Volume 7 Qin Records 2

1

起閼逢閹茂，盡玄黓執徐，凡十九年。

From Emao in the cycle Qimao through Xuanxi Zhisu—nineteen years in all.

2

1荊軻至咸陽，因王寵臣蒙嘉卑辭以求見，王大喜，朝服，設九賓而見之。荊軻奉圖以進於王，圖窮而匕首見，因把王袖而揕之；未至身，王驚起，袖絕。荊軻逐王，王環柱而走。群臣皆愕，卒起不意，盡失其度。而秦法，群臣侍殿上者不得操尺寸之兵，左右以手共搏之，且曰：「王負劍！」負劍，王遂拔以擊荊軻，斷其左股。荊軻廢，乃引匕首擿王，中銅柱。自知事不就，罵曰：「事所以不成者，以欲生劫之，必得約契以報太子也！」遂體解荊軻以徇。王於是大怒，益發兵詣趙，就王翦以伐燕，與燕師、代師戰於易水之西，大破之。

1. Jing Ke arrived at Xianyang. Through the king's favorite Meng Jia he pleaded humbly for an audience. The king was delighted, donned court robes, and received him with the full nine-guest ceremony. Jing Ke offered up the map. When it was unrolled to the end the dagger appeared; he seized the king's sleeve and struck at him; before the blade reached him the king leapt up in terror—and the sleeve tore free. Jing Ke chased him; the king fled around a pillar. The courtiers stood frozen. The attack came without warning; every man lost his bearing. By Qin law, no courtier in the hall might carry even a hand's-length of steel; those beside the throne grappled with bare hands and shouted: "Sire—draw the sword on your back!" The king slung the sword behind him, drew it, and struck Jing Ke, cutting through his left thigh. Crippled, Jing Ke hurled his dagger at the king; it struck a bronze pillar. Seeing all was lost, he cursed: "It failed because I meant to take him alive—I had to secure a treaty to bring back to the crown prince!" They dismembered Jing Ke and put his body on public display. The king in fury raised more troops, marched to Zhao, joined Wang Jian against Yan, and west of the Yi River shattered the Yan and Dai armies together.

3

1冬，十月，王翦拔薊，燕王及太子率其精兵東保遼東，李信急追之。代王嘉遺燕王書，令殺太子丹以獻。丹匿衍水中，燕王使使斬丹，欲以獻王，王復進兵攻之。----

1. In the tenth month of winter Wang Jian took Ji. The king of Yan and the crown prince fled east with their best troops to hold Liaodong; Li Xin pressed close behind. King Jia of Dai wrote the king of Yan urging him to kill Crown Prince Dan and send his head as tribute. Dan hid on the Yan River. The king of Yan sent men to cut off his head, meaning to present it to Qin—but the king of Qin marched again to attack.

4

2王賁伐楚，取十餘城。王問於將軍李信曰：「吾欲取荊，於將軍度用幾何人而足？」李信曰：「不過用二十萬。」王以問王翦，王翦曰：「非六十萬人不可。」王曰：「王將軍老矣，何怯也！」遂使李信、蒙〔武〕( 恬) 將二十萬人伐楚恬) 梁玉繩《史記志疑》曰：「是時恬未為將，當是蒙武之誤。」其說是，據改。下同。；王翦因謝病歸頻陽。

2. Wang Ben attacked Chu and seized more than ten cities. The king asked General Li Xin: "I mean to take Chu. How many men do you reckon I need?" Li Xin said: "No more than two hundred thousand." The king asked Wang Jian. Wang Jian said: "It cannot be done with fewer than six hundred thousand." The king said: "General Wang, you have grown old. How timid you have become!" He sent Li Xin and Meng [Wu]( Tian) Tian)¹ Liang Yusheng's Shiji Zhiyi says: "At this time Tian had not yet held command; the name should be Meng Wu." He is right; the text is revised accordingly. The same applies below. ; Wang Jian pleaded illness and withdrew to Pinyang.

5

1王賁伐魏，引河溝以灌大梁。〔春〕，三月，城壞。魏王假降，殺之，遂滅魏。

1. Wang Ben attacked Wei and diverted the rivers to flood Daliang. ; the walls gave way.² King Jia of Wei surrendered. They killed him and extinguished Wei.

6

王使人謂安陵君曰：「寡人欲以五百里地易安陵。」安陵君曰：「大王加惠，以大易小，甚幸。雖然，臣受地於魏之先王，願終守之，弗敢易。」王義而許之。----

The king sent word to Lord Anling: "I wish to trade five hundred li of land for your state of Anling." Lord Anling said: "Your Majesty honors me by offering the greater for the lesser. I am most fortunate. Yet I received this land from the former kings of Wei. I mean to hold it to the end and dare not trade it away." The king honored his integrity and let the matter stand.

7

2李信攻平輿，蒙〔武〕( 恬) 攻寢，大破楚軍。信又攻鄢郢，破之，於是引兵而西，與蒙〔武〕( 恬) 會城父，楚人因隨之，三日三夜不頓舍，大敗李信，入兩壁，殺七都尉；李信奔還。

2. Li Xin attacked Pingyu; Meng [Wu]( Tian) attacked Chen and routed the Chu army. Xin took Yan and Ying as well, then marched west to join Meng [Wu]( Tian) at Chengfü. Chu pressed hard on their heels; for three days and three nights they never made camp, shattered Li Xin, overran both camps, and killed seven commandants; Li Xin fled home in defeat.

8

王聞之，大怒，自〔馳〕至頻陽，〔見〕謝王翦曰：「寡人不用將軍謀，李信果辱秦軍。〔今聞荊兵日進而西〕，將軍雖病，獨忍棄寡人乎！」王翦謝病不能將，王曰：「已矣，勿復言！」王翦曰：「〔大王〕必不得已用臣，非六十萬人不可！」王曰：「為聽將軍計耳。」於是王翦將六十萬人伐楚。王送至霸上，王翦請美田宅甚眾。王曰：「將軍行矣，何憂貧乎！」王翦曰：「為大王將，有功，終不得封侯，故及大王之向臣，以請田宅為子孫業耳。」王大笑。王翦既行，至關，使使還請善田者五輩。或曰：「將軍之乞貸亦已甚矣！」王翦曰：「不然。王怚中而不信人，今空國中之甲士而專委於我，我不多請田宅為子孫業以自堅，顧令王坐而疑我矣。」

: "I ignored your counsel, and Li Xin has indeed shamed the Qin army.³ General, though you are ill—can you bear to leave me in the lurch?"⁴ Wang Jian pleaded illness and said he could not command. The king said: "Enough. Say no more!" , it cannot be done without six hundred thousand men!"⁵ The king said: "Done. I will follow your plan." Wang Jian then took six hundred thousand men against Chu. The king saw him off as far as Bashang. Wang Jian asked for a great many fine estates. The king said: "General, you are marching—why fear poverty?" Wang Jian said: "As your general I may win merit yet never be made a marquis. While you still heed me, I ask only fields and houses as my children's inheritance." The king laughed aloud. Once Wang Jian had marched, at the frontier pass he sent messengers back five times to ask for yet more fine land. Someone said: "The general's begging has gone too far!" Wang Jian said: "Not so. The king is suspicious by nature and trusts no one. He has emptied the realm of its soldiers and placed them all in my hands. Unless I ask loudly for land and houses as my children's patrimony—to make myself look harmless—he will sit on his throne and doubt me."

9

1王翦取陳以南至平輿。楚人聞王翦益軍而來，乃悉國中兵以御之；王翦堅壁不與戰。楚人數挑戰，終不出。王翦日休士洗沐，而善飲食，撫循之；親與士卒同食。久之，王翦使人問：「軍中戲乎？」對曰：「方投石、超距。」王翦曰：「可用矣！」楚既不得戰，乃引而東。王翦追之，令壯士擊，大破楚師，至蘄南，殺其將軍項燕，楚師遂敗走。王翦因乘勝略定城邑。

1. Wang Jian took everything from Chen south to Pingyu. When Chu heard Wang Jian was coming with a greater host, they mustered every soldier in the realm to meet him; Wang Jian walled his camps and refused battle. Chu challenged again and again; he never stirred. Day after day Wang Jian rested his men, let them wash, fed them well, and soothed them; he ate with the rank and file himself. After a long while Wang Jian sent to ask: "What games are the men playing?" The answer came: "Stone-casting and long jumps." Wang Jian said: "They are ready!" Chu, unable to draw him out, marched east. Wang Jian pursued, ordered his best men forward, shattered the Chu host, reached south of Qi, killed their general Xiang Yan, and Chu broke and ran. Wang Jian then pressed the victory and pacified city after city.

10

1王翦、蒙武虜楚王負芻，以其地置( 楚) 郡楚) 郡秦三十六郡無楚郡，蓋意為以楚地置郡，今刪「楚」字。。

1. Wang Jian and Meng Wu captured King Fuchu of Chu and on his lands established ( Chu) Chu)⁶ commandery—Qin's thirty-six commanderies include no "Chu" commandery; the sense is surely to establish commanderies on Chu soil; the character "Chu" is deleted here. .

11

1大興兵，使王賁攻遼東，虜燕王喜。

1. Qin mobilized on a great scale and sent Wang Ben against Liaodong, capturing King Xi of Yan.

12

::臣光曰：燕丹不勝一朝之忿以犯虎狼之秦，輕慮淺謀，挑怨速禍，使召公之廟不祀忽諸，罪孰大焉！而論者或謂之賢，豈不過哉！ ::夫為國家者，任官以才，立政以禮，懷民以仁，交鄰以信。是以官得其人，政得其節，百姓懷其德，四鄰親其義。夫如是，則國家安如磐石，熾如焱火。觸之者碎，犯之者焦，雖有強暴之國，尚何足畏哉！丹釋此不為，顧以萬乘之國，決匹夫之怒，逞盜賊之謀，功隳身戮，社稷為墟，不亦悲哉！ ::夫其膝行、蒲伏，非恭也；復言、重諾，非信也；糜金、散玉，非惠也；刎首、決腹，非勇也。要之，謀不遠而動不義，其楚白公勝之流乎！ ::荊軻懷其豢養之私，不顧七族，欲以尺八匕首強燕而弱秦，不亦愚乎！故揚子論之，以要離為蛛蝥之靡，聶政為壯士之靡，荊軻為刺客之靡，皆不可謂之義。又曰：「荊軻，君子盜諸！」善哉！----

:: Your servant Guang says: Crown Prince Dan could not master a single morning's rage and struck at Qin, tiger and wolf among states—shallow in counsel, reckless in plan, inviting hatred and hurrying ruin, until Duke Shao's temple stood empty overnight. What crime could be greater? Yet some writers call him noble. Have they not praised him far too much? :: Who rules a state appoints men by talent, governs by ritual, holds the people with benevolence, and deals with neighbors in good faith. Then offices hold the right men, policy keeps its proper measure, the people embrace its virtue, and the four quarters honor its righteousness. Then the state stands firm as bedrock and burns hot as flame. Touch it and you shatter; strike it and you burn. What violent kingdom could still be feared? Dan cast this aside. With a realm of ten thousand chariots he indulged a private man's rage and a thief's design—merit undone, body slain, the altars ashes. Is it not pitiful? :: Kneeling and crawling prostrate is not true respect; endless vows and grand promises are not true faith; pouring out gold and jade is not true generosity; slitting the throat and ripping the belly is not true courage. In the end, plans without foresight and deeds without righteousness—are they not kin to Bai Gusheng of Chu? :: Jing Ke nursed the debt of his patron's table, heedless of seven clans, and thought a foot-and-eight-inch dagger could strengthen Yan and weaken Qin. Was he not a fool? Yang Xiong judged them thus: Yao Li was the spider's gossamer wasted; Nie Zheng, a brave man's life wasted; Jing Ke, an assassin's life wasted—none may be called righteous. He also said: "Jing Ke was a thief, gentlemen!" "Well said!

13

2王賁攻代，虜代王嘉。----

2. Wang Ben attacked Dai and captured King Jia.

14

3王翦悉定荊江南地，降百越之君，置會稽郡。----

3. Wang Jian pacified all the Yangzi southlands, brought the Hundred Yue lords to submit, and established Kuaiji commandery.

15

4〔夏〕，五月，天下大酺。----

.⁷

16

5初，齊君王后賢，事秦謹，與諸侯信；齊亦東邊海上。秦日夜攻三晉、燕、楚，五國各自救，以故齊王建立四十餘年不受兵。及君王后且死，戒王建曰：「群臣之可用者某。」王曰：「請書之。」君王后曰：「善！」王取筆牘受言，君王后曰；「老婦已忘矣。」君王后死，后勝相齊，多受秦間金。賓客入秦，秦又多與金。客皆為反間，勸王朝秦，不修攻戰之備，不助五國攻秦，秦以故得滅五國。

5. Early on, the Queen Mother of the Qi king was capable; she served Qin carefully and kept faith with the other states; Qi likewise bordered the eastern sea. Qin attacked the Three Jin states, Yan, and Chu without cease; the five states each came to one another’s aid—so the Qi king, enthroned more than forty years, saw no war. When the Queen Mother was dying, she warned King Jian: “Among the ministers you can rely on, so-and-so.” The king said: “Please write them down.” The Queen Mother said: “Good!” The king took brush and tablets to receive her words; the Queen Mother said: “This old woman has already forgotten.” After the Queen Mother died, Hou Sheng became Qi’s chancellor and took large bribes from Qin agents. Retainers went to Qin, and Qin gave them still more gold. The retainers all acted as enemy agents, urging the king to submit to Qin, neglect defenses, and refuse to help the five states attack Qin—so Qin was able to destroy them.

17

齊王將入朝，雍門司馬〔橫戟當馬〕前曰：「所為立王者，為社稷耶，為王耶？」王曰：「為社稷。」司馬曰：「為社稷立王，王何以去社稷而入秦？」齊王還車而返。

: “Why was a king installed—for the state, or for the king himself?”⁸ The king said: “For the state.” The marshal said: “If the king was enthroned for the state, why does he abandon the state and go to Qin?” The king of Qi turned his carriage around and went back.

18

即墨大夫聞之，見齊王曰：「齊地方( 數) 千里，帶甲數〔十〕( 百) 萬數) 千里帶甲數〔十〕( 百) 萬《史記·蘇秦列傳》言齊「地方二千餘里，帶甲數十萬」，此「數」當為「二」或為衍字，「百」當為「十」，今刪改。下均同。。夫三晉大夫皆不便秦，而在阿、鄄之間者百數；王收而與之〔十〕( 百) 萬人之眾，使收三晉之故地，即臨晉之關可以入矣。鄢郢大夫不欲為秦，而在城南下者百數，王收而與之〔十〕( 百) 萬之師，使收楚故地，即武關可以入矣。如此，則齊威可立，秦國可亡，豈特保其國家而已哉！」齊王不聽。

The grandee of Jimo, hearing of this, went to the king of Qi and said: “Qi’s territory is [several] ( several) thousand li; armored troops number [tens of] ( hundreds of) several)⁹ thousand li; armored troops number [tens of] ( hundreds of) myriad—the “Biography of Su Qin” in the Records says Qi had “more than two thousand li of territory and several hundred thousand armored troops”; here “several” should be “two” or is redundant, and “hundred” should be “ten”—now emended. The same emendation applies below. . The grand officers of the Three Jin all resent Qin; hundreds of them are stranded between A and Juanz; if Your Majesty gathers them and gives them [one] ( hundred) myriad troops and has them recover the Three Jin’s old lands, you can enter at once through the Pass of Linjin. Hundreds of officers of Yan and Ying who refuse to serve Qin are south of the walls—if Your Majesty gathers them and gives them [one] ( hundred) myriad troops and has them recover Chu’s old lands, you can enter at once through Wu Pass. In this way Qi’s prestige can be restored and Qin destroyed—is that not better than merely preserving your own state?” The king of Qi would not listen.

19

1王賁自燕南攻齊，卒入臨淄，民莫敢格者。秦使人誘齊王，約封以五百里之地。齊王遂降，秦遷之共，處之松柏之間，餓而死。齊人怨王建不早與諸侯合從，聽奸人賓客以亡其國，歌之曰：「松耶，柏耶，住建共者客耶！」疾建用客之不詳也。

1. Wang Ben attacked Qi from the south through Yan; he finally entered Linzi, and none of the people dared resist. Qin sent men to lure the king of Qi, promising him a fief of five hundred li. The king of Qi surrendered; Qin moved him to Gong, lodged him among pines and cypresses, and let him starve to death. The people of Qi blamed King Jian for not joining the vertical alliance early and for heeding treacherous retainers until the state perished; they sang: “Pine, eh? Cypress, eh? Was it the retainers who put Jian at Gong!” They blamed Jian for employing retainers without due scrutiny.

20

::臣光曰：從衡之說雖反覆百端，然大要合從者，六國之利也。昔先王建萬國，親諸侯，使之朝聘以相交，饗宴以相樂，會盟以相結者，無他，欲其同心戮力以保國家也。向使六國能以信義相親，則秦雖強暴，安得而亡之哉！夫三晉者，齊、楚之籓蔽；齊、楚者，三晉之根柢；形勢相資，表里相依。故以三晉而攻齊、楚，自絕其根柢也；以齊、楚而攻三晉，自撤其籓蔽也。安有撤其籓蔽以媚盜，曰「盜將愛我而不攻」，豈不悖哉！----

:: Your servant Guang says: Though the theories of vertical and horizontal alliances twist a hundred ways, in essence the vertical alliance serves the Six States’ interest. In antiquity the Former Kings founded the myriad states, treated the lords as kin, and had them exchange court visits and envoys, feast together, and covenant together—nothing more than wishing them united in heart and effort to preserve their states. Had the Six States only treated one another with trust and righteousness, however brutal Qin was, how could it have destroyed them! The Three Jin were Qi and Chu’s screen and shield; Qi and Chu were the Three Jin’s root and foundation; their strategic positions complemented one another; outer and inner relied on each other. Hence to use the Three Jin to attack Qi and Chu was to cut off one’s own foundation; to use Qi and Chu to attack the Three Jin was to pull away one’s own screen. Who pulls away his screen to flatter a thief, saying “The thief will love me and not attack”—is that not absurd!

21

2王初并天下，自以為德兼三皇，功過五帝，乃更號曰「皇帝」，命為「制」，令為「詔」，自稱曰「朕」。追尊莊襄王為太上皇。制曰：「死而以行為謚，則是子議父，臣議君也，甚無謂。自今以來，除謚法。朕為始皇帝，後世以計數，二世、三世至于萬世，傳之無窮。」----

2. When the king first united the realm, he thought his virtue matched the Three Sovereigns and his achievement surpassed the Five Emperors; he changed his title to “August Emperor,” called his orders “ordinances,” his commands “edicts,” and referred to himself as “I, the August One.” He posthumously honored King Zhuangxiang as Grand Supreme August One. An ordinance said: “To give posthumous titles based on conduct after death is for sons to judge fathers and ministers to judge rulers—utterly pointless. From now on, abolish the system of posthumous titles. I am the First August Emperor; later ages shall count by number—Second, Third, on to ten thousand generations, transmitted without end.”

22

3初，齊威、宣之時，鄒衍論著終始五德之運；及始皇并天下，齊人奏之。始皇採用其說，以為周得火德，秦代周，從所不勝，為水德。始改年，朝賀皆自十月朔；衣服、旌旄、節旗皆尚黑，數以六為紀。----

3. Early on, in the time of Kings Wei and Xuan of Qi, Zou Yan wrote on the cyclical course of the Five Powers; when the First August Emperor united the realm, men of Qi presented it to the throne. The First August Emperor adopted it, holding that Zhou had the power of Fire, Qin replaced Zhou by following what overcomes Fire, and took the power of Water. He changed the calendar year; court audiences and congratulations all began on the first day of the tenth month; garments, banners, pennants, and standards all honored black; numbers took six as their standard.

23

4丞相〔王〕綰〔等〕言：「燕、齊、荊地遠，不為置王，無以鎮之。請立諸子。」始皇下其議。廷尉斯曰：「周文、武所封子弟同姓甚眾，然後屬疏遠，相攻擊如仇讎，周天子弗能禁止。今海內賴陛下神靈一統，皆為郡、縣，諸子功臣以公賦稅重賞賜之，甚足易制，天下無異意，則安寧之術也。置諸侯不便。」始皇曰：「天下共苦戰鬥不休，以有侯王。賴宗廟，天下初定，又復立國，是樹兵也；而求其寧息，豈不難哉！廷尉議是。」

: “The lands of Yan, Qi, and Chu are distant; if we do not install kings there, we cannot hold them firm.¹⁰ We ask that Your Majesty’s sons be enfeoffed as kings.” The First August Emperor sent the proposal down for deliberation. Court Administrator Li Si said: “The same-surname kin whom Kings Wen and Wu of Zhou enfeoffed were very numerous; later, when ties grew distant, they attacked one another like mortal enemies, and the Zhou Son of Heaven could not stop them. Now the realm relies on Your Majesty’s numinous power in unification; all are commanderies and counties; sons and meritorious ministers can be richly rewarded from public taxes—they are easy to control, and when the realm has no other intent, this is the way to peace. Installing feudal lords would be inexpedient.” The First August Emperor said: “All under Heaven suffered endless warfare because there were marquises and kings. Thanks to the ancestral temple, the realm is newly settled; to establish states again would be to plant arms; and to seek peace from that—would that not be hard! The court administrator’s proposal is correct.”

24

分天下為三十六郡，郡置守、尉、監。

The realm was divided into thirty-six commanderies; each commandery had a governor, military commandant, and inspector.

25

收天下兵聚咸陽，銷以為鍾鐻、金人十二，重各千石，置宮廷中。一法度、衡、石、丈尺。徙天下豪傑於咸陽十二萬戶。

Weapons from across the realm were collected at Xianyang, melted into bells, bell-stands, and twelve golden figures, each weighing a thousand piculs, and placed in the palace courtyard. Standards of measure, weights, and dimensions were unified. The powerful families of the realm were moved to Xianyang—one hundred twenty thousand households.

26

諸廟及章臺、上林皆在渭南。每破諸侯，寫放其宮室，作之咸陽北阪上，南臨渭，自雍門以東至涇、渭，殿屋、覆道、周閣相屬，所得諸侯美人、鐘鼓以充入之。

The temples, Zhang Terrace, and the Upper Park were all south of the Wei. Each time a feudal state fell, its palaces were copied and built on the north slope at Xianyang, facing south over the Wei; from Yong Gate east to the Jing and Wei, halls, covered ways, and encircling galleries ran in succession; captured ladies, bells, and drums filled them.

27

1始皇巡隴西、北地，至雞頭山，過回中焉。----

1. The First August Emperor toured Longxi and Beidi, reached Mount Jitou, and passed through Huizhong.

28

2作信宮渭南，已，更命曰極廟。自極廟道通驪山，作甘泉前殿，築甬道自咸陽屬之，治馳道於天下。

2. He built the Trust Palace south of the Wei; when it was finished, he renamed it the Ultimate Temple. From the Ultimate Temple a road ran through to Mount Li; the front hall of Ganquan was built; a covered roadway was constructed from Xianyang to connect with it; express roads were built throughout the realm.

29

1始皇東行郡、縣，上鄒嶧山，立石頌功業。於是召集魯儒生七十人，至泰山下，議封禪。諸儒或曰：「古者封禪，為蒲車，惡傷山之土石、草木；掃地而祭，席用菹秸。」議各乖異。始皇以其難施用，由此絀儒生。而遂除車道，上自泰山陽至顛，立石頌德；從陰道下，禪於梁父。其禮頗采太祝之祀雍上帝所用，而封藏皆秘之，世不得而記也。

1. The First August Emperor traveled east through the commanderies and counties, ascended Mount Yi at Zou, and erected a stone praising his achievements. Thereupon he summoned seventy Confucian scholars of Lu to the foot of Mount Tai to discuss the feng and shan rites. Some scholars said: “In antiquity for the feng and shan rites they used rush carts, loathing to harm the mountain’s earth, stone, and plants; they swept the ground to sacrifice, and mats were of chopped straw.” Their proposals all differed. The First August Emperor found them impractical and from this rebuffed the scholars. He cleared the carriage road, ascended from the southern face of Mount Tai to the summit, and erected a stone praising his virtue; descended by the northern path and performed the shan rite at Mount Liangfu. The rites largely followed what the grand invoker used in sacrificing to the Supreme God at Yong, but what was sealed and stored was kept secret, and later ages have no record of it.

30

於是始皇遂東遊海上，行禮祠名山、大川及八神。始皇南登琅邪，大樂之，留三月，作琅邪臺，立石頌德，明得意。

Thereupon the First August Emperor traveled east along the coast, performing rites and sacrificing to famous mountains, great rivers, and the Eight Spirits. The First August Emperor ascended Langye in the south, greatly delighted in it, stayed three months, built the Langye Terrace, erected a stone praising his virtue, showing his satisfaction.

31

初，燕人宋毋忌、羨門子高之徒稱有仙道、形解銷化之術，燕、齊迂怪之士皆爭傳習之。自齊威王、宣王、燕昭王皆信其言，使人入海求蓬萊、方丈、瀛洲，雲此三神山在勃海中，去人不遠。患且至，則風引舡去。嘗有至者，諸仙人及不死之藥皆在焉。及始皇至海上，諸方士齊人徐市等爭上書言之，請得齊戒與童男女求之。於是遣徐市發童男女數千人入海求之。舡交海中，皆以風解，曰：「未能至，望見之焉。」

Early on, men of Yan such as Master Wuji of Song and Master Zigaoshan claimed the Way of immortals and techniques of bodily dissolution and transmutation; eccentric gentlemen of Yan and Qi all vied to transmit and study them. From Kings Wei and Xuan of Qi and King Zhao of Yan, all believed them and sent men to sea seeking Penglai, Fangzhang, and Yingzhou—it was said these three spirit-isles lay in the Bohai Sea, not far from mankind. When they were about to arrive, a wind would carry the boats away. Some had reached them; the immortals and the elixir of immortality were all there. When the First August Emperor reached the coast, various masters of the arts such as Xu Shi of Qi all vied to memorialize on the matter, asking for purification by fasting and boys and girls to seek them. Thereupon he sent Xu Shi with several thousand boys and girls to sea to seek them. The boats met at sea; all were scattered by wind; they said: “We could not reach them, yet we saw them from afar.”

32

始皇還，過彭城，齋戒禱祠，欲出周鼎泗水，使千人沒水求之，弗得。乃西南渡淮水，之衡山、南郡。浮江至湘山祠，逢大風，幾不能渡。上問博士曰：「湘君何神？」對曰：「聞之：堯女，舜之妻，葬此。」始皇大怒，使刑徒三千人皆伐湘山樹，赭其山。遂自南郡由武關歸。----

The First August Emperor returned, passed Pengcheng, purified himself by fasting and prayed and sacrificed, wished to raise the Zhou cauldrons from the Si River, sent a thousand men diving to seek them, but did not recover them. He then crossed the Huai southwestward, going to Hengshan and Nan commandery. He sailed down the river to the shrine of Mount Xiang, met a great gale, and was nearly unable to cross. The emperor asked the erudites: “What deity is the Lord of the Xiang?” One replied: “I have heard it said: a daughter of Yao, wife of Shun, is buried here.” The First Emperor was furious and sent three thousand convict laborers to fell every tree on Mount Xiang and redden the mountain. He then returned from Nan commandery by way of Wu Pass.

33

2初，韓人張良，其父、祖以上五世相韓。及韓亡，良散千金之產，欲為韓報仇。

2. Earlier, Zhang Liang of Han came from a family that had served as chancellor of Han for five generations, from his father and grandfather back. When Han fell, Liang gave away an estate worth a thousand in gold, seeking to avenge Han.

34

1始皇東遊，至陽武博浪沙中，張良令力士操鐵椎狙擊始皇，誤中副車。始皇驚，求，弗得；令天下大索十日。----

1. On an eastern tour the First Emperor reached Bolang Sand in Yangwu; Zhang Liang had a strongman wield an iron mace in ambush, but the blow struck the secondary carriage by mistake. The First Emperor was alarmed and searched, but could not find him; he ordered a realm-wide manhunt for ten days.

35

2始皇遂登之罘，刻石；旋，之琅邪，道上黨入。

2. The First Emperor then ascended Zhi and had a stone inscribed; then went on to Langye and entered by way of Shangdang.

36

1使黔首自實田。

1. He ordered commoners to register their own land holdings.

37

1始皇之碣石，使燕人盧生求羨門，刻碣石門。壞城郭，決通堤坊。始皇巡北邊，從上郡入。盧生使入海還，因奏《錄圖書》曰：「亡秦者胡也。」始皇乃遣將軍蒙恬發兵三十萬人，北伐匈奴。

1. The First Emperor went to Jieshi, sent Lu Sheng of Yan to seek Xianmen, and had the Jieshi Gate inscribed. He tore down outer walls and ramparts and cut through dikes and embankments to open waterways. The First Emperor toured the northern frontier and entered through Shang commandery. Lu Sheng returned from a mission to the sea and presented the Recorded Chart Book, saying: “He who will destroy Qin is Hu.” The First Emperor then sent General Meng Tian with an army of three hundred thousand to attack the Xiongnu in the north.

38

1發諸嘗逋亡人、贅婿、賈人為兵，略取南越陸梁地，置桂林、南海、象郡；以謫徙民五十萬人戍五嶺，與越雜處。----

1. He drafted fugitives, surplus sons-in-law, and merchants as soldiers, seized the Luliang region of Southern Yue, and established the commanderies of Guilin, Nanhai, and Xiang; and sent five hundred thousand exiles to garrison the Five Ridges, living intermingled with the Yue.

39

2蒙恬斥逐匈奴，收河南地為四十四縣。築長城，因地形，用制險塞。起臨洮至遼東，延袤萬餘里。於是渡河，據陽山，逶迤而北。暴師於外十餘年。蒙恬常居上郡統治之，威振匈奴。

2. Meng Tian drove back the Xiongnu, recovered the territory south of the Yellow River, and organized it into forty-four counties. He built the Long Wall along the terrain to control strategic passes. It ran from Lintao to Liaodong, more than ten thousand li end to end. He then crossed the river, held Yang Mountain, and wound his way north. His army remained in the field for more than ten years. Meng Tian usually stayed in Shang commandery to govern the region, and his prestige awed the Xiongnu.

40

1謫治獄吏不直及覆獄故、失者，築長城及處南越地。

1. Officials convicted of judicial misconduct or of retrying closed cases were banished to build the Long Wall or serve in the Southern Yue lands.

41

丞相李斯上書曰：「異時諸侯並爭，厚招遊學。今天下已定，法令出一，百姓當家則力農工，士則學習法令。今諸生不師今而學古，以非當世，惑亂黔首，相與非法教。人聞令下，則各以其學議之，入則心非，出則巷議，誇主以為名，異趣以為高，率群下以造謗。如此弗禁，則主勢降乎上，黨與成乎下。禁之便！臣請史官非秦記皆燒之；非博士官所職，天下有藏《詩》、《書》、百家語者，皆詣守、尉雜燒之。有敢偶語《詩》、《書》，棄市；以古非今者族；吏見知不舉，與同罪。令下三十日，不燒，黔為城旦。所不去者，醫藥、卜筮、種樹之書。若有欲學法令者，以吏為師。」制曰：「可。」

Chancellor Li Si memorialized the throne: “In former times the feudal lords fought one another and lavishly recruited wandering scholars. Now the realm is settled and laws issue from a single source: commoners at home should devote themselves to farming and crafts, and gentlemen should study the laws. Yet scholars today ignore the present to study antiquity, condemn the age, mislead the common people, and band together against lawful instruction. When an order is issued, each debates it by his own school; inwardly they disapprove, outwardly they gossip in the streets, flatter the ruler for reputation, prize eccentric views as superiority, and lead the masses to slander. If this is not stopped, the ruler’s authority will decline above and factions will form below. It must be forbidden! I ask that all records in the historians’ offices that are not Qin annals be burned; and that all copies of the Odes, Documents, and writings of the hundred schools held outside erudite offices be brought to local governors and commandants and burned. Whoever dares discuss the Odes or Documents together shall be executed in the marketplace; whoever uses antiquity to condemn the present shall have his clan exterminated; and any official who sees this and fails to report it shares the same punishment. Thirty days after the order, those who have not burned their books shall be tattooed and sentenced to dawn-wall labor. Books on medicine, divination, and agriculture are exempt. Those who wish to study laws and orders must take officials as their teachers.” The edict read: “Approved.”

42

魏人陳餘謂孔鮒曰：「秦將滅先王之籍，而子為書籍之主，其危哉！」子魚曰：「吾為無用之學，知吾者惟友。秦非吾友，吾何危哉！吾將藏之以待其求；求至，無患矣。」

Chen Yu of Wei said to Kong Fu: “Qin is about to destroy the records of the former kings, and you are keeper of the books—how dangerous!” Ziyu said: “My learning is useless; only friends know me. Qin is not my friend—why should I be in peril? I shall hide them and wait until they are sought; once they are sought, there will be no trouble.”

43

1使蒙恬除直道，道九原，抵雲陽，塹山堙谷千八百里，數年不就。----

1. He had Meng Tian clear the Straight Road from Jiuyuan to Yunyang, cutting through mountains and filling valleys for eighteen hundred li; it was still unfinished after several years.

44

2始皇以為咸陽人多，先王之宮廷小，乃營作朝宮渭南上林苑中，先作前殿阿房，東西五百步，南北五十丈，上可以坐萬人，下可以建五丈旗，周馳為閣道，自殿下直抵南山，表南山之顛以為闕。為衣覆道，自阿房渡渭，屬之咸陽，以象天極閣道、絕漢抵營室也。隱宮、徒刑者七十〔餘〕萬人，乃分作阿房宮或作驪山。發北山石槨，寫蜀、荊地材，皆至；關中計宮三百，關外四百餘。於是立石東海上朐界中，以為秦東門。因徙三萬家驪邑，五萬家雲陽，皆復不事十歲。

2. Thinking Xianyang overcrowded and the former kings’ palaces too small, he built a court palace in the Shanglin Park south of the Wei, first erecting the front hall of Epang—five hundred paces east to west and five hundred zhang north to south, able to seat ten thousand above and fly a fifty-foot banner below; elevated corridors ran all around from the hall straight to South Mountain, whose summit was marked as a gate-tower. He built covered passageways from Epang across the Wei to link with Xianyang, symbolizing the celestial pole’s elevated corridor crossing the Milky Way to the Encampment constellation. , and they were divided between building Epang Palace and building Mount Li.¹¹ Stone was quarried in the northern mountains and timber floated from Shu and Jing—all arrived; within the passes there were three hundred palaces; outside, more than four hundred. He then set up a stone at Ju on the eastern sea as Qin’s eastern gate. He moved thirty thousand households to Li Yi and fifty thousand to Yunyang, all exempt from taxes and corvée for ten years.

45

盧生說始皇曰：「方中：人主時為微行以辟惡鬼。惡鬼辟，真人至。願上所居宮毋令人知，然後不死之藥殆可得也。」始皇曰：「吾慕真人。」自謂「真人」，不稱「朕」。乃令咸陽之旁二百里內宮觀二百七十，複道、甬道相連，帷帳、鐘鼓、美人充之，各案署不移徙。行所幸，有言其處者，罪死。始皇幸梁山宮，從山上見丞相車騎眾，弗善也。中人或告丞相，丞相後損車騎。始皇怒曰：「此中人泄吾語！」案問，莫服，捕時在旁者，盡殺之。自是後，莫知行之所在。群臣受決事者，悉於咸陽宮。

Lu Sheng urged the First Emperor: “By one method, the ruler should sometimes travel incognito to avoid evil ghosts. When evil ghosts are kept away, the True Man will come. If no one knows where Your Majesty lodges, the elixir of immortality may almost be obtained.” The First Emperor said: “I admire the True Man.” He called himself “True Man” and stopped using the title zhen (“I, the Emperor”). He ordered two hundred and seventy palaces and towers within two hundred li of Xianyang, linked by elevated and covered walkways and stocked with hangings, bells, drums, and consorts, each with fixed staff that never moved. Whoever revealed where he was traveling was put to death. At Liang Mountain Palace the First Emperor looked down from the hill, saw the chancellor’s large retinue of chariots and horsemen, and was displeased. A palace attendant told the chancellor, who thereafter reduced his escort. The First Emperor raged: “These palace people leaked my words!” He investigated; none confessed, so he seized everyone who had been nearby and killed them all. After that, no one knew where he was. Ministers awaiting decisions all remained at Xianyang Palace.

46

侯生、盧生相與譏議始皇，因亡去。始皇聞之，大怒曰：「盧生等，吾尊賜之甚厚，今乃誹謗我！諸生在咸陽者，吾使人廉問，或為妖言以亂黔首。」於是御史悉案問諸生。諸生傳相告引，乃自除犯禁者四百六十餘人，皆坑之咸陽，使天下知之，以懲後；益發謫徙邊。始皇長子扶蘇諫曰：「諸生皆誦法孔子。今上皆重法繩之，臣恐天下不安。」始皇怒，使扶蘇北監蒙恬軍於上郡。

Hou Sheng and Lu Sheng mocked the First Emperor together and fled. When he heard this, the First Emperor raged: “Lu Sheng and the rest—I honored and enriched them lavishly, yet now they slander me! I have had the scholars in Xianyang investigated; some spread weird talk to confuse the people.” The imperial censor then interrogated every scholar. Scholars informed on one another; more than four hundred and sixty who had violated the ban were identified and buried alive at Xianyang, so the realm would know and take warning; and still more exiles were sent to the frontier. Fusu, the First Emperor’s eldest son, remonstrated: “These scholars all study the laws of Confucius. Now Your Majesty punishes them all harshly; I fear the realm will not be at peace.” The First Emperor was angry and sent Fusu north to oversee Meng Tian’s army in Shang commandery.

47

1有隕石于東郡。或刻其石曰：「始皇死而地分。」始皇使御史逐問，莫服；盡取石旁居人誅之，燔其石。----

1. A meteorite fell in Dong commandery. Someone carved on the stone: “When the First Emperor dies, the land will be divided.” The First Emperor sent censors to investigate; none confessed; he executed everyone living near the stone and burned it.

48

2遷河北榆中三萬家；賜爵一級。

2. He moved thirty thousand households to Yuzhong north of the Yellow River; each granted one step in rank.

49

1冬，十月，癸丑，始皇出遊；左丞相李斯從，右丞相馮去疾守。始皇二十餘子，少子胡亥最愛，請從；上許之。----

1. In winter, the tenth month, on the day guichou, the First Emperor set out on tour; Left Chancellor Li Si accompanied him; Right Chancellor Feng Quji stayed behind to guard the capital. The First Emperor had more than twenty sons; his youngest, Huhai, whom he loved most, asked to accompany him; and the emperor agreed.

50

2十一月，行至雲夢，望祀虞舜於九疑山。浮江下，觀藉柯，渡海渚，過丹陽，至錢唐，臨浙江。水波惡，乃西百二十里，從陿中渡。上會稽，祭大禹，望于南海；立石頌德。還，過吳，從江乘渡。並海上，北至琅邪、罘。見巨魚，射殺之。遂並海西，至平原津而病。

2. In the eleventh month he reached Yunmeng and offered a distant sacrifice to Emperor Shun at Mount Jiuyi. He sailed downriver, viewed Jieke, crossed Haizhu, passed Danyang, reached Qiantang, and came to the Zhe River. The waves were too rough, so he went west a hundred and twenty li and crossed through the narrow pass. He ascended Mount Kuaiji, sacrificed to Yu the Great, and gazed toward the southern sea; and set up a stone praising his virtue. On the return he passed Wu and crossed from Jiangcheng. He followed the coast north to Langye and Zhi. He saw an enormous fish and shot it dead. He continued along the western coast to Pingyuan Ford, where he fell ill.

51

始皇惡言死，群臣莫敢言死事。病益甚，乃令中軍府令行符璽事趙高為書賜扶蘇曰：「與喪，會咸陽而葬。」書已封，在趙高所，未付使者。秋，七月，丙寅，始皇崩於沙丘平臺。丞相斯為上崩在外，恐諸公子及天下有變，乃秘之不發喪，棺載轀涼車中，故幸宦者驂乘。所至，上食、百官奏事如故，宦者輒從車中可其奏事。獨胡亥、趙高及幸宦者五六人知之。

The First Emperor hated any talk of death; no minister dared mention it. As he grew worse, he had Zhao Gao, chief of the central army office who handled seals and tallies, write a letter to Fusu: “Attend the funeral and meet at Xianyang for burial.” The letter was sealed and remained with Zhao Gao; it had not yet been given to the messenger. the First Emperor died at the Sand Dunes terrace.¹² Chancellor Si, fearing unrest among the princes and the realm when the ruler died away from the capital, kept the death secret and issued no mourning announcement. The coffin was placed in a closed carriage, with favored eunuchs riding beside the driver. Wherever they stopped, the ruler's meals and officials' memorials continued as usual; eunuchs would approve memorials from inside the carriage. Only Huhai, Zhao Gao, and five or six favored eunuchs knew.

52

初，始皇尊寵蒙氏，信任之。蒙恬任外將，蒙毅常居中參謀議，名為忠信，故雖諸將相莫敢與之爭。趙高者，生而隱宮，始皇聞其強力，通於獄法，舉以為中車府令，使教胡亥決獄，胡亥幸之。趙高有罪，始皇使蒙毅治之；毅當高法應死。始皇以高敏於事，赦之，復其官。趙高既雅得幸於胡亥，又怨蒙氏，乃說胡亥，請詐以始皇命誅扶蘇而立胡亥為太子。胡亥然其計。趙高曰：「不與丞相謀，恐事不能成。」乃見丞相斯曰：「上賜長子書及符璽，皆在胡亥所。定太子，在君侯與高之口耳。事將何如？」斯曰：「安得亡國之言！此非人臣所當議也！」高曰：「君侯材能、謀慮、功高、無怨、長子信之，此五者皆孰與蒙恬？」斯曰：「不及也。」高曰：「然則長子即位，必用蒙恬為丞相，君侯終不懷通侯之印歸鄉里明矣！胡亥慈仁篤厚，可以為嗣。願君審計而定之！」丞相斯以為然，乃相與謀，詐為受始皇詔，立胡亥為太子。更為書賜扶蘇，數以不能闢地立功，士卒多耗，〔反〕數上書，直言誹謗，日夜怨望不得罷歸為太子，將軍恬不矯正，知其謀，皆賜死，以兵屬裨將王離。

Earlier the First Emperor had honored and trusted the Meng clan. Meng Tian commanded in the field; Meng Yi often advised at court. Renowned for loyalty, they were unmatched even among generals and chancellors. Zhao Gao had been castrated at birth. The First Emperor, hearing he was strong and expert in penal law, made him director of the palace carriage office and had him teach Huhai to judge cases. Huhai favored him. When Zhao Gao offended, the First Emperor had Meng Yi try him; Yi found Gao guilty and liable to death under the law. The First Emperor, deeming Gao capable, pardoned him and restored his office. Zhao Gao, already favored by Huhai and resentful of the Mengs, urged Huhai to forge the First Emperor's order to kill Fusu and make Huhai crown prince. Huhai agreed to the plan. Zhao Gao said, “Without the chancellor's help, I fear this cannot succeed.” He then saw Chancellor Si and said, “The letter and imperial seal for the eldest son are both with Huhai. Who becomes crown prince is for you and me alone to decide. What will you do?” Si said, “How can you speak of ruining the state! This is no business for a minister!” Gao said, “In talent, counsel, merit, freedom from enemies, and the eldest son's trust—in all five, who compares with Meng Tian?” Si said, “I do not.” Gao said, “Then when the eldest son reigns, Meng Tian will surely be chancellor. You will never take a full marquis's seal home—that is plain! Huhai is kind and sincere—fit to be heir. Weigh this and decide!” Si agreed; they plotted together, forged an edict from the First Emperor, and made Huhai crown prince. with insolent slander, day and night resenting that he was not recalled as crown prince; General Tian did not correct him, knowing his intent—all were ordered to die, and the army was given to lieutenant general Wang Li.¹³

53

扶蘇發書，泣，入內舍，欲自殺。蒙恬曰：「陛下居外，未立太子；使臣將三十萬眾守邊，公子為監，此天下重任也。今一使者來，即自殺，安知其非詐！復請而後死，未暮也。」使者數趣之。扶蘇謂蒙恬曰：「父賜子死，尚安復請！」即自殺。蒙恬不肯死，使者以屬吏，繫諸陽周。更置李斯舍人為護軍，還報。胡亥已聞扶蘇死，即欲釋蒙恬。會蒙毅為始皇出禱山川，還至。趙高言於胡亥曰：「先帝欲舉賢立太子久矣，而毅諫以為不可，不若誅之！」乃繫諸代。遂從井陘抵九原。會暑，轀車臭，乃詔從官令車載一石鮑魚以亂之。從直道至咸陽，發喪。太子胡亥襲位。

Fusu opened the letter, wept, went to his quarters, and prepared to kill himself. Meng Tian said, “His Majesty is abroad and has not named a crown prince; I command three hundred thousand men on the frontier and you oversee us—this is a charge of the first importance. A single envoy arrives and you would die at once—how do you know this is not a trick! Send to verify and then die—it is not yet too late.” The envoy pressed him repeatedly. Fusu said to Meng Tian, “When a father orders his son to die, what more is there to ask!” He killed himself at once. Meng Tian refused to die; the envoy handed him to the officials and had him imprisoned at Yangzhou. They replaced him with a retainer of Li Si as army protector and returned with word. Huhai, hearing Fusu was dead, wished at once to release Meng Tian. Just then Meng Yi returned from praying at mountains and rivers on the First Emperor's behalf. Zhao Gao told Huhai, “The late emperor long meant to make the worthy crown prince, but Yi dissuaded him—better kill him!” He was imprisoned at Dai. They then traveled from Jingxing to Jiuyuan. In the heat the carriage stank; they ordered attendants to load a picul of salted fish in each cart to mask the smell. They took the Imperial Highway to Xianyang and announced the death. Crown Prince Huhai succeeded to the throne.

54

九月，葬始皇於驪山，下錮三泉；奇器珍怪，徙藏滿之。令匠作機弩，有穿近者輒射之。以水銀為百川、江河、大海，機相灌輸。上具天文，下具地理。後宮無子者，皆令從死。葬既已下，或言工匠為機藏，皆知之，藏重即泄。大事盡，閉之墓中。----

In the ninth month they buried the First Emperor at Mount Li, sealing the Three Springs beneath; rare objects and curiosities were moved in until it was full. Craftsmen made triggered crossbows to shoot anyone who broke in. Mercury formed the hundred streams, rivers, and sea, pumped by mechanisms. The ceiling bore the heavens; the floor, the earth. Concubines who had borne no sons were all ordered to die with him. After the burial, some said the craftsmen who built the traps knew the layout; once the treasure was sealed in, the secret would leak. When the work was done, they sealed the craftsmen inside the tomb.

55

3二世欲誅蒙恬兄弟。二世兄子子嬰諫曰：「趙王遷殺李牧而用顏聚，齊王建殺其故世忠臣而用後勝，卒皆亡國。蒙氏，秦之大臣謀士也，而陛下欲一旦棄去之。誅殺忠臣而立無節行之人，是內使群臣不相信，而外使鬥士之意離也。」二世弗聽，遂殺蒙毅及內史恬。恬曰：「自吾先人及至子孫，積功信於秦三世矣。今臣將兵三十餘萬，身雖囚繫，其勢足以倍畔。然自知必死而守義者，不敢辱先人之教，以不忘先帝也。」乃吞藥自殺。

3 The Second Emperor wished to kill the Meng brothers. The Second Emperor's nephew Ziying remonstrated: “King Qian of Zhao killed Li Mu and used Yan Ju; King Jian of Qi killed his old loyal ministers and used Hou Sheng—both states fell in the end. The Mengs are Qin's great ministers and strategists, yet Your Majesty would cast them off at once. To kill loyal ministers and elevate men without principle is to lose your officials within and your warriors without.” The Second Emperor would not listen and killed Meng Yi and Interior Secretary Tian. Tian said, “From my ancestors to my descendants, we have served Qin with trusted merit for three generations. I now command more than three hundred thousand men; though imprisoned, my power is enough to rebel twice over. Yet knowing I must die, I hold to righteousness and dare not disgrace my ancestors' teaching or forget the late emperor.” He swallowed poison and died.

56

::揚子《法言》曰：或問：「蒙恬忠而被誅，忠奚可為也？」曰：「漸山，堙谷，起臨洮，擊遼水，力不足而尸有餘，忠不足相也。」

:: Yang Xiong's Fayan says: Someone asked, “Meng Tian was loyal yet was executed—what good is loyalty?” The answer was, “Mountains piled, valleys filled, from Lintao to the Liao—strength fell short yet corpses piled up; loyalty is no match for that."

57

::臣光曰：秦始皇方毒天下而蒙恬為之使，恬不仁不知矣。然恬明於為人臣之義，雖無罪見誅，能守死不貳，斯亦足稱也。

:: Your servant Guang says: The First Emperor was poisoning the realm, and Meng Tian served him—Tian was neither humane nor wise. Yet Tian understood a minister's duty; though executed without guilt, he held to death without wavering—that too deserves praise.

58

1冬，十月，戊寅，大赦。----

1 Winter, tenth month, wuyin—a general amnesty.

59

2春，二世東行郡縣，李斯從；到碣石，並海，南至會稽；而盡刻始皇所立刻石，旁著大臣從者名，以章先帝成功盛德而還。

2 In spring the Second Emperor toured the eastern commanderies and counties; Li Si accompanied him; he reached Jieshi, followed the coast south to Kuaiji; had every inscription the First Emperor had carved renewed, with the names of accompanying ministers added, to proclaim the late emperor's achievements and virtue, then returned.

60

夏，四月，二世至咸陽，謂趙高曰：「夫人生居世間也，譬猶騁六驥過決隙也。吾既已臨天下矣，欲悉耳目之所好，窮心志之所樂，以終吾年壽，可乎？」高曰：「此賢主之所能行，而昏亂主之所禁也。雖然，有所未可。臣請言之：夫沙丘之謀，諸公子及大臣皆疑焉；而諸公子盡帝兄，大臣又先帝之所置也。今陛下初立，此其屬意怏怏皆不服，恐為變。臣戰戰慄栗，唯恐不終，陛下安得為此樂乎！」二世曰：「為之奈何？」趙高曰：「陛下嚴法而刻刑，令有罪者相坐，誅滅大臣及宗室；然後收舉遺民，貧者富之，賤者貴之。盡除去先帝之故臣，更置陛下之所親信者，此則陰德歸陛下，害除而奸謀塞，群臣莫不被潤澤，蒙厚德，陛下則高枕肆志寵樂矣。計莫出於此。」二世然之。乃更為法律，務益刻深，大臣、諸公子有罪，輒下高鞠治之。於是公子十二人僇死咸陽市，十公主矺死於杜，財物入於縣官，相連逮者不可勝數。

Summer, fourth month—the Second Emperor reached Xianyang and told Zhao Gao, “Life in this world is like six swift horses flashing past a crack. I already rule the realm. I wish to indulge every pleasure of eye and ear and exhaust every delight of heart and will to the end of my days—may I?” Gao said, “That is what a worthy ruler may do, but what a benighted ruler must forbid. Even so, something stands in the way. Allow me to explain: over the plot at Sand Dunes, the princes and ministers all harbor doubts; the princes are all the late emperor's elder brothers, and the ministers were appointed by him. Your Majesty has only just ascended; they are resentful and displeased. I fear rebellion. I tremble in fear that all will not end well—how can Your Majesty seek such pleasures!” The Second Emperor said, “What should be done?” Zhao Gao said, “Tighten the laws and sharpen punishments; make the guilty implicate one another; kill the great ministers and the imperial clan; then gather up the common people, enrich the poor, and ennoble the lowly. Remove all the late emperor's old ministers and appoint your own trusted men. Hidden merit will be yours, threats gone and plots blocked. Every official will bathe in your grace; you may pillow your head high and indulge as you please. No plan is better.” The Second Emperor agreed. They revised the laws to be harsher still; when ministers or princes offended, Zhao Gao was sent to try them. Twelve princes were executed in Xianyang market; ten princesses were crushed to death at Du; their property went to the treasury; those caught in the chain of guilt were beyond count.

61

公子將閭昆弟三人囚於內宮，議其罪獨後。二世使使令將閭曰：「公子不臣，罪當死！吏致法焉。」將閭曰：「闕廷之禮，吾未嘗敢不從賓贊也，廊廟之位，吾未嘗敢失節也，受命應對，吾未嘗敢失辭也，何謂不臣？願聞罪而死！」使者曰：「臣不得與謀，奉書從事。」將閭乃仰天大呼「天」者三，曰：「吾無罪！」昆弟三人皆流涕，拔劍自殺。宗室振恐。公子高欲奔，恐收族，乃上書曰：「先帝無恙時，臣入〔則〕( 門) 賜食門) 賜食據章校改。，出則乘輿，御府之衣，臣得賜之，中廄之寶馬，臣得賜之。臣當從死而不能，為人子不孝，為人臣不忠。不孝不忠者，無名以立於世，臣請從死，願葬驪山之足。唯上幸哀憐之！」書上，二世大說，召趙高而示之，曰：「此可謂急乎？」趙高曰：「人臣當憂死而不暇，何變之得謀！」二世可其書，賜錢十萬以葬。

Prince Jianglu and his three full brothers were imprisoned in the inner palace; their case alone was held back. The Second Emperor sent an envoy to Jianglu: “You are disloyal, prince—death is your due! Let the law take its course.” Jianglu said, “At court I never failed the usher's cues; in the hall I never missed a step of ritual; in receiving orders I never misspoke—what disloyalty is this? Let me hear my crime before I die!” The envoy said, “I may not deliberate—I carry the order and obey.” Jianglu looked up and thrice cried “Heaven!”, saying, “I am guiltless!” All three brothers wept, drew their swords, and killed themselves. The imperial clan trembled in fear. Prince Gao wished to flee but feared his clan would be punished; he submitted a letter: “When the late emperor was well, I entered 〔then〕( the gate) the gate)¹⁴ was given food—amended per Zhang's collation. when I go abroad I ride the imperial carriage; I have been given robes from the palace wardrobe and treasured horses from the central stables. I ought to have followed him in death but could not—unfilial as a son and unloyal as a minister. The unfilial and disloyal have no standing in the world. I beg leave to die with him and be buried at the foot of Mount Li. I beg Your Majesty's pity!” When the memorial arrived, the Second Emperor was delighted. He summoned Zhao Gao, showed it to him, and said, “Does this sound desperate?” Zhao Gao said, “A minister should be too busy fearing death to plot rebellion—how could he scheme!” The Second Emperor approved the memorial and granted one hundred thousand cash for burial.

62

復作阿房宮。盡徵材士五萬人為屯衛咸陽，令教射。狗馬禽獸當食者多，度不足，下調郡縣，轉輸菽粟、芻稿。皆令自齎糧食；咸陽三百里內不得食其穀。----

Work on Epang Palace was resumed. Fifty thousand able-bodied men were conscripted to garrison Xianyang and trained in archery. So many dogs, horses, birds, and beasts needed feeding that supplies ran short; the court ordered the commanderies and counties to ship grain and fodder. All were ordered to bring their own food; and no grain within three hundred li of Xianyang might be consumed locally.

63

3秋，七月，陽城人陳勝、陽夏人吳廣起兵於蘄。是時，發閭左戍漁陽，九百人屯大澤鄉，陳勝、吳廣皆為屯長。會天大雨，道不通，度已失期。失期，法皆斬。陳勝、吳廣因天下之愁怨，乃殺將尉，召令徒屬曰；「公等皆失期當斬，假令毋斬，而戍死者固什六七。且壯士不死則已，死則舉大名耳！王侯將相寧有種乎！」眾皆從之。乃詐稱公子扶蘇、項燕，為壇而盟，稱大楚；陳勝自立為將軍，吳廣為都尉。攻大澤鄉，拔之。收而攻蘄，蘄下。乃令符離人葛嬰將兵徇蘄以東，攻銍、酇、苦、柘、譙，皆下之。行收兵，比至陳，車六七百乘，騎千餘，卒數萬人。攻陳，陳守、尉皆不在，獨守丞與戰譙門中，不勝；守丞死，陳勝乃入據陳。

3 In autumn, the seventh month, Chen Sheng of Yangcheng and Wu Guang of Yangxia rose in arms at Qi. At that time nine hundred men from the poor lanes were being sent to garrison Yuyang and were encamped at Daze township; Chen Sheng and Wu Guang were both platoon leaders. Heavy rain made the roads impassable, and they knew they would miss the deadline. Missing the deadline meant death by law for all. Chen Sheng and Wu Guang, seizing on popular grievance, killed the commander and adjutant, called the men together, and said: “You have all missed the deadline and face execution. Even if you were spared, six or seven in ten would die on the frontier anyway. A brave man may as well die for a great cause! Are kings, marquises, generals, and chancellors born to their rank!” The men all agreed. They falsely claimed to act for Prince Fusu and Xiang Yan, made an altar to swear alliance, and proclaimed Great Chu; Chen Sheng made himself general and Wu Guang commandant. They attacked Daze township and captured it. They rallied men, attacked Qi, and took it. They sent Ge Ying of Fuli east from Qi with troops to attack Zhi, Zan, Ku, Zhe, and Qiao—all submitted. Gathering troops as they marched, by the time they reached Chen they had six or seven hundred chariots, more than a thousand cavalry, and tens of thousands of infantry. They attacked Chen. The administrator and commandant were away; only the assistant administrator fought them at the Qiao gate and was beaten; the assistant administrator was killed, and Chen Sheng entered and held Chen.

64

初，大梁人張耳、陳餘相與為刎頸交。秦滅魏，聞二人魏之名士，重賞購求之。張耳、陳餘乃變名姓，俱之陳，為里監門以自食。里吏嘗以過笞陳餘，陳餘欲起，張耳躡之，使受笞。吏去，張耳乃引陳餘之桑下，數之曰：「始吾與公言何如？今見小辱而欲死一吏乎！」陳餘謝之。陳涉既入陳，張耳、陳餘詣門上謁。陳涉素聞其賢，大喜。陳中豪傑父老請立涉為楚王，涉以問張耳、陳餘。耳、餘對曰：「秦為無道，滅人社稷，暴虐百姓。將軍出萬死之計，為天下除殘也。今始至陳而王之，示天下私。願將軍毋王，急引兵而西。遣人立六國後，自為樹黨，為秦益敵。敵多則力分，與眾則兵強。如此，則野無交兵，縣無守城，誅暴秦，據咸陽，以令諸侯。諸侯亡而得立，以德服之，〔如此〕則帝業成矣。今獨王陳，恐天下懈也。」陳涉不聽，遂自立為王，號「張楚」。

Earlier Zhang Er of Daliang and Chen Yu had been sworn friends unto death. When Qin destroyed Wei, hearing they were renowned men of Wei, it offered heavy rewards for their capture. Zhang Er and Chen Yu changed their names, fled together to Chen, and lived as ward gatekeepers. A ward officer once flogged Chen Yu for an offense. Chen Yu started to rise; Zhang Er stepped on him and made him submit to the beating. When the officer left, Zhang Er took Chen Yu under a mulberry tree and rebuked him: “What did I tell you at the start? Will you throw your life away over a petty officer's insult!” Chen Yu apologized. Once Chen She had taken Chen, Zhang Er and Chen Yu came to his gate to pay court. Chen She had long known their reputation and was delighted. Chen's leading men asked that She be made King of Chu; She consulted Zhang Er and Chen Yu. Zhang Er and Chen Yu replied, “Qin is lawless—it has destroyed states and altars and brutalizes the people. You have risked death to rid the realm of this tyranny. To declare yourself king as soon as you reach Chen will show the realm you act for yourself. Do not take the title yet; march west at once. Send men to restore the heirs of the Six States, build your own party, and multiply Qin's enemies. More enemies divide Qin's strength; with allies your army grows stronger. Then no armies will meet in the field and no counties will hold out; you can destroy Qin, seize Xianyang, and command the feudal lords. .¹⁵ To make yourself king in Chen alone will make the realm lose heart.” “Chen She would not listen and declared himself king under the title Zhang Chu.”

65

當是時，諸郡縣苦秦法，爭殺長吏以應涉。謁者使從東方來，以反者聞。二世怒，下之吏。後使者至，上問之，對曰：「群盜鼠竊狗偷，郡守、尉方逐捕，今盡得，不足憂也。」上悅。

Throughout the commanderies and counties, men groaned under Qin law and killed their officials to join Chen She. An attendant envoy arrived from the east with news of the rebellion. The Second Emperor was furious and had him imprisoned. Later envoys arrived. When questioned they said, “The rebels are mere thieves and bandits; the administrators and commandants are hunting them down and have nearly captured them all. There is no cause for alarm.” The emperor was pleased.

66

陳王以吳叔為假王，監諸將以西擊滎陽。

King Chen made Wu Guang acting king to supervise the generals in the western attack on Xingyang.

67

張耳、陳餘復說陳王，請奇兵北略趙地。於是陳王以故所善陳人武臣為將軍，邵騷為護軍，以張耳、陳餘為左、右校尉，予卒三千人，徇趙。

Zhang Er and Chen Yu again urged King Chen to send a special force north to overrun Zhao. King Chen appointed his old friend Wu Chen of Chen as general, Shao Sao as army protector, and Zhang Er and Chen Yu as left and right commandants, with three thousand men to overrun Zhao.

68

陳王又令汝陰人鄧宗徇九江郡。當此時，楚兵數千人為聚者不可勝數。

King Chen also sent Deng Zong of Ruyin to overrun Jiujiang. At that time countless bands of Chu troops were gathering by the thousands.

69

葛嬰至東城，立襄彊為楚王。聞陳王已立，因殺襄彊還報。陳王誅殺葛嬰。

Ge Ying reached Dongcheng and made Xiang Qiang King of Chu. Learning that Chen She had already been crowned, he killed Xiang Qiang and returned to report. King Chen had Ge Ying executed.

70

陳王令〔魏人〕周市北徇魏地。以上蔡人房君蔡賜為上柱國。

.¹⁶ He made Cai Ci of Shangcai, Lord Fang, grand pillar of state.

71

陳王聞周文，陳之賢人也，習兵，乃與之將軍印，使西擊秦。

King Chen heard that Zhou Wen of Chen was a worthy man skilled in war; he gave him a general's seal and sent him west against Qin.

72

武臣等從白馬渡河，至諸縣，說其豪傑，豪傑皆應之。乃行收兵，得數萬人。號武臣為武信君。下趙十餘城。餘皆城守。乃引兵東北擊范陽。范陽蒯徹說武信君曰：「足下必將戰勝而後略地，攻得然後下城，臣竊以為過矣。誠聽臣之計，可不攻而降城，不戰而略地，傳檄而千里定，可乎？」武信君曰：「何謂也？」徹曰：「范陽令徐公，畏死而貪，欲先天下降。君若以為秦所置吏，誅殺如前十城，則邊地之城皆為金城、湯池，不可攻也。君若賚臣侯印以授范陽令，使乘朱輪華轂，驅馳燕、趙之郊，即燕、趙城可毋戰而降矣。」武信君曰：「善！」以車百乘、騎二百、侯印迎徐公。燕、趙聞之，不戰以城下者三十餘城。

Wu Chen and his force crossed at Baima, went from county to county winning over the local leaders, and all joined them. Marching on, they gathered tens of thousands of men. They gave Wu Chen the title Lord Martial Faith. They took more than a dozen Zhao cities. The rest held their walls. They then marched northeast against Fanyang. Kuai Che of Fanyang told Lord Martial Faith, “You mean to win every battle before advancing and storm every city before taking it—I think that is a mistake. If you follow my plan, you can take cities without siege and land without battle—a proclamation could settle a thousand li. Will you hear it?” Lord Martial Faith asked, “What do you propose?” Kuai Che said, “Magistrate Xu of Fanyang fears death and loves gain; he wants to surrender before you arrive. If you treat him as a Qin appointee and kill him as you did the last ten cities, every border town will become an impregnable fortress. If you give me a marquis's seal for the magistrate of Fanyang and let him ride in state through Yan and Zhao, their cities will surrender without a fight.” Lord Martial Faith said, “Excellent!” He sent a hundred chariots, two hundred horsemen, and a marquis's seal to welcome Magistrate Xu. When Yan and Zhao heard of this, more than thirty cities surrendered without fighting.

73

陳王既遣周章，以秦政之亂，有輕秦之意，不復設備。博士孔鮒諫曰：「臣聞兵法：『不恃敵之不我攻，恃吾不可攻。』今王恃敵而不自恃，若跌而不振，悔之無及也。」陳王曰：「寡人之軍，先生無累焉。」

After sending Zhou Zhang, King Chen, seeing Qin in disorder, grew contemptuous and ceased to take precautions. Erudite Kong Fu remonstrated: “The art of war says: ‘Do not count on the enemy not attacking; count on your own defenses being impregnable. ’ Yet you rely on the enemy and not on yourself. If you fall and do not rise, it will be too late for regret.” King Chen said, “Do not trouble yourself over my army, sir."

74

周文行收兵至關，車千乘，卒數十萬至戲，軍焉。二世乃大驚，與群臣謀曰：「奈何？」少府章邯曰：「盜已至，眾強，今發近縣，不及矣。驪山徒多，請赦之，授兵以擊之。」二世乃大赦天下，使章邯免驪山徒、人奴產子，悉發以擊楚軍，大敗之。周文走。

Zhou Wen gathered troops as he marched to the Pass—a thousand chariots and several hundred thousand men—and camped at Xi. The Second Emperor was alarmed and asked his ministers, “What shall we do?” Chamberlain Zhang Han said, “The rebels are here in force. Troops from nearby counties cannot arrive in time. There are many convict laborers at Mount Li. Pardon them, arm them, and send them against the enemy.” The Second Emperor proclaimed a general amnesty and had Zhang Han release the Mount Li convicts and sons of bondsmen, muster them all, and attack the Chu army, which was utterly defeated. Zhou Wen fled.

75

張耳、陳餘至邯鄲，聞周章卻，又聞諸將為陳王徇地還者多以讒毀得罪誅，乃說武信君令自王。八月，武信君自立為趙王，以陳餘為大將軍，張耳為右丞相，邵騷為左丞相；使人報陳王。陳王大怒，欲盡族武信君等家而發兵擊趙。相國房君諫曰：「秦未亡而誅武信君等家，此生一秦也；不如因而賀之，使急引兵西擊秦。」陳王然之，從其計，徙繫武信君等家宮中，封張耳子敖為成都君，使使者賀趙，令趣發兵西入關。張耳、陳餘說趙王曰：「王王趙，非楚意，特以計賀王。楚已滅秦，必加兵於趙。願王毋西兵，北徇燕、代，南收河內以自廣。趙南據大河，北有燕、代，楚雖勝秦，必不敢制趙；不勝秦，必重趙。趙乘秦、楚之敝，可以得志於天下。」趙王以為然，因不西兵，而使韓廣略燕，李良略常山，張黶略上黨。

Zhang Er and Chen Yu reached Handan, heard that Zhou Zhang had retreated and that many generals returning from campaigns for King Chen had been executed on false charges, and urged Lord Martial Faith to make himself king. In the eighth month Lord Martial Faith declared himself King of Zhao, appointing Chen Yu grand general, Zhang Er right chancellor, and Shao Sao left chancellor; and sent word to King Chen. King Chen was furious and meant to execute Wu Chen's entire family and attack Zhao. Chancellor Lord Fang remonstrated: “To kill Wu Chen's family while Qin still stands is to create another Qin; better to congratulate him and urge him to march west against Qin at once.” King Chen agreed, followed his advice, moved Wu Chen's family into the palace as hostages, enfeoffed Zhang Er's son Ao as Lord of Chengdu, sent envoys to congratulate Zhao, and ordered them to hurry west through the Pass. Zhang Er and Chen Yu told the King of Zhao, “Your kingship was not Chu's wish; they congratulated you only as a stratagem. Chu has already destroyed Qin and will surely turn its armies on Zhao. I urge Your Majesty not to march west; subdue Yan and Dai in the north and take Henei in the south to expand your power. With the great river to the south and Yan and Dai to the north, even if Chu defeats Qin it will not dare dominate Zhao; if it fails against Qin, it will surely court Zhao's favor. Zhao can exploit Qin and Chu's exhaustion to win its place in the realm.” The King of Zhao agreed; he sent no troops west, but had Han Guang take Yan, Li Liang take Changshan, and Zhang Yan take Shangdang.

76

九月，沛人劉邦起兵於沛，下相人項梁起兵於吳，狄人田儋起兵於齊。

In the ninth month Liu Bang of Pei rose at Pei, Xiang Liang of Xiapi at Wu, and Tian Dan of Di in Qi.

77

劉邦，字季，為人隆准、龍顏，左股有七十二黑子。愛人喜施，意豁如也。常有大度，不事家人生產作業。初為泗上亭長，單父人呂公，好相人，見季狀貌，奇之，以女妻之。

Liu Bang, styled Ji, had a prominent nose and dragon-like features, with seventy-two black moles on his left thigh. He was generous and open-hearted. He was broad-minded and would not engage in farming or trade. He first served as pavilion chief on the Si. Lü Gong of Shanfu, a physiognomist, was struck by Ji's looks and gave him his daughter in marriage.

78

既而季以亭長為縣送徒驪山，徒多道亡。自度比至皆亡之，到豐西澤中亭，止飲，夜，乃解縱所送徒曰：「公等皆去，吾亦從此逝矣！」徒中壯士願從者十餘人。

Later, as pavilion chief, Ji was sent to escort convict laborers to Mount Li; many fled along the way. Judging that none would remain by arrival, he stopped at the pavilion in the marsh west of Feng. That night he freed the convicts, saying, “Go, all of you—I am leaving too!” More than ten strong men among the convicts chose to follow him.

79

劉季被酒，夜徑澤中，有大蛇當徑，季拔劍斬蛇。有老嫗哭曰：「吾子，白帝子也，化為蛇，當道。今赤帝子殺之！」因忽不見。劉季亡匿於芒、碭山澤〔巖石〕之間案：「巖石」，即岩洞也。，數有奇怪；沛中子弟聞之，多欲附者。

Drunk, Liu Ji cut through the marsh by night; a great serpent blocked the path, and he slew it with his sword. An old woman wept: “My son was the White Emperor's son, turned into a serpent blocking the road. Now the Red Emperor's son has killed him!” She vanished at once. Note: “rock caves” means cave grottoes.¹⁷ and strange portents multiplied; young men of Pei heard of this and many wished to follow him.

80

及陳涉起，沛令欲以沛應之。掾、主吏蕭何、曹參曰：「君為秦吏，今欲背之，率沛子弟，恐不聽。願君召諸亡在外者，可得數百人，因劫眾，眾不敢不聽。」乃令樊噲召劉季。劉季之眾已數十百人矣。沛令後悔，恐其有變，乃閉城城守，欲誅蕭、曹。蕭、曹恐，逾城保劉季。劉季乃書帛射城上，遺沛父老，為陳利害。父老乃率子弟共殺沛令，開門迎劉季，立以為沛公。蕭、曹等為收沛子弟，得二三千人，以應諸侯。

When Chen She rebelled, the magistrate of Pei wished to join the uprising. Clerks Xiao He and Cao Shen said, “You are a Qin official; if you turn rebel and lead the men of Pei, they may refuse to follow. Summon the fugitives outside the city—you can gather hundreds—and then coerce the crowd; none will dare refuse.” They sent Fan Kuai to fetch Liu Ji. Liu Ji already had several hundred followers. The magistrate repented, fearing a coup; he shut the gates and planned to kill Xiao He and Cao Shen. Xiao He and Cao Shen fled over the wall to Liu Ji. Liu Ji shot a message on silk over the wall to the elders of Pei, explaining the stakes. The elders led the young men to kill the magistrate, opened the gates, welcomed Liu Ji, and made him Duke of Pei. Xiao He, Cao Shen, and others mustered two or three thousand men from Pei to join the allied lords.

81

項梁者，楚將項燕子也，嘗殺人，與兄子籍避仇吳中。吳中賢士大夫皆出其下。籍少時學書，不成，去；學劍，又不成。項梁怒之。籍曰：「書，足以記名姓而已！劍，一人敵，不足學。學萬人敵！」於是項梁乃教籍兵法，籍大喜；略知其意，又不肯竟學。籍長八尺餘，力能扛鼎，才器過人。會稽守殷通聞陳涉起，欲發兵以應涉，使項梁及桓楚將。是時，桓楚亡在澤中。梁曰：「桓楚亡，人莫知其處，獨籍知之耳。」梁乃誡籍持劍居外，復入，與守坐，曰：「請召籍，使受命召桓楚。」守曰：「諾。」梁召籍入。須臾，梁眴籍曰「可行矣！」於是籍遂拔劍斬守頭。項梁持守頭，佩其印綬。門下大驚，擾亂。籍所擊殺數十百人，一府中皆懾伏，莫敢起。梁乃召故所知豪吏，諭以所為起大事，遂舉吳中兵，使人收下縣，得精兵八千人。梁為會稽守，籍為裨將，徇下縣。籍是時年二十四。

Xiang Liang was grandson of the Chu general Xiang Yan; after killing a man he fled with his nephew Yu to Wu to escape a feud. Wu's leading gentlemen all deferred to him. Yu studied writing in youth but gave it up; he studied swordsmanship and failed again. Xiang Liang was furious. Yu said, “Writing is enough to record one's name! The sword defeats one man—it is not worth learning. Learn to face ten thousand!” Xiang Liang then taught him warfare; Yu was delighted; but once he grasped the gist he refused to finish. Yu stood over eight feet, could lift a cauldron, and surpassed others in ability. Yin Tong, governor of Kuaiji, heard of Chen She's uprising and meant to raise troops in response, making Xiang Liang and Huan Chu his generals. Huan Chu was then hiding in the marshes. Liang said, “Huan Chu is in hiding and no one knows where—only Yu knows.” He told Yu to wait outside with a sword, went in, and said to the governor, “Please call Yu to receive orders to fetch Huan Chu.” The governor agreed.” Liang called Yu in. Presently Liang winked at Yu: “Now!” Yu drew his sword and struck off the governor's head. Xiang Liang took the head and seized his seal and cord. The staff panicked. Yu killed scores of men; everyone in the office cowered and none dared move. Liang rallied his old allies among the bold officials, explained his plan, raised Wu's armies, and seized the lower counties for eight thousand elite troops. Liang made himself governor of Kuaiji; Yu became lieutenant general and pacified the counties. Yu was twenty-four.

82

田儋〔者〕，故齊王族也。儋從弟榮，榮弟橫，皆豪健，宗強，能得人。周市徇地至狄，狄城守。田儋詳為縛其奴，從少年之廷，欲謁殺奴，見狄令，因擊殺令，而召豪吏子弟曰：「諸侯皆反秦自立。齊，古之建國也；儋，田氏，當王！」遂自立為齊王，發兵以擊周市。周市軍還去。田儋率兵東略定齊地。韓廣將兵北徇燕，燕地豪傑欲共立廣為燕王。廣曰：「廣母在趙，不可！」燕人曰：「趙方西憂秦，南憂楚，其力不能禁我。且以楚之強，不敢害趙王將相之家，趙獨安敢害將軍家乎！」韓廣乃自立為燕王。居數月，趙奉燕王母家屬歸之。

of the former Qi royal house.¹⁸ His cousins Rong and Rong's brother Heng were all bold; their clan was strong and commanded loyalty. Zhou Shi advanced to Di, which shut its gates and resisted. Tian Dan feigned binding his slave and went with youths to the magistrate's court to ask leave to kill him; he slew the magistrate, then rallied the local leaders, saying, “All the lords have rebelled against Qin and declared themselves. Qi is an ancient kingdom; Dan of the House of Tian should be king!” He made himself King of Qi and marched against Zhou Shi. Zhou Shi withdrew his army. Tian Dan marched east to pacify Qi. Han Guang marched north into Yan; Yan's leaders wished to make him king. Guang said, “My mother is in Zhao—I cannot!” They said, “Zhao is beset by Qin in the west and Chu in the south—it cannot stop us. Besides, even mighty Chu did not touch the Zhao king's ministers' families—would Zhao dare touch yours?” Han Guang declared himself King of Yan. Within months Zhao sent back his mother and family unharmed.

83

趙王與張耳、陳餘北略地燕界，趙王間出，為燕軍所得，燕囚之，慾求割地；使者往請，燕輒殺之。有廝養卒走燕壁，見燕將曰：「君知張耳、陳餘何欲？」曰：「欲得其王耳。」趙養卒笑曰：「君未知此兩人所欲也。夫武臣、張耳、陳餘，杖馬棰下趙數十城，此亦各欲南面而王，豈欲為將相終已邪？顧其勢初定，未敢參分而王，且以少長先立武臣為王，以持趙心。今趙地已服，此兩人亦欲分趙而王，時未可耳。今君乃囚趙王，此兩人名為求趙王，實欲燕殺之，此兩人分趙自立。夫以一趙尚易燕，況以兩賢王左提右挈而責殺王之罪？滅燕易矣！」燕將乃歸趙王，養卒為御而歸。----

The King of Zhao, with Zhang Er and Chen Yu, raided the Yan border; the king slipped out alone, was captured by Yan, imprisoned, and held for territorial concessions; every envoy sent to negotiate was killed. A camp servant ran to the Yan lines and asked the general, “Do you know what Zhang Er and Chen Yu want?” He replied, “To recover their king, nothing more.” The servant laughed: “You do not understand them. Wu Chen, Zhang Er, and Chen Yu took dozens of Zhao cities with a whip in hand; each wanted to rule as king—would they settle for being generals and chancellors forever? Only because power was still unsettled did they not yet divide the realm; honoring age, they made Wu Chen king first to hold Zhao together. Now that Zhao is pacified, they mean to split it and reign—but the moment is not yet ripe. Imprison the king and they will plead for him in name while hoping you kill him—then they can divide Zhao between them. If Zhao alone could crush Yan, what of two able kings joining forces to punish regicide? Yan would fall easily!” The Yan general released the King of Zhao; the groom drove his carriage home.

84

4周市自狄還，至魏地，欲立故魏公子寧陵君咎為王。咎在陳，不得之魏。魏地已定，諸侯皆欲立周市為魏王。市曰：「天下昏亂，忠臣乃見。今天下共畔秦，其義必立魏王后乃可。」諸侯固請立市，市終辭不受；迎魏咎於陳，五反，陳王乃遣之，立咎為魏王，市為魏相。----

4 Zhou Shi returned from Di to Wei and wished to make the former Wei prince, Lord Ningling Jiu, king. Jiu was at Chen and could not come to Wei. With Wei pacified, the lords all wished to make Zhou Shi king of Wei. Shi said, “In chaos the loyal minister shows himself. All are rebelling against Qin; righteousness demands a king of Wei first.” The lords pressed him to take the throne; he refused; they fetched Wei Jiu from Chen only after five embassies; Chen She sent him; Jiu became King of Wei and Shi became chancellor of Wei.

85

5是歲，二世廢衛君角為庶人，衛絕祀。

5 That year the Second Emperor reduced Lord Jiao of Wey to commoner rank; the house of Wey ended.

卷7 秦紀二

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