In 208 AD, under the pressure of Cao Cao’s million strong army, Liu Bei sent Zhuge Liang to Dongwu to form an alliance with Sun Wu. The Sun Liu alliance defeated Cao Cao’s army in Chibi, and the power of Wei, Shu, and Wu to divide the world was initially formed. In 219 AD, Liu Bei launched a northern expedition, and Sun Quan launched a surprise attack on Jingzhou, killing Guan Yu. Liu Bei’s northern expedition failed. In 221 AD, Liu Bei personally led tens of thousands of troops to suppress Sun Wu, causing a stalemate between the two sides at Yiling. The following year, Liu Bei was repeatedly defeated by Sun Quan’s army and suffered a disastrous defeat in the Battle of Yiling. Liu Bei became extremely worried and angry, and on his deathbed, he entrusted his son Liu Chan to Zhuge Liang, who died of a random illness. Later, Liu Chan appointed Zhuge Liang as the Marquis of Wuxiang, led the governor of Yizhou, and served as the prime minister. From then on, the heavy responsibility of the whole country fell on Zhuge Liang alone.
This is a ship of mission, and the owner of the ship is named Deng Zhi, who served as a Shangshu in the Shu Han regime. In October of the first year of Jianxing in Shu Han, which was the second year of the Battle of Yiling, Deng Zhi was appointed by Zhuge Liang to go to Eastern Wu. Sun Quan betrayed his alliance and launched a surprise attack on Jingzhou. According to common sense, Shu Han and Eastern Wu Ying formed a deep and unforgettable hatred. However, at this time, Zhuge Liang made an astonishing decision and once again formed an alliance with Dongwu.
At this time, the Sun Wu regime and the Cao Wei regime were still intertwined, and Sun Quan hesitated whether to meet Deng Zhi. Deng Zhi wrote a letter to Sun Quan, stating that he came here today not only for the benefit of Shu Han, but also for the benefit of Eastern Wu. Sun Quan was touched by this sentence and decided to meet Deng Zhi. After the meeting, Deng Zhi followed Zhuge Liang’s instructions and analyzed the current situation in detail, elucidating the reason why Wu and Shu had lost their lips and teeth. Soon, Sun Quan severed his vassal relationship with Cao Wei and became an ally with Shu Han.
Researcher at the Institute of History, Sichuan Academy of Social Sciences – Shen Bojun: After the loss of Jingzhou and the defeat of Yiling, the territory of Shu Han was only left with Yizhou, and more than half of the elite soldiers and generals were lost. The founding fathers gradually withered, and the alliance between Wu and Shu ceased to exist, just as Zhuge Liang later said in his graduation speech, “The world is divided into three parts, and Yizhou is exhausted. This is truly an autumn of crisis and survival.”.
However, just as everyone thought that Shu Han and Eastern Wu would coexist peacefully and there would be no more war, a shocking news suddenly came from Eastern Wu. This time, Zhuge Liang’s diplomatic strategy was about to face unprecedented challenges. In the year 229 AD, after years of hesitation, Sun Quan decided to proclaim himself emperor. In order to gain recognition from Shu Han as his emperor, Sun Quan decided to first report this matter to Shu Han. The news spread to Shu Han, causing a thousand waves of anger among the courtiers. Since ancient times, there have been two heads of state, and only Shu Han is the legitimate ruler of the world. Cao Cao stole the country, and he must be attacked and executed. Now, Sun Quan also wants to proclaim himself emperor, which is a great rebellion. Shu Han should break off diplomatic ties with it and immediately send troops to suppress it. For Zhuge Liang, how to deal with Sun Quan’s claim to be emperor is a dilemma. If he recognizes Sun Quan as the emperor, it would damage the legitimacy and legitimacy of Shu Han itself. If he does not accept it, the two countries will return to a state of hostility, and previous efforts will be in vain. However, for the current Shu Han, they were simply unable to withstand any large-scale military action. This is the biggest test that Premier Zhuge Liang has faced since his reign.
Researcher at the Institute of History, Chinese Academy of Social Sciences – Lou Jin: In the eyes of an accessible politician, your ideological stance should be subordinate to the position of reality. At this point, it is for the sake of its own survival. To survive, you must maintain a normal cooperative relationship with the Eastern Wu regime, otherwise you will not be able to withstand the pressure from the north.
The angry courtiers were finally convinced by Zhuge Liang. Later, Zhuge Liang sent envoys to congratulate Sun Quan on proclaiming himself emperor. Upon hearing this news, Sun Quan was overjoyed and randomly decided to ascend to the altar of Shu Han and swear to the heavens, working together to fight against the Wei bandits. This result is highly sought after by both Shu Han and Eastern Wu, and for Shu Han, choosing is even more important. Because after the external environment stabilized, Zhuge Liang finally stepped forward to solve a problem that had been a headache for Shu Han for many years, which was the Nanzhong Rebellion.
Here in Ximeng Wa Autonomous County, Yunnan Province, one of the oldest ethnic minorities in Southwest China resides the Wa ethnic group. During major ethnic festivals, the Wa people play war drums, wooden drums, wield war knives, and dance with dances passed down from generation to generation, in memory of their ancestors’ courage and indomitable fighting spirit. During the Three Kingdoms period, the entire southwestern regions of Yunnan, Guizhou, and Sichuan were under the jurisdiction of the Shu Han regime, collectively known as Nanzhong. Minority ethnic groups with numerous generations of residents in the Nanzhong region.
At the end of the Eastern Han Dynasty, the corrupt regime plundered the Nanzhong region recklessly, and many people continued to resist. Some powerful individuals took the opportunity to incite rebellion and attempt to seize power. Liu Bei had already improved during his reign, but after his death, some powerful individuals took the opportunity to rebel again. In the north, there was heavy pressure from the Cao Cao regime, while in the south, there were rebellions by powerful forces. The rebellion in the south was unjust, and Shu Han was attacked on both sides. Zhuge Liang decided to personally conquer the south. In the spring of the third year of Jianxing in Shu Han, tens of thousands of Shu soldiers, under the personal leadership of Zhuge Liang, marched boldly towards the southern central region. However, it was not easy to conquer this vast and barbaric land. The vast southern central region was high in mountains and dense in forests, with many dangers and hostile eyes everywhere.
The Wa people have always been brave and skilled in battle. Every time they defeat an enemy, they celebrate it with a special ceremony. However, after Zhuge Liang entered Nanzhong, he did not have the opportunity to celebrate victory with the notorious fierce rebel forces. They were easily defeated by the well-trained Shu Han regular army, and the Shu Han army quickly launched an attack on the rebel leader Meng Huo, who was eventually captured. To Meng Huo’s surprise, although Zhuge Liang had captured him, he did not intend to harm him. Instead, he invited him to watch the Han army camp. Meng Huo did not agree and said to Zhuge Liang that if he could be let go back and decide another stop, he would definitely defeat Zhuge Liang. Zhuge Liang laughed and released Meng Huo, promising him to fight another day. In fact, in Zhuge Liang’s heart, quelling the rebellion was not just about relying on military force to suppress it. He had a more long-term plan for Zhuge Liang in Nanzhong. According to historical records, Zhuge Liang captured Meng Huo seven times and led him seven times. Finally, Meng Huo was convinced to take it orally. Zhuge Liang still wants to release him. Meng Huo dared not go back anymore and said, “The power of the heavens is too great, and the people of the south will never turn back.”.
Researcher at the History Institute of Sichuan Academy of Social Sciences – Shen Bojun: Zhuge Liang’s military development was very smooth because he won the hearts of the people and was welcomed by ethnic minorities. According to historical records, in the spring of the third year of Jianxing, he launched a southern expedition and prayed that Xiping would be completely pacified by autumn.
After subduing Meng Huo, various tribes in Nanzhong surrendered one after another. The Wa people said that their ancestors and Zhuge Liang had made an oath to guard the border for generations and never rebel. However, ending the rebellion was only the first step in pacifying Nanzhong. Next, Zhuge Liang had to truly start implementing his plan for Nanzhong. This is Climbing Street Village, Ximeng Wa Autonomous County, Yunnan Province. In the 1970s, Nissan was sent here as the captain of the Simon Ethnic Work Team to help the villagers develop agricultural production. The old man still remembers that the older ones told him stories about Zhuge Liang.
Nissan: I mainly worked with an old man named Ain, who may have died for over a decade. Another person named Aisan has been dead for five or six years. According to them, before 2000, due to low yields, Zhuge Liang taught him how to work, how to cultivate land, how to select seeds, and how to manage the seeds well.
About 1800 years ago, some officials from Shu Han were sent here by Zhuge Liang. They brought the most advanced agricultural techniques of the time, taught the people of Nanzhong to build houses, grow rice, use plowing cattle, plant mulberry and raise silkworms, and weave gauze, changing the original production method of slash and burn farming here.
This is Pu’er City, Yunnan Province, which is one of the most famous production areas of Pu’er tea both domestically and internationally. It is said that it was Zhuge Liang who promoted tea cultivation on a large scale here that led to the later Pu’er tea. Today, Pu’er tea has become one of the most daily tea drinks for Chinese people. In order to commemorate Zhuge Liang, unlike other places, the people here worship Zhuge Liang as the ancestor of tea. Like this, there are many stories about Zhuge Liang in the vast southwestern region. These beautiful stories are like the tea aroma of Pu’er tea, which is thicker and more mellow over time.
Researcher at the Institute of History, Sichuan Academy of Social Sciences – Shen Bojun: As early as in Longzhong, Zhuge Liang proposed his principle of governing Nanzhong, which is to pacify the barbarians and Yue in the south. Since it is the case of pacifying the barbarians and Yue in the south, that is his principle. However, if you want to pacify their hearts, it is not the same as destroying them.
Capturing Meng Huo seven times, pacifying the barbarians and Yue in the south, and finally allowing the people here to live a truly peaceful life, this is the true pacification of Nanzhong in Zhuge Liang’s heart. After several years of effort, the Shu Han regime finally had a peaceful and stable environment. At this time, Zhuge Liang’s internal affairs reform had also been fully launched. The first important factor in internal affairs was talent. Zhuge Liang selected talents regardless of qualifications or geography, with a particular emphasis on both moral and talent. Zhang Yi, the governor of Yizhou, was captured by the rebel leader during the Nanzhong Rebellion and presented to Sun Quan. In the following years, Zhuge Liang was always concerned about the talented Zhang Yi. Later, during Deng Zhi’s mission to Eastern Wu, Deng Zhi followed Zhuge Liang’s instructions and proposed to Sun Quan that Zhang Yi could be released back to Shu. Coincidentally, the two countries were restored, and Sun Quan readily agreed to Deng Zhi’s request. However, later on, Sun Quan quickly discovered that Zhang Yi was a knowledgeable and talented person, and he regretted letting the tiger go back to the mountains. He immediately sent someone to chase after him, and Zhang Yi had already returned to Shu overnight. Upon the return of Zhang Yi, Zhuge Liang immediately entrusted him with important responsibilities. In Shu Han, another capable official was appointed, including Jiang Wan, Fei Yi, Dong Yun, Wang Lian, Chen Zhen, Zhang Yi, Fei Shi, Qin Mi, and so on. Countless officials were discovered and appointed by Zhuge Liang like this. For a while, people make full use of their talents, and talented individuals in the Bashu region compete to serve the country.
Researcher at the Institute of History, Sichuan Academy of Social Sciences – Shen Bojun: He is good at discovering talents. Zhuge Liang himself is Liu Bei, who has a keen eye for talent and has stepped onto the political stage. How Zhuge Liang identifies talent and how to measure a talent, he always insists on having both moral integrity and talent. The construction of internal affairs not only requires capable talents, but also requires the establishment of a sound legal system. Zhuge Liang personally presided over the formulation of the national code of Shu Han, Shu Ke, to govern Shu with the law and strictly govern the country. On this day in 228 AD, the execution ground of Shu Han was crowded with civil and military officials, as well as onlookers. The time for execution was approaching, and a person slowly arrived at the execution ground. This person was Zhuge Liang’s most beloved strategist – Ma Su. Due to Ma Su’s violation of military orders, the strategic location of Jieting was lost. After his defeat, Ma Su escaped from the battle and was punished and executed. Before his execution, Ma Su wrote a letter to Zhuge Liang, in which he was Zhuge Liang’s father and entrusted his family to Zhuge Liang. The onlookers were moved to tears, and the courtiers were all moved. They pleaded with Zhuge Liang one after another. However, at this time, Ma Su was very clear that his sins were unforgivable, and the Prime Minister would never tolerate them. After Ma Su was beheaded, Zhuge Liang was heartbroken and unable to recover for a long time. Before the law, everyone is equal. Among the people punished by Zhuge Liang, there are both noble and meritorious individuals. Regardless of who they are, once they violate the criminal law, Zhuge Liang will be dealt with strictly and will not be biased. However, Zhuge Liang’s rule of law in Shu was not based on simple and harsh criminal law, but on education and was filled with humanistic care. Li Yan, who was also a minister entrusted by the late emperor, was accused and exiled by Zhuge Liang for manipulating power and causing military trouble. After that, Zhuge Liang wrote a letter to Li Yan’s son Li Feng, in which Zhuge Liang sincerely explained the reasons for his exile and hoped that Li Feng could persuade his father to fully recognize his mistake. Li Yan was deeply moved upon learning of this. Years later, when Li Yan heard the news of Zhuge Liang’s passing in exile, he was filled with grief and anger, and fell ill and died.
Zhuge Liang’s rule of law is full of sincerity in persuading good and punishing evil. From the nobles and ministers to the common people, there is no doubt that he is intimidated, virtuous, and convinced. The lowest level of the rule of law is filled with complaints from the people, which is the lowest level of the rule of law. The people have a clear vision and dare not speak up in anger. This is the second lowest level of the rule of law. The people have no complaints and abide by the law. This is the highest level of the rule of law. The people have no complaints and are willing to obey. Those who are punished do not complain, and those who are executed do not become angry. This is a level that the practice of the pre Qin Legalist school cannot achieve.
Researcher at the Institute of History, Chinese Academy of Social Sciences – Liang Mancang: Zhuge Liang’s governance of the country is actually a fusion of Confucianism and Legalism, and the fusion is organic, that is, you have me, I have you.
Researcher at the Institute of History, Sichuan Academy of Social Sciences – Shen Bojun: We can summarize it in four sentences: education comes first, rule of law comes last, strict law enforcement, fairness and trustworthiness.
Recruit talents and use the law to govern Shu. Under the governance of Zhuge Liang, the politics of Shu Han were harmonious and the officials were clean, and the land of Bashu began to show a new atmosphere of development. Now, it is time for bold economic governance.
Dujiangyan Irrigation Project, a water conservancy project built by Li Bing and his son in the State of Qin. For over 2000 years, whether it is the peak floods or dry waters of the Minjiang River, he has faithfully sent the water needed for agriculture to the Chengdu Plain, achieving the prosperity of the land of abundance.
Zhang Kaiyong, deputy director of Dujiangyan Irrigation Project Administration of Sichuan Province, and his place are Dujiangyan Irrigation Project Administration, whose main task is to maintain the normal functioning of Dujiangyan Irrigation Project Water Conservancy Project, so as to ensure the irrigation of more than 10 million mu of farmland in the Chengdu Plain.
Zhang Kaiyong, Deputy Director of Dujiangyan Irrigation Project Administration Bureau of Sichuan Province: Li Bing is a great and scientific design in the whole three major layouts and three major engineering layouts, but it does not mean that he has solved all the problems. It is precisely because all previous dynasties paid attention to water conservancy and Dujiangyan Irrigation Project. According to the development of productivity and the progress of science and technology, Dujiangyan Irrigation Project has been constantly injected with new materials and new technologies, and then constantly improved.
In the same year, a pair of 1200 soldiers suddenly stationed here. These soldiers were sent by Zhuge Liang to protect and maintain Dujiangyan Irrigation Project. As a water conservancy project, Dujiangyan Irrigation Project needs constant maintenance. Zhuge Liang knows this.
Kai Kaiyong, Deputy Director of Dujiangyan Irrigation Project Administration Bureau of Sichuan Province: What we see now is the combination of frustration and bamboo strips,
In ancient times, when building water conservancy projects, there was no existing reinforced concrete. Instead, the bamboo strips were used as independent bags, and the pebbles were piled up layer by layer inside the dam. If such building materials met with extreme floods, the dam would be in danger of breaking. After years of war, Dujiangyan Irrigation Project has been in disrepair for years. To this end, Zhuge Liang specially appointed weir officials to strengthen the management of Dujiangyan Irrigation Project, with 1200 people, who are both soldiers and river workers for repair and maintenance. They have been stationed for years, patrolling day and night, protecting and dredging Dujiangyan Irrigation Project.
Shen Bojun, a researcher of the History Institute of the Sichuan Academy of Social Sciences: This move of Zhuge Liang was followed by successive dynasties, which is why Dujiangyan Irrigation Project has been able to continue to play its role for 2000 years. So we can say that Li Bing has created and Zhuge Liang has maintained the water conservancy project in the civilized world of Dujiangyan Irrigation Project.
Under Zhuge Liang’s care, Dujiangyan Irrigation Project has played its due role. The system of weir officials pioneered by Zhuge Liang has always been inherited. Water conservancy is the foundation of agriculture, and agriculture is the foundation of a country. After several years of development, agricultural production in Shu Han flourished, with abundant harvests of grain. In his “Shu Du Fu”, Zuo Si, a native of Jin, described the scene of a thousand grains of rice and millet in the Chengdu Plain at that time as follows: scattered gullies and veins, Qicuo in Xinjiang, oil and oil from millet and millet, and no one was involved in farming and theft.
Researcher at the Institute of History, Chinese Academy of Social Sciences – Liang Mancang: Originally, Sichuan was a land of abundance. With a stable environment and good policies, its agriculture quickly developed.
The Bashu region has always been rich in resources, and well salt is one of the most important resources in the region. Since the end of the Eastern Han Dynasty, the production management of Jingran was chaotic and the production efficiency was low. Zhuge Liang decided to strengthen the policy of selling salt by officials, increase the quantity of well salt, and improve production technology. Well salt refers to the traditional method of boiling underground salt water by digging a well, using the so-called home fire boiling method. Zhuge Liang vigorously improved and promoted the technology of boiling well salt. Huojing refers to natural gas wells. According to historical records, the Bashu region was the earliest place to discover and utilize Huojing. However, Huojing has not been fully utilized for a long time. Zhuge Liang improved the wellhead of Huojing, greatly increasing the efficiency of boiling salt in Huojing. The salt production is more than twice that of home cooked salt. Even today, salt wells in Sichuan still use Huojing to boil salt.
In present-day Changning, Zigong, and other places in Sichuan, there are still many ancient salt well sites left behind. During Zhuge Liang’s reign in Shu, salt wells bloomed everywhere and salt became one of the important products in Shu. Salt tax also became an important source of economic income for Shu Han. Some people later called Zhuge Liang’s move “establishing a country with salt”. In ancient times, the only thing that could be compared to salt was iron. If the Shu Han regime established the country with salt, it can also be said that the Shu Han regime was a strong country with iron. During the Three Kingdoms period, China’s iron smelting technology experienced rapid development. New smelting technologies such as steelmaking, pouring, and quenching emerged during this period. According to historical records, Zhuge Liang appointed skilled smelter Pu Yuan to forge a treasure sword in Hanzhong. Pu Yuan had extremely high requirements for quenching water and specialized in quenching with Shu water. Once, he ordered someone to bring back Shu water from Chengdu. Pu Yuan tried it and said that it was mixed with eight liters of Fu water, which could not be used. The person who took it was shocked and immediately kowtowed to apologize, admitting that due to carelessness on the way, a part of Shu water was spilled and mixed with eight liters of Fu water. Pu Yuan used essence to make a mistake. The exquisite quenching technology produces extremely sharp knives, known as divine knives. It orders people to fill the bamboo tube with iron beads and cut it with the knife. The bamboo tube breaks in response to the sound, while the armor he creates is exceptionally strong.
According to the “Southern History”, the copper rust armor hat made by Puyuan for Zhuge Liang could not be penetrated by a twenty to fifty stone crossbow. It is said that by combining this armor technology with rattan armor from the southern and central regions, a sturdy and lightweight armor can be created, which is the prototype of the legendary Chinese hedgehog armor.
Shen Bojun, a researcher at the Institute of History of Sichuan Academy of Social Sciences: The smelting industry not only produces weapons, but also more agricultural tools, which promotes the use and promotion of iron tools. Therefore, not only are weapons famous in Shu Han, but agricultural tools are also made very well.
The iron tools produced by Shu Han were more commonly used in agricultural production. These high-quality iron agricultural tools were easy to use, convenient for intensive cultivation, and effectively promoted the development of agriculture in Shu Han. Under the governance of Zhuge Liang, the salt and iron industries have been fully developed and have become important foundations for the economy of Shu Han. However, there is a more special product in the Shu Han Dynasty, which can be regarded as a rare treasure. It is not only a treasure that the nobles and nobles compete to collect, but also an important gift for the emperor to reward his subjects. It is Shu brocade.
The land of Ba and Shu has had a tradition of raising silkworms and making silk since ancient times. The cotton made from the silk cultivated in Shu is famous worldwide for its exquisite craftsmanship, tough texture, and beautiful colors, hence the name Shu brocade. Zhuge Liang once said that the only way to defeat the enemy was to rely on Jin Er. In order to encourage agriculture and mulberry cultivation, Zhuge Liang personally set an example by planting 800 mulberry plants, engaging in sericulture and brocade production. In order to increase the production of Sichuan brocade, Zhuge Liang set up special officials to manage the production of Sichuan brocade. Such officials were called Jin Guan. It was from Zhuge Liang that the production of Sichuan brocade became a large-scale national behavior. Under Zhuge Liang’s governance, the production of Sichuan brocade reached an unprecedented level in terms of scale and output in history.
According to Zuo Si, a literary figure from the Western Jin Dynasty, in his “Shu Du Fu”, mulberry gardens were scattered throughout the Shu Han region, and the streets and alleys of the city were filled with harmonious sounds of weaving machines. The brocade was woven from thousands of households, and the brocade decorated with patterns was magnificent. The brocade washed by the river had a particularly bright color, making it an important export product of Shu Han. According to historical records, the ancestors and descendants of Cao Cao’s family loved Shu brocade for three generations. They secretly sent people to purchase brocade in Western Shu several times, and Sun Quan often used Shu brocade to reward his ministers. Not only that, Sichuan brocade is also exported to Pakistan, India, Afghanistan, Iran, the Middle East, and Europe. Shu brocade became the most important economic guarantee for Zhuge Liang’s policy of seclusion, agriculture, and nurturing the people.
Researcher at the Institute of History, Sichuan Academy of Social Sciences – Shen Bojun: At that time, the place where craftsmen lived and produced was called Jinli, and the location of the yamen was called Jinguan City. Therefore, Jinli, Jinguan City, and Jincheng became aliases of Chengdu and are still in use today. You see, there are several specialized positions to be established, including the Salt Captain, the Gold General, and the Jin Officer. In addition, there are the Weiguan positions mentioned earlier. It can be seen that Zhuge Liang attached great importance to the economic development of the Bashu region. If he did well in this regard, what role did he play? Prosperous country and peaceful people, and the great governance of Sichuan.
In the early spring of 234 AD, before the Shu region could fully recover from the long cold, the Prime Minister of Shu Han, Zhuge Liang, decided to lead his army on another northern expedition. This was Zhuge Liang’s last northern expedition in his life. At this time, it had been eleven years since Liu Bei entrusted him with an orphan. In these eleven years, Zhuge Liang devoted all his efforts to governing Shu Han, and the national strength of Shu Han has been fully restored. In these eleven years, Shu Han experienced one southern expedition and four northern expeditions, resisting the invasion of Wei. During the first four Northern Expeditions, the Shu army failed to achieve the established strategic goals. Now Zhuge Liang is about to embark on another journey and launch a northern expedition against Cao Wei. Can this famous military strategist really eliminate the Cao Wei regime with a population and army five times that of himself, and thus revive the Han Dynasty in his heart? Even before his first expedition, Zhuge Liang once submitted a memorial to the late emperor Liu Chan expressing his aspirations. Chen Liang said, “The late emperor’s entrepreneurship was not yet halfway through, but the middle road collapsed. Today, with the third division, Yizhou is exhausted, and this is a time of crisis and survival. Now that the south has been established and the military armor is sufficient, he should lead the three sides and prevent it. He should settle the Central Plains in the north, exhaust the common people, eliminate the wicked, revive the Han dynasty, and return to the old capital.”. I deeply follow the imperial edict of the late emperor, and I am grateful and grateful for it. I should stay away from it now, with tears in my eyes and no words to say.
Researcher at the Institute of History, Chinese Academy of Social Sciences – Lou Jin: At this time, his ideal of “Longzhong Dui” at that time was getting further and further away from his realization. It was a kind of knowing that it could not be done, and he knew that I could only extend its operation. It was impossible to achieve my predetermined goals again, but he still firmly walked to the bottom, dedicating himself to death.
In February of the twelfth year of Jianxing in the Shu Han Dynasty, Zhuge Liang mobilized the entire country and personally led a hundred thousand troops to advance northward from Xiegu Kou. The commander of the Wei army, Sima Yi, who had already learned of the news, led a large army to stand guard at Wuzhangyuan on the bank of the Wei River. The Han army faced off against the Wei army at Wuzhangyuan, just like in previous battles. Sima Yi still adopted a strategy of strict defense and defense, only defending to the death and never going to war. He allowed Zhuge Liang to send people to the front of the Wei army to insult them in various ways. The Wei soldiers were angry and everyone felt ashamed. Sima Yi was determined not to fight. The Han and Wei armies were at a stalemate on the banks of the Wei River for several months, and in the end, Zhuge Liang had no choice but to face a dilemma and finally fell ill. Zhuge Liang, who was seriously ill, knew that his fate had been determined and the Northern Expedition was difficult to achieve. On his deathbed, Li Fu, the Minister of Personnel who came specifically to Chengdu, asked Zhuge Liang who could take over in a hundred years. Zhuge Liang said that Jiang Wan could take over, and Li Fu asked who could take over after Jiang Wan. Zhuge Liang said that Fei Yi could take over. After Li Fu’s third questioning, Zhuge Liang remained silent. At this time, Wuzhangyuan was in the middle of the night. Legend has it that when Zhuge Liang passed away, a meteor broke through the sky and fell from northeast to southwest, from large to small, falling into Zhuge Liang’s military camp. Zhuge Liang, a famous politician and military strategist from the Three Kingdoms period, and the most outstanding intellectual and wise minister in Chinese history, died before his successful start. With the unfulfilled ambition to conquer the Central Plains and revive the Han dynasty, he left this chaotic world.
Researcher at the Institute of History of the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences – Liang Mancang: He was born in a chaotic era and witnessed the various disasters that the chaotic era brought to people. His pursuit of revitalizing the Han Dynasty was not the Han Dynasty of the late Eastern Han Dynasty, which was either the Heng Emperor or the Ling Emperor, the dark and fragmented Han Dynasty, but the unified and prosperous Han Dynasty established by Emperor Guangwu Liu Xiuchu.
Researcher Lou Jin from the Institute of History, Chinese Academy of Social Sciences: This is dying for ideals, for beliefs, and for promises. This is the most valuable quality from both the perspective of ordinary people and big politicians, no matter from any perspective.
Since the death of Zhuge Liang, thousands of poems and writings have praised him, and countless people have praised him. The cultural relics and historical sites scattered throughout the country are the best tribute to him. A group of people with lofty ideals, following his footsteps, inherited his ruins, and devoted themselves wholeheartedly to the Chinese nation, but died later.
Researcher at the Institute of History, Sichuan Academy of Social Sciences – Shen Bojun: Zhuge Liang’s character can be said to be a concentrated reflection of the excellent character of our Chinese nation. Firstly, loyalty, which is loyalty to ideals and career, and further sublimation is loyalty to the country and the nation. The second is wisdom, which is great wisdom. This kind of wisdom also includes military wisdom, technological wisdom, and deeper life wisdom.
Zhuge’s great name hangs in the universe, with a feather in the sky for eternity. Loyalty, dedication, self-improvement, fairness, integrity, diligence, and insignificance are all virtues of ancient Chinese intellectuals and wise officials, which embody Zhuge Liang’s great personality and spiritual charm, becoming a benchmark for measuring the wise, foolish, loyal, and treacherous of officials in all eras.
Han Liezhao Emperor Liu Bei’s Mausoleum, Hui Ling, Chengdu City, Sichuan Province
Zhuge Bagua Village, Lanxi City, Zhejiang Province
Although Zhuge Liang’s physical life is no longer there, his spiritual life shines for thousands of years. The name Zhuge Liang has become a cultural symbol, an integral part of the excellent traditional culture of the Chinese nation and a common spiritual wealth of the whole nation, deeply affecting today’s and even tomorrow’s Chinese society.
90 Seconds of History: The Heart of Sima Zhao
Cao Cao was the fourth emperor of the Wei state, and he was not well-known in Chinese history. He ascended to the throne at the age of 14 for only 6 years, but it was this young and weak emperor who uttered a well-known quote before his death. The heart of Sima Zhao is well-known to passersby. In 260 years, the political power of Cao Wei was firmly controlled by the Sima family. Sima Zhao no longer concealed his ambition to usurp power, and the young Cao Mao was also seen as a puppet. Cao Hou, who did not want to wait for his downfall, summoned several ministers and said that Sima Zhao’s heart was well-known among the people. The young emperor led hundreds of followers to rush out of the palace and decided to personally attack Sima Zhao, but was ultimately stabbed to death by a long spear. The last resistance of the Cao regime also ended in failure. From then on, the Sima clan opened the prelude to the unification of the Western Jin Dynasty.