Chen Heng was a high-ranking minister (Shangqing Dafu) of Duke Jian of Qi. His ancestor Chen Wan was originally a noble of the State of Chen but fled to the State of Qi in the 14th year of Duke Huan of Qi's reign (671 BCE) to avoid internal strife among Chen nobles. By Chen Heng's time, he was the eighth generation. In governing Qi, Chen Heng was skilled at winning people's hearts: above, he requested ranks and salaries for ministers from the ruler; below, he distributed grain to the people with larger measures. This inspired a folk song among the Qi people: "Ah, gathering the shepherd's purse, return to Tian Chengzi." (Chen Wan changed his surname to Tian after fleeing to Qi.) Duke Jian of Qi was mediocre and inactive. When Chen Heng launched a coup, "Duke Jian was drinking with women at the Tantal Terrace." As the internal rebellion erupted, he fled in panic to Shuzhou (present-day Dongping County, Shandong Province, an ancient Qi territory), where Chen Heng's troops caught up with him. Fearing that Duke Jian might be reinstated and execute him, Chen Heng killed the duke. He then installed Duke Jian's younger brother Ao as Duke Ping of Qi, with Chen Heng as prime minister. Confucius's disciple Zai Yu died in this rebellion. This incident greatly angered Confucius. According to the Zuo Zhuan (Commentary of Zuo), Confucius analyzed the war situation, arguing that Chen Heng had killed his ruler, and half the state's populace would not support him. If Lu sent troops to punish him, combined with that half's discontent, Chen Heng could be defeated. Though Confucius had long retired from office, he could not restrain himself. After bathing and fasting, he specially went to court to see Duke Ai of Lu, saying: "Chen Heng of Qi has killed his ruler; please send troops to punish him." But Duke Ai could not decide whether to dispatch troops and told Confucius to inform the three powerful families—Jisun, Shusun, and Mengsun—who held court affairs. Confucius withdrew, displeased, muttering to himself: "Because I once served as a high official, I dared not fail to report such an event. But the ruler said: 'Go tell the three masters.'" He felt that having been a high official, reporting this matter to the ruler was his duty, and Duke Ai should not have treated it indifferently. Helpless, Confucius had to inform the three families, but they refused to send troops. Deeply frustrated, Confucius withdrew, again muttering: "Because I once served as a high official, I dared not fail to report!"
In fact, Chen Heng was still quite popular among the people, and during his administration, the State of Qi was relatively stable. Chen Heng’s descendants later became rulers of Qi, and during the Warring States Period, the Tian family’s Qi became one of the Seven Powers. Confucius supported Duke Jian in opposing Chen Heng because, in terms of social status (Ming Fen), Duke Jian was the ruler and Chen Heng was the minister; a minister must be loyal to the ruler and cannot oppose or replace him. Therefore, Confucius wanted the State of Lu to launch an expedition against Chen Heng. The meaning of the song is that even an old woman picking shepherd’s purse has her heart inclined toward Tian Chengzi (Chen Heng).