歷代三寶紀 7.2

7.2

As for the Eastern Jin Catalogue: [The founder] was a great-grandson of Emperor Xuan, a descendant of Martial King of Langya, and the son of Respectful King Jin, named Rui, courtesy name Jingwen. On the morning of his birth, a divine light shone within, illuminating the entire chamber. White hairs grew at the corner of his left eye, and his gaze had a brilliant gleam, dazzling when he looked around. He served successively as Bearer of the Staff of Authority, General Who Stabilizes the East, Commander of Military Affairs in Yang Prefecture, and Left Chancellor. After the downfall of Emperors Huai and Min, the hundred civil officials were scattered; some fled south of the Yangtze, while others were slaughtered by [Liu] Yao. Chang'an lost its hold, and the Emperor was held captive in Pingyang. At that time in Jiangdong, five hundred officials and subjects suddenly urged Rui that he should assume the title King of Jin, to oversee all affairs of state and preside over the myriad people. After Emperor Min passed away, he subsequently ascended the imperial throne, styling the reign era Jianwu, first year. He accordingly made Jianye his capital, which was renamed Jiankang to avoid the taboo of Emperor Min's personal name. Earlier, in the second year of Taikang, when the former Wu general Guan Gong rebelled, Wu Zhen of Jianye cast a divination and said: 'Gong is already destroyed. Yet in another thirty-eight years, Yang Prefecture will have a Son of Heaven.' When this time arrived, it indeed came to pass as he had spoken. Furthermore, in the time of the First Emperor of Qin, those who observed atmospheric signs said: 'After five hundred years, a Son of Heaven shall emerge from the Golden Mound (Jinling) Mountains of Wu.' The First Emperor resented this, so he dispatched troops to cut through the Jinling Mountains and renamed the area Moling, hoping to sever its royal destiny. From the [time of the First Emperor of] Qin until Rui, five hundred and twenty-six years elapsed. The Jin dynasty, ruled under the metal element, took possession of the four seas; the auspicious omen of Jinling resided precisely here. There was also a popular ditty that said: 'Five horses float across the Yangtze; one horse turns into a dragon.' During the catastrophe of Yongjia, the empire collapsed into ruin, and only five kings—Langya, Xiyang, Runan, Nandun, and Pengcheng—managed to cross south of the Yangtze, among whom Rui was the foremost founder, becoming Emperor Yuan. Thus we know that receiving the celestial mandate is prompted from above by the spirits of Heaven, while seeking to establish an expansive realm depends from below on the strategic advantages of the terrain. Earth supported its terrain—though the First Emperor cut into it, it did not perish; Heaven sent down its spirit—though Liu Yao slaughtered, he could not annihilate them all. From the first year of the Jianwu era of Emperor Yuan (dingchou) when the capital was established, down to the first year of the Yuanxi era of Emperor Gong (jiwei) when the throne was abdicated to Song, there was a span of 104 years. In that period, there were twenty-seven individuals—Chinese and barbarian, monastic and lay—who produced sūtras, which together with old anonymous translations total 263 works in 585 fascicles, compiled here as the Jiankang Catalogue of the Twelve Rulers of the Eastern Jin.