In the 3rd century B.C., during the Warring States Period, the Central Plains was plagued by endless wars and disputes. In these turbulent times, there are five hidden figures who are known as geniuses, who are gifted and brilliant and remembered by history. However, their fates were very different, Zhuge Liang was not on the list, and Jiang Ziya was listed as one of them.
The first genius was Confucius, born in 551 BC, a great thinker, educator, and statesman who contributed remarkable wisdom to Chinese philosophy.
Confucius's ideas have gradually been accepted and respected by the world, and have been passed down to this day. However, despite the respect and followers of Confucius, he did not really change the fate of the times. Although he longed to contribute more, he was unable to participate in the power to truly change the big times.
The second wizard was Qu Yuan, who was born in 340 BC. He was a great patriotic poet in ancient China, and he made many useful suggestions for the state of Chu.
However, Qu Yuan's genius and affection did not change his fate. He was degraded for political struggle, and finally chose to commit suicide by throwing himself into the river. Although his death brought sadness to future generations, it also left a poignant legend in people's hearts.
The third wizard was Zhang Liang, who was born in 256 BC and was Liu Bang's advisor. Zhang Liang is brilliant and thoughtful, and has played an important auxiliary role for Liu Bang.
His resourcefulness enabled Liu Bang to finally win the world and become the ancestor of the Han Dynasty. However, Zhang Liang's fate was entangled with that of the great monarch. He achieved a prominent position under Liu Bang's patronage, but in the later years of Han Gaozu, Zhang Liang fell out of favor due to political struggles and ended up living in seclusion in the mountains for the rest of his life.
The fourth wizard was Lü Dongbin, who was born in 113 BC. He is one of the Eight Immortals of Taoism and is revered as the head of the Eight Immortals. With his excellent Taoist cultivation and compassionate attitude, Lu Dongbin solved the suffering of all sentient beings and opened up his own unique way of life.
However, Lu Dongbin did not show his genius on the secular political and social level, and he chose an otherworldly state of life.
The last wizard was Jiang Ziya, born in the 12th century BC and a famous Taoist thinker and warmaker in history.
Jiang Ziya was proficient in the art of war, intelligent and wise, and with extraordinary wisdom and strategic vision, he helped King Wen of Zhou in the last years of the Shang Dynasty overthrow the tyrannical King of Shang and establish the Zhou Dynasty. His genius lies in the wisdom that helped him become one of the great kings and military strategists of history.
The reason why Jiang Ziya was able to achieve extraordinary things is inseparable from his early experience. It is rumored that when Jiang Ziya was young, his father was forced to leave his hometown due to political problems, leaving him and his mother to depend on each other. The poverty and frustration of life did not break him, on the contrary, he showed extraordinary intelligence and a brave personality from an early age.
As a teenager, Jiang Ziya met a mysterious old man who taught him many Taoist practices. Jiang Ziya Xi studied diligently, insisted on cultivation, and realized that his personal destiny could be changed through hard work and wisdom.
Through the cultivation of Taoist philosophical thoughts, he learned the method of overcoming rigidity and resolving changes with softness, which laid a solid foundation for his later career.
After he became an adult, Jiang Ziya devoted himself to the war-torn Warring States period. He used the art of war wisely, and was adept at seizing the right time and making the most of resources.
He had advised in a critical battle situation and helped King Wen of Zhou to victory. King Wen of Zhou praised him as a loyal minister and named him the prime minister of Qi, and Jiang Ziya's influence and status were further enhanced.
However, Jiang Ziya was not satisfied with the status of the prime minister of a country. He realized that the development of the Zhou Dynasty was inseparable from unity and peace, so he put forward the concept of "respecting the king and conquering the emperor", advocating breaking the division of the vassal states and realizing the unification of the world.
In order to achieve this grand goal, Jiang Ziya actively promoted the strategic plan of King Wen of Zhou, and assumed the position of central military commander, leading the Zhou army to a series of major victories.
In the end, through Jiang Ziya's efforts and wisdom, the Zhou Dynasty successfully unified the Central Plains and achieved a peaceful and prosperous era. Jiang Ziya received a meritorious status and was named the father of the prime minister, enjoying the honor and wealth of the state.
Looking back at Zhuge Liang, as one of the five ancient geniuses, his resourcefulness and outstanding talents are also world-famous. However, he did not get the praise and achievements of history like Jiang Ziya.
Although Zhuge Liang advised Liu Bei in Shu and defeated Cao Cao, his dream and desire to unify the country did not come true. After his death, the kingdom of Shu was soon destroyed by Cao Wei, and Zhuge Liang's genius was also eclipsed.
The fate of this difference makes us think that the arrangement of fate cannot be fully grasped after all. Although all five wizards possess extraordinary intelligence and miraculous abilities, their destinies ultimately go down different paths.