魏一 THE STRATAGEMS OF WEI I (B)
齊魏約而伐楚
Qi and Wei Make an Agreement to Attack Chu
齊、魏約而伐楚，魏以董慶為質於齊。楚攻齊，大敗之，而魏弗救。田嬰怒，將殺董慶。旰夷為董慶謂田嬰曰：「楚攻齊，大敗之，而不敢深入者，以魏為將內之於齊而擊其後。今殺董慶，是示楚無魏也。魏怒合於楚，齊必危矣。不如貴董慶以善魏，而疑之於楚也。」
Qi and Wei made an agreement to attack Chu, with Wei sending Dong Qing[1] to Qi as a hostage, but Chu attacked first and inflicted a great defeat upon Qi and Wei did not provide aid. Tian Ying[2] was enraged, and planned to kill Dong Qing. Gan Yi[3] addressed Tian Ying on Dong Qing's behalf[4[, saying, "If Chu attacked first and inflicted a great defeat on Qi, but nevertheless does not dare penetrate deep into your territory, it was because its leaders believe that Wei's troops will pursue them into Qi and they therefore suspect they will be attacked from behind. If you kill Dong Qing now, you will be showing Chu that you no longer have Wei's backing. Wei will be indignant and form an alliance with Chu, so Qi will certainly be in danger. Rather, you would do better to honour Dong Qing and thereby ingratiate yourself with Wei and enflame Chu's suspicions."
[1] Dong Qing is known mainly via this story.
[2] Tian Ying was a member of the Qi royal family, and the father of Lord Mengchang.
[3] This person is not otherwise well-known, and it is not even clear whether his name is written correctly.
[4] The commentaries suggest that 為董慶 here may be superfluous.
蘇秦拘於魏
Su Qin is Detained in Wei
蘇秦拘於魏，欲走而之韓，魏氏閉關而不通。齊使蘇厲為之謂魏王曰：「齊請以宋地封涇陽君，而秦不受也。夫秦非不利有齊而得宋地也，然其所以不受者，不信齊王與蘇秦也。今秦見齊、魏之不合也如此其甚也，則齊必不欺秦，而秦信齊矣。齊、秦合而涇陽君有宋地，則非魏之利也。故王不如復東蘇秦，秦必疑齊而不聽也。夫齊、秦不合，天下無憂，伐齊成，則地廣矣。」
Su Qin[1] was detained in Wei. He wanted to leave and go to Qi[2], but the House of Wei had closed the border so he could not travel. Qi sent Su Li[3] to speak to the King of Wei[4] on his behalf, saying, "Qi begged permission to offer lands in Song to Lord Jingyang[5], but Qin would not accept them. This was not because Qin did not want to profit from Qi's backing or take its lands in Song[6]; in fact, if it refused to accept the offer it was because it did not trust[7] the King of Qi[8] or Su Qin[9]. Now Qin has observed that the rift between Qi and Wei[10] has reached such point that Qi will have no partner for whom to betray Qin, Qin will be willing to trust Qi. Qi and Qin will make an alliance, and Lord Jingyang will get his land in Song, all of which bodes no good for Wei. Therefore Your Majesty would be better off allowing Su Qi to return to the east, then Qin will suspect Qi and refuse to listen to its proposals. If Qi and Qin do not reach an accord, then there will be no tumults within All-Under-Heaven, and any attack you make on Qi will succeed, expanding your territories."
[1] The commentaries say that this should read 代 (Dai) for 秦 (Qin). Su Dai was a younger brother of Su Qin, and like him a proponent of the anti-Qin alliance.
[2] Reading 齊 for 韓, per the commetnaries.
[3] Su Li was another brother.
[4] It is not clear which King of Wei is indicated here.
[5] Lord Jingyang was also known as Ying Fei. He was the son of King Huiwen of Qin and the younger brother of King Wu and King Zhaoxiang.
[6] The commentaries suggest that 也 here may be superfluous.
[7] I.e. Qin suspected that Qi would betray it in favour of an alliance with Wei.
[8] ] King Min of Qi (300–284 BCE) was famously bad at managing his subordinates, and almost lost his state following an invasion by Yan. His own generals eventually turned upon him and one of them, Nao Chi, killed him.
[9] Reading 蘇子 for 蘇秦 as the commentaries suggest, since this fits best with the ambiguity over which Su brother was involved.
[10] The commentaries suggest that 也 here may be superfluous.
陳軫為秦使於齊
Chen Zhen Serves as Qin's Envoy in Qi
陳軫為秦使於齊，過魏，求見犀首。犀首謝陳軫。陳軫曰：「軫之所以來者，事也。公不見軫，軫且行，不得待異日矣。」犀首乃見之。陳軫曰：「公惡事乎？何為飲食而無事？無事必來。」犀首曰：「衍不肖，不能得事焉，何敢惡事？」陳軫曰：「請移天下之事於公。」犀首曰；「柰何？」陳軫曰：「魏王使李從以車百乘使於楚，公可以居其中而疑之。公謂魏王曰：『臣與燕、趙故矣，數令人召臣也，曰無事必來。今臣無事，請謁而往。無久，旬、五之期。』王必無辭以止公。公得行，因自言於廷曰：『臣急使燕、趙，急約車為行具。』」犀首曰：謁魏王，王許之，即明言使燕、趙。「諾。」
Chen Zhen[1] was to serve as Qin's envoy in Qi. While passing through Wei he requested an audience with the Xishou General[2], which was politely declined. Chen Zhen said, "I came east for a reason. If you do not wish to see me, I will simply move on. I cannot wait another day." Consequently, the Xishou General agreed to see him.
Chen Zhen said, "Do you detest public affairs so much? Why should you expect to enjoy the fruits with none of the labour[3]?"
The Xishou General said, "I am hopeless, and have never been able to get enough of a grip on public affairs to detest them."
Chen Zhen said, "Then I beg permission to bring the affairs of All-Under-Heaven to you."
The Xishou General said, "How would you manage that?"
Chen Zhen said, "Wei has sent Li Cong[4] accompanied by a hundred chariots to serve as its envoy in Chu. You could take advantage of his mission to create suspicion[5]. You should speak to the King of Wei[6], saying, 'I have had dealings with Yan and Zhao. Numerous times they have sent people to summon me, saying that when I have no other affairs on hand I should go to them. I am currently unoccupied, so I will answer their invitations. It should not take long - just five or ten days.' The King will will be unable to come up with any argument to prevent you. When you receive your travel permit, seize the opportunity to announce it in the palace courtyard, saying, 'I have been sent on an urgent mission to Yan and Zhao, quick - prepare me some carriages for the journey.'"
The Xishou General said, "I will do so." He secured an interview with the King of Wei, and when the King allowed him to leave, he immediately made it clear that he was to serve as an envoy in Yan and Zhao.
諸侯客聞之，皆使人告其王曰：「李從以車百乘使楚，犀首又以車三十乘使燕、趙。」齊王聞之，恐後天下得魏，以事屬犀首，犀首受齊事。魏王止其行使。燕、趙聞之，亦以事屬犀首。楚王聞之，曰：「李從約寡人，今燕、齊、趙皆以事因犀首，犀首必欲寡人，寡人欲之。」乃倍李從，而以事因犀首。魏王曰：「所以不使犀首者，以為不可。令四國屬以事，寡人亦以事因焉。」犀首遂主天下之事，復相魏。
The various guests at the court of Wei heard this, and all sent people to report to their sovereign lords, saying, "Li Cong is taking a hundred chariots on his mission to Chu, and Xi Shou is taking thirty on his mission to Yan and Zhao." The King of Qi[7] heard about this, and was afraid that Wei was about to agree to an alliance with one of the other states in All-Under-Heaven, so he offered to place the affairs of his state in the hands of the Xishou General. The Xishou General accepted and the King of Wei withdrew the his diplomatic credentials. Yan and Zhao heard about it, and also offered to hand over their affairs to the Xishou General[8].
The King of Chu[9] heard about this and said, "We had an agreement with Li Cong, but now Yan, Qi and Zhao have all taken this opportunity to entrust their affairs to the Xishou General. He will certainly want us on his side, and we want him on ours." Accordingly, he turned his back on Li Cong, and handed his affairs over to the Xishou General.
The King of Wei said, "The reason I did not appoint the Xishou General to an official position was because I believed him to be incompetent. Now[10] four states have entrusted him with their affairs, so we should also use him in ours." Thus the Xishou General became master over the affairs of All-Under-Heaven and then returned and was made Chancellor of Wei.
[1] Chen Zhen was from Qi, but worked as a politician and diplomat in Qin, and a rival of Zhang Yi, who eventually forced him out. He then returned to Qi.
[2] "Xishou" was originally an official title, but was also used as a personal name by Gongsun Yan, who worked as a politician in Qin, Wei and Han. He was another opponent of Zhang Yi.
[3] According to the commentaries the characters 無事必來 are superfluous.
[4] According to the commentaries this may have been a politician in Zhao, or intended as a reference to Tian Xu (田需), a politician from Qi who took a pro-Chu position and was eventually made Chancellor of Wei.
[5] I.e. to make the King of Wei suspicious that he is angling for a job in Chu, and therefore extort a better position from him.
[6] Probably King Zhao of Wei (295-277 BCE). King Zhao of Wei struck up multiple alliances in an attempt to forestall Qin expansion, but suffered significant defeats.
[7] King Min of Qi (300–284 BCE) was famously bad at managing his subordinates, and almost lost his state following an invasion by Yan. His own generals eventually turned upon him and one of them, Nao Chi, killed him.
[8] At the time it was not unusual for two aligned nations to appoint the same person as their diplomatic representative.
[9] King Huai of Chu (328-299 BCE) was known for having been the object of various poetic complaints by Qu Yuan. He was captured by Qin in 299 BCE and his son King Qingxiang took the throne. He made one attempt to escape, but was recaptured and died in 296 BCE.
[10] Reading 今 for 令 here, per the commentaries.
張儀惡陳軫於魏王
Zhang Yi Slanders Chen Zhen to the King of Wei
張儀惡陳軫於魏王曰：「軫善事楚，為求壤地也，甚力之。」左華謂陳軫曰：「儀善於魏王，魏王甚愛之。公雖百說之，猶不聽也。公不如儀之言為資，而反於楚王。」陳軫曰：「善。」因使人先言於楚王。
Zhang Yi[1] slandered Chen Zhen[2] to the King of Wei[3], saying, "Zhen has served Chu well, sparing no effort in his quest to acquire land on their behalf[4]."
Zuo Hua[5] spoke to Chen Zhen, saying, "Yi has been currying favour with the King of Wei, who has grown extremely fond of him. You could offer up a hundred persuasions; the King will not listen. You would be better off using Yi's speeches as your own capital - recount them to the King of Chu[7]."
Chen Zhen said, "Very well." He took the opportunity of sending an envoy to repeat Zhang Yi's words before the King of Chu.[8]
[1] Zhang Yi was a politician and general in Qin, and the principal proponent of Qin's Horizontal Alliance, the aim of which was to prevent the other states from unifying against Qin. This story also appears among the Chu stratagems.
[2] Chen Zhen was from Qi, but worked as a politician and diplomat in Qin, and a rival of Zhang Yi, who eventually forced him out. He then returned to Qi.
[3] It is not clear which King of Wei is indicated here.
[4] The commentaries suggest that 之 here may be superfluous.
[5] Zuo Hua is referred to as Zuo Shuang in the version of this story told in the Chu stratagems.
[6] Reading 如以 for 如, per the commentaries.
[7] King Huai of Chu (328-299 BCE) was known for having been the object of various poetic complaints by Qu Yuan. He was captured by Qin in 299 BCE and his son King Qingxiang took the throne. He made one attempt to escape, but was recaptured and died in 296 BCE.
[7] The idea is that Chen Zhen will use this as proof of his loyalty in Chu.
張儀欲窮陳軫
Zhang Yi Wishes to Ruin Chen Zhen
張儀欲窮陳軫，令魏王召而相之，來將悟之。將行，其子陳應止其公之行，曰：「物之湛者，不可不察也。鄭彊出秦曰，應為知。夫魏欲絕楚、齊，必重迎公。郢中不善公者，欲公之去也，必勤王多公之車。公至宋，道稱疾而毋行，使人謂齊王曰：『魏之所以迎我者，欲以絕齊、楚也。』」
Zhang Yi[1] wished to ruin Chen Zhen[2] so he had the King of Wei[3] summon him to Wei to be appointed Chancellor, planning to arrest[4] him upon his arrival. Chen Zhen was about to set out when his son, Chen Ying[5], stopped him in his tracks, saying, "This business was well-planned, and you cannot afford to treat it casually. Zheng Qiang[7] left Qin[8] to tell me as much, and make sure I was aware of it. Wei wishes to drive a wedge between Chu and Qi, so it will certainly accord you a grand welcome[9]. No one in Ying[10] likes you, and they hope you will leave - they will certainly recommend that the King[11] send you off with a substantial retinue. When you arrive in Song, say that you are ill and halt your journey, then send an envoy to speak to the King of Qi[12], saying, 'The reason Wei is willing to welcome me is because they wish to drive a wedge between Qi and Chu.'"
齊王曰：「子果無之魏而見寡人也，請封子。」因以魯侯之車迎之。
The King of Qi heard this and took the opportunity to send Marquis Lu[13] in his chariot to welcome Chen Zhen, saying, "Come east[14] to visit us rather than going to Wei. We beg to grant you a domain."
[1] Zhang Yi was a politician and general in Qin, and the principal proponent of Qin's Horizontal Alliance, the aim of which was to prevent the other states from unifying against Qin. [2] Chen Zhen was from Qi, but worked as a politician and diplomat in Qin, and a rival of Zhang Yi, who eventually forced him out. He then returned to Qi.
[2] Chen Zhen was from Qi, but worked as a politician and diplomat in Qin, and a rival of Zhang Yi, who eventually forced him out. At the time of this story he was working in Chu.
[3] Reading 魏王 for 魏 as in other versions. I am not sure which King of Wei is indicated here.
[4] The commentaries disagree regarding the precise interpretation of this sentence, but the general sense is clear.
[5] Chen Ying is not otherwise well-known.
[6] Reading 日 for 曰 here, following Bao.
[7] Zheng Qiang was a member of the Zheng royal house who worked for Han following its conquest of Zheng. He later bribed Qin to attack Han.
[8] The commentaries disagree on the interpretation of this sentence. It may be intended to imply that Zheng Qiang's departure from Qin was what tipped Chen Ying off, though it is not clear why this would be.
[9] Chen Zhen's appointment in Wei would imply an accord between Chu and Wei, which would prevent Chu from making an agreement with Qi.
[10] Ying was in modern Jingzhou, Hubei, and was the capital of Chu at the time.
[11] King Huai of Chu (328-299 BCE) was known for having been the object of various poetic complaints by Qu Yuan. He was captured by Qin in 299 BCE and his son King Qingxiang took the throne. He made one attempt to escape, but was recaptured and died in 296 BCE.
[12] King Min of Qi (300–284 BCE) was famously bad at managing his subordinates, and almost lost his state following an invasion by Yan. His own generals eventually turned upon him and one of them, Nao Chi, killed him.
[13] Possibly Duke Wen of Lu (302–278 BCE).
[14] Reading 東 for 果, per the commentaries.
張儀走之魏
Zhang Yi Sets Out for Wei
張儀走之魏，魏將迎之。張丑諫於王，欲勿內，不得於王。張丑退，復諫於王曰：「王亦聞老妾事其主婦者乎？子長色衰，重家而已。今臣之事王，若老妾之事其主婦者。」魏王因不納張儀。
Zhang Yi[1] set out for[2] Wei, and Wei was preparing to welcome him. Zhang Chou[3], seeking to prevent Zhang Yi from entering the country, remonstrated with the King[4] but failed to win him over. He withdrew, but then returned once more to argue with the King, saying, "Have you ever heard about how an old concubine will serve a new wife? As her children age, her attractions decline and her husband takes new wives[5], there is nothing else she can do. Serving Your Majesty at the moment, I feel like an old concubine serving a new wife." As a result, the King of Wei refused Zhang Yi entry.
[1] Zhang Yi was a politician and general in Qin, and the principal proponent of Qin's Horizontal Alliance, the aim of which was to prevent the other states from unifying against Qin.
[2] He was leaving Qin.
[3] Zhang Chou also appears in the Yan stratagems serving as a hostage, but he is not otherwise well-known.
[4] The commentaries suggest that this was King Ai, but modern historians doubt his existence. It may, then, have been King Hui or King Xiang.
[5] Reading 嫁 for 家, per the commentaries.
張儀欲以魏合於秦韓
Zhang Yi Wishes to Ensure that Wei Will Form an ALliance with Qin and Han
張儀欲以魏合於秦、韓而攻齊、楚。惠施欲以魏合於齊、楚以案兵。人多為張子於王所。惠子謂王曰：「小事也，謂可者謂不可者正半，況大事乎？以魏合於秦、韓而攻齊、楚，大事也，而王之群臣皆以為可。不知是其可也，如是其明耶？而群臣之知術也，如是其同耶？是其可也，未如是其明也，而群臣之知術也，又非皆同也，是有其半塞也。所謂劫主者，失其半者也。」
Zhang Yi[1] wished to ensure that Wei would form an alliance with Qin and Han in order to attack Qi and Chu. Hui Shi[2] wished to ensure that Wei would form an alliance with Qi and Chu and then await further developments. Zhang Yi's many partisans were constantly approaching the King of Wei[3] on his behalf, but Master Hui spoke to the King of Wei, saying, "Even in small matters, those in favour and those opposed are generally split down the middle. How much more so in significant matters? Attacking Qi and Chu as part of a Qin-Han alliance is a significant matter, but Your Majesty's assembled servants are all in favour of it. You and I do not know whether it is advisable or not, so how can it be so clear to them? Could it be[4] that all of your other servants have followed the same reasoning, and it is this that has granted them their understanding? Impossible. Your servants all endorse different methods of government, so only one side will be right at any given time[5]. This is called exerting undue influence over one's sovereign by ensuring that he only hears one side of the matter."[6]
[1] Zhang Yi was a politician and general in Qin, and the principal proponent of Qin's Horizontal Alliance, the aim of which was to prevent the other states from unifying against Qin.
[2] Hui Shi was a philosopher belonging to the School of Names, and an old sparring partner of Zhuangzi's.
[3] It is not clear which King of Wei is indicated here.
[4] Reading 亡 for 而, per the commentaries.
[5] Reading 其有 for 其有, per the commentaries.
[6] Commentaries and translations disagree on the interpretation of this chapter, which relies upon extremely abstract and technical logic.
張子儀以秦相魏
Zhang Yi has Qin Make him Chancellor of Wei
張子儀以秦相魏，齊、楚怒而欲攻魏。雍沮謂張子曰：「魏之所以相公者，以公相則國家安，而百姓無患。今公相而魏受兵，是魏計過也。齊、楚攻魏，公必危矣。」張子曰：「然則柰何？」雍沮曰：「請令齊、楚解攻。」雍沮謂齊、楚之君曰：「王亦聞張儀之約秦王乎？曰：『王若相儀於魏，齊、楚惡儀，必攻魏。魏戰而勝，是齊、楚之兵折，而儀固得魏矣；若不勝魏，魏必事秦以持其國，必割地以賂王。若欲復攻，其敝不足以應秦。』此儀之所以與秦王陰相結也。今儀相魏而攻之，是使儀之計當於秦也，非所以窮儀之道也。」齊、楚之王曰：「善。」乃遽解攻於魏。
Zhang Yi[1] had Qin obtain a position for him as Chancellor of Wei[2]. Qi and Chu were irritated by this and wished to attack Wei. Yong Ju[3] spoke to Master Zhang, saying, "The reason that Wei made you Chancellor was so that you could bring stability to the state and ensure that the hundred clans would not be troubled. Now you have been made Chancellor and Wei is about to be invaded - clearly Wei's strategy has failed. If Qi and Chu attack Wei, then your life will certainly be in danger."
Master Zhang said, "If so, how should I deal with this?"
Yong Ju said, "Allow me to ensure that their plan of attack will unravel." He then spoke to the Lords of Qi[4] and Chu[5], saying, "Have you heard about Zhang Yi's agreement with the King of Qin[6]? He said, 'If you have me made me Chancellor of Wei, then Qi and Chu, who hate me, will attack Wei. If Wei fights and wins, then that will be a blow to the armies of Qi and Chu, and I will be able to consolidate my hold over Wei. If Wei does not win[7], then it will be forced to pledge its service to us in order to preserve its state, and it will certainly offer you land as a bribe. Then if Qi and Chu decide to attack Wei again, they will be too depleted to resist Qin's counter-attack.' Thus Yi formed a secret agreement with the King of Qin. Now Yi is Chancellor of Wei and you are indeed attacking; thus you are demonstrating to Qin that Zhang Yi's strategy was the right one; this is no way to bring him to ruin."
The Kings of Qi and Chu said, "Very well." As a result[8] their plan to attack Wei unraveled.
[1] Zhang Yi was a politician and general in Qin, and the principal proponent of Qin's Horizontal Alliance, the aim of which was to prevent the other states from unifying against Qin.
[2] 子 here is superfluous according to the commentaries.
[3] Yong Ju was a politician from Wei.
[4] King Min of Qi (300–284 BCE) was famously bad at managing his subordinates, and almost lost his state following an invasion by Yan. His own generals eventually turned upon him and one of them, Nao Chi, killed him.
[5] King Huai of Chu (328-299 BCE), who was known for having been the object of various poetic complaints by Qu Yuan. He was captured by Qin in 299 BCE and his son King Qingxiang took the throne. He made one attempt to escape, but was recaptured and died in 296 BCE.
[6] King Huiwen of Qin (356–311 BCE) expanded Qin's territories through conquest, notably that of Ba and Shu.
[7] Bao suggests that 魏 here may be superfluous.
[8] Bao suggests 遂 for 遽 here.
張儀欲并相秦魏
Zhang Yi Wishes to Be Chancellor of Both Qin and Wei
張儀欲并相秦、魏，故謂魏王曰：「儀請以秦攻三川，王以其間約南陽，韓氏亡。」史厭謂趙獻曰：「公何不以楚佐儀求相之於魏，韓恐亡，必南走楚。儀兼相秦、魏，則公亦必并相楚、韓也。」
Zhang Yi[1] wished to be Chancellor of both Qin and Wei, so he spoke to the King of Wei[2], saying, "I will beg Qin to attack Sanchuan[3]. You can use this opportunity to demand the city of Nanyang[4], and that will be the end of the House of Han." Shi Yan[5] spoke to Zhao Xian[6], saying, "Why not lend Chu's support to Zhang Yi in his bid to become Chancellor of Wei? Han, afraid of being wiped out, will certainly run to Chu for help. If Yi is made Chancellor of both Qin and Wei, then you will certainly become Chancellor of Chu and Han."
[1] Zhang Yi was a politician and general in Qin, and the principal proponent of Qin's Horizontal Alliance, the aim of which was to prevent the other states from unifying against Qin.
[2] It is not clear which King of Wei is indicated here.
[3] Sanchuan Commandery was in modern Henan.
[4] Nanyang is still called Nanyang, and is in Henan.
[5] Shi Yan is not otherwise well-known.
[6] Zhao Xian seems to have been a politician in Chu.
魏王將相張儀
The King of Wei Plans to Make Zhang Yi his Chancellor
魏王將相張儀，犀首弗利，故令人謂韓公叔曰；「張儀以合秦、魏矣。其言曰：『魏攻南陽，秦攻三川，韓氏必亡。』且魏王所以貴張子者，欲得地，則韓之南陽舉矣。子盍少委焉，以為衍功，則秦、魏之交可廢矣。如此，則魏必圖秦而棄儀，收韓而相衍。」公叔以為信，因而委之，犀首以為功，果相魏。
The King of Wei[1] planned to make Zhang Yi[2] his Chancellor. The Xishou General[3] would gain nothing from this, so he had someone speak to Han Gongshu[4], saying, "Zhang Yi has already brokered an accord between Qin and Wei[5]. In his own words, he said: 'Wei will attack Nanyang[6] and Qin will attack Sanchuan[7]. The House of Han will certainly be exterminated.' This is why Wei honoured Master Zhang - because it wishes to acquire land[8] - and thus Han's fortress at Nanyang will soon be Wei's. Why not entrust this little matter to Yan[9]? He will be able to break up the relationship between Qin and Wei. This done, Wei will certainly plot against Qin and expel Zhang Yi, while accepting overtures from Han and making Yan its Chancellor." Gongshu agreed[10], and thus he handed the matter over to the Xishou General, who brought it to a successful conclusion and, as a result, was made Chancellor of Wei.
[1] It is not clear which King of Wei is indicated here.
[2] Zhang Yi was a politician and general in Qin, and the principal proponent of Qin's Horizontal Alliance, the aim of which was to prevent the other states from unifying against Qin.
[3] "Xishou" was originally an official title, but was also used as a personal name by Gongsun Yan, who worked as a politician in Qin, Wei and Han. He was another opponent of Zhang Yi.
[4] Han Gongshu emerged as Chancellor of Han following an internal power struggle and played a key part in an exchange of land with Wei to make both states' land easier to defend.
[5] Reading 已 for 以, per the commentaries.
[6] Sanchuan Commandery was in modern Henan.
[7] Nanyang is still called Nanyang, and is in Henan.
[8] Reading 地也 for 地, per the commentaries.
[9] Xi Shou was also known as Gongsun Yan.
[10] The commentaries disagree regarding the precise reading of this sentence; "agreed" covers most of the alternatives.
楚許魏六城
Chu PROMISES wEI sIX Fortified Cities
楚許魏六城，與之伐齊而存燕。張儀欲敗之，謂魏王曰：「齊畏三國之合也，必反燕地以下楚，楚、趙必聽之，而不與魏六城。是王失謀於楚、趙，而樹怨而於齊、秦也。齊遂伐趙，取乘丘，收侵地，虛、頓丘危。楚破南陽九夷，內沛，許、鄢陵危。事敗為趙驅，事成功縣宋、衛。」魏王弗聽也。
Chu promised Wei six fortified cities if it would help preserve Yan by means of a joint attack on Qi[1]. Zhang Yi[2] wished to scupper Chu's plans, so he spoke to the King of Wei[3], saying, "If Qi is afraid that we three states[4] will come to an accord it will return the land it took from Yan and submit to Chu. Then Chu[5] will listen to Qi's pleas, and will refuse to hand over the six towns it promised you. This being so, the strategy that Your Majesty's strategy[6] will fail to secure deal with Chu, while also incurring the wrath of[7] Qi and Qin[8]. Consequently, Qi will attack Zhao[9], taking Chengqiu[10], capturing land and putting Xu[11] and Dun[12] at risk. Chu will destroy the Nine Tribes of Nanyang[13] and annex Pei[14], putting Xu[16] and Yanling[17] at risk[18]. You will gain only Xinguan[19], the roads to which are controlled by Song and Wey. If your enterprise fails, you will be driven back by Zhao[20]. If it succeeds, your winnings will be at the mercy of Song and Wey." The King did not listen[21].
[1] Which was under attack by Qi at the time.
[2] Zhang Yi was a politician and general in Qin, and the principal proponent of Qin's Horizontal Alliance, the aim of which was to prevent the other states from unifying against Qin.
[3] It is not clear which King of Wei is indicated here.
[4] Chu, Wei and Yan.
[5] According to the commentaries, the character 趙 here is superfluous.
[6] According to the commentaries, the character 趙 is superfluous.
[7] According to the commentaries one 而 here is superfluous.
[8] Which was allied with Qi.
[9] Presumably in order to cross Zhao's territory and attack Wei.
[10] Chengqiu was in modern Yanzhou, Shandong.
[11] This refers to Yinxu, the former capital of the Shang Dynasty in modern Anyang, Henan.
[12] This refers to Dunqiu, in modern Qingfeng County, Henan.
[13] The Nine Tribes referred to the Yi tribes, non-Chinese peoples residing along the eastern coast of modern China. They did not reside anywhere near Nanyang, which is in Henan, and this sentence may actually be a reference to the county of Jiuyi, which was in modern Hunan. Alternatively, these may be non-Huaxia prisoners of war who were resettled in the vicinity of Nanyang.
[14] Pei could refer to one of several places, or, alternatively 內沛 may be a single semantic unit, referring to a place named Neipei.
[15] Xu is now Xuchang, in Henan.
[17] Yanling is still called Yanling, and is in Henan.
[18] This entire sentence is unclear. We may be intended to read 九嶷 for 九夷 and the commentaries disagree on whether 內沛 should be read as one word or two.
[19] It is not clear where this was.
[20] The implication seems to be that if Wei fails to secure an alliance with Chu, Qi will attempt to attack Wei via Zhao, and Zhao - with an eye to the main chance - will then allow Qi use of its roads and join in the attack on Wei.
[21] The next chapter, "Zhang Yi Talks to Gongzhong" may be intended to follow on directly from this.
張儀告公仲
Zhang Yi Talks to Gongzhong
張儀告公仲，令以饑故，賞韓王以近河外。魏王懼，問張子。張子曰：「秦欲救齊，韓欲攻南陽，秦、韓合而欲攻南陽，無異也。且以遇卜王，王不遇秦，韓之卜也決矣。」魏王遂尚遇秦，信韓、廣魏、救趙，尺楚人，據於萆下。伐齊之事遂敗。
Zhang Yi[1] told[2] Gongzhong[3] to use the famine that had struck in his state to incentivise the King of Han[4] to move beyond the Yellow River[5]. The King of Wei[6] was afraid and questioned Master Zhang about the matter. Master Zhang said, "Qin wishes to aid Qi and Han wishes to attack Nanyang[7]. Qin and Han will make an accord to attack Nanyang, since this will achieve both goals[8]. Han will assess your position by your actions: if you do not meet with Qin, Han will make its assessment and act accordingly[9]." As a result, the King of Wei left to meet with Qin, gained the trust of Han, expanded Wei's territories, aided Zhao, and dismissed[10] the partisans of Chu stationed in Bixia[11]. Consequently, the plan to attack Qi failed[12].
[1] Zhang Yi was a politician and general in Qin, and the principal proponent of Qin's Horizontal Alliance, the aim of which was to prevent the other states from unifying against Qin.
[2] This chapter may be intended to follow on directly from the previous one, "Chu Promises Wei Six Towns" - this introductory sentence suggests that Zhang Yi is reporting what happened in the previous chapter to Gongzhong Peng and ordering him to use the pretext of the famine to convince his superiors to connive in Zhang Yi's plans.
[3] Gongzhong Peng, also known as Gongzhong Chi, was a politician in Han, and served as Chancellor for a time.
[4] King Xuanhui of Han (323-312 BCE) was the first ruler of Han to adopt the title of King.
[5] This sentence is garbled, and existing translations interpret it differently. The implication seems to be that Han will acquire some of Wei's lands if it complies with Zhang Yi's schemes, thus enabling it to alleviate its famine.
[6] King Xiang of Wei (318-296 BCE) he spent his entire reign switching between anti-Qin and anti-Chu alliances in an attempt to preserve his territory against larger neighbours.
[7] Nanyang is still called Nanyang, and is in Henan. At the time it was in Chu. Presumably the idea here is that Wei will abandon its alliance with Chu in order to have a chance of joining the Qin-Han attack on Nanyang and acquiring land there.
[8] Attacking Nanyang would have drawn Chu's attention westwards and hence provide some relief to Qi.
[9] I.e. if Wei does not join in the joint Qin-Han attack on Nanyang, it will be presumed hostile and is thus likely to be attacked next.
[10] Reading 斥 for 尺, per the commentaries.
[11] This sentence is also garbled, and it is not clear where Bixia was or even if its name ha been transcribed correctly. There is a suggestion that this refers to a mission to Xu (now Xuchang in Henan), which was on the border between Chu and Han, presumably to encourage it over to the Han side.
[12] That is to say, Chu's attempt to build an alliance in order to attack Qi, as mentioned in the previous chapter.
徐州之役
the Battle of Xuzhou
徐州之役，犀首謂梁王曰：「何不陽與齊而陰結於楚？二國恃王，齊、楚必戰。齊戰勝楚，而與乘之，必取方城之外；楚戰勝齊敗，而與乘之，是太子之讎報矣。」
During the Battle of Xuzhou[1], the Xishou General[2] spoke to the King of Liang[3], saying, "Why not make public overtures to Qi while making a secret agreement with Chu? The two states both depend upon you, so they will certainly go to war as a result[4]. If Qi fights and defeats Chu then you can join them and overrun Chu - you will certainly be able to take land beyond Fangcheng[5]. If Chu fights and defeats[6] Qi then you can join them and overrun Qi, thus avenging the Crown Prince[7]."
[1] Xuzhou seems to have covered the southern part of Shandong and northern Jiangsu. The commentaries suggest that this may be intended to read 枿州 (Niezhou), but it is not clear where this was.
[2] "Xishou" was originally an official title, but was also used as a personal name by Gongsun Yan, who worked as a politician in Qin, Wei and Han. He was another opponent of Zhang Yi.
[3] It is not clear which king is indicated here.
[4] The commentaries disagree regarding the precise reading of this sentence, but the general sense is clear.
[5] Fangcheng referred to the area on Chu's northern border; the Xishou General is suggesting that Wei will be able to advance into Chu heartlands and acquire territories there.
[6] The commentaries suggest that 敗 here is superfluous.
[7] Prince Shen of Wei had been killed by Qi forces at the Battle of Maling.
秦敗東周
Qin Defeats East Zhou
秦敗東周，與魏戰於伊闕，殺犀武。魏令公孫衍乘勝而留於境，請卑辭割地，以講於秦。為竇屢謂魏王曰：「臣不知衍之所以聽於秦之少多，然而臣能半衍之割，而令秦講於王。」王曰：「奈何？」對曰：「王不若與竇屢關內侯，而令趙。王重其行而厚奉之。因揚言曰：『聞周、魏令竇屢以割魏於奉陽君，而聽秦矣。』夫周君、竇屢、奉陽君之與穰侯，貿首之仇也。今行和者，竇屢也；制割者，奉陽君也。太后恐其不因穰侯也，而欲敗之，必以少割請合於王，而和於東周與魏也。」
Qin defeated East Zhou and then fought Wei at Yique[1], killing Xi Wu[2]. In the aftermath, Wei ordered Gongsun Yan[3] to station himself at the border ready to apologise humbly and present gifts of land as a peace offering to Qin. Someone spoke to the King of Wei[4] on Dou Lü's[5] behalf, saying, "I do not know how much Yan[7] will have to offer to convince Qin to listen to him, but I can obtain a peace settlement with Qin at half the price."
The King said, "How will you manage it?"
He replied, "Your Majesty would do better to make Dou Lü a marquis on this side of the Pass[8] and[9] then send him to Zhao[10]. Accord his mission every importance and supply him richly[11]. I will take the opportunity to spread the word, saying, 'I have heard that Zhou and Wei have ordered Dou Lü to offer land in Wei to Lord Fengyang[12]; he will be able to make Qin listen.' The Lord of Zhou[13], Dou Lü and Lord Fengyang are all out for Marquis Rang's[14] blood, and the one proposing peace will be Dou Lü, while the one responsible for the land transaction will be Lord Fengyang. The Queen[13] will be afraid that they will refuse any accord with Marquis Rang out of a desire to see him fail, so you will be able to get away with offering less land to King in exchange for your accord, and he will make peace with both East Zhou and Wei."
[1] Yique is now Longmen, in modern Henan. The Battle of Yique was covered extensively in earlier chapters.
[2] Xi Wu was a Wei general. Successful in battle against Chu, he was defeated by Bai Qi at Yique.
[3] Gongsun Yan was from Wei and worked in Qin, Wei and Han. He was an opponent of Zhang Yi and a partisan of the anti-Qin alliance. He is referred to as "the Xishou General" elsewhere.
[4] It is not clear which King of Wei is indicated here.
[5] Dou Lü was a politician from Wei.
[7] Gongsun Yan, not the state of Yan.
[8] I.e. in Wei.
[9] It is possible that the characters 關內 are intended to be read as a single semantic unit, in which case Dou Lü is to be made Marquis of a place called Guannei.
[10] Reading 之趙 for 趙 here, per the commentaries.
[11] It is not entirely clear how this sentence is intended to be punctuated. It is possible that the King of Wei is supposed to have the King of Zhao accord Dou Lü VIP treatment.
[12] Lord Fengyang was also known as Li Dui, and he served as Prime Minister under King Huiwen of Zhao.
[13] It is not clear which Lord of Zhou this refers to.
[14] Marquis Rang, also known as Wei Ran, was the half-brother of Queen Xuan of Qin and the uncle of King Zhaoxiang. Having backed Zhaoxiang in the struggle for succession that occurred following the death of King Wu, he subsequently became Chancellor.
[15] Queen Xuan of Qin was originally from Chu, but became a consort of King Huiwen of Qin and the mother of King Zhaoxiang. She was Wei Ran's half-sister and was instrumental in his appointment.
齊王將見燕趙楚之相於衛
The King of Qi Plans an Audience with the Chancellors of Yan, Zhao and Chu in Wey
齊王將見燕、趙、楚之相於衛，約外魏。魏王懼，恐其謀伐魏也，告公孫衍。公孫衍曰：「王與臣百金，臣請敗之。」王為約車，載百金。犀首期齊王至之曰，先以車五十乘至衛間齊，行以百金，以請先見齊王，乃得見。因久坐安，從容談三國之相怨。
The King of Qi[1] planned an audience with the Chancellors of Yan, Zhao and Chu[2] in Wey, with all agreeing to exclude Wei. The King of Wei[3] was afraid and, fearing that they were planning to attack, he reported the news to Gongsun Yan[4]. Gongsun Yan said, "Give me a hundred gold pieces and allow me to scupper their plans for you." The King had carriages prepared for him and loaded them with a hundred gold pieces[5]. The Xishou General worked out when[6] the King of Qi was scheduled to arrive, and sent fifty of his carriages to Wey ahead of the royal party to distribute the hundred gold pieces among Qi's people there[7] in order to further his request that he should be the first to receive an audience with the King. When he was duly admitted to see the King, he took his time - sitting and chatting, very much at ease - which left the Chancellors of the three states[8] irate.
謂齊王曰：「王與三國約外魏，魏使公孫衍來，今久與之談，是王謀三國也也。」齊王曰：「魏王聞寡人來，使公孫子勞寡人，寡人無與之語也。」三國之不相信齊王之遇，遇事遂敗。
They spoke to the King of Qi, saying, "Your Majesty's agreement with our three states was supposed to exclude Wei, but now Wei has sent Gongsun Yan here and you are spending hours in conversation with him. Evidently you are plotting against us[9]."
The King of Qi said, "The King of Wei heard that we were coming here and sent Master Gongsun to convey his compliments. We were not discussing anything in particular." The Chancellors of the three states did not believe[10] his account of the meeting and consequently their plans failed.
[1] King Min of Qi (300–284 BCE) was famously bad at managing his subordinates, and almost lost his state following an invasion by Yan. His own generals eventually turned upon him and one of them, Nao Chi, killed him.
[2] It is not clear who is referred to in any of these cases.
[3] King Xiang of Wei (318-296 BCE) he spent his entire reign switching between anti-Qin and anti-Chu alliances in an attempt to preserve his territory against larger neighbours.
[4] Gongsun Yan was also known as the Xishou General. He was originally from Wei and worked in Qin, Wei and Han. He was an opponent of Zhang Yi and a partisan of the anti-Qin alliance.
[5] Yao suggests 齎 for 載 here.
[6] Reading 日 for 曰 here, per the commentaries.
[7] Reading 先以五十乘至衛間齊，行人以百金 for 先以車五十乘至衛間齊，行以百金 here, per the commentaries.
[8] Yan, Zhao and Chu.
[9] Reading 也 for 也也 here, per the commentaries.
[10] Reading 相不 for 不相 here, per the commentaries.
魏令公孫衍請和於秦
Wei Orders Gongsun Yan to Request a Peace Treaty with Qin
魏令公孫衍請和於秦，綦母恢教之語曰：「無多割。曰，和成，固有秦重和，以與王遇；和不成，則後必莫能以魏合於秦者矣。」
Wei ordered Gongsun Yan[1] request a peace treaty with Qin. Qimu Hui[2] advised him, saying, "Offer them no more land. Say, 'If my embassy succeeds[3] then that will be proof of my influence in Qin[4] and I will be able to use this to secure a meeting with the King. If it does not succeed, no one else will be able to negoiate an accord between Wei and Qin[5].'"
[1] Gongsun Yan was also known as Xi Shou. He was originally from Wei and worked in Qin, Wei and Han. He was an opponent of Zhang Yi and a partisan of the anti-Qin alliance.
[2] Reading 綦 for 綺 per the commentaries. Qimu Hui was a politician in West Zhou, and appears in the Zhou stratagems.
[3] The commentaries suggest that 曰 here may be superfluous.
[4] According to the commentaries 和 here is superfluous.
[5] This whole chapter seems to be garbled. The idea seems to be that Qin would prefer to negotiate with Gongsun Yan than another diplomat, so it has every interest in making his work appear successful. If it seems that he is succeeding in his negotiations and is respected in Qin, he will be able to convince the King of Wei to come to a meeting - implying submission. If not, he will be removed from his post and potentially replaced with someone much less sympathetic.
公孫衍為魏將
Gongsun Yan Serves as a General in Wei
公孫衍為魏將，與其相田繻不善。季子為衍謂梁王曰：「王獨不見夫服牛驂驥乎？不可以行百步。今王以衍為可使將，故用之也；而聽相之計，是服牛驂驥也。牛馬俱死，而不能成其功，王之國必傷矣！願王察之。」
Gongsun Yan[1] was serving as a general in Wei and was at odds with the Chancellor, Tian Xu[2]. Jizi[3] spoke to the King of Liang[4] on Yan's[5] behalf, "Has Your Majesty ever seen a chariot driver use an ox in the place of a yoke horse[6]? They would not travel a hundred paces. Now you have in Yan a useful general, which is why you employed him, but you oblige him to follow your Chancellor's strategies, which is like using an ox as your yoke horse. You could work the ox and the trace horses to death, and still you would never get anywhere. Your Majesty's state will certainly suffer as a result; I hope you will consider this."
[1] Gongsun Yan was also known as Xi Shou. He was originally from Wei and worked in Qin, Wei and Han. He was an opponent of Zhang Yi and a partisan of the anti-Qin alliance.
[2] Reading 需 for 繻, per the commentaries. Tian Xu was a politician from Qi.
[3] Jizi was Su Qin's courtesy name. Su Qin worked for almost all of the states during a long and successful career as the principal proponent of the anti-Qin alliance.
[4] It is not clear which king is indicated here.
[5] Gongsun Yan, not the state of Yan.
[6] The yoke horses were the inner pair of a four-horse chariot and set the pace for the team. Obviously a chariot pulled by both horses and oxen would not travel particularly well.