經歷

嘉平七年（414年），南涼被西秦所滅，禿髮傉檀率包括破羌在內的大部分家族成員向西秦王乞伏熾磐投降，後來被鴆殺。

建弘四年（423年），破羌的長兄禿髮虎台和身為西秦王后的姐姐禿髮王后謀殺乞伏熾磐失敗，被誅，破羌與四哥禿髮保周及親族等多人都逃到北涼，然後逃到北魏。禿髮破羌容貌雄偉，善風儀。魏太武帝素聞其名，及見，器其機辯，賜爵西平侯，加龍驤將軍。謂賀曰：「卿與朕源同，因事分姓，今可為源氏。」遂改姓為源。源破羌被北魏視作宗室，享有宗室的特殊封號直懃。

北魏明元帝、太武帝年間

源破羌改姓後不久，隨即擊敗叛亂部落首領白龍，又討伐吐京胡，在戰鬥中皆先登陷陣，他屢獲提升，進號平西將軍。

太延五年（439年），魏太武帝大舉進攻北涼，意圖吞併，源破羌為安遠將軍，與張掖王禿髮保周、龍驤將軍穆羆分略諸郡，雜人降者數十萬。太武帝以破羌為嚮導。破羌獻計，幫助北涼的四部鮮卑皆是自己祖父禿髮思複鞬舊部，可示以國威、說以禍福，鮮卑必歸降，再攻北涼都城姑臧（在今甘肅武威）孤城易如反掌，並說服三萬餘鮮卑舊部投降北魏，這些部落在北魏軍姑臧時提供糧食，對北魏此次圍城戰的成功起了很大作用。破羌也因功遷征西將軍，進爵西平公。後來禿髮保周叛變，他因為沒有參與，未受牽連。太武帝出征柔然、五城吐京胡、匈奴叛將蓋吳時，他都從征，常衝鋒陷陣，不顧個人安危。以功拜散騎常侍。隨軍征臨江，為前鋒大將，善撫士卒，又有料敵制勝之謀，又為人雄果，常親自殺敵，太武帝認為他太好勇而告誡他，並且把他的名字改為自認為更合適的賀，拜為殿中尚書。

正平二年（452年），宦官宗愛弒太武帝，立皇子南安王拓跋余，後來又弒了他。羽林郎振威將軍劉尼勸宗愛立故太子拓跋晃之子拓跋濬為帝，但宗愛認為自己得罪于拓跋晃，拓跋濬必報複，要另選賢能王子立為新帝。劉尼擔心生變，告知與自己一同典兵宿衛的源賀，二人與尚書長孫渴侯、南部尚書陸麗一起發動政變，源賀與長孫渴侯擒宗愛等，勒兵而入，在宮門外奉迎拓跋濬入登永安殿，拓跋濬就是文成帝。

文成帝年間

由于擁立有功，源賀深受文成帝信任，在文成帝統治早期的官員內部鬥爭中，他並未受害，反而得益，封征北將軍、給事中。當年，文成帝讓他在國庫中任取財物作為賞賜，他以國庫應保有錢財來應對和劉宋、柔然的戰事而拒絕了。在文成帝堅持下，他只挑選了一匹戰馬。在源賀建議下，北魏的法度寬鬆了：原本謀反者的男性親屬都要處死，源賀提議後，十三歲以下的男性親屬免死，但要淪為奴隸。次年，在尚書任上以定策之功進爵西平王。

太安二年（456年）十一月，源賀徙封隴西王，任征南將軍、冀州刺史。大約此時，他進一步對刑罰的改革提出建議，提出將犯死罪（謀反、謀殺除外）者流放或充軍到北部柔然邊境或南部劉宋邊境，以協助國家的防務。文成帝批准了。後來文成帝對群臣說因源賀的勸諫活了不少人，還增加了戍邊之兵，如果人人都如源賀，他就沒有要擔憂的了；群臣也都說「非忠臣不能進此計，非聖明不能納此言。」源賀以情斷案，簡省徭役，為政清約寬裕，很得人心。武邑人石華指控源賀與僧人道可謀反，文成帝相信源賀，並很快查出石華是誣告，石華被處決。文成帝對左右說：「以源賀之忠誠，尚不免被誣陷，不及他的人能不慎重嗎！」考察政績時，源賀為上等，賜衣馬器物，班宣天下。

獻文帝年間

源賀任冀州刺史七年，和平四年（463年）被召回都城平城，拜太尉，但因為相關史載不多，他作為太尉有多少實權是存疑的。六年（465年），劉宋內亂，北魏趁機接納來奔的劉宋義陽王劉昶，時源賀官居侍中、太尉、征東大將軍，文成帝聲言要派其與皇叔使持節征南大將軍宜陽王直勤拓跋新成、羽直征東將軍北平公拓跋拔敦及劉昶一同領定州、相州之眾十萬，出濟、兗，直取彭城，與其餘諸軍約期同會于秣陵。同年，文成帝駕崩，其子獻文帝繼位，文成帝皇后馮太后攝政。時皇興（467年—471年）年間，源賀與特進刁雍、中書監高允等都因年老受到特別優禮。四年（470年），已掌權的獻文帝對柔然發動大舉進攻，以皇叔京兆王拓跋子推、東陽公拓跋丕督諸軍出西道，皇叔任城王拓跋雲等督軍出東道，皇叔汝陰王拓跋天賜、濟南公羅烏拔督軍為前鋒，源賀督諸軍為後繼，鎮西將軍呂羅漢等掌留台事，大敗柔然。

五年（471年），獻文帝因對談論哲學更為喜好，不想當皇帝了，想讓位給拓跋子推，召集公卿商議。源賀正屯武川抵禦柔然，也被召回平城。源賀和拓跋雲都表示反對，指出傳位給皇叔不合繼承法，如果皇帝執意退位，最合適的繼位者當屬太子拓跋宏。經過進一步討論，獻文帝同意了意見，以源賀和太保建安王陸馛持節奉皇帝璽綬，讓位給4歲的太子，就是北魏孝文帝。但獻文帝作為太上皇帝仍然掌握實權。

孝文帝年間

獻文帝禪位當年，河西地區沃野、統萬二鎮敕勒發生叛亂，源賀奉命征討，在枹罕大敗賊黨鬱朱于，斬首五千餘，又追殺統萬、高平、上邽三鎮敕勒到金城，斬首三千。遷其餘黨于冀、定、相三州為營戶。又依古今兵法及先儒耆舊說，略採至要，作十二陳圖獻上，太上皇帝讀後嘉獎他。他又都督三道諸軍屯漠南。

當時每到秋冬，北魏遣軍三道並出，以備北方入寇，到春季中才班師。源賀認為這樣勞役京都，也非御邊長計，于是上言請募諸州鎮有武勇者三萬人，複其徭賦，厚加振恤，分為三部，在二鎮之間築城，其中置萬人，給強弩十二床，武衛三百乘，弩一床給牛六頭，武衛一乘給牛二頭，多造馬槍及諸器械，使武略大將二人鎮撫；冬季講武，春季種植，戍耕並行，這樣不勞軍隊還能有積蓄；再在白道南三處立倉，運近州鎮租粟以充實，足食足兵，以備不虞，更為便利，不可每年常興師動眾。但此奏沒有得到回應。

延興四年（474年）正月，源賀因病再三告老，獲准。朝中有大議，太上皇帝都詢訪他，又給他衣服、藥物、珍饈。太和元年（477年）二月，在溫湯治病，孝文帝和文明太后遣使屢問消息，以太醫視疾。病重時回京，遺囑諸子「毋傲吝，毋荒怠，毋奢越，毋嫉妒。疑思問，言思審，行思恭，服思度。遏惡揚善，親賢遠佞，目觀必真，耳屬必正，忠勤以事君，清約以臨己」，要求以時服單櫝薄葬。三年（479年）九月去世，享年七十三歲。當時，獻文帝已駕崩，但孝文帝和馮太皇太后賜雜彩五百匹乃至轀輬車、命服、溫明秘器等皇帝陪葬用品給他陪葬，陪葬金陵，表示了很大的尊敬。源賀死後贈侍中、太尉、隴西王印綬，謚號宣。

評價

• 《北史》：源賀堂堂，非徒武節、觀其翼佐文成，廷抑禪讓，殆乎社稷之臣。

家庭

夫人

• 乞伏氏，秦文昭王乞伏熾磐之女

• 武威孟氏，源懷生母

子女

• 源延

• 源懷

• 源奐

• 欽文姬辰，嫁侍中、鎮西大將軍、開府、雲中鎮大將、朔州刺史、琅邪康王司馬金龍

著作

源賀曾採佛經幽旨，作《祗洹精舍圖偈》六卷，著作郎趙柔為之註解。

註解及參考文獻

Background

Tufa Poqiang was born in 407, 5 years after his father Tufa Rutan had become Southern Liang's prince. After Southern Liang was destroyed by Western Qin in 414, Tufa He appeared to have, along with his father and most of his family, surrendered to Western Qin's prince Qifu Chipan. After his older brother Tufa Hutai (禿髮虎台) and sister Princess Tufa (Qifu Chipan's wife) were executed in 423, after their failed plot to assassinate Qifu Chipan, Tufa Poqiang, along with a number of his brothers and other relatives, first fled to Northern Liang, and then to Northern Wei. He was created the Marquess of Xiping, and Emperor Mingyuan was particularly amazed at his talents. Because the Tufa clan and Emperor Mingyuan's Tuoba clan traced their lines to a common ancestor, Emperor Mingyuan changed Tufa Poquiang's surname to Yuan (源), meaning "origin."

During Emperor Mingyuans and Emperor Taiwus reigns

Tufa Poqiang, now named Yuan Poqiang, soon became a Northern Wei general. Because he was able to defeat a number of rebellious tribes, he received repeated promotions.

When Emperor Mingyuan's son Emperor Taiwu made a major attack on Northern Liang in 439, intending to destroy it and annex its territory, Yuan was his guide. Yuan was able to persuade a number of Xianbei tribes, which had been subjects of his grandfather Tufa Sifujian (禿髮思復犍), to submit to the Northern Wei army, greatly helping Northern Wei forces with their food supplies during the successful siege of Northern Liang's capital Guzang (姑臧, in modern Wuwei, Gansu). For his contributions, Yuan's title was upgraded to Duke of Xiping. He appeared to be uninvolved in the subsequent rebellion by his brother Tufa Baozhou (禿髮保周), and he was not punished on account of Tufa Baozhou's rebellion. He followed Emperor Taiwu on campaigns against Rouran and the Xiongnu rebel Gai Wu (蓋吳), and he often was on the frontlines, not fearing for his own safety. Emperor Taiwu warned him against being overly aggressive, and changed his personal name from Poqiang (meaning "defeat the Qiang") to He (meaning "congratulations"), believing the name to fit better.

After Emperor Taiwu was assassinated by the eunuch Zong Ai in 452, Zong initially made Emperor Taiwu's son Tuoba Yu the Prince of Nan'an emperor, and then assassinated Tuoba Yu as well. Yuan He started a coup d'état, in alliance with other officials Dugu Ni (獨孤尼), Baba Kehou (拔拔渴侯), and Buliugu Li, and overthrew Zong, placing Emperor Taiwu's pre-deceased crown prince Tuoba Huang's son Tuoba Jun on the throne as Emperor Wencheng.

During Emperor Wenchengs reign

As one of the officials who were responsible for Emperor Wencheng's becoming emperor, Yuan He was exceedingly trusted by the emperor, and during the internecine struggles between imperial officials during Emperor Wencheng's early reign, he not only did not suffer but prospered. His title was upgraded to Prince of Xiping. On one occasion in 452, Emperor Wencheng told him to take whatever reward he wished from the imperial treasury, and he declined on account that the imperial treasury needed to conserve in order to be able to fight Liu Song and Rouran. When Emperor Wencheng insisted, he only took one warhorse. It was also around that time that, based on Yuan He's suggestion, the Northern Wei laws were made slightly more lenient; previously, accused treasonous persons' male relatives were all executed as well, and under Yuan He's proposal, the law was changed that those males under 12 would not be executed but only be made slaves.

In winter 456, Yuan He's title was changed to Prince of Longxi, and he was made the governor of Ji Province (冀州, modern central Hebei), and around this time, he made the further criminal law reform proposal that those who were sentenced to death, other than those charged with treason or murder, would have their sentences commuted to exile to and military service on the northern borders (with Rouran) or southern borders (with Liu Song) to assist with the state's defense. Emperor Wencheng accepted his proposal. When a man named Shi Hua (石華) subsequently accused Yuan of treason, Emperor Wencheng quickly personally guaranteed that Yuan did not commit treason, and Shi was exposed as a false accuser and executed.

During Emperor Xianwens reign

After Yuan served as the governor of Ji Province for seven years, in 466, he was recalled back to the capital Pingcheng (平城, in modern Datong, Shanxi) and promoted to being the commander of the armed forces, although his actual power at this time was unclear, for historical accounts did not make many references to him. At this time, Emperor Wencheng had already died in 465 and was succeeded by his young son Emperor Xianwen, with Emperor Wencheng's wife Empress Feng serving as regent. In 470, Yuan was one of the generals for a major attack that Emperor Xianwen, who had by then assumed imperial powers, made against Rouran.

In 471, Emperor Xianwen, who favored philosophical discussions and did not want to be emperor much longer, considered passing the throne to his uncle Tuoba Zitui (拓跋子推) the Prince of Jingzhao, and he called an imperial council meeting to discuss the matter. At that time, Yuan was commanding the troops to defend against a Rouran attack, but Emperor Xianwen recalled him to Pingcheng to join the discussion. Yuan opposed Emperor Xianwen's idea of passing the throne to Tuoba Zitui, concurring with another uncle of Emperor Xianwen, Tuoba Yun (拓跋雲) the Prince of Rencheng that passing the throne to an uncle would be a violation of the proper order of succession, and that if Emperor Xianwen wanted to leave the throne, the proper successor would be the crown prince Tuoba Hong (different character than Emperor Xianwen). After further discussion, Emperor Xianwen agreed and passed the throne to the four-year-old Tuoba Hong, who took the throne as Emperor Xiaowen, although Emperor Xianwen, as Taishang Huang (retired emperor), remained in actual power.

During Emperor Xiaowens reign

In 474, Yuan He was relieved of his post as commander of the armed forces on account of his illness. He never returned to serve in the imperial administration, and he died in 479. By that time, Emperor Xianwen himself had died, but Emperor Xiaowen and Grand Empress Dowager Feng, in a show of great respect for Yuan, bestowed many burial items that were reserved for emperors, and had Yuan buried near the past emperors.

Descendants

• Yuan Yan (源延)

　• Yuan Lin (源鳞)

• Yuan Huai (源怀), né Yuan Sili (源思礼)

　• Yuan Gui (源规), courtesy name Lingdu (灵度)

　　• Yuan Su (源肃)

　　　• Yuan Shao (源绍)

　　　　• Yuan Wenyuan (源文远)

　• Yuan Rong (源荣), courtesy name Lingbing (灵并)

　• Yuan Hui (源徽), courtesy name Lingzuo (灵祚)

　• Yuan Xuanliang (源玄谅), heir to his uncle Yuan Huan

　• Yuan Ziyong (源子雍), courtesy name Linghe (灵和)

　　• Yuan Yanbo (源延伯)

　　　• Yuan Xiaosun (源孝孙)

　　• Yuan Shize (源士则), died young

　　• Yuan Shizheng (源士正), killed

　　• Yuan Shigui (源士规), killed

　　• Yuan Kai (源楷), courtesy name Shizhi (士质), infant name Nayan (那延)

　• Yuan Zigong (源子恭), courtesy name Lingshun (灵顺). Ancestor of Tang Dynasty chancellor Yuan Qianyao

　　• Yuan Biao (源彪), courtesy name Wenzong (文宗)

　　• Yuan Wenyao (源文瑶)

　• Yuan Zuan (源纂), courtesy name Lingxiu (灵秀)

• Yuan Huan (源奂), courtesy name Sizhou (思周), sonless, so his nephew Yuan Xuanliang was made his heir

Notes and references

;Notes

;Sources

• Book of Wei, vols. 41, 99.

• Zizhi Tongjian, vols. 116, 123, 126, 128, 131, 132, 133, 135.