退避三舍

　　RetreatingaboutThirtyMilesasConditionForPeace

　　DuringtheSpringandAutumnPeriod(770-476B.C.),DukeXianoftheStateofJinKilledthecrownprinceShengbecausehehadheardslandersaboutShengandbelievedthem.HealsosenthismentoarrestChongEr,ShenShengandbelievedthem.HealsosenthismentoarrestChonhEr,ShenSheng'sbrother.Hearingthenews,ChongErescapedfromthestateofJin,remainingafugitiveformorethantenyears.

　　Afterinnumerablehardships,ChongErarrivedattheStateofChuatlast.KingChengoftheStateofChutreatedhimwithhighrespectashewouldhavetreatedtherulerofastate,believingthathewouldhaveavrightfuure.

　　Oneday,KingChengoftheStateofChugaveabanquetinhonoudrofChongEr.Suddenly,amidtheharmoniousatmosphereofdrinkingandtalking,KingChengoftheStateofChuaskedChongEr."HowwillyourepaymewhenyoureturntotheStateofJinandbecomeitsruleroneday?"Afterthinkingforamoment,ChongErsaid,"Youhaveplentyofbeautiesandattendantsaswellasjewelryandsilkcloth,andthestateofChuaboundsinrarebridesandanimals.WhattreasurecantheStateofJinboasthavingtopresenttoyourmajesty?"KingChengoftheStateofChusaid,"Youaretoomodest.Nevertheless,youstillhavetoshowyourgratitudetomeinonewayoranother,Ipresume?"Smiling,ChongEranswered,"IfIshouldbefortunateenougetoreturntotheStateofJinandbecomeitsruler,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.TakingadvantageoftheChutroops'arroganceandtheirtalkingtheJintroopslightly,theJintroopsconcentratedtheirforcesandinflictedacrushingdefeatontheChutroops,thuswinningthevictoryofthebattleofChengpu.

　　Thissetphrase,"retreatingaboutthirtymilesasaconditionforpeace,"isderivedfromtheChapter"TheTwenty-secondYearofDukeXi"inZuoZhuan,thefamouscommentarybyZuoQiumingonThespringandAutumnAnnals.Theideaofthissetphraseistogivewaytosomebodyinordertoavoidaconflict.