SuaveG – The Gentle Path

Chinese mythology, folktales, and literature

  • The Torment of Factionalism: A Dynasty Torn Apart

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    The Regency of Empress Dowager Gao and the Yuanyou Restoration When Emperor Shenzong died at the age of thirty-eight, he was succeeded by his sixth son, Zhao Yong (or Zhao Chong, later renamed Zhao Xu), who was only eight years old. Known posthumously as Emperor Zhezong, the young emperor ruled under the regency of…

  • The Xining Reforms: Wang Anshi

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    The Young Prince and the Visionary Scholar When Emperor Yingzong ascended the throne, his eldest son, Zhao Xu, was already a thoughtful teenager of fifteen or sixteen. Unlike his peers, Zhao Xu was deeply engrossed in statecraft, particularly favoring the legalist philosophies of Han Fei. Among the many memorials he read was a lengthy…

  • The Iron-Faced Judge: Bao Zheng

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    The Shadow of Fan Zhongyan and the Rise of Bao Zheng After Fan Zhongyan left his post as Prefect of Kaifeng, another legendary figure took up the mantle: Bao Zheng, universally known as “Lord Bao” (Bao Gong). Both men served as Scholars of the Longtu Pavilion, leading the populace to often conflate their stories,…

  • The Man of Zheng Who Buys Shoes

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    – by Han Fei (Pre-Qin Period) There was a man from the state of Zheng who wanted to buy shoes. He first measured his own feet, then left the measurement on his seat.

  • The wise son and the suspicious neighbor

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    – by Han Fei (Pre-Qin Period) In the state of Song, there was a wealthy man. After heavy rain, the wall of his house collapsed. His son said: “If we don’t repair it at once, thieves will surely break in.” An old man from his neighborhood also warned him the same thing. That night,…

  • Self-Contradiction

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    Juan

    -by Han Fei (Pre-Qin Period) A man from the state of Chu was selling shields and spears.