《资治通鉴·周纪》63丨 德高望重孟尝君是伪君子？

Summary

This 芮淇讲透资治通鉴 episode continues 周赧王’s seventeenth year, 298 BCE, by following 孟尝君 / 田文 after he enters 秦国 as chancellor. 秦昭襄王 comes to suspect his 齐国 loyalties, replaces him with 楼缓, imprisons him, and nearly kills him before Mengchangjun escapes through the famous chicken-crow and dog-theft retainer story. The episode then uses 王安石’s critique to argue that Mengchangjun’s reputation for养士 may reveal poor talent discrimination rather than true statecraft talent, before closing with 楚国 installing a new king and Qin attacking Chu through 武关.

Key Claims

• In 298 BCE, someone warns 秦昭襄王 that 孟尝君 / 田文 remains a Qi aristocrat even while serving as Qin chancellor, so major decisions may favor 齐国 over 秦国.
• Qin Zhaoxiang Wang accepts the warning, removes Mengchangjun from the chancellorship, appoints 楼缓, imprisons Mengchangjun, and prepares to execute him.
• Mengchangjun asks Qin Zhaoxiang Wang’s favorite woman for help. She wants his white fox-fur robe, but Mengchangjun has already presented the robe to the Qin king.
• A retainer skilled at theft enters the palace storehouse, steals back the robe, and gives it to the favorite. Her intercession persuades Qin Zhaoxiang Wang to release Mengchangjun.
• Qin Zhaoxiang Wang regrets the release and sends pursuers. Mengchangjun reaches the pass before it opens; a retainer skilled at imitating roosters causes real roosters to crow, letting the party pass through before Qin’s pursuers arrive.
• The episode treats the “鸡鸣狗盗” story as both a survival anecdote and a personnel-judgment problem: useful tricks can save a patron without proving that the patron has gathered statecraft-level talent.
• 王安石 criticizes the traditional praise of Mengchangjun’s ability to attract士, arguing that a true top-level talent would have changed the Qin situation rather than leaving Mengchangjun dependent on petty skills.
• The host endorses Wang Anshi’s critique and argues that Qin Zhaoxiang Wang’s admiration could have cooled after seeing Mengchangjun honor chicken-crow and dog-theft retainers as guests.
• The episode’s broader leadership lesson is that养士 is not the same as识才: large spending and many guests can produce reputation while failing to distinguish talent rank and moral-political quality.
• Chu sends envoys to Qin announcing that 芈横 / 楚顷襄王 has already been made king, which undercuts Qin’s attempt to use the detained 楚怀王 as leverage.
• Qin responds angrily by attacking Chu through 武关, killing fifty thousand troops and taking sixteen cities.
• The episode ends by naming the four famous Warring States retainer patrons: 孟尝君 / 田文 of Qi, 信陵君, 平原君, and 春申君, then prepares for Pingyuanjun’s next appearance.

Key Quotes

“鸡鸣狗盗之徒” - Wang Anshi’s critical label for Mengchangjun’s retainer circle as presented in the episode.

“养士不等于识才” - the episode’s summary distinction between broad patronage and true talent judgment.

Connections

• 芮淇讲透资治通鉴, 《资治通鉴》, 周赧王, and 战国时期 - show, source text, annalistic frame, and historical setting.
• 孟尝君 / 田文, 秦昭襄王, 楼缓, 秦国, 齐国, and 咸阳 - Qin chancellorship, suspicion, imprisonment, and replacement.
• 王安石, 鸡鸣狗盗式人才批评, 战国养士, 才德之分, and 礼贤下士式人才吸附 - talent-quality critique of Mengchangjun’s patronage reputation.
• 函谷关 - traditional pass setting implied by the chicken-crow escape story and earlier Qin geography in the wiki.
• 芈横 / 楚顷襄王, 楚怀王, 楚国, 秦昭襄王, 武关, and 质子外交破裂 - Chu succession notice and Qin’s renewed attack after hostage leverage fails.
• 战国四公子, 信陵君, 平原君, and 春申君 - closing comparison set and next-episode bridge.

Contradictions

• No direct contradiction found. The episode extends Zhouji 62 by resolving its Qin-chancellor setup and by showing that Chu’s succession continuity deprives Qin of the coercive payoff it sought from detaining Chu Huaiwang.