Guisuzi Hezong Lianheng

Author: Liu Jiaju and Shi Shuying
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2004-04-01
Features: The Guiguzi directly influenced figures like Su Qin, Zhang Yi, and Pang Juan, who played pivotal roles on the stage of the Warring States period. At a critical juncture in the mid-to-late Warring States period, where "dominance through alliances leads to Qin's empire, while dominance through individual states leads to Chu's rule," the pair of classmates, Su Qin and Zhang Yi, who shared the same teacher, employed the flexible strategies and eloquence taught by The Guiguzi to outmaneuver each other, highlight their strengths, and expose the weaknesses of their opponents. Su Qin, who advocated for the vertical alliance (hegemonic alliance) with Zhao at its core, engaged in a fierce debate with Zhang Yi, who supported the horizontal alliance (alliance of states) with Qin at its core, in a verbal duel with six states. They targeted different audiences, catering to their desires, pointed out the benefits and harms, reasoned with logic, and moved them with emotion, persuading the feudal lords, maneuvering between expansion and contraction, demonstrating that "the eloquence of one person is as valuable as the nine-dragon cauldrons; the power of a three-inch tongue surpasses that of a million troops." This showcased the strength of life and the value of existence, staging a series of gripping historical dramas on the turbulent stage of the Warring States period, becoming figures of great influence and prominence at the time.