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Guan Zhong

Guan Zhong () or Guan Jingzhong (), formerly spelled Kuan Chung, Chung Kuan Kuan Chung, or (? - 645 BC. ) was Prime Minister of the State of Qi during the Spring and Autumn. He undertook reforms that raised the state among the most powerful of the time. Zhong was his first office , his birth name is Yiwu (). It is also called Guanzi (), "Master Guan", because it was long considered the author of the Encyclopedia Guanzi.

Biography

The main elements of his biography is found mainly in Guanzi, the Zuo Zhuan , the Analects of Confucius and the Shiji , the latter being the most vivid story.

According to the Shiji, Guan Zhong was born in Yingshang () in Anhui. Probably a good family but not wealthy, he would have befriended in his youth with Bao Shuya (), more affluent, another future great officer of Qi. They were a mixed couple, Bao Shuya's conduct is beyond reproach at all times, while Guan Zhong failed in all his enterprises, trade, army, civil service, and gained the reputation of freeloading and cowardly. However, Bao Shuya him never withdrew his friendship. They entered in each customer brothers the Duke of Qi Jiu () (Guan Zhong) and Xiaobai () (Bao Shuya), respectively, they followed Lu and Ju () when the trouble started to rise in the country due to the negligence of Duke Xiang (). When he died in 686 BC. AD , Xiaobai eventually get the throne and became the Duke Huan (). He launched a campaign against Lu During the battle, Guan Zhong shot an arrow toward the duke, whose life was saved by a metal ornament he wore in his belt. Qi won the victory and demanded the killing of Jiu and extradition of his advisers. They killed themselves rather than surrender, a decision expected in their situation, but Guan Zhong, true to his reputation for honor that had little, decided to try his luck, leveraging Bao Shuya to pull this bad not. He was not disappointed. His friends obtained for him the grace of the duke, and even a place at the palace. In his new position he finally demonstrated his abilities and the sovereign did not regret his leniency.

It is impossible to judge the veracity of this story, part historical legends of ancient China still read today by the school. It illustrates the meaning of zhj () "a friend who knows you as if you had done," because at the time of his grace, Guan Zhong would have exclaimed: "My parents gave me life, but c is Bao Shuya who understands me! "()

Reforms

Guan Zhong undertook reforms to modernize the country. The power was centralized and the state divided into regions called xiang () each specializing in a certain activity. The population was divided into groups of five homes each other accountable, a system that will contain the pathologists. Taxes, calculated on a uniform code, were raised directly by the central government to regions, bypassing the aristocracy. He developed a method of selection of governors who were now to be automatically and non-officials members of the great local families. He encouraged the development of salt and fish and established a sort of monopoly on their production. His reforms bore fruit because during his administration believed the power of Qi and Duke Huan became hegemon. However, shortly after his death and that of Duke, the situation deteriorated and hegemony passed to Jin.