There was a Luyi County in the eastern part of Henan Province. It was called Ku County in ancient times and belonged to Yuzhou. Why Ku County? It was said that during the Spring and Autumn Period, the Chu Country occupied this place and called it Ku County because of its desolation. In fact, the desolation of Ku County was caused by the feudal lords attacking each other and the years of war. Ku County wasn't like this. It was beautiful and rich.
Ku County was first called Minglu, as recorded in the Book of Songs, Xiaoya, Deer Singing:
The deer chirped and ate the wild apple. I have a guest who plays the zither and sheng. Blowing the sheng and beating the reed, carrying the basket is the general. People like me, show me how to behave.
You you deer cry, eat wild wormwood. I have a distinguished guest, and his virtue is very clear. If you don't care about the people, you will follow the example of a gentleman. I have a good wine, and the guests feast with pride.
You you deer cry, eat wild Qin. I have guests, playing the lute and the zither. Play the lute and the piano, and the music will be harmonious. I have a good wine to entertain guests.
Translated into modern language:
A group of deer were eating mugworts in the wilderness. I have a group of good guests who play the zither and sheng. A blow of the sheng pipe vibrating reed, holding the basket gift thoughtful. The people were so kind to me that they instructed Daole to obey.
A group of deer were eating wormwood in the wilderness. I have a group of good guests, noble and distinguished. Show others an example is not frivolous, gentlemen and wise people have come to imitate. I have good wine, fragrant and mellow, to entertain guests and entertain them freely.
A group of deer were crying out as they ate the grass in the wilderness. I have a group of good guests who play the zither and the piano. Play the zither, play the piano, and laugh happily. I have good wine, fragrant and mellow, to entertain guests with joy in their hearts.
At that time, this was a green world with deer herds roaming around. People were singing and dancing, living in harmony and happiness.
Ever since the vassals became kings and the emperor could not control them, the vassals had enjoyed full autonomy and did whatever they wanted. The flames of war raged, and the originally orderly social order was completely disrupted. The vassals drank and drank, while the commoners suffered endlessly. Thus, the picturesque Minglu became Ku County.
Ku County belonged to the State of Chen at that time. After King Wu of Zhou destroyed the Shang Dynasty, he visited the descendants of the previous emperors and found Gui Man, the direct descendant of Emperor Shun. He married his eldest daughter, Taiji, to him and granted him the title of Duke Hu of Chen in Zhuye of Chen (today's Zhecheng, Henan Province). He was in charge of offering sacrifices to Emperor Shun.
Later, the State of Chen moved its capital to Wanqiu of the State of Chen (now Huaiyang, Henan Province). In the Book of Songs, there was a poem,"Chen Feng·Wanqiu":
Your soup is on the hill. There is love, but there is no hope.
The drum is beating at the foot of Wanqiu Mountain. No winter, no summer, meet its egret feather.
It is the way of Wanqiu to beat the fou. No winter, no summer, it's time for the egrets to come.
The translation was:
Your dance moves in circles and ripples, dancing above Wan Qiu. I adore you with all my heart, but I dare not have extravagant hopes.
The drums beat loudly and danced on the flat ground of Wanqiu. No matter if it was winter or summer, the white egret feather was raised in his hand.
They knocked on the earthen pots and danced on the main road of Wanqiu. In winter and summer, the egret feather ornament is worn on the head.
It was obvious that this was a beautiful and prosperous place. The title of the monarch of the Chen Nation was Duke, which was much higher than the Viscount rank of the monarchs of the Qin Nation and Chu Nation. However, ever since the emperor lost his appeal, the vassals attacked each other. The beautiful and rich Chen State suffered from bullying from the big countries because it was a small country.
In the spring of 608 B.C., because the State of Chen was friendly with the State of Jin, King Zhuang of Chu sent an army to attack the State of Chen. The State of Jin sent an army to rescue the State of Chen but was defeated by the Chu army. Xie Yang, a doctor of the State of Jin, was also captured. The Jin army fled back and could not protect the State of Chen. The State of Chen was forced to submit to the State of Chu.
In the winter of 598 B.C., King Zhuang of Chu led his troops to attack the State of Chen and annexed the State of Chen, making it a county of the State of Chu. Shen Shu, a senior official of the State of Chu, opposed King Zhuang of Chu's occupation of the State of Chen. Thus, King Zhuang of Chu brought back Gui Wu, the prince of Duke Ling of Chen, from the State of Jin and made him the ruler of Chen, Duke Cheng of Chen.
This was how the people of the Chen Kingdom lived in the midst of war and bullying. King Xuanmiao's daughter, Li Shi, lived in Qurenli Village, east of Kuxian County in the State of Chen. The village was full of pear trees. One day, she was washing clothes by the river at the entrance of the village when a yellow pear that looked like an ear floated upstream. Madam Li scooped up the plums and placed them beside her.
She washed the clothes until noon. When she was thirsty and hungry, she ate the pear. From then on, Li Shi became pregnant.
The Li family had been pregnant for 81 years, and the child had yet to be born. The mother and son often talked through their stomachs. In 571 B.C., Li Shi thought that she was too old to wait any longer, so she wanted to call her son to be born. She asked her son,""Son, you've lived in my stomach for 81 years. Shouldn't you be born yet?”
"Has the sky been strict?" asked his son.”
"What do you mean by that?"”
The son said,"Mother, the weather is not strict. I can't go out."”
Madam Li looked at the sky outside and saw a mass of purple gas coming from the east and enveloping the village. She said,""The sky is long and strict. Son, come out quickly.”
As soon as she finished speaking, Li Shi felt purple qi coming out of her body, and her stomach suddenly became smaller. The purple qi condensed and turned into an old man with white eyebrows, white hair, and a white beard. "Who are you?"”
"I'm the child in your stomach.”the old man said with a smile.
Mrs. Li thought about it and agreed. The purple qi came from her stomach, and the old man was transformed from the purple qi. Besides, her son had been in her stomach for 81 years, so he should have become an old man. Therefore, he believed that the old man in front of him was his son.
What should she name her son? Li Shi thought: The son was born so old, his nickname is Laozi. She was a member of the Li family. She got pregnant because she ate pears. The pears were shaped like ears. Her son's name was Li Er, also known as Laodan.
In 570 B.C., the second year after Lao Tzu was born, he heard his mother and people discussing,"The Chen Nation doesn't recognize the unfair alliance with the Chu Nation. The Chu Nation is going to attack the Chen Nation again.”
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