During the Warring States (475-221 BC), Yanzi was an outstanding prime minister of the state of Qi. The following story is recorded in ‘The Stories of Yanzi’.
Once during the reign of King Jing (?-490 BC) in the State of Qi, it had been snowing for three days without break. The King, dressed in a white fox fur cape, was sitting in a porch on one side of the palace.
Yan Zi (? – 500 BC), the Prime Minister, came to see the King. After he stood before the King for a while, the King spoke to him, ‘Strange, it has been snowing for three days without break, but still I don’t feel cold.’ Yan Zi asked, ‘Is it actually not cold?’
The King smiled. Yanzi spoke out again, ‘I have heard that the ancient kings of virtue knew that the people were hungry while they themselves were full, that the people were cold while they were warm and that the people were exhausted by hard work while they were in comfort and at leisure. How could Your Majesty know nothing of these?’
The King said, ‘Well said and I appreciate it.’ So he ordered that clothing and food be provided to the hungry and cold, regardless of their nationality and family background. There was also no need to write down their names. All government officials were given two month food supply and the sick two year food supply.
On hearing the case, Confucius said, ‘Yanzi knows what he wants and King Jing does what he does best.’
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晏子为战国时期（公元前475-221)齐国宰相。以下故事来自《晏子春秋》。
景公之时，雨雪三日而不霁，公被狐白之裘，坐堂侧陛。
晏子入见，立有间，公曰：“怪哉！雨雪三日而不寒。”晏子对曰：“天不寒乎？”
公笑。晏子曰：“婴闻之，古之贤君，饱而知人之饥，温而知人之寒，逸而知人之劳，今君不知也。”
公曰：“善！寡人闻命矣。”乃令出裘发粟与饥寒者。今所睹于途者，无问其乡；所睹于里者，无问其家；循国计数，无言其名。士既事者兼月，疾者兼岁。
孔子闻之曰：“晏子能明其所欲，景公能行其所善也。”
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