1
起玄黓涒灘，盡玄黓敦牂，凡十一年。
From Xuanyi Tuantan through Xuanyi Dunyang—eleven years in all.
2
1冬，十月，上行幸雍，祠五畤； 還，祝祠泰一，以拜德星。 ----2春，正月，公孫卿言：「見神人東萊山，若-{云}-欲見天子。」 天子於是幸緱氏城，拜卿為中大夫，遂至東萊，宿留之，數日，無所見，見大人跡-{云}-。 復遣方士求神怪，采芝藥，以千數。 時歲旱，天子既出無名，乃禱萬里沙。 夏，四月，還，過祠泰山。 ----3初，河決瓠子，後二十餘歲不復塞，梁、楚之地尤被其害。 是歲，上使汲仁、郭昌二卿發卒數萬人塞瓠子河決。 天子自泰山還，自臨決河，沈白馬、玉璧於河，令群臣、從官自將軍以下皆負薪，卒填決河。 築宮其上，名曰宣防宮。 導河北行二渠，復禹舊跡，而梁、楚之地復寧，無水災。 ----4上還長安。 ----5初令越巫祠上帝、百鬼，而用雞卜。 ----6公孫卿言仙人好樓居，於是上令長安作蜚廉、桂觀，甘泉作益壽、延壽觀，使卿持節設具而候神人。 又作通天莖台，置祠具其下。 更置甘泉前殿，益廣諸宮室。 ----7初，全燕之世，嘗略屬真番、朝鮮，為置吏，築障塞。 秦滅燕，屬遼東外徼。 漢興，為其遠難守，復修遼東故塞，至浿水為界，屬燕。 燕王盧綰反，入匈奴。 燕人衛滿亡命，聚黨千餘人，椎髻、蠻夷服而東走出塞，渡浿水，居秦故空地上下障，稍役屬真番、朝鮮蠻夷及燕亡命者，王之，都王險。 會孝惠、高-{后}-時，天下初定，遼東太守即約：滿為外臣，保塞外蠻夷，無使盜邊； 諸蠻夷君欲入見天子，勿得禁止。 以故滿得以兵威財物侵降其旁小邑，真番、臨屯皆來服屬，方數千里。 傳子至孫右渠，所誘漢亡人滋多，又未嘗入見，辰國欲上書見天子，又雍閼不通。 是歲，漢使涉何誘諭，右渠終不肯奉詔。 何去至界上，臨浿水，使御刺殺送何者朝鮮裨王長，即渡，馳入塞，遂歸報天子曰：「殺朝鮮將。」 上為其名美，即不詰，拜何為遼東東部都尉。 朝鮮怨何，發兵襲攻殺何。 ----8六月，甘泉房中產芝九莖，上為之赦天下。 ----9上以旱為憂，公孫卿曰：「黃帝時，封則天旱，乾封三年。」 上乃下詔曰：「天旱，意乾封乎！」 ----10秋，作明堂於汶上。 ----11上募天下死罪為兵，遣樓船將軍楊僕從齊浮渤海，左將軍荀彘出遼東，以討朝鮮。 ----12初，上使-{王然于}-以越破及誅南夷兵威喻滇王入朝。 滇王者，其眾數萬人，其旁東北有勞深、靡莫，皆同姓相杖，未肯聽。 勞深、靡莫數侵犯使者吏卒。 於是上遣將軍郭昌、中郎將衛廣發巴、蜀兵擊滅勞深、靡莫，以兵臨滇。 滇王舉國降，請置吏入朝，於是以為益州郡，賜滇王王印，復長其民。
1. In winter, the tenth month, the emperor traveled to Yong and sacrificed at the Five Altars; on his return he prayed and sacrificed to the Grand Unity to pay homage to the Virtue Star. ----2 In spring, the first month, Gongsun Qing said, "I saw a spirit-man on Mount Donglai who seemed about to wish to see the Son of Heaven." The emperor thereupon visited Gou'shi, appointed Qing Palace Grandee, and went on to Donglai, where he lodged several days without seeing anything-only the footprints of a great man -{the cited text}-. He again dispatched masters of the methods to seek spirits and marvels and gather mushroom elixirs, numbering in the thousands. The year was drought-stricken; the emperor having set out without a stated purpose, prayed at Wanli Sands. In summer, the fourth month, on his return he sacrificed at Mount Tai. ----3 At the outset the Yellow River burst at Huzi; for more than twenty years it was not blocked again, and Liang and Chu suffered worst. That year the emperor sent Ministers Ji Ren and Guo Chang to raise tens of thousands of conscripts to block the Huzi breach. Returning from Mount Tai, the emperor came in person to the breach, sank a white horse and jade disks in the river, and ordered every minister and attendant from the generals down to carry firewood until the soldiers had filled the breach. He built a palace upon it and named it Xuanfang Palace. He guided the Yellow River north into two channels, restoring Yu's old course, and Liang and Chu were at peace again, without flood disaster. ----4 The emperor returned to Chang'an. ----5 For the first time he ordered Yue shamans to sacrifice to the High God and the hundred ghosts, and used chicken divination. ----6 Gongsun Qing said immortals love tower dwellings; the emperor ordered Feilian and Gui Terrace built in Chang'an and Yishou and Yanshou terraces at Ganquan, and sent Qing with credentials to set out offerings and await the spirit-man. He also built the Tongtian Stem Terrace and placed sacrificial implements below it. He further established the front hall at Ganquan and greatly expanded the palaces and halls. ----7 At the outset, in the age of united Yan, Yan had once subordinated Zhenfan and Joseon, appointed officials, and built barrier fortifications. When Qin destroyed Yan, they fell within the outer marches of Liaodong. When Han rose, finding the region remote and hard to hold, it restored the old Liaodong barriers with the Yalu River as border, and they belonged to Yan. King Lu Wan of Yan rebelled and fled to the Xiongnu. The Yan man Wei Man, a fugitive, gathered more than a thousand followers, wore topknots and barbarian dress, fled east beyond the passes, crossed the Yalu, settled in Qin's old vacant lands between the upper and lower barriers, gradually brought the barbarians of Zhenfan and Joseon and Yan fugitives under his rule, made himself king, and established his capital at Wangxian. It happened that in the time of Emperor Hui and Empress Gao -{the cited text}-, when the realm was newly settled, the Governor of Liaodong at once made a pact: Man was to be an outer minister, guarding the barbarians beyond the passes and keeping them from raiding the border; if barbarian chieftains wished to enter and see the Son of Heaven, he was not to forbid them. Thus Man was able with military might and wealth to subdue neighboring settlements; Zhenfan and Lintun all submitted to him—several thousand li square. The line passed from son to grandson Youqu; the Han fugitives he enticed grew ever more numerous, and he had never come to court; the state of Chen wished to memorialize and see the Son of Heaven, but was blocked and obstructed. That year Han sent She He to entice and instruct him, but Youqu refused to obey the edict. When He reached the border at the Yalu, he had his charioteer stab and kill Chang, the Joseon assistant king escorting him, crossed at once, galloped into the passes, and reported to the emperor, "I killed a Joseon general." The emperor, pleased with the deed's name, did not question him and appointed He Governor of the Eastern Division of Liaodong. Joseon resented He and sent troops to raid and kill him. ----8 In the sixth month, nine stalks of mushroom grew in a room at Ganquan; the emperor proclaimed an amnesty for all under Heaven. ----9 The emperor was troubled by drought; Gongsun Qing said, "In the time of the Yellow Emperor, when the feng was performed there was drought; the Qianfeng lasted three years." The emperor issued an edict: "Heaven is dry—is it Qianfeng!" ----10 In autumn, the Bright Hall was built on the Wen. ----11 The emperor recruited men under sentence of death from across the realm as soldiers, sent Tower-Ship General Yang Pu to sail from Qi across the Bohai, and Left General Xun Zhi out from Liaodong to attack Joseon. ----12 At the outset the emperor sent Wang Ranyu with the military prestige of Yue's defeat and the Southern Yi's punishment to persuade the King of Dian to come to court. The King of Dian had tens of thousands of followers; to his northeast were Laoshen and Mimuo, clansmen who supported one another and would not yet obey. Laoshen and Mimuo repeatedly attacked the envoys' clerks and soldiers. The emperor then sent General Guo Chang and Palace Gentleman-Commandant Wei Guang to raise Ba and Shu troops, destroy Laoshen and Mimuo, and press the army against Dian. The King of Dian surrendered his whole state, asked for officials and permission to come to court; it was made Yizhou Commandery, the king was given a royal seal, and he was again made to rule his people.
3
是時，漢滅兩越，平西南夷，置初郡十七，且以其故俗治，毋賦稅。 南陽、漢中以往郡，各以地比，給初郡吏卒奉食、幣物、傳車、馬被具。 而初郡時時小反，殺吏，漢發南方吏卒往誅之，間歲萬餘人，費皆仰給大農。 大農以均輸、調鹽鐵助賦，故能贍之。 然兵所過，縣為以訾給毋乏而已，不也言擅賦法矣。 ----13是歲，以御史中丞南陽杜周為廷尉。 周外寬，內深次骨，其治大放張湯。 時詔獄益多，二千石系者，新故相因，不減百餘人； 廷尉一歲至千餘章，章大者連逮證案數百，小者數十人； 遠者數千、近者數百里會獄。 廷尉及中都官詔獄逮至六七萬人，吏所增加，十萬餘人。----
At this time Han had destroyed the two Yues and pacified the Southwestern Yi, establishing seventeen new commanderies, governing them by their old customs and levying no taxes. Commanderies from Nanyang and Hanzhong westward each according to proximity supplied the new commanderies' officials and soldiers with rations, goods, relay carts, horses, and equipment. But the new commanderies rebelled in small outbreaks and killed officials; Han sent southern troops to punish them—more than ten thousand men every other year—and the expense all fell on the Grand Agriculture Minister. The Grand Agriculture Minister, aided by equalizing transport and salt-and-iron adjustments, was able to meet the cost. Yet where the army passed, districts merely assessed supplies so there would be no shortage—that was all; they dared not speak of unauthorized levies. ----13 That year Du Zhou of Nanyang, Vice Censor-in-Chief, was made Commandant of Justice. Zhou was outwardly lenient but inwardly ruthless; his governance greatly followed Zhang Tang's model. Imperial-prison cases grew ever more numerous; officials at the two-thousand-bushel rank in custody, new and old succeeding one another, numbered no fewer than a hundred; the Commandant of Justice in one year received more than a thousand cases; large cases involved hundreds in connected arrests, small ones dozens; defendants were gathered for trial from thousands of li away, or from hundreds. Those arrested in the Commandant of Justice's and capital officials' imperial prisons reached sixty or seventy thousand; with those the clerks added, more than a hundred thousand.
4
1冬，十二月，雷； 雨雹，大如馬頭。 ----2上遣將軍趙破奴擊車師。 破奴與輕騎七百餘先至，虜樓蘭王，遂破車師，因舉兵威以困烏孫、大宛之屬。 春，正月，甲申，封破奴為浞野侯。 王恢佐破奴擊樓蘭，封恢為浩侯。 於是酒泉列亭障至玉門矣。 ----3初作角抵戲、魚龍曼延之屬。 ----4漢兵入朝鮮境，朝鮮王右渠發兵距險。 樓船將軍將齊兵七千人先至王險。 右渠城守，窺知樓船軍少，即出城擊樓船； 樓船軍敗散，遁山中十餘日，稍求退散卒，復聚。 左將軍擊朝鮮浿水西軍，未能破。 天子為兩將未有利，乃使衛山因兵威往諭右渠。 右渠見使者，頓首謝：「願降，恐兩將詐殺臣，今見信節，請復降。」 遣太子入謝，獻馬五千匹，及饋軍糧； 人眾萬餘，持兵方渡浿水。 使者及左將軍疑其為變，謂太子：「已服降，宜令人毋持兵。」 太子亦疑使者、左將軍詐殺之，遂不渡浿水，復引歸。 山還報天子，天子誅山。
1. In winter, the twelfth month, there was thunder; hail fell as large as horses' heads. ----2 The emperor sent General Zhao Poniang to attack Cheshi. Poniang with more than seven hundred light cavalry arrived first, captured the King of Loulan, broke Cheshi, and raised military prestige to press Wusun, Dayuan, and the like. In spring, the first month, on jiashen, Poniang was enfeoffed as Marquis of Zhuoye. Wang Hui assisted Poniang in attacking Loulan and was enfeoffed as Marquis of Hao. Thereupon beacon towers and barriers were set in line from Jiuquan as far as Jade Gate. ----3 For the first time wrestling contests and fish-dragon pageants and the like were performed. ----4 Han troops entered Joseon; King Youqu sent troops to hold the passes. Tower-Ship General led seven thousand Qi troops and arrived first at Wangxian. Youqu defended the city; seeing the tower-ship force was small, he sallied out to attack them; the tower-ship army was defeated and scattered, hid in the mountains more than ten days, gradually gathered the scattered survivors, and re-formed. Left General attacked the Joseon army west of the Yalu but could not break it. Because the two generals had no success, the emperor sent Wei Shan with the army's prestige to instruct Youqu. Youqu met the envoy, kowtowed and said, "I wish to surrender but fear the two generals will trick and kill me; now seeing your credentials of trust, I beg to surrender again." He sent the crown prince to apologize in person, presenting five thousand horses and army provisions; more than ten thousand armed men were just crossing the Yalu. The envoy and Left General suspected treachery and told the crown prince, "Having submitted, you ought to order your men not to bear arms." The crown prince also suspected the envoy and Left General would trick and kill him, and did not cross the Yalu but led his men back. Shan returned and reported; the emperor executed Shan.
5
左將軍破浿水上軍，乃前至城下，圍其西北，樓船亦往會，居城南。 右渠遂堅守城，數月未能下。 左將軍所將燕、代卒多勁悍，樓船將齊卒已嘗敗亡困辱，卒皆恐，將心慚，其圍右渠，常持和節。 左將軍急擊之，朝鮮大臣乃陰間使人私約降樓船，往來言尚未肯決。 左將軍數與樓船期戰，樓船欲就其約，不會。 左將軍亦使人求間隙降下朝鮮，朝鮮不肯，心附樓船，以故兩將不相能。 左將軍心意樓船前有失軍罪，今與朝鮮私善，而又不降，疑其有反計，未敢發。
Left General broke the Joseon army above the Yalu, advanced to the city, besieged the northwest, and the tower-ships joined him south of the city. Youqu held the city firmly; for months it could not be taken. Left General's Yan and Dai troops were mostly fierce; the tower-ship general's Qi troops had already suffered defeat and humiliation—the soldiers were afraid and the general ashamed; in besieging Youqu they constantly held to conciliation. Left General pressed the attack; Joseon ministers secretly sent men to arrange surrender with the tower-ships, going back and forth—nothing was yet settled. Left General repeatedly set dates for joint battle; the tower-ships wished to honor their pact and did not join. Left General also sent men seeking an opening to accept surrender; Joseon would not, their hearts with the tower-ships—for this reason the two generals could not cooperate. Left General thought the tower-ships had earlier lost the army, now were on private terms with Joseon, and yet did not surrender—he suspected treason and did not dare act.
6
天子以兩將圍城乖異，兵久不決，使濟南太守公孫遂往正之，有便宜得以從事。 遂至，左將軍曰：「朝鮮當下，久之不下者，樓船數期不會。」 具以素所意告，曰：「今如此不取，恐為大害。」 遂亦以為然，乃以節召樓船將軍入左將軍營計事，即命左將軍麾下執樓船將軍，并其軍。 以報天子，天子誅遂。
Because the two generals besieging the city were at odds and the army long undecided, the emperor sent Governor of Jinan Gongsun Sui to correct them, with authority to act as expedient. When Sui arrived, Left General said, "Joseon ought to have fallen; the reason it has not is that the tower-ships repeatedly set dates and did not join." He fully told his long-held suspicions and said, "If we do not seize them now, I fear great harm." Sui agreed; he summoned the tower-ship general into Left General's camp to consult, and at once ordered Left General's men to seize him and merge his army. He reported to the emperor; the emperor executed Sui.
7
左將軍已并兩軍，即急擊朝鮮。 朝鮮相路人、相韓陰、尼谿相參、將軍王唊相與謀曰：「始欲降樓船，樓船今執，獨左將軍並將，戰益急，恐不能與戰； 王又不肯降。」 陰、唊、路人皆亡降漢，路人道死。 夏，尼谿參使人殺朝鮮王右渠來降。 王險城未下，故右渠之大臣成己又反，復攻吏。 左將軍使右渠子長、降相路人之子最告諭其民。 誅成己。 以故遂定朝鮮，為樂浪、臨屯、玄菟、真番四郡。 封參為澅清侯，陰為萩苴侯，唊為平州侯，長為幾侯，最以父死頗有功，為涅陽侯。
Left General, having merged the two armies, at once pressed the attack on Joseon. Chancellors Luren and Han Yin, Nixi Chancellor Can, and General Wang Jia plotted together, saying, "At first we wished to surrender to the tower-ships; the tower-ships are now seized; only Left General commands the merged armies and fighting grows fiercer—we fear we cannot fight; the king also will not surrender." Yin, Jia, and Luren all fled and surrendered to Han; Luren died on the road. In summer, Can of Nixi sent men to kill King Youqu and came to surrender. Wangxian was not yet taken; Youqu's minister Cheng Ji rebelled again and attacked the officials. Left General sent Youqu's son Chang and the surrendered chancellor Luren's son Zui to announce and instruct the people. Cheng Ji was executed. Thus Joseon was settled and made into the four commanderies of Lelang, Lintun, Xuantu, and Zhenfan. Can was enfeoffed as Marquis of Huqing, Yin as Marquis of Qiuju, Jia as Marquis of Pingzhou, Chang as Marquis of Ji, and Zui—his father having died with some merit—as Marquis of Nieyang.
8
左將軍徵至，坐爭功相嫉乖計，棄市。 樓船將軍亦坐兵至列口，當待左將軍，擅先縱，失亡多，當誅，贖為庶人。
When Left General was summoned back, he was convicted of contending for merit, mutual jealousy, and thwarting the plan, and executed in the marketplace. The tower-ship general was also convicted: his troops had reached Liekou and ought to have awaited Left General, but he rashly advanced first and lost many men; he deserved execution but ransomed his life and became a commoner.
9
:班固曰：玄菟、樂浪，本箕子所封。 昔箕子居朝鮮，教其民以禮義，田蠶織作，為民設禁八條，相殺，以當時償殺； 相傷，以穀償； 相盜者，男沒入為其家奴，女為婢； 欲自贖者人五十萬，雖免為民，俗猶羞之，嫁娶無所售。 是以其民終不相盜，無門戶之閉，婦人貞信不淫辟。 其田野飲食以籩豆，都邑頗放效吏，往往以杯器食。 郡初取吏於遼東，吏見民無閉臧，及賈人往者，夜則為盜，俗稍益薄，今於犯禁浸多，至六十餘條。 可貴哉，仁賢之化也！ 然東夷天性柔順，異於三方之外。 故孔子悼道不行，設浮桴於海，欲居九夷，有以也夫！ ----5秋，七月，膠西於王端薨。 ----6武都氐反，分徙酒泉。----
: Ban Gu said: Xuantu and Lelang were originally the fiefs enfeoffed to Jizi. In former times Jizi dwelt in Joseon and taught its people ritual and righteousness, farming, sericulture, weaving, and crafts; he set eight prohibitions for the people: for mutual killing, compensation with killing in turn; for mutual wounding, compensation with grain; for mutual theft, the man was confiscated as the other family's slave, the woman as maidservant; Those wishing to redeem themselves paid five hundred thousand cash per person; though freed to commoner status, custom still shamed them, and no one would marry them. Therefore its people did not steal from one another; doors and gates needed no closing; women were chaste and faithful and did not go astray. In the countryside they ate and drank from platters and stands; in the cities they largely imitated officials and often ate with cups and vessels. When the commandery first took clerks from Liaodong, the clerks saw the people did not lock their stores, and when merchants came they stole by night; custom gradually grew lax, and now violations of prohibitions have increased to more than sixty articles. How admirable—the transformation wrought by benevolence and worthiness! Yet the Eastern Yi are by nature gentle and compliant, unlike the peoples beyond the three directions. Therefore when Confucius grieved that the Way did not prevail, he spoke of setting a raft on the sea and dwelling among the Nine Yi—there was reason in it! ----5 In autumn, the seventh month, King Duan of Jiaoxi Yu died. ----6 The Di of Wudu rebelled; they were dispersed and relocated to Jiuquan.
10
1冬，十月，上行幸雍，祠五畤。 通回中道，遂北出蕭關。 歷獨鹿、鳴澤，自代而還，幸河東。 春，三月，祠后土，赦汾陰、夏陽、中都死罪以下。 ----2夏，大旱。 ----3匈奴自衛、霍度幕以來，希復為寇，遠徙北方，休養士馬，習射獵，數使使於漢，好辭甘言求請和親。 漢使北地人王烏等窺匈奴，烏從其俗，去節入穹廬，單于愛之，佯許甘言，為遣其太子入漢為質。 漢使楊信於匈奴，信不肯從其俗，單于曰：「故約漢嘗遣翁主，給繒絮食物有品，以和親，而匈奴亦不擾邊。 今乃欲反古，令吾太子為質，無幾矣。」 信既歸，漢又使王烏往，而單于復諂以甘言，欲多得漢財物，紿謂王烏曰：「吾欲入漢見天子面，相約為兄弟。」 王烏歸報漢，漢為單于築邸於長安。 匈奴曰：「非得漢貴人使，吾不與誠語。」 匈奴使其貴人至漢，病，漢予藥，欲愈之，不幸而死。 漢使路充國佩二千石印綬往使，因送其喪，厚葬直數千金，曰：「此漢貴人也。」 單于以為漢殺吾貴使者，乃留路充國不歸。 諸所言者，單于特空紿王烏，殊無意入漢及遣太子。 於是匈奴數使奇兵侵犯漢邊。 乃拜郭昌為拔胡將軍，及浞野侯屯朔方以東，備胡。----
1 In winter, the tenth month, the emperor traveled in favor to Yong and sacrificed at the Five Altars. He opened the road through Huizhong, then went north out through Xiaoguan. He passed through Dulu and Ming Marsh, returned from Dai, and traveled in favor to Hedong. In spring, the third month, he sacrificed to the Earth Lord and pardoned those below death offense in Fenyin, Xiayang, and Zhongdu. ----2 In summer, there was great drought. ----3 Since Wei and Huo crossed the desert curtain, the Xiongnu rarely raided again; they moved far north, rested troops and horses, practiced archery and hunting, and repeatedly sent envoys to Han with pleasing words seeking a peace marriage. Han sent Wang Wu of Beidi and others to reconnoiter the Xiongnu; Wu followed their custom, removed his staff of office and entered the yurt; the Chanyu favored him and falsely promised sweet words, undertaking to send his crown prince into Han as hostage. Han sent Yang Xin to the Xiongnu; Xin would not follow their custom; the Chanyu said, "By the old agreement Han once sent a princess, supplied silk floss and food in fixed grades for a peace marriage, and the Xiongnu also did not disturb the border. Now you wish to turn back the ancient way and make my crown prince a hostage—there is little hope of it." After Xin returned, Han again sent Wang Wu; the Chanyu again flattered with sweet words, wishing to obtain more Han goods, and deceived Wu, saying, "I wish to enter Han and see the Son of Heaven face to face and covenant as brothers." Wu returned and reported to Han; Han built a residence for the Chanyu in Chang'an. The Xiongnu said, "Unless I get a Han noble envoy, I will not speak sincerely with you." The Xiongnu sent their noble to Han; he fell ill; Han gave medicine wishing to cure him, but unluckily he died. Han sent Lu Chongguo bearing a two-thousand-dan seal and cord as envoy and sent off his funeral; a lavish burial worth several thousand in gold was provided, saying, "This was a Han noble." The Chanyu thought Han had killed his noble envoy and detained Lu Chongguo, not letting him return. All that had been said—the Chanyu had merely deceived Wang Wu in vain; he had absolutely no intent to enter Han or send the crown prince. Thereupon the Xiongnu repeatedly sent raiding detachments to invade the Han border. Guo Chang was then invested as General Who Uproots the Barbarians, and together with the Marquis of Zhuoye he encamped east of Shuofang to guard against the Xiongnu.
11
1冬，上南巡狩，至於盛唐，望祀虞舜於九疑。 登灊天柱山，自尋陽浮江，親射蛟江中，獲之。 舳艫千里，薄樅陽而出，遂北至琅邪，並海，所過禮祠其名山大川。 春，三月，還至太山，增封。 甲子，始祀上帝於明堂，配以高祖，因朝諸侯王、列侯，受郡、國計。 夏，四月，赦天下，所幸縣毋出今年租賦。 還，幸甘泉，郊泰畤。 ----2長平烈侯衛青薨。 起塚，像廬山。 ----3上既攘卻胡、越，開地斥境，乃置交趾、朔方之州，及冀、幽、并、兗、徐、青、揚、荊、豫、益、涼等州，凡十三部，皆置刺史焉。 ----4上以名臣文武欲盡，乃下詔曰：「蓋有非常之功，必待非常之人。 故馬或奔踶而致千里，士或有負俗之累而立功名。 夫泛駕之馬，跅弛之士，亦在御之而已。 其令州、郡察吏、民有茂才、異等可為將、相及使絕國者。」 ----1冬，上行幸回中。 ----2春，作首山宮。 ----3三月，行幸河東，祠-{后土}-，赦汾陰殊死以下。 ----4漢既通西南夷，開五郡，欲地接以前通大夏，歲遣使十餘輩出此初郡，皆閉昆明，為所殺，奪幣物。 於是天子赦京師亡命，令從軍，遣拔胡將軍郭昌將以擊之，斬首數十萬。 後復遣使，竟不得通。 ----5秋，大旱，蝗。 ----6烏孫使者見漢廣大，歸報其國，其國乃益重漢。 匈奴聞烏孫與漢通，怒，欲擊之。 又其旁大宛、月氏之屬皆事漢，烏孫於是恐，使使願得尚漢公主，為昆弟。 天子與群臣議，許之。 烏孫以千匹馬往聘漢女。 漢以江都王建女細君為公主，往妻烏孫，贈送甚盛； 烏孫王昆莫以為右夫人。 匈奴亦遣女妻昆莫，以為左夫人。 公主自治宮室居，歲時一再與昆莫會，置酒飲食。 昆莫年老，言語不通，公主悲愁思歸，天子聞而憐之，間歲遣使者以帷帳錦繡給遺焉。 昆莫曰：「我老。」 欲使其孫岑娶尚公主。 公主不聽，上書言狀。 天子報曰：「從其國俗，欲與烏孫共滅胡。」 岑娶遂妻公主。 昆莫死，岑娶代立，為昆彌。
1 In winter, the emperor made a southern imperial tour to Sheng Tang and gazed and sacrificed to Shun of Yu at Jiuyi. He ascended Tianzhu Mountain in Qian, from Xunyang floated on the river, personally shot a flood dragon in the river, and obtained it. Warships stretched a thousand li; pressing Zongyang he went out, then north to Langya along the sea; wherever he passed he performed rites and sacrificed to famous mountains and great rivers. In spring, the third month, he returned to Mount Tai and increased the feng and shan. On jiazi he first sacrificed to the Supreme Lord in the Bright Hall, paired with Gaozu, received in audience the feudal kings, princes, and marquises, and received the accounts of the commanderies and kingdoms. In summer, the fourth month, he pardoned all under Heaven; the counties he favored were exempted from this year's rent and levies. Returning, he traveled in favor to Ganquan and performed suburban sacrifice at the Grand Altar. ----2 Marquis Lie of Changping Wei Qing died. A tomb mound was raised, modeled on Mount Lu. ----3 The emperor having already repelled the Hu and Yue and opened lands and extended borders, he then established the provinces of Jiaozhi and Shuofang, and Ji, You, Bing, Yan, Xu, Qing, Yang, Jing, Yu, Yi, and Liang—thirteen departments in all—and set inspectors in each. ----4 The emperor, seeing that the civil and military talent of famous ministers was nearly exhausted, thereupon issued an edict saying, "For there to be extraordinary achievement, one must await extraordinary men. Therefore a horse may kick and rear yet run a thousand li; a gentleman may bear the burden of vulgar opinion yet establish merit and fame. As for horses hard to drive and unbridled gentlemen, it lies only in how one handles them. Let the provinces and commanderies examine officials and people for outstanding talent and exceptional ability fit to be generals, chancellors, or envoys to distant states." ----1 In winter, the emperor traveled in favor to Huizhong. ----2 In spring, Shoushan Palace was built. ----3 In the third month, he traveled in favor to Hedong, sacrificed to -{the cited text}-, and pardoned those below capital offense in Fenyin. ----4 Han having already opened communication with the Southwestern Yi and established five commanderies, wishing to link territory forward to reach Daxia, each year sent out more than ten missions from these new commanderies; all were blocked by Kunming, killed by them, and their goods seized. Thereupon the emperor pardoned fugitives from the capital, ordered them to join the army, and dispatched General Who Uproots the Barbarians Guo Chang to lead troops against them; heads cut numbered several hundred thousand. Later he again sent envoys, but in the end could not get through. ----5 In autumn, there was great drought and locusts. ----6 Wusun envoys saw Han's vast extent; returning they reported to their state, and their state thereupon valued Han the more. The Xiongnu heard Wusun communicated with Han, grew angry, and wished to attack them. Moreover Dayuan, the Yuezhi, and the like beside them all served Han; Wusun thereupon feared and sent envoys wishing to obtain marriage with a Han princess and become brothers. The emperor deliberated with his ministers and assented. Wusun sent a thousand horses to betroth a Han woman. Han made the daughter of King Jian of Jiangdu, Xijun, a princess and sent her to marry Wusun with very lavish gifts; the King of Wusun Kunmo made her his right consort. The Xiongnu also sent a woman to marry Kunmo and made her left consort. The princess built her own palace residence; once or twice a year she met Kunmo and set out wine and food. Kunmo was old; they could not communicate; the princess grieved and longed to return; the emperor heard and pitied her, and every other year sent envoys with curtains, brocades, and silks as gifts. Kunmo said, "I am old." He wished to have his grandson Cen marry the princess. The princess would not consent and memorialized stating the circumstances. The emperor replied, "Follow their state's custom; I wish to join with Wusun to destroy the Hu." Cen married and thereupon took the princess as wife. Kunmo died; Cen married succeeded and was established as Kunmi.
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是時，漢使西逾蔥嶺，抵安息。 安息發使，以大鳥卵及黎軒善眩人獻於漢，及諸小國驩潛、大益、車姑師、扜冞、蘇䪥之屬，皆隨漢使獻見天子，天子大悅。 西國使更來更去，天子每巡狩海上，悉從外國客，大都、多人則過之，散財帛以賞賜，厚具以饒給之，以覽示漢富厚焉。 大角抵，出奇戲、諸怪物，多聚觀者。 行賞賜，酒池肉林，令外國客遍觀名倉庫府藏之積，見漢之廣大，傾駭之。 大宛左右多蒲萄，可以為酒； 多苜蓿，天馬嗜之； 漢使采其實以來，天子種之於離宮別觀旁，極望。 然西域以近匈奴，常畏匈奴使，待之過於漢使焉。 ----7是歲，匈奴烏維單于死，子烏師廬立，年少，號「兒單于」。 自此之後，單于益西北徙，左方兵直雲中，右方直酒泉、敦煌郡。
At this time Han envoys west crossed the Onion Mountains and reached Parthia. Parthia sent envoys presenting to Han ostrich eggs and Lixuan men skilled in illusion; and various small states Huanqian, Dayi, Chegushi, Yuanchen, Suxie, and the like all followed Han envoys to present themselves before the emperor; the emperor was greatly pleased. Western states' envoys came and went repeatedly; whenever the emperor toured the seacoast he took all foreign guests along; where states were great and populous he passed them by; he scattered wealth and silks to reward and lavishly supplied them, to display Han's wealth and abundance. Great wrestling contests were held, producing strange performances and various marvels; many gathered to watch. He carried out rewards and gifts, wine pools and meat forests, and ordered foreign guests to view throughout the famous storehouses and treasury accumulations; seeing Han's vastness, they were utterly astonished. Around Dayuan there was much grape, which could be made into wine; much alfalfa, which Heavenly Horses loved; Han envoys gathered their fruit and brought them; the emperor planted them beside detached palaces and lodges, as far as the eye could see. Yet the Western Regions, being near the Xiongnu, constantly feared Xiongnu envoys and treated them above Han envoys. ----7 That year the Xiongnu Chanyu Wuwu died; his son Wushilu was established, young in years, titled "Child Chanyu." From this onward the Chanyu moved ever further northwest; the left-wing troops faced Yunzhong, the right-wing Jiuquan and Dunhuang commanderies.
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1冬，十月，上行幸泰山。 十一月，甲子朔旦，冬至，祠上帝於明堂。 東至海上，考入海及方士求神者莫驗； 然益遣，冀遇之。 ----2乙酉，柏梁台災。 ----3十二月，甲午朔，上親禪-{高里}-，祠-{后土}-，臨勃海，將以望祀蓬萊之屬，冀至殊廷焉。 春，上還，以柏梁災，故朝諸侯，受計於甘泉。 甘泉作諸侯邸。
1 In winter, the tenth month, the emperor traveled in favor to Mount Tai. In the eleventh month, on the first day jiazi at dawn at the winter solstice, he sacrificed to the Supreme Lord in the Bright Hall. East to the seacoast, he examined those who entered the sea and method masters seeking spirits—none were verified; yet he sent more, hoping to encounter them. ----2 On yiyou, the Boliang Terrace burned. ----3 In the twelfth month, on the first day jiawu, the emperor personally performed the -{the cited text}- feng, sacrificed to -{the cited text}-, approached the Bohai Sea, and was about to gaze and sacrifice to Penglai and the like, hoping to reach the extraordinary court. In spring the emperor returned; because of the Boliang disaster, he therefore received the feudal lords in audience and received accounts at Ganquan. At Ganquan residences for the feudal lords were built.
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越人勇之曰：「越俗，有火災復起屋，必以大，用勝服之。」 於是作建章宮，度為千門萬戶。 其東則鳳闕，高二十餘丈； 其西則唐中，數十里虎圈； 其北治大池，漸台高二十餘丈，命曰太液池，中有蓬萊、方丈、瀛洲、壺梁，象海中神山、龜魚之屬； 其南有玉堂、璧門、大鳥之屬。 立神明台、井幹樓，度五十丈，輦道相屬焉。 ----4大中大夫公孫卿、壺遂、太史令司馬遷等言：「曆紀壞廢，宜改正朔。」 上詔兒寬與博士賜等共議，以為宜用夏正。 夏，五月，詔卿、遂、遷等共造漢《太初曆》，以正月為歲首，色上黃，數用五，定官名，協音律，定宗廟百官之儀，以為典常，垂之後世-{云}-。 ----5匈奴兒單于好殺伐，國人不安； 又有天災，畜多死。 左大都尉使人間告漢曰：「我欲殺單于降漢，漢遠，即兵來迎我，我即發。」 上乃遣因杅將軍公孫敖築塞外受降城以應之。 ----6秋，八月，上行幸安定。 ----7漢使入西域者言：「宛有善馬，在貳師城，匿不肯與漢使。」 天子使壯士車令等持千金及金馬以請之。 宛王與其群臣謀曰：「漢去我遠，而鹽水中數敗，出其北有胡寇，出其南乏水草，又且往往而絕邑，乏食者多，漢使數百人為輩來，而常乏食，死者過半，是安能致大軍乎！ 無奈我何。 貳師馬，宛寶馬也。」 遂不肯予漢使。 漢使怒，妄言，椎金馬而去。 宛貴人怒曰：「漢使至輕我！」 遣漢使去，令其東邊郁成王遮攻，殺漢使，取其財物。
Yong Zhi of Yue said, "Yue custom: when there is a fire disaster and one rebuilds a house, it must be larger, using size to overcome and subdue it." Thereupon Jianzhang Palace was built, measured at a thousand gates and ten thousand households. To its east was Phoenix Tower, more than twenty zhang high; to its west Tangzhong, with a tiger park several tens of li; to its north a great pool was made; the Gradual Terrace was more than twenty zhang high, named Grand Liquid Pool, with within it Penglai, Fangzhang, Yingzhou, and Huliang, representing sea divine mountains, turtles, fish, and the like; to its south were Jade Hall, Jade Gate, Great Bird, and the like. Spirit Bright Terrace and Well Canopy Tower were erected, measuring fifty zhang, with imperial carriage roads linking one to another. ----4 Grand Master Gongsun Qing, Hu Sui, Grand Astrologer Sima Qian, and others said, "The calendar's records are ruined and abolished; the era name and first month should be corrected." The emperor ordered Er Kuan together with Academician Ci and others to deliberate jointly; they considered that the Xia first month should be used. In summer, the fifth month, Qing, Sui, Qian, and others were ordered jointly to compose Han's Taichu Calendar, taking the first month as year start, exalting the color yellow, using the number five, fixing official titles, harmonizing pitch pipes, fixing the rites of the ancestral temple and the hundred offices, taking these as canonical constants to hand down to later generations -{the cited text}-. ----5 The Xiongnu Child Chanyu loved killing and campaigning; the people of the state were uneasy; there was also a heaven-sent disaster; livestock mostly died. The Left Grand Commandant sent a man secretly to inform Han, saying, "I wish to kill the Chanyu and surrender to Han; Han is far—if troops come at once to welcome me, I will rise." The emperor thereupon dispatched General Yinyu Gongsun Ao to build the Surrender-Receiving City outside the passes to respond. ----6 In autumn, the eighth month, the emperor traveled in favor to Anding. ----7 Han envoys who had entered the Western Regions said, "Yuan has fine horses at Ershi City; they hide them and refuse to give them to Han envoys." The emperor sent stalwarts Che Ling and others bearing a thousand in gold and a golden horse to request them. The King of Dayuan consulted with his ministers, saying, "Han is far from us, and in the Saltwater region they are repeatedly defeated; going out to the north there are Hu raiders; going out to the south there is lack of water and grass; moreover along the way towns are often cut off, and many lack food. Han envoys come in parties of several hundred, yet often lack food—more than half die. How could they possibly bring a great army! They can do nothing to us. Ershi horses are Dayuan's prized horses." Thereupon they refused to give them to Han envoys. The Han envoy was angry, spoke recklessly, smashed the golden horse, and departed. A noble of Dayuan said angrily, "The Han envoy has come to the utmost to slight us!" They sent the Han envoy away, ordered the King of Yucheng on the eastern border to intercept and attack, killed the Han envoy, and seized his goods.
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於是天子大怒。 諸嘗使宛姚定漢等言：「宛兵弱，誠以漢兵不過三千人，強弩射之，可盡虜矣。」 天子嘗使浞野侯以七百騎虜樓蘭王，以定漢等言為然； 而欲侯寵姬李氏，乃拜李夫人兄廣利為貳師將軍，發屬國六千騎及郡國惡少年數萬人，以往伐宛。 期至貳師城取善馬，故號貳師將軍。 趙始成為軍正，故浩侯王恢使導軍，而李哆為校尉，制軍事。
Thereupon the Son of Heaven was greatly angry. Those who had previously been envoys to Dayuan, Yao Dinghan and others, said, "Dayuan's troops are weak; truly if Han troops do not exceed three thousand, shooting them with strong crossbows, one could capture them all." The Son of Heaven had once sent the Marquis of Zhuoye with seven hundred horsemen to capture the King of Kroraina, and took Yao Dinghan and others' words as true; yet wishing to enfeoff the favored lady of the Li clan, he then appointed Lady Li's elder brother Guangli as General of the Ershi, raised six thousand horsemen of dependent states and tens of thousands of vicious youths from commanderies and kingdoms, and sent them to attack Dayuan. They expected to reach Ershi city and obtain good horses—hence the title General of the Ershi. Zhao Shicheng was army inspector; the former Marquis of Hao Wang Hui was sent to guide the army; Li Duo was colonel overseeing military affairs.
16
:臣光曰：武帝欲侯寵姬李氏，而使廣利將兵伐宛，其意以為非有功不侯，不欲負高帝之約也。 夫軍旅大事，國之安危、民之死生系焉。 苟為不擇賢愚而授之，欲徼幸咫尺之功，藉以為名而私其所愛，不若無功而侯之為愈也。 然則武帝有見於封國，無見於置將； 謂之能守先帝之約，臣曰過矣。 ----8中尉王溫舒坐為奸利，罪當族，自殺； 時兩弟及兩婚家亦各自坐佗罪而族。 光祿勳徐自為曰：「悲夫！ 古有三族，而王溫舒罪至同時而五族乎！」 ----9關東蝗大起，飛西至敦煌。----
: Your subject Guang says: Emperor Wu wished to enfeoff the favored lady of the Li clan, and therefore had Guangli lead troops to attack Dayuan; his intent was that without merit there should be no enfeoffment—he did not wish to violate High Emperor's covenant. Military affairs are a great matter—on them depend the state's safety and danger, the people's life and death. If one does not choose between worthy and foolish in conferring command, wishing for success within a foot's span and using that as a title to favor whom one loves privately, that is not as good as enfeoffing without merit. Thus Emperor Wu had insight regarding enfeoffment of states but none regarding appointment of generals; to call this upholding the former emperor's covenant—your subject says it is excessive. ----8 Commandant Wang Wenshu, guilty of corrupt profit-taking, offense warranting execution of the clan, killed himself; at the time his two younger brothers and two families by marriage each were guilty of other offenses and the clan was executed. Palace Attendant Xu Ziwei said, "Alas! Anciently there was execution of three clans, yet Wang Wenshu's offense reached five clans at once!" ----9 Locusts rose greatly in Guandong, flying west as far as Dunhuang.
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1春，正月，戊申，牧丘恬侯石慶薨。 ----2閏月，丁丑，以太僕公孫賀為丞相，封葛繹侯。 時朝廷多事，督責大臣，自公孫弘後，丞相比坐事死。 石慶雖以謹得終，然數被譴。 賀引拜為丞相，不受印綬，頓首涕泣不肯起。 上乃起去，賀不得已，拜，出曰：「我從是殆矣！」 ----3三月，上行幸河東，祠-{后土}-。 ----4夏，五月，籍吏民馬補車騎馬。 ----5秋，蝗。 ----6貳師將軍之西也，既過鹽水，當道小國各城守，不肯給食，攻之不能下。 下者得食，不下者數日則去。 比至郁成，士至者不過數千，皆饑罷。 攻郁成，郁成大破之，所殺傷甚眾。 貳師將軍與李哆、趙始成等計：「至郁成尚不能舉，況至其王都乎！」 引兵而還。 至敦煌，士不過什一二，使使上書言：「道遠乏食，且士卒不患戰而患饑，人少，不足以拔宛。 願且罷兵，益發而復往。」 天子聞之，大怒，使使遮玉門曰：「軍有敢入者，輒斬之！」 貳師恐，因留敦煌。 ----7上猶以受降城去匈奴遠，遣浚稽將軍趙破奴將二萬餘騎出朔方西北二千餘里，期至浚稽山而還。 浞野侯既至期，左大都尉欲發而覺，單于誅之，發左方兵擊浞野侯。 浞野侯行捕首虜，得數千人，還，未至受降城四百里，匈奴兵八萬騎圍之。 浞野侯夜自出求水，匈奴間捕生得浞野侯，因急擊其軍，軍吏畏亡將而誅，莫相勸歸者，軍遂沒於匈奴。 兒單于大喜，因遣奇兵攻受降城，不能下，乃寇入邊而去。 ----8冬，十二月，兒寬卒。----
1 In spring, the first month, on wushen, Marquis of Muqiu Lord Shi Qing died. ----2 In the intercalary month, on dingchou, Grand Coachman Gongsun He was appointed Chancellor and enfeoffed as Marquis of Geyi. At this time the court had many affairs and pressed senior officials; since Gongsun Hong, chancellors in succession died for their offenses. Shi Qing, though by caution he reached his end, was repeatedly rebuked. When He was led in to be appointed Chancellor, he would not accept seal and ribbon, kowtowed weeping and refused to rise. The emperor then rose and left; He had no choice but to bow; going out he said, "From this I am nearly done for!" ----3 In the third month the emperor traveled in person to Hedong and sacrificed to -{Houtu}-. ----4 In summer, the fifth month, officials' and commoners' horses were registered to supplement chariot and cavalry horses. ----5 In autumn, there were locusts. ----6 When the General of the Ershi marched west, having passed the Saltwater region, each small state on the route walled and held, refused to supply food, and though attacked could not be taken. Where they took them they obtained food; where they did not, after several days they departed. By the time they reached Yucheng, soldiers who had arrived were no more than several thousand, all hungry and exhausted. They attacked Yucheng; Yucheng greatly defeated them, and those killed and wounded were very many. The General of the Ershi with Li Duo, Zhao Shicheng, and others deliberated, "At Yucheng we still could not take it—how much less reach their royal capital!" They led the army back. Reaching Dunhuang, soldiers were no more than one or two in ten; they sent envoys to memorialize, saying, "The road is far and food scarce; moreover the troops do not fear battle but fear hunger; our numbers are few—not enough to storm Dayuan. We wish for the moment to halt the army, raise more troops, and go again." The Son of Heaven heard it and was greatly angry; he sent envoys to block Yumen Pass, saying, "If any in the army dare enter, execute them at once!" The Ershi was afraid and therefore remained at Dunhuang. ----7 The emperor still thought Shoujiang city was far from the Xiongnu; he dispatched General of Junji Zhao Ponu leading more than twenty thousand horsemen out from northwest of Shuofang over two thousand li, expecting to reach Mount Junji and return. When the Marquis of Zhuoye had reached the appointed time, the Grand Commandant of the Left wished to rise but was discovered; the Chanyu executed him and raised troops of the Left to strike the Marquis of Zhuoye. The Marquis of Zhuoye on the march captured heads and captives, obtaining several thousand; returning, not yet four hundred li from Shoujiang city, eighty thousand Xiongnu horsemen surrounded him. The Marquis of Zhuoye by night went out himself to seek water; Xiongnu scouts captured the Marquis of Zhuoye alive; they then pressed the attack on his army; army officers feared that with the general lost they would be executed, and none urged one another to return—the army was thereupon lost to the Xiongnu. The Child Chanyu was greatly pleased and thereupon sent picked troops to attack Shoujiang city; they could not take it, and then raided into the border and departed. ----8 In winter, the twelfth month, Ni Kuan died.
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1春，正月，膠東太守延廣為御史大夫。 ----2上東巡海上，考神仙之屬皆無驗，令祠官禮東泰山。 夏，四月，還，修封泰山，禪石閭。 ----3匈奴兒單于死，子年少，匈奴立其季父右賢王呴犁湖為單于。 ----4上遣光祿勳徐自為出五原塞數百里，遠者千餘里，築城、障、列亭，西北至廬朐，而使游擊將軍韓說、長平侯衛伉屯其旁； 使強弩都尉路博德築居延澤上。 秋，匈奴大入定襄、雲中，殺略數千人，敗數二千石而去，行破壞光祿所築城、列亭、障； 又使右賢王入酒泉、張掖，略數千人。 會軍正任文擊救，盡復失所得而去。 ----5是歲，睢陽侯張昌坐為太常乏祠，國除。
1 In spring, the first month, Administrator of Jiaodong Yan Guang was appointed Grand Counsellor. ----2 The emperor toured east along the sea; examining the immortals and their kind, none was verified; he ordered sacrifice officers to perform rites at the Eastern Mount Tai. In summer, the fourth month, he returned, repaired the feng at Mount Tai, and performed the shan at Shilü. ----3 The Xiongnu Child Chanyu died; his son was young; the Xiongnu established his younger paternal uncle, the Wise King of the Right Hulihu, as Chanyu. ----4 The emperor dispatched Palace Attendant Xu Ziwei out from Wuyuan Pass several hundred li, in distant places over a thousand li, to build forts, barriers, and beacon towers in rows, northwest to Lujü, and had General of Rapid Attack Han Yue and Marquis of Changping Wei Kang encamp beside them; he had Chief of Strong Crossbows Luo Bode build on the Juyan marshes. In autumn the Xiongnu entered Dingxiang and Yunzhong in force, killed and plundered several thousand, defeated several officials of two-thousand-bushel rank and departed, and on the march destroyed the forts, beacon towers, and barriers that the Palace Attendant had built; he also sent the Wise King of the Right into Jiuquan and Zhangye, plundering several thousand. Army inspector Ren Wen met them with a rescue attack and wholly recovered what had been lost before they departed. ----5 That year, Marquis of Suiyang Zhang Chang, guilty as Grand Minister of Imperial Worship of deficient sacrifice, had his state abolished.
19
初，高祖封功臣為列侯百四十有三人。 時兵革之餘，大城、名都民人散亡，戶口可得而數，裁什二三。 大侯不過萬家，小者五六百戶。 其封爵之誓曰：「使黃河如帶，泰山若厲，國以永存，爰及苗裔。」 申以丹書之信，重以白馬之盟。 及-{高后}-時，盡差第列侯位次，藏諸宗廟，副在有司。 逮文、景，四五世間，流民既歸，戶口亦息，列侯大者至三四萬戶，小國自倍，富厚如之。 子孫驕逸，多抵法禁，隕身失國，至是見侯裁四人，罔亦少密焉。 ----6漢既亡浞野之兵，公卿議者皆願罷宛軍，專力攻胡。 天子業出兵誅宛，宛小國而不能下，則大夏之屬漸輕漢，而宛善馬絕不來，烏孫、輪台易苦漢使，為外國笑，乃案言伐宛尤不便者鄧光等。 赦囚徒，發惡少年及邊騎，歲餘而出敦煌者六萬人，負私從者不與，牛十萬，馬三萬匹，驢、橐駝以萬數，繼糧、兵弩甚設。 天下騷動，轉相奉伐宛五十餘校尉。 宛城中無井，汲城外流水，於是遣水工徙其城下水，空以穴其城。 益發戍甲卒十八萬酒泉、張掖北，置居延、休屠屯兵以衛酒泉，而發天下吏有罪者、亡命者及贅婿、賈人、故有市籍、父母大父母有市籍者凡七科，適為兵； 及載糒給貳師，轉車人徒相連屬； 而拜習馬者二人為執、驅馬校尉，備破宛擇取其善馬-{云}-。
At the beginning, Gaozu enfeoffed meritorious ministers as full marquises—one hundred forty-three persons. At that time, in the aftermath of arms, in great cities and famous capitals the people were scattered and lost; households that could be counted were barely two or three in ten. Great marquisates had no more than ten thousand households; small ones five or six hundred. The oath of their enfeoffment said, "Though the Yellow River become a belt, Mount Tai a whetstone, the state shall endure forever, extending to descendants." It was affirmed with the red-lettered pledge and sealed again with the white-horse covenant. By the time of -{Empress Gao}-, the ranks of full marquises were wholly ordered by degree, stored in the ancestral temple, with copies in the responsible offices. Reaching Wen and Jing, within four or five generations the floating population had returned, households had also revived; great full marquisates reached thirty or forty thousand households, small states doubled themselves—wealth and thickness like this. Descendants grew arrogant and dissolute, many ran afoul of law and prohibition, lost their persons and forfeited their states; by now visible marquises were barely four persons, and few remained in close succession. ----6 Han having lost the army of Zhuoye, those among the high ministers who deliberated all wished to halt the Dayuan army and concentrate strength on attacking the Hu. The Son of Heaven had already raised troops to punish Dayuan; if a small state like Dayuan could not be taken, then the Da Yuezhi and their kind would gradually slight Han, Dayuan's good horses would never come, Wusun and Luntai would readily distress Han envoys, and foreign states would laugh—thereupon he prosecuted Deng Guang and others who had said attacking Dayuan was especially inconvenient. He pardoned convicts and raised vicious youths and border horsemen; after more than a year those who went out from Dunhuang were sixty thousand; private followers who bore their own supplies were not counted; cattle one hundred thousand, horses thirty thousand, donkeys and Bactrian camels by the tens of thousands; relay grain and weapons and crossbows were abundantly provided. All under Heaven was in turmoil; relays supplied one another for the attack on Dayuan—over fifty colonels. Within Dayuan city there were no wells; they drew flowing water outside the walls; thereupon he sent water engineers to divert the water below the city and tunnel into the city. He further raised one hundred eighty thousand garrison armor-clad troops north of Jiuquan and Zhangye, stationed troops at Juyan and Xiutu to guard Jiuquan, and raised from all under Heaven officials guilty of offenses, fugitives, sons-in-law living with wives' families, merchants, those formerly on market registers, and those whose parents or great-grandparents had market registers—in all seven categories—assigning them as soldiers; and those who carried grain to supply the Ershi—cart men and porters linked in continuous files; he appointed two men skilled in horses as colonels of holding and driving horses, prepared for when Dayuan was broken to select its good horses -{yun}-.
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於是貳師後復行，兵多，所至小國莫不迎，出食給軍。 至輪台，輪台不下。 攻數日，屠之。 自此而西，平行至宛城，兵到者三萬。 宛兵迎擊漢兵，漢兵射敗之，宛兵走入，保其城。 貳師欲攻郁成城，恐留行而令宛益生詐，乃先至宛，決其水原移之，則宛固已憂困，圍其城，攻之四十餘日。 宛貴人謀曰：「王毋寡匿善馬，殺漢使，今殺王而出善馬，漢兵宜解； 即不解，乃力戰而死，未晚也。」 宛貴人皆以為然，共殺王。 其外城壞，虜宛貴人勇將煎靡。 宛大恐，走入城中，持王毋寡頭，遣人使貳師，約曰：「漢無攻我，我盡出善馬恣所取，而給漢軍食。 即不聽我，我盡殺善馬，康居之救又且至，至，我居內，康居居外，與漢軍戰。 孰計之，何從？」 是時，康居候視漢兵尚盛，不敢進。 貳師聞宛城中新得漢人，知穿井，而其內食尚多，計以為「來誅首惡者毋寡，毋寡頭已至，如此不許則堅守，而康居候漢兵罷來救宛，破漢兵必矣」，乃許宛之約。 宛乃出其馬，令漢自擇之，而多出食食漢軍。 漢軍取其善馬數十匹，中馬以下牝牡三千餘匹，而立宛貴人之故時遇漢善者名昧蔡為宛王，與盟而罷兵。
Thereupon the Ershi again marched; the army was large; every small state reached did not fail to welcome them and put out food to supply the army. Reaching Luntai, Luntai would not submit. After several days of attack they slaughtered it. From here west they marched levelly to Dayuan city; troops who arrived were thirty thousand. Dayuan troops met and struck Han troops; Han troops shot and defeated them; Dayuan troops ran in and held their city. The Ershi wished to attack Yucheng city, fearing that lingering on the march would let Dayuan grow more deceitful; he therefore went first to Dayuan, cut and diverted its water source, so that Dayuan was already anxious and distressed; he besieged the city and attacked for over forty days. Dayuan nobles deliberated, saying, "King Wugua hid good horses and killed Han envoys; now if we kill the king and produce good horses, Han troops should withdraw; if they do not withdraw, then to fight with full strength and die is not yet late." The Dayuan nobles all thought it right and together killed the king. The outer city was broken; they captured the Dayuan noble and brave general Jian Mi. Dayuan was greatly afraid, ran into the city, held King Wugua's head, and sent men to the Ershi with terms, saying, "If Han does not attack us, we will bring out all good horses for you to take at will and supply Han army food. If you do not heed us, we will kill all good horses; Kangju's rescue is also about to arrive—when it comes, we will hold the interior and Kangju the exterior, and fight Han troops. Weigh it—which course will you follow?" At this time Kangju observed Han troops were still strong and did not dare advance. The Ershi heard that in Dayuan city they had newly obtained Han men who knew how to dig wells, and that food within was still plentiful; he reckoned, "They came to punish the chief culprit Wugua; Wugua's head has arrived—if we do not agree thus they will hold firm, and Kangju will wait until Han troops tire and come to rescue Dayuan; breaking Han troops is certain"—thereupon he agreed to Dayuan's terms. Dayuan thereupon brought out its horses, let Han choose for themselves, and put out much food to feed Han troops. Han troops took several tens of good horses and over three thousand ordinary horses below that, male and female; they established the Dayuan noble who in former times had treated Han well, named Mei Cai, as King of Dayuan, made covenant, and halted the army.
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初，貳師起敦煌西，分為數軍，從南、北道。 校尉王申生將千餘人別至郁成，郁成王擊滅之，數人脫亡，走貳師。 貳師令搜粟都尉上官桀往攻郁成，郁成王亡走康居，桀追至康居。 康居聞漢已破宛，出郁成王與桀，桀令四騎士縛守詣貳師。 上邽騎士趙弟恐失郁成王，拔劍擊斬其首，追及貳師。----
At the beginning, when the Ershi set out west from Dunhuang, he divided into several armies, taking the southern and northern routes. Colonel Wang Shensheng led over a thousand men separately to Yucheng; the King of Yucheng attacked and destroyed them; several men escaped and fled to the Ershi. The Ershi ordered Chief of Grain Search Shangguan Jie to go attack Yucheng; the King of Yucheng fled to Kangju; Jie pursued to Kangju. Kangju heard Han had already broken Dayuan, produced the King of Yucheng to Jie; Jie ordered four horsemen to bind and guard him and send him to the Ershi. A horseman of Shanggui, Zhao Di, feared losing the King of Yucheng, drew his sword, struck, and beheaded him, and caught up with the Ershi.
22
1春，貳師將軍來至京師。 貳師所過小國聞宛破，皆使其子弟從入貢獻，見天子，因為質焉。 軍還，入馬千餘匹。 後行，軍非乏食，戰死不甚多，而將吏貪，不愛卒，侵牟之，以此物故者眾。 天子為萬里而伐，不錄其過，乃下詔封李廣利為海西侯，封趙弟為新畤侯，以上官桀為少府，軍官吏為九卿者三人，諸侯相、郡守、二千石百餘人，千石以下千餘人，奮行者官過其望，以謫過行，皆黜其勞，士卒賜直四萬錢。
1 In spring the General of the Ershi came to the capital. Small states the Ershi passed heard Dayuan was broken; all sent their sons and younger brothers to follow in tribute and presentation, saw the Son of Heaven, and thereby became hostages. When the army returned, they presented over a thousand horses. On the later march the army did not lack food; battle deaths were not very many; yet generals and officers were greedy, did not cherish the soldiers, and extorted them—for this reason deaths were many. The emperor, having campaigned ten thousand li, did not record their faults; he issued an edict enfeoffing Li Guangli as Marquis of Haixi and Zhao Di as Marquis of Xindi, making Shangguan Jie Privy Treasurer, three army officers as one of the Nine Ministers, more than a hundred feudal chancellors, commandery governors, and two-thousand-bushel officials, and more than a thousand below that rank; strivers received offices beyond their hopes, while those who went because of banishment-faults had their merit dismissed; soldiers were given forty thousand cash each.
23
匈奴聞貳師征大宛，欲遮之，貳師兵盛，不敢當，即遣騎因樓蘭候漢使後過者，欲絕勿通。 時漢軍正任文將兵屯玉門關，捕得生口，知狀以聞。 上詔文便道引兵捕樓蘭王，將詣闕簿責。 王對曰：「小國在大國間，不兩屬無以自安，願徙國入居漢地。」 上直其言，遣歸國，亦因使候司匈奴，匈奴自是不甚親信樓蘭。
The Xiongnu heard the Eshi army was campaigning against Dayuan and wished to intercept it; the Eshi troops were too strong to confront, so they sent horsemen through Loulan to watch for Han envoys passing afterward, intending to cut them off. At this time Han troops under Zheng Ren Wen were garrisoned at Yumen Pass; they captured a prisoner, learned the situation, and reported it. The emperor ordered Wen to take the convenient route, lead troops to seize the King of Loulan, and bring him to court for accounting. The king replied, "A small state between great powers cannot secure itself without serving both; your servant wishes to move the state and settle within Han territory." The emperor accepted his words, sent him back to his state, and also used him to spy on the Xiongnu; from this the Xiongnu no longer trusted Loulan much.
24
自大宛破後，西域震懼，漢使入西域者益得職。 於是自敦煌西至鹽澤往往起亭，而輪台、渠犁皆有田卒數百人，置使者、校尉領護，以給使外國者。
After Dayuan was defeated, the Western Regions were shaken with fear, and Han envoys in the Western Regions were increasingly able to perform their duties. Thereupon from Dunhuang west to Salt Marsh watchtowers were built throughout, and Luntai and Quli each had several hundred farming soldiers, with envoys and colonels appointed to guard and supply those serving foreign states.
25
後歲餘，宛貴人以為昧蔡善諛，使我國遇屠，乃相與殺昧蔡，立毋寡昆弟蟬封為宛王，而遣其子入侍於漢。 漢因使使賂賜，以鎮撫之。 蟬封與漢約，歲獻天馬二匹。 ----2秋，起明光宮。 ----3冬，上行幸回中。 ----4匈奴呴犁湖單于死，匈奴立其弟左大都尉且鞮侯為單于。 天子欲因伐宛之威遂困胡，乃下詔曰：「高皇帝遺朕平城之憂，-{高后}-時，單于書絕悖逆。 昔齊襄公復九世之讎，《春秋》大之。」 且鞮侯單于初立，恐漢襲之，乃曰：「我兒子，安敢望漢天子！ 漢天子，我丈人行也。」 因盡歸漢使之不降者路充國等，使使來獻。----
More than a year later, Dayuan nobles thought Mei Cai was skilled at flattery and had brought slaughter upon their state; they killed Mei Cai and installed Wugua's younger brother Chanfeng as King of Dayuan, and sent his son to attend at Han. Han thereupon sent envoys with gifts to pacify them. Chanfeng agreed with Han to present two heavenly horses each year. ----2 In autumn the Mingguang Palace was built. ----3 In winter the emperor traveled to Huizhong. ----4 The Xiongnu chanyu Hulu died; the Xiongnu installed his younger brother, the Left Grand Commander Qiedihou, as chanyu. The emperor wished to use the prestige of the Dayuan campaign to press the Xiongnu and issued an edict, saying, "The High Emperor left me the worry of Pingcheng; in the time of -{Empress Gao}-, the chanyu's letter was utterly rebellious. Formerly Duke Xiang of Qi avenged a feud of nine generations—the Spring and Autumn Annals praise it." Chanyu Qiedihou had just been installed and feared a Han attack; he said, "I am his son—how would I dare look toward the Han emperor! The Han emperor is my father-in-law." He thereupon returned all Han envoys who had not submitted, such as Lu Chongguo, and sent envoys to present tribute.
26
1春，正月，上行幸甘泉，郊泰畤。 三月，行幸河東，祠-{后土}-。 ----2上嘉匈奴單于之義，遣中郎將蘇武送匈奴使留在漢者，因厚賂單于，答其善意。 武與副中郎將張勝與假吏常惠等俱。 既至匈奴，置幣遣單于。 單于益驕，非漢所望也。
1 In spring, the first month, the emperor traveled to Sweet Springs and performed suburban sacrifice at the Great Altar. In the third month he traveled to Hedong and sacrificed to -{Earth Queen}-. ----2 The emperor praised the Xiongnu chanyu's righteousness and sent Palace Gentleman Su Wu to escort Xiongnu envoys detained in Han, richly bribing the chanyu to answer his good intent. Wu went together with Deputy Palace Gentleman Zhang Sheng and acting clerk Chang Hui and others. Having reached the Xiongnu, they presented gifts to the chanyu. The chanyu grew increasingly arrogant—not what Han had hoped for.
27
會緱王與長水虞常等及衛律所將降者，陰相與謀劫單于母閼氏歸漢。 衛律者，父故長水胡人，律善協律都尉李延年，延年薦言律使於匈奴，使還，聞延年家收，遂亡降匈奴。 單于愛之，與謀國事，立為丁靈王。 虞常在漢時素與副張勝相知，私候勝曰：「聞漢天子甚怨衛律，常能為漢伏弩射殺之。 吾母、弟在漢，幸蒙其賞賜。」 張勝許之，以貨物與常。 後月餘，單于出獵，獨閼氏、子弟在，虞常等七十餘人欲發，其一人夜亡告之。 單于子弟發兵與戰，緱王等皆死，虞常生得。
It happened that the Gou king, Changshui Yu Chang and others, and the surrenderers led by Wei Lü secretly plotted together to seize the chanyu's mother the yanzhi and return to Han. Wei Lü—his father was formerly a Changshui Hu man; Lü was on good terms with Director of Harmonizing the Pitch Pipes Li Yanian; Yanian recommended that Lü be sent to the Xiongnu; when the mission returned he heard Yanian's household had been seized and fled to surrender to the Xiongnu. The chanyu favored him, deliberated state affairs with him, and made him King of Dingling. Yu Chang in Han times had long known Deputy Zhang Sheng; he privately approached Sheng and said, "I have heard the Han emperor greatly hates Wei Lü; Chang can lie in ambush for Han with a crossbow and kill him. My mother and younger brother are in Han; I hope to receive their rewards." Zhang Sheng promised him and gave goods to Chang. More than a month later the chanyu went hunting; only the yanzhi and his sons and younger brothers remained; Yu Chang and more than seventy men wished to act, but one man fled by night and reported it. The chanyu's sons and younger brothers raised troops and fought; the Gou king and others all died; Yu Chang was captured alive.
28
單于使衛律治其事。 張勝聞之，恐前語發，以狀語武。 武曰：「事如此，此必及我，見犯乃死，重負國。」 欲自殺。 勝、惠共止之。 虞常果引張勝。 單于怒，召諸貴人議，欲殺漢使者。 左伊秩訾曰：「即謀單于，何以復加！ 宜皆降之。」 單于使衛律召武受辭。 武謂惠等：「屈節辱命，雖生，何面目以歸漢！」 引佩刀自刺。 衛律驚，自抱持武，馳召醫，鑿地為坎，置熅火，覆武其上，蹈其背以出血。 武氣絕，半日復息。 惠等哭，輿歸營。 單于壯其節，朝夕遣人候問武，而收系張勝。
The chanyu had Wei Lü handle the matter. Zhang Sheng heard of it, feared their earlier words would be exposed, and told Wu the situation. Wu said, "The affair being like this, this will surely reach me; to be violated and then die would heavily burden the state." He wished to kill himself. Sheng and Hui together stopped him. Yu Chang indeed implicated Zhang Sheng. The chanyu was enraged, summoned the nobles to deliberate, and wished to kill the Han envoys. Left Yizhi Ze said, "If they already plotted against the chanyu, how can one add more! They should all be made to surrender." The chanyu had Wei Lü summon Wu to take his confession. Wu said to Hui and the others, "To bend one's integrity and disgrace one's commission—even living, with what face could one return to Han!" He drew his girdle knife and stabbed himself. Wei Lü was startled, himself embraced Wu, galloped to summon a physician, dug a pit in the ground, set smoldering fire, covered Wu with it, and trod his back to draw out blood. Wu's breath stopped; after half a day he breathed again. Hui and the others wept and carried him back to camp in a litter. The chanyu admired his integrity, sent men morning and evening to inquire after Wu, and detained Zhang Sheng.
29
武益愈，單于使使曉武，欲降之，會論虞常，欲因此時降武； 劍斬虞常已，律曰：「漢使張勝謀殺單于近臣，當死，單于募降者赦罪。」 舉劍欲擊之，勝請降。 律謂武曰：「副有罪，當相坐。」 武曰：「本無謀，又非親屬，何謂相坐！」 復舉劍擬之，武不動。 律曰：「蘇君，律前負漢歸匈奴，幸蒙大恩賜號稱王，擁眾數萬，馬畜彌山，富貴如此！ 蘇君今日降，明日復然； 空以身膏草野，誰復知之！」 武不應。 律曰：「君因我降，與君為兄弟； 今不聽吾計，後雖欲復見我，尚可得乎！」 武罵律曰：「汝為人臣子，不顧恩義，畔主背親，為降虜於蠻夷，何以汝為見！ 且單于信汝，使決人死生，不平心持正，反欲鬥兩主，觀禍敗。 南越殺漢使者，屠為九郡； 宛王殺漢使者，頭懸北闕； 朝鮮殺漢使者，即時誅滅； 獨匈奴未耳。 若知我不降明，欲令兩國相攻，匈奴之禍從我始矣。」 律知武終不可脅，白單于，單于愈益欲降之。 乃幽武置大窖中，絕不飲食； 天雨雪，武臥，嚙雪與旃毛並咽之，數日不死。 匈奴以為神，乃徙武北海上無人處，使牧羝，曰：「羝乳乃得歸。」 別其官屬常惠等，各置他所。 ----3天雨白牦。 ----4夏，大旱。 ----5五月，赦天下。 ----6發謫戍屯五原。 ----7浞野侯趙破奴自匈奴亡歸。 ----8是歲，濟南太守王卿為御史大夫。----
As Wu recovered, the chanyu sent envoys to persuade Wu to surrender; it happened they judged Yu Chang, wishing thereby to make Wu surrender at that moment; having beheaded Yu Chang with the sword, Lü said, "Han envoy Zhang Sheng plotted to kill the chanyu's close minister—he should die; the chanyu recruits surrenderers and pardons crime." He raised the sword to strike him; Sheng asked to surrender. Lü said to Wu, "The deputy is guilty; you should share punishment." Wu said, "Originally there was no plotting, and moreover we are not kin—what is meant by sharing punishment!" He again raised the sword and gestured at him; Wu did not move. Lü said, "Master Su—Lü formerly turned his back on Han and returned to the Xiongnu; fortunately I received great favor, was granted a title and styled king, hold masses of tens of thousands, horses and livestock fill the mountains—wealth and honor like this! Master Su, if you surrender today, tomorrow will be the same again; in vain you would make your body grease the wild grass—who would know you again!" Wu did not respond. Lü said, "If you surrender through me, I will be brothers with you; now if you do not heed my plan, later even if you wish again to see me, can you still obtain it!" Wu cursed Lü, saying, "You are a man's minister and son, yet do not think of grace and righteousness, turn your back on your lord and abandon your kin, become a surrendering captive among barbarians—why should I see you! Moreover the chanyu trusts you and has you decide men's life and death; you do not hold your heart level and straight, yet wish instead to set the two rulers fighting and watch disaster and defeat. Nanyue killed Han envoys and was slaughtered into nine commanderies; the King of Dayuan killed Han envoys and his head hung at the northern gate; Chaoxian killed Han envoys and was immediately exterminated; only the Xiongnu have not yet. If you know clearly that I will not surrender, you wish to make the two states attack each other—the Xiongnu's disaster will begin with me." Lü knew Wu in the end could not be coerced, reported to the chanyu, and the chanyu increasingly wished to make him surrender. He imprisoned Wu in a great cellar and cut off all drink and food; It snowed; Wu lay down, chewed snow together with felt fur and swallowed it, and did not die for several days. The Xiongnu thought him divine; they moved Wu to the northern sea frontier where no men were, had him herd rams, and said, "When the rams give milk you may return." They separated his attendants Chang Hui and others, each placed elsewhere. ----3 Heaven rained white yak. ----4 In summer there was great drought. ----5 In the fifth month there was an amnesty for all under Heaven. ----6 Banishment-garrison troops were sent to garrison Wuyuan. ----7 Marquis of Zhuoye Zhao Ponu fled from the Xiongnu and returned. ----8 This year Jinan Administrator Wang Qing became Censor-in-Chief.
30
1春，上行幸東海。 還，幸回中。 ----2夏，五月，遣貳師將軍廣利以三萬騎出酒泉，擊右賢王於天山，得胡首虜萬餘級而還。 匈奴大圍貳師將軍，漢軍乏食數日，死傷者多。 假司馬隴西趙充國與士百餘人潰圍陷陳，貳師引兵隨之，遂得解。 漢兵物故什六七，充國身被二十餘創。 貳師奏狀，詔征充國詣行在所，帝親見，視其創，嗟歎之，拜為中郎。
1 In spring the emperor traveled to the Eastern Sea. On his return he traveled to Huizhong. ----2 In summer, the fifth month, Eshi General Guangli was sent with thirty thousand horsemen from Jiuquan to strike the Right Worthy King at Heavenly Mountain, taking more than ten thousand Xiongnu heads and captives and returning. The Xiongnu greatly besieged the Eshi general; Han troops lacked food for several days and many died or were wounded. Acting Major Longxi Zhao Chongguo with more than a hundred soldiers broke the encirclement and charged the formation; the Eshi general led troops after them and was thereby relieved. Han troops lost seven or eight in ten; Chongguo himself received more than twenty wounds. The Eshi general memorialized the situation; an edict summoned Chongguo to the traveling palace; the emperor personally saw him, looked at his wounds, sighed and praised him, and appointed him Palace Gentleman.
31
漢復使因杅將軍敖出西河，與強弩都尉路博德會涿塗山，無所得。
Han again sent Yinya General Ao out from Xihe to meet Strong Crossbow Colonel Lu Bode at Zhuotu Mountain and obtained nothing.
32
初，李廣有孫陵，為侍中，善騎射，愛人下士。 帝以為有廣之風，拜騎都尉，使將丹陽、楚人五千人，教射酒泉、張掖以備胡。 及貳師擊匈奴，上詔陵，欲使為貳師將輜重，陵叩頭自請曰：「臣所將屯邊者，皆荊楚勇士奇材劍客也，力扼虎，射命中，願得自當一隊，到-{蘭于}-山南以分單于兵，毋令專向貳師軍。」 上曰：「將惡相屬邪！ 吾發軍多，無騎予女。」 陵對：「無所事騎，臣願以少擊眾，步兵五千人涉單于庭。」 上壯而許之。 因詔路博德將兵半道迎陵軍。 博德亦羞為陵後距，奏言：「方秋，匈奴馬肥，未可與戰，願留陵至春俱出。」 上怒，疑陵悔不欲出而教博德上書，乃詔博德引兵擊匈奴於西河。 詔陵以九月發，出遮虜障，至東浚稽山南龍勒水上，徘徊觀虜，即亡所見，還，抵受降城休士。 陵於是將其步卒五千人，出居延，北行三十日，至浚稽山止營，舉圖所過山川地形，使麾下騎陳步樂還以聞。 步樂召見，道陵將率得士死力，上甚悅，拜步樂為郎。
Initially Li Guang had a grandson Ling, who was Palace Attendant, skilled at mounted archery, and loved men and humbled himself before scholars. The emperor thought he had Guang's manner, appointed him Cavalry Commandant, and had him lead five thousand men of Danyang and Chu to teach archery at Jiuquan and Zhangye against the Xiongnu. When the Eshi army struck the Xiongnu, the emperor ordered Ling, wishing to have him lead baggage trains for the Eshi general; Ling kowtowed and requested himself, saying, "Those your servant leads garrisoning the border are all Jing-Chu warriors of strange talent and swordsmen—strength to throttle tigers, shooting that hits the mark; your servant wishes to take a separate command, reach south of -{Lan Yu}- Mountain to divide the chanyu's troops, and not let them focus solely on the Eshi army." The emperor said, "Do generals dislike being subordinate to one another! I am sending out many armies and have no cavalry to give you." Ling replied, "Without needing cavalry, your servant wishes with few to strike many—five thousand foot soldiers crossing the chanyu's court." The emperor was impressed and assented. He thereupon ordered Lu Bode to lead troops halfway to meet Ling's army. Bode was also ashamed to be Ling's rear support and memorialized, saying, "It is just autumn; Xiongnu horses are fat and one cannot yet fight them; your servant wishes to keep Ling until spring and go out together." The emperor was enraged, suspected Ling regretted going out and had coached Bode to memorialize, and ordered Bode to lead troops and strike the Xiongnu in Xihe. He ordered Ling to set out in the ninth month, go out through the barbarian-blocking barrier to south of Eastern Junji Mountain at Dragon Rein River, linger to observe the barbarians—seeing nothing—and return to Surrender-Receiving City to rest his troops. Ling thereupon led his five thousand foot soldiers out from Juyan, marched north thirty days to Junji Mountain and halted camp, mapped the mountains, rivers, and terrain passed through, and sent his subordinate cavalryman Chen Bule back to report. Bule was summoned to audience; he reported that Ling as general won his men's utmost loyalty; the emperor was very pleased and appointed Bule Gentleman of the Palace.
33
陵至浚稽山，與單于相值，騎可三萬圍陵軍，軍居兩山間，以大車為營。 陵引士出營外為陳，前行持戟、盾，後行持弓、弩。 虜見漢軍少，直前就營。 陵搏戰攻之，千弩俱發，應弦而倒。 虜還走上山，漢軍追擊殺數千人。 單于大驚，召左、右地兵八萬餘騎攻陵。 陵且戰且引南行，數日，抵山谷中，連戰，士卒中矢傷，三創者載輦。 兩創者將車，一創者持兵戰，復斬首三千餘級。 引兵東南，循故龍城道行四五日，抵大澤葭葦中，虜從上風縱火，陵亦令軍中縱火以自救。 南行至山下，單于在南山上，使其子將騎擊陵。 陵軍步鬥樹木間，復殺數千人，因發連弩射單于，單于下走。 是日捕得虜，言「單于曰：『此漢精兵，擊之不能下，日夜引吾南近塞，得無有伏兵乎？』 諸當戶君長皆言：『單于自將數萬騎擊漢數千人不能滅，後無以復使邊臣，令漢益輕匈奴。 復力戰山谷間，尚四五十里，得平地，不能破，乃還。』」
Ling reached Junji Mountain and met the chanyu head-on; perhaps thirty thousand horsemen surrounded Ling's army, which camped between two mountains using great carts as fortification. Ling led his men out beyond the camp to form a battle line: the front rank held halberds and shields, the rear rank bows and crossbows. The barbarians saw the Han force was small and charged straight at the camp. Ling fought hand to hand and struck them; a thousand crossbows fired together and the enemy fell as the strings sounded. The barbarians retreated up the mountain; the Han army pursued and killed several thousand. The chanyu was greatly startled and summoned left and right territorial troops—more than eighty thousand horsemen—to attack Ling. Ling fought while withdrawing south; after several days he reached a mountain valley; in continuous fighting his men were wounded by arrows—those with three wounds were carried in litters. Those with two wounds drove the carts; those with one wound fought with weapons in hand; they again took more than three thousand heads. He led his army southeast along the old Dragon City road for four or five days to a great marsh of reeds; the barbarians set fire from upwind, and Ling also ordered his men to set fire to save themselves. Marching south to the foot of the mountain, the chanyu was on the southern slope and sent his son to lead horsemen against Ling. Ling's army fought on foot among the trees and again killed several thousand; they then loosed repeating crossbows at the chanyu, and the chanyu fled downhill. That day they captured a barbarian who said, "The chanyu said, 'These are Han elite troops; we cannot bring them down; day and night they draw me south near the passes—is there perhaps an ambush? The various household chieftains all said, 'The chanyu himself leading tens of thousands of horsemen could not destroy several thousand Han; afterward there will be no way to use border ministers again—Han will look down on the Xiongnu all the more. Fight again in the mountain valleys; still forty or fifty li to level ground; if we cannot break them, then return."
34
是時陵軍益急，匈奴騎多，戰一日數十合，復傷殺虜二千餘人。 虜不利，欲去，會陵軍候管敢為校尉所辱，亡降匈奴，具言：「陵軍無後救，射矢且盡，獨將軍麾下及校尉成安侯韓延年各八百人為前行，以黃與白為幟。 當使精騎射之，即破矣。」 單于得敢大喜，使騎並攻漢軍，疾呼曰：「李陵、韓延年趣降！」 遂遮道急攻陵。 陵居谷中，虜在山上，四面射，矢如雨下。 漢軍南行，未至鞮汗山，一日五十萬矢皆盡，即棄車去。 士尚三千餘人，徒斬車輻而持之，軍吏持尺刀，抵山，入狹谷，單于遮其後，乘隅下壘石，士卒多死，不得行。 昏後，陵便衣獨步出營，止左右：「毋隨，丈夫一取單于耳！」 良久，陵還，太息曰：「兵敗，死矣！」 於是盡斬旌旗，及珍寶埋地中，陵歎曰：「復得數十矢，足以脫矣。 今無兵復戰，天明，坐受縛矣。 各鳥獸散，猶有得脫歸報天子者。」 令軍士人持二升糒，一片冰，期至遮障者相待。 夜半時，擊鼓起士，鼓不鳴。 陵與韓延年俱上馬，壯士從者十餘人，虜騎數千追之，韓延年戰死。 陵曰：「無面目報陛下！」 遂降。 軍人分散，脫至塞者四百餘人。
At this time Ling's army grew increasingly pressed; Xiongnu horsemen were many; in one day they fought dozens of engagements and again wounded and killed more than two thousand barbarians. The barbarians were at a disadvantage and wished to withdraw; it happened that Ling's army scout Guan Gan had been insulted by a colonel, fled and surrendered to the Xiongnu, and fully reported, "Ling's army has no rear relief; arrows are nearly spent; only the general's personal followers and Colonel Marquis of Cheng'an Han Yannian, eight hundred men each, form the forward rank, with yellow and white as their banners. Send elite horsemen to shoot them and they will be broken at once." The chanyu, obtaining Gan, was greatly pleased, sent horsemen together to attack the Han army, and urgently shouted, "Li Ling and Han Yannian—hurry and surrender!" He thereupon blocked the road and urgently attacked Ling. Ling was in the valley while the barbarians were on the mountain; they shot from four sides and arrows fell like rain. The Han army marched south; before reaching Dihan Mountain, in one day five hundred thousand arrows were all spent; they immediately abandoned the carts. More than three thousand soldiers remained; they chopped cart wheel hubs to wield as weapons, officers held foot-long knives; reaching the mountain they entered a narrow valley; the chanyu blocked their rear; from the heights they rolled down piled stones; many soldiers died and could not advance. After dusk Ling changed clothes and walked alone out of camp, stopping his attendants: "Do not follow—a man should once take the chanyu's ear!" After a long while Ling returned, sighed deeply, and said, "The army is defeated—I am as good as dead!" He thereupon cut down all banners and flags and buried treasures in the ground; Ling sighed and said, "If I could obtain even several tens of arrows more, it would be enough to escape. Now without weapons to fight again, at daybreak I will sit and accept binding. Each scatter like birds and beasts—some may still escape and return to report to the emperor." He ordered each soldier to take two sheng of dry provisions and one piece of ice, fixing a time to meet at the blocking barrier. At midnight he beat the drum to rouse the soldiers; the drum did not sound. Ling and Han Yannian both mounted; more than ten stalwarts followed; several thousand barbarian horsemen pursued them; Han Yannian died fighting. Ling said, "I have no face to report to Your Majesty!" He thereupon surrendered. The soldiers scattered; more than four hundred escaped to the passes.
35
陵敗處去塞百餘里，邊塞以聞。 上欲陵死戰； 後聞陵降，上怒甚，責問陳步樂，步樂自殺。 群臣皆罪陵，上以問太史令司馬遷，遷盛言：「陵事親孝，與士信，常奮不顧身以徇國家之急，其素所畜積也，有國士之風。 今舉事一不幸，全軀保妻子之臣隨而媒糵其短，誠可痛也！ 且陵提步卒不滿五千，深蹂戎馬之地，抑數萬之師，虜救死扶傷不暇，悉舉引弓之民共攻圍之，轉鬥千里，矢盡道窮，士張空弮，冒白刃，北首爭死敵，得人之死力，雖古名將不過也。 身雖陷敗，然其所摧敗亦足暴於天下。 彼之不死，宜欲得當以報漢也。」 上以遷為誣罔，欲沮貳師，為陵遊說，下遷腐刑。
The place where Ling was defeated was more than a hundred li from the passes; the border reported it. The emperor wished Ling to fight to the death; later hearing Ling had surrendered, the emperor was greatly enraged, censured Chen Bule, and Bule killed himself. The ministers all blamed Ling; the emperor questioned Grand Astrologer Sima Qian; Qian strongly argued, "Ling served his parents filially, was faithful to his men, and constantly strove without regard for his body in the state's urgent need—what he had long cultivated; he had the manner of a state's finest man. Now in one misfortune, ministers who preserve their bodies and protect wife and children follow to slander and magnify his faults—truly this is painful! Moreover Ling led fewer than five thousand foot soldiers, deeply invaded barbarian horse country, and held down an army of tens of thousands; the barbarians had no leisure to tend their wounded; they raised all their bowmen to attack and besiege him; he fought turning battle over a thousand li; arrows spent and the road ended; his men drew empty bowstocks, braved naked blades, faced north striving to die against the enemy, and won men's utmost loyalty—even ancient famed generals did not surpass this. Though he was defeated, what he crushed and defeated was still enough to display to the world. That he did not die—he surely wished to obtain an occasion to repay Han." The emperor considered Qian's words deceptive, thought he wished to discourage the Eshi general and was lobbying for Ling, and imposed castration on Qian.
36
久之，上悔陵無救，曰：「陵當發出塞，乃詔強弩都尉令迎軍； 坐預詔之，得令老將生奸詐。」 乃遣使勞賜陵餘軍得脫者。 ----3上以法制御下，好尊用酷吏，而郡、國二千石為治者大抵多酷暴，吏民益輕犯法； 東方盜賊滋起，大群至數千人，攻城邑，取庫兵，釋死罪，縛辱郡太守、都尉，殺二千石； 小群以百數掠鹵鄉里者，不可勝數，道路不通。 上始使御史中丞、丞相長史督之，弗能禁； 乃使光祿大夫范昆及故九卿張德等衣繡衣，持節、虎符，發兵以興擊。 斬首大部或至萬餘級，及以法誅通行、飲食當連坐者，諸郡甚者數千人。 數歲，乃頗得其渠率，散卒失亡復聚黨阻山川者往往而群居，無可奈何。 於是作《沈命法》，曰：「群盜起，不發覺，發覺而捕弗滿品者，二千石以下至小吏，主者皆死。」 其後小吏畏誅，雖有盜不敢發，恐不能得，坐課累府，府亦使其不言。 故盜賊多，上下相為匿，以文辭避法焉。
After a long while the emperor regretted that Ling had no relief and said, "When Ling should have set out beyond the passes, I had ordered the Strong Crossbow Colonel to meet his army; because I announced it in advance, this allowed the old general to breed deceit." He thereupon sent envoys to comfort and reward those of Ling's remaining army who had escaped. ----3 The emperor used law to control subordinates and liked to employ harsh clerks; commandery and state two-thousand-bushel administrators were mostly harsh and violent; officials and people increasingly treated breaking the law lightly; eastern bandits rose in force; large bands reached thousands, attacked cities and towns, seized arsenal weapons, released condemned men, bound and insulted commandery governors and commandants, and killed two-thousand-bushel officials; small bands of hundreds plundering villages were beyond counting; roads were impassable. The emperor at first sent the Vice Censor-in-Chief and the Chancellor's Chief Clerk to supervise them but could not stop it; he then sent Palace Counselor Fan Kun and former Nine Ministers Zhang De and others in embroidered robes, holding credentials and tiger tallies, to raise troops and strike them down. Major beheadings sometimes reached more than ten thousand; moreover those executed by law for association in travel and dining reached thousands in some commanderies. Several years later they somewhat captured ringleaders; scattered men who fled and again gathered in mountain strongholds often lived in groups—nothing could be done. Thereupon he enacted the Shenming Law, saying, "When bandit gangs rise, if not discovered, or discovered but capture does not reach the quota, from two-thousand-bushel officials down to minor clerks, those in charge all die." Afterward minor clerks feared execution; though there were bandits they dared not report them, fearing they could not meet the quota and would burden the prefecture in assessment; the prefecture also had them keep silent. Therefore bandits were many; superiors and subordinates concealed for one another and used literary phrases to evade the law.
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是時，暴勝之為直指使者，所誅殺二千石以下尤多，威振州郡。 至勃海，聞郡人雋不疑賢，請與相見。 不疑容貌尊嚴，衣冠甚偉，勝之躧履起迎，登堂坐定，不疑據地曰：「竊伏海瀕，聞暴公子舊矣，今乃承顏接辭。 凡為吏，太剛則折，太柔則廢，威行，施之以恩，然後樹功揚名，永終天祿。」 勝之深納其戒； 及還，表薦不疑，上召拜不疑為青州刺史。 濟南王賀亦為繡衣御史，逐捕魏郡群盜，多所縱捨，以奉使不稱免，歎曰：「吾聞活千人，子孫有封，吾所活者萬餘人，後世其興乎！」 ----4是歲，以匈奴降者介和王成娩為開陵侯，將樓蘭國兵擊車師； 匈奴遣右賢王將數萬騎救之，漢兵不利，引去。
At this time Bao Sheng-zhi was a direct-pointing envoy; those he executed below two-thousand-bushel rank were especially many; his authority shook provinces and commanderies. Reaching Bohai, he heard that the commandery man Jun Buyi was worthy and requested to meet him. Buyi's appearance was dignified and imposing; his cap and robes very grand; Sheng-zhi slipped off his shoes and rose to greet him; once seated in the hall, Buyi leaned forward and said, "Your servant dwells secretly by the sea and has long heard of Master Bao; now I receive your face and exchange words. In general as an official, too rigid and one breaks, too soft and one is discarded; when authority is established, apply kindness—only then establish merit, raise one's name, and complete Heaven's stipend to the end." Sheng-zhi deeply accepted his admonition; on returning he memorialized recommending Buyi; the emperor summoned and appointed Buyi Governor of Qing Province. Prince He of Jinan also served as embroidered-robes censor, pursued the bandit gangs of Wei Commandery, and released many; because his mission was unsatisfactory he was dismissed; he sighed and said, "I have heard that saving a thousand lives brings enfeoffment to one's descendants; those I saved number more than ten thousand—will posterity flourish!" ----4 That year the Xiongnu surrenderer King Jiehe Wang Chengwan was made Marquis of Kailing and led Loulan troops to attack Cheshi; The Xiongnu sent the Right Worthy King with tens of thousands of horsemen to rescue them; Han troops were at a disadvantage and withdrew.