| NAME | |
|---|---|
| Chinese Name | 齐宣王, 齊宣王, Qí Xuān Wáng |
| Other name | Tề Tuyên Vương |
| INFORMATION | |
| Born | c. 350 BC |
| Birth Place | Linzi, State of Qi (齐国临淄; Lâm Tri, nước Tề) |
| Died | 301 BC |
| Death Reason | Illness |
| FAMILY | |
| Father | |
| Relatives | |
| CAREER | |
| Allegiance | State of Qi |
King Xuan of Qi (齐宣王, Tề Tuyên vương; personal name Tian Pijiang 田辟疆; reigned 319–301 BC), was the Golden Age monarch of the State of Qi during the Warring States period, son of King Wei of Qi.
Deeply committed to intellectual patronage, King Xuan expanded the world-famous Jixia Academy (稷下学宫) to its cultural zenith, gathering over a thousand eminent scholars, granting them grand residences and ministerial stipends to freely debate governance. He is renowned in classical philosophy for his profound, candid dialogues with the sage Mencius (Mencius / 孟子) on benevolent kingship (*wangdao*), the famous literary idiom ‘Playing the Yu flute to fill numbers’ (滥竽充数 — regarding Mr. Nanguo), and his marriage to the legendary virtuous yet plain-faced heroine Zhongli Chun (钟离春 / 无盐女), who fearlessly admonished the King to reform his state.
Role in Classical Literature (Mencius & Shiji)
Mencius (Liang Hui Wang I): King Xuan confessed: ‘I have a flaw; I am fond of valor and fond of wealth.’ Mencius replied: ‘If Your Majesty shares wealth with the people, what harm can there be in loving it? If the people rejoice in your joy, they will grieve in your sorrow!’
Han Feizi: Records the tale of Mr. Nanguo pretending to play the yu flute in King Xuan’s three-hundred-man orchestra, fleeing in terror when his successor King Min demanded solo recitals.
King Xuan of Qi — Historical & Literary Timeline
319 BC
Accession in Linzi
Succeeds his father King Wei of Qi.
c. 315 BC
Jixia Academy Zenith
Expands Jixia Academy; engages in historic dialogues with Mencius.
314 BC
Invasion of Yan
Dispatches Kuang Zhang to intervene in Yan’s succession crisis.
301 BC
Passing in Linzi
Passes away; succeeded by his son King Min of Qi.
Key Relationships
Family
- Father King Wei of Qi (齐威王): Preceding great monarch.
- Wife Zhongli Chun (钟离春 – Lady Wuyan): Heroic plain-faced queen who reformed his court.
- Son King Min of Qi (齐湣王): Successor king.
- Brother Tian Ying (Lord Jingguo): Grand Chancellor of Qi.
Friends
- Sage Philosopher Mencius (孟子 – Meng Ke): Confucian philosopher who counseled King Xuan on benevolent rule.
- Master Diplomat Chunyu Kun (淳于髡): Witty Jixia scholar and advisor.
Enemies
- State of Yan King Kuai of Yan (King Kuai), Zizhi: Annexed temporarily by Qi forces in 314 BC.
Other
- General of Qi Kuang Zhang (匡章): Victorious commander of Qi armies.
In Mencius
Benevolence above Conquest
"Mencius asked: 'Is it true that an innocent sovereign may be slain?' King Xuan replied: 'Can a subject assassinate his lord?' Mencius retorted: 'He who outrages benevolence is called a bandit; he who outrages righteousness is called a tyrant. I have heard of the execution of tyrant Zhou; I have not heard of the assassination of a sovereign.'"
Cultural Significance
King Xuan's dialogues with Mencius form the core texts of Confucian political ethics, debating the limits of royal authority and the moral duty of rulers to the common people.
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