无骨论点补充（以及辨析）一
Ivar the Boneless' commentary and analysis I
Shiji 史记 · 250 BC · 秦孝文王元年
Introduction
Ivar the Boneless' commentary on the year: Li Mu's victory over the Xiongnu, with the passage of the Biography of Lian Po and Lin Xiangru on which it rests and an analysis of its date.
Text and Translation
- §1 史记（一：本纪）Shiji I: Basic Annals
- §2 史记（三：世家）Shiji III: Hereditary Houses
- §3 史记（四：列传）Shiji IV: Biographies
- §4 史记（五：列传）Shiji V: Biographies
- §5 无骨论点补充（以及辨析）一Ivar the Boneless' commentary and analysis I
Text: Chinese source
Text: English Translation
Annotations
[§5] 无骨论点补充（以及辨析）一
[§5] Ivar the Boneless' commentary and analysis I
赵将李牧大破匈奴十馀万骑，灭襜褴，破东胡，降林胡，单于奔走。
The Zhao general Li Mu heavily defeated more than a hundred thousand Xiongnu horsemen, destroyed the Danlan, broke the Donghu, brought the Linhu to submission, and the Chanyu fled.
辨析：《史記·廉頗藺相如列傳》：
Analysis: Shiji, Biography of Lian Po and Lin Xiangru:
李牧者，赵之北边良将也。常居代雁门，备匈奴。以便宜置吏，市租皆输入莫府，为士卒费。日击数牛飨士，习射骑，谨烽火，多间谍，厚遇战士。为约曰：“匈奴即入盗，急入收保，有敢捕虏者斩。”匈奴每入，烽火谨，辄入收保，不敢战。如是数岁，亦不亡失。然匈奴以李牧为怯，虽赵边兵亦以为吾将怯。赵王让李牧，李牧如故。赵王怒，召之，使他人代将。
Li Mu was a fine general of Zhao's northern frontier. He was regularly stationed at Yanmen in Dai1, on guard against the Xiongnu. He appointed officers at his own discretion, and the market taxes were all paid into his headquarters2 for the soldiers' expenses. Every day he slaughtered several oxen to feast his men; he drilled them in archery and riding, kept careful watch on the beacon fires, used many spies, and treated the fighting men generously. He laid down a rule: "When the Xiongnu come in to raid, withdraw at once into the strongholds; anyone who dares to take captives will be beheaded." Whenever the Xiongnu came in, the beacons gave careful warning and the men withdrew at once into the strongholds and did not dare to fight. So it went for several years, and nothing was lost either. But the Xiongnu took Li Mu for a coward, and even the Zhao frontier troops thought their general a coward. The King of Zhao3 reproved Li Mu, but Li Mu went on as before. The King of Zhao was angry, recalled him, and had another man take over the command.
岁馀，匈奴每来，出战。出战，数不利，失亡多，边不得田畜。复请李牧。牧杜门不出，固称疾。赵王乃复强起使将兵。牧曰：“王必用臣，臣如前，乃敢奉令。”王许之。
After a year or more, whenever the Xiongnu came, the army went out to fight. Going out to fight, it was repeatedly worsted, the losses were many, and on the frontier there was no farming or herding4. The king again asked for Li Mu. Mu shut his gate and would not come out, insisting that he was ill. The King of Zhao then pressed him again to rise and sent him to command the troops. Mu said: "If Your Majesty must employ your servant, your servant will dare to accept the command only if he may do as before." The king consented.
李牧至，如故约。匈奴数岁无所得。终以为怯。边士日得赏赐而不用，皆原一战。於是乃具选车得千三百乘，选骑得万三千匹，百金之士五万人，彀者十万人，悉勒习战。大纵畜牧，人民满野。匈奴小入，详北不胜，以数千人委之。单于闻之，大率众来入。李牧多为奇陈，张左右翼击之，大破杀匈奴十馀万骑。灭襜褴，破东胡，降林胡，单于奔走。其後十馀岁，匈奴不敢近赵边城。
Li Mu arrived and kept to the old rule. For several years the Xiongnu got nothing, and to the end they took him for a coward. The frontier soldiers received rewards every day and were never used, and all of them wished for a single battle. Thereupon he fitted out picked chariots, and got thirteen hundred; picked horsemen, and got thirteen thousand; soldiers of the hundred jin of gold5, fifty thousand; and bowmen6, a hundred thousand; and he drilled them all for battle. He let the herds out to graze far and wide, and the people filled the open country. The Xiongnu came in with a small force; he feigned defeat and abandoned several thousand men to them7. When the Chanyu heard of it, he came in at the head of a great host. Li Mu set many unexpected formations, spread out his left and right wings and struck, and heavily defeated and killed more than a hundred thousand Xiongnu horsemen. He destroyed the Danlan8, broke the Donghu, brought the Linhu to submission, and the Chanyu fled. For more than ten years after that the Xiongnu did not dare to come near the frontier Fortresses of Zhao.
《史記·趙世家》載李牧為將是趙悼襄王二年（前243），李牧與匈奴的戰事年代不詳。又，《史記·匈奴列傳》：其后赵将李牧时，匈奴不敢入赵边。
The Shiji, Hereditary House of Zhao, records Li Mu as general in the second year of King Daoxiang of Zhao (243 BC); the date of Li Mu's war with the Xiongnu is not known. Further, the Shiji, Account of the Xiongnu: "Later, in the time of the Zhao general Li Mu, the Xiongnu did not dare to enter the Zhao frontier."
李牧與匈奴的戰事或在趙悼襄王二年（前243）後。“其後十馀岁”或指趙悼襄王至秦滅趙的十餘年間。
Li Mu's war with the Xiongnu was perhaps after the second year of King Daoxiang of Zhao (243 BC). "For more than ten years after that" perhaps means the ten-odd years from King Daoxiang to Qin's destruction of Zhao.
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