Who is liu xia hui 柳下惠?

Liu Xiahui lived during the Spring and Autumn Period. His given name was Huo, and his courtesy name was Zhan Qin. He was also known as Liu Xiaji. He was a native of the State of Lu and the son of Zhan Wuhai, a high-ranking official in the State of Lu.

  He was a contemporary of Zang Wenzhong, and his main period of activity was between the reigns of four rulers of the State of Lu, namely Duke Zhuang, Duke Min, Duke Xi, and Duke Wen. Confucius referred to him as an "eccentric recluse," and because of his moral character, he was regarded as a worthy man in the eyes of Confucian scholars. "Zang Wenzhong must have been occupying his position fraudulently! He knew that Liu Xiahui was worthy but did not promote him to an official position" (Analects of Confucius: Weilinggong). He once served as a judge and insisted on "serving others with integrity," for which he was dismissed from his post several times (see Analects of Confucius: Weizi). Due to his status as an "eccentric recluse who had to lower his aspirations and humble himself" (ibid.), he had a certain connection with Taoism in his ideology, showing a life attitude of treating both genders equally, being adaptable to circumstances, and having no desire to compete with the world. "He was not ashamed to serve a corrupt ruler, nor did he feel inferior because of holding a low-ranking position" (Mencius: Gongsun Chou Shang), that is, he did not think it shameful to serve a bad ruler, nor did he consider it beneath him to hold a low position. He had no complaints or grievances about his personal situation and also had no excessive desires. "He was not resentful when he was neglected, and he was not sad when he was in poverty" (ibid.), that is, he did not resent being abandoned, nor was he worried when he was in a difficult situation. He believed that there was no need to care too much about where to go and what to do. "If someone held him back and asked him to stay, he would stay. If someone held him back and asked him to stay, and he stayed, it was because he didn't think it was necessary to leave that place" (ibid.).

  Liu Xiahui had a considerable influence among various vassal states. "In the past, when the State of Qin attacked the State of Qi, it issued an order saying: 'Anyone who dares to cut firewood within fifty paces of Liu Xiaji's tomb will be executed without pardon'." (Strategies of the Warring States: Qi Ce Four) When the State of Qin attacked the State of Qi, it had to pass through the State of Lu. The Qin army issued an order to effectively protect Liu Xiahui's tomb in the State of Lu and stipulated that those who cut firewood within fifty paces of Liu Xiahui's tomb would be sentenced to death. This shows the extent of Liu Xiahui's influence among the various vassal states.