A5.50|51
In the first year of Duke Xian of Qin's reign (384 BC), the system of burying live people at the burial with the dead was abolished. In the second year, a city was built in Liyang. In the fourth year, on the Gengyin day of the first month, Duke Xiao of Qin was born. In the eleventh year, when the Grand Historian Dan of Zhou came to see Duke Xian of Qin, he said: "The Zhou Dynasty and the Qin State were once one entity, but later they separated. After five hundred years of separation, they reunited again. And after seventeen years of reunion, a hegemon will emerge." In the sixteenth year, the peach trees bloomed in winter. In the eighteenth year, golden rain fell in Liyang. In the twenty-first year, the Qin army fought and defeated the Jin army at Shimen the Stone Gate, and 60,000 soldiers were beheaded. The emperor of Zhou bestowed Fu Fu, the royal clothes with embroidery of black and white patterns, to express his congratulations. In the twenty-third year, the Qin army fought the Wei army at Shaoliang and captured the general of Wei, Gongsun Cuo. In the twenty-fourth year (361 BC), Duke Xian died and his son Duke Xiao succeeded him. Duke Xiao was already twenty-one years old.
In the first year of Duke Xiao of Qin (361 BC), east of the Yellow River and the mountains, there were six great powers, King Wei of Qi, King Xuan of Chu, King Hui of Wei, Duke Dao of Yan, Marquis Ai of Han, and Marquis Cheng of Zhao, with which Duke Xiao of Qin was ranked alongside (making it the seven great powers for the warring states period of China). There are more than ten small countries between the Huai River and the Si River. Chu, Wei and Qin were neighbors. The State of Wei built the Great Wall, extending it northward from Zheng along the banks of the Luo River to Shangjun. The territory of Chu State started from Hanzhong and extended to Ba County and Qianzhong County in the south. As the Zhou royal family declined, the vassal states began to conquer each other by force and annex each other's territories. The State of Qin was located in the remote Yongzhou and did not participate in the alliances of the princes in the Central Plains. The princes in the Central Plains also regarded the State of Qin as a barbarian. So Duke Xiao generously gave alms, helped the orphans and widows, recruited warriors and clarified the principle of rewarding according to merits. And he issued an order throughout the country, saying: "In the past, our ancestor Duke Mu rose between Qi and Yong, and made great achievements in governing the country and conquering foreign lands. In the east, he quelled the civil strife in Jin State, and separated from Jin State by the Yellow River. In the west, he dominated the Rong Di and expanded his territory by a thousand miles. As a result, the Zhou Emperor appointed him as an overlord, and all the princes came to congratulate him. Duke Mu created immense achievements for future generations and was greatly honored. However, during the reigns of Duke Li, Duke Zao, Duke Jian and Chuzi, the political situation was turbulent and the country was troubled, so it had no time to take care of foreign affairs. As a result, the Three States of Jin took the opportunity to seize the Hexi territory west of the Yellow River from our ancestors, and the vassal states also despised our Qin State. There is no greater shame than this. After Duke Xian ascended the throne, he pacified the border and moved the capital to Liyang. He wanted to march east to recover the old territories of Duke Mu and rectify Duke Mu's policies. Whenever I think of the unfulfilled wishes of my ancestors, I am always filled with grief. If anyone among the guests and ministers can offer a brilliant plan to make Qin stronger, I will grant him an honorable position and grant him land." He then led his army to the east to surround Shaanxi City, and killed King Huan of Rong in the west.
献公元年，止从死。二年，城栎阳。四年正月庚寅，孝公生。十一年，周太史儋见献公曰：“周故与秦国合而别，别五百岁复合，合十七岁而霸王出。”十六年，桃冬花。十八年，雨金栎阳。二十一年，与晋战于石门，斩首六万，天子贺以黼黻。二十三年，与魏晋战少梁，虏其将公孙痤。二十四年，献公卒，子孝公立，年已二十一岁矣。
孝公元年，河山以东强国六，与齐威、楚宣、魏惠、燕悼、韩哀、赵成侯并。淮泗之间小国十余。楚、魏与秦接界。魏筑长城，自郑滨洛以北，有上郡。楚自汉中，南有巴、黔中。周室微，诸侯力政，争相并。秦僻在雍州，不与中国诸侯之会盟，夷翟遇之。孝公于是布惠，振孤寡，招战士，明功赏。下令国中曰：“昔我缪公自岐雍之间，修德行武，东平晋乱，以河为界，西霸戎翟，广地千里，天子致伯，诸侯毕贺，为后世开业，甚光美。会往者厉、躁、简公、出子之不宁，国家内忧，未遑外事，三晋攻夺我先君河西地，诸侯卑秦、丑莫大焉。献公即位，镇抚边境，徙治栎阳，且欲东伐，复缪公之故地，脩缪公之政令。寡人思念先君之意，常痛于心。宾客群臣有能出奇计强秦者，吾且尊官，与之分土。” 于是乃出兵东围陕城，西斩戎之獂王。
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