Baili Xi (百里奚) | 24 Histories

Overview

Baili Xi was a statesman.

PeriodAncient China

IdentityHistorical · Male

Roles

Found in

Life and dates

Attested activity

c. BC 700 to BC 621 百里奚
Strongly inferred · Book of Zhou 23, passage 164
BC 650 to BC 621 百里奚為虜
Dated from the passage context · Records of the Grand Historian 63, passage 100
BC 659 to BC 621 百里奚飯牛車下而繆公用霸
Dated from the passage context · Records of the Grand Historian 74, passage 45
BC 700 to BC 650 百里飯牛
Dated from the passage context · Records of the Grand Historian 124, passage 9
BC 621 秦穆公之世
Dated from the passage context · Records of the Grand Historian 88, passage 67

Key source chapters

Career and standing

cattle herder 飯牛
Directly stated · Records of the Grand Historian 124, passage 9
Became
Captive
Directly stated · Records of the Grand Historian 63, passage 100

Places and affiliations

Polity Qin 秦 · Relation Served
Directly stated · Records of the Grand Historian 88, passage 67

Events and relationships

Cited as model or warning
AD 544 大統十年 · Political · Exemplar · Mode document Source Person Id Su Chuo (蘇綽)
Directly stated · Book of Zhou 23, passages 164-165
Fed oxen under a cart then employed for hegemony
Career · Subject · With Duke Mu (繆公)
Directly stated · Records of the Grand Historian 74, passage 45
Fed cattle before advancement
c. BC 650 百里奚之飯牛 · Personal · Subject · Mode document Source Person Id Su Chuo (蘇綽)
Directly stated · Book of Zhou 23, passage 164
Relation Minister of · Person Duke Mu (繆公)
Directly stated · Records of the Grand Historian 74, passage 45

Assessments and attributes

Assessment sage · Mode quotation Speaker Han Fei (韓非)
Directly stated · Records of the Grand Historian 63, passage 101

References in the histories

Book of Han, Chapter 76Volume 65: Dongfang Shuo · 1 passage

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譬若以周、邵為丞相，孔丘為御史大夫，太公為將軍，畢公高拾遺於後，弁嚴子為衛尉，皋陶為大理，後稷為司農，伊尹為少府，子贛使外國，顏、閔為博士，子夏為太常，益為右扶風，季路為執金吾，契為鴻臚，龍逢為宗正，伯夷為京兆，管仲為馮翊，魯般為將作，仲山甫為光祿，申伯為太僕，延陵季子為水衡，百里奚為典屬國，柳下惠為大長秋，史魚為司直，蘧伯玉為太傅，孔父為詹事，孫叔敖為諸侯相，子產為郡守，王慶忌為期門，夏育為鼎官，羿為旄頭，宋萬為式道候。」 Imagine the Duke of Zhou and the Duke of Shao as your chancellors; Confucius as chief censor; the Grand Duke as commander; Duke Bi Gao as court remonstrant; Bian Zhuangzi as captain of the guard; Gao Yao as chief judge; Hou Ji as minister of agriculture; Yi Yin as palace treasurer; Zigong as foreign envoy; Yan Hui and Min Ziqian as court scholars; Zixia as master of rites; Yi as western capital intendant; Zilu as capital commandant; Xie as master of guest ceremonies; Guan Longpeng as keeper of the imperial genealogy; the minister Boyi as metropolitan governor; Guan Zhong as northern capital intendant; Lu Ban as chief engineer; Zhong Shanfu as palace chamberlain; the Earl of Shen as master of the horse; Prince Jizi of Yanling as keeper of parks and waters; Baili Xi as commissioner for dependent peoples; Liuxia Hui as chamberlain to the empress; Shi Yu as censor of conduct; Qu Boyu as grand tutor; Kong Fu as supervisor of the heir apparent's household; Sunshu Ao as chancellor to the feudal lords; Zichan as commandery governor; Prince Qingji as a palace gate guard; Xia Yu as cauldron officer; Yi the Archer as vanguard officer; and Song Wan as road-clearing scout."

Records of the Grand Historian, Chapter 63Biographies of Laozi and Han Fei · 1 passage

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伊尹為庖，百里奚為虜，皆所由干其上也。 Yi Yin became a cook, Baili Xi became a captive—all the paths by which they petitioned their superiors.

Records of the Grand Historian, Chapter 74Biographies of Mengzi and Xun Qing · 1 passage

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或曰，伊尹負鼎而勉湯以王，百里奚飯牛車下而繆公用霸，作先合，然後引之大道。 Some say: Yi Yin carried a tripod and urged Tang to become king; Baili Xi fed oxen under a cart and Duke Mu employed him to become hegemon. They made themselves fit first, then led them to the great way.

Records of the Grand Historian, Chapter 88Biography of Meng Tian · 1 passage

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昔者秦穆公殺三良而死，罪百里奚而非其罪也，故立號曰『繆』。 Long ago, Duke Mu of Qin had three worthy ministers buried alive to accompany him in death and unjustly accused Baili Xi of offenses not his own. For these acts he received the posthumous epithet 'Mu,' signifying a flawed reign.

Records of the Grand Historian, Chapter 124Biographies of Knight-errants · 1 passage

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太史公曰：昔者虞舜窘於井廩，伊尹負於鼎俎，傅說匿於傅險，呂尚困於棘津，夷吾桎梏，百里飯牛，仲尼畏匡，菜色陳、蔡。 The Grand Historian remarks: In the old days, Emperor Shun was nearly killed in a well and a granary. Yi Yin labored among the pots and cutting boards. Fu Yue hid himself at the cliffs of Fu. Lu Shang was reduced to desperate straits at Jijin. Guan Zhong wore fetters. Baili Xi fed cattle for a living. Confucius was besieged at Kuang and went hungry until his face turned sallow between Chen and Cai.

Book of Zhou, Chapter 23Volume 23 Biographies 15: Su Chuo · 1 passage

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昔呂望之屠釣，百里奚之飯牛，甯生之扣角，管夷吾之三敗，當此之時，悠悠之徒，豈謂其賢。 In ancient times Lü Wang butchered and fished, Baili Xi fed cattle, Ning Qi beat time on an ox horn, and Guan Yiwu suffered three defeats. At the time, would ordinary observers have recognized their worth?