管仲夷吾者，颍上人也。少时常与鲍叔牙游，鲍叔牙知其贤。管仲贫困，常欺鲍叔牙，鲍叔牙终善遇之，不以为言。已而鲍叔牙事齐公子小白，管仲事公子纠。及小白立为桓公，公子纠死，管仲囚焉。鲍叔牙遂进管仲。管仲既用，任政于齐，齐桓公以霸，九合诸侯，一匡天下，管仲之谋也。

管仲曰：“吾始困时，尝与鲍叔牙贾，分财利多自与，鲍叔牙不以我为贪，知我贫也。吾尝为鲍叔牙谋事而更穷困，鲍叔牙不以我为愚，知时有利不利也。吾尝三仕三见逐于君，鲍叔牙不以我为不肖，知我不遭时也。吾尝三战三走，鲍叔牙不以我为怯，知我有老母也。公子纠败，召忽死之，吾幽囚受辱，鲍叔牙不以我为无耻，知我不羞小节而耻功名不显于天下也。生我者父母，知我者鲍子也。”

鲍叔牙既进管仲，以身下之。子孙世禄于齐，有封邑者十余世，常为名大夫。天下不多管仲之贤而多鲍叔牙能知人也。

管仲既任政相齐，以区区之齐在海滨，通货积财，富国强兵，与俗同好恶。故其称曰：“仓廪实而知礼节，衣食足而知荣辱，上服度则六亲固。四维不张，国乃灭亡。下令如流水之原，令顺民心。”故论卑而易行。俗之所欲，因而予之；俗之所否，因而去之。

其为政也，善因祸而为福，转败而为功。贵轻重，慎权衡。桓公实怒少姬，南袭蔡，管仲因而伐楚，责包茅不入贡于周室。桓公实北征山戎，而管仲因而令燕修召公之政。于柯之会，桓公欲背曹沫之约，管仲因而信之，诸侯由是归齐。故曰：“知与之为取，政之宝也。”

管仲富拟于公室，有三归，反坫，齐人不以为侈。管仲卒，齐国遵其政，常强于诸侯。后百余年而有晏子焉。

晏平仲婴者莱之夷维人也。事齐灵公、庄公、景公，以节俭力行重于齐。既相齐，食不重肉，妾不衣帛。其在朝，君语及之，即危言；语不及之，即危行。国有道，即顺命；无道，即衡命。以此三世显名于诸侯。

越石父贤，在缧绁中。晏子出，遭之涂，解左骖赎之，载归。弗谢，入闺。久之，越石父请绝。晏子戄然，摄衣冠谢曰：“婴虽不仁，免子于厄，何子求绝之速也？”石父曰：“不然。吾闻君子诎于不知己而信于知己者。方吾在缧绁中，彼不知我也。夫子既已感寤而赎我，是知己；知己而无礼，固不如在缧绁之中。”晏子于是延入为上客。

晏子为齐相出，其御之妻从门间而窥其夫。其夫为相御，拥大盖，策驷马，意气扬扬，甚自得也。既而归，其妻请去。夫问其故。妻曰：“晏子长不满六尺，身相齐国，名显诸侯。今者妾观其出，志念深矣，常有以自下者。今子长八尺，乃为人仆御，然子之意自以为足，妾是以求去也。”其后夫自抑损。晏子怪而问之，御以实对。晏子荐以为大夫。

太史公曰：吾读管氏《牧民》、《山高》、《乘马》、《轻重》、《九府》，及《晏子春秋》，详哉其言之也。既见其著书，欲观其行事，故次其传。至其书，世多有之，是以不论，论其轶事。
管仲，世所谓贤臣，然孔子小之。岂以为周道衰微，桓公既贤，而不勉之至王，乃称霸哉？语曰“将顺其美，匡救其恶，故上下能相亲也”。岂管仲之谓乎？

方晏子伏庄公尸哭之，成礼然后去，岂所谓“见义不为无勇”者邪？至其谏说，犯君之颜，此所谓“进思尽忠，退思补过”者哉！假令晏子而在，余虽为之执鞭，所忻慕焉。

Guan Ying

Guan Zhong, also known as Yi Wu, was a native of Yingshang.  When he was young, he often kept company with Bao Shuya, who knew that he was wise and talented.  Guan Zhong's poor family often took advantage of Bao Shuya, but Bao Shuya always treated him well and did not complain because of these things.  Before long, Bao Shuya served Childe Xiao Bai of the State of Qi, and Guan Zhong served Childe Jiu.  Later on Xiao Bai ascended to the throne and was appointed Duke Huan of Qi. Then he ordered the state of Lu to kill Childe Jiu and put Guan Zhong into prison.  So Bao Shuya recommended Guan Zhong to Duke Huan of Qi.  After Guan Zhong was appointed to the state of Qi, he was in power in the state of Qi. Duke Huan became the ruler of the state of Qi by virtue of Guan Zhong. In his capacity as the overlord, he repeatedly joined the Dukes and made the whole country unified. All these were due to Guan Zhong's wisdom.  

Guan Zhong said, "When I was poor, I used to trade with Bao Shuya, and when the profits were divided, I used to take more. But Bao Shuya didn't think I was greedy and knew I was living in poverty.  I used to work for Bao Shuya, which made him even poorer, but Bao Shuya didn't think I was stupid and he knew the time and opportunity were good or bad.  I had been an official for many times and was dismissed many times by the sovereign, but Bao Shuya did not think I was incompetent and knew that I had not met a good opportunity.  I fought many battles and ran away after many defeats, but Bao Shuya didn't think I was timid and knew I had my old mother.  When Childe Jiu failed and Zhao Hu died for me, I was put in a deep prison to suffer humiliation. However, Bao Shuya did not consider me shameless and knew that I would not be ashamed of minor matters, but would be ashamed because I had never made a show of myself in the world.  Those who gave birth to me are my parents, and the man who understand me is Bao Shuya!"  
After Bao Shuya recommended Guan Zhong, he was willing to put himself under Guan Zhong.  His descendants from generation to generation enjoyed official's salaries in The State of Qi, and there were more than a dozen generations who received fiefs, most of whom were famous scholar-offcials.  Therefore, the people of the world did not praise Guan Zhong's ability, but praise Bao Shuya's ability to recognize talents.  

After Guan Zhong took office as the prime minister of the State of Qi, by virtue of the coastal conditions of the small State of Qi, the government circulated goods and accumulated wealth, so that the state became rich and powerful. He loved what the people loved and hated what the people hated. Therefore, he said in his book Guan Zi, "When the storehouse is fully stocked, the people can understand etiquette.  When food and clothing are sufficient, people can distinguish between honor and disgrace.  Only when the monarch acts in accordance with the law, can the "six relatives" be stable. "If no one advocates a correct understanding and treatment of propriety, justice, honesty and shame, a country will perish."  "Government decrees are like the fountain of water, flowing down the hearts of the people."  So it's easier to push through the decrees that are in line with circumstances.  Whatever the people wanted, he gave to them.  Whatever the people opposed, he abolished for them.  

When Guan Zhong was in power, he was good at turning misfortunes into auspiciousness and failures into successes.  He attached importance to distinquishing the important things and the less important things, the urgent things and the less urgent things. He carefully weighed the pros and cons of things.  As a matter of fact, Duke Huan of the State of Qi attacked the State of Cai in the south because of his resentment at Shao Ji's remarriage. Guan Zhong then found an excuse to attack the State of Chu and blamed it for not paying tribute of the vanilla named Qingmao to the royal family of Zhou.  As a matter of fact, Duke Huan sent his troops north to attack Shanrong, while Guan Zhong took the opportunity to ask the Yan State to rectify the politics and religion of the Zhao period.  While forming an alliance at Kedi, Duke Huan wanted to betray Cao Mo and force him to make a covenant. However, Guan Zhong advanced with the changing times and persuaded him to keep the covenant.  Therefore, "understanding that giving is receiving is the truth, which is a magic weapon to govern a country."  

Guan Zhong was so rich that he could be compared with the sovereign of the state. He had magnificent Sangui Terrace and banquet facilities for the sovereign, but the people of the State of Qi did not think that he was too extravagant and that he had overstepped his bounds. After Guan Zhong's death, the State of Qi continued to follow his policies and was often stronger than other vassal states.  More than a hundred years later, Yan Ying appeared in the State of Qi.  

Yan Pingzhong named Ying was born in Laidi Weiyi of the State of Qi.  He assisted three sovereigns of the State of Qi, including Duke Ling, Duke Zhuang and Duke Jing. He was respected by the people of Qi for his frugality and hard work.  He became the prime minister of the State of Qi. He did not eat well, and his wives and concubines did not wear silk clothes.  In the court, if the sovereign talked about him, he would state his opinions honestly, or he would act honestly. If the sovereign followed the right course, he will follow his orders, or he would deal with the orders at his own discretion. Therefore, he was famous among the various vassal states during the three generations of Duke Ling, Duke Zhuang and Duke Jing.  

Yue Shifu was a sage but he was imprisoned.  Yan Zi went out and met him on the road. He untied the horse on the left side of his carriage and redeemed him and took him home in the carriage. Without bidding farewell to Yueshifu, Yan Zi went into the inner room but after a long time he did not come out. Yue Shifu asked to sever ties with Yan Zi.  Yan Zi was surprised and  hurriedly arranged good clothes and hat and apologized. He said, "Eeven if I can't be said kind and generous, but I finally helped you to extricate from the predicament after all but why do you ask to break off relations so quickly?"  Yue Shifu said: "No, I heard that a gentleman is wronged among those who do not know him but he can hold his head high in front of those who know him. When I was in captivity, those people didn't know me.  Now that you have come to your senses and have redeemed me, this showed that you understand me. Although you understood me, you did not treat me with courtesy. This is no better than being imprisoned. "Yan Zi invited him into his house and treated him as an honored guest. 

When Yan Zi was the prime minister of the State of Qi, he was out in a carriage. The coachman's wife peeped at her husband through the crack of the door.  Her husband was driving for the prime minister. With his head covered with a big umbrella, he was swinging a whip and driving four horses. He was in high spirit with a very proud manner.  Not long after returning home, his wife asked for a divorce. The coachman asked her the reason for the divorce. His wife said, "Yan Zi is no more than six feet tall, but he has become the prime minister of Qi, and his reputation is widely known in other countries. But he has a subservient manner. Now you are eight feet tall and no more than a coachman, and you look so contented that I ask for a divorce."  From then on, the coachman became humble and respectful.  Yan Zi, surprised at his change, asked him, and the coachman told him the  truth. Yan Zi recommended him to be a scholar-official.  

Tai Shi Gong Sima Qian said: I have read Guan Zhong's Herdsman, Mountain High, Horse Riding, Light and Heavy, Nine Government Buildings and The Spring and Autumn Annals of Yan Zi. These books are too detailed!  After reading their works, I also wanted people to know their deeds, so I wrote a joint biography of them.  As for their writings, which are already abundant in society, we will not discuss them, but only record their anecdotes.

The people of the world said that Guan Zhong was a virtuous minister, but Confucius looked down upon him.  Why?  At that time, the Zhou Dynasty was in decline, and Duke Huan was wise. Therefore, Guan Zhong did not encourage him to practice the kingly way, but assisted him to assume the title of overlord.  Could that be the reason?  As the old saying goes, "We should help gentlemen cultivate virtue and correct their faults in order to save them. It is because of this that the emperor, his subjects and the people are close to each other."  This probably is about Guan Zhong!  

At the beginning, Yan Zi lay his head on Duke Zhuang's body and cried bitterly. After finishing the ceremony he left. People often said that it was a sign of lack of courage not to do what was just. Could his behavior reflect this view? Yan Zi spoke frankly and dared to offend the majesty of the sovereign. In fact, he was just the kind of person who wanted to be faithful if he advanced and wanted to make up for mistakes if he retreated. If Yan Zi were still alive, I would be very happy and eager to wave a whip to drive for him.