King Zhuang of Chu was one of the Five Hegemons of the Spring and Autumn period and the most accomplished ruler of the state of Chu during that era.
Once, after a great military victory, King Zhuang was so delighted that he hosted a grand banquet in his palace to entertain his ministers, filling the palace with festive cheer. In high spirits, the king summoned his favorite concubine, Lady Xu, to pour wine for the guests in turn and add to the merriment.
Suddenly, a strong gust of wind blew into the palace, extinguishing the candles and plunging the hall into complete darkness. In the dark, someone reached out and grabbed Lady Xu’s sleeve, attempting to get close to her. She quickly pulled off the man’s hat tassel and broke free.
Holding the tassel in her hand, Lady Xu hurriedly reported to King Zhuang: "Just now, while I was pouring wine, someone took advantage of the darkness to make an improper advance. I’ve torn off his hat tassel—Your Majesty, quickly order the candles relit so we can see who this audacious villain is!"
To her surprise, after a moment of thought, the king ordered the candles not to be lit yet. Instead, he announced to all: "Everyone is having such a joyful time tonight. Let’s all relax even more—why not take off your helmets and hats? That way, we can drink even more freely."
When the candles were finally relit and the banquet resumed, King Zhuang continued to laugh and talk as if nothing had happened, never investigating who had offended his beloved concubine.
After the banquet, Lady Xu complained to the king for not defending her honor.
The king smiled and said, "A ruler and his ministers should enjoy themselves fully. Someone’s drunken misconduct is understandable. If I were to execute a loyal officer over this, it would chill the hearts of our patriotic soldiers, and the people would no longer be willing to fight for Chu."
Lady Xu could not help but admire the king’s foresight.
Seven years later, when King Zhuang launched a campaign against the state of Zheng, a deputy general named Tang Jiao volunteered to lead over a hundred soldiers as the vanguard. Tang Jiao and his troops fought with fierce determination, risking their lives, and managed to carve out a bloody path through the enemy, allowing the main force to reach Zheng’s capital without further battle.
When it came time to reward their achievements, Tang Jiao declined the honors, saying: "At the Banquet of the Torn Tassel, the one who grabbed Lady Xu’s sleeve was me. I was spared by Your Majesty’s mercy, so today I have given my life in return."
The king was deeply moved upon hearing this.
Interpretation: Generosity and magnanimity can dissolve resentment and win over opponents. Conversely, narrow-mindedness and pettiness will only drive friends into the enemy’s camp.