Guan zhong
Name: Yi Wu, Zi Zhong, posthumous title Jing, also known as.
Date of birth and death: 725 ~ 645 BC
Dynasty: Spring and Autumn Period
Native place: Yingshang, Qi State (now Yingshang, Anhui Province)
Evaluation: Famous politician, strategist and thinker.
Personal profile
Guan Zhong (about 725-645 BC): During the Spring and Autumn Period, Qi was a famous politician and reformer. When I was young, I was poor. I have done business with Bao before. When Qi Huangong and his younger brother Gong Zijiu competed for the throne, he helped Gong Zijiu compete for the throne. After the failure, he was appointed as Qing and was honored as "Guan Zhong" by Bao's recommendation. Help Qi Huangong to call for "respecting the king and rejecting foreign countries" and make it the first overlord in the Spring and Autumn Period. He carried out reforms in the State of Qi, and divided the country into fifteen townships and six industrial and commercial townships, and divided them into five genera, which were in charge of officials at all levels. And take the village organization of the township as the military establishment; Advocate taxation according to the quality of land, levy appropriate forced labor, and prohibit looting of livestock; Use government power to develop iron smelting, casting, salt fishing and commerce, adjust prices and promote economic growth. Chartered to select scholars from the people and promote them as an exception. The author of Guanzi is rich in economic thoughts. [ 1]
Guan Zhong attached importance to the economy, opposed empty talk, advocated reform, and made Qiang Bing rich. He said: "If the country has more wealth, it will be far away. If you open the land, the people will stay, the warehouse will know etiquette, and food and clothing will know honor and disgrace. " Qi Huangong honored Guan Zhong as "Guan Zhong" and authorized him to preside over a series of political and economic reforms, which greatly enhanced Qi's strength and laid the foundation for Qi's hegemony.
Broadcom's tomb-robbing code is rampant in ancient and modern times; Having talents learned from heaven and earth will help the world and correct the current situation. He attached importance to economy, opposed empty talk and advocated reform to make Qiang Bing rich. He said: "The wealth of the country is far away. If the land is opened, the people will stay. The granary knows etiquette and food and clothing know honor and disgrace." The concept of materialism that "matter determines consciousness" is quite close to the idea of Guanzi. Qi Huangong respected Guan Zhong as "Guan Zhong" and authorized him to preside over a series of political and economic reforms: dividing administrative regions throughout the country, organizing military establishment and setting up official administration; Establishing a talent selection system can be regarded as "the praise of superiors" (assistant) after three trials; Taxes are classified according to land, and nobles are forbidden to plunder private property; Develop the salt and iron industry and adjust the price of coins. The essence of Guanzhong reform is to reform the land and population system. Guanzhong's reform has achieved remarkable results, greatly enhancing the national strength of Qi. Externally, Guan Zhong proposed to "respect the king and resist foreign countries" and unite with neighboring countries in the north to resist the invasion of Shanrong nationality. This diplomatic strategy has also been successful. Later, Confucius sighed and said, "I am wearing a left shirt!" " " .
Role overview
During the Spring and Autumn Period, there was a famous politician and thinker in Qi State. He served in the State of Qi for forty years, calling for "respecting the king and rejecting foreign countries", helping the State of Qi to carry out reforms and helping Qi Huangong become the first overlord in the Spring and Autumn Period. He is Guan Zhong, who is known as the "first phase of the Spring and Autumn Period" and is called Guan Zi in history.
Guan Zhong, who lives in the same clan as the Zhou royal family, is also surnamed Ji, and his father is Guan Zhuang, a doctor from the State of Qi. However, when he was a teenager, Guan Zhong's father died and only his elderly mother was still there. Guan Zhong's family was in a decline and lived in poverty. In order to make a living, he had to shoulder the burden of his family prematurely and engage in a career that was considered low at that time-a businessman.
At that time, Guan Zhong had a good friend named Bao, and they did business together to make money. However, Guan Zhong always gives himself more and gives less. Bao never complains about this. But when he heard someone say behind his back that Guan Zhong was greedy for money and unfaithful to his friends, he immediately stood up and explained that Guan Zhong was not greedy for money. He did this only because his family was poor and he had an elderly mother who relied on him to support himself.
After that, Guan Zhong did a lot of work without success. Bao never thought Guan Zhong was incompetent, but comforted him that the opportunity had not yet arrived. In the long-term exchanges, the two have forged a profound friendship. Guan Zhong said to people many times: "It was my parents who gave birth to me, and it was Bao Shu Ya who knew me."
This is the allusion in Making Friends with Bao, which is often used by later generations to describe the close and trusting relationship between good friends.
Later, two good friends were the teachers of Qi Gongzi Jiu and Xiaobai respectively, and they became beautiful talks for a while, but they were divided on the issue of succession to the throne of Qi. In order to help Miyako ascend to the throne for a long time, Guan Zhong almost shot Xiao Bai with an arrow, but Xiao Bai pretended to be dead. He finally ascended the throne of the monarch and became the famous Qi Huangong in history. At this time, I intended to be Bao, but Bao recommended Guan Zhong, and he was willing to obey Guan Zhong ... Guan Zhong was one of Confucius' most admired predecessors. Confucius said, "I am a little ignorant, but I am left-handed." It means: if it weren't for Guan Zhong, we would still be in a state of ignorance! Guan Zhong attaches great importance to the moral cultivation of rulers, and thinks that superiors should "consider the physical problems" and "be kind to the body".
After Qi Huangong paid his respects to the Prime Minister, he often asked Guan Zhong about Anbang's strategy of governing the country.
Once he asked Guan Zhong, "Have you found many problems with me? I like hunting, drinking and lewd ... "
Guan Zhong replied, "These three things do not prevent Qi from becoming king." Qi Huangong was surprised, and then Guan Zhong said, "There are three things you can't do as a monarch: first, you can't be virtuous; Second, use but not end; Third, let the sages do things, and the sages consult with the villains. "
It turns out that Guan Zhong thinks that hunting, drinking and lust are not without harm, but the harm of these three "hobbies" is much smaller than the three things mentioned later. This also reflects some employment ideas of Guan 12 clock. Guan Zhong believes that as a monarch, we should attach importance to talents and have a vision of identifying talents. Those who appoint sages should be able to trust others and use them to the end; To treat talents fairly, we must have a fair and open value judgment scale. Guan Zhong believes that it is the worst to discuss things with sages and villains.
At the same time, Guan Zhong also put forward that "honesty means courtesy; The idea of "having plenty of food and clothing, knowing honor and disgrace" means that only after a person's material needs in food, clothing, housing and transportation are met can he learn and abide by laws and regulations and be bound by morality. In the words of modern philosophy, it is the economic base that determines the superstructure. Matter is primary, spirit is secondary, and matter determines spirit. From this perspective, Guan Zhong's thought belongs to the category of materialism.
In addition, Guan Zhong was a pioneer of early legalist thought. From the standpoint of governing the people, he not only emphasized the importance of the legal system, but also advocated "severe punishment and severe law" and "rewarding with credit", and affirmed the role of moral education. He pointed out that it is "not enough to convince people" to govern the people only by punishment, and it must be supplemented by moral education. "Learning lessons has become a common practice, but it saves punishment and calculation." His remarks were mainly compiled into a book "Qi Yu of Mandarin", and another book "Guan Zi" was spread all over the world.
Early experience
In the fifty-sixth year of Qi Zhuanggong (about 723 BC), Guan Zhong was born. Guan Zhong's ancestors are descendants of Wang, and belong to the same family as the Zhou royal family. His father Guan Zhuang is a doctor of Qi. Later, his family came down, which led to Guan Zhong's poverty. In order to make a living, mutual friend Bao failed to do business together. Guan Zhong was considered a humble businessman at that time. I have been to many places, met all kinds of people and seen a lot of the world, so I have accumulated rich social experience. When I was a soldier, I ran when it was cold. I tried to be an official several times, but I failed.
The life of the character
Guan Zhong, a great politician in the Spring and Autumn Period, helped Qi Huangong establish hegemony. He lives in an era when other countries are fighting with each other at the same time. At that time, the big countries active in the lower reaches of the Yellow River were Qi, Lu, Zheng, Song and Wei. Small countries are prosperous, Sui, Tan, Ji and Qi. Great powers are divided into two factions, one is Zheng, Qi and Lu, and the other is Song and Wei. Small countries are also attached to the side of big countries. Zheng, Qi and Lu are stronger. Due to Zheng's civil strife and gradual decline, Qi gradually became powerful and became the hegemon of all countries. [5]
At this time, all ethnic groups on the border have also developed. Di people in the north began to go south, which became a serious threat to all countries in the Central Plains. Xirong people also began to move eastward. Rong often invaded Lu and Cao, North Rong invaded Zheng, Shan Rong attacked Yan, and Elon attacked the Zhou royal family. The barbarians in the south are also eager to go north. The invasion of frontier nationalities is inseparable from the weakness of the Zhou royal family. At the beginning of the Spring and Autumn Period, Zhou Wang still had some prestige. Since the Battle of Zhou and Ge in the fifth year (707 BC), Wang was shot in the shoulder by Zheng and was defeated. Since then, the Zhou royal family has been devastated. In the fourth year of Qi Xianggong (694 BC), there was a civil strife in the Zhou royal family, and the King Zhuang killed Duke Zhou Heijian.
In the second year (675 BC), the five emperors of the Zhou royal family, the motherland, Bian Bo, Zhan Fu and Zhu, knelt down and calmed down after mediation by Zheng and Guo. In order to repay Zheng He and Guo, King Hui of Zhou gave the Tiger Prison East to Zheng and Jiuquan to Guo. So Ji Wang is getting smaller and smaller, and its prestige is getting lower and lower.
Auxiliary gong zijiu.
Guan Zhong, also known as Yiwu and Zhong Jing, was born in Yingshang (now Yingshang County, Anhui Province). His ancestors are descendants of the surname Ji, and they are of the same clan as the Zhou royal family. My father, Guan Zhuang, was a doctor in the State of Qi. Later, his family came down, and he was already poor when he arrived in Guan Zhong. In order to make a living, Guan Zhong became a humble businessman at that time. He has been to many places, met all kinds of people, seen a lot of the world and accumulated rich social experience. He tried several times to be an official, but failed.
In 698 BC, Guan Zhong died, leaving three sons, Prince Pearl, Gongzi Jiu and Xiaobai. After the death of Qi Huangong, Prince Zhu succeeded to the throne. Although the son of the prince is in the throne, his quality is despicable, and the future of Qi makes senior officials in the DPRK deeply worried.
At that time, Guan Zhong and Bao respectively assisted Gong Zijiu and. A pair of good friends, teaching two sons, are really beautiful. However, Bao is not satisfied with his alliance with the palace. His assistants often say that he can't get sick, "because he thinks that" knowing a son as a father and a minister as a gentleman ". The monarch knew that Xiao Bai had no hope of inheriting the throne in the future and thought that he had no talent, so he was asked to help Xiao Bai. However, Guan Zhong disagreed. After knowing the inside story, he advised Bao: "China people don't like Gong Zijiu's mother, so they don't like Gong Zijiu himself. On the contrary, they sympathize with Xiaobai because she has no mother. Those who will rule the State of Qi in the future will be either corrected or made white. Childe Xiaobai is not as smart as Miyako for a long time, and he is impatient, but he has foresight. Not me, Guan Zhong. No one understands Xiao Bai. Miyako will accomplish nothing even if he abolishes his younger brother and becomes a monarch in the future. If it weren't for you, Bao Shu Ya, who would decide the country? " In this way, Bao listened to Guan Zhong's suggestion, came out to accept the appointment and served wholeheartedly. Soon, Qi Xianggong had an affair with Wen Jiang, the wife of his sister Lu Huangong, and killed Lu Huangong after drinking. In this regard, Guan Zhong and Bao, two people with political foresight, had a premonition that Qi would be in chaos. So they all tried their best to find a way for their master. Gong Zijiu's mother was Lu Jun's daughter, so Guan Zhonghe protected Gong Zijiu and fled to Lu. Childe Xiaobai's mother is Wei Jun's daughter. Weiguo was too far away from Qi, so Bao and Gongzi ran to the south of Qi to escape. Although Gong Zijiu and his son Xiaobai went to the south and the west, they all planned to be the same person. They all held their horses and waited for the right moment.
In the 12th year of Qi Xianggong (686 BC), civil strife finally broke out in Qi. His uncle and brother Sun were ignorant and angry at the abolition of his original privileges after he acceded to the throne. They colluded with doctors to break into the palace, killed Qi Xianggong, and established their own monarch status. Sun Ignorant was in office for just over a year, and the nobles of Qi killed Sun Ignorant. At that time, Qi was in chaos and there was no monarch. As soon as the time is ripe, the two sons who fled abroad want to return home quickly in order to seize the throne of the monarch. After the death of Gongsun Yu, Zhengqing Gaoxi was the most powerful faction to discuss the new king. He and his son Xiaobai have been lovers since childhood. Gao Xi colluded with another doctor, Shi Guo, and secretly sent someone to Ju Guo to ask his son Xiaobai to return to China to succeed him. After receiving the letter, Bao and I carefully analyzed the domestic situation, and then borrowed a chariot from Juguo to return home day and night. When Duke Zhuang of Lu learned that Qi had no monarch, he was extremely anxious and immediately sent troops to escort Gong Zijiu back to China. Later, people found that their son Xiaobai had gone home first. Guan Zhong decided to invite himself first, and led 30 personnel carriers to intercept Xiaobai, the son of Ju State, on his way to Qi State. Passing through Jimo for more than 30 miles, I met a group of childe Xiaobai. Guan Zhong is very calm. When Xiao Bai's chariots and horses approached, he picked up an arrow and shot at him. He only heard a whistle, an arrow hit him and Xiao Bai fell down. Guan Zhong saw Xiao Bai, the son, shot and killed. Just bring the troops back. In fact, Xiao Bai is not dead. Guan Zhong hit his bronze belt with an arrow. Childe Xiaobai used his quick wits and bit the tip of his tongue to play dead. Childe and Bao were frightened, raised their vigilance, and hurried to Qi. When they came to Linzi, Bao advanced to the city to convince them that Qi Zhengqing, Gao and Guo all agreed to protect their son as the monarch, so they entered the city and succeeded in ascending to the throne. This is the famous Qi Huangong in history.