1
劉隱，其祖安仁，上蔡人也，後徙閩中，商賈南海，因家焉。 父謙，為廣州牙將。 唐乾符五年，黃巢攻破廣州，去略湖、湘間，廣州表謙封州刺史、賀江鎮遏使，以禦梧、桂以西。 歲餘，有兵萬人，戰艦百餘艘。 謙三子，曰隱、臺、巖。
Liu Yin’s grandfather Anren was a native of Shangcai. The family later moved to Minzhong and went into trade in the Southern Sea, where they eventually settled. His father Qian served as a military adjutant at Guangzhou. In the fifth year of Qianfu of the Tang, Huang Chao took Guangzhou and then marched to plunder the lake country and the Xiang region. Guangzhou recommended Qian for prefect of Fengzhou and commissioner for suppressing Hejiang, to hold the line against foes west of Wuzhou and Guilin. Within a year he had raised ten thousand troops and more than a hundred warships. Qian had three sons: Yin, Tai, and Yan.
2
謙卒，廣州表隱代謙封州刺史。 乾寧中，節度使劉崇龜死，嗣薛王知柔代為帥，行至湖南，廣州將盧琚、覃玘作亂，知柔不敢進。 隱以封州兵攻殺琚、玘，迎知柔，知柔辟隱行軍司馬。 其後徐彥若代知柔，表隱節度副使，委以軍政。 彥若卒，軍中推隱為留後。 天祐二年，拜隱節度使。 梁開平元年，加檢校太尉、兼侍中。 二年，兼靜海軍節度、安南都護。 三年，加檢校太師、兼中書令，封南平王。
After Qian died, Guangzhou recommended Yin to succeed him as prefect of Fengzhou. During the Qianning era, military commissioner Liu Chonggui died and was succeeded as commander by the heir Prince of Xue, Li Zhirou. When Zhirou reached Hunan, the Guangzhou generals Lu Ju and Tan Qi rose in revolt, and he did not dare press on. Yin led Fengzhou troops against Lu Ju and Tan Qi, killed them, and welcomed Zhirou into the city. Zhirou then appointed Yin marching army marshal. Later Xu Yanruo replaced Zhirou as commander, recommended Yin as deputy military commissioner, and entrusted him with military and civil affairs. When Yanruo died, the troops acclaimed Yin as acting commissioner. In the second year of Tianyou, Yin was appointed military commissioner. In the first year of Kaiping under the Liang, he was given the additional titles of Grand Guardian and concurrent Palace Attendant. The following year he was also made military commissioner of the Jinghai Army and Protector-General of Annan. In the third year he was given the additional titles of Grand Preceptor and concurrent Director of the Secretariat and was enfeoffed as Prince of Nanping.
3
隱父子起封州，遭世多故，數有功於嶺南，遂有南海。 隱復好賢士。 是時，天下已亂，中朝士人以嶺外最遠，可以避地，多遊焉。 唐世名臣謫死南方者往往有子孫，或當時仕宦遭亂不得還者，皆客嶺表。 王定保、倪曙、劉浚、李衡、周傑、楊洞潛、趙光裔之徒，隱皆招禮之。 定保容管巡官，曙唐太學博士，浚崇望之子，以避亂往； 衡德裕之孫，唐右補闕，以奉使往。 皆辟置幕府，待以賓客。 傑善星歷，唐司農少卿，因避亂往，隱數問以災變，傑恥以星術事人，常稱疾不起，隱亦客之。 洞潛初為邕管巡官，秩滿客南海，隱常師事之，後以為節度副使，及龑僭號，為陳吉兇禮法。 為國制度，略有次序，皆用此數人焉。
Yin and his father had risen from Fengzhou. In those troubled times they won repeated merit in Lingnan and eventually came to hold the Southern Sea. Yin also delighted in worthy scholars. By then the empire was in turmoil, and court scholars regarded the far south beyond the ranges as the safest place to take refuge; many made their way there. Descendants of famous Tang ministers who had been banished to die in the south were often found there, as were officials caught abroad by the chaos and unable to return home; all of them lodged in Lingnan. Wang Dingbao, Ni Shu, Liu Jun, Li Heng, Zhou Jie, Yang Dongqian, Zhao Guangyi, and others — Yin sought them out and treated them with honor. Dingbao had served as a Rongguan circuit patrol officer; Shu had been a doctor of the Tang Imperial College; Jun was the son of Chongwang and had fled there to escape the turmoil; Heng was the grandson of Deyu and a Tang Right Remonstrator who had come on an official mission. Yin appointed them all to his staff and received them as honored guests. Jie was skilled in astronomy and calendrics and had been a Tang Vice Minister of Agriculture; he too had fled the chaos. Yin often asked him about omens and calamities, but Jie was ashamed to serve a patron with star lore and usually pleaded illness and would not attend. Yin still treated him as an honored guest. Dongqian had first served as a Yongguan circuit patrol officer; when his term ended he stayed on in the Southern Sea, and Yin often treated him as a teacher. Later Yin made him deputy military commissioner, and when Yan declared himself emperor, Dongqian laid out the rites and laws of the new state. The state’s institutions gained a measure of order, and it was through these men that it did so.
4
乾化元年，進封隱南海王。 是歲卒，年三十八。 弟龑立。
In the first year of Qianhua, Yin was advanced to Prince of Nanhai. He died that same year, at the age of thirty-eight. His younger brother Yan succeeded him.
5
龑，初名巖，謙庶子也。 其母段氏生龑於外舍，謙妻韋氏素妒，聞之怒，拔劍而出，命持龑至，將殺之。 及見而悸，劍輒墮地，良久曰：「此非常兒也！」 後三日，卒殺段氏，養龑為己子。 及長，善騎射，身長七尺，垂手過膝。
Yan, who had originally borne the name Yan, was Qian’s son by a concubine. His mother Lady Duan had borne Yan in an outer residence. Qian’s wife Lady Wei was fiercely jealous; when she heard the news she flew into a rage, drew her sword, and came out, ordering the infant brought so she could kill him. When she saw the child she was seized with dread and her sword fell to the ground. After a long silence she said, "This is no ordinary child!" Three days later she had Lady Duan killed and raised Yan as her own son. When he grew up he excelled at riding and archery; he stood seven feet tall, with hands that hung below his knees.
6
隱為行軍司馬，龑亦辟薛王府諮議參軍。 隱鎮南海，龑為副使。 隱卒，龑代立。 乾化二年，除清海節度使，檢校太保、同平章事。 三年，加檢校太傅。 末帝即位，悉以隱官爵授龑，襲封南海王。
While Yin served as marching army marshal, Yan was also appointed staff adviser to the Prince of Xue’s household. When Yin governed the Southern Sea, Yan served as his deputy. When Yin died, Yan succeeded him. In the second year of Qianhua he was appointed military commissioner of Qinghai, with the additional titles of Grand Mentor and Fellow of the Secretariat. The following year he was given the additional title of Grand Tutor. When the Last Emperor took the throne, he transferred all of Yin’s offices and titles to Yan, who inherited the enfeoffment as Prince of Nanhai.
7
唐末，南海最後亂，僖宗以後，大臣出鎮者，天下皆亂，無所之，惟除南海而已，自隱始亦自立。 是時，交州曲顥、桂州劉士政、邕州葉廣略、容州龐巨昭，分據諸管； 盧光稠據虔州以攻嶺上，其弟光睦據潮州，子延昌據韶州； 高州刺史劉昌魯、新州刺史劉潛及江東七十餘寨，皆不能制。 隱攻韶州，龑曰：「韶州所賴者光稠，擊之，虔人必應，應則首尾受敵，此不宜直攻而可以計取。」 隱不聽，果敗而歸，因盡以兵事付龑。 龑悉平諸寨，遂殺昌魯等，更置刺史，卒出兵攻敗盧氏，取潮、韶。 又西與馬殷爭容、桂，殷取桂管，虜士政； 龑取容管，逐巨昭，又取邕管。 隱、龑自梁初受封爵，稟正朔而已。
In the closing years of the Tang, the Southern Sea was the last region to descend into chaos. After Emperor Xizong, when great ministers were posted to govern circuits, the whole realm was in turmoil and there was nowhere safe to go — only the Southern Sea still received such appointments — and from Yin’s time onward they also ruled in their own right. At that time Qu Hao held Jiaozhou, Liu Shizheng held Guizhou, Ye Guanglue held Yongzhou, and Pang Juzhao held Rongzhou, each ruling his own circuit; Lu Guangchou held Qianzhou and raided up into the ranges; his younger brother Guangmu held Chaozhou, and his son Yanchang held Shaozhou; Liu Changlu of Gaozhou, Liu Qian of Xinzhou, and more than seventy stockades east of the river — none of them could be brought under control. When Yin attacked Shaozhou, Yan said, "Shaozhou depends on Guangchou. Strike it and the men of Qian will surely come to his aid; if they do we shall be caught between two fires. This is no place for a frontal assault — it must be taken by stratagem." Yin would not listen, was defeated as Yan had warned, and withdrew; he then entrusted all military affairs to Yan. Yan pacified all the stockades, killed Changlu and the others, installed new prefects, and finally sent troops to defeat the Lu clan and seize Chao and Shao. He also fought Ma Yin to the west over Rong and Gui; Ma Yin took the Gui circuit and captured Shizheng; while Yan took the Rong circuit, drove off Juzhao, and also seized the Yong circuit. From the beginning of the Liang, Yin and Yan accepted enfeoffments and acknowledged only the court calendar.
8
貞明三年，龑即皇帝位，國號大越，改元曰乾亨。 追尊安仁文皇帝，謙聖武皇帝，隱襄皇帝，立三廟。 置百官，以楊洞潛為兵部侍郎，李衡禮部侍郎，倪曙工部侍郎，趙光胤兵部尚書，皆平章事。 光胤自以唐甲族，恥事偽國，常怏怏思歸。 龑乃習為光胤手書，遣使間道至洛陽，召其二子損、益並其家屬皆至。 光胤驚喜，為盡心焉。
In the third year of Zhenming, Yan declared himself emperor; his state was called Great Yue, and he adopted the era name Qianheng. He posthumously honored Anren as Literary Emperor, Qian as Sagely Martial Emperor, and Yin as Accomplished Emperor, and established three ancestral temples. He established a full bureaucracy, appointing Yang Dongqian Vice Minister of War, Li Heng Vice Minister of Rites, Ni Shu Vice Minister of Works, and Zhao Guangyin Minister of War — all as Fellows of the Secretariat. Guangyin regarded himself as belonging to a great Tang clan and was ashamed to serve a rebel state; he was often discontent and longed to return north. Yan practiced imitating Guangyin’s handwriting, sent envoys by a secret route to Luoyang, and summoned his two sons Sun and Yi together with all their kin to join him. Guangyin was overjoyed and from then on served with all his heart.
9
龑性聰悟而苛酷，為刀鋸、支解、刳剔之刑，每視殺人，則不勝其喜，不覺朵頤，垂涎呀呷，人以為真蛟蜃也。 又好奢侈，悉聚南海珍寶，以為玉堂珠殿。
Yan was clever by nature yet harsh and cruel. He devised punishments of sawing, dismemberment, and flaying. Whenever he watched an execution he could not contain his delight, unconsciously working his jaws, drooling and smacking his lips; people said he was a dragon or sea-monster in human form. He also loved extravagance, gathering all the treasures of the Southern Sea to build halls of jade and chambers of pearl.
10
二年，祀天南郊，大赦境內，改國號漢。 龑初欲僭號，憚王定保不從，遣定保使荊南，及還，懼其非己，使倪曙勞之，告以建國。 定保曰：「建國當有制度，吾入南門，清海軍額猶在，四方其不取笑乎！」 龑笑曰：「吾備定保久矣，而不思此，宜其譏也。」
In the second year he sacrificed to Heaven at the southern suburb, proclaimed a great amnesty within his realm, and changed the state name to Han. When Yan first wished to declare himself emperor he feared Wang Dingbao would not consent, and sent Dingbao as envoy to Jingnan. When Dingbao returned, Yan feared he would not approve and had Ni Shu welcome him and inform him that the state had been founded. Dingbao said, "Founding a state requires proper institutions. I entered the south gate and the Qinghai Army placard is still hanging there — will not the four quarters laugh at us!" Yan laughed and said, "I have kept Dingbao close for a long time, yet he never thought of this — no wonder he mocks us."
11
三年，冊越國夫人馬氏為皇后。 馬氏，楚王殷女也。
In the third year he invested Lady Ma of Yue as empress. Lady Ma was a daughter of Ma Yin, Prince of Chu.
12
四年春，置選部貢舉，放進士、明經十餘人，如唐故事，歲以為常。
In the spring of the fourth year he established the Selection Bureau and civil examinations, graduating more than ten jinshi and mingjing candidates according to Tang precedent, and made it an annual custom.
13
七年，唐莊宗入汴，龑懼，遣宮苑使何詞入詢中國虛實，稱大漢國主致書大唐皇帝。 詞還，言唐必亂，不足憂，龑大喜。 又性好誇大，嶺北商賈至南海者，多召之，使升宮殿，示以珠玉之富。 自言家本咸秦，恥王蠻夷，呼唐天子為「洛州刺史」。 是歲，雲南驃信鄭旻遣使致朱鬃白馬以求婚，使者自稱皇親母弟、清容布燮兼理、賜金錦袍虎綾紋攀金裝刀、封歸仁慶侯、食邑一千戶、持節鄭昭淳。 昭淳好學有文辭，龑與遊宴賦詩，龑及群臣皆不能逮，遂以隱女增城縣主妻旻。
In the seventh year, when Tang Zhuangzong entered Bian, Yan grew fearful and sent Palace Gardens Commissioner He Ci to inquire into the strength of the central state, addressing himself as lord of Great Han writing to the emperor of Great Tang. When Ci returned he reported that Tang was sure to fall into disorder and was not worth worrying about; Yan was greatly pleased. He was also by nature fond of boasting. Merchants from north of the ranges who came to the Southern Sea were often summoned, led up into the palace halls, and shown the wealth of pearls and jade. He claimed his family was originally from the Qin capital region, was ashamed to rule over barbarians, and called the Tang emperor "the prefect of Luozhou." That year Zheng Min, the Piao Xin of Yunnan, sent envoys with a red-maned white horse to seek a marriage alliance. The envoy styled himself the emperor’s maternal younger brother, Qingrong Buye and Concurrent Administrator, bearer of a gold brocade robe and a tiger-pattern gold-inlaid climbing knife, enfeoffed as Marquis of Guirenqing with a fief of one thousand households, and holding credentials — Zheng Zhaochun. Zhaochun loved learning and had literary gifts. Yan feasted and composed poetry with him, but Yan and his ministers could not match him, so he gave Yin’s daughter, the Princess of Zengcheng, to Min in marriage.
14
八年，作南宮，王定保獻《南宮七奇賦》以美之。 龑初名巖，又更曰陟。
In the eighth year he built the Southern Palace; Wang Dingbao presented his "Rhapsody on the Seven Wonders of the Southern Palace" in praise of it. Yan’s original name was Yan; he later changed it to Zhi.
15
九年，白龍見南宮三清殿，改元曰白龍，又更名龔，以應龍見之祥。 有胡僧言：「讖書『滅劉氏者龔也。』」 龑乃采《周易》「飛龍在天」之義為「龑」字，音「儼」，以名焉。
In the ninth year a white dragon appeared at the Three Pure Ones Hall of the Southern Palace. He changed the era name to Bailong and renamed himself Gong to respond to the auspice of the dragon’s appearance. A foreign monk said, "In the prophecy book it says, 'He who will destroy the Liu clan is Gong. Yan then took from the Book of Changes the sense of "the flying dragon is in heaven" to create the character Yan, pronounced yan, and adopted it as his name."
16
四年，楚人以舟師攻封州，封州兵敗於賀江，龑懼，以《周易》筮之，遇《大有》，遂赦境內，改元曰大有。 遣將蘇章以神弩軍三千救封州，章以兩鐵索沈賀江中，為巨輪於岸上，築堤以隱之，因輕舟迎戰，陽敗而奔，楚人逐之，章舉巨輪挽索鎖楚舟，以強弩夾江射之，盡殺楚人。
In the fourth year Chu sent a fleet against Fengzhou, and Fengzhou’s troops were defeated on the He River. Yan was afraid, divined with the Book of Changes, and obtained the hexagram Dayou; he then proclaimed an amnesty within his realm and changed the era name to Dayou. He sent the general Su Zhang with three thousand troops of the Divine Crossbow Army to relieve Fengzhou. Zhang sank two iron chains in the He River, set up huge wheels on the bank concealed behind an embankment, then met the enemy in light boats, feigned defeat and fled. The Chu troops pursued; Zhang turned the wheels to draw the chains tight and lock the Chu boats, while powerful crossbows on both banks shot them down, killing every man.
17
三年，遣將李守鄘、梁克貞攻交趾，擒曲承美等。 承美至南海，龑登義鳳樓受俘，謂承美曰：「公常以我為偽廷，今反面縛，何也？」 承美頓首伏罪，乃赦之。 承美，顥子也。 克貞又攻占城，掠其寶貨而歸。
In the third year he sent the generals Li Shouyong and Liang Kezhen to attack Jiaozhi and captured Qu Chenmei and others. When Chenmei was brought to the Southern Sea, Yan ascended Yifeng Tower to receive the captive and said to him, "You always called my court a false regime — so why are you bound with your face turned away?" Chenmei knocked his head to the ground and confessed his crime, and Yan pardoned him. Chenmei was the son of Qu Hao. Kezhen also attacked and took the capital of Jiaozhi, plundered its treasures, and returned.
18
四年，愛州楊廷藝叛，攻交州刺史李進，進遁歸。 龑遣承旨程寶攻廷藝，寶戰死。
In the fourth year Yang Tingyi of Aizhou rebelled, attacked Jiaozhou prefect Li Jin, and Jin fled home. Yan sent Palace Secretariat Commissioner Cheng Bao against Tingyi; Bao was killed in battle.
19
五年，封子耀樞邕王，龜圖康王，洪度秦王，洪熙晉王，洪昌越王，洪弼齊王，洪雅韶王，洪澤鎮王，洪操萬王，洪杲循王，洪暐息王，洪邈高王，洪簡同王，洪建益王，洪濟辨王，洪道貴王，洪昭宣王，洪政通王，洪益定王。
In the fifth year he enfeoffed his sons: Yaoshu as Prince of Yong, Guitu as Prince of Kang, Hongdu as Prince of Qin, Hongxi as Prince of Jin, Hongchang as Prince of Yue, Hongbi as Prince of Qi, Hongya as Prince of Shao, Hongze as Prince of Zhen, Hongcao as Prince of Wan, Honggao as Prince of Xun, Hongwei as Prince of Xi, Hongmiao as Prince of Gao, Hong Jian as Prince of Tong, Hong Jian as Prince of Yi, Hongji as Prince of Bian, Hongdao as Prince of Gui, Hongzhao as Prince of Xuan, Hongzheng as Prince of Tong, and Hongyi as Prince of Ding.
20
九年，遣將軍孫德晟攻蒙州，不克。
In the ninth year he sent the general Sun Desheng to attack Mengzhou but failed to take it.
21
十年，交州牙將皎公羨殺楊廷藝自立，廷藝故將吳權攻交州，公羨來乞師。 龑封洪操交王，出兵白藤以攻之。 龑以兵駐海門，權已殺公羨，逆戰海口，植鐵橛海中，權兵乘潮而進，洪操逐之，潮退舟還，轢橛者皆覆，洪操戰死，龑收余眾而還。
In the tenth year Jiao Gongxian, a military adjutant of Jiaozhou, killed Yang Tingyi and declared himself ruler. Tingyi’s former general Wu Quan attacked Jiaozhou, and Gongxian came to beg for troops. Yan enfeoffed Hongcao as Prince of Jiao and sent troops from Baiteng to attack. Yan stationed his army at Haimen. Quan had already killed Gongxian and met them in battle at Haikou, planting iron stakes in the sea. Quan’s troops advanced with the tide; Hongcao pursued. When the tide ebbed the boats fell back, and every vessel that struck the stakes capsized. Hongcao was killed in battle; Yan gathered the survivors and withdrew.
22
十五年，龑卒，年五十四，謚天皇大帝，廟號高祖，陵曰康陵。 子玢立。
In the fifteenth year Yan died, at the age of fifty-four. His posthumous title was Great Thearch of Heaven; his temple name was Gaozu; his tomb was called Kangling. His son Bin succeeded him.
23
玢，初名洪度，封秦王。 龑子耀樞、龜圖皆早死，玢次當立。 龑病臥寢中，召右僕射王翻與語，呼洪度、洪熙小字曰：「壽、俊雖長，然皆不足任吾事，惟洪昌類我，吾欲立之。 奈何吾子孫不肖，後世如鼠入牛角，勢當漸小爾！」 因泣下歔欷。 翻為龑謀，出洪度以邕州，洪熙容州，然後立洪昌為太子。 議已定，崇文使蕭益入問疾，龑以告之，益諫曰：「少者得立，長者爭之，禍始此矣！」 由是洪度卒得立。 更名玢，改元曰光天，尊母趙昭儀為皇太妃，以晉王洪熙輔政。
Bin, whose original name was Hongdu, had been enfeoffed as Prince of Qin. Yan’s sons Yaoshu and Guitu had both died young; Bin was next in line to succeed. Yan lay ill in his chamber and summoned Right Vice Director Wang Fan to speak with him. Calling Hongdu and Hongxi by their childhood names, he said, "Shou and Jun are older, yet neither is fit to bear my affairs — only Hongchang is like me, and I wish to make him heir. Alas, my descendants are unworthy; in later generations it will be like a rat entering a horn — the realm must grow ever smaller!" He wept and sobbed. Fan devised a plan for Yan: send Hongdu out to Yongzhou and Hongxi to Rongzhou, then establish Hongchang as heir apparent. When the plan was settled, Palace Secretariat Commissioner Xiao Yi came in to inquire after his health. Yan told him, and Yi remonstrated, "When the younger is made heir, the elder will contend — disaster begins here!" Because of this, Hongdu at last succeeded to the throne. He changed his name to Bin, altered the era name to Guangtian, honored his mother Lady Zhao Zhaoyi as Grand Imperial Consort, and made Prince of Jin Hongxi regent.
24
玢立，果不能任事。 龑在殯，召伶人作樂，飲酒宮中，裸男女以為樂，或衣墨缞與倡女夜行，出入民家。 由是山海間盜賊競起。 妖人張遇賢，自稱中天八國王，攻陷循州。 玢遣越王洪昌、循王洪杲攻之，遇賢圍洪昌等於錢帛館，裨將萬景忻、陳道庠力戰，挾二王潰圍而走。 玢莫能省，嶺東皆亂。
Once Bin took the throne, he proved unable to manage state affairs. While Yan still lay in state, Bin summoned entertainers, drank in the palace, amused himself with naked men and women, and sometimes dressed in black mourning garb and went out at night with singing girls, entering and leaving commoners’ homes. Because of this, bandits rose up everywhere between the mountains and the sea. A sorcerer named Zhang Yuxian styled himself King of the Eight States of the Middle Heaven and captured Xunzhou. Bin sent Prince of Yue Hongchang and Prince of Xun Honggao against him. Yuxian surrounded them at the Qianbo Lodge; lieutenant generals Wan Jingxin and Chen Daoxiang fought fiercely, shielded the two princes, and broke out of the encirclement. Bin could not grasp the situation, and all east of the ranges fell into disorder.
25
洪熙日益進聲妓誘玢為荒恣。 玢亦頗疑諸弟圖己，敕宦官守宮門，入者皆露索。 洪熙、洪杲、洪昌陰遣陳道庠養勇士劉思潮、譚令禋、林少強、少良、何昌廷等，習為角觝以獻玢。 玢宴長春宮以閱之，玢醉起，道庠與思潮等隨至寢門拉殺之，盡殺其左右。 玢立二年，年二十四，謚曰殤。 弟晟立。
Hongxi daily presented singing girls and entertainers to lure Bin into dissipation. Bin also grew suspicious that his younger brothers plotted against him and ordered eunuchs to guard the palace gates; all who entered were searched naked. Hongxi, Honggao, and Hongchang secretly had Chen Daoxiang train braves — Liu Sixiang, Tan Lingyin, Lin Shaoqiang, Shaoliang, He Changting, and others — in wrestling and present them to Bin. Bin feasted at Changchun Palace to watch them perform. When Bin rose drunk, Daoxiang and Sixiang followed him to the bedchamber door, seized and killed him, and killed all his attendants. Bin had reigned two years and died at the age of twenty-four; his posthumous title was Shang. His younger brother Sheng succeeded him.
26
晟，初名洪熙，封晉王。 既弒玢，遂自立，改元曰應乾，以洪昌為兵馬元帥，知政事，洪杲副元帥，劉思潮等封功臣。 晟既殺兄，立不順，懼眾不伏，乃益峻刑法以威眾。 已而洪杲屢請討賊，陰勸晟誅思潮等以止外議。 晟大怒，使使者夜召洪杲。 洪杲知不免，乃留使者，入具沐浴，詣佛前祝曰：「洪杲誤念，來生王宮，今見殺矣。 後世當生民家，以免屠害。」 涕泣與家人訣別，然後赴召，至則殺之。 冬，晟祀天南郊，改元曰乾和，群臣上尊號曰大聖文武大明至道大光孝皇帝。
Sheng, whose original name was Hongxi, had been enfeoffed as Prince of Jin. After murdering Bin, he established himself, changed the era name to Yingqian, made Hongchang marshal of horse and foot and director of government affairs, Honggao deputy marshal, and enfeoffed Liu Sixiang and the others as merit ministers. Sheng had murdered his elder brother and seized the throne unlawfully; fearing the people would not submit, he made the penal code ever harsher to awe them. Before long Honggao repeatedly requested campaigns against bandits and secretly urged Sheng to execute Sixiang and the others to silence outside criticism. Sheng was furious and sent envoys by night to summon Honggao. Honggao knew he could not escape; he detained the envoys, went in to bathe, and prayed before the Buddha, "Honggao harbored wrong thoughts and in the next life was born into a royal palace; now I am to be killed. In lives to come let me be born into a commoner’s house, to escape slaughter. He wept, took leave of his family, then answered the summons — and was killed on arrival. In winter Sheng sacrificed to Heaven at the southern suburb, changed the era name to Qianhe, and the ministers offered the honorific title Great Sage, Martial and Civil, Great Illumination, Supreme Way, Great Radiance, Filial Emperor.
27
二年夏，遣洪昌祠襄帝陵於海曲，至昌華宮，晟使盜刺殺之。 晟自殺洪杲，由是與諸弟有隙，而洪昌最賢，龑素所欲立者，晟尤忌之，故先及害。 鎮王洪澤居邕州，有善政，是歲鳳皇見邕州，晟怒，使人冘殺之。 而諸弟相次見殺。
In the summer of the second year he sent Hongchang to sacrifice at the Accomplished Emperor’s tomb by the sea bend. When Hongchang reached Changhua Palace, Sheng had assassins kill him. Sheng himself had killed Honggao, and from this he was at odds with his younger brothers. Hongchang was the most worthy — the one Yan had always wished to make heir — and Sheng especially feared him, so he struck first. Prince of Zhen Hongze resided at Yongzhou and governed well. That year a phoenix appeared at Yongzhou; Sheng was angered and had him strangled. His younger brothers were then killed one after another.
28
三年，殺其弟洪雅，又殺劉思潮等五人。 思潮等死，陳道庠懼，不自安，其友鄧伸以荀悅《漢紀》遺之，道庠莫能曉，伸罵曰：「憝獠！ 韓信誅而彭越醢，皆在此書矣！」 道庠悟，益懼。 晟聞之大怒，以道庠、伸下獄，皆斬之於市，夷其族。 以右僕射王翻為英州刺史，使人殺之於路。
In the third year he killed his younger brother Hongya and also killed Liu Sixiang and five others. When Sixiang and the rest were dead, Chen Daoxiang was afraid and ill at ease. His friend Deng Shen gave him Xun Yue’s Hanji (Records of Han), but Daoxiang could not understand it. Shen cursed, "You brute! Han Xin was executed and Peng Yue was minced — it is all in this book!" Daoxiang understood and grew still more afraid. When Sheng heard of it he was furious, threw Daoxiang and Shen into prison, beheaded them both in the market, and exterminated their clans. He appointed Right Vice Director Wang Fan prefect of Yingzhou and had men kill him on the road.
29
五年，晟弟洪弼、洪道、洪益、洪濟、洪簡、洪建、洪暐、洪昭，同日皆見殺。
In the fifth year Sheng’s younger brothers Hongbi, Hongdao, Hongyi, Hongji, Hong Jian, Hong Jian, Hongwei, and Hongzhao were all killed on the same day.
30
六年，遣工部郎中、知制誥鐘允章聘楚以求婚，楚不許。 允章還，晟曰：「馬公復能經略南土乎？」 是時，馬希廣新立，希萼起兵武陵，湖南大亂，允章具言楚可攻之狀。 晟乃遣巨象指揮使吳珣、內侍吳懷恩攻賀州，已克之，楚人來救，珣鑿大阱於城下，覆箔於上，以土傅之，楚兵迫城，悉陷阱中，死者數千，楚人皆走。 珣等攻桂州及連、宜、嚴、梧、蒙五州，皆克之。 掠全州而還。
In the sixth year he sent Bureau of Works Director and Drafter of Edicts Zhong Yunzhang as envoy to Chu to seek a marriage alliance; Chu refused. When Yunzhang returned, Sheng said, "Can Lord Ma still manage the southern lands?" At that time Ma Xiguang had newly succeeded; Ma Xie raised troops at Wuling, and Hunan fell into great disorder. Yunzhang set forth in detail how Chu could be attacked. Sheng then sent Great Elephant Commander Wu Xun and Palace Attendant Wu Huaien to attack Hezhou. They had already taken it when Chu troops came to relieve it. Xun dug a great pit beneath the wall, covered it with matting, and spread earth over it. When Chu troops pressed the wall, all fell into the pit; several thousand died and the Chu army fled. Xun and his forces attacked Guizhou and the five prefectures of Lian, Yi, Yan, Wu, and Meng, and took them all. They plundered Quanzhou and returned.
31
九年冬，又遣內侍潘崇徹攻郴州，李景兵亦在，與崇徹遇，戰，大敗景兵於宜章，遂取郴州。 晟益得志，遣巨艦指揮使暨彥赟以兵入海，掠商人金帛作離宮遊獵，故時劉氏有南宮、大明、昌華、甘泉、玩華、秀華、玉清、太微諸宮，凡數百，不可悉紀。 宦者林延遇、宮人盧瓊仙，內外專恣為殺戮，晟不復省。 常夜飲大醉，以瓜置伶人尚玉樓項，拔劍斬之以試劍，因並斬其首。 明日酒醒，復召玉樓侍飲，左右白已殺之，晟嘆息而已。
In the winter of the ninth year he again sent Palace Attendant Pan Chongche to attack Chenzhou. Li Jing’s troops were also in the field; they met Chongche in battle, routed Jing’s army at Yizhang, and took Chenzhou. Sheng grew still more confident and sent Great Ship Commander Ji Yanyun with troops onto the sea to plunder merchants’ gold and silks for detached palaces and hunting. In those days the Liu clan had the Southern Palace, Daming, Changhua, Ganquan, Wanhua, Xiuhua, Yuqing, Taiwei, and other palaces — several hundred in all, too many to record fully. The eunuch Lin Yanyu and the palace woman Lu Qiongxian wielded unchecked power inside and out to kill at will; Sheng no longer attended to affairs. He often drank deep into the night until drunk, placed a melon on the entertainer Shang Yulou’s neck, drew his sword and cut him down to test the blade, and cut off his head as well. The next day when he sobered he again summoned Yulou to attend his drinking; his attendants reported that Yulou had already been killed, and Sheng only sighed.
32
十年，湖南王進逵以兵五萬率溪洞蠻攻郴州，潘崇徹敗進逵於蠔石，斬首萬餘級。
In the tenth year Wang Jinkui of Hunan led fifty thousand troops with stream-cave tribesmen to attack Chenzhou. Pan Chongche defeated Jinkui at Haoshi and took more than ten thousand heads.
33
十一年，晟病甚，封其子繼興衛王，璇興桂王，慶興荊王，保興祥王，崇興梅王。
In the eleventh year Sheng was gravely ill and enfeoffed his sons: Jixing as Prince of Wei, Xuanxing as Prince of Gui, Qingxing as Prince of Jing, Baoxing as Prince of Xiang, and Chongxing as Prince of Mei.
34
十二年，晟親耕藉田。 交州吳昌浚遣使稱臣，求節鉞。 昌浚者，權子也。 權自龑時據交州，龑遣洪操攻之，洪操戰死，遂棄不復攻。 權死，子昌岌立，昌岌卒，弟昌浚立，始稱臣於晟。 晟遣給事中李玙以旌節招之，玙至白州，浚使人止玙曰：「海賊為亂，道路不通。」 玙不果行。 晟殺其弟洪邈。
In the twelfth year Sheng personally plowed the sacred field. Wu Changjun of Jiaozhou sent envoys declaring himself a subject and requesting formal investiture. Changjun was the son of Wu Quan. Quan had held Jiaozhou since Yan’s time; Yan sent Hongcao to attack him, Hongcao died in battle, and the court abandoned further attacks. When Quan died his son Changji succeeded; when Changji died his younger brother Changjun succeeded and first declared himself a subject to Sheng. Sheng sent Supervising Secretary Li Yu with credentials to summon him. When Yu reached Baizhou, Changjun had men stop him and say, "Sea bandits are in revolt and the roads are blocked." Yu did not go on. Sheng killed his younger brother Hongmiao.
35
十三年，又殺其弟洪政，於是龑之諸子盡矣。 顯德三年，世宗平江北，晟始惶恐，遣使修貢於京師，為楚人所隔，使者不得行，晟憂形於色。 又嘗自言知星，末年，月食牛女間，出書占之，嘆曰：「吾當之矣！」 因為長夜之飲。
In the thirteenth year he killed his younger brother Hongzheng, and with that all of Yan’s sons were gone. In the third year of Xiande, Emperor Shizong pacified the north of the Yangzi; Sheng first grew fearful and sent envoys to present tribute at the capital, but Chu forces blocked the way and the envoys could not go; his worry showed on his face. He also claimed to know astronomy. In his last years the moon was eclipsed between the Ox and Girl asterisms; he took out books to divine and sighed, "I am the one this portends!" He then gave himself to drinking through the long night.
36
十六年，卜葬域於城北，運甓為壙，晟親臨視之。 是秋卒，年三十九，謚曰文武光聖明孝皇帝，廟號中宗，陵曰昭陵。 子鋹立。
In the sixteenth year he divined a burial site north of the city, transported bricks for the vault, and Sheng personally went to inspect it. That autumn he died, at the age of thirty-nine. His posthumous title was Martial, Civil, Radiant, Sagely, Illuminated, Filial Emperor; his temple name was Zhongzong; his tomb was called Zhaoling. His son Chang succeeded him.
37
鋹，初名繼興，封衛王。 晟卒，以長子立，改元曰大寶。 晟性剛忌，不能任臣下，而獨任其嬖倖宦官、宮婢延遇、瓊仙等。 至鋹尤愚，以謂群臣皆自有家室，顧子孫，不能盡忠，惟宦者親近可任，遂委其政於宦者龔澄樞、陳延壽等，至其群臣有欲用者，皆閹然後用。 澄樞等既專政，鋹乃與宮婢波斯女等淫戲後宮，不復出省事。 延壽又引女巫樊胡子，自言玉皇降胡子身。 鋹於內殿設帳幄，陳寶貝，胡子冠遠遊冠，衣紫霞裾，坐帳中宣禍福，呼鋹為太子皇帝，國事皆決於胡子，盧瓊仙、龔澄樞等爭附之。 胡子乃為鋹言：「澄樞等皆上天使來輔太子，有罪不可問。」 尚書左丞鐘允章參政事，深嫉之，數請誅宦官，宦官皆仄目。
Chang, whose original name was Jixing, had been enfeoffed as Prince of Wei. When Sheng died the eldest son succeeded; the era name was changed to Dabao. Sheng was harsh and jealous by nature, could not employ his ministers, and relied solely on his favorites — the eunuchs and palace women Yanyu, Qiongxian, and the rest. Chang was still more foolish, thinking that ministers all had families of their own and looked to their descendants, and could not be wholly loyal — only eunuchs, being close at hand, could be trusted. He entrusted government to the eunuchs Gong Chengsu, Chen Yanshou, and the rest; whenever he wished to employ a minister, the man had to be castrated first. Once Chengsu and the rest monopolized government, Chang dallied in the rear palace with palace women including a Persian girl and no longer came out to attend to affairs. Yanshou also introduced the witch Fan Huzi, who claimed the Jade Emperor had descended into Huzi’s body. Chang set up curtains in the inner hall and displayed treasures; Huzi wore the Far Roaming cap and purple cloud skirts, sat within the curtains proclaiming fortune and calamity, called Chang the Crown Prince Emperor, and all state affairs were decided by Huzi. Lu Qiongxian, Gong Chengsu, and the rest vied to attach themselves to her. Huzi then said to Chang, "Chengsu and the rest are all envoys sent by Heaven to assist the Crown Prince; if they have faults they may not be questioned." Left Assistant Director of the Secretariat Zhong Yunzhang participated in government affairs, deeply resented this, and repeatedly requested the execution of the eunuchs; the eunuchs all glared at him sidelong.
38
二年，鋹祀天南郊，前三日，允章與禮官登壇，四顧指麾，宦者許彥真望見之曰：「此謀反爾！」 乃拔劍升壇，允章迎叱之，彥真馳走，告允章反。 鋹下允章獄，遣禮部尚書薛用丕治之。 允章與用丕有舊，因泣下曰：「吾今無罪，自誣以死固無恨，然吾二子皆幼，不知父冤，俟其長，公可告之。」 彥真聞之，罵曰：「反賊欲使而子報仇邪？」 復入白鋹，並捕二子系獄，遂族誅之。 陳延壽謂鋹曰：「先帝所以得傳陛下者，由盡殺群弟也。」 勸鋹稍誅去諸王。 鋹以為然，殺其弟桂王璇興。 是歲，建隆元年也。 鋹將邵廷肙言於鋹曰：「漢乘唐亂，居此五十年，幸中國有故，干戈不及，而漢益驕於無事，今兵不識旗鼓，而人主不知存亡。 夫天下亂久矣，亂久而治，自然之勢也。 今聞真主已出，必將盡有海內，其勢非一天下不能已。」 勸鋹修兵為備，不然，悉珍寶奉中國，遣使以通好。 鋹懵然莫以為慮，惡廷肙言直，深恨之。
In the second year Chang sacrificed to Heaven at the southern suburb. Three days before, Yunzhang and the ritual officials ascended the altar and looked about directing affairs. The eunuch Xu Yanzhen saw it from afar and said, "This is rebellion!" He drew his sword and ascended the altar. Yunzhang met and shouted at him; Yanzhen fled and reported that Yunzhang had rebelled. Chang threw Yunzhang into prison and sent Minister of Rites Xue Yongpi to try the case. Yunzhang and Yongpi were old friends; Yunzhang wept and said, "I am innocent; to confess falsely and die I have no regret, yet my two sons are young and do not know their father’s wrong. When they grow up, sir, you must tell them." When Yanzhen heard of it he cursed, "The rebel wants your sons to take revenge?" He again reported to Chang, and both sons were seized and imprisoned; then the whole clan was executed. Chen Yanshou said to Chang, "The reason the late emperor was able to pass the throne to Your Majesty was that he killed all his younger brothers." He urged Chang gradually to execute the princes. Chang agreed and killed his younger brother Prince of Gui Xuanxing. That year was the first year of Jianlong. Chang’s general Shao Tingxu said to him, "Han seized on the disorder of Tang and has held this place fifty years, fortunate that the central state had troubles and arms did not reach here, while Han grew still prouder in its idleness. Now the troops do not know banners and drums, and the ruler does not know survival or destruction. The realm has been in disorder long; disorder long followed by order is the natural course. Now I hear the true lord has appeared and will surely possess all within the seas; this momentum cannot cease until one realm rules all." He urged Chang to ready arms for defense; otherwise, offer all treasures to the central state and send envoys to establish friendship. Chang was dull and made no plans; he hated Tingxu’s blunt speech and deeply resented him.
39
四年，芝菌生宮中，野獸觸寢門，苑中羊吐珠，井旁石自立，行百餘步而仆，樊胡子皆以符瑞諷群臣入賀。
In the fourth year fungus grew in the palace, wild beasts struck the bedchamber gate, a sheep in the park spat pearls, and a stone beside a well stood upright and walked more than a hundred paces before falling — Fan Huzi took all these as auspicious signs and urged the ministers to enter with congratulations.
40
五年，鋹以宦者李托養女為貴妃，專寵。 托為內太師，居中專政。 許彥真既殺鐘允章，惡龔澄樞等居己上，謀殺之。 澄樞使人告彥真反，族誅之。
In the fifth year Chang made the adopted daughter of the eunuch Li Tuo his Noble Consort and favored her exclusively. Tuo became Inner Grand Preceptor and monopolized government from within. Xu Yanzhen, having killed Zhong Yunzhang, hated Gong Chengsu and the rest for ranking above him and plotted to kill them. Chengsu had men report that Yanzhen had rebelled, and his clan was executed.
41
七年，王師南伐，克郴州，晟所遣將暨彥赟與其刺史陸光圖皆戰死，余眾退保韶州。 鋹始思廷肙言，遣廷肙以舟兵出洸口抗王師。 會王師退舍，廷肙訓士卒，修戰備，嶺人倚以為良將。 有譖者投無名書言廷肙反，鋹遣使者賜死； 士卒排軍門見使者，訴廷肙無反狀，不能救，為立祠於洸口。
In the seventh year the imperial army marched south and took Chenzhou; the general Sheng had sent, Ji Yanyun, together with its prefect Lu Guangtu, both died in battle, and the survivors withdrew to defend Shaozhou. Chang first thought of Tingxu’s words and sent Tingxu with river troops out from Guangkou to resist the imperial army. When the imperial army withdrew, Tingxu trained the soldiers and repaired war stores; the men of the ranges relied on him as a good general. A slanderer submitted an anonymous letter saying Tingxu had rebelled; Chang sent envoys to grant him death; the soldiers crowded the camp gate to see the envoys and pleaded that Tingxu showed no sign of rebellion; they could not save him and built a shrine for him at Guangkou.
42
八年，交州吳昌文卒，其佐呂處平與峰州刺史喬知祐爭立，交趾大亂，州丁璉舉兵擊破之，鋹授璉交州節度。
In the eighth year Wu Changwen of Jiaozhou died; his aide Lü Chuping and Fengzhou prefect Qiao Zhiyou contended for the succession, Jiaozhi fell into great disorder, and prefect Ding Lian raised troops and defeated them; Chang appointed Lian military commissioner of Jiaozhou.
43
九年，南海民妻生子兩首四臂。 是時，太祖皇帝詔李煜諭鋹使稱臣，鋹怒，囚煜使者龔慎儀。
In the ninth year a commoner’s wife in the Southern Sea bore a child with two heads and four arms. At that time the founding emperor ordered Li Yu to instruct Chang to declare himself a subject; Chang was angry and imprisoned Yu’s envoy Gong Shenyi.
44
十三年，詔潭州防禦使潘美出師，師次白霞。 鋹遣龔澄樞守賀州、郭崇嶽守桂州、李托守韶州以備。 是歲秋，潘美平賀州，十月平昭州，又平桂州，十一月平連州。 鋹喜曰：「昭、桂、連、賀，本屬湖南，今北師取之，足矣，其不復南也。」 其愚如此。 十二月平韶州。 開寶四年正月，平英、雄二州，鋹將潘崇徹先降。 師次瀧頭，鋹遣使請和，求緩師。 二月，師度馬逕，鋹遣其右僕射蕭漼奉表降。 漼行，鋹惶迫，復令整兵拒命。 美等進師，鋹遣其弟祥王保興率文武詣美軍降，不納。 龔澄樞、李托等謀曰：「北師之來，利吾國寶貨爾，焚為空城，師不能駐，當自還也。」 乃盡焚其府庫、宮殿。 鋹以海舶十餘，悉載珍寶、嬪御，將入海，宦官樂範竊其舟以逃歸。 師次白田，鋹素衣白馬以降。 獻俘京師，赦鋹為左千牛衛大將軍，封恩赦侯。 其後事具國史。
In the thirteenth year an edict ordered Chenzhou defense commissioner Pan Mei to take the field; the army halted at Baixia. Chang sent Gong Chengsu to defend Hezhou, Guo Chongyue to defend Guizhou, and Li Tuo to defend Shaozhou in preparation. That autumn Pan Mei pacified Hezhou; in the tenth month he pacified Zhaozhou, then Guizhou, and in the eleventh month Lianzhou. Chang rejoiced and said, "Zhao, Gui, Lian, and He originally belonged to Hunan; now the northern army has taken them — that is enough. They will not come south again." His folly was such as this. In the twelfth month Shaozhou was pacified. In the first month of the fourth year of Kaibao, Ying and Xiong prefectures were pacified; Chang’s general Pan Chongche surrendered first. When the army halted at Longtou, Chang sent envoys to sue for peace and beg a halt to the campaign. In the second month the army crossed Majing; Chang sent his Right Vice Director Xiao Hui to present a memorial of surrender. When Hui set out, Chang panicked and again ordered troops assembled to resist. Mei and his forces advanced. Chang sent his younger brother Prince of Xiang Baoxing, leading civil and military officials, to Mei’s army to surrender; they were not accepted. Gong Chengsu, Li Tuo, and the rest plotted, "The northern army has come only for the treasures of our state. Burn everything into an empty city and the army cannot stay — it will return on its own." They then burned all the treasuries and palaces. Chang took more than ten seagoing vessels, loaded them with treasures and palace women, and was about to put to sea when the eunuch Yue Fan stole his boats and fled. When the army halted at Baitian, Chang came out in plain white dress on a white horse to surrender. The captive was presented at the capital; Chang was pardoned and made Left Colonel of the Thousand-Ox Guard and enfeoffed as Marquis of Enshe. His later affairs are fully recorded in the dynastic history.
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〈（隱興滅年世，諸書皆同。 蓋自唐天祐二年隱為廣州節度使，至皇朝開寶四年國滅，凡六十七年。 《舊五代史》以梁貞明三年龑僭號為始，故曰五十五年爾。）〉
(The span of Yin's rise and fall is clear, and all books agree. From Yin's appointment as military commissioner of Guangzhou in the second year of Tianyou of the Tang until the state's destruction in the fourth year of Kaibao of the present dynasty is sixty-seven years in all. Only the Old History of the Five Dynasties, which takes the third year of Zhenming of the Liang, when Yan usurped the imperial title, as the beginning, therefore gives fifty-five years.)]〉