釋鑑稽古略續集 1.32

1.32

Lord Liu Wenzhen: Taboo name Bingzhong, courtesy name Zhonghui, a native of Liuji Village in Ruizhou. He paid homage to Chan Master Xuzhao of Tianning Monastery, had his head shaved, and became a monk. Later he traveled to Yunzhong and resided at Nantang Monastery. Accompanying Chan Master Haiyun to go north for an audience, he had an audience with Shizu in his princely residence. At first sight, his responses pleased the ruler's intent, and from then on he was frequently consulted. The lord submitted a memorial setting forth dozens of appropriate measures for current affairs, totaling over ten thousand words, all concerning the veneration of the sovereign and the protection of the people. The Emperor praised and accepted them. Accompanying the Emperor on military expeditions, he skillfully provided salvation and protection, preserving very many lives. When the Emperor ascended the imperial throne, the lord drafted and established court rituals, the official system, reign eras, and dynastic titles; all necessary institutions and seasonal affairs were drafted and determined by him. The lord lived ascetically on a vegetarian diet, tranquil throughout the day. In the eighth month of this year, on the renxu day, he sat upright and passed away, living to the age of fifty-nine. From youth he loved study, which never declined even in old age. Although his position reached the peak of ministers, he was no different from ordinary times. The Emperor said to his attendants, "Bingzhong served us for thirty years, cautious and discreet. In his mastery of yin-yang and divination arts, his prognostications and knowledge of the future matched like two halves of a tally." The Emperor ordered Shi Tianze and Bayan to lead the army south on campaign. Summoning them, he instructed, "In ancient times, among those who were skilled in taking Jiangnan, Cao Bin was the only one. If you can refrain from killing, you will be my Cao Bin." Shi Tianze was a native of Zhending, eight feet tall with a voice like a great bell, skilled in riding and archery. He moved between general and prime minister for fifty years, standing as a pillar across four reigns and a model for all officials, as a founding minister of the dynasty. People compared him to Guo Ziyi and Cao Bin. He died at the age of seventy-four and was posthumously named Zhongwu.