Translations and annotations of biographies of Shang Jun in historical recordsThe original text and translation notes of the Biography of Shang Jun are as follows:
* * I. Original text and translation **
1. * * Character background **
- The original text said: Shang Jun is the son of Wei's concubine, named Yang, surnamed Gongsun, his ancestor's surname is Ji. When Yang Yang was young, he liked the study of criminal names and served Uncle Cuo, the Duke of Wei, as a concubine.
- The Lord of Shang was the son of a concubine of the Duke of Wei. His name was Yang and his surname was Gongsun. His ancestor's surname was Ji. When Gongsun Yang was young, he liked the study of criminal names and spells. He was the son of a concubine under Shu Cuo, the Duke of Wei.
2. * * Gongshucuo recommended Shang Yang **
- The original text said: Gongshu Cuo knew that he was virtuous and had no time to enter. It happened that he was ill. King Hui of Wei went in person to inquire about his illness. He said,"Uncle Gong, you are ill. What will you do to the country?" "Gongsun Yang, the son of a concubine, is young but talented. I hope Your Majesty will listen to him." The king of Chu was silent.
- Gongshucuo knew that he was talented, but he didn't have time to recommend him. Coinciding with Gong Shucuo's illness, King Hui of Wei personally went to visit him and said,"If anything happens to the Prime Minister, what will happen to the country?" Gongshu Cuo said,"My concubine's son, Gongsun Yang, is young but talented. I hope Your Majesty will hand over all the state affairs to him." King Hui of Wei remained silent.
- When the king was about to leave, the man who had been hiding his face said,"If the king does not listen to me, I will kill him and not let him leave the country." The king agreed and left.
- When King Hui of Wei was about to leave, Gongshu Cuo dismissed the others and said,"If the king does not appoint Gongsun Yang, you must kill him. Don't let him leave the country." The King of Wei left after agreeing.
- Gongshu Cuo summoned Yang and thanked him, saying,"Now Your Majesty asks who can be Prime Minister. I say yes, but Your Majesty does not allow me. We were kings before ministers, so we said that if the king did not appoint Yang, he should be killed. The king promised me. You can go quickly and see the birds." "If the king cannot appoint his subjects according to your words, how can he kill them according to your words?" said Yang. He never left.
- Gongshu Cuo summoned Gongsun Yang and apologized,"Today, the king asked me who could be the prime minister. I recommended you. From the king's expression, it seems that he doesn't agree with me." As a subject, I first considered the monarch and then the subject, so I told the king that if he didn't appoint you, he should kill you. The king agreed. Leave quickly, or you'll be caught." Gongsun Yang said,"Your Majesty can't listen to you and appoint me, so how can you listen to you and kill me?" In the end, he did not leave.
- After the king had left, he said to his attendants,"Uncle Gong is very ill. How sad! You want me to obey Gongsun Yang with the state. Isn't it absurd?"
- After King Hui of Wei left, he said to the people around him,"Gongshu Cuo is very ill. It is very sad. He wants me to hand over the state affairs to Gongsun Yang. Isn't this very muddle-headed?"
3. * * Shang Yang enters Qin **
- After the death of Gongshu, Gongsun Yang heard that Duke Xiao of Qin had ordered the country to seek wise people to carry out the cause of Duke Miao and invade the land in the east, so he went west to Qin and asked for an audience with Duke Xiao through Jingjian, a favorite minister of Duke Xiao.
- After Gongshu Cuo's death, Gongsun Yang heard that Duke Xiao of Qin had ordered a search for talented people in the country. He wanted to rebuild the hegemony of Duke Mu of Qin and recover the occupied land in the east. Therefore, he went west into the State of Qin and asked to see Duke Xiao through the favorite minister of Duke Xiao of Qin, Jing Jian.
- The original text: Xiao Gong saw Wei Yang, talk about things for a long time, Xiao Gong often sleep, do not listen. When he had finished, Duke Xiao was angry with Jing Jian, saying,"Your guest is but a fool. How can he be used?" Hou Jing Jian blamed Wei Yang for this.
- After Duke Xiao of Qin met Wei Yang, they talked for a long time. Duke Xiao often dozed off and did not listen. After that, Xiao Gong angrily said to Jing Jian,"Your guest is an arrogant person. How can he be appointed?" Jing Jian therefore blamed Wei Yang.
- Original text: Wei Yang said,"I say that you, with the way of the Emperor, will not be enlightened." Five days later, he asked to see Yang. Yang Yang went to see Xiao Gong again, and he was even better, but he did not get what he wanted. After the end of the post, Xiao Gong once again gave up the post of Jingjian, Jingjian also gave up the post of Yang. "I have advised you to follow the kingly way, but you have not yet entered. Please see Yang again." Yang Yang went to see Xiao Gong again, Xiao Gong thought he was good but did not appoint him. He left. Duke Xiao said to Jing Jian,"Your guest is good. You may speak to him." "I have advised you to be overbearing," said Yang,"and you have intended to use it. If you see me again, I'll know." Wei Yang went to see Duke Xiao again. Duke Huan of Qi talked to him, but he didn't know that he was sitting in front of the table. I can't get enough of talking for days. "What do you mean by that?" said the King. My lord is very happy." Yang said,"I advised you to compare the three generations with the way of emperors, but you said,'It's too long. I can't wait. Besides, a wise monarch, each with his own fame in the world, how can he wait hundreds of years to become an emperor? So I used the method of strengthening the country to persuade you, and you were very happy. However, it is difficult to compare with the Yin and Zhou dynasties."
- Wei Yang said,"I used the method of the Five Emperors to persuade him, but he couldn't understand my thoughts.". Five days later, Duke Xiao requested to see Wei Yang again. Wei Yang went to see Duke Xiao again. He spoke better than last time, but it was still not to Duke Xiao's liking. After the end of Xiao Gong and blame Jing Jian, Jing Jian also blame Wei Yang. Wei Yang said,"I used the method of the three kings to persuade him, but he was not moved." Please let me see him again." Wei Yang saw Xiao Gong again, Xiao Gong thought he said well but did not appoint him. After leaving, Xiao Gong said to Jing Jian,"Your guest is not bad. You can talk to him now." Wei Yang said,"I used the method of the Spring and Autumn Five Tyrants to persuade him. He has the intention of adopting it." If he summons me again, I'll know what to do." Wei Yang met Duke Xiao again. Duke Xiao talked to him and unconsciously moved his knees forward on the mat. He didn't feel bored even after talking for a few days. "What method did you use to move my monarch?" Jing Jian asked. My lord is very happy." Wei Yang said,"I used the way of the emperor to compare with the prosperous Xia, Shang, and Zhou dynasties, and the monarch said,'It's too long, I can't wait. Besides, wise monarchs all hope to be famous when they are in power. How can they wait for decades or centuries to achieve the great cause of the emperor? So I used the art of strengthening the country to persuade the monarch, and the monarch was very happy. However, it would be difficult to compare with Yinzhou's benevolent government."
* * 2. Remarks **
1. * * Shu Ni **: The son of a side branch or concubine.
2. [The School of Xing Ming: Legalism represented by Shen Buhai during the Warring States Period.] He advocated for the implementation of the rule of law and strengthening the relationship between the upper and lower levels. Xing, Tongxing. It refers to the body or the fact; the name refers to the speech or the opinion.
3. * * Advance **: recommendation, recommendation.
4. * * Meeting **: Coincidentally, just in time.
5. * * If there is an accident. It was a euphemistic way of saying that death was not taboo. Taboo, taboo, concealment.
6. [State of the Nation]: The name of the country's regime. She is the god of earth, Ji is the god of grain. Because ancient monarchs sacrificed to the state, they were called countries.
7. * * Hey **: Same as "Mo".
8. * * Words **: refers to the recommendation.
9. * *: Face, expression.
10. Fast, fast.
11. * *
12. [Preposterous and foolish.]
13. [The Cause of Duke Mu of Qin]: It referred to the cause of Duke Mu of Qin to cultivate virtue and martial arts, expand territory, and dominate the vassals. Miao, pass "Mu."
14. * * East Invasion **: It referred to the Hexi region that originally belonged to the Jin Kingdom. After the death of Duke Xian of Jin, the exiled Prince Yiwu of Jin, in order to compete for the throne, sent people to ask Qin to enter Jin. He also expressed that if he could succeed, he would like to cede the eight cities west of Jin to Qin. When Yiwu became the king of Jin, he broke the agreement and did not give Hexi City. In the 14th year of Duke Mu of Qin (646 B.C.), Jin took advantage of Qin's famine and sent troops to attack Qin. In the end, Duke Hui of Jin, Yiwu, was captured alive by Qin and had no choice but to ally with Qin and "offer their land west of the river." Later on,"Qin had changed its ruler many times, and the monarch and his subjects were in chaos, so Jin regained its strength." It took back the land west of the river that was originally ceded to Qin.
15. [Rang: Blame.]
16. * * Say **: Persuade, persuade.
17. The Way of the Emperor: Legend has it that it was the method of governing the country by the five emperors, including Yao and Shun.
18. * * Yiyu **: Repeating the previous discussion, slightly corrected. From the way of the emperor to the way of the king.
19. [Not in line with the intention of Duke Xiao.]
20. The Way of the Kings: The Way of the Three Kings. It refers to the way of Xia Yu, Shang Tang, King Wen of Zhou and King Wu of Zhou.
21. [Tyrannical: The path of the five tyrants.] It refers to the way of Duke Huan of Qi and Duke Wen of Jin, which calls for respecting the king and resisting the barbarians. The five tyrants had different theories. Generally speaking, they were Duke Mu of Qin, Duke Wen of Jin, Duke Huan of Qi, Duke Xiang of Song, and King Zhuang of Chu. They mostly relied on their military might to govern the country and expand their territory.
22. * *
23. * * Three Generations **: Xia, Shang, and Zhou.
24. * * Yiyi **: The same as "depressed", worried and uneasy.
25. * * Say **: The same as "Yue", happy.
26. Comparing Virtue with Yin and Zhou: Comparing Virtue with Yin and Zhou.
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