Zhang Yi (strategist)
Encyclopedia
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. He was an advocate of horizontal alliance, unlike Su Qin
, both of which were adherents of the School of Diplomacy
.
studied under Guiguzi
and learnt politics and foreign relations. After Su Qin died, Zhang left Guiguzi, and arrived at the state of Chu
. He received a severe beating at a banquet in the house of a minister of Chu when he was wrongly accused of stealing a gem. It is said that on his return home, he said to his wife, "Look and see if they have left me my tongue." And when his wife declared that it was safe and sound, he cried out, "If I still have my tongue, that is all I want." He then went to the state of Qin
in 329 BC, and saw King Hui of Qin, who had earlier rejected Su. King Hui accepted him as a high minister, and in 328 BC he led a successful campaign against his native state, by which Qin acquired a large part of Wei.
At that time, Su Qin's vertical alliance tactic still influenced China, and formed a sort of unity between the states of Han
, Zhao
, Wei, Chu, Yan
and Qi
. Zhang offered ideas to King Hui about ideas to befriend Wei and Yan in order to break the alliance, which Hui graciously accepted. Hui decided to make him the prime minister.
In 314 BC, civil war broke out in Yan. King Xuan of Qi attacked Yan and murdered the King of Yan. King Huai of Chu, who was the head of the vertical alliance, allied with Qi. Qi-Chu alliance would provoke a great threat to Qin's unification. Hui sent Zhang to weaken the alliance. Zhang first drew the attention of the king by bestowing expensive gifts to his favoured official, Jin Shang. He then struck a deal with Huai. They agreed that Huai would end his alliance with Qi if Qin gave back 600 li
of land that Qin had previously captured to Huai. Huai immediately accepted despite his official Chen Zhen
's skepticism regarding the trustworthiness of Zhang. When Huai sent a messenger to Xianyang
to retrieve the land, Zhang gave Chu six li of his own land, and claimed he had said 'six li of his own land instead of the six hundred of Qin he had promised. Chu went to war with Qin. Qin defeated Chu and demanded a further six hundred li of land.
Zhang repetitively negotiated with Han, Zhao, Wei, Chu, Yan and Qi, thereby destroying their relationships with horizontal alliance, and paving the way for Qin's unification of China.
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...
state
Ancient Chinese states
Ancient Chinese States were typified by variously sized city states and territories that existed in China prior to its unification by Qin Shi Huang in 221 BCE. In many cases these were vassal states characterized by tribute paid to the ruling Zhou Dynasty...
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
History of China
Chinese civilization originated in various regional centers along both the Yellow River and the Yangtze River valleys in the Neolithic era, but the Yellow River is said to be the Cradle of Chinese Civilization. With thousands of years of continuous history, China is one of the world's oldest...
. He was an important strategist in helping 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...
to dissolve the unity of the other states, and hence pave the way for Qin to unify China. He was an advocate of horizontal alliance, unlike 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...
, both of which were adherents of the School of Diplomacy
School of Diplomacy
The School of Diplomacy , or "School of Vertical and Horizontal" Alliances was a political and diplomatic clique during the Warring States Period of Chinese history...
.
Biography
A native of the State of Wei, Zhang YiZhang 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...
studied under Guiguzi
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...
and learnt politics and foreign relations. After Su Qin died, Zhang left Guiguzi, and arrived at the state of 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...
. He received a severe beating at a banquet in the house of a minister of Chu when he was wrongly accused of stealing a gem. It is said that on his return home, he said to his wife, "Look and see if they have left me my tongue." And when his wife declared that it was safe and sound, he cried out, "If I still have my tongue, that is all I want." He then went to 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...
in 329 BC, and saw King Hui of Qin, who had earlier rejected Su. King Hui accepted him as a high minister, and in 328 BC he led a successful campaign against his native state, by which Qin acquired a large part of Wei.
At that time, Su Qin's vertical alliance tactic still influenced China, and formed a sort of unity between the states of 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...
, Wei, Chu, 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...
and 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....
. Zhang offered ideas to King Hui about ideas to befriend Wei and Yan in order to break the alliance, which Hui graciously accepted. Hui decided to make him the prime minister.
In 314 BC, civil war broke out in Yan. King Xuan of Qi attacked Yan and murdered the King of Yan. King Huai of Chu, who was the head of the vertical alliance, allied with Qi. Qi-Chu alliance would provoke a great threat to Qin's unification. Hui sent Zhang to weaken the alliance. Zhang first drew the attention of the king by bestowing expensive gifts to his favoured official, Jin Shang. He then struck a deal with Huai. They agreed that Huai would end his alliance with Qi if Qin gave back 600 li
Li (unit)
The li is a traditional Chinese unit of distance, which has varied considerably over time but now has a standardized length of 500 meters or half a kilometer...
of land that Qin had previously captured to Huai. Huai immediately accepted despite his official Chen Zhen
Chen Zhen
Chen Zhen , style name Xiaoqi , was a minister serving under the warlord Liu Bei during the late Han Dynasty period of Chinese history. Chen originally served Yuan Shao. At one time when Liu Bei was taking refuge under Yuan Shao, Chen was the one tasked to deliver Liu's letter to Guan Yu...
's skepticism regarding the trustworthiness of Zhang. When Huai sent a messenger to Xianyang
Xianyang
Xianyang is a former capital of China in Shaanxi province, on the Wei River, a few kilometers upstream from Xi'an. It has an area of...
to retrieve the land, Zhang gave Chu six li of his own land, and claimed he had said 'six li of his own land instead of the six hundred of Qin he had promised. Chu went to war with Qin. Qin defeated Chu and demanded a further six hundred li of land.
Zhang repetitively negotiated with Han, Zhao, Wei, Chu, Yan and Qi, thereby destroying their relationships with horizontal alliance, and paving the way for Qin's unification of China.