A Deep Exploration of the Way of Sovereign and Minister in 'The Analects: Xian Wen' and the Contingency of Benevolence and Righteousness

Section 2: The Death of Zhaohu – The Model of "Minor Faithfulness" (Liang)

Before discussing Master Guan Zhong’s "not dying," we must first understand Master Zhaohu’s "death."

Guanzi, Da Kuang records the circumstances of Zhaohu’s suicide in detail. Before Gongzi Jiu was killed, Zhaohu had already declared his position to Guan Zhong: "You served Jiu as an advisor; I served Jiu as a protector. An advisor may survive, but a protector cannot."

This statement is extremely important. Zhaohu distinguished between two types of ministerial service: "advising" (Fu) and "protecting" (Bao). The "advisor" was a strategist whose duty was to offer plans to help the lord achieve greatness; the "protector" was a close attendant whose duty was to pledge his life, to live and die with the lord.

In Zhaohu’s view, Guan Zhong was "advising" Jiu, so he could survive—because his value lay in his talent, and if he died, that talent would be lost. But Zhaohu was "protecting" Jiu, so he had to die—because his value lay in his loyalty, and if the lord died and he did not, his loyalty would cease to exist.

This distinction reflects a meticulous ethical consideration. However, the Master later, in answering Zigong, categorized Zhaohu’s action as "the faithfulness of an ordinary man or woman" (Pi fu pi fu zhi wei liang)—was this a rejection of Zhaohu’s deed$41

We will discuss this shortly. For now, note that Zhaohu’s suicide was widely accepted and praised in contemporary society. Shijing, Qin Feng, Huang Niao (though about the殉葬, human sacrifices, for Duke Mu of Qin, it reflects the culture of suicide for loyalty) laments: "That azure Heaven, has destroyed my fine men! If they could be redeemed, I would give a hundred of my own lives!" (彼苍者天，歼我良人！如可赎兮，人百其身。) People regretted the sacrifice but did not negate the act of dying itself.

In the ancient view of life and death, suicide for loyalty was considered a supreme act. It stemmed from a deep conviction—the meaning of life lies not in its length, but in the object to whom one is loyal. Once the object of loyalty is gone, one’s continued existence loses its meaning.

Liji, Tan Gong I records Zengzi’s words: "When a bird is about to die, its cry is mournful; when a man is about to die, his words are good" (鸟之将死，其鸣也哀；人之将死，其言也善). Death imparts ultimate truth to all words and deeds—in the face of death, no one speaks falsehoods. Zhaohu’s suicide was the ultimate testament to his loyalty to Gongzi Jiu.