Gems of Chinese Literature/Tso-Ch'iu Ming-How Yen-Tzŭ would not Die with his Prince

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Gems of Chinese Literature
translated by Herbert Allen Giles
How Yen-Tzŭ would not Die with his Prince by Tso-Ch'iu Ming
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TSO-CH‘IU MING.

PROBABLY 4TH AND 5TH CENTURIES B.C.

[Very little is known of this writer, whose very name is a matter of doubt. His important work, the Tso Chuan,[1] was a so-called commentary on the Annals of the Lu State, mentioned on p. 1. Those annals consisted of bald statements of the principal events which took place in the successive years of each prince's reign. Tso-ch'iu Ming supplemented these by detailed accounts of the various incidents alluded to; and thus we have a vivid panorama of the wars and treaties, the intrigues and dissensions, the loves and hates, of China's feudal age. The style of the work is grand in the extreme, and is a perfect repertory of Chinese proverbs and familiar household words.]

1516436Gems of Chinese Literature — How Yen-Tzŭ would not Die with his PrinceHerbert Allen GilesTso-Ch'iu Ming

​[Twenty-fifth year of Duke Hsiang:―In the fifth moon, in summer, Ts'ui of the Ch'i State, slew his prince.―Annals.]

Duke Chuang committed adultery with Ts'ui-tzŭ's wife, and Ts'ui-tzŭ slew him. Thereupon Yen-tzŭ planted himself at the door of the latter's house.

“Are you going to die with your prince,” cried his attendants. “Was he my prince only?” asked Yen-tzŭ, “that I alone should die,” “Will you flee the country?” said the attendants. “Was his death my crime, that I should flee? asked Yen-tzŭ. “Will you then go home?” enquired the attendants. “Where,” said Yen-tzŭ, “is there a home for him whose master is dead? It is not enough for a prince to be merely above the people; the commonwealth is in his hands. It is not enough for a minister merely to draw his pay; the commonwealth is his trust. Therefore, when the prince dies for the commonwealth, his minister dies with him; when the prince flees, his minister flees also. But if a prince dies or flees in consequence of matters which concern only himself, who, save his own private associates, can be expected to share his fate? Besides, if some one else, under obligations similar to my own, slays the prince, why should I die, why flee, why go home?”

By-and-by, the door was opened and Yen-tzŭ went in; and, pillowing the corpse upon his lap gave vent to tears. He then arose, and striking the ground three times with his heel, went out. People advised Ts'ui-tzŭ to put him to death; but Ts'ui-tzŭ replied, “He is a popular man, and to leave him in peace will be to win over the people.”

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Ts‘ui now placed another duke upon the throne, and became his chief minister, Ch‘ing Feng being appointed minister of the Left. And when the people were taking the oaths of allegiance in the State temple, beginning, “May those who are not true to Ts‘ui and Ch‘ing——,” Yen-tzŭ, looking up to heaven, sighed and said, “May I, in whatsoever I do not submit to those who are loyal to the prince and true to the commonwealth, be answerable to God!” He then smeared his lips with the blood.

  1. ↑ This title has been taken by some to mean literally “Helping Commentary,” and the work has been attributed to Confucius himself.
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