loyalty

  • Seven-Character Octave – Reply to a Friend [Mao’s Poems]

    –Mao Zedong – 1961 Above Mount Jiuyi, white clouds fleet and fly,The imperial maidens ride the wind down from the sky.A speckled bamboo branch holds a thousand tears, nigh;Ten thousand rosy clouds form a hundred layers high.

  • The Holy Mother of the South: Lady Xian [Sui & Tang]

    This article tells the life of Lady Xian, the revered “Holy Mother of the South.” A wise tribal leader, she secured peace in Lingnan, quelled rebellions, and remained loyal through Liang, Chen, and Sui dynasties. Her integrity, courage, and devotion to unity earned her imperial trust and lasting honor as a symbol of loyalty…

  • Zhuge Liang

    Zhuge Liang (181–234 CE) was a preeminent statesman and military strategist of the Shu Han state during the Three Kingdoms period. His courtesy name was Kongming, and he was born in Yangdu, Langya Commandery (in present-day Yinan County, Shandong).

  • Bean Porridge and Barley Rice: The Hardship That Forged an Emperor [Eastern Han]

    This article recounts Liu Xiu’s desperate flight from the false emperor Wang Lang. Starving and homeless, he survived on bean porridge and barley rice, relying on loyal followers like Deng Yu and Feng Yi. Through courage and wit, he escaped danger and found a base at Xindu, laying the groundwork for Eastern Han’s rise.

  • Su Wu’s Nineteen-Year Vigil in the Frozen North [Western Han]

    This article narrates Su Wu’s heroic captivity. As a Western Han envoy, he was trapped in a Xiongnu plot, refused to surrender despite torture and bribes, and was exiled to Lake Baikal to herd rams. For 19 years, he clung to his imperial staff, enduring extreme cold and hunger – an icon of unyielding…

  • Zhu Bajie’s Hidden Virtues [Journey to the West]

    In Journey to the West, Zhu Bajie is often portrayed as a comic figure – gluttonous, lazy, and lustful. Yet a closer reading of the original text reveals many overlooked virtues. Far from being merely a foil, he is a reliable companion whose contributions are vital to the journey’s success.

  • The Analects – Chapter 15.24

    Zigong asked, “Is there one word that can be practiced for a lifetime?” The Master said, “Perhaps it is ‘shu’ (reciprocity)! Do not impose on others what you yourself do not desire.”

  • The Analects – Chapter 15.6

    Zizhang asked Confucius, “How can one get along well everywhere (i.e., be accepted and succeed in society)?”The Master replied, “If your words are loyal and trustworthy, and your conduct is sincere and respectful, you will get along even among the most uncultured tribes. But if your words lack loyalty and trustworthiness, and your actions…

  • The Analects – Chapter 14.22

    Zilu asked how to serve a ruler. The Master said, “Do not deceive him, but dare to remonstrate with him openly – even if it offends him.”