More than 2,000 years ago, a rare bird destroyed a country, but a common saying says the problem

Preface

More than 2,000 years ago, the fate of a country was changed by a rare bird, which may seem like an incredible story, however, such an event did happen in history.

In this story, there is not only human exploration of nature, but also human ignorance and disrespect for nature. A proverb, although simple, expresses its deep meaning and provokes people's reflection on history and ecology.

And the rare birds in this story have become uninvited guests of fate. What is this bird? How does it destroy a nation? And how does that colloquialized adage reflect the truth of the event?

First, the prosperity of the song

During the Spring and Autumn Period and the Warring States Period, Chaoge, as the capital of the country, used to be infinitely beautiful. This city surrounds Crane Ridge and Crane Castle, and cranes can be seen everywhere. However, the reason for all this comes from the patriotic monarch Wei Yigong's obsession with cranes.

Wei Yigong's love for cranes has surpassed ordinary people's preferences for rare birds and animals. He did not hesitate to spend national resources to collect valuable crane varieties everywhere and give them high-ranking officials.

= Anyone who can offer a crane will be rewarded. In order to satisfy Wei Yigong's hobby, the common people had to bear a heavy tax burden. The prosperity of Chaoge is actually based on the suffering of the people.

Wei Yigong devoted all the country's resources to the cause of raising cranes, but the lives of the people became increasingly difficult. This unfairness soon sparked discontent among the people. However, Wei Yigong turned a blind eye to this and continued to indulge in the habit of raising cranes.

Second, public resentment is boiling

The officials of the patriotic state saw this phenomenon, but could not do anything about it. They work diligently, but they don't get the rewards they deserve. In contrast, those who contribute to the crane can not only receive rich rewards, but also the honor of high-ranking officials.

This unfair treatment, coupled with the heavy tax burden, soon sparked discontent among the people. The common people began to question Wei Yigong's rule, believing that he had completely indulged in his personal hobbies and completely ignored the interests of the state and the people.

However, Wei Yigong turned a blind eye to this and continued to indulge in the habit of raising cranes. He seems to have completely forgotten his responsibilities as the ruler of a country, and only cared about satisfying his own selfish desires. This kind of behavior will undoubtedly cause more public resentment, but Wei Yigong is unaware.

This state of affairs lasted until 660 BC, when popular resentment finally erupted. The common people began to openly express their dissatisfaction with Wei Yigong's rule, and some even began to plot to overthrow his rule. However, Wei Yigong still turned a blind eye to this and was still immersed in his own crane breeding world.

3. The invasion of the Di people

At this juncture, the Di people in the north took advantage of the situation and led 20,000 horses to smash the song. In the face of the sudden invasion, Wei Yigong finally realized the seriousness of the crisis. He ordered conscription, regrouping, preparation for war, fortification, and tried to organize resistance.

However, due to the long-term neglect of state affairs, the combat effectiveness of the patriotic army has been wiped out. The officials turned a deaf ear to Wei Yigong's call, thinking that it was better to let those high-ranking officials and cranes deal with Di Ren. The common people also lost faith in the fate of the country and became indifferent.

This situation put Wei Yigong in a dilemma. On the one hand, he had to organize an army to defend against the invasion of the Di people; On the other hand, he was unable to mobilize his subjects. This embarrassing situation will undoubtedly make Wei Yigong feel unprecedented anxiety and helplessness.

In the end, under the persuasion of Shi Qizi, Wei Yigong had to make some crisis public relations measures. But whether these measures can really save the situation in the country is another question.

Fourth, crisis public relations

Seeing that the situation was out of control, Wei Yigong's minister Shi Qizi finally came forward to persuade him. At his suggestion, Wei Yigong had to make self-criticism and ordered all the cranes to be killed in order to appease the people.

This has certainly helped, but it still can't completely reverse the situation. Although the people have temporarily calmed their anger, they are still full of distrust of Wei Yigong's rule. They have lost confidence in the country and it will be difficult for them to be mobilized again.

In order to make the final mobilization, Wei Yigong had to personally lobby from house to house, and barely managed to gather an army. But the morale of this army has been greatly reduced, and it is difficult to expect anything to be achieved.

In this case, Wei Yigong could only hope that he could personally lead the army to fight against the Di people. He hoped that through his heroic performance, he would regain the trust of the people and rebuild the prestige of the country. However, it is unclear whether this approach will work.

5. The Battle of Yingze

On the way out, some people in the patriotic army began to sing a satirical ballad: "The crane eats the Lu, and the people work hard; Di Feng is so fierce that he wants to fight and die nine times for the rest of his life! Where is the crane now? And I, Qu Qu, will do this!"

This disheartened army was soon defeated by the Di people in the Battle of Yingze. Although Wei Yigong refused to surrender, he was eventually killed, and the flesh on his body was also eaten, leaving only a liver.

The outcome of this battle was a heavy blow to the rule of Wei Yigong. Not only did he fail to win back the trust of the people, but he personally died on the battlefield. This kind of ending will make the situation of the country even worse.

But what is even more distressing is that the failure of this army is not only because of Wei Yigong's mediocrity, but also because of the people's disregard for the country. If the people had taken the initiative to participate in the construction of the country, perhaps they would not have come to such a tragic end.

Sixth, the country is ruined

The death of Wei Yigong marked the fall of the country. Chaoge was reduced to hell on earth, and was allowed to be burned, killed, and plundered by the Di people. In the entire country, only 4,000 people escaped. Although he was reluctantly restored with the help of Duke Qi Huan, the once powerful patriotic country no longer exists. This ending is a final judgment on the reign of Duke Wei Yi.

His mediocrity not only led to the collapse of the country, but also caused the people to suffer greatly. But at the same time, it is also a warning to the people: if you cannot take the initiative to shoulder your responsibilities and safeguard the interests of the country, then even a wise monarch will not be able to save the fate of the country. The wheel of history never stops because of personal faults.

epilogue

The fall of Wei Guo was certainly caused by Wei Yigong's mediocrity. But if the people could fulfill their responsibilities and uphold the dignity of the country, perhaps they would not have come to such a tragic end.

The rise and fall of a nation depends not only on the wisdom of the king, but also on whether the people have fulfilled their obligations. This is precisely the painful lesson that history has given us, and it deserves our repeated reflection and vigilance.