Volume 6 Qin Records 1

1

起柔兆敦牂，盡昭陽作噩，凡二十八年。

From Rouzhao Dunzang through Zhaoyang Zuoe—twenty-eight years in all.

2

1河東守王稽坐與諸侯通，棄市。應侯日以不懌。王臨朝而嘆，應侯請其故。王曰：「今武安君死，而鄭安平、王稽等皆畔，內無良將而外多敵國，吾是以憂。」應侯懼，不知所出。

1. Wang Ji, grand administrator of Hedong, was convicted of dealing with the feudal lords and was executed in the marketplace. Day by day the Marquis of Rang grew more uneasy. The king came to court and sighed; the Marquis of Rang asked why. The king said: "Lord Wuan is dead, and Zheng Anping, Wang Ji, and the rest have all rebelled. Within we have no good generals; without, enemies press on every side. That is why I grieve." The Marquis of Rang was afraid and could see no way out.

3

燕客蔡澤聞之，西入秦，先使人宣言於應侯曰：「蔡澤，天下雄辯之士。彼見王，必困君而奪君之位。」應侯怒，使人召之。蔡澤見應侯，禮又倨。應侯不快，因讓之曰：「子宣言欲代我相，請聞其說。」蔡澤曰：「吁，君何見之晚也！夫四時之序，成功者去。君獨不見夫秦之商君、楚之吳起、越之大夫種，何足願與？」應侯謬曰：「何為不可？！此三子者，義之至也，忠之盡也。君子有殺身以成名，死無所恨！」蔡澤曰：「夫人立功豈不期於成全邪？身名俱全者，上也；名可法而身死者，次也；名僇辱而身全者，下也。夫商君、吳起、大夫種，其為人臣盡忠致功，則可願矣。閎夭、周公，豈不亦忠且聖乎？！三子之可願，孰與閎夭、周公哉？」應侯曰：「善。」蔡澤曰：「然則君之主惇厚舊故，不倍功臣，孰與孝公、楚王、越王？」曰：「未知何如。」蔡澤曰：「君之功能孰與三子？」曰：「不若。」蔡澤曰：「然則君身不退，患恐甚於三子矣。語曰：『日中則移，月滿則虧。』進退嬴縮，與時變化，聖人之道也。今君之怨已讎而德已報，意欲至矣而無變計，竊為君危之。」應侯遂延以為上客，因薦於王。王召與語，大悅，拜為客卿。應侯因謝病免。王新悅蔡澤計畫，遂以為相國，澤為相數月，免。----

Cai Ze, a guest from Yan, heard of this and went west into Qin. He first sent word to the Marquis of Rang: "Cai Ze is the fiercest debater under Heaven. When he meets the king, he will corner you and steal your place." The Marquis of Rang was furious and sent for him. When Cai Ze met the Marquis of Rang, his manner was again insolent. The Marquis of Rang was displeased and rebuked him: "You announced you meant to take my place as chancellor. Let me hear your case." Cai Ze said: "Ah—my lord, how late you see it! The four seasons turn in order; when success is complete, it is time to go. Have you not seen Qin's Lord Shang, Wu Qi of Chu, and the Grandee of Yue—why would you wish to end as they did?" The Marquis of Rang pretended not to understand: "Why not? Those three reached the height of righteousness and gave their utmost in loyalty. A gentleman may give his life to win a name and die without regret!" Cai Ze said: "When a man builds merit, does he not expect to see it through to the end? To keep body and name intact—that is the highest; to leave a name others may follow though the body perishes—that is second; to save the body while the name is shamed and disgraced—that is lowest. Lord Shang, Wu Qi, and the Grandee—as ministers who gave all their loyalty and won great merit—may be wished for. Were not Hong Yao and the Duke of Zhou loyal and sage as well? Which is more worth wishing for—those three, or Hong Yao and the Duke of Zhou?" The Marquis of Rang said: "You speak well." Cai Ze said: "Then is your lord—so sincere with old friends, so faithful to men of merit—the equal of Duke Xiao, the king of Chu, and the king of Yue?" He said: "I cannot yet say how he compares." Cai Ze said: "How does your merit compare with theirs?" He said: "I do not." Cai Ze said: "Then if you do not step down, your peril may be worse than theirs. As the proverb says: 'When the sun stands at noon it must move; when the moon is full it must wane.' To advance and retreat, swell and shrink, changing with the times—that is the way of the sage. Your enemies are already punished and your debts repaid; your desires are satisfied—yet you have no plan to change course. I fear for you." The Marquis of Rang then treated him as an honored guest and recommended him to the king. The king summoned him, spoke with him, was delighted, and made him Guest Minister. The Marquis of Rang thereupon pleaded illness and resigned. The king, newly taken with Cai Ze's counsel, made him chancellor; Cai Ze held office only a few months before he was dismissed.

4

2楚春申君以荀卿為蘭陵令。荀卿者，趙人，名況，嘗與臨武君論兵於趙孝成王之前。王曰：「請問兵要。」臨武君對曰：「上得天時，下得地利，觀敵之變動，後之發，先之至，此用兵之要術也。」荀卿曰：「不然。臣所聞古之道，凡用兵攻戰之本，在乎一民。弓矢不調，則羿不能以中；六馬不和，則造父不能以致遠；士民不親附，則湯、武不能以必勝也。故善附民者，是乃善用兵者也。故兵要在乎附民而已。」臨武君曰：「不然。兵之所貴者勢利也，所行者變詐也。善用兵者感忽悠闇，莫知所從出。孫吳用之，無敵於天下，豈必待附民哉！」荀卿曰：「不然。臣之所道，仁人之兵，王者之志也。君之所貴，權謀勢利也。仁人之兵，不可詐也。彼可詐者，怠慢者也，露袒者也，君臣上下之間滑然有離德者也。故以桀詐桀，猶巧拙有幸焉。以桀詐堯，譬之以卵投石，以指橈沸，若赴水火，入焉焦沒耳。故仁人之兵，上下一心，三軍同力。臣之於君也，下之於上也，若子之事父，弟之事兄，若手臂之扞頭目而覆胸腹也。詐而襲之，與先驚而後擊之，一也。且仁人用十里之國則將有百里之聽，用百里之國則將有千里之聽，用千里之國則將有四海之聽，必將聰明警戒，和傅而一。故仁人之兵，聚則成卒，散則成列，延則若莫耶之長刃，嬰之者斷；兌則若莫耶之利鋒，當之者潰。圜居而方止，則若盤石然，觸之者角摧而退耳。且夫暴國之君，將誰與至哉？彼其所與至者，必其民也。其民之親我歡若父母，其好我芬若椒蘭；彼反顧其上則若灼黥，若仇讎；人之情，雖桀、跖，豈有肯為其所惡，賊其所好者哉！是猶使人之子孫自賊其父母也。彼必將來告〔之〕乙十一行本同；孔本同；退齋校同。」，《荀子》正有「之」字，據補。，夫又何可詐也！故仁人用國日明，諸侯先順者安，後順者危，敵之者削，反之者亡。《詩》曰：『武王載發，有虔秉鉞，如火烈烈，則莫我敢遏，』此之謂也。

2. Lord Chunshen of Chu appointed Xun Qing magistrate of Lanling. Xun Qing—Xunzi—was from Zhao; his given name was Kuang. He had once debated warfare with Lord Linwu before King Xiaocheng of Zhao. The king said: "Tell me the essentials of warfare." Lord Linwu answered: "Win Heaven's seasons above and Earth's advantages below; watch how the enemy moves; move after he does yet arrive before him—that is the heart of war." Xunzi said: "No. The way I have heard from antiquity is this: in all attack and battle, the root lies in making the people one. If bow and arrow are not tuned, even Yi cannot hit the mark; if six horses do not pull as one, even Zaofu cannot run far; if soldiers and people do not stand with you, then not even Tang and Wu can be sure of victory. Whoever wins the people's hearts is the one who truly knows how to use arms. The essence of war is nothing but winning the people." Lord Linwu said: "No. What war values is advantage and profit; what it practices is shifting deceit. A master of war works in shadow and surprise until no one knows where he will strike. Sun Wu used such methods and was unmatched under Heaven—must one really wait on winning the people?" Xunzi said: "No. What I speak of is the army of a benevolent man—the mind of a true king. What you prize is cunning, power, and gain. The army of a benevolent man cannot be deceived. Only the slack, the careless, the nakedly exposed—armies where ruler and minister and high and low slide apart in spirit—can be deceived. To pit Jie's cunning against Jie's may still leave room for luck between the clever and the clumsy. To pit Jie's cunning against Yao's is like throwing eggs at stone, stirring boiling water with a finger, or hurling oneself into fire and flood—you enter only to be burned and drowned. The army of a benevolent man is of one mind from top to bottom; the three hosts fight as one. Ministers toward their ruler, men toward their superiors—they serve as sons serve fathers, younger brothers serve elder brothers; they are like arms that shield the head and cover the chest and belly. To deceive and strike them is no different from alarming them first and hitting them afterward. When a benevolent ruler holds a state of ten li, his reach of counsel extends a hundred; with a hundred li, a thousand; with a thousand li, the four seas. He is alert, watchful, harmoniously knit as one. The army of a benevolent man, massed, becomes an army; dispersed, ordered ranks; drawn out, is like the long edge of a Moye blade—touch it and you are cut; concentrated, like Moye's keen point—meet it and you break. Camped in circle, halted in square, it stands like bedrock; whoever strikes it breaks his horns and falls back. And whom will the ruler of a cruel state bring with him? Only his own people will come. His people will love us as they love their parents, delight in us as in pepper and orchid; but when they look back at their ruler he seems a seared brand, an enemy; in human nature—even Jie or Robber Zhi—who would serve what he hates and strike down what he loves? That would be like asking sons and grandsons to kill their own parents. the Y eleven-line edition agrees;¹ Kong's edition agrees; Tuizhai's collation agrees." The Xunzi has the character "it"; it is supplied here. —how then could such an army be deceived? When a benevolent ruler governs, his state grows brighter day by day. Among the feudal lords, those who yield first are safe, those who yield late are in danger, those who resist are cut down, those who turn away perish. The Book of Songs says: 'King Wu marched forth, reverently bearing the battle-axe; blazing like fire—none dared stand in our way.' This is what is meant."

5

孝成王、臨武君曰：「善。請問王者之兵，設何道，何行而可？」荀卿曰：「凡君賢者其國治，君不能者其國亂；隆禮貴義者其國治，簡禮賤義者其國亂。治者強，亂者弱，是強弱之本也。上足卬則下可用也，上不足卬則下不可用也。下可用則強，下不可用則弱，是強弱之常也。〔好士者強，不好士者弱；愛民者強，不愛民者弱；政令信者強，政令不信者弱；重用兵者強，輕用兵者弱；權出一者強，權出二者弱；是強弱之常也〕乙十一行本同；孔本同；張校同；退齋校同。」，《荀子》正有此五十五字，據補。。齊人隆技擊，其技也，得一首者則賜贖錙金，無本賞矣。是事小敵毳，則偷可用也；事大敵堅，則渙焉離耳。若飛鳥然，傾側反覆無日，是亡國之兵也，兵莫弱是矣，是其去賃市傭而戰之幾矣。魏氏之武卒，以度取之；衣三屬之甲，操十二石之弩，負矢五十個，置戈其上，冠冑帶劍，贏二日之糧，日中而趨百里；中試則復其戶，利其田宅。是其氣力數年而衰，而復利未可奪也，改造則不易周也，是故地雖大，其稅必寡，是危國之兵也。秦人，其生民也狹隘，其使民也酷烈，劫之以勢，隱之以厄，忸之以慶賞，鰌之以刑罰，使民所以要利於上者，非鬬無由也。使以功賞相長，五甲首而隸五家，是最為眾強長久之道。故四世有勝，非幸也，數也。故齊之技擊不可以遇魏之武卒，魏之武卒不可以遇秦之銳士，秦之銳士不可以當桓、文之節制，桓、文之節制不可以當湯、武之仁義，有遇之者，若以焦熬投石焉。兼是數國者，皆干賞蹈利之兵也，傭徒鬻賣之道也，未有貴上安制綦節之理也。諸侯有能微妙之以節，則作而兼殆之耳。故招延募選，隆勢詐，尚功利，是漸之也。禮義教化，是齊之也。故以詐遇詐，猶有巧拙焉；以詐遇齊，譬之猶以錐刀墮太山也。故湯、武之誅桀、紂也，拱挹指麾，而強暴之國莫不趨使，誅桀、紂若誅獨夫。故《泰誓》曰：『獨夫紂，』此之謂也。故兵大齊則制天下，小齊則治鄰敵。若夫招延募選，隆勢詐，尚功利之兵，則勝不勝無常，代翕代張，代存代亡，相為雌雄耳。夫是之謂盜兵，君子不由也。

King Xiaocheng and Lord Linwu said: "Well spoken. Tell us: for the army of a true king, what Way must be set up, what conduct will do?" Xunzi said: "Where the ruler is worthy the state is well governed; where he is not, it falls into disorder; where ritual is honored and righteousness prized, the state is governed; where ritual is slighted and righteousness cheapened, it is in disorder. Order brings strength, disorder weakness—that is the root of power and weakness. When those above have enough to stand on their own, those below can be used; when those above cannot stand, those below cannot be used. When the lower ranks can be relied on, the state is strong; when they cannot, it is weak—such is the law of strength and weakness. [One who values scholars is strong; one who does not is weak; one who loves the people is strong; one who does not is weak; where edicts are trusted the state is strong; where they are not, it is weak; one who values arms is strong; one who treats war lightly is weak; where power rests in one hand the state is strong; where it is divided, it is weak; the Y eleven-line edition agrees;² Kong's edition agrees; Zhang's collation agrees; Tuizhai's collation agrees." The Xunzi has these fifty-five characters; they are supplied here. . The men of Qi prize fighting skill: in their contests, whoever takes a head wins gold worth half an ounce, but there is no reward for the foundation itself. When the task is small and the enemy weak, then mercenary raiders will do; when the task is great and the enemy tough, they scatter and melt away. Like birds, wheeling and veering with no fixed course—this is the army of a doomed state; no army is feebler; it differs little from day-laborers hired at the market going off to fight. Wei’s crack infantry are recruited by bodily measure; they wear triple-layer armor, wield twelve-stone crossbows, carry fifty arrows, set halberds on the load, don helmet and sword, bear two days’ rations, and by noon can march a hundred li; pass the trial and their household is exempt from service and their land and home favored. Their strength fades in a few years, yet the privileges granted cannot be revoked; reshaping them cannot be done overnight—so though the land is vast, tax revenue must run thin: this is the army of a state in danger. The people of Qin live in straitened circumstances; their rulers use them harshly—coerced by power, cornered in distress, baited with rewards and punishments, prodded with penalties—so that to win what they need from above they have no recourse but battle. They link merit to reward: five armored heads [taken] bind five households as dependents—this is the way to mass strength that lasts. Hence four generations of victory—not fortune but the natural course of things. Qi’s prize-fighters cannot stand against Wei’s crack infantry; Wei’s crack infantry cannot stand against Qin’s shock troops; Qin’s shock troops cannot match the disciplined hosts of Duke Huan and Duke Wen; Duke Huan and Duke Wen’s hosts cannot match the benevolent armies of Tang and Wu—whoever meets the latter, it is like pouring broth on stone. All these states alike field armies that chase pay and profit—the way of hired hands and hucksters; they know nothing of honoring superiors, secure command, and true discipline. Any lord who can subtly bring regulation to bear on them will rise and in time swallow and endanger them. Hence recruiting widely, exalting stratagem and fraud, and honoring utility and profit—this is to be worn down step by step. Ritual, righteousness, teaching, and transformation—this is to bring them into order. When fraud meets fraud, one side may still outdo the other; when fraud meets disciplined order, it is like trying to topple Mount Tai with an awl. When Tang and Wu punished Jie and Zhou, with folded hands they directed their hosts, and every tyrannical state hastened to obey; punishing Jie and Zhou was like executing lone criminals. Hence the Great Oath says, ‘The lone miscreant Zhou’—this is what is meant. When an army is fully aligned it masters the realm; when partly aligned it masters neighboring foes. As for armies built on recruiting, stratagem, and profit—victory and defeat never settle; they wax and wane, live and die by turns, merely swapping roles as victor and vanquished. These are called bandit-armies; the gentleman does not rely on them.

6

孝成王、臨武君曰：「善。請問為將。」荀卿曰：「知莫大乎棄疑，行莫大乎無過，事莫大乎無悔。事至無悔而止矣，不可必也。故制號政令，欲嚴以威；慶賞刑罰，欲必以信；處舍收藏，欲周以固；徙舉進退，欲安以重，欲疾以速；窺敵觀變，欲潛以深，欲伍以參；遇敵決戰，必行吾所明，無行吾所疑；夫是之謂六術。無欲將而惡廢，無怠勝而忘敗，無威內而輕外，無見其利而不顧其害，凡慮事欲熟而用財欲泰，夫是之謂五權。將所以不受命於主有三，可殺而不可使處不完，可殺而不可使擊不勝，可殺而不可使欺百姓，夫是之謂三至。凡受命於主而行三軍，三軍既定，百官得序，群物皆正，則主不能喜，敵不能怒，夫是之謂至臣。慮必先事而申之以敬，慎終如始，始終如一，夫是之謂大吉。凡百事之成也必在敬之，其敗也必在慢之。故敬勝怠則吉，怠勝敬則滅；計勝欲則從，欲勝計則兇。戰如守，行如戰，有功如幸。敬謀無曠，敬事無曠，敬吏無曠，敬眾無曠，敬敵無曠，夫是之謂五無曠。慎行此六術、五權、三至，而處之以恭敬、無曠，夫是之謂天下之將，則通於神明矣。」

King Xiaocheng and Lord Linwu said: “Excellent. We ask about commanding as a general.” Master Xun said: “In knowledge nothing surpasses casting off doubt; in conduct nothing surpasses avoiding fault; in affairs nothing surpasses leaving no regrets. When affairs reach the point of no regret, stop there; certainty is not attainable. In issuing commands and orders, make them strict to inspire awe; in rewards and punishments, make them certain through good faith; in quarters, stores, and reserves, make them thorough and secure; in marching, deploying, advancing, and retreating, make them steady and weighty, yet swift when speed is needed; in scouting the enemy and reading changes, keep hidden and deep, and array scouts in threes and fives; when meeting the enemy in decisive battle, execute what you have made clear; do not execute what you doubt; these are called the six arts. Do not crave command yet hate removal; do not grow slack in victory and forget defeat; do not awe your own side yet slight outsiders; do not see gain and ignore harm; in all planning be thorough, in spending be ample—these are the five balances. There are three cases in which a general may refuse his ruler’s orders: he may be killed, yet cannot be made to hold an untenable post; he may be killed, yet cannot be made to attack when victory is impossible; he may be killed, yet cannot be made to cheat the people—these are the three ultimates. Whoever receives his ruler’s commission and leads the three armies—once the armies are settled, officers in order, and all things aligned—neither the ruler’s favor nor the enemy’s wrath can sway him: this is the consummate servant. In planning anticipate events and carry them through with reverence; be as careful at the end as at the start, consistent from first to last—this is called great good fortune. In all affairs success rests on reverence; failure rests on negligence. When reverence conquers negligence, good fortune follows; when negligence conquers reverence, ruin follows; when planning conquers appetite, follow it; when appetite conquers planning, disaster. Fight as in a siege; march as in battle; treat success as undeserved luck. Reverent in planning without slackness, in affairs without slackness, toward officers without slackness, toward the troops without slackness, toward the enemy without slackness—these are the five without neglect. Practice these six arts, five balances, and three ultimates carefully, and comport yourself with reverence and without neglect—then you are a general of all under Heaven and commune with the divine."

7

臨武君曰：「善。請問王者之軍制。」荀卿曰：「將死鼓，御死轡，百吏死職，〔士〕( 上) 大夫死行列上) 大夫死行列據《荀子·議兵篇》改。。聞鼓聲而進，聞金聲而退。順命為上，有功次之。令不進而進，猶令不退而退也，其罪惟均。不殺老弱，不獵禾稼，服者不禽，格者不赦，奔命者不獲。凡誅，非誅其百姓也，誅其亂百姓者也。百姓有捍其賊，則是亦賊也。以〔故〕( 其) 順刃者生其) 順刃者生據《荀子·議兵篇》改。，傃刃者死，奔命者貢。微子〔啟〕( 開) 封於宋開) 封於宋此處《荀子》原文避漢諱，今改正。，曹觸龍斷於軍，商之服民，所以養生之者無異周人，故近者歌謳而樂之，遠者竭蹶而趨之，無幽閒辟陋之國，莫不趨使而安樂之，四海之內若一家，通達之屬莫不從服，夫是之謂人師。《詩》曰：『自西自東，自南自北，無思不服。』此之謂也。王者有誅而無戰，城守不攻，兵格不擊，敵上下相喜則慶之，不屠城，不潛軍，不留眾，師不越時，故亂者樂其政，不安其上，欲其至也。」臨武君曰：「善。」

Lord Linwu said: “Excellent. We ask about the military institutions of a true king.” Master Xun said: “The general dies at his drum, the charioteer at his reins, the hundred officers at their posts, [the officer] ( superior) superior)³ the grand officer dies in rank and file—emended per “On Military Affairs” in the Xunzi. . At the drum, advance; at the gong, withdraw. Obedience comes first; merit second. To advance when ordered not to advance is like retreating when ordered not to retreat—the penalty is the same. Do not kill the old and weak; do not trample the crops; those who yield are not taken prisoner; those who resist are not spared; those fleeing on urgent orders are not pursued. In all punitive campaigns, the aim is not to punish the people but those who make the people rebel. If the people defend a tyrant, they too are tyrants. Those who [therefore] ( comply) comply)⁴ who yield to the blade live—emended per “On Military Affairs” in the Xunzi. ; those who face the blade die; those who flee on urgent orders come forward of themselves. Prince Weizi [Qi] ( Kai) Kai)⁵ was enfeoffed in Song—here the original Xunzi text avoided Han taboo; now corrected. ; Cao Chu Long was put to death in the army; in how the people of Shang were ruled, the means of sustaining life were no different from the Zhou—so those near sang for joy, those far hurried with all their strength; no remote or crude state failed to hasten to serve and find peace; within the four seas it was one household, and every connected domain submitted—this is called a teacher of mankind. The Odes says, ‘From west and east, from south and north, none failed to submit. ’ This is what is meant. A true king punishes but does not wage war; he does not storm cities that hold firm, strike troops that stand in formation, or fail to rejoice when foe and subject alike welcome him; he does not massacre cities, hide troops, or detain the people; his army does not outstay its season—so the disorderly delight in his rule, resent their rulers, and long for his coming.” Lord Linwu said: “Excellent."

8

陳囂問荀卿曰：「先生議兵，常以仁義為本。仁者愛人，義者循理，然則又何以兵為？凡所為有兵者，為爭奪也。」荀卿曰：「非汝所知也。彼仁者愛人，愛人，故惡人之害之也；義者循理，循理，故惡人之亂之也。彼兵者，所以禁暴除害也，非爭奪也。」----

Chen Xi asked Master Xun: “Sir, when you discuss warfare you always take benevolence and righteousness as the foundation. The benevolent love others; the righteous follow principle—then why have armies at all? All purposes for which armies exist are contention and seizure.” Master Xun said: “That is not what you understand. The benevolent love others; loving others, they hate that others harm them; the righteous follow principle; following principle, they hate that others disorder it. Armies exist to restrain violence and remove harm—not for contention and seizure."

9

3燕孝王薨，子喜立。----

3. King Xiao of Yan died; his son Xi ascended the throne.

10

4周民東亡。秦人取其寶器，遷西周公於憚狐之聚。

4. The people of Zhou fled eastward. Qin seized their precious vessels and moved the lord of Western Zhou to the settlement of Danhu.

11

1摎伐魏，取吳城。韓王入朝。魏舉國聽令。

1. Qin attacked Wei and took Wucheng. The king of Han came to court. Wei as a whole submitted to Qin’s command.

12

1王郊見上帝於雍。----

1. The king performed the suburban sacrifice to the Supreme God at Yong.

13

2楚遷于鉅陽。

2. Chu moved its capital to Juyang.

14

1衛懷君朝於魏，魏人執而殺之；更立其弟，是為元君。元君，魏婿也。

1. Lord Huai of Wei went to court in Wei; the Wei authorities seized and killed him; they enthroned his younger brother, known as Lord Yuan. Lord Yuan was Wei’s son-in-law.

15

1秋，〔後九月〕，王薨，〔子〕孝文王〔柱〕立。尊唐八子為唐太后，以子楚為太子。趙人奉子楚妻子歸之。韓王衰絰入吊祠。----

, the king died, and [his son] King Xiaowen [Zhu] ascended the throne⁶ He honored the eighth son of the Tang clan as Queen Dowager Tang and made Zichu crown prince. The people of Zhao sent Zichu’s wife and son back to Qin. The king of Han came in mourning dress to offer condolences and sacrifice.

16

2燕王喜使栗腹約歡於趙，以五百金為趙王酒。返而言於燕王曰：「趙壯者皆死長平，其孤未壯，可伐也。」王召昌國君樂閒問之，對曰：「趙四戰之國，其民習兵，不可。」王曰：「吾以五而伐一。」對曰：「不可。」王怒。群臣皆以為可，乃發二千乘，栗腹將而攻鄗，卿秦攻代。將渠曰：「與人通關約交，以五百金飲人之王，使者報而攻之，不祥，師必無功。」王不聽，自將偏軍隨之。將渠引王之綬，王以足蹙之。將渠泣曰：「臣非自為，為王也！」燕師至宋子，趙廉頗為將，逆擊之，敗栗腹於鄗，〔樂乘〕敗卿秦( 樂乘) 於代，追北五百餘里樂乘) 於代追北五百餘里從梁玉繩《史記志疑》移正。按樂乘為趙將，非燕將。，遂圍燕。燕人請和，趙人曰：「必令將渠處和。」燕王〔以〕( 使) 將渠為相而處和使) 將渠為相而處和章校「十二行本『使』作『以』；乙十一行本同；孔本同。」，《史記·趙世家》作「燕相將渠以處和」，「以」不作「使」，據改。，趙師乃解去。----

2. King Xi of Yan sent Li Fu to cement goodwill with Zhao, presenting five hundred in gold as wine for the king of Zhao. On his return he told the king of Yan: “Zhao’s fighting men all died at Changping; their orphans are not yet grown—Zhao can be attacked.” The king summoned Lord Yue Xian of Changguo and asked him; he replied: “Zhao is a state fought on four fronts; its people are seasoned in arms—it cannot be done.” The king said: “With five states I attack one.” He replied: “It cannot be done.” The king was angry. All the ministers thought it feasible; they raised two thousand chariots, Li Fu commanding the attack on Hao and Qing Qin the attack on Dai. Jiang Qu said: “You opened the passes and made a covenant, gave five hundred gold for the king of Zhao’s feast, and now attack when the envoy returns—this is ill-omened; the army will surely fail.” The king would not listen and personally led a detached force in their wake. Jiang Qu seized the king’s sash; the king kicked him away. Jiang Qu wept and said: “I do not act for myself but for Your Majesty!” The Yan army reached Songzi; Lian Po of Zhao was general, met them in battle, defeated Li Fu at Hao, and〔Yue Cheng〕defeated Qing Qin( Yue Cheng) Yue Cheng)⁷ at Dai pursued the routed enemy over five hundred li—relocated and corrected per Liang Yusheng’s Shiji zhiyi. , and then besieged Yan.⁸ The Yan sought peace; Zhao said: “Jiang Qu must conduct the peace negotiations.” The king of Yan〔yi〕( shi) shi)⁹ made Jiang Qu chancellor to conduct the peace—Zhang’s collation: in the twelve-line edition “shi” reads “yi”; the Yi eleven-line edition agrees; Kong’s edition agrees.” The Shiji “Hereditary House of Zhao” reads “the Yan chancellor Jiang Qu conducted the peace with yi,” not shi—emended accordingly. , and Zhao’s army then withdrew.

17

3趙平原君卒。

3. Lord Pingyuan of Zhao died.

18

1冬，十月，已亥，王即位；三日〔辛丑〕薨。子楚立，是為莊襄王。尊華陽夫人為華陽太后，夏姬為夏太后。----

1. In winter, the tenth month, on the day jihai, the king acceded; .¹⁰ Zichu was enthroned as King Zhuangxiang. Lady Huayang was honored as Queen Dowager Huayang and Lady Xia as Queen Dowager Xia.

19

2燕將攻齊聊城，拔之。或譖之燕王，燕將保聊城，不敢歸。齊田單攻之，歲餘不下，魯仲連乃為書，約之矢以射城中，遺燕將，為陳利害曰：「為公計者，不歸燕則歸齊。今獨守孤城，齊兵日益而燕救不至，將何為乎？」燕將見書，泣三日，猶豫不能自決，欲歸燕，已有隙；欲降齊，所殺虜於齊甚眾，恐已降而後見辱。喟然嘆曰：「與人刃我，寧我自刃！」遂自殺。聊城亂，田單克聊城。歸，言魯仲連於齊，欲爵之。仲連逃之海上，曰：「吾富貴而詘於人，寧貧賤而輕世肆志焉！」----

2. A Yan general attacked Qi’s Liaocheng and took it. Someone slandered him to the king of Yan; the general held Liaocheng and dared not return. Tian Dan of Qi besieged it for over a year without success. Lu Zhonglian wrote a letter, tied it to an arrow and shot it into the city for the Yan general, explaining the stakes: “For your own sake, if you will not return to Yan, then go over to Qi. You hold a lone city; Qi’s forces grow daily while Yan sends no relief—what will you do?” The Yan general read the letter and wept for three days, unable to decide; he wished to return to Yan, but a breach already lay between them; he wished to surrender to Qi, but he had killed and captured many in Qi and feared shame after yielding. He sighed and said: “Let another run me through? Better I do it myself!” He then killed himself. Liaocheng fell into disorder and Tian Dan took it. On returning he reported Lu Zhonglian to Qi and wished to ennoble him. Zhonglian fled to the sea, saying: “To be rich and honored yet bow before others—I would rather be poor and lowly, lightly quit the world, and follow my own bent!”

20

3魏安釐王問天下之高士於子順，子順曰：「世無其人也；抑可以為次，其魯仲連乎！」王曰：「魯仲連強作之者，非體自然也。」子順曰：「人皆作之。作之不止，乃成君子；作之不變，習與體成；〔習與體成〕乙十一行本同；孔本同。」，《孔叢子·執節》正有此四字，據補。，則自然也。

3. King Anxi of Wei asked Zishun who were the highest gentlemen under Heaven; Zishun said: “There is none in our age; yet as next in rank—would it not be Lu Zhonglian?” The king said: “Lu Zhonglian forces himself; that is not his inborn nature.” Zishun said: “All men force themselves. Force themselves without ceasing, and one becomes a gentleman; force themselves without change, and habit and nature become one; the Yi eleven-line edition agrees;¹¹ Kong’s edition agrees.” , and then it is inborn nature.”¹²

21

1呂不韋為相國。----

1. Lü Buwei became chancellor of state.

22

2東周君為諸侯謀伐秦，王使相國帥師討滅之，遷東周君於陽人聚。周既不祀。周比亡，凡有七邑：河南、洛陽、穀城、平陰、偃師、鞏、緱氏。----

2. The Lord of Eastern Zhou plotted with the feudal lords against Qin; the king sent the chancellor to lead an army, destroyed him, and moved the Lord of Eastern Zhou to Yangren Ju. Zhou thereupon ceased its sacrifices. Zhou was near extinction; it still held seven towns: Henan, Luoyang, Gucheng, Pingyin, Yanshi, Gong, and Gou.

23

3以河南、洛陽十萬戶封相國不韋為文信侯。----

3. With the hundred thousand households of Henan and Luoyang, Chancellor Buwei was enfeoffed as Lord Wenxin.

24

4蒙驁伐韓，取成皋、滎陽，初置三川郡。----

4. Meng Ao attacked Han, took Chenggao and Xingyang, and first established the commandery of Sanchuan.

25

5楚滅魯，遷魯頃公於卞，為家人。

5. Chu destroyed Lu, moved Duke Qing to Bian, and reduced him to a commoner.

26

1〔夏，四月〕，日有食之案：查《中國歷史日食典》，此年日食在西曆4月24日，合中國秦曆為四月初一戊子日。。----

Note: per the Zhongguo lishi rishi dian, this eclipse fell on 24 April in the Western calendar, matching the first day of the fourth month in the Qin calendar, the day wuzi.¹³

27

2蒙驁伐趙，〔定太原〕，取榆次、狼孟等三十七城。----

, and took Yuci, Langmeng, and thirty-seven other cities.¹⁴

28

3楚春申君言於楚王曰：「淮北地邊於齊，其事急，請以為郡而封於江東。」楚王許之。春申君因城吳故墟以為都邑，宮室極盛。

3. Lord Chunshen said to the king of Chu: “The lands north of the Huai border Qi and the situation is urgent—make them a commandery and enfeoff me east of the Yangzi.” The king of Chu agreed. Lord Chunshen walled the old ruins of Wu for his capital, and his palaces were magnificently lavish.

29

1王齕攻上黨諸城，悉拔之，初置太原郡。----

1. Wang He attacked the cities of Shangdang, took them all, and first established the commandery of Taiyuan.

30

2蒙驁帥師伐魏，取高都、汲。魏師數敗，魏王患之，乃使人請信陵君於趙。信陵君畏得罪，不肯還，誡門下曰：「有敢為魏使通者死！」賓客莫敢諫。毛公、薛公見信陵君曰：「公子所以重於諸侯者，徒以有魏也。今魏急而公子不恤，一旦秦人克大梁，夷先王之宗廟，公子當何面目立天下乎！」語未卒，信陵君色變，趣駕還魏。魏王持信陵君而泣，以為上將軍。信陵君使人求援於諸侯。諸侯聞信陵君復為魏將，皆遣兵救魏。信陵君率五國之師敗蒙驁於河外，蒙驁遁走。信陵君追至函谷關，抑之而還。

2. Meng Ao led an army against Wei and took Gaodu and Ji. Wei’s army was repeatedly beaten; the king of Wei was alarmed and sent to summon Lord Xinling from Zhao. Lord Xinling feared punishment and refused to return; he warned his retainers: “Anyone who admits an envoy from Wei dies!” None of his guests dared remonstrate. Lord Mao and Lord Xue called on Lord Xinling and said: “The reason you are esteemed among the feudal lords is solely that you have Wei. Now Wei is in peril and you do not care; if Qin takes Daliang and levels your ancestral temples, with what face will you stand among the states?” Before they finished speaking, Lord Xinling’s face changed; he hastened his carriage back to Wei. The king of Wei embraced Lord Xinling in tears and made him supreme commander. Lord Xinling sent men to seek aid from the feudal lords. When the lords heard Lord Xinling was again Wei’s general, they all sent troops to rescue Wei. Lord Xinling led the armies of five states and defeated Meng Ao beyond the River; Meng Ao fled. Lord Xinling pursued to Hangu Pass, held the enemy back, and withdrew.

31

安陵人縮高之子仕於秦，秦使之守管。信陵君攻之不下，使人謂安陵君曰：「君其遣縮高，吾將仕之以五大夫，使為執節尉。」安陵君曰：「安陵，小國也，不能必使其民。使者自往請之。」使吏導使者至縮高之所。使者致信陵君之命，縮高曰：「君之幸高也，將使高攻管也。夫父攻子守，人之笑也；見臣而下，是倍主也。父教子倍，亦非君之所喜。敢再拜辭！」使者以報信陵君。信陵君大怒，遣使之安陵君所曰：「安陵之地，亦猶魏也。今吾攻管而不下，則秦兵及我，社稷必危矣。願君生束縮高而致之！若君弗致，無忌將發十萬之師以造安陵之城下！」安陵君曰：「吾先君成侯受詔襄王以守此城也，手授太府之憲，憲之上篇曰：『子弒父，臣弒君，有常不赦。國雖大赦，降城亡子不得與焉。』今縮高辭大位以全父子之義，而君曰『必生致之』，是使我負襄王之詔而廢太府之憲也，雖死，終不敢行！」縮高聞之曰：「信陵君為人，悍猛而自用，此辭必反為國禍。吾已全己，無違人臣之義矣，豈可使吾君有魏患乎！」乃之使者之舍，刎頸而死。信陵君聞之，縞素辟舍，使使者謝安陵君曰：「無忌，小人也，困于思慮，失信於君，請再拜辭罪！」

The son of Suo Gao of Anling served Qin; Qin appointed him to defend Guan. Lord Xinling besieged it without success and sent word to the lord of Anling: “Send Suo Gao; I will employ him as a fifth-rank grandee and make him commandant holding the staff of authority.” The lord of Anling said: “Anling is a small state; I cannot compel my people to obey. Your envoy may go summon him himself.” He sent an officer to guide the envoy to Suo Gao’s dwelling. The envoy delivered Lord Xinling’s command; Suo Gao said: “My lord favors me by wishing me to attack Guan. A father attacking while his son defends—men will laugh; to be seen as a minister and then yield—that is betraying one’s lord. For a father to teach his son betrayal is also not what you would approve. I respectfully decline!” The envoy reported this to Lord Xinling. Lord Xinling was furious and sent word to the lord of Anling: “Anling’s territory is part of Wei. If I cannot take Guan, Qin’s troops will reach me and the altars of state will be in peril. I ask that you bind Suo Gao alive and deliver him! If you do not deliver him, Wuji will raise a hundred thousand men and march on Anling!” The lord of Anling said: “Our former lord Cheng Hou received King Xiang’s charge to hold this city and was handed in person the statutes of the Grand Treasury, whose upper section reads: ‘A son who murders his father, a minister who murders his lord—fixed law, no pardon. Though the state grant a great amnesty, those who surrender cities or absconding sons are not included. ’ Now Suo Gao declines a great post to preserve father-and-son righteousness, yet you say ‘Deliver him alive’—that would make me betray King Xiang’s charge and nullify the Grand Treasury’s statutes; though I die, I dare not do it!” When Suo Gao heard this he said: “Lord Xinling is by nature fierce, headstrong, and self-willed; this demand will surely become a disaster for the state. I have already preserved my integrity and violated no duty as a minister—how could I let my lord suffer harm from Wei!” He then went to the envoy's quarters and cut his throat and died. Lord Xinling heard of it, dressed in white mourning and vacated his quarters, and sent an envoy to apologize to the lord of Anling, saying, “Wuji is a petty man, mired in poor judgment and faithless toward you. I beg to bow twice and ask your pardon!"

32

王使人行萬金於魏以間信陵君，求得晉鄙客，令說魏王曰：「公子亡在外十年矣，今復為將，諸侯皆屬，天下徒聞信陵君而不聞魏王矣。」王又數使人賀信陵君：「得為魏王未也？」魏王日聞其毀，不能不信，乃使人代信陵君將兵。信陵君自知再以毀廢，乃謝病不朝，日夜以酒色自娛，凡四歲而卒。韓王往吊，其子榮之，以告子順。子順曰：「必辭之以禮。『鄰國君吊，君為之主。』今君不命子，則子無所受韓君也。」其子辭之。----

The king sent agents with ten thousand in gold into Wei to undermine Lord Xinling. They found a former retainer of Jin Bi and had him tell the king of Wei, “The prince was abroad ten years; now he is general again. All the feudal lords follow him. The world hears only of Lord Xinling, not of the king of Wei.” The king also repeatedly sent men to congratulate Lord Xinling: “Have you become king of Wei yet?” Day after day the king of Wei heard such slander and could not but believe it; he sent someone to replace Lord Xinling as commander. Lord Xinling knew he might be dismissed again through slander; he pleaded illness, stopped attending court, and day and night drowned himself in wine and women. After four years he died. The king of Han came to offer condolences. His son Rong received him and told Zishun. Zishun said, “You must decline with proper ceremony. ‘When a neighboring ruler comes to condole, the ruler himself should preside as host. ’ If the ruler does not commission his son, the son has no standing to receive the king of Han.” His son declined.

33

3〔夏〕，五月，丙午，王薨。太子政立，生十三年矣，國事皆〔委〕( 決) 於文信侯決) 於文信侯章校「十二行本『決』作『委』；乙十一行本同；孔本同；張校同；退齋校同。」，《史記·秦始皇本紀》同，據改。，號稱仲父。----

On bingwu the king died.¹⁵ The crown prince Zheng was enthroned; he was thirteen. All state affairs were 〔entrusted〕( decided) decided)¹⁶ to the Lord of Wenxin—Zhang's collation: “In the twelve-line edition ‘decided’ reads ‘entrusted’; the Yi eleven-line edition agrees; Kong's edition agrees; Zhang's collation agrees; Tui Zhai's collation agrees.” The Shiji “Basic Annals of Qin Shihuang” agrees; amended accordingly. and he was styled Zhongfu, “father-by-protocol.”

34

4晉陽反。

4 Jinyang rebelled.

35

1蒙驁擊定之。----

1 Meng Ao attacked and put it down.

36

2韓欲疲秦人，使無東伐，乃使水工鄭國為間於秦，鑿涇水自仲山為渠，并北山，東注洛。中作而覺，秦人欲殺之。鄭國曰：「臣為韓延數年之命，然渠成，亦秦萬世之利也。」乃使卒為之。注填閼之水溉舄鹵之地四萬餘頃，收皆畝一鐘，關中由是益富饒。

2 Han wished to exhaust Qin's manpower so it would not march east. It sent the hydraulic engineer Zheng Guo as a spy into Qin to cut a canal from the Jing River at Zhongshan, running along the northern mountains east to the Luo. Midway through the work the plot was exposed; Qin meant to kill him. Zheng Guo said, “I have bought Han a few more years of life, yet when the canal is finished it will benefit Qin for ages to come.” They then had soldiers finish it. It channeled the waters of Tianque to irrigate more than forty thousand qing of saline land; every field yielded a zhong per mu, and Guanzhong grew far richer.

37

1麃公將卒攻卷，斬首三萬。----

1 Lord Piao led troops against Juan and beheaded thirty thousand.

38

2趙以廉頗為假相國，伐魏，取繁陽。趙孝成王薨，子悼襄王立，使武襄君樂乘代廉頗。廉頗怒，攻武襄君，武襄君走，廉頗出奔魏。久之，魏不能信用。趙師數困於秦，趙王思復得廉頗，廉頗亦思復用於趙。趙王使使者視廉頗尚可用否。廉頗之仇郭開多與使者金，令毀之。廉頗見使者，一飯斗米，肉十斤，被甲上馬，以示可用。使者還報曰：「廉將軍雖老，尚善飯；然與臣坐，頃之三遺矢矣。」趙王以為老，遂不召；楚人陰使迎之。廉頗一為楚將，無功，曰：「我思用趙人。」卒死於壽春。

2 Zhao made Lian Po acting chancellor, attacked Wei, and took Fanyang. King Xiaocheng of Zhao died; his son King Daoxiang succeeded. He sent Lord Wuxiang Yue Cheng to replace Lian Po. Lian Po in anger attacked Lord Wuxiang; Lord Wuxiang fled, and Lian Po fled to Wei. After a long while Wei could not bring itself to trust him. Zhao's army was repeatedly beaten by Qin. The king of Zhao thought of recalling Lian Po; Lian Po also wished to serve Zhao again. The king of Zhao sent an envoy to see whether Lian Po was still fit for service. Lian Po's enemy Guo Kai gave the envoy much gold to slander him. Lian Po received the envoy, ate a peck of rice and ten jin of meat in one sitting, donned armor, mounted a horse, and showed he was still fit. The envoy returned and reported, “General Lian, though old, still eats well; yet while sitting with me, in no time he thrice excused himself to relieve himself.” The king of Zhao judged him too old and did not summon him; Chu secretly sent to welcome him. Lian Po served Chu once as general without success and said, “I wish to use men of Zhao.” In the end he died at Shouchun.

39

1大饑。----

1 Great famine.

40

2蒙驁伐韓，取十二城。----

2 Meng Ao attacked Han and took twelve cities.

41

3趙王以李牧為將，伐燕，取武遂、方城。李牧者，趙之北邊良將也，嘗居代、雁門備匈奴，以便宜置吏，市租皆輸入莫府，為士卒費，日擊數牛饗士；習騎射，謹烽火，多間諜，為約曰：「匈奴即入盜，急入收保。有敢捕虜者斬！」匈奴每入，烽火謹，輒入收保不戰。如是數歲，亦不亡失。匈奴皆以為怯，雖趙邊兵亦以為吾將怯。趙王讓之，李牧如故。王怒，使他人代之。歲餘，屢出戰，不利，多失亡，邊不得田畜。王復請李牧，李牧杜門稱病不出。王強起之，李牧曰：「〔王〕必( 欲) 用臣欲) 用臣章校「十二行本『必欲用臣』作『王必用臣』；乙十一行本同；孔本同；退齋校同。」《史記·廉頗列傳》同，據改。，臣如前，乃敢奉令。」王許之。

3 The king of Zhao made Li Mu general, attacked Yan, and took Wusui and Fangcheng. Li Mu was a fine general on Zhao's northern frontier. He had long held Dai and Yanmen against the Xiongnu, appointing officers as he saw fit; market taxes all went to his headquarters for the troops, and each day he slaughtered several oxen to feast the men; he drilled mounted archery, kept beacon-fires strict, and employed many spies. His rule was: “If the Xiongnu raid, hurry into the forts. Whoever dares take prisoners—behead!” Whenever the Xiongnu came, the beacons were alert; his men at once withdrew into the forts and would not fight. Thus for several years they lost neither men nor ground. The Xiongnu all thought them cowards; even Zhao's border troops thought their general was a coward. The king of Zhao reproached him, but Li Mu acted as before. The king in anger replaced him with another. After more than a year the new commander fought repeatedly without success; losses were heavy, and the border could neither farm nor herd. The king again asked for Li Mu. Li Mu shut his door, pleaded illness, and would not come out. The king insisted on summoning him. Li Mu said, “〔If Your Majesty〕must( wish to) wish to)¹⁷ employ me—Zhang's collation: “In the twelve-line edition ‘must wish to employ your servant’ reads ‘the king must employ your servant’; the Yi eleven-line edition agrees; Kong's edition agrees; Tui Zhai's collation agrees.” The Shiji “Biographies of Lian Po and Lin Xiangru” agrees; amended accordingly. I must act as before—only then do I dare accept command.” The king agreed.

42

李牧至邊，如約。匈奴數歲無所得，終以為怯。邊士日得賞賜而不用，皆願一戰。於是乃具選車得千三百乘，選騎得萬三千匹，百金之士五萬人，彀者十萬人，悉勒習戰；大縱畜牧、人民滿野。匈奴小入，佯北不勝，以數十人委之。單于聞之，大率眾來入。李牧多為奇陳，張左、右翼擊之，大破之，殺匈奴十餘萬騎，滅衣詹襤，破東胡，降林胡。單于奔走，十餘歲不敢近趙邊。

Li Mu reached the border and kept his old ways. For several years the Xiongnu gained nothing and still thought them cowards. The border troops daily received rewards yet had no chance to spend them; all yearned for a fight. Thereupon he mustered thirteen hundred chosen chariots, thirteen thousand horsemen, fifty thousand elite warriors, and one hundred thousand archers, and drilled them all for battle; he let herds and people roam freely until the countryside was full. The Xiongnu raided in small force. He feigned defeat and fled, leaving a few dozen men as bait. The chanyu heard of it and led the main host in. Li Mu laid many ambushes, struck with left and right wings, and routed them. He killed more than one hundred thousand Xiongnu horsemen, destroyed the Chanru, broke the Eastern Hu, and received the Forest Hu's surrender. The chanyu fled; for more than ten years he did not dare approach Zhao's border.

43

先是時，天下冠帶之國七，而三國邊於戎狄：秦自隴以西有綿諸、緄戎、翟、豲之戎，岐、梁、涇、漆之北有義渠、大荔、烏氏、朐衍之戎；而趙北有林胡、樓煩之戎；燕北有東胡、山戎；各分散居溪谷，自有君長，往往而聚者百有餘戎，然莫能相一。其後義渠築城郭以自守，而秦稍蠶食之，至惠王遂拔義渠二十五城。昭王之時，宣太后誘義渠王，殺諸甘泉，遂發兵伐義渠，滅之；始於隴西、北地、上郡築長城以拒胡。趙武靈王北破林胡、樓煩，築長城，自代並陰山下，至高闕為塞，而置雲中、雁門、代郡。其後燕將秦開為質於胡，胡甚信之；歸而襲破東胡，東胡卻千餘里；燕亦築長城，自造陽至襄平，置上谷、漁陽、右北平、遼東郡以距胡。及戰國之末而匈奴始大。

Before this there were seven civilized states under Heaven, and three bordered the Rong and Di: west of Long, Qin faced the Rong of Mianzhu, Kunrong, Di, and Quan; north of Qi, Liang, Jing, and Qi lay the Rong of Yiqu, Dali, Wushi, and Quyan; north of Zhao were the Forest Hu and Loufan; north of Yan were the Eastern Hu and Mountain Rong; each scattered in valleys with their own chiefs; more than a hundred Rong groups gathered here and there, yet none could unite them. Later Yiqu walled its towns for defense while Qin gradually consumed it; by King Hui, Qin had taken twenty-five Yiqu cities. Under King Zhao the Queen Dowager Xuan lured the king of Yiqu and killed him at Ganquan, then sent troops against Yiqu and destroyed it; she then began building the Long Wall in Longxi, Beidi, and Shang to repulse the Hu. King Wuling of Zhao defeated the Forest Hu and Loufan in the north, built the Long Wall from Dai along Yinshan to Gaogue as a barrier, and set up Yunzhong, Yanmen, and Dai commanderies. Later the Yan general Qin Kai was a hostage among the Hu, and they trusted him deeply; on returning he struck and broke the Eastern Hu, who retreated more than a thousand li; Yan also built the Long Wall from Zaoyang to Xiangping and set up Shanggu, Yuyang, Youbeiping, and Liaodong to hold off the Hu. By the end of the Warring States the Xiongnu began to rise.

44

1春，蒙驁伐魏，取暘、有詭。三月，軍罷。----

1 In spring Meng Ao attacked Wei and took Yang and Yougui. In the third month the army withdrew.

45

2秦質子歸自趙；趙太子出歸國。----

2 Qin's hostage returned from Zhao; Zhao's crown prince left and returned home.

46

3〔秋〕，七月，〔庚寅〕「七月庚寅」，《史記·秦始皇本紀》作「十月庚寅」，《六國年表》作「七月」。案：此年十月無庚寅日，七月有，《始皇本紀》「十月」當為「七月」之誤，據補。，蝗，疫。令百姓納粟千石，拜爵一級。----

“Seventh month, gengyin”—the Shiji “Basic Annals of Qin Shihuang” reads “tenth month, gengyin”; the “Chronological Table of the Six States” reads “seventh month.”¹⁸ “locusts; pestilence.”¹⁹ He ordered that any commoner who paid in a thousand shi of grain would advance one noble rank.

47

4魏安釐王薨，子景湣王〔午〕立。

.²⁰

48

1蒙驁伐魏，取酸棗、燕、虛、長平、雍丘、山陽等〔二〕( 三) 十城三) 十城「三十」，《史記·秦始皇本紀》、《六國年表》、《魏世家》、《魏公子列傳》、《蒙恬列傳》並作「二十」，據改。；初置東郡。----

1 Meng Ao attacked Wei and took Suanzao, Yan, Xu, Changping, Yongqiu, Shanyang, and the like—〔twenty〕( three) three)²¹ cities reads “thirty”; the Shiji “Basic Annals of Qin Shihuang,” “Chronological Table of the Six States,” “House of Wei,” “Hereditary House of the Lord of Wei,” and “Biography of Meng Tian” all read “twenty”; amended accordingly. ; The Eastern Commandery was first established.

49

2初，劇辛在趙與龐煖善，已而仕燕。燕王見趙數困於秦，廉頗去而龐煖為將，欲因其敝而攻之，問於劇辛，對曰：「龐煖易與耳。」燕王使劇辛將而伐趙。趙龐煖禦之，殺劇辛，取燕師二萬。----

2 Earlier Ju Xin had been friendly with Pang Nuan in Zhao; later he entered Yan's service. The king of Yan saw Zhao repeatedly beaten by Qin, Lian Po gone and Pang Nuan made general; wishing to strike while Zhao was exhausted, he asked Ju Xin, who replied, “Pang Nuan is easy to handle.” The king of Yan sent Ju Xin as general to attack Zhao. Pang Nuan of Zhao met him, killed Ju Xin, and took twenty thousand Yan troops.

50

3諸侯患秦攻伐無已時。

3 The feudal lords were alarmed that Qin's campaigns never ceased.

51

1楚、趙、魏、韓、〔燕〕( 衛) 合從以伐秦衛) 合從以伐秦從梁玉繩《史記志疑》說改。，楚王為從長，春申君用事，取壽陵。至函谷，秦師出，五國之師皆敗走。楚王以咎春申君，春申君以此益疏。觀津人朱英謂春申君曰：「人皆以楚為強，君用之而弱。其於英不然。先君時，秦善楚，二十年而不攻楚，何也？秦逾黽阨之塞而攻楚，不便；假道於兩周，背韓、魏而攻楚，不可。今則不然。魏旦暮亡，不能愛許、鄢陵，魏割以與秦，秦兵去陳百六十里。臣之所觀者，見秦、楚之日鬥也。」楚於是去陳，徙壽春，命曰郢。春申君就封於吳，行相事。----

1 Chu, Zhao, Wei, Han, 〔Yan〕( Wei) Wei)²² formed a horizontal alliance to attack Qin—amended per Liang Yusheng's Shiji Zhiyi. The king of Chu was chief of the alliance; Lord Chun Shen held power and took Shouling. At Hangu Pass Qin's army came out and the five allied armies were routed and fled. The king of Chu blamed Lord Chun Shen, who from this grew ever more distant from favor. Zhu Ying of Guanjin said to Lord Chun Shen, “Everyone says Chu is strong, yet under your management it grows weak. That is not how I see it. In our late lord's time Qin was friendly with Chu and for twenty years did not attack—why? For Qin to cross the Mengyi pass and attack Chu was impractical; to borrow a route through the two Zhou states and attack Chu with Han and Wei at its rear was impossible. Now it is no longer so. Wei is dying by the day; it cannot hold Xu and Yanling. Wei will cede land to Qin, and Qin's army will stand only one hundred sixty li from Chen. What I see is Qin and Chu fighting day by day.” Chu thereupon abandoned Chen, moved the capital to Shouchun, and named it Ying. Lord Chun Shen took his fief at Wu and served as chancellor.

52

2秦拔魏朝歌，及衛濮陽。衛元君率其支屬徙居野王，阻其山以保魏之河內。

2 Qin took Zhaoge from Wei and Puyang from Wei. Lord Yuan of Wei led his collateral kin to relocate to Yewang, using the mountains to shield Wei's Henei.

53

1伐魏，取汲。----

1 Qin attacked Wei and took Ji.

54

2夏太后薨。----

2 Queen Dowager Xia died.

55

3蒙驁卒。

3 Meng Ao died.

56

1魏與趙鄴。----

1 Wei made peace with Zhao at Ye.

57

2韓桓惠王薨，子安立。

2 King Huanhui of Han died; his son An succeeded.

58

1伐魏，取垣、蒲〔陽〕。----

.²³

59

2夏，四月，寒，民有凍死者。----

2 In summer, the fourth month, it was cold; some commoners froze to death.

60

3王宿雍。----

3 The king stayed at Yong.

61

4己酉，王冠，帶劍。----

4 On jiyou the king came of age, was capped, and wore a sword.

62

5楊端和伐魏，取衍氏。----

5 Yang Duanhe attacked Wei and took Yanshi.

63

6初，王即位，年少，太后時時與文信侯私通。王益壯，文信侯恐事覺，禍及己，乃詐以舍人嫪毐為宦者，進於太后。太后幸之，生二子，封毐為長信侯，以太原為毐國，政事皆決於毐；客求為毐舍人者甚眾。王左右有與毐爭言者，告毐實非宦者，王下吏治毐。毐懼，矯王御璽發兵，欲攻蘄年宮為亂。王使相國、昌平君、昌文君發卒攻毐，戰咸陽，斬首數百；毐敗走，獲之。秋，九月，夷毐三族；黨與皆車裂滅宗；舍人罪輕者徙蜀，凡四千餘家。遷太后於雍萯陽宮，殺其二子。下令曰：「敢以太后事諫者，戮而殺之，斷其四支，積之闕下！」死者二十七人。齊客茅焦上謁請諫。王使謂之曰：「若不見夫積闕下者邪？」對曰：「臣聞天有二十八宿，今死者二十七人，臣之來固欲滿其數耳。臣非畏死者也！」使者走入白之。茅焦邑子同食者，盡負其衣物而逃王。王大怒曰：「是人也，故來犯吾，趣召鑊烹之，是安得積闕下哉！」王按劍怒而坐，口正沫出。使者召之入，茅焦徐行至前，再拜謁起，稱曰：「臣聞有生者不諱死，有國者不諱亡。諱死者不可以得生，諱亡者不可以得存。死生存亡，聖主所欲急聞也，陛下欲聞之乎？」王曰：「何謂也？」茅焦曰：「陛下有狂悖之行，不自知邪？車裂假父，囊撲二弟，遷母於雍，殘戮諫士，桀、紂之行不至於是矣。今天下聞之，盡瓦解，無向秦者，臣竊為陛下危之！臣言已矣！」乃解衣伏質。王下殿，手自接之曰：「先生起就衣，今願受事！」乃爵之上卿。王自駕，虛左方，往迎太后，歸於咸陽，復為母子如初。----

6 Earlier, when the king first took the throne, he was young; the queen dowager from time to time had an affair with the Lord of Wenxin. As the king matured, the Lord of Wenxin feared exposure and harm to himself; he therefore falsely presented his retainer Lao Ai as a eunuch and introduced him to the queen dowager. The queen dowager favored him and bore two sons. Lao Ai was enfeoffed as marquis of Changxin; Taiyuan was made Lao Ai's domain; all affairs were decided by Lao Ai; many sought to become Lao Ai's retainers. Someone at court who had quarreled with Lao Ai reported that he was not truly a eunuch. The king had officials investigate Lao Ai. Lao Ai in fear forged the king's seal, raised troops, and meant to attack Qinian Palace in rebellion. The king sent the chancellor, Lord Changping, and Lord Changwen with troops against Lao Ai. They fought at Xianyang and beheaded several hundred; Lao Ai was defeated and fled but was captured. In autumn, the ninth month, Lao Ai's three clans were exterminated; his followers were all torn apart by chariots and their lineages destroyed; lighter offenders among his retainers were banished to Shu—more than four thousand households in all. The queen dowager was moved to Fuyang Palace at Yong, and her two sons were killed. An edict declared: “Whoever dares remonstrate about the queen dowager—kill him, sever his four limbs, and pile them beneath the gate tower!” Twenty-seven died. Mao Jiao, a guest from Qi, came to court and asked to remonstrate. The king sent word: “Have you not seen those piled beneath the gate tower?” He replied, “I have heard Heaven has twenty-eight mansions; twenty-seven are dead. I came precisely to complete the number. I do not fear death!” The messenger ran in to report this. Mao Jiao's fellow townsmen who had shared meals with him all shouldered their belongings and fled. The king raged: “This man came deliberately to insult me. Summon the cauldron and boil him! How could he be piled beneath the gate tower!” The king gripped his sword in fury, foam at his lips. The messenger summoned him in. Mao Jiao walked slowly forward, bowed twice, rose, and said, “I have heard that the living do not shrink from death, and rulers do not shrink from ruin. Those who shrink from death cannot gain life; those who shrink from ruin cannot preserve their state. Death, life, survival, and ruin are what a sage ruler most urgently needs to hear—does Your Majesty wish to hear them?” The king said, “What do you mean?” Mao Jiao said, “Your Majesty acts with reckless perversity—do you not know it? You had your false father torn apart by chariots, beat your two younger brothers to death in sacks, moved your mother to Yong, and slaughtered remonstrating scholars—even Jie and Zhou did not go this far. Now the world hears of it; all dissolve away—none turn toward Qin. I privately consider Your Majesty in grave peril! I have said my piece!” He then stripped and lay down on the block. The king came down from the hall, took him by the hand, and said, “Master, rise and dress. I am ready to hear you!” He then ennobled him as chief minister. The king himself drove, vacated the seat of honor, went to welcome the queen dowager, brought her back to Xianyang, and mother and son were reconciled as before.

64

7楚考烈王無子，春申君患之，求婦人宜子者甚眾，進之，卒無子。趙人李園持其妹欲進諸楚王，聞其不宜子，恐久無寵，乃求為春申君舍人。已而謁歸，故失期而還。春申君問之，李園曰：「齊王使人求臣之妹，與其使者飲，故失期。」春申君曰：「聘入乎？」曰：「未也。」春申君遂納之。既而有娠，李園使其妹說春申君曰：「楚王貴幸君，雖兄弟不如也。今君相楚二十餘年而王無子，即百歲後將更立兄弟，彼亦各貴其故所親，君又安得常保此寵乎！非徒然也，君貴，用事久，多失禮於王之兄弟，兄弟立，禍且及身矣。今妾有娠而人莫知，妾幸君未久，誠以君之重，進妾於王，王必幸之。妾賴天而有男，則是君之子為王也。楚國盡可得，孰與身臨不測之禍哉！」春申君大然之。乃出李園妹，謹舍而言諸楚王。王召入，幸之，遂生男，立為太子。

7 King Kaolie of Chu had no son. Lord Chun Shen was troubled, sought many women likely to bear sons, and presented them—yet in the end there was no son. Li Yuan of Zhao meant to present his sister to the king of Chu but heard she was unlikely to bear sons and feared she would lose favor; he therefore sought to become Lord Chun Shen's retainer. After a time he asked leave to go home and deliberately returned late. Lord Chun Shen questioned him. Li Yuan said, “The king of Qi sent to seek my sister. I drank with his envoy and therefore returned late.” Lord Chun Shen said, “Has the betrothal been accepted?” He said, “Not yet.” Lord Chun Shen thereupon took her in. Before long she was pregnant. Li Yuan had his sister persuade Lord Chun Shen: “The king of Chu honors you above even his own brothers. You have governed Chu more than twenty years yet the king has no son. When he dies a brother will succeed; each will favor his own old intimates—how can you always keep this favor! Worse, you are honored and have held power long; you have often slighted the king's brothers. When a brother succeeds, disaster will reach you. I am pregnant and no one knows. I have been with you only briefly. If you, in your great standing, present me to the king, he is sure to favor me. If Heaven grants me a son, it will be your son who becomes king. You could hold all Chu—how does that compare with facing unforeseen ruin!” Lord Chun Shen strongly agreed. He then sent out Li Yuan's sister, lodged her carefully, and recommended her to the king of Chu. The king summoned her, favored her, and she bore a son who was made crown prince.

65

李園妹為王后，李園亦貴用事，而恐春申君泄其語，陰養死士，欲殺春申君以滅口；國人頗有知之者。楚王病，朱英謂春申君曰：「世有無望之福，亦有無望之禍。今君處無望之世，事無望之主，安可以無無望之人乎！」春申君曰：「何謂無望之福？」曰：「君相楚二十餘年矣，雖名相國，其實王也。王今病，旦暮薨，薨而君相幼主，因而當國，王長而反政，不即遂南面稱孤，此所謂無望之福也。」「何謂無望之禍？」曰：「李園不治國而君之仇也，不為兵而養死士之日久矣。王薨，李園必先入，據權而殺君以滅口，此所謂無望之禍也。」「何謂無望之人？」曰：「君置臣郎中，王薨，李園先入，臣為君殺之，此所謂無望之人也。」春申君曰：「足下置之。李園，弱人也，僕又善之。且何至此！」朱英知言不用，懼而亡去。後十七日，楚王薨，李園果先入，伏死士於棘門之內。春申君入，死士俠刺之，投其首於棘門之外；於是使吏盡捕誅春申君之家。太子〔悍〕立，是為幽王。

Li Yuan's sister became queen; Li Yuan too rose in honor and power, yet feared Lord Chun Shen would reveal their plot; he secretly kept assassins and meant to kill Lord Chun Shen to silence him; quite a few in the state knew of it. The king of Chu fell ill. Zhu Ying said to Lord Chun Shen, “In this world there is fortune one never hoped for, and calamity one never expected. You live in such an age, serve such a lord—how can you be without a man you never expected to need!” Lord Chunshen said, “What do you mean by unhoped-for fortune?” He said, “My lord, you have governed Chu as chancellor for more than twenty years. Though you are called chancellor of state, in effect you are king. The king is now ill and may die at any time. When he dies you will serve a young lord and hold the state in your hands—but when the king comes of age and takes back power, you will not at once face south as a sovereign in your own right. That is what is called unhoped-for fortune.” “What do you mean by unhoped-for calamity?” He said, “Li Yuan does not govern the state, yet he is your enemy. For a long time he has kept no army in the field but has been feeding dare-to-die retainers. When the king dies Li Yuan will surely enter first, seize power, and kill you to silence you—that is what is called unhoped-for calamity.” “What do you mean by an unhoped-for man?” He said, “Appoint me palace attendant. When the king dies and Li Yuan enters first, I will kill him for you—that is what is called an unhoped-for man.” Lord Chunshen said, “Very well—consider it done. Li Yuan is a weak man, and I am on good terms with him besides. Besides, how could it ever come to that!” Zhu Ying saw his counsel was rejected, feared for his life, and fled. Seventeen days later the king of Chu died. Li Yuan did enter first and posted dare-to-die men inside Jimen Gate. Lord Chunshen entered; the assassins closed on him and stabbed him, and threw his head outside Jimen Gate; then they sent officers to arrest and execute every member of Lord Chunshen's household. who was styled King You.²⁴

66

::揚子《法言》曰：或問：「信陵、平原、孟嘗、春申益乎？」曰：「上失其政，奸臣竊國命，何其益乎！」----

:: Yangzi's Fayan says: Someone asked, “Did Lord Xinling, Lord Pingyuan, Lord Mengchang, and Lord Chunshen do any good?” He said, “When the ruler above loses good government and wicked ministers steal the mandate of state, how can they be beneficial!"

67

8王以文信侯奉先王功大，不忍誅。

8 The king, because the Lord of Wenxin had served the former king with great merit, could not bring himself to execute him.

68

1冬，十月，文信侯免相，出就國。

1 In winter, the tenth month, the Lord of Wenxin was removed as chancellor and went to his fief.

69

宗室大臣議曰：「諸侯人來仕者，皆為其主游間耳，請一切逐之。」於是大索，逐客。客卿楚人李斯亦在逐中，行，且上書曰：「昔穆公求士，西取由余於戎，東得百里〔奚〕於宛，迎蹇叔於宋，求丕豹、公孫支於晉，併國二十，遂霸西戎。孝公用商鞅之法，諸侯親服，至今治強。惠王用張儀之計，散六國之從，使之事秦。昭王得范睢，強公室，杜私門。此四君者，皆以客之功。由此觀之，客何負於秦哉！夫色、樂、珠、玉不產於秦而王服御者眾，取人則不然，不問可否，不論曲直，非秦者去，為客者逐。是所重者在乎色、樂、珠、玉，而所輕者在乎人民也。臣聞泰山不讓土壤，故能成其大；河海不擇細流，故能就其深；王者不卻眾庶，故能明其德。此五帝、三王之所以無敵也。今乃棄黔首以資敵國，卻賓客以業諸侯，所謂藉寇兵而賚盜糧者也。」王乃召李斯，復其官，除逐客之令。李斯至驪邑而還。王卒用李斯之謀，陰遣辯士齎金玉遊說諸侯，諸侯名士可下以財者厚遺結之，不肯者利劍刺之，離其君臣之計，然後使良將隨其後，數年之中，卒兼天下。

The royal clansmen and great ministers debated, saying, “Every man who comes from another state to serve does secret diplomacy for his own lord—let us expel them all.” Thereupon a thorough search was made and all foreign retainers were expelled. The guest minister Li Si of Chu was among those expelled. On the road he drafted a memorial, saying, “Formerly Duke Mu sought men of talent: westward he took You Yu from the Rong; eastward he found Baili 〔Xi〕 at Wan; he welcomed Jian Shu from Song; from Jin he obtained Pi Bao and Gongsun Zhi—he annexed twenty states and became hegemon over the western Rong. Duke Xiao employed Shang Yang's laws; the feudal lords submitted, and to this day Qin remains strong and well governed. King Hui employed Zhang Yi's stratagems, broke up the vertical alliance of the six states, and made them serve Qin. King Zhao obtained Fan Ju, strengthened the royal house, and closed off private factions. These four rulers all owed their success to foreign retainers. Seen in this light, what offense have guests committed against Qin! Colors, music, pearls, and jade do not come from Qin, yet Your Majesty uses them in abundance; but in choosing men you do the opposite—you do not ask whether they are fit, you do not weigh right and wrong: anyone not from Qin is rejected, and every guest is driven away. This means you value colors, music, pearls, and jade, and slight the people. I have heard that Mount Tai does not reject even a handful of soil, and therefore grows great; rivers and seas do not refuse the smallest stream, and therefore grow deep; a true king does not turn the common people away, and therefore can make his virtue shine. That is why the Five Emperors and Three Kings had no equals. Now you cast off the common people to enrich enemy states and turn guests away to strengthen the feudal lords—this is what people call arming bandits and feeding grain to thieves.” The king then summoned Li Si, restored him to office, and revoked the order expelling guests. Li Si had reached Liyi when he was recalled. The king at last adopted Li Si's plan: secretly he sent persuaders with gold and jade to work on the feudal lords; eminent men who could be bought he won with lavish gifts, and those who refused he had killed with the sword. He broke apart their rulers and ministers, then sent able generals in their wake—and within a few years he had united the empire.

70

1趙人伐燕，取貍、陽〔城〕正義以「貍陽」二字連讀，並認為當作漁陽，胡注同，實誤。案：貍，《韓非子·飾邪篇》作「釐」，音同通同。貍在今河北任丘縣東北，陽城在今河北保定市北。。兵未罷，將軍王翦、桓齮、楊端和伐趙，攻鄴，取九城。王翦攻閼與、轑陽，桓齮取鄴、安陽。----

Zhengyi reads “Li-Yang” as one place-name and thinks it should be Yuyang; Hu's commentary agrees—both are mistaken.²⁵ Examination: for Li, Han Feizi's “Adorning the Wicked” writes the cited text; the two graphs are phonetically equivalent and interchangeable. Li lay northeast of present Renqiu in Hebei; Yangcheng lay north of present Baoding in Hebei. . Before those troops were withdrawn, the generals Wang Jian, Huan Yi, and Yang Duanhe attacked Zhao, assaulted Ye, and took nine cities. Wang Jian attacked Heyu and Liaoyang; Huan Yi took Ye and Anyang.

71

2趙悼襄王薨，子幽繆王遷立。其母，倡也，嬖於悼襄王，悼襄王廢嫡子嘉而立之。遷素以無行聞於國。----

2 King Daoxiang of Zhao died; his son Qian was enthroned as King Youmiao. His mother was a courtesan favored by King Daoxiang, who set aside the legitimate heir Jia and enthroned Qian instead. Qian had long been known throughout the state for his bad conduct.

72

3文信侯就國歲餘，諸侯賓客使者相望於道，請之。王恐其為變，乃賜文信侯書曰：「君何功於秦，封君河南，食十萬戶？何親於秦，號稱仲父？其與家屬徙處蜀！」文信侯自知稍侵，恐誅。

3 More than a year after the Lord of Wenxin went to his fief, guests and envoys from the feudal lords thronged the roads petitioning on his behalf. The king feared he might stir up trouble and sent the Lord of Wenxin a letter, saying, “What service have you done Qin that we enfeoffed you in Henan with a revenue of one hundred thousand households? What tie of kinship do you have with Qin that we styled you Zhongfu, ‘father-by-protocol’? Take your household and move to Shu!” The Lord of Wenxin knew his position was slipping away and feared he would be put to death.

73

1文信侯飲酖死，竊葬。其舍人臨者，皆逐遷之。且曰：「自今以來，操國事不道如嫪毐、不韋者，籍其門，視此！」

1 The Lord of Wenxin drank poison and died; he was buried in secret. Every retainer who had attended him was expelled and banished. The order also ran, “From this day forward, whoever wields state power as wickedly as Lao Ai or Lü Buwei—register his household and take this as your warning!"

74

::揚子《法言》曰：或問：「呂不韋其智矣乎？以人易貨。」曰：「誰謂不韋智者歟？以國易宗。呂不韋之盜，穿窬之雄乎！穿窬也者，吾見擔石矣，未見雒陽也。」----

:: Yangzi's Fayan says: Someone asked, “Was Lü Buwei wise? He traded goods for a man.” He said, “Who calls Buwei wise? He traded the state for his clan. Lü Buwei's theft—was he not king of housebreakers! Housebreakers, I have seen, carry off bushels of grain; I have never seen one carry off Luoyang."

75

2自六月不雨，至於八月。----

2 From the sixth month there was no rain until the eighth month.

76

3發四郡兵助魏伐楚。

3 Troops from four commanderies were sent to help Wei attack Chu.

77

1桓齮伐趙，敗趙將扈棷於平陽，斬首十萬，殺扈棷。〔冬，十月，桓齮復伐趙〕舊文下有「趙王以李牧為大將軍」等三十二字，據《史記·趙世家》移往後年，並刪「復」字。。

1 Huan Yi attacked Zhao, defeated the Zhao general Hu Qi at Pingyang, beheaded one hundred thousand men, and killed Hu Qi. The old text below contained thirty-two characters such as “the king of Zhao made Li Mu grand general”; following the Shiji “House of Zhao” they were moved to a later year, and the word “again” was deleted.²⁶

78

1桓齮伐趙，〔殺其趙將〕，取宜安、平陽、武城。〔趙王以李牧為大將軍，戰於宜安、肥下，秦師敗績，桓齮奔還。趙封李牧為武安君〕。----

and took Yi'an, Pingyang, and Wucheng.²⁷ 〔The king of Zhao made Li Mu grand general. They fought at Yi'an and below Fei; the Qin army was routed and Huan Yi fled home. Zhao enfeoffed Li Mu as Lord of Wu'an.〕

79

2韓王納地效璽，請為籓臣，使韓非來聘。韓非者，韓之諸公子也，善刑名法術之學，見韓之削弱，數以書干韓王，王不能用。於是韓非疾治國不務求人任賢，反舉浮淫之蠹而加之功實之上，寬則寵名譽之人，急則用介冑之士，所養非所用，所用非所養。悲廉直不容於邪枉之臣，觀往者得失之變，作《孤憤》、《五蠹》、《內外儲》、《說林》、《說難》五十六篇，十餘萬言。

2 The king of Han surrendered territory and presented his seal, asked to become a vassal, and sent Han Fei on a diplomatic visit. Han Fei was a prince of the house of Han, versed in the school of penal law and statecraft. Seeing Han grow weak, he repeatedly submitted memorials to the king of Han, but the king would not use him. Han Fei lamented that in governing the state they did not seek out and employ the worthy, but instead promoted worthless parasites above men of real achievement; in easy times they favored men of empty reputation, in crisis they used armored soldiers—those they cultivated were not those they used, and those they used were not those they cultivated. Grieving that honest men found no room among crooked ministers, he studied how past successes and failures had shifted and wrote fifty-six chapters—“Solitary Indignation,” “Five Vermin,” “Inner and Outer Stores,” “Forest of Persuasions,” and “Difficulties of Persuasion”—more than one hundred thousand words in all.

80

王聞其賢，欲見之。非為韓使於秦，因上書說王曰：「今秦地方數千里，師名百萬，號令賞罰，天下不如。臣昧死願望見大王，言所以破天下從之計。大王誠聽臣說，一舉而天下之從不破，趙不舉，韓不亡，荊、魏不臣，齊、燕不親，霸王之名不成，四鄰諸侯不朝，大王斬臣以徇國，以戒為王謀不忠者也。」王悅之，未任用。李斯嫉之，曰：「韓非，韓之諸公子也。今欲並諸侯，非終為韓不為秦，此人情也。今王不用，又留而歸之，此自遺患也。不如以法誅之。」王以為然，下吏治非。李斯使人遺非藥，令早自殺。韓非欲自陳，不得見。王後悔，使赦之，非已死矣。

The king of Qin heard he was worthy and wished to meet him. Han Fei came to Qin as Han's envoy and submitted a memorial urging the king, saying, “Qin today holds several thousand li of territory, commands an army a million strong, and in orders, rewards, and punishments has no equal under Heaven. I beg leave, at the risk of my life, to be granted an audience so I may explain how to break the vertical alliance of the empire. If Your Majesty truly heeds my counsel, one stroke will break the vertical alliance—if Zhao is not taken, Han is not destroyed, Chu and Wei do not submit, Qi and Yan are not won over, the title of hegemon is not achieved, and the neighboring feudal lords do not come to court, then execute me before the nation as a warning to disloyal counselors.” The king was pleased but did not appoint him. Li Si envied him and said, “Han Fei is a prince of Han. Now you mean to annex the feudal lords—Han Fei will in the end serve Han, not Qin; that is only human nature. If Your Majesty does not use him but keeps him and then sends him home, you will be storing up trouble for yourself. Better to put him to death according to law.” The king agreed and handed Han Fei over to the officials for trial. Li Si sent a man to give Han Fei poison and told him to take his own life quickly. Han Fei wished to plead his case in person but was denied an audience. The king later regretted it and sent a pardon, but Han Fei was already dead.

81

::揚子《法言》曰：或問：「韓非作《說難》之書而卒死乎說難，敢問何反也？」曰：「《說難》蓋其所以死乎！」曰：「何也？」「君子以禮動，以義止，合則進，否則退，確乎不憂其不合也。夫說人而憂其不合，則亦無所不至矣。」或曰：「非憂說之不合，非邪？」曰：「說不由道，憂也。由道而不合，非憂也。」

:: Yangzi's Fayan says: Someone asked, “Han Fei wrote ‘Difficulties of Persuasion’ and in the end died in the difficulty of persuasion—may I ask how this squares?” He said, “‘Difficulties of Persuasion’ was probably exactly why he died!” He said, “How so?” “The gentleman acts through ritual and stops through righteousness; if the fit is right he advances, if not he withdraws—firmly without fretting that he may not be accepted. But one who persuades others yet frets that they will not accept him—there is nothing he will not do.” Someone said, “Surely Han Fei did not worry that persuasion would fail—did he?” He said, “To worry when persuasion departs from the Way—that is the worry. To persuade by the Way and yet fail—that is no worry."

82

::臣光曰：臣聞君子親其親以及人之親，愛其國以及人之國，是以功大名美而享有百福也。今非為秦畫謀，而首欲覆其宗國，以售其言，罪固不容於死矣，烏足愍哉！

:: Your servant Guang says: I have heard that the gentleman honors his own kin and extends that honor to others' kin, loves his own state and extends that love to others' states—therefore his merit is great, his fame fair, and he enjoys every blessing. Yet Han Fei, while plotting for Qin, above all sought to destroy his own ancestral state to sell his counsel—his crime truly deserved death; how was he worth pity!

83

1王大興師伐趙，一軍抵鄴，一軍抵太原，取狼孟( 番吾)；遇李牧〔於番吾，秦師敗〕( 而) 還番吾) 遇李牧〔於番吾，秦師敗〕( 而) 還據《史記·趙世家》及《李牧傳》改。。----

1 The king raised a great army against Zhao; one force reached Ye, one reached Taiyuan, and took Langmeng ( Fanwu) met Li Mu 〔at Fanwu; the Qin army was defeated〕 ( and) Fanwu)²⁸ met Li Mu 〔at Fanwu; the Qin army was defeated〕 ( and) returned—amended per the Shiji “Hereditary House of Zhao” and “Biography of Li Mu.” .

84

2初，燕太子丹嘗質於趙，與王善。王即位，丹為質於秦，王不禮焉。丹怒，亡歸。

2 Earlier, Crown Prince Dan of Yan had once been a hostage in Zhao and was on good terms with the king. When the king took the throne, Dan was a hostage in Qin, and the king did not treat him courteously. Dan in anger fled home.

85

1韓獻南陽地。〔秋〕，九月，發卒受地於韓。----

1 Han ceded the Nanyang territory. "²⁹

86

2魏人獻地。----

2 Wei ceded territory.

87

3代地震，自樂徐以西，北至平陰；臺屋牆垣太半壞，地坼東西百三十步。

3 Dai was struck by earthquake, from Leyang-Xu westward as far north as Pingyin; platforms, houses, and walls were mostly destroyed; the ground split one hundred thirty paces east to west.

88

1內史〔騰〕( 勝) 滅韓勝) 滅韓據《史記·秦始皇本紀》改。，虜韓王安，以其地置潁川郡。----

1 The Inner Administrator 〔Teng〕 ( Sheng) Sheng)³⁰ destroyed Han—amended per the Shiji “Basic Annals of Qin Shihuang.” , captured King An of Han, and on his lands established Yingchuan commandery.

89

2華陽太后薨。----

2 Queen Dowager Huayang died.

90

3趙大饑。----

3 Great famine in Zhao.

91

4衛元君薨，子角立。

4 Lord Yuan of Wei died; his son Jiao succeeded.

92

1王翦將上地，兵下井陘，〔羌瘣將囗囗兵，楊〕端和將河內兵按《史記》不言羌瘣將某地，當有奪誤。是年秦分三路進軍攻趙，楊端和圍趙都，而王翦、羌瘣入定地也。《通鑑》刪羌瘣，非也，據補。，共伐趙。趙李牧、司馬尚禦之。秦人多與趙王嬖臣郭開金，使毀牧及尚，言其欲反。趙王使趙蔥及齊將顏聚代之。李牧不受命，趙人捕而殺之；廢司馬尚。〔翦擊趙軍，大破之，殺趙蔥，顏聚亡，遂圍邯鄲〕。

Note: the Shiji does not say where Qiang Lei commanded troops; text has surely been lost or garbled.³¹ That year Qin attacked Zhao in three columns: Yang Duanhe besieged the Zhao capital, while Wang Jian and Qiang Lei subdued the heartland. The Comprehensive Mirror omitted Qiang Lei—wrong; restored accordingly. , and together they attacked Zhao. Li Mu and Sima Shang of Zhao held them off. Many Qin agents bribed the king of Zhao's favorite Guo Kai to slander Li Mu and Shang, claiming they planned rebellion. The king of Zhao sent Zhao Cong and the Qi general Yan Ju to replace them. Li Mu refused the command; Zhao men seized and killed him; and dismissed Sima Shang. .³²

93

1〔冬，十月〕，克邯鄲，虜趙王遷，〔盡定趙地〕。王如邯鄲，故與母家有仇怨者皆殺之。還，從太原、上郡歸。----

, took Handan and captured King Qian of Zhao. 〔All Zhao was pacified〕³³ The king went to Handan and killed everyone who had old scores against his mother's kin. On his return he came back through Taiyuan and Shang.

94

2太后薨。----

2 The queen dowager died.

95

3王翦屯中山以臨燕。趙公子嘉帥其宗族數百人奔代，自立為代王，趙之亡，大夫稍稍歸之，與燕合兵，軍上谷。----

3 Wang Jian encamped at Zhongshan to menace Yan. Prince Jia of Zhao led several hundred kinsmen to Dai, made himself king of Dai, and as Zhao fell, ministers gradually rallied to him. He joined Yan, and their combined army camped at Shanggu.

96

4楚幽王薨，國人立其弟郝。〔春〕，三月，郝庶兄負芻殺之，自立。----

4 King You of Chu died; the people set up his younger brother Hao. "³⁴

97

5魏景湣王薨，子假立。----

5 King Jingmin of Wei died; his son Jia succeeded.

98

6燕太子丹怨王，欲報之，以問其傅鞠武。鞠武請西約三晉，南連齊、楚，北媾匈奴以圖秦。太子曰：「太傅之計，曠日彌久，令人心惛然，恐不能須也。」頃之，將軍樊於期得罪，亡之燕；太子受而舍之。鞠武諫曰：「夫以秦王之暴而積怒於燕，足為寒心，又況聞樊將軍之所在乎！是謂委肉當餓虎之蹊也。願太子疾遣樊將軍入匈奴。」太子曰：「樊將軍窮困於天下，歸身於丹，是固丹命卒之時也，願更慮之！」鞠武曰：「夫行危以求安，造禍以為福，計淺而怨深，乃連結一人之後交，不顧國家之大害，所謂資怨而助禍矣！」太子不聽。

6 Crown Prince Dan of Yan hated the king and wished revenge; he consulted his tutor Ju Wu. Ju Wu urged an alliance with the Three Jins in the west, Qi and Chu in the south, and the Xiongnu in the north to move against Qin. The crown prince said, “Tutor, your plan drags on forever and dulls the spirit—I fear we cannot wait.” Soon afterward General Fan Yuqi fell from favor and fled to Yan; the crown prince took him in and lodged him. Ju Wu urged, “The king of Qin is brutal and his wrath against Yan runs deep—that alone is chilling. How much worse when he learns where General Fan is! That is like laying meat on a starving tiger's trail. I beg you, send General Fan quickly into the Xiongnu lands.” The crown prince said, “General Fan is hunted everywhere and has thrown himself on Dan; this is the hour when Dan must stake his life—please think again!” Ju Wu said, “To seek safety through danger, to court disaster hoping for blessing, to plot shallowly while hatred runs deep, to tie your fate to one man's late friendship and ignore the state's ruin—that is feeding a grudge and inviting ruin!” The crown prince would not listen.

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太子聞衛人荊軻之賢，卑辭厚禮而請見之。謂軻曰：「今秦已虜韓王，又舉兵南伐楚，北臨趙。趙不能支秦，則禍必至於燕。燕小弱，數困於兵，何足以當秦！諸侯服秦，莫敢合從。丹之私計愚，以為誠得天下之勇士使於秦，劫秦王，使悉反諸侯侵地，若曹沫之與齊桓公，則大善矣；則不可，因而刺殺之，彼大將擅兵於外而內有亂，則君臣相疑，以其間，諸侯得合從，其破秦必矣。唯荊卿留意焉！」荊軻許之。於是舍荊卿於上舍，太子日造門下，所以奉養荊軻，無所不至。及王翦滅趙，太子聞之懼，欲遣荊軻行。荊軻曰：「今行而無信，則秦未可親也。誠得樊將軍首與燕督亢之地圖，奉獻秦王，秦王必說見臣，臣乃有以報。」太子曰：「樊將軍窮困來歸丹，丹不忍也！」荊軻乃私見樊於期曰：「秦之遇將軍，可謂深矣，父母宗族皆為戮沒！今聞購將軍首，金千斤，邑萬家，將奈何？」於期太息流涕曰：「計將安出？」荊卿曰：「願得將軍之首以獻秦王，秦王必喜而見臣，臣左手把其袖，右手揕其胸，則將軍之仇報而燕見陵之愧除矣！」樊於期曰：「此臣之日夜切齒腐心也！」遂自刎。太子聞之，奔往伏哭，然已無奈何，遂以函盛其首。太子豫求天下之利匕首，使工以藥焠之，以試人，血濡縷，人無不立死者。乃裝為遣荊軻，以燕勇士秦舞陽為之副，使入秦。

The crown prince heard that Jing Ke of Wei was a man of worth and sought him with humble words and lavish gifts. He told Ke, “Qin has already taken the king of Han and is marching south against Chu and pressing north on Zhao. If Zhao cannot hold Qin, disaster will reach Yan. Yan is small and weak, worn down by war—how can it stand against Qin! The feudal lords bow to Qin; none dares unite against it. My private plan is crude: if we could send a true warrior of the realm to Qin, seize the king, and force him to return all seized lands—as Cao Mo did with Duke Huan of Qi—that would be best; if not, stab him. With great generals holding armies abroad and turmoil within, ruler and ministers will turn on each other. In that gap the lords can unite—and Qin will fall! Commander Jing, please weigh this!” Jing Ke agreed. He lodged Jing Ke in the finest quarters; the crown prince came daily to his door and spared nothing in his upkeep. When Wang Jian destroyed Zhao, the crown prince in fear wished to send Jing Ke off at once. Jing Ke said, “Go now without proof, and Qin will not receive us. Give me General Fan's head and a map of the Dukang region for the king of Qin—he will gladly receive me, and I will have my opening.” The crown prince said, “General Fan came to me in desperation—I cannot do that!” Jing Ke then saw Fan Yuqi in private and said, “Qin has wronged you deeply—your parents and entire clan slaughtered! A price of a thousand jin of gold and ten thousand households is set on your head. What will you do?” Fan Yuqi sighed through tears, “What is your plan?” Jing Ke said, “Give me your head for the king of Qin. He will receive me gladly; I will seize his sleeve with my left hand and stab his breast with my right—your vengeance done and Yan's humiliation ended!” Fan Yuqi said, “That is what I have gnawed my heart over night and day!” Thereupon he cut his own throat. The crown prince ran to weep over him, but it was done; he put the head in a box. The crown prince had procured the finest dagger in the realm and had it poisoned. Tested on a man, blood wet the hem and none failed to die instantly. He then sent Jing Ke off, with the Yan warrior Qin Wuyang as his aide, into Qin.

卷6 秦紀一

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