燕召公世家

The Duke of Shao, whose personal name was Shi, shared the Ji surname of the Zhou royal house. When King Wu of Zhou destroyed the Shang tyrant Zhou, he enfeoffed the Duke of Shao in northern Yan.

During King Cheng's reign, the Duke of Shao served as one of the Three Dukes. The realm was divided at Shan: the Duke of Shao governed everything west of it, and the Duke of Zhou governed everything east. Since King Cheng was still a child, the Duke of Zhou served as regent, exercising royal authority. The Duke of Shao had misgivings about this and composed the 'Lord Shi' address. Lord Shi was displeased with the Duke of Zhou. The Duke of Zhou then invoked precedents: "In Tang's time there was Yi Yin, commissioned by August Heaven. In the time of Tai Wu there were Yi Zhi and Chen Hu, commissioned by the Lord on High, while Wu Xian managed the royal household. In Zu Yi's time there was Wu Xian. In Wu Ding's time there was Gan Pan. All of these followed this tradition and preserved the Yin dynasty." At this, the Duke of Shao was satisfied.

The Duke of Shao governed the western region and won the deep affection of the people. When he toured the villages and towns, he would sit beneath a sweet pear tree to hear legal cases and conduct government business. From the nobles down to the common people, everyone was properly served and no one was neglected. After the Duke of Shao died, the people cherished the memory of his governance. They revered the pear tree and dared not cut it down. They sang songs about it and composed the poem 'Sweet Pear Tree.'

Nine generations after the Duke of Shao came Marquis Hui. Marquis Hui's time corresponded to the period when King Li of Zhou fled to Zhi and the Gonghe Regency governed.

When Marquis Hui died, his son Marquis Xi succeeded. That year, King Xuan of Zhou first took the throne. In Marquis Xi's twenty-first year, Duke Huan of Zheng received his first enfeoffment. In the thirty-sixth year, Marquis Xi died and his son Marquis Qing succeeded.

In Marquis Qing's twentieth year, King You of Zhou debauched and was killed by the Quanrong. Qin was first listed among the feudal lords.

In the twenty-fourth year, Marquis Qing died and his son Marquis Ai succeeded. Marquis Ai died in his second year, and his son Marquis Zheng succeeded. Marquis Zheng died in his thirty-sixth year, and his son Marquis Mu succeeded.

In Marquis Mu's seventh year, it was the first year of Duke Yin of Lu. He died in his eighteenth year, and his son Marquis Xuan succeeded. Marquis Xuan died in his thirteenth year, and his son Marquis Huan succeeded. Marquis Huan died in his seventh year, and his son Duke Zhuang succeeded.

In Duke Zhuang's twelfth year, Duke Huan of Qi first achieved hegemony. In the sixteenth year, Yan joined Song and Wey in attacking King Hui of Zhou. King Hui fled to Wen, and they installed his brother Tui as king. In the seventeenth year, Zheng arrested Yan Zhongfu and restored King Hui to the throne. In the twenty-seventh year, the Shanrong invaded Yan. Duke Huan of Qi came to Yan's rescue and campaigned north against the Shanrong before returning. The lord of Yan escorted Duke Huan beyond Yan's border. Duke Huan thereupon ceded to Yan the territory up to the point where the Yan lord had accompanied him, instructed Yan to resume tributes to the Son of Heaven as in the days of the Cheng Zhou court, and directed Yan to restore the governance of the Duke of Shao. Duke Zhuang died in his thirty-third year, and his son Duke Xiang succeeded.

In Duke Xiang's twenty-sixth year, Duke Wen of Jin convened the Jiantu assembly and claimed the hegemony. In the thirty-first year, Qin's army was defeated at Xiao. In the thirty-seventh year, Duke Mu of Qin died. In the fortieth year, Duke Xiang died and Duke Huan succeeded.

Duke Huan died in his sixteenth year, and Duke Xuan succeeded. Duke Xuan died in his fifteenth year, and Duke Zhao succeeded. Duke Zhao died in his thirteenth year, and Duke Wu succeeded. That year, Jin eliminated three Grandees of the Xi clan.

Duke Wu died in his nineteenth year, and Duke Wen succeeded. Duke Wen died in his sixth year, and Duke Yi succeeded. In Duke Yi's first year, Cui Zhu of Qi assassinated his lord Duke Zhuang. Duke Yi died in his fourth year, and his son Duke Hui succeeded.

In Duke Hui's first year, Gao Zhi of Qi fled to Yan. In the sixth year, Duke Hui had many favored consorts. He wished to dismiss the grandees and install his favorite, the Lady Song. The grandees jointly killed the Lady Song, and Duke Hui, fearful, fled to Qi. Four years later, Qi's Gao Yan went to Jin to request a joint campaign against Yan to restore its lord. Duke Ping of Jin agreed, and together with Qi they attacked Yan and restored Duke Hui. Duke Hui reached Yan and died. Yan installed Duke Dao.

Duke Dao died in his seventh year, and Duke Gong succeeded. Duke Gong died in his fifth year, and Duke Ping succeeded. The Jin ducal house had declined, and the six ministerial clans grew powerful. In Duke Ping's eighteenth year, King Helu of Wu destroyed Chu and entered Ying. Duke Ping died in his nineteenth year, and Duke Jian succeeded. Duke Jian died in his twelfth year, and Duke Xian succeeded. In Jin, Zhao Yang besieged Fan and Zhonghang at Zhaoge. In Duke Xian's twelfth year, Tian Chang of Qi assassinated his lord Duke Jian. In the fourteenth year, Confucius died. In the twenty-eighth year, Duke Xian died and Duke Xiao succeeded.

In Duke Xiao's twelfth year, Han, Wei, and Zhao destroyed Zhi Bo and divided his territory. The Three Jin grew powerful.

In the fifteenth year, Duke Xiao died and Duke Cheng succeeded. Duke Cheng died in his sixteenth year, and Duke Min succeeded. Duke Min died in his thirty-first year, and Duke Xi succeeded. That year, the Three Jin were formally listed as feudal lords.

In Duke Xi's thirtieth year, Yan defeated Qi at Linying. Duke Xi died and Duke Huan succeeded. Duke Huan died in his eleventh year, and Duke Wen succeeded. That year, Duke Xian of Qin died. Qin grew ever stronger.

In Duke Wen's nineteenth year, King Wei of Qi died. In the twenty-eighth year, Su Qin first came to present his proposals to Duke Wen. Duke Wen provided him with carriages, horses, gold, and silk to proceed to Zhao. Marquis Su of Zhao employed him. Su Qin thereupon brokered an alliance of the six states and became the leader of the vertical coalition. King Hui of Qin gave his daughter in marriage to the Yan crown prince.

In the twenty-ninth year, Duke Wen died and the crown prince succeeded as King Yi.

When King Yi first took the throne, King Xuan of Qi exploited Yan's mourning period to attack, seizing ten cities. Su Qin persuaded Qi to return all ten cities to Yan. In the tenth year, the Yan ruler assumed the title of king. Su Qin had been conducting an affair with the widow of Duke Wen. Fearing execution, he persuaded the king to send him to Qi as a double agent, intending to destabilize Qi from within. King Yi died in his twelfth year, and his son Yan Kuai succeeded.

After Yan Kuai took the throne, the people of Qi killed Su Qin. While Su Qin had been in Yan, he had arranged a marriage alliance with Yan's chancellor Zi Zhi, and Su Dai had formed a close relationship with Zi Zhi. After Su Qin's death, King Xuan of Qi again employed Su Dai. In Yan Kuai's third year, Yan joined Chu and the Three Jin in attacking Qin, but they failed and withdrew. Zi Zhi served as Yan's chancellor, wielding great authority and making key decisions. When Su Dai came to Yan as Qi's envoy, the king asked: "What is the King of Qi like?" Su Dai replied: "He will never achieve hegemony." The king asked why. Su Dai said: "Because he does not trust his ministers." Su Dai intended to provoke the king into elevating Zi Zhi. The king thereupon placed immense trust in Zi Zhi. Zi Zhi rewarded Su Dai with a hundred pieces of gold and followed his directives.

Lu Maoshou told the King of Yan: "Why not cede the state to Chancellor Zi Zhi? The reason people call Yao a sage is that he offered the realm to Xu You, and Xu You refused. Yao gained the reputation of yielding the realm without actually losing it. If Your Majesty offers the state to Zi Zhi, Zi Zhi will surely not dare accept, and Your Majesty will share Yao's reputation." The king accordingly entrusted the state to Zi Zhi, and Zi Zhi's authority became paramount. Someone then said: "Yu recommended Yi as his successor but staffed the government with his son Qi's men. When Yu grew old and declared Qi unfit, he passed the throne to Yi. But then Qi and his faction attacked Yi and seized power. The world says Yu nominally passed the realm to Yi but actually arranged for Qi to take it. Now Your Majesty says he has entrusted the state to Zi Zhi, but every official is the crown prince's man. This is nominally entrusting the state to Zi Zhi while the crown prince actually holds power." The king then collected the seals of office from every official ranked at three hundred shi and above and handed them all to Zi Zhi. Zi Zhi faced south and exercised royal authority. Kuai, now old, no longer participated in governance but became a subject instead. All affairs of state were decided by Zi Zhi.

In the third year, the state fell into great turmoil and the people were terrified. General Shi Bei conspired with Crown Prince Ping to attack Zi Zhi. Generals advised King Min of Qi: "Strike now while they are in chaos. Yan will surely be destroyed." The King of Qi sent word to Crown Prince Ping: "I have heard of the prince's righteousness. You intend to abolish private interest and establish the public good, to correct the proper relationship between ruler and minister, and to clarify the positions of father and son. My state is small and cannot take the lead. Nevertheless, I will follow whatever the prince commands." The crown prince rallied his faction and raised a force. General Shi Bei besieged the palace and attacked Zi Zhi but failed to overcome him. General Shi Bei and his soldiers then turned against Crown Prince Ping instead. General Shi Bei was killed and his body publicly displayed. The fighting continued for several months. Tens of thousands died, the people were terrorized, and the populace lost all allegiance. Mencius told the King of Qi: "Now is the time to attack Yan. This is an opportunity like those of Kings Wen and Wu. It must not be lost." The king therefore ordered General Zhang Zi to lead the troops of the five capitals, supplemented by the northern garrison forces, to invade Yan. The soldiers did not fight and the city gates were not closed. King Kuai died, and Qi won a great victory. Two years after Zi Zhi's death, the people of Yan together installed Crown Prince Ping as king. This was King Zhao of Yan.

King Zhao took the throne amid the ruins of the state. He humbled himself and offered generous rewards to attract men of talent. He said to Guo Wei: "Qi exploited our disorder to invade and destroy Yan. I know well that Yan is small and weak, not strong enough for revenge. But if I can truly find worthy men to share in governing the state and wash away the shame of my predecessor, that is my deepest wish. Tell me, sir, whom should I serve?" Guo Wei said: "If Your Majesty truly wishes to attract talent, begin with me. If even someone of my modest ability is honored, how much more will those far worthier than I refuse to travel a thousand li?" King Zhao thereupon built Guo Wei a new residence and treated him as his teacher. Yue Yi came from Wei, Zou Yan came from Qi, and Ju Xin came from Zhao. Scholars competed to come to Yan. The king mourned the dead, cared for orphans, and shared the hardships and pleasures of his people.

In the twenty-eighth year, Yan was prosperous and powerful. Its soldiers were eager and ready for battle. King Zhao thereupon appointed Yue Yi as supreme general and coordinated with Qin, Chu, and the Three Jin to attack Qi. The Qi army was defeated, and King Min fled into exile. Yan's forces alone pursued the retreating Qi army, entering the capital Linzi, seizing all of Qi's treasures, and burning its palaces and ancestral temples. The only Qi cities that held out were Liao, Ju, and Jimo. All the rest submitted to Yan, and this situation lasted six years.

King Zhao died in his thirty-third year, and his son King Hui succeeded.

When Hui had been crown prince, he had quarreled with Yue Yi. Upon taking the throne, he distrusted Yue Yi and sent Qi Jie to replace him as commander. Yue Yi fled to Zhao. Qi's Tian Dan, based at Jimo, defeated the Yan army. Qi Jie was killed, and the Yan forces withdrew. Qi recovered all of its former cities. King Min had died at Ju, and the Qi people installed his son as King Xiang.

King Hui died in his seventh year. Han, Wei, and Chu jointly attacked Yan. King Wucheng was installed.

In King Wucheng's seventh year, Qi's Tian Dan attacked Yan and captured Zhongyang. In the thirteenth year, Qin defeated Zhao at Changping, killing over four hundred thousand. In the fourteenth year, King Wucheng died and his son King Xiao succeeded.

In King Xiao's first year, Qin lifted its siege of Handan and withdrew. King Xiao died in his third year, and his son, the current King Xi, succeeded.

In King Xi's fourth year, King Zhao of Qin died. King Xi ordered Chancellor Li Fu to make a friendship pact with Zhao, presenting five hundred pieces of gold as a gift for the King of Zhao's banquet. Upon returning, Li Fu reported: "Zhao's able-bodied men all died at Changping. Their orphans have not yet grown up. Zhao can be attacked." The king summoned Lord Changguo, Yue Jian, and asked his opinion. Yue Jian replied: "Zhao is a state that has fought on all four borders. Its people are experienced in war. Zhao cannot be attacked." The king said: "I will attack with five to one." Yue Jian replied: "It cannot be done." The king was furious. All other ministers said it could be done. He raised two armies with two thousand chariots. Li Fu commanded the attack on Hao, and Minister Qin attacked Dai. Only the grandee Jiang Qu told the king: "To make a pact of friendship with someone, present five hundred gold as a banquet gift to their king, and then upon the envoy's return attack them, is deeply inauspicious. The campaign will not succeed." The king refused to listen and personally led a supporting army. Jiang Qu seized the king's sash to stop him, saying: "Your Majesty must not go in person. If you go, there will be no success." The king kicked him away. Jiang Qu wept: "I do not say this for myself. I say it for the king."

The Yan army reached Songzi. Zhao sent Lian Po to command its forces, who routed Li Fu at Hao and defeated Minister Qin at Dai. Yue Jian fled to Zhao. Lian Po pursued for over five hundred li and besieged the Yan capital. Yan sued for peace, but Zhao refused, insisting that Jiang Qu handle the negotiations. Chancellor Jiang Qu conducted the peace talks. Zhao accepted Jiang Qu's terms and lifted the siege.

In the sixth year, Qin destroyed the Eastern Zhou court and established the Sanchuan commandery. In the seventh year, Qin captured thirty-seven Zhao cities including Yuci, and established the Taiyuan commandery. In the ninth year, King Zheng of Qin first took the throne. In the tenth year, Zhao sent Lian Po to attack Fanyang and capture it. King Xiaocheng of Zhao died and King Daoxiang succeeded. He sent Yue Cheng to replace Lian Po, but Lian Po refused and attacked Yue Cheng, who fled. Lian Po then fled to Daliang. In the twelfth year, Zhao sent Li Mu to attack Yan, capturing Wusui and Fangcheng. Ju Xin had formerly lived in Zhao and was close to Pang Nuan, but later fled to Yan. Yan observed that Zhao had been weakened by repeated Qin attacks, that Lian Po had departed, and that Pang Nuan now commanded. Yan wished to exploit Zhao's weakness. They consulted Ju Xin, who said: "Pang Nuan is easy to handle." Yan sent Ju Xin to lead an attack on Zhao. Zhao sent Pang Nuan to counter him. Pang Nuan captured twenty thousand Yan troops and killed Ju Xin. Qin took twenty Wei cities and established the Eastern Commandery. In the nineteenth year, Qin took nine of Zhao's Ye-region cities. King Daoxiang of Zhao died. In the twenty-third year, Crown Prince Dan, who had been a hostage in Qin, escaped and returned to Yan. In the twenty-fifth year, Qin captured King An of Han and destroyed Han, establishing the Yingchuan commandery. In the twenty-seventh year, Qin captured King Qian of Zhao and destroyed Zhao. Zhao prince Jia proclaimed himself King of Dai.

Yan saw that Qin was on the verge of destroying all six states. Qin's army had reached the Yi River, and catastrophe was about to descend on Yan. Crown Prince Dan had secretly nurtured twenty strong men. He sent Jing Ke to present a map of the Dukang region to Qin, with a hidden dagger to assassinate the King of Qin. The king detected the plot and killed Jing Ke, then sent General Wang Jian to attack Yan. In the twenty-ninth year, Qin captured Ji, Yan's capital. The King of Yan fled and relocated to Liaodong. He beheaded Prince Dan and presented the head to Qin. In the thirtieth year, Qin destroyed Wei.

In the thirty-third year, Qin captured Liaodong, took King Xi prisoner, and finally destroyed Yan. That same year, the Qin general Wang Ben also captured King Jia of Dai.

The Grand Historian remarks: The Duke of Shao may truly be called benevolent! Even a pear tree is cherished in his memory; how much more the man himself? Yan was pressed by the Man and Mo peoples on its borders, hemmed in by Qi and Jin on the inside, caught between powerful states, and was always the weakest and smallest. It nearly perished several times. Yet its altars received sacrificial offerings for eight or nine hundred years, and among all the Ji-surnamed states it was the last to fall. Was this not the enduring influence of the Duke of Shao?