Chinese History & Mythology

The whole story began with a children’s rhyme that suddenly spread through the capital. It was a short chant sung by a group of kids, clapping their hands in rhythm. The words said, “The moon is about to rise, the sun is about to set. A bow made from mulberry wood, a quiver woven from wild grass. The state of Zhou is about to fall.” King Xuan heard this rhyme while returning to the city at night. He was deeply disturbed and felt it was a curse aimed at him and at the kingdom. He flew into a rage, ordered the children to be arrested and questioned, and banned the rhyme inside the city. Anyone who dared sing it would have their whole family punished.

The Chronicles of the Eastern Zhou Kingdoms (simplified Chinese: 东周列国志) is a Chinese historical novel in 108 chapters written by Feng Menglong in the late Ming dynasty. Set in the Eastern Zhou dynasty, the novel starts from the Chinese kingdom beginning to break apart into smaller states and ends with the first unification of the land accomplished by Qin Shi Huang.

Today we will divide the episode into two major parts In the first part we talk about the Tao Te Ching We will look at what Lao Zi was resisting and whether the idea of wu wei means doing nothing or something very different In the second part we talk about The Art of War and why this book, praised by military academies around the world, is far more than a guide for fighting battles

After King Wu defeated the Shang, his biggest challenges were not “How do we beat the last king?” They were two much more complicated questions: First, the Zhou territory was now even larger than the Shang’s. How do you manage such a huge space? Second, how do you stop yourself from repeating the same mistakes that destroyed the Shang dynasty?

The next morning, the official in charge of meals from the Imperial Kitchen hurried to the southern outskirts and set up a grand feast on a wide open field. The feast was called the Nine-Dragon Banquet—fine dishes, good wine—prepared just to send off the seven of them.

All the generals, big and small, were startled awake.Someone ran to report to Jiang-Zi-Ya at once.Jiang-Zi-Ya stepped out of his sleeping tent, saw demonic energy rolling through the sky, dust flying through the camp as if a giant beast had broken in.He shouted,“All disciples, move together and capture the demons!”

When Lu Renjie heard that the Zhou army had come, he personally led a large force to the front of the formation. He looked up and saw Jiang-Zi-Ya riding his four-not-like beast, with rows of cultivators standing on both sides.
On the left was Nuh-zhah, standing on his wind-and-fire wheels, holding his Fire Golden Spear. On the right was Yang Jian, wearing a light yellow battle robe, three-pointed blade in hand, riding a white horse.

The Zhou soldiers could not withstand his strength at all. Wherever he smashed through, bodies fell everywhere and blood flowed like rivers. That night, all six hundred thousand Zhou soldiers were thrown into chaos inside the camp. In the darkness, men cried out for their brothers and called for their parents. Miserable screams rose everywhere.

The decree said:
“Marshal Yuan Hong, skilled in both civil and martial arts, wiser than ordinary men, and continually victorious in battle—you are the great pillar of the nation, a true dragon among men. I have specially sent Minister Chen You with Sheep of Shang, fine wine, gold and silver silk, and a brocade robe to reward you and your soldiers. When you eliminate the rebels, I will grant you the title of a regional lord.”

As monstrous generals clash with Zhou forces at Mengjin, King Zhou of Shang sinks deeper into cruelty on Deer Terrace—testing Daji’s “powers” by mutilating innocent people. While the battlefield fills with demons, the palace fills with blood, revealing a dynasty rotting from within and trembling on the edge of collapse.