Zuozhuan Ai Gong — 春秋左氏傳 哀公, traditionally attributed to Zuo Qiuming

The Chunqiu, the Spring and Autumn Annals, is the brief official chronicle of the state of Lu that gave its name to the age; Confucius is traditionally credited with compiling or editing it, though the tradition cannot be verified from the text itself. The Zuozhuan, or Zuo Commentary, is the far larger narrative history that surrounds that chronicle, traditionally attributed to a figure called Zuo Qiuming; modern scholarship generally dates its compilation to the fourth century BCE, assembled from state archives and oral tradition reaching back well before the compilers' own time. Across its twelve books it is the fullest surviving narrative of two and a half centuries of covenant, war, and court intrigue among the states of Zhou China.

This file covers the reign of Duke Ai of Lu, 494–468 BCE, twenty-seven years, the last of the twelve books that make up the Zuozhuan. Its years hold Confucius's late public life and death: his identification of a captured unicorn on a western hunt in the fourteenth year, the event on which the Chunqiu itself traditionally closes; his fasted and unheeded plea that Lu punish Chen Heng of Qi for assassinating his own ruler; and his death in the sixteenth year, met with a ducal eulogy that Zigong judged improper by the master's own standard. They hold the revolt of the Duke of Bai in Chu, who killed the chief minister Zixi and seized the king before being hunted down; the long decline of Wu under Fuchai, ending in the twenty-second year when Yue's forces overran the state and Fuchai hanged himself; and, in the book's final year, Duke Ai's own flight from Lu into exile, first to Zhu and then to Yue, driven out by the power of the Three Huan he had never been able to break. As throughout the work, each year sets the spare Lu Annals notices against the fuller Zuo narrative that surrounds them.

Names of persons, states, and places appear in Hanyu pinyin without tone marks, with Chinese characters given at the first appearance of a major figure. The conventional Five Ranks are kept throughout: gong duke, hou marquis, bo earl, zi viscount, nan baron. Li (禮) is rendered ritual propriety, and dates follow the text's own reckoning, as in 'in the fourteenth year, in spring,' with sexagenary day names such as jiawu and gengchen left in pinyin.

Translated for the Good Works Library directly from the classical Chinese, printed in full below. Complete English translations of the Zuo Commentary already exist — James Legge (1872), Stephen Durrant, Wai-yee Li, and David Schaberg (2016), and Burton Watson's volume of selections (1989) — so this translation makes no claim of firstness; it was made independently from the Chinese without consulting them.

Contents

• Year 1 (哀公元年)
• Year 2 (哀公二年)
• Year 3 (哀公三年)
• Year 4 (哀公四年)
• Year 5 (哀公五年)
• Year 6 (哀公六年)
• Year 7 (哀公七年)
• Year 8 (哀公八年)
• Year 9 (哀公九年)
• Year 10 (哀公十年)
• Year 11 (哀公十一年)
• Year 12 (哀公十二年)
• Year 13 (哀公十三年)
• Year 14 (哀公十四年)
• Year 15 (哀公十五年)
• Year 16 (哀公十六年)
• Year 17 (哀公十七年)
• Year 18 (哀公十八年)
• Year 19 (哀公十九年)
• Year 20 (哀公二十年)
• Year 21 (哀公二十一年)
• Year 22 (哀公二十二年)
• Year 23 (哀公二十三年)
• Year 24 (哀公二十四年)
• Year 25 (哀公二十五年)
• Year 26 (哀公二十六年)
• Year 27 (哀公二十七年)

Translation

Duke Ai, Years 1–27

Year 1 (哀公元年)

Annals.

• In the first year, in spring, in the king's first month, the duke took his place as ruler.
• The Viscount of Chu, the Marquis of Chen, the Marquis of Sui, and the Baron of Xu besieged Cai.
• Shrews gnawed the ox set apart for the suburban sacrifice; another ox was divined for.
• In summer, in the fourth month, on the day xinsi, the suburban sacrifice was performed.
• In autumn, the Marquis of Qi and the Marquis of Wei attacked Jin.
• In winter, Zhongsun Heji led an army and attacked Zhu.

Zuo.

In the first year, in spring, the Viscount of Chu besieged Cai, in requital for Boju. At a distance of a li from the city they set up the frames of a siege wall, a zhang broad and twice that in height. Every man had his assigned station, and they worked day and night for nine days, exactly as Zixi had planned beforehand. The people of Cai came out with men and women drawn up separately; Chu made them fix their territory between the Jiang and the Ru, and then withdrew. Cai thereupon asked leave to move to Wu. Fuchai, king of Wu, defeated Yue at Fujiao, in requital for Zuili, and then entered Yue. The Viscount of Yue, with five thousand men in armor and shields, held out on Kuaiji, and sent the grandee Zhong to work through Pi, the Grand Steward of Wu, to sue for terms. The Viscount of Wu was about to grant them. Wu Yuan (伍員) said: "It cannot be. I have heard it said: 'For planting virtue, nothing is like making it grow; for removing sickness, nothing is like removing it wholly.' Long ago Ao of Guo killed the lord of Zhenguan in order to attack Zhenxun, and extinguished Xiang, sovereign of Xia. Xiang's consort Min was then with child; she fled out through a hole in the wall and went home to Youreng, and there gave birth to Shaokang. He became superintendent of herds for Reng, and hating Ao, was able to guard himself against him. Ao sent Jiao to search him out, and he fled to Youyu and became their superintendent of the kitchen, and so escaped the harm. Yu Si then gave him two women of the Yao clan to wife and settled him at the town of Lun, with a single cheng of land and a company of five hundred men. He was able to spread his virtue abroad and set his designs in motion, to gather in the multitudes of Xia and steady their offices. He sent Nü Ai to spy on Ao and Ji Zhu to lure Yi, and so extinguished Guo and Ge, restored the achievement of Yu, sacrificed to Xia with its founder matched to Heaven, and did not lose the old possessions. Now Wu is not the equal of Guo, and Yue is greater than Shaokang was; and if we go on to make it flourish, will that not be hard to bear! Goujian is able to keep men close to him and gives himself to bestowing; in bestowing he does not miss the right man, and in his closeness he does not cast off those who have labored. He shares one soil with us, and for generations we have been enemies. Now that we have overcome him and do not take him, but mean besides to let him live on — this is to go against Heaven and to feed an enemy. Though we repent it afterward, it will not be a thing that can be swallowed back. The decline of the house of Ji may be counted off by days. Wedged in among the Man and the Yi, and feeding an enemy — to seek hegemony by such means will surely not go forward." Fuchai did not listen. Wu Yuan withdrew and said to others: "Yue in ten years will breed and gather, and in ten years more will teach and drill. Beyond twenty years, Wu will be a marsh!"

In the third month, Yue made peace with Wu. That Wu entered Yue is not written, because Wu did not announce a celebration and Yue did not announce a defeat.

In summer, in the fourth month, the Marquis of Qi and the Marquis of Wei relieved Handan and besieged Wulu. When Wu entered Chu, it sent to summon Duke Huai of Chen. Duke Huai assembled the men of the capital at court and put the question to them, saying: "Let those who wish to side with Chu go to the right, and those who wish to side with Wu to the left. Men of Chen shall follow the lie of their fields; those without fields shall follow their party." Feng Hua came forward facing the duke and said: "I have heard that a state rises through blessing and perishes through calamity. Now Wu has as yet no blessing, and Chu has as yet no calamity. Chu may not yet be abandoned, and Wu may not yet be followed; and Jin is master of the covenant. If you decline by appeal to Jin, what can Wu do?" The duke said: "Its capital taken, its ruler in flight — if that is not calamity, what is?" He replied: "Many states have known such things; why must this one not recover? Small states still recover — how much more a great one? I have heard that when a state rises it looks upon its people as though they were wounded, and this is its blessing; when it perishes it treats the people as dirt and weeds, and this is its calamity. Chu, though it lacks virtue, has not mown down and slaughtered its people; Wu is worn out day by day with warfare, its bones lie exposed like undergrowth, and no virtue is to be seen in it. Perhaps Heaven is correcting and instructing Chu; and as for calamity coming to Wu, how many days can there be?" The Marquis of Chen followed him. When Fuchai overcame Yue, he took up again the grudge of his former lord.

In autumn, in the eighth month, Wu raided Chen, pursuing the old grudge. The Marquis of Qi and the Marquis of Wei met at Ganhou, to rescue the Fan clan. Our army, with the army of Qi, Kong Yu of Wei, and men of Xianyu, attacked Jin and took Jipu. With the army of Wu in Chen, the grandees of Chu were all afraid and said: "It was because Helü could use his people that he defeated us at Boju; now we hear that his heir is worse still. What shall we do?" Zixi said: "Gentlemen, be troubled that we are not at peace with one another; do not be troubled about Wu. Formerly Helü had not two flavors at a meal nor doubled mats where he sat; his chambers were not raised on terraces; his vessels were not painted red or carved; his palace had no towers for viewing; his boats and chariots were not ornamented; in clothing and in goods for use he chose the plain and did not take the costly. In the state, when Heaven sent disaster or pestilence, he went in person among the orphaned and the widowed and supplied what they lacked. In the army, he waited until the cooked food had been shared out before he dared eat, and whatever he tasted, the foot soldiers and the chariot men had a share in it. He toiled and cared for his people and shared toil and rest with them; and therefore the people were not worn out with labor, and in dying did not feel themselves cast aside. Our former grandee Zichang altered all this, and that is why we were defeated. Now we hear of Fuchai that wherever he halts there are terraces and pavilions, embankments and ponds; wherever he lodges there are consorts and concubines and attendant women. In a single day's march, whatever he desires must be provided, his playthings must follow him, rarities are gathered up, and sightseeing and pleasure are his business. He looks on the people as enemies and uses them up afresh every day. Such a man will first defeat himself — how should he defeat us?"

In winter, in the eleventh month, Zhao Yang (趙鞅) of Jin attacked Zhaoge.

Year 2 (哀公二年)

Annals.

• In the second year, in spring, in the king's second month, Jisun Si, Shusun Zhouchou, and Zhongsun Heji led an army and attacked Zhu, taking the fields east of the Guo and the fields west of the Yi.
• On the day guisi, Shusun Zhouchou and Zhongsun Heji made a covenant with the men of Zhu at Gouyi.
• In summer, in the fourth month, on the day bingzi, Yuan, Marquis of Wei, died.
• The Viscount of Teng came on a court visit.
• Zhao Yang of Jin led an army and installed Kuaikui, heir apparent of Wei, at Qi (戚).
• In autumn, in the eighth month, on the day jiaxu, Zhao Yang of Jin led an army, and Han Da of Zheng led an army, and they fought at Tie; the army of Zheng was routed.
• In winter, in the tenth month, Duke Ling of Wei was buried.
• In the eleventh month, Cai moved to Zhoulai.
• Cai put to death its grandee Prince Si.

Zuo.

In the second year, in spring, we attacked Zhu, meaning to attack Jiao. The men of Zhu valued their land, and therefore bought us off with the fields of the Guo and the Yi and accepted a covenant. Earlier, the Marquis of Wei had been traveling in the outskirts with Zinan driving for him. The duke said, "I have no son; I mean to establish you." He made no reply. On another day the duke spoke of it again. He replied: "I, Ying, am not worth the disgrace it would bring on the altars of soil and grain. Let my lord change his plan. My lord's wife is in the hall, and the officers of the three salutations are below. My lord's command would only bring dishonor."

In summer, Duke Ling of Wei died. His wife said, "The command that Prince Ying be made heir apparent was the late lord's own." He replied: "I, Ying, am no different from the other sons. Moreover the lord died in my hands; had there been such a command, I should certainly have heard it. Besides, Zhe, the son of the exile, is here." So Zhe was set up.

In the sixth month, on the day yiyou, Zhao Yang of Jin brought the heir apparent of Wei into Qi. At night they lost their way. Yang Hu said, "Keep the river on the right and go south, and we shall certainly come there." He had the heir put on a mourning cap, and eight men wear mourning sackcloth and headbands, as though they were a party come from Wei to receive the dead. They announced themselves at the gate, wailed, and went in; and so they took possession of the place.

In autumn, in the eighth month, men of Qi sent grain to the Fan clan. Ziyao and Ziban of Zheng escorted it, Shi Jishe went out to receive it, and Zhao Yang went to block it. They met at Qi. Yang Hu said: "Our chariots are few. Let the pennants of the war chariots be arrayed in front against the war chariots of the Han and the Si, and let the Han and the Si come following on behind. When they see our appearance they will surely take fright; then we close with them, and shall certainly rout them." They did as he said. They divined about the battle, and the tortoise shell scorched without cracking. Yue Ding said: "The Odes say, 'Then he began, then he planned, / then he notched our tortoise.' The counsel is already in accord and made for good cause; the crack may be reckoned as consenting." Jianzi swore an oath, saying: "The Fan and the Zhonghang have overturned the bright order of Heaven, cut down and mown the hundred surnames, and wish to take the state of Jin for themselves and destroy its ruler. Our unworthy lord relied on Zheng and was kept safe by it; now Zheng acts without the Way, casting off the ruler and helping the subjects. Gentlemen, to accord with the bright order of Heaven, to follow the ruler's command, to hold virtue and righteousness as your warp, and to wipe out shame and disgrace — all of it lies in this campaign. Whoever conquers the enemy: a grandee of the upper rank shall receive a district; a grandee of the lower rank shall receive a commandery; an officer shall receive a hundred thousand of land; commoners, artisans, and merchants shall advance to office; bondsmen, slaves, and grooms shall be freed. If I, Zhifu, am without fault, let my lord judge of it; if I have fault, let me be strangled and put to death, with a paulownia coffin three inches thick and no inner or outer casings, a plain cart and unadorned horses, and no entry into the burial ground — this is the punishment of a minister of the lower rank." On the day jiaxu, as they were about to fight, You Wuxu drove for Jianzi and the heir apparent of Wei was the spearman on his right. They climbed the height of Tie and, looking out, saw how many the Zheng army was. The heir took fright and threw himself down from the chariot. Ziliang handed him the mounting cord and got him up again, saying, "You are a woman." Jianzi went along the ranks and said: "Bi Wan was a common man. In seven battles he took captives every time; he came to have a hundred teams of horses, and he died beneath his own window. Gentlemen, exert yourselves! Death does not lie with the enemy." Fan Yu drove for Zhao Luo, with Song Yong as spearman on the right. Luo had no courage, and they bound him fast; when an officer questioned it, the driver answered, "A fever came on him and he lay down." The heir apparent of Wei prayed, saying: "Your descendant Kuaikui dares to announce clearly to his august ancestor King Wen, his glorious ancestor Kangshu, and his cultured ancestor Duke Xiang: Sheng of Zheng follows disorder, and Wu of Jin is in distress and cannot govern the disorder, and has sent Yang to punish it. Kuaikui does not dare take his ease, but stands in the ranks holding a spear. He dares to ask that no sinew be severed, no bone broken, no wound be taken in the face, so that the great work may be gathered in and no shame be brought upon the three ancestors. For the great decree he does not dare to ask; his girdle-jade he does not dare begrudge." A man of Zheng struck Jianzi in the shoulder, and he fell in his chariot, and they took his Bee Banner. The heir apparent rescued him with a dagger-axe, and the army of Zheng was put to flight. Zhao Luo, grandee of Wen, was taken. The heir apparent attacked them again, and the army of Zheng was heavily defeated; a thousand cartloads of the Qi grain were taken. Zhao Meng rejoiced and said, "It will do." Fu Sou said, "Though we have overcome Zheng, the Zhi clan is still there; our troubles are not yet at an end." Earlier, men of Zhou had given fields to the Fan clan, and Gongsun Mang collected the taxes on them; the Zhao clan seized him and presented him, and an officer asked that he be put to death. Zhao Meng said, "He was acting for his own master; what crime is there?" He kept him and gave him land. At the battle of Tie, Gongsun Mang with five hundred foot soldiers attacked the Zheng army by night and took the Bee Banner from under Ziyao's tent, and presenting it said, "Let me repay my master's kindness." They pursued the Zheng army; Yao, Ban, and Gongsun Lin held the rear and shot, and many in the front ranks were killed. Zhao Meng said, "No state is small." After the battle Jianzi said, "I lay over my bow-case vomiting blood, and yet the sound of my drum did not slacken. Today I was the best." The heir apparent said, "I rescued my master in the chariot and drove back the enemy below. I was the best of the spearmen on the right." You Liang said, "My two trace-straps were on the point of snapping, and I was able to hold them. I was the best of the drivers." He then harnessed up and drove over a beam of timber, and both traces snapped. Xie Yong of Wu went to Cai to present the gifts of a diplomatic visit, and little by little brought in troops. When the whole force had entered, the people learned of it. The Marquis of Cai told his grandees, and put Prince Si to death to appease them. They wailed and moved the graves. In winter, Cai moved to Zhoulai.

Year 3 (哀公三年)

Annals.

• In the third year, in spring, Guo Xia of Qi and Shi Mangu of Wei led armies and besieged Qi (戚).
• In summer, in the fourth month, on the day jiawu, there was an earthquake.
• In the fifth month, on the day xinmao, fire destroyed the temple of Duke Huan and the temple of Duke Xi.
• Jisun Si and Shusun Zhouchou led an army and walled Qiyang.
• Yue Kun of Song led an army and attacked Cao.
• In autumn, in the seventh month, on the day bingzi, Jisun Si died.
• Men of Cai banished their grandee Gongsun Lie to Wu.
• In winter, in the tenth month, on the day guimao, the Earl of Qin died.
• Shusun Zhouchou and Zhongsun Heji led an army and besieged Zhu.

Zuo.

In the third year, in spring, Qi and Wei besieged Qi (戚), and the defenders sought aid from Zhongshan.

In summer, in the fifth month, on the day xinmao, fire broke out in the Siduo quarter. The fire leapt across the ducal palace, and the temples of Huan and Xi burned. Those fighting the fire all cried, "Look to the storehouses!" Nangong Jingshu came and ordered the keepers of the Zhou records to bring out the ruler's documents; he waited at the palace and said, "Muster your charges; whoever is not at his post shall die." Zifu Jingbo came and ordered the stewards to bring out the books of ritual and to await orders: "Whoever does not respect the order shall have the regular punishment." The master of horse harnessed the horses; the keeper of carriages greased the linchpins; every office had its officers ready; the storehouses were carefully guarded; the palace attendants supplied things promptly. They soaked the curtains and hangings in water, and the fire's heat came after them; they covered the ducal buildings, beginning with the Great Temple. Outside and inside they took turns and helped where supply fell short; whoever did not obey orders was to have the regular punishment, without pardon. Gongfu Wenbo came and ordered the master of horse to harness the riding chariots. Ji Huanzi came, attended the duke, and stood outside the Xiangwei towers. He gave orders to those fighting the fire: "If men are being hurt, stop. Goods can be made again." He ordered that the tablets of the Xiangwei be stored away, saying, "The old ordinances must not be lost." Fufu Huai came and said, "For offices to manage without preparation is like picking up spilled broth." Thereupon they cleared the dry grass from about the boundary markers and opened a road around the ducal palace. Confucius was in Chen. When he heard of the fire he said, "It will have been the temples of Huan and Xi." The Liu clan and the Fan clan had intermarried for generations, and Chang Hong served Duke Wen of Liu; therefore Zhou sided with the Fan clan, and Zhao Yang made this a ground for punishing it.

In the sixth month, on the day guimao, the men of Zhou killed Chang Hong.

In autumn, Jisun fell ill. He charged Zhengchang, saying: "Do not follow me in death. If the child of the lady of the Nan clan is a boy, then report it and set him up; if a girl, then Fei will do." Jisun died, and Kangzi took his place. After the burial, while Kangzi was at court, the lady of the Nan clan bore a boy. Zhengchang put him in a carriage and went to court and announced: "My master left a dying charge. He charged his groom-servant, saying, 'If the lady of the Nan clan bears a boy, then report it to the ruler and to the grandees, and set him up.' Now she has borne, and it is a boy. I dare to report it." He then fled to Wei. Kangzi asked leave to withdraw. The duke sent Gong Liu to look into it, but someone had already killed the child. So an inquiry was set on foot. Zhengchang was summoned, but he would not come back.

In winter, in the tenth month, Zhao Yang of Jin besieged Zhaoge and encamped to the south of it. Xun Yin attacked the outer wall, sending his followers in by the north gate while he himself broke through the besieging army and got out. On the day guichou he fled to Handan.

In the eleventh month, Zhao Yang killed Shi Gaoyi, out of hatred for the Fan clan.

Year 4 (哀公四年)

Annals.

• In the fourth year, in spring, in the king's second month, on the day gengxu, robbers killed Shen, Marquis of Cai.
• Gongsun Chen of Cai fled to Wu.
• Duke Hui of Qin was buried.
• Men of Song seized the Viscount of Little Zhu.
• In summer, Cai put to death its grandees Gongsun Xing and Gongsun Huo.
• Men of Jin seized Chi, Viscount of the Rong Man, and delivered him to Chu.
• The western outer wall was built.
• In the sixth month, on the day xinchou, fire destroyed the altar of Bo.
• In autumn, in the eighth month, on the day jiayin, Jie, Viscount of Teng, died.
• In winter, in the twelfth month, Duke Zhao of Cai was buried.
• Duke Qing of Teng was buried.

Zuo.

In the fourth year, in spring, Marquis Zhao of Cai was about to go to Wu. The grandees feared he would move the capital again, and held him back. Gongsun Pian pursued him and shot at him; he got into a commoner's house and there died. Pian held the door with two arrows, and none of the crowd dared come forward. Wen Zhikai came up later and said, "Advance like a wall; at most he will kill two men." Kai took a bow and went first. Pian shot him and struck his elbow, and Kai then killed him. Therefore Gongsun Chen was driven out, and Gongsun Xing and Gongsun Xu were put to death.

In summer, the men of Chu, having overcome Yihu, laid plans against the north. Fan, the Marshal of the Left, Shouyu, the Duke of Shen, and Zhuliang, the Duke of She, gathered the men of Cai at Fuhan and gathered the people beyond Fangcheng at Zengguan, saying, "Wu is about to go up the Jiang and enter Ying; we must hurry to the defense." They set the term at a single night. They fell upon Liang and Huo. Shan Fuyu besieged the Man, and the Man broke up; Chi, Viscount of the Man, fled to the Yin district of Jin. The marshal raised troops from Feng and Xi together with the Di and the Rong, and moved on Shangluo. The army of the left encamped at Tuhe, and the army of the right at Cangye. They sent word to Shi Mie, the appointed grandee of the Yin district, saying: "Jin and Chu have a covenant, and share what they love and what they hate. If it is not to be discarded, that is our unworthy lord's wish. If it is otherwise, we shall open a road through Shaoxi and there await your commands." Shi Mie put the matter to Zhao Meng, who said, "Jin is not yet at peace; how can we make an enemy of Chu? Give him up at once." Shi Mie then gathered the Rong of the Nine Districts, giving out that he would divide land for the Viscount of the Man and wall a town for him, and would even divine about it. The Viscount of the Man came to hear the divination, and they seized him, and his five grandees with him, and handed them over to the army of Chu at Sanhu. The marshal established a town there and set up an ancestral line, to lure in the remnant of the people, and then carried them all off as captives.

In autumn, in the seventh month, Chen Qi and Xian Shi of Qi and Ning Gui of Wei went to the relief of the Fan clan. On the day gengwu they besieged Wulu.

In the ninth month, Zhao Yang besieged Handan.

In winter, in the eleventh month, Handan surrendered. Xun Yin fled to Xianyu, and Zhao Ji fled to Lin.

In the twelfth month, Xian Shi went to meet him and then razed Lin. Guo Xia attacked Jin and took Xing, Ren, Luan, Hao, Nizhi, Yinren, Yu, and Hukou; he joined with Xianyu and installed Xun Yin at Boren.

Year 5 (哀公五年)

Annals.

• In the fifth year, in spring, Pi was walled.
• In summer, the Marquis of Qi attacked Song.
• Zhao Yang of Jin led an army and attacked Wei.
• In autumn, in the ninth month, on the day guiyou, Chujiu, Marquis of Qi, died.
• In winter, Shu Huan went to Qi.
• In the intercalary month, Duke Jing of Qi was buried.

Zuo.

In the fifth year, in spring, Jin besieged Boren. Xun Yin and Shi Jishe fled to Qi. Earlier, Wang Sheng, a retainer of the Fan clan, hated Zhang Liushuo, and yet spoke of him to Zhaozi and had him made governor of Boren. Zhaozi said, "Is he not your enemy?" He replied: "A private enmity does not reach into public business. Liking does not do away with a man's faults, and hatred does not take away his merits: this is the constant rule of righteousness. How should I dare go against it?" When the Fan clan went out into exile, Zhang Liushuo said to his son: "You follow the master; exert yourself. I shall stay and die here. The master gave me my post while he lived, and I cannot be false to him." And so he died at Boren.

In summer, Zhao Yang attacked Wei on account of the Fan clan, and then besieged Zhongmou. The lady Yan Ji of Qi bore a son, who died before he was grown. Among the sons, Tu, the son of Yu Si, was the favorite. The grandees feared he would be made heir apparent, and said to the duke, "My lord's years are advanced, and there is no heir apparent. What is to be done?" The duke said, "If you gentlemen busy yourselves with worry and anxiety, you will fall ill. Better think of pleasure for now. Why be troubled at having no ruler?" The duke fell ill, and had Guo Huizi and Gao Zhaozi set up Tu, and placed the other princes at Lai.

In autumn, Duke Jing of Qi died.

In winter, in the tenth month, Prince Jia, Prince Ju, and Prince Qian fled to Wei; Prince Chu and Prince Yangsheng fled here. The people of Lai sang of them:

Duke Jing died, and we had no part in the burial;
the affairs of the three armies, and we had no part in the planning.
O host, O host,
where is your place now?

Si Qin of Zheng was rich and extravagant. He was a favored grandee, and yet he was forever displaying a minister's chariots and robes in his courtyard. The men of Zheng hated him and killed him. Zisi said: "The Odes say, 'Not slack in his position, / in him the people find their rest.' Few who do not keep to their position last long. The Hymns of Shang say, 'Not overstepping, not excessive, / not daring to be idle or careless, / he was given abundant blessing.'"

Year 6 (哀公六年)

Annals.

• In the sixth year, in spring, Zhuxia was walled.
• Zhao Yang of Jin led an army and attacked Xianyu.
• Wu attacked Chen.
• In summer, Guo Xia and Gao Zhang of Qi fled here.
• Shu Huan met with Wu at Zha.
• In autumn, in the seventh month, on the day gengyin, Zhen, Viscount of Chu, died.
• Yangsheng of Qi entered into Qi.
• Chen Qi of Qi assassinated his ruler Tu.
• In winter, Zhongsun Heji led an army and attacked Zhu.
• Xiang Chao of Song led an army and attacked Cao.

Zuo.

In the sixth year, in spring, Jin attacked Xianyu, dealing with the disorder of the Fan clan. Wu attacked Chen, again pursuing the old grudge. The Viscount of Chu said, "Our former lord had a covenant with Chen; we cannot fail to rescue it." So he went to the relief of Chen and encamped at Chengfu. Chen Qi of Qi made a pretense of serving the Gao and the Guo. At every court he would ride beside them in their chariot, and whichever of them he attended he would say to him: "The grandees are all haughty and will disregard your commands. They all say, 'The Gao and the Guo have the ruler's favor and will surely press hard upon us; why not be rid of them?' They are certainly plotting against you. Plan against them early; and in planning, nothing is like wiping them out entirely. To hang back is the lowest way of handling affairs." And when at court, he would say to the grandees, "Those two are tigers and wolves. Seeing me at your side, they will kill me any day now. Let me take my place beside them." He also said to the grandees: "Those two are a calamity. Trusting in the ruler's favor, they mean to plot against you gentlemen. They say, 'The many troubles of the state come from the honored favorites; only when they are all removed will the ruler be secure.' Their plan is already made. Why not act before they move? Get in ahead of them; to repent after they have acted will be of no use." The grandees followed him.

In summer, in the sixth month, on the day wuchen, Chen Qi, Bao Mu, and the grandees entered the ducal palace with armed men. Zhaozi heard of it and rode with Huizi to the duke. They fought in the Zhuang street and were defeated, and the men of the capital pursued them. Guo Xia fled to Ju, and then he, with Gao Zhang, Yan Yu, and Xian Shi, fled here.

In autumn, in the seventh month, the Viscount of Chu was at Chengfu, about to relieve Chen. He divined about fighting: not auspicious. He divined about withdrawing: not auspicious. The king said, "Then it is death. To have the army of Chu defeated a second time is worse than death; to abandon a covenant and run from an enemy is likewise worse than death. Death is one and the same thing; let it be death facing the enemy." He commanded that Prince Shen be made king; he would not. Then he commanded Prince Jie; he too would not. Then he commanded Prince Qi, who declined five times and then consented. As they were about to fight, the king fell ill. On the day gengyin King Zhao attacked Daming, and he died at Chengfu. Zilü withdrew and said: "Our king set aside his own son and yielded the throne. How should we his servants dare forget our lord? To follow the lord's command is according with right; to set up the lord's son is also according with right. Two rights must not be let slip." With Zixi and Ziqi he planned to conceal the army and close the roads; they went to meet Zhang, the son of the woman of Yue, and set him up, and only then returned. In that year there was a cloud like a flock of red birds, flanking the sun as it flew, for three days. The Viscount of Chu sent to ask the Grand Scribe of Zhou about it. The Grand Scribe of Zhou said, "It will fall upon the king's own person; but if a yong sacrifice is made, it may be shifted onto the chief minister and the marshal." The king said, "To take away a sickness of the belly and heart and lodge it in the thigh and the arm — what good is that? If I have committed no great fault, will Heaven cut me off young? If I am guilty, I shall take the punishment; and why should I shift it elsewhere?" And so he made no yong sacrifice. Earlier, when King Zhao had been ill, the divination said, "The River is working the curse." The king did not sacrifice to it, and the grandees asked that the sacrifice be made in the suburbs. The king said, "The three dynasties ordained the sacrifices, and sacrifice does not go beyond the waters and hills within one's own view. The Jiang, the Han, the Ju, and the Zhang are the waters within Chu's view. Whether calamity or blessing comes, it does not pass beyond these. Unworthy in virtue though I am, it is not against the River that I have offended." And so he did not sacrifice. Confucius said: "King Zhao of Chu knew the great Way. That he did not lose his state was fitting indeed. The Documents of Xia say, 'That house of Taotang / followed the constant order of Heaven / and held this region of Ji. / Now it has lost its course / and thrown its bonds and guides into disorder, / and so is destroyed and perished.' And they also say, 'Truly, what goes out from here rests here.' To take one's own self as the guide of the constant order — that will do."

In the eighth month, Bing Yizi of Qi fled here. Chen Xizi sent to summon Prince Yangsheng. Yangsheng harnessed his chariot and went to see Nanguo Qieyu, saying, "I once presented horses to Jisun, but they were not accepted among the best teams; so I present these as well. Let me ride out with you." When they had gone out by the Lai Gate he told him the reason. Kan Zhi learned of it and went ahead to wait for him outside. The prince said, "How the matter will go cannot yet be known. Go back and stay with Ren. Be on your guard." Then he went on. Reaching Qi by night, the men of the capital learned of it. Xizi had the mother of Zishi keep him, and he came in among those who brought the food.

In winter, in the tenth month, on the day dingmao, they set him up. As they were about to make the covenant, Baozi came drunk. His retainer Bao Dian, the chariot-marshal, said, "By whose command is this?" Chenzi said, "We received the command from Baozi." Then he charged it falsely on Baozi, saying, "It was your command." Baozi said, "Have you forgotten how the late lord played the ox for the little child and broke his teeth at it? And now you turn your back on him." Duke Dao bowed his head to the ground and said: "You, sir, are a man who acts by righteousness. If I will do, there is no need to lose a grandee; if I will not do, there is no need to lose a prince. If it is righteous, I advance; if not, I withdraw. How should I dare do anything but follow you? That setting aside and raising up should bring no disorder — that is what I wish." Baozi said, "Which of them is not the late lord's son?" And so he accepted the covenant. They had the lady Hu Ji take the child An to Lai. Yu Si was sent away, Wang Jia was killed, Jiang Yue was arrested, and Wang Bao was imprisoned on the hill of Goudou. The duke sent Zhu Mao to tell Chenzi: "But for you, sir, I should not have come to this. Yet a ruler is not like a vessel; there cannot be two. With two vessels there is no lack; with two rulers there are many troubles. I venture to lay this before the grandees." Xizi made no answer, but wept and said: "Does my lord in all things mistrust his servants? Qi is in straits, and to its straits are added sorrows; a boy ruler cannot be consulted, and that is why we sought a grown ruler, hoping he might be able to bear with his servants. Otherwise, what crime had the child?" Mao reported back, and the duke repented of it. Mao said, "Let my lord consult Chenzi on great matters and settle the small ones himself; that will do." He sent Mao to move the child to Tai. Before they arrived he killed him beneath a tent in the open country, and buried him at Shumaochun.

Year 7 (哀公七年)

Annals.

• In the seventh year, in spring, Huang Yuan of Song led an army and raided Zheng.
• Wei Manduo of Jin led an army and raided Wei.
• In summer, the duke met with Wu at Zeng.
• In autumn, the duke attacked Zhu.
• In the eighth month, on the day jiyou, he entered Zhu, and brought back Yi, Viscount of Zhu.
• Men of Song besieged Cao.
• In winter, Si Hong of Zheng led an army and relieved Cao.

Zuo.

In the seventh year, in spring, the army of Song raided Zheng, because Zheng had revolted from Jin. The army of Jin raided Wei, because Wei was not submissive.

In summer, the duke met with Wu at Zeng. Wu came demanding a hundred sets of sacrificial animals. Zifu Jingbo replied, "The former kings never had such a thing." The men of Wu said, "Song gave us a hundred sets. Lu cannot fall behind Song. Besides, Lu gave more than ten sets to a grandee of Jin. A hundred sets for the king of Wu — is that not fitting?" Jingbo said: "Fan Yang of Jin was greedy and cast the rites aside, and used a great state to frighten our poor city; and therefore our city gave him eleven sets. If my lord commands the lords according to the rites, then there is a fixed number; if he too casts the rites aside, then there is nothing but excess. When Zhou was king, the highest number of things fixed by the rites did not exceed twelve, that being taken for the great number of Heaven. Now if the rites of Zhou are cast aside and it is said there must be a hundred sets, that is for your officers to settle." The men of Wu did not listen. Jingbo said, "Wu is going to perish: it casts off Heaven and turns its back on the root. If we do not give, they will surely vent their malice upon us." So it was given. The Grand Steward Pi summoned Ji Kangzi, and Kangzi sent Zigong to decline. The Grand Steward Pi said, "The ruler of the state travels a long road, and yet the grandee does not come out of his gate. What kind of ritual is this?" He replied: "It is not done as ritual, but out of fear of a great state. When a great state does not command the lords according to the rites — if it does not act by the rites, how can anything be measured? Our unworthy lord has already obeyed the summons with respect; how should his elder statesman dare abandon his state? Taibo in ceremonial robe and cap governed by the rites of Zhou; Zhongyong succeeded him, cut his hair and tattooed his body, and went bare for adornment. Was that the rites? There was a reason it was so." On returning from Zeng, our people reckoned that Wu could accomplish nothing. Ji Kangzi wished to attack Zhu, and feasted the grandees in order to plan it. Zifu Jingbo said: "That by which the small serves the great is good faith; that by which the great protects the small is humanity. To turn one's back on a great state is bad faith; to attack a small state is inhumanity. The people are kept safe by the walls, and the walls are kept safe by virtue. If we lose both these virtues, danger will come — and what will keep us safe then?" Mengsun said, "What do you gentlemen think? Which counsel is the sounder, and which shall we set aside?" Jingbo replied: "Yu gathered the lords at Mount Tu, and those who held jade and silk were ten thousand states. Of these there survive now not a few tens, and only because the great did not cherish the small and the small did not serve the great. Knowing that danger is certain, why should I not speak? Lu's virtue is no better than Zhu's, and yet we would bring numbers against it. Is that right?" The feast broke up without joy, and they went out.

In autumn, we attacked Zhu. When we reached the Fan Gate the sound of bells could still be heard. The grandees remonstrated, but were not heeded. Mao Chengzi asked that Wu be informed, but leave was refused, the ruler saying, "Lu's watchman's rattle can be heard in Zhu; Wu is two thousand li off and cannot come in less than three months — how should it reach us in time? Besides, are our own resources not enough?" Chengzi revolted with Mao. Our army then entered Zhu and occupied the ducal palace; the host plundered by day. The people of Zhu took refuge on Mount Yi, and the army plundered by night. They brought back Yi, Viscount of Zhu, presented him at the altar of Bo, and imprisoned him at Fuxia; and thereafter Fuxia had a settlement of Yi men. Mao Yihong of Zhu, with a bundle of silk and four hides, went of his own accord to ask rescue from Wu, saying: "Lu counts Jin weak and Wu far off; it presumes on its numbers to turn its back on my lord's covenant, slights my lord's officers, and tramples on our small state. It is not that Zhu dares be concerned for itself; we fear that my lord's authority will not stand, and that my lord's authority should not stand is the sorrow of the small states. If a covenant is made in summer at Zengyan and broken in autumn, and what they seek is accomplished with nothing to oppose it, how shall the lords of the four quarters serve my lord? Moreover Lu's levy is eight hundred chariots, and it is my lord's rival; Zhu's levy is six hundred chariots, and it is my lord's own. To let your own be offered up to your rival — let my lord consider it." The Viscount of Wu followed him. Men of Song besieged Cao. Huanzi Si of Zheng said, "If the men of Song hold Cao, it is a danger to Zheng; we cannot fail to rescue it."

In winter, the army of Zheng relieved Cao and raided Song. Earlier, a man of Cao dreamed that a company of noble men stood in the temple of the god of the soil and plotted to destroy Cao, and that Shu Zhenduo of Cao asked that they wait for Gongsun Qiang, and this was granted. At dawn he searched for such a man in Cao, and there was none. He warned his son, saying, "When I am dead, if you hear that Gongsun Qiang has charge of the government, you must leave." When Yang, Earl of Cao, took his place as ruler, he was fond of hunting and of shooting with stringed arrows. Gongsun Qiang, a man of the Cao borderlands, was fond of shooting; he caught a white goose and presented it, and spoke besides on the art of hunting and shooting. The earl was pleased with him, and consulted him on the business of government, and was greatly pleased. He favored him and made him minister of works, to conduct the government. Then the dreamer's son departed. Qiang spoke to the Earl of Cao of hegemony, and the earl followed him, turned his back on Jin and gave offense to Song. Men of Song attacked him, and men of Jin gave no help. Five towns were built in Cao's outskirts, named Shuqiu, Yiqiu, Dacheng, Zhong, and Yu.

Year 8 (哀公八年)

Annals.

• In the eighth year, in spring, in the king's first month, the Duke of Song entered Cao and carried off Yang, Earl of Cao.
• Wu attacked us.
• In summer, men of Qi took Huan and Chan.
• Yi, Viscount of Zhu, was returned to Zhu.
• In autumn, the seventh month.
• In winter, in the twelfth month, on the day guihai, Guo, Earl of Qi (杞), died.
• Men of Qi returned Huan and Chan.

Zuo.

In the eighth year, in spring, the Duke of Song attacked Cao. As he was about to return, Chushi Zifei brought up the rear. The men of Cao reviled him, and he would not go on, and the army had to wait for him. When the duke heard of it he was angry and ordered them back; and so he extinguished Cao, seized the Earl of Cao and Qiang the minister of works, took them home, and put them to death. Because of Zhu, Wu was about to attack Lu, and asked Shusun Zhe about it. Shusun Zhe replied, "Lu has a name but no substance; attack it and you will surely have your way." He withdrew and told Gongshan Buniu. Gongshan Buniu said: "That is contrary to the rites. When a gentleman goes out from his state, he does not go to that state's enemy. You were not yet a subject here, and yet you have had a part in attacking it. To run at your new lord's command, and even to die in it, would be permissible; but of what has been entrusted to you, one says nothing. Besides, in a man's conduct he does not cast off his native place because of something he dislikes there. Now you, for a small grievance, would overturn your ancestral state — is that not hard indeed! If they make you the guide, you must decline; the king will then send me." Zizhang was distressed at this. The king asked Zixie, who replied: "Though Lu may have none who will stand with it, it will have those who will perish with it. The lords will come to its rescue, and you cannot have your way there. Jin, with Qi and Chu, will support it, and that makes four enemies. Lu is the lips of Qi and Jin; when the lips are gone the teeth are cold, as my lord knows. Why should they not rescue it?" In the third month, Wu attacked us. Zixie led the way, and therefore chose a difficult route, going by Wucheng. Earlier, a man of Wucheng had land bordering on the frontier of Wu, and had arrested some men of Zeng who were steeping rushes there, saying, "Why do you foul my water?" When the army of Wu came, the man who had been arrested guided them, and they attacked Wucheng and took it. Wang Fan had once been steward there, and the father of Tantai Ziyu was on good terms with him; and the men of the capital were afraid. Yizi said to Jingbo, "What shall we do?" He replied, "If the army of Wu comes, then we fight it. What is there to fear? Besides, we called them and they have come; what more do they want?" The army of Wu took Dongyang and advanced, halting at Wuwu; the next day they halted at Canshi. Gongbin Geng and Gongjia Shuzi fought them at Yi; Shuzi and Xi Zhuchu were taken and presented to the king. The king said, "These two rode in one chariot; men of ability must be employed here. This state is not yet to be looked for." The next day they halted at Gengzong, and then encamped on the Si. Weihu wished to attack the king's quarters by night. Of his own seven hundred retainers he made them leap three times in the courtyard of the tent, and settled on three hundred men, You Ruo among them. When they had come within the Ji Gate, someone said to Jisun, "It is not enough to hurt Wu, and it will kill many of the state's best men. Better to leave off." So they were stopped. The Viscount of Wu heard of it, and in one night shifted his quarters three times. The men of Wu proposed terms and were about to make a covenant. Jingbo said: "When the men of Chu besieged Song, they exchanged their children and ate them and split the bones for fuel, and even then there was no covenant beneath the walls. We have not yet been diminished, and would make a covenant beneath the walls — that is to throw away the state. Wu is lightly equipped and far from home; it cannot stay long and will go back. Let us wait a little." They did not follow him. Jingbo shouldered the load and went to the Lai Gate. Then they asked Wu that Zifu He be handed over; the men of Wu agreed, and matched him with Prince Gucao, and thereupon the matter was dropped. The men of Wu made the covenant and went home. When Duke Dao of Qi had come here, Ji Kangzi had given him his younger sister to wife. On taking the throne he sent to fetch her; but Ji Fanghou had had illicit relations with her, and the woman told the truth of it, so that they dared not send her. The Marquis of Qi was angry.

In summer, in the fifth month, Bao Mu of Qi led an army and attacked us, taking Huan and Chan. Someone slandered the lady Hu Ji to the Marquis of Qi, saying that she was of the party of the child An.

In the sixth month, the Marquis of Qi killed Hu Ji. The Marquis of Qi sent to Wu to ask for troops, meaning to attack us; and so we sent the Viscount of Zhu back. The Viscount of Zhu was again without the Way, and the Viscount of Wu sent the Grand Steward Ziyu to punish him. He shut him in a tower and fenced it about with thorns, and had the grandees support the heir apparent Ge in conducting the government.

In autumn, we made peace with Qi.

In the ninth month, Zang Binru went to Qi to be present at the covenant, and Lüqiu Ming of Qi came to be present at the covenant, and to fetch Ji Ji home as well; and she became a favorite. Bao Mu also said to the princes, "Shall I make you have a thousand teams of horses?" The princes reported it. The duke said to Baozi, "Someone has slandered you. Stay for a while at Lu while I look into it. If it proves true, then take a share of your household and go; if not, then come back to your place." When he had gone out of the gate, he was ordered to travel with a third of his retinue; halfway there, with two chariots; and when he reached Lu they bound him and brought him in, and then killed him.

In winter, in the twelfth month, men of Qi returned Huan and Chan, because Ji Ji was in favor.

Year 9 (哀公九年)

Annals.

• In the ninth year, in spring, in the king's second month, Duke Xi of Qi (杞) was buried.
• Huang Yuan of Song led an army and took the army of Zheng at Yongqiu.
• In summer, men of Chu attacked Chen.
• In autumn, the Duke of Song attacked Zheng.
• In winter, the tenth month.

Zuo.

In the ninth year, in spring, the Marquis of Qi sent Gongmeng Chuo to Wu to decline the troops. The Viscount of Wu said, "Last year I received your command, and now it is changed again. I do not know which to follow. I shall come forward and receive my orders from your lord in person." Xu Xia, a favorite of Wuzi Sheng of Zheng, asked for a town. There was none to give him, and he asked leave to take one abroad; this was allowed, and therefore they besieged Yongqiu of Song. Huang Yuan of Song surrounded the army of Zheng, shifting his camp each day until his ramparts closed around them. The army of Zheng wailed. Ziyao came to its relief and was heavily defeated.

Zuo.

In the second month, on the day jiaxu, Song took the Zheng army at Yongqiu. They gave orders that men of ability were not to be killed, and went home with Jia Zhang and Zheng Luo.

In summer, the men of Chu attacked Chen. This was because Chen had gone over to Wu. The duke of Song attacked Zheng.

In autumn, Wu walled Han and cut a canal joining the Jiang and the Huai. Zhao Yang (趙鞅) of Jin divined by tortoise shell about going to the relief of Zheng, and got "water proceeding to fire." He had it interpreted by the scribes Zhao, Mo, and Gui. Scribe Gui said, "This is called the sinking of the yang. With it one may raise troops. It is favorable for attacking the Jiang surname; it is not favorable against the Zi surname of Shang. To attack Qi is permissible; to face Song is not auspicious." Scribe Mo said, "Ying is a name of water; Zi is the position of water. Name and position are matched, and may not be offended against. The Flame Emperor was master of fire, and the Jiang surname are his descendants. Water overcomes fire; therefore to attack the Jiang is permissible." Scribe Zhao said, "This is called being like a river at the full: one cannot swim in it. Zheng at present is guilty and may not be rescued. To rescue Zheng would not be auspicious. Of the rest I know nothing." Yang Hu divined by milfoil with the Zhou Changes and got Tai (泰) changing to Xu (需). He said, "Song at present is auspicious; we cannot contend with it. Weizi Qi was the eldest son of Di Yi. Song and Zheng are as sister's son and mother's brother. Zhi means blessing and emolument. If the eldest son of Di Yi gave his younger sister in marriage and thereby has auspicious blessing, how are we to obtain what is auspicious?" So they gave it up.

In winter, the viscount of Wu sent envoys to come and put our army on the alert for an attack on Qi.

Year 10 (哀公十年)

Annals.

• In the tenth year, in spring, in the king's second month, Yi, viscount of Zhu, fled here.
• The duke joined Wu in attacking Qi.
• In the third month, on the day wuxu, Yangsheng, marquis of Qi, died.
• In summer, the men of Song attacked Zheng.
• Zhao Yang of Jin led an army and raided Qi.
• In the fifth month, the duke returned from the attack on Qi.
• Duke Dao of Qi was buried.
• Gong Meng Kou of Wei (衛) returned to Wei from Qi.
• Yi, earl of Xue, died.
• In autumn, Duke Hui of Xue was buried.
• In winter, Prince Jie of Chu led an army and attacked Chen.
• Wu went to the relief of Chen.

Zuo.

In the tenth year, in spring, Duke Yin of Zhu fled here. He was a sister's son of Qi, and so he went on from here to Qi.

The duke joined the viscount of Wu, the viscount of Zhu, and the viscount of Tan in attacking the southern border of Qi. The army encamped at Xi. The men of Qi assassinated Duke Dao and announced the death to the army. The viscount of Wu wailed for three days outside the gate of the camp. Xu Cheng led a fleet, intending to enter Qi from the sea; the men of Qi defeated him, and the Wu army then turned back.

In summer, Zhao Yang led an army and attacked Qi. The grandees asked that it be divined. Zhao Meng said, "I divined about raising troops for this. An affair is not commanded twice, and a divination does not repeat what is auspicious. March." Thereupon they took Li and Yuan, tore down the outer wall of Gaotang, raided as far as Lai, and returned.

In autumn, the viscount of Wu sent envoys to come again and put our army on the alert.

In winter, Ziqi of Chu attacked Chen. Jizi of Yanzhoulai of Wu went to the relief of Chen and said to Ziqi, "Our two rulers do not apply themselves to virtue, but contend by force for the feudal lords. What crime have the people committed? I beg leave to withdraw, and so to make a name for you. Apply yourself to virtue and give peace to the people." He then went home.

Year 11 (哀公十一年)

Annals.

• In the eleventh year, in spring, Guo Shu of Qi led an army and attacked us.
• In summer, Yuan Po of Chen fled to Zheng.
• In the fifth month, the duke joined Wu in attacking Qi.
• On the day jiaxu, Guo Shu of Qi led an army and fought Wu at Ailing.
• The army of Qi was utterly defeated, and Guo Shu of Qi was taken.
• In autumn, in the seventh month, on the day xinyou, Yumu, viscount of Teng, died.
• In autumn, in the eleventh month, Duke Yin of Teng was buried.
• Shishu Qi of Wei fled to Song.

Zuo.

In the eleventh year, in spring, on account of the encampment at Xi, Guo Shu and Gao Wuping of Qi led an army and attacked us. They came as far as Qing. Jisun said to his steward Ran Qiu (冉求), "The Qi army is at Qing; this must be on account of Lu. What is to be done?" Qiu said, "Let one of you three hold the capital and two follow the ruler, and let the duke resist them at the border." Jisun said, "That cannot be done." Qiu said, "Then take a stand within the borderlands." Jisun told this to the other two; the two would not agree. Qiu said, "If that cannot be done, then let the ruler not go out at all. Let one of you lead the army and fight with the city at his back. Whoever does not join is no man of Lu. The households of Lu are more numerous than the war chariots of Qi, and one household against one chariot leaves a surplus. What have you to fear? That the other two do not wish to fight is only fitting: the government is in the hands of the Ji. But that in your own person, when the men of Qi attack Lu, you cannot fight — that is your disgrace, and we shall be quite out of the ranks of the feudal lords."

Jisun had him attend him at court, and he waited by the ditch of the Dang clan. Wushu called out and asked him about fighting. He answered, "The noble man has far-reaching plans; what does a small man know?" Yizi pressed the question upon him. He answered, "A small man speaks when he has considered his abilities and serves when he has measured his strength." Wushu said, "This is to say that I am no full-grown man." He withdrew and mustered his chariots.

Meng Ruzi Xie commanded the right army, with Yan Yu as his driver and Bing Xie as spearman on the right. Ran Qiu commanded the left army, with Guan Zhoufu as his driver and Fan Chi as spearman on the right. Jisun said, "Xu is too young." Youzi said, "He will do; he can carry out orders." Jisun's armored men numbered seven thousand, and Ran You took three hundred men of Wucheng for his own foot-soldiers. The old and the young guarded the palace. They encamped outside the Yu Gate. After five days the right army followed them.

Gongshu Wuren saw the men on guard and wept, saying, "Their tasks are heavy and the levies are heavy. Those above cannot plan, and the officers cannot die. How then are the people to be governed? Since I have said this, dare I not exert myself?"

Our army fought the army of Qi in the suburbs. The Qi army came by way of Jiqu. Our army would not cross the ditch. Fan Chi said, "It is not that they cannot; it is that they do not trust you. Let the order be proclaimed three times over, and then cross." This was done, and the multitude followed. Our army entered the Qi lines. The right army fled, and the men of Qi pursued it; Chen Guan and Chen Zhuang crossed the Si. Meng Zhice was the last to come in and formed the rear guard. He drew an arrow and whipped his horse with it, saying, "The horse would not go forward." The file-mates of Lin Buniu said, "Shall we run?" Buniu said, "And who then would not be my equal?" They said, "Then shall we stand fast?" Buniu said, "And where is the worth in that?" He walked away at a slow pace and was killed. Our army took eighty armored heads, and the men of Qi could not keep the field. At night a spy said, "The men of Qi are slipping away." Ran You asked three times to follow them; Jisun would not permit it.

Meng Ruzi said to people, "I am not the equal of Yan Yu, but I am better than Bing Xie. Ziyu was keen and quick; I had no wish to fight, but I was able to keep silent; Xie said, 'Whip up and be off.'"

Gongwei rode with his favorite page Wang Qi. Both died, and both were given full burial. Confucius said, "One who could take up shield and dagger-axe to guard the altars of land and grain may be spared the rites of one who dies young." Ran You used spears against the army of Qi, and so was able to enter their lines. Confucius said, "That was righteous."

In summer, Yuan Po of Chen fled to Zheng. Formerly Yuan Po had been minister of education. He levied a tax on the enfeoffed fields in order to marry off the duke's daughter, and with the surplus he made a great vessel for himself. The men of the state drove him out, and so he left. On the road he grew thirsty, and his kinsman Yuan Xuan offered him rice ale, parched fine millet, and spiced dried meat. Delighted, he said, "How well provided you are!" The answer was, "It was made ready when the vessel was finished." He said, "Why did you not remonstrate with me?" The answer was, "I feared to be sent out before you."

Because of the battle in the suburbs, the duke joined the viscount of Wu in attacking Qi.

In the fifth month they took Bo, and on the day renshen they came to Ying. The central army followed the king. Xumen Chao commanded the upper army, Prince Gucao the lower army, and Zhan Ru the right army. For Qi, Guo Shu commanded the central army, Gao Wuping the upper army, and Zong Lou the lower army. Chen Xizi said to his younger brother Shu, "If you die, I shall certainly get my will." Zongzi Yang and Lüqiu Ming urged each other on. Sang Yanxu drove for Guozi. Gongsun Xia said, "These two men will surely die." When they were about to fight, Gongsun Xia ordered his followers to sing the dirge "Yubin." Chen Zixing ordered his followers to prepare the jade for the mouths of the dead. Gongsun Hui ordered his followers, "Let each man carry a cord of eight feet; the men of Wu wear their hair short." Dongguo Shu said, "Three battles and a man is bound to die; this is my third." He sent a zither to Xian Duo with an inquiry, saying, "I shall not see you again." Chen Shu said, "On this campaign I shall hear the drum only; I shall not hear the gong."

On the day jiaxu they fought at Ailing. Zhan Ru defeated Gaozi; Guozi defeated Xumen Chao. The king's own troops came to his support, and they utterly defeated the army of Qi, capturing Guo Shu, Gongsun Xia, Lüqiu Ming, Chen Shu, and Dongguo Shu, with eight hundred leather-covered war chariots and three thousand armored heads, which were presented to the duke.

When they were about to fight, the viscount of Wu called Shusun and said, "What is your office?" He answered, "I follow the marshal." The king gave him armor, a sword, and a long lance, saying, "Uphold your ruler's service; be reverent and do not fail your commission." Shusun could make no reply. Ci of Wei stepped forward and said, "Zhouchou receives the armor and follows his lord" — and made the bow for him.

The duke sent the grand scribe Gu to return the head of Guozi. It was laid in a new casket, cushioned with black and crimson silk, with a woven band over it, and a writing placed on top, which said: "If Heaven did not take note of what is not upright, how should it have employed a lesser state in this?"

When Wu was about to attack Qi, the viscount of Yue led his people to pay court there. To the king and to all the officers there were gifts and bribes, and the men of Wu were all delighted. Only Zixu was afraid, and said, "This is fattening Wu for the slaughter." He remonstrated, saying, "Yue is to us a disease of the heart and belly. Our lands are one and lie face to face, and they have designs upon us. Their soft submission is the means of accomplishing their desire. It would be better to deal with them early. To gain our will over Qi is like gaining a field of stones — there is no use to be made of it. If Yue is not made a marsh, Wu will be wiped out. To have a physician remove a disease and yet say that some strain of it must be left behind — such a thing has never been. The Announcement of Pan Geng says, 'If there are those who are perverse and disobedient, cut them off and destroy them, leaving none to grow up, and let none carry their seed over into this city.' This is how Shang rose. Now my lord does the opposite of this and seeks greatness by it. Is that not hard?" He was not listened to.

He was sent as envoy to Qi, and there entrusted his son to the Bao clan; they became the Wangsun clan. When he returned from the campaign the king heard of it and sent him the sword Shulou, that he might die. About to die, he said, "Plant catalpas on my grave; catalpas will make good timber. Wu will surely perish. In three years it will begin to weaken. What is full must be broken — that is the way of Heaven."

In autumn, Jisun ordered the defenses to be put in repair, saying, "For the small to defeat the great is a calamity. Qi will be here any day now."

In winter, Taishu Ji of Wei fled to Song. Formerly Ji had taken a wife from Zichao of Song, and her younger sister was his favorite. When Zichao left the state, Kong Wenzi made Ji put away his wife and gave him his own daughter to wife. Ji then sent an attendant to entice away the younger sister of his first wife, settled her at Li, and built her a palace of her own, so that he had as it were two wives. Wenzi was angry and wished to attack him; Zhongni stopped him, and he took his daughter back instead. Ji also had illicit relations at Waizhou, and the men of Waizhou seized his carriage and presented it. Ashamed on both these counts, he left the state. The men of Wei set up Yi and made him take Kong Ji to wife.

Ji had attached himself to Xiang Tui and had presented him with fine pearls, and Tui had given him Chengchu. The duke of Song asked for the pearls, and Tui would not give them up; on this account he incurred guilt. When the Huan clan fled the state, the men of Chengchu attacked Taishu Ji. Duke Zhuang of Wei restored him and settled him at Chao, and there he died. He was coffined at Yun and buried at Shaodi.

Formerly Yin, a son of Duke Dao of Jin, was a fugitive in Wei, and he had his daughter drive for him when he hunted. Taishu Yizi stopped him and gave him wine to drink, and then betrothed her. She bore Daozi. When Daozi came into his position, Xia Wu on that account became a grandee; and when Daozi died, the men of Wei cut Xia Wu down.

When Kong Wenzi was about to attack Taishu, he consulted Zhongni. Zhongni said, "Of matters of the hu and gui sacrificial vessels I have studied something; of matters of armor and weapons I have heard nothing." He withdrew, ordered his carriage, and set out, saying, "The bird may choose its tree; how can the tree choose the bird?" Wenzi hastily stopped him and said, "How should I, Yu, dare to plan for my private ends? I was asking about the troubles of the state of Wei." He was about to stay, when the men of Lu summoned him with gifts of silk, and so he went home.

Jisun wished to levy a tax by land, and sent Ran You to consult Zhongni about it. Zhongni said, "I, Qiu, know nothing of it." Three times the question was put, and at last Ran You said, "You are an elder of the state; we wait upon you to act. How is it that you will not speak?" Zhongni made no answer, but privately he said to Ran You, "In the conduct of a noble man, he takes his measure from the rites: in giving he takes the generous course, in his undertakings the middle course, and in levying the lighter course. If it be so, then the levy reckoned by the qiu would be enough as it stands. But if he does not take his measure from the rites and is greedy and insatiable, then even with a land tax there will still not be enough. Moreover, if your master Jisun wishes to act by rule, the statutes of the Duke of Zhou are there; and if he wishes to act as he pleases, why consult at all?" He was not listened to.

Year 12 (哀公十二年)

Annals.

• In the twelfth year, in spring, a land tax was put into use.
• In summer, in the fifth month, on the day jiachen, Mengzi died.
• The duke met Wu at Tuogao.
• In autumn, the duke met the marquis of Wei and Huang Yuan of Song at Yun.
• Xiang Chao of Song led an army and attacked Zheng.
• In winter, in the twelfth month, there were locusts.

Zuo.

In the twelfth year, in spring, in the king's first month, the land tax was put into use.

In summer, in the fifth month, Mengzi, the wife of Duke Zhao, died. Duke Zhao had taken his wife from Wu, and therefore her surname is not written. Her death was not announced abroad, and therefore she is not styled the duke's wife. There was no wailing on the return from the grave, and therefore the record does not say that the lesser lady was buried. Confucius took part in the condolences. He went to the Ji, and as the Ji were not wearing the mourning cap, he laid aside his mourning band and made his bow.

The duke met Wu at Tuogao. The viscount of Wu sent the grand steward Pi to ask that the covenant be renewed. The duke did not wish it, and had Zigong answer: "A covenant is the means by which good faith is made complete. Therefore the heart governs it, jade and silk present it, words bind it, and the bright spirits are called to witness it. Our unworthy ruler holds that once there is a covenant it cannot be altered. If it could still be altered, what good would a daily covenant be? Now you say that the covenant must be warmed over again. If it can be warmed, it can also be let go cold." So the covenant was not renewed.

Wu summoned Wei to the meeting. Formerly the men of Wei had killed Qie Yao, an envoy of Wu, and were afraid. They took counsel with the envoy Ziyu. Ziyu said, "Wu at present is without the Way. Would it not humiliate our ruler? Better to stay away." Zimu said, "Wu at present is without the Way. A state without the Way is sure to cast its harm upon others. Though Wu be without the Way, it is still able to make trouble for Wei. Go. When a tall tree falls, there is nothing it does not strike; when a dog of the city goes mad, there is no one it does not bite — how much more a great state?"

In autumn, the marquis of Wei met Wu at Yun. The duke covenanted with the marquis of Wei and Huang Yuan of Song, but in the end declined a covenant with Wu. The men of Wu fenced in the lodging of the marquis of Wei. Zifu Jingbo said to Zigong, "At a meeting of the feudal lords, when the business is done, the leading lord presents the ceremonial gifts and the host of the ground sends provisions, and so they take leave of one another. Now Wu does not perform the rites toward Wei, but fences in its ruler's lodging to distress him. Why do you not go and see the grand steward?" So he asked for a bundle of brocade and went. When the talk came to the matter of Wei, the grand steward Pi said, "Our unworthy ruler wishes to serve the ruler of Wei. The ruler of Wei was slow in coming, and our ruler was alarmed; therefore he means to detain him." Zigong said, "When the ruler of Wei was coming, he must have taken counsel with his people. Some of them wished it and some did not, and that is why he came slowly. Those who wished him to come are your party; those who did not are your enemies. If you seize the ruler of Wei, you pull down your own party and exalt your enemies, and those who would ruin you will have their will. Moreover, to assemble the feudal lords and then seize the ruler of Wei — who would not be afraid? To pull down your party, exalt your enemies, and frighten the feudal lords: it will surely be hard to attain hegemony that way." The grand steward Pi was pleased, and released the marquis of Wei.

When the marquis of Wei returned, he imitated the speech of the Yi. Zizhi was still young, and said, "Our ruler will surely not escape. Will he not die among the Yi? They seized him, and he yet delights in their speech: he will certainly go over to them."

In winter, in the twelfth month, there were locusts. Jisun asked Zhongni about it. Zhongni said, "I have heard that only after the Fire star has gone into hiding do all the creatures that hibernate withdraw. Now the Fire star is still moving westward. It is the officer of the calendar who has erred."

Between Song and Zheng there was vacant land, called Mizuo, Qingqiu, Yuchang, Yan, Ge, and Yang. Zichan made an agreement with the men of Song that neither should hold it. When the kinsmen of Ping and Yuan of Song fled from Xiao to Zheng, the men of Zheng walled Yan, Ge, and Yang for them.

In the ninth month, Xiang Chao of Song attacked Zheng, took Yang, and killed the grandson of Duke Yuan; then he besieged Yan.

In the twelfth month, Han Da of Zheng went to the relief of Yan, and on the day bingshen he surrounded the army of Song.

Year 13 (哀公十三年)

Annals.

• In the thirteenth year, in spring, Han Da of Zheng led an army and took the army of Song at Yan.
• In summer, Cheng, baron of Xu, died.
• The duke met the marquis of Jin and the viscount of Wu at Huangchi.
• Prince Shen of Chu led an army and attacked Chen.
• Yue entered Wu.
• In autumn, the duke returned from the meeting.
• Wei Manduo (魏曼多) of Jin led an army and raided Wei.
• Duke Yuan of Xu was buried.
• In the ninth month, there were locusts.
• In winter, in the eleventh month, there was a comet in the east.
• Bandits killed Xia Oufu of Chen.
• In the twelfth month, there were locusts.

Zuo.

In the thirteenth year, in spring, Xiang Tui of Song went to the relief of his army. Zisheng of Zheng had it proclaimed through the ranks, "Whoever takes Huan Tui shall have a reward." Tui fled home. Thereupon they took the army of Song at Yan, capturing Cheng Huan and Gao Yan, and they made waste land of the six towns.

In summer, the duke met Duke Ping of Shan, Duke Ding of Jin, and Fuchai of Wu at Huangchi.

In the sixth month, on the day bingzi, the viscount of Yue attacked Wu in two columns. Chou Wuyu and Ou Yang came first from the south and reached the suburbs. You, heir apparent of Wu, Prince Di, Wangsun Miyong, and Shou Yuyao watched them from the bank of the Hong. Miyong saw the flag of Gumie and said, "That is my father's flag. I cannot see my enemy and not kill him." The heir apparent said, "If we fight and do not conquer, the state will be lost. Let us wait." Miyong would not agree; he gathered five thousand followers, and Prince Di supported him. On the day yiyou they fought. Miyong took Chou Wuyu, and Di took Ou Yang. Then the viscount of Yue arrived, and Prince Di held the defense. On the day bingxu they fought again, and the army of Wu was utterly defeated; the heir apparent You, Wangsun Miyong, and Shou Yuyao were taken. On the day dinghai they entered Wu. The men of Wu reported the defeat to the king. The king hated that it should be heard of, and with his own hand cut the throats of seven men beneath his tent.

In autumn, in the seventh month, on the day xinchou, they covenanted. Wu and Jin contended for precedence. The men of Wu said, "In the house of Zhou we are the elder line." The men of Jin said, "Among those of the Ji surname we are the chief." Zhao Yang called to the marshal Yin and said, "The day grows late and the great business is not concluded; that is the fault of us two servants. Let us set up the drums and dress the ranks and die for it: then which is elder and which younger will certainly be known." He answered, "Let me first go and look at them." On his return he said, "Men who eat meat have no darkness in the face; now the king of Wu has a dark look. Has his state been beaten? Has his heir apparent died? Moreover the character of the Yi is light, and they cannot bear to hold out long. Let us wait a little." So the men of Jin were given precedence.

The men of Wu were about to have the duke present himself to the marquis of Jin. Zifu Jingbo answered their messenger, "When the king assembles the feudal lords, the leading lord conducts the marquises and the shepherds of the regions to appear before the king; when the leading lord assembles the feudal lords, the marquises conduct the viscounts and barons to appear before the leading lord. From the king downward, the jade and silk of court visits and diplomatic missions are not the same. Therefore the dues our poor town renders to Wu are more ample than those it renders to Jin, and in nothing less — because we take Wu for the leading lord. Now the lords are met and your ruler is about to have our unworthy ruler appear before the ruler of Jin: then Jin becomes the leading lord, and our poor town will alter its dues. Lu's levy to Wu is eight hundred chariots. If Wu is to rank as a viscount or a baron, then we shall attach ourselves to Wu with half of what Zhu renders, and serve Jin at Zhu's rate. Moreover, if you summon the feudal lords as leading lord and end by acting as a mere marquis, what advantage is there in it?" The men of Wu thereupon desisted.

Afterward they regretted it and were about to imprison Jingbo. Jingbo said, "What of it? I have set up my heir in Lu." He would go with two chariots and six men in attendance, slow or fast as they should command. So they imprisoned him and took him back with them. When they came to Huyou he said to the grand steward, "Lu will on the first xin day of the tenth month perform the service to the Lord on High and the former kings, ending on the last xin day. In every generation my house has had its office in it, and since Duke Xiang's time it has not been changed. If I am not present, the invocator and the ritual master will say, 'It was Wu that did this,' and they will say that Lu was not reverent. And what is lost to Lu by seizing seven of its base fellows?" The grand steward Pi said to the king, "It does Lu no harm and only earns us a name. Better to send him home." So they sent Jingbo home.

Shen Shuyi of Wu begged grain from the Gongsun Youshan clan, saying:

The girdle-jades hang in tassels —
and I have nothing to hang mine on.
One vessel of sweet wine —
and I with the coarse-clad old man eye it sidelong.

He answered, "Of fine grain there is none; of coarse there is. If you climb Mount Shou and call out, 'Geng! Gui!' I will answer."

The king wished to attack Song, to kill its men and imprison its women. The grand steward Pi said, "We can beat them, but we cannot hold the place." So they went home.

In winter, Wu made peace with Yue.

Year 14 (哀公十四年)

Annals.

• In the fourteenth year, in spring, hunting in the west, they took a unicorn.
• Yi of Lesser Zhu fled here with Juyi.
• In summer, in the fourth month, Chen Heng of Qi seized his ruler and placed him at Shuzhou.
• On the day gengxu, Shu Huan died.
• In the fifth month, on the day gengshen, the first of the month, there was an eclipse of the sun.
• Zong Shu of Chen fled to Chu.
• Xiang Tui of Song entered Cao and revolted.
• Kuang, viscount of Ju, died.
• In the sixth month, Xiang Tui of Song fled from Cao to Wei.
• Xiang Chao of Song fled here.
• The men of Qi assassinated their ruler Ren at Shuzhou.
• In autumn, Zhao Yang of Jin led an army and attacked Wei.
• In the eighth month, on the day xinchou, Zhongsun Heji died.
• In winter, Zong Shu of Chen returned from Chu into Chen.
• The men of Chen killed him.
• Yuan Mai of Chen fled to Chu.
• There was a comet.
• There was famine.

Zuo.

In the fourteenth year, in spring, there was a hunt in the west at Daye, and Chu Shang, a carriage servant of the Shusun clan, took a unicorn. Thinking it unlucky, he gave it to the forester. Zhongni looked at it and said, "It is a unicorn." Then they took it.

Yi of Lesser Zhu fled here with Juyi, and said, "If you have Jilu pledge me, I shall need no covenant." They sent to Zilu, and Zilu declined. Ji Kangzi sent Ran You to say to him, "A state of a thousand chariots does not trust its own covenant but trusts your word. What disgrace is there in it for you?" He answered, "If Lu had business with Lesser Zhu, I would not presume to ask the reason, and to die beneath its walls would be well enough. But this man is no true subject, and to make his word good would be to treat him as righteous. I, You, cannot do it."

When Duke Jian of Qi was in Lu, Kan Zhi was his favorite. When he came to the throne, he put him in charge of the government. Chen Chengzi went in fear of him and kept glancing at him in court. Zhuyu Yang said to the duke, "Chen and Kan cannot both stand. Let my lord choose between them." He would not listen.

Ziwo was at the evening audience. Chen Ni had killed a man; Ziwo met him, seized him, and brought him in. The Chen were then at one among themselves. They had him feign illness, and sent him rice-water for his washing together with wine and meat. He feasted the guards of the prison, made them drunk, killed them, and escaped. Ziwo covenanted with all the Chen at their ancestral house.

Formerly Chen Bao had wished to become Ziwo's retainer, and had Gongsun speak for him; Gongsun was in mourning and the matter stopped. Afterward he spoke of it, saying, "There is one Chen Bao, tall, stooped in the upper back, with an upward gaze; serving a noble man, he will surely gain his ends. He wishes to be your retainer. I was wary of the man's nature, and so was slow in telling you." Ziwo said, "What harm? He will be in my hands." And he made him a retainer. Another day he talked of government with him and was pleased, and Bao came to be his favorite. He said to him, "Suppose I drive out all the Chen and set you up in their place — how would that be?" He answered, "I am only a distant branch of the Chen; and besides, those who cross you are no more than a few men. Why drive them all out?" Then he told the Chen. Zixing said, "He has the ruler's favor. If we do not strike first, he will surely bring disaster upon you." Zixing lodged in the ducal palace.

In summer, in the fifth month, on the day renshen, Chengzi and his brothers went to the duke in four chariots. Ziwo was in the tent and came out to meet them; they went in and shut the gate. The attendants resisted them, and Zixing killed the attendants. The duke was drinking with his women on the Tan terrace, and Chengzi moved him into the sleeping chamber. The duke took a dagger-axe and was about to strike him. The grand scribe Ziyu said, "It is not that he means you harm; he is about to remove an evil." Chengzi went out and lodged in the armory. Hearing that the duke was still angry, he was about to leave, saying, "Where is there no ruler?" Zixing drew his sword and said, "Hesitation is the ruin of affairs. Which of us here is not of the Chen line? If I do not kill you, may the ancestors of Chen be my witness." So he stayed.

Ziwo went home, gathered his followers, and attacked the side gate and the great gate; in neither did he prevail, and so he went out, and the Chen pursued him. He lost his way in Yanzhong and came to Fengqiu. The people of Fengqiu seized him and reported it, and he was killed at Guoguan.

Chengzi was about to kill Daliu Zifang; Chen Ni interceded for him and he was spared. By the duke's command he took a chariot on the road. When he reached the Er, the crowd knew him and turned him eastward. As he went out of the Yong Gate, Chen Bao gave him a chariot; he would not take it, saying, "Ni interceded for me, and Bao gives me a chariot: I should be under private obligation to them. To have served Ziwo and then be under private obligation to his enemies — how could I face the officers of Lu and Wei?" Dongguo Jia fled to Wei.

On the day gengchen, Chen Heng seized the duke at Shuzhou. The duke said, "Had I followed Yang's words early, it would not have come to this."

The favor shown to Huan Tui of Song became harmful to the duke. The duke had his wife invite him repeatedly to a feast, meaning to punish him. Before he could act, Tui plotted against the duke first. He asked to exchange An for Bo. The duke said, "It cannot be. Bo is the town of the ancestral temple." So he added seven towns to An, and then invited the duke to a feast, setting midday as the time; and all the armed force of his household went with him. The duke learned of it and told Huang Ye, "I brought Tui up, and now he means to bring disaster upon me. I ask for help at once." The marshal Zizhong said, "A subject who is not obedient is hated by the spirits, how much more by men. I dare not but receive your command. But without the minister of the left it cannot be done. Let him be summoned by your lordship's command."

The minister of the left struck a bell at every meal. Hearing the bell, the duke said, "The gentleman is about to eat." When he had eaten it sounded again, and the duke said, "Now it may be done." They went with a light carriage, and he said: "The tracker has come to report that there is a great muntjac at Fengze. The duke said, 'Though Tui has not come, if I have the minister of the left I shall hunt with him. How would that be?' The ruler shrank from telling you himself, and I, Ye, said, 'Let me have a private word with him.' The ruler wants haste, and therefore I have come for you with a light carriage." He rode with him; and when they arrived, the duke told him the reason. He bowed and could not rise. The marshal said, "Let my lord give him his word." The duke said, "If I bring hardship upon you, above there is Heaven and below there are the former rulers." He answered, "Tui's want of reverence is the calamity of Song. I dare not but obey your command in everything."

The marshal asked for the token of authority, and with it commanded his followers to attack the Huan clan. Their elders and their old retainers said, "It cannot be done." Their new retainers said, "Follow our ruler's command." So they attacked them. Ziqi galloped off and told the marshal Huan. The marshal wished to go in, but Ziche stopped him, saying, "You could not serve your ruler, and now you would attack the state as well. The people will not be with you; you will only bring death upon yourself." So Xiang Tui entered Cao and revolted.

In the sixth month, the minister of the left, Chao, was sent to attack him. He wished to hold grandees as hostages in order to get in, but could not; and he too entered Cao and took hostages. Tui said, "It will not do. Having already failed to serve our ruler, are we also to incur guilt with the people? What then?" So he released them; and the people thereupon revolted against him. Xiang Tui fled to Wei; Xiang Chao fled here. The duke of Song sent to stop him, saying, "I and you had words together. The sacrifices of the Xiang clan must not be cut off." He declined, saying, "My guilt is great; it would be right to wipe out the whole Huan clan. If for the sake of my forefathers who served you, you let it have posterity, that is my lord's kindness. But as for me, I cannot go back in." Sima Niu gave up his town and his jade tablet and went to Qi.

Xiang Tui passed out through the territory of Wei, and the Gongwen clan attacked him, demanding the huang jade of the house of Xia. He gave them another jade and fled to Qi, where Chen Chengzi made him a minister of the second rank. Sima Niu again gave up his town and went to Wu; the men of Wu detested him and he turned back. Zhao Jianzi summoned him, and Chen Chengzi also summoned him. He died outside the outer gate of the capital of Lu, and the Keng clan buried him at Qiuyu.

On the day jiawu, Chen Heng of Qi assassinated his ruler Ren at Shuzhou. Kong Qiu fasted for three days and then asked that Qi be attacked; three times he asked. The duke said, "Lu has long been the weaker before Qi. If you attack it, what will come of it?" He answered, "Chen Heng has assassinated his ruler, and half the people are not with him. With the multitude of Lu added to half of Qi, we can conquer." The duke said, "Tell Jisun." Confucius declined, and withdrawing said to others, "Because I follow in the rear of the grandees, I did not dare not to speak."

Formerly Meng Ruzi Xie was going to pasture horses at Cheng. Gongsun Su, the steward of Cheng, would not receive them, saying, "Mengsun has regard for the distress of Cheng, and does not pasture horses here." Ruzi was angry and made a surprise attack on Cheng; his followers could not get in, and he turned back. An officer of Cheng was sent to him, and Ruzi had him whipped.

In autumn, in the eighth month, on the day xinchou, Meng Yizi died. The men of Cheng hurried to the mourning and were not admitted. They bared their shoulders and put on the mourning cap and wailed in the street, and asked to render service; it was not allowed. In fear, they did not go home.

Year 15 (哀公十五年)

Annals.

• In the fifteenth year, in spring, in the king's first month, Cheng revolted.
• In summer, in the fifth month, Gao Wuping of Qi fled to Northern Yan.
• The earl of Zheng attacked Song.
• In autumn, in the eighth month, there was a great rain sacrifice.
• Zhao Yang of Jin led an army and attacked Wei.
• In winter, the marquis of Jin attacked Zheng.
• Peace was made with Qi.
• Gong Meng Kou of Wei fled to Qi.

Zuo.

In the fifteenth year, in spring, Cheng revolted and went over to Qi. Wubo attacked Cheng and did not take it, and then walled Shu.

In summer, Zixi and Ziqi of Chu attacked Wu and reached Tongrui. The marquis of Chen sent Gongsun Zhenzi to offer condolences. He reached Liang and died there, and they were about to bring in the corpse. The viscount of Wu sent the grand steward Pi to greet them and at the same time to decline, saying, "With the rains falling out of season, would not the grandee's corpse come to harm and so deepen our unworthy ruler's grief? Our unworthy ruler ventures to decline the chief assistant of the embassy." Yuyin Gai answered, "Our unworthy ruler heard that Chu was acting without the Way, attacking the state of Wu again and again and destroying its people, and he sent me, Gai, to fill out the embassy and to condole with your lordship's lesser officers. Unhappily, the envoy met with Heaven's affliction: the great mandate fell, and his line was cut off at Liang. Days have been spent and stores laid in, and each day we have shifted our lodging. Now your lordship's command meets the envoys, saying, 'Do not bring the corpse to the gate.' This is to cast our unworthy ruler's commission into the weeds. Moreover I have heard it said that to serve the dead as one serves the living is the rite. Hence there is a rite for one who dies while on a court visit or a diplomatic mission, by which the business is carried through with the corpse; and there is also a rite for one who meets with a death while on such a visit or mission. If the commission is not carried through with the corpse, that is to meet with a death and turn back — would that not be wrong? Even when the people are kept in bounds by the rites, some still overstep them. Now the grandee says, 'He is dead, so cast him aside.' That is to cast aside the rites. How then is Wu to be lord of the feudal lords? The men of old had a saying, 'Do not defile or maltreat an officer.' I have filled out the embassy and bear the corpse in carrying out the commission. If only our unworthy ruler's command reaches your lordship's presence, then though I sink in a deep abyss, that will be Heaven's decree, and no fault of your lordship or of the ferrymen." The men of Wu let them in.

In autumn, Chen Guan of Qi went to Chu, passing through Wei. Zhong You saw him and said, "Perhaps Heaven is using the Chen clan for an axe. Whether, when the ducal house has been hewn down and destroyed, another will possess it, cannot be known; and whether Heaven will let the Chen enjoy it to the end also cannot be known. Would it not be well to be on good terms with Lu and await the time? Why must there be hostility?" Ziyu said, "True. I have received my commission. Let you send word of this to my younger brother."

In winter, peace was made with Qi. Zifu Jingbo went to Qi, with Zigong as his assistant. He saw Gongsun Cheng and said, "All men are subjects of some master, and all have hearts that may turn against him. How much more the men of Qi: though they serve you now, will they not be of two minds? You are a descendant of the Duke of Zhou. Even to enjoy great gain in abundance would still be a thought of unrighteousness; and if the gain cannot be had and you lose your ancestral state, of what use will it be?" Cheng said, "Well said. I did not hear your instruction sooner."

Chen Chengzi lodged the guests and said, "Our unworthy ruler has sent me, Heng, to say: our unworthy ruler wishes to serve your ruler as he serves the ruler of Wei." Jingbo saluted Zigong and put him forward, and he replied, "That is our unworthy ruler's wish as well. Formerly, when the men of Jin attacked Wei, Qi for Wei's sake attacked Guanshi of Jin and lost five hundred chariots, and on that account gave Wei land: from the Ji westward, and from Zhuo, Mei, and Xing southward, five hundred registered communities. The men of Wu brought disorder upon our poor town, and Qi took advantage of our sickness to seize Huan and Chan. It is on this account that our unworthy ruler's heart has been cold. If we might be regarded as the ruler of Wei is regarded in serving your ruler, that is indeed what we desire." Chengzi was troubled by this, and gave back Cheng. Gongsun Su went with his arms and armor into Ying.

Kong Yu of Wei married the elder sister of the heir apparent Kuaikui, who bore Kui. Hun Liangfu, a page of the Kong clan, was tall and handsome. When Kong Wenzi died, he had illicit relations within the house. The heir apparent was at Qi, and Kong Ji sent Liangfu to him. The heir apparent said to him, "If you get me in and I obtain the state, you shall wear the ceremonial cap and ride in a carriage, and be pardoned three capital crimes." He covenanted with him, and made request on his behalf to Boji.

In the intercalary month, Liangfu entered with the heir apparent, and they lodged in the outer garden of the Kong. At dusk the two of them covered themselves with women's clothing and rode, with the eunuch Luo driving, to the Kong house. Luan Ning, the elder of the Kong household, questioned them, and they answered that they were the serving-women of a relative by marriage. So they went in, and came to Boji. After the meal, Kong Boji took up a dagger-axe and went first, the heir apparent and five men in armor following her, with a boar carried on a litter. They pressed Kong Kui in the privy and forced a covenant upon him, then seized him and went up the terrace.

Luan Ning was about to drink, and the roast was not yet done, when he heard of the disorder. He sent word to Jizi, summoned Huo to harness a carriage, went through the round of cups and ate the roast, and then escorted Zhe, marquis of Wei, in flight here. Jizi was about to go in and met Zigao coming out. Zigao said, "The gate is already shut." Jizi said, "I will go there all the same." Zigao said, "You will not be in time; do not tread into their trouble." Jizi said, "I have eaten his bread; I will not shun his trouble." Zigao then went out. Zilu went in. When he came to the gate, Gongsun Gan was keeping it and said, "There is no use going in." Jizi said, "This is Gongsun: he sought advantage here and now flees the trouble. I, You, am not so. Having profited by a man's pay, I must save him from his peril." A messenger came out, and he went in and said, "What use has the heir apparent for Kong Kui? Though he kill him, someone will surely take his place." And he said, "The heir apparent has no courage. If the terrace be half burned, he will surely release Kong Shu." The heir apparent heard him and was afraid, and sent down Shi Qi and Yu Yan to face Zilu. They struck at him with their dagger-axes and cut his cap-strings. Zilu said, "A noble man may die, but his cap shall not come off." He tied his cap-strings and died. Confucius heard of the disorder in Wei and said, "Chai will come; You will die."

Kong Kui set up Duke Zhuang. Duke Zhuang found the old ministers harmful and wished to be rid of them all. He first said to the minister of education Man Cheng, "I have long suffered hardship abroad; I ask that you too have a taste of it." Cheng went home and told Chushi Bi, and wished to join him in attacking the duke, but it came to nothing.

Year 16 (哀公十六年)

Annals.

• In the sixteenth year, in spring, in the king's first month, on the day jimao, Kuaikui, heir apparent of Wei, entered Wei from Qi.
• Zhe, marquis of Wei, fled here.
• In the second month, Zi Huancheng of Wei fled to Song.
• In summer, in the fourth month, on the day jichou, Kong Qiu died.

Zuo.

In the sixteenth year, in spring, Man Cheng and Chushi Bi fled to Song.

The marquis of Wei sent Yan Wuzi to make report to Zhou, saying: "Kuaikui offended against his lordly father and his lordly mother and fled into hiding in Jin. Jin, for the sake of the royal house, did not cast off a kinsman, but placed him on the bank of the He. Heaven has drawn out his inmost heart, and he has obtained the succession and the keeping of his fief. He sends his lowly servant Xi to venture to report to your officers." The king had Duke Ping of Shan reply: "Xi has come with this good news to report to me, the One Man. Go and say to my uncle: I approve your completing the line of your house and resuming your place and emolument. Be reverent in it! Then Heaven's blessing is with you. Where there is no reverence there is no blessing, and can the regret be overtaken?"

Zuo.

In summer, in the fourth month, on the day jichou, Kong Qiu (孔丘) died. The duke made a eulogy for him, saying: "Compassionate Heaven has shown no pity. It was unwilling to leave me this one elder, to be a screen for me, the One Man, in my place. Solitary and alone, I am in my affliction. Alas! How grievous! Father Ni, I have nothing left by which to measure myself." Zigong (子贛) said: "Will the ruler not meet his end outside Lu? The Master's words were: 'When ritual propriety is lost there is confusion; when naming is lost there is error. To lose one's proper purpose is confusion; to lose one's proper place is error.' While the man lived the ruler could not employ him; now that he is dead he eulogizes him — that is not ritual propriety. To style himself 'the One Man' — that is not correct naming. The ruler has failed in both."

In the sixth month, the marquis of Wei gave Kong Kui (孔悝) wine to drink at Pingyang and pledged him lavishly, and the grandees all made him presents. When he was drunk they escorted him out, and at midnight sent him on his way. He took up Boji at Pingyang and set out. When he reached the west gate he sent his attendant chariot back to fetch the stone tablet-shrine from the western garden. Zibo Jizi, who had once been a retainer of the Kong clan and had newly risen into the duke's service, asked leave to pursue him. He met the man carrying the tablet-shrine, killed him, and rode off in his chariot. Xu Gongwei (許公為) was himself going back for the tablet-shrine, and meeting him said: "In a contest with a man who has no humaneness, it is plain that one cannot fail to win." He insisted that the other shoot first. He shot three times, and every arrow fell far short of Xu Wei. Then Xu Wei shot him, and he dropped dead. Someone followed after with his chariot, and the tablet-shrine was found in a sack. Kong Kui fled to Song.

When Jian, heir apparent of Chu (楚大子建), met with slander, he fled from Chengfu to Song; then, avoiding the disorder of the Hua clan, he went to Zheng, and the men of Zheng treated him very well. He went next to Jin and plotted with the men of Jin to make a surprise attack on Zheng, and so sought to return there. The men of Zheng received him back as before. The men of Jin sent a spy to Zimu, who asked leave to set out and fixed the date with them. Zimu was cruel and oppressive in his private town, and the townsmen brought a complaint against him. The men of Zheng looked into the matter, found the Jin spy there, and thereupon killed Zimu.

His son was called Sheng, and was in Wu. Zixi (子西) wished to summon him. The Duke of She (葉公) said: "I have heard of this Sheng — he is deceitful and given to disorder. Will he not be a harm?" Zixi said: "I have heard of this Sheng — he keeps faith and is brave, and does nothing that brings no advantage. Set him on the border and let him guard the frontier fence." The Duke of She said: "To be whole in humaneness is what is called good faith; to follow righteousness is what is called courage. I have heard of this Sheng — he is fond of making good on his words and seeks out men who will die for him. Surely he has some private aim. To make good on rash words is not good faith; to pledge oneself to death is not courage. You will certainly regret this." Zixi did not follow him. He summoned Sheng and had him dwell on the Wu border, and he became the Duke of Bai (白公).

Sheng asked leave to attack Zheng. Zixi said: "Chu is not yet in good order. Were it otherwise — I have not forgotten." On another day he asked again, and Zixi consented. Before the army was raised, the men of Jin attacked Zheng, and Chu rescued Zheng and made a covenant with it. Sheng was angry and said: "The men of Zheng are here; my enemy is not far off."

Sheng was whetting his own sword when Ping, the son of Ziqi (子期), saw him and said: "Why does the royal grandson whet it himself?" He said: "Sheng is known for his directness. If I did not tell you, how would that be direct? I mean to kill your father with it." Ping reported this to Zixi. Zixi said: "Sheng was like an egg; I sheltered him under my wing and raised him. In the order of Chu, when I die, who is to be chief minister and marshal if not Sheng?" Sheng heard of it and said: "The chief minister is mad. If he gets to die in his bed, it will not be my doing." Zixi did not mend his ways.

Sheng said to Shi Qi (石乞): "As for the king and the two high ministers, if each could be matched by five hundred men, then it could be done." Qi said: "That cannot be got." Then he said: "South of the market there is one Xiong Yiliao. If we can get him, he can stand for five hundred men." So he went with the Duke of Bai and saw him. They spoke with him, and he was pleased; they told him the reason, and he refused. They pressed a sword upon him, and he did not stir. Sheng said: "He does not fawn for gain, nor flinch at threat, nor leak another man's words to curry favor. Leave him alone."

The men of Wu attacked Shen, and the Duke of Bai defeated them. He asked leave to present the captured war gear at court, and this was granted. Thereupon he made his revolt.

In autumn, in the seventh month, he killed Zixi and Ziqi at court and seized King Hui. Zixi covered his face with his sleeve and died. Ziqi said: "In days past I served my ruler by strength; I cannot fail to see it through." He tore up a camphor tree, killed men with it, and afterward died.

Shi Qi said: "Burn the arsenals and put the king to death; otherwise this will not succeed." The Duke of Bai said: "It will not do. To kill the king is inauspicious, and if the arsenals are burnt there will be no stores. With what then shall we hold the state?" Qi said: "Possess the state of Chu, govern its people, and serve the spirits with reverence, and you may yet obtain good fortune, and you will have stores. Why fear that men will not follow?"

The Duke of She was in Cai. All those beyond Fangcheng said: "You may enter now." Zigao said: "I have heard it said that one who courts fortune through peril has appetites that are never sated, and that when the weight lies all on one side the thing must come apart." When he heard that Sheng had killed Guan Xiu of Qi, he then entered.

The Duke of Bai wished to make Zilü king. Zilü refused, and was then threatened with weapons. Zilü said: "If the royal grandson will bring quiet to the state of Chu and set the royal house right, and take shelter under it afterward, that is Qi's own wish — how should I dare not obey? But if you mean to monopolize gain, overturn the royal house, and give no thought to the state of Chu, then I will die rather than do it." So he killed him.

He took the king to the High Storehouse. Shi Qi took charge of the gate; Yu Gongyang tunnelled into the palace, carried the king on his back, and brought him to the palace of Lady Zhao.

The Duke of She also arrived. When he reached the north gate, someone met him and said: "Why does my lord not wear his helmet? The people of the capital look to my lord as they look to a kind father and mother. If a brigand's arrow should wound my lord, that would cut off the people's hope. How can you go without a helmet?" So he put on the helmet and went forward. Then he met another man, who said: "Why does my lord wear a helmet? The people of the capital look to my lord as they look for the harvest, hoping for it day after day. If they could see my lord's face, that would be their relief. Once the people know that they will not die, they too will have hearts roused to effort, and they would carry my lord like a banner and parade him through the state. Instead you cover your face and cut off the people's hope — is that not going too far?" So he took off the helmet and went forward.

He met Zhenyin Gu, who was leading his followers and meant to join the Duke of Bai. Zigao said: "Without those two men, Chu would be no state. To cast off virtue and follow a brigand — can you be safe in that?" So Gu followed the Duke of She, who set him, together with the men of the capital, to attack the Duke of Bai. The Duke of Bai fled into the hills and hanged himself. His followers hid his body. They took Shi Qi alive and asked him where the Duke of Bai had died. He answered: "I know the place of his death, but the elder bade me not to speak of it." They said: "If you do not speak you will be boiled." Qi said: "Had the affair succeeded I would have been a minister; since it failed, I am boiled. That is exactly where it belongs. What harm is there?" So they boiled Shi Qi. Wangsun Yan fled to the Kuihuang clan.

Zhuliang held both offices. When the state was at peace, he made Ning chief minister and Kuan marshal, and grew old at She.

The dream-diviner of the marquis of Wei, a favorite of his, sought wine from Taishu Xizi and did not get it. He conspired with the tortoise-diviner and told the duke: "My lord has a great minister in the southwest corner. If he is not removed, harm is to be feared." So Taishu Yi was driven out, and Yi fled to Jin.

The marquis of Wei said to Hun Liangfu (渾良夫): "I have succeeded my late ruler, but I have not obtained his vessels. What is to be done?" Liangfu took the place of the torchbearer and spoke, saying: "Ji and the ruler in exile are both my lord's sons. Summon them and choose the able one; that would serve. And if he proves unable, the vessels may still be got." A page reported this to the heir apparent. The heir apparent had five men carry a boar and follow him, seized the duke and forced a covenant upon him, and further demanded that Liangfu be put to death. The duke said: "My covenant with him spares him three capital offenses." He said: "Let it be that after the three, if he offends, he is put to death." The duke said: "Agreed."

Year 17 (哀公十七年)

Zuo.

In the seventeenth year, in spring, the marquis of Wei made a Tiger Tent in the Ji Garden. When it was finished, he sought out a man of good name to take the first meal there with him. The heir apparent asked that Liangfu be sent for. Liangfu came riding in a minister's chariot drawn by two stallions, in purple robes and a fox-fur coat. On arriving, he laid open his fur coat and ate without unbuckling his sword. The heir apparent had him dragged away, enumerated three offenses against him, and put him to death.

In the third month, the viscount of Yue attacked Wu. The viscount of Wu resisted him at Lize, and they drew up their lines on opposite banks of the water. The viscount of Yue formed left and right hooking companies and had them move by night now to the left, now to the right, beating drums and shouting as they advanced. The Wu army divided to meet them. The viscount of Yue then crossed in secret with his three armies, faced the Wu center army, and beat the drums against it. The Wu army fell into great confusion, and he defeated it.

Zhao Yang of Jin sent word to Wei, saying: "When my lord was in Jin, Zhifu was his host. I ask that my lord or the heir apparent come, so as to clear Zhifu. Otherwise my ruler will say that this was Zhifu's doing." The marquis of Wei excused himself on the ground of troubles at home, and the heir apparent further sent men to slander him.

In summer, in the sixth month, Zhao Yang laid siege to Wei. Guo Guan and Chen Guan of Qi came to the rescue of Wei. They captured a man of Jin who had come to offer battle. Ziyu had him properly clothed and brought before him, and said: "Master Guo indeed holds the handle of power in Qi, and he commanded Guan: 'Do not shun the army of Jin.' How should I dare set aside that command? But why, sir, should you trouble yourself further?" Jianzi said: "I divined about attacking Wei; I did not divine about fighting Qi." So he turned back.

During the revolt of the Duke of Bai in Chu, the men of Chen had relied on their stores and raided Chu. When Chu was quiet again, it was about to take Chen's wheat. The viscount of Chu asked the Grand Preceptor Zigu and the Duke of She, Zhuliang, about a commander. Zigu said: "Chaiche, the Overseer of the Right, and Lao, the Scribe of the Left, both assisted the chief minister and the marshal in attacking Chen. They may be sent." Zigao said: "If the commander is of low station, the people will slight him, and I fear they will not obey orders." Zigu said: "Guan Dingfu was a captive from Ruo, and King Wu made him army commander; by him Zhou and Liao were overcome, Sui and Tang were subdued, and the many Man peoples were greatly opened up. Peng Zhongshuang was a captive from Shen, and King Wen made him chief minister; he it was who made counties of Shen and Xi, brought Chen and Cai to court, and set the boundary marks as far as the Ru. It rests only on their fitness for the charge. Where is the lowliness in that?" Zigao said: "Heaven's mandate does not flatter. The chief minister had a grievance against Chen. If Heaven means to destroy Chen, it will surely give it to the chief minister's son. Why does my lord not leave it to him? Your servant fears that the Overseer of the Right and the Scribe of the Left have the lowliness of those two captives without their fine virtue." The king divined about it, and the Governor of Wucheng was auspicious. He was sent to lead the army and take Chen's wheat. The men of Chen resisted him and were defeated, and thereupon he besieged Chen.

In autumn, in the seventh month, on the day jimao, Gongsun Chao of Chu led an army and extinguished Chen. The king and the Duke of She divined blind about Ziliang, meaning to make him chief minister. Shen Yin Zhu said: "Auspicious — beyond what he aims at." The Duke of She said: "For a king's son to be chancellor of the state — what would 'beyond' be?" On another day they divined again, about Ziguo, and made him chief minister.

The marquis of Wei dreamed in the northern palace. He saw a man climb the tower of Kunwu, with his hair unbound, facing north, and crying out:

"I climb this ruin of Kunwu;
trailing, trailing grow the gourds.
I am Hun Liangfu;
I cry out to Heaven that I am guiltless."

The duke cast the milfoil about it himself, and Xu Mishe read the result and said, "No harm." He was given a town, but he set it aside and fled to Song. The marquis of Wei then put the question to the tortoise, and the oracle said:

"Like a fish with reddened tail,
crosswise in the stream and drifting to the margin.
A great state will destroy it.
When it is about to perish it shuts the gate and stops the culvert —
and men come over from behind."

In winter, in the tenth month, Jin again attacked Wei and entered its outer wall. As they were about to enter the inner city, Jianzi said: "Stop. Shuxiang had a saying: 'He who relies on another's disorder to extinguish a state leaves no posterity.'" The men of Wei expelled Duke Zhuang and made peace with Jin. Jin set up Banshi, grandson of Duke Xiang, and withdrew.

In the eleventh month, the marquis of Wei entered from Juan, and Banshi went out.

Earlier, the duke had climbed the wall to look out and had seen the Rong settlement. He asked about it and was told. The duke said: "We are of the Ji surname. What business have Rong here?" And he wiped it out. The duke kept the artisans at labor too long. He wished to drive out Shi Pu, but before he could do so the trouble broke out. On the day xinsi, Shi Pu, with the artisans, attacked the duke. The duke shut the gate and begged for terms, and was refused. He climbed over on the north side and fell, breaking his thigh. The men of the Rong settlement attacked him. The heir apparent Ji and the ducal son Qing climbed over after the duke, and the men of the Rong settlement killed them. The duke went into the house of the Ji clan in the Rong settlement. Earlier, from the top of the wall, the duke had seen that the wife of the Ji clansman had beautiful hair, and had had it shorn to make a wig for Lü Jiang. Having entered there, the duke showed him a jade disc and said: "Keep me alive, and I will give you the jade." The Ji clansman said: "If I kill you, where will the jade go?" So he killed him and took the jade. The men of Wei brought Gongsun Banshi back and set him up.

In the twelfth month, the men of Qi attacked Wei, and the men of Wei sued for peace. Qi set up the ducal son Qi, seized Banshi and took him home, and lodged him at Lu.

The duke met the marquis of Qi and covenanted at Meng, Meng Wubo assisting him. The marquis of Qi bowed his head to the ground, but the duke only bowed. The men of Qi were angry. Wubo said: "Except before the Son of Heaven, my ruler bows his head to the ground before no one." Wubo asked Gao Chai: "When the feudal lords covenant, who holds the ox's ear?" Ji Gao said: "At the affair of Zengyan it was Gucao, a ducal son of Wu; at the affair of Fayang it was Shi Tui of Wei." Wubo said: "Then it should be Zhi."

Jun, son of Huang Yuan of Song, had a friend named Tian Bing, and he took away the town of Tian Bing's elder brother Chanban and gave it to Bing. Chanban went off in resentment and informed Ziyi Ke, a retainer of Marshal Huan. Ziyi Ke went to Song and told the duke's wife: "Jun means to bring back the Huan clan." The duke asked Zizhong about it. Earlier, Zizhong had intended to make Feiwo, the son of Qi Si, his heir; and Jun had said, "You must set up the eldest — he is of good material." Zizhong was angry and did not follow him. Therefore he now answered: "The Master of the Right is old indeed; as for Jun, I do not know." The duke arrested him. Huang Yuan fled to Jin, but was summoned back.

Year 18 (哀公十八年)

Zuo.

In the eighteenth year, in spring, Song put Huang Yuan to death. The duke learned the true circumstances, restored the Huang clan, and made Huang Huan Master of the Right.

The people of Ba attacked Chu and besieged You. Earlier, when the divination had been made about Ziguo as Marshal of the Right, Guan Zhan had said, "It answers his aim," and on that account he had been appointed. When the Ba army arrived and they were about to divine about a commander, the king said: "Ning answers his aim. Why divine?" He sent him to lead the army and set out. Ning asked for seconds. The king said: "The Chamber Overseer and the Artisan Overseer — these are the men who toiled for the late ruler."

In the third month, Gongsun Ning of Chu, Wu Youyu, and Wei Gu defeated the Ba army at You. Therefore Ziguo was enfeoffed at Xi. The noble man says: King Hui understood aims. The Documents of Xia say: "In the official divination, only when one can settle one's aim does one lay the charge before the great tortoise." Is this not what is meant? A record says: "The sage does not trouble the tortoise and the milfoil." King Hui had something of this.

In summer, Shi Pu of Wei drove out his ruler Qi, and Qi fled to the state of Qi. The marquis of Wei, Zhe, returned from Qi, drove out Shi Pu, and restored Shi Tui and Taishu Yi.

Year 19 (哀公十九年)

Zuo.

In the nineteenth year, in spring, the men of Yue raided Chu, in order to mislead Wu.

In summer, Qing, a ducal son of Chu, and Gongsun Kuan pursued the Yue army as far as Ming, did not overtake it, and turned back.

In autumn, Shen Zhuliang of Chu attacked the Eastern Yi. Men and women of the three Yi peoples made a covenant with the Chu army at Ao.

In winter, Shu Qing went to the royal capital, because King Jing had died.

Year 20 (哀公二十年)

Zuo.

In the twentieth year, in spring, men of Qi came to summon us to a meeting.

In summer, there was a meeting at Linqiu. On account of Zheng they planned to attack Jin, but the men of Zheng declined the help of the feudal lords.

In autumn the army returned. Qingji, a ducal son of Wu, remonstrated repeatedly with the viscount of Wu, saying, "If you do not change, you will surely perish." He was not heeded. He went out and dwelt at Ai, and then went to Chu. He heard that Yue was about to attack Wu.

In winter he asked leave to go home and make peace with Yue. He returned, wishing to remove the disloyal in order to please Yue, and the men of Wu killed him.

In the eleventh month, Yue laid siege to Wu. Zhao Meng reduced his fare below the food of mourning. Chu Long said: "The three years' mourning is the utmost that is done for the closest kin. My master goes lower still — surely there is a reason?" Zhao Meng said: "At the affair of Huangchi my late master had a pledge with the king of Wu: 'What we love and what we hate we shall share.' Now Yue besieges Wu. As his heir I would not abandon the old undertaking but would meet the enemy; yet it is beyond what Jin can reach. That is why I make this reduction." Chu Long said: "What if the king of Wu were let know of it?" Zhao Meng said: "Can it be done?" Long said: "Let me try."

So he went. First he presented himself at the Yue army and said: "Wu has offended against the superior states and taken advantage of them many times. We have heard that my lord is punishing them in person, and among the people of the Xia states there is none who is not delighted, fearing only that my lord's purpose may not be carried through. I ask leave to go in and look at them." This was permitted. He announced to the king of Wu: "The elder of my ruler's house, Wuxu, has sent his subject's subject Long to venture to set forth his apology that he cannot join you. At the affair of Huangchi, my lord's former servant Zhifu was allowed to take part in the covenant of equals, which said: 'What we love and what we hate we shall share.' Now that my lord is in distress, Wuxu does not dare shrink from the labor; but it is not something the state of Jin can reach. He therefore sends his subject's subject to venture to lay this before you." The king bowed with his head to the ground and said: "I am without ability. I could not serve Yue, and have become a care to the grandee. I bow before the honor of his message." He gave Long a basket of pearls and had him carry word to Zhao Meng: "Goujian means to keep me alive in my misery. I shall not even be granted my death." The king said: "A drowning man is sure to laugh. I have a question to ask. How did Scribe An come to be reckoned a noble man?" He answered: "An, when he advanced, met with no dislike; when he withdrew, no slander was spoken of him." The king said: "Fitting indeed."

Year 21 (哀公二十一年)

Zuo.

In the twenty-first year, in summer, in the fifth month, men of Yue came for the first time.

In autumn, in the eighth month, the duke, with the marquis of Qi and the viscount of Zhu, covenanted at Gu. The men of Qi demanded the head-to-ground bow, and thereupon made a song about it, saying:

"The fault of the men of Lu —
for years on end they do not see it,
and they make us tramp about at a distance.
It is only their scholars' books
that make the trouble of two states."

On this journey the duke arrived first at Yanggu. Lüqiu Xi of Qi said: "My lord has condescended to lift his jade footsteps and come into my ruler's camp. Your servants will send post-riders to report to my ruler; but before they return, will my lord not be wearied? Since the attendants have not yet made ready your lodging, may we prepare quarters for you at Zhoudao?" The duke declined, saying: "I would not dare to trouble the attendants."

Year 22 (哀公二十二年)

Zuo.

In the twenty-second year, in summer, in the fourth month, Duke Yin of Zhu fled from Qi to Yue, saying: "Wu acted without principle: it seized the father and set up the son." The men of Yue restored him. The heir apparent Ge fled to Yue.

In winter, in the eleventh month, on the day dingmao, Yue extinguished Wu. They asked that the king of Wu be settled at Yongdong. He declined, saying: "I, the solitary one, am old. How could I serve a ruler?" And he hanged himself. The men of Yue carried him back with them.

Year 23 (哀公二十三年)

Zuo.

In the twenty-third year, in spring, Jing Cao of Song died. Ji Kangzi sent Ran You to offer condolence and to escort the burial, saying: "Our poor city has business of the altars of soil and grain, and Fei is bound up with the duties of his office; therefore he cannot help to hold the funeral cords. He sends Qiu to follow along with the rest." And he said: "Since Fei counts as a distant sister's son, he has some poor horses of his forebears' raising, and sends Qiu to offer them to the lady's steward. May they be reckoned enough for the pennons and trappings?"

In summer, in the sixth month, Xun Yao of Jin attacked Qi, and Gao Wuping led an army to resist him. Earl Zhi went to observe the army of Qi. His horses took fright, and he thereupon drove them on, saying: "The men of Qi know my banner. They would say that I was afraid and turned back." He went right up to their rampart before turning back. As they were about to fight, Chang Wuzi asked leave to divine. Earl Zhi said: "Our ruler announced this to the Son of Heaven and divined about it with the guardian tortoise in the ancestral shrine, and it was auspicious. What need have I to divine again? Moreover the men of Qi took our Yingqiu. Our ruler commanded Yao not to make a display of arms, but to set Yingqiu in order. It is enough to punish the guilty with a stated cause. Why must we divine?" On the day renchen they fought at Liqiu, and the army of Qi was routed. Earl Zhi personally captured Yan Geng.

In autumn, in the eighth month, Shu Qing went to Yue; this was the first embassy to Yue. Zhu Yang of Yue came on a diplomatic visit, returning Shu Qing's.

Year 24 (哀公二十四年)

Zuo.

In the twenty-fourth year, in summer, in the fourth month, the marquis of Jin was about to attack Qi and sent to beg troops of us, saying: "Long ago Zang Wenzhong used Chu troops to attack Qi and took Gu; Xuanshu used Jin troops to attack Qi and took Wenyang. My ruler wishes to seek blessing from the Duke of Zhou, and would beg the spirit-power of the Zang clan." Zang Shi led an army and joined them, and they took Linqiu. The army officers ordered the gear repaired and were about to advance. Lai Zhang said: "Their ruler is of small account and their government violent. Last year they overcame an enemy; now they have taken a city as well. Heaven's gifts to them are many already. How can they advance further? This is boastful talk. The campaign will be broken off." And the Jin army did turn back. They presented Zang Shi with an ox for provisions, and the Grand Scribe apologized, saying: "Because my ruler is on the march, the ritual of the sacrificial animals is not up to measure. I venture to set forth this apology."

The viscount of Zhu again acted without principle, and the men of Yue seized him and took him home, setting up the ducal son He; and He too acted without principle.

The mother of the ducal son Jing was a favorite, and the duke meant to make her his wife. He had the clan officer Xin Xia present the proper rites for it. He answered: "There are none." The duke was angry and said: "You are the clan superintendent. To install a duke's wife is one of the great rites of the state. How can there be none?" He answered: "The Duke of Zhou and Duke Wu took their wives from Xue; Dukes Xiao and Hui took theirs from Shang; from Duke Huan onward they took theirs from Qi. For that there is a rite. But for making a concubine one's wife there is indeed no rite." In the end the duke installed her, and made Jing heir apparent. From this the people of the capital began to hate him.

In the intercalary month, the duke went to Yue. He won the favor of the heir apparent Shiying, who meant to give him a wife and grant him much land. Gongsun Youshan sent word of it to Jisun. Jisun was afraid, and worked through the Grand Steward Pi, presenting him with bribes; and so the matter was dropped.

Year 25 (哀公二十五年)

Zuo.

In the twenty-fifth year, in summer, in the fifth month, on the day gengchen, the marquis of Wei fled to Song.

The marquis of Wei made a Numinous Terrace in the Ji Garden and drank there with the grandees. Chushi Shengzi came up onto the mat wearing his stockings. The duke was angry. He explained: "Your servant has an ailment unlike other men's. If you saw it, my lord would be sickened. That is why I did not dare." The duke grew angrier still. The grandees pleaded for him, without effect. Chushi went out; the duke thrust his hand after him like a halberd and said: "I will surely cut off your feet." Hearing of it, Chushi rode with the Minister of Crime Hai and said: "Today we are lucky; ruin comes after."

When the duke had come back in, he had taken away the towns of the Nan clan and taken the office from the Minister of Crime Hai. The duke had his attendants push the chariot of Gongwen Yizi into a pond. Earlier, the men of Wei had wiped out the Xiading clan and given their dependents to Pengfeng Mizi. Mizi gave the duke wine to drink and presented the daughter of Xia Wu; she was favored and was made the duke's wife. Her younger brother Qi was a grandson's nephew of Taishu Ji; he had been reared from childhood by the duke, who made him Minister of Education. When the lady's favor waned, Qi fell into fault. The duke kept the three classes of artisans at labor too long. He had the jester Jiao swear a covenant with Quan Mi, and kept him very close and trusted him. Therefore Chushi Bi, Gongsun Mimou, Gongwen Yao, the Minister of Crime Hai, and the Minister of Education Qi, relying on the three classes of artisans and on Quan Mi, made a revolt. All took up sharp weapons, and those who had none took axes. They had Quan Mi go into the ducal palace, while they themselves came from the palace of the heir apparent Ji, shouting as they attacked the duke.

Juan Zishi asked leave to resist them. Mi took him by the hand and said: "You are brave enough, but what will you do for the ruler? Have you not seen the case of the late ruler? Where will this ruler not indulge his desires? Besides, the ruler has been abroad before; how can it be certain that he will not return? At this moment it cannot be done. The anger of the multitude is hard to withstand; let it rest, and they are easily divided." So he went out.

The duke was about to go to Pu. Mi said: "Jin has no good faith. It will not do." He was about to go to Juan. Mi said: "Qi and Jin will contend over us. It will not do." He was about to go to Ling. Mi said: "Lu is not worth allying with. Let us go to Chengchu, and hook Yue by it; Yue has a ruler." So he went to Chengchu. Mi said: "There is no telling what the robbers of Wei will do. Let us make haste; let me begin." And he loaded up the treasures and went home with them.

The duke formed scattered troops and, through the invocator-scribe Hui, raided Wei; and the men of Wei were distressed by it. Yizi learned of it and went to see Zizhi, asking that Hui be driven out. Wenzi said: "He has committed no offense." Yizi said: "The man loves to monopolize gain and is reckless. When he sees the ruler coming back in, he will be the first to guide him. If we drive him out, he will certainly go out by the south gate and go to where the ruler is; and since Yue has newly won the allegiance of the feudal lords, he will surely ask them for an army." Hui was at court, and they sent an officer to expel him from his house. Hui went out and for two nights was not let in. After five days he was lodged in an outer ward, and thereafter he enjoyed favor and was sent to Yue to ask for an army.

In the sixth month the duke returned from Yue. Ji Kangzi and Meng Wubo met him at Wuwu, Guo Zhong driving. Seeing the two men, he said: "There has been much evil talk. Let my lord bring it all out." The duke feasted at Wuwu. Wubo offered the toast and, hating Guo Zhong, said: "How fat you are!" Jisun said: "Let Zhi be made to drink a forfeit. Because Lu lies hard against its enemies, your servants could not follow my lord, and so escaped the long journey; and yet he calls Zhong fat." The duke said: "He has eaten many of his own words. How could he not be fat?" The drinking gave no pleasure. From this the duke and the grandees began to be at odds.

Year 26 (哀公二十六年)

Zuo.

In the twenty-sixth year, in summer, in the fifth month, Shusun Shu led an army and joined Gao Ru and Hou Yong of Yue and Yue Fa of Song to restore the marquis of Wei. Wenzi wished to admit him. Yizi said: "The ruler is obstinate and cruel. Wait a little; he will surely poison the people, and then they will be well disposed toward you."

The army raided the outer districts and took much plunder. The men of Wei went out to resist them and were badly beaten. The invaders dug up the tomb of Chushi Dingzi and burnt the body on the Pingzhuang road. Wenzi sent Wangsun Qi privately to Gao Ru, saying: "Do you mean to destroy Wei outright, or only to restore the ruler?" Gao Ru said: "My ruler's command was nothing else — only to restore the ruler of Wei." Wenzi assembled the multitude and asked them, saying: "The ruler has used barbarians to attack the state, and the state has all but perished. I propose to admit him." The multitude said: "Do not admit him." He said: "If Mimou's going away would do good, let me go out by the north gate." The multitude said: "Do not go." They bribed the men of Yue heavily, and, manning the parapets, opened the gates again and again to admit the duke; but the duke did not dare enter. The army withdrew. They set up Duke Dao, and the Nan clan assisted him, and they gave Chengchu to the men of Yue.

The duke said: "It was Qi who did this," and gave order that anyone with a grievance against the lady should requite it on her. The Minister of Education Qi went on a diplomatic visit to Yue; the duke attacked him and took away his gifts. Qi reported it to the king, and the king ordered that they be recovered, and Qi recovered them with a body of men. The duke was angry and killed Qi's sister's son, who was the heir apparent. Then he died in Yue.

Duke Jing of Song had no son. He took De and Qi, sons of Gongsun Zhou, and reared them in the ducal palace, but had set up neither. At this time Huang Huan was Master of the Right, Huang Feiwo Grand Marshal, Huang Huai Minister of Education, Ling Buhuan Master of the Left, Yue Fa Minister of the City, and Yue Zhuchu Grand Minister of Crime. The six ministers of the three clans came down to attend to the government, and reached the ruler only through the Grand Overseer. The Grand Overseer regularly failed to report to them, and, following his own wishes, issued orders in the ruler's name; and the people of the capital hated him. The Minister of the City wished to remove the Grand Overseer. The Master of the Left said: "Let him be, and let him fill up his guilt. Heavy and without a foundation — can he fail to fall in?"

In winter, in the tenth month, the duke traveled to Kongze, and on the day xinsi he died at Lianzhong. The Grand Overseer raised a thousand armored men of Kongze and escorted the duke in by way of Kongtong to the Wo Palace. He sent to summon the six men, saying: "We hear there are troops below. The ruler asks the six of you to make a plan." When the six arrived he threatened them with armed men, saying: "The ruler is ill. He asks that you gentlemen swear a covenant." So they covenanted in the courtyard of the Lesser Chamber, saying, "We will do nothing to the disadvantage of the ducal house." The Grand Overseer set up Qi and had the coffin laid in the Great Temple, and only after three days did the people of the capital learn of it.

Fa, the Minister of the City, had it proclaimed through the state: "The Grand Overseer beguiled and bewitched his ruler and monopolized the profit of it. He caused the ruler to die without illness, and having died, he hid it. There is nothing else in this: it is the Grand Overseer's crime." De dreamed that Qi lay with his head to the north, sleeping outside the Lu Gate, while he himself became a bird and perched upon him, his beak resting on the South Gate and his tail on the Tong Gate. He said: "My dream is fine. I shall surely be set up."

The Grand Overseer took counsel, saying: "I was not in the covenant. Will they not drive me out? Shall I covenant with them again?" He had the invocator draw up a covenant text. The six men were at Tangmeng, and he was about to covenant with them. The invocator Xiang showed the covenant text to Huang Feiwo. Huang Feiwo, with Zilu, the Gate Overseer De, and the Master of the Left, took counsel and said: "The people are with us. Shall we drive him out?" They all went home and handed out armor, and had it proclaimed through the capital: "The Grand Overseer has beguiled and bewitched his ruler and bullied and oppressed the ducal house with it. Whoever sides with us sides with those who would save the ruler." The multitude said: "We side with them." The Grand Overseer proclaimed: "The Dai clan and the Huang clan mean harm to the ducal house. Whoever sides with me need not fear being poor." The multitude said: "There is nothing to choose between them."

The Dai clan and the Huang clan wished to attack the duke. Yue De said: "It will not do. They are guilty because they bullied the duke; if we attack the duke we shall be worse than they. Let the people of the capital fall upon the Grand Overseer instead." The Grand Overseer took Qi with him and fled to Chu. Then they set up De, and the Minister of the City was made chief minister. They covenanted, saying: "The three clans shall share the government and do one another no harm."

Duke Chu of Wei, from Chengchu, sent a bow to inquire of Zigong, and said also: "Shall I get back in?" Zigong bowed his head to the ground, received the bow, and answered: "Your servant does not know." Privately he said to the envoy: "Long ago Duke Cheng went into exile in Chen; Ning Wuzi and Sun Zhuangzi made the covenant of Wanpu, and the ruler came back in. Duke Xian of Wei went into exile in Qi; Zixian and Zizhan made the covenant of Yiyi, and the ruler came back in. Now the ruler is in exile a second time. Within, I hear of no kinsman such as Duke Xian had; without, I hear of no minister such as Duke Cheng had. So I, Ci, do not know by what road he is to come back in. The Odes say:

'Nothing is so strong as men;
the four quarters will comply with them.'

If he gets the right men, the four quarters will take him for their lord; and then what difficulty will the state be?"

Year 27 (哀公二十七年)

Zuo.

In the twenty-seventh year, in spring, the viscount of Yue sent Hou Yong on a diplomatic visit, and also to speak of the Zhu lands; and a boundary was fixed at Taishang.

In the second month there was a covenant at Pingyang, the three lords all attending. Kangzi was troubled by it. The talk came round to Zigong, and he said: "If he were here, I should not have come to this." Wubo said: "Then why not summon him?" He said: "I do mean to summon him." Wenzi said: "On another day, pray remember it."

In summer, in the fourth month, on the day jihai, Ji Kangzi died. The duke offered condolence, but lowered the rites.

Xun Yao of Jin led an army and attacked Zheng, halting at Tongqiu. Si Hong of Zheng asked Qi for rescue. The army of Qi was about to be raised. Chenzi gathered the orphaned sons and held court three days. He set out a chariot with two horses and attached five towns to it, and summoned Jin, son of Yan Zhuoju, saying: "At the affair of Xi your father died there. Because the state has had many troubles, we have not yet provided for you. Now the ruler grants you these towns. Harness your chariot and come to court, and do not let the former service go for nothing." Then they went to the rescue of Zheng. They reached Liushu, seven li from Gu, and the men of Gu did not know of it. They reached the Pu, where it was raining, and would not cross. Zisi said: "A great state is under the eaves of our poor city; that is why we reported the emergency. Now if the army does not move, I fear it will come too late." Chengzi put on a rain cape, took up a dagger-axe, and stood on the slope; where horses would not go forward he helped to whip them on.

Earl Zhi heard of it and turned back, saying: "I divined about attacking Zheng; I did not divine about facing Qi." He sent word to Chengzi, saying: "The grandee Chenzi is sprung from Chen. That Chen has no sacrifices is Zheng's crime. Therefore my ruler sent Yao to look into the heart of the matter of Chen. I supposed the grandee would grieve for Chen. If he finds his advantage in the fall of his own root, what has Yao to do with it?" Chengzi was angry and said: "Those who have bullied many men are all gone. Can Earl Zhi last long?"

Wenzi of the Zhonghang line told Chengzi: "Someone from the Jin army has informed me, Yin, that they will make a thousand light chariots to press upon the gate of the Qi camp, and then we can be finished." Chengzi said: "My ruler's command to me, Heng, was: 'Do not strike at the few; do not fear the many.' Even if they exceed a thousand chariots, should I dare avoid them? I shall report your words to my ruler." Wenzi said: "Now at last I know why I lost everything. When a noble man plans, he takes up the beginning, the middle, and the end together, and only then goes in. Now I went in knowing none of the three — is that not asking for trouble?"

The duke was troubled by the arrogance of the Three Huan and wished to use the feudal lords to be rid of them; and the Three Huan in turn were troubled by the duke's recklessness. Therefore ruler and servants were much estranged. The duke was traveling at Lingban and met Meng Wubo at the Meng clan's crossroads. He said: "I have a question for you. Shall I reach a natural death?" He answered: "Your servant has no means of knowing." The duke asked three times, and to the last Wubo declined to answer. The duke wished to use Yue to attack Lu and be rid of the Three Huan.

In autumn, in the eighth month, on the day jiaxu, the duke went to the house of Gongsun Youxing, and from there went into exile in Zhu, and thence went on to Yue. The people of the capital fell upon the house of Gongsun Youshan.

Duke Dao (悼公)

Zuo.

In the fourth year of Duke Dao, Xun Yao of Jin led an army and besieged Zheng. Before he arrived, Si Hong of Zheng said: "Earl Zhi is obstinate and loves to win. Give way to him early, and then things can be managed." So they first secured Nanli and waited for him. Earl Zhi entered Nanli and assaulted the Jiedie Gate. The men of Zheng took Xi Kuilei prisoner and offered him a share in the government; he shut his mouth and died.

As they were about to attack the gate, Earl Zhi told Zhao Meng to go in. He replied: "My lord is here." Earl Zhi said: "You are ill-favored and without courage. How did you come to be made heir?" He replied: "Because I can bear shame — perhaps that will do no harm to the Zhao lineage." Earl Zhi did not mend his ways, and from this Zhao Xiangzi hated Earl Zhi and in the end destroyed him. Earl Zhi was greedy and obstinate; therefore Han and Wei turned against him and destroyed him.

Colophon

This translation was prepared for the Chinese shelf of the Good Works Library and made independently from the classical Chinese text printed in full below. The source is the Chinese Wikisource transcription of the Duke Ai section of the Zuo Commentary, which carries both layers together: the Chunqiu annal entries, marked jing (經), set here as bulleted Annals blocks with one bullet per entry, and the Zuo narrative, marked zhuan (傳), set as Zuo blocks. Every year keeps its own heading and follows the source's own order. The source's own Annals notices grow sparse after the fourteenth year, the year of the captured lin on which the Chunqiu traditionally closes, and stop appearing altogether after the sixteenth year, the year of Confucius's death; the last eleven years of the book, through the twenty-seventh, are given in the source as Zuo narrative alone, with no Annals block, and this translation follows that silence exactly rather than supplying entries the source does not have. Speeches and diplomatic exchanges are rendered as continuous direct speech, and quotations from the Odes and from popular song keep their line breaks. The source does not end with Duke Ai's own reign, either: it closes with one further brief notice, concerning the fall of the Chu minister Earl Zhi, headed and dated to the fourth year of Duke Ai's successor, Duke Dao; that notice is kept here in the place and form the source gives it, following the twenty-seventh year.

Complete published English translations of the Zuo Commentary exist and are long established: James Legge (1872), in The Ch'un Ts'ew with the Tso Chuen, and Stephen Durrant, Wai-yee Li, and David Schaberg's complete Zuo Tradition / Zuozhuan (2016); Burton Watson (1989) published a volume of selections. These are named here as controls in existence only. None of them was fetched or consulted, and no claim of firstness is made for this translation, which was derived directly from the Chinese characters of the source.

A note on names and terms. Several major figures appear under more than one name in the source itself: the Jin minister Zhao Yang is also called Zhao Jianzi and Zhao Meng, and Chen Heng of Qi, who seized his own ruler in the fourteenth year, is also called Chen Chengzi; this translation keeps whichever form the source uses at each point rather than flattening them to one. The stronghold town of Qi (戚), a possession of the state of Wei, is distinguished throughout from the larger state of Qi (齊), an unrelated place that happens to share an English spelling; readers should watch context, not spelling, to tell them apart. Among recurring technical terms, da zai (大宰) is grand steward, si ma (司馬) marshal, si tu (司徒) minister of education, ming da fu (命大夫) appointed grandee, and meng (盟) covenant.

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

🌲

Source Text: 春秋左氏傳 哀公

Classical Chinese text in the Chinese Wikisource transcription. Presented complete for reference, study, and verification alongside the English translation above.

哀公元年

經

元年春，王正月，公即位。楚子、陳侯、隨侯、許男圍蔡。鼷鼠食郊牛，改卜牛。

夏，四月，辛巳郊。

秋，齊侯、衛侯伐晉。

冬，仲孫何忌帥師伐邾。

傳

元年春，楚子圍蔡，報柏舉也。里而栽，廣丈，高倍。夫屯，晝夜九日，如子西之素。蔡人男女以辨，使疆于江汝之間，而還。蔡於是乎請遷于吳，吳王夫差敗越于夫椒，報檇李也，遂入越。越子以甲楯五千，保于會稽，使大夫種因吳大宰嚭以行成。吳子將許之，伍員曰：「不可。臣聞之：『樹德莫如滋，去疾莫如盡。』昔有過澆，殺斟灌以伐斟鄩，滅夏后相。后緡方娠，逃出自竇，歸于有仍，生少康焉，為仍牧正，惎澆能戒之。澆使椒求之，逃奔有虞，為之庖正，以除其害。虞思於是妻之以二姚，而邑諸綸，有田一成，有眾一旅，能布其德，而兆其謀，以收夏眾，撫其官職；使女艾諜澆，使季杼誘豷，遂滅過戈，復禹之績，祀夏配天，不失舊物。今吳不如過，而越大於少康，或將豐之，不亦難乎！句踐能親而務施，施不失人，親不棄勞，與我同壤，而世為仇讎，於是乎克而弗取，將又存之，違天而長寇讎，後雖悔之，不可食巳。姬之衰也，日可俟也；介在蠻夷，而長寇讎，以是求伯，必不行矣。」弗聽，退而告人曰：「越十年生聚，而十年教訓；二十年之外，吳其為沼乎！」

三月，越及吳平，吳入越不書。吳不告慶，越不告敗也。

夏，四月，齊侯、衛侯救邯鄲，圍五鹿。吳之入楚也，使召陳懷公，懷公朝國人而問焉，曰：「欲與楚者右，欲與吳者左。陳人從田，無田從黨。」逢滑當公而進曰：「臣聞國之興也以福，其亡也以禍。今吳未有福，楚未有禍，楚未可棄，吳未可從；而晉盟主也，若以晉辭，吳若何？」公曰：「國勝君亡，非禍而何？」對曰：「國之有是多矣，何必不復？小國猶復，況大國乎？臣聞國之興也，視民如傷，是其福也；其亡也，以民為土芥，是其禍也。楚雖無德，亦不艾殺其民；吳日敝於兵，暴骨如莽，而未見德焉。天其或者正訓楚也，禍之適吳，其何日之有？」陳侯從之，及夫差克越，乃脩先君之怨。

秋，八月，吳侵陳，脩舊怨也。齊侯、衛侯會于乾侯，救范氏也。師及齊師，衛孔圉鮮虞人伐晉，取棘蒲。吳師在陳，楚大夫皆懼曰：「闔廬惟能用其民，以敗我於柏舉，今聞其嗣又甚焉，將若之何？」子西曰：「二三子恤不相睦，無患吳矣。昔闔廬食不二味，居不重席，室不崇壇，器不彤鏤，宮室不觀，舟車不飾，衣服財用，擇不取費；在國，天有菑癘，親巡其孤寡，而共其乏困；在軍，熟食者分而後敢食，其所嘗者，卒乘與焉，勤恤其民，而與之勞逸：是以民不罷勞，死不知曠，吾先大夫子常易之，所以敗我也。今聞夫差，次有臺榭陂池焉，宿有妃嬙嬪御焉，一日之行，所欲必成，玩好必從，珍異是聚，觀樂是務，視民如讎，而用之日新，夫先自敗也已，安能敗我？」

冬，十一月，晉趙鞅伐朝歌。

哀公二年

經

二年春．王二月．季孫斯．叔孫州仇．仲孫何忌．帥師伐邾．取漷東田及沂西田．癸巳．叔孫州仇．仲孫何忌．及邾人盟于句繹．

夏．四月．丙子．衛侯元卒．滕子來朝．晉趙鞅帥師納衛世子蒯瞶于戚．

秋．八月．甲戌．晉趙鞅帥師．及鄭罕達帥師．戰于鐵．鄭師敗績．

冬．十月．葬衛靈公．

十有一月．蔡遷于州來．蔡殺其大夫公子駟．

傳

二年春．伐邾．將伐絞．邾人愛其土．故賂以漷沂之田而受盟．初．衛侯遊于郊．子南僕．公曰．余無子．將立女．不對．他日又謂之．對曰．郢不足以辱社稷．君其改圖．君夫人在堂．三揖在下．君命祇辱．

夏．衛靈公卒．夫人曰．命公子郢為大子．君命也．對曰．郢異於他子．且君沒於吾手．若有之．郢必聞之．且亡人之子輒在．乃立輒．

六月．乙酉．晉趙鞅納衛大子于戚．宵迷．陽虎曰．右河而南必至焉．使大子絻．八人衰絰．偽自衛逆者．告於門．哭而入．遂居之．

秋．八月．齊人輸范氏粟．鄭子姚．子般．送之．士吉射逆之．趙鞅禦之．遇于戚．陽虎曰．吾車少．以兵車之旆．與罕駟兵車．先陳．罕駟自後隨而從之．彼見吾貌．必右懼心．於是乎會之．必大敗之．從之．卜戰．龜焦．樂丁曰．詩曰．爰始爰謀．爰契我龜．謀協以故．兆詢可也．簡子誓曰．范氏中行氏反易天明．斬艾百姓．欲擅晉國而滅其君．寡君恃鄭而保焉．今鄭為不道．棄君助臣．二三子順天明．從君命．經德義．除詬恥．在此行也．克敵者．上大夫受縣．下大夫受郡．士田十萬．庶人工商遂．人臣隸圉免．志父無罪．君實圖之．若其有罪．絞縊以戮．桐棺三寸．不設屬辟．素車樸馬．無入于兆．下卿之罰也．甲戌．將戰．郵無恤御簡子．衛太子為右．登鐵上．望見鄭師眾．大子懼．自投于車下．子良授大子綏而乘之．曰．婦人也．簡子巡列．曰．畢萬匹夫也．七戰皆獲．有馬百乘．死於牖下．群子勉之．死不在寇．繁羽御趙羅．宋勇為右．羅無勇麇之．吏詰之．御對曰．痁作而伏．衛大子禱曰．曾孫蒯聵．敢昭告皇祖文王．烈祖康叔．文祖襄公．鄭勝亂從．晉午在難．不能治亂．使鞅討之．蒯聵不敢自佚．備持矛焉．敢告無絕筋．無折骨．無面傷．以集大事．無作三祖羞．大命不敢請．佩玉不敢愛．鄭人擊簡子中肩．斃于車中．獲其蜂旗．大子救之以戈．鄭師北．獲溫大夫趙羅．大子復伐之．鄭師大敗．獲齊粟千車．趙孟喜曰．可矣．傅傁曰．雖克鄭．猶有知在．憂未艾也．初．周人與范氏田．公孫尨稅焉．趙氏得而獻之．吏請殺之．趙孟曰．為其主也．何罪．止而與之田．及鐵之戰．以徒五百人．宵攻鄭師．取蜂旗於子姚之幕下．獻曰．請報主德．追鄭師．姚．般．公孫林．殿而射．前列多死．趙孟曰．國無小．既戰．簡子曰．吾伏弢嘔血．鼓音不衰．今日我上也．大子曰．吾救主於車．退敵於下．我右之上也．郵良曰．我兩靷將絕．吾能止之．我御之上也．駕而乘材．兩靷皆絕．吳洩庸如蔡納聘．而稍納師．師畢入．眾知之．蔡侯告大夫殺公子駟以說．哭而遷墓．冬．蔡遷于州來．

哀公三年

經

三年春．齊國夏．衛石曼姑．帥師圍戚．

夏．四月．甲午．地震．

五月．辛卯．桓宮僖宮災．季孫斯．叔孫州仇．帥師城啟陽．宋樂髡帥師伐曹．

秋．七月．丙子．季孫斯卒．蔡人放其大夫公孫獵于吳．

冬．十月．癸卯．秦伯卒．叔孫州仇．仲孫何忌．帥師圍邾．

傳

三年春．齊衛圍戚．求援于中山．

夏．五月．辛卯．司鐸火．火踰公宮．桓僖災．救火者皆曰顧府．南宮敬叔至．命周人出御書．俟於宮曰．庀女而不在死．子服景伯至．命宰人出禮書．以待命．命不共．有常刑．校人乘馬．巾車脂轄．百官官備．府庫慎守．官人肅給．濟濡帷幕．鬱攸從之．蒙茸公屋．自大廟始．外內以悛．助所不給．有不用命．則有常刑．無赦．公父文伯至．命校人駕乘車．季桓子至．御公立于象魏之外．命救火者．傷人則止．財可為也．命藏象魏．曰．舊章不可亡也．富父槐至．曰．無備而官辦者．猶拾瀋也．於是乎去表之稿．道還公宮．孔子在陳．聞火．曰．其桓僖乎．劉氏．范氏．世為婚姻．萇弘事劉文公．故周與范氏．趙鞅以為討．

六月．癸卯．周人殺萇弘．

秋．季孫有疾．命正常曰．無死．南孺子之子．男也．則以告而立之．女也．則肥也可．季孫卒．康子即位．既葬．康子在朝．南氏生男正常．載以如朝．告曰．夫子有遺言．命其圉臣曰．南氏生男．則以告於君．與大夫．而立之．今生矣．男也．敢告．遂奔衛．康子請退．公使共劉視之．則或殺之矣．乃討之．召正常．正常不反．

冬．十月．晉趙鞅圍朝歌．師于其南．荀寅伐其郛．使其徒自北門入．己犯師而出．癸丑．奔邯鄲．

十一月．趙鞅殺士皋夷．惡范氏也．

哀公四年

經

四年春．王二月．庚戌．盜殺蔡侯申．蔡公孫辰出奔吳．葬秦惠公．宋人執小邾子．

夏．蔡殺其大夫公孫姓．公孫霍．晉人執戎蠻子赤歸于楚．城西郛．

六月．辛丑．亳社災．

秋．八月．甲寅．滕子結卒．

冬．十有二月．葬蔡昭公．葬滕頃公．

傳

四年春．蔡昭侯將如吳．諸大夫恐其又遷也．承．公孫翩逐而射之．入於家人而卒．以兩矢門之．眾莫敢進．文之鍇後至．曰．如牆而進．多而殺二人．鍇執弓而先．翩射之．中肘．鍇遂殺之．故逐公孫辰．而殺公孫姓．公孫盱．

夏．楚人既克夷虎．乃謀北方．左司馬販．申公壽餘．葉公諸梁．致蔡於負函．致方城之外於繒關．曰．吳將泝江入郢．將奔命焉．為一昔之期．襲梁及霍．單浮餘圍蠻氏．蠻氏潰．蠻子赤奔晉陰地．司馬起豐析與狄戎．以臨上雒．左師軍于菟和．右師軍于倉野．使謂陰地之命大夫士蔑曰．晉楚有盟．好惡同之．若將不廢．寡君之願也．不然．將通於少．習以聽命．士蔑請諸趙孟．趙孟曰．晉國未寧．安能惡於楚．必速與之．士蔑乃致九州之戎．將裂田以與蠻子而城之．且將為之卜．蠻子聽卜．遂執之．與其五大夫．以畀楚師于三戶．司馬致邑立宗焉．以誘其遺民．而盡俘以歸．

秋．七月．齊陳乞．弦施．衛甯跪．救范氏．庚午．圍五鹿．

九月．趙鞅圍邯鄲．

冬．十一月．邯鄲降．荀寅奔鮮虞．趙稷奔臨．

十二月．弦施逆之．遂墮臨．國夏伐晉．取邢．任．欒．鄗．逆畤．陰人．盂．壺口．會鮮虞．納荀寅于柏人．

哀公五年

經

五年春．城毗．

夏．齊侯伐宋．晉趙鞅帥師伐衛．

秋．九月．癸酉．齊侯杵臼卒．

冬．叔還如齊．

閏月．葬齊景公．

傳

五年春．晉圍柏人．荀寅．士吉射．奔齊．初．范氏之臣王生．惡張柳朔．言諸昭子．使為柏人．昭子曰．夫非而讎乎．對曰．私讎不及公．好不廢過．惡不去善．義之經也．臣敢違之．及范氏出．張柳朔謂其子．爾從主．勉之．我將止死．主生授我矣．吾不可以僭之．遂死於柏人．

夏．趙鞅伐衛．范氏之故也．遂圍中牟．齊燕姬生子．不成而死．諸子．鬻姒之子荼嬖．諸大夫恐其為大子也．言於公曰．君之齒長矣．未有大子．若之何．公曰．二三子間於憂虞．則有疾疢．亦姑謀樂．何憂於無君．公疾．使國惠子．高昭子．立荼．寘群公子於萊．

秋．齊景公卒．

冬．十月．公子嘉．公子駒．公子黔．奔衛．公子鉏．公子陽生．來奔．萊人歌之曰．景公死乎不與埋．三軍之事乎不與謀．師乎師乎．何黨之乎．鄭駟秦富而侈．嬖大夫也．而常陳卿之車服於其庭．鄭人惡而殺之．子思曰．詩曰．不解于位．民之攸塈．不守其位．而能久者鮮矣．商頌曰．不僭不濫．不敢怠皇．命以多福．

哀公六年

經

六年春．城邾瑕．晉趙鞅帥師伐鮮虞．吳伐陳．
夏．齊國夏及高張來奔．叔還會吳于柤．

秋．七月．庚寅．楚子軫卒．齊陽生入于齊．齊陳乞弒其君荼．

冬．仲孫何忌帥師伐邾．宋向巢帥師伐曹．

傳

六年春．晉伐鮮虞．治范氏之亂也．吳伐陳．復脩舊怨也．楚子曰．吾先君與陳有盟．不可以不救．乃救陳．師于城父．齊陳乞偽事高國者．每朝必驂乘焉．所從必言．諸大夫曰．彼皆偃蹇．將棄子之命．皆曰．高國得君．必偪我．盍去諸．固將謀子．子早圖之．圖之莫如盡滅之．需事之下也．及朝．則曰．彼虎狼也．見我在子之側．殺我無日矣．請就之位．又謂諸大夫曰．二子者禍矣．恃得君而欲謀二三子．曰．國之多難．貴寵之由．盡去之而後君定．既成謀矣．盍及其未作也．先諸作而後悔．亦無及也．大夫從之．

夏．六月．戊辰．陳乞鮑牧及諸大夫以甲入于公宮．昭子聞之．與惠子乘如公．戰于莊．敗．國人追之．國夏奔莒．遂及高張晏圉．弦施來奔．

秋．七月．楚子在城父．將救陳．卜戰不吉．卜退不吉．王曰．然則死也．再敗楚師．不如死．棄盟逃讎．亦不如死．死一也．其死讎乎．命公子申為王．不可．則命公子結．亦不可．則命公子啟．五辭而後許．將戰．王有疾．庚寅．昭王攻大冥．卒于城父．子閭退曰．君王舍其子而讓．群臣敢忘君乎．從君之命．順也．立君之子．亦順也．二順不可失也．與子西．子期．謀潛師閉塗．逆越女之子章立之．而後還．是歲也．有雲如眾．赤鳥夾日以飛．三日．楚子使問諸周大史．周大史曰．其當王身乎．若禜之．可移於令尹．司馬王曰．除腹心之疾．而寘諸股肱何益．不穀不有大過．天其夭諸．有罪受罰．又焉移之．遂弗禜．初．昭王有疾．卜曰．河為祟．王弗祭．大夫請祭諸郊．王曰．三代命祀．祭不越望．江漢雎章．楚之望也．禍福之至．不是過也．不穀雖不德．河非所獲罪也．遂弗祭．孔子曰．楚昭王知大道矣．其不失國也宜哉．夏書曰．惟彼陶唐．帥彼天常．有此冀方．今失其行．亂其紀綱．乃滅而亡．又曰．允出茲在茲．由己率常可矣．

八月．齊邴意茲來奔．陳僖子使召公子陽生．陽生駕而見南郭且于．曰．嘗獻馬於季孫．不入於上乘．故又獻此．請與子乘之．出萊門而告之故．闞止知之．先待諸外．公子曰．事未可知．反與壬也處．戒之．遂行．逮夜至於齊．國人知之．僖子使子士之母養之．與饋者皆入．

冬．十月．丁卯．立之．將盟．鮑子醉而往．其臣差車鮑點．曰．此誰之命也．陳子曰．受命于鮑子．遂誣鮑子曰．子之命也．鮑子曰．女忘君之為孺子牛．而折其齒乎．而背之也．悼公稽首曰．吾子奉義而行者也．若我可．不必亡一大夫．若我不可．不必亡一公子．義則進．否則退．敢不唯子是從．廢興無以亂．則所願也．鮑子曰．誰非君之子．乃受盟．使胡姬以安孺子如賴．去鬻姒．殺王甲．拘江說．囚王豹于句竇之丘．公使朱毛告於陳子曰．微子則不及此．然君異於器．不可以二．器二不匱．君二多難．敢布諸大夫．僖子不對而泣．曰．君舉不信群臣乎．以齊國之困．困又有憂．少君不可以訪．是以求長君．庶亦能容群臣乎．不然．夫孺子何罪．毛復命．公悔之．毛曰．君大訪於陳子．而圖其小．可也．使毛遷孺子於駘．不至．殺諸野幕之下．葬諸殳冒淳．

哀公七年

經

七年春．宋皇瑗帥師侵鄭．晉魏曼多帥師侵衛．

夏．公會吳于鄫．

秋．公伐邾．八月．己酉．入邾．以邾子益來．宋人圍曹．

冬．鄭駟弘帥師救曹．

傳

七年春．宋師侵鄭．鄭叛晉故也．晉師侵衛．衛不服也．

夏．公會吳于鄫．吳來徵百牢．子服景伯對曰．先王未之有也．吳人曰．宋百牢我．魯不可以後宋．且魯牢晉大夫過十．吳王百牢．不亦可乎．景伯曰．晉范鞅貪而棄禮．以大國懼敝邑．故敝邑十一牢之．君若以禮命於諸侯．則有數矣．若亦棄禮．則有淫者矣．周之王也．制禮上物．不過十二．以為天之大數也．今棄周禮．而曰必百牢．亦唯執事．吳人弗聽．景伯曰．吳將亡矣．棄天而背本．不與．必棄疾於我．乃與之．太宰嚭召季康子．康子使子貢辭．大宰嚭曰．國君道長．而大夫不出門．此何禮也．對曰．豈以為禮．畏大國也．大國不以禮命於諸侯．苟不以禮．豈可量也．寡君既共命焉．其老豈敢棄其國．大伯端委以治周禮．仲雍嗣之．斷髮文身．臝以為飾．豈禮也哉．有由然也．反自鄫．以吳為無能為也．季康子欲伐邾．乃饗大夫以謀之．子服景伯曰．小所以事大．信也．大所以保小．仁也．背大國不信．伐小國不仁．民保於城．城保於德．失二德者．危將焉保．孟孫曰．二三子以為何如．惡賢而逆之．對曰．禹合諸侯於塗山．執玉帛者萬國．今其存者．無數十焉．唯大不字小．小不事大也．知必危．何故不言．魯德如邾．而以眾加之．可乎．不樂而出．

秋‧伐邾．及范門．猶聞鍾聲．大夫諫．不聽．茅成子請告於吳．不許．曰．魯擊柝聞於邾．吳二千里．不三月不至．何及於我．且國內豈不足．成子以茅叛．師遂入邾．處其公宮．眾師晝掠．邾眾保于繹．師宵掠．以邾子益來．獻于亳社．囚諸負瑕．負瑕故有繹．邾茅夷鴻以束帛乘韋．自請救於吳．曰．魯弱晉而遠吳．馮恃其眾而背君之盟．辟君之執事．以陵我小國．邾非敢自愛也．懼君威之不立．君威之不立．小國之憂也．若夏盟於鄫衍．秋而背之．成求
而不違．四方諸侯．其何以事君．且魯賦八百乘．君之貳也．邾賦六百乘．君之私也．以私奉貳．唯君圖之．吳子從之．宋人圍曹．鄭桓子思曰．宋人有曹．鄭之患也．不可以不救．

冬．鄭師救曹．侵宋．初．曹人或夢眾君子立于社宮．而謀亡曹．曹叔振鐸請待公孫彊．許之．旦而求之曹．無之．戒其子曰．我死．爾聞公孫彊為政．必去之．及曹伯陽即位．好田弋．曹鄙人公孫彊好弋．獲白鴈．獻之．且言田弋之說．說之．因訪政事．大說之．有寵使為司城以聽政．夢者之子乃行．彊言霸說於曹伯．曹伯從之．乃背晉而奸宋．宋人伐之．晉人不救．築五邑於其郊．曰．黍丘．揖丘．大城．鍾．邘．

哀公八年

經

八年春．王正月．宋公入曹．以曹伯陽歸．吳伐我．

夏．齊人取讙及闡．歸邾子益于邾．

秋．七月．

冬．十有二月．癸亥．杞伯過卒．齊人歸讙及闡．

傳

八年春．宋公伐曹．將還．褚師子肥殿．曹人詬之．不行．師待之．公聞之怒．命反之．遂滅曹．執曹伯．及司城彊以歸．殺之．吳為邾故．將伐魯．問於叔孫輒．叔孫輒對曰．魯有名而無情．伐之必得志焉．退而告公山不狃．公山不狃曰．非禮也．君子違不適讎國．未臣而有伐之．奔命焉．死之可也．所託也則隱．且夫人之行也．不以所惡廢鄉．今子以小惡而欲覆宗國．不亦難乎．若使子率．子必辭．王將使我子張疾之．王問於子洩．對曰．魯雖無與立．必有與斃．諸侯將救之．未可以得志焉．晉與齊楚輔之．是四讎也．夫魯．齊晉之脣．脣亡齒寒．君所知也．不救何為．三月．吳伐我．子洩率．故道險．從武城．初武城人或有因於吳竟田焉．拘鄫人之漚菅者．曰．何故使吾水滋．及吳師至．拘者道之．以伐武城．克之．王犯嘗為之宰．澹臺子羽之父好焉．國人懼．懿子謂景伯．若之何．對曰．吳師來．斯與之戰．何患焉．且召之而至．又何求焉．吳師克東陽而進．舍於五梧．明日．舍於蠶室．公賓庚．公甲叔子．與戰于夷．獲叔子與析朱鉏．獻於王．王曰．此同車．必使能．國未可望也．明日舍于庚宗．遂次于泗上．微虎欲宵攻王舍．私屬徒七百人．三踊於幕庭．卒三百人．有若與焉．及稷門之內．或謂季孫曰．不足以害吳．而多殺國士．不如已也．乃止之．吳子聞之．一夕三遷．吳人行成．將盟．景伯曰．楚人圍宋．易子而食．析骸而爨．猶無城下之盟．我未及虧．而有城下之盟．是棄國也．吳輕而遠．不能久．將歸矣．請少待之．弗從．景伯負載．造於萊門．乃請釋子服何於吳．吳人許之．以王子姑曹當之．而後止．吳人盟而還．齊悼公之來也．季康子以其妹妻之．即位而逆之．季魴侯通焉．女言其情．弗敢與也．齊侯怒．

夏．五月．齊鮑牧帥師伐我．取讙及闡．或譖胡姬於齊侯．曰．安孺子之黨也．

六月．齊侯殺胡姬．齊侯使如吳請師．將以伐我．乃歸邾子．邾子又無道．吳子使大宰子餘討之．囚諸樓臺栫之以棘．使諸大夫奉大子革以為政．

秋．及齊平．

九月．臧賓如如齊蒞盟．齊閭丘明來蒞盟．且逆季姬以歸．嬖．鮑牧又謂群公子曰．使女有馬千乘乎．公子愬之．公謂鮑子．或譖子．子姑居於潞以察之．若有之．則分室以行．若無之．則反子之所．出門．使以三分之一行．半道．使以二乘．及潞．麇之以入．遂殺之．

冬．十二月．齊人歸讙及闡．季姬嬖故也．

哀公九年

經

九年春．王二月．葬杞僖公．宋皇瑗帥師取鄭師于雍丘．

夏．楚人伐陳．

秋．宋公伐鄭．

冬．十月．

傳

九年春．齊侯使公孟綽辭師于吳．吳子曰．昔歲寡人聞命．今又革之．不知所從．將進受命於君．鄭武子賸之嬖．許瑕求邑．無以與之．請外取．許之．故圍宋雍丘．宋皇瑗圍鄭師．每日遷舍．壘合．鄭師哭．子姚救之．大敗．

二月．甲戌．宋取鄭師于雍丘．使有能者無死．以郟張與鄭羅歸．

夏．楚人伐陳．陳即吳故也．宋公伐鄭．

秋．吳城邗．溝通江淮．晉趙鞅卜救鄭．遇水適火．占諸史趙．史墨．史龜．史龜曰．是謂沈陽．可以興兵．利以伐姜．不利子商．伐齊則可．敵宋不吉．史墨曰．盈．水名也．子．水位也．名位敵．不可干也．炎帝為火師．姜姓其後也．水勝火．伐姜則可．史趙曰．是謂如川之滿．不可游也．鄭方有罪．不可救也．救鄭則不吉．不知其他．陽虎以周易筮之．遇泰之需曰．宋方吉不可與也．微子啟．帝乙之．元子也．宋．鄭．甥舅也．祉．祿也．若帝乙之元子．歸妹而有吉祿．我安得吉焉．乃止．

冬．吳子使．來儆師伐齊．

哀公十年

經

十年春．王二月．邾子益來奔．公會吳伐齊．

三月．戊戌．齊侯陽生卒．

夏．宋人伐鄭．晉趙鞅帥師侵齊．

五月．公至自伐齊．葬齊悼公．衛公孟彄自齊歸于衛．薛伯夷卒．

秋．葬薛惠公．

冬．楚公子結帥師伐陳．吳救陳．

傳

十年春．邾隱公來奔．齊甥也．故遂奔齊．公會吳子．邾子．郯子．伐齊南鄙．師于鄎．齊人弒悼公．赴于師．吳子三日哭于軍門之外．徐承帥舟師．將自海入齊．齊人敗之．吳師乃還．

夏‧趙鞅帥師伐齊．大夫請卜之．趙孟曰．吾卜於此起兵．事不再令．卜不襲吉．行也．於是乎取犁及轅．毀高唐之郭．侵及賴而還．

秋．吳子使來復儆師．

冬．楚子期伐陳．吳延州來季子救陳．謂子期曰．二君不務德．而力爭諸侯．民何罪焉．我請退．以為子名務德而安．民乃還．

哀公十一年

經

十有一年春．齊國書帥師伐我．

夏．陳轅頗出奔鄭．

五月．公會吳伐齊．甲戌．齊國書帥師及吳戰于艾陵．齊師敗績獲齊國書．

秋．七月．辛酉．滕子虞母卒．

秋．十有一月．葬滕隱公．衛世叔齊出奔宋．

傳

十一年春．齊為鄎故．國書．高無平．帥師伐我．及清．季孫謂其宰冉求．曰．齊師在清．必魯故也．若之何．求曰．一子守．二子從．公禦諸竟．季孫曰．不能．求曰．居封疆之間．季孫告二子．二子不可．求曰．若不可．則君無出．一子帥師．背城而戰．不屬者．非魯人也．魯之群室．眾於齊之兵車．一室敵車．優矣．子何患焉．二子之不欲戰也．宜政在季氏．當子之身．齊人伐魯．而不能戰．子之恥也．大不列於諸侯矣．季孫使從於朝．俟於黨氏之溝．武叔呼而問戰焉．對曰．君子有遠慮．小人何知．懿子強問之．對曰．小人慮材而言．量力而共者也．武叔曰．是謂我不成丈夫也．退而蒐乘．孟孺子洩帥右師．顏羽御．邴洩為右．冉求帥左師．管周父御．樊遲為右．季孫曰．須也弱．有子曰．就用命焉．季孫之甲七千．冉有以武城人三百．為己徒卒．老幼守宮．次于雩門之外．五日．右師從之．公叔務人見保者而泣曰．事充政重．上不能謀．士不能死．何以治民．吾既言之矣．敢不勉乎．師及齊師戰于郊．齊師自稷曲．師不踰溝．樊遲曰．非不能也．不信子也．請三刻而踰之．如之．眾從之．師入齊軍．右師奔．齊人從之．陳瓘．陳莊．涉泗．孟之側後入．以為殿．抽矢策其馬曰．馬不進也．林不狃之伍曰．走乎．不狃曰．誰不如．曰．然則止乎．不狃曰．惡賢．徐步而死．師獲甲首八十．齊人不能師．宵諜曰．齊人遁．冉有請從之．三季孫弗許．孟孺子語人曰．我不如顏羽．而賢於邴洩．子羽銳敏．我不欲戰而能默．洩曰．驅之．公為與其嬖僮汪錡乘．皆死皆殯．孔子曰．能執干戈以衛社稷．可無殤也．冉有用矛於齊師．故能入其軍．孔子曰．義也．

夏．陳轅頗出奔鄭．初轅頗為司徒．賦封田．以嫁公女．有餘．以為己大器．國人逐之．故出道渴．其族轅咺．進稻醴．粱糗．腶脯焉．喜曰．何其給也．對曰．器成而具．曰．何不吾諫．對曰．懼先行．為郊戰．故公會吳子伐齊．

五月．克博．壬申．至于嬴．中軍從王．胥門巢將上軍．王子姑曹將下軍．展如將右軍．齊國書將中軍．高無平將上軍．宗樓將下軍．陳僖子謂其弟書．爾死．我必得志．宗子陽與閭丘明相厲也．桑掩胥御國子．公孫夏曰．二子必死．將戰．公孫夏命其徒歌虞殯．陳子行命其徒具含玉．公孫揮命其徒曰．人尋約．吳髮短．東郭書曰．三戰必死．於此三矣．使問弦多以琴．曰．吾不復見子矣．陳書曰．此行也．吾聞鼓而已．不聞金矣．甲戌．戰于艾陵．展如敗高子．國子敗胥門巢．王卒助之．大敗齊師．獲國書．公孫夏．閭丘明．陳書．東郭書．革車八百乘．甲首三千．以獻于公．將戰．吳子呼叔孫曰．而事何也．對曰．從司馬王賜之甲劍鈹．曰．奉爾君事．敬無廢命．叔孫未能對．衛賜進曰．州仇奉甲從君而拜．公使大史固．歸國子之元．寘之新篋．褽之以玄纁．加組帶焉．寘書于其上．曰．天若不識不衷．何以使下國．吳將伐齊．越子率其眾以朝焉．王及列士．皆有饋賂．吳人皆喜．唯子胥懼曰．是豢吳也夫．諫曰．越在我．心腹之疾也．壤地同面有欲於我．夫其柔服．求濟其欲也．不如早從事焉．得志於齊．猶獲石田也．無所用之．越不為沼．吳其泯矣．使醫除疾．而曰必遺類焉者．未之有也．盤庚之誥曰．其有顛越不共．則劓殄無遺育．無俾易種于茲邑．是商所以興也．今君易之．將以求大．不亦難乎．弗聽．使於齊．屬其子於鮑氏．為王孫氏．反役．王聞之．使賜之屬鏤以死．將死．曰．樹吾墓檟．檟可材也．吳其亡乎．三年．其始弱矣．盈必毀．天之道也．

秋．季孫命脩守備．曰．小勝大．禍也．齊至無日矣．

冬．衛大叔疾出奔宋．初疾娶于宋子朝．其娣嬖．子朝出．孔文子使疾出其妻而妻之．疾使侍人誘其初妻之娣．寘於犁．而為之一宮．如二妻．文子怒．欲攻之．仲尼止之．遂奪其妻．或淫于外州．外州人奪之軒以獻．恥是二者．故出．衛人立遺．使室孔姞．疾臣向魋．納美珠焉．與之城鉏．宋公求珠．魋不與．由是得罪．及桓氏出．城鉏人攻大叔疾．衛莊公復之．使處巢．死焉．殯於鄖．葬於少禘．初．晉悼公子憖亡在衛．使其女僕而田．大叔懿子止而飲之酒．遂聘之．生悼子．悼子即位．故夏戊為大夫．悼子亡．衛人翦夏戊．孔文子之將攻大叔也．訪於仲尼．仲尼曰．胡簋之事．則嘗學之矣．甲兵之事．未之聞也．退命駕而行．曰．鳥則擇木．木豈能擇鳥．文子遽止之．曰．圉豈敢度其私．訪衛國之難也．將止．魯人以幣召之．乃歸．季孫欲以田賦．使冉有訪諸仲尼．仲尼曰．丘．不識也．三發．卒曰．子為國老．待子而行．若之何子之不言也．仲尼不對．而私於冉有曰．君子之行也．度於禮．施取其厚．事舉其中．斂從其薄．如是則以丘亦足矣．若不度於禮．而貪冒無厭．則雖以田賦．將又不足．且子季孫若欲行而法．則周公之典在．若欲苟而行．又何訪焉．弗聽．

哀公十二年

經

十有二年春．用田賦．

夏．五月．甲辰．孟子卒．公會吳于橐皋．

秋．公會衛侯．宋皇瑗．于鄖．宋向巢帥師伐鄭．

冬．十有二月．螽．

傳

十二年春．王正月．用田賦．

夏．五月．昭夫人孟子卒．昭公娶于吳．故不書姓．死不赴．故不稱夫人．不反哭．故言不葬小君．孔子與弔．適季氏．季氏不絻．放絰而拜．公會吳于橐皋．吳子使大宰嚭請尋盟．公不欲使．子貢對曰盟．所以周信也．故心以制之．玉帛以奉之．言以結之．明神以要之．寡君以為苟有盟焉．弗可改也巳．若猶可改．日盟何益．今吾子曰．必尋盟．若可尋也．亦可寒也．乃不尋盟．吳徵會于衛．初．衛人殺吳行人且姚而懼．謀於行人子羽．子羽曰．吳方無道．無乃辱吾君．不如止也．子木曰．吳方無道．國無道．必棄疾於人．吳雖無道．猶足以患衛．往也．長木之．斃無不摽也．國狗之瘈．無不噬也．而況大國乎．

秋．衛侯會吳于鄖．公及衛侯．宋皇瑗盟．而卒辭吳盟．吳人藩衛侯之舍．子服景伯謂子貢曰．夫諸侯之會．事既畢矣．侯伯致禮地主歸餼．以相辭也．今吳不行禮於衛．而藩其君舍以難之．子盍見大宰．乃請束錦以行．語及衛故．大宰嚭曰．寡君願事衛君．衛君之來也緩．寡君懼．故將止之．子貢曰．衛君之來．必謀於其眾．其眾或欲或否．是以緩來．其欲來者．子之黨也．其不欲來者．子之讎也．若執衛君．是墮黨而崇讎也．夫墮子者．得其志矣．且合諸侯而執衛君．誰敢不懼．墮黨崇讎．而懼諸侯．或者難以霸乎．大宰嚭說．乃舍衛侯．衛侯歸．效夷言．子之尚幼．曰．君必不免．其死於夷乎．執焉．而又說其言．從之固矣．

冬．十二月．螽．季孫問諸仲尼．仲尼曰．丘聞之．火伏而後蟄者畢．今火猶西流．司厤過也．宋鄭之間．有隙地焉．曰．彌作．頃丘．玉暢．喦戈．鍚．子產與宋人為成曰．勿有是．及宋平元之族．自蕭奔鄭．鄭人為之城喦戈鍚．

九月．宋向巢伐鄭．取鍚．殺元公之孫．遂圍喦．

十二月．鄭罕達救喦．丙申．圍宋師．

哀公十三年

經

十有三年春．鄭罕達帥師取宋師于喦．

夏．許男成卒．公會晉侯及吳子于黃池．楚公子申帥師伐陳．於越入吳．

秋．公至自會．晉魏曼多帥師侵衛．葬許元公．

九月．螽．

冬．十有一月．有星孛于東方．盜殺陳夏區夫．

十有二月．螽．

傳

十三年春．宋向魋救其師．鄭子賸使徇曰．得桓魋者有賞．魋也逃歸．遂取宋師于喦．獲成讙．郜延．以六邑為虛．

夏．公會單平公．晉定公．吳夫差于黃池．

六月．丙子．越子伐吳．為二隧．疇無餘．謳陽．自南方先及郊．吳大子友．王子地．王孫彌庸．壽於姚．自泓上觀之．彌庸見姑蔑之旗．曰．吾父之旗也．不可以見讎而弗殺也．大子曰．戰而不克．將亡國．請待之．彌庸不可．屬徒五千．王子地助之．乙酉．戰．彌庸獲疇無餘．地獲謳陽．越子至．王子地守．丙戌．復戰．大敗吳師．獲大子友．王孫彌庸．壽於姚．丁亥．入吳．吳人告敗于王．王惡其聞也．自剄七人於幕下．

秋．七月．辛丑．盟．吳晉爭先．吳人曰．於周室．我為長．晉人曰．於姬姓．我為伯．趙鞅呼司馬寅曰．日旰矣．大事未成．二臣之罪也．建鼓整列．二臣死之．長幼必可知也．對曰．請姑視之．反曰．肉食者無墨．今吳王有墨．國勝乎．大子死乎．且夷德輕．不忍久．請少待之．乃先晉人．吳人將以公見晉侯．子服景伯對使者曰．王合諸侯．則伯帥侯牧以見於王．伯合諸侯．則侯帥子男以見於伯．自王以下．朝聘玉帛不同．故敝邑之職貢於吳．有豐於晉．無不及焉．以為伯也．今諸侯會．而君將以寡君見晉君．則晉成為伯矣．敝邑將改職貢．魯賦於吳八百乘．若為子男．則將半邾．以屬於吳．而如邾以事晉．且執事以伯召諸侯．而以侯終之．何利之有焉．吳人乃止．既而悔之．將囚景伯．景伯曰．何也．立後於魯矣．將以二乘．與六人從．遲速唯命．遂囚以還．及戶牖．謂大宰曰．魯將以十月上辛．有事於上帝先王．季辛而畢．何．世有職焉．自襄以來．未之改也．若不會．祝宗將曰．吳實然．且謂魯不共．而執其賤者七人．何損焉．大宰嚭言於王曰．無損於魯．而祗為名．不如歸之．乃歸景伯．吳申叔儀．乞糧於公孫有山氏．曰．佩玉繠兮．余無所繫之．旨酒一盛兮．余與褐之父睨之．對曰．梁則無矣．麤則有之．若登首山以呼曰．庚癸乎．則諾王．欲伐宋殺其丈夫．而囚其婦人．大宰嚭曰．可勝也．而弗能居也．乃歸．

冬．吳及越平．

哀公十四年

經

十有四年春．西狩獲麟．小邾射以句繹來奔．

夏‧四月．齊陳恆執其君．寘于舒州．庚戌叔還卒．

五月．庚申朔．日有食之．陳宗豎出奔楚．宋向魋入于曹以叛．莒子狂卒．

六月．宋向魋自曹出奔衛．宋向巢來奔．齊人弒其君壬于舒州．

秋．晉趙鞅帥師伐衛．

八月．辛丑．仲孫何忌卒．

冬．陳宗豎自楚復入于陳．陳人殺之．陳轅買出奔楚．有星孛．饑．

傳

十四年春．西狩于大野．叔孫氏之車子鉏商獲麟．以為不祥．以賜虞人．仲尼觀之．曰．麟也．然後取之．小邾射以句繹來奔．曰使季路要我．吾無盟矣．使子路．子路辭．季康子使冉有謂之曰．千乘之國．不信其盟．而信子之言．子何辱焉．對曰．魯有事于小邾．不敢問故．死其城下可也．彼不臣而濟其言．是義之也．由弗能．齊簡公之在魯也．闞止有寵焉．及即位．使為政．陳成子憚之．驟顧諸朝．諸御鞅言於公曰．陳闞不可並也．君其擇焉．弗聽．子我夕．陳逆殺人．逢之．遂執以入．陳氏方睦．使疾．而遺之潘沐．備酒肉焉．饗守囚者．醉而殺之．而逃．子我盟諸陳於陳宗．初．陳豹欲為子我臣．使公孫言已．已有喪而止．既而言之．曰．有陳豹者．長而上僂．望視．事君子必得志．欲為子臣．吾憚其為人也．故緩以告．子我曰．何害．是其在我也．使為臣．他日．與之言政．說遂有寵．謂之曰．我盡逐陳氏．而立女．若何．對曰．我遠於陳氏矣．且其違者．不過數人．何盡逐焉．遂告陳氏．子行曰．彼得君．弗先．必禍子．子行舍於公宮．

夏．五月．壬申．成子兄弟．四乘如公．子我在幄．出逆之．遂入．閉門．侍人禦之．子行殺侍人．公與婦人飲酒於檀臺．成子遷諸寢．公執戈．將擊之．大史子餘曰．非不利也．將除害也．成子出舍于庫．聞公猶怒．將出曰．何所無君．子行抽劍曰．需．事之賊也．誰非陳宗．所不殺子者．有如陳宗．乃止．子我歸．屬徒攻闈與大門．皆不勝．乃出．陳氏追之．失道於弇中．適豐丘．豐丘人執之以告．殺諸郭關．成子將殺大陸子方．陳逆請而免之．以公命取車於道．及耏．眾知而東之．出雍門．陳豹與之車．弗受．曰．逆為余請．豹與余車．余有私焉．事子我．而有私於其讎．何以見魯衛之士．東郭賈奔衛．庚辰．陳恆執公于舒州．公曰．吾早從鞅之言．不及此．宋桓魋之寵．害於公．公使夫人驟請享焉．而將討之．未及．魋先謀公．請以鞍易薄．公曰．不可．薄．宗邑也．乃益鞍七邑．而請享公焉．以日中為期．家備盡往．公知之．告皇野曰．余長魋也．今將禍余．請即救．司馬子仲曰．有臣不順．神之所惡也．而況人乎．敢不承命．不得左師不可．請以君命召之．左師每食擊鍾．聞鍾聲．公曰．夫子將食．既食．又奏．公曰．可矣．以乘車往．曰．跡人來告．曰．逢澤有介麇焉．公曰．雖魋未來．得左師吾與之田．若何．君憚告子．野曰．嘗私焉．君欲速．故以乘車逆子．與之乘．至．公告之故．拜不能起．司馬曰．君與之言．公曰．所難子者．上有天．下有先君．對曰．魋之不共．宋之禍也．敢不唯命是聽．司馬請瑞焉．以命其徒攻桓氏．其父兄故臣曰．不可．其新臣曰．從吾君之命．遂攻之子．頎騁而告桓司馬．司馬欲入．子車止之．曰．不能事君．而又伐國．民不與也．祇取死焉．向魋遂入于曹．以叛．

六月．使左師巢伐之．欲質大夫以入焉．不能．亦入于曹取質．魋曰．不可．既不能事君．又得罪于民．將若之何．乃舍之．民遂叛之．向魋奔衛．向巢來奔．宋公使止之．曰寡人與子有言矣．不可以絕向氏之祀．辭曰．臣之罪大．盡滅桓氏可也．若以先臣之故．而使有後．君之惠也．若臣則不可以入矣．司馬牛致其邑與珪焉．而適齊．向魋出於衛地．公文氏攻之．求夏后氏之璜焉．與之他玉．而奔齊．陳成子使為次卿．司馬牛又致其邑焉．而適吳．吳人惡之而反．趙簡子召之．陳成子亦召之．卒於魯郭門之外．阬氏葬諸丘輿．甲午．齊陳恆弒其君壬于舒州．孔丘三日齊．而請伐齊．三．公曰．魯為齊弱久矣．子之伐之．將若之何．對曰．陳恆弒其君．民之不與者半．以魯之眾．加齊之半．可克也．公曰．子告季孫．孔子辭．退而告人曰．吾以從大夫之後也．故不敢不言．初．孟孺子洩將圉馬於成．成宰公孫宿不受．曰孟孫為成之病．不圉馬焉．孺子怒．襲成．從者不得入．乃反．成有司使．孺子鞭之．

秋．八月．辛丑．孟懿子卒．成人奔喪．弗內．袒免哭于衢．聽共．弗許．懼．不歸．

哀公十五年

經

十有五年春．王正月．成叛．

夏．五月．齊高無平出奔北燕．鄭伯伐宋．

秋．八月．大雩．晉趙鞅帥師伐衛．

冬．晉侯伐鄭．及齊平．衛公孟彄出奔齊．

傳

十五年春．成叛于齊．武伯伐成．不克．遂城輸．

夏．楚子西．子期．伐吳．及桐汭．陳侯使公孫貞子弔焉．及良而卒．將以尸入．吳子使大宰嚭勞．且辭曰．以水潦之不時．無乃廩然隕大夫之尸．以重寡君之憂．寡君敢辭上介．芋尹蓋對曰．寡君聞楚為不道．荐伐吳國．滅厥民人．寡君使蓋備使．弔君之下吏．無祿．使人逢天之慼．大命隕隊．絕世于良．廢日共積．一日遷次．今君命逆使人曰．無以尸造于門．是我寡君之命委于草莽也．且臣聞之．曰事死如事生．禮也．於是乎有朝聘而終．以尸將事之禮．又有朝聘而遭喪之禮．若不以尸將命．是遭喪而還也．無乃不可乎．以禮防民．猶或踰之．今大夫曰．死而棄之．是棄禮也．其何以為諸侯主．先民有言曰．無穢虐士．備使奉尸將命．苟我寡君之命．達于君所．雖隕于深淵．則天命也．非君與涉人之過也．吳人內之．

秋．齊陳瓘如楚．過衛．仲由見之．曰．天或者以陳氏為斧斤．既斲喪公室．而他人有之．不可知也．其使終饗之．亦不可知也．若善魯以待時．不亦可乎．何必惡焉．子玉曰．然．吾受命矣．子使告我弟．

冬．及齊平．子服景伯如齊．子贛為介．見公孫成．曰人皆臣人．而有背人之心．況齊人雖為子役．其有不貳乎．子．周公之孫也．多饗大利．猶思不義．利不可得．而喪宗國．將焉用之．成曰．善哉．吾不早聞命．陳成子館客．曰．寡君使恆告曰．寡君願事君如事衛君．景伯揖子贛而進之．對曰．寡君之願也．昔晉人伐衛．齊為衛故．伐晉冠氏．喪車五百．因與衛地．自濟以西．禚媚杏．以南．書社五百．吳人加敝邑以亂．齊因其病．取讙與闡．寡君是以寒心．若得視衛君之事君也．則固所願也．成子病之．乃歸成．公孫宿以其兵甲入于嬴．衛孔圉取大子蒯聵之姊．生悝．孔氏之豎渾良夫．長而美．孔文子卒．通於內．大子在戚．孔姬使之焉．大子與之言曰．苟使我入獲國．服冕乘軒．三死無與．與之盟．為請於伯姬．

閏月．良夫與大子入．舍於孔氏之外圃．昏．二人蒙衣而乘．寺人羅御．如孔氏．孔氏之老欒寧問之．稱姻妾以告．遂入．適伯姬氏．既食．孔伯姬杖戈而先．大子與五人介．輿豭從之．迫孔悝於廁強盟之．遂劫以登臺．欒寧將飲酒．炙未熟．聞亂．使告季子．召獲駕乘車．行爵食炙．奉衛侯輒來奔．季子將入．遇子羔將出．曰．門已閉矣．季子曰．吾姑至焉．子羔曰．弗及．不踐其難．季子曰．食焉．不辟其難．子羔遂出．子路入．及門．公孫敢門焉．曰．無入為也．季子曰．是公孫也．求利焉而逃其難．由．不然．利其祿．必救其患．有使者出．乃入．曰大子焉用孔悝．雖殺之．必或繼之．且曰．大子無勇．若燔臺半．必舍孔叔大子聞之懼．下石乞．盂黶敵子路．以戈擊之．斷纓．子路曰．君子死．冠不免．結纓而死．孔子聞衛亂．曰．柴也．其來由也死矣．孔悝立莊公．莊公害故政．欲盡去之．先謂司徒瞞成曰．寡人離病於外久矣．子請亦嘗之．歸告褚師比．欲與之伐公．不果．

哀公十六年

經

十有六年春．王正月．己卯．衛世子蒯聵自戚入于衛．衛侯輒來奔．

二月．衛子還成出奔宋．

夏．四月．己丑．孔丘卒．

傳

十六年春．瞞成．褚師比．出奔宋．衛侯使鄢武子告于周．曰蒯聵得罪于君父君母．逋竄于晉．晉以王室之故．不棄兄弟．寘諸河上．天誘其衷．獲嗣守封焉．使下臣肸．敢告執事．王使單平公對曰．肸以嘉命．來告余一人．往謂叔父．余嘉乃成世．復爾祿次．敬之哉．方天之休．弗敬弗休．悔其可追．

夏．四月．己丑．孔丘卒．公誄之曰．旻天不弔．不憖遺一老．俾屏余一人以在位．煢煢余在疚．嗚呼．哀哉．尼父無自律．子贛曰．君其不沒於魯乎．夫子之言曰．禮失則昏．名失則愆．失志為昏．失所為愆．生不能用．死而誄之．非禮也．稱一人．非名也．君兩失之．

六月．衛侯飲孔悝酒於平陽．重酬之．大夫皆有納焉．醉而送之．夜半而遣之．載伯姬於平陽而行．及西門．使貳車反祏於西圃．子伯季子．初為孔氏臣．新登于公．請追之．遇載祏者．殺而乘其車．許公為．反祏．遇之曰．與不仁人爭．明無不勝．必使先射．射三發．皆遠許為．許為射之．殪．或以其車從．得祏於橐中．孔悝出奔宋．楚大子建之遇讒也．自城父奔宋．又辟華氏之亂於鄭．鄭人甚善之．又適晉．與晉人謀襲鄭．乃求復焉．鄭人復之如初．晉人使諜於子木．請行而期焉．子木暴虐於其私邑．邑人訴之．鄭人省之．得晉諜焉．遂殺子木．其子曰勝．在吳．子西欲召之．葉公曰．吾聞勝也．詐而亂．無乃害乎．子西曰．吾聞勝也．信而勇．不為不利．舍諸邊竟．使衛藩焉．葉公曰．周仁之謂信．率義之謂勇．吾聞勝也．好復言．而求死士．殆有私乎．復言非信也．期死非勇也．子必悔之．弗從．召之使處吳竟．為白公．請伐鄭．子西曰．楚未節也．不然．吾不忘也．他日又請．許之．未起師．晉人伐鄭．楚救之．與之盟．勝怒曰．鄭人在此．讎不遠矣．勝自厲劍．子期之子平見之．曰．王孫何自厲也．曰．勝以直聞．不告女．庸為直乎．將以殺爾父．平以告子西．子西曰．勝如卵．余翼而長之．楚國第．我死．令尹司馬．非勝而誰．勝聞之曰．令尹之狂也．得死乃非我．子西不悛．勝謂石乞．曰王與二卿士．皆五百人當之．則可矣．乞曰．不可得也．曰．市南有熊宜僚者．若得之．可以當五百人矣．乃從白公而見之．與之言．說．告之故．辭．承之以劍．不動．勝曰．不為利諂．不為威惕．不洩人言．以求媚者．去之．吳人伐慎．白公敗之．請以戰備獻．許之．遂作亂．

秋．七月．殺子西．子期．于朝．而劫惠王．子西以袂掩面而死．子期曰．昔者吾以力事君．不可以弗終．抉豫章以殺人．而後死．石乞曰．焚庫弒王．不然不濟．白公曰．不可．殺王不祥．焚庫無聚．將何以守矣．乞曰．有楚國而治其民．以敬事神．可以得祥．且有聚矣．何患弗從．葉公在蔡．方城之外皆曰．可以入矣．子高曰．吾聞之．以險徼幸者．其求無饜．偏重必離．聞其殺齊管脩也．而後入．白公欲以子閭為王．子閭不可．遂劫以兵．子閭曰．王孫若安靖楚國．匡正王室．而後庇焉．啟之願也．敢不聽從．若將專利．以傾王室．不顧楚國．有死不能．遂殺之．而以王如高府．石乞尹門．圉公陽穴宮．負王以如昭夫人之宮．葉公亦至．及北門．或遇之曰．君胡不冑．國人望君．如望慈父母焉．盜賊之矢若傷君．是絕民望也．若之何不冑．乃冑而進．又遇一人曰．君胡冑．國人望君．如望歲焉．日日以幾．若見君面．是得艾也．民知不死．其亦夫有奮心．猶將旌君以徇於國．而反掩面以絕民望．不亦甚乎．乃免冑而進．遇箴尹固．帥其屬將與白公．子高曰．微二子者．楚不國矣．棄德從賊．其可保乎．乃從葉公．使與國人以攻白公．白公奔山而縊．其徒微之生拘石乞．而問白公之死焉．對曰．余知其死所．而長者使余勿言．曰．不言將烹．乞曰．此事克則為卿．不克則烹．固其所也．何害．乃烹石乞．王孫燕奔頯黃氏．諸梁兼二事．國寧．乃使寧為令尹．使寬為司馬．而老於葉．衛侯占夢嬖人．求酒於大叔僖子．不得．與卜人比．而告公曰．君有大臣在西南隅．弗去．懼害．乃逐大叔遺．遺奔晉．衛侯謂渾良夫曰．吾繼先君．而不得其器．若之何．良夫代執火者而言．曰．疾與亡君．皆君之子也．召之．而擇材焉．可也．若不材．器可得也．豎告大子．大子使五人輿豭從己．劫公而強盟之．且請殺良夫．公曰．其盟免三死．曰．請三之後．有罪殺之．公曰．諾哉．

哀公十七年

傳

十七年春．衛侯為虎幄於藉圃．成求令名者．而與之始食焉．大子請使良夫．良夫乘衷甸．兩牡．紫衣狐裘．至．袒裘不釋劍而食．大子使牽以退．數之以三罪．而殺之．

三月．越子伐吳．吳子禦之笠澤．夾水而陳．越子為左右句卒．使夜或左或右．鼓譟而進．吳師分以御之．越子以三軍潛涉．當吳中軍而鼓之．吳師大亂．遂敗之．晉趙鞅使告于衛曰．君之在晉也．志父為主．請君若大子來．以免志父．不然．寡君其曰．志父之為也．衛侯辭以難．大子又使椓之．

夏．六月．趙鞅圍衛．齊國觀．陳瓘．救衛．得晉人之致師者．子玉使服而見之．曰．國子實執齊柄．而命瓘曰．無辟晉師．豈敢廢命．子又何辱．簡子曰．我卜伐衛．未卜與齊戰．乃還．楚白公之亂．陳人恃其聚而侵楚．楚既寧．將取陳麥．楚子問帥於大師子穀．與葉公諸梁．子穀曰．右領差車．與左史老．皆相令尹司馬以伐陳．其可使也．子高曰．率賤．民慢之．懼不用命焉．子穀曰．觀丁父．鄀俘也．武王以為軍率．是以克州蓼．服隨唐．大啟群蠻．彭仲爽．申俘也．文王以為令尹．實縣申息．朝陳蔡．封畛於汝．唯其任也．何賤之有．子高曰．天命不諂．令尹有憾於陳．天若亡之．其必令尹之子是與．君盍舍焉．臣懼右領與左史．有二俘之賤．而無其令德也．王卜之．武城尹吉．使帥師取陳麥．陳人御之．敗．遂圍陳．

秋．七月．己卯．楚公孫朝帥師滅陳．王與葉公枚卜子良．以為令尹．沈尹朱曰．吉．過於其志．葉公曰．王子而相國．過將何為．他日改卜子國．而使為令尹．衛侯夢于北宮．見人登昆吾之觀．被髮北面而譟曰．登此昆吾之虛．綿綿生之瓜．余為渾良夫．叫天無辜．公親筮之．胥彌赦占之．曰．不害．與之邑．寘之．而逃奔宋．衛侯貞卜．其繇曰．如魚竀尾．衡流而方羊裔焉．大國滅之．將亡闔門塞竇．乃自後踰．

冬．十月．晉復伐衛．入其郛．將入城．簡子曰．止．叔向有言曰．怙亂滅國者無後．衛人出莊公．而與晉平．晉立襄公之孫般師而還．

十一月．衛侯自鄄入．般師出．初．公登城以望．見戎州．問之．以告．公曰．我姬姓也．何戎之有焉．翦之．公使匠久．公欲逐石圃．未及而難作．辛巳．石圃因匠氏攻公．公闔門而請．弗許．踰于北方而隊．折股．戎州人攻之．大子疾．公子青．踰從公．戎州人殺之．公入于戎州己氏．初．公自城上．見己氏之妻髮美．使髡之．以為呂姜鬄．既入焉．而示之璧．曰．活我．吾與女璧．己氏曰．殺女．璧其焉往．遂殺之．而取其璧．衛人復公孫般師而立之．

十二月．齊人伐衛．衛人請平．立公子起．執般師以歸．舍諸潞．公會齊侯盟于蒙．孟武伯相．齊侯稽首．公拜．齊人怒．武伯曰．非天子．寡君無所稽首．武伯問於高柴曰．諸侯盟．誰執牛耳．季羔曰．鄫衍之役．吳公子姑曹．發陽之役．衛石魋．武伯曰．然則彘也．宋皇瑗之子麇．有友曰田丙．而奪其兄劖般邑．以與之．劖般慍而行．告桓司馬之臣子儀克．子儀克適宋．告夫人曰．麇將納桓氏．公問諸子仲．初．子仲將以杞姒之子．非我為子．麇曰．必立伯也．是良材．子仲怒．弗從．故對曰．右師則老矣．不識麇也．公執之．皇瑗奔晉．召之．

哀公十八年

傳

十八年春．宋殺皇瑗．公聞其情．復皇氏之族．使皇緩為右師．巴人伐楚．圍鄾．初．右司馬子國之卜也．觀瞻曰．如志．故命之．及巴師至．將卜師．王曰．寧如志．何卜焉．使帥師而行．請承．王曰．寢尹工尹．勤先君者也．

三月．楚公孫寧．吳由于．薳固．敗巴師于鄾．故封子國於析．君子曰．惠王知志．夏書曰．官占．唯能蔽志．昆命于元龜．其是之謂乎．志曰．聖人不煩卜筮．惠王其有焉．

夏．衛石圃逐其君起．起奔齊．衛侯輒自齊復歸．逐石圃．而復石魋．與大叔遺．

哀公十九年

傳

十九年春．越人侵楚．以誤吳也．

夏．楚公子慶．公孫寬．追越師．至冥．不及．乃還．

秋．楚沈諸梁伐東夷．三夷男女．及楚師盟于敖．

冬．叔青如京師．敬王崩故也．

哀公二十年

傳

二十年春．齊人來徵會．夏．會于廩丘．為鄭故．謀伐晉．鄭人辭諸侯．

秋．師還．吳公子慶忌驟諫吳子曰．不改必亡．弗聽．出居于艾．遂適楚．聞越將伐吳．

冬．請歸平越．遂歸欲除不忠者以說于越．吳人殺之．

十一月．越圍吳．趙孟降於喪食．楚隆曰．三年之喪．親暱之極也．主又降之．無乃有故乎．趙孟曰．黃池之役．先主與吳王有質．曰．好惡同之．今越圍吳．嗣子不廢舊業．而敵之．非晉之所能及也．吾是以為降．楚隆曰．若使吳王知之．若何．趙孟曰．可乎．隆曰．請嘗之．乃往．先造于越軍曰．吳犯間上國多矣．聞君親討焉．諸夏之人．莫不欣喜．唯恐君志之不從．請入視之．許之．告于吳王曰．寡人之老無恤．使陪臣隆．敢展謝其不共．黃池之役．君之先臣志父．得承齊盟．曰．好惡同之．今君在難．無恤不敢憚勞．非晉國之所能及也．使陪臣敢展布之．王拜稽首曰．寡人不佞．不能事越．以為大夫憂．拜命之辱．與之一簞珠．使問趙孟．曰．句踐將生憂寡人．寡人死之不得矣．王曰．溺人必笑．吾將有問也．史黯何以得為君子．對曰．黯也．進不見惡．退無謗言．王曰．宜哉．

哀公二十一年

傳

二十一年夏．五月．越人始來．

秋．八月．公及齊侯．邾子．盟于顧．齊人責稽首．因歌之．曰．魯人之皋．數年不覺．使我高蹈．唯其儒書．以為二國憂．是行也．公先至于陽穀．齊閭丘息曰．君辱舉玉趾．以在寡君之軍．群臣將傳遽以告寡君．比其復也．君無乃勤．為僕人之未次．請除館於舟道．辭曰．敢勤僕人．

哀公二十二年

傳

二十二年夏．四月．邾隱公自齊奔越．曰．吳為無道．執父立子．越人歸之．大子革奔越．

冬．十一月．丁卯．越滅吳．請使吳王居甬東．辭曰．孤老矣．焉能事君．乃縊．越人以歸．

哀公二十三年

傳

二十三年春．宋景曹卒．季康子使冉有弔．且送葬．曰．敝邑有社稷之事．使肥與有職競焉．是以不得助執紼．使求從輿人．曰．以肥之得備彌甥也．有不腆先人之產馬．使求薦諸夫人之宰．其可以稱旌繁乎．

夏．六月．晉荀瑤伐齊．高無平帥師御之．知伯視齊師．馬駭遂驅之．曰．齊人知余旗．其謂余畏而反也．及壘而還．將戰．長武子請卜．知伯曰．君告於天子．而卜之以守龜於宗祧．吉矣．吾又何卜焉．且齊人取我英丘．君命瑤．非敢耀武也．治英丘也．以辭伐罪足矣．何必卜．壬辰．戰于犁丘．齊師敗績．知伯親禽顏庚．

秋．八月．叔青如越．始使越也．越諸鞅來聘．報叔青也．

哀公二十四年

傳

二十四年夏．四月．晉侯將伐齊．使來乞師．曰．昔臧文仲以楚師伐齊取穀．宣叔以晉師伐齊．取汶陽．寡君欲徼福於周公．願乞靈於臧氏．臧石帥師會之．取廩丘．軍吏令繕．將進．萊章曰．君卑政暴．往歲克敵．今又勝都．天奉多矣．又焉能進．是躗言也．役將班矣．晉師乃還．餼臧石牛．大史謝之．曰．以寡君之在行．牢禮不度．敢展謝之．邾子又無道．越人執之以歸．而立公子何．何亦無道．公子荊之母嬖．將以為夫人．使宗人釁夏獻其禮．對曰．無之．公怒曰．女為宗司．立夫人．國之大禮也．何故無之．對曰．周公及武公娶於薛．孝．惠．娶於商．自桓以下娶於齊．此禮也．則有若以妾為夫人．則固無其禮也．公卒立之．而以荊為大子．國人始惡之．

閏月．公如越．得大子適郢．將妻公．而多與之地．公孫有山．使告于季孫．季孫懼．使因大宰嚭．而納賂焉．乃止．

哀公二十五年

傳

二十五年夏．五月．庚辰．衛侯出奔宋．衛侯為靈臺于藉圃．與諸大夫飲酒焉．褚師聲子襪而登席．公怒．辭曰．臣有疾異於人．若見之．君將嘔之．是以不敢．公愈怒．大夫辭之．不可．褚師出．公戟其手．曰．必斷而足．聞之．褚師與司寇亥乘．曰．今日幸而後亡．公之入也．奪南氏邑．而奪司寇亥政．公使侍人納公文懿子之車于池．初．衛人翦夏丁氏．以其帑賜彭封彌子．彌子飲公酒．納夏戊之女．嬖．以為夫人．其弟期大叔疾之從孫甥也．少畜於公．以為司徒．夫人寵衰．期得罪公使三匠久．公使優狡盟拳彌．而甚近信之．故褚師比．公孫彌牟．公文要．司寇亥．司徒期．因三匠與拳彌以作亂．皆執利兵．無者執斤．使拳彌入于公宮．而自大子疾之宮．譟以攻公．鄄子士請禦之．彌援其手曰．子則勇矣．將若君何．不見先君乎．君何所不逞欲．且君嘗在外矣．豈必不反．當今不可．眾怒難犯．休而易間也．乃出．將適蒲．彌曰．晉無信．不可．將適鄄．彌曰．齊晉爭我．不可．將適泠．彌曰．魯不足與．請適城鉏．以鉤越．越有君．乃適城鉏．彌曰．衛盜不可知也．請速．自我始．乃載寶以歸．公為支離之卒．因祝史揮以侵衛．衛人病之．懿子知之．見子之．請逐揮．文子曰．無罪．懿子曰．彼好專利而妄．夫見君之入也．將先道焉．若逐之．必出於南門．而適君所．夫越新得諸侯．將必請師焉．揮在朝．使吏遣諸其室．揮出．信弗內．五日．乃館諸外里．遂有寵．使如越請師．

六月．公至自越．季康子．孟武伯．逆於五梧．郭重僕．見二子曰．惡言多矣．君請盡之．公宴於五梧．武伯為祝．惡郭重曰．何肥也．季孫曰．請飲彘也．以魯國之密邇仇讎．臣是以不獲從君．克免於大行．又謂重也肥．公曰．是食言多矣．能無肥乎．飲酒不樂．公與大夫始有惡．

哀公二十六年

傳

二十六年夏．五月．叔孫舒帥師會越皋如．后庸．宋樂茷．納衛侯．文子欲納之．懿子曰．君愎而虐．少待之．必毒於民．乃睦於子矣．師侵外州．大獲．出禦之．大敗．掘褚師定子之墓．焚之于平莊之上．文子使王孫齊私於皋如．曰．子將大滅衛乎．抑納君而已乎．皋如曰．寡君之命無他．納衛君而已．文子致眾而問焉．曰．君以蠻夷伐國．國幾亡矣．請納之．眾曰．勿納．曰．彌牟亡而有益．請自北門出．眾曰．勿出．重賂越人．申開守陴而納公．公不敢入．師還．立悼公．南氏相之．以城鉏與越人．公曰．期則為此．令苟有怨於夫人者報之．司徒期聘於越．公攻而奪之幣．期告王．王命取之．期以眾取之．公怒．殺期之甥之為大子者．遂卒于越．宋景公無子．取公孫周之子得．與啟．畜諸公宮．未有立焉．於是皇緩為右師．皇非我為大司馬．皇懷為司徒．靈不緩為左師．樂茷為司城．樂朱鉏為大司寇．六卿三族降聽政．因大尹以達．大尹常不告．而以其欲．稱君命以令．國人惡之．司城欲去大尹．左師曰．縱之．使盈其罪．重而無基．能無敝乎．

冬十月．公游于空澤．辛巳．卒于連中．大尹興空澤之士千甲．奉公自空桐入．如沃宮．使召六子曰．聞下有師．君請六子畫．六子至．以甲劫之．曰君有疾病．請二三子盟．乃盟于少寢之庭．曰無為公室不利．大尹立啟．奉喪殯于大宮．三日而後國人知之．司城茷使宣言于國曰．大尹惑蠱其君而專其利．令君無疾而死．死又匿之．是無他矣．大尹之罪也．得夢啟．北首而寢於廬門之外．已為鳥而集於其上．咮加於南門．尾加於桐門．曰．余夢美．必立．大尹謀．曰．我不在盟．無乃逐我．復盟之乎．使祝為載書．六子在唐孟．將盟之．祝襄以載書告皇非我．皇非我因子潞．門尹得．左師謀曰．民與我．逐之乎．皆歸授甲．使徇于國曰．大尹惑蠱其君．以陵虐公室．與我者．救君者也．眾曰．與之．大尹徇曰．戴氏．皇氏．將不利公室．與我者．無憂不富．眾曰．無別．戴氏皇氏欲伐公．樂得曰．不可．彼以陵公有罪．我伐公．則甚焉．使國人施于大尹．大尹奉啟以奔楚．乃立得司城為上卿．盟曰．三族共政．無相害也．衛出公自城鉏．使以弓問子贛．且曰．吾其入乎．子贛稽首受弓．對曰．臣不識也．私於使者曰．昔成公孫於陳．甯武子．孫莊子．為宛濮之盟．而君入．獻公孫於衛齊．子鮮．子展．為夷儀之盟．而君入．今君再在孫矣．內不聞獻之親．外不聞成之卿．則賜不識所由入也．詩曰．無競惟人．四方其順之．若得其人．四方以為主．而國於何有．

哀公二十七年

傳

二十七年春．越子使后庸來聘．且言邾田．封于駘上．

二月．盟于平陽．三子皆從．康子病之．言及子贛．曰．若在此．吾不及此夫．武伯曰．然何不召．曰．固將召之．文子曰．他日請念．

夏．四月．己亥．季康子卒．公弔焉．降禮．晉荀瑤帥師伐鄭．次于桐丘．鄭駟弘請救于齊．齊師將興．陳子屬孤子．三日朝．設乘車兩馬．繫五邑焉．召顏涿聚之子晉．曰．隰之役．而父死焉．以國之多難．未女恤也．今君命女以是邑也．服車而朝．毋廢前勞．乃救鄭．及留舒．違穀七里．穀人不知．及濮．雨不涉．子思曰．大國在敝邑之宇下．是以告急．今師不行．恐無及也．成子衣製杖戈．立於阪上．馬不出者．助之鞭之．知伯聞之．乃還．曰．我卜伐鄭．不卜敵齊．使謂成子曰．大夫陳子．陳之自出．陳之不祀．鄭之罪也．故寡君使瑤察陳衷焉．謂大夫其恤陳乎．若利本之顛．瑤何有焉．成子怒曰．多陵人者皆不在．知伯其能久乎．中行文子告成子．曰．有自晉師告寅者．將為輕車千乘．以厭齊師之門．則可盡也．成子曰．寡君命恆曰．無及寡．無畏眾．雖過千乘．敢辟之乎．將以子之命告寡君．文子曰．吾乃今知所以亡．君子之謀也．始衷終皆舉之．而後入焉．今我三不知而入之．不亦難乎．公患三桓之侈也．欲以諸侯去之．三桓亦患公之妄也．故君臣多間．公游于陵阪．遇孟武伯於孟氏之衢．曰．請有問於子．余及死乎．對曰．臣無由知之．三問．卒辭不對．公欲以越伐魯．而去三桓．

秋．八月．甲戌．公如公孫有陘氏．因孫於邾．乃遂如越．國人施公孫有山氏．

悼公

悼之四年，晉荀瑤帥師圍鄭，未至鄭駟弘曰：「知伯愎而好勝，早下之，則可行也。」乃先保南里以待之。知伯入南里，門于桔柣之門，鄭人俘酅魁壘，賂之以知政，閉其口而死。將門，知伯謂趙孟，入之，對曰：「主在此。」知伯曰：「惡而無勇，何以為子？」對曰：「以能忍恥，庶無害趙宗乎？」知伯不悛，趙襄子由是惎知伯，遂喪之。知伯貪而愎，故韓魏反而喪之。

Source Colophon

The Chinese text follows the Chinese Wikisource transcription of the Zuo Commentary (article 春秋左氏傳/哀公, revision of 16 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.

🌲