The King of Wei said to the King of Zheng (Han), “Originally, Zheng and Liang (Wei) were one state. Later, they separated. Now, I wish to regain Zheng and reunite it with Liang.” The King of Zheng was troubled and summoned his ministers to discuss a response. A prince of Zheng said, “This is very easy to answer. Your Majesty should reply to Wei: ‘If Zheng can be reunited with Liang because they were formerly one state, then our humble state also wishes to regain Liang and reunite it with Zheng.’ ” The King of Wei then ceased his demands.
King Xuan of Qi, when having yu (a reed instrument) played for him, always required three hundred players. A scholar from the State of Nan requested to play the yu for the King. The King was pleased and provided him with a salary equal to that of several hundred men. When King Xuan died and King Min succeeded him, the new king preferred to listen to the players one by one. The scholar fled. In another account, Marquis Zhao of Han said, “Since there are so many yu players, there is no way to know who is truly skilled.” Tian Yan replied, “Listen to them one by one.”
The State of Zhao sent an envoy through Shen Buhai to the State of Han, requesting troops to attack Wei. Shen Buhai wanted to bring this to the King, but feared the King would suspect him of selling out to foreign powers, or else he feared offending Zhao. Thus, he sent Zhao Shao and Han Ta to test the King’s reactions before making his own recommendation. Internally, he discerned the King of Zhao’s true intentions; externally, he secured favor with Zhao.
When the armies of three states arrived, the King of Han said to Lou Huan, “The armies of the three states have penetrated deeply! I wish to cede Hedong to negotiate peace. What do you think?” Lou Huan replied, “Ceding Hedong is a great cost; sparing the state from disaster is a great achievement. This is a task for your royal elders. Why does Your Majesty not summon Prince Si and ask him?” The King summoned Prince Chi and told him. Prince Chi replied, “Whether you negotiate or not, you will regret it. If you cede Hedong now and the three states withdraw, Your Majesty will surely say, ‘The three states were going to leave anyway; I merely gave them three cities as a gift.’ If you do not negotiate, the three states will invade Han, and the state will face a massive assault. Your Majesty will deeply regret it. You will say, ‘I should not have withheld the three cities.’ Therefore, I say you will regret it either way.” The King said, “If I must regret, I would rather regret losing three cities than regret endangering the state. I have decided to negotiate.”
Marquis Ying (Fan Ju) said to the King of Qin, “Your Majesty has obtained Wan, Ye, Lantian, and Yangxia, severed the Henei region, and trapped Liang and Zheng. The reason you have not yet achieved hegemony is that Zhao has not submitted. Relinquishing Shangdang depends on one man alone. If you use it to overlook Dongyang, then Handan will be like a louse in Your Majesty’s mouth. Your Majesty can fold your arms and receive the homage of the world; those who arrive last will be struck by military force. However, Shangdang is a place of ease and pleasure, but its strategic position is extremely critical. I fear that if we relinquish it, they will not comply. What should we do?” The King said, “We must definitely relinquish it in exchange for something else.”
Note
This excerpt is from “Explanation Four” in Han Feizi · Inner Congeries of Sayings I, elaborating on “Canon Four: Listening Individually“. Through vivid historical tales, Han Fei argues rulers must break group‑report cover‑ups and conduct one‑on‑one inquiries. Free from powerful ministers’ manipulation and herd conformity, rulers can perceive truth and make sound strategic decisions.
The King of Wei and Zheng:
A diplomatic maneuver where the King of Wei tried to annex the State of Han (also known as Zheng) by arguing they were originally one state. The King of Han, after hearing the advice of a prince individually, used the exact same logic to offer to annex Wei instead, successfully deterring the invasion. It illustrates how individual consultations reveal true strategic wisdom.
Nanguo Xiansheng Playing the Yu:
The origin of the famous Chinese idiom “滥竽充数” (to make up the numbers / to pass oneself off as having talent). During the reign of King Xuan of Qi, the royal orchestra required 300 yu players. Nanguo, who did not know how to play, successfully faked his way into the ensemble because the king only listened to the collective sound. When King Min succeeded him and demanded individual auditions, Nanguo fled. This is the ultimate metaphor for the necessity of individual performance reviews.
Shen Buhai’s Test:
Shen Buhai (申子, 申不害), the Chancellor of Han, was asked by the State of Zhao to borrow troops to attack Wei. Afraid of offending either side, he secretly sent two officials, Zhao Shao and Han Ta (赵绍、韩沓), to gauge the King of Han’s true intentions before making his own recommendation. Han Fei uses this to warn rulers that ministers may use the consultation process to manipulate the ruler or protect their own interests.
Prince Chi and Ceding Hedong:
When a coalition army threatened Qin, King Zhaoxiang considered ceding territory to buy peace. Chancellor Lou Huan gave a vague, evasive answer. The King then consulted Prince Chi (公子池) individually, who bluntly stated that ceding land would cause regret, but losing the war would cause ruin. The King chose to cede the land. This shows how individual consultation cuts through bureaucratic buck-passing.
Marquis Ying and Abandoning Shangdang:
Fan Ju (范雎, Marquis Ying, 应侯), a famous strategist of Qin, successfully advised King Zhaoxiang on complex territorial strategies regarding Shangdang through direct, individual counsel, demonstrating the efficacy of bypassing collective court debates for decisive action.
Listening Individually and Holding Subordinates Accountable:
Han Fei’s antidote to organizational bloat and sycophancy. By forcing ministers to present their ideas and take responsibility individually, a ruler destroys the safety of the crowd, exposes incompetence, and prevents the formation of unified factions that can manipulate the throne.
Collective vs. Individual Accountability:
The contrast between King Xuan’s 300-person orchestra (where free-riders thrive) and King Min’s individual auditions (where truth is exposed) is a timeless management principle. Han Fei applies this to statecraft: collective decision-making often masks individual incompetence or factional manipulation.
说四
魏王谓郑王曰：”始郑、梁一国也，已而别，今愿复得郑而合之梁。”郑君患之，召群臣而与之谋所以对魏。公子谓郑君曰：”此甚易应也。君对魏曰：’以郑为故魏而可合也，则弊邑亦愿得梁而合之郑。”魏王乃止。
齐宣王使人吹竽，必三百人。南国处士请为王吹竽，宣王说之，廪食以数百人。宣王死，氵昬王立，好一一听之，处士逃。一曰：韩昭侯曰：”吹竽者众，无以知其善者。”田严对曰：”一一而听之。”
赵令人因申子于韩请兵，将以攻魏。申子欲言之君，而恐君之疑己外市也，不则恐恶于赵，乃令赵绍、韩沓尝试君之动貌而后言之。内则知昭侯之意，外则有得赵之功。
三国兵至，韩王谓楼缓曰：”三国之兵深矣！寡人欲割河东而讲，何如？”对曰：”夫割河东，大费也；免国于患，大功也。此父兄之任也，王何不召公子汜而问焉？”王召公子汜而告之，对曰：”讲亦悔，不讲亦悔。王今割河东而讲，三国归，王必曰：’三国固且去矣，吾特以三城送之。’不讲，三国也入韩，则国必大举矣，王必大悔。王曰：’不献三城也。’臣故曰：讲亦悔，不讲亦悔。”王曰：”为我悔也，宁亡三城而悔，无危乃悔。寡人断讲矣。”
应侯谓秦王曰：”王得宛、叶、兰田、阳夏，断河内，困梁、郑，所以未王者，赵未服也。弛上党在一而已，以临东阳，则邯郸口中虱也。王拱而朝天下，后者以兵中之。然上党之安乐，其处甚剧，臣恐弛之而不听，奈何？”王曰：”必弛易之矣。”
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