The Origins of the Anling Standoff

The small fiefdom of Anling, a mere fifty li (about 25 km) in territory, became an unexpected obstacle in Qin’s grand southern campaign against Chu. This tiny state, granted by the former King Xiang of Wei to his younger brother, had survived Qin’s conquest of Wei through a deliberate policy of appeasement toward remnant noble houses.

Qin’s strategy, devised by Chancellor Wang Wan and approved by King Zheng, sought to stabilize the Central Plains by allowing select small states with reputations for benevolent rule to continue existing. The logic was sound: by preserving ceremonial states like Wey and Anling, Qin could demonstrate respect for tradition while gradually assimilating conquered territories.

Yet Anling’s strategic location along the Wei River made it indispensable as a supply hub for Li Xin’s 200,000-strong invasion force marching toward Chu. When Military Commissioner Yao Jia first proposed exchanging Anling for 500 li of fertile land in Henei, the Anling Lord stubbornly refused, citing his ancestral duty to protect lands granted by his forebears.

The Diplomatic Impasse

As Li Xin’s army massed at Nanyang basecamp, the Anling situation grew urgent. Veteran general Meng Wu personally traveled to negotiate passage rights, only to be rebuffed. Yao Jia’s follow-up mission similarly failed. The Qin court now faced a dilemma: force risked alienating other remnant states, while delay jeopardized the entire Chu campaign.

King Zheng’s frustration peaked when Yao Jia collapsed from exhaustion after shuttling between Xianyang and Anling. In a rare moment of fury, the king nearly ordered Anling’s forcible annexation before Li Si’s timely intervention recalled his disastrous expulsion decree against non-Qin officials years prior.

The Showdown: Tang Ju’s Defiance

The court summoned Anling’s envoy Tang Ju for a final audience. What followed became one of the most legendary diplomatic encounters of the era.

Tang Ju, a middle-aged scholar in plain red robes and bamboo crown, stood impassively as King Zheng attempted intimidation: “Have you heard of the wrath of the Son of Heaven? It brings a million corpses and blood flowing for a thousand li.”

Unfazed, Tang Ju countered with the resolve of commoners: “Have you heard of the wrath of common scholars? When Zhuan Zhu assassinated Liao, a comet struck the moon; when Nie Zheng killed the Han minister, a white rainbow pierced the sun; when Yao Li slew Qing Ji, a goshawk attacked the palace. Add me today, and we become four!”

With dramatic suddenness, Tang Ju drew a dagger and advanced toward the throne. Even as the eunuch Zhao Gao intervened, King Zheng remained astonishingly composed, recognizing this as a symbolic gesture rather than genuine assassination attempt.

The Resolution and Legacy

The confrontation transformed into mutual respect. King Zheng acknowledged Anling’s survival was due to men like Tang Ju, while the envoy secured Qin’s pledge to respect Anling’s autonomy in exchange for logistical cooperation.

This episode reveals several key aspects of late Warring States diplomacy:

1. The Limits of Qin’s Power – Even at the height of its military might, Qin still needed to negotiate with minor states when strategic interests demanded restraint.

2. Scholar-Officials’ Influence – The Tang Ju incident demonstrates how individual scholar-diplomats could shape state policy through principled stands.

3. King Zheng’s Pragmatism – His ability to shift from fury to admiration shows the political flexibility behind Qin’s eventual unification.

Historically, the Anling compromise proved temporary. After conquering Chu, Qin would fully integrate these ceremonial states. Yet the “Tang Ju’s Defiance” story endured as a testament to principled resistance against overwhelming power, preserved in texts like the Zhanguo Ce and later memorialized by Han historians as both a diplomatic ideal and cautionary tale about the limits of coercion.