Classical Prose
读孟尝君传
世皆称孟尝君能得士，士以故归之，而卒赖其力以脱于虎豹之秦。
嗟乎！孟尝君特鸡鸣狗盗之雄耳，岂足以言得士？
不然，擅齐之强，得一士焉，宜可以南面而制秦，尚何取鸡鸣狗盗之力哉？
夫鸡鸣狗盗之出其门，此士之所以不至也。
Translation
People all praise Lord Mengchang for being able to attract worthy men. Because of this, they say, men of talent gathered under him, and in the end he relied on their help to escape from Qin, fierce as tigers and leopards. Alas! Lord Mengchang was merely a leader among men of cockcrow and dog-theft. How can that be called truly obtaining worthy men? If not so, then with the strength of Qi in his hands, had he gained even one true man of worth, he should have been able to face south as ruler and hold Qin in check. Why would he still have needed the help of cockcrow and dog-theft? The fact that such men came from his gate is precisely why true worthy men did not come to him.
Analysis
“Reading the Biography of Lord Mengchang” is a brief but sharply revisionist essay. In traditional accounts, Lord Mengchang is praised for attracting retainers, and the famous episode of “cockcrow and dog-theft” is often treated as evidence of his broad ability to employ men. Wang Anshi overturns this judgment. To him, escaping danger with the help of tricksters is not the same as obtaining true men of worth. The essay’s central distinction is between usefulness in a crisis and genuine political talent. The retainers who helped Lord Mengchang escape Qin were clever, but their talents were petty. Wang Anshi’s ideal “shi” is not someone skilled in tricks, but someone capable of aiding a state, confronting Qin, and shaping history. If Lord Mengchang had truly obtained such a man, then with the power of Qi he should have been able to restrain Qin directly. The final sentence is decisive. The presence of cockcrow and dog-theft men at Mengchang’s gate is precisely why true worthy men did not come. Wang Anshi suggests that a low-level circle of talent repels higher talent. A political leader’s judgment is revealed not by how many followers he has, but by what kind of people gather around him. Though extremely short, the essay shows Wang Anshi’s historical and political standards. He does not admire lively anecdotes or large numbers of retainers. He asks whether a person can truly serve great affairs. The work is therefore both a judgment on Mengchang and a broader reflection on what it means to value talent.
About the Author
Wang Anshi was a Northern Song statesman, thinker, and prose writer, counted among the Eight Great Prose Masters of the Tang and Song. His prose is known for its clarity, brevity, and argumentative force. In “Reading the Biography of Lord Mengchang,” Wang Anshi reconsiders a famous historical figure and challenges conventional praise. The essay reflects his political standard: true talent should be measured by its capacity to serve great affairs, not by cleverness or spectacle.