The Study on the Embodiment of the Figure called Wugi in Biographies of Sunzi and Wuqi in the Records of Grand Historian

This paper contemplated the embodiment of the figure called Wuqi made by Sima Qian by analyzing the pattern by narrative development focusing on the the phrases of the well treatment of soldiers and the heartlessness and mercilessness in Biography of Wuqi. In Biography of Wuqi, Sima Qian describes the well treatment of soldiers and the heartlessness and mercilessness alternately to depict the two patterns of the determination by judging the the right or the wrong and the good and the evil, and put emphasis on his heartless personality by using the character called suspicion apart from his talent. The dialogue with Marguis wen(文) also showes the rightous vassal by emphasizing the the virtue of the king. But the intention of Sima Qian on the Wuqi through the dialogues between Junmun and him on the issue of prime minister, and the dialogues between Gonsuk and servant, and the contents of the final parts of Taesagonwal. The description that Wuqi contributed to Chao country in warring sates as a prime minister is used as an intention to exaggerate his contribution. It can be inferred that Sima Qian exaggerated the narration based on the gossips and the passage about the death of Wuqi in Biography of Wuqi by contrasting the contents in Wushijia. In short, we can take a look at Sima Qian’s intention of literary embodiment of Biography of Wuqi. Sima Qian make an bitterly exaggerated ridicule of the praises on the merits and demerits of the talent in the introductory part, which is to show the negative perspectives on the figure of the military school(兵家) and the lamentable aspects of the figure who excessiveley preoccupied with reputations.