“Political Struggles and Alliances in Ancient China”
In the fourth year of the reign, significant events unfolded throughout the seasons. In the spring, the Duke of Chen passed away in the third month, on the day of Jiyou. During the summer, Shusun Bao traveled to Jin. By autumn, on the day of Wuzi in the seventh month, Lady Si passed away, leading to the funeral of Duke Cheng of Chen. In the eighth month, on the day of Xinhai, Duke Ding of Chen was also buried. In winter, Duke Ping traveled to Jin. The Chen state was surrounded by enemies.
In the spring of the fourth year, the Chu army remained at Fanyang due to Chen’s rebellion. Han Xianzi expressed concern about the situation, saying, “King Wen led the Yin dynasty’s rebellion against the Shang, guided by timing. Now, replacing it will be difficult!” In March, with the death of Duke Cheng of Chen, the Chu army planned to invade Chen but halted upon hearing of the mourning. The Chen state did not comply with the demands of the Chu. Zang Wuzhong remarked, “Chen’s refusal to submit to Chu will lead to its downfall. If a great state does not follow protocol, there are consequences; how much more so for a small state?”
In the summer, Chu’s Peng Ming invaded Chen due to its lack of proper etiquette. Mu Shu went to Jin to respond to Duke Wuzi’s previous invitation. Duke Jin hosted Mu Shu with honor. Jin’s Jinmu performed the three chapters of the “Sihua” and did not bow. He performed the three chapters of “Wen Wang” but still did not bow. Finally, he performed the three chapters of “Lu Ming,” bowing three times. Han Xianzi sent an envoy, Ziyuan, to inquire about the ceremonies, asking why certain customs were not followed. The envoy replied, “The three chapters of ‘Xia’ are meant for the Son of Heaven to honor the original marquises; thus, I dare not perform the rites. ‘Wen Wang’ is a joyous song for the meeting of two lords; I dare not participate. ‘Lu Ming’ is meant to celebrate the small lord; thus, I dare not withhold the celebration. ‘Si Mu’ is for the lords to honor the envoy; I dare not avoid the respect. ‘Huang Huang Zhe Hua’ instructs the envoy to consult Zhou. The proper consultation includes asking the capable, the close, the ceremonial, the matter, and the difficult; thus, I received five benefits and dare not avoid the deep respect.”
In autumn, Duke Ding of Chen passed away. His funeral lacked proper rites and ceremonies. The craftsman Qing criticized Ji Wenzi, saying, “As the prime minister, if the small lord’s funeral is incomplete, who will take the blame?” Initially, Ji Sun had planted six trees outside the eastern gate of the Pu Garden for himself. When craftsman Qing requested wood, Ji Sun provided only a small amount. Qing used the wood from Pu Garden, which Ji Sun did not object to. The gentleman said, “As the saying goes, ‘Excessive disrespect will eventually lead to self-infliction.’ This is what it means!”
In winter, Duke Ping traveled to Jin for political discussions. Duke Jin entertained Duke Ping. Duke Ping requested assistance for Zeng, but Duke Jin did not agree. Meng Xianzi said, “Given the proximity of the small lord to our enemies, we seek to reinforce the relationship with the Duke. Zeng has no tribute to the Sima, and the city is small, making omissions a serious issue. Thus, we request assistance.” Duke Jin agreed.
The Chu people used the opportunity of the Chen state being surrounded to invade and attack. In response, Chen sent Meng Le to Jin with tiger and leopard skins, seeking peace with the Rong tribes. Duke Jin said, “The Rong and Di tribes are greedy and have no allies. It is better to attack them.” Wei Jiang said, “The vassals are newly submissive, and Chen has just sought peace. We must observe their actions. If we show virtue, they will align with us; otherwise, they will betray us. Mobilizing the army against the Rong while Chu attacks Chen will not help Chen and will lead to its abandonment. The Rong are like beasts; capturing them and abandoning the Hua will not be ideal. The ‘Xia Xun’ has a saying: ‘The fall of the Later Yi.’”
Duke Ping asked, “How does this relate to Hou Yi?” The response was, “In ancient times, as the Xia dynasty declined, Hou Yi moved to Qiongshi and replaced the Xia governance with his own. He relied on his archery skills but neglected governance, focusing on hunting. He abandoned prominent figures and used deceitful advisors. The new advisor, Han Zuo, manipulated the people and usurped power. Despite Hou Yi’s actions, the advisor still failed, leading to Hou Yi’s downfall. The Xia dynasty was destroyed due to the loss of people.”
Duke Ping then favored land, so Wei Jiang supported this approach. Duke Ping said, “Then peace with the Rong tribes is the best course?” The response was, “Peace with the Rong has five benefits: The Rong tribes will settle, trade will improve, border regions will stabilize, military efforts will be minimized, and peace will be maintained. Therefore, Duke Ping should plan accordingly!”
Duke Ping agreed and sent Wei Jiang to form alliances with the Rong tribes and address civic matters. In winter, in the tenth month, the Zhu and Ju states attacked Zeng. Zang He defended Zeng, attacking the Zhu, and was defeated at Hu Tiao. The people mourned the deceased in the traditional manner. Lu began its mourning practices, and people recited, “Zang’s fox fur defeated us at Hu Tiao. Our small lord sent Zhu Ru, but we were defeated by the Zhu.”