duringthespringandautumnperiod(770-476b.c.),
dukexianofthestateofjinkilledthecrownprinceshengbecausehehadheardsl
andersaboutshengandbelievedthem.
healsosenthismentoarrestchonger,
shenshengandbelievedthem.healsosenthismentoarrestchonher,
shenshengsbrother.hearingthenews,chongerescapedfromthestateofjin,
remainingafugitiveformorethantenyears.
afterinnumerablehardships,chongerarrivedatthestateofchuatlast.
kingchengofthestateofchutreatedhimwithhighrespectashewouldhavetreatedtherulerofastate,
believingthathewouldhaveavrightfuure.
oneday,kingchengofthestateofchugaveabanquetinhonoudrofchonger.suddenly,
amidtheharmoniousatmosphereofdrinkingandtalking,
kingchengofthestateofchuaskedchonger.
hoeitsruleroneday?
afterthinkingforamoment,chongersaid,
youhaveplentyofbeautiesandattendantsaswellasjewelryandsilkcloth,
andthestateofchuaboundsinrarebridesandanimals.
whattreasurecanthestateofjinboasthavingtopresenttoyourmajesty?
kingchengofthestateofchusaid,youaretoomodest.nevertheless,
youstillhavetoshowyourgratitudetomeinonewayoranother,ipresume?
smiling,chongeranswered,
ifishouldbefortunateenougetoreturntothestateofjinandbeeitsruler,
thestateofjinwouldbefriendlytothestateofchu.
if,oneday,thereshouldbeawarbetweenthetwostates,
iwoulddefinitelyordermytroopstoretreatthreeshe(onesheisequivalenttothirtyli.
theliisachineseunitoflengthequivalentto1/2kilometre.and,therefore,
threesheisaboutthirtymiles.)asaconditionforpeace.if,underthatcondition,
youwerestillnotreconciled,iwouldhavetofightwithyou.
fouryearslater,asmightbeexpected,chongerreturnedtothestateofjinandbecameitsruler.
hewasnoneotherthandukewenofthestateofjinfamousinancientchinesehistory.
ruledbyhim,thestateofjinbecameincreasinglypowerful.
intheyear533b.c.,thechutroopsandthejintroopsconfrontedeachotherinabattle.
faithfultohispromise,dukewenofthestateofjinorderedhistroopstoretreataboutthirtymiles.
afterretreating,thejintroopswerestationedatchengpu.
seeingthatthejintroopswereretreating,
thechutroopsthoughtthattheenemytroopswereafraid,
andbeganchasingthem.
takingadvantageofthechutroopsarroganceandtheirtalkingthejintroopslightly,
thejintroopsconcentratedtheirforcesandinflictedacrushingdefeatonthechutroops,
thuswinningthevictoryofthebattleofchengpu.
thissetphrase,retreatingaboutthirtymilesasaconditionforpeace,
isderivedfromthechapterthetwenty-secondyearofdukexi
inzuozhuan,thefamousmentarybyzuoqiumingonthespringandautumnannals.
theideaofthissetphraseistogivewaytosomebodyinordertoavoidaconflict.