"Youth Chronicle": From the Western Zhou And Eastern Zhou to the Spring and Autumn Period, it is the juvenile era of our nation

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"Yi Zhongtian Chinese History: Youth Chronicle" by Yi Zhongtian

Every ancient civilization and nation has its own childhood and youth, and there are warriors who are full of spirit and see death as a homecoming. A soldier dies for a confidant, and a woman is for herself. They cut through thorns and thorns all the way, and the road is blue. As Elder Yi said, from the Western Zhou and Eastern Zhou to the Spring and Autumn Period, it is the juvenile era of our nation.

China during the Spring and Autumn Period was a group of people with a particularly aristocratic temperament and aristocratic spirit who dominated the development of history. The true spirit of nobility should have three important pillars:

The first is the cultivation of culture, resisting the temptation of materialism, not taking pleasure as the purpose of life, and cultivating noble moral sentiments and cultural spirit.

The second is the responsibility of society, as a social elite, strict self-discipline, cherish honor, support vulnerable groups, and assume the responsibility of the community and the country.

The third is a free soul, with an independent will, who dares to say no in the face of power and money. Moreover, it has intellectual and moral autonomy, can transcend fashion and trends, and is not enslaved by political power and the opinion of the majority.

The affirmation of nobility, whether by title or substance, must be consistent with his character, his knowledge, and his conduct.

Selected excerpts

1. From the Western Zhou Dynasty and the Eastern Zhou Dynasty to the Spring and Autumn Period, it is the juvenile era of our nation. At that time, people had a true disposition and true flesh, so they had feelings and righteousness, and they dared to love and hate. This is the assassin who kills the benevolent, the lover who pursues true love, the warrior who has no remorse, the loyal courtier, the envoy who turns the tide, and the ghost god with full humanity. Collectively, they show the eternal charm and grace of a people in her "most perfect place."

2. In the Zhou Dynasty, after the death of the Heavenly Son, the princes, and the doctors, they were all given a title of coffin, called the name of the coffin. The Son of Heaven is called a certain king, such as King Cheng of Zhou and King Kang of Zhou. The princes are called a certain duke, such as the Jin Linggong and the Jin Dynasty Gong. The doctor's name is a certain son, such as Zhao Jianzi and Zhao Xiangzi.

3. Moral judgment has always been easy to obscure the truth, but to do research is to seek truth from facts, not emotional.

4. Houtu and Houji are the most important gods of the Chinese nation. Hou Tu is the god of the land, and his altar is called the Society. Hou Ji is the god ceres, and his altar is called Ji. Shehe and Ji are connected and called Sheji. Sheji and Zongmiao are the most important buildings in a country, and even synonymous with state power.

5. There are ghosts and gods without religion, and there is worship without faith. This is the cultural characteristic of the Chinese nation.

6. From the Son of Heaven to the princes, the royal family and the office have full-time personnel responsible for dealing with ghosts and gods, called Zhu, Zong, Bu, and Shi, and their chiefs are called Taizhu, Taizong, Buzheng, and Taishi, each responsible for different projects.

7. Weak countries are not necessarily without diplomacy. On the contrary, it is precisely because of weakness that it is even more necessary to be good at using diplomatic means; the envoys of weak or defeated countries must not only be tough and gentle, but also have the spirit of gentlemanhood and nobility.

8. To become a subject of others, first of all, you must write your name on the simple policy, called "policy name"; secondly, you must give gifts to the king, called "pledge". Both of these things mean that we agree with each other, and that once we establish a relationship, we will be loyal and never change our minds.

9. There is no father or son before the king. Whoever is in the presence of the monarch must be called by his first name. This rule continued until the Ming and Qing dynasties.

10. According to the system at that time, before the soldiers went out on the expedition, they were to sacrifice to the god of the shrine, called the "shrine". The meat and wine used for the sacrifice were to be distributed to everyone, called "receiving the veil." At the same time, it is necessary to smear the snare drum with blood, called "the drum of provocation". The blood of the drums was often made of prisoners of war, and preferably of noble rank. Zhi Yan's so-called "deacons do not take offense" is actually saying that the Chu people did not kill him.