1.       A Tale from the Spring and Autumn Era:

                  Military Orders are Unbreakable

         The rivers surged, and smoke billowed across the land. What was the Spring and Autumn Period truly like?

        Sun Wu, the legendary military strategist, drilled his troops with iron discipline. When two of King Wu's concubines failed to master their formations, the military advisor swiftly executed them, a stark warning to all. Even the king himself couldn't intervene.

        Military law was absolute.

2.        A Tale from the Spring and Autumn Era:

                  Jie Yang's Loyalty

        The Chu army attacked Song, and Song turned to Jin for help. Jin sent the official Jie Yang to Song with a message: the Jin army was on its way, and Song must hold the city.

         But on his journey, Jie Yang was captured by the Chu army.

        King Zhuang of Chu, impressed by his bearing, offered him a bribe to betray Jin and serve Chu. Jie Yang accepted, but when he finally reached Song, he publicly delivered Jin's message, fulfilling his duty.

        King Zhuang, angered by this betrayal, accused Jie Yang of being untrustworthy.

     “ A Chu soldier were to defect to the enemy,” Jie Yang countered, “would you consider him trustworthy?”

        King Zhuang, understanding Jie Yang's unwavering loyalty, released him.

       Could military law be set aside in the face of such unwavering devotion?

3.        A Tale from the Spring and Autumn Period:

                 Hua Yuan's Courage and Zi Fan's Loyalty

       In a bleak autumn, King Zhuang of Chu besieged Song for nine long months.

       One night, Song sent General Hua Yuan to infiltrate the Chu camp and meet with General Zi Fan.

         “How is Song faring?” Zi Fan asked.

       “The people are eating their children and burning their bones for fuel,” Hua Yuan replied.

       “Why tell me this?” Zi Fan asked, “This is vital military intelligence.”

        “A gentleman sympathizes with the weak,” Hua Yuan said, “while a villain exploits them.”

         Touched by Hua Yuan's courage, Zi Fan revealed a secret: the Chu army was running low on supplies, and they could only fight for seven more days.

        The two generals, recognizing each other's noble spirit, swore an oath of brotherhood.

         The next day, Zi Fan reported to King Zhuang that Song was exhausted.

         “Victory is within our grasp!” King Zhuang exclaimed.

        “I also revealed our shortage of supplies to Hua Yuan,” Zi Fan confessed.

        King Zhuang erupted in fury, accusing Zi Fan of treachery. “Song, a small state, has a gentleman who is not afraid of death,”

Zi Fan retorted, “How can our great Chu be without one?”

     King Zhuang, moved by Zi Fan's unwavering integrity, pardoned him and ordered a retreat.

        The Spring and Autumn Period was full of stories that defied convention.

4.        Even a Weak Song Has an Honest Minister,

                   How Can Our Great Chu Be Without One?

         In this era of valor and might, swords clashed, and lives were taken lightly. Mountains of corpses and rivers of blood. These were the grim realities.

       But this was only the surface of the Spring and Autumn Period. Beneath the bloodshed and violence, a deeper, spiritual current flowed.

        The air was imbued with a sense of virtue, a non-material standard of conduct. Otherwise, the Spring and Autumn Period would have been nothing more than barbarism, leaving no stories to captivate us today.

        This spiritual force was embodied in the concept of the “Gentleman” (君子). This ideal resided in the hearts of every person in that era, a beacon of moral excellence. It was a shared understanding, a common aspiration, a binding force. Laozi, Confucius, and other philosophers tirelessly defined and explored this concept in their writings. But the emperors, generals, and common people of the time lived it out in their daily lives. This virtual world of virtue coexisted with the tangible world of politics and war, creating a complex tapestry of human experience.

         This standard is what allowed Zi Fan to defy the law, knowing the consequences, because he recognized Hua Yuan as a fellow “Gentleman”. This standard is what led King Zhuang to pardon Zi Fan, because he, too, aspired to be a “Gentleman”, a ruler guided by reason and compassion.

5.        Modern People, 

                  How to Write the Two Characters “Gentleman”（君子）?

        This standard helps us understand the seemingly bizarre actions of individuals in the Spring and Autumn Period. How could a death sentence be pardoned? How could an enemy be treated with respect? How could they find common ground?

          The “Gentleman” was not a badge or a diploma, but a way of life, a spiritual pursuit. This pursuit allowed people to transcend the limitations of their time, enriching their lives and creating a vibrant tapestry of human experience. It gave the Spring and Autumn Period its unique character, a blend of romanticism, moral idealism, and social progress. In our modern world of towering skyscrapers, do we possess this same moral compass?

        In a world where images and sounds travel at lightning speed, do we still understand the language of the heart? Three thousand years ago, Zi Fan stood on the battlefield and declared, “Song, a small state, has a gentleman who is not afraid of death.  How can our great Chu be without one?”

        Three thousand years later, as we stand on the threshold of the 21st century, should we not hope for the emergence of such noble individuals? Should we not strive to rise above the pettiness, shortsightedness, and materialism that often define our lives?

        Let us embrace the ideals of the “Gentleman”, and let our lives be filled with greater purpose, generosity, and courage.