| Guiguzi | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chinese | 鬼谷子 | ||||||||
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| Wang Xu | |||||||||
| Traditional Chinese | 王詡 | ||||||||
| Simplified Chinese | 王诩 | ||||||||
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Guiguzi (鬼谷子) is a collection of ancient Chinese texts compiled between the late Warring States period and the end of the Han Dynasty. The work, between 6,000–7,000 Chinese characters, discusses techniques of rhetoric. Although originally associated with the School of Diplomacy, the Guiguzi was later integrated into the Daoist canon.
There has been much speculation about the identity of the writer of Guiguzi: the origin of his name (literally 'The Sage of Ghost Valley') and the authenticity of the work as a whole.[1] While there has been no final outcome to this discussion, Chinese scholars believe that the compilation reflects a genuine corpus of Warring States period writings on political lobbying. While most writers doubt the assertion that the Guiguzi was written by a single personality, the Records of the Grand Historian do refer to a Guigu Xiansheng (鬼谷先生, i.e., Mr. Guigu) who taught persuaders Su Qin and Zhang Yi.[2] Thus, this Guigu is traditionally considered the founder of the School of Diplomacy (縱橫家; Zònghéngjiā), a school of thought which was particularly interested in rhetoric.[3] Guigu Xiansheng is also said to have taught famous Warring States generals Sun Bin and Pang Juan.[1] The association of the name Wang Xu (王詡) is not generally held to be supported.[1] Whereas books I and II are attributed to the same author, Book III is likely an addition by a later author.[4] There is no material in the text to support the view held by some that Guiguzi is a book on military tactics.
Guiguzi comprises three books, with chapters on different strategies of observation and persuasion.[5]
| Chapter | Title | Chinese Title |
|---|---|---|
| Book I | ||
| 1 | "Open-Shut" | Bǎi hé 捭闔 |
| 2 | "Reflect-Respond" | Fǎnyìng 反應 |
| 3 | "Affect-Fortify" | Nèi Qián 内揵 |
| 4 | "Mend-Break" | Dǐ Xī 抵巇 |
| Book II | ||
| 1 | "Captivate-Capture" | Fēi Qián 飛箝 |
| 2 | "Resist-Reconcile" | Wǔ Hé 忤合 |
| 3 | "Weighing" | Chuāi 揣 |
| 4 | "Gauging" | Mó 摩 |
| 5 | "Assessing" | Quán 權 |
| 6 | "Deploying" | Móu 謀 |
| 7 | "Decision-Making" | Jué 决 |
| 8 | "Fundamental Principles" | Fú Yán 符言 |
| 9 | "Rotation of Small Shots" | Zhuǎn Wán 轉丸 |
| 10 | "Solution to Disorder" | Qū luàn 胠亂 |
| Book III | ||
| 1 | "The Primary Doctrine on the Seven Arts of the Yin Mystique" | Běn Jīng Yīn Fú Qī Piān 本經陰符七篇 |
| 2 | "Holding the Pivot" | Chí Shū 持樞 |
| 3 | "The Central Doctrine" | Zhōng Jīng 中經 |
There have been translations of Guiguzi into modern Chinese, German, English, and Russian (see below). Almost all modern annotated texts and western translations rely heavily on the explanations of the texts attributed to the Eastern Jin scholar Tao Hongjing.[6]
