Lou Huan 樓緩 (www.chinaknowledge.de)

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Zhou Dynasty

Jul 22, 2019 © Ulrich Theobald

Lou Huan 樓緩 (early 3rd cent. BCE) was Counsellor-to-the-right (you chengxiang 右丞相) in the regional state of Qin 秦 during the Warring States period 戰國 (5th cent.-221 BCE).

He probably hailed from the state of Zhao 趙, where he was a minister of King Wuling 趙武靈王 (r. 326-299) and recommended to use tactical styles of the riding tribes of the north in order to fight them. This tactic included not only mounted archery (qishe 騎射), but also the use of "barbarian" short jackets (hufu 胡服). Lou also urged King Wuling to conclude alliances (meng 盟) with the states of Qin and Chu 楚.

After King Wuling's passing away, Lou Huan went to Qin, where he served King Zhao 秦昭襄王 (r. 307-251) for twelve years, and then decided to retire. After the battle of Changping 長平 (close to modern Gaoping 高平, Shanxi) in 259, in which Qin nearly annihilated the forces of Zhao, Lou visited the court of King Xiaocheng of Zhao 趙孝成王 (r. 266-245) and suggested that Zhao might become a vassal of Qin. Yet King Xiaocheng was urged by some of his ministers – mainly Yu Qing 虞卿 and Lord Pingyuan 平原君 – not to do so.

Sources:

Xiong Tiejin 熊鐵基, Yang Youli 楊有禮, ed. (1994). Zhongguo diwang zaixiang cidian 中國帝王宰相辭典 (Wuhan: Hubei jiaoyu chubanshe), 442.

Zhang Huizhi 張撝之, Shen Qiwei 沈起煒, Liu Dezhong 劉德重, ed. (1999). Zhongguo lidai renming da cidian 中國歷代人名大辭典 (Shanghai: Shanghai guji chubanshe), Vol. 2, 2395.

Lu Xiaoting 陸曉延 (2000). "Lou Huan 樓緩", in Zhonghua Qin wenhua cidian bianweihui 《中華秦文化辭典》編委會, ed. Zhonghua Qin wenhua cidian 中華秦文化辭典 (Xi'an: Xibei daxue chubanshe), 155.