bookofjin

[bookofjin]

WS29.2.1, Biography of Shusun Jun

(His clan name was actually Yizhan. The Yizhan clan changed their clan name to Shusun during the Sinicisation reforms of Emperor Xiaowen. Also, providing some context and explanation for the Northern Wei practice of encouraging the suicides of officials' widows which started with him)

Biography

[Yizhan Jian]'s eldest son was Jun, courtesy name Chougui, [he was] intelligent at a young age. At the age of fifteen, attended the imperial palace as a retainer. Had a cautious and calm character, and did not exceed his capabilities. In order to be a horse mount archer, was transferred as a hunting official [1].

長子俊，字醜歸，少聰敏。年十五，內侍左右。性謹密，初無過行。以便弓馬，轉為獵郎.

Emperor Taizu [posthumous name Emperor Daowu, personal name Tuoba Gui], the Prince of Qinghe, Shao, shut the palace gates [2], and Taizong [posthumous name Emperor Mingyuan, personal name Tuoba Si] was outside [3]. Shao forced Jun to act to assist him. Although Jun on the outside submitted to Shao, on the inside he had true loyalty, therefore with Yuan [4] Mohan and others criticised Shao, pledging allegiance to Taizong. This affair is in the biography of Mohan.

長子俊，字醜歸，少聰敏。年十五，內侍左右。性謹密，初無過行。以便弓馬，轉為獵郎。太祖崩，清河王紹閉宮門，太宗在外。紹逼俊以為己援。俊外雖從紹，內實忠款，仍與元磨渾等說紹，得歸太宗。事在磨渾傳。

At this time of Taizong's retainers, only Che [5] Lutou, Wang Luo'er and others, were able to reach Jun and others' [assistance], [Taizong] was very pleased [with him], [Jun] acted as an attendant.

是時太宗左右，唯車路頭、王洛兒等，及得俊等，大悅，以為爪牙。

When Taizong succeeded to the throne, ordered that Jun, Mohan and others correct the errors of the retainers. Was transferred as a guard general and bestowed as Duke of Ancheng.

太宗即位，命俊與磨渾等拾遺左右。遷衞將軍，賜爵安城公。

The Prince of Zhuti, Yue, carried a knife in his bosom and entered within the imperial residence, to goad a major rebellion. Jun realised Yue's actions were unusual, and easily held his hand and pulled it back, thus within Yue's bosom there were two daggers, [Yue] was thereupon executed.

太宗即位，命俊與磨渾等拾遺左右。遷衞將軍，賜爵安城公。朱提王悅懷刃入禁中，將為大逆。俊覺悅舉動有異，便引手掣之，乃於悅懷中得兩刃匕首，遂殺之。

Taizong grasped Jun's significant merits from beginning to end, the policies of military affairs and civil administration were all according to his appointment, many officials starting their posts were earlier by Jun selected and inspected, and after that were presented and confirmed.

太宗以俊前後功重，軍國大計一以委之，群官上事，先由俊銓校，然後奏聞。

[Jun] had a just, fair and gentle character, and his form was not likely to be easily angered. [He was] loyal, devoted and genuine, and did not flatter his superiors or repress his subordinates. Every time he received an imperial edict and announced it to the outside, he would certainly announce [it] politely, the receivers would all be fulfilled and retreat, and those with confidential matters would turn away and arrive at the torch [6] again. Therefore his superiors and subordinates admired and praised him.

性平正柔和，未嘗有喜怒之色。忠篤愛厚，不諂上抑下。每奉詔宣外，必告示殷勤，受事者皆飽之而退，事密者倍至蒸仍。是以上下嘉歎。

Died in the first year of Taichang [416 CE], was twenty-eight [7] at the time, Taizong was excessively anguished and mournful, went in person and was deeply aggrieved. In all levels of society, there was no lacking in their pursuit of pity. Bestowed as Palace Attendant, Minister of Land and Water and Prince of Ancheng [8], with the posthumous name of Filial and Fundamental [xiaoyuan].

性平正柔和，未嘗有喜怒之色。忠篤愛厚，不諂上抑下。每奉詔宣外，必告示殷勤，受事者皆飽之而退，事密者倍至蒸仍。是以上下嘉歎。泰常元年卒，時年二十八，太宗甚痛悼之，親臨哀慟。朝野無不追惜。贈侍中、司空、安城王，諡孝元。

Was bestowed warm and bright rare utensils, carried using a sleeping carriage, guarded by soldiers leading their followers, and was buried [with other important people, including the imperial family] in the Jin Mausoleum. His son Pu inherited his rank. After [this], when esteemed ministers with great merit and special favour died, the rites with which they were paid their last respects were all according to the tradition of Jun's [9], but did not surpass that.

子蒲，襲爵。後有大功及寵幸貴臣薨，賻送終禮，皆依俊故事，無得踰之者.

[As a part of this], when Jun died, Taizong advised his wife Lady Huan [10] and said:

"When people in life share glory, in death it is appropriate to share a tomb. The capacity for [you] to be buried with the dead may be an undertaking of [your] desire." [11]

Lady Huan thus hanged herself and died, and was thereupon jointly interred there.

初，俊既卒，太宗命其妻桓氏曰：「夫生既共榮，沒宜同穴，能殉葬者可任意。」桓氏乃縊而死，遂合葬焉。

Northern Wei emperors and princes would often go on hunts with their attendants. I presume that Yizhan Jun would attend the emperor or a prince's hunting trip.

2. Tuoba Shao had assassinated Tuoba Gui.

3. Tuoba Si had earlier fled the capital of Pingcheng to avoid his father's wrath.

4. Should be Tuoba Mohan, as the imperial clan name of Tuoba was changed to Yuan by Emperor Xiaowen.

5. Should be Chekun Lutou, as the Chekun clan shortened their clan name under the reforms of Emperor Xiaowen.

6. I presume that 蒸 refers to a type of torch in this context. Torches would be lit as a signal during this time.

7. By East Asian age reckoning, in which a person is considered 1 year old at birth and becomes a year older at New Year, regardless of individual birthday. By Western age reckoning, he would be 26 or 27 years old.

8. He received the title of Duke of Ancheng in his lifetime; he was posthumously promoted to the rank of prince.

9. This likely refers to the death of the wives of these officials, which is outlined in the section below this statement.

10. Should be Lady Wuwan, as the Wuwan clan changed their clan name to Huan under the reforms of Emperor Xiaowen.

11. The Zizhi Tongjian phrases this differently, stating: "In life you shared honour with him [Yizhan Jun], will you share his sadness in death?" The History of the Northern Dynasties records an identical phrase to the Book of Wei, so Sima Guang likely paraphrased the earlier phrase in his record. The outcome was the same.

The Northern Wei practice

The death of Yizhan Jun started a practice in which the wives of powerful and favoured officials would be encouraged into committing suicide upon the official's death. This was first hinted using the euphemism "buried according to the rites of Shusun Jun".

(Technically, Tuoba Si had earlier poisoned Wang Luo'er's wife, but this was an irregular case. All other women to die to this practice were encouraged to commit suicide, yet she was poisoned, and the Weishu dates this practice to Shusun Jun, not Wang Luo'er. Wang Luo'er's wife may have been poisoned for a different reason)

This practice started with Tuoba Si and Yizhan Jun, but it continued into his son Tuoba Tao's reign. Tuoba Tao later buried his official Lu (Tufulu) Luyuan with the rites of Yizhan Jun, indicating this practice. Tufulu Luyuan's rites were even greater, so from then on, this practice was euphemised as "buried according to the rites of Lu Luyuan", which should indicate this practice, as Lu Luyuan was buried with this practice.

I think that although Tuoba Si claimed burial etiquette as his reasoning, the actual reasoning was probably to prevent other powerful tribes from coming to power the same way the Tuobas themselves did - using their maternal connections.

Tuoba Gui used his connections to the Helan and Murong tribes to claim power for himself. Later, Tuoba Shao's attempted seizure of power likely relied on his maternal tribe, the Helan tribe, making two incidents where this method of gaining power was attempted. Tuoba Gui created 子贵母死, and Tuoba Si this policy, to prevent others from using this method of gaining power.

Though the Tuoba clan did not restrict the greater freedom of common women, they restricted the women in elite classes, who they saw as being a threat to their power. Due to their knowledge that they only came to power with the help of maternal connections, they became fearful of these connections being exploited.

It is for this reason that the practice continued after the death of Tuoba Si, and continued to as far as Empress Dowager Feng's regency over Emperor Xiaowen. The practice was likely abolished during the sinicisation reforms of Emperor Xiaowen.

[bookofjin]

Account of the Di (WS101)

[I.e. the kingdom of Chouchi. This post covers down to the ascension of Yang Baozong in 429]

The Di are a separate kind of the Western Yi, titled the Baima. At the juncture of the Three Eras, perhaps Bai was a lord or chief, but in that period there was a single court audience. For that reason the Poetry claims:

Since those Di and Qiang, do not dare not to come to the King.

From Qin, Han and onwards, for generation they lived in Qi, Long and southwards, and Hanchuan and westwards, and established themselves as prominent leaders.

In the middle of Han's Jian'an [196 – 220] there was Yang Teng, he was a great leader of the section's family groups. Teng was brave, strong and with many plans and schemes. He was the first to move to Chouchi. Chouchi has an area of a hundred [bai] qing, because of that he used it as a title. [All] four sides are steep and sheer, and are 7 li tall. The road coils like goat intestines for thirty-six rotations. On its top is the source of the Feng river. They cook the earth to achieve salt.

After Teng there was someone named Qianwan. Wei designated him as King of the Baiqing Di. Qianwan's grandson was named Feilong. He gradually grew strong and flourishing, Emperor Wu of Jin made use of him as General who Pacifies the West.

He had no sons, and reared his sister's son Linghu Maosou as his son. Middle of Emperor Hui's Yuankang era [291 – 299], Maosou titled himself General who Supports the State and Worthy King of the Right, the crowd of Di pushed him forward as ruler. Many of the gentlemen Within the Passes who drifted and moved about relied on him. Emperor Min used him as General of Agile Cavalry and Worthy King of Left.

Maosou died, and his son Nandi controlled the position. He and his younger brother Jiantou divided the entourage. Nandi titled himself Worthy King of the Left and stationed at Xiabian. Jiantou titled himself Worthy King of the Right, and stationed at Hechi.

Nandi died, his son Yi was installed. He titled himself Envoy Holding the Tally, Dragon Prancing General, Worthy King of the Left, and Duke of Duke of Xiabian. He used Jiantou's son Pan as Envoy Holding the Tally, General of the Best of the Army, Worthy King of the Right, and Duke of Hechi. He was subject to Jin, and Jin used Yi as General who Conquers the South.

3rd Year [of Xiankang, 337 AD, per Songshu], Yi's senior kinsman Chu assaulted and killed Yi, and also gained his multitudes. He installed himself as Duke of Chouchi and was subject to Shi Hu. Later he claimed to be vassal to Jin. 10th Year of Yonghe [354 AD], changed Chu to be Duke of Tianshui.

11th Year [355 AD], Yi's younger brother Songnu sent his aunt's son Liang Sanwang to take the opportunity of attending to straight away with blade in hand kill Chu. Chu's son Guo led left and right to excute Sanwang and Songnu, and then installed himself as Duke of Chouchi. Huan Wen petitioned for Guo to be Inspector of Qin province, and for Guo's son An to be Grand Warden of Wudu.

12th Year [356 AD], Guo's junior uncle's son Jun killed Guo and installed himself. Guo's son An betrayed Fu Sheng, killed Jun, and then declared himself a vassal to Jin.

An died, his son Shi installed himself as Duke of Chouchi. Jin's 3rd Year of Taihe [368 AD], used Shi as Inspector of Qin province, and his younger brother Tong as Grand Warden of Wudu.

Shi died. Tong deposed Shi's son Zuan and installed himself. Tong was also named De. Zuan assembled a faction, assaulted and killed Tong, and installed himself as Duke of Chouchi. He dispatched envoys to go to Emperor Jianwen, who used Zuan as Inspector of Qin province. Jin's 1st Year of Xian'an [371 Ad], Fu Jian dispatched Yang An to invade Zuan. He overcame him, and moved his people to Within the Passes, and emptied the land of Baiqing.

At the death of Songnu, his two sons Fonu and Fogou escaped and ran to Fu Jian. Jian used [a daughter] as wife to Fonu's son Ding, and designated him as Master of Writing and [General who] Leads the Army. At the defeat of Fu Jian, Guanyou was disturbed and chaotic. Ding exhausted his strength for Jian. When Jian died, he led the multitudes to run to Longyou. He moved to govern Licheng, which is 120 li from Chouchi, and set up granaries and stores at Baiqing. He summoned the barbarians and the Xia, and obtained more than a thousand families. He declared himself Dragon Prancing General and Duke of Chouchi, and declared to be vassal to Jin. Xiaowu promptly used what he had titled himself to make use of him, and later used him as Inspector of Qin province. 4th Year of Dengguo [389 AD], he thereupon had the land of Qin province, and titled himself as King of Longxi. He was later killed by Qifu Qiangui. He had no sons.

Fogou's son Sheng first was overseeing the state, and defended Chouchi. He then controlled affairs, titled himself General who Conquers the West, Inspector of Qin province, and Duke of Chouchi, and conferred posthumous title on Ding as Martial [wu] King. He divided the various Di and Qiang to make twenty sections with Army-Protectors. Each he made a garrison posts, and he did not set up commanderies and counties. Thereupon he had the land of Hanzhong, but continued to declare to be vassal to Jin. Beginning of Tianxing [398 – 404], he dispatched envoys to court [i.e. the Wei court] with tribute. A decree used Sheng as Great General who Conquers the South and King of Chouchi. He was isolated and blocked off by Yao Xing, and did not mange to communicate annually with tribute and envoys. Sheng used his older brother's son Fu as General who Pacifies the South and Inspector of Liang# province, to defend Hanzhong. Middle of Liu Yu's Yongchu [420 – 422], ennobled Sheng as King of Wudu. Sheng died, his private posthumous title was Kind and Civil [huiwen] King. His son Xuan controlled the position.

Xuan, courtesy name Huangmei, was titled Great General who Conquers the West, Opening Office with Ceremony Similar to the Three Ministers, Inspector of Qin province, and King of Wudu. Though he was a declared vassal to Liu Yilong, he continued to defer to the symbol of Jin's Yongxi era. Later he started to use Yilong's Yuanjia calendar.

Earlier, Sheng spoke to Xuan, saying:

I am aged and already old, and will end as a subject of Jin. For you it is good to serve the Song emperor.

For that reason Xuan deferred to him.

Xuan was good at entertaining scholars, and was cherished by migrants and long-time [inhabitants]. 4th Year of Shiguang [427 AD], Shizu dispatched the Great Swan-geese Arranger, Gongsun Gui, to designate Xuan as Great General who Conquers the South, Chief Controller, Inspector of Liang# province, and King of Nanqin. Xuan sent up a petition to request to be aligned with inner vassals. Allowed it. Xuan died, his private posthumous title was Filial and Luminous [xiaozhao] King. His son Baozong controlled the position.

#ws101

[bookofjin]

Account of Funan (LS54)

[And other lands even further away.

Funan was located at the southern coast of what is now Cambodia and Vietnam, the great river referred to must be the Mekong.

Dunxun is presumably southern parts of modern Myanmar.]

The state of Funan is located within the great bay west of the sea south of Rinan commandery. The distance to Rinan could be 7 000 li, it is located more than 3 000 li south-west of Linyi. The distance from the city to the sea is 500 li. They have a great river ten li broad which flows from the north-west and to the east enters the sea. Their state's length and breath is more than 3 000 li. The land is stagnant and lowly and yet level and broad. The air and climate, manners and customs, are in a general comparison similar to Linyi. They produce gold, silver, copper, tin, agarwood, ivory, peacock and kingfisher [feathers], and parrots of five colours.

More than 3 000 li from their southern area is the state of Dunxun. It is located at a bend of the sea. The land is a thousand li square and the distance from city to the sea is ten li. They have five kings, all are controlled by and belong to Funan. Dunxun's eastern border communicates with Jiao province. Their western area borders the various states outside the frontiers of Tianzhu and Anxi, they come and go to exchange on the market. It is so since Dunxun turns around the centre of the sea for more than a thousand li, the Swelling Sea has no cliffs and banks, and boats and ships never manage to pass straight pass. At their market east and west exchange and gather, and daily there are more than ten thousand people. Of precious things and, treasured goods, there are none which they do not have. Also they have a wine tree which resembles pomegranate. They collect their flowers [and?] sap, and halt [?] them within earthen jars, after several it becomes wine.

Outside Dunxun on an island in the great sea, there also is the state of Piqian, the distance to Funan is 8 000 li. It is told that their king's body is two zhang long, and his head is three chi long. Since ancient times he has not died, and it is unknown what is his age. The king is divine and sagely. People within the state good or bad who are about to come to serve, the king always knows about them. As such, there are none who dare to deceive. In the southern regions, he is titled the Long Neck King. In the state's customs, they have houses and clothes, and they eat rice. The people's language is a little different from Funan. There are mountains which produces gold, gold dew form on rocks without limit. The state's law when they punish a criminal, they also eat his flesh in front of the king. Within the state, they do not accept traders as guest. If someone goes there, they also kill and eat him Thus merchants and travellers do not dare to arrive. The king has a regular lofty residence, he is not a blood eater and does not serve ghosts or gods. His sons and grandsons are born and die like regular people, only the king does not die.

The King of Funan several times dispatched envoys with letters to reply and answer each other. He often conveys to the King of Funan entirely golden eating utensils for fifty people, shaped like round trays, and also like earthen ou塸 [?], named as duoluo, accommodating five sheng, also those like bowls, accommodating one sheng. The king is likewise able to write Tianzhu [i.e. Indian] books. The book is possibly three thousand words, and explains the causes for his predetermined fate. It and the Buddhist classics resemble each other, both discuss good affairs.

It is also told that the area east of Funan is precisely the Great Swelling Sea. Within the sea there is a great island, on the island is the state of Zhubo. East of the state are the Five Islands of Horse. Then travelling east on the Swelling Sea for more than 1 000 li, [you] arrive at the Great Island of What Is As It Is. On it are trees growing with fires within them. People from nearby islands peel off and take their bark, spin threads to make cloth, at most they obtain several chi which they use for handkerchiefs. It has no differences from abaca, but the colour is a faint blue-green or black. If it is a little filthy, they throw it in the fire, and then it is once more pure and clean. Sometimes they make lamp wicks, when using them they are not, presumably, consumed.

In the state of Funan the custom was originally for naked bodies. They patterned their bodies and cloaked their hair, and had no system for upper and lower garments. They used a woman as king, titling her Liuye [lit. “Willow Leaf”]. She was young in years, big and strong, and resembled a man. South of them was a peripheral state where there was someone who served the ghosts and gods called Huntian. He dreamt the gods bestowed on him a bow, and that he steered a traders' ship into the sea. Liuye's people and multitudes saw the ship arriving, and wanted to take it. Huntian promptly drew the bow and shot the ship. It pierced through one side, and the arrow reached an attendant. Liuye was greatly afraid, and lifted up the multitudes to surrender to Huntian. Huntian then taught Liuye to make a hole in the cloth to pass through the head, and her shape was not then exposed. Thereupon he governed their state, accepted Liuye as wife, and bore sons that separately were kings in seven towns.

After that, King Hunpankuang used tricks and force to set apart the various towns, causing them to suspect and hinder each other. Following that, he raised troops, attacked, and annexed them. Then he selected among the sons and grandsons to separately reside in the various towns, titling them lesser kings.

Pankuang was aged more than ninety when he died, and they installed his middle son Panpan, with the affairs of the state entrusted to their great general Fan Man. Panpan had been installed for three years when he died, and the people of the state together raised up Man to be King. Man was fierce and strong, and had plans for dominance. He then used troops to overawe, assail and attack nearby states. Everyone submitted and belonged to him, and he titled himself Great King of Funan. Then he arranged to construct great ships to go to the ends of the Swelling Sea. They attacked Qudukun, Jiuzhi, Diansun, etc. more than ten states, and opened up a territory of five or six thousand li.

Next they were to attack the state of Jinlin, but Man became ill. He dispatched his Heir, Jinsheng, to act as his replacement. Man's nephew Zhan at the time was commander of two thousand people. Because of that, he usurp Man to install himself, and dispatched people to trick Jinsheng and then kill him. At the time Man died, he had a newborn son named Chang. He lived among the people, and when he reached twenty years of age, he then joined together strong soldiers within the state to assault and kill Zhan. Zhan's great general Fan Xun again killed Chang and installed himself. He once more repaired and put into order within the state, erected lookout towers and passageways to roam and make entertainment at them, and from dawn to the middle afternoon three or four times held audiences with guests.

The people use burning sugar can, tortoise, and birds as rituals. In the state's laws there are no pens or prisons. If there is a criminal, they first purifies themselves for three days. Then they heat an axe extremely red, and make the accused [?] hold it and walk for seven steps. They also take gold rings and chicken eggs, and throw them in boiling water, and make him find and take them. If he is not truthful, his hand will immediately burn up, if he has reasons, it will not.

Also in they city moat they rear crocodiles, and outside the gates they have enclosures with violent beasts. If there is a criminal, they immediately use famished violent beasts and crocodiles. If the beasts or crocodiles do not eat, he did no crime, and after three days they release him. Of the crocodiles, the large ones are two zhang long. They are shaped like alligators and have four feet. Their snouts are six or seven chi long with teeth on both edges, sharp like swords. They usually eat fish, when they happen to get water-deer or people they also devour them. Southward from Cangwu and foreign states all have them.

In the time of Wu, [Wu] dispatched the Central Gentleman Kang Tai and the Attendant for Promulgating Reforms Zhu Ying as envoys to explore states. The people of the state were still nude, only the wives wore [cloth] with holes for the head. Tai and Ying spoke to them, saying:

Inside the state is genuinely pleasing, it is just that people are indecent and naked which can be surprising, and that is all.

Soon after, they first made the men within the state wear crosswise bands. Crosswise bands are the current ganman [i.e. the sarong]. The great families then cut brocade to make it, the poor ones make use of cloth.

Middle of Emperor Wu of Jin's Taikang era [280 -289], they soon after first dispatched envoys to court with tribute to present. Emperor Mu's 1st Year of Shengping [357 AD], King Zhuzhantan offered a petition to present a tame elephant. The decree said:

The labour and expenses with this creature are not small, halt the order and do not send it off.

After that was King Jiaochenru, originally a brahmana from Tianzhu. There was a god which said “should be king [in] Funan”. Jiaochenru was pleased in his heart, and went south to Panpan. The people of Funan heard about it. They raised up the state's exuberant endorsement, welcomed and installed him. Then he changed the rules and measures, and employed Tianzhu law.

Jiaochenru died. Afterwards was King Chilituobamo. During the reign of Emperor Wen of Song he offered a petition to present the things of the region. Middle of Qi's Yongming era [483 – 493], King Duxiebamo dispatched envoys with tribute to present.

#ls54

[bookofjin]

Account of the Eastern Barbarians (LS54)

[百濟: Middle Chinese: *Paek-tsej, Standard Chinese: Bǎijì, Korean: Baekje, had quite extensive contact with Jiankang through seaborn travel.

[新羅: Middle Chinese: *Sin-la, Standard Chinese: Xīnluó, Korean: Silla, was probably the least known Korean kingdom to Six Dynasties China.

[倭: Middle Chinese: *'Wa, Standard Chinese: Wō, Japanese: Wa in more recent centuries has been used as a rather derogatory name for Japan. However this might not have been the case during the Six Dynasties when Japan was after all a remote and little known land in China.

A lot of this material derive from the Sanguozhi, and so was not exactly new when the Liangshu was written.

Also, please don't eat people even if their flesh is delicious.]

Among the states of the Eastern Yi, Chaoxian is the larger part. They obtained Jizi's conversions, and their receptacles and things still have rites and music. In the time of Wei, that of Chaoxian which belonged to the Dongma Han and the Chen Han for generations communicated with the Central States. Since Jin went beyond the Jiang, there floated envoys from east of the sea, and there was Gaogouli and Baiji, and in the timespan of Song and Qi they regularly exchanged appointments and tribute. When Liang flourished, they also made additions to them. The state of Fusang was in the past unknown. Middle of Putong [520 – 527], there was person of the Way that claimed he ad arrived from there. His words on the primary origins were particularly thorough, and for that reason [I] have also copied them.

…

Baiji, their ancestors among the Eastern Yi were the states of the Three Han. The first was called Mahan, the second Chenhan, and the third Bianhan. The Bianhan and Chenhan each had twelve states, Mahan had 54 states. The great states had more than ten thousand families, the small states had several thousand families, altogether there were more than a hundred thousand households. Baiji was precisely one of them. Later they gradually become strong and large, and combined the various small states. Their state was originally together with Gouli located east of Liaodong. During the Jin period when Gouli was roughly possessing Liaodong, Baiji likewise occupied land of Liaoxi and Jinping commandeiers, and from them set up Baiji commandery.

Middle of Jin's Taiyuan [376 – 396] there was King Xu, middle of Yixi [405 – 418] King Yuying, middle of Song's Yuanjia [424 – 453], King Yupi. All of them dispatched to present living mouths. Yupi died, they installed his son Qing. Qing died, his son Moudu was installed. Du died, they installed his son Moutai. Middle of Qi's Yongming [483 – 493], he was appointed Great Chief Controller for the Various Army Affairs of Baiji, Great General who Quells the East, and King of Baiji.

…

Xinluo, their ancestors were originally of the Chenhan kind. The Chenhan were also called the Qin Han, the distance between them was ten ten thousand li. Tradition say that in the age of Qin, fugitives fled conscription and came consequently to the Mahan. The Mahan likewise cut off their eastern area to settle them. Since they were people of Qin, they for that reason were called Qin Han. How they call things in their language resembles people from the Central States. They call a state a country, a bow an arc, a thief a bandit, and drinking wine as drinking toasts. They all call each other convicts, which is not the same as the Mahan. Also for the kings of the Chenhan they regularly employed people of the Mahan to make them. For generations they were bound together, the Chenhan did not mange to install themselves as kings, and they made clear them being drifting and shifting people was the reason.

The Chenhan at first had six states, little by little they divided to become twelve, Xinluo is precisely one of them. Their state is located more than 5 000 li south-east of Baiji. East of their land they adjoin the great sea, and north and south they have borders with Gouli and Baiji. In the time of Wei they were called Xinlu, in the time of Song Xinluo and sometimes Siluo. Their state was small and they were unable to communicate through envoys and missions.

…

The Wo refer to themselves as descendants of Taibo, by custom they all decorate their bodies. The distance from Daifang is more than 12 000 li. For the most part they are located east of Kuaiji, the distance between them is exceedingly long. From Daifang to Wo, [you] follow the sea and travelling by water, go past the Han states, east then south, and after more than 7 000 li, first cross one sea. The sea is more than 1 000 li broad and is named the Han Sea. [You] arrive at the state of Yizhi. Again cross one sea for more than 1000 li, named the state of Weilu. Again travel south-east by land 500 li to arrive at the state of Yidu. Again travel south-east 100 li to arrive at the state of Nu. Again travel east 100 li to arrive at the state of Bumi. Again travel south 20 days by water to arrive at the state of Touma. Again travel 10 days south by water, and travel by land a month and a day to arrive at the state of Qimatai, which is precisely where the King of Wo resides.

Their officials are the Yizhima, next the Mimahuozhi, next the Nuwangdi. The people grow millet, rice, ramie, and hemp, silkworms and mulberry, they weave and spin. They have ginger, cinnamon, tangerine, (fagara) pepper and perilla. They produce black pheasant, true pearls, and blue-green jade. There is an animal which is like an ox, named the shanshu [lit. “mountain mouse]. There is also a great snake that swallows this animal. The snake's skin is hard and not possible to cut, On it there is a hole which opens and closes, sometimes it is glowing. Shoot and hit it, and the snake then dies.

The things and products are roughly similar to Dan'er and Zhuya. The land is warm and temperal, the manners and customs are not licentious. Men and women all expose their hair-knots [?]. The rich and noble use brocade embroidered with a mix of colours for their headgear, resembling the Central States' Hu-style wear. For food and drink they use bamboo bowls and platters. When they die, they have an inner-coffin but no outer-coffin, they raise a mound to make a tomb. The people all by nature have a thirst for alcohol. In their customs they do not know the correct year, but many live to old age. Many become eighty or ninety, some become a hundred years old. In their customs, women are many and men are few. The noble have four or five wives, the humble still have two or three wives. A wife is not licentious or jealous. They have no banditry or theft and few arguments and disputes. If [someone] transgress the law, if it is light they take his wife and children. If serious, they wipe out his clan.

Middle of Emperor Ling of Han's Guanghe era [178 – 184], the state of Wo was in chaos. They attacked and invaded each other over successive years, and then installed a woman, Beimihu as King [Middle Chinese: Pjie-mjie-xu]. Mihu had no husband and held close the Way of ghosts. She was able to deceive the multitudes, and for that reason the people of the state installed her. She had a younger brother who aided her in governing the sate. After becoming king, few saw her. She used a thousand servant girls to attend herself, and only made a single man set out and enter to pass on her teachings and orders. The location of her palace houses, regularly had troops and defending guards. Reaching Wei's 3rd Year of Jingchu [239 AD], after Gongsun Yuan was executed, Beimihu first dispatched envoys to court with tribute. Wei used her as King Friendly to Wei, making use of golden seal and purple ribbon.

Middle of Zhengshi [240 – 249], Beimihu died, and they once more installed a man as King. Within the state [people] did not submit, and once more executed and killed each other. Then they installed a clanswoman of Beimihu, Taiyu, as King. After her they then installed a man as King. All accepted the Central States' feudal titles and instructions. In the time of Emperor An of Jin [r. 396 – 419], there was King Zan of Wo. Zan died, they installed his younger brother Mi. Mi died, they installed his son Ji. Ji died, they installed his son Xing. Xing died, they installed his younger brother Wu. Middle of Qi's Jianyuan [479 – 482], they appointed Wu Holding the Tally, Controlling the Various Army Affairs of the Six States of Wo, Xinluo, Renna, Qieluo, Qinhan, and Muhan, and Great General who Quells the East.

…

South of them is the state of Zhuru [lit. “Midgets”], where people are three or four chi tall. Again south are the states of Heichi [“Black Teeth”] and Luo [“Nude”], the distance from Wo is more than 4 000 li, travel by boat is perhaps a year before arriving. Again south-west for more 10 000 li are the sea people. Their bodies are black and their eyeballs are white, they are nude and repulsive. Their flesh is delicious and travellers sometimes shoot and eat them.

The state of Wenshen [“Patterned Bodies”] is more than 7 000 li north-east of the state of Wo. People's limbs have patterns like animals, and on their heads are three patterns. Those whose patterns are straight are noble, those whose patterns are thin are humble. Their native custom is to be happy and pleased. Things are plentiful but worthless. Travelling guests do not offer provisions. They have roofs and eaves but no walled cities. The place where their king resides is decorated with gold, silver, and precious and magnificent [things]. They surround their houses with a moat, 1 zhang wide, and fill it with mercury. Rain then flows on top of the mercury. At the market they use precious treasure. Those who commit a light crime they whip and cane. Those who commit a capital crime, they set up a violent animal to eat them. If it is unjust, the violent animal will turn away and not eat them. If they pass through the night, they will pardon them.

The state of Dahan [“Great Han”] is more than 5 000 li east of the state of Wenshen. They have no troops or weapons, and they do not attack or battle. Their manners and customs are both similar to the state of Wenshen, but their language are different.

#ls54

[bookofjin]

Account of Central Tianzhu (LS54)

天竺, Middle Chinese *Then-trjuwk, Standard Chinese Tiānzhú, and 身毒, Middle Chinese *'Jwien-dowk, Standard Chinese Yuāndú, both derive from Iranian Hinduka and ultimately from Sanskrit Sindhu. As such these names have the same etymological origin as India.

師子, Middle Chinsee *Srij-tsi, Standard Chinese Shīzǐ, is the Sinhala kindom on Sri Lanka.

…

The state of Panpan, during Emperor Wen of Song's Yuanjia era [424 – 453] and Xiaowu's Xiaojian [454 – 456] and Daming [457 – 464] eras dispatched envoys with tribute to present.

…

The state of Gantuoli is located on an island in the Southern Sea. Their customs are roughly similar to Linyi and Funan. They produce ban班 cloth, jibei [tree cotton], and betel nut. The betel nuts are especially excellent, the pinnacle among the various states. During Xiaowu of Song's reign [454 – 464 AD], King Shipoluo Ranfuliantuo dispatched Senior Clerk Zhuliutuo to present gold, silver, and precious vessels.

…

The state of Central Tianzhu is located several thousand li south-east of Greater Yuezhi. The land is 30 000 li square. It is also named Yuandu. In the Han period Zhang Qian was sent to Daxia where he saw Qiong bamboo canes and Shu cloth. People of the state said they bought it in Yuandu. Yuandu is precisely Tianzhu. Probably the transmitted transcription of the sound and character are not similar, they really are the same. In the times of Han, they were controlled by and belonged to Yuezhi. Their customs and native characteristics are similar to the Yuezhi, but they are low-lying and humid, and feverishly hot. The people are weak and fearful in battle, and are weaker than the Yuezhi. The state is near a great river named Xintao which springs forth from Kulun and divided to become five rivers. Collectively they are called the Geng River [I.e. the Ganges]. Its water is sweet and pleasing. In it is true salt, coloured exactly white like water essence.

Native customs produce rhinoceros, elephant, marten, gerbil, hawksbill turtle, “fire blend” [huoqi火齊], gold, silver, iron, gold threads woven into complete gold felt, finely rubbed white folded [fabric?], excellent furs, and wool rugs. “Fire blend” is shaped like mica and is coloured like purple gold. It has a glowing sparkle. If divided up, it is thin like cicada wings. If piled up, it is like the layers of gauze or crepe. To their west they exchange and trade with Daqin and Anxi within the seas. There is much of Daqin's precious things – coral, amber, golden blue-green gems, pearls, gemstone-jade, tumeric, and storax. Storax is made by combining various fragrant saps and boiling them, it is not naturally from a single thing. It is also said that the people of Daqin gather storax, first press it for the sap to use as a fragrant ointment, and then sell its dregs to merchants from various states. Thus when it in turns come to the Central States, it is not very fragrant. Tumeric is only produced in the state of Jibin. The flowers are coloured exactly white and are delicate. It and those lotus flowers that are enclosed in the lotus leaves resemble each other. The people of the state first take it and send it up to the Buddhist temples, and for a number of days the fragrance wither, and then they clear away and remove it. Merchants seek out hirelings from within the temples, and so move it to sell to other states.

Emperor Huan of Han's 9th Year of Yanxi [166 AD], the King of Daqin, Antun, dispatched envoys to come and present from outside the frontiers of Rinan, during the Han period it was the only communication with them. The people of that state travel as merchants, from time to time arriving in Funan, Rinan, and Jiaozhi. Among the people from the various states on their southern frontiers there are few that have reached Daqin.

Sun Quan's 5th Year of Huanwu [226 AD], there was a merchant from Daqin, Ziqinlun, who came to Jiaozhi. The Grand Warden of Jiaozhi, Wu Miao sent him off to Quan. Quan asked about the region's native songs and customs. Lun provided detailed answers to the matters. At the time Zhuge Ke chastised Danyang, and captured short people from Yi and She [counties]. Lun saw them and said:

In Daqin [we] rarely see this [kind of] people.

Quan had men and women, ten each, and the selected envoy Liu Xian of Kuaiji sent off with Lun. Xian suffered a mishap on the road, and Lun then went straight back to his home state.

In the time of Emperor He of Han [r. 88 – 105 AD], Tianzhu several times dispatched envoys with tribute to present. Later the Western Region turned to rebellion and consequently they were cut off. Arriving at Emperor Huan's 2nd Year [159 AD] and 4th Year of Yanxi [161 AD], they frequently came from outside the frontiers of Rinan to present.

In the Wei and Jin periods, they were cut off and did not again communicate. However in the time of Wu, the King of Funan, Fan Zhan, dispatched a relative, Suwu, as envoy to their state. From Funan he issued forth from the mouth of the Juli, circled around a great bay in the sea, and straight north-west entered successive bays bordering several states. It could have been more than a year when he arrived at the mouth the Tianzhu river. He travelled against the water for 7 000 li and then arrived there. The King of Tianzhu was startled and said:

At the sea coast furthest away they still have this person.

He promptly shouted out orders to observe and take a look inside the state, and carried on selecting Chen and Song, two persons, with four Yuezhi horses as repayment to Zhan, and dispatched them to go back with Wu and others. After a total of four years exactly they arrived. At that time Wu dispatched Central Gentleman Kang Tai as envoy to Funan. When he saw Chen, Song, and others, he comprehensively asked about Tianzhu's native customs, as follows:

The Way of the Buddha is what fosters the state. The people are sincere and varied, and the land is fertile and well-watered. Their king is titled Maolun. The capital is a walled city. Water springs forth in a split flow, entwines it in a knot of channels [?], and flows down into the great river. Their palace halls all are engraved and patterned with inlays and carvings. There are bending streets, markets and residential compounds, buildings, storied houses and towers, bells, drums, tones and music, clothes, decorations and fragrant flowers. Communication flows by water and land, a hundred merchants exchange and gather, and there are strange playthings and precious jewels to indulge the heart's desires. To their left and right are Jiawei, Shewei, Yebo, and others, sixteen great states, their distance to Tianzhu is perhaps two or three thousand li. They all together respect and serve them, and consider them to be at the centre of Heaven and Earth.

…

The state of Shizi is a state nearby Tianzhu. Its land is harmonious and comfortable, there are no differences between winter and summer. The Five Grains follows from when people plant them, it is not necessary to follow the seasons. Their state in the past was without people, there was only ghosts, spirits and dragons who lived there. Merchant from various states came to trade and hold market together. The ghosts and spirits did not make visible their bodies, but only produced precious treasure and put forth what value they would be worth. The merchants who agreed to the price took them. People from various states heard about the pleasures of their lands. Following that, they contended to arrive there, and sometimes there were those who stopped to live there. Consequently they achieved a great state.

Beginning of Jin's Yixi era [405 – 418], they first dispatched to present a jade image, passing through ten years before arriving. The image was 4 chi, 2 cun tall [c. 97 cm], the jade's colour was pure and lustrous, and the shape and construction was unusual and unique. This image during the successive Jin and Song periods was located at Waguan Temple. The temple first had from before five images of the Buddha made by the hand of the summoned scholar Dai Andao [Dai Kui] and Gu Changkang's painted chart of the vimāna. People of the period spoke of them as the Three Unmatched. Reaching the reign of Donglun of Qi [r. 498 – 501], he consequently destroyed the jade image. First he cut off the arms, then he took the body and made hair-ornaments and bracelets for his favourite concubine, the Honoured Consort Pan.

Song's 6th Year [429 AD] and 12th Year of Yuanjia [435 AD], their King Chalimohe dispatched envoys with tribute to present.

…

#ls54

[bookofjin]

Accounts of Qiuci and Yutian (LS54)

The state of 龜茲, Middle Chinese *Khjuw-dzi, Standard Chinese Qiūcí, now Kucha, was located on the northern side of the Tarim basin.

The state of 于闐, Middle Chinese *Hju-den, Standard Chinese Yútián, now Hotan or Khotan, was located on the south-western of the Tarim basin.

Beside their central locations on the Silk Road, both kindoms were centers for Buddhist learning and served a key role in that religion's spread into China.

Pictures ambassadors taken from Song copy of the Portraits of Periodical Offering of Liang (Beiti and Qiuci), Tang The Gathering of Kings (c. 650 AD) (Beiti, Qiuci, and Yutian), and the Southern Tang Entrance of the Foreign Visitors of Emperor Yuan of Liang (mid 10th century)(Beiti, Qiuci, and Yutian)

(Scans taken from Wikipedia)

The various Rong of the North-west, during the Han period, Zhang Qian first went out on the tracks of the Western Region, Gan Ying then approached the Western Sea. Sometimes they dispatched attendant sons, sometimes they offered displays of tribute. At that time, though they were destitute in troops, they were extremely martial, and they were only just overcome and vanquished. Compared to previous eras, their plundering was far reaching. In the time of Wei, three regions were [like] legs of a tripod, with daily matters of opposing halberds, When the Jin clan pacified Wu and afterwards, and they for a little while obtained a little tranquillity and rest, they merely set up the office of Wuji. The various states likewise were not yet retainers and followers. Continuing on with the Central States' destruction and disorder, Hu people rose up one after the other. The Western Region was separated and blocked from Jiangdong and difficult translations were not exchanged. Lü Guang's expedition to Quici was more like barbarians invading barbarians, and no idea of the Central States. Since that point, the various states have divided and united, been victorious or defeated, strong or weak, and it is difficult to obtain a thorough record. Bright gems and blue feathers were only familiar in the rear palaces, Pushao and Longwen [horses] rarely entered the outer offices. At Liang accepting the mandate, they who served the correct calendar and were in the court's palaces and courtyard, were the states of Chouchi, Dangchang, Gaochang, Dengzhi, Henan, Quici, Yutian and Hua. Now [I] patch together their manners and customs, and as an Account of the North-western Rong as follows:

…

The state of Hua is a branch of Jushi. Han's 1st Year of Yongjian [126 AD], Bahua accompanied Ban Yong to strike the northern villains and had merit. Yong elevated Bahua to Marquis Friendly to Han of the Rear Section. From Wei, Jin, and onwards, they did not communicate with the Central States.

…

The state of Baiti, the King's family name is Zhi and his personal name Shijiyi. His ancestors perhaps were Hu from a branch of the Xiongnu. When Han's Guan Ying fought with Xiongnu, he beheaded one Baiti cavalryman. Now it is east of the state of Hua. The distance to Hua is six day's travel, furthest west is Persia [Bosi波斯]. The land produces millet, wheat, and melons. The food is roughly similar to Hua.

…

Qiuci is an old state of the Western Regions. In the time of Guangwu of Later Han [r- 25 – 57 AD], their King was named Hong. He was killed by the King of Shache, Xian, who wiped out his family. Xian sent his son Zeluo to be King of Qiuci. The people of the state also killed Zeluo. The Xiongnu installed a notable man from Quici, Shendu, as King, and because of this they belonged to the Xiongnu. However Qiuci in the Han period was regularly a great state, the capital was called Yan City.

When Emperor Wen of Wei begun his reign [r. 220 - 226], they dispatched envoys with tribute to present. Middle of Jin's Taikang era [280 -289], they dispatched sons to enter [court] in attendance.

7th Year of Taiyuan [382 AD], the ruler of Qin, Fu Jian, dispatched general Lü Guang to invade the Western Region. He arrived at Qiuci. The King of Qiuci, Bochun, loaded up the treasure, set out and ran. Guang entered his city. The city has three layers. The outer walls are comparable to the walls of Chang'an. The rooms and buildings are huge and magnificent. For decoration they use gemstones, gold, and jade. Guang installed Bochun's younger brother Zhen as King, and then returned home. Since then they have been cut off from the Central States and not communicated.

…

The state of Yutian belongs to the Western Regions. At the end of Later Han's Jianwu era Jianwu [25 – 56 AD], King Yu was routed by the King of Shache, Xian. He moved him to be King of Ligui, and used his younger brother Junde as King of Yutian. He was violent and cruel, and the hundred families were troubled by him. Middle of Yongping [58 – 75 AD], a man of their kind, Dumo, killed Junde. A nobleman, Xiumoba also killed Dumo, and installed himself as King. Ba died, and his older brother's son Guangde was installed. He afterwards struck and captured the King of Shache, Xian, to return home, and killed him, and thereupon he made a strong state. The various small states of the north-west all yield and follow.

In their land there are many rivers and rainstorms, sand and rock. The air is warm and suitable for rice, wheat, and rose apple [putao 蒲桃]. There is a river which produces jade, it is called the Yu He [“Jade river”, 玉河]. People of the state are good at casting copper vessels. Their government seat is called Xishan City, it has roofed houses, markets, and wells. The fruit and vegetables are comparable to the Central States. They are particularly reverent of Buddhism. The building where the King dwells has cinnabar drawings applied to it. The King's headgear is a golden head-wrap, similar to the present Hu-style hat. He sits side by side with his wife when welcoming guests. Within their state, the married women all braid their hair and wear fur trousers. Their people are respectful. When they see each other, they kneel, and when they kneel, one knee touches the ground. For writing they use wood for brush and slips, and jade for stamps. When the people of the state obtain a letter, they wear it on their head, and then afterwards open up the slips. In the time of Emperor Wen of Wei, King Shanxi presented famous horses.

#ls54

[bookofjin]

Early history of Linyi (LS54)

Up to c. 413 AD.

The state of 林邑, Middle Chinese *Lim-'ip, Vietnamese Lâm Ấp, Standard Chinese Línyì, was located in what is now central Vietnam.

The Liangshu account is quite close to the one in Jinshu but each have elements not found in the other.

The various states South of the Sea for the most part are located on islands in the great sea south and south-west of Jiao Province, the distance for those close is three to five thousand li, those distant twenty or thirty thousand li. The western ones are adjacent to the various states of the Western Region. Middle of Han's Yuanding era [116 – 111 BC], they dispatched the General who Humbles the Waves, Lu Bode, laid open the Hundred Yue, and set up Rinan commandery. The various states that were outside its borders from the reign of Emperor Wu and onwards all sent tribute to court. In the period of Emperor Huan of Later Han [r. 146 – 167 AD], Daqin and Tianzhu both made use of this route to dispatch envoys envoys with tribute to present. Reaching the time of Sun Quan of Wu [r. 222 – 252], he dispatched the Assistant Officer for Promulgating Reform Zhu Ying and the Central Gentleman Kang Tai to communicate with them. Those they passed through and those they heard accounts of amounted to a hundred and several tens states, and following that there was established records and accounts. During the Jin era communications with the Central States were perhaps rare, and for that reason were not conveyed to the history officials. Reaching Song an Qi, there were arrivals from more than ten states, and they started to make accounts about them. Since Liang's change in fortune, they who served the correct calendar, redress tributary responsibilities, and sail the seas to arrive annually, exceed those of previous eras. Now [I] gather their manners, customs as roughly put forth, and patch them together as an Account of South of the Sea as follows:

The state of Linyi [MC: Lim-'ip] was originally Han's Xianglin county in Rinan commandery, at the boundary of ancient Yuechang. The General who Humbles the Waves, Ma Yuan, opened up Han's southern border, and set up this county. Their land's length and breadth could be 600 li, the distance from their city to the sea 120 li, and the distance to Rinan's southern border more than 400 li. To the north it borders Jiude commandery. From their southern border on a route by water and by foot for more than 200 li there is a western state of barbarians who likewise claim to be kings. [There] Ma Yuan erected a pair of copper pillars to show the location of Han's border.

Their state have golden mountains where the rocks hall wave a reddish colour, and from their midst gold is produced. The gold flies out at night, in shape it is like the lights from fireflies. They also produce hawksbill turtle, shell teeth, jibei, and sinking wood incense. Jibei is the name of a tree. At time their flowers are complete, they are like goose down. They draw out their threads and spin them to make cloth. Pure white it does not differ from ramie cloth. They also dye it completely with five colours and weave it to make mottled cloth. Sinking wood, local people cut and chop it up, and store it for years. It rots and decays until the heartwood alone remains. If put into water, it sinks, and for that reason it is called sinking incense. Next is that which does not sink and does not float, it is called zhan棧 incense.

[This is the process of making agarwood incense which nowadays you apparently can buy on Amazon.]

At the end of Han there was great chaos. The Board of Merit officer Ou Da killed the county Prefect and installed himself as King. It was transmitted for several generations, but after that the King had no heir and he installed his sister-son Fan Xiong. Xiong died and his son Yi inherited. Emperor Cheng of Jin's 3rd Year of Xiankang [337 AD], Yi died, and the slave Wen usurped and was installed.

Wen was originally the family slave of barbarian leader from Xijuan county in Rinan, Fan Zhi. He often herded the cattle at the mountain brooks where he found a snakehead fish with two heads. It changed and turned into iron, and following that he used it to forge a sword.

When the forging was complete, Wen turned toward a rock and made a prayer, saying:

If when cut the rock breaks, Wen will be King in this state.

Following that, he raised his sword and cut the rock, it was like cutting hay or dry wood. Wen in his heart was singularly amazed with it. Fan Zhi often sent him to trade with merchants that reached Linyi. Following that he taught the King of Linyi to build palace houses and military chariots, implements and weapons. The King favoured and relied on him. Later he then slandered the King's various sons, and each fled to other states. When the King died without an heir, Wen pretended to the neighbouring to go and receive the King's sons. He put poison within their liquid to kill them. Thereupon he compelled the people of the state and installed himself. He raised troops to attack the nearby small states, all were swallowed up and extinguished by him. He had a multitude of forty or fifty thousand people.

At the time the Inspector of Jiao province, Jiang Zhuang, sent his intimates Han Ji and Xie Zhi to oversee Rinan commandery from beginning to end. Both were covetous and ruthless, and the various states were troubled by them. Emperor Mu's 3rd Year of Yonghe [347 AD], the palace dispatched Xiahou Lan as Grand Warden, his intrusions and cruelties were particularly extreme. Linyi previously had no farm land, and he coveted Rinan's land for being rich and well-watered. He had often wanted to seize and take possession of it. Arriving at this point, he took the opportunity of the people's anger, and thereupon raised troops to assault Rinan. He killed Lan and used his corpse as a sacrifice to Heaven. He remained in Rinan for three years, and then turned back to Linyi.

The Inspector of Jiao province, Zhu Fan, after that dispatched the Controller-Protector Liu Xiong to defend Rinan. Wen again slaughtered and wiped him out. He advanced to rob Jiude commandery, and injured and murdered the personnel and common people. He dispatched envoys to report it to Fan, and desired to use Heng Mountain on the northern border of Rinan as the boundary. Fan did not allow it, and again dispatched Controller-Protectors Tao Huan and Li Qu to chastise him. Wen returned to Linyi, but soon after again took station in Rinan.

5th Year [349 AD], Wen died and his son Fo was installed, he was still stationed in Rinan. The General who Conquers the West, Huan Wen, dispatched the Controller-Protector Teng Jun, and the Grand Warden of Jiuzhen, Guan Sui to lead the troops of Jiao and Guang provinces to chastise him. Fo fortified the city and firmly defended. Sui ordered Jun to with ample troops to the front while Sui led 700 sturdy soldiers to cross over the ramparts from the rear. Fu's multitudes scattered in surprise, and he ran and fled. Sui pursued until Linyi, and Fo then requested to submit. Beginning of Emperor Ai's Shengping era [357 – 361], he again began with robbing and violence. The Inspector, Wen Fangzhi, chastised and routed him.

Emperor An's 3rd Year of Long'an [399 AD], Fo's grandson Xuda again robbed Rinan and took the Grand Warden, Gui Yuan. He also advanced to rob Jiude and took the Grand Warden, Cao Bing. The Grand Warden of Jiaozhi, Du Yuan, dispatched Controller-Protector Deng Yi and others to strike and route him, and forthwith [the court] used Yuan as Inspector. 3rd Year of Yixi [407 AD], Xuda again robbed Rinan and killed the Senior Clerk. Yuan dispatched the Controller-Protector for Sea Patrols, Ruan Fei, to chastise and rout him. He behead and took prisoner a considerable multitude. 9th Year [413 AD], Xuda again robbed Jiuzhen. The Acting on Commandery Affairs Du Huiqi fought with him, and beheaded his King of Xijiaolong [?], Zhenzhi, his general Fan Jian, and others, captured alive Xuda's Xineng [?], and took prisoner more than a hundred people. After Yuan's passing, no year passing in which Linyi did not rob Rinan and Jiude commanderies. They killed and laid waste to extreme extent, and Jiao province thereupon became empty and weak.

#ls54

[bookofjin]

JTS01, Biography of Gaozu (Part 1)

(My first translation, so I may well have got things wrong. When I finish translating Gaozu's biography I'll put it together and post it on my Wordpress)

The Exalted Founder (gaozu), Divine Great Sage Great Glorious Filial (shenyao dasheng daguang xiao) August Emperor's surname was Li, taboo Yuan. His ancestors were Di people of Longxi, Prince Wuzhao of Liang Gao's seventh-generation descendant (Prince Wuzhao of Liang was a ruler in the Sixteen Kingdoms period).

高祖神堯大聖大光孝皇帝姓李氏，諱淵。其先隴西狄道人，涼武昭王暠七代孫也。

Gao begot Xin. Xin begot Chong'er, (who) served in the government of (Northern) Wei as Governor of Hongnong Prefecture. Chong'er begot Xi, who was Brigadier-General of Jinmen, who led outstanding men to pacify Wuchuan, thus his family was there. In Yifeng (an era name of Emperor Gaozong of Tang, Gaozu's grandson), was posthumously honoured as Widespread August Emperor. Xi begot Tianxi, who served in the government of (Northern) Wei as Master of Banners. Achieved great command, was bestowed as Sikong. In Yifeng, was honoured as Glorious August Emperor.

暠生歆。歆生重耳，仕魏為弘農太守。重耳生熙，為金門鎮將，領豪傑鎮武川，因家焉。儀鳳中，追尊宣皇帝。熙生天錫，仕魏為幢主。大統中，贈司空。儀鳳中，追尊光皇帝.

The Imperial Ancestor's taboo (was) Hu, (was) Later Wei (Western Wei?)'s Supervisor, conferred as Duke of Longxi Commandery, accompanied Emperor Wen of Zhou (Yuwen Tai) with Grand Protector Li Bi, Minister of War Dugu Xin, etc. because of merits in participating as a subordinate was conferred, (they) were at the time known as the "Eight Pillars of the State", (Hu) was bestowed the surname of Daye.

皇祖諱虎，後魏左僕射，封隴西郡公，與周文帝及太保李弼、大司馬獨孤信等以功參佐命，當時稱為“八柱國家”，仍賜姓大野氏。

When Zhou received abdication (Emperor Wen of Sui came to the throne), (Hu) was posthumously conferred the title of Duke of Tang, posthumous name Xiang. When Emperor Wen of Sui was chancellor, their old surname (Li) was restored. At the beginning of Wude (Gaozu's era name), was posthumously honoured as Revered August Emperor, temple name Grand Founder (taizu), tomb in Yongkang.

周受禪，追封唐國公，諡曰襄。至隋文帝作相，還復本姓。武德初，追尊景皇帝，廟號太祖，陵曰永康。

The Imperial Deceased Father's taboo was Bing, was in charge of (Northern) Zhou's An Province, General-In-Chief of the (Eight) Pillars, inherited the title of Duke of Tang, posthumous name Ren. At the beginning of Wude, was posthumously honoured as Fundamental August Emperor, temple name Generational Ancestor (shizu), tomb in Xingning.

皇考諱昞，周安州總管、柱國大將軍，襲唐國公，諡曰仁。武德初，追尊元皇帝，廟號世祖，陵曰興寧。

Gaozu was born in the first year of Tianhe (one of Yuwen Yong's era names) in Chang'an, inherited the title of Duke of Tang at seven years old (by East Asian age reckoning). Growing up, he was outstanding and magnanimous, headstrong and sincere, generous, benevolent, and forgiving to the public. No matter if noble or lowly, all obtained his friendship. Sui accepted (Zhou)'s abdication, supplied one thousand cows personally. Emperor Wen's Empress Dugu was his maternal aunt, because of this was especially beloved (by Emperor Wen?), accumulated and conveyed as Regional Inspector of the three provinces of Qiao, Long and Qi.

高祖以周天和元年生於長安，七歲襲唐國公。及長，倜儻豁達，任性真率，寬仁容眾，無貴賤鹹得其歡心。隋受禪，補千牛備身。文帝獨孤皇后，即高祖從母也，由是特見親愛，累轉譙、隴、岐三州刺史。

Had a history of being virtuous and benevolent to others, (Emperor Wen?) called Gaozu and said:

"Your Honour's character is extraordinary, your heart has the appearance of a leader, I hope (you have) self-respect, do not forget my humble words."

Gaozu because of this was slightly conceited. At the beginning of Daye (Emperor Yang of Sui's era name), became Governor of the two commanderies of Xingyang and Loufan, recruited as lesser supervisor of the inner palace.

有史世良者，善相人，謂高祖曰：“公骨法非常，必為人主，願自愛，勿忘鄙言。”高祖頗以自負。大業初，為滎陽、樓煩二郡太守，征為殿內少監。

Ninth year (of Daye), promoted to lesser officer in the Commander of Palace Guards. In the Liaodong Campaign (Emperor Yang of Sui's expeditions in Goguryeo), supervised transportation and pacified Huaiyuan County. And Yang Xuangan rebelled, (Emperor Yang) decreed Gaozu move to a relay station to defend Honghua Commandery, and he knew and assisted in the affairs of all armies.

遼東之役，督運於懷遠鎮。及楊玄感反，詔高祖馳驛鎮弘化郡，兼知關右諸軍事.

Gaozu experienced many tests at home and abroad, and was simple and virtuous, he made many friendships with outstanding figures, and was close to numerous. At this time Emperor Yang was very suspicious of him, many suspected and feared him. An imperial decree summoned Gaozu to travel to (Emperor Yang)'s location, but did not go due to suffering from illness. At that time (Gaozu)'s niece Lady Wang was in (Emperor Yang)'s harem, the emperor asked her:

"Why is your maternal uncle late?"

Lady Wang responded that it was due to sickness, the emperor said:

"Could he die?"

高祖曆試中外，素樹恩德，及是結納豪傑，眾多款附。時煬帝多所猜忌，人懷疑懼。會有詔征高祖詣行在所，遇疾未謁。時甥王氏在後宮，帝問曰：“汝舅何遲？”王氏以疾對，帝曰：“可得死否？”

Gaozu heard this and it increased his fear, so drank excessively, became deeply immersed in drinking and bribery, so as to pass off his traces as this. In the eleventh year (of Daye), Emperor Yang favoured Fenyang Palace, ordered Gaozu to go to Shanxi and Hedong to disparage, punish and arrest (rebels). The troops arrived in Longmen, the traitors commanding (mothers and sons who followed them?) were numerous and thinly spread in cities.

高祖聞之益懼，因縱酒沉湎，納賄以混其跡焉。十一年，煬帝幸汾陽宮，命高祖往山西、河東黜陟討捕。師次龍門，賊帥母端兒帥眾數千薄於城下。

Gaozu used more than ten mounted soldiers to attack, shot seventy, all responded to the crossbow and fell, the traitors thus collapsed. In the twelfth year (of Daye), was promoted to Right Strong Guard General.

高祖從十余騎擊之，所射七十發，皆應弦而倒，賊乃大潰。十二年，遷右驍衛將軍。

[bookofjin]

Foundation and early history of Goguryeo

According to Liangshu and Weishu. The Liangshu account adapts the foundation myth found in the 1st century text Lunheng while the description of Goguryeo customs and history during Han times derive from the accounts found in Sanguozhi and Houhanshou, to the point that "the present" actualy refer to the 3rd century.

The much longer version of the foundation story found in Weishu is pretty close to the text found in the Samguk Sagi.

The reader is invited to make comparisons with the stories of Romulus of Rome, Cyrus of Persia, Houji of Zhou, etc., etc.

[LS54]

Gaogouli [MC: Kaw-kuw-lje], their ancestors sprung from Dongming. Dongming originally was a son of the northern Yi King of Guanli. The King of Li set out on a journey, and after that a young attendant became pregnant. The King of Li returned, and wanted to kill her. The young attendant said:

[I] previously saw above in the sky vapour resembling a chicken egg, it came down to me, following that [I] became pregnant.

The King imprisoned, and afterwards she then gave birth to a boy. The King set him up in the pigs' pen. The pigs breathed on him with the vapour from their mouths and he did not die. The king considered him to be a god, and therefore allowed him to be collected and reared. Reaching adulthood, he was good at shooting. The King dreaded his fierceness and again wanted to kill him. Dongming therefore ran and fled, and went south until a flooded and clogged up river. He struck the water with his bow, and fish and turtles all floated up to make a bridge. Dongming climbed onto it and managed to cross. He arrived in Fuyu [MC: Pju-yo] and became king there.

A separate branch of his descendants became Gaogouli. That state was Han's Xuantu commandery. It was located east of Liaodong, and the distance to Liadong was a thousand li. In the Han and Wei periods, it bordered Chaoxian and Huimo to the south, Woju to the east, and Fuyu to the north. In Emperor Wu of Han's 4th Year of Yuanfeng [107 BC], he extinguished Chaoxian, set up Xuantu commandery, and used Gaogouli as a county belonging to it.

The size of Gouli's territory is perhaps 2 000 l. Within it is Liao Mountain from where the Liao River sets out. Their royal capital is below of Wandu. There are many great mountains and deep valleys without uplands or marshes. The hundred families rely on them for their dwellings and are nourished by the brooks and rivers. Although natives, they have no good fields, and for that reason they are customarily modest with food. They are fond of arranged palaces and chambers, and left of where they dwell they erect great buildings to worship spirits and gods. They also sacrifice to the numinous stars and the altars of soil and grain.

The people are by nature nefarious and rash, and delight in robbing and plundering. Their officials are the Chancellor Assigner相加, duilu對盧, peizhe沛者, guzoujia古鄒加, Master of Accounts, youtai優台, Envoy, Black Clothes, and Predecessor. Honoured or humble, each have a rank and grade. In speech and various matters they have many similarities with Fuyu, [but] their nature and vitality, and their clothes and dress, differ.

Originally they had five clans, these were the Xiaonu section, Juenu section, Shennu section, Guannu section, and Guilou section. Originally the Xiaonu section had the kings, [but] they were weak and feeble, and the Guilou section replaced them,

In the times of Han, they were bestowed clothes and head-scarves, court dress, drums and pipes, usually they received them from Xuantu commandery. Later they little by little grew wilful and did not again go to the commandery, but on the eastern border they built a small city to receive them. Arriving at the present, they still name this city as the head-scarves goulou. “Goulou” is the Gouli name for “city”.

When they set up officials, if there is a duilu they do not set up a peizhe, if there is a peizhe, they do not set up a duilu. It is their custom to delight in song and dance. The men and women from the towns and and settlements within the state every night crowd together for song and sport. Their people are delighted when cleaning and purifying themselves, and are good at storing and brewing. When they kneel to do obeisance, they extend one foot, and when travelling on foot they always run.

They use the Tenth Month for a great assembly to worship Heaven, naming it “Dongming”. The clothes they wear for their public assemblies are always brocaded and embroidered, and with gold and silver, to decorate themselves. Their Great Assigners and Masters of Accounts on their heads wear something resembling head-scarves, but without a back. Their Lesser Assigners wear a twisted style, shaped like a conical cap.

Their state has no pens or prisons. If someone has committed a crime, they assemble the various Assigners to evaluate and discuss killing him, and confiscate his wife and children. In their customs they are fond of licentiousness, men and women often elope and seduce each other. Once they are married, they right then bit by bit make clothes for their funerals. When they die and are buried, they have an outer-coffin, but no inner-coffin. They are fond of lavish burials, gold and silver, riches and money are fully sent off with the dead. They pile up rocks to make a mound, and plant rows of pine trees and cypresses. When the older brother dies, they take as wife their sister-in-law.

Their horses are all small and easily climb mountains. The people of the state set highest vitality and strength, and are at ease with bow and arrow, sword and spear. They have heavy and light armour, and are practised in battles and fights. Woju and Donghui both belong to them.

At the beginning of Wang Mang, he issued out Gaoli troops to invade the Hu. They did not wish to go, and when he forcefully compelled to dispatched them, they all absconded and set out from the frontier as robbers and bandits. The provinces and commanderies resorted to finding fault with the Marquis of Gouli, Zou. Yan You enticed and then beheaded him Wang Mang was greatly pleased. He altered the name of Gaogouli to be Xiagouli. At this time it was Marquisate.

Arriving at the time span of [Emperors] Shang and An [105 – 125], their King was named Gong, he several times robbed Liaodong. The Grand Warden of Xuantu, Cai Feng, chastised him, but was unable to endure.

Gong died, his son Bogu was installed. In the time span of [Emperors] Shun [r. 125 – 144] and He [sic., ought to be Huan, r. 146 – 168], he again several times trespassed Liaodong to rob and plunder. Emperor Ling's 2nd Year of Jianning [169 AD], the Grand Warden of Xuantu, Geng Lin, chastised him, the cut off heads and captives numbered several hundreds. Bogu then surrendered and belonged to Liaodong. During Gongsun Du's sway over East of the Sea, Bogu communicated and was on good terms with him.

Bogu died, his son Yiyimo was installed. Yiyimo from the time of Bogu had already robbed Liaodong several times, and he also accepted more than five hundred households of absconded Hu. Middle of Jian'an [196 – 220], Gongsun Kang set out with an army to strike him. He crushed his state and burnt down his towns and settlements. The surrendered Hu likewise rebelled against Yiyimo. Yiyimo once more built a new state. After that Yiyimo again struck Xuantu. Xuantu made a combined strike with Liaodong and greatly routed him.

[WS100]

Gaogouli springs from Fuyu. They themselves say their first ancestor was Zhumeng. Zhumeng's mother was the daughter of Hebo [“Elder River”?]. She was shut inside a room by the King of Fuyu and was shone on by the sun. She pulled back her body to avoid it, the image from the sun again chased after her. Then she became pregnant, and gave birth to an egg, large as five dou. The King of Fuyu threw it away to the dogs. The dogs did not eat it. He threw it away to the pigs, the pigs also did not eat it. He threw it away on the road, cattle and horses avoided it. Later he threw it away in the wilderness, the multitude birds used their plumage to embrace it. The King of Fuyu sliced and cut it, but was unable to break it. Thereupon he returned it to its mothers. Its mother used materials to wrap it up, and set it up in warm place. Then there was a boy who broke through the shell and came out.

When he reached adulthood, he was courtesy named Zhumeng. In their customs, the word Zhumeng is “Good at Shooting”. The people of Fuyu considered Zhumeng not to be born of humans, and might have marvellous aspirations, so they requested to eliminate him. The King did not listen, and instructed him to rear horses. Zhumeng always secretly tested them, and knew which were good or bad. For the good steeds, he reduced their food to make them thin. The old and worn horses he reared good to make them fat. The King of Fuyu used the old ones to ride himself, and the thin ones he gave to Zhumeng. Later, during a winter hunt in the field, since Zhumeng was good at shooting, he limited him to a single arrow. Zhumeng, though his arrows were few, the beasts he killed were very many. The subjects of Fuyu again planned to kill him. Zhumeng's mother secretly knew about it, and informed Zhumeng, saying:

The state want to murder you, since you have talents and schemes. [You] ought to go far away into the four regions.

Zhumeng therefore together Wuyin and Wuwei, two persons, abandoned Fuyu, and ran south-east. In the middle of the road they came across a great river. They wished to cross, but there was no bridge. The people of Fuyu pursued them with considerable urgency. Zhumeng announced to the river, saying:

I am truly the son of the Sun and the maternal grandson of Hebo. Today [I am] running away, pursuing troops are about to catch up. What about getting to cross?

On the surface fish and a turtles floated side by side, making them a complete bridge. Zhumeng got across the fish, and the turtles then let loose, so the pursuing riders did not get to cross.

Zhumeng thereupon arrived at the Pushu river, where he happened to see three people. One person wore hemp clothes, on of them wore patched up clothes, one of them wore seaweed clothes. They and Zhumeng arrived at Heshenggu City. Thereupon he settled there, and titled it Gaogouli. Following that, he considered it to be his clan name.

Earlier, at the time when Zhumeng was in Fuyu, his wife got pregnant. After Zhumeng had fled, she gave birth to a child, his courtesy name at first was Lüxie. Reaching adulthood, he learned that Zhumeng was the ruler of a state. He promptly absconded with his mother and returned to him. He named him Lüda and entrusted him with the affairs of state. Zhumeng died, Lüda was installed in replacement. Lüda died, his son Ruli was installed in replacement. Ruli died, his son Molai was installed in replacement. He then campaigned against Fuyu. Fuyu was greatly defeated, and thereupon was governed and belonged to him.

Molai's sons and grandsons propagated each other, until his descendant Gong. From birth he opened his eyes and yet was able to see. The people of the state hated him. Reaching adulthood, he was brutal and cruel, the state hence was broken and ruined.

#ls54

[bookofjin]

Biography of Shi Le, Part Two

Dove into translating Shi Le's biography (Part Two) and decided to give it a literary twist. Aimed to keep it rich and engaging, not just a plain retelling. I played around with language and style to bring the era and Shi Le's vibe to life.

Would love to get your takes on this style. Does it work? Does it still feel true to Shi Le? Hit me with your thoughts!

Thanks!

[bookofjin]

Early life of Gaozu of Liang

With the short biography of his mother, Zhang Shangrou. (From LS01 and LS07)

[LS01]

The Exalted Founder [gaozu], the Martial [wu] August Emperor, taboo Yan, courtesy name Shudai, child name Lian'er, was a native of Zhongdu Village in Nanlanling. He was a descendant of Han's Chancellor of State, He. He begat Marquis Ding of Zan, Yan. Yan begat the Attendant-at-Centre Biao. Biao begat Excellency office staff member Zhang. Zhang begat Hui. Hui begat Yang. Yang begat the Grand Tutor to the Heir-Apparent, Wangzhi. Wangzhi begate the Brilliantly Blessed Grandee Yu. Yu begat the Central Assistant to the Steering Clerk, Shao, Shao begat the Superintendent of the Brilliantly Blessed, Hong. Hong begat the Grand Warden of Jiyin, Chan. Chan begat the Grand Warden of Wu commandery, Bing. Bing begat the Chancellor of Zhongshan, Bao. Bao begat the Broad Scholar Zhou. Zhou begat the Chief of Sheqiu, Jiao. Jiao begat the provincial Assistant Officer, Kui. Kui begot Filial and Upright, Xiu. Xiu begat the Assistant of Guangling Commandery, Bao. Bao begat the Grand Centre Grandee Yi. Yi begat the Prefect of Huaiyin, Zheng. Zheng bgeat the Grand Warden of Jiyin, Xia. Xia begat the provincial Arranger-at-Centre Fuzi. Fuzi begat the Arranger of Documents for the Southern Tower, Daoci. Daoci begat the August Father, taboo Shunzhi, he was Emperor Gao of Qi's younger clansman. He took part in preparations and aiding the mandate, and was ennobled Marquis of Linxiang County. He held successive office as Attendant-at-Centre, Commandant of Guards, Intendant of Affairs to the Heir-Apparent, General who Leads the Army, and Governor of Danyang. He was posthumously conferred General who Quells the North.

Gaozu in Xiaowu of Song's 8th Year of Daming [464 AD], a jiachen year, was born at the Sanqiao Residence, Tongxia Village, Moling County. At birth he was yet remarkable and unusual. His two hips had paired bones, the top of his head was high and raised, and there was a pattern in his right hand which said “martial” [武]. When the Emperor reached adulthood, he studied broadly and very thoroughly, was fond of devising strategies, and had talent and capacity for civil and martial matters. At the time those of flowing fame all pushed him forward and acknowledged him. At the houses where he resided, often if there was a cloud or vapour, for those people who sometimes passed by, their bodies immediately paid their respects.

He started his career as the Acting Army Advisor on the Board of Law of the Central Gentlemen of the South to the King of Baling. He moved to Libationer of the Eastern Pavilion to the General of Guards, Wang Jian [NQS23]. Jian once saw him, and deeply assessed and appreciated his unusualness. He spoke to He Xian of Lujiang, saying:

This Gentleman Xiao within thirty [year] will make Attendant-at-Centre, and if he sets out from here, his worth will be impossible to describe.

When the King of Jingling, Ziliang, opened his Western Mansion and summoned the students of literature, Gaozu together with Shen Yue [LS13], Xie Tiao [NQS47], Wang Rong, Xiao Chen [LS26], Fan Yun [LS13], Ren Fang [LS14], Lu Chui [LS27] and others all roamed with him, they were referred to as the Eight Friends. Rong was exceptional and vivacious, his understanding and perceptiveness exceeded other people. He particularly respected and found unusual Gaozu. Always when speaking of him to his friends, he said:

The steward who will order Under Heaven is surely this person.

He amassed to move to Consultant Army Advisor for Quelling the West to the King of Sui. Soon after he left his post due to the August Father's hardship.

[LS07]

The Changes says:

There was heaven and earth, afterwards there were the ten thousand things. There were the ten thousand things, afterwards there was man and woman. There were man and woman, afterwards there was husband and wife.

The propriety of husband and wife is the highest!

In the Rites of Zhou the King established the Queen's Six Palaces, with three Ladies, nine Concubines, twenty-seven Wives, and eighty-one Spouses, so as to heed Under Heaven's interior arrangements. For that reason the Marriage Propriety states:

The Son of Heaven and the Empress are like the sun and the moon, yin and yang, they are necessary to each other and complete.

Han in the beginning followed Qin's designations and titles. The Emperor's mother was called the August Empress-Dowager, the empress was called the August Empress, and they added to them the categories of Beautiful Lady, Good Lady, Eight Sons, and Seven Sons. Reaching Xiaowu, he regulated the favoured beauties and the likes in altogether fourteen grades. Coming down to Wei and Jin, for the titles of mothers and empresses both followed the Han rules. From Lady and downwards, [each] generations added and subtracted from them.

Gaozu swept away chaos and turned back to correctness. He deeply perceived extravagant and uninhibited, had bad clothes and meagre food, and applied himself to the previous modest frugality. His virtuous pairing ended early, Prolonger of Autumn was an empty position, and to the numbers of concubines and ladies nothing was changed or created. Taizong and Shizu set out from being the heirs-presumptive, yet the Consorts in both cases had passed previously, and they also did not establish pepper quarters. The present compilation only speaks of a provided for vacancy.

The Grand Founder's [taizu] Dedicated [xian] August Empress, Ms. Zhang, taboo Shangrou, was a native of Fangcheng in Fanyang. Her grandfather Cihui was Song's Grand Warden of Puyang. The Empress' mother, Ms. Xiao, was Emperor Wen's paternal aunt. [Emperor Wen is Emperor Wu's father, Xiao Shunzhi, posthumously elevated to emperor]

The Empress in the middle of Song's Yuanjia era [424 – 453] was given in marriage to Emperor Wen. She gave birth to King Xuanwu of Changsha, Yi and King Zhao of Yongyang, and next gave birth to Gaozu.

Earlier, the Empress was once within her room when she suddenly saw sweet-flag grass blooming in front of the courtyard with a brilliant hue shining bright like nothing out of the world. The Empress was startled at the sight, and spoke to her attendant, saying:

Do you see it, or not?

[The attendant] replied, saying:

Do not see it.

The Empress said:

[I] once heard those who see will be rich and honoured.

Following that she quickly took and swallowed it. That month she give birth to Gaozu. At the night she was about to give birth, the Empress saw inside the courtyard as if there were clothes and caps piled up and laid out therein.

She next gave birth to King Xuan of Hengyang, Chang, and Princess Zhao of Yixing, Ling. Song's 7th Year of Taishi [471 AD], she passed at a house in Tongxia Village in Moling County. She was buried at a mountain in Dongcheng Village in Wujin County. 1st Year of Tianjian, 5th Month, jiachen [6 August 502], she was retroactively elevated to the venerated title as August Empress. Her posthumous title was Dedicated [xian].

#ls01 #ls07

[bookofjin]

Liu Bei and the Jade Man story from the Shiyi ji

The Shiyi Ji is a collection of supernatural stories and anecdotes compiled during the Six Dynasties period attributed to Wang Jia.

Liu Bei’s Empress Gan was from Pei. She was born into humble circumstances. A physiognomist in the village said, ‘This girl will later have high rank. Her rank will exceed that of a Gongyi concu­bine.’ When she grew up, her appearance was especially beautiful. When she reached eighteen, she had jade-like skin and tender flesh. Her attitude was bewitching and her countenance seductive. Liu Bei ordered her to go behind a gauze curtain. Those who gazed at her from outside the door thought she re­sembled gathered snow’ in the moonlight.

The region south of the Yellow River presented a jade man three feet tall. Liu Bei took the jade man and put him beside the queen. During the day he discussed military plans and at night then he embraced the queen and amused himself with the jade man. She always proclaimed that what is the honored virtue in jade is that its virtues are like that of a gentleman, so since it is in the shape of a man, how could it be played with.

The empress and the jade man were pure white and equally smooth of skin, so that those who looked at them were almost confused. The empress was not only jealous of the favorites, but was also envious of the jade man. The empress always wanted to destroy it and admonished Liu Bei saying, “In the past Zihan did not consider jade to be precious and the Spring and Autumn Annals admired him for it. Wu and Wei are not destroyed, how can you put seductive pleasures in your heart? Any kind of infatuation will raise doubts. Do not enter into this again. ” Liu Bei then cast aside the statue of the jade man, and the favorites all retired. At this time, the gentlemen presented a memorial in which they referred to Empress Gan as a Matron of Spiritual Wis­dom.

Translation by Larry C. Foster, ‘The Shih-i chi and Its Relationship to the Genre Known as Chih-kuai hsiao-shuo’.

[bookofjin]

Growing foxtial millet, QMYS Section 3, Part 1

Continuing the Qimin yaoshu齊民要術 (“Essential Techniques for the Common People) by Jia Sixie (fl. c. 540). Advice for growing foxtail millet. Due to the length of this section, the translation will be divided into several posts. This post covers the introductionary dictionary definitions and Jia Sixie's own advice. Subsequent posts will cover the extensive quotations from earlier works.

[Translator's preface]

After opening the book with two general sections on tilling the fields and selecting seed grain, sections 3-54 cover the cultivation of specific plants (field crops, vegetables, fruit- and timber-trees, dye plants). The first, and lengthiest, of these is dedicated to the foxtail millet (Setaria italica). Known under many names, in Jia Sixie's home region it was often simply referred to as gu穀, “grain”. I suppose you could draw parallel to calling maize “corn” in English. Foxtail millet was first domesticated in North China during the Neolithic and remained the main staple crop there during the Early Medieval North China, . As such, by the time QMYS was written, Jia Sixie could draw on several millennia of experience with foxtail millet farming.

[Other plants mentioned]

Certain other plants are mentioned more incidental in this section.

Plants more or less suited to precede foxtail millet in a crop rotation system:

Mung beans or green gram (Vigna radiata), lüdou緑豆 (lit. "green beans"), used as green manure in crop rotation with millet.

Adzuki beans (Vigna angularis), xiaodou小豆 (lit. "small beans") served a similar function.

Hemp (Cannabis sativa), ma麻, grown both for textiles and oil

Broomcorn millet (Panicum miliaceum), shu黍, popular for brewing millet beer

Sesame (Sesamum indicum), huma胡麻 (lit. “foreign hemp”), considered the best oilseed crop

Turnip (Brassica rapa var. rapa),wujin蕪菁, leaves and roots are edible, and the seeds can be pressed for oil.

Soybean (Glycine max) dadou大豆 (lit. “large beans”), used as fodder or famine crop, but also fermented into sauces, etc.

Gua底 is a general term for gourds and melons

Trees whose leaves and flowers can be used to predict the best time for sowing foxtail millet:

Beiyang菩楊 appear to refer to some kind of willow (Salix) or poplar (Populus)

Peach (Prunus persica), tao 桃

Jujube (Ziziphus jujube), zao棗

Mulberry (Morus alba), sang桑

[Tools]

The illustrations below are taken from Wang Zhen's王禎 (1271-1333) Nongshu農書, who of course wrote several centuries after Jia Shixie. While many tools were essentially timeless and in continuous use up to the modern age, developments did happen, and also terminology could change.

The preferred tool for sowing was the seed drill, lou耬

(Wang Zhen's louche耬車).

The “beater”, ta撻, (for a lack of a better translation) was pulled over the furrows after sowing to compact them. Wang Zhen describes this tool as a bunch of branches weighed down by stones.

The arrowhead hoe, zuchuo鏃鋤 was a small, pointed hoe. According to Wang Zhen, arrowhead hoeing was one of four methods for hoeing with the youchu耰鋤.

QMYS is the oldest text to refer to the iron-tine rake, tiechi loucou鐵齒𨫒楱

QMYS quite often refer to the spear-harrow, feng鋒. Wang Zhen notes that by his time it was no longer in use, his description of it as a cross between a plough and a spade may therefore not be very accurate.

The sickle, yi刈, was the main tool for reaping field crops.

(Wang Zhen's yidao刈刀)

[Books quoted by QMYS in Section 3, in order of appearance]

The Erya爾雅 (“Approaching the Correct”) is the oldest surviving Chinese glossary. Modern scholarship dates the book to the late Warring States and/or early Western Han periods. It is quoted numerous times in QMYS. This is the second QMYS section to quote from the Erya. The last previous was Section 1 (“Tilling the Fields”).

The Shuowen 說文 (“Explaining Graphs”) by Xu Shen許慎 (c. 58 – c. 147) analyses the composition and reasoning behind the different characters. It is quoted numerous times in QMYS. This is the second QMYS section to quote from the Shuowen. The last previous was Section 1 (“Tilling the Fields”).

The Guangzhi廣志 (“Wide Treatise”) by Guo Yigong郭義恭 (Western Jin) is now lost, but it is quoted numerous times in QMYS and other books. This is the first QMYS section to quote from the Guangzhi.

Guo Pu郭璞(276 – 324) was a Daoist wizard, poet and writer. His surviving writings include the oldest extant commentary on the Erya and a commentary on the Shanhaijing. This is the first QMYS section to quote Guo Pu, from his Erya commentary.

Sun Yan孫炎 lived during Wei and was disciple of Zheng Xuan. He wrote (a now lost) commentary on the Erya where he pioneered the use of the fanqie system to indicate pronunciation. This is the first QMYS section to quote Sun Yan.

Liu Zhang 劉章(200 – 176) was a grandson of the Han founder. According to the Shiji he recited the Gengtian ge 耕田歌 (“Song of Ploughing the Fields”)at a banquet during the regency of Empress Dowager Lü, to show his opposition to the Lü clan's power, and he later became one of the main actors in their downfall.

The Guanzi管子 (“Master Guan”) is a collection of treatises on statecraft traditionally attributed to Guan Zhong管子 (d. 645 BC9), an influential minister in Qi during the Spring and Autumn era. Section 3 contains the third quote from the Guanzi in QMYS, the first two are in the preface (which I have impudently skipped).

[The original text is a mix of large and small characters. I have collected the small text sections together as indented notes within {} brackets.]

[Translation starts here]

Section 3, Growing Foxtail millet

Growing foxtail millet [gu穀]:

{“Grain” gu穀 and “foxtail millet” ji稷 are names for setaria millet [su粟]. Grain is the collective name for the Five Grains, and does not mean setaria millet. However, today people solely consider foxtail millet to be “grain”, and [I] look to the customary name for it, and that is all.} [For the remainder, gu穀 will be translated as “foxtail millet” in the sections written by Jia Sixie, ji稷 will generally be rendered also as “foxtail millet”, and su粟 as “setaria millet” (or just “foxtail” and “setaria”).] {The Approaching the Correctsays: “Zi粢 is foxtail millet [ji稷].”} {The Explaining Graphs says: “Setaria millet [su粟] is the fruit of excellent grain [gu穀].”} {Guo Yigong's Broad Treatise says: “The names of the kinds are Red Setaria and White Stem, Black-Patterned Sparrow Setaria, Duke Zhang's Mottled, Enclosed Yellow-Iron-green, Dark-green Foxtail, Snow-White Millet – likewise named White Stem, also White-Indigo Short, Bamboo Head-Stem Dark-green, White Wheat-Catching, Stone-Pulling Purest, Earth-black Dog-Paw.”} {Guo Pu's Annotations to the Approaching the Correct says: “Today in Jiangdong they call foxtail millet zi粢.”} {Sun Yan says: “Foxtail [ji稷] is setaria [su粟]”} {Note that the present age's names for setaria, many uses a person's family and courtesy names as the label name. There are likewise those where look and form established the names, and likewise those where what happened to be appropriate became the designation, [I] rely on them then to set them out, and that is all:} {Vermillion Foxtail, Highland Yellow, Liu Zhuxie, Daomin Yellow, Whittled-Grain Yellow, Sparrow's Regret Yellow, Continued Life Yellow, Hundred Days Grain, Upright Wife Yellow, Unworthy-of-Rice Grain, Slave Child Yellow, Jiazhi Foxtail, Schorced Gold Yellow, Quail's Slipper Iron-green which is also named Wheat's Floor-Fighter: These fourteen types ripen early and endure drought, early ripening avoids insects. The Whittled-Grain Yellow and Unworthy-of-Rice Grain types have a pleasing taste.} {Now-Fell-off-the-Chariot, Short Horse-Carer, Hundred Flock Sheep, Hanging Snake Red-Tail, Bear-Tiger Yellow, Sparrow's and People's Benefit, Horse Reins, Liu Pig Red, Li Yu Yellow, Amba Grain, Donghai Yellow, Rocky lesuo䮑歲, Dark-green-Stalked Dark-green, Dark Excellent Yellow, South-of-the-Paths Crop, Nook-and-Dike Yellow, Song Ji's Idiocy, Point Out Yellow, Rabbit Foot Dark-green, Kind Sun Yellow, Shifting Wind Red, Single Sunlight Yellow, Mountain Saline, Dundang Yellow: These twenty-four types all have spikes with bristles, endure wind, and avoid harassment from sparrows. The Single Sunlight Yellow type is easy to hull.}

{Precious Pearls Yellow, Popular Gain White, Zhang Lin Yellow, White Salt Foxtail, Thousand Hooks Yellow, Zhang Yi Yellow, Gleaming Tiger Yellow, Chief Slave Red, Reed-Stalk Yellow, Xun Pig Red, Wei Shuang Yellow, White-Stalked Dark-green, Bamboo-Rooted Yellow, Attuned Mother Large-grained millet, Rock-Pile Yellow, Liu Sand-White, Seng Long-lasting Yellow, Red Large-grained Foxtail, Auspicous Swift Yellow, Otter-Tail Dark-green, Continued Potency Yellow, Concave-Straw Yellow, Sun Long-lasting Yellow, Pig-Shit Dark-green, Smoking Yellow, Happy Slave-girl Dark-green, Level Long-life Yellow, Deer Stubble White, Salt for Breaking Baskets, Yellow dianshan, Hilly Place Yellow, Red Ba Large-grained millet, Deer Hoof Yellow, Famished Dog Iron-green, Can-be-Pitied Yellow, Hulled Foxtail, Deer Stubble Dark-green, Aluoluo: These thirty-eight types are the single stems great foxtails? [the received QMYS text is defective at this point]. The White Salt Foxtail and Attuned Mother Large-grained millet types have a pleasing taste. The three Concave-Straw Yellow, Hilly Place Yellow and Pig-Shit Dark-green types are bad tasting. The Yellow dianshan and Happy Slave-girl Dark-green types are easy to hull.} {Bamboo-Leaf Dark-green and Rocky Yichu, Bamboo-Leaf Dark-green is also named Hu Foxtail, Water Black Foxtail, Swift Mud Dark-green, Charging Heaven Cudgels, Pheasant Chick Dark-green, Owl-Foot Foxtail, Goose-Head Dark-green, Hold-Piles Yellow, Dark-green Hawk-cuckoo: These ten types ripen late and endure floods. If there is a calamity of insects, they are consumed.}

In general there is foxtail which is fully ripened early or late, which sprouts and straw are tall or low, which harvest results are large or small, which natural quality is strong or weak, which hulled grain taste good or bad, which grain results in gains or losses{A}. The conditions of the land can be good or poor{B}, and mountains and marshes differ in what is suitable{C}. Obey Heaven's seasons, and evaluate the land's advantages, then [you] will employ little strength yet achieve success many times. Rely on feelings and go against the Way, [you] will toil and yet get nothing.{D}

{A: Those that ripen early have short sprouts and the harvest is large. Those that ripen late have long sprouts and the harvest is small. Those which strong sprouts are short, and belong to the yellow foxtail. Those which weak sprouts are long, and are dark-green, white, or black. Those with small harvests are good but make losses. Those with large harvests are bad but make gains.} {B: Good fields are suitable for late types, poor fields are suitable for early types. Good land is not solely suitable for late types, early types are also not harmful. Poor land is suitable for early types, late types will certainly not give successful result.} {C: For mountain fields, types with strong sprouts, to avoid wind and frost. For marsh fields, types with weak sprouts, to aspire to splendid results.} {D: Enter a spring to chop wood and climb a mountain to look for fish, and the hand will surely be empty. To face the wind when sprinkling water, or to go against the slope when moving a pellet, these conditions are difficult.}

In general for foxtail fields, mung beans or adzuki beans as the previous crop is the best; hemp, broomcorn millet, and sesame are next; turnip and soy beans are last.

{It is common to see gourds as the previous crop, they are no less than mung beans. Originally they were not discussed, for the moment then keep it in mind.} [This note may be a later addition.]

For 1 mu of good land, use 5 sheng of seeds, and for poor land 3 sheng.{A} Foxtail fields certainly must be changed annually.{B} Those sown in the 2nd Month or the 3rd Month are the early-planted grain. Those sown in the 4th or 5th Month are the late-planted grain. From 2nd Month, First Ten-day, until the hemp and beiyang willow sprout seeds is the best time. 3rd Month, First Ten-day, until the Pure and Clear [qingming] Period and the peach tree first flower is the middle time. 4th Month, First Ten-day until the jujube leaves sprout and the mulberry flowers fall is the worst time. For those which the yearly Way ought to be late, the beginning of the Fifth Month or Sixth Month are also possible.

{A: This is for early-planted foxtail, for late fields increase the number of plants.} {B: If twice sowing the seeds, the weeds will be many, and the harvest poor.}

In general spring sowing wish to be deep, and ought to be dragged with a heavy “beater”. Summer spring wish to be shallow, and just sprout from itself.

{Spring air is cold, and sprouting is slow. If not dragged with a “beater”, they will set root in hollows, and even if they sprout, they will immediately die. Summer air is hot, and they sprout quickly. [If] dragged with the “beater” and there happens to be rain, [the ground] will surely be hard and dry. Those in the spring that are very moist sometimes also are not necessary to beat. To be certain they want beating, [you] ought necessarily to wait for [the ground] to turn white. Wet beating will cause the ground to be hard and tough is the reason.}

In general when sowing foxtail, after rain is good. If there is a little rain, [you] ought accept the wetness and sow. If there is great rain, wait for the weeds to sprout.{A} During spring, if there is drought, on the land of the autumn tilling [you] might open the mounds and wait for rain.{B} During summer, if there are open mounds, not only will it sweep away and wash out that which does not grow, [but] in addition it and the grassy weeds will set forth together.

{A: [If] there is a little rain and [you] do not accept the wetness, there is nothing to give birth to the stalks sprouting. [If] there is great rain and [you] do not wait for [the ground] to turn white, wet rolling then will cause the sprouts to be frail. If weeds are abundant, to first hoe one time everywhere and afterwards accept sowing then will be good.} {B: On the spring-tilled, it does not hit the mark.}

In general the fields that want early or late are mixed together.{A} In years that are intercalary, after the solar periods draw close, [you] ought to have late fields. However for the most part [you] want early, early fields yield more than late.{B}

{A: Prepare for what is proper in the Way of the year.} {B: Early fields are clean and easy to manage. The late ones overgrow with weeds and are difficult to manage. Their harvest, regardless of large or small, follows from is proper for the year, and is not connected to early or late. However, early foxtail have thin husks, the hulled grains are solid and many. Late foxtail have thick husks, the hulled grain are small and empty.}

When the sprouts have grown similar to horse ears, then arrowhead hoe.{A} At places with gaps and holes, hoe and patch them.{B} In general for the Five Grains, only the small hoe is good.{C} For good fields, usually for each chi [foot], keep one hole.{D} For poor land, seek out mounds and tread on them.{E}

{A: The proverb says: “Want to get foxtail, at horse ears the arrowhead.” } {B: The work done might not be overstated. The profit gained this way is a hundred times.} {C: The small hoe not only saves strength, the grain is also twice as good. With a large hoe, the grass and their roots will be profuse and thick, a lot of work will be done yet the harvest will grow smaller.} {D: Liu Zhang's Song of Tilling the Fields says: “Plough deeply and sow thickly, the standing sprouts want to be spread out. For those not of their kind, hoe and get rid of them. The proverb which states: “[When you can] turn around the chariot and reverse the horse, [or] throw away the clothes [and they] do not fall down, both give ten shi when harvested” tells that harvest for [fields that are] very sparse or very thick are all equal and even.} {E: Not tilling is the reason.}

When the sprouts spring forth from the mounds, hoe deeply. When hoeing, do not get bored with the frequency. Once done, start again. [You] must not stop though there is no grass.{A} Spring hoeing is to lift up the earth, and summer to remove grass. For that reason, spring hoeing is not done when facing wetness. By the 6th Month and after, even if wet, in this case is not disliked.{B}

{A: Hoe not just to remove the grass, then the land will ripen and the fruit will be many, the chaff will be weak, and the hulled grain will grow. When hoeing is done ten times everywhere, [you] will then obtain “Eight [parts of ten?] Hulled grain”.} {B: During spring, as the sprouts are just then slight and their shade are not yet covering the ground, if wet hoeing, the ground will become hard. During summer, the sprouts cast a solid shade and the ground does not see the sun. For that reason, even if wet, in this case there is no harm. Master Guan says: “To make a state, cause the farmers to till when cold and weed [yun芸] when hot.” To weed is to remove grass.}

When the sprouts have sprung from the mounds, each time [you] have gone through rain, in the time [the ground] turns white, immediately use the iron-tine rake across and athwart to rake and harrow them.

{Method for raking: Make a person sit down on top, and frequently use their hands to tear off and get rid of grass, if grass block up the tines it will harm the sprouts. Like this [you] will make the ground ripe and soft, easy to hoe and save strength. When hitting the spear-harrow, stop.}

When the sprouts are one chi high, spear-harrow them.{A} Tillage is not about not embedding the root sprouts deeply, it kills the grass and increase the results, however it will make the ground hard and tough, lacking in moisture and difficult to till. Hoe five times everywhere or more, and it will not be bothersome to till.{B}

{A: Three times everywhere is always good.} {B: When for sure [you] want to till, after you have reaped the foxtail, if you promptly spear-harrow below the roots to burst them up, it will be soft and moist, and easy to till.}

In general when sowing, [you] want the ox to move slow and leisurely. The sower makes hurried steps to tread the mound base with his feet.

{If the ox is slow, the seeds will be evenly placed. If trod with the feet, the sprouts will thrive. When the footsteps connect with each other, it is possible to not bother with beating.}

When ripe, reap quickly. When dry, store quickly.

{If reaped early, the sickle-use will be excessive. If reaped late, the spikes will break. If there is wind, the harvest will diminish. If stored wet, the stalks will rot. If stored late, there is loss and waste. If continuous rain, they will grow ears.}

In general for the Five Grains, for the most part those sown in the first ten-day will give a full harvest, those in the middle ten-day a middle harvest, and those in the last ten-day a lesser harvest.

#chinese history #qmys

[bookofjin]

Where is my Eighteen Riders tv series?

Just finished translating some bits about Shi Le and wow, his life's like a live-action Mount & Blade saga. Seriously, you can't make this stuff up.

[bookofjin]

Book of Jin Chapter 94. Hermits and Recluses

Follow me on X! 👇

[bookofjin]

Biography of Liu Kun, Book of Jin

[bookofjin]

Collecting Seeds, QMYS Section 2

Continuing the Qimin yaoshu齊民要術 (“Essential Techniques for the Common People) by Jia Sixie (fl. c. 540). Advice for the selection, storage, and treatment of seed grain.

[Books quoted by QMYS in Section 2, in order of appearance]

Yang Quan楊泉 (d. after 280) was a philosopher and author of several different text. The Wulilun物理論 (“Essay on the Order of Things”) covers the author's concept of nature. It is now lost except in fragments. The quote in Section 2 is the first of four in QMYS.

The Fan Shengzhi shu氾勝之書 (“Book of Fan Shengzhi”) is the oldest known Chinese agricultural treatise. Fan Shengzhi might originally have been an easterner, but during the early Western Han served as an official in the Guanzhong region. The original book has been lost, but it is extensively quoted in the QMYS, and also by Tang and Song encyclopedias. I assume Fan Shengzhi shu氾勝之術 (“Methods of Fan Shengzhi”) is the same book. This is the second QMYS section to quote from Fan Shengzhi. The last previous was Section 1 (“Tilling the Fields”).

The Zhouguan 周官 (“Officials of Zhou”), also known as the Zhouli周禮 (“Rituals of Zhou”) is a Warring States era text describing the different state officials of Western Zhou, their rank, duties, and number of subordinates. The text was considered one the Three Ritual Classics. Many of the officials described really existed during Western Zhou, however the system described is at best a later idealized version. This is the first QMYS section to quote from the Zhouguan.

Zheng Xuan鄭玄(127 – 200) was a famous scholar at the end of Han who wrote an influential commentary on the Three Ritual Classics. This is the second QMYS section to quote from Zheng Xuan. The last previous was Section 1 (“Tilling the Fields”), from his commentary on the Liji yueling.

The Huainanzi淮南子 (“Masters of Huainan”) is a collection of philosophical treaties compiled during Western Han at the court of Liu An (179 – 122 BC), vassal king of Huainan. It covers a wide range of topics. This is the third QMYS section to quote from the Huainanzi. The last previous was Section 1 (“Tilling the Fields”).

Cui Shi崔寔 (d. c. 170) was a Han official and author of multiple works. The quote in QMYS Section 2 is presumably from the Simin yueling 四民月令which details, in the style of the Liji yueling each month's agricultural activities at the large estates of late Han North China. The original book is lost except as fragments in other books. This is the second QMYS section to quote fromtheCui Shi. The last previous was Section 1 (“Tilling the Fields”).

Shi Kuang師曠 (“Counsellor Kuang”) lived in Jin during the Spring and Autumn era, and is said to have been born without eyes but with perfect hearing. Presumably the Shi Kuang zhan師曠占 [“Counsellor Kuang's Divinations”), now lost except fragments, collected divinations attributed to him. This is the first QMYS section, out of five, to quote from the Shi Kuang zhan.

[The original text is a mix of large and small characters. I have collected the small text sections together as indented notes within {} brackets.]

[Translation starts here]

Section 2, Collecting Seeds

{Yang Quan's Essay on the Order of Things says: “'Millet' [liang粱] is the collective name for broomcorn millet [shu黍] and foxtail millet [chi稷]. 'Rice' [dao稻] is the collective name for irrigated plants. 'Legumes' [菽shu] is the collective name for the many beans. The three types of grain each have twenty different kinds, which makes sixty. The produce of legumes and fruit-trees helps the grain with twenty each, which in total makes a hundred kinds. For that reason the Poetry says: '[We] sow their hundred grains'”} [Yang Quan's quote appear twice in the Poetry. The usage of liang粱 as a generic name for millet is special Yang Quan and is not the general usage in QMYS.]

In general, for the seeds of the Five Grains, if they are damp and dour, they do not grow, and those that do grow likewise soon die. If the seeds are mixed, the stalks will from beginning to end be unequal, the pounding will then be reduced and will be difficult to cook. The grain seller will see it as defective due to the mixed blend, and the cook will miss out on the signs of raw or cooked. The means by which they individually ought to be held in thought are not possible to follow. Foxtail [su粟], glutinous broomcorn [shu黍], non-glutinous broomcorn [ji穄], large grained [liang 粱], and glutinous foxtrail [shu秫]millets are always separately harvested year after year. Select fine ears of grain with pure colour, cut them off and hang them up high. Arriving at spring put in order and select from from them, and grow them separately so as to prepare for next year's seeds.{A} Those separately grown for seeds always require additional hoeing{B}. First put them in order and then separately bury them{C}, moreover use the ordered stalks and straw to cover the pits{D}. When about to plant, roughly twenty days before, open and take them out to wash in water{E}. Promptly expose them to sunlight to make them dry out, and plant them. Rely on the Officials of Zhou to assess what is appropriate for the land, and then fertilize and plant them.

{A: When seed-drill sowing and covering over the seeds, one dou can plant one mu. Measure for the family fields what is required for seeds, many or few, and then plant them.} {B: If hoed often, they will have no empty ears.} {C: To first put them in order, purify them in an open field that they do not mix. Burying in pits is also superior to stowing in vessels.} {D: If not, you will surely worry over mixing them.} {E: The floating empty ears will go away, and then there are no weeds.}

Fan Shengzhi's Methods says: “Lead the horse to make it go to the grain heap and eat several mouthfuls, and use what the horse has trampled through as seeds. They will have no armyworms [zifang虸蚄], and will spurn armyworm insects.”

The Officials of Zhou says: “The Grass Person [caoren草人] is in charge of the rules for soil improvement. He considers the different lands, assesses their suitability, and then carries out the planting on them{F}. In general for fertilizing seeds: Red-roan-coloured and stiff: use ox. Red-yellow: use sheep. Mound loam: use elaphure. Dried-out wetlands: use deer. Salt-marsh: use badger. Bursting-loam: use red fox. Hard clay: use pig. Firm and tough: use hemp seeds. Light and airy: use dog{G}.

{F: Zheng Xuan's Annotations says: “'The rules for soil improvement' is to improve it and make it pleasing, similar to Fan Shengzhi's Method. 'To consider the different lands' is to inspect its shape and colour. When 'carrying out the planting on them', the yellow-white ought to be among where is planted millet [he禾].”} {G: These are the duties of the “Grass Person”. Zheng Xuan's Annotations says: “The general means by which to fertilize the seeds all speak of cooking to catch the juice. 'Red-yellow' is a light orange colour. 'Dried-out wetlands' are places formerly [covered by] water. 'Salt-marsh' are salty. Badger [huan貆] is the tuan貒. 'Bursting-loam' is that which is powdery and loose. Hard clay is that which is sticky and crude. 'Firm and tough' is that which is firm and hard. 'Light and airy' is that which is light and pliant. In old books, 'roan' xing 騂 is qie挈and fen墳 [“mound”] was written 蚠. Du Zichun [fl. c. 60 AD] for qie挈 read red-roan [xing騂], and said the land was coloured red and the soil was stiff and strong. Minister of Agriculture Zheng [Zheng Zhong, d. 83 AD] states: 'To use oxen is to use ox bone juice to soak its seeds, which is spoken of as fertilizing seeds. Piled-up loam has much moles and mice. Loam is white-coloured. Hemp seeds [fen 蕡] is hemp [ma麻] Xuan speaks of piled-up loam as soft and loose.}

The Huainan Method says: “From winter solstice, the days are counted until the coming year's New Year's Day. Fifty days, the people have enough to eat. If not fully fifty days, daily decrease with one dou. If there are left-over days, daily increase with one dou.”

The Book of Fan Shengzhisays: “If seeds are damaged, wet, clustered, or hot, they will give birth to insects.”

“To acquire wheat [mai麥] seeds, when observing they are ripe, they can be harvested. Select the ears that are large and solid, cut them off, bundle and set them up in a high and dry place within an open space, and sun-dry them to make them really dry. Never cause there to be 'white fish', if there is, immediately scatter and order them. Take dried mugwort [ai艾] and store mixed with them, for one shi of wheat, one handful of mugwort. For storage use pottery or bamboo vessels. Obey the season for sowing them, then the harvest will regularly be double.”

“To acquire millet [he禾] seeds, select those that are tall and large, cut them off beneath the first node, and hang them up by the handful at a high and dry place. The sprouts will then not fail.”

“When wishing to know what will be suitable for the year, use cloth bags filled with foxtail millet [su粟] etc. and other various seeds, evenly measure them out, and bury them in shaded ground. 50 days after winter solstice, pour out and measure it. For those that have swelled very much, the year is suitable.”

Cui Shi says: “Evenly measure out one sheng for each of the Five Grains, fill small pitchers, and bury them north of a fence or beneath the shade of a wall.” The remainder of the recipe is similar to the above.

Shi Kuang's Divination Methods says: If the apricot has much fruit but not insects, the coming year's millet [he禾] will be good. The Five Wood are the predecessors to the Five Wood. If [you] wish to know the Five Grains, only observe the Five Wood. Select that wood which is flourishing, and in the coming year plant many of it, and out of ten thousand [you] will not lose one.”

#chinese history #qmys