73 King Kang

A4.24|25

Before King Cheng died, he was worried that his Crown Prince Zhao would not be able to do the job, so he ordered Duke Zhao and Duke Bi to lead the princes to assist the Crown Prince in governing the country. After King Cheng died, the two dukes led the princes and took Crown Prince Zhao to visit the ancestral temple of the previous king, and kept telling him how difficult it was for King Wen and King Wu to establish their foundations, asking him to be frugal, not to have too many desires, and to govern the world with sincerity and honesty, and "Guardian" was written. Prince Zhao then ascended the throne, and this was King Kang. After King Kang ascended the throne, he notified the princes of the world and constantly admonished them with the achievements of King Wen and King Wu, and wrote "Kang’s Edict". Therefore, during the reigns of King Cheng and King Kang, the world was stable and peaceful, and no punishment was used for more than 40 years. King Kang issued a written edict to Duke Bi, ordering him to divide and rule the remnants of Yin people and stabilize the suburbs of the Zhou capital, and so "Bi’s Edict" was written.

After King Kang died, his son King Zhao Xia ascended to the throne. During King Zhao's reign, the way of king was slightly weakened. King Zhao went on a hunting trip to the south and never returned, and died on the river. There was no report on his death, which was a taboo. King Zhao's son, Prince Man, was enthroned as King Mu. When King Mu ascended the throne, he was already fifty years old. The way of king was weakened, and King Mu felt that it was weakened in the way of both civil and military affairs, so he ordered Bo Yu to admonish Taipu the royal servant about state affairs, so “The Order of Yu” was written. And the Peace was restored.

成王将崩，惧太子钊之不任，乃命召公、毕公率诸侯以相太子而立之。成王既崩，二公率诸侯，以太子钊见于先王庙，申告以文王、武王之所以为王业之不易，务在节俭，毋多欲，以笃信临之，作《顾命》。太子钊遂立，是为康王。康王即位，遍告诸侯，宣告以文武之业以申之，作《康诰》。故成康之际，天下安宁，刑错四十余年不用。康王命作策毕公分居里，成周郊，作《毕命》。

康王卒，子昭王瑕立。昭王之时，王道微缺。昭王南巡狩不返，卒于江上。其卒不赴告，讳之也。立昭王子满，是为穆王。穆王即位，春秋已五十矣。王道衰微，穆王闵文武之道缺，乃命伯臩申诫太仆国之政，作《臩命》。复宁。

72 King Cheng

A4.23

King Cheng lived in the city of Feng and ordered Duke Zhao to rebuild the city of Luo in order to comply with King Wu's last wish. Duke Zhou also held a divination and surveyed the terrain, and finally built a city and placed the Nine Tripod Cauldrons there. He said: "This is the center of the world, and it has an equal distance from each direction to come here to pay tribute." He so wrote "Zhao’s Edict" and "Luo Edict". After King Cheng moved the remnants of Yin people there, Duke Zhou told them King Cheng's orders and wrote "Many Consultants" and "No Hermit". Duke Zhao served as the Grand Protector and Duke Zhou as the Grand Tutor. They conquered the Yi people by the Huaishui River in the east, destroyed the Yan State, and moved the lord of the Yan State to Bogu. After King Cheng returned from the Yan State, he was in Zhou and wrote "Various Princes". After Zhou has ended Yin, conquered the Yi people of Huaishui River, King Cheng returned to the city of Feng and wrote "Zhou’s Administrative". The rituals and music were formulated and promoted, and the laws and systems were modified. The people were friendly and peaceful, and there were praises all over. After King Cheng conquered the Yi people of the east, Xishen came to express their congratulations. And at King Cheng’s order, Rongbo, one of the ministers, wrote "The Fortune Given to Xishen".

成王在丰，使召公复营洛邑，如武王之意。周公复卜申视，卒营筑，居九鼎焉。曰：“此天下之中，四方入贡道里均。”作召诰、洛诰。成王既迁殷遗民，周公以王命告，作多士、无佚。召公为保，周公为师，东伐淮夷，残奄，迁其君薄姑。成王自奄归，在宗周，作多方。既绌殷命，袭淮夷，归在丰，作周官。兴正礼乐，度制于是改，而民和睦，颂声兴。成王既伐东夷，息慎来贺，王赐荣伯作贿息慎之命。