釋氏稽古略 3.406

3.406

九月帝與平章事馮道從容語及年穀屢登四方無事。道曰。臣常記。昔在先皇幕府。奉使中山歷并陘（山名）之險。臣憂馬蹶（居月反僵也）執轡甚謹。幸而無失逮至澤潞。放轡自逸俄至顛隕。凡為天下者亦猶是也。帝深以為然。帝又問。今歲雖豐百姓贍足否。道曰。農家歲凶則死於流殍。歲豐則傷於穀賤。豐凶皆病死惟農家為然。臣記進士聶夷中詩。二月賣新絲。五月糴新穀。醫得眼前瘡。剜却心頭肉。語雖鄙俚曲盡田家之情狀。農於四人之中最為勤苦。人主不可不知也。帝悅命左右錄其詩。常諷誦之。幽州宛平竇禹鈞。仕至左諫議太夫致仕。生五子。皆宦顯。侍中馮道贈以詩。燕山竇十郎。教子有義方。靈椿一株老。仙桂五枝芳。周世宗顯德二年。大師中書令瀛文懿王馮道薨。

In the ninth month, when the Emperor was leisurely conversing with Feng Dao, Manager of Affairs, about the repeated harvest of grains and the absence of conflict in all directions, Dao said, "Your subject often recalls that formerly, when I was in the late emperor's headquarters, I was sent on an envoy mission to Zhongshan and passed through the perils of Bingxing. Your subject, worried about the horse stumbling, held the reins very cautiously and was fortunate to suffer no mishap. But upon reaching Ze and Lu, I slackened the reins and took my ease, and suddenly fell down. Ruling the world is just like this." The Emperor thoroughly agreed with him. The Emperor also asked, "Although this year is abundant, are the common people sufficiently provided for?" Dao said, "In bad years peasant families die of famine and exposure; in years of abundance they suffer from the cheapness of grain. Whether in abundance or famine, suffering and death happen only to peasant households. Your subject recalls a poem by the Jinshi Nie Yizhong: 'In the second month they sell the new silk; in the fifth month they buy new grain. Though curing the ulcer before one's eyes, it is carving out flesh from within one's heart.' Although the words are rustic, they fully depict the plight of farming families. Among the four classes of people, farmers are the most hardworking; the ruler of men must not fail to know this." The Emperor was pleased and ordered his attendants to transcribe his poem, and frequently recited it. Dou Yujun of Wanping in Youzhou rose in service to be Grand Master of the Left Remonstrance and retired from office. He had five sons, all of whom attained distinguished official posts. Feng Dao, Palace Attendant, presented him with a poem: 'Master Dou the Tenth of the Yan Mountains / instructed his sons with righteous principles. / An old tree of the numinous toon, / five fragrant branches of the immortal cassia.' In the second year of Zhou Shizong's Xiande era, Feng Dao, Grand Master, Secretariat Director, and Prince Wenyi of Ying, passed away.