Auszüge aus dem Zizhi Tongjian

Umfassender Zeitspiegel zur Hilfe bei der Regierung

Ausgewählte Lesungen aus Zizhi Tongjian

Sima Guang

In the nineteenth year of the First Emperor (228 BC), Crown Prince Dan of Yan resented Ying Zheng, the King of Qin, and wished to take revenge. He therefore sought advice from his tutor Ju Wu. Ju Wu proposed that Yan join with the Three Jin states to the west and with Qi and Chu to the south, while also making friendly relations with the Xiongnu in the north, so that together they might oppose Qin. Crown Prince Dan said, “Your plan, Tutor, would take a long time and leave one restless and uneasy; I fear we cannot wait.” Not long afterward, Fan Yuqi, a Qin general, offended the King of Qin and fled to Yan. Crown Prince Dan received him and provided him with a place to settle. Ju Wu remonstrated, saying, “The cruelty of the King of Qin and his long-standing resentment toward Yan are already enough to make one afraid, let alone if he hears that we have taken in General Fan! This is just as people say: throwing meat onto a path where a hungry tiger prowls. I ask Your Highness to send General Fan off to the Xiongnu at once!” Crown Prince Dan said, “General Fan had nowhere to go and came to me for refuge. This is precisely the time when I must risk my life to preserve him. Please think again!” Ju Wu said, “To undertake dangerous acts in hopes of gaining safety, to create the source of disaster in hopes of obtaining good fortune, and to try to resolve resentment by simple and shallow means—these are all ways of disregarding the safety of the state for the sake of befriending one man. They can only deepen resentment and hasten the arrival of disaster!” Crown Prince Dan would not listen.

Crown Prince Dan heard of the worthy reputation of Jing Ke, a man of Wei, and so he brought many gifts and went humbly to visit him. Crown Prince Dan said to Jing Ke, “Now Qin has already taken the King of Han captive, and has raised armies to campaign south against Chu and north against Zhao. Zhao has no strength to resist Qin’s soldiers. Once Zhao is destroyed, the calamity of Yan’s destruction will not be far off. Yan is weak and small, and has repeatedly suffered from the disturbances of war. How can it withstand Qin’s attack? The various feudal lords are all overawed by Qin’s strength and dare not oppose it through a vertical alliance. I have one plan: if we can find a brave man of the world to go as envoy to Qin, seize the King of Qin, and force him to return the lands of the feudal lords, just as Cao Mo once dealt with Duke Huan of Qi, it would be best if this could be fully accomplished. If it should not succeed, we could also use the opportunity to assassinate the King of Qin. Once the King of Qin is assassinated, the great generals campaigning abroad, upon hearing that trouble has arisen inside the state, will certainly cause the ruler and ministers of Qin to suspect one another. Taking advantage of this opportunity, the feudal lords will be able to form a vertical alliance; at that time Qin will surely be broken by the six states. I hope you, Sir Jing, will consider this matter carefully!” Jing Ke agreed to Crown Prince Dan’s request. Crown Prince Dan then lodged Jing Ke in the best guest quarters, visited him every day, and provided for him with the utmost care. When news came that the Qin general Wang Jian had destroyed Zhao, Crown Prince Dan grew afraid and wanted to send Jing Ke to Qin at once. Jing Ke said, “At present we have no means of gaining Qin’s trust. Even if I go, it will be very difficult to approach the King of Qin. If we had General Fan’s head and the map of Dukang in Yan to present to the King of Qin, the King of Qin would surely be pleased and grant me an audience. Only then could I carry out the plan.” Crown Prince Dan said, “General Fan had nowhere to go and came to rely on me. I cannot bear to do this!” So Jing Ke went alone to see Fan Yuqi and said, “The way Qin has treated you, General, can truly be called cruel: your parents and clan have all been executed! Now a reward of a thousand catties of gold and a fief of ten thousand households has been offered for your head. What plans do you have?” Fan Yuqi sighed and wept, saying, “What method do you have?” Jing Ke said, “I hope to obtain your head, General, to present to the King of Qin. The King of Qin will surely be delighted and summon me. With my left hand I will seize his sleeve, and with my right hand I will stab straight into his chest. At that time your great vengeance will be avenged, and the humiliation suffered by Yan can also be erased!” Fan Yuqi said, “What you have said is exactly what I have been thinking of with bitter intensity day and night!” He then cut his own throat. When Crown Prince Dan heard of this, he hurried there to mourn and make offerings, but there was no other course left; he could only place Fan Yuqi’s head in a casket. The crown prince had earlier found the sharpest dagger in the world, and had craftsmen temper it with poison. It was tested on people: whoever bled from it died instantly, without exception. Thus all preparations for sending Jing Ke were completed. He also appointed Qin Wuyang, a brave warrior of Yan, as Jing Ke’s assistant, and sent them off to Qin.

In the third year of Emperor Gao, Grand Ancestor of Han (204 BC), the King of Han said to Chen Ping, “When will this chaotic world become peaceful?” Chen Ping said, “The upright and loyal ministers around King Xiang are no more than Yafu, Zhongli Mo, Long Ju, Zhou Yin, and a few others. If Your Majesty can take out tens of thousands of catties of gold and employ a scheme of sowing dissension, you can estrange the relations between ruler and ministers, causing them to suspect one another. King Xiang is by nature prone to suspicion and to believing one side of a story. Once suspicion arises between ruler and ministers, they will surely slaughter one another internally. If we take the opportunity to raise troops and attack, we will certainly be able to defeat King Xiang.” The King of Han said, “Good!” He took out forty thousand catties of gold and handed them to Chen Ping, allowing him to manage it himself and not asking about the expenditures. Chen Ping used the money to carry out a scheme of dissension within the Chu army, spreading rumors: “General Zhongli Mo and the others have followed King Xiang and established so many achievements, yet they still cannot divide the land and be enfeoffed as kings. Now they intend to ally with Han, destroy the Xiang clan, seize land, and become kings.” As the rumors spread, King Xiang indeed began to suspect Zhongli Mo and the others.

In the summer, the fourth month of 204 BC, the King of Han was trapped by the Chu siege at Xingyang, and the situation was critical. The King of Han sought peace, preparing to keep only the land west of Xingyang as Han territory. Yafu Fan Zeng urged Xiang Yu to attack Xingyang urgently; the King of Han was very worried. Xiang Yu sent an envoy to Han territory, and Chen Ping prepared a sumptuous banquet to entertain the guest. As soon as Chen Ping saw the Chu envoy, he pretended to be startled and said, “I thought you were Yafu’s envoy; it turns out you were sent by King Xiang!” He had the food taken away and prepared a relatively coarse and hurried meal to serve the Chu envoy instead. After the Chu envoy returned, he reported everything truthfully to King Xiang. King Xiang indeed came to harbor deep suspicion toward Yafu. Yafu was eager to capture Xingyang, but King Xiang did not trust him and would not listen to his advice. Yafu discovered that King Xiang suspected him and said angrily, “The general situation under Heaven is already settled. May Your Majesty look after yourself. Please allow this old minister to retire and return home!” On his way to Pengcheng, a malignant sore on his back flared up and he died.

In the fifth month, General Ji Xin said to the King of Han, “The situation is urgent! Please allow me to use a stratagem to lure the Chu army away, so that the King of Han may take the opportunity to leave.” Thereupon Chen Ping released more than two thousand women through the eastern gate at night, drawing the Chu army to surround and attack them from all sides. Ji Xin rode in the King of Han’s carriage. A yellow canopy was spread over the carriage, and the King of Han’s banner was erected on the left. He cried out, “Our food is exhausted and provisions are gone. The King of Han surrenders to Chu.” The Chu people shouted “Long live!” and all gathered at the east of the city to watch. The King of Han took the opportunity to lead several dozen cavalrymen out through the western gate and escape, ordering Han Wang Xin, Zhou Ke, Wei Bao, and Lord Zong to defend Xingyang. When Xiang Yu saw that it was Ji Xin, he asked, “Where is the King of Han?” Ji Xin replied, “He has already left.” Xiang Yu burned Ji Xin to death.