釋氏稽古略 4.281

4.281

These were the Jurchen. Aguda founded the state and declared himself emperor. The Liao ruler Tianzuo was in the capital. Hearing that the Prince of Yan's army had been defeated and the Jurchen had entered Xinzhou, he was gripped by anxiety day and night. In the autumn, the Jurchen took over fifty cities of the Liao Eastern Capital and Huanglong Prefecture. At that time, there was one Yang Pu, a native of Tiezhou in Liaodong, originally from an eminent Bohai clan. He had passed the jinshi examination and risen through successive offices to Collator of Texts. Previously, the Bohai native Gao Yongchang had killed Xiao Baoxian, the Liao regent of the Eastern Capital, declared himself Emperor of the Bohai State, and occupied more than fifty prefectures of Liaodong. The Liao ruler dispatched Grand Councilor Zhang Lin to lead troops to punish him, but Lin was utterly defeated. The Jurchen crushed the Bohai army, beheaded Gao Yongchang, accepted Yang Pu's surrender, and employed him. Pu urged Aguda to declare himself emperor, change the reign era to Tianfu, adopt Wang as his surname, take Min as his given name, and, because his country produced gold, adopt the state title Great Jin. He further persuaded Aguda, saying: 'Since antiquity, whenever heroes founded states or received dynastic abdication, they first sought investiture and conferral of title from the great state.' In the autumn, the eighth month, Aguda sent envoys to the Liao ruler Tianzuo to request investiture, with ten conditions: First, the honorary title of Emperor Greatly Sage and Greatly Illuminating; second, the state title Great Jin; third, a jade-adorned imperial carriage; fourth, imperial robes and crown; fifth, a jade-carved imperial seal; sixth, diplomatic correspondence conducted as brothers; seventh, dispatching envoys on birthdays and New Year's Day; eighth, an annual tribute of 250,000 bolts and ounces of silver and silk, sharing half of what was annually granted to the Southern Song; ninth, the ceding of the two circuits of Liaodong and Changchun; tenth, the repatriation of the three grand princes of the Jurchen, Aguchan and Zhao. Tianzuo submitted this to his ministers for deliberation. Xiao Fengxian was overjoyed, believing that from then on there would be no worries. He appointed Xiao Xilie, Military Commissioner of Jingjiang Army, and Yang Mian, Hanlin Academician, as Principal Envoys of Investiture; Zhang Xiaowei, Surveillance Commissioner of Guizhou, and Wang Fu, Junior Chamberlain for Ceremonials, as Envoys for Diplomatic Correspondence; Liu Shi, Junior Chamberlain of the Guards, as Official in Charge of Escorting Gifts; and Yang Zhuzhong, Junior Director of the Directorate for the Palace Buildings, as Envoy to Read the Investiture Decree. Preparing the imperial robes and crown, jade investiture tablets, gold seal, imperial carriages, ceremonial retinue, and the like, they invested Aguda as Emperor Most Sage and Most Illuminating of the State of Donghuai. The investiture text read in summary: 'Looking back upon the region of the Sushen, it indeed borders the customs of Fuyu. Its lands border the superior state; its talents spread through the towering peaks. Having long held the renown of mountains and rivers, you have inherited the lineage of your forebears. In the vast wilderness under azure clouds, an outstanding talent should indeed emerge; amidst white snow and flying frost, who would not consider this an extraordinary vehicle? Memorials and petitions have been repeatedly presented, with sincere intentions reciprocated. Reflecting upon your distant renown, you ought to receive abundant favor. We therefore dispatch Xiao Xilie and others, bearing the imperial tallies and complete ceremonial regalia, to invest you as Emperor Most Sage and Most Illuminating of the State of Donghuai, fostering fraternal amity and enfeoffing fertile territories. Alas, be vigilant and reverent! Let this accord with auspiciousness. Regarding all the requested honorary titles, because they infringe upon our ancestral names, they are changed to Most Sage and Most Illuminating; all else is granted as requested.' The envoys departed in the tenth month and arrived in the Jin state in the winter, the twelfth month. In this month, Aguda posthumously honored his ninth-generation ancestor Kanfu with the posthumous title Emperor Jingyuan and the temple name Shizu; his eighth-generation ancestor Elu with the posthumous title Emperor De; his seventh-generation ancestor Yanghai with the posthumous title Emperor An; his sixth-generation ancestor Suikuo with the posthumous title Emperor Dingzhao and the temple name Xianzu; his fifth-generation ancestor Shilu with the posthumous title Emperor Chengxiang and the temple name Zhaozu; his great-grandfather, Grand Preceptor Hulai, with the posthumous title Emperor Hui and the temple name Jingzu; and his father, Grand Master Yangge, with the posthumous title Emperor Xiaoping and the temple name Muzong. Posthumous titles were likewise conferred upon the consorts and empresses (Annals of Jin). Aguda showed the ceremonial items brought by the Liao envoys to Yang Pu. Yang Pu pointed out that the ceremonial items did not fully accord with the system of the Son of Heaven; furthermore, 'State of Donghuai' carried the meaning of a petty state cherishing the virtue [of the suzerain], and there was still no text investing him as an elder brother. Phrases like 'distant renown' and 'abundant favor' were not benevolent in intent; red bows and ivory carriages were matters suited to feudal lords; and the two characters 'channel talent' (qucai) carried an undertone of slight and insult. He commanded Xilie to return and alter the text. Xilie said: ''Elder brothers are amicable and younger brothers respectful' comes from the Book of Zhou; speaking of amity already implies the sense of elder brother.' Yang Pu and others refuted him to his face, deeming it unacceptable. Aguda was furious; shouting out to have the principal and deputy envoys dragged away, he wished to cut them in two at the waist. Only after Wolihan and other chieftains pleaded on their behalf was the matter dropped; nevertheless, each was beaten over a hundred strokes with a cane. By the third month of the following year, only Xiao Xilie and Yang Lizhong were sent back, saying: 'I do not understand the text of the investiture decree at all. The honorary title, state title, royal carriage, and imperial seal—I already have all of them. You must address me as 'Imperial Elder Brother, Emperor of the Great Jin State,' and that will be that. If you can comply, you may come to the front of my army this autumn; otherwise, I shall lead troops to take the Supreme Capital.' Tianzuo loathed hearing about Jurchen affairs, and Xiao Fengxian, divining his wishes, suppressed all reports from reaching him. After prolonged delay, hearing that the Supreme Capital had already fallen, the peace negotiations were abandoned. Although Tianzuo subsequently sought peace again, Aguda never responded (Annals of Liao).