School of Diplomacy
Encyclopedia
The School of Diplomacy , or "School of Vertical and Horizontal" Alliance
s was a political and diplomatic clique
during the Warring States Period
of Chinese history (476-220 BCE). According to the 'History of the Former Han Dynasty
', the school was one of the Nine Schools of Thought .
According to the Han Fei Zi, a contemporary work on Legalist Philosophy
, 'Vertical Alliance supporters encourage the weak multitude to attack the one strong side whilst the Horizontal Alliance promote the one strong side attacking the weak multitude. They are all fickle and capricious, change sides frequently and are unable to decide who their master is. Both Su Qin
of the Vertical Alliance clique and Zhang Yi
of the Horizontal Alliance clique issue many plans and schemes that are politically subjective.'
The origins of the terms 'Vertical' and 'Horizontal' are geographic and are based on either a North-South axis (i.e. vertical) or an East-West axis (i.e. horizontal). Thus the six states allied on the North-South axis were known as the 'Vertical Alliance' whilst those on the East-West axis aligned with the State of Qin
were termed the 'Horizontal Alliance'.
'Zong' indicates the 'He Zong', or Vertical Alliance, the 'weak multitude against the one strong side', made up of the six states of Qi
, Chu
, Yan
, Han
, Zhao
and Wei
united against Qin
. 'Heng' indicates the 'Lian Heng', or Horizontal Alliance, the 'one strong side to smash the weak multitude', thus illustrating the different diplomatic policies of the two sides.
The School of Diplomacy was one of the nine styles of the ten Schools of Thought of the Warring States Period and starts with an objective point of view to reach the required goal. The school’s adherents were always an active group on the political stage during the Warring States Period
. Moreover, they played a decisive role and were described as extremely powerful and capable, constantly struggling to manipulate the situation.
Originated by Gui Gu-zi
, the School of Diplomacy’s main adherents were Su Qin
, Zhang Yi
(Su’s disciple), Gan Mao, Sima Cuo, Yue Yi
, Fan Sui, Cai Ze, Zou Ji, Mao Sui, Li Yiji
and Kuai Tong as detailed in the 'Annals of the Warring States Period
'.
The few principal written records of the School of Diplomacy that exist today are the thirteenth chapter of the 'Book of Gui' or 'Gui Gu-zi
', the thirty-third chapter of 'Annals of the Warring States Period
' (not about the School of Diplomacy’s followers but primarily the words and actions of its advisors as well as actual combat case studies), the thirty-first chapter of 'Su Zi' and the tenth chapter of 'Zhang Zi'. The seventh chapter of the 'Benjing Yifu' appendix to the 'Gui Gu-zi
' describes the mental and moral cultivation methods used by the School of Diplomacy; the 'Benjing' covers the ideas behind the basic guiding principles whilst the 'Yinfu' consists of very mysterious concealed writings. The reader can comprehend these but is unable to discover their essential meaning. The 'Gui Gu-zi
' is a book of theory that is complete in every detail and very subtly written, making its ideas hard to express. More importantly the work requires study and use in order to understand the nuances of its meaning. The 'Annals of the Warring States Period
' is a well-written rhetorical compendium the words and actions of the strategists of the School of Diplomacy who were all resourceful, intelligent, aware of the actual situation and gifted in the use of language.
Alliance
An alliance is an agreement or friendship between two or more parties, made in order to advance common goals and to secure common interests.See also military alliance and business alliance.-International relations:...
s was a political and diplomatic clique
Clique
A clique is an exclusive group of people who share common interests, views, purposes, patterns of behavior, or ethnicity. A clique as a reference group can be either normative or comparative. Membership in a clique is typically exclusive, and qualifications for membership may be social or...
during the Warring States Period
Warring States Period
The Warring States Period , also known as the Era of Warring States, or the Warring Kingdoms period, covers the Iron Age period from about 475 BC to the reunification of China under the Qin Dynasty in 221 BC...
of Chinese history (476-220 BCE). According to the 'History of the Former Han Dynasty
Book of Han
The Book of Han, Hanshu or History of the Former Han Dynasty |Fan Ye]] . Various scholars have estimated that the earliest material covered in the book dates back to between 206 and 202 BCE...
', the school was one of the Nine Schools of Thought .
According to the Han Fei Zi, a contemporary work on Legalist Philosophy
Legalism (Chinese philosophy)
In Chinese history, Legalism was one of the main philosophic currents during the Warring States Period, although the term itself was invented in the Han Dynasty and thus does not refer to an organized 'school' of thought....
, 'Vertical Alliance supporters encourage the weak multitude to attack the one strong side whilst the Horizontal Alliance promote the one strong side attacking the weak multitude. They are all fickle and capricious, change sides frequently and are unable to decide who their master is. Both Su Qin
Su Qin
Su Qin , was an influential political strategist during the Warring States Period of Chinese history . He was born in Chengxuan Village, Luoyang in present day Henan Province. According to legend Su Qin was a disciple of Gui Guzi, the founder of the School of Diplomacy...
of the Vertical Alliance clique and Zhang Yi
Zhang Yi
Zhang Yi may refer to:*Zhang Yi , strategist during the Warring States Period*Zhang Yi , official of Shu Han during the Three Kingdoms period*Zhang Yi , general of Shu Han during the Three Kingdoms period...
of the Horizontal Alliance clique issue many plans and schemes that are politically subjective.'
The origins of the terms 'Vertical' and 'Horizontal' are geographic and are based on either a North-South axis (i.e. vertical) or an East-West axis (i.e. horizontal). Thus the six states allied on the North-South axis were known as the 'Vertical Alliance' whilst those on the East-West axis aligned with the State of Qin
Qin (state)
The State of Qin was a Chinese feudal state that existed during the Spring and Autumn and Warring States Periods of Chinese history...
were termed the 'Horizontal Alliance'.
'Zong' indicates the 'He Zong', or Vertical Alliance, the 'weak multitude against the one strong side', made up of the six states of Qi
Qi (state)
Qi was a powerful state during the Spring and Autumn Period and Period of the Warring States in ancient China. Its capital was Linzi, now part of the modern day city of Zibo in Shandong Province....
, Chu
Chu (state)
The State of Chu was a Zhou Dynasty vassal state in present-day central and southern China during the Spring and Autumn period and Warring States Period . Its ruling house had the surname Nai , and clan name Yan , later evolved to surname Mi , and clan name Xiong...
, Yan
Yan (state)
Yān was a state during the Western Zhou, Spring and Autumn and Warring States Periods of Chinese history. Its capital was Ji...
, Han
Han (state)
Han was a kingdom during the Warring States Period in China, located in modern-day Shanxi and Henan. Not to be confused with South Korea which shares the same character....
, Zhao
Zhao (state)
Zhao was a significant Chinese state during the Warring States Period, along with six others...
and Wei
Wei (state)
The State of Wei was a Zhou Dynasty vassal state during the Warring States Period of Chinese history. Its territory lay between the states of Qin and Qi and included parts of modern day Henan, Hebei, Shanxi and Shandong...
united against Qin
Qin (state)
The State of Qin was a Chinese feudal state that existed during the Spring and Autumn and Warring States Periods of Chinese history...
. 'Heng' indicates the 'Lian Heng', or Horizontal Alliance, the 'one strong side to smash the weak multitude', thus illustrating the different diplomatic policies of the two sides.
The School of Diplomacy was one of the nine styles of the ten Schools of Thought of the Warring States Period and starts with an objective point of view to reach the required goal. The school’s adherents were always an active group on the political stage during the Warring States Period
Warring States Period
The Warring States Period , also known as the Era of Warring States, or the Warring Kingdoms period, covers the Iron Age period from about 475 BC to the reunification of China under the Qin Dynasty in 221 BC...
. Moreover, they played a decisive role and were described as extremely powerful and capable, constantly struggling to manipulate the situation.
Originated by Gui Gu-zi
Guiguzi
Wang Xu , better known by his pseudonym Guiguzi , is an ancient Chinese philosopher from the Warring States Period of Chinese history. He was the founder of the School of Diplomacy of the Hundred Schools of Thought during that period...
, the School of Diplomacy’s main adherents were Su Qin
Su Qin
Su Qin , was an influential political strategist during the Warring States Period of Chinese history . He was born in Chengxuan Village, Luoyang in present day Henan Province. According to legend Su Qin was a disciple of Gui Guzi, the founder of the School of Diplomacy...
, Zhang Yi
Zhang Yi (strategist)
Zhang Yi was born in the Wei state during the Warring States Period of Chinese history. He was an important strategist in helping Qin to dissolve the unity of the other states, and hence pave the way for Qin to unify China...
(Su’s disciple), Gan Mao, Sima Cuo, Yue Yi
Yue Yi
Yue Yi was an officer of the State of Yan during the Warring State period, also known as Lord Guojun. He was the son of the prime minister of the small nation of Zhongshan, but when Zhongshan was destroyed by Zhao's King Wuling, he was forced to wander from country to country...
, Fan Sui, Cai Ze, Zou Ji, Mao Sui, Li Yiji
Li Yiji
Li Yiji was an advisor to Liu Bang during the Chu–Han contention.-Biography:Li Yiji was from Gaoyang, Chenliu . He joined Liu Bang around 207 BC during the insurrection against the Qin Dynasty...
and Kuai Tong as detailed in the 'Annals of the Warring States Period
Zhan Guo Ce
The Zhan Guo Ce is a renowned ancient Chinese historical work and compilation of sporadic materials on the Warring States Period compiled between the 3rd to 1st centuries BCE...
'.
The few principal written records of the School of Diplomacy that exist today are the thirteenth chapter of the 'Book of Gui' or 'Gui Gu-zi
Guiguzi
Wang Xu , better known by his pseudonym Guiguzi , is an ancient Chinese philosopher from the Warring States Period of Chinese history. He was the founder of the School of Diplomacy of the Hundred Schools of Thought during that period...
', the thirty-third chapter of 'Annals of the Warring States Period
Zhan Guo Ce
The Zhan Guo Ce is a renowned ancient Chinese historical work and compilation of sporadic materials on the Warring States Period compiled between the 3rd to 1st centuries BCE...
' (not about the School of Diplomacy’s followers but primarily the words and actions of its advisors as well as actual combat case studies), the thirty-first chapter of 'Su Zi' and the tenth chapter of 'Zhang Zi'. The seventh chapter of the 'Benjing Yifu' appendix to the 'Gui Gu-zi
Guiguzi
Wang Xu , better known by his pseudonym Guiguzi , is an ancient Chinese philosopher from the Warring States Period of Chinese history. He was the founder of the School of Diplomacy of the Hundred Schools of Thought during that period...
' describes the mental and moral cultivation methods used by the School of Diplomacy; the 'Benjing' covers the ideas behind the basic guiding principles whilst the 'Yinfu' consists of very mysterious concealed writings. The reader can comprehend these but is unable to discover their essential meaning. The 'Gui Gu-zi
Guiguzi
Wang Xu , better known by his pseudonym Guiguzi , is an ancient Chinese philosopher from the Warring States Period of Chinese history. He was the founder of the School of Diplomacy of the Hundred Schools of Thought during that period...
' is a book of theory that is complete in every detail and very subtly written, making its ideas hard to express. More importantly the work requires study and use in order to understand the nuances of its meaning. The 'Annals of the Warring States Period
Zhan Guo Ce
The Zhan Guo Ce is a renowned ancient Chinese historical work and compilation of sporadic materials on the Warring States Period compiled between the 3rd to 1st centuries BCE...
' is a well-written rhetorical compendium the words and actions of the strategists of the School of Diplomacy who were all resourceful, intelligent, aware of the actual situation and gifted in the use of language.