This article recounts the story of Zou Ji, a master of persuasive statecraft during the Warring States period. It details how he used the metaphor of a silent lute to rouse the indolent King Wei of Qi from nine years of neglect. As Chancellor, Zou Ji instituted radical reforms and transparency, famously using a…
Lord Zou Ji of the state of Qi was six feet tall and a fine figure of a man. One morning he dressed himself smartly, and studied himself in the mirror.