釋氏稽古略 2.90

2.90

Tufa Wugu was a Xianbei from Hexi. Coming to this first year of Long'an of the Jin Emperor, he occupied Guangwu (now Lanzhou in Gongchang Circuit, Shaanxi; territory of ancient Yongzhou), naming his state Southern Liang. In the wuxu year, Wugu established the reign era Taichu. In the gengzi year, the first year of Jianhe of Lilugu, in the first month, Lilugu wished to declare himself emperor. General for Pacifying the State Touwuyu said: "From the times of our ancestors, our state has worn unbraided hair and lapels fastened to the left, without the adornment of cap and sash. We move following water and grass, having neither walled cities nor fixed dwellings. It is for this reason that we can dominate the desert and hold our own against the Central Plains." Lilugu followed his advice, and instead declared himself King of Hexi, changing the reign era to Jianhe. He appointed the Duke of Guangwu, Rutan (pronounced nu-du), as Commander of All Internal and External Military Affairs and Governor of Liangzhou. In the renyin year, King Jing, Rutan, ascended the throne; his reign era was called Hongchang. In the wushen year, in the fourth month, the Later Qin King Yao Xing wished to seize Rutan and dispatched Gentleman of the Secretariat Wei Zong thither to observe him. [Rutan] discussed the grand strategies of the contemporary age without limit. Zong retired and sighed: "Remarkable talent and heroic capacity need not come from China; clear wisdom and sharp discernment need not come from reading the classics. Only now do I know that beyond the Nine Provinces and outside the Five Classics, there are truly men of caliber." Upon returning, he said to Xing: "Liangzhou cannot yet be plotted against." Xing did not listen and dispatched troops to attack Rutan; the Later Qin forces suffered a crushing defeat. In the eleventh month, Rutan proclaimed himself King of Liang, declared a great amnesty, changed the reign era to Jiaping, and established the hundred offices. In the jiayin year, the tenth year of Yixi of Jin, Rutan was killed by Qifu Chipan of Western Qin, and Southern Liang fell: three rulers, eighteen years in total.