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Wan Zhang asked Mencius: “Song is a small state. If it now implements kingly governance (benevolent governance), and Qi and Chu resent it and attack – what should it do?”
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Duke Wen of Teng asked Mencius: “Teng is a small state, squeezed between the great powers of Qi and Chu. Should we submit to Qi, or align ourselves with Chu?”
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In 494 BC, the State of Yue was defeated by the State of Wu. King Goujian of Yue, his wife and officials (such as Fan Li) were held as hostages in Wu state for about three years. During this time, Goujian endured the humiliation. For example, Fuchai, the king of Wu, assigned them a…
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When King Cheng of Chu died in 613 BCE, his grandson ascended the throne as King Zhuang of Chu. At the time, Jin, under the leadership of Zhao Dun, seized the opportunity of Chu’s mourning period to convene seven states – Song, Lu, Chen, Wei, Zheng, Cai, and Xu – and reassert its dominance…
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Feudal throne succession is a critical period of power transition. However, as it involves the transfer of supreme authority, it often triggers internal conflicts or even national instability. The root causes of such disasters typically lie in the tests of human nature under the allure of power, flaws in institutional design, or interference from…