The moon shines over all nine regions, yet some households rejoice while others grieve. Some couples share a bed beneath one canopy, while others drift far from home.
Through thousands of years of Chinese history, one word cannot be escaped: struggle. Countless princes and generals have taken the stage, and countless heroes have died on the battlefield, all for no more than fame and fortune. The sun and moon trace their courses across the sky, rivers flow across the land; conflicts among men never cease. As years pass, princes and generals turn to ash, heroes become dust. How are they any different from ordinary folk?
In the final years of the Tang dynasty, during the reign of Emperor Xizong, Li Xuan, civil officials neglected their duties and military officers indulged themselves. The eunuch Tian Lingzi held the court in his grip, leaving the people destitute and the land in misery. The salt smugglers Wang Xianzhi and Huang Chao raised their banners in revolt, but both were defeated and killed. This paved the way for their subordinate general Zhu Wen to usurp the Tang throne and proclaim himself emperor, founding the Later Liang. After Zhu Wen became emperor, China splintered into pieces. Dynasties changed as rapidly as a revolving lantern, and emperors and kings came and went like actors on a stage. This was the true face of the age: demons ran rampant and monsters roamed unchecked. White bones carpeted the fields, and starving corpses lay everywhere.
