1
甚哉，白馬之禍，悲夫，可為流涕者矣！ 然士之生死，豈其一身之事哉？ 初，唐天祐三年，梁王欲以嬖吏張廷範為太常卿，唐宰相裴樞以謂太常卿唐常以清流為之，廷範乃梁客將，不可。 梁王由此大怒，曰：「吾常語裴樞純厚不陷浮薄，今亦為此邪！」 是歲四月，彗出西北，掃文昌、軒轅、天市，宰相柳璨希梁王旨，歸其譴於大臣，於是左僕射裴樞、獨孤損、右僕射崔遠、守太保致仕趙崇、兵部侍郎王贊、工部尚書王溥、吏部尚書陸扆皆以無罪貶，同日賜死於白馬驛。 凡搢紳之士與唐而不與梁者，皆誣以朋黨，坐貶死者數百人，而朝廷為之一空。
How extreme—the White Horse massacre! Alas—it could draw tears! Yet is a gentleman’s life and death only his own affair? In Tang’s third Tianyou year the Prince of Liang wanted his favorite Zhang Tingfan as Grand Master of Splendid Happiness; Chief Minister Pei Shu said that post belonged to the pure stream, not a Liang guest-general. The Prince of Liang raged: “I called Pei Shu pure and solid—yet now he does this too! That fourth month a comet swept the northwest heavens; Liu Can pleased Liang by blaming the ministers; Pei Shu, Dugu Sun, Cui Yuan, Zhao Chong, Wang Zan, Wang Pu, and Lu Yi were demoted without crime and executed the same day at White Horse Station. Every scholar who sided with Tang, not Liang, was charged with faction; hundreds died—and the court stood empty.
2
明年三月，唐哀帝遜位於梁，遣中書侍郎、同中書門下平章事張文蔚為冊禮使，禮部尚書蘇循為副； 中書侍郎、同中書門下平章事楊涉為押傳國寶使，翰林學士、中書舍人張策為副； 御史大夫薛貽矩為押金寶使，尚書左丞趙光逢為副。 四月甲子，文蔚等自上源驛奉冊寶，乘輅車，導以金吾仗衛、太常鹵簿，朝梁於金祥殿。 王袞冕南面，臣文蔚、臣循奉冊升殿，進讀已，臣涉、臣策奉傳國璽，臣貽矩、臣光逢奉金寶，以次升，進讀已，降，率文武百官北面舞蹈再拜賀。
Next year’s third month, Emperor Ai abdicated to Liang, sending Zhang Wenwei as investiture commissioner and Su Xun as deputy; Yang She escorting the imperial seal, Zhang Ce deputy; Xue Yiju escorting the gold treasures, Zhao Guangfeng deputy. On jiazi of the fourth month they brought register and treasures from Shangyuan Post in the imperial carriage, with Golden Guard and ritual escort, to attend Liang at Jinxiang Hall. The king faced south in full regalia; Wenwei and Xun read the register; She and Ce bore the transmission seal; Yiju and Guangfeng bore the gold treasures; then all civil and military officials faced north, danced, and bowed twice in congratulation.
3
夫一太常卿與社稷孰為重？ 使樞等不死，尚惜一卿，其肯以國與人乎？ 雖樞等之力未必能存唐，然必不亡唐而獨存也。 嗚呼！ 唐之亡也，賢人君子既與之共盡，其餘在者皆庸懦不肖、傾險獪猾、趨利賣國之徒也。 不然，安能蒙恥忍辱於梁庭如此哉！ 作《唐六臣傳》。
Which matters more—one Grand Master of Splendid Happiness or the realm itself? Had Shu and the rest lived, they would have fought over one post—would they have surrendered the realm? They might not have saved Tang—but they would never have let Tang fall while they alone survived. Alas! When Tang fell, the worthy had already died with it; what remained were cowards, traitors, and men who sold the state for gain. Otherwise how could they have borne such shame in Liang’s court! Hence I wrote the “Biographies of the Six Tang Ministers.”
4
張文蔚
Zhang Wenwei
5
張文蔚，字右華，河間人也。 初以文行知名，舉進士及第。 唐昭宗時，為翰林學士承旨。 是時，天子微弱，制度已隳，文蔚居翰林，制詔四方，獨守大體。 昭宗遷洛，拜中書侍郎、同中書門下平章事。 柳璨殺裴樞等七人，蔓引朝士，輒加誅殺，縉紳相視以目，皆不自保，文蔚力講解之，朝士多賴以全活。 梁太祖立，仍以文蔚為相，梁初制度皆文蔚所裁定。 文蔚居家亦孝悌。 開平二年，太祖北巡，留文蔚西都，以暴疾卒，贈右僕射。
Zhang Wenwei, courtesy name Youhua, was from Hejian. He was known for learning and passed the jinshi. Under Zhaozong he was chief Hanlin Academician. The throne was weak and institutions broken; in the Hanlin, Wenwei drafted edicts for the realm yet held to the great pattern. When Zhaozong moved to Luoyang, Wenwei became Vice Director and Palace Attendant. When Liu Can killed Pei Shu and six others and hunted courtiers, gentry exchanged fearful glances; Wenwei argued for mercy, and many owed him their lives. When Liang’s Taizu took the throne, Wenwei remained chief minister; Liang’s early institutions were his work. At home he was filial and brotherly. In Kaiping’s second year Taizu toured north and left Wenwei in the western capital; he died suddenly and was posthumously made Right Vice Director.
6
楊涉，祖收，唐懿宗時宰相； 父嚴，官至兵部侍郎。 涉舉進士，昭宗時為吏部尚書。 哀帝即位，拜中書侍郎、同中書門下平章事。 涉，唐名家，世守禮法，而性特謹厚，不幸遭唐之亂，拜相之日，與家人相對泣下，顧謂其子凝式曰：「吾不能脫此網羅，禍將至矣，必累爾等。」 唐亡，事梁為門下侍郎、同中書門下平章事，在位三年，俯首無所施為，罷為左僕射，知貢舉，後數年卒。
Yang She’s grandfather Shou was chief minister under Yizong; his father Yan rose to Vice Minister of War. She passed the jinshi and under Zhaozong was Minister of Personnel. When Emperor Ai took the throne, She became Vice Director and Palace Attendant. Of a famous Tang house, ritual-bound and deeply cautious, he met the dynasty’s fall; on the day he became chief minister he wept with his family and told his son Ningshi, “I cannot escape this net—disaster will come and drag you down. When Tang fell he served Liang as chief minister three years, head bowed, accomplishing nothing; he was dismissed to Left Vice Director, supervised examinations, and died years later.
7
子凝式，有文詞，善筆劄，歷事梁、唐、晉、漢、周，常以心疾致仕，居於洛陽，官至太子太保。 ○張策
His son Ningshi was literate and skilled in letters; he served five dynasties, often retired for heart trouble, lived in Luoyang, and rose to Grand Preceptor of the Heir Apparent. Zhang Ce
8
張策，字少逸，河西敦煌人也。 父同，為唐容管經略使。 策少聰悟好學，通章句。 父同，居洛陽敦化裏，浚井得古鼎，銘曰：「魏黃初元年春二月，匠吉千。」 同以為奇，策時年十三，居同側，啟曰：「漢建安二十五年，曹公薨，改元延康。 是歲十月，文帝受禪，又改黃初，是黃初元年無二月也，銘何謬邪？」 同大驚異之。 策少好浮圖之說，乃落發為僧，居長安慈恩寺。 黃巢犯長安，策乃返初服，奉父母以避亂，居田里十餘年。 召拜廣文館博士。 邠州王行瑜辟觀察支使。 晉王李克用攻行瑜，策與婢肩輿其母東歸，行積雪中，行者憐之。 梁太祖兼四鎮，辟鄭、滑支使，以母喪解職。 服除，入唐為膳部員外郎。 華州韓建辟判官，建徙許州，以為掌書記，建遣策聘於太祖，太祖見而喜曰：「張夫子至矣。」 遂留以為掌書記，薦之於朝，累拜中書舍人、翰林學士。 太祖即位，遷工部侍郎奉旨。 開平二年，拜刑部侍郎、同中書門下平章事，遷中書侍郎。 以風恙罷為刑部尚書，致仕，卒於洛陽。
Zhang Ce, courtesy name Shaoyi, was from Dunhuang in Hexi. His father Tong was Tang’s commissioner of Rongguan. Ce was clever, fond of study, and versed in the classics. His father Tong, in Dunhua Lane, Luoyang, dredged a well and found an ancient tripod inscribed: “Spring, second month, first year of Huangchu of Wei, craftsman Ji Qian. Tong thought it marvelous; Ce, thirteen, at his side said, “In Han’s twenty-fifth Jian’an year Lord Cao died and the era became Yankang. That tenth month Wen accepted the throne and changed to Huangchu—so Huangchu’s first year had no second month. How is the inscription wrong? Tong was astonished. In youth he loved Buddhism, shaved his head, and became a monk at Cien Temple in Chang’an. When Huang Chao took Chang’an, Ce returned to lay dress, led his parents into hiding, and lived in the countryside ten years. He was summoned as Doctor of the Broad Learning Hall. Wang Xingyu of Binzhou made him observation administrative aide. When the Prince of Jin attacked Xingyu, Ce had a maid carry his mother east through deep snow; passersby pitied them. Liang’s Taizu held four commands and made him aide at Zheng and Hua; he left for his mother’s mourning. When mourning ended he entered Tang as Vice Director of the Board of Food. Han Jian of Huazhou made him judge; when Jian moved to Xuzhou he made Ce chief secretary and sent him to Taizu; Taizu rejoiced: “Master Zhang has come. Taizu kept him as chief secretary, recommended him to court, and he rose to Secretariat Drafter and Hanlin Academician. When Taizu took the throne, Ce became Vice Minister of Works with imperial commission. In Kaiping’s second year he became Vice Minister of Justice and Palace Attendant, then Vice Director. Ill with wind ailment, he retired as Minister of Justice and died in Luoyang.
9
趙光逢
Zhao Guangfeng
10
薛貽矩
Xue Yiju
11
薛貽矩，字熙用，河東聞喜人也，仕唐為兵部侍郎、翰林學士承旨。 昭宗自岐還長安，大誅宦者，貽矩時為中尉韓全誨等作畫像贊，坐左遷。 貽矩乃自結於梁太祖，太祖言之於朝，拜吏部尚書，遷御史大夫。 天祐三年，太祖自長蘆還軍，哀帝遣貽矩來勞，貽矩以臣禮見，太祖揖之升階，貽矩曰：「殿下功德及人，三靈改卜，皇帝方行舜、禹之事，臣安敢違？」 乃稱臣拜舞，太祖側身以避之。 貽矩還，遂趣哀帝遜位。 太祖即位，拜貽矩中書侍郎、同中書門下平章事，累拜司空。 貽矩為梁相五年，卒，贈侍中。
Xue Yiju, courtesy name Xiyong, was from Wenxi in Hedong; he served Tang as Vice Minister of War and chief Hanlin Academician. When Zhaozong returned from Qi to Chang’an and slaughtered eunuchs, Yiju had written eulogies for Han Quanhui and others and was demoted. He then attached himself to Liang’s Taizu, who spoke for him at court; he became Minister of Personnel, then Censor-in-Chief. In Tianyou’s third year Taizu returned from Changlu; Emperor Ai sent Yiju to comfort the army; Yiju used minister’s rites; Taizu bowed him up the steps; Yiju said, “Your merit reaches the people; Heaven has turned; the emperor will do as Shun and Yu—how dare I disobey? He bowed as minister and danced; Taizu turned aside. On his return he pressed Emperor Ai to abdicate. When Taizu took the throne, Yiju became Vice Director and Palace Attendant and rose to Minister of Works. He was Liang chief minister five years, died, and was posthumously made Palace Attendant.
12
蘇循 〈（杜曉附）〉
Su Xun (Du Xiao appended)〉
13
蘇循，不知何許人也。 為人巧佞，阿諛無廉恥，惟利是趨。 事唐為禮部尚書。 是時，梁太祖已弒昭宗，立哀帝，唐之舊臣皆憤惋切齒，或俯首畏禍，或去不仕，而循特附會梁以希進用。 梁兵攻楊行密，大敗於珝河，太祖躁忿，急於禪代，欲邀唐九錫，群臣莫敢當其議，獨循倡言：「梁王功德，天命所歸，宜即受禪。」 明年，梁太祖即位，循為冊禮副使。
Su Xun’s origin is unknown. He was crafty, fawning, shameless, and rushed only toward profit. He served Tang as Minister of Rites. Taizu had murdered Zhaozong and enthroned Emperor Ai; Tang’s old ministers gnashed teeth, fled, or bowed in fear—yet Xun alone clung to Liang for advancement. Liang attacked Yang Xingmi and was routed at Yu River; Taizu, irritable, sought abdication and the Nine Bestowments; none dared speak—only Xun said, “Heaven’s mandate is Liang’s; take the throne at once. Next year Taizu took the throne; Xun was deputy investiture commissioner.
14
循有子楷，乾寧中舉進士及第，昭宗遣學士陸扆覆落之，楷常慚恨。 及昭宗遇弒，唐政出於梁，楷為起居郎，與柳璨、張廷範等相結，因謂廷範曰：「夫謚者，所以易名而貴信也。 前有司謚先帝曰『昭』，名實不稱，公為太常卿，予史官也，不可以不言。」 乃上疏駁議。 而廷範本梁客將，嘗求太常卿不得者，廷範亦以此怨唐，因下楷疏廷範，廷範議曰：「臣聞執事堅固之謂恭，亂而不損之謂靈，武而不遂之謂莊，在國逢難之謂閔，因事有功之謂襄，請改謚昭宗皇帝曰恭靈莊閔皇帝，廟號襄宗。」
His son Kai passed the jinshi in the Qianning era; Zhaozong had Lu Yi strike him from the list; Kai bore lasting resentment. When Zhaozong was murdered and Liang held Tang’s government, Kai was Diarist and joined Liu Can and Zhang Tingfan; he told Tingfan, “A posthumous title should honor truth. They titled the late emperor “Zhao,” which does not fit; you are Grand Master of Splendid Happiness and I am historiographer—we cannot stay silent.” He memorialized to dispute it. Tingfan, a Liang guest-general who had failed to win that post, resented Tang; he received Kai’s memorial and proposed insulting posthumous titles—Gong, Ling, Zhuang, Min—and temple name Xiangzong.
15
梁太祖已即位，置酒玄德殿，顧群臣自陳德薄不足以當天命，皆諸公推戴之力。 唐之舊臣楊涉、張文蔚等皆慚懼俯伏不能對，獨循與張祎、薛貽矩盛稱梁王功德，所以順天應人者。 循父子皆自以附會梁得所托，旦夕引首，希見進用，敬翔尤惡之，謂太祖曰：「梁室新造，宜得端士以厚風俗，循父子皆無行，不可立於新朝。」 於是父子皆勒歸田里，乃依朱友謙於河中。 其後，友謙叛梁降晉，晉王將即帝位，求唐故臣在者，以備百官之闕，友謙遣循至魏州。 是時梁未滅，晉諸將相多不欲晉王即位。 晉王之意雖銳，將相大臣未有贊成其議者。 循始至魏州，望州廨聽事即拜，謂之「拜殿」。 及入謁，蹈舞呼萬歲而稱臣，晉王大悅。 明日又獻「畫日筆」三十管，晉王益喜，因以循為節度副使。 已而病卒。 莊宗即位，贈左僕射。
Taizu had taken the throne; at Xuande Hall he told ministers his virtue was thin and the throne was their doing. Tang’s old ministers Yang She and Zhang Wenwei bowed in shame and could not answer; only Xun, Zhang Yi, and Xue Yiju praised Liang’s merit and Heaven’s mandate. Father and son thought Liang was their patron and craned their necks for office; Jing Xiang hated them and told Taizu, “The new dynasty needs upright men; the Xuns are without conduct and cannot stand in court. Both were forced home and relied on Zhu Youqian at Hezhong. Later Youqian rebelled to Jin; the Prince of Jin sought Tang ministers to fill office; Youqian sent Xun to Weizhou. Liang was not yet destroyed; many Jin generals did not want the Prince of Jin to enthrone himself. The Prince of Jin was eager, but his generals and ministers had not yet approved. When Xun reached Weizhou he saw the audience hall and bowed at once—the “hall bow.” In audience he danced, shouted “Long live,” and styled himself minister; the Prince of Jin was delighted. Next day he presented thirty “day-marking brushes”; the Prince of Jin made him deputy military commissioner. Soon he died of illness. When Zhuangzong took the throne, Xun was posthumously made Left Vice Director.
16
楷，同光中為尚書員外郎。 明宗即位，大臣欲理其駁謚之罪，以憂死。
Kai in the Tongguang era was a vice director in the Ministry. When Mingzong took the throne, ministers wished to punish his posthumous-title crime; he died of anxiety.
17
當唐之亡也，又有杜曉者，字明遠。 祖審權，父讓能，皆為唐相。 昭宗時，王行瑜、李茂貞兵犯京師，昭宗殺讓能於臨臯以自解。 曉以父死無罪，居喪哀毀； 服除，布衣幅巾，自廢十餘年。 崔胤判鹽鐵，辟巡官，除畿縣尉，直昭文館，皆不起。 崔遠判戶部，又辟巡官，或謂曉曰：「嵇康死，子紹自廢不出仕，山濤以物理責之，乃仕。 吾子忍令杜氏歲時鋪席祭其先人同匹庶乎？」 曉乃為之起。 累遷膳部郎中、翰林學士。 梁太祖即位，遷工部侍郎奉旨。 開平二年，拜中書侍郎、同中書門下平章事。 友珪立，遷禮部尚書、集賢殿大學士。 袁象先等討賊，兵大掠，曉為亂兵所殺，贈右僕射。
When Tang fell there was also Du Xiao, courtesy name Mingyuan. His grandfather Shenquan and father Rangneng were both Tang chief ministers. Under Zhaozong, Wang Xingyu and Li Maozhen attacked the capital; Zhaozong killed Rangneng at Linhao to excuse himself. Xiao held his father innocent and mourned until he was broken; when mourning ended he wore plain cloth and kept idle more than ten years. Cui Yin as salt-iron commissioner, metropolitan posts, and Zhaowen Hall attachment—all he refused. Cui Yuan as revenue commissioner took him again; someone told Xiao, “When Ji Kang died, his son Shao would not serve until Shan Tao rebuked him on principle. Can you bear to let the Du clan sacrifice to their forebears like commoners? Xiao then took office. He rose to Director of the Board of Food and Hanlin Academician. When Liang’s Taizu took the throne, Xiao became Vice Minister of Works with imperial commission. In Kaiping’s second year he became Vice Director and Palace Attendant. When Yougui took the throne, Xiao became Minister of Rites and Grand Academician of the Hall for Assembling the Worthy. When Yuan Xiangxian punished the traitor, the army looted; Xiao was killed by mutineers and posthumously made Right Vice Director.
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嗚呼！ 始為朋黨之論者誰歟？ 甚乎作俑者也，真可謂不仁之人哉！ 予嘗至繁城，讀《魏受禪碑》，見漢之群臣稱魏功德，而大書深刻，自列其姓名，以誇耀於世。 又讀《梁實錄》，見文蔚等所為如此，未嘗不為之流涕也。 夫以國予人而自誇耀，及遂相之，此非小人，孰能為也？ 漢、唐之末，舉其朝皆小人也，而其君子者何在哉！ 當漢之亡也，先以朋黨禁錮天下賢人君子，而立其朝者，皆小人也，然後漢從而亡。 及唐之亡也，又先以朋黨盡殺朝廷之士，而其餘存者，皆庸懦不肖傾險之人也，然後唐從而亡。 夫欲空人之國而去其君子者，必進朋黨之說； 欲孤人主之勢而蔽其耳目者，必進朋黨之說； 欲奪國而與人者，必進朋黨之說。 夫為君子者，故嘗寡過，小人欲加之罪，則有可誣者，有不可誣者，不能遍及也。 至欲舉天下之善，求其類而盡去之，惟指以為朋黨耳。 故其親戚故舊，謂之朋黨可也； 交遊執友，謂之朋黨可也； 宦學相同，謂之朋黨可也； 門生故吏，謂之朋黨可也。 是數者，皆其類也，皆善人也。 故曰：欲空人之國而去其君子者，惟以朋黨罪之，則無免者矣。 夫善善之相樂，以其類同，此自然之理也。 故聞善者必相稱譽，稱譽則謂之朋黨，得善者必相薦引，薦引則謂之朋黨，使人聞善不敢稱譽，人主之耳不聞有善於下矣，見善不敢薦引，則人主之目不得見善人矣。 善人日遠，而小人日進，則為人主者，倀倀然誰與之圖治安之計哉？ 故曰：欲孤人主之勢而蔽其耳目者，必用朋黨之說也。 一君子存，群小人雖眾，必有所忌，而有所不敢為，惟空國而無君子，然後小人得肆誌於無所不為，則漢魏、唐梁之際是也。 故曰：可奪國而予人者，由其國無君子，空國而無君子，由以朋黨而去之也。 嗚呼，朋黨之說，人主可不察哉！ 《傳》曰「一言可以喪邦」者，其是之謂與！ 可不鑒哉！ 可不戒哉！
Alas! Who first made the theory of factions? How extreme—the one who made the mold! Truly men without benevolence! I once read at Fancheng the “Stele of Wei’s Reception of the Abdication”—Han ministers praising Wei’s merit, names carved deep to boast to the world. I also read Liang’s Veritable Records and saw Wenwei and the rest—never without tears. To hand over the state and boast, then serve as chancellor—if not petty men, who could do this? At the ends of Han and Tang, their courts were all petty men—where were the gentlemen? Han first imprisoned worthy gentlemen as factions, filled court with petty men—then Han fell. Tang again killed court scholars as factions; what remained were cowards and traitors—then Tang fell. To empty a state and remove its gentlemen, advance faction theory; to isolate the sovereign and block his ears, advance faction theory; to seize the state and give it away, advance faction theory. Gentlemen seldom err; petty men slandering them can reach some, not all. To remove all good under Heaven, call every kindred gathering a faction. Kin and old associates—factions; friends and sworn companions—factions; the same schooling—factions; students and old subordinates—factions. All their kind—all good men. Charge gentlemen as factions and none escape—the state is emptied. Good men delight in good because their kind is the same—nature’s law. Hearing good, men praise—praise is faction; gaining good, men recommend—recommendation is faction; forbid praise and the sovereign’s ears hear no good; forbid recommendation and his eyes see no good men. Good men recede, petty men advance—who then plans order and peace with the sovereign? To isolate the sovereign and block his ears, use faction theory. One gentleman left, petty men still fear; empty the state of gentlemen and petty men do as they please—Han-Wei, Tang-Liang. States are given away because no gentlemen remain; gentlemen are removed by calling them factions. Alas—faction theory: can a sovereign fail to examine it! The Records say “one word can lose a state”—is this not it! Take it as a mirror! Guard against it!