Duke Xiang's Fourth Year
In the fourth year, in spring, in the third month of the Zhou calendar, on the day Jiyou, Chen Hou Wu died.
In summer, Shusun Bao went to Jin.
In autumn, in the seventh month, on the day Wuzi, Lady Si died. Chen Cheng Gong was buried. In the eighth month, on the day Xinhai, our ruler’s consort Ding Si was buried.
In winter, Duke Xiang went to Jin.
The people of Chen besieged the state of Dun.
In the fourth year, in spring, because Chen had rebelled, the Chu army was still encamped at Fanyang. Han Xianzi was worried about this and said at court: “King Wen led the rebellious states of Yin to serve Zhou, because he understood the times. Now we are changing this approach—how difficult it is!” In the third month, Chen Cheng Gong died. The Chu people prepared to attack Chen, but upon hearing of the funeral, they stopped. The people of Chen did not obey Chu’s commands. Zang Wuzhong heard this and said: “If Chen does not submit to Chu, it will surely perish. When a great state observes ritual propriety during a time of mourning, yet the smaller state does not submit, even a great state would be at fault, let alone a small state.” In summer, Chu’s Peng Ming invaded Chen because of Chen’s lack of ritual propriety.
Mu Shu went to Jin to reciprocate Zhi Wuzi’s diplomatic visit. The Marquis of Jin hosted a feast for him, using bells and chimes to perform the three stanzas of the Sixia, but Mu Shu did not bow. The musicians sang the three stanzas of the Wen Wang, and he still did not bow. When they sang the three stanzas of the Lu Ming, Mu Shu bowed three times. Han Xianzi sent the messenger Ziyuan to ask him: “You have come to our humble city on the orders of your ruler, and we have used the rituals of our former rulers, adding music to entertain you. You have set aside the grand rituals and bowed three times for the minor ones. May I ask what ritual this is?” Mu Shu replied: “The Sanxia is what the Son of Heaven uses to entertain the leaders of the feudal lords; as a minister, I dare not hear it. The Wen Wang is music for the meeting of two rulers; as a minister, I dare not participate. The Lu Ming is what the ruler uses to commend our humble ruler—how dare I not bow in gratitude for this commendation? The Simu is what the ruler uses to comfort a minister; how dare I not bow again? The Huanghuang Zhe Hua is what the ruler uses to instruct a minister, saying: ‘You must consult with the loyal and trustworthy.’ I have heard that consulting the good is called zi, consulting relatives is called xun, consulting ritual is called du, consulting government affairs is called zou, and consulting difficulties is called mou. I have obtained these five good things—how dare I not bow again?”
In autumn, Ding Si died. The coffin was not placed in the ancestral temple, no inner coffin was used, and no Yu sacrifice was performed. Jiang Qing said to Ji Wenzi: “You are the chief minister, but the funeral of our ruler’s consort has not been conducted according to ritual. This is preventing the ruler from completing the mourning for his mother. When the ruler grows up, who will bear this fault?” Previously, Ji Sun had planted six catalpa trees east of the Pu Garden gate. Jiang Qing requested to use these trees for the coffin, but Ji Sun said: “Keep it simple.” Jiang Qing still used the catalpa trees from Pu Garden, and Ji Sun did not stop him. The gentleman said: “The Zhi says, ‘One who often acts without ritual will surely bring trouble upon himself’—this probably refers to such a case.”
In winter, Duke Xiang went to Jin to receive instructions on governance. The Marquis of Jin hosted a feast for Duke Xiang, who requested that the state of Zeng be attached to Lu. The Marquis of Jin did not agree. Meng Xianzi said: “Because our ruler is close to our enemies, yet he is willing to steadfastly serve your ruler and not neglect your commands. Zeng has not paid tribute to the Minister of War, and your officials issue orders to our humble city morning and night. Our humble city is small, and if we fail to meet your demands, it becomes our ruler’s fault. Therefore, our ruler hopes for assistance.” The Marquis of Jin then agreed.
The Chu people had Dun take advantage to sow discord with Chen, then attacked Chen, so the people of Chen besieged Dun.
The ruler of Wuzhong, Jiafu, sent Meng Le to Jin. Through Wei Zhuangzi, he presented tiger and leopard skins, requesting peace with the various Rong tribes. The Marquis of Jin said: “The Rong and Di have no sense of kinship and are greedy—better to attack them.” Wei Jiang said: “The feudal lords have recently submitted, and Chen has recently come to make peace. They will all observe our actions. If we have virtue, they will draw near; otherwise, they will rebel. If we mobilize troops to attack the Rong, and Chu attacks Chen, we will certainly be unable to rescue them—this would be to abandon Chen. The central states will surely rebel. The Rong are but beasts; to gain the Rong but lose the central states—I fear that will not do.” The Xia Xun says: “There was Yi of Youqiong.” The Marquis of Jin said: “What about Yi?” Wei Jiang replied: “In the past, when the Xia dynasty was declining, Yi moved from Zhu to Qiongshi, relying on the Xia people to replace the Xia regime. He relied on his archery skills, did not govern civil affairs, and indulged in hunting. He abandoned Wuluo, Bokun, Xiongkun, and Pangyu, and instead employed Han Zhuo. Han Zhuo was a wicked younger brother of the Boming clan. Boming Hou Han abandoned him, but Yi took him in, trusted and employed him, making him his assistant. Han Zhuo curried favor with women in the palace, distributed goods outside, fooled the people, and made Yi indulge in hunting. He cultivated deceit and evil, using this to seize Yi’s state, and both inside and outside submitted to him. Yi still did not repent. When he was about to return from hunting, his household killed him and boiled him, feeding his flesh to his son. His son could not bear to eat it and was killed at Qiongmen. Mi fled to Yougeshi. Han Zhuo took Yi’s wives and concubines, sired Ao and Yi. He relied on his deceit and evil, showed no kindness to the people, and sent Ao to lead an army to destroy Zhen Guan and Zhen Xun. He made Ao live in Guo and Yi live in Ge. Mi gathered the remnants of these two states from Yougeshi, destroyed Han Zhuo, and established Shaokang. Shaokang destroyed Ao in Guo, Hou Zhu destroyed Yi in Ge, and Youqiong perished from then on—this was because they lost the people’s hearts. In the past, when Xin Jia of Zhou served as Grand Scribe, he ordered all officials to remonstrate with the Son of Heaven over his faults. In the Yu Ren Zhi it says: ‘Vast are the traces of Yu, divided into nine provinces, opening nine great roads. The people have resting places and temples, the beasts have rich grass, each has its dwelling, virtue is thus not disordered. Yi, who was on the throne, coveted the wild beasts of the plains, forgot the state’s worries, and thought only of male and female beasts. Military force cannot be used excessively; therefore, Xia’s heritage could not be extended. The beast official is in charge of the wilds, and respectfully reports this to your attendants.’ The Yu Zhi says this—how can one not be warned?” At that time, the Marquis of Jin was fond of hunting, so Wei Jiang mentioned this. The Marquis of Jin said: “Since this is so, then is it not better to make peace with the Rong?” Wei Jiang replied: “Making peace with the Rong has five benefits: The Rong and Di move with water and grass, value goods and despise land—their land can be bought, this is the first. The borders need no vigilance, the people can peacefully work the fields, and the farmers complete their harvests, this is the second. The Rong and Di serve Jin, the four neighbors are stirred, and the feudal lords thus fear and submit, this is the third. Using virtue to pacify the Rong, the army is not injured, weapons are not damaged, this is the fourth. Taking history as a mirror and ruling with virtue, distant states submit, near states are at peace, this is the fifth. Please consider this, my lord.” The Marquis of Jin was pleased, sent Wei Jiang to form an alliance with the various Rong tribes, and devoted himself to governing civil affairs, hunting at the proper times.
In winter, in the tenth month, the people of Zhu and Ju attacked Zeng. Zang He went to rescue Zeng, invaded Zhu, and was defeated at Hutai. The people of Lu who went to receive the dead tied hemp cloth in their hair, and from this Lu began this hairstyle. The people of the state sang: “The man of Zang wears a fox fur, at Hutai he caused our defeat. Our ruler is a young boy, sent a dwarf to war. Dwarf, oh dwarf, made us lose to Zhu.”