SuaveG – The Gentle Path

Chinese mythology, folktales, and literature

military discipline

  • Han Feizi – Chapter 1.2

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    Juan

    I have heard that the feudal states secretly favor Yan and side with Wei, ally with Chu and stabilize Qi, win over Han to form the vertical alliance. They intend to march westward to confront the powerful State of Qin, yet I secretly laugh at their attempt.

  • The Red Eyebrows Rise [Eastern Han]

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    Juan

    Brief: This article tells the rise of the Red Eyebrows rebellion. Triggered by injustice and famine, Lü Mother first revolted; after her death, Fanchong united the rebels, marking their eyebrows red. They defeated Wang Mang’s armies, won popular support, and shook the Xin Dynasty, paving the way for the Eastern Han restoration.

  • 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…

  • Zhuge Liang’s self-demotion [Three Kingdoms]

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    Rob

    Introduction: This article tells of Zhuge Liang’s first Northern Expedition. He won early victories and recruited Jiang Wei, but Ma Su’s blunder lost Jieting. Though grieved, Zhuge punished Ma Su, took full blame, and requested demotion. His integrity and accountability became a timeless model of leadership.

  • Cutting Hair for the Head – Cao Cao in a dilemma [Three Kingdoms]

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    Juan

    In the chaotic final years of the Eastern Han dynasty, military discipline and public perception were as vital as battlefield prowess. One of the most enduring episodes illustrating this principle is “Cao Cao cuts his hair to substitute for his head”—a dramatic scene from Chapter 17 of Romance of the Three Kingdoms.

  • Zhang Wen spared Dong Zhuo and the cost of leniency [Three Kingdoms]

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    Juan

    In 186 AD, chaos erupted in Liang Province(Liangzhou) as Bian Zhang and Han Sui led a major rebellion against the Han dynasty. The imperial general Dong Zhuo, dispatched earlier to suppress the uprising, had made little progress. In response, the court appointed Zhang Wen, the Minister of Works (Sikong), as acting General of Chariots…