Historia Vol. 5 · Qin Benji 5
The Qin Benji is the fifth volume in the 130-volume Shiji. This chronicle records the history of the Qin clan from its rise and development to domination of the world and the unification of the whole country by the Qin king.
This article takes the Qin as the center, and at the same time intersperses the situation of the Zhou royal family and other princely states, analyzes it in detail, and outlines the social trend of the Spring and Autumn Warring States period, with the final collapse of the Zhou Dynasty and the rise of the Qin State as a turning point in history.
The State of Qin was originally a small country in the West, remote, sparsely populated, relatively backward in all aspects, even if it became more and more powerful later, becoming one of the princely states, but it was still regarded by the Central Plains countries as a lack of words and language like Rong Di, and did not allow him to participate in the alliance. However, on the one hand, the State of Qin expanded its land in the Rong area, and on the other hand, it interacted with the countries of the Central Plains, intermarried, absorbed the culture of the Central Plains, and gradually developed into a powerful country.
The development and prosperity of the Qin state are inseparable from several generations of kings who have worked hard to govern and are enlightened and capable, such as Miao Gong, Xiao Gong, Huiwen Wang, and Zhaoxiang Wang. In these narratives, this chapter, especially miao gong splashed ink, also let us see that the rise of the Qin state and the later unification of the world were not achieved overnight, but "planned for a long time" after several generations...
What I want to share with you in this article is the overlord Qin Miaogong who opened up the situation in the Qin Kingdom, opened up thousands of miles of land, and dominated Xirong as recorded in the "Qin Benji".
[sic] He died four years after becoming a public official. The seven sons, Mo Li, set up his brother Miao Gong.
Cheng Gong died after four years on the throne. He had seven sons, none of whom were able to ascend the throne, and made his younger brother Duke Miao the Prince of King.
Duke Miao's brother Cheng Gong died after only four years on the throne, and although he had seven sons, he passed the throne to Duke Miao. On the one hand, this shows that Qin Chenggong's discerning hero, on the other hand, it can also be foreseen that in the era when the hereditary system prevailed at that time, the pressure on Duke Miao, who took over the throne, Chenggong's seven sons and various relatives and princes may not be able to obey him and can be used by him.
Then, as far as the internal and external situation of the Qin state at that time was concerned, it was bordered by the powerful Jin state in the east and the Nomadic Rong people in the west; although it was not difficult to rely on the dangerous terrain, it was not difficult to demand survival and preservation; but because of its remote location and small land, it was very difficult to demand development and occupy a seat. Therefore, although the State of Qin, which had become one of the princely states at that time, was still unable to participate in the alliance between the princely states. It can be seen that what is left for Miao Gong is a bone that is so difficult to gnaw.
However, Miao Gong exerted his rare leadership qualities to the fullest, so that he became the overlord of Xi Rong. It is conceivable that Qin Miaogong has rare leadership qualities; following a leadership officer like Qin Mugong can achieve a career! So, what are some rare leadership qualities in Qin Miaogong?
1. Miao Gong cherishes talents: good leaders, good at tapping talents
【Original】
Miao Gong heard that Baili Washi xian wanted to redeem it again, but he was afraid that the Chu people would not agree with him, but he made people call Chu Yue: "My concubine is a hundred miles of servants, please redeem it with five sheepskins." The Chu people agreed with him. When it was, the hundred mile was more than seventy years old. Miao Gong released his prisoners, and yu state affairs. Xie Yue: "Minister of the Fallen Kingdom, He Zu asked!" Miao Gong said: "Yu Jun does not use a son, so he dies, and he is not a son." "Gu Qing, three days of language, Miao Gongda said, grant the state government, the number of the five doctors." Bai Li Li asked: "The subject is not as good as the minister's friend Uncle Jian, and uncle Jian is wise and the world is unknown..." So Miao Gong made people greet Uncle Jian with thick money, thinking that he was a doctor.
【Translation】
When Duke Miao heard that Bai Li Dai was very capable and wanted to redeem him with heavy money, he was afraid that the Chu people would not give it, so he sent someone to the Chu State and said: "The mainland dowry slave Bai Li Dai is now in your country, please redeem him with five black sheep skins." Chu agreed to return it. At this time, Bai Li Dai was more than seventy years old. Duke Miao released him and discussed major state affairs with him. Bai Lidai retorted, "I am a minister of the subjugated country, what else can I ask!" Miao Gong said, "It is precisely because Yu Jun did not listen to your advice that he perished in the country, and this is not your sin." After repeatedly asking him for advice, and after talking for three days, Miao Gong was overjoyed and wanted to hand over the state affairs to him, known as the Five Doctors. Bai Li said, "I am not as good as my friend Uncle Jian, who is capable and unknown to the world..." So Miao Gong sent someone to invite Uncle Jian with a valuable gift and made him a doctor.
In the first year of his reign, Duke Miao led troops west to defeat Maojin, and in the fourth year, he married the Jin state to marry the sister of the Prince of Jin. The State of Jin did not know the value of the captive Master Baili In the defeated state, and gave him to the State of Qin as a dowry slave. Unexpectedly, halfway through, Bai Li Dai fled to ChuDi. Miao Gong heard that Bai Li Dai was a talent, and he did not hesitate to dig him back.
This Hundred Mile Dai had been full of poetry and books, and had only learned from people, but unfortunately, the patriarchal system in his country was strict, and where could the commoners hope to become officials? It can only be buried in a poor and remote mountain village. His wife, knowing that he was an extraordinary person, supported and encouraged him to travel around the world to make a big difference. It is a pity that the baili dai, who had no identity and no status, once fell into the point of begging along the street, because no one introduced him, although he went through the Song, Qi and other big countries, but no one hired, wasting his youth in vain.
When Qin Miao bought baili dai with five sheepskins (the price of a slave), he saw that he was already an old man in his seventies. Qin Mugong did not appoint a person from outside, but talked with him for three days and three nights, and then knew that Bai Li Dai was a prodigy of the world. I also heard the recommendation of Bai Li Dai, and dug up uncle with heavy gold. Use these two to become their own humerus, assist themselves, and eventually dominate Xi Rong.
Taking Bai Li Dai and Uncle Jian as an example, it can be known that Qin Miaogong's cherishing of talents and his ability to identify real talents in an eclectic manner have become indispensable factors for his achievement of hegemony.
Therefore, a truly talented person, as there is a saying, a good bird chooses a tree to live in, and knows how to find a good leader, is a person who knows how to identify talents and will use talents. Rather than just look at the situation at hand.
A good leader provides you and a platform for you to give full play to your talents and realize your ambitions. With the right leader, you can also achieve a "win-win" in your career.
2. Miao Gong repents: a good leader, the courage to admit mistakes, take responsibility
Nai swore to the army: "Oh soldier! Listening to no clamor, Yu swore a warning. The ancients sought yellow hair and did nothing wrong. "Ishensi did not use the plot of Uncle Jian and Bai Li, so that future generations would remember the rest of the past." When the gentleman smelled it, he was all drooling, and he said, "Oh! Qin Miao Gongzhi and Ren Zhou Ye died in the celebration of Meng Ming. ”
Miao Gong issued an oath to the whole army, saying: "Hello, soldiers! Listen quietly, don't make noise, I will swear to you. In ancient times, people asked the white-haired old man for advice, so they did not make big mistakes, but I did not listen to the advice of Uncle Jian and Bai Li, in order to reflect on this, so I made this oath so that future generations will always remember my mistakes. When the gentleman heard this, he wept and said, "Alas, Qin Miao's public servants are really thoughtful, so in the end they still rely on Meng Mingshi and others to achieve great success." ”
The origin of the above Miao Gong oath stems from the fact that someone in Zheng Guo secretly announced to Miao, "I am in charge of the gates of Zheng Guo, and Zheng Guo can sneak attack." Duke Miao consulted Uncle Jian and Bai Li Dai, and both of them advised him not to attack the distant Zheng Guo and analyze the pros and cons for him. However, Duke Miao insisted on his own opinion and sent three dogs (also fierce generals) of the two to lead the army to sneak in. As a result, as expected by the two men, the army was attacked by the Jin army, and the soldiers were killed and wounded countless times. If the three fierce generals had not mediated and interceded with Duchess Wen of Jin, they would have gone and never returned.
The failure of this sneak attack, according to the common sentiment of people, is as The Duke of Jin Wen said: "Duke Miao hates these three people to the bone, and hopes to release these three people and let the monarch of the Qin State personally cook them and then hurry up." However, Instead of inflicting a crime on the three generals, Duke Miao reinstated them to their official positions and received better treatment. Miao Gong believed that the main responsibility was that he did not listen to Uncle Jian and Bai Li Dai's words, let the three be wronged, and let the bones of the Qin soldiers remain in the mountain and could not be buried.
After that, the three generals led the Qin army to study and practice more diligently, and finally after four years, with Miao Gong as the commander, they once again led the Qin army to victory in Jin. Duke Miao was able to bury the bones of the Qin army's victims, mourn for them, and wept for three days. The above swore an oath in front of all the soldiers, regretting that he did not listen to the words of the good minister, and touched countless gentlemen.
It's hard to get a person to admit mistakes; it's even harder to get a leader to admit mistakes. However, a wise leader can always dare to face the facts, face his own shortcomings, and will not shirk responsibility; in order to maintain his own face, he will let the "ghost for the dead" bear for him. It is precisely because the leader who has the courage to admit his mistakes and take responsibility has a broad and open mind, so if he follows such a leader, he must have a broader prospect.
3. Miao Gong pardons those who steal horses: good leaders, treat people with temperature
Miao Gong said: "Gentlemen do not harm people with livestock. I smell good horse meat and do not drink alcohol, and hurt people. "But they give wine and forgive them." The three hundred people heard that Qin attacked Jin, and all of them asked for obedience, so that they saw Miao Gong's embarrassment, and they all pushed feng to fight for death, in order to repay the virtue of eating horses.
Miao Gong said, "A gentleman will not harm people because of beasts." I've heard that eating horse meat hurts if you don't drink it. So he gave them all wine and forgave them. When these three hundred people heard that Qin was going to attack the Jin army, they all scrambled to go with the army, and went to meet Miao Gong in a difficult situation, and each one of them fought with weapons to the death to repay The Grace who had been pardoned for stealing horse meat.
In the twelfth year of The Duke of Miao, the Jin state was starving, and he borrowed grain from the Qin state. There are two voices in the Qin Dynasty, one is to take advantage of the famine and attack, and will win; the other is that everyone will encounter the famine, and the people are innocent and must not borrow it. Miao Gong finally chose to listen to the second voice and rescue Jin Guo. No, in two years, the Qin state was starving, and borrowed grain from the Jin state. The State of Jin took this opportunity to attack the State of Qin. Miao Gong personally faced the battle, but the enemy was too deep, and was surrounded and wounded by the Jin army. At this moment of life and death, three hundred people suddenly appeared to kill the Jin army and unravel the encirclement of the Jin army, so that Miao Gong not only retreated with his whole body, but also captured jin jun alive, and the war was won.
The key to the decisive victory of this battle was the more than three hundred people who were not planned. And those three hundred or so peasants were the peasants who had stolen their war horses before, and they should have been severely punished according to the law, but Miao Gong not only pardoned them, but also gave them wine to drink. Because Miao Gong knew, if those people had to, how could they eat horses?
It was the kindness of Miao Gong's thoughts, although legal, but more reasonable, and finally received this batch of dead soldiers who repaid the fountain with the grace of dripping water. In this battle, Miao Gong recovered his life and turned defeat into victory.
Therefore, a good leader, although he has high requirements and high standards, is also a person with temperature and empathy. He will put himself in the position of the other party and give people a way out and an opportunity.
Following such a leader will make it easier to succeed. Because there is no one who does not make mistakes, but a leader with temperature will give the opportunity to trial and error in the legal theory, then the leader will be more motivated, courageous, and passionate to do things, and it will be easier to succeed in the end.
Conclusion
The Duke Miao of Qin, who dominated Xi rong, raised a new level for the Qin state because of his majestic strategy, and prepared the basic conditions for Qin Shi Huang to unify China five hundred years later. Qin Miaogong's successful layout is closely related to his personality charm and eclectic use of talents. This is a good example for us to think about and learn from today!