Records of Shu 1: Biographies of the Two Governors Liu

Records of Shu 1: Biographies of the Two Governors Liu

Liu Yan

劉焉

Liu Yan, courtesy name Junlang, was a man of Jingling in Jiangxia Commandery and a descendant of King Gong of Lu of the Han. During the Yuanhe era of Emperor Zhang the fief was moved to Jingling, and a cadet branch of the family settled there.

劉焉字君郎，江夏竟陵人也，漢魯恭王之後裔，章帝元和中徙封竟陵，支庶家焉。

In his youth Liu Yan served in the province and the commandery, and as a member of the imperial clan he was appointed a Gentleman of the Palace; later he left office to mourn his teacher, Lord Zhu. He lived on Mount Yangcheng, accumulating learning and teaching students. He was recommended as Worthy and Good, Straightforward and Upright, was summoned to the office of the Minister over the Masses, and served in turn as Magistrate of Luoyang, Inspector of Ji Province, Prefect of Nanyang, Director of the Imperial Clan, and Minister of Ceremonies. Seeing that the government of Emperor Ling was in decline and the imperial house beset by troubles, Liu Yan made a proposal: “Inspectors and Prefects obtain their posts by bribery and fleece the common people, driving them to desert and rebel.

焉少仕州郡，以宗室拜中郎，後以師祝公喪去官。 ¹居陽城山，積學教授，舉賢良方正，辟司徒府，歷雒陽令、冀州刺史、南陽太守、宗正、太常。焉睹靈帝政治衰缺，王室多故，乃建議言：「刺史、太守，貨賂為官，割剝百姓，以致離叛。

Ministers of pure reputation and high standing should be chosen to serve as Imperial Protectors, to settle and pacify the realm.” Privately Liu Yan sought to become Imperial Protector of Jiaozhi, hoping to escape the troubles of the age. Before the proposal was put into effect, the Palace Attendant Dong Fu of Guanghan said to Liu Yan in private, “The capital is about to fall into chaos, and in the celestial field of Yi Province there is the aura of a Son of Heaven.” When Liu Yan heard Dong Fu's words, his intentions turned to Yi Province instead.

可選清名重臣以為牧伯，鎮安方夏。」焉內求交阯牧，欲避世難。議未即行，侍中廣漢董扶私謂焉曰：「京師將亂，益州分野有天子氣。」焉聞扶言，意更在益州。

It happened that Xi Jian, Inspector of Yi Province, was burdening the people with vexatious levies, and songs of complaint were heard far and wide; moreover, in Bing Province the Inspector Zhang Yi had been killed, and in Liang Province the Inspector Geng Bi. So Liu Yan's plan could be carried out. He went out as Commissioner Supervising the Army, taking charge of Yi Province as Imperial Protector, and was enfeoffed as Marquis of Yangcheng, with orders to arrest Xi Jian and bring him to justice. Dong Fu also asked to be made Chief Commandant of the Dependent State in the western part of Shu Commandery, and Zhao Wei of Baxi, Prefect of the Great Granary, left his post; both followed Liu Yan.

會益州刺史郤儉賦斂煩擾，謠言遠聞，¹而并州殺刺史張壹，涼州殺刺史耿鄙，焉謀得施。出為監軍使者，領益州牧，封陽城侯，當收儉治罪；²扶亦求為蜀郡西部屬國都尉，及太倉令巴西趙韙去官，俱隨焉。 ³

At this time the rebels Ma Xiang, Zhao Zhi, and others in Yi Province called themselves Yellow Turbans at Mianzhu County. They gathered people worn out by corvée labor and within a day or two had several thousand men. They first killed Li Sheng, Magistrate of Mianzhu, whereupon officials and commoners flocked to them until they numbered more than ten thousand. They then advanced and took Luo County, attacked Yi Province and killed Xi Jian, and went on to Shu Commandery and Qianwei; within ten days to a month they had laid waste three commanderies. Ma Xiang proclaimed himself Son of Heaven, and his followers numbered in the tens of thousands.

是時益州逆賊馬相、趙祗等於綿竹縣自號黃巾，合聚疲役之民，一二日中得數千人，先殺綿竹令李升，吏民翕集，合萬餘人，便前破雒縣，攻益州殺儉，又到蜀郡、犍為，旬月之間，破壞三郡。相自稱天子，眾以萬數。

Jia Long, an Attendant Officer of the province, commanded a few hundred soldiers on the eastern border of Qianwei. He gathered officials and commoners, obtained more than a thousand men, and attacked Ma Xiang and the others, routing them within a few days, so that the province was cleared and at peace. Jia Long then selected officials and soldiers to welcome Liu Yan. Liu Yan moved his seat of government to Mianzhu, soothed and took in those who had fled or rebelled, and strove to govern with leniency and kindness, while secretly harboring other designs. Zhang Lu's mother had from the first practiced the Way of Demons; she also had a youthful appearance and often came and went at Liu Yan's house. So Liu Yan sent Zhang Lu as Major Who Supervises Righteousness to be stationed in Hanzhong, where he cut the plank roads through the valleys and killed the envoys of the Han.

州從事賈龍領兵數百人在犍為東界，攝斂吏民，得千餘人，攻相等，數日破走，州界清靜。龍乃選吏卒迎焉。焉徙治綿竹，撫納離叛，務行寬惠，陰圖異計。張魯母始以鬼道，又有少容，常往來焉家，故焉遣魯為督義司馬，住漢中，斷絕谷閣，殺害漢使。

Liu Yan sent up a memorial saying that the Rice Bandits had cut the roads and communication was no longer possible. He also used other pretexts to kill more than ten powerful magnates of the province, such as Wang Xian and Li Quan, in order to establish his authority through punishment. Because of this, Ren Qi, Prefect of Qianwei, and Jia Long turned and attacked Liu Yan; Liu Yan struck back and killed Ren Qi and Jia Long.

焉上書言米賊斷道，不得復通，又託他事殺州中豪強王咸、李權等十餘人，以立威刑。 ¹犍為太守任岐及賈龍由此反攻焉，焉擊殺岐、龍。 ²

Liu Yan's ambitions gradually grew, and he had more than a thousand sets of imperial carriages and fittings made. Liu Biao, Imperial Protector of Jing Province, sent up a memorial saying that there was talk about Liu Yan like that about Zixia at Xihe, whom people took for the Sage himself. At this time Liu Yan's sons Liu Fan, General of the Household on the Left, Liu Dan, Attending Secretary Who Handles Documents, and Liu Zhang, Commandant of Imperial Chariots, were all with Emperor Xian at Chang'an; only his son Liu Mao, a Major of a Separate Command, had always stayed with Liu Yan. Emperor Xian sent Liu Zhang to admonish Liu Yan, but Liu Yan kept Liu Zhang with him and did not send him back.

焉意漸盛，造作乘輿車具千餘乘。荊州牧劉表表上焉有似子夏在西河疑聖人之論。時焉子範為左中郎將，誕治書御史，璋為奉車都尉，皆從獻帝在長安，¹惟子別部司馬瑁素隨焉。獻帝使璋曉諭焉，焉留璋不遣。

At this time Ma Teng, General Who Conquers the West, garrisoned at Mei and rebelled. Liu Yan and Liu Fan conspired with Ma Teng to lead troops in a surprise attack on Chang'an. Liu Fan's plot leaked out and he fled to Huaili; Ma Teng was defeated and withdrew to Liang Province. Liu Fan was killed at once, and Liu Dan was then arrested and executed. The Consultant Pang Xi of Henan, whose family was on intimate terms with Liu Yan's, hired men to bring Liu Yan's grandsons into Shu.

¹時征西將軍馬騰屯郿而反，焉及範與騰通謀，引兵襲長安。範謀洩，奔槐里，騰敗，退還涼州，範應時見殺，於是收誕行刑。²議郎河南龐羲與焉通家，乃募將焉諸孫入蜀。

At this time Liu Yan's city was struck by fire from heaven; his carriages and fittings were all consumed, and the fire spread to the homes of the people. Liu Yan moved his seat of government to Chengdu. Grieving for his sons and shaken by the ominous disaster, he died in the first year of Xingping when an ulcer broke out on his back. The senior officials of the province, such as Zhao Wei, coveting Liu Zhang's mild and kindly nature, jointly memorialized to put Liu Zhang forward as Inspector of Yi Province. An imperial edict accordingly made him Commissioner Supervising the Army and Imperial Protector of Yi Province, and made Zhao Wei General of the Household Who Conquers the East, leading troops to attack Liu Biao.

時焉被天火燒城，車具蕩盡，延及民家。焉徙治成都，既痛其子，又感祅災，興平元年，癰疽發背而卒。州大吏趙韙等貪璋溫仁，共上璋為益州刺史，詔書因以為監軍使者，領益州牧，以韙為征東中郎將，率眾擊劉表。 ¹

Liu Zhang

劉璋

Liu Zhang, courtesy name Jiyu, succeeded to Liu Yan's position. Zhang Lu gradually grew arrogant and wilful and would not submit to Liu Zhang, so Liu Zhang killed Zhang Lu's mother and younger brother, and they became sworn enemies. Liu Zhang repeatedly sent Pang Xi and others to attack Zhang Lu, but they were defeated many times. Since many of Zhang Lu's retainers were in Baxi, Liu Zhang made Pang Xi Prefect of Baxi and had him lead troops to hold off Zhang Lu. Later Pang Xi and Liu Zhang fell out, and Zhao Wei raised troops and turned them inward against Liu Zhang, but his men scattered and he was killed. All this came about because Liu Zhang lacked clear judgment and let words from outside sway him.

璋字季玉，既襲焉位，而張魯稍驕恣，不承順璋，璋殺魯母及弟，遂為讎敵。璋累遣龐羲等攻魯，數為所破。魯部曲多在巴西，故以羲為巴西太守，領兵禦魯。¹後羲與璋情好攜隙，趙韙稱兵內向，眾散見殺，皆由璋明斷少而外言入故也。 ²

Hearing that Lord Cao was campaigning against Jing Province and had already pacified Hanzhong, Liu Zhang sent Yin Pu of Henei to pay his respects to Lord Cao. Liu Zhang was given the additional title of General Who Spreads Awe, and his elder brother Liu Mao that of General Who Pacifies Bandits. Liu Mao died of a mental illness. Liu Zhang again sent his Attendant Officer with Separate Carriage, Zhang Su of Shu Commandery, to present three hundred Sou troops along with various articles for imperial use to Lord Cao, and Lord Cao appointed Zhang Su Prefect of Guanghan. Liu Zhang then sent his Separate Carriage, Zhang Song, to call on Lord Cao; but Lord Cao had by then pacified Jing Province and driven off the First Ruler, and he paid Zhang Song no further regard, and Zhang Song resented him for it.

璋聞曹公征荊州，已定漢中，遣河內陰溥致敬於曹公。加璋振威將軍，兄瑁平寇將軍。瑁狂疾物故。 ¹璋復遣別駕從事蜀郡張肅送叟兵三百人並雜御物於曹公，曹公拜肅為廣漢太守。璋復遣別駕張松詣曹公，曹公時已定荊州，走先主，不復存錄松，松以此怨。

It happened that Lord Cao's army met with reverses at the Red Cliffs, and many also died of pestilence. When Zhang Song returned, he disparaged Lord Cao and urged Liu Zhang to break with him. He then persuaded Liu Zhang, saying, “Liu, the Imperial Protector of Yu Province, is your own close kinsman, my lord; you should enter into relations with him.” Liu Zhang agreed with all of this and sent Fa Zheng to establish friendly relations with the First Ruler. Soon afterward he also had Fa Zheng and Meng Da take several thousand troops to help the First Ruler in his defense, and Fa Zheng then returned. Later Zhang Song again persuaded Liu Zhang, saying, “Now the generals in the province, such as Pang Xi and Li Yi, all rely on their merits and are arrogant and overbearing, and they have a mind to look outside. If you do not win over the Protector of Yu Province, the enemy will attack you from without and the people will attack you from within. That is the road to certain defeat.”

會曹公軍不利於赤壁，兼以疫死。松還，疵毀曹公，勸璋自絕，¹因說璋曰：「劉豫州，使君之肺腑，可與交通。」璋皆然之，遣法正連好先主，尋又令正及孟達送兵數千助先主守禦，正遂還。後松復說璋曰：「今州中諸將龐羲、李異等皆恃功驕豪，欲有外意，不得豫州，則敵攻其外，民攻其內，必敗之道也。」

Liu Zhang followed this advice as well and sent Fa Zheng to invite the First Ruler. Liu Zhang's Registrar Huang Quan set out the advantages and dangers, and the Attendant Officer Wang Lei of Guanghan hung himself upside down from the gate of the provincial city to remonstrate, but Liu Zhang accepted none of it. He ordered every place along the way to supply and serve the First Ruler, and the First Ruler entered the province as though coming home. The First Ruler reached the north of Jiangzhou and went by the Dianjiang River to Fu, three hundred and sixty li from Chengdu; that year was the sixteenth year of Jian'an. Liu Zhang, with more than thirty thousand foot and horse, and with carriages and tents gleaming so brightly they outshone the sun, went there to meet him. His men and the officers and soldiers under the First Ruler took turns visiting one another, and they feasted merrily for more than a hundred days. Liu Zhang furnished the First Ruler with supplies and had him attack Zhang Lu, and then they parted.

璋又從之，遣法正請先主。璋主簿黃權陳其利害，從事廣漢王累自倒縣於州門以諫，璋一無所納，敕在所供奉先主，先主入境如歸。先主至江州北，由墊江水¹詣涪，²去成都三百六十里，是歲建安十六年也。璋率步騎三萬餘人，車乘帳幔，精光曜日，往就與會；先主所將將士，更相之適，歡飲百餘日。璋資給先主，使討張魯，然後分別。 ³

The following year the First Ruler reached Jiameng, turned his troops south, and was victorious wherever he went. In the nineteenth year he advanced and besieged Chengdu for several tens of days. Within the city there were still thirty thousand crack troops and grain and silk enough to last a year, and the officials and people all wished to fight to the death. Liu Zhang said, “My father and I have been in this province for more than twenty years without bestowing any kindness or virtue upon the people. That the people have fought for three years, their flesh and fat left to rot in the grass and fields, is on my account. How could my heart be at ease?”

明年，先主至葭萌，還兵南向，所在皆克。十九年，進圍成都數十日，城中尚有精兵三萬人，穀帛支一年，吏民咸欲死戰。璋言：「父子在州二十餘年，無恩德以加百姓。百姓攻戰三年，肌膏草野者，以璋故也，何心能安！」

He then opened the city gates, came out, and surrendered, and among his subordinates there was none who did not shed tears. The First Ruler moved Liu Zhang to Gong'an in Nan Commandery and returned to him all his property as well as the seal and ribbon of General Who Spreads Awe that he had formerly worn. When Sun Quan killed Guan Yu and took Jing Province, he made Liu Zhang Imperial Protector of Yi Province, stationed at Zigui.

遂開城出降，羣下莫不流涕。先主遷璋於南郡公安，盡歸其財物及故佩振威將軍印綬。孫權殺關羽，取荊州，以璋為益州牧，駐秭歸。

After Liu Zhang died, Yong Kai, a chieftain of the great families of Nanzhong, seized Yizhou Commandery in rebellion and attached himself to Wu. Sun Quan in turn made Liu Zhang's son Liu Chan Inspector of Yi Province and stationed him on the border between Jiao and Yi Provinces. When the Chancellor Zhuge Liang pacified the southern lands, Liu Chan returned to Wu and became Palace Assistant Imperial Clerk. Earlier, the wife of Liu Zhang's eldest son, Liu Xun, had been Pang Xi's daughter. When the First Ruler settled Shu, Pang Xi became Major to the General of the Left, and at that time Liu Zhang, through Pang Xi, asked that Liu Xun be allowed to stay behind; the First Ruler made Liu Xun General of the Household for Imperial Chariots. Thus the descendants of Liu Zhang's two sons came to be divided between Wu and Shu.

璋卒，南中豪率雍闓據益郡反，附於吳。權復以璋子闡為益州刺史，處交、益界首。丞相諸葛亮平南土，闡還吳，為御史中丞。 ¹初，璋長子循妻，龐羲女也。先主定蜀，羲為左將軍司馬，璋時從羲啟留循，先主以為奉車中郎將。是以璋二子之後，分在吳、蜀。

Appraisal

評

Appraisal: In the past, Wei Bao heard the words of Xu Fu and took Lady Bo into his household, and Liu Xin saw the text of a prophetic chart and changed his name and courtesy name; yet in the end neither could save himself, and the blessing gathered upon two rulers. This is certain proof that the gods cannot be falsely courted and the Mandate of Heaven cannot be recklessly hoped for. Yet Liu Yan, hearing the words of Dong Fu, set his heart on the land of Yi, and heeding the words of a physiognomist, sought a marriage with the Wu family; he hastily had carriages and robes made in imperial style, scheming to steal the sacred vessel of the throne. His delusion was great indeed.

評曰：昔魏豹聞許負之言則納薄姬於室，¹劉歆見圖讖之文則名字改易，終於不免其身，而慶鍾二主。此則神明不可虛要，天命不可妄冀，必然之驗也。而劉焉聞董扶之辭則心存益土，聽相者之言則求婚吳氏，遽造輿服，圖竊神器，其惑甚矣。

Liu Zhang's talents did not make him a hero among men, yet he held territory in a time of chaos. That one who should bear burdens yet rides in a carriage invites robbers is the natural order of things; his being dispossessed was no misfortune.

璋才非人雄，而據土亂世，負乘致寇，自然之理，其見奪取，非不幸也。 ¹