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管仲 Guan Zhong (circa 720-645 BC) Leading reformer
August 21, 2011, Sunday
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GUAN Zhong was credited as the top prime minister during the Spring and Autumn Period (770-476 BC) and the first economic reformist in Chinese history. During his nearly 40-year term as the prime minister of the State of Qi, he adopted a series of social, economic and military reform measures to turn the state into a superpower.
Despite the fact he was a distant descendant of a royal family, Guan lived in poverty when he was young. So, together with his good friend Bao Shuya, Guan started a small business to make a living. He tried many times to get a job in the government, but failed.
Eventually, he became the consultant for Prince Jiu and his friend Bao was appointed as the consultant for Prince Xiaobai of the State of Qi. However, the two princes later engaged in a power struggle to succeed the throne.
In the end, Prince Xiaobai was named Duke Huan of Qi in 685 BC. In order to find more talented people to help him build up the state, Duke Huan, on the recommendation of his consultant Bao, appointed Guan as the prime minister despite his earlier grudge against him for assisting his rival prince.
In his first discussion with the duke about the future of the state, Guan pointed out that expanding production and improving the livelihood of the people were the key to the stability and future prosperity of the state.
Guan said that only when people had enough food and clothing would they begin to care about social ethics and code of conduct.
He first introduced new levies according to the quality and size of land and abolished the old land-use system based on the slavery structure. This reform greatly aroused the initiative of the peasants and the state saw marked expansion in its agricultural production for decades.
Since Qi was a coastal state, Guan adopted policies to encourage people to engage in production and trade of salt as well as iron. The prime minister had not only installed special officials to supervise the production and trade, but also introduced the state monopolies controlling salt and iron.
Guan also abolished the traditional patriarchal clan system and divided the state into 21 townships, each engaging in a special production or trade. He established the resident registration mechanism preventing people from randomly moving around the state, thus strengthening the centralized control of the population. This system was later adopted by many following dynasties and even in the first three decades of New China, which was founded in 1949, a similar resident registration system was implemented.
The prime minister then changed the old military system and combined the military units with the administrative units. During peace time, the soldiers engaged in production and trade like the common people and during the war, they were required to serve in the army. The purpose of the new scheme was to enrich the troop replenishment and save on military expenditure.
Guan was also known for creating the first government-sponsored brothel in Chinese history. His purpose in setting up the so-called "女市" (Nushi, meaning literally "female fair") was to increase the state revenue, resolve certain social problems and attract scholars from other states.
Thanks to Guan's reformist policies, Qi became the superpower and leader among vassal states of the Zhou Dynasty (1046-256 BC).
Also, he has been listed as the author of "Guanzi," an encyclopedia about politics, economics, military affairs, legal systems, philosophy and social ethics. In actual fact, the book was compiled much later by a number of scholars.
Despite the fact he was a distant descendant of a royal family, Guan lived in poverty when he was young. So, together with his good friend Bao Shuya, Guan started a small business to make a living. He tried many times to get a job in the government, but failed.
Eventually, he became the consultant for Prince Jiu and his friend Bao was appointed as the consultant for Prince Xiaobai of the State of Qi. However, the two princes later engaged in a power struggle to succeed the throne.
In the end, Prince Xiaobai was named Duke Huan of Qi in 685 BC. In order to find more talented people to help him build up the state, Duke Huan, on the recommendation of his consultant Bao, appointed Guan as the prime minister despite his earlier grudge against him for assisting his rival prince.
In his first discussion with the duke about the future of the state, Guan pointed out that expanding production and improving the livelihood of the people were the key to the stability and future prosperity of the state.
Guan said that only when people had enough food and clothing would they begin to care about social ethics and code of conduct.
He first introduced new levies according to the quality and size of land and abolished the old land-use system based on the slavery structure. This reform greatly aroused the initiative of the peasants and the state saw marked expansion in its agricultural production for decades.
Since Qi was a coastal state, Guan adopted policies to encourage people to engage in production and trade of salt as well as iron. The prime minister had not only installed special officials to supervise the production and trade, but also introduced the state monopolies controlling salt and iron.
Guan also abolished the traditional patriarchal clan system and divided the state into 21 townships, each engaging in a special production or trade. He established the resident registration mechanism preventing people from randomly moving around the state, thus strengthening the centralized control of the population. This system was later adopted by many following dynasties and even in the first three decades of New China, which was founded in 1949, a similar resident registration system was implemented.
The prime minister then changed the old military system and combined the military units with the administrative units. During peace time, the soldiers engaged in production and trade like the common people and during the war, they were required to serve in the army. The purpose of the new scheme was to enrich the troop replenishment and save on military expenditure.
Guan was also known for creating the first government-sponsored brothel in Chinese history. His purpose in setting up the so-called "女市" (Nushi, meaning literally "female fair") was to increase the state revenue, resolve certain social problems and attract scholars from other states.
Thanks to Guan's reformist policies, Qi became the superpower and leader among vassal states of the Zhou Dynasty (1046-256 BC).
Also, he has been listed as the author of "Guanzi," an encyclopedia about politics, economics, military affairs, legal systems, philosophy and social ethics. In actual fact, the book was compiled much later by a number of scholars.
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