卷三十九·晋世家第九
卷三十九·晋世家第九
司马迁
晋唐叔虞者，周武王子而成王弟。初，武王与叔虞母会时，梦天谓武王曰：“余命女生子，名虞，余与之唐。”及生子，文在其手曰“虞”，故遂因命之曰虞。
武王崩，成王立，唐有乱，周公诛灭唐。成王与叔虞戏，削桐叶为珪以与叔虞，曰：“以此封若。”史佚因请择日立叔虞。成王曰：“吾与之戏耳。”史佚曰：“天子无戏言。言则史书之，礼成之，乐歌之。”于是遂封叔虞于唐。唐在河、汾之东，方百里，故曰唐叔虞。姓姬氏，字子于。
唐叔子燮，是为晋侯。晋侯子宁族，是为武侯。武侯之子服人，是为成侯。成侯子福，是为厉侯。厉侯之子宜臼，是为靖侯。靖侯已来，年纪可推。自唐叔至靖侯五世，无其年数。
靖侯十七年，周厉王迷惑暴虐，国人作乱，厉王出奔于彘，大臣行政，故曰“共和”。
十八年，靖侯卒，子釐侯司徒立。釐侯十四年，周宣王初立。十八年，釐侯卒，子献侯籍立。献侯十一年卒，子穆侯费王立。
穆侯四年，取齐女姜氏为夫人。七年，伐条。生太子仇。十年，伐千亩，有功。生少子，名曰成师。晋人师服曰：“异哉，君之命子也！太子曰仇，仇者雠也。少子曰成师，成师大号，成之者也。名，自命也；物，自定也。今適庶名反逆，此后晋其能毋乱乎？”
二十七年，穆侯卒，弟殇叔自立，太子仇出奔。殇叔三年，周宣王崩。四年，穆侯太子仇率其徒袭殇叔而立，是为文侯。
文侯十年，周幽王无道，犬戎杀幽王，周东徙。而秦襄公始列为诸侯。
三十五年，文侯仇卒，子昭侯伯立。
昭侯元年，封文侯弟成师于曲沃。曲沃邑大于翼。翼，晋君都邑也。成师封曲沃，号为桓叔。靖侯庶孙栾宾相桓叔。桓叔是时年五十八矣，好德，晋国之众皆附焉。君子曰：“晋之乱其在曲沃矣。末大于本而得民心，不乱何待！”
七年，晋大臣潘父弑其君昭侯而迎曲沃桓叔。桓叔欲入晋，晋人发兵攻桓叔。桓叔败，还归曲沃。晋人共立昭侯子平为君，是为孝侯。诛潘父。
孝侯八年，曲沃桓叔卒，子鱓代桓叔，是为曲沃庄伯。孝侯十五年，曲沃庄伯弑其君晋孝侯于翼。晋人攻曲沃庄伯，庄伯复入曲沃。晋人复立孝侯子郄为君，是为鄂侯。
鄂侯二年，鲁隐公初立。
鄂侯六年卒。曲沃庄伯闻晋鄂侯卒，乃兴兵伐晋。周平王使虢公将兵伐曲沃庄伯，庄伯走保曲沃。晋人共立鄂侯子光，是为哀侯。
哀侯二年，曲沃庄伯卒，子称代庄伯立，是为曲沃武公。哀侯六年，鲁弑其君隐公。哀侯八年，晋侵陉廷。陉廷与曲沃武公谋，九年，伐晋于汾旁，虏哀侯。晋人乃立哀侯子小子为君，是为小子侯。
小子元年，曲沃武公使韩万杀所虏晋哀侯。曲沃益强，晋无如之何。
晋小子之四年，曲沃武公诱召晋小子杀之。周桓王使虢仲伐曲沃武公，武公入于曲沃，乃立晋哀侯弟缗为晋侯。
晋侯缗四年，宋执郑祭仲而立突为郑君。晋侯十九年，齐人管至父弑其君襄公。
晋侯二十八年，齐桓公始霸。曲沃武公伐晋侯缗，灭之，尽以其宝器赂献于周釐王。釐王命曲沃武公为晋君，列为诸侯，于是尽并晋地而有之。
曲沃武公已即位三十七年矣，更号曰晋武公。晋武公始都晋国，前即位曲沃，通年三十八年。
武公称者，先晋穆侯曾孙也，曲沃桓叔孙也。桓叔者，始封曲沃。武公，庄伯子也。自桓叔初封曲沃以至武公灭晋也，凡六十七岁，而卒代晋为诸侯。武公代晋二岁，卒。与曲沃通年，即位凡三十九年而卒。子献公诡诸立。
献公元年，周惠王弟穨攻惠王，惠王出奔，居郑之栎邑。
五年，伐骊戎，得骊姬、骊姬弟，俱爱幸之。
八年，士蒍说公曰：“故晋之群公子多，不诛，乱且起。”乃使尽杀诸公子，而城聚都之，命曰绛，始都绛。九年，晋群公子既亡奔虢，虢以其故再伐晋，弗克。十年，晋欲伐虢，士蒍曰：“且待其乱。”
十二年，骊姬生奚齐。献公有意废太子，乃曰：“曲沃吾先祖宗庙所在，而蒲边秦，屈边翟，不使诸子居之，我惧焉。”于是使太子申生居曲沃，公子重耳居蒲，公子夷吾居屈。献公与骊姬子奚齐居绛。晋国以此知太子不立也。太子申生，其母齐桓公女也，曰齐姜，早死。申生同母女弟为秦穆公夫人。重耳母，翟之狐氏女也。夷吾母，重耳母女弟也。献公子八人，而太子申生、重耳、夷吾皆有贤行。及得骊姬，乃远此三子。
十六年，晋献公作二军。公将上军，太子申生将下军，赵夙御戎，毕万为右，伐灭霍，灭魏，灭耿。还，为太子城曲沃，赐赵夙耿，赐毕万魏，以为大夫。士蒍曰：“太子不得立矣。分之都城，而位以卿，先为之极，又安得立！不如逃之，无使罪至。为吴太伯，不亦可乎，犹有令名。”太子不从。卜偃曰：“毕万之后必大。”万，盈数也；魏，大名也。以是始赏，天开之矣。天子曰兆民，诸侯曰万民，今命之大，以从盈数，其必有众。”初，毕万卜仕于晋国，遇屯之比。辛廖占之曰：“吉。屯固比入，吉孰大焉。其后必蕃昌。”
十七年，晋侯使太子申生伐东山。里克谏献公曰：“太子奉冢祀社稷之粢盛，以朝夕视君膳者也，故曰冢子。君行则守，有守则从，从曰抚军，守曰监国，古之制也。夫率师，专行谋也；誓军旅，君与国政之所图也：非太子之事也。师在制命而已，禀命则不威，专命则不孝，故君之嗣適不可以帅师。君失其官，率师不威，将安用之？”公曰：“寡人有子，未知其太子谁立。”里克不对而退，见太子。太子曰：“吾其废乎？”里克曰：“太子勉之！教以军旅，不共是惧，何故废乎？且子惧不孝，毋惧不得立。修己而不责人，则免于难。”太子帅师，公衣之偏衣，佩之金玦。里克谢病，不从太子。太子遂伐东山。
十九年，献公曰：“始吾先君庄伯、武公之诛晋乱，而虢常助晋伐我，又匿晋亡公子，果为乱。弗诛，后遗子孙忧。”乃使荀息以屈产之乘假道于虞。虞假道，遂伐虢，取其下阳以归。
献公私谓骊姬曰：“吾欲废太子，以奚齐代之。”骊姬泣曰：“太子之立，诸侯皆已知之，而数将兵，百姓附之，柰何以贱妾之故废適立庶？君必行之，妾自杀也。”骊姬详誉太子，而阴令人谮恶太子，而欲立其子。
二十一年，骊姬谓太子曰：“君梦见齐姜，太子速祭曲沃，归釐于君。”太子于是祭其母齐姜于曲沃，上其荐胙于献公。献公时出猎，置胙于宫中。骊姬使人置毒药胙中。居二日，献公从猎来还，宰人上胙献公，献公欲飨之。骊姬从旁止之，曰：“胙所从来远，宜试之。”祭地，地坟；与犬，犬死；与小臣，小臣死。骊姬泣曰：“太子何忍也！其父而欲弑代之，况他人乎？且君老矣，旦暮之人，曾不能待而欲弑之！”谓献公曰：“太子所以然者，不过以妾及奚齐之故。妾愿子母辟之他国，若早自杀，毋徒使母子为太子所鱼肉也。始君欲废之，妾犹恨之；至于今，妾殊自失于此。”太子闻之，奔新城。献公怒，乃诛其傅杜原款。或谓太子曰：“为此药者乃骊姬也，太子何不自辞明之？”太子曰：“吾君老矣，非骊姬，寝不安，食不甘。即辞之，君且怒之。不可。”或谓太子曰：“可奔他国。”太子曰：“被此恶名以出，人谁内我？我自杀耳。”十二月戊申，申生自杀于新城。
此时重耳、夷吾来朝。人或告骊姬曰：“二公子怨骊姬谮杀太子。”骊姬恐，因谮二公子：“申生之药胙，二公子知之。”二子闻之，恐，重耳走蒲，夷吾走屈，保其城，自备守。初，献公使士蒍为二公子筑蒲、屈城，弗就。夷吾以告公，公怒士蒍。士蒍谢曰：“边城少寇，安用之？”退而歌曰：“狐裘蒙茸，一国三公，吾谁適从！”卒就城。及申生死，二子亦归保其城。
二十二年，献公怒二子不辞而去，果有谋矣，乃使兵伐蒲。蒲人之宦者勃鞮命重耳促自杀。重耳逾垣，宦者追斩其衣袪。重耳遂奔翟。使人伐屈，屈城守，不可下。
是岁也，晋复假道于虞以伐虢。虞之大夫宫之奇谏虞君曰：“晋不可假道也，是且灭虞。”虞君曰：“晋我同姓，不宜伐我。”宫之奇曰：“太伯、虞仲，太王之子也，太伯亡去，是以不嗣。虢仲、虢叔，王季之子也，为文王卿士，其记勋在王室，藏于盟府。将虢是灭，何爱于虞？且虞之亲能亲于桓、庄之族乎？桓、庄之族何罪，尽灭之。虞之与虢，唇之与齿，唇亡则齿寒。”虞公不听，遂许晋。宫之奇以其族去虞。其冬，晋灭虢，虢公丑奔周。还，袭灭虞，虏虞公及其大夫井伯百里奚以媵秦穆姬，而修虞祀。荀息牵曩所遗虞屈产之乘马奉之献公，献公笑曰：“马则吾马，齿亦老矣！”
二十三年，献公遂发贾华等伐屈，屈溃。夷吾将奔翟。冀芮曰：“不可，重耳已在矣，今往，晋必移兵伐翟，翟畏晋，祸且及。不如走梁，梁近于秦，秦强，吾君百岁后可以求入焉。”遂奔梁。二十五年，晋伐翟，翟以重耳故，亦击晋于齧桑，晋兵解而去。
当此时，晋强，西有河西，与秦接境，北边翟，东至河内。
骊姬弟生悼子。
二十六年夏，齐桓公大会诸侯于葵丘。晋献公病，行后，未至，逢周之宰孔。宰孔曰：“齐桓公益骄，不务德而务远略，诸侯弗平。君弟毋会，毋如晋何。”献公亦病，复还归。病甚，乃谓荀息曰：“吾以奚齐为后，年少，诸大臣不服，恐乱起，子能立之乎？”荀息曰：“能。”献公曰：“何以为验？”对曰：“使死者复生，生者不惭，为之验。”于是遂属奚齐于荀息。荀息为相，主国政。秋九月，献公卒。里克、邳郑欲内重耳，以三公子之徒作乱，谓荀息曰：“三怨将起，秦、晋辅之，子将何如？”荀息曰：“吾不可负先君言。”十月，里克杀奚齐于丧次，献公未葬也。荀息将死之，或曰不如立奚齐弟悼子而傅之，荀息立悼子而葬献公。十一月，里克弑悼子于朝，荀息死之。君子曰：“诗所谓‘白珪之玷，犹可磨也，斯言之玷，不可为也’，其荀息之谓乎！不负其言。”初，献公将伐骊戎，卜曰“齿牙为祸”。及破骊戎，获骊姬，爱之，竟以乱晋。
里克等已杀奚齐、悼子，使人迎公子重耳于翟，欲立之。重耳谢曰：“负父之命出奔，父死不得脩人子之礼侍丧，重耳何敢入！大夫其更立他子。”还报里克，里克使迎夷吾于梁。夷吾欲往，吕省、郤芮曰：“内犹有公子可立者而外求，难信。计非之秦，辅强国之威以入，恐危。”乃使郤芮厚赂秦，约曰：“即得入，请以晋河西之地与秦。”及遗里克书曰：“诚得立，请遂封子于汾阳之邑。”秦缪公乃发兵送夷吾于晋。齐桓公闻晋内乱，亦率诸侯如晋。秦兵与夷吾亦至晋，齐乃使隰朋会秦俱入夷吾，立为晋君，是为惠公。齐桓公至晋之高梁而还归。
惠公夷吾元年，使邳郑谢秦曰：“始夷吾以河西地许君，今幸得入立。大臣曰：‘地者先君之地，君亡在外，何以得擅许秦者？’寡人争之弗能得，故谢秦。”亦不与里克汾阳邑，而夺之权。四月，周襄王使周公忌父会齐、秦大夫共礼晋惠公。惠公以重耳在外，畏里克为变，赐里克死。谓曰：“微里子寡人不得立。虽然，子亦杀二君一大夫，为子君者不亦难乎？”里克对曰：“不有所废，君何以兴？欲诛之，其无辞乎？乃言为此！臣闻命矣。”遂伏剑而死。于是邳郑使谢秦未还，故不及难。
晋君改葬恭太子申生。秋，狐突之下国，遇申生，申生与载而告之曰：“夷吾无礼，余得请于帝，将以晋与秦，秦将祀余。”狐突对曰：“臣闻神不食非其宗，君其祀毋乃绝乎？君其图之。”申生曰：“诺，吾将复请帝。后十日，新城西偏将有巫者见我焉。”许之，遂不见。及期而往，复见，申生告之曰：“帝许罚有罪矣，弊于韩。”儿乃谣曰：“恭太子更葬矣，后十四年，晋亦不昌，昌乃在兄。”
邳郑使秦，闻里克诛，乃说秦缪公曰：“吕省、郤称、冀芮实为不从。若重赂与谋，出晋君，入重耳，事必就。”秦缪公许之，使人与归报晋，厚赂三子。三子曰：“币厚言甘，此必邳郑卖我于秦。”遂杀邳郑及里克、邳郑之党七舆大夫。邳郑子豹奔秦，言伐晋，缪公弗听。
惠公之立，倍秦地及里克，诛七舆大夫，国人不附。二年，周使召公过礼晋惠公，惠公礼倨，召公讥之。
四年，晋饥，乞籴于秦。缪公问百里奚，百里奚曰：“天菑流行，国家代有，救菑恤邻，国之道也。与之。”邳郑子豹曰：“伐之。”缪公曰：“其君是恶，其民何罪！”卒与粟，自雍属绛。
五年，秦饥，请籴于晋。晋君谋之，庆郑曰：“以秦得立，已而倍其地约。晋饥而秦贷我，今秦饥请籴，与之何疑？而谋之！”虢射曰：“往年天以晋赐秦，秦弗知取而贷我。今天以秦赐晋，晋其可以逆天乎？遂伐之。”惠公用虢射谋，不与秦粟，而发兵且伐秦。秦大怒，亦发兵伐晋。
六年春，秦缪公将兵伐晋。晋惠公谓庆郑曰：“秦师深矣，柰何？”郑曰：“秦内君，君倍其赂；晋饥秦输粟，秦饥而晋倍之，乃欲因其饥伐之：其深不亦宜乎！”晋卜御右，庆郑皆吉。公曰：“郑不孙。”乃更令步阳御戎，家仆徒为右，进兵。九月壬戌，秦缪公、晋惠公合战韩原。惠公马騺不行，秦兵至，公窘，召庆郑为御。郑曰：“不用卜，败不亦当乎！”遂去。更令梁繇靡御，虢射为右，辂秦缪公。缪公壮士冒败晋军，晋军败，遂失秦缪公，反获晋公以归。秦将以祀上帝。晋君姊为缪公夫人，衰绖涕泣。公曰：“得晋侯将以为乐，今乃如此。且吾闻箕子见唐叔之初封，曰‘其后必当大矣’，晋庸可灭乎！”乃与晋侯盟王城而许之归。晋侯亦使吕省等报国人曰：“孤虽得归，毋面目见社稷，卜日立子圉。”晋人闻之，皆哭。秦缪公问吕省：“晋国和乎？”对曰：“不和。小人惧失君亡亲，不惮立子圉，曰‘必报雠，宁事戎、狄’。其君子则爱君而知罪，以待秦命，曰‘必报德’。有此二故，不和。”于是秦缪公更舍晋惠公，饣鬼之七牢。十一月，归晋侯。晋侯至国，诛庆郑，修政教。谋曰：“重耳在外，诸侯多利内之。”欲使人杀重耳于狄。重耳闻之，如齐。
八年，使太子圉质秦。初，惠公亡在梁，梁伯以其女妻之，生一男一女。梁伯卜之，男为人臣，女为人妾，故名男为圉，女为妾。
十年，秦灭梁。梁伯好土功，治城沟，民力罢，怨，其众数相惊，曰“秦寇至”，民恐惑，秦竟灭之。
十三年，晋惠公病，内有数子。太子圉曰：“吾母家在梁，梁今秦灭之，我外轻于秦而内无援于国。君即不起，病大夫轻，更立他公子。”乃谋与其妻俱亡归。秦女曰：“子一国太子，辱在此。秦使婢子侍，以固子之心。子亡矣，我不从子，亦不敢言。”子圉遂亡归晋。十四年九月，惠公卒，太子圉立，是为怀公。
子圉之亡，秦怨之，乃求公子重耳，欲内之。子圉之立，畏秦之伐也。乃令国中诸从重耳亡者与期，期尽不到者尽灭其家。狐突之子毛及偃从重耳在秦，弗肯召。怀公怒，囚狐突。突曰：“臣子事重耳有年数矣，今召之，是教之反君也。何以教之？”怀公卒杀狐突。秦缪公乃发兵送内重耳，使人告栾、郤之党为内应，杀怀公于高梁，入重耳。重耳立，是为文公。
晋文公重耳，晋献公之子也。自少好士，年十七，有贤士五人：曰赵衰；狐偃咎犯，文公舅也；贾佗；先轸；魏武子。自献公为太子时，重耳固已成人矣。献公即位，重耳年二十一。献公十三年，以骊姬故，重耳备蒲城守秦。献公二十一年，献公杀太子申生，骊姬谗之，恐，不辞献公而守蒲城。献公二十二年，献公使宦者履鞮趣杀重耳。重耳逾垣，宦者逐斩其衣袪。重耳遂奔狄。狄，其母国也。是时重耳年四十三。从此五士，其余不名者数十人，至狄。
狄伐咎如，得二女：以长女妻重耳，生伯鯈、叔刘；以少女妻赵衰，生盾。居狄五岁而晋献公卒，里克已杀奚齐、悼子，乃使人迎，欲立重耳。重耳畏杀，因固谢，不敢入。已而晋更迎其弟夷吾立之，是为惠公。惠公七年，畏重耳，乃使宦者履鞮与壮士欲杀重耳。重耳闻之，乃谋赵衰等曰：“始吾奔狄，非以为可用与，以近易通，故且休足。休足久矣，固愿徙之大国。夫齐桓公好善，志在霸王，收恤诸侯。今闻管仲、隰朋死，此亦欲得贤佐，盍往乎？”于是遂行。重耳谓其妻曰：“待我二十五年不来，乃嫁。”其妻笑曰：“犁二十五年，吾冢上柏大矣。虽然，妾待子。”重耳居狄凡十二年而去。
过卫，卫文公不礼。去，过五鹿，饥而从野人乞食，野人盛土器中进之。重耳怒。赵衰曰：“土者，有土也，君其拜受之。”
至齐，齐桓公厚礼，而以宗女妻之，有马二十乘，重耳安之。重耳至齐二岁而桓公卒，会竖刀等为内乱，齐孝公之立，诸侯兵数至。留齐凡五岁。重耳爱齐女，毋去心。赵衰、咎犯乃于桑下谋行。齐女侍者在桑上闻之，以告其主。其主乃杀侍者，劝重耳趣行。重耳曰：“人生安乐，孰知其他！必死于此，不能去。”齐女曰：“子一国公子，穷而来此，数士者以子为命。子不疾反国，报劳臣，而怀女德，窃为子羞之。且不求，何时得功？”乃与赵衰等谋，醉重耳，载以行。行远而觉，重耳大怒，引戈欲杀咎犯。咎犯曰：“杀臣成子，偃之愿也。”重耳曰：“事不成，我食舅氏之肉。”咎犯曰：“事不成，犯肉腥臊，何足食！”乃止，遂行。
过曹，曹共公不礼，欲观重耳骈胁。曹大夫釐负羁曰：“晋公子贤，又同姓，穷来过我，柰何不礼！”共公不从其谋。负羁乃私遗重耳食，置璧其下。重耳受其食，还其璧。
去，过宋。宋襄公新困兵于楚，伤于泓，闻重耳贤，乃以国礼礼于重耳。宋司马公孙固善于咎犯，曰：“宋小国新困，不足以求入，更之大国。”乃去。
过郑，郑文公弗礼。郑叔瞻谏其君曰：“晋公子贤，而其从者皆国相，且又同姓。郑之出自厉王，而晋之出自武王。”郑君曰：“诸侯亡公子过此者众，安可尽礼！”叔瞻曰：“君不礼，不如杀之，且后为国患。”郑君不听。
重耳去之楚，楚成王以適诸侯礼待之，重耳谢不敢当。赵衰曰：“子亡在外十余年，小国轻子，况大国乎？今楚大国而固遇子，子其毋让，此天开子也。”遂以客礼见之。成王厚遇重耳，重耳甚卑。成王曰：“子即反国，何以报寡人？”重耳曰：“羽毛齿角玉帛，君王所余，未知所以报。”王曰：“虽然，何以报不谷？”重耳曰：“即不得已，与君王以兵车会平原广泽，请辟王三舍。”楚将子玉怒曰：“王遇晋公子至厚，今重耳言不孙，请杀之。”成王曰：“晋公子贤而困于外久，从者皆国器，此天所置，庸可杀乎？且言何以易之！”居楚数月，而晋太子圉亡秦，秦怨之；闻重耳在楚，乃召之。成王曰：“楚远，更数国乃至晋。秦晋接境，秦君贤，子其勉行！”厚送重耳。
重耳至秦，缪公以宗女五人妻重耳，故子圉妻与往。重耳不欲受，司空季子曰：“其国且伐，况其故妻乎！且受以结秦亲而求入，子乃拘小礼，忘大丑乎！”遂受。缪公大欢，与重耳饮。赵衰歌黍苗诗。缪公曰：“知子欲急反国矣。”赵衰与重耳下，再拜曰：“孤臣之仰君，如百谷之望时雨。”是时晋惠公十四年秋。惠公以九月卒，子圉立。十一月，葬惠公。十二月，晋国大夫栾、郤等闻重耳在秦，皆阴来劝重耳、赵衰等反国，为内应甚众。于是秦缪公乃发兵与重耳归晋。晋闻秦兵来，亦发兵拒之。然皆阴知公子重耳入也。唯惠公之故贵臣吕、郤之属不欲立重耳。重耳出亡凡十九岁而得入，时年六十二矣，晋人多附焉。
文公元年春，秦送重耳至河。咎犯曰：“臣从君周旋天下，过亦多矣。臣犹知之，况于君乎？请从此去矣。”重耳曰：“若反国，所不与子犯共者，河伯视之！”乃投璧河中，以与子犯盟。是时介子推从，在船中，乃笑曰：“天实开公子，而子犯以为己功而要市于君，固足羞也。吾不忍与同位。”乃自隐渡河。秦兵围令狐，晋军于庐柳。二月辛丑，咎犯与秦晋大夫盟于郇。壬寅，重耳入于晋师。丙午，入于曲沃。丁未，朝于武宫，即位为晋君，是为文公。群臣皆往。怀公圉奔高梁。戊申，使人杀怀公。
怀公故大臣吕省、郤芮本不附文公，文公立，恐诛，乃欲与其徒谋烧公宫，杀文公。文公不知。始尝欲杀文公宦者履鞮知其谋，欲以告文公，解前罪，求见文公。文公不见，使人让曰：“蒲城之事，女斩予袪。其后我从狄君猎，女为惠公来求杀我。惠公与女期三日至，而女一日至，何速也？女其念之。”宦者曰：“臣刀锯之余，不敢以二心事君倍主，故得罪于君。君已反国，其毋蒲、翟乎？且管仲射钩，桓公以霸。今刑余之人以事告而君不见，祸又且及矣。”于是见之，遂以吕、郤等告文公。文公欲召吕、郤，吕、郤等党多，文公恐初入国，国人卖己，乃为微行，会秦缪公于王城，国人莫知。三月己丑，吕、郤等果反，焚公宫，不得文公。文公之卫徒与战，吕、郤等引兵欲奔，秦缪公诱吕、郤等，杀之河上，晋国复而文公得归。夏，迎夫人于秦，秦所与文公妻者卒为夫人。秦送三千人为卫，以备晋乱。
文公修政，施惠百姓。赏从亡者及功臣，大者封邑，小者尊爵。未尽行赏，周襄王以弟带难出居郑地，来告急晋。晋初定，欲发兵，恐他乱起，是以赏从亡未至隐者介子推。推亦不言禄，禄亦不及。推曰：“献公子九人，唯君在矣。惠、怀无亲，外内弃之；天未绝晋，必将有主，主晋祀者，非君而谁？天实开之，二三子以为己力，不亦诬乎？窃人之财，犹曰是盗，况贪天之功以为己力乎？下冒其罪，上赏其奸，上下相蒙，难与处矣！”其母曰：“盍亦求之，以死谁怼？”推曰：“尤而效之，罪有甚焉。且出怨言，不食其禄。”母曰：“亦使知之，若何？”对曰：“言，身之文也；身欲隐，安用文之？文之，是求显也。”其母曰：“能如此乎？与女偕隐。”至死不复见。
介子推从者怜之，乃悬书宫门曰：“龙欲上天，五蛇为辅。龙已升云，四蛇各入其宇，一蛇独怨，终不见处所。”文公出，见其书，曰：“此介子推也。吾方忧王室，未图其功。”使人召之，则亡。遂求所在，闻其入绵上山中，于是文公环绵上山中而封之，以为介推田，号曰介山，“以记吾过，且旌善人”。
从亡贱臣壶叔曰：“君三行赏，赏不及臣，敢请罪。”文公报曰：“夫导我以仁义，防我以德惠，此受上赏。辅我以行，卒以成立，此受次赏。矢石之难，汗马之劳，此复受次赏。若以力事我而无补吾缺者，此复受次赏。三赏之后，故且及子。”晋人闻之，皆说。
二年春，秦军河上，将入王。赵衰曰：“求霸莫如入王尊周。周晋同姓，晋不先入王，后秦入之，毋以令于天下。方今尊王，晋之资也。”三月甲辰，晋乃发兵至阳樊，围温，入襄王于周。四月，杀王弟带。周襄王赐晋河内阳樊之地。
四年，楚成王及诸侯围宋，宋公孙固如晋告急。先轸曰：“报施定霸，于今在矣。”狐偃曰：“楚新得曹而初婚于卫，若伐曹、卫，楚必救之，则宋免矣。”于是晋作三军。赵衰举郤縠将中军，郤臻佐之；使狐偃将上军，狐毛佐之，命赵衰为卿；栾枝将下军，先轸佐之；荀林父御戎，魏犨为右：往伐。冬十二月，晋兵先下山东，而以原封赵衰。
五年春，晋文公欲伐曹，假道于卫，卫人弗许。还自河南度，侵曹，伐卫。正月，取五鹿。二月，晋侯、齐侯盟于敛盂。”卫侯请盟晋，晋人不许。卫侯欲与楚，国人不欲，故出其君以说晋。卫侯居襄牛，公子买守卫。楚救卫，不卒。晋侯围曹。三月丙午，晋师入曹，数之以其不用釐负羁言，而用美女乘轩者三百人也。令军毋入僖负羁宗家以报德。楚围宋，宋复告急晋。文公欲救则攻楚，为楚尝有德，不欲伐也；欲释宋，宋又尝有德于晋：患之。先轸曰：“执曹伯，分曹、卫地以与宋，楚急曹、卫，其势宜释宋。”于是文公从之，而楚成王乃引兵归。
楚将子玉曰：“王遇晋至厚，今知楚急曹、卫而故伐之，是轻王。”王曰：“晋侯亡在外十九年，困日久矣，果得反国，险阸尽知之，能用其民，天之所开，不可当。”子玉请曰：“非敢必有功，愿以间执谗慝之口也。”楚王怒，少与之兵。于是子玉使宛春告晋：“请复卫侯而封曹，臣亦释宋。”咎犯曰：“子玉无礼矣，君取一，臣取二，勿许。”先轸曰：“定人之谓礼。楚一言定三国，子一言而亡之，我则毋礼。不许楚，是弃宋也。不如私许曹、卫以诱之，执宛春以怒楚，既战而后图之。”晋侯乃囚宛春于卫，且私许复曹、卫。曹、卫告绝于楚。楚得臣怒，击晋师，晋师退。军吏曰：“为何退？”文公曰：“昔在楚，约退三舍，可倍乎！”楚师欲去，得臣不肯。四月戊辰，宋公、齐将、秦将与晋侯次城濮。己巳，与楚兵合战，楚兵败，得臣收余兵去。甲午，晋师还至衡雍，作王宫于践土。
初，郑助楚，楚败，惧，使人请盟晋侯。晋侯与郑伯盟。
五月丁未，献楚俘于周，驷介百乘，徒兵千。天子使王子虎命晋侯为伯，赐大辂，彤弓矢百，玈弓矢千，秬鬯一卣，珪瓒，虎贲三百人。晋侯三辞，然后稽首受之。周作晋文侯命：“王若曰：父义和，丕显文、武，能慎明德，昭登于上，布闻在下，维时上帝集厥命于文、武。恤朕身、继予一人永其在位。”于是晋文公称伯。癸亥，王子虎盟诸侯于王庭。
晋焚楚军，火数日不息，文公叹。左右曰：“胜楚而君犹忧，何？”文公曰：“吾闻能战胜安者唯圣人，是以惧。且子玉犹在，庸可喜乎！”子玉之败而归，楚成王怒其不用其言，贪与晋战，让责子玉，子玉自杀。晋文公曰：“我击其外，楚诛其内，内外相应。”于是乃喜。
六月，晋人复入卫侯。壬午，晋侯度河北归国。行赏，狐偃为首。或曰：“城濮之事，先轸之谋。”文公曰：“城濮之事，偃说我毋失信。先轸曰‘军事胜为右’，吾用之以胜。然此一时之说，偃言万世之功，柰何以一时之利而加万世功乎？是以先之。”
冬，晋侯会诸侯于温，欲率之朝周。力未能，恐其有畔者，乃使人言周襄王狩于河阳。壬申，遂率诸侯朝王于践土。孔子读史记至文公，曰“诸侯无召王”、“王狩河阳”者，春秋讳之也。
丁丑，诸侯围许。曹伯臣或说晋侯曰：“齐桓公合诸侯而国异姓，今君为会而灭同姓。曹，叔振铎之后；晋，唐叔之后。合诸侯而灭兄弟，非礼。”晋侯说，复曹伯。
于是晋始作三行。荀林父将中行，先縠将右行，先蔑将左行。
七年，晋文公、秦缪公共围郑，以其无礼于文公亡过时，及城濮时郑助楚也。围郑，欲得叔瞻。叔瞻闻之，自杀。郑持叔瞻告晋。晋曰：“必得郑君而甘心焉。”郑恐，乃间令使谓秦缪公曰：“亡郑厚晋，于晋得矣，而秦未为利。君何不解郑，得为东道交？”秦伯说，罢兵。晋亦罢兵。
九年冬，晋文公卒，子襄公欢立。是岁郑伯亦卒。
郑人或卖其国于秦，秦缪公发兵往袭郑。十二月，秦兵过我郊。襄公元年春，秦师过周，无礼，王孙满讥之。兵至滑，郑贾人弦高将市于周，遇之，以十二牛劳秦师。秦师惊而还，灭滑而去。
晋先轸曰：“秦伯不用蹇叔，反其众心，此可击。”栾枝曰：“未报先君施于秦，击之，不可。”先轸曰：“秦侮吾孤，伐吾同姓，何德之报？”遂击之。襄公墨衰绖。四月，败秦师于殽，虏秦三将孟明视、西乞秫、白乙丙以归。遂墨以葬文公。文公夫人秦女，谓襄公曰：“秦欲得其三将戮之。”公许，遣之。先轸闻之，谓襄公曰：“患生矣。”轸乃追秦将。秦将渡河，已在船中，顿首谢，卒不反。
后三年，秦果使孟明伐晋，报殽之败，取晋汪以归。四年，秦缪公大兴兵伐我，度河，取王官，封殽尸而去。晋恐，不敢出，遂城守。五年，晋伐秦，取新城，报王官役也。
六年，赵衰成子、栾贞子、咎季子犯、霍伯皆卒。赵盾代赵衰执政。
七年八月，襄公卒。太子夷皋少。晋人以难故，欲立长君。赵盾曰：“立襄公弟雍。好善而长，先君爱之；且近于秦，秦故好也。立善则固，事长则顺，奉爱则孝，结旧好则安。”贾季曰：“不如其弟乐。辰嬴嬖于二君，立其子，民必安之。”赵盾曰：“辰嬴贱，班在九人下，其子何震之有！且为二君嬖，淫也。为先君子，不能求大而出在小国，僻也。母淫子僻，无威；陈小而远，无援：将何可乎！”使士会如秦迎公子雍。贾季亦使人召公子乐于陈。赵盾废贾季，以其杀阳处父。十月，葬襄公。十一月，贾季奔翟。是岁，秦缪公亦卒。
灵公元年四月，秦康公曰：“昔文公之入也无卫，故有吕、郤之患。”乃多与公子雍卫。太子母缪嬴日夜抱太子以号泣于朝，曰：“先君何罪？其嗣亦何罪？舍適而外求君，将安置此？”出朝，则抱以適赵盾所，顿首曰：“先君奉此子而属之子，曰‘此子材，吾受其赐；不材，吾怨子’。今君卒，言犹在耳，而弃之，若何？”赵盾与诸大夫皆患缪嬴，且畏诛，乃背所迎而立太子夷皋，是为灵公。发兵以距秦送公子雍者。赵盾为将，往击秦，败之令狐。先蔑、随会亡奔秦。秋，齐、宋、卫、郑、曹、许君皆会赵盾，盟于扈，以灵公初立故也。
四年，伐秦，取少梁。秦亦取晋之郩。六年，秦康公伐晋，取羁马。晋侯怒，使赵盾、赵穿、郤缺击秦，大战河曲，赵穿最有功。七年，晋六卿患随会之在秦，常为晋乱，乃详令魏寿余反晋降秦。秦使随会之魏，因执会以归晋。
八年，周顷王崩，公卿争权，故不赴。晋使赵盾以车八百乘平周乱而立匡王。是年，楚庄王初即位。十二年，齐人弑其君懿公。
十四年，灵公壮，侈，厚敛以彫墙。”从台上弹人，观其避丸也。宰夫胹熊蹯不熟，灵公怒，杀宰夫，使妇人持其尸出弃之，过朝。赵盾、随会前数谏，不听；已又见死人手，二人前谏。随会先谏，不听。灵公患之，使鉏麑刺赵盾。盾闺门开，居处节，鉏麑退，叹曰：“杀忠臣，弃君命，罪一也。”遂触树而死。
初，盾常田首山，见桑下有饿人。饿人，□ 眯明也。盾与之食，食其半。问其故，曰：“宦三年，未知母之存不，愿遗母。”盾义之，益与之饭肉。已而为晋宰夫，赵盾弗复知也。九月，晋灵公饮赵盾酒，伏甲将攻盾。公宰□ 眯明知之，恐盾醉不能起，而进曰：“君赐臣，觞三行可以罢。”欲以去赵盾，令先，毋及难。盾既去，灵公伏士未会，先纵齧狗名敖。明为盾搏杀狗。盾曰：“弃人用狗，虽猛何为。”然不知明之为阴德也。已而灵公纵伏士出逐赵盾，□ 眯明反击灵公之伏士，伏士不能进，而竟脱盾。盾问其故，曰：“我桑下饿人。”问其名，弗告。明亦因亡去。
盾遂奔，未出晋境。乙丑，盾昆弟将军赵穿袭杀灵公于桃园而迎赵盾。赵盾素贵，得民和；灵公少，侈，民不附，故为弑易。盾复位。晋太史董狐书曰“赵盾弑其君”，以视于朝。盾曰：“弑者赵穿，我无罪。”太史曰：“子为正卿，而亡不出境，反不诛国乱，非子而谁？”孔子闻之，曰：“董狐，古之良史也，书法不隐。宣子，良大夫也，为法受恶。惜也，出疆乃免。”
赵盾使赵穿迎襄公弟黑臀于周而立之，是为成公。
成公者，文公少子，其母周女也。壬申，朝于武宫。
成公元年，赐赵氏为公族。伐郑，郑倍晋故也。三年，郑伯初立，附晋而弃楚。楚怒，伐郑，晋往救之。
六年，伐秦，虏秦将赤。
七年，成公与楚庄王争强，会诸侯于扈。陈畏楚，不会。晋使中行桓子伐陈，因救郑，与楚战，败楚师。是年，成公卒，子景公据立。
景公元年春，陈大夫夏徵舒弑其君灵公。二年，楚庄王伐陈，诛徵舒。
三年，楚庄王围郑，郑告急晋。晋使荀林父将中军，随会将上军，赵朔将下军，郤克、栾书、先縠、韩厥、巩朔佐之。六月，至河。闻楚已服郑，郑伯肉袒与盟而去，荀林父欲还。先縠曰：“凡来救郑，不至不可，将率离心。”卒度河。楚已服郑，欲饮马于河为名而去。楚与晋军大战。郑新附楚，畏之，反助楚攻晋。晋军败，走河，争度，船中人指甚众。楚虏我将智罃。归而林父曰：“臣为督将，军败当诛，请死。”景公欲许之。随会曰：“昔文公之与楚战城濮，成王归杀子玉，而文公乃喜。今楚已败我师，又诛其将，是助楚杀仇也。”乃止。
四年，先縠以首计而败晋军河上，恐诛，乃奔翟，与翟谋伐晋。晋觉，乃族縠。縠，先轸子也。
五年，伐郑，为助楚故也。是时楚庄王强，以挫晋兵河上也。
六年，楚伐宋，宋来告急晋，晋欲救之，伯宗谋曰：“楚，天方开之，不可当。”乃使解扬绐为救宋。郑人执与楚，楚厚赐，使反其言，令宋急下。解扬绐许之，卒致晋君言。楚欲杀之，或谏，乃归解扬。
七年，晋使随会灭赤狄。
八年，使郤克于齐。齐顷公母从楼上观而笑之。所以然者，郤克偻，而鲁使蹇，卫使眇，故齐亦令人如之以导客。郤克怒，归至河上，曰：“不报齐者，河伯视之！”至国，请君，欲伐齐。景公问知其故，曰：“子之怨，安足以烦国！”弗听。魏文子请老休，辟郤克，克执政。
九年，楚庄王卒。晋伐齐，齐使太子强为质于晋，晋兵罢。
十一年春，齐伐鲁，取隆。鲁告急卫，卫与鲁皆因郤克告急于晋。晋乃使郤克、栾书、韩厥以兵车八百乘与鲁、卫共伐齐。夏，与顷公战于鞍，伤困顷公。顷公乃与其右易位，下取饮，以得脱去。齐师败走，晋追北至齐。顷公献宝器以求平，不听。郤克曰：“必得萧桐侄子为质。”齐使曰：“萧桐侄子，顷公母；顷公母犹晋君母，柰何必得之？不义，请复战。”晋乃许与平而去。
楚申公巫臣盗夏姬以奔晋，晋以巫臣为邢大夫。
十二年冬，齐顷公如晋，欲上尊晋景公为王，景公让不敢。晋始作六军，韩厥、巩朔、赵穿、荀骓、赵括、赵旃皆为卿，智罃自楚归。
十三年，鲁成公朝晋，晋弗敬，鲁怒去，倍晋。晋伐郑，取氾。
十四年，梁山崩。问伯宗，伯宗以为不足怪也。
十六年，楚将子反怨巫臣，灭其族。巫臣怒，遗子反书曰：“必令子罢于奔命！”乃请使吴，令其子为吴行人，教吴乘车用兵。吴晋始通，约伐楚。
十七年，诛赵同、赵括，族灭之。韩厥曰：“赵衰、赵盾之功岂可忘乎？柰何绝祀！”乃复令赵庶子武为赵后，复与之邑。
十九年夏，景公病，立其太子寿曼为君，是为厉公。后月余，景公卒。
厉公元年，初立，欲和诸侯，与秦桓公夹河而盟。归而秦倍盟，与翟谋伐晋。三年，使吕相让秦，因与诸侯伐秦。至泾，败秦于麻隧，虏其将成差。
五年，三郤谗伯宗，杀之。伯宗以好直谏得此祸，国人以是不附厉公。
六年春，郑倍晋与楚盟，晋怒。栾书曰：“不可以当吾世而失诸侯。”乃发兵。厉公自将，五月度河。闻楚兵来救，范文子请公欲还。郤至曰：“发兵诛逆，见强辟之，无以令诸侯。”遂与战。癸巳，射中楚共王目，楚兵败于鄢陵。子反收余兵，拊循欲复战，晋患之。共王召子反，其侍者竖阳谷进酒，子反醉，不能见。王怒，让子反，子反死。王遂引兵归。晋由此威诸侯，欲以令天下求霸。
厉公多外嬖姬，归，欲尽去群大夫而立诸姬兄弟。宠姬兄曰胥童，尝与郤至有怨，及栾书又怨郤至不用其计而遂败楚，乃使人间谢楚。楚来诈厉公曰：“鄢陵之战，实至召楚，欲作乱，内子周立之。会与国不具，是以事不成。”厉公告栾书。栾书曰：“其殆有矣！愿公试使人之周微考之。”果使郤至于周。栾书又使公子周见郤至，郤至不知见卖也。厉公验之，信然，遂怨郤至，欲杀之。八年，厉公猎，与姬饮，郤至杀豕奉进，宦者夺之。郤至射杀宦者。公怒，曰：“季子欺予！”将诛三郤，未发也。郤锜欲攻公，曰：“我虽死，公亦病矣。”郤至曰：“信不反君，智不害民，勇不作乱。失此三者，谁与我？我死耳！”十二月壬午，公令胥童以兵八百人袭攻杀三郤。胥童因以劫栾书、中行偃于朝，曰：“不杀二子，患必及公。”公曰：“一旦杀三卿，寡人不忍益也。”对曰：“人将忍君。”公弗听，谢栾书等以诛郤氏罪：“大夫复位。”二子顿首曰：“幸甚幸甚！”公使胥童为卿。闰月乙卯，厉公游匠骊氏，栾书、中行偃以其党袭捕厉公，囚之，杀胥童，而使人迎公子周于周而立之，是为悼公。
悼公元年正月庚申，栾书、中行偃弑厉公，葬之以一乘车。厉公囚六日死，死十日庚午，智罃迎公子周来，至绛，刑鸡与大夫盟而立之，是为悼公。辛巳，朝武宫。二月乙酉，即位。
悼公周者，其大父捷，晋襄公少子也，不得立，号为桓叔，桓叔最爱。桓叔生惠伯谈，谈生悼公周。周之立，年十四矣。悼公曰：“大父、父皆不得立而辟难于周，客死焉。寡人自以疏远，毋几为君。今大夫不忘文、襄之意而惠立桓叔之后，赖宗庙大夫之灵，得奉晋祀，岂敢不战战乎？大夫其亦佐寡人！”于是逐不臣者七人，修旧功，施德惠，收文公入时功臣后。秋，伐郑。郑师败，遂至陈。
三年，晋会诸侯。悼公问群臣可用者，祁傒举解狐。解狐，傒之仇。复问，举其子祁午。君子曰：“祁傒可谓不党矣！外举不隐仇，内举不隐子。”方会诸侯，悼公弟杨干乱行，魏绛戮其仆。悼公怒，或谏公，公卒贤绛，任之政，使和戎，戎大亲附。十一年，悼公曰：“自吾用魏绛，九合诸侯，和戎、翟，魏子之力也。”赐之乐，三让乃受之。冬，秦取我栎。
十四年，晋使六卿率诸侯伐秦，度泾，大败秦军，至棫林而去。
十五年，悼公问治国于师旷。师旷曰：“惟仁义为本。”冬，悼公卒，子平公彪立。
平公元年，伐齐，齐灵公与战靡下，齐师败走。晏婴曰：“君亦毋勇，何不止战？”遂去。晋追，遂围临菑，尽烧屠其郭中。东至胶，南至沂，齐皆城守，晋乃引兵归。
六年，鲁襄公朝晋。晋栾逞有罪，奔齐。八年，齐庄公微遣栾逞于曲沃，以兵随之。齐兵上太行，栾逞从曲沃中反，袭入绛。绛不戒，平公欲自杀，范献子止公，以其徒击逞，逞败走曲沃。曲沃攻逞，逞死，遂灭栾氏宗。逞者，栾书孙也。其入绛，与魏氏谋。齐庄公闻逞败，乃还，取晋之朝歌去，以报临菑之役也。
十年，齐崔杼弑其君庄公。晋因齐乱，伐败齐于高唐去，报太行之役也。
十四年，吴延陵季子来使，与赵文子、韩宣子、魏献子语，曰：“晋国之政，卒归此三家矣。”
十九年，齐使晏婴如晋，与叔向语。叔向曰：“晋，季世也。公厚赋为台池而不恤政，政在私门，其可久乎！”晏子然之。
二十二年，伐燕。二十六年，平公卒，子昭公夷立。
昭公六年卒。六卿强，公室卑。子顷公去疾立。
顷公六年，周景王崩，王子争立。晋六卿平王室乱，立敬王。
九年，鲁季氏逐其君昭公，昭公居乾侯。十一年，卫、宋使使请晋纳鲁君。季平子私赂范献子，献子受之，乃谓晋君曰：“季氏无罪。”不果入鲁君。
十二年，晋之宗家祁傒孙，叔向子，相恶于君。六卿欲弱公室，乃遂以法尽灭其族。而分其邑为十县，各令其子为大夫。晋益弱，六卿皆大。
十四年，顷公卒，子定公午立。
定公十一年，鲁阳虎奔晋，赵鞅简子舍之。十二年，孔子相鲁。
十五年，赵鞅使邯郸大夫午，不信，欲杀午，午与中行寅、范吉射亲攻赵鞅，鞅走保晋阳。定公围晋阳。荀栎、韩不信、魏侈与范、中行为仇，乃移兵伐范、中行。范、中行反，晋君击之，败范、中行。范、中行走朝歌，保之。韩、魏为赵鞅谢晋君，乃赦赵鞅，复位。二十二年，晋败范、中行氏，二子奔齐。
三十年，定公与吴王夫差会黄池，争长，赵鞅时从，卒长吴。
三十一年，齐田常弑其君简公，而立简公弟骜为平公。三十三年，孔子卒。
三十七年，定公卒，子出公凿立。
出公十七年，知伯与赵、韩、魏共分范、中行地以为邑。出公怒，告齐、鲁，欲以伐四卿。四卿恐，遂反攻出公。出公奔齐，道死。故知伯乃立昭公曾孙骄为晋君，是为哀公。
哀公大父雍，晋昭公少子也，号为戴子。戴子生忌。忌善知伯，蚤死，故知伯欲尽并晋，未敢，乃立忌子骄为君。当是时，晋国政皆决知伯，晋哀公不得有所制。知伯遂有范、中行地，最强。
哀公四年，赵襄子、韩康子、魏桓子共杀知伯，尽并其地。
十八年，哀公卒，子幽公柳立。
幽公之时，晋畏，反朝韩、赵、魏之君。独有绛、曲沃，余皆入三晋。
十五年，魏文侯初立。十八年，幽公淫妇人，夜窃出邑中，盗杀幽公。魏文侯以兵诛晋乱，立幽公子止，是为烈公。
烈公十九年，周威烈王赐赵、韩、魏皆命为诸侯。
二十七年，烈公卒，子孝公颀立。孝公九年，魏武侯初立，袭邯郸，不胜而去。十七年，孝公卒，子静公俱酒立。是岁，齐威王元年也。
静公二年，魏武侯、韩哀侯、赵敬侯灭晋后而三分其地。静公迁为家人，晋绝不祀。
太史公曰：晋文公，古所谓明君也，亡居外十九年，至困约，及即位而行赏，尚忘介子推，况骄主乎？灵公既弑，其后成、景致严，至厉大刻，大夫惧诛，祸作。悼公以后日衰，六卿专权。故君道之御其臣下。固不易哉！
Volume 39 · The Hereditary House of Jin, Ninth
司马迁
Tangshu Yu of Jin was a son of King Wu of Zhou and a younger brother of King Cheng. Earlier, when King Wu lay with Shuyu's mother, he dreamed that Heaven said to him: "I charge you to bear a son; name him Yu, and I will give him Tang." And when the son was born, there was a mark on his hand reading "Yu," and so they named him Yu accordingly.
King Wu died and King Cheng was set up. There was disorder in Tang, and the Duke of Zhou put down and destroyed Tang. King Cheng was playing with Shuyu, and cut a paulownia leaf into the shape of a jade tablet and gave it to Shuyu, saying: "With this I enfeoff you." The scribe Yi thereupon asked that a day be chosen to install Shuyu. King Cheng said: "I was only playing with him." The scribe Yi said: "The Son of Heaven has no playful words. When he speaks, the scribes write it, the rites complete it, and the music sings it." And so Shuyu was enfeoffed at Tang. Tang was east of the He and the Fen, a hundred li square, and so he was called Tangshu Yu. His surname was Ji and his style Ziyu.
Tangshu's son was Xie: this was the Marquis of Jin. The Marquis of Jin's son was Ningzu: this was Marquis Wu. Marquis Wu's son was Furen: this was Marquis Cheng. Marquis Cheng's son was Fu: this was Marquis Li. Marquis Li's son was Yijiu: this was Marquis Jing. From Marquis Jing onward the years can be reckoned. From Tangshu to Marquis Jing, five generations, the number of their years is not known.
In Marquis Jing's seventeenth year King Li of Zhou was deluded and tyrannical, and the people of the state made a rebellion; King Li fled out to Zhi, and the great ministers carried on the government, and so it was called the Gonghe.
In the eighteenth year Marquis Jing died, and his son Marquis Xi, Situ, was set up. In Marquis Xi's fourteenth year King Xuan of Zhou was first set up. In the eighteenth year Marquis Xi died, and his son Marquis Xian, Ji, was set up. Marquis Xian died in his eleventh year, and his son Marquis Mu, Feiwang, was set up.
In Marquis Mu's fourth year he took a woman of Qi, of the Jiang clan, as his consort. In the seventh year he attacked Tiao, and the heir apparent Chou was born. In the tenth year he attacked Qianmu and did good service, and a younger son was born, named Chengshi. Shi Fu of Jin said: "Strange, how our lord names his sons! The heir apparent is called Chou, and chou means an enemy. The younger son is called Chengshi, and chengshi is a great title, the title of one who completes. A name is what one names oneself by; a thing settles itself. Now the names of the rightful heir and the son of a concubine are reversed and contrary. Can Jin hereafter avoid disorder?"
In the twenty-seventh year Marquis Mu died, and his younger brother Shangshu set himself up, and the heir apparent Chou fled abroad. In Shangshu's third year King Xuan of Zhou died. In the fourth year Marquis Mu's heir apparent Chou led his followers in a surprise attack on Shangshu and was set up: this was Marquis Wen.
In Marquis Wen's tenth year King You of Zhou was without the Way, and the Quanrong killed King You, and Zhou moved east. And Duke Xiang of Qin was first ranked among the feudal lords.
In the thirty-fifth year Marquis Wen, Chou, died, and his son Marquis Zhao, Bo, was set up.
In Marquis Zhao's first year he enfeoffed Marquis Wen's younger brother Chengshi at Quwo. The town of Quwo was greater than Yi. Yi was the capital town of the lord of Jin. Chengshi being enfeoffed at Quwo was styled Huanshu. Luan Bin, a grandson of Marquis Jing by a concubine, was Huanshu's counsellor. Huanshu was at that time fifty-eight years old; he was fond of power, and the multitude of Jin all attached themselves to him. The gentlemen said: "Jin's disorder will be at Quwo. When the branch is greater than the trunk and has won the people's hearts, what is there to wait for but disorder!"
In the seventh year the great minister of Jin, Pan Fu, killed his lord Marquis Zhao and welcomed Huanshu of Quwo. Huanshu wished to enter Jin, and the men of Jin sent out troops and attacked Huanshu. Huanshu was defeated and went back to Quwo. The men of Jin together set up Marquis Zhao's son Ping as lord: this was Marquis Xiao. They put Pan Fu to death.
In Marquis Xiao's eighth year Huanshu of Quwo died, and his son Shan took Huanshu's place: this was Zhuangbo of Quwo. In Marquis Xiao's fifteenth year Zhuangbo of Quwo killed his lord Marquis Xiao of Jin at Yi. The men of Jin attacked Zhuangbo of Quwo, and Zhuangbo went back into Quwo. The men of Jin again set up Marquis Xiao's son Xi as lord: this was Marquis E.
In Marquis E's second year Duke Yin of Lu was first set up.
Marquis E died in his sixth year. Zhuangbo of Quwo, hearing that Marquis E of Jin was dead, raised troops and attacked Jin. King Ping of Zhou sent the Duke of Guo with troops to attack Zhuangbo of Quwo, and Zhuangbo fled and held Quwo. The men of Jin together set up Marquis E's son Guang: this was Marquis Ai.
In Marquis Ai's second year Zhuangbo of Quwo died, and his son Cheng took Zhuangbo's place: this was Duke Wu of Quwo. In Marquis Ai's sixth year Lu killed its lord Duke Yin. In Marquis Ai's eighth year Jin invaded Xingting. Xingting plotted with Duke Wu of Quwo, and in the ninth year they attacked Jin beside the Fen and took Marquis Ai prisoner. The men of Jin then set up Marquis Ai's son Xiaozi as lord: this was Marquis Xiaozi.
In Xiaozi's first year Duke Wu of Quwo had Han Wan kill the captive Marquis Ai of Jin. Quwo grew ever stronger, and Jin could do nothing about it.
In Xiaozi of Jin's fourth year Duke Wu of Quwo lured and summoned Xiaozi of Jin and killed him. King Huan of Zhou sent Guozhong to attack Duke Wu of Quwo, and Wu went into Quwo, and they set up Marquis Ai of Jin's younger brother Min as Marquis of Jin.
In Marquis Min of Jin's fourth year Song seized Zhai Zhong of Zheng and set up Tu as lord of Zheng. In the Marquis of Jin's nineteenth year Guan Zhifu of Qi killed his lord Duke Xiang.
In the Marquis of Jin's twenty-eighth year Duke Huan of Qi first became hegemon. Duke Wu of Quwo attacked Marquis Min of Jin and destroyed him, and gave all his treasure vessels as bribes and offerings to King Xi of Zhou. King Xi ordered that Duke Wu of Quwo be lord of Jin and ranked among the feudal lords; and thereupon he joined all the land of Jin to his own and possessed it.
Duke Wu of Quwo had by then been in his place thirty-seven years, and he changed his title to Duke Wu of Jin. Duke Wu of Jin first made his capital in the state of Jin; counting with his former accession at Quwo, it was thirty-eight years.
Duke Wu, Cheng, was a great-grandson of the earlier Marquis Mu of Jin, and a grandson of Huanshu of Quwo. Huanshu was the first to be enfeoffed at Quwo. Duke Wu was Zhuangbo's son. From Huanshu's first enfeoffment at Quwo down to Duke Wu's destruction of Jin was sixty-seven years in all, and at last he took Jin's place as a feudal lord. Duke Wu took Jin's place, and in two years he died. Counting with Quwo, he was in his place thirty-nine years in all when he died. His son Duke Xian, Guizhu, was set up.
In Duke Xian's first year King Hui of Zhou's younger brother Tui attacked King Hui, and King Hui fled abroad and dwelt at the town of Li in Zheng.
In the fifth year he attacked the Li Rong and got Li Ji and Li Ji's younger sister, and loved and favoured them both.
In the eighth year Shi Wei argued with the duke: "The former princes of Jin are many; if they are not put to death, disorder will arise." So he had all the princes killed, and walled Ju and made it his capital, and named it Jiang, and first made Jiang his capital. In the ninth year the princes of Jin having fled to Guo, Guo on their account twice attacked Jin, and did not prevail. In the tenth year Jin wished to attack Guo, and Shi Wei said: "Wait until they fall into disorder."
In the twelfth year Li Ji bore Xiqi. Duke Xian had a mind to depose the heir apparent, and said: "Quwo is where my ancestors' temples are; and Pu borders on Qin and Qu borders on the Di. If I do not have my sons dwell there, I am uneasy." Thereupon he had the heir apparent Shensheng dwell at Quwo, Prince Chonger at Pu, and Prince Yiwu at Qu. Duke Xian and Li Ji's son Xiqi dwelt at Jiang. By this the state of Jin knew that the heir apparent would not be set up. The heir apparent Shensheng's mother was a daughter of Duke Huan of Qi, called Qi Jiang, and had died early. Shensheng's younger sister by the same mother was the consort of Duke Mu of Qin. Chonger's mother was a woman of the Hu clan of the Di. Yiwu's mother was the younger sister of Chonger's mother. Duke Xian had eight sons, and the heir apparent Shensheng, Chonger and Yiwu all had worthy conduct. When he got Li Ji, he put these three sons at a distance.
In the sixteenth year Duke Xian of Jin made two armies. The duke commanded the upper army and the heir apparent Shensheng the lower; Zhao Su drove the war chariot and Bi Wan was the right-hand man. They attacked and destroyed Huo, destroyed Wei and destroyed Geng. On their return he walled Quwo for the heir apparent, and bestowed Geng on Zhao Su and Wei on Bi Wan, making them grandees. Shi Wei said: "The heir apparent will not be set up. He has been given a capital town and the position of a minister; he has been brought to the utmost beforehand — how then can he be set up? Better to flee, and not let guilt come upon him. To be a Taibo of Wu — would that not do? He would at least have a fine name." The heir apparent did not follow this. Bu Yan said: "Bi Wan's posterity will surely be great. Wan is a full number; Wei is a great name. To begin his rewards with these — Heaven has opened the way for him. The Son of Heaven speaks of the million people, the feudal lords of the myriad people; now to name him greatly, in accord with a full number, he must surely have a multitude." Earlier, when Bi Wan divined about taking office in the state of Jin, he met the hexagram Zhun changing into Bi. Xin Liao divined it and said: "Auspicious. Zhun means firmness and Bi means entering; what could be more auspicious than that? His posterity will surely be numerous and flourishing."
In the seventeenth year the Marquis of Jin sent the heir apparent Shensheng to attack Dongshan. Li Ke remonstrated with Duke Xian, saying: "The heir apparent is the one who presents the grain offerings at the ancestral sacrifices and at the altars of soil and grain, and who inspects the ruler's food morning and evening; therefore he is called the eldest son. When the ruler goes out, he keeps the state; if there is another to keep it, he follows. To follow is called soothing the army; to keep is called overseeing the state: this is the institution of antiquity. Now to lead an army is to have sole charge of the plans; to swear in the host is what the ruler and the chief minister of state devise: it is not the heir apparent's business. An army rests on the controlling of commands, and no more. To receive commands is to be without authority; to command on one's own is to be unfilial. Therefore the ruler's rightful successor may not lead an army. The ruler has failed in his appointments, and one who leads an army without authority — what use is he?" The duke said: "I have sons, and do not yet know which is to be made heir apparent." Li Ke did not answer and withdrew, and saw the heir apparent. The heir apparent said: "Am I to be deposed?" Li Ke said: "Exert yourself, heir apparent! You are being taught in the business of arms; your fear should be of not serving well — what cause is there for deposing? And do you fear to be unfilial, not fear not to be set up. Cultivate yourself and do not blame others, and you will escape trouble." The heir apparent led the army, and the duke clothed him in a two-coloured robe and hung a gold semicircular pendant on him. Li Ke pleaded illness and did not go with the heir apparent. The heir apparent then attacked Dongshan.
In the nineteenth year Duke Xian said: "Formerly, when our former lords Zhuangbo and Duke Wu put down the disorder in Jin, Guo constantly helped Jin to attack us, and moreover hid the fugitive princes of Jin, and they did indeed make disorder. If we do not punish it, we shall leave trouble to our sons and grandsons." So he sent Xun Xi with the horses bred at Qu to ask a road through Yu. Yu granted the road, and they went on to attack Guo and took its Xiayang and came home.
Duke Xian said privately to Li Ji: "I wish to depose the heir apparent and put Xiqi in his place." Li Ji wept and said: "That the heir apparent is established is already known to all the feudal lords; and he has repeatedly led troops and the hundred families are attached to him. How can you, for the sake of a lowly concubine, depose the rightful heir and set up a son of a concubine? If my lord does it, I shall kill myself." Li Ji praised the heir apparent for show, while secretly having men slander and malign him, wishing to set up her own son.
In the twenty-first year Li Ji said to the heir apparent: "Our lord dreamed of Qi Jiang; let the heir apparent quickly sacrifice at Quwo and bring back the blessed meat to the lord." The heir apparent thereupon sacrificed to his mother Qi Jiang at Quwo, and sent up the offering meat to Duke Xian. Duke Xian was out hunting at the time, and the meat was placed in the palace. Li Ji had men put poison in the meat. Two days later Duke Xian came back from the hunt; the cook presented the meat to Duke Xian, and Duke Xian was about to eat it. Li Ji stopped him from beside, saying: "The meat has come from far off; it should be tested." They poured it on the ground, and the ground swelled; they gave it to a dog, and the dog died; they gave it to a minor servant, and the servant died. Li Ji wept and said: "How can the heir apparent bear it! He would kill his own father and take his place; how much more anyone else? And my lord is old, a man of a morning and an evening, and he cannot even wait but would kill him!" She said to Duke Xian: "The reason the heir apparent has done this is no more than my own and Xiqi's account. I beg that mother and son may withdraw to another state, or else kill ourselves early, and not simply let mother and son be made fish and flesh of by the heir apparent. At first when my lord wished to depose him, I regretted it; but as it is now, I have quite lost myself in this." The heir apparent heard of it and fled to Xincheng. Duke Xian was enraged, and put his tutor Du Yuankuan to death. Someone said to the heir apparent: "The one who made this poison was Li Ji; why does the heir apparent not plead and make it plain?" The heir apparent said: "My lord is old; without Li Ji he sleeps uneasily and does not relish his food. If I plead, my lord will be angry at her. It cannot be done." Someone said to the heir apparent: "You may flee to another state." The heir apparent said: "To go out bearing this foul name — who would take me in? I shall only kill myself." On the day wushen of the twelfth month, Shensheng killed himself at Xincheng.
At this time Chonger and Yiwu came to court. Someone told Li Ji: "The two princes resent Li Ji for slandering the heir apparent to death." Li Ji was afraid, and so slandered the two princes: "Shensheng's poisoned meat — the two princes knew of it." The two heard of it and were afraid; Chonger fled to Pu and Yiwu to Qu, and they held their walls and made their own preparations to defend them. Earlier, Duke Xian had sent Shi Wei to build the walls of Pu and Qu for the two princes, and he had not finished them. Yiwu reported this to the duke, and the duke was angry with Shi Wei. Shi Wei apologized, saying: "A border town has few bandits; what use are they?" He withdrew and sang: "The fox-fur coat is tangled and tufted; one state with three lords — whom shall I follow?" In the end he finished the walls. And when Shensheng died, the two sons also went home and held their walls.
In the twenty-second year Duke Xian was angry that the two sons had gone away without taking leave — they had indeed been plotting — and so he sent troops to attack Pu. Bo Di, a eunuch among the men of Pu, ordered Chonger to kill himself at once. Chonger climbed over a wall, and the eunuch pursued him and cut off his sleeve. Chonger thereupon fled to the Di. He sent men to attack Qu; Qu held its walls and could not be taken.
In that year Jin again asked a road through Yu in order to attack Guo. The grandee of Yu, Gong Zhiqi, remonstrated with the lord of Yu, saying: "Jin must not be given a road; it will destroy Yu." The lord of Yu said: "Jin is of our own surname; it would not be fitting for it to attack us." Gong Zhiqi said: "Taibo and Yuzhong were sons of the Great King; Taibo went away, and therefore did not succeed. Guozhong and Guoshu were sons of King Ji and were ministers to King Wen, and the record of their merit is in the royal house, stored in the covenant office. If Guo is to be destroyed, what affection is there for Yu? And can Yu's kinship be closer than the clans of Huan and Zhuang? What was the crime of the clans of Huan and Zhuang, that they were all destroyed? Yu and Guo are as the lips and the teeth: when the lips are gone the teeth are cold." The Duke of Yu would not listen, and consented to Jin. Gong Zhiqi took his clan and left Yu. That winter Jin destroyed Guo, and Chou the Duke of Guo fled to Zhou. On their return they made a surprise attack and destroyed Yu, and took prisoner the Duke of Yu and his grandee Jingbo Baili Xi, to be sent along with the Lady Mu of Qin; and they kept up the sacrifices of Yu. Xun Xi led up the horses of Qu that had formerly been given to Yu and presented them to Duke Xian; Duke Xian laughed and said: "The horses are my horses, but their teeth are older!"
In the twenty-third year Duke Xian sent Jia Hua and the rest to attack Qu; Qu collapsed. Yiwu was about to flee to the Di. Ji Rui said: "It cannot be done; Chonger is already there, and if you go now Jin will surely move its troops to attack the Di, and the Di, fearing Jin, will let the disaster reach you. Better to flee to Liang. Liang is near Qin, and Qin is strong; after our lord's hundred years you may seek to be brought in from there." So he fled to Liang. In the twenty-fifth year Jin attacked the Di, and the Di, for Chonger's sake, struck at Jin at Nieshang, and the Jin troops broke off and went away.
At this time Jin was strong: in the west it had the land west of the He and bordered on Qin; in the north it bordered on the Di; in the east it reached to Henei.
Li Ji's younger sister bore Daozi.
In the summer of the twenty-sixth year Duke Huan of Qi held the great assembly of the feudal lords at Kuiqiu. Duke Xian of Jin was ill and set out late; before he arrived he met Prime Minister Kong of Zhou. Prime Minister Kong said: "Duke Huan of Qi grows ever more arrogant; he does not attend to power but to distant schemes, and the feudal lords are not content. Let my lord simply not attend the assembly; he can do nothing to Jin." Duke Xian being ill as well, he turned back and went home. His illness grew grave, and he said to Xun Xi: "I have made Xiqi my successor; he is young in years, and the great ministers are unsubmissive, and I fear disorder will arise. Can you set him up?" Xun Xi said: "I can." Duke Xian said: "What proof is there of it?" He answered: "If the dead could come back to life and the living need not blush before them — that would be the proof." Thereupon he entrusted Xiqi to Xun Xi. Xun Xi became chancellor and took charge of the government of the state. In the autumn, in the ninth month, Duke Xian died. Li Ke and Pi Zheng wished to bring in Chonger, and with the followers of the three princes made a rebellion, and said to Xun Xi: "Three resentments are about to rise, and Qin and Jin will support them; what will you do?" Xun Xi said: "I cannot go back on my words to the former lord." In the tenth month Li Ke killed Xiqi at the place of mourning, Duke Xian being not yet buried. Xun Xi was about to die for it, and someone said it would be better to set up Xiqi's younger brother Daozi and be his tutor; so Xun Xi set up Daozi and buried Duke Xian. In the eleventh month Li Ke killed Daozi in court, and Xun Xi died for it. The gentlemen said: "What the Odes call 'a flaw in a white jade tablet may still be ground away; a flaw in these words can be done nothing with' — is this not said of Xun Xi? He did not go back on his word." Earlier, when Duke Xian was about to attack the Li Rong, the divination said: "Teeth and jaws will bring disaster." And when he broke the Li Rong and got Li Ji and loved her, it ended by throwing Jin into disorder.
Li Ke and the rest, having killed Xiqi and Daozi, sent men to fetch Prince Chonger from the Di, wishing to set him up. Chonger declined, saying: "I went against my father's command and fled abroad; my father is dead and I could not perform a son's rites in attending the mourning. How should Chonger dare to enter? Let the grandees set up another son instead." They went back and reported to Li Ke, and Li Ke sent to fetch Yiwu from Liang. Yiwu wished to go, but Lü Sheng and Xi Rui said: "There are still princes within who might be set up, and yet they seek outside: it is hard to trust. The plan is: unless you go to Qin and enter with the support of a strong state's authority, there is danger." So they sent Xi Rui with rich bribes to Qin, with the agreement: "If I can get in, I beg to give Qin the lands of Jin west of the He." And they sent a letter to Li Ke saying: "If I am truly set up, I beg to enfeoff you with the town of Fenyang." Duke Mu of Qin then sent out troops to escort Yiwu to Jin. Duke Huan of Qi, hearing of the disorder within Jin, also led the feudal lords to Jin. The Qin troops with Yiwu also reached Jin, and Qi then sent Xi Peng to join Qin, and together they brought in Yiwu and set him up as lord of Jin: this was Duke Hui. Duke Huan of Qi came as far as Gaoliang in Jin and turned back home.
In Duke Hui Yiwu's first year he sent Pi Zheng to make his excuses to Qin: "At first Yiwu promised my lord the lands west of the He; now I have been fortunate enough to get in and be set up. The great ministers say, 'The land is the former lords' land; my lord was a fugitive abroad — by what right did he privately promise it to Qin?' I contended over it and could not carry it, and so I make my excuses to Qin." Nor did he give Li Ke the town of Fenyang, and he took away his power. In the fourth month King Xiang of Zhou sent the Duke of Zhou, Jifu, to join the grandees of Qi and Qin in the ceremonies for Duke Hui of Jin. Duke Hui, because Chonger was abroad and he feared that Li Ke would make a change, sent Li Ke death, saying to him: "But for you, sir, I could not have been set up. Even so, you have killed two lords and one grandee; is it not hard to be a lord to such a man?" Li Ke answered: "Had there been no deposing, how would my lord have risen? If you wish to put me to death, will there be any lack of a pretext? And you say this! I have heard your command." And he fell on his sword and died. At this time Pi Zheng had been sent to make excuses to Qin and had not returned, and so did not come in for the trouble.
The lord of Jin reburied the reverent heir apparent Shensheng. In the autumn Hu Tu went down to the lower capital and met Shensheng; Shensheng took him into his chariot and told him: "Yiwu is without ritual. I have obtained my petition from the Lord: he will give Jin to Qin, and Qin will sacrifice to me." Hu Tu answered: "Your servant has heard that spirits do not eat what is not of their own ancestral line; will my lord's sacrifices then not be cut off? Let my lord think about it." Shensheng said: "Very well; I shall petition the Lord again. In ten days, at the western side of Xincheng, a shaman will see me there." He agreed, and then vanished. At the appointed time he went, and saw him again, and Shensheng told him: "The Lord has granted that the guilty be punished; they will be undone at Han." And the children chanted: "The reverent heir apparent has been reburied; after fourteen years Jin too will not flourish; the flourishing will be with the elder brother."
Pi Zheng, being on his mission to Qin and hearing that Li Ke had been put to death, argued with Duke Mu of Qin: "Lü Sheng, Xi Cheng and Ji Rui are in truth the ones who will not comply. If you bribe them richly and plot with them, drive out the lord of Jin and bring in Chonger, the business will surely succeed." Duke Mu of Qin consented, and sent men back with him to report to Jin and to bribe the three men richly. The three men said: "The gifts are rich and the words sweet; this must be Pi Zheng selling us to Qin." And so they killed Pi Zheng and Li Ke's and Pi Zheng's party, the seven grandees of the chariots. Pi Zheng's son Bao fled to Qin and urged an attack on Jin, and Duke Mu would not listen.
Duke Hui, having been set up, went back on the land promised to Qin and on Li Ke, and put to death the seven grandees of the chariots, and the people of the state were not attached to him. In the second year Zhou sent the Duke of Shao Guo to perform the ceremonies for Duke Hui of Jin; Duke Hui was haughty in the ceremonies, and the Duke of Shao derided him.
In the fourth year there was famine in Jin, and it begged grain from Qin. Duke Mu asked Baili Xi, and Baili Xi said: "Calamities from Heaven go their rounds, and states have them by turns; to relieve calamity and have pity on a neighbour is the way of a state. Give it to them." Bao, Pi Zheng's son, said: "Attack them." Duke Mu said: "It is their lord who is hateful; what is the crime of their people?" In the end he gave them grain, from Yong all the way to Jiang.
In the fifth year there was famine in Qin, and it asked to buy grain from Jin. The lord of Jin deliberated, and Qing Zheng said: "It was by Qin that you were set up, and afterwards you went back on the agreement about the land. When Jin was in famine Qin sent us grain; now Qin is in famine and asks to buy grain — what doubt is there about giving it? And you deliberate about it!" Guo She said: "Last year Heaven gave Jin to Qin, and Qin did not know enough to take it but lent to us. Now Heaven gives Qin to Jin; can Jin go against Heaven? Let us attack them." Duke Hui used Guo She's plan, and did not give Qin grain, and raised troops to attack Qin. Qin was greatly enraged and also raised troops to attack Jin.
In the spring of the sixth year Duke Mu of Qin led troops to attack Jin. Duke Hui of Jin said to Qing Zheng: "The Qin army has come deep in; what is to be done?" Zheng said: "Qin brought my lord in, and my lord went back on the bribe; when Jin was in famine Qin sent grain, and when Qin was in famine Jin went back on it, and then wished to take advantage of their famine to attack them: is it not fitting that they should come deep in?" Jin divined for a driver and a right-hand man, and Qing Zheng was auspicious for both. The duke said: "Zheng is not deferential." So he ordered Buyang to drive the war chariot instead and Jiapu Tu to be the right-hand man, and advanced his troops. On the day renxu of the ninth month Duke Mu of Qin and Duke Hui of Jin joined battle at Hanyuan. Duke Hui's horses were mired and would not go; the Qin troops came up, the duke was hard pressed, and he called Qing Zheng to drive for him. Zheng said: "You did not use the divination; is it not fitting that you should be defeated!" And he went away. He ordered Liang Youmi to drive instead, with Guo She as right-hand man, and they came up against Duke Mu of Qin. Duke Mu's stout men charged and broke the Jin army; the Jin army was defeated, and so they lost Duke Mu of Qin and instead took the Duke of Jin captive and brought him home. Qin meant to use him as a sacrifice to the Lord on High. The lord of Jin's elder sister was Duke Mu's consort, and she put on mourning garb and wept. The duke said: "To get the Marquis of Jin I thought would be a joy, and now it comes to this. And I have heard that when Jizi saw Tangshu first enfeoffed he said, 'His posterity must surely become great.' How can Jin be destroyed!" So he made a covenant with the Marquis of Jin at Wangcheng and agreed to send him home. The Marquis of Jin also sent Lü Sheng and the rest to report to the people of the state: "Though I may get home, I have no face to look upon the altars of the state; let a day be divined and my son Yu set up." The men of Jin heard it and all wept. Duke Mu of Qin asked Lü Sheng: "Is the state of Jin in concord?" He answered: "It is not in concord. The small men fear to lose their lord and to lose their kin, and do not shrink from setting up Ziyu, saying, 'We must have revenge; better to serve the Rong and the Di.' The gentlemen love their lord and know his guilt, and await Qin's command, saying, 'We must repay the kindness.' Having these two causes, they are not in concord." Thereupon Duke Mu of Qin moved Duke Hui of Jin to another lodging and sent him seven sets of victims. In the eleventh month he sent the Marquis of Jin home. The Marquis of Jin reached his state, put Qing Zheng to death, and set his government and teaching in order. He deliberated, saying: "Chonger is abroad, and many of the feudal lords would find it to their advantage to bring him in." And he wished to send men to kill Chonger among the Di. Chonger heard of it and went to Qi.
In the eighth year he sent the heir apparent Yu as hostage to Qin. Earlier, when Duke Hui was a fugitive in Liang, the Earl of Liang had given him his daughter to wife, and she bore a boy and a girl. The Earl of Liang divined about them: the boy would be another's servant, the girl another's handmaid; and so he named the boy Yu, "servant," and the girl Qie, "handmaid."
In the tenth year Qin destroyed Liang. The Earl of Liang was fond of earthworks and kept building walls and moats; the people's strength was worn out and they were resentful, and his multitude repeatedly alarmed one another, saying "The Qin raiders are coming"; the people were frightened and confused, and Qin in the end destroyed it.
In the thirteenth year Duke Hui of Jin fell ill, and within there were several sons. The heir apparent Yu said: "My mother's family is in Liang, and Qin has now destroyed it; abroad I am slighted by Qin and within I have no support in the state. If my lord does not rise from his bed, the grandees will make light of my illness and set up another prince instead." So he plotted to flee home with his wife. The woman of Qin said: "You are the heir apparent of a state, brought low here. Qin sent your handmaid to wait on you, to steady your heart. If you flee, I shall not follow you, nor shall I dare to speak of it." Ziyu thereupon fled home to Jin. In the ninth month of the fourteenth year Duke Hui died, and the heir apparent Yu was set up: this was Duke Huai.
At Ziyu's flight Qin bore him a grudge, and so sought out Prince Chonger, wishing to bring him in. Ziyu, being set up, feared that Qin would attack. So he ordered all in the state who had gone into exile with Chonger to come back by a set term, and that the households of any who had not come by the end of the term should be wholly destroyed. Hu Tu's sons Mao and Yan were with Chonger in Qin, and he would not summon them. Duke Huai was angry and imprisoned Hu Tu. Tu said: "My sons have served Chonger for a number of years; to summon them now is to teach them to turn against their lord. What should I teach them?" Duke Huai in the end killed Hu Tu. Duke Mu of Qin then sent out troops to escort and bring in Chonger, and sent men to tell the party of Luan and Xi to be the response within; they killed Duke Huai at Gaoliang and brought Chonger in. Chonger was set up: this was Duke Wen.
Duke Wen of Jin, Chonger, was a son of Duke Xian of Jin. From his youth he was fond of men of station, and at the age of seventeen he had five worthy men: Zhao Cui; Hu Yan Jiufan, who was Duke Wen's maternal uncle; Jia Tuo; Xian Zhen; and Wei Wuzi. From the time when Duke Xian was heir apparent, Chonger was already grown up. When Duke Xian came to his place, Chonger was twenty-one. In Duke Xian's thirteenth year, on account of Li Ji, Chonger garrisoned the city of Pu against Qin. In Duke Xian's twenty-first year Duke Xian killed the heir apparent Shensheng; Li Ji slandered him, and being afraid he did not take leave of Duke Xian but garrisoned the city of Pu. In Duke Xian's twenty-second year Duke Xian sent the eunuch Lüdi to make haste to kill Chonger. Chonger climbed over a wall, and the eunuch pursued and cut off his sleeve. Chonger thereupon fled to the Di. The Di was his mother's state. At that time Chonger was forty-three. These five men went with him, and some tens of others whose names are not given, to the Di.
The Di attacked the Jiuru and got two daughters: the elder they gave to Chonger to wife, and she bore Bochou and Shuliu; the younger they gave to Zhao Cui, and she bore Dun. He had been five years among the Di when Duke Xian of Jin died, and Li Ke having killed Xiqi and Daozi, they sent men to fetch him, wishing to set up Chonger. Chonger feared being killed, and so firmly declined and did not dare go in. Afterwards Jin fetched his younger brother Yiwu instead and set him up: this was Duke Hui. In Duke Hui's seventh year, fearing Chonger, he sent the eunuch Lüdi with stout men to kill Chonger. Chonger heard of it, and so took counsel with Zhao Cui and the rest, saying: "When I first fled to the Di, it was not because I thought it could be of use, but because it was near and easy to reach, and so I rested my feet for a while. My feet have rested long, and I would gladly move to a great state. Duke Huan of Qi is fond of goodness, and his purpose is to be hegemon and king, and he gathers in and cares for the feudal lords. Now I hear that Guan Zhong and Xi Peng are dead; he too must want worthy helpers. Why not go?" And so they set out. Chonger said to his wife: "If I do not come back in twenty-five years, then marry again." His wife laughed and said: "By twenty-five years the cypresses on my grave will be big. Even so, I shall wait for you." Chonger had been among the Di twelve years in all when he left.
Passing through Wei, Duke Wen of Wei was discourteous to him. Leaving there, he passed Wulu, and being hungry he begged food from a countryman, and the countryman put earth in a vessel and offered it to him. Chonger was angry. Zhao Cui said: "Earth means having land; let my lord bow and receive it."
He reached Qi, and Duke Huan of Qi treated him with rich ceremony and gave him a woman of his own clan to wife, and he had twenty teams of horses, and Chonger was content there. Chonger had been in Qi two years when Duke Huan died; it happened that Shu Diao and the rest made disorder within, and after Duke Xiao of Qi was set up the troops of the feudal lords came repeatedly. He stayed in Qi five years in all. Chonger loved the woman of Qi and had no mind to leave. Zhao Cui and Jiufan then took counsel under a mulberry tree about going. An attendant of the woman of Qi was up in the mulberry tree and heard them, and told her mistress. Her mistress then killed the attendant and urged Chonger to set out at once. Chonger said: "A man's life is for ease and pleasure; who knows anything else! I shall surely die here and cannot go." The woman of Qi said: "You are a prince of a state; in straits you came here, and these several gentlemen make you their life. If you do not hasten back to your state and repay your toiling servants, but cherish a woman's kindness, I am ashamed for you. And if you do not seek, when will you get merit?" So with Zhao Cui and the rest she plotted, made Chonger drunk, and loaded him into a carriage and set off. They had gone far when he awoke, and Chonger was greatly enraged and took up a dagger-axe to kill Jiufan. Jiufan said: "If killing me completes you, that is Yan's wish." Chonger said: "If the business does not succeed, I will eat my uncle's flesh." Jiufan said: "If the business does not succeed, Fan's flesh will be rank and stinking; what will it be worth eating!" So he stopped, and they went on.
Passing through Cao, Duke Gong of Cao was discourteous and wished to look at Chonger's joined ribs. The Cao grandee Xi Fuji said: "The prince of Jin is worthy, and of our own surname besides; he has come to us in straits — how can you be discourteous!" Duke Gong did not follow his counsel. Fuji then privately sent food to Chonger, with a jade disc placed beneath it. Chonger took the food and returned the disc.
Leaving there, he passed through Song. Duke Xiang of Song had just been hard pressed by Chu's arms and wounded at the Hong; hearing that Chonger was worthy, he treated Chonger with the ceremonies due to a state. The Song Marshal Gongsun Gu was on good terms with Jiufan, and said: "Song is a small state newly brought low, and is not enough to seek an entry from; go on to a great state." So they left.
Passing through Zheng, Duke Wen of Zheng was discourteous. The Zheng grandee Shu Zhan remonstrated with his lord, saying: "The prince of Jin is worthy, and his followers are all fit to be chancellors of states, and he is moreover of our own surname. Zheng came out of King Li, and Jin came out of King Wu." The lord of Zheng said: "Many princes of the feudal lords pass through here as fugitives; how can one be ceremonious to them all!" Shu Zhan said: "If my lord is not ceremonious, better to kill him, or he will hereafter be a trouble to the state." The lord of Zheng would not listen.
Chonger left there for Chu, and King Cheng of Chu received him with the ceremonies due to a feudal lord, and Chonger declined and did not dare accept them. Zhao Cui said: "You have been a fugitive abroad for ten and more years; small states slight you, how much more great states? Now Chu is a great state and firmly treats you well; do not decline — this is Heaven opening the way for you." So he received him with the ceremonies due a guest. King Cheng treated Chonger generously, and Chonger was very humble. King Cheng said: "If you go back to your state, how will you repay me?" Chonger said: "Feathers and fur, tusks and horns, jade and silk are what my lord has in plenty; I do not know how to repay you." The king said: "Even so, how will you repay me?" Chonger said: "If it cannot be helped, and I meet my lord and king with chariots of war on a broad plain or a wide marsh, I beg to withdraw from you three stages." The Chu general Ziyu was angry and said: "The king has treated the prince of Jin most generously, and now Chonger's words are undeferential; I beg to kill him." King Cheng said: "The prince of Jin is worthy and has long been in straits abroad, and his followers are all vessels fit for a state; this is Heaven's placing — how can he be killed? And what would you change in his words!" He had been some months in Chu when the heir apparent Yu of Jin fled from Qin, and Qin bore him a grudge; hearing that Chonger was in Chu, it summoned him. King Cheng said: "Chu is far off, and you must pass several states to reach Jin. Qin and Jin border on one another, and the lord of Qin is worthy; exert yourself on the road!" And he sent Chonger off with rich gifts.
Chonger reached Qin, and Duke Mu gave him five women of his own clan to wife, and Ziyu's former wife was among them. Chonger did not wish to accept her, and Sikong Jizi said: "Her state is to be attacked; how much more her former husband! And accept her in order to bind the kinship with Qin and seek an entry. Are you to be held by a small propriety and forget a great shame?" So he accepted. Duke Mu was greatly delighted, and drank with Chonger. Zhao Cui sang the ode "The Millet Sprouts." Duke Mu said: "I know that you wish to get back to your state quickly." Zhao Cui and Chonger came down from their places and bowed twice, saying: "Your orphaned servants look up to my lord as the hundred grains look for seasonable rain." This was in the autumn of Duke Hui of Jin's fourteenth year. Duke Hui died in the ninth month and Ziyu was set up. In the eleventh month Duke Hui was buried. In the twelfth month the grandees of Jin, Luan, Xi and the rest, hearing that Chonger was in Qin, all came secretly to urge Chonger and Zhao Cui and the rest to return to the state, and those who would answer within were very many. Thereupon Duke Mu of Qin sent out troops and went with Chonger back to Jin. Jin, hearing that the Qin troops were coming, also sent out troops to hold them off; but all of them secretly knew that Prince Chonger was coming in. Only the formerly honoured ministers of Duke Hui, the party of Lü and Xi, did not wish to set up Chonger. Chonger had been nineteen years in exile when he got in, and was then sixty-two years old; and many of the men of Jin attached themselves to him.
In the spring of Duke Wen's first year Qin escorted Chonger to the He. Jiufan said: "Your servant has followed my lord in his wanderings over the world, and my faults have been many. Your servant knows them; how much more my lord? I beg to leave you here." Chonger said: "If I go back to my state and do not share with you, may the Earl of the He look upon it!" And he threw a jade disc into the He, to make a covenant with Zifan (子犯). At this time Jie Zitui was of the company and was in the boat, and he laughed and said: "It is Heaven that has truly opened the way for the prince, and Zifan takes it for his own merit and bargains with his lord over it — that is shameful enough. I cannot bear to be of the same rank with him." And so he hid himself and crossed the He. The Qin troops besieged Linghu, and the Jin army encamped at Liuliu. On the day xinchou of the second month Jiufan made a covenant with the grandees of Qin and Jin at Xun. On renyin Chonger entered the army of Jin. On bingwu he entered Quwo. On dingwei he paid court at the temple of Duke Wu and came to his place as lord of Jin: this was Duke Wen. The body of ministers all went to him. Duke Huai, Yu, fled to Gaoliang. On wushen he sent men to kill Duke Huai.
Lü Sheng and Xi Rui, the former great ministers of Duke Huai, had from the first not attached themselves to Duke Wen, and when Duke Wen was set up they feared being put to death, and so wished to plot with their followers to burn the ducal palace and kill Duke Wen. Duke Wen did not know of it. The eunuch Lüdi, who had once wished to kill Duke Wen, knew of the plot, and wishing to report it to Duke Wen and be released from his former offence, sought an audience with Duke Wen. Duke Wen would not see him, and sent men to reproach him, saying: "In the affair at the city of Pu you cut off my sleeve. Afterwards I was hunting with the lord of the Di, and you came for Duke Hui to seek to kill me. Duke Hui gave you three days to arrive, and you came in one — how quick you were! Think upon it." The eunuch said: "Your servant is a remnant of knife and saw; I dared not serve my lord with a double heart or turn against my master, and so I offended against my lord. My lord has returned to his state; will there be no more Pus and Dis? Moreover Guan Zhong shot the belt-hook, and Duke Huan became hegemon. Now a man who has undergone mutilation reports a matter and my lord will not see him; the disaster will reach you again." Thereupon he saw him, and so told Duke Wen about Lü and Xi and the rest. Duke Wen wished to summon Lü and Xi; but Lü and Xi had many partisans, and Duke Wen, fearing that having newly entered the state the people of the state might sell him, went about in disguise and met Duke Mu of Qin at Wangcheng, and none in the state knew of it. On the day jichou of the third month Lü and Xi did indeed rebel and burned the ducal palace, and did not get Duke Wen. Duke Wen's guards fought with them; Lü, Xi and the rest led their troops meaning to flee, and Duke Mu of Qin lured Lü, Xi and the rest and killed them by the He, and the state of Jin was restored and Duke Wen was able to go home. In the summer he fetched his consort from Qin, and the woman Qin had given Duke Wen to wife became at last his consort. Qin sent three thousand men as guards, to be ready against disorder in Jin.
Duke Wen set his government in order and gave bounty to the hundred families. He rewarded those who had gone into exile with him and his meritorious ministers, the greatest with enfeoffed towns and the lesser with honoured rank. Before the rewards were all carried out, King Xiang of Zhou, because of the trouble with his younger brother Dai, went out to dwell in the land of Zheng, and came to Jin with an urgent appeal. Jin was but newly settled and wished to send out troops, but feared that other disorders would arise, and so the rewards for those who had gone into exile had not reached the hidden man Jie Zitui. Tui too did not speak of his emolument, and no emolument came to him. Tui said: "Duke Xian had nine sons, and only our lord is left. Hui and Huai had no kin, and within and without cast them off. Heaven has not cut off Jin, and there must be a master; and who but our lord should be master of the sacrifices of Jin? Heaven truly opened the way for him, and these several men take it for their own strength — is it not false? To steal another's goods is called theft; how much more to covet Heaven's merit and take it for one's own strength? Below, men palm off their guilt; above, the ruler rewards their villainy; above and below deceiving one another — it is hard to live among them!" His mother said: "Why do you not seek it too? To die thus — whom will you blame?" Tui said: "To blame it and imitate it is a still greater offence. And I have uttered words of resentment; I will not eat his emolument." His mother said: "Yet let him know of it — how would that be?" He answered: "Words are the adornment of the person; if the person means to be hidden, what use is adorning it? To adorn it is to seek display." His mother said: "Can you do this? Then I will hide with you." And to her death she was not seen again.
A follower of Jie Zitui pitied him, and so hung up a writing at the palace gate saying: "A dragon wished to go up to Heaven, and five snakes were his helpers. The dragon has risen on the clouds, and four snakes have each entered his own dwelling; one snake alone is resentful, and in the end his place is nowhere seen." Duke Wen came out and saw the writing, and said: "This is Jie Zitui. I was just then troubled about the royal house and had not considered his merit." He sent men to summon him, but he was gone. He then sought where he was, and heard that he had gone into the hills of Mianshang; and thereupon Duke Wen enclosed the hills of Mianshang and made them his fief, for Jie Tui's land, and named it Mount Jie — "to record my fault, and to signal a good man."
Hu Shu, a lowly servant who had gone into exile with him, said: "My lord has three times given out rewards, and the rewards have not reached me; I venture to ask my offence." Duke Wen answered: "Those who guided me with humaneness and righteousness and fenced me in with power and kindness receive the first reward. Those who supported me with their actions, so that in the end I was established, receive the next reward. Those who braved the hazard of arrow and stone and the toil of sweating horses receive the next reward again. As for those who served me with their strength but did not make good my faults, they receive the next reward again. After the three rewards, it was then to come to you." When the men of Jin heard this, they were all pleased.
In the spring of the second year Qin encamped by the He, about to bring the king in. Zhao Cui said: "To seek the hegemony, there is nothing like bringing in the king and honouring Zhou. Zhou and Jin are of the same surname; if Jin does not bring in the king first and Qin brings him in afterwards, there will be no means of giving commands to the empire. To honour the king now is Jin's capital." On the day jiachen of the third month Jin sent out troops to Yangfan, besieged Wen, and brought King Xiang into Zhou. In the fourth month they killed the king's younger brother Dai. King Xiang of Zhou bestowed on Jin the lands of Yangfan in Henei.
In the fourth year King Cheng of Chu with the feudal lords besieged Song, and Gongsun Gu of Song went to Jin with an urgent appeal. Xian Zhen said: "To repay a kindness and settle the hegemony — the time for it is now." Hu Yan said: "Chu has newly got Cao and has just made a marriage with Wei; if we attack Cao and Wei, Chu will surely rescue them, and then Song will be relieved." Thereupon Jin made three armies. Zhao Cui raised Xi Hu to command the central army with Xi Zhen as his second; Hu Yan was made to command the upper army with Hu Mao as his second, and Zhao Cui was made a minister; Luan Zhi commanded the lower army with Xian Zhen as his second; Xun Linfu drove the war chariot and Wei Chou was the right-hand man: and so they went to attack. In the twelfth month of winter the Jin troops first went down east of the mountains, and he enfeoffed Zhao Cui with Yuan.
In the spring of the fifth year Duke Wen of Jin wished to attack Cao and asked a road through Wei, and the men of Wei would not allow it. He turned back and crossed from south of the He, invaded Cao and attacked Wei. In the first month he took Wulu. In the second month the Marquis of Jin and the Marquis of Qi made a covenant at Lianyu. The Marquis of Wei asked to make a covenant with Jin, and the men of Jin would not allow it. The Marquis of Wei wished to join Chu, and the people of the state did not wish it, and so they drove out their lord to please Jin. The Marquis of Wei dwelt at Xiangniu, and Prince Mai garrisoned Wei. Chu came to rescue Wei, and did not succeed. The Marquis of Jin besieged Cao. On the day bingwu of the third month the Jin army entered Cao; he reckoned up against them their not having used Xi Fuji's words, and their having three hundred men who rode in official carriages on account of beautiful women. He ordered the army not to enter the clan household of Xi Fuji, to repay his kindness. Chu besieged Song, and Song again appealed urgently to Jin. Duke Wen wished to rescue it, but that meant attacking Chu; and because Chu had once done him a kindness, he did not wish to attack it. He wished to let Song go; but Song too had once done Jin a kindness: and he was troubled. Xian Zhen said: "Seize the Earl of Cao, and divide the lands of Cao and Wei and give them to Song; Chu will be anxious for Cao and Wei, and by that course should let Song go." Thereupon Duke Wen followed this, and King Cheng of Chu then led his troops home.
The Chu general Ziyu said: "The king treated Jin most generously, and now, knowing that Chu is anxious for Cao and Wei, he attacks them on purpose: this is to slight the king." The king said: "The Marquis of Jin was a fugitive abroad nineteen years, and was long in straits; and having at last got back to his state, he knows every hazard and can use his people. This is Heaven's opening; he cannot be withstood." Ziyu begged, saying: "I do not presume to be sure of merit; I wish by it to stop the mouths of slanderers and evil men." The king of Chu was angry, and gave him few troops. Thereupon Ziyu sent Wan Chun to tell Jin: "I ask that the Marquis of Wei be restored and Cao enfeoffed, and your servant will also let Song go." Jiufan said: "Ziyu is without ritual: my lord takes one and the subject takes two; do not consent." Xian Zhen said: "To settle men is what is called ritual. Chu with one word settles three states, and you with one word would destroy them: then it is we who are without ritual. Not to consent to Chu is to abandon Song. Better privately to promise Cao and Wei so as to draw them off, and to seize Wan Chun so as to enrage Chu, and after the battle plan the rest." The Marquis of Jin then imprisoned Wan Chun in Wei, and privately promised to restore Cao and Wei. Cao and Wei announced that they broke off from Chu. Dechen of Chu was angry and struck at the Jin army, and the Jin army withdrew. The officers of the army said: "Why do we withdraw?" Duke Wen said: "Formerly in Chu I agreed to withdraw three stages; can I go back on it?" The Chu army wished to leave, and Dechen would not. On the day wuchen of the fourth month the Duke of Song, the general of Qi and the general of Qin with the Marquis of Jin halted at Chengpu. On jisi they joined battle with the Chu troops; the Chu troops were defeated, and Dechen gathered his remaining troops and went away. On jiawu the Jin army returned as far as Hengyong, and built a royal palace at Jiantu.
Earlier, Zheng had helped Chu; and when Chu was defeated Zheng was afraid, and sent men to ask for a covenant with the Marquis of Jin. The Marquis of Jin made a covenant with the Earl of Zheng.
On the day dingwei of the fifth month he presented the Chu captives to Zhou, a hundred teams of armoured horses and a thousand foot-soldiers. The Son of Heaven sent Prince Hu to order that the Marquis of Jin be chief, and bestowed on him a great carriage, a red bow with a hundred arrows and black bows with a thousand arrows, one vessel of black-millet spirits, a jade-handled ladle, and three hundred tiger guards. The Marquis of Jin thrice declined, and then bowed his head to the ground and received them. Zhou made "The Charge to Marquis Wen of Jin": "The king spoke thus: Uncle Yihe, illustrious were Wen and Wu, who could be careful and make their power bright; it rose in brightness above and was spread abroad below, and at that time the Lord on High gathered his mandate upon Wen and Wu. Have pity on my person, and continue me, the One Man, long in my place." Thereupon Duke Wen of Jin was styled chief. On guihai Prince Hu made a covenant with the feudal lords in the royal court.
Jin burned the Chu camp, and the fire did not go out for several days, and Duke Wen sighed. Those about him said: "You have conquered Chu and yet my lord still grieves — why?" Duke Wen said: "I have heard that only a sage can be at ease after conquering in battle, and so I am afraid. And Ziyu is still alive; how can I rejoice!" When Ziyu went home defeated, King Cheng of Chu was angry that he had not used his words but had greedily fought with Jin, and reproached and blamed Ziyu, and Ziyu killed himself. Duke Wen of Jin said: "I struck them without, and Chu puts him to death within; without and within we have answered each other." And thereupon he rejoiced.
In the sixth month the men of Jin brought the Marquis of Wei back in. On renwu the Marquis of Jin crossed the He northward and went home to his state. In giving out rewards, Hu Yan was first. Someone said: "The affair at Chengpu was Xian Zhen's plan." Duke Wen said: "In the affair at Chengpu, Yan urged me not to lose good faith. Xian Zhen said, 'In the business of war, victory is what counts'; I used it and conquered. But this was the counsel of one occasion, while Yan's words are a merit of ten thousand generations. How should I put the profit of one occasion above the merit of ten thousand generations? Therefore I put him first."
In the winter the Marquis of Jin assembled the feudal lords at Wen, wishing to lead them to court at Zhou. His strength was not yet enough, and he feared that some would rebel, and so he sent men to say that King Xiang of Zhou was hunting at Heyang. On the day renshen he thereupon led the feudal lords to pay court to the king at Jiantu. When Confucius read the records and came to Duke Wen, he said that "the feudal lords do not summon the king" and "the king hunted at Heyang" are the Spring and Autumn's way of concealing it.
On dingchou the feudal lords besieged Xu. A subject of the Earl of Cao argued with the Marquis of Jin: "Duke Huan of Qi gathered the feudal lords and gave states to those of other surnames; now my lord makes an assembly and destroys one of his own surname. Cao is the posterity of Shu Zhenduo; Jin is the posterity of Tangshu. To gather the feudal lords and destroy a brother is without ritual." The Marquis of Jin was pleased, and restored the Earl of Cao.
Thereupon Jin first made three columns. Xun Linfu commanded the central column, Xian Hu the right column, Xian Mie the left column.
In the seventh year Duke Wen of Jin and Duke Mu of Qin together besieged Zheng, because of its discourtesy to Duke Wen when he passed through as a fugitive, and because Zheng had helped Chu at the time of Chengpu. In besieging Zheng they wished to get Shu Zhan. Shu Zhan heard of it and killed himself. Zheng took Shu Zhan and reported to Jin. Jin said: "We must have the lord of Zheng to satisfy our hearts." Zheng was afraid, and so secretly sent an envoy to say to Duke Mu of Qin: "To destroy Zheng enriches Jin; Jin gains by it, but Qin has no profit in it. Why does my lord not release Zheng and make it his host on the eastern road?" The Earl of Qin was pleased and broke off the campaign. Jin too broke off.
In the winter of the ninth year Duke Wen of Jin died, and his son Duke Xiang, Huan, was set up. In that year the Earl of Zheng also died.
A man of Zheng sold his state to Qin, and Duke Mu of Qin sent out troops to make a surprise attack on Zheng. In the twelfth month the Qin troops passed through our outskirts. In the spring of Duke Xiang's first year the Qin army passed by Zhou and was discourteous, and Wangsun Man derided them. The troops reached Hua, and a merchant of Zheng, Xian Gao, who was going to trade at Zhou, met them, and with twelve oxen feasted the Qin army. The Qin army was startled and turned back, and destroyed Hua and went away.
Xian Zhen of Jin said: "The Earl of Qin did not use Jian Shu and went against the hearts of his multitude; they may be struck." Luan Zhi said: "We have not yet repaid the former lord's kindness from Qin; to strike them cannot be done." Xian Zhen said: "Qin insults our orphan and attacks those of our own surname; what kindness is there to repay?" And so they struck them. Duke Xiang dyed his mourning garb black. In the fourth month they defeated the Qin army at Yao and took the three Qin generals Meng Mingshi, Xiqi Shu and Baiyi Bing prisoner and brought them home. They then buried Duke Wen in black. Duke Wen's consort, a woman of Qin, said to Duke Xiang: "Qin wishes to get its three generals and put them to death." The duke consented and sent them off. Xian Zhen heard of it and said to Duke Xiang: "Trouble has been born." Zhen then pursued the Qin generals. The Qin generals had crossed the He and were already in the boat; they bowed their heads in thanks, and in the end did not come back.
Three years later Qin did indeed send Meng Ming to attack Jin, in reprisal for the defeat at Yao, and took Jin's Wang and went home. In the fourth year Duke Mu of Qin raised a great force and attacked us, crossed the He, took Wangguan, raised a mound over the dead of Yao and went away. Jin was afraid and did not dare come out, and held its walls. In the fifth year Jin attacked Qin and took Xincheng, in reprisal for the affair of Wangguan.
In the sixth year Zhao Cui Chengzi, Luan Zhenzi, Jiuji Zifan and Huobo all died. Zhao Dun took Zhao Cui's place in charge of the government.
In the eighth month of the seventh year Duke Xiang died. The heir apparent Yigao was young. The men of Jin, because of their troubles, wished to set up a grown lord. Zhao Dun said: "Let us set up Duke Xiang's younger brother Yong. He loves goodness and is grown, the former lord loved him, and he is moreover close to Qin, and Qin was formerly a friend. To set up a good man makes for firmness; to serve an elder makes for compliance; to uphold one who was loved is filial; to knit up an old friendship makes for peace." Jia Ji said: "Better his younger brother Le. Chen Ying was favoured by two lords; if we set up her son, the people will surely be at ease with him." Zhao Dun said: "Chen Ying was low-born, ranking below nine others; what awe is there in her son? And to have been favoured by two lords is licentious. Being a son of a former lord, he could not seek a great state but went out to a small one: that is out of the way. A licentious mother and a wayward son have no authority; and Chen is small and far off and gives no support. How can it do!" He sent Shi Hui to Qin to fetch Prince Yong. Jia Ji also sent men to summon Prince Le from Chen. Zhao Dun dismissed Jia Ji for having killed Yang Chufu. In the tenth month Duke Xiang was buried. In the eleventh month Jia Ji fled to the Di. In that year Duke Mu of Qin also died.
In the fourth month of Duke Ling's first year, Duke Kang of Qin said: "When Duke Wen came in formerly he had no guard, and so there was the trouble of Lü and Xi." And so he gave Prince Yong a large guard. The heir apparent's mother, Mu Ying, day and night held the heir apparent and wailed in the court, saying: "What was the former lord's crime? And what is his heir's crime? To set aside the rightful heir and seek a lord abroad — where will you put this child?" Coming out of the court, she carried him to Zhao Dun's place and bowed her head to the ground, saying: "The former lord held this child up and entrusted him to you, saying, 'If this child has talent, I receive your gift; if he has none, I shall blame you.' Now our lord is dead, and his words are still in our ears, and you cast him off — how can this be?" Zhao Dun and the several grandees were all troubled by Mu Ying, and moreover feared being put to death; and so they turned against him whom they had sent for and set up the heir apparent Yigao: this was Duke Ling. They sent out troops to hold off the Qin escort of Prince Yong. Zhao Dun was general and went to strike at Qin, and defeated them at Linghu. Xian Mie and Sui Hui fled to Qin. In the autumn the lords of Qi, Song, Wei, Zheng, Cao and Xu all met Zhao Dun and made a covenant at Hu, because Duke Ling had just been set up.
In the fourth year he attacked Qin and took Shaoliang. Qin also took Jin's Yao. In the sixth year Duke Kang of Qin attacked Jin and took Jima. The Marquis of Jin was angry, and sent Zhao Dun, Zhao Chuan and Xi Que to strike at Qin; there was a great battle at Hequ, and Zhao Chuan had the most merit. In the seventh year the six ministers of Jin were troubled that Sui Hui was in Qin and would constantly make disorder for Jin, and so they falsely ordered Wei Shouyu to turn against Jin and surrender to Qin. Qin sent Sui Hui to Wei, and so he was seized and brought back to Jin.
In the eighth year King Qing of Zhou died; the ministers contended for power, and so no announcement was made. Jin sent Zhao Dun with eight hundred chariots to settle the disorder at Zhou and set up King Kuang. In that year King Zhuang of Chu first came to the throne. In the twelfth year the men of Qi killed their lord Duke Yi.
In the fourteenth year Duke Ling, being grown, was extravagant, and taxed heavily in order to paint his walls. From a terrace he shot pellets at men and watched them dodge the pellets. A cook had not boiled a bear's paw till it was done; Duke Ling was angry and killed the cook, and had women carry out his body and throw it away, and it passed by the court. Zhao Dun and Sui Hui had remonstrated before and had not been heeded; and now seeing the dead man's hand, the two went forward to remonstrate. Sui Hui remonstrated first and was not heeded. Duke Ling was troubled by them, and sent Chu Ni to stab Zhao Dun. Dun's inner gate was open and his manner of living was frugal; Chu Ni withdrew and sighed, saying: "To kill a loyal minister, or to cast aside the lord's command, is one and the same crime." And he dashed himself against a tree and died.
Earlier, Dun had once been hunting at Shoushan and saw a starving man under a mulberry tree. The starving man was □ Miming. Dun gave him food, and he ate half of it. Asked why, he said: "I have been in service three years and do not know whether my mother is alive; I wish to leave this for my mother." Dun thought it right of him and gave him more rice and meat. Afterwards he became a cook in Jin, and Zhao Dun no longer knew of him. In the ninth month Duke Ling of Jin gave Zhao Dun wine to drink, and had armed men laid in wait to attack Dun. The ducal cook □ Miming knew of it, and fearing that Dun would be drunk and unable to rise, he came forward and said: "When a lord bestows on a subject, three rounds of the cup are enough to end it." He meant thereby to get Zhao Dun away, to have him go first and not come in for the trouble. Dun having gone, Duke Ling's ambushed men had not yet gathered, and he first loosed a biting dog named Ao. Miming grappled with the dog and killed it for Dun. Dun said: "To cast off men and use dogs — however fierce, what is the use?" Yet he did not know that Miming's was a hidden kindness. Afterwards Duke Ling loosed his ambushed men to go out and chase Zhao Dun, and □ Miming turned and struck at Duke Ling's ambushed men, and the ambushed men could not come on, and so Dun got clear. Dun asked him the reason, and he said: "I am the starving man under the mulberry tree." He asked his name, and he would not tell it. And Miming thereupon went away.
Dun then fled, and had not yet gone out of the borders of Jin. On yichou Dun's cousin the general Zhao Chuan made a surprise attack and killed Duke Ling in the Peach Garden, and fetched Zhao Dun. Zhao Dun had long been honoured and had the people's concord; Duke Ling was young and extravagant and the people were not attached to him, and so it was easy to kill him. Dun resumed his place. The Grand Scribe of Jin, Dong Hu, wrote: "Zhao Dun killed his lord," and showed it in court. Dun said: "The killer was Zhao Chuan; I am without guilt." The Grand Scribe said: "You are the chief minister; you fled and did not cross the border, and on returning did not punish the state's disorder. If not you, then who?" Confucius heard of it and said: "Dong Hu was a good scribe of antiquity; his rule of writing did not conceal. Xuanzi was a good grandee; for the rule's sake he took the blame. A pity — had he gone beyond the frontier he would have been free of it."
Zhao Dun sent Zhao Chuan to fetch Duke Xiang's younger brother Heitun from Zhou and set him up: this was Duke Cheng.
Duke Cheng was Duke Wen's youngest son, and his mother was a woman of Zhou. On renshen he paid court at the temple of Duke Wu.
In Duke Cheng's first year the Zhao clan was granted the rank of ducal kin. He attacked Zheng, because Zheng had turned its back on Jin. In the third year the Earl of Zheng was newly set up and attached himself to Jin and cast off Chu. Chu was angry and attacked Zheng, and Jin went to rescue it.
In the sixth year he attacked Qin and took the Qin general Chi prisoner.
In the seventh year Duke Cheng contended for strength with King Zhuang of Chu and assembled the feudal lords at Hu. Chen feared Chu and did not attend. Jin sent Zhonghang Huanzi to attack Chen, and thereupon rescued Zheng, and fought with Chu and defeated the Chu army. In that year Duke Cheng died, and his son Duke Jing, Ju, was set up.
In the spring of Duke Jing's first year the Chen grandee Xia Zhengshu killed his lord Duke Ling. In the second year King Zhuang of Chu attacked Chen and put Zhengshu to death.
In the third year King Zhuang of Chu besieged Zheng, and Zheng appealed urgently to Jin. Jin sent Xun Linfu to command the central army, Sui Hui the upper army and Zhao Shuo the lower army, with Xi Ke, Luan Shu, Xian Hu, Han Jue and Gong Shuo as their seconds. In the sixth month they reached the He. Hearing that Chu had already subdued Zheng, and that the Earl of Zheng had bared his flesh and made a covenant with him and he had gone away, Xun Linfu wished to turn back. Xian Hu said: "We came to rescue Zheng; not to arrive is not to be borne — the commanders' hearts will be divided." In the end they crossed the He. Chu having subdued Zheng, it wished to water its horses at the He for the name of it and then go. Chu and the Jin army fought a great battle. Zheng, having newly attached itself to Chu and being afraid of it, turned about and helped Chu to attack Jin. The Jin army was defeated and fled to the He, and contended in crossing, and the fingers in the boats were very many. Chu took our general Zhi Ying prisoner. On their return Linfu said: "Your servant was the commander-in-chief; the army was defeated and I ought to be put to death; I ask to die." Duke Jing wished to consent. Sui Hui said: "Formerly, when Duke Wen fought with Chu at Chengpu, King Cheng went home and killed Ziyu, and Duke Wen then rejoiced. Now Chu has defeated our army, and if we put our general to death as well, this is to help Chu kill its enemy." So it was stopped.
In the fourth year Xian Hu, whose counsel had been foremost in the Jin army's defeat by the He, feared being put to death, and so fled to the Di and plotted with the Di to attack Jin. Jin found out, and so destroyed Hu's clan. Hu was Xian Zhen's son.
In the fifth year he attacked Zheng, because it had helped Chu. At this time King Zhuang of Chu was strong, for he had broken the Jin troops by the He.
In the sixth year Chu attacked Song, and Song came to Jin with an urgent appeal. Jin wished to rescue it, and Bo Zong counselled: "Heaven is just now opening the way for Chu; it cannot be withstood." So he sent Xie Yang to make a show of rescuing Song. The men of Zheng seized him and gave him to Chu; Chu rewarded him richly and had him reverse his words, ordering Song to surrender at once. Xie Yang pretended to consent, and in the end delivered the lord of Jin's words. Chu wished to kill him, and someone remonstrated, and so they sent Xie Yang home.
In the seventh year Jin sent Sui Hui to destroy the Red Di.
In the eighth year he sent Xi Ke to Qi. The mother of Duke Qing of Qi watched from a gallery and laughed at him. The reason was that Xi Ke was hunchbacked, and the envoy of Lu was lame and the envoy of Wei one-eyed, and so Qi had men like them lead in the guests. Xi Ke was angry, and on his return, reaching the He, he said: "If I do not repay Qi, may the Earl of the He look upon it!" Reaching his state, he asked his lord, wishing to attack Qi. Duke Jing asked and learned the reason, and said: "Is your grudge enough to trouble the state with?" He would not listen. Wei Wenzi asked to retire on account of age and to make way for Xi Ke, and Ke took charge of the government.
In the ninth year King Zhuang of Chu died. Jin attacked Qi, and Qi sent its heir apparent Qiang as hostage to Jin, and the Jin troops withdrew.
In the spring of the eleventh year Qi attacked Lu and took Long. Lu appealed urgently to Wei, and Wei and Lu both appealed urgently to Jin through Xi Ke. Jin then sent Xi Ke, Luan Shu and Han Jue with eight hundred war chariots, together with Lu and Wei, to attack Qi. In the summer they fought with Duke Qing at An, and wounded and hard pressed Duke Qing. Duke Qing then changed places with his right-hand man and got down to fetch water, and so was able to escape. The army of Qi was defeated and fled, and Jin pursued the flight as far as Qi. Duke Qing presented treasure vessels to seek peace, and was not heeded. Xi Ke said: "We must have Xiao Tong Zhizi as hostage." The Qi envoy said: "Xiao Tong Zhizi is Duke Qing's mother; Duke Qing's mother is as the lord of Jin's mother — how can you insist on having her? It is unrighteous; let us fight again." Jin then consented to peace and went away.
Wuchen, the Duke of Shen of Chu, stole Xia Ji and fled to Jin, and Jin made Wuchen grandee of Xing.
In the winter of the twelfth year Duke Qing of Qi went to Jin, wishing to raise and honour Duke Jing of Jin as king, and Duke Jing declined and did not dare. Jin first made six armies; Han Jue, Gong Shuo, Zhao Chuan, Xun Zhui, Zhao Kuo and Zhao Zhan were all made ministers. Zhi Ying came back from Chu.
In the thirteenth year Duke Cheng of Lu came to court at Jin, and Jin was not respectful to him; Lu was angry and went away, and turned its back on Jin. Jin attacked Zheng and took Fan.
In the fourteenth year Mount Liang collapsed. He asked Bo Zong, and Bo Zong held it not worth wondering at.
In the sixteenth year the Chu general Zifan (子反) bore a grudge against Wuchen and destroyed his clan. Wuchen was angry and sent Zifan a letter saying: "I will surely make you weary with hurrying to and fro!" And so he asked to go as envoy to Wu, and had his son made Wu's envoy-master, and taught Wu the use of chariots and of troops. Wu and Jin first had dealings, and agreed to attack Chu.
In the seventeenth year Zhao Tong and Zhao Kuo were put to death and their clan destroyed. Han Jue said: "Can the merit of Zhao Cui and Zhao Dun be forgotten? How can their sacrifices be cut off!" So he had Wu, a son of Zhao by a concubine, made the Zhao successor again, and gave him back his town.
In the summer of the nineteenth year Duke Jing fell ill and set up his heir apparent Shouman as lord: this was Duke Li. A month or more later Duke Jing died.
In Duke Li's first year, being newly set up, he wished to make peace with the feudal lords, and made a covenant with Duke Huan of Qin on opposite banks of the He. On his return Qin broke the covenant and plotted with the Di to attack Jin. In the third year he sent Lü Xiang to reproach Qin, and thereupon with the feudal lords attacked Qin. They reached the Jing and defeated Qin at Masui, and took its general Cheng Cha prisoner.
In the fifth year the three Xi slandered Bo Zong and killed him. Bo Zong got this disaster through his fondness for straight remonstrance, and on this account the people of the state were not attached to Duke Li.
In the spring of the sixth year Zheng turned its back on Jin and made a covenant with Chu, and Jin was angry. Luan Shu said: "We cannot lose the feudal lords in our own time." So he sent out troops. Duke Li commanded in person, and in the fifth month crossed the He. Hearing that Chu troops were coming to the rescue, Fan Wenzi asked the duke to turn back. Xi Zhi said: "To send out troops to punish rebels, and then, seeing them strong, to avoid them, is no way to give commands to the feudal lords." So they fought. On guisi they shot King Gong of Chu in the eye, and the Chu troops were defeated at Yanling. Zifan gathered the remaining troops and rallied them, wishing to fight again, and Jin was troubled at it. King Gong summoned Zifan; his attendant the page Yanggu offered him wine, and Zifan was drunk and could not come. The king was angry and reproached Zifan, and Zifan died. The king then led his troops home. From this Jin overawed the feudal lords, and wished by it to command the empire and seek the hegemony.
Duke Li had many favourite concubines outside, and on his return wished to get rid of all the grandees and to set up the brothers of his ladies. The elder brother of a favourite lady was called Xu Tong, who had once had a grudge against Xi Zhi; and Luan Shu too bore a grudge that Xi Zhi had not used his plan and had gone on to defeat Chu. So he had men secretly make excuses to Chu. Chu came and deceived Duke Li, saying: "In the battle of Yanling it was in truth Zhi who called in Chu, meaning to make a rebellion and bring in Prince Zhou and set him up. It happened that our allies were not all present, and so the business did not succeed." Duke Li told Luan Shu. Luan Shu said: "There may well be something in it! Let my lord try sending a man to Zhou to look into it secretly." He did indeed send Xi Zhi to Zhou. Luan Shu further had Prince Zhou see Xi Zhi, and Xi Zhi did not know he was being sold. Duke Li tested it, and it seemed so; and so he bore a grudge against Xi Zhi and wished to kill him. In the eighth year Duke Li was hunting and drinking with his ladies, and Xi Zhi killed a boar and presented it, and a eunuch took it from him. Xi Zhi shot and killed the eunuch. The duke was angry and said: "Jizi cheats me!" He was about to put the three Xi to death, and had not yet acted. Xi Qi wished to attack the duke, saying: "Though I die, the duke too will be in a bad way." Xi Zhi said: "Good faith does not turn against a lord; wisdom does not harm the people; courage does not make rebellion. Losing these three, who will be with me? I shall simply die!" On the day renwu of the twelfth month the duke ordered Xu Tong with eight hundred men to make a surprise attack and kill the three Xi. Xu Tong then seized Luan Shu and Zhonghang Yan in court, saying: "If these two are not killed, trouble will surely reach my lord." The duke said: "Having killed three ministers in one day, I cannot bear to add to it." He answered: "Men will bear to deal with my lord." The duke would not listen, and made his excuses to Luan Shu and the rest for the guilt of putting the Xi clan to death: "Let the grandees resume their places." The two bowed their heads to the ground and said: "Most fortunate, most fortunate!" The duke made Xu Tong a minister. On the day yimao of the intercalary month Duke Li was visiting the Jiangli clan, and Luan Shu and Zhonghang Yan with their party made a surprise attack and seized Duke Li and imprisoned him, and killed Xu Tong; and they sent men to fetch Prince Zhou from Zhou and set him up: this was Duke Dao.
On the day gengshen of the first month of Duke Dao's first year, Luan Shu and Zhonghang Yan killed Duke Li and buried him with a single carriage. Duke Li had been imprisoned six days when he died; ten days after his death, on gengwu, Zhi Ying fetched Prince Zhou, who came to Jiang, and they smeared a cock's blood and made a covenant with the grandees and set him up: this was Duke Dao. On xinsi he paid court at the temple of Duke Wu. On yiyou of the second month he came to his place.
Duke Dao, Zhou, had a grandfather Jie, a younger son of Duke Xiang of Jin, who was not set up and was styled Huanshu, and Huanshu was best loved. Huanshu begot Huibo Tan, and Tan begot Duke Dao, Zhou. At Zhou's accession he was fourteen. Duke Dao said: "My grandfather and my father were both not set up and avoided trouble at Zhou, and died as guests there. I took myself to be distant and remote and had no hope of becoming lord. Now the grandees have not forgotten the intent of Wen and Xiang, and have kindly set up the posterity of Huanshu; and by the favour of the ancestral temples and the grandees I have been able to serve the sacrifices of Jin. How should I dare not be fearful? Let the grandees also assist me!" Thereupon he drove out seven unsubmissive men, restored the merits of old, and gave out power and kindness, and gathered in the posterity of the meritorious ministers of Duke Wen's entry. In the autumn he attacked Zheng. The Zheng army was defeated, and he went on to Chen.
In the third year Jin assembled the feudal lords. Duke Dao asked his body of ministers who might be employed, and Qi Xi put forward Xie Hu. Xie Hu was Xi's enemy. He asked again, and he put forward his own son Qi Wu. The gentlemen said: "Qi Xi may be called without partisanship! In putting forward one outside he did not hide his enemy; in putting forward one within he did not hide his son." Just as the feudal lords were assembling, Duke Dao's younger brother Yanggan broke the ranks, and Wei Jiang executed his charioteer. Duke Dao was angry, and someone remonstrated with the duke; and in the end the duke held Jiang worthy and put him in charge of the government, and had him make peace with the Rong, and the Rong were greatly attached to him. In the eleventh year Duke Dao said: "Since I employed Wei Jiang, nine times I have brought the feudal lords together and made peace with the Rong and the Di; it is Master Wei's doing." He bestowed music on him, and after three declinings he accepted it. In the winter Qin took our Li.
In the fourteenth year Jin sent the six ministers to lead the feudal lords in attacking Qin; they crossed the Jing and greatly defeated the Qin army, and came as far as Yulin and went away.
In the fifteenth year Duke Dao asked the music master Kuang about governing a state. The music master Kuang said: "Only humaneness and righteousness are the root." In the winter Duke Dao died, and his son Duke Ping, Biao, was set up.
In Duke Ping's first year he attacked Qi. Duke Ling of Qi fought with him below Mi, and the army of Qi was defeated and fled. Yan Ying said: "My lord has no courage either; why not break off the battle?" And he went away. Jin pursued, and went on to besiege Linzi, and burned and slaughtered the whole of its outer town. In the east they reached the Jiao and in the south the Yi, and Qi everywhere held its walls, and Jin then led its troops home.
In the sixth year Duke Xiang of Lu came to court at Jin. Luan Ying of Jin was guilty of an offence and fled to Qi. In the eighth year Duke Zhuang of Qi secretly sent Luan Ying to Quwo, with troops following him. The Qi troops went up the Taihang, and Luan Ying turned about from within Quwo and made a surprise entry into Jiang. Jiang was not on guard, and Duke Ping wished to kill himself; Fan Xianzi stopped the duke, and with his followers struck at Ying, and Ying was defeated and fled to Quwo. Quwo attacked Ying, and Ying died, and so the Luan clan was destroyed. Ying was a grandson of Luan Shu. His entry into Jiang was plotted with the Wei clan. Duke Zhuang of Qi, hearing that Ying was defeated, then turned back and took Jin's Zhaoge and went away, in reprisal for the affair of Linzi.
In the tenth year Cui Zhu of Qi killed his lord Duke Zhuang. Jin, taking advantage of Qi's disorder, attacked and defeated Qi at Gaotang and went away, in reprisal for the affair of the Taihang.
In the fourteenth year Jizi of Yanling of Wu came on a mission, and talking with Zhao Wenzi, Han Xuanzi and Wei Xianzi he said: "The government of the state of Jin will in the end go to these three houses."
In the nineteenth year Qi sent Yan Ying to Jin, and he talked with Shuxiang. Shuxiang said: "Jin is in its last age. My lord taxes heavily to make terraces and ponds and does not care for the government; the government is in private houses. How can it last!" Yanzi thought him right.
In the twenty-second year he attacked Yan. In the twenty-sixth year Duke Ping died, and his son Duke Zhao, Yi, was set up.
Duke Zhao died in his sixth year. The six ministers were strong and the ducal house lowly. His son Duke Qing, Quji, was set up.
In Duke Qing's sixth year King Jing of Zhou died and the princes contended for the succession. The six ministers of Jin settled the disorder of the royal house and set up King Jing.
In the ninth year the Ji clan of Lu drove out their lord Duke Zhao, and Duke Zhao dwelt at Ganhou. In the eleventh year Wei and Song sent envoys to ask Jin to bring the lord of Lu back in. Ji Pingzi privately bribed Fan Xianzi, and Xianzi took it, and so said to the lord of Jin: "The Ji clan is without guilt." And the lord of Lu was not brought in after all.
In the twelfth year a grandson of Qi Xi of the ancestral houses of Jin, and a son of Shuxiang, were on bad terms with the lord. The six ministers wished to weaken the ducal house, and so by the law destroyed their clans entire, and divided their towns into ten counties, and each had his own son made grandee of one. Jin grew ever weaker, and the six ministers all great.
In the fourteenth year Duke Qing died, and his son Duke Ding, Wu, was set up.
In Duke Ding's eleventh year Yang Hu of Lu fled to Jin, and Zhao Yang Jianzi lodged him. In the twelfth year Confucius was chancellor of Lu.
In the fifteenth year Zhao Yang sent Wu, the grandee of Handan, on a mission, and not trusting him wished to kill Wu; and Wu with Zhonghang Yin and Fan Jishe attacked Zhao Yang in person, and Yang fled and held Jinyang. Duke Ding besieged Jinyang. Xun Li, Han Buxin and Wei Chi were enemies of the Fan and Zhonghang, and so they shifted their troops and attacked the Fan and Zhonghang. The Fan and Zhonghang rebelled; the lord of Jin struck at them and defeated the Fan and Zhonghang. The Fan and Zhonghang fled to Zhaoge and held it. Han and Wei made apology to the lord of Jin for Zhao Yang, and so Zhao Yang was pardoned and restored to his place. In the twenty-second year Jin defeated the Fan and Zhonghang clans, and the two men fled to Qi.
In the thirtieth year Duke Ding met King Fuchai of Wu at Huangchi and contended for precedence; Zhao Yang was in attendance at the time, and in the end Wu was given precedence.
In the thirty-first year Tian Chang of Qi killed his lord Duke Jian, and set up Duke Jian's younger brother Ao as Duke Ping. In the thirty-third year Confucius died.
In the thirty-seventh year Duke Ding died, and his son Duke Chu, Zao, was set up.
In Duke Chu's seventeenth year the Earl of Zhi with Zhao, Han and Wei together divided the lands of the Fan and Zhonghang and made them their towns. Duke Chu was angry and reported to Qi and Lu, wishing to attack the four ministers. The four ministers were afraid, and so turned and attacked Duke Chu. Duke Chu fled to Qi and died on the road. Therefore the Earl of Zhi set up Jiao, a great-grandson of Duke Zhao, as lord of Jin: this was Duke Ai.
Duke Ai's grandfather Yong was a younger son of Duke Zhao of Jin, and was styled Daizi. Daizi begot Ji. Ji was on good terms with the Earl of Zhi and died early; and so the Earl of Zhi wished to take the whole of Jin and did not yet dare, and so set up Ji's son Jiao as lord. At this time the government of the state of Jin was all decided by the Earl of Zhi, and Duke Ai of Jin could control nothing.
In Duke Ai's fourth year Zhao Xiangzi, Han Kangzi and Wei Huanzi together killed the Earl of Zhi and took the whole of his land.
In the eighteenth year Duke Ai died, and his son Duke You, Liu, was set up.
In Duke You's time Jin was in awe and paid court instead to the lords of Han, Zhao and Wei. It held only Jiang and Quwo; all the rest passed to the Three Jin.
In the fifteenth year Marquis Wen of Wei was first set up. In the eighteenth year Duke You was licentious with women and went out by night in secret into the town, and brigands killed Duke You. Marquis Wen of Wei with troops put down the disorder in Jin and set up Duke You's son Zhi: this was Duke Lie.
In Duke Lie's nineteenth year King Weilie of Zhou bestowed on Zhao, Han and Wei alike the charge to be feudal lords.
In the twenty-seventh year Duke Lie died, and his son Duke Xiao, Qi, was set up. In Duke Xiao's ninth year Marquis Wu of Wei was first set up and made a surprise attack on Handan, and not prevailing went away. In the seventeenth year Duke Xiao died, and his son Duke Jing, Jujiu, was set up. In that year was the first year of King Wei of Qi.
In Duke Jing's second year Marquis Wu of Wei, Marquis Ai of Han and Marquis Jing of Zhao destroyed the successor of Jin and divided its land in three. Duke Jing was removed and became a commoner, and Jin's sacrifices were cut off.
The Lord Grand Astrologer says: Duke Wen of Jin was what antiquity called an enlightened lord: he was a fugitive abroad nineteen years and reduced to the utmost straits, and yet when he came to his place and gave out rewards he still forgot Jie Zitui — how much more an arrogant ruler? Duke Ling having been killed, his successors Cheng and Jing brought on severity, and under Li it was carved to the utmost; the grandees feared being put to death, and disaster broke out. After Duke Dao it grew daily weaker, and the six ministers engrossed the power. So the ruler's way in managing his ministers and subordinates — it is truly not easy!