SuaveG – The Gentle Path

Chinese mythology, folktales, and literature

historical anecdote

  • The peril of the ancestral temple in Xue [Warring States]

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    Juan

    Brief: This article recounts the diplomatic rescue of Lord Mengchang’s fiefdom of Xue during the Warring States period. When the State of Chu invaded Xue, the renowned diplomat Chunyu Kun was tasked with saving it. Instead of pleading for help, Chunyu Kun used a brilliant rhetorical strategy: he convinced King Min of Qi that…

  • Sun Tzu: Training palace maids into soldiers [Spring & Autumn]

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    Juan

    Brief: This article recounts the legendary test of discipline by Sun Tzu in the State of Wu. To prove his military philosophy—that “with true discipline, even women can fight”—Sun Tzu was given 150 palace maids to train. When the women, led by the King’s favorite concubines, treated the drills as a joke, Sun Tzu…

  • Yan Zi’s Mission to Chu [Spring & Autumn]

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    Rob

    Brief: This article recounts the legendary diplomatic mission of Yan Zi, the brilliant minister of Qi, to the court of King Ling of Chu. It details the king’s attempts to humiliate Yan Zi—forcing him through a “dog hole” and mocking his stature—only to be deftly rebuked by Yan Zi’s wit. The narrative highlights the…

  • A new lake for an old

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    Ana

    Wang Anshi, prime minister of the Song Dynasty, was fond of public utility projects.