韩世家

In the third year of Duke Jing of Jin, the Minister of Justice Lu'an Jia plotted rebellion, intending to execute Zhao Dun, the assassin of Duke Ling. Zhao Dun was already dead, but Lu'an Jia sought to execute his son Zhao Shuo. Han Jue stopped him, but Jia refused to listen. Jue then secretly informed Zhao Shuo and told him to flee. Shuo said: "If you can ensure that the Zhao sacrifices never cease, I shall die without regret." Han Jue agreed. When Jia finally executed the Zhao clan, Jue feigned illness and stayed home. He knew full well that Cheng Ying and Gongsun Chujiu had hidden the orphaned Zhao Wu.

In the eleventh year of Duke Jing's reign, Han Jue led eight hundred chariots with Generals Xie Ke to attack Qi, defeating Duke Qing at An and capturing Feng Choufu. Thereupon the six ministerial positions were established in Jin, and Han Jue held one of them, receiving the title Xianzi. In the seventeenth year of Duke Jing, the duke fell ill, and the tortoiseshell divination attributed this to the spirits of his great achievements being dissatisfied. Han Jue cited the merits of Zhao Chengji and pleaded that the Zhao clan be allowed to continue its ancestral sacrifices, thereby moving Duke Jing. The duke asked: "Are there any descendants remaining?" Jue spoke on behalf of Zhao Wu, and the former Zhao territories were restored, continuing the Zhao line.

In the third year of Marquis Liehou's reign, Nie Zheng assassinated the Prime Minister of Han, Xia Lei. In the ninth year, Qin attacked and captured our Yiyang, taking six cities. In the thirteenth year, Marquis Liehou died and was succeeded by his son Marquis Wen.

That same year, Marquis Wen of Wei also died. In the second year of Marquis Wen's reign, he attacked Zheng and captured Yangcheng. He attacked Song, reaching Pengcheng, where he captured the Song ruler. In the seventh year, he attacked Qi, reaching Sangqiu. Zheng rebelled against Jin. In the ninth year, he attacked Qi, reaching Lingqiu. In the tenth year, Marquis Wen died and was succeeded by his son Duke Ai.

The Han clan grew desperate. Gongzhong said to the King of Han: "Alliances cannot be relied upon. Qin has long wished to attack Chu. Your Majesty might as well use Zhang Yi to negotiate peace with Qin—offer them a famous city, supply troops, and jointly attack Chu southward. This is a plan of 'one for two.'" The King of Han said: "Good." He then warned Gongzhong to proceed, preparing to purchase Qin's alliance from the west. When King Xiang of Chu heard of this, he was greatly alarmed and summoned Chen Zhen to advise him. Chen Zhen said: "Qin has long wished to attack Chu, and now they are about to acquire Han's famous city along with troops—this is exactly what Qin has been praying for and seeking. Now that they have obtained it, Chu will surely be attacked. If Your Majesty will listen to me, I shall alert the four borders, raise an army, and declare that we are rescuing Han. I will fill the roads with war chariots and send trusted messengers with many carriages and lavish gifts, to assure the King of Han of our rescue. Even if Han does not heed us, they will be grateful to Chu and certainly will not march against us in Qin's ranks. Thus Qin and Han will not be in harmony, and even if their armies come, Chu will suffer no great harm. If Han heeds us and breaks with Qin, Qin will surely be greatly enraged and resent Han bitterly. When Han allies with Chu to the south, they will surely treat Qin lightly; treating Qin lightly, their dealings with Qin will surely be disrespectful. This is how we can use the armies of Qin and Han to avoid disaster for Chu."

King Xiang said: "Good." He then alerted the four borders, raised an army, and declared that they were rescuing Han. He filled the roads with war chariots and sent trusted messengers with many carriages and lavish gifts. He said to the King of Han: "Though our kingdom is small, we have marshaled all our forces. We hope Your Majesty will proceed boldly against Qin; we shall sacrifice the might of Chu for Han." When the King of Han heard this, he was greatly pleased and stopped Gongzhong from going.

Su Dai then spoke to the Qin Empress's younger brother, Mi Rong: "Gongshu and Boying fear that Qin and Chu are scheming to install Jishu. Why not seek a hostage prince from Chu for Han? If the King of Chu agrees to send a hostage to Han, then Gongshu and Boying will know that Qin and Chu do not truly support Jishu, and will surely align Han with Qin and Chu. If Qin and Chu are united to pressure Wei, the Wei clan will not dare ally with Qi, leaving Qi isolated. You also seek a hostage from Chu for Qin, but if Chu refuses, they will resent Han. If Han then aligns with Qi and Wei to besiege Chu, Chu will surely value you highly. If you carry the weight of Qin and Chu to accumulate virtue with Han, Gongshu and Boying will surely serve you with the state's resources."

And so Jishu never returned to Han. Han established Prince Jiu as Crown Prince. The Kings of Qi and Wei came to visit. In the fourteenth year, we joined with the Kings of Qi and Wei to attack Qin, and our forces camped at Hanguguan. In the sixteenth year, Qin returned our Heshui region and Wusui to us. King Xiang died and Crown Prince Jiu succeeded him as King Xi.

In the first year of King Huan's reign, we attacked Yan. In the ninth year, Qin captured our Xing and fortified the area near Fen. In the tenth year, Qin attacked us at Taihang, and our Commander of Shangdang surrendered the commandery of Shangdang to Zhao. In the fourteenth year, Qin captured Shangdang in Zhao and killed the General of Mares, with over four hundred thousand of his men perishing at Changping. In the seventeenth year, Qin captured our Yangcheng and Fushu. In the twenty-second year, King Zhaoxiang of Qin died. In the twenty-fourth year, Qin captured our Chengao and Xingyang. In the twenty-sixth year, Qin captured all of our Shangdang. In the twenty-ninth year, Qin captured thirteen of our cities. In the thirty-fourth year, King Huan died and was succeeded by King An.

In the fifth year of King An's reign, Qin attacked Han. In desperation, Han sent Han Fei to Qin. Qin detained Han Fei and ultimately executed him. In the ninth year, Qin captured King An and took all our territory, establishing it as the Yingchuan commandery. Han was thus destroyed.

The Grand Historian remarks: Han Jue's influence over Duke Jing of Jin, his continuation of the sacrifices for Zhao's orphaned son Wu, and his fulfillment of the righteousness of Cheng Ying and Gongsun Chujiu—this was the deepest virtue beneath heaven. The achievements of the Han clan, as they related to Jin, were not particularly grand. Yet they, together with Zhao and Wei, endured as marquesses for more than ten generations—surely this was well deserved!

The ancestors of Han truly descended from King Wu of Zhou. They served a minor state, and the Spring and Autumn Annals made no mention of them. Their descendants served Jin, dwelling at Hanyuan. The orphaned Zhao was restored; the Zhi clan could be taken. They moved to Pingyang and invaded Fushu. Both Zhao and Han became marquesses; Duke Hui usurped the throne. Qin defeated Xiuyu; Wei met at Oushu. Though Han Fei served as envoy, he could not stop the wolves and tigers.

The ancestors of Han truly descended from King Wu of Zhou. They served a minor state, and the Spring and Autumn Annals made no mention of them. Their descendants served Jin, dwelling at Hanyuan. The orphaned Zhao was restored; the Zhi clan could be taken. They moved to Pingyang and invaded Fushu. Both Zhao and Han became marquesses; Duke Hui usurped the throne. Qin defeated Xiuyu; Wei met at Oushu. Though Han Fei served as envoy, he could not stop the wolves and tigers.

If the King of Chu heeds the advice to send a hostage into Han, then Gongshu and Boying will understand that Qin and Chu do not regard Jishi as important and will certainly bring Han to align with Qin and Chu. Qin and Chu, using Han to constrain Wei, will make Wei not dare to join with Qi, leaving Qi isolated. You, my lord, should also request a hostage from Chu on behalf of Qin. If Chu does not agree, resentment will build up against Han. Han, bringing Qi and Wei to besiege Chu, will cause Chu to value you. You, holding the weight of Qin and Chu, will accumulate virtue in Han; Gongshu and Boying will then entrust the state to you. Thus Jishi would ultimately be unable to return to Han. Han established Jiu as its heir apparent.

The King of Qi and the King of Wei came to visit. In the fourteenth year, Han together with the King of Qi and the King of Wei attacked Qin, advancing as far as Hangu Pass and encamping there. In the sixteenth year, Qin returned to Han the territory beyond the Yellow River and Wusui. King Xiang died, and Crown Prince Jiu succeeded him, becoming King Xi. In the third year of King Xi, he dispatched Gongsun Xi to lead the troops of Zhou and Wei against Qin. Qin defeated our army of two hundred and forty thousand men and captured Gongsun Xi at Yique. In the fifth year, Qin seized our Wan city. In the sixth year, we ceded two hundred li of land in Wusui to Qin. In the tenth year, Qin defeated our army at Xiashan. In the twelfth year, we met with King Zhaoxiang of Qin at the Western Zhou domain and aided Qin in attacking Qi. Qi was defeated, and King Min fled abroad. In the fourteenth year, we met with Qin between the two Zhou domains. In the twenty-first year, we sent Bao Yuan to rescue Wei, but he was defeated by Qin and fled to Kaifeng. In the twenty-third year, Zhao and Wei attacked our city of Huayang. Han sent an urgent plea for aid to Qin, but Qin would not help. The Chancellor of Han said to Chen Shi, ‘The situation is desperate. Though you are ill, I hope you can force yourself to make a journey of just one night.’ Chen Shi went to see the Marquis Rang. The Marquis Rang said, ‘Is the situation desperate, that they have sent you?’ Chen Shi replied, ‘It is not desperate yet.’

The Marquis Rang said angrily, ‘Can this be counted as being sent by your ruler? Envoys with their official caps and canopies meet each other on the road, and your reports to our humble state describe Han’s situation as extremely urgent. Yet you come and say it is not urgent — why?’ Chen Shi replied, ‘If Han were truly desperate, she would have turned to follow some other state instead. Precisely because it is not yet desperate, I have come here once more.’ The Marquis Rang said, ‘You need not see the King. Allow me to dispatch troops right now to rescue Han.’ In eight days the Qin army arrived and defeated Zhao and Wei beneath the walls of Huayang. In that year, King Xi died, and his son, King Huanhui, came to the throne.

In the first year of King Huanhui, Han attacked Yan. In the ninth year, Qin seized our city of Xing and built a fortification by the Fen River. In the tenth year, Qin attacked us in the Taihang Mountains, and the Governor of our Shangdang Commandery surrendered Shangdang to Zhao. In the fourteenth year, Qin seized Shangdang from Zhao and killed Ma Fuzi along with more than four hundred thousand of his troops at Changping. In the seventeenth year, Qin took our cities of Yangcheng and Fushu. In the twenty-second year, King Zhaoxiang of Qin died. In the twenty-fourth year, Qin seized our Chenggao and Xingyang. In the twenty-sixth year, Qin completely took our Shangdang region. In the twenty-ninth year, Qin captured thirteen of our cities. In the thirty-fourth year, King Huanhui died, and his son, King An, succeeded him.

In the fifth year of King An of Han, Qin attacked Han, and the situation became desperate. Han sent Han Fei as an envoy to Qin, but Qin detained him and then killed him. In the ninth year, Qin captured King An of Han, took all his territory, and made it the Yingchuan Commandery. And so Han perished. The Grand Historian comments: Han Jue moved Duke Jing of Jin, enabling the continuation of the orphan Zhao Wu of the Zhao clan, and thereby fulfilled the righteous deeds of Cheng Ying and Gongsun Chujiu. This was the greatest hidden virtue under Heaven. As for his services to Jin, we do not see any great achievements by Han. Yet together with Zhao and Wei, they ultimately remained as feudal lords for over ten generations—how fitting! The ancestors of the Han clan were in fact descendants of King Wu of Zhou.

Han served a minor state, small and weak; the Spring and Autumn Annals say nothing. Later, its descendants served Jin, residing in the fief of Yuan.

The orphan of Zhao was able to be established; Zhi Bo could be taken. Having already moved the capital to Pingyang, they further invaded Fushu.

Marquis Jing of Han and Zhao were both Marquises; King Hui then presumptuously assumed the title of King. Qin defeated Han at Xiuyu; Wei held a covenant at Qushu. Though Han Fei was sent as an envoy, he could not stop the tiger-wolf of Qin.