Duke Xi's Twenty-first Year

Year 21, Spring: The Di people invaded the state of Wei.

The people of Song, Qi, and Chu held a meeting at Lu Shang.

Summer: A great drought occurred.

Autumn: The Duke of Song, the Viscount of Chu, the Marquis of Chen, the Marquis of Cai, the Earl of Zheng, the Baron of Xu, and the Earl of Cao met at Yu. The Chu people seized the Duke of Song and attacked Song.

Winter: The Duke of Lu attacked the state of Zhu.

The Chu people sent Yi Shen to present spoils of war.

On the guichou day of the twelfth month, the Duke of Lu met with the feudal lords at Bo and released the Duke of Song.

Year 21, Spring: The people of Song, on account of the covenant at Lu Shang, requested that Chu summon the feudal lords, and the Chu people agreed. Gongzi Muyi said: "For a small state to contend for leadership of the alliance is a calamity. Song is likely to perish! Even to be defeated a little later would be fortunate."

Summer: A great drought occurred. The Duke of Lu intended to burn the shamaness and the hunchback. Zang Wenzhong said: "This is no way to prepare against a drought. Repair the city walls, reduce the grain stores, cut expenditures, devote effort to agriculture, and encourage giving to others—these are the proper measures. What can the shamaness and the hunchback do? If Heaven intends to kill them, it would have been better not to have brought them into being. If they can cause drought, burning them will only make the drought worse." The Duke of Lu heeded this advice. That year, although there was famine, it caused no harm.

Autumn: The feudal lords met the Duke of Song at Yu. Ziyu said: "The calamity is likely right here! The ruler's desires are too excessive—how can others endure them?" Then the Chu people seized the Duke of Song and attacked Song. Winter: The feudal lords met at Bo and released the Duke of Song. Ziyu said: "The calamity is not yet over; this is not enough to punish the ruler."

The states of Ren, Su, Xuju, and Zhuanyu all bore the surname Feng. They in fact presided over the sacrifices to Taihao and Youji, and they subordinated themselves to the Central States. The Zhu people destroyed Xuju, and the ruler of Xuju fled to Lu for refuge—this was because of Cheng Feng. Cheng Feng then said to the Duke of Lu: "To honor the bright sacrifices and protect the weak states is the Zhou ritual. The barbarians disturbing the Central States are a calamity for Zhou. If you reestablish the state of Xuju, that would be to honor Taihao and Youji, restore the sacrifices, and dispel the calamity."