1.        The Fisherman's Lament

            “The sun has set, 

            my heart is filled with sorrow. 

            The moon races on, 

            why not cross over?” 

        These are the words of a fisherman, ferrying the fallen Wu Zixu across a river. 

        Life is fraught with trials. How do we navigate them? Life presents countless paths. How do we choose? Life, in truth, is full of uncertainties……

        The same history, the same geography, the same realities, the same personal entanglements, the same political landscape, yet human destinies can unfold in vastly different ways. We can choose to endure, or we can rage. We can be content with our lot, accepting the dictates of fate, or we can rebel against the world, challenging the hand of destiny. 

        Individuality and choice are not by-products of Western capitalism. In ancient China, three thousand years ago, during the Spring and Autumn Period, lives were already vibrant, infused with individual spirit. 

2.       Life and Death: 

                Wu Zixu and His Brother's Different Paths 

        Wu She, Wu Zixu's father, fell out of favor with King Ping of Chu. The king, seeking to eliminate any threat, summoned Wu Zixu's brothers to court, intending to execute them. Wu Zixu, realizing the trap, urged his brother Shang to stay. 

           “The love between father and son is deep,” Shang replied. 

     “If I can see my father one last time before I die, I am content.” 

          “What good is a pointless death?” Wu Zixu argued. 

          “I will die for my father, that is my filial duty,” Shang said.

         “You will seek revenge, that is your filial duty. We must part ways.” 

        Their parting symbolized a clash of personalities, stances, and worldviews. Shang chose death, finding solace in a final glimpse of his father. Wu Zixu, consumed by a thirst for justice, chose life, vowing revenge. Shang's death was a tragic act of loyalty. Wu Zixu's choice led him on a perilous journey, burdened by anxiety, pressure, and resentment. Neither brother could convince the other. 

        They bowed and parted forever. Both paid a price for their choices. Shang lost his life, while Wu Zixu faced a lifetime of toil, haunted by his emotions. 

3.       Filial Piety and Loyalty: 

                Wu Zixu and Shen Bao Xu's Divergent Paths 

      After his father and brother were executed, Wu Zixu fled, becoming a fugitive. He encountered Shen Bao Xu, a close friend, returning from a diplomatic mission. Wu Zixu recounted his grievances, and Shen Bao Xu asked, “What are your plans now?” 

         “I will avenge my father's death,” Wu Zixu declared. 

         “I will seek the help of other states and overthrow Chu.” 

        Shen Bao Xu urged caution. “King Ping may be cruel, but he is still our ruler. Your family has served Chu for generations. Why hold a grudge?” 

        “I am upholding justice, cleansing Chu of corruption,” Wu Zixu argued. 

          “Like the heroes of old, I will rid the land of a tyrant.” 

     Shen Bao Xu faced a dilemma: aiding Wu Zixu would be disloyal, while refusing to help would be unfilial. 

         Loyalty won out for Shen Bao Xu, while filial duty guided Wu Zixu. The two parted ways, their friendship undiminished despite their differing paths. “As friends, I will not betray your whereabouts,” Shen Bao Xu said, “However, you seek to overthrow Chu, while I am determined to protect it. We will meet again.” 

4.       Indulgence and Restraint: 

                Wu Zixu and Shen Bao Xu's Different Choices 

        19 Years later, Wu Zixu, after a long and arduous journey, found his chance. He secured the aid of the Wu army and marched on Chu. King Ping was dead, and Wu Zixu, driven by vengeance, desecrated his tomb and spurred on the Wu army to plunder and pillage. 

        Shen Bao Xu, in exile, wrote to Wu Zixu, condemning his actions. “Even in revenge, have you not gone too far? Excess leads to ruin. Return quickly.” 

        But Wu Zixu remained consumed by his anger, refusing to relent. “The desperation of my past drove me to these extreme measures,” he wrote back. 

        Shen Bao Xu, mirroring Wu Zixu's earlier journey, traveled to Qin, where, outside the palace gates, he wept for seven days and nights, pleading for their help. Moved by his devotion, the King of Qin agreed to send troops. Shen Bao Xu then rallied the scattered remnants of the Chu army, joining forces with the Qin army. They achieved several victories, gaining leverage for negotiation. 

          He wrote to Wu Zixu once more, his words sincere……

         “Friends should strengthen, not harm each other. Please do not wield Wu's power so ruthlessly. I, too, will not flaunt Qin's might. Withdraw your forces.” 

        Wu Zixu, weighing the costs and benefits, finally agreed to retreat. 

5. Advance and Retreat: 

      Wu Zixu and Shen Bao Xu's Final Choices 

        

        After Wu withdrew, King Zhao of Chu ascended the throne and offered Shen Bao Xu the position of chancellor. “I sought help from Qin for the sake of the kingdom, not for personal gain,” Shen Bao Xu replied. 

         Despite the king's pleas, Shen Bao Xu fled to the mountains, seeking solitude. 

    Wu Zixu, returning to Wu as a victorious general, was appointed chancellor. 

        To retire in triumph or to strive for more? To retreat from the fray or to press onward? The two friends made vastly different choices. 

        Shen Bao Xu vanished into the mountains, never to be seen again. He was remembered for his noble actions at the height of his life. 

        Years later, Wu Zixu fell out of favor with King Fuchai of Wu, who ordered him to commit suicide. Wu Zixu's life was a tragic drama. Was his final act a divine retribution, a punishment, a karmic cycle? Or was it the inevitable consequence of his volatile nature, his penchant for extreme measures, in the treacherous realm of politics? 

        

        As we close the book late at night, we seem to hear the sound of hooves and the pounding of hearts. We may not agree with Wu Zixu's actions. Our society values reason, peace, kindness, order, and integrity. But the Spring and Autumn Period was a time of passionate individuals, driven by ambition, whose lives resonate with a force that compels us to ponder their choices and marvel at their humanity. 

        Though their interpretations of life's meaning varied, they all lived, truly lived, in this world.