蕭子恪 (景沖)

Xiao Zike 蕭子恪 (478–529), zi Jingchong 景冲. Qi and Liang period writer.

Xiao Zike's ancestral home was Nan Lanling 南蘭陵 (northwest of modern Changzhou, Jiangsu). He was the second son of Xiao Ni 蕭嶷 (444–492), Prince Wenxian 文獻 of Yuzhang, who was the second son of Xiao Daocheng 蕭道成 (427–482), the founder of the Southern Qi dynasty. In the early Southern Qi Xiao Zike was given the noble title of Marquis of Nankang 南康 county. In 489, at the age of twelve he composed a fu on the topic of the “tall pine” to match a piece on the same topic by Xiao Ziliang 蕭子良 (460–494). His composition received special praise from Wang Jian 王儉 (452–489). His first position was governor of Huailing 淮陵 (modern Jiangsu). During the Jianwu period (494–498) he was appointed governor of Wu 吳 commandery (modern Suzhou). In 498, Wang Jingze 王敬則 (435–498) led a revolt in Guiji under the pretext of supporting Xiao Zike. Emperor Ming (r. 483–501) summoned Xiao Zike and seventy of his relatives to the Secretariat with the intention of having them all executed. The day Xiao Zike arrived at the court the emperor decided not to punish him. He appointed him palace cadet in the household of the heir designate. During the reign of Xiao Baojuan 蕭寶卷 (483–501, r. 498–501) he served as palace attendant.

When the Liang dynasty was founded in 502, Xiao Zike's noble title was reduced to that of viscount. He was appointed left senior administrator in the Ministry of Education. Although Xiao Zike was a member of the Southern Qi ruling family, the Liang founder Xiao Yan 蕭衍 (464–549) treated him and his brothers favorably. Thus, Zike held a series of important positions including governor of Yongjia 永嘉 (modern Wenzhou), chief minister of the court of imperial entertainments, and director of the palace library. After serving as governor of Lingling 零陵 (administrative seat modern Yongzhou 永州, Hunan), he returned to the imperial court in 518 where he was appointed cavalier attendant-in-ordinary and Bulwark General of the State. In 520, he was promoted to chamberlain for the imperial clan. In 522 he served as minister in the section for justice of the Department of State Affairs. The next year he was transferred to the Ministry of Personnel. In 525 Xiao Zike was appointed supervisor of the household of the heir designate Xiao Tong 蕭統 (501–531). In 528 he was sent out as governor of Wu commandery. He died here in 529 at the age of fifty-two.

In his youth Xiao Zike was an accomplished writer. However, he did not preserve his writings, and none of his works has survived.

DRK

《梁書 卷35》

蕭子恪，字景沖，蘭陵人，齊豫章文獻王嶷第二子也。永明中，以王子封南康縣侯。年十二，和從兄司徒竟陵王《高松賦》，衛軍王儉見而奇之。初爲寧朔將軍、淮陵太守，建武中，遷輔國將軍、吳郡太守。大司馬王敬則於會稽舉兵反，以奉子恪爲名，明帝悉召子恪兄弟親從七十餘人入西省，至夜當害之。會子恪棄郡奔歸，是日亦至，明帝乃止，以子恪爲太子中庶子。東昏卽位，遷秘書監，領右軍將軍，俄爲侍中。中興二年，遷輔國諮議參軍。天監元年，降爵爲子，除散騎常侍，領步兵校尉，以疾不拜，徙爲光祿大夫，俄爲司徒左長史。

子恪與弟子範等，嘗因事入謝，高祖在文德殿引見之，從容謂曰：「我欲與卿兄弟有言。夫天下之寶，本是公器，非可力得。苟無期運，雖有項籍之力，終亦敗亡。所以班彪《王命論》云：『所求不過一金，然終轉死溝壑』。卿不應不讀此書。宋孝武爲性猜忌，兄弟粗有令名者，無不因事鴆毒，所遺唯有景和。至於朝臣之中，或疑有天命而致害者，枉濫相繼，然而或疑有天命而不能害者，或不知有天命而不疑者，於時雖疑卿祖，而無如之何。此是疑而不得。又有不疑者，如宋明帝本爲庸常被免，豈疑而得全？又復我於時已年二歲，彼豈知我應有今日？當知有天命者，非人所害，害亦不能得。我初平建康城，朝廷內外皆勸我云：『時代革異，物心須一，宜行處分。』我於時依此而行，誰謂不可！我政言江左以來，代謝必相誅戮，此是傷於和氣，所以國祚例不靈長。所謂『殷鑒不遠，在夏後之世』。此是一義。二者，齊梁雖曰革代，義異往時。我與卿兄弟雖復絕服二世，宗屬未遠。卿勿言兄弟是親，人家兄弟自有周旋者，有不周旋者，況五服之屬邪？齊業之初，亦是甘苦共嘗，腹心在我。卿兄弟年少，理當不悉。我與卿兄弟，便是情同一家，豈當都不念此，作行路事。此是二義。我有今日，非是本意所求。且建武屠滅卿門，致卿兄弟塗炭。我起義兵，非惟自雪門恥，亦是爲卿兄弟報仇。卿若能在建武、永元之世，撥亂反正，我雖起樊、鄧，豈得不釋戈推奉；其雖欲不已，亦是師出無名。我今爲卿報仇，且時代革異，望卿兄弟盡節報我耳。且我自藉喪亂，代明帝家天下耳，不取卿家天下。昔劉子輿自稱成帝子，光武言『假使成帝更生，天下亦不復可得，況子輿乎』。梁初，人勸我相誅滅者，我答之猶如向孝武時事：彼若苟有天命，非我所能殺；若其無期運，何忽行此，政足示無度量。曹志親是魏武帝孫，陳思之子，事晉武能爲晉室忠臣，此卽卿事例。卿是宗室，情義異佗，方坦然相期，卿無復懷自外之意。小待，自當知我寸心。」又文獻王時，內齋直帳閹人趙叔祖，天監初，入爲臺齋帥，在壽光省，高祖呼叔祖曰：「我本識汝在北第，以汝舊人，故每驅使。汝比見北第諸郎不？」叔祖奉答云：「比多在直，出外甚疏，假使暫出，亦不能得往。」高祖曰：「若見北第諸郎，道我此意：我今日雖是革代，情同一家；但今磐石未立，所以未得用諸郎者，非惟在我未宜，亦是欲使諸郎得安耳。但閉門高枕，後自當見我心。」叔祖卽出外具宣敕語。

子恪尋出爲永嘉太守。還除光祿卿，秘書監。出爲明威將軍、零陵太守。十七年，入爲散騎常侍、輔國將軍。普通元年，遷宗正卿。三年，遷都官尚書。四年，轉吏部。六年，遷太子詹事。大通二年，出爲寧遠將軍、吳郡太守。三年，卒於郡舍，時年五十二。詔贈侍中、中書令。諡曰恭。

子恪兄弟十六人，並仕梁。有文學者，子恪、子質、子顯、子雲、子暉五人。子恪嘗謂所親曰：「文史之事，諸弟備之矣，不煩吾復牽率，但退食自公，無過足矣。」子恪少亦涉學，頗屬文，隨棄其本，故不傳文集。