This excerpt is from “Canon Three: Plausible Resemblances” in Han Feizi. The most practical of the Six Subtleties, it unveils a sophisticated frame‑up trick: instead of direct slander, fabricate scenes to prompt the ruler to draw false conclusions on his own.
This text narrates Bai Gongsheng’s 479 BC Chu rebellion. Stemming from King Ping’s crime against his crown prince, Lord Bai sought revenge, seized the capital, yet was defeated by Lord Ye, revealing deep royal clan rifts.
The Old Man on the River was a man from the state of Chu.
This article recounts the desperate flight of Wu Zixu after the execution of his father and brother by King Ping of Chu. Fleeing to avoid a death sentence, he faced a seemingly impossible barrier: the heavily guarded Zhaoguan Pass. The narrative details his psychological torment, famously described as his hair turning white overnight from…