Category: Comprehensive Mirror

Comprehensive Reflections to Aid in Governance

By Sima Guang

Translated By Yiming Yang

Annals of Zhou Book 1 Scroll 1（continued）

Duration 35 years

The 23rd year of King Weilie (403 B.C. continued)

The head of the Zhi family, Viscount Zhi Xuan, had intended to name Yao as his heir. However, Zhi Guo objected and suggested choosing Zhi Xiao instead: “While Yao possessed superior qualities such as height, good looks, an enviable beard, excellent archery and chariot driving skills, athleticism, eloquence in debate and skillful writing, as well as strong character and resolute decision-making abilities, he lacked benevolence.” Zhi Guo argued that if someone lacking benevolence were chosen as the heir, nobody would be willing to follow him. Despite Zhi Guo‘s advice, Viscount Zhi Xuan did not change his decision. Zhi Guo eventually left the Zhi family and officially joined another clan, the Fu family, by changing his name in the family register.

Viscount Zhao Jian, the head of the Zhao family, had two sons named Bolu and Wuxu. As he could not decide which one to make his heir, he wrote an admonition on two bamboo slips and gave one to each of his sons, instructing them to remember it well. Three years later, when he asked Bolu about the text, he couldn’t recall it and had lost the slip. In contrast, Wuxu had memorized the text and produced the slip from his sleeve. Impressed by his wisdom and ability to study, Zhao Jian chose Wuxu as his heir.

Viscount Zhao Jian appointed Yin Duo as the governor of Jinyang. Yin Duo asked Zhao Jian whether he wanted Jinyang to serve as a revenue source or as a barrier and fortress. Zhao Jian replied that he wanted it to be a barrier and fortress. As a result, Yin Duo reduced the number of taxable households in the region. Zhao Jian was pleased with the results and remarked to Wuxu that he could always seek refuge in Jinyang during times of disaster in the Kingdom of Jin, even though Yin Duo was young and Jinyang was far away. 

After the death of Viscount Zhi Xuan, Zhi Bo (also known as Yao) succeeded him as the head of the family. He hosted a banquet at Lantai with Viscount Han Kang and Viscount Wei Huan, the heads of two prominent households. During the banquet, Zhi Bo ridiculed Han Kang and insulted his prime minister, Duan Gui.

When Zhi Guo heard about this, he admonished Zhi Bo, warning him that trouble was coming if he wasn’t vigilant. Zhi Bo dismissed the idea, saying: “What troubles?  Who would make trouble if I don’t?”  Zhi Guo argued that wrong doing, if repeated, could lead to resentment and danger. He cited a saying from the Book of Summer: “If one has done wrong repeatedly, he should be prepared even if there is no perceived resentment.”

Zhi Guo pointed out: “You insulted a lord at a feast and didn’t take precautions today. You say that no one makes trouble but yourself, but won’t it be too late if trouble begins? Crabs, ants, bees, and wasps can all harm people, let alone a lord and his prime minister?” However, Zhi Bo did not heed his advice.

Zhi Bo solicited land from Viscount Han Kang, but Viscount Han Kang was unwilling to comply. Duan Gui advised him, saying, “Zhi Bo is known for his arrogance and greed. If we refuse to give him the land, he might initiate a war against us. It would be wiser to appease him. Once he perceives his demands are met, he may seek land from others as well. If others refuse, it could lead to conflicts. However, we can avoid the trouble and observe from the sidelines.” Viscount Han Kang agreed, stating, “That’s a good idea,” and sent an ambassador to Zhi Bo, granting him a town with ten thousand households. Zhi Bo was delighted with the outcome.

He then requested land from Viscount Wei Huan, but Viscount Wei Huan was unwilling to concede. Ren Zhang inquired, “Why won’t you grant it to him?” to which Viscount Wei Huan responded, “I refuse to submit to his baseless request.”

“Indeed, his baseless demands have instilled fear among all the officials. If we give in to his wishes, he will only become more emboldened and disdainful towards others. Those who are intimidated by him would unite against him, while he underestimates his enemies. The Zhi family’s power and influence won’t last long. As the Book of Zhou states, ‘Pretend to assist when you want him to fail; pretend to give when you wish to take from him.’ My lord, you should grant him the land, fueling his overbearing nature, and seek alliances among those he has wronged to conspire against him. Why should we bear the brunt of Zhi Bo‘s attacks?”

Viscount Wei Huan, upon hearing the suggestion, responded, “That’s a good idea.” He also decided to grant a town with ten thousand households to Zhi Bo.

Zhi Bo attempted to acquire the lands of Cai and Gaolang from Viscount Zhao Xiang, but his request was flatly rejected. Enraged by this refusal, Zhi Bo ordered the troops of Han and Wei to join an attack on Zhao. As a result, Viscount Zhao Xiang was compelled to flee and sought advice from his followers regarding his next move. One of them suggested, “Changzi city is nearby and has sturdy and well-preserved city walls.”

However, Viscount Zhao Xiang dismissed the idea, expressing his concern, “The people of Changzi dedicated their efforts to constructing those walls. If I now ask them to defend them with their lives, how would they view me?” Others proposed an alternative, saying, “Handan city has abundant food supplies in its warehouses.”

Viscount Zhao Xiang countered this suggestion, explaining, “The people there have already been stripped of their resources, and now I would ask them to fight to the death. How would they treat me in such circumstances?” He then proposed an alternative plan, stating, “Why don’t we go to Jinyang? Jinyang is my father’s stronghold, and Yin Duo has been benevolent towards the people there. They would surely treat me well.” Consequently, Viscount Zhao Xiang fled to Jinyang.

The three families mobilized their troops to besiege Jinyang city by deliberately flooding its surrounding area. Only a mere six feet of the city walls remained above the water level. The flooding was so severe that even the city’s stoves were submerged, leading to the emergence of frogs. Despite these challenging conditions, the citizens of Jinyang did not show any signs of desertion.

During this time, Zhi Bo went to survey the extent of the flood. Viscount Wei Huan took charge of driving the chariot, with Viscount Han Kang seated beside him. Observing the situation, Zhi Bo remarked, “Today, I have come to realize the power of water in conquering other states.” In response, Viscount Wei Huan discreetly nudged Viscount Han Kang with his elbow, and Viscount Han Kang acknowledged him by stepping on Viscount Wei Huan‘s foot. They were exchanging ominous possibilities: diverting the Fen River to flood Anyi, the capital city of the Wei State, while using the Jiang River to flood Pingyang, the capital city of the Han State.

Chi Ci conveyed his concern to Zhi Bo, saying, “Han and Wei will eventually turn against us.” Perplexed, Zhi Bo inquired, “How can you be so sure?”

Chi Ci responded, “I can gather this information from the people around you. You commanded the forces of Han and Wei to attack Zhao, and if we succeed in defeating the Zhao family, it will put Han and Wei in a precarious situation. Now, as we are on the verge of victory and about to divide Zhao‘s territory, their city is submerged under water, with only six feet of the city wall still visible. The citizens are resorting to eating their own horses, and the city is on the verge of collapse within a matter of days. Despite this dire situation, the leaders of Han and Wei do not exhibit any signs of joy but rather grave concern. Are these not clear indications of an impending revolt?”

The following day, Zhi Bo repeated Chi Ci‘s concerns to Viscount Han Kang and Wei Huan. However, both of them vehemently denied the accusations, asserting that this was a ploy orchestrated by malicious officers who sought to support the Zhao family. They argued that the purpose behind such claims was to divert attention from the pressure on Zhao and sow suspicions about Han and Wei. They emphasized that it made no sense for them to reject the immediate benefits of sharing Zhao‘s territory and willingly court disaster by engaging in irrational actions.

After Viscount Han Kang and Wei Huan left, Chi Ci entered the room and questioned Zhi Bo, asking why he had shared their conversation with them. Incredibly, Zhi Bo asked how Chi Ci knew about it. Chi Ci explained that he had encountered Viscount Han Kang and Wei Huan as they were leaving. They noticed his presence and hastened their pace, thus revealing that Zhi Bo had indeed shared the information.

Despite Chi Ci‘s disappointment, Zhi Bo remained unrepentant for his actions. Chi Ci expressed his desire to become the ambassador to the State of Qi, perhaps seeking a change in his position due to the unfolding circumstances.

Viscount Zhao Xiang, understanding the precarious situation and the potential defection of Viscount Han Kang and Wei Huan, sent Zhang Mengtan to meet with the two officials secretly. Zhang Mengtan, acting as an envoy, persuaded them, saying, “I have heard that when the lips are gone, the teeth feel the chill. Now, Zhi Bo is leading the troops of Han and Wei to attack Zhao. Once the Zhao family is destroyed, Han and Wei will be the next targets.”

The two officials acknowledged the truth of Zhang’s words, expressing their genuine concern that if their conspiracy were to be exposed, disaster would befall them immediately. In response, Zhang Mengtan reassured them, saying, “The conspiracy spoken from your honorable mouths to my humble ears, is there any problem with that?”

Subsequently, the two officials privately discussed the planned date of the revolt and sent Zhang Mengtan back to Zhao. Viscount Zhao Xiang, upon receiving the information, took decisive action. He dispatched assassins to eliminate the officers guarding the dam, causing a breach that flooded the troops of Zhi Bo. The troops of Zhi Bo were thrown into disarray.

Seizing the opportunity, the forces of Han and Wei launched attacks on the flanks of Zhi Bo‘s troops, while Viscount Zhao Xiang personally led his soldiers in a frontal assault against Zhi Bo. The result was a resounding victory as Zhi Bo‘s troops was decisively defeated, and Zhi Bo, along with his entire family, was killed. Only Fu Guo, formerly known as Zhi Guo, survived the disaster.

Sima Guang’s commentary: The death of Zhi Bo highlights the significance of the capabilities overriding morals.  While capabilities and morals are distinct, many people struggle to differentiate between them. They often mistakenly refer to both as virtues, resulting in misjudging candidates.  

Brilliance, knowledge, strength, and perseverance are examples of capabilities, whereas integrity, honesty, fairness, and gentleness are aspects of morals. Capabilities support morals, and in turn, morals guide capabilities. For instance, bamboo from Yunmeng would not become the most penetrating arrows in the world without straightening and attaching feathers to it. Similarly, the metal from Tangxi would not become the sharpest weapon without undergoing processes such as tempering, quenching, forging, and grinding.  Therefore, individuals who possess both morals and capabilities are considered saints, while those lacking in both are deemed fools. A person whose morals govern their capabilities is referred to as a nobleman, while someone whose capabilities override their morals is seen as a con-man. 

When selecting a candidate for a job, it is preferable to choose a fool over a con-man if neither saints nor noble individuals are available.

Why? A nobleman employs their full capabilities to do good, whereas a con-man employs their full capabilities to do evil. Superb capabilities applied to good causes will yield positive results. Superb capabilities applied to evil causes will inevitably result in negative consequences. Even a fool may wish to do evil, but they lack the intelligence or strength to cause significant damage. Like a puppy biting its owner, the owner can easily keep it under control. However, a con-man possesses both the trickery to deceive and the strength to violate, similar to a violent tiger with wings, and can cause great damage.

It is true that individuals with moral values may come across as stoic, while those with capabilities may be more likable. People often gravitate towards likable individuals and may distance themselves from the stoic ones. Consequently, officials may be easily overwhelmed by a candidate’s capabilities and overlook their moral character. Throughout history, administrators who disrupt state affairs or descendants who bring ruin to family fortunes are often individuals with impressive capabilities but deficient morals. This can lead to the downfall of states or families. Zhi Bo is not an isolated example in this regard.

By understanding the distinction between capabilities and morals and placing importance on moral character, we can avoid selecting the wrong person for important positions in both state and family affairs.