A Taste Of Human 苦肉计

Loyalty vs Ability

Nepotism is a logical outcome in many Chinese societies. A strong emphasis on trust and loyalty often resulted in unqualified people placed in positions of authority.

During the Spring and Autumn period (770 to 476), there was a palace attendant in the state of Qi by the name of Yi Ya 易牙. In those days, palace attendants were not eunuchs. The practice only began during the period of the Warring States (475 to 221). Yi Ya was married and had a son. The Duke of Qi 齐桓公 was extremely impressed with his culinary skills and had him reassigned as a cook. Under the able leadership of Chancellor Guan Zhong 管仲, the State of Qi flourished and grew to be a major power, one of the 5 hegemons of the Spring and Autumn Period 春秋五霸 (齐桓公,晋文公, 楚壮王, 吴王阖闾、越王勾踐).

One day, at a banquet, the Duke of Qi lamented that while he had tasted practically all kinds of meat, he still didn’t have the opportunity to taste human flesh.

Everyone listening believed that the Duke of Qi was just joking. Yi Ya however, took him seriously. He went home, killed his own son and and prepared a special dish for his lord. The Duke of Qi was touched beyond words, so much so that he promoted Yi Ya to a position just below his chancellor Guan Zhong. He even suggested that Yi Ya could succeed Guan Zhong.

Guan Zhong was disgusted with Yi Ya’s actions and strongly objected to it. He said: “It is human nature to love one’s offspring. How can a person who has no feelings for his offspring love his lord?” (人之情非不爱其子也，其子之忍，又将何爱于君！)

The duke listened at first but Guan Zhong soon fell ill and without reminders, he soon forgot what Guan Zhong said. Yi Ya and another palace attendant Shu Diao 竖刁 saw an opportunity when the Duke of Qi fell ill and was lying in bed. They sealed up the door to his room with bricks and made sure no one could go in or get out.

They only opened the door when they smelled rotting flesh. He then staged a coup to oust the crown prince, Prince Zhao 公子昭 who fled to the state of Song. He and Shu Diao then installed Prince Wu Kui 无虧 as duke. The Duke of Song collaborated with Prince Zhao to raise an army to invade Qi. Disgusted with the regime controlled by Yi Ya and Shu Diao, the citizens of Qi rebelled and welcomed the invaders. Prince Zhao took his rightful place as Duke of Qi.

Yi Ya’s first gruesome act of slaughtering and cooking his own son was aimed at gaining the trust of the Duke. It can be seen as one of the 36 Dirty Tricks from Ancient China, 苦肉计. After gaining the duke’s trust and thus rising to a position of power, he began to “cash in on his investment”. The practice of loyalty before ability runs deep in Chinese societies and is still very much alive today. Strangely, Yi Ya would live on as a founding father of Chinese cuisine. Many eponymous restaurants pay tribute to his extraordinary culinary skills without thinking too much about his scheming ways. Hopefully the diners know what they are eating.