Biographies of Lu Zhonglian and Zou Yang

魯仲連者，齊人也。好奇偉俶儻之畫策，而不肯仕宦任職，好持高節。游於趙。

Lu Zhonglian was a man of Qi. He delighted in extraordinary and unconventional stratagems, yet refused to serve in office or hold any official post, preferring to uphold his lofty principles. He traveled to the state of Zhao.

趙孝成王時，而秦王使白起破趙長平之軍前後四十餘萬，秦兵遂東圍邯鄲。趙王恐，諸侯之救兵莫敢擊秦軍。魏安釐王使將軍晉鄙救趙，畏秦，止於蕩陰不進。魏王使客將軍新垣衍閒入邯鄲，因平原君謂趙王曰：「秦所為急圍趙者，前與齊湣王爭彊為帝，已而復歸帝；今齊［湣王］已益弱，方今唯秦雄天下，此非必貪邯鄲，其意欲復求為帝。趙誠發使尊秦昭王為帝，秦必喜，罷兵去。」平原君猶預未有所決。

During the reign of King Xiaocheng of Zhao, the King of Qin sent Bai Qi to destroy the Zhao army at Changping, killing over four hundred thousand soldiers in total, after which the Qin forces marched east to besiege Handan. The King of Zhao was terrified, and none of the relief forces sent by the other lords dared to attack the Qin army. King Anxi of Wei dispatched General Jin Bi to rescue Zhao, but fearing Qin, Jin Bi halted at Dangyin and refused to advance. The King of Wei sent the guest general Xin Yuanyan to slip into Handan, where through Lord Pingyuan he addressed the King of Zhao: 'The reason Qin so urgently besieges Zhao is this: previously, Qin and King Min of Qi competed for supremacy and both assumed the title of Emperor, but soon afterward both relinquished it. Now that Qi has grown ever weaker, Qin alone dominates the realm. Its true aim is not necessarily to seize Handan—rather, it wishes once again to claim the title of Emperor. If Zhao would sincerely send an envoy to honor King Zhao of Qin as Emperor, Qin would surely be pleased and withdraw its troops.' Lord Pingyuan hesitated, unable to reach a decision.

此時魯仲連適游趙，會秦圍趙，聞魏將欲令趙尊秦為帝，乃見平原君曰：「事將柰何？」平原君曰：「勝也何敢言事！前亡四十萬之眾於外，今又內圍邯鄲而不能去。魏王使客將軍新垣衍令趙帝秦，今其人在是。勝也何敢言事！」魯仲連曰：「吾始以君為天下之賢公子也，吾乃今然後知君非天下之賢公子也。梁客新垣衍安在？吾請為君責而歸之。」平原君曰：「勝請為紹介而見之於先生。」平原君遂見新垣衍曰：「東國有魯仲連先生者，今其人在此，勝請為紹介，交之於將軍。」新垣衍曰：「吾聞魯仲連先生，齊國之高士也。衍人臣也，使事有職，吾不願見魯仲連先生。」平原君曰：「勝既已泄之矣。」新垣衍許諾。

At this time, Lu Zhonglian happened to be traveling in Zhao. Finding Zhao under siege by Qin and hearing that the Wei envoy intended to compel Zhao to honor Qin as Emperor, he went to see Lord Pingyuan and asked, 'What will you do about this matter?' Lord Pingyuan replied, 'How dare I, Sheng, presume to speak of such matters! We have already lost four hundred thousand men in the field, and now Handan itself is under siege with no relief in sight. The King of Wei has sent the guest general Xin Yuanyan to pressure us into crowning Qin as Emperor, and that man is here now. How dare I, Sheng, presume to speak of such matters!' Lu Zhonglian said, 'At first I took you for the worthiest nobleman in the realm, but only now do I realize you are not. Where is the Wei envoy Xin Yuanyan? Allow me to rebuke him on your behalf and send him packing.' Lord Pingyuan said, 'Allow me to introduce him and arrange a meeting with you, Master.' Lord Pingyuan then went to see Xin Yuanyan and said, 'In the eastern state of Qi there is a Master Lu Zhonglian, and he happens to be here now. Allow me to introduce you to him, General.' Xin Yuanyan replied, 'I have heard of Master Lu Zhonglian—he is a lofty scholar of the state of Qi. But I, Yan, am a subject on a mission with official duties to fulfill, and I do not wish to meet Master Lu Zhonglian.' Lord Pingyuan said, 'I have already let him know you are here.' Xin Yuanyan consented.

魯連見新垣衍而無言。新垣衍曰：「吾視居此圍城之中者，皆有求於平原君者也；今吾觀先生之玉貌，非有求於平原君者也，曷為久居此圍城之中而不去？」魯仲連曰：「世以鮑焦為無從頌而死者，皆非也。眾人不知，則為一身。彼秦者，棄禮義而上首功之國也，權使其士，虜使其民。彼即肆然而為帝，過而為政於天下，則連有蹈東海而死耳，吾不忍為之民也。所為見將軍者，欲以助趙也。」

Lu Zhonglian met Xin Yuanyan but said nothing. Xin Yuanyan said, 'As I see it, everyone who remains in this besieged city has something to ask of Lord Pingyuan. Yet observing your distinguished countenance, Master, you do not seem to be someone who has any request of Lord Pingyuan. Why then do you remain so long in this besieged city and not leave?' Lu Zhonglian replied, 'The world considers Bao Jiao to have been a man who died without anyone to praise or follow him, but they are all wrong. When the multitude does not understand, one acts for oneself alone. Qin is a state that has cast aside ritual propriety and righteousness, elevating only the merit of severed heads in battle. It manipulates its scholars through coercion and treats its people as captives. If Qin were to brazenly claim the title of Emperor and proceed to rule the realm, then I, Zhonglian, would sooner wade into the Eastern Sea and drown than endure being its subject. The reason I wish to see the General is to help Zhao.'

新垣衍曰：「先生助之將柰何？」魯連曰：「吾將使梁及燕助之，齊、楚則固助之矣。」新垣衍曰：「燕則吾請以從矣；若乃梁者，則吾乃梁人也，先生惡能使梁助之？」魯連曰：「梁未睹秦稱帝之害故耳。使梁睹秦稱帝之害，則必助趙矣。」

Xin Yuanyan asked, 'How does the Master propose to help?' Lu Zhonglian said, 'I shall persuade Wei and Yan to come to Zhao's aid, while Qi and Chu are already committed to helping.' Xin Yuanyan said, 'As for Yan, I grant that it might follow. But as for Wei—I myself am a man of Wei. How could you, Master, possibly make Wei come to Zhao's aid?' Lu Zhonglian replied, 'That is only because Wei has not yet seen the harm that would come from Qin claiming the title of Emperor. Once Wei sees the harm, it will surely come to Zhao's aid.'

新垣衍曰：「秦稱帝之害何如？」魯連曰：「昔者齊威王嘗為仁義矣，率天下諸侯而朝周。周貧且微，諸侯莫朝，而齊獨朝之。居歲餘，周烈王崩，齊後往，周怒，赴於齊曰：『天崩地坼，天子下席。東藩之臣因齊後至，則斮。』齊威王勃然怒曰：『叱嗟，而母婢也！』卒為天下笑。故生則朝周，死則叱之，誠不忍其求也。彼天子固然，其無足怪。」

Xin Yuanyan asked, 'What harm would come from Qin claiming the title of Emperor?' Lu Zhonglian said, 'In former times, King Wei of Qi once championed benevolence and righteousness, leading the lords of the realm to pay tribute at the Zhou court. Zhou was impoverished and feeble, and none of the other lords paid it homage—only Qi did so. After more than a year, King Lie of Zhou died, and Qi was late in sending condolences. Zhou was furious and sent word to Qi: 'Heaven has collapsed and the earth has split open; the Son of Heaven has descended from his mat. The eastern vassal Qi arrived late—it shall be beheaded for this offense.' King Wei of Qi flew into a rage and retorted, 'Bah! Your mother was a slave woman!' In the end, he became a laughingstock of the realm. So while the Zhou king lived, Qi paid tribute, but when the king died, Qi cursed the Zhou court—for it truly could not bear Zhou's imperious demands. Such is the nature of a Son of Heaven—there is nothing surprising about it.'

新垣衍曰：「先生獨不見夫仆乎？十人而從一人者，寧力不勝而智不若邪？畏之也。」魯仲連曰：「嗚呼！梁之比於秦若仆邪？」新垣衍曰：「然。」魯仲連曰：「吾將使秦王烹醢梁王。」新垣衍怏然不悅，曰：「噫嘻，亦太甚矣先生之言也！先生又惡能使秦王烹醢梁王？」魯仲魯曰：「固也，吾將言之。昔者九侯、鄂侯、文王，紂之三公也。九侯有子而好，獻之於紂，紂以為惡，醢九侯。鄂侯爭之彊，辯之疾，故脯鄂侯。文王聞之，喟然而嘆，故拘之牖里之庫百日，欲令之死。曷為與人俱稱王，卒就脯醢之地？齊湣王之魯，夷維子為執策而從，謂魯人曰：『子將何以待吾君？』魯人曰：『吾將以十太牢待子之君。』夷維子曰：『子安取禮而來［待］吾君？彼吾君者，天子也。天子巡狩，諸侯辟舍，納筦籥，攝衽抱機，視膳於堂下，天子已食，乃退而聽朝也。』魯人投其籥，不果納。不得入於魯，將之薛，假途於鄒。當是時，鄒君死，湣王欲入弔，夷維子謂鄒之孤曰：『天子弔，主人必將倍殯棺，設北面於南方，然後天子南面弔也。』鄒之群臣曰：『必若此，吾將伏劍而死。』固不敢入於鄒。鄒、魯之臣，生則不得事養，死則不得賻襚，然且欲行天子之禮於鄒、魯，鄒、魯之臣不果納。今秦萬乘之國也，梁亦萬乘之國也。俱據萬乘之國，各有稱王之名，睹其一戰而勝，欲從而帝之，是使三晉之大臣不如鄒、魯之仆妾也。且秦無已而帝，則且變易諸侯之大臣。彼將奪其所不肖而與其所賢，奪其所憎而與其所愛。彼又將使其子女讒妾為諸侯妃姬。處梁之宮。梁王安得晏然而已乎？而將軍又何以得故寵乎？」

Xin Yuanyan said, 'Has the Master never observed a servant? When ten men follow one, is it because they lack strength or fall short in wisdom? It is because they fear him.' Lu Zhonglian exclaimed, 'Alas! Then you are saying that Wei stands to Qin as a servant to his master?' Xin Yuanyan replied, 'Yes.' Lu Zhonglian said, 'Then I shall see to it that the King of Qin boils the King of Wei alive and makes mincemeat of him.' Xin Yuanyan was visibly displeased and said, 'How outrageous! The Master's words go too far! And how could the Master possibly bring it about that the King of Qin would boil and mince the King of Wei?' Lu Zhonglian replied, 'Indeed he would. Allow me to explain. In ancient times, the Marquis of Jiu, the Marquis of E, and King Wen were the three high ministers of the tyrant Zhou. The Marquis of Jiu had a beautiful daughter whom he presented to Zhou, but Zhou found her displeasing and had the Marquis made into mincemeat. The Marquis of E protested vigorously and argued heatedly on his behalf, so Zhou had the Marquis of E dried into jerky. When King Wen heard of this, he heaved a deep sigh—and for that, Zhou imprisoned him at Youli for a hundred days, intending to let him die there. Why was it that men who shared the title of king with the tyrant Zhou ended up as jerky and mincemeat? When King Min of Qi visited Lu, Yi Weizi drove the chariot and followed him, asking the people of Lu, 'How do you intend to receive my lord?' The men of Lu replied, 'We shall receive your lord with ten sets of the grand sacrifice.' Yi Weizi said, 'What right have you to treat my lord with mere ritual courtesy? My lord is the Son of Heaven. When the Son of Heaven goes on a tour of inspection, the feudal lords must vacate their residences, surrender their keys and tallies, tuck up their robes and stand attending, oversee the meals from below the hall, and only after the Son of Heaven has finished eating may they withdraw to hold court.' The men of Lu threw down their tallies and refused to receive him. Unable to enter Lu, King Min headed for Xue and sought passage through Zou. At that time, the lord of Zou had just died, and King Min wished to offer condolences. Yi Weizi told the heir of Zou, 'When the Son of Heaven pays his condolences, the host must turn the coffin around, set up a north-facing position at the south end, and only then may the Son of Heaven face south to offer his condolences.' The ministers of Zou declared, 'If it must be so, we shall fall on our swords and die.' And so King Min dared not enter Zou. The ministers of Zou and Lu had never served King Min in life nor contributed funeral gifts in death, yet he sought to impose the rites of the Son of Heaven upon them—and the ministers of Zou and Lu refused to submit. Now, Qin is a state of ten thousand chariots, and Wei is likewise a state of ten thousand chariots. Both command states of ten thousand chariots, and each bears the title of king. Yet upon seeing Qin win a single battle, you would follow along and crown it Emperor—this would make the great ministers of the Three Jin states inferior even to the servants and concubines of Zou and Lu. Moreover, once Qin ceaselessly holds the title of Emperor, it will begin to replace the great ministers of the other lords. It will strip positions from those it deems unworthy and give them to those it favors, remove those it dislikes and install those it loves. It will also plant its own daughters and scheming women as consorts of the feudal lords. They will reside in the palaces of Wei. How then could the King of Wei rest easy? And how, General, would you retain the favor you now enjoy?'

於是新垣衍起，再拜謝曰：「始以先生為庸人，吾乃今日知先生為天下之士也。吾請出，不敢復言帝秦。」秦將聞之，為卻軍五十里。適會魏公子無忌奪晉鄙軍以救趙，擊秦軍，秦軍遂引而去。

At this, Xin Yuanyan rose from his seat and bowed twice in apology, saying, 'At first I took you for an ordinary man, Master, but only today do I realize that you are a true gentleman of the realm. I shall take my leave and will never again dare to speak of crowning Qin as Emperor.' When the Qin general heard of this, he withdrew his forces fifty li. As it happened, Prince Wuji of Wei seized command of Jin Bi's army to rescue Zhao and attacked the Qin forces, and the Qin army withdrew entirely.

於是平原君欲封魯連，魯連辭讓（使）者三，終不肯受。平原君乃置酒，酒酣起前，以千金為魯連壽。魯連笑曰：「所貴於天下之士者，為人排患釋難解紛亂而無取也。即有取者，是商賈之事也，而連不忍為也。」遂辭平原君而去，終身不復見。

Thereupon Lord Pingyuan wished to grant Lu Zhonglian a fief, but Lu Zhonglian declined three times through his envoys and in the end refused to accept. Lord Pingyuan then prepared a banquet, and when the wine was flowing freely, he rose, stepped forward, and offered Lu Zhonglian a thousand pieces of gold as a toast. Lu Zhonglian laughed and said, 'What is valued in a true gentleman of the realm is that he dispels troubles, resolves difficulties, and untangles disputes for others without taking anything in return. To accept payment—that is the business of merchants, and Zhonglian cannot bring himself to do it.' He then took his leave of Lord Pingyuan and departed, and for the rest of his life they never met again.

其後二十餘年，燕將攻下聊城，聊城人或讒之燕，燕將懼誅，因保守聊城，不敢歸。齊田單攻聊城歲餘，士卒多死而聊城不下。魯連乃為書，約之矢以射城中，遺燕將。《書》曰：

More than twenty years later, a Yan general captured Liaocheng, but some of the Liaocheng people slandered him to the Yan court. Fearing execution, the general clung to Liaocheng in self-defense and dared not return. Tian Dan of Qi laid siege to Liaocheng for over a year, losing many soldiers, yet the city did not fall. Lu Zhonglian then composed a letter, bound it to an arrow, and shot it into the city to reach the Yan general. The letter read:

吾聞之，智者不倍時而棄利，勇士不死而滅名，忠臣不先身而後君。今公行一朝之忿，不顧燕王之無臣，非忠也；殺身亡聊城，而威不信於齊，非勇也；功敗名滅，後世無稱焉，非智也。三者世主不臣，說士不載，故智者不再計，勇士不怯死。今死生榮辱，貴賤尊卑，此時不再至，願公詳計而無與俗同。

I have heard it said that the wise man does not let opportunity pass and throw away advantage, the brave man does not court a death that destroys his name, and the loyal minister does not put himself before his lord. Now you act on a moment's anger, heedless that the King of Yan is left without ministers—this is not loyalty. To die here and lose Liaocheng while your name commands no respect in Qi—this is not bravery. To let your achievements come to ruin and your name be extinguished, with no one in later ages to praise you—this is not wisdom. A man guilty of all three would not be employed as a minister by any ruler nor recorded by any scholar. Therefore, the wise man does not need to reconsider, and the brave man does not fear death. Now matters of life and death, glory and shame, honor and disgrace stand before you, and this moment will not come again. I hope you will weigh your options carefully and not follow the common herd.

且楚攻齊之南陽，魏攻平陸，而齊無南面之心，以為亡南陽之害小，不如得濟北之利大，故定計審處之。今秦人下兵，魏不敢東面；衡秦之勢成，楚國之形危；齊棄南陽，斷右壤，定濟北，計猶且為之也。且夫齊之必決於聊城，公勿再計。今楚魏交退於齊，而燕救不至。以全齊之兵，無天下之規，與聊城共據期年之敝，則臣見公之不能得也。且燕國大亂，君臣失計，上下迷惑，栗腹以十萬之眾五折於外，以萬乘之國被圍於趙，壤削主困，為天下僇笑。國敝而禍多，民無所歸心。今公又以敝聊之民距全齊之兵，是墨翟之守也。食人炊骨，士無反外之心，是孫臏之兵也。能見於天下。雖然，為公計者，不如全車甲以報於燕。車甲全而歸燕，燕王必喜；身全而歸於國，士民如見父母，交游攘臂而議於世，功業可明。上輔孤主以制群臣，下養百姓以資說士，矯國更俗，功名可立也。亡意亦捐燕棄世，東游於齊乎？裂地定封，富比乎陶、衛，世世稱孤，與齊久存，又一計也。此兩計者，顯名厚實也，願公詳計而審處一焉。

Moreover, Chu is attacking Qi's Nanyang and Wei is attacking Pinglu, yet Qi has no intention of turning south to counter them. Qi reckons that losing Nanyang is a small price compared to the great gain of securing Jibei, and has therefore settled its strategy accordingly. Now that Qin has sent troops south, Wei dares not face east. The horizontal alliance with Qin has taken shape, and Chu's position has become precarious. Qi has abandoned Nanyang, cut off its western flank, and secured Jibei—its strategy is already set on this course. Qi is determined to settle matters at Liaocheng, so do not delude yourself with further calculations. Now both Chu and Wei have withdrawn from their attacks on Qi, while no rescue from Yan has arrived. With the full might of Qi's army bearing down, and no other power to divert its attention, if you try to hold out in Liaocheng through a year of attrition, I can see that you will not prevail. Moreover, the state of Yan is in utter chaos—its rulers and ministers have lost their bearings, with confusion reigning from top to bottom. Li Fu led a hundred thousand troops only to suffer five defeats abroad, and a state of ten thousand chariots has been besieged by Zhao. Its territory has been carved away and its lord humiliated, making it a laughingstock of the realm. The state is exhausted and beset by calamities, and the people have nowhere to place their loyalty. Now you seek to resist the full might of Qi with the exhausted people of Liaocheng—your defense rivals that of Mozi himself. Your people eat human flesh and burn bones for fuel, yet your soldiers have no thought of defecting—your troops are as disciplined as those of Sun Bin. Your abilities are recognized throughout the realm. Even so, your best course would be to withdraw with your chariots and armor intact and return to serve Yan. If you return to Yan with your forces intact, the King of Yan will surely be pleased. Returning safely to your homeland, the officials and people will welcome you as though greeting their own parents, your friends will raise their arms and speak of your deeds throughout the realm, and your achievements will shine for all to see. Above, you would assist the young ruler in managing his ministers; below, you would nurture the common people and support men of talent. You could reform the state and transform its customs, and your fame and merit would be established for all time. Or do you perhaps intend to abandon Yan and renounce the world, traveling east to Qi instead? You could carve out a territory and establish a fief, growing as wealthy as the lords of Tao and Wei, styling yourself a sovereign for generations, and enduring alongside Qi—that too is a viable plan. Both of these plans would bring you an illustrious name and substantial rewards. I urge you to weigh them carefully and choose one.

且吾聞之，規小睗者不能成榮名，惡小恥者不能立大功。昔者管夷吾射桓公中其鉤，篡也；遺公子糾不能死，怯也；束縛桎梏，辱也。若此三行者，世主不臣而鄉里不通。鄉使管子幽囚而不出，身死而不反於齊，則亦名不免為辱人賤行矣。臧獲且羞與之同名矣，況世俗乎！笔管子不恥身在縲紲之中而恥天下之不治，不恥不死公子糾而恥威之不信於諸侯，故兼三行之過而為五霸首，名高天下而光燭鄰國。曹子為魯將，三戰三北，而亡地五百里。鄉使曹子計不反顧，議不還踵，刎頸而死，則亦名不免為敗軍禽將矣。曹子棄三北之恥，而退與魯君計。桓公朝天下，會諸侯，曹子以一劍之任，枝桓公之心於壇坫之上，顏色不變，辭氣不悖，三戰之所亡一朝而復之，天下震動，諸侯驚駭，威加吳、越。若此二士者，非不能成小廉而行小睗也，以為殺身亡軀，絕世滅後，功名不立，非智也。故去感忿之怨，立終身之名；棄忿悁之節，定累世之功。是以業與三王爭流，而名與天壤相獘也。願公擇一而行之。

Furthermore, I have heard it said that those who scheme for petty gains cannot achieve a glorious name, and those who cannot endure small humiliations cannot accomplish great deeds. In former times, Guan Zhong shot at Duke Huan and struck his belt hook—an act of rebellion. When Prince Jiu was killed, Guan Zhong failed to die alongside him—an act of cowardice. He was bound in fetters and shackles—an act of humiliation. With these three marks against him, no ruler in the world would have employed him, and no village would have associated with him. Had Guan Zhong remained in prison and never emerged, had he died there without returning to Qi, his name would never have escaped the stigma of a disgraced man of base conduct. Even slaves would have been ashamed to be mentioned in the same breath as him, let alone ordinary people! But Guan Zhong felt no shame at being in chains—his shame was that the realm was not in order. He felt no shame at failing to die for Prince Jiu—his shame was that his lord's authority was not trusted by the feudal lords. And so, despite bearing the blame of all three transgressions, he rose to become the foremost of the Five Hegemons, his name towering over the realm and his glory illuminating the neighboring states. Cao Mo served as a general of Lu and lost three battles in a row, surrendering five hundred li of territory. Had Cao Mo refused to look back, declined to reconsider, and simply cut his own throat, his name would have been forever associated with a defeated army and a captured general. Instead, Cao Mo set aside the shame of three defeats and withdrew to plan with the lord of Lu. When Duke Huan summoned the lords of the realm to an assembly, Cao Mo advanced with only a dagger, pressing it against Duke Huan's chest upon the altar platform. His expression did not change, and his words did not falter. In a single morning he recovered all the territory lost in three battles. The realm was shaken, the feudal lords stood in awe, and his prestige reached as far as Wu and Yue. These two men were not incapable of preserving petty honor or gaining small advantages, but they understood that to throw away one's life, cut off one's line, and leave no merit behind is not wisdom. Therefore they cast aside the resentment born of wounded pride and established names that would endure a lifetime. They abandoned the stubborn integrity of rage and spite, and secured achievements that would last for generations. And so their accomplishments vied with those of the Three Kings, and their fame endures as long as heaven and earth. I urge you to choose one and act upon it.

燕將見魯連書，泣三日，猶豫不能自決。欲歸燕，已有隙，恐誅；欲降齊，所殺虜於齊甚眾，恐已降而後見辱。喟然嘆曰：「與人刃我，寧自刃。」乃自殺。聊城亂，田單遂屠聊城。歸而言魯連，欲爵之。魯連逃隱於海上，曰：「吾與富貴而詘於人，寧貧賤而輕世肆志焉。」

When the Yan general read Lu Zhonglian's letter, he wept for three days, torn and unable to reach a decision. He wished to return to Yan, but a rift had already formed, and he feared he would be executed. He wished to surrender to Qi, but he had killed and captured so many of its people that he feared he would be humiliated after surrendering. With a deep sigh he said, 'Rather than let another man's blade find me, I would sooner turn the blade on myself.' And so he took his own life. Liaocheng fell into chaos, and Tian Dan sacked the city. Upon returning, Tian Dan spoke of Lu Zhonglian's role and wished to grant him a noble title. But Lu Zhonglian fled and hid himself by the sea, saying, 'Rather than enjoy wealth and honor while bowing to others, I would prefer to be poor and lowly, free to scorn the world and follow my own will.'

鄒陽者，齊人也。游於梁，與故吳人莊忌夫子、淮陰枚生之徒交。上書而介於羊勝、公孫詭之閒。勝等嫉鄒陽，惡之梁孝王。孝王怒，下之吏，將欲殺之。鄒陽客游，以讒見禽，恐死而負累，乃從獄中上書曰：

Zou Yang was a man of Qi. He traveled to Liang, where he associated with Master Zhuang Ji, a former man of Wu, and Mei Sheng of Huaiyin, among others. He submitted memorials and found himself drawn into the circle of Yang Sheng and Gongsun Gui. Yang Sheng and his associates grew envious of Zou Yang and slandered him before King Xiao of Liang. King Xiao was furious and had Zou Yang turned over to the officials, intending to have him executed. Zou Yang, a traveling guest who had been imprisoned on account of slander, feared that his death would bring dishonor upon those connected to him. And so from prison he submitted a letter that read:

臣聞忠無不報，信不見疑，臣常以為然，徒虛語耳。昔者荊軻慕燕丹之義，白虹貫日，太子畏之；衛先生為秦畫長平之事，太白蝕昴，而昭王疑之。夫精變天地而信不喻兩主，豈不哀哉！今臣盡忠竭誠，畢議願知，左右不明，卒從吏訊，為世所疑，是使荊軻、衛先生復起，而燕、秦不悟也。願大王孰察之。

Your servant has heard it said that loyalty is always repaid and faithfulness is never doubted. I once believed this to be true, but now I see it was nothing but empty words. In former times, Jing Ke so admired the righteousness of Crown Prince Dan of Yan that a white rainbow pierced the sun as an omen—yet the Crown Prince still harbored doubts about him. Master Wei devised the strategy for the Battle of Changping on behalf of Qin, and Venus eclipsed the Pleiades as a celestial sign—yet King Zhao of Qin doubted him. Their sincerity was so profound that it moved heaven and earth, yet their faithfulness could not be understood by their own lords—how sorrowful this is! Now your servant has exhausted his loyalty and poured out his sincerity, laying all his counsel before you, yet those around Your Majesty fail to understand. In the end I am subjected to interrogation by officials and doubted by the world. It is as though Jing Ke and Master Wei had risen from the dead, and yet Yan and Qin still remained blind. I beg Your Majesty to examine the matter carefully.

昔卞和獻寶，楚王刖之；李斯竭忠，胡亥極刑。是以箕子詳狂，接輿辟世，恐遭此患也。願大王孰察卞和、李斯之意，而後楚王、胡亥之聽，無使臣為箕子、接輿所笑。臣聞比干剖心，子胥鴟夷，臣始不信，乃今知之。願大王孰察，少加憐焉。

In ancient times, Bian He offered his precious jade, but the King of Chu had his feet cut off. Li Si devoted himself with utmost loyalty, yet Huhai subjected him to the cruelest punishment. This is why Jizi feigned madness and Jieyu withdrew from the world—they feared they would suffer such a fate. I beg Your Majesty to examine closely the true intentions of Bian He and Li Si, and not to listen as the King of Chu and Huhai did, lest your servant become an object of ridicule alongside Jizi and Jieyu. Your servant had heard that Bi Gan's heart was cut open and that Wu Zixu's body was sewn into a leather sack. At first I did not believe such things could happen, but now I know they can. I beg Your Majesty to examine the truth carefully and show a measure of mercy.

諺曰：「有白頭如新，傾蓋如故。」何則？知與不知也。故昔樊於期逃秦之燕，藉荊軻首以奉丹之事；王奢去齊之魏，臨城自剄以卻齊而存魏。夫王奢、樊於期非新於齊、秦而故於燕、魏也，所以去二國死兩君者，行合於志而慕義無窮也。是以蘇秦不信於天下，而為燕尾生；白圭戰亡六城，為魏取中山。何則？誠有以相知也。蘇秦相燕，燕人惡之於王，王按劍而怒，食以駃騠；白圭顯於中山，中山人惡之魏文侯，文侯投之以夜光之璧。何則？兩主二臣，剖心坼肝相信，豈移於浮辭哉！

The proverb says, 'Some grow old together yet remain strangers; others meet once beneath a carriage canopy and become fast friends.' Why is this? It is a matter of truly knowing and not knowing one another. Thus in ancient times, Fan Yuqi fled from Qin to Yan, and offered his own head through Jing Ke to serve Prince Dan's cause. Wang She left Qi for Wei, and when the city was besieged, he cut his own throat atop the walls to drive back Qi and save Wei. Wang She and Fan Yuqi were not strangers to Qi and Qin nor old friends of Yan and Wei. The reason they left their native states and died for foreign lords was that their conduct matched their convictions and their devotion to righteousness knew no bounds. This is why Su Qin, though distrusted throughout the realm, became as faithful to Yan as Wei Sheng was to his vow. And Bai Gui, though he lost six cities in battle, went on to capture the state of Zhongshan for Wei. Why was this? Because lord and minister truly understood one another. When Su Qin served as chancellor of Yan, people of Yan slandered him before the king. The king, gripping his sword in fury, responded by feasting Su Qin with the finest meats. When Bai Gui made a name for himself in Zhongshan, people of Zhongshan slandered him to Marquis Wen of Wei. The marquis responded by presenting Bai Gui with a luminous jade disc. Why was this? These two lords and their two ministers had laid bare their hearts and split open their livers in mutual trust—how could they be swayed by idle words!

故女無美惡，入宮見妒；士無賢不肖，入朝見嫉。昔者司馬喜髕腳於宋，卒相中山；范睢摺脅折齒於魏，卒為應侯。此二人者，皆信必然之畫，捐朋黨之私，挾孤獨之位，故不能自免於嫉妒之人也。是以申徒狄自沈於河，徐衍負石入海。不容於世，義不茍取，比周於朝，以移主上之心。故百里奚乞食於路，繆公委之以政；甯戚飯牛車下，而桓公任之以國。此二人者，豈借宦於朝，假譽於左右，然後二主用之哉？感於心，合於行，親於膠漆，昆弟不能離，豈惑於眾口哉？故偏聽生姦，獨任成亂。昔者魯聽季孫之說而逐孔子，宋信子罕之計而囚墨翟。夫以孔、墨之辯，不能自免於讒諛，而二國以危。何則？眾口鑠金，積毀銷骨也。是以秦用戎人由余而霸中國，齊用越人蒙而彊威、宣。此二國，豈拘於俗，牽於世，系阿偏之辭哉？公聽并觀，垂名當世。故意合則胡越為昆弟，由余、越人蒙是矣；不合，則骨肉出逐不收，朱、象、管、蔡是矣。今人主誠能用齊、秦之義，後宋、魯之聽，則五伯不足稱，三王易為也。

Thus it is that women, regardless of beauty, are envied the moment they enter the palace. And scholars, regardless of merit, are resented the moment they enter the court. In ancient times, Sima Xi had his kneecaps shattered in Song, yet he went on to become chancellor of Zhongshan. Fan Sui had his ribs cracked and his teeth knocked out in Wei, yet he went on to become the Marquis of Ying. Both of these men trusted in plans they knew to be right, abandoned the private interests of factions, and held themselves apart in isolated positions—and for this reason they could not escape the malice of the envious. This is why Shentu Di drowned himself in the river and Xu Yan walked into the sea bearing a stone. They could not be tolerated by the world because they would not compromise their principles by forming cliques at court to sway their sovereign's heart. Baili Xi once begged for food by the roadside, yet Duke Mu of Qin entrusted him with the government. Ning Qi fed oxen beneath a cart, yet Duke Huan of Qi entrusted him with the affairs of state. Did these two men first borrow an office at court or a reputation from the attendants before their lords employed them? Their hearts were moved, their conduct aligned; they were bound closer than glue and lacquer, inseparable even by brothers—how could the clamor of the crowd have confused them? Therefore, listening to only one side breeds treachery, and relying on a single counselor invites chaos. In former times, Lu heeded the words of the Ji Sun clan and drove out Confucius; Song trusted the schemes of Zi Han and imprisoned Mozi. Even with the eloquence of Confucius and Mozi, they could not save themselves from slander and flattery, and both states were brought to the brink of ruin. Why was this? Because the mouths of the many can melt gold, and accumulated slander can grind bones to dust. This is why Qin employed You Yu, a man of the Rong, and achieved hegemony over the Central States; and Qi employed Meng, a man of Yue, and strengthened itself during the reigns of kings Wei and Xuan. Were these two states shackled by convention, swayed by popular opinion, or bound by the words of flatterers? They listened broadly and observed impartially, and thus bequeathed their names to posterity. Thus when minds are in accord, even the Hu and the Yue become brothers—as the cases of You Yu and Meng of Yue attest. But when minds are at odds, even flesh and blood are cast out and never recalled—as the cases of Zhu, Xiang, Guan, and Cai demonstrate. If a ruler today could truly follow the example of Qi and Qin while avoiding the mistakes of Song and Lu, then surpassing the Five Hegemons would be trivial, and matching the Three Kings would be within easy reach.

是以聖王覺寤，捐子之之心，而能不說於田常之賢；封比干之後，修孕婦之墓，故功業復就於天下。何則？欲善無厭也。夫晉文公親其讎，彊霸諸侯；齊桓公用其仇，而一匡天下。何則，慈仁慇勤，誠加於心，不可以虛辭借也。

This is why the sage kings, upon awakening, cast aside the suspicions of a Gu Sou and refused to be seduced by the cunning of a Tian Chang. They enfeoffed the descendants of Bi Gan and restored the tombs of the innocent—and so their achievements were brought to fruition throughout the realm. Why was this? Because their desire for goodness knew no limit. Duke Wen of Jin embraced his former enemies and rose to dominate the feudal lords. Duke Huan of Qi employed the very man who had tried to kill him, and in so doing set the entire realm to rights. Why? Because their compassion and diligence were rooted in sincere conviction—virtues that cannot be borrowed through empty words.

至夫秦用商鞅之法，東弱韓、魏，兵彊天下，而卒車裂之；越用大夫種之謀，禽勁吳，霸中國，而卒誅其身。是以孫叔敖三去相而不悔，於陵子仲辭三公為人灌園。今人主誠能去驕傲之心，懷可報之意，披心腹，見情素，墮肝膽，施德厚，終與之窮達，無愛於士，則桀之狗可使吠堯，而蹠之客可使刺由；況因萬乘之權，假聖王之資乎？然則荊軻之湛七族，要離之燒妻子，豈足道哉！

As for Qin, it adopted Shang Yang's laws, weakened Han and Wei to the east, and built the strongest army in the realm—yet in the end, it tore Shang Yang apart between chariots. Yue employed the strategies of Grand Officer Zhong, captured the mighty state of Wu, and achieved hegemony over the Central States—yet in the end put Zhong to death. This is why Sun Shuao was dismissed from the chancellorship three times without regret, and Zi Zhong of Yuling declined the position of one of the Three Excellencies to water gardens for others. If a ruler today could truly cast off his arrogance, harbor the desire to repay loyalty, bare his innermost heart, reveal his true feelings, offer up his very liver and gall in trust, bestow generous virtue, share in his scholars' poverty and success alike, and show no stinginess toward men of talent—then even the dogs of the tyrant Jie could be made to bark at Yao, and even the followers of the bandit Zhi could be sent to assassinate a sage like Xu You. How much more could be accomplished by one who wields the power of ten thousand chariots and possesses the resources of a sage king? If so, then what Jing Ke suffered—the destruction of his seven kindred clans—or what Yao Li endured—the burning of his wife and children—would scarcely be worth mentioning!

臣聞明月之珠，夜光之璧，以闇投人於道路，人無不按劍相眄者。何則？無因而至前也。蟠木根柢，輪囷離詭，而為萬乘器者。何則？以左右先為之容也。故無因至前，雖出隨侯之珠，夜光之璧，猶結怨而不見德。故有人先談，則以枯木朽株樹功而不忘。今夫天下布衣窮居之士，身在貧賤，雖蒙堯、舜之術，挾伊、管之辯，懷龍逢、比干之意，欲盡忠當世之君，而素無根柢之容，雖竭精思，欲開忠信，輔人主之治，則人主必有按劍相眄之跡，是使布衣不得為枯木朽株之資也。

Your servant has heard that if a pearl as bright as the moon or a jade disc that glows in the dark is hurled at a man on the road in the dead of night, there is no one who will not clap a hand to his sword and glare. Why is this? Because a treasure that arrives without explanation arouses suspicion. Yet gnarled wood with twisted roots and tangled grain can be fashioned into vessels fit for a king of ten thousand chariots. Why is this? Because someone has already prepared a place for it and presented it properly. Thus when something arrives without introduction, even if one produces the pearl of the Marquis of Sui or a jade disc that glows in the dark, it will still breed resentment rather than gratitude. But if someone speaks on one's behalf first, then even a withered log and a rotten stump can be used to build merit that will never be forgotten. Now consider the scholars of the realm who dwell in poverty and low estate. Though they may possess the arts of Yao and Shun, wield the eloquence of Yi Yin and Guan Zhong, and harbor the devotion of Long Pang and Bi Gan, wishing to devote their utmost loyalty to the ruler of their age—yet lacking anyone to introduce them or vouch for their worth—no matter how they exhaust their minds and seek to offer their faithfulness, the ruler will inevitably greet them with a hand on his sword and a suspicious glare. This is what prevents men of humble birth from gaining even the advantage of the gnarled log and the rotten stump.

是以聖王制世御俗，獨化於陶鈞之上，而不牽於卑亂之語，不奪於眾多之口。故秦皇帝任中庶子蒙嘉之言，以信荊軻之說，而匕首竊發；周文王獵涇、渭，載呂尚而歸，以王天下。故秦信左右而殺，周用烏集而王。何則？以其能越攣拘之語，馳域外之議，獨觀於昭曠之道也。

This is why the sage kings who governed the world and guided its customs shaped affairs from above, as a potter shapes clay on his wheel. They refused to be dragged down by base and confused talk, and would not be swayed by the clamor of the multitude. Thus the First Emperor of Qin relied on the words of his palace attendant Meng Jia, and on that basis trusted the claims of Jing Ke—only to have the hidden dagger spring out. King Wen of Zhou went hunting along the Jing and Wei rivers, encountered Lu Shang, and brought him home—and with his help went on to rule the realm. Thus Qin trusted its inner circle and nearly perished, while Zhou employed a stranger who came by chance and became king. Why was this? Because King Wen was able to see beyond the cramped words of convention, to range freely in thought beyond all boundaries, and to perceive alone the bright and expansive Way.

今人主沈於諂諛之辭，牽於帷裳之制，使不羈之士與牛驥同皁，此鮑焦所以忿於世而不留富貴之樂也。

Yet today's rulers are mired in the words of flatterers, bound by the strictures of palace etiquette, and force the free-spirited scholar to share a manger with oxen and warhorses alike. This is why Bao Jiao raged at the world and refused to enjoy the pleasures of wealth and rank.

臣聞盛飾入朝者不以利汙義，砥厲名號者不以欲傷行，故縣名勝母而曾子不入，邑號朝歌而墨子回車。今欲使天下寥廓之士，攝於威重之權，主於位勢之貴，故回面汙行以事諂諛之人而求親近於左右，則士伏死堀穴巖（巖）［藪］之中耳，安肯有盡忠信而趨闕下者哉！書奏梁孝王，孝王使人出之，卒為上客。

Your servant has heard that those who enter court in splendid attire do not let profit stain their righteousness, and those who sharpen their reputations do not let desire corrupt their conduct. This is why Zengzi refused to enter a county called Shengmu, and Mozi turned his chariot away from a town named Zhaoge. If you now force the broad-minded scholars of the realm to cower before the weight of authority, to grovel before the prestige of rank, and to soil their reputations serving flatterers in hopes of gaining access to the inner circle—then the true scholars will sooner hide themselves away and die in caves and rocky marshes than ever come to the palace gates to offer their loyal service! When the letter was submitted to King Xiao of Liang, the king sent men to release Zou Yang from prison, and in the end made him an honored guest.

太史公曰：魯連其指意雖不合大義，然余多其在布衣之位，蕩然肆志，不詘於諸侯，談說於當世，折卿相之權。鄒陽辭雖不遜，然其比物連類，有足悲者，亦可謂抗直不橈矣，吾是以附之列傳焉。

The Grand Historian remarks: Although Lu Zhonglian's aims may not have perfectly accorded with the highest principles of righteousness, I greatly admire how, from the humble station of a commoner, he gave free rein to his will, refused to bend before the feudal lords, argued and persuaded in his own age, and broke the power of chancellors and ministers. As for Zou Yang, though his language may at times have been immoderate, his analogies and connected arguments have something deeply moving about them. He too may be called upright and unbending. It is for this reason that I have included them together in this biography.

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