King Anle of Chang Le, King Guangchuan, King Qijun, King Hejian, and King Anfeng are all sons of Emperor Wencheng. Among them, Emperor Xianwen was born to Empress Xiaoyuan; King Anle was born to Lady Li; King Guangchuan Zhuang was born to Lady Cao; King Qijun Shun was born to Lady Juqu; King Hejian Xiao was born to Lady Yi; and King Anfeng Kuang was born to Lady Yue. There was also King Han Ai Anping, born to Lady Xuan, but he died young and left no descendants.
King Anle was granted the title of King Jianchang in the fourth year of the Huangxing era and later changed to King Anle. He had a stable personality, and Emperor Xianzhu liked him a lot. In the first year of the Chengming era, he was appointed as Grand Commandant and later sent to Dingzhou as governor. He had a particular knack for putting down those in power and often humiliated them without regard for the law, which led to widespread resentment against him, with commoners even going to the palace to file complaints. Emperor Gaozu punished him with thirty strikes of the rod. However, he showed no remorse and only became more tyrannical. In the end, he was called back to the capital for committing crimes. Later, he conspired with the court official Yì Sihǔ to rebel, and when the plot was exposed, he was executed at home and was posthumously honored with the title "Lì."
His son Quan, courtesy name Suxian, inherited his title. During the reign of Emperor Shizong of the Northern Wei Dynasty, he was appointed governor of Liangzhou. During his time in Liangzhou, he was corrupt, resolving all matters through bribery. He was later transferred to Dingzhou as governor. When King Yu of Jingzhao rebelled, he feigned a crisis at court. At that time, the military governors of various northern provinces suspected that there was a problem in the court and sent people to observe his actions. Quan reported the situation, which helped restore stability in those provinces. When Yu fled to Xindu, Quan, along with Li Ping, Gao Zhi, and others, attacked and burned the rebel camp from all directions, forcing Yu to flee through the city gates. Afterwards, Quan was appointed as a palace attendant due to his merit in being the first to report on King Yu's rebellion, and he was promoted to the position of Left Chancellor in the Ministry of Personnel. He later passed away and received the posthumous title of "Wukang."
His son Jian, courtesy name Changwen, inherited his title. He was later appointed as the governor of Xiangzhou and the supreme commander for the northern campaign against Ge Rong. He also served as the Right Minister of the Ministry of Personnel and the Minister of the Northern Road, and, along with Commander Pei Yan, assisted Xindu. Jian lacked capability, and his brothers were all quite unruly; observing the chaos around them, they contemplated rebellion and ultimately surrendered to Ge Rong. The commander Yuan Ziyong, together with Pei Yan, surrounded Jian, killed him, and then sent his head to Luoyang, where the court ordered his family surname to be changed. Only during the reign of Emperor Zhuang was he permitted to restore his original family name, and his royal title was specially reinstated, along with a posthumous appointment to the position of Minister of Works.
My younger brother, Bin Zhi, whose courtesy name is Zishuang, has a reckless personality and tends to act unpredictably. Later, he joined me in rebellion, but we failed, and he fled to Ge Rong. After Ge Rong's defeat, he returned. When Emperor Xianwen ruled, he was granted the title of Prince of Yingchuan, and the emperor had great trust in him, assigning him significant responsibilities. Later, as the emperor advanced into Guanzhong, Bin Zhi sought refuge with Xiao Yan, and eventually returned to Chang'an.
My other younger brother, Wang Guangchuan, was granted the title of king in the second year of Yanxing. He held important positions in the court, was clever and quick-witted, and handled cases very impartially. He passed away in the fourth year of Taihe and was posthumously named King Zhuang.
Zixie, styled Zhonghe, passed away at the young age of nineteen. The emperor issued a decree saying, "Members of my clan have passed away one after another. The death of my younger brother Zixie has plunged me into deep sorrow that I can hardly bear. In ancient times, when a high-ranking minister died, there were rituals known as 'sanlin,' which were reserved for officials of the rank of San Gong and above. Officials below the rank of Qing Si did not need to observe them. Since the Han Dynasty, these rituals have seldom been practiced. I want to observe the ancient ceremonial rites to express my grief. While there are differences in rank, how can my sorrow be alleviated? I want those relatives who were closely related to the deceased to observe 'sanlin,' those with significant ties to observe 'zailin,' and those with minor contributions or distant relations to observe 'yilin.' Wang Guangchuan had a significant relationship with me, so he must observe 'zailin.' 'Zailin' means personally attending the funeral on the day of the burial to express grief, wearing mourning attire to pay respects after the funeral. The mourning rituals that follow are appropriate, but should the offerings at the funeral be made? Should one touch the coffin just after the death or express sorrow when the coffin lid is closed? What time of day would be more appropriate? Let's choose a suitable time."
Cui Guang, Song Bian, Liu Fang, Li Yuankai, Gao Cong, and others discussed, "The ritual of 'three visits' is an ancient practice that was rarely observed from the Han to the Wei Dynasties. Your Majesty, wise and benevolent, intends to uphold ancient customs and express condolences. We believe that relatives who are 'close' to the deceased should make 'three visits,' while those with a 'significant connection' should make 'two visits.' The deepest grief is felt immediately after a passing, so if we wish to express our condolences, we should begin from that moment. The funeral rites should be conducted according to the imperial decree."
The Emperor decreed, "Since the Wei and Jin Dynasties, personal visits for mourning have been rare. For subjects with family ties, mourning typically takes place in the Eastern Hall. Recently, after the passing of the Grand Marshal and the Prince of Anding, I mourned and received condolences in the Eastern Hall. Is there still a need to mourn again today?" Cui Guang and others discussed, "Mourning in the Eastern Hall is due to the absence of personal visits. With Your Majesty personally comforting and accompanied by the ministers, we believe further mourning is unnecessary." The Emperor said, "The Grand Marshal holds a distinguished position, so mourning in the Eastern Hall is fitting. However, the Prince of Guangchuan is a young scion of the royal family. Based on your discussions, I will make my decision accordingly."
Zi Xie is about to be buried, and Gao Zu, dressed in plain mourning clothes, entered the inner chamber, overcome with grief, and after touching the body, came out. Officials reported that Princess Guangchuan had died in Dai Jing, and it is uncertain whether to follow the new or old hierarchy in handling this. The emperor issued a decree that stated: "Those who have moved to Luoyang may now send the remains back to Mangling and must not be buried in Hengdai. If a husband is buried in the north and the wife dies in the south, the wife should accompany her husband and return to Dai for burial; if one wishes to move the father's remains next to the mother, that is also allowed. If the wife's grave is in Hengdai and the husband dies in Luoyang, it should not be determined by hierarchy; if one wants to move the mother's remains next to the father, that is also allowed; if the burial sites are different, that is acceptable as well. If the burial deadline is not met, and one dies in Dai, the burial location can be decided by the individual, no matter where it is. Those registered in Hengyan but serving in Jingluo can choose whether to stay or leave. Those belonging to various states can also decide for themselves." The emperor posthumously granted Zi Xie the title of General of Wu Wei and the posthumous name "Gang." Gao Zu personally attended the burial. Zi Ling was made the King of Qi County, inheriting the title. He later passed away and was posthumously honored with the title Prince Dao.
Prince Jian of Qi, with the style name Shuliang, was granted the title of Prince of Qi in the fifth year of Taihe, serving as a high-ranking official in the imperial court. His mother was the daughter of Juqu Mujian. Jian closely resembled his maternal grandfather. He later rose to the position of an even higher-ranking official in the capital. The founding emperor once accompanied Jian to pay respects to Empress Wenming at Huangxintang. Jian sat to the right of the emperor, following family etiquette. He was later promoted to Grand Guardian. The founding emperor was a benevolent and filial ruler, as most of his uncles had already passed away, leaving only Jian alive. Whenever they met, the emperor would stand and wait for Jian to be seated before respectfully inquiring about his well-being, until Jian bowed and expressed his gratitude. Jian was fond of drinking and was not very diligent in handling official and private matters. His wife, Lady Chang, was the daughter of Duke Chang of Yanjun and was bestowed upon him by Empress Wenming. Lady Chang was competent and managed household affairs well, even trying to restrain Jian's drinking. Despite her efforts, there were even instances of maidservants stealing and begging, but she was unable to fully control him. Jian passed away in the twenty-third year. At that time, the founding emperor was also unwell and issued a decree stating, "My uncle has passed away, and I am overwhelmed with grief. I am bedridden and unable to attend the funeral in person, enduring my sorrow while fighting illness." Jian was posthumously titled the Spirit King, later changed to the Obedient King during the reign of Emperor Shizong.
His son, You, with the style name Boshou, inherited his title. You's mother was Lady Chang, whom the founding emperor took as a concubine without according her the proper status of a consort. Emperor Shizong, because of You's mother's background, issued a decree specifically appointing her as the Grand Consort of Qi. You became the Inspector of Jingzhou and was posthumously titled the Respectful King.
Prince Ruo of Hejian, with the style name Shuru, passed away before being granted the title of prince at the age of sixteen. He was posthumously enfeoffed as the Prince of Hejian and honored as the Filial King. The emperor decreed that the son of King Kang of Jingzhao, Taian, should succeed to the throne. Taian was Ruo's cousin, and according to tradition, he was not eligible to inherit the title. As a result, he was deposed, and Prince Chen of Qi was appointed as his successor.
Chen Zitanbao was bright and quick-witted from a young age, and the Emperor Taizu especially liked him. Later, during the reign of Emperor Shizong, he was appointed as the Inspector of Dingzhou. His wife was the daughter of Emperor Shizong's maternal uncle and the sister of Empress Gao (Emperor Shizong's mother). Taking advantage of his royal connections, Chen accepted numerous bribes, becoming insatiably greedy.
When he returned to the capital, Empress Dowager Ling issued a proclamation stating, "Chen held a position in Dingzhou but failed to send the treasures from Zhongshan Palace. He did not hesitate to take everything else. How can we trust someone like him?" As a result, Chen was removed from office. Later, he heard that Emperor Suzong had started studying the "Classic of Filial Piety" and offered a gold-embossed copy of the book. He tried to advance his career by cultivating a relationship with Liu Teng and giving him large sums of gold and silver treasures. Liu Teng spoke on his behalf multiple times, and Chen was eventually appointed as the Minister of Justice before being exiled as the Inspector of Qinzhou.
In Qinzhou, he continued to exploit the people, leading to widespread resentment. When the Di people in Dongyizhou and Nanqinzhou rebelled, Chen was sent to suppress the rebellion and appointed as the Commander, responsible for the region's affairs. Being greedy and cruel by nature, he misused his military authority to further oppress the populace. The campaign against the Di and Qiang tribes resulted in a catastrophic defeat, with over a thousand soldiers killed. Chen retreated in disgrace. Despite the support of Liu Teng, he was impeached by a junior official. Luckily, a general amnesty was declared, saving him from punishment but reducing him to the status of a commoner.
Not long after, he regained his noble title. He later led a failed campaign against Xianyu Xiuli, which led to yet another loss of his title. He then participated in battles against the Hu people in the Fenjin region and met his end on the battlefield. After his death, his noble title was restored posthumously.
Meng Wang of Anfeng, with the courtesy name Jilie. In the fifth year of Taihe, he was enfeoffed as a king and also granted the title of Shizhong. Later, he was sent to serve as the Grand General stationed at Helong and the Inspector of Yingzhou. Meng was known for his benevolence, magnanimity, courage, and decisiveness, which earned him the respect of the minority ethnic groups. He passed away in Yingzhou. The court bestowed upon him the posthumous title "Kuang."
His son Yanming inherited his title. During the reign of Emperor Shizong, he was appointed as the Grand Master of the Palace. During the Yanchang period, there was a severe famine, and Yanming used his own money to provide relief for dozens of guests and their households. At the beginning of the reign of Emperor Suzong, he served as the Governor of Yuzhou and made significant contributions to governance. He was later promoted multiple times and eventually became the Gentleman of the Yellow Gate.
Mr. Yanming was a well-read scholar with exceptional literary talent. He had a personal library of over ten thousand volumes! He was known for his honesty, frugality, and disinterest in wealth. Alongside Prince Xih and Prince Yu of Linhuai, who were notable scholars of his time, Yanming's reputation was also well-known. While he may not have been as charming as Xih and Yu, he excelled in scholarship, being more substantial and profound than they were. Later, he was promoted to the position of Shizhong. The Emperor ordered him and Shizhong Cui Guang to formulate a new dress code. Subsequently, he also concurrently served as the Right Minister of Personnel. Due to Yanming's profound knowledge, the Emperor entrusted him with overseeing the management of cultural relics pertaining to bronze and stone.
Later, Yuan Faseng rebelled, and the emperor appointed him as the Eastern Command and Governor-General of Xuzhou, commanding the army and ordering him to join forces with King Linhuai Yu and Minister Li Xian to quell Yuan Faseng's rebellion. Meanwhile, Xiao Yan sent Wang Zong of Yuzhang to garrison Xuzhou. Yan Ming, who had previously served as the governor of Xuzhou and was deeply loved by the people, returned, and the local people quickly rallied around him. After Wang Zong of Yuzhang surrendered, Yan Ming used his forces to reclaim the southeastern region, marching all the way to Su Yu before returning to the capital. After that, he was promoted to Grand Commander and Governor of Xuzhou. Due to years of warfare, the people were displaced and living in hardship, but Yan Ming managed to pacify both newcomers and long-time residents, allowing them to live and work in peace, earning their support.
During the reign of Emperor Zhuang, Yan Ming also held the positions of Minister of Personnel and Grand Marshal. Later, when Yuan Hao invaded Luoyang, Yan Ming was compelled to accept his appointment and led the army to defend Heqiao. After Yuan Hao's defeat, Yan Ming took his family to seek refuge with Xiao Yan and ultimately died in Jiangnan. After Emperor Zhuang's death, his coffin was transported back to Luoyang. During the reign of Emperor Chu, he was posthumously granted the title of Grand Protector, retaining his noble rank and posthumously receiving the title of Wenxuan. Throughout his life, he composed more than three hundred poems, essays, praises, odes, inscriptions, and elegies. He also wrote "Essentials of the Five Classics" and "Distinctions of Poetry and Rites," and annotated "Chronicles of the Emperors" and "Records of Immortals." In addition, he valued the arithmetic skills of Xindu Fang, bringing him to serve in his administration. Yan Ming authored prefaces for Xindu Fang's works, such as "Ancient and Modern Music," "Nine Chapters" with twelve diagrams, and nine articles collected in "Standards of Instruments," which continue to be passed down through the ages.
