Author: Yoon-Ngan CHUNG
Date: 02-17-02 03:02
Chinese idiomatic story (12)
One Must Keep One's Promise
瓜 代 有 期 (Gua Dai4 You3 Qi)
瓜 (Gua) means: melons
代 (Dai4) means: replace
有 (You3) means: have
期 (Qi) means: period
During the Zhou Dynasty (周朝 1134BC to 256BC), in 697BC, Jiang Zhu Er
(姜諸兒) was installed as the 14th ruler of the State of Qi (齊國 present day Lin
Zi county 臨淄縣 in Shandong province 山東省). In 691BC the State of Qi had conquered and annexed the State of Ji (紀國 present day Shou Guang county
壽光縣 in Shandong province). In 689BC Jiang Zhu Er joined forces with the
States of Song (宋國 present day Shang Qiu county 商邱縣 in Henan province
河南省), Lu (魯國 present day Qu Fu county 曲阜縣 in Shandong province),
Chen (陳國 present day Huai Yang county 淮陽縣 in Henan province) and Cai
(蔡國present day Shang Cai county 上蔡縣 in Henan province) and invaded the State of Wei (衛國 present day Pu Yang county 濮陽縣 in Hebei province
河北省). Ji Qian Mou (姬黔牟), the ruler of Wei, fled to the State of Qin (秦國
present day Feng Xiang county 鳳翔縣 in Shaanxi province 陜西省) and
Jiang Zhu Er installed Ji Shou (姬朔) the elder brother of the fleeing ruler as
the new ruler of Wei.
The central authority of the land at that time was Zhou King Zhuang (周莊王)
of the Zhou Dynasty. Angered by the action of Jiang Zhu Er, the Zhou Court threatened to teach the State of Qi a lesson by military force.
Expecting an invasion by the central authority, Jiang Zhu Er ordered his
brother-in-law, Lian Cheng (連稱), a general in the armed forces of Qi, to
defend the western frontier of the State.
Before marching off to the remote and wild frontier outpost of Kui Qiu (葵邱
present day west of Lin Zi county in Shandong province) General Lian Cheng
asked Jiang Zhu Er about the tenure of his new posting. Jiang Zhu Er was
eating melons at the time and told General Lian Cheng that he would be
replaced when the melons were ripe the following year. Not without some reluctance, General Lian, with his troops, marched off to Kui Qiu.
Time passed quickly and after a year no military action was taken by the
central authority against the State of Qi.
A ripe melon brought to him by a soldier for dessert one day reminded General
Lian that he was due to be recalled back to the capital soon. General lian
waited patiently for the tidings from Jiang Zhu Er but the good news never came.
The General despatched a messenger to the capital with a reminder to Jiang Zhu
Er that the time had come for him and his troops to be relieved. Coinicently, Jiang Zhu Er was eating his favourite melon dessert when the messenger from General Lian arrived and handed him the message. Without hesitation Jiang Zhu Er
denied the request and told the messenger to communicate to General Lian that
a replacement would be sent to Kui Qiu when the melons ripened again the
coming year.
General Lian, though angry that Jiang Zhu Er had broken his promise, could
do nothing but obey the order which meant he had to stay in the wilderness
for another year. Word also came to the General that the first wife of Jiang Zhu
Er had died. Instead of installing General Lian's younger sister as the official wife Jiang Zhu Er debauched with other women in the palace. This news infuriated General Lian even more. He decided that Jiang Zhu Er had to be removed as
ruler of the State of Qi.
A plot to overthrow Jiang Zhu Er was hatched between the General and Jiang
Wu Zhi (姜無知) , a cousin brother of Jiang Zhu Er. The ruler despised and
looked down on Jiang Wu Zhi who, many a time, wanted to revolt against him
but he had neither the support nor the means to do it. Now he jumped at the opportunity to forge an alliance with General Lian. All they needed now was a chance to strike.
Jiang Zhu Er's favourable sport was hunting and he planned to go hunting at
a place called Bei Qiu (貝邱) which was not far from where General Lian was
stationed in Kui Qiu. Jiang Wu Zhi secretly conveyed the news by messenger
to General Lian. An ambush at Bei Qiu was planned.
It was in the spring of 686BC when Jiang Zhu Er journeyed to Bei Qiu. General Lian's troops ambushed the unsuspecting Jiang Zhu Er in the outskirts of the
town. Jiang Zhu Er was killed by the troops of General Lian. Jiang Zhu Er's
death directly resulted from not honouring his promise.
Jiang Wu Zhi was installed as the new ruler of Qi. General Lian was rewarded
with the highest honour of the State of Qi.
Chapter 32 from the book entitled Shi Ji (史記)
by Si-Ma Qian (司-馬遷)
CHUNG Yoon-Ngan (鄭永元)
All rights reserved 2002
Yoon-Ngan CHUNG
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