Yue Yi
Led a five-state coalition against Qi, taking more than seventy cities in a row.
Life
Golden Terrace
Yue Yi was a native of the State of Wei. When King Zhao of Yan built the Golden Terrace to attract talented men from all over the realm, Yue Yi came from Wei and was appointed a vice minister (yaqing).
Five states attack Qi
In 284 BCE he commanded a five-state coalition of Yan, Qin, Han, Zhao and Wei against Qi, crushed the Qi army west of the Ji River, and stormed the Qi capital, Linzi. Over five years he took more than seventy cities of Qi, leaving only Ju and Jimo untaken.
Letter in Reply to the King of Yan
After King Zhao of Yan died, King Hui of Yan was at odds with Yue Yi and, falling for a scheme to sow discord by Tian Dan of Qi, sent Qi Jie to replace him. Yue Yi fled to the State of Zhao and wrote his famous Letter in Reply to the King of Yan. Soon afterward Tian Dan used the fire-ox formation to crush the Yan army and recaptured all the lost territory.
Legacy
Yue Yi was one of the most outstanding commanders of the Warring States, and the young Zhuge Liang often compared himself to Guan Zhong and Yue Yi.
Major works & achievements
- Took over 70 cities of Qi
- Letter in Reply to the King of Yan
Did you know? A line from his Letter in Reply to the King of Yan, "When a gentleman breaks off a friendship, he utters no ill words," is widely quoted.
Key dates
- 284 BCELed a five-state coalition against Qi
- 284 BCECaptured Linzi
- 279 BCEReplaced by King Hui of Yan; fled to Zhao