Regnum Sinense

史记（一：本纪）

Shiji I: Basic Annals

Shiji 史记 · 249 BC · 秦庄襄王元年

Introduction

The Basic Annals for 249 BC: the Basic Annals of Zhou on the end of Eastern Zhou, and the Basic Annals of Qin under the first year of King Zhuangxiang, with Lü Buwei's suppression of Eastern Zhou, Meng Ao's campaign against Han and the founding of Sanchuan Commandery.

Text and Translation

Text: Chinese source

Text: English Translation

Annotations

[§1] 史记（一：本纪）

[§1] Shiji I: Basic Annals

周本纪：后七岁，秦庄襄王灭东周。东西周皆入于秦，周既不祀。

Basic Annals of Zhou: Seven years later1, King Zhuangxiang of Qin destroyed Eastern Zhou2. Eastern and Western Zhou both passed into Qin's hands, and Zhou's sacrifices ended altogether3.

秦本纪：庄襄王元年，大赦罪人，修先王功臣，施德厚骨肉而布惠于民。东周君与诸侯谋秦，秦使相国吕不韦诛之，尽入其国。秦不绝其祀，以阳人地赐周君，奉其祭祀。使蒙骜伐韩，韩献成皋、巩。秦界至大梁，初置三川郡。

Basic Annals of Qin: In the first year of King Zhuangxiang4, he granted a great pardon to offenders, honoured the meritorious servants of the former kings, showed favour and generosity to his kin, and spread his bounty among the people. The Lord of Eastern Zhou plotted against Qin with the Lords; Qin sent the Chancellor of State Lü Buwei to punish him and took in the whole of his state. Qin did not cut off his sacrifices: it granted the Lord of Zhou the land of Yangren so that he might keep up his sacrifices. It sent Meng Ao to attack Han, and Han presented Chenggao and Gong. Qin's border reached to Daliang, and for the first time Sanchuan Commandery was established.

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Terms

the Lords / 诸侯npl. the rulers of the states, collectively; in this period the kings of the warring states and the lesser lords, as distinct from the Zhou king.
Chancellor of State / 相国n. the chief minister, addressed by his full title.
Commandery / 郡n. the largest territorial unit of a state, above the County.

Persons

King Zhuangxiang of Qin 秦庄襄王King of Qin, reigned 249–247 BC; personal name Zichu 子楚 (Suoyin).
Lord of Eastern Zhou 东周君Ruler of the Eastern Zhou domain; the Suoyin: his name and title are not known.
Lü Buwei 吕不韦Chancellor of State of Qin, Marquis Wenxin 文信侯; by origin a merchant of Yangdi.
Meng Ao 蒙骜Qin general.

Places

Eastern Zhou 东周the Eastern Zhou domain, the eastern of the two fiefs into which the Zhou royal house was divided, centred on Gong (modern Gongyi, Henan).
Qin 秦the state of Qin, with its capital at Xianyang, Shaanxi.
Zhou 周the Zhou royal domain around Luoyang.
Yangren 阳人Xu Guang: the Yangren settlement in Liang County of Henan; the Zhengyi: the old Yangren city forty li west of Liang County in Ruzhou; west of modern Ruzhou, Henan.
Han 韩the state of Han, with its capital at Zheng (modern Xinzheng, Henan).
Chenggao 成皋a Han town; the Zhengyi: the old Eastern Guo, Zheng's town of Zhi, also called Hulao, the Han dynasty's Chenggao; north-west of modern Xingyang, Henan.
Gong 巩a Han town; the Zhengyi: Gong County in Luozhou; modern Gongyi, Henan.
Daliang 大梁the capital of Wei; modern Kaifeng, Henan.
Sanchuan Commandery 三川郡a Qin Commandery, named for its three rivers, the Yellow River, Luo River and Yi River (Wei Zhao); established in 249 BC on the lands of Zhou and Han around Luoyang; renamed Henan Commandery under the Han (Pei Yin).

Notes

1 seven years後七歲: seven years on from the Annals' previous entry, the end of Western Zhou in 256 BC.
2 Eastern ZhouXu Guang: when Zhou was about to perish it had seven Counties in all, Henan, Luoyang, Gucheng, Pingyin, Yanshi, Gong and Goushi.
3 ended既: the Suoyin: wholly, as of an eclipse that is total; the line of Zhou was extinguished and there was no one to keep its sacrifices. The Jijie cites Huangfu Mi: Zhou had thirty-seven kings and eight hundred and sixty-seven years in all.
4 first yearThe first year of King Zhuangxiang of Qin, 249 BC.