Wu Qi — A Strategist with Great Achievements and A Controversial Reputation

Wu Qi (440 BC — 381 BC), respected as Wuzi, was one of the brightest and most controversial people in the Warring State Period (403 BC — 221 BC) in the history of China.

He was an ever-victorious militarist, an aggressive reformer, and an ambitious politician; however, he had been widely criticized for his unkindness and infidelity.

He brought victory and prosperity to every state he had served but was framed every time and assassinated. However, he smartly finished vengeance by himself before he passed away.

His masterpiece "Wuzi", together with Sun Zi (or Sun Tzu)'s "Art of War", made them two of the most exceptional military strategists in Chinese culture.

Unearthed Jade Mythical Animal of the Warring States Period

Jade Mythical Animal of the Warring States Period — Metropolitan Museum of Art (Photo by Dongmaiying)

Wealthy Man with Strong Political Ambition

Wu Qi was born into a wealthy family, but business people obtained low social status in ancient Chinese culture.

After growing up, he spent lots of money trying to get a political position, but he was fooled by some people who took his money and didn't get him anything he expected.

Some gossip recorded that Wu Qi got angry and killed around 30 people who abused or laughed at him.

Afterward, he left his parents and came to State Lu, the hometown of Confucius, to study Confucianism, which considers respecting one's parents as one of the most important morals.

However, his teacher cut him off for being unfilial when Wu Qi didn't go home after hearing his mother had passed away.

Ritual Jade (Yu Bi) of State Lu During the Warring States Period — Shandong Museum (Photo by Dongmaiying)

A Possible Wife Killer and An Exceptional General

Then Wu started to learn the military strategy and finally got a position in the army of the State Lu.

When another kingdom invaded Lu, Wu Qi thought it was an excellent opportunity to show his military talent and get promotions.

However, he didn't gain the trust of the king of Lu because his wife was from the invasive kingdom.

Wu Qi left his wife to become a powerful commander in the army and eliminate the king's distrust. Some said that he divorced his wife and asked her to leave, while in other documents, he killed his wife to show his loyalty to State Lu.

Afterward, Wu Qi finally became a general of Lu's army, who successfully defeated the invasive troops.

But soon, the king of Lu was informed about Wu Qi being indecent and decided to expel him.

Unearthed Bronze Carriage of the Warring States Period — Nanjing Museum

Special Force in the State Wei

Then, Wu Qi came to State Wei, whose king was trying to hire intelligent people and expand territory.

He exhibited his exceptional talent in politics and the military and impressed the king of Wei, who immediately nominated Wu Qi to command Wei's army.

Later, Wu Qi reformed military recruitment and training and built a solid special force consisting of professional, aggressive warriors.

As the most powerful general, Wu Qi was humble and thoughtful; he ate average food, rested on the field with his ordinary soldiers, always cared for them, and never treated himself differently.

Bronze Inlaying Silver Ware of the Warring States Period that were used to Place Bows

Bronze Inlaying Silver Ware of the Warring States Period that was used to Place Bows — Art Institute of Chicago (Photo by Dongmaiying)

Once, he even risked his own life to save an ordinary soldier. Though he was not a good son and husband, he was a great and caring marshal.

Leading this substantial troop, Wu Qi defeated State Qin several times. As an invincible general who always used the few to defeat the many, he assisted Wei obtained hegemony and vastly extended territory.

Again, Wu Qi's exceptional achievements caused more jealousy.

A few years later, the king of Wei passed away.

Under the instigation of Wu Qi's jealous political enemies, the new king started to suspect Wu's loyalty.

Sensing the new king's estrangement, Wu Qi left State Wei, the kingdom he had protected and prospered.

Exquisite Cart Decoration of the State Wei Inlaid with Gold and Silver — National Museum of China (Photo by Dongmaiying)

Wu Qi's Great Reform in the State of Chu

Then, Wu Qi came to State Chu, the kingdom in the south that kept losing in wars and shirking in the last decades. He received respect and full support from Chu's ambitious monarch, King Dao of Chu.

Wu Qi was nominated as the most powerful minister and then implemented an unprecedented reform, after which the State Chu became very powerful and kept expanding.

He ended the aristocratic hereditary system and most of their privileges by regulating that the noble titles and lands could only be inherited for three generations and commanding nobles with little contributions to migrate to remote areas to open up virgin lands.

Gold Currency (Ying Yuan) of the State Chu — Nanjing Museum (Photo by Dongmaiying)

This reform made Chu's government and army more efficient and severely jeopardized nearly all the nobles' benefits.

But with King Dao of Chu's full support, all nobles had to obey.

After his reform achieved great success and made the State Chu solid and rich, Wu Qi immediately led Chu's special troops he trained to attack nearby regimes. He kept winning and vastly expanded Chu's territory.

Within about six years, Wu Qi made the Chu from a weak, decreasing state to the strongest and biggest kingdom in China at that time.

Painted Lacquer Shield of State Chu During the Warring States Period — Jingzhou Museum (Photo by Dongmaiying)

Assassination and Vengeance

However, the supportive King Dao of Chu departed, and many nobles took this opportunity to attack Wu Qi.

Wu Qi fought back bravely, but he could not win over so many assassins. Soon, he got shot several times.

He ran toward the place where King Dao of Chu's body was placed, pulled out one arrow, and inserted it into the late king's body, saying those nobles were initiating a rebellion and trying to seek vengeance from the dead king.

Therefore, the new king sentenced those nobles to death, which included over 70 clans.

Wu Qi finished his vengeance by himself right before his death.

A large number of nobles, and his reform, were all buried with Wu Qi.

Bronze Spears Unearthed from Tomb of Zeng Hou Yi — Hubei Museum

Achievements and Flaws of Wu Qi

Wu Qi was widely criticized for his disrespectful behavior toward his mother and possibly murdering of his wife in exchange for political ambition, sometimes also including wars and slaughters that he was responsible for, though, in some documentation, those crimes were fabricated by his political enemies that tried everything to defame Wu's reputation.

He was highly obsessed with power and had tried everything to realize his political dreams. His flaws, indeed, were quite obvious and critical.

In many people's opinions, he was not a good person.

On the other side, he was intelligent and insightful, as a successful reformer and an invincible general whose accomplishments were quite glorious.

Wherever he was serving, the kingdom had obtained hegemony. Among about 76 wars he participated in his entire life, he won 64, tied 12, and never lost.

Wu Qi's masterpiece "Wuzi" was as important as the Art of War in Chinese culture.

In this book, he presented his ideas of harmonizing benevolence and army training.

He believed that cultivation, education, morals, and political administration were all as important as the military power and expansion of the territory.

Jade Pendent of Warring States Period, With the Shape of Deity Training Dragons — Jingzhou Museum (Photo by Dongmaiying)

Next Story: A Great Reformer with a Cruel, Tragic Ending — Shang Yang