Duke Zhuang

春，夫人姜氏會齊侯於防。

Spring, Lady Jiang, wife of the duke, met the Marquis of Qi at Fang.

（經七二）夏，四月，辛卯夜，恆星不見，夜中星霣如雨。

(Classic 7:2) In summer, the fourth month, xinmao night, the fixed stars were not seen, and at midnight stars fell like rain.

（傳）恆星者何？列星也。列星不見，則何以知？夜之中星反也。如雨者何？如雨者非雨也。非雨則曷為謂之如雨？不修《春秋》曰：「雨星不及地尺而復。」君子修之曰：「星霣如雨。」何以書？記異也。

(Commentary) What are fixed stars? They are the ranked stars. If the ranked stars were not seen, how do we know it was midnight? Because the stars came back afterward. What does "like rain" mean? Saying "like rain" means it was not rain. If it was not rain, why say "like rain"? The Spring and Autumn Annals before the gentleman revised it wrote: "The stars fell like rain, and when a foot above the ground returned." The gentleman revised it to: "The stars fell like rain." Why is it recorded? To record an anomaly.

（經七三）秋，大水。無麥、苗。

(Classic 7:3) In autumn, there was a great flood. There was no wheat and no seedlings.

（傳）無苗，則曷為先言無麥，而後言無苗？一災不書，待無麥，然後書無苗。何以書？記災也。

(Commentary) Of no seedlings, why is "no wheat" written first and then "no seedlings"? One calamity is not recorded, and only when there was no wheat was it then recorded that there were no seedlings. Why is it recorded? To record a calamity.

（經七四）冬，夫人姜氏會齊侯於谷。

(Classic 7:4) In winter, Lady Jiang, wife of the duke, met the Marquis of Qi at Gu.

春，王正月，師次於郎，以俟陳人、蔡人。

Spring, the first month of the Zhou calendar. The army was stationed at Lang, waiting for the people of Chen and Cai.

（傳）次不言俟，此其言俟何？托不得已也。

(Commentary) For encamping, "waited" is not written; why is "waited" written here? It is a pretext saying it could not be helped.

（經八二）甲午，祠兵。

(Classic 8:2) On jiawu day, the Ci troops ceremony was held.

（傳）祠兵者何？出曰祠兵，入曰振旅，其禮一也，皆習戰也。何言乎祠兵？為久也。曷為為久？吾將以甲午之日，然後祠兵於是。

(Commentary) What is the Ci troops ceremony? Going out is called Ci troops, and coming back is called Zhen lü; the ritual is the same, both are drills for battle. Why is "Ci troops" written? Because it dragged on too long. Why did it drag on too long? We were going to wait until the jiawu day and only then hold the Ci troops ceremony here.

（經八三）夏，師及齊師圍成，成降於齊師。

(Classic 8:3) In summer, our army and the army of Qi besieged Cheng, and Cheng surrendered to the army of Qi.

（傳）成者何？盛也。盛則曷為謂之成？諱滅同姓也。曷為不言降吾師？闢之也。

(Commentary) What was Cheng? It was Sheng. If it was Sheng, why is it called Cheng? To conceal the destruction of a state of the same surname. Why is it not written that it surrendered to our army? To avoid that.

（經八四）秋，師還。

(Classic 8:4) In autumn, the army returned.

（傳）還者何？善辭也。此滅同姓何善爾？病之也，曰：師病矣！曷為病之？非師之罪也！

(Commentary) What does "returned" mean? It is a good wording. This was the destruction of a state of the same surname; what is good about it? It is grief, as if to say: the army is sick! Why grief? It was not the army's fault!

（經八五）冬，十有一月癸未，齊無知弒其君諸兒。

(Classic 8:5) In winter, the eleventh month, guiwei day, Wuzhi of Qi assassinated his ruler Zhu'er.

春，齊人殺無知。公及齊大夫盟於暨。

Spring, the people of Qi killed Wuzhi. Duke Zhuang made a covenant with the grandees of Qi at Ji.

（傳）公曷為與大夫盟？齊無君也。然則何以不名？其諱與大夫盟也，使若眾然。

(Commentary) Why did Duke Zhuang make a covenant with grandees? Because Qi had no ruler. Then why is he not called by name? To conceal covenanting with grandees, written as if it were an oath with the multitude.

（經九二）夏，公伐齊納糾。

(Classic 9:2) In summer, Duke Zhuang attacked Qi to put Jiu in.

（傳）納者何？入辭也。其言伐之何？伐而言納者，猶不能納也。糾者何？公子糾也。何以不稱公子？君前臣名也。

(Commentary) What does "put in" mean? It is the wording for entering. Why is "attacked" written? Having attacked and also written "put in," it looks as if in the end he was not put in. Who was Jiu? He was Prince Jiu. Why is he not called prince? Before the ruler, a minister is called by name.

（經九三）齊小白入於齊。

(Classic 9:3) Xiaobai of Qi entered Qi.

（傳）曷為以國氏？當國也。其言入何？篡辭也。

(Commentary) Why is the state name used as his clan? Because he held the power of the state. Why is "entered" written? It is the wording for usurpation.

（經九四）秋，七月丁酉，葬齊襄公。

(Classic 9:4) In autumn, the seventh month, dingyou day, Duke Xiang of Qi was buried.

（經九五）八月庚申，及齊師戰於干時，我師敗績。

(Classic 9:5) In the eighth month, gengshen day, he fought with the army of Qi at Ganshi (Ganshi, a place name; the received text writes the first character with the Qian of Qiankun), and our army was utterly defeated.

（傳）內不言敗，此其言敗何？伐敗也。曷為伐敗？復讎也。此復讎乎大國，曷為使微者？公也。公則曷為不言公？不與公復讎也。曷為不與公復讎？復讎者在下也。

(Commentary) For Lu's own affairs "defeated" is not written; why is "defeated" written here? To make the defeat plain. Why make the defeat plain? Because this was revenge. This was revenge against a great state, so why was someone of low rank sent? In fact it was Duke Zhuang. If it was Duke Zhuang, why is "the duke" not written? The duke's way of taking revenge is not approved. Why not approved? Because the one who should take revenge was below.

（經九六）九月，齊人取子糾殺之。

(Classic 9:6) In the ninth month, the people of Qi took Zijiu away and killed him.

（傳）其言取之何？內辭也；脅我，使我殺之也。其稱子糾何？貴也。其貴奈何？宜為君者也。

(Commentary) Why is it written "took him"? It is Lu's own wording of concealment; the other side pressed us and made us kill him. He is called "Zijiu"; why? Because he was noble. How was he noble? He should have been ruler.

（經九七）冬，浚洙。

(Classic 9:7) In winter, the Zhu River was dredged.

（傳）洙者何？水也。浚之者何？深之也。曷為深之？畏齊也。曷為畏齊也？辭殺子糾也。

(Commentary) What was the Zhu? It was a river. What does "dredged it" mean? It means to dig it deeper. Why dig it deeper? Because of fear of Qi. Why fear Qi? To decline the matter of killing Zijiu.

春，王正月，公敗齊師於長勺。

Spring, the first month of the Zhou calendar. Duke Zhuang defeated the army of Qi at Changshao.

（經十二）二月，公侵宋。

(Classic 10:2) In the second month, Duke Zhuang invaded Song.

（傳）曷為或言侵？或言伐？粗者曰侵，精者曰伐。戰不言伐，圍不言戰，入不言圍，滅不言入--書其重者也。

(Commentary) Why is it sometimes written "invaded" and sometimes "attacked"? A rough one is called invasion; a detailed one is called attack. When fighting, "attack" is not written; when besieging, "fought" is not written; when entering, "besieged" is not written; when destroying, "entered" is not written; the heavier side is recorded.

（經十三）三月，宋人遷宿。

(Classic 10:3) In the third month, the people of Song moved Su.

（傳）遷之者何？不通也，以地遷之也。子沈子曰：「不通者，蓋因而臣之也。」

(Commentary) What does "moved it" mean? It means cutting it off and relocating it with land. Master Zi Shen said: "What is called cutting off was probably to take the chance to treat it as a vassal."

（經十四）夏，六月，齊師、宋師次於郎，公敗宋師於乘丘。

(Classic 10:4) In summer, the sixth month, the armies of Qi and Song encamped at Lang, and Duke Zhuang defeated the army of Song at Chengqiu.

（傳）其言次於郎何？伐也。伐則其言次何？齊與伐而不與戰，故言伐也。我能敗之，故言次也。

(Commentary) Why is it written "encamped at Lang"? In fact they came to attack. If it was an attack, why is "encamped" written? Qi took part in the attack but did not take part in the battle, so it is put from the side of attacking; we were able to defeat them, so "encamped" is written.

（經十五）秋，九月，荊敗蔡師於莘，以蔡侯獻舞歸。

(Classic 10:5) In autumn, the ninth month, Jing defeated the army of Cai at Shen and took Xianwu, Marquis of Cai, back with them.

（傳）荊者何？州名也。州不若國，國不若氏，氏不若人，人不若名，名不若字，字不若子。蔡侯獻舞何以名？絕。曷為絕之？獲也。曷為不言其獲？不與夷狄之獲中國也。

(Commentary) What was Jing? It was the name of a province. A province ranks below a state, a state below a clan, a clan below "people," "people" below a personal name, a personal name below a courtesy name, and a courtesy name below "zi." Why is Xianwu, Marquis of Cai, called by name? To cut him off. Why cut him off? Because he was captured. Why is the capture not written? Because the capture of a person of the central states by barbarians is not approved.

（經十六）冬，十月，齊師滅譚，譚子奔莒。

(Classic 10:6) In winter, the tenth month, the army of Qi destroyed Tan, and the Viscount of Tan fled to Ju.

（傳）何以不言出？國以滅矣，無所出也。

(Commentary) Why is "left" not written? The state was already destroyed, so there was nowhere to "leave."

春，王正月。

Spring, the first month of the Zhou calendar.

（經十一二）夏，五月戊寅，公敗宋師於鄑。

(Classic 11:2) In summer, the fifth month, wuyin day, Duke Zhuang defeated the army of Song at Zi.

（經十一三）秋，宋大水。

(Classic 11:3) In autumn, there was a great flood in Song.

（傳）何以書？記災也。外災不書，此何以書？及我也。

(Commentary) Why is it recorded? To record a calamity. Outside calamities are not normally recorded; why is it recorded here? Because it also reached our state of Lu.

（經十一四）冬，王姬歸於齊。

(Classic 11:4) In winter, the royal princess married into Qi.

（傳）何以書？過我也。

(Commentary) Why is it recorded? Because she passed through our state of Lu.

春，王三月，紀叔姬歸於酅。

Spring, the third month of the Zhou calendar. Shu Ji of Ji returned to Xi.

（傳）其言歸於酅何？隱之也。何隱爾？其國亡矣，徒歸於叔爾也。

(Commentary) Why is it written "returned to Xi"? Out of pity for her. Pity for what? Her state was destroyed and she merely returned to Shu.

（經十二二）夏，四月。

(Classic 12:2) In summer, the fourth month.

（經十二三）秋，八月甲午，宋萬弒其君接及其大夫仇牧。

(Classic 12:3) In autumn, the eighth month, jiawu day, Song Wan assassinated his ruler Jie and his grandee Chou Mu.

（傳）及者何？累也。弒君多矣，舍此無累者乎？孔父、荀息皆累也。舍孔父、荀息，無累者乎？曰：有。有則此何以書？賢也。何賢乎仇牧？仇牧可謂不畏強禦矣！其不畏強禦奈何？萬嘗與莊公戰，獲乎莊公；莊公歸，散舍諸宮中，數月，然後歸之。歸反為大夫於宋。與閔公博，婦人皆在側。萬曰：「甚矣，魯侯之淑，魯侯之美也！天下諸侯宜為君者，唯魯侯爾！」閔公矜此婦人，妒其言，顧曰：「此虜也！爾虜焉故，魯侯之美惡乎至？」萬怒，搏閔公，絕其脰。仇牧聞君弒，趨而至，遇之於門，手劍而叱之。萬闢殺仇牧，碎其首，齒著乎門闔。仇牧可謂不畏強禦矣！（經十二四）冬，十月，宋萬出奔陳。莊公（經十三一）十有三年

(Commentary) What does "and" mean? It means drawn in together. Assassinations of rulers were many; apart from this case were there none who were drawn in? Kong Fu and Xun Xi were both drawn in. Apart from Kong Fu and Xun Xi, were there no others? The answer is: there were. If there were, why is this one recorded? Because Chou Mu was worthy. In what way was Chou Mu worthy? Chou Mu can be said to have not feared the strong and violent! How did he not fear the strong and violent? Wan had once fought Duke Zhuang and was captured by Duke Zhuang; when Duke Zhuang returned, he kept him loose in the palace and released him after several months. After returning, he again served as a grandee in Song. While playing a board game with Duke Min, with women all around, Wan said: "How excellent, the goodness of the Marquis of Lu, how fine the Marquis of Lu! Of all the lords of the world fit to be a ruler, only the Marquis of Lu!" Duke Min wished to boast before these women, was jealous of these words, and turned and said: "This is a captive! You were a captive, so how does the Marquis of Lu's beauty come out of your mouth?" Wan was angry, seized Duke Min and wrung his neck. Chou Mu heard that the ruler had been assassinated, rushed there, met Wan at the gate, and rebuked him with sword in hand. Wan struck Chou Mu dead and smashed his head, his teeth embedded in the door leaf. Chou Mu can be said not to have feared the strong and violent! (Classic 12:4) In winter, the tenth month, Song Wan fled to Chen. Duke Zhuang (Classic 13:1) thirteenth year

春，齊侯、宋人、陳人、蔡人、邾婁人會於北杏。

Spring, the Marquis of Qi and the people of Song, Chen, Cai and Zhulou met at Beixing.

（經十三二）夏，六月，齊人滅遂。

(Classic 13:2) In summer, the sixth month, the people of Qi destroyed Sui.

（經十三三）秋，七月。

(Classic 13:3) In autumn, the seventh month.

（經十三四）冬，公會齊侯，盟於柯。

(Classic 13:4) In winter, Duke Zhuang met the Marquis of Qi and made a covenant at Ke.

（傳）何以不日？易也。其易奈何？桓之盟不日，其會不致，信之也。其不日何以始乎此？莊公將會乎桓，曹子進曰：「君之意何如？」莊公曰：「寡人之生，則不若死矣！」曹子曰：「然則君請當其君，臣請當其臣。」莊公曰：「諾。」於是會乎桓。莊公升壇，曹子手劍而從之。管子進曰：「君何求乎？」曹子曰：「城壞壓竟，君不圖與？」管子曰：「然則君將何求？」曹子曰：「願請汶陽之田。」管子顧曰：「君許諾。」桓公曰：「諾。」曹子請盟，桓公下與之盟。已盟，曹子摽劍而去之。要盟可犯，而桓公不欺；曹子可讎，而桓公不怨。桓公之信著乎天下，自柯之盟始焉。

(Commentary) Why is the date not recorded? Because it was easily come by. How easily? Duke Huan's covenants have no date recorded and his meetings do not write the return, out of trust in him. Why does the non-recording of dates begin from here? When Duke Zhuang was about to meet Duke Huan, Master Cao stepped forward and said: "What is Your Lordship's intention?" Duke Zhuang said: "For me, living is worse than dying!" Master Cao said: "Then please let Your Lordship deal with their ruler, and let me deal with their minister." Duke Zhuang said: "Good." So he met Duke Huan. Duke Zhuang went up onto the platform, and Master Cao followed holding a sword. Master Guan stepped forward and said: "What do you demand?" Master Cao said: "The city walls are ruined and the pressure reaches the borders; does Your Lordship not think of it?" Master Guan said: "Then what do you want?" Master Cao said: "We hope to get back the fields of Wenyang." Master Guan turned and said: "Your Lordship, agree." Duke Huan said: "Good." Master Cao asked to swear the covenant, and Duke Huan came down and swore it with him. When the covenant was done, Master Cao threw down his sword and left. A covenant under duress could have been violated, yet Duke Huan did not deceive; Master Cao could have been treated as an enemy, yet Duke Huan bore no grudge. Duke Huan's good faith was made known to the world, beginning from this covenant at Ke.