Qin Xiao Gongs Grand Ambition | Generated by AI
This is a question about the classic Chinese essay《过秦论》(Critique of Qin) by Jia Yi (贾谊).
The quote “有席卷天下，包举宇内，囊括四海之意，并吞八荒之心” describes a ruler who possessed the ambition to “sweep across the empire, encompass the world, engulf the four seas, and swallow the eight wastelands.”
Let’s go through each option:
A. 秦孝公 (Duke Xiao of Qin) — He was the ruler who hired Shang Yang (商鞅) for the famous Shang Yang Reforms, which greatly strengthened Qin. However, he is not the one this quote refers to.
B. 惠文王 (King Hui Wen of Qin) — He was Shang Yang’s successor who actually executed Shang Yang, but continued Qin’s expansion. Not the target of this quote either.
C. 昭襄王 (King Zhao Xiang of Qin) — He was a powerful and ambitious king during the Warring States period, known for aggressive military expansion. However, he is also not the one described here.
D. 秦始皇 (Qin Shi Huang, the First Emperor) — This is not the correct answer either, surprisingly.
The correct answer is A. 秦孝公.
In《过秦论》, Jia Yi specifically attributes this grand imperial ambition to 秦孝公. The essay’s opening section praises Xiao Gong as the originator of Qin’s expansionist vision — it was under his reign and through the Shang Yang Reforms that Qin first laid the foundation for eventual unification. Jia Yi credits him with first igniting the ambition that ultimately led to Qin’s conquest of China.