Ancient China · Grandee and minister of Yue

Wen Zhong 種

Zhòng

Attested BC 500 - BC 470

Passages: 20
Chapters: 5
Histories: 3

Overview

Wen Zhong was a Grandee and minister of Yue.

Life and dates

Death

Suicide under royal order · Responsible Person Id Goujian (句踐)
Directly stated · Records of the Grand Historian 41, passages 122-123

Attested activity

BC 480 Spring and Autumn era
Directly stated · Records of the Grand Historian 93, passage 46
BC 500 昔三仁去而殷虛…
Dated from the passage context · Book of Han 99, passage 69
BC 496 to BC 472 春秋末越國人物文種
Strongly inferred · Book of Han 42, passage 164
BC 494 to BC 470 會稽之役至吳亡後
Dated from the passage context · Records of the Grand Historian 41, passages 25, 123
BC 490 to BC 470 種蠡
Dated from the passage context · Book of Jin 108, passage 121

Key source chapters

Career and standing

administrator of Yue state affairs 國政
Entrusted
Directly stated · Records of the Grand Historian 41, passage 49
Entered
Court withdrawal under claimed illness
Directly stated · Records of the Grand Historian 41, passage 121
Ordered to commit suicide
Authority Goujian (句踐) · Instrument sword 劍
Directly stated · Records of the Grand Historian 41, passage 122

Places and affiliations

Polity Yue 越 · Relation Served
Directly stated · Records of the Grand Historian 41, passage 25

Works and attributed material

Speech · Speaker · With Fuchai (夫差)
Directly stated · Records of the Grand Historian 41, passages 25, 33-34
Speech · Speaker · With Goujian (句踐) · Speech Act advice
Directly stated · Records of the Grand Historian 41, passage 30
Speech · Speaker · With Goujian (句踐) · Speech Act encouragement
Directly stated · Records of the Grand Historian 41, passages 41-42
Speech · Speaker · With Goujian (句踐) · Speech Act proposal
Directly stated · Records of the Grand Historian 41, passage 70

Events and relationships

Bribed Pi with women and treasure and renewed the peace plea
Diplomatic · Envoy · With Pi (嚭)
Directly stated · Records of the Grand Historian 41, passages 31-34
Sought peace with Wu and offered Goujian's submission
BC 494 三年 · Diplomatic · Envoy · With Fuchai (夫差)
Directly stated · Records of the Grand Historian 41, passage 25
Tested Wu by requesting a grain loan
Diplomatic · Planner
Directly stated · Records of the Grand Historian 41, passages 70-71

References in the histories

Search passages

History

20 passages

Book of Han, Chapter 42Volume 33: Wei Bao, Tian Dan and Hán Xin (King of Han) · 1 passage

夫種、蠡無一罪，身死亡； Wen Zhong and Fan Li had committed no such crimes, yet they still perished.

Book of Han, Chapter 99Volume 87b: Yang Xiong 2 · 1 passage

昔三仁去而殷虛，二老歸而周熾，子胥死而吳亡，種、蠡存而粵伯，五□入而秦喜，樂毅出而燕懼，范睢以折□而危穰侯，蔡澤雖噤吟而笑唐舉。 The Three Worthies left and Shang collapsed; the Two Elders came home and Zhou flourished; Wu died with Wu Zixu; Yue rose while Zhong and Fan Li lived; five captives entered Xianyang to Qin’s delight; Yue Yi’s exile struck terror into Yan; Fan Ju’s stratagem toppled the Marquis of Rang; Cai Ze, stammering all the while, still got the laugh on the physiognomist Tang Ju.

Book of Jin, Chapter 108Volume 108 Records 8: Murong Hui · 1 passage

越之種蠡尚能弼佐句踐，取威黃池； Wu-Yue precedent proved peripheral grit could win.

Records of the Grand Historian, Chapter 41House of King Goujian of Yue · 16 passages

乃令大夫種行成於吳，膝行頓首曰：「君王亡臣句踐使陪臣種敢告下執事：句踐請為臣，妻為妾。」 He then ordered Grandee Zhong to go and make peace with Wu. Zhong walked on his knees, kowtowed, and said: “Goujian, fugitive servant of Your Majesty, sends his attendant minister Zhong to address those below you: Goujian asks to become your minister, and his wife your concubine.”

種還，以報句踐。 Zhong returned to report to Gou Jian.

種止句踐曰：「夫吳太宰嚭貪，可誘以利，請閒行言之。」 Zhong stopped Goujian and said, “The Grand Administrator Pi of Wu is greedy and can be tempted by profit. Please allow me to go secretly and speak with him.”

於是句踐以美女寶器令種閒獻吳太宰嚭。 Goujian then commanded Zhong to secretly offer beautiful women and treasure vessels to Pi, the Grand Administrator of Wu.

嚭受，乃見大夫種於吳王。 Pi accepted and then presented Grandee Zhong to the Wu king.

種頓首言曰：「願大王赦句踐之罪，盡入其寶器。 Zhong kowtowed and said: “I hope Your Majesty will pardon Goujian’s offense and accept all his precious vessels.

句踐賢君，種、蠡良臣，若反國，將為亂。」 Goujian is a worthy lord, and Zhong and Li are good ministers. If they return to their country, they will stir up trouble.”

種曰：「湯系夏臺，文王囚羑里，晉重耳奔翟，齊小白奔莒，其卒王霸。 Zhong said, “Tang was bound at Xiatai, King Wen was imprisoned at Youli, Chong’er of Jin fled to the Di, and Xiaobai of Qi fled to Ju, yet in the end they became kings and hegemons.

欲使范蠡治國政，蠡對曰：「兵甲之事，種不如蠡； He wanted Fan Li to govern the affairs of the state. Fan Li replied, “In matters of armor and weapons, Zhong is not equal to me;

填撫國家，親附百姓，蠡不如種。」 but in pacifying the state and drawing the people close, I am not equal to Zhong.”

於是舉國政屬大夫種，而使范蠡與大夫柘稽行成，為質於吳。 Goujian then entrusted state affairs to Grandee Zhong, and sent Fan Li and Grandee Zheji to make peace and serve as hostages in Wu.

越大夫種曰：「臣觀吳王政驕矣，請試嘗之貸粟，以卜其事。」 Grandee Zhong of Yue said: “I observe that the king of Wu’s government has grown arrogant. Let us test him by asking to borrow grain, and thereby read how matters stand.”

范蠡遂去，自齊遺大夫種書曰：「蜚鳥盡，良弓藏； Fan Li then departed. From Qi he sent Grandee Zhong a letter, saying, “When the flying birds are gone, the fine bow is put away;

種見書，稱病不朝。 When Zhong saw the letter, he claimed illness and stopped attending court.

人或讒種且作亂，越王乃賜種劍曰：「子教寡人伐吳七術，寡人用其三而敗吳，其四在子，子為我從先王試之。」 Someone slandered Zhong, saying that he was about to rebel. The king of Yue then bestowed a sword on Zhong and said, “You taught me seven strategies for attacking Wu. I used three of them and defeated Wu; the remaining four are still with you. Follow the former king and test them for me.”

種遂自殺。 Zhong then committed suicide.

Records of the Grand Historian, Chapter 93Biographies of Han Xin (King of Han) and Lu Wan · 1 passage

夫種、蠡無一罪，身死亡； Wen Zhong and Fan Li bore not a single crime, yet one was put to death and the other forced to flee.