The Fifth Year of Duke Xi

The Fifth Year of Duke Xi

During the Spring and Autumn Period (707 - 476 B.C.), Duke Xian of the State of Jin Wanted to expand his position of strength and sphere of influence. Therefore he would like to send his troops to destroy the State of Guo on the pretest that the State of Guo often encroached on theborders of the State of Jin. But there was a third state, the State of Yu,between the State of Jin and the State of Guo, and the Jin army had to cross the State of Yu before it could reach the State of Guo . "How can my army cross the State of Yu without a hitch?" Duke Xian of the State of Jin asked his ministers.Xun Xi , one of the ministers, said, "The monarch of the State of Yu is short - sighted and covets small advantages. If we give him priceless precious stones and fine horses, it is not unlikely that he will allow our army to pass through his country. " Seeing that Duke Xian of the State of Jin was a little bit grudging, Xun Xi continued to say, "The State of Yu and the State of Guo are neighbor stated as closely related as lips and teeth. The State of Yu cannot exist independently if the state of Guo is destroyed. Your precious stones and fime hores are just left in the care of the monarch of the State of Yu." So Duke Xian of the State of Jin accepted Xun Xi’s plan. When the monarch of Yu saw the precious gifts, he was elated,and readily promised to let the Jin army pass through his state. Hearing the news, Gong Zhiqi, one of the ministers as the State of Yu, hastened to admonish the monarch, saying," That won’t do.For the State of Yu and the State of Guo are neighbor states as closely related as lips and teeth. Our two small states are interdependent, and can help cach other when problems crop up .If the State of Guo were destroyed, it would be difficult for our State of Yu to continue to exist. As the common saying goes, if the lips are gone ,the teeth will be cold, The teeth can hardly be kept if the lips are gone. So it won’t do at all to allow the Jin army pass our state." The monarch of the State of Yu said," The State of Jin is a big state. Now they here specially to present gifts to us with the intention of being on friendly terms with us. Under suchcircumstances, how can we refuse to allow them to pass through our state?" Hearing this, Gong Zhiqi sighed repeatedly. Knowing that the State of Yu would soon be destroyed, Gong Zhiqi left the State of Yu together with his whole family.



As expected, the troops of the State of Jin, allowed to pass through the State of Yu, destroyed the State of Guo and on their return trip captured the monarch of the State of Yu who went out personally to meet them, htus destroying the State of Yu as Well.



This story appears in the chapter " The Fifth Year of Duke Xi " in Zuo zhuan,the famous commentary by Zuo Qiuming on The Spring and Autumn Annals. The set phrase " if the lips are gone, the teeth will be cold " is used to mean that two things share a common lot and that is one fails ,the other is in danger.

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Aaron Angello： our Canon in D

Aaron Angello： our Canon in D

I wrote a song for you
I don't know if you'll listen to
But if you do
I don't think you will understand the poetry

Don't think I'll let you go so easily
Girl you don't know The depths to which I understand
Just how much you were meant for me

I had a dream last night
That we somehow would made it right
And everything was new and green
And we could dance eternally

But then the sun came out
And I woke up to face the doubt
That you and I would ever see
Each other as we used to be

Can't understand how the feeling
that we know we had could just be abandoned
Be tossed into the wind so easily
It cannot be
You know it meant too much

When in the end after everything is said and done
See, we chose to spend an eternity without
A melody, a symphony, a life without our Canon in D

I've heard a story told about a staircase made of gold
That winds its way up through the clouds
And stops at Heaven's door

And if some day I stand before that door
without your hand wrapped up in mine
I'll sit right down
And wait forever more

Can't understand how the feeling
that we know we had could just be abandoned
Be tossed into the wind so easily
It cannot be
You know it meant too much

When in the end after everything is said and done
See, we chose to spend an eternity without
A melody, a symphony, a life without our Canon in D

See
The sun is sinking low
It's time for me to go
And try to just get by
Bye..
Bye..