Watching History with a Pig: Warring States Period

The Warring States Period was a time of great changes. Thirty-six strategies, vertical and horizontal alliances, swords and swords, Jixia Academy, three thousand disciples, besieging Wei to rescue Zhao, carrying thorns to plead guilty... There are not only Jing Ke's impassioned assassination of Qin, but also Zhao Kuo's bloody and brutal war on paper; there are both the wisdom of the disciples who recommended themselves, the cocks and the dogs, and the helpless sigh of Lian Po who is old and can still make a living. The Warring States Period was also an era of constant fighting. If you fight for land, you will kill people to fill the fields; if you fight for a city, you will kill people and fill the city. The Battle of Changping, the Battle of Guiling, and the Battle of Maling, although all lives were devastated, heroes emerged in large numbers, creating myths one after another in which heroes created the situation. The Warring States Period was an era of splendid culture. Zhuangzi lived a happy life, and his thoughts soared for nine days; Han Feizi and Shang Yang advocated the rule of law, emphasizing law and order; Mozi advocated universal love without aggression, emphasized equality for all, and opposed war; Zou Yan valued yin and yang and the five elements, emphasizing the natural laws of the universe... Only then did a hundred schools of thought flourish. The Seven Heroes of the Warring States Period alternately aspired to the throne in the Central Plains. The king chose his ministers, and the ministers chose their king. The famous ministers and generals led the trend of the times and showed their ambitions. Only those who know themselves can be used, and those who are close friends will die. Shang Yang's reform led to Qin's domination of Xirong, King Wuling of Zhao introduced Hu-style cavalry and archery, Marquis Wen of Wei appointed Li Kui, and King Zhao of Yan built a golden platform to pay homage to his generals... The wisdom of survival bursts out in the intertwining of blood and fire, the cruelty of competition is endured in the smoke of gunpowder, the war horn is still playing, and the flames of war for hegemony among the heroes are still hovering in the Central Plains.