Friday, November 9, 2012
Pre-Qin dynasty: Warring period
Qin emperor conquered six other warring states and united the rest of China in less than 15 years.
Out of seven warring states, Qin is deemed as the least advanced after defeated by Jin (晋) state during Spring-Autumn period due to its failing attempt to conquer the midfield region. It only remained as the leader of minority tribes in the West until Warring period, when a noble of Wey (卫) called Shang Yang (商鞅/卫鞅), who took office in Wei (魏) state for 公叔痤, was employed by Duke Xiao of Qin (秦孝公) to reform the country towards the late Warring period.
前362年,少梁之战,魏败,秦国俘虏公叔痤,后来放回。公叔痤病重时向魏惠王推荐卫鞅,如果不能用,就杀死卫鞅,魏惠王不以为然。公叔痤知道卫鞅不会被重用,让卫鞅逃走,卫鞅说魏王既然不以为然,不会用我,也不会杀我。公叔痤去世后,卫鞅到秦国辅佐秦孝公变法成功。[1]
Shang Yang (商鞅/卫鞅) was a student of School of Law and later became the figure head of the school after successfully reformed the state of Qin based on disciplinary and uniformity. At first he demonstrated a way called "moving the wooden pole to install public confidence" <移木立信> in its people which later became a Chinese Idiom story widely told.
战国时,商鞅准备在秦国变法,惟恐老百姓不信,于是命人在都城的一个城门前,放了一根高三丈长的木柱,并到处张贴告示:"谁能把城门前那根木头搬走,官府就赏他五十金。"老百姓看到告示后议论纷纷。大家怀疑这是骗人的举动,但一个年轻力壮、膀大腰圆的小伙子说:"让我试试看吧!我去把城门那木头搬走,要是官府赏钱,就说明他们还讲信用,往后咱们就听他们的;如果不赏给,就说明他们是愚弄百姓。他们往后说得再好,我们也不信他们那一套了。"说罢来到城门前把那根木头搬走了。商鞅听到这一消息,马上命令赏给那人五十金。那位壮汉看到自己果真得到了五十金,不禁开怀大笑,一边炫耀那五十金,一边对围观的老百姓说:"看来官府还是讲信用的啊!"这事一传十,十传百,不久就传遍了整个秦国,商鞅这才下令变法。[2]
Qin reformed in to the most powerful warring state with Shang Yang's help and won against other warring states and finally united the rest of China.
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Chinese History
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