Shēn Gōng Chén Líng Wáng 申公臣靈王
Minister Shen Serves King Ling (modern editorial title)
(anonymous; excavated bamboo manuscript, no attributable author)
About the work
Shēn Gōng Chén Líng Wáng 申公臣靈王 is one of the texts in 馬承源 Mǎ Chéngyuán ed., 《上海博物館藏戰國楚竹書》 vol. 6, Shànghǎi gǔjí chūbǎnshè 上海古籍出版社, 2007, comprising approximately 2 bamboo strips. The text is a brief Chǔ court narrative involving Shēn Gōng Zǐ Pān 申公子攀 (a Chu minister) and Wáng Zǐ Wéi 王子圍, who later became King Líng of Chǔ 楚靈王 (r. 540–529 BCE — one of the more notorious late Spring and Autumn Chu kings).
Abstract
The narrative records an incident at a place called Lì Shù 朸術. While in lodgings there, Shēn Gōng Zǐ Pān was traveling with fine horses (huáng jū 皇駒 — perhaps splendid/yellow horses); Wáng Zǐ Wéi (then still a prince) seized them, and Shēn Gōng contested the seizure.
Some time later, after Wáng Zǐ Wéi had taken power as King Líng, Shēn Gōng Zǐ Pān came to audience with the King. The King said: “Has the Minister Shēn forgotten that affair at Lì Shù?” (申公[忘]夫朸術之下乎?). Shēn Gōng answered: “I did not know that the King was going to be the King. Had I known, I would have [offered the horses myself].” The King laughed and said: “I ridiculed Shēn Gōng [at the time], and abandon that word now. Today, Minister Shēn serving me — he must do so with this same heart.”
The text thus records a scene of implicit forgiveness: the new king relinquishes past grievance, and requires that the minister’s future service proceed with the same principled independence (or frank speech?) that led to the original confrontation. The incident is too brief to determine further details.
Historical context. King Ling of Chu is known from the Zuǒzhuàn and Shǐjì as a powerful but oppressive ruler; he seized power by coup in 541 BCE (killing the previous king), and his reign ended in suicide (529 BCE) when his brother led a revolt. The narrative here presents a more nuanced early relationship between the future king and his minister.
Translations and research
- 馬承源 ed., 《上海博物館藏戰國楚竹書》 vol. 6, Shànghǎi gǔjí chūbǎnshè, 2007 — editio princeps.
- Lǐ Líng 李零, philological notes on Shangbo vol. 6 Chu court narratives (Jianbo network bsm.org.cn, 2007).
- No substantial secondary literature located on this specific fragment.
Links
- Wikipedia (Shanghai Museum bamboo texts): https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shanghai_Museum_bamboo_texts