Better to Be an Emperor Than a Phoenix

The adapted version reads, "Do not rejoice at the birth of a son, nor grieve at the birth of a daughter; have you not seen how Wei Zifu dominated the world?"

An army of strong men was to be well-fed, sharpened its weapons, and arrayed to await the enemy. An army of strong women was to be well-fed, carried out as fortifications, and arrayed to await orders. (From *The Book of Lord Shang*, Chapter on Military Defense) Those who govern by day become kings… He said: Those who govern by night become strong… He said: Those who govern by night become weak. (From *The Book of Lord Shang*, "On the People")

"Though we are of different genders, Your Majesty and I are both descended from the late Emperor. Your Majesty has tens of thousands of concubines, while I only have one husband. This is so unfair! How could things have come to this?" (From the *Book of Song*)

The emperor personally tilled the fields in the southern suburbs to celebrate the grand occasion. (From the *Book of Rites*, "Sacrificial Rites") Qin Dynasty – 23.2 Centimeters per foot Today, each foot equals 33.3 Centimeters. Quantity: volume Qin – 202 ml per liter Today—1000 ml per liter Balance: weight Qin – 258 grams per jin = 0.258 Kilograms

The superior man is not born different; he is good at making use of things. (Xunzi, "Encouraging Learning") The craftsman's name was inscribed on the item to verify his integrity; if the work was substandard, he was punished to investigate the matter. (Lüshi Chunqiu, Mengdongji) Engineer: Technical consultant or technical advisor Cheng: Workshop director, factory manager Craftsman: The lowest level of craftsman

As easily as using one's own arm or fingers (from the Biography of Jia Yi in the Book of Han)

Following human nature and indulging human emotions inevitably leads to contention, disorder, and ultimately violence. (Xunzi, "On Human Nature")

Emperor Guangwu said to Ba, "Those who followed me in Yingchuan have all departed, but you alone remain. Strive on!" (From the *Book of Han*, "On Imperial Relatives") Some of the terms used are far older than I thought!

Few dynasties after the Qin could match the Qin's level of control over the local population. After the Qin, "imperial power did not extend to the countryside," and powerful clans ran rampant. The Han dynasty was largely destroyed by these powerful clans. Even the Yellow Turban Rebellion at the end of the Eastern Han dynasty ultimately benefited from the influence of local powerful families.

Public opinion can melt metal; accumulated slander can destroy bones. (From *Guoyu*, *Zhouyu Xia*)