Biographies of Bai Qi and Wang Jian

白起者，郿人也。善用兵，事秦昭王。昭王十三年，而白起為左庶長，將而擊韓之新城。是歲，穰侯相秦，舉任鄙以為漢中守。其明年，白起為左更，攻韓、魏於伊闕，斬首二十四萬，又虜其將公孫喜，拔五城。起遷為國尉。涉河取韓安邑以東，到乾河。明年，白起為大良造。攻魏，拔之，取城小大六十一。明年，起與客卿錯攻垣城，拔之。後五年，白起攻趙，拔光狼城。後七年，白起攻楚，拔鄢、鄧五城。其明年，攻楚，拔郢，燒夷陵，遂東至竟陵。楚王亡去郢，東走徙陳。秦以郢為南郡。白起遷為武安君。武安君因取楚，定巫、黔中郡。昭王三十四年，白起攻魏，拔華陽，走芒卯，而虜三晉將，斬首十三萬。與趙將賈偃戰，沈其卒二萬人於河中。昭王四十三年，白起攻韓陘城，拔五城，斬首五萬。四十四年，白起攻南陽太行道，絕之。

Bai Qi was a man of Mei. He was adept at warfare and served King Zhao of Qin. In King Zhao's thirteenth year, Bai Qi was appointed Left Senior Minister and led troops to attack Xincheng of Han. That year, the Marquis of Rang became prime minister of Qin and recommended Ren Bi to serve as governor of Hanzhong. The next year, Bai Qi was appointed Left Minister of the Interior and attacked Han and Wei at Yique, beheading 240,000 men, capturing their general Gongsun Xi, and taking five cities. Qi was advanced to the position of state defender. He forded the Yellow River and seized Han's Anyi and eastward to Ganhe. The following year, Bai Qi was appointed grand master craftsman. He attacked Wei, conquered it, and seized sixty-one cities of various sizes. The following year, Qi and guest minister Cuo attacked Yuan City and conquered it. Five years later, Bai Qi attacked Zhao and seized Guanglang City. Seven years later, Bai Qi attacked Chu and conquered Yan and Deng—five cities in all. The following year, he attacked Chu once more, conquered Ying, burned Yiling, and advanced eastward to Jingling. The King of Chu abandoned Ying and fled eastward to Chen. Qin established Ying as the Nangun commandery. Bai Qi was elevated to Lord Wu'an. Lord Wu'an then conquered Chu and established the commanderies of Wu and Qianzhong. In King Zhao's thirty-fourth year, Bai Qi attacked Wei, conquered Huayang, routed Mang Mao, captured three Jin generals, and beheaded 130,000 men. He fought with Zhao general Jia Yan and drowned 20,000 of his troops in the Yellow River. In King Zhao's forty-third year, Bai Qi attacked Han's Xingcheng, conquered five cities, and beheaded 50,000 men. In the forty-fourth year, Bai Qi attacked the Nanyang-Taihang road and severed it.

四十五年，伐韓之野王。野王降秦，上黨道絕。其守馮亭與民謀曰：「鄭道已絕，韓必不可得為民。秦兵日進，韓不能應，不如以上黨歸趙。趙若受我，秦怒，必攻趙。趙被兵，必親韓。韓趙為一，則可以當秦。」因使人報趙。趙孝成王與平陽君、平原君計之。平陽君曰：「不如勿受。受之，禍大於所得。」平原君曰：「無故得一郡，受之便。」趙受之，因封馮亭為華陽君。

In the forty-fifth year, he attacked Han's Yewang. Yewang surrendered to Qin, severing the Shangdang road. Its defender Feng Ting consulted with the populace, saying: 'The road to Zheng is already severed. Han can no longer protect us as its subjects. Qin's troops advance daily. Han cannot respond. Better to cede Shangdang to Zhao. If Zhao accepts us, Qin will be enraged and must attack Zhao. If Zhao comes under attack, it will certainly ally with Han. If Han and Zhao unite as one, they can withstand Qin.' Thereupon they dispatched messengers to inform Zhao. King Xiaocheng of Zhao consulted with Lord Pingyang and Lord Pingyuan. Lord Pingyang said: 'Better not to accept it. Accepting it brings calamity greater than the gain.' Lord Pingyuan said: 'To gain a commandery for no reason—accepting it is advantageous.' Zhao accepted it and enfeoffed Feng Ting as Lord Huayang.

四十六年，秦攻韓緱氏、藺，拔之。

In the forty-sixth year, Qin attacked Han's Gouzhi and Lin and conquered them.

四十七年，秦使左庶長王龁攻韓，取上黨。上黨民走趙。趙軍長平，以按據上黨民。四月，龁因攻趙。趙使廉頗將。趙軍士卒犯秦斥兵，秦斥兵斬趙裨將茄。六月，陷趙軍，取二鄣四尉。七月，趙軍筑壘壁而守之。秦又攻其壘，取二尉，敗其陣，奪西壘壁。廉頗堅壁以待秦，秦數挑戰，趙兵不出。趙王數以為讓。而秦相應侯又使人行千金於趙為反閒，曰：「秦之所惡，獨畏馬服子趙括將耳，廉頗易與，且降矣。」趙王既怒廉頗軍多失亡，軍數敗，又反堅壁不敢戰，而又聞秦反閒之言，因使趙括代廉頗將以擊秦。秦聞馬服子將，乃陰使武安君白起為上將軍。而王龁為尉裨將，令軍中有敢泄武安君將者斬。趙括至，則出兵擊秦軍。秦軍詳敗而走，張二奇兵以劫之。趙軍逐勝，追造秦壁。壁堅拒不得入，而秦奇兵二萬五千人絕趙軍後，又一軍五千騎絕趙壁閒，趙軍分而為二，糧道絕。而秦出輕兵擊之。趙戰不利，因筑壁堅守，以待救至。秦王聞趙食道絕，王自之河內，賜民爵各一級，發年十五以上悉詣長平，遮絕趙救及糧食。

In the forty-seventh year, Qin dispatched left senior minister Wang He to attack Han and seize Shangdang. The people of Shangdang fled to Zhao. Zhao stationed troops at Changping to hold and control the Shangdang populace. In the fourth month, He turned to attack Zhao. Zhao sent Lian Po to command the army. Zhao soldiers violated Qin's outposts. Qin's outposts beheaded Zhao's assistant general Jia. In the sixth month, they trapped Zhao forces and seized two fortifications and four commandants. In the seventh month, Zhao forces built fortifications and defended them. Qin attacked their fortifications once more, seized two commandants, defeated their battle array, and captured the western ramparts and walls. Lian Po held firmly to his defenses awaiting Qin. Qin challenged them repeatedly, but Zhao forces did not emerge. The King of Zhao repeatedly reproached him for it. Meanwhile, Qin's prime minister Lord Ying sent agents bearing a thousand jin to Zhao to sow dissension, saying: 'What Qin dreads most is only that Ma Fuzi Zhao Kuo will command the army. Lian Po is easy to deal with—he will soon surrender.' The King of Zhao was already furious that Lian Po's army had suffered heavy casualties and been defeated repeatedly. Moreover, he maintained a defensive wall and dared not fight, and he also heard the rumors sown by Qin's dissension. Therefore he sent Zhao Kuo to replace Lian Po and attack Qin. When Qin heard that Ma Fuzi was commanding, they secretly dispatched Lord Wu'an Bai Qi to serve as supreme general. Wang He became assistant general, and they ordered that anyone in the army who dared reveal that Lord Wu'an was commanding would be executed. When Zhao Kuo arrived, he led troops out to attack the Qin forces. The Qin army feigned defeat and retreated, deploying two surprise forces to ambush them. The Zhao troops pressed their advantage, pursuing all the way to Qin's fortifications. The walls held firm and could not be entered. Meanwhile, Qin's 25,000 surprise soldiers cut off Zhao's rear, and another force of 5,000 cavalry cut across Zhao's walls. Zhao's forces was divided in two, and their grain route was cut. Then Qin dispatched light cavalry to attack them. Zhao fought unsuccessfully and built ramparts to defend stoutly, awaiting rescue. When the King of Qin heard that Zhao's supply routes were severed, he went personally to Henei, granted each commoner one rank in nobility, and mobilized all men fifteen years and older to proceed to Changping to block Zhao's rescue forces and provisions.

至九月，趙卒不得食四十六日，皆內陰相殺食。來攻秦壘，欲出。為四隊，四五復之，不能出。其將軍趙括出銳卒自搏戰，秦軍射殺趙括。括軍敗，卒四十萬人降武安君。武安君計曰：「前秦已拔上黨，上黨民不樂為秦而歸趙。趙卒反覆。非盡殺之，恐為亂。」乃挾詐而盡阬殺之，遺其小者二百四十人歸趙。前後斬首虜四十五萬人。趙人大震。

By the ninth month, Zhao soldiers had gone forty-six days without food. They all secretly killed and cannibalized each other. They came to attack Qin's fortifications, desiring to break out. They formed four squads and repeatedly charged four or five times, but could not break through. Their general Zhao Kuo led crack troops out to fight hand-to-hand. Qin soldiers shot and killed Zhao Kuo. Kuo's forces was defeated. 400,000 soldiers surrendered to Lord Wu'an. Lord Wu'an calculated: 'Previously Qin had captured Shangdang, but the Shangdang people were unhappy serving Qin and went to Zhao. Zhao soldiers are treacherous. If we don't kill them all, they may cause disorder.' Thereupon he used deceit to bury them all alive in pits, sparing only the young ones—two hundred and forty persons—to return to Zhao. In total, they executed and captured 450,000 men before and after. Zhao was greatly terrified.

四十八年十月，秦復定上黨郡。秦分軍為二：王龁攻皮牢，拔之；司馬梗定太原。韓、趙恐，使蘇代厚幣說秦相應侯曰：「武安君禽馬服子乎？」曰：「然。」又曰：「即圍邯鄲乎？」曰：「然。」「趙亡則秦王王矣，武安君為三公。武安君所為秦戰勝攻取者七十餘城，南定鄢、郢、漢中，北禽趙括之軍，雖周、召、呂望之功不益於此矣。今趙亡，秦王王，則武安君必為三公，君能為之下乎？雖無欲為之下，固不得已矣。秦嘗攻韓，圍邢丘，困上黨，上黨之民皆反為趙，天下不樂為秦民之日久矣。今亡趙，北地入燕，東地入齊，南地入韓、魏，則君之所得民亡幾何人。故不如因而割之，無以為武安君功也。」於是應侯言於秦王曰：「秦兵勞，請許韓、趙之割地以和，且休士卒。」王聽之，割韓垣雍、趙六城以和。正月，皆罷兵。武安君聞之，由是與應侯有隙。

In the tenth month of the forty-eighth year, Qin reestablished the Shangdang commandery. Qin divided their forces into two: Wang He assaulted Pi Lao and captured it; Sima Geng pacified Taiyuan. Han and Zhao, in fear, sent Su Dai with lavish gifts to persuade Qin's prime minister Lord Ying, asking: 'Has Lord Wu'an captured Ma Fuzi?' 'Yes.' 'Will he now besiege Handan?' 'Yes.' 'If Zhao falls, the King of Qin will become hegemon. Lord Wu'an will become one of the Three Dukes. Lord Wu'an's victories for Qin—conquering over seventy cities, pacifying Yan and Ying in the south, taking Hanzhong, capturing Zhao Kuo's forces in the north—even the achievements of Zhou Gong, Shao Gong, and Lu Wang would not surpass this. Now if Zhao falls and the King of Qin becomes hegemon, Lord Wu'an will certainly become one of the Three Dukes. Can you serve beneath him? Even if you don't wish to serve beneath him, you will have no choice but to do so.' Qin once assaulted Han, besieged Xingqiu, and trapped Shangdang. The Shangdang people all rebelled and went to Zhao. The world has long been unhappy being Qin's subjects. Now if Zhao falls, the northern territories will go to Yan, the eastern to Qi, the southern to Han and Wei—then how many subjects will my lord gain? Therefore it is better to take advantage of this and divide their territories without allowing Lord Wu'an to claim the merit.' Lord Ying then spoke to the King of Qin: 'Our soldiers are weary. Please allow us to accept Han and Zhao's territorial concessions for peace, and let our soldiers rest.' The king heeded this and accepted Han's Huanyong and six Zhao cities for peace. In the first month, they all disbanded their armies. Lord Wu'an heard of this and thereafter bore enmity toward Lord Ying.

其九月，秦復發兵，使五大夫王陵攻趙邯鄲。是時武安君病，不任行。四十九年正月，陵攻邯鄲，少利，秦益發兵佐陵。陵兵亡五校。武安君病愈，秦王欲使武安君代陵將。武安君言曰：「邯鄲實未易攻也。且諸侯救日至，彼諸侯怨秦之日久矣。今秦雖破長平軍，而秦卒死者過半，國內空。遠絕河山而爭人國都，趙應其內，諸侯攻其外，破秦軍必矣。不可。」秦王自命，不行；乃使應侯請之，武安君終辭不肯行，遂稱病。

In the ninth month, Qin sent soldiers again, dispatching grand master Wang Ling to attack Zhao's Handan. At this time Lord Wu'an was ill and could not undertake the march. In the first month of the forty-ninth year, Ling attacked Handan with scant success. Qin dispatched additional troops to aid Ling. Ling's soldiers lost five battalions. Lord Wu'an recovered from his illness. The King of Qin wished to send Lord Wu'an to replace Ling as commander. Lord Wu'an declared: 'Handan is truly not easy to attack. Moreover, allied rescue forces arrive daily. Those allies have long harbored resentment toward Qin. Now although Qin broke the Changping army, over half our soldiers perished, and the homeland stands empty. To cross distant rivers and mountains to contest another's capital—Zhao responding from within, allies attacking from without—Qin forces will certainly be broken. It cannot be done.' The King of Qin personally commanded it, but he refused to go. Thereupon he sent Lord Ying to request it. Lord Wu'an firmly declined and would not go, pleading illness.

秦王使王龁代陵將，八九月圍邯鄲，不能拔。楚使春申君及魏公子將兵數十萬攻秦軍，秦軍多失亡。武安君言曰：「秦不聽臣計，今如何矣！」秦王聞之，怒，彊起武安君，武安君遂稱病甐。應侯請之，不起。於是免武安君為士伍，遷之陰密。武安君病，未能行。居三月，諸侯攻秦軍急，秦軍數卻，使者日至。秦王乃使人遣白起，不得留咸陽中。武安君既行，出咸陽西門十里，至杜郵。秦昭王與應侯群臣議曰：「白起之遷，其意尚怏怏不服，有餘言。」秦王乃使使者賜之劍，自裁。武安君引劍將自剄，曰：「我何罪于天而至此哉？」良久，曰：「我固當死。長平之戰，趙卒降者數十萬人，我詐而盡阬之，是足以死。」遂自殺。武安君之死也，以秦昭王五十年十一月。死而非其罪，秦人憐之，鄉邑皆祭祀焉。

The King of Qin sent Wang He to replace Ling as commander. In the eighth and ninth months they besieged Handan but could not conquer it. Chu dispatched Lord Chunshen and Wei sent its prince to lead several hundred thousand troops to attack the Qin forces. The Qin forces suffered heavy casualties. Lord Wu'an exclaimed: 'Qin did not heed my counsel. Now what is to be done!' The King of Qin heard this and flew into a rage. He compelled Lord Wu'an to rise, but Lord Wu'an pleaded illness and would not go. Lord Ying entreated him, but he would not arise. Thereupon they stripped Lord Wu'an of rank to common soldier and banished him to Yinmi. Lord Wu'an was ill and could not undertake the journey. After three months, the allied lords attacked the Qin forces urgently. The Qin forces retreated repeatedly, with messengers arriving daily. The King of Qin thereupon sent men to banish Bai Qi, forbidding him to remain in Xianyang. Lord Wu'an departed, leaving Xianyang's west gate and traveling ten li to Duyou. King Zhao of Qin of Qin consulted with Lord Ying and his ministers: 'Bai Qi's exile—his heart is still resentful and unwilling, with many unspoken words.' The King of Qin thereupon sent an envoy bearing a sword, commanding him to take his own life. Lord Wu'an drew his sword to slit his own throat, exclaiming: 'What sin have I committed against Heaven to arrive at this?' After a long moment, he said: 'I certainly deserve to die. At the battle of Changping, the Zhao soldiers who surrendered numbered several hundred thousand. I deceived them and buried them all alive. That is enough to deserve death.' Thereupon he took his own life. Lord Wu'an died in the eleventh month of the fiftieth year of King Zhao of Qin of Qin. He died though guiltless of any crime. The Qin people took pity on him, and all villages and townships sacrificed to him.

王翦者，頻陽東鄉人也。少而好兵，事秦始皇。始皇十一年，翦將攻趙閼與，破之，拔九城，十八年，翦將攻趙。歲餘，遂拔趙，趙王降，盡定趙地為郡。明年，燕使荊軻為賊於秦，秦王使王翦攻燕。燕王喜走遼東，翦遂定燕薊而還。秦使翦子王賁擊荊，荊兵敗。還擊魏，魏王降，遂定魏地。

Wang Jian was a man from the eastern village of Fenyin. From youth he delighted in military matters and served Qin Shihuang. In the eleventh year of Shihuang, Jian commanded the attack on Zhao's Yanyu and broke it, conquering nine cities. In the eighteenth year, Jian commanded the attack on Zhao. After more than a year, he conquered Zhao. The King of Zhao surrendered. They completely pacified Zhao territory as commanderies. The following year, Yan sent Jing Ke to assassinate Qin. The King of Qin sent Wang Jian to attack Yan. King Xi of Yan fled to Liaodong. Jian thereupon pacified Yan's Ji and returned. Qin sent Jian's son Wang Ben to attack Chu. Chu soldiers were defeated. They returned to attack Wei. The King of Wei surrendered. They thereupon pacified Wei territory.

秦始皇既滅三晉，走燕王，而數破荊師。秦將李信者，年少壯勇，嘗以兵數千逐燕太子丹至於衍水中，卒破得丹，始皇以為賢勇。於是始皇問李信：「吾欲攻取荊，於將軍度用幾何人而足？」李信曰：「不過用二十萬人。」始皇問王翦，王翦曰：「非六十萬人不可。」始皇曰：「王將軍老矣，何怯也！李將軍果勢壯勇，其言是也。」遂使李信及蒙恬將二十萬南伐荊。王翦言不用，因謝病，歸老於頻陽。李信攻平與，蒙恬攻寢，大破荊軍。信又攻鄢郢，破之，於是引兵而西，與蒙恬會城父。荊人因隨之，三日三夜不頓舍，大破李信軍，入兩壁，殺七都尉，秦軍走。

Qin Shihuang had already extinguished the Three Jin, driven away the King of Yan, and repeatedly defeated Chu forces. Among Qin's generals was Li Xin, young and vigorous. He once with several thousand soldiers pursued Yan's crown prince Dan to the middle of Yan River, finally breaking through and capturing Dan. Shihuang considered him worthy and brave. Thereupon Shihuang asked Li Xin: 'I wish to attack and conquer Chu. In your estimation, general, how many men will suffice?' Li Xin said: 'No more than two hundred thousand men will suffice.' Shihuang asked Wang Jian. Wang Jian replied: 'Without six hundred thousand men it cannot be accomplished.' Shihuang said: 'General Wang has grown old. Why so timid? General Li is indeed vigorous and courageous. His words are correct.' Thereupon he sent Li Xin and Meng Tian to lead two hundred thousand men south to attack Chu. Wang Jian's counsel was not heeded, so he pleaded illness and returned to retire in Fenyin. Li Xin attacked Pingyu, Meng Tian attacked Qin. They greatly defeated Chu forces. Xin attacked Yanying once more and broke it. Thereupon he led troops west to rendezvous with Meng Tian at Chengfu. Chu people followed them, three days and nights without resting or camping, greatly broke Li Xin's forces, entered two walls, killed seven commandants, and Qin forces fled.

始皇聞之，大怒，自馳如頻陽，見謝王翦曰：「寡人以不用將軍計，李信果辱秦軍。今聞荊兵日進而西，將軍雖病，獨忍棄寡人乎！」王翦謝曰：「老臣罷病悖亂，唯大王更擇賢將。」始皇謝曰：「已矣，將軍勿復言！」王翦曰：「大王必不得已用臣，非六十萬人不可。」始皇曰：「為聽將軍計耳。」於是王翦將兵六十萬人，始皇自送至灞上。王翦行，請美田宅園池甚眾。始皇曰：「將軍行矣，何憂貧乎？」王翦曰：「為大王將，有功終不得封侯，故及大王之向臣，臣亦及時以請園池為子孫業耳。」始皇大笑。王翦既至關，使使還請善田者五輩。或曰：「將軍之乞貸，亦已甚矣。」王翦曰：「不然。夫秦王怚而不信人。今空秦國甲士而專委於我，我不多請田宅為子孫業以自堅，顧令秦王坐而疑我邪？」

Shihuang heard of it and grew greatly angry. He raced personally to Fenyin and apologized to Wang Jian: 'I did not use your plan. Li Xin has indeed disgraced our Qin forces. Now I hear Chu soldiers advance daily westward. Though you are ill, can you bear to abandon me?' Wang Jian declined, saying: 'Old minister is exhausted and ill, addled in mind. I ask only that Your Majesty select another worthy general.' Shihuang apologized, saying: 'Enough. General, speak no more!' Wang Jian said: 'If Your Majesty must needs employ me, six hundred thousand men are indispensable.' Shihuang said: 'I will heed your counsel.' Wang Jian led 600,000 soldiers. Shihuang personally saw him off to Bashang. As Wang Jian set out, he requested numerous fine fields, residences, gardens, and ponds. Shihuang said: 'General is departing. Why concern yourself with poverty?' Wang Jian said: 'Serving as Your Majesty's general, even with merit I will never be enfeoffed as marquess. So while Your Majesty looks favorably upon me, I also take this timely opportunity to request gardens and ponds as property for my descendants.' Shihuang burst into great laughter. When Wang Jian reached the pass, he sent messengers back five times requesting fine fields. Some remarked: 'The general's requests for favors have already gone too far.' Wang Jian said: 'Not so. The King of Qin is mistrustful and does not trust others. Now he empties Qin's armored soldiers and entrusts them exclusively to me. If I don't request numerous fields and residences as property for my descendants to fortify myself, won't the King of Qin sit idly by and suspect me?'

王翦果代李信擊荊。荊聞王翦益軍而來，乃悉國中兵以拒秦。王翦至，堅壁而守之，不肯戰。荊兵數出挑戰，終不出。王翦日休士洗沐，而善飲食撫循之，親與士卒同食。久之，王翦使人問軍中戲乎？對曰：「方投石超距。」於是王翦曰：「士卒可用矣。」荊數挑戰而秦不出，乃引而東。翦因舉兵追之，令壯士擊，大破荊軍。至蘄南，殺其將軍項燕，荊兵遂敗走。秦因乘勝略定荊地城邑。歲餘，虜荊王負芻，竟平荊地為郡縣。因南征百越之君。而王翦子王賁，與李信破定燕、齊地。

Wang Jian indeed replaced Li Xin to attack Chu. Chu heard that Wang Jian was coming with augmented forces and mobilized all soldiers in their state to resist Qin. Wang Jian arrived and fortified his position stoutly, refusing to give battle. Chu soldiers repeatedly sallied forth to challenge, but he would not emerge. Wang Jian daily gave his soldiers rest and bathing, treating them well with food and encouragement, personally sharing the same meals as his troops. After a long while, Wang Jian sent someone to ask if the army was engaging in games. They replied: 'They are currently throwing stones and leaping.' Thereupon Wang Jian said: 'The troops can be deployed now.' Chu repeatedly provoked battle but Qin would not emerge. Chu then withdrew eastward. Jian then raised his troops to pursue them, commanding valiant warriors to strike. He greatly routed Chu forces. Reaching south of Qi, he slew their general Xiang Yan. Chu soldiers thereupon fled in rout. Qin took advantage of their victory to sweep through and pacify Chu's cities and towns. After more than a year, they captured Chu King Fuchu and finally pacified Chu territory as commanderies and counties. They then campaigned southward against the lords of the Hundred Yue. Wang Jian's son Wang Ben, together with Li Xin, captured and pacified Yan and Qi territories.

秦始皇二十六年，盡并天下，王氏、蒙氏功為多，名施於後世。

In the twenty-sixth year of Qin Shihuang, they completely unified all under heaven. The Wang and Meng clans had the greatest merit, their renown extending to posterity.

秦二世之時，王翦及其子賁皆已死，而又滅蒙氏。陳勝之反秦，秦使王翦之孫王離擊趙，圍趙王及張耳鉅鹿城。或曰：「王離，秦之名將也。今將彊秦之兵，攻新造之趙，舉之必矣。」客曰：「不然。夫為將三世者必敗。必敗者何也？必其所殺伐多矣，其後受其不祥。今王離已三世將矣。」居無何，項羽救趙，擊秦軍，果虜王離，王離軍遂降諸侯。

In the time of Qin Ershi, Wang Jian and his son Ben had both already perished, and they also extinguished the Meng clan. When Chen Sheng rebelled against Qin, Qin sent Wang Jian's grandson Wang Li to attack Zhao, besieging King Zhao of Qin and Zhang Er at Julu City. Some said: 'Wang Li is Qin's renowned general. Now commanding strong Qin's soldiers to attack newly founded Zhao—it will certainly succeed.' A guest said: 'Not so. Generals of the third generation will certainly meet defeat. Why will they certainly meet defeat? They must have slain and conquered much. Afterward they receive their ill fortune. Now Wang Li is already a third-generation commander.' Before long, Xiang Yu rescued Zhao, assaulted Qin forces, and indeed captured Wang Li. Wang Li's forces surrendered to the feudal lords.

太史公曰：鄙語云「尺有所短，寸有所長」。白起料敵合變，出奇無窮，聲震天下，然不能救患於應侯。王翦為秦將，夷六國，當是時，翦為宿將，始皇師之，然不能輔秦建德，固其根本，偷合取容，以至圽身。及孫王離為項羽所虜，不亦宜乎！彼各有所短也。

The Grand Historian remarks: The vulgar proverb says 'A chi has its shortness, a cun has its length.' Bai Qi gauged foes and adapted to circumstances, deploying stratagems without bound, his reputation shook the world, yet he could not save himself from Lord Ying's machinations. Wang Jian as Qin's general extinguished the six states. At that time, Jian was a veteran general whom Shihuang relied upon, yet he could not assist Qin in establishing virtue and consolidating its foundations, but instead sought favor and accommodated himself, leading to his ruin. When his grandson Wang Li was captured by Xiang Yu, was it not fitting! Each has his deficiencies.

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