Ancient China · Ruler

King of Qi 齊王

Qi Wang

Attested BC 356 - BC 301

Passages: 3
Chapters: 1
Histories: 1

Overview

King of Qi was a ruler.

Life and dates

Attested activity

BC 356 to BC 301 昔者
Directly stated · Records of the Grand Historian 126, passage 247

Places and affiliations

Polity Qi 齊 · Relation Ruled
Directly stated · Records of the Grand Historian 126, passage 247

Events and relationships

Sent Chunyu Kun with a swan
Diplomatic · Sender · With Chunyu Kun (淳于髡)
Directly stated · Records of the Grand Historian 126, passage 247
Relation Sent as envoy · Person Chunyu Kun (淳于髡)
Directly stated · Records of the Grand Historian 126, passage 247

References in the histories

Records of the Grand Historian, Chapter 126Biographies of Jesters · 3 passages

昔者，齊王使淳于髡獻鵠於楚。 Once, in the old days, the King of Qi sent Chunyu Kun to present a swan as a gift to the King of Chu.

出邑門，道飛其鵠，徒揭空籠，造詐成辭，往見楚王曰：「齊王使臣來獻鵠，過於水上，不忍鵠之渴，出而飲之，去我飛亡。 Just outside the city gate, the swan took flight and escaped. Kun was left holding nothing but an empty cage. He fashioned a plausible story and went to see the King of Chu: "The King of Qi sent your servant to present a swan. As I was crossing a stream, I could not bear to see it suffer from thirst, so I took it out to let it drink — and it flew away.

楚王曰：「善，齊王有信士若此哉！」 The King of Chu exclaimed: "Wonderful! So the King of Qi has men of such integrity!"