SuaveG – The Gentle Path

Chinese mythology, folktales, and literature

Western Han Dynasty

  • Zhang Liang

    •

    Ana

    Zhang Liang (?–189 BCE) was a prominent statesman in the early Western Han dynasty. His courtesy name was Zifang, and he was from Chengfu, Yingchuan (in present-day southwestern Xiangcheng, Henan). His ancestors were nobles of the former state of Han, with five generations serving as Han ministers. Seeking revenge for the Qin conquest of…

  • Sima Xiangru

    •

    Ana

    Sima Xiangru (c. 179–118 BCE) was a renowned fu (rhapsody) writer of the Western Han dynasty. His courtesy name was Changqing, and he was from Chengdu, Shu Commandery (in present-day Sichuan). From a young age, he loved reading and swordsmanship. During the reign of Emperor Jing, he served as a Gentleman of the Mounted…

  • Relocating the capital: The mandate of heaven or a desperate retreat? [Three Kingdoms]

    •

    Juan

    In the year 190 AD, Dong Zhuo deposed Emperor Shao and installed Emperor Xian, seizing absolute control of the imperial court. This act ignited outrage across the land. A coalition of eighteen warlords from the Guandong region(the region east of Hangu Pass), led by Yuan Shao as their nominal leader, formed a united army…

  • Deposition of the Prince of Changyi by Huo Guang [Three Kingdoms]

    •

    Juan

    In the third chapter of Romance of the Three Kingdoms, after Dong Zhuo entered the capital, he openly proposed deposing Emperor Shao, who was “timid and weak”, and installing the Prince of Chenliu, attempting to force officials to express agreement. Lu Zhi stepped forward, citing two historical cases—Yi Yin exiling Tai Jia and Huo…

  • ‌How do they tell time at night in Journey to the West?‌

    •

    Juan

    The ‌Heavenly Stems and Earthly Branches‌ were a system used in ancient China to mark years, months, days, and hours. In Journey to the West, the universe is divided into 12 cyclical periods, each named after the Earthly Branches. Similarly, ancient Chinese divided the day into 12 segments, also named after these branches. For…