Zhao Yang 趙鞅 ( BCE),

cognomen A ''cognomen'' (; : ''cognomina''; from ''co-'' "together with" and ''(g)nomen'' "name") was the third name of a citizen of ancient Rome, under Roman naming conventions. Initially, it was a nickname, but lost that purpose when it became hereditar ...

(Zhao) Meng 孟, also known as Ying Yang 趙鞅 (personal), Zhi Fu 志父, and posthumously as Zhao Jian-zi 趙簡子 or

Viscount A viscount ( , for male) or viscountess (, for female) is a title used in certain European countries for a noble of varying status. The status and any domain held by a viscount is a viscounty. In the case of French viscounts, the title is ...

Jian of Zhao, was a fifth century b.c. Jin state Head noble (or Clan leader) of the Zhao lineage. Serving as Chief minister under Duke Ding 晉定公 (r. 512–475), he was head of the Jin state government and army as its highest military commander, as well as a legal reformer, with the feudal-era Jin state uniting civil and military authority. He was Grandson of Zhao Wu 趙武. After the rebellion of Prince Chao, and a strategy meeting in the summer of 517, Zhao Yang and a Zhi Li led the Jin army to reinstate the king in 516. In 513 Zhao Yang inscribed a new penal code in iron together with Xun Yin 荀寅. On orders, he oversaw the construction a city wall for the town of Rubin 汝濱, formerly Luhun 陸渾, where there were Di tribes. He commanded the Jin army when it besieged the state of Wei 衛 in 500, forcing a re-establishment of their alliance with Wei as subordinate. Three years later he was supported by the king against other noble houses attacking him (Fan and Zhonghang), expelling them. After the opposing nobles retreated to the Qi state 齊, he annexed a portion of their territory together with his supporters, viscounts of Wei 魏, Han and Zhi 智 (or 知). He should not be confused with earlier clan leader and Zhao Viscount Zhao Dun, cognomen (Zhao) Meng 孟, or a less famous Zhao Yang from the Wei state.

In literature

In the moral lessons of the

Zuozhuan The ''Zuo Zhuan'' ( zh, t=左傳, w=Tso Chuan; ), often translated as ''The Zuo Tradition'' or as ''The Commentary of Zuo'', is an ancient Chinese narrative history traditionally regarded as a commentary on the ancient Chinese chronicle the '' ...

, during the strategy meeting of 517, on questioning Zhao Yang emphasizes the importance of ritual propriety over ceremony and stresses the natural relationships within families as a guiding principle for the people, quoting Zichan. Succeeding the Jin state, Zhao Yang is also quoted by a text attributed to

Han Fei Han Fei (233 BC), also known as Han Feizi, was a Chinese Legalist philosopher and statesman during the Warring States period. He was a prince of the state of Han. Han Fei is often considered the greatest representative of Legalism for th ...

of the Hann state, in the

Han Feizi The ''Han Feizi'' () is an ancient Chinese text attributed to the Chinese Legalism, Legalist political philosopher Han Fei. It comprises a selection of essays in the Legalist tradition, elucidating theories of state power, and synthesizing the m ...

. Although the Han Feizi quotes many earlier thinkers, Zhao Yang may have been relevant as an earlier penal reformer. The phrase attributed to Zhao Yang says: "However vile the hat, it is on the head that it must be worn; however precious the shoes, they must be placed on the feet." Han Fei argued for the institutional value of the prince, even if that prince was "vile". A scribe that Zhao Yang speaks with in the Zuozhuan emphasizes that the relation between ruler and subject are not constant, but depend on virtue. However, it does emphasize such relations at least in reverse, saying that "kings have their lords, and princes have their high ministers."

Sources

* Ulrich Theobald 2012, Zhao Jianzi 趙簡子 Zhao Yang 趙鞅, chinaknowledge.de * Yuri Pines, FOUNDATIONS OF CONFUCIAN THOUGHT. pages 19,116,332 * Stephen Durrant, 2020 The Zuo tradition. pages 128,145 * * 中國早期國家性質. Zhishufang press. 2003. p. 304. ISBN 9789867938176. (re:

Jin (Chinese state) Jin (, Old Chinese: ''*''), originally known as Tang (唐), was a major Ancient Chinese states, state during the middle part of the Zhou dynasty, based near the centre of what was then China, on the lands attributed to the legendary Xia dyn ...

, united civil and military authority) {{Monarchs of Zhao (state) Year of birth missing 470s BC deaths Monarchs of Zhao (state) Zhou dynasty nobility