First Prime Minister of the State of Qin: Bili Xi

Author: Xue Ting
Publisher:
Publishing Date: Not available
Features: Historically, Zhuge Liang and Bi Li were both renowned statesmen, one described as "renowned throughout the world" and the other as "famous across the heavens." This book also features many classic events from the Spring and Autumn period, as well as the origins of idioms such as "the fall of the lip threatens the teeth," "retreat three times," and "the alliance between Qin and Jin," all of which are worth reflecting on. Bi Li is the pride of Nanyang. The relentless passage of time can change mountains, rivers, ancient roads, but it cannot erase the grooves of historical memory. In the early Spring and Autumn period, more than four hundred years before Qin Shi Huang unified China, the state of Qin was still a semi-barbaric small kingdom in the western region, plagued by external worries and internal troubles, with weak national strength. Faced with the aggressive dominance of the Central Plains, the ruler of Qin, Duke Mu, turned his gaze to a fifty-year-old slave from the Chu state—Bi Li. Throughout his half-life, he endured humiliation in repeated attempts to seek office, the fall of his country, the loss of his family, and servitude. Yet he achieved profound enlightenment about human affairs, state affairs, and worldly matters. After being purchased by Duke Mu of Qin for five sheepskins, he transformed the state, achieving Qin's second leap forward. Qin quickly rose to become one of the Five Hegemons of the Spring and Autumn period, laying the foundation for Qin Shi Huang's unification of China. In the following two thousand six hundred years, figures such as Confucius, Zhuangzi, Li Si, Sima Qian, Li Bai, and Zhuge Liang would occasionally mention him—was it because of his wisdom and insight, or because of his noble character and integrity?