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How to Rule a Country

Warring States Period475 B.C. to 221 B.C.

This conversation occurred in 312 B.C. during the Warring States period. China was unfortunately in disunity as a handful of kings and lords jockeyed for domination. The country of Yang had been devastated by a palace insurrection and an invasion, and the older ruler had suffered an untimely and humiliating death. After visiting the sacked city and wounded soldiers, the new king Yang-Jau¹ was disturbed, and wondered how a similar situation could be prevented.

“How should I manage my country?” he asked one of his advisors, a man named Guo Wai.²

“Your Majesty, if you want to be an Emperor,” the advisor explained, “you should treat your subordinates as teachers. To be a King, you should treat them as friends. To be a Lord, you should treat them as guests. If you wish to ruin your country, if I may say, you should treat them as servants or even slaves. The choice is yours alone.”

Impressed and a little surprised, the king politely returned, “Your statement is very interesting. Since I desire to be an Emperor, whom should I begin to respect?”

“Your Majesty might start with me,” the advisor boldly suggested, “a little-known person. As a result, other capable individuals, with greater reputations, will be envious and come to try their political fortunes here. These intellectuals, whose counsel you seek and esteem, having heard of your generosity and expecting to be treated likewise, will confidently approach Your Majesty and freely present their ideas and suggestions. Your Majesty may then choose the best administers from among them. Thus our country’s prosperity and Your Majesty’s potency is surely secured.”

The king was well pleased and acted swiftly. Besides providing his advisor with an exceptionally generous salary, this smart ruler also ordered his royal architect to design and construct a splendid villa for him. This news rapidly spread among neighboring countries. Hearing this, people were amazed. Many well-educated gentlemen resigned their current positions and relocated themselves to this country. In less than three years, after meticulous selections and severe competitions, a handful of distinguished and competent foreigners were properly appointed, with similar generous treatment from the king. They helped him to efficiently manage his country and steadily expand its borders.

The advisor really understood one of humankind’s most important abilities; utilize the wisdom of others to establish one’s success.

The Right People

Spring and Autumn Period770 B.C. to 476 B.C.

One day, Confucius’s horse ran away and trampled a neighbor’s rice field. The victimized farmer was infuriated and retained the vandalizing horse. Upon hearing of this misfortune, Confucius immediately instructed Tzy Gon,³ one of his best students, to negotiate with the farmer, compensate him for the damage, and win the release of the animal. Tzy Gon arrived at this rural area, and after a few inquiries, this well-dressed student, in the polished language and manner of the upper-class, apologized to this illiterate farmer, and tried to settle the matter as two gentlemen would.

However, after a brief conversation, this farmer was baffled by the visitor’s fine talk and hurriedly retreated home, hiding behind a tightly bolted door. Standing in the front yard, the student courteously explained his intention. Understanding none of the elegant words, the farmer, puzzled and irritated, stubbornly refused to receive him again. After a whole day of fruitless effort, the student, exhausted and frustrated, went back and reported his failure.

“You two are from totally different social levels,” Confucius beamed a profound smile and calmly remarked. “Your attempt to reason with the farmer is like serving expensive and delicious dishes to a cow or playing beautifully composed music to a chicken. They couldn’t appreciate or understand it at all.”

Next morning, Confucius dispatched his horseman to handle the problem. After a brief dialogue, the farmer happily accepted the terms and returned the horse.

Different people have different abilities. Only a wise person can manage these differences appropriately. Because of their different backgrounds, the literate student’s refined language wasn’t understood by the uneducated farmer. Even if the student had used a coarse dialect, which might have been taken as a mockery, the farmer wouldn’t have felt comfortable communicating with him.

Then why didn’t Confucius send his horseman in the first place? Because he understood that his well-bred student, in his arrogance, would have felt offended if he, an educated and capable gentleman, was not sent. Confucius also saw that, after the student had failed his mission, the horse-man’s success would be valued all the more by the other students. The wise man perceived that his students and servants would profit equally from the experience.

A Drunken Bodyguard

Western Han Dynasty206 B.C. to 25 A.D.

Once, a famous prime minister named Bin Jyi⁴ was on his way to attend a party. One of his bodyguards was a little drunk, and suddenly threw up on the carpet of the carriage.

“How dare you?” an assistant promptly scolded, and then with great embarrassment and uneasiness, asked his master “Your Highness, should I discharge this lout on the spot?”

“Of course not,” the prime minister responded tranquilly, not showing any anger at all. “Such a fine young man! If you discharged him, he, bearing such a disreputable stigma, couldn’t find a proper job elsewhere. I don’t want to ruin his future. Be considerate and kind to others. He only accidentally stained part of the carpet, which is not a terrible crime. I don’t mind it at all.”

In that era, life was cheap—especially the lives of servants and slaves. For similar trivial offenses, a servant often would be severely punished or even put to death. The assistant, at first baffled by his master’s generosity, reluctantly conveyed this decree to the frightened bodyguard, who was amazed yet profoundly appreciative. After that incident, the prime minister unconsciously acquired an exceptionally loyal servant, who would willingly sacrifice his own life for his warm-hearted master.

The bodyguard, who was from the western border, once, on a leave of absence, returned to his native village. Overhearing a rumor that the nearby barbarians intended to invade the frontier, he immediately returned and delivered this piece of vitally important information to his master, who duly reinforced the garrisons there. Several days later, a war broke out. Since the army was pre-warned and well-prepared, the casualties were low and the attack unsuccessful.

Later, at an imperial military conference, the emperor quizzed all of his high-ranking officials and senior generals, one by one, about this invasion. Nobody could provide satisfactory background knowledge except the prime minister, who was highly praised. He was rewarded handsomely by the emperor.

Always strew the seeds of small kindness. Some of those seeds might cultivate and become flowers of success in the future.

Hire a Leading Gangster

Tang Dynasty618 A.D. to 907 A.D.

One day in the late seventh century A.D., the emperor Tang-Kao “Magnificent”⁵ wanted to visit a city located several hundred miles from the imperial palace. Due to famine and plague, many starving farmers had abandoned their lands and became ruthless highwaymen. They frequently held up and even killed travelers on unguarded routes. Nobody dared to leave the city without heavy protection. Some of the most notorious gangsters frequently raided the suburban areas of the capital city. The emperor was deeply worried for his safety, and dispatched a competent censor Wai Yuan-Jong,⁶ as an advance unit, to secure the road.

Confidently accepting this tough task, the official, to all of his colleagues’ surprise, flatly declined an offer to receive a company of well-trained imperial soldiers as bodyguards, and abruptly called on a nearby prison. After a few minutes of scrutiny, he hand-picked a notorious gangster, generously provided him with clean clothes and a delicious meal, and immediately hired him as his bodyguard.

After several days of intense observation, the official confidently promoted this bodyguard to become the chief inspector for his advance unit. This gangster was astonished by his unexpected good fortune and deeply appreciated the official for this new position. To prove his ability and repay his master’s kindness, the gangster, with tens of years experience as a criminal, did his best to assure the tranquillity of this imperial journey. With hundreds of fully-loaded carriages and thousands of servants and eunuchs, the royal caravan was a slow and wealthy target. But the emperor proceeded peacefully. Not a penny was lost.

Everyone is useful on some occasions in some ways. With proper guidance, a chimpanzee can communicate with people. On the other hand, in the wrong time and place, a well-educated gentleman can become a shameless swindler or a dangerous murderer. People always appreciate opportunity and recognition. Through observation, a wise person can properly motivate, utilize and maximize other people’s potential ability and attain a faithful and dedicated servant.

An Encouraging Praise

Tang Dynasty618 A.D. to 907 A.D.

A high-ranking government official named Leou Bei,⁷ who was also a well-known scholar in classical literature, was demoted to the position of mayor and assigned to a remote and uncultivated region, where people lived side by side with native residents. The natives’ culture and living standards were totally different and very primitive.

One day, a local chieftain’s son, who had for years dedicated himself to the study of literature, with only moderate success, humbly called on Leou Bei and presented some of his finest works for comment. Carefully reading each work, this new mayor was obviously pleased, and first highly praised those mediocre articles and then gave some helpful suggestions. With deep appreciation, the visitor enthusiastically thanked the mayor and left.

One of the mayor’s assistants, standing nearby, who viewed the works and knew the compliments were undeserved, curiously and politely asked “Sir, I am puzzled. If I may ask, why didn’t you give your objective opinion of those third-rate works?”

“Please.” The master was silent, pondering for a moment, and then calmly responded. “This is a less progressive area. We shouldn’t use our well-polished literary yardstick to measure their performance. We should judge them according to their situation and by their own merits. That young man, whose father is an illiterate chieftain, has studied very hard without the benefit of a teacher, and showed courage to make an appointment with me to review his articles. I shouldn’t let him down. After receiving my favorable comments, he will faithfully follow my recommendations. His peers will be impressed and follow him. I must encourage him to continue learning our culture, which will benefit both himself and our country. Education can eliminate ignorance, reduce mis-communication, and avoid future troubles. Consequently, it will diminish the degree of friction and conflict between newcomers and natives. In the long run, it will positively contribute to the tranquillity of our dynasty. Why should I be stingy and harshly critical when it costs me nothing to give a few well-deserved compliments?”

The mayor’s assistant was deeply impressed with his master’s insight.

Suggestions will be better accepted if preceded by general compliments instead of well-intentioned criticisms, which might irritate or dishearten the seeker.

Grab the Right Stocks

Chin Dynasty221 B.C. to 206 B.C.

At the end of 206 B.C., the Chin dynasty was overthrown and the new order not yet established. While troops swarmed through the wrecked capital city, generals and officers were busy directing their soldiers to loot the grandiose imperial palace and the mansions of rich men. Every soldier laboriously carried gold or silver bullion, expensive jewelry, and precious antiques.

However, one far-sighted commissioner named Hsiao Ho⁸ ordered his subordinates to take over the Bureau of Information. Instead of treasures, his soldiers hauled away many cartloads of military maps, social data, population charts, and important statistics.

Shortly after this devastating pillage, a bloody civil war broke out. Those recovered charts and maps displayed the importance of some strategic locations and revealed many concealed caches of weapons and stores. Hsiao Ho’s master, King Han, was greatly pleased with this vital information, and highly praised this perceptive commissioner, who later became the first appointed prime minister. During the same chaotic period, while most people focused on hoarding precious metals, a clerk gathered quantities of wheat and flour. Soon came the destructive civil war. Farmers couldn’t plant their wheat fields, and food prices skyrocketed. Grains became as valuable as gold. This clerk sold his stores bit by bit, and earned an immense profit. Others, holding gold bullion and jewelry, didn’t know where to exchange their wealth for food and starved to death. Thousands of people perished.

From these two cases, we see that gold and valuables, which we ordinarily cherish, are not necessarily the most important possessions in a time of chaos. Only a person with farsightedness and wisdom can perceive a coming crisis and react accordingly.

I am Afraid of Something Else

Warring States Period475 B.C. to 221 B.C.

In the Warring States period China was unfortunately divided into several politically independent regions, which frequently made war against one another. Between military conflicts, diplomats and politicians worked to make alliances and agreements. In those days, signing a well-drafted treaty was as important as winning a battle.

In a middle-sized country, a capable commissioner named Lin Shan-Lu,⁹ due to his outstanding performance on a recent diplomatic mission, was unconventionally promoted to be a prime minister. Hearing this news, the minister of defense, an old veteran general, Lian Poo,¹⁰ who had fought many battles over the last thirty years, was displeased with this quick advancement.

“Damn it! I’ve risked my life in battle for years to get where I am.” the minister of defense often grumbled. “That cock-eyed upstart uses only his silver tongue and leaps over me! It’s totally ridiculous. I must cut him down to size in public.”

Hearing of this, the new prime minister deliberately avoided this bull-headed general. Rumors circulated that the new prime minister was cowardly and afraid to confront the old general. In a private party, some of his intimate assistants, with indignation, asked him about the reason.

“Gentlemen, allow me to clarify myself once for all,” the prime minister calmly explained. “Could this general be in any way equal to the hot-tempered King Chin, a most powerful king and our western neighbor?”

The audience agreed that a general was certainly not equal to a king.

“Yet in our last conference,” continued the prime minister, “I humiliated this rude and ill-intentioned king in front of several thousand of his well-armed bodyguards. In truth, I am afraid of no one. However, in our country, there are other factors I must take into account. Our belligerent western neighbor always wants to subdue us, but because of the general’s ability and my wisdom, they dare not risk invading us. However, if the general and I quarrel among ourselves, our country’s future for sure would be doomed. For this reason alone I yield, and will not confront this respectable and capable general. It is all for the tranquillity of our people and country, not my own reputation.”

All of his listeners agreed and nodded their heads, deeply impressed with the prime minister’s reasoning. Learning of this, the general felt remorseful for his inconsiderateness and short-sightedness. With shame and regret, he humbly visited this young prime minister and politely asked for forgiveness, which was promptly granted. After that incident, the two men cooperated closely with one another and eventually became best friends. During their lifetime, the western neighbor never had a chance to conquer this country.

In a turbulent period, especially for a small country situated between strong powers, an internal unity is essential—together they succeed, apart they fail. A competent person always has to consider all factors, not only his own reputation.

By Compliment

Sui Dynasty581 A.D. to 618 A.D.

In the early seventh century A.D., China was unfortunately in disunity as the short-lived Sui dynasty was overthrown. Several lords and kings were competing for the throne. Civil war started. People were slaughtered like cattle. Cities were devastated. After a few days of brutal struggle and uncertainty, the lord Lee Yuan,¹¹ who would eventually become the emperor, finally won a decisive battle and occupied a strategically important city. Collecting all the booty and confiscating his opponents’ valuables, he intended to distribute this booty to the soldiers and people. Some old-fashioned generals suggested, according to tradition, that he treat citizens and slaves differently.

“Why?” the lord flatly remarked. “The enemy’s arrows and swords had no eyes and didn’t favor either of the groups. Taking the same chance, they risked their necks for the victory and the reward. It’s only fair that I treat them equally.” He then gave out petty positions, with a salary that would support the recipients for the rest of their natural lives, to those persons who wanted to resign and return to their native villages and become farmers again.

This generous behavior was unheard of. All of the treasurers and accountants were astonished. They vigorously protested to him about this policy and its potentially huge costs for the national budget in the future.

“Don’t be ridiculous! I want to be a emperor. How can I afford to be stingy? A penny-wise person will never build an empire,” the lord declared confidently. “One of the former dynasty’s biggest mistakes was its stinginess. The rich had accumulated tremendous wealth and didn’t spare anything for the penniless, who rose up and defeated them. Be farsighted and look at the whole picture. I am only one of a handful of potential rulers. To secure my position I must win over the people, not with force and battles, but with money and positions. Politics is an art, not a science. It has nothing to do with accounting and balance sheets. Why should I not be generous?”

What Should I Purchase?

Warring States Period475 B.C. to 221 B.C.

In the Warring States period, China was unfortunately divided into a handful of countries. They were frequently at war with one another. Civilians were slaughtered by the thousands. Competent people were always in great demand by the governments. Consequently, as a custom, wealthy princes and lords provided free lodging, food, and a regular salary to attract people with talents and abilities. They would be hired as political consultants or, if there were no vacancies, be called “house-guests.” At the end of the third century B.C., a well known lord, Meng-Ch’ang,¹² who personally supported over three thousands house-guests, one day asked who would help him to collect some debts.

One guest named Feng Shuan¹³ promptly responded, and the rich master ordered his servants to prepare a carriage. “Your Lordship,” the guest politely asked before departing, “what should I buy after I collect all the money?”

“Buy anything you think I need,” the lord responded casually.

Traveling for days, the guest reached the destined town and immediately assembled all the debtors. In a huge outdoor park, a few hundred shabbily-dressed and worry-stricken farmers, patiently waiting to present their reasons for delaying the payment. All of them were poor farmers and couldn’t afford to repay the full amount.

Viewing this miserable spectacle Feng Shuan was speechless. Having accepted the duty to collect the debt, Yuan knew he could not return without the money. Yet these people obviously could not pay. Pondering his dilemma for awhile, Feng Shuan was struck with inspiration. After carefully checking and confirming each of the I.O.U.’s, he ordered his assistants to collect and burn all of the papers. He then turned to the crowd and proudly announced that due to the generosity of their master, this year’s debts were totally exempted.

“Long life to the lord!” shouted Feng Shuan. With surprise and appreciation, farmers hurrahed in unison at the top of their coarse voices. This clever guest quickly returned to the lord’s mansion. “You must be very capable,” the master said, impressed by the swiftness of Shuan’s return. “Did you buy anything special for me?”

“Yes, I did,” the guest courteously answered. “Knowing Your Lordship has plenty of jewelry, well-bred horses, hounds, lands, houses, and other valuables far beyond an ordinary person’s wildest dreams, I didn’t think Your Lordship needed any material thing. Therefore, I decided to buy for you a ‘gratitude.’”

“What is that?” questioned the lord. “I never heard of such item before.”

“For many years,” the guest continued “Your Lordship has focused on accumulating enormous wealth for your own enjoyment. On the other hand, even after a year’s labor, those woeful farmers still couldn’t pay their debts in full. The balance, compounded with high interest, would create even more debt, a vicious circle from which they could never be free. So on behalf of Your Lordship, I exempted their debts and canceled all of the I.O.U.’s.”

The lord was shocked by this bold act, but remembered his own words, “Buy anything you think I need,” and reluctantly accepted this vexatious fact.

One year later, in a severe political struggle, this lord fell out of favor. His servants fled, the “house-guests” disappeared, and his friends abandoned him. All of his properties were immediately confiscated and his life threatened.

Under a moonless night, with a chilly north wind gnashing at him, the lord, accompanied only by Feng Shuan and a few faithful servants, fled for his life from the capital city. They dared not to stop and traveled for days without rest. Running out of food, they soon found themselves on the edge of starvation.

While approaching a distant town at dawn one day, the lord observed with great amazement hundreds of people standing on the roadside, carrying meats, wine and other food and patiently waiting to welcome him. Soon his coach was surrounded. He stepped down and received the crowd, who submissively presented their provisions. Hurriedly consuming this welcome meal, the lord gratefully praised his house-guest. “Now, I understand the use of the ‘gratitude,’ which you bought for me last year.”

Do small kindnesses on your hay days. You will have some faithful friends to help you out on your rainy days.

A Well-Known Thinker

Western Chou Dynasty1100 B.C. to 770 B.C.

In traditional China the feudal system was rigorously enforced. People were constantly reminded to respect gods, nature, the emperor, their parents and teachers, in that order. In the eleventh century B.C., during the Western Chou dynasty, a nobleman named Tai-Gong Wan¹⁴ received a lordship and was given a huge portion of land in eastern China. In his domain, there was a very famous philosopher, Hwa Shi,¹⁵ who advocated absolute freedom and encouraged people neither to worship gods nor any authority. This philosopher had thousands of dedicated followers who treated him as a sacred prophet.

The newly-appointed lord, with sincerity, dispatched his ablest assistant to invite this philosopher to become an advisor, to help him in governing the people, or to accept some suitable academic position. In this way, the philosopher and his wild theory would be confined to the realm of the scholastic, and not infect the common people.

But Hwa Shi flatly and arrogantly declined. So the shrewd lord fabricated some serious crimes and promptly ordered his marshals to arrest this philosopher. After a brief show trial, he was condemned to death and executed shortly after. Citizens were shocked. This lord’s high-handed behavior became a public embarrassment. He was immediately summoned back to the imperial palace and brought before the prime minister.

“How could you slaughter such a famous gentleman without proper justification?” shouted the prime minister. “His followers might cook up a riot.”

After this reprimand, the lord responded “Your Highness, this person, who inspired people to be egotistic, is too well-known to be alive. With his fallacious and demagogic theories of self-indulgence, he neither wanted to be supervised by our laws nor be confined to any academic jurisdiction. His anarchical philosophy is counter-productive to our strict social system. Without proper supervision, he, with his charisma and a great ambition, could successfully spread those vicious germs of disobedience. First to be charmed would be a handful of unconventional intellects, who intend to have a voice in the world at all costs. Gradually, lower-level and under-educated clerks, grumbling about their meager salary, would follow suit. It would multiply with amazing speed. Then, illiterate farmers and labor hands might turn against us. In the long run, that man and his ideas would be extremely dangerous. If the number of followers grew big enough, they could threaten the tranquillity of our society, and our social system would collapse. Why wait till then and bet our necks on it? I had to snuff this potential crisis and terminate him for the sake of our dynasty.”

Pondering for a while, the prime minister agreed with Wan and quietly sent him away.