Yan Ying

Yan Ying (Chinese: 晏嬰; pinyin: Yàn Yīng; Wade–Giles: Yen Ying), courtesy name Zhong (Chinese: 仲), c.580-510 BC,^[1] was prime minister of the ancient Chinese state of Qi during the Spring and Autumn Period. An accomplished statesman and politician, he was an elder contemporary of Confucius, described as "by far the most creative thinker of the Chunqiu age".^[2]

Because of his posthumous title of Ping (Chinese: 平), he is often known in sources as Ping Zhong. He is also known as Yanzi.

Life

Family and early life

Yan Ying was the son of Yan Ruo, a Qi minister of state, and succeeded his father's post in 556 BC on his father's death. He was said to be short of stature, and very ugly, but an able debater with a nimble mind. It was because of these skills that he was often dispatched to other states to serve as a diplomat, often defending the interests of Qi against other states.

Over a career spanning four decades, he served as minister and advisor to three dukes of Qi: Ling, Zhuang and Jing.

Death and burial

Yan Ying was buried in Zibo, Shandong province. In his last illness, he had a letter sealed into a hole which was drilled in a pillar, and told his wife to have it read once his son was grown.

The letter, when it was retrieved, read: 'Do not exhaust the cloth and silk, for you will lack for clothes; do not exhaust the livestock, for you will lack for labour. Do not exhaust worthy men, for the government cannot be staffed; do not exhaust the state's resources, for the state cannot provide for its people.'

Stories

Killing three warriors with two peaches

The affair of Yan Ying 'Killing three warriors with two peaches' (Chinese: 二桃殺三士) comes from the Annals of Yanzi. Duke Jing of Qi had three generals, Gongsun Jie, Tian Kaijiang and Gu Yezi, in his employ; while the three were all capable and accomplished warriors, their arrogance towards other ministers convinced Yan Ying that they would have to be removed.

He therefore devised a ruse where two peaches were presented, purportedly as a reward, to the three generals; the two with the greatest accomplishments would get a peach each. Gongsun Jie and Tian Kaijiang promptly reported their accomplishments and each took a peach, but Gu Yezi angrily rebuked them, and then listed his own accomplishments. The first two agreed that Gu's accomplishments were the most notable and, out of shame at having taken gifts they did not deserve, returned the peaches and killed themselves. Gu Yezi, shamed at having killed two colleagues by his boasting, then killed himself too, removing three major threats to the stability of the Qi court.

The story has in turn become a Chinese saying, denoting the use of ruses and stratagems to remove opponents.

Works and Legacy

During the Warring States period (roughly 475-221 BC), a book was published called The Annals of Yanzi (Chinese: 晏子春秋; pinyin: yàn zi chūn qiū), with stories of his advice to the Duke of Qi, and his life and times.^[3] A chapter of Sima Qian's Records of the Grand Historian is devoted to him and Guan Zhong.

Confucius was mentioned in the Annals as an admirer of Yanzi; when asked to comment on Yanzi, he said: 'To rescue the ordinary people and not boast, to advise three rulers and not be arrogant - Yanzi is truly a gentleman.'

Sima Qian was also an admirer, showing his esteem in grouping Yan Ying with Guan Zhong, another highly influential minister of the State of Qi. His evaluation of Yan Ying's statesmanship was: 'never shaming his missions, he excelled in debate throughout the world'.

References

1. ↑ Yuri Pines, Foundations of Confucian Thought, 2002:330
2. ↑ Yuri Pines, Foundations of Confucian Thought, 2002:160
3. ↑ Theobald, Ulrich, Chinaknowledge.de, retrieved 7 May 2011