1
出帝父敬儒，高祖兄也，為唐莊宗騎將，早卒，高祖以其子重貴為子。 高祖六子，五皆早死，而重睿幼，故重貴得立。
The Fleeing Emperor’s father, Jingru, was Gaozu’s elder brother—a horseman under Tang’s Zhuangzong who died young. Gaozu adopted his son Chonggui. Of Gaozu’s six sons five had died in childhood and Chongrui was still an infant, so the throne passed to Chonggui.
2
重貴少而謹厚，善騎射。 高祖使博士王震教以《禮記》，久之，不能通大義，謂震曰：「此非我家事也。」 高祖為契丹所立，謀以一子留守太原。 契丹使盡出諸子自擇之，指重貴曰：「此眼大者可也。」 遂拜金紫光祿大夫，行太原尹、北京留守，知河東節度事。
As a youth Chonggui was steady and modest, and a capable horse-archer. Gaozu set the Erudite Wang Zhen to instruct him in the Book of Rites. Months passed without his mastering the text’s larger sense, and he told Zhen, “Ritual learning is not our house’s trade.” When Gaozu, enthroned with Khitan backing, planned to station a son at Taiyuan, the Khitan envoy had every son presented for his choice. He pointed at Chonggui and said, “The wide-eyed boy will serve.” Chonggui was then made Grand Master with Golden Seal and Purple Ribbon, acting prefect of Taiyuan, regent of the Northern Capital, and commissioner of the Hedong command.
3
天福二年九月，召拜左金吾衛上將軍。 三年冬，為開封尹，封鄭王，加太尉，同中書門下平章事。 六年，高祖幸鄴，留守東京。 已而為廣晉尹，徙封齊王。
In the ninth month of the second Tianfu year he was recalled and named senior general of the Left Golden Guards. That winter he took the Kaifeng metropolitan magistracy, was enfeoffed as Prince of Zheng, and was raised to Grand Commandant and Associate Grand Councilor. In the sixth year, while Gaozu went to Ye, he stayed behind as guardian of the Eastern Capital. He was soon made Guangjin metropolitan magistrate and re-enfeoffed as Prince of Qi.
4
七年六月乙丑，高祖崩，皇帝即位於柩前。 庚午，使左驍衛將軍石德超以御馬二撲祭於相州之西山。 如京使李仁廓使於契丹，契丹使梅李來。 丙子，馮道為大行皇帝山陵使，門下侍郎竇貞固為副，太常卿崔棁為禮儀使，戶部侍郎呂琦為鹵簿使，御史中丞王易簡為儀仗使。 己卯，四方館使朱崇範、右金吾衛大將軍梁言使於契丹。 秋七月壬辰，皇祖母劉氏崩，輟視朝三日。 丁酉，使石德超撲馬於相州之西山。 庚子，大赦。 甲辰，契丹使通事來。 八月戊午，高行周克襄州。 庚申，天平軍節度使景延廣、義成軍節度使李守貞、彰德軍節度使郭謹，進錢粟助作山陵。 甲子，契丹使郎五來。 庚午，葬皇祖母於魏縣。 癸酉，契丹使其客省使張九思來。 九月辛丑，李守貞為大行皇帝山陵都部署。 冬十月己未，契丹使舍利來。 庚午，回鶻遣使者來。 十一月，契丹使大卿來。 庚寅，葬聖文章武孝皇帝於顯陵。 己亥，牛羊使董殷使於契丹。 庚子，祔高祖神主於太廟。 辛丑，蠲高祖靈車所過民租之半。 十二月庚午，北京留守劉知遠進百頭穹廬。 契丹於越使令骨支來。 辛未，又使野裏巳來。 丙子，于闐使都督劉再升來，沙州曹元深、瓜州曹元忠皆遣使附再升以來。 旱，蝗。 八年春正月，契丹於越使烏多奧來。 二月壬子，景延廣為御營使。 己未，如東京，赦廣晉府囚。 庚申，次澶州，赦囚。 乙丑，至自鄴都。 庚午，寒食，望祭顯陵於南莊，焚禦衣、紙錢。 三月己卯朔，趙瑩罷。 晉昌軍節度使桑維翰為侍中。 辛丑，引進使、太府卿孟承誨使於契丹。 蝗。 夏四月庚午，董殷使於契丹。 供奉官張福率威順軍捕蝗於陳州。 五月，泰寧軍節度使安審信捕蝗於中都。 丁亥，追封皇伯敬儒為宋王。 癸卯，馮道罷。 甲辰，以旱、蝗大赦。 六月庚戌，祭蝗於臯門。 癸亥，供奉官七人帥奉國軍捕蝗於京畿。 辛未，括借民粟，殺藏粟者。 秋七月甲午，冊皇太后。 丁酉，射於南莊。 契丹使梅裏等來。 甲辰，供奉官李漢超帥奉國軍捕蝗於京畿。 八月丁未朔，募民捕蝗，易以粟。 辛亥，檢民青苗。 九月戊寅，尊秦國夫人安氏為皇太妃。 丙申，幸大年莊及景延廣第。 冬十月戊申，立馮氏為皇后。 壬子，畋於近郊，幸沙臺。 丙寅，契丹使通事劉胤來。 庚午，括借民粟。 十一月己卯，董殷使於契丹。 甲申，幸八角，閱馬牧。 乙未，契丹使梅裏來。 戊戌，齊州刺史楊承祚奔於青州。 辛丑，高麗使其廣評侍郎金仁逢來。 十二月癸丑，給事中邊光範、登州刺史郭彥威使於契丹。 甲寅，高麗使太相來。 平盧軍節度使楊光遠反，淄州刺史翟進宗死之。
On yichou of the sixth month in the seventh year Gaozu died, and the emperor took the throne before the coffin. On gengwu Shi Dechao of the Left Tiger Guards was dispatched with two imperial horses to offer the dash-horse rite at Xiang prefecture’s Western Hills. Li Renkuo, envoy to the capital, went on embassy to the Khitan; the Khitan envoy Mei Li arrived. On bingzi Feng Dao was appointed director of the late emperor’s tomb works, with Secretariat vice director Dou Zhengu as his deputy; Cui Yuan directed the rites, Lü Qi the procession, and censor-in-chief Wang Yijian the honor guard. On jimao Zhu Chongfan of the Foreign Guests Office and Liang Yan of the Right Golden Guards went on embassy to the Khitan. On renchen of the seventh month the emperor’s grandmother, Lady Liu, died and the court mourned in recess for three days. On dingyou Shi Dechao was again sent to perform the dash-horse rite at Xiang’s Western Hills. On gengzi the throne proclaimed a general amnesty. On jiachen a Khitan interpreter envoy arrived. On wuwu of the eighth month Gao Xingzhou took Xiang prefecture. On gengshen Jing Yanguang of Tianping, Li Shouzhen of Yicheng, and Guo Jin of Zhangde sent money and grain to help build the imperial tomb. On jiazi the Khitan envoy Lang Wu arrived. On gengwu the emperor’s grandmother was interred in Wei county. On guiyou the Khitan dispatched Zhang Jiusi of the Guest Affairs Office. On xinchou Li Shouzhen was named overall director of the tomb works. On jiwei of the tenth month the Khitan envoy Sheli arrived. On gengwu Uyghur envoys came to court. In the eleventh month the Khitan envoy Daqing arrived. On gengyin Gaozu, temple name the Sagely, Literary, Martial, and Filial Emperor, was laid to rest at Xianling. On jihai Dong Yin, commissioner of cattle and sheep, went on embassy to the Khitan. On gengzi Gaozu’s spirit tablet was placed in the Imperial Ancestral Temple. On xinchou communities along the funeral route had half their rent forgiven. On gengwu of the twelfth month Liu Zhiyuan, regent of the Northern Capital, sent a hundred felt domed tents. Lingguzhi, envoy of the Khitan Yüehü, arrived. On xinwei another Khitan envoy, Yelisi, came. On bingzi Liu Zaisheng, commissioner of Khotan, arrived; Cao Yuanshen of Shazhou and Cao Yuanzhong of Guazhou sent envoys in his train. The land suffered drought and locust plagues. In the first month of the eighth year the Khitan Yüehü envoy Wuduoao arrived. On renzi of the second month Jing Yanguang was appointed commissioner of the imperial camp. On jiwei he traveled to the Eastern Capital and freed Guangjin’s prisoners. On gengshen he stopped at Chanzou and proclaimed a prison amnesty. On yichou he returned from Ye. On gengwu, Cold Food Day, he offered a distant memorial sacrifice to Xianling at Nanzhuang and burned imperial vestments and spirit money. On the jimao new moon of the third month Zhao Ying was dismissed. Sang Weihan, commissioner of the Jinchang army, was appointed Palace Secretary. On xinchou Meng Chenghui, introducing commissioner and grand steward, went on embassy to the Khitan. Locusts ravaged the fields. On gengwu of the fourth month Dong Yin again went on embassy to the Khitan. Palace Attendant officer Zhang Fu led the Weishun army in locust drives through Chen prefecture. In the fifth month An Shenxin of the Tai’ning army hunted locusts around Zhongdu. On dinghai the emperor’s uncle Jingru was posthumously made Prince of Song. On guimao Feng Dao was dismissed. On jiachen drought and locusts moved the throne to proclaim a general amnesty. On gengxu the court offered sacrifice against the locusts at Gaomen. On guihai seven palace attendants led the Fengguo army in locust drives around the capital. On xinwei the court commandeered private grain stores and put hoarders to death. On jiawu of the seventh month the empress dowager received her formal investiture. On dingyou he practiced archery at Nanzhuang. Khitan envoys led by Meili arrived. On jiachen Li Hanchao of the Palace Attendants led the Fengguo army in locust drives around the capital. On the dingwei new moon of the eighth month commoners were hired to gather locusts, paid in grain. On xinhai officials inspected the people’s green grain in the fields. On wuyin Lady An of Qin was elevated to imperial consort dowager. On bingshen he visited Danian Estate and Jing Yanguang’s mansion. On wushen of the tenth month Lady Feng was crowned empress. On renzi he hunted outside the walls and then went to Shatai. On bingyin the Khitan interpreter Liu Yin arrived. On gengwu the court again commandeered private grain stores. On jimao of the eleventh month Dong Yin went on embassy to the Khitan. On jiashen he went to Bajiao and inspected the imperial stud. On yiwei the Khitan envoy Meili arrived. On wuxu Yang Chengzuo, commissioner of Qi, defected to Qing prefecture. On xinchou Goryeo sent Jin Renfeng, vice director of the Broad Review Office. On guichou Bian Guangfan, supervising secretary, and Guo Yanwei of Deng went on embassy to the Khitan. On jiayin the Goryeo envoy Taixiang arrived. Yang Guangyuan, commissioner of the Pinglu army, rose in revolt; Zhai Jinzong, commissioner of Zi, was killed defending his post.
5
開運元年春正月甲戌朔，契丹寇滄州。 己卯，陷貝州。 庚辰，歸德軍節度使高行周為北面行營都部署。 契丹入雁門，寇代州。 辛巳，殿直王班使於契丹，至於鄴都，不得進而復。 大饑。 壬午，前靜難軍節度使李周留守東京，景延廣為御營使。 乙酉，北征。 丙戌，契丹寇黎陽。 辛卯，講武於澶州。 契丹屯於元城，趙延壽寇南樂。 甲午，劉知遠為幽州道行營招討使。 括馬。 丙申，契丹寇黎陽。 辛丑，劉知遠及契丹偉王戰於秀容，敗之。 博州刺史周儒叛降於契丹。 二月戊申，前軍都虞候李守貞及契丹戰於馬家渡，敗之。 癸丑，北面行營都虞候馬全節及契丹戰於北平，敗之。 三月癸酉，及契丹戰於戚城，契丹去。 己丑，冀州刺史白從暉及契丹戰於衡水，敗之。 癸巳，籍民為武定軍。 夏四月，契丹陷德州，沿河巡檢使梁進敗之，取德州。 甲寅，至自澶州，赦京師。 己未，馬全範及契丹戰於定豐，敗之。 辛酉，率借民財。 五月戊寅，李守貞討楊光遠。 丁亥，鄴都留守張從恩為貝州行營都部署。 辛卯，李守貞為青州行營都部署。 六月，克淄州。 丙午，復置樞密使。 丁未，侍中桑維翰為中書令，充樞密使。 丙辰，河決滑州，環梁山，入於汶、濟。 秋七月辛未朔，大赦，改元。 己丑，太子太傅劉句守司空兼門下侍郎、同中書門下平章事。 八月辛丑朔，劉知遠為北面行營都統，順德軍節度使杜威為都招討使。 戊辰，旌表陳州項城民史仁詡門閭。 九月丙子，契丹寇遂城、樂壽，代州刺史白文珂及契丹戰於七里烽，敗之。 冬十月庚戌，武寧軍節度使趙在禮為北面行營副都統，鄴都留守馬全節為副招討使。 十二月己亥朔，射兔於臯門。 丁巳，楊承勛囚其父光遠以降，殺之。 閏月乙酉，德音赦青州囚。 契丹寇恒州。
On the jiaxu new moon of the first Kaiyun year Khitan forces struck Cang prefecture. On jimao Bei prefecture fell. On gengchen Gao Xingzhou of the Guide army was named overall commander of the northern front. Khitan columns passed Yanmen and raided Dai prefecture. On xinsi Wang Ban of the Palace Attendants was sent to the Khitan; at Ye he found the road blocked and turned back. Famine gripped the realm. On renwu Li Zhou, former commissioner of Jingnan, stayed to guard the Eastern Capital while Jing Yanguang took command of the imperial camp. On yiyou the emperor marched north. On bingxu Khitan forces raided Liyang. On xinmao the army drilled at Chanzou. The Khitan main force camped at Yuancheng while Zhao Yanshou struck Nanle. On jiawu Liu Zhiyuan was appointed requisition commissioner for the Youzhou campaign. The court impressed horses from the people. On bingshen the Khitan raided Liyang again. On xinchou Liu Zhiyuan met the Khitan Prince Weiwang at Xiurong and routed him. Zhou Ru, commissioner of Bo, defected to the Khitan. On wushen Li Shouzhen, chief of the vanguard, fought the Khitan at Majia Ford and drove them off. On guichou Ma Quanjie, chief of the northern headquarters, met the Khitan at Beiping and defeated them. On guiyou the Jin army fought the Khitan at Weicheng and the invaders withdrew. On jichou Bai Conghui of Ji fought the Khitan at Hengshui and beat them back. On guisi commoners were conscripted into the Wuding army. In the fourth month the Khitan seized De prefecture; Liang Jin, river-route inspector, counterattacked, defeated them, and retook the city. On jiayin he returned from Chanzou and proclaimed an amnesty for the capital. On jiwei Ma Quanjie met the Khitan at Dingfeng and drove them off. On xinyou the court imposed compulsory loans on private wealth. On wuyin of the fifth month Li Shouzhen marched against Yang Guangyuan. On dinghai Zhang Congen, regent of the Ye capital, was named overall commander of the Bei prefecture field headquarters. On xinmao Li Shouzhen was appointed overall commander of the Qingzhou field headquarters. In the sixth month Zi prefecture fell. On bingwu the court restored the Bureau of Military Affairs. On dingwei Palace Secretary Sang Weihan became Director of the Secretariat and commissioner of the Bureau of Military Affairs. On bingchen the Yellow River broke through at Hua prefecture, swung round Liangshan, and flooded into the Wen and Ji. On the xinwei new moon of the seventh month the throne proclaimed a general amnesty and changed the reign era. On jichou Liu Ju, grand preceptor to the heir, was made acting Minister of Works with concurrent appointment as vice director of the Chancellery and associate grand councilor. On the xinchou new moon of the eighth month Liu Zhiyuan took command of the northern field army as overall commander, and Du Wei of Shunde was named overall repression commissioner. On wuchen the court honored the household gate of Shi Renxu, a man of Xiangcheng in Chen prefecture, for exemplary conduct. On bingzi of the ninth month Khitan forces struck Suicheng and Leshou; Bai Wenke of Dai met them at Qili Beacon and beat them back. On gengxu of the tenth month Zhao Zaili of Wuning became deputy overall commander of the northern front, and Ma Quanjie, regent of the Ye capital, deputy repression commissioner. On the jihai new moon of the twelfth month the emperor hunted rabbits at Gaomen. On dingsi Yang Chengxun seized his father Guangyuan, surrendered, and had him put to death. On yiyou of the intercalary month a grace edict freed Qingzhou’s prisoners. Khitan forces raided Heng prefecture.
6
二年春正月，契丹陷泰州。 壬子，馬全節及契丹戰於榆林，兩軍皆潰。 戊午，幸南莊，張從恩留守東都。 辛酉，高行周為御營使。 乙丑，北征，契丹去。 二月己巳，幸黎陽。 橫海軍節度使田武為東北面行營都部署，以備契丹。 丙子，大閱於戚城。 丙戌，閱馬於鐵丘。 丙申，端明殿學士、尚書戶部侍郎馮玉為戶部尚書、樞密使。 三月戊戌，契丹陷祁州，刺史沈斌死之。 丁未，畋於戚城。 庚戌，馬全節克泰州。 辛亥，易州戍將孫方諫及契丹諧裏戰於狼山，敗之。 甲寅，杜威克滿城。 乙卯，克遂城。 庚申，杜威及契丹戰於陽城，敗之，追奔至於衛村，又敗之。 夏四月戊寅，勞旋於戚城。 己卯，勞旋於王莽河。 甲申，至自澶州，赦左右軍囚。 庚寅，大賞軍功。 五月丙申朔，大赦。 丙午，幸南莊。 六月丁卯，射於繁臺，幸杜威第。 旱。 秋八月甲子朔，廢二舞。 丙寅，和凝罷。 馮玉為中書侍郎、同中書門下平章事。 辛未，閱馬於茂澤陂。 丁丑，括馬。 九月己亥，閱馬於萬龍岡，幸李守貞第。 冬十月丁丑，高麗使其廣評侍郎韓玄珪、禮賓卿金廉等來。 戊寅，射兔於硯臺。 戊子，高麗使其兵部侍郎劉崇珪、內軍卿樸藝言來。 十一月戊戌，封王武為高麗國王。 己巳，射兔於臯門，幸沙臺。 十二月丁丑，臘，畋於郊。 丁亥，桑維翰罷。 開封尹趙瑩為中書令，李崧守侍中、樞密使。
In the first month of the second year Khitan troops seized Taizhou. On renzi Ma Quanjie clashed with the Khitan at Yulin and both sides broke in rout. On wuwu he went to Nanzhuang while Zhang Congen stayed behind to guard the Eastern Capital. On xinyou Gao Xingzhou was appointed commissioner of the imperial camp. On yichou the emperor marched north and the Khitan withdrew. On jisi of the second month he traveled to Liyang. Tian Wu of Henghai was named overall commander of the northeast field army to hold the line against the Khitan. On bingzi the army held a grand review at Qicheng. On bingxu the emperor inspected horses at Tieqiu. On bingshen Feng Yu, Hanlin academician and vice minister of revenue, was promoted to revenue minister and commissioner of the Bureau of Military Affairs. On wuxu of the third month Qizhou fell to the Khitan and its commissioner Shen Bin was killed. On dingwei he hunted at Qicheng. On gengxu Ma Quanjie recovered Taizhou. On xinhai Sun Fangjian, garrison commander of Yizhou, met the Khitan Xieli at Langshan and routed him. On jiayin Du Wei captured Mancheng. On yimao Suicheng was recovered. On gengshen Du Wei routed the Khitan at Yangcheng, chased them to Weicun, and defeated them again. On wuyin of the fourth month the court feasted the victorious army at Qicheng. On jimao the victorious army was feasted at Wangmang River. On jiashen he returned from Chanzou and freed the prisoners of the Left and Right Armies. On gengyin the throne lavished rewards on the army for its merit. On the bingshen new moon of the fifth month a general amnesty was proclaimed. On bingwu he went to Nanzhuang. On dingmao of the sixth month he practiced archery at Fantai and called at Du Wei’s mansion. Drought struck the land. On the jiazi new moon of the eighth month the court abolished the Wen and Wu ritual dances. On bingyin He Ning was dismissed. Feng Yu was appointed vice director of the Secretariat and associate grand councilor. On xinwei the emperor inspected horses at Maoze Marsh. On dingchou the court again impressed horses from the people. On jihai he inspected horses at Wanlong Ridge and called at Li Shouzhen’s mansion. On dingchou of the tenth month Goryeo sent Han Xuangui, vice director of the Broad Review Office, Ritual Host Jin Lian, and others. On wuyin he hunted rabbits at Yantai. On wuzi Goryeo sent Liu Chonggui of the War Ministry and Bak Eonyeol, director of the Inner Army. On wuxu of the eleventh month Wang Wu was enfeoffed as king of Goryeo. On jisi he hunted rabbits at Gaomen and went on to Shatai. On dingchou of the twelfth month, at the La festival, he hunted outside the walls. On dinghai Sang Weihan was dismissed. Zhao Ying, metropolitan magistrate of Kaifeng, became director of the Secretariat; Li Song kept his posts as palace secretary and Bureau commissioner.
7
三年春二月丙子，回鶻使突厥陸來。 壬午，射鴨於板橋，幸南莊。 夏六月，孫方諫以狼山叛附於契丹。 丙寅，契丹寇邊。 己丑，李守貞為行營都部署，義成軍節度使皇甫遇為副。 河決漁池。 大饑，群盜起。 秋七月，大雨，水，河決楊劉、朝城、武德。 八月辛酉，河溢歷亭。 九月，河決澶、滑、懷州。 辛丑，行營馬軍排陣使張彥澤及契丹戰於新興，敗之。 癸卯，劉知遠及契丹戰於朔州，敗之。 大雨霖，河決臨黃。 冬十月，河決衛州，丙寅，河決原武。 辛未，杜威為北面行營都招討使，李守貞為兵馬都監。 十一月，永靜軍節度使梁漢璋及契丹戰於瀛州，敗績。 契丹寇鎮、定。 十二月己未，杜威軍於中渡。 壬戌，奉國都指揮使王清及契丹戰於滹沱，敗績，死之。 杜威、李守貞、張彥澤以其軍叛降於契丹。 庚午，射兔於沙臺。 壬申，張彥澤犯京師，殺開封尹桑維翰。 契丹滅晉。
On bingzi of the second month in the third year the Uyghur envoy Turku Lu arrived. On renwu he shot ducks at Banqiao and went on to Nanzhuang. In the sixth month Sun Fangjian rebelled at Langshan and went over to the Khitan. On bingyin Khitan forces raided the border. On jichou Li Shouzhen was named overall commander of the field army, with Huang Fuyu of Yicheng as his deputy. The Yellow River broke through at Yuchi. Famine gripped the realm and bands of robbers sprang up. In the seventh month torrential rains swelled the rivers; the Yellow River broke through at Yangliu, Chaocheng, and Wude. On xinyou of the eighth month the Yellow River flooded Liting. In the ninth month the Yellow River broke through in Chan, Hua, and Huai prefectures. On xinchou Zhang Yanze, chief of the campaign horse array, met the Khitan at Xinxing and drove them off. On guimao Liu Zhiyuan routed the Khitan at Shuozhou. Weeks of heavy rain broke the river at Linhuang. In the tenth month the Yellow River broke through at Wei prefecture; on bingyin it burst again at Yuanwu. On xinwei Du Wei was named overall repression commissioner of the northern front, and Li Shouzhen overseer of army and horse. In the eleventh month Liang Hanzhang of Yongjing met the Khitan at Ying prefecture and suffered a crushing defeat. Khitan columns raided Zhen and Ding prefectures. On jiwei of the twelfth month Du Wei’s army camped at Zhongdu Ford. On renxu Wang Qing of the Fengguo army met the Khitan on the Hutuo, was routed, and fell in battle. Du Wei, Li Shouzhen, and Zhang Yanze turned their armies and defected to the Khitan. On gengwu he hunted rabbits at Shatai. On renshen Zhang Yanze stormed the capital and killed Sang Weihan, metropolitan magistrate of Kaifeng. The Khitan destroyed Jin.
8
嗚呼，余書「封子重貴為鄭王」，又書「追封皇伯敬儒為宋王」者，豈無意哉！ 《禮》：「兄弟之子，猶子也。」 重貴書子可也，敬儒出帝父也，書曰皇伯者何哉？ 出帝立不以正，而絕其所生也。 蓋出帝於高祖，得為子而不得為後者，高祖自有子也。 方高祖疾病，抱其子重睿置於馮道懷中而托之，出帝豈得立邪？ 晉之大臣，既違禮廢命而立之，以謂出帝為高祖子則得立，為敬儒子則不得立，於是深諱其所生而絕之，以欺天下為真高祖子也。 《禮》曰：「為人後者，為其父母服。」 使高祖無子，出帝得為後而立以正，則不待絕其所生以為欺也。 故余書曰「追封皇伯敬儒為宋王」者，以見其立不以正，而滅絕天性，臣其父而爵之，以欺天下也。
Alas! When I recorded that “Chonggui was enfeoffed Prince of Zheng as a son,” and again that “the imperial uncle Jingru was posthumously made Prince of Song,” was I writing without purpose? The Book of Rites says: “A brother’s son counts as a son.” Chonggui might properly be called “son.” Jingru was the Fleeing Emperor’s own father—so why does the text say “imperial uncle”? The Fleeing Emperor took the throne by an illegitimate path and cut himself off from his natural father. Between the Fleeing Emperor and Gaozu he might count as a son, but he could not be made heir, for Gaozu already had sons of his own. On Gaozu’s sickbed he laid his son Chongrui in Feng Dao’s arms and entrusted the boy to him—how then could the Fleeing Emperor have been raised to the throne? Jin’s chief ministers, having defied ritual and the dying command in placing him on the throne, reasoned that if the Fleeing Emperor were counted as Gaozu’s son he could reign, but not if he were Jingru’s son; so they buried his true parentage and cut it off, palming him off to the world as Gaozu’s own. The Rites also says: “One who becomes another’s heir still wears mourning for his natural parents.” Had Gaozu had no sons, and the Fleeing Emperor been made a lawful heir and enthroned in proper form, there would have been no call to sever his natural ties as a lie. That is why I wrote “the imperial uncle Jingru was posthumously made Prince of Song”: to show that his accession was illegitimate, that he killed natural feeling, made his own father a subject while granting him a princely title, and lied to the world.