歷代三寶紀 3.2

3.2

"Imperial Chronology, Part Two" begins with the Three Sovereigns, when heaven had only one ruler, and ends with the two Han dynasties, when the earth had no divided allegiance. Then down through the Wei and Jin dynasties, reaching our Great Sui's governance of the world, during this span the capitals and cities were like hedgehogs' quills, and there were twenty-two states whose capitals perched like kites or stood like cranes. Among them were the eight states of Wu, the three Qin, Liang, Wei, Qi, Chen, and so forth; although each of these eight states preserved its own sovereignty, they all propagated and translated Buddhist scriptures, making it possible for the triratna to abide in the world, which was a blessing relied upon by the four kinds of beings. Therefore, those who applied themselves to good deeds had their blessings extend widely, which is why their genealogical records have been transmitted down the generations. However, those whose annals record no renown, the hegemons and rulers of the other fourteen states who seized their moments, neither proclaimed nor promoted the holy teachings, and in practical matters had nothing to take as their ancestral model. Now, roughly following their historical treatises, I have set down their reigns and eras in outline, in the hope of making known the relative strengths, beginnings, ends, downfalls, and rises [of these states]. In the second year, xinchou, of the Huangchu era of Emperor Wen of the Cao-Wei dynasty, Liu Bei established his capital in Shu and named his state Han; after two rulers and forty-three years, it reverted to Emperor Yuan of Wei. In the first year, renxu, of the Tai'an era of Emperor Hui of the Western Jin, Zhang Gui arose in Liangzhou and named his state Liang; this was the Former Liang; after seven rulers and sixty-two years, it fell to Fu Yonggu of the Former Qin. In the first year, jiazi, of the Yong'an era of Emperor Hui of the Jin, Liu Yuan arose in Pingyang; at first he named his state Han, and later called it Zhao; this was the Former Zhao; after four rulers and twenty-six years, it fell to Shi Le of the Later Zhao. In the same first year of Yong'an, Li Xiong arose in Shu; at first he named his state Dacheng, and later changed it to Han; after four rulers and forty-four years, it was destroyed by Emperor Mu of Jin. In the third year, gengchen, of the Taixing era of Emperor Yuan of the Eastern Jin, Shi Le first arose in Xiangguo; later he moved his capital to Ye and called his state Zhao; this was the Later Zhao; after four rulers, including Ran Min, spanning thirty-five years, it fell to Murong Jun of the Former Yan. In the eleventh year, yimao, of the Yonghe era of Emperor Mu of Jin, Murong Jun first arose in Huanglong; later he moved his capital to Ye and named his state Yan; this was the Former Yan; after two rulers and nineteen years, it fell to Fu Yonggu of the Former Qin. In the eleventh year, bingxu, of the Taiyuan era of Emperor Xiaowu of Jin, Murong Chui arose in Zhongshan and restored the name Yan; this was the Later Yan; he moved his capital to Huanglong; after five rulers and twenty-six years, it fell to Feng Ba of the Northern Yan. Coming to the twelfth year, dinghai, Lü Guang arose in Liangzhou and again took the name Liang; this was the Later Liang; after four rulers and sixteen years, it fell to Yao Xing of the Later Qin. In the first year, dingyou, of the Long'an era of Emperor An of Jin, Tufa Wugu arose in Xiping, and also named his state Liang; this was the Southern Liang; after three rulers and eighteen years, it fell to Qifu Chipan of the Western Qin. Coming to the second year, wuxu, Murong De arose in Gugu, and also named his state Yan; this was the Southern Yan; after two rulers and thirteen years, it was destroyed in turn by Emperor An of Jin. Coming to the fourth year, gengzi, Li Gao arose in Dunhuang, and also named his state Liang; this was the Western Liang; after two rulers and twenty-two years, it fell to Juqu Mengxun of the Northern Liang. In the third year, dingwei, of the Yixi era of Emperor An of Jin, Helian Bobo arose in the northern desert, placed his capital at Tongwan City, and named his state Great Xia; after three rulers and twenty-five years, it fell to Emperor Taiwu of the Northern Wei. Coming to the sixth year, gengxu, Feng Ba arose and destroyed the Later Yan, established his capital in Changli, and called it Great Yan; this was the Northern Yan; after two rulers and twenty-eight years, it also fell to Emperor Taiwu of the Northern Wei. Coming to the sixteenth year, yimao, of the Yuanjia era of Emperor Wen of Song, which was the fifth year of Taiyan of the Northern Wei, Emperor Taiwu campaigned in the west and ultimately destroyed the Northern Liang; from this point, the various states had swallowed one another almost to exhaustion, and only the Northern Wei remained. Coming to the first year, jiaxu, of the Longchang era of Emperor Ming of Southern Qi, which was the eighteenth year of Taihe of the Northern Wei, Emperor Xiaowen moved his capital south to Luoyi. Coming to the sixth year, jiayin, of the Zhongdatong era of Emperor Wu of Liang, which was the third year of Yongxi of the Southern Wei, Emperor Wu, Yuan Xun, moved west to Chang'an, relying on Grand Ancestor Yuwen Heitai of the Zhou; Grand Ancestor Gao Huan of Qi separately enthroned Yuan Shanjian, the Prince of Qinghe's son, as sovereign, with his northern capital at Ye; because of this, [Wei] was divided again into Western and Eastern. In the fourth year, yihai, of the Chengsheng era of Emperor Xiaoyuan, Xiao Yi, of the Liang, his capital was in Jiangling; he was destroyed by the Western Wei; from this point, the dynastic mandate of the Southern Dynasties reverted to the north. That year was the second year of the Houyuan era of Wei; Xiao Yan's grandson Xiao Cha was granted succession by Wei to inherit and continue the Liang foundation; this was the Later Liang; having become a dependency, it was an insubstantial shadow state; Zhou accepted the abdication of Wei and therefore maintained it, still keeping Jiangling as its capital; after three rulers and thirty-three years, it came to an end in the seventh year, dingwei, of Kaihuang. Beginning from the first year, gengzi, of the Huangchu era of Emperor Wen of Wei, when he received the abdication of the Later Han, to the second year, xinchou, when the realm was divided into three, was fifty-nine years; reaching the fifth year, jihai, of the Xianning era of Emperor Wu of Jin, within the cosmos writing and axle-widths became unified again; twenty-three years to the first year, xinyou, of the Yongning era of Emperor Hui of Jin, when the provinces and lands were torn apart and states vied to establish their capitals; up to the present ninth year, jiyou, of Kaihuang, during this span were two hundred and eighty-eight years; thus before Shichen, the heavenly course was fraught with difficulty, like the twelve earthly branches clashing; after Daliang, the kingly way became clear and peaceful, returning the Nine Provinces to unity; it has already been nine years since the cart-tracks and scripts were made concordant; its transformative virtue has had meritorious effect upon the people, who have no need to call it Wei. Up to the Great Sui, there were forty-four rulers whose annals span three hundred and seventy-eight years, across seven dynasties and five capitals, as told in the worldly records.