Introduction - the story in short
At the beginning of the fifth century BC, in a region corresponding to the modern province of Zhejiang, then a backwater region, a long series of wars opposed the State of Wu and the State of Yue, which resulted in the anihilation of Wu. Before, Wu had grown from a small and unknown state to a challenger of the powerful states of Chu and Qi.
Over the centuries, this conflict has become one of the most famous chinese historical epics. The original story, which is very tersely told in ancient texts (this happened in far away regions), was retold, expanded, transformed, new characters appeared, or were linked to it, and it acquired a variety of moral lessons.
This blog intends to explore the events, and, more importantly the construction of the legend.
March 26th, 2008 at 5:25 pm
Backwater:
1. water held or forced back, as by a dam, flood, or tide.
2. a place or state of stagnant backwardness: This area of the country is a backwater that continues to resist progress.
3. an isolated, peaceful place.
4. a stroke executed by pushing a paddle forward, causing a canoe to move backward.
Which of the above definitions are you using?
March 27th, 2008 at 4:29 am
2 probably…
April 25th, 2009 at 12:35 pm
Keep up the good work.