60 Xibo the Duke of the West

A4.7|8

After Gong Ji died, his son Chang succeeded him, and this was Xibo. Xibo was called King Wen, who followed the cause of Houji and Gongliu, and the rules of Gugong and Gongji, practiced benevolence and righteousness, respected the elderly, and loved the young. He treated the virtuous with courtesy, and received scholars every morning, and couldn't find time to eat until the afternoon, and many people came to submit to him. Boyi and Shuqi were in Guzhu State. When they heard that Xibo respected and supported the elderly, they went to submit together. Taidian, Hongyao, Sanyisheng, Yuzi, Xinjia and other ministers also submitted to him. 

Chonghouhu framed Xibo to Zhou the Tyrant by saying that “Xibo has done good deeds and accumulated virtues, and all the princes had submitted to him, which will be bad for you." Zhou the Tyrant then imprisoned Xibo in Youli. Hongyao and others were very worried, so they went to seek the beautiful women of Youshen clan, the fine horses of Lirong, the nine-horse chariot of Youxiong, and other rare treasures, and presented them to Zhou the Tyrant through Fei Zhong, a favorite minister of Zhou the Tyrant. Zhou the Tyrant was very happy and said, "Any one of these things would be enough for me to release Xibo, let alone so many!" So he pardoned Xibo, rewarded him with bows and arrows and axes, and gave him the power to conquer. Zhou the Tyrant said, "The one who framed Xibo was Chonghouhu." Xibo then offered the land west of Luoshui and asked Zhou the Tyrant to abolish the punishment of burning people alive. Zhou the Tyrant agreed.

公季卒，子昌立，是为西伯。西伯曰文王，遵后稷、公刘之业，则古公、公季之法，笃仁，敬老，慈少。礼下贤者，日中不暇食以待士，士以此多归之。伯夷、叔齐在孤竹，闻西伯善养老，盍往归之。太颠、闳夭、散宜生、鬻子、辛甲大夫之徒皆往归之。

崇侯虎谮西伯于殷纣曰：“西伯积善累德，诸侯皆向之，将不利于帝。”帝纣乃囚西伯于羑里。闳夭之徒患之。乃求有莘氏美女，骊戎之文马，有熊九驷，他奇怪物，因殷嬖臣费仲而献之纣。纣大说，曰：“此一物足以释西伯，况其多乎！”乃赦西伯，赐之弓矢斧钺，使西伯得征伐。曰：“谮西伯者，崇侯虎也。”西伯乃献洛西之地，以请纣去炮格之刑。纣许之。