sixu in campaigning against the Lingnan rebels and won merit; he was transferred to administrator of Li Prefecture. In the twenty-third year of Kaiyuan he was recalled as prefect of Kuozhou, where he delighted in promoting what benefited the people and removing what harmed them. Again he was charged on false grounds and was about to be punished, but the Son of Heaven knew his name and ordered that he not be impeached. He later served in succession as prefect of Zi and Hua and came to the capital to present his annual accounts. From the first Yong had won fame early, prized righteousness, and loved men of talent; long banished outside, he had no contact with court scholars. Once he entered court, word spread that his face was striking and strange; crowds gathered even along the lanes to watch, young men came in throngs at the mere rumor of him, and streets and alleys were packed tight. Palace eunuchs came to question him, demanded his writings, and had them presented to the throne. Because of slander and envy he could not remain at court and was sent out as administrator of Jijun and then Beihai.

天寶中，左驍衛兵曹參軍柳勣有罪下獄，邕嘗遺勣馬，故吉溫使引邕嘗以休咎相語，陰賂遺。宰相李林甫素忌邕，因傅以罪。詔刑部員外郎祁順之、監察御史羅希奭就郡杖殺之，時年七十。代宗時，贈秘書監。

In the Tianbao period, Liu Li, army officer of the Left Brave Cavalry Guard, was imprisoned for a crime; Yong had once given Li a horse, so Ji Wen had Li implicate Yong for having privately discussed omens and fortunes and for secret bribes. The chancellor Li Linfu had long resented Yong and accordingly heaped charges upon him. An edict ordered Qi Shunzhi, vice director of the Ministry of Punishments, and the supervising censor Luo Xi'a to go to his prefecture and beat him to death with the staff; he was then seventy. In the Daizong reign he was posthumously made director of the Secretariat.

邕之文，於碑頌是所長，人奉金帛請其文，前後所受鉅萬計。邕雖詘不進，而文名天下，時稱李北海。盧藏用嘗謂：「邕如干將、莫邪，難與爭鋒，但虞傷缺耳。」後卒如言。杜甫知邕負謗死，作《八哀詩》，讀者傷之。邕資豪放，不能治細行，所在賄謝，畋遊自肆，終以敗云。呂向呂向，字子回，亡其世貫，或曰涇州人。少孤，托外祖母隱陸渾山。工草隸，能一筆環寫百字，若縈發然，世號「連錦書」。強志於學，每賣藥，即市閱書，遂通古今。

In stele inscriptions and eulogies Yong's writing was strongest; people offered gold and silk to commission his texts, and over time what he received ran to tens of thousands. Though Yong was demoted and did not advance in office, his literary fame filled the realm, and men of the time called him Li of Beihai. Lu Zangyong once said, "Yong is like Ganjiang and Moye: hard to rival in sharpness, but one fears a nick in the blade. Later he died exactly as Zangyong had said. Du Fu, knowing that Yong had died under false charges, wrote the "Eight Laments," and readers were moved to grief. By nature Yong was bold and unrestrained and could not keep to small proprieties; wherever he served he accepted gifts, hunted, and roamed at will, and in the end he was ruined for it. Lu Xiang—Lu Xiang, courtesy name Zihui, had lost track of his lineage; some say he was from Jing Prefecture. Orphaned young, he was raised by his maternal grandmother and lived in seclusion on Mount Luhun. He was skilled in draft and clerical script and could write a hundred characters in one unbroken ring, as if coiling hair; his age called it "linked brocade script." He was fiercely intent on learning; whenever he sold medicine he would at once go to the market to read books, and so came to know past and present.

玄宗開元十年，召入翰林，兼集賢院校理，侍太子及諸王為文章。時帝歲遣使采擇天下姝好，內之後宮，號「花鳥使」；向因奏《美人賦》以諷，帝善之，擢左拾遺。天子數校獵渭川，向又獻詩規諷，進左補闕。帝自為文，勒石西嶽，詔向為鐫勒使。

In the tenth year of Kaiyuan, Xuanzong summoned him into the Hanlin Academy and made him concurrently a collator at the Academy of Assembled Worthies, where he composed for the crown prince and the princes. At that time the emperor each year sent envoys to gather the finest beauties in the land for the inner palace, called the "flower-and-bird envoys"; Xiang therefore submitted the "Rhapsody on the Beauty" as indirect remonstrance; the emperor approved it and promoted him to left reminder. The Son of Heaven repeatedly hunted on the Wei River; Xiang again submitted verse of admonition and was advanced to left supplementation censor. The emperor himself wrote a text and had it carved in stone on the western sacred peak; he appointed Xiang commissioner for the engraving.

以起居舍人從帝東巡，帝引頡利發及蕃夷酋長入仗內，賜弓矢射禽。向上言：「鴟梟不鳴，未為瑞鳥；豺虎雖伏，弗曰仁獸。況突厥安忍殘賊，莫顧君父，陛下震以武義，來以文德，勢不得不廷，故稽顙稱臣，奔命遣使。陛下引內從官，陪封禪盛禮，使飛矢於前，同獲獸之樂，是狎昵太過。或荊卿詭動，何羅竊發，逼嚴蹕，冒清塵，縱醢單于，汙穹廬，何以塞責？」帝順納，詔蕃夷出仗。久之，遷主客郎中，專侍皇太子，眷賚良異。

As attendant on the imperial diary he followed the emperor on the eastern tour; the emperor brought Ashina Fa and chieftains of various foreign peoples into the guard formation and gave them bows and arrows to shoot game. Xiang submitted: "The owl does not cry, yet it is not called an auspicious bird; the wolf and tiger may crouch low, yet one does not call them benevolent beasts. Moreover the Turks are cruel and endure injury without regard for lord or father; Your Majesty awes them with martial righteousness and draws them with civil virtue, so that they cannot but come to court; therefore they bow their foreheads, declare themselves subjects, and rush to send envoys. Your Majesty brings them inside to attend your officials and share in the grand rites of the Feng and Shan, letting arrows fly before them and sharing the joy of the hunt—this is intimacy carried too far. Suppose Jing Ke's cunning stir or He Luo's stealthy strike should come—pressing upon the imperial guard, befouling the clear road—allowing them to hack apart the Chanyu and stain the royal tent: how would Your Majesty answer for it? The emperor assented and ordered the foreign chieftains removed from the guard formation. After a long interval he was transferred to director of the Office of the Chief Guest, where he attended exclusively on the crown prince and received unusually rich favors and gifts.

始，向之生，父岌客遠方不還。少喪母，失墓所在，將葬，巫者求得之。不知父在亡，招魂合諸墓。後有傳父猶在者，訪索累年不獲。它日自朝還，道見一老人，物色問之，果父也。下馬抱父足號慟，行人為流涕。帝聞，咨歎，官岌朝散大夫，賜錦彩，給內教坊樂工，娛懌其心。卒，贈東平太守。

At the beginning, when Xiang was born, his father Ji was traveling in distant places and did not return. He lost his mother young and did not know where her grave lay; when he was about to bury her, a shaman located it. Not knowing whether his father was alive or dead, he performed a soul-summoning rite and joined it to the graves. Later word came that his father was still alive, and he searched for many years without finding him. One day, returning from court on the road, he saw an old man, scrutinized him, and questioned him—it was indeed his father. He dismounted, clasped his father's feet, and wailed bitterly; passersby wept. When the emperor heard of it, he sighed in admiration, appointed Ji court gentleman for scattered service, bestowed brocade and silk, and gave him musicians from the inner music office to delight his heart. When he died, he was posthumously made administrator of Dongping.

向終喪，再遷中書舍人，改工部侍郎。卒，贈華陰太守。嘗以李善釋《文選》為繁釀，與呂延濟、劉良、張銑、李周翰等更為詁解，時號《五臣注》。王翰王翰，字子羽，并州晉陽人。少豪健恃才，及進士第，然喜蒱酒。張嘉貞為本州長史，偉其人，厚遇之。翰自歌以舞屬嘉貞，神氣軒舉自如。張說至，禮益加。復舉直言極諫，調昌樂尉，又舉超拔君類。方說輔政，故召為秘書正字，擢通事舍人、駕部員外郎。家畜聲伎，目使頤令，自視王侯，人莫不惡之。說罷宰相，翰出為汝州長史，徙仙州別駕。日與才士豪俠飲樂游畋，伐鼓窮歡，坐貶道州司馬，卒。孫逖孫逖，博州武水人。後魏光祿大夫惠蔚，其先也。祖希壯，為韓王府典簽，四世傳一子，故無近屬。父嘉之，少孤，依外家，客涉、鞏間。垂拱初，詣洛陽獻書，不報。第進士，終襄邑令。

After Xiang's mourning ended, he was again promoted to drafting official of the Palace Secretariat and then transferred to vice minister of works. When he died, he was posthumously made administrator of Huayin. He once found Li Shan's commentary on the Wen Xuan too elaborate and, with Lü Yanji, Liu Liang, Zhang Xian, Li Zhouhan, and others, produced a new gloss that men of the time called the Five Ministers' Commentary. Wang Han—Wang Han, courtesy name Ziyu, was a native of Jinyang in Bingzhou. In youth he was bold and relied on his talent; after passing the jinshi examination he still loved gambling and wine. Zhang Jiaying was chief administrator of the circuit; he admired Han and treated him generously. Han himself sang and danced for Jiaying, his bearing lofty and utterly at ease. When Zhang Yue arrived, the courtesy shown him grew even greater. He was again nominated for the "straightforward and remonstrating to the utmost" examination and appointed warden of Changle; he was again nominated for "outstanding and advancing worthy categories." Because Yue was then assisting in government, Han was summoned as proofreader of the Secretariat and promoted to palace gate messenger and deputy director of the imperial stud. His household kept singing girls whom he ordered about at will; he regarded himself as the equal of kings and marquises, and everyone detested him. When Yue left the chancellorship, Han was sent out as administrator of Ruzhou and later transferred to vice prefect of Xianzhou. Each day he drank, made music, toured, and hunted with talented gentlemen and bold heroes, beating drums until joy was spent; for this he was demoted to administrator of Daozhou, where he died. Sun Ti—Sun Ti was a man of Wushui in Bozhou. His ancestor was Huiwei, director of imperial brightness under Later Wei. His grandfather Xizhuang had been secretary of the Prince of Han's household; for four generations only one son was born in each, so the family had no close relatives. His father Jianzhi was orphaned young, relied on his mother's family, and lived as a guest between She and Gong. At the beginning of the Chuigong era he went to Luoyang to present a book and received no answer. He passed the jinshi examination and ended his career as magistrate of Xiangyi.

逖幼有文，屬思警敏。年十五，見雍州長史崔日用，令賦土火爐，援筆成篇，理趣不凡，日用駭歎，遂與定交。舉手筆俊拔、哲人奇士、隱淪屠釣及文藻宏麗等科。開元十年，又舉賢良方正。玄宗禦洛城門引見，命戶部郎中蘇晉等第其文異等，擢左拾遺。張說命子均、垍往拜之。李邕負才，自陳州入計，裒其文示逖。

Ti showed literary talent in youth and marshaled his thoughts with quick, keen wit. At fifteen he met Cui Riyong, chief administrator of Yong Prefecture, who ordered him to compose on the "earth-fire stove"; he took up the brush and finished the piece at once, with reasoning and tone far above the ordinary; Riyong was astonished and admired him, and they became close friends. He was nominated for the examinations for outstanding brushwork, sage-like and extraordinary scholars, recluses, butchers, and anglers, and for literary splendor, among others. In the tenth year of Kaiyuan he was again nominated for worthy and upright. Xuanzong received him in audience at Luocheng Gate, ordered Su Jin of the household department and others to rank his writing in the highest class, and promoted him to left reminder. Zhang Yue ordered his sons Jun and Kai to call on him. Li Yong, confident in his talent, came from Chen Prefecture to present his accounts, gathered his writings, and showed them to Ti.

李暠鎮太原，表置幕府。以起居舍人入為集賢院脩撰。時海內少事，帝賜群臣十日一燕，宰相蕭嵩會百官賦《天成》、《玄澤》、《維南有山》、《楊之華》、《三月》、《英英有蘭》、《和風》、《嘉木》等詩八篇，繼《雅》、《頌》體，使逖序所以然。改考功員外郎，取顏真卿、李華、蕭穎士、趙驊等，皆海內有名士。俄遷中書舍人。是時，嘉之且八十，猶為令，逖求降外官，增父秩。帝嘉納，拜嘉之宋州司馬，聽致仕。父喪闋，復拜舍人。開元間，蘇頲、齊浣、蘇晉、賈曾、韓休、許景先及逖典詔誥，為代言最，而逖尤精密，張九齡視其草，欲易一字，卒不能也。居職八年，判刑部侍郎，以病風乞解，徙太子左庶子，遂綿廢累年，徙少詹事。上元中卒，贈尚書右僕射，諡曰文。

When Li Gao was stationed at Taiyuan, he memorialized to place Ti on his staff. As attendant on the imperial diary he entered court to serve as compiler and editor at the Academy of Assembled Worthies. At that time affairs within the realm were few; the emperor granted the ministers a feast every ten days; the chancellor Xiao Song and all the officials composed eight poems—including "Heaven Complete," "Mysterious Grace," "South the Mountain," "Yang's Splendor," "Third Month," "Orchid Abundant," "Harmonious Wind," and "Fine Trees"—in the manner of the Ya and Song sections, and had Ti write prefaces explaining their intent. He was transferred to vice director of the Ministry of Personnel, where he selected Yan Zhenqing, Li Hua, Xiao Yingshi, Zhao Hua, and others—all renowned men within the realm. Soon afterward he was made drafting official of the Palace Secretariat. At this time Jianzhi was nearly eighty and still serving as a magistrate; Ti asked to take a lower outer post so that his father's rank might be raised. The emperor approved and commended him, appointed Jianzhi military aide of Song Prefecture, and allowed him to retire. When his mourning for his father was finished, he was again appointed drafting official. During Kaiyuan, Su Ting, Qi Huan, Su Jin, Jia Ceng, Han Xiu, Xu Jingxian, and Ti together drafted imperial edicts; they were foremost among the drafters, but Ti was especially exact—Zhang Jiuling looked at his draft and wished to change a single character, yet in the end could not. After eight years in office he was appointed vice minister of punishments; because of wind illness he asked to be relieved, was transferred to left tutor of the crown prince, then languished in enforced idleness for many years before being made junior tutor. He died in the Shangyuan period and was posthumously made right vice director of the Department of State Affairs, with the posthumous title Wen.

諸子成最知名。子成成，字思退，推廕仕累洛陽、長安令。兄宿為華州刺史，因悸病喑，成請告往視，不待報輒行，代宗嘉其悌，不責也。稍遷倉部郎中、京兆少尹。為信州刺史，歲大旱，發倉以賤直售民，故饑而不亡。再期增戶五千，詔書褒美。徙蘇州，改桂管觀察使，卒。

Among Sun Ti's sons, Cheng was the most renowned. His son Cheng, courtesy name Sirui, entered office through yin privilege and served in succession as magistrate of Luoyang and Chang'an. His elder brother Su was governor of Hua Prefecture; stricken with palpitations, he had lost his voice. Cheng asked for leave to visit him and set out without waiting for approval. Daizong commended his filial devotion and did not punish him. He was gradually promoted to director of the Warehouses Department and junior assistant of the capital metropolitan prefecture. As governor of Xin Prefecture, in a year of severe drought he opened the granaries and sold grain to the people at reduced prices, so that although famine struck, the people did not perish. At the end of a second term the registered population had increased by five thousand households, and an imperial edict commended him. He was transferred to Suzhou, then reassigned as military governor of Gui Pass, and died in office.

成通經術，奏議據正。嘗有期喪，吊者至，成不易縗而見。客疑之，請故，答曰：「縗者，古居喪常服，去之則廢喪也。今而巾襆，失矣。」子公器，亦至邕管經略使。曾孫簡公器子簡，字樞中。元和初，登進士第，辟鎮國、荊南幕府。累遷左司、吏部二郎中，繇諫議大夫知制誥，進中書舍人。初，逖掌誥，至代宗時，宿又居職，逮簡凡三世。

Cheng was versed in the classics, and his memorials and proposals were firmly grounded in principle. Once, while he was in the intermediate mourning period, when mourners arrived Cheng did not change out of his hemp mourning garments to receive them. A guest was puzzled and asked why; he replied, "The hemp garment is the customary dress of mourning in antiquity; to remove it is to abandon mourning. To wear a headcloth and kerchief instead is a lapse." His son Gongqi also rose to military commissioner of Yong and Gui passes. A great-grandson was Jian—Gongqi's son Jian, courtesy name Shuzhong. In the early Yuanhe period he passed the jinshi examination and entered the staffs of Zhenguo and Jingnan. He rose in succession to left director and the two directors of the Ministry of Personnel, from remonstrance grand counselor with charge of drafting edicts to drafting official of the Secretariat. Earlier Ti had handled edicts; by Daizong's time Su again held the post—counting Jian, the family held it for three generations.

會昌初，遷尚書左丞，建言：

In the early Huichang period he was promoted to left vice director of the Department of State Affairs and submitted a proposal:

班位以品秩為等差，今官兼台省，位置遷誤，不可為法。元和元年，御史台白奏，常參官兼大夫、中丞者，視檢校官，居本品同類官上。其後侍郎兼大夫者，皆在左、右丞上。當時侍郎兼大夫少，唯京兆尹兼之。京兆尹從三品，今位乃在本品同類官從三品卿、監上，太常、宗正卿正三品下。左丞乃正四品上，戶部侍郎正四品下，今戶部侍郎兼大夫當在本品同類正四品下，諸曹侍郎上，不宜居正四品丞、郎上。又右丞正四品下，吏部侍郎正四品上，今吏部侍郎位右丞之下。蓋以丞有繩轄之重，雖吏部品高，猶居其下，然則戶部侍郎雖兼大夫，安得居其上哉？今散官自將仕郎至開府、特進，每品正、從有上中下，名級各異，則正從上下不得謂之同品。京兆、河南司錄及諸府州錄事參軍事皆操紀律，正諸曹，與尚書省左、右丞紀綱六曹略等，假使諸曹掾因功勞加台省官，安得位在司錄、錄事參軍上？且左丞糾射八坐，主省內禁令、宗廟祠祭事，御史不當，得彈奏之，良以台官所奏，拘牽成例，不揣事之輕重。使理可循，雖無往比，自宜行之。否者，號曰舊章，正可改也。

Court precedence should be graded by rank and title; yet when an official concurrently holds a Chancellery or Secretariat post, seating is assigned in error and cannot serve as precedent. In the first year of Yuanhe the Censorate reported that regular attendees who concurrently held grand counselor or vice censor-in-chief posts were treated as acting officials and seated above others of the same substantive rank. Thereafter, vice ministers who concurrently held grand counselor posts all sat above the left and right vice directors. At that time few vice ministers concurrently held grand counselor posts; only the capital metropolitan prefect did so. The capital metropolitan prefect was third rank, lower grade; yet his seat was now above others of the same substantive third rank, lower grade—the directors of the directorates and the supervisors—and below the directors of the Court of Imperial Sacrifices and the Court of the Imperial Clan, third rank, upper grade. The left vice director was fourth rank, upper grade; the vice minister of the Household Department was fourth rank, lower grade; yet the vice minister of the Household Department who concurrently held grand counselor now sat above the fourth-rank vice directors and directors, when he should have ranked among those of the same substantive fourth rank, lower grade, above the various vice ministers but below the vice directors. Moreover the right vice director was fourth rank, lower grade, while the vice minister of the Personnel Department was fourth rank, upper grade; yet the vice minister of the Personnel Department now sat below the right vice director. This was because the vice director bore the weight of restraint and oversight; even though the Personnel vice minister outranked him, he still sat below—then how could the Household vice minister, though concurrently grand counselor, sit above? Among honorary officials, from Attendant Gentleman to Grand General Opening the Government and Special Advancement, each rank has upper, middle, and lower grades within the regular and lower series, and the titles and grades differ; therefore upper, lower, and middle within a single rank cannot be treated as identical. The recorders of the capital and Henan metropolitan prefectures and the recorders of the various prefectures and districts all wield disciplinary authority and regulate the various bureaus—roughly equal to the left and right vice directors who maintain order over the six bureaus in the Department of State Affairs; even if a bureau aide were rewarded with a concurrent Chancellery or Secretariat post for merit, how could he sit above the recorders? Moreover the left vice director investigates and impeaches the eight chief ministers, oversees internal prohibitions and ancestral temple sacrifices, and may impeach censors who act improperly—yet censorate memorials are bound by precedent and do not weigh the gravity of the matter. If the principle can be followed, even without a past parallel it should be implemented. Otherwise, what is called an old statute may rightly be changed.

武宗詔兩省官詳議，皆從簡請。

Emperor Wuzong ordered officials of the two Chancelleries to discuss it in detail; all approved Jian's proposal.

曆河中、興元、宣武節度使，檢校尚書右僕射、東都留守。而弟范亦為淄青節度使，世推顯家。李白李白，字太白，興聖皇帝九世孫。其先隋末以罪徙西域，神龍初，遁還，客巴西。白之生，母夢長庚星，因以命之。十歲通詩書，既長，隱岷山。州舉有道，不應。蘇頲為益州長史，見白異之，曰：「是子天才英特，少益以學，可比相如。」然喜縱橫術，擊劍，為任俠，輕財重施。更客任城，與孔巢父、韓准、裴政、張叔明、陶沔居徂徠山，日沈飲，號「竹溪六逸」。

He served in succession as military governor of Hedong, Xingyuan, and Xuanwu, and as acting right vice director of the Department of State Affairs and defender of the Eastern Capital. His younger brother Fan also became military governor of Ziqing; the world acclaimed them as a distinguished family. Li Bai—Li Bai, courtesy name Taibai, was a ninth-generation descendant of Emperor Xingsheng. His ancestors, convicted of a crime at the end of the Sui, were banished to the Western Regions; in the early Shenlong period they fled back and settled as guests in Brazil. When Bai was born, his mother dreamed of the Great Metal Star and therefore gave him that name. At ten he had mastered poetry and the classics; when grown, he lived in seclusion on Mount Min. The prefecture nominated him for the Way examination; he did not respond. When Su Ting was chief administrator of Yizhou, he saw Bai, regarded him as extraordinary, and said, "This boy's talent is brilliant and singular; with a little more learning he could rival Sima Xiangru. Yet he delighted in the arts of vertical and horizontal alliance, swordplay, and chivalrous deeds, and was light with wealth and generous in giving. He later sojourned at Rencheng; with Kong Chaofu, Han Zhun, Pei Zheng, Zhang Shuming, and Tao Mian he lived on Mount Culai, drinking deep every day—they were called the "Six Recluses of Bamboo Stream."

天寶初，南入會稽，與吳筠善，筠被召，故白亦至長安。往見賀知章，知章見其文，歎曰：「子，謫仙人也！」言于玄宗，召見金鑾殿，論當世事，奏頌一篇。帝賜食，親為調羹，有詔供奉翰林。白猶與飲徒醉於市。帝坐沈香亭子，意有所感，欲得白為樂章；召入，而白已醉，左右以水靧面，稍解，援筆成文，婉麗精切無留思。帝愛其才，數宴見。白嘗侍帝，醉，使高力士脫靴。力士素貴，恥之，擿其詩以激楊貴妃，帝欲官白，妃輒沮止。白自知不為親近所容，益驁放不自脩，與知章、李適之、汝陽王璡、崔宗之、蘇晉、張旭、焦遂為「酒八仙人」。懇求還山，帝賜金放還。白浮游四方，嘗乘舟與崔宗之自採石至金陵，著宮錦袍坐舟中，旁若無人。

In the early Tianbao period he went south to Kuaiji and became close with Wu Yun; when Yun was summoned to court, Bai therefore also went to Chang'an. He went to see He Zhizhang; Zhizhang read his writings and sighed, "You are an immortal banished to earth! He spoke of this to Xuanzong, who summoned Bai to audience in the Hall of Golden Bells, discussed affairs of the time, and received a eulogy Bai presented. The emperor granted him food and personally seasoned his broth; an edict appointed him to the Hanlin Academy. Bai still drank with his carousing companions and got drunk in the marketplace. The emperor sat in the Pavilion of Agarwood, his mind stirred with feeling, and wished to have Bai compose a song-text; Bai was summoned in, but was already drunk; attendants splashed water on his face; when he sobered slightly he took up the brush and finished the piece—graceful, refined, and exact, without a moment's hesitation. The emperor loved his talent and frequently feasted with him. Once when Bai was attending the emperor while drunk, he ordered Gao Lishi to remove his boots. Lishi had always been honored and felt shamed; he picked out lines from Bai's poems to provoke Yang Guifei; when the emperor wished to grant Bai an office, the consort always blocked it. Bai knew he was not tolerated by those close to the throne and grew ever more proud and unrestrained; with Zhizhang, Li Shizhi, Prince of Ruyang Li Jin, Cui Zongzhi, Su Jin, Zhang Xu, and Jiao Sui he was called the "Eight Immortals of the Wine Cup." He earnestly begged to return to the mountains; the emperor granted him gold and released him. Bai drifted through the four quarters; once he took a boat with Cui Zongzhi from Caishi to Jinling, wearing a palace brocade robe and sitting in the boat as if no one else were present.

安祿山反，轉側宿松、匡廬間，永王璘辟為府僚佐。璘起兵，逃還彭澤，璘敗，當誅。初，白遊并州，見郭子儀，奇之。子儀嘗犯法，白為救免。至是子儀請解官以贖，有詔長流夜郎。會赦，還尋陽，坐事下獄。時宋若思將吳兵三千赴河南，道尋陽，釋囚辟為參謀，未幾辭職。李陽冰為當塗令，白依之。代宗立，以左拾遺召，而白已卒，年六十餘。

When An Lushan rebelled, Bai wandered between Susong and Mount Lu; Prince of Yong Li Lin summoned him as a staff aide. When Lin raised troops, Bai fled back to Pengze; when Lin was defeated, Bai was liable to execution. Earlier, when Bai traveled in Bingzhou, he met Guo Ziyi and regarded him as extraordinary. Ziyi once violated the law; Bai interceded and secured his release. At this time Ziyi asked to resign his office to redeem Bai; an edict sentenced Bai to distant exile at Yelang. When an amnesty was proclaimed he returned to Xunyang, but because of an offense was imprisoned. At that time Song Ruosi was leading three thousand Wu troops south to Henan; passing Xunyang he released the prisoners and summoned Bai as strategist; before long Bai resigned the post. Li Yangbing was magistrate of Dangtu; Bai relied on him. When Daizong ascended the throne, Bai was summoned as left reminder, but Bai had already died, aged over sixty.

白晚好黃老，度牛渚磯至姑孰，悅謝家青山，欲終焉。及卒，葬東麓。元和末，宣歙觀察使范傳正祭其塚，禁樵採。訪後裔，惟二孫女嫁為民妻，進止仍有風範，因泣曰：「先祖志在青山，頃葬東麓，非本意。」傳正為改葬，立二碑焉。告二女，將改妻士族，辭以孤窮失身，命也，不願更嫁。傳正嘉歎，復其夫徭役。

In his later years Bai came to love the teachings of the Yellow Emperor and Laozi; crossing Ox's Tail Ford to Gushu, he delighted in the Xie family's Green Mountain and wished to end his days there. When he died he was buried on the eastern slope. At the end of Yuanhe, Fan Chuanzheng, military governor of Xuan and She, sacrificed at his tomb and forbade woodcutting. He sought descendants; only two granddaughters had married commoners; in bearing and deportment they still had distinction; he wept and said, "Our ancestor's wish was to lie on Green Mountain; he was recently buried on the eastern slope—not his true intent. Chuanzheng had him reburied and erected two steles. He told the two daughters he would arrange marriages for them with gentry families; they declined, saying that in loneliness and poverty they had lost their station—it was fate—and they did not wish to remarry. Chuanzheng admired and sighed, and exempted their husbands from corvée labor.

文宗時，詔以白歌詩、裴旻劍舞、張旭草書為「三絕」。附張旭旭，蘇州吳人。嗜酒，每大醉，呼叫狂走，乃下筆，或以頭濡墨而書，既醒自視，以為神，不可復得也，世呼「張顛」。

In the Wenzong period an edict declared Bai's song-poetry, Pei Min's sword dance, and Zhang Xu's cursive script the "Three Unsurpassed Arts." Appendix: Zhang Xu—Xu was a man of Wu in Suzhou. He loved wine; whenever greatly drunk he would shout and run wildly, then take up the brush—or dip his head in ink and write; when sober he looked at what he had done and thought it divine, beyond recovery; the world called him "Zhang the Mad."

初，仕為常熟尉，有老人陳牒求判，宿昔又來，旭怒其煩，責之。老人曰：「觀公筆奇妙，欲以藏家爾。」旭因問所藏，盡出其父書，旭視之，天下奇筆也，自是盡其法。旭自言，始見公主擔夫爭道，又聞鼓吹，而得筆法意，觀倡公孫舞《劍器》，得其神。後人論書，歐、虞、褚、陸皆有異論，至旭，無非短者。傳其法，惟崔邈、顏真卿云。附裴旻旻嘗與幽州都督孫佺北伐，為奚所圍，旻舞刀立馬上，矢四集，皆迎刀而斷，奚大驚引去。後以龍華軍使守北平。北平多虎，旻善射，一日得虎三十一，休山下。有老父曰：「此彪也。稍北，有真虎，使將軍遇之，且敗。」旻不信，怒馬趨之。有虎出叢薄中，小而猛，據地大吼，旻馬辟易，弓矢皆墮，自是不復射。王維王維，字摩詰。九歲知屬辭，與弟縉齊名，資孝友。開元初，擢進士，調太樂丞，坐累為濟州司倉參軍。張九齡執政，擢右拾遺。歷監察御史。母喪，毀幾不生。服除，累遷給事中。

Earlier, while serving as magistrate of Changshu, an old man submitted a petition seeking a judgment; he came again the next day; Xu, angered by the bother, rebuked him. The old man said, "Observing the marvel of your brushwork, I wished to keep it in my family. Xu therefore asked what he had collected, and the man brought out all his father's writings; Xu looked at them—they were the finest brushwork under heaven; from then on he mastered the method entirely. Xu himself said that first seeing the princess's porters quarrel over the road, and then hearing the ceremonial music, he gained the intent of brush method; watching the courtesan Lady Gongsun dance the "Sword Brandisher," he gained its spirit. Later men discussing calligraphy had differing views on Ouyang Xun, Yu Shinan, Chu Suiliang, and Lu Jianzhi—but concerning Xu, none had anything but praise. Those who transmitted his method were only Cui Zao and Yan Zhenqing, it is said. Appendix: Pei Min—Min once joined Youzhou governor Sun Chuo on a northern campaign; surrounded by the Xi, Min danced with his sword standing on horseback; four volleys of arrows converged and all were met and cut down by the blade; the Xi were greatly alarmed and withdrew. Later he served as Longhua Army commissioner defending Beiping. Beiping had many tigers; Min was skilled at archery; in one day he got thirty-one tigers below Rest Mountain. An old man said, "These are cubs. A little farther north are real tigers; if the general meets them, he will be defeated. Min did not believe it and galloped angrily toward them. A tiger emerged from the thicket—small but fierce; crouching on the ground it roared greatly; Min's horse shied; bow and arrows all fell; from then on he never shot again. Wang Wei—Wang Wei, courtesy name Mojie. At nine he knew how to compose; he and his younger brother Jin were equally renowned, endowed with filial piety and brotherly affection. In the early Kaiyuan period he passed the jinshi examination, was appointed grand music director, and because of an offense was demoted to warehouse officer of Ji Prefecture. When Zhang Jiuling held power, Wei was promoted to right reminder. He served as investigating censor. When his mother died, his grief nearly killed him. When mourning ended he was promoted in succession to gentleman attendant.

安祿山反，玄宗西狩，維為賊得，以藥下利，陽喑。祿山素知其才，迎置洛陽，迫為給事中。祿山大宴凝碧池，悉召梨園諸工合樂，諸工皆泣，維聞悲甚，賦詩悼痛。賊平，皆下獄。或以詩聞行在，時縉位已顯，請削官贖維罪，肅宗亦自憐之，下遷太子中允。久之，遷中庶子，三遷尚書右丞。

When An Lushan rebelled, Xuanzong went west on campaign; Wei was captured by the rebels; he took medicine to induce diarrhea and feigned muteness. Lushan had always known his talent and welcomed him to Luoyang, forcing him to serve as gentleman attendant. Lushan held a great feast at Ningbi Pool and summoned all the Pear Garden artisans to perform together; the artisans all wept; Wei heard and grieved deeply and composed a poem of mourning and pain. When the rebels were suppressed, all were imprisoned. Some heard the poem at the imperial camp; at that time Jin's position was already prominent; he asked to strip his own rank to redeem Wei's crime; Suzong also pitied Wei and demoted him to palace attendant of the crown prince. After a long time he was promoted to palace tutor, and in three promotions reached right vice director of the Department of State Affairs.

縉為蜀州刺史未還，維自表「己有五短，縉五長，臣在省戶，縉遠方，願歸所任官，放田里，使縉得還京師。」議者不之罪。久乃召縉為左散騎常侍。上元初卒，年六十一。疾甚，縉在鳳翔，作書與別，又遺親故書數幅，停筆而化。贈秘書監。

Jin was governor of Shu and had not yet returned; Wei submitted a memorial himself: "I have five shortcomings, Jin has five strengths; I am at the capital while Jin is far away; I wish to resign my current office and return to the fields, so that Jin may return to the capital. The memorial's critics did not fault him for it. Before long, Jin was summoned back to serve as left regular attendant of the palace. He died at the beginning of the Shangyuan era, at the age of sixty-one. When his illness grew grave, Jin was at Fengxiang. Wei wrote him a letter of farewell, then left several letters to relatives and old friends, and died the moment he set down his brush. He was posthumously awarded the title of director of the Secretariat.

維工草隸，善畫，名盛於開元、天寶間，豪英貴人虛左以迎，甯、薛諸王待若師友。畫思入神，至山水準遠，雲勢石色，繪工以為天機所到，學者不及也。客有以《按樂圖》示者，無題識，維徐曰：「此《霓裳》第三疊最初拍也。」客未然，引工按曲，乃信。

Wei excelled at cursive and clerical calligraphy and was a gifted painter. His fame peaked during the Kaiyuan and Tianbao eras, when eminent men and nobles would leave the seat of honor vacant to receive him, and the Princes of Ning and Xue treated him as a teacher and friend. His painting was inspired to the point of genius. In landscape—depth, distance, the movement of clouds, the color of rock—painters said that where divine inspiration touched, students could not follow. When a guest showed him the *Picture of Music Performance*, which bore no title or inscription, Wei said slowly, "This is the opening beat of the third movement of the *Rainbow Skirt*. The guest was unconvinced until he brought in a musician to perform the piece, and then he believed.

兄弟皆篤志奉佛，食不葷，衣不文彩。別墅在輞川，地奇勝，有華子岡、欹湖、竹裏館、柳浪、茱萸沜、辛夷塢，與裴迪遊其中，賦詩相酬為樂。喪妻不娶，孤居三十年。母亡，表輞川第為寺，終葬其西。

Both brothers were devout Buddhists: they ate no meat and wore no patterned silk. Their villa at Wangchuan lay in country of rare beauty—Huazi Hill, Qi Lake, Bamboo Grove Lodge, Willow Waves, Dogwood Marsh, Magnolia Cove—and there Wei wandered with Pei Di, exchanging poems for their delight. After his wife died he never remarried, living alone for thirty years. When his mother died, he petitioned to convert the Wangchuan estate into a temple, and was himself buried west of it at the end.

寶應中，代宗語縉曰：「朕嘗于諸王座聞維樂章，今傳幾何？」遣中人王承華往取，縉裒集數十百篇上之。鄭虔鄭虔，鄭州滎陽人。天寶初，為協律郎，集綴當世事，著書八十餘篇。有窺其稿者，上書告虔私撰國史，虔蒼黃焚之，坐謫十年。還京師，玄宗愛其才，欲置左右，以不事事，更為置廣文館，以虔為博士。虔聞命，不知廣文曹司何在，訴宰相，宰相曰：「上增國學，置廣文館，以居賢者，令後世言廣文博士自君始，不亦美乎？」虔乃就職。久之，雨壞廡舍，有司不復修完，寓治國子館，自是遂廢。

During the Baoying era, Emperor Daizong said to Jin, "I once heard Wang Wei's songs among the princes. How many of them survive today? He sent the eunuch Wang Chenghua to collect them, and Jin gathered several dozen or hundred pieces and presented them to the throne. Zheng Qian, a native of Xingyang in Zhengzhou. At the beginning of the Tianbao era he served as coordinator of music, gathering and arranging accounts of current affairs into a work of more than eighty chapters. Someone who had glimpsed his draft reported that Qian was privately compiling a national history. Qian burned the manuscript in panic and was sentenced to ten years' exile. When he returned to the capital, Xuanzong admired his talent and wanted him at court, but because Qian was no hand at routine administration, the emperor instead established the Broad Culture Hall and appointed him its academician. On receiving the appointment, Qian did not even know where the Broad Culture office was and appealed to the chief minister, who said, "The emperor expanded the National University and established the Broad Culture Hall to house men of talent. That posterity should say the Broad Culture academician began with you—is that not an honor? Qian then took up the post. In time rain destroyed the corridor buildings, and the authorities never repaired them. The hall was temporarily housed in the Directorate of Education, and thereafter fell into disuse.

初，虔追紬故書可志者得四十餘篇，國子司業蘇源明名其書為《會稡》。虔善圖山水，好書，常苦無紙，於是慈恩寺貯柿葉數屋，遂往日取葉肄書，歲久殆遍。嘗自寫其詩並畫以獻，帝大署其尾曰：「鄭虔三絕」。遷著作郎。

Earlier, by combing through old books for material worth preserving, Qian had recovered more than forty chapters; Su Yuanming, vice director of the Directorate of Education, gave the work the title *Collected Records*. Qian was skilled at landscape painting and loved to write, but often lacked paper. At Cien Temple he therefore stored persimmon leaves in several rooms and went each day to gather leaves for practice; over the years he had nearly covered them all. Once he presented copies of his own poems together with a painting, and the emperor wrote in large characters at the end, "Zheng Qian's Three Perfections." He was promoted to drafting gentleman of the Secretariat.

安祿山反，遣張通儒劫百官置東都，偽授虔水部郎中，因稱風緩，求攝市令，潛以密章達靈武。賊平，與張通、王維並囚宣陽裏。三人者，皆善畫，崔圓使繪齋壁，虔等方悸死，即極思祈解於圓，卒免死，貶台州司戶參軍事，維止下選。後數年卒。

When An Lushan rebelled, he sent Zhang Tongru to seize the officials and hold them in the Eastern Capital. Qian was given a false appointment as director in the Ministry of Works; he then claimed to suffer from wind paralysis, sought a post as acting market magistrate, and secretly sent a confidential memorial to Lingwu. When the rebellion was suppressed, he was imprisoned with Zhang Tong and Wang Wei in Xuanyang Lane. All three were skilled painters. Cui Yuan had them paint the walls of his study; terrified of death, they poured every ounce of talent into pleading for release, and at last escaped execution. Qian was demoted to assistant registrar of Taizhou, while Wei was merely struck from the selection rolls. He died several years later.

虔學長于地理，山川險易、方隅物產、兵戍眾寡無不詳。嘗為《天寶軍防錄》，言典事該。諸儒服其善著書，時號「鄭廣文」。在官貧約甚，澹如也。杜甫嘗贈以詩曰「才名四十年，坐客寒無氈」云。

Qian's learning excelled in geography: the hazards and routes of mountains and rivers, regional products, and the strength of garrisons—none escaped his detailed knowledge. He once compiled the *Tianbao Record of Military Defenses*, a work comprehensive in its treatment of institutional matters. Scholars admired his gift for writing, and at the time he was known as "Broad Culture Zheng." In office he lived in extreme poverty and frugality, serene and untroubled. Du Fu once wrote him a poem saying, "Forty years of talent and fame, yet guests sit shivering with no felt on the floor."

有鄭相如者，自滄州來，師事虔，虔未之禮，間問何所業，相如曰：「聞孔子稱'繼周者百世可知'，僕亦能知之。」虔駭然，即曰：「開元盡三十年當改元，盡十五年天下亂，賊臣僭位，公當汙偽官，願守節，可以免。」虔又問：「自謂云何？」答曰：「相如有官三年，死衢州。」是年及進士第，調信安尉。既三年，虔詢吏部，則相如果死。故虔念其言，終不附賊。蕭穎士蕭穎士，字茂挺，梁鄱陽王恢七世孫。祖晶，賢而有謀，任雅相伐高麗，表為記室。越王貞舉兵，杖策詣之，陳三策，王不用，晶度必敗，乃亡去，客死廣陵。

A man named Zheng Xiangru came from Cangzhou to study under Qian, but Qian did not treat him with courtesy and casually asked what he pursued. Xiangru replied, "I have heard Confucius say, 'He who succeeds the Zhou—his rule may be known a hundred generations hence.' I too can know this. Qian was startled and said at once, "When the Kaiyuan era reaches thirty years the reign title will change; fifteen years after that the realm will fall into chaos and treacherous ministers will usurp power. You will be forced into a false office—if you wish to preserve your integrity, you may yet escape." Qian asked again, "And what of your own fate?" He answered, "Xiangru will hold office for three years and die in Quzhou." That same year he passed the jinshi examination and was appointed assistant magistrate of Xin'an. Three years later Qian inquired at the Ministry of Personnel and learned that Xiangru had indeed died. Qian therefore kept his words in mind and never joined the rebels. Xiao Yingshi, whose courtesy name was Maoting, was a seventh-generation descendant of Prince Hui of Poyang of Liang. His grandfather Jing was a man of talent and strategy; when Ren Yaxiang campaigned against Goguryeo, he recommended him as recorder. When Prince Zhen of Yue raised troops, Jing went to him with staff in hand and offered three strategies. The prince ignored them; Jing foresaw defeat, fled, and died as a guest in Guangling.

穎士四歲屬文，十歲補太學生。觀書一覽即誦，通百家譜系、書籀學。開元二十三年，舉進士，對策第一。父旻，以莒丞抵罪，穎士往訴于府佐張惟一，惟一曰：「旻有佳兒，吾以旻獲譴不憾。」乃平宥之。

Yingshi was composing prose at four and entered the Imperial Academy at ten. He could read a book once and recite it from memory, and mastered the genealogies of the hundred schools and the study of ancient script. In the twenty-third year of Kaiyuan he passed the jinshi examination and ranked first in the palace examination. His father Min, assistant magistrate of Ju, was charged with an offense. Yingshi went to plead before the prefectural aide Zhang Weiyi, who said, "Min has an excellent son; I do not regret being punished on his account. Weiyi then fully pardoned him.

天寶初，穎士補秘書正字。于時裴耀卿、席豫、張均、宋遙、韋述皆先進，器其材，與鈞禮，由是名播天下。奉使括遺書趙、衛間，淹久不報，為有司劾免，留客濮陽。於是尹征、王恒、盧異、盧士式、賈邕、趙匡、閻士和、柳並等皆執弟子禮，以次授業，號蕭夫子。召為集賢校理。宰相李林甫欲見之，穎士方父喪，不詣。林甫嘗至故人舍邀潁士，穎士前往，哭門內以待，林甫不得已，前吊乃去。怒其不下己，調廣陵參軍事，穎士急中不能堪，作《伐櫻桃樹賦》曰：「擢無庸之瑣質，蒙本枝以自庇。雖先寢而或薦，非和羹之正味。」以譏林甫雲。君子恨其褊。會母喪免，流播吳、越。

At the beginning of the Tianbao era, Yingshi was appointed proofreader of the Secretariat. At that time Pei Yaoging, Xi Yu, Zhang Jun, Song Yao, and Wei Shu were all senior figures who valued his talent and treated him as an equal, and his name spread throughout the realm. Sent on a mission to gather lost books in the Zhao and Wei region, he lingered long without reporting back and was impeached and dismissed. He remained in Puyang as a guest. There Yin Zheng, Wang Heng, Lu Yi, Lu Shishi, Jia Yong, Zhao Kuang, Yan Shihe, Liu Bing, and others all observed the rites of disciples, taking instruction from him in turn, and called him Master Xiao. He was summoned to serve as collator in the Hall of Assembled Worthies. Chief Minister Li Linfu wished to see him, but Yingshi was in mourning for his father and did not go. Linfu once went to an old friend's house to summon Yingshi. Yingshi arrived first and waited inside the gate, wailing in mourning. Linfu had no choice but to enter and offer condolences before leaving. Angry that Yingshi would not defer to him, Linfu transferred him to military adjutant of Guangling. Yingshi, in distress, could not bear it and wrote the *Rhapsody on Felling the Cherry Tree*, saying, "Raised for its worthless petty substance, sheltered by the main branch for its own protection. Though it may sometimes be served, it is not the proper flavor for harmonizing the stew. —a satire aimed at Linfu. Men of worth regretted his pettiness. When his mother's mourning ended he was dismissed and wandered through Wu and Yue.

嘗謂：「仲尼作《春秋》，為百王不易法，而司馬遷作本紀、書、表、世家、列傳，敘事依違，失褒貶體，不足以訓。」乃起漢元年訖隋義寧編年，依《春秋》義類為傳百篇。在魏書高貴崩，曰：「司馬昭弑帝于南闕。」在梁書陳受禪，曰：「陳霸先反。」又自以梁枝孫，而宣帝逆取順守，故武帝得血食三紀；昔曲沃篡晉，而文公為五伯，仲尼弗貶也。乃黜陳閏隋，以唐土德承梁火德，皆自斷，諸儒不與論也。有太原王緒者，僧辯裔孫，撰《永甯公輔梁書》，黜陳不帝，穎士佐之，亦著《梁蕭史譜》及作《梁不禪陳論》以發緒義例，使光明雲。

He once said, "Confucius wrote the *Spring and Autumn Annals* as the unchanging law for a hundred kings, yet Sima Qian's Basic Annals, Treatises, Tables, Hereditary Houses, and Biographies narrate events irresolutely and lose the body of praise and blame—they are insufficient for instruction. He therefore compiled a chronicle from the first year of Han down to the Yining era of Sui, arranging events by year and following the categories of the *Spring and Autumn* in a history of a hundred chapters. In his account of Wei, when Emperor Gaogui died, he wrote, "Sima Zhao assassinated the emperor at the Southern Gate. In his account of Liang, when Chen received the abdication, he wrote, "Chen Baxian rebelled." Also, as a collateral descendant of the Liang line, he held that Emperor Xuan had usurped the throne yet governed with orthodox rectitude—therefore Emperor Wu of Liang deserved sacrificial offerings across three reigns; In antiquity Quwo usurped Jin, yet Duke Wen became one of the Five Hegemons, and Confucius did not demean him. He therefore rejected Chen and relegated Sui, holding that Tang's earth virtue succeeded Liang's fire virtue—all his own judgments, which the other scholars did not debate. There was a Wang Xu of Taiyuan, a descendant of Wang Sengbian, who compiled the *History of Liang Assisting the Prince of Yongning*, rejecting Chen as a legitimate dynasty. Yingshi assisted him, also wrote the *Genealogical History of the Liang Xiao* and composed *On Liang's Refusal to Abdicate to Chen* to develop Xu's historiographical principles and bring them to clear light.

史官韋述薦穎士自代，召詣史館待制，穎士乘傳詣京師。而林甫方威福自擅，穎士遂不屈，愈見疾，俄免官，往來鄠、杜間。林甫死，更調河南府參軍事。倭國遣使入朝，自陳國人願得蕭夫子為師者，中書舍人張漸等諫不可而止。

Historiographer Wei Shu recommended Yingshi to succeed him, and Yingshi was summoned to the History Office as awaiting orders. He traveled by post relay to the capital. But Linfu was then monopolizing power; Yingshi would not submit, grew ever more resented, and was soon dismissed, passing back and forth between E and Du. After Linfu died, he was reassigned as military adjutant of Henan Prefecture. Wa sent an envoy to court stating that his countrymen wished Master Xiao as their teacher, but Remonstrance Secretariat officials Zhang Jian and others argued against it, and the matter was dropped.

安祿山寵恣，穎士陰語柳並曰：「胡人負寵而驕，亂不久矣。東京其先陷乎！」即托疾遊太室山。已而祿山反，穎士往見河南採訪使郭納，言禦守計，納忽不用，歎曰：「肉食者以兒戲禦劇賊，難矣哉！」聞封常清陳兵東京，往觀之，不宿而還。因藏家書於箕、穎間，身走山南，節度使源洧辟掌書記。賊別校攻南陽，洧懼，欲退保江陵，穎士說曰：「官兵守潼關，財用急，必待江、淮轉餉乃足，餉道由漢、沔，則襄陽乃今天下喉襟，一日不守，則大事去矣。且列郡數十，人百萬，訓兵攘寇，社稷之功也。賊方專崤、陝，公何遽輕土地，欲取笑天下乎？」洧乃按甲不出。亦會祿山死，賊解去。洧卒，往客金陵，永王璘召之，不見。

An Lushan was favored and unrestrained. Yingshi said privately to Liu Bing, "The barbarian, swollen with favor, grows arrogant—chaos will not be long in coming. The Eastern Capital will probably fall first! He then pleaded illness and traveled to Mount Taishi. Before long Lushan rebelled. Yingshi went to see Henan investigation commissioner Guo Na and offered plans for defense, but Na abruptly ignored them. Yingshi sighed, "Those who eat meat treat a fierce rebel as child's play—hard indeed! Hearing that Feng Changqing had deployed troops at the Eastern Capital, he went to observe the situation but did not stay overnight and returned. He hid his family books in the Ji and Ying region, went in person to Shannan, and was recruited by military commissioner Yuan Wei as chief secretary. When a rebel detachment attacked Nanyang, Wei feared defeat and wished to withdraw to Jiangling. Yingshi urged him, "Government troops hold Tong Pass, but finances are desperate—they must wait for grain from the Jiang and Huai before supplies suffice. The supply route runs through Han and Mian, and Xiangyang is the throat of the realm today. Hold it one day less, and the great cause is lost. Moreover, dozens of commanderies and a million people look to you—training troops and repelling bandits would be service to the altars of soil and grain. The rebels are now focused on Xiao and Shan—why do you so hastily abandon this land and make yourself a laughingstock to the realm? Wei then held his troops and did not march out. It also happened that Lushan died and the rebels dispersed. When Wei died, he went to Jinling as a guest. Prince Yong Li Lin summoned him, but he did not appear.

時盛王為淮南節度大使，留蜀不遣，副大使李承式玩兵不振。穎士與宰相崔圓書，以為：「今兵食所資在東南，但楚、越重山復江，自古中原擾則盜先起，宜時遣王以捍鎮江淮。」俄而劉展果反。賊圍雍丘，脅泗上軍，承式遣兵往救，大宴賓客，陳女樂。穎士曰：「天子暴露，豈臣下盡歡時邪？夫投兵不測，乃使觀聽華麗，一旦思歸，誰致其死哉？」弗納。崔圓聞之，即授揚州功曹參軍。至官，信宿去。後客死汝南逆旅，年五十二，門人共諡曰文元先生。

At that time Prince Sheng was Huainan military commissioner-in-chief but was detained in Shu and not sent out; vice commissioner Li Chengshi dawdled with his troops and failed to rouse them. Yingshi wrote to chief minister Cui Yuan, arguing, "The resources of troops and grain now lie in the southeast, but Chu and Yue are a maze of mountains and rivers—from antiquity, when the central plains were disturbed, bandits rose first. The prince should be sent at once to defend the Jiang and Huai. Before long Liu Zhan indeed rebelled. Rebels besieged Yongqiu and threatened the Si River army. Chengshi sent troops to the rescue but held a great feast for his guests with female musicians on display. Yingshi said, "The Son of Heaven is exposed to wind and rain—is this a time for ministers to revel to their hearts' content? You commit troops to an uncertain battle yet parade splendor before them—once they think of home, who will give their lives? Chengshi did not listen. When Cui Yuan heard of this, he immediately appointed Yingshi assistant administrator of Yangzhou. He reached office, stayed one or two nights, and left. He later died as a guest in an inn in Runan, aged fifty-two. His disciples together gave him the posthumous title Master Wenyuan.

穎士樂聞人善，以推引後進為己任，如李陽、李幼卿、皇甫冉、陸渭等數十人，由獎目，皆為名士。天下推知人，稱蕭功曹。嘗兄事元德秀，而友殷寅、顏真卿、柳芳、陸據、李華、邵軫、趙驊，時人語曰「殷、顏、柳、陸，李、蕭、邵、趙」，以能全其交也。所與游者，孔至、賈至、源行恭、張有略、族弟季遐、劉穎、韓拯、陳晉、孫益、韋建、韋收。獨華與齊名，世號「蕭、李」。嘗與華、據游洛龍門，讀路旁碑，穎士即誦，華再閱，據三乃能盡記。聞者謂三人才高下，此其分也。有奴事穎士十年，笞楚嚴慘，或勸其去，答曰：「非不能，愛其才耳。」穎士數稱班彪、皇甫謐、張華、劉琨、潘尼能尚古，而混流俗不自振，曹植、陸機所不逮也；又言裴子野善著書。所許可當世者，陳子昂、富嘉謨、盧藏用之文辭，董南事、孔述睿之博學而已。子存子存，字伯誠，亮直有父風。能文辭，與韓會、沈既濟、梁肅、徐岱等善。浙西觀察使李棲筠表常熟主簿。顏真卿在湖州，與存及陸鴻漸等討摭古今韻字所原，作書數百篇。建中初，由殿中侍御史四遷比部郎中。張滂主財賦，辟存留務京師。裴延齡與滂不協，存疾其奸，去官，風痹卒。

Yingshi delighted in hearing of others' excellence and made recommending the young his mission. Li Yang, Li Youqing, Huangfu Ran, Lu Wei, and several dozen others—all through his praise and notice—became eminent men. The realm acclaimed his gift for discerning talent and called him Assistant Administrator Xiao. He treated Yuan Dexiu as an elder brother and was friends with Yin Yin, Yan Zhenqing, Liu Fang, Lu Ju, Li Hua, Shao Zhen, and Zhao Hua. People of the time said, "Yin, Yan, Liu, Lu; Li, Xiao, Shao, Zhao"—because they preserved their friendships intact. Those with whom he associated included Kong Zhi, Jia Zhi, Yuan Xinggong, Zhang Youlue, his clansman cousin Ji Xia, Liu Ying, Han Zheng, Chen Jin, Sun Yi, Wei Jian, and Wei Shou. Only Li Hua matched his renown; their contemporaries called them "Xiao and Li." Once he visited Longmen at Luoyang with Li Hua and Lu Ju. They read a roadside stele: Yingshi recited it immediately, Hua after two readings, and Ju only after three could commit it entirely to memory. Those who heard of it said this episode showed exactly where the three men's talents ranked. A servant had attended Yingshi for ten years under severe and cruel beatings. When some urged him to leave, he replied, "It is not that I cannot—I simply love his talent. Yingshi often praised Ban Biao, Huangfu Mi, Zhang Hua, Liu Kun, and Pan Ni for honoring antiquity while still mingling with the vulgar world without elevating themselves—something Cao Zhi and Lu Ji never achieved; He also said that Pei Ziye was skilled at historical writing. Among his contemporaries he approved only the literary work of Chen Zi'ang, Fu Jiamou, and Lu Zangyong, and the erudition of Dong Nanshi and Kong Shurui. His son Cun, whose courtesy name was Bocheng, was upright and outspoken and bore his father's character. He was skilled at literary composition and was close to Han Hui, Shen Jiji, Liang Su, Xu Dai, and others. Li Qiyun, observation commissioner of Zhexi, recommended him for appointment as chief clerk of Changshu. While Yan Zhenqing was in Huzhou, he worked with Cun, Lu Hongjian, and others to gather and examine the origins of rhyming characters through the ages, producing several hundred treatises. At the beginning of the Jianzhong era, he rose from Palace Censor through four promotions to Director in the Ministry of Justice. Zhang Pang, who oversaw fiscal affairs, appointed Cun to remain at the capital and manage administrative affairs there. Pei Yanling was at odds with Pang. Cun loathed Yanling's corruption, resigned his post, and died of rheumatism.

韓愈少為存所知，自袁州還，過存廬山故居，而諸子前死，唯一女在，為經贍其家。

Han Yu had been recognized by Cun when he was young. Returning from Yuan Prefecture, he visited Cun's former home on Mount Lu. Cun's sons had all died earlier, leaving only a daughter, and Han Yu took charge of supporting her household.

殷寅者，陳郡人。邵軫者，汝南人。附陸據陸據，河南人，字德鄰，後周上庸公騰六世孫。神宇警邁，善物理。年三十始到京師，公卿愛其文，交譽之。天寶十三載，終司勳員外郎。附柳並柳並者，字伯存。大曆中，辟河東府掌書記，遷殿中侍御史。喪明，終於家。初，並與劉太真、尹征、閻士和受業於穎士，而並好黃老。穎士常曰：「太真，吾入室者也，斯文不墜，寄是子雲。征博聞強識，士和鉤深致遠，吾弗逮已。並不受命而尚黃、老，予亦何誅？」

Yin Yin was from Chen Commandery. Shao Zhen was from Runan. Appended biography: Lu Ju, a native of Henan whose courtesy name was Delin, was a sixth-generation descendant of Duke Teng of Shangyong of Northern Zhou. He had an alert and commanding presence and was versed in natural philosophy. He did not reach the capital until he was thirty, but the nobles admired his writing and praised him among themselves. In the thirteenth year of the Tianbao era, he died in office as Vice Director in the Ministry of Personnel. Appended biography: Liu Bing, whose courtesy name was Bocun. During the Dali era, he was appointed secretary at the Hedong headquarters and was later promoted to Palace Censor. He went blind and died at home. Earlier, Bing had studied under Yingshi together with Liu Taizhen, Yin Zheng, and Yan Shihe, but Bing favored Huang-Lao teachings. Yingshi often said, "Taizhen is my true heir; if this literary tradition does not perish, it will rest with this Ziyun. Zheng is broadly learned with a formidable memory; Shihe probes deep and reaches far—I cannot match them. Bing did not follow my teaching yet honors Huang-Lao—what reproach can I hold against him?"

並弟談，字中庸，穎士愛其才，以女妻之。

Bing's younger brother Tan, whose courtesy name was Zhongyong, was admired by Yingshi for his talent, and Yingshi gave him his daughter in marriage.

士和字伯均，著《蘭陵先生誄》、《蕭夫子集論》，因榷曆世文章，而盛推穎士所長，以為「聞蕭氏風者，五尺童子羞稱曹、陸」。附皇甫冉皇甫冉，字茂政，十歲便能屬文，張九齡歎異之。與弟曾皆善詩。天寶中，踵登進士，授無錫尉。王縉為河南元帥，表掌書記。遷累右補闕，卒。

Shihe, whose courtesy name was Bojun, wrote the Elegy for Master Lanling and the Treatise on Master Xiao's Collected Works. Surveying literature through the ages, he greatly praised Yingshi's strengths, declaring that "those who have tasted the Xiao style would be ashamed—even a child of five feet—to mention Cao Zhi and Lu Ji." Appended biography: Huangfu Ran, whose courtesy name was Maozheng, was composing prose by the age of ten, and Zhang Jiujing marveled at him. He and his younger brother Zeng were both accomplished poets. During the Tianbao era, both brothers passed the jinshi examination in succession and were appointed magistrate of Wuxi. Wang Jin, marshal of Henan, recommended him for appointment as secretary. He rose in succession to Right Supplementation Censor and then died.

曾，字孝常，曆監察御史。其名與冉相上下，當時比張氏景陽、孟陽雲。蘇源明蘇源明，京兆武功人，初名預，字弱夫。少孤，寓居徐、兗。工文辭，有名天寶間。及進士第，更試集賢院。累遷太子諭德。出為東平太守。是時，濟陽郡太守李倰以郡瀕河，請增領宿城、中都二縣以紓民力。二縣，隸東平、魯郡者也。於是源明議廢濟陽，析三縣分隸濟南、東平、濮陽。詔河南採訪使會濮陽太守崔季重、魯郡太守李蘭、濟南太守田琦及源明、倰五太守議于東平，不能決。既而卒廢濟陽，以縣皆隸東平。召源明為國子司業。

Zeng, whose courtesy name was Xiaochang, served as investigating censor. His reputation matched Ran's; at the time the two were compared to the Zhang brothers Jingyang and Mengyang. Su Yuanming, a native of Wugong in Jingzhao whose original name was Yu and courtesy name was Ruofu. Orphaned in youth, he lived in Xu and Yan. He was skilled at literary composition and won renown during the Tianbao era. After earning his jinshi degree, he underwent further examination at the Collegiate Institute. He rose in succession to Tutor of the Heir Apparent. He was appointed prefect of Dongping. At that time Li Jun, prefect of Jiyang Commandery, noting that his commandery bordered the Yellow River, requested additionally to administer Sucheng and Zhongdu counties in order to ease the people's burden. Those two counties had belonged to Dongping and Lu Commandery. Yuanming then proposed abolishing Jiyang and redistributing three counties among Jinan, Dongping, and Puyang. An edict ordered the Henan investigation commissioner to convene Cui Jizhong, prefect of Puyang, Li Lan, prefect of Lu Commandery, Tian Qi, prefect of Jinan, and the five prefects Yuanming and Jun at Dongping for deliberation, but no decision could be reached. In the end Jiyang was abolished, and all the counties were placed under Dongping. Yuanming was summoned to serve as Vice Director of the Directorate of Education.

安祿山陷京師，源明以病不受偽署。肅宗復兩京，擢考功郎中、知制誥。是時，承大盜之余，國用覂屈，宰相王璵以祈禬進，禁中禱祀窮日夜，中官用事，給養繁靡，群臣莫敢切諍。昭應令梁鎮上書勸帝罷淫祀，其他不暇及也。源明數陳政治得失。及史思明陷洛陽，有詔幸東京，將親征。源明因上疏極諫曰：

When An Lushan seized the capital, Yuanming, pleading illness, refused a false appointment under the rebels. After Emperor Suzong recovered the two capitals, Yuanming was promoted to Director in the Ministry of Personnel and entrusted with drafting edicts. At that time, in the wake of the great rebellion, the treasury was exhausted. Chief Minister Wang Yu rose through promoting prayer rituals, and within the palace offerings and prayers continued day and night. Eunuchs held power, provisions and upkeep were lavish and wasteful, and no minister dared speak out sharply. Liang Zhen, magistrate of Zhaoying, submitted a memorial urging the emperor to halt excessive sacrifices, but there was no time to address anything else. Yuanming repeatedly set forth the strengths and failings of government policy. When Shi Siming seized Luoyang, an edict was issued that the emperor would visit the Eastern Capital and take the field in person. Yuanming thereupon submitted a memorial of the strongest remonstrance, saying:

淫雨積時，道路方梗，甚不可一也。自春大旱，秋苗耗半，斂獲未畢，先之以清道之役，申之以供頓之苦，甚不可二也。每立殿廊，見旌旗之下，餓夫執殳，僕於行間，日見二三；市井餒𩛞求食，死于路旁，日見四五。甚不可三也。姦夫盜兒，連牆接棟，磨礪以須陛下之出，御史大夫必不能澄清禁止。甚不可四也。聖皇巡蜀之初，都內財貨、吏民資產，糜散于道路之手，至有乘馬駃驢入宣政、紫宸者。況陛下初有四海，威制不及曩時遠矣。今茲東行，殆賊臣誘掖陛下而已。《詩》曰「三星在霤」，謂危亡在於須臾，臣不勝嗚咽，為陛下痛之。願速罷幸，不然，窮氓樂禍，已扼腕於下。甚不可五也。方今河、洛驛騷，江湖叛渙，《詩》曰：「中原有菽，庶民采之。」彼思明、楚元，皆采菽之人也。陛下何遽輕萬乘而速成之邪？甚不可六也。大河南北，舉為寇盜，王公以下，廩稍匱絕，將士糧賜，僅支日月，而中官冗食，不減往年，梨園雜伎，愈盛今日，陛下未得穆然高枕，殆繇此也。自非中庸指使，太常正樂外，願一切放歸，給長牒勿事，須五六年後，隨事蠲省。今聚而仰給，甚不可七也。李光弼拔河陽，王思禮下晉原，衛伯玉拂焉耆，過析支，不日可至。御史大夫王玄志壓巫閭，臨幽都；汝州刺史田南金逾闕口，遏二室；鄧景山淩淮、泗，愾然而西。狂賊失勢，蹙於緱山之下，北不敢逾孟津，東不敢過甖子，計日反接而至矣。陛下不坐而受之，乃欲親征，徇一朝之怒，甚不可八也。王者之於天地神祇，享之以牲幣而已。記曰：「不祈方士。」彼淫巫愚祝，妄有關說，甚不可九也。天子順動，人皆幸之之謂幸，人皆病之之謂不幸。臣等屢怫視聽，聯伏赤墀之下，頓顙流涕而出，雖陛下優容貸罪，凡百之臣必昌言于朝，萬口謗於外，甚不可十也。臣聞子不諍于父，不孝也；臣不諍於君，不忠也。不孝不忠，為苟榮冒祿，圈牢之物不若也。臣雖至賤，不能委身圈牢之中，將使樵夫指而笑之。

Prolonged rains have gone on and on, and the roads are now impassable—this above all must not be done. Since spring there has been severe drought, and half the autumn crop is lost. The harvest is not yet in, yet first comes the labor of clearing the roads, and on top of that the hardship of supply depots—this, second of all, must not be done. Each time I stand in the palace corridor, beneath the banners and flags I see starving men holding halberds collapse in the ranks—two or three such cases every day; in the markets the hungry wander seeking food and die by the roadside—four or five such cases every day. This, third of all, must not be done. Adulterers and thieves crowd wall to wall and roof to roof, sharpening their blades in wait for Your Majesty's departure—the Censor-in-Chief surely cannot purge and suppress them. This, fourth of all, must not be done. When the sage emperor first fled to Shu, the capital's wealth and the property of officials and commoners were scattered into the hands of those on the roads, until some rode horses and mules straight into the Xuanzheng and Zichen halls. Moreover, Your Majesty has only lately regained the realm; your authority falls far short of what it was then. This eastern journey now is likely nothing but wicked ministers seducing and misleading Your Majesty. The Classic of Poetry says, "The three stars are in the leak"—meaning that peril and ruin lie within an instant. I cannot bear it and weep in anguish for Your Majesty. I beg that the tour be cancelled at once; otherwise the destitute masses will welcome disaster, and already below they are clenching their fists in rage. This, fifth of all, must not be done. At present the Yellow River and Luo region are in turmoil, and the Jiang-Hu region is in rebellion and disarray. The Classic of Poetry says: "In the central plain there are beans; the common people gather them. Shi Siming and Chu Yuan are precisely such bean-gatherers. Why should Your Majesty so lightly risk the imperial chariot and rush to complete this journey? This, sixth of all, must not be done. North and south of the great river have all become bandit country. From princes and dukes downward, granary stipends are exhausted; soldiers' grain and rewards barely last from day to day. Yet eunuchs' redundant consumption is no less than in former years, and Pear Garden performers flourish even more today—Your Majesty cannot rest peacefully, likely for this very reason. Apart from the directors of the Zhongyong Office and the proper music of the Court of Imperial Sacrifices, I wish that all others be dismissed and given long-term permits exempting them from service; only after five or six years should reductions be made as circumstances allow. Now they are gathered together living on state support—this, seventh of all, must not be done. Li Guangbi has recovered Heyang; Wang Sili has taken Jinyuan; Wei Boyu has swept through Yanzhi and passed Qizhi—they can arrive within days. Censor-in-Chief Wang Xuanzhi presses Wulü and faces Youdu; Tian Nanjin, prefect of Ruzhou, crosses Quekou and blocks the Two Chambers; Deng Jingshan crosses the Huai and Si and marches west in high spirits. The rebel forces have lost momentum and are cornered below Mount Goushan. They dare not cross Mengjin to the north or pass Yingzi to the east; within days they can be bound hand and foot and delivered up. Your Majesty need only sit and receive their surrender, yet wishes to campaign in person, indulging a moment's anger—this, eighth of all, must not be done. A king's duty toward the spirits of Heaven and Earth is to offer them sacrificial victims and silks—nothing more. The Record of Rites says: "Do not pray to masters of formulas. Those licentious shamans and foolish prayer-officers presumptuously intercede on Heaven's behalf—this, ninth of all, must not be done. When the Son of Heaven acts in accord with the people's wishes, if all rejoice it is called a fortunate tour; if all suffer it is called an ill-fated one. We have repeatedly offended Your Majesty's sight and hearing, prostrating ourselves below the red steps and bowing our heads in tears as we withdrew. Even if Your Majesty is lenient and pardons us, every official will surely speak boldly at court, and countless voices will slander outside—this, tenth of all, must not be done. I have heard that a son who does not remonstrate with his father is unfilial; a minister who does not remonstrate with his lord is disloyal. To be unfilial and disloyal yet seek glory while accepting salary is to be worse than penned livestock. Though I am of the lowest rank, I cannot entrust myself to such a pen; I would rather be pointed at and laughed at by woodcutters.

帝嘉其切直，遂罷東幸。後以秘書少監卒。

The emperor praised his directness and forthrightness and cancelled the eastern tour. He later died while serving as Vice Director of the Secretariat.

源明雅善杜甫、鄭虔，其最稱者元結、梁肅。附梁肅肅，字敬之，一字寬中。隋刑部尚書毘五世孫，世居陸渾。建中初，中文辭清麗科，擢太子校書郎。蕭復薦其材，授右拾遺，脩史，以母羸老不赴。杜佑辟淮南掌書記，召為監察御史，轉右補闕、翰林學士、皇太子諸王侍讀。卒，年四十一，贈禮部郎中。

Yuanming was on excellent terms with Du Fu and Zheng Qian; those he most admired were Yuan Jie and Liang Su. Appended biography: Liang Su, whose courtesy name was Jingzhi and who also styled himself Kuanzhong. He was a fifth-generation descendant of Pei, Minister of Justice of Sui, and his family had long resided in Lu Hun. At the beginning of the Jianzhong era, he passed the examination in elegant and pure literary composition and was promoted to Proofreader of the Heir Apparent. Xiao Fu recommended his talent and appointed him Right Pick-up Reminder and historiographer, but because his mother was frail and aged he did not take up the appointment. Du You appointed him secretary of the Huainan headquarters. He was summoned as investigating censor, then transferred to Right Supplementation Censor, Hanlin Academician, and Reader to the Crown Prince and the imperial princes. He died at forty-one and was posthumously appointed director in the Ministry of Rites.

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