Download Article
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
Advances in Social Science, Education and Humanities Research, volume 368 3rd International Conference on Art Studies: Science, Experience, Education (ICASSEE 2019) Sima Qian's Revision on the Mode of Strategist in Warring States Fangyu Li College of Humanities & Sciences Hangzhou Normal University Hangzhou, China Abstract—In the process of reading documents on period of emperors Hui, Zhao and Zheng in Qin Dynasty, strategists in the Warring States period, Sima Qian got to intellectuals from the six eastern countries were often know, cognized or opposed the behavior of such strategists in rejected to enter Qin state. When Lv Buwei served as Prime combination with his experience, and finally formed a set of minister of Qin state, he once said, "以秦之强,羞不如(战国四 Sima Qian mode with the style of strategists in Warring States 公子养士),亦招致士,厚遇之,至食客三千。(Meaning: It was in The Records of the Grand Historian by selection and really ashamed that Qin state was so strong but had so fewer revision. intellectuals than that collected by the four feudal princes in the Warring States! Therefore, Lv Buwei began to recruit Keywords—Sima Qian; The Records of the Grand Historian; talents, gave them a generous courtesy, and finally recruited Warring States; strategist three thousand intellectuals accommodated in his mansion 4 I. INTRODUCTION house)". However, Lu Buwei himself was also an alien minister, and his accommodating with intellectuals was just Yao Si said, "A literary work is not an object that is to pursue the trend at that time and could not represent the independent and provides the same viewpoint to every reader Qin ruler's attitude toward intellectuals. After Qin Shi Huang of every era. It is not a monument that metaphysically shows unified the six countries, the independent style of strategist in its super-era essence. It is more like an orchestral the Warring States was immediately suppressed. Just as Yu composition that can constantly obtain new response from Yingchun said, "In the political structure of the state, except readers in the performance so that the text can be released the core of rights formed by the superior emperor and a small from the material form of the text and become a 1 group of officials supporting the emperor, almost all contemporary being". For different readers, the same intellectuals in the state collectively constitute the absolute literary work may evoke their different personal experiences; ruling objects of the emperor. There is only a one-way that is to say, "the work will awaken the reader's previous relationship of ruling and being ruled between the emperor reading memory and have reader enter a specific emotional and his subjects". 5 This case cannot be compared with the attitude and reading expectation".2 In the process of reading case that Yan Chu still dares to scream that "士贵耳,王者不贵 documents on strategists in Warring States, Sima Qian got to (meaning: Intellectuals are honorable instead of the king)"6 know, cognized or opposed the behavior of such strategists in facing the angry King Xuan of Qi state. Judging from the in combination with his experience, and finally formed a set context of the times, the unified China has made the of Sima Qian mode with the style of strategists in Warring strategists lost the opportunity to make something different. States in The Records of the Grand Historian by selection From the perspective of the state system, it seems that the and revision. unified Qin State until its demise has not established a II. THE CONFLICT BETWEEN THE CHANGED SOCIAL complete personnel system. In the Qin Dynasty, what SYSTEM AND THE STRATEGISTS' IDEALS intellectuals can expect is roughly in two ways such as to be civilian official and military officer. The former must can Qin state was originally a remote state in west-frontiers conduct basic writing, accounting, and knowing laws and region, "In terms of national people's temperament, customs orders. The latter must have martial skills.7 Hence, it can be and ruling consciousness and style, it is very different from 3 the six eastern countries". People of Qin state's attitude 4 Sima Qian. The Records of the Grand Historian [M]. Beijing: towards intellectuals was always relatively cold; in the Chung Hwa Book Co., 2006, p2510. 5 Yu Yingchun. History of Intellectuals in Qin and Han Dynasties [M]. Beijing: Peking University Press, 2000, p10. 1 Yao Si. (trans.) Zhou Ning, Jin Yuanpu. Receptional Aesthetic. 6 Liuxiang Jilu, Fan Xiangyong. Notes of the Strategies of the Liaoning: Liaoning People's Publishing House, 1987, p339. Warring States [M]. Shanghai: Shanghai Ancient Books Publishing House, 2 Liu Ning. Research on Narrative in The Records of the Grand 2006, p639. Historian [D]. Ph.D. Thesis of Shaanxi Normal University. May 2006, 7 Yu Yingchun. Explanation of Knowledge and Sword Learning in p155. The Records of the Grand Historian · The Whole Life of Xiang Yu [A]. 3 Yu Yingchun. History of Intellectuals in Qin and Han Dynasties Compilation A of the Collection of Lao Gan's Academic Papers" [M]. [M]. Beijing: Peking University Press, 2000, p1. Beijing: Yiwen Press. 1976, p25. Copyright © 2019, the Authors. Published by Atlantis Press. This is an open access article under the CC BY-NC license (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/). 657 Advances in Social Science, Education and Humanities Research, volume 368 seen that the level of talent recruitment in the Qin Dynasty is can be occupied to build up the capital make some very low, and it is biased towards skills rather than thought, achievements)". But Xiang Yu ignored his words. He satirize regardless of the ability to govern the country. For the reason that "人言楚人沐猴而冠耳,果然。(Meaning: There is saying why Qin Shi Huang discarded intellectuals beyond the that Chu people are like macaques wearing human's hat, regime, to certain extent, it is his unprecedented sense of indeed so)". Immediately, he was killed by Xiang Yu. Based authority.8 To some other extent, it is the uniform concept of on those examples, it can be found that Xiang Yu obviously order under the Legalist policy that has been implemented in paid less attention to strategy and only took advantage of his Qin for long time. martial skills; one can imagine his final failure. With the rapid demise of Qin State, the world once again However, Han army was quite different. Fan Dachong fell into chaos, and strategists again had room for activities, mentioned, "方汉祖龙兴于沛上,若萧、曹以刀笔,张、陈以智谋, promptly inspired "the feudal princes to betray Qin", once 勃、婴以织贩,布、哙以屠黥,凡有一技一能者,靡不各逞所长,以 again showing the active and lively atmosphere of strategists 赴攀龙附凤之会,而竟得名垂竹帛,勋列鼎彝,何伟伟也。 in the Warring States period. During the anti-Qin and Chu- (meaning: When Liu Bang raised an army in Pei county, he Han struggle, all forces were accompanied by strategists, had collected Xiao He and Cao Shen to respectively serve as such as Han Xin was always accompanied by Kuai Tong, his martial officer and civilian official, Zhang Liang and and Tian Rong was accompanied by Dong Guo, and Liang Chen Ping to provide him with strategies, and collected Zhou Shijun. In the period when Xiang Liang was in charge of Bo and Guan Ying, Wang Qingbu and Fan Kuai; all those Chu state's army, Song Yi who once was an official of the have any ability and skill were able to take their advantages old Chu state came to seek for being retained and advised to make something different and contribution. How great it 10 Xiang Liang that "战胜而将骄卒惰者败。今卒少惰矣,秦兵日益, is)". It shows that even those who have no title and right 臣为君畏之 (meaning: After winning the battle, the generals are allowed to offer stratagems to the ruler or boldly sting 11 will be proud, and the soldiers will be idle. Such an army and criticize. But it can also be seen from Fan Dachong's must be defeated. Now the soldiers are somewhat idle, while conclusion on meritorious statesmen of Liu Bang that the the Qin soldiers are increasing day by day. I am worried effect played by those people has been far less than that of about you!)" But Xiang Liang didn't accept his advice and strategists in the Warring States. Just as praised in "Han Shu` finally he was defeated to death. Before the Battle in Jvlu, Biography of Li Shiqi, Lu Jia, Zhu Jian, Liu Jing and Shu Song Yi also said to Xiang Yu, "夫搏牛之虻不可以破虮虱。今秦 Suntong (汉书·郦陆朱刘叔孙传)", "it is said that, 'the imperial 攻赵,战胜则兵罢,我承其敝;不胜,则我引兵鼓行而西,必举秦矣。 court is not built only by branches of one wood, and the 故不如先斗秦赵。夫被坚执锐,义不如公;坐而运策,公不如义。 emperor's achievement is not achieved by virtue of strategies (Meaning: One may be able to damage gadbee on ox but of only one strategist'". 12 In Liu Bang's words, "夫运筹策帷帐 cannot get rid of the louse and its ovum on ox body. At 之中,决胜于千里之外,吾不如子房。镇国家,抚百姓,给馈饟,不 present, Qin state defeated Zhao state and Qin state's soldiers 绝粮道,吾不如萧何。连百万之军,战必胜,攻必取,吾不如韩信。 must be tired; we can take this chance to attack them; if 此三者,皆人杰也,吾能用之,此吾所以取天下也。项羽有一范增而 failed, we can lead the troops to march westward to 不能用,此其所以为我擒也。(meaning: Speaking of the making annihilate Qin state's army. So now, it'd be better to let Qin planning and strategies that determines the success and and Zhao fight with each other first. In terms of leading the failure of the battle thousand miles away, I am not as good as soldiers and fighting on the battle field, I cannot compare Zi Fang; speaking of guarding the state, pacifying the people, with you; but in terms of making military decisions supplying army provisions and unblocking the route for accordingly, you cannot compare with me.)" Soon after that, providing foodstuff, I am not as good as Xiao He; speaking Xiang Yu found an excuse and killed Song Yi.