Duke Xuan

（經二八六）冬，齊慶封來奔。

(Classic 28.6) In winter, Qing Feng of Qi came and defected.

（經二八七）十有一月，公如楚。

(Classic 28.7) In the eleventh month, Duke Xiang went to Chu.

（經二八八）十有二月甲寅，天王崩。

(Classic 28.8) In the twelfth month, on the day Jiayin, the Son of Heaven died.

（經二八九）乙未，楚子昭卒。

(Classic 28.9) On the day Yiwei, Zhao, Viscount of Chu, died.

春，王正月，公在楚。

In spring, the first month of the Zhou calendar, Duke Xiang was in Chu.

（傳）何言乎公在楚？正月以存君也。

(Commentary) Why is "the Duke was in Chu" written? In the first month the ruler's well-being is to be inquired after.

（經二九二）夏，五月，公至自楚。

(Classic 29.2) In summer, the fifth month, Duke Xiang returned from Chu.

（經二九三）庚午，衛侯衎卒。

(Classic 29.3) On the day Gengwu, Kan, Marquis of Wei, died.

（經二九四）閽弒吳子餘祭。

(Classic 29.4) A gatekeeper killed Yuzhi, Viscount of Wu.

（傳）閽者何？門人也，刑人也。刑人則曷為謂之閽？刑人非其人也。君子不近刑人，近刑人則輕死之道也。

(Commentary) Who was the gatekeeper? He was a man who guarded the gate, one who had suffered a mutilating punishment. Since he had suffered a punishment, why is he called a gatekeeper? A person who has suffered a punishment is already not that kind of person. The gentleman does not go near those who have suffered punishment, for going near those who have suffered punishment is the road to treating death lightly.

（經二九五）仲孫羯會晉荀盈、齊高止、宋華定、衛世叔齊、鄭公孫段、曹人、莒人、邾婁人、滕人、薛人、小邾婁人城杞。

(Classic 29.5) Zhongsun Jie joined Xun Ying of Jin, Gao Zhi of Qi, Hua Ding of Song, Shishu Qi of Wei, Gongsun Duan of Zheng, the men of Cao, the men of Ju, the men of Zhulou, the men of Teng, the men of Xue, and the men of Little Zhulou, and fortified Qi.

（經二九六）晉侯使士鞅來聘。

(Classic 29.6) The Marquis of Jin sent Shi Yang on a friendly visit.

（經二九七）杞子來盟。

(Classic 29.7) The Viscount of Qi came to the covenant.

（經二九八）吳子使札來聘。

(Classic 29.8) The Viscount of Wu sent Zha on a friendly visit.

（傳）吳無君、無大夫，此何以有君、有大夫？賢季子也。何賢乎季子？讓國也。其讓國奈何？謁也、餘祭也、夷昧也與季子同母者四，季子弱而才，兄弟皆愛之，同欲立之以為君，謁曰：「今若是迮而與季子國，季子猶不受也，請無與子而與弟，弟兄迭為君，而致國乎季子。」皆曰：「諾。」故諸為君者，皆輕死為勇，飲食必祝，曰：「天茍有吳國，尚速有悔於予身。」故謁也死，餘祭也立。餘祭也死，夷昧也立。夷昧也死，則國宜之季子者也。季子使而亡焉。僚者長庶也，即之，季子使而反，至，而君之爾。闔廬曰：「先君之所以不與子國而與弟者，凡為季子故也。將從先君之命與，則國宜之季子者也；如不從先君之命與，則我宜立者也，僚惡得為君乎？」於是使專諸剌僚，而致國乎季子。季子不受，曰：「爾弒吾君，吾受爾國，是吾與爾為篡也。爾殺吾兄，吾又殺爾，是父子兄弟相殺，終身無已也。」去之延陵，終身不入吳國。故君子以其不受為義，以其不殺為仁。賢季子則吳何以有君、有大夫？以季子為臣，則宜有君者也。札者何？吳季子之名也。《春秋》賢者不名，此何以名？許夷狄者不壹而足也。季子者所賢也，曷為不足乎季子？許人臣者必使臣，許人子者必使子也。

(Commentary) Wu had no ruler and no grandees; why does it here have a ruler and grandees? Because Jizi was thought worthy. Where did Jizi's worthiness lie? In yielding the state. How did he yield the state? Ye, Yuzhi, Yimei, and Jizi were four brothers of the same mother. Jizi was young but talented, and his brothers all loved him and all wished to make him ruler. Ye said: "If we hastily give the state to Jizi now, Jizi will still not accept it. Please let us not give it to our sons but to our brothers, with brothers taking turns as ruler, and then hand the state to Jizi." All said: "Good." Therefore those who were rulers all treated death lightly to show their courage, and always prayed before eating or drinking, saying: "If Heaven still wants Wu, please quickly send down calamity upon me." So Ye died and Yuzhi was installed. Yuzhi died and Yimei was installed. Yimei died, and the state should have gone to Jizi. Jizi was away on a mission. Liao, the eldest son by a concubine, took the throne. When Jizi returned from his mission and arrived, he treated Liao as the ruler. Helu said: "The reason the former rulers did not give the state to their sons but to their brothers was all for Jizi's sake. If we are to follow the former rulers' command, the state should go to Jizi; if we do not follow the former rulers' command, then I should be installed; how can Liao be the ruler?" So he sent Zhuan Zhu to stab Liao to death, and handed the state to Jizi. Jizi did not accept it, saying: "You killed my ruler, and if I accept your state, then I and you together have usurped. You killed my brother, and if I then killed you, fathers, sons, and brothers would kill each other without end for a lifetime." He left for Yanling and never entered Wu for the rest of his life. Therefore the gentleman thought his not accepting was righteousness and his not killing was benevolence. If Jizi is thought worthy, why then does Wu have a ruler and grandees? Treating Jizi as a minister, there should be a ruler. What is "Zha"? It is the personal name of Ji Zha of Wu. The Spring and Autumn Annals does not call a worthy man by name; why is he called by name here? Because toward the Yi and Di peoples it grants something but does not give it all at once. Jizi is one considered worthy; why is he still not given full measure? To approve of a person as a minister, one must make him be like a minister; to approve of a person as a son, one must make him be like a son.

（經二九九）秋，九月，葬衛獻公。

(Classic 29.9) In autumn, the ninth month, Duke Xian of Wei was buried.

（經二九十）齊高止出奔北燕。

(Classic 29.10) Gao Zhi of Qi fled to Northern Yan.

（經二九十一）冬，仲孫羯如晉。

(Classic 29.11) In winter, Zhongsun Jie went to Jin.

春，王正月，楚子使薳頗來聘。

In spring, the first month of the Zhou calendar, the Viscount of Chu sent Wei Po on a friendly visit.

（經三十二）夏，四月，蔡世子般弒其君固。

(Classic 30.2) In summer, the fourth month, Ban, heir of Cai, killed his ruler Gu.

（經三十三）五月甲午，宋災，伯姬卒。

(Classic 30.3) In the fifth month, on the day Jiawu, there was a fire in Song, and Bo Ji died.

（經三十四）天王殺其弟年夫。

(Classic 30.4) The Son of Heaven killed his younger brother Nianfu.

（經三十五）王子瑕奔晉。

(Classic 30.5) Prince Xia fled to Jin.

（經三十六）秋，七月，叔弓如宋，葬宋共姬。

(Classic 30.6) In autumn, the seventh month, Shu Gong went to Song, to bury Lady Gong Ji of Song.

（傳）外夫人不書葬，此何以書？隱之也。何隱爾？宋災，伯姬卒焉。其稱諡何？賢也。何賢爾？宋災，伯姬存焉，有司復曰：「火至矣，請出。」伯姬曰：「不可。吾聞之也：婦人夜出，不見傅母不下堂。傅至矣，母未至也。」逮乎火而死。

(Commentary) The burial of a wife of a foreign ruler is usually not recorded; why is it recorded here? It is to express sorrow over the matter. What is the sorrow? There was a fire in Song, and Bo Ji died there. Why is her posthumous title given? Because she was thought worthy. Where did her worthiness lie? When fire broke out in Song and Bo Ji was still there, an official reported: "The fire has arrived; please go out." Bo Ji said: "I cannot. I have heard: when a woman goes out at night, she does not descend from the hall unless she sees her tutor and her nurse. The tutor has arrived, but the nurse has not." So she was burned to death by the fire.

（經三十七）鄭良霄出奔許，自許入於鄭，鄭人殺良霄。

(Classic 30.7) Liang Xiao of Zheng fled to Xu, and from Xu entered Zheng, and the men of Zheng killed Liang Xiao.

（經三十八）冬，十月，葬蔡景公。

(Classic 30.8) In winter, the tenth month, Duke Jing of Cai was buried.

（傳）賊未討，何以書葬？君子辭也。

(Commentary) The rebel had not yet been punished; why is the burial recorded? It is the wording of the gentleman.

（經三十九）晉人、齊人、宋人、衛人、鄭人、曹人、莒人、邾婁人、滕人、薛人、杞人、小邾婁人會於澶淵，宋災故。

(Classic 30.9) The men of Jin, the men of Qi, the men of Song, the men of Wei, the men of Zheng, the men of Cao, the men of Ju, the men of Zhulou, the men of Teng, the men of Xue, the men of the small state of Qi (the willow Qi), and the men of Little Zhulou met at Chanyuan, because of the fire in Song.

（傳）宋災故者何？諸侯會於澶淵，凡為宋災故也。會未有言其所為者，此言所為何？錄伯姬也。諸侯相聚，而更宋之所喪，曰：「死者不可復生，爾財復矣！」此大事也，曷為使微者？卿也。卿則其稱人何？貶。曷為貶？卿不得憂諸侯也。

(Commentary) What does "because of the fire in Song" mean? The lords met at Chanyuan all because of the fire in Song. A meeting is never recorded with its purpose; why is the purpose recorded here? It is to record Bo Ji. The lords gathered together to make up what Song had lost, saying: "The dead cannot be brought back to life, but your property has come back!" This was a great matter; why were people of low rank sent? They were in fact ministers. Since they were ministers, why are they called "men"? It is a demotion. Why demote them? Ministers are not to worry on behalf of the lords.

春，王正月。

In spring, the first month of the Zhou calendar.

（經三一二）夏，六月辛巳，公薨於楚宮。

(Classic 31.2) In summer, the sixth month, on the day Xinsi, Duke Xiang died in the Palace of Chu.

（經三一三）秋，九月癸巳，子野卒。己亥，仲孫羯卒。

(Classic 31.3) In autumn, the ninth month, on the day Guisi, Ziye died. On the day Jihai, Zhongsun Jie died.

（經三一四）冬，十月，滕子來會葬。癸酉，葬我君襄公。

(Classic 31.4) In winter, the tenth month, the Viscount of Teng came to attend the funeral. On the day Guiyou, Duke Xiang, ruler of our state of Lu, was buried.

（經三一五）十有一月，莒人弒其君密州。

(Classic 31.5) In the eleventh month, the men of Ju killed their ruler Mizhou.

春，王正月，公即位。

In spring, the first month of the Zhou calendar, Duke Zhao took the throne.

（經一二）叔孫豹會晉趙武、楚公子圍、齊國酌、宋向戌、衛石惡、陳公子招、蔡公孫歸生、鄭軒虎、許人、曹人於漷。

(Classic 1.2) Shusun Bao joined Zhao Wu of Jin, Prince Wei of Chu, Guo Zhuo of Qi, Xiang Xu of Song, Shi E of Wei, Prince Zhao of Chen, Gongsun Guisheng of Cai, Xuan Hu of Zheng, the men of Xu, and the men of Cao at Huo.

（傳）此陳侯之弟招也，何以不稱弟？貶。曷為貶？為殺世子偃師貶，曰陳侯之弟招殺陳世子偃師。大夫相殺稱人，此其稱名氏以殺何？言將自是弒君也。今將爾，詞曷為與親弒者同？君親無將，將而必誅焉。然則曷為不於其弒焉貶？以親者弒，然後其罪惡甚，《春秋》不待貶絕而罪惡見者，不貶絕以見罪惡也。貶絕然然罪惡見者，貶絕以見罪惡也。今招之罪已重矣，曷為復貶乎此？著招之有罪也。何著乎招之有罪？言楚之託乎討招以滅陳也。

(Commentary) This man was Zhao, younger brother of the Marquis of Chen; why is he not called a younger brother? It is a demotion. Why demote him? He was demoted because he killed the heir Yanshi, as the text says, "Zhao, younger brother of the Marquis of Chen, killed Yanshi, heir of Chen." When grandees kill each other they are called "men"; here the name and clan are used in writing the killing; why? It is to say that from this he would go on to kill the ruler. Now it is only "would go on to"; why is the wording the same as for killing a ruler with his own hand? Toward a ruler and one's closest kin there can be no "would go on to"; if one would, one must be punished. Then why is he not demoted at the place where he killed? Because his kin was killed, and only then is the crime especially grave; the Spring and Autumn Annals does not wait for demotion to show a crime that is already evident, and so does not rely on demotion to show the crime; a crime that shows only after demotion is shown through demotion. (The source text has a doubled character here; it probably should read "and then".) Now Zhao's crime was already grave; why is he demoted again here? It is to mark Zhao as guilty. Why mark Zhao as guilty? It says that Chu would use the pretext of punishing Zhao to destroy Chen.

（經一三）三月，取運。

(Classic 1.3) In the third month, Yun was taken.

（傳）運者何？內之邑也。其言取之何？不聽也。

(Commentary) What is Yun? It is a city within Lu. Why is "taken" written? Because they did not obey.

（經一四）夏，秦伯之弟針出奔晉。

(Classic 1.4) In summer, Zhen, younger brother of the Earl of Qin, fled to Jin.

（傳）秦無大夫，此何以書？仕諸晉也。曷為仕諸晉？有千乘之國，而不能容其母弟，故君子謂之出奔也。

(Commentary) Qin has no grandees recorded; why is he recorded here? It is to let him take office in Jin. Why let him take office in Jin? A state of a thousand chariots could not tolerate a brother of the same mother, so the gentleman called it fleeing.

（經一五）六月丁巳，邾婁子華卒。

(Classic 1.5) In the sixth month, on the day Dingsi, Hua, Viscount of Zhulou, died.

（經一六）晉荀吳帥師敗狄於大原。

(Classic 1.6) Xun Wu of Jin led an army and defeated the Di at Dayuan.

（傳）此大滷也，曷為謂之大原？地物從中國，邑人名從主人。原者何？上平曰原，下平曰隰。

(Commentary) This was originally Dalu; why is it called Dayuan? Land and produce follow the names of the Central Plain, while cities and people's names follow the names of their masters. What is a "yuan"? Flat ground above is called yuan; flat ground below is called xi.

（經一七）秋，莒去疾自齊入於莒。莒展出奔吳。叔弓帥師疆運田。

(Classic 1.7) In autumn, Qu Ji of Ju entered Ju from Qi. Zhan of Ju fled to Wu. Shu Gong led an army and demarcated the boundary of the Yun fields.

（傳）疆運田者何？與莒為竟也。與莒為竟，則曷為帥師而往？畏莒也。

(Commentary) What does "demarcated the boundary of the Yun fields" mean? It means fixing the border with Ju. Why lead an army to fix the border with Ju? Because Ju was feared.

（經一八）葬邾婁悼公。

(Classic 1.8) Duke Dao of Zhulou was buried.

（經一九）冬，十有一月己酉，楚子卷卒。

(Classic 1.9) In winter, the eleventh month, on the day Jiyou, Juan, Viscount of Chu, died.

（經一十）楚公子比出奔晉。

(Classic 1.10) Prince Bi of Chu fled to Jin.

春，晉侯使韓起來聘。

In spring, the Marquis of Jin sent Han Qi on a friendly visit.

（經二二）夏，叔弓如晉。

(Classic 2.2) In summer, Shu Gong went to Jin.

（經二三）秋，鄭殺其大夫公孫黑。

(Classic 2.3) In autumn, Zheng killed its grandee Gongsun Hei.

（經二四）冬，公如晉，至河乃復。

(Classic 2.4) In winter, Duke Zhao went to Jin, and returned on reaching the Yellow River.

（傳）其言至河乃復何？不敢進也。

(Commentary) What does it mean to write "reached the River and then returned"? He did not dare advance.