Overview
Jiang Ge was an official and Scholar.
IdentityHistorical · Male
Other names
| Type | English | Chinese | Pinyin |
|---|
| Courtesy name |
Xiuying |
休映 |
Xiuying |
| Posthumous name |
Qiangzi |
強子 |
Qiangzi |
Life and dates
Death
- Date Source Date: Text: 大同元年二月 · Western Year: AD 535
Age
16
Reckoning Sui · Context mother died
6
Reckoning Sui · Context could compose
60
Reckoning Sui · Context while captive
9
Reckoning Sui · Context father died
Attested activity
Family
Immediate relationships attested in the translated histories.
- Kinship Role concubines · Count 0 · Negated true
Career and standing
Court Gentleman for Palace Attendance 奉朝請
Appointed
Driving Section Director 尚書駕部郎
Appointed
General Who Breaks the Charge; chief clerk to Prince Wuling; acting head of Kuaiji 折沖將軍、東中郎武陵王長史、會稽郡丞、行府州事
Appointed
Grand Master of Splendid Happiness; colonel of footsoldiers; chief arbiter of South and North Yan 光祿大夫、領步兵校尉、南、北兗二州大中正
Appointed
joint manager of written records with Xu Mian 與徐勉同掌書記
Appointed
Magistrate of Moling and Jiankang 秣陵、建康令
Appointed
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Minister of Justice 都官尚書
Appointed
Minister of Revenue 度支尚書
Appointed
Secretary to Northern Expedition; Magistrate of Zhonglu 征北記室參軍，帶中廬令
Appointed
Supervisor of Wu commandery 監吳郡
Appointed
Western Pavilion scholar 西邸學士
Appointed
Places and affiliations
- At Kaocheng in Jiyang 濟陽考城
Works and attributed material
- Works collected works twenty scrolls 集二十卷
- Letter · Author · With Yuan Ang (袁昂) · Paraphrased
- Speech · Speaker · With Yuan Yanming (元延明) · Direct quotation
- Speech · Speaker · Direct quotation
Events and relationships
Escaped implication when Jiang Shi executed
Released with Zu Can when Wei marched north
Political · Released captive
Requested bodhisattva precepts
Religious · Petitioner
Seized by Wei at Xiapi
Military · Captive · At Xiapi 下邳
Assessments and attributes
- Assessment 聰敏亮直 · Mode historian-judgment
References in the histories
No matching passages.
Book of Liang, Chapter 36Volume 36: Kong Xiuyuan; Jiang Ge · 46 passages
孔休源 江革
Kong Xiuyuan; Jiang Ge
江革，字休映，濟陽考城人也。
Jiang Ge, styled Xiuying, came from Kaocheng in Jiyang.
革幼而聰敏，早有才思，六歲便解屬文。
Clever from childhood and precocious in letters, Ge could write linked prose at six.
朓嘗宿衛，還過候革，時大雪，見革弊絮單席，而耽學不倦，嗟歎久之，乃脫所著襦，並手割半氈與革充臥具而去。
Once, coming off palace guard duty in heavy snow, Tiao visited Ge and found him in patched cotton on a thin mat, still studying without pause. Tiao sighed long, gave him the padded jacket he was wearing, and cut half his felt mat by hand for Ge's bedding before he left.
時豫章胡諧之行州事，王融與諧之書，令薦革。
Hu Xiezhi of Yuzhang was then acting governor; Wang Rong wrote urging him to recommend Ge.
諧之方貢琅邪王泛，便以革代之。
Xiezhi had intended to send up Wang Fan of Langya as the provincial tribute candidate and replaced him with Ge.
僕射江祏深相引接，祏爲太子詹事，啓革爲府丞。
Vice Minister Jiang Shi took a strong liking to him; when Shi became Crown Prince's Steward he recommended Ge as household aide.
祏時權傾朝右，以革才堪經國，令參掌機務，詔誥文檄，皆委以具。
Shi then dominated the court; judging Ge capable of statecraft, he put him in charge of urgent business, and all edicts and dispatches were drafted by Ge.
革防杜形跡，外人不知。
Ge kept his role hidden, and outsiders never knew.
祏誅，賓客皆罹其罪，革獨以智免。
When Shi was executed, every man in his circle was implicated; Ge alone escaped through cleverness.
中興元年，高祖入石頭，時吳興太守袁昂據郡距義師，乃使革制書與昂，于坐立成，辭義典雅，高祖深賞歎之，因令與徐勉同掌書記。
In the first year of Zhongxing Gaozu entered Stone Fort while Yuan Ang, administrator of Wuxing, held the commandery against the cause. Ge was told to draft the letter to Ang and finished it on the spot; its language was elegant, Gaozu praised it highly, and put him in charge of written records together with Xu Mian.
建安王爲雍州刺史，表求管記，以革爲征北記室參軍，帶中廬令。
When Prince of Jian'an became inspector of Yongzhou and asked for a chief secretary, Ge was made secretary to the northern expedition staff and concurrently magistrate of Zhonglu.
時吳興沈約、樂安任昉，並相賞重，昉與革書云：「此段雍府妙選英才，文房之職，總卿昆季，可謂馭二龍於長途，騁騏驥於千里。」
Shen Yue of Wuxing and Ren Fang of Le'an both valued him. Fang wrote to Ge: "The Yongzhou staff has chosen its finest men—you and your brother both hold the literary office. It is like driving two dragons on a long road or running twin thoroughbreds a thousand li."
革時在雍，爲府王所禮，款若布衣。
Ge was then in Yongzhou, and the prince treated him with the easy warmth of an old friend.
王被徵爲丹陽尹，以革爲記室，領五官掾，除通直散騎常侍，建康正。
When the prince was recalled as magistrate of Danyang, Ge became his secretary, head of the Five Officials section, Regular Attendant of the Scattered Cavalry, and chief of Jiankang.
時少王行事多傾意于簽帥，革以正直自居，不與簽帥等同坐。
Young princes' acting deputies usually bowed to their chiefs of staff; Ge stood on principle and refused to share a seat with them.
時魏徐州刺史元法僧降附，革被敕隨府王鎮彭城。
When Yuan Faseng, Wei governor of Xuzhou, surrendered, Ge was ordered to follow the prince and garrison Pengcheng.
城旣失守，革素不便馬，乃泛舟而還，途經下邳，遂爲魏人所執。
The city fell. Ge had never ridden well; he took to the river instead, and at Xiapi Wei soldiers seized him.
魏徐州刺史元延明聞革才名，厚加接待。
Yuan Yanming, Wei governor of Xuzhou, had heard of Ge's fame and received him with deep respect.
革稱患腳不拜，延明將加害焉，見革辭色嚴正，更相敬重。
Ge claimed a bad leg and refused to bow. Yanming meant to punish him, but Ge's stern bearing in word and face won respect instead.
時祖𣈶同被拘執，延明使𣈶作《欹器》、《漏刻銘》，革罵𣈶曰：「卿荷國厚恩，已無報答，今乃爲虜立銘，孤負朝廷。」
Zu Can was held with him. Yanming had Can write inscriptions for the Tilting Vessel and the Clepsydra. Ge reviled him: "The state heaped grace on you and you never repaid it. Now you write for the captors and betray the court."
延明聞之，乃令革作丈八寺碑並祭彭祖文，革辭以囚執旣久，無復心思。
Yanming then ordered Ge to compose the Zhangba Temple stele and a sacrifice to Peng Zu. Ge refused: long imprisonment had drained his mind.
革厲色而言曰：「江革行年六十，不能殺身報主，今日得死爲幸，誓不爲人執筆。」
Ge said, face hard: "Jiang Ge is sixty. I could not die for my lord; to die today would be luck. I swear I will never take up the brush for another man."
值魏主討中山王元略反北，乃放革及祖𣈶還朝。
When the Wei ruler marched north against Prince Zhongshan Yuan Lue's rebellion, Ge and Zu Can were freed and sent home to court.
詔曰：「前貞威將軍、鎮北長史、廣陵太守江革，才思通贍，出內有聞，在朝正色，臨危不撓，首佐台鉉，實允僉諧。
An edict ran: "Jiang Ge, former General of Loyal Might, chief clerk of Zhenbei, and administrator of Guangling—gifted in mind and word, known in court and out, upright in office, unbroken in danger, chief aide to the Three Dukes—fully worthy of trust.
時高祖盛於佛教，朝賢多啓求受戒，革精信因果，而高祖未知，謂革不奉佛教，乃賜革《覺意詩》五百字，云「惟當勤精進，自強行勝脩；
Gaozu was then deep in Buddhism; court worthies often asked to take vows. Ge truly believed in karma, but Gaozu did not know and thought he rejected the faith. He gave Ge a five-hundred-character "Awakened Intent Poem," saying, "Only diligence and self-strengthening beat empty practice;
以此告江革，並及諸貴遊。」
Tell this to Jiang Ge, and to the other noble travelers as well."
革因啓乞受菩薩戒。
Ge then memorialized asking to receive the bodhisattva precepts.
時武陵王在東州，頗自驕縱，上召革面敕曰：「武陵王年少，臧盾性弱，不能匡正，欲以卿代爲行事。
Prince Wuling held East Yangzhou and had grown proud and loose. The emperor summoned Ge and charged him in person: "Prince Wuling is young. Zang Dun is mild and cannot correct him. I want you to replace him as acting administrator.
革門生故吏，家多在東州，聞革應至，並齎持緣道迎候。
Many of Ge's former students and subordinates lived in East Yangzhou. Hearing he was coming, they lined the road with gifts to welcome him.
革曰：「我通不受餉，不容獨當故人筐篚。」
Ge said, "I never take gifts. I cannot be the only one to fill my old friends' baskets and boxes."
郡境殷廣，辭訟日數百，革分判辨析，曾無疑滯。
The commandery was broad and crowded; lawsuits came by the hundred each day. Ge divided and decided them without a moment's hesitation.
琅邪王騫爲山陰令，贓貨狼藉，望風自解。
Wang Qian of Langye, magistrate of Shanyin, was awash in bribes. At Ge's coming he resigned before the wind.
典簽沈熾文以王所制詩呈高祖，高祖謂僕射徐勉曰：「江革果能稱職。」
Chief of staff Shen Chiwen showed the prince's poems to Gaozu. Gaozu told Vice Director Xu Mian, "Jiang Ge has truly done his duty."
送故依舊訂舫，革並不納，惟乘臺所給一舸。
Escorts arranged a boat as always. Ge refused it and took only the single vessel the office gave him.
或謂革曰：「船旣不平，濟江甚險，當移徙重物，以迮輕艚。」
Someone told Ge, "The boat is unsteady. Crossing the river will be dangerous. Move heavy things to weigh down the lighter hull."
革旣無物，乃於西陵岸取石十餘片以實之。
Ge owned nothing. He went to the West Mausoleum shore, took more than ten stones, and loaded them aboard.
革至郡，惟有公給仗身二十人，百姓皆懼不能靜寇；
When Ge arrived he had only twenty armed attendants from the office. The people feared he could not still the bandits;
革乃廣施恩撫，明行制令，盜賊靜息，民吏安之。
Ge then showed broad kindness, enforced clear rules, and the bandits fell silent. People and officials alike were at peace.
武陵王出鎮江州，乃曰：「我得江革，文華清麗，豈能一日忘之，當與其同飽。」
When Prince Wuling went out to garrison Jiangzhou he said, "I gained Jiang Ge—refined and bright in letters. How could I forget him in a day? I shall eat with him."
乃表革同行。
He memorialized for Ge to go with him.
又除明威將軍、南中郎長史、尋陽太守。
Ge was also made General of Bright Might, chief clerk of South Central Command, and administrator of Xunyang.
革性強直，每至朝宴，恒有褒貶，以此爲權勢所疾，乃謝病還家。
Ge was forceful and upright. At every court banquet he praised and blamed without restraint. The powerful resented him, and he pleaded illness and went home.
大同元年二月，卒，諡曰強子。
In the second month of the first year of Datong he died. His posthumous title was Qiangzi.
革歷官八府長史，四王行事，三爲二千石，傍無姬侍，家徒壁立，世以此高之。
Ge had been chief clerk in eight princely households, acting deputy for four princes, and thrice held two-thousand-household posts. He kept no concubines, and his house stood bare as walls. The world honored him for it.
江革聰敏亮直，亦一代之盛名歟。
Jiang Ge was quick, bright, and upright—a famed name of his generation, surely.