give his biography in full, first as it is given in the Shih-chi,1 and then in the short form of the Chan-kuo-ts'ê.2 Thereafter we shall discuss the authenticity of these stories.

A

The Biography of the Lord of Shang3 in the Shih-chi a The Lord of Shang was one of the descendants, by a concubine, of the family of Wei.5 His name was Yang," and his family name was Kung-sun. His ancestors had, originally, the surname of Chi. In his youth, he was fond of the study of criminal law; he served Kung-shu Tso,9 the

8

7

1, by Ssu-ma Ch'ien, about 145-86 b.c.

2

*商君

7

8

A a name often given to illegitimate descendants. 姬.

A; Chan-kuo-ts'ê, ch. 7, p. 5, relates that this man commanded

the army of Wei in the battle near the River Kuai, where Han and Chao were beaten. For Tso it writes Ts'o JA. This battle was in 362 B.C. In the same year Ch'in gained a victory over Wei at Shao-liang, where according to the Wei Annals of the Shih-chi (cf. Chavannes, Mém. Hist., v, p. 152), the general of Wei, Kung-sun Ts'o A, was taken prisoner. This is confirmed in the Ch'in Annals (Chavannes, op. cit., ii, p. 60). As Kung-shu and Kung-sun are really designations of members of the princely family, this must be the same man. The Chao Annals (Chavannes, op. cit., v, p. 59) say that in the battle, Ts'o, the crown prince, was taken prisoner and the chronological tables merely say: "Our (i.e. Wei's) crown prince was taken prisoner." There is surely a qui-pro-quo here. Probably the fact that some relation of the ruling house was made prisoner was exaggerated into the report that it was the crown prince; more especially is this likely, as he was actually captured by Ch'i in 341 (cf. Chavannes, op. cit., v, p. 157).

Minister of Wei,1 and became chung-shu-tzu. Kung-shu Tso knew that he was capable, but before presenting him at court, it so happened that (Kung-shu) Tso fell ill. King Hui3 of Wei went personally to inquire after his illness and said: "Your illness is too serious not to speak about it: what provision should be made in future for the altar of the soil and grain?" 4 Kung-shu Tso said: "My chung-shu-tzu, Kung-sun Yang, though young still in years, has talent. May the King be pleased to listen to him in all state affairs." The King was silent. When the King was on the point of leaving, Tso bade everyone go out, and said: "If Your Majesty will not listen to Yang, nor employ him, then You should put him to death and not allow him to leave the country." The King assented and departed. Kung-shu Tso called Yang, and taking leave of him said: "To-day, the King inquired of me who could be appointed councillor, and I mentioned you. From the King's appearance, I believe he did not agree with my suggestion. I then placed the interest of the King before that of the subject, and therefore said to the King, that if he were not going to employ Yang he should kill him, and the King agreed to my suggestion. You had better leave as soon as possible or else you will be

2 The shu-tzu were charged with the education of the sons from the princely families.

3

,370-319 B.C. (the Shih-chi errs in making his reign end in 335; cf. Chavannes, Mém. Hist., v, p. 158, and Maspero, Chine Antique, pp. 397 and 402); as Hui did not bear the title of king before 335, there is an anachronism here.

4 i.e. who should become chancellor ?

arrested." Yang replied: "If the King does not act on your words to appoint me, how should he act on your words to kill me ? In the end he did not leave.

Your

As soon as King Hui had left, he said to his entourage : "It is regrettable that Kung-shu is so ill! He desires me to employ Kung-sun Yang as state councillor-is this not absurd ? " 1

3

As soon as Kung-shu had died, Kung-sun Yang heard that Duke Hsiao 2 of Ch'in had issued an order, inviting the capable men throughout the country, in order to restore the heritage of Duke Mu, and to recover the occupied territory in the east.5 He, thereupon, went westward to

1 The same story is given, in simpler form, in the Chan-kuo-ts'ê, ch. 7, pp. 5b, 6a, see below, p. 31, and in the Lü-shih-ch'un-ch'iu, ch. 11, p. 13, which was written in 238 B.C. The latter text runs : "When Kung-shu Tso of Wei was ill, King Hui went to inquire after his illness and said: 'Your illness is serious; what provision should be made in future for the Altar of the Soil and Grain ?' Kung-shu replied, saying: 'I should wish that Your Majesty would, in state affairs, listen to my yü-shu-tzu Yang. But if Your Majesty cannot decide to listen to him, you should prevent him from leaving the country.' The King did not reply, but when he left, he said to his entourage: 'Is it not deplorable? A man of Kungshu's wisdom to tell me to-day that I should, in state affairs, listen to Yang-how stupid!' Now when Kung-shu had died, Kung-sun Yang travelled westward to Ch'in. Duke Hsiao of Ch'in listened to his counsel and so Ch'in became strong and Wei became weak.”

2孝

3

秦.

4

繆(i.e.穆).

5 For this mandate, cf. Chavannes, op. cit., ii, pp. 62, 63. Duke Mu (659-621) had made large conquests, in the east obtaining from Chin the territory which it had held west of the Yellow River, known as Ho-hsi. Under his successors, Ch'in lost this again, but it remained the fixed policy of its rulers to extend its frontiers to the Yellow River. Duke Hsiao reigned from 361 to 338; as Ssu-ma Ch'ien mentions the mandate right at the beginning of his reign, we may place Kung-sun Yang's arrival in Ch'in in 361 B.C.

Ch'in and through Ching Chien,1 a favourite of Duke Hsiao, obtained an interview with Duke Hsiao. When Duke Hsiao received Wei Yang, they talked for a long time about affairs, but Duke Hsiao repeatedly fell asleep and did not listen. At the conclusion of the interview, he was angry with Ching Chien, saying: "This guest of yours is a good-for-nothing, how should he deserve to be employed?" Ching Chien reproved Wei Yang, who replied: "I talked to the Duke about the Way of the Emperors, but his interest was not awakened." After five days he (Ching Chien) again requested that Yang be given an audience. At this second interview between Yang and Duke Hsiao, although there was an improvement, yet he did not strike the Prince's attention. When it was over, Duke Hsiao again reproved Ching Chien, who in turn reproved Yang. The latter said: "I talked to the Duke about the Way of the Kings, but I did not get my argument home." He (Ching Chien) requested that Yang be again given an audience, and when Yang was received by Duke Hsiao, the latter liked him, without, however, employing him. At the conclusion, when he had gone, Duke Hsiao said to Ching Chien: "Your guest is an interesting man to talk to!" Yang said: "I spoke to the Duke of the Way of the Lords Protector and he was inclined to make use of it. If indeed he will have another interview with me, then I shall know." When Wei Yang had another interview with Duke Hsiao, the Duke, in talking with him, did not himself notice that his (Wei Yang's) knees had advanced on to his mat. He talked with him several days without being tired of it. Ching Chien said: "How have

1, a member of a branch of the ruling house of Ch'u.

you made such an impression upon our Prince? He is extraordinarily pleased with you." Yang replied: "When I talked to the Prince of the Way of the Emperors and Kings and made comparisons between the Three Dynasties, the Prince said: This takes a long time and is a distant ideal. I cannot wait! Besides, capable princes have always made their fame shine through the world, during their own lifetime, how can one anxiously wait several thousand years, in order to become an emperor or king?' When, therefore, I spoke to the Prince of the methods of making a state powerful, he was greatly delighted with them. However,

as far as virtue is concerned, it is difficult to compare them with those used by the Yin and Chou dynasties."

2

As soon as Duke Hsiao employed Wei Yang, the latter desired to alter the laws, but the former feared that the Empire might find fault with him,1 whereupon Wei Yang said: He, who hesitates in action, obtains no fame; he who hesitates in affairs, gains no merit. Moreover, he who conducts himself as an outstanding man, is, as a matter of course, disapproved of by the world, and he, who has thoughts of independent knowledge, is certainly despised by the

1 For the following speeches, cf. pp. 167-75.

2 This was in 359 B.C.; cf. the Annals, Chavannes, op. cit., ii, p. 64. "In the third year, Wei Yang persuaded Duke Hsiao to alter the laws and to reform the penalties; at home, to give special attention to agriculture, and abroad, by a system of rewards and punishments, to encourage people to fight to the death. Duke Hsiao approved, but Kan Lung, Tu Chih and others were opposed to it, and they combined together to fight these plans. Finally, however, Yang's laws were put into practice; the people suffered from them, but after three years, they found them convenient. Thereupon, Yang was appointed Tso-shu-chang. These things will be found in the story of the Lord of Shang."