Records of Wu 8: Biographies of Zhang Hong, Yan Jun, Cheng Bing, Kan Ze and Xue Zong

Records of Wu 8: Biographies of Zhang Hong, Yan Jun, Cheng Bing, Kan Ze and Xue Zong

Zhang Hong

張紘

Zhang Hong, courtesy name Zigang, was a man of Guangling. In his youth he went to study in the capital; on returning to his home commandery he was nominated as Flourishing Talent and was also summoned by the offices of the Excellencies, but he took up none of these posts and fled the troubles to Jiangdong. When Sun Ce founded his enterprise, Zhang Hong gave himself to his service. Sun Ce memorialized that he be made Colonel of Upright Counsel, and he followed Sun Ce in the campaign against Danyang. When Sun Ce went to the battle lines in person, Zhang Hong remonstrated, “The commander-in-chief is the source of all plans and the one on whom the lives of the three armies depend; he must not expose himself lightly. You are taking on petty bandits yourself. I beg you, sir, to value the gifts that Heaven has bestowed on you, live up to the hopes of all within the four seas, and not cause everyone in the state, high and low, to fear for your safety.”

張紘字子綱，廣陵人。少遊學京都，¹還本郡，舉茂才，公府辟，皆不就，²避難江東。孫策創業，遂委質焉。表為正議校尉，³從討丹揚，策身臨行陳，紘諫曰：「夫主將乃籌謨之所自出，三軍之所繫命也，不宜輕脫。自敵小寇，願麾下重天授之姿，副四海之望，無令國內上下危懼。」

In the fourth year of Jian'an, Sun Ce sent Zhang Hong to carry a memorial to the palace at Xu, where he was kept on as Attendant Imperial Clerk. The Minister Steward Kong Rong and others all became his close friends. When Lord Cao heard that Sun Ce had died, he wanted to take advantage of the mourning to attack Wu. Zhang Hong remonstrated, holding that taking advantage of another's mourning was contrary to the principles of antiquity, and that if the attack failed it would make an enemy and throw away a friendship; it would be better to use the occasion to treat Wu generously. Lord Cao followed his advice and at once memorialized that Sun Quan be made General Who Punishes Caitiffs and take charge of Kuaiji as Prefect.

建安四年，策遣紘奉章至許宮，留為侍御史。少府孔融等皆與親善。¹曹公聞策薨，欲因喪伐吳。紘諫，以為乘人之喪。既非古義，若其不克，成仇棄好，不如因而厚之。曹公從其言，即表權為討虜將軍，領會稽太守。

Lord Cao wanted Zhang Hong to guide Sun Quan into submitting to the court, and so sent him out as Chief Commandant of the Eastern Section of Kuaiji. Later Sun Quan made Zhang Hong his Chief Clerk, and he followed Sun Quan on the campaign against Hefei. When Sun Quan was about to lead light cavalry to charge the enemy himself, Zhang Hong remonstrated, “Weapons are instruments of ill omen, and battle is a perilous affair. Now you, sir, are relying on the spirit of your vigorous youth and making light of a strong and violent foe, and there is no one in all the three armies whose heart does not go cold. Even if you should cut down their general and seize their banner, and your might should shake the enemy's field, that is the task of a subordinate general, not what befits the commander-in-chief.

曹公欲令紘輔權內附，出紘為會稽東部都尉。¹後權以紘為長史，從征合肥。²權率輕騎將往突敵，紘諫曰：「夫兵者凶器，戰者危事也。今麾下恃盛壯之氣，忽強暴之虜，三軍之眾，莫不寒心，雖斬將搴旗，威震敵場，此乃偏將之任，非主將之宜也。

I beg you to restrain the courage of a Meng Ben or a Xia Yu and to cherish the plans of a hegemon-king.” Sun Quan accepted Zhang Hong's words and stopped. After they returned, when Sun Quan was about to send out the army again the following year, Zhang Hong remonstrated once more, “Since ancient times, the emperors and kings who received the Mandate, even though the spirits of Heaven aided them above and their civil virtue spread among those below, still relied on martial achievement to make their merit shine. Yet they valued moving at the right time; only then did they win awe. Now you, sir, have met the calamity that has befallen the four-hundred-year house and have achieved the merit of sustaining it in its peril. You should for a while rest your troops, open up farming far and wide, entrust the worthy and employ the able, and strive to honor leniency and kindness. If you then carry out punishment in accordance with the Mandate of Heaven, you can settle the realm without toil.” And so he stopped and did not march.

願抑賁、育之勇，懷霸王之計。」權納紘言而止。既還，明年將復出軍，紘又諫曰：「自古帝王受命之君，雖有皇靈佐於上，文德播於下，亦賴武功以昭其勳。然而貴於時動，乃後為威耳。今麾下值四百之厄，有扶危之功，宜且隱息師徒，廣開播殖，任賢使能，務崇寬惠，順天命以行誅，可不勞而定也。」於是遂止不行。

Zhang Hong proposed that the capital should be moved out to Moling, and Sun Quan followed his advice. Sun Quan had him go back to Wu to fetch his family, but on the way he fell ill and died. When he was near death, he gave his son Zhang Jing a letter to be left behind: “Since ancient times, all who have held a state or a house have wished to cultivate virtuous government and rival the most flourishing ages, yet when it comes to their actual rule, most have left no fragrant name. It is not that their loyal ministers and worthy aides were ignorant of the essentials of government; it is that the rulers could not master their own feelings and so could not make use of them. Human feeling shrinks from what is hard and runs toward what is easy, loves what agrees with it and hates what differs, and this runs counter to the way of good government.

紘建計宜出都秣陵，權從之。¹令還吳迎家，道病卒。臨困，授子靖留箋曰：「自古有國有家者，咸欲修德政以比隆盛世，至於其治，多不馨香。非無忠臣賢佐暗於治體也，由主不勝其情，弗能用耳。夫人情憚難而趨易，好同而惡異，與治道相反。

The Commentary says, ‘Following good is like climbing a mountain; following evil is like a landslide’ — which speaks of how hard goodness is. A ruler inherits a foundation laid over generations, rests on a position that came to him naturally, and wields the awesome power of the eight handles of authority; he savors the pleasure of what is easy and agreeable to him and has no need to borrow anything from others. The loyal minister, by contrast, carries counsel that is hard to warm to and utters words that grate on the ear, so is it not natural that they fail to agree? Then, once a rift opens, clever talkers work their way into the gap; the ruler is dazzled by petty loyalty and clings to favorites, the worthy and the foolish are mixed together, and the order of elder and younger is lost. The cause of all this is that feeling throws things into disorder.

《傳》曰：『從善如登，從惡如崩』，言善之難也。人君承奕世之基，據自然之勢，操八柄之威，甘易同之歡，¹無假取於人；而忠臣挾難近之術，吐逆耳之言，其不合也，不亦宜乎！則有釁，巧辯緣間，眩於小忠，戀於恩愛，賢愚雜錯，長幼失敘，其所由來，情亂之也。

Therefore an enlightened ruler, awakening to this, seeks the worthy as though hungry and thirsty, accepts remonstrance without tiring of it, restrains his feelings and reduces his desires, and cuts off personal affection for the sake of right. Then above there are no biased or mistaken appointments, and below no one harbors hopes of favor. You should think on this again and again, bear with faults and cover over flaws, and so achieve the greatness of one whose benevolence shelters all.” He died at the age of sixty. Sun Quan read the letter and wept.

故明君悟之，求賢如饑渴。受諫而不厭，抑情損欲，以義割恩，上無偏謬之授，下無希冀之望。宜加三思，含垢藏疾，以成仁覆之大。」時年六十卒。權省書流涕。

Zhang Hong wrote more than ten pieces of poems, rhapsodies, inscriptions, and eulogies. His son Zhang Xuan rose in office to Prefect of Nan Commandery and Master of Writing. Zhang Xuan's son Zhang Shang became a Gentleman Attendant in the time of Sun Hao; he became known for his eloquence and quick wit and was promoted to Palace Attendant and Prefect of the Secretariat. Sun Hao told Zhang Shang to play the zither, and Zhang Shang replied, “I have never been able to play.” Sun Hao ordered him to learn. Later, when the conversation at a banquet turned to the subtleties of the zither, Zhang Shang remarked, “When Duke Ping of Jin had Shi Kuang play the Clear Jue mode, Shi Kuang said, ‘My lord's virtue is too slight; he is not fit to hear it.’”

紘著詩賦銘誄十餘篇。¹子玄，官至南郡太守、尚書。²玄子尚，³孫皓時為侍郎，以言語辯捷見知，擢為侍中、中書令。皓使尚鼓琴，尚對曰：「素不能。」敕使學之。後宴言次說琴之精妙，尚因道「晉平公使師曠作清角，曠言吾君德薄，不足以聽之。」

Sun Hao took it that Zhang Shang was using this story to criticize him, and was displeased. Later, when other matters piled up and Zhang Shang was thrown into prison, he was questioned about all of this as well and sent to Jianan to build ships. After a long time he was executed there. Earlier, Qin Song, courtesy name Wenbiao, and Chen Duan, courtesy name Zizheng, men of the same commandery as Zhang Hong, had both been treated with favor by Sun Ce together with Zhang Hong and had taken part in his planning. Both died early.

皓意謂尚以斯喻己，不悅。後積他事下獄，皆追此為詰，¹送建安作船。久之，又就加誅。初，紘同郡秦松字文表，陳端字子正，並與紘見待於孫策，參與謀謨。各早卒。

Yan Jun

嚴畯

Yan Jun, courtesy name Mancai, was a man of Pengcheng. In his youth he was absorbed in learning; he was expert in the Book of Songs, the Book of Documents, and the three Rites classics, and he was also fond of the Shuowen. Fleeing the disorders to Jiangdong, he became as famous as Zhuge Jin and Bu Zhi and was on friendly terms with them. He was upright, simple, and sincere by nature; toward others he gave loyal counsel and guided them toward the good, with his heart set on being of help. Zhang Zhao recommended him to Sun Quan, who made him Chief Commandant of Cavalry and Attendant Gentleman of the Household. When Lu Su, General Who Crosses the River, died, Sun Quan made Yan Jun his successor, in command of ten thousand troops garrisoning Lukou.

嚴畯字曼才，彭城人也。少耽學，善《詩》《書》、三《禮》，又好《說文》。避亂江東，與諸葛瑾、步騭齊名友善。性質直純厚，其於人物，忠告善道，志存補益。張昭進之於孫權，權以為騎都尉、從事中郎。及橫江將軍魯肅卒，權以畯代肅，督兵萬人，鎮據陸口。

Everyone was delighted for Yan Jun. But he firmly declined again and again, saying, “I am a plain scholar with no experience of military affairs. If I hold a post for which I lack the talent, blame and regret are sure to follow.” He spoke so earnestly that he was moved to tears, and Sun Quan at last granted his request. The world praised him for being able to decline honestly according to the facts. When Sun Quan became King of Wu and later took the imperial title, Yan Jun, who had become Minister of the Guards, was once sent as an envoy to Shu, and Zhuge Liang, the Chancellor of Shu, thought very highly of him. He did not hoard his salary or gifts but gave them all away to his relatives and friends, so that his household never had enough.

眾人咸為畯喜。畯前後固辭：「樸素書生，不閒軍事，非才而據，咎悔必至。」發言慷慨，至於流涕，¹權乃聽焉，世嘉其能以實讓。權為吳王，及稱尊號，畯嘗為衛尉，使至蜀，蜀相諸葛亮深善之。不畜祿賜，皆散之親戚知故，家常不充。

Liu Ying of Guangling was an old friend of Yan Jun. Liu Ying devoted himself to study at home; Sun Quan heard of him and summoned him, but he declined on grounds of illness. When his younger brother Liu Lue died in office as Prefect of Lingling, Liu Ying went to attend the funeral. Sun Quan, realizing that his illness had been feigned, sent post riders in haste to arrest him. Yan Jun also galloped off to tell Liu Ying and had him go back and apologize to Sun Quan. Sun Quan was angry and dismissed Yan Jun, but Liu Ying escaped punishment. After a long time Sun Quan made Yan Jun Director of the Secretariat, and later he died. Yan Jun wrote a Commentary on the Classic of Filial Piety and a Treatise on the Tides, and together with Pei Xuan and Zhang Cheng he wrote a discussion of Guan Zhong and Ji Lu; all of these have been handed down in the world.

廣陵劉穎與畯有舊，穎精學家巷，權聞徵之，以疾不就。其弟略為零陵太守，卒官，穎往赴喪，權知其詐病，急驛收錄。畯亦馳語穎，使還謝權。權怒廢畯，而穎得免罪。久之，以畯為尚書令，後卒。¹畯著《孝經傳》《潮水論》，又與裴玄、張承論管仲、季路。皆傳於世。

Pei Xuan

裴玄

Pei Xuan, courtesy name Yanhuang, was a man of Xiapi. He too was a man of learning and good conduct, and he rose in office to Grand Palace Grandee. He asked his son Pei Qin to rank four men — Duke Huan of Qi, Duke Wen of Jin, Bo Yi, and Liuxia Hui. Pei Qin answered with his own views, and he and Pei Xuan argued back and forth, each with sound reasoning. Pei Qin kept company with the Heir Apparent Sun Deng, who praised his literary talent.

玄字彥黃，下邳人也，亦有學行，官至太中大夫。問子欽齊桓、晉文、夷、惠四人優劣，欽答所見，與玄相反覆，各有文理。欽與太子登遊處，登稱其翰採。

Cheng Bing

程秉

Cheng Bing, courtesy name Deshu, was a man of Nandun County in Runan Commandery. He had been able to study under Zheng Xuan, and later, fleeing the disorders to Jiao Province, he examined and debated the great principles of the classics with Liu Xi and came to master all Five Classics. Shi Xie made him his Chief Clerk. Sun Quan heard that he was a famous Confucian scholar and summoned him with due ceremony; when Cheng Bing arrived he appointed him Grand Tutor to the Heir Apparent. In the fourth year of Huangwu, when Sun Quan arranged a marriage between the Heir Apparent Sun Deng and a daughter of Zhou Yu, Cheng Bing served as acting Minister of Ceremonies and went to receive the consort at Wu. Sun Quan personally visited Cheng Bing's boat and showed him great honor.

程秉字德樞，汝南南頓人也。逮事鄭玄，後避亂交州，與劉熙考論大義，遂博通五經。士燮命為長史。權聞其名儒，以禮徵，秉既到，拜太子太傅。黃武四年，權為太子登娉周瑜女，秉守太常，迎妃於吳，權親幸秉船，深見優禮。

After they returned, Cheng Bing took an unhurried moment to counsel Sun Deng: “Marriage is the beginning of human relations and the foundation of royal instruction. That is why the sage kings gave it such weight, in order to lead the multitudes by example and transform the whole realm. Hence the Book of Songs praises the ‘Guanju’ and places it first. I hope that you, as Heir Apparent, will honor the teachings of ritual within the women's quarters and keep to what is sung in the ‘Zhounan.’ Then the transforming power of the Way will flourish above, and songs of praise will arise below.” Sun Deng smiled and said, “To follow what is good in me and correct and rescue me from what is bad — that is truly what I rely on you, my Tutor, to do.” Cheng Bing died of illness in office. He wrote Selections on the Zhouyi, Refutations on the Book of Documents, and Aids to the Analects, amounting to more than thirty thousand words in all.

既還，秉從容進說登曰：「婚姻人倫之始，王教之基，是以聖王重之，所以率先眾庶，風化天下，故《詩》美《關雎》，以為稱首。願太子尊禮教於閨房，存《周南》之所詠，則道化隆於上，頌聲作於下矣。」登笑曰：「將順其美，匡救其惡，誠所賴於傅君也。」病卒官。著《周易摘》《尚書駁》《論語弼》，凡三萬餘言。

Zheng Chong

徵崇

While Cheng Bing was Tutor, it is said, the Director of the Watches, Zheng Chong of Henan, was also devoted to learning and upright in conduct.

秉為傅時，率更令河南徵崇亦篤學立行云。¹

Kan Ze

闞澤

Kan Ze, courtesy name Derun, was a man of Shanyin County in Kuaiji Commandery. His family had been farmers for generations, but Kan Ze loved learning. Being poor and without means, he regularly hired himself out to copy books so as to pay for paper and brushes, and when he had finished copying a book he had also read it through and could recite it. He followed teachers to hear their lectures, studied widely in the literature, and also mastered calendrical calculation, and through this he became well known. He was nominated as Filial and Incorrupt and appointed Chief of Qiantang, and was transferred to Magistrate of Chen. When Sun Quan became General of Agile Cavalry, he summoned Kan Ze to serve as Secretary of the Western Bureau; when Sun Quan took the imperial title, he made Kan Ze a Master of Writing.

闞澤字德潤，會稽山陰人也。家世農夫，至澤好學，居貧無資，常為人傭書，以供紙筆，所寫既畢，誦讀亦遍。追師論講，究覽群籍，兼通歷數，由是顯名。察孝廉，除錢唐長，遷郴令。孫權為驃騎將軍，辟補西曹掾；及稱尊號，以澤為尚書。

During the Jiahe era he became Prefect of the Secretariat, with the additional title of Palace Attendant. In the fifth year of Chiwu he was appointed Grand Tutor to the Heir Apparent, while continuing in charge of the Secretariat as before. Because the texts of the classics and commentaries were so many that it was hard to use them all, Kan Ze weighed the various schools and condensed the text of the Rites and the explanations of the commentators to teach the two palaces, and he drew up for them the rules of conduct for their movements and for receiving guests. He also wrote a commentary on the Qianxiang Calendar to correct the reckoning of days. Whenever there was a major debate at court and doubts arose about the classics, he was always consulted.

嘉禾中，為中書令，加侍中。赤烏五年，拜太子太傅，領中書如故。澤以經傳文多，難得盡用，乃斟酌諸家，刊約《禮》文及諸注說以授二宮，為制行出入及見賓儀，又著《乾象歷注》以正時日。每朝廷大議，經典所疑，輒諮訪之。

For his diligent service in Confucian learning he was enfeoffed as Marquis of a Chief District. He was modest, respectful, sincere, and careful by nature; even when he summoned and questioned minor clerks of the palace or the offices, he always treated them as equals. He never spoke of other people's faults or shortcomings. In appearance he seemed unremarkable, but his learning was so broad that it was seldom exhausted. Sun Quan once asked him, “Among books, commentaries, essays, and rhapsodies, which is the finest?” Kan Ze, wishing to use the question to make a veiled point about order and disorder, answered that Jia Yi's essay The Faults of Qin was the best, and Sun Quan read it. Earlier, when the crimes of Lü Yi came to light, the officials in charge investigated him thoroughly and proposed the death penalty, and some held that he should also be burned and torn apart to make an example of the chief villain.

以儒學勤勞，封都鄉侯。性謙恭篤慎，宮府小吏，呼召對問，皆為抗禮。人有非短，口未嘗及，容貌似不足者，然所聞少窮。權常問：「書傳篇賦，何者為美？」澤欲諷喻以明治亂，因對賈誼《過秦論》最善，權覽讀焉。初，以呂壹姦罪發聞，有司窮治，奏以大辟，或以為宜加焚裂，用彰元惡。

Sun Quan asked Kan Ze about it, and Kan Ze said, “In an age of flourishing enlightenment, such punishments should not be revived.” Sun Quan followed his advice. Again, when the various offices were troubled by something and wished to make the laws and prohibitions harsher in order to keep their subordinates in check, Kan Ze would always say, “We should follow the rites and the statutes.” His way of being mild yet upright was always like this. He died in the winter of the sixth year. Sun Quan grieved and mourned him deeply and could not eat for several days.

權以訪澤，澤曰：「盛明之世，不宜復有此刑。」權從之。又諸官司有所患疾，欲增重科防，以檢禦臣下，澤每曰：「宜依禮、律」，其和而有正，皆此類也。¹六年冬卒，權痛惜感悼，食不進者數日。

Tang Gu

唐固

Tang Gu of Danyang, a senior figure from Kan Ze's home region, also cultivated himself and accumulated learning and was known as a Confucian scholar. He wrote commentaries on the Guoyu, the Gongyang Commentary, and the Guliang Commentary, and he regularly lectured to several dozen students. When Sun Quan became King of Wu, he appointed Tang Gu a Court Gentleman, and Lu Xun, Zhang Wen, Luo Tong, and others all bowed to him as their teacher. In the fourth year of Huangwu he died while serving as Deputy Director of the Secretariat.

澤州里先輩丹楊唐固亦修身積學，稱為儒者，著《國語》《公羊》《穀梁傳》注，講授常數十人。權為吳王，拜固議郎，自陸遜、張溫、駱統等皆拜之。黃武四年為尚書僕射，卒。¹

Xue Zong

薛綜

Xue Zong, courtesy name Jingwen, was a man of Zhuyi County in Pei Commandery. In his youth he went with his kinsmen to take refuge in Jiao Province and studied under Liu Xi. After Shi Xie submitted to Sun Quan, Sun Quan summoned Xue Zong as Gentleman of the Palace of the Five Offices and appointed him Prefect of Hepu and of Jiaozhi.

薛綜字敬文，沛郡竹邑人也。¹少依族人避地交州，從劉熙學。士燮既附孫權，召綜為五官中郎，除合浦、交阯太守。

At that time the lands of Jiao were first being opened up, and when the Inspector Lü Dai led troops on a punitive campaign, Xue Zong went with him, crossed the sea on the southern expedition, and reached Jiuzhen. When the affair was over he returned to the capital and served as acting Supervisor of Internuncios. The envoy from the west, Zhang Feng, took apart the name of the Master of Writing Kan Ze in front of Sun Quan to mock him, and Kan Ze could not reply. Xue Zong came down to serve wine and, offering Zhang Feng a cup, said, “What is Shu (蜀)? With a dog (犬) beside it, it is du (獨), ‘alone’; without the dog, it is Shu: an eye (目) laid sideways, a body bent over (勹), and a worm (虫) in its belly.”

時交土始開，刺史呂岱率師討伐，綜與俱行，越海南征，及到九真。事畢還都，守謁者僕射。西使張奉於權前列尚書闞澤姓名以嘲澤，澤不能答。綜下行酒，因勸酒曰：「蜀者何也？有犬為獨，無犬為蜀，橫目苟身，蟲入其腹。」¹

Zhang Feng said, “Then shouldn't I take apart your Wu (吳) as well?” Xue Zong answered at once, “Without a mouth (口) it is Heaven (天); with a mouth it is Wu, the capital of the Son of Heaven who rules over the ten thousand states.” At this the whole company laughed with delight, and Zhang Feng had no reply. Such was the quickness of his wit. When Lü Dai was recalled from Jiao Province, Xue Zong feared that Lü Dai's successor would not be the right man, and he submitted a memorial saying, “In ancient times the Emperor Shun made a tour of inspection to the south and died at Cangwu. Qin established the commanderies of Guilin, Nanhai, and Xiang. Thus these four territories have long been subject to the central state.

奉曰：「不當復列君吳邪？」綜應聲曰：「無口為天，有口為吳，君臨萬邦，天子之都。」於是眾坐喜笑，而奉無以對。其樞機敏捷，皆此類也。¹呂岱從交州召出，綜懼繼岱者非其人，上疏曰：昔帝舜南巡，卒於蒼梧。秦置桂林、南海、象郡，然則四國之內屬也，有自來矣。

Zhao Tuo rose at Panyu and won over the chieftains of the Hundred Yue; the land south of Zhuguan is that region. Emperor Wu of Han executed Lü Jia, opened up nine commanderies, and set up an Inspector of Jiaozhi to keep watch over them. The mountains and rivers stretch far and wide, the customs are not uniform, and the languages differ, so that communication was possible only through several interpreters in turn. The people were like birds and beasts, making no distinction between old and young; they wore their hair in mallet-shaped knots, went barefoot, put on garments by passing their heads through a hole in the cloth, and folded their robes to the left. Although senior officials were appointed, it was as if there were none. From that time on, a good many criminals from the central states were moved to live among them; the natives were gradually taught to write and came to understand the language roughly, and envoys traveled back and forth by the relay stations so that they could observe the influence of ritual.

趙佗起番禺，懷服百越之君，珠官之南是也。漢武帝誅呂嘉，開九郡，設交阯刺史以鎮監之。山川長遠，習俗不齊，言語同異，重譯乃通。民如禽獸，長幼無別，椎結徒跣，貫頭左衽，長吏之設，雖有若無。自斯以來，頗徙中國罪人雜居其間，稍使學書，粗知言語，使驛往來，觀見禮化。

Later, when Xi Guang became Prefect of Jiaozhi and Ren Yan Prefect of Jiuzhen, they for the first time taught the people to plow with ox-drawn plows, had them wear caps and shoes, and set up marriage officials so that they first learned of betrothal and marriage rites; they also built schools and guided the people in the meaning of the classics. In the more than four hundred years since, the region has become fairly similar to China. Yet when I first arrived there long ago as a sojourner, I found that in Zhuya, outside the provincial and county seats, all marriages took place in the eighth month when the households were called together; when the people had gathered, men and women who took to each other became husband and wife, and their parents could not stop them.

及後錫光為交阯，任延為九真太守，乃教其耕犁，使之冠履；為設媒官，始知聘娶；建立學校，導之經義。由此已降，四百餘年，頗有似類。自臣昔客始至之時，珠崖除州縣嫁娶，皆須八月引戶，人民集會之時，男女自相可適，乃為夫妻，父母不能止。

In the two counties of Miling in Jiaozhi and Dupang in Jiuzhen, when an elder brother dies the younger brother takes his widow as his wife; this has been the custom for generations, and the senior officials leave it alone and cannot forbid it. In Rinan Commandery men and women go about naked and feel no shame. By this account they might be called mere insects that happen to have human faces. Yet the land is broad and the people many, and the country is rugged and pestilential, so that they are easily stirred to revolt and hard to bring under governance. The government keeps them on a loose rein and makes a show of might to cow them into submission; of the taxes on fields and households it takes only enough to meet its needs, and what it prizes is bringing in the rare treasures of distant lands — famous pearls, incense and medicines, ivory, rhinoceros horn, tortoiseshell, coral, glass, parrots, kingfishers, peacocks, and other curiosities — to fill its store of treasures and playthings. It does not depend on their tax revenues to enrich the central state.

交阯糜泠、九真都龐二縣，皆兄死弟妻其嫂，世以此為俗，長吏恣聽，不能禁制。日南郡男女倮體，不以為羞。由此言之，可謂蟲豸，有靦面目耳。然而土廣人眾，阻險毒害，易以為亂，難使從治。縣官羈縻，示令威服，田戶之租賦，裁取供辦，貴致遠珍名珠、香藥、象牙、犀角、玳瑁、珊瑚、琉璃、鸚鵡、翡翠、孔雀、奇物，充備寶玩，不必仰其賦入，以益中國也。

But because the region lies outside the nine domains, the choice of senior officials has generally not been carefully scrutinized. In Han times the laws were lax, and many officials indulged themselves as they pleased, so that there were frequent revolts and breaches of the law. The abolition of Zhuya began when the senior officials, seeing that the people had fine hair, shaved it off to make wigs. As for what I have seen myself: Huang Gai of Nanhai became Prefect of Rinan, and upon arriving he beat his Registrar to death because the provisions for his reception were not lavish enough; he was then driven out. Dan Meng, Prefect of Jiuzhen, acted as host at a banquet for his father-in-law Zhou Jing and also invited the senior officers; when they were well into their wine, music was played.

然在九甸之外，長吏之選，類不精核。漢時法寬，多自放恣，故數反違法。珠崖之廢，起於長吏睹其好發，髡取為髲。及臣所見，南海黃蓋為日南太守，下車以供設不豐，撾殺主簿，仍見驅逐。九真太守儋萌為妻父周京作主人，並請大吏，酒酣作樂。

The Officer of Merit, Pan Xin, rose to dance and invited Zhou Jing to join him; Zhou Jing would not get up, but Pan Xin kept pressing him. Dan Meng in a rage had Pan Xin flogged, and Pan Xin died within the commandery. Pan Xin's younger brother Pan Miao led a band to attack the commandery office and shot Dan Meng with poisoned arrows, and Dan Meng died of it. Shi Xie, Prefect of Jiaozhi, sent troops to punish them but in the end could not overcome them. Again, the former Inspector Zhu Fu of Kuaiji appointed many men of his home region, such as Yu Bao and Liu Yan, as senior officials in various places. They preyed on and abused the common people and forced taxes on them, collecting one hu of rice for every yellowfish; the people resented it and rebelled, and mountain bandits rose up everywhere, attacking the province and raiding the commanderies.

功曹番歆起舞屬京，京不肯起，歆猶迫強，萌忿杖歆，亡於郡內。歆弟苗帥眾攻府，毒矢射萌，萌至物故。交阯太守士燮遣兵致討，卒不能克。又故刺史會稽朱符，多以鄉人虞褒、劉彥之徒分作長吏，侵虐百姓，強賦於民黃魚一枚收稻一斛，百姓怨叛，山賊並出，攻州突郡。

Zhu Fu fled to the sea and died a wanderer. Next came Zhang Jin of Nanyang, who fell out with Liu Biao, Imperial Protector of Jing Province; though his troops were weak and the enemy strong, he raised armies year after year, until his generals grew weary and resentful and came and went as they pleased.

符走入海，流離喪亡。次得南陽張津，與荊州牧劉表為隙，兵弱敵強，歲歲興軍，諸將厭患，去留自在。

Zhang Jin exercised little control and lacked authority and martial strength; he was treated with contempt by his men and in the end was killed. After him came Lai Gong of Lingling, a benevolent and careful elder but ignorant of the affairs of the day. Liu Biao also sent Wu Ju of Changsha to be Prefect of Cangwu. Wu Ju was a soldier, rash and fierce, who would not submit to Lai Gong. They soon came to resent and hate each other, and Wu Ju drove Lai Gong out; so Bu Zhi was requested. At that time there were still many of Zhang Jin's former officers, such as Yi Liao and Qian Bo; Bu Zhi dealt with them and weeded them out one by one, and just as order was being established, he happened to be recalled.

津小檢攝，威武不足，為所陵侮，遂至殺沒。後得零陵賴恭，先輩仁謹，不曉時事。表又遣長沙吳巨為蒼梧太守。巨武夫輕悍，不為恭服。輒相怨恨，逐出恭，求步騭。是時津故將夷廖、錢博之徒尚多，騭以次鋤治，綱紀適定，會仍召出。

After Lü Dai arrived, the Shi clan's uprising broke out; he led an army south across the frontier, and on the very day it was put down he replaced the senior officials and made the royal order plain, so that his authority extended ten thousand li and great and small alike followed his lead. By this account, to pacify the frontier and soothe the distant peoples truly requires the right man. The office of provincial governor calls for men who are honest and capable in any case, but beyond the remote wilderness the difference between fortune and disaster is sharper still. Now, although Jiao Province is nominally more or less settled, there are still long-established bandits in Gaoliang, and the borders of the four commanderies of Nanhai, Cangwu, Yulin, and Zhuguan are not yet pacified; people there live by banditry, and the region has become nothing but a lair for fugitives and rebels.

呂岱既至，有士氏之變。越軍南征，平討之日，改置長吏，章明王綱，威加萬里，大小承風。由此言之，綏邊撫裔，實有其人。牧伯之任，既宜清能，荒流之表，禍福尤甚。今日交州雖名粗定，尚有高涼宿賊；其南海、蒼梧、鬱林、珠官四郡界未綏，依作寇盜，專為亡叛逋逃之藪。

If Lü Dai is not to return south, the new Inspector should be a meticulous man who can keep the eight commanderies in hand, with the strategy and resourcefulness to bring Gaoliang under control step by step. If he is given authority and favor, lent the backing of power, and held responsible for results, the situation may perhaps be restored. But if he is merely an ordinary man who keeps to routine methods and has no unusual plans or special skills, the villains will multiply day by day, and in the long run they will do great harm. The safety of the state therefore lies in whom it appoints, and this cannot be neglected. I fear that the court may treat the choice lightly, and so I venture to set out my humble thoughts in full to broaden Your Majesty's deliberations.”

若岱不復南，新刺史宜得精密，檢攝八郡，方略智計，能稍稍以漸治高涼者，假其威寵，借之形勢，責其成效，庶幾可補復。如但中人，近守常法，無奇數異術者，則群惡日滋，久遠成害。故國之安危，在於所任，不可不察也。竊懼朝廷忽輕其選，故敢竭愚情，以廣聖思。

In the third year of Huanglong, when Sun Lü, Marquis of Jianchang, became Grand General Who Guards the Army and was stationed at Banzhou, he made Xue Zong his Chief Clerk, in charge of affairs outside and of teaching him the books within. When Sun Lü died, Xue Zong came to court as acting Master of Writing for Bandit Affairs and was promoted to Deputy Director of the Secretariat. At this time Gongsun Yuan, having submitted, turned against Wu again, and Sun Quan in great fury wanted to lead a campaign against him in person. Xue Zong submitted a memorial of remonstrance: “An emperor or king is the head of the ten thousand states, the one on whom the fate of the realm depends. Therefore when he is at rest he has layered gates and sounding watchmen's clappers to guard against the unexpected, and when he travels the roads are cleared and the procession kept in order to maintain his majesty. All this is to preserve the blessing of perfect security and to steady the hearts of all within the four seas.

黃龍三年，建昌侯慮為鎮軍大將軍，屯半州，以綜為長史，外掌眾事，內授書籍。慮卒，入守賊曹尚書，遷尚書僕射。時公孫淵降而復叛，權盛怒，欲自親征。綜上疏諫曰：夫帝王者，萬國之元首，天下之所繫命也。是以居則重門擊柝以戒不虞，行則清道案節以養威嚴，蓋所以存萬安之福，鎮四海之心。

Long ago, when Confucius lamented his times, he expressed himself in the saying that he would take a raft and float out to sea, and Ji You was delighted at this, but Confucius rebuffed him, saying there was nowhere to get the timber. When Emperor Yuan of Han wanted to ride in a towered ship, Xue Guangde begged to cut his own throat and stain the carriage with his blood. Why was this? Because the dangers of water and fire are extreme perils that an emperor or king should not venture into. There is a proverb: ‘The son of a family worth a thousand in gold does not sit at the edge of the hall.’ How much more so one who holds the honor of ten thousand chariots! Now Liaodong is a petty state of the Rong and Mo barbarians, without the strength of walls and moats or the skills of defense; its weapons are blunt, and its people are like dogs and sheep without government. Should we go, we would surely capture and overcome them, just as Your Majesty's enlightened edict says.

昔孔子疾時，托乘桴浮海之語，季由斯喜，拒以無所取才。漢元帝欲御樓船，薛廣德請刎頸以血染車。何則？水火之險至危，非帝王所宜涉也。諺曰：『千金之子，坐不垂堂。』況萬乘之尊乎？今遼東戎貊小國，無城池之固，備御之術，器械銖鈍，犬羊無政，往必禽克，誠如明詔。

But that country is cold and barren, grain will not grow there, and the people are used to the saddle and move about without fixed abode. As soon as they hear that a great army is coming, they will judge that they cannot resist and will scatter like startled birds and frightened beasts, fleeing far away and hiding, so that not a single man or horse will be seen. Even if we gain the empty land, there will be no benefit in holding it: this is the first reason it should not be done. Moreover, there are vast surging waters and the perils of Chengshan; sea voyages are unpredictable and wind and waves hard to avoid, and in an instant men and ships may part company.

然其方土寒埆，穀稼不殖，民習鞍馬，轉徙無常。卒聞大軍之至，自度不敵，鳥驚獸駭，長驅奔竄，一人匹馬，不可得見。雖獲空地，守之無益，此不可一也；加又洪流滉瀁，有成山之難，海行無常，風波難免，倏忽之間，人船異勢。

Even one with the virtue of Yao or Shun would find no place to apply his wisdom, and one with the courage of Meng Ben or Xia Yu no way to use his strength: this is the second reason it should not be done. On top of this, thick fog darkens the sky above and brine steams up from below, bringing on running sores and swellings that spread from one man to the next; hardly anyone who travels by sea escapes this affliction. This is the third reason it should not be done. Heaven has brought forth a divine sage and made this manifest through auspicious omens; you should put an end to the disorder and bring peace to the people and all things. Good omens gather day by day, the realm is on the verge of being settled, and the destruction of the cruel rebel caitiffs is near at hand.

雖有堯、舜之德，智無所施，賁、育之勇，力不得設，此不可二也；加以鬱霧冥其上，鹹水蒸其下，善生流腫，轉相洿染，凡行海者，稀無斯患，此不可三也。天生神聖，顯以符瑞，當乘平喪亂，康此民物；嘉祥日集，海內垂定，逆虜凶虐，滅亡在近。

Once the central states are pacified, Liaodong will collapse of its own accord; you need only fold your hands and wait. Yet now you would go against a plan certain to succeed, seek out perils of the utmost danger, neglect the security of the Nine Provinces, and give free rein to the anger of a single morning. This is not a weighty plan for the altars of the state, and it would be something never before seen since the world began. This is truly why all your officials lean forward and hold their breath, find no taste in their food, and cannot rest easy on their mats. I beg Your Majesty to restrain your thunderous might and contain your blazing wrath, keep to the safety of crossing by the bridge, and stay far from the danger of treading on ice. Then your ministers will enjoy your blessing, and the whole realm will be most fortunate.”

中國一平，遼東自斃，但當拱手以待耳。今乃違必然之圖，尋至危之阻，忽九州之固，肆一朝之忿，既非社稷之重計，又開闢以來所未嘗有，斯誠群僚所以傾身側息，食不甘味，寢不安席者也。惟陛下抑雷霆之威，忍赫斯之怒，遵乘橋之安，遠履冰之險，則臣子賴祉，天下幸甚。

At this time many of the officials remonstrated, and Sun Quan in the end did not go.

時群臣多諫，權遂不行。

On the day yiwei of the first month, Sun Quan ordered Xue Zong not to use the customary text in the prayer to the ancestors. Xue Zong received the edict and composed a text on the spot, its language truly brilliant. Sun Quan said, “Make two more, to bring it to three.” Xue Zong composed the prayer twice more, each time in completely new words, and everyone praised him. In the third year of Chiwu he was transferred to Master of Writing for Personnel. In the fifth year he became Junior Tutor to the Heir Apparent, keeping his post in charge of personnel selection as before. He died in the spring of the sixth year. His poems, rhapsodies, disputations, and essays amounted to several tens of thousands of words, collected under the title Private Records; he also compiled the Diagram and Account of the Five Lineages and the Explanation of the Two Capitals, all of which have been handed down in the world.

正月乙未，權敕綜祝祖不得用常文，綜承詔，卒造文義，信辭粲爛。權曰：「復為兩頭。使滿三也。」綜復再祝，辭令皆新，眾咸稱善。赤烏三年，徙選曹尚書。五年，為太子少傅，領選職如故。¹六年春，卒。凡所著詩賦難論數萬言，名曰《私載》，又定《五宗圖述》《二京解》，皆傳於世。

His son Xue Xu rose in office to General Who Awes the South; returning from a campaign against Jiaozhi, he fell ill and died on the way.

子珝，官至威南將軍，征交阯還，道病死。¹

Xue Ying

子　瑩

Xue Xu's younger brother Xue Ying, courtesy name Daoyan, was at first a Gentleman of the Secretariat in the Imperial Archives; when Sun Xiu came to the throne he became Cavalier Palace Regular Attendant. After several years he left office because of illness. At the beginning of Sun Hao's reign he became Upholder of the Law of the Left and was promoted to Master of Writing for Personnel, and when the Heir Apparent was established he was also made Junior Tutor. In the third year of Jianheng, Sun Hao, recalling with admiration the writings left by Xue Ying's father Xue Zong, ordered Xue Ying to continue them. Xue Ying presented a poem: “My forebears long ago served under Han;
generation after generation, unbroken, they held posts in the high offices of state.

珝弟瑩，字道言，初為秘府中書郎，孫休即位，為散騎中常侍。數年，以病去官。孫皓初，為左執法，遷選曹尚書，及立太子，又領少傅。建衡三年，皓追歎瑩父綜遺文，且命瑩繼作。瑩獻詩曰：惟臣之先，昔仕於漢，奕世綿綿，頗涉臺觀。

When it came to my father, Xue Zong, he met with the troubles of his age:
the house of Liu (卯金) lost its hold, and the state fell into ruin and chaos.
He came to this happy land, hoping only to preserve what little survived;
Heaven opened his heart, and he gave his allegiance to the southeast.
At first a wandering exile, he suffered hardship on the barbarian frontier;
then the Great Emperor laid the foundation and spread his grace far and wide.
He was specially summoned and raised up out of the mire;
he put off the kerchief and coarse cloth of a commoner, received office, and was given a tally of authority.
He served as Prefect of Hepu, at the corner of the sea,
then moved into the capital and rose at last to the pivot of government.

暨臣父綜，遭時之難，卯金失御，邦家毀亂。適茲樂土，庶存孑遺，天啟其心，東南是歸。厥初流隸，困於蠻垂，大皇開基，恩德遠施。特蒙招命，拯擢泥污，釋放巾褐，受職剖符。作守合浦，在海之隅，遷入京輦，遂升機樞。

What had withered bloomed again; a broken line was joined once more;
to rise from obscurity to eminence was never what he first sought.
Though he received favor and honor, his heart knew when to be content and stop;
yet again he met Emperor Wen, who was established in the Eastern Palace,
and so he became Junior Tutor, and his glory grew ever greater.
The illustrious sage heir, of perfect virtue, was humble and honored him,
adding courtesy upon courtesy, generous and abundant.
Alas for my late father! He longed to give his loyalty to the full,
but before he could repay that great kindness, he departed this world.
Ah, I, a worthless and lowly subject, together with my elder and younger brothers,
was fortunate to be born and fortunate to be raised, living on in the body Xue Zong left behind.

枯瘁更榮，絕統復紀，自微而顯，非願之始。亦惟寵遇，心存足止，重值文皇，建號東宮，乃作少傅，光華益隆。明明聖嗣，至德謙崇，禮遇兼加，惟渥惟豐。哀哀先臣，念竭其忠，洪恩未報，委世以終。嗟臣蔑賤，惟昆及弟，幸生幸育，托綜遺體。

Though I was taught as I passed through the courtyard, I was stubborn and dull, hard to enlighten;
unable to carry on building my father's house, my thoughts were set on plowing in the fields.
How could I have imagined that the benevolence of the sage court would overflow,
that it would remember my late father and pity his unfinished work,
and rescue and raise us up, bestowing special honors?
Xue Xu, unworthy, was entrusted with a charge a thousand li away, and received orders to campaign in the south;
his banners and regalia were complete, and the sound of gongs and armor rang out.
As for me, I am so base, truly benighted and truly insignificant;
yet I have followed my father's tracks and hold the key post of choosing men,
and again I serve as tutor to the Eastern Palace, bearing the glory of my family for a second generation.
But my talent falls short of my father's; I only disgrace and fail it.

過庭既訓，頑蔽難啟。堂構弗克，志存耦耕。豈悟聖朝，仁澤流盈。追錄先臣，愍其無成，是濟是拔，被以殊榮。珝忝千里，受命南征，旌旗備物，金革揚聲。及臣斯陋，實暗實微，既顯前軌，人物之機。復傅東宮，繼世荷輝，才不逮先，是忝是違。

Your Majesty's virtue embraces all and prizes literary refinement;
you mourn your late minister and wish to keep his descendants.
But how is it that this foolish heir bears not the faintest likeness to him!
When I look up at the favor of old and look back on my own stubborn emptiness,
who could bear such shame? Yet I truly live with it.
Tossing and turning morning and night, I examine myself with a firm heart:
father and sons, elder and younger brothers, we have received your grace for generations.
In death I will only knot the grass to repay you; in life I swear to give my body;
but even if I were ground to ashes, I could not repay one ten-thousandth part.”

乾德博好，文雅是貴，追悼亡臣，冀存遺類。如何愚胤，曾無彷彿！瞻彼舊寵，顧此頑虛，孰能忍愧，臣實與居。夙夜反側，克心自論，父子兄弟，累世蒙恩，死惟結草，生誓殺身，雖則灰隕，無報萬分。

That year He Ding proposed cutting a channel through Shengxi to link the Yangtze and the Huai, and Sun Hao sent Xue Ying to supervise ten thousand men on the work; but because there were so many great rocks that the work could hardly proceed, it was abandoned and he returned. He was sent out as Commander of the Left Division at Wuchang. Later, when He Ding was executed, Sun Hao revisited the Shengxi affair, threw Xue Ying into prison, and banished him to Guang Province. The Historian of State of the Right, Hua He, submitted a memorial: “I have heard that the Five Emperors and the Three Kings all established historiographers to record their achievements and virtues in order and hand them down without end. In Han times Sima Qian and Ban Gu were both great talents of their generation, and what they wrote was so fine and subtle that it has been handed down together with the Six Classics.

是歲，何定建議鑿聖谿以通江淮，皓令瑩督萬人往，遂以多盤石難施功，罷還，出為武昌左部督，後定被誅，皓追聖谿事，下瑩獄，徙廣州。右國史華覈上疏曰：臣聞五帝三王皆立史官，敘錄功美，垂之無窮。漢時司馬遷、班固，咸命世大才，所撰精妙，與六經俱傳。

Great Wu received the Mandate and founded its state in the southern lands. In the last years of the Great Emperor, the Grand Historian Ding Fu and the Gentleman of the Palace Xiang Jun were ordered to begin compiling the Book of Wu. But neither Ding Fu nor Xiang Jun had the talent of a historian, and what they wrote was not worth recording. In the time of the Young Emperor, Wei Yao, Zhou Zhao, Xue Ying, Liang Guang, and I — five men in all — were chosen anew to search out past events, and what we compiled together covered matters from beginning to end. But Zhou Zhao and Liang Guang died first, Wei Yao betrayed the favor shown him and fell into crime, and Xue Ying was sent out as a commander and then banished for an offense, so the work has been left languishing and to this day has not been completed and presented.

大吳受命，建國南土。大皇帝末年，命太史令丁孚、郎中項峻始撰《吳書》。孚、峻俱非史才，其所撰作，不足紀錄。至少帝時，更差韋曜、周昭、薛瑩、梁廣及臣五人，訪求往事，所共撰立，備有本末。昭、廣先亡，曜負恩蹈罪，瑩出為將，復以過徙，其書遂委滯，迄今未撰奏。

I am foolish and shallow and poorly gifted, fit only to take notes and write annotations for Xue Ying and the others. If I were made to compile the work, I would surely follow in the footsteps of Ding Fu and Xiang Jun, and I fear I would let the Great Emperor's great achievements fall into obscurity and diminish the splendid virtues of the present age. Xue Ying is widely read, and his writing is especially fine; among his colleagues he stands first. Of the officials now serving, many are versed in the classics, but few have a talent for historical writing like Xue Ying's, and so I earnestly regret his loss for the sake of the state. I truly wish him to finish this nearly completed work so that it may be added at the end of the histories of former ages. Once this memorial is submitted, I will have no further regrets even if I withdraw to fill a ditch.”

臣愚淺才劣，適可為瑩等記注而已，若使撰合，必襲孚、峻之跡，懼墜大皇帝之元功，損當世之盛美。瑩涉學既博，文章尤妙，同寮之中，瑩為冠首。今者見吏，雖多經學，記述之才，如瑩者少，是以慺慺為國惜之。實欲使卒垂成之功，編於前史之末。奏上之後，退填溝壑，無所復恨。

Sun Hao at last recalled Xue Ying and made him Historian of State of the Left. Shortly afterward, the Master of Writing for Personnel, Miao Yi, a man of the same commandery, was hated by a crowd of petty men because he held to his views and would not bend, and he was demoted to Prefect of Hengyang. After receiving the appointment he was further called to account over matters of his former office, and he submitted a memorial of apology. On his way he visited Xue Ying, and again someone reported, “Miao Yi is not afraid of being punished; he has gathered a large number of guests at Xue Ying's residence.” Miao Yi was therefore arrested, imprisoned, and banished to Guiyang, and Xue Ying was sent back to Guang Province.

皓遂召瑩還，為左國史。頃之，選曹尚書同郡繆禕以執意不移，為群小所疾，左遷衡陽太守。既拜，又追以職事見詰責，拜表陳謝。因過詣瑩，復為人所白，云禕不懼罪，多將賓客會聚瑩許，乃收禕下獄，徙桂陽，瑩還廣州。

Before he arrived, he was recalled again and restored to his post. At this time the laws and government were full of errors and the measures taken were burdensome and harsh; Xue Ying repeatedly submitted proposals urging that punishments be eased and labor service reduced to relieve and nurture the people, and some of them were put into effect. He was promoted to Minister of the Household.

未至，召瑩還，復職。是時法政多謬，舉措煩苛，瑩每上便宜，陳緩刑簡役，以濟育百姓，事或施行。遷光祿勳。

In the fourth year of Tianji, when the Jin armies marched against Sun Hao, Sun Hao sent letters to Sima Zhou, Wang Hun, and Wang Jun asking to surrender, and the text of these letters was composed by Xue Ying. When Xue Ying reached Luoyang he was singled out for early appointment and made Cavalier Regular Attendant; his answers to questions and his handling of affairs were all well reasoned. He died in the third year of Taikang. He wrote a book in eight chapters entitled New Discussions.

天紀四年，晉軍征皓，皓奉書司馬伷、王渾、王濬請降，其文，瑩所造也。瑩既至洛陽，特先見敘，為散騎常侍，答問處當，皆有條理。¹太康三年卒。著書八篇，名曰《新議》。²

Appraisal

作者評論

Appraisal: Zhang Hong's writing was well ordered and his intentions upright; he was a fine vessel of his age, and there was good reason for Sun Ce to treat him as second only to Zhang Zhao. Masters Yan, Cheng, and Kan were the Confucian scholars of their time. Yan Jun's declining of honors to save an old friend — was that not the mark of a true elder! Xue Zong, with his learning and his counsel, was a fine minister of Wu. Xue Ying followed in his father's steps and truly had his forebear's manner; but that he rose again and again to high rank at a cruel and tyrannical court is something a gentleman would have found perilous.

評曰：張紘文理意正，為世令器，孫策待之亞於張昭，誠有以也，嚴、程、闞生，一時儒林也。至畯辭榮濟舊，不亦長者乎！薛綜學識規納，為吳良臣。及瑩纂蹈，允有先風，然於暴酷之朝，屢登顯列，君子殆諸。