郦生陆贾列传 — Shiji

Li Yiji was a native of Gaoyang in Chenliu. He loved studying, but his family was poor and he was down on his luck, with no means of making a living. He served as a gatekeeper in his village. Yet the local gentry and powerful families of the district did not dare to employ him, calling him the village madman. When Chen Sheng, Xiang Liang, and others rose up, dozens of their generals passed through Gaoyang with their forces. Li Yiji heard that these generals were all petty, loved harsh regulations, and were self-opinionated, refusing to listen to magnanimous counsel. So he kept himself well hidden. Later he heard that the Duke of Pei was leading troops to conquer the area around Chenliu. Among the Duke's horsemen was a man from Li Yiji's village. The Duke often asked about wise and capable men in the area. When the horseman returned home, Li Yiji said to him: "I hear that the Duke of Pei is arrogant and dismissive of others, but he has great strategies. He is exactly the kind of man I wish to serve. No one has spoken on my behalf yet. When you see the Duke, tell him: 'There is a man called Li in your village, over sixty years old, eight chi tall. Everyone calls him the village madman, but he himself says he is not mad.'" The horseman replied: "The Duke does not like Confucian scholars. Whenever a guest arrives wearing a Confucian cap, the Duke snatches it off and urinates in it. When he speaks with people, he usually curses them roundly. He cannot be persuaded with Confucian arguments." Li Yiji said: "Just tell him anyway."

The horseman calmly repeated exactly what Li Yiji had instructed. When the Duke of Pei arrived at the posting house at Gaoyang, he sent for Li Yiji. Li Yiji arrived and entered to pay his respects. The Duke was sprawled on a couch with two women washing his feet. When he saw Li Yiji, Li Yiji walked in, gave a long bow without kneeling, and said: "Does my lord wish to help Qin attack the princes, or to lead the princes in destroying Qin?" The Duke cursed him: "You stupid Confucian! The world has suffered under Qin for so long that the princes have all risen together to attack it. How could I possibly help Qin attack the princes?" Li Yiji said: "If you truly wish to gather followers and mount a righteous army to punish the lawless Qin, you should not receive an elder in such a discourteous manner." The Duke immediately stopped washing his feet, stood up, straightened his robes, invited Li Yiji to sit in the place of honor, and apologized. Li Yiji then spoke about the strategies of the Six Kingdoms. The Duke was pleased, served him food, and asked: "What is the plan?" Li Yiji replied: "My lord has assembled a disorderly force of less than ten thousand men and wishes to charge directly into the heart of powerful Qin—this is what they call reaching into a tiger's mouth. Chenliu is the navel of the world, a crossroads of five directions, and its city stores abundant grain. I am well acquainted with the magistrate there. Let me go as your envoy; once he submits to you, all the better. If he refuses, then attack the city while I work from within."

The Duke sent Li Yiji on his way, then followed with his army, and they took Chenliu. The Duke named Li Yiji Lord of Guangye. Li Yiji recommended his brother Li Shang, who led several thousand men to follow the Duke and conquest in the southwest. Li Yiji served as a negotiator, racing on missions to the various princes. In the autumn of the third year of Han, Xiang Yu attacked Han, captured Yingyang, and the Han forces fled to Gong and Luo. When the Chu forces heard that the Marquess of Huaiyin had defeated Zhao and that Peng Yue had repeatedly attacked the Liang territories, they split their forces to rescue those areas. While the Marquess of Huaiyin was attacking Qi in the east, King Han was repeatedly besieged at Yingyang and Chenggao. He considered abandoning Chenggao and moving east, fortifying Gong and Luo to resist Chu.

The King said, "Good." He adopted this plan, reinforced Aocang, and sent Li Yiji to persuade the King of Qi. Li Yiji asked, "Does Your Majesty know to whom the realm has submitted?" The King of Qi replied, "I do not." Li Yiji said, "If Your Majesty knew to whom the realm has submitted, you could keep Qi. If you do not know, you cannot preserve it." The King of Qi asked, "To whom has the realm submitted?" Li Yiji answered, "To Han." The King asked, "How can you say so?" Li Yiji replied, "When the King of Han and the King of Xiang jointly led the campaign against Qin, they agreed that whoever entered Xianyang first would rule it. The King of Han entered Xianyang first, but the King of Xiang broke his promise and made him King of Hanzhong instead. The King of Xiang then exiled and murdered the Emperor Yi. When the King of Han heard of this, he raised an army from Shu and Han to strike the Three Qins, marched through the passes to demand accountability for the Emperor Yi, gathered the armed forces of the realm, and installed descendants of the former princes. Every city that surrendered was rewarded with titles for its commanders; every spoil taken was shared with the soldiers. He shared profits with the world, and wise and talented men were glad to serve him. The armies of the princes came from all directions; grain from Shu and Han moved downstream by the boatful. The King of Xiang broke his oath and murdered the Emperor Yi. He showed no appreciation for others' achievements, never forgot others' faults. Those who won battles received no rewards; those who captured cities received no fiefs. Only men from the Xiang clan could hold office. When official seals were carved for men, they were worn down from his fiddling yet never bestowed. When cities were captured and spoils accumulated, there was nothing to distribute. The realm turned against him; the worthy and talented harbored resentment, yet none would serve him. Therefore the world's men have gone over to the King of Han—his victory is assured. The King of Han rose from Shu and Han, settled the Three Qins, crossed the western rivers with troops from Shangdang, took the Jingxing pass and executed Cheng Anjun, broke Wei in the north and seized thirty-two cities. This was the army of Chi You—not the work of men, but heaven's blessing. Now Your Majesty holds the grain of Aocang, guards the passes at Chenggao, holds the ford at White Horse, blocks the roads at Daxing, and commands Feihu. Any realm that submits after this will be the last to do so. Please submit quickly to the King of Han, and Qi can be preserved. If you do not submit to the King of Han, ruin is imminent."

The King said: "Good." He adopted this plan, reinforced Aocang, and sent Li Yiji to persuade the King of Qi. Li Yiji said: "Does Your Majesty know to whom the realm has submitted?" The King of Qi replied: "I do not." Li Yiji said: "If Your Majesty knew to whom the realm has submitted, you could keep Qi. If you do not know, you cannot preserve it." The King of Qi asked: "To whom has the realm submitted?" Li Yiji answered: "To Han." The King asked: "How can you say so?" Li Yiji replied: "When the King of Han and the King of Xiang jointly led the campaign against Qin, they agreed that whoever entered Xianyang first would rule it. The King of Han entered Xianyang first, but the King of Xiang broke his promise and made him King of Hanzhong instead. The King of Xiang then exiled and murdered the Emperor Yi, and when the King of Han heard of this, he raised an army from Shu and Han to strike the Three Qins, marched out through the passes to demand accountability for the Emperor Yi, gathered the armed forces of the realm, and installed descendants of the former princes. Every city that surrendered was rewarded with titles for its commanders; every spoil taken was shared with the soldiers. He shared profits with the world, and wise and talented men were glad to serve him. The armies of the princes came from all directions; grain from Shu and Han moved downstream by the boatful. The King of Xiang broke his oath and murdered the Emperor Yi. He showed no appreciation for others' achievements, never forgot others' faults. Those who won battles received no rewards; those who captured cities received no fiefs. Only men from the Xiang clan could hold office. When seals were carved for men, they were worn down from fidgeting yet never bestowed. When cities were captured and spoils accumulated, there was nothing to distribute. The realm turned against him; the worthy and talented harbored resentment, yet none would serve him. Therefore the world's men have gone over to the King of Han—his victory is assured. The King of Han rose from Shu and Han, settled the Three Qins, crossed the western rivers with troops from Shangdang, took the Jingxing pass and executed Cheng Anjun, broke Wei in the north and seized thirty-two cities. This was the army of Chi You—not the work of men, but heaven's blessing. Now Your Majesty holds the grain of Aocang, guards the passes at Chenggao, holds the ford at White Horse, blocks the roads at Daxing, and commands Feihu. Any realm that submits after this will be the last to do so. Please submit quickly to the King of Han, and Qi can be preserved. If you do not submit to the King of Han, ruin is imminent."

The King said: "Good." He adopted this plan, reinforced Aocang, and sent Li Yiji to persuade the King of Qi. Li Yiji said: "Does Your Majesty know to whom the realm has submitted?" The King of Qi replied: "I do not." Li Yiji said: "If Your Majesty knew to whom the realm has submitted, you could keep Qi. If you do not know, you cannot preserve it." The King of Qi asked: "To whom has the realm submitted?" Li Yiji answered: "To Han." The King asked: "How can you say so?" Li Yiji replied: "When the King of Han and the King of Xiang jointly led the campaign against Qin, they agreed that whoever entered Xianyang first would rule it. The King of Han entered Xianyang first, but the King of Xiang broke his promise and made him King of Hanzhong instead. The King of Xiang then exiled and murdered the Emperor Yi, and when the King of Han heard of this, he raised an army from Shu and Han to strike the Three Qins, marched through the passes to demand accountability for the Emperor Yi, gathered the armed forces of the realm, and installed descendants of the former princes. Every city that surrendered was rewarded with titles for its commanders; every spoil taken was shared with the soldiers. He shared profits with the world, and wise and talented men were glad to serve him. The armies of the princes came from all directions; grain from Shu and Han moved downstream by the boatful. The King of Xiang broke his oath and murdered the Emperor Yi. He showed no appreciation for others' achievements, never forgot others' faults. Those who won battles received no rewards; those who captured cities received no fiefs. Only men from the Xiang clan could hold office. When official seals were carved for men, they were worn down from fidgeting yet never bestowed. When cities were captured and spoils accumulated, there was nothing to distribute. The realm turned against him; the worthy and talented harbored resentment, yet none would serve him. Therefore the world's men have gone over to the King of Han—his victory is assured. The King of Han rose from Shu and Han, settled the Three Qins, crossed the western rivers with troops from Shangdang, took the Jingxing pass and executed Cheng Anjun, broke Wei in the north and seized thirty-two cities. This was the army of Chi You—not the work of men, but heaven's blessing. Now Your Majesty holds the grain of Aocang, guards the passes at Chenggao, holds the ford at White Horse, blocks the roads at Daxing, and commands Feihu. Any realm that submits after this will be the last to do so. Please submit quickly to the King of Han, and Qi can be preserved. If you do not submit to the King of Han, ruin is imminent."

He asked: "Sir, why do you say that?" He replied: "The King of Han and the King of Xiang joined forces westward to attack Qin, agreeing that whoever entered Xianyang first would rule as king there. The King of Han entered Xianyang first, but the King of Xiang broke the agreement and instead made him king in Hanzhong. The King of Xiang then relocated and murdered the Righteous Emperor. When the King of Han heard this, he raised the troops of Shu and Han to attack the three Qin kingdoms, marched out of the passes to demand justice for the Righteous Emperor, gathered the armies of the realm, and installed the descendants of the feudal lords as kings. Whenever a city surrendered, he ennobled its commander as a marquis; whenever he acquired spoils, he distributed them to his soldiers. He shares his gains with all under heaven, and so heroes and able men all gladly serve him. The troops of the feudal lords converge from all directions, and the grain of Shu and Han is shipped downriver in endless boats."

Tian Guang found this convincing, so he listened to Li Yiji and withdrew his forces from Lixia, keeping only garrison preparations while he drank daily with Li Yiji. When the Marquess of Huaiyin heard that Li Yiji had won seventy cities of Qi simply by persuasion, he sent troops across the plain that very night to attack Qi. When Tian Guang heard Han troops had arrived, he believed Li Yiji had betrayed him, and said: "If you can stop the Han army, I will spare your life. Otherwise, I will boil you!" Li Yiji replied: "A great undertaking requires no petty caution; great virtue needs no excuses." And he would say nothing more. Tian Guang then boiled Li Yiji and led his forces east. In the twelfth year of Han, the Marquess of Quzhou, Li Shang, led troops to quell Huang Xi and earned merit as Prime Minister. Emperor Gaozu reviewed the list of marquisate holders and meritorious officials, and he thought of Li Yiji. Li Yiji's son Ji had commanded troops several times but had not yet earned a marquisate. The Emperor, considering his father's service, enfeoffed Ji as Lord of Gaoliang. Later the fief was changed to Wusui, which continued for three generations. In the first year of Yuan Shuo, Lord Ping of Wusui was accused of forging imperial edicts to extort one hundred jin of gold from the King of Hengshan. He was condemned to public execution but died of illness before it could be carried out. The fief was abolished.

Lu Jia was a native of Chu. He served the Duke of Pei as a retainer in pacifying the world and was known as an eloquent speaker. He always stayed at the ruler's side and was frequently sent as envoy to the princes. When Emperor Gaozu established order over central China, the governor Wei Ta pacified Nanyue, and the Emperor allowed him to rule it as King. The Emperor sent Lu Jia to present Wei Ta with the seal of King of Nanyue. When Lu Jia arrived, Wei Ta received him with his hair bound in a barbaric knot and sitting cross-legged. Lu Jia advanced and persuaded him: "You are a man from the central plains; your relatives' and brothers' graves lie in Zhending. Now you have gone against your nature, abandoned the customs of civilization, and wish to pit this tiny Yue against the Son of Heaven as an enemy state. Disaster approaches. When the Qin dynasty fell, the heroes of the realm rose up, but the King of Han entered Guanzhong first and occupied Xianyang. The King of Xiang broke his word and made himself Hegemon-King of Western Chu, and all the princes submitted to him—he was at the height of power. Yet the King of Han rose from Bashu, rallied the empire, coerced the princes, and destroyed the King of Xiang. Within five years the realm was pacified. This was not achieved by human strength alone—Heaven willed it. When the Son of Heaven heard that Your Majesty ruled Nanyue, he thought: if you do not help the empire punish rebels, and if the generals wish to march troops against you, the Son of Heaven, sympathizing with the people for their recent labors, has sent me here to bestow the royal seal, divide the credentials of authority, and serve as your liaison. Your Majesty should greet him at the suburbs, face north and submit as a subject, rather than bend this newly-established, unconsolidated Yue to defiance. If the Emperor hears otherwise, he will excavate and burn your ancestors' tombs, exterminate your clan, and dispatch a single general with one hundred thousand troops. Then Yue will kill Your Majesty and submit to Han, as easily as turning one's hand."

Wei Ta leapt to his feet and sat properly, apologizing to Lu Jia: "Having lived among the barbarians so long, I have quite forgotten proper ritual and righteousness." He then asked Lu Jia: "How do I compare with Xiao He, Cao Shen, and Han Xin in wisdom?" Lu Jia replied: "Your Majesty seems wise." Wei Ta asked again: "How do I compare with the Emperor?" Lu Jia said: "The Emperor arose in Feng and Pei, fought the violent Qin, destroyed the mighty Chu, brought benefit to the world by removing its evils, and continued the enterprise of the Five Emperors and Three Kings. The people of China number by the hundreds of millions; the land stretches ten thousand li, the most fertile in the world; the population is vast, vehicles abundant, all goods plentiful; governance flows from a single source—nothing like this has existed since the separation of heaven and earth. Your Majesty's subjects number only a few hundred thousand, all barbarians living in mountainous lands and among the seas, like merely a single commandery of Han. How can you compare yourself to Han?" Wei Ta laughed heartily and said: "I did not rise in China, so I became king here. Had I lived in China, how could I be anything less than Han?" He was greatly pleased with Lu Jia and kept him for several months of feasting. He said: "In all of Yue there was no one worth talking to, until you came. Now I hear daily things I never heard before." He gifted Lu Jia a thousand jin worth of valuables from his own treasury, and sent him off with another thousand jin. Lu Jia eventually invested Wei Ta as King of Nanyue, who swore allegiance to Han and honored the pact.

When Lu Jia reported his success, Emperor Gaozu was delighted and made him Grand Master of the Palace. Lu Jia often spoke before the Emperor, quoting the Poetry and the Documents. The Emperor swore at him: "I won my empire on horseback—why should I bother with the Poetry and Documents?" Lu Jia replied: "If you won it on horseback, can you rule it on horseback? King Tang of Shang and King Wu of Zhou conquered through force but governed through order—civil and military measures together, that is the way to lasting rule. In ancient times, King Fuchai of Wu and Lord Zhi both pushed military power to extremes and perished. Qin relied solely on punitive laws and would not change, and in the end its ruling house was destroyed. Had Qin, after unifying the realm, practiced benevolence and righteousness and revered the ancient sages, how could Your Majesty possess it now?" The Emperor was displeased but showed a hint of shame. He told Lu Jia: "Try writing for me—an analysis of why Qin lost its empire, why I gained it, and the lessons of success and failure among the ancient states." Lu Jia then broadly sketched the signs of survival and ruin, completing twelve chapters. Each time Lu Jia presented a chapter, the Emperor never failed to praise it; his attendants called out in celebration. The work was titled New Discourses.

During the reign of Emperor Hui, when Empress Dowager Lü held power and wished to enfeoff members of the Lü clan as kings, she feared the ministers who would object. Lu Jia judged that he could not prevail in such a dispute, so he retired ill and lived at home. He liked the lands of Haozhi, which were fertile, and made his home there. He had five sons. From the valuables he had obtained in Yue he sold enough to have a thousand jin, which he divided among his sons, two hundred jin each, for their living expenses. Lu Jia often traveled in a comfortable carriage pulled by four horses, accompanied by ten musicians playing zither and Qin, with a sword worth a hundred jin. He told his sons: "I have a covenant with you: when I visit, you must feed my horses and provide food and drink to my heart's content, then I move on after ten days. The house where I die will receive my carriage, horses, and attendants." In the course of a year he visited other acquaintances, but never stayed more than two or three times, so they would not tire of seeing him, nor would he be a long-term burden.

During Empress Dowager Lü's time, the Lü clan held the titles of kings, seized power, and planned to seize the young emperor—endangering the Liu clan. The Right Chancellor Chen Ping worried deeply about this, but lacked the strength to oppose them, fearing disaster would befall him. He often sat alone in deep contemplation. Lu Jia came to call, walked straight in and sat down, but Chen Ping was lost in thought and did not receive him immediately. Lu Jia asked: "Why are your thoughts so troubled?" Chen Ping asked: "Can you guess what I'm thinking?" Lu Jia said: "You sit in the position of Prime Minister, a marquis of thirty thousand households— surely the height of wealth and honor with no further desires. Yet your worry can only concern the Lü clan and the young emperor." Chen Ping said: "Exactly. What can be done?" Lu Jia said: "When the realm is at peace, the people look to the Chancellor; when the realm is in crisis, they look to the General. If the General and Chancellor work in harmony, the officers will unite with them; if the officers unite, then even if the realm faces upheaval, power will not be divided. For the sake of the state, the outcome lies in the hands of you two. I have often tried to speak with the Grand Marshal, the Marquis of Jiang, but he only jokes with me and brushes off my words. Why don't you cultivate a close relationship with the Grand Marshal?"

He devised several schemes against the Lü family. Chen Ping put these plans into action, sending five hundred gold pieces to the Marquis of Pei as a birthday gift, along with lavish feasts and entertainment. The Grand Marshal responded in kind. Through these two men's close coordination, the Lü clan's schemes weakened considerably.

Chen Ping then gave Lu Jia a hundred servants, fifty carriages, and five million cash for his living expenses. Using these resources, Lu Jia circulated among the high officials of the Han court, and his reputation grew enormously.

When the Lü family was destroyed and Emperor Wen was installed, Lu Jia had contributed considerably to the effort.

When Emperor Wen took the throne, he wished to send an envoy to Nanyue. The Prime Minister and his colleagues recommended Lu Jia as Court Herald, to be dispatched to the King of Nanyue. He was to persuade the king to abandon his imperial pretensions and accept the status of a vassal, following the example of other princes. This is recorded in the Nanyue annals.

Lu Jia ultimately lived to a ripe old age.

Zhu Jian, Lord of Pingyuan, was a native of Chu. He had once served as chief minister to King Huainan, but was dismissed for misconduct. He later re-entered the king's service. When Qingmo considered rebellion, he consulted Zhu Jian, who advised against it. Qingmo ignored him and instead followed Liangfu Hou's counsel, thus rebelling. After Han forces suppressed the rebellion, they learned that Zhu Jian had warned against the plan and taken no part in it, so he was spared. This is recorded in the Qingmo annals.

Zhu Jian was eloquent and persuasive, with a sharp, upright character. He lived in the capital. He would not fawn on others or compromise his principles for gain.

The Marquis of Piyang was a man of questionable conduct who enjoyed the favor of Empress Dowager Lü. The marquis wished to befriend Zhu Jian, but Zhu Jian refused to see him.

When Zhu Jian's mother died, Lu Jia—who had been close to Zhu Jian—went to pay his respects. Finding the family impoverished with no money for funeral arrangements, Lu Jia offered to help secure the necessary funds and supplies.

Lu Jia then called on the Marquis of Piyang. "Congratulations," he said.

"The Lord of Pingyuan's mother has passed away."

"The Lord of Pingyuan's mother is dead," said the marquis. "Why would you congratulate me?"

Since the son of the Lord of Pingyuan was on good terms with me, I was thus able to give a full account of these matters. The Lord of Guangye had a great and magnanimous character, and from his capping ceremony he wore the tilted cap.

Lu Jia replied: "Previously, my lord wished to cultivate the Lord of Pingyuan, but he declined out of honor—not because he didn't know you, but because of his devotion to his mother. Now that his mother is dead, if you were to send generous funeral gifts, he would die for you."