The Warring States Strategies (Part 1)

Author: Zhi Junfeng, Qu Jin, Hu Jianhua (Translation and Annotation)
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2004-04-01
Features: The War States Strategy is an important historical document concerning the conflicts and military-political affairs during the Warring States period. It was not written by a single person at a single time. Its initial compiler was a strategist or a wandering scholar from the late Warring States period to the Qin and Han dynasties. In the late Western Han Dynasty, Liu Xiang, while organizing and reviewing various books, compiled The War States Strategy, removing unnecessary details and simplifying the content. He arranged it according to the twelve states of the Eastern Zhou, Western Zhou, Qin, Qi, Chu, Zhao, Han, Yan, Song, Wei, and Zhongshan, covering a period of over 240 years from the Spring and Autumn period to the unification of the six states by Qin, totaling 33 chapters, and named it The War States Strategy. Unlike other pre-Qin historical prose that reflected Confucian thought, The War States Strategy primarily records the political ideas and strategies of strategists and advisors when they persuaded feudal lords or engaged in debates, showcasing their political wisdom and manipulative tactics. It reflects the thoughts and actions of the strategists. For example, in politics, they valued strategy, emphasized seizing the right moment, and pursued fame, wealth, and power. In action, they traveled to persuade and assist Qin in its expansion or unite states to resist Qin, determining the success or failure. The War States Strategy is a historical book that reflects the turbulent and unpredictable nature of the prosperous Warring States period. It serves as an important source for understanding and studying the history of the Warring States period, but it is not a reliable historical account. Its elaborate language, dramatic plot, vivid allegories, and anecdotes are highly literary, leaving later generations in awe. The ups and downs of the plot and the lifelike portrayal of characters make The War States Strategy highly novelistic. One of the reasons we chose The War States Strategy is to allow more ordinary readers to experience with us the era of changing fortunes but also of great freedom and enlightenment, where rulers and feudal lords showed respect for scholars, officials and rulers worked together to achieve their goals, scholars demonstrated extraordinary talents and manipulative skills, and people were cherished and valued.