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fuyonggu · 7 years

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Du Ji SGZ Draft (With ZZTJ Mentions)

The SGZ text is mine. ZZTJ translations are from Rafe de Crespigny’s To Establish Peace and from Achilles Fang’s Chronicles of the Three Kingdoms , with very minor edits by me. Translations from the Analects are from James Legge.

杜畿字伯侯，京兆杜陵人也。〈傅子曰：畿，汉御史大夫杜延年之后。延年父周，自南阳徙茂陵，延年徙杜陵，子孙世居焉。〉少孤，继母苦之，以孝闻。年二十，为郡功曹，守郑县令。县囚系数百人，畿亲临狱，裁其轻重，尽决遣之，虽未悉当，郡中奇其年少而有大意也。举孝廉，除汉中府丞。会天下乱，遂弃官客荆州，建安中乃还。荀彧进之太祖，〈傅子曰：畿自荆州还，后至许，见侍中耿纪，语终夜。尚书令荀彧与纪比屋，夜闻畿言，异之，旦遣人谓纪曰：“有国士而不进，何以居位？”既见畿，知之如旧相识者，遂进畿於朝。〉太祖以畿为司空司直，迁护羌校尉，使持节，领西平太守。〈魏略曰：畿少有大志。在荆州数岁，继母亡后，以三辅开通，负其母丧北归。道为贼所劫略，众人奔走，畿独不去。贼射之，畿请贼曰：“卿欲得财耳，今我无物，用射我何为邪？”贼乃止。畿到乡里，京兆尹张时，河东人也，与畿有旧，署为功曹。尝嫌其阔达，不助留意於诸事，言此家疏诞，不中功曹也。畿窃云：“不中功曹，中河东守也。”〉

Du Ji, styled Bohou, was a native of Duling in Jingzhao. He was orphaned when he was young, but he worked hard to support his stepmother, and so he gained a reputation for filial piety. When he was twenty, he was appointed as a Merit Evaluator in his commandary, acting under the Prefect of Zheng County. At that time, there were hundreds of prisoners in the county's prisons. Du Ji personally went to evaluate these prisoners, analyzing the seriousness of their crimes and deciding what should be done in each case. Although he did not evaluate all of the prisoners, the people of the commandary marveled at such a young man having such perceptiveness. Du Ji was recommended as Filial and Incorrupt, and assigned to the government staff of Hanzhong.

When the realm fell into turmoil, Du Ji abandoned his post and fled to seek refuge in Jingzhou, only returning home during the Jian'an era. Xun Yu recommended him to Cao Cao, who appointed him as a Minister of Justice under the Minister of Works. Du Ji was then appointed as Colonel Who Protects The Qiang, Commissioner Bearing Credentials, and acting Administrator of Xiping.

(The Fuzi states, "Du Ji was the descendant of Han's Grandee Secretary, Du Yannian. Du Yannian's father was Du Zhou, who moved from Nanyang to Maoling. Du Yannian then moved to Duling, where his descendents continued to reside."

It further states, "When Du Ji returned from Jingzhou, he later went to Xudu, where he visited the Palace Attendent Geng Ji, and they talked together through the night. The Prefect of the Masters of Writing, Xun Yu, was staying in a nearby room, so he heard Du Ji talking during the night, and felt he was quite remarkable. When dawn came, he sent someone to ask Geng Ji, 'How can you have such a gentleman of the state staying with you, and yet you do not recommend him?' So Xun Yu himself met with Du Ji, and they talked like old friends. Xun Yu thus recommended Du Ji to the court."

The Weilue states, "When he was young, Du Ji had grand ambitions. He stayed in Jingzhou for several years, during which his stepmother passed away. When the road back to the Three Adjuncts region (around Chang’an) became clear, Du Ji took the road back north, in order to mourn his stepmother. Along the road, his group was waylaid by bandits. All the other people in his group fled, and only Du Ji remained where he was and did not flee. The bandits shot their arrows at him, but he begged them, 'You folks only wish to obtain valuables. I have nothing for you today, so what is the use of shooting arrows at me?' So the bandits let him go. Du Ji then reached his home county. The Intendant of Jingzhao, Zhang Shi, was a native of Hedong, and was of long acquaintance with Du Ji, so he was preparing to make him a Merit Evaluator. But Zhang Shi once resented Du Ji for his candor, so he did not help him in various matters, claiming that Du Ji was of obscure birth, and he did not enlist Du Ji as a Merit Evaluator. Du Ji secretly said, 'So I did not obtain that office. But I will become the Administrator of Hedong.'")

太祖既定河北，而高幹举并州反。时河东太守王邑被徵，河东人卫固、范先外以请邑为名，而内实与幹通谋。太祖谓荀彧曰：“关西诸将，恃险与马，征必为乱。张晟寇殽、渑间，南通刘表，固等因之，吾恐其为害深。河东被山带河，四邻多变，当今天下之要地也。君为我举萧何、寇恂以镇之。”彧曰：“杜畿其人也。”〈傅子曰：彧称畿勇足以当大难，智能应变，其可试之。〉於是追拜畿为河东太守。固等使兵数千人绝陕津，畿至不得渡。太祖遣夏侯惇讨之，未至。或谓畿曰：“宜须大兵。”畿曰：“河东有三万户，非皆欲为乱也。今兵迫之急，欲为善者无主，必惧而听於固。固等势专，必以死战。讨之不胜，四邻应之，天下之变未息也；讨之而胜，是残一郡之民也。且固等未显绝王命，外以请故君为名，必不害新君。吾单车直往，出其不意。固为人多计而无断，必伪受吾。吾得居郡一月，以计縻之，足矣。”遂诡道从郖津度。

While Cao Cao was on campaign in the Hebei region, Gao Gan raised Bingzhou in rebellion. At that time, the Administrator of Hedong, Wang Yi, had been called away. Two natives of Hedong, Wei Gu and Fan Xian, had ostensibly asked for Wang Yi's return because of his reputation, but secretly they were in collusion with Gao Gan.

Cao Cao said to Xun Yu, "The Guanxi region has many generals who rely upon the difficult terrain in that area and who have ample horses at hand; conquering the region would surely be chaotic. Then there is Zhang Cheng, rampaging among the Xiao Mountains and the Mian River, and he is aligned with Liu Biao in the south. With these threats on every side, I fear that Wei Gu and the others could cause great harm. Now Hedong is flanked by mountains and skirts the Yellow River; its neighbors on every side experience constant developments, so it occupies a critical place in the realm. Sir, I would have you recommend me some Xiao He or Kou Xun that I could use to protect that place."

Xun Yu replied, "Du Ji is just the man for it."

So Du Ji was brought back and appointed as Administrator of Hedong.

Wei Gu and the other rebels sent several thousand soldiers to block Shan Crossing, and when Du Ji arrived there he did not cross the river. Cao Cao had dispatched Xiahou Dun to fight the rebels, but Xiahou Dun had not yet arrived. Someone said to Du Ji, "You should wait for the main army to arrive."

Du Ji replied, "Hedong has thirty thousand households, and they cannot all be on the side of the rebels. The rebels are using their soldiers to prevent the good people from having any leader, and compelling the people through their fear to submit to Wei Gu's orders. Wei Gu is amassing strength because he wants to fight a battle to the death. If we campaign against him and are unsuccessful, all our enemies will align with Wei Gu, and the realm will never know peace. But even if we campaign against him and do succeed, that will only bring harm to all the people of the commandary.

“Wei Gu and the others have not yet openly defied the royal commands. They still outwardly claim to want their former lord appointed because of his good name, so they will certainly not do any harm to their new lord. I shall go among them in a single horse and carriage, and take them off their guard. Wei Gu is the sort of man who comes up with many plots, but hesitates to carry them out. He will certainly pretend to favor me. Once I have resided in the commandary for a month, I will have a plan to entrap him. That shall be sufficient." So Du Ji secretly took a road to Dou Crossing and went across the river there.

(The Fuzi states, "Xun Yu considered Du Ji heroic enough to be able to deal with great difficulties, and wise and able enough to handle any developments. This was why he suggested him.")

〈魏略曰：初，畿与卫固少相狎侮，固尝轻畿。畿尝与固博而争道，畿尝谓固曰：“仲坚，我今作河东也。”固褰衣骂之。及畿之官，而固为郡功曹。张时故任京兆。畿迎司隶，与时会华阴，时、畿相见，於仪当各持版。时叹曰：“昨日功曹，今为郡将也！”〉范先欲杀畿以威众。〈傅子曰：先云：“既欲为虎而恶食人肉，失所以为虎矣。今不杀，必为后患。”且观畿去就，於门下斩杀主簿已下三十餘人，畿举动自若。於是固曰：“杀之无损，徒有恶名；且制之在我。”遂奉之。畿谓卫固、范先曰：“卫、范，河东之望也，吾仰成而已。然君臣有定义，成败同之，大事当共平议。”以固为都督，行丞事，领功曹；将校吏兵三千餘人，皆范先督之。固等喜，虽阳事畿，不以为意。固欲大发兵，畿患之，说固曰：“夫欲为非常之事，不可动众心。今大发兵，众必扰，不如徐以赀募兵。”固以为然，从之，遂为赀调发，数十日乃定，诸将贪多应募而少遣兵。又入喻固等曰：“人情顾家，诸将掾吏，可分遣休息，急缓召之不难。”固等恶逆众心，又从之。於是善人在外，阴为己援；恶人分散，各还其家，则众离矣。会白骑攻东垣，高幹入濩泽，上党诸县杀长吏，弘农执郡守，固等密调兵未至。畿知诸县附己，因出，单将数十骑，赴张辟拒守，吏民多举城助畿者，比数十日，得四千餘人。固等与幹、晟共攻畿，不下，略诸县，无所得。会大兵至，幹、晟败，固等伏诛，其餘党与皆赦之，使复其居业。

Fan Xian wished to kill Du Ji to frighten the people. But he waited to see whether Du Ji would remain in office or not. In the meantime, his followers killed more than thirty people from the Registrar on down. Yet Du Ji acted no differently from normal. So Wei Gu said, "It would not do us any good to kill him, it would only give us a bad name. He will soon be under our control." So they accepted him.

Then Du Ji told Wei Gu and Fan Xian, "You two are from respected families in Hedong, and I admire your successes. But between a lord and subjects there must be certain forms. Since we share in victory and defeat alike, we ought to decide on great affairs in council together." So he appointed Wei Gu as Commander, letting him handle the chief administrative affairs, and act as Merit Evaluator. Meanwhile, Fan Xian was placed in command of more than three thousand generals, colonels, ministers, and soldiers. Wei Gu and the others were pleased, and although outwardly they deferred to Du Ji, they did not think much of him.

Then Wei Gu wished to draft a great many soldiers. Du Ji was opposed, saying to Wei Gu, "You are planning to do something very unusual, and you cannot help but disturb the people by doing it. If you undertake a large draft of soldiers, the people will certainly be shaken. It would be better to use funds to slowly recruit them." Wei Gu believed in the logic of this, so he took the advice. After a few weeks, all was settled, but most of the funds had been embezzled by the generals and officers, and little of the money actually went to the soldiers.

Then Du Ji once more said to Wei Gu and the others, "The people are longing for home. You can send the generals, officers, and ministers away to their own places to rest for a while. When the time comes to summon their aid, it will not be difficult to do so." Wei Gu and the others were worried about the people turning against them, so they took this advice as well. Thus were the good people kept away, secretly ready to provide assistance, while the evil ones were all dispersed among their families, and alienated from the hearts of the people.

Soon, White Rider (Zhang Cheng) attacked Dongyuan, and Gao Gan entered Huoze. Several counties in Shangdang killed their Chief Clerks, and in Hongnong they arrested the commandary officials. Wei Gu and the others secretly called up their soldiers, but they did not come. Du Ji then knew that the counties of Hedong were on his side, so he went out, leading only a few dozen riders, and met up with Zhang Pi to arrange the resistance. Most of the officials and people of the commandary rose up in their cities in support of Du Ji, and within a few weeks, he had more than four thousand men supporting him.

Wei Gu, together with Gao Gan and Zhang Cheng, attacked Du Ji together, but they could not take him. They further tried to take the other counties, but could not obtain any. Then Cao Cao's main army arrived. Gao Gan and Zhang Cheng were defeated, while Wei Gu and the other rebels were ambushed and killed. Their remaining supporters were pardoned, and prosperity was thus restored to the region.

(The Weilue states, "Before, Du Ji and Wei Gu had had an antagonistic relationship when they were younger, and Wei Gu had once belittled Du Ji. Du Ji had once argued with Wei Gu about where they would end up, with Du Ji having once said, 'Zhongjian, I control Hedong now.' Wei Gu had lifted his robe and reviled Du Ji. Later, when Du Ji held office, Wei Gu was appointed as the commandary's Merit Evaluator. Zhang Shi was the former Intendent of Jingzhao. When Du Ji went to visit the Sili region, he went with Zhang Shi to see Huayin. When the two of them saw each other, they greeted one another as equals. Zhang Shi sighed and said, 'Only yesterday, you were just a Merit Evaluator. Now you've become a commandary general!'"

The Fuzi states, "Fan Xian said, 'You want to be a tiger, but you shrink from eating men's flesh; that is hardly any sort of tiger. If you do not kill him now, he will definitely become a threat to you later.'")

冬，十月，高幹聞操討烏桓，復以幷州叛，執上黨太守，舉兵守壺關口。〈賢曰：潞州上黨縣有壺山口，因其險而置關焉。《二漢志》，壺關縣，屬上黨郡。〉操遣其將樂進、李典擊之。河內張晟，衆萬餘人，寇崤、澠間，弘農張琰起兵以應之。河東太守王邑被徵，郡掾衞固及中郎將范先等詣司隸校尉鍾繇，請留之。繇不許。固等外以請邑爲名，而內實與高幹通謀。曹操謂荀彧曰：「關西諸將，外服內貳，張晟寇亂殽、澠，南通劉表，固等因之，將爲深害。當今河東，天下之要地也，〈高幹據幷州，馬騰、韓遂等據關中，往來交通，皆由河東，故曰要地。〉君爲我舉賢才以鎭之。」彧曰：「西平太守京兆杜畿，〈漢末分金城置西平郡。〉勇足以當難，智足以應變。」操乃以畿爲河東太守。鍾繇促王邑交符，〈交郡符也。〉邑佩印綬，徑從河北詣許自歸。〈河北縣，屬河東郡。宋白曰：陝州平陸縣，本漢大陽縣也，後漢改爲河北縣。〉(ZZTJ 64, 205.4)

In the winter, in the tenth month, Gao Gan heard Cao Cao had attacked the Wuhuan. He again rebelled in Bing province, arresting the Grand Administrator of Shangdang and bringing troops to hold the entrance to the Hu Pass. Cao Cao sent his officers Yue Jin and Li Dian to attack him. Zhang Cheng of Henei had ten thousand men under arms and was plundering between the Xiao [Hills] and Mian[chi]. Zhang Yan of Hongnong raised troops to join him.

Wang Yi, Grand Administrator of Hedong, was recalled, but Wei Gu, a Senior Clerk in the commandery, with the General of the Gentlemen of the Household, Fan Xian, and others, went to the Colonel Director of Retainers, Zhong Yao, to ask that he remain. Zhong Yao would not approve. Wei Gu and his fellows pretended that they were asking for Wang Yi because of his good reputation, but in fact they had secret contact with Gao Gan.

Cao Cao said to Xun Yu, "Officially, the leaders west of the passes have submitted to us, but amongst themselves they are planning treachery. Zhang Cheng plunders and causes trouble between Xiao and Mian, and he has links with Liu Biao in the south. If Wei Gu and the others follow his example, they could be a real danger. At this moment, Hedong is a key point in the empire. Can you suggest a reliable man to keep the place under control?"

Xun Yu replied, "The Grand Administrator of Xiping, Du Ji of Jingzhao, is brave enough to cope with danger and wise enough to deal with any situation." So Cao Cao appointed Du Ji as Grand Administrator of Hedong.

Zhong Yao urged Wang Yi to hand over his insignia of office, but Wang Yi took the seal and tassel with him and went straight from Hebei to present himself at Xu city.

(Li Xian remarked, "Shangdang County in Luozhou has the pass at Hushan; this is why the place was called Hu Pass." The Records of the Two Hans states, "Huguan County was part of Shangdang commandary."

Gao Gan held Bingzhou in rebellion to the north, while Ma Teng and Han Sui occupied Guanzhong to the west. Their lines of contact with each other all passed through Hedong. This was why Cao Cao called it a critical location.

Near the end of the Han dynasty, Jincheng commandary had been split and Xiping commandary formed from part of it.

Hebei County was part of Hedong commandary. Song Bai remarked, "Pinglu County in Shanzhou was Dayang County during Han; during Later Han, its name was changed to Hebei County.")

衞固等使兵數千人絕陝津，〈《水經註》：河水東過陝縣北，河北對茅城，謂之茅津，亦謂之陝津。〉杜畿至，數月不得渡，操遣夏侯惇討固等，未至，畿曰：「河東有三萬戶，非皆欲爲亂也。今兵迫之急，欲爲善者無主，必懼而聽於固。固等勢專，〈【章：甲十一行本「專」下有「必以死戰」四字；乙十一行本同；孔本同；張校同。】〉討之不勝，爲難未已；討之而勝，是殘一郡之民也。且固等未顯絕王命，外以請故君爲名，必不害新君，吾單車直往，出其不意，固爲人多計而無斷，必僞受吾，吾得居郡一月，以計縻之，足矣。」遂詭道從郖津渡。〈《水經註》：河水東逕湖縣故城北，又東合柏谷水，又東右合門水。河水於此有郖津之名。〉(ZZTJ 64, 205.4)

Wei Gu and his associates sent several thousand soldiers to block the Shan Crossing, and when Du Ji came up he was held there for several months. Cao Cao ordered Xiahou Dun to attack Wei Gu and the others, but before they had arrived, Du Ji said, "Hedong has thirty thousand households, and they cannot all wish to be in rebellion. With soldiers holding them down, however, those who wish to stay loyal have no leader. It is only natural that they are frightened, so they listen to Wei Gu. Wei Gu and his men have seized full power. If we attack them without success there will be no end of trouble. If we attack them and win, we destroy the people of a whole commandery.

"On the other hand, Wei Gu and his fellows have not yet made a public break from the imperial authority. They claim they are asking for their former master [Wang Yi], and I am sure they will not harm me if I come as their new ruler. I shall go to them direct, without an escort, and take them by surprise. Wei Gu has many ideas, but he cannot make decisions. He will certainly pretend to accept me, and if I can just stay in the commandery for a month that will give me time to arrange some plan to keep them quiet." So he went by side-roads over the Dou Crossing.

(The Commentary on the Water Classic states, "The Yellow River flows east through the north of Shan County. North of the river there is Maocheng, so it is called Mao Crossing, and also called Shan Crossing."

It further states, "The Yellow River flows east north of the main city of Hu County, and further east through Bai Valley, and still further east where on the right it joins with the Men River. At this part of the river is the place called Dou Crossing."

Some versions include the line that Wei Gu and the others "will certainly fight to the death".)

范先欲殺畿以威衆，且觀畿去就，於門下斬殺主簿以下三十餘人，畿舉動自若。於是固曰：「殺之無損，徒有惡名；且制之在我。」遂奉之。畿謂固、先曰：「衞、范，河東之望也，吾仰成而已。然君臣有定義，成敗同之，大事當共平議。」以固爲都督，行丞事，領功曹；〈旣以爲都督，又令行郡丞事，又領功曹也。都督掌兵，丞貳太守，於郡事無所不關，功曹掌選署功勞，陽以郡權悉與之也。〉將校吏兵三千餘人，皆范先督之。固等喜，雖陽事畿，不以爲意。固欲大發兵，畿患之，說固曰：「今大發兵，衆情必擾，不如徐以貲募兵。」固以爲然，從之，得兵甚少。〈以貲募兵，則郡計不足以繼，故得兵甚少。〉畿又喻固等曰：「人情顧家，諸將掾史，可分遣休息，急緩召之不難。」固等惡逆衆心，又從之。於是善人在外，陰爲己援；惡人分散，各還其家。(ZZTJ 64, 205.4)

Fan Xian wanted to kill Du Ji as a means to intimidate the people, but for the time being he waited to see what Du Ji would do. He beheaded the Master of Records and some thirty other officials [of the commandery] outside his gate, but Du Ji showed no sign of anxiety. Then Wei Gu said, "If we kill him it will be no loss to Cao Cao, but will simply give us a bad name. In any case, I know I can keep him in hand." So they accepted him [as Grand Administrator of Hedong].

Du Ji said to Wei Gu and Fan Xian, "You, Wei and Fan, are among the leading families of Hedong, and I rely upon you entirely for my administration. There is, however, a code of conduct established for rulers and their ministers: as we must share in success or defeat, so in all important matters we should take counsel together." He appointed Wei Gu as Chief Controller, acting also as his Assistant with command over the Bureau of Merit, while all troops, more than three thousand men, were put under Fan Xian's command. Wei Gu and the others were pleased, and though they pretended to serve Du Ji they paid no thought to him.

Then Wei Gu planned a great levy of troops. Du Ji was concerned about this, and said to him, "Such large-scale recruitment will surely make the people uneasy. Far better raise troops gradually, and pay them wages." Wei Gu agreed, but he got very few soldiers.

Du Ji also said to Wei Gu and his fellows, "It is only human nature that a man should be concerned for his family. Let your officers take turns to go home on leave. There will be no difficulty recalling them when you need them." Wei Gu and his party wanted to be popular, so they followed his advice. As a result of Du Ji's advice, while loyalists outside were making secret plans to support him, the rebels were divided and scattered and had all gone back to their homes.

(Since Wei Gu was the Chief Controller, he was in effective command of the ministerial staff of the commandary, as well as the Bureau of Merit. With the Controller leading the soldiers, and the commandary staff under the Administrator, there was nothing in the commandary's affairs that was not covered. The Bureau of Merit selected men for their achievements and their efforts, so outwardly the commandary's affairs went on as before.

By paying the troops in wages, the commandary must not have had enough money to keep them maintained, so this was why it says Wei Gu got few soldiers.)

會白騎攻東垣，〈白騎，張白騎之衆相聚爲賊者也。垣縣，屬河東郡，「東」字衍。《續漢志》，垣縣，《註》云：山在東，狀如垣。蓋此時已有東垣之名。〉高幹入濩澤。〈濩澤縣，屬河東郡。賢曰：今澤州縣。師古曰：濩，音烏號翻。〉畿知諸縣附己，乃出，單將數十騎，赴堅壁而守之，吏民多舉城助畿者，〈舉城，謂舉屬縣城也。〉比數十日，得四千餘人。固等與高幹、張晟共攻畿，不下，略諸縣，無所得。曹操使議郎張旣西徵關中諸將馬騰等，皆引兵會擊晟等，破之，斬固、琰等首，其餘黨與皆赦之。(ZZTJ 64, 205.4)

About this time White Rider [Zhang Cheng] attacked Yuan [county in He]dong, and Gao Gan entered Huoze. Du Ji knew that the counties would remain loyal to him, so he went out of the city with a few score horsemen, occupied a strong fort, and set up his defenses. Many of the officials and people held their cities on Du Ji's behalf, and within a few weeks he had gathered more than four thousand men.

Wei Gu and the others joined Gao Gan and Zhang Cheng, and they attacked Du Ji together, but they could not overcome him. They attempted to take over the counties, but they could capture none of them. Cao Cao sent the Gentleman-Consultant Zhang Ji to go to the west and raise the leaders within the passes, Ma Teng and his fellows. They brought soldiers together to attack and destroy Zhang Cheng and his allies. They took the heads of Wei Gu, Zhang Yan and some others, but all the rest of their followers were pardoned.

("White Rider" was Zhang Cheng's assembled riders acting as bandits. Yuan County was part of Hedong commandary; the "Dong" character in the name as listed here is redundant. The Continued Records of Han mentions this Yuan County, and the Annotations states, "It was east of the mountains, and shaped like a wall." So even from that time, it was already known as Dongyuan ("eastern Yuan").

Huoze County was part of Hedong commandary. Li Xian remarked, "It is the modern Zezhou County." Yan Shigu remarked, "濩 is pronounced 'huo (w-ao)'."

By "their cities" the passage means the cities of their counties.)

是时天下郡县皆残破，河东最先定，少耗减。畿治之，崇宽惠，与民无为。民尝辞讼，有相告者，畿亲见为陈大义，遣令归谛思之，若意有所不尽，更来诣府。乡邑父老自相责怒曰：“有君如此，奈何不从其教？”自是少有辞讼。班下属县，举孝子、贞妇、顺孙，复其繇役，随时慰勉之。渐课民畜牸牛、草马，下逮鸡豚犬豕，皆有章程。百姓勤农，家家丰实。畿乃曰：“民富矣，不可不教也。”於是冬月修戎讲武，又开学宫，亲自执经教授，郡中化之。〈魏略曰：博士乐详，由畿而升。至今河东特多儒者，则畿之由矣。〉

During this era, all the commandaries and counties in the realm experienced privation and ruin. Hedong was the first to be settled, with little waste or loss. Du Ji governed Hedong with exceptional generosity and kindness, little interfering in the activities of the people. Whenever people brought a court case before him, with both sides accusing the other, Du Ji would personally examine who had the right of it, and send orders back to careful consider things. If anything had still not been fully determined, only then should the case be brought back to the government. The elders of each county and town blamed themselves, saying, "When we have a lord like this, how can we not follow his teachings?" So the court cases dropped off compared to before.

Du Ji also managed his subordinate counties. He recommended filial children, faithful wives, and obedient grandchildren, removing their corvee labor and granting them support in their efforts whenever needed. Gradually the people began tending to cows and horses, and also keeping chickens, pigs, and dogs, each according to the regulations. The people were diligent farmers, and each family had abundance. Du Ji considered, "The people have become prosperous; I must be sure to instruct them." So during the winter months, they repaired weapons while he instructed them on war, and he also opened a palace school, where he personally taught people in the Classics. Thus was the commandary transformed.

(The Weilue states, "Yue Xiang got his start thanks to Du Ji. And even to this day, Hedong has an especially large amount of Confucian scholars thanks to Du Ji's efforts.")

於是杜畿治河東，務崇寬惠。民有辭訟，畿爲陳義理，遣歸諦思之，父老皆自相責怒，不敢訟；勸耕桑，課畜牧，百姓家家豐實；然後興學校，舉孝弟，修戎事，講武備，河東遂安。(ZZTJ 64, 205.4)

Then Du Ji governed Hedong, and he was careful to act generously and kindly. When people came to open a lawsuit, he would tell them what was right and what was wrong and then he would send them back to think it over; so the elders of the people blamed themselves for any quarrel, and they no longer enjoyed going to law. He encouraged the planting of mulberry trees and gave advice on rearing cattle, and every family became prosperous and wealthy. After that he established schools, and he chose for office only men of filial piety and brotherly love. He kept weapons in repair and he was fully prepared for war, and so Hedong had peace.

韩遂、马超之叛也，弘农、冯翊多举县邑以应之。河东虽与贼接，民无异心。太祖西征至蒲阪，与贼夹渭为军，军食一仰河东。及贼破，餘畜二十餘万斛。太祖下令曰：“河东太守杜畿，孔子所谓‘禹，吾无间然矣’。增秩中二千石。”太祖征汉中，遣五千人运，运者自率勉曰：“人生有一死，不可负我府君。”终无一人逃亡，其得人心如此。〈杜氏新书曰：平虏将军刘勋，为太祖所亲，贵震朝廷。尝从畿求大枣，畿拒以他故。后勋伏法，太祖得其书，叹曰：“杜畿可谓‘不媚於灶’者也。”称畿功美，以下州郡，曰：“昔仲尼之於颜子，每言不能不叹，既情爱发中，又宜率马以骥。今吾亦冀众人仰高山，慕景行也。”〉魏国既建，以畿为尚书。事平，更有令曰：“昔萧何定关中，寇恂平河内，卿有其功，间将授卿以纳言之职；顾念河东吾股肱郡，充实之所，足以制天下，故且烦卿卧镇之。”畿在河东十六年，常为天下最。

When Han Sui and Ma Chao rebelled, most of the counties and towns in Hongnong and Pingyi rose up in support of them. But although Hedong was close to the rebels, its people had no thoughts of disloyalty. When Cao Cao went west to campaign against the rebels, and his army reached Puban, he fought the rebels against the Wei River. The army had to rely on Hedong for food supplies. After the rebels were routed, there were still more than two hundred thousand heads of livestock. Cao Cao issued an edict stating, "As Confucius said of Yu the Great, so let it be said of the Administrator of Hedong, Du Ji: In his character I can find no flaw. His salary is increased to Fully 2000 石."

When Cao Cao campaigned against Hanzhong, Du Ji sent five thousand men as porters to support the campaign. The porters all exerted themselves of their own volition, saying, "Men die but once; we cannot disappoint our master back home." And not a single one of them deserted. Such was the hold that Du Ji had on men's hearts.

When the Wei princely fief was established, Du Ji was appointed as a Master of Writing of the fief. When the affair was settled, another edict went out stating, "In former times, Xiao He settled Guanzhong, and Kou Xun settled Henei. You equal their achievements, and many have given you words of praise in your role. When I consider that Hedong was my most critical commandary, since as long as I held it, that was sufficient to put the realm under my sway, it was for this reason that I troubled you to keep such close watch over it." Du Ji was in Hedong for sixteen years, and was often considered the best in the realm.

(The New Book of the Du Clan states, "The General Who Pacifies The Caitiffs, Liu Xun, was close to Cao Cao, and he was so honored as to strike fear in all the court. He once asked Du Ji for a red date, but Du Ji refused, listing his reasons. When Liu Xun was later put to death, Cao Cao obtained this record. He sighed and said, 'You could truly say of Du Ji, "One cannot flatter the furnace".' He considered Du Ji's achievement exceptional, and he issued an edict among the provinces and commandaries stating, 'In former times, whenever Confucius spoke of Yanzi, he could not help but praise him with every word, such was his love for him expressed. He felt that Yanzi led men as a thoroughbred leads horses. Now I, too, hope that the people will look with admiration upon a high mountain, and yearn for a beautiful journey.'")

遂、超之叛也，弘農、馮翊縣邑多應之，河東民獨無異心；操與超等夾渭爲軍，軍食一仰河東。及超等破，餘畜尚二十餘萬斛，操乃增河東太守杜畿秩中二千石。(ZZTJ 66, 210.2)

When Han Sui and Ma Chao made their rebellion, many of the county cities of Hongnong and [Zuo]pingyi had joined them. Only the people of Hedong remained consistently loyal. When Cao Cao fought with Ma Chao and his fellows on the banks of the Wei, all the supplies for the army came from Hedong, and after Ma Chao and the others had been defeated, there was still a surplus of more than two hundred thousand bushels left over. Cao Cao increased the salary of Du Ji, Grand Administrator of Hedong, to fully two thousand shi.

畿在河東十六年，常爲天下最。〈爲曹操因河東資實以平關中張本。杜畿之子爲杜恕，恕之子爲杜預。其守河東，觀其方略，固未易才也。余竊謂杜氏仕於魏、晉，累世貴盛，必有家傳，史因而書之，固有過其實者。〉(ZZTJ 64, 205.4)

Du Ji stayed in the commandery for sixteen years, and he was always judged the best administrator in the empire.

(This was why Cao Cao was able to use the resources of Hedong to conquer Guanzhong.

Du Ji's son was Du Shu, and Du Shu's son was Du Yu. For Du Ji to have defended Hedong, and considering his remarkable insights, he must have had uncommon talent. I (Hu Sanxing) observe that the Du clan served under Cao-Wei and Jin, their name remaining glorious and respected for generations. They certainly must have had a family history recorded, which made its way into the history books, and some parts must have stretched further than what actually happened.)

文帝即王位，赐爵关内侯。徵为尚书。及践阼，进封丰乐亭侯。邑百户，〈魏略曰：初畿在郡，被书录寡妇。是时他郡或有已自相配嫁，依书皆录夺，啼哭道路。畿但取寡者，故所送少；及赵俨代畿而所送多。文帝问畿：“前君所送何少，今何多也？”畿对曰：“臣前所录皆亡者妻，今俨送生人妇也。”帝及左右顾而失色。〉守司隶校尉。帝征吴，以畿为尚书仆射，统留事。其后帝幸许昌，畿复居守。受诏作御楼船，於陶河试船，遇风没。帝为之流涕。〈魏氏春秋曰：初，畿尝见童子谓之曰：“司命使我召子。”畿固请之，童子曰：“今将为君求相代者。君其慎勿言！”言卒，忽然不见。至此二十年矣，畿乃言之。其日而卒，时年六十二。〉诏曰：“昔冥勤其官而水死，稷勤百谷而山死。〈韦昭国语注称毛诗传曰：“冥，契六世孙也，为夏水官，勤於其职而死於水。稷、周弃也，勤播百谷，死於黑水之山。”〉故尚书仆射杜畿，於孟津试船，遂至覆没，忠之至也。朕甚愍焉。”追赠太仆，谥曰戴侯。子恕嗣。〈傅子曰：畿与太仆李恢、东安太守郭智有好。恢子丰交结英俊，以才智显於天下。智子冲有内实而无外观，州里弗称也。畿为尚书仆射，二人各脩子孙礼见畿。既退，畿叹曰：“孝懿无子；非徒无子，殆将无家。君谋为不死也，其子足继其业。”时人皆以畿为误。恢死后，丰为中书令，父子兄弟皆诛；冲为代郡太守，卒继父业；世乃服畿知人。魏略曰李丰父名义，与此不同，义盖恢之别名也。〉

When Cao Pi became Prince of Wei, Du Ji was made a Marquis Within The Passes, and was summoned to serve as a Master of Writing. After Cao Pi ascended the imperial throne, Du Ji's noble title was advanced to Marquis of Fengleting. He had a fief of a hundred households, and he acted as Colonel-Director of Retainers. When Cao Pi campaigned against Wu, Du Ji was appointed as Supervisor of the Masters of Writing, and handled the affairs of the detached administration. Later, when Cao Pi passed through Xuchang on inspection, Du Ji returned there to take up his post.

Du Ji received an edict commanding him to build several ships. He was testing the ships in the Tao River when he encountered winds and was lost in the river. Cao Pi wept for him. He sent out an edict stating, "In former times, Ming was diligent in his office and perished in the river; Ji was diligent in planting the hundred grains and perished in the mountains. This has been the fate of the Supervisor of the Masters of Writing, Du Ji. He was testing his boats at Meng Crossing, when his boat capsized and he was lost. Such was his loyalty! How deeply do I pity him."

Du Ji was posthumously appointed Grand Keeper of Equipages, and he had the posthumous title Marquis Dai ("Honored"). His son Du Shu inherited his offices.

(The Weilue states, "Before, when Du Ji was in his commandary, he kept records of the widows in the area. At that time, other commadaries had records of alledged widows in which the husband and wife, happily married, were forced apart and the wife seized, and cries and lamentations filled the roads. But Du Ji only kept records of widows with deceased husbands, and this was why he sent so few of them. When Du Ji was replaced in the commandary office by Zhao Yan, Zhao Yan sent many more widows. Cao Pi asked Du Ji, 'When you were in office before, why did you send so few widows, and why are so many sent now?' Du Ji replied, 'When I was in office, the widows I recorded all had deceased husbands, while the ones that Zhao Yan sends have living husbands.' Cao Pi and those around him looked at one another, their faces pale."

The Annals of the Wei Clan states, "Before, Du Ji had once seen a boy and said to him, 'I was given orders to come summon you.' When Du Ji pressed his request, the boy replied, 'The general is summoning you to replace him. But you must be careful not to speak a word of this!' Having said that, the boy suddenly vanished. For twenty years, Du Ji said nothing of the incident. At last, he mentioned it, and on the same day he perished. He was sixty-two years old."

According to the 韦昭国语注称毛诗传, Ming was a sixth-generation descendant of Xie of Shang. He was Xia's Water Controller, and was diligent in his work, but he died by water. Ji, also known as Qi of Zhou, diligently worked to cultivate the hundred grains, but he died in the mountains of the Black River.

The Fuzi states, "Du Ji was good friends with the Grand Keeper of Equipages, Li Hui, and the Administrator of Dong'an, Guo Zhi. Li Hui's son Li Feng associated with heroic and talented people, and his talents and intellect were demonstrated before the realm. Guo Zhi's son Guo Chong had inner worth but was not outwardly appreciated, and no one in the province thought much of him. When Du Ji became Supervisor of the Masters of Writing, Li Hui and Guo Zhi both cultivated their sons and grandsons to properly visit Du Ji. After they left, Du Ji sighed and said, 'Xiaoyi (Li Hui) will have no son; even more than that, his family itself will be brought to ruin. But Junmou’s (Guo Zhi’s) legacy will live on, because his son is able to sustain it.” At that time, everyone believed that Du Ji was mistaken in his impressions. After Li Hui's death, Li Feng became Prefect of the Palace Secretariat, and was put to death with his entire clan, while Guo Chong became Administrator of Dai commandary, where he continued his father's legacy. The people of that time then admitted that Du Ji had understood men well." The Weilue records Li Feng's father's name as Li Yi, and is in conflict with this account. Li Yi was another name for Li Hui.)

初，李恢與尚書僕射杜畿及東安太守郭智善，〈東安縣，前漢屬城陽國，後漢屬琅邪國，魏分爲郡。沈約曰：晉惠帝分東莞爲東安郡；蓋魏旣分而又省併，旣省併而晉又分屬東莞，又自東莞分爲郡也。〉智子沖，有內實而無外觀，州里弗稱也。沖嘗與李豐俱見畿，旣退，畿歎曰：「孝懿無子；非徒無子，殆將無家。君謀爲不死也，其子足繼其業。」〈李恢，字孝懿。郭智，字君謀。〉時人皆以畿爲誤，及豐死，沖爲代郡太守，卒繼父業。(ZZTJ 76, 254.1)

Earlier, Li Hui had been a friend of the Supervisor of the Masters of writing, Du Ji, and the Administrator of Dong'an, Guo Zhi. Li Hui's son Li Feng associated with men of parts and distinguished himself in the world through his talent and wisdom. Guo Zhi's son Guo Chong was solid within, but was without external show; people of his native locality did not praise him. Once Guo Chong and Li Feng both went out to see Du Ji. As soon as they left, Du Ji exclaimed, “For Xiaoyi (Li Hui) there will be no son, and not only no son but no family at all. Junmou (Guo Zhi) will be immortalized, for his son is worthy to carry on his line.”

People at the time all thought that Du Ji was wrong. After Li Feng's death, Guo Chong became Administrator of Dai commandary. In the end, he proved himself to be a worthy successor to his father.

(During Former Han, Dong'an County was part of the Chengyang princely fief; during Later Han, it was part of the Langye fief. Cao-Wei split it off as its own commandary. Shen Yue remarked, "Emperor Hui of Jin (Sima Zhong) split Dongguan to form Dong'an commandary." Since Cao-Wei had split off that commandary, it must have been remerged again, and then split off again by Jin as Dongguan, and then split off again from Dongguan as its own commandary.

Li Hui was styled Xiaoyi; Guo Zhi was styled Junmou.)

#Du Ji #SGZ #Sanguozhi #Sanguo #Three Kingdoms

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jackblankhsh · 7 years

Text

Wedding Crash

Because I did not receive an invitation to the wedding I felt a desire to attend. I reasoned if they really didn’t want me to come, the bride and groom could’ve taken better steps to prevent me from knowing about the impending nuptials. Seeing how they brazenly mentioned it on social media, I felt indirectly invited. Alluding to an open bar, frankly, they might as well have told a moth about a flame. So, in the interest of saving money, with hope of kindling a chance of romance, I ventured downtown to the wedding of Jackie Sanchez and some guy.

I met Jackie in high school. The first time I saw her I learned an erection can swell to a painful degree – dick feeling like a rock about to explode apart. Long licorice colored hair, caramel skin, and sneakers decorated in white out doodles, she inspired feelings I’ve never learned to properly express. Mainly that’s because there’s no way to charmingly say, “So I was jerking off the other day, thinking of you, and…” whatever comes next is irrelevant. For some reason most folks aren’t flattered to learn they’re in the spank bank. Maybe it’s something everyone fears they won’t live up to. I don’t know, I’ve never had a problem failing people.

Hitching a ride from my buddy Sid, I told him to head to the Art Institute. He pulled over to the curb, put the car in park, and said, “Do not go to Jackie’s wedding.”

Struggling to put on a tux while seated passenger side, “I resent the implication of your accusation.”

He sighed, “You had four years in high school, four years to ask her out.”

I nodded, “Truth fact. However, life is a continuous opportunity for those willing to try. I’m not dead. Ergo…”

“Fuck yourself,” Sid said, then for emphasis, “Error go fuck yourself.”

“Are you gonna drive me to the Art Institute?”

Shifting the car into gear Sid remarked, “Only to see you fail.”

I truly believe it’s the amount of faith we have in one another that explains why the world is the way it is.

Sneaking into any kind of event is an art form. The amount of security dictates the level of infiltration skill required to achieve a successful sneak. For instance, breaking into an eighth grade graduation is very different from photo-bombing the President at the State of the Union. One simply requires ice cream cake and a hammer, while the eighth grade graduation involves chloroform, white wine, peanut dust, and a child sized coffin.

I originally considered crashing the actual wedding, but since it took place in a church I could not. God and I have an understanding, and though we clearly have little respect for one another, I abide by our agreement: I stay out of the churches, God stays out of evolution, and the Winter Olympics. So instead I aimed at the reception.

Security didn’t appear to be anything other than Art Institute guards. Instead of preventing flash photography two doorstops in blue blazers checked invites and IDs against a list on a clipboard. Once again I felt like they left the door wide open. Out of myriad gambits, the way one guard blatantly scratched his ass, hand down the back of his pants to get at bare skin, I decided to go with the maneuver known as the Hideous Hideaway.

I called up a video on my phone then approached the entrance.

A guard said, “Good afternoon. May I see your invitation?”

“Sure thing.” Smiling I fumbled in my pockets, pretending to be unsure of its location. In the process I pulled out my cell phone which seemed to inspire my remark, “Oh, hey, have you seen this yet?”

I pressed play on the video. It featured insects devouring a man’s penis while he writhed in agony. The millipede scrambling down his urethra is as far as most get, missing out on the young woman who comes along to save his cock by stomping the bugs to death. These two made it all the way to the end. That made things easier.

As expected, one guard asked, “Where’d you get that?”

I informed her of the link’s location, and while the two hurried to share the hideous spectacle with their friends, I slipped inside. It almost felt too easy. Then I stepped into the banquet hall where I immediately bumped into Jackie’s brother Alvaro.

Alvaro Sanchez Junior always impressed me until he spoke. He possessed the regal bearing and beauty of an Aztec emperor. Unfortunately, he often spoke with a toxic tone symptomatic of silver spoon poisoning. This stemmed from the fact Sanchez Senior held a low level, but well connected political position; and many expected Alvaro, as eldest, to assume his father’s spot; regardless of the realities of democracy that political seat belonged to him – voters be damned. Groomed, practically from birth, to be, as Alvaro liked to say “a leader of men,” he took a method approach to his future. Like a Strasburg disciple, he stayed in the character of king almighty every moment of the day.

We literally bumped into one another when, as I stood perfectly still, he walked into me. For a moment I tensed, expecting him to recognize me. Alvaro never cared for me. I based this on the fact he often told me, “I don’t care for you.” However, he assumed from the second rate quality of my tux that I worked as a server. An assumption made plain when he said:

“Watch where I’m going, and get me some crab puffs, or I’ll have you fired.” He and a buddy high fived, yet didn’t linger. So I headed for the open bar.

There I collected a pair of cocktails, one for each hand. Draining the glasses steadily, I orbited the banquet hall. Staying in one spot ran the risk of prolonged conversation, chancing the development of holes in my cover – anonymity my best camouflage. Still I paused every so often to dance in and out of conversations, killing time saying things like:

“Baseball is a hell of a game if you can stay drunk… I’ve never been to Guayaquil, but that iguana park sounds fascinating… well, you’d be surprised. Tuberculosis kills all kinds of career opportunities lemme tell ya (cough, cough)… Oh, I know the best man. We used to sell runaways to the circus… No ma’am, I don’t think the bride’s dress is too tight. She’s having trouble sitting because the groom, well, he likes to drill that ass.”

In retrospect, I could have been milder in some regards. Yet, no one caught on to the presence of a crasher. I’ve been to several weddings. They all tend to be the same affair. A nebula of tables adorned with floral centerpieces, ringed by a smattering of guests with various degrees of connectivity. Wedding receptions are the only occasion where it’s okay to openly rank family and friends, status defined by seating assignments. Therefore, the trick to remaining discrete involved finding a table with the least desired family and friends. There I could sit, pretending to share in the minimalist joy of having at least been invited.

“That’s better than Aunt Frida. No one invites her anywhere.”

“That’s because she’s dead.”

“Only on the inside. She’s a real downer.”

Still, I occasionally chanced brief hellos with those I recognized. Her Aunt Morena, who wrote Xicana literature, a woman with a helmet of hair redefining Chicana archetypes. Grandpa Emilio, whom I always thought of as the old guitarist. I saw his beloved instrument beside his chair – Ana from the alley of the kiss – and hoped I’d get a chance to hear him play once more. Cousins Fabiana and Facundo forever locked in a debate about the realism of football. Friend of the family and party regular Vincent Redon in the 800th retelling of the woman at her toilette he saw after the hurricane ripped her house open. Jackie’s family and friends gathered, while I snuck booze in the background – it felt like old times.

When dinner arrived, instead of eating I slipped outside for a smoke. Exiting the room, I jokingly asked the guards if I needed a hand stamp to get back in.

One laughed, “Nope, but you gotta watch this.”

He showed me a video of four women explosively shitting on the floor. They then used the excrement as finger paint to draw floral designs on one another like sewer hippies. I made an exaggerated display of comical disgust. Delighted, the guards waved me off, and returned to finding more revolting videos.

Outside I felt my phone buzz.

Sid texted, “I can’t believe you’re still in there.”

“Believe it,” I typed back.

“How much longer?”

Good question, I thought.

After high school Jackie and I didn’t keep in touch. By then we’d gone down very different roads. We used to be kids searching for how to be who we wanted to be, following breadcrumbs laid out by albums, films, and books. We could agree on the significance of a song, but not the whole album; the brilliance of a line from, though not the entire film, or book. It seemed to me we were only off by a slight degree, that one shared element would bring us into sync. But by the time we graduated… we took comfort in dissimilar realities, that one thing never having materialized.

Over a decade later, when social media blossomed, we got back in touch; however, it rarely amounted to more than peripheral interactions.

Post: Look at dis cutest kittie!

“Liked” by Jackie Sanchez.

Strolling back to the banquet area, it dawned on me my infatuation with Jackie stemmed mostly from not dating her. We never had a romantic relationship, so it never failed; therefore it could’ve been anything. Possibilities are endless in the absence of contrary evidence. Because I could only imagine us together I could always imagine us perfectly. And oddly enough, fantasies have a way of making promises.

Promises like if I got the DJ to play Patti Smith’s “Because the Night”, the song would inspire the words I needed to say to win her heart. Seizing one last bold chance for love go up to the head table while the song fills the air, and speak – about this time I realized I hadn’t merely been vividly imagining the scenario, but actually now stood in front of the head table, Jackie staring over her pollo relleno in wide eyed disbelief.

“Howdy do?” I said, immediately regretting my very existence. If nothing else, I doubt any romantic victory ever began with howdy do, although I could be wrong.

Jackie blinked, “I’m good. How… how are you?”

“Not bad.” I put my hands in my pockets, wondering how many times I’d have to punch myself in the throat with my keys before I finally killed myself. I said, “It’s been a while.”

“Yes it has,” she nodded, “The last time I saw you, you set my boyfriend’s car on fire.”

“This is that guy?” her husband said. He suddenly looked desperate to call the police.

Smiling, I said, “That is indeed me.”

“What are you doing here?” Jackie asked.

I sincerely believe honesty is the best move. However, on this occasion, I lied, “Well, to tell you the truth, I’m here to steal a painting, saw y’all in here, and thought I’d stop by to say congratulations.”

“Thanks?” her husband said.

“Thank you,” Jackie smiled. She got up, hurried around the table to hug me. She smelled amazing, the kind of aroma that cures depression. She whispered in my ear, “You’ll go to jail if you steal a painting. Please tell me this is some deranged romantic stunt.”

It felt like an opening, yet I oddly enough knew better. I squeezed her gently, “Nope.” Stepping away from her I waved to the groom, “Once again, congratulations. I’d stay, but timing is everything. Don’t want to miss my moment.”

Heading out, feeling several eyes on me, I texted Sid: "be out front, engine running, backseat open.“

Minutes later, running down the steps of the Art Institute, carrying one of Monet’s “Haystacks” – I had to steal something to diminish the lie – I found myself wondering what else I needed to let go of. Diving into the backseat of Sid’s car, we peeled out, rocketing home.

Glancing in the rearview Sid said, “What the fuck is that?”

“One of six, 25 technically – they can spare one.”

He cracked a beer, “So how was the reception?”

“A little too clear.”

My impression of the past would no longer be the same, but that’s just growing up. I tapped Sid on the shoulder. He handed me a beer. Opening it I thought, "Here’s to you Jackie. I’m glad you’re happy.”

Sid said, “You know alotta marriages end in divorce.”

“Yeah.” But I didn’t feel like hoping for that. I felt like finding another dream girl, only this time actually trying to hold her instead of chasing the mirage.

#writing #satire #sliceoflife #honestyisnotcontagious #humor #comedy #comedywriting #fiction #weddingcrash #chicago art institute

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fayewonglibrary · 3 years

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Interview excerpts with Leah Dou (2017)

On Jan. 3, Chinese artist Leah Dou turned 20, a date she really hoped to spend with friends, but she couldn’t find the spare time. The Beijing native was in the recording studio most of her birthday, working on the follow-up to her 4AD-textured 2016 debut “Stone Café.”

She says, “I had lunch with my dad and dinner with my mom, but that was it.” The daughter of musical royalty — renowned musicians Dou Wei and Faye Wong — couldn’t turn down invitations from her folks.

*****

How was it growing up around such famous parents?

Well, there were different stages to it. When you’re a toddler, you don’t know what’s going on. There are just always people following you, always people pointing cameras into your face. But when you’re a teenager, trying to find your identity, it’s really hard when everyone’s always bombarding you with information about your parents. So you feel neglected. But when I was 16, I started realizing that it was all in my head. It was definitely a process.

SOURCE: SAN FRANCISCO EXAMINER

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Out of The Shadows: Leah Dou is Shining Her Own Light (Q&A)

If you take a look at pop culture today, being born into a famous family definitely has its ups and downs. We’ve seen plenty of examples in society of children riding the wave of their parent’s success without wanting to carve their own place in history. Thankfully this doesn’t apply to everyone, especially Leah Dou. The 19-year-old singer-songwriter is the daughter of two very famous musicians in China, Faye Wong and Dou Wei. Her debut album, Stone Cafe, is a melting pot of guitar-laden indie pop with jazz sensibilities perfect to soundtrack a Saturday afternoon in a coffee shop or a drive across the country.

While some want to compare Leah to her parent’s legacy, Leah isn’t worried about anyone else’s expectations. She’s ready to put in the work to bring her music around the world and establish herself as an independent voice. Growing up in the shadow of her parent’s celebrity has given her a unique view of the world that has helped drive her search for her own identity. Now she’s ready to shine her own creative light.

I caught up with the rising singer at her private Beats 1 showcase in Hollywood earlier this year. We talked about her debut album, the experience of having famous parents, creating her own identity, and always finding new ways to learn.

Your parents are famous musicians. How did that affect your childhood experiences?

When I’m with my parents, we always get followed. There are always cameras and people. But other than that, I had a pretty normal childhood. I lived with my grandparents when I was young because my parents were on tour all the time so they didn’t have time to be around. As I got older, I moved back in with my mom and things started to become a little more obvious to me. In my teens, I started noticing a lot more of what was going on and how people treated my parents and me. I didn’t know how to feel about it in the beginning. And then, I decided I didn’t like it. This was mostly because it was hard to find my own identity with people telling me what my identity was all the time. It was always “your mom this, your mom that, your dad this, and your dad that.” I struggled with that for a while. I wanted to be my own person and I didn’t want to be labeled as someone’s kid the whole time and I guess that, in a way, it led me to music.

That’s so interesting. You ended up making music to create your own identity apart from your parent’s musical careers.

Yeah, music has obviously always been around for me. I’ve always wanted to be involved with music but I think I finally got pushed into trying to find something in music that I wanted to stick with. I didn’t know if I wanted to be behind the scenes or an artist. When I found my own place, my parents or my background didn’t matter as much anymore because I didn’t make music to prove anything to anyone. I made music because I loved it. Once I was clear on who I was and what I loved, everything else became less significant.

Do you think you still would’ve pursued a music career if your parents weren’t famous musicians?

I just don’t know. They aren’t the whole reason that I got into music but they created the environment that led me to music.

SOURCE: ONES TO WATCH

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Musician Leah Dou Isn’t Interested in Fitting the Mega-Pop-Star Mold

The world first heard Leah Dou on the song “Tong“, an upbeat dance-y track written by Faye Wong, the artist known for combining alternative music with mainstream Chinese pop, who happens to be her mother. Leah was just 1 year old when her laugh was sampled. Now 20, she’s calling the shots on how her voice is used. Born Dou Jingtong in Beijing, becoming a performer seemed like the obvious move, growing up in a famous musical family. Faye is a big deal in China — think Beyoncé-level fame, except her avant-garde style is more akin to Björk’s and she’s acted in Chinese films like the well-received 2046. Leah’s dad Dou Wei is a successful musician too, known for composing experimental work that crosses genres from folk to ambient, and he made a formidable impression on the Chinese rock scene.

Dou’s parents left whether or not she wanted to pursue music up to her.

After fighting it for a while, as many celebrity kin often do, Leah learned to embrace the association with her parents. “I used to get annoyed, when I was a teen, there was a point in my life where I was really tired of being compared to my parents and didn’t really feel I had an identity. You get used to it and realize it doesn’t really matter what other people say because they are your parents, that’s the truth and you love them. What’s the point in getting all angry about what other people are saying. I’m not making music so I can not be spoken of as their daughter. Once you get your purpose clear and your mind clear it really doesn’t matter,” she reflected. With that being said, of all the people she wants to partner with, Leah mentions Willow and Jaden Smith, who also have fame in their blood. There might not be a father-daughter duet à la Ozzy and Kelly Osbourne’s coming down the pike anytime soon; Leah’s holding out for a special project to come along before collaborating with her parents.

“It was pretty crazy when I was young because I was always with my mom but when I’m not with her, it’s actually not as crazy as people might think. Where I live in in Beijing, I don’t usually get paparazzi walking around, it’s a pretty normal life,” she says of tabloids interested in her high-profile background, who focused more on her dating life and sexuality than her music. Unfazed, learning how to dodge paparazzi in Beijing seems to have helped.

Surprisingly, Leah’s parents haven’t given her much advice, instead allowing her the space she needs to navigate show business on her own. “They’ve been super hands-off. It’s probably because I’ve asked them. Family is family but music is music and also work, I like to separate the two,” she says about staying professional.

SOURCE: NEW YORK MAGAZINE - THE CUT

#2017

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