Volume 62: Hereditary House of Southern Tang

李昪，字正倫，徐州人也。世本微賤，父榮，遇唐末之亂，不知其所終。昪少孤，流寓濠、泗間，楊行密攻濠州，得之，奇其狀貌，養以為子。而楊氏諸子不能容，行密以乞徐溫，乃冒姓徐氏，名知誥。及壯，身長七尺，廣顙隆準。為人溫厚有謀。為吳樓船軍使，以舟兵屯金陵。柴再用攻宣州，用其兵殺李遇，以功拜升州刺史。時江淮初定，州、縣吏多武夫，務賦斂為戰守，獨好學，接禮儒者，能自勵為勤儉，以寬仁為政，民稍譽之。徐溫鎮潤州，以升、池等六州為屬，溫聞理升州有善政，往視之，見其府庫充實，城壁修整，乃徙治之，而遷潤州刺史。初不欲往，屢求宣州，溫不與。既而徐知訓為朱瑾所殺，溫居金陵，未及聞。居潤州，近廣陵，得先聞，即日以州兵渡江定亂，遂得政。

Li Bian, whose courtesy name was Zhenglun, came from Xuzhou. His family had always been of low station. His father Rong disappeared in the turmoil at the end of the Tang, and no one knew what became of him. Orphaned in childhood, Bian wandered between the Hao and Si regions. When Yang Xingmi took Hao Prefecture he came into Yang's hands; struck by the boy's looks, Yang adopted him as a son. The Yang sons would not accept him, so Xingmi handed him over to Xu Wen. He then took the Xu surname and the name Zhihao. In manhood he stood seven chi tall, with a broad forehead and prominent nose. He was gentle and steady by nature, yet shrewd. He became commissioner of Wu's tower-ship forces and kept the fleet at Jinling. When Chai Zaiyong campaigned against Xuan Prefecture, Bian's troops killed Li Yu. For this service he was made prefect of Shengzhou. The lower Yangtze had only just been pacified, and most local officials were soldiers bent on taxing the people to fund war. He alone favored learning, treated scholars with courtesy, practiced thrift, and governed with clemency, and the people began to speak well of him. Xu Wen was stationed at Runzhou with six prefectures including Sheng and Chi under him. Hearing of Bian's good rule at Shengzhou, Wen went to see for himself, found the treasury full and the defenses in order, moved his base there, and sent Bian to Runzhou as prefect. He was reluctant to leave at first and asked repeatedly for Xuanzhou, but Wen refused. Soon afterward Xu Zhixun was killed by Zhu Jin. Xu Wen was at Jinling and had not yet learned of it. Bian was at Runzhou, close to Guangling, and heard the news first. He crossed the river the same day with his troops, put down the disturbance, and seized control of the government.

昪事徐溫甚孝謹，溫嘗罵其諸子不如昪，諸子頗不能容，而知訓尤甚，嘗召昪飲酒，伏劍士欲害之，行酒吏刁彥能覺之，酒至，以手爪掐之，悟起走，乃免。後自潤州入覲，知訓與飲於山光寺，又欲害之，徐知諫以其謀告，起遁去。知訓以劍授刁彥能，使追殺之，及於中途而還，紿以不及，由是得免。後貴，以彥能為撫州節度使。

Bian served Xu Wen with devoted respect. Wen once berated his own sons for falling short of Bian, which the sons resented, Zhixun most of all. Zhixun once invited Bian to drink and hid swordsmen to kill him. The cupbearer Diao Yanneng noticed the plot and, when he brought the wine, dug his nails into Bian's flesh. Bian understood, sprang up, and fled, and so survived. Later, when Bian came from Runzhou to pay his respects, Zhixun drank with him at Shanguang Temple and again tried to kill him. Xu Zhijian warned him of the scheme, and Bian fled. Zhixun handed a sword to Diao Yanneng and ordered him to run Bian down. Diao turned back halfway and lied that he had not caught him, and Bian was spared again. After Bian rose to power, he appointed Yanneng military governor of Fuzhou.

知訓之用事也，嘗淩弱楊氏而驕侮諸將，遂以見殺。及昪秉政，欲收人心，乃寬刑法、推恩信，起延賓亭以待四方之士，引宋齊丘、駱知祥、王令謀等為謀客，士有羈旅於吳者，皆齒用之。嘗陰使人察視民間有婚喪匱乏者，往往赒給之。盛暑未嘗張蓋、操扇，左右進蓋，必卻之，曰：「士眾尚多暴露，我何用此？」以故溫雖遙秉大政，而吳人頗已歸。

While Zhixun held power he had bullied the Yang house and treated the generals with contempt, which led to his assassination. Once Bian held power he sought to win hearts by lightening punishments and showing generosity. He built the Pavilion for Honored Guests to receive scholars from afar, took Song Qiqiu, Luo Zhixiang, Wang Lingmou, and others as advisers, and gave posts in turn to every learned man who came to Wu as a guest. He secretly had agents watch for families in need at weddings or funerals and often sent them aid. Even in fierce summer heat he never used a canopy or fan. When attendants offered a canopy he always waved it away, saying, "My troops are still out in the sun—why should I use this?" Because of such conduct, the people of Wu were already turning to Bian even though Xu Wen still held supreme authority from a distance.

昪照鑒見白須，顧其吏周宗嘆曰：「功業已就，而吾老矣，奈何？」宗知其意，馳詣廣陵見宋齊丘，謀禪代。齊丘以為未可，請斬宗以謝吳人，黜宗為池州刺史。

Bian looked in a mirror, saw white in his beard, and sighed to his officer Zhou Zong, "My work is done, but I am old—what can I do?" Zong understood his meaning, rode in haste to Guangling to see Song Qiqiu, and laid plans for the abdication. Qiqiu judged the time not ripe and urged that Zong be executed to placate Wu opinion. Zong was instead demoted to prefect of Chizhou.

吳臨江王濛者，怨徐氏舍己而立溥，心嘗不平，及將謀篡國，先廢濛為歷陽公，使吏以兵守之。濛殺守者，奔廬州節度使周本。本，吳舊將也，聞濛至，欲納之，為其子祚所止。本曰：「此吾故主家郎君也，何忍拒之！」遽自出迎，祚閉門遮本不得出，縛濛送金陵，見殺。

The Wu Prince of Linjiang, Yang Meng, resented the Xu clan for passing him over in favor of Yang Pu and had long nursed a grievance. Before seizing the throne, Bian first degraded Meng to Duke of Liyang and set officials with troops to watch him. Meng killed his guards and fled to Zhou Ben, military governor of Luzhou. Ben was a veteran officer of Wu. When he heard Meng had come, he meant to take him in, but his son Zuo prevented him. Ben said, "This young man is of my old master's house—how could I turn him away!" He started to go out to welcome him himself, but Zuo barred the gate, kept Ben inside, bound Meng, sent him to Jinling, and had him executed.

五年，封齊王。已而閩、越諸國皆遣使勸進，謂人望已歸。天祚三年，建齊國，置宗廟社稷，以宋齊丘、徐玠為左、右丞相。十月，溥遣攝太尉楊璘傳位於，國號齊，改元升元。以冊尊溥曰：「受禪老臣知誥，謹上冊皇帝為高尚思玄弘古讓皇帝。」追尊徐溫為忠武皇帝，封子景為吳王，封徐氏子知證江王，知諤饒王。周本與諸將至金陵勸進，歸而嘆曰：「吾不誅篡國者以報楊氏，今老矣，豈能事二姓乎！」憤惋而死。

In the fifth year he was created Prince of Qi. Soon the states of Min, Yue, and others sent envoys urging him to take the throne, declaring that popular sentiment was already his. In the third year of the Tianzuo era he founded the state of Qi, established ancestral temples and state altars, and appointed Song Qiqiu and Xu Jie as left and right chief ministers. In the tenth month Yang Pu sent the acting Grand Mentor Yang Lin to abdicate in his favor. The state was called Qi and the era name Shengyuan was proclaimed. In the investiture text the new ruler styled himself "the old minister receiving the mandate, Zhihao," and honored Pu as the Lofty, Reflective, Profound, Ancient-Emulating Abdicating Emperor." He posthumously honored Xu Wen as Emperor Zhongwu, created his son Jing Prince of Wu, and enfeoffed Xu's sons Zhizheng as Prince of Jiang and Zhie as Prince of Rao. Zhou Ben and the other generals went to Jinling to pay homage. On his return he sighed, "I failed to kill the man who stole the realm to avenge the Yang house. I am old now—how can I serve a second master?" He died of grief and anger.

二年四月，遷楊溥於潤州丹陽宮。以王輿為浙西節度使、馬思讓為丹陽宮使，以嚴兵守之。

In the fourth month of the second year he moved Yang Pu to the Danyang Palace at Runzhou. He appointed Wang Yu military governor of Zhexi and Ma Sirang keeper of the Danyang Palace, with a strong guard over Pu.

徐氏諸子請復姓，謙抑不敢忘徐氏恩，下其議百官，百官皆請，然後復姓李氏，改名曰。自言唐憲宗子建王恪生超，超生誌，為徐州判司；誌生榮。乃自以為建王四世孫，改國號曰唐。立唐高祖、太宗廟，追尊四代祖恪為孝靜皇帝，廟號定宗；曾祖超為孝平皇帝，廟號成宗；祖誌孝安皇帝，廟號惠宗；考榮孝德皇帝，廟號慶宗。奉徐溫為義父，徐氏子孫皆封王、公，女封郡、縣主。以門下侍郎張居詠、中書侍郎李建勛、右僕射張延翰同平章事。十一月，以步騎八萬講武於銅橋。

The Xu sons asked him to resume the Li surname. He demurred, unwilling to seem ungrateful to the Xu house, and put the question to the court. When every official urged it, he took back the name Li and changed his personal name as well. He claimed descent from Prince Jian, son of Emperor Xianzong of Tang: Ke begot Chao, and Chao begot Zhi, who served as a judicial aide in Xuzhou; and Zhi begot Rong. Thus he styled himself the fourth-generation descendant of Prince Jian and changed the dynastic name to Tang. He founded temples to Tang Gaozu and Taizong and posthumously honored his fourth-generation ancestor Ke as Emperor Xiaojing, with the temple name Dingzong; his great-grandfather Chao as Emperor Xiaoping, temple name Chengzong; his grandfather Zhi as Emperor Xiao'an, temple name Huizong; and his father Rong as Emperor Xiaode, temple name Qingzong. He acknowledged Xu Wen as his adoptive father, enfeoffed all of Xu's male descendants as princes or dukes, and titled his daughters as commandery or county princesses. He appointed Zhang Juyong, Li Jianxun, and Zhang Yanhan joint directors of the Secretariat-Chancellery. In the eleventh month he reviewed eighty thousand foot and horse troops at Tong Bridge.

楊溥卒於丹陽宮。溥子璉為吳太子時，以女妻之，及篡國，封其女永興公主。女聞人呼公主，則嗚咽流涕而辭，宮中皆憐之。溥卒，以璉為康化軍節度使，已而以疾卒。

Yang Pu died in the Danyang Palace. While Pu's son Lian was still crown prince of Wu, Lian had given his daughter to Bian in marriage. After the founding of the new dynasty, Bian created her Princess of Yongxing. Whenever she heard herself called princess she wept and refused the title, and everyone in the palace pitied her. After Pu's death he appointed Lian military governor of the Kanghua army, but Lian soon died of illness.

三年四月，郊祀昊天上帝於圓丘，禮畢，群臣請上尊號。曰：「尊號非古也。」不許。州、縣言民孝悌五代同居者七家，皆表門閭，復其徭役；其尤盛者江州陳氏，宗族七百口，每食設廣席，長幼以次坐而共食，有畜犬百餘，共一牢食，一犬不至，諸犬為之不食。

In the fourth month of the third year he offered the suburban sacrifice to Heaven at the Round Mound. When the ceremony ended, his ministers asked that he take an honorific title. He replied, "Honorific titles are not an ancient practice." He refused. Prefectures and counties reported seven families in which five generations had lived together in filial harmony. Each household was honored at its gate and exempted from labor service; the most remarkable being the Chen clan of Jiangzhou, seven hundred strong. At every meal they set a long table and ate in order of age. They kept more than a hundred dogs fed from a single trough; if one dog failed to appear, the rest would not eat until it came.

四年六月，晉安州節度使李金全叛，送款於，遣鄂州屯營使李承裕迎之。承裕與晉將馬全節、安審暉戰安陸南，三戰皆敗，承裕與裨將段處恭皆死，都監杜光鄴及其兵五百人被執，送於京師，高祖厚賜之，遣還。致書高祖，復送光鄴等，請以敗軍行法，高祖又遣之，以甲士臨淮拒之，乃止。

In the sixth month of the fourth year Li Jinquan, Jin's military governor of Anzhou, rebelled and submitted to Tang. Bian sent Li Chengyu of the Ezhou garrison to receive him. Chengyu fought Ma Quanjie and An Shenhui of Jin south of Anlu and lost three engagements in a row. Chengyu and his lieutenant Duan Chugong were killed. The commander Du Guangye and five hundred men were taken prisoner and sent to the Jin capital, where Emperor Gaozu treated them generously and sent them home. Bian wrote to Jin's Emperor Gaozu, returned Guangye and his men again, and asked that the defeated troops be punished under military law. Gaozu sent them back once more. Bian posted armored troops on the Huai to block them, and the exchange finally ended.

六年，吳越國火，焚其宮室、府庫，甲兵皆盡，群臣請乘其弊攻之，不許，遣使吊問，厚赒其乏。錢氏自吳時素為敵國，見天下亂久，常厭用兵，及將篡國，先與錢氏約和，歸其所執將士，錢氏亦歸吳敗將，遂通好不絕。

In the sixth year fire destroyed the palaces and treasuries of Wuyue and consumed its arms. His ministers urged an attack while the enemy was weak, but he refused, sent envoys of condolence, and gave generous relief. The Qian house of Wuyue had been Wu's rival since old times. With the empire long in chaos, both sides had grown weary of war. Before seizing the throne Bian made peace with Wuyue, returning captured officers and men; Wuyue returned Wu's defeated generals in turn, and friendly relations continued thereafter.

昪客馮延巳好論兵大言，嘗誚曰：「田舍翁安能成大事！」而志在守吳舊地而已，無復經營之略也，然吳人亦賴以休息。

Bian's adviser Feng Yansi loved bold talk of war and once sneered, "What great deed can a country bumpkin accomplish!" Yet Bian aimed only to hold Wu's former lands and had no further ambition of conquest, and the people of Wu were able to recover their breath because of it.

七年，卒，年五十六，謚曰光文肅武孝高皇帝，廟號烈祖，陵曰永陵。子景立。

In the seventh year he died at fifty-six. He was posthumously titled Emperor Guangwen Suwu Xiaogao, temple name Liezu, and buried at Yongling. His son Jing succeeded him.

景，初名景通，長子也。既立，又改名璟。徐溫死，專政，以為兵部尚書、參知政事。明年，鎮金陵，留景為司徒、同平章事，與宋齊丘、王令謀居廣陵，輔楊溥。將篡國，召景歸金陵為副都統。立，封齊王。卒，嗣位，改元保大。尊母宋氏為皇太后，妃鐘氏為皇后。封弟壽王景遂為燕王，宣城王景達鄂王，景逷前未王，為保寧王。秋，改封景遂齊王、諸道兵馬元帥、太尉、中書令，景達為燕王、副元帥，盟於柩前，約兄弟世世繼立。封其子冀南昌王、江都尹。

Jing, originally named Jingtong, was his eldest son. After his accession he changed his name to Jing. After Xu Wen's death, when Bian held sole power, he appointed Jing Minister of War and participant in governance. The following year Bian took up post at Jinling and left Jing in Guangling as Grand Mentor and co-director, with Song Qiqiu and Wang Lingmou to assist Yang Pu. When Bian prepared to seize the throne he recalled Jing to Jinling as deputy overall commander. Upon founding his dynasty, Bian created him Prince of Qi. When Bian died, Jing succeeded and proclaimed the era name Baoda. He honored his mother, Lady Song, as empress dowager and his consort, Lady Zhong, as empress. He created his brother Jing Sui, Prince of Shou, Prince of Yan; Jing Da, Prince of Xuancheng, Prince of E; and Jing You, who had not yet held a title, Prince of Baoning. That autumn he recreated Jing Sui as Prince of Qi, grand marshal of all circuits, Grand Mentor, and director of the Chancellery, and made Jing Da Prince of Yan and deputy grand marshal. Before their father's coffin they swore that the brothers would take the throne in turn, generation after generation. He created his son Ji Prince of Nanchang and prefect of Jiangdu.

冬十月，破虔州妖賊張遇賢。遇賢，循州羅縣小吏也。初，有神降羅縣民家，與人言禍福輒中。遇賢禱之，神曰：「遇賢是羅漢，可留事我。」是時，南海劉龑死，子玢初立，嶺南盜賊起，群盜千餘人未有所統，問神當為主者，神言遇賢，遂共推為帥。遇賢自號中天八國王，改元永樂，置官屬，群賊盜皆絳衣，攻剽嶺外，問神所向，神曰：「當過嶺取虔州。」遂襲南康，節度賈浩不能禦。遇賢據白雲洞，造宮室，有眾十餘萬，連陷諸縣。景遣洪州營屯虞候嚴思、通事舍人邊鎬率兵攻之。遇賢問神，神不復語，群盜皆懼，遂執遇賢以降。

In the tenth month of winter he crushed Zhang Yuxian, the sorcerer-rebel of Qianzhou. Yuxian had been a minor clerk in Luoxian, Xunzhou. At first a spirit possessed a household in Luoxian and foretold fortune and misfortune with uncanny accuracy. Yuxian prayed to the spirit, which said, "Yuxian is a luohan—let him stay and serve me." About then Liu Yan of the Southern Han died and his son Bin had just taken the throne. Bandits rose throughout Lingnan. More than a thousand outlaws lacked a leader, asked the spirit who should rule them, and were told Yuxian. They made him their chief. Yuxian styled himself King of the Eight Kingdoms of the Central Heaven, proclaimed the era Yongle, appointed officials, and dressed his followers in crimson. They plundered the far south. When they asked the spirit where to march, it answered, "Cross the mountains and take Qianzhou." They struck Nankang, and the military governor Jia Hao could not hold them off. Yuxian seized White Cloud Cave, built palaces there, gathered more than a hundred thousand followers, and overran county after county. Jing sent Yan Si of the Hongzhou garrison and the diarist Bian Hao at the head of an army against him. Yuxian consulted the spirit, but it would not answer. Terrified, his followers seized him and surrendered.

初，宋齊丘為謀篡楊氏最有力，及事成，乃陽入九華山，屢招之，乃出。僭號，未幾，齊丘以病罷相，出為洪州節度使。景立，復召為相，而陳覺、魏岑等皆為齊丘所引用。而岑與覺有隙，譖覺於景，左遷少府監。齊丘亦罷相為浙西節度使。齊丘不得意，願復歸九華山，賜號九華先生，封青陽公，食青陽一縣。

Song Qiqiu had been the strongest advocate of overthrowing the Yang house. Once the deed was done he pretended to retire to Jiuhua Mountain, but repeated summons brought him back to court. Not long after Bian took the imperial title, Qiqiu resigned the chancellorship on grounds of illness and became military governor of Hongzhou. When Jing came to the throne he recalled Qiqiu as chief minister. Chen Jue, Wei Cen, and others had all risen through Qiqiu's patronage. Cen and Jue fell out, and Cen slandered Jue to the emperor, who demoted Jue to director of the palace workshops. Qiqiu was dismissed as well and sent out as military governor of Zhexi. Disappointed, Qiqiu asked to return to Jiuhua Mountain. Jing granted him the title Master of Jiuhua, created him Duke of Qingyang, and assigned him the revenues of one county.

二年二月，閩人連重遇、朱文進弒其君王延羲，文進自立。是時，延羲弟延政亦自立於建州，國號殷。王氏兄弟連兵累年，閩大亂，景因其亂遣查文徽及待詔臧循發兵攻建州。延政聞唐且攻之，遣人紿福州曰：「唐兵助我討賊矣。」福州信之，共殺文進等以降，延政遣其從子繼昌守福州。文徽軍屯建陽，福州將李仁達殺王繼昌自稱留後，泉州將留從效亦殺其刺史黃紹頗，皆送款於文徽。

In the second month of the second year Lian Chongyu and Zhu Wenjin of Min murdered their ruler Wang Yanxi, and Wenjin seized the throne. At the same time Yanxi's brother Yanzheng declared himself ruler at Jianzhou under the state name Yin. The Wang brothers had fought for years and Min was in chaos. Jing seized the chance to send Zha Wenhui and the awaiting-edict Zang Xun against Jianzhou. Hearing that Tang was marching against him, Yanzheng sent agents to deceive Fuzhou with the message, "Tang troops are coming to help me punish the rebels. Fuzhou took the bait, banded together to kill Wenjin and his followers and submit, and Yanzheng posted his nephew Jichang to hold the city. Wen Hui's army was stationed at Jianyang when the Fuzhou commander Li Renda killed Wang Jichang and proclaimed himself military governor. The Quanzhou commander Liu Congxiao likewise killed his prefect Huang Shaobian. Both men then offered their allegiance to Wen Hui.

四年八月，文徽乘勝克建、汀、泉、漳四州，景分延平、劍浦、富沙三縣，置劍州，遷王延政之族於金陵。以延政為饒州節度使、李仁達為福州節度使、留從效為清源軍節度使。景遂欲罷兵，而查文徽、陳覺等皆言：「仁達等余孽猶在，不若乘勝盡取之。」陳覺自言可不用尺兵致仁達等。景以覺為宣諭使，召仁達朝金陵，仁達不從。覺慚，還至建州，矯命發汀、建、信、撫州兵攻仁達。時魏岑安撫漳、泉，聞覺起兵，亦擅發兵會覺。景大怒，馮延巳等為言：「兵業行，不可止。」乃以王崇文為招討使、王建封為副使，益兵以會之，以延魯、魏岑、陳覺皆為監軍使。仁達送款於吳越，吳越以兵三萬應仁達。覺等爭功，進退不相應，延魯與吳越兵先戰，大敗而走，諸軍皆潰歸。景怒，遣使者鎖覺、延魯至金陵。而馮延巳方為宰相，宋齊丘復自九華召為太傅，為稍解之，乃流覺蘄州、延魯舒州。韓熙載上書切諫，請誅覺等，齊丘惡之，貶熙載和州司馬。是歲，契丹陷京師，中國無主，而景方以覺等疲兵東南，不暇北顧。御史中丞江文蔚劾奏宰相馮延巳、諫議大夫魏岑亂政，與覺等同罪而不見貶黜，言甚切直。景大怒，自答其疏，貶文蔚江州司士參軍，亦罷延巳為少傅、岑為太子洗馬。

In the eighth month of the fourth year Wen Hui pressed his advantage and took Jian, Ting, Quan, and Zhang. Jing carved Yanping, Jianpu, and Fusha out as a new Jian Prefecture and resettled Wang Yanzheng's entire clan at Jinling. Yanzheng was appointed military governor of Raozhou, Li Renda of Fuzhou, and Liu Congxiao of the Qingyuan Army. Jing then wanted to end the campaign, but Zha Wen Hui, Chen Jue, and others argued, "Li Renda and his followers are still at large—we should press our advantage and finish them off. Chen Jue went further, claiming he could win over Li Renda and the others without raising a single soldier. Jing appointed Jue as imperial envoy and summoned Renda to Jinling, but Renda refused to come. Humiliated, Jue went back to Jian Prefecture and, on forged orders, raised armies from Ting, Jian, Xin, and Fu to attack Renda. Wei Cen was then pacifying Zhang and Quan. When he heard that Jue had taken the field, he too mobilized troops on his own authority and marched to join him. Jing was furious, but Feng Yansi and others pleaded their case: "The armies are already in motion and cannot be recalled. Jing then appointed Wang Chongwen as campaign commander with Wang Jianfeng as his deputy, reinforced the expedition, and made Yan Lu, Wei Cen, and Chen Jue army supervisors. Renda appealed to Wuyue for aid, and Wuyue answered with thirty thousand troops. Jue and his colleagues squabbled over credit and failed to coordinate their movements. Yan Lu clashed first with the Wuyue army, suffered a crushing defeat, and fled; the rest of the force broke and retreated. Enraged, Jing sent envoys to put Jue and Yan Lu in chains and haul them back to Jinling. Feng Yansi was still chancellor, however, and Song Qiqiu had just been recalled from Mount Jiuhua as Grand Preceptor; they interceded and won a measure of leniency, so Jue was banished to Qizhou and Yan Lu to Shuzhou. Han Xizai memorialized the throne in blunt protest, demanding that Jue and his associates be put to death. Qiqiu took offense and had Xizai demoted to staff officer at Hezhou. That same year the Khitans took the capital and the Central Plains were left without a sovereign, but Jing was still draining his armies in the southeast over Jue's fiasco and had no strength to spare for the north. The censor-in-chief Jiang Wenwei impeached Chancellor Feng Yansi and Remonstrance Official Wei Cen for corrupt governance, arguing that they were as guilty as Jue and his circle yet had escaped punishment. His language was scathing. Jing flew into a rage and answered the memorial himself, demoting Wenwei to a minor post in Jiangzhou and stripping Yansi of his chancellorship to make him Junior Tutor and Cen crown prince's attendant.

五年，以景遂為太弟；景達為元帥，封齊王；南昌王冀為副元帥，封燕王。契丹遣使來聘，以兵部尚書賈潭報聘。

In the fifth year Jing named Jingsui Grand Younger Brother; made Jingda commander-in-chief and enfeoffed him as Prince of Qi; and appointed Prince of Nanchang Ji deputy commander-in-chief, enfeoffing him as Prince of Yan. When the Khitans sent envoys on a courtesy visit, Jing replied by dispatching Minister of War Jia Tan on a return mission.

六年，漢李守貞反河中，遣其客將朱元來求援，景以潤州節度使李金全為北面行營招撫使，兵攻沭陽，聞守貞已敗，乃還。是時，漢隱帝少，中國衰弱，淮北群盜多送款於景，景遣皇甫暉出海、泗諸州招納之。

In the sixth year Li Shouzhen of Later Han rebelled at Hezhong and sent his client general Zhu Yuan to ask for help. Jing appointed Runzhou governor Li Jinquan to lead a northern expedition and attack Shuyang, but when word came that Shouzhen had already been crushed, the army turned back. The Later Han emperor Yin was still a boy and the Central Plains were in decline. Many bandit bands north of the Huai offered their allegiance to Jing, and he sent Huangfu Hui into the Hai and Si region to recruit them.

八年，福州詐言「吳越戍兵亂，殺李仁達而遁」，遣人請建州節度使查文徽，文徽與劍州刺史陳誨下舟閩江趨應之。福州以兵出迎。誨曰：「閩人多詐難信，宜駐江岸徐圖之。」文徽曰：「久則生變，乘其未定，亟取之。」留誨屯江口，進至西門，伏兵發，文徽被擒。誨與越人戰，大敗之，獲其將馬先進。景送先進還越，越亦歸景文徽。是歲，楚王馬希廣為其弟希萼所弒，希萼自立。

In the eighth year Fuzhou sent a false report that Wuyue's garrison had mutinied, killed Li Renda, and fled, then invited Jianzhou governor Zha Wen Hui to take the city. Wen Hui and Jianzhou prefect Chen Hui sailed down the Min River at once to answer the call. Fuzhou marched troops out to greet them. Chen Hui warned, "The Min people are treacherous and cannot be trusted—we should hold the riverbank and proceed with caution. Wen Hui replied that delay would invite trouble and that they should strike while the city was still unsettled. He left Chen Hui at the river mouth and pressed on to the West Gate, where hidden troops sprang up and seized Wen Hui. Chen Hui fought the Wuyue troops and routed them, taking their general Ma Xianjin prisoner. Jing sent Xianjin back to Wuyue, and Wuyue in turn released Wen Hui to him. That year the Chu ruler Ma Xiguang was murdered by his younger brother Xi'e, who then seized the throne.

九年秋，楚人囚希萼於衡山，立其弟希崇，附於景，楚國大亂。景遣信州刺史邊鎬攻楚，破潭州，盡遷馬氏之族於金陵。景以希萼為洪州節度使，希崇舒州節度使，以邊鎬為湖南節度使。

In the autumn of the ninth year the Chu people imprisoned Xi'e on Mount Heng, raised his brother Xichong to the throne, and submitted to Jing as Chu descended into chaos. Jing sent Xingzhou governor Bian Hao against Chu. Bian took Tanzhou and resettled the entire Ma clan at Jinling. Jing appointed Xi'e military governor of Hongzhou, Xichong of Shuzhou, and Bian Hao of Hunan.

十年，分洪州高安、清江、萬載、上高四縣，置筠州。以馮延巳、孫忌為左、右僕射同平章事。廣州劉晟乘楚之亂，取桂管，景遣將軍張巒出兵爭之，不克。楚地新定，其府庫空虛，宰相馮延巳以克楚為功，不欲取費於國，乃重斂其民以給軍，楚人皆怨而叛，其將劉言攻邊鎬，鎬不能守，遁歸。

In the tenth year he carved Gao'an, Qingjiang, WanZai, and Shanggao out of Hongzhou to create Yun Prefecture. He appointed Feng Yansi and Sun Ji Left and Right Grand Counselors with the rank of chief minister. Liu Sheng of Guangzhou exploited the turmoil in Chu to seize the Gui region. Jing sent General Zhang Luan to contest the ground but failed to recover it. Chu had only just been pacified and its coffers were bare. Chancellor Feng Yansi, eager to claim credit for the conquest, refused to spend imperial funds and instead squeezed the local population to feed the army. Resentment spread until the Chu general Liu Yan rose against Bian Hao, who could not hold the province and fled home.

十一年，金陵大火逾月。十二年，大饑，民多疫死。

In the eleventh year a great fire raged in Jinling for more than a month. In the twelfth year famine struck, and plague carried off great numbers of people.

十三年十一月，周師南征，詔曰：「蠢爾淮甸，敢拒大邦，盜據一方，僭稱偽號。晉、漢之代，寰海未寧，而乃招納叛亡，朋助兇逆。金全之據安陸，守貞之叛河中，大起師徒，來為應援。迫奪閩、越，塗炭湘、潭，至於應接慕容，憑陵徐部，沭陽之役，曲直可知。勾誘契丹，入為邊患，結連並壘，實我世仇。罪惡難名，人神共憤。」乃拜李穀為行營都部署，攻自壽州始。是時，宋齊丘為洪州節度使，景召齊丘還金陵，以劉彥貞為神武統軍，劉仁贍為清淮軍節度使，以距周師。李穀曰：「吾無水戰之具，而使淮兵斷正陽浮橋，則我背腹受敵。」乃焚其芻糧，退屯正陽。是時世宗親征，行至圉鎮，聞谷退軍，曰：「吾軍卻，唐兵必追之。」遣李重進急趨正陽，曰：「唐兵且至，宜急擊之。」劉彥貞等聞谷退軍，果以為怯，急追之。比及正陽，而重進先至，軍未及食而戰，彥貞等遂敗。彥貞之兵施利刃於拒馬，維以鐵索；又刻木為獸，號「捷馬牌」；以皮囊布鐵蒺藜於地。周兵見而知其怯，一鼓敗之。世宗營於淝水之陽，徙浮橋於下蔡。景遣林仁肇等爭之不得，而周師取滁州。景懼，遣泗州牙將王知朗至徐州，稱唐皇帝奉書，願效貢賦，陳兄事之禮，世宗不答。景東都副留守馮延魯、光州刺史張紹、舒州刺史周祚、泰州刺史方訥皆棄城走；延魯削髮為僧，為周兵所獲。蘄州裨將李福殺其刺史王承雋降周。景益懼，始改名璟以避周廟諱，遣其翰林學士鐘謨、文理院學士李德明奉表稱臣，獻犒軍牛五百頭、酒二千石、金銀羅綺數千，請割壽、濠、泗、楚、光、海六州，以求罷兵。世宗不報，分兵襲下揚、泰。景遣人懷蠟丸書走契丹求救，為邊將所執。光州刺史張承翰降周。

In the eleventh month of the thirteenth year the Zhou army marched south. The imperial edict declared, "You wretches of the Huai region dare defy a great power, seize territory by force, and presume upon a usurper's title. When the Jin and Han dynasties fell and the realm was still unsettled, you sheltered fugitive rebels and abetted violent traitors. When Jin Quan seized Anlu and Li Shouzhen rebelled at Hezhong, you raised great armies to aid them. You wrested Min and Yue by force, laid waste to Xiang and Tan, harbored Murong Yanchao, and encroached on the Xu region—the battle at Shuyang alone shows where justice lay. You colluded with the Khitans to threaten the frontier, forged ties with Bingzhou and the northern fortresses—enemies of ours across generations. Your crimes beggar description, and both heaven and earth cry out against you. With that the court appointed Li Gu supreme commander of the expedition, and the assault opened from Shouzhou. Song Qiqiu was then military governor of Hongzhou. Jing recalled him to Jinling and put Liu Yanzhen in command of the Divine Martial Army and Liu Renshan in charge of the Qinghuai Army to meet the Zhou invasion. Li Gu said, "We lack the means to fight on the water. If Southern Tang forces sever the floating bridge at Zhengyang, we will be trapped between enemies front and rear. So he burned his fodder and supplies and pulled back to make camp at Zhengyang. Shizong was leading the campaign in person. When he reached Yuzhen and learned that Li Gu had pulled his forces back, he said, "The moment our army withdraws, the Southern Tang will come after us. He sent Li Chongjin racing toward Zhengyang with orders to attack at once, saying the Southern Tang would be arriving soon. Liu Yanzhen and his commanders, hearing of Li Gu's retreat, assumed the Zhou were fleeing and gave chase. By the time they reached Zhengyang, Li Chongjin was already there. The Zhou soldiers fought before they had even taken a meal, and Liu Yanzhen's force was routed. Liu Yanzhen's men mounted sharp blades on barricades and lashed them together with iron chains; They also carved wooden beasts and called them "Swift Horse Banners"; They scattered iron caltrops across the field in leather pouches. The Zhou soldiers recognized at a glance how timid these preparations were and routed them with a single charge. Shizong made camp south of the Fei River and relocated the floating bridge downstream to Xia Cai. Li Jing sent Lin Renzhao and others to seize the bridge but failed, and the Zhou army captured Chuzhou. Frightened, Li Jing dispatched Wang Zhilang, a staff officer from Sizhou, to Xuzhou with a letter from the emperor of Southern Tang offering tribute and declaring himself Zhou's younger brother. Shizong ignored him. Feng Yanlu, Li Jing's deputy custodian of the eastern capital, along with the prefects Zhang Shao of Guang, Zhou Zuo of Shu, and Fang Ne of Tai, all abandoned their cities and fled; Feng Yanlu shaved his head and disguised himself as a monk, but Zhou soldiers captured him anyway. At Qizhou, the deputy commander Li Fu murdered Prefect Wang Chengjun and surrendered the city to the Zhou. Li Jing's fear deepened. He changed his written name to Jing to avoid the taboo on the Zhou temple name, then sent the Hanlin scholar Zhong Mo and Wenli Academy scholar Li Deming with a memorial acknowledging Zhou overlordship. The embassy brought five hundred oxen, two thousand piculs of wine, and thousands of bolts of gold, silver, and silk brocade as gifts for the army, and offered to surrender the six prefectures of Shou, Hao, Si, Chu, Guang, and Hai if the Zhou would halt their advance. Shizong made no response and instead sent detachments to strike Yangzhou and Taizhou. Li Jing dispatched messengers with dispatches sealed in wax pellets to beg aid from the Khitan, but border Zhou officers intercepted them. Zhang Chenghan, prefect of Guang, surrendered to the Zhou.

十四年三月，景又遣司空孫晟、禮部尚書王崇質奉表，辭益卑服，世宗猶不答，前遣鐘謨等並晟、崇質皆留行在。而謨等請歸取景表，盡獻江北地，世宗許之，遣崇質、德明等還，始賜景書曰：「自有唐失禦，天步方艱，六紀於茲，瓜分鼎峙。自為聲教，各擅蒸黎，交結四夷，憑淩上國。華風不競，否運所鐘，凡百有心，敦不興憤？朕擅一百州之富庶，握三十萬之甲兵，農戰交修，士卒樂用，茍不能恢復內地，申畫邊疆，便議班旋，真同戲劇。至於削去尊稱，願輸臣節，孫權事魏，蕭詧奉周，古也雖然，今則不取。但存帝號，何爽歲寒？倘堅事大之心，必不迫人於險。」德明等還，盛稱世宗英武，景不悅。宋齊丘、陳覺等皆以割地無益，而德明賣國以圖利。景怒，斬德明。遣元帥齊王景達與陳覺、邊鎬、許文縝率兵趣壽春，景達將朱元等復得舒、蘄、泰三州。夏，大雨，周師在揚、滁、和者皆卻，諸將請要其險隘擊之。宋齊丘曰：「擊之怨深，不如縱之以為德。」誡諸將閉壁，無得要戰，故周師皆集於壽州。世宗屯於渦口，欲再幸揚州，宰相範質以師老泣諫，乃班師，以李重進攻廬、壽，向訓守揚州。訓請棄揚州，並力以攻壽春，乃封府庫付主者，遣景舊將按巡城中，秋毫不犯而去，淮人大悅，皆負糗糧，以送周師。

In the third month of his fourteenth year, Li Jing sent Sun Sheng, his Minister of Works, and Wang Chongzhi, Minister of Rites, with another memorial even more abject than the last. Shizong still would not answer. He detained Zhong Mo's earlier embassy along with Sun and Wang at his field headquarters. Zhong Mo and his colleagues asked to return to Jinling for a formal submission offering all territory north of the Yangtze. Shizong agreed and sent Wang Chongzhi and Li Deming back with an imperial letter that began: "From the day Tang lost the throne, the realm has fallen into turmoil. Sixty years have passed, and the land has been split among rival regimes like flesh from a melon. Each state preaches its own doctrine and holds its own subjects, courts barbarian allies, and presses upon the heartland of civilization. Chinese civilization has lost its vigor in this age of misfortune—what loyal heart could fail to burn with outrage? With the riches of a hundred prefectures and an army of three hundred thousand men, with farms and forges both flourishing and soldiers eager for battle—if I marched home without recovering our lost heartland and securing our borders, the whole campaign would be nothing but a farce. You offer to renounce your imperial title and submit as a vassal. Sun Quan bowed to Wei; Xiao Cha served the Zhou of old. Such things happened in former ages—but I want no part of them now. Merely keeping your imperial title—what does that cost me, any more than the pine survives the winter? Hold firm to your duty as the lesser state, and I will not push you to extremes. When Li Deming and his party returned, they spoke at length of Shizong's martial brilliance. Li Jing took offense. Song Qiqiu, Chen Jue, and their faction argued that surrendering territory would accomplish nothing and accused Li Deming of betraying the realm for personal gain. Enraged, Li Jing had Li Deming executed. Li Jing sent his heir apparent, Prince Jingda of Qi, with Chen Jue, Bian Hao, and Xu Wenzhen to march on Shouchun. Under Prince Jingda and Zhu Yuan, Southern Tang forces recaptured Shu, Qi, and Tai prefectures. That summer, heavy rains drove the Zhou garrisons at Yangzhou, Chuzhou, and Hezhou to pull back. Southern Tang generals urged an ambush at the mountain passes. Song Qiqiu said, "If we attack them now, we will only deepen their hatred. Better to let them go and claim the moral high ground. He ordered the generals to hold their defenses and avoid battle, allowing the entire Zhou army to concentrate at Shouzhou unopposed. Shizong camped at Wokou and prepared to march on Yangzhou again. Chancellor Fan Zhi pleaded through tears that the troops were exhausted, and Shizong agreed to withdraw. He left Li Chongjin to besiege Luzhou and Shouchun while Xiang Xun held Yangzhou. Xiang Xun proposed abandoning Yangzhou to concentrate on Shouchun. He sealed the city treasuries, sent Southern Tang veterans to patrol the streets, and withdrew without looting a single item. The people of the Huai region were overjoyed and brought provisions to sustain the Zhou army on its march.

十五年，景達遣朱元等屯紫金山，築甬道以餉壽州。二月，世宗復南征，徙下蔡浮橋於渦口，為鎮淮軍，築二城以夾淮。周師連破紫金諸寨。景達雖為元帥，兵事皆決於陳覺。覺與朱元素有隙，以元李守貞客，反覆難信，景遣大將楊守忠代元，且召之。元憤怒，叛降於周，諸軍皆潰，許文縝、邊鎬皆被執，景達以舟兵奔還金陵。劉仁贍病且死，其副使孫羽等以壽州降於周。世宗班師。景遣人焚揚州，驅其士庶而去。冬十月，世宗復南征，遂圍濠州，刺史郭廷謂告於周曰：「臣不能守一州以抗王師，然願請命於唐而後降。」世宗為之緩攻，廷謂遣人請命於景，景許其降，乃降。又取泗州。周師步騎數萬，水陸齊進，軍士作《檀來》之歌，聲聞數十里。十二月，屯於楚州之北門。

In the fifteenth year, Prince Jingda posted Zhu Yuan and others on Purple Gold Mountain and constructed a fortified supply line to feed Shouchun. In the second month Shizong launched another southern campaign. He moved the floating bridge from Xia Cai to Wokou, established the Zhenhuai garrison, and built twin fortresses flanking the Huai River. The Zhou army overran the Purple Gold Mountain encampments one after another. Prince Jingda held the title of commander, but Chen Jue made every military decision. Chen Jue bore a grudge against Zhu Yuan and convinced Li Jing that Yuan—once a retainer of the rebel Li Shouzhen—could not be trusted. Li Jing sent Yang Shouzhong to replace him and ordered Zhu Yuan to report to headquarters. Zhu Yuan, furious, defected to the Zhou. The Southern Tang army dissolved. Xu Wenzhen and Bian Hao were taken prisoner, and Prince Jingda fled by river to Jinling. Liu Renshan lay dying of illness. His deputy Sun Yu and the garrison surrendered Shouchun to the Zhou. Shizong marched his army home. Li Jing ordered Yangzhou burned and its population driven south. In the tenth month of winter Shizong launched yet another southern campaign and laid siege to Hao Prefecture. Prefect Guo Tingwei sent word to the Zhou: "I cannot hold this prefecture against the imperial army, but I ask permission to receive orders from Southern Tang before I surrender. Shizong held his fire. Guo Tingwei sent messengers to Li Jing, received permission to yield, and then surrendered. The Zhou also captured Sizhou. Tens of thousands of Zhou infantry and cavalry advanced by land and river together, soldiers singing the marching air "Tan Lai" loud enough to carry for miles. In the twelfth month the army encamped at the north gate of Chuzhou.

初，周師南征，無水戰之具，已而屢敗景兵，獲水戰卒，乃造戰艦數百艘，使降卒教之水戰，命王環將以下淮。景之水軍多敗，長淮之舟，皆為周師所得。又造齊雲船數百艘，世宗至楚州北神堰，齊雲舟大，不能過，乃開老鸛河以通之，遂至大江。景初自恃水戰，以周兵非敵，且未能至江。及覺奉使，見舟師列於江次甚盛，以為自天而下，乃請曰：「臣願還國取景表，盡獻江北諸州，如約。」世宗許之，始賜景書曰「皇帝恭問江南國主」，勞其良苦而已。是時，揚、泰、滁、和、壽、濠、泗、楚、光、海等州，已為周得，景遂獻廬、舒、蘄、黃，畫江以為界。五月，景下令去帝號，稱國主，奉周正朔，時顯德五年也。

When the Zhou army first marched south it had no fleet. Soon it was beating Li Jing's forces on the water, taking prisoners who knew river fighting, building hundreds of warships, and putting surrendered men to teaching Zhou sailors how to fight on the Huai. Wang Huan was ordered to lead the fleet downstream. Li Jing's navy lost battle after battle, and every vessel on the Huai fell into Zhou hands. They built hundreds more tower-ships called Qiyun. When Shizong came to the Beishen Dam at Chuzhou the new vessels were too large to pass, so the Laoguan River was cut open to float them through, and the fleet at last reached the Yangtze. Li Jing had counted on his mastery of river fighting, sure the Zhou army was no match on the water and could never reach the Yangtze. When Chen Jue went as envoy and saw the Zhou fleet massed along the river, he took it for an army fallen from the sky. He begged leave to return home and fetch Li Jing's formal submission, offering every prefecture north of the river as promised. Shizong consented and for the first time wrote to Li Jing, "The Emperor respectfully inquires after the Lord of Jiangnan"—nothing more than a word of sympathy for his ordeal. By then Yangzhou, Taizhou, Chu, Hezhou, Shouzhou, Haozhou, Sizhou, Chuzhou, Guangzhou, Haizhou, and the rest had fallen to the Zhou. Li Jing yielded Luzhou, Shuzhou, Qizhou, and Huangzhou as well, and the Yangtze was fixed as the border. In the fifth month Li Jing renounced the imperial title, called himself merely Lord of the State, and adopted the Zhou calendar. It was the fifth year of Xiande.

初，孫晟使於周，留不遣，而世宗問晟江南虛實，不對，世宗怒，殺晟。周已罷兵，景乃贈劉仁贍太師，追封晟魯國公。世宗遣鐘謨、馮延魯歸國。景復遣謨等朝京師，手自書表，稱天地父母之恩不可報，又請降詔書同藩鎮，遣謨面陳願傳位世子。世宗遣謨等還國，優詔以勞安之。景以謨為禮部侍郎、延魯戶部侍郎。

Earlier Sun Sheng had gone as envoy to the Zhou and was held there. Shizong pressed him for intelligence on Jiangnan; Sun Sheng refused to speak. Shizong in anger had him put to death. Once the Zhou had stood down their armies, Li Jing posthumously honored Liu Renshan as Grand Preceptor and ennobled the dead Sun Sheng as Duke of Lu. Shizong sent Zhong Mo and Feng Yanlu home. Li Jing sent Mo and his party to the capital again with a memorial in his own hand, protesting that the kindness of Heaven, Earth, and his sovereign parents could never be repaid. He asked to be treated in edicts like any frontier governor and sent Mo to say face to face that he wished to abdicate in favor of the crown prince. Shizong sent them home with a warm edict of consolation and reassurance. Li Jing made Zhong Mo Vice Director of the Ministry of Rites and Feng Yanlu Vice Director of the Ministry of Revenue.

景為太子時；延魯等皆出入東宮，禮部尚書常夢錫自世屢言不可使延魯等近太子，及景立，延魯用事，夢錫每排斥之。景既割地稱臣，有語及朝廷為大朝者，夢錫大笑曰：「君等嘗欲致君如堯、舜，今日自為小朝邪？」鐘謨素善李德明，既歸，而聞德明由宋齊丘等見殺，欲報其冤，未能發。陳覺，齊丘黨也，與嚴續素有隙。覺嘗奉使周，還言世宗以江南不即聽命者，嚴續之謀，勸景誅續以謝罪。景疑之，謨因請使於周，驗其事。景已割地稱臣，乃遣謨入朝謝罪，言不即割地者，非續謀，願赦之。世宗大驚，曰：「續能為謀，是忠其主也，朕豈殺忠臣乎？」謨還，言覺奸詐，景怒，流覺饒州，殺之，宋齊丘坐覺黨與，放還青陽，賜死。以太弟景遂為洪州節度使，燕王冀為太子。

When Li Jing was still crown prince, Feng Yanlu and his friends had come and gone freely in the Eastern Palace. Minister of Rites Chang Mengxi had warned for years that men like Yanlu must be kept away from the heir. When Li Jing took the throne Yanlu rose to power, and Mengxi fought him at every turn. After Li Jing had surrendered territory and bowed as a vassal, someone spoke of the Zhou court as the Great Court. Mengxi burst out laughing. "You once wanted a ruler as sage as Yao or Shun," he said. "And now you call yourselves a lesser court? Zhong Mo had always been close to Li Deming. Back home he learned that Deming had been killed at the instigation of Song Qiqiu and his faction. He wanted to right that wrong but found no way to act. Chen Jue belonged to Song Qiqiu's clique and had long hated Yan Xu. After a mission to the Zhou, Chen Jue reported that Shizong blamed Jiangnan's delay in submitting on Yan Xu and urged Li Jing to execute Xu as an act of contrition. Li Jing was not convinced. Zhong Mo volunteered to go to the Zhou and learn the truth. Li Jing, who had already surrendered his lands and accepted vassal status, sent Mo to court to plead forgiveness, insisting that the delay in yielding territory had not been Yan Xu's doing and begging that Xu be spared. Shizong was astonished. "If Xu gave counsel," he said, "it was loyalty to his lord. Would I execute a faithful minister? When Mo came back he exposed Chen Jue's fraud. Li Jing in fury banished Jue to Raozhou and had him killed. Song Qiqiu, convicted as Jue's accomplice, was sent home to Qingyang and ordered to take his own life. Li Jing's younger brother Li Jingsui was appointed military governor of Hongzhou, and the Prince of Yan, Li Ji, was named crown prince.

景困於用兵，鐘謨請鑄大錢以一當十，文曰「永通泉貨」。謨嘗得罪，而大錢廢。韓熙載又鑄鐵錢，以一當二。

Hard pressed by war, Li Jing accepted Zhong Mo's proposal to mint heavy coins worth ten ordinary cash each, bearing the inscription Ever-Flowing Currency. When Mo later fell from favor the large coins were withdrawn. Han Xizai then minted iron coins worth two ordinary cash each.

九月，太子冀卒，次子從嘉封吳王，居東宮。鐘謨言從嘉輕肆，請立紀國公從善，景怒，貶謨國子司業，立從嘉為太子。世宗使人謂景曰：「吾與江南，大義已定，然慮後世不能容汝，可及吾世修城隍、治要害為子孫計。」景因營緝諸城，謀遷其都於洪州，群臣皆不欲遷，惟樞密使唐鎬贊之，乃升洪州為南昌，建南都。建隆二年，留太子從嘉監國，景遷於南都。而洪州迫隘，宮府營廨，皆不能容，群臣日夕思歸，景悔怒不已。唐鎬慚懼，發疾卒。

In the ninth month Crown Prince Ji died. The second son, Congjia, was made Prince of Wu and installed in the Eastern Palace. Zhong Mo called Congjia reckless and urged making Duke of Ji Congshan heir instead. Li Jing was furious, demoted Mo to Vice Director of the Directorate of Education, and confirmed Congjia as crown prince. Shizong sent word to Li Jing: "The broad terms between us are settled, but I fear later rulers may not leave you in peace. While I am alive, repair your walls and fortify your strong points—for your children's sake. Li Jing set about repairing every city and planned to move the capital to Hongzhou. The court opposed the move; only Privy Council Director Tang Hao spoke in favor. Hongzhou was renamed Nanchang and made the Southern Capital. In the second year of Jianlong he left Crown Prince Congjia to govern at home and moved himself to the Southern Capital. Hongzhou proved cramped. Palaces and government halls could not hold the court. The ministers thought of nothing but going home, and Li Jing brooded in anger and regret. Tang Hao, shamed and terrified, took ill and died.

六月，景卒，年六十四。從嘉嗣立，以喪歸金陵，遣使入朝，願復景帝號，太祖皇帝許之，乃謚曰明道崇德文宣孝皇帝，廟號元宗，陵曰順陵。

In the sixth month Li Jing died at sixty-four. Congjia succeeded him, brought the coffin back to Jinling, and sent envoys asking that Li Jing's imperial title be restored. Emperor Taizu agreed. Li Jing was posthumously styled Emperor Mingdao Chongde Wenxuan Xiao, given the temple name Yuanzong, and buried at Shunling.

煜字重光，初名從嘉，景第六子也。煜為人仁孝，善屬文，工書畫，而豐額駢齒，一目重瞳子。自太子冀已上，五子皆早亡，煜以次封吳王。建隆二年，景遷南都，立煜為太子，留監國。景卒，煜嗣立於金陵。母鐘氏，父名泰章。煜尊母曰聖尊後；立妃周氏為國後；封弟從善韓王，從益鄭王，從謙宜春王，從度昭平郡公，從信文陽郡公。大赦境內。遣中書侍郎馮延魯修貢於朝廷，令諸司四品已下無職事者，日二員待制於內殿。

Yu, whose courtesy name was Chongguang and who had first been named Congjia, was Li Jing's sixth son. Yu was gentle and filial, wrote well, and excelled at calligraphy and painting. He had a broad forehead, teeth grown close together, and a double pupil in one eye. The five sons above him, beginning with Crown Prince Ji, had all died young. Yu was next in line and was made Prince of Wu. In the second year of Jianlong, when Li Jing moved to the Southern Capital, he named Yu crown prince and left him to govern at Jinling. When Li Jing died, Yu took the throne at Jinling. His mother was Lady Zhong; his father was named Taizhang. Yu honored his mother as Sage Empress Dowager; installed Consort Zhou as empress; enfeoffed his brothers Congshan as Prince of Han, Congyi as Prince of Zheng, Congqian as Prince of Yichun, Congdu as Marquis of Zhaoping, and Congxin as Marquis of Wenyang. He proclaimed a general amnesty throughout the realm. He sent Vice Director of the Secretariat Feng Yanlu to the Song court with tribute and ordered that idle officials of the fourth rank and below should attend in the inner hall two at a time each day.

三年，泉州留從效卒。景之稱臣於周也，從效亦奉表貢獻於京師，世宗以景故，不納。從效聞景遷洪州，懼以為襲己，遣其子紹基納貢於金陵，而從效病卒，泉人因並送其族於金陵，推立副使張漢思。漢思老不任事，州人陳洪進逐之，自稱留後，煜即以洪進為節度使。乾德二年，始用鐵錢，民間多藏匿舊錢，舊錢益少，商賈多以十鐵錢易一銅錢出境，官不可禁，煜因下令以一當十。拜韓熙載中書侍郎、勤政殿學士。封長子仲遇清源公，次子仲儀宣城公。

In the third year of his reign Liu Congxiao, the military commissioner at Quanzhou, died. When Li Jing submitted to Zhou as a vassal, Congxiao also sent a memorial with tribute to the capital, but Shizong, out of deference to Jing, refused to accept it. When Congxiao learned that Li Jing was relocating the capital to Hongzhou, he feared a move against him and sent his son Shaoji with tribute to Jinling. Congxiao then fell ill and died, whereupon the people of Quanzhou dispatched his whole clan to Jinling as well and installed the vice commissioner Zhang Hansi in his place. Hansi was too old to govern. Chen Hongjin of the prefecture expelled him, proclaimed himself acting military commissioner, and Yu at once appointed Hongjin military governor. In the second year of Qiande, iron coinage was introduced. People hoarded old coins in large numbers until they grew scarce, and merchants often traded ten iron coins for one copper coin to smuggle across the border. The government could not stop it, so Yu ordered that one iron coin should be worth ten. Han Xizai was appointed Vice Director of the Secretariat and Academician of the Hall of Diligence in Governance. He enfeoffed his eldest son Zhongyu as Duke of Qingyuan and his second son Zhongyi as Duke of Xuancheng.

五年，命兩省侍郎、給事中、中書舍人、集賢勤政殿學士，分夕於光政殿宿直，煜引與談論。煜嘗以熙載盡忠，能直言，欲用為相，而熙載後房妓妾數十人，多出外舍私侍賓客，煜以此難之，左授熙載右庶子，分司南都。熙載盡斥諸妓，單車上道，煜喜留之，復其位。已而諸妓稍稍復還，煜曰：「吾無如之何矣！」是歲，熙載卒，煜嘆曰：「吾終不得熙載為相也。」欲以平章事贈之，問前世有此比否，群臣對曰：「昔劉穆之贈開府儀同三司。」遂贈熙載平章事。熙載，北海將家子也，初與李穀相善。明宗時，熙載南奔吳，穀送至正陽，酒酣臨訣，熙載謂穀曰：「江左用吾為相，當長驅以定中原。」穀曰：「中國用吾為相，取江南如探囊中物爾。」及周師之征淮也，命穀為將，以取淮南，而熙載不能有所為也。

In the fifth year, he ordered vice directors of the two secretariats, supervisory censors, drafting counselors, and academicians of the Collecting Worthies and Diligence in Governance halls to rotate night duty at the Hall of Glorious Governance, and Yu would call them in for conversation. Yu regarded Xizai as utterly loyal and outspoken and wanted to make him chief minister, but Xizai kept dozens of concubines and singing girls, many lodged outside to entertain guests in private. Yu could not stomach it and demoted him to Right Principal of the Heir Apparent, with duties at the Southern Capital only. Xizai sent away all the women and set out alone in a single cart. Yu was delighted, kept him at court, and restored his rank. Before long the women gradually drifted back. Yu said, "There is nothing I can do about it! That year Xizai died. Yu sighed and said, "In the end I never made Xizai my chief minister." He wished to posthumously grant him the title of Grand Counselor and asked whether precedent allowed it. The ministers answered, "Liu Mushi was once posthumously granted Commissioner with the Protocol of the Three Excellencies." He then posthumously granted Xizai the title of Grand Counselor. Xizai came from a military family in Beihai and had once been close friends with Li Gu. During Emperor Mingzong's reign, Xizai fled south to Wu. Gu escorted him as far as Zhengyang, and as the wine warmed them at their farewell, Xizai told Gu, "If the south appoints me chief minister, I shall ride north at full speed and pacify the Central Plains. Gu replied, "If the north appoints me chief minister, taking Jiangnan will be like reaching into a bag and taking what you want." When the Zhou army marched on Huainan, Gu was appointed a general to seize the region — yet Xizai could do nothing at all.

開寶四年，煜遣其弟韓王從善朝京師，遂留不遣。煜手疏求從善還國，太祖皇帝不許。煜嘗怏怏以國蹙為憂，日與臣下酣宴，愁思悲歌不已。

In the fourth year of Kaibao, Yu sent his brother, Prince Han Congshan, to pay court at the capital. He was detained and never sent home. Yu wrote a personal petition begging that Congshan be allowed to return, but Emperor Taizu refused. Yu brooded constantly over the shrinking of his realm, drinking deep with his ministers day after day in songs of grief that never ended.

五年，煜下令貶損制度。下書稱教，改中書、門下省為左、右內史府，尚書省為司會府，御史臺為司憲府，翰林為文館，樞密院為光政院，諸王皆為國公，以尊朝廷。煜性驕侈，好聲色，又喜浮圖，為高談，不恤政事。

In the fifth year, Yu ordered a scaling back of court ceremony. Edicts went out as "Instructions." The Secretariat and Chancellery became the Left and Right Directorates of Internal Affairs; the Department of State Affairs, the Directorate of Audits; the Censorate, the Directorate of Law; the Hanlin Academy, the Literary Institute; and the Bureau of Military Affairs, the Directorate of Glorious Governance. All princes were reduced to State Dukes — every change meant to honor the imperial court. Yu was proud and extravagant by nature, devoted to music and women, enamored of Buddhism, fond of lofty talk, and indifferent to the business of rule.

六年，內史舍人潘佑上書極諫，煜收下獄，佑自縊死。

In the sixth year, Internal Affairs Drafting Counselor Pan You submitted a memorial of fierce remonstrance. Yu had him thrown into prison, and You hanged himself.

七年，太祖皇帝遣使詔煜赴闕，煜稱疾不行，王師南征，煜遣徐鉉、周惟簡等奉表朝廷求緩師，不答。八年十二月，王師克金陵。九年，煜俘至京師，太祖赦之，封煜違命侯，拜左千牛衛將軍。其後事具國史。

In the seventh year, Emperor Taizu sent envoys summoning Yu to court. Yu pleaded illness and stayed home. When the imperial army marched south, Yu dispatched Xu Xuan, Zhou Weijian, and others with a memorial begging the court to halt the campaign. No reply came. In the twelfth month of the eighth year, the imperial army took Jinling. In the ninth year, Yu was brought captive to the capital. Taizu pardoned him, enfeoffed him as Marquis Who Disobeyed Orders, and appointed him General of the Left Guard of the Thousand-Ox. What happened afterward is set out fully in the national chronicles.

予世家江南，其故老多能言李氏時事，云太祖皇帝之出師南征也，煜遣其臣徐鉉朝於京師。鉉居江南，以名臣自負，其來也，欲以口舌馳說存其國，其日夜計謀思慮言語應對之際詳矣。及其將見也，大臣亦先入請，言鉉博學有材辯，宜有以待之。太祖笑曰：「第去，非爾所知也。」明日，鉉朝於廷，仰而言曰：「李煜無罪，陛下師出無名。」太祖徐召之升，使畢其說。鉉曰：「煜以小事大，如子事父，未有過失，奈何見伐？」其說累數百言。太祖曰：「爾謂父子者為兩家可乎？」鉉無以對而退。嗚呼，大哉，何其言之簡也！蓋王者之興，天下必歸於一統。其可來者來之，不可者伐之；僭偽假竊，期於掃蕩一平而後已。予讀周世宗《征淮南詔》，怪其區區攈摭前事，務較曲直以為辭，何其小也！然世宗之英武有足喜者，豈為其辭者之過歟？

My family has lived in Jiangnan for generations, and many old men among us could still recount affairs from the Li reign. They said that when Emperor Taizu marched south on campaign, Yu sent his minister Xu Xuan to pay court at the capital. Xuan had built his reputation in Jiangnan and took pride in standing among its great ministers. He came intending to save his state through eloquence alone, and he planned and rehearsed his arguments day and night, down to the last word of every exchange. When the audience drew near, a senior minister went in first and said that Xuan was learned, talented, and skilled in debate, and that he deserved a careful welcome. Taizu smiled and said, "Go. This is not for you to understand. The next day Xuan appeared at court and, looking up, declared, "Li Yu is guilty of nothing. Your Majesty's campaign has no just cause." Taizu slowly beckoned him forward and let him finish. Xuan said, "Yu serves the greater power as a son serves a father. He has done no wrong. Why march against him? His speech ran to several hundred words. Taizu said, "Do you think father and son can be two separate houses? Xuan had no answer and withdrew. Alas — how grand, and how spare his words were! When a true king rises, the realm must ultimately be united as one. Those who may come, let them come; those who will not, attack them. Usurpers, pretenders, and petty thieves — the aim is to sweep them all away and leave the realm at peace. When I read Emperor Shizong of Zhou's "Edict on the Huainan Campaign," I marvel that he rummages through petty old grievances and argues right and wrong as his justification — how cramped! Yet Shizong's martial prowess is surely worth celebrating. Can that be blamed on whoever drafted his words?

〈（據湯悅所撰《江南錄》云：「景以保大十五年正月，改元交泰，是歲盡獻淮南十四州，畫江為界。」保大十五年，乃周顯德四年也。案《五代舊史》及《世宗實錄》，顯德四年十月壬申，世宗方復南征，五年正月丙午，始克楚州。二月己亥，景始盡獻淮南諸州，畫江為界，當是保大十六年也。悅等南唐故臣，記其目見之事，何其差繆？而《九國志》、《紀年通譜》之類，但以悅書為正，不復參校，遂皆差一年。至於景滅閩國，是保大四年，《江南錄》書於三年，亦差一年，已具《閩世家》註。或疑景立逾年而改元，則滅閩國當為三年，周取淮南當為十五年不差，但《江南錄》誤於景立之年改元保大，所以常差一年也。今知不然者，以諸書參校，閩人殺王延羲，當晉開運元年，周師始伐南唐當顯德二年。據景以初立之年即改元，則開運元年為保大二年，顯德二年為保大十三年。今《江南錄》書延羲被殺於二年，周師始伐於十三年，則是景立之年改元，不誤，而悅等書滅王氏、割淮南自各差一年爾。自晉天福二年建國，至皇朝開寶八年國滅，凡三十九年。）〉

(According to Tang Yue's Record of Jiangnan: "In the first month of the fifteenth year of Baoda, Jing changed the reign title to Jiaotai; that same year he surrendered all fourteen Huainan prefectures and drew the Yangtze as the boundary." Baoda fifteenth year" corresponds to the fourth year of Xiande in Zhou. But according to the Old History of the Five Dynasties and the Veritable Record of Emperor Shizong, in the fourth year of Xiande, on the day renshen of the tenth month, Shizong had only just renewed the southern campaign; on the day bingwu of the first month of the fifth year he first captured Chuzhou. On the day jihai of the second month, Jing only then surrendered all the Huainan prefectures and drew the Yangtze as the boundary — that should be Baoda sixteenth year. Yet Yue and his fellows were former ministers of Southern Tang, recording what they saw with their own eyes — how could they be so far wrong? Texts such as the *Record of the Nine States* and the *Comprehensive Chronology* treated Yue's book as authoritative without further cross-checking, and so they are all off by one year. Li Jing's destruction of Min fell in the fourth year of Baoda, but the *Record of Jiangnan* dates it to the third year—again a one-year error, already discussed in the notes to the *Hereditary House of Min*. Some argue that Jing changed the era name only after his second year on the throne, which would make the fall of Min year three and the Zhou conquest of Huainan year fifteen without discrepancy. But the *Record of Jiangnan* wrongly proclaimed the Baoda era in the very year of his accession, which is why it is habitually one year behind. Cross-checking other sources shows this theory is wrong: the murder of Wang Yanxi by the Min faction belongs in the first year of Jin's Kaiyun era, and the Zhou opening of hostilities against Southern Tang belongs in the second year of Xiande. If Jing did change the era in his accession year, then Kaiyun 1 equals Baoda 2 and Xiande 2 equals Baoda 13. The *Record of Jiangnan* dates Yanxi's death to year 2 and the Zhou invasion to year 13, which confirms that Jing's accession-year era change is correct. Yue and his colleagues are the ones who are each one year off in dating the fall of the Wang house and the cession of Huainan. From the founding of the state in Jin Tianfu 2 to its fall in our dynasty's Kaibao 8, the realm lasted thirty-nine years in all.)〉

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