Chapter 3: Duke Zheng’s Brief Hegemony Over the Central Plains

In the early Spring and Autumn period, among the various vassal states, the State of Zheng maintained a particularly close and frequent relationship with the Zhou royal family. During the eastern relocation, Duke Wu of Zheng escorted King Ping of Zhou to Luoyang. For his meritorious service in protecting the king, he was ennobled as a high minister, participating in the royal court’s political decisions and was granted extensive lands as a reward. The following year, Duke Wu moved the capital of Zheng to Xinzheng, located in present-day northern Xinzheng, Henan. Thanks to the fertile soil and convenient transportation there, Zheng quickly rose to become one of the most powerful states of the time.

Duke Wu’s wife was Wu Jiang, the daughter of the ruler of the State of Shen. She bore him two sons. The elder son was born while Duke Wu was asleep—a birth said by some to have been difficult—and thus was named Wusheng, meaning “born from a troubled sleep.” Due to the hardships surrounding his birth, Wu Jiang harbored little affection for the eldest. Instead, she favored the younger son, Shuduan, a preference rooted in the common folk’s love for the younger child.

A mother’s favoritism might have been a minor matter, but Wu Jiang’s attitude sparked a civil strife within Zheng. The root of the turmoil lay in her persistent persuasion of Duke Wu to designate Shuduan as heir apparent, to inherit the state after his father’s passing. Yet in the early Spring and Autumn era, when the patriarchal clan system still held sway, bypassing the elder son in favor of the younger was viewed as tantamount to inviting disaster.

In 743 BCE, Duke Wu passed away, and as the eldest son, Wusheng inherited his father’s position smoothly, becoming historically known as Duke Zhuang of Zheng. Seeing that her beloved younger son had failed to become ruler, Wu Jiang was deeply distressed. She assumed the authoritative posture of a mother and demanded that Duke Zhuang grant Shuduan a fiefdom—the territory of Zhiyi, near today’s Hulao Pass in Si Shui, Henan.

Duke Zhuang refused. Yet, moved by tears and supplications, he relented and bestowed upon Shuduan another territory, Jingyi, near present-day Xingyang, Henan, whereupon Shuduan became known as the “Uncle of the Capital Jing.”

At that time, the Zheng official Ji Zhong warned Duke Zhuang that Jingyi was vast, comprising over one-third of Zheng’s land—a violation of the former kings’ intentions—and granting it to Shuduan was perilous for both Duke Zhuang and the state. Duke Zhuang, constrained by filial obligation, feigned helplessness, unable to oppose his mother’s wishes.

Ji Zhong further cautioned, “The Jiang clan’s greed knows no bounds. You must plan early to prevent his power from spreading. Otherwise, the consequences will be irreparable.” Duke Zhuang, however, smiled knowingly and said, “Do not rush. Those who commit many injustices will bring about their own downfall. Wait and see; we shall proceed carefully.”

Soon, Uncle Jing commanded the western and northern border territories of Zheng to submit to him, later incorporating them into his fief. Observing Shuduan’s brazen expansion, Prince Lu repeatedly warned Duke Zhuang, “The heavens do not have two suns, nor do the people have two lords.”

Though Duke Zhuang appeared indifferent to his brother’s growing ambitions, he had already secretly dispatched spies close to Shuduan to gather intelligence. Once the plan for rebellion was confirmed, Duke Zhuang decided to strike first, ordering Prince Lu to lead 200 chariots to attack Jingyi.

The officials and people of Jingyi, still loyal to the legitimate Duke Zhuang, were intimidated by the overwhelming force and quickly betrayed Shuduan. Isolated and abandoned, Shuduan fled hastily to Yanyi, near present-day Yanling, Henan. Duke Zhuang then sent troops to attack Yanyi, forcing Shuduan to retreat further to Gongyi.

To root out the scattered forces entirely, Duke Zhuang, victorious, expelled his mother Wu Jiang from the palace, swearing, “Until death, we shall not see each other.”

The historical record in the *Spring and Autumn Annals* about this rebellion is terse, stating simply: “In the summer, fifth month, Duke of Zheng conquered Duan at Yan.” These nine characters carry rich meaning. Shuduan was Duke Zhuang’s brother and Duke Wu’s son, yet the text neither identifies him as brother nor addresses him by his noble title, reflecting condemnation of his fratricidal rebellion as a breach of filial piety.

Meanwhile, Duke Zhuang is referred to as the “Duke of Zheng” (Zheng Bo) rather than by a higher rank, implying that as elder brother, he failed in his duty to guide and discipline Shuduan, allowing his brother to stray into wrongdoing. This subtle irony reflects the chronicler’s judgment.

After the rebellion’s end, Duke Zhuang’s harsh treatment of his mother became a source of criticism. Following the advice of advisor Ying Kaoshu, he arranged a secret meeting with Wu Jiang through an underground tunnel deep enough to reach groundwater. Despite their estrangement, mother and son remained bound by blood, and Wu Jiang, seeing that Duke Zhuang was now her sole hope, agreed to meet in the tunnel.

The meeting was marked by ritual and poetry. Upon seeing his mother, Duke Zhuang joyfully composed: “Within the great tunnel, the joy is harmonious and full.” Wu Jiang responded with: “Outside the great tunnel, the joy is sparse and fading.”

Following this amicable reunion, Wu Jiang was well cared for, and Duke Zhuang’s reputation for filial piety was restored. Thus, the internal strife within Zheng came to a close.

One might observe that both parties acted largely out of self-interest: Wu Jiang securing her later years, and Duke Zhuang consolidating his rule under the guise of filial devotion. Their mutual dependence and complementary aims ultimately formed a pragmatic partnership, a wise choice amid tumultuous times.