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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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Just as Qin and Chu prepared to counterattack, disaster struck Wu: Prince Fugai, Helü’s brother, rebelled, declared himself king, and allied with Yue state, promising five cities as reward.
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In 506 BCE, King Helü of Wu launched a full-scale invasion of Chu, appointing Sun Tzu as supreme commander, Wu Zixu as deputy general, and his brother Prince Fugai as vanguard.
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Wu, originally a backward state, was able to rise rapidly largely due to the strong support of Jin. This was because Jin suffered a defeat in the Battle of Bi in 597 BCE. Jin then adopted the strategy of allying with Wu to jointly confront Chu. Consequently, Jin imparted considerable military technology to Wu,…
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After slipping through Zhaoguan Pass amid the chaos of Huangfu Ne’s arrest, Wu Zixu fled eastward with Gongzi Sheng, the young son of the slain Crown Prince Jian. Exhausted and pursued, they reached a wide river with no bridge in sight. Dust clouds rose behind them – cavalry in hot pursuit.
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During the reign of King Ping of Chu (r. 528–516 BCE), the state fell into moral decay. The king, easily swayed by flatterers, favored Fei Wuji – a cunning courtier who thrived on deceit.
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The scripture-seeking team arrives at the Gold-Dispensing Monastery(also translated as the Gold-Spreading Monastery) in the Kingdom of Sravasti, where they encounter Centipede Mountain(Hundred-Legs Mountain) and Rooster’s Crow Pass(Cock-Crow Pass).
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In ancient China, people often sent goods and wealth to deceased relatives by burning paper effigies and offerings—a practice rooted in the belief that material possessions could be transferred to the afterlife.