The allusion of turning war into jade and silk

The allusion of turning war into jade and silk originated from the Spring and Autumn period, metaphorically referring to the transformation of war or conflict into peace and friendship. This idiom comes from the 24th year of Duke Xi's reign in the Zuo Zhuan, telling the story of Wei Jiang, a high-ranking official of the Jin Dynasty, resolving the conflicts between the two countries through diplomatic means.

During the Spring and Autumn period, the Jin and Chu kingdoms vied for supremacy, and the Chu kingdom sent envoys to demand land from the Jin kingdom. Most of the ministers of Jin advocated for military confrontation, except for Wei Jiang who proposed to win people over with virtue. He suggested that Duke Dao of Jin voluntarily gift the land to the state of Chu and send envoys to show goodwill with valuable gifts such as jade and silk. Chu was moved by the sincerity of Jin and ultimately gave up the threat of force, and the two countries signed a treaty. This incident demonstrated the wisdom of using softness to overcome hardness, with jade symbolizing ritual and music civilization, and war representing violent conflict. The transformation process reflects the ancient Chinese diplomatic ideology of advocating peace. The uniqueness of this allusion lies in the complexity of its historical background. At that time, the state of Jin was on the eve of internal turmoil with six ministers monopolizing power. Wei Jiang's peace strategy not only avoided external wars, but also bought time for domestic stability. But later scholars have also pointed out that this compromise strategy may fuel the opponent's arrogance in the confrontation between powerful countries. During the Warring States period, Qin repeatedly utilized the concessions of its vassal states to gradually expand and ultimately achieved unification. This duality makes turning war into jade and silk a dialectical political wisdom.

Understanding this allusion has enlightening significance for modern interpersonal conflict management. In workplace conflicts or family disputes, actively releasing goodwill and seeking common interests are often more effective than confrontation. But it is important to pay attention to the bottom line principle, as excessive compromise may backfire. It is recommended to flexibly apply it in specific situations. For major conflicts, professional psychological counseling can be sought to achieve a win-win situation through techniques such as nonviolent communication.