Houji, originally named Qi, was the son of Jiang Yuan, the chief consort of Emperor Ku from the Tai Kingdom. One day, intrigued by a large footprint she found in the wild, she stepped on it on a whim. Afterward, she felt as if she were pregnant. Ten months later, she gave birth to a son. Thinking the child's birth was mysterious and ill-omened, she abandoned him in a small alley. However, horses and cows avoided stepping on him. She then placed him in a forest, but many people were active there and moved him. Finally, she threw him into a ditch on the ice, where birds kept him warm with their wings. Jiang Yuan felt that the child was blessed by the gods, so she picked him up and raised him. Because she initially wanted to abandon him, she named him "Qi."
As a child, he’d play by planting hemp and beans, and the crops he grew were exceptional. As he grew up, he particularly enjoyed farming, understanding how to plant suitable crops according to the characteristics of different lands. His harvests were bountiful, and everyone copied his methods. When Emperor Yao heard about this, he appointed Qi as an agricultural teacher, benefiting the entire nation, and he achieved great success. Emperor Shun said, "Qi, you saved us all from starvation when you started growing all these crops!" Therefore, Emperor Shun enfeoffed Qi in the Tai region, named him Houji, and bestowed the surname Ji upon him. Houji's legacy lived on, celebrated from the reigns of Yao and Shun all the way through the Xia Dynasty.
After Hou Ji passed away, his son Bu Zhou succeeded him. In Bu Zhou's later years, the rule of the Xia Dynasty weakened; he neglected agriculture, was dismissed, and fled to the Rongdi region. After Bu Zhou's death, his son Ju took the throne, and after Ju's death, his son Gong Liu succeeded him. Although Gong Liu was in the Rongdi region, he inherited the legacy of Hou Ji and toiled to cultivate the land, planting crops suited to the land's characteristics. He led his people in cultivating the land from the Qishui and Jushui rivers all the way to the Weishui, ensuring everyone had food to eat and a place to live, allowing the people to enjoy a good life. Deeply grateful, they flocked to settle in his domain. The prosperity of the Zhou Dynasty began at this time, inspiring poets to write verses praising his achievements. After Gong Liu's death, his son Qing Jie established a state in Bin. Upon Qing Jie’s death, his son Huang Pu took the throne. After Huang Pu passed away, his son Chafe did not succeed him. Following Chafe's death, his son Hui Yu succeeded him. After Hui Yu passed away, his son Gong Fei took over. After Gong Fei's death, his son Gao Gu succeeded him. Following Gao Gu's death, his son Ya Gu took the throne. After Ya Gu passed away, his son Gong Shuzulei succeeded him. Finally, after Gong Shuzulei passed away, his son Gu Gong Danfu took the throne. Gu Gong Danfu continued the work of Hou Ji and Gong Liu, building on their legacy, living virtuously, and earning the loyalty of the whole nation.
The Xiongnu and Rongdi tribes invaded, wanting to seize wealth, and he appeased them with gifts. They invaded again, wanting to seize land and people. The people were furious and ready for war. The Duke said, "The people support the ruler in order to benefit. Now Rongdi invades, wanting to seize our land and people. What good is it if my people fight for me, sacrificing their families to put me on the throne? I can't do it!" So, he left the Bin region with his relatives, crossed the Qi and Ju rivers, crossed Liang Mountain, and settled at the foot of Qishan. Everyone, from the oldest to the youngest in Bin, took the elderly and children with them to the foot of Qishan. Hearing of the Duke's righteousness, many people from neighboring countries also came to pledge their allegiance to him. So, the Duke reformed the Rongdi's brutal ways, built walls and houses, settled the people in separate communities, and established various official positions. The people sang and danced, praising his virtues.
He had three sons, the eldest called Taibo, the second called Yuzhong. The youngest, Jili, was born to Taijiang and married Tairen, both virtuous women who gave birth to Chang, a sign of good fortune. The Duke said, "Our family will definitely have prosperous people in the future, probably Chang, right?" Taibo and Yuzhong knew that the Duke wanted to appoint Jili to inherit the throne and let Chang succeed, so the two of them fled to the land of Jingman, tattooed and cut their hair, to yield their claim to the throne for Jili.
The Duke died, and Jili succeeded to the throne, and he became known as Gongji. Gongji inherited the Duke's aspirations, devoted to benevolence and righteousness, and all the neighboring lords submitted to him.
Gongji died, and his son Chang succeeded him, becoming known as Xibo. Xibo was also known as King Wen, who inherited and carried forward the achievements of Houji and Gongliu, following the principles of the forefathers and Gongji, promoting benevolent governance, respecting the elderly, and caring for children. He honored the virtuous and welcomed guests, often so busy that he had no time to eat lunch, receiving many wise men who joined him. Boyi and Shuqi, from the Guzhu Kingdom, heard of Xibo's reputation for taking care of the elderly and decided to submit to him. Taishan, Hongyao, Sanyisheng, Yuzi, Xinjia, and other nobles also swore loyalty to him.
Chouhouhu, that bad guy, accused Xibo Ji Chang in front of King Zhou of Shang, saying, "Xibo has accumulated a good reputation, and many lords listen to him, which will be disadvantageous to you in the future!" Upon hearing this, King Zhou imprisoned Xibo in Youli (a place name). Xibo's followers, including Hongyao, were anxious and tried their best to save him.
So they went hunting for treasures. They found beautiful women from the Shen clan, fine horses from Lirong, nine top-class steeds from Xiong, and a whole load of other cool stuff. They got King Zhou's favorite, Fei Zhong, to present these gifts. King Zhou was delighted and said, "This one thing alone would get Xibo out, let alone all this!" Therefore, Xibo was pardoned, and he was given bows and arrows, axes, and halberds to lead soldiers into battle. King Zhou specifically mentioned, "It was Chouhouhu who ratted on Xibo!" To say thanks, Xibo offered the land west of the Luo River to King Zhou and requested the cancellation of the cruel punishment of being burned alive. King Zhou agreed.
Xibo had been quietly doing good deeds, and many feudal lords came to learn from him and seek solutions to their problems. Once, there was a dispute between the states of Yu and Rui, and the case reached a point where neither side could convince the other. They had no choice but to go to the Zhou court for arbitration. As soon as they entered the borders of Zhou, they found that the farmers of Zhou readily yielded their land boundaries, and the common people were all humble and courteous. The people of Yu and Rui felt ashamed even before meeting Xibo, saying to each other, "What we're fighting over, the Zhou people don't even value. What use is there for us to go? We will only bring shame upon ourselves!" So they shamefacedly withdrew, giving up their disputes. The *Classic of Poetry* says, 'In the year of receiving the mandate, he became king and settled the dispute between Yu and Rui.' When the feudal lords heard about this, they all said, "Xibo must have the Mandate of Heaven!"
In the following year, Xibo attacked the Quanrong; a year later, he attacked the Miju; and the year after that, he defeated the Qi state. When the ancestor of the Shang dynasty, Yi Yin, heard about this, he was extremely afraid and hurried to inform King Zhou. However, King Zhou said, "Is there no heavenly mandate? What can he do?" Subsequently, Xibo attacked the state of Yu; the year after that, he finally attacked and eliminated Chonghou Hu. Then, he moved his capital from the foot of Mount Qishan to Fengyi. A year later, Xibo passed away. His son, Ji Fa, succeeded him, becoming the later King Wu.
Xibo ruled for a total of fifty years. It is said that during his imprisonment in Yuli, he even transformed the eight trigrams into sixty-four hexagrams. The *Classic of Poetry* records that Xibo became king in the year of receiving the mandate and settled the dispute between the states of Yu and Rui. When he passed away, it had been ten years since receiving the mandate, and he was posthumously named King Wen. He reformed the laws, established the calendar, and posthumously honored his grandfather, Gu Gong, as King Tai, and his father, Ji Li, as King Ji: the Zhou dynasty's prosperity began with King Tai.
After King Wu succeeded to the throne, Jiang Shang (Grand Duke Wang) served as the military strategist, Zhou Gongdan assisted in political affairs, and other key figures like the Dukes of Shao and Bi supported King Wu, inheriting and developing the legacy of King Wen.
Nine years into his reign, King Wu went to Bidi to offer sacrifices. Then he moved his troops eastward, all the way to Mengjin. He placed the wooden statue of King Wen on a chariot in the center of the army. King Wu claimed to be Crown Prince Fa, saying that he was following King Wen's orders to attack King Zhou of Shang and did not dare to act on his own. He told his top brass, "Everyone must be serious and reliable! I ain't nothin' special, it's all thanks to my ancestors' good karma. I have inherited the accomplishments of my ancestors and will reward and punish accordingly based on merit." And with that, he gave the order to march. The commander of the army, Jiang Shang (Shangfu), ordered, "All of you, prepare your boats, and anyone late will face the consequences!"
When King Wu crossed the river, in the middle of the river, a white fish jumped into his boat. King Wu bent down to pick it up for a sacrifice. After crossing the river, fire rained down on Mount Wangwu, turning into a crow with red feathers, its cries sounded like mournful wails. At that time, without prior agreement, eight hundred lords gathered at Mengjin. These lords all said, "It's time to attack King Zhou of Shang!" However, King Wu said, "You ain't seen the signs yet, it ain't time." So he withdrew his troops.
Two years later, King Wu heard that King Zhou of Shang had become even more tyrannical and depraved, killing Prince Bi Gan and imprisoning Ji Zi. Shang's chief ministers fled to the Zhou dynasty with musical instruments. So King Wu went around telling the princes, "The Shang dynasty has committed terrible crimes and must be brought down!" He followed the wishes of King Wen, leading 300 war chariots, 3,000 elite soldiers, and 45,000 infantrymen to attack King Zhou of Shang in the east. In the eleventh year, on the twelfth month's Wuyou day, the army crossed the Mengjin River, and the princes gathered together. King Wu said, "Everyone needs to pull their weight!" Then King Wu wrote the "Great Oath," telling everyone, "Now King Zhou of Yin has listened to the words of women, lost the Mandate of Heaven, undermined the three pillars of his kingdom, alienated parents and siblings, abandoned the ancestral music and dances, engaged in lewd music, disrupted the proper music, all to please women. Therefore, I'm going to take him down! Everyone must work hard; there can be no second time, no third time!"
On the first morning of the second month, just as dawn was breaking, King Wu of Zhou led his army to the outskirts of the Shang dynasty's Mu field, ready to perform the oath-taking ceremony. King Wu held a yellow battle-axe in his left hand and a white flag in his right hand, waving the flag vigorously and shouting loudly, "Listen up, you Westerners!"
King Wu continued, "Everyone! My officers and men, as well as the Yong, Shu, Qiang, Mao, Wei, Lu, Peng, and Pu tribesmen, prepare your weapons, line up your troops, and raise your spears! I am going to swear to you!" King Wu said, "The ancients said, 'Something's amiss when the hen crows at dawn.' Now King Zhou of the Shang dynasty listens to the whispers of his concubines, abandoning the sacrifices of his ancestors, neglecting the important affairs of the country, and disregarding his parents and brothers. Instead, he has promoted criminals and fugitives from all directions, running riot and bringing the Shang to ruin. Now I am here to punish him! This battle will be short and decisive, soldiers, fight hard! A few swift attacks will end this battle, give it your all, soldiers! You must be as brave as tigers, bears, wolves, and leopards; do not hesitate in the outskirts of the Shang dynasty, charge bravely, and seize the western lands! If you fail, it means death!" Once the oath was sworn, the allied armies, with as many as four thousand chariots, formed their battle formations on the field of battle, ready for combat.
King Zhou of Shang heard that King Wu was leading troops, so he quickly gathered seventy thousand troops, preparing to fight against King Wu. King Wu ordered Jiang Ziya (Master Jiang) to lead the centurions and command the army, launching a ferocious assault on King Zhou's forces. Although King Zhou's army was numerous, they were secretly rooting for King Wu's victory! The soldiers of Shang deliberately displayed a fighting posture, essentially surrendering to clear the way for King Wu. King Wu led the army in a fierce attack, and the soldiers of Shang were completely routed, turning their backs on King Zhou. Frightened, King Zhou ran away, escaping to Lutai, where he donned his most precious garments and then burned himself to death.
King Wu raised a large white flag to summon the feudal lords, who all bowed to him. King Wu acknowledged their bows, and the feudal lords followed him forward. Upon arriving at the capital of the Shang Dynasty, the people gathered outside the city to wait. King Wu had his ministers announce to the people: "The heavens have granted us peace!" The people of the Shang Dynasty all bowed in thanks, and King Wu returned the gesture. He then entered the city and arrived at the place where King Zhou had committed suicide. King Wu shot King Zhou three arrows, stabbed him, and then beheaded him, displaying his head on a large white flag. He did the same to King Zhou's two favorite concubines, who had already committed suicide, using a ceremonial axe instead and displaying their heads on a smaller white flag. After dealing with these matters, King Wu withdrew his troops back to camp.
On the second day, King Wu ordered the clearing of the roads and the repair of the ancestral temple and the palace of King Zhou of Shang. On an auspicious day, the centurions carried ceremonial flags to lead the way. King Wu's brother, Zhen, was in charge of overseeing the arrangement of vehicles, while the Duke of Zhou held a large axe and Bi Gong held a small axe, guarding King Wu. San Yisheng, Tai Dian, and Hong Yao all carried swords to protect him. Upon entering the city, King Wu stood on the left side of the main troops to the south of the ancestral temple, with other generals following on his left and right. Mao Shuzheng was responsible for offering clean water, Wei Kangshu arranged sacrificial cloth, Shao Gongshi prepared sacrificial items, and Jiang Ziya led the sacrificial livestock. Yin Yi prayed according to the ritual of sacrifice: "The last ruler of the Shang dynasty, Emperor Xin (King Zhou), neglected the virtues of the ancestors, insulted and disrespected the gods, did not make sacrifices, and was a cruel and oppressive tyrant, causing unbearable suffering to the people of the Shang dynasty. His crimes have been revealed to the heavens!" King Wu then bowed twice, saying, "I have accepted the great heavenly mandate to overthrow the Shang dynasty!" He bowed again, then withdrew. After defeating King Zhou of Shang, King Wu handed over the remaining people of the Shang dynasty to Lu Fu for management. Because the situation was still unstable after the world had just been pacified, he sent his brothers Guan Shuxian and Cai Shudu to assist Lu Fu in governing Yin. Later, King Wu ordered the release of Ji Zi and other prisoners, as well as a sacrifice to Shang Rong. He also ordered Nangong Kuo to distribute the treasures on the Lu Terrace and the food on the Ju Bridge to the poor. In addition, he entrusted Nangong Kuo and Shi Yi to keep the Nine Tripods and jade objects, sent Hong Yao to offer tribute at Bi Gan's tomb, and had Zong Zhu hold a sacrifice in the army. Once everything was settled, King Wu returned to Zhou.
Back at court, King Wu hunted while figuring out how to run the country and wrote the *Wucheng* document, a record of his accomplishments. He also handed out lands to his nobles, rewarding them with fancy bronze things and making sure everyone got their share of the Yin lands and loot. King Wu honored the old kings by giving their descendants lands: he gave land to Shennong's family in Jiaodi, the Yellow Emperor's family in Zhudi, Yao's family in Jidi, Shun's family in Chendi, and Dayu's family in Qidi. Afterwards, he enfeoffed his top advisors and generals, with Jiang Shang (Shi Shangfu) getting Yingqiu and the title of Qi, Zhou Gong getting Qufu and the title of Lu, Shao Gong getting Yan, Guanshu Xian getting Guandi, Cai Shudu getting Caidi, and other deserving officials also getting their share.
King Wu summoned the chiefs from nine grazing lands, climbed the hills of Bin, and gazed at the former capital of the Shang Dynasty. After returning to the Zhou territory, King Wu did not sleep all night. The Duke of Zhou came to King Wu and asked, "Why did the king not sleep all night?" King Wu said, "Let me tell you: Heaven has turned its back on the Shang. It has been sixty years since the decline of the Shang, and now the land is overrun with deer and birds, indicating that Heaven has abandoned the Shang, allowing us to achieve victory today. Heaven once blessed the Shang, allowing it to rule over 360 tribes. Even though the Shang's rule was not good, it did not perish and continued until today. I haven't fully settled things yet, so how can I have time to sleep?" King Wu continued, "To secure the kingdom, I need to root out the bad guys and punish anyone who backed that tyrant Zhou. I'm working day and night to solidify my rule in the west, earn everyone's respect, and prove my worth. I'll build my capital somewhere easily defended between the Luo and Yi rivers, just like the Xia kings did. From my palace, I'll be able to keep an eye on the Three Passes to the south, Mount Yue to the north, and the Yellow, Luo, and Yi rivers, all of which are not far from the palace." King Wu built his capital in Luoyi (modern-day Luoyang) before leaving. He put his horses out to pasture south of Mount Hua and his cattle in the peach orchards. He put away his weapons and disbanded his army to show the world that he would no longer use force.
A couple of years after beating the Shang, King Wu asked Ji Zi why they'd lost. Ji Zi did not want to speak ill of the Shang, only wanting to tell King Wu the reason for the country's demise. King Wu didn't like that, so he asked Ji Zi about Heaven's will.
Later, King Wu fell ill, and things were still pretty shaky. The ministers were all very afraid. They had someone read the omens, and Zhou Gong then held a sacrificial ceremony and put himself on the line to show his willingness to take responsibility for King Wu. King Wu recovered from his illness, but later kicked the bucket. His son took over, and this was the beginning of King Cheng's reign.
King Cheng was still young, and the Zhou dynasty had just pacified the world. Zhou Gong was worried that the lords might turn against Zhou, so he ruled as regent and handled state affairs. King Wu's brothers Guan Shu and Cai Shu suspected Zhou Gong and rebelled with Wu Geng, betraying the Zhou dynasty. Acting on King Cheng's orders, Zhou Gong went to war, crushed and killed Wu Geng and Guan Shu, and exiled Cai Shu. Zhou Gong also let Weizi Qi keep his title as a descendant of the Shang dynasty, establishing the State of Song; he resettled the Shang survivors and made his brother Wei Kang Shu. Tang Shu of the State of Jin sent the best grain to King Cheng, who then sent it to Zhou Gong at the front. Zhou Gong accepted the grain, governed the east, and followed the emperor's orders.
"At first, Guan and Cai rebelled against Zhou. Zhou Gong suppressed them, and after three years, everything was settled. Therefore, he first wrote the Great Announcement, then the orders of Weizi, then the return of grains, then the praise of grains, and finally the Kang Announcement, the Wine Announcement, and the Timber Announcement. These matters are recorded in the writings of Zhou Gong." After seven years of regency, when King Cheng grew up, Zhou Gong handed over the reins to King Cheng and returned to his post as a minister.
Cheng Wang made Feng his capital and had Duke of Zhou rebuild Luo Yi, fulfilling the wishes of King Wu. "This is the center of the world; tributes will flow in from all four directions." Duke of Zhou then selected an auspicious day to finally complete Luo Yi and place the Nine Tripods. Duke of Zhou and Duke of Shao also issued the Shao Proclamation and Luo Proclamation. Cheng Wang relocated the remnants of the Shang Dynasty, and Duke of Zhou warned the people on behalf of the king, writing Many Talents and Without Loss. Duke of Shao took on the defense work, while Duke of Zhou acted as a teacher. Together, they campaigned eastward against the Huai Yi, subdued Yan, and relocated its ruler to Bogu. Cheng Wang returned from Yan and, in the ancestral Zhou, wrote Many Sides. The Zhou Dynasty thoroughly weakened the influence of the Shang Dynasty, conquered the Huai Yi, returned to Feng, and established the Zhou Code of Officials. The Zhou Dynasty established orthodox rites and music systems, leading to changes in various regulations. With the people living in peace and prosperity, praises were heard everywhere. After Cheng Wang pacified the Eastern Yi, Xi Shen came to congratulate him. Cheng Wang bestowed gifts upon Rongbo and wrote the Mandate to Reward Xi Shen.
As Cheng Wang's health declined, he worried about the abilities of Crown Prince Zhao and instructed Duke of Shao and Duke of Bi to assist the prince with the various lords to ensure a smooth succession.
After Cheng Wang's death, Duke of Shao and Duke of Bi, along with the lords, brought Crown Prince Zhao to the temple of the late king. They emphasized the difficulties faced by King Wen and King Wu in establishing their reigns, stressing the importance of diligence, frugality, and honesty. They also wrote the Command of Care. Crown Prince Zhao ascended the throne smoothly and became King Kang.
Upon ascending the throne, King Kang announced the achievements of King Wen and King Wu to all lords as a warning and wrote the Kang Proclamation. For forty years, the land knew peace, and punishment was rarely needed. King Kang also ordered Duke of Bi to inspect various regions and establish residences outside Chengzhou, writing the Bi Proclamation for this purpose.
After King Kang passed away, his son, King Zhao, succeeded to the throne. During King Zhao's reign, the kingdom's power began to decline. King Zhao went on a southern inspection tour and never returned, dying on the banks of the Yangtze. His death was deliberately kept secret. Later, King Zhao's son, who became King Mu, succeeded him.
King Mu ascended the throne at the age of fifty. At that time, the kingdom was weak. King Mu really missed the prosperous situation during the reigns of King Wen and King Wu, so he had Bo Shen sort things out and even wrote a decree to that effect. The country then regained stability.
Then, King Mu planned to go on a military campaign against the Quanrong, but Jie Gong Mou Fu quickly advised him, "Don't go! Our kings never went to war just to show off. The army should be well trained in peacetime and only used when necessary to deter the enemy. Always showing off their army will only make others think you are bluffing, diminishing your deterrent power. They put down their weapons, seeking peace and virtue. The king protected them." The former kings treated the people well. They taught them right from wrong. They helped them prosper. This brought peace and strength to the kingdom.
Back in the day, our ancestor Hou Ji toiled away serving Yu Shun and Xia Yu. Later, when the Xia Dynasty declined, Hou Ji fell out of favor, causing our ancestors to lose their official positions and escape to the Rong and Di territories for safety. However, he did not give up, continuously striving to improve his virtues, inherit and carry forward the traditions of his ancestors, earnestly studying the laws and regulations they left behind, and working diligently day and night, being honest, loyal, and true to their word. Generation after generation, they built up good karma, never disappointing the expectations of their predecessors. By the time of King Wen and King Wu, they had inherited the glorious achievements of their ancestors and added a compassionate and people-loving style, being reverent of the gods and caring for their people, which made them hugely popular. On the other hand, King Zhou of Shang was a brutal tyrant, causing the people to suffer greatly, leading to King Wu's conquest of the Shang. Therefore, our kings didn't conquer their way to power, but ruled wisely and cared for their people.
The former king stipulated that regions within the country must hold regular sacrifices, vassal states must hold regular sacrifices, friendly nations were expected to pay regular tribute, remote regions must pay regular tribute, and the most distant regions must come regularly to pay homage to the emperor. If the sacrifices or tributes were not carried out on time, the former king would find ways to solve the issue. For example, if the sacrifices were not held, political education would be strengthened; if tribute was not paid, diplomacy would be strengthened; if homage was not paid, good governance would be emphasized; and if all else failed, punishment would be used. Therefore, military force was only used if all else—political education, diplomacy, and good governance—failed. The former king issued orders, and if the other party did not comply, more emphasis would be placed on good governance rather than blindly using military force to conquer. This way, both domestically and internationally, everyone would comply. Now that Da Bi and Bo Shi have passed away, the Quanrong were expected to pay tribute, but the emperor said, "I will punish them for not paying tribute and also demonstrate our military strength." Isn't this defying the old king's wisdom and putting us all in danger? I have heard that the Quanrong were united, loyal to their traditions, and likely to put up a strong fight. King Mu sent his army, only to bring back four white wolves and four white deer—a rather meager haul. After that, the remote regions stopped paying tribute on time.
So, the story goes, some lords were always at odds with each other. Fu Hou went to King Zhou to report them and suggested setting up a better system of laws. King Zhou said, "Hey, come closer! We've got land and people, right? Here's a fair system of laws. To keep things running smoothly—people happy, the right folks in the right jobs, laws enforced, and everything organized—you've gotta pick the right people and the right methods!
When both sides are present, the trial should follow these five steps:
- First, briefly investigate and gather evidence.
- If the evidence is weak, crank up the punishment.
- If that still doesn't settle things, figure out who's responsible.
- If the issue remains unresolved after that, dig into the details and figure out how serious it is.
For cases with doubts among the five punishments, we might let them off. Investigate evidence carefully and thoroughly; don’t be hasty. If the evidence is solid, lay down the hammer.
If there's any doubt about the face tattoo, let them off, but slap them with a hundred times the fine, and make sure we've got the facts straight. If there's doubt about the nose-cutting punishment, let them off, but hit them with double the fine, and verify the facts. If there's doubt about the foot-cutting punishment, let them off, but impose double the fine, and check the facts. If there's doubt about the castration punishment, let them off, but impose a five hundred times fine, and verify the facts. If there's doubt about the death penalty, let them off, but impose a fine of one thousand times, and make sure we verify the facts.
The fines for various punishments are as follows:
- Face tattoo: 1,000
- Nose cutting: 1,000
- Foot cutting: 500
- Castration: 300
- Death penalty: 200
That totals 3,000." King Zhou called this whole system "Fu Xing" (the Fu Law).
After King Mu had been king for fifty-five years, he died and was succeeded by his son, King Gong. One time, King Gong went to play by the Jing River, and Duke Kang came along. As a result, Duke Kang's three daughters all flocked to King Gong. Their mother said, "You must send them back to the king! Three's a crowd, and three beautiful daughters are a real crowd. The king doesn't want a mob of animals in his fields, nor a throng of people following his nobles, let alone a whole family working for him. Your daughters are stunning, sure, and that'll attract a lot of attention, but do they have the character to handle it? Even the king couldn't handle that kind of attention, let alone you ordinary people. You're asking for trouble!" Duke Kang did not send them back, and a year later, King Gong conquered Mi. After King Gong's death, his son, King Yi, took over. Things went downhill fast under King Yi; poets started writing satirical poems about the court. When King Yi died, King Gong's brother, Ji Bi Fang, became King Xiao. After King Xiao died, the lords supported King Yi's son, Ji Xie, who became known as King Yi.
Man, King Yi has died, and his son King Hu has become the king. King Hu has been the king for thirty years; he was greedy and had completely fallen under the sway of Duke Rongyi. The minister Rui Liangfu advised King Hu, saying, "Your Majesty, is the royal family of the Zhou Dynasty declining? Duke Rongyi is blind to the looming disaster. Look, wealth is the lifeblood of everything, but he insists on hogging it all, which is very harmful. Everything in the world needs to get its share; how can he keep it all to himself? This way, he's made a ton of enemies and is totally unprepared for any real trouble. If you govern the country like this, can it last long? A king's job is to make sure everyone gets a fair share, from the common folk to the gods themselves! Even so, you must always be wary of the people's resentment! The old kings were smart; they didn't hoard everything, and they were always on the lookout for trouble. That's how the Zhou dynasty lasted so long. Now you are learning to monopolize benefits; is this appropriate? Even a commoner would be called a thief for doing that, let alone a king! If you keep letting Duke Rongyi run things, the Zhou Dynasty is toast!" King Hu ignored him and made Rongyi his right-hand man, giving him total control.
King Li, was incredibly cruel, arrogant, and conceited. The common people all cursed him behind his back. Duke of Shao advised him, "The common people can't stand it!" King Li got angry as soon as he heard this and found a witch from the State of Wei to hunt down anyone who dared to criticize him and have them executed. With fewer people cursing him now, the noblemen also stopped coming to pay their respects. After thirty-four years, King Li became even more severe, and no one dared to speak up. People communicated only with furtive glances on the streets. King Li was quite pleased and said to Duke of Shao, "I've shut them all up!" Duke of Shao replied, "You are blocking public opinion! Stuffing the people's mouths is far more dangerous than damming a river. If the water is blocked, once it bursts, the losses will be even greater, just like the common people. Therefore, in managing water, we must dredge and divert; in managing the common people, we must let them speak freely. Everyone, from musicians and historians to commoners and craftsmen, should have a voice. The emperor should allow officials and ministers to express their opinions, so that state affairs can proceed smoothly without deviation. The people's voices are as essential as the land itself—wealth and resources arise from them; just as clothing, food, shelter, and transportation come from the land. The speech of the common people gives rise to prosperity and decline. Good governance fosters prosperity. What the common people think in their hearts, they will speak out and then put into action. If you silence them, what good can you expect?" King Li simply did not listen.
And so, nobody dared open their mouths across the land. Three years later, everyone rose up and attacked King Li. King Li scarpered to Zhi. King Li's crown prince Jing hid in the house of Duke Shao, and when the common people found out, they surrounded Duke Shao's house. Duke Shao said, "Look, I warned the king time and again, but he wouldn't listen. Now, if we kill the prince, the king'll hold it against me, right? You gotta be careful serving a king. One wrong move and you're toast. And this is the king we're talking about!" So, Duke Shao used his own son to replace the crown prince, and only then was the crown prince able to escape.
The two dukes ruled jointly, a period known as the "Co-regency." Fourteen years later, King Li died in the land of Zhi. Prince Jing grew up under Duke Shao's wing, and the two dukes put him on the throne as King Xuan. After ascending the throne, the two ministers assisted him, ran a good government, following in the footsteps of Kings Wen, Wu, Cheng, and Kang, leading the vassals to submit to the Zhou dynasty. Twelve years later, Duke Wu of Lu came to pay his respects.
King Xuan planned to farm a thousand *mu* without following the rules, but Duke Wen of Guo warned him against it, saying, "That's not right!" However, King Xuan did not listen at all. As a result, after thirty-nine years, a battle broke out on the land of a thousand *mu*, and King Xuan's army got wiped out by the Jiang clan.
After a crushing defeat in the south, King Xuan decided to squeeze the people of Taiyuan for taxes. At this time, Zhong Shanfu came out to advise him, saying, "You can't just go around squeezing the people for taxes!" But King Xuan still did not listen and continued to collect taxes regardless.
After forty-six years, King Xuan died, and his son King You took the throne. In the second year of King You's reign, the three main rivers of Western Zhou all experienced earthquakes. Boyang Fu worried, "The Zhou Dynasty is doomed! The balance of Yin and Yang follows certain rules, and if these rules are broken, the people will rise up. The Yang energy is suppressed, the Yin is overpowering, causing these earthquakes. Three rivers shaking? The Yin's won the battle; the Yang is gone. Blocked rivers mean a doomed kingdom. People depend on the land and water; no crops means starvation, and that's the end of a kingdom. The Yellow River dried up, the Shang fell; same with the Xia. Zhou's in the same boat, rivers blocked, rivers dry... mountains crumble. Kingdoms rise and fall with their rivers and mountains; this is a bad sign. A doomed kingdom falls within ten years; that's the way of things. Heaven doesn't give a doomed kingdom more than ten years." That year, the three major rivers indeed dried up, and Qishan collapsed.
Three years into his reign, King You became particularly fond of a woman named Bao Si. Bao Si gave him a son, Bo Fu, and he decided to get rid of the crown prince. The crown prince's mother, the legitimate empress, was the Marquis of Shen's daughter. But then came Bao Si, and he was smitten. Out went the empress, out went the crown prince, and in came Bao Si and Bo Fu. Historian Boyang just shook his head. "Doomed," he sighed.
Get this: As early as the decline of the Xia Dynasty, a strange incident occurred. Two dragons stopped at the palace of the Xia Emperor, claiming to be "the two sovereigns of the Ba State." The emperor asked the oracle whether to kill them, drive them away, or keep them, but none of the results were auspicious. Later, the oracle collected their saliva and buried it, and only then did good fortune come. The Xia Emperor then offered sacrifices to bid farewell to the dragons, and they flew away, leaving only their saliva. After the fall of the Xia Dynasty, this saliva was passed on to the Shang Dynasty, and after the fall of the Shang Dynasty, it was inherited by the Zhou Dynasty. For three generations, no one dared to open it until the reign of King Li. The saliva spread like wildfire, impossible to clean up. King Li even had women strip and yell to scare it away! The saliva then turned into a large turtle and burrowed into the palace harem. The young palace maids started getting pregnant. No husbands, just babies. Terrified, they abandoned the newborns.
During the reign of King Xuan, a nursery rhyme sang: "The bow and the arrow, the fall of the Zhou State." When King Xuan heard about this, he found people buying and selling the box containing the saliva, and ordered them to be arrested and killed. On the way to escape, the couple happened to see the strange child discarded by the palace maids, and heard the child crying miserably at night, so they pitied him and raised him. The couple fled to Ba State. There was a man in Ba State who had committed a crime, and he used this abandoned girl to atone for his sins. This girl was Bao Si.
In his third year on the throne, King You saw Bao Si and was smitten. He showered her with gifts, and she bore him a son, Bo Fu. In the end, King You truly deposed Queen Shen and the crown prince, making Bao Si the queen and Bo Fu the crown prince. The historian Boyang once again sighed, "This is it. We're doomed!"
Bao Si had a peculiar habit; she didn't like to smile. King You tried all means to make her smile, wanting the whole world to see her smile, but she just wouldn't smile. King You had many beacon towers built and even brought out the drums, saying that if there were enemies, they would light the beacons. As a result, the lords all came, only to find out that there were no enemies at all, and Bao Si actually smiled! King You was ecstatic and deliberately lit the beacons multiple times. Later, everyone stopped believing, and even if there were beacons, the lords did not come.
King You heavily relied on Guo Shifu as a minister, hogging all the power and making everyone mad. This Guo Shifu was a total crook, but King You liked to use him. Later, King You deposed Queen Shen and even deposed the Crown Prince. Marquis Shen was furious, and he united with Zeng, Western Yi, and the Quanrong people to attack King You. King You lit the beacons for help, but no troops from other states came. In the end, King You was killed at the foot of Li Mountain, Bao Si was also captured, and many treasures of the Zhou Dynasty were looted. The vassal states enthroned King You's son Yijiu as king, who became King Ping of Zhou, continuing to worship the ancestors of the Zhou Dynasty.
After King Ping succeeded to the throne, in order to avoid the invasion of the Rong and Di tribes, he moved the capital to Luo Yi. During King Ping's reign, the Zhou Dynasty had already declined, with lords fighting for supremacy, strong states annexing weaker states, and the rise of the states of Qi, Chu, Qin, and Jin. The lords really ran the show, not the Zhou king.
In the forty-ninth year, Duke Yin of Lu ascended to the throne. In the fifty-first year, King Ping died, and Crown Prince Xie Fu died young, so his son Lin succeeded to the throne, becoming King Huan of Zhou.
In the third year of King Huan's reign, Duke Zhuang of Zheng came to court, but King Huan snubbed him. Five years later, Zheng harbored resentment and exchanged land sacred to the ancestral temple with Lu. In the eighth year, Lu killed Duke Yin and made Duke Huan ruler. In the thirteenth year, Lu attacked Zheng, wounding King Huan, who had to beat a hasty retreat.
In the twenty-third year, King Huan died, and his son King Zhuang succeeded him. In the fourth year of King Zhuang's reign, Zhou Gong Heijian plotted to kill King Zhuang and install Prince Ke as king. Xin Bo reported this to King Zhuang, who killed Zhou Gong Heijian, and Prince Ke fled to Yan.
Fifteen years later, King Zhuang died, and his son King Huqi succeeded him. In the third year of King Huqi's reign, Duke Huan of Qi rose to dominance.
Five years later, King Huqi died, and his son King Lang succeeded him. In the second year of King Hui's reign, trouble brewed when King Zhuang favored Yao Ji and had a son named Wei, who was also favored. After King Hui succeeded, he helped himself to the ministers' gardens for his hunting ground, causing Bian Bo and five other ministers to rebel, planning to unite with Yan and Wei to attack King Hui. King Hui fled to Wendi, then lived in Lidi of Zheng. They installed Wei, King Huqi's brother, as king. After Wei ascended the throne, he threw a massive party with music and dancing, infuriating the rulers of Zheng and Guo. Four years later, Zheng and Guo attacked and killed Wei, then welcomed King Hui back. In the tenth year of King Hui's reign, the Zhou emperor formally recognized Duke Huan of Qi as the leader of the vassal states.
In 715 BC, King Hui died, and his son King Zheng succeeded him. King Zheng's mother died young, and his stepmother was Queen Hui. Queen Hui had a son named Shudai, who was especially favored by King Hui and whom King Zheng feared. Three years later, Shudai made common cause with the Rongdi to attack King Zheng. King Zheng wanted to kill Shudai, who then fled to Qi.
Duke Huan of Qi sent Guan Zhong to the Zhou Dynasty to put down the Rong and Di rebellion and also sent Xi Peng to Jin State to put down the rebellion there. King Xiang of Zhou wanted to treat Guan Zhong like a top official, but Guan Zhong declined, saying, "I'm just a low-level official. The Son of Heaven still has two important ministers to protect the country. If you're gonna treat me like a big shot, how am I supposed to act? Please let me decline." King Xiang said, "Hey, Uncle, I admire your achievements. Don't give me any lip!" Guan Zhong finally accepted a slightly less grand reception before returning. Nine years later, Duke Huan kicked the bucket. Twelve years later, Shu Dai returned to the Zhou Dynasty.
Back in 709 BC, the state of Zheng attacked the state of Hua. King Xiang of Zhou sent You Sun and Bo Fu to request Zheng to stop fighting, but Zheng captured them both. Duke Wen of Zheng resented King Hui for not giving him Li Gong's title and also resented King Xiang for being friendly with Wei and Hua, which led to the imprisonment of Bo Fu. King Xiang was furious and planned to bring in the Zhai troops to attack Zheng. Fu Chen advised, "Our Zhou Dynasty's eastward migration relies on the support of Jin State and Zheng. When Zitui rebelled, it was also Zheng that helped pacify it. Now, abandoning them over a little spat ain't right!" King Xiang did not listen. In 707 BC, King Xiang brought in the Zhai troops to attack Zheng. King Xiang valued the Zhai people greatly, even planning to marry his daughter off to the Zhai king. Fu Chen advised again, "Kings Ping, Huan, Zhuang, and Hui all received help from Zheng. Now you’re abandoning close Zheng to rely on the Zhai people—that's a bad idea!" King Xiang still did not listen. In 706 BC, King Xiang dumped the Zhai queen, which led to trouble from the Zhai people who killed Tan Bo. Fu Chen said, "I've told you this a million times, but you never listen. If this continues, then you'll be mad at me, right?" So, he and his clan killed themselves.
At first, Queen Hui wanted the prince to succeed to the throne, so she secretly conspired with the Zhai people, which led to their attack on the Zhou Dynasty. King Xiang fled to the state of Zheng, where he was given refuge in Fan. The prince succeeded to the throne and married the deposed Queen of the Zhai people, living in Wendi. In 705 BC, King Xiang sought help from the state of Jin, and Duke Wen of Jin accepted him, killing Shudai in the process. King Xiang then offered Duke Wen of Jin gifts including a jade *gui*, sacrificial wine, and bow and arrows, making him the top dog among the vassal states, and ceded the land south of the Yellow River to Jin. In 701 BC, Duke Wen of Jin summoned King Xiang, and they met in Heyang and Jiantu, with all the vassals coming to pay their respects. The records say the king went hunting near Heyang.
In 635 BC, Duke Wen of Jin died.
In 626 BC, Duke Mu of Qin also died.
In 625 BC, King Xiang of Chu died, and his son King Renchen succeeded him. King Renchen died six years into his reign, and his son King Ban succeeded him. King Ban died six years later, and his brother King Yu succeeded him, becoming King Ding of Chu.
In 624 BC, King Zhuang of Chu launched an attack on the Lu Hunrong, stationed troops in Luoyang, and sent people to inquire about the Nine Tripods. Wang Sunman skillfully handled the situation, and the Chu army then withdrew. Ten years later, King Zhuang of Chu besieged the state of Zheng, whose ruler surrendered but was later released by King Zhuang. In 606 BC, King Zhuang of Chu died.
In 600 BC, King Ding of Chu died, and his son King Yi succeeded him. In 588 BC, the state of Jin killed Duke Li and usurped the throne by welcoming Prince Zhou as the ruler of the Zhou Dynasty, who became Duke Dao of Jin.
In 587 BC, King Jian died, and his son King Ling succeeded him. In 567 BC, Cui Zhu of Qi killed Duke Zhuang. In 564 BC, King Ling died, and his son King Gui succeeded him. In 544 BC, the Crown Prince of Chu died young. In 542 BC, King Jing favored his son Zi Chao and wanted to make him the Crown Prince. However, King Jing died, leading to a power struggle between Zi Chao's supporters and the supporters of King Jing's other son, Gai. The Chu people supported Meng, the eldest son, as king, but Zi Chao attacked and killed Meng. Meng was posthumously titled King Dao. The state of Jin attacked Zi Chao and supported Gai as king, who became King Jing.
In 541 BC, the state of Jin supported King Jing, while Zi Chao declared himself king. King Jing was barred from Chu and lived in the marshes. Four years later, Jin and other states escorted King Jing back to Chu, and Zi Chao was reduced to a vassal. The other states helped Chu rebuild its city walls. In 525 BC, Zi Chao's allies rebelled again, and King Jing fled to Jin. In 524 BC, Duke Ding of Jin finally escorted King Jing back to Chu.
In 502 BC, Tian Chang of Qi killed Duke Jian. In 500 BC, Chu destroyed the state of Chen, and Confucius died.
In 499 BC, King Jing died, and his son King Ren inherited the throne. In 493 BC, King Ren died, and his son King Jie succeeded him.
In 475 BC, the Three Jin states destroyed Zhi Bo and divided his territory.
In 463 BC, King Ding died, and his eldest son, Qujie, succeeded him as King Ai. After reigning for three months, King Ai was killed by his younger brother, Shuxi, who declared himself King Si. After reigning for five months, Shuxi was attacked and killed by his brother, Wei, who declared himself King Kao. These three kings were all children of King Ding.
In 457 BC, King Kao died, and his son Wu succeeded him as King Wulie.
King Zhou (周王) appointed his younger brother to Henan, naming him Duke Huan and allowing him to inherit the official position of Duke Zhou. After Duke Huan died, his son King Wei succeeded him. When King Wei died, his son King Hui succeeded him. King Hui then appointed his own youngest son to Gong, as a vassal, serving the Zhou Emperor and known as Duke Hui of Eastern Zhou.
During the twenty-third year of King Weilie's reign, the Nine Tripods shook, a significant omen. The Zhou Emperor then appointed the three states of Han, Wei, and Zhao as client states. In the twenty-fourth year, King Weilie died, and his son King Anjiao succeeded him. In that same year, someone assassinated the King of Chu.
After ruling for twenty-six years, King Anjiao died and his son King Liexi succeeded him. In the second year of King Liexi's reign, the court historian of the Zhou Dynasty went to meet with Duke Xiangong of Qin, saying, “The Zhou and Qin were once one family, then split. Five hundred years later, we reunite, and seventeen years after that, a great power will rise.”
Ten years later, King Liexi died, and his brother Jian succeeded him, becoming King Xian. During King Xian's fifth year of reign, he went to congratulate Duke Xiangong of Qin, who then declared himself a hegemon. Nine years later, King Xian sent the sacrificial meat for the civil and military sacrifices to Duke Xiaogong of Qin. In the twenty-fifth year, Qin summoned the vassal states of the Zhou Dynasty for a meeting. In the twenty-sixth year, King Xian ceded the title of "Bo" to Duke Xiaogong of Qin. In the thirty-third year, King Xian congratulated King Hui of Qin. In the thirty-fifth year, King Xian once again sent the sacrificial meat for the civil and military sacrifices to King Hui of Qin. In the forty-fourth year, King Hui of Qin declared himself king. After that, other vassal states did likewise and declared themselves kings.
In the forty-eighth year, King Xian died and his son King Shenjing succeeded him. After ruling for six years, King Shenjing died and his son King Nianyan succeeded him. During King Nianyan's reign, East and West Zhou split. King Nianyan later moved the capital to West Zhou.
The eldest legitimate son of Duke Wu of the Western Zhou Dynasty died, leaving only five sons born to concubines with no suitable heir. Sima Jian suggested to the King of Chu, "Let's back Prince Jiu's claim to the throne with land." Zuo Cheng objected, "No. If Zhou ignores Chu's advice, it'll be seen as deliberately weakening itself, driving a wedge between the two states. First, we should find out who the King of Zhou favors, then quietly let Sima Jian ask Chu for land to support that prince." As a result, Prince Jiu was indeed appointed as Crown Prince.
Eight years later, Qin attacked Yiyang, and Chu went to rescue. However, Chu believed that the Zhou Dynasty was in cahoots with Qin and planned to attack Zhou. Su Dai persuaded the King of Chu on behalf of Zhou, saying, "Why do you say that Zhou is a disaster for Qin? Those saying Zhou is worse for Qin than for Chu are trying to push Zhou into Qin's arms, hence the 'Zhou and Qin are one' propaganda. Zhou knows it cannot escape from Qin and will definitely turn to Qin, which is Qin's strategy to swallow Zhou. Your Majesty should consider that if Zhou has a good relationship with Qin, then continue to maintain friendly relations. If Zhou has a bad relationship with Qin, also pretend to have a good relationship with Qin, in order to alienate the relationship between Zhou and Qin. A complete break with Qin would force Zhou into Chu's arms."
The state of Qin wanted to borrow passage through the Zhou dynasty to attack Han. The Zhou dynasty was in a dilemma, afraid of offending Qin by not allowing passage, but also afraid of offending Han by allowing it. Shi Yan advised the Zhou king, "Why don't you send someone to tell Han's Gongshu: 'Qin dares to attack Han directly without regard for the Zhou dynasty because it believes that Eastern Zhou will help it. Why not give some land to Zhou and let Zhou use this land as collateral to seek help from Chu?' In this way, Qin would suspect that Chu wouldn't help Zhou. Therefore, Qin wouldn't attack Han. Then tell Qin: 'Han has given land to Zhou to confuse you, and Zhou dares not refuse.' This way, Qin couldn't stop Zhou from accepting the land, and the result would be that Zhou accepted the land from Han and complied with Qin's wishes."
Qin summoned the Western Zhou king, who did not want to go, so he sent someone to tell the king of Han: "Qin has summoned the Western Zhou king to attack your Nanyang. Why not reinforce Nanyang right away? The Western Zhou king can use this as an excuse to refuse Qin. If the Western Zhou king refused, Qin wouldn't dare cross the Yellow River to attack Nanyang."
Eastern and Western Zhou were at war, and Han went to rescue Western Zhou. Someone advised the king of Han, "After all, Western Zhou was once the capital of the Zhou dynasty, with many precious artifacts and treasures. Your Majesty, why not just use diplomacy? That way, all the treasures of Western Zhou will be yours!"
King Nan of Han reported to the king's minister. Chu laid siege to Yongshi, and Han demanded troops and provisions from Eastern Zhou. The Eastern Zhou king was in a panic, so he summoned Su Dai to discuss the situation. Su Dai said, "What are you worried about, Your Highness? I can ensure Han stops levying troops and supplies from Zhou, and I can also help you secure Gao Du." The king of Zhou replied, "If you can do that, I would be willing to hand over the country to you!" Su Dai then visited the Han prime minister and said, "Chu has been besieging Yongshi for three months, and after five months it still hasn't fallen, indicating Chu's strength is waning. Now you are demanding troops and provisions from Zhou, which shows Chu that you recognize its weakness." The Han prime minister said, "You're right; the envoy has already departed." Su Dai asked, "Wouldn't it be wiser to cede Gao Du to Zhou?" The Han prime minister exploded, "We've already levied troops and provisions from Zhou, and we have plenty; why should we give Gao Du to Zhou?" Su Dai explained, "If you give Gao Du to Zhou, Zhou will lean towards Han, and when Qin hears this news, they will be furious and cease all dealings with Zhou. This way, Gao Du is preserved, and Zhou is also safe. Why not do it this way?" The prime minister said, "Okay!" Finally, Gao Du was ceded to Zhou.
In the thirty-fourth year, Su Li said to Zhou Jun, "Qin has defeated Han and Wei, routed the Wei army, and captured Lín and Lìshí from Zhao in the north. All of these are the achievements of General Bai Qi! Not only is he skilled in warfare, but he seems blessed by Heaven. Now he is about to attack Liang. If Liang falls, our Zhou will be in danger! Why don't you send someone to advise Bai Qi?
As the saying goes, look at the archer who can hit a willow leaf from a hundred paces away, never missing. Thousands watched, marveling at his skill. At that moment, someone standing next to him said, 'Not bad, I can teach you how to shoot arrows!' The archer became furious, put down his bow, and picked up his sword, saying, 'Who are you to teach me archery?' The person replied, 'I'm not here to teach you how to adjust your posture, but to remind you that even the greatest archer can lose his edge. One slip and all that practice is wasted.'
Now that you have defeated Han and Wei, crushed the Wei army, and captured Lín and Lìshí from Zhao, you have already achieved a lot. But now, leading your troops out to the border for a long journey, passing through the lands of two states, bypassing Han to attack Liang—if you fail to capture it in one go, all your previous achievements will be in vain. Better to claim illness and stay your hand."
In the forty-second year, the state of Qin captured Huayang. Ma Fan said to the King of Zhou, "Please allow me to have the state of Liang come and build the walls of Zhou." Then he said to the King of Liang, "If the King of Zhou dies from illness, then I, Ma Fan, will not survive either. I want to present you with the Nine Tripods; accept the Nine Tripods, and then plan against me." The King of Liang agreed. So he gave him an army and let him go to Zhou. However, Ma Fan said to the King of Qin, "Liang is not going to help Zhou build the walls, but to attack Zhou. Your Majesty should send troops to the border to observe." Qin did send troops. He then said to the King of Liang, "The King of Zhou's health is failing; I will come back in a few days. Now, if you send troops to Zhou, other states will suspect treachery, making future endeavors impossible. It is better to let the Liang army help Zhou build the walls, so as to conceal our true intentions." The King of Liang agreed. So he sent troops to build the walls of Zhou.
In the forty-fifth year, a person from Qin said to the King of Zhou, "You should praise the King of Qin's filial piety and also say that you are willing to help the Queen Mother manage the land. The King of Qin will definitely be happy, and then you can be friendly with Qin. A show of friendship will earn you credit; enmity will leave those who counselled this alliance to bear the blame." Later, Qin attacked the Zhou dynasty, and the King of Zhou said to the King of Qin, "Your Majesty, attacking Zhou is unwise. It offers no gain, only fear. A fearful populace will unite with Qi against you, bogging down your armies. A Qi-led coalition will shatter Qin's hegemony. Those urging this attack seek to weaken Qin, hoping to see both Qin and the world fall. In a weakened Qin, your commands will go unheeded."
In the fifty-eighth year, the three Jin states united to resist the state of Qin. The King of Zhou sent his prime minister to Qin because he thought Qin was underestimating the enemy and then recalled him. A guest said to the prime minister, "It's tough to say if Qin's underestimating the enemy. Qin wants to understand the situation of the three Jin states. You should quickly go see the King of Qin and say, 'Please allow me to inquire about the situation in the east for the King.' The King of Qin will definitely appreciate you. If the King of Qin values you, it would be like valuing the Zhou dynasty itself, and the Zhou dynasty can then utilize Qin; if the state of Qi values you, you can use the power of the Zhou dynasty to win over Qi. This way, the Zhou dynasty can stay on good terms with the big players." Qin believed the words of the King of Zhou and sent troops to attack the three Jin states.
In the fifty-ninth year, Qin captured the cities of Yangcheng and Fushu from the state of Han, which made the Western Zhou tremble. They betrayed Qin and made an agreement with other vassal states to join forces, amassing the nation's best troops from all over to attack Qin from Yique, hoping to cut off Qin's support for Yangcheng. King Zhao of Qin hit the roof and sent generals to attack the Western Zhou. The ruler of Western Zhou prostrated himself and confessed, offering thirty-six cities and thirty thousand people to Qin. Qin accepted the surrender of Western Zhou and sent the ruler back to the Zhou dynasty.
King Nan, also known as the King of Zhou, died, and the Zhou people fled east. Qin took away treasures such as the Nine Tripods and moved the ruler of Western Zhou to Huanhu. Seven years later, King Zhuangxiang of Qin destroyed the Eastern Zhou dynasty. Both the Eastern and Western Zhou dynasties were destroyed by Qin, and the Zhou dynasty stopped offering sacrifices from then on.
Sima Qian said: Scholars all say that the Zhou Dynasty was established in Luoyi after King Wu defeated King Zhou, but that is not the case. King Wu briefly occupied it; it was King Cheng, advised by the Duke of Zhou, who chose the location for the capital, and only then did they place the nine tripods in Luoyi. The Zhou Dynasty later moved their capital to Fenghao. Only after King You's defeat by the Quanrong did the Zhou Dynasty return its capital to Luoyi. The "completed" in "when Duke Zhou's burial was finished" refers to the Du area southeast of Haojing. Eventually, the Qin Dynasty conquered the Zhou Dynasty. Over ninety years after the establishment of the Han Dynasty, the Han emperor wanted to perform the Feng and Shan sacrifices at Mount Tai, and while on an eastern hunt to Henan, he searched for descendants of the Zhou Dynasty. He granted their descendants thirty *li* of land, giving them the title of "Southern Lord of Zhou" with the rank of a marquis, allowing them to continue ancestral worship.
