Why Confucius' ancestors migrated from the Song state to the Lu state

Confucius was a descendant of the Shang, and his ancestors were priests through the Dukes of Song.

During the 10 years of duke Shang's rule in Song, he had fought 11 battles, so that the people were not able to endure the constant summonses to the field. Kongfu Jia was the minister of War, and Huafu Du was the premier of the State.

One day, Huafu Du happened to see the wife of Kongfu Jia on the way. He gazed at her as she approached, and followed her with his eyes when she had passed, saying, "How handsome and beautiful."

Taking advantage of the dissatisfaction of the people, Du first set on foot a report that the constant fighting was owing to the minister of War. The next year, Du attacked the Kong family, killed Kongfu, and carried off his wife.

The duke was angry, and Du, in fear, proceeded also to murder duke Shang. Immediately after, he called duke Zhuang (the prince Gongzi Ping) from Zheng, and raised him to the dukedom;—in order to please Zheng, bribing also the duke of Lu with the great tripod of Gao. Qi, Chen, and Zheng all received bribes, and so Du acted as chief minister to the duke of Song.

The Kong family feared of further persecution, they moved to the State of Lu.

Comments

When the tree falls, the monkeys scatter.

This proverb originates from the story of Qin Hui, who was regarded till today as the most treacherous court minister of the Song dynasty. Qin Hui was born with a peculiarity: his feet measured one foot four inches from heel to toe. he was therefore nicknamed the Long-Foot Scholar when he was a student in the Royal Academy. Qin Hui had been teacher in a private school, he was very unsatisfied by his humble and mean position, and wrote a poem, one couplet of it was: If I had three hundred Acres of irrigated lands, I wouldn't have to be the Monkey king. Here the monkeys were referred to mischievous boys in the private school, he himself was the king of those monkeys. Later he passed the imperial examinations and rose quickly to the post of Prime Minister. By the time, the Song dynasty was under continuous attack by the northern tribe Jurchen [Jin]. Qin Hui initiated Peace negotiation with Jurchens, and made the Southern Song dynasty cede territory and subjugate itself to them....

The Four Diamond Kings of Heaven

On the right and left sides of the entrance hall of Buddhist temples, two on each side, are the gigantic figures of the four great Diamond Kings of Heaven. They are four brothers named respectively Mo-li Ch’ing (Pure), Mo-li Hung (Vast), Mo-li Hai (Sea), and Mo-li Shou (Age). Mo-li Ch’ing, the eldest, is twenty-four feet in height, with a beard the hairs of which are like copper wire. He carries a magnificent jade ring and a spear, and always fights on foot. He has also a magic sword, ‘Blue Cloud,’ on the blade of which are engraved the four characters: Earth, Water, Fire, Wind. When brandished, it causes a black wind, which produces tens of thousands of spears, which pierce the bodies of men and turn them to dust. The wind is followed by a fire, which fills the air with tens of thousands of golden fiery serpents. A thick smoke also rises out of the ground, which blinds and burns men, none being able to escape. Mo-li Hung carries in his hand an umbrella, called the Umbrella of Chao...

The Legend of The Three-Life Stone

The Buddhist believe metempsychosis, or the migration of the souls of animated beings, people's relationships are predestined through three states of life: the past, present, and future life. Legend has it that there's a road called Yellow Spring Road, which leads to Fogotten River. Over the river there's a bridge called Helpless Bridge (Naihe Bridge), at one end of the bridge sits a crimson stone called Three-life Stone. When two people die, they take this route to reincarnation. if they carve their name on the Three-life Stone together while they pass the stone, they are to be predestined to be together in their future life. Although before their rebirth they will be given a MengPo Soup to drink and thereby their memory of past life are obliterated. In reality, San-Sheng Shi (三生石), or Three-Life Stone is located beside Flying Mountain near the West Lake, Hangzhou. On the stone, there is seal with three Chinese characters that say "The Three-life Stone," and a de...

Chinese Æsop:

Search This Blog