卷三十五·管蔡世家第五

卷三十五·管蔡世家第五

司马迁

管叔鲜、蔡叔度者，周文王子而武王弟也。武王同母兄弟十人。母曰太姒，文王正妃也。其长子曰伯邑考，次曰武王发，次曰管叔鲜，次曰周公旦，次曰蔡叔度，次曰曹叔振铎，次曰成叔武，次曰霍叔处，次曰康叔封，次曰冉季载。冉季载最少。同母昆弟十人，唯发、旦贤，左右辅文王，故文王舍伯邑考而以发为太子。及文王崩而发立，是为武王。伯邑考既已前卒矣。

武王已克殷纣，平天下，封功臣昆弟。于是封叔鲜于管，封叔度于蔡：二人相纣子武庚禄父，治殷遗民。封叔旦于鲁而相周，为周公。封叔振铎于曹，封叔武于成，封叔处于霍。康叔封、冉季载皆少，未得封。

武王既崩，成王少，周公旦专王室。管叔、蔡叔疑周公之为不利于成王，乃挟武庚以作乱。周公旦承成王命伐诛武庚，杀管叔，而放蔡叔，迁之，与车十乘，徒七十人从。而分殷余民为二：其一封微子启于宋，以续殷祀；其一封康叔为卫君，是为卫康叔。封季载于冉。冉季、康叔皆有驯行，于是周公举康叔为周司寇，冉季为周司空，以佐成王治，皆有令名于天下。

蔡叔度既迁而死。其子曰胡，胡乃改行，率德驯善。周公闻之，而举胡以为鲁卿士，鲁国治。于是周公言于成王，复封胡于蔡，以奉蔡叔之祀，是为蔡仲。余五叔皆就国，无为天子吏者。

蔡仲卒，子蔡伯荒立。蔡伯荒卒，子宫侯立。宫侯卒，子厉侯立。厉侯卒，子武侯立。武侯之时，周厉王失国，奔彘，共和行政，诸侯多叛周。

武侯卒，子夷侯立。夷侯十一年，周宣王即位。二十八年，夷侯卒，子釐侯所事立。

釐侯三十九年，周幽王为犬戎所杀，周室卑而东徙。秦始得列为诸侯。

四十八年，釐侯卒，子共侯兴立。共侯二年卒，子戴侯立。戴侯十年卒，子宣侯措父立。

宣侯二十八年，鲁隐公初立。三十五年，宣侯卒，子桓侯封人立。桓侯三年，鲁弑其君隐公。二十年，桓侯卒，弟哀侯献舞立。

哀侯十一年，初，哀侯娶陈，息侯亦娶陈。息夫人将归，过蔡，蔡侯不敬。息侯怒，请楚文王：“来伐我，我求救于蔡，蔡必来，楚因击之，可以有功。”楚文王从之，虏蔡哀侯以归。哀侯留九岁，死于楚。凡立二十年卒。蔡人立其子肸，是为缪侯。

缪侯以其女弟为齐桓公夫人。十八年，齐桓公与蔡女戏船中，夫人荡舟，桓公止之，不止，公怒，归蔡女而不绝也。蔡侯怒，嫁其弟。齐桓公怒，伐蔡；蔡溃，遂虏缪侯，南至楚邵陵。已而诸侯为蔡谢齐，齐侯归蔡侯。二十九年，缪侯卒，子庄侯甲午立。

庄侯三年，齐桓公卒。十四年，晋文公败楚于城濮。二十年，楚太子商臣弑其父成王代立。二十五年，秦穆公卒。三十三年，楚庄王即位。三十四年，庄侯卒，子文侯申立。

文侯十四年，楚庄王伐陈，杀夏徵舒。十五年，楚围郑，郑降楚，楚复醳之。二十年，文侯卒，子景侯固立。

景侯元年，楚庄王卒。四十九年，景侯为太子般娶妇于楚，而景侯通焉。太子弑景侯而自立，是为灵侯。

灵侯二年，楚公子围弑其王郏敖而自立，为灵王。九年，陈司徒招弑其君哀公。楚使公子弃疾灭陈而有之。十二年，楚灵王以灵侯弑其父，诱蔡灵侯于申，伏甲饮之，醉而杀之，刑其士卒七十人。令公子弃疾围蔡。十一月，灭蔡，使弃疾为蔡公。

楚灭蔡三岁，楚公子弃疾弑其君灵王代立，为平王。平王乃求蔡景侯少子庐，立之，是为平侯。是年，楚亦复立陈。楚平王初立，欲亲诸侯，故复立陈、蔡后。

平侯九年卒，灵侯般之孙东国攻平侯子而自立，是为悼侯。悼侯父曰隐太子友。隐太子友者，灵侯之太子，平侯立而杀隐太子，故平侯卒而隐太子之子东国攻平侯子而代立，是为悼侯。悼侯三年卒，弟昭侯申立。

昭侯十年，朝楚昭王，持美裘二，献其一于昭王而自衣其一。楚相子常欲之，不与。子常谗蔡侯，留之楚三年。蔡侯知之，乃献其裘于子常；子常受之，乃言归蔡侯。蔡侯归而之晋，请与晋伐楚。

十三年春，与卫灵公会邵陵。蔡侯私于周苌弘以求长于卫；卫使史言康叔之功德，乃长卫。夏，为晋灭沈，楚怒，攻蔡。蔡昭侯使其子为质于吴，以共伐楚。冬，与吴王阖闾遂破楚入郢。蔡怨子常，子常恐，奔郑。十四年，吴去而楚昭王复国。十六年，楚令尹为其民泣以谋蔡，蔡昭侯惧。二十六年，孔子如蔡。楚昭王伐蔡，蔡恐，告急于吴。吴为蔡远，约迁以自近，易以相救；昭侯私许，不与大夫计。吴人来救蔡，因迁蔡于州来。二十八年，昭侯将朝于吴，大夫恐其复迁，乃令贼利杀昭侯；已而诛贼利以解过，而立昭侯子朔，是为成侯。

成侯四年，宋灭曹。十年，齐田常弑其君简公。十三年，楚灭陈。十九年，成侯卒，子声侯产立。声侯十五年卒，子元侯立。元侯六年卒，子侯齐立。

侯齐四年，楚惠王灭蔡，蔡侯齐亡，蔡遂绝祀。后陈灭三十三年。

伯邑考，其后不知所封。武王发，其后为周，有本纪言。管叔鲜作乱诛死，无后。周公旦，其后为鲁，有世家言。蔡叔度，其后为蔡，有世家言。曹叔振铎，有后为曹，有世家言。成叔武，其后世无所见。霍叔处，其后晋献公时灭霍。康叔封，其后为卫，有世家言。冉季载，其后世无所见。

太史公曰：管蔡作乱，无足载者。然周武王崩，成王少，天下既疑，赖同母之弟成叔、冉季之属十人为辅拂，是以诸侯卒宗周，故附之世家言。

曹叔振铎者，周武王弟也。武王已克殷纣，封叔振铎于曹。

叔振铎卒，子太伯脾立。太伯卒，子仲君平立。仲君平卒，子宫伯侯立。宫伯侯卒，子孝伯云立。孝伯云卒，子夷伯喜立。

夷伯二十三年，周厉王奔于彘。

三十年卒，弟幽伯强立。幽伯九年，弟苏杀幽伯代立，是为戴伯。戴伯元年，周宣王已立三岁。三十年，戴伯卒，子惠伯兕立。

惠伯二十五年，周幽王为犬戎所杀，因东徙，益卑，诸侯畔之。秦始列为诸侯。

三十六，惠伯卒，子石甫立，其弟武杀之代立，是为缪公。缪公三年卒，子桓公终生立。

桓公三十五年，鲁隐公立。四十五年，鲁弑其君隐公。四十六年，宋华父督弑其君殇公，及孔父。五十五年，桓公卒，子庄公夕姑立。

庄公二十三年，齐桓公始霸。

三十一年，庄公卒，子釐公夷立。釐公九年卒，子昭公班立。昭公六年，齐桓公败蔡，遂至楚召陵。九年，昭公卒，子共公襄立。

共公十六年，初，晋公子重耳其亡过曹，曹君无礼，欲观其骈胁。釐负羁谏，不听，私善于重耳。二十一年，晋文公重耳伐曹，虏共公以归，令军毋入釐负羁之宗族闾。或说晋文公曰：“昔齐桓公会诸侯，复异姓；今君囚曹君，灭同姓，何以令于诸侯？”晋乃复归共公。

二十五年，晋文公卒。三十五年，共公卒，子文公寿立。文公二十三年卒，子宣公强立。宣公十七年卒，弟成公负刍立。

成公三年，晋厉公伐曹，虏成公以归，已复释之。五年，晋栾书、中行偃使程滑弑其君厉公。二十三年，成公卒，子武公胜立。武公二十六年，楚公子弃疾弑其君灵王代立。二十七年，武公卒，子平公须立。平公四年卒，子悼公午立。是岁，宋、卫、陈、郑皆火。

悼公八年，宋景公立。九年，悼公朝于宋，宋囚之；曹立其弟野，是为声公。悼公死于宋，归葬。

声公五年，平公弟通弑声公代立，是为隐公。隐公四年，声公弟露弑隐公代立，是为靖公。靖公四年卒，子伯阳立。

伯阳三年，国人有梦众君子立于社宫，谋欲亡曹；曹叔振铎止之，请待公孙强，许之。旦，求之曹，无此人。梦者戒其子曰：“我亡，尔闻公孙强为政，必去曹，无离曹祸。”及伯阳即位，好田弋之事。六年，曹野人公孙强亦好田弋，获白雁而献之，且言田弋之说，因访政事。伯阳大说之，有宠，使为司城以听政。梦者之子乃亡去。

公孙强言霸说于曹伯。十四年，曹伯从之，乃背晋干宋。宋景公伐之，晋人不救。十五年，宋灭曹，执曹伯阳及公孙强以归而杀之。曹遂绝其祀。

太史公曰：余寻曹共公之不用僖负羁，乃乘轩者三百人，知唯德之不建。及振铎之梦，岂不欲引曹之祀者哉？如公孙强不脩厥政，叔铎之祀忽诸。

Volume 35 · The Hereditary Houses of Guan and Cai, Fifth

司马迁

Guanshu Xian and Caishu Du were sons of King Wen of Zhou and younger brothers of King Wu. King Wu's brothers by the same mother were ten. Their mother was called Tai Si, the principal consort of King Wen. Her eldest son was called Boyi Kao; the next, King Wu, Fa; the next, Guanshu Xian; the next, the Duke of Zhou, Dan; the next, Caishu Du; the next, Caoshu Zhenduo; the next, Chengshu Wu; the next, Huoshu Chu; the next, Kangshu Feng; the next, Ranji Zai. Ranji Zai was the youngest. Of the ten brothers by the same mother, only Fa and Dan were worthy, and they supported King Wen to left and right; and so King Wen set aside Boyi Kao and made Fa his heir apparent. When King Wen died and Fa was set up, this was King Wu. Boyi Kao had already died before that.

When King Wu had overcome Zhou of Yin and pacified the empire, he enfeoffed his meritorious ministers and his brothers. Thereupon he enfeoffed Shu Xian at Guan and Shu Du at Cai: these two were to be counsellors to Zhou's son Wugeng Lufu, and to govern the remaining people of Yin. He enfeoffed Shu Dan at Lu, and he was counsellor at Zhou and became the Duke of Zhou. He enfeoffed Shu Zhenduo at Cao, Shu Wu at Cheng, and Shu Chu at Huo. Kangshu Feng and Ranji Zai were both young, and did not yet receive fiefs.

When King Wu had died and King Cheng was young, Dan the Duke of Zhou took the royal house wholly in hand. Guanshu and Caishu suspected that what the Duke of Zhou did would do no good to King Cheng, and so took Wugeng with them and made a rebellion. Dan the Duke of Zhou, bearing King Cheng's command, attacked and put Wugeng to death, killed Guanshu, and banished Caishu, removing him elsewhere, with ten carriages and seventy footmen to follow him. And he divided the remaining people of Yin in two: with the one he enfeoffed Weizi Qi in Song, to continue the sacrifices of Yin; with the other he enfeoffed Kangshu as lord of Wei, and this was Kangshu of Wei. He enfeoffed Ji Zai at Ran. Ranji and Kangshu both had well-trained conduct, and so the Duke of Zhou raised Kangshu to be Minister of Justice of Zhou and Ranji to be Minister of Works of Zhou, to assist King Cheng in governing; and both had a fine name in the empire.

Caishu Du died after he was removed. His son was called Hu, and Hu changed his conduct and followed power and was well trained in goodness. The Duke of Zhou heard of it, and raised Hu to be a minister-officer of Lu, and the state of Lu was well governed. Thereupon the Duke of Zhou spoke to King Cheng, and Hu was again enfeoffed at Cai, to keep up the sacrifices of Caishu: this was Cai Zhong. The remaining five uncles all went to their states, and none was an officer of the Son of Heaven.

Cai Zhong died, and his son Cai Bo, Huang, was set up. Cai Bo Huang died, and his son Marquis Gong was set up. Marquis Gong died, and his son Marquis Li was set up. Marquis Li died, and his son Marquis Wu was set up. In Marquis Wu's time King Li of Zhou lost his state and fled to Zhi, and the Gonghe carried on the government, and many of the feudal lords revolted from Zhou.

Marquis Wu died, and his son Marquis Yi was set up. In Marquis Yi's eleventh year King Xuan of Zhou came to the throne. In the twenty-eighth year Marquis Yi died, and his son Marquis Xi, Suoshi, was set up.

In Marquis Xi's thirty-ninth year King You of Zhou was killed by the Quanrong, and the house of Zhou grew lowly and moved east. Qin first came to be ranked among the feudal lords.

In the forty-eighth year Marquis Xi died, and his son Marquis Gong, Xing, was set up. Marquis Gong died in his second year, and his son Marquis Dai was set up. Marquis Dai died in his tenth year, and his son Marquis Xuan, Cuofu, was set up.

In Marquis Xuan's twenty-eighth year Duke Yin of Lu was first set up. In the thirty-fifth year Marquis Xuan died, and his son Marquis Huan, Fengren, was set up. In Marquis Huan's third year Lu killed its lord Duke Yin. In the twentieth year Marquis Huan died, and his younger brother Marquis Ai, Xianwu, was set up.

In Marquis Ai's eleventh year — earlier, Marquis Ai had taken a wife from Chen, and the Marquis of Xi had also taken a wife from Chen. When the lady of Xi was going home to her husband, she passed through Cai, and the Marquis of Cai was disrespectful to her. The Marquis of Xi was angry, and asked King Wen of Chu: "Come and attack me; I shall ask Cai to rescue me, and Cai will surely come, and Chu may then strike at them and have success." King Wen of Chu followed this, and took the Marquis Ai of Cai prisoner and brought him back. Marquis Ai was detained nine years and died in Chu. In all he had been on the throne twenty years when he died. The men of Cai set up his son Xi: this was Marquis Mu.

Marquis Mu made his younger sister the consort of Duke Huan of Qi. In the eighteenth year Duke Huan of Qi was sporting with the woman of Cai in a boat; the consort rocked the boat, and Duke Huan told her to stop and she did not stop, and the duke was angry and sent the woman of Cai home without breaking off the marriage. The Marquis of Cai was angry, and married his sister elsewhere. Duke Huan of Qi was angry and attacked Cai; Cai collapsed, and he went on to take Marquis Mu prisoner and to go south as far as Zhaoling in Chu. Afterwards the feudal lords apologized to Qi on Cai's behalf, and the marquis of Qi sent the Marquis of Cai home. In the twenty-ninth year Marquis Mu died, and his son Marquis Zhuang, Jiawu, was set up.

In Marquis Zhuang's third year Duke Huan of Qi died. In the fourteenth year Duke Wen of Jin defeated Chu at Chengpu. In the twentieth year the heir apparent Shangchen of Chu killed his father King Cheng and took his place. In the twenty-fifth year Duke Mu of Qin died. In the thirty-third year King Zhuang of Chu came to the throne. In the thirty-fourth year Marquis Zhuang died, and his son Marquis Wen, Shen, was set up.

In Marquis Wen's fourteenth year King Zhuang of Chu attacked Chen and killed Xia Zhengshu. In the fifteenth year Chu besieged Zheng; Zheng surrendered to Chu, and Chu released it again. In the twentieth year Marquis Wen died, and his son Marquis Jing, Gu, was set up.

In Marquis Jing's first year King Zhuang of Chu died. In the forty-ninth year Marquis Jing took a wife from Chu for his heir apparent Ban, and Marquis Jing had an intrigue with her. The heir apparent killed Marquis Jing and set himself up: this was Marquis Ling.

In Marquis Ling's second year Prince Wei of Chu killed his king Jia'ao and set himself up as King Ling. In the ninth year the Minister of Instruction Zhao of Chen killed his lord Duke Ai. Chu sent Prince Qiji to destroy Chen and take it. In the twelfth year King Ling of Chu, because Marquis Ling had killed his father, lured the Marquis Ling of Cai to Shen, set armed men in ambush and gave him drink, and when he was drunk killed him, and executed seventy of his officers. He ordered Prince Qiji to besiege Cai. In the eleventh month he destroyed Cai and made Qiji Duke of Cai.

Three years after Chu destroyed Cai, Prince Qiji of Chu killed his lord King Ling and took his place as King Ping. King Ping then sought out Lu, a younger son of Marquis Jing of Cai, and set him up: this was Marquis Ping. In that year Chu also restored Chen. King Ping of Chu, being newly set up and wishing to be on close terms with the feudal lords, therefore restored the successors of Chen and Cai.

Marquis Ping died in his ninth year, and Dongguo, a grandson of Marquis Ling Ban, attacked Marquis Ping's son and set himself up: this was Marquis Dao. Marquis Dao's father was called the hidden heir apparent, You. The hidden heir apparent You was Marquis Ling's heir apparent; when Marquis Ping was set up he killed the hidden heir apparent, and so when Marquis Ping died, the hidden heir apparent's son Dongguo attacked Marquis Ping's son and took his place: this was Marquis Dao. Marquis Dao died in his third year, and his younger brother Marquis Zhao, Shen, was set up.

In Marquis Zhao's tenth year he paid court to King Zhao of Chu, carrying two fine fur robes; he presented one to King Zhao and wore the other himself. The Chu chancellor Zichang wanted it, and he would not give it. Zichang slandered the Marquis of Cai and had him detained in Chu three years. The Marquis of Cai came to know of it, and so presented his fur robe to Zichang; Zichang accepted it, and then spoke for the Marquis of Cai to be sent home. The Marquis of Cai went home and thence to Jin, and asked to join Jin in attacking Chu.

In the spring of the thirteenth year he met Duke Ling of Wei at Zhaoling. The Marquis of Cai worked privately on Chang Hong of Zhou to get precedence over Wei; Wei sent an envoy to speak of Kangshu's merit and power, and so Wei was given precedence. In the summer, for Jin's sake he destroyed Shen; Chu was angry and attacked Cai. Marquis Zhao of Cai sent his son as hostage to Wu, so as to join in attacking Chu. In the winter, with King Helü of Wu, he then broke Chu and entered Ying. Cai bore a grudge against Zichang; Zichang was afraid and fled to Zheng. In the fourteenth year Wu withdrew and King Zhao of Chu recovered his state. In the sixteenth year the Chief Minister of Chu wept before his people in laying plans against Cai, and Marquis Zhao of Cai was afraid. In the twenty-sixth year Confucius went to Cai. King Zhao of Chu attacked Cai; Cai was afraid and appealed urgently to Wu. Wu, finding Cai far off, proposed that it move nearer, so that they might more easily rescue one another; Marquis Zhao privately consented without consulting the grandees. The men of Wu came to rescue Cai, and accordingly moved Cai to Zhoulai. In the twenty-eighth year Marquis Zhao was about to pay court to Wu, and the grandees, fearing that he would move them again, had the assassin Li kill Marquis Zhao; and afterwards they put the assassin Li to death to clear themselves of the fault, and set up Marquis Zhao's son Shuo: this was Marquis Cheng.

In Marquis Cheng's fourth year Song destroyed Cao. In the tenth year Tian Chang of Qi killed his lord Duke Jian. In the thirteenth year Chu destroyed Chen. In the nineteenth year Marquis Cheng died, and his son Marquis Sheng, Chan, was set up. Marquis Sheng died in his fifteenth year, and his son Marquis Yuan was set up. Marquis Yuan died in his sixth year, and his son Marquis Qi was set up.

In Marquis Qi's fourth year King Hui of Chu destroyed Cai; Marquis Qi of Cai fled, and Cai's sacrifices were thereupon cut off. It was thirty-three years after Chen was destroyed.

Boyi Kao: where his descendants were enfeoffed is not known. King Wu Fa: his posterity became Zhou, and the Basic Annals tell of it. Guanshu Xian made a rebellion and was put to death, and had no posterity. The Duke of Zhou, Dan: his posterity became Lu, and a hereditary house tells of it. Caishu Du: his posterity became Cai, and a hereditary house tells of it. Caoshu Zhenduo: he had posterity who became Cao, and a hereditary house tells of it. Chengshu Wu: of his posterity nothing is seen. Huoshu Chu: his posterity, Huo, was destroyed in the time of Duke Xian of Jin. Kangshu Feng: his posterity became Wei, and a hereditary house tells of it. Ranji Zai: of his posterity nothing is seen.

The Lord Grand Astrologer says: Guan and Cai made a rebellion, and there is nothing in it worth recording. Yet when King Wu of Zhou died and King Cheng was young and the empire was already full of doubt, it was through the support and correction of the ten brothers by the same mother — Chengshu, Ranji and their like — that the feudal lords in the end took Zhou for their ancestral house; and so I have attached them to the hereditary houses.

Caoshu Zhenduo was a younger brother of King Wu of Zhou. When King Wu had overcome Zhou of Yin, he enfeoffed Shu Zhenduo at Cao.

Shu Zhenduo died, and his son Taibo, Pi, was set up. Taibo died, and his son Zhongjun Ping was set up. Zhongjun Ping died, and his son Gongbo Hou was set up. Gongbo Hou died, and his son Xiaobo Yun was set up. Xiaobo Yun died, and his son Yibo Xi was set up.

In Yibo's twenty-third year King Li of Zhou fled to Zhi.

He died in the thirtieth year, and his younger brother Youbo Qiang was set up. In Youbo's ninth year his younger brother Su killed Youbo and took his place: this was Daibo. In Daibo's first year King Xuan of Zhou had been on the throne three years. In the thirtieth year Daibo died, and his son Huibo, Si, was set up.

In Huibo's twenty-fifth year King You of Zhou was killed by the Quanrong, and Zhou accordingly moved east and grew ever lowlier, and the feudal lords revolted from it. Qin was for the first time ranked among the feudal lords.

In the thirty-sixth Huibo died, and his son Shifu was set up; his younger brother Wu killed him and took his place: this was Duke Mu. Duke Mu died in his third year, and his son Duke Huan, Zhongsheng, was set up.

In Duke Huan's thirty-fifth year Duke Yin of Lu was set up. In the forty-fifth year Lu killed its lord Duke Yin. In the forty-sixth year Hua Fudu of Song killed his lord Duke Shang, and Kongfu with him. In the fifty-fifth year Duke Huan died, and his son Duke Zhuang, Xigu, was set up.

In Duke Zhuang's twenty-third year Duke Huan of Qi first became hegemon.

In the thirty-first year Duke Zhuang died, and his son Duke Xi, Yi, was set up. Duke Xi died in his ninth year, and his son Duke Zhao, Ban, was set up. In Duke Zhao's sixth year Duke Huan of Qi defeated Cai and went on to Zhaoling in Chu. In the ninth year Duke Zhao died, and his son Duke Gong, Xiang, was set up.

In Duke Gong's sixteenth year — earlier, when Prince Chonger of Jin in his wanderings had passed through Cao, the lord of Cao was discourteous, wishing to look at his joined ribs. Xi Fuji remonstrated and was not heeded, and privately did a kindness to Chonger. In the twenty-first year Duke Wen of Jin, Chonger, attacked Cao and took Duke Gong prisoner and brought him back, and ordered his army not to enter the ward of Xi Fuji's clan. Someone argued with Duke Wen of Jin: "Of old, when Duke Huan of Qi assembled the feudal lords, he restored states of other surnames; now my lord has imprisoned the lord of Cao and destroyed a state of the same surname — with what will he give commands to the feudal lords?" Jin then sent Duke Gong home again.

In the twenty-fifth year Duke Wen of Jin died. In the thirty-fifth year Duke Gong died, and his son Duke Wen, Shou, was set up. Duke Wen died in his twenty-third year, and his son Duke Xuan, Qiang, was set up. Duke Xuan died in his seventeenth year, and his younger brother Duke Cheng, Fuchu, was set up.

In Duke Cheng's third year Duke Li of Jin attacked Cao and took Duke Cheng prisoner and brought him back, and afterwards released him again. In the fifth year Luan Shu and Zhonghang Yan of Jin had Cheng Hua kill their lord Duke Li. In the twenty-third year Duke Cheng died, and his son Duke Wu, Sheng, was set up. In Duke Wu's twenty-sixth year Prince Qiji of Chu killed his lord King Ling and took his place. In the twenty-seventh year Duke Wu died, and his son Duke Ping, Xu, was set up. Duke Ping died in his fourth year, and his son Duke Dao, Wu, was set up. In that year Song, Wei, Chen and Zheng all had fires.

In Duke Dao's eighth year Duke Jing of Song was set up. In the ninth year Duke Dao paid court at Song, and Song imprisoned him; Cao set up his younger brother Ye: this was Duke Sheng. Duke Dao died in Song, and was brought back and buried.

In Duke Sheng's fifth year Duke Ping's younger brother Tong killed Duke Sheng and took his place: this was Duke Yin. In Duke Yin's fourth year Duke Sheng's younger brother Lu killed Duke Yin and took his place: this was Duke Jing. Duke Jing died in his fourth year, and his son Boyang was set up.

In Boyang's third year a man of the state dreamed that a company of gentlemen stood in the hall of the altar and plotted to destroy Cao; and Caoshu Zhenduo stopped them, asking them to wait for Gongsun Qiang, and they agreed. In the morning he searched for the man in Cao, and there was no such person. The dreamer warned his son, saying: "When I am gone, if you hear that Gongsun Qiang is in the government, you must leave Cao, so as not to meet Cao's disaster." When Boyang came to his place, he was fond of hunting and fowling. In the sixth year Gongsun Qiang, a rustic of Cao, was also fond of hunting and fowling; he caught a white goose and presented it, and talked besides of the arts of hunting and fowling, and so went on to discuss affairs of government. Boyang was greatly pleased with him and favoured him, and made him Minister of the City to attend to the government. And the dreamer's son thereupon left.

Gongsun Qiang set forth to the lord of Cao the case for becoming hegemon. In the fourteenth year the lord of Cao followed him, and so turned his back on Jin and offended Song. Duke Jing of Song attacked him, and the men of Jin did not rescue him. In the fifteenth year Song destroyed Cao, seized Boyang of Cao and Gongsun Qiang and brought them back and killed them. And Cao's sacrifices were thereupon cut off.

The Lord Grand Astrologer says: I have looked into Duke Gong of Cao's not employing Xi Fuji, and his having three hundred men who rode in official carriages, and I know that it was simply that power was not established there. And as for Zhenduo's appearing in the dream, did he not wish to draw out the sacrifices of Cao? But since Gongsun Qiang did not put its government in order, the sacrifices of Shu Duo were snuffed out in a moment.