December 27, 1169-January 3, 1170 Translated by Stephen H. West
1169.12.27Fifth day, bingxu. Frost and cold. It took a lot of energy to travel; everyone’s
hair and beard were iced. Traveled 60 li to Yongcheng County, where we stopped for the morning meal.1The lamps were still lit in the post house.
This county was originally composed of the two counties of Mang and Jingchou, and the land is where Mangshan and Dangshan meet. Emperor Gao of the Han once took refuge here.2 The Han changed Jingchou to Taichou. Chen Shi was once a Post Commander at the Western Gate of the Commandery here.3 The ancient walled city is northwest of the modern
1 I realize that dun頓 has been translated before in travel diaries as “to rest,” which is an attested meaning. However from the late Tang onward, it seems to have meant primarily a “place to rest and eat宿食所也,” a definition found in the Yuan dynasty rhyme dictionary, Gujin yunhui juyao 古今韻會舉要. There are three terms used in the text: su 宿, which means “to rest,” but also “to sleep” and xie歇 , which also means “to rest” or “to sleep.” In this text su is clearly used in contexts that mean “to stay overnight” and xie “to remain in a place for a day or more.”
2 From the “Basic Annals本紀” of the Records of the Historian 史記, “The First Emperor of Qin often said, ‘The auras of a Son of Heaven are in the southwest.’ At that point, he began an eastern travel to suppress it. Gaozu immediately became suspicious of this himself and fled to hide, taking refuge among the mountain marshes and rocky cliffs between Mang and Dang.”秦始皇帝常曰
「東南有天子氣」，於是因東游以厭之。高祖即自疑，亡匿，隱於芒、碭山澤巖石之閒。
Sima Qian司馬遷, “Gaozu benji” 高祖本紀 , Xinjiao ben Shiji sanjia zhu 新校本史記三家注 (Zhonghua ed.) I.8.348.
3 Chen Shi陳寔, a learned official of the Later Han held this position 郡西門亭長, in Taichou. See Fan Ye范曄, “Chen Shi liezhuan” 陳寔列傳, Xinjiao ben Hou Hanshu 新校本後漢書(Zhonghua ed.) 5.62.2065.
county. After another 70 li, we overnighted at Huiting Market.
五日丙戌，霜寒，頗力行，人鬚髮皆冰。六十里永城縣早頓。驛中猶 有燈。縣本芒、敬丘二縣，地有芒山與碭山相接。漢高帝 于此，漢 更敬丘為太丘，陳寔嘗為長，故城在今縣西北。又七十里，宿會亭 鎮。
12.28Sixth day, wuzi. Frosty and clear. Traveled by cart for 45 li to Sand Dune
Ridge where we transferred to asses, and went 35 li to Gushou County where we stopped for the morning meal. This county was called Southern Bo in the Shang dynasty and was made the capital by Tang [the Completer of Shang].4 Outside of the county is a rainbow-arch bridge that is very imposing as it straddles the river. It was constructed during the Xuanhe reign (1117-1125). Currently either side has a small rammed-earth wall, but the whole is worn and broken down and impassible. So we cut across the river to enter Gushou. 22 li later we came to the Golden Apple Orchard, which was filled with fruit trees. Another 18 li by horse and we arrived at the Southern Capital, which is orderly and prosperous. Onlookers mostly peeked out from behind closed doors. There were more than a hundred armored cavalry lining the roads, and there were foot soldiers stationed outside of the city wall and in front of the posthouse. The major tower, called Suiyang, was of imposing and ancient construction, but was falling apart. The posthouse was also called Suiyang. An armored soldier from Gushou [who had accompanied us] volunteered, “Westerners ask for 500 short cash every month. When they hear how well our own soldiers are paid, they are moved to sighs.”5There is a pavilion at the side of the tower
4 Founder of the state of Shang, purportedly ruled from 1782-1754 BC. Shangshu jinzhu jinyi尚書 今註今譯, ann. and trans. Qu Wanli 屈萬里 (Taipei: Shangwu yinshuguan, 1970) p. 194: “When Tang had overthrown the Mandate of Xia, he returned to Bo, where he created ‘The Proclamation
of Tang’.”湯既黜夏命，復歸于亳。作湯誥。
5 “Short stringing” is an ancient practice, begun as early the Jin in the 4th century. A string of cash purportedly had 1000 copper coins (“thousand” in fact, becomes the common number-measure for strings of cash), but the amount of cash per string was set theoretically at 100. The actual number of cash varied with place and use. In the Song, government cash was set at 80 to 85 per hundred
in the Southern Capital, called “Releasing Sour Feelings.” A servant who volunteered that his name was Zhao—I did not want to question him too closely6—said, “The mansions of Grand Minister Xu,7 Director of the Board of War Lu,8 and Commissioner of the Court of Palace Attendants Zheng9 were still in the city, but were mainly occupied by government officials, but also by the male descendants of the families.” Remark: this
but other locales followed local practice, with as few as 48 per hundred. In the late 900s the Song set the government value at 77. In Jin, in the 1160s, commoners used 85 to 100 and the official rate was a full measure. The Jin later set the value of a string at 80-85. See Gu Yanwu顧炎武, “Short String,” in Rizhi lu jishi日知錄集釋 (Shijiazhuang: Huashan wenyi chubanshe, 1990) p. 536. The meaning of “westerners” is open to interpretation. In the Jin History, it refers to people living in the area south of modern Lanzhou蘭州, near Linzhao 臨兆, who were probably Ouighers or Mongols. See “Biography of Zhang Zhongfu”長中孚列傳, liezhuan 17. Jinshi 金史 (Zhonghua ed.) V.79. 1788 and “Biography of Pang Di”龐迪列傳, liezhuan 29. ibid. VI.91.2013.
6 Because he has the same surname as the Song royal family.
7 Perhaps Xu Churen徐處仁 (1062-27). See SRZJ III.2034. He was a native of Yingtian fu 應天府.
8 Perhaps Lu Yundi路允 (ca. 1090-1150). See SRZJ IV.3207. He was a native of Songcheng 宋 城, which was subordinate to Yingtian fu.
9 This may be Zheng Juzhong鄭居中 (1059-1123); otherwise, unknown to me.
place is where E the Elder, son of Gao Xin lived,10and is known as Shang Qiu. It is the place where King Wu of Zhou enfeoffed Qi, Baron of Hui and created the state of Song.11The Latter Tang (923-926) turned it into the Military Commission of Gui’de. Since it was a base of the Kingly Enterprise of our [Song] state, it was elevated to the Superior Prefecture of Yingtian in the 4th year of Jingde.12In the 7th year of Xiangfu (1014) it was elevated to the Southern Capital. The Jin changed its name to Gui’de Prefecture. This is where Liang Xiaowang had his capital in the Han. His Rabbit Garden, Level Terrace, Wildfowl Pond, and Duckweed Dike are all here.13The five meteorites from the Spring and Autumn Period are still
10 He did not get along with his younger brothers, so he was moved to Shang Qiu. See entry under Zhaogong昭公 1.12 in Chunqiu Zuozhuan zhu 春秋左傳注, ann. Yang Bojun 楊伯崚 vol. 2 (Beijing: Zhonghua shuju, 1981), pp. 118-19: “In the past Gao Xin had two sons. The elder was Yu the Elder, the youngest was Shishen, who lived in a broad forest. They were incapable of standing each other and daily used buckler and spear to try and quell each other. The later emperor (Yao) did not consider this good and transferred Yu the Elder to Shang Qiu.”
11 Ziqi of Hui was the half-brother of the bad last emperor of the Shang. When King Wu conquered the Shang, Ziqi brought all of the ritual implements to the Zhou, bound himself to show he was guilty and should be punished, bowed to King Wu and approached him on his knees, pleading for the continuation of the Shang line. King Wu assented, moved him to Shang Qiu, and established the state of Song.
12 From Li Tao李濤 Xu Zizhi tongjiang changbian 續資治通鑑長編 (Zhonghua ed.) III.1387.14,
“Jiashen day [2nd month, 4th year/1007] Songzhou was made Yingtian Superior Prefecture.”甲 申，以宋州為應天府. This was because Songzhou was where the founder of the Song, known posthumously as Taizu太祖, had his original military command under the former Zhou, from when he began his rise to become emperor. He actually assumed the mantle of emperor at Chenqiao陳 橋, north of Kaifeng.
13 Liu Wu劉武 (184BC?-144 BC?). The second son of Han Wendi 漢文帝 and the brother of Han Jingdi景帝, born of Empress Dou 竇. In 161 he was enfeoffed as the Prince of Suiyang 睢陽王.
The empress doted on him and hoped he would become emperor after his elder brother had passed.
Jingdi once off-handedly remarked that he would do that. Liang Xiaowang梁孝王 was a successful leader in pacifying outlying states, and supposed himself in line for the throne. The plan was thwarted when a minister, Yuan Yang袁盎, and others recommended Liu Che 劉徹, who would become Emperor Wu, as successor. Xiaowang dispatched an assassin to kill Yuan, and when the assault was uncovered by Emperor Jing. Xiaowang was pardoned, after appearing before the
extant.14
六日丁亥，霜晴，車行四十五里。沙山岡換驢，三十五里穀熟縣早 頓。縣即商之南亳，湯所都也。縣外有虹橋跨汴甚雄，政和中造，今 兩傍築小土牆，且敝損不可行， 河以入。又二十二里至金果園，果 木甚多。馬行十八里，入南京城，市井益繁，觀者多閉 以窺。夾道 甲騎百餘，城外及驛前皆步兵。大樓曰睢陽，製作雄古，傾圮已甚，
驛曰睢陽。穀熟甲卒自言，「西人月請五百短錢。」聞本朝養兵之 豐，歎感不已。南京城樓側有亭，名「解 」。承應人有自言姓趙 者，不欲窮問之。云：「城中猶有徐太宰、路樞 、鄭宣徽等大宅，
多為官中所占，亦有子孫居者」。按此地即高辛氏子閼伯所居，商丘 也，武王封微子啟是為宋國。後唐以為歸 軍節度，本朝以王業所 基，景 四年升應天府，祥符七年升南京，金改曰歸 府，漢梁孝王 所都。兔園、平臺、雁鶩池、蓼堤皆在此。春秋隕石五猶存。
12.29Seventh day, wuzi. Clear. Traveled 60 li by cart and stopped for the morning
meal at Ningling. This was the ancient state of Gebo, who was chastised by
emperor with thorns on his back. He was, nevertheless, distanced from the emperor’s heart and never regained his confidence. He died shortly after his last request to return to the capital. While in Suiyang he built many large structures: palaces, dikes, elevated walkways among others. His treasury was filled with gold on his death, as were his armories with weapons. See “The Hereditary Household of the Filial Prince of Liang”梁孝王世家, in Sima Qian 司馬遷, shijia 世家 28,Shiji 史記 VI.44. 2081-2092.
14 Duke Xi 16, Chunqiu “First day of the month, wushen, of the first month of the King, Spring of the 16th year [-644.12.16], stones fell five times at Song; this month six yi waterfowl flew in reverse,
passed the Song capital.”十有六年春王正月戊由朔，隕石于宋五。是月六鷁退飛，過宋都。
Zuozhuan左傳: “ ‘Stones fell five times at Song:’ meteorites. ‘Six yi waterfowl flew in reverse, passed the Song capital:’ [high] winds.”隕石于宋五，隕星也。六鷁退飛，過宋都，風也。
Duke Xiang of Song misconstrues these as auguries of political events. A visiting scribe-astronomer provides him an explanation, but when he withdraws, tells another, “The lord asked the wrong question, these are cosmological events related to the flow of Yin and Yang, not something produced by fortune or misfortune. Fortune and misfortune stem from human action. But I [explained it thusly] because I did not want to cross the lord.”君失問。是陰陽之事，非吉凶所 生也。吉凶由人。吾不敢逆君故也。See Xigong 僖公 16, Zuozhuan huizhu 左傳會注, vol.1, pp. 368-369.
Tang’s campaign.15Wuji of Wei, Lord of Xinling was enfeoffed at this spot.16 Another 60 li and we overnighted at Gongzhou. Originally Xiangyi County, it was attached to the Superior Prefecture of Kaifeng, but in the fourth year of Chongning, they created the name of “Supporting District,” and made it the “Eastern Support.” 17It was then changed again to Gongzhou, and it governed Xiangyi. It was originally Xiang Tumulus County in Chengkuang;
Duke Xiang was buried here, so it was called Xiang Tumulus.18The Jin call it Suizhou.
15 Gebo葛伯 was chastised by Tang 湯 because of his cruelty and because he did not offer sacrifices.
Although the Book of History is the earliest reference to the incident, it was more fully elaborated in Mencius孟子: “The Earl of Ge was a willful man who neglected his sacrificial duties. T’ang sent someone to ask, ‘Why do you not offer sacrifice?’ ‘We have no suitable animals.’ Tang sent gifts of oxen and sheep to the Earl of Ge, but he used them for food and continued to neglect his sacrificial duties. Tang once gain sent someone to ask, ‘Why do you not offer sacrifices?’ ‘We have no suitable grain.’ Tang sent the people of Bo [his home state] to help in the ploughing and also sent the aged and young with gifts of food. The Earl of Ge led his people out and waylaid those who were bringing wine, food, millet and rice, trying to take these things from them by force.
Those who resisted were killed. A boy bearing millet and meat was killed and the food taken. The Book of History says, ‘The Earl of Ge treated those who brought food as enemies.’ This is the incident to which I refer.” Mencius, trans. D. C. Lau (Baltimore: Penguin, 1970), pp. 109-110 (3B.
5).
16 Obit. -243. Youngest son of King Shao of Wei魏公子, half brother of King Anlin of Wei 安釐王.
Noted for his military prowess and intelligence, he was a key figure in the defeat of Qin forces.
Slandered, he went into a funk, indulging in liquor and women until he passed away from alcohol poisoning. Known as one of the “four ducal sons四公子” of the Warring States period. He was enfeoffed at Xinling, so is also known as Lord of Xinling. See “Biography of the Ducal Son of Wei 魏公子列傳, liezhuan 17 Shiji VII.77. 2377-2385.
17 Toqto脫脫 “Basic Annals of Huizong” 徽宗本紀, benji 20 Songshi 宋史 (Zhonghua ed.) benji I.
20. 374: “On the day xinchou of the seventh month, Autumn, of the 4th year of Chongning (1115), established the Altar to Mars, and established four Supporting Commanderies: Yingchang was made the Southern Supporting Commandery, Xiangyi was made the Eastern Supporting Commandery, Zhengzhou the Western, and Shanzhou, the northern.”秋七月丙申朔，罷三京國 子監官，各置司業一員。辛丑，置熒惑壇。置四輔郡，以潁昌府為南輔，襄邑縣為東輔，
鄭州為西輔，澶州為北輔。
18 Buried in the 8th month of 621 BC. See entry under Wengong文公 6.6 in Chunqiu Zuozhuan zhu vol. 2 , pp. 543, 550.
七日，戊子，晴。車行六十里，寧陵縣早頓。古葛伯國，湯所征也。
魏信陵君無忌封于此。又六十里，宿拱州。本襄邑縣屬開封，崇寧四 年建名輔州，以為東輔，又改拱州，治襄邑。本宋承匡襄陵鄉也，襄 公所 ，故曰襄陵，金曰濉州。
12.30Eighth day, jichou. Clear. Traveled by cart for 60 li and stopped for the
morning meal at Yongqiu County. The county is the old [feudal] state of Qi, where King Wu of Zhou enfeoffed the descendants of Yu as Dukes of Eastern Lou.19So, locals still called the place “Qi County.” Zu Ti fortified
19 “Hereditary Familes of Chen and Fei”陳杞世家, shijia 6, Shiji V.36. 1583, “Dukes of Eastern Lou in Fei are the descendants of Yu after the period of the Xia. During the Yin they were sometimes enfeoffed and sometimes cut off. When King Wu of Zhou defeated Zhou of Yin, he sought the descendants of Yu of Xiahou, and found a Duke of Eastern Lou, whom he enfeoffed at Fei in order to carry out sacrifices to the descendants of Xiahou.”杞東樓公者，夏後禹之後苗裔也。殷時或 封或絕。周武王克殷紂，求禹之後，得東樓公，封之於杞，以奉夏後氏祀。
this place in order to repel Shi Le.20Yucheng Market is in the southeast, and
this place in order to repel Shi Le.20Yucheng Market is in the southeast, and