| | 田單列傳: |
田單者，齊諸田疏屬也。湣王時，單為臨菑市掾，不見知。及燕使樂毅伐破齊，齊湣王出奔，已而保莒城。燕師長驅平齊，而田單走安平，令其宗人盡斷其車軸末而傅鐵籠。已而燕軍攻安平，城壞，齊人走，爭涂，以折車敗，為燕所虜，唯田單宗人以鐵籠故得脫，東保即墨。燕既盡降齊城，唯獨莒、即墨不下。燕軍聞齊王在莒，并兵攻之。淖齒既殺湣王於莒，因堅守，距燕軍，數年不下。燕引兵東圍即墨，即墨大夫出與戰，敗死。城中相與推田單，曰：「安平之戰，田單宗人以鐵籠得全，習兵。」立以為將軍，以即墨距燕。 |
| | Tian Dan was a distant relative of the various Tian clans of Qi. During the reign of King Min, Dan served as an official in Linzi's market and was not recognized or known. When Yan sent Yue Yi to attack and defeat Qi, King Min of Qi fled, and later took refuge in the city of Ju. The Yan army advanced rapidly and pacified Qi, while Tian Dan fled to Anping, ordering his relatives to cut off the ends of their cart axles and attach iron casings. Later, when the Yan army attacked Anping and the city walls collapsed, the people of Qi fled in chaos. In their rush to escape, many broke their carts and were captured by the Yan forces. Only Tian Dan's relatives managed to escape because of the iron casings on their axles; they retreated eastward to take refuge in Jimo. After Yan had captured and subdued all the cities of Qi, only Ju and Jimo remained unconquered. The Yan army heard that King of Qi was in Ju and concentrated their forces to attack it. Nao Chi having killed King Min at Ju, he then held the city firmly, resisting the Yan army and for several years it could not be captured. Yan led their troops eastward to encircle Jimo; the native official of Jimo went out to fight them, but was defeated and killed. The people in the city jointly recommended Tian Dan, saying: "During the battle at Anping, Tian Dan's relatives survived because of their iron-cased axles; he is experienced with military affairs." They appointed him as general to defend Jimo against Yan.
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| | 田單列傳: |
頃之，燕昭王卒，惠王立，與樂毅有隙。田單聞之，乃縱反閒於燕，宣言曰：「齊王已死，城之不拔者二耳。樂毅畏誅而不敢歸，以伐齊為名，實欲連兵南面而王齊。齊人未附，故且緩攻即墨以待其事。齊人所懼，唯恐他將之來，即墨殘矣。」燕王以為然，使騎劫代樂毅。 |
| | Soon after, King Zhao of Yan died and King Hui was enthroned; there were tensions between him and Yue Yi. Tian Dan heard of this, so he sent a spy to Yan to spread the false report: "The King of Qi is already dead; only two cities remain unconquered." "Yue Yi fears punishment and dares not return, using the campaign against Qi as a pretext; in reality, he wants to unite his forces and establish himself as king of Qi." "The people of Qi have not yet submitted, so for the time being he is delaying the attack on Jimo while waiting to see what will happen." "The people of Qi are afraid only that another general might come, and then Jimo would be destroyed." lineno King of Yan believed this to be true and sent Qi Jie to replace Yue Yi.
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| | 田單列傳: |
樂毅因歸趙，燕人士卒忿。而田單乃令城中人食必祭其先祖於庭，飛鳥悉翔舞城中下食。燕人怪之。田單因宣言曰：「神來下教我。」乃令城中人曰：「當有神人為我師。」有一卒曰：「臣可以為師乎？」因反走。田單乃起，引還，東鄉坐，師事之。卒曰：「臣欺君，誠無能也。」田單曰：「子勿言也！」因師之。每出約束，必稱神師。乃宣言曰：「吾唯懼燕軍之劓所得齊卒，置之前行，與我戰，即墨敗矣。」燕人聞之，如其言。城中人見齊諸降者盡劓，皆怒，堅守，唯恐見得。單又縱反閒曰：「吾懼燕人掘吾城外冢墓，僇先人，可為寒心。」燕軍盡掘壟墓，燒死人。即墨人從城上望見，皆涕泣，俱欲出戰，怒自十倍。 |
| | Yue Yi therefore returned to Zhao, and the soldiers and people of Yan were angry. Tian Dan then ordered the people within the city to offer sacrifices to their ancestors in their courtyards during meals, and birds flew down into the city to feed on the offerings. The Yan forces found this strange. Tian Dan then made a public announcement saying, "A deity has come down to teach me." He ordered the people in the city: "There will be a divine person who becomes my teacher." One soldier said, "May I serve as your teacher?" And then he turned and ran away. Tian Dan immediately got up, called him back, had him sit facing east, and treated him as a teacher. The soldier said: "I have deceived you; I truly have no ability." Tian Dan said, "You must not say anything!" And so he continued to treat him as his teacher. Whenever issuing orders, he always cited the divine teacher. He then made a public declaration: "I am only afraid that the Yan army will cut off the noses of captured Qi soldiers and place them at the front, fighting against us; if so, Jimo will be defeated." The Yan forces heard this and acted as he had said. The people within the city saw that all of Qi's captured soldiers who surrendered were subjected to nose-cutting, and they became enraged. They resolved to defend more firmly, fearing capture themselves. Tian Dan also sent another spy to spread the report: "I fear that the Yan people will dig up the tombs outside our city walls and humiliate our ancestors, which would be heartbreaking." The Yan army dug up all the graves and burned the corpses. The people of Jimo, looking down from the city walls, saw this and wept bitterly; all wished to go out and fight, their anger increasing tenfold.
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| | 田單列傳: |
田單知士卒之可用，乃身操版插，與士卒分功，妻妾編於行伍之閒，盡散飲食饗士。令甲卒皆伏，使老弱女子乘城，遣使約降於燕，燕軍皆呼萬歲。田單又收民金，得千溢，令即墨富豪遺燕將，曰：「即墨即降，願無虜掠吾族家妻妾，令安堵。」燕將大喜，許之。燕軍由此益懈。 |
| | Tian Dan, knowing that his soldiers were ready for battle, personally carried a wooden shield and trowel, shared labor with the troops, placed his wives and concubines among the ranks of the soldiers, and distributed all their food and drink to entertain the men. He ordered his armored troops to lie in ambush, had the elderly, weak, and women man the city walls, and sent envoys to offer surrender to Yan. The Yan army all cheered "Long live!" Tian Dan also collected gold from the people, amassing a thousand yu, and ordered the wealthy men of Jimo to present it as gifts to the Yan generals, saying: "If Jimo surrenders immediately, we hope you will not capture or plunder our families' wives and concubines, allowing them to remain undisturbed." The Yan generals were greatly pleased and agreed. Because of this, the Yan army became increasingly complacent.
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| | 田單列傳: |
田單乃收城中得千餘牛，為絳繒衣，畫以五彩龍文，束兵刃於其角，而灌脂束葦於尾，燒其端。鑿城數十穴，夜縱牛，壯士五千人隨其後。牛尾熱，怒而奔燕軍，燕軍夜大驚。牛尾炬火光明炫燿，燕軍視之皆龍文，所觸盡死傷。五千人因銜枚擊之，而城中鼓譟從之，老弱皆擊銅器為聲，聲動天地。燕軍大駭，敗走。齊人遂夷殺其將騎劫。燕軍擾亂奔走，齊人追亡逐北，所過城邑皆畔燕而歸田單，兵日益多，乘勝，燕日敗亡，卒至河上，而齊七十餘城皆復為齊。乃迎襄王於莒，入臨菑而聽政。 |
| | Tian Dan then gathered over a thousand oxen from the city, clothed them in crimson silk robes decorated with five-colored dragon patterns, fastened weapons to their horns, and tied bundles of reeds soaked in fat to their tails, setting fire to one end. He dug dozens of holes in the city wall and at night released the oxen, with five thousand brave soldiers following behind them. The oxen's tails were hot from the fire, so they became enraged and charged toward the Yan army; the Yan forces were greatly alarmed during the night. The torches on the oxen's tails cast bright, dazzling light; the Yan soldiers saw the five-colored dragon patterns and were terrified. All those struck by the oxen were killed or wounded. The five thousand men then attacked in silence, biting on wooden mutes, while the people inside the city beat drums and raised a deafening clamor. The elderly and weak all struck bronze vessels to make noise; the sound shook heaven and earth. The Yan army was greatly terrified and fled in defeat. The people of Qi then killed their general Qi Jie, cutting him down completely. The Yan army became disorganized and fled in confusion; the people of Qi pursued them, capturing those who ran away and defeating those who resisted. Every city they passed through rebelled against Yan and returned to Tian Dan's side. His forces grew stronger day by day as he advanced on a winning streak, and the Yan forces continued to suffer defeats until they reached the river. In the end, more than seventy cities of Qi were restored to Qi. They then went to Ju to welcome King Xiang back and brought him into Linzi where he assumed the throne and began to govern.
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| | 田單列傳: |
襄王封田單，號曰安平君。 |
| | King Xiang enfeoffed Tian Dan, bestowing on him the title of Anping Jun.
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| | 田單列傳: |
太史公曰：兵以正合，以奇勝。善之者，出奇無窮。奇正還相生，如環之無端。夫始如處女，適人開戶；後如脫兔，適不及距：其由單之謂邪！ |
| | Grand Historian said: "Military forces achieve success through conventional tactics in open battle and through unconventional strategies to secure victory." Those who are skilled at this can employ endless surprises. The interplay between the conventional and the unconventional is cyclical, like a ring with no beginning or end. At first, one remains as still as an unmarried girl; when the enemy opens their door— Later, one strikes like a hare that escapes suddenly, leaving the opponent too late to resist: this is what is meant by Tian Dan's strategy!
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| | 田單列傳: |
初，淖齒之殺湣王也，莒人求湣王子法章，得之太史嬓之家，為人灌園。嬓女憐而善遇之。後法章私以情告女，女遂與通。及莒人共立法章為齊王，以莒距燕，而太史氏女遂為后，所謂「君王后」也。 |
| | Initially, when Nao Chi killed King Min, the people of Ju searched for a son of King Min named Fa Zhang and found him living as a gardener in the home of Tai Shi Xiao. Xiao's daughter took pity on him and treated him kindly. Later, Fa Zhang secretly revealed his identity to her, and the two began a relationship. When the people of Ju jointly enthroned Fa Zhang as King of Qi and defended Ju against Yan, Tai Shi's daughter thus became queen; she was known as "Queen Dowager Junwang."
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| | 田單列傳: |
燕之初入齊，聞畫邑人王蠋賢，令軍中曰「環畫邑三十里無入」，以王蠋之故。已而使人謂蠋曰：「齊人多高子之義，吾以子為將，封子萬家。」蠋固謝。燕人曰：「子不聽，吾引三軍而屠畫邑。」王蠋曰：「忠臣不事二君，貞女不更二夫。齊王不聽吾諫，故退而耕於野。國既破亡，吾不能存；今又劫之以兵為君將，是助桀為暴也。與其生而無義，固不如烹！」遂經其頸於樹枝，自奮絕脰而死。齊亡大夫聞之，曰：「王蠋，布衣也，義不北面於燕，況在位食祿者乎！」乃相聚如莒，求諸子，立為襄王。 |
| | When Yan first entered Qi, they heard that Wang Zhu of Huayi was a virtuous man and issued an order to the army: "Do not enter within thirty li around Huayi," out of respect for Wang Zhu. Later, they sent someone to tell Wang Zhu: "Many people in Qi admire your righteousness; we will appoint you as a general and bestow upon you ten thousand households." Wang Zhu firmly declined. The Yan envoys said: "If you do not listen, we will lead our three armies to massacre Huayi." Wang Zhu said: "A loyal minister does not serve two rulers; a chaste woman does not remarry after her husband's death." King Qi did not heed my advice, so I withdrew and farmed in the fields. Now that our country has been destroyed, I cannot save it; To be now forced by arms to become a general for the enemy is to assist tyranny. "It would be better to die boiled than live without righteousness!" He then tied his neck to a tree branch and threw himself down, breaking his neck and dying. When the exiled officials of Qi heard this, they said: "Wang Zhu was a commoner who refused to bow to Yan out of righteousness; how much more so for those in office who receive salaries!" They then gathered together at Ju, sought the royal descendants, and enthroned one as King Xiang.
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