The Art of Persuasion

In Chinese history, there was once a group of impoverished scholars who, with their sharp insights into the world's trends, strategized for great powers and stirred the winds of history. They were known as "persuaders" in their time and later called "strategists." They were the first and last batch of political "professional managers" in Chinese history. This story begins in the era of King Huiwen of Qin and continues until the death of Queen Dowager Xuan, the last great figure of this generation. Figures like Gongsun Yan, Zhang Yi, Su Qin, Chen Zhen, the tragic Qu Yuan and King Huai of Chu, the harmonious Lian Po and Lin Xiangru, and the noble Lord Mengchang, Tian Wen—countless individuals churned the seas and wielded influence in this era, making it the famous age of strategy in Chinese history.