Fan Li: Born in the 12th year of King Ping of Chu (517 BC), styled Shaobo. He was a native of Wan (present-day Nanyang, Henan) in the late Spring and Autumn and Warring States periods. Fan Li was an early renowned politician, military strategist, and economist in history. (Throughout China's feudal tradition spanning over five thousand years, the social hierarchy was arranged as "scholars, farmers, craftsmen, and merchants", with scholars at the top and merchants at the bottom. Even until the Song Dynasty, there were still discriminatory rules such as merchants having to wear one black and one white shoe. Despite his remarkable achievements, Fan Li's decision to leave office and engage in commerce ultimately prevented him from being recorded alongside historical celebrities in the annals.)
Born into poverty, he was intelligent and wise, with strategic brilliance in his heart. Even in his youth, he had acquired vast knowledge, mastering both astronomy and geography, with profound understanding of classics and military strategies, excelling in all fields. Despite possessing the talents of a sage, in the chaotic state of Chu where nobles monopolized power, Fan Li remained unrecognized by the world.
In the 24th year of King Jing of Zhou (496 BCE), the Battle of Zhuli occurred between the states of Wu and Yue (now Jiaxing, Zhejiang). King Helü of Wu was killed in battle, leading to a lasting grudge between the two states and years of continuous warfare. In the 26th year of King Jing of Zhou (494 BCE), Fuchai, son of Helü, sought revenge and engaged in a decisive battle with Yue at Fuchai (now Dongting Mountain in Taihu Lake, Jiangsu). King Goujian of Yue suffered a crushing defeat, with only 5,000 soldiers retreating to Kuaiji Mountain. At this critical moment, Fan Li joined the state of Yue. He advised: "When one waits for the right时机, one must endure humiliation and take advantage of defeat..." "Maintain fullness without overflowing, aligning with the Way of Heaven, which will bless; the Earth nurtures all things, humans should practice frugality to receive its gifts; support the weak and humble oneself, aligning with the Way of humans, who can then be moved." He confidently declared to King Goujian: "Yue will rise while Wu will fall." He further advised: "Submit to the King of Wu to seek a future opportunity." After being appointed as the senior minister, he accompanied King Goujian and his queen as slaves in Wu for three years, saying: "Endure to preserve our will, and through hardship, we strengthen our resolve. My lord need not sorrow, for I will strive with you!"
After returning to his homeland three years later, he and Wen Zhong formulated the "Nine Strategies for Reviving Yue and Destroying Wu", serving as the planner and organizer of Yue's "Ten Years of Population Growth and Ten Years of Education". To implement the "Beauty Strategy", one of the Nine Strategies, Fan Li personally traveled through mountains and rivers, and finally found Xishi, a virtuous and talented woman, by the Huansha River in Zhulu Mountain. This marked the beginning of the legendary story where Xishi sacrificed herself for the greater good, aiding Yue from within to destroy Wu. Fan Li served King Gou Jian of Yue for more than twenty years, enduring hardships and making great efforts. He finally achieved the destruction of Wu and helped Yue become a hegemonic state, earning the title of Supreme General.
"The King of Wu perished on Mount Yuhang, while the King of Yue held a banquet at Gusu Terrace. Amidst the nationwide celebrations, Fan Li retreated wisely from politics. He and Xi Shi changed their names and lived in seclusion, boating across the Five Lakes."
According to historical records, after helping Yue defeat Wu, Fan Li left Yue and sailed to the State of Qi, where he adopted the name Chi Yi Zi Pi. Later, he moved to Tao (now northwest of Dingtao, Shandong), changed his name to Tao Zhu Gong, and became extremely wealthy through business.
Legend has it that after defeating Wu, Fan Li traveled to the State of Qi, changed his name to Chi Yi Zi Pi, and lived by the sea with his sons and disciples, building huts and dwelling there. They worked hard to cultivate the land, engaged in sideline businesses, and traded. In just a few years, they had accumulated tens of millions of wealth. Known for his generosity and kindness to his hometown, his wisdom and ability were recognized by the Qi people. The King of Qi invited him to the capital Linzi and appointed him as Prime Minister. However, after three years, he once again chose to retreat from power, returned the Prime Minister's seal to the King of Qi, and distributed all his wealth to friends and fellow villagers.
Wearing simple clothes, he moved for the third time to Tao (now northwest of Dingtao, Shandong). This place, located in the center of the world (with Qi and Lu to the east, Qin and Zheng to the west, Jin and Yan to the north, and Chu and Yue to the south), was an ideal location for business. In just a few years, he accumulated vast wealth through business and adopted the name Tao Zhu Gong. The local people revered Tao Zhu Gong as the God of Wealth, making him the founder of China's Confucian businessman tradition.
"Historian Sima Qian praised: 'Fan Li gained glory through three migrations'; historical records summarized his life as: 'He followed the times without blaming others'; common people praised him as: 'Loyal to serve the nation, wise to preserve oneself, skilled in business to achieve wealth, and famous throughout the world'"
Fan Li's Military Principles: When strong, guard against arrogance and leisure; in safety, always be prepared. When weak, secretly strive for strength, and wait for the right时机 to act. In warfare, excel at exploiting weaknesses and gaps, achieving victory through unconventional tactics. These principles have been praised and applied by later generations.
Fan Li's renowned economic thoughts, including "Encourage agriculture and silk production, and emphasize grain accumulation", "Balance between agriculture and commerce", "Maintain goods quality and avoid currency stagnation", "Stabilize prices and ensure market supply, the way of governing a nation", and "Prepare furs in summer, prepare fine silk in winter, prepare boats in drought, and prepare carts in flood, to anticipate market demands", still hold significant practical relevance for modern economic development.
His works include "Jiran Pian" (Master Ji's Treatise); records of his achievements can be found in "Guoyu: Yueyu Xia" (Intrigues of the States: The Lower Volume of Yue) and "Shiji: Huozhi Liezhuan" (Records of the Grand Historian: Biographies of Merchants and Traders). "Han Shu: Yiwen Zhi" (The Book of Han: Bibliography) mentions two military treatises by Fan Li, but both have been lost.
Xishi, along with Wang Zhaojun, Diao Chan, and Yang Yuhuan, are known as the Four Great Beauties of ancient China. Xishi is regarded as the foremost among them, embodying the ideal of beauty and serving as its synonym. The Four Great Beauties are described as having "moon-closing, flower-shaming beauty, and fish-sinking, wild goose-falling grace." These phrases - "closing the moon," "shaming flowers," "sinking fish," and "falling wild geese" - each represent historical allusions derived from their respective stories. "Closing the moon" tells the tale of Diao Chan worshipping the moon. "Shaming flowers" refers to Yang Guifei's encounter with flowers. "Sinking fish" describes Xishi washing silk by the river. "Falling wild geese" depicts Wang Zhaojun's journey to the frontier.
Xishi, originally named Shi Yiguang, was born in Zhulu Village, Zhuji, Zhejiang during the Spring and Autumn and Warring States Periods. She possessed natural beauty. At that time, the State of Yue was a vassal state to the State of Wu. King Goujian of Yue endured hardships and humiliation, plotting to restore his kingdom. In the face of national crisis, Xishi bravely took on heavy responsibilities, dedicating herself to her country. Along with Zheng Dan, she was presented by King Goujian to King Fuchai of Wu, becoming his most favored concubine. She distracted King Fuchai, causing him to lose the support of his subjects and neglect state affairs, thus providing cover for Goujian's eventual comeback. She demonstrated the noble patriotism and moral character of a virtuous woman. Later, the State of Wu was eventually destroyed by Goujian. According to legend, after Wu's fall, Xishi and Fan Li sailed away on the Five Lakes, their whereabouts unknown, and she has been remembered by later generations.
The beautiful yet melancholic story of Xi Shi and Fan Li has been passed down among the people from ancient times to the present.
