The Three Kingdoms and the Northern and Southern Dynasties臣漸强大心焉異
1The subjects' hearts change
臣漸强大心焉異.
The subjects grew strong and great by degrees, and their hearts changed.
2The crafty hero of a broken age
洪農見廢憲帝遜, 亂世姦雄 如野兕.
The King of Hongnong was deposed and Emperor Xian gave up his place, and the crafty hero of a broken age ran wild like a buffalo in the field.
Interlinear notes 1
曹操
This is Cao Cao.
3Wei, Wu, and Shu
孔融荀彧折姦鋒, 口纔出語身蒙戾, 誰稱○魏 ○吳 ○蜀 爲三.
Kong Rong and Xun Yu tried to break the crafty blade, and no sooner had the words left their mouths than harm came upon them. Who was it that called Wei and Wu and Shu the three?
Interlinear notes 3
操之子丕, 受禪卽皇帝位, 土德. 都鄴遷洛, 以東漢末年庚子爲元. 參之後也, 自文帝至末陳留王, 凡五主, 合四十六年. 傳之司馬晉.
Cao Cao's son Pi received the abdication and took the imperial throne, and his power was earth. He had his capital at Ye and moved it to Luoyang, and he took a gyeongja year, the last year of the Eastern Han, as his first year. He was a descendant of Cao Can (曹參). From Emperor Wen down to the last, the King of Chenliu, there were five rulers in all, forty-six years, and it passed to the Sima house of Jin.
元年壬寅, 都武昌, 立鄴. 武之後也, 自太祖至永晧, 凡四主, 合五十九年.
His first year was an imin year. He had his capital at Wuchang and then moved it to Jianye. He was a descendant of Sun Wu (孫武). From the Grand Progenitor down to Sun Hao there were four rulers in all, fifty-nine years.
元年辛丑, 都成都, 凡二主, 合四十二年.
His first year was a sinchuk year. He had his capital at Chengdu, and there were two rulers in all, forty-two years.
4They stand apart like a cauldron's legs
曹操孫權與劉備, 分封席勢事彫鑽, 各據一方如鼎峙, 魏幷劉蜀與何人.
Cao Cao and Sun Quan and Liu Bei divided the fiefs and spread out their power and gouged at one another, and each held a region of his own, like the three legs of a cauldron. And with whom did Wei join to swallow the Liu house of Shu?
5Sima Yan's Jin
○司馬炎晉受神器.
Sima Yan's Jin (晉) received the imperial throne (神器).
Interlinear notes 1
以晉王受禪卽皇帝位, 金德, 以魏末年乙酉爲元, 都洛陽. 自虎帝至愍帝, 凡四帝, 合五十三年.
As King of Jin he received the abdication and took the imperial throne, and his power was metal. He took an eulyu year, the last year of Wei, as his first year, and he had his capital at Luoyang. From Emperor Wu — written 虎帝 to avoid the taboo name — down to Emperor Min there were four emperors in all, fifty-three years.
6He settles Wu into one house
又復平吳爲一家, 傳世南面正恭己.
He went on to settle Wu as well and made one house of it, and generation after generation they faced south and ruled uprightly and reverently.
7Chang'an falls
劉曜 石勒陷長安, 愍帝茫然蒙垢恥.
Liu Yao and Shi Le took Chang'an, and Emperor Min, at a loss, bore the shame of defilement.
Interlinear notes 1
淵之子.
He was the son of Liu Yuan (劉淵).
8Made to pour the wine
時因大會命行酒, 在座未能禁涕泗.
At times, at great gatherings, he was ordered to pour the wine, and those in their seats could not hold back their tears.
9Five horses cross the river
晉孫五馬渡江去, 一馬化龍承晉祀.
Five horses of the house of Jin crossed the river and went away, and one horse became a dragon and carried on the sacrifices of Jin.
10The Eastern Jin
遂都立鄴號東晉, 思晉士民歸德只.
So he made his capital at Jianye and called it the Eastern Jin, and the scholars and the people who longed for Jin turned to his virtue.
Interlinear notes 1
名睿, 宣帝曾孫. 元年戊寅, 自元帝至末恭帝, 凡十一帝, 合一百二年. 傳之劉宋.
His name was Rui (睿), and he was a great-grandson of Emperor Xuan. His first year was a muin year. From Emperor Yuan down to the last, Emperor Gong, there were eleven emperors in all, one hundred and two years, and it passed to the Liu house of Song.
11Heaven's officer
民之所欲天必從, 司馬不絶爲天吏.
What the people want, Heaven is sure to follow; that the Sima house was not cut off was because it was an officer of Heaven.
12Each opens his own state
于時强者各開國, 更相興滅稱綸旨.
At this time the strong each opened a state of his own, raising and destroying one another and claiming the commands of the Son of Heaven.
13Four Yans
○前趙是劉 ○後趙石, 稱○魏者再, 稱○蜀李, ○慕容三家與○馮跋, 各自稱燕燕則四.
The Former Zhao was the Liu house and the Later Zhao the Shi; two called themselves Wei, and the Li house called itself Shu; three houses of Murong, and Feng Ba as well, each called itself Yan, and so the Yans were four.
Interlinear notes 7
名淵, 晉永興元年, 據平陽, 僭號. 凡三主, 合二十五帝.
His name was Yuan (淵). In the first year of Yongxing of Jin he held Pingyang and made his false claim. There were three rulers in all, twenty-five years.
名勒, 晉大興二年, 據荊州. 僭號, 凡四主, 合四十四年.
His name was Le (勒). In the second year of Daxing of Jin he held Jingzhou and made his false claim. There were four rulers in all, forty-four years.
名閔, 永和六年, 滅後趙. 僭號, 立三年.
His name was Min (閔). In the sixth year of Yonghe he destroyed the Later Zhao and made his false claim, and he stood three years.
名雄, 永興元年, 據成都, 僭號. 凡四主, 合四十四年.
His name was Xiong (雄). In the first year of Yongxing he held Chengdu and made his false claim. There were four rulers in all, forty-four years.
雋, 咸康元年, 據鄴. 僭號燕, 凡三主, 合三十四年. ○垂, 大元八年, 據中山. 僭號後燕, 凡四主, 合二十五年. 德, 豊定二年, 據廣固. 僭號南燕, 凡二主, 合十二年. ○跋, 義熙二年, 據倡黎. 僭號北燕, 凡二主, 合二十八年.
Jun (雋), in the first year of Xiankang, held Ye and falsely called it Yan; there were three rulers in all, thirty-four years. Chui (垂), in the eighth year of Taiyuan, held Zhongshan and falsely called it the Later Yan; there were four rulers in all, twenty-five years. De (德), in the second year of Fengding, held Guanggu and falsely called it the Southern Yan; there were two rulers in all, twelve years. Ba (跋), in the second year of Yixi, held Changli and falsely called it the Northern Yan; there were two rulers in all, twenty-eight years.
豊定 — 豊 stands for 隆, avoiding the name of King Sejo of Goryeo, so this means Long'an. ― translator
合二十五帝 — the base text writes 「二十五帝」; by the reckoning of the notes around it, it is taken as an error for 「二十五年」. ― translator
14The five Liangs
赫連夏滅 ○乞伏秦, ○符徤○姚萇秦又二 ○禿髮烏孤 暨○呂光, ○沮渠蒙遜 幷○張軌 兼與○李暠 爲五凉, 此輩星分相畏忌.
The Qin (秦) of the Qifu house, which destroyed the Xia (夏) of the Helian house, and the Qin (秦) of Fu Jian and of Yao Chang, were two more; Tufa Wugu and Lü Guang, Juqu Mengxun and Zhang Gui and Li Gao made the five Liangs (五凉), and this crowd was scattered like stars, fearing and envying one another.
Interlinear notes 9
名勃勃, 義熙二年, 秦僭號. 凡三主, 合二十五年.
His name was Bobo (勃勃). In the second year of Yixi he made his false claim. There were three rulers in all, twenty-five years.
名國仁, 大元十年, 據金城, 僭號. 凡四主, 合四十七年.
His name was Guoren (國仁). In the tenth year of Taiyuan he held Jincheng and made his false claim. There were four rulers in all, forty-seven years.
徤, 永和七年, 據長安, 僭號. 凡五主, 合四十四年. ○萇, 大元十一年, 據長安, 僭號. 凡三主, 合五十二年.
Jian (徤), in the seventh year of Yonghe, held Chang'an and made his false claim; there were five rulers in all, forty-four years. Chang (萇), in the eleventh year of Taiyuan, held Chang'an and made his false claim; there were three rulers in all, fifty-two years.
豊安元年, 據廣固, 僭號南源. 凡三主, 合十八年.
In the first year of Feng'an he held Guanggu and falsely called it the Southern Liang. There were three rulers in all, eighteen years.
大元十一年, 據廣固, 僭號後凉. 凡三主, 合十五年.
In the eleventh year of Taiyuan he held Guanggu and falsely called it the Later Liang. There were three rulers in all, fifteen years.
豊安元年, 據甘川, 僭號北凉. 凡三主, 合三十九年.
In the first year of Feng'an he held Ganchuan and falsely called it the Northern Liang. There were three rulers in all, thirty-nine years.
永熙元年, 拜凉州牧, 至立興二年, 僭號凉. 凡八主, 合七十六年.
In the first year of Yongxi he was appointed Governor of Liangzhou, and by the second year of Lixing he falsely called it Liang. There were eight rulers in all, seventy-six years.
豊安四年, 據燉煌, 僭號西凉. 凡三主, 合二十四年.
In the fourth year of Feng'an he held Dunhuang and falsely called it the Western Liang. There were three rulers in all, twenty-four years.
豊安 · 立興 — 豊 stands for 隆 and 立 for 建, avoiding the names of King Sejo and King Taejo of Goryeo, so these mean Long'an and Jianxing. ― translator
15Fortune with disaster leaning on it
終爲晉魏所滅亡, 暫福飜嗟禍所倚.
In the end they were destroyed by Jin and by Wei; one can only sigh that a moment's fortune is the very place disaster leans on.
16The Southern and the Northern dynasties
○劉宋承晉都立康, ○托跋北魏興北鄙, 彼上諸國 南北朝, 此二稱爲南北史.
The Liu house of Song followed Jin and made its capital at Jiankang, and the Tuoba house of the Northern Wei arose on the northern frontier; the several states above are the Southern and Northern dynasties, and the histories of these two are called the Nanshi and the Beishi.
Interlinear notes 5
名裕, 以宋公受禪卽皇帝位, 九年庚申, 至末順帝, 凡八主, 合六十年. 傳之蕭齊.
His name was Yu (裕). As Duke of Song he received the abdication and took the imperial throne, in the ninth year of Yixi, a gyeongsin year. Down to the last, Emperor Shun, there were eight rulers in all, sixty years, and it passed to the Xiao house of Qi.
名珪, 悉有河北, 立天子旌旗. 水德, 元年丙戌, 都雲中. 至孝文帝, 改姓爲元, 自道虎帝至末虎帝. 凡十二主, 合一百五十二年.
His name was Gui (珪). He took all of Hebei and set up the banners of the Son of Heaven. His power was water and his first year was a byeongsul year, and he had his capital at Yunzhong. By the time of Emperor Xiaowen the surname was changed to Yuan (元). From Emperor Daowu down to the last, Emperor Wu, there were twelve rulers in all, one hundred and fifty-two years.
所謂南北十六朝, 赫連夏末八十六之數.
These are what are called the sixteen courts, southern and northern, and with the end of the Xia of the Helian house the count is eighty-six.
道虎帝·末虎帝 — the base text writes 虎 for 武, avoiding the name of King Hyejong of Goryeo, so these mean Emperor Daowu and the last Emperor Wu. ― translator
都立康 — the base text writes 立 for 建, avoiding the name of Taejo of Goryeo, so it reads 「立康」 and means Jiankang. ― translator
17They only followed the names of the places
此下亦有南北朝, 隨所居地名而已.
Below this too there are Southern and Northern courts, and they only followed the names of the places where they lived.
18Qi, Liang, and Chen
○蕭齊 受宋禪○蕭梁, 梁後○覇先陳受祉.
The Xiao house of Qi received the abdication of Song, and the Xiao house of Liang followed, and after Liang the Chen of Chen Baxian received the blessing.
Interlinear notes 3
名道成, 受禪卽皇帝位, 以宋末年己未爲元, 都立康. 何之十四世孫也. 至末和帝, 凡七帝, 合二十四年. 傳之蕭梁. 史臣曰, “何之儉德, 流裕後昆者乎?”
His name was Daocheng (道成). He received the abdication and took the imperial throne, took a gimi year, the last year of Song, as his first year, and had his capital at Jiankang. He was a descendant of Xiao He (蕭何) in the fourteenth generation. Down to the last, Emperor He, there were seven emperors in all, twenty-four years, and it passed to the Xiao house of Liang. The historian says, "Was it that the frugal virtue of Xiao He sent down plenty to his descendants?"
各衍, 受禪皇帝位, 以齊末年壬午爲元, 都立康. 至敬帝, 凡四帝, 合五十五年. 傳之陳陳.
His name was Yan (衍). He received the abdication and took the imperial throne, took an imo year, the last year of Qi, as his first year, and had his capital at Jiankang. Down to Emperor Jing there were four emperors in all, fifty-five years, and it passed to Chen.
陳覇先, 受梁禪卽皇帝位, 以姓爲國號, 元年丁丑, 都立康. 至後主, 凡五主, 合三十二年. 傳之楊隋.
Chen Baxian received the abdication of Liang and took the imperial throne, and he made his surname the name of the state. His first year was a jeongchuk year, and he had his capital at Jiankang. Down to the Last Ruler there were five rulers in all, thirty-two years, and it passed to the Yang house of Sui.
19The Last Ruler bewitched by Zhang Lihua
後主惑於張麗華, 爲築臨春幷結綺.
The Last Ruler was bewitched by Zhang Lihua, and he built the Linchun and Jieqi pavilions for her.
20The Last Ruler at the bottom of the well
韓擒虎躍萬兵來, 井底雖深那得避.
Han Qinhu came leaping in with ten thousand soldiers; deep as the bottom of a well may be, how could he escape there?
21The Eastern Wei and the Western Wei
○東○西魏自北魏分, 善見寶炬徒諾唯.
The Eastern Wei and the Western Wei split off from the Northern Wei, and Shanjian and Baoju could only say "yes, yes."
Interlinear notes 1
東魏孝靜帝, 姓元, 名善見. 元年甲寅, 都鄴. 盡十四年. 西魏文帝, 姓元, 名寶炬. 元年乙卯, 都長安, 至末恭帝凡三主, 合二十二年.
Emperor Xiaojing of the Eastern Wei had the surname Yuan and the name Shanjian. His first year was a gabin year, and he had his capital at Ye, and it ran out in fourteen years. Emperor Wen of the Western Wei had the surname Yuan and the name Baoju. His first year was an eulmyo year, and he had his capital at Chang'an. Down to the last, Emperor Gong, there were three rulers in all, twenty-two years.
22The Yuwen house and Gao Huan
西有宇文 東高歡, 兩臣獨檀朝廷誼.
In the west there was the Yuwen house and in the east Gao Huan, and these two subjects alone handled the power of the court as they pleased.
Interlinear notes 1
名泰.
His name was Tai (泰).
23Gao Yang's Northern Qi
○高洋何處稱北齊, 蓋受東魏先君履.
Where did Gao Yang call himself the Northern Qi? In the main he stepped into the shoes of the former ruler of the Eastern Wei.
Interlinear notes 1
歡之子, 受禪卽位. 元年庚子, 都鄴. 至後主, 凡五主, 合二十八年.
He was the son of Gao Huan. He received the abdication and ascended the throne; his first year was a gyeongja year, and he had his capital at Ye. Down to the Last Ruler there were five rulers in all, twenty-eight years.
24The Later Liang at Jingnan
梁孫○蕭謍 稱後梁, 都邑排向荊南置.
Xiao Cha, a descendant of Liang, called himself the Later Liang, and set out his capital toward Jingnan.
Interlinear notes 2
於耕佋明太子之子.
He was the son of Crown Prince Zhaoming.
元年乙亥, 都荊南. 至末梁公, 凡三主, 合三十三年.
His first year was an eulhae year, and he had his capital at Jingnan. Down to the last, the Duke of Liang, there were three rulers in all, thirty-three years.
25Yuwen Jue's Zhou
承西魏者○宇文覺, 開周一旦承天賜, 幷得高齊國漸强, 終爲相國楊堅利.
The one who followed the Western Wei was Yuwen Jue; he opened Zhou and in a single morning received what Heaven gave, and he took in the Gao house of Qi as well, so that the state grew strong by degrees, but in the end it all went to the profit of the chancellor Yang Jian.
Interlinear notes 2
泰之子.
He was the son of Yuwen Tai.
受禪卽位, 元年丁丑, 都長安. 至末靜帝, 凡五主, 合二十五年.
He received the abdication and ascended the throne; his first year was a jeongchuk year, and he had his capital at Chang'an. Down to the last, Emperor Jing, there were five rulers in all, twenty-five years.