Ancient China · Diplomat

Su Qin 蘇秦

Attested BC 334 - BC 284

Passages: 8
Chapters: 6
Histories: 4

Overview

The translated histories identify Su Qin as a diplomat, envoy, named individual, and official. This record brings together 8 passages from 6 chapters across 4 histories, with names, dates, relationships, offices, and events preserved as source-backed claims.

Names

Type	English	Chinese	Pinyin
Personal	Su Qin	蘇秦	Su Qin
Personal name	Su	蘇
Personal name	Su Qin	蘇秦	Sū Qín
Personal	Su Qin	蘇秦	Sū Qín

Identity

Historicity: Historical
Identification: Named
Sex: Male

Sex: male
Strongly inferred · hanshu:076:s0242, houhanshu:032:s0120
Sex: male
Explicit · qingshigao:445:s0170, shiji:048:s0170

Roles

Diplomat
Envoy
Named Individual
Official
Strategist

Life and dates

Attested activity

Source Date: Text: BC 334-284 · Western Interval: Start: BC 334 · End: BC 284
Strongly inferred · houhanshu:032:s0120
Source Date: Text: 戰國時期 · Western Year: c. BC 300
Explicit event contextual date · shiji:048:s0170
Source Date: Text: 蘇秦縱橫 · Western Year: BC 300
Explicit event contextual date · qingshigao:445:s0170

Events and relationships

Kind: strategy · Role: planner · Action: devised strategy for the six states
Explicit · shiji:048:s0170

References in the histories

Open any source group to read the Chinese and English passage in context.

Book of Han, Chapter 74Volume 64a: Yan, Zhu, Wuqiu, Zhufu, Xu, Yan, Zhong, Wang, and Jia 1 · 1 passage

間者，闊焉久不聞問，具有《春秋》對，毋以蘇秦從橫。」 We have heard nothing from you for an age—send a memorial worthy of the Spring and Autumn Annals, not the empty zigzag of Su Qin.'

Book of Han, Chapter 76Volume 65: Dongfang Shuo · 3 passages

客難東方朔曰：「蘇秦、張儀一當萬乘之主，而都卿相之位，澤及後世。 The guest reproached Dongfang Shuo: "Su Qin and Zhang Yi each won an audience with a great king and walked away as chief minister; their good fortune lasted for generations.

夫蘇秦、張儀之時，周室大壞，諸侯不朝，力政爭權，相禽以兵，並為十二國，未有雌雄，得士者強，失士者亡，故談說行焉。 In Su Qin and Zhang Yi's day the house of Zhou was crumbling, the lords ignored the king, might made right, and rival armies carved the realm into a dozen warring states with no clear winner. Strength went to whoever won the talent; ruin to whoever lost it. Of course wandering persuaders flourished.

使蘇秦、張儀與僕並生於今之世，曾不得掌故，安敢望常侍郎乎？ If Su Qin and Zhang Yi were reborn today, they would be lucky to land a clerk's job, let alone a regular attendant-in-waiting like me.

Book of Han, Chapter 117Volume 100a: Afterword and Family History 1 · 1 passage

或譏以無功，又感東方朔、揚雄自諭以不遭蘇、張、范、蔡之時，曾不折之以正道，明君子之所守，故聊復應焉。 Critics mocked his want of deeds; remembering how Dongfang Shuo and Yang Xiong excused their obscurity by the absence of Su or Zhang, yet never rebuked opportunism with the true Way, he felt compelled to answer.

Book of Later Han, Chapter 32Volume 28b: Biography of Feng Yan · 1 passage

流蘇秦於洹水兮，幽張儀於鬼谷。 I would cast Su Qin into the Huan and shut Zhang Yi away in Ghost Valley.

Draft History of Qing, Chapter 445Volume 445 Biographies 232: Wu Kedu, Zhu Yixin, Tu Keshou, An Weijun, Wen Ti, Jiang Chunlin · 1 passage

乃知康有為之學術，正如漢書嚴助所謂以春秋為蘇秦縱橫者耳。 Thus Kang Youwei's learning is just as Yan Zhu in the Book of Han said of using the Spring and Autumn for Su Qin's vertical and horizontal alliances.

Records of the Grand Historian, Chapter 48House of Chen She · 1 passage

於是六國之士有甯越、徐尚、蘇秦、杜赫之屬為之謀，齊明、周聚、陳軫、邵滑、樓緩、翟景、蘇厲、樂毅之徒通其意，吳起、孫臏、帶他、兒良、王廖、田忌、廉頗、趙奢之倫制其兵。 The six states thus had men like Ning Yue, Xu Shang, Su Qin, and Du He to devise their strategies; Qi Ming, Zhou Ju, Chen Zhen, Shao Hua, Lou Huan, Di Jing, Su Li, and Yue Yi to serve as their intermediaries; and Wu Qi, Sun Bin, Dai Tuo, Ni Liang, Wang Liao, Tian Ji, Lian Po, and Zhao She to command their armies.