The Master said, “Duke Wen of Jin was crafty but not upright; Duke Huan of Qi was upright but not crafty.”
Mencius said: “He who uses force under the guise of benevolence achieves hegemony. Hegemony requires a great state. But he who practices benevolence through virtue achieves true kingship – and kingship does not depend on size. King Tang ruled with only seventy li of territory; King Wen with only a hundred li.”
Gongsun Chou asked Mencius, “If you should hold the power of government in Qi, could you achieve great deeds like Guan Zhong and Yanzi?”