Mèng Guāng appellation Xiàoyù was a Hénán Luòyáng man, of Hàn Grand Commandant Mèng Yù’s clan. (1)
孟光字孝裕,河南洛陽人,漢太尉孟郁之族。〔一〕
- (1) Xù Hànshū states: Yù, was Internal Regular Attendant Mèng Bēn’s younger brother.
〔一〕 續漢書曰:郁,中常侍孟賁之弟。
At Líng-dì’s end he became Discussion Division official. Xiàn-dì moved capital to Cháng’ān, and therefore he fled to enter Shǔ, Liú Yān father and sons treated him with rites due a guest. He was widely learned and knew the ancients, with no books he did not read, and he was exceptional with the three histories, and excelled in the Hàn dynasty old canons. He enjoyed the Gōngyáng Chūnqiū and ridiculed the Zuǒshì, every time with Lái Mǐn fighting over these two interpretations, Guāng always arguing and shouting.
靈帝末為講部吏。獻帝遷都長安,遂逃入蜀,劉焉父子待以客禮。博物識古,無書不覽,尤銳意三史,長於漢家舊典。好公羊春秋而譏呵左氏,每與來敏爭此二義,光常譊譊讙咋。譊音奴交反。讙音休袁反。咋音徂格反。
Xiānzhǔ [Liú Bèi] settled Yìzhōu, he was appointed Consultant Cadet, and with Xǔ Cí and others together handled regulations Hòuzhǔ [Liú Shàn] ascended, and he became Seal Staff Director, Garrison Cavalry Colonel, Chánglè Minister Treasurer, promoted to Minister of Agriculture.
先主定益州,拜為議郎,與許慈等並掌制度。後主踐阼,為符節令、屯騎校尉、長樂少府,遷大司農。
Yánxī Ninth Year [246] autumn, great amnesty, Guāng from among the masses reproached General-in-Chief Fèi Yī stating: “Amnesties are a thing to prop up the withered, not what an enlightened era should have. When decline and detriment are most extreme, that one must act against one’s will, only afterward then can it be expedient and enacted and that is all. Now the ruler above is benevolent and worthy, the hundred officials competent in duty, how is there dawn and dusk danger, upside down urgency, to repeatedly bestow unusual grace, to give kindness to treacherous evil? Also eagle and falcon newly strike, yet again there is pardoning and forgiveness of the guilty, above violating Heaven’s timing, below opposing Man’s reasoning. I am an old man decrepit and rotten, and do not understand the form of government, yet I humbly say this method is difficult to be long lasting, how is this viewing highest beauty, to hope for enlightened virtue?” [Fèi] Yī merely apologized respectfully and nothing more. Guāng’s scratching at pains and itches, were often of this kind, and therefore the powerful ministers controlling government, in their hearts could not be pleased, and his noble rank and position did not rise. Every time he bluntly spoke without anything avoided, and was by the era disliked. Minister of Ceremonies Guǎnghàn’s Tán Chéng (2), Minister of Merits Hédōng’s Péi Juàn and others, in age and experience all were to Guāng’s rear, but they rose to be higher ranked, occupying to Guāng’s right, overall because of this. (3)
延熙九年秋,大赦,光於眾中責大將軍費禕曰:「夫赦者,偏枯之物,非明世所宜有也。衰弊窮極,必不得已,然後乃可權而行之耳。今主上仁賢,百僚稱職,有何旦夕之危,倒懸之急,而數施非常之恩,以惠姦宄之惡乎?又鷹隼始擊,而更原宥有罪,上犯天時,下違人理。老夫耄朽,不達治體,竊謂斯法難以經久,豈具瞻之高美,所望於明德哉!」禕但顧謝踧踖而已。光之指摘痛癢,多如是類,故執政重臣,心不能悅,爵位不登;每直言無所回避,為代所嫌。太常廣漢鐔承、〔二〕光祿勳河東裴雋等,年資皆在光後,而登據上列,處光之右,蓋以此也。〔三〕
- (2) Huáyáng Guózhì states: [Tán] Chéng appellation Gōngwén, successively was prefecture Administrator and Minsiter Treasurer.
〔二〕 華陽國志曰:承字公文,歷郡守少府。
- (3) Fù Chàng’s Péishì Jiājì states: [Péi] Juàn appellation Fèngxiān, was Wèi Secretariat Director Péi Qián’s younger brother. Juàn’s elder sister’s husband became in Shǔ a Chief Clerk, Juàn escorted him, at the time aged over ten years, and therefore encountered Hàn’s end’s great chaos, not able to return. When grown he had reputation, and was by Shǔ esteemed. His son Yuè, appellation Língxù, became Shǔ’s Commander of the Army. Shǔ was destroyed, he was moved back to Luòyáng, appointed Consultant Cadet.
〔三〕 傅暢裴氏家記曰:雋字奉先,魏尚書令潛弟也。雋姊夫為蜀中長史,雋送之,時年十餘歲,遂遭漢末大亂,不復得還。既長知名,為蜀所推重也。子越,字令緒,為蜀督軍。蜀破,遷還洛陽,拜議郎。
Later Advance Literary Scholar Confidential Document Cadet Xì Zhèng repeatedly followed Guāng’s consultations, Guāng asked [Xì] Zhèng what the Heir-Apparent studied and read and his character and enjoyments, [Xì] Zhèng replied: “In serving parents he is reverent and respectful, from morning to night not resting, having an ancient successor’s son’s manner; receiving and caring for various officials, his actions come from benevolence and mercy.”
後進文士祕書郎郤正數從光諮訪,光問正太子所習讀并其情性好尚,正答曰:「奉親虔恭,夙夜匪懈,有古世子之風;接待群僚,舉動出於仁恕。」
Guāng said: “If it is as you explain, all families have this and that is all. What I now ask, is wishing to know his planning ability and intelligence is like what.”
光曰:「如君所道,皆家戶所有耳;吾今所問,欲知其權略智調何如也。」
Zhèng said: “A successor son’s way, is in continuing on [parent’s] will to exhaustively please [parents], and cannot rashly act as they wish, moreover intelligence is hidden in one’s self, planning ability answers the timing and appears, this having or lacking, how can it be casually displayed?”
正曰:「世子之道,在於承志竭歡,既不得妄有所施為,且智調藏於胸懷,權略應時而發,此之有無,焉可豫設也?」
Guāng understood Zhèng’s caution was appropriate, and did not freely talk, and therefore said: “I enjoy blunt talk, with nothing avoided, always launching into benefits and defects, and are by the people ridiculed and resented, examining your meaning you also do not deeply enjoy my talk, however speech has its ordering. Now the realm Under Heaven is not yet settled, intelligence is foremost, although intelligence is natural, however it also can be strengthened. This heir in reading books, would he imitate us exhaustive scholars to treat with questions, like an academic scholar explores writings and discusses tests to seek noble rank? This matter is urgent.”
光解正慎宜,不為放談,乃曰:「吾好直言,無所回避,每彈射利病,為世人所譏嫌;(疑)省君意亦不甚好吾言,然語有次。今天下未定,智意為先,智意雖有自然,然(不)〔亦〕可力彊致也。此儲君讀書,寧當傚吾等竭力博識以待訪問,如傅士探策講試以求爵位邪!當務其急者。」
Zhèng deeply said Guāng’s words were correct.
正深謂光言為然。
Later Guāng in connection to a matter was dismissed from office, aged over ninety years he died.
後光坐事免官,年九十餘卒。