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Overview Names Identity Roles Life and dates Career and standing Works and attributed material Events and relationships References in the histories
Overview The translated histories identify Mao Sui as a diplomat. This record brings together 20 passages from 1 chapter across 1 history, with names, dates, relationships, offices, and events preserved as source-backed claims.
Names Type English Chinese Pinyin
Personal
Mao Sui
毛遂
Máo Suì
Personal name
Mao Sui
毛遂
Máo Suì
Alternate name
Master Mao
毛先生
Máo Xiānsheng
Identity
Historicity Historical
Identification Named
Sex Male Life and dates Attested activity Works and attributed material Explicit ·
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shiji:076:s0060 Events and relationships Kind: diplomatic ·
Role: negotiator ·
Action: compelled-Chu-king-to-seal-alliance ·
Other Person Id: King of Chu (楚王) ·
Date Context: Source Date: Text: 秦之圍邯鄲Western Year: BC 257References in the histories Open any source group to read the Chinese and English passage in context.
Records of the Grand Historian, Chapter 76 Biographies of Lord Pingyuan and Yu Qing · 20 passages
門下有毛遂者，前，自贊於平原君曰：「遂聞君將合從於楚，約與食客門下二十人偕，不外索。
Among his retainers was a man named Mao Sui. He stepped forward and recommended himself to Lord Pingyuan, saying: "I, Sui, have heard that Your Lordship will establish a vertical alliance with Chu, bringing along twenty of your retainers and seeking none from outside.
今少一人，願君即以遂備員而行矣。」
Now that you are short one man, I hope your lordship will permit me to fill that vacancy and accompany you."
毛遂曰：「三年於此矣。」
Mao Sui replied: "Three years now."
毛遂曰：「臣乃今日請處囊中耳。
Mao Sui replied: "Your servant is only today requesting to be placed in the bag.
使遂蚤得處囊中，乃穎脫而出，非特其末見而已。」
Had I been placed in the bag sooner, the point of my awl would have pierced through completely, rather than just showing its tip!"
平原君竟與毛遂偕。
In the end, Lord Pingyuan allowed Mao Sui to accompany him.
毛遂比至楚，與十九人論議，十九人皆服。
By the time they reached Chu, Mao Sui had debated with the nineteen others, and they were all won over by his reasoning.
十九人謂毛遂曰：「先生上。」
The nineteen others said to Mao Sui: "Sir, you go up."
毛遂按劍歷階而上，謂平原君曰：「從之利害，兩言而決耳。
Mao Sui, gripping his sword, ascended the steps one by one and said to Lord Pingyuan: "The advantages and disadvantages of this alliance can be decided in two sentences.
毛遂按劍而前曰：「王之所以叱遂者，以楚國之眾也。
Mao Sui advanced, gripping his sword, and said: "Your Majesty rebukes me because of Chu's great multitude.
今十步之內，王不得恃楚國之眾也，王之命縣於遂手。
Within these ten paces, Your Majesty cannot rely on the strength of Chu’s armies. Your life hangs by my hand alone.
且遂聞湯以七十里之地王天下，文王以百里之壤而臣諸侯，豈其士卒眾多哉，誠能據其勢而奮其威。
Furthermore, I have heard that Tang ruled the world with only seventy li of land, and King Wen made the lords his subjects with but a hundred li. It was not because their soldiers were numerous, but because they understood how to wield their position and exert their authority.
毛遂曰：「從定乎？」
Mao Sui said: "Is the alliance settled?"
毛遂謂楚王之左右曰：「取雞狗馬之血來。」
Mao Sui said to the attendants of the King of Chu: "Bring the blood of chicken, dog, and horse."
毛遂奉銅槃而跪進之楚王曰：「王當歃血而定從，次者吾君，次者遂。」
Mao Sui held the bronze basin, knelt, and presented it to the King of Chu, saying: "Your Majesty should be the first to shed blood and settle the alliance; next my lord; next I, Sui."
毛遂左手持槃血而右手招十九人曰：「公相與歃此血於堂下。
Mao Sui held the basin of blood in his left hand and with his right beckoned the nineteen men, saying: "Gentlemen, come down together and shed this blood in the hall below.
勝相士多者千人，寡者百數，自以為不失天下之士，今乃於毛先生而失之也。
I have judged many men—thousands at most, hundreds at least—and I believed I had never failed to recognize a man of worth. Yet today, in the case of Master Mao, I failed.
毛先生一至楚，而使趙重於九鼎大呂。
With a single mission to Chu, Master Mao has given Zhao the weight of the Nine Tripods and the Great Bell.
毛先生以三寸之舌，彊於百萬之師。
His three-inch tongue has proved stronger than an army of a million men.
遂以為上客。
He then made Mao Sui a guest of the highest rank.