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Overview Names Identity Roles Life and dates Career and standing Places and affiliations Works and attributed material Events and relationships References in the histories
Overview The translated histories identify Zhang Yi as a diplomat, envoy, named individual, and official. This record brings together 20 passages from 5 chapters across 3 histories, with names, dates, relationships, offices, and events preserved as source-backed claims.
Names Type English Chinese Pinyin
Personal
Zhang Yi
張儀
Zhang Yi
Personal name
Zhang
張
Personal name
Zhang Yi
張儀
Zhāng Yí
Personal name
Zhang Yi
張儀
Zhang Yi
Identity
Historicity Historical
Identification Named
Sex Male Roles Diplomat Envoy Named Individual Official Statesman Strategist Life and dates Attested activity Source Date: Text: BC 329-309Western Interval: Start: BC 329End: BC 309
Source Date: Text: 宣惠王五年Western Year: BC 328
Source Date: Text: 惠王Western Interval: Start: BC 328End: BC 311
Works and attributed material Events and relationships Kind: diplomatic ·
Role: envoy ·
Action: deceived ·
Other Person Id: King Huai (懷王) ·
Place: Chu / 楚Kind: diplomatic ·
Role: prisoner ·
Action: released ·
Other Person Id: King Huai (懷王) References in the histories Open any source group to read the Chinese and English passage in context.
Book of Han, Chapter 76 Volume 65: Dongfang Shuo · 3 passages
Book of Han, Chapter 117 Volume 100a: Afterword and Family History 1 · 1 passage
Book of Later Han, Chapter 32 Volume 28b: Biography of Feng Yan · 1 passage
Records of the Grand Historian, Chapter 45 House of Han · 6 passages
宣惠王五年，張儀相秦。
In the fifth year of King Xuan Hui, Zhang Yi became chancellor of Qin.
今秦之欲伐楚久矣，王不如因張儀為和於秦，賂以一名都，具甲，與之南伐楚，此以一易二之計也。」
Qin has long wished to attack Chu. Your Majesty would do better to make peace with Qin through Zhang Yi, offer them one great city, prepare our armor, and join them in a southern campaign against Chu. This is the strategy of trading one to gain two."
對曰：「秦王必祖張儀之故智。
Gongsun Mei replied, "The King of Qin will surely follow the old stratagem of Zhang Yi.
楚威王攻梁也，張儀謂秦王曰：『與楚攻魏，魏折而入於楚，韓固其與國也，是秦孤也。
When King Wei of Chu attacked Liang, Zhang Yi told the King of Qin, 'If Qin joins Chu in attacking Wei, Wei will break and submit to Chu; Han is already Wei's ally, so Qin will be left isolated.
曰：「公必先韓而後秦，先身而後張儀。
Gongsun Mei said, "You must put Han first and Qin second, your own interests before those of Zhang Yi.
公之所惡者張儀也，其實猶不無秦也。」
What you truly oppose is Zhang Yi, not Qin itself. Even so, you need not cut ties with Qin entirely."
Records of the Grand Historian, Chapter 84 Biographies of Qu Yuan and Master Jia · 9 passages
屈平既絀，其後秦欲伐齊，齊與楚從親，惠王患之，乃令張儀詳去秦，厚幣委質事楚，曰：「秦甚憎齊，齊與楚從親，楚誠能絕齊，秦願獻商、於之地六百里。」
After Qu Ping had been dismissed, Qin wished to attack Qi. Since Qi and Chu had formed a close alliance, King Hui of Qin grew alarmed. He dispatched Zhang Yi, who feigned departure from Qin's service and arrived in Chu bearing lavish gifts, pledging himself as a vassal. Zhang Yi told the king of Chu: 'Qin despises Qi, and Qi has allied itself closely with Chu. If Chu would truly sever its ties with Qi, Qin is willing to cede six hundred li of the Shang and Yu territories.'
楚懷王貪而信張儀，遂絕齊，使使如秦受地。
King Huai of Chu, blinded by greed, believed Zhang Yi. He severed relations with Qi and sent an envoy to Qin to claim the promised territory.
張儀詐之曰：「儀與王約六里，不聞六百里。」
Zhang Yi deceived them, saying: 'I agreed with the king on six li. I never heard anything about six hundred.'
楚王曰：「不願得地，願得張儀而甘心焉。」
The king of Chu declared: 'I do not want the land. I want Zhang Yi — only then will my heart be satisfied.'
張儀聞，乃曰：「以一儀而當漢中地，臣請往如楚。」
When Zhang Yi heard this, he said: 'If one Zhang Yi is worth the Hanzhong territory, then let me go to Chu.'
懷王竟聽鄭袖，復釋去張儀。
In the end, King Huai heeded Zheng Xiu and released Zhang Yi once again.
是時屈平既疏，不復在位，使於齊，顧反，諫懷王曰：「何不殺張儀？」
At that time, Qu Ping had already been estranged and was no longer in office. He had been sent on a mission to Qi, and upon his return, he remonstrated with King Huai: 'Why not execute Zhang Yi?'
懷王悔，追張儀不及。
King Huai was filled with regret and sent men to pursue Zhang Yi, but they could not catch him.
懷王以不知忠臣之分，故內惑於鄭袖，外欺於張儀，疏屈平而信上官大夫、令尹子蘭。
Because King Huai could not distinguish a loyal minister from a false one, he was beguiled within by Zheng Xiu and deceived without by Zhang Yi. He cast aside Qu Ping and placed his trust in Grand Master Shangguan and the Prime Minister Zi Lan.