Reading the Four Great Classical Novels - The Most Brilliant Life Wisdom in Traditional Chinese Culture

Author: Ren Yong / Country: Mainland China
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2006-07-01
Features: Every time I read Romance of the Three Kingdoms, I can't help but chuckle when I see the scene "The Gathering of the Heroes and Jiang Gan's Scheme." Jiang Gan, such a clever man, is truly adorable in his foolishness. He had volunteered to persuade his old classmate Zhou Yu to surrender, only to fall into Zhou Yu's counterplot. Zhou Yu, this brilliant strategist, played a cruel trick on him, not only failing to achieve the surrender but also losing two of his most capable generals—truly a case of "trying to snatch a chicken but ending up losing the rice bowl." What's even funnier is that this guy never waked up. He volunteered again, went to Dongwu to gather intelligence, and ended up falling into Zhou Yu's trap once more, inviting the wolf into the house and becoming the number one contributor to Zhou Yu's burning of Red Cliffs. How ridiculous! How ridiculous! To volunteer for a task without knowing that this classmate is not the same as that one—Cao Cao, after his decisive victory over Liu Bei at Yangyang Changban, his army's prestige soared. At the advice of his strategist Guo Yu, he led a million troops straight towards the Yangtze River and invited Sun Quan to hunt in Jiangxia, aiming to capture Liu Bei together and divide the land of Jingzhou, forging a lasting alliance. Zhuge Liang, entrusted with a mission in dire times, came to Dongwu alone, using his eloquence to make Sun Quan realize that Cao Cao's promise of a lasting alliance was false and his true intention was to the Jiangnan region. Sun Quan then decided to ally with Liu Bei to resist Cao Cao, appointing Zhou Yu as the Grand Commander-in-Chief to lead the army against Cao Cao. Upon learning this, Cao Cao flew into a rage: "Sun Quan, this brat doesn't know his place! Refusing a drink and asking for a beating! Very well, I'll let you taste the might of Cao Mengde!" He quickly stationed his troops at the mouth of the three rivers, ordering the surrendered Jingzhou generals Cai Mao and Zhang Yun to be the commanders of the naval forces, training them day and night, determined to fight Sun Quan to the death. One day, Zhou Yu, accompanied by his subordinates, secretly spied on Cao Cao's naval drills. This didn't end well—both sides were thrown into panic. Zhou Yu was alarmed because Cao Cao's drills demonstrated deep mastery of naval warfare, and unless Cai Mao and Zhang Yun were eliminated, defeating Cao Cao would be impossible. Cao Cao, on the other hand, was terrified because he had just been successfully ambushed by Zhou Yu just a few days ago, and now his naval encampment had been spied on again. Without Zhou Yu eliminated, he would remain a major obstacle to defeating Sun Quan and Dongwu. Just as Cao Cao sighed in frustration, unsure of what to do, Jiang Gan stepped forward. Jiang Gan, styled Ziye, was from Jiujiang, Jiangxi, and had been Zhou Yu's classmate since childhood. He was now a counselor in Cao Cao's entourage. Seeing his leader sighing, Jiang Gan volunteered, saying he would use his eloquence to persuade Zhou Yu, his former classmate, to surrender, boasting, "If I go to Jiangdong, I will surely succeed." Cao Cao, impressed by Jiang Gan's confidence, ordered him to go. He asked Jiang Gan what he needed to bring. Jiang Gan, full of confidence, puffed out his chest and said, "Only a child to accompany me and two servants to row the boat. Nothing more is needed." Cao Cao was delighted—Jiang Gan's confidence must mean he was well-prepared. He never expected that his subordinates were truly hidden dragons among the grass! Cao Cao then held a grand banquet to see Jiang Gan off. Dressed in a simple robe and a scholar's cap, Jiang Gan, accompanied by a young servant, rowed a small boat directly towards Zhou Yu's camp. In the late Eastern Han Dynasty, the central government was weak, and the country was in chaos, with warlords warring. The situation in the world changed constantly, so it became common for talented individuals to switch sides ("forsaking Qin for Chu"). A general might be in one camp in the morning and in another camp the next afternoon, plotting to defeat the former camp. For people, there were no permanent enemies or friends—only eternal interests. Compared to times of peace, the relationships between rulers and subjects, masters and servants, and superiors and subordinates in times of chaos were much looser, filled with change and uncertainty. In such circumstances, former friends and family relationships became more stable and trustworthy. When two armies faced each other, sending a skilled orator to the enemy camp to persuade former friends or family members with emotional appeals and material benefits often allowed for victory without fighting. P2-3