釋氏稽古略 3.492

3.492

諱威。字仲文。刑州堯山人。父簡事晉為順州刺史。威少孤依潞州人常氏。潞州留後李繼韜募敢死士為軍卒。威年十八以勇力應募。晉天福二年范延光以魏州反。威為軍士。甞從楊光遠北征。威舊隷劉知遠。自知遠乞留。人問其故。威曰。楊公有姦詐之才。無英雄之氣。得我何用。能用我者其劉公乎。後事知遠為侍衛都虞侯。知遠即帝位。威贊佐有功拜同中書門下平章事。漢隱帝之世屢立戰功。為鄴都留守。漢乾祐三年十一月隱帝遇弑。帝即位。在位三年。壽五十二歲　廣順（三）。

Taboo name Wei, courtesy name Zhongwen, a native of Yaoshan in Xingzhou. His father Jian served the Jin as Prefect of Shunzhou. Wei was orphaned when young and relied upon the Chang family of Luzhou. Li Jitao, Defense Commissioner of Luzhou, recruited a daring-to-die vanguard as soldiers; at the age of eighteen, Wei enlisted by virtue of his courage and physical strength. In the second year of the Tianfu era of the Jin, Fan Yan'gu rebelled at Weizhou. Wei was a soldier, and had once accompanied Yang Guangyuan on a northern expedition. Wei was formerly subordinate to Liu Zhiyuan; he went of his own accord to Zhiyuan and begged to remain with him. When people asked him the reason, Wei said: "Duke Yang has treacherous talent, but lacks heroic spirit. What use could he have for me? The one who can make use of me is probably Duke Liu!" Later he served Zhiyuan as Palace Guard Chief of Police. When Zhiyuan ascended the imperial throne, Wei gained merit in assisting him and was appointed Joint Manager of Affairs with the Secretariat-Chancellery. During the reign of Emperor Yindi of the Han, he repeatedly established military merit, serving as Defender of Yedu. In the eleventh month of the third year of the Qianyou era of the Han, Emperor Yindi was murdered. The Emperor ascended the throne, reigned for three years, and lived to the age of fifty-two. Guangshun (three years).