周本纪 — Shiji

The Hou of Zhou was named Qi. His mother was a woman of the Tai clan named Jiang Yuan. Jiang Yuan was the first consort of Emperor Ku. Once when Jiang Yuan went out to the wilds, she saw the footprints of a giant and felt joyful at the sight. Wishing to tread upon them, she stepped on the prints—and immediately felt a movement within her as if she were pregnant. When her time was complete, she gave birth to a son. Considering it ill-omened, she abandoned the child in a narrow lane, but oxen and horses passing by avoided trampling him. She then moved him to the forest, where there happened to be many people gathered, so she relocated him once more. Finally she placed him on ice in a drainage channel, but birds spread their wings over him to shelter and protect him. Jiang Yuan regarded this as divine intervention and accordingly raised the child as her own. Originally she had intended to abandon him, and so named him Qi. As a boy, Qi showed the aspirations of a giant. In his play, he delighted in planting trees, hemp, and beans—and the hemp and beans flourished. When he grew to adulthood, he became skilled at farming, selecting land according to what was suitable for cultivation, and sowing grain where the soil permitted. The people all modeled themselves upon his methods. When Emperor Yao heard of him, he appointed Qi as Director of Agriculture, and the realm benefited from his expertise, fulfilling his purpose. Emperor Shun said: "Qi, the common people have only just escaped famine—do you, as Hou Ji, sow the hundred grains for them." He enfeoffed Qi at Tai, giving him the title Hou Ji, and establishing a clan name of Ji. The rise of Hou Ji occurred during the reigns of Tao Tang, Yu, and Xia, and throughout this period he maintained his admirable virtue.

After Hou Ji died, his son Bu Zhu succeeded him. In Bu Zhu's later years, the Xia dynasty fell into decline, abandoning the agricultural rites and neglecting their duties. Bu Zhu, having lost his official position, fled to the lands of the Rong and Di peoples. Upon Bu Zhu's death, his son Ju succeeded him. Upon Ju's death, his son Gong Liu succeeded him.

Though Gong Liu lived among the Rong and Di, he restored the enterprise of Hou Ji, devoted himself to farming, and followed the land's natural advantages. Crossing from Qi and Ju through to the Wei River, he obtained materials for use, so that travelers had provisions and settlers accumulated wealth. The people benefited from his good fortune and cherished his memory; many migrated and gathered around him. The Zhou way began to flourish from this time, and poets sang in praise of his virtue.

Upon Gong Liu's death, his son Qing Jie succeeded him and established the capital at Bin. After Qing Jie came his son Huang Pu; then Cha Fu; then Hui Yu; then Gong Fei; then Gao Yu; then Ya Yu; then Gong Shu Zu Lei; and finally Gu Gong Danfu.

Gu Gong Danfu restored and expanded the legacy of Hou Ji and Gong Liu, accumulating virtue and practicing righteousness, so that all the people of the domain honored him. When the Xun Yu Rong attacked, demanding wealth, he gave it to them. When they attacked again, demanding land and people, the people grew indignant and wished to fight. Gu Gong Danfu said: "The people have set up a ruler to protect their interests. Now the Rong and Di attack and make war because they desire our land and our people. The people—whether under my rule or theirs—what difference does it make? If the people wish to fight on my account, I would be sending fathers and sons to their deaths while ruling over them. I cannot bear to do this." So with his household, he departed from Bin, crossing the Qi and Ju rivers, passing over Mount Liang, and stopping at the foot of Mount Qi. The entire population of Bin, old and young, returned to Gu Gong Danfu at the foot of Mount Qi. When neighboring lords heard of Gu Gong Danfu's benevolence, many also came to him.

Gu Gong Danfu had two elder sons: Tai Bo and Yu Zhong. His wife Tai Jiang bore a youngest son named Ji Li, who married Tai Ren, a virtuous woman who gave birth to Chang, a child of remarkable auspiciousness. Gu Gong Danfu observed: "One of my descendants is destined to prosper—perhaps it will be Chang." The elder sons Tai Bo and Yu Zhong, knowing that Gu Gong Danfu intended to pass the succession to Ji Li so that he might transmit it to Chang, fled together to the Jing MAN region, where they tattooed their bodies and cut their hair, yielding the succession to Ji Li.

When Gu Gong Danfu died, Ji Li succeeded him as Gong Ji. Gong Ji cultivated the ways of Gu Gong Danfu, pursuing righteousness with dedication, and the feudal lords submitted to him. Upon Gong Ji's death, his son Chang succeeded him as Xi Bo—the future King Wen.

King Wen of Zhou followed the enterprises of Hou Ji and Gong Liu, observing the laws established by Gu Gong Danfu and Gong Ji. He was profoundly benevolent, showing respect to the elderly and tenderness to the young. He treated the worthy with courtesy, often going without food from morning until night in order to receive scholars, who therefore flocked to him. Bo Yi and Shu Qi of Bo Zhu heard that Xi Bo was kind to the aged and thought: "Why not go and join him?" Tai Dian, Hong Yao, San Yi Sheng, Yu Zi, and the officials Xin Jia and their followers all came to him.

The Duke of Chong, Hu, slandered Xi Bo before Zhou of Shang: "Xi Bo has accumulated merit and virtue; the feudal lords all turn toward him. He will work to your detriment, Majesty." Emperor Zhou imprisoned Xi Bo at Youli. Hong Yao and his companions were distressed. They sought beautiful women from You Shen, patterned horses from Li Rong, nine teams of bears, and other rare curiosities, which they presented to Zhou through the emperor's favorite minister, Fei Zhong. The emperor was delighted, saying: "One of these gifts alone would be enough to release Xi Bo—how much more so all of them together!" He released Xi Bo and gave him bows, arrows, axes, and battle-axes, permitting him to wage campaigns. He said: "The one who slandered Xi Bo was the Duke of Chong, Hu." Xi Bo then presented the lands west of the Luo River, requesting that the emperor abolish the Punishment of the Roasting Cauldron. The emperor agreed.

The next year, he attacked the Quan Rong. The following year, he attacked Mi Xu. The following year, he defeated the Qi state. Ji, an official of Yin, heard of this and, alarmed, reported to Emperor Zhou. The emperor replied: "Is this not what Heaven decrees? What can anyone do about it?" The following year, he attacked Yu. The following year, he attacked Chong Hu. He built the city of Feng, moving the capital from the foot of Mount Qi to Feng. The following year, Xi Bo died, and his son Fa succeeded him as King Wu.

Xi Bo had ruled for approximately fifty years. During his imprisonment at Youli, he had apparently expanded the eight trigrams of the Yijing into sixty-four hexagrams. Poets wrote about Xi Bo, saying that in the year of his appointment by Heaven, he took the title King and settled the dispute between Yu and Rui. Ten years later he died, receiving the posthumous title King Wen.

He reformed the legal codes and established a new calendar. He posthumously honored Gu Gong Danfu as King Tai and Gong Ji as King Wang Ji—thus the royal succession began with King Tai.

When King Wu ascended the throne, Taigong Wang became his mentor, the Duke of Zhou assisted him, and Zhao Gong, Bi Gong and their followers supported the king, continuing the enterprise of King Wen. In the ninth year, King Wu offered sacrifice at Bi. Proceeding east, he inspected his forces at Mengjin, carrying an effigy of King Wen in a carriage at the center of the army. King Wu proclaimed himself Crown Prince Fa, declaring that he followed the will of King Wen in this campaign and dared not act independently. He then addressed the Marshal, Minister of War, Minister of Works, and all the officials: "Be reverent and diligent—be assured! I am ignorant, but my ancestors possessed virtuous ministers. I, the youthful successor, have inherited their achievements. Let rewards and punishments be established, and let accomplishments be determined." Thereupon he raised the army.

The Commander, Shang Fu, called out: "Assemble your multitudes and prepare your boats—the latecomers will be beheaded!"

As King Wu crossed the Yellow River, at midstream a white fish leapt into the king's vessel. King Wu bent down, picked it up, and offered it in sacrifice. Having crossed, a fire descended from the heavens to the earth, passing over the royal pavilion, transforming into a crow, red in color, whose cry echoed through the clouds.

At this time, eight hundred feudal lords arrived uninvited at Mengjin to meet in alliance. They declared: "Zhou can be attacked!" King Wu replied: "You do not yet understand the will of Heaven—this is not the time." He withdrew the army.

Two years later, reports came that Zhou had grown increasingly depraved and tyrannical: he had killed his prince Bi Gan and imprisoned Ji Zi. The Grand Tutor Ci and the Junior Tutor Qiang fled to Zhou with their musical instruments. King Wu then announced to all the feudal lords: "Yin has committed grave offenses and must be utterly punished."

"Now the King of Yin, Zhou, listens only to the words of women. He has severed himself from Heaven, destroyed the three foundations of order, alienated his father's brothers, rejected the offerings to his ancestors, created lewd music to corrupt proper sounds, and delights in gratifying women. Therefore I, Fa, now wage Heaven's punishment. Strive, warriors! Do not hesitate—do not be divided!"

At dawn on the day of Jiazi in the second month, King Wu arrived at the outskirts of Shang, at Muye, where he made his oath. King Wu held a yellow axe in his left hand and a white standard in his right, pointing with them as he spoke:

"Hark, men of the western lands!"

King Wu announced: "Hear me, lords of my realm! Ministers of War, of Justice, and of Works! Officers, company commanders, centurions, and men of Yong, Shu, Qiang, Mao, Wei, Lu, Peng, and Pu! Raise your halberds, cross your shields, plant your spears—thus I make my oath."

King Wu declared: "The ancients had a saying: 'When the hen announces the dawn, the house falls to ruin.' Now Yin Zhou follows only a woman's counsel, abandoning the sacrifices to his ancestors, neglecting his state and family, rejecting his father's brothers. He elevates and honors criminals and fugitives, employing them to cruelly oppress the common people and to work lawlessness throughout the realm. Therefore I, Fa, now wage Heaven's punishment."

"In the action ahead, advance no more than six or seven paces, then stop and keep ranks—strive, warriors! Strike no more than four, five, six, or seven blows, then halt and hold formation—strive, warriors! Be bold and fierce, like tigers and bears, like wolves and wolves—advance toward the outskirts of Shang! Do not resist those who surrender, for they serve the western lands—strive, warriors! Those who do not strive shall be destroyed!"

Having completed the oath, the allied forces—four thousand chariots strong—drew up in battle formation at Muye.

When Emperor Zhou heard of King Wu's arrival, he too mobilized seven hundred thousand troops to oppose him. King Wu sent Taigong Wang with a select force to engage the front, while his main army charged Emperor Zhou's lines. Though Zhou's army was vast, none wished to fight; they yearned only for King Wu to advance swiftly. The imperial forces turned their weapons against their own side, opening the way for King Wu. He rode through, and Zhou's army collapsed, abandoning their allegiance to Zhou. Zhou fled back into the city and climbed the Deer Terrace, where he wrapped himself in precious jade and set fire to himself.

King Wu raised the great white banner, and the feudal lords came forth to pay homage. King Wu bowed to them, and they followed in submission. When King Wu entered the city of Shang, the merchants of the realm awaited him in the suburbs. King Wu sent his ministers to address the merchants: "Heaven sends down blessings!" The merchants bowed their heads to the ground in repeated reverence, and King Wu returned their salutation.

He then proceeded to the place where Zhou had died. King Wu shot three arrows at the body, then descended from his chariot and struck it with a light sword. With the yellow axe, he beheaded Zhou and displayed it from the great white banner. He then approached Zhou's two concubines, who had hanged themselves. King Wu shot three more arrows, struck them with his sword, and with the black axe beheaded them, displaying the heads from the small white banner.

Having done this, King Wu departed and returned to the army.

The following day, roads were cleared and the altars to the earth at Shang and the palace of Zhou were restored. At the appointed time, soldiers bearing the imperial banners led the procession. King Wu's younger brother Shu Zhenduo presented the ceremonial carriage with its regular flags. The Duke of Zhou held the great axe, Bi Gong held the small axe, flanking King Wu. San Yi Sheng and Tai Dian guarded King Wu with swords. Mao Shu Zheng offered purified water, Kang Shu Feng spread the ceremonial mats, and Zhao Gong Shi presented the offerings. The Commander Shang Fu led the sacrificial ox. Yin Yi performed the divination and pronounced:

"The final descendant of Yin, Ji Zhou, has abandoned the bright virtue of former kings, scorned the spirits and neglected sacrifice, brought violence upon the city and its people—his crimes have been made manifest before the Emperor on High."

He enfeoffed Zhou's son Lu Fu with the remnant people of Yin. Because the realm was newly settled and not yet unified, King Wu assigned his brothers Guan Shu Xian and Cai Shu Du to assist Lu Fu in governing Yin. He then commanded Zhao Gong to release Ji Zi from imprisonment, instructed Bi Gong to free the common people from captivity and to erect a monument at the gate of Shang Rong, ordered Nan Gong Kuo to distribute the wealth of the Deer Terrace and the grain from the Great Bridge to relieve the poor and lowly, commanded Nan Gong Kuo and Shi Yi to display the nine tripods and protect the precious jade, instructed Hong Yao to build a tomb over Bi Gan's grave, and ordered the ritual officers to offer sacrifices at the military altar. Then he disbanded the army and marched west.

He traveled on a hunting expedition, but attended to affairs of government. He composed the 'Wu Cheng' chapter. He enfeoffed the feudal lords and distributed the ritual vessels as recorded. He honored the former sage kings: the descendants of Shennong at Jiao, of the Yellow Emperor at Zhu, of Emperor Yao at Ji, of Emperor Shun at Chen, and of Yu the Great at Qi.

He enfeoffed his able ministers and strategists, with Taigong Wang receiving the highest honor. He was enfeoffed at Yingqiu as Duke of Qi. The Duke of Zhou was enfeoffed at Qufu as Duke of Lu. Zhao Gong Shi was enfeoffed at Yan. The brothers Guan Shu Xian and Cai Shu Du were enfeoffed at Guan and Cai respectively. The others received enfeoffments in order.

King Wu summoned the lords of the nine provinces, ascended the hills of Bin, and gazed toward the city of Shang. When he returned to Zhou, he could not sleep from dusk until dawn. The Duke of Zhou went to where the king was staying and asked: "Why can you not sleep?"

The king replied: "I will tell you: Heaven does not accept the sacrifices of Yin. Since before I was born, for sixty years, deer and elk have grazed in the marshlands, and flying crows have filled the fields. Heaven does not accept Yin—only now has success come. When Heaven established Yin, three hundred and sixty men of noble name rose to prominence. They were neither honored nor destroyed, and have continued thus to this day. I have not yet secured the protection of Heaven—how could I sleep?"

King You lit the beacon fires to summon the troops, but no soldiers came. The Quanrong then killed King You at the foot of Mount Li, captured Bao Si, and carried off all the treasures and valuables of Zhou. The feudal lords subsequently went to the Marquess of Shen and jointly enthroned the former crown prince Yijiu, son of King You, as King Ping, to continue the ancestral rites of Zhou. After ascending the throne, King Ping moved the capital east to Luoyi to avoid the Rong invaders. During King Ping's reign, the royal house of Zhou declined, powerful states annexed weaker ones, and Qi, Chu, Qin, and Jin began to grow strong, with political authority falling to the regional overlords. In the forty-ninth year of King Ping, Duke Yin of Lu came to power. In the fifty-first year, King Ping passed away.

When King Wu had conquered Yin, two years later he questioned Ji Zi about the reasons for Yin's fall. Ji Zi could not bear to speak of Yin's evils, so instead he discussed what befitted a state that sought to preserve itself from ruin. King Wu, equally troubled, therefore asked about the ways of heaven.

When Duke Tang of Jin obtained the auspicious grain, he presented it to King Cheng, who in turn sent it to Duke of Zhou at the military encampment. Duke of Zhou received the grain from the eastern territories and received the Son of Heaven's commands.

Initially, when Guan and Cai rebelled against Zhou, Duke of Zhou attacked them, and after three years the campaign was concluded. He therefore composed the Grand Pronouncement, followed by the Declaration concerning Weizi, the Ode to Grain, the Ode to Auspicious Grain, the Announcements to Kang, to Jiu, and to Cai—all recorded in the chapter on the Duke of Zhou.

After seven years of regency, when King Cheng had come of age, Duke of Zhou returned the government to him, taking his place among the ministers. King Cheng, residing in Feng, sent the Duke of Zhao to rebuild Luoyi according to King Wu's design. Duke of Zhou performed fresh divinations and made inspections; having confirmed the site, he established the Nine Tripods there. "Here," he declared, "is the center of the realm; from here the distances to all vassal states are equal." He composed the Announcement to Shao and the Announcement to Luo.

When King Cheng had relocated the Yin exiles, Duke of Zhou issued orders in the king's name, creating the Instructions for the Officials and the Dispersal of the Idlers.

King Kang commanded the composition of an edict for the Duke of Bi to settle the people in their assigned places, to complete the suburbs of Zhou, thus composing the Bi's Mandate. King Kang died, and his son Xia succeeded him as King Zhao.

"When plaintiff and defendant have both appeared, the magistrate examines the five types of testimony. If the five testimonies are verified and consistent, penalties are imposed according to the five statutes. If the five statutes cannot be verified, fines are imposed. If fines cannot be applied, the case is dismissed. Flaws in dismissed cases—official bias or personal enmity—must be examined and the true nature of the offense determined, with penalties only for actual faults.

King Mu lived fifty-five years and died. His son Yi Hu succeeded him as King Gong.

King Gong was touring the Jing River when the Duke of Mi followed him, accompanied by three women who approached him. His mother said: "You must present them to the king. Three beasts make a herd, three people make a crowd, three women make a beauties. When the king hunts, he does not take herds; when a duke travels, he does not take crowds; a king's consort does not come from three families. Beauty is a fine thing, but when many fine things come to you, how can you possibly deserve them? Even a king might not be equal to such fortune—how much less one so insignificant as you! A petty man who amasses fine things will ultimately come to ruin."

King Gong died, and his son Tian succeeded him as King Yi. During King Yi's reign, the royal house declined, and poets composed satires. King Yi died, and his younger brother Pi Fang ascended as King Xiao. King Xiao died, and the lords restored the son of King Yi, Xie, who became King Yi of a new generation.

King Yi died, and his son Hu succeeded as King Li. King Li assumed the throne and for thirty years pursued profit, drawing close to Rong Yi Gong. The great officer Rui Liangfu remonstrated: "Will the royal house fall so low? Rong Gong loves monopolizing profit but knows nothing of great peril. Profit is what all things produce, what heaven and earth contain—and to monopolize it brings great harm. When one reaches for everything under heaven, how can one succeed? Much resentment builds; without preparing for great peril, does this teach the king? Can such a one endure long?

In the thirty-fourth year, the king grew more severe; none in the capital dared speak, and people greeted one another with their eyes alone. The king was pleased and told the Duke of Zhao: "I have ended the satire; now they dare not speak."

The duke replied: "This is only blocking it. To stop the mouths of the people is more dangerous than damming a river. A dammed river overflows and harms many; the same is true of the people. Thus one who manages water channels guides it to flow; one who manages the people opens channels for speech. When the Son of Heaven governs, he has ministers from the highest ranks to the scholars present poems; the blind present music; historians present books; masters present admonitions; the unsighted recite; the musically gifted chant; all craftsmen offer criticism; common people bring whispered reports; close advisors present their counsel; relatives supplement and observe; musicians and historians give instruction; elders transmit refinement—then the king deliberates and decides. Thus governance proceeds without contravening principle.

King Xuan assumed the throne, assisted by the two dukes. He restored governance, emulating the traditions of Wen, Wu, Cheng, and Kang, and the lords once more revered Zhou. In the twelfth year, the Duke of Wu of Lu came to court.

King Xuan did not cultivate the ceremonial fields at Qianmian. The lord of Guo, Wen Gong, remonstrated, saying it should not be so. The king would not listen. In the thirty-ninth year, battle was joined at Qianmian, and the royal forces suffered a great defeat at the hands of the Jiang barbarians.