During the Spring and Autumn Period and the Warring States Period, many vassal states had their own treasures. According to the Warring States Policy, "Zhou has difficulties, Song has a clear knot, Liang has worries, and Chu has peace." Harmony is harmony, and harmony is jade. Harmony is an unpolished jade.
The earliest record about He Shibi can be found in Han Feizi, New Preface and other books, and the plot is roughly the opposite. According to legend, during the Spring and Autumn Period, an expert in cutting jade in the State of Chu named Bian He got a piece of original stone in Jingshan (now Jianshan area in Nanzhang County, now Yuyin Rock, which is said to be the jade land of Bian He). Bian He took the rough jade to see Li, the king of Chu, who ordered a jade worker to check it out. The jade worker said it was just a stone. Li was furious and cut off Bian He's left foot for deceiving the monarch. After the death of Li, King Wu ascended the throne, Bian He once again took a rough piece of jade to see King Wu, and King Wu and the jade worker went to see it. The jade worker still said that it was just a stone, so Bian He lost his right foot. King Wu died and King Wen acceded to the throne. Bian He held the rough jade and wept for three days and three nights. Tears dried up, and then blood flowed out. When King Wen learned this, he sent someone to ask why. Bian He said: I am not crying that my feet have been cut off, but crying that Baoyu is treated as a stone, and loyal ministers are treated as bullies and innocent people are humiliated. Therefore, King Wen ordered people to cut open this really rare rough jade and named it He Shibi.
During the Warring States Period, King Huiwen of Zhao got a precious treasure jade that was originally lost by Chu State-"Heshibi". When Zhao Haoqi, the king of Qin, learned of this incident, he sent an envoy to see the prince of Zhao, saying that he was willing to exchange fifteen cities for "Choi-hi".
Wang Zhao read the letter and thought: The King of Qin has always been a man who only wants to take advantage and refuses to suffer. Why are you so generous this time? If you don't agree to his request, you are afraid of the Qin attack; When you say yes, you are afraid of being cheated. He thought and thought, and when he couldn't make up his mind, he discussed it with the ministers, but they couldn't think of any good way.
When Lin Xiangru knew this, he said to the prince of Zhao, "Your Majesty, let me take' Heshibi' to see the king of Qin. I'll play it by ear when I get there. If the king of Qin refuses to exchange fifteen cities, I will definitely bring back' Heshibi' intact. " Knowing that Lin Xiangru was a brave and witty man, the prince of Zhao agreed to go.
When Lin Xiangru arrived in Qin, the king of Qin greeted him in the palace. Lin Xiangru dedicated his "Harmony" to the King of Qin. The king of Qin took it and looked left and right. He likes it very much. After reading it, he handed it to the ministers one by one and then to the concubines in the harem.
Lin Xiangru stood there alone, waiting for a long time, but he didn't see the king of Qin ceding fifteen cities. He knew that the king of Qin did not exchange fifteen cities for Baoyu's sincerity. But Baoyu has been in the hands of the king of Qin. How can I get it back? He thought about it and came up with a plan. Lin Xiangru went up to the king of Qin and said, "Although this piece of' Heshibi' looks good, it has some flaws. Let me show it to the king. " When the King of Qin heard that the "Choi" was defective, he quickly had Baoyu taken from the harem to Lin Xiangru and asked him to point it out.
Lin Xiangru took a few steps back with the "Harmony Jade", leaned against the pillar and said angrily to the king of Qin: "At the beginning, this king sent a letter to the king of Zhao, saying that he was willing to exchange fifteen cities for Zhao's" Harmony Jade ". Minister Zhao said, don't believe Qin's lies. I don't think so. I said that the people still speak faith, not to mention the king of Qin! The prince of Zhao took my advice and sent me to send "He Shibi". Unexpectedly, just now the king took Baoyu and gave it to the people below, but he didn't mention the change of the fifteen cities. From this point of view, the king really has no sincerity to exchange the city for the wall. Now that Baoyu is in my hand, if your majesty insists on persecuting me, I would rather hit me on the head with this Baoyu on this pillar! " Lin Xiangru said, and raised the "and choi", facing the pillars, posturing is about to fall.
The king of Qin wanted the samurai to rob him, but he was afraid that Lin Xiangru really smashed Baoyu. He quickly apologized to Lin Xiangru and said, "Don't worry, doctor, my words don't count!" He asked someone to bring the map and pretended to point to it and said, "From here to there, there are fifteen cities, all of which are allocated to Zhao." Lin Xiangru thought, the king of Qin often plays tricks, don't be fooled by him again! He said to the king of Qin: "This piece of' Heshibi' is a world-famous treasure. When the King of Zhao sent him to the State of Qin, he fasted for five days and held a grand ceremony to introduce Baoyu in the court. Now the king will take this treasure jade and fast for five days, and hold a ceremony in the court to take it so that I can present it. " The king of Qin didn't want to do this, but seeing Lin Xiangru's resolute attitude, he said helplessly, "Good! Just do it! " Say that finish, he sent someone to send Lin Xiangru to the hotel to rest.
Lin Xiangru took Baoyu's piece and went to the mansion. He asked a man to dress up as a businessman, wrapped Baoyu in his body and secretly ran back to Zhao through the alley. As for what the king of Qin would do to him, he didn't even consider it.
Later, the king of Qin found out about it, and it was too late to regret it. If you want to send troops to attack Zhao, Zhao is prepared for military affairs, and I'm afraid you can't win. Finally, the king of Qin was very angry, but even if he killed Lin Xiangru, he could not get Choi. Instead, he would make bad friends with Zhao and let him go back to Zhao.
In history, this matter is called "returning to Zhao in perfect condition". This matter is recorded in detail in Sima Qian's Historical Records. At the same time, it records the story of Lian Po and Lin Xiangru living in harmony (Biography of Lian Po and Lin Xiangru).
However, later, she was owned by the State of Qin. As for when and how she was owned by the State of Qin, there is no record in history. In the tenth year of the King of Qin (237 BC), Li Si mentioned in the book "Persuasion and Expulsion": "Now your Majesty has given Kunshan a jade as a treasure of harmony." "Sui Hebao" refers to "Sui Houzhu" and "Heshibi", which were two famous treasures at that time. It is very likely that Zhao was afraid of the power of Qin and gave it to Qin out of necessity.
Since then, there have been many records about He Shibi, and most of them believe in the records of Han Feizi, New Preface and other books. For example, Fu Xian's "Fish Fu" in the Western Jin Dynasty said: "You don't smell the wild, everyone regards it as a stone, and you know it yourself." There are many records about He Shibi in Tang poetry. The great poet Li Bai's "Ancient Style" has the words "Take jade into the State of Chu, and smell it when you see the past." A good treasure will be abandoned in the end, and it will be futile to offer a gentleman three times.