Complete Eloquence

Author: Cai Jian
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2006-09-01
Features: "A tongue of three inches can surpass a million troops" reveals the important role of eloquence. Indeed, when armies are locked in confrontation and tension rises, eloquence can calm the storm; when disaster looms and the situation is critical, eloquence can turn danger into safety. Below is the classic case of the young man's clever words persuading Xiang Yu, the King of Chu. Xiang Yu, the King of Chu, was a butcher who would the entire population of every city he conquered. The Wei Prime Minister Peng Yue allied with the Han Dynasty to resist Chu and captured seventeen Chu cities in a row, infuriating Xiang Yu to the point where he personally led his army to break through the outer city of Waihuang, which was occupied by Peng Yue. After entering the city, Xiang Yu issued an order: all men over the age of 15 were to gather in the east of the city to be prepared for mass execution. Upon the issuance of the order, the entire city wept and wailed, and amidst the cries, a young boy went to the Chu camp to seek an audience with Xiang Yu. When Xiang Yu heard that a boy had come to see him, he was quite surprised. He asked him, "To see you at such a young age, yet daring to come see me?" The boy replied, "Your Majesty is the parents of the people, and I am Your Majesty's devoted child. A son seeing his parents has nothing to be afraid of." Xiang Yu, who loved flattery, was naturally delighted that a child's words could move him. He quickly asked what the boy's request was. The boy calmly said, "The people of Waihuang have long admired Your Majesty's benevolence. Today, Your Majesty's arrival drove away Peng Yue, and the people are very grateful. However, there is a rumor in Your Majesty's palace that all men over the age of 15 will be executed. I believe Your Majesty, with virtue equal to Shun and Yao and might surpassing Tang and Wu, would not do such a thing. Moreover, slaughtering the people would do Your Majesty more harm than good. Therefore, I request Your Majesty to issue a clear order to stabilize the people's hearts." Xiang Yu, after hearing this, found it reasonable but also threatened, "If I execute the people, even if it does no good, it might not do any harm. If you can convince me of the harm, I will order the people to be spared; if not, you will be executed too." The boy, hearing the threat, remained calm and said solemnly, "When Peng Yue was defending the city, his troops were numerous. Upon hearing Your Majesty's approach, he feared the people would betray him and thus shut the gates tightly. Later, when he realized the people were not on his side, he fled at night. If the people were willing to fight and hold out together, Your Majesty might take at least ten days or half a month to enter the city. Today, as soon as Peng Yue fled, the people immediately opened the gates to welcome Your Majesty, showing their support for him. If Your Majesty does not understand the people's sentiments and instead executes the strong, who would dare to surrender in the dozen or so cities east of Waihuang upon hearing this? Either way, they will die—surrender or not. Resistance might still offer a glimmer of hope. Imagine Peng Yue seeking reinforcements from the Han Dynasty to attack Your Majesty. Everywhere he turns, he will face obstacles. Even if he wins every battle, he will exhaust his strength. This is what is meant by 'more harm than good.'" Xiang Yu had already agreed to return in half a month, and a few days had passed. If the dozen or so cities ahead were blocked, it would delay time and ruin the matter. After weighing the pros and cons, he finally agreed to the boy's request and gave him a few taels of gold. In ancient times, "a tongue of three inches" was often used to describe exceptional eloquence and charm. The extraordinary power of eloquence is indeed hard to compare. A mere child, with his eloquence, managed to persuade the ruthless Xiang Yu of the Chu Dynasty, saving the lives of tens of thousands of people in Waihuang. We cannot but admire the boy's courage, but we admire even more his reasonable analysis. From this, we can better understand the saying that "a tongue of three inches can surpass a million troops."