越王勾踐世家

King Goujian of Yue was descended from Yu the Great — he was a distant offspring of Shaokang, a younger son of the Xia dynasty. His ancestor was enfeoffed at Kuaiji to guard and maintain Yu's sacrifices. They tattooed their bodies and cut their hair, cleared the wild undergrowth, and built their settlements. After more than twenty generations, the line reached Yunchang. (The word 'yu' is merely an exclamatory particle.) In Yunchang's time, he fought against King Helü of Wu, and the two states harbored mutual enmity. When Yunchang died, his son Goujian took the throne — he was the King of Yue.

In his first year, King Helü of Wu, hearing of Yunchang's death, raised an army to attack Yue. King Goujian sent death-warriors to provoke battle. Three ranks advanced to the Wu lines, shouted, and cut their own throats. While the Wu soldiers stared, Yue launched a surprise assault. The Wu army was defeated at Zuili, and an arrow wounded King Helü. As Helü lay dying, he told his son Fuchai: "You must never forget Yue."

In the third year, Goujian heard that King Fuchai of Wu was drilling his troops day and night in preparation for revenge against Yue. Yue wished to strike first before Wu was ready. Fan Li remonstrated: "Impossible. I have heard that weapons are instruments of ill omen, war is contrary to virtue, and contention is the lowest form of statecraft. To plot in secret, defy virtue, favor ill-omened instruments, and stake one's person on the lowest form of action — the Supreme Lord forbids it, and those who act thus will not prosper." The King of Yue said: "I have already decided." He raised his army. The king of Wu, hearing of it, mustered his entire crack army and struck Yue, defeating them at Fuzhao. The King of Yue, with his remaining five thousand troops, retreated to hold Mount Kuaiji. The king of Wu pursued and besieged him.

The King of Yue said to Fan Li: "Because I did not heed you, I have come to this. What is to be done?" Fan Li replied: "One who maintains fullness aligns with Heaven. One who stabilizes what is toppling works with men. One who regulates affairs does so through the resources of the land. Use humble words and rich gifts to appease him. If he will not accept, then offer yourself as the price." Goujian said: "Agreed." He ordered the minister Wen Zhong to negotiate a peace with Wu. Zhong advanced on his knees, prostrated himself, and said: "Your Majesty's fugitive servant Goujian sends his junior minister Zhong to dare address your subordinates: Goujian requests to serve as your vassal, and his wife as your handmaid." The king of Wu was about to agree. Wu Zixu said to the king: "Heaven has given Yue to Wu. Do not agree." Zhong returned and reported to Goujian. Goujian was about to kill his wife and children, burn his treasures, and charge into battle to die. Zhong stopped him: "The Wu Grand Steward Bo Pi is greedy. He can be lured with profit. Let me go secretly to speak with him." Goujian then had Zhong secretly present beautiful women and treasures to the Grand Steward. Bo Pi accepted and arranged for the minister Zhong to have an audience with the king of Wu. Zhong prostrated himself and said: "I beg the great king to pardon Goujian's offenses. All his treasures will be delivered to you. If unfortunately you do not pardon him, Goujian will kill all his wives and children, burn his treasures, and hurl his five thousand men into battle — and some of them will surely find their mark." Bo Pi then urged the king of Wu: "Yue has submitted as your vassal. If you pardon them, this will be to the state's advantage." The king of Wu was about to agree. Zixu came forward to remonstrate: "If you do not destroy Yue now, you will surely regret it later. Goujian is a worthy ruler. Zhong and Fan Li are capable ministers. If they return to their state, they will cause trouble." The king of Wu did not listen. He pardoned Yue, withdrew his army, and went home.

When Goujian was trapped at Kuaiji, he sighed heavily and said: "Will I end here?" Zhong said: "Tang was imprisoned at Xia Terrace. King Wen was locked up at Youli. Chonger of Jin fled to the Di. Xiaobai of Qi fled to Ju. Yet all of them ended as kings or hegemons. Seen from this perspective, how do you know this will not become a blessing?"

After Wu pardoned Yue, King Goujian returned to his state. He punished his body and burned with thought. He placed a gall bladder by his seat, and whenever he sat or lay down he would look up at it, and whenever he ate or drank he would taste the gall. He said: "Have you forgotten the shame of Kuaiji?" He plowed the fields himself. His consort wove cloth herself. He ate no meat, wore no fine colors, humbled himself to attract worthy men, treated guests with generosity, relieved the poor and mourned the dead, and shared the people's toil. He wished to put Fan Li in charge of governance. Fan Li replied: "In matters of war and arms, Zhong is not my equal. In settling the state, nurturing the people, and winning their affection, I am not Zhong's equal." Goujian therefore entrusted all governance to the minister Zhong, and sent Fan Li with the minister Zhuo Ji to negotiate terms and serve as hostages in Wu. After two years, Wu released Fan Li.

Seven years after Goujian returned from Kuaiji, he had been nurturing his soldiers and people, wishing to use them to take revenge on Wu. The minister Feng Tong remonstrated: "The state has only recently recovered from catastrophe. Now that it has been rebuilt to abundance and its weapons sharpened, Wu will surely take alarm, and alarm will bring attack. Moreover, when a raptor strikes, it first conceals its form. Wu is currently waging war against Qi and Jin, has deep enmity with Chu and Yue, has won fame throughout the realm while actually harming the Zhou royal house. Its virtue is little but its accomplishments are great — it will surely grow dissolute and self-satisfied. The best strategy for Yue is: ally with Qi, befriend Chu, attach to Jin, and thereby encourage Wu's ambitions. When Wu's aims grow vast, it will fight carelessly. We link the power of three states against it, and Yue strikes when Wu is spent. Victory is possible." Goujian said: "Excellent."

Two years later, the king of Wu prepared to attack Qi. Wu Zixu remonstrated: "Not yet. I have heard that Goujian eats only simple food and shares his people's hardships and joys. If this man does not die, he will surely become a mortal threat. Wu has Yue as a disease in its vitals. Qi to Wu is a mere skin rash. I beg the king to abandon Qi and deal with Yue first." The king did not listen. He attacked Qi and defeated them at Ailing, capturing the Qi nobles Gao and Guo and bringing them home. He rebuked Zixu. Zixu said: "The king should not rejoice!" The king was furious. Zixu wished to kill himself, but the king heard and stopped him. The Yue minister Zhong said: "I observe that the king of Wu's governance has grown arrogant. Let us test him by requesting a loan of grain — that will reveal his intentions." They requested grain. The king of Wu wished to grant it. Zixu advised against it. The king granted it anyway. Yue was secretly overjoyed. Zixu said: "If the king does not heed counsel, within three years Wu will be a ruin!" The Grand Steward Bo Pi, hearing this, repeatedly quarreled with Zixu over Yue policy and slandered him to the king: "Wu Yuan appears loyal but is really a ruthless man. He did not even care for his own father and brother — how can he care for the king? The king wished to attack Qi; Yuan strongly objected; but the campaign succeeded. Yuan resents the king because of this. If the king does not guard against him, Yuan will surely cause trouble." He conspired with Feng Tong and together they slandered Zixu to the king. The king initially refused to listen, but then sent Zixu on a mission to Qi. When he learned that Zixu had entrusted his son to the Bao family of Qi, the king was furious: "Wu Yuan has truly deceived me!" When Zixu returned, the king sent a messenger with the Shulou sword, ordering him to kill himself. Zixu laughed bitterly: "I made your father a hegemon. I further established you on the throne. At first you wanted to give me half of Wu, and I refused. And now you kill me on the basis of slanders. Alas, alas — one man truly cannot stand alone!" He told the messenger: "You must gouge out my eyes and place them on Wu's eastern gate, so I may watch Yue's armies enter!" From then on, Wu entrusted governance to Bo Pi.

Three years later, Goujian summoned Fan Li and said: "Wu has killed Zixu. Flatterers are everywhere. Can we strike?" Fan Li replied: "Not yet."

The following spring, the king of Wu went north to convene the lords at Huangchi. Wu's crack troops accompanied the king, and only the old and weak remained with the crown prince to guard the state. Goujian again asked Fan Li. Fan Li said: "Now." Goujian mobilized two thousand seasoned marines, forty thousand trained soldiers, six thousand elite guards, and a thousand chariot crews, and attacked Wu. The Wu garrison was defeated, and the Wu crown prince was killed. Wu sent urgent word to the king, but Fuchai was in the midst of the Huangchi conference and feared the world would learn of it. He kept the news secret. After the Huangchi covenant was sworn, Fuchai sent envoys with rich gifts to sue for peace with Yue. Yue calculated that it was not yet able to destroy Wu completely, and agreed to terms.

Four years later, Yue attacked Wu again. Wu's soldiers and people were exhausted, its best fighters all dead in the campaigns against Qi and Jin. Yue inflicted a massive defeat and then besieged Wu for three years. The Wu army was destroyed. Yue drove the king of Wu back to the hills of Gusu. The king of Wu sent Gongsun Xiong, stripped to the waist and advancing on his knees, to sue for peace with the King of Yue: "Your solitary servant Fuchai dares lay bare his innermost feelings. On a former day I gave offense at Kuaiji, but Fuchai did not dare refuse your terms and was allowed to make peace and return home. Now Your Majesty has set his jade feet in motion to punish your solitary servant. Your servant obeys whatever you command. Could it be that you too wish to pardon your servant's crime as at Kuaiji?" Goujian could not bear it and was about to agree. Fan Li said: "At Kuaiji, Heaven gave Yue to Wu, and Wu did not take it. Now Heaven gives Wu to Yue — can Yue defy Heaven? Moreover, has Your Majesty not risen early and retired late all these years for the sake of Wu? You have planned for twenty-two years. Will you throw it away in a single morning? Moreover, when Heaven gives and you do not take, you will instead receive punishment. 'The model for cutting an axe handle is not far away' — have you forgotten the agony of Kuaiji?" Goujian said: "I wish to heed your words, but I cannot bear to face his envoy." Fan Li then beat the drums and advanced the troops, saying: "The king has entrusted governance to his officers. Envoy, depart — otherwise you too will be punished." The Wu envoy wept and left. Goujian pitied him and sent word to the king of Wu: "I will settle you at Yongdong, with a hundred households to rule." The king of Wu declined: "I am old. I cannot serve Your Majesty." He then killed himself, covering his face, saying: "I have no face to look upon Zixu." The King of Yue buried the king of Wu and executed the Grand Steward Bo Pi.

Having conquered Wu, Goujian led his army north across the Huai River and met with the lords of Qi, Jin, and others at Xuzhou, presenting tribute to the Zhou court. King Yuan of Zhou sent an envoy to bestow sacrificial meat on Goujian and commanded him as hegemon. After the conference, Goujian crossed south of the Huai and gave the lands along the Huai to Chu, returned to Song the territory Wu had taken from them, and gave Lu a hundred li east of the Si River. At that time, Yue's armies ranged unchallenged east of the Yangtze and the Huai. All the lords offered congratulations, and Goujian was acclaimed as hegemon-king.

Fan Li then departed. From Qi he sent a letter to the minister Zhong, saying: "When the birds are gone, the good bow is stored away. When the cunning hare is dead, the running hound is cooked. The King of Yue has a long neck and a beak like a bird — he can share hardship but not prosperity. Why do you not leave?" When Zhong received the letter, he claimed illness and stopped attending court. Someone slandered Zhong, saying he was plotting rebellion. The King of Yue bestowed a sword upon Zhong, saying: "You taught me seven stratagems for conquering Wu. I used three and destroyed Wu. The other four remain with you. Go to our former kings and test them on my behalf." Zhong killed himself.

Goujian died. His son King Shiyu succeeded. King Shiyu died. His son King Bushou succeeded. King Bushou died. His son King Weng succeeded. King Weng died. His son King Yi succeeded. King Yi died. His son King Zhihou succeeded. King Zhihou died. His son King Wujiang succeeded.

In King Wujiang's time, Yue raised armies to attack Qi to the north and Chu to the west, contesting supremacy with the Central States. During the time of King Wei of Chu, Yue marched north against Qi. King Wei of Qi sent an envoy to persuade the King of Yue: "If Yue does not attack Chu, it will be neither king nor hegemon. The reason Yue has not attacked Chu is that it has not secured Jin's support. But Han and Wei will never attack Chu — if Han destroyed Chu's army and killed its generals, then Ye and Yangdi would be in danger. If Wei did the same, Chen and Shangcai would be threatened. So the two successor states of Jin will not commit their full effort to Yue's cause. Why, then, is securing Jin so important?" The King of Yue replied with an elaborate strategic analysis, arguing that by coordinating with Wei and Qi, Chu's northern defenses could be broken and its resources seized without direct combat by the Jin successor states. The Qi envoy retorted: "How fortunate that Yue has not perished! I do not admire the kind of intelligence that is like an eye — seeing a fine hair but not its own eyelashes. Your Majesty understands Jin's miscalculations but does not see Yue's own mistakes — that is eye-reasoning. What you sought from Jin was to divide Chu's forces. But Chu's forces are already divided. What are you waiting for?" He went on to enumerate Chu's scattered deployments and argued that the time to strike Chu was now. He concluded: "If one plans for kingship and fails, the remnants are still enough for hegemony. But if one cannot even achieve hegemony, the Way of kingship has been lost. Therefore I urge the great king to redirect your attack against Chu."

Yue thereupon abandoned its campaign against Qi and attacked Chu instead. King Wei of Chu raised his army and counterattacked, inflicting a massive defeat on Yue, killing King Wujiang, and seizing all the former territory of Wu up to the Zhe River. He also defeated Qi at Xuzhou to the north. Yue was shattered by this. Its royal clansmen fought among themselves for the succession — some proclaimed themselves kings, others lords — and they were confined to the coastal regions south of the Yangtze, subordinate to Chu.

Seven generations later, Yao, Lord of Min, assisted the lords in pacifying Qin. Emperor Gaozu of Han restored Yao as King of Yue, to maintain the Yue sacrifices. The Eastern Yue and the Lord of Min were all descendants of this line.

Fan Li served King Goujian of Yue. He endured hardship and exerted himself, plotting with Goujian for over twenty years. He ultimately destroyed Wu, avenged the shame of Kuaiji, led armies north across the Huai to overawe Qi and Jin, issued commands throughout the Central States, and upheld the Zhou royal house. Goujian became hegemon, and Fan Li was named Supreme General. Upon returning to Yue, Fan Li reflected that beneath a great name it is hard to remain long, and moreover that Goujian was a man one could share adversity with but not prosperity. He wrote a letter of resignation to Goujian: "I have heard that when the lord worries, the minister toils; when the lord is humiliated, the minister should die. In former days, when Your Majesty was humiliated at Kuaiji, the reason I did not die was for the sake of this mission. Now that the shame has been washed away, I request to suffer the penalty due from Kuaiji." Goujian said: "I will divide the state and share it with you. If you refuse, I will punish you." Fan Li said: "The lord carries out commands. The minister carries out his own resolve." He packed his portable treasures, pearls, and jade, and with his private retainers boarded a boat and sailed out to sea. He never returned. Goujian marked Mount Kuaiji as Fan Li's stipend-estate.

Fan Li sailed to Qi, changed his name, calling himself Chiyi Zipi, and farmed by the seashore, laboring hard. He and his sons built up their property. Before long, they had accumulated a fortune of hundreds of thousands. The people of Qi, hearing of his worthiness, made him chief minister. Fan Li sighed: "At home I amass a thousand in gold; in office I reach the rank of minister. This is the pinnacle for a commoner. To hold a distinguished name for too long is unlucky." He returned his seal of office, distributed his entire fortune among his friends and neighbors, and carrying his most valuable treasures, slipped away and settled at Tao. He judged it to be the center of All-Under-Heaven, where trade routes connecting surplus and deficit converged, and where one could make a living and grow rich. He called himself Tao Zhu Gong. Again he and his sons farmed and raised livestock, buying cheap and selling dear, watching the seasons, rotating goods, and pursuing a profit of ten percent. Before long, he had accumulated wealth of many tens of millions. The world called him Tao Zhu Gong.

Tao Zhu Gong settled at Tao and fathered a youngest son. When the youngest son was grown, Zhu Gong's middle son killed a man and was imprisoned in Chu. Zhu Gong said: "To kill and die for it — that is proper. But I have heard that the son of a man worth a thousand in gold does not die in the marketplace." He told his youngest son to go see about it. He packed a thousand yi of gold, placed it in plain containers, and loaded it on a single ox-cart. He was about to send the youngest when the eldest son insisted on going. Zhu Gong refused. The eldest said: "The eldest son of a house is called the family head. My brother has committed a crime, yet father will not send me but instead sends the youngest — this says I am worthless." He threatened to kill himself. His mother pleaded: "If we send the youngest, the middle son may still not be saved — and we will first lose the eldest for nothing. What then?" Zhu Gong reluctantly sent the eldest, giving him a sealed letter for his old friend Zhuang Sheng, with instructions: "When you arrive, deliver the thousand in gold to Zhuang Sheng. Do whatever he says. Under no circumstances contest his arrangements." The eldest son set out, but also privately took along several hundred more in gold.

Arriving in Chu, he found Zhuang Sheng's house backed against the city wall, the path to the door choked with weeds — the man lived in deep poverty. The eldest delivered the letter and presented the thousand in gold as his father had instructed. Zhuang Sheng said: "Leave at once. Do not stay under any circumstances! When your brother is released, do not ask how it was done." The eldest departed from Zhuang Sheng but secretly remained in Chu, using his own private gold to bribe influential Chu officials.

Although Zhuang Sheng lived in a poor alley, he was known throughout the state for his integrity. From the King of Chu on down, everyone revered him as a teacher. He had not accepted Zhu Gong's gold with any intent to keep it — he meant to accomplish the task and return it afterward as proof of good faith. When the gold arrived, he told his wife: "This is Zhu Gong's gold. It is like a medical deposit for an illness — it will be returned later. Do not touch it." But Zhu Gong's eldest son did not understand this and thought the old man was doing nothing.

Zhuang Sheng found an opportune moment to visit the King of Chu and said: "A certain star is in a certain position — this will bring harm to Chu." The king had long trusted Zhuang Sheng and asked: "What should be done?" Zhuang Sheng said: "Only acts of virtue can dispel it." The king said: "Master, you may rest. I shall carry this out." The king then ordered his envoys to seal the three treasuries. Chu's nobles were alarmed and told Zhu Gong's eldest son: "The king is about to grant a general amnesty." "How do you know?" "Whenever the king is about to amnesty prisoners, he always seals the three treasuries. Last night the king sent envoys to seal them." The eldest son calculated that since an amnesty was coming, his brother would be released anyway. The thousand in gold given to Zhuang Sheng would be wasted to no purpose. He returned to Zhuang Sheng. Zhuang Sheng was startled: "You did not leave?" The eldest said: "No. I came for my brother's sake. Since my brother is about to be amnestied, I have come to take my leave of you, Master." Zhuang Sheng understood that the man wanted his gold back and said: "Go into the room and take the gold yourself." The eldest went in, took the gold, and left, privately delighted.

Zhuang Sheng, humiliated at being played by the boy, went to the King of Chu and said: "When I spoke of the star, Your Majesty said you would respond with virtue. Now I have gone out and the roads are full of talk that the rich man Zhu Gong of Tao has a son imprisoned in Chu for murder, and his family has lavished gold and bribes on the king's attendants. So the king is not granting amnesty out of concern for Chu but for the sake of Zhu Gong's son." The king was furious: "Though I may lack virtue, how can I grant favors because of Zhu Gong's son!" He ordered the middle son executed. The next day the amnesty was proclaimed. The eldest son brought his brother's corpse home.

When the eldest arrived home, his mother and the people of the town all mourned. Only Zhu Gong laughed, saying: "I knew from the start that he would get his brother killed. Not that he does not love his brother — but there was something he could not bear to give up. He grew up with me, witnessed hardship, and knows how difficult it is to make a living, so he values money greatly. As for the youngest — he was born into wealth, has ridden fine carriages and driven fine horses chasing hares. How would he know where money comes from? He would give it away lightly, without a second thought. The reason I wanted to send the youngest was precisely because he could let go of money. The eldest could not, and so he ended up killing his brother. This is the logic of the situation — there is nothing to grieve over. I have been expecting the funeral cortege to arrive day and night."

Thus Fan Li relocated three times and won fame throughout the realm. He did not merely depart — wherever he stopped, he became celebrated. He died of old age at Tao, and so the world has always called him Tao Zhu Gong.

The Grand Historian says: Great were Yu's accomplishments — channeling the nine rivers, fixing the nine provinces, so that to this day the Xia lands rest in peace. His distant descendant Goujian punished his body and burned with thought, ultimately destroying mighty Wu, leading armies north to overawe the Central States, and upholding the Zhou royal house, winning the title of hegemon-king. Can Goujian not be called worthy? He surely possessed the lingering fire of Yu's legacy. Fan Li relocated three times, and each time won an honored name that has endured to later generations. When minister and ruler are both of this caliber, how could they fail to be illustrious?

Yue's ancestor was Shaokang, down to Yunchang. His son first claimed hegemony and contended with Wu for supremacy. At the battle of Zuili, Helü was wounded. The shame of Kuaiji — Goujian shouldered it. Zhong lured Wu with profit; Fan Li deployed his excellence. Humbling himself to attract the worthy, he tasted gall and pondered. At last he avenged his foe and destroyed the great state. Later, measuring their strength poorly, they perished under Wujiang.