In the history book “Zuo Zhuan”, under “Duke Xiang, Year 25” , there is the phrase “崔杼弑其君” (Cui Zhu murdered his sovereign), referring to an event in the State of Qi during the Spring and Autumn period, in which a minister murdered his ruler. To faithfully document this event, three official historians paid with their lives.
The term “弑” refers primarily to the killing of a person of higher status by one of lower status, specifically acts that violate ethical and hierarchical norms, such as a son killing his father or a minister killing his sovereign. In classical Chinese, it carries strong pejorative and moral condemnation.
Cui Zhu was a senior minister of the State of Qi. The ruler, Duke Zhuang of Qi, had an affair with Cui Zhu’s wife and further insulted Cui by giving away Cui Zhu’s hat to someone else. Furious, Cui Zhu conspired with others to kill the duke.
One day, Cui Zhu pretended to be ill. Duke Zhuang went to visit him at his residence, but in fact took the opportunity to rendezvous with Cui’s wife. Cui’s retainers ambushed the duke. The duke begged for a truce or permission to commit suicide at the ancestral temple, but Cui Zhu refused both. Finally, as the duke tried to climb over a wall and flee, he was shot in the thigh, fell to the ground, and was killed.
The Grand Historian of Qi recorded the event truthfully: “Cui Zhu murdered his sovereign.” Enraged, Cui Zhu killed the historian. The historian’s younger brother took over and wrote the same phrase, and was also killed. A second younger brother succeeded him and again wrote the same words, and was killed as well. A third younger brother then took the post and still wrote, “Cui Zhu murdered his sovereign.” Cui Zhu realised that he was unable to stop this, and let him go. Meanwhile, another historian named Nanshi, having heard that the successive historians had been killed, rushed over so that he can continue the truthful record—only when he learned that the event had been properly recorded did he turn back.
Origin: Zuo Zhuan – Duke Xiang, Year 25
#16 崔杼弑其君
《左传·襄公二十五年》有“崔杼弑其君”这句话，记录了春秋时期齐国发生的一起大臣弑君事件。为了将这个事件忠实地记录下来，三个史官付出了生命的代价。
“弑” 字，主要指地位低的人杀死地位高的人，特指子杀父、臣杀君等等违反伦理纲常的杀戮行为。它在古汉语中带有极强的贬义和伦理批判色彩。
崔杼是齐国的大夫。齐国国君齐庄公与崔杼的妻子私通，还把崔杼的帽子赐给别人来侮辱崔杼。崔杼非常愤怒，便与其他人合谋，准备杀死齐庄公。
有一天，崔杼假称自己病了，齐庄公就到崔杼家中去看望他，其实是借机与崔杼的妻子幽会。崔杼的家众伏击了庄公。齐庄公请求和解、或被允许去宗庙自杀，都被崔杼拒绝。最后庄公翻墙逃跑时被射中大腿，坠地被杀。
齐国太史（史官）如实记载：“崔杼弑其君。”崔杼大怒，杀了太史。太史的弟弟继任，仍然写“崔杼弑其君”，又被杀，第二个弟弟继任，仍然写“崔杼弑其君”，又被杀，第三个弟弟再继任，还是写“崔杼弑其君”。崔杼无奈，只好放过他。此时，另一位史官南史氏听说太史接连被杀，也赶来准备继续直书，听说已经如实记录后才返回。”
出自：《左传·襄公二十五年》