Wan Zhang asked Mencius, “Some people say, ‘Baili Xi sold himself to a cattle herder in Qin for the price of five sheepskins, and fed cattle in order to seek employment with Duke Mu of Qin.’ Is this true?”
Mencius replied, “No, that is not the case. It was fabricated by those who love to stir up trouble. Baili Xi was a native of the state of Yu. The people of Jin, using the fine jade from Chuji and the superior horses from Qu, requested passage through Yu to attack the state of Guo. At that time, Gong Zhiqi remonstrated with the Duke of Yu, but Baili Xi did not. Knowing that the Duke of Yu could not be remonstrated with, Baili Xi left. When he went to Qin, he was already seventy years old. Would he not have known that seeking an audience with Duke Mu of Qin by feeding cattle was a disgrace? If he did not know this was a disgrace, could he be considered wise? Knowing that the Duke could not be remonstrated with and therefore not remonstrating, could this be considered unwise? Knowing that the Duke of Yu was on the verge of ruin and leaving beforehand, this cannot be called unwise. Later, he was recommended in Qin. Knowing that Duke Mu was a ruler with whom he could achieve great things, he became his prime minister; could this be called unwise? As the prime minister of Qin, he made his ruler illustrious throughout the empire, and his legacy was passed down to later generations. If he were not a worthy man, could he have accomplished this? To sell oneself in order to elevate one’s ruler is something that even a self-respecting person in a local village would refuse to do. Would you say that a worthy man would do such a thing?”
Note
This passage, also from the Wan Zhang I chapter of the Mencius, is another instance of Mencius “rectifying the names” for the famous Spring and Autumn period minister Baili Xi, following his defenses of Shun, Yi Yin, and Confucius.
After the State of Yu was destroyed by the State of Jin, Baili Xi was captured and sent to the State of Qin as a slave accompanying a bride. On the way, he escaped to Wan in the State of Chu, where he made a living herding cattle. When Duke Mu of Qin heard that Baili Xi was a man of talent, he wanted to ransom him at a high price. However, his advisor Gongzi Zhi suggested that he exchange five black ram skins – the market price of a slave – so that the Chu people would not suspect Baili Xi’s true value. Duke Mu followed this advice, and the over-seventy-year-old Baili Xi was ransomed back to Qin. The Duke then appointed him as Senior Minister to take charge of state affairs.
Drawing on historical context and traditional commentaries, we can understand its philosophy through the following dimensions:
- Dispelling Utilitarian Historical Views and Defending the Dignity of Sages
During the Warring States period, the trend of political strategists was rampant, and many people resorted to extreme or humiliating means to gain fame and power. When this contemporary mindset was projected onto history, it spawned the rumor of Baili Xi “selling himself to feed cattle.” Mencius categorically dismissed this as the fabrication of “busybodies,” not only to restore historical truth but also to defend the personal dignity of Confucian sages. In Mencius’s view, the rise of a true worthy minister must be upright and open; they would never seek power by commodifying or degrading themselves. - The Multiple Dimensions of “Wisdom”: Assessing the Times and Choosing the Right Lord
Here, Mencius demonstrated the Confucian profound understanding of “Zhi” (wisdom). Baili Xi’s wisdom was reflected in two aspects: First, “knowing not to remonstrate when the lord is un-remonstrable,” meaning he understood how to assess the situation, avoided futile entanglements with an obstinate ruler, and decisively withdrew before the state’s ruin – this is the wisdom of self-preservation. Second, “knowing that Duke Mu was a ruler with whom he could achieve great things and becoming his prime minister,” showing keen political insight to accurately identify a worthy lord – this is the wisdom of achieving great deeds. This measured advance and retreat perfectly embodies the Confucian ideal of “bringing universal benefit when successful, and maintaining personal integrity when in obscurity.” - The Bottom Line of the Worthy: “What Even a Self-Respecting Villager Would Refuse”
Mencius concluded with a highly logical rhetorical question: “To sell oneself in order to elevate one’s ruler is something that even a self-respecting person in a local village would refuse to do. Would you say that a worthy man would do such a thing?” Through this, Mencius established an absolute bottom line for Confucian scholars: personal moral dignity and independence are paramount, surpassing all worldly political utility. A worthy minister assists the ruler to promote the Great Way, not for personal advancement. If practicing the Way requires sacrificing one’s dignity, the act itself fundamentally violates the essence of being “worthy.”
萬章問曰：「或曰：『百里奚自鬻於秦養牲者，五羊之皮，食牛，以要秦穆公。』信乎？」
孟子曰：「否，不然。好事者為之也。百里奚，虞人也。晉人以垂棘之璧與屈產之乘，假道於虞以伐虢。宮之奇諫，百里奚不諫。知虞公之不可諫而去，之秦，年已七十矣，曾不知以食牛干秦穆公之為汙也，可謂智乎？不可諫而不諫，可謂不智乎？知虞公之將亡而先去之，不可謂不智也。時舉於秦，知穆公之可與有行也而相之，可謂不智乎？相秦而顯其君於天下，可傳於後世，不賢而能之乎？自鬻以成其君，鄉黨自好者不為，而謂賢者為之乎？」
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