Three States: The Book of Wu
Records of the Three States: The Book of Wu
Fascicle 50: Consorts and Concubines
Sun the Caitiff Smasher's Lady Wu was the mother of the across the sovereign of Wu, Sun Quan. Originally a native of Wu, she moved to Qiatitang.1 She lost her parents very early and lived with her younger brother [Wu] Jing, Sun jian heard of her talent and beauty and wanted to marry her. Her relatives in the Wu family, detesting Jian's frivolity and craftiness, were going to resist him. Jian was mortified by this. Lady Wu spoke to her relatives, “Why court trouble for the sake of one daughter? If I am to be unlucky, that is my fate. Thereupon they consented to the marriage, and she bore him four sons and one daughter.
The Record of Searchingfor Spints (Sou shenji) says: At first when the lady was pregnant, she dreamed that the moon entered her bosom. Afterward, she gave birth to Ce. When she became pregnant with Quan, she dreamed that the sun entered her bosom. She reported to Jian, "Earlier, when I was pregnant with Ce, I dreamed that the moon entered my bosom. Now I have dreamed this time that the sun entered my bosom. What does it mean?" Jian replied, "The sun and moon are the essences ofyin and yang. It is an extremely noble sign. My descendants will flourish!"
Jing always followed jian and was meritorious in battle. He was appointed chief commandant of cavalry. Yuan Shu recommended Jing to be grand administrator of Danyang. He attacked the former grand administrator, Zhou Xin ), and occupied his commandery. Sun Ce, Sun He, and Lii Fan entrusted themselves to Jing.1 They combined their masses and together attacked the bandit of Jing; M prefecture, Zu Lang. Lang was defeated and fled. It happened that Jing was being pressed by Liu Yao, so he returned northward to rely on Yuan Shu. Shu made him general of the gentlemen-of-the-household for investigation of the army (dujun zbonglang iiang).
Together with Sun Ben, they attacked Fan Neng and Yu Mi at Hengjiang, then struck at Ze Rong and Xue Li at Moling. At the time, Sun Ce was wounded at Niuzhu. When the bandits who had surrendered rebelled, Jing attacked and captured them all. Then he attacked Liu Yao, who fled to Yuzhang. Sun Ce dispatched Jing and Ben to Shouchun to report to Yuan Shu. Shu forthwith fought with Liu Bei over Xu province. He appointed Jing grand administrator of Guangling. Yuan Shu later usurped the throne, and Sun Ce wrote exhorting him [to desist]. Shu refused. [Ce then cut the ford across the Yangtze, ending intercourse [with Yuan Shu], and sent someone to notify Jing. Jing abandoned his commandery and returned eastward. Ce restored Jing as the grand administrator of Danyang. The Han sent Gentleman Consultant Wang Pu under orders to tour the South, and he memorialized, appointing Jing general displaying martial virtue (yangwu jiangjun). Jing remained in charge of the commandery.
When Sun Quan took charge of the affairs of state while still a youth, Lady Wu assisted in administering the army and state, and she was a great help. In jian'an 7, as she approached death, she called Zhang Zhao and some others and entrusted them with matters after her death. She was buried with [her husband] at Gao Tumulus (Gaoling).
Standard Record of Guiji (Guiji dianlu) says: Sun Ce's [headof the] Bureau of Merit (Gong cao :01 V), Wei Teng scolded Ce because he disagreed with him. Ce was going to kill him. All the officials were worried and frightened but could come up with no plan. Lady Wu, who was leaning against a large well, said to Ce, “You are newly established in Jiangnan and matters have not yet been pulled together. You ought to be treating worthies well and being courteous to gentlemen, ignoring errors and recording merit. Wei of the Bureau of Merit enforces the rules completely in office. If you kill him today, then tomorrow everyone will rebel against you. I could not bear to see such an extreme error. I should throw myself into this well first." Ce was greatly frightened and immediately released Teng. Such was Lady Wu's shrewd advice.
The Forest of Resolve (Zhilin) says: The recommendation records for Guiji are blank for jian'an. When there were no recommendees, it meant the commandery administrator was in mourning. In this case, it was because the queen of Wu died in the twelfth year. In the eighth and ninth years there were recommendations. This makes it very clear.
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The evaluation states: The Classic of Changes declares, "When the family is put in order, the world will be in order." The Classic of Poetry says, "And his example acted on his wife, extended to his brethren, and was felt by all the clans and states. How true, these words! When we look at Duke Huan of Qi in the distant past and examine Sun Quan more recently, they possessed the brilliance of knowledgeable scholars and the determination of heroes. But they did not distinguish between their primary and secondary wives. The women's apartments were in confusion, making them laughingstocks of history and bringing misfortune to their descendants. If we evaluate the matter from this point of view, only he who makes morality and righteousness his frame of mind, and impartiality and consistency his primary principle, can avoid these entanglements.