Idiom story

In ancient times, the world was vast and wild, and people suffered greatly from flooding and seawater inundation. During Emperor Yao's reign, he sent Gun, father of Da Yu, to control the floods. Gun, however, built dikes and dams wherever floods occurred, using mainly blockage methods. As a result, the flooding only worsened over time.

During the Western Han Dynasty, there lived a renowned thinker, statesman, and educator named Dong Zhongshu, from Guangchuan (present-day Dadongguzhuang Village, Guangchuan Town, Jing County, Hebei Province). He served as a Doctor during the reign of Emperor Jing and taught the *Gongyang Commentary on the Spring and Autumn Annals*.

In 202 BC, Liu Bang defeated Xiang Yu, ascended the throne, and established the Han Dynasty, historically known as Emperor Gaozu of Han.When Liu Bang first became emperor, the territory directly governed by the imperial court consisted of only fifteen commanderies. The rest of the land was enfeoffed to meritorious feudal kings, almost restoring the fragmented, warring-state conditions of the Warring States period.

During the Spring and Autumn and Warring States periods, there was a renowned literary figure in the State of Chu named Song Yu, also known as Zi Yuan. He was celebrated as one of the top ten most handsome men in ancient China. A native of Yan (present-day Yicheng, Hubei), Song Yu was a descendant of the royal family of the State of Song and a literary figure of Chu, also counted among the four most beautiful men of ancient China.

Pang Tong, styled Shi Yuan, known as "Feng Chu" (Young Phoenix), was a native of Xiangyang, Jingzhou (present-day Xiangyang, Hubei) during the Han Dynasty, and a renowned strategist of the late Eastern Han period. In his youth, Pang Tong was simple and honest, though he did not appear particularly intelligent. At that time, Sima Hui of Yingchuan was known for his refined character and skill in judging people. When Pang Tong was twenty, he went to pay his respects. Sima Hui sat in a mulberry tree picking leaves, while Pang Tong sat beneath it.

During the Tang Dynasty, there was a famous poet named Du Fu, styled Zimei, who styled himself "the Old Wild Man of Shaoling." He was a great realist poet of the Tang Dynasty, and, together with Li Bai, was known as "Li and Du." Born in Gong County, Henan, his ancestral home was Xiangyang, Hubei.

At the end of the Eastern Han Dynasty, the Chu and Han states were locked in a struggle for supremacy. Xiang Yu held the upper hand. In the early stages of the Chu-Han contention, he enjoyed a significant advantage with a large army and many generals, causing Liu Bang great fear.

During the Spring and Autumn period, in the state of Lu, there lived a man named Kong Qiu (Kongzi), of the Zi family, Kong clan, styled Zhongni. He was the founder of the Confucian school of thought.

During the Northern Song Dynasty, there was a renowned recluse named Lin Bu (courtesy name Junfu), a Han Chinese from Huangxian Village in Dali, Zhejiang (some sources say Qiantang, Hangzhou). From childhood, he studied diligently and mastered the classics, histories, and various schools of thought.

During the Spring and Autumn and Warring States periods, a high-ranking official from the Chu capital city of Ying was good friends with the prime minister of the northern state of Yan. They often exchanged letters, using them to discuss their differing views and exchange ideas on governance.