When to Quit According to Fan Li

Fan Li (范蠡) wore many hats: he was a prominent politician, a military strategist, and a successful merchant in the State of Yue during the Spring and Autumn Period (770–476 B.C.). (See our map of Chinese states in the Spring and Autumn period)

He was not best known as a military strategist because of the galaxy of brilliant strategists serving at the courts of each Chinese state at his time, but rather was mostly renowned for his unparalleled political acumen and business savvy.

The highlight of his political career came when he served as an advisor to Goujian (remember The King of Swords post?), the king of Yue, and helped him conquer the powerful neighboring state of Wu against all odds. At the pinnacle of his success, to the surprise of the king and his colleagues, he chose to resign and decided to make a living as a merchant. He explained to his best friend and political ally about this decision with an analogy. "When the cunning hare is killed, the fleet hound goes into the cooking-pot; when the soaring bird is exterminated the  bow is laid aside (狡兔死走狗烹，飞鸟尽良弓藏)." Now that the King's cause had succeeded, the value of his advisors would diminish sharply. Serving the King would no longer be worth the high risks inherently embedded in a political career. His friend disagreed with this seemingly pessimistic view and stayed with the King, and was eventually put to death as the increasingly paranoid King grew suspicious of his loyalty.

Fan Li's business acumen made him very wealthy after he started his own commodity trading business, and spent much of his income in charity, caring for the local poor and those in need. For centuries to come, he would serve as a reminder for those seeking success - sometimes, it's more important to change direction than to push ahead.

Fan Li

Fan Li resigned and left the capital of the State of Yue

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