釋氏稽古略 2.18

2.18

Han-Zhao
Liu Yuan of the Han had the courtesy name Yuanhai. He was a Xiongnu from Xinxing. Because the Han dynasty had given a princess of the imperial house in marriage to Modun, his descendants took the surname Liu. In the jiazi year, the first year of Yongxing under Emperor Hui of the Western Jin, Prince of Chengdu Sima Ying was made Crown Brother. Ying submitted a memorial appointing the Xiongnu Wise King of the Left, Liu Yuan, as Champion General, overseeing the military affairs of the Five Divisions, and commanding troops stationed in Ye (now Zhangde Route; the commandery name is Ye Commandery, in the territory of Ji). Yuan's son Cong was exceptionally brave and fierce, broadly versed in the classics and histories, skilled in composition, and able to draw a bow of three hundred catties. In his youth he visited the capital, where none of the famous scholars failed to associate with him. Ying made Cong General of the Massed Crossbows. Yuan's great-uncle, the Wise King of the Right Liu Xuan, said to his kinsmen: "Since the fall of the Han, our Chanyu has possessed only an empty title, without a single foot of land remaining. Although our forces have declined today, they are still no fewer than twenty thousand. Why fold our hands and submit to servitude for over a hundred years? The Wise King of the Left possesses heroic martial prowess surpassing all ages. If Heaven did not intend to raise up the Xiongnu, it certainly would not have brought forth such a man in vain. Now the Sima clan are slaughtering their own flesh and blood, and all within the four seas is seething like a cauldron. This is the moment to restore the achievements of Huhanye!" Thereupon they plotted together to elevate Yuan as the Grand Chanyu, sending his partisan Huyan You to Ye to inform Yuan. Yuan reported to Ying, asking permission to return for a funeral, but Ying refused. When Wang Jun and Duke Teng of Dongying campaigned against Ying, Yuan persuaded Ying, saying: "Pray let me return to persuade the Five Divisions on behalf of Your Highness to rush to the aid of the state in its crisis." Ying was pleased and appointed Yuan as Northern Chanyu, concurrently participating in the Chancellor's military affairs. When Yuan reached Zuoguocheng, Liu Xuan and others presented him with the title of Grand Chanyu. Within two decades of days, he had an army of fifty thousand. Yuan made Zuoguocheng his capital and addressed his ministers, saying: "In the past, the Han held all under Heaven, and its grace was bound to the people. I am a nephew of the Han clan." He thereupon established the dynastic name Han and assumed the throne as King of Han, naming the era Yuanxi, appointing the Wise King of the Right Xuan as Chancellor. In the second year of Yongjia under Emperor Huai of Jin, King Yuan of Han took Shanxi. Song Chou, the governor of Pingyang (now Jinning Route, the ancient Jin Prefecture), abandoned the commandery and fled. Yuan moved his capital to Puzi and Shang Commandery in Pingyang and ascended the imperial throne, changing the reign era to Yongfeng. In the seventh month of the fourth year of Yongjia of the Jin, Yuan took to his bed with illness. He appointed Prince of Chu Cong as Grand Marshal and Grand Chanyu; Prince of Anchang Sheng, Prince of An'yi Qin, and Prince of Xiyang Jun were all appointed Generals of the Martial Guard, dividing command of the imperial guards. Yuan died, and Crown Prince He ascended the imperial throne. Rui, Prince of Xichang, felt disgraced at not being included in the posthumous edict; he plotted together with others and persuaded He, saying: "The late Emperor did not consider the balance of power, allowing the three princes to command strong armies within, while the Grand Marshal commands a host of one hundred thousand encamped in the new suburbs. Your Majesty should devise a plan against them early." He summoned Sheng and informed him of this. Sheng said: "Your Majesty believes the words of slanderers and suspects your brothers." Rui was enraged and ordered his attendants to put Sheng to the sword. He then led troops to attack Cong, the Prince of Chu, at the Chanyu Terrace (now Xijing Route, namely Datong Route; the commandery name is Yunzhong, where Emperor Gao of Han was besieged at Baideng; in the territory of Ji). Cong counterattacked at the Ximing Gate, conquered it, killed He in the Western Hall of Guangji, and captured Rui, exposing his severed head in the thoroughfare. Cong ascended the imperial throne, changing the reign era to Guangxing. He made Prince of Beihai Ai the Crown Brother, enfeoffed his son Can as Prince of Henan, and appointed Shi Le as Inspector of Bing Prefecture (Taiyuan; now changed to Jining Route). In the xinwei year, the first year of Jiaping of the Han, Cong sent Grand General of the Vanguard Huyan Yan, Prince of Shi'an Liu Yao, Wang Mi, and Shi Le to attack Luoyang; they took the Xuanyang Gate. Emperor Huai of Jin came forth intending to flee to Chang'an, but the Han soldiers pursued and captured him, moving the emperor and the six imperial seals to Pingyang. Cong appointed the emperor as Specially Advanced Left Guanglu Grandee and enfeoffed him as Duke of Ping'a. In the renshen year, the second year of Jiaping of Cong, he enfeoffed Emperor Huai as Duke of Kuaiji Commandery. In the second month of the following year, Emperor Huai was murdered. In the fourth month, the mournful news of Emperor Huai reached Chang'an, and Emperor Min of Jin ascended the throne, changing the reign era to Jianxing. In the ninth month of the fourth year of Jianxing, Han's Grand Marshal Liu Yao attacked Chang'an. In the eleventh month, the Jin emperor said that he must bear the humiliation and surrender in order to spare the lives of the soldiers and people. Yao sent the Jin emperor to Pingyang. Han ruler Cong appointed the Jin emperor as Guanglu Grandee and enfeoffed him as Marquis of Huai'an. In the twelfth month of the dingchou year, Emperor Min was murdered. In the wuyin year, Han ruler Cong died. Crown Prince Can ascended the throne and was killed by Jin Feng. Chancellor Liu Yao ascended the imperial throne; the era was named Guangchu. He moved the capital back to Chang'an and changed the dynastic name to Zhao, taking the Chanyu as his ancestor. Shi Le was promoted in noble rank to Prince of Zhao. By the third year of Xianhe under Emperor Cheng of the Eastern Jin, Yao, the ruler of Zhao, besieged Luoyang. In the eleventh month, Shi Le led troops to relieve Luoyang, and in the battle he captured Yao, the King of Zhao, carried him in a horse cart to Xiangguo, and killed him. In the first month of the jichou year, Zhao's Crown Prince Xi heard that Yao had been captured and led the hundred officials to flee to Shanggui (pronounced gui; Jiaxi Gongchang Route, the ancient Gui garrison post). Guanzhong was in great turmoil. Generals Jiang Ying and Xin Shu held Chang'an and sent an envoy to surrender to Shi Le. In the ninth month, Duke of Zhongshan Shi Hu of Later Zhao heavily defeated the Zhao troops at Yiqu; pursuing the victory, he captured Zhao Crown Prince Liu Xi and more than three thousand of his generals, princes, ministers, and officers, putting them all to death. Qin and Long were completely pacified. The Liu clan of Han-Zhao arose from the jiazi year of Daxing under Emperor Hui of Jin and ended in the jichou year of Xianhe under Emperor Cheng, lasting twenty-six years.