Laozi's ancestral home is in Li Township, Ku County, in the Chu state, with the surname Li, given name Er, style name Dan. He once served as an archivist during the Zhou Dynasty.
Confucius once went to the Zhou Dynasty to seek advice on etiquette from Laozi. Laozi told him, "Those guys you're talking about? Their bodies are dust, only their words are left. A real gentleman knows when to act, and when to just chill like a tumbleweed. I hear the best businessmen are like empty space—you can't see 'em coming. And the best guys? They look like total dopes. You gotta ditch the ego, the cravings, the posturing, and the wild thoughts. It ain't gonna help you. That's all I got." After Confucius left, he told his disciples, "I know birds can fly, fish can swim, and beasts can run. Those that run can be caught with a net, those that swim can be caught with a fishing line, and those that fly can be shot with an arrow. But as for dragons, I do not know; they can ride the winds and clouds to soar into the sky. That guy's like a dragon! You can't pin down a dragon!"
Laozi cultivated morality, aiming to live in seclusion without seeking fame. After years in the Zhou Dynasty, he saw the writing on the wall and decided to get out of Dodge. Upon reaching Hangu Pass, the gatekeeper, Yin Xi, asked him to write a book before retiring. So Laozi wrote a book in two sections, laying out his philosophy, totaling over five thousand words, and then left without anyone knowing where he ultimately went.
Incidentally, it is said that Laozi lived to be over one hundred and sixty years old; some even say over two hundred—all that Daoist health stuff, I guess.
One hundred and twenty-nine years after Confucius kicked the bucket, the Records of the Grand Historian (史記) says that the Grand Historian of the Zhou Dynasty, Dan (太史儋), met with Duke Xian of Qin (秦獻公) and said to him: "Qin and Zhou will form an alliance, but five hundred years later, they will split. Seventy years after the split, a hegemon will emerge." Some say that Dan is Laozi, while others say he is not. Future generations are unsure. Laozi, what a wise and reclusive scholar!
Laozi's son was named Zong and became a general of the Wei Kingdom, enfeoffed in Duangan. Zong's son was Zhu, Zhu's son was Gong, and Gong's great-grandson was Jia, who served as an official during the reign of Emperor Xiao Wen of Han. Jia's son, Jie, became the Grand Tutor of King Yang of Jiaoxi and eventually settled in the Qi Kingdom.
Those who study Laozi tend to look down on Confucianism, and Confucianism also looks down on Laozi. "Birds of a feather flock together," is probably the idea? Li Er advocated governing by doing nothing, allowing natural and spontaneous change, tranquility, and self-correction.
Zhuangzi, a native of Mengdi, was named Zhou. He once held a minor official position in the Qi Garden of Mengdi and lived during the same period as King Hui of Liang and King Xuan of Qi. He dabbled in various fields of study, but his core ideas were based on Laozi's teachings. Therefore, he wrote over a hundred thousand words, mostly fables. For example, he wrote chapters like "The Fisherman," "Robber Zhi," and "Plundering the Chest," to criticize followers of Confucius and elaborate on Laozi's ideas. Articles like "The Fear of Exhaustion" and "Kang Sang Zi" were highly abstract and philosophical, lacking concrete examples. However, he excelled in writing, using beautiful language to vividly express the origins and emotions of events and characters, drawing upon and reinterpreting the ideas of Confucianism and Mohism to argue his own thoughts, even renowned scholars of the time could not refute him. His writing was grand and unrestrained, solely for expressing his thoughts, which is why he was largely ignored by the powerful.
King Chu Wei heard that Zhuang Zhou was very talented, so he sent envoys with lavish gifts to invite him, promising to make him prime minister. Zhuang Zhou smiled and said to the Chu envoy, "A thousand gold pieces is a huge fortune; prime minister is a prestigious position. Ever seen a sacrificial ox? It is raised for years, dressed in fine clothes, and then brought into the grand temple. By that time, even if it wanted to become a little piglet, could it? Get outta here before you stink up the place. I'd rather wallow in the mud than be tied down by those fancy-pants officials. I'm never gonna be a government man – that's my dream."
Shen Buhai, a native of Jing, was originally a minor official in the state of Zheng. He used his knowledge to meet Marquis Han Zhao, who appointed him as prime minister. He cleaned up the government, improved education, and kept the peace with the other states during his fifteen years as prime minister. Under his rule, Han was stable, strong, and untouchable.
Shen Buhai's knowledge was based on the teachings of Huang-Lao, but he mainly advocated for the use of penal law. He wrote a two-part work called *Shen Zi*.
Han Fei was a noble of the state of Han. He favored the study of penal law, but his thoughts were also rooted in the teachings of Huang-Lao. Han Fei had a bit of a speech impediment, but he was a great writer. Both he and Li Si were students of Xunzi, and even Li Si admitted Han Fei was better.
Han Feizi was disgusted by the incompetence of the King of Han and repeatedly advised him, but the King of Han just ignored him. Han Fei believed that Han's government didn't bother with a proper legal system and relied on brute force to control everyone. The King only desired to enrich the country and strengthen its military, yet failed to employ talented individuals and instead placed those who were self-serving and harmful to the country in important positions. He thought Confucians were all hot air and broke the law whenever it suited them, while the knights were just thugs who broke the law at will. In good times, they favored the popular guys; in bad times, it was all about military might. In short, the talents cultivated by the country did not match those actually utilized. Han Fei was furious that decent people couldn't get ahead amongst all the crooks, and after observing the rise and fall of history, he wrote a massive body of work, including "Gufen," "Wudu," "Neiwai Chushuo," "Shuolin," and "Shuinan."
However, Han Fei himself understood the difficulty of persuasion and specifically wrote the book "Shuinan," laying out just how tough it was. In the end, he met his end there.
In "Shuinan," it is said: the difficulty of persuasion isn't about whether I knew my stuff, whether I could speak well, or whether I was scared to offend bigwigs. The difficulty lies in understanding the other party's thoughts in order to respond appropriately.
If you try to persuade others with your reputation but tempt them with material gain, they'll think you're a cheapskate and ditch you. If you try to persuade others with material gain but move them with noble reputation, they'll see you as a fake and won't buy it. If you try to buy someone off but act all high and mighty, you might seem to have them, but you'll actually push them away. If you try to buy someone off but pretend you're not, you're using them, even if you're pretending to give up on them. You gotta remember this stuff.
To succeed, keep things secret; spill the beans, and you're sunk. It may not be you who leaked the information, but if what you say involves some secrets, it can also put you in danger. If you call out a big shot for screwing up, you're asking for trouble. If you're not in deep with them and you start bragging, getting your ideas accepted won't help you; if they're rejected, you'll be in hot water. If a bigwig takes credit for something they didn't do, and you know the truth, you're in trouble. If a powerful figure does something prominent but wants to take credit for it, and you know the truth, you will also be in danger. Pushing someone to do something they won't, or stopping them from doing something they must, is a recipe for disaster. Talking big stuff to a big shot makes them think you're stirring things up; talking small stuff makes them think you're angling for power. Talking about what they like makes them think you're sucking up; talking about what they don't makes them think you're testing the waters. Too brief, and they'll think you're clueless; too long, and they'll think you're a windbag. Too meek, and they'll think you're a pushover; too bold, and they'll think you're a jerk. So, yeah, navigating these waters ain't easy!
The key to persuading someone is knowing how to play up their strengths and downplay their weaknesses. If they're aware of their own plans, don't point out their flaws; if they're confident, don't provoke them; if they think highly of themselves, don't make them feel that things are tough. Subtly connect different things and people—that's how you get things done without making waves. If they make the same mistake as you, let it slide. Be loyal and honest. Don't jump to contradict or criticize. Then, calmly explain your point of view. This is how you earn their trust, which isn't easy to come by. It takes time and building a strong rapport before they'll really trust you, even when you disagree. Then you can weigh the pros and cons, get what you want, and keep your reputation intact. That's how you persuade them in the end.
Yi Yin used to be a chef, Bai Li Xi was once a slave, yet both of them rose to prominence from these humble beginnings. So, these two sages weren't immune to rough patches in their careers. So even the wisest guys weren't immune to some serious career setbacks—it's just part of the game.
In the Song state, there was a wealthy man. One day, it was raining and his courtyard wall collapsed. His son said, "If we don't repair it quickly, thieves will definitely come." His neighbor's father said the same thing. Sure enough, many valuables were stolen that night. The rich man trusted his son implicitly, but eyed his neighbor's father with suspicion. In the past, Duke Wu of Zheng wanted to attack the Hu State, so he gave his daughter in marriage to the Hu State. He asked his ministers, "I want to use force; who can attack?" Guan Qisi (a minister) said, "The Hu State can be attacked." As a result, Duke Wu of Zheng killed Guan Qisi, saying, "The Hu State is our brother-in-law! Why would you suggest attacking them?" When the ruler of the Hu State heard this, he thought that the Zheng State was close to him and relaxed his guard. As a result, the Zheng State attacked and captured the Hu State. In these two examples, their judgments were correct, but one was killed, and one was suspected. So, you see, it's not about knowing stuff; it's about knowing how to use it. Long ago, Mizi Xia was highly favored by the ruler of the Wei State. The law of Wei State stipulated that anyone who drove the ruler's chariot without permission would risk having their feet chopped off. Later, Mizi Xia's mother fell ill, and someone told him at night. Mizi Xia drove the ruler's chariot without permission to go out. When the ruler heard about it, he praised him, "What a filial son! He broke the law to save his mother!" Once, they went to the orchard together. Mizi Xia ate a peach, found it very sweet, and offered it to the ruler without finishing it. The ruler said, "He loves me! That's how much he cares for me!" Both stories show that smart ideas are useless unless you know how to use them right.
However, later on, Mizi aged, his favor diminished, and he made mistakes that caused the ruler to fall out of favor with him. The ruler said, "He used to secretly drive my chariot and even offered me his leftover peach." In reality, Mizi's behavior did not change; he was once considered virtuous, but later fell out of favor, all because the ruler's feelings changed so much. Therefore, if one is favored by the ruler, they should draw closer; if disliked, they should keep their distance. Hence, those who advise the ruler must first observe the ruler's likes and dislikes before speaking.
Dragons can be tamed and ridden. However, they have a reverse scale under their throat, roughly a foot long, and touching it will cause the dragon to kill. Rulers also have reverse scales, and those advising must avoid touching the ruler's reverse scale to protect themselves.
Someone brought Han Fei's books to the Qin state. After the King of Qin read "The Difficulties of Persuasion" and "Five Vermin," he exclaimed, "Man, if I could just meet this guy and hang out, I'd die happy!" Li Si said, "These are books written by Han Fei." So, Qin stepped up its attacks on Han. Initially, the King of Han did not use Han Fei, but only sent him to Qin when the situation became dire. The King of Qin was pleased to see him but did not fully trust him. Li Si and Yao Jia envied Han Fei and slandered him, saying, "Han Fei is a noble of Han. Eventually, he will serve Han, not Qin, as it is human nature. If the King does not use him now and sends him back later, it will only lead to trouble. It'd be better to just whack him on some trumped-up charge."
King Qin thought they were reasonable, so he ordered the arrest of Han Fei. Li Si also sent someone to give poison to Han Fei, telling him to take it. Han Fei wanted to defend himself but never got to see King Qin. King Qin later regretted it and sent someone to pardon him, but Han Fei had already died. Shen Buhai and Han Fei both wrote books, and their ideas spread to future generations, with many followers. I particularly feel sorry for Han Fei, who was skilled in eloquence but ultimately couldn't escape his predicament.
Sima Qian said Laozi's most valued "Dao" is very elusive; it works through inaction, shaping the unpredictable course of all things. That's why when Laozi wrote his book, the language was very subtle and hard to understand. Zhuangzi, on the other hand, elaborated on Laozi's ideas but ultimately returned to nature. Shen Buhai was more rigid, applying Laozi's ideas to specific political systems and the relationship between what things are called and what they actually are. Han Feizi, on the other hand, focused more on practical operations, liking to measure things with rules and standards, clearly defining right and wrong. His theory was more strict, lacking compassion. These philosophers all stemmed from Laozi's moral thoughts, but Laozi's understanding of the Dao is much deeper than theirs.
In conclusion, Sima Qian believed that Laozi's "Dao" is very mysterious and difficult to grasp, while the other philosophers drew inspiration from Laozi; their depth and breadth of thought cannot compare to Laozi. Zhuangzi was carefree, Shen Buhai practical, and Han Feizi stern—each with their own approach.
