Han Fei tells King Wen gave a jade tablet to Shang’s corrupt Fei Zhong, not the virtuous Jiao Ge, to weaken Shang. True wisdom is subtle statecraft.
Han Fei teaches strategic forbearance: enduring humiliation builds strength. Goujian and King Wu won by bearing insults calmly.
King Wu of Zhou (? – 1043 BCE) was the founder of the Western Zhou dynasty. His personal name was Ji Fa, and he was the second son of King Wen of Zhou. Because his elder brother, Bo Yikao, had been executed by the tyrannical King Zhou of Shang, Ji Fa became heir and…
King Wen of Zhou (c. 1152–1056 BCE) was the paramount leader of the Zhou people at the end of the Shang dynasty. His personal name was Ji Chang, and during the reign of the tyrannical King Zhou of Shang, he held the title “Western Count” (Western Lord or Xibo), ruling over the Zhou domain…
The Duke of Zhou (Zhou Gong) was a foundational statesman of the early Western Zhou dynasty (11th century BCE). His personal name was Ji Dan, and he was the younger brother of King Wu of Zhou and son of King Wen of Zhou – the two principal architects of the Zhou overthrow of the…
Mencius said: “Yu the Great detested fine wine but loved wise counsel. Tang held to the Golden Mean and appointed the worthy without regard to their background. King Wen of Zhou looked upon the people as if they were wounded, and though he longed for the Dao, he always felt he had not yet…
Mencius said: “Shun was born in Zhufeng, moved to Fuxia, and died in Mingtiao – he was a man of the Eastern Yi (eastern frontier peoples).King Wen of Zhou was born in Qizhou and died in Biying – he was a man of the Western Yi (western frontier peoples).” “Their homelands were over a…
Mencius said: “Can one reason with those unbenevolent men?They feel secure in danger, profit from disasters, and even take pleasure in the very things that will destroy them.If such people could still be reasoned with, how could there ever be ruined states or broken families?”