Beware of Rumors...A Warring States Tale

The following translation is from the Records of Warring States, a history produced over the period of 250 years or so during China's 3rd to 1st century BC.

Records of the Warring States

The Book of QinChapter 2

King Wu Calls Upon Gan Mao

            King Wu of Qin addressed Gan Mao saying: “I desire to traverse the Three Rivers to spy on the House of Zhou. Thus, when I die, I will not be corrupted.”[1] Gan Mao replied: “Allow me to go to the kingdom of Wei and make a pact to attack the kingdom ofHan.” The king then ordered Xiang Shou to assist in this action.

            Gan Mao arrived in Wei and addressed Xiang Shou saying: “You return and report to the king; tell him: ‘Wei has listened to his vassal, and thus wishes the king not to attack.’ When this matter is completed, at length it will all be for your benefit.” Xiang Shou returned and thus reported to the king.

            The king received Gan Mao to Xi Rang.[2] When Gan Mao arrived, the king inquired as to the reasons (why he should not attack). And in response, Gan Mao said: “Yi Yang is a great province; Shang Dang as well as Nan Yang have amassed over a long period of time, and are called provinces, but are in actuality commanderies. Up to this point, the king has faced numerous risks. To travel a thousand li and attack them is difficult.”

            “I, your vassal, have heard that in the west, Zhang Yi has united the lands of Ba and Shu; in the north, he has taken the region beyond Xi He; and in the south, he has taken Shang Yong. All under Heaven give no esteem to Zhang Yi though, but reverence the former king.”

            “Prince Wen of Wei dispatched General Dong Yang to attack Zhong Shan, and for three years he set siege against it. Dong Yang retreated, yet he contended the merit of his martial expertise. Prince Wen showed him a denunciatory letter in a small sleeve, and Dong Yang repeatedly prostrated himself and knocked his head on the floor saying: ‘this was not on account of my martial expertise (or the lack thereof), but because of the sovereigns’ power.’”

            “Today, I am a sojourning vassal here; but Shu Liji and Gongsun Bi, these two, embrace Han in their assessments. The king must listen to them. This is the king’s allegiance to Wei. And (for this cause), I have incurred Gong Zhong’s (Peng’s)[3]discontent.”

            “In former times, Master Zeng lived in Bi. There was a man of Bi who had the same given name and surname as Master Zeng, and this man killed someone. Someone gave an account to Master Zeng’s mother saying: ‘Zeng Shen has killed a man.’ Yet, Master Zeng’s mother said: ‘My son has not killed anyone.’ She simply continued weaving as she had been. After a time, a person came again saying: ‘Zeng Shen has killed a man.’ But his mother still continued weaving as she had been before. A short time passed from this, and another person came once more reporting it to his mother saying: ‘Zeng Shen has killed a man.’ His mother frightened, tossed her shuttlecock and leapt over the wall thereby departing.”

            “Now, take into account the virtue of Zeng Shen and his mother’s faith (in him), and (the fact that it took) three to dissuade her; thus (his) benevolent mother was unable to believe (in him). Well, my virtue does not approach Zeng Shen’s. And, the king’s faith in his minister (me), again, has not yet been as Zeng Shen’s mother’s. Those who doubt me are not merely three individuals, and therefore I fear that the king will toss the shuttlecock on my behalf.”

            The king said: “I will not listen (to those that naysay), allow me to take an oath with you.” Thereupon, they took an oath in Xi Rang.

            Therefore, they attacked Yi Yang, and after five months they still were unable to capture it. Shu Liji and Gongsun Bi were both present at this time and confronted the king concerning this. The king was going to listen to their appeal and he called in Gan Mao to indict him. Gan Mao responded saying: “Xi Rang is between us.” The king replied: “Yes, it is.” And, because he determined to assemble the troops, and returned so that Gan Mao could attack it, in the end they captured Yi Yang.

[1] Corrupted in this sense refers to the legacy which would be left behind, rather than the corruption of the physical body. The essence of the statement is to proverbially “live on after death.”

[2] Xi Rang is most likely the name of a city in the Qin Kingdom near the borders of theWei Kingdom.

[3] “Peng” is an alternate name for the individual mentioned, Gong Zhong.

Chinese:

甘茂至魏，謂向壽曰：「子歸告王曰：‘魏聽臣矣，然願王勿攻也。 ’事成，盡以為子功。 」向壽歸以告王，王迎甘茂于息壤。甘茂至，王問其故。對曰：「宜陽，大縣也，上党、南陽積之久矣，名為縣，其實郡也。今王倍數險，行千里而攻之，難矣。臣聞張儀西並巴蜀之地，北取西河之外，南取上庸，天下不以為多張儀而賢先王。魏文侯令樂羊將，攻中山，三年而拔之，樂羊反而語功，文侯示之謗書一篋，樂羊再拜稽首曰：‘此非臣之功，主君之力也。 ’今臣羈旅之臣也，樗裡疾、公孫衍二人者，挾韓而議，王必聽之，是王欺魏，而臣受公仲侈之怨也。昔者曾子處費，費人有與曾子同名族者而殺人，人告曾子母曰：「曾參殺人。 ’曾子之母曰：‘吾子不殺人。 ’織自若。有頃焉，人又曰：‘曾參殺人。 ’其母尚織自若也。頃之，一人又告之曰：‘曾參殺人。 ’其母懼，投杼逾牆而走。夫以曾參之賢與母之信也，而三人疑之，則慈母不能信也。今臣賢不及曾子，而王之信臣又未若曾子之母也，疑臣者不適三人，臣恐王為臣之投杼也。 」王曰：「寡人不聽也，請與子盟。 」於是與之盟于息壤。果攻宜陽，五月而不能拔也。樗裡疾、公孫衍二人在，爭之王，王將聽之，召甘茂而告之。甘茂對曰：「息壤在彼。 」王曰：「有之。 」因悉起兵，複使甘茂攻之，遂拔宜陽.

秦武王謂甘茂曰：「寡人欲車通三川，以窺周室，而寡人死不朽乎？ 」甘茂對曰：「請之魏，約伐韓。 」王令向壽輔行