魏书十八 · 庞淯传 · 附张猛、赵娥

典略曰：张猛字叔威，本燉煌人也。猛父奂，桓帝时仕历郡守、中郎将、太常，遂居华阴，终因葬焉。建安初，猛仕郡为功曹，是时河西四郡以去凉州治远，隔以河寇，上书求别置州。诏以陈留人邯郸商为雍州刺史，别典四郡。时武威太守缺，诏又以猛父昔在河西有威名，乃以猛补之。商、猛俱西。

The Dianlüe / Notable Accounts says: Zhang Meng, courtesy name Shuwei, was originally from Dunhuang. His father, Zhang Huan, served under Emperor Huan, the Accomplished Emperor. Zhang Huan successively held office as Grand Administrator, Gentlemen General, and Minister of Ceremonies. He later settled in Huayin and was ultimately buried there. During the early Jian'an era, Zhang Meng served in his commandery as Merit Section Foreman Clerk. At the time, the four commanderies west of the Yellow River were far from the seat of government in Liang Province and cut off by bandits along the river. They therefore submitted a memorial requesting the establishment of a separate province. By imperial edict, Handan Shang from Chenliu State was appointed Inspector of Yong Province and command over the four commanderies. Since the post of Grand Administrator of Wuwei was vacant, and because Zhang Meng's father had once enjoyed great prestige west of the Yellow River, another edict appointed Zhang Meng to fill it. Handan Shang and Zhang Meng thus travelled west together.

初，猛与商同岁，每相戏侮，及共之官，行道更相责望。曁到，商欲诛猛。猛觉之，遂勒兵攻商。商治舍与猛侧近，商闻兵至，恐怖登屋，呼猛字曰：「叔威，汝欲杀我耶？然我死者有知，汝亦族矣。请和解，尚可乎？」猛因呼曰；「来。」商逾屋就猛，猛因责数之，语毕，以商属督邮。督邮录商，闭置传舍。后商欲逃，事觉，遂杀之。是岁建安十四年也。至十五年，将军韩遂自上讨猛，猛发兵遣军东拒。其吏民畏遂，乃反共攻猛。

Zhang Meng and Handan Shang were of the same age and had long made sport of insulting one another. As they journeyed to their posts, however, their mutual recriminations grew more bitter. On their arrival, Handan Shang plotted to kill Zhang Meng. Zhang Meng discovered his intention and mustered troops to attack him. Handan Shang's provincial office was close to Zhang Meng's commandery office. Hearing that troops were approaching, Handan Shang climbed onto the roof in terror and called Zhang Meng by his courtesy name: "Shuwei, do you mean to kill me? If the dead remain aware, I will see to it that your clan is exterminated as well. Can we not still make peace?" "Come over," Zhang Meng called back. Handan Shang came to Zhang Meng. Zhang Meng denounced him and recounted his offences. Zhang Meng then handed Handan Shang over to the Post Marshal, and the Post Marshal confined him in a nearby residence. Handan Shang later attempted to escape, and he was killed when the attempt was discovered. This was in the fourteenth year of Jian'an. In the next year, General Han Sui campaigned against Zhang Meng personally. Zhang Meng sent troops east to bar his advance. His officials and people, however, feared Han Sui and turned against Zhang Meng, joining together to attack him.

初奂为武威太守时，猛方在孕。母梦带奂印绶，登楼而歌，旦以告奂。奂讯占梦者，曰：「夫人方生男，后当复临此郡，其必死官乎！」及猛被攻，自知必死，曰：「使死者无知则已矣，若有知，岂使吾头东过华阴历先君之墓乎？」乃登楼自烧而死。

When Zhang Huan was Grand Administrator of Wuwei, Zhang Meng was still in his mother's womb. She dreamt that she wore Zhang Huan's seal and ribbon, climbed a tower, and sang. The next morning she told Zhang Huan, who consulted an interpreter. The interpreter said, "Your wife is about to bear a son. He will one day return to govern this commandery, and will surely die in office." When Zhang Meng came under attack and knew that he would not survive, he said, "If the dead know nothing, then so be it. But if they remain aware, how could I allow my head to be carried east through Huayin, past my late father's grave?" He then climbed a tower, set it alight, and perished in the flames.

列女传曰：酒泉烈女庞娥亲者¹，表氏庞子夏之妻，禄福赵君安之女也。君安为同县李寿所杀，娥亲有男弟三人，皆欲报雠，寿深以为备。会遭灾疫，三人皆死。寿闻大喜，请会宗族，共相庆贺，云：「赵氏强壮已尽，唯有女弱，何足复忧！」防备懈弛。娥亲子淯出行，闻寿此言，还以启娥亲。娥亲既素有报雠之心，及闻寿言，感激愈深，怆然陨涕曰：「李寿，汝莫喜也，终不活汝！戴履天地，为吾门户，吾三子之羞也。焉知娥亲不手刃杀汝，而自儌幸邪？」

The Biographies of Exemplary Women states: The heroic woman Pang E¹ of Jiuquan was the wife of Pang Zixia of Biaoshi and the daughter of Zhao An of Lufu. Zhao An was killed by his fellow county-man Li Shou. Pang E had three younger brothers, all intent on avenging their father, and Li Shou took great precautions against them. Then an epidemic struck, and all three brothers died. On hearing the news, Li Shou was overjoyed. He summoned his clansmen to a feast of celebration, saying, "The Zhao family has lost all its strong men. Only a feeble woman remains. What is there now to fear?" He therefore let down his guard. Pang E's son, Pang Yu, heard what Li Shou had said while he was out and told his mother when he returned. Pang E had long cherished the resolve to avenge her father, and Li Shou's words only strengthened it further. She shed bitter tears and said, "Li Shou, do not rejoice. I shall not let you live out your days! That you still live beneath Heaven is a shame to my family and my three brothers. How do you know that I will not kill you with my own hand?"

阴巿名刀，挟长持短，昼夜哀酸，志在杀寿。寿为人凶豪，闻娥亲之言，更乘马带刀，乡人皆畏惮之。比邻有徐氏妇，忧娥亲不能制，恐逆见中害，每谏止之，曰：「李寿，男子也，凶恶有素，加今备衞在身。赵虽有猛烈之志，而彊弱不敌。邂逅不制，则为重受祸于寿，绝灭门户，痛辱不轻也。愿详举动，为门户之计。」

She secretly bought a fine sword and carried both long and short blades. Grief consumed her day and night, and her sole purpose was to kill Li Shou. Li Shou was a fierce and overbearing man. When he heard what Pang E said, he went about on horseback with a sword at his side, and everyone in the county feared him. A woman of the neighbouring Xu family feared that Pang E would be unable to overcome him and would instead come to harm. She repeatedly tried to dissuade Pang E, saying, "Li Shou is a violent and wicked man, and now goes about armed and guarded. Though your resolve is fierce, your strength cannot match his. If you confront him and fail, you will only bring further calamity upon yourself at his hands, ruin your household, and suffer no small measure of anguish and disgrace. I beg you to think carefully before you act, and to consider your family."

娥亲曰：「父母之雠，不同天地共日月者也。李寿不死，娥亲视息世间，活复何求！今虽三弟早死，门户泯绝，而娥亲犹在，岂可假手于人哉！若以卿心况我，则李寿不可得杀；论我之心，寿必为我所杀明矣。」夜数磨砺所持刀讫，扼腕切齿，悲涕长叹，家人及邻里咸共笑之。娥亲谓左右曰：「卿等笑我，直以我女弱不能杀寿故也。要当以寿颈血污此刀刃，令汝辈见之。」遂弃家事，乘鹿车伺寿。

Pang E replied, "One cannot share heaven and earth, sun and moon, with the murderer of one's parents. While Li Shou lives and I still draw breath in this world, what purpose can there be in living? Though my three brothers died young and our male line is extinguished, I remain. How could I leave vengeance to another's hand? If you measure my heart by your own, then Li Shou can never be killed. But judged by my own resolve, it is clear that he will surely die by my hand."Night after night, after sharpening her blade, she would clutch her wrist, grind her teeth, weep in sorrow, and heave long sighs. Her family and neighbours all laughed at her. Pang E told them, "You laugh only because you think me a feeble woman incapable of killing Li Shou. Yet I shall stain this blade with the blood from his neck and make you see it."She then abandoned her household affairs, took a light cart, and monitored Li Shou.

至光和二年二月上旬，以白日清时，于都亭之前，与寿相遇，便下车扣寿马，叱之。寿惊愕，回马欲走。娥亲奋刀斫之，并伤其马。马惊，寿挤道边沟中。娥亲寻复就地斫之，探中树兰，折所持刀。寿被创未死，娥亲因前欲取寿所佩刀杀寿，寿护刀瞋目大呼，跳梁而起。娥亲迺挺身奋手，左抵其额，右桩其喉，反复盘旋，应手而倒。遂拔其刀以截寿颐，持诣都亭，归罪有司，徐步诣狱，辞颜不变。

Early in the second month of the second year of Guanghe, in broad daylight, she encountered him before the neighbourhood station. She immediately came down from the cart, seized his horse, and shouted at him. Li Shou, startled and bewildered, wheeled his horse to flee. Pang E raised her sword and struck at him, wounding the horse as well. The frightened animal threw Li Shou into a roadside ditch. Pang E pursued him and struck again, but her blade hit a branch and broke. Li Shou was wounded but still alive. She rushed forward to seize his own sword and kill him, but he guarded it, glared at her, and sprang up with a great shout. Pang E flung herself upon him. With her left hand she pressed against his forehead and with her right struck his throat. They twisted back and forth in the struggle until he fell beneath her hands. She drew his sword, severed his head, and carried it to the neighbourhood station. There she surrendered herself to the authorities, then walked calmly to prison, her words and expression unchanged.

时禄福长汉阳尹嘉不忍论娥亲，即解印绶去官，弛法纵之。娥亲曰：「雠塞身死，妾之明分也。治狱制刑，君之常典也。何敢贪生以枉官法？」乡人闻之，倾城奔往，观者如堵焉，莫不为之悲喜慷慨嗟叹也。守尉不敢公纵，阴语使去，以便宜自匿。娥亲抗声大言曰：「枉法逃死，非妾本心。今雠人已雪，死则妾分，乞得归法以全国体。虽复万死，于娥亲毕足，不敢贪生为明廷负也。」

At the time, Yin Jia of Hanyang, Chief of Lufu, could not bear to sentence Pang E. He removed his official seal and ribbon, resigned his post, and released her despite the law. Pang E said, "To accomplish my vengeance and die for it is my desire. To judge crimes and impose punishments is your duty. How could I cling to life and tarnish the law?"When the people heard of this, the entire town rushed to the scene. The onlookers stood packed like a wall, and all were moved by mingled grief and joy. The officers did not dare release her openly, but privately urged her to leave and seek refuge elsewhere. Pang E raised her voice and declared, "To escape death through a perversion of the law was never my wish. Now that my father's wrong has been avenged, death is all that remains for me. I ask only to submit to punishment and preserve the dignity of the state. Though I were to die ten thousand deaths, I would have no regrets. I dare not cling to life and betray the court."

尉故不听所执，娥亲复言曰：「匹妇虽微，犹知宪制。杀人之罪，法所不纵。今既犯之，义无可逃。乞就刑戮，陨身朝巿，肃明王法，娥亲之愿也。」辞气愈厉，面无惧色。尉知其难夺，彊载还家。凉州刺史周洪、酒泉太守刘班等并共表上，称其烈义，刊石立碑，显其门闾。太常弘农张奂贵尚所履，以束帛二十端礼之。海内闻之者，莫不改容赞善，高大其义。故黄门侍郎安定梁宽追述娥亲，为其作传。

When the officer still refused her demand, Pang E said again, "Though I am only a humble woman, I know the statutes. The law does not pardon the crime of killing. Since I have committed it, righteousness does not permit me to escape punishment. I beg to be executed publicly in the marketplace, so that the imperial law may be upheld in its full severity. This is E'qin's wish."Her words grew still more forceful, and her face showed no fear. Realising that her resolve could not be shaken, the officer had her forcibly placed in a carriage and taken home. Zhou Hong, Inspector of Liang Province, Liu Ban, Grand Administrator of Jiuquan, and others jointly submitted a memorial praising her heroic righteousness. They requested that inscriptions be carved on stone and erected at the village gates to honour her family. Zhang Huan of Hongnong, Minister of Ceremonies, esteemed her conduct so highly that he honoured her with a gift of twenty bolts of silk. Throughout the realm, all who heard of her were moved, praising her virtue and exalting her righteousness. Liang Kuan of Anding, formerly Yellow Gates Attendant Gentleman, later recounted E'qin's deeds and composed a biography of her.

玄晏先生以为父母之雠，不与共天地，盖男子之所为也。而娥亲以女弱之微，念父辱之酷痛，感雠党之凶言，奋劒仇颈，人马俱摧，塞亡父之怨魂，雪三弟之永恨，近古以来，未之有也。诗云「修我戈矛，与子同仇」，娥亲之谓也。

Huangfu Mi comments: To refuse to share heaven and earth with the murderer of one's parents is generally deemed the work of a man. Yet Pang E, though only a woman of slight strength, grieved at the cruel wrong done to her father and bristled at her enemy's murderous boasts. She raised her sword against her foe's neck and felled both man and horse. She appeased the aggrieved spirit of her late father and avenged the enduring hatred of her three brothers. Nothing like it has been seen in recent ages. The Classic of Poetry says: "Prepare my spears and lances, and with you share the foe." Surely this speaks of Pang E.