田单列传

Tian DanTian DanHere's the translation to English: **The General Who Rebuilt Qi from Ruins**When Yan captured Qi and reduced it to two cities, one man saved the kingdom — using fire, faith, and a clever trick with fish to rally his people.View profile → was a distant member of the Tian clan of Qi. During the reign of King Min of Qi, Tian DanTian DanHere's the translation to English: **The General Who Rebuilt Qi from Ruins**When Yan captured Qi and reduced it to two cities, one man saved the kingdom — using fire, faith, and a clever trick with fish to rally his people.View profile → served as a market official in Linzi but attracted no notice. When the state of Yan sent General Yue YiYue YiThe General Who Almost Destroyed QiA Wei general forced into exile who nearly erased the state of Qi from the map — and whose loyalty endured through every political betrayal.View profile → to attack and devastate Qi, King Min fled and eventually took refuge in the city of Ju. The Yan army swept northward through Qi, and Tian DanTian DanHere's the translation to English: **The General Who Rebuilt Qi from Ruins**When Yan captured Qi and reduced it to two cities, one man saved the kingdom — using fire, faith, and a clever trick with fish to rally his people.View profile → fled to Anping, where he ordered his relatives to cut off the ends of their carriage axles and wrap them with iron bands. When the Yan army later attacked Anping, the city's walls crumbled. The people of Qi rushed to escape, fighting for room on the roads, their axles snapping from the strain and their carriages falling apart—most were captured by the Yan. Only Tian DanTian DanHere's the translation to English: **The General Who Rebuilt Qi from Ruins**When Yan captured Qi and reduced it to two cities, one man saved the kingdom — using fire, faith, and a clever trick with fish to rally his people.View profile →'s relatives escaped, thanks to the iron bands, and withdrew eastward to defend Ji Mo.

Tian DanTian DanHere's the translation to English: **The General Who Rebuilt Qi from Ruins**When Yan captured Qi and reduced it to two cities, one man saved the kingdom — using fire, faith, and a clever trick with fish to rally his people.View profile → was a distant member of the Tian clan of Qi. During the reign of King Min of Qi, Tian DanTian DanHere's the translation to English: **The General Who Rebuilt Qi from Ruins**When Yan captured Qi and reduced it to two cities, one man saved the kingdom — using fire, faith, and a clever trick with fish to rally his people.View profile → served as a market official in Linzi but attracted no notice. When the state of Yan sent General Yue YiYue YiThe General Who Almost Destroyed QiA Wei general forced into exile who nearly erased the state of Qi from the map — and whose loyalty endured through every political betrayal.View profile → to attack and devastate Qi, King Min fled and eventually took refuge in the city of Ju. The Yan army swept northward through Qi, and Tian DanTian DanHere's the translation to English: **The General Who Rebuilt Qi from Ruins**When Yan captured Qi and reduced it to two cities, one man saved the kingdom — using fire, faith, and a clever trick with fish to rally his people.View profile → fled to Anping, where he ordered his relatives to cut off the ends of their carriage axles and wrap them with iron bands. When the Yan army later attacked Anping, the city's walls crumbled. The people of Qi rushed to escape, fighting for room on the roads, their axles snapping from the strain and their carriages falling apart—most were captured by the Yan. Only Tian DanTian DanHere's the translation to English: **The General Who Rebuilt Qi from Ruins**When Yan captured Qi and reduced it to two cities, one man saved the kingdom — using fire, faith, and a clever trick with fish to rally his people.View profile →'s relatives escaped, thanks to the iron bands, and withdrew eastward to defend Ji Mo.

The Yan forces had by now subjugated nearly all the cities of Qi. Only Ju and Ji Mo held out. When the Yan army learned that the Qi king was in Ju, they concentrated their forces to attack it. After Zhao Li killed King Min in Ju, the city continued to resist the Yan siege for several more years. The Yan then turned its army eastward to encircle Ji Mo. The lord of Ji Mo led his forces out to fight but was killed in battle. The city's inhabitants gathered together and chose Tian DanTian DanHere's the translation to English: **The General Who Rebuilt Qi from Ruins**When Yan captured Qi and reduced it to two cities, one man saved the kingdom — using fire, faith, and a clever trick with fish to rally his people.View profile → as their leader, saying: "During the battle at Anping, Tian DanTian DanHere's the translation to English: **The General Who Rebuilt Qi from Ruins**When Yan captured Qi and reduced it to two cities, one man saved the kingdom — using fire, faith, and a clever trick with fish to rally his people.View profile →'s relatives survived because of the iron bands. He knows the art of war." They installed him as general to defend Ji Mo against Yan.

Soon after, King Zhaowen of Yan died and King Hui ascended the throne. A rift developed between the new king and General Yue YiYue YiThe General Who Almost Destroyed QiA Wei general forced into exile who nearly erased the state of Qi from the map — and whose loyalty endured through every political betrayal.View profile →. When Tian DanTian DanHere's the translation to English: **The General Who Rebuilt Qi from Ruins**When Yan captured Qi and reduced it to two cities, one man saved the kingdom — using fire, faith, and a clever trick with fish to rally his people.View profile → learned of this, he deployed a stratagem of sowing discord among the Yan. He spread rumors: "The king of Qi is already dead. Only two cities remain unconquered. Yue YiYue YiThe General Who Almost Destroyed QiA Wei general forced into exile who nearly erased the state of Qi from the map — and whose loyalty endured through every political betrayal.View profile → fears punishment and dares not return. He uses the conquest of Qi as a pretext, but his true aim is to unite the armies and make himself king of the southern territories. The people of Qi have not yet submitted, so he delays the attack on Ji Mo, waiting for the right moment. What the people of Qi truly fear is that another general will come—then Ji Mo will be finished."

Soon after, King Zhaowen of Yan died and King Hui ascended the throne. A rift developed between the new king and General Yue YiYue YiThe General Who Almost Destroyed QiA Wei general forced into exile who nearly erased the state of Qi from the map — and whose loyalty endured through every political betrayal.View profile →. When Tian DanTian DanHere's the translation to English: **The General Who Rebuilt Qi from Ruins**When Yan captured Qi and reduced it to two cities, one man saved the kingdom — using fire, faith, and a clever trick with fish to rally his people.View profile → learned of this, he deployed a stratagem of sowing discord among the Yan. He spread rumors: "The king of Qi is already dead. Only two cities remain unconquered. Yue YiYue YiThe General Who Almost Destroyed QiA Wei general forced into exile who nearly erased the state of Qi from the map — and whose loyalty endured through every political betrayal.View profile → fears punishment and dares not return. He uses the conquest of Qi as a pretext, but his true aim is to unite the armies and make himself king of the southern territories. The people of Qi have not yet submitted, so he delays the attack on Ji Mo, waiting for the right moment. What the people of Qi truly fear is that another general will come—then Ji Mo will be finished."

The king of Yan believed these words and sent Qi Jie to replace Yue YiYue YiThe General Who Almost Destroyed QiA Wei general forced into exile who nearly erased the state of Qi from the map — and whose loyalty endured through every political betrayal.View profile →. Yue YiYue YiThe General Who Almost Destroyed QiA Wei general forced into exile who nearly erased the state of Qi from the map — and whose loyalty endured through every political betrayal.View profile → consequently defected to Zhao. The Yan officers and soldiers were furious. Tian DanTian DanHere's the translation to English: **The General Who Rebuilt Qi from Ruins**When Yan captured Qi and reduced it to two cities, one man saved the kingdom — using fire, faith, and a clever trick with fish to rally his people.View profile → then ordered the people of Ji Mo to make offerings to their ancestors in the courtyard during meals. Birds flew in great numbers over the city, circling and descending to feed. The Yan soldiers were puzzled by this. Tian DanTian DanHere's the translation to English: **The General Who Rebuilt Qi from Ruins**When Yan captured Qi and reduced it to two cities, one man saved the kingdom — using fire, faith, and a clever trick with fish to rally his people.View profile → declared: "A divine being has descended to teach us!" He instructed the townspeople: "There will be a sage among you who shall be my teacher." One soldier spoke up: "Could I serve as your teacher?" He then turned and retreated. Tian DanTian DanHere's the translation to English: **The General Who Rebuilt Qi from Ruins**When Yan captured Qi and reduced it to two cities, one man saved the kingdom — using fire, faith, and a clever trick with fish to rally his people.View profile → rose, led him back, and sat facing east, treating him as a teacher. The soldier said: "I deceived you, Your Excellency—I have no real abilities." Tian DanTian DanHere's the translation to English: **The General Who Rebuilt Qi from Ruins**When Yan captured Qi and reduced it to two cities, one man saved the kingdom — using fire, faith, and a clever trick with fish to rally his people.View profile → replied: "Say no more!" and continued to treat him as a teacher. Whenever Tian DanTian DanHere's the translation to English: **The General Who Rebuilt Qi from Ruins**When Yan captured Qi and reduced it to two cities, one man saved the kingdom — using fire, faith, and a clever trick with fish to rally his people.View profile → issued orders, he invoked the name of the divine teacher.

He then spread another rumor: "My only fear is that the Yan army will take the noses of our captured soldiers and place them in the front ranks to fight against us. If that happens, Ji Mo is lost." The Yan soldiers, hearing this, did exactly as Tian DanTian DanHere's the translation to English: **The General Who Rebuilt Qi from Ruins**When Yan captured Qi and reduced it to two cities, one man saved the kingdom — using fire, faith, and a clever trick with fish to rally his people.View profile → predicted. When the people of Ji Mo saw that all the surrendered Qi soldiers had their noses cut off, they were filled with rage and resolved to defend the city to the last, fearing only that they might be taken prisoner.

He then spread another rumor: "My only fear is that the Yan army will take the noses of our captured soldiers and place them in the front ranks to fight against us. If that happens, Ji Mo is lost." The Yan soldiers, hearing this, did exactly as Tian DanTian DanHere's the translation to English: **The General Who Rebuilt Qi from Ruins**When Yan captured Qi and reduced it to two cities, one man saved the kingdom — using fire, faith, and a clever trick with fish to rally his people.View profile → predicted. When the people of Ji Mo saw that all the surrendered Qi soldiers had their noses cut off, they were filled with rage and resolved to defend the city to the last, fearing only that they might be taken prisoner.

Tian DanTian DanHere's the translation to English: **The General Who Rebuilt Qi from Ruins**When Yan captured Qi and reduced it to two cities, one man saved the kingdom — using fire, faith, and a clever trick with fish to rally his people.View profile →, recognizing that his soldiers were now ready for battle, took up a spade and hoe himself and shared in the labor with the troops. He enrolled his wives and concubines among the common soldiers and distributed all his food and drink to the men. He concealed the armored soldiers, placing only elderly men, women, and children on the walls. Then he sent an envoy to propose surrender to the Yan. The Yan troops cheered with joy.

Tian DanTian DanHere's the translation to English: **The General Who Rebuilt Qi from Ruins**When Yan captured Qi and reduced it to two cities, one man saved the kingdom — using fire, faith, and a clever trick with fish to rally his people.View profile → then assembled more than a thousand oxen in the city. He dressed them in crimson silk garments painted with multicolored dragon designs. He tied blades to the oxen horns and bound fat-soaked reeds to their tails. On the night of the attack, he set fire to the reed ends and released the oxen through dozens of openings in the city walls. Five thousand stalwart soldiers followed behind. The tails blazing, the oxen charged in fury toward the Yan camp. The Yan forces, thrown into panic by night, saw the glowing torches and the dragons painted on the oxen—everything they struck was killed or wounded. The five thousand soldiers, holding their silence with bits in their mouths, struck the enemy. From the city walls, drums and shouts arose, and the elderly and weak beat on bronze vessels, creating a clamor that shook the heavens and earth. The Yan army was thrown into great confusion and fled.

The people of Qi then utterly destroyed their enemy, killing General Qi Jie. The Yan forces scattered in disarray, and the Qi troops pursued them relentlessly. Every city and town they passed through rose up against Yan and returned to Tian DanTian DanHere's the translation to English: **The General Who Rebuilt Qi from Ruins**When Yan captured Qi and reduced it to two cities, one man saved the kingdom — using fire, faith, and a clever trick with fish to rally his people.View profile →. His army grew larger each day as they pressed their advantage. The Yan forces weakened and diminished daily until finally, at the river's edge, all seventy-odd cities of Qi were restored.