1
趙氏之先，與秦共祖。 至中衍，為帝大戊御。 其後世蜚廉有子二人，而命其一子曰惡來，事紂，為周所殺，其後為秦。 惡來弟曰季勝，其後為趙。
The Zhao clan's forebears shared an ancestor with Qin. Reaching Zhong Yan, he was Emperor Da Wu's charioteer. In his later generations, Feilian had two sons, and named one of them Elai. Elai served King Zhou and was killed by the Zhou. His descendants became Qin. Elai's younger brother was named Jisheng. His descendants became Zhao.
2
季勝生孟增。 孟增幸於周成王，是為宅皋狼。 皋狼生衡父，衡父生造父。 造父幸於周繆王。 造父取驥之乘匹，與桃林盜驪、驊騮、綠耳，獻之繆王。 繆王使造父御，西巡狩，見西王母，樂之忘歸。 而徐偃王反，繆王日馳千里馬，攻徐偃王，大破之。 乃賜造父以趙城，由此為趙氏。
Jisheng begat Mengzeng. Mengzeng was favored by King Cheng of Zhou. This was Zhaigaolang. Gaolang begat Hengfu. Hengfu begat Zaofu. Zaofu was favored by King Mu of Zhou. Zaofu took Ji's chariot team, together with Taolin's Daoli, Hualiu, and Lver, and presented the horses to King Mu. King Mu made Zaofu drive. He toured to the west, saw the Queen Mother of the West, and enjoyed it so much that he forgot to return. While King Yan of Xu rebelled, King Mu daily galloped the thousand-li horses, attacked King Yan of Xu, and greatly defeated him. He then granted Zaofu the city of Zhao. From this they became the Zhao clan.
3
自造父已下六世至奄父，曰公仲，周宣王時伐戎，為御。 及千畝戰，奄父脫宣王。 奄父生叔帶。 叔帶之時，周幽王無道，去周如晉，事晉文侯，始建趙氏于晉國。
From Zaofu down six generations to Yanfu, called Gongzhong. In King Xuan of Zhou's time, when attacking the Rong, he was charioteer. At the battle of Qianmu, Yanfu rescued King Xuan. Yanfu begat Shudai. In Shudai's time, King You of Zhou was without the way. He left Zhou and went to Jin, served Marquis Wen of Jin, and began building the Zhao clan in the state of Jin.
4
自叔帶以下，趙宗益興，五世而（生）［至］趙夙。
From Shudai down, the Zhao lineage increasingly flourished. After five generations, they reached Zhao Shu.
5
趙夙，晉獻公之十六年伐霍、魏、耿，而趙夙為將伐霍。 霍公求奔齊。 晉大旱，卜之，曰「霍太山為祟」。 使趙夙召霍君於齊，復之，以奉霍太山之祀，晉復穰。 晉獻公賜趙夙耿。
Zhao Shu. In Duke Xian of Jin's sixteenth year, he attacked Huo, Wei, and Geng. Zhao Shu was the general who attacked Huo. Duke Qiu of Huo fled to Qi. Jin had a great drought. They divined it and said: 'Mount Huo Taishan is causing the trouble.' They made Zhao Shu summon the Huo lord from Qi and restore him, to offer Mount Huo Taishan's sacrifices. Jin again became prosperous. Duke Xian of Jin granted Zhao Shu Geng.
6
夙生共孟，當魯閔公之元年也。 共孟生趙衰，字子餘。
Shu begat Gong Meng. This was in Duke Min of Lu's first year. Gong Meng begat Zhao Shuai, styled Ziyu.
7
趙衰卜事晉獻公及諸公子，莫吉； 卜事公子重耳，吉，即事重耳。 重耳以驪姬之亂亡奔翟，趙衰從。 翟伐廧咎如，得二女，翟以其少女妻重耳，長女妻趙衰而生盾。 初，重耳在晉時，趙衰妻亦生趙同、趙括、趙嬰齊。 趙衰從重耳出亡，凡十九年，得反國。 重耳為晉文公，趙衰為原大夫，居原，任國政。 文公所以反國及霸，多趙衰計策，語在晉事中。
Zhao Shuai divined about serving Duke Xian of Jin and the various princes. None were auspicious. He divined about serving Prince Chong'er. It was auspicious, so he then served Chong'er. Chong'er, because of Li Ji's disorder, fled to the Di. Zhao Shuai followed. The Di attacked Xia Jiuru and obtained two women. The Di married their younger daughter to Chong'er, and their elder daughter to Zhao Shuai, who gave birth to Dun. Initially, when Chong'er was in the state of Jin, Zhao Shuai's wife also gave birth to Zhao Tong, Zhao Kuo, and Zhao Yingqi. Zhao Shuai followed Chong'er into exile. Altogether it was nineteen years before they got to return to the country. Chong'er became Duke Wen of Jin. Zhao Shuai became the grand master of Yuan, resided in Yuan, and took charge of state affairs. Duke Wen's return to the country and his hegemony were mostly due to Zhao Shuai's strategies. This is discussed in the Jin matters.
8
趙衰既反晉，晉之妻固要迎翟妻，而以其子盾為適嗣，晉妻三子皆下事之。 晉襄公之六年，而趙衰卒，謚為成季。
After Zhao Shuai had returned to Jin, his Jin wife strongly demanded to welcome the Di wife, and made her son Dun the proper heir. The Jin wife's three sons all served below him. In the sixth year of Duke Xiang of Jin, Zhao Shuai died. His posthumous name was Cheng Ji.
9
趙盾代成季任國政二年而晉襄公卒，太子夷皋年少。 盾為國多難，欲立襄公弟雍。 雍時在秦，使使迎之。 太子母日夜啼泣，頓首謂趙盾曰：「先君何罪，釋其適子而更求君？」 趙盾患之，恐其宗與大夫襲誅之，乃遂立太子，是為靈公，發兵距所迎襄公弟於秦者。 靈公既立，趙盾益專國政。
Zhao Dun replaced Cheng Ji and took charge of state affairs. After the two years, Duke Xiang of Jin died. Crown Prince Yi Gao was young. Dun, because of the country's many difficulties, wished to establish Duke Xiang's younger brother Yong. Yong was at that time in Qin. They sent an envoy to welcome him. The crown prince's mother wept and wailed day and night. She kowtowed and said to Zhao Dun: 'What crime did the former lord commit, that you abandon his proper son and seek another lord?' Zhao Dun worried about it and feared that his clan and the grand masters would suddenly execute him. He then established the crown prince. This was Duke Ling. He sent troops to block those welcoming Duke Xiang's younger brother from Qin. After Duke Ling had been established, Zhao Dun increasingly monopolized state affairs.
10
靈公立十四年，益驕。 趙盾驟諫，靈公弗聽。 及食熊蹯，胹不熟，殺宰人，持其尸出，趙盾見之。 靈公由此懼，欲殺盾。 盾素仁愛人，嘗所食桑下餓人反捍救盾，盾以得亡。 未出境，而趙穿弒靈公而立襄公弟黑臀，是為成公。 趙盾復反，任國政。 君子譏盾「為正卿，亡不出境，反不討賊」，故太史書曰「趙盾弒其君」。 晉景公時而趙盾卒，謚為宣孟，子朔嗣。
Duke Ling was established for fourteen years and became increasingly arrogant. Zhao Dun repeatedly admonished him. Duke Ling did not listen. When eating bear's paw, the stew was not cooked. He killed the butcher, carried his corpse out, and Zhao Dun saw it. Duke Ling feared from this and wished to kill Dun. Dun was usually benevolent and loved people. Once, the hungry person under the mulberry tree whom he had fed returned and protected and saved Dun. Dun thereby got to escape. Before he had left the borders, Zhao Chuan assassinated Duke Ling and established Duke Xiang's younger brother Heitun. This was Duke Cheng. Zhao Dun again returned and took charge of state affairs. The gentlemen criticized Dun: 'As chief minister, in exile he did not leave the borders. On return, he did not punish the traitor.' Therefore the grand scribe wrote: 'Zhao Dun assassinated his lord.' In the time of Duke Jing of Jin, Zhao Dun died. His posthumous name was Xuan Meng. His son Shuo succeeded.
11
趙朔，晉景公之三年，朔為晉將下軍救鄭，與楚莊王戰河上。 朔娶晉成公姊為夫人。
Zhao Shuo. In Duke Jing of Jin's third year, Shuo was Jin's lower army general and saved Zheng. He battled with King Zhuang of Chu on the Yellow River. Shuo married Duke Cheng of Jin's elder sister as his wife.
12
晉景公之三年，大夫屠岸賈欲誅趙氏。 初，趙盾在時，夢見叔帶持要而哭，甚悲； 已而笑，拊手且歌。 盾卜之，兆絕而後好。 趙史援占之，曰：「此夢甚惡，非君之身，乃君之子，然亦君之咎。 至孫，趙將世益衰。」 屠岸賈者，始有寵於靈公，及至於景公而賈為司寇，將作難，乃治靈公之賊以致趙盾，遍告諸將曰：「盾雖不知，猶為賊首。 以臣弒君，子孫在朝，何以懲罪？ 請誅之。」 韓厥曰：「靈公遇賊，趙盾在外，吾先君以為無罪，故不誅。 今諸君將誅其後，是非先君之意而今妄誅。 妄誅謂之亂。 臣有大事而君不聞，是無君也。」 屠岸賈不聽。 韓厥告趙朔趣亡。 朔不肯，曰：「子必不絕趙祀，朔死不恨。」 韓厥許諾，稱疾不出。 賈不請而擅與諸將攻趙氏於下宮，殺趙朔、趙同、趙括、趙嬰齊，皆滅其族。
In Duke Jing of Jin's third year, grand master Tu An Jia wished to execute the Zhao clan. Initially, when Zhao Dun was alive, he had a dream in which he saw Shudai holding his waist and crying, very sad. Then he laughed, clapped his hands, and sang. Dun divined it. The omen was broken, then afterwards it was good. Zhao scribe Yuan interpreted it, saying: 'This dream is very bad. It is not the lord's body, but rather the lord's son. Yet it is also the lord's fault. Reaching the grandson, Zhao will decline generation after generation.' Tu An Jia initially had favor with Duke Ling. When he reached Duke Jing, Jia was judicial minister. About to make a disturbance, he then investigated Duke Ling's assassin to implicate Zhao Dun. He widely told the various generals, saying: 'Dun, though he did not know, was still the traitor's head. With a minister assassinating the lord, and descendants in the court, how are we to punish the crime? I request to execute them.' Han Que said: 'Duke Ling encountered the traitor. Zhao Dun was outside. Our former lord considered him without crime, therefore did not execute him. Now the various lords are about to execute his descendants. This is not the former lord's intention, and now you recklessly execute them. Reckless execution is called disorder. When a minister has a great matter and the lord does not hear of it, this is to have no lord.' Tu An Jia did not listen. Han Que told Zhao Shuo to hasten and flee. Shuo was not willing. He said: 'You must not cut off the Zhao sacrifices. If Shuo dies, I will have no regret.' Han Que promised. He claimed illness and did not go out. Jia did not request permission and arbitrarily, together with the various generals, attacked the Zhao clan at the lower palace. They killed Zhao Shuo, Zhao Tong, Zhao Kuo, and Zhao Yingqi, and extinguished all their clans.
13
趙朔妻成公姊，有遺腹，走公宮匿。 趙朔客曰公孫杵臼，杵臼謂朔友人程嬰曰：「胡不死？」 程嬰曰：「朔之婦有遺腹，若幸而男，吾奉之； 即女也，吾徐死耳。」 居無何，而朔婦免身，生男。 屠岸賈聞之，索於宮中。 夫人置兒叱罅祝曰：「趙宗滅乎，若號； 即不滅，若無聲。」 及索，兒竟無聲。 已脫，程嬰謂公孫杵臼曰：「今一索不得，後必且復索之，柰何？」 公孫杵臼曰：「立孤與死孰難？」 程嬰曰：「死易，立孤難耳。」 公孫杵臼曰：「趙氏先君遇子厚，子彊為其難者，吾為其易者，請先死。」 乃二人謀取他人嬰兒負之，衣以文葆，匿山中。 程嬰出，謬謂諸將軍曰：「嬰不肖，不能立趙孤。 誰能與我千金，吾告趙氏孤處。」 諸將皆喜，許之，發師隨程嬰攻公孫杵臼。 杵臼謬曰：「小人哉程嬰！ 昔下宮之難不能死，與我謀匿趙氏孤兒，今又賣我。 縱不能立，而忍賣之乎！」 抱兒呼曰：「天乎天乎！ 趙氏孤兒何罪？ 請活之，獨殺杵臼可也。」 諸將不許，遂殺杵臼與孤兒。 諸將以為趙氏孤兒良已死，皆喜。 然趙氏真孤乃反在，程嬰卒與俱匿山中。
Zhao Shuo's wife was Duke Cheng's elder sister. She had a posthumous child and fled to the ducal palace to hide. Zhao Shuo's guest was called Gongsun Chujiu. Chujiu said to Cheng Ying, a friend of Shuo's: 'Why do you not die?' Cheng Ying said: 'Shuo's wife has a posthumous child. If it is fortunately a male, I will support him. If it is a female, I will slowly die, that is all.' Not long after, Shuo's wife gave birth and bore a male child. Tu An Jia heard of it and searched in the palace. The lady placed the child, rebuked the crevice, and prayed, saying: 'If the Zhao lineage is extinguished, then cry. If it is not extinguished, then make no sound.' When they searched, the child ultimately made no sound. After they had escaped, Cheng Ying said to Gongsun Chujiu: 'Now the first search did not obtain it. Later they must again search for it. What are we to do?' Gongsun Chujiu said: 'Which is more difficult: establishing the orphan or dying?' Cheng Ying said: 'Dying is easy. Establishing the orphan is difficult.' Gongsun Chujiu said: 'The Zhao clan's former lord treated you generously. You be strong and do the difficult task. I will do the easy one. I request to die first.' Then the two men planned to take another person's infant, carry it, clothe it with a patterned quilt, and hide it in the mountains. Cheng Ying went out and falsely said to the various generals: 'Ying is unworthy and cannot establish the Zhao orphan. Who can give me a thousand in gold? I will tell you the Zhao clan orphan's location.' The various generals were all happy and promised it. They sent troops to follow Cheng Ying and attack Gongsun Chujiu. Chujiu falsely said: 'What a small man is Cheng Ying! Formerly, in the lower palace's difficulty, you could not die. With me you planned to hide the Zhao clan's orphan child. Now you again sell me. Even if you cannot establish it, can you bear to sell it?' He embraced the child and called out, saying: 'Heaven! Heaven! What crime does the Zhao clan's orphan child have? I request to let it live. Kill Chujiu alone, that is all.' The various generals did not permit it. Then they killed Chujiu and the orphan. The various generals considered that the Zhao clan's orphan was truly already dead. They were all happy. Yet the Zhao clan's true orphan was instead still present. Cheng Ying finally hid with him together in the mountains.
14
居十五年，晉景公疾，卜之，大業之後不遂者為祟。 景公問韓厥，厥知趙孤在，乃曰：「大業之後在晉絕祀者，其趙氏乎？ 夫自中衍者皆嬴姓也。 中衍人面鳥噣，降佐殷帝大戊，及周天子，皆有明德。 下及幽厲無道，而叔帶去周適晉，事先君文侯，至于成公，世有立功，未嘗絕祀。 今吾君獨滅趙宗，國人哀之，故見龜策。 唯君圖之。」 景公問：「趙尚有後子孫乎？」 韓厥具以實告。 於是景公乃與韓厥謀立趙孤兒，召而匿之宮中。 諸將入問疾，景公因韓厥之眾以脅諸將而見趙孤。 趙孤名曰武。 諸將不得已，乃曰：「昔下宮之難，屠岸賈為之，矯以君命，并命群臣。 非然，孰敢作難！ 微君之疾，群臣固且請立趙後。 今君有命，群臣之願也。」 於是召趙武、程嬰遍拜諸將，遂反與程嬰、趙武攻屠岸賈，滅其族。 復與趙武田邑如故。
After fifteen years, Duke Jing of Jin fell ill. He divined it, and the descendants of the great enterprise who had not succeeded were causing trouble. Duke Jing asked Han Que. Que knew that the Zhao orphan was present and then said: 'Among the descendants of the great enterprise in Jin who have had their sacrifices cut off, is it perhaps the Zhao clan? Indeed, those from Zhong Yan all have the Ying surname. Zhong Yan had a human face and bird beak. He descended and assisted Yin Emperor Da Wu, and the Zhou heavenly sons. All had bright virtue. Down to the time of You and Li without the Way, Shudai left Zhou and went to Jin. He served the former lord Wen Hou, and reached Duke Cheng. For generations they had established merit and never had their sacrifices cut off. Now my lord alone extinguished the Zhao lineage. The people of the state grieved it. Therefore it appeared in the turtle divination. Only the lord may plan it.' Duke Jing asked: 'Does Zhao still have descendants and descendants?' Han Que fully told him the truth. Thereupon Duke Jing then planned with Han Que to establish the Zhao orphan child. They summoned him and hid him in the palace. The various generals entered to ask about the illness. Duke Jing took advantage of Han Que's crowd to threaten the various generals and see the Zhao orphan. The Zhao orphan was named Wu. The various generals had no choice and then said: 'Formerly, in the lower palace's difficulty, Tu An Jia did it. He forged it with the lord's command and commanded all the ministers. If it were not so, who would dare to make trouble! Without the lord's illness, all ministers would originally have moreover requested to establish the Zhao successor. Now the lord has the command. This is also the wish of all ministers.' Thereupon they summoned Zhao Wu and Cheng Ying to universally bow to the various generals. Then they turned back and, together with Cheng Ying and Zhao Wu, attacked Tu An Jia and extinguished his clan. They restored to Zhao Wu his fields and towns as before.
15
及趙武冠，為成人，程嬰乃辭諸大夫，謂趙武曰：「昔下宮之難，皆能死。 我非不能死，我思立趙氏之後。 今趙武既立，為成人，復故位，我將下報趙宣孟與公孫杵臼。」 趙武啼泣頓首固請，曰：「武願苦筋骨以報子至死，而子忍去我死乎！」 程嬰曰：「不可。 彼以我為能成事，故先我死； 今我不報，是以我事為不成。」 遂自殺。 趙武服齊衰三年，為之祭邑，春秋祠之，世世勿絕。
When Zhao Wu was capped and became an adult, Cheng Ying then resigned from the various grand masters and said to Zhao Wu: 'Formerly, in the lower palace's difficulty, all could die. I was not unable to die. I thought to establish the Zhao clan's successor. Now Zhao Wu is already established, has become an adult, and has recovered his former position. I will go below to repay Zhao Xuan Meng and Gongsun Chujiu.' Zhao Wu wept and wailed, kowtowed, and firmly requested, saying: 'I wish to toil with my sinews and bones to repay you until the day of my death. Yet can you bear to leave me and go to die?' Cheng Ying said: 'It cannot be. He considered me able to accomplish affairs. Therefore he died before me. Now if I do not repay, this takes my affairs as not accomplished.' Then he committed suicide. Zhao Wu wore mourning garments for three years. He made for him a sacrificial town and sacrificed to him in spring and autumn. Generation after generation, this was never cut off.
16
趙氏復位十一年，而晉厲公殺其大夫三郤。 欒書畏及，乃遂弒其君厲公，更立襄公曾孫周，是為悼公。 晉由此大夫稍彊。
The Zhao clan had recovered their position for eleven years when Duke Li of Jin killed his grand masters, the three Xi. Luan Shu feared being implicated. Then he assassinated his lord, Duke Li, and changed to establish Duke Xiang's great-grandson Zhou as the new duke. This was Duke Dao. From this time, Jin's grand masters gradually strengthened.
17
趙武續趙宗二十七年，晉平公立。 平公十二年，而趙武為正卿。 十三年，吳延陵季子使於晉，曰：「晉國之政卒歸於趙武子、韓宣子、魏獻子之後矣。」 趙武死，謚為文子。
Zhao Wu continued the Zhao lineage for twenty-seven years. Duke Ping of Jin was established. In Duke Ping's twelfth year, Zhao Wu was chief minister. In the thirteenth year, Wu's Yanling Jizi was an envoy to Jin. He said: 'Jin state's governance will finally belong to the descendants of Zhao Wu Zi, Han Xuan Zi, and Wei Xian Zi.' Zhao Wu died. His posthumous name was Wen Zi.
18
文子生景叔。 景叔之時，齊景公使晏嬰於晉，晏嬰與晉叔向語。 嬰曰：「齊之政後卒歸田氏。」 叔向亦曰：「晉國之政將歸六卿。 六卿侈矣，而吾君不能恤也。」
Wen Zi begat Jing Shu. In Jing Shu's time, Duke Jing of Qi sent Yan Ying as an envoy to Jin. Yan Ying spoke with Jin's Shu Xiang. Ying said: 'Qi state's governance will later finally belong to the Tian clan.' Shu Xiang also said: 'Jin state's governance will belong to the six ministers. The six ministers are already extravagant, yet my lord cannot care for it.'
19
趙景叔卒，生趙鞅，是為簡子。
Zhao Jing Shu died and begat Zhao Yang. This was Jian Zi.
20
趙簡子在位，晉頃公之九年，簡子將合諸侯戍于周。 其明年，入周敬王于周，辟弟子朝之故也。
Zhao Jian Zi was in position. In Duke Qing of Jin's ninth year, Jian Zi was about to unite the feudal lords to defend Zhou. In the next year, they brought King Jing of Zhou into Zhou, avoiding the matter of Di Zi Chao.
21
晉頃公之十二年，六卿以法誅公族祁氏、羊舌氏，分其邑為十縣，六卿各令其族為之大夫。 晉公室由此益弱。
In Duke Qing of Jin's twelfth year, the six ministers executed by law the ducal clans, the Qi clan and the Yang She clan. They divided their towns into ten counties, and the six ministers each ordered their clans to be grand masters for them. From this time, Jin's ducal chamber became increasingly weak.
22
後十三年，魯賊臣陽虎來奔，趙簡子受賂，厚遇之。
Thirteen years later, Lu's traitor minister Yang Hu came fleeing. Zhao Jian Zi received a bribe and generously treated him.
23
趙簡子疾，五日不知人，大夫皆懼。 醫扁鵲視之，出，董安于問。 扁鵲曰：「血脈治也，而何怪！ 在昔秦繆公嘗如此，七日而寤。 寤之日，告公孫支與子輿曰：『我之帝所甚樂。 吾所以久者，適有學也。 帝告我：「晉國將大亂，五世不安； 其後將霸，未老而死； 霸者之子且令而國男女無別。」』 公孫支書而藏之，秦讖於是出矣。 獻公之亂，文公之霸，而襄公敗秦師於殽而歸縱淫，此子之所聞。 今主君之疾與之同，不出三日疾必閒，閒必有言也。」
Zhao Jian Zi fell ill. For five days he did not know anyone. The grand masters all feared. The physician Bian Que examined him. When he went out, Dong An Yu asked. Bian Que said: 'The blood vessels are orderly. What is there to find strange! In former times, Duke Mu of Qin was once like this. After seven days he awoke. On the day he awoke, he told Gongsun Zhi and Zi Yu, saying: 'I was at the Emperor's place and very happy. The reason I stayed so long was that I just had study. The Emperor told me: 'Jin state will have great disorder. For five generations it will not be peaceful. Its descendants will become hegemon. They will die before growing old. The hegemon's son will moreover command, and in the state males and females will have no distinction.' Gongsun Zhi wrote it down and hid it. From this time, Qin's prophecy came out. Duke Xian's disorder, Duke Wen's hegemony, and Duke Xiang's defeat of the Qin army at Xiao and return to indulgent lewdness—this your son has heard. Now the master lord's illness is the same as that. Within three days the illness must rest. When it rests, there must be words.'
24
居二日半，簡子寤。 語大夫曰：「我之帝所甚樂，與百神游於鈞天，廣樂九奏萬舞，不類三代之樂，其聲動人心。 有一熊欲來援我，帝命我射之，中熊，熊死。 又有一羆來，我又射之，中羆，羆死。 帝甚喜，賜我二笥，皆有副。 吾見兒在帝側，帝屬我一翟犬，曰：『及而子之壯也，以賜之。』 帝告我：『晉國且世衰，七世而亡，嬴姓將大敗周人於范魁之西，而亦不能有也。 今余思虞舜之勳，適余將以其胄女孟姚配而七世之孫。』」 董安于受言而書藏之。 以扁鵲言告簡子，簡子賜扁鵲田四萬畝。
After two and a half days, Jian Zi awoke. He spoke to the grand masters, saying: 'I was at the Emperor's place and very happy. With the hundred gods I toured at Jun Tian. There was vast music with nine movements and ten thousand dances. It was not like the music of the three dynasties. Its sound moved people's hearts. There was a bear that wished to come and attack me. The Emperor commanded me to shoot it. I hit the bear, and the bear died. Again there was a pi that came. I again shot it, hit the pi, and the pi died. The Emperor was very happy and granted me two bamboo boxes. Both had duplicates. I saw a child at the Emperor's side. The Emperor entrusted me with one Di dog and said: 'When your son is strong, grant it to him.' The Emperor told me: 'Jin state will moreover decline generation by generation. After seven generations it will perish. The Ying surname will greatly defeat the Zhou people west of Fan Kui, yet also cannot possess it. Now I think of Yu Shun's merit. Just so, I will match the descendant woman Meng Yao with your seven generations' grandson.' Dong An Yu received the words, wrote them down, and hid them. He told Jian Zi with Bian Que's words. Jian Zi granted Bian Que the fields of forty thousand mu.
25
他日，簡子出，有人當道，辟之不去，從者怒，將刃之。 當道者曰：「吾欲有謁於主君。」 從者以聞。 簡子召之，曰：「譆，吾有所見子晣也。」 當道者曰：「屏左右，願有謁。」 簡子屏人。 當道者曰：「主君之疾，臣在帝側。」 簡子曰：「然，有之。 子之見我，我何為？」 當道者曰：「帝令主君射熊與羆，皆死。」 簡子曰：「是，且何也？」 當道者曰：「晉國且有大難，主君首之。 帝令主君滅二卿，夫熊與羆皆其祖也。」 簡子曰：「帝賜我二笥皆有副，何也？」 當道者曰：「主君之子將克二國於翟，皆子姓也。」 簡子曰：「吾見兒在帝側，帝屬我一翟犬，曰『及而子之長以賜之』。 夫兒何謂以賜翟犬？」 當道者曰：「兒，主君之子也。 翟犬者，代之先也。 主君之子且必有代。 及主君之後嗣，且有革政而胡服，并二國於翟。」 簡子問其姓而延之以官。 當道者曰：「臣野人，致帝命耳。」 遂不見。 簡子書藏之府。
On another day, Jian Zi went out. Someone blocked the road. When they avoided him, he did not go. The followers were angry and were about to blade him. The one who blocked the road said: 'I wish to have an audience with the master lord.' The followers reported it to him. Jian Zi summoned him and said: 'Ah, I have seen you clearly in a vision before.' The one who blocked the road said: 'Dismiss the left and right. I wish to have an audience.' Jian Zi dismissed the people. The one who blocked the road said: 'During the master lord's illness, I was at the Emperor's side.' Jian Zi said: 'Yes, that is so. You saw me. What am I to do?' The one who blocked the road said: 'The Emperor commanded the master lord to shoot a bear and a pi. Both died.' Jian Zi said: 'This is so. Moreover, what does it mean?' The one who blocked the road said: 'Jin state will moreover have a great difficulty. The master lord will head it. The Emperor commanded the master lord to extinguish two ministers. Indeed, the bear and the pi are all their ancestors.' Jian Zi said: 'The Emperor granted me two bamboo boxes, and both had duplicates. What does this mean?' The one who blocked the road said: 'The master lord's son will conquer two countries in Di. Both are of the Zi surname.' Jian Zi said: 'I saw a child at the Emperor's side. The Emperor entrusted me with one Di dog and said: 'When your son is grown, grant it to him.' What does the child mean by granting the Di dog?' The one who blocked the road said: 'The child is the master lord's son. The Di dog represents Dai's ancestors. The master lord's son will moreover certainly have Dai. Reaching the master lord's later successors, they will moreover have a change in governance and barbarian clothing, and merge two countries in Di.' Jian Zi asked his surname and invited him with an office. The one who blocked the road said: 'I am a rustic person, only conveying the Emperor's command.' Then he was not seen. Jian Zi wrote it down and hid it in the treasury.
26
異日，姑布子卿見簡子，簡子遍召諸子相之。 子卿曰：「無為將軍者。」 簡子曰：「趙氏其滅乎？」 子卿曰：「吾嘗見一子於路，殆君之子也。」 簡子召子毋卹。 毋卹至，則子卿起曰：「此真將軍矣！」 簡子曰：「此其母賤，翟婢也，奚道貴哉？」 子卿曰：「天所授，雖賤必貴。」 自是之後，簡子盡召諸子與語，毋卹最賢。 簡子乃告諸子曰：「吾藏寶符於常山上，先得者賞。」 諸子馳之常山上，求，無所得。 毋卹還，曰：「已得符矣。」 簡子曰：「奏之。」 毋卹曰：「從常山上臨代，代可取也。」 簡子於是知毋卹果賢，乃廢太子伯魯，而以毋卹為太子。
On a different day, Gu Bu Zi Qing saw Jian Zi. Jian Zi universally summoned his various sons to examine their physiognomy. Zi Qing said: 'None are general material.' Jian Zi said: 'Will the Zhao clan perhaps be extinguished?' Zi Qing said: 'I once saw one son on the road. Perhaps he is the lord's son.' Jian Zi summoned Zi Wu Xu. When Wu Xu arrived, Zi Qing rose and said: 'This is truly a general!' Jian Zi said: 'His mother is base, a Di slave. How can he be noble?' Zi Qing said: 'Heaven has bestowed it. Though he is base, he must be noble.' From this time after, Jian Zi completely summoned his various sons and spoke with them. Wu Xu was the most worthy. Jian Zi then told his various sons, saying: 'I have hidden a treasure talisman on top of Chang Shan. The first to obtain it will be rewarded.' The various sons galloped to the top of Chang Shan and sought it, but obtained nothing. Wu Xu returned and said: 'I have already obtained the talisman.' Jian Zi said: 'Present it.' Wu Xu said: 'From the top of Chang Shan, one can overlook Dai. Dai can be taken.' Jian Zi thereupon knew that Wu Xu was indeed worthy. Then he abolished Crown Prince Bo Lu and made Wu Xu the crown prince.
27
後二年，晉定公之十四年，范、中行作亂。 明年春，簡子謂邯鄲大夫午曰：「歸我衛士五百家，吾將置之晉陽。」 午許諾，歸而其父兄不聽，倍言。 趙鞅捕午，囚之晉陽。 乃告邯鄲人曰：「我私有誅午也，諸君欲誰立？」 遂殺午。 趙稷、涉賓以邯鄲反。 晉君使籍秦圍邯鄲。 荀寅、范吉射與午善，不肯助秦而謀作亂，董安于知之。 十月，范、中行氏伐趙鞅，鞅奔晉陽，晉人圍之。 范吉射、荀寅仇人魏襄等謀逐荀寅，以梁嬰父代之； 逐吉射，以范皋繹代之。 荀櫟言於晉侯曰：「君命大臣，始亂者死。 今三臣始亂而獨逐鞅，用刑不均，請皆逐之。」 十一月，荀櫟、韓不佞、魏哆奉公命以伐范、中行氏，不克。 范、中行氏反伐公，公擊之，范、中行敗走。 丁未，二子奔朝歌。 韓、魏以趙氏為請。 十二月辛未，趙鞅入絳，盟于公宮。 其明年，知伯文子謂趙鞅曰：「范、中行雖信為亂，安于發之，是安于與謀也。 晉國有法，始亂者死。 夫二子已伏罪而安于獨在。」 趙鞅患之。 安于曰：「臣死，趙氏定，晉國寧，吾死晚矣。」 遂自殺。 趙氏以告知伯，然後趙氏寧。
Two years later, in the fourteenth year of Duke Ding of Jin, Fan and Zhong Xing made a rebellion. In the spring of the next year, Jian Zi told Handan's grand master Wu, saying: 'Return to me the five hundred households of Wei soldiers. I will place them in Jin Yang.' Wu promised. When he returned, his father and elder brothers did not listen and went back on their word. Zhao Yang captured Wu and imprisoned him in Jin Yang. Then he told the Handan people, saying: 'I have privately executed Wu. Whom do the various lords wish to establish?' Then he killed Wu. Zhao Ji and She Bin rebelled with Handan. The lord of Jin sent Ji Qin to surround Handan. Xun Yin and Fan Ji She were friendly with Wu. They were not willing to assist Qin and planned to make rebellion. Dong An Yu knew of it. In the tenth month, the Fan and Zhong Xing clans attacked Zhao Yang. Yang fled to Jin Yang, and the Jin people surrounded him. Fan Ji She, Xun Yin's enemy Wei Xiang, and the others planned to expel Xun Yin and replace him with Liang Ying Fu. They expelled Ji She and replaced him with Fan Gao Xi. Xun Li spoke to the Marquis of Jin, saying: 'The lord commands the ministers. Those who start rebellion die. Now three ministers started rebellion, but you alone expel Yang. The use of punishment is not equal. I request to expel them all.' In the eleventh month, Xun Li, Han Bu Ning, and Wei Duo received the duke's command to attack the Fan and Zhong Xing clans. They did not conquer them. The Fan and Zhong Xing clans counterattacked the duke. The duke struck them, and Fan and Zhong Xing were defeated and fled. On Ding Wei, the two sons fled to Zhao Ge. Han and Wei made a request on behalf of the Zhao clan. On Xin Wei of the twelfth month, Zhao Yang entered Jiang and made an alliance at the duke's palace. In the next year, Zhi Bo Wen Zi told Zhao Yang, saying: 'Though Fan and Zhong Xing truly made rebellion, An Yu revealed it. This means An Yu was also involved in the planning. Jin state has a law: those who start rebellion die. Indeed, the two sons have already submitted to punishment, but An Yu alone remains.' Zhao Yang was worried about it. An Yu said: 'If the minister dies, the Zhao clan will be settled and Jin state will be pacified. My death comes late.' Then he committed suicide. The Zhao clan told Zhi Bo of it. Then the Zhao clan was pacified.
28
孔子聞趙簡子不請晉君而執邯鄲午，保晉陽，故書春秋曰「趙鞅以晉陽畔」。 趙簡子有臣曰周舍，好直諫。 周舍死，簡子每聽朝，常不悅，大夫請罪。 簡子曰：「大夫無罪。 吾聞千羊之皮不如一狐之腋。 諸大夫朝，徒聞唯唯，不聞周捨之鄂鄂，是以憂也。」 簡子由此能附趙邑而懷晉人。
Confucius heard that Zhao Jian Zi did not request the lord of Jin but executed Handan Wu and guarded Jin Yang. Therefore he wrote in the Spring and Autumn Annals: 'Zhao Yang rebelled with Jin Yang.' Zhao Jian Zi had a minister called Zhou She, who liked direct remonstrance. When Zhou She died, Jian Zi, whenever he listened to court, was often not pleased. The grand masters requested punishment. Jian Zi said: 'The grand masters have no crime. I have heard that a thousand sheep's skins are not equal to one fox's armpit. When the various grand masters are at court, I only hear yes-yes. I do not hear Zhou She's forthright remonstrance. This is why I am worried.' From this time, Jian Zi was able to attach the Zhao cities and embrace the Jin people.
29
晉定公十八年，趙簡子圍范、中行于朝歌，中行文子奔邯鄲。 明年，衛靈公卒。 簡子與陽虎送衛太子蒯聵于衛，衛不內，居戚。
In the eighteenth year of Duke Ding of Jin, Zhao Jian Zi besieged Fan and Zhong Xing at Zhao Ge. Zhong Xing Wen Zi fled to Handan. In the next year, Duke Ling of Wei died. Jian Zi, together with Yang Hu, sent Wei's crown prince Kuai Kui to Wei. Wei did not admit him, and he resided at the place called Qi.
30
晉定公二十一年，簡子拔邯鄲，中行文子奔柏人。 簡子又圍柏人，中行文子、范昭子遂奔齊。 趙竟有邯鄲、柏人。 范、中行餘邑入于晉。 趙名晉卿，實專晉權，奉邑侔於諸侯。
In the twenty-first year of Duke Ding of Jin, Jian Zi captured Handan. Zhong Xing Wen Zi fled to Bo Ren. Jian Zi again besieged Bo Ren. Zhong Xing Wen Zi and Fan Zhao Zi then fled to the state of Qi. Zhao finally had Handan and Bo Ren. The remaining cities of Fan and Zhong Xing entered Jin. Zhao was nominally a Jin minister, but actually monopolized Jin's power. His fief cities were equal to those of the feudal lords.
31
晉定公三十年，定公與吳王夫差爭長於黃池，趙簡子從晉定公，卒長吳。 定公三十七年卒，而簡子除三年之喪，期而已。 是歲，越王句踐滅吳。
In the thirtieth year of Duke Ding of Jin, Duke Ding contended for precedence with King Fu Chai of Wu at Huang Chi. Zhao Jian Zi followed Duke Ding of Jin, but finally Wu preceded. Duke Ding died in his thirty-seventh year. Jian Zi removed the three years' mourning and made it one year only. In this year, King Gou Jian of Yue extinguished Wu.
32
晉出公十一年，知伯伐鄭。 趙簡子疾，使太子毋卹將而圍鄭。 知伯醉，以酒灌擊毋卹。 毋卹群臣請死之。 毋卹曰：「君所以置毋卹，為能忍。」 然亦慍知伯。 知伯歸，因謂簡子，使廢毋卹，簡子不聽。 毋卹由此怨知伯。
In the eleventh year of Duke Chu of Jin, Zhi Bo attacked Zheng. Zhao Jian Zi was ill. He sent Crown Prince Wu Xu to lead and besiege Zheng. Zhi Bo was drunk. With wine he poured and struck Wu Xu. Wu Xu's various ministers requested to die for him. Wu Xu said: 'The reason the lord placed Wu Xu is that he is able to endure.' Yet he also resented Zhi Bo. Zhi Bo returned and therefore told Jian Zi to abolish Wu Xu. Jian Zi did not listen to the request. From this time, Wu Xu resented Zhi Bo.
33
晉出公十七年，簡子卒，太子毋卹代立，是為襄子。
In the seventeenth year of Duke Chu of Jin, Jian Zi died. Crown Prince Wu Xu succeeded and stood. This was Xiang Zi.
34
趙襄子元年，越圍吳。 襄子降喪食，使楚隆問吳王。
In the first year of Zhao Xiang Zi, Yue besieged Wu. Xiang Zi reduced the mourning food and sent Chu Long to inquire of the King of Wu.
35
襄子姊前為代王夫人。 簡子既葬，未除服，北登夏屋，請代王。 使廚人操銅枓以食代王及從者，行斟，陰令宰人各以枓擊殺代王及從官，遂興兵平代地。 其姊聞之，泣而呼天，摩笄自殺。 代人憐之，所死地名之為摩笄之山。 遂以代封伯魯子周為代成君。 伯魯者，襄子兄，故太子。 太子蚤死，故封其子。
Xiang Zi's elder sister was previously the wife of the King of Dai. After Jian Zi was buried, before the mourning was removed, he went north and ascended Xia Wu. He invited the King of Dai. He sent a cook to grasp a bronze ladle to feed the King of Dai and his followers. When pouring wine, he secretly commanded the butchers each to strike and kill the King of Dai and the following officials with the ladle. Then he raised troops and pacified the territory of Dai. His sister heard of it, wept and called to heaven, rubbed her hairpin, and committed suicide. The people of Dai pitied her. They named the place where she died Mo Ji Mountain. Then he enfeoffed Bo Lu's son Zhou with Dai as Dai Cheng Jun. Bo Lu was Xiang Zi's elder brother, the former crown prince. The crown prince died early. Therefore he enfeoffed his son.
36
襄子立四年，知伯與趙、韓、魏盡分其范、中行故地。 晉出公怒，告齊、魯，欲以伐四卿。 四卿恐，遂共攻出公。 出公奔齊，道死。 知伯乃立昭公曾孫驕，是為晉懿公。 知伯益驕。 請地韓、魏，韓、魏與之。 請地趙，趙不與，以其圍鄭之辱。 知伯怒，遂率韓、魏攻趙。 趙襄子懼，乃奔保晉陽。
In the fourth year after Xiang Zi was established, Zhi Bo, together with Zhao, Han, and Wei, completely divided the former territories of Fan and Zhong Xing. Duke Chu of Jin was angry. He informed Qi and Lu, wishing to attack the four ministers. The four ministers were afraid, so they together attacked Duke Chu. Duke Chu fled to Qi, but died on the road. Zhi Bo then established Jiao, the great-grandson of Duke Zhao, as Duke Yi of Jin. Zhi Bo became increasingly arrogant. He requested territory from Han and Wei, and Han and Wei gave it to him. He requested territory from Zhao, but Zhao did not give it, because of the humiliation of besieging Zheng. Zhi Bo was angry, so he led Han and Wei to attack Zhao. Zhao Xiang Zi was afraid, so he fled to defend Jin Yang.
37
原過從，後，至於王澤，見三人，自帶以上可見，自帶以下不可見。 與原過竹二節，莫通。 曰：「為我以是遺趙毋卹。」 原過既至，以告襄子。 襄子齊三日，親自剖竹，有朱書曰：「趙毋卹，余霍泰山山陽侯天使也。 三月丙戌，余將使女反滅知氏。 女亦立我百邑，余將賜女林胡之地。 至于後世，且有伉王，赤黑，龍面而鳥噣，鬢麋髭髯，大膺大胸，修下而馮，左袵界乘，奄有河宗，至于休溷諸貉，南伐晉別，北滅黑姑。」 襄子再拜，受三神之令。
Yuan Guo followed, and afterward, when he arrived at Wang Ze, he saw three persons. From the belt upward they were visible, but from the belt downward they were invisible. They gave Yuan Guo two joints of bamboo that could not be opened. They said: 'Deliver this to Zhao Wu Xu for us.' After Yuan Guo arrived, he told Xiang Zi about it. Xiang Zi purified himself for three days, then personally split the bamboo. There was vermilion writing that said: 'Zhao Wu Xu, I am the heavenly envoy of Shan Yang Hou of Mount Huo Tai. On the Bing Xu day of the third month, I will make you counterattack and destroy the Zhi clan. You must also establish one hundred cities for me, and I will grant you the territory of Lin Hu. In later generations, there will be a strong king, red and black in color, with a dragon face and bird beak, with deer-like temples, beard, and whiskers, with a large breast and large chest, long below and bent, wearing a left lapel and riding at the boundary. He will suddenly possess the River Ancestor, reaching to Xiu Zhuo and the various barbarians, attacking the Jin branch in the south and extinguishing Heigu in the north.' Xiang Zi bowed twice and received the command of the three spirits.
38
三國攻晉陽，歲餘，引汾水灌其城，城不浸者三版。 城中懸釜而炊，易子而食。 群臣皆有外心，禮益慢，唯高共不敢失禮。 襄子懼，乃夜使相張孟同私於韓、魏。 韓、魏與合謀，以三月丙戌，三國反滅知氏，共分其地。 於是襄子行賞，高共為上。 張孟同曰：「晉陽之難，唯共無功。」 襄子曰：「方晉陽急，群臣皆懈，惟共不敢失人臣禮，是以先之。」 於是趙北有代，南并知氏，彊於韓、魏。 遂祠三神於百邑，使原過主霍泰山祠祀。
The three states attacked Jin Yang for over a year. They diverted the Fen River to flood the city, and only three boards' height of the city wall remained unsoaked. In the city, they suspended cauldrons to cook and exchanged children to eat. All the various ministers had disloyal hearts, and ritual became increasingly lax. Only Gao Gong did not dare to lose proper ritual. Xiang Zi was afraid, so at night he sent his prime minister Zhang Meng Tong to secretly meet with the rulers of Han and Wei. Han and Wei joined in the plot, and on the Bing Xu day of the third month, the three states counterattacked and destroyed the Zhi clan, dividing its territory together. Thereupon Xiang Zi distributed rewards, and Gao Gong was ranked highest. Zhang Meng Tong said: 'During the difficulty at Jin Yang, only Gong had no merit.' Xiang Zi said: 'When Jin Yang was in urgent danger, all the various ministers were lax. Only Gong did not dare to lose the ritual proper to a minister. This is why I rank him first.' Thereupon Zhao possessed Dai in the north and annexed the Zhi clan in the south, becoming stronger than Han and Wei. Then he established sacrifices to the three spirits at one hundred cities and sent Yuan Guo to preside over the sacrificial rites at Mount Huo Tai.
39
其後娶空同氏，生五子。 襄子為伯魯之不立也，不肯立子，且必欲傳位與伯魯子代成君。 成君先死，乃取代成君子浣立為太子。 襄子立三十三年卒，浣立，是為獻侯。
Later he married a woman from the Kong Tong clan and begat five sons. Because Bo Lu was not established, Xiang Zi was unwilling to establish his own son. Moreover, he was determined to transmit the position to Bo Lu's son, Dai Cheng Jun. Cheng Jun died first, so he took Dai Cheng Jun's son Huan and established him as the crown prince. Xiang Zi was established for thirty-three years and then died. Huan was established and became the Xian Hou.
40
獻侯少即位，治中牟。
Xian Hou ascended the throne while young and governed Zhong Mou.
41
襄子弟桓子逐獻侯，自立於代，一年卒。 國人曰桓子立非襄子意，乃共殺其子而復迎立獻侯。
Xiang Zi's younger brother Jian Zi expelled the Xian Hou, established himself at Dai, and died after one year. The people of the state said that Jian Zi's establishment was not Xiang Zi's intent, so they together killed his son and again welcomed and established the Xian Hou.
42
十年，中山武公初立。 十三年，城平邑。 十五年，獻侯卒，子烈侯籍立。
In the tenth year, Duke Wu of Zhong Shan was first established. In the thirteenth year, they walled Ping Yi. In the fifteenth year, the Xian Hou died, and his son Lie Hou Ji was established.
43
烈侯元年，魏文侯伐中山，使太子擊守之。 六年，魏、韓、趙皆相立為諸侯，追尊獻子為獻侯。
In the first year of Lie Hou, Duke Wen of Wei attacked Zhong Shan and sent Crown Prince Ji to guard it. In the sixth year, Wei, Han, and Zhao all mutually established themselves as feudal lords and posthumously honored Xian Zi as the Xian Hou.
44
烈侯好音，謂相國公仲連曰：「寡人有愛，可以貴之乎？」 公仲曰：「富之可，貴之則否。」 烈侯曰：「然。 夫鄭歌者槍、石二人，吾賜之田，人萬畝。」 公仲曰：「諾。」 不與。 居一月，烈侯從代來，問歌者田。 公仲曰：「求，未有可者。」 有頃，烈侯復問。 公仲終不與，乃稱疾不朝。 番吾君自代來，謂公仲曰：「君實好善，而未知所持。 今公仲相趙，於今四年，亦有進士乎？」 公仲曰：「未也。」 番吾君曰：「牛畜、荀欣、徐越皆可。」 公仲乃進三人。 及朝，烈侯復問：「歌者田何如？」 公仲曰：「方使擇其善者。」 牛畜侍烈侯以仁義，約以王道，烈侯逌然。 明日，荀欣侍，以選練舉賢，任官使能。 明日，徐越侍，以節財儉用，察度功德。 所與無不充，君說。 烈侯使使謂相國曰：「歌者之田且止。」 官牛畜為師，荀欣為中尉，徐越為內史，賜相國衣二襲。
Lie Hou liked music and said to his prime minister Gong Zhong Lian: 'I have someone I love. Can I grant the person a noble rank?' Gong Zhong said: 'You can enrich him, but you cannot ennoble him.' Lie Hou said: 'Yes. The two Zheng singers Qiang and Shi, I will grant them fields, ten thousand mu each.' Gong Zhong said: 'Yes.' He did not give it. After residing for one month, Lie Hou came from Dai and asked about the singers' fields. Gong Zhong said: 'I have sought, but have not yet found suitable ones.' After a while, Lie Hou asked again. Gong Zhong in the end did not give it, so he claimed illness and did not attend court. The Lord of Fan Wu came from Dai and said to Gong Zhong: 'You indeed like goodness, but you do not know what to hold to. Now Gong Zhong has been the prime minister of Zhao for four years. Have you also advanced any scholars?' Gong Zhong said: 'Not yet.' The Lord of Fan Wu said: 'Niu Xu, Xun Xin, and Xu Yue are all suitable.' Gong Zhong then advanced the three men. When they reached court, Lie Hou asked again: 'What about the singers' fields?' Gong Zhong said: 'I have just sent someone to select the good ones.' Niu Xu served Lie Hou with benevolence and righteousness, constraining him with the kingly way. Lie Hou was enlightened. The next day, Xun Xin served, speaking of selecting and training, raising the worthy, and appointing officials to employ the able. The next day, Xu Yue served, speaking of regulating wealth and frugal use, and examining and measuring merit and virtue. Everything that was given was fully provided, and the lord was pleased. Lie Hou sent a messenger to tell the prime minister: 'Stop the matter of the singers' fields.' He appointed Niu Xu as teacher, Xun Xin as central captain, and Xu Yue as inner scribe, and granted the prime minister two sets of clothes.
45
九年，烈侯卒，弟武公立。 武公十三年卒，趙復立烈侯太子章，是為敬侯。 是歲，魏文侯卒。
In the ninth year, Lie Hou died, and his younger brother Wu Gong was established. In the thirteenth year, Wu Gong died, and Zhao again established Lie Hou's crown prince Zhang, who became Jing Hou. In this year, Duke Wen of Wei died.
46
敬侯元年，武公子朝作亂，不克，出奔魏。 趙始都邯鄲。
In the first year of Jing Hou, Wu Gong's son Zi Chao made a rebellion, but did not succeed, and fled to Wei. Zhao first made Handan its capital.
47
二年，敗齊于靈丘。 三年，救魏于廩丘，大敗齊人。 四年，魏敗我兔臺。 筑剛平以侵衛。 五年，齊、魏為衛攻趙，取我剛平。 六年，借兵於楚伐魏，取棘蒲。 八年，拔魏黃城。 九年，伐齊。 齊伐燕，趙救燕。 十年，與中山戰于房子。
In the second year, he defeated Qi at Ling Qiu. In the third year, he rescued Wei at Dian Qiu and greatly defeated the people of Qi. In the fourth year, Wei defeated us at Tu Tai. He built Gang Ping to invade Wei. In the fifth year, Qi and Wei attacked Zhao on behalf of Wei and took our Gang Ping. In the sixth year, he borrowed troops from Chu to attack Wei and took Ji Pu. In the eighth year, he captured Wei's Huang Cheng. In the ninth year, he attacked Qi. Qi attacked Yan, and Zhao rescued Yan. In the tenth year, he battled with Zhong Shan at Fang Zi.
48
十一年，魏、韓、趙共滅晉，分其地。 伐中山，又戰於中人。 十二年，敬侯卒，子成侯種立。
In the eleventh year, Wei, Han, and Zhao together extinguished Jin and divided its territory. He attacked Zhong Shan and again battled at Zhong Ren. In the twelfth year, Jing Hou died, and his son Cheng Hou Zhong was established.
49
成侯元年，公子勝與成侯爭立，為亂。 二年六月，雨雪。 三年，太戊午為相。 伐衛，取鄉邑七十三。 魏敗我藺。 四年，與秦戰高安，敗之。 五年，伐齊于鄄。 魏敗我懷。 攻鄭，敗之，以與韓，韓與我長子。 六年，中山筑長城。 伐魏，敗湪澤，圍魏惠王。 七年，侵齊，至長城。 與韓攻周。 八年，與韓分周以為兩。 九年，與齊戰阿下。 十年，攻衛，取甄。 十一年，秦攻魏，趙救之石阿。 十二年，秦攻魏少梁，趙救之。 十三年，秦獻公使庶長國伐魏少梁，虜其太子、痤。 魏敗我澮，取皮牢。 成侯與韓昭侯遇上黨。 十四年，與韓攻秦。 十五年，助魏攻齊。
In the first year of Cheng Hou, Prince Sheng contended with Cheng Hou for establishment and made a rebellion. In the sixth month of the second year, it snowed. In the third year, Tai Wu Wu became prime minister. He attacked Wei and took seventy-three district cities. Wei defeated us at Lin. In the fourth year, he battled with Qin at Gao An and defeated them. In the fifth year, he attacked Qi at Juan. Wei defeated us at Huai. He attacked Zheng and defeated it, then gave it to Han. Han gave me the city of Changzi. In the sixth year, Zhong Shan built a long wall. He attacked Wei, defeated them at Tuo Ze, and besieged King Hui of Wei. In the seventh year, he invaded Qi and reached the long wall. He attacked Zhou together with Han. In the eighth year, together with Han, he divided Zhou into two parts. In the ninth year, he battled with Qi at A Xia. In the tenth year, he attacked Wei and took Zhen. In the eleventh year, Qin attacked Wei, and Zhao rescued them at Shi A. In the twelfth year, Qin attacked Wei's Shao Liang, and Zhao rescued them. In the thirteenth year, Duke Xian of Qin sent Shu Zhang Guo to attack Wei's Shao Liang and captured their crown prince and Yao. Wei defeated us at Kuai and took Pi Lao. Cheng Hou met with Duke Zhao of Han at Shang Dang. In the fourteenth year, he attacked Qin together with Han. In the fifteenth year, he assisted Wei in attacking Qi.
50
十六年，與韓、魏分晉，封晉君以端氏。
In the sixteenth year, together with Han and Wei, he divided Jin and enfeoffed the lord of Jin with Duan Shi.
51
十七年，成侯與魏惠王遇葛孽。 十九年，與齊、宋會平陸，與燕會阿。 二十年，魏獻榮椽，因以為檀臺。 二十一年，魏圍我邯鄲。 二十二年，魏惠王拔我邯鄲，齊亦敗魏於桂陵。 二十四年，魏歸我邯鄲，與魏盟漳水上。 秦攻我藺。 二十五年，成侯卒。 公子紲太子肅侯爭立，紲敗亡奔韓。
In the seventeenth year, Cheng Hou met with King Hui of Wei at Ge Nie. In the nineteenth year, he met with Qi and Song at Ping Lu, and met with Yan at A. In the twentieth year, Wei offered Rong Chuan, which was then used to make Tan Tai. In the twenty-first year, Wei besieged our Handan. In the twenty-second year, King Hui of Wei captured our Handan, and Qi also defeated Wei at Gui Ling. In the twenty-fourth year, Wei returned our Handan, and we made an alliance with Wei on the Zhang River. Qin attacked our Lin. In the twenty-fifth year, Cheng Hou died. Prince Xi and Crown Prince Su Hou contended for the establishment. Xi was defeated and fled to Han.
52
肅侯元年，奪晉君端氏，徙處屯留。 二年，與魏惠王遇於陰晉。 三年，公子范襲邯鄲，不勝而死。 四年，朝天子。 六年，攻齊，拔高唐。 七年，公子刻攻魏首垣。 十一年，秦孝公使商君伐魏，虜其將公子卬。 趙伐魏。 十二年，秦孝公卒，商君死。 十五年，起壽陵。 魏惠王卒。
In the first year of Su Hou, he seized Duan Shi from the lord of Jin and moved his residence to Tun Liu. In the second year, he met with King Hui of Wei at Yin Jin. In the third year, Prince Fan attacked Handan, was not victorious, and died. In the fourth year, he paid court to the Son of Heaven. In the sixth year, he attacked Qi and captured Gao Tang. In the seventh year, Prince Ke attacked Wei's Shou Yuan. In the eleventh year, Duke Xiao of Qin sent Lord Shang to attack Wei and captured their general Prince Ang. Zhao attacked Wei. In the twelfth year, Duke Xiao of Qin died, and Lord Shang died. In the fifteenth year, he built Shou Ling. King Hui of Wei passed away.
53
十六年，肅侯游大陵，出於鹿門，大戊午扣馬曰：「耕事方急，一日不作，百日不食。」 肅侯下車謝。
In the sixteenth year, Marquis Su toured Daling. As he rode out through the Deer Gate, a man named Da Wuwu seized his horse's bridle and said, 'The farming season is at its most pressing. If one does not work for a single day, one will go hungry for a hundred days.' Marquis Su descended from his chariot and thanked him.
54
十七年，圍魏黃，不克。 筑長城。
In the seventeenth year, Zhao besieged the Wei city of Huang but failed to take it. A long wall was constructed.
55
十八年，齊、魏伐我，我決河水灌之，兵去。 二十二年，張儀相秦。 趙疵與秦戰，敗，秦殺疵河西，取我藺、離石。 二十三年，韓舉與齊、魏戰，死于桑丘。
In the eighteenth year, Qi and Wei attacked Zhao. The Zhao forces breached the river dikes and flooded the invaders, forcing them to withdraw. In the twenty-second year, Zhang Yi became chancellor of Qin. Zhao Ci fought against Qin and was defeated. Qin killed Ci west of the Yellow River and seized the Zhao cities of Lin and Lishi. In the twenty-third year, Han Ju fought against Qi and Wei and was killed at Sangqiu.
56
二十四年，肅侯卒。 秦、楚、燕、齊、魏出銳師各萬人來會葬。 子武靈王立。
In the twenty-fourth year, Marquis Su passed away. Qin, Chu, Yan, Qi, and Wei each dispatched ten thousand elite troops to attend the funeral. His son, King Wuling, ascended the throne.
57
武靈王元年，陽文君趙豹相。 梁襄王與太子嗣，韓宣王與太子倉來朝信宮。 武靈王少，未能聽政，博聞師三人，左右司過三人。 及聽政，先問先王貴臣肥義，加其秩； 國三老年八十，月致其禮。
In the first year of King Wuling's reign, Lord Yangwen, Zhao Bao, was appointed chancellor. King Xiang of Liang, accompanied by Crown Prince Si, and King Xuan of Han, accompanied by Crown Prince Cang, came to pay court at the Xin Palace. King Wuling was still young and not yet able to handle the affairs of state. He was attended by three tutors of broad learning, along with three officials on either side to oversee his faults. When he came of age and began to govern, the first person he consulted was Fei Yi, a trusted minister of the former king, and he raised Fei Yi's rank. To the three elders of the state who were over eighty years of age, he sent monthly gifts as a mark of respect.
58
三年，城鄗。 四年，與韓會于區鼠。 五年，娶韓女為夫人。
In the third year, he fortified the city of Hao. In the fourth year, he met with Han at Qushu. In the fifth year, he took a woman from Han as his consort.
59
八年，韓擊秦，不勝而去。 五國相王，趙獨否，曰：「無其實，敢處其名乎！」 令國人謂已曰「君」。
In the eighth year, Han attacked Qin but was unable to prevail and withdrew. The five states mutually proclaimed each other as kings, but Zhao alone refused, saying, 'Without the substance to justify it, how would we dare assume the title!' He ordered the people of his state to address him simply as 'Lord.'
60
九年，與韓、魏共擊秦，秦敗我，斬首八萬級。 齊敗我觀澤。 十年，秦取我中都及西陽。 齊破燕。 燕相子之為君，君反為臣。 十一年，王召公子職於韓，立以為燕王，使樂池送之。 十三年，秦拔我藺，虜將軍趙莊。 楚、魏王來，過邯鄲。 十四年，趙何攻魏。
In the ninth year, Zhao joined Han and Wei in an attack on Qin, but Qin defeated them and took eighty thousand heads. Qi defeated Zhao at Guanze. In the tenth year, Qin seized the Zhao cities of Zhongdu and Xiyang. Qi conquered Yan. The chancellor of Yan, Zi Zhi, had usurped the position of ruler, while the rightful ruler was reduced to the role of a minister. In the eleventh year, King Wuling summoned Prince Zhi from Han, installed him as the King of Yan, and sent Le Chi to escort him there. In the thirteenth year, Qin took the city of Lin and captured the Zhao general Zhao Zhuang. The kings of Chu and Wei came and passed through Handan. In the fourteenth year, Zhao He attacked Wei.
61
十六年，秦惠王卒。 王遊大陵。 他日，王夢見處女鼓琴而歌詩曰：「美人熒熒兮，顏若苕之榮。 命乎命乎，曾無我嬴！」 異日，王飲酒樂，數言所夢，想見其狀。 吳廣聞之，因夫人而內其女娃嬴。 孟姚也。 孟姚甚有寵於王，是為惠后。
In the sixteenth year, King Hui of Qin passed away. The king toured Daling. One night, the king dreamed of a maiden playing the zither and singing a poem: 'The beauty gleams with radiant light, her face like the glory of a blossoming vine. O fate, O fate! Would that she were mine to have!' On another occasion, as the king drank wine and made merry, he spoke repeatedly of the dream, trying to conjure the maiden's appearance in his mind. Wu Guang heard of this and, through the queen, presented his daughter Wa Ying to the king. She was also known as Meng Yao. Meng Yao was greatly favored by the king, and she became known as Queen Hui.
62
十七年，王出九門，為野臺，以望齊、中山之境。
In the seventeenth year, the king went out through the Nine Gates and built a platform in the open fields to survey the borders of Qi and Zhongshan.
63
十八年，秦武王與孟說舉龍文赤鼎，絕臏而死。 趙王使代相趙固迎公子稷於燕，送歸，立為秦王，是為昭王。
In the eighteenth year, King Wu of Qin attempted to lift the Dragon-Patterned Red Tripod together with Meng Yue. His kneecap shattered, and he died from the injury. The King of Zhao sent the chancellor of Dai, Zhao Gu, to receive Prince Ji from Yan and escort him back, where he was installed as the King of Qin. This was King Zhao of Qin.
64
十九年春正月，大朝信宮。 召肥義與議天下，五日而畢。 王北略中山之地，至於房子，遂之代，北至無窮，西至河，登黃華之上。 召樓緩謀曰：「我先王因世之變，以長南藩之地，屬阻漳、滏之險，立長城，又取藺、郭狼，敗林人於荏，而功未遂。 今中山在我腹心，北有燕，東有胡，西有林胡、樓煩、秦、韓之邊，而無彊兵之救，是亡社稷，柰何？ 夫有高世之名，必有遺俗之累。 吾欲胡服。」 樓緩曰：「善。」 群臣皆不欲。
In the spring of the nineteenth year, in the first month, a grand court assembly was held at the Xin Palace. He summoned Fei Yi to discuss the affairs of the realm, and their deliberations lasted five days. The king marched north through the territory of Zhongshan, reaching Fangzi, and then proceeded to Dai. He pressed northward to the endless frontier, westward to the Yellow River, and climbed to the summit of Mount Huanghua. He summoned Lou Huan to deliberate and said, 'My predecessors adapted to the changes of the age, extending the southern frontier and relying on the natural defenses of the Zhang and Fu rivers. They built a long wall, captured Lin and Guolang, and defeated the Lin people at Ren — yet their work remained unfinished. Now Zhongshan sits in the heart of our territory. To the north lies Yan, to the east the Hu barbarians, and to the west are the Linhu, the Loufan, and the borders of Qin and Han — yet we have no strong army to defend ourselves. This path leads to the ruin of our state. What is to be done? He who aspires to a name that surpasses his age must bear the burden of departing from convention. I intend to adopt the dress of the Hu barbarians.' Lou Huan replied, 'An excellent plan.' But none of the other ministers were in favor.
65
於是肥義侍，王曰：「簡、襄主之烈，計胡、翟之利。 為人臣者，寵有孝弟長幼順明之節，通有補民益主之業，此兩者臣之分也。 今吾欲繼襄主之跡，開於胡、翟之鄉，而卒世不見也。 為敵弱，用力少而功多，可以毋盡百姓之勞，而序往古之勳。 夫有高世之功者，負遺俗之累； 有獨智之慮者，任驁民之怨。 今吾將胡服騎射以教百姓，而世必議寡人，柰何？」 肥義曰：「臣聞疑事無功，疑行無名。 王既定負遺俗之慮，殆無顧天下之議矣。 夫論至德者不和於俗，成大功者不謀於眾。 昔者舜舞有苗，禹袒裸國，非以養欲而樂志也，務以論德而約功也。 愚者闇成事，智者睹未形，則王何疑焉。」 王曰：「吾不疑胡服也，吾恐天下笑我也。 狂夫之樂，智者哀焉； 愚者所笑，賢者察焉。 世有順我者，胡服之功未可知也。 雖驅世以笑我，胡地中山吾必有之。」 於是遂胡服矣。
Thereupon, with Fei Yi attending him, the king said, 'I have considered the great deeds of Lords Jian and Xiang, and weighed the advantages to be gained from the Hu and Di peoples. A minister who serves his lord should, in personal conduct, uphold the virtues of filial piety, fraternal respect, deference to elders, and moral clarity; and in public affairs, devote himself to benefiting the people and strengthening his lord. These two duties together define the role of a minister. Now I wish to follow in the footsteps of Lord Xiang and extend our reach into the lands of the Hu and Di, yet no one in this generation has seen fit to do so. If we can weaken our enemies with the least effort and achieve the greatest results, we may spare the people from exhaustion and carry on the glorious achievements of our ancestors. He who would accomplish deeds that surpass his age must bear the reproach of abandoning custom. He who possesses a singular vision must endure the resentment of a resistant populace. Now I intend to adopt Hu-style clothing and mounted archery, and train my people in these ways. But the world will surely criticize me for it — what shall I do?' Fei Yi replied, 'I have heard that a man who hesitates in his undertakings achieves no merit, and one who wavers in his conduct earns no renown. Since the king has already resolved to bear the burden of departing from convention, he need scarcely concern himself with the criticisms of the world. Those who pursue the highest virtue do not conform to popular custom, and those who accomplish great deeds do not seek the counsel of the multitude. In ancient times, Shun danced among the Youmiao, and Yu bared his body among the naked peoples — not to indulge their desires or please their whims, but to promote virtue and secure great achievements. The fool comprehends only what has already come to pass; the wise man perceives what has yet to take shape. Why, then, should the king hesitate?' The king said, 'I do not doubt the merit of adopting Hu dress. What I fear is that the world will laugh at me. What delights a madman is cause for grief to the wise. What the foolish ridicule, the worthy examine with care. If there are those in the world who follow my lead, the achievements of adopting Hu dress cannot yet be fully reckoned. Even if all the world is driven to mock me, the Hu territories and Zhongshan shall be mine.' And so the king adopted the dress of the Hu.
66
使王紲公子成曰：「寡人胡服，將以朝也，亦欲叔服之。 家聽於親而國聽於君，古今之公行也。 子不反親，臣不逆君，兄弟之通義也。 今寡人作教易服而叔不服，吾恐天下議之也。 制國有常，利民為本； 從政有經，令行為上。 明德先論於賤，而行政先信於貴。 今胡服之意，非以養欲而樂志也； 事有所止而功有所出，事成功立，然後善也。 今寡人恐叔之逆從政之經，以輔叔之議。 且寡人聞之，事利國者行無邪，因貴戚者名不累，故願慕公叔之義，以成胡服之功。 使紲謁之叔，請服焉。」 公子成再拜稽首曰：「臣固聞王之胡服也。 臣不佞，寢疾，未能趨走以滋進也。 王命之，臣敢對，因竭其愚忠。 曰：臣聞中國者，蓋聰明徇智之所居也，萬物財用之所聚也，賢聖之所教也，仁義之所施也，詩書禮樂之所用也，異敏技能之所試也，遠方之所觀赴也，蠻夷之所義行也。 今王捨此而襲遠方之服，變古之教，易古人道，逆人之心，而怫學者，離中國，故臣願王圖之也。」 使者以報。 王曰：「吾固聞叔之疾也，我將自往請之。」
He sent Wang Xie to Prince Cheng with a message: 'I have adopted the Hu style of dress and intend to wear it at court. I would also like my uncle to adopt it. In the family one defers to one's parents, and in the state one follows one's sovereign — this has been the universal rule since ancient times. A son does not oppose his parents, a minister does not defy his lord — this is the shared principle that binds all who stand as kin. Now I have issued a decree to change our dress, and yet my uncle will not comply. I fear the world will take this as cause for criticism. The governance of a state rests on enduring principles, and the welfare of the people is its foundation. In the conduct of government, there are abiding norms, and the enforcement of decrees is paramount. The cultivation of virtue should first be demonstrated among the lowly, while the administration of governance should first win the trust of the noble. The purpose of adopting Hu dress is not to indulge personal desires or gratify the will. Every undertaking has its limits, and every achievement has its origin. When the task succeeds and the achievement stands, only then can it be called good. Now I fear that my uncle may be acting contrary to the enduring principles of governance. I send this message to assist my uncle in reconsidering his position. Moreover, I have heard that one who acts for the benefit of the state need not fear that his conduct will be called perverse, and one who relies on the support of his noble kinsmen need not worry that his reputation will suffer. Therefore, I look to my uncle's righteous support to bring the adoption of Hu dress to completion. I have sent Xie to call upon my uncle and request that he don the new attire.' Prince Cheng bowed twice, touching his forehead to the ground, and said, 'Your servant has indeed heard of the king's adoption of Hu dress. I am a man of little talent, and I have been bedridden with illness, unable to hasten to court and present myself. Since the king commands it, your servant dares to offer a reply, and will exhaust his humble loyalty in doing so. He said: I have heard that the Central Kingdoms are the dwelling place of sagacious wisdom and discerning intelligence, where the myriad goods and resources of the world are gathered, where worthy sages impart their teachings, where benevolence and righteousness are practiced, where the Odes, the Documents, the Rites, and Music are employed, where extraordinary skills and arts are tested, where distant peoples come to observe and emulate, and where even the barbarians learn to act with righteousness. Now the king would abandon all this to adopt the garb of distant lands, change the teachings of antiquity, alter the ways of our ancestors, set himself against the hearts of the people, offend the scholars, and sever himself from the Central Kingdoms. Therefore, your servant begs the king to reconsider.' The messenger returned and reported these words. The king said, 'I have already heard of my uncle's illness. I shall go in person to speak with him.'
67
王遂往之公子成家，因自請之，曰：「夫服者，所以便用也； 禮者，所以便事也。 聖人觀鄉而順宜，因事而制禮，所以利其民而厚其國也。 夫翦發文身，錯臂左衽，甌越之民也。 黑齒雕題，卻冠秫絀，大吳之國也。 故禮服莫同，其便一也。 鄉異而用變，事異而禮易。 是以聖人果可以利其國，不一其用； 果可以便其事，不同其禮。 儒者一師而俗異，中國同禮而教離，況於山谷之便乎？ 故去就之變，智者不能一； 遠近之服，賢聖不能同。 窮鄉多異，曲學多辯。 不知而不疑，異於己而不非者，公焉而眾求盡善也。 今叔之所言者俗也，吾所言者所以制俗也。 吾國東有河、薄洛之水，與齊、中山同之，無舟楫之用。 自常山以至代、上黨，東有燕、東胡之境，而西有樓煩、秦、韓之邊，今無騎射之備。 故寡人無舟楫之用，夾水居之民，將何以守河、薄洛之水； 變服騎射，以備燕、三胡、秦、韓之邊。 且昔者簡主不塞晉陽以及上黨，而襄主并戎取代以攘諸胡，此愚智所明也。 先時中山負齊之彊兵，侵暴吾地，系累吾民，引水圍鄗，微社稷之神靈，則鄗幾於不守也。 先王丑之，而怨未能報也。 今騎射之備，近可以便上黨之形，而遠可以報中山之怨。 而叔順中國之俗以逆簡、襄之意，惡變服之名以忘鄗事之丑，非寡人之所望也。」 公字成再拜稽首曰：「臣愚，不達於王之義，敢道世俗之聞，臣之罪也。 今王將繼簡、襄之意以順先王之志，臣敢不聽命乎！」 再拜稽首。 乃賜胡服。 明日，服而朝。 於是始出胡服令也。
The king then went to Prince Cheng's residence and spoke to him directly, saying, 'Clothing exists to serve a practical purpose. And ritual exists to facilitate the conduct of affairs. The sage observes the customs of a region and adapts to what is fitting, shaping ritual to match the circumstances, so as to benefit the people and strengthen the state. Those who crop their hair, tattoo their bodies, mark their arms, and fasten their robes on the left — these are the people of Ouyue. Those who blacken their teeth, carve designs on their foreheads, wear their caps reversed, and dress in rough cloth — these are the people of the great state of Wu. Thus ritual and dress are nowhere the same, yet their aim — practical convenience — is one and the same. When the land differs, customs change; when circumstances differ, rituals must adapt. For this reason, the sage, so long as he can benefit his state, does not insist on a single set of practices. So long as he can serve the needs of the moment, he does not demand uniformity in ritual. The Confucian scholars share a single teacher, yet their customs differ; the Central Kingdoms share the same rites, yet their teachings diverge. How much more so in the remote valleys and mountains, where practicality must prevail? Thus, in the ever-shifting choices between departure and adherence, even the wisest cannot impose a single standard. In the dress of peoples near and far, not even the worthiest sages can make them all alike. Remote lands abound in strange customs, and narrow learning abounds in pointless debate. To refrain from doubt when one does not understand, and to refrain from censure when others differ from oneself — this is the mark of an impartial mind that seeks the common good. Now what my uncle speaks of is custom; what I speak of is the means to shape custom. To the east, our state shares the waters of the Yellow River and the Boluo with Qi and Zhongshan, yet we have no fleet of boats and oars. From Mount Changshan all the way to Dai and Shangdang, we face the borders of Yan and the Eastern Hu to the east, and the frontiers of the Loufan, Qin, and Han to the west — and yet we lack any force of mounted archers. Without a fleet of boats and oars, how shall the people who dwell along the rivers defend the waters of the Yellow River and the Boluo? By changing our dress and adopting mounted archery, we can defend against Yan, the three Hu peoples, Qin, and Han along our borders. Moreover, in former times Lord Jian held the line from Jinyang to Shangdang, while Lord Xiang annexed the Rong peoples and took Dai in order to drive back the various Hu. This is a lesson clear to both the foolish and the wise. In former days, Zhongshan relied on the powerful armies of Qi, invaded and ravaged our lands, captured and bound our people, and diverted the waters to lay siege to Hao. Were it not for the divine protection of the altars of our state, Hao would very nearly have fallen. The former king bore this humiliation with bitter resentment, yet the wrong was never avenged. Now, with the training of mounted archers, we can secure the terrain of Shangdang close at hand, and far afield we can avenge the humiliation inflicted by Zhongshan. Yet my uncle clings to the customs of the Central Kingdoms in defiance of the intentions of Lords Jian and Xiang, and recoils from the name of changing our dress while forgetting the shame of Hao. This is not what I had hoped for.' Prince Cheng bowed twice, touching his forehead to the ground, and said, 'Your servant is foolish and failed to grasp the king's true purpose. I dared only to repeat the common talk of the day — the fault is mine. Now that the king would carry on the intentions of Lords Jian and Xiang and fulfill the aspirations of the former king, how would your servant dare refuse the command!' He bowed twice, touching his forehead to the ground. The king then bestowed upon him the Hu-style garments. The following day, Prince Cheng wore them and appeared at court. At that point, the decree adopting Hu dress was formally issued.
68
趙文、趙造、周袑、趙俊皆諫止王毋胡服，如故法便。 王曰：「先王不同俗，何古之法？ 帝王不相襲，何禮之循？ 虙戲、神農教而不誅，黃帝、堯、舜誅而不怒。 及至三王，隨時制法，因事制禮。 法度制令各順其宜，衣服器械各便其用。 故禮也不必一道，而便國不必古。 聖人之興也不相襲而王，夏、殷之衰也不易禮而滅。 然則反古未可非，而循禮未足多也。 且服奇者志淫，則是鄒、魯無奇行也； 俗辟者民易，則是吳、越無秀士也。 且聖人利身謂之服，便事謂之禮。 夫進退之節，衣服之制者，所以齊常民也，非所以論賢者也。 故齊民與俗流，賢者與變俱。 故諺曰『以書御者不盡馬之情，以古制今者不達事之變』。 循法之功，不足以高世； 法古之學，不足以制今。 子不及也。」 遂胡服招騎射。
Zhao Wen, Zhao Zao, Zhou Shao, and Zhao Jun all remonstrated with the king, urging him to abandon the Hu dress and retain the old ways as more fitting. The king replied, 'The former kings did not share the same customs — so which antiquity should serve as our model? The emperors and kings did not follow one another's practices — so which rites should we adhere to? Fuxi and Shennong taught the people without resorting to punishment; the Yellow Emperor, Yao, and Shun punished without anger. When it came to the Three Kings, they fashioned their laws to suit the times and shaped their rituals to match the circumstances. Their statutes, measures, and decrees each conformed to what was fitting, and their clothing and implements each served a practical purpose. Therefore, ritual need not follow a single path, and what benefits the state need not derive from antiquity. The sages who rose to kingship did not do so by imitating their predecessors, and the Xia and Yin dynasties did not perish because they changed their rites. It follows, then, that a departure from antiquity cannot in itself be condemned, and that merely adhering to ritual does not in itself deserve praise. If it were true that wearing strange attire leads to a licentious spirit, then Zou and Lu would never have produced men of exceptional conduct. If it were true that unorthodox customs make the people fickle, then Wu and Yue would never have produced outstanding scholars. The sages called that which benefits the body 'clothing,' and that which facilitates affairs 'ritual.' The rules for propriety in conduct and the regulations for dress are meant to keep the common people in order — they are not the standard by which the worthy are judged. The common people drift with the current of custom, but the worthy move with the tide of change. As the proverb says, "He who drives a horse by the book will never master the horse's true nature, and he who governs the present by the standards of antiquity will never grasp the changing nature of affairs." The merit of merely following established law is not enough to rise above one's age. And the learning of those who merely imitate antiquity is not enough to master the present. You, sirs, do not understand this.' And so the king adopted Hu dress and began training a force of mounted archers.
69
二十年，王略中山地，至寧葭； 西略胡地，至榆中。 林胡王獻馬。 歸，使樓緩之秦，仇液之韓，王賁之楚，富丁之魏，趙爵之齊。 代相趙固主胡，致其兵。
In the twentieth year, the king campaigned through Zhongshan territory and reached Ningjia. Turning westward, he swept through the Hu territories and reached Yuzhong. The king of the Linhu presented horses in tribute. Upon his return, the king dispatched Lou Huan as envoy to Qin, Qiu Ye to Han, Wang Ben to Chu, Fu Ding to Wei, and Zhao Jue to Qi. The chancellor of Dai, Zhao Gu, took charge of the Hu peoples and mustered their soldiers.
70
二十一年，攻中山。 趙袑為右軍，許鈞為左軍，公子章為中軍，王并將之。 牛翦將車騎，趙希并將胡、代。 趙與之陘，合軍曲陽，攻取丹丘、華陽、鴟之塞。 王軍取鄗、石邑、封龍、東垣。 中山獻四邑和，王許之，罷兵。 二十三年，攻中山。 二十五年，惠后卒。 使周袑胡服傅王子何。 二十六年，復攻中山，攘地北至燕、代，西至雲中、九原。
In the twenty-first year, he launched an attack on Zhongshan. Zhao Shao commanded the right wing, Xu Jun the left wing, and Prince Zhang the center. The king himself led the combined forces. Niu Jian commanded the chariots and cavalry, while Zhao Xi led the Hu and Dai contingents. The Zhao forces rendezvoused at the Xing Pass, assembled at Quyang, and attacked and captured Danqiu, Huayang, and the fortress of Chi. The king's main army seized Hao, Shiyi, Fenglong, and Dongyuan. Zhongshan offered four cities and sued for peace. The king accepted the terms and withdrew his forces. In the twenty-third year, he again attacked Zhongshan. In the twenty-fifth year, Queen Hui passed away. He appointed Zhou Shao, clad in Hu dress, as tutor to Prince He. In the twenty-sixth year, he attacked Zhongshan once more, pushing the borders northward to Yan and Dai, and westward to Yunzhong and Jiuyuan.
71
二十七年五月戊申，大朝於東宮，傳國，立王子何以為王。 王廟見禮畢，出臨朝。 大夫悉為臣，肥義為相國，并傅王。 是為惠文王。 惠文王，惠后吳娃子也。 武靈王自號為主父。
In the fifth month of the twenty-seventh year, on the wushen day, a grand court was convened at the Eastern Palace. There, King Wuling abdicated the throne and installed Prince He as the new king. After the new king completed the rites of presentation at the ancestral temple, he came forth to preside over court. All the grandees pledged their service as ministers. Fei Yi was named Chancellor of State and also served as the king's tutor. He became known as King Huiwen. King Huiwen was the son of Queen Hui, the woman Wu Wa. King Wuling took for himself the title of Zhufu, the Lord Father.
72
主父欲令子主治國，而身胡服將士大夫西北略胡地，而欲從雲中、九原直南襲秦，於是詐自為使者入秦。 秦昭王不知，已而怪其狀甚偉，非人臣之度，使人逐之，而主父馳已脫關矣。 審問之，乃主父也。 秦人大驚。 主父所以入秦者，欲自略地形，因觀秦王之為人也。
The Lord Father intended to leave the governance of the state to his son while he himself, clad in Hu dress, led his officers northwestward to subdue the Hu territories. He planned to strike south from Yunzhong and Jiuyuan directly into Qin. To this end, he disguised himself as an envoy and entered Qin in secret. King Zhao of Qin did not recognize him, but in time grew suspicious of the visitor's commanding presence, which far surpassed that of any ordinary envoy. He sent men to pursue him, but the Lord Father had already galloped through the passes and escaped. Upon careful investigation, they discovered it had been the Lord Father himself. The people of Qin were astonished. The Lord Father's purpose in entering Qin was to personally survey the terrain and take the measure of the King of Qin's character.
73
惠文王二年，主父行新地，遂出代，西遇樓煩王於西河而致其兵。
In the second year of King Huiwen's reign, the Lord Father toured the newly acquired territories, then proceeded from Dai to the west, where he met the king of the Loufan at the Xi River and secured the allegiance of his troops.
74
三年，滅中山，遷其王於膚施。 起靈壽，北地方從，代道大通。 還歸，行賞，大赦，置酒酺五日，封長子章為代安陽君。 章素侈，心不服其弟所立。 主父又使田不禮相章也。
In the third year, Zhongshan was conquered and its king exiled to Fushi. He established the city of Lingshou. The northern territories submitted, and the road to Dai was thrown wide open. Upon his return, the Lord Father distributed rewards, proclaimed a general amnesty, and held five days of public feasting. He enfeoffed his eldest son Zhang as the Lord of Anyang in Dai. Zhang was by nature extravagant, and in his heart he refused to accept that his younger brother had been made king. The Lord Father also appointed Tian Buli as chancellor to Prince Zhang.
75
李兌謂肥義曰：「公子章彊壯而志驕，黨眾而欲大，殆有私乎？ 田不禮之為人也，忍殺而驕。 二人相得，必有謀陰賊起，一出身徼幸。 夫小人有欲，輕慮淺謀，徒見其利而不顧其害，同類相推，俱入禍門。 以吾觀之，必不久矣。 子任重而勢大，亂之所始，禍之所集也，子必先患。 仁者愛萬物而智者備禍於未形，不仁不智，何以為國？ 子奚不稱疾毋出，傳政於公子成？ 毋為怨府，毋為禍梯。」 肥義曰：「不可，昔者主父以王屬義也，曰：『毋變而度，毋異而慮，堅守一心，以歿而世。』 義再拜受命而籍之。 今畏不禮之難而忘吾籍，變孰大焉。 進受嚴命，退而不全，負孰甚焉。 變負之臣，不容於刑。 諺曰『死者復生，生者不愧』。 吾言已在前矣，吾欲全吾言，安得全吾身！ 且夫貞臣也難至而節見，忠臣也累至而行明。 子則有賜而忠我矣，雖然，吾有語在前者也，終不敢失。」 李兌曰：「諾，子勉之矣！ 吾見子已今年耳。」 涕泣而出。 李兌數見公子成，以備田不禮之事。
Li Dui said to Fei Yi, 'Prince Zhang is strong and robust, yet arrogant in his ambitions. He commands a large following and harbors great desires. Does he not have designs of his own? As for Tian Buli, the man is ruthless and proud. The two of them are well suited to each other, and treacherous schemes are sure to arise between them as they stake everything on a gamble for power. Petty men are driven by appetite. They scheme rashly and plan without depth, seeing only the profit before them while ignoring the peril. They egg each other on, and together they march through the gates of disaster. From what I can see, the crisis will not be long in coming. You bear a heavy responsibility and hold great authority. You stand at the very point where disorder will begin and where calamity will converge. You will be the first to suffer. The benevolent love all living things, and the wise prepare for disaster before it takes shape. Without benevolence and without wisdom, how can one serve the state? Why do you not claim illness and withdraw, transferring the governance to Prince Cheng? Do not make yourself a storehouse of resentment, nor a ladder by which calamity may climb.' Fei Yi replied, 'That cannot be done. The Lord Father entrusted the king to me and charged me with these words: "Do not alter your standards, do not waver in your resolve. Hold fast to a single purpose, even unto death and for all the ages to come."' I bowed twice to accept the charge and inscribed it in my records. Were I now to shrink from the threat posed by Tian Buli and forsake the oath I recorded, what greater betrayal could there be? To have stepped forward and received a solemn charge, only to retreat and leave it unfulfilled — what dereliction could be more grave? A minister who shifts his allegiance and betrays his trust deserves the severest punishment. As the proverb says, "If the dead could live again, the living would have nothing to be ashamed of." The pledge I made was given long ago. If I wish to honor my words, how can I also expect to preserve my life! It is when hardship comes that a steadfast minister's integrity is revealed, and when troubles mount that a loyal minister's true character shines forth. You have honored me with your counsel and shown me the greatest loyalty. Even so, I gave my word long ago, and I will never dare betray it.' Li Dui said, 'Very well, then do your utmost! I fear I shall see you alive only through this year.' He left in tears. Li Dui met frequently with Prince Cheng to lay the groundwork for countermeasures against Tian Buli.
76
異日肥義謂信期曰：「公子與田不禮甚可憂也。 其於義也聲善而實惡，此為人也不子不臣。 吾聞之也，姦臣在朝，國之殘也； 讒臣在中，主之蠹也。 此人貪而欲大，內得主而外為暴。 矯令為慢，以擅一旦之命，不難為也，禍且逮國。 今吾憂之，夜而忘寐，饑而忘食。 盜賊出入不可不備。 自今以來，若有召王者必見吾面，我將先以身當之，無故而王乃入。」 信期曰：「善哉，吾得聞此也！」
On another day, Fei Yi said to Xin Qi, 'Prince Zhang and Tian Buli are a grave source of worry. In matters of duty, they put on a show of virtue while concealing malice. Such men are neither filial sons nor loyal ministers. I have heard that when treacherous ministers hold places at court, it is the ruin of the state. When slanderous ministers are at the heart of government, they are a canker to the ruler. This man is greedy and harbors great ambitions. He has won the prince's confidence within, while acting the tyrant without. To forge a royal command and seize the power of a single day is no difficult thing to do, yet the calamity that follows will engulf the entire state. This weighs on me so heavily that at night I forget to sleep, and when I hunger I forget to eat. Against the coming and going of traitors, we must never let down our guard. From this day forward, if anyone summons the king, they must first come before me. I will stand as a shield with my own body, and only when there is no danger may the king proceed.' Xin Qi said, 'Excellent! I am fortunate to have heard this.'
77
四年，朝群臣，安陽君亦來朝。 主父令王聽朝，而自從旁觀窺群臣宗室之禮。 見其長子章傫然也，反北面為臣，詘於其弟，心憐之，於是乃欲分趙而王章於代，計未決而輟。
In the fourth year, the king held a general court audience, and the Lord of Anyang also came to pay his respects. The Lord Father had the king preside over court while he himself watched from the side, observing the deportment of the ministers and members of the royal house. He saw his eldest son Zhang standing dejected, facing north in the posture of a subject, humbling himself before his younger brother. His heart was moved to pity. He then conceived the idea of dividing Zhao and making Zhang king over Dai, but the plan remained undecided and was ultimately set aside.
78
主父及王游沙丘，異宮，公子章即以其徒與田不禮作亂，詐以主父令召王。 肥義先入，殺之。 高信即與王戰。 公子成與李兌自國至，乃起四邑之兵入距難，殺公子章及田不禮，滅其黨賊而定王室。 公子成為相，號安平君，李兌為司寇。 公子章之敗，往走主父，主主開之，成、兌因圍主父宮。 公子章死，公子成、李兌謀曰：「以章故圍主父，即解兵，吾屬夷矣。」 乃遂圍主父。 令宮中人「後出者夷」，宮中人悉出。 主父欲出不得，又不得食，探爵鷇而食之，三月餘而餓死沙丘宮。 主父定死，乃發喪赴諸侯。
The Lord Father and the king traveled to Shaqiu, where they lodged in separate palaces. Prince Zhang, together with his followers and Tian Buli, launched a rebellion. They forged a command in the Lord Father's name to summon the king. Fei Yi went in first and was killed. Gao Xin then engaged in battle against the king's forces. Prince Cheng and Li Dui arrived from the capital. They raised troops from four cities, entered the fray to quell the rebellion, killed Prince Zhang and Tian Buli, wiped out their faction, and restored order to the royal house. Prince Cheng was made chancellor and given the title Lord of Anping. Li Dui was appointed Minister of Justice. When Prince Zhang was defeated, he fled to the Lord Father's palace. The Lord Father opened the gates and took him in, whereupon Cheng and Dui surrounded the palace. After Prince Zhang was killed, Prince Cheng and Li Dui conferred: 'We besieged the Lord Father on account of Zhang. If we lift the siege now, we ourselves will surely be put to death.' And so they maintained the siege of the Lord Father. They issued an order within the palace: 'Whoever is the last to come out will be executed.' All the palace attendants fled. The Lord Father tried to escape but could not, nor could he obtain any food. He scavenged the nests of sparrows and ate the fledglings. After more than three months, he starved to death in the palace at Shaqiu. Only after the Lord Father's death was confirmed did they announce the mourning and notify the feudal lords.
79
是時王少，成、兌專政，畏誅，故圍主父。 主父初以長子章為太子，後得吳娃，愛之，為不出者數歲，生子何，乃廢太子章而立何為王。 吳娃死，愛弛，憐故太子，欲兩王之，猶豫未決，故亂起，以至父子俱死，為天下笑，豈不痛乎！
At this time the king was still young, and Cheng and Dui held all the power. Fearing that they would be punished, they had besieged the Lord Father. The Lord Father had originally designated his eldest son Zhang as heir apparent. But later he took Wu Wa as his consort and was so devoted to her that for several years he scarcely left her side. She bore him a son, He. He then deposed Crown Prince Zhang and installed He as king. After Wu Wa died, his affections waned. He took pity on the former crown prince and wished to make both sons kings. He wavered and could not decide, and so the rebellion erupted, ending with both father and son dead — a spectacle for the whole world to mock. How tragic!
80
（主父死惠文王立立）五年，與燕鄚、易。 八年，城南行唐。 九年，趙梁將，與齊合軍攻韓，至魯關下。 及十年，秦自置為西帝。 十一年，董叔與魏氏伐宋，得河陽於魏。 秦取保陽。 十二年，趙梁將攻齊。 十三年，韓徐為將，攻齊。 公主死。 十四年，相國樂毅將趙、秦、韓、魏、燕攻齊，取靈丘。 與秦會中陽。 十五年，燕昭王來見。 趙與韓、魏、秦共擊齊，齊王敗走，燕獨深入，取臨菑。
In the fifth year, Zhao exchanged the cities of Mao and Yi with Yan. In the eighth year, the city of Nanxingtang was fortified. In the ninth year, Zhao Liang took command and, joining forces with Qi, attacked Han. They advanced as far as the pass at Lu. By the tenth year, Qin had proclaimed itself the Western Emperor. In the eleventh year, Dong Shu joined with Wei to attack Song, and Zhao obtained Heyang from Wei. Qin seized Baoyang. In the twelfth year, Zhao Liang led an attack on Qi. In the thirteenth year, Han Xu took command and attacked Qi. The princess passed away. In the fourteenth year, the Chancellor of State, Yue Yi, led the combined forces of Zhao, Qin, Han, Wei, and Yan in an attack on Qi, capturing the city of Lingqiu. He met with Qin at Zhongyang. In the fifteenth year, King Zhao of Yan came for a state visit. Zhao, together with Han, Wei, and Qin, attacked Qi. The King of Qi was routed and fled. Yan alone pressed deep into Qi and captured the capital, Linzi.
81
十六年，秦復與趙數擊齊，齊人患之。 蘇厲為齊遺趙王書曰：
In the sixteenth year, Qin once again joined with Zhao to launch repeated attacks on Qi, and the people of Qi were greatly distressed. Su Li, acting on behalf of Qi, sent a letter to the King of Zhao, which read:
82
臣聞古之賢君，其德行非布於海內也，教順非洽於民人也，祭祀時享非數常於鬼神也。 甘露降，時雨至，年穀豐孰，民不疾疫，眾人善之，然而賢主圖之。
Your servant has heard that the worthy rulers of antiquity did not achieve the spread of their virtue across the whole realm, nor did their teachings penetrate to every corner of the populace, nor were their sacrifices and seasonal offerings lavished upon the spirits without measure. Yet the sweet dew descended, the timely rains came, the harvest was bountiful, and the people were free from plague and pestilence. All the world praised them for this, yet the wise ruler knew it was because he had planned for it.
83
今足下之賢行功力，非數加於秦也； 怨毒積怒，非素深於齊也。 秦趙與國，以彊征兵於韓，秦誠愛趙乎？ 其實憎齊乎？ 物之甚者，賢主察之。 秦非愛趙而憎齊也，欲亡韓而吞二周，故以齊餤天下。 恐事之不合，故出兵以劫魏、趙。 恐天下畏己也，故出質以為信。 恐天下亟反也，故徵兵於韓以威之。 聲以德與國，實而伐空韓，臣以秦計為必出於此。 夫物固有勢異而患同者，楚久伐而中山亡，今齊久伐而韓必亡。 破齊，王與六國分其利也。 亡韓，秦獨擅之。 收二周，西取祭器，秦獨私之。 賦田計功，王之獲利孰與秦多？
Now, as for your lordship's virtuous conduct and meritorious achievements — they have not been repeatedly directed toward the benefit of Qin. Nor is the poisonous resentment and accumulated fury between you and Qi rooted in any ancient grudge. Qin and Zhao are allied states, yet together they use the force of their alliance to conscript soldiers from Han. Does Qin truly cherish Zhao? Or does it truly despise Qi? In matters of great consequence, the wise ruler investigates carefully. Qin does not truly love Zhao or hate Qi. Its aim is to destroy Han and devour the two Zhou. It merely uses the campaign against Qi as bait to lure the other states. Fearing that the other states might not cooperate, Qin dispatched troops to coerce Wei and Zhao. Fearing that the world would grow wary of its intentions, Qin offered hostages as a show of good faith. Fearing that the other states might quickly turn against it, Qin conscripted troops from Han to intimidate them. In name, Qin shares the spoils with the allied states. In reality, it is attacking a defenseless Han. Your servant believes this is the true strategy behind Qin's designs. It is in the nature of things that different situations may lead to the same disaster. When Chu was attacked over a prolonged period, it was Zhongshan that perished. Now that Qi is being attacked at length, it is Han that will inevitably fall. If Qi is destroyed, your majesty will share the spoils with the other states. But if Han is destroyed, Qin alone will seize the prize. Once Qin has absorbed the two Zhou and taken the sacred ritual vessels, it will keep them all for itself. Tally up the fields and reckon the gains — between your majesty and Qin, who will have profited more?
84
說士之計曰：「韓亡三川，魏亡晉國，市朝未變而禍已及矣。」 燕盡齊之北地，去沙丘、鉅鹿斂三百里，韓之上黨去邯鄲百里，燕、秦謀王之河山，閒三百里而通矣。 秦之上郡近挺關，至於榆中者千五百里，秦以三郡攻王之上黨，羊腸之西，句注之南，非王有已。 踰句注，斬常山而守之，三百里而通於燕，代馬胡犬不東下，昆山之玉不出，此三寶者亦非王有已。 王久伐齊，從彊秦攻韓，其禍必至於此。 願王孰慮之。
The strategists have a saying: "When Han loses Sanchuan and Wei loses the heartland of Jin, the markets and courts may seem unchanged, but the catastrophe has already arrived." Yan has already taken all of Qi's northern territories and is now only three hundred li from Shaqiu and Julu. Han's Shangdang lies just a hundred li from Handan. Should Yan and Qin conspire to seize your majesty's lands between the rivers and mountains, a gap of only three hundred li would connect them. Qin's Shangjun commandery lies close to Tingguan and stretches fifteen hundred li to Yuzhong. If Qin were to attack your majesty's Shangdang from three commanderies at once, everything west of the Yangchang Pass and south of the Gouzhu Mountains would no longer be yours. If the enemy crosses the Gouzhu range and severs Changshan to hold it, the three hundred li to Yan will be open. Then the horses of Dai, the hounds of the Hu, and the jade of Kunshan will no longer flow eastward — these three treasures, too, will no longer be your majesty's. If your majesty continues the prolonged war against Qi while following mighty Qin in attacks on Han, the disaster described here will surely come to pass. I beseech your majesty to reflect upon this most carefully.
85
且齊之所以伐者，以事王也； 天下屬行，以謀王也。 燕秦之約成而兵出有日矣。 五國三分王之地，齊倍五國之約而殉王之患，西兵以禁彊秦，秦廢帝請服，反高平、根柔於魏，反坙分、先俞於趙。 齊之事王，宜為上佼，而今乃抵罪，臣恐天下後事王者之不敢自必也。 願王孰計之也。
Moreover, the very reason Qi is being attacked is that it served your majesty faithfully. The other states have joined together in succession to scheme against your majesty. The pact between Yan and Qin is already sealed, and a date for their armies to march has been set. The five states had planned to carve up your majesty's territory into thirds. Yet it was Qi that broke with the five states and came to your majesty's aid, sending armies westward to check the power of Qin. Qin was forced to abandon the imperial title and beg for peace, returning Gaoping and Genrou to Wei, and returning Fenhe and Xianyu to Zhao. Qi's service to your majesty should be counted as the highest merit, and yet it now stands condemned as a criminal. Your servant fears that those who might serve your majesty in the future will no longer dare to commit themselves wholeheartedly. I beg your majesty to weigh the matter well.
86
今王毋與天下攻齊，天下必以王為義。 齊抱社稷而厚事王，天下必盡重王義。 王以天下善秦，秦暴，王以天下禁之，是一世之名寵制於王也。 於是趙乃輟，謝秦不擊齊。
If your majesty now refuses to join the other states in attacking Qi, the world will surely regard your majesty as righteous. Qi will cling to its altars and serve your majesty with the deepest devotion, and the world will come to hold your majesty's righteousness in the highest esteem. Should your majesty unite the world to befriend Qin, and then, if Qin acts tyrannically, unite the world to check it — then the fame and patronage of an entire age will rest in your majesty's hands. Upon receiving this letter, Zhao ceased its campaign, sent apologies to Qin, and withdrew from the attack on Qi.
87
王與燕王遇。 廉頗將，攻齊昔陽，取之。
The king held a meeting with the King of Yan. Lian Po took command, attacked Qi's Xiyang, and captured it.
88
十七年，樂毅將趙師攻魏伯陽。 而秦怨趙不與己擊齊，伐趙，拔我兩城。 十八年，秦拔我石城。 王再之衛東陽，決河水，伐魏氏。 大潦，漳水出。 魏冉來相趙。 十九年，秦（敗）［取］我二城。 趙與魏伯陽。 趙奢將，攻齊麥丘，取之。
In the seventeenth year, Yue Yi led the Zhao army to attack Wei's Boyang. Qin, resenting Zhao for refusing to join in the attack on Qi, turned and attacked Zhao, seizing two of our cities. In the eighteenth year, Qin captured our city of Shicheng. The king marched again to Dongyang in Wei territory, breached the river dikes, and attacked Wei. There were great floods, and the Zhang River overflowed its banks. Wei Ran came to serve as the chancellor of Zhao. In the nineteenth year, Qin took two more of our cities. Zhao ceded the city of Boyang to Wei. Zhao She took command, attacked Qi's Maiqiu, and captured it.
89
二十年，廉頗將，攻齊。 王與秦昭王遇西河外。
In the twentieth year, Lian Po led an attack on Qi. The king met with King Zhao of Qin beyond the Western River.
90
二十一年，趙徙漳水武平西。 二十二年，大疫。 置公子丹為太子。
In the twenty-first year, Zhao diverted the Zhang River to the west of Wuping. In the twenty-second year, a great plague struck. Prince Dan was designated as the crown prince.
91
二十三年，樓昌將，攻魏幾，不能取。 十二月，廉頗將，攻幾，取之。 二十四年，廉頗將，攻魏房子，拔之，因城而還。 又攻安陽，取之。 二十五年，燕周將，攻昌城、高唐，取之。 與魏共擊秦。 秦將白起破我華陽，得一將軍。 二十六年，取東胡歐代地。
In the twenty-third year, Lou Chang led an attack on Wei's Ji but failed to take it. In the twelfth month, Lian Po took command, attacked Ji, and captured it. In the twenty-fourth year, Lian Po took command and attacked Wei's Fangzi. He captured it, fortified the city, and returned. He then attacked Anyang and took it as well. In the twenty-fifth year, Yan Zhou took command and attacked Changcheng and Gaotang, capturing both. Zhao joined with Wei to attack Qin. The Qin general Bai Qi defeated our forces at Huayang and captured one of our generals. In the twenty-sixth year, Zhao conquered the Eastern Hu and Ou territories near Dai.
92
二十七年，徙漳水武平南。 封趙豹為平陽君。 河水出，大潦。
In the twenty-seventh year, the Zhang River was diverted to the south of Wuping. Zhao Bao was enfeoffed as the Lord of Pingyang. The Yellow River overflowed its banks, causing great floods.
93
二十八年，藺相如伐齊，至平邑。 罷城北九門大城。 燕將成安君公孫操弒其王。 二十九年，秦、韓相攻，而圍閼與。 趙使趙奢將，擊秦，大破秦軍閼與下，賜號為馬服君。
In the twenty-eighth year, Lin Xiangru led an expedition against Qi and advanced as far as Pingyi. The project to fortify the great city north of the Nine Gates was abandoned. In Yan, the general Gongsun Cao, Lord of Cheng'an, assassinated his king. In the twenty-ninth year, Qin attacked Han and laid siege to the city of Eyu. Zhao dispatched Zhao She to take command. He attacked Qin and inflicted a crushing defeat on the Qin army below Eyu. For this he was granted the title Lord of Mafu.
94
三十三年，惠文王卒，太子丹立，是為孝成王。
In the thirty-third year, King Huiwen passed away. Crown Prince Dan ascended the throne and became King Xiaocheng.
95
孝成王元年，秦伐我，拔三城。 趙王新立，太后用事，秦急攻之。 趙氏求救於齊，齊曰：「必以長安君為質，兵乃出。」 太后不肯，大臣彊諫。 太后明謂左右曰：「復言長安君為質者，老婦必唾其面。」 左師觸龍言願見太后，太后盛氣而胥之。 入，徐趨而坐，自謝曰：「老臣病足，曾不能疾走，不得見久矣。 竊自恕，而恐太后體之有所苦也，故願望見太后。」 太后曰：「老婦恃輦而行耳。」 曰：「食得毋衰乎？」 曰：「恃粥耳。」 曰：「老臣閒者殊不欲食，乃彊步，日三四里，少益嗜食，和於身也。」 太后曰：「老婦不能。」 太后不和之色少解。 左師公曰：「老臣賤息舒祺最少，不肖，而臣衰，竊憐愛之，願得補黑衣之缺以衛王宮，昧死以聞。」 太后曰：「敬諾。 年幾何矣？」 對曰：「十五歲矣。 雖少，願及未填溝壑而託之。」 太后曰：「丈夫亦愛憐少子乎？」 對曰：「甚於婦人。」 太后笑曰：「婦人異甚。」 對曰：「老臣竊以為媼之愛燕后賢於長安君。」 太后曰：「君過矣，不若長安君之甚。」 左師公曰：「父母愛子則為之計深遠。 媼之送燕后也，持其踵，為之泣，念其遠也，亦哀之矣。 已行，非不思也，祭祀則祝之曰『必勿使反』，豈非計長久，為子孫相繼為王也哉？」 太后曰：「然。」 左師公曰：「今三世以前，至於趙主之子孫為侯者，其繼有在者乎？」 曰：「無有。」 曰：「微獨趙，諸侯有在者乎？」 曰：「老婦不聞也。」 曰：「此其近者禍及其身，遠者及其子孫。 豈人主之子侯則不善哉？ 位尊而無功，奉厚而無勞，而挾重器多也。 今媼尊長安君之位，而封之以膏腴之地，多與之重器，而不及今令有功於國，一旦山陵崩，長安君何以自託於趙？ 老臣以媼為長安君之計短也，故以為愛之不若燕后。」 太后曰：「諾，恣君之所使之。」 於是為長安君約車百乘，質於齊，齊兵乃出。
In the first year of King Xiaocheng's reign, Qin attacked Zhao and captured three cities. The King of Zhao had just ascended the throne, and the Dowager Queen held the reins of power. Qin pressed its attacks with urgency. Zhao sought aid from Qi. Qi replied, 'You must send the Lord of Chang'an as a hostage. Only then will we dispatch troops.' The Dowager Queen refused. The ministers pressed her with urgent remonstrances. The Dowager Queen declared to those around her, 'If anyone dares speak again of sending the Lord of Chang'an as a hostage, this old woman will spit in his face!' The Left Tutor, Chu Long, expressed a wish to see the Dowager Queen. She awaited him in a state of towering fury. He entered, shuffled forward slowly, and took his seat. He began with an apology: 'This old minister suffers from ailments of the feet and has been unable to walk quickly. It has been a long time since I last had the honor of an audience. I have excused my own indolence, but I feared that your majesty's health might be causing you some discomfort. That is the reason I wished to pay my respects.' The Dowager Queen said, 'This old woman can only get about by palanquin.' He asked, 'And your appetite — has it not been declining?' She replied, 'I manage on gruel alone.' He said, 'This old minister lately had no desire for food at all, so I forced myself to walk three or four li each day. My appetite gradually returned, and it has been good for the body.' The Dowager Queen said, 'I'm afraid this old woman cannot manage that.' The harsh expression on the Dowager Queen's face softened somewhat. The Left Tutor said, 'This old minister's youngest and most unworthy son is Shuqi. As I grow old, I cannot help but dote on him. I humbly request that he be given a place among the palace guards who wear the black robes, to serve in the defense of the royal palace. I risk death in making this plea.' The Dowager Queen said, 'I respectfully consent. How old is the boy?' He answered, 'He is fifteen. Though he is still young, I wish to find a place for him before these old bones fill a ditch.' The Dowager Queen said, 'So even a man dotes on his youngest son?' He replied, 'Even more so than a woman.' The Dowager Queen laughed. 'Women are quite different in that regard.' He said, 'Yet this old minister privately believes that your majesty's love for the Queen of Yan is deeper than your love for the Lord of Chang'an.' The Dowager Queen said, 'You are quite mistaken. My love for the Lord of Chang'an is far greater.' The Left Tutor said, 'When parents truly love their children, they plan far ahead on their behalf. When your majesty saw the Queen of Yan off, you held her by the heels and wept for her. You thought of how far away she would be, and you grieved. After she left, it was not that you ceased to think of her. Yet during the sacrifices, you prayed, "Let her never be sent home." Was this not a far-sighted plan — to ensure that her descendants would succeed one another as kings of Yan?' The Dowager Queen said, 'That is so.' The Left Tutor continued, 'Now, looking back three generations and more — among the descendants of Zhao's rulers who were enfeoffed as lords, are any of their heirs still in their positions today?' She replied, 'There are none.' He asked, 'And not just Zhao — among the other feudal states, are there any such heirs who still hold their positions?' She said, 'I have not heard of any.' He said, 'This is because, for some, the calamity fell upon the man himself, and for others, it reached his children and grandchildren. Is it that the sons and grandsons of rulers who are enfeoffed as lords are inherently unworthy? No — it is that their positions are exalted without merit, their stipends are generous without labor, and they possess a great many precious treasures. Now your majesty has raised the Lord of Chang'an to a position of the highest honor, enfeoffed him with the richest lands, and laden him with precious treasures — yet you have not required him to earn a single merit for the state. When the day comes that the royal tomb is sealed, on what ground will the Lord of Chang'an be able to secure his place in Zhao? This old minister believes that your majesty's plans for the Lord of Chang'an are short-sighted. That is why I consider your love for him to fall short of your love for the Queen of Yan.' The Dowager Queen said, 'Very well. I leave the matter entirely in your hands.' Thereupon, a retinue of a hundred chariots was prepared for the Lord of Chang'an, and he was sent as a hostage to Qi. Only then did Qi dispatch its troops.
96
子義聞之，曰：「人主之子，骨肉之親也，猶不能持無功之尊，無勞之奉，而守金玉之重也，而況於予乎？」
When Zi Yi heard of this, he said, 'Even the sons of rulers, who are a sovereign's own flesh and blood, cannot sustain a position of honor without merit, rich emoluments without labor, or the possession of precious treasures. How much less can someone like me!'
97
齊安平君田單將趙師而攻燕中陽，拔之。 又攻韓注人，拔之。 二年，惠文后卒。 田單為相。
Tian Dan, the Lord of Anping from Qi, led Zhao forces in an attack on Yan's Zhongyang and captured it. He then attacked Han's Zhuren and captured it as well. In the second year, the Dowager Queen of Huiwen passed away. Tian Dan was appointed chancellor.
98
四年，王夢衣偏裻之衣，乘飛龍上天，不至而墜，見金玉之積如山。 明日，王召筮史敢占之，曰：「夢衣偏裻之衣者，殘也。 乘飛龍上天不至而墜者，有氣而無實也。 見金玉之積如山者，憂也。」
In the fourth year, the king dreamed he wore a garment of half-hemmed fur and rode a flying dragon up toward heaven. He did not reach the sky but fell, and beheld mounds of gold and jade piled high as mountains. The next day, the king summoned his diviner Shi Gan to interpret it. Shi Gan said, 'To dream of wearing half-hemmed garments portends ruin. To ride a flying dragon skyward yet fall before reaching heaven signifies ambition without substance. To see gold and jade heaped high as mountains portends deep sorrow.'
99
後三日，韓氏上黨守馮亭使者至，曰：「韓不能守上黨，入之於秦。 其吏民皆安為趙，不欲為秦。 有城市邑十七，願再拜入之趙，財王所以賜吏民。」 王大喜，召平陽君豹告之曰：「馮亭入城市邑十七，受之何如？」 對曰：「聖人甚禍無故之利。」 王曰：「人懷吾德，何謂無故乎？」 對曰：「夫秦蠶食韓氏地，中絕不令相通，固自以為坐而受上黨之地也。 韓氏所以不入於秦者，欲嫁其禍於趙也。 秦服其勞而趙受其利，雖彊大不能得之於小弱，小弱顧能得之於彊大乎？ 豈可謂非無故之利哉！ 且夫秦以牛田之水通糧蠶食，上乘倍戰者，裂上國之地，其政行，不可與為難，必勿受也。」 王曰：「今發百萬之軍而攻，踰年歷歲未得一城也。 今以城市邑十七幣吾國，此大利也。」
Three days later, an envoy arrived from Feng Ting, the governor of Han's Shangdang. He said, 'Han can no longer defend Shangdang and intends to cede it to Qin. But the officials and people all prefer to become subjects of Zhao and do not wish to serve Qin. There are seventeen walled cities and towns. We wish to present them humbly to Zhao, and leave it to your majesty to reward the officials and people as you see fit.' The king was overjoyed. He summoned the Lord of Pingyang, Zhao Bao, and said, 'Feng Ting offers us seventeen cities. What do you think — should we accept?' He replied, 'The sages teach us to beware of windfalls that come without cause.' The king said, 'The people turn to us out of admiration for our virtue. How can you call that without cause?' He replied, 'Qin has been devouring Han's territory piece by piece, severing it in the middle so that the two halves cannot communicate. Qin fully expects to sit back and let Shangdang fall into its hands. The reason Han does not surrender it to Qin is precisely to redirect the coming disaster onto Zhao. Qin bore all the effort, and Zhao would reap the reward. If even a powerful state could not wrest this land from a weak one, how can a weak state expect to snatch it from a powerful one? How can this be called anything but a windfall without cause! Moreover, Qin uses the Niutian canal to provision its forces as it devours territory. Its elite soldiers fight with redoubled ferocity, carving up the lands of the great states. Its governance is effective, and no one can contend with it. You must not accept this offer.' The king said, 'If we were to mobilize a million troops and go on the offensive, it would take year after year and we still might not capture a single city. Now seventeen cities and towns are being offered to enrich our state. This is a great gain.'
100
趙豹出，王召平原君與趙禹而告之。 對曰：「發百萬之軍而攻，踰歲未得一城，今坐受城市邑十七，此大利，不可失也。」 王曰：「善。」 乃令趙勝受地，告馮亭曰：「敝國使者臣勝，敝國君使勝致命，以萬戶都三封太守，千戶都三封縣令，皆世世為侯，吏民皆益爵三級，吏民能相安，皆賜之六金。」 馮亭垂涕不見使者，曰：「吾不處三不義也：為主守地，不能死固，不義一矣； 入之秦，不聽主令，不義二矣； 賣主地而食之，不義三矣。」 趙遂發兵取上黨。 廉頗將軍軍長平。
After Zhao Bao withdrew, the king summoned the Lord of Pingyuan and Zhao Yu and informed them of the offer. They replied, 'To mobilize a million troops and wage war for over a year without capturing a single city — and now seventeen cities are handed to us while we sit idle! This is an enormous windfall that must not be refused.' The king said, 'Very well.' He ordered Zhao Sheng to go and receive the territory, bearing this message to Feng Ting: 'The envoy of our humble state, your servant Sheng, has been sent by our lord to convey the following: three cities of ten thousand households shall be established as commanderies under governors, and three cities of a thousand households as counties under magistrates. All shall hold the rank of marquis in perpetuity. Every official and commoner shall be raised three ranks in nobility, and those who keep the peace shall each be granted six pieces of gold.' Feng Ting wept and refused to receive the envoy. He said, 'I will not compound my shame with three acts of unrighteousness. I was charged with guarding this territory for my lord, yet I could not die in its defense — that is the first unrighteousness. I was ordered to cede the land to Qin, yet I disobeyed my lord's command — that is the second unrighteousness. To sell my lord's territory and profit from it — that is the third unrighteousness.' Zhao thereupon dispatched troops to occupy Shangdang. General Lian Po stationed the army at Changping.
101
七（年）［月］，廉頗免而趙括代將。 秦人圍趙括，趙括以軍降，卒四十餘萬皆阬之。 王悔不聽趙豹之計，故有長平之禍焉。
In the seventh month, Lian Po was relieved of command and Zhao Kuo was appointed in his place. The Qin forces encircled Zhao Kuo. He surrendered with his entire army. More than four hundred thousand soldiers were buried alive. The king bitterly regretted not heeding Zhao Bao's counsel. And so the catastrophe of Changping came to pass.
102
王還，不聽秦，秦圍邯鄲。 武垣令傅豹、王容、蘇射率燕眾反燕地。 趙以靈丘封楚相春申君。
The king returned to Handan and refused Qin's terms. Qin then laid siege to the capital. The magistrate of Wuyuan, Fu Bao, along with Wang Rong and Su She, led the Yan garrison in a revolt and returned to Yan territory. Zhao enfeoffed the Lord of Chunshen, the chancellor of Chu, with the city of Lingqiu.
103
八年，平原君如楚請救。 還，楚來救，及魏公子無忌亦來救，秦圍邯鄲乃解。
In the eighth year, the Lord of Pingyuan traveled to Chu to plead for military assistance. He returned, and Chu dispatched a relief force. Prince Wuji of Wei also came to Zhao's aid. The Qin siege of Handan was finally lifted.
104
十年，燕攻昌壯，五月拔之。 趙將樂乘、慶舍攻秦信梁軍，破之。 太子死。 而秦攻西周，拔之。 徒父祺出。 十一年，城元氏，縣上原。 武陽君鄭安平死，收其地。 十二年，邯鄲廥燒。 十四年，平原君趙勝死。
In the tenth year, Yan attacked Changzhuang and captured it in the fifth month. The Zhao generals Yue Cheng and Qing She attacked a Qin force at Xinliang and defeated it. The crown prince died. Meanwhile, Qin attacked Western Zhou and conquered it. Tu Fuqi departed. In the eleventh year, Yuanshi was fortified and Shangyuan was made a county. The Lord of Wuyang, Zheng Anping, died, and his territory was reclaimed. In the twelfth year, the granaries of Handan burned down. In the fourteenth year, the Lord of Pingyuan, Zhao Sheng, passed away.
105
十五年，以尉文封相國廉頗為信平君。 燕王令丞相栗腹約驤，以五百金為趙王酒，還歸，報燕王曰：「趙氏壯者皆死長平，其孤未壯，可伐也。」 王召昌國君樂閒而問之。 對曰：「趙，四戰之國也，其民習兵，伐之不可。」 王曰：「吾以眾伐寡，二而伐一，可乎？」 對曰：「不可。」 王曰：「吾即以五而伐一，可乎？」 對曰：「不可。」 燕王大怒。 群臣皆以為可。 燕卒起二軍，車二千乘，栗腹將而攻鄗，卿秦將而攻代。 廉頗為趙將，破殺栗腹，虜卿秦、樂閒。
In the fifteenth year, Lian Po was appointed Chancellor of State and enfeoffed as the Lord of Xinping, with Yuwen as his fief. The King of Yan sent his chancellor, Li Fu, to conclude a covenant with Zhao. Li Fu presented five hundred pieces of gold as a gift to the King of Zhao. Upon his return, he reported to the King of Yan, 'Every able-bodied man of Zhao perished at Changping. Their orphans have not yet come of age. We can attack them now.' The king summoned the Lord of Changguo, Yue Xian, and consulted him. He replied, 'Zhao is a state that must defend on all four sides. Its people are hardened by war. It cannot be attacked.' The king said, 'What if I attack with superior numbers — two against one?' He replied, 'It cannot be done.' The king said, 'Then what if I attack with five to one?' He replied, 'Still, it cannot be done.' The King of Yan flew into a rage. All the other ministers declared that the attack could succeed. Yan mobilized two armies totaling two thousand chariots. Li Fu took command and attacked Hao, while Qing Qin led the assault on Dai. Lian Po took the field as Zhao's commander. He routed the Yan forces, killed Li Fu in battle, and captured Qing Qin and Yue Xian.
106
十六年，廉頗圍燕。 以樂乘為武襄君。 十七年，假相大將武襄君攻燕，圍其國。 十八年，延陵鈞率師從相國信平君助魏攻燕。 秦拔我榆次三十七城。 十九年，趙與燕易土：以龍兌、汾門、臨樂與燕； 燕以葛、武陽、平舒與趙。
In the sixteenth year, Lian Po laid siege to Yan. Yue Cheng was granted the title Lord of Wuxiang. In the seventeenth year, the Lord of Wuxiang, serving as acting chancellor and supreme commander, attacked Yan and besieged its capital. In the eighteenth year, Yanling Jun led forces under the Chancellor, the Lord of Xinping, to assist Wei in attacking Yan. Qin seized thirty-seven of our cities in the Yuci region. In the nineteenth year, Zhao and Yan exchanged territories: Zhao ceded Longdui, Fenmen, and Linle to Yan. In return, Yan gave Ge, Wuyang, and Pingshu to Zhao.
107
二十年，秦王政初立。 秦拔我晉陽。
In the twentieth year, King Zheng of Qin — the future First Emperor — ascended the throne. Qin captured our city of Jinyang.
108
二十一年，孝成王卒。 廉頗將，攻繁陽，取之。 使樂乘代之，廉頗攻樂乘，樂乘走，廉頗亡入魏。 子偃立，是為悼襄王。
In the twenty-first year, King Xiaocheng passed away. Lian Po took command and attacked Fanyang, capturing it. When Yue Cheng was sent to replace him, Lian Po turned and attacked Yue Cheng. Yue Cheng fled, and Lian Po himself then went into exile in Wei. His son Yan ascended the throne. He became known as King Daoxiang.
109
悼襄王元年，大備魏。 欲通平邑、中牟之道，不成。
In the first year of King Daoxiang's reign, extensive military preparations were made against Wei. He attempted to open the road between Pingyi and Zhongmu but failed.
110
二年，李牧將，攻燕，拔武遂、方城。 秦召春平君，因而留之。 泄鈞為之謂文信侯曰：「春平君者，趙王甚愛之而郎中之，故相與謀曰『春平君入秦，秦必留之』，故相與謀而內之秦也。 今君留之，是絕趙而郎中之計中也。 君不如遣春平君而留平都。 春平君者言行信於王，王必厚割趙而贖平都。」 文信侯曰：「善。」 因遣之。 城韓皋。
In the second year, Li Mu took command and attacked Yan, capturing Wusui and Fangcheng. Qin summoned the Lord of Chunping and then detained him. Xie Jun spoke to the Lord of Wenxin on behalf of Zhao: 'The Lord of Chunping is dearly loved by the King of Zhao, and the court attendants are jealous of him. They conspired, saying, "If the Lord of Chunping goes to Qin, Qin will certainly detain him." And so they plotted together to send him into Qin. If you now detain him, you will be severing ties with Zhao and playing right into the attendants' scheme. You would do better to release the Lord of Chunping and detain Pingdu instead. The Lord of Chunping is trusted implicitly by the king. The king will surely cede generous portions of Zhao territory to ransom Pingdu.' The Lord of Wenxin said, 'Very well.' And so he released the Lord of Chunping. The city of Hangao was fortified.
111
三年，龐煖將，攻燕，禽其將劇辛。 四年，龐煖將趙、楚、魏、燕之銳師，攻秦蕞，不拔； 移攻齊，取饒安。 五年，傅抵將，居平邑； 慶舍將東陽河外師，守河梁。 六年，封長安君以饒。 魏與趙鄴。
In the third year, Pang Nuan took command and attacked Yan, capturing their general Ju Xin. In the fourth year, Pang Nuan led the elite forces of Zhao, Chu, Wei, and Yan in an attack on Qin's fortress of Zui, but failed to take it. He then turned to attack Qi and captured Rao'an. In the fifth year, Fu Di took command and was stationed at Pingyi. Qing She commanded the Dongyang garrison beyond the river, defending the river bridge. In the sixth year, the Lord of Chang'an was enfeoffed with the city of Rao. Wei ceded the city of Ye to Zhao.
112
九年，趙攻燕，取貍、陽城。 兵未罷，秦攻鄴，拔之。 悼襄王卒，子幽繆王遷立。
In the ninth year, Zhao attacked Yan and captured Li and Yangcheng. Before the troops could be recalled, Qin attacked Ye and seized it. King Daoxiang passed away. His son Qian ascended the throne as King Youmiu.
113
幽繆王遷元年，城柏人。 二年，秦攻武城，扈輒率師救之，軍敗，死焉。
In the first year of King Youmiu's reign, Bairen was fortified. In the second year, Qin attacked Wucheng. Hu Zhe led a relief force, but his army was defeated and he was killed.
114
三年，秦攻赤麗、宜安，李牧率師與戰肥下，卻之。 封牧為武安君。 四年，秦攻番吾，李牧與之戰，卻之。
In the third year, Qin attacked Chili and Yi'an. Li Mu led his forces to meet them in battle below Fei and drove them back. Li Mu was enfeoffed as the Lord of Wu'an. In the fourth year, Qin attacked Fanwu. Li Mu engaged them in battle and repelled them once more.
115
五年，代地大動，自樂徐以西，北至平陰，臺屋墻垣太半壞，地坼東西百三十步。 六年，大饑，民訛言曰：「趙為號，秦為笑。 以為不信，視地之生毛。」
In the fifth year, a great earthquake struck the territory of Dai. From Lexu westward and north to Pingyin, more than half of all terraces, houses, and walls were destroyed. The earth split open for a hundred and thirty paces from east to west. In the sixth year, a great famine struck. The people spread a rumor: 'Zhao cries out, and Qin laughs. If you doubt it, look to the earth — even it is growing hair.'
116
七年，秦人攻趙，趙大將李牧、將軍司馬尚將，擊之。 李牧誅，司馬尚免，趙怱及齊將顏聚代之。 趙怱軍破，顏聚亡去。 以王遷降。
In the seventh year, Qin launched a major assault on Zhao. The great general Li Mu and General Sima Shang took command of the defense. Li Mu was executed and Sima Shang was dismissed. Zhao Cong and the Qi general Yan Ju were appointed in their place. Zhao Cong's army was shattered. Yan Ju fled. King Qian was taken and surrendered.
117
八年十月，邯鄲為秦。
In the tenth month of the eighth year, Handan fell to Qin.
118
太史公曰。 吾聞馮王孫曰：「趙王遷，其母倡也，嬖於悼襄王。 悼襄王廢適子嘉而立遷。 遷素無行，信讒，故誅其良將李牧，用郭開。」 豈不繆哉！ 秦既虜遷，趙之亡大夫共立嘉為王，王代六歲，秦進兵破嘉，遂滅趙以為郡。
The Grand Historian remarks: I have heard Feng Wangsun say: 'King Qian of Zhao — his mother was a singing girl who had been a favorite of King Daoxiang. King Daoxiang set aside his legitimate heir, Jia, and placed Qian on the throne instead. Qian was a man of no virtue, who trusted slanderers. And so he put to death his finest general, Li Mu, and relied instead on the likes of Guo Kai.' Was this not the gravest of errors! After Qin had taken King Qian captive, the surviving grandees of Zhao gathered together and installed Jia as king. He reigned in Dai for six years. Then Qin advanced its armies, defeated Jia, and extinguished the state of Zhao entirely, reducing it to a commandery.