Xiang Shou 向壽

Xiang Shou 向壽 was a counsellor and general in the state of Qin 秦 during the Warring States period 戰國 (5th cent.-221 BCE). He was a relative or younger brother of Queen Xuan 宣太后, a native from Chu 楚 and primary consort of King Huiwen of Qin 秦惠文王 (r. 338-311). Xiang Shou grew up with Prince Ji 稷 (or Ze 則), the future King Zhaoxiang 秦昭襄王 (307-251), and was therefore acquainted well with the situation in Qin. Grew up, he was sent to a diplomatic mission to Chu, where he was treated with great respect and appointed governor (junshou 郡守) of Yiyang 宜陽 (today in Henan). The king of Chu thereafter recommended him to King Zhaoxiang as counsellor which Qin of course accepted.

In 308, Xiang Shou and Gan Mao 甘茂 were sent to Wei 魏 with the royal order to create an alliance (meng 盟) against Han 韓, yet as governor of Wusui 武遂, Xiang Shou did not want this territory to be ceded to Han for diplomatic reasons, a solution which Gan Mao preferred. Gan held sway, and Xiang thereupon slandered Gan Mao, who therefore fled to Qi 齊.

In 294, Xiang Shou took over command during a military expedition against Han and occupied the town of Wushi 武始 (close to Handan 邯鄲, Hebei). A year later he was replaced by Bai Qi 白起.