「貢」與諸侯間「朝聘」所攜之「幣」，內容物或有相同。二者之別乃「貢」是諸侯向周天子納獻之專稱，諸侯間「朝聘」因雙方身分對等，故「朝聘」之「幣」可理解為禮物。春秋最早向諸侯徵「貢」者，非「侯伯」齊桓公與晉文公而是楚成王。晉襄公與晉悼公時期已具體要求諸侯「朝聘」時之數額，此外，晉悼公中後期至晉平公前期，晉、鄭關係從對等轉為晉尊鄭卑。唯晉平公前期對鄭國及其他諸侯，仍延續晉悼公以來徵「朝聘之數」之制。魯襄公二十七年（546B.C.）宋之盟──即第二次弭兵之會，晉、楚藉諸侯「朝聘」之際，順勢將「朝聘」代換為「貢」。二國雖無天子之名，然已有天子之實。宋之盟後，晉、楚持續向諸侯徵「貢」。魯昭公十三年（529B.C.）晉召集諸侯於平丘會盟，周王室劉獻公監臨。鄭卿子產向晉國「爭承」，另闡釋「貢之無藝」、「貢獻無極」之理。針對晉國儼然以天子自居而向諸侯徵「貢」，《左傳》未記非議晉國之詞，或亦默許晉人之舉。魯哀公元年（494B.C.）吳師入越，越願向吳納「貢」以求和。魯哀公十三年（482B.C.）黃池會盟，吳亦向魯徵「貢」。周王室單平公監臨黃池會盟，面對吳之稱王與晉人以「貢」為名向諸侯徵索，《左傳》未錄對二國之譴責，再次默許吳、晉之僭越。

The objects exchanged in gong (tribute) and bi (presents) carried by vassals during formal visits are basically similar. The difference between these two is that gong is the specific name for the tribute that vassals pay to the emperor of Zhou. As the formal visits (chaopin) are between vassals who are equal in status, bi can be understood as a present. During the Spring and Autumn Period, the first person to collect ‘gong’ from other vassals was not Marquis Huan of Qi, nor Earl Wen of Jin, but Chu Chengwang. During the periods of Jin Xianggong and Jin Dagong, the amount of chaopin from other vassals was specifically required. In addition, from the middle and late stages of Jin Dagong to the early stage of Jin Pinggong, the relationship between the Jin state and the Zheng state changed from reciprocal to that of superior and inferior. Only in the early stage of Jin Pinggong, the standard of the quantity of each item in the formal visits still followed the rules of Jin Dagong for Zheng state and other vassals. In the 27th year during the reign of Lǔ Xianggong (546 B.C.), the “Alliance of Song” (Song zhi meng) was the second meeting to quell the wars between the states, during which other vassals had formal visits, the Jin and the Chu states took advantage of the opportunity and altered formal visits to tributes. Although they did not have the permission from the emperor of Zhou, they still claimed authority. After the “Alliance of Song”, Jin and Chu states continued to collect gong from other vassals. In the 13th year during the reign of Lu Zhaogong (529 B.C.), the Jin state convened the vassals for an alliance in Pingqiu, and Liu Xiangong, who was a royal family member of the emperor of Zhou, came to supervise. Zi Chan from the state of Zheng argued for the inheritance of gong from the Jin state; old scholars criticized him with two phrases, namely ‘gong zhi wu yi’ (“to pay tribute without rules”) and ‘gong xian wu ji’ (“the tribute is infinite”). In view of the fact that the rulers of the Jin state regarded themselves as emperors and demanded gong from other vassals, it is notable that Zuozhuan does not record any critique against the state of Jin, perhaps consenting tacitly to the unseemly conduct of the Jin state. In the first year of Lu Aigong (487 B.C.), the army of the Wu state invaded Yue, which was willing to pay tribute in order to seek peace. In the 13th year of Lu Aigong (482 B.C.), an alliance was held in Huangchi, and the Wu state also demanded tribute from the state of Lu. Shan Pinggong, who was a royal family member of the emperor of Zhou, came to supervise the alliance. Although the ruler of the state of Wu proclaimed himself as monarch and Jin requested for tribute from other vassals, Zuozhuan still did not record any condemnation of these two states, and once again acquiesced their arrogance.

《左傳》 ; 《 國語》 ; 貢; 朝聘; 僭越

Zuozhuan; Guoyu; gong; chaopin; arrogance