The "Records of the Grand Historian: The Basic Annals of Gaozu" records: When summarizing his experience in seizing the empire, Liu Bang said: "...In planning strategies within the command tent and deciding victory a thousand li away, I am not as good as Zifang (Zhang Liang); in stabilizing the state, comforting the people, providing supplies, and ensuring the grain routes never fail, I am not as good as Xiao He; in commanding an army of a million, winning every battle and taking every attack, I am not as good as Han Xin.

During the struggle among the major feudal states for hegemony, large states annexed smaller ones and expanded their territories. However, the rulers of these powerful states had to grant newly acquired lands to their meritorious ministers. As a result, the ministers' power grew significantly.

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.

Long, long ago, there was a family living by the Yellow River, making a meager living by cutting reeds and weaving mats and baskets. They lived in great poverty.One day, the son was cutting reeds by the riverbank. The sun beat down fiercely, making him dizzy and faint, so he sat down to rest. As he gazed at the river shimmering with ripples in the sunlight, he remembered his father once saying that many treasures lay in the deepest part of the river—but no one dared go there.

During the Jin Dynasty, there was a renowned scholar named Guo Xiang, styled Zixuan. Even in his youth, Guo Xiang was exceptionally learned. Particularly, he paid close attention to everyday phenomena, carefully observing them and then calmly reflecting on their underlying principles. As a result, he possessed vast knowledge and often offered unique insights into various matters.

Zuo Si, a literary figure of the Jin Dynasty, was a very naughty and uninterested-in-study child when he was young. His father often got angry about this, but the young Zuo Si remained mischievous and unwilling to study diligently.

During the Warring States period, the northern regions of the State of Zhao were mostly inhabited by Hu tribes. Although they did not engage in large-scale wars with Zhao, they frequently conducted small-scale raids and skirmishes. The Hu people wore short jackets and trousers, rode horses in battle, and their movements were extremely agile and convenient.

During the Spring and Autumn period, Confucius was the foremost scholar of his time. He pioneered private teaching and advocated the virtues of benevolence, righteousness, propriety, wisdom, and trustworthiness. He was the founder of the Confucian school of thought.

During the Warring States period, the state of Qi sent an envoy to visit Queen Dowager Zhao Wei Hou in order to foster good diplomatic relations with the state of Zhao. The Qi envoy had never been to Zhao before, nor had he met Queen Dowager Zhao. However, he had long heard that she was a wise and virtuous queen, so he happily accepted the mission.

In the early period of the Three Kingdoms, Sun Quan and Liu Bei formed an alliance and inflicted a crushing defeat on Cao Cao at the Battle of Red Cliffs, severely weakening Cao Cao's forces and removing the immediate threat to both Sun Quan and Liu Bei. Afterward, Sun Quan and Liu Bei each expanded their territories, seizing considerable lands.