Duke Zhuang

（經二七七）公會齊侯於城濮。

(Classic 277) Duke Zhuang met the Marquis of Qi at Chengpu.

春，王三月甲寅，齊人伐衛，衛人及齊人戰，衛人敗績。

In spring, the third month of the Zhou calendar, jiayin, the men of Qi attacked Wei, and the men of Wei fought the men of Qi, and the men of Wei were greatly defeated.

（傳）伐不日，此何以日？至之日也。戰不言伐，此其言伐何？至之日也。《春秋》伐者為客，伐者為主，故使衛主之也。曷為使衛主之？衛未有罪爾。敗者稱師，衛何以不稱師？未得乎師也。

(Commentary) An attack is not recorded by day; why is the day recorded here? It is the day of arrival. A battle does not use the word "attack"; here "attack" is written; why? It too is the day of arrival. In the Spring and Autumn Annals the attacker is the guest and the attacked is the host, so Wei is made the host. Why is Wei made the host? Because Wei had no fault. The defeated side is called "army"; why is Wei not called "army"? Because it had not yet formed an army.

（經二八二）夏，四月丁未，邾婁子瑣卒。

(Classic 282) In summer, the fourth month, dingwei, Suo, Viscount of Zhulou, died.

（經二八三）秋，荊伐鄭，公會齊人、宋人、邾婁人救鄭。

(Classic 283) In autumn, Jing attacked Zheng, and Duke Zhuang joined the men of Qi, Song and Zhulou in rescuing Zheng.

（經二八四）冬，築微。大無麥、禾。

(Classic 284) In winter, Wei was built. Wheat and millet were gravely lacking.

（傳）既見無麥、禾矣，曷為先言築微，而後言無麥、禾？諱以凶年造邑也。

(Commentary) It was already seen that there was no wheat or millet; why is "building Wei" written first and "no wheat or millet" after? It is to avoid mentioning building a town in a famine year.

（經二八五）臧孫辰告糴於齊。

(Classic 285) Zang Sunchen asked Qi to sell grain.

（傳）告糴者何？請糴也。何以不稱使？以為臧孫辰之私行也。曷為以為臧孫辰之私行？君子之為國也，必有三年之委；一年不熟，告糴，譏也。

(Commentary) What does "asking to buy grain" mean? It means requesting to purchase grain. Why is "sent" not written? It treats this as Zang Sunchen's private act. Why treat it as private? A gentleman governing a state must have three years of reserves; to ask to buy grain after one bad harvest is criticism.

春，新延廄。

In spring, the Yan stables were renovated.

（傳）新延廄者何？修舊也。修舊不書，此何以書？譏。何譏爾？凶年不修。

(Commentary) What does "renovating the Yan stables" mean? It means repairing the old. Repairing the old is normally not recorded; why is it recorded here? It is criticism. What is criticized? It should not be repaired in a famine year.

（經二九二）夏，鄭人侵許。

(Classic 292) In summer, the men of Zheng invaded Xu.

（經二九三）秋，有蜚。

(Classic 293) In autumn, there were fei insects.

（傳）何以書？記異也。

(Commentary) Why is it recorded? It records an anomaly.

（經二九四）冬，十有二月，紀叔姬卒。

(Classic 294) In winter, the twelfth month, Shu Ji of Ji died.

（經二九五）城諸及防。

(Classic 295) Zhu and Fang were fortified.

春，王正月。（經三十二）夏，師次於成。

In spring, the first month of the Zhou calendar. (Classic 32) In summer, the army was stationed at Cheng.

（經三十三）秋，七月，齊人降鄣。

(Classic 33) In autumn, the seventh month, the men of Qi made Zhang surrender.

（傳）鄣者何？紀之遺邑也。降之者何？取之也。取之則曷為不言取之？為桓公諱也。外取邑不書，此何以書？盡也。

(Commentary) What is Zhang? The remaining city of Ji. What does "made it surrender" mean? It means seizing it. If it was seizing, why is "seized" not written? It is to avoid mentioning it on behalf of Duke Huan. Seizing a city abroad is normally not recorded; why is it recorded here? Because it was taken in its entirety.

（經三十四）八月癸亥，葬紀叔姬。

(Classic 34) In the eighth month, guihai, Shu Ji of Ji was buried.

（傳）外夫人不書葬，此何以書？隱之也。何隱爾？其國亡矣，徒葬乎叔爾。

(Commentary) The burial of a foreign wife is not recorded; why is it recorded here? To pity her. What is pitied? Her state had perished, and she was merely buried by Shu.

（經三十五）九月庚午朔，日有食之，鼓、用牲於社。

(Classic 35) In the ninth month, on the first day, gengwu, there was a solar eclipse; drums were beaten and an animal was offered at the altar of the soil.

（經三十六）冬，公及齊侯遇於魯濟。

(Classic 36) In winter, Duke Zhuang met the Marquis of Qi at Jiji in Lu.

（經三十七）齊人伐山戎。

(Classic 37) The men of Qi attacked the Shan Rong.

（傳）此齊侯也，其稱人何？貶。曷為貶？子司馬子曰：「蓋以操之為已蹙以矣！」此蓋戰也，何以不言戰？《春秋》敵者言戰，桓公之與戎狄，驅之爾。

(Commentary) This person was the Marquis of Qi; why is he called "man"? It is a demotion. Why demoted? Master Sima said: "Probably because he did the matter too hastily!" This was probably a battle; why is "battle" not written? In the Spring and Autumn Annals, "battle" is written only for equals; Duke Huan toward the Rong and Di only drove them away.

春，築臺於郎。

In spring, a high terrace was built at Lang.

（傳）何以書？譏。何譏爾？臨民之所漱浣也。

(Commentary) Why is it recorded? It is criticism. What is criticized? Because it looks down on the place where the common people wash.

（經三一二）夏，四月，薛伯卒。

(Classic 312) In summer, the fourth month, the Earl of Xue died.

（經三一三）築臺於薛。

(Classic 313) A high terrace was built at Xue.

（傳）何以書？譏。何譏爾？遠也。

(Commentary) Why is it recorded? It is criticism. What is criticized? Because it was too far away.

（經三一四）六月，齊侯來獻戎捷。

(Classic 314) In the sixth month, the Marquis of Qi came to present the captives and spoils of the Rong.

（傳）齊，大國也，曷為親來獻戎捷？威我也。其威我奈何？旗獲而過我也。

(Commentary) Qi is a great state; why did he come in person to present the Rong spoils? To intimidate our Lu. How did he intimidate? He carried the captured banners and passed through Lu.

（經三一五）秋，築臺於秦。

(Classic 315) In autumn, a high terrace was built at Qin.

（傳）何以書？譏。何譏爾？臨國也。

(Commentary) Why is it recorded? It is criticism. What is criticized? Because it looks down on another state.

（經三一六）冬，不雨。

(Classic 316) In winter, it did not rain.

（傳）何以書？記異也。

(Commentary) Why is it recorded? It records an anomaly.

春，城小谷。

In spring, Xiaogu was fortified.

（經三二二）夏，宋公、齊侯遇於梁丘。

(Classic 322) In summer, the Duke of Song and the Marquis of Qi met at Liangqiu.

（經三二三）秋，七月癸巳，公子牙卒。

(Classic 323) In autumn, the seventh month, guisi, Prince Ya died.

（傳）何以不稱弟？殺也。殺則曷為不言刺？為季子諱殺也。曷為為季子諱殺？季子之遏惡也，不以為國獄，緣季子之心而為之諱。季子之遏惡奈何？莊公並將死，以病召季子，季子至而授之以國政，曰：「寡人即不起此病，吾將焉致乎魯國？」季子曰：「般也存，君何憂焉？」公曰：「庸得若是乎？牙謂我曰：『魯一生一及，君已知之矣。』慶父也存。」季子曰：「夫何敢？是將為亂乎！夫何敢！」俄而，牙弒械成。季子和藥而飲之，曰：「公子從吾言而飲此，則必可以無為天下戮笑，必有後乎魯國。不從吾言而不飲此，則必為天下戮笑，必無後乎魯國。」於是從其言而飲之，飲之無傫氏，至乎王堤而死。公子牙今將爾，辭曷為與親弒者同？君親無將，將而誅焉。然則善之與？曰：然。殺世子母弟，直稱君者，甚之也。季子殺母兄，何善爾？誅不得闢兄，君臣之義也。然則曷為不直誅，而酖之？行諸乎兄，隱而逃之，使托若以疾死然，親親之道也。

(Commentary) Why is he not called a brother? Because he was killed. Why is "executed" not written for one who was killed? It avoids mentioning the killing on behalf of Jizi. Why avoid mentioning the killing on behalf of Jizi? Jizi checked the crime and did not treat it as a case of the state; following Jizi's intention, it is concealed for him. How did Jizi check the crime? When Duke Zhuang was about to die, he summoned Jizi while ill, and when Jizi arrived he entrusted state affairs to him, saying: "If I cannot rise from this illness, to whom shall I entrust Lu?" Jizi said: "Ban is still here; what does Your Lordship worry about?" Duke Zhuang said: "How can that be? Ya told me: 'Lu passes to a son in one generation and to a brother in the next; Your Lordship already knows this.' Qingfu is also still here." Jizi said: "How dare he? Is this to make disorder! How dare he!" Before long Ya's arrangements to murder the ruler were complete. Jizi prepared a drug and gave it to him to drink, saying: "Prince, if you listen to me and drink this, you will not be killed and mocked by the world, and you will surely have descendants in Lu. If you do not listen to me and do not drink this, you will surely be killed and mocked by the world, and you will surely have no descendants in Lu." So he listened to him and drank it, and after drinking it he went to Wulei's house, and reached Wangdi and died. Prince Ya was at this point only about to do it; why is the wording the same as for one who killed the ruler with his own hands? Regarding the ruler and closest kin there is no "about to"; to be about to is to be executed. Then is this approval of him? The answer: yes. In killing a crown prince or full brother, naming the ruler directly makes the matter heavy. What is good about Jizi killing his full brother? In punishment one cannot avoid one's elder brother; this is the righteousness of ruler and minister. Then why not execute him directly but use poisoned wine? Because it was done to an elder brother, one must conceal and avoid it, letting people ascribe it to illness, which is the principle of favoring one's kin.

（經三二四）八月癸亥，公薨於路寢。

(Classic 324) In the eighth month, guihai, Duke Zhuang died in the Lu Chamber.

（傳）路寢者何？正寢也。

(Commentary) What is the Lu Chamber? It is the proper chamber.

（經三二五）冬，十月乙未，子般卒。

(Classic 325) In winter, the tenth month, yiwei, Zi Ban died.

（傳）子卒雲子卒，此其稱子般卒何？君存稱世子，君薨稱子某，既葬稱子，逾年稱公。子般卒，何以不書葬？未逾年之君也。有子則廟，廟則書葬；無子不廟，不廟則不書葬。

(Commentary) When a ruler's son dies it is normally written "the son died"; why is it written here "Zi Ban died"? When the ruler is alive he is called heir; when the ruler has died he is called Zi so-and-so; after burial he is called Zi; after the year turns, he is called Duke. Why is Zi Ban's burial not recorded? Because he was a ruler who had not yet passed the year. If one has a son one sets up a temple, and setting up a temple means recording the burial; if one has no son one does not set up a temple, and without a temple the burial is not recorded.

（經三二六）公子慶父如齊。狄伐邢。

(Classic 326) Prince Qingfu went to Qi. The Di attacked Xing.