卷五十四·曹相国世家第二十四
卷五十四·曹相国世家第二十四
司马迁
平阳侯曹参者，沛人也。秦时为沛狱掾，而萧何为主吏，居县为豪吏矣。
高祖为沛公而初起也，参以中涓从。将击胡陵、方与，攻秦监公军，大破之。东下薛，击泗水守军薛郭西。复攻胡陵，取之。徙守方与。方与反为魏，击之。丰反为魏，攻之。赐爵七大夫。击秦司马军砀东，破之，取砀、狐父、祁善置。又攻下邑以西，至虞，击章邯车骑。攻爰戚及亢父，先登。迁为五大夫。北救阿，击章邯军，陷陈，追至濮阳。攻定陶，取临济。南救雍丘。击李由军，破之，杀李由，虏秦候一人。秦将章邯破杀项梁也，沛公与项羽引而东。楚怀王以沛公为砀郡长，将砀郡兵。于是乃封参为执帛，号曰建成君。迁为戚公，属砀郡。
其后从攻东郡尉军，破之成武南。击王离军成阳南，复攻之杠里，大破之。追北，西至开封，击赵贲军，破之，围赵贲开封城中。西击秦将杨熊军于曲遇，破之，虏秦司马及御史各一人。迁为执珪。从攻阳武，下轘辕、缑氏，绝河津，还击赵贲军尸北，破之。从南攻犨，与南阳守齮战阳城郭东，陷陈，取宛，虏齮，尽定南阳郡。从西攻武关、峣关，取之。前攻秦军蓝田南，又夜击其北，秦军大破，遂至咸阳，灭秦。
项羽至，以沛公为汉王。汉王封参为建成侯。从至汉中，迁为将军。从还定三秦，初攻下辩、故道、雍、斄。击章平军于好畤南，破之，围好畤，取壤乡。击三秦军壤东及高栎，破之。复围章平，章平出好畤走。因击赵贲、内史保军，破之。东取咸阳，更名曰新城。参将兵守景陵二十日，三秦使章平等攻参，参出击，大破之。赐食邑于宁秦。参以将军引兵围章邯于废丘。以中尉从汉王出临晋关。至河内，下脩武，渡围津，东击龙且、项他定陶，破之。东取砀、萧、彭城。击项籍军，汉军大败走。参以中尉围取雍丘。王武反于外黄，程处反于燕，往击，尽破之。柱天侯反于衍氏，又进破取衍氏。击羽婴于昆阳，追至叶。还攻武强，因至荥阳。参自汉中为将军中尉，从击诸侯，及项羽败，还至荥阳，凡二岁。
高祖二年，拜为假左丞相，入屯兵关中。月余，魏王豹反，以假左丞相别与韩信东攻魏将军孙遫军东张，大破之。因攻安邑，得魏将王襄。击魏王于曲阳，追至武垣，生得魏王豹。取平阳，得魏王母妻子，尽定魏地，凡五十二城。赐食邑平阳。因从韩信击赵相国夏说军于邬东，大破之，斩夏说。韩信与故常山王张耳引兵下井陉，击成安君，而令参还围赵别将戚将军于邬城中。戚将军出走，追斩之。乃引兵诣敖仓汉王之所。韩信已破赵，为相国，东击齐。参以右丞相属韩信，攻破齐历下军，遂取临菑。还定济北郡，攻著、漯阴、平原、鬲、卢。已而从韩信击龙且军于上假密，大破之，斩龙且，虏其将军周兰。定齐，凡得七十余县。得故齐王田广相田光，其守相许章，及故齐胶东将军田既。韩信为齐王，引兵诣陈，与汉王共破项羽，而参留平齐未服者。
项籍已死，天下定，汉王为皇帝，韩信徙为楚王，齐为郡。参归汉相印。高帝以长子肥为齐王，而以参为齐相国。以高祖六年赐爵列侯，与诸侯剖符，世世勿绝。食邑平阳万六百三十户，号曰平阳侯，除前所食邑。
以齐相国击陈狶将张春军，破之。黥布反，参以齐相国从悼惠王将兵车骑十二万人，与高祖会击黥布军，大破之。南至蕲，还定竹邑、相、萧、留。
参功：凡下二国，县一百二十二；得王二人，相三人，将军六人，大莫敖、郡守、司马、候、御史各一人。
孝惠帝元年，除诸侯相国法，更以参为齐丞相。参之相齐，齐七十城。天下初定，悼惠王富于春秋，参尽召长老诸生，问所以安集百姓，如齐故诸儒以百数，言人人殊，参未知所定。闻胶西有盖公，善治黄老言，使人厚币请之。既见盖公，盖公为言治道贵清静而民自定，推此类具言之。参于是避正堂，舍盖公焉。其治要用黄老术，故相齐九年，齐国安集，大称贤相。
惠帝二年，萧何卒。参闻之，告舍人趣治行，“吾将入相”。居无何，使者果召参。参去，属其后相曰：“以齐狱市为寄，慎勿扰也。”后相曰：“治无大于此者乎？”参曰：“不然。夫狱市者，所以并容也，今君扰之，奸人安所容也？吾是以先之。”
参始微时，与萧何善；及为将相，有卻。至何且死，所推贤唯参。参代何为汉相国，举事无所变更，一遵萧何约束。
择郡国吏木诎于文辞，重厚长者，即召除为丞相史。吏之言文刻深，欲务声名者，辄斥去之。日夜饮醇酒。卿大夫已下吏及宾客见参不事事，来者皆欲有言。至者，参辄饮以醇酒，间之，欲有所言，复饮之，醉而后去，终莫得开说，以为常。
相舍后园近吏舍，吏舍日饮歌呼。从吏恶之，无如之何，乃请参游园中，闻吏醉歌呼，从吏幸相国召按之。乃反取酒张坐饮，亦歌呼与相应和。
参见人之有细过，专掩匿覆盖之，府中无事。
参子窋为中大夫。惠帝怪相国不治事，以为“岂少朕与”？乃谓窋曰：“若归，试私从容问而父曰：‘高帝新弃群臣，帝富于春秋，君为相，日饮，无所请事，何以忧天下乎？’然无言吾告若也。”窋既洗沐归，间侍，自从其所谏参。参怒，而笞窋二百，曰：“趣入侍，天下事非若所当言也。”至朝时，惠帝让参曰：“与窋胡治乎？乃者我使谏君也。”参免冠谢曰：“陛下自察圣武孰与高帝？”上曰：“朕乃安敢望先帝乎！”曰：“陛下观臣能孰与萧何贤？”上曰：“君似不及也。”参曰：“陛下言之是也。且高帝与萧何定天下，法令既明，今陛下垂拱，参等守职，遵而勿失，不亦可乎？”惠帝曰：“善。君休矣！”
参为汉相国，出入三年。卒，谥懿侯。子窋代侯。百姓歌之曰：“萧何为法，顜若画一；曹参代之，守而勿失。载其清净，民以宁一。”
平阳侯窋，高后时为御史大夫。孝文帝立，免为侯。立二十九年卒，谥为静侯。子奇代侯，立七年卒，谥为简侯。子时代侯。时尚平阳公主，生子襄。时病疠，归国。立二十三年卒，谥夷侯。子襄代侯。襄尚卫长公主，生子宗。立十六年卒，谥为共侯。子宗代侯。征和二年中，宗坐太子死，国除。
太史公曰：曹相国参攻城野战之功所以能多若此者，以与淮阴侯俱。及信已灭，而列侯成功，唯独参擅其名。参为汉相国，清静极言合道。然百姓离秦之酷后，参与休息无为，故天下俱称其美矣。
Volume 54 · The Hereditary House of Cao, Chancellor of State, Twenty-fourth
司马迁
Cao Can, Marquis of Pingyang, was a man of Pei. In Qin's time he was Aide in the prison office of Pei, while Xiao He was Aide for Personnel, and in the county they were the leading officers.
When Gaozu became Duke of Pei and first rose, Can followed him as a household attendant. He led troops to strike at Huling and Fangyu, attacked the army of the Qin Inspector Gong and greatly broke it. Eastward he took Xue, and struck at the army of the governor of Sishui west of the outer wall of Xue. He attacked Huling again and took it. He was shifted to hold Fangyu. Fangyu turned to Wei, and he struck at it. Feng turned to Wei, and he attacked it. He was granted the rank of Seventh Grandee. He struck at the army of the Qin Marshal east of Dang and broke it, and took Dang, Hufu and the Qishan post-station. He also attacked from Xiayi westward as far as Yu, and struck at Zhang Han's chariots and cavalry. He attacked Yuanqi and Kangfu, and was first up the wall. He was promoted to Fifth Grandee. Northward he rescued E, struck at Zhang Han's army, broke the line, and pursued them as far as Puyang. He attacked Dingtao and took Linji. Southward he rescued Yongqiu. He struck at Li You's army and broke it, killed Li You and took one Qin scout-officer prisoner. When the Qin general Zhang Han broke and killed Xiang Liang, the Duke of Pei and Xiang Yu drew off eastward. King Huai of Chu made the Duke of Pei chief of Dang commandery, commanding the troops of Dang commandery. Thereupon he enfeoffed Can as Holder of the Silk, styled Lord of Jiancheng. He was promoted to be Duke of Qi, under Dang commandery.
Afterwards he followed him in attacking the army of the Commandant of Dong commandery and broke it south of Chengwu. He struck at Wang Li's army south of Chengyang, and attacked it again at Gangli and greatly broke it. He pursued the rout westward as far as Kaifeng, struck at Zhao Ben's army and broke it, and besieged Zhao Ben within the city of Kaifeng. Westward he struck at the army of the Qin general Yang Xiong at Quyu and broke it, and took prisoner one Qin Marshal and one Imperial Secretary. He was promoted to Holder of the Jade Tablet. He followed him in attacking Yangwu, took Huanyuan and Goushi, cut off the He fords, and turning back struck at Zhao Ben's army north of Shi and broke it. He followed him southward in attacking Chou, and fought with Yi, governor of Nanyang, east of the outer wall of Yangcheng, broke the line, took Wan, captured Yi, and settled the whole of Nanyang commandery. He followed him westward in attacking the Wu Pass and the Yao Pass, and took them. He went forward and attacked the Qin army south of Lantian, and also struck at it in the north by night, and the Qin army was greatly broken; and thereupon they reached Xianyang and destroyed Qin.
Xiang Yu came and made the Duke of Pei King of Han. The King of Han enfeoffed Can as Marquis of Jiancheng. He followed him to Hanzhong and was promoted to general. He followed him back in settling the Three Qin, and first attacked Xiabian, Gudao, Yong and Li. He struck at Zhang Ping's army south of Haozhi and broke it, besieged Haozhi and took Rangxiang. He struck at the army of the Three Qin east of Rang and at Gaoli, and broke them. He besieged Zhang Ping again, and Zhang Ping came out of Haozhi and ran. Accordingly he struck at the armies of Zhao Ben and Bao the Interior Scribe and broke them. Eastward he took Xianyang, and its name was changed to Xincheng. Can led troops and held Jingling twenty days, and the Three Qin sent Zhang Ping and others to attack Can, and Can came out and struck and greatly broke them. He was granted a town to eat from at Ningqin. Can as general led troops and besieged Zhang Han at Feiqiu. As Commandant he followed the King of Han out through the Linjin Pass. Reaching Henei, he took Xiuwu, crossed at Weijin, and eastward struck at Long Ju and Xiang Tuo at Dingtao and broke them. Eastward he took Dang, Xiao and Pengcheng. He struck at Xiang Ji's army, and the Han army was greatly defeated and ran. Can as Commandant besieged and took Yongqiu. Wang Wu rebelled at Waihuang and Cheng Chu rebelled at Yan; he went and struck at them and broke them utterly. The Marquis of Zhutian rebelled at Yanshi; he further advanced, broke him and took Yanshi. He struck at Yu Ying at Kunyang and pursued him as far as She. He turned back and attacked Wuqiang, and accordingly reached Xingyang. From Hanzhong Can had been general and Commandant, following him in striking at the feudal lords; and until Xiang Yu was defeated and they came back to Xingyang, it was two years in all.
In Gaozu's second year he was appointed acting Chancellor of the Left, and went in to encamp troops within the Pass. A month or more later Bao, King of Wei, rebelled, and as acting Chancellor of the Left he went separately with Han Xin and eastward attacked the army of the Wei general Sun Su at Dongzhang and greatly broke it. Accordingly he attacked Anyi and got the Wei general Wang Xiang. He struck at the King of Wei at Quyang and pursued him as far as Wuyuan, and took Bao, King of Wei, alive. He took Pingyang and got the King of Wei's mother, wife and children, and settled the whole land of Wei, fifty-two cities in all. He was granted a town to eat from at Pingyang. Accordingly he followed Han Xin in striking at the army of Xia Yue, Chancellor of State of Zhao, east of Wu, and greatly broke it, and cut down Xia Yue. Han Xin with Zhang Er, formerly King of Changshan, led troops down Jingxing to strike at the Lord of Cheng'an, and had Can go back and besiege a separate general of Zhao, General Qi, within the city of Wu. General Qi came out and ran, and he pursued and cut him down. Then he led troops to the Ao Granary, where the King of Han was. Han Xin having broken Zhao and become Chancellor of State, he struck eastward at Qi. Can as Chancellor of the Right was under Han Xin's command; they attacked and broke the Qi army at Lixia, and thereupon took Linzi. He turned back and settled the commandery of Jibei, and attacked Zhu, Tayin, Pingyuan, Ge and Lu. And afterwards he followed Han Xin in striking at Long Ju's army at Shangjiami and greatly broke it, cut down Long Ju and took his general Zhou Lan prisoner. In settling Qi he got seventy counties and more in all. He got Tian Guang, chancellor to the former King of Qi Tian Guang, and his acting chancellor Xu Zhang, and the former Qi general of Jiaodong Tian Ji. Han Xin became King of Qi and led troops to Chen to join the King of Han in breaking Xiang Yu, while Can stayed to subdue those in Qi who had not submitted.
Xiang Ji being dead and the empire settled, the King of Han became Emperor, Han Xin was moved to be King of Chu, and Qi was made a commandery. Can gave back the Han chancellor's seal. The Exalted Emperor made his eldest son Fei King of Qi, and made Can Chancellor of State of Qi. In Gaozu's sixth year he was granted the rank of ranking marquis, and with the feudal lords split the tally, to be handed down generation after generation without being cut off. He had Pingyang as his town to eat from, ten thousand six hundred and thirty households, styled Marquis of Pingyang, and the towns he had eaten from before were struck off.
As Chancellor of State of Qi he struck at the army of Zhang Chun, a general of Chen Xi, and broke it. When Qing Bu rebelled, Can as Chancellor of State of Qi followed King Daohui in commanding a hundred and twenty thousand troops, chariots and cavalry, and met with Gaozu to strike at Qing Bu's army and greatly break it. Southward he reached Qi, and turning back settled Zhuyi, Xiang, Xiao and Liu.
Can's merits: in all he took two states and a hundred and twenty-two counties; he got two kings, three chancellors, six generals, and one each of a Grand Mo'ao, a commandery governor, a Marshal, a scout-officer and an Imperial Secretary.
In the Emperor Xiaohui's first year the law on the Chancellors of State of the feudal lords was abolished, and Can was made instead Chancellor of Qi. In Can's chancellorship of Qi, Qi had seventy cities. The empire being newly settled and King Daohui rich in years, Can summoned all the elders and the scholars and asked how the hundred families might be settled and gathered in; and as the several Confucians of Qi were counted in hundreds, and every man's words differed, Can did not know what to settle on. He heard that in Jiaoxi there was a Master Gai, who was good at the sayings of Huang-Lao, and he sent men with rich gifts to invite him. Having seen Master Gai, Master Gai told him that in the way of governing what is valued is clear stillness, and the people settle of themselves; and he set it all out at length in this kind. Can thereupon vacated his main hall and lodged Master Gai in it. The essentials of his government were the use of the arts of Huang-Lao, and therefore in nine years of being chancellor of Qi, the state of Qi was at peace and gathered in, and he was greatly called a worthy chancellor.
In Emperor Hui's second year Xiao He died. Can heard of it and told his retainer to make haste to put his travelling in order: "I am going in to be chancellor." In no long time the envoy did indeed come to summon Can. Can departing, he charged the chancellor who came after him: "I entrust you with the prisons and the markets of Qi; take care not to trouble them." The chancellor who came after said: "Is there nothing in governing greater than this?" Can said: "It is not so. As for the prisons and the markets, they are what holds together all sorts of men; if you now trouble them, where are the wicked men to be held? For this reason I put them first."
When Can was of no account at first, he had been on good terms with Xiao He; and when they became general and chancellor, there was a rift. And when He was about to die, the only worthy man he put forward was Can. Can took He's place as Chancellor of State of Han, and in undertaking business he changed nothing, but followed Xiao He's regulations throughout.
He chose out from the officers of the commanderies and states those who were plain and halting in words, weighty and generous elders, and at once summoned and appointed them Chancellor's Clerks. Officers whose words were of the statutes and cutting and deep, who wished to work for a reputation, he at once dismissed and sent away. Day and night he drank strong wine. When the officers from the ministers and grandees downward and his guests saw that Can did not attend to business, all who came wished to have a word with him. And when they arrived, Can would at once give them strong wine to drink; and in the intervals, if they wished to say something, he would give them more to drink, and they left drunk, and in the end could never get to open their argument; and this was his constant way.
The back garden of the chancellor's lodging was near the officers' lodgings, and in the officers' lodgings they drank and sang and shouted daily. His attendant officers disliked it and could do nothing about it, and so asked Can to stroll in the garden, and hearing the officers drunk and singing and shouting, the attendant officers hoped the Chancellor of State would summon them and deal with them. And instead he called for wine, spread a seat and drank, and sang and shouted too, answering them back.
When Can saw that a man had some small fault, he would take pains to cover and hide it; and in his office there were no troubles.
Can's son Zhu was a Palace Grandee. Emperor Hui wondered at the Chancellor of State's not attending to business, and thought: "Does he think me too young?" So he said to Zhu: "When you go home, try privately and at your leisure asking your father: 'The Exalted Emperor has newly left his body of ministers, the Emperor is rich in years, and you, sir, being chancellor, drink daily and ask about no business; how then are you to be troubled for the empire?' But do not say that I told you." Zhu, having had his bath-day leave and gone home, waited on his father at leisure and, as though of himself, remonstrated with Can. Can was angry and flogged Zhu two hundred strokes, saying: "Make haste in and wait upon him; the empire's affairs are not for you to speak of." When court time came, Emperor Hui reproached Can: "Why did you deal so with Zhu? It was I who had him remonstrate with you." Can took off his cap and made his excuses: "Let Your Majesty consider for himself: in sagely martial power, how do you compare with the Exalted Emperor?" His Majesty said: "How should I dare look to the former Emperor!" He said: "And in Your Majesty's view, how does your servant's ability compare in worth with Xiao He's?" His Majesty said: "You seem not to come up to him." Can said: "What Your Majesty says is right. And the Exalted Emperor with Xiao He settled the empire, and the laws and ordinances are already clear. Now if Your Majesty folds his hands and Can and the rest keep to their offices, following them and not losing them, will that not do?" Emperor Hui said: "Good. Rest yourself, sir!"
Can was Chancellor of State of Han three years in all. He died, with the posthumous title Marquis Yi (懿). His son Zhu took the marquisate. The hundred families sang of him: "Xiao He made the laws, as clear as a single stroke; Cao Can took his place, and kept them and lost them not. He bore up their clear stillness, and the people were at peace and one."
Zhu, Marquis of Pingyang, was Imperial Secretary in Chief in the Empress Dowager Gao's time. When the Emperor Xiaowen was set up, he was relieved and remained a marquis. He had been in his place twenty-nine years when he died, with the posthumous title Marquis Jing. His son Qi took the marquisate, and was in his place seven years when he died, with the posthumous title Marquis Jian. His son Shi took the marquisate. Shi married the Princess Pingyang and begot the son Xiang. Shi fell ill of a foul disease and went back to his state. He was in his place twenty-three years when he died, with the posthumous title Marquis Yi (夷). His son Xiang took the marquisate. Xiang married the Princess Weichang and begot the son Zong. He was in his place sixteen years when he died, with the posthumous title Marquis Gong. His son Zong took the marquisate. In the second year of Zhenghe Zong was condemned to death over the heir apparent, and the state was abolished.
The Lord Grand Astrologer says: The reason Cao Can, Chancellor of State, could have so many merits in attacking cities and in battles in the field was that he was together with the Marquis of Huaiyin. And when Xin had been destroyed, of the ranking marquises who accomplished things Can alone engrossed the name. Can as Chancellor of State of Han, in his clear stillness, was in the highest degree in accord with the Way. And the hundred families, after leaving Qin's cruelty behind, had rest and repose with Can in doing nothing; therefore the empire all praised his excellence.