Zhou Benji — Sima Qian, Records of the Grand Historian, chapter 4

Sima Qian (c. 145–c. 86 BCE) completed the Shiji, the Records of the Grand Historian, under Emperor Wu of the Han dynasty, as the first comprehensive history of China. Its twelve Basic Annals open the work, and this is the fourth of them.

It opens with the legendary birth of Hou Ji, ancestor of the Zhou house, and carries the line through Gugong Danfu and King Wen's rise under Shang rule, then King Wu's conquest of Shang at Muye, recorded through the Great Harangue and the oath before battle. It follows the Duke of Zhou's regency for the young King Cheng, the reigns of Kings Kang, Zhao, and Mu (including Duke Mou of Ji's remonstrance against campaigning on the Quanrong and the Punishments of Fu), King Li's tyranny and flight and the Gonghe regency that followed, King Xuan's partial revival, and King You's infatuation with Bao Si, the false beacon fires, and the dynasty's flight east under King Ping. The chapter then tracks the house of Zhou's long decline through the Spring and Autumn and Warring States periods, king by king, as it is pressed between Qin and its neighbors, down to the extinguishing of Eastern and Western Zhou by Qin and the Grand Historian's closing judgment on where the Zhou capitals actually stood.

The section headings inside the chapter are editorial conveniences added by the Chinese Wikisource transcription, not divisions original to Sima Qian, and the Sanjia commentary carried by that transcription is kept in the source text below but not translated. Names and titles are given in Hanyu pinyin without tone marks, with Chinese characters at first appearance for major figures.

Translated for the Good Works Library directly from the classical Chinese printed in full below. Prior English translations of the Shiji's Basic Annals exist — Burton Watson's Records of the Grand Historian and the Nienhauser team's The Grand Scribe's Records — and are named here as controls-in-existence, not consulted in preparing this translation; no claim of firstness is made, and no live search for other prior translations could be carried out when this file was prepared.

Contents

• Annals of Zhou (周本紀)
  • Hou Ji (后稷)
  • From Buzhu to Gugong Danfu (不窋至古公亶父)
  • Ji Li (季歷)
  • King Wen of Zhou (周文王)
  • King Wu of Zhou (周武王)
  • King Cheng of Zhou (周成王)
  • King Kang of Zhou (周康王)
  • King Zhao of Zhou (周昭王)
  • King Mu of Zhou (周穆王)
  • King Gong of Zhou (周共王)
  • King Yi of Zhou (周懿王)
  • King Xiao of Zhou (周孝王)
  • King Yi of Zhou (周夷王)
  • King Li of Zhou (周厲王)
  • King Xuan of Zhou (周宣王)
  • King You of Zhou (周幽王)
  • King Ping of Zhou (周平王)
  • King Huan of Zhou (周桓王)
  • King Zhuang of Zhou (周莊王)
  • King Xi of Zhou (周釐王)
  • King Hui of Zhou (周惠王)
  • King Xiang of Zhou (周襄王)
  • King Qing, King Kuang, and King Ding of Zhou (周頃王、周匡王、周定王)
  • King Jian of Zhou (周簡王)
  • King Ling of Zhou (周靈王)
  • King Jing, King Dao, and King Jing of Zhou (周景王、周悼王、周敬王)
  • King Yuan and King Zhending of Zhou (周元王、周貞定王)
  • King Ai, King Si, and King Kao of Zhou (周哀王、周思王、周考王)
  • King Weilie of Zhou (周威烈王)
  • King An of Zhou (周安王)
  • King Lie of Zhou (周烈王)
  • King Xian of Zhou (周顯王)
  • King Shenjing of Zhou (周慎靚王)
  • King Nan of Zhou (周赧王)
  • The Grand Historian's Judgment (太史公曰)

Translation

Annals of Zhou (周本紀)

Hou Ji (后稷)

Hou Ji of Zhou was named Qi. His mother was a daughter of the You Tai clan, called Jiang Yuan (姜原). Jiang Yuan was the principal consort of Emperor Ku. Jiang Yuan went out into the wild country and saw the footprint of a giant. Her heart was gladdened and delighted, and she wished to tread in it; she trod in it, and her body stirred as though she were with child. When the term was full she bore a son. Taking this for an ill omen, she abandoned him in a narrow lane, but the horses and oxen that passed all turned aside and would not tread on him. She moved him and laid him in a wood, but it happened that there were many people in the hills and woods, so she shifted him again; and she abandoned him on the ice of a ditch, and the flying birds covered him and made him a bed with their wings. Jiang Yuan took him for a spirit, and so took him back, reared him, and brought him up. Because at first she had wished to abandon him, she named him Qi, "the Abandoned."

When Qi was a child, he stood high in his aims like a giant. In his play he liked to plant hemp and beans, and his hemp and beans came up fine. When he grew to be a man he delighted in ploughing and farming. He examined what each soil was fit for, and where the soil was fit for grain he sowed and reaped, and the people all took him for their model. Emperor Yao heard of it and raised Qi to be Master of Agriculture; all under Heaven gained the benefit of it, and he had merit. Emperor Shun said, "Qi, the black-haired people are beginning to hunger. You, Hou Ji, sow the hundred grains in their seasons." He enfeoffed Qi at Tai, gave him the title Hou Ji, Lord of Millet, and set apart for him the surname Ji. The rise of Hou Ji fell in the time of Taotang, Yu, and Xia, and in all of these ages the line had excellent virtue.

From Buzhu to Gugong Danfu (不窋至古公亶父)

Hou Ji died and his son Buzhu succeeded him. In Buzhu's last years the government of the Xia sovereigns declined; the office of millet was put away and no longer attended to, and Buzhu, having lost his office, fled among the Rong and Di. Buzhu died and his son Ju succeeded. Ju died and his son Gong Liu (公劉) succeeded. Although Gong Liu lived among the Rong and Di, he took up again the work of Hou Ji, attended to ploughing and sowing, and followed what each soil was fit for. From the Qi and the Ju he crossed the Wei and took timber and materials for use. Travelers had provision, those who stayed had stores laid up, and the people relied upon his bounty. The hundred families cherished him, and many moved and came over to him for protection. The way of Zhou began its rise from this, and therefore the poets sang in gladness and remembered his virtue. Gong Liu died and his son Qing Jie succeeded, and made his state at Bin.

Qing Jie died and his son Huang Pu succeeded. Huang Pu died and his son Chafu succeeded. Chafu died and his son Huiyu succeeded. Huiyu died and his son Gong Fei succeeded. Gong Fei died and his son Gao Yu succeeded. Gao Yu died and his son Ya Yu succeeded. Ya Yu died and his son Gongshu Zulei succeeded. Gongshu Zulei died and his son Gugong Danfu (古公亶父) succeeded.

Gugong Danfu took up again the work of Hou Ji and Gong Liu, heaped up virtue and practiced righteousness, and the people of the state all upheld him. The Xunyu of the Rong and Di attacked him, wanting to get goods and wealth, and he gave them. Afterward they attacked again, wanting to get his land and his people. The people were all angry and wished to fight. Gugong said, "When a people set up a ruler, it is so that he may benefit them. Now what the Rong and Di attack and fight for is my land and my people. Whether the people are under me or under them, what difference is there? If the people would fight on my account, and I were to be their ruler through the killing of men's fathers and sons, I cannot bear to do it." So with his own household followers he left Bin, crossed the Qi and the Ju, passed over Mount Liang, and halted at the foot of Qi. The people of Bin, the whole state of them, supporting the old and leading the weak by the hand, all went over again to Gugong at the foot of Qi. And when the other neighboring states heard of Gugong's humaneness, many of them too went over to him. Thereupon Gugong put away the customs of the Rong and Di, laid out and built inner and outer walls, houses and chambers, and settled the people in separate towns. He established the five offices and their functionaries. The people all sang of him in gladness and praised his virtue.

Ji Li (季歷)

Gugong had an eldest son called Taibo and a second called Yu Zhong. Tai Jiang bore the youngest son, Ji Li, and Ji Li married Tai Ren; both were worthy women. She bore Chang, who had the auspicious signs of a sage. Gugong said, "In my generations there ought to be one who will raise us up. Will it be in Chang?" The eldest son Taibo and Yu Zhong knew that Gugong wished to set up Ji Li so as to pass the succession to Chang, and so the two of them fled away to the Jing Man, tattooed their bodies and cut off their hair, and by this yielded to Ji Li.

Gugong died and Ji Li was set up; this was Gong Ji. Gong Ji cultivated the way Gugong had left behind, was earnest in the practice of righteousness, and the feudal lords followed him.

King Wen of Zhou (周文王)

Gong Ji died and his son Chang was set up; this was the Earl of the West (西伯). The Earl of the West is called King Wen. He followed the work of Hou Ji and Gong Liu and took for his rule the model of Gugong and Gong Ji. He was earnest in humaneness, reverent toward the old, and kind to the young. He treated worthy men with ritual courtesy and put himself below them; at midday he had no leisure to eat, so busy was he in receiving officers, and for this reason many officers went over to him. Bo Yi and Shu Qi were in Guzhu; hearing that the Earl of the West was good at nourishing the aged, they said, "Why not go over and join him?" Tai Dian, Hong Yao, San Yisheng, Yuzi, and the grandee Xin Jia and their like all went over and joined him.

Hu, the Marquis of Chong, slandered the Earl of the West to Zhou of Yin, saying, "The Earl of the West has heaped up goodness and accumulated virtue, and the feudal lords all turn toward him. This will be to Your Majesty's disadvantage." Emperor Zhou then imprisoned the Earl of the West at Youli. Hong Yao and his companions were troubled at this. They sought out a beautiful woman of the You Shen clan, patterned horses of the Li Rong, nine teams of four from You Xiong, and other rare and strange things, and through Fei Zhong, Yin's favored minister, presented them to Zhou. Zhou was greatly delighted and said, "Any one of these things would be enough to release the Earl of the West, and how much more so many of them!" So he pardoned the Earl of the West and bestowed on him bow and arrows, axe and battle-axe, granting the Earl of the West the right to conduct punitive campaigns. He said, "The one who slandered the Earl of the West was Hu, the Marquis of Chong." The Earl of the West then presented the land west of the Luo, asking Zhou to abolish the punishment of roasting on the grill. Zhou granted it.

The Earl of the West practiced goodness in secret, and the feudal lords all came to him to have their disputes decided and settled. Now the men of Yu and of Rui had a suit they could not settle, and so they went to Zhou. When they crossed the border, the ploughmen were all ceding the boundary strips, and it was the custom of the people to yield to their elders. The men of Yu and Rui had not yet seen the Earl of the West when they were both ashamed. They said to each other, "What we are contending over is what the men of Zhou would be ashamed of. Why go on? We would only get disgrace." So they turned back, and each yielding to the other, they departed. When the feudal lords heard of it they said, "The Earl of the West is surely the ruler who has received the mandate."

The next year he attacked the Quanrong. The next year he attacked Mixu. The next year he defeated the state of Qi. Zu Yi of Yin heard of it, was afraid, and reported it to Emperor Zhou. Zhou said, "Do I not have the mandate of Heaven? What can he do?" The next year he attacked Yu. The next year he attacked Hu, the Marquis of Chong. And he built the town of Feng, moving his capital from the foot of Qi to Feng. The next year the Earl of the West died, and the heir apparent Fa was set up; this was King Wu.

King Wu of Zhou (周武王)

The Earl of the West was on the throne, it seems, for fifty years. While he was imprisoned at Youli he is said to have increased the eight trigrams of the Changes to sixty-four hexagrams. The poets speak of the Earl of the West as having in the year he received the mandate taken the title of king and decided the suit of Yu and Rui. Ten years afterward he died and was given the posthumous name King Wen. He changed the laws and measures and fixed the first day of the year. Posthumously he honored Gugong as the Great King and Gong Ji as King Ji: for the auspicious signs of kingship, it seems, had arisen from the Great King.

When King Wu took the throne, Taigong Wang was his teacher, Dan the Duke of Zhou (周公旦) was his supporter, and the Duke of Shao, the Duke of Bi, and their like stood at the king's left and right, taking as their model and carrying on the work King Wen had begun.

In the ninth year King Wu offered sacrifice above at Bi. He went east to review his troops and reached Mengjin. He had a wooden tablet made for King Wen, carried it in a chariot, and set it in the center army. King Wu called himself the heir apparent Fa, saying that he was conducting the attack in obedience to King Wen and did not presume to act on his own authority. He then announced to the marshal, the minister of education, the minister of works, and all the officers holding tallies: "Be grave and awe-struck, be faithful! I am without knowledge, but because my ancestors had virtuous ministers, I, the little child, have received the merit of my forebears. Let rewards and punishments be fully established, so as to secure their merit." Then he raised the army. The Master Shangfu gave the order: "Gather your multitudes and bring your boats and oars; whoever comes late shall be beheaded." King Wu crossed the Yellow River, and in midstream a white fish leaped into the king's boat. King Wu bent down, took it up, and offered it in sacrifice. When he had crossed, a fire came down from above and, when it reached the king's lodging, turned into a crow, red in color, whose cry was a deep resounding call. At that time the feudal lords who assembled at Mengjin without appointment were eight hundred. The feudal lords all said, "Zhou may now be attacked." King Wu said, "You do not yet know the mandate of Heaven. It may not yet be done." So he turned his army back and returned.

Two years later he heard that Zhou's benighted disorder and violent cruelty had grown still worse: he had killed the royal prince Bi Gan and imprisoned Jizi. The Grand Master Ci and the Junior Master Qiang took up their musical instruments and fled to Zhou. Thereupon King Wu announced to all the feudal lords, "Yin has grave crimes; we cannot but attack it to the end." So, following King Wen, he led three hundred war chariots, three thousand tiger-brave guards, and forty-five thousand armored soldiers, and went east to attack Zhou. In the eleventh year, in the twelfth month, on the day wuwu, the army finished crossing at Mengjin, and the feudal lords all assembled. He said, "Be diligent, be diligent, without slackness!" King Wu then made the Great Harangue and announced to the multitude: "Now Zhou, the king of Yin, uses the words of his woman. He has cut himself off from Heaven, ruined the three standards, and estranged and driven far off his royal kinsmen and his brothers of the same mother. He has cut off and cast away the music of his ancestors and made licentious sounds, using them to alter and confuse the correct music, so as to please and delight his woman. Therefore now I, Fa, do no more than carry out with you the punishment of Heaven. Exert yourselves, my men! There will not be a second time; there will not be a third!"

In the second month, on the day jiazi, at first light, King Wu came in the morning to Muye in the outskirts of Shang, and there made his harangue. King Wu held in his left hand the yellow battle-axe for a staff, and in his right grasped a white ox-tail standard, with which he signaled. He said, "Far indeed have you come, men of the western lands!" King Wu said: "Ah! You chief lords of my allied states, ministers of education, marshals, ministers of works, deputy officers and masters of the guard, captains of a thousand and captains of a hundred, and you men of Yong, Shu, Qiang, Mao, Wei, Lu, Peng, and Pu — lift up your dagger-axes, close up your shields, raise your spears: I will make my oath."

The king said: "The men of old had a saying, 'The hen does not announce the dawn. When a hen announces the dawn, it is the ruin of the house.' Now Zhou, the king of Yin, uses only the words of a woman. Of himself he has cast away the sacrifices spread out for his ancestors and does not answer them; benighted, he has cast away his house and his state; he has put aside his royal kinsmen and his brothers of the same mother and does not employ them; and he honors and exalts, trusts and employs, the many criminals and fugitives of the four quarters, letting them be violent and cruel toward the hundred families and work villainy and disorder in the state of Shang. Now I, Fa, do no more than carry out with you the punishment of Heaven. In today's business, do not go beyond six paces or seven paces, then halt and dress your ranks — exert yourselves, my men! Do not go beyond four strokes, five strokes, six strokes, seven strokes, then halt and dress your ranks — exert yourselves, my men! Be valiant and bold, like tigers, like bears, like jackals, like dragons, here in the outskirts of Shang. Do not strike down those who run over to us, but let them serve the western lands. Exert yourselves, my men! Where you do not exert yourselves, there will be execution upon your own persons." The oath being ended, the feudal lords' troops assembled there had four thousand chariots, and he drew up the army in order at Muye.

Emperor Zhou heard that King Wu was coming, and he too sent out troops, seven hundred thousand men, to withstand King Wu. King Wu sent the Master Shangfu with a hundred men to open the battle, and with the main body of his troops charged Emperor Zhou's army. Numerous as Zhou's army was, none in it had any heart for the fight; in their hearts they wished King Wu to come in quickly. Zhou's soldiers all reversed their weapons in the fighting so as to open a way for King Wu. King Wu charged them, and Zhou's soldiers all collapsed and turned against Zhou. Zhou fled, went back inside and climbed up onto the Deer Terrace, wrapped himself in his garments of rare jade, and burned himself in the fire and died. King Wu took up the great white banner and signaled to the feudal lords, and the feudal lords all did obeisance to King Wu; King Wu then bowed with joined hands to the feudal lords, and the feudal lords all followed him. King Wu came to the state of Shang, and the hundred families of Shang were all waiting in the outskirts. Thereupon King Wu sent his assembled ministers to speak to the people of Shang, saying, "High Heaven has sent down blessing!" The men of Shang all bowed twice and touched their heads to the ground, and King Wu bowed in return. He then entered and came to the place where Zhou had died. King Wu shot at him himself; after three shots he got down from his chariot, struck him with his light sword, and cut off Zhou's head with the yellow battle-axe, hanging it on the great white banner. Afterward he came to Zhou's two favored consorts; both women had hanged themselves. King Wu again shot three times, struck them with his sword, beheaded them with the black battle-axe, and hung their heads on the lesser white banner. When King Wu had done this he went out and returned to the army.

The next day he cleared the roads and put in order the altar of the soil and the palace of Zhou of Shang. When the appointed hour came, a hundred men bearing the han banners went in the van. King Wu's younger brother Shu Zhenduo attended the display of the ceremonial chariots; Dan the Duke of Zhou held the great battle-axe and the Duke of Bi held the lesser battle-axe, flanking King Wu on either side. San Yisheng, Tai Dian, and Hong Yao all held swords to guard King Wu. When they had entered, he took his stand south of the altar of the soil, to the left of the main body of troops, and those on his left and right all followed. Mao Shu Zheng presented the bright water; Feng, Kang Shu of Wei, spread the rush mats; Shi, the Duke of Shao, assisted with the offerings of silk; the Master Shangfu led forward the victim. Yin Yi read out the invocation from the tablets: "The last descendant of Yin, Zhou the youngest, has cut off and abandoned the bright virtue of the former kings, has insulted and despised the spirits of heaven and earth and left them without sacrifice, and has been benighted and cruel toward the people of the towns of Shang. His deeds are made manifest and are heard by the August Heaven, the Lord on High." Thereupon King Wu bowed twice and touched his head to the ground, saying, "I take up the changed great mandate; I have overthrown Yin and received Heaven's bright command." King Wu again bowed twice and touched his head to the ground, and then went out.

He enfeoffed Lufu, the son of Zhou of Shang, with the remaining people of Yin. Because Yin had only just been settled and was not yet gathered together, King Wu sent his younger brothers Xian, Shu of Guan, and Du, Shu of Cai, to assist Lufu in governing Yin. After that he ordered the Duke of Shao to release Jizi from prison. He ordered the Duke of Bi to release the common people from prison and to mark with honor the gate of Shang Rong's ward. He ordered Nangong Kuo to distribute the wealth of the Deer Terrace and to open the grain of Juqiao, in order to relieve the poor, the weak, and the common bondsmen. He ordered Nangong Kuo and the scribe Yi to set out the nine cauldrons and the precious jades. He ordered Hong Yao to raise a mound over the grave of Bi Gan. He ordered the ancestral invocator to make the offerings and sacrifice among the troops. Then he disbanded the army and returned west. He made a progress and hunt, recorded the affairs of government, and made the Completion of the War. He enfeoffed the feudal lords and distributed as gifts the ancestral sacrificial vessels, and made the Division of the Vessels of Yin. King Wu called to mind the former sage kings, and with honor enfeoffed the descendants of Shennong at Jiao, the descendants of the Yellow Emperor at Zhu, the descendants of Emperor Yao at Ji, the descendants of Emperor Shun at Chen, and the descendants of Great Yu at Qi. Thereupon he enfeoffed the ministers of merit and the counselors, and the Master Shangfu was the first to be enfeoffed. He enfeoffed Shangfu at Yingqiu, which was called Qi. He enfeoffed his younger brother Dan the Duke of Zhou at Qufu, which was called Lu. He enfeoffed Shi, the Duke of Shao, at Yan. He enfeoffed his younger brother Shu Xian at Guan and his younger brother Shu Du at Cai. The rest each received enfeoffment in their order.

King Wu summoned the rulers of the nine pastorates, climbed the height of Bin, and looked out toward the towns of Shang. When King Wu came back to Zhou, he lay awake all night and could not sleep. Dan the Duke of Zhou went to where the king was and said, "Why do you not sleep?" The king said: "Let me tell you. Heaven does not accept the offerings of Yin. From before I, Fa, was born until now, sixty years, elk and deer have been in its pastures and flying geese have filled its fields. Heaven did not accept Yin's offerings, and so now we have this achievement. When Heaven established Yin, it raised up famous men, three hundred and sixty of them; they were neither made illustrious nor destroyed, and so it has come down to now. I have not yet secured Heaven's protection — what leisure have I for sleep?"

The king said: "To secure Heaven's protection I must rely upon the House of Heaven, seek out all the evil men, and demote them as followers of Shou, the king of Yin. Day and night I labor to draw men in and settle our western lands; I would make our service illustrious until our virtue shines in all quarters. From the bend of the Luo stretching to the bend of the Yi, the ground is level and easy to dwell on and has no natural strongholds — this was the seat of the Xia. To the south I look toward Santu; to the north I look toward the hill country of the sacred peaks; I turn and look upon the Yellow River; and then I look out upon the Luo and the Yi. Do not be far from the House of Heaven." He laid out a Zhou settlement at the town of Luo, and after that departed. He turned the horses loose on the south side of Mount Hua and let the oxen go on the waste of Taolin; he laid down shields and dagger-axes, put away the weapons and dismissed the troops, to show all under Heaven that he would use them no more.

Two years after King Wu had conquered Yin, he asked Jizi why Yin had perished. Jizi could not bear to speak of Yin's evil, and so told him instead what is proper to the preservation and the ruin of a state. King Wu too was ashamed, and therefore asked him about the way of Heaven.

King Wu fell ill. All under Heaven was not yet gathered together, and the assembled dukes were afraid; they made the reverent divination. The Duke of Zhou then purified himself and fasted, offering himself as a pledge in substitution and wishing to take King Wu's place, and King Wu recovered. Afterward he died, and the heir apparent Song was set up in his place; this was King Cheng.

King Cheng of Zhou (周成王)

King Cheng was young, and Zhou had only just settled all under Heaven. The Duke of Zhou feared that the feudal lords would rebel against Zhou, and so he took charge of the government as regent and held the state. Shu of Guan, Shu of Cai, and the other younger brothers suspected the Duke of Zhou, and together with Wu Geng made a revolt and rebelled against Zhou. The Duke of Zhou, holding King Cheng's command, attacked and put to death Wu Geng and Shu of Guan, and banished Shu of Cai. He made Kai, the Viscount of Wei, successor to Yin in their place, with his state at Song. He gathered up a good part of the remaining people of Yin, and with them enfeoffed King Wu's youngest brother Feng as Kang Shu of Wei. Shu of Tang in Jin obtained an auspicious grain and presented it to King Cheng, and King Cheng sent it on to the Duke of Zhou where the army was. The Duke of Zhou received the grain in the eastern lands and made known there the Son of Heaven's command. At first, when Guan and Cai rebelled against Zhou, the Duke of Zhou punished them, and in three years all was fully settled; and so he made first the Great Announcement, next the Charge to the Viscount of Wei, next the Presenting of the Grain, next the Auspicious Grain, next the Announcement to Kang, the Announcement about Wine, and the Zicai. Those matters are in the chapter on the Duke of Zhou. The Duke of Zhou conducted the government for seven years; when King Cheng had grown up, the Duke of Zhou gave the government back to King Cheng and took his place facing north among the assembled ministers.

King Cheng was at Feng, and he sent the Duke of Shao to lay out again the town of Luo, according to King Wu's intention. The Duke of Zhou divined again and inspected it once more; at last it was laid out and built, and the nine cauldrons were placed there. He said, "This is the center of all under Heaven; from the four quarters those who bring tribute have equal distances of road." He made the Announcement of the Duke of Shao and the Announcement Concerning Luo. When King Cheng had removed the remnant people of Yin, the Duke of Zhou made the announcement in the king's name and composed the Many Officers and Against Idleness. The Duke of Shao was Grand Protector and the Duke of Zhou Grand Preceptor. They attacked the Huai Yi in the east, destroyed Yan, and removed its ruler to Bogu. King Cheng returned from Yan and, being at Zongzhou, made the Many Regions. When he had cut off the mandate of Yin and struck the Huai Yi, he returned and was at Feng, and made the Officers of Zhou. He raised up and set right the rites and music, and the measures and institutions were thereupon changed; the people were harmonious and at peace, and the sound of hymns arose. After King Cheng had attacked the Eastern Yi, the Xishen came to offer congratulations, and the king gave a charge to the Earl of Rong, making the Charge on Gifts to the Xishen.

King Kang of Zhou (周康王)

When King Cheng was about to die, he feared that the heir apparent Zhao would not be equal to the burden, and so he charged the Duke of Shao and the Duke of Bi to lead the feudal lords in assisting the heir apparent and setting him up. When King Cheng had died, the two dukes led the feudal lords and brought the heir apparent Zhao before the temple of the former kings. They told him again and again how hard it had been for King Wen and King Wu to make the royal enterprise, that the essential thing lay in restraint and thrift and in not having many desires, and that he must approach his task with deep good faith; and they made the Testamentary Charge. The heir apparent Zhao was then set up; this was King Kang. When King Kang took the throne he announced it to all the feudal lords, proclaiming to them the work of Wen and Wu and repeating it to them, and made the Announcement of Kang. Therefore in the age of Cheng and Kang all under Heaven was at peace, and the punishments were set aside and not used for more than forty years. King Kang ordered a written charge to be made for the Duke of Bi to divide and settle the wards of the people in the outskirts of Chengzhou, and made the Charge to the Duke of Bi.

King Zhao of Zhou (周昭王)

King Kang died and his son King Zhao, named Xia, was set up. In King Zhao's time the royal way grew faint and defective. King Zhao went south on a tour of inspection and did not return; he died upon the river. His death was not announced by messengers, for it was concealed. King Zhao's son Man was set up; this was King Mu.

King Mu of Zhou (周穆王)

When King Mu took the throne he was already fifty years of age. The royal way had declined and grown faint, and King Mu grieved that the way of Wen and Wu was defective. He therefore charged Bo Jiong to admonish repeatedly the Grand Coachman concerning the government of the state, and made the Charge to Jiong. Peace was restored.

King Mu was about to campaign against the Quanrong, and Moufu, the Duke of Ji, remonstrated with him, saying: "It may not be done. The former kings made virtue shine; they did not make a display of arms. Weapons are stored away and moved only in their season; when they are moved they inspire awe, but when they are put on display they become a plaything, and being a plaything they cause no dread. Therefore the hymn of Duke Wen of Zhou says:

He has put away the shields and dagger-axes,
he has cased up the bows and arrows;
I seek admirable virtue
and spread it through this great land —
truly the king will preserve it.

"The former kings, in dealing with the people, encouraged and set right their virtue and made their natures generous, made abundant what they sought in goods and made their tools and utensils serviceable, made clear where profit and harm lay, and cultivated them with the civil arts, so that they attended to profit and avoided harm, cherished virtue and stood in awe of authority; and thus they were able to preserve their generations and grow ever greater.

"Of old our former kings for generations held the office of Hou Ji and served Yu and Xia. When Xia declined, the office of millet was cast aside and no longer attended to, and our former king Buzhu thereby lost his office and hid himself away among the Rong and Di. Yet he did not dare be slack in the work: he kept his virtue in order with the seasons, followed and carried on what had been begun, cultivated its instructions and canons, was reverent and diligent morning and evening, held to it with sincerity and generosity, and served it with loyalty and good faith. Generation after generation they bore this virtue and did not disgrace those who had gone before.

"By the time of King Wen and King Wu, they made bright the radiance of their forerunners and added to it kindness and harmony; they served the spirits and protected the people, and there was none who was not glad. Di Xin, the king of Shang, was greatly hated by the people; the multitude could not endure him, and they gladly upheld King Wu, and so the fighting came about at Mu of Shang. Thus the former kings did not devote themselves to arms: they exerted themselves to feel for the people's hidden sufferings and to remove what harmed them.

"Now the institution of the former kings was this: within the royal domain, the dian service; outside the domain, the hou service; from the hou lands to the wei borders, the bin service; the Yi and the Man, the yao service; the Rong and the Di, the huang service. Those of the dian service furnished the daily offering, those of the hou service the monthly offering, those of the bin service the seasonal offering, those of the yao service the yearly tribute, and those of the huang service came once in a reign to acknowledge the king. Daily offering, monthly offering, seasonal offering, yearly tribute, and the once-in-a-reign homage: such was the ordered sacrificial rule of the former kings.

"If any failed in the daily offering, the king set right his own intentions; if any failed in the monthly offering, he set right his words; if any failed in the seasonal offering, he set right his civil observances; if any failed in the yearly tribute, he set right the titles and designations; if any failed to come and acknowledge him, he set right his own virtue; and when this order had been carried out and still they did not come, then he set matters right by punishment. Thus there was punishment for those who failed in the daily offering, a chastising attack for those who failed in the monthly offering, a punitive campaign against those who failed in the seasonal offering, a stern rebuke for those who failed in the yearly tribute, and a proclamation against those who failed to come and acknowledge him. Thus there were the statutes of punishment, the troops for attack, the equipment for a punitive expedition, the command of stern reproof, and the words of a written proclamation. If, when the order had been published and the words set forth, they still did not come, then he cultivated his virtue still further and did not weary the people on distant service. Therefore among the near there were none who did not listen, and among the far there were none who did not submit.

"Now, since the deaths of Da Bi and Bo Shi, the Quanrong have come with the duty proper to their service to acknowledge the king. Yet the Son of Heaven says, 'I will certainly campaign against them for failing in the seasonal offering, and moreover make a display of arms to them.' Is this not to abandon the instruction of the former kings, so that the kingship comes near to collapse? I have heard that the Quanrong stand in sturdy simplicity, that they follow their old virtue and hold to it steadfastly, pure and firm to the end. They will have the means to withstand us."

The king campaigned against them nonetheless, and came back with four white wolves and four white deer. From this time on those of the huang service did not come.

Some of the feudal lords were not on good terms with one another, and the Marquis of Fu spoke to the king, and the Revising of the Penal Statutes was made. The king said: "Ah, come! You who hold states and hold lands, I tell you of auspicious punishment. If now you would give peace to the hundred families, what should you choose if not the right men? What should you treat with reverence if not the punishments? What should you attend to if not their fitness? When both parties to a suit are present, the judges hear the five pleas. If the five pleas are verified and trustworthy, judge by the five punishments. If the five punishments do not fit the case, judge by the five redemptions. If the five redemptions are not accepted, judge by the five categories of error. The faults that mar the five errors are the abuses of office and the pressure of the inner palace; examine and verify the offense, and let the judge share equally in the fault. Where there is doubt about the five punishments there is pardon; where there is doubt about the five redemptions there is pardon: examine them and settle them. When the case is verified and trustworthy before the multitude, then the questioning too has a footing. Where there is no verification, do not act upon doubt, and let all alike revere the awful power of Heaven. Where branding is doubtful and pardoned, the fine is one hundred measures; examine and verify the offense. Where cutting off the nose is doubtful and pardoned, the fine is double that; examine and verify the offense. Where cutting off the kneecaps is doubtful and pardoned, the fine is double again with a difference; examine and verify the offense. Where castration is doubtful and pardoned, the fine is five hundred measures; examine and verify the offense. Where the death penalty is doubtful and pardoned, the fine is one thousand measures; examine and verify the offense. The offenses under the branding penalty are one thousand; the offenses under the nose-cutting penalty are one thousand; the offenses under the kneecap penalty are five hundred; the offenses under castration are three hundred; the offenses under the death penalty are two hundred: the offenses under the five punishments are three thousand." It was named the Punishments of Fu.

King Gong of Zhou (周共王)

King Mu was on the throne fifty-five years and died, and his son King Gong, named Yihu, was set up. King Gong was traveling on the Jing, and Duke Kang of Mi went with him. Three women ran off to Duke Kang. His mother said: "You must present them to the king. Three beasts make a herd, three men make a crowd, three women make a beauty. In his hunting the king does not take a whole herd; when a duke travels he does not stoop to take a crowd; the king in his household does not take three from one clan. Such beauty is a fine thing. If a multitude give fine things to you, what virtue have you to bear it? Even a king could not bear it, how much less you, a petty and unworthy man! If a petty unworthy man is furnished with such things, in the end he must perish." Duke Kang did not present them, and in a year King Gong destroyed Mi. King Gong died and his son King Yi, named Jian, was set up.

King Yi of Zhou (周懿王)

In the time of King Yi (懿王) the royal house declined further, and the poets composed satires.

King Xiao of Zhou (周孝王)

King Yi died, and King Gong's younger brother Pifang was set up; this was King Xiao.

King Yi of Zhou (周夷王)

King Xiao died, and the feudal lords again set up King Yi's heir apparent Xie; this was King Yi (夷王).

King Li of Zhou (周厲王)

King Yi died and his son King Li, named Hu, was set up. In the thirtieth year of King Li's reign he was fond of profit and drew close to Duke Yi of Rong. The grandee Rui Liangfu remonstrated with King Li, saying: "Is the royal house about to be brought low? The Duke of Rong loves to monopolize profit and does not understand great calamity. Profit is what the hundred things bring forth and what heaven and earth carry; and for one man to monopolize it — the harm of that is great. Heaven and earth and the hundred things are all to take from it: how can it be monopolized? Those who are angered are very many, and he makes no provision against great calamity. If he teaches the king in this way, can the king last long? He who is king over men is one who guides profit and spreads it out among high and low, so that spirits, men, and the hundred things all attain their fullness; and even so he is daily anxious and fearful lest resentment come. Therefore the Hymns say, 'Thoughtful and cultured Hou Ji, able to be the counterpart of Heaven, you established us, the teeming people; there is nothing that is not your perfect gift.' And the Greater Odes say, 'He spread out his bounty and sustained Zhou.' Is this not to spread out profit while fearing calamity? Thus he was able to sustain Zhou down to this day. Now the king is learning to monopolize profit: can this be right? When a common man monopolizes profit, he is still called a robber; and if a king practices it, few will remain attached to him. If the Duke of Rong is employed, Zhou will surely come to ruin." King Li did not listen, and in the end made the Duke of Rong a minister, who took charge of affairs.

The king behaved with violence, cruelty, extravagance, and arrogance, and the people of the capital spoke ill of the king. The Duke of Shao remonstrated, saying, "The people cannot endure your commands." The king was angry. He got hold of a shaman from Wei and had him watch those who spoke ill of him; when the shaman reported them, the king had them killed. Ill words became rare, and the feudal lords did not come to court. In the thirty-fourth year the king grew still harsher; no one in the capital dared speak, and on the roads they spoke only with their eyes. King Li was pleased and told the Duke of Shao, "I have been able to stop the ill speaking. They no longer dare to speak."

The Duke of Shao said: "This is to dam them up. To block the mouths of the people is worse than to block a river. When water is dammed and bursts through, those it injures are certain to be many, and it is so with the people too. Therefore one who manages water opens channels and leads it away, and one who governs the people gives them an outlet and lets them speak. So when the Son of Heaven attends to government, he has the dukes and ministers, down to the ranks of officers, present poems; the blind musicians present tunes; the scribes present records; the preceptors present admonitions; the sightless recite; the dim-eyed chant; the hundred craftsmen remonstrate; the common people pass their words upward; the near ministers give their counsel in full; his kinsmen watch over and make good his faults; the blind musicians and the scribes give instruction; the elders put it all in order; and after that the king weighs it. Thus affairs go forward and are not perverse. That the people have mouths is like the earth having hills and streams, from which goods and resources come forth; it is like the earth having high ground and low, plains and rich fields, from which clothing and food are born. From the speaking out of mouths, good and bad alike arise. To act upon the good and to guard against the bad is the way to produce goods, resources, clothing, and food. The people ponder in their hearts and speak it out with their mouths; it ripens, and then they act on it. If you dam up their mouths, how many will stay with you?" The king did not listen. Thereupon no one in the state dared utter a word, and after three years they joined together in revolt and attacked King Li. King Li fled to Zhi.

King Xuan of Zhou (周宣王)

King Li's heir apparent Jing hid in the house of the Duke of Shao. The people of the capital heard of it and surrounded the house. The Duke of Shao said: "In the past I remonstrated with the king again and again; the king would not follow me, and so we have come to this calamity. If now the king's heir apparent is killed, will the king not take me for an enemy and be resentful and angry? One who serves a lord, even in danger, does not treat him as an enemy or bear him a grudge; he may feel resentment, but he does not give way to anger — how much more when one serves a king!" So he put his own son in place of the king's heir apparent, and the heir apparent in the end got away.

The Duke of Shao and the Duke of Zhou, the two chancellors, conducted the government; it was called the Gonghe, the Joint Harmony. In the fourteenth year of the Gonghe, King Li died at Zhi. The heir apparent Jing had grown up in the Duke of Shao's house, and the two chancellors together set him up as king; this was King Xuan. When King Xuan took the throne the two chancellors assisted him. He put the government in order and took as his rule the surviving practice of Wen, Wu, Cheng, and Kang, and the feudal lords again honored Zhou as their head. In the twelfth year Duke Wu of Lu came to court.

King Xuan did not perform the rite of the royal field at Qianmu. Duke Wen of Guo remonstrated that it might not be so, but the king did not listen. In the thirty-ninth year there was a battle at Qianmu, and the king's army was utterly defeated by the Rong of the Jiang clan.

After King Xuan had lost the army of the southern states, he took a count of the people at Taiyuan. Zhongshan Fu remonstrated, saying, "The people may not be counted." King Xuan did not listen, and in the end counted the people.

King You of Zhou (周幽王)

In the forty-sixth year King Xuan died, and his son King You, named Gongnie (also written Sheng), was set up. In King You's second year the three rivers of Western Zhou all quaked. Bo Yangfu said: "Zhou is about to perish. The breath of heaven and earth does not lose its order; if it goes beyond its order, it is because the people have thrown it into disorder. When the yang is held down and cannot come out, and the yin is pressed and cannot rise as vapor, then there is an earthquake. Now the three rivers have indeed quaked: this is the yang losing its place and being pressed down under the yin. When the yang loses its place and lies under the yin, the springs must be blocked; when the springs are blocked, the state must perish. Water and earth flow and spread, and the people make use of them. If the earth has nowhere to flow, the people lack goods and resources: what can they await but ruin? Of old the Yi and the Luo dried up and Xia perished; the Yellow River dried up and Shang perished. Now Zhou's virtue is like that of the last years of those two dynasties, and its river-springs are moreover blocked; and being blocked they must dry up. A state must depend upon its hills and streams; when hills collapse and streams dry up, that is the sign of a state about to perish. When streams dry up, hills must collapse. If the state perishes, it will not be more than ten years, for ten is the round of the count; what Heaven casts away does not go beyond that round." In that same year the three rivers dried up and Mount Qi collapsed.

In the third year King You conceived a doting love for Bao Si. Bao Si bore a son, Bofu, and King You wished to depose the heir apparent. The heir apparent's mother was a daughter of the Marquis of Shen and was queen. Later King You obtained Bao Si and loved her, and wished to depose the Shen queen and at the same time remove the heir apparent Yijiu, making Bao Si queen and Bofu heir apparent. Bo Yang, the Grand Scribe of Zhou, read the historical records and said, "Zhou is lost."

Long ago, in the decline of the Xia sovereigns, two divine dragons halted in the courtyard of the Xia emperor and said, "We are the two rulers of Bao." The Xia emperor divined about killing them, about driving them away, and about keeping them, and none of these was auspicious. He divined about asking for their spittle and storing it away, and this was auspicious. Thereupon he laid out offerings of silk and made the request known to them on tablets. The dragons vanished and the spittle remained, and he had it put in a casket and taken away. When Xia perished, this vessel was handed on to Yin; when Yin perished, this vessel was handed on again to Zhou. Through these three dynasties no one dared open it, until at the end of King Li's reign it was opened and looked into. The spittle flowed over the courtyard and could not be got rid of. King Li had women strip naked and shout at it. The spittle turned into a black lizard and went into the king's rear palace. A young serving maid of the rear palace, already of the age when the milk teeth are shed, met with it; when she had reached the age of the hairpin she conceived, and having no husband she bore a child, and in fear she abandoned it.

In King Xuan's time young girls sang a rhyme: "A mountain-mulberry bow and a quiver of wild grass — these will surely destroy the state of Zhou." When King Xuan heard of it, there was a husband and wife who were selling these very things, and King Xuan had them seized and put to death. They fled along the road, and there they saw the uncanny child that the young serving maid of the rear palace had earlier abandoned, lying out on the road. Hearing it crying in the night they pitied it and took it in; and the couple then fled and ran away to Bao. The people of Bao committed an offense and asked to hand over to the king the girl whom the serving maid had abandoned, in order to redeem their offense. The abandoned girl came out of Bao, and this was Bao Si. It was in the third year of King You that the king saw her in his rear palace and loved her. She bore a son, Bofu, and in the end he deposed the Shen queen and the heir apparent, making Bao Si queen and Bofu heir apparent. The Grand Scribe Bo Yang said, "The disaster is complete. Nothing can be done about it."

Bao Si did not like to laugh. King You wanted her to laugh and tried ten thousand ways, and still she did not laugh. King You had beacon towers and great drums made; when raiders came, the beacon fires were raised. The feudal lords all came, and having come they found no raiders — and then Bao Si laughed aloud. King You was delighted with this and raised the beacon fires many times. Afterward he was not believed, and the feudal lords came less and less.

King You made Shifu of Guo a minister and put him in charge of affairs, and the people of the capital all resented it. Shifu was by nature a flatterer, cunning, given to fawning and fond of profit, and the king employed him. He had also deposed the Shen queen and removed the heir apparent. The Marquis of Shen was angry, and together with Zeng and the Quanrong of the western Yi he attacked King You. King You raised the beacon fires to summon troops, but no troops came. So they killed King You at the foot of Mount Li, took Bao Si captive, seized all the treasure of Zhou, and departed. Thereupon the feudal lords went over to the Marquis of Shen and together set up King You's former heir apparent Yijiu; this was King Ping, who was to maintain the sacrifices of Zhou.

King Ping of Zhou (周平王)

King Ping was set up and moved east to the town of Luo, to keep clear of the raiding of the Rong. In King Ping's time the house of Zhou declined and grew faint; among the feudal lords the strong annexed the weak; Qi, Chu, Qin, and Jin began to be great; and government proceeded from the leading lords of the regions.

In the forty-ninth year Duke Yin of Lu took his throne.

King Huan of Zhou (周桓王)

In the fifty-first year King Ping died. The heir apparent Xiefu had died early, so his son Lin was set up; this was King Huan. King Huan was King Ping's grandson.

In King Huan's third year Duke Zhuang of Zheng came to court, and King Huan did not treat him with ritual courtesy. In the fifth year Zheng resented this and exchanged the Xu fields with Lu. The Xu fields were the fields the Son of Heaven used for his services at Mount Tai. In the eighth year Lu killed Duke Yin and set up Duke Huan. In the thirteenth year the king attacked Zheng; a man of Zheng shot and wounded King Huan, and King Huan withdrew and went home.

King Zhuang of Zhou (周莊王)

In the twenty-third year King Huan died, and his son King Zhuang, named Tuo, was set up. In King Zhuang's fourth year Heijian, the Duke of Zhou, wished to kill King Zhuang and set up the royal prince Ke. Xin Bo informed the king, and the king killed the Duke of Zhou. The royal prince Ke fled to Yan.

King Xi of Zhou (周釐王)

In the fifteenth year King Zhuang died, and his son King Xi, named Huqi, was set up. In King Xi's third year Duke Huan of Qi first became hegemon.

King Hui of Zhou (周惠王)

In the fifth year King Xi died, and his son King Hui, named Lang, was set up. It was King Hui's second year. Earlier, King Zhuang had a favored consort, Yao, who bore a son, Tui, and Tui was favored. When King Hui took the throne, he seized the lands of his great ministers to make a park, and so the grandee Bian Bo and four others, five men in all, made a revolt; they plotted to call in the armies of Yan and Wei and attacked King Hui. King Hui fled to Wen and afterward dwelt at Li in Zheng. They set up Tui, King Xi's younger brother, as king. There was music and a full round of dances, and the rulers of Zheng and of Guo were angry. In the fourth year Zheng together with the ruler of Guo attacked and killed King Tui and brought King Hui back in. In King Hui's tenth year he granted Duke Huan of Qi the rank of chief of the lords.

King Xiang of Zhou (周襄王)

In the twenty-fifth year King Hui died, and his son King Xiang, named Zheng, was set up. King Xiang's mother had died early; his stepmother was called Queen Hui. Queen Hui bore Shu Dai (叔帶), who was favored by King Hui, and King Xiang feared him. In the third year Shu Dai plotted with the Rong and the Di to attack King Xiang. King Xiang wished to put Shu Dai to death, and Shu Dai fled to Qi. Duke Huan of Qi sent Guan Zhong (管仲) to pacify the Rong on Zhou's behalf, and sent Xi Peng to pacify the Rong on Jin's behalf. The king received Guan Zhong with the ceremony due a senior minister. Guan Zhong declined it, saying: "Your servant is a lowly officeholder. There are the Son of Heaven's two appointed guardians, Guo and Gao. If at their seasons in spring and autumn they come to receive the king's commands, with what ceremony will you receive them? As a vassal's vassal I venture to decline." The king said: "Uncle, I commend your merit. Do not go against my command." In the end Guan Zhong accepted the ceremony due a junior minister and returned home. In the ninth year Duke Huan of Qi died. In the twelfth year Shu Dai returned again to Zhou.

In the thirteenth year Zheng attacked Hua. The king sent You Sun and Bo Fu to plead for Hua, and the men of Zheng imprisoned them. Duke Wen of Zheng resented that when King Hui was brought back in he had not granted a ceremonial rank to Duke Li, and further resented that King Xiang had taken the side of Wei and Hua; therefore he imprisoned Bo Fu. The king was angry and was about to use the Di to attack Zheng. Fu Chen (富辰) remonstrated: "In all our Zhou's removal eastward, it was on Jin and Zheng that we leaned. In the disorder of Zi Tui it was through Zheng that things were settled. And now for a small grievance you would cast them off!" The king did not listen. In the fifteenth year the king brought down a Di army to attack Zheng. The king felt indebted to the Di and was about to make one of their women his queen. Fu Chen remonstrated: "Kings Ping, Huan, Zhuang, and Hui all received Zheng's labors on their behalf. For the king to cast off his kin and draw close to the Di cannot be followed." The king did not listen. In the sixteenth year the king dismissed the Di queen. The Di came to take vengeance and killed Tan Bo. Fu Chen said: "I have remonstrated many times and was not followed. If at such a time as this I do not go out, will the king think I bear a grudge?" So with his own followers he went out and died in the fighting.

Earlier, Queen Hui had wished to set up Prince Dai, and therefore used her faction to open the way to the Di, and the Di thereupon entered Zhou. King Xiang fled out to Zheng, and Zheng lodged the king at Fan. Zi Dai set himself up as king and took the Di queen whom King Xiang had dismissed, dwelling with her at Wen. In the seventeenth year King Xiang reported his distress to Jin. Duke Wen of Jin brought the king back in and put Shu Dai to death. King Xiang then bestowed on Duke Wen of Jin jade tablets, fragrant sacrificial wine, bows and arrows, made him hegemon, and gave the lands of Henei to Jin. In the twentieth year Duke Wen of Jin summoned King Xiang, and King Xiang met him at Heyang and Jiantu, where the feudal lords all came to court. The chronicle, concealing the matter, wrote: "The Heavenly King hunted at Heyang."

In the twenty-fourth year Duke Wen of Jin died.

In the thirty-first year Duke Mu of Qin died.

King Qing, King Kuang, and King Ding of Zhou (周頃王、周匡王、周定王)

In the thirty-second year King Xiang died, and his son King Qing, named Renchen, was set up. In the sixth year of King Qing he died, and his son King Kuang, named Ban, was set up. In the sixth year of King Kuang he died, and his younger brother Yu was set up: this was King Ding.

In the first year of King Ding, King Zhuang of Chu attacked the Rong of Luhun, halted at Luo, and sent a man to ask about the nine cauldrons. The king sent Wangsun Man to meet him and put him off with words, and the Chu troops then withdrew. In the tenth year King Zhuang of Chu besieged Zheng; the Earl of Zheng surrendered, and afterward he was restored. In the sixteenth year King Zhuang of Chu died.

King Jian of Zhou (周簡王)

In the twenty-first year King Ding died, and his son King Jian, named Yi, was set up. In the thirteenth year of King Jian, Jin killed its ruler Duke Li and welcomed Zi Zhou from Zhou, setting him up as Duke Dao.

King Ling of Zhou (周靈王)

In the fourteenth year King Jian died, and his son King Ling, named Xiexin, was set up. In the twenty-fourth year of King Ling, Cui Zhu of Qi assassinated his ruler Duke Zhuang.

King Jing, King Dao, and King Jing of Zhou (周景王、周悼王、周敬王)

In the twenty-seventh year King Ling died, and his son King Jing (景王), named Gui, was set up. In the eighteenth year of King Jing, the queen's heir apparent was wise but died young. In the twentieth year King Jing loved Zi Chao and wished to set him up, but just then he died, and the faction of Zi Gai contended over the succession. The people of the capital set up the eldest son Meng as king, and Zi Chao attacked and killed Meng. Meng became King Dao. The men of Jin attacked Zi Chao and set up Gai: this was King Jing (敬王).

In the first year of King Jing the men of Jin brought him in, but Zi Chao had set himself up and King Jing could not enter; he dwelt at Ze. In the fourth year Jin led the feudal lords in bringing King Jing into Zhou; Zi Chao became a subject, and the feudal lords walled Zhou. In the sixteenth year the followers of Zi Chao again raised a rebellion, and King Jing fled to Jin. In the seventeenth year Duke Ding of Jin thereupon brought King Jing into Zhou.

In the thirty-ninth year Tian Chang of Qi killed his ruler Duke Jian.

In the forty-first year Chu extinguished Chen. Confucius died.

King Yuan and King Zhending of Zhou (周元王、周貞定王)

In the forty-second year King Jing died, and his son King Yuan, named Ren, was set up. In the eighth year of King Yuan he died, and his son King Ding (定王), named Jie, was set up.

In the sixteenth year of King Ding the three Jin extinguished Zhi Bo and divided his lands among them.

King Ai, King Si, and King Kao of Zhou (周哀王、周思王、周考王)

In the twenty-eighth year King Ding died, and his eldest son Quji was set up: this was King Ai. King Ai had been established three months when his younger brother Shu fell upon him, killed King Ai, and set himself up: this was King Si. King Si had been established five months when his youngest brother Wei attacked and killed King Si and set himself up: this was King Kao. These three kings were all sons of King Ding.

King Weilie of Zhou (周威烈王)

In the fifteenth year of King Kao he died, and his son King Weilie, named Wu, was set up.

King Kao had enfeoffed his younger brother in Henan: this was Duke Huan, who was to carry on the office of the Duke of Zhou. Duke Huan died and his son Duke Wei succeeded him. Duke Wei died and his son Duke Hui succeeded him, and he enfeoffed his youngest son at Gong to serve the king, with the title Duke Hui of Eastern Zhou.

In the twenty-third year of King Weilie the nine cauldrons shook. He commanded that Han, Wei, and Zhao be made feudal lords.

King An of Zhou (周安王)

In the twenty-fourth year he died, and his son King An, named Jiao, was set up. In that year bandits killed King Sheng of Chu.

King Lie of Zhou (周烈王)

King An had been established twenty-six years when he died, and his son King Lie, named Xi, was set up. In the second year of King Lie, the Grand Scribe Dan of Zhou saw Duke Xian of Qin and said: "In the beginning Zhou and the state of Qin were joined and then parted; after being parted five hundred years they will join again; and seventeen years after they join, one who is hegemon and king will come forth."

King Xian of Zhou (周顯王)

In the tenth year King Lie died, and his younger brother Bian was set up: this was King Xian. In the fifth year of King Xian he sent congratulations to Duke Xian of Qin, and Duke Xian styled himself hegemon. In the ninth year he presented the sacrificial meat of Kings Wen and Wu to Duke Xiao of Qin. In the twenty-fifth year Qin assembled the feudal lords at Zhou. In the twenty-sixth year Zhou conferred the standing of hegemon upon Duke Xiao of Qin. In the thirty-third year he sent congratulations to King Hui of Qin. In the thirty-fifth year he presented the sacrificial meat of Kings Wen and Wu to King Hui of Qin. In the forty-fourth year King Hui of Qin styled himself king, and after this the feudal lords all became kings.

King Shenjing of Zhou (周慎靚王)

In the forty-eighth year King Xian died, and his son King Shenjing, named Ding, was set up.

King Nan of Zhou (周赧王)

King Shenjing had been established six years when he died, and his son King Nan, named Yan, was set up. In the time of King Nan, Eastern Zhou and Western Zhou were governed separately. King Nan moved his capital to Western Zhou.

The heir apparent Gong of Duke Wu of Western Zhou died. There were five sons by concubines, and no son of the principal wife to be set up. Sima Jian said to the king of Chu: "It would be best to endow Prince Jiu with land and ask that he be made heir apparent." Zuo Cheng said: "That will not do. If Zhou does not agree, then your wisdom is at an impasse and your relations with Zhou grow distant. It would be better to ask the lord of Zhou whom he wishes to set up, and quietly report it to Jian; Jian will then ask Chu to endow that man with land." In the end Prince Jiu was set up as heir apparent.

In the eighth year Qin attacked Yiyang and Chu came to its rescue; but because Chu held that Zhou was on Qin's side, it was about to attack Zhou. Su Dai (蘇代) spoke to the king of Chu on Zhou's behalf: "Why make Zhou's being on Qin's side into a disaster? Those who say that Zhou is more Qin's than Chu's want to drive Zhou into Qin, and that is why they speak of 'Zhou-Qin.' Zhou, knowing that it cannot free itself of the name, will certainly go over to Qin, and this is the choicest of Qin's means for taking Zhou. The plan for Your Majesty is this: if Zhou is with Qin, treat it well on that account; if it is not with Qin, still speak well of it — so as to estrange it from Qin. Once Zhou is cut off from Qin, it will surely come over to Ying."

Qin asked to borrow a road through the space between the two Zhous in order to attack Han. Zhou feared that if it lent the road it would have Han to fear, and if it did not lend it, Qin to fear. Shi Yan said to the lord of Zhou: "Why not send a man to say to Gongshu of Han: 'The reason Qin dares to cut across Zhou and attack Han is that it trusts Eastern Zhou. Why do you not give Zhou land and send a hostage and an envoy to Chu?' Qin will then surely suspect Chu and will not trust Zhou, and so Han will not be attacked. Then say to Qin: 'Han has forced land upon Zhou, meaning to make Qin suspicious of Zhou, and Zhou dares not refuse it.' Qin will surely have no grounds on which to order Zhou to refuse. Thus you receive land from Han and still obey Qin."

Qin summoned the lord of Western Zhou. The lord of Western Zhou hated to go, and therefore sent a man to say to the king of Han: "Qin has summoned the lord of Western Zhou, meaning to use him to attack Your Majesty's Nanyang. Why does Your Majesty not send troops out to Nanyang? The lord of Zhou will then have a pretext to offer Qin. And if the lord of Zhou does not go into Qin, Qin will surely not dare to cross the Yellow River and attack Nanyang."

Eastern Zhou and Western Zhou went to war, and Han came to the rescue of Western Zhou. Someone spoke to the king of Han on behalf of Eastern Zhou: "Western Zhou was formerly the state of the Son of Heaven; it has many famous vessels and weighty treasures. If Your Majesty holds back your troops and does not send them out, you can put Eastern Zhou in your debt, and the treasures of Western Zhou can all be got."

King Nan spoke to the Lord of Cheng. Chu besieged Yongshi, and Han levied armor and grain from Eastern Zhou. The lord of Eastern Zhou was afraid; he summoned Su Dai and told him of it. Dai said: "Why should my lord be troubled by this? Your servant can make Han levy no armor or grain from Zhou, and can also obtain Gaodu for my lord." The lord of Zhou said: "If you truly can, I ask leave to let the state obey you." Dai saw the chancellor of state of Han and said: "Chu besieged Yongshi setting itself a term of three months; now, in the fifth month, it still cannot take it — Chu is worn out. And now the chancellor of state levies armor and grain from Zhou; this is to announce to Chu that you yourself are worn out." The chancellor of state of Han said: "Good. But the messenger has already set out." Dai said: "Why not give Gaodu to Zhou?" The chancellor of state of Han was greatly angered and said: "That I refrain from levying armor and grain from Zhou is already much. For what reason should I give Zhou Gaodu?" Dai said: "If you give Zhou Gaodu, Zhou will turn and come over to Han. When Qin hears of it, it will surely be furious and bear a grudge against Zhou, and will break off dealings with Zhou's envoys. That is to spend a worn-out Gaodu and gain the whole of Zhou. Why not give it?" The chancellor of state said: "Good." And he did indeed give Gaodu to Zhou.

In the thirty-fourth year Su Li said to the lord of Zhou: "Qin's breaking of Han and Wei, its striking down of Shi Wu, and its taking of Lin and Lishi from Zhao in the north — all of these were Bai Qi's doing. He is skilled at using troops, and he also has Heaven's mandate. Now once again he is leading troops out beyond the passes to attack Liang, and if Liang is broken then Zhou is in danger. Why does my lord not send someone to persuade Bai Qi, saying: 'In Chu there was one Yang Youji, a fine archer. At a hundred paces from a willow leaf he shot at it, and a hundred shots hit a hundred times. Several thousand onlookers to left and right all said he shot well. One man stood beside him and said, "Good — you may now be taught to shoot." Yang Youji grew angry, laid down his bow and gripped his sword, and said, "How can you, sir, teach me to shoot?" The stranger said, "It is not that I can teach you to brace the left arm and bend the right. But shooting at a willow leaf a hundred paces off, and hitting a hundred times out of a hundred — if you do not stop while you are doing well, then in a little while your breath will fail and your strength grow weary, the bow will go crooked and the arrow bend, and with one shot that misses, the hundred hits are all wiped out." Now in breaking Han and Wei, in striking down Shi Wu, and in taking Lin and Lishi from Zhao in the north, your excellency's merits are many. And now you lead troops out beyond the passes, pass the two Zhous, turn your back on Han, and attack Liang; if at one stroke you do not succeed, all your former merit is thrown away. It would be better for your excellency to plead illness and not go out.'"

In the forty-second year Qin broke the covenant of Huayang. Ma Fan said to the lord of Zhou: "Let me have Liang wall Zhou." He then said to the king of Liang: "If the king of Zhou falls ill and dies, then I, Fan, will surely die. Let me bring myself and the nine cauldrons over to Your Majesty; when Your Majesty has received the nine cauldrons, make your plans for me." The king of Liang said: "Good," and thereupon gave him soldiers, saying that they were to garrison Zhou. He thereupon said to the king of Qin: "Liang is not garrisoning Zhou; it is going to attack Zhou. Let Your Majesty try sending troops to the border and watch." Qin did indeed send out troops. He then said to the king of Liang again: "The king of Zhou is gravely ill; I, Fan, ask leave to wait until later, when it can be done, and take the matter up again. Now that Your Majesty has sent soldiers to Zhou, the feudal lords have all grown suspicious, and in later undertakings you will not be trusted. It would be better to have the soldiers build a wall for Zhou, so as to hide the origin of the affair." The king of Liang said: "Good," and so had Zhou walled.

In the forty-fifth year the lord of Zhou went to Qin. A retainer said to Zhou Ju: "You would do better to praise the king of Qin's filial devotion, and on that account offer Ying as an estate for the Queen Dowager's maintenance. The king of Qin will surely be pleased, and thus you will have relations with Qin. If the relations are good, the lord of Zhou will surely count it your merit; if the relations are bad, those who urged the lord of Zhou to go into Qin will surely bear the blame." Qin attacked Zhou, and Zhou Ju said to the king of Qin: "The plan for Your Majesty is not to attack Zhou. In attacking Zhou there is in substance not enough to gain, while in report you make the world afraid. When the world is made afraid by Qin's report of itself, it will surely turn east and join with Qi. Your troops will be worn out on Zhou, and the world will be joined to Qi; then Qin will not become king over all. The world wishes to wear Qin out, and therefore urges Your Majesty to attack Zhou. And if Qin is worn out along with the world, then its commands will no longer be carried out."

In the fifty-eighth year the three Jin resisted Qin. Zhou ordered its chancellor of state to go to Qin, but because Qin made light of him he turned back from the journey. A retainer said to the chancellor of state: "Whether Qin makes light of you or holds you weighty cannot yet be known. Qin wishes to know the true condition of the three states. You would do better to see the king of Qin at once and say, 'Let me listen out on Your Majesty's behalf for the changes in the east.' The king of Qin will surely hold you weighty. His holding you weighty is Qin's holding Zhou weighty, and Zhou will thereby have secured Qin. And if Qi is the weighty one, there is already Zhou Ju to gather in Qi. Thus Zhou never loses its ties with a state of weight." Qin trusted Zhou and sent out troops to attack the three Jin.

In the fifty-ninth year Qin took Yangcheng and Fushu from Han. Western Zhou was afraid, turned its back on Qin, made a vertical alliance with the feudal lords, and led the crack troops of the world out through Yique to attack Qin, so that Qin could not get through to Yangcheng. King Zhao of Qin was angry and sent the general Jiu to attack Western Zhou. The lord of Western Zhou hurried to Qin, bowed his head to the ground and accepted his guilt, and presented all his towns, thirty-six of them, and thirty thousand persons. Qin accepted the presentation and sent its lord back to Zhou.

The lord of Zhou and King Nan died, and the people of Zhou thereupon fled eastward. Qin took the nine cauldrons and the treasure vessels, and moved the Duke of Western Zhou to Danhu. Seven years later King Zhuangxiang of Qin extinguished Eastern Zhou. Eastern and Western Zhou both passed into Qin, and Zhou's sacrifices were at an end.

The Grand Historian's Judgment (太史公曰)

The Grand Historian says: Scholars all say that Zhou attacked Zhou (紂) and then dwelt at the city of Luo; but when one draws the facts together it was not so. King Wu laid the city out, King Cheng sent the Duke of Shao to divine about dwelling there, and the nine cauldrons were placed there; yet Zhou again made its capital at Feng and Hao. It was only when the Quanrong defeated King You that Zhou moved east to the city of Luo. As for what is called "the Duke of Zhou was buried at Bi," Bi lies within Du, southeast of Hao. Qin extinguished Zhou. More than ninety years after the rise of Han, the Son of Heaven was about to perform the feng sacrifice on Mount Tai; touring eastward he came to Henan, sought out the offshoots of Zhou's line, and enfeoffed their descendant Jia with thirty li of land, with the title Lord Zinan of Zhou, ranked equal to a marquis of the roll, so that he might carry on the sacrifices to his forebears.

Colophon

This translation was prepared for the Chinese shelf of the Good Works Library and translated independently from the classical Chinese text printed below. The chapter alternates between narrative episodes with direct speech — King Wu's Great Harangue and Muye oath, the Duke of Shao's remonstrance against King Li's censorship, Duke Mou of Ji's and Fu Chen's counsel — and long stretches of terse year-by-year annal notices once the narrative reaches the Spring and Autumn period; both registers were kept distinct rather than smoothed into one another.

The translation-status check named Burton Watson, Records of the Grand Historian (1961; 1993), and William H. Nienhauser Jr. et al., The Grand Scribe's Records, vol. 1 (1994), as existing English coverage of the Shiji's Basic Annals. Both are named here as controls-in-existence and were not consulted; this translation makes no claim of firstness, and the check itself could not include a live search when this file was prepared.

A note on names: two later Zhou kings both bear the posthumous title King Jing, written with different characters (景王 and 敬王); both are kept distinct in the translation and marked with their Chinese characters where the source distinguishes them.

Prepared for the Good Work Library by the Tianmu Anglican Church with AI-assisted translation and editorial work.

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Source Text: 史記 卷4 周本紀

Classical Chinese text in the Chinese Wikisource transcription, with the Sanjia commentary set in 〔 〕 as the transcription carries it. Presented complete for reference, study, and verification alongside the English translation above; the commentary is not translated.

后稷

周后稷，名棄。其母有邰氏女，曰姜原。姜原為帝嚳元妃。姜原出野，見巨人跡，心忻然說，欲踐之，踐之而身動如孕者。居期而生子，以為不祥，棄之隘巷，馬牛過者皆辟不踐；徙置之林中，適會山林多人，遷之；而棄渠中冰上，飛鳥以其翼覆薦之。姜原以為神，遂收養長之。初欲棄之，因名曰棄。

棄為兒時，屹如巨人之志。其游戲，好種樹麻、菽，麻、菽美。及為成人，遂好耕農，相地之宜，宜穀者稼穡焉，民皆法則之。帝堯聞之，舉棄為農師，天下得其利，有功。帝舜曰：「棄，黎民始饑，爾后稷播時百穀。」封棄於邰，號曰后稷，別姓姬氏。后稷之興，在陶唐、虞、夏之際，皆有令德。

不窋至古公亶父

后稷卒，子不窋立。不窋末年，夏后氏政衰，去稷不務，不窋以失其官而犇戎狄之間。不窋卒，子鞠立。鞠卒，子公劉立。公劉雖在戎狄之間，復修后稷之業，務耕種，行地宜，自漆、沮度渭，取材用，行者有資，居者有畜積，民賴其慶。百姓懷之，多徙而保歸焉。周道之興自此始，故詩人歌樂思其德。公劉卒，子慶節立，國於豳。

慶節卒，子皇仆立。皇仆卒，子差弗立。差弗卒，子毀隃立。毀隃卒，子公非立。公非卒，子高圉立。高圉卒，子亞圉立。亞圉卒，子公叔祖類立。公叔祖類卒，子古公亶父立。古公亶父復修后稷、公劉之業，積德行義，國人皆戴之。薰育戎狄攻之，欲得財物，予之。已復攻，欲得地與民。民皆怒，欲戰。古公曰：「有民立君，將以利之。今戎狄所為攻戰，以吾地與民。民之在我，與其在彼，何異。民欲以我故戰，殺人父子而君之，予不忍為。」乃與私屬遂去豳，度漆、沮，踰梁山，止於岐下。豳人舉國扶老攜弱，盡復歸古公於岐下。及他旁國聞古公仁，亦多歸之。於是古公乃貶戎狄之俗，而營筑城郭室屋，而邑別居之。作五官有司。民皆歌樂之，頌其德。

季歷

古公有長子曰太伯，次曰虞仲。太姜生少子季歷，季歷娶太任，皆賢婦人，生昌，有聖瑞。古公曰：「我世當有興者，其在昌乎？」長子太伯、虞仲知古公欲立季歷以傳昌，乃二人亡如荊蠻，文身斷髪，以讓季歷。

古公卒，季歷立，是為公季。公季修古公遺道，篤於行義，諸侯順之。

周文王

公季卒，子昌立，是為西伯。西伯曰文王，遵后稷、公劉之業，則古公、公季之法，篤仁，敬老，慈少。禮下賢者，日中不暇食以待士，士以此多歸之。伯夷、叔齊在孤竹，聞西伯善養老，盍往歸之。太顛、閎夭、散宜生、鬻子、辛甲大夫之徒皆往歸之。

崇侯虎譖西伯於殷紂曰：「西伯積善累德，諸侯皆向之，將不利於帝。」帝紂乃囚西伯於羑里。閎夭之徒患之。乃求有莘氏美女，驪戎之文馬，有熊九駟，他奇怪物，因殷嬖臣費仲而獻之紂。紂大說，曰：「此一物足以釋西伯，況其多乎！」乃赦西伯，賜之弓矢斧鉞，使西伯得征伐。曰：「譖西伯者，崇侯虎也。」西伯乃獻洛西之地，以請紂去炮格之刑。紂許之。

西伯陰行善，諸侯皆來決平。於是虞、芮之人有獄不能決，乃如周。入界，耕者皆讓畔，民俗皆讓長。虞、芮之人未見西伯，皆慚，相謂曰：「吾所爭，周人所恥，何往為，秖取辱耳。」遂還，俱讓而去。諸侯聞之，曰「西伯蓋受命之君」。

明年，伐犬戎。明年，伐密須。明年，敗耆國。殷之祖伊聞之，懼，以告帝紂。紂曰：「不有天命乎？是何能為！」明年，伐邘。明年，伐崇侯虎。而作豐邑，自岐下而徙都豐。明年，西伯崩，太子發立，是為武王。

周武王

西伯蓋即位五十年。其囚羑里，蓋益易之八卦為六十四卦。詩人道西伯，蓋受命之年稱王而斷虞芮之訟。後十年而崩，謚為文王。改法度，制正朔矣。追尊古公為太王，公季為王季：蓋王瑞自太王興。

武王即位，太公望為師，周公旦為輔，召公、畢公之徒左右王，師修文王緒業。

九年，武王上祭于畢。東觀兵，至于盟津。為文王木主，載以車，中軍。武王自稱太子發，言奉文王以伐，不敢自專。乃告司馬、司徒、司空、諸節：「齊栗，信哉！予無知，以先祖有德臣，小子受先功，畢立賞罰，以定其功。」遂興師。師尚父號曰：「總爾眾庶，與爾舟楫，後至者斬。」武王渡河，中流，白魚躍入王舟中，武王俯取以祭。既渡，有火自上復于下，至于王屋，流為烏，其色赤，其聲魄云。是時，諸侯不期而會盟津者八百諸侯。諸侯皆曰：「紂可伐矣。」武王曰：「女未知天命，未可也。」乃還師歸。

居二年，聞紂昏亂暴虐滋甚，殺王子比干，囚箕子。太師疵、少師彊抱其樂器而奔周。於是武王遍告諸侯曰：「殷有重罪，不可以不畢伐。」乃遵文王，遂率戎車三百乘，虎賁三千人，甲士四萬五千人，以東伐紂。十一年十二月戊午，師畢渡盟津，諸侯咸會。曰：「孳孳無怠！」武王乃作《太誓》，告于眾庶：「今殷王紂乃用其婦人之言，自絕于天，毀壞其三正，離逖其王父母弟，乃斷棄其先祖之樂，乃為淫聲，用變亂正聲，怡說婦人。故今予發維共行天罰。勉哉夫子，不可再，不可三！」

二月甲子昧爽，武王朝至于商郊牧野，乃誓。武王左杖黃鉞，右秉白旄，以麾。曰：「遠矣西土之人！」武王曰：「嗟！我有國冢君，司徒、司馬、司空，亞旅、師氏，千夫長、百夫長，及庸、蜀、羌、髳、微、纑、彭、濮人，稱爾戈，比爾干，立爾矛，予其誓。」王曰：「古人有言『牝雞無晨。牝雞之晨，惟家之索』。今殷王紂維婦人言是用，自棄其先祖肆祀不答，昏棄其家國，遺其王父母弟不用，乃維四方之多罪逋逃是崇是長，是信是使，俾暴虐于百姓，以姦軌于商國。今予發維共行天之罰。今日之事，不過六步七步，乃止齊焉，夫子勉哉！不過於四伐五伐六伐七伐，乃止齊焉，勉哉夫子！尚桓桓，如虎如羆，如豺如離，于商郊，不御克奔，以役西土，勉哉夫子！爾所不勉，其于爾身有戮。」誓已，諸侯兵會者車四千乘，陳師牧野。

帝紂聞武王來，亦發兵七十萬人距武王。武王使師尚父與百夫致師，以大卒馳帝紂師。紂師雖眾，皆無戰之心，心欲武王亟入。紂師皆倒兵以戰，以開武王。武王馳之，紂兵皆崩畔紂。紂走，反入登于鹿臺之上，蒙衣其殊玉，自燔于火而死。武王持大白旗以麾諸侯，諸侯畢拜武王，武王乃揖諸侯，諸侯畢從。武王至商國，商國百姓咸待於郊。於是武王使群臣告語商百姓曰：「上天降休！」商人皆再拜稽首，武王亦答拜。遂入，至紂死所。武王自射之，三發而後下車，以輕劍擊之，以黃鉞斬紂頭，縣大白之旗。已而至紂之嬖妾二女，二女皆經自殺。武王又射三發，擊以劍，斬以玄鉞，縣其頭小白之旗。武王已乃出復軍。

其明日，除道，修社及商紂宮。及期，百夫荷罕旗以先驅。武王弟叔振鐸奉陳常車，周公旦把大鉞，畢公把小鉞，以夾武王。散宜生、太顛、閎夭皆執劍以衛武王。既入，立于社南大卒之左，［左］右畢從。毛叔鄭奉明水，衛康叔封布茲，召公奭贊采，師尚父牽牲。尹佚筴祝曰：「殷之末孫季紂，殄廢先王明德，侮蔑神祇不祀，昏暴商邑百姓，其章顯聞于天皇上帝。」於是武王再拜稽首，曰：「膺更大命，革殷，受天明命。」武王又再拜稽首，乃出。

封商紂子祿父殷之餘民。武王為殷初定未集，乃使其弟管叔鮮、蔡叔度相祿父治殷。已而命召公釋箕子之囚。命畢公釋百姓之囚，表商容之閭。命南宮括散鹿臺之財，發鉅橋之粟，以振貧弱萌隸。命南宮括、史佚展九鼎保玉。命閎夭封比干之墓。命宗祝享祠于軍。乃罷兵西歸。行狩，記政事，作《武成》。封諸侯，班賜宗彝，作《分殷之器物》。武王追思先聖王，乃褒封神農之後於焦，黃帝之後於祝，帝堯之後於薊，帝舜之後於陳，大禹之後於杞。於是封功臣謀士，而師尚父為首封。封尚父於營丘，曰齊。封弟周公旦於曲阜，曰魯。封召公奭於燕。封弟叔鮮于管，弟叔度於蔡。餘各以次受封。

武王徵九牧之君，登豳之阜，以望商邑。武王至于周，自夜不寐。周公旦即王所，曰：「曷為不寐？」王曰：「告女：維天不饗殷，自發未生於今六十年，麋鹿在牧，蜚鴻滿野。天不享殷，乃今有成。維天建殷，其登名民三百六十夫，不顯亦不賓滅，以至今。我未定天保，何暇寐！」王曰：「定天保，依天室，悉求夫惡，貶從殷王受。日夜勞來定我西土，我維顯服，及德方明。自洛汭延于伊汭，居易毋固，其有夏之居。我南望三涂，北望嶽鄙，顧詹有河，粵詹雒、伊，毋遠天室。」營周居于雒邑而後去。縱馬於華山之陽，放牛於桃林之虛；偃干戈，振兵釋旅：示天下不復用也。

武王已克殷，後二年，問箕子殷所以亡。箕子不忍言殷惡，以存亡國宜告。武王亦醜，故問以天道。

武王病。天下未集，群公懼，穆卜，周公乃祓齋，自為質，欲代武王，武王有瘳。後而崩，太子誦代立，是為成王。

周成王

成王少，周初定天下，周公恐諸侯畔周，公乃攝行政當國。管叔、蔡叔群弟疑周公，與武庚作亂，畔周。周公奉成王命，伐誅武庚、管叔，放蔡叔。以微子開代殷後，國於宋。頗收殷餘民，以封武王少弟封為衛康叔。晉唐叔得嘉穀，獻之成王，成王以歸周公于兵所。周公受禾東土，魯天子之命。初，管、蔡畔周，周公討之，三年而畢定，故初作《大誥》，次作《微子之命》，次《歸禾》，次《嘉禾》，次《康誥》、《酒誥》、《梓材》，其事在周公之篇。周公行政七年，成王長，周公反政成王，北面就群臣之位。

成王在豐，使召公復營洛邑，如武王之意。周公復卜申視，卒營筑，居九鼎焉。曰：「此天下之中，四方入貢道里均。」作《召誥》、《洛誥》。成王既遷殷遺民，周公以王命告，作《多士》、《無佚》。召公為保，周公為師，東伐淮夷，殘奄，遷其君薄泵。成王自奄歸，在宗周，作《多方》。既絀殷命，襲淮夷，歸在豐，作《周官》。興正禮樂，度制於是改，而民和睦，頌聲興。成王既伐東夷，息慎來賀，王賜榮伯作《賄息慎之命》。

周康王

成王將崩，懼太子釗之不任，乃命召公、畢公率諸侯以相太子而立之。成王既崩，二公率諸侯，以太子釗見於先王廟，申告以文王、武王之所以為王業之不易，務在節儉，毋多欲，以篤信臨之，作《顧命》。太子釗遂立，是為康王。康王即位，遍告諸侯，宣告以文武之業以申之，作《康誥》。故成康之際，天下安寧，刑錯四十餘年不用。康王命作策畢公分居里，成周郊，作《畢命》。

周昭王

康王卒，子昭王瑕立。昭王之時，王道微缺。昭王南巡狩不返，卒於江上。其卒不赴告，諱之也。立昭王子滿，是為穆王。

周穆王

穆王即位，春秋已五十矣。王道衰微，穆王閔文武之道缺，乃命伯臩申誡太仆國之政，作《臩命》。復寧。

穆王將征犬戎，祭公謀父諫曰：「不可。先王燿德不觀兵。夫兵戢而時動，動則威，觀則玩，玩則無震。是故周文公之頌曰：『載戢干戈，載櫜弓矢，我求懿德，肆于時夏，允王保之。』先王之於民也，茂正其德而厚其性，阜其財求而利其器用，明利害之鄉，以文修之，使之務利而辟害，懷德而畏威，故能保世以滋大。昔我先王世后稷以服事虞、夏。及夏之衰也，棄稷不務，我先王不窋用失其官，而自竄於戎狄之閒。不敢怠業，時序其德，遵修其緒，修其訓典，朝夕恪勤，守以敦篤，奉以忠信。奕世載德，不忝前人。至于文王、武王，昭前之光明而加之以慈和，事神保民，無不欣喜。商王帝辛大惡于民，庶民不忍，訢載武王，以致戎于商牧。是故先王非務武也，勸恤民隱而除其害也。夫先王之制，邦內甸服，邦外侯服，侯衛賓服，夷蠻要服，戎翟荒服。甸服者祭，侯服者祀，賓服者享，要服者貢，荒服者王。日祭，月祀，時享，歲貢，終王。先王之順祀也，有不祭則修意，有不祀則修言，有不享則修文，有不貢則修名，有不王則修德，序成而有不至則修刑。於是有刑不祭，伐不祀，征不享，讓不貢，告不王。於是有刑罰之辟，有攻伐之兵，有征討之備，有威讓之命，有文告之辭。布令陳辭而有不至，則增修於德，無勤民於遠。是以近無不聽，遠無不服。今自大畢、伯士之終也，犬戎氏以其職來王，天子曰『予必以不享征之，且觀之兵』，無乃廢先王之訓，而王幾頓乎？吾聞犬戎樹敦，率舊德而守終純固，其有以御我矣。」王遂征之，得四白狼四白鹿以歸。自是荒服者不至。

諸侯有不睦者，甫侯言於王，作《修刑辟》。王曰：「吁，來！有國有土，告汝祥刑。在今爾安百姓，何擇非其人，何敬非其刑，何居非其宜與？兩造具備，師聽五辭。五辭簡信，正於五刑。五刑不簡，正於五罰。五罰不服，正於五過。五過之疵，官獄內獄，閱實其罪，惟鈞其過。五刑之疑有赦，五罰之疑有赦，其審克之。簡信有眾，惟訊有稽。無簡不疑，共嚴天威。黥辟疑赦，其罰百率，閱實其罪。劓辟疑赦，其罰倍灑，閱實其罪。臏辟疑赦，其罰倍差，閱實其罪。宮辟疑赦，其罰五百率，閱實其罪。大辟疑赦，其罰千率，閱實其罪。墨罰之屬千，劓罰之屬千，臏罰之屬五百，宮罰之屬三百，大辟之罰其屬二百：五刑之屬三千。」命曰甫刑。

周共王

穆王立五十五年，崩，子共王繄扈立。共王游於涇上，密康公從，有三女奔之。其母曰：「必致之王。夫獸三為群，人三為眾，女三為粲。王田不取群，公行不下眾，王御不參一族。夫粲，美之物也。眾以美物歸女，而何德以堪之？王猶不堪，況爾之小醜乎！小醜備物，終必亡。」康公不獻，一年，共王滅密。共王崩，子懿王艱立。

周懿王

懿王之時，王室遂衰，詩人作刺。

周孝王

懿王崩，共王弟辟方立，是為孝王。

周夷王

孝王崩，諸侯復立懿王太子燮，是為夷王。

周厲王

夷王崩，子厲王胡立。厲王即位三十年，好利，近榮夷公。大夫芮良夫諫厲王曰：「王室其將卑乎？夫榮公好專利而不知大難。夫利，百物之所生也，天地之所載也，而有專之，其害多矣。天地百物皆將取焉，何可專也？所怒甚多，不備大難。以是教王，王其能久乎？夫王人者，將導利而布之上下者也。使神人百物無不得極，猶日怵惕懼怨之來也。故《頌》曰『思文后稷，克配彼天，立我蒸民，莫匪爾極』。大雅曰『陳錫載周』。是不布利而懼難乎，故能載周以至于今。今王學專利，其可乎？匹夫專利，猶謂之盜，王而行之，其歸鮮矣。榮公若用，周必敗也。」厲王不聽，卒以榮公為卿士，用事。

王行暴虐侈傲，國人謗王。召公諫曰：「民不堪命矣。」王怒，得衛巫，使監謗者，以告則殺之。其謗鮮矣，諸侯不朝。三十四年，王益嚴，國人莫敢言，道路以目。厲王喜，告召公曰：「吾能弭謗矣，乃不敢言。」召公曰：「是鄣之也。防民之口，甚於防水。水壅而潰，傷人必多，民亦如之。是故為水者決之使導，為民者宣之使言。故天子聽政，使公卿至於列士獻詩，瞽獻曲，史獻書，師箴，瞍賦，矇誦，百工諫，庶人傳語，近臣盡規，親戚補察，瞽史教誨，耆艾修之，而後王斟酌焉，是以事行而不悖。民之有口也，猶土之有山川也，財用於是乎出：猶其有原隰衍沃也，衣食於是乎生。口之宣言也，善敗於是乎興。行善而備敗，所以產財用衣食者也。夫民慮之於心而宣之於口，成而行之。若壅其口，其與能幾何？」王不聽。於是國莫敢出言，三年，乃相與畔，襲厲王。厲王出奔於彘。

周宣王

厲王太子靜匿召公之家，國人聞之，乃圍之。召公曰：「昔吾驟諫王，王不從，以及此難也。今殺王太子，王其以我為讎而懟怒乎？夫事君者，險而不讎懟，怨而不怒，況事王乎！」乃以其子代王太子，太子竟得脫。

召公、周公二相行政，號曰「共和」。共和十四年，厲王死于彘。太子靜長於召公家，二相乃共立之為王，是為宣王。宣王即位，二相輔之，修政，法文、武、成、康之遺風，諸侯復宗周。十二年，魯武公來朝。

宣王不修籍於千畝，虢文公諫曰不可，王弗聽。三十九年，戰于千畝，王師敗績于姜氏之戎。

宣王既亡南國之師，乃料民於太原。仲山甫諫曰：「民不可料也。」宣王不聽，卒料民。

周幽王

四十六年，宣王崩，子幽王宮𣵀（又作湦）立。幽王二年，西周三川皆震。伯陽甫曰：「周將亡矣。夫天地之氣，不失其序；若過其序，民亂之也。陽伏而不能出，陰迫而不能蒸，於是有地震。今三川實震，是陽失其所而填陰也。陽失而在陰，原必塞；原塞，國必亡。夫水土演而民用也。土無所演，民乏財用，不亡何待！昔伊、洛竭而夏亡，河竭而商亡。今周德若二代之季矣，其川原又塞，塞必竭。夫國必依山川，山崩川竭，亡國之徵也。川竭必山崩。若國亡不過十年，數之紀也。天之所棄，不過其紀。」是歲也，三川竭，岐山崩。

三年，幽王嬖愛褒姒。褒姒生子伯服，幽王欲廢太子。太子母申侯女，而為后。後幽王得褒姒，愛之，欲廢申后，并去太子宜臼，以褒姒為后，以伯服為太子。周太史伯陽讀史記曰：「周亡矣。」昔自夏后氏之衰也，有二神龍止於夏帝庭而言曰：「余，褒之二君。」夏帝卜殺之與去之與止之，莫吉。卜請其漦而藏之，乃吉。於是布幣而策告之，龍亡而漦在，櫝而去之。夏亡，傳此器殷。殷亡，又傳此器周。比三代，莫敢發之，至厲王之末，發而觀之。漦流于庭，不可除。厲王使婦人裸而譟之。漦化為玄黿，以入王後宮。後宮之童妾既齔而遭之，既笄而孕，無夫而生子，懼而棄之。宣王之時童女謠曰：「厭弧箕服，實亡周國。」於是宣王聞之，有夫婦賣是器者，宣王使執而戮之。逃於道，而見鄉者後宮童妾所棄妖子出於路者，聞其夜啼，哀而收之，夫婦遂亡，奔於褒。褒人有罪，請入童妾所棄女子者於王以贖罪。棄女子出於褒，是為褒姒。當幽王三年，王之後宮見而愛之，生子伯服，竟廢申后及太子，以褒姒為后，伯服為太子。太史伯陽曰：「禍成矣，無可奈何！」

褒姒不好笑，幽王欲其笑萬方，故不笑。幽王為烽燧大鼓，有寇至則舉烽火。諸侯悉至，至而無寇，褒姒乃大笑。幽王說之，為數舉烽火。其後不信，諸侯益亦不至。

幽王以虢石父為卿，用事，國人皆怨。石父為人佞巧善諛好利，王用之。又廢申后，去太子也。申侯怒，與繒、西夷犬戎攻幽王。幽王舉烽火徵兵，兵莫至。遂殺幽王驪山下，虜褒姒，盡取周賂而去。於是諸侯乃即申侯而共立故幽王太子宜臼，是為平王，以奉周祀。

周平王

平王立，東遷于雒邑，辟戎寇。平王之時，周室衰微，諸侯彊并弱，齊、楚、秦、晉始大，政由方伯。

四十九年，魯隱公即位。

周桓王

五十一年，平王崩，太子洩父早死，立其子林，是為桓王。桓王，平王孫也。

桓王三年，鄭莊公朝，桓王不禮。五年，鄭怨，與魯易許田。許田，天子之用事太山田也。八年，魯殺隱公，立桓公。十三年，伐鄭，鄭射傷桓王，桓王去歸。

周莊王

二十三年，桓王崩，子莊王佗立。莊王四年，周公黑肩欲殺莊王而立王子克。辛伯告王，王殺周公。王子克奔燕。

周釐王

十五年，莊王崩，子釐王胡齊立。釐王三年，齊桓公始霸。

周惠王

五年，釐王崩，子惠王閬立。惠王二年。初，莊王嬖姬姚，生子穨，穨有寵。及惠王即位，奪其大臣以為囿，故大夫邊伯等五人作亂，謀召燕、衛師，伐惠王。惠王犇溫，已居鄭之櫟。立釐王弟穨為王。樂及徧舞，鄭、虢君怒。四年，鄭與虢君伐殺王穨，復入惠王。惠王十年，賜齊桓公為伯。

周襄王

二十五年，惠王崩，子襄王鄭立。襄王母蚤死，後母曰惠后。惠后生叔帶，有寵於惠王，襄王畏之。三年，叔帶與戎、翟謀伐襄王，襄王欲誅叔帶，叔帶奔齊。齊桓公使管仲平戎于周，使隰朋平戎于晉。王以上卿禮管仲。管仲辭曰：「臣賤有司也，有天子之二守國、高在。若節春秋來承王命，何以禮焉。陪臣敢辭。」王曰：「舅氏，余嘉乃勳，毋逆朕命。」管仲卒受下卿之禮而還。九年，齊桓公卒。十二年，叔帶復歸于周。

十三年，鄭伐滑，王使游孫、伯服請滑，鄭人囚之。鄭文公怨惠王之入不與厲公爵，又怨襄王之與衛滑，故囚伯服。王怒，將以翟伐鄭。富辰諫曰：「凡我周之東徙，晉、鄭焉依。子穨之亂，又鄭之由定，今以小怨棄之！」王不聽。十五年，王降翟師以伐鄭。王德翟人，將以其女為后。富辰諫曰：「平、桓、莊、惠皆受鄭勞，王棄親親翟，不可從。」王不聽。十六年，王絀翟后，翟人來誅，殺譚伯。富辰曰：「吾數諫不從。如是不出，王以我為懟乎？」乃以其屬死之。

初，惠后欲立王子帶，故以黨開翟人，翟人遂入周。襄王出奔鄭，鄭居王于汜。子帶立為王，取襄王所絀翟后與居溫。十七年，襄王告急于晉，晉文公納王而誅叔帶。襄王乃賜晉文公珪鬯弓矢，為伯，以河內地與晉。二十年，晉文公召襄王，襄王會之河陽、踐土，諸侯畢朝，書諱曰「天王狩于河陽」。

二十四年，晉文公卒。

三十一年，秦穆公卒。

周頃王、周匡王、周定王

三十二年，襄王崩，子頃王壬臣立。頃王六年，崩，子匡王班立。匡王六年，崩，弟瑜立，是為定王。

定王元年，楚莊王伐陸渾之戎，次洛，使人問九鼎。王使王孫滿應設以辭，楚兵乃去。十年，楚莊王圍鄭，鄭伯降，已而復之。十六年，楚莊王卒。

周簡王

二十一年，定王崩，子簡王夷立。簡王十三年，晉殺其君厲公，迎子周於周，立為悼公。

周靈王

十四年，簡王崩，子靈王泄心立。靈王二十四年，齊崔杼弒其君莊公。

周景王、周悼王、周敬王

二十七年，靈王崩，子景王貴立。景王十八年，后太子聖而蚤卒。二十年，景王愛子朝，欲立之，會崩，子丐之黨與爭立，國人立長子猛為王，子朝攻殺猛。猛為悼王。晉人攻子朝而立丐，是為敬王。

敬王元年，晉人入敬王，子朝自立，敬王不得入，居澤。四年，晉率諸侯入敬王于周，子朝為臣，諸侯城周。十六年，子朝之徒復作亂，敬王奔于晉。十七年，晉定公遂入敬王于周。

三十九年，齊田常殺其君簡公。

四十一年，楚滅陳。孔子卒。

周元王、周貞定王

四十二年，敬王崩，子元王仁立。元王八年，崩，子定王介立。

定王十六年，三晉滅智伯，分有其地。

周哀王、周思王、周考王

二十八年，定王崩，長子去疾立，是為哀王。哀王立三月，弟叔襲殺哀王而自立，是為思王。思王立五月，少弟嵬攻殺思王而自立，是為考王。此三王皆定王之子。

周威烈王

考王十五年，崩，子威烈王午立。

考王封其弟于河南，是為桓公，以續周公之官職。桓公卒，子威公代立。威公卒，子惠公代立，乃封其少子於鞏以奉王，號東周惠公。

威烈王二十三年，九鼎震。命韓、魏、趙為諸侯。

周安王

二十四年，崩，子安王驕立。是歲盜殺楚聲王。

周烈王

安王立二十六年，崩，子烈王喜立。烈王二年，周太史儋見秦獻公曰：「始周與秦國合而別，別五百載復合，合十七歲而霸王者出焉。」

周顯王

十年，烈王崩，弟扁立，是為顯王。顯王五年，賀秦獻公，獻公稱伯。九年，致文武胙於秦孝公。二十五年，秦會諸侯於周。二十六年，周致伯於秦孝公。三十三年，賀秦惠王。三十五年，致文武胙於秦惠王。四十四年，秦惠王稱王。其後諸侯皆為王。

周慎靚王

四十八年，顯王崩，子慎靚王定立。

周赧王

慎靚王立六年，崩，子赧王延立。王赧時東西周分治。王赧徙都西周。

西周武公之共太子死，有五庶子，毋適立。司馬翦謂楚王曰：「不如以地資公子咎，為請太子。」左成曰：「不可。周不聽，是公之知困而交疏於周也。不如請周君孰欲立，以微告翦，翦請令楚（賀）［資］之以地。」果立公子咎為太子。

八年，秦攻宜陽，楚救之。而楚以周為秦故，將伐之。蘇代為周說楚王曰：「何以周為秦之禍也？言周之為秦甚於楚者，欲令周入秦也，故謂『周秦』也。周知其不可解，必入於秦，此為秦取周之精者也。為王計者，周於秦因善之，不於秦亦言善之，以疏之於秦。周絕於秦，必入於郢矣。」

秦借道兩周之閒，將以伐韓，周恐借之畏於韓，不借畏於秦。史厭謂周君曰：「何不令人謂韓公叔曰『秦之敢絕周而伐韓者，信東周也。公何不與周地，發質使之楚』？秦必疑楚不信周，是韓不伐也。又謂秦曰『韓彊與周地，將以疑周於秦也，周不敢不受』。秦必無辭而令周不受，是受地於韓而聽於秦。」

秦召西周君，西周君惡往，故令人謂韓王曰：「秦召西周君，將以使攻王之南陽也，王何不出兵於南陽？周君將以為辭於秦。周君不入秦，秦必不敢踰河而攻南陽矣。」

東周與西周戰，韓救西周。或為東周說韓王曰：「西周故天子之國，多名器重寶。王案兵毋出，可以德東周，而西周之寶必可以盡矣。」

王赧謂成君。楚圍雍氏，韓徵甲與粟於東周，東周君恐，召蘇代而告之。代曰：「君何患於是。臣能使韓毋徵甲與粟於周，又能為君得高都。」周君曰：「子茍能，請以國聽子。」代見韓相國曰：「楚圍雍氏，期三月也，今五月不能拔，是楚病也。今相國乃徵甲與粟於周，是告楚病也。」韓相國曰：「善。使者已行矣。」代曰：「何不與周高都？」韓相國大怒曰：「吾毋徵甲與粟於周亦已多矣，何故與周高都也？」代曰：「與周高都，是周折而入於韓也，秦聞之必大怒忿周，即不通周使，是以獘高都得完周也。曷為不與？」相國曰：「善。」果與周高都。

三十四年，蘇厲謂周君曰：「秦破韓、魏，撲師武，北取趙藺、離石者，皆白起也。是善用兵，又有天命。今又將兵出塞攻梁，梁破則周危矣。君何不令人說白起乎？曰『楚有養由基者，善射者也。去柳葉百步而射之，百發而百中之。左右觀者數千人，皆曰善射。有一夫立其旁，曰「善，可教射矣」。養由基怒，釋弓搤劍，曰「客安能教我射乎」？客曰「非吾能教子支左詘右也。夫去柳葉百步而射之，百發而百中之，不以善息，少焉氣衰力倦，弓撥矢鉤，一發不中者，百發盡息」。今破韓、魏，撲師武，北取趙藺、離石者，公之功多矣。今又將兵出塞，過兩周，倍韓，攻梁，一舉不得，前功盡棄。公不如稱病而無出』。」

四十二年，秦破華陽約。馬犯謂周君曰：「請令梁城周。」乃謂梁王曰：「周王病若死，則犯必死矣。犯請以九鼎自入於王，王受九鼎而圖犯。」梁王曰：「善。」遂與之卒，言戍周。因謂秦王曰：「梁非戍周也，將伐周也。王試出兵境以觀之。」秦果出兵。又謂梁王曰：「周王病甚矣，犯請後可而復之。今王使卒之周，諸侯皆生心，後舉事且不信。不若令卒為周城，以匿事端。」梁王曰：「善。」遂使城周。

四十五年，周君之秦客謂周（最）［聚］曰：「公不若譽秦王之孝，因以應為太后養地，秦王必喜，是公有秦交。交善，周君必以為公功。交惡，勸周君入秦者必有罪矣。」秦攻周，而周聚謂秦王曰：「為王計者不攻周。攻周，實不足以利，聲畏天下。天下以聲畏秦，必東合於齊。兵獘於周。合天下於齊，則秦不王矣。天下欲獘秦，勸王攻周。秦與天下獘，則令不行矣。」

五十八年，三晉距秦。周令其相國之秦，以秦之輕也，還其行。客謂相國曰：「秦之輕重未可知也。秦欲知三國之情。公不如急見秦王曰『請為王聽東方之變』，秦王必重公。重公，是秦重周，周以取秦也；齊重，則固有周聚以收齊：是周常不失重國之交也。」秦信周，發兵攻三晉。

五十九年，秦取韓陽城負黍，西周恐，倍秦，與諸侯約從，將天下銳師出伊闕攻秦，令秦無得通陽城。秦昭王怒，使將軍摎攻西周。西周君犇秦，頓首受罪，盡獻其邑三十六，口三萬。秦受其獻，歸其君於周。

周君、王赧卒，周民遂東亡。秦取九鼎寶器，而遷西周公於憚狐。後七歲，秦莊襄王滅東（西）周。東西周皆入于秦，周既不祀。

太史公曰

太史公曰：學者皆稱周伐紂，居洛邑，綜其實不然。武王營之，成王使召公卜居，居九鼎焉，而周復都豐、鎬。至犬戎敗幽王，周乃東徙于洛邑。所謂「周公葬（我）［於］畢」，畢在鎬東南杜中。秦滅周。漢興九十有餘載，天子將封泰山，東巡狩至河南，求周苗裔，封其後嘉三十里地，號曰周子南君，比列侯，以奉其先祭祀。

Source Colophon

The Chinese text follows the Chinese Wikisource transcription of Sima Qian's Records of the Grand Historian (article 史記/卷004, revision of 21 July 2026), inspected from a witness copy captured on 22 August 2026. Chinese Wikisource transcriptions are published under CC BY-SA 4.0 and the GFDL; the text itself is ancient and in the public domain. The wiki header, navigation links, license templates, and modern contributors' footnotes have been removed; the text is otherwise complete and unaltered.

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