破邪論 2.3

2.3

對曰。武王伐紂師渡孟津。白魚入舟應天嘉命。諡法曰。剋定禍亂曰武。民賴來蘇軾閭封墓。休牛放馬治致太平。汝言無佛年長。何因祚短治十一年。懿王僖王更復絕嗣　一答佛未出前世無篡逆者　對曰。何故周烈王弟顯王篡位四十八年。悼王立一百一日。為庶弟子朝所害。敬王弟哀王治三月。弟思王外殺之思王治五月。小弟考王隗復殺之三王共治一年。此出楊玢史目陶公年紀秦五世六君四十九年　昭王五年（滅周後始稱王在位五載）孝文王式（一年）襄王楚（三年）始皇政（三十七年）胡亥（三年）殤帝子嬰（四十六日）又對曰。顯王五年秦穆公始霸。三十四年秦權周政。竹書云。自仲之前本無年。世世紀。陶公並云。秦是篡君不依德政。次第不在五運之限。縱年長遠終非帝王。以短為長指虛為實。有何意見。秦時北築備胡偽殺扶蘇矯立二世。陳勝蟻聚作亂關東　漢時凶奴入塞。烽火照甘泉宮。南越不賓。乃習水戰。

I reply: When King Wu campaigned against Zhou, his troops crossed Mengjin Ford; a white fish leaped into his boat, responding to Heaven's auspicious mandate. The *Rules of Posthumous Titles* says, 'One who overcomes and settles calamity and chaos is called Wu (Martial).' The common people relied on him to be revived; he honored the village gates [of the worthy] and mounded the tomb [of Bi Gan]; he rested the oxen and released the horses, and his governance brought about supreme peace. You claim that before Buddhism [dynasties] lasted long; why then was his reign so short, ruling for only eleven years? King Yi and King Xi further saw their lineages severed.
As a further reply to the claim that 'before the Buddha appeared in the world there was neither usurpation nor treason':
I reply: Why was it that King Xian, the younger brother of King Lie of Zhou, usurped the throne and ruled for forty-eight years? King Dao stood on the throne for a hundred and one days and was murdered by his concubine-born younger brother Zichao. King Ai, the younger brother of King Jing, ruled for three months, and his younger brother King Si killed him outside [the court]; King Si ruled for five months, and his youngest brother King Kao, [named] Wei, in turn killed him—these three kings collectively ruled for a single year. These matters derive from Yang Bin's *Catalogue of Histories* and Lord Tao's *Chronology*.
Qin had five generations, six rulers, and forty-nine years:
King Zhao, five years (only after extinguishing Zhou did he first claim the title of king, reigning for five years);
King Xiaowen, [named] Shi (one year);
King Xiang, [named] Chu (three years);
First Emperor, [named] Zheng (thirty-seven years);
Huhai (three years);
Emperor Shang, [named] Ziying (forty-six days).
I further reply: In the fifth year of King Xian, Duke Mu of Qin first achieved hegemony. In the thirty-fourth year, Qin usurped the government of Zhou. The *Bamboo Annals* states that prior to [Qin] Zhong there were originally no recorded years or chronological genealogies. Lord Tao also states that Qin were usurping rulers who did not rely on virtuous governance, and their succession did not fall within the succession of the Five Phases. Even if their years had been long and distant, they were ultimately not legitimate emperors or kings. Taking the short as long and pointing to the void as real—what reasoned view is there in this? In Qin times, they built [the Great Wall] to the north to defend against the Hu; they falsely put Fusu to death and forged the installation of the Second Emperor; Chen Sheng swarmed like ants and caused rebellion east of the Passes. In Han times, the Xiongnu breached the frontiers, their beacon fires illuminating the Ganquan Palace; the Southern Yue would not submit, so [the Han] had to drill in naval warfare.