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柴守禮
Chai Shouliz
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周太祖聖穆皇后柴氏，無子，養後兄守禮之子以為子，是為世宗。 守禮字克讓，以後族拜銀青光祿大夫、檢校吏部尚書、兼御史大夫。 世宗即位，加金紫光祿大夫、檢校司空、光祿卿。 致仕，居於洛陽，終世宗之世，未嘗至京師，而左右亦莫敢言，第以元舅禮之，而守禮亦頗恣橫，嘗殺人於市，有司有聞，世宗不問。 是時，王溥、汪晏、王彥超、韓令坤等同時將相，皆有父在洛陽，與守禮朝夕往來，惟意所為，洛陽人多畏避之，號「十阿父。」 守禮卒年七十二，官至太傅。
Empress Shengmui of the Chai clan, wife of Later Zhou's Taizu, bore no sons. She adopted the son of her husband's elder brother-by-marriage, Shouliz, as her own—and that child became Shizong. Shouliz, courtesy name Kerang, was made Silver-Gleaming Grand Master for Splendid Happiness, acting Minister of Personnel, and concurrent Censor-in-Chief on account of his ties to the empress's clan. When Shizong ascended the throne he was further promoted to Grand Master for Splendid Happiness with Golden Seal and Purple Ribbon, acting Minister of Works, and Director of the Imperial Household. He retired to Luoyang and never once came to the capital during Shizong's entire reign, yet no one at court dared raise the matter; they could only honor him as the emperor's maternal uncle by marriage. Shouliz was also quite overbearing and once killed a man in the marketplace. When officials reported it, Shizong took no action. At the time Wang Pu, Wang Yan, Wang Yanchao, Han Lingkun, and others were serving together as generals and chief ministers. Each had a father living in Luoyang who kept company with Shouliz day and night and did as they pleased. The people of Luoyang mostly feared and avoided them, calling them the "Ten Foster Fathers." Shouliz died at seventy-two, having risen to Grand Tutor.
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嗚呼，父子之恩至矣！ 孟子言：舜為天子，而瞽叟殺人，則棄天下，竊負之而逃。 以謂天下可無舜，不可無至公，舜可棄天下，不可刑其父，此為世立言之說也。 然事固有不得如其意者多矣！ 蓋天子有宗廟社稷之重、百官之衛、朝廷之嚴，其不幸有不得竊而逃，則如之何而可？ 予讀周史，見守禮殺人，世宗寢而不問，蓋進任天下重矣，而子於其父亦至矣，故寧受屈法之過，以申父子之道，其所以合於義者，蓋知權也。 君子之於事，擇其輕重而處之耳。 失刑輕，不孝重也。 刑者所以禁人為非，孝者所以教人為善，其意一也，孰為重？ 刑一人，未必能使天下無殺人，而殺其父，滅天性而絕人道，孰為重？ 權其所謂輕重者，則天下雖不可棄，而父亦不可刑也。 然則為舜與世宗者，宜如何無使瞽叟、守禮至於殺人，則可謂孝矣！ 然而有不得如其意，則擇其輕重而處之焉。 世宗之知權，明矣夫！
Alas—the bond between father and son is the deepest of all! Mencius said that if Shun were emperor and his father Gusou killed a man, Shun would abandon the realm, secretly carry his father on his back, and flee. The point is that the realm might do without Shun but not without supreme justice; Shun might abandon the throne but not punish his father. That is the teaching offered for the world. Yet in real affairs things often cannot go as one wishes! The Son of Heaven bears the ancestral temple, the altars of state, the guard of all officials, and the dignity of court. If misfortune prevents him from slipping away in secret, what then can he do? Reading the history of Zhou, I see that when Shouliz killed a man Shizong let the matter drop. He put the weight of the realm first, yet a son's duty to his father also stood at its height. He would rather bear the fault of bending the law than violate the bond between father and son. That this was righteous shows he knew how to weigh circumstances. In all affairs the noble person simply weighs what matters more and what matters less, then acts accordingly. To fail in administering punishment is a light matter; to be unfilial is a heavy one. Punishment restrains people from wrong; filial piety teaches them to do good. Their purpose is the same. Which weighs more? Punishing one man may not stop killing in the realm, but to execute one's own father is to extinguish one's nature and sever the human bond. Which weighs more? Weigh what is light against what is heavy, and even if the realm cannot be abandoned, a father still cannot be punished. For men like Shun and Shizong, true filial piety would mean keeping Gusou and Shouliz from ever killing in the first place. When things cannot go as one wishes, one must still choose the lighter and heavier course and act on that basis. How clear it is that Shizong knew how to weigh circumstances!
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世宗三皇后。 貞惠皇后劉氏，不知其世家，蓋微時所娶也，世宗為左監門衞將軍，得封彭城縣君。 世宗從太祖于魏，后留京師，太祖舉兵，漢誅其族。 太祖即位，追封彭城郡夫人。 世宗顯德四年夏四月，始詔彭城郡夫人劉氏追冊為皇后，有司謚曰貞惠，陵曰惠陵。
Shizong had three empresses. Empress Zhenhui of the Liu clan—her family background is unknown; she was probably wed in his humble early days. While Shizong served as general of the Left Gate Guard, she received the title Lady of Pengcheng Commandery. Shizong followed Taizu to Wei while the empress stayed behind in the capital. When Taizu took up arms, Later Han put his entire clan to death. After Taizu ascended the throne, he posthumously enfeoffed her as Lady of Pengcheng Commandery. In the fourth month of summer, Xiande 4, an edict at last posthumously installed Lady Liu of Pengcheng as empress. The responsible offices gave her the posthumous title Zhenhui, and her mausoleum was named Huiling.
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宣懿皇后符氏
Empress Xuanyi of the Fu clan
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宣懿皇后符氏，其祖秦王存審，父魏王彥卿。 後世王家，出於將相之貴，為人明果有大志。 初適李守貞子崇訓。 守貞事漢為河中節度使，已挾異志。 有術者善聽人聲以知吉兇，守貞出其家人使聽之，術者聞後聲，驚曰：「此天下之母也！」 守貞益自負，曰：「吾婦猶為天下母，吾取天下復何疑哉！」 於是決反。 而漢遣周太祖討之，逾年，攻破其城。 崇訓知不免，手自殺其家人，次以及後，後走匿，以帷幔自蔽，崇訓惶遽求後不得，遂自殺。 漢兵入其家，後儼然坐堂上，顧軍士曰：「郭公與吾王父有舊，汝輩無犯我！」 軍士見之不敢迫。 太祖聞之，以謂一女子能使亂兵不敢犯，奇之，為加慰勉，以歸彥卿。 後感太祖不殺，拜太祖為父。 其母以後夫家滅亡，而獨脫死兵刃之間，以為天幸，欲使削髮為尼，後不肯曰：「死生有命，天也。 何必妄毀形發為！」 太祖於後有恩，而世宗性特英銳，聞後如此，益奇之。 及劉夫人卒，遂納以為繼室。 世宗即位，冊為皇后。 世宗辦急多暴怒，而後嘗追悔，每怒左右，後必從容伺顏色，漸為解說，世宗意亦隨解，由是益重之。 世宗征淮，後以帝不宜親行，切諫止之，世宗不聽。 師久無功，遭大暑雨，後以憂成疾而崩。 議者以方用兵，請殺喪禮，於是百官朝臨於西宮，三日而釋服，帝亦七日而釋，葬於新鄭，陵曰懿陵。
Empress Xuanyi of the Fu clan was descended from Prince of Qin Cunjian on her grandfather's side and from Prince of Wei Yanqing on her father's. She came from the distinguished Wang military line. Clever, resolute, and ambitious, she was a woman of uncommon force of character. She was first married to Chongxun, son of Li Shouzhen. Shouzhen served Later Han as military governor of Hezhong and already nursed rebellious ambitions. A diviner skilled at reading fortune from the human voice examined Shouzhen's household. When he heard the lady speak he cried out in alarm: "This is the mother of the realm!" Shouzhen grew still more confident. "If even my wife is to be mother of the realm," he said, "what doubt can I have about seizing the empire!" With that he resolved on rebellion. Later Han sent Later Zhou's Taizu against him. More than a year later the city fell. Knowing escape was impossible, Chongxun killed his family with his own hand, then turned on his wife. She fled and hid behind hanging curtains. Frantic, he could not find her and killed himself. When Han soldiers entered the house she sat composed in the hall and told the troops: "Lord Guo and my grandfather were old friends—you must not touch me!" Seeing her bearing, the soldiers did not dare approach. Taizu marveled that one woman could hold disorderly troops at bay. He comforted her and sent her back to Yanqing. Grateful that Taizu had spared her life, she acknowledged him as her adoptive father. Her mother, seeing that her son-in-law's house had been destroyed while she alone escaped the swords, took it for heaven's mercy and wanted her to take the tonsure. The lady refused: "Life and death are heaven's decree. Why should I rashly destroy my body and shave my hair!" Taizu had shown her kindness, and Shizong, whose nature was keen and bold, admired her all the more when he heard how she had acted. After Lady Liu died he took her as his next wife. When Shizong became emperor he installed her as empress. Shizong was quick-tempered and prone to violent anger, yet he often regretted it afterward. Whenever he raged at those around him the empress would calmly watch his mood and gently reason with him until his anger passed. He valued her all the more for this. When Shizong campaigned against Huai she urged earnestly that the emperor should not take the field in person. He would not listen. The campaign dragged on without success through fierce summer rains. The empress fell ill from worry and died. Because the army was still campaigning, counselors asked that mourning be shortened. Officials attended at the Western Palace for three days and then left mourning dress; the emperor did the same after seven days. She was buried at Xinzheng in Yiling Mausoleum.
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後立皇后符氏， 后妹也。 國初，遷西宮，號周太后。
Later, another Lady Fu was established as empress, The new empress was her younger sister. At the dynasty's founding she was moved to the Western Palace and styled Dowager of Zhou.
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世宗子七人：長曰宜哥，次二皆未名，次曰恭皇帝，次曰熙讓，次曰熙謹，次曰熙誨，皆不知其母為誰氏。 宜哥與其二，皆為漢誅。 太祖即位，詔賜皇孫名誼，贈左驍衞大將軍； 誠，左武衞大將軍； 諴，左屯衞大將軍。
Shizong had seven sons: the eldest was called Yige; the next two were never named; then came Emperor Gong, followed by Xirang, Xijin, and Xihui. The identity of each mother is unknown. Yige and the next two were all put to death by Later Han. When Taizu took the throne, an edict bestowed names on the imperial grandsons: Yi was posthumously made Grand General of the Left Valiant Cavalry Guard; Cheng, Grand General of the Left Martial Guard; and Kan, Grand General of the Left Garrison Guard.
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顯德三年，群臣請封宗室，世宗以謂為國日淺，恩信未及於人，而須功德大成，慶流於世，而後議之可也。 明年夏四月癸未，先封太祖諸子。 又詔曰：「父子之道，聖賢不忘，再思天閼之端，愈動悲傷之抱。 故皇子左驍衛大將軍誼、左武衛大將軍諴、左屯衛大將軍誠等，載惟往事，有足傷懷，宜增一字之封，仍贈三臺之秩。 誼可贈太尉，追封越王； 誠太傅，吳王； 諴太保，韓王。」 而皇子在者皆不封。
In Xiande 3 the ministers asked to enfeoff the imperial clan. Shizong replied that the state was still young, that favor and trust had not yet reached the people, and that enfeoffment should wait until merit was complete and blessings flowed to the realm. On guiwei day in the fourth month of the following summer he first enfeoffed Taizu's sons. He also decreed: "The way between father and son is never forgotten by the sages. Thinking again how heaven first closed its gate upon us, my grief grows only deeper. My late sons, Grand General of the Left Valiant Cavalry Guard Yi, Grand General of the Left Martial Guard Kan, and Grand General of the Left Garrison Guard Cheng, recall past sorrows that still wound the heart. Let their titles be raised by one degree and let them receive the ranks of the Three Excellencies. Yi shall be posthumously made Grand Commandant and enfeoffed as Prince of Yue; Cheng shall be Grand Tutor and Prince of Wu; Kan shall be Grand Guardian and Prince of Han." The imperial sons who were still alive received no enfeoffment.
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六年，北復三關，遇疾，還京師。 六月癸未，皇子宗訓，特進左衞上將軍，封梁王； 而宗讓亦拜左驍衞上將軍，封燕國公。 後十日而世宗崩，梁王即位，是為恭皇帝。 其年八月，宗讓更名熙讓，封曹王。 熙謹、熙誨皆前未封爵，遂拜熙謹右武衞大將軍，封紀王； 熙誨左領軍衞大將軍，蘄王。 皇朝乾德二年十月，熙謹卒。 熙讓、熙誨，不知其所終。
In the sixth year he recovered the Three Passes in the north, fell ill, and returned to the capital. On guiwei day in the sixth month, the imperial son Zongxun was specially advanced to Grand General of the Left Guard and enfeoffed as Prince of Liang; Zongrang was also appointed Grand General of the Left Valiant Cavalry Guard and enfeoffed as Duke of Yan. Ten days later Shizong died. The Prince of Liang ascended the throne—this was Emperor Gong. In the eighth month of that year, Zongrang was renamed Xirang and enfeoffed as Prince of Cao. Xijin and Xihui had not previously received titles; Xijin was then appointed Grand General of the Right Martial Guard and enfeoffed as Prince of Ji; and Xihui was made Grand General of the Left Army Guard and Prince of Qi. In the tenth month of Qiande 2 under the Song, Xijin died. The final fates of Xirang and Xihui are unknown.
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嗚呼！ 至公，天下之所共也。 其是非曲直之際，雖父愛其子，亦或有所不得私焉。 當周太祖舉兵於魏，漢遣劉銖誅其家族於京師，酷毒備至； 後太祖入立，遣人責銖，銖辭不屈，太祖雖深恨之，然以銖辭直，終不及其家也。 及追封妻子之被殺者，其言深自隱痛之而已，不敢有非漢之辭焉，蓋知其曲在己也。 故略存其辭，以見周之有愧於其心者矣！
Alas! Supreme justice is what the whole realm holds in common. At the turning point between right and wrong, even a father who loves his son may not always show favoritism. When Later Zhou's Taizu raised his army in Wei, Later Han sent Liu Zhu to slaughter his entire household in the capital with every cruelty imaginable; after Taizu took the throne he sent men to reproach Zhu. Zhu answered without yielding. Taizu hated him deeply, yet because Zhu's words were upright he never harmed his family. When he posthumously honored the wife and children who had been killed, his language expressed only private grief; he dared not speak ill of Later Han, for he knew the fault lay with himself. I preserve his words here in brief to show that Later Zhou carried a burden of conscience in its heart!