Cai Ze 蔡澤 (www.chinaknowledge.de)

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Zhou Dynasty

Dec 2, 2010 © Ulrich Theobald

Cai Ze 蔡澤 was a high minister in the state of Qin 秦 during the Warring States period 戰國 (5th cent-221 BCE). He originated in Yan 燕 and wandered from court to court, but was nowhere received as a political advisor.

He finally heard that Fan Ju 范雎, the Counsellor-in-chief of Qin, waged an unfortunate war against Zhao 趙. Fan Ju introduced him to the king, and he was appointed chief minister for visitors (keqing 客卿). Later on he succeeded Fan Ju in the post of chief advisor.

Cai Ze planned to extinguish the house of Zhou 周, but he was slandered by envious courtiers and thereupon remitted his official seal. He was, nevertheless, given the title of Lord of Gangcheng 剛成君. In this position he continued to serve the kings of Qin, for example, as chief diplomat during a mission to Yan.

Sources:

Cang Xiuliang 倉修良, ed. (1991). Shiji cidian 史記辭典 (Jinan: Shandong jiaoyu chubanshe), 635.

Huang Banghe 黃邦和, Pi Mingxiu 皮明庥, ed. (1987). Zhong-wai lishi renwu cidian 中外歷史人物詞典 (Changsha: Hunan renmin chubanshe), 484.

Lu Xiaoyan 陸曉延 (2000). "Cai Ze 蔡澤", in Zhongguo Qin wenhua cidian bianweihui 《中華秦文化辭典》編委會, ed. Zhonghua Qin wenhua cidian 中華秦文化辭典 (Shaanxi: Xibei daxue chubanshe), 149.

Xiong Tieji 熊鐵基, Yang Youli 楊有禮, ed. (1994). Zhongguo diwang zaixiang cidian 中國帝王宰相辭典 (Wuhan: Hubei jiaoyu chubanshe), 443.