1
資治通鑑第252巻
Zizhi Tongjian, Volume 252.
2
【唐紀六十八】起上章攝提格，盡柔兆涒灘，凡七年。
[Tang Annals 68] From Shangzhang Shetige through Rouzhao Youtan—seven years in all.
3
春，正月，甲寅朔，群臣上尊號曰睿文英武明德至仁大聖廣孝皇帝。 赦天下。
In spring, on the first day of the first month (jiayin), the courtiers presented a new honorific: the Emperor of Sagacious Culture, Heroic Martiality, Bright Virtue, Supreme Benevolence, Great Sagacity, and Broad Filial Piety. A general amnesty was declared throughout the realm.
4
西川之民聞蠻寇將至，爭走入成都。 時成都但有子城，亦無壕，人所佔地各不過一席許，雨則戴箕盎以自庇。 又乏水，取摩訶池泥汁，澄而飲之。 將士不習武備，節度使盧耽召彭州刺史呉行魯使攝參謀，與前瀘州刺史楊慶-{復}-共修守備，選將校，分職事，立戰棚，具砲檑，造器備，嚴警邏。 先是，西川將士多虚職名，亦無稟給。 至是，掲榜募驍勇之士，補以實職，厚給糧賜，應募者-{雲}-集。 慶-{復}-乃諭之曰：「汝曹皆軍中子弟，年少材勇，平居無由自進，今蠻寇憑陵，乃汝曹取富貴之秋也，可不勉乎！」 皆歡呼踴躍。 -{於}-是列兵械-{於}-庭，使之各試所能，兩兩角勝，察其勇怯而進退之，得選兵三千人，號曰「突將」。 行魯，彭州人也。 戊午，蠻至眉州，耽遣同節度副使王偃等繼書見其用事之臣杜元忠，與之約和。 蠻報曰：「我輩行止，只-{系}-雅懷。」
When word spread through Western Shu that the barbarian armies were coming, people scrambled into Chengdu for safety. Chengdu at the time held only the inner citadel, with no moat. Each refugee had barely room for a sleeping mat; in the rain they sheltered under bamboo hats and bowls turned upside down. Water ran short as well; people drew muddy water from the Mahā Pool, let it settle, and drank what they could. The garrison was ill-trained for war. Commissioner Lu Dan called Pengzhou prefect Wu Xinglu to serve as acting staff officer and, with former Luzhou prefect Yang Qingfu, set about fortifying the city: picking officers, assigning duties, building fighting platforms, readying catapults and battering rams, forging arms, and tightening the watch along the approaches. Until then many Western Shu soldiers held hollow titles on the rolls and drew no pay or rations. Now they posted notices calling for the brave, gave real commissions to those who came forward, and paid them generously in grain and bounty—and volunteers gathered in swarms. Qingfu rallied them: "You are all sons of the army—young, able, and bold. In peacetime you had no path to rise. Now the barbarians are upon us—this is your chance for rank and reward. Will you not give your utmost?" They answered with shouts and leapt in excitement. “They then lined weapons in the courtyard and had each man prove himself in paired trials, promoting the bold and weeding out the timid until three thousand were chosen and named the Shock Corps.” Xinglu was from Pengzhou. On wuwu the invaders reached Meizhou. Dan sent his deputy Wang Yan with repeated missives to Du Yuanzhong, the man who held real power among them, seeking terms. The barbarians replied: "Our movements depend entirely on your gracious intent."
5
路巖、韋保衡上言：「康承訓討龐勳時，逗橈不進，又不能盡其-{餘}-黨，又貪虜獲，不時上功。」 辛酉，貶蜀王傅、分司，尋再貶恩州司馬。
Lu Yan and Wei Baoheng memorialized the throne: "In the campaign against Pang Xun, Kang Chengxun hung back and would not press the attack, left surviving rebels at large, and hoarded captives and loot instead of reporting victories promptly." On xinyou he was stripped of rank, made tutor to the Prince of Shu with a nominal capital post, and soon after demoted again to adjutant at Enzhou.
6
南詔進軍新津，定邊之北境也。 盧耽遣同節度副使譚奉祀致書-{於}-杜元忠，問其所以來之意。 蠻留之不還。 耽遣使告急-{於}-朝，且請遣使與和，以紓一時之患。 朝廷命知四方館事、太-{僕}-卿支詳爲宣諭通和使。 蠻以耽待之恭，亦爲之盤桓，而成都守備由是粗完。 甲子，蠻長驅而北，陷雙流。 庚午，耽遣節度副使柳槃往見之，杜元忠授槃書一通，曰：「此通和之-{後}-，驃信與軍府相見之儀也。」 其儀以王者自處，語極驕慢。 又遣人負彩幕至城南，-{雲}-欲張陳蜀王廳以居驃信。
Nanzhao marched on Xinjin, the northern edge of the Dingbian command. Lu Dan sent his deputy Tan Fengsi with a letter to Du Yuanzhong asking why they had come. The barbarians held him and would not send him back. Dan dispatched messengers to the capital with urgent word and asked that an imperial envoy be sent to negotiate peace and ease the immediate crisis. The court named Zhi Xiang, overseer of the Bureau of Foreign Affairs and Grand Master of the Imperial Stud, commissioner to proclaim peace and negotiate terms. Impressed by Dan's courtesy, the invaders lingered as well, buying time until Chengdu's defenses were at least roughly in place. On jiazi they swept north in a long drive and took Shuangliu. On gengwu Dan sent his deputy Liu Pan to parley. Du Yuanzhong handed him a document: "This lays out how the Piao Xin and the commandery shall meet once peace is made." The terms treated the Nanzhao ruler as an equal sovereign, and the tone was brazenly contemptuous. They also sent bearers with colored canopies to the south gate, announcing that they meant to set up the Prince of Shu's hall for the Piao Xin to occupy.
7
癸酉，廢定邊軍，-{復}-以七州歸西川。
On guiyou the court abolished the Dingbian command and returned its seven prefectures to Western Shu.
8
是日，蠻軍抵成都城下。 前一日，盧耽遣先鋒-{游}-弈使王晝至漢州詗援軍，且趣之。 時興元六千人、鳳翔四千人已至漢州，會竇滂以忠武、義成、徐宿四千人自導江奔漢州，就援軍以自存。 丁-{丑}-，王晝以興元、資、簡兵三千-{餘}-人軍-{於}-毘橋，遇蠻前鋒，與戰不利，退保漢州。 時成都日望援軍之至，而竇滂自以失地，欲西川相繼陷沒以分其責。 毎援軍自北至，輒説之曰：「蠻衆多-{於}-官軍數十倍，官軍遠來疲弊，未易遽前。」 諸將信之，皆狐疑不進。 成都十將李自孝陰與蠻通，欲焚城東倉爲内應，城中執而殺之。 -{後}-數日，蠻果攻城，久之，城中無應而止。
That same day the barbarian host came up to the walls of Chengdu. The day before, Lu Dan had sent his vanguard envoy Wang Zhou to Hanzhou to learn where the relief columns were and hurry them on. Six thousand men from Xingyuan and four thousand from Fengxiang were already at Hanzhou when Dou Pang arrived with four thousand from Zhongwu, Yicheng, Xu, and Su, having fled Daojiang to throw in with the relief force and save his own skin. On dingchou Wang Zhou marched more than three thousand troops from Xingyuan, Zi, and Jian to camp at Piqiao, clashed with the barbarian van, lost the fight, and fell back to Hanzhou. Chengdu waited day after day for relief, while Dou Pang—who had lost ground—hoped the rest of Western Shu would collapse as well so his own blame would be diluted. Whenever a relief column came down from the north he would tell them: "The barbarians outnumber us ten to one. Your men are worn out from the march—it is no time to rush forward." The commanders believed him and hung back in indecision. Li Zixiao, a Chengdu officer, had secretly contacted the barbarians and plotted to burn the eastern granary as a signal from within; the city seized him and put him to death. Days later the barbarians did assault the walls, but after a long wait with no signal from within, they gave up.
9
二月，癸未朔，蠻合梯-{沖}-四-{面}-攻成都，城上以鉤繯挽之使近，投火沃油焚之，攻者皆死。 盧耽以楊慶-{復}-、攝左都押牙李驤各帥突將出戰，殺傷蠻二千-{餘}-人，會暮，焚其攻具三千-{餘}-物而還。 蜀人素怯，其突將新爲慶-{復}-所獎拔，且利-{於}-厚賞，勇氣自倍，其不得出者，皆憤郁求奮。 -{後}-數日，賊取民籬，重沓濕而屈之，以爲蓬，置人其下，舉以抵城而斸之，矢石不能入，火不能然。 慶-{復}-溶鐵汁以灌之，攻者又死。
In the second month, on the first day (guiwei), the barbarians assaulted Chengdu from all sides with ladders and rams. Defenders hauled the ladders in with grappling hooks, drenched them in fire and boiling oil, and every man on them perished. Lu Dan sent Yang Qingfu and acting adjutant Li Zang, each leading the Shock Corps, in a sortie that killed or wounded more than two thousand barbarians; at dusk they burned over three thousand siege engines and withdrew. Shu men were known for timidity, but the Shock Corps—freshly rallied by Qingfu and hungry for the rich rewards on offer—fought with redoubled spirit, while those left behind seethed with envy and begged for their turn. Days later the attackers took civilian fences, soaked and bent them into covered shelters, and pushed them against the wall with diggers underneath—arrows and stones could not pierce them, nor could fire set them alight. Qingfu poured molten iron over them, and the attackers died again.
10
乙酉，支詳遣使與蠻約和。 丁亥，蠻斂兵請和。 戊子，遣使迎支詳。 時顏慶-{復}-以援軍將至，詳謂蠻使曰：「受詔詣定邊約和，今-{雲}-南乃圍成都，則與向日詔旨異矣。 且朝廷所以和者，冀其不犯成都也。 今矢石晝夜相交，何謂和乎！」 蠻見和使不至，庚寅，-{復}-進攻城。 辛卯，城中出兵撃之，乃退。
On yiyou Zhi Xiang sent envoys to treat for peace with the barbarians. On dinghai the barbarians pulled back their lines and asked for peace. On wuzi they sent envoys to escort Zhi Xiang forward. Yan Qingfu's relief column was nearing. Xiang told the barbarian envoy: "I was ordered to make peace at Dingbian. Yunnan is now besieging Chengdu—that is not what the earlier edict contemplated. The court sought peace precisely so that Chengdu would not be attacked. Yet arrows and stones fly day and night—how can this be called peace!" When no peace envoy appeared, on gengyin they resumed the assault. On xinmao the garrison sallied and drove them back.
11
初，韋皋招南詔以破吐蕃，既而蠻訴以無甲弩，皋使匠往教之，數歳，蠻中甲駑皆精利。 又，東蠻苴那時、勿鄧、夢-{沖}-三部助皋破吐蕃有功。 其-{後}-邊吏遇之無狀，東蠻怨唐深，自附-{於}-南詔，毎從南詔入寇，爲之盡力，得唐人，皆虐殺之。
Long before, Wei Gao had enlisted Nanzhao against Tibet; when they complained of lacking armor and crossbows, he sent craftsmen to train them, and within a few years Nanzhao's arms were as fine as any in the empire. The Eastern Barbarian tribes of Junashi, Wudeng, and Mengchong had also fought well for Gao against Tibet. Later frontier officials treated them shamefully; the Eastern Barbarians turned against Tang and threw in with Nanzhao, raiding at their side and sparing no effort; every Tang captive they took was butchered with cruelty.
12
朝廷貶竇滂爲康州司戸，以顏慶-{復}-爲東川節度使，凡援蜀諸軍，皆受慶-{復}-節-{制}-。 癸巳，慶-{復}-至新都，蠻分兵往拒之。 甲午，與慶-{復}-遇，慶-{復}-大破蠻軍，殺二千-{餘}-人，蜀民數千人爭操芟刀、白棓以助官軍，呼聲震野。 乙未，蠻歩騎數萬-{復}-至，會右武衞上將軍宋威以忠武軍二千人至，即與諸軍會戰，蠻軍大敗，死者五千-{餘}-人，退保星宿山。 威進軍沱江驛，距成都三十-{里}-。 蠻遣其臣楊定保詣支詳請和，詳曰：「宜先解圍退軍。」 定保還，蠻圍城如故。 城中不知援軍之至，但見其數來請和，知援軍必勝矣。 戊戌，蠻-{復}-請和，使者十返，城中亦依違答之。 蠻以援軍在近，攻城尤急，驃信以下親立矢石之間。 庚子，官軍至城下與蠻戰，奪其陞遷橋，是夕，蠻自燒攻具遁去，比明，官軍乃覺之。
The court demoted Dou Pang to clerk of Kangzhou and made Yan Qingfu commissioner of Dongchuan; every relief army in Shu came under his command. On guisi Qingfu reached Xindu, and the barbarians sent detachments to block him. On jiawu they met Qingfu, who shattered the barbarian host and killed more than two thousand. Thousands of Shu civilians seized sickles and clubs to join the government troops, and their cheers shook the countryside. On yiwei tens of thousands of barbarian foot and horse returned; General Song Wei of the Right Martial Guard arrived with two thousand Zhongwu troops and joined the other columns at once. The barbarians were routed—more than five thousand dead—and fell back to Xingsu Mountain. Wei marched to Tuojiang Post, thirty li from Chengdu. The barbarians sent Yang Dingbao to Zhi Xiang to sue for peace. Xiang replied: "Lift the siege and withdraw your army first." Dingbao returned, but the siege continued unchanged. The city did not yet know relief had come, but when the barbarians kept sending peace envoys, the defenders knew the relief army must be winning. On wuxu the barbarians again sued for peace; envoys shuttled back and forth ten times, and the city answered with deliberate equivocation. With relief near, the barbarians redoubled the assault; the Piao Xin and his chiefs stood in person amid the hail of arrows and stones. On gengzi the imperial troops fought the barbarians below the walls and took the Shengqian Bridge. That night the invaders burned their engines and slipped away; the garrison did not realize it until dawn.
13
初，朝廷使顏慶-{復}-救成都，命宋威屯綿，漢爲-{後}-繼。 威乘勝先至城下，破蠻軍功居多，慶-{復}-疾之。 威飯士，欲追蠻軍，城中戰士亦欲與北軍合勢倶進，慶-{復}-牒威，奪其軍，勒歸漢州。 蠻至雙流，阻新穿水，造橋未能成，狼狽失度。 三日，橋成，乃得過，斷橋而去，甲兵服物遺棄-{於}-路，蜀人甚恨之。 黎州刺史嚴師本收散卒數千保邛州，蠻圍之，二日，不克，亦-{捨}-去。 顏慶-{復}-始教蜀人-{築}-壅門城，穿塹引水滿之，植鹿角，分營舖。 蠻知有備，自是不-{復}-犯成都矣。
The court had sent Yan Qingfu to relieve Chengdu and ordered Song Wei to hold Mian and Han as a reserve. Wei pressed his advantage and reached the city first, winning the lion's share of the credit—Qingfu took offense. Wei had fed his men and meant to pursue; the city's fighters wanted to join the northern columns in a joint pursuit. Qingfu stripped him of command by dispatch and sent him back to Hanzhou. The barbarians reached Shuangliu but were stopped by a newly cut canal; their bridge was unfinished and they fell into chaos. On the third day the bridge was done and they crossed, then destroyed it behind them. Armor and gear littered the road, and the people of Shu were furious. Lizhou prefect Yan Shiben rallied several thousand stragglers at Qiongzhou; the barbarians besieged it two days, failed to take it, and moved on. Yan Qingfu began teaching the Shu to build outer gate fortifications, cut moats and flood them, plant abatis, and lay out camps and posts. Once the barbarians saw the defenses, they never attacked Chengdu again.
14
先是，西川牙將有職無官，及拒卻南詔，四人以功授監察-{御}-史，堂帖，人輸堂例錢三百緡； 貧者苦之。
Earlier, many Western Shu adjutants held duties without formal rank; four who helped repel Nanzhao were made investigating censors by direct appointment, and each had to pay three hundred strings in the usual chancellor's-office fee; which the poor could scarcely bear.
15
三月，左-{僕}-射、同平章事曹確同平章事，充鎭海節度使。
In the third month, Vice Director and Grand Councillor Cao Que kept his council seat and was made military commissioner of Zhenhai.
16
夏，四月，丙午，以翰林學士承旨、兵部侍郎韋保衡同平章事。
In summer, the fourth month, on bingwu, Hanlin expositor and Vice Minister of War Wei Baoheng was elevated to grand councillor.
17
徐賊-{餘}-黨猶相聚閭裡爲群盜，散居兗、鄆、靑、齊之間，詔徐州觀察使夏侯瞳招諭之。
Survivors of the Xu rebellion still banded together in villages across Yan, Yun, Qing, and Qi; the throne ordered Xuzhou commissioner Xiahou Tong to offer them amnesty and terms.
18
五月，丁-{丑}-，以邛州刺史呉行魯爲西川留-{後}-。
In the fifth month, on dingchou, Qiongzhou prefect Wu Xinglu was named acting governor of Western Shu.
19
光州民逐刺史李弱翁，弱翁奔新息。 左補闕楊堪等上言：「刺史不道，百姓負冤，當訴-{於}-朝廷，置諸典刑，豈得群黨相聚，擅自斥逐，亂上下之分！ 此風殆不可長，宜加嚴誅，以懲來者！」
The people of Guangzhou expelled prefect Li Ruoweng, who fled to Xinxī. Left remonstrance official Yang Kan and others memorialized: "If a prefect is corrupt and the people are wronged, they should appeal to the throne and let the law take its course. How can mobs assemble on their own authority, expel an official, and overturn the order between ruler and subject! This custom must not be allowed to spread. Severe punishment is needed to warn others!"
20
上令百官議處置徐州之宜。 六月，丙午，太子少傅李膠等狀，以爲：「徐州雖屢構禍亂，未必比屋頑凶； 蓋由統-{御}-失人，是致-{奸}-回乘釁。 今使名雖降，兵額尚存，以爲支郡則糧餉不給，分隸別落則人心未服； 或舊惡相繼，更成披猖。 惟泗州向因攻守，結釁已深，宜有更張，庶爲兩便。」 詔從之，徐州依舊爲觀察使，統徐、濠、宿三州，泗州爲團練使，割隸淮南。
The emperor ordered the court to debate how Xuzhou should be governed. In the sixth month, on bingwu, Junior Tutor Li Jiao and others reported: "Though Xuzhou has rebelled again and again, not every household there is irredeemably wicked; the trouble comes from bad leadership, which lets the wicked seize their chance. though its status is reduced, its troop rolls remain; as a subordinate prefecture it could not be fed, and if split among other circuits the people would not accept it; old grudges might flare again into open revolt. only Sizhou, scarred by years of siege and counter-siege, should be reorganized so both sides gain." The throne agreed: Xuzhou kept its observation commission over Xu, Hao, and Su; Sizhou became a training commission under Huainan.
21
加幽州節度使張允伸兼侍中。
Zhang Yunshen, commissioner of Youzhou, was also made palace attendant.
22
秋，八月，乙未，同昌公主薨。 上痛悼不已，殺翰林醫官韓宗劭等二十-{餘}-人，悉收捕其親族三百-{餘}-人-{系}-京兆獄。 中書侍郎、同平章事劉瞻召諫官使言之，諫官莫敢言者，乃自上言，以爲：「修短之期，人之定分。 昨公主有疾，深軫聖慈。 宗劭等診療之時，惟求疾愈，備施方-{術}-，非不盡心，而禍福難移，竟成差跌，原其情狀，亦可哀矜。 而械-{系}-老幼三百-{餘}-人，物議沸騰。 道路嗟歎。 奈何以達理知命之君，渉肆暴不明之謗！ 蓋由安不慮危，忿不思難之故也。 伏-{願}-少回聖慮，寬釋-{系}-者。」 上覽疎，不悅。 瞻又與京兆尹温璋力諫-{於}-上前，上大怒，叱出之。
In autumn, the eighth month, on yiwei, Princess Tongchang died. The emperor was inconsolable. He executed more than twenty Hanlin physicians, including Han Zongshao, and threw more than three hundred of their relatives into the Jingzhao jail. Vice Director and Grand Councillor Liu Zhan called on the remonstrance officials to speak up; none dared, so he memorialized in his own name: "Long life and short are each man's allotted share. When the princess fell ill, Your Majesty's grief was profound. Zongshao and his colleagues sought only her recovery and tried every remedy—they were not negligent—but fate cannot be bargained with, and in the end she died. Their plight deserves pity. Yet more than three hundred of their kin, old and young, sit in chains, and public outrage is boiling over. People on the roads sigh in dismay. How can a ruler who knows fate and reason invite the charge of arbitrary cruelty! This comes of resting in security without heeding danger, and giving way to anger without weighing the cost. I humbly ask that Your Majesty reconsider slightly and release the prisoners." The emperor read the memorial and took offense. Liu Zhan and Metropolitan Governor Wen Zhang pressed their remonstrance before the throne; the emperor flew into a rage and had them driven out.
23
魏博節度使何全皞年少，驕暴好殺，又減將士衣糧。 將士作亂，全皞單騎走，追殺之，推大將韓君雄爲留-{後}-。 成德節度使王景崇爲之請旌節。 九月，庚戌，以君雄爲魏博留-{後}-。
He Quanhao, commissioner of Weibo, was young, proud, violent, and bloodthirsty, and he had cut the troops' pay and rations. The troops mutinied. Quanhao fled alone on horseback; they ran him down and killed him, then set up the general Han Junxiong as acting commissioner. Wang Jingchong of Chengde petitioned the court for an imperial commission on his behalf. In the ninth month, on gengxu, Han Junxiong was made acting commissioner of Weibo.
24
丙辰，以劉瞻同平章事，充荊南節度使。 貶温璋振州司馬。 璋歎曰：「生不逢時，死何足惜！」 是夕，仰藥卒。 庚申，敕曰：「苟無蠹害，何至-{於}-斯！ 惡實貫盈，死有-{餘}-責。 宜令三日内且-{於}-城外權瘞，俟經恩宥，方許歸葬，使中外快心，-{奸}-邪知懼。」 己巳，貶右諫議大夫髙湘、比部郎中知-{制}-誥楊知至、禮部郎中魏簹等-{於}-嶺南，皆坐與劉瞻親善，爲韋保衡所逐也。 知至，汝士之子； 簹，扶之子也。 保衡又與路巖共譖劉瞻，去與醫官通謀，誤投毒藥。 丙子，貶瞻康州刺史。 翰林學士承旨鄭畋草瞻罷相-{制}-辭曰：「安數畝之居，仍非己有； 卻四方之賂，惟畏人知。」 巖謂畋曰：「侍郎乃表-{薦}-劉相也！」 坐貶梧州刺史。 -{御}-史中丞孫瑝坐爲瞻所擢用，亦貶汀州刺史。 路巖素與劉瞻論議多不-{葉}-，瞻既貶康州，巖猶不快，閲《十道圖》，以歡州去長安萬-{里}-，再貶歡州司戸。
On bingchen Liu Zhan was removed from court and sent out as military commissioner of Jingnan. Wen Zhang was demoted to regimental aide of Zhen prefecture. Wen Zhang sighed: "To live in such times—why should death matter?" That night he swallowed poison and died. On gengshen an edict declared: "Had he not been a menace, how could it have come to this! His crimes overflowed the measure—death left him still in debt to justice. Within three days bury him provisionally outside the walls; only after an act of grace may his kin reclaim the body for proper burial—so court and country may take satisfaction and the wicked may learn fear." On jisi the court banished Right Remonstrance Grandee Gao Xiang, Yang Zhizhi of the Bureau of Review and Edicts, Wei Dang of the Ministry of Rites, and others to Lingnan—all friends of Liu Zhan, purged by Wei Baoheng. Yang Zhizhi was the son of Yang Rushi. Wei Dang was the son of Wei Fu. Baoheng and Lu Yan also smeared Liu Zhan, claiming he had colluded with a palace physician and accidentally given poison. On bingzi Liu Zhan was demoted to prefect of Kang prefecture. Chief Hanlin Academician Zheng Tian drafted the edict dismissing Liu Zhan: "He could be content with a cottage on a few acres, yet even that he did not truly own; he turned back gifts from every quarter, dreading only discovery." Lu Yan told Zheng Tian: "You were the one who put Liu Zhan forward!" For this Zheng Tian was demoted to prefect of Wu prefecture. Sun Huang, the vice censor-in-chief, had been raised by Liu Zhan and was likewise banished to Ting prefecture. Lu Yan had never seen eye to eye with Liu Zhan. Even after Liu was sent to Kangzhou, Yan was not satisfied; checking the Ten Circuits Atlas and noting that Huanzhou lay ten thousand li from Chang'an, he had Liu demoted again—to registrar of Huan.
25
冬，十月，癸卯，以西川留-{後}-呉行魯爲節度使。
In the tenth month of winter, on guimao, Wu Xinglu was confirmed as military commissioner of Western Shu.
26
十一月，辛亥，以兵部尚書、鹽鐵轉運使王鐸爲禮部尚書、同平章事。 鐸起之兄子也。
In the eleventh month, on xinhai, Wang Duo, minister of war and salt commissioner, was made minister of rites and grand councillor. Wang Duo was a nephew of Wang Qi.
27
丁卯，-{復}-以徐州爲感化軍節度。
On dingmao Xuzhou was again named seat of the Ganhua command.
28
十二月，加成德節度使王景崇同平章事，以左金吾上將軍李國昌爲振武節度使。
In the twelfth month Wang Jingchong of Chengde was made associate grand councillor, and Li Guochang, senior general of the Left Golden Guard, was named commissioner of Zhenwu.
29
春，正月，辛酉，葬文懿公主。 韋氏之人爭取庭祭之灰，汰其金銀。 凡服玩，毎物皆百二十輿，以錦繡、珠玉爲儀衞、明器，輝煥二十-{餘}--{里}-。 賜酒百斛、餅食炎四十橐駝，以飼體夫。 上與郭淑妃思公主不已，樂工李可及作《歎百年-{曲}-》，其聲心妻惋，舞者數百人，-{發}-内庫雜寶爲其首飾，以絁八百匹爲地衣，舞罷，珠璣覆地。
In the first month of spring, on xinyou, Princess Wenyì was laid to rest. Members of the Wei clan fought over the ashes of the funeral offerings, panning them for gold and silver. Every article of clothing and treasure went out in trains of a hundred and twenty carts; funeral guards and grave goods in brocade, pearls, and jade made a blaze of color for twenty li. The court dispensed a hundred hu of wine and forty camels' loads of warm cakes for the carriers. Emperor Yizong and Consort Guo mourned the princess without end. Court musician Li Keji composed "Lament for a Hundred Years," its air heartbreakingly sad. Several hundred dancers wore ornaments hammered from the inner treasury's jewels; eight hundred bolts of coarse silk carpeted the floor, and when the dance ended pearls and gems lay scattered everywhere.
30
以魏博留-{後}-韓君雄爲節度使。
Han Junxiong was confirmed as military commissioner of Weibo.
31
門下侍郎、同平章事路巖與韋保衡素相表裡，勢傾天下。 既而爭權，浸有隙，保衡遂短巖-{於}-上。 夏，四月，癸卯，以巖同平章事，充西川節度使。 巖出城，路人以瓦礫擲之。 權京兆尹薛能，巖所擢也，巖謂能曰：「臨行，煩以瓦礫相餞！」 能徐舉笏對曰：「向來宰相出，府司無例-{發}-人防衞。」 巖甚慚。 能，汾州人也。
Lu Yan, vice director and grand councillor, and Wei Baoheng had long been partners in power, and together they dominated the empire. They soon fell out over power; Baoheng began whispering against Lu Yan at court. In the fourth month of summer, on guimao, Lu Yan was sent out as military commissioner of Western Shu. When Lu Yan left the capital, people hurled tiles and stones at him. Lu Yan said to Xue Neng, the acting metropolitan governor whom he had raised: "A fine send-off—tiles and stones as my parting gift!" Xue Neng slowly raised his court tablet: "When past chancellors departed, this office never posted guards—it had no precedent." Lu Yan was thoroughly humiliated. Xue Neng was from Fen prefecture.
32
五月，上幸安國寺，贈僧重謙、僧澈沉檀講座二，各髙二丈。 設萬人齋。
In the fifth month the emperor visited Anguo Temple and gave the monks Chongqian and Che two lecture thrones of agarwood, each twenty feet high. The court held a feast for ten thousand.
33
秋，七月，以兵部尚書盧耽同平章事，充山南東道節度使。
In the seventh month of autumn Lu Dan was made grand councillor and military commissioner of Shannan East.
34
冬，十月，以兵部侍郎、鹽鐵轉運使劉鄴爲禮部尚書、同平章事。
In the tenth month of winter Liu Ye, vice minister of war and salt commissioner, was made minister of rites and grand councillor.
35
春，正月，幽州節度使張允伸得風疾，請委軍政就醫。 許之，以其子簡會爲留-{後}-。 疾甚，遣使上表納旌節。 丙申，薨。 允伸鎭幽州二十三年，勤儉恭謹，邊鄙無警，上下安之。
In the first month of spring Zhang Yunshen of Youzhou fell ill with paralysis and asked leave to hand over command and seek treatment. The court agreed and named his son Jianhui acting commissioner. As he worsened he sent in his commission by memorial. On bingshen he died. For twenty-three years Zhang Yunshen had held Youzhou—thrifty, diligent, and decorous—and the border had been quiet; high and low were content.
36
二月，丁巳，以兵部侍郎、同平章事-{-{于}-}-琮爲山南東道節度使，以刑部侍郎、判戸部奉天趙隱爲戸部侍郎、同平章事。
In the second month, on dingsi, Yu Cong was sent to Shannan East as military commissioner, and Zhao Yin of Fengtian, vice minister of justice and acting head of revenue, was made vice minister of revenue and grand councillor.
37
平州刺史張公素，素有威望，爲幽人所服。 張允伸薨，公素帥州兵來奔喪。 張簡會懼，三月，奔京師，以爲諸衞將軍。
Zhang Gongsu, prefect of Ping, had long stood high in esteem and commanded the respect of the Youzhou garrison. When Zhang Yunshen died, Gongsu marched his prefectural troops to the funeral. Jianhui, unnerved, fled to the capital in the third month and was given a post as palace guard general.
38
夏，四月，立皇子保爲吉王，傑爲壽王，倚爲睦王。
In the fourth month of summer Prince Bao was named Prince of Ji, Jie Prince of Shou, and Yi Prince of Mu.
39
以張公素爲平盧留-{後}-。
Zhang Gongsu was made acting commissioner of Pinglu.
40
五月，國子司業韋殷裕詣閣門告郭淑妃弟内作坊使敬述陰事。 上大怒，杖殺殷裕，籍沒其家。 乙亥，閣門使田獻銛奪紫，改橋陵使，以其受殷裕狀故也。 殷裕妻父太府少卿崔元應、妻從兄中書-{舍}-人崔沆、季父君卿皆貶嶺南官； 給事中杜裔休坐與殷裕善，亦貶端州司戸。 沆，鉉之子也。 裔休，悰之子也。
In the fifth month Wei Yinyu, vice director of the Directorate of Education, appeared at the Gate of Audience to denounce Jingshu—the consort's brother and head of the inner workshops—for covert misconduct. The emperor flew into a rage, had Wei Yinyu beaten to death, and seized his property. On yihai Tian Xianqian lost his purple robe and was demoted to warden of Qiao Mausoleum for having accepted Wei Yinyu's petition. Cui Yuanying, vice director of the grand storehouse and Wei Yinyu's father-in-law; Cui Hang, drafting attendant and the wife's cousin; and the uncle Cui Junqing were all banished to posts in Lingnan; Du Yixiu, a supervising secretary and Wei Yinyu's friend, was sent down to registrar of Duan prefecture. Cui Hang was the son of Cui Xuan. Du Yixiu was the son of Du Cong.
41
丙子，貶山南東道節度使-{-{于}-}-琮爲普王傅、分司，韋保衡譖之也。 辛巳，貶尚書左承李當、吏部侍郎王渢、左散騎常侍李都、翰林學士承旨兵部侍郎張楊、前中書-{舍}-人封彦卿、左諫議大夫楊塾； 癸未，貶工部尚書嚴祁、給事中李貺、給事中張鐸、左金吾大將軍李敬仲、起居-{舍}-人蕭遘、李瀆、鄭彦特、李藻，皆處之湖、嶺之南，坐與琮厚善故也，貺，漢之子； 遘，置之子也。 甲申，貶前平盧節度使-{於}-琄爲涼王府長史、分司，前湖南觀察使-{於}-瑰袁州刺史。 瑰、琄，皆琮之兄也。 尋再貶琮韶州刺史。 琮妻廣德公主，上之妹也，與琮皆之韶州，行則肩輿門相對，坐則執琮之帶，琮由是獲全。 時諸公主多驕縱，惟廣德動遵法度，事-{于}-氏宗親尊卑無不如禮，内外稱之。
On bingzi Yu Cong was stripped of Shannan East and reduced to tutor of the Prince of Pu in nominal office—all on Wei Baoheng's word. On xinsi Li Dang, left assistant minister; Wang Fu, vice minister of the civil office; Li Du, left attendant; chief Hanlin Zhang Yang; former drafting attendant Feng Yanqing; and Yang Shu, left remonstrance grandee—all were banished; On guiwei Yan Qi, minister of works; Li Kuang and Zhang Duo, supervising secretaries; Li Jingzhong, Left Golden Guard general; and diarists Xiao You, Li Du, Zheng Yante, and Li Zao—all were sent south of the lakes and mountains for their ties to Yu Cong. Li Kuang was the son of Li Han; Xiao You was the son of Xiao Zhi. On jiashen Yu Juan, former commissioner of Pinglu, was reduced to chief secretary to the Prince of Liang in nominal service, and Yu Gui, former Hunan observer, to prefect of Yuan. Yu Gui and Yu Juan were Yu Cong's elder brothers. Soon Yu Cong was demoted again—to prefect of Shao. Yu Cong's wife was Princess Guangde, the emperor's sister. She accompanied him to Shao; on the road their palanquins traveled facing each other, and when seated she held his belt—by this Yu Cong survived. Most princesses of the day were haughty and overbearing; Guangde alone adhered to decorum in all dealings with the Yu kindred, high or low, and won praise throughout the court.
42
六月，以盧龍留-{後}-張公素爲節度使。
In the sixth month Zhang Gongsu was confirmed as military commissioner of Lulong.
43
韋保衡欲以其黨裴條爲郎官，憚左丞李璋方嚴，恐其不放上，先遣人達意。 璋曰：「朝廷遷除，不應見問。」 秋，七月，乙未，以璋爲宣歙觀察使。 八月，歸義節度使張義潮薨，沙州長史曹義金代領軍府。 -{制}-以義金爲歸義節度使。 是-{後}-中原多故，朝命不及，回鶻陷甘州，自-{餘}-諸州録歸義者多爲羌、胡所據。
Wei Baoheng wanted his man Pei Tiao made a palace secretary but feared the upright Li Zhang would block the appointment, and sent an emissary ahead to sound him out. Li Zhang replied: "Imperial appointments are not matters for private negotiation." In the seventh month of autumn, on yiwei, Li Zhang was sent out as observer of Xuan and She. In the eighth month Zhang Yichao of Guiyi died; Cao Yijin, chief secretary of Shazhou, assumed command of the circuit. By edict Cao Yijin was named commissioner of Guiyi. Thereafter turmoil in the heartland kept imperial writ from reaching the west; the Uyghurs took Ganzhou, and most of the other prefectures still enrolled under Guiyi fell to Qiang and Hu powers.
44
冬，十二月，追上宣宗謚曰元聖至明成武獻文睿智章仁神聰懿道大孝皇帝。
In the twelfth month of winter the court added the posthumous title for the late Emperor Xuanzong: "Original Sage, Supreme Bright, Accomplished in War, Devoted in Letters, Profound in Wisdom, Manifest in Benevolence, Spiritually Perceptive, Virtuous in the Way, Great in Filial Piety."
45
振武節度使李國昌，恃功恣橫，專殺長吏。 朝廷不能平，徙國昌爲大同軍防-{禦}-使，國昌稱疾不赴。
Li Guochang of Zhenwu, bloated by his service record, ran wild and executed senior officers at will. Unable to curb him, the court transferred Li Guochang to the Datong defense command; he pleaded illness and refused to go.
46
春，三月，癸巳，上遣敕使詣法門寺迎佛骨，群臣諫者甚衆，至有言憲宗迎佛骨尋晏駕者。 上曰：「朕生得見之，死亦無恨！」 廣造浮圖、寶帳、香輿、幡花、幢蓋以迎之，皆飾以金玉、錦繡、珠翠。 自京城至寺三百-{里}-間，道路車馬，晝夜不絶。 夏，四月，壬寅，佛骨至京師，導以禁軍兵仗、公私音樂，沸天燭地，綿亙數十-{里}-。 儀衞之盛，過-{於}-郊祀，元和之時不及遠矣。 富室夾道爲彩樓及無遮會，競爲侈靡。 上-{御}-安福門，降樓膜拜，流涕沾臆，賜僧及京城耆老嘗見元和事者金帛。 迎佛骨入禁中，三日，出置安國崇化寺。 宰相已下競施金帛，不可勝紀。 因下德音，降中外-{系}-囚。
In the third month of spring, on guisi, the emperor sent an envoy to Famen Temple to fetch the Buddha's bone. Many ministers protested; some reminded him that Emperor Xianzong had died soon after welcoming the relic. The emperor said: "To see it in life would leave me nothing to regret in death!" The court built pagodas, jeweled pavilions, incense palanquins, banners, flowers, and canopies to meet it—every piece trimmed in gold, jade, brocade, pearls, and kingfisher plumes. For three hundred li from the capital to the temple the roads teemed with traffic night and day. In the fourth month of summer, on renyin, the relic reached the capital under palace guard escort and a din of official and private music that shook heaven and lit the earth for dozens of li. The procession outshone a suburban sacrifice; nothing in the Yuanhe reign had come close. The rich built festival towers and open alms halls along the route, vying in lavish display. At Anfu Gate the emperor descended to kneel and worship, weeping until his breast was wet; he gave gold and cloth to monks and to elders who remembered the Yuanhe years. The relic was brought into the palace, kept three days, then moved to Anguo Chonghua Temple. From the chancellor down, officials showered gifts of gold and silk beyond measure. The emperor followed with a general amnesty, releasing prisoners at court and across the empire.
47
五月，丁亥，以西川節度使路巖兼中書令。
In the fifth month, on dinghai, Lu Yan of Western Shu was made grand secretary of the Secretariat as well.
48
南詔寇西川，又寇黔南，黔中經略使秦匡謀兵少不敵，棄城奔荊南。 荊南節度使杜悰囚而奏之。 六月，乙未，敕斬匡謀，籍沒其家貲，親族應縁坐者，令有司搜捕以聞。 匡謀，鳳翔人也。
Nanzhao struck Western Shu and then Qiannan; Qin Kuangmou of Qianzhong, outnumbered, abandoned his post and fled toward Jingnan. Du Cong of Jingnan seized him, held him prisoner, and memorialized the throne. In the sixth month, on the yiwei day, an edict commanded the execution of Kuangmou and the confiscation of his family's wealth. Relatives subject to guilt by association were to be hunted down by the proper authorities and reported to the court. Kuangmou was from Fengxiang.
49
以中書侍郎、同平章事王鐸同平章事，充宣武節度使。 時韋保衡挾恩弄權，以劉瞻、-{-{于}-}-琮先在相位，不禮-{於}-己，譖而逐之。 王鐸，保衡及第時主文也，蕭遘，同年進士也，二人素薄保衡之爲人，保衡皆擯斥之。
Wang Duo, vice director of the Secretariat and concurrent grand councillor, was confirmed as grand councillor and named military commissioner of Xuanwu. Wei Baoheng was then trading on imperial favor to wield power as he pleased. Liu Zhan and Yu Cong had served as chief ministers before him and had not treated him with proper deference, so he slandered them and drove them from court. Wang Duo had presided over the examinations when Baoheng earned his degree; Xiao You had passed in the same year. Both had always held Baoheng's character in low regard, and Baoheng had them both pushed aside.
50
秋，七月，戊寅，上疾大漸，左軍中尉劉行深、右軍中尉韓文約立少子普王儼。 庚辰，-{制}-：「立儼爲皇太子，權句當軍國政事。」 辛巳，上崩-{於}--{咸}--{寧}-殿。 遺詔書韋保衡攝塚宰。 僖宗即位。 八月，丁未，追尊母王貴妃爲皇太-{后}-，劉行深、韓文約皆封國公。
In the seventh month of autumn, on the wuyin day, as the emperor's illness worsened sharply, Left Army Commandant Liu Xingshen and Right Army Commandant Han Wenyue put the youngest son, Prince Pu Yi, on the throne. On the gengchen day, an edict declared: "Prince Yi is hereby named crown prince and shall provisionally manage military and state affairs." On the xinsi day, the emperor died in the Hall of Tranquil Blessing. The deathbed edict named Wei Baoheng to serve as acting chief mourner. Emperor Xizong took the throne. In the eighth month, on the dingwei day, his mother, Lady Wang, was posthumously elevated to empress dowager, and both Liu Xingshen and Han Wenyue were made dukes.
51
關東、河南大水。
Catastrophic floods ravaged the region east of the Pass and Henan.
52
九月，有司上先太-{后}-謚曰惠安。
In the ninth month, the proper offices proposed the posthumous title Huian—"Benevolent and Tranquil"—for the late empress dowager.
53
司徒、門下侍郎、同平章事韋保衡，怨家告其陰事，貶保衡賀州刺史。 樂工李可及流嶺南。 可及有寵-{於}-懿宗，嘗爲子娶婦，懿宗賜之酒二銀壺，啓之無酒而中實。 右軍中尉西門季玄屢以爲言，懿宗不-{聽}-。 可及嘗大受賜物，載以官車。 季玄謂曰：「汝它日破家，此物-{復}-應以官車載還。 非爲受賜，徒煩牛足耳！」 及流嶺南，籍沒其家，果如季玄言。 以西川節度使路巖兼侍中，加成德節度使王景崇中書令，魏博節度使韓君雄、盧龍節度使張公素、天平節度使髙駢-{並}-同平章事。 君雄仍賜名允中。
An enemy denounced Wei Baoheng—minister of education, vice director of the chancellery, and grand councillor—for hidden misconduct, and he was demoted to prefect of Hezhou. The musician Li Keji was exiled to Lingnan. Keji had won Emperor Yizong's favor. When he married off his son, the emperor gave him two silver wine jars—but they contained no wine, only something solid inside. Right Army Commandant Ximen Jixuan complained about this again and again, but Yizong paid no heed. On one occasion Keji received a lavish bounty of gifts and had them hauled away in government wagons. Jixuan told him, "The day you lose everything, those same goods will have to be hauled back in official wagons. This isn't about receiving gifts—it's just wasting the oxen's legs for nothing!" When he was exiled to Lingnan and his estate was confiscated, events unfolded exactly as Jixuan had predicted. Lu Yan, military commissioner of Sichuan, was also made palace secretary; Wang Jingchong of Chengde was promoted to director of the Secretariat; and Han Junxiong of Weibo, Zhang Gongsu of Lulong, and Gao Pian of Tianping were all appointed concurrent grand councillors. Junxiong was also granted the name Yunzhong.
54
冬，十月，乙未，以左-{僕}-射蕭倣爲門下侍郎、同平章事。
In the tenth month of winter, on the yiwei day, Xiao Fang, left vice director of the Department of State Affairs, was appointed vice director of the chancellery and grand councillor.
55
韋保衡再貶崖州澄邁令，尋賜自盡； 又貶其弟翰林學士、兵部侍郎保乂爲賓州司戸，所親翰林學士、戸部侍郎劉承雍爲涪州司馬。 承雍，禹錫之子也。
Wei Baoheng was demoted again, to magistrate of Chengmai in Yazhou, and shortly afterward was ordered to take his own life. His younger brother Baoyi, a Hanlin scholar and vice minister of war, was reduced to registrar of Bin prefecture; his confidant Liu Chengyong, likewise a Hanlin scholar and vice minister of revenue, was made defender of Fu prefecture. Chengyong was the son of the poet Liu Yuxi.
56
癸卯，赦天下。
On the guimao day, the empire was granted a general amnesty.
57
西川節度使路巖，喜聲色-{游}-宴，委軍府政事-{於}-親吏邊-{鹹}-、郭籌，皆先行-{後}-申，上下畏之。 嘗大閲，二人議事，默書紙相示而焚之，軍中以爲有異圖，驚懼不安。 朝廷聞之，十一月，戊辰，徙巖荊南節度使。 -{鹹}-、籌潛知其故，遂亡命。
Lu Yan, the Sichuan military commissioner, indulged in pleasure, music, and feasting, leaving military and civil affairs to his cronies Bian Xian and Guo Chou, who acted first and asked permission later. Everyone above and below them lived in fear. During one grand inspection they conferred by writing silently on paper, showing each other what they had written and then burning it. The troops took this for plotting and grew frightened and restless. When word reached the capital, Lu Yan was transferred in the eleventh month, on the wuchen day, to military commissioner of Jingnan. Xian and Chou guessed why he had been moved and went on the run.
58
以右-{僕}-射蕭鄴同平章事，充河東節度使。
Xiao Ye, right vice director of the Department of State Affairs, was appointed grand councillor and military commissioner of Hedong.
59
十二月，巳亥，詔送佛骨還法門寺。
In the twelfth month, on the jihai day, an edict commanded that the Buddha's bone relic be sent back to Famen Temple.
60
再貶路巖爲新州刺史。
Lu Yan was demoted yet again, to prefect of Xinzhou.
61
僖宗惠聖恭定孝皇帝上之上
Emperor Xizong — Upper Segment, Part One
62
春，正月，丁亥，翰林學士盧攜上言，以爲：「陛下初臨大寶，宜深念黎元。 國家之有百姓，如草木之有根柢，若秋冬培溉，則春夏滋榮。 臣竊見關東去年旱災，自虢至海，麥-{才}-半收，秋稼-{幾}-無，冬菜至少，貧者磑蓬實爲-{面}-，蓄槐-{葉}-爲齏。 或更衰贏，亦難採拾。 常年不稔，則散之鄰境。 今所在皆饑，無所依投，坐守鄕閭，待盡溝壑。 其蠲免-{餘}-稅，實無可-{-{征}-}-。 而州縣以有上供及三司錢，督趣甚急，動如捶撻，雖撤屋伐木，雇妻鬻子，止可供所由酒食之費，未得至-{於}-府庫也。 或租稅之外，更有他徭。 朝廷倘不撫存，百姓實無生計。 乞敕州縣，應所欠殘稅，-{並}-一切停-{-{征}-}-，以俟蠶麥。 仍-{發}-所在義倉，亟加賑給。 至深春之-{後}-，有菜-{葉}-木牙，繼以桑椹，漸有可食。 在今數月之間，尤爲窘急，行之不可稽緩。」 敕從其言，而有司竟不能行，徒爲空文而己。
In the first month of spring, on the dinghai day, Hanlin Academician Lu Xi memorialized the throne: "Your Majesty has only just taken power; you must keep the people's welfare close to your heart. A state depends on its people the way plants depend on their roots—nurture them through hard seasons, and they will flourish when times turn fair. I have seen how drought struck east of the Pass last year: from Guo to the sea, wheat brought in only half a crop, autumn grain nearly failed, and winter greens were almost nonexistent. The poor ground thistle seeds into flour and hoarded pagoda-tree leaves for relish. Some were so weakened by hunger that they could barely gather even that much. In ordinary lean years people could still move into neighboring regions. Now famine was everywhere at once. There was nowhere left to flee, and people stayed in their home villages, waiting to die in the gutters. Even remitted and forgiven taxes could not in truth be collected—there was simply nothing left to take. Yet local officials, pressed for tribute and payments to the Three Departments, demanded collection with brutal urgency. Families might tear down their houses, sell timber, hire out wives, or sell children—and still raise only enough to feed the runners who came to collect, never enough to fill the government coffers. On top of rent and taxes came other forced levies. Unless the court stepped in to relieve them, the people had no way to survive. I ask that every county and prefecture be commanded to halt all collection of unpaid and residual taxes until the mulberry and wheat harvests come in. Open the local emergency granaries and distribute aid at once. After late spring there would be wild greens and tree shoots, then mulberries—food would slowly become available again. The next few months will be the worst of it. This cannot wait." The emperor agreed by edict, but the responsible offices never carried it out. The order stayed on paper and nowhere else.
63
路巖行至江陵，敕削官爵，長流儋州。 巖美姿儀，囚-{於}-江陵獄再宿，-{鬚}--{髮}-皆白，尋賜自盡，籍沒其家。 巖之爲相也，密奏，「三品以上賜死，皆令使者剔取結喉三寸以進，驗其必死。」 至是，自罹其禍，所死之處乃楊收賜死之榻也。 邊-{鹹}-、郭籌捕得，皆伏誅。 初，巖佐崔鉉-{於}-淮南，爲支使，鉉知其必貴，曰：「路十終須作彼一官。」 既而入爲監察-{御}-史，不出長安城，十年至宰相。 其自監察入翰林也，鉉猶在淮南，聞之，曰：「路十今已入翰林，如何得老！」 皆如鉉言。 以太子少傅-{-{于}-}-琮同平章事，充山南東道節度使。
When Lu Yan reached Jiangling, an edict stripped him of rank and exiled him for life to Danzhou. Yan had been a strikingly handsome man. Two nights in the Jiangling jail turned his hair and beard white. He was soon ordered to kill himself, and his family's property was seized. “While serving as chief minister, Yan had secretly proposed that whenever anyone of third rank or above was granted suicide, the envoy should cut out three inches of the throat and send it back, to prove death was certain.” Now he met the same fate himself—and died on the very couch where Yang Shou had been forced to take his life. Bian Xian and Guo Chou were captured and put to death. Long before, when Yan had served under Cui Xuan in Huainan as a branch commissioner, Xuan saw his future clearly and said, "Lu Ten is bound for that highest office one day. He rose to investigating censor, never left Chang'an, and within ten years became chief minister. When he entered the Hanlin from the censorate, Xuan was still in Huainan and exclaimed, "Lu Ten is in the Hanlin now—he'll never be allowed to die in his bed! Everything happened exactly as Xuan had predicted. Yu Cong, grand mentor of the heir apparent, was appointed grand councillor and military commissioner of Shannan East Circuit.
64
二月，甲午，葬昭聖恭惠孝皇帝-{於}-簡陵，廟號懿宗。
In the second month, on the jiawu day, the late emperor was buried at Jian Mausoleum and given the temple name Yizong.
65
以中書侍郎、同平章事趙隱同平章事，充鎭海節度使； 以華州刺史裴坦爲中書侍郎、同平章事； 以虢州刺史劉瞻爲刑部尚書。 瞻之貶也，人無賢愚，莫不痛惜。 及其還也，長安兩市人率錢雇百戲迎之。 瞻聞之，改期，由他道而入。
Zhao Yin, vice director of the Secretariat and grand councillor, was confirmed as grand councillor and named military commissioner of Zhenhai; Pei Tan, prefect of Hua, was made vice director of the Secretariat and grand councillor; Liu Zhan, prefect of Guo, was appointed minister of justice. When Liu Zhan was demoted, everyone—from the wise to the simple—mourned the loss. When he returned to the capital, people from both markets of Chang'an pooled money to hire street performers to welcome him home. Liu Zhan heard of the plan, changed his schedule, and entered the city by a different road.
66
夏，五月，乙未，裴坦薨。 以劉瞻爲中書侍郎、同平章事。 初，瞻南遷，劉鄴附-{於}-韋、路，共短之。 及瞻還爲相，鄴内懼。 秋，八月，丁巳朔，鄴延瞻，置酒-{於}-鹽鐵院。 瞻歸而遇疾，辛未，薨。 時人皆以爲鄴鴆之也。
In the fifth month of summer, on the yiwei day, Pei Tan died. Liu Zhan was appointed vice director of the Secretariat and grand councillor. When Liu Zhan had been exiled south, Liu Ye had attached himself to Wei Baoheng and Lu Yan and helped blacken his name. When Liu Zhan returned as chief minister, Liu Ye was terrified. In the eighth month of autumn, on the first day of the month, Liu Ye invited Liu Zhan to linger and treated him to wine at the Salt and Iron Commission. Liu Zhan went home and fell ill; on the xinwei day he was dead. At the time everyone believed Liu Ye had poisoned him.
67
以兵部侍郎、判度支崔彦昭爲中書侍郎、同平章事。 彦昭，群之從子也。 兵部侍郎王凝，正雅之從孫也，其母，彦昭之從母。 凝、彦昭同舉進士，凝先及第，嘗衩衣見彦昭，且戲之曰：「君不若舉明經。」 彦昭怒，遂爲深仇。 及彦昭爲相，其母謂侍婢曰：「爲我多作襪履，王侍郎母子必將竄逐，吾當與妹偕行。」 彦昭拜且泣，謝曰：「必不敢。」 凝由是獲免。
Cui Yanzhao, vice minister of war and acting head of fiscal affairs, was appointed vice director of the Secretariat and grand councillor. Yanzhao was a nephew of Cui Qun. Vice Minister of War Wang Ning was a grand-nephew of Wang Zhengya; his mother was Yanzhao's aunt. Ning and Yanzhao had taken the jinshi exam together, and Ning had passed first. Once Ning came to see Yanzhao dressed in a slovenly coat and taunted him, "You'd be better off taking the mingjing exam instead. Yanzhao flew into a rage, and from that day they were mortal enemies. When Yanzhao became chief minister, his mother told a maid, "Make plenty of socks and shoes. Vice Minister Wang and his mother will surely be driven out—I will go into exile with my sister. Yanzhao bowed, weeping, and swore, "I would never dare. Wang Ning was spared.
68
冬，十月，以門下侍郎、同平章事劉鄴同平章事，充淮南節度使。 以吏部侍郎鄭畋爲兵部侍郎，翰林學士承旨、戸部侍郎盧攜守本官，-{並}-同平章事。
In the tenth month of winter, Liu Ye, vice director of the chancellery and grand councillor, was confirmed as grand councillor and sent out as military commissioner of Huainan. Zheng Tian was moved from vice director of personnel to vice minister of war; Lu Xi kept his posts as Hanlin expositor and vice minister of revenue—and both men were appointed grand councillors.
69
十一月，庚寅，日南至，群臣上尊號曰聖神聰睿仁哲孝皇帝。 改元。
In the eleventh month, on the gengyin day—the winter solstice—the court offered Emperor Xizong the honorific "Sacred, Divine, Sagacious, Wise, Benevolent, and Filial." The reign title was changed.
70
魏博節度使韓允中薨，軍中立其子節度副使簡爲留-{後}-。
Han Yunzhong, military commissioner of Weibo, died; the troops made his son Jian, the deputy commissioner, acting military commissioner.
71
南詔寇西川，作浮梁，濟大渡河。 防河都知兵馬使、黎州刺史黃景-{復}-俟其半濟，撃之，蠻敗走，斷其浮梁。 蠻以中軍多張旗幟當其前，而分兵潛出上、下流各二十-{里}-，夜，作浮梁，詰朝，倶濟，襲破諸城柵，夾攻景-{復}-。 力戰三日，景-{復}-陽敗走，蠻盡鋭追之。 景-{復}-設三伏以待之，蠻過三分之二，乃-{發}-伏撃之，蠻兵大敗，殺二千-{餘}-人，追至大渡河南而還。 -{復}-修完城柵而守之。 蠻歸，至之羅-{谷}-，遇國中-{發}-兵繼至，新舊相合，鉦鼓聲聞數十-{里}-。 -{復}-寇大渡河，與唐夾水而軍，詐-{雲}-求和，又自上下流潛濟，與景-{復}-戰連日。 西川援軍不至，而蠻衆日益，景-{復}-不能支，軍遂潰。
Nanzhao invaded Sichuan, threw a pontoon bridge across the Dadu River, and crossed. Huang Jingfu, river-defense commander and prefect of Li, waited until the raiders were halfway across, then struck. The enemy broke and fled, and he cut the pontoon bridge behind them. The Nanzhao army massed banners in the center to hold Huang's attention while secretly sending columns twenty li upstream and downstream. They built pontoon bridges by night; at dawn both forces were across, overran the border forts, and closed on Huang Jingfu from two sides. After three days of fierce fighting, Huang Jingfu feigned defeat and withdrew; the enemy threw everything they had into the pursuit. Huang Jingfu laid three ambushes along the route. When more than two-thirds of the enemy column had passed, he struck. The Nanzhao army was shattered—over two thousand dead—and he chased them to the south bank of the Dadu before turning back. He repaired the border forts and held the line. On the retreat to Zhiluo Valley, fresh troops from the Nanzhao heartland joined them. Old and new armies merged, and the thunder of gongs and drums carried for dozens of li. They struck again at the Dadu, camped on the opposite bank from the Tang forces, pretended to sue for peace, and meanwhile slipped troops across upstream and downstream to fight Huang Jingfu day after day. Sichuan reinforcements never came, the enemy kept growing stronger, and Huang Jingfu could not hold. His army broke.
72
十二月，党項、回鶻寇天德軍。
In the twelfth month, Tangut and Uyghur raiders attacked the Tiande garrison.
73
感化軍奏群盜寇掠，州縣不能禁。 敕兗、鄆等道出兵討之。
The Ganhua garrison reported that roving bandits were pillaging the countryside and local authorities could not stop them. An edict ordered the Yan, Yun, and neighboring circuits to send troops against the bandits.
74
南詔乘勝陷黎州，入邛峽關，攻雅州。 大渡河潰兵奔入邛州，成都驚擾，民爭入城，或北奔他州。 城中大爲守備，而塹壘比向時嚴固。 驃信使其坦綽遺節度使牛叢書-{云}-：「非敢爲寇也，欲入見天子，-{面}-訴數十年爲讒人離間冤抑之事。 倘蒙聖恩矜恤，當還與尚書永敦鄰好。 今假道貴府，欲借蜀王廳留止數日，即東上。」 叢素懦怯，欲許之，楊慶-{復}-以爲不可。 斬其使者，留二人，授以書，遣還，書辭極數其罪，詈辱之。 蠻兵及新津而還，叢恐蠻至，豫焚城外，民居蕩盡，蜀人尤之。 詔-{發}-河東、山南西道、東川兵援之，仍命天平節度使髙駢詣西川-{制}-置蠻事。
Pressing their advantage, Nanzhao seized Lizhou, pushed through Qiongxia Pass, and assaulted Yazhou. Soldiers routed at the Dadu River poured into Qiongzhou. Panic swept Chengdu as people fought to get inside the walls or fled north to neighboring prefectures. The city girded itself for siege; ditches and earthworks were thrown up far more formidable than ever before. King Piluoge dispatched Tan Chuo to Military Commissioner Niu Congshu with a letter proclaiming: "We mean no invasion—we wish only to journey east to audience with the Son of Heaven and plead face to face the grievances of thirty years, when slanderers drove us apart and wrongfully suppressed us. Should Your Majesty extend his mercy, we shall withdraw and forever renew our bonds of peace with your court. We seek passage through your jurisdiction and ask leave to lodge for a few days in the Prince of Shu's hall, then continue eastward." Niu Cong, a man of habitual timidity, was inclined to consent; Yang Qingfu insisted it must not be allowed. He beheaded the envoys, detained two of their party, handed them a reply bristling with indictments, and sent them back in disgrace. The barbarian army withdrew after reaching Xinjin. Fearful they would return, Cong ordered the suburbs burned preemptively, reducing countless homes to ash—and the people of Shu never forgave him. An edict mobilized reinforcements from Hedong, Western Shannan, and Dongchuan, and charged Tianping Military Commissioner Gao Pian with overall command of the barbarian campaign in Sichuan.
75
以韓簡爲魏博留-{後}-。
Han Jian was appointed acting military commissioner of Weibo.
76
商州刺史王樞以軍州空窘，減折糴錢，民相帥以白梃毆之，又毆殺官吏二人。 朝廷更除刺史李誥到官，收捕民李叔汶等三十人，斬之。
Wang Shu, prefect of Shangzhou, slashed the rate for compulsory grain purchases because his district was bankrupt. The populace rose up, clubbed him, and killed two of his officials. The court replaced Wang with Li Gao, who upon arrival arrested Li Shuwen and twenty-nine others and put them to death.
77
初，回鶻屢求冊命，詔遣冊立使郗宗莒詣其國。 會回鶻爲吐-{谷}-渾、嗢末所破，逃遁不知所之。 詔宗莒以玉冊、國信授靈鹽節度使唐弘夫掌之，還京師。
For some time the Uyghurs had petitioned repeatedly for formal investiture. The throne dispatched Xi Zongju as envoy to confer it. But before he arrived, the Uyghurs were shattered by the Tuyuhun and Wamo and scattered—their fate unknown. Zongju was ordered to leave the jade register and imperial credentials with Ling-Yan Military Commissioner Tang Hongfu and return to court.
78
上年少，政在臣下，南牙、北司互相矛楯。 自懿宗以來，奢侈日甚，用兵不息，賦斂愈急。 關東連年水、旱，州縣不以實聞，上下相蒙，百姓流殍，無所控訴。 相聚爲盜，所在蜂起。 州縣兵少，加以承平日久，人不習戰，毎與盜遇，官軍多敗。 是歳，濮州人王仙芝始聚衆數千，起-{於}-長垣。
The emperor was still a boy; power rested with his ministers, while the regular bureaucracy and the eunuch directorates locked horns like spear against shield. Since the reign of Emperor Yizong, extravagance had grown unchecked, wars had never ceased, and exactions had grown harsher by the year. East of the Pass, flood and drought struck year after year, yet local officials lied to the throne and the court lied to itself. The starving had nowhere to turn for justice. Desperate men banded together as outlaws; uprisings erupted everywhere. County garrisons were thin, and a generation of peace had left soldiers untrained. Time and again imperial troops met bandits and were routed. That year Wang Xianzhi of Puzhou assembled several thousand followers and raised the standard of rebellion at Changyuan.
79
春，正月，丙戌，以髙駢爲西川節度使。
In spring, on bingxu day in the first month, Gao Pian was appointed military commissioner of Sichuan.
80
辛已，上祀圓丘； 赦天下。
On xinsi day the emperor performed the Round Mound sacrifice; A general amnesty was declared throughout the realm.
81
髙駢至劍州，先遣使走馬開成都門。 或諫曰：「蠻寇逼近成都，相公尚遠，萬一豨突，奈何？」 駢曰：「吾在交趾破蠻二十萬衆，蠻聞我來，逃竄不暇，何敢輒犯成都！ 今春氣向暖，數十萬人蘊積城中，生死共處，汚穢郁蒸，將成癘疫，不可緩也！」 使者至成都，開城縱民出，各-{復}-常業，乘城者皆下城解甲，民大悅。 蠻方攻雅州，聞之，遣使請和，引兵去。 駢又奏：「南蠻小-{丑}-，易以枝梧。 今西川新舊兵已多，所-{發}-長武、鄜坊、河東兵，徒有勞費，-{並}-乞勒還。」 敕止河東兵而己。
When Gao Pian reached Jianzhou, he sent a rider ahead at full gallop to order Chengdu's gates opened. An adviser warned: "Barbarian raiders are almost upon Chengdu, and you are still far off. What if they strike before you arrive?" Gao Pian replied: "At Jiaozhi I shattered two hundred thousand of them. When they hear I am coming they will flee headlong—how would they dare touch Chengdu! Spring is warming. Hundreds of thousands are packed inside those walls, living atop their own filth—plague will break out if we do not act at once!" His messenger reached Chengdu, the gates swung open, and the populace poured out to resume their livelihoods. Defenders climbed down and doffed their armor. Joy swept the city. The barbarians, then besieging Yazhou, sent envoys suing for peace and marched away. Gao Pian memorialized further: "These southern savages are a petty nuisance, easily handled. Sichuan already has ample forces. The contingents sent from Changwu, Fufang, and Hedong only drain the treasury—forbid their march and send them home." The throne recalled only the Hedong contingent.
82
上之爲普王也，小馬坊使田令孜有寵，及即位，使知樞密，遂擢爲中尉。 上時年十四，專事-{遊}-戲，政事一委令孜，呼爲「阿父」。 令孜頗讀書，多巧數，招權納賄，除官及賜緋紫皆不關白-{於}-上。 毎見，常自備果食兩盤，與上相對飲啖，從容良久而退。 上與内園小兒狎暱，賞賜樂工、伎兒，所費動以萬計，府藏空竭。 令孜説上籍兩市商旅寶貨悉輸内庫，有陳訴者，付京兆杖殺之。 宰相以下，鉗口莫敢言。
While still Prince of Pu, the future emperor had favored Tian Lingzi, commissioner of the Pony Yard. Upon his accession Tian was put in charge of secret military affairs, then elevated to chief eunuch. The boy emperor was fourteen. He gave himself over to games and amusements, handed all affairs of state to Tian Lingzi, and called him "Father." Tian was literate and cunning, amassing power through bribery. He appointed officials and awarded emblems of rank without ever consulting the throne. At each audience he arrived bearing two trays of delicacies, shared a leisurely meal with the young emperor, and only then withdrew. He grew intimate with the palace child attendants, showering musicians and performers with gifts that ran to ten thousand strings of cash—and drained the treasury dry. Tian persuaded the emperor to seize the goods of every merchant in both markets for the palace vaults. Complaints were referred to the metropolitan prefect, who had the complainants beaten to death. From the chief ministers down, not a voice was raised in protest.
83
髙駢至成都，明日，-{發}-歩騎五千追南詔，至大渡河，殺獲甚衆，擒其酋長數十人，至成都，斬之。 修-{復}-邛崍關、大渡河諸城柵，又-{築}-城-{於}-戎州馬湖鎭，號平夷軍； 又-{築}-城-{於}-沐源川，皆蠻入蜀之要道也，各置兵數千戍之。 自是蠻不-{復}-入寇。 駢召黃景-{復}-，責以大渡河失守，腰斬之。 駢又奏請自將本管及天平、昭義、義成等軍共六萬人撃南詔，詔不許。 先是，南詔督爽屢牒中書，辭語怨望，中書不答。 盧攜奏稱：「如此，則蠻益驕，謂唐無以答，宜數其十代受恩以責之。 然自中書-{發}-牒，則嫌-{於}-體敵，請賜髙駢及嶺南西道節度使辛讜詔，使録詔白，牒與之。」 從之。
The day after Gao Pian reached Chengdu, he led five thousand foot and horse in pursuit of Nanzhao. At the Dadu River his men slaughtered vast numbers, captured dozens of chieftains, and beheaded them in Chengdu. He rebuilt Qionglai Pass and the Dadu River defenses, and erected a fortress at Mahen in Rongzhou, garrisoned as the Pingyi Army; and fortified Moyuan Creek, a strategic corridor for barbarian incursions into Shu, with several thousand soldiers at each post. Nanzhao never invaded again. Gao Pian summoned Huang Jingfu, held him accountable for the fall of the Dadu River line, and had him executed by waist-slicing. He further asked leave to lead sixty thousand men from his own and allied circuits against Nanzhao. The throne refused. For some time Nanzhao's supervisory envoy had bombarded the Secretariat with bitter dispatches. The Secretariat never answered. Lu Xi argued: "Silence only emboldens them—they will conclude Tang has no answer. Recite the ten generations of imperial favor Nanzhao has enjoyed and hold them to account. But a dispatch from the Secretariat itself would dignify them as peers. Issue edicts to Gao Pian and Lingnan West Military Commissioner Xin Dang instead, and have them recite the imperial words and deliver the message." The proposal was adopted.
84
三月，以魏博留-{後}-韓簡爲節度使。
In the third month Han Jian was confirmed as military commissioner of Weibo.
85
去歳，感化軍-{發}-兵詣靈武防秋，會南詔寇西川，敕往救援。 未至成都，蠻退，遣還； 至鳳翔，不肯詣靈武，欲擅歸徐州。 内養王裕本、都將劉逢搜擒唱帥者胡雄等八人，斬之，衆然-{後}-定。
The previous year the Ganhua Army had sent troops to Lingwu for autumn defense. When Nanzhao invaded Sichuan, they were redirected to the rescue. Before they reached Chengdu the barbarians withdrew, and they were ordered home; but at Fengxiang they refused to proceed to Lingwu and tried to march straight back to Xuzhou on their own. Palace trainer Wang Yuben and chief officer Liu Feng arrested eight ringleaders led by Hu Xiong and executed them, and only then did the troops quiet down.
86
初，南詔圍成都，楊慶-{復}-以右職優給募突將以-{御}-之，成都由是獲全。 及髙駢至，悉令納牒，又-{托}-以蜀中屢遭蠻寇，人未-{復}-業，停其稟給，突將皆忿怨。 駢好妖-{術}-，毎-{發}-兵追蠻，皆夜張旗立隊，對將士焚紙畫人馬，散小豆，曰：「蜀兵懦怯，今遣玄女神兵前行。」 軍中壯士皆恥之。 又索闔境官有出-{於}-胥吏者，皆停之。 令民間皆用足陌錢，陌不足者皆執之，劾以行賂，取與皆死。 刑罰嚴酷，由是蜀人皆不悅。 夏，四月，突將作亂，大噪突入府廷。 駢走匿-{於}-廁間，突將索之，不獲。 天平都將張傑帥所部數百人被甲入府撃突將，突將撤牙前儀注兵仗，無者奮梃揮拳，乘怒氣力-{鬥}-，天平軍不能敵，走歸營。 突將追之，營門閉，不得入。 監軍使人招諭，許以-{復}-職名稟給，久之，乃肯還營。 天平軍-{復}-開門出，爲追逐之勢。 至城北，時方修球塲，役者數百人，天平軍悉取其首，還，詣府，-{云}-「已誅亂者」。 駢出見之，厚以金帛賞之。 明日，榜謝突將，悉還其職名、衣糧。 自是日令諸道將士從己來者更直府中，嚴兵自衞。
When Nanzhao besieged Chengdu, Yang Qingfu had recruited crack troops with rank and generous stipends—and thus the city was saved. When Gao Pian arrived he stripped them of their commissions, then suspended their pay on the pretext that Shu had not yet recovered from repeated invasions. The shock troops seethed with resentment. Gao Pian dabbled in sorcery. Before every sortie against the barbarians he would parade his troops at night, burn paper effigies of soldiers and horses, scatter beans, and proclaim: "Sichuan men are cowards—so I dispatch the Dark Lady's spirit army ahead." The veterans were mortified. He also purged every official in the circuit who had risen from the clerical ranks. He decreed that all transactions use full-weight coin. Short-weight payments were treated as bribery, and both parties were put to death. His justice was savage, and discontent spread through Shu. In summer, the fourth month, the shock troops mutinied, storming the headquarters in uproar. Gao Pian fled and hid in a latrine. The mutineers hunted for him but could not find him. Zhang Jie of Tianping led several hundred armored men into the compound to crush the mutiny. The shock troops grabbed whatever came to hand—ceremonial weapons from the gate, clubs, bare fists—and fought with berserk fury. Zhang's men were beaten back to camp. The mutineers pursued them, but the camp gates were shut against them. The army monitor sent envoys offering restoration of rank and pay. After long negotiation the mutineers agreed to return to quarters. The Tianping troops then sallied forth as if in pursuit. Near the north wall they came upon hundreds of laborers building a ball court. The Tianping soldiers beheaded them all, marched back to headquarters, and reported: "The rebels have been exterminated." Gao Pian emerged and showered them with gold and silk. The next day he posted a placard thanking the shock troops and restored their rank and stipends in full. Henceforth he kept a rotating guard of troops from his own contingent stationed inside headquarters.
87
加成德節度使王景崇兼侍中。
Wang Jingchong, military commissioner of Chengde, was also made Palace Attendant.
88
浙西狼山鎭遏使王郢等六十九人有戰功，節度使趙隱賞以職名而不給衣糧，郢等論訴不獲，遂劫庫兵作亂，行收黨衆近萬人，攻陷蘇、常，乘舟往來，泛江入海，轉掠二浙，南及福建，大爲人患。
Wang Ying, suppression commissioner at Langshan in Zhexi, and sixty-eight comrades with battle honors received titles from Military Commissioner Zhao Yin but no pay or provisions. Their petitions went unheard. They raided the armory, raised nearly ten thousand followers, seized Suzhou and Changzhou, and took to the waterways—sailing downriver to the sea and ravaging both Zhes, southward even into Fujian—a scourge upon the land.
89
五月，以太傅、分司令狐綯同平章事，充鳳翔節度使。
In the fifth month Linghu Tao, grand mentor and commissioner of the palace secretariat, was made concurrent grand councillor and military commissioner of Fengxiang.
90
司空、同平章事蕭倣薨。
Xiao Fang, minister of works and concurrent grand councillor, died.
91
六月，以-{御}-史大夫李蔚爲中書侍郎、同平章事。
In the sixth month Censor-in-Chief Li Wei was appointed vice director of the secretariat and concurrent grand councillor.
92
辛未，髙駢陰籍突將之名，使人夜掩捕之，圍其家，挑牆壞戸而入，老幼孕病，悉驅去殺之，嬰兒或撲-{於}-階，或撃-{於}-柱，流血成渠，號哭震天，死者數千人，夜，以車載屍投之-{於}-江。 有一婦人，臨刑，戟手大罵曰：「髙駢！ 汝無故奪有功將士職名、衣糧，激成衆怒。 幸而得免，不省己自咎，乃更以詐殺無辜近萬人，天地鬼神，豈容汝如此！ 我必訴汝-{於}-上帝，使汝他日舉家屠滅如我今日，冤抑汚辱如我今日，驚憂惴恐如我今日！」 言畢，拜天，怫然就戮。 久之，突將有自戍役歸者，駢-{復}-欲盡族之，有元從親吏王殷諫曰：「相公奉道，宜好生惡殺，此屬在外，初不同謀，若-{復}-誅之，則自危者多矣！」 駢乃止。
On xinwei day Gao Pian secretly compiled a list of shock troop names and sent raiders by night. They broke through walls and doors, dragged out the old, the young, the pregnant, and the sick, and slaughtered them. Infants were dashed against steps and pillars. Blood ran in streams; wails shook the heavens. Several thousand died. That night cartloads of corpses were dumped in the river. One woman, at the moment of execution, shook her fist and screamed: "Gao Pian! You stripped worthy soldiers of rank and pay without cause and drove them to mutiny. You escaped only by luck, yet instead of repenting you butchered nearly ten thousand innocents by fraud. Would Heaven and earth, would the gods, suffer such a man to live! I will plead your case before the Highest God, that one day your whole house may be butchered as mine is today—wronged, shamed, stricken with terror as I am today!" She finished, bowed to Heaven, and marched unflinching to her death. Later, when shock troops began returning from frontier duty, Gao Pian planned to exterminate their entire families. His longtime aide Wang Yin warned: "You profess the Dao, Lord Commissioner—you should cherish life. These men were abroad and had no part in the plot. Slaughter them and how many more will fear for their lives!" Gao Pian relented.
93
王仙芝及其黨尚君長攻陷濮州、曹州，衆至數萬。 天平節度使薛崇出兵撃之，爲仙芝所敗。 冤句人黃巣亦聚衆數千人應仙芝。 巣少與仙芝皆以販私鹽爲事，巣善騎謝，喜任俠，粗渉書傳，屢舉進士不第，遂爲盜，與仙芝攻剽州縣，橫行山東，民之困-{於}-重斂者爭歸之，數月之間，衆至數萬。
Wang Xianzhi and his lieutenant Shang Junzhang seized Puzhou and Caozhou; their following swelled to tens of thousands. Tianping Military Commissioner Xue Chong marched against them and was routed. Huang Chao of Yuanqu raised several thousand men and joined Xianzhi's cause. In youth both Huang Chao and Wang Xianzhi had smuggled salt. Chao was an expert horseman and archer, a man of reckless honor, with some book learning but repeated failures at the jinshi examinations. He turned outlaw, joined Xianzhi in raiding towns across Shandong, and peasants crushed by taxation flocked to them. Within months their numbers swelled to tens of thousands.
94
盧龍節度使張公素，性暴戾，不爲軍士所附。 大將李茂勳，本回鶻阿布思之族，回鶻敗，降-{於}-張仲武； 仲武使戍邊，屢有功，賜姓名。 納降軍使陳貢言者，幽之宿將，爲軍士所信服，茂勳潛殺貢言，聲-{雲}-貢言舉兵向薊； 公素出戰而敗，奔京師。 茂勳入城，衆乃知非貢言也，不得已，推而立之，朝廷因以茂勳爲留-{後}-。
Zhang Gongsu, military commissioner of Lulong, was brutal and held in contempt by his troops. His chief general Li Maoxun was descended from the Uyghur chieftain Abusi. When the Uyghurs fell, he submitted to Zhang Zhongwu; Zhongwu posted him to the frontier, where he won repeated honors and was granted a Chinese name. Chen Gongyan, commissioner of surrendered troops, was a veteran of Youzhou deeply trusted by the rank and file. Maoxun murdered him secretly and spread word that Gongyan was marching on Ji; Zhang Gongsu rode out, was defeated, and fled to the capital. When Maoxun entered the city the troops learned the truth. With no alternative they acclaimed him leader, and the court recognized him as acting commissioner.
95
秋，七月，蝗自東而西，蔽日，所過赤地。 京兆尹楊知至奏「蝗入京畿，不食稼，皆抱荊棘而死。」 宰相皆賀。
In autumn, the seventh month, locust swarms marched from east to west, blotting out the sun and leaving stripped fields in their wake. Metropolitan Prefect Yang Zhizhi reported: "Locusts entered the capital region but ate no grain—they clung to thorn bushes and perished." The chief ministers offered their congratulations.
96
八月，李茂勳爲盧龍節度使。
In the eighth month Li Maoxun was confirmed as military commissioner of Lulong.
97
九月，左補闕董禹諫上-{游}-畋、乘驢撃球，上賜金帛以褒之。 邠-{寧}-節度使李侃奏爲假父華淸宮使道雅求贈官，禹上疎論之，語頗侵宦官。 樞密使楊-{復}-恭等列訴-{於}-上，冬，十月，禹坐貶郴州司馬。 -{復}-恭，欽義之養孫也。
In the ninth month, Left Remonstrance Officer Dong Yu censured the emperor for pleasure-hunting and for playing polo mounted on a donkey. The emperor rewarded him with gold and silk in praise. Binning Military Commissioner Li Kan memorialized asking posthumous honors for his foster father, Huaqing Palace Commissioner Daoya. Dong Yu submitted a counter-memorial, and his language sharply impugned the eunuchs. Chief of military affairs Yang Fugong and others filed a joint complaint at court. In the tenth month of winter, Dong Yu was convicted and banished to serve as prefectural aide at Chenzhou. Fugong was the adopted grandson of Qinyi.
98
昭義軍亂，大將劉廣逐節度使髙湜，自爲留-{後}-。 以左金吾大將軍曹翔爲昭義節度使。
The Zhaoyi garrison mutinied. Chief general Liu Guang expelled Military Commissioner Gao Ni and installed himself as acting governor. Left Golden Guard General Cao Xiang was appointed military commissioner of Zhaoyi.
99
回鶻還至羅川，十一月，遣使者同羅楡祿入貢； 賜拯接絹萬匹。
The Uyghurs returned to Luochuan. In the eleventh month they sent envoys, together with the Tongluo chieftain Yuyu, to present tribute at court; The court granted them ten thousand bolts of relief silk.
100
群盜侵淫，剽掠十-{餘}-州，至-{於}-淮南，多者千-{餘}-人，少者數百人。 詔淮南、忠武、宣武、義成、天平五軍節度使、監軍亟加討捕及招懷。 十二月，王仙芝寇沂州，平盧節度使宋威表請以歩騎五千別爲一使，兼帥本道兵所在討賊。 乃以威爲諸道行營招討草賊使，仍給禁兵三千、甲騎五百。 因詔河南方鎭所遣討賊都頭-{並}-取威處分。
Bandit armies spread unchecked, looting more than ten prefectures and reaching into Huainan. The largest bands numbered over a thousand men; the smallest, several hundred. An edict commanded the military commissioners and army supervisors of Huainan, Zhongwu, Xuanwu, Yicheng, and Tianping to hunt down the bandits at once and win them over where possible. In the twelfth month Wang Xianzhi attacked Yizhou. Pinglu Military Commissioner Song Wei asked that five thousand foot and horse soldiers be set under a separate command, with himself leading his circuit's troops wherever bandits appeared. Song Wei was appointed bandit-suppression commissioner for the combined field headquarters, with three thousand palace troops and five hundred armored cavalry added to his command. An edict followed: every bandit-hunting detachment leader sent by the Henan circuits was to obey Song Wei's command.
101
春，正月，天平軍奏遣將士張晏等救沂州，還，至義橋，聞北境-{復}-有盜起，留使扞-{御}-。 晏等不從，喧噪趣鄆州。 都將張思泰、李承祐走馬出城，裂袖與盟，以俸錢備酒餚慰諭，然-{後}-定。 語本軍宣慰一切，無得窮詰。
In the first month of spring the Tianping army reported that Zhang Yan and other officers had marched to relieve Yizhou. On the return march they reached Yiqiao, heard that bandits had risen again on the northern frontier, and were ordered to stay and hold the line. Zhang Yan and his men refused. They raised a tumult and marched on Yanzhou. Commanders Zhang Sitai and Li Chengyou rode out of the city, tore their sleeves to bind an oath, bought wine and food from their own pay to soothe the men, and only then restored order. They told the army that all grievances would be addressed and that no one was to be pressed for answers.
102
二月，敕福建、江西、湖南諸道觀察、刺史，皆訓練士卒。 又令天下鄕邨各置弓刀鼓板以備群盜。 賜兗海節度號泰-{寧}-軍。
In the second month an edict ordered observation commissioners and prefects throughout Fujian, Jiangxi, Hunan, and neighboring circuits to drill their troops. Villages across the empire were also ordered to keep bows, blades, drums, and clappers against bandit raids. The Yanhai command was redesignated the Taining Army.
103
三月，盧龍節度使李茂勳請以其子幽州左司馬可舉知留-{後}-，自求致仕。 詔茂勳以左-{僕}-射致仕，以可舉爲盧龍留-{後}-。
In the third month Lulong Military Commissioner Li Maoxun asked that his son, Youzhou left staff officer Li Keju, be named acting governor while he himself retired from office. The court granted Maoxun retirement with the rank of left vice director of the Department of State Affairs and made Keju acting governor of Lulong.
104
門下侍郎、同平章事崔彦昭罷爲太子太傅。 以左-{僕}-射王鐸兼門下侍郎、同平章事。
Vice director of the chancellery and grand councillor Cui Yanzhao was dismissed and made grand tutor to the crown prince. Left vice director Wang Duo was appointed vice director of the chancellery and grand councillor as well.
105
南詔遣使者詣髙駢求和而盜邊不息，駢斬其使者。 蠻之陷交趾也，虜安南經略判官杜驤妻李瑤。 瑤，宗室之疎屬也。 蠻遣瑤還，遞木夾以遺駢，稱「督爽牒西川節度使」，辭極驕慢。 駢送瑤京師。 甲辰，-{復}-牒南詔，數其負累聖恩德、暴犯邊境、殘賊欺詐之罪，安南、大渡覆敗之狀，折辱之。
Nanzhao sent envoys to Gao Pian suing for peace, yet raids on the frontier never stopped. Pian had the envoys executed. When the barbarians seized Jiaozhi, they captured Li Yao, wife of Du Xiang, adjutant on the Annan pacification staff. Yao was a distant kinswoman of the imperial house. The barbarians sent Yao back with relayed wooden plaques addressed to Pian as "Supervising Clerk to the Military Commissioner of Sichuan"—language flagrantly insolent. Pian sent Yao to the capital. On jiachen day Gao Pian sent another dispatch to Nanzhao, listing its ingratitude for imperial favor, its violent border raids, its savage fraud, and the disasters at Annan and the Dadu River—and heaped humiliation upon it.
106
原州刺史史懷操貪暴，夏，四月，軍亂，逐之。
Yuanzhou prefect Shi Huaicao was greedy and brutal. In the fourth month of summer the garrison mutinied and expelled him.
107
賜宣武、感化節度、泗州防-{禦}-使密詔，選精兵數百人-{於}-巡内-{游}-奕，防衞綱船，五日一具上供錢米平安狀聞奏。
Secret edicts went to the Xuanwu and Ganhua military commissioners and the Sizhou defense commissioner, ordering several hundred picked troops to patrol the interior routes and guard the tribute convoys. Every five days they were to file a report certifying the safe passage of tribute funds and grain.
108
五月，昭王汭薨。
In the fifth month Prince Zhao Wei died.
109
以盧龍留-{後}-李可舉爲節度使。
Li Keju, acting governor of Lulong, was confirmed as military commissioner.
110
六月，撫王紘薨。
In the sixth month Prince Fu Hong died.
111
雄州地震裂，水湧，壞州城及公私戸-{捨}-倶盡。
Xiongzhou was struck by earthquake and fissure; water gushed up and destroyed the prefectural seat and every public and private building.
112
秋，七月，以前巖州刺史髙傑爲左驍衞將軍，充縁海水軍都知兵馬使，以討王郢。
In the seventh month of autumn, former Yanzhou prefect Gao Jie was made general of the Left Obedient Cavalry Guard and overall commander of coastal naval forces to campaign against Wang Ying.
113
鄂王潤薨。
Prince E Run died.
114
加魏博節度使韓簡同平章事。
Weibo Military Commissioner Han Jian was made concurrent grand councillor.
115
宋威撃王仙芝-{於}-沂州城下，大破之，仙芝亡去。 威奏仙芝已死，縱遣諸道兵，身還靑州。 百官皆入賀。 居三日，州縣奏仙芝尚在，攻剽如故。 時兵始休，詔-{復}--{發}-之，士皆忿怨思亂。 八月，仙芝陷陽翟、郟城，詔忠武節度使崔安潛-{發}-兵撃之。 安潛，愼由之弟也。 又命昭義節度使曹翔將歩騎五千及義成兵衞東都宮，以左散騎常侍曾元裕爲招討副使，守東都，又詔山南東道節度使李福選歩騎二千守汝、鄧要路。 仙芝進逼汝州，詔邠-{寧}-節度使李侃、鳳翔節度使令狐綯選歩兵一千、騎兵五百守陝州、潼關。
Song Wei routed Wang Xianzhi beneath the walls of Yizhou. Xianzhi fled the field. Song Wei reported that Xianzhi was dead, sent the allied contingents home, and returned himself to Qingzhou. The whole court turned out to offer congratulations. Three days later prefectures and counties reported that Xianzhi was still alive and raiding as before. The troops had only just been stood down when an edict sent them out again. Resentment spread through the ranks, and men talked of rebellion. In the eighth month Xianzhi seized Yangdi and Jia Cheng. The court ordered Zhongwu Military Commissioner Cui Anqian to march against him. Anqian was the younger brother of Cui Shenyou. Zhaoyi Military Commissioner Cao Xiang was ordered to lead five thousand foot and horse soldiers plus Yicheng troops to guard the Eastern Capital palace. Left Regular Attendant Zeng Yuanyu was named deputy bandit-suppression commissioner to hold Luoyang. Shannan East Circuit Military Commissioner Li Fu was told to post two thousand foot and horse troops on the vital roads through Ru and Deng. As Xianzhi advanced on Ruzhou, Binning Military Commissioner Li Kan and Fengxiang Military Commissioner Linghu Tao were ordered to post one thousand infantry and five hundred cavalry at Shazhou and Tong Pass.
116
加成德節度使王景崇兼中書令。
Chengde Military Commissioner Wang Jingchong was made concurrent chief secretary.
117
九月，乙亥朔，日有食之。
In the ninth month, on the first day (yihai), there was a solar eclipse.
118
丙子，王仙芝陷汝州，執刺史王鐐。 鐐，鐸之從父兄弟也。 東都大震，士民挈家逃出城。 乙酉敕王仙芝、尚君長罪，除官，以招諭之。 仙芝陷陽武，攻鄭州，昭義監軍判官雷殷符屯中牟，撃仙芝，破走之。 冬，十月，仙芝南攻唐、鄧。
On bingzi day Wang Xianzhi took Ruzhou and captured Prefect Wang Liao. Liao was a paternal cousin of Wang Duo. Panic seized Luoyang. Officials and townspeople fled the city with their families. On yiyou day an edict pardoned Wang Xianzhi and Shang Junzhang, cleared their records, and offered them official posts to bring them in. Xianzhi seized Yangwu and attacked Zhengzhou. Zhaoyi army supervisor adjutant Lei Yinfu encamped at Zhongmou, struck Xianzhi, and drove him off. In the tenth month of winter Xianzhi turned south to attack Tang and Deng.
119
西川節度使髙駢-{築}-成都羅城，使僧景仙規度，週二十五-{里}-，悉召縣令庀徒賦役，吏受百錢以上皆死。 蜀土疎惡，以甓甃之，還城十-{里}-内取土，皆劃丘垤平之，無得爲坎埳以害耕-{種}-； 役者不過十日而代，衆樂其均，不費撲撻而功辦。 自八月癸-{丑}--{築}-之，至十一月戊子畢功。 役之始作也，駢恐南詔揚聲入寇，雖不敢決來，役者必驚擾，乃奏遣景仙-{托}--{遊}-行入南詔，説諭驃信使歸附中國，仍許妻以公主，因與議二國禮儀，久之不決。 駢又聲言欲巡邊，朝夕通烽火，至大渡河，而實不行，蠻中惴恐。 由是訖-{於}-城成，邊候無風塵之警。 先是，西川將吏入南詔，驃信皆坐受其拜，駢以其俗尚浮屠，故遣景仙往，驃信果帥其大臣迎拜，信用其言。
Sichuan Military Commissioner Gao Pian built Chengdu's outer ramparts. Monk Jing Xian laid out a circuit twenty-five li around. Every prefect was summoned to levy labor. Any clerk who took so much as a hundred cash in bribes was executed. The soil of Shu was loose and poor, so he faced the walls with brick. Earth for the work was taken within ten li of the city, every mound scraped level so that no pit would scar the fields; No laborer served more than ten days before relief; the people welcomed the fair rotation, and the work finished without a lash being wasted. Construction began on guichou day in the eighth month and was finished on wuzi day in the eleventh. When the work began, Pian feared Nanzhao would trumpet an invasion. Even if the barbarians hesitated to strike, the laborers would panic. He memorialized sending Jing Xian on a pretended mission into Nanzhao to persuade the Piao Xin to submit, promising a princess in marriage and negotiating state protocol—talk that dragged on without result. Pian also declared he would tour the frontier. Beacons flashed day and night as far as the Dadu River, though he never marched. Fear spread through the barbarian camps. Until the walls stood complete, frontier pickets saw no sign of raiders. Before this, when Sichuan officers entered Nanzhao, the Piao Xin had always sat and received their bows. Knowing the Nanzhao revered Buddhism, Pian sent the monk Jing Xian. The Piao Xin led his ministers out to welcome and bow to him, and took his words to heart.
120
王仙芝攻郢、-{復}-二州，陷之。
Wang Xianzhi attacked Ying and Fu and captured both.
121
王郢因温州刺史魯寔請降，寔屢爲之論奏，敕郢詣闕。 郢擁兵遷延，半年不至，固求望海鎭使； 朝廷不許，以郢爲右率府率，仍令左神策軍補以重職，其先所掠之財，-{並}-令給與。
Wang Ying asked to surrender through Wenzhou prefect Lu Shi, who memorialized repeatedly on his behalf. The court ordered Ying to present himself at the capital. Ying kept his army and delayed. Half a year passed without his coming. He stubbornly demanded the post of Wanghaitown commissioner; The court refused. Ying was made captain of the Right Guard, with the Left Divine Strategy Army to supply him a substantive post. Even the loot he had taken was ordered returned to him.
122
十二月，王仙芝攻申、光、廬、壽、舒、通等州。 淮南節度使劉鄴奏求益兵，敕感化節度使薛能選精兵數千助之。 鄭畋以言計不行，稱疾遜位，不許，乃上言：「自沂州奏捷之-{後}-，仙芝愈肆猖狂，屠陷五六州，瘡痍數千-{里}-。 宋威衰老多病，自妄奏以來，諸道尤所不服，今淹留毫州，殊無進討之意。 曾元裕擁兵蘄、黃，專慾望風退縮。 若使賊陷揚州，則江南亦非國有。 崔安潛威望過人，張自勉驍雄良將，宮苑使李晟，西平王晟之孫，嚴而有勇。 請以安潛爲行營都統，瑑爲招討使代威，自勉爲副使代元裕。」 上頗采其言。
In the twelfth month Wang Xianzhi attacked Shen, Guang, Lu, Shou, Shu, and Tong. Huainan Military Commissioner Liu Ye asked for reinforcements. The court ordered Ganhua Military Commissioner Xue Neng to send several thousand picked troops to his aid. Zheng Tian, frustrated that his counsel went unheeded, pleaded illness and asked to resign. When the court refused, he memorialized: "Since Song Wei's false victory at Yizhou, Xianzhi has grown ever bolder. He has sacked five or six prefectures and laid waste to thousands of li of countryside. Song Wei is old and sick. Since his false report of victory the allied circuits trust him even less. He now sits idle at Bozhou with no appetite for pursuit. Zeng Yuanyu sits with his army at Qí and Huang, ready to flee at the first sign of trouble. If the rebels take Yangzhou, the entire lower Yangtze will be lost to the throne. Cui Anqian's authority outmatches any rival. Zhang Zimian is a proven fighter. Palace Commissioner Li Zhuan, grandson of the Western Pacification King Li Sheng, is stern and fearless. I ask that Cui Anqian be made overall field commander, Li Zhuan bandit-suppression commissioner in Song Wei's place, and Zhang Zimian deputy commissioner in Zeng Yuanyu's place." The emperor largely adopted his advice.
123
靑、滄軍士戍安南，還至桂州，逐觀察使李瓚。 瓚，宗閔之子也。 以右諫議大夫張禹謨爲桂州觀察使。 桂管監軍李維周驕橫，瓚-{曲}-奉之，浸不能-{制}-。 桂管有兵八百人，防-{禦}-使-{才}-得百人，-{餘}-皆屬監軍。 又預-{於}-逐帥之謀，強取兩使印，擅補知州官，奪昭州送使錢。 詔禹謨-{並}-按之。 禹謨，徹之子也。
Troops from Qing and Cang, returning from garrison duty in Annan, reached Guizhou and expelled Observation Commissioner Li Zan. Zan was a son of Li Zongmin. Right remonstrance grandee Zhang Yumo was appointed observation commissioner of Guizhou. Guizhou circuit army supervisor Li Weizhou was insufferably arrogant. Li Zan indulged him until he could no longer keep him in check. The Guizhou garrison numbered eight hundred men. The defense commissioner controlled only a hundred; the rest answered to the army supervisor. He had helped plot the expulsion of Li Zan, seized both commissioners' seals, appointed prefects on his own authority, and diverted Zhaozhou's tribute-envoy funds. An edict ordered Zhang Yumo to investigate the entire affair. Yumo was a son of Zhang Che.
124
招討副使、都監楊-{復}-光奏尚君長弟讓據査牙山，官軍退保鄧州。 -{復}-光，玄-{價}-之養子也。
Deputy bandit-suppression commissioner and overall supervisor Yang Fuguang reported that Shang Junzhang's brother Rang held Chaya Mountain and that imperial troops had fallen back to Dengzhou. Fuguang was the adopted son of Yang Xuanjia.
125
王仙芝攻蘄州，蘄州刺史裴渥，王鐸知舉時所擢進士也。 王鐐在賊中，爲仙芝以書説渥。 渥與仙芝約，斂兵不戰，許爲之奏官； 鐐亦説仙芝許以如約。 渥乃開城延仙芝及黃巣輩三十-{餘}-人入城，置酒，大陳貨賄以贈之，表陳其狀。 諸宰相多言：「先帝不赦龐勳，期年卒誅之。 今仙芝小賊，非龐勳之比，赦罪除官，益長-{奸}-宄。」 王鐸固請，許之。 乃以仙芝爲左神策軍押牙兼監察-{御}-史，遣中使以告身即蘄州授之。 仙芝得之甚喜，鐐、渥皆賀。 未退，黃巣以官不及己，大怒曰：「始者共立大誓，橫行天下，今獨取官赴左軍，使此五千-{餘}-衆安所歸乎！」 因毆仙芝，傷其首，其衆喧噪不已。 仙芝畏衆怒，遂不受命。 大掠蘄州，城中之人，半驅半殺，焚其廬-{舍}-。 渥奔鄂州，敕使奔襄州，鐐爲賊所拘。 賊乃分其軍三千-{餘}-人從仙芝及尚君長，二千-{餘}-人從巣，各分道而去。
Wang Xianzhi attacked Qí Prefecture. Prefect Pei Wo had been a jinshi candidate Wang Duo had passed when chief examiner. Wang Liao, still captive among the rebels, wrote on Xianzhi's behalf to persuade Pei Wo. Pei Wo agreed with Xianzhi to stand his troops down and promised to petition for an official post; Wang Liao likewise persuaded Xianzhi to honor the bargain. Pei Wo opened the gates and welcomed Xianzhi and more than thirty followers, including Huang Chao, into the city. He feasted them, heaped gifts upon them, and memorialized the court with the full account. Most of the chief ministers objected: "The late emperor refused to pardon Pang Xun, and within a year Pang was killed. Xianzhi is a petty outlaw, no Pang Xun. To pardon him and grant office would only embolden every rogue in the empire." Wang Duo pressed hard, and the court relented. Xianzhi was appointed adjutant of the Left Divine Strategy Army with concurrent rank as investigating censor, and a palace envoy was sent to Qí Prefecture to deliver his commission on the spot. Xianzhi was overjoyed. Wang Liao and Pei Wo both congratulated him. Before the party broke up, Huang Chao—passed over for any post—exploded in fury: "We swore together to sweep the empire. Now you take a commission for yourself and march into the Left Army. What becomes of the five thousand men who rode with us?" He struck Xianzhi and bloodied his head. The rebels roared in uproar. Fearful of the mutiny, Xianzhi refused the commission. They sacked Qizhou wholesale—half the townspeople were driven away, half slaughtered, and their homes put to the torch. Wo fled to Ezhou, the imperial envoy to Xiangzhou, and Liao was taken prisoner by the rebels. The rebels then split their forces—more than three thousand went with Xianzhi and Shang Junzhang, more than two thousand with Huang Chao—and marched off on separate roads.