Duke Zhao's 29th Year
In the twenty-ninth year, in spring, Duke Zhao returned from Ganhou and resided in the Yun territory. Duke Jing of Qi sent Gao Zhang to offer condolences to Duke Zhao.
Duke Zhao then went to Jin and stayed at Ganhou.
In summer, in the fourth month, on the Gengzi day, Shu Yi died.
In autumn, in the seventh month.
In winter, in the tenth month, the Yun territory collapsed in disarray.
In the twenty-ninth year, in spring, Duke Zhao returned from Ganhou and resided in Yun. Duke Jing of Qi sent Gao Zhang to offer condolences to Duke Zhao, addressing him as “Lord Ruler.” Zijiazi said, “Qi has slighted our lord; you will only suffer disgrace.” Duke Zhao then went to Ganhou.
On the Jimao day in the third month, the royal capital executed Shao Bo Ying, Yin Shi Gu, and the son of Yuan Bo Lu. When Yin Gu was reappointed, a woman met him in the outskirts of Zhou and reproached him, saying, “When you dwelled there, you urged calamity; after leaving for just a few days, you return. This man—can he survive three years?”
On the Gengyin day in the fifth month of summer, Prince Zhao Che entered the Lian territory to launch a rebellion, but Yin Buxian defeated him.
Ji Pingzi each year purchased horses and prepared accompanying robes and shoes, sending them to Ganhou for Duke Zhao. Duke Zhao seized the men who sent the horses and sold them, whereupon Ji Pingzi ceased sending horses. Duke Ling of Wei came to present his carriage horses, named Qifu, but the horse fell into a pit and died. Duke Zhao prepared to make a coffin for it. Zijiazi said, “Your attendants are all exhausted; I request that you allow them to eat the horse’s meat.” So they wrapped the horse in a curtain and buried it.
Duke Zhao bestowed a lambskin robe on Gong Yan and ordered him to present the Dragon Auxiliary Jade to Duke Jing of Qi. Gong Yan then took the opportunity to present the lambskin robe as well. Duke Jing of Qi was delighted and granted him Yanggu. When Gong Yan and Gong Wei were born, their mothers went out together. Gong Yan was born first. Gong Wei’s mother said, “We came out together; let us report together.” Three days later, Gong Wei was born, and his mother reported first, so Gong Wei was considered the elder brother. Duke Zhao was privately pleased with the matter of Yanggu but then recalled events in Lu, saying, “Wu Ren (Gong Wei) caused this calamity, and he, born later, became the elder brother—such deception has lasted long.” Thereupon he deposed Gong Wei and established Gong Yan as heir apparent.
In autumn, a dragon appeared in the outskirts of Jiang. Wei Xianzi asked Cai Mo, saying, “I have heard that among creatures, none is more intelligent than the dragon, because it cannot be captured alive, so it is called intelligent. Is this truly so?” Cai Mo replied, “It is really that people are not intelligent enough, not that the dragon is truly intelligent. In ancient times, dragons were raised, so the state had the Huanlong clan and the Yulong clan.” Xianzi said, “I have also heard of these two clans, but I do not know their origins. How is this?” Cai Mo replied, “In the past, there was the Lord Shu’an of the Liu state, who had a descendant named Dong Fu. He truly loved dragons, could understand their likes and desires to feed them, and most dragons attached themselves to him. Thus he tamed and raised dragons, serving Emperor Shun. Emperor Shun granted him the surname Dong and the clan name Huanlong, and enfeoffed him at Zongchuan. The Zongyi clan is his descendant. Thus the lineage of Emperor Shun had dragon raisers for generations. By the time of Xia’s Kongjia, he submitted to the Heavenly Emperor, who granted him dragons for his chariot—two from the Yellow River and two from the Han River, each with a male and female. Kongjia could not feed them, nor could he find the Huanlong clan. After the decline of the Taotang clan, a descendant named Liu Lei learned dragon taming from the Huanlong clan to serve Kongjia and was able to feed the dragons. The Xia Hou rewarded him, granting him the clan name Yulong, to replace the descendants of the Shiwei clan. One female dragon died, and Liu Lei secretly minced its meat and fed it to the Xia Hou. The Xia Hou ate it, and later ordered Liu Lei to find more dragon meat. Liu Lei, afraid, moved to Lu County, and the Fan clan is his descendant.” Xianzi said, “Why are there no dragons now?” Cai Mo replied, “All things have their officials; the officials cultivate their methods, pondering them morning and evening. Once they lose their office, they die. Losing office means they cannot enjoy their emoluments. If officials long practice their duties, those things appear. If they are abandoned, things lie hidden and concealed, stifled and unable to grow. Thus there are the five offices of the five elements, called the five officials. They actually receive clan surnames, are enfeoffed as supreme dukes, and are worshipped as noble spirits. The five sacrifices of the altars of soil and grain are revered and offered to. The Wood Director is called Goumang, the Fire Director is called Zhurong, the Metal Director is called Rushou, the Water Director is called Xuanming, and the Earth Director is called Houtu. The dragon is a creature of water; when the Water Office was abandoned, the dragon could not be captured alive. Otherwise, in the Zhouyi, in the Qian hexagram’s Gou trigram it says: ‘The hidden dragon—do not use.’ In the Tongren hexagram it says: ‘The dragon appears in the field.’ In the Dayou hexagram it says: ‘The dragon flies in the sky.’ In the Guai hexagram it says: ‘The dragon flying to the extreme brings regret.’ In the Kun hexagram it says: ‘Seeing a flock of dragons without a leader is auspicious.’ In the Kun hexagram’s Bo trigram it says: ‘Dragons fight in the wild.’ If they did not appear morning and evening, who could describe them?” Xianzi said, “The five sacrifices of the altars of soil and grain—which emperor’s five officials are they?” Cai Mo replied, “Shaohao had four younger brothers: named Zhong, named Gai, named Xiu, and named Xi, who truly could govern metal, wood, and water. He made Zhong Goumang, Gai Rushou, and Xiu and Xi Xuanming. For generations they did not lose their office, thus achieving the achievements of the Qiongsang clan—these are three of the sacrifices. Zhuanxu had a son named Li, who became Zhurong; Gonggong had a son named Jugou, who became Houtu—these are two of the sacrifices. Houtu is the god of the soil altar, and Ji is the Field Director. There was a son of the Lieshan clan named Zhu who became the god of millet, worshipped from before the Xia dynasty. Zhou’s Qi also became the god of millet, worshipped from the Shang dynasty onward.”
In winter, Zhao Yang and Xun Yin of Jin led troops to build a city wall by the Rushui River, and then levied one gu of iron from Jin to cast a penal tripod, engraving on it the penal code formulated by Fan Xuanzi.
Confucius said, “Jin is likely to perish! It has lost its laws. Jin should uphold the laws received from Tang Shu to govern the people, with ministers and high officers observing them in order. Thus the people can respect the noble, and the noble can preserve their foundations. The noble and base not being confused—this is what is called law. Duke Wen thereby established the office of the Zhizhi and formulated the Beilu law, thus becoming the leader of the alliance. Now this law is abandoned, and a penal tripod is cast. The people will only see the articles on the tripod—how can they respect the noble? How can the noble preserve their foundations? If noble and base have no order, how can the state be governed? Moreover, Fan Xuanzi’s penal code was formulated at the Yi review—it is a chaotic law for Jin. How can it be taken as law?” Cai Shimo said, “The Fan and Zhonghang clans are likely to perish! Zhonghang Yin was a lower minister but defied his superior’s orders, arbitrarily made penal vessels, and made them the state’s law—this is emulating depravity. Added to the Fan clan, altering the old laws, they will perish. I fear it will implicate the Zhao clan, as Zhao Meng participated in this. Yet if it is unavoidable, if he cultivates virtue, he may perhaps escape disaster.”