韓一 THE STRATAGEMS OF HAN I (B)
五國約而攻秦
Five States Form an Accord and Attack Qin
五國約而攻秦，楚王為從長，不能傷秦，兵罷而留於成皋。魏順謂市丘君曰：「五國罷，必攻市丘，以償兵費。君資臣，臣請為君止天下之攻市丘。」市兵君曰：「善。」因遣之。
Five states[1] formed an accord and attacked Qin. The King of Chu[2] served as leader of the alliance, but they could not injure Qin and their armies ground to a halt at Chenggao[3]. Wei Shun[4] spoke to the Lord of Peiqiu[5], saying, "The five states have reached the limits of their capcity so they will certainly raid Peiqiu[6] in order to cover their troops' expenses. If[7] you provide me with the requisite resources, I will beg on your[7] behalf that All-Under-Heaven halt its attack on Peiqiu." The Lord of Peiqiu said, "Very well." He was thus dispatched to do so.
魏順南見楚王曰：「王約五國而西伐秦，不能傷秦，天下且以是輕王而重秦，故王胡不卜交乎？」楚王曰：「柰何？」魏順曰：「天下罷，必攻市丘以償兵費。王令之勿攻市丘。五國重王，且聽王之言而不攻市丘；不重王，且反王之言而攻市丘。然則王之輕重必明矣。」故楚王卜交而市丘存。
He went south and sought an audience with the King of Chu, at which he said, "Your Majesty has made an accord with the Five States and turned west to attack Qin, but you failed to inflict any harm Qin and now All-Under-Heaven will hold you in contempt and regard Qin with respect. Therefore, why not test your allies?"
The King of Chu said, "How should we do this?"
Wei Shun said, "The armies of All-Under-Heaven have reached the limits of their capacity so they will certainly attack Peiqiu in order to cover their troops' expenses. You should give an order for them to refrain from attacking Peiqiu. If the other four states[8] still respect you, they will listen to your words and not attack Peiqu. If they do not respect you, then they will reject your words and attack Peiqiu. Thus, you will certainly gain a clear understanding of the level of regard they have for you." As a result of this, the King of Chu was able to test his allies and Peiqiu was saved.
[1] Chu, Han, Wei, Yan and Zhao.
[2] King Kaolie of Chu (262-238 BCE) annexed Lu and was succeeded by King You, who may actually have been the son of Lord Chunshen.
[3] Chenggao was a strategic chokepoint, in modern Xingyang County, Henan.
[4] Wei Shun is known principally via this story.
[5] Reading 沛 for 市, per the commentaries. This person is known principally via this story.
[6] Peiqiu was in modern Boxing County, Shandong.
[7] The commentaries suggest 若 for 君 here.
[8] Reading 四 for 五 per the commentaries.
鄭強載八百金入秦
Zheng Qiang Takes Eight Hundred Gold Pieces and Goes to Pay Respects in Qin
鄭彊載八百金入秦，請以伐韓。泠向謂鄭彊曰：「公以八百金請伐人之與國，秦必不聽公。公不如令秦王疑公叔。」鄭彊曰：「何如？」曰：「公叔之攻楚也，以幾瑟之存焉，故言先楚也。今已令楚王奉幾瑟以車百乘居陽翟，令昭獻轉而與之處，旬有餘，彼已覺。而幾瑟，公叔之讎也；而昭獻，公叔之人也。秦王聞之，必疑公叔為楚也。」
Zheng Qiang[1] went to pay his respects in Qin, carrying with him eight hundred gold pieces and a request that Qin attack Han[2]. Leng Xiang[2] spoke to him, saying, "You have brought eight hundred gold pieces and a request that Qin attack the people of an allied state. Qin will certainly not listen to you. You would do better to make the King of Qin[3] suspicious of Gongshu[4]."
Zheng Qiang said, "How?"
He replied, "If Gongshu attacked Chu it was because Jise[5] was there - that was his argument for prioritising the attack on Chu. The attack has already provoked the King of Chu[6] to give Jise a hundred chariots to convey him to take up residence in Yangdi[8], and if you ensure that it is Zhao Xian[9] who is appointed to take him there and remain with him, then in ten or so days everyone will be aware of the fact[10]. Jise is Gongshu's enemy but Zhao Xian is one of Gongshu's partisans, so when the King of Qin hears about this he will suspect that Gongshu is working for Chu[11]."
[1] Zheng Qiang was a member of the Zheng ruling house who later became a politician in Han following Han's annexation of Zheng.
[2] The commentaries suggest that 請 here may be superfluous.
[2] Reading 冷向 for 泠向, per the commentaries. Leng Xiang was a politician in Han.
[3] King Zhaoxiang of Qin (306–251 BCE) began life as a relatively minor prince, and served as a child hostage in Zhao before being sneaked out by Queen Xuan (his mother), her brother Wei Ran, and King Wuling of Zhao to assume the throne following the premature death of his brother, King Wu. Upon coming of age, he exiled Queen Xuan and Wei Ran, and worked with a succession of important figures of the age (Gan Mao, Fan Ju, Bai Qi...) to expand Qin's territory during the course of a long and successful reign.
[4] Han Gongshu was a politician in Han. He served as Chancellor for a time and belonged to an opposing faction to Han Jise, favouring his brother, Han Jiu.
[5] Han Jise, also known as Han Jishi, was the favoured son of King Xiang of Han. At this point, his elder brother, the Crown Prince Boying, had recently died, and Jise was expected to return to Han to take over as Crown Prince.
[6] 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 BC and his son King Qingxiang took the throne. He made one attempt to escape, but was recaptured and died in 296 BCE.
[8] Yangdi was the sometime capital of Han, and is now Yuzhou in Henan. The King of Chu is in fact sending Jise back in the hope that he will sieze power and expell Gongshu, thus ending Han's attacks on Chu.
[9] Zhao Xian was the Prime Minister of Chu, and previously an enemy of Jise's.
[10] The commentaries disagree regarding the precise reading of this sentence, and even on whether or not it belongs in the text. This is a best guess interpretation.
[11] This story is difficult to interpret, but the idea seems to be as follows: Gongshu has attacked Chu in the aim of dissuading it from returning Prince Jise to Han to inherit the throne, thus pushing out Gongshu's own protégé and the pro-Qin candidate, Prince Jiu. However, this had the opposite of the intended effect and Chu resolved to return Jise to Han immediately at the head of a force of his own. If he is also accompanied by Zhao Xian - one of Gongshu's allies in Chu - this will give the impression that Gongshu has switched sides and is now backing Jise, with his attack on Chu having been a deliberate ruse to push Chu to return Jise as soon as possible.
鄭強之走張儀於秦
Zheng Qiang Drives Zhang Yi Out of Qin
鄭彊之走張儀於秦，曰儀之使者，必之楚矣。故謂大宰曰：「公留儀之使者，彊請西圖儀於秦。」故因而請秦王曰：「張儀使人致上庸之地，故使使臣再拜謁秦王。」秦王怒，張儀走。
This is how Zheng Qiang[1] drove Zhang Yi[2] out of Qin: he told one of Yi's emissaries that he must go to Chu, then he spoke to the Head of the Royal Household in Chu, saying, "I beg you to detain Yi's envoy while I go west to plot against Yi in Qin." He then headed west[3] and importuned the King of Qin[4], saying, "Zhang Yi has sent one of his people to offer Chu lands in Shangyong[5], so Chu has sent your servant as an envoy to respectfully inform Your Majesty of this." The King of Qin was enraged and Zhang Yi fled.
[1] Zheng Qiang was a member of the Zheng ruling house who later became a politician in Han following Han's annexation of Zheng.
[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] Reading 西 for 而, per the commentaries.
[4] King Wu of Qin (310–307 BCE) was only king for a short time, but managed to expand Qin's territory via wars with Han and Wei. He died after breaking his shins while trying to lift a heavy bronze cauldron in the Zhou palace on a bet.
[5] Shangyong was in modern Zhushan County, Hubei.
宜陽之役
During the Battle of Yiyang
宜陽之役，楊達謂公孫顯曰：「請為公以五萬攻西周，得之，是以九鼎印甘茂也。不然，秦攻西周，天下惡之，其救韓必疾，則茂事敗矣。」
During the battle of Yiyang[1], Yang Da[2] spoke to Gongsun Xian[3], saying, "I beg your leave to lead an army fifty thousand strong in an attack on West Zhou. If I take it, you can use the imperial insignia[4] to gain the advantage in your struggle[5] with Gan Mao[6]. If not, then the fact that Qin is attacking West Zhou will provoke the disapproval of the Lords of All-Under-Heaven, and they will certainly give their all to aid Han. Thus Mao's enterprise[7] will certainly end in failure[8]."
[1] Yiyang is still called Yiyang, and is in Henan. The Battle was between Qin forces under Gan Mao and Han defenders. It ended in a loss for Han.
[2] This may be an error for 楊侹 (Yang Ting). This person is principally known via this story.
[3] Gongsun Xian also appears in the Qin stratagems, but he is not otherwise well-known. He seems to have been a politician in Qin and an opponent of Gan Mao.
[4] These were nine bronze cauldrons that symbolised imperium. At this point they were still held by the Zhou ruling family.
[5] The commentaries disagree regarding the precise reading of this sentence, but the general sense is clear.
[6] Gan Mao was a successful politician and General in Qin, but later defected to Qi. At the time he was leading the attack on Yiyang.
[7] I.e. his attack on Yiyang.
[8] In other words, Xian will either win a more impressive victory than Gan Mao, or at least ensure that Gan Mao will have to fight a much larger force at Yiyang, and thus will be less likely to win.
秦圍宜陽
Qin Encircles Yiyang
秦圍宜陽，游騰謂公仲曰：「公何不與趙藺、離石、祁，以質許地，則樓緩必敗矣。收韓、趙之兵以臨魏，樓鼻必敗矣。韓為一，魏必倍秦，甘茂必敗矣。以成陽資翟強於齊，楚必敗之。須秦必敗，秦失魏，宜陽必不拔矣。」
Qin had encircled Yiyang[1]. You Teng[2] spoke to Gongzhong[3], saying, "Why not give Lin[4], Lishi[5] and Qi[6] to Zhao and make a mutual commitment backed up by an exchange of hostages[7]? This will thwart Lou Huan[8]. Once you have the troops of both Han and Zhao[9] at your disposal, you will be able to move against Wei. This will thwart Lou Bi[10]. Han and Zhao will be as one[11] and Wei will turn against Qin, which will thwart Gan Mao[12], and if you offer give Di Qiang[13] Chengyang[14] to bolster his resources in Qi, that will thwart Chu[15]. In short order Qin will be defeated and lose Wei's backing. Yiyang will not be captured."
[1] Yiyang is still called Yiyang, and is in Henan. At the time it was a key strategic base that Qin wished to use to pursue its expansion.
[2] You Teng was also known as You Sheng (游勝) and was a politician in West Zhou.
[3] Gongzhong Chi, also known as Han Gongzhong, Gongzhong Peng and Han Chi served as Chancellor and supported Han Jise in his struggle for power. He had ties with Qin.
[4] Lin was in modern Liulin County, in Shanxi.
[5] Lishi is still called Lishi, and is in Shanxi.
[6] Qi is still called Qi, and is in Shanxi.
[7] The commentaries disagree regarding the interpretation and implications of this passage. This version follows modern translations.
[8] Lou Huan was a pro-Qin politician, who worked in both Zhao and Wei. At the time he was the leading proponent of the attack on Han. A Han-Zhao alliance would have reduced the likelihood that the Qin siege of Yiyang would fail.
[9] The commentaries disagree regarding the precise reading of this sentence, but the general sense is clear.
[10] Lou Bi seems to have been a relative of Lou Huan. He was also pro-Qin and worked in Wei.
[11] Reading 韓、趙為一 for 韓為一, per the commentaries.
[12] Gan Mao was a successful politician and General in Qin, but later defected to Qi. At the time he was the general leading the attack on Yiyang.
[13] Di Qiang was a politician in Wei and served as Chancellor for a time.
[14] Chengyang was in modern Qingdao, Shandong.
[15] Reading 矣 for 之, per the commentaries. At the time Chu was aiding Qin in its attack on Han. Strengthening Qi would enable it to attack Chu's rear, thus distracting it from the Qin-Han conflict.
公仲以宜陽之故仇甘茂
Gongzhong Conceives a Hatred for Gan Mao on Account of the Events at Yiyang
公仲以宜陽之故，仇甘茂。其後，秦歸武遂於韓，已而，秦王固疑甘茂之以武遂解於公仲也。杜赫為公仲謂秦王曰：「明也願因茂以事王。」秦王大怒於甘茂，故樗里疾大說杜聊。
Gongzhong[1] conceived a hatred for Gan Mao[2] on account of the events at Yiyang[3]. Qin subsequently returned Wusui[4] to Han, but once this was done the King of Qin[5] grew increasingly suspicious that the handover had been the result of a deal between Gan Mao and Gongzhong[6]. Du He[7] spoke to the King of Qin on Gongzhong's behalf, saying, "This is Peng[8] seeking to serve Your Majesty via Mao." The King of Qin was filled with rage against Gan Mao, and Chuli Ji[9] was thus overjoyed with Du He[10].
[1] Gongzhong Chi, also known as Han Gongzhong, Gongzhong Peng and Han Chi served as Chancellor and supported Han Jise in his struggle for power. He had ties with Qin.
[2] Gan Mao was a successful politician and General in Qin, but later defected to Qi.
[3] Yiyang is still called Yiyang, and is in Henan. This story takes place shortly after Qin captured the city.
[4] Wusui is now called Xushui, and is in Hebei.
[5] King Zhaoxiang of Qin (306–251 BCE) began life as a relatively minor prince, and served as a child hostage in Zhao before being sneaked out by Queen Xuan (his mother), her brother Wei Ran, and King Wuling of Zhao to assume the throne following the premature death of his brother, King Wu. Upon coming of age, he exiled Queen Xuan and Wei Ran, and worked with a succession of important figures of the age (Gan Mao, Fan Ju, Bai Qi...) to expand Qin's territory during the course of a long and successful reign.
[6] I.e. Gan Mao had told the Han side that if they surrendered Yiyang he would make sure that King Zhaoxiang would hand over Wusui in exchange.
[7] The commentaries suggest 杜聊 (Du Liao) as a potential alternative for 杜赫 here.
[8] I.e. Gongzhong. Reading 朋 for 明, per the commentaries.
[9] Chuli Ji was a son of Duke Xiao of Qin, and served as a General and Prime Minister at the same time as Gan Mao. He helped to preside over Qin's expansion. His military and political expertise was such that he is occasionally referred to as "Master Chuli" in literature.
[10] This story is vague and confuding. The idea seems to be that Gan Mao promised to secure Wusui for Gongzhong if Gongzhong would give up the defence of Yiyang, without the King of Qin having been aware of this at the time. The King is irritated at the idea that such a deal could have been made behind his back.
秦韓戰於濁澤
Qin and Han Fight at Zhouze
秦、韓戰於濁澤，韓氏急。公仲明謂韓王曰：「與國不可恃。今秦之心欲伐楚，王不如因張儀為和於秦，賂之以一名都，與之伐楚。此以一易二之計也。」韓王曰：「善。」乃儆公仲之行，將西講於秦。
Qin and Han were fighting at Zhouze[1] and the House of Han was hard pressed. Gongzhong Peng[2] spoke to the King of Han[3], saying, "You cannot depend upon your allies, but Qin already has a mind to attack Chu at some point. You would do better to employ Zhang Yi[4] to make an agreement with Qin, offering a significant city as a bribe. Then you and Qin can attack Chu together. Such a strategy would kill two birds with one stone[5]."
The King of Han said, "Very well." Thus Gongzhong made his preparations and then headed west to negotiate a peace treaty with Qin.
楚王聞之大恐，召陳軫而告之。陳軫曰：「秦之欲伐我久矣，今又得韓之名都一而具甲，秦、韓并兵南鄉，此秦所以廟祠而求也。今已得之矣，楚國必伐矣。王聽臣，為之儆四境之內選師，言救韓，令戰車滿道路；發信臣，多其車，重其幣，使信王之救己也。縱韓為不能聽我，韓必德王也，必不為鴈行以來。是秦、韓不和，兵雖至，楚國不大病矣。為能聽我絕和於秦，秦必大怒，以厚怨於韓。韓得楚救，必輕秦。輕秦，其應秦必不敬。是我困秦、韓之兵，而免楚國之患也。」
The King of Chu[6] heard of this and was terrified, so he summoned Chen Zhen[7] and reported it to him. Chen Zhen said, "Qin has long wished to attack us. Now it is about to acquire a major city from Han, which it will use as a garrison, so Qin and Han will both be working to militarise their southern hinterlands - this is exactly what Qin has been praying and offering sacrifices for. Once it has secured these gains, it will certainly attack Chu[8]. If you listen to your servant, you will put all the lands within your borders on high alert, select your best troops, inform Han that you will send aid and fill the roads with your war chariots. Dispatch your most trusted servants, enlarge their retinues, increase their funding, and thus convince Han that you will rescue it. Even if[9] I cannot then persuade Han to listen to my recommendations[10], it will owe Your Majesty a debt of honour[11], and thus will not make any concerted movement against us. The accord between Qin and Han will evaporate, no troops will be deployed here and the state of Chu will experience no great troubles on their account. If I can convince Han to follow my recommendation to break its accord with Qin, Qin will be so furious that its anger will overflow in Han's direction. To obtain Chu's aid, Han will have to minimise its relations with Qin, and once it has thus downgraded its relations with Qin then its response to any request from Qin will hardly be an acquiescent one. Thus we can turn[12] these deployments by Qin and Han to our benefit, and avoid troubles for Chu."
楚王大說，乃儆四境之內選師，言救韓，發信臣，多其車，重其幣。謂韓王曰：「弊邑雖小，已悉起之矣。願大國遂肆意於秦，弊邑將以楚殉韓。」
The King of Chu was delighted, and accordingly he put the lands within his four borders on high alert, selected his best troops[13] and told Han that he would send aid. He dispatched his most trusted servants, enlarged their retinues and increased their funding. Word was sent to the King of Han, saying, "Though our humble state is small, we have mobilised all our resources. We hope that your great state will abandon all restraint with regard to your treatment of Qin, as we are ready to sacrifice ourselves for Han."
韓王大說，乃止公仲。公仲曰：「不可，夫以實告我者，秦也；以虛名救我者，楚也。恃楚之虛名，輕絕強秦之敵，必為天下笑矣。且楚、韓非兄弟之國也，又非素約而謀伐秦矣。秦欲伐楚，楚因以起師言救韓，此必陳軫之謀也。且王以使人報於秦矣，今弗行，是欺秦也。夫輕強秦之禍，而信楚之謀臣，王必悔之矣。」韓王弗聽，遂絕和於秦。秦果大怒，興師與韓氏戰於岸門，楚救不至，韓氏大敗。
The King of Han was overjoyed, and ordered Gongzhong to cease his planning. Gongzhong said, "You cannot do this. Qin's threats are real[14] while Chu's offers of aid are nothing more than empty words. If you place your trust in these empty words and casually sever relations with a formidable opponent like Qin, then you will be a laughing stock within All-Under-Heaven[15]. It is not as though Chu and Han have a fraternal alliance, nor did we make an arrangement in advance to plan an attack on Qin - Qin would like to attack Chu, so Chu is taking advantage of this[16] to raise troops and request aid from you. This must be one of Chen Zhen's plots. Your Majesty has already sent an envoy to report your intentions in Qin[17], and if you do not now carry these out, the fact of this will be considered evidence that you have betrayed Qin. If you treat mighty Qin with contempt and trust in Chu's conniving advisors, then you will certainly regret it." The King of Han would not listen and broke off his negotiations with Qin. As a result of this Qin was enraged and sent troops to bring the battle to the House of Han at Anmen[18]. The aid Han had sought from Chu did not arrive and it suffered a great defeat.
韓氏之兵非削弱也，民非蒙愚也，兵為秦禽，智為楚笑，過聽於陳軫，失計於韓明也。
The troops of the House of Han were not so weak as to invite defeat, nor were its people fools, but its army was wiped out by Qin, and its intelligence mocked by Chu, because it made the mistake of listening to Chen Zhen and ignored the strategies of Han Peng[19].
[1] Zhouze was in modern Xia County, Shanxi.
[2] Reading 朋 for 明, per the commentaries. Gongzhong Chi, also known as Han Gongzhong, Gongzhong Peng and Han Chi served as Chancellor and supported Han Jise in his struggle for power. He had ties with Qin.
[3] King Xuanhui of Han (323-312 BCE) was the first ruler of Han to adopt the title of King.
[4] 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.
[5] I.e. Han would preempt further Qin attacks on itself and stand a chance to conquer land from Chu.
[6] 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] 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.
[8] The commentaires suggest that 矣 here may be superfluous.
[9] The commentaries suggest that the characters 也。縱 may be superfluous.
[10] And join Chu in an attack on Qin.
[11] The commentaires suggest reading 之 for 必 here.
[12] Reading 因 for 困, per the commentaries.
[13] The commentaries disagree regarding the precise reading of this sentence, but the general sense is clear.
[14] Yao suggests 困 for 告 here.
[15] The commentaries suggest that 矣 here may be intended to read 也.
[16] The commentaries suggest that 因 here may be superfluous.
[17] The commentaries suggest 已 for 以 here.
[18] According to the commentaries, this was in modern Changge County, in Henan.
[19] Reading 朋 for 明, per the commentaries. Han Peng was another name for Gongzhong Peng.
顏率見公仲
Yan Shuai Seeks an Audience with Gongzhong
顏率見公仲，公仲不見。頻率謂公仲之謁者曰：「公仲必以率為陽也，故不見率也。公仲好內，率曰好士；仲嗇於財，率曰散施；公仲無行，率曰好義。自今以來，率且正言之而已矣。」公仲之謁者以告公仲，公仲遽起而見之。
Yan Shuai[1] was seeking an audience with Gongzhong[2], but Gongzhong would not see him. He spoke to one of Gongzhong's attendants, saying, "Gongzhong must consider me meretricious, and that is why he will not receive me, but Gongzhong cherishes his intimates and I am here to tell him how to cherish his officials; Gongzhong[3] is miserly with his resources and I am here to explain that he should exercise generosity. Gongzhong does not follow any principles and I am here to teach him to appreciate correct conduct. From now on, I shall simply air my opinions about him bluntly in public." Gongzhong's attendant told him about this, and Gongzhong immediately got up and went to seek an audience with Yan Shuai.
[1] Yan Shuai was a politician in East Zhou.
[2] Gongzhong Chi, also known as Han Gongzhong, Gongzhong Peng and Han Chi served as Chancellor and supported Han Jise in his struggle for power. He had ties with Qin.
[3] Reading 公仲 for 仲, per the commentaries.
韓公仲謂向壽
Speaking to Xiang Shou on Gongzhong's Behalf
韓公仲謂向壽曰：「禽困覆車。公破韓，辱公仲，公仲收國復事秦，自以為必可以封。今公與楚解，中封小令尹以桂陽。秦、楚合，復攻韓，韓必亡。公仲躬率其私徒以鬥於秦，願公之熟計之也。」向壽曰：「吾合秦、楚，非以當韓也，子為我謁之。」
Someone[1] spoke to Xiang Shou[2] on Gongzhong's [3] behalf, saying, "A cornered beast will overturn a hunter's chariot. You have broken Han and humiliated Gongzhong. Gongzhong took the state of Han in hand and placed it at Qin's service, confident that he would get a domain of his own out of it[4]. Now you are set on building ties with Chu, enfeoffing one of its Under-Secretaries in Guiyang[5]. If Qin and Chu come to an accord then the attack on Han will be renewed and Han will be doomed. Gongzhong himself will lead his followers into battle against Qin. I hope that you are planning intensively for this."
Xiang Shou said, "While I am working to form an accord between Qin and Chu, it is not for the purpose of opposing Han. You can tell Gongzhong as much on my behalf."
公仲曰：「秦、韓之交可合也。」對曰：「願有復於公。諺曰：『貴其所以貴者貴。』今王之愛習公也，不如公孫郝；其知能公也，不如甘茂。今二人者，皆不得親於事矣，而公獨與王主斷於國者，彼有以失之也。公孫郝黨於韓，而甘戊黨於魏，故王不信也。今秦、楚爭強，而公黨於楚，是與公孫郝、甘茂同道也。公何以異之？人皆言楚之多變也，而公必之，是自為貴也。公不如與王謀其變也。善韓以備之，若此，則無禍矣。韓氏先以國從公孫郝，而後委國於甘茂，是韓，公之讎也。今公言善韓以備楚，是外舉不辟讎也。」
He replied[6], "I would like to reiterate. There is a proverb that says 'If you value what others value, then you too will be valued'. Now the King[7] is fond of you, but not as fond as he is of Gongsun Hao[8]. He appreciates your skills, but not as much as he appreciates Gan Mao's[9]. If these two cannot get their hands on the machinery of state and you alone work with the King to decide national policy it is because both of them have critical defects: Gongsun Hao is a member of Han's faction, and Gan Mao[10] is a member of Wei's, thus the King does not trust them. Now Qin and Chu are in a trial of strength and you are setting yourself up as a member of Chu's faction - thus you are following the same path as Gongsun Hao and Gan Mao. How are you any different from them? Everyone says that Chu is unreliable[11], but you you rely upon it the belief that your value will rise as a result. You would do better to make your plans with the King in anticipation of Chu's vacillations and prepare to insinuate yourself in Han. In this way, no disaster can befall you. The House of Han first put its state at Gongsun Hao's disposal and then at Gan Mao's, and this was the only cause of the enmity between you and Han. If you now you declare that you favour Han as a hedge against[12] Chu, you will improve your relations abroad and while facing down your domestic opponents."[13]
向壽曰：「吾甚欲韓合。」對曰：「甘茂許公仲以武遂，反宜陽之民，今公徒令收之，甚難。」向子曰：「然則柰何？武遂終不可得已。」對曰：「公何不以秦為韓求穎川於楚，此乃韓之寄地也。公求而得之，是令行於楚而以其地德韓也。公求而弗得，是韓、楚之怨不解，而交走秦也。秦、楚爭強，而公過楚以攻韓，此利於秦。」向子曰：「奈何？」對曰：「此善事也。甘茂欲以魏取齊，公孫郝欲以韓取齊，今公取宜陽以為功，收楚、韓以安之，而誅齊、魏之罪，是以公孫郝、甘茂之無事也。」
Xiang Shou said, "I would like such an accord with Han."
The envoy replied, "Gan Mao promised Wusui[14] to Gongzhong for the purpose of resettling the citizens of Yiyang[15]. Now you have acquired Wusui[16] for yourself, this makes things extremely difficult."
Master Xiang said, "In that case, how should we handle this? Can I not have Wusui?"
He replied, "Why do you not use Qin's influence and ask Chu to give Han Yingchuan[17]? This land was once Han's. If you request and obtain it, then that will be proof that your commands are followed in Chu, and you can use it to ensure that Han will pay you due tribute[18]. If you make your request and get nothing, then it is proof that the the grievances between Han and Chu have not yet been resolved, and they will both be keen to strengthen their relations with Qin. Given the power struggle between Qin and Chu, if you can trick Chu into attacking Han then this will benefit Qin."
Master Xiang said, "How can I manage this?"
He replied, "The situation is favourable. Gan Mao wishes to use Wei to acquire Qi's backing while Gongsun Hao wishes to use Han for the same ends. Now you can sieze the merit of taking Yiyang[19], placate Chu and Han, and ensure that Qi and Wei suffer for their infractions[20]. Thus Gongsun Hao and Gan Mao will be left with nothing[21]."
[1] Reading 為 for 韓, per the commentaries.
[2] Xiang Shou was a politician in Qin and a relative of Queen Dowager Xuan.
[3] Gongzhong Chi, also known as Han Gongzhong, Gongzhong Peng and Han Chi served as Chancellor and supported Han Jise in his struggle for power. He had ties with Qin.
[4] From Qin.
[5] The commentaries suggest that this may be an error for 杜陽, but it is not clear where this was.
[6] Modern translations read 公仲曰：「秦、韓之交可合也。」 as being a part of Xiang Shou's reply, affirming that he is willing to make an accord with Han as well as Chu, while the commentaries do not.
[7] King Zhaoxiang of Qin (306–251 BCE) began life as a relatively minor prince, and served as a child hostage in Zhao before being sneaked out by Queen Xuan (his mother), her brother Wei Ran, and King Wuling of Zhao to assume the throne following the premature death of his brother, King Wu. Upon coming of age, he exiled Queen Xuan and Wei Ran, and worked with a succession of important figures of the age (Gan Mao, Fan Ju, Bai Qi...) to expand Qin's territory during the course of a long and successful reign.
[8] The commentaries disagree regarding whether this should be read 郝 or 赫. Gongsun Hao was a politician in Qin, serving under King Zhaoxiang.
[9] Gan Mao was a successful politician and General in Qin, but later defected to Qi.
[10] Reading 茂 for 戊, per the commentaries.
[11] The commentaries disagree regarding the precise reading of this sentence, but the general sense is clear.
[12] The commentaries suggest 待 for 備 here.
[13] This section is confusing and this is a best-guess interpretation.
[14] Wusui is now called Xushui, and is in Hebei.
[15] Yiyang is still called Yiyang, and is in Henan. This story takes place shortly after Qin captured the city.
[16] According to the commentaries 令 is superfluous.
[17] Yingchuan was in modern Dengfeng County, Henan.
[18] By giving up its claims to Wusui.
[19] At the time Gan Mao was on the verge of conquering Yiyang. The implication of this argument seems to be that if Xiang Shou successfully ingratiates himself in Han, Han will hand the city over to him voluntarily rather than see it taken by Gan Mao, who was seen as pro-Wei.
[20] Gan Mao favoured a Qin-Wei-Qi alliance, which would fail if Xiang Shou managed to anticipate his conquest of Yiyang.
[21] Both 以 and 之 here may be superfluous.
或謂公仲曰聽者聽國
Gongzhong is Told How to Solicit Information
或謂公仲曰：「聽者聽國，非必聽實也。故先王聽諺言於市，願公之聽臣言也。公求中立於秦，而弗能得也，善公孫郝以難甘茂，勸齊兵以勸止魏，楚、趙皆公之讎也。臣恐國之以此為患也，願公之復求中立於秦也。」
Someone spoke to Gongzhong[1], saying, "If, in soliciting information, you listen only to those at the summit of the state, you cannot be assured of hearing the full truth[2]. Thus, as the former kings listened to the maxims of the marketplace, so I hope that you will listen to what your servant has to say. You begged Qin to allow you to remain neutral[3] and, having failed to secure your goal, you tried to ingratiate yourself with Gongsun Hao[4], which created difficulties between yourself and Gan Mao[5]. You invited Qi's armies in[6] and encouraged them to resist Wei, earning the enmity of both Chu and Zhao. Your servant is afraid that your state will suffer as a result of this. I wish that you would return to Qin and reiterate your request to remain neutral."
公仲曰：「奈何？」對曰：「秦王以公孫郝為黨於公而弗之聽，甘茂不善於公而弗為公言，公何不因行願以與秦王語？行願之為秦王臣也公，臣請為公謂秦王曰：『齊、魏合與離，於秦孰利？齊、魏別與合，於秦孰強？』秦王必曰：『齊、魏離，則秦重；合，則秦輕。齊、魏別，則秦強；合，則秦弱。』臣即曰：『今王聽公孫郝以韓、秦之兵應齊而攻魏，魏不敢戰，歸地而合於齊，是秦輕也，臣以公孫郝為不忠。今王聽甘茂，以韓、秦之兵據魏而攻齊，齊不敢戰，不求割地而合於魏，是秦輕也，臣以甘茂為不忠。故王不如令韓中立以攻齊，齊王言救魏以勁之，齊、魏不能相聽，久離兵史。王欲，則信公孫郝於齊，為韓取南陽，易穀川以歸，此惠王之願也。王欲，則信甘茂於魏，以韓、秦之兵據魏以齊，此武王之願也。臣以為令韓以中立以勁齊，最秦之大急也。公孫郝黨於齊而不肯言，甘茂薄而不敢謁也，此二人，王之大患也。願王之熟計之也。』」
Gonzhong said, "How should I do that?"
He replied, "The King of Qin[7] takes Gongsun Hao for one of your accolytes, so he cannot get a hearing there. You are are not on good terms with Gan Mao, so he will not speak on your behalf. Why not take make use of Xing Yuan[8] to convey a message to the King of Qin? In service with the King of Qin he has consistently upheld the public interest. Your servant will then beg to speak to the King of Qin on your behalf, saying, 'If the Qi-Wei Alliance breaks up, how will that benefit Qin? If their armies disperse[9], how will this strengthen Qin?' The King of Qin will certainly say, 'When Qi and Wei part ways Qin's influence increases. When they form an accord Qin's influence diminishes. When their armies disperse Qin is strengthened. When they unite Qin is weakened.' Your servant will immediately reply, 'If you now listen to Gongsun Hao and work to unite the armies of Han and Qin with that of Qi in order to attack Wei, then Wei will not dare to fight; it will return the land it took[10] and form a defensive alliance with Qi. Given that this will reduce Qin's influence, I would suggest that Gongsun Hao is not advising you loyally. If you now listen to Gan Mao and use the armies of Han and Qin to occupy Wei lands and attack Qi, then Qi will not dare to fight and will offer Wei a defensive alliance without even bothering to request peace offerings[11]. Given that this will reduce Qin's influence, I would suggest that Gan Mao is not advising you loyally. There would be no better solution[12] than to order Han to remain neutral while you attack Qi. You[13] can inform Wei that you will provide it with reinforcements, thus dissuading it from seeking a mutual accord with Qi and ensuring that their armies do not unite[14]. If you so desire, you can then choose to put your faith in Gongsun Hao and Qi to take Nanyang[15] and give it to Han in exchange for Guchuan[16], which was King Hui's[17] wish. Alternatively, you could choose to put your faith in Gan Mao and Wei to deploy the armies of Han and Qin to a forward position in Wei for the purpose of fighting Qi[18], which was King Wu's[19] wish. I can ensure that Han will remain neutral[20] while you attack Qi[21], taking care of Qin's most pressing worry. Gongsun Hao is a member of the Qi faction and would not suggest such a thing. Gan Mao does not even care enough to show his face here. These two are the source of Your Majesty's troubles[22]. I hope that you will make your plans carefully.'"
[1] Gongzhong Chi, also known as Han Gongzhong, Gongzhong Peng and Han Chi served as Chancellor and supported Han Jise in his struggle for power. He had ties with Qin.
[2] Commentaries and modern translations differ on the interpretation of this sentence, with some interpreting 實 as refering to the elites of the state and others suggesting that it refers to the truth of a matter. Here we have followed the latter interpretation.
[3] In a conflict between Qi and Wei.
[4] The commentaries disagree whether this name should be written 郝 or 赫. Gongsun Hao was a politician in Qin, serving under King Zhaoxiang.
[5] Gan Mao was a successful politician and General in Qin, but later defected to Qi.
[6] Reading 歡 for 勸 here, per the commentaries.
[7] King Zhaoxiang of Qin (306–251 BCE) began life as a relatively minor prince, and served as a child hostage in Zhao before being sneaked out by Queen Xuan (his mother), her brother Wei Ran, and King Wuling of Zhao to assume the throne following the premature death of his brother, King Wu. Upon coming of age, he exiled Queen Xuan and Wei Ran, and worked with a succession of important figures of the age (Gan Mao, Fan Ju, Bai Qi...) to expand Qin's territory during the course of a long and successful reign.
[8] This person is not otherwise well-known.
[9] Following the interpretation given by the commentaries.
[10] From Qi.
[11] The commentaries and modern translations disagree on this point. It could mean that Qi will go through the formal demonstrations of credible commitment that were the necessary preliminaries to a treaty, or it could mean that Qi will be so eager to secure an agreement that it will dispense with these formalities. This is the same as the previous outcome, with the only difference being that in this case it is Qi making overtures towards Wei, wheres in the former it was the inverse.
[12] The commentaries suggest that 王 here is superfluous.
[13] The commentaries suggest that the character 齊 is superfluous.
[14] Reading 必離兵交 for 久離兵史, per the commentaries.
[15] Nanyang is still called Nanyang, and is in Henan.
[16] According to the commentaries, this was near Mianchi in Henan.
[17] King Huiwen of Qin (338–311 BCE) began his reign by killing Shang Yang, but maintained his legal and military reforms, using his strengthened state to acquire large tracts of additional land.
[18] The commentaries disagree regarding the precise reading of this sentence, this is a best-guess interpretation.
[19] King Wu of Qin (310–307 BCE) enjoyed a short reign, dying after breaking both legs trying to lift a heavy bronze cauldron, probably on a bet. He nevertheless had time to lead several successful military campaigns.
[20] The commentaries suggest that 以 here may be superfluous.
[21] Reading 攻 for 勁 here, per the commentaries.
[22] The commentaries disagree on the correct reading of thise sentence, and this is a guess at the correct interpretation.
韓公仲相
Han Gongzhong Serves as Chancellor
韓公仲相。齊、楚之交善秦。秦、魏遇，且以善齊而絕齊乎楚。王使景鯉之秦，鯉與於秦、魏之遇。楚王怒景鯉，恐齊以楚遇為有陰於秦、魏也，且罪景鯉。
While Han Gongzhong was chancellor[1] relations between Qi and Chu improved. Qin and Wei held a meeting on their shared border[2] and decided to entice Qi to sever its relations with Chu. The King of Chu[3] had sent Jing Li[4] as his envoy to Qin, where he attended the meeting between Qin and Wei. The King of Chu was annoyed with Jing Li, being afraid that Qi would believe Chu had told him to attend in his official capacity to secure a secret agreement with Qin and Wei. He intended to censure Jing Li for this.
為謂楚王曰：「臣賀鯉之與於遇也。秦、魏之遇也，將以合齊、秦而絕齊於楚也。今鯉與於遇，齊無以信魏之合己於秦而攻於楚也，齊又畏楚之有陰於秦、魏也，必重楚。故鯉之與於遇，王之大資也。今鯉不與於遇，魏之絕齊於楚明矣。齊、楚信之，必輕王，故王不如無罪景鯉，以視齊於有秦、魏，齊必重楚，而且疑秦、魏於齊。」王曰：「諾。」因不罪而益其列。
Someone spoke to the King of Chu on Jing Li's behalf, saying, "Your servant wishes to congratulate Li on his presence at this meeting. If Qin and Wei are meeting they will certainly attempt to build an alliance with Qi, thereby driving a wedge between Qi and Chu[5]. Now that Li has attended the meeting, Qi will not believe that Wei intends to join Qin in an attack on Chu. Moreover, Qi will be afraid that Chu has a secret agreement with Qin and Wei, so it will certainly treat Chu with more respect. You have thus made significant capital from Li's attendance at this meting. If Li had not attended the meeting, Wei would by now have have succeeded in breaking the trust[6] between Qi and Chu. If Qi had managed to build trust with Wei[7], then Your Majesty's influence would have been diminished. Thus you had better refrain from censuring Jing Li; this will make it seem to Qi that you have Qin and Wei on your side, thereby increasing Chu's influence in Qi and making Qi suspicious of Qin and Wei.
The King said, "I assent." As a result, Jing Li was not censured but rather promoted.
[1] Gongzhong Chi, also known as Han Gongzhong, Gongzhong Peng and Han Chi served as Chancellor and supported Han Jise in his struggle for power. He had ties with Qin. However, the commentaries suggest that this sentence is superfluous. Alternatively, it could be intended as a reference to Han Min, who served as Chancellor of Qi for a time.
[2] The commentaries suggest 秦與魏 for 秦、魏.
[3] Reading 楚王 for 王, per the commentaries. This refers to 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 BC and his son King Qingxiang took the throne. He made one attempt to escape, but was recaptured and died in 296 BCE.
[4] Jing Li was a politician in Chu.
[5] The commentaries suggest 和 for 齊 here.
[6] Reading 信 for 明, per the commentaries.
[7] According to the commentaries, 楚 is superfluous.
王曰向也子曰天下無道
The King Discusses Chu's apparent Invincibility
王曰：「向也子曰『天下無道』，今也子曰『乃且攻燕』者，何也？」對曰：「今謂馬多力則有矣，若曰勝千鈞則不然者，何也？夫千鈞，非馬之任也。今謂楚強大則有矣，若夫越趙、魏而鬥兵於燕，則豈楚之任也哉？且非楚之任，而楚為之，是弊楚也。強楚、弊楚，其於王孰便也？」
The King[1] said, "Previously you[2] said, 'Chu[3] has no equal in All-Under-Heaven.' Now you say, 'Chu would struggle to defeat Yan[4].' Why is this?" The reply came: "Now if I were to say that my horse is strong, that would be true, but if I were to say that it could carry a thousand jun or more, that would be false. Why? Because a thousand jun is simply not a load for a single horse. Now when I say that Chu is large and strong, and that is correct, but if its armies had to cross Zhao and Wei and then fight Yan, how could it bear the weight of that task? If this is not a load that Chu is capable of bearing, attempts to do so will simply result in an exhausted Chu. A strong Chu or an exhausted one: which outcome would be better for Your Majesty?"
[1] Though this is in the Han section of the book, the commentaries suggest that it belongs with the Chu chapters, as it is effectively a rehash of a Chu chapter. If this is the case, the king in question is King Jingmin of Wei (242-228 BCE). King Jingmin built an anti-Qin alliance, but this failed after Qin conquered Han.
[2] "You" here refers to Yu Qing, an author and politician who was Chancellor of Zhao for a time.
[3] Chu is not specified here, but it is in the other version of this story.
[4] The implication is that a state that truly had no equal would be able to conquer the others without a fight.
或謂魏王王儆四疆之內
the King of Wei is Told To Put the Lands Within his Borders on High Alert
或謂魏王：「王儆四彊之內，其從於王者，十日之內，備不具者死。王因取其游之舟上擊之。臣為王之楚，王胥臣反，乃行。」春申君聞之，謂使者曰：「子為我反，無見王矣。十日之內，數萬之眾，今涉魏境。」秦使聞之，以告秦王。秦王謂魏王曰：「大國有意，必來以是而足矣。」
Someone spoke to the King of Wei[1], saying, "Your Majesty should put the lands within your borders[2] on high alert[3]; if any of your followers are not ready at arms within ten days[3] they should be put to death. This done, you can raise the banners on your ships[4] and I will go to Chu on your behalf. Wait for my return[5] and then dispatch your forces."
Lord Chunshen[6] heard of this, and spoke to him, saying, "You can return home on my authority without waiting for an audience with the King. Within ten days a Chu army tens of thousands strong will have crossed Wei's border."
Qin's ambassador heard this, and informed the King of Qin[7]. The King of Qin addressed the King of Wei, saying, "If your magnificent state formed a mind to do this your forces must be sufficient to the task; proceed as you are[8]."
[1] ] King Anxi of Wei (276-243 BCE) suffered repeated attacks by Qin during his reign.
[2] Reading 疆 for 彊 here, per the commentaries.
[3] The commentaries disagree regarding the precise reading of this sentence, but the general sense is clear.
[3] Reading 十日 for 十一日, as in other versions.
[4] Reading 繫 for 擊, per the commentaries. Modern translations give this as "chariots" but I am not sure why.
[5] The commentaries disagree regarding the precise reading of this sentence, but the general sense is clear.
[6] Lord Chunshen, also known as Huang Xie, was a successful politician and general in Chu. He may also have been the real father of King You of Chu.
[7] King Zhuangxiang of Qin (250–247 BCE) won the throne of Qin thanks to the machinations of Lü Buwei, but was King only for a short time before dying and leaving the throne to his son, Ying Zheng, who would later go on to unite China and rule under the name Qin Shihuang.
[8] Bao Biao suggests that the point of this story is that Qin is afraid that Wei and Chu will form and alliance, so it is encouraging Wei to launch an attack on another state without waiting for Chu's assistance. However, Yokota suggests that Wei intends to attack Chu and provoked Chu while counting on receiving Qin's assistance, which Qin is now refusing. This second interpretation seems more likely to me, because where 涉 is used elsewhere in the Stratagems it implies a difficult/non-consensual crossing; when one state receives reinforcements from an ally different verbs are used. Nevertheless, I have attempted to retain a sense of the ambiguity of the original.
觀鞅謂春申
Guan Yang Speaks to Chunshen
觀鞅謂春申曰：「人皆以楚為強，而君用之弱，其於鞅也不然。先君者，二十餘年未嘗見攻。今秦欲踰兵於澠隘之塞，不使；假道兩周倍韓以攻楚，不可。今則不然，魏且旦暮亡矣，不能愛其許、鄢陵與梧，割以予秦，去百六十里。臣之所見者，秦、楚鬥之日也已。」
Guan Yang[1] spoke to Chunshen[2], saying, "People believe that under Your Lordship's tenure Chu has become weak where once it was strong[3]. To me this does not seem to be the case. Your predecessor was not attacked once in over twenty[4] years in office. Qin wished to send its troops through the Meng'e Pass[4], but was prevented[5]; it sought to borrow the route through the two Zhous to flank Han and attack Chu, but failed. Now these impediments no longer exist. Wei could be wiped out any day. No longer able to keep hold of Xu[6], Yanling[7] and Wu[8], it will cede them to Qin. There will then only be a hundred and sixty li between the two of you[9]. As I see it, the day when Qin and Chu must finally come to blows is at hand[10]."
[1] Some of the commentaries suggest 魏鞅 for 觀鞅 here, but Wei Yang lived long before Lord Chunshen began his career. Other texts suggest that the person may have been called Zhu Ying (朱英) or Guan Ying (觀英). This person seems to have been a client of Lord Chunshen in Chu.
[2] Lord Chunshen, also known as Huang Xie, was a successful politician and general in Chu. He may also have been the real father of King You of Chu.
[3] Reading 弱也 for 弱 here.
[4] Reading 鄳隘 for 澠隘, per the commentaries. This is now known as the Pingjing Pass, and is in Xinyang in Henan.
[5] By Wei.
[6] Xu is now Xuchang in Henan. It has formerly belonged to Chu, but at the time this was Wei land.
[7] Yanling is still called Yanling, and is in modern Henan. This was another former Chu property belonging to Wei.
[8] Wu was near modern Xuzhou in Jiangsu, which is a long way from the other locations, and the commentaries suggest that this is an error.
[9] Reading 相 for 去, per the commentaries.
[10] The commentaries disagree regarding the precise reading of this sentence, but the general sense is clear.
公仲數不信於諸侯
Gongzhong Repeatedly Demonstrates his Untrustworthiness to the Sovereign Lords
公仲數不信於諸侯，諸侯錮之。南委國於楚，楚王弗聽。蘇代為楚王曰：「不若聽而備於其反也。明之反也，常仗趙而畔楚，仗齊而畔秦。今四國錮之，而無所入矣，亦甚患之。此方其為尾生之時也。」
Gongzhong[1] had repeatedly demonstrated his untrustworthiness to the feudal lords, who severed their relations with him[2]. He intended to turn south and put his state at Chu's disposal, but the King of Chu[3] would not listen to him. Su Qin[4] spoke[5] to the King of Chu on his behalf, saying, "You would do better to listen to Gongzhong and thereby arm yourself against his eventual betrayal. Peng[6] is unreliable - one minute he leans on Zhao and abandons Chu, the next he leans on Qi and abandons Qin[7]. Now the four states have cut him off and there is no way for him to get through to them. He is profoundly worried. These days he must feel like Wei Sheng[7]."
[1] Gongzhong Chi, also known as Han Gongzhong, Gongzhong Peng and Han Chi served as Chancellor and supported Han Jise in his struggle for power. He had ties with Qin. However, the commentaries suggest that this sentence is superfluous. Alternatively, it could be intended as a reference to Han Min, who served as Chancellor of Qi for a time.
[2] The commentaries suggest that the second 諸侯 here is superfluous.
[3] 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 BC and his son King Qingxiang took the throne. He made one attempt to escape, but was recaptured and died in 296 BC.
[4] Su Qin worked for almost all of the states during a long and successful career as the principal proponent of the anti-Qin alliance.
[5] Reading 為謂 for 為, per the commentaries.
[6] I.e. Gongzhong Peng.
[7] Reading 杖 for 仗 here, per the commentaries.
[7] Wei Sheng drowned while waiting under a bridge for a rendezvous with a girl who did not arrive.