1
契丹奚室韋靺鞨渤海
Khitan, Xi, Shiwei, Mohe, and Bohai.
2
契丹，本東胡種，其先爲匈奴所破，保鮮卑山。 魏青龍中，部酋比能稍桀驁，爲幽州刺史王雄所殺，衆遂微，逃潢水之南，黃龍之北。 至元魏，自號曰契丹。 地直京師東北五千里而贏，東距高麗，西奚，南營州，北靺鞨、室韋，阻冷陘山以自固。 射獵居處無常。 其君大賀氏，有勝兵四萬，析八部，臣於突厥，以爲俟斤。 凡調發攻戰，則諸部畢會； 獵則部得自行。 與奚不平，每鬥不利，輒遁保鮮卑山。 風俗與突厥大抵略侔。 死不墓，以馬車載屍入山，置於樹顛。 子孫死，父母旦夕哭； 父母死則否，亦無喪期。
The Khitan were originally an Eastern Hu people. After their forebears were broken by the Xiongnu, they held to the Xianbei Mountains. During Wei’s Qinglong reign, the tribal chief Binen grew increasingly unruly until Wang Xiong, governor of Youzhou, killed him. The people then weakened and withdrew south of the Huangshui and north of Huanglong. Under the Northern Wei they took the name Khitan for themselves. Their lands lay some five thousand li northeast of the capital, bordering Goguryeo on the east, the Xi on the west, Yingzhou on the south, and Mohe and Shiwei on the north, with Lengxing Mountain as their natural rampart. They lived by hunting and moved their camps without fixed abodes. Their ruling house was the Dahe clan. They fielded forty thousand seasoned warriors, were organized in eight tribes, and submitted to the Turks, who appointed them an irkin. When called to war or raiding, every tribe had to muster. On the hunt, each tribe went its own way. They were at odds with the Xi, and whenever they fought and lost, they would withdraw to the shelter of the Xianbei Mountains. Their customs were, in the main, much like those of the Turks. They did not bury their dead in graves but carried the corpse into the mountains in a cart and set it in the crown of a tree. When a child died, the parents mourned morning and evening. When parents died they did not, and they observed no fixed mourning period.
3
武德中，其大酋孫敖曹與靺鞨長突地稽俱遣人來朝，而君長或小入寇邊。 後二年，君長乃遣使者上名馬、豐貂。 貞觀二年，摩會來降。 突厥頡利可汗不欲外夷與唐合，乃請以梁師都易契丹。 太宗曰：「契丹、突厥不同類，今已降我，尚可索邪？ 師都，唐編戶，盜我州部，突厥輒爲助，我將禽之，誼不可易降者。」 明年，摩會復入朝，賜鼓纛，由是有常貢。 帝伐高麗，悉發酋長與奚首領從軍。 帝還，過營州，盡召其長窟哥及老人，差賜繒采，以窟哥爲左武衛將軍。
During the Wude reign, the great Khitan chief Sun Aocao and the Mohe leader Tudi Ji both sent envoys to court, though lesser chiefs still made small border raids from time to time. Two years later the chieftain sent envoys bearing famed horses and rich sable pelts. In the second year of Zhenguan, Mohui came over to the Tang side. The Türk qaghan Jieli did not want outer tribes allying with Tang and asked to trade Liang Shidu for the Khitan. Emperor Taizong replied: "The Khitan and the Turks are not one people. They have already submitted to us—how can they still be demanded back? As for Shidu, he is a man of our registered households who raids our prefectures, and the Turks always back him. We intend to take him, and it would be wrong to trade surrendered men for him. The following year Mohui came to court again and was given drums and banners, after which regular tribute missions followed. When the emperor marched against Goguryeo, he called up every Khitan chieftain and Xi leader to join the campaign. On his return he passed through Yingzhou, summoned Kuge and the other elders, gave them graded gifts of silk, and made Kuge Left Martial Guard General.
4
大酋辱紇主曲據又率衆歸，即其部爲玄州，拜曲據刺史，隸營州都督府。 未幾，窟哥舉部內屬，乃置松漠都督府，以窟哥爲使持節十州諸軍事、松漠都督，封無極男，賜氏李。 以達稽部爲峭落州，紇便部爲彈汗州，獨活部爲無逢州，芬問部爲羽陵州，突便部爲日連州，芮奚部爲徒河州，墜斤部爲萬丹州，伏部爲匹黎、赤山二州，俱隸松漠府，即以辱紇主爲之刺史。
The great chief Ruhuo Zhuzhuquju again led his people in submission. His tribe was made Xuanzhou, Quju was made prefect, and the district was placed under the Yingzhou Protectorate. Before long Kuge brought his entire tribe within the borders. The Songmo Protectorate was then set up, with Kuge as commissioner with staff of authority over ten prefectures’ military affairs and as Songmo protector, enfeoffed as Lord of Wuji and granted the surname Li. The Daji tribe became Qiaoluo Prefecture, the Hebian Tanhan, the Duhuo Wufeng, the Fenwen Yuling, the Tubian Rilian, the Ruixi Tuhe, the Zhuijin Wandan, and the Fu tribe the two prefectures of Pili and Chishan—all under Songmo, with Ruhuo Zhuzhu as their prefect.
5
窟哥死，與奚連叛，行軍總管阿史德樞賓等執松漠都督阿卜固獻東都。 窟哥有二孫：曰枯莫離，爲左衛將軍、彈汗州刺史，封歸順郡王； 曰盡忠，爲武衛大將軍、松漠都督。 而敖曹有孫曰萬榮，爲歸誠州刺史。 於是營州都督趙文翽驕遝，數侵侮其下，盡忠等皆怨望。 萬榮本以侍子入朝，知中國險易，挾亂不疑，即共舉兵，殺文翽，盜營州反。 盡忠自號無上可汗，以萬榮爲將，縱兵四略，所向輒下，不重浹，衆數萬，妄言十萬，攻崇州，執討擊副使許欽寂。 武后怒，詔鷹揚將軍曹仁師、金吾大將軍張玄遇、右武威大將軍李多祚、司農少卿麻仁節等二十八將擊之； 以梁王武三思爲榆關道安撫大使，納言姚璹爲之副。 更號萬榮曰萬斬，盡忠曰盡滅。 諸將戰西硤石黃麞谷，王師敗績，玄遇、仁節皆爲虜禽。 進攻平州，不克。 敗書聞，后乃以右武衛大將軍建安王武攸宜爲清邊道大總管，擊契丹； 募天下人奴有勇者，官畀主直，悉發以擊虜。 萬榮銜枚夜襲檀州，清邊道副總管張九節募死士數百薄戰，萬榮敗而走山。 俄而盡忠死，突厥默啜襲破其部。 萬榮收散兵復振，使別將駱務整、何阿小入冀州，殺刺史陸寶積，掠數千人。
After Kuge died they rebelled together with the Xi. The campaign commander Ashide Shubin and others seized the Songmo protector Abu and sent him to the eastern capital. Kuge had two grandsons: Kumoli, who was Left Guard General and prefect of Tanhan, enfeoffed as Duke of Guishun; and Jinzhong, Grand General of the Martial Guard and Songmo protector. Aocao had a grandson named Wanrong, who served as prefect of Guicheng. The Yingzhou protector Zhao Wenshu was arrogant and overbearing and repeatedly humiliated his subordinates, and Jinzhong and the others all nursed grievances. Wanrong had come to court as a hostage attendant and knew China’s strengths and weaknesses. Trusting that turmoil would serve him, he joined them without hesitation. Together they rose, killed Wenshu, seized Yingzhou, and rebelled. Jinzhong styled himself Supreme Qaghan and made Wanrong his general. They drove their forces in every direction and took whatever they met without pausing. Their numbers ran to tens of thousands while they boasted of a hundred thousand. They attacked Chongzhou and captured the punitive deputy commissioner Xu Qinji. Empress Wu was furious and ordered the Hawk-Flying General Cao Renshi, the Golden Guard Grand General Zhang Xuanyu, the Right Martial Guard Grand General Li Duozuo, the Vice Minister of Agriculture Ma Renjie, and twenty-eight other generals to attack them; with the Prince of Liang Wu Sansi as pacification commissioner of the Yuguan route and Censor-in-Chief Yao Shuang as his deputy. Wanrong was renamed Wan Zhan and Jinzhong Jin Mie. The generals fought at Huangzhang Valley west of Xiashi. The imperial army was routed, and Xuanyu and Renjie were both taken captive. They pressed on to attack Pingzhou but could not capture it. When news of defeat arrived, the empress appointed the Right Martial Guard Grand General Prince of Jian’an Wu Youyi grand general of the Qingbian route to strike the Khitan; she recruited brave men from among slaves throughout the realm, paid their masters their price, and sent them all against the enemy. Wanrong attacked Tanzhou by night with gags in their mouths. The Qingbian deputy grand general Zhang Jiujie mustered several hundred death-fighters for close combat, and Wanrong was beaten and fled into the hills. Before long Jinzhong died, and the Türk qaghan Mojie shattered his tribe. Wanrong gathered the scattered troops and revived his strength, sending his lieutenants Luo Wuzheng and He Axiao into Jizhou, where they killed Prefect Lu Baoji and carried off several thousand people.
6
武后聞盡忠死，更詔夏官尚書王孝傑、羽林衛將軍蘇宏暉率兵十七萬討契丹，戰東硤石，師敗，孝傑死之。 萬榮席已勝，遂屠幽州。 攸宜遣將討捕，不能克。 乃命右金吾衛大將軍河內郡王武懿宗爲神兵道大總管，右肅政台御史大夫婁師德爲清邊道大總管，右武威衛大將軍沙吒忠義爲清邊中道前軍總管，兵凡二十萬擊賊。 萬榮銳甚，鼓而南，殘瀛州屬縣，恣肆無所憚。 於是神兵道總管楊玄基率奚軍掩其尾，契丹大敗，獲何阿小，降別將李楷固、駱務整，收仗械如積。 萬榮委軍走，殘隊復合，與奚搏。 奚四面攻，乃大潰，萬榮左馳。 張九節爲三伏伺之，萬榮窮，與家奴輕騎走潞河東，憊甚，臥林下，奴斬其首，九節傳之東都，餘衆潰。 攸宜凱而還，后喜，爲赦天下，改元爲神功。
When the empress heard that Jinzhong was dead, she again ordered the Minister of Summer Works Wang Xiaojie and the Feathered Forest Guard General Su Honghui to lead one hundred seventy thousand men against the Khitan. They fought east of Xiashi, the army was routed, and Xiaojie was killed. Presuming on victory already won, Wanrong then massacred Youzhou. Youyi sent generals in pursuit but could not overcome them. She then appointed the Right Golden Guard Grand General Prince of Henei Wu Yizong grand general of the Divine Troops route, the Right Censorate Grand Censor Lou Shide grand general of the Qingbian route, and the Right Martial Guard Grand General Shazha Zhongyi front commander of the central Qingbian route—two hundred thousand troops in all—to strike the rebels. Wanrong was at the height of his power. Beating drums, he drove south, ravaging the counties under Yingzhou and rampaging without restraint. Then the Divine Troops route commander Yang Xuanji led Xi troops against their rear. The Khitan were routed, He Axiao was captured, and the lieutenants Li Kaigu and Luo Wuzheng surrendered. Captured arms and gear piled up like hills. Wanrong abandoned his army and fled. The remnant bands gathered again and fought the Xi. The Xi attacked from all four sides and broke them utterly. Wanrong fled to the left. Zhang Jiujie laid three ambushes and waited. Wanrong, at the end of his strength, fled east of the Lu River with only a light escort, utterly spent. He lay down under the trees, and his slave cut off his head. Jiujie sent it to the eastern capital, and the rest scattered. Youyi returned in triumph. The empress rejoiced, amnestied the realm, and changed the reign title to Shendong.
7
開元二年，盡忠從父弟都督失活以默啜政衰，率部落與頡利發伊健啜來歸，玄宗賜丹書鐵券。 後二年，與奚長李大酺皆來，詔復置松漠府，以失活爲都督，封松漠郡王，授左金吾衛大將軍。 仍其府置靜析軍，以失活爲經略大使，所統八部皆擢其酋爲刺史。 詔將軍薛泰爲押蕃落使，督軍鎮撫。 帝以東平王外孫楊元嗣女爲永樂公主，妻失活。 明年，失活死，贈特進，帝遣使吊祠，以其弟中郎將娑固襲封及所領。 明年，娑固與公主來朝，宴齎有加。
In the second year of Kaiyuan, the protector Shihuo—Jinzhong’s cousin on the father’s side—seeing that Mojie’s power was waning, led his tribe and the Yili qaghan Yijian Kuli to submit. Emperor Xuanzong bestowed a red-document iron tally. Two years later he came together with the Xi chieftain Li Dapu. An edict restored the Songmo Protectorate, made Shihuo protector and Prince of Songmo, and appointed him Left Golden Guard Grand General. The Jingxi Army remained at his protectorate, with Shihuo as frontier commissioner. Every chief of the eight tribes under him was promoted to prefect. An edict appointed General Xue Tai commissioner for overseeing the tribal settlements, to supervise troops in pacification and defense. The emperor gave Yang Yuansi, daughter of the Prince of Dongping’s grandson, as Princess of Yongle to be Shihuo’s wife. The next year Shihuo died and was posthumously honored Special Advancement. The emperor sent envoys to mourn and sacrifice. His younger brother Suogu, a gentleman of the palace, inherited the title and command. The next year Suogu came to court with the princess, and the feast and gifts were especially generous.
8
有可突於者，爲靜析軍副使，悍勇得衆，娑固欲去之，未決。 可突於反攻娑固，娑固奔營州。 都督許欽澹以州甲五百，合奚君長李大酺兵共攻可突於。 不勝，娑固、大酺皆死。 欽澹懼，徙軍入榆關。 可突於奉娑固從父弟郁于爲君，遣使者謝罪。 有詔即拜郁於松漠郡王，而赦可突於。 郁於來朝，授率更令，以宗室所出女慕容爲燕郡公主妻之。 可突於亦來朝，擢左羽林衛將軍。 郁于死，弟吐于嗣，與可突於有隙，不能定其下，攜公主來奔，封遼陽郡王，留宿衛。 可突于奉盡忠弟邵固統衆，詔許襲王。 天子封禪，邵固與諸蕃長皆從行在。 明年，拜左羽林衛大將軍，徙王廣化郡，以宗室出女陳爲東華公主，妻邵固，詔官其部酋長百餘人，邵固以子入侍。
There was one Ketuyu, deputy of the Jingxi Army, fierce and brave and holding the people’s loyalty. Suogu wished to remove him but had not yet decided. Ketuyu turned back against Suogu, who fled to Yingzhou. The protector Xu Qindan led five hundred men of the prefecture’s armor together with the Xi chieftain Li Dapu’s troops against Ketuyu. They did not prevail. Suogu and Dapu both died. Qindan, in fear, withdrew his army into Yuguan. Ketuyu set Suogu’s paternal cousin Yuyu on the throne and sent envoys to apologize. An edict at once enfeoffed Yuyu Prince of Songmo and pardoned Ketuyu. Yuyu came to court and was appointed Director of the Palace. A woman of the imperial clan named Murong was given as Princess of Yancheng to be his wife. Ketuyu also came to court and was made Left Feathered Forest Guard General. When Yuyu died his younger brother Tuyu succeeded. He and Ketuyu were at odds and could not hold the people below. He brought the princess and came to submit, was enfeoffed Prince of Liaoyang, and remained in palace guard service. Ketuyu installed Jinzhong’s younger brother Shaogu to lead the multitude, and an edict permitted him to inherit the princely title. When the Son of Heaven performed the Feng and Shan rites, Shaogu and the chieftains of the various outer tribes all followed the imperial progress. The next year he was appointed Left Feathered Forest Guard Grand General and transferred to Prince of Guanghua. A woman of the imperial clan named Chen was given as Princess of Donghua to be Shaogu’s wife. An edict enfeoffed more than a hundred of his tribal chiefs, and Shaogu sent his son to serve at court.
9
可突於復來，不爲宰相李元紘所禮，鞅鞅去。 張說曰：「彼獸心者，唯利是向。 且方持國，下所附也，不假以禮，不來矣。」 後三年，可突于殺邵固，立屈烈爲王，脅奚衆共降突厥。 公主走平廬軍。 詔幽州長史、知范陽節度事趙含章擊之。 遣中書舍人裴寬、給事中薛偘大募壯士，拜忠王浚河北道行軍元帥，以御史大夫李朝隱、京兆尹裴伷先副之，帥程伯獻、張文儼、宋之悌、李東蒙、趙萬功、郭英傑等八總管兵擊契丹。 既又以忠王兼河東道諸軍元帥，王不行。 以禮部尚書信安郡王禕持節河北道行軍副元帥，與含章出塞捕虜，大破之。 可突于走，奚衆降，王以二蕃俘級告諸廟。
Ketuyu came again but was not treated with courtesy by Chancellor Li Yuanhong and left discontented. Zhang Yue said: "He has the heart of a beast and looks only to profit. Moreover he now holds a state, and those below attach themselves to him. If you do not treat him with ritual courtesy, he will not come again. Three years later Ketuyu killed Shaogu, installed Qulie as king, and coerced the Xi multitude to submit with him to the Turks. The princess took refuge with the Pinglu Army. An edict ordered Youzhou chief administrator and acting Fanyang frontier commissioner Zhao Hanzhang to attack them. Palace Secretariat drafter Pei Kuan and Secretariat attendant Pei Xun were sent to recruit stalwart men on a large scale. The Loyal Prince Jun was appointed grand marshal of the Hebei route army, with Censor-in-Chief Li Chaoyin and Jingzhao prefect Pei Youxian as deputies. Commanders Cheng Boxian, Zhang Wenyian, Song Zhitui, Li Dongmeng, Zhao Wangong, Guo Yingjie, and others—eight route commanders in all—were to strike the Khitan. The Loyal Prince was also made grand marshal of all armies on the Hedong route, but the prince did not go. Minister of Rites Prince of Xin’an Li Yi was made deputy grand marshal with staff of authority on the Hebei route army. He and Hanzhang went beyond the frontier to capture the enemy and inflicted a great defeat. Ketuyu fled and the Xi multitude surrendered. The prince reported the heads of captives from the two tribes to the ancestral temples.
10
明年，可突于盜邊，幽州長史薛楚玉、副總管郭英傑、吳克勤、烏知義、羅守忠率萬騎及奚擊之，戰都山下。 可突於以突厥兵來，奚懼，持兩端，衆走險； 知義、守忠敗，英傑、克勤死之，殺唐兵萬人。 帝擢張守珪爲幽州長史經略之。 守珪既善將，可突于恐，陽請臣而稍趨西北倚突厥。 其衙官李過折與可突於內不平，守珪使客王悔陰邀之，以兵圍可突於，過折即夜斬可突于、屈烈及支黨數十人，自歸。 守珪使過折統其部，函可突於等首傳東都。 拜過折北平郡王，爲松漠都督。 可突於殘黨擊殺過折，屠其家。 一子剌乾走安東，拜左驍衛將軍。 二十五年，守珪討契丹，再破之，有詔自今戰有功必告廟。
The next year Ketuyu raided the border. Youzhou chief administrator Xue Chuyu and deputy commanders Guo Yingjie, Wu Keqin, Wuzhiyi, and Luo Shouzhong led ten thousand horsemen together with the Xi against him and fought below Dushan. Ketuyu came with Türk troops. The Xi were afraid and wavered between two sides, and the multitude fled into difficult terrain. Zhiyi and Shouzhong were beaten. Yingjie and Keqin were killed, and ten thousand Tang soldiers died. The emperor promoted Zhang Shougui to Youzhou chief administrator to oversee the frontier. Shougui was a skilled commander, and Ketuyu was afraid. He asked to submit in name while gradually leaning northwest to rely on the Turks. His yamen official Li Guozhe was inwardly at odds with Ketuyu. Shougui sent his retainer Wang Hui to win him over in secret. With troops he surrounded Ketuyu, and Guozhe by night cut off the heads of Ketuyu, Qulie, and several tens of their partisans and came to submit. Shougui put Guozhe in charge of the tribe and sent Ketuyu’s head and the others boxed to the eastern capital. Guozhe was enfeoffed Prince of Beiping and made Songmo protector. Ketuyu’s remnant followers killed Guozhe and slaughtered his household. One son, Lagan, fled to Andong and was appointed Left Valiant Cavalry Guard General. In the twenty-fifth year Shougui campaigned against the Khitan and defeated them again. An edict declared that from then on merit in battle must be reported to the temples.
11
天寶四載，契丹大酋李懷秀降，拜松漠都督，封崇順王，以宗室出女獨孤爲靜樂公主妻之。 是歲，殺公主叛去，范陽節度使安祿山討破之。 更封其酋楷落爲恭仁王，代松漠都督。 祿山方幸，表討契丹以向帝意。 發幽州、雲中、平廬、河東兵十余萬，以奚爲鄉導，大戰潢水南。 祿山敗，死者數千。 自是祿山與相侵掠未嘗解，至其反乃已。
In the fourth year of Tianbao the great Khitan chief Li Huaijiu submitted. He was appointed Songmo protector and enfeoffed Prince of Chongshun. A woman of the imperial clan named Dugu was given as Princess of Jingle to be his wife. That year he killed the princess, rebelled, and fled. The Fanyang frontier commissioner An Lushan campaigned against him and defeated him. The chieftain Kailuo was further enfeoffed Prince of Gongren to replace him as Songmo protector. Lushan was then in favor and memorialized a campaign against the Khitan to suit the emperor’s mind. He raised more than one hundred thousand men from Youzhou, Yunzhong, Pinglu, and Hedong, used the Xi as guides, and fought a great battle south of the Huangshui. Lushan was defeated and several thousand men died. From then on Lushan and the Khitan raided each other without respite until his rebellion finally put an end to it.
12
契丹在開元、天寶間，使朝獻者無慮二十。 故事，以范陽節度爲押奚、契丹使，自至德後，籓鎮擅地務自安，鄣戍斥候益謹，不生事于邊； 奚、契丹亦鮮入寇，歲選酋豪數十入長安朝會，每引見，賜與有秩，其下率數百皆駐館幽州。 至德、寶應時再朝獻，大曆中十三，貞元間三，元和中七，大和、開成間凡四。 然天子惡其外附回鶻，不復官爵渠長。 會昌二年，回鶻破，契丹酋屈戍始復內附，拜雲麾將軍、守右武衛將軍。 於是幽州節度使張仲武爲易回鶻所與舊印，賜唐新印，曰「奉國契丹之印」。
During the Kaiyuan and Tianbao reigns the Khitan sent tribute missions to court at least twenty times. By precedent the Fanyang commissioner also oversaw the Xi and Khitan. After the Zhide era the frontier commands held their own ground and sought only local security. Frontier posts and scouts grew stricter, and they stirred up no border trouble; the Xi and Khitan also rarely raided. Each year several dozen chiefs were chosen to attend court in Chang’an. Whenever they were received, gifts were bestowed in due rank, and their followers—several hundred on average—all lodged at Youzhou. They presented tribute twice in the Zhide and Baoying eras, thirteen times in Dali, three in Zhenyuan, seven in Yuanhe, and four in all during Dahe and Kaicheng. Yet the Son of Heaven disliked their leaning on the Uyghurs and ceased to enfeoff or appoint their chieftains. In the second year of Huichang, after the Uyghurs were broken, the Khitan chief Qu Shou submitted again and was appointed Cloud-Banner General and Defender Right Martial Guard General. The Youzhou frontier commissioner Zhang Zhongwu then had the old seal given by the Uyghurs exchanged for a new Tang seal reading “Seal of the Khitan Who Serve the State.”
13
咸通中，其王習爾之再遣使者入朝，部落浸強。 習爾之死，族人欽德嗣。 光啟時，方天下盜興，北疆多故，乃鈔奚、室韋，小小部種皆役服之，因入寇幽、薊。 劉仁恭窮師逾摘星山討之，歲燎塞下草，使不得留牧，馬多死。 契丹乃乞盟，獻良馬求牧地，仁恭許之。 復敗約入寇，劉守光戍平州，契丹以萬騎入，守光偽與和，帳飲具於野，伏發，禽其大將。 群胡慟，願納馬五千以贖，不許。 欽德輸重賂求之，乃與盟，十年不敢近邊。
In the Xiantong era their king Xi’erzhi again sent envoys to court, and the tribe gradually grew stronger. When Xi’erzhi died, his clansman Qinde succeeded him. In the Guangqi era, when bandits rose throughout the realm and the northern frontier was in turmoil, they plundered the Xi and Shiwei, brought even the smallest tribes under their sway, and raided You and Ji. Liu Rengong exhausted his army crossing Zhaxing Mountain against them. Each year he burned the grass below the frontier posts so they could not pasture, and many of their horses died. The Khitan then begged for alliance, presented fine horses, and sought pasture lands, and Rengong granted their request. They broke the pact again and raided. Liu Shouguang garrisoned Pingzhou when the Khitan entered with ten thousand horsemen. Shouguang feigned peace, set out food and drink in the open camp, sprang an ambush, and captured their great general. The tribes were grief-stricken and offered five thousand horses as ransom, but he would not accept. Qinde paid heavy bribes to ransom him. They then made alliance, and for ten years did not dare approach the border.
14
欽德晚節政不競，其八部大人法常三歲代，時耶律阿保機建鼓旗爲一部，不肯代，自號爲王而有國，大賀氏遂亡。
In Qinde’s later years his rule could not hold. The great men of the eight tribes were by law replaced every three years, but Yelü Abaoji raised drums and banners as one tribe, refused to step down, styled himself king and founded a state, and the Dahe clan then perished.
15
奚，亦東胡種，爲匈奴所破，保烏丸山。 漢曹操斬其帥蹋頓，蓋其後也。 元魏時自號庫真奚，居鮮卑故地，直京師東北四千里。 其地東北接契丹，西突厥，南白狼河，北霫。 與突厥同俗，逐水草畜牧，居氈廬，環車爲營。 其君長常以五百人持兵衛牙中，餘部散山谷間，無賦入，以射獵爲貲。 稼多穄，已獲，窖山下。 斷木爲臼，瓦鼎爲飦，雜寒水而食。 喜戰鬥，兵有五部，部一俟斤主之。 其國西抵大洛泊，距回紇牙三千里，多依土護真水。 其馬善登，其羊黑。 盛夏必徙保冷陘山，山直媯州西北。 至隋始去「庫真」，但曰奚。
The Xi were also an Eastern Hu people. Broken by the Xiongnu, they held to Wuyan Mountain. In Han times Cao Cao beheaded their chief Tadun; they were his descendants. Under the Northern Wei they styled themselves Kuzhen Xi and dwelt in the old Xianbei lands, some four thousand li northeast of the capital. Their lands bordered the Khitan on the northeast, the Turks on the west, the Bailang River on the south, and the Mohe on the north. Their customs matched the Turks’. They followed water and grass with their herds, lived in felt yurts, and ringed their carts to make camps. Their chieftain constantly kept five hundred armed men at his headquarters. The rest of the tribes were scattered through mountain valleys, paid no taxes, and lived by the hunt. They mostly planted millet. Once harvested, they stored it in pits in the mountains. They split wood for mortars, cooked gruel in earthen pots, and mixed in cold water to eat. They delighted in fighting. Their forces had five divisions, each ruled by an irkin. Their state reached west to Great Luobo Marsh, three thousand li from the Uyghur headquarters, and for the most part lived along the Tuhu River. Their horses were sure-footed climbers and their sheep black. In high summer they always withdrew to Lengxing Mountain, northwest of Guizhou. In Sui times they dropped “Kuzhen” and were called simply Xi.
16
武德中，高開道借其兵再寇幽州，長史王詵擊破之。 太宗貞觀三年始來朝，閱十七歲，凡四朝貢。 帝伐高麗，大酋蘇支從戰有功。 不數年，其長可度者內附，帝爲置饒樂都督府，拜可度者使持節六州諸軍事、饒樂都督，封樓煩縣公，賜李氏。 以阿會部爲弱水州，處和部爲祁黎州，奧失部爲洛瑰州，度稽部爲太魯州，元俟折部爲渴野州，各以酋領辱紇主爲刺史，隸饒樂府。 復置東夷都護府于營州，兼統松漠、饒樂地，置東夷校尉。
In the Wude era Gao Kaidao twice borrowed their troops to raid Youzhou and was beaten by Chief Administrator Wang Shen. In the third year of Zhenguan they first came to court. Over the next seventeen years they presented tribute four times. When the emperor campaigned against Goguryeo, the great chief Suzhi followed the army and won merit. Within a few years their chief Keduzhe submitted. The emperor established the Raole Protectorate, made Keduzhe commissioner with staff of authority over six prefectures’ military affairs and Raole protector, enfeoffed him Duke of Loufan, and granted the surname Li. The Ahui tribe became Ruoshui Prefecture, the Chuhe Qili, the Aoshi Luogui, the Duji Tailu, and the Yuanhouzhe Keye—each with its tribal chief Ruhuo Zhuzhu as prefect, all under Raole. The Eastern Yi Protectorate was restored at Yingzhou to oversee Songmo and Raole together, with an Eastern Yi adjutant appointed.
17
顯慶間可度者死，奚遂叛。 五年，以定襄都督阿史德樞賓、左武候將軍延陀梯真、居延州都督李含珠爲冷陘道行軍總管。 明年，詔尚書右丞崔餘慶持節總護定襄等三都督討之，奚懼乞降，斬其王匹帝。 萬歲通天中，契丹反，奚亦叛，與突厥相表裏，號「兩蕃」。 延和元年，以左羽林衛大將軍幽州都督孫佺、左驍衛將軍李楷洛、左威衛將軍周以悌帥兵十二萬，爲三軍，襲擊其部。 次冷陘，前軍楷洛與奚酋李大酺戰不利。 佺懼，斂軍，詐大酺曰：「我奉詔來慰撫若等，而楷洛違節度輒戰，非天子意，方戮以徇。」 大酺曰：「誠慰撫我，有所賜乎？」 佺出軍中繒帛、袍帶與之。 大酺謝，請佺還師，舉軍得脫，爭先無部伍，大酺兵躡之，遂大敗，殺傷數萬。 佺、以悌皆爲虜禽，送默啜害之。 朝廷方多故，不暇討。
In the Xianqing era Keduzhe died, and the Xi rebelled. In the fifth year Ashide Shubin, Dingxiang protector, Yan Tizhen, Left Martial Guard general, and Li Hanzhu, Juyan protector, were made commanders of the Lengxing route army. The next year Vice Director of the Secretariat Cui Yuqing was ordered to oversee the three Dingxiang protectors in punishing them. The Xi were afraid and begged to surrender, beheading their king Pidi. In the Wansui Tongtian era the Khitan rebelled and the Xi rebelled with them, acting in concert with the Turks and styled the “Two Tribes.” In the first year of Yanhe the Left Feathered Forest Guard Grand General and Youzhou Protector Sun Quan, Left Valiant Cavalry Guard General Li Kailuo, and Left Martial Guard General Zhou Yiti led one hundred twenty thousand men in three armies against their tribes. They halted at Lengxing. The vanguard Kailuo fought the Xi chief Li Dapu and fared poorly. Quan was afraid and drew in his army. He falsely told Dapu: “I came by edict to comfort you, yet Kailuo disobeyed the command and fought—this is not the Son of Heaven’s intent. I am about to execute him as a warning. Dapu said: “If you truly mean to comfort us, will you grant us something?” Quan brought out silks, robes, and belts from the army stores and gave them to him. Dapu thanked him and asked Quan to withdraw. The whole force escaped, scrambling ahead without formation. Dapu’s troops pursued and routed them, killing and wounding tens of thousands. Quan and Yiti were both taken captive and sent to Mojie, who put them to death. The court was then overwhelmed with troubles and had no leisure to punish them.
18
玄宗開元二年，使奧蘇悔落丐降，封饒樂郡王，左金吾衛大將軍、饒樂都督。 詔宗室出女辛爲固安公主，妻大酺。 明年，身入朝成昏。 始復營州都督府，遣右領軍將軍李濟持節護送。 大酺後與契丹可突於鬥，死。 弟魯蘇領其部，襲王。 詔兼保塞軍經略大使。 牙官塞默羯謀叛，公主置酒誘殺之，帝嘉其功，賜主累萬。 會與其母相告訐得罪，更以盛安公主女韋爲東光公主妻之。 後三年，封魯蘇奉誠郡王，右羽林衛將軍，擢其首領無慮二百人，皆位郎將。
In the second year of Kaiyuan, Aosuhuila came to beg surrender and was enfeoffed Prince of Raole, Left Golden Guard Grand General, and Raole protector. An edict gave a woman of the imperial clan named Xin as Princess of Guo’an to be Dapu’s wife. The following year he came in person to court to complete the marriage. The Yingzhou Protectorate was restored, and Right Leading Guard General Li Ji was sent with staff of authority to escort him. Later Dapu fought the Khitan Ketuyu and died. His younger brother Lusu took over the tribe and inherited the princely title. An edict also made him frontier commissioner of the Baosai Army. His yamen official Sai Mojie plotted rebellion. The princess set out wine and lured him to his death. The emperor praised her merit and bestowed tens of thousands in gifts on the princess. When she and her mother mutually accused each other they were found guilty. Another woman of the imperial clan—the Princess of Sheng’an’s daughter Wei—was given as Princess of Dongguang to be his wife. Three years later Lusu was enfeoffed Prince of Fengcheng and Right Feathered Forest Guard General, and more than two hundred of his chiefs were promoted—all to gentlemen of the palace guard.
19
久之，契丹可突於反，脅奚衆並附突厥。 魯蘇不能制，奔榆關，公主奔平廬。 幽州長史趙含章發清夷軍討破之，衆稍自歸。 明年，信安王禕降其酋李詩鎖高等部落五千帳，以其地爲歸義州，因以王詩，拜左羽林軍大將軍、本州都督，賜帛十萬，置其部幽州之偏。
Before long the Khitan Ketuyu rebelled and coerced the Xi multitude to submit with him to the Turks. Lusu could not control them and fled to Yuguan. The princess fled to the Pinglu Army. Youzhou chief administrator Zhao Hanzhang mobilized the Qingyi Army, struck them, and defeated them. The people gradually returned on their own. The next year Prince of Xin’an Li Yi received the surrender of the chiefs Li Shisuo and Gao and five thousand tents of their tribes. Their lands were made Guiyi Prefecture. Shisuo was enfeoffed, appointed Left Feathered Forest Army Grand General and prefect, granted one hundred thousand bolts of silk, and his tribe was settled on the outskirts of Youzhou.
20
李詩死，子延寵嗣，與契丹又叛，爲幽州張守珪所困。 延寵降，復拜饒樂都督、懷信王，以宗室出女楊爲宜芳公主妻之。 延寵殺公主復叛，詔立它酋婆固爲昭信王、饒樂都督，以定其部。 安祿山節度范陽，詭邊功，數與鏖鬥，飾俘以獻，誅其君李日越，料所俘驍壯戍雲南。 終帝世，凡八朝獻，至德、大曆間十二。
When Shisuo died his son Yanchong succeeded. He rebelled again with the Khitan and was hemmed in by Zhang Shougui of Youzhou. Yanchong surrendered and was again made Raole protector and Prince of Huaixin. A woman of the imperial clan named Yang was given as Princess of Yifang to be his wife. Yanchong killed the princess and rebelled again. An edict installed another chief Pogu as Prince of Zhaoxin and Raole protector to settle the tribe. An Lushan held Fanyang, fabricated frontier merit, and repeatedly clashed with them. He dressed captives for presentation, executed their chief Li Riyue, and sent the captured stalwarts to garrison Yunnan. Through the whole of the emperor’s reign they presented tribute eight times; in the Zhide and Dali eras, twelve.
21
是後契丹方強，奚不敢亢，而舉部役屬。 虜政苛，奚怨之，其酋去諸引別部內附，保媯州北山，遂爲東、西奚。
After that the Khitan grew strong and the Xi did not dare contend but had their whole tribe made to serve them. Barbarian rule was harsh and the Xi resented it. Their chief Quzhu led a separate tribe to submit, holding the mountains north of Guizhou, and thus there came Eastern and Western Xi.
22
室韋，契丹別種，東胡之北邊，蓋丁零苗裔也。 地據黃龍北，傍峱越河，直京師東北七千里，東黑水靺鞨，西突厥，南契丹，北瀕海。 其國無君長，惟大酋，皆號「莫賀咄」，攝筦其部而附於突厥。 小或千戶，大數千戶，濱散川穀，逐水草而處，不稅斂。 每弋獵即相嘯聚，事畢去，不相臣制，故雖猛悍喜戰，而卒不能爲強國。 剡木爲犁，人挽以耕，田獲甚褊。 其氣候多寒，夏霧雨，冬霜霰。 其俗，富人以五色珠垂領，婚嫁則男先傭女家三歲，而後分以產，與婦共載，鼓舞而還。 夫死，不再嫁。 每部共構大棚，死者置屍其上，喪期三年。 土少金鐵，率資於高麗。 器有角弓、楛矢，人尤善射。 每溽夏，西保貣勃、次對二山。 山多草木鳥獸，然苦飛蚊，則巢居以避。 酋帥死，以子弟繼，無則推豪桀立之。 率乘牛車，蘧蒢爲室，度水則束薪爲桴，或以皮爲舟。 馬皆草韉、繩羈靮。 所居或皮蒙室，或屈木以蘧蒢覆，徙則載而行。 其畜無羊少馬，有牛不用，有巨豕食之，韋其皮爲服若席。 其語言，靺鞨也。
The Shiwei were a separate branch of the Khitan on the northern borderland of the Eastern Hu—in origin probably descendants of the Dingling. Their lands lay north of Huanglong beside the Naoyue River, some seven thousand li northeast of the capital, bordering the Heishui Mohe on the east, the Turks on the west, the Khitan on the south, and the sea on the north. Their state had no single ruler, only great chiefs all styled “Mohuduo,” who governed their tribes and submitted to the Turks. Small groups might have a thousand households, large ones several thousand. They were scattered along streams and valleys, following water and grass, with no taxation. Whenever they hunted they gathered with a shout and dispersed when done, subject to no one. Thus though fierce and fond of war, they could never become a strong state. They carved wood for plows and men pulled them to till. The harvest was very meager. Their climate was mostly cold—fog and rain in summer, frost and hail in winter. By custom the rich hung colored beads at the collar. For marriage the man first served the woman’s family three years; then they divided property and rode back together with drumming and dancing. If her husband died, she did not marry again. Each tribe jointly built a great lodge and placed the corpse atop it. The mourning period was three years. Their land had little gold or iron, and they mostly obtained it from Goguryeo. Their weapons included horn bows and wooden arrows, and the people were especially skilled at shooting. Every sultry summer they withdrew west to hold the two mountains Zhibo and Cidui. The mountains had much grass, trees, birds, and beasts, but flying mosquitoes tormented them, so they nested in trees to escape. When a chieftain died a younger kinsman succeeded; if none, a powerful man was pushed forward to rule. They mostly rode ox carts and used rushes for dwellings. To cross water they bound firewood into rafts or sometimes made boats of hide. Their horses all had grass saddles and rope bridles and reins. Where they dwelt was sometimes skin-covered lodges, sometimes bent wood covered with rushes. When they moved they loaded everything and went. They had no sheep and few horses, had cattle but did not use them, kept huge swine for food, and tanned their hides for clothing or mats. They spoke the language of the Mohe.
23
分部凡二十餘：曰嶺西部、山北部、黃頭部，強部也； 大如者部、小如者部、婆萵部、訥北部、駱丹部，悉處柳城東北，近者三千，遠六千里而贏； 最西有烏素固部，與回紇接，當俱倫泊之西南； 自泊而東有移塞沒部； 稍東有塞曷支部，最強部也，居啜河之陰，亦曰燕支河； 益東有和解部、烏羅護部、那禮部、嶺西部； 直北曰訥比支部，北有大山，山外曰大室韋，瀕於室建河，河出俱倫，迆而東； 河南有蒙瓦部，其北落坦部； 水東合那河、忽汗河，又東貫黑水靺鞨，故靺鞨跨水有南北部，而東注於海。 峱越河東南亦與那河合，其北有東室韋，蓋烏丸東南鄙餘人也。
Their divisions numbered more than twenty. The Lingxi tribe, the Shanbei tribe, and the Huangtou tribe were the strong ones; the Daruzhe, Xiaoruzhe, Powo, Nebei, and Luodan tribes—all dwelt northeast of Liucheng, the near at three thousand li, the far more than six thousand; farthest west was the Wusugu tribe, adjoining the Uyghurs on the southwest of Julun Marsh; East of the marsh lay the Yisaimo tribe; farther east was the Saihe tribe, the strongest, dwelling on the north bank of the Chuo River, also called the Yanzhi River; still farther east were the Hejie, Wuluohu, Nali, and Lingxi tribes; due north was the Nebi tribe. North was a great mountain, and beyond it Great Shiwei, bordering the Shijian River, which issued from Julun and wound east; South of the river were the Mengwa and Beiluo Tan tribes; east of the water the Na River and Hohan River joined, and farther east pierced the Heishui Mohe. Thus the Mohe straddled the water with north and south divisions and flowed east into the sea. Southeast of the Naoyue River it also joined the Na River. To its north was Eastern Shiwei, probably the remnant people of Wuyan’s southeastern borderland.
24
貞觀五年，始來貢豐貂，後再入朝。 長壽二年叛，將軍李多祚擊定之。 景龍初，復朝獻，請助討突厥。 開元、天寶間，凡十朝獻，大曆中十一。 貞元四年，與奚共寇振武，節度使唐朝臣方郊勞天子使者，驚而走軍，室韋執詔使，大殺掠而去。 明年，使者來謝。 大和中三朝獻。 大中中一來。 咸通時，大酋怛烈與奚皆遣使至京師，然非顯夷後，史官失傳。
In the fifth year of Zhenguan they first presented rich sable as tribute; later they came to court again. In the second year of Changshou they rebelled, and General Li Duozuo struck and settled them. At the beginning of Jinglong they again presented tribute and asked to help punish the Turks. Between Kaiyuan and Tianbao they presented tribute ten times in all; in the Dali era, eleven. In the fourth year of Zhenyuan they raided Zhenwu together with the Xi. Frontier Commissioner Tang Chaochen was receiving the Son of Heaven’s envoy in the suburbs when startled he fled with his army. The Shiwei seized the edict-bearer and departed after great slaughter and plunder. The next year their envoys came to apologize. During the Dahe era they presented tribute on three occasions. In the Dazhong era they came once. In the Xiantong era the great chief Dilie and the Xi all sent envoys to the capital, but they were not descendants of illustrious barbarians, and the historiographers lost the record.
25
黑水靺鞨居肅慎地，亦曰挹婁，元魏時曰勿吉。 直京師東北六千里，東瀕海，西屬突厥，南高麗，北室韋。 離爲數十部，酋各自治。 其著者曰粟末部，居最南，抵太白山，亦曰徒太山，與高麗接，依粟末水以居，水源於山西，北注它漏河； 稍東北曰汨咄部； 又次曰安居骨部； 益東曰拂涅部； 居骨之西北曰黑水部； 粟末之東曰白山部。 部間遠者三四百里，近二百里。
The Heishui Mohe dwelt in the Sushhen lands, also called Yilou; in the Northern Wei era they were called Wuji. Their lands lay some six thousand li northeast of the capital, bordering the sea on the east, subject to the Turks on the west, Goguryeo on the south, and the Shiwei on the north. They were divided into several dozen tribes, each chief governing on his own. The prominent tribe was the Sumo, dwelling farthest south at Great White Mountain, also called Taitai Mountain, adjoining Goguryeo and living by the Sumo River. The river issued from the west of the mountain and flowed north into the Talou River; somewhat to the northeast was the Mizhu tribe; Next came the Anjugu tribe; Farther east lay the Funie tribe; Northwest of Jugu lay the Heishui tribe; East of Sumo lay the Baishan tribe. Between tribes the distant were three or four hundred li apart, the near two hundred.
26
白山本臣高麗，王師取平壤，其衆多入唐，汨咄、安居骨等皆奔散，浸微無聞焉，遺人迸入渤海。 唯黑水完強，分十六落，以南北稱，蓋其居最北方者也。 人勁健，善步戰，常能患它部。 俗編發，綴野豕牙，插雉尾爲冠飾，自別于諸部。 性忍悍，善射獵，無憂戚，貴壯賤老。 居無室廬，負山水坎地，梁木其上，覆以土，如丘塚然。 夏出隨水草，冬入處。 以溺盥面，于夷狄最濁穢。 死者埋之，無棺槨，殺所乘馬以祭。 其酋曰大莫拂瞞咄，世相承爲長。 無書契。 其矢石鏃，長二寸，蓋楛砮遺法。 畜多豕，無牛羊。 有車馬，田耦以耕，車則步推。 有粟麥。 土多貂鼠、白兔、白鷹。 有鹽泉，氣蒸薄，鹽凝樹顛。
Baishan had originally submitted to Goguryeo. When the imperial army took Pyongyang most of its people entered Tang. Mizhu, Anjugu, and the rest all fled and scattered, gradually fading from record, and the remnant people rushed into Bohai. Only Heishui remained whole and strong, divided into sixteen settlements called north and south—they dwelt in the northernmost region. The people were hardy and skilled at infantry fighting and could often harry the other tribes. By custom they braided their hair, strung wild boar tusks, and wore pheasant tails in their crowns to set themselves apart from other tribes. Their nature was enduring and fierce. They were skilled at shooting and hunting, without grief or worry, valuing the strong and despising the old. They built no fixed houses but leaned their dwellings on hollow ground beside mountain streams, set beams above, and covered them with earth like burial mounds. In summer they followed water and grass; in winter they returned indoors. They washed their faces with urine—regarded as the filthiest custom among the northern tribes. They buried the dead without coffins and killed the horse the deceased had ridden as an offering. Their chief was called Damofumoduo, passed down generation after generation as leader. They had no writing or tallies. Their arrowheads were stone, two inches long—probably a survival of the wooden-arrow tradition. They kept mostly pigs and had neither cattle nor sheep. They had carts and horses, tilled fields in pairs, and pushed their carts on foot. They had millet and wheat. The land abounded in sable, rats, white hares, and white hawks. Salt springs steamed thinly there, and salt congealed on the treetops.
27
武德五年，渠長阿固郎始來。 太宗貞觀二年，乃臣附，所獻有常，以其地爲燕州。 帝伐高麗，其北部反，與高麗合。 高惠真等率衆援安市，每戰，靺鞨常居前。 帝破安市，執惠真，收靺鞨兵三千餘，悉坑之。
In the fifth year of Wude the chieftain Agulang came for the first time. In the second year of Zhenguan under Taizong they submitted, sent regular tribute, and their lands were made Yanzhou. When the emperor campaigned against Goguryeo their northern tribes rebelled and joined with Goguryeo. Gao Huizhen and others led troops to relieve Anshi, and in every battle the Mohe fought in the van. When the emperor broke Anshi he captured Huizhen and took more than three thousand Mohe soldiers, all buried alive.
28
開元十年，其酋倪屬利稽來朝，玄宗即拜勃利州刺史。 於是安東都護薛泰請置黑水府，以部長爲都督、刺史，朝廷爲置長史監之，賜府都督姓李氏，名曰獻誠，以雲麾將軍領黑水經略使，隸幽州都督。 訖帝世，朝獻者十五。 大曆世凡七，貞元一來，元和中再。
In the tenth year of Kaiyuan their chief Ni Shuliji came to court, and Xuanzong immediately appointed him prefect of Boli. Then Andong Protector Xue Tai requested establishment of the Heishui Prefecture, with tribal chiefs as protectors and prefects. The court set chief administrators to oversee them, granted the prefecture protector the surname Li and the name Xian Cheng, made him Cloud-Banner General and frontier commissioner of Heishui, subordinate to the Youzhou protector. Through the whole of the emperor’s reign they presented tribute fifteen times. Seven visits in the Dali era, one in Zhenyuan, and two in Yuanhe.
29
初，黑水西北又有思慕部，益北行十日得郡利部，東北行十日得窟說部，亦號屈設，稍東南行十日得莫曳皆部，又有拂涅、虞婁、越喜、鐵利等部。 其地南距渤海，北、東際於海，西抵室韋，南北袤二千里，東西千里。 拂涅、鐵利、虞婁、越喜時時通中國，而郡利，屈設、莫曳皆不能自通。 今存其朝京師者附左方。
At first northwest of Heishui was also the Simu tribe. Going north ten days more one reached the Junli tribe; going northeast ten days the Kushe tribe, also called Qushe; going somewhat southeast ten days the Moyijie tribe. There were also the Funie, Yulou, Yuexi, Tieli, and other tribes. Their lands bordered Bohai on the south, met the sea on the north and east, reached the Shiwei on the west—two thousand li north to south and one thousand li east to west. Funie, Tieli, Yulou, and Yuexi reached China from time to time, while Junli, Qushe, and Moyijie could not do so on their own. Those of their envoys still recorded who came to the capital are appended in the left section.
30
拂涅，亦稱大拂涅，開元、天寶間八來，獻鯨睛、貂鼠、白兔皮； 鐵利，開元中六來； 越喜，七來，貞元中一來； 虞婁，貞觀間再來，貞元一來。 後渤海盛，靺鞨皆役屬之，不復與王會矣。
Funie, also called Great Funie, came eight times between Kaiyuan and Tianbao, presenting whale eyes, sable pelts, and white hare skins; Tieli came six times in Kaiyuan; Yuexi came seven times, including once in Zhenyuan; Yulou came twice in Zhenguan and once in Zhenyuan. Later, when Bohai grew strong, all the Mohe were forced to serve them and no longer attended the Son of Heaven’s court.
31
渤海，本粟末靺鞨附高麗者，姓大氏。 高麗滅，率衆保挹婁之東牟山，地直營州東二千里，南比新羅，以泥河爲境，東窮海，西契丹。 築城郭以居，高麗逋殘稍歸之。
Bohai were originally Sumo Mohe who had submitted to Goguryeo, of the Da clan. When Goguryeo perished they led the multitude to hold the eastern slopes of Mount Mou of Yilou, their lands some two thousand li east of Yingzhou, bordering Silla on the south with the Ni River as boundary, east to the end of the sea, west the Khitan. They built walls and lodges to dwell, and Goguryeo fugitive remnants gradually returned to them.
32
萬歲通天中，契丹盡忠殺營州都督趙翽反，有舍利乞乞仲象者，與靺鞨酋乞四比羽及高麗餘種東走，度遼水，保太白山之東北，阻奧婁河，樹壁自固。 武后封乞四比羽爲許國公，乞乞仲象爲震國公，赦其罪。 比羽不受命，后詔玉鈐衛大將軍李楷固、中郎將索仇擊斬之。 是時仲象已死，其子祚榮引殘痍遁去，楷固窮躡，度天門嶺。 祚榮因高麗、靺鞨兵拒楷固，楷固敗還。 於是契丹附突厥，王師道絕，不克討。 祚榮即並比羽之衆，恃荒遠，乃建國，自號震國王，遣使交突厥，地方五千里，戶十余萬，勝兵數萬。 頗知書契，盡得扶餘、沃沮、弁韓、朝鮮海北諸國。 中宗時，使侍御史張行岌招慰，祚榮遣子入侍。 睿宗先天中，遣使拜祚榮爲左驍衛大將軍、渤海郡王，以所統爲忽汗州，領忽汗州都督。 自是始去靺鞨號，專稱渤海。
In the Wansui Tongtian era Jinzhong of the Khitan killed Youzhou Protector Zhao Wenshu and rebelled. There was one Qiqizhongxiang of the relics who, with the Mohe chief Qisi Biyu and Goguryeo remnants, fled east, crossed the Liao River, and held the northeast of Great White Mountain, blocking the Aolou River and building ramparts to secure themselves. Empress Wu enfeoffed Qisi Biyu as Duke of Xu and Qiqizhongxiang as Duke of Zhen and pardoned their crimes. Biyu did not accept the command. The empress ordered Jade-Clasp Guard Grand General Li Kailuo and Gentleman of the Palace Suo Chou to strike and behead him. At that time Zhongxiang was already dead. His son Zuorong led the wounded in flight and Kailuo pursued to the end, crossing Tianmen Ridge. Zuorong used Goguryeo and Mohe troops to hold off Kailuo, who was beaten and withdrew. The Khitan then submitted to the Turks, imperial routes were cut, and the court could not punish them. Zuorong then merged Biyu’s multitude. Relying on the remote wilds he established a state, styled himself King of Zhen, sent envoys to treat with the Turks. His territory was five thousand li, households more than one hundred thousand, seasoned troops several tens of thousands. He was well versed in writing and tallies and wholly absorbed Fuyu, Woju, Byeonhan, and all the states north of the Korean seas. In the Zhongzong era Attendant Censor Zhang Xingji was sent to summon and comfort them, and Zuorong sent his son to serve at court. In the Xiantian era of Ruizong envoys were sent to appoint Zuorong Left Valiant Cavalry Guard Grand General and Prince of Bohai, his domain made Hohan Prefecture, and he was made protector of Hohan Prefecture. From then on they dropped the Mohe name and called themselves only Bohai.
33
玄宗開元七年，祚榮死，其國私諡爲高王。 子武藝立，斥大土宇，東北諸夷畏臣之，私改年曰仁安。 帝賜典冊襲王並所領。 未幾，墨水靺鞨使者入朝，帝以其地建黑水州，置長史臨總。 武藝召其下謀曰：「黑水始假道于我與唐通，異時請吐屯於突厥，皆先告我，今請唐官不吾告，是必與唐腹背攻我也。」 乃遣弟門藝及舅任雅相發兵擊黑水。 門藝嘗質京師，知利害，謂武藝曰：「黑水請吏而我擊之，是背唐也。 唐，大國，兵萬倍我，與之產怨，我且亡。 昔高麗盛時，士三十萬，抗唐爲敵，可謂雄強，唐兵一臨，掃地盡矣。 今我衆比高麗三之一，王將違之，不可。」 武藝不從。 兵至境，又以書固諫。 武藝怒，遣從兄壹夏代將，召門藝，將殺之。 門藝懼，儳路自歸，詔拜左驍衛將軍。 武藝使使暴門藝罪惡，請誅之。 有詔處之安西，好報曰：「門藝窮來歸我，誼不可殺，已投之惡地。」 並留使者不遣，別詔鴻臚少卿李道邃、源復諭旨。 武藝知之，上書斥言：「陛下不當以妄示天下」，意必殺門藝。 帝怒道邃、復漏言國事，皆左除，而陽斥門藝以報。
In the seventh year of Kaiyuan under Xuanzong Zuorong died, and his state privately posthumously styled him King Gao. His son Wuyi succeeded, expanded the great territory, and the northeastern tribes all feared and submitted. He privately changed the era name to Ren’an. The emperor bestowed the canonical patent to inherit the princely title and what he led. Before long envoys of the Ink Mohe came to court and the emperor made their lands Heishui Prefecture and set a chief administrator to oversee them in total. Wuyi summoned his counselors and said: “Heishui first borrowed our road to reach Tang. Whenever they asked the Türk qaghan for tutun they always informed us first. Now they seek Tang offices without telling us—they must mean to strike us from front and rear together with Tang. He then sent his younger brother Menyi and his maternal uncle Ren Yaxiang to raise troops against Heishui. Menyi had once been a hostage in the capital and knew advantage and harm. He told Wuyi: “Heishui asked for officials and we attack them—this is turning our back on Tang. Tang is a great power; its armies outnumber ours ten thousandfold. If we earn its enmity, we are finished. When Goguryeo was at its height it fielded three hundred thousand men and stood against Tang as an equal—truly formidable. Yet when Tang armies came once, they were swept away entirely. Our forces today are only a third of Goguryeo’s. If Your Majesty goes against this counsel, it cannot be done. Wuyi refused to listen. When the army reached the border he wrote again in earnest protest. Wuyi flew into a rage, sent his cousin Yixia to replace the commander, summoned Menyi, and intended to kill him. Menyi was afraid, took a bypath and came to submit. An edict appointed him Left Valiant Cavalry Guard General. Wuyi sent envoys denouncing Menyi’s crimes and asking that he be executed. There was an edict placing him in Anxi. A favorable reply said: “Menyi came in extremity to submit to us; by right he cannot be killed and has been cast into an evil land. The envoys were also detained and not sent back. A separate edict made Vice Director of the Court for Diplomatic Relations Li Daosui and Yuan Fu deliver the imperial intent. Learning of this, Wuyi memorialized in rebuke: “Your Majesty ought not deceive the realm”—he clearly meant to have Menyi killed. The emperor was angry that Daosui and Fu leaked state affairs. Both were demoted to the left while openly rebuking Menyi in reply.
34
後十年，武藝遣大將張文休率海賊攻登州，帝馳遣門藝發幽州兵擊之。 使太僕卿金思蘭使新羅，督兵攻其南。 會大寒，雪袤丈，士凍死過半，無功而還。 武藝望其弟不已，募客入東都狙刺於道。 門藝格之，得不死。 河南捕刺客，悉殺之。
Ten years later Wuyi sent the great general Zhang Wenxiu leading sea raiders to attack Dengzhou. The emperor urgently sent Menyi to mobilize Youzhou troops to strike them. He sent Minister of the Stud Jin Silan to Silla to oversee an attack on their southern flank. Bitter cold set in; snow lay a zhang deep; more than half the troops froze to death, and the campaign returned without success. Wuyi could not stop longing for his brother and hired agents to ambush him on the road into the eastern capital. Menyi parried the blow and survived. Henan arrested the assassins and executed them all.
35
武藝死，其國私諡武王。 子欽茂立，改年大興，有詔嗣王及所領，欽茂因是赦境內。 天寶末，欽茂徙上京，直舊國三百里忽汗河之東。 訖帝世，朝獻者二十九。 寶應元年，詔以渤海爲國，欽茂王之，進檢校太尉。 大曆中，二十五來，以日本舞女十一獻諸朝。 貞元時，東南徙東京。 欽茂死，私諡文王。 子宏臨早死，族弟元義立一歲，猜虐，國人殺之。 推宏臨子華璵爲王，復還上京，改年中興。 死，諡曰成王。
When Wuyi died his state privately posthumously styled him King Wu. His son Qinmao succeeded, changed the era name to Daxing, and there was an edict that he inherit the princely title and what he led. Qinmao therefore amnestied within the borders. At the end of Tianbao Qinmao moved the upper capital, some three hundred li from the old state east of the Hohan River. Through the whole of the emperor’s reign they presented tribute twenty-nine times. In the first year of Baoying an edict made Bohai a kingdom; Qinmao was crowned its king and promoted Inspector-in-Chief Grand Marshal. In the Dali era they came twenty-five times, once presenting eleven Japanese dancing girls to the court. In the Zhenyuan era they moved southeast to the eastern capital. When Qinmao died he was privately posthumously styled King Wen. His son Honglin died early. Clansman Yuan Yi reigned one year, proved suspicious and cruel, and the people killed him. They set Honglin’s son Hua Yu on the throne, returned to the upper capital, and changed the era name to Zhongxing. At his death he received the posthumous title King Cheng.
36
欽茂少子嵩鄰立，改年正曆，有詔授右驍衛大將軍，嗣王。 建中、貞元間凡四來。 死，諡康王。 子元瑜立，改年永德。 死，諡定王。 弟言義立，改年硃雀，並襲王如故事。 死，諡僖王。 弟明忠立，改年太始，立一歲死，諡簡王。 從父仁秀立，改年建興，其四世祖野勃，祚榮弟也。 仁秀頗能討伐海北諸部，開大境宇，有功，詔檢校司空、襲王。 元和中，凡十六朝獻，長慶四，寶曆凡再。 大和四年，仁秀死，諡宣王。 子新德蚤死，孫彝震立，改年鹹和。 明年，詔襲爵。 終文宗世來朝十二，會昌凡四。 彝震死，弟虔晃立。 死，玄錫立。 咸通時，三朝獻。
Qinmao’s youngest son Songlin succeeded, changed the era name to Zhengli, and an edict appointed him Right Valiant Cavalry Guard Grand General and successor to the princely title. Between Jianzhong and Zhenyuan they came four times in all. At his death he was posthumously styled King Kang. His son Yuanyu succeeded and changed the era name to Yongde. At his death he was posthumously styled King Ding. His younger brother Yanyi succeeded, changed the era name to Zhuque, and inherited the princely title as before. At his death he was posthumously styled King Xi. His younger brother Mingzhong succeeded, changed the era name to Taishi, reigned one year and died, and was posthumously styled King Jian. His cousin on the father’s side Renxiu succeeded and changed the era name to Jianxing. His fourth-generation ancestor Yebo was Zuorong’s younger brother. Renxiu was quite able in campaigning against the tribes north of the sea, opened a great territory, and won merit. An edict made him Acting Minister of Works and successor to the princely title. In Yuanhe they presented tribute sixteen times; in Changqing four; in Baoli twice. In the fourth year of Dahe Renxiu died and was posthumously styled King Xuan. His son Xinde died early and his grandson Yizhen succeeded, changing the era name to Xianhe. The next year an edict confirmed his succession to the title. Through Wenzong’s entire reign they came to court twelve times; in Huichang four times in all. When Yizhen died his younger brother Qianhuang succeeded. When he died Xuanxi succeeded. In the Xiantong era they presented tribute three times.
37
初，其王數遣諸生詣京師太學，習識古今制度，至是遂爲海東盛國，地有五京、十五府、六十二州。 以肅慎故地爲上京，曰龍泉府，領龍、湖、渤三州。 其南爲中京，曰顯德府，領廬、顯、鐵、湯、榮、興六州。 𧴖貃故地爲東京，曰龍原府，亦曰柵城府，領慶、鹽、穆、賀四州。 沃沮故地爲南京，曰南海府，領沃、睛、椒三州。 高麗故地爲西京，曰鴨淥府，領神、桓、豐、正四州； 曰長嶺府，領瑕、河二州。 扶餘故地爲扶餘府，常屯勁兵扞契丹，領扶、仙二州； 鄚頡府領鄚、高二州。 挹婁故地爲定理府，領定、潘二州； 安邊府領安、瓊二州。 率賓故地爲率賓府，領華、益、建三州。 拂涅故地爲東平府，領伊、蒙、沱、黑、比五州。 鐵利故地爲鐵利府，領廣、汾、蒲、海、義、歸六州。 越喜故地爲懷遠府，領達、越、懷、紀、富、美、福、邪、芝九州； 安遠府領寧、郿、慕、常四州。 又郢、銅、涑三州爲獨奏州。 涑州以其近涑沫江，蓋所謂粟末水也。 龍原東南瀕海，日本道也。 南海，新羅道也。 鴨淥，朝貢道也。 長嶺，營州道也。 扶餘，契丹道也。
At first their kings repeatedly sent students to the Imperial University in the capital to study ancient and modern institutions. By then they had become the flourishing state east of the sea, with five capitals, fifteen prefectures, and sixty-two districts. The old Sushhen lands became the upper capital, called Longquan Prefecture, with Long, Hu, and Bo districts under it. To the south stood the central capital, Xiande Prefecture, governing six districts: Lu, Xian, Tie, Tang, Rong, and Xing. The old Mohe lands became the eastern capital, Longyuan Prefecture—also called Zhaicheng Prefecture—with four districts: Qing, Yan, Mu, and He. The old Woju lands became the southern capital, Nanhai Prefecture, with three districts: Wo, Jing, and Jiao. The old Goguryeo lands became the western capital, Yalu Prefecture, with four districts: Shen, Huan, Feng, and Zheng; and Changling Prefecture, with Xia and He districts. The old Fuyu lands became Fuyu Prefecture, garrisoning crack troops against the Khitan, with Fu and Xian districts; Mojie Prefecture governed Mo and Gao districts. The old Yilou lands became Dingli Prefecture, with Ding and Pan districts; Anbian Prefecture governed An and Qiong districts. The old Shuaibin lands became Shuaibin Prefecture, with Hua, Yi, and Jian districts. The old Funie lands became Dongping Prefecture, with Yi, Meng, Tuo, Hei, and Bi districts. The old Tieli lands became Tieli Prefecture, with Guang, Fen, Pu, Hai, Yi, and Gui districts. The old Yuexi lands became Huaiyuan Prefecture, with nine districts: Da, Yue, Huai, Ji, Fu, Mei, Fu, Xie, and Zhi; Anyuan Prefecture governed Ning, Mei, Mu, and Chang districts. Ying, Tong, and Su districts were reserved for direct memorials to the throne. Su District lay near the Sumo River—probably what was called the Sumo River. Southeast of Longyuan lay the sea—the route to Japan. Nanhai marked the route to Silla. Yalu was the tribute route. Changling was the route to Yingzhou. Fuyu was the route to the Khitan.
38
俗謂王曰「可毒夫」，曰「聖王」，曰「基下」。 其命爲「教」。 王之父曰「老王」，母「太妃」，妻「貴妃」，長子曰「副王」，諸子曰「王子」。 官有宣詔省，左相、左平章事、侍中、左常侍、諫議居之。 中台省，右相、右平章事、內史、詔誥舍人居之。 政堂省，大內相一人，居左右相上； 左、右司政各一，居左右平章事之下，以比僕射； 左、右允比二丞。 左六司，忠、仁、義部各一卿，居司政下，支司爵、倉、膳部，部有郎中、員外； 右六司，智、禮、信部，支司戎、計、水部，卿、郎准左：以比六官。 中正台，大中正一，比御史大夫，居司政下； 少正一。 又有殿中寺、宗屬寺，有大令。 文籍院有監。 令、監皆有少。 太常、司賓、大農寺，寺有卿。 司藏、司膳寺，寺有令、丞。 胄子監有監長。 巷伯局有常侍等官。 其武員有左右猛賁、熊衛、羆衛，南左右衛，北左右衛，各大將軍一、將軍一。 大抵憲象中國制度如此。 以品爲秩，三秩以上服紫，牙笏、金魚。 五秩以上服緋，牙笏、銀魚。 六秩、七秩淺緋衣，八秩綠衣，皆木笏。
By custom they addressed the king as “Kedu Fu,” “Holy King,” and “Beneath the Foundation.” His commands were styled “teachings.” The king’s father was “Old King,” his mother “Great Consort,” his wife “Honored Consort,” his eldest son “Deputy King,” and his other sons “Princes.” Offices included the Proclamation Bureau, housing the Left Chancellor, Left Associate Chancellor, Attendant-in-Chief, Left Regular Attendant, and Remonstrator. The Central Terrace Bureau held the Right Chancellor, Right Associate Chancellor, Grand Secretary, and Edict Drafter. The Governance Hall Bureau had one Grand Inner Chancellor above the Left and Right Chancellors; a Left and a Right Director of Governance, each below the associate chancellors and comparable to vice premiers; and Left and Right Assistants comparable to the two vice directors. The Left Six Bureaus—Loyalty, Benevolence, and Righteousness—each had a director under the Directors of Governance, with sub-bureaus for Enfeoffment, Granary, and Provisions, each with a director and vice director; the Right Six Bureaus—Wisdom, Rites, and Trust—with Military, Accounts, and Water sub-bureaus, their directors matching the left in rank, modeled on the Six Offices. The Central Rectitude Bureau had one Grand Rectifier, comparable to Censor-in-Chief, below the Directors of Governance; one Vice Rectifier. There were also the Palace Bureau and the Clan Relations Bureau, each headed by a Grand Director. The Documents Bureau had a Supervisor. Every director and supervisor had a deputy. The Grand Sacrifices, Guest Relations, and Agriculture Bureaus each had a director. The Treasury and Provisions Bureaus each had a director and vice director. The Crown Prince’s College had a chief supervisor. The Palace Steward Bureau included Regular Attendants and other officers. Their military ranks included Left and Right Fierce Guards, Bear Guards, and Panda Guards, and South and North Left and Right Guards, each with one grand general and one general. In general their institutions mirrored those of China in this fashion. Ranks served as grades: third rank and above wore purple robes, ivory tablets, and gold fish tokens. Fifth rank and above wore scarlet, ivory tablets, and silver fish tokens. Sixth and seventh ranks wore pale scarlet; eighth rank green; all carried wooden tablets.
39
俗所貴者，曰太白山之菟，南海之昆布，柵城之豉，扶餘之鹿，鄚頡之豕，率賓之馬，顯州之布，沃州之綿，龍州之紬，位城之鐵，廬城之稻，湄沱湖之鯽。 果有九都之李，樂遊之梨。 餘俗與高麗、契丹略等。 幽州節度府與相聘問，自營、平距京師蓋八千里而遠。 後朝貢至否，史家失傳，故叛附無考焉。
Their prized products included hares of Great White Mountain, kelp from the southern sea, fermented beans of Zhaicheng, deer of Fuyu, swine of Mojie, horses of Shuaibin, cloth of Xian District, cotton of Wo District, silk of Long District, iron of Weicheng, rice of Lucheng, and crucian carp of Meituo Lake. Among their fruits were plums of Jiudu and pears of Leyou. Their remaining customs were much like those of Goguryeo and the Khitan. The Youzhou frontier command exchanged envoys with them. From Ying and Ping to the capital was probably eight thousand li distant. Later whether they continued tribute is lost in the historians’ record, so their rebellions and submissions cannot be traced.
40
贊曰：唐之德大矣！ 際天所覆，悉臣而屬之； 薄海內外，無不州縣，遂尊天子曰「天可汗」。 三王以來，未有以過之。 至荒區君長，待唐璽纛乃能國； 一爲不賓，隨輒夷縛。 故蠻琛夷寶，踵相逮於廷。 極熾而衰，厥禍內移，天寶之後，區夏痍破，王官之戍，北不逾河，西止秦、邠，淩夷百年，逮于亡，顧不痛哉！ 故曰：治己治人，惟聖人能之。
The commentator says: How vast was Tang’s virtue! All beneath Heaven’s cover submitted and attached themselves to it; within the seas and beyond, none lacked prefectures and districts, and so the Son of Heaven was honored as “Heavenly Qaghan.” Since the Three Dynasties none had surpassed it. Even chieftains of the wild borderlands could rule only after receiving Tang’s seals and banners; once they refused submission, they were swiftly bound and destroyed. Thus barbarian treasures and outer tribute followed one another in endless succession at court. At the height of splendor they declined; the calamity shifted inward. After Tianbao the realm was wounded and broken; the king’s garrisons north of the river advanced no more, west only to Qin and Bin—declining for a hundred years until perishing. How can one not grieve! Therefore it is said: To govern oneself and govern others is a task only the sage can perform.