At the end of the Qin Dynasty, the rulers were corrupt and tyrannical, constantly exploiting the people. The common folk not only had to pay heavy taxes but also endure grueling corvée labor, living in dire misery. At that time, there was a man named Chen Sheng, styled She. Due to his impoverished family background, he had no choice but to work as a tenant farmer. He deeply understood the suffering of the lower classes and was deeply resentful of the severe wealth disparity in society. Thus, he secretly resolved to change this situation.

During the Spring and Autumn period, there was a gem merchant in the state of Chu. He conducted his business with great integrity, earning widespread trust, so many people preferred to buy jewels from him. One day, the merchant acquired a beautiful pearl. Intending to sell it, he decided to package it elaborately, believing that with a luxurious container, the pearl’s perceived value would naturally increase.

During Empress Wu Zetian's reign, she implemented a policy of terror and high pressure, rewarding informers, through which many people gained promotions and higher ranks. At that time, numerous cruel officials emerged, inventing all kinds of brutal torture devices to force suspects to confess—truly employing every possible extreme method. Among them, Zhou Xing and Lai Junchen were the most notorious.

During the Warring States period, King Huai of Chu was deeply immersed in sensual pleasures and luxuries, spending his days feasting and playing with his favorite concubine, Lady Zheng Xiu, living a corrupt and decadent life. Later, the ruler of the State of Wei, wishing to flatter King Huai and further weaken his resolve, presented him with an exceptionally beautiful woman. The king became extremely fond of her.

In this idiom, "li" (唳) refers to the cry of a bird. "Cry of the wind and call of the crane" means mistaking the sound of the wind and the cry of cranes for the shouts of enemy troops, suspecting that pursuing forces have arrived. It describes a state of extreme panic and nervous tension.

Legend has it that the celestial deity who manages horses in heaven is named Bo Le. On earth, people also refer to those exceptionally skilled at discerning the quality of horses as "Bo Le."The first person to be called Bo Le was originally named Sun Yang, a man from the Spring and Autumn period. Because of his outstanding expertise in the study of horses, people gradually forgot his real name and simply called him Bo Le, a name that has continued to this day.

Han Xin, from Huaiyin (present-day southwest of Qingjiang, Jiangsu), was a prominent general under Liu Bang, the King of Han. In order to defeat Xiang Yu and seize control of the empire, Han Xin devised a strategy for Liu Bang: first capturing the Guanzhong region, then crossing the Yellow River eastward to defeat and capture Wei Wangbao, a king who had betrayed Liu Bang and pledged allegiance to Xiang Yu. Following this, he advanced eastward to attack King Zhao Xie.

This idiom originates from "A Memorial Advising King Wu" by Mei Cheng during the Western Han Dynasty: "If you can listen to the words of loyal ministers, every endeavor will surely bring joy. If you persist in doing as you desire, your danger will be greater than a pile of eggs, and your task harder than ascending to heaven. But if you change your intentions, it will be easier than turning over your palm, and your position will be as secure as Mount Tai."

Han Xin was a powerful and influential military commander in the early Han Dynasty. Originally from Huaiyin, he came from a poor family and lost both parents at a young age. He had a free-spirited and unrestrained personality, disregarding social etiquette. With no family wealth, he could neither be recommended for an official position nor engage in business or farming. As a result, he lived in poverty and destitution, often struggling to find his next meal, relying on others for food, eating here and there, and many people disliked him for this.

A famous military strategist during the Warring States period. His exact birth and death dates are unknown, and his real name has been lost to history. He was active around the second half of the 4th century BC, a native of the State of Qi (modern-day Juancheng County, Shandong Province), and a descendant of Sun Wu, the renowned general of the State of Wu.