Li Senxiang - To sleep on wood and taste bitterness

Author: Li Senxiang
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2007-01-01
Features: The famous story of "Burning the Bed and Tasting the Gall," which took place in the late Spring and Autumn Period, 2,500 years ago. At that time, the State of Wu, under the rule of King Fuchai, was prosperous in strength. After defeating the southern hegemon, the State of Chu, Wu began implementing a strategy to subjugate the State of Yue. Wu was strong, while Yue was weak, and Yue faced a life-or-death test. King Goujian of Yue emerged. After Yue's defeat, Goujian and his queen, along with almost all of his ministers, were enslaved in Wu and endured humiliation but never yielded. After miraculously returning to Yue, Goujian burned his bed and tasted his gall, striving to strengthen himself and eventually destroyed Wu. He then advanced into the Central Plains, weakened the strong and aided the weak, and brought peace and prosperity to the people. Six years later, he achieved hegemony and became the last of the Five Hegemons of the Spring and Autumn Period, being granted the title of "Eastern Baron" by the Zhou. This story has been passed down through the ages in the long history of Chinese civilization.