Gongsun Yan

Also known as Xishou

Gongsun Yan, known by the title Xishou, was a man of Wei born at Yinjin, living from about 360 to about 300 BCE. He served Qin as daliangzao, its highest rank, in 333 BCE, then returned to Wei as a general and around 319 BCE became chancellor. In 323 BCE he organised the mutual recognition of kingship among Wei, Han, Zhao, Yan and Zhongshan, and he led the vertical alliance against Qin, opposing Zhang Yi's horizontal policy. A five-state attack on Qin failed at Hangu Pass in 318 BCE.