燕召公世家 — Shiji

Shao Gong's governance of the western regions won him the heartfelt allegiance of the people. When Shao Gong traveled on circuit to the rural towns, there was a pear tree at which he would settle disputes and conduct government affairs. From marquises and earls down to commoners, each received what was properly theirs, and no one lost their rightful position. When Shao Gong died, the people, remembering his governance, were reluctant to fell the pear tree and composed songs about it, giving rise to the poem "The Sweet Pear Tree."

From Shao Gong down nine generations came to Hui Hou. When King Li of Zhou fled to Zhi and the Gonghe Regency was established, Yan Hui Hou died and his son Li Hou succeeded him. This was the year King Xuan of Zhou first ascended the throne. In the twenty-first year of Li Hou's reign, Huan Gong of Zheng was first enfeoffed at Zheng. In the thirty-sixth year, Li Hou died and his son Qing Hou succeeded. Qing Hou ruled for twenty years, during which King You of Zhou's licentious conduct led to his death at the hands of the Quanrong. Qin first became a feudal lord. In the twenty-fourth year, Qing Hou died and his son Ai Hou succeeded. Ai Hou died in his second year, and his son Cheng Hou succeeded. Cheng Hou died in his thirty-sixth year, and his son Mu Hou succeeded. Mu Hou ruled for seven years, which was also the first year of Duke Yin of Lu's reign. In the eighteenth year Mu Hou died, and his son Xuan Hou succeeded. Xuan Hou died in his thirteenth year, and his son Huan Hou succeeded. Huan Hou died in his seventh year, and his son Zhuang Gong succeeded.

Some further pointed out: "When Yu recommended Yi, he soon made Yi the target of official suspicion. When Yu grew old, he judged Yi unequal to governing the empire and transmitted it to Yi. But then Yi and his faction attacked Yi and seized the succession. The world said that Yu had nominally transmitted the empire to Yi, but in truth had arranged for his own son Qi to take it. Now Your Majesty speaks of entrusting the state to Zi Zhi, yet all the officials are men of the heir apparent—in name you are entrusting to Zi Zhi, but in truth the heir apparent remains in power." The king then collected all seals from officials of three hundred measures of grain and above and presented them to Zi Zhi. Zi Zhi now faced south and exercised royal authority.

The old King Kuai, relegated to the position of a subject, no longer attended to affairs of state, which all devolved upon Zi Zhi. After three years the state fell into great disorder, and the people lived in terror. General Shi Bei and the heir apparent Ping plotted to attack Zi Zhi. The various generals said to King Min of Qi: "If you strike now, Yan is certain to fall." King Min thereupon sent word to the heir apparent Ping: "I have heard that the heir apparent, in his righteousness, intends to discard private interests and uphold the public good, to rectify the relationship between ruler and ministers, to clarify the positions of father and son. My state is small and insufficient to serve as your vanguard. Nevertheless, I await only the heir apparent's command." The heir apparent thereupon gathered his faction and followers. General Shi Bei surrounded the palace and attacked Zi Zhi, but could not overcome him. Then Shi Bei and the common people turned to attack the heir apparent Ping. Shi Bei died in the process, and his body was displayed as a warning. For several months the conflict dragged on, thousands died, the people lived in terror, and popular morale collapsed.

Zhao Wang died in his thirty-third year and was succeeded by King Hui Wang. King Hui Wang, while heir apparent, had clashed with Yue Yi; now that he had ascended the throne, he suspected Yue Yi and replaced him with Qi Jie. Yue Yi fled to Zhao. Tian Dan of Qi, rallying the forces of Jimo, defeated the Yan army; Qi Jie was killed, and the Yan forces withdrew. Qi recovered all its former cities. King Min died in Ju, and the Qi people installed his son as King Xiang Wang.

In the sixth year, Qin destroyed Eastern Zhou and established the commandery of Sanchuan. In the seventh year, Qin captured thirty-seven cities of Zhao at Yuci and established the commandery of Taiyuan. In the ninth year, the Qin king Zheng first ascended the throne. In the tenth year, Zhao sent Lian Po to attack Fanyang and captured it. Duke Zhao of Zhao died and Duke Dao of Zhao succeeded. He sent Yue Cheng to replace Lian Po, but Lian Po refused and attacked Yue Cheng instead. Yue Cheng fled, and Lian Po escaped to Daliang. In the twelfth year, Zhao sent Li Mu to attack Yan, capturing Wusui and Fangcheng. Ju Xin, formerly a resident of Zhao, had been close to Pang Xuan; he now fled to Yan. Seeing Zhao repeatedly troubled by Qin and knowing that Lian Po had departed, Yan sent Pang Xuan to lead the army, intending to take advantage of Zhao's weakness. Yan consulted Ju Xin, who said: "Pang Xuan is an easy opponent." Yan dispatched Ju Xin to attack Zhao; Zhao sent Pang Xuan to oppose him. Yan lost twenty thousand soldiers and Ju Xin was killed.

Yan saw that Qin was about to destroy the six states, and Qin's armies approached the Yi River. Disaster threatened Yan. Prince Dan secretly gathered twenty stalwart men, dispatched Jing Ke to present a map of Dugang to Qin, and planned to assassinate the King of Qin. The plot was discovered, and Jing Ke was killed. The Qin general Wang Jian then attacked Yan. In the twenty-ninth year, Qin captured Yan's capital at Ji, and the King of Yan fled, relocating to Liaodong, where he presented Prince Dan's head to Qin. In the thirtieth year, Qin destroyed Wei. In the thirty-third year, Qin captured Liaodong and took the King of Yan, Xi, captive—Yan was finally destroyed. In this same year, the Qin general Wang Ben also captured the king of Dai, Jia.

The Grand Historiographer remarks: Shao Gong Shi may truly be called benevolent! Even the pear tree he tended was long remembered—how much more so the man himself!

Yan faced pressure from without by the Man and Mo peoples, and was hemmed in from within by the states of Qi and Jin. Navigating precariously among powerful neighbors, it was the weakest of all the states, and was nearly wiped out several times. Yet its altars received offerings for eight or nine hundred years, and it alone among the Ji-surname states did not fall last. Could this not be attributed to the glorious legacy of Duke of Zhao?

The generals said to King Min of Qi, 'Seize the moment and strike; you will surely shatter Yan.' King Min thereupon sent a message to Crown Prince Ping of Yan: 'I have heard of the Crown Prince’s righteousness, that you will set aside private interest to uphold the public good, rectify the duties of lord and minister, and clarify the stations of father and son. My state is small and unworthy to be your vanguard; nevertheless, let the Crown Prince command as he sees fit.' The Crown Prince accordingly gathered his partisans and assembled the people. General Shibei surrounded the ducal palace and attacked Zizhi, but could not overcome him. General Shibei and the common people then turned and attacked Crown Prince Ping. General Shibei was killed, and his body was exposed as a warning.

The conflict dragged on for months, tens of thousands died, the populace was terror-stricken, and the people lost their will to fight. Meng Ke said to the King of Qi, 'Now is the time to attack Yan—this is an opportunity like that of King Wen and King Wu; it must not be missed.' The King then ordered Zhangzi to lead the troops of the five capitals, together with the forces of the northern territories, to invade Yan. The Yan soldiers would not fight, the city gates were not shut, Lord Kuai of Yan died, and Qi won a great victory. Two years after the death of Zizhi of Yan, the people of Yan jointly set up Crown Prince Ping as their ruler—this was King Zhao of Yan. After Yan had been broken, King Zhao ascended the throne; he humbled himself and offered lavish gifts to attract worthy men.

He said to Guo Wei: 'Qi took advantage of our internal disorder to attack and break Yan. I know well that Yan is small and weak, and we lack the strength to retaliate. Yet if I can truly obtain worthy men to share in governing the state and thus wipe away the shame of our former king, that is my wish. Sir, identify someone suitable, and I will personally serve him.' Guo Wei said: 'If Your Majesty truly desires to attract worthy men, begin with me. How much more so for those worthier than I — would they consider a thousand li far?' Thereupon King Zhao had a palace rebuilt for Guo Wei and served him as a teacher. Yue Yi came from Wei, Zou Yan came from Qi, Ju Xin came from Zhao, and men of talent strove to hasten to Yan.

King Zhao mourned the dead and comforted the orphaned and bereaved, sharing both hardship and ease with the common people. In his twenty-eighth year, Yan grew prosperous and wealthy, and its soldiers took delight in battle and made light of warfare. He then appointed Yue Yi as supreme general, and together with Qin, Chu, Han, Zhao, and Wei they plotted to attack Qi. Qi's army was defeated, and King Min fled abroad. Yan's forces alone pursued the defeated troops, entering Linzi, seizing all of Qi's treasures, and burning its palaces and ancestral temples. The only Qi cities that did not fall were Liao, Ju, and Jimo; the rest all belonged to Yan for six years.

In the thirty-third year, King Zhao died. His son King Hui succeeded him. When King Hui had been crown prince, he had a rift with Yue Yi. Upon ascending the throne, he suspected Yue Yi and sent Qi Jie to replace him as commander. Yue Yi fled to Zhao. Qi's Tian Dan, using Jimo as his base, defeated Yan's forces. Qi Jie was killed, and Yan's troops withdrew and returned home. Qi recovered all its former cities. King Min had died in Ju, so his son was set up as King Xiang. In the seventh year, King Hui died. Han, Wei, and Chu jointly attacked Yan. King Wucheng of Yan was established. In the seventh year of King Wucheng, Qi's Tian Dan struck at Yan and captured Zhongyang. In the thirteenth year, Qin defeated Zhao at Changping, killing over four hundred thousand.

In the fourteenth year, King Wucheng died. His son King Xiao succeeded him. In the first year of King Xiao, the Qin army that had been besieging Handan lifted the siege and departed. King Xiao died in his third year, and his son, the present king Xi, succeeded. In the fourth year of King Xi, King Zhaoxiang of Qin died. The king of Yan ordered his chancellor Li Fu to conclude a friendly pact with Zhao, offering five hundred yi of gold as a toast for the king of Zhao. Li Fu returned and reported to the king of Yan: 'All the able-bodied men of the king of Zhao perished at Changping; their orphans are not yet grown. Zhao can be attacked.' The king summoned Changguo Jun Yue Xian to consult him. Yue Xian replied: 'Zhao is a state beset by war on all sides; its people are practiced in arms. It cannot be attacked.' The king said: 'I will use five against one to attack it.' Yue Xian replied: 'That will not do.' The king of Yan grew angry, but all the ministers opined that the attack could be launched.

In the end, two armies were mobilized with two thousand chariots. Li Fu commanded the attack on Hao, and Qing Qin attacked Dai. Only Grandee Jiang Qu said to the king of Yan: 'You opened border passes and made a pact of amity with others, spending five hundred yi of gold to host their sovereign. Now the envoy reports back and you then attack them. This is inauspicious, and the campaign will not succeed.' The king of Yan would not listen and personally led a flanking force to follow them. Jiang Qu seized the king of Yan's seal cord and stopped him, saying: 'Your Majesty absolutely must not go in person. If you go, there will be no success.' The king kicked him away with his foot.

Jiang Qu wept and said, 'It is not for myself that I do this, but for you, my king!' The Yan army reached Songzi. Zhao dispatched Lian Po to take command and defeated Li Fu at Hao. Yue Cheng defeated Qing Qin at Dai. Yue Xian fled to Zhao. Lian Po pursued the Yan forces for over five hundred li and surrounded their capital. The people of Yan sued for peace, but Zhao refused, insisting that Jiang Qu handle the peace negotiations. Yan's chancellor, Jiang Qu, was put in charge of arranging the peace. Zhao heeded Jiang Qu and lifted the siege of Yan. In the sixth year, Qin destroyed Eastern Zhou and established the Sanchuan Commandery.

In the seventh year, Qin captured thirty-seven cities of Zhao including Yuci and established the Taiyuan Commandery. In the ninth year, King Zheng of Qin had just acceded to the throne. In the tenth year, Zhao sent Lian Po to lead an attack on Fanyang and captured it. King Xiaocheng of Zhao died, and King Daoxiang succeeded him. Zhao sent Yue Cheng to replace Lian Po, but Lian Po refused to accept this, attacked Yue Cheng, who fled, and Lian Po then fled to Daliang. In the twelfth year, Zhao sent Li Mu to attack Yan, capturing Wusui and Fangcheng. Ju Xin formerly lived in Zhao and was on friendly terms with Pang Nuan, but later defected and fled to Yan.

Yan, seeing that Zhao had been repeatedly hard-pressed by Qin and that Lian Po had departed, leaving Pang Nuan in command, wished to take advantage of Zhao’s exhaustion to attack. The king asked Ju Xin, who said, “Pang Nuan is easy to deal with.” Yan sent Ju Xin to lead an attack on Zhao. Zhao sent Pang Nuan to strike back, inflicting a loss of twenty thousand on the Yan army and killing Ju Xin. Qin seized twenty cities from Wei and established Dong Commandery. In the nineteenth year, Qin took nine cities at Ye from Zhao. King Daoxiang of Zhao died. In the twenty-third year, Crown Prince Dan of Yan, a hostage in Qin, fled back to Yan. In the twenty-fifth year, Qin captured King An of Han and extinguished Han, establishing Yingchuan Commandery. In the twenty-seventh year, Qin captured King Qian of Zhao and extinguished Zhao.

Prince Jia of Zhao declared himself King of Dai. Yan, seeing that Qin was about to destroy the six states and that the Qin army was approaching the Yi River, realized that disaster was imminent for Yan. Crown Prince Dan secretly trained twenty brave men and sent Jing Ke to present the map of Dukang to Qin, intending to take the opportunity to assassinate the King of Qin. The King of Qin discovered the plot, killed Jing Ke, and dispatched General Wang Jian to attack Yan. In the twenty-ninth year (228 BC), the Qin army attacked and captured our capital, Ji. King Xi of Yan fled, moved to Liaodong, beheaded Crown Prince Dan, and offered his head to Qin. In the thirtieth year (227 BC), Qin annexed the state of Wei.

In the thirty-third year, Qin captured Liaodong, took King Xi of Yan prisoner, and thereby extinguished Yan. That same year, the Qin general Wang Ben also captured King Jia of Dai.

The Grand Historian remarks: Duke Shao Shi can truly be called a man of benevolence! People still cherish the sweet pear tree under which he once administered justice—how much more do they cherish the man himself? Yan was pressed externally by the Man and Mo tribes and wedged internally between Qi and Jin; it struggled for survival among the powerful states, was the smallest and weakest of the feudal lords, and faced near destruction on several occasions. Yet its altars of soil and grain received blood sacrifices for eight or nine hundred years, and among the Ji-surnamed states it alone was the last to perish—was this not the glorious achievement of Duke Shao?