Zou Ji 鄒忌 (d. 345 or 341 BCE) was a high minister of the state of Qi 齊 during the Warring States period 戰國 (5th cent-221 BCE). He is also called Zou Ji 騶忌 or Zou Jizi 騶忌子. During the reign of Duke Huan 齊桓公 II (r. 384-379) he acted as grand master (dafu 大夫). In 370, when the armies of Qin 秦 and Wei 魏attacked the state of Han 韓, he suggested to the duke supporting Han and to use the chance to pursue the former attacks on the state of Yan 燕. In fact the army of Qi was able to conquer some territory of Yan. On the accession of the heir, King Wei 齊威王 (r. 378-343), Zou Ji escaped being fired by performing a music play to the king with drums and zither. In 358 he was made Counsellor-in-chief and was enfeoffed with Xiapei 下邳 (modern Peixian 邳縣, Jiangsu) as Marquis Cheng 成侯. Zou Ji advocated a reform of the government, with a strong accent on laws and models, the selection of worthies as advisors instead of relatives to the ruling house, and a reform of the military. He was the initiator of the plan to encircle the state of Wei 魏 in order to relieve Zhao. His last years were overshadowed by the conflict with general Tian Ji 田忌. Source: Cang Xiuliang 倉修良 (ed. 1991). Shiji cidian 史記辭典, p. 611. Jinan: Shandong jiaoyu chubanshe.