Ambassador Yan 晏子使楚

Yan Ying, also known as Yanzi, was an important politician, thinker and diplomat of the State of Qi during the Warring States period.
Yan was appointed by the State of Qi state as its ambassador to the State of Chu. When the king of Chu was so informed, he said to his officials, ‘Yan is an eloquent and witty man of Qi. Since he will come to our State, I would like to humiliate him. How can this be arranged?’
The officials said, ‘When he arrives at the court, we will arrange to have a man bound with ropes before you. You may ask who he is. We shall say he is from Qi, and you then ask what he is guilty of. Our answer will be that he is guilty of theft.’
When Yan was ushered to meet the King of Chu, the latter treated him to a drink of wine. While they were drinking, two officials brought a man bound with ropes to the King, who asked ostensibly, ‘Why did you tie the man with ropes?’
‘He is from Qi, guilty of theft.’
The King looked at Yan and quizzed, ‘Are people of Qi born to be adept thieves?’
Yan left his seat and countered, ‘I heard that oranges grown south of Huai River are true oranges; once transplanted to the north of the river, they become trifoliate oranges. Although they resemble in the shape of leaves, yet they differ greatly in taste. What accounts for it? The difference is in water and soil. Now people born in Qi are incapable of theft, but once in Chu they commit this crime. Could it be that the climate of Chu has something to do with it?’
The King remarked with a smile, ‘A sage is indeed not to be trifled with. The ridicule has recoiled upon us.’
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晏婴,又称晏子，是春秋后期齐国一位重要的政治家、思想家、外交家。
晏子将使楚。楚王闻之，谓左右曰：‘晏婴，齐之习辞者也，今方来，吾欲辱之，何以也？’
左右对曰：‘为其来也，臣请缚一人过王而行。王曰：何为者也？对曰：齐人也。王曰，何坐？曰，坐盗。’
晏子至，楚王赐晏子酒，酒酣，吏二缚一人诣(yì)王。王曰：‘缚者曷(hé)为者也？’
对曰：‘齐人也，坐盗。’
王视晏子曰： ‘齐人固善盗乎？’
晏子避席对曰：‘婴闻之，橘生淮南则为橘，生于淮北则为枳，叶徒相似，其实味不同。所以然者何？水土异也。今民生长于齐不盗，入楚则盗，得无楚之水土使民善盗！’
王笑曰：‘圣人非所与熙也，寡人反取病焉。’