1
高季興，字貽孫，陜州硤石人也。 本名季昌，避後唐獻祖廟諱，更名季興。 季興少為汴州富人李讓家僮。 梁太祖初鎮宣武，讓以入貲得幸，養為子，易其姓名曰朱友讓。 季興以友讓故得進見，太祖奇其材，命友讓以子畜之，因冒姓朱氏，補制勝軍使，遷毅勇指揮使。
Gao Jixing, whose courtesy name was Yisun, came from Xiaashi in Shaan Prefecture. He had originally been named Jichang, but to avoid the taboo on the temple name of Later Tang's founding ancestor, he took the name Jixing. As a young man, Jixing served as a household slave in the home of Li Rang, a wealthy man of Bian Prefecture. When the Founding Emperor of Liang first took charge of Xuanyi, Rang won his favor by paying a large contribution and was adopted as a son; his name was then changed to Zhu Yourang. Through Yourang, Jixing obtained an audience with the emperor, who was impressed by his ability and told Yourang to raise him as a son. He thereupon took the Zhu surname for a time, was appointed commissioner of the Victorious Army, and later became commander of the Resolute and Brave Command.
2
天復二年，梁兵攻鳳翔，李茂貞堅壁不出，太祖議欲收軍還河中，季興獨進曰：「天下豪傑窺此舉者一歲矣，今岐人已憊，破在旦夕，而大王之所慮者，閉壁以老我師，此可以誘致之也。」 太祖壯其言，命季興募勇敢士，得騎士馬景，季興授以計，引見太祖。 景曰：「此行無還理，願錄其後嗣。」 太祖惻然止之，景固請，乃行。 景以數騎馳叩城門告曰：「梁兵將東，前鋒去矣。」 岐人以為然，開門出追梁軍，梁兵隨景後以進，殺其九千餘人，景死之。 茂貞後與梁和，昭宗出，贈景官，謚曰忠壯。 季興由是知名。 明年，拜宋州刺史。 從破青州，徙潁州防禦使，復姓高氏。
In the second year of Tianfu, Liang forces besieged Fengxiang while Li Maozhen held the walls and refused to give battle. The Founding Emperor considered withdrawing to Hezhong, but Jixing alone stepped forward and said, "For a year the empire's strongmen have watched this campaign. The Qi forces are worn out now and will fall any day. What worries you, my lord, is their strategy of shutting the gates to exhaust our army—that is something we can lure them out of. The emperor was struck by his counsel and told Jixing to recruit daring men. Jixing found the cavalryman Ma Jing, taught him the stratagem, and presented him to the emperor. Jing said, "There is no coming back from this mission. I ask that my descendants be provided for. The emperor, moved, tried to dissuade him, but Jing insisted and set out. Riding with a few horsemen, Jing galloped to the gate and shouted that the Liang army was withdrawing eastward and that the vanguard had already departed. The defenders believed him, opened the gates, and rushed out in pursuit. Liang troops followed close behind Jing and cut down more than nine thousand men; Jing himself was killed in the fight. Maozhen later made peace with Liang. When Emperor Zhaozong was released, he granted Jing a posthumous office and the posthumous title Loyal and Stalwart. From this Jixing won renown. The following year he was appointed prefect of Song Prefecture. After taking part in the conquest of Qing Prefecture, he was transferred to defender of Ying Prefecture and restored the Gao surname.
3
當唐之末，襄州趙匡凝襲破雷彥恭於荊南，以其弟匡明為留後。 梁兵攻破襄州，匡凝奔於吳，匡明奔於蜀，乃以季興為荊南節度觀察留後。 開平元年，拜季興節度使。 二年，加同中書門下平章事。 荊南節度十州，當唐之末，為諸道所侵，季興始至，江陵一城而已，兵火之後，井邑雕零。 季興招緝綏撫，人士歸之，乃以倪可福、鮑唐為將帥，梁震、司空熏、王保義等為賓客。
Near the end of Tang, Zhao Kuangning of Xiang Prefecture surprised and defeated Lei Yangong in Jingnan, then installed his younger brother Kuangming as acting governor. When Liang forces took Xiang Prefecture, Kuangning fled to Wu and Kuangming to Shu. Jixing was then appointed acting military governor and surveillance commissioner of Jingnan. In the first year of Kaiping he was formally appointed military governor. In the second year he was also made co-acting associate minister of the Secretariat and Chancellery. The Jingnan command comprised ten prefectures, but by the end of Tang neighboring circuits had stripped them away. When Jixing first took office, only Jiangling itself was left; after years of war, towns and villages lay in ruins. Jixing recruited refugees, eased their hardships, and won people back to the region. He appointed Ni Kefu and Bao Tang as his commanders and took Liang Zhen, Sikong Xun, Wang Baoyi, and others as his advisers.
4
太祖崩，季興見梁日以衰弱，乃謀阻兵自固，治城隍，設樓櫓。 以兵攻歸、峽，為蜀將王宗壽所敗。 又發兵聲言助梁擊晉，以侵襄州，為孔所敗，乃絕貢賦累年。 梁末帝優容之，封季興渤海王，賜以袞冕劍佩。 貞明三年，始復修貢。
After the Founding Emperor's death, Jixing watched Liang weaken day by day and set about strengthening his own position: he repaired the city walls and moats and built watchtowers. He attacked Gui and Xia Prefectures but was defeated by the Shu general Wang Zongshou. He raised troops again, publicly claiming to aid Liang against Jin while actually moving against Xiang Prefecture. Kong Xun defeated him, and he then withheld tribute for many years. The Last Emperor of Liang indulged him, enfeoffed him as Prince of Bohai, and granted him imperial robes, sword, and belt ornaments. In the third year of Zhenming he finally resumed tribute payments.
5
梁亡，唐莊宗入洛，下詔慰諭季興，司空薰等皆勸季興入朝京師，梁震以為不可，曰：「梁、唐世為仇敵，夾河血戰垂二十年，今主上新滅梁，而大王梁室故臣，握強兵，居重鎮，以身入朝，行為虜爾。」 季興不聽，留其二子，以騎士三百為衛，朝於洛陽。 莊宗果欲留之，郭崇韜諫曰：「唐新滅梁得天下，方以大信示人，今四方諸侯相繼入貢，不過遣子弟將吏，而季興以身述職，為諸侯率，宜加恩禮，以諷動來者。 而反縻之，示天下以不廣，且絕四方內向之意，不可。」 莊宗乃止，厚禮而遣之。 莊宗嘗問季興曰：「吾已滅梁，欲征吳、蜀，何者為先？」 季興曰：「宜先蜀，臣請以本道兵先進。」 莊宗大悅，以手拊其背，季興因命工繡其手跡於衣，歸以為榮耀。 季興已去，莊宗心悔遣之，密詔襄州劉訓圖之。 季興行至襄州，心動，夜斬關而出。 已去，而詔書夜至。 季興歸而謂梁震曰：「不聽子言，幾不免。」 因曰：「吾行有二失； 來朝一失，放還一失。 且主上百戰以取河南，對功臣誇手抄《春秋》； 又曰：『我於手指上得天下。』 其自矜伐如此。 而荒於遊畋，政事多廢，吾可無慮矣。」 同光三年，封南平王。 魏王繼岌已破蜀，得蜀金帛四十餘萬，自峽而下，而莊宗之難作。 季興聞京師有變，乃悉邀留蜀物，而殺其使者韓珙等十餘人。
When Liang fell, Emperor Zhuangzong of Tang entered Luoyang and sent an edict of reassurance to Jixing. Sikong Xun and others urged him to attend court in the capital, but Liang Zhen objected: "Liang and Tang were hereditary foes who fought bloody battles along the Yellow River for nearly twenty years. Your new sovereign has just destroyed Liang. You are a former Liang minister who still commands a strong army and holds a strategic post. If you go to court in person, you will walk straight into captivity. Jixing would not listen. He left his two sons behind, took three hundred horsemen as an escort, and went to court in Luoyang. Zhuangzong did intend to detain him, but Guo Chongtao remonstrated: "Tang has just overthrown Liang and won the realm. We are trying to show the world that we govern by trust. The regional lords are sending tribute one after another, but only through sons, officers, or deputies. Jixing has come in person to report for duty and has set an example for them all. We should honor him generously to encourage others to follow. If we detain him instead, we will show the world that we lack magnanimity and cut off the willingness of the regions to submit. That must not be done. Zhuangzong relented, treated him with great courtesy, and sent him home. Zhuangzong once asked Jixing, "I have destroyed Liang and now mean to campaign against Wu and Shu. Which should I strike first? Jixing replied, "Shu should come first. I ask leave to advance ahead with the forces of my own circuit." Zhuangzong was delighted and clapped him on the back. Jixing had artisans embroider the imprint of the emperor's hand on his robe and regarded it as a mark of glory when he returned home. Once Jixing had left, Zhuangzong regretted letting him go and secretly ordered Liu Xun of Xiang Prefecture to seize him. When Jixing reached Xiang Prefecture he sensed danger, broke through the pass by night, and fled. He was already gone when the arrest edict arrived that same night. After he returned, Jixing told Liang Zhen, "If I had not taken your advice, I would barely have escaped with my life. He added, "That journey taught me two mistakes. Coming to court was one mistake on my part; letting me leave was one on his. Moreover, after a hundred battles to win the Central Plains, the emperor boasted to his meritorious ministers that he had copied the Spring and Autumn Annals by hand; and also said, "I won the realm on my fingertips." That is how vain and boastful he is. Yet he neglects government for hunting and sport. I have nothing left to fear from him." In the third year of Tongguang he was enfeoffed as Prince of Nanping. Prince of Wei Jiji had conquered Shu and was bringing more than four hundred thousand strings' worth of Shu gold and silk down through the gorges when the crisis at Zhuangzong's court erupted. Hearing of turmoil in the capital, Jixing seized the entire Shu convoy and killed more than ten of its envoys, including Han Gong.
6
初，唐兵伐蜀，季興請以本道兵自取夔、忠、萬、歸、峽等州，乃以季興為峽路東南面招討使，而季興未嘗出兵。 魏王已破蜀，而明宗入立，季興因請夔、忠等州為屬郡，唐大臣以為季興請自取之，而兵出無功，不與。 季興屢請，雖不得已而與之，而唐猶自除刺史，季興拒而不納。 明宗乃以襄州劉訓為招討使，攻之，不克，而唐別將西方鄴克其夔、忠、萬三州，季興遂以荊、歸、峽三州臣於吳，吳冊季興秦王。 天成三年冬卒，年七十一，謚曰武信。 季興子九人，長子從誨立。
Earlier, when Tang forces invaded Shu, Jixing had asked to seize Qian, Zhong, Wan, Gui, Xia, and the other prefectures with his own troops. He was appointed eastern-southern campaign commissioner of the Gorges Route, but never actually marched. After the Prince of Wei conquered Shu and Emperor Mingzong took the throne, Jixing asked that Qian, Zhong, and the other prefectures be annexed to his domain. Tang ministers argued that he had promised to take them himself yet had never contributed troops, and refused. Jixing pressed the request repeatedly. The court reluctantly granted the prefectures but still appointed its own prefects. Jixing refused to accept them. Mingzong appointed Liu Xun of Xiang Prefecture as campaign commissioner and attacked him without success. Meanwhile the Tang general Xi Fangye seized Qian, Zhong, and Wan. Jixing then submitted Jing, Gui, and Xia to Wu, and Wu enfeoffed him as King of Qin. He died in the winter of the third year of Tiancheng at the age of seventy-one. His posthumous title was Martial and Trustworthy. Jixing had nine sons. His eldest son Conghui succeeded him.
7
從誨為人明敏，多權詐。 晉高祖遣翰林學士陶穀為從誨生辰國信使，從誨宴穀望沙樓，大陳戰艦於樓下，謂穀曰：「吳、蜀不賓久矣，願修武備，習水戰，以待師期。」 穀還，具道其語，晉高祖大喜，復遣使賜以甲馬百匹。 襄州安從進反，結從誨為援，從誨外為拒絕，陰與之通。 晉師致討，從誨遣將李端以舟師為應，從進誅，從誨求郢州為屬郡，高祖不許。
Conghui was clever and quick-witted, and skilled in deceit. Emperor Gaozu of Jin sent the Hanlin academician Tao Gu as birthday envoy to Conghui. Conghui entertained him at the Wangsha Tower with a great display of warships below and said, "Wu and Shu have long withheld submission. I mean to strengthen my defenses, train for naval warfare, and await the day when your armies march. On his return Gu repeated the speech in full. Gaozu was delighted and sent another envoy with a gift of a hundred suits of armor and horses. When An Congjin of Xiang Prefecture rebelled, he sought Conghui as an ally. Conghui publicly refused but secretly aided him. When Jin forces moved against An Congjin, Conghui sent the general Li Duan with a fleet in support. After Congjin was executed, Conghui asked that Ying Prefecture be annexed to his domain, but Gaozu refused.
8
契丹滅晉，漢高祖起太原，從誨遣人間道奉表勸進，且言漢得天下，願乞郢州為屬，漢高祖陽諾之。 高祖入汴，從誨遣使朝貢，因求郢州，高祖不與。 從誨怒，發兵攻郢州，為刺史尹實所敗。 漢遣國子祭酒田敏使於楚，假道荊南，從誨問敏中國虛實，以為契丹之後，兵食皆殫，意欲以誚敏，敏為言：「杜重威悉以晉戈甲降虜，虜置之鎮州，未嘗以北，而晉兵皆漢有也。」 從誨不悅。 敏以印本《五經》遺從誨，從誨謝曰：「予之所識，不過《孝經》十八章爾。」 敏曰：「至德要道，於此足矣。」 敏因誦《諸侯章》曰：「在上不驕，高而不危，制節謹度，滿而不溢。」 從誨以為譏己，即以大卮罰敏。
When the Khitans destroyed Jin, Emperor Gaozu of Han rose at Taiyuan. Conghui sent envoys by secret routes urging him to take the throne and promising that if Han won the realm, he would seek Ying Prefecture as a dependency. Gaozu pretended to agree. When Gaozu entered Bian, Conghui sent tribute envoys and again asked for Ying Prefecture. Gaozu again refused. Enraged, Conghui attacked Ying Prefecture and was defeated by its prefect Yin Shi. Han sent the Guozi libationer Tian Min as envoy to Chu, traveling through Jingnan. Conghui asked about the central state's strength, assuming that after the Khitan invasion its armies and supplies were exhausted, and meant to mock him. Min replied, "Du Chongwei surrendered all Jin arms and armor to the invaders. The Khitans stored them at Zhen Prefecture and have never brought them north, while the Jin soldiers themselves are now Han's. Conghui was displeased. Min presented printed copies of the Five Classics. Conghui declined, saying, "All I know are the eighteen chapters of the Classic of Filial Piety. Min said, "The utmost virtue and the essential Way are fully contained in that." Min then recited the chapter on feudal lords: "Not arrogant when above others, lofty yet not endangered, restraining oneself and observing measure, full yet not overflowing." Conghui took this as a personal rebuke and immediately forced Min to drink a huge cup of wine as punishment.
9
荊南地狹兵弱，介於吳、楚，為小國。 自吳稱帝，而南漢、閩、楚皆奉梁正朔，歲時貢奉，皆假道荊南。 季興、從誨常邀留其使者，掠取其物，而諸道以書責誚，或發兵加討，即復還之而無愧。 其後南漢與閩、蜀皆稱帝，從誨所向稱臣，蓋利其賜予。 俚俗語謂奪攘茍得無愧恥者為賴子，猶言無賴也，故諸國皆目為「高賴子」。
Jingnan was a small state with narrow territory and few troops, caught between Wu and Chu. After Wu declared itself an empire, Southern Han, Min, and Chu still observed Liang's calendar and sent seasonal tribute, all of it routed through Jingnan. Jixing and Conghui often detained envoys and seized their goods. When neighboring circuits rebuked them in writing or sent troops, they would return the goods at once, without a trace of shame. Later, when Southern Han, Min, and Shu all declared themselves emperors, Conghui submitted to whichever court he faced, chiefly for the gifts they bestowed. Local slang called shameless plunderers laizi—rascals—and the neighboring states nicknamed them "the Gao rascals."
10
從誨自求郢州不得，遂自絕於漢。 逾年，復通朝貢。 乾祐元年十月卒，年五十八，贈尚書令，謚曰文獻。 子保融立。 從誨十五子，長曰保勛，次保正，保融第三子也，不知其得立之因。
After failing to obtain Ying Prefecture, Conghui broke off relations with Han. More than a year later he resumed tribute and diplomatic contact. He died in the tenth month of the first year of Qianyou at the age of fifty-eight. He was posthumously made Director of the Imperial Secretariat with the posthumous title Literary and Offering. His son Baorong succeeded him. Conghui had fifteen sons: the eldest was Baoqin, the second Baozheng, and Baorong was the third. Why the third son succeeded is not recorded.
11
保融字德長。 從誨時，為節度副使，兼峽州刺史。 從誨卒，拜節度使。 廣順元年，封渤海郡王。 顯德元年，進封南平王。 世宗征淮，保融遣指揮使魏璘率兵三千，出夏口以為應。 又遣客將劉扶奉箋南唐，勸其內附。 李景稱臣，世宗得保融所與箋，大喜，賜以絹百匹。 荊南自後唐以來，常數歲一貢京師，而中間兩絕。 及世宗時，無歲不貢矣。 保融以謂器械金帛，皆土地常產，不足以效誠節，乃遣其弟保紳來朝，世宗益嘉之。
Baorong, whose courtesy name was Dechang. Under Conghui he served as deputy military governor and concurrently as prefect of Xia Prefecture. When Conghui died he was appointed military governor. In the first year of Guangshun he was enfeoffed as Prince of Bohai. In the first year of Xiande he was promoted to Prince of Nanping. When Emperor Shizong campaigned on the Huai, Baorong sent the commander Wei Lin with three thousand men from Xiakou in support. He also sent the guest officer Liu Fu with a memorial to Southern Tang urging submission to the central court. When Li Jing submitted, Shizong obtained Baorong's memorial and was delighted, rewarding him with a hundred bolts of silk. Since Later Tang, Jingnan had usually sent tribute to the capital every few years, though twice it had broken off entirely. Under Shizong it sent tribute every year without fail. Baorong felt that arms, armor, gold, and silk were merely ordinary local products and insufficient proof of loyalty, so he sent his younger brother Baoshen to court in person. Shizong was still more pleased.
12
初，季興之鎮，梁以兵五千為牙兵，衣食皆給於梁。 至明宗時，歲給以鹽萬三千石，後不復給。 及世宗平淮，故命泰州給之。
When Jixing first took office, Liang provided five thousand guard troops whose food and clothing were supplied by the Liang court. Under Mingzong the court granted thirteen thousand piculs of salt annually, but later stopped. After Shizong pacified the Huai region, he ordered Taizhou to resume the grant.
13
保勖字省躬，從誨第十子也。 保融卒，拜節度使。 三年，保勖疾，謂其將梁延嗣曰：「我疾遂不起，兄弟孰可付之後事者？」 延嗣曰：「公不念貞懿王乎？ 先王寢疾，以軍府付公，今先王子繼沖長矣。」 保勖曰：「子言是也。」 即以繼沖判內外兵馬。 十一月，保勖卒，年三十九，贈侍中。 保融之子繼沖立。
Baoxun, whose courtesy name was Shenggong, was Conghui's tenth son. When Baorong died he was appointed military governor. In the third year Baoxun fell gravely ill and asked his general Liang Yansi, "I will not recover. Which of my brothers should inherit command? Yansi said, "Have you forgotten Prince Zhenyi? When the late king lay dying he entrusted the military government to you. His son Jichong is grown now." Baoxun said, "You are right." He immediately placed Jichong in charge of all military affairs. In the eleventh month Baoxun died at the age of thirty-nine and was posthumously made Palace Attendant. Baorong's son Jichong succeeded him.
14
繼沖字成和。 保勖卒，拜節度使。 湖南周行逢卒，子保權立，其將張文表作亂，建隆四年，太祖命慕容延釗等討之。 延釗假道荊南，約以兵過城外。 繼沖大將李景威曰：「兵尚權譎，城外之約，不可信也。 宜嚴兵以待之。」 判官孫光憲叱之曰：「汝峽江一民爾，安識成敗！ 且中國自周世宗時，已有混一天下之志，況聖宋受命，真主出邪！ 王師豈易當也！」 因勸繼沖去斥候，封府庫以待，繼沖以為然。 景威出而嘆曰：「吾言不用，大事去矣，何用生為！」 因扼吭而死。 延釗軍至，繼沖出逆於郊，而前鋒遽入其城。 繼沖亟歸，見旌旗甲馬，布列衢巷，大懼，即詣延釗納牌印，太祖優詔復命繼沖為節度使。
Jichong, whose courtesy name was Chenghe. When Baoxun died he was appointed military governor. When Zhou Xingfeng of Hunan died, his son Baoquan succeeded him, but his general Zhang Wenbiao rebelled. In the fourth year of Jianlong the Founding Emperor ordered Murong Yanzhao and others to suppress the revolt. Yanzhao sought passage through Jingnan on the understanding that his army would march outside the city walls. Jichong's chief general Li Jingwei said, "War favors stratagem and deceit. An agreement to pass outside the walls cannot be trusted. We should mobilize our forces and stand ready. The administrative aide Sun Guangxian rebuked him: "You are nothing but a commoner of the gorges—what do you know of success or failure! The central state has sought to unite the realm ever since Emperor Shizong of Zhou. How much more now that sacred Song has received the Mandate and the true ruler has appeared! Imperial troops are not to be resisted lightly!" He urged Jichong to withdraw the scouts, seal the treasury, and wait peacefully. Jichong agreed. Jingwei left and sighed, "My counsel was ignored. The cause is lost. What point is there in going on! He then strangled himself. When Yanzhao's army arrived, Jichong went out to greet it in the suburbs, but the vanguard suddenly entered the city. Jichong rushed back to find banners, armor, and horses filling every street. Terrified, he went at once to Yanzhao and surrendered his command tally and seal. The Founding Emperor graciously reappointed him military governor.
15
乾德元年，有事於南郊，繼沖上書願陪祠。 九月，具文告三廟，率其將吏宗族五百餘人朝於京師，拜武寧軍節度使以卒。 光憲拜黃州刺史，其後事具國史。
In the first year of Qiande, when the southern suburban sacrifice was held, Jichong submitted a memorial asking to take part. In the ninth month he made written offerings at the three ancestral temples, led more than five hundred generals, officials, and kinsmen to court in the capital, was appointed military governor of the Wuning Army, and died there. Guangxian was appointed prefect of Huang Prefecture. His later career is recorded in the dynastic history.
16
〈（季興興滅年世甚明，諸書皆同，蓋自梁開平元年鎮荊南，至皇朝乾德元年國除，凡五十七年。）〉
(Accounts of Gao Jixing's rise and fall agree across sources: from Liang Kaiping 1 [907], when he took Jingnan, until our dynasty's Qiande 1 [963], when the state was abolished—a total of fifty-seven years.)〉