Kingdoms in Peril

Olivia Milburn is Professor in the Department of Chinese at Seoul National University. Her previous publications include The Glory of Yue and The Spring and Autumn Annals of Master Yan.

• ContentsMap 1. The Zhou Confederacy circa 500 B.C.E.Map 2. The Kingdoms of the Warring States Period in circa 260 B.C.E.IntroductionTHE CURSE OF THE BAO LORDSChapter OneKing Xuan of Zhou hears a children’s song and kills a woman for no good reason.Grandee Du becomes formidable as he protests his innocence.Chapter TwoThe people of Bao atone for their crimes by handing over a beautiful woman.King You lights the beacon fires to tease the feudal lords.Chapter ThreeThe chief of the Dog Rong invades the capital at Hao.King Ping of Zhou moves east to Luoyang.AN INCESTUOUS LOVE AFFAIR AT THE COURT OF QIChapter FourThe Marquis of Qi gives Lady Wen Jiang in marriage to Lu.Lord Huan of Lu and his wife travel to Qi.Chapter FiveThe Honorable Wuzhi loses his privileges and joins a conspiracy.Lord Xiang of Qi goes out hunting and meets a ghost.THE WICKED STEPMOTHER, LADY LI JIChapter Six Lord Xian of Jin ignores a divination against establishing a principal wife.Lady Li Ji plots the murder of Shensheng.Chapter SevenLi Ke murders two infant rulers in succession.Lord Mu pacifies a civil war in Jin for the first time.THE FIGHT FOR LADY XIA JIChapter EightLord Ling of Chen uses underwear to make a joke at court.An unfortunate remark to Xia Zhengshu causes many deaths.Chapter NineAfter remonstrance from his ministers, King Zhuang of Chu restoresorder in Chen.Having married Lady Xia Ji, Wu Chen flees to Jin.THE ORPHAN OF THE ZHAO CLANChapter TenAfter the siege of the Lower Palace, Cheng Ying hides an orphan.Having executed Tu’an Gu, the Zhao clan rises again.THE DOWNFALL OF THE KINGDOM OF WUChapter ElevenKing Fuchai of Wu forgives Yue in the teeth of all remonstrance.King Goujian of Yue racks his brains for ways in which to serve Wu.Chapter TwelveHaving fallen into the trap laid by Yue, Xi Shi is much favored atthe Wu Palace.Having killed King Fuchai, the ruler of Yue proclaims himself hegemon.RIVAL STUDENTS OF THE MASTER OF GHOST VALLEYChapter ThirteenAfter saying goodbye to the Master of Ghost Valley, Pang Juan descends the mountain.In order to escape from disaster, Sun Bin pretends to have gone mad.Chapter FourteenTian Ji leads his forces to victory at Guiling.At Maling, Pang Juan is shot to pieces by crossbows.THE FAMILY TROUBLES OF THE KING OF QINChapter FifteenHaving hatched a cunning plan, Lü Buwei sends Prince Yiren home.Fan Wuqi circulates criticism in an attempt to punish the king of Qin.Chapter SixteenAi Lao uses a faked castration to bring the Qin palace to chaos.Mao Jiao removes his clothes to remonstrate with the king of Qin.THE ASSASSINS STRIKEChapter SeventeenTian Guang cuts his throat after recommending Jing Ke.Having presented a map, Jing Ke’s assassination attempt throwsthe Qin palace into chaos.

"Milburn’s introduction provides comprehensive cultural and bibliographic background for readers unfamiliar with the Ming or the Zhou. . . . For the reader without Chinese, this translation offers entertainment, moral lessons, and insights into Chinese political traditions that are probably as relevant today as in Ming, or indeed Zhou times."