Lǐ Tōng appellation Wéndá was a Jiāngxià Píngchūn man. (1) As an adventurer he was famed between the Jiāng and Rǔ. With his prefecture man Chén Gōng they together raised troops at Lǎnglíng, of the masses many submitted to him. At the time there was a Zhōu Zhí, his multitudes were over two thousand families, with [Chén] Gōng and [Lǐ] Tōng was outwardly harmonious but inwardly in opposition. Tōng wished to plot and kill [Zhōu] Zhí but [Chén] Gōng criticized him. Tōng knew that [Chén] Gōng was without decisiveness, and so alone settled a plan, with [Zhōu] Zhí held a meeting, intoxicated and killed [Zhōu] Zhí. The multitudes of people were greatly disturbed, Tōng led Gōng to execute their group leaders, and completely absorbed their camps. Later [Chén] Gōng’s wife’s younger brother Chén Hé killed [Chén] Gōng and took over his multitudes. Tōng attacked and defeated [Chén] Hé’s army, cut off [Chén] Hé’s head as sacrifice at [Chén] Gōng’s tomb. Also he captured alive the Huángjīn chief commander Wú Bà and subdued his associates. Encountering a year of great famine, Tōng poured out his household to give out support, with the soldiers dividing chaff and husks, all strove to be of use, and because of this bandits did not dare invade.

李通字文達，江夏平春人也。〔一〕以俠聞於江、汝之間。與其郡人陳恭共起兵於朗陵，眾多歸之。時有周直者，眾二千餘家，與恭、通外和內違。通欲圖殺直而恭難之。通知恭無斷，乃獨定策，與直克會，酒酣殺直。眾人大擾，通率恭誅其黨帥，盡并其營。後恭妻弟陳郃，殺恭而據其眾。通攻破郃軍，斬郃首以祭恭墓。又生禽黃巾大帥吳霸而降其屬。遭歲大饑，通傾家振施，與士分糟糠，皆爭為用，由是盜賊不敢犯。

• (1) Wèilüè states: Tōng’s childhood appellation was Wànyì.

　　〔一〕　魏略曰：通小字萬億。

At Jiàn’ān’s beginning [196], Tōng led his multitudes to visit Tàizǔ [Cáo Cāo] at Xǔ. Appointed Tōng as Rousing Authority Internal Cadet General, garrisoning Rǔnán’s west border. Tàizǔ suppressed Zhāng Xiù, Liú Biǎo sent troops to assist [Zhāng] Xiù, Taizǔ’s army was not successful. Tōng led troops in the night to visit Tàizǔ, Tàizǔ was able to again battle, Tōng was the first to ascend, greatly defeated [Zhāng] Xiù’s army. Appointed Assistant General, enfeoffed Jiàngōng Marquis. Divided from Rǔnán two counties to appointed Tōng as Yáng’ān Commandant.

建安初，通舉眾詣太祖於許。拜通振威中郎將，屯汝南西界。太祖討張繡，劉表遣兵以助繡，太祖軍不利。通將兵夜詣太祖，太祖得以復戰，通為先登，大破繡軍。拜裨將軍，封建功侯。分汝南二縣，以通為陽安都尉。

Tōng’s wife’s father’s elder brother violated the law, Lǎnglíng Chief Zhào Yǎn arrested and punished, delivering a death sentence. At the time the handling of life and death was decided by governors and administrators, Tōng’s wife cried and sobbed to plead for his life. Tōng said: “Now having with Excellency Cáo joined strength, righteousness is to not for the private abandon the public.” He praised [Zhào] Yǎn’s holding to law without compromise, and with him became close and friendly.

通妻伯父犯法，朗陵長趙儼收治，致之大辟。是時殺生之柄，決於牧守，通妻子號泣以請其命。通曰：「方與曹公戮力，義不以私廢公。」嘉儼執憲不阿，與為親交。

Tǎizu with Yuán Shào were locked together at Guāndù. [Yuán] Shào sent envoy to appoint Tōng as Campaigning South General, Liú Biǎo also secretly recruited him, Tōng refused them both. Tōng’s family and personal retainers shed tears and said: “Now to be alone endangered and in isolation defend, and so lose a great assistance, destruction can be waited for standing. It is not as good as quickly joining [Yuán] Shào.” Tōng grasped sword to rebuke them and said: “Excellency Cáo is an enlightened and wise, certain to settle Heaven’s Under. [Yuán] Shào though is strong and flourishing, yet his appointments and employments are without direction, and in the end he will be a captive and that is all. I to the death will not turn traitor.” At once beheaded [Yuán] Shào’s envoy, sending the seal and ribbons to Tàizǔ. Also he struck the prefecture bandits Qú Gōng, Jiāng Gōng, Shěn Chéng and others, all defeating and destroying their multitudes, sending their heads. Therefore he settled the lands of the Huái and Rǔ. Changed fief to a capital precinct marquis, appointed Rǔnán Administrator. At the time the bandit Zhāng Chì and others with over five thousand families gathered at Táoshān, Tōng attacked and defeated them.

太祖與袁紹相拒於官渡。紹遣使拜通征南將軍，劉表亦陰招之，通皆拒焉。通親戚部曲流涕曰：「今孤危獨守，以失大援，亡可立而待也，不如亟從紹。」通按劍以叱之曰：「曹公明哲，必定天下。紹雖彊盛，而任使無方，終為之虜耳。吾以死不貳。」即斬紹使，送印綬詣太祖。又擊郡賊瞿恭、江宮、沈成等，皆破殘其眾，送其首。遂定淮、汝之地。改封都亭侯，拜汝南太守。時賊張赤等五千餘家聚桃山，通攻破之。

Liú Bèi with Zhōu Yú besieged Cáo Rén at Jiānglíng, separately sending Guān Yǔ to cut off the northern roads. Tōng led his multitudes to strike them, dismounting horse to pull out the barricades and enter the encirclement, both battling both advancing, to welcome [Cáo] Rén’s army, his valor surpassing the various officers. Tōng on the road fell ill and died, at the time his years forty-two. Posthumously increased fief by two hundred households, adding to the previous to four hundred households. When Emperor Wén [Cáo Pī] ascended the throne, posthumous name as Gāng-hóu [“Tough Marquis”]. Imperial Order said: “In the past at the trouble of Yuán Shào, from Xǔ and Cài on south, people harbored disloyal hearts. Tōng maintained righteousness without looking back, to bring the doubters back to submission. We deeply commend this. By misfortune he early died, his son Jī though has already inherited the noble rank, it is not yet enough to reward his deeds. Jī’s elder brother Xù formerly garrisoned Fánchéng and also had achievements. The world observes their labors, thus appoint Jī as Serving Righteousness Internal Cadet General, Xù as Pacifying Caitiffs Internal Cadet General, to favor and distinguish them.” (1)

劉備與周瑜圍曹仁於江陵，別遣關羽絕北道。通率眾擊之，下馬拔鹿角入圍，且戰且前，以迎仁軍，勇冠諸將。通道得病薨，時年四十二。追增邑二百戶，并前四百戶。文帝踐阼，諡曰剛侯。詔曰：「昔袁紹之難，自許、蔡以南，人懷異心。通秉義不顧，使攜貳率服，朕甚嘉之。不幸早薨，子基雖已襲爵，未足酬其庸勳。基兄緒，前屯樊城，又有功。世篤其勞，其以基為奉義中郎將，緒平虜中郎將，以寵異焉〔一〕。」

• Wáng Yǐn’s Jìn shū states: Xù’s son Bǐng appellation Xuánzhòu had refinement and talent, and was in that time honored, rank reaching Qín province Inspector. Bǐng once answered Sīmǎ [Zhāo] Wén-wáng’s inquiries, and therefore for this made Household Commandments stating: “In the past in attendance seated to the Former Emperor, at the time there were three chief clerks together meeting. When about to take leave and exit the Ascended said: ‘To be a government chief one must be pure, be cautious, and be diligent. Cultivating these three, what problems are not resolved?’ All received the Imperial Order. After exiting, the Ascended looked back and said to us: ‘Examining the commandment orders, where they proper or not?’ The attendants seated were many and worthy, none did not praise it as excellent. The Ascended also asked saying: ‘If one were forced [to choose], of these three, which is foremost?’ Someone replied saying: ‘Purity assuredly is the foundation.’ Then again asked me, [I] replied stating: ‘In the ways of purity and caution, they mutually depend to be achieved. If forced, caution then is the greater. One that is pure is not necessarily cautious, one that is cautious must assuredly be pure. Likewise the benevolent certainly have valor, the valorous do not necessarily have benevolence, therefore the Yì says ‘closed sack without fault,’ ‘mats use white reeds,’ it is all the utmost of caution.’ The Ascended said: ‘Your words get it. Who can you name of recent times that are capable of caution?’ The various people each did not know how to answer, I then named former Excellency Commandant Xún Jǐngqiàn, Secretariat Documenter Dǒng Zhònglián, Deputy Directory Wáng Gōngzhòng all as those who could be called cautious. The Ascended said: ‘These various men were mild and respectful morning to evening, in enacting affairs had scruples, also each were thus cautious. However the utmost cautious of Heaven’s Under, was only Ruǎn Sìzōng. Every time with him speaking, his speech reached the profound and distant, but never once commented on the time’s affairs, good or bad or personages, truly it can be called utmost caution.’ I always think of this conversation, and it also is sufficient to be an enlightened commandment. Ordinary people in enacting affairs, in youth establishing oneself, cannot be incautious, do not frivolously discuss people, do not frivolously speak of affairs, in this way then how would regret then be produced, troubles then arrive?” Bǐng’s son Chóng appellation Màozēng, when young had known reputation, successively held rank as Personnel Department Cadet, Píngyáng Administrator.
• Jìn Zhūgōng zàn states: Chóng for purity and esteem was praised. Chancellor of State the King of Zhào [Sīmǎ] Lún for his renown requested him to be Right Major. Chóng because Lún was about to be in chaos, claimed illness and would not accept. Lún pressured him without end, Chóng therefore no longer sought survival, reached to severe destitution, needed support to pay respects, and in several days died, posthumously made Cavalier Regular Attendant. Chóng’s two younger brothers Shàng appellation Màozhòng, Jǔ appellation Màoyuē, during Yǒngjiā both managed prefectures; Jǔ reached Jiāng province Inspector. Chóng’s son Shì appellation Jǐngzé’s office reached Attendant Internal.

〔一〕　王隱晉書曰：緒子秉，字玄冑，有雋才，為時所貴，官至秦州刺史。秉嘗答司馬文王問，因以為家誡曰：「昔侍坐於先帝，時有三長吏俱見。臨辭出，上曰：『為官長當清，當慎，當勤，修此三者，何患不治乎？』並受詔。既出，上顧謂吾等曰：『相誡敕正當爾不？』侍坐眾賢，莫不贊善。上又問曰：『必不得已，於斯三者何先？』或對曰：『清固為本。』次復問吾，對曰：『清慎之道，相須而成，必不得已，慎乃為大。夫清者不必慎，慎者必自清，亦由仁者必有勇，勇者不必有仁，是以易稱括囊無咎，藉用白茅，皆慎之至也。』上曰：『卿言得之耳。可舉近世能慎者誰乎？』諸人各未知所對，吾乃舉故太尉荀景倩、尚書董仲連、僕射王公仲並可謂為慎。上曰：『此諸人者，溫恭朝夕，執事有恪，亦各其慎也。然天下之至慎，其惟阮嗣宗乎！每與之言，言及玄遠，而未曾評論時事，臧否人物，真可謂至慎矣。』吾每思此言，亦足以為明誡。凡人行事，年少立身，不可不慎，勿輕論人，勿輕說事，如此則悔吝何由而生，患禍無從而至矣。」秉子重，字茂曾。少知名，歷位吏部郎、平陽太守。晉諸公贊曰：重以清尚稱。相國趙王倫以重望取為右司馬。重以倫將為亂，辭疾不就。倫逼之不已，重遂不復自活，至於困篤，扶曳受拜，數日卒，贈散騎常侍。重二弟，尚字茂仲，矩字茂約，永嘉中並典郡；矩至江州刺史。重子式，字景則，官至侍中。