破邪論 2.3

2.3

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.