Duke Cheng, Year 12
In the twelfth year of spring, the Duke of Zhou fled from the royal Zhou court to Jin.
In summer, Duke Cheng of Lu met with Duke Li of Jin and Duke Ding of Wei at Suoze.
In autumn, the Jin people defeated the Di at Jiaogang.
In winter, in the tenth month.
In the twelfth year of spring, an envoy from King Jian of Zhou came to report the calamity involving the Duke of Zhou. The scribe recorded it as "the Duke of Zhou fled to Jin." Generally, when members of the Zhou royal family left Zhou territory, it could not be called "fleeing," but here it was specifically written as "fleeing" because the Duke of Zhou left of his own accord.
Hua Yuan of Song successfully facilitated peace between Jin and Chu. In summer, in the fifth month, Shi Xie of Jin, together with Gongzi Ba of Chu and Xu Yan, formed an alliance outside the west gate of Song. The covenant stated: "All matters between Jin and Chu shall not involve military force against each other. They shall share the same likes and dislikes, jointly rescue each other from danger and hardship, and prepare to aid each other in times of famine and disaster. If there is anyone who harms Chu, then Jin shall attack them; for Jin, Chu shall do likewise. They shall exchange gifts and visit each other, keeping the roads unobstructed, and jointly plan to address discord, punishing those feudal lords who do not submit. Whoever violates this covenant shall be killed by the spirits, their army defeated, and they shall not retain their state." Duke Cheng of Zheng went to Jin to accept the peace agreement and met with the feudal lords at Suoze, all due to the reconciliation between Jin and Chu.
The Di took advantage of Jin's preoccupation with the Song alliance to invade Jin, but they were unprepared. In autumn, the Jin people defeated the Di at Jiaogang.
Xi Zhi of Jin went to Chu on a diplomatic mission and also to participate in the alliance. King Gong of Chu hosted a banquet for him, with Zi Fan serving as the master of ceremonies. Chu had musical instruments suspended in an underground chamber. As Xi Zhi was about to ascend the hall, bells and drums sounded below, startling him, and he retreated. Zi Fan said: "It is already late. Our lord is waiting. You should still enter." Xi Zhi replied: "Your lord does not forget the friendship of our former lords and extends it to me, a humble servant, granting me such grand rites, complete with music. If Heaven bestows blessings and the lords of our two states meet, what could replace this? I dare not accept it." Zi Fan said: "If Heaven bestows blessings and the lords of our two states meet, they can only exchange a single arrow with each other. What use would music be? Our lord is waiting; you should still enter." Xi Zhi said: "If exchanging a single arrow in mutual deference is the greatest calamity, then what blessing is there? When the world is at peace, the feudal lords, in the intervals between serving the Son of Heaven, visit each other. Thus, there are rites of feasting and banqueting. Feasting teaches respect and frugality; banqueting expresses kindness and favor. Respect and frugality promote rites, while kindness and favor implement governance. Governance is completed through rites, and the people thus find rest. The hundred officials undertake their duties, attending court in the morning and not again in the evening. This is how dukes and marquises protect their people. Therefore, the Shi Jing says: 'The valiant warriors are the shields and screens of the dukes and marquises.' In times of chaos, the feudal lords become greedy, plundering and encroaching without restraint, exhausting the people for a foot or an inch of land, selecting warriors to serve as their hearts, limbs, and claws. Therefore, the Shi Jing says: 'The valiant warriors are the hearts and vitals of the dukes and marquises.' When the world is orderly, dukes and marquises can be the shields of the people and control their hearts; when the world is chaotic, it is the opposite. Now, your words are a method for causing chaos and cannot serve as a model. However, you are the host; how dare I not obey?" Then he entered and completed the matter. After returning to Jin, he reported this to Fan Wenzi. Wenzi said: "Without rites, one will inevitably break promises. We are not many days away from death."
In winter, Gongzi Ba of Chu went to Jin on a diplomatic mission and also to participate in the alliance. In the twelfth month, Duke Li of Jin and Gongzi Ba of Chu formed an alliance at Chiji.