Statesman whose reforms made 齐国 the strongest state of its day. His friend 鲍叔牙 had him forgiven for backing a rival prince and named chancellor, and their trust gave the idiom 管鲍之交.
With Guan Zhong's help, Duke Huan of Qi became the first hegemon of the Spring and Autumn period.
Tips
history
Before serving 齐桓公 he had backed a rival prince and even shot the future duke, hitting his belt hook; the duke played dead to fool him. The idiom 老马识途, 'an old horse knows the way', comes from his advice to let old horses lead a lost army home.
culture
The book 管子 is attributed to him, with its line 仓廪实而知礼节 'when the granaries are full, people know propriety'. Confucius praised him: without Guan Zhong, he said, 'we would be wearing our hair loose and folding our robes to the left' like the barbarians.