•
When King Wei of Qi declared himself “King” – a bold step beyond the traditional titles of “Duke” or “Marquis” – many hoped he would lead Qi to greatness. But instead, he plunged into revelry, neglecting state affairs for nine long years.
•
Confucius (Kong Fuzi), born Kong Qiu or Zhongni, entered the world under modest circumstances. His father, Shuliang He (Kong He, styled Shuliang), was a low-ranking military officer in the state of Lu. Already advanced in age, Shuliang He had nine daughters and one son – whose lameness disqualified him as a worthy heir.
•
When King Cheng of Chu died in 613 BCE, his grandson ascended the throne as King Zhuang of Chu. At the time, Jin, under the leadership of Zhao Dun, seized the opportunity of Chu’s mourning period to convene seven states – Song, Lu, Chen, Wei, Zheng, Cai, and Xu – and reassert its dominance…
•
In the Zhou Dynasty, which had been established nearly 3,000 years ago, the supreme ruler of the Zhou was not called an emperor but “Heavenly King”. Among these kings was King You of Zhou, a ruler infamous for his neglect of state affairs and obsession with pleasure.
•
8.1The Master said, “Of Taibo it may indeed be said that he attained to the very highest pitch of moral power. No less than three times he renounced the sovereignty of all things under Heaven, without the people getting a chance to praise him for it.”
•
For new readers of the Dao De Jing, there are two essential points to understand beforehand.