In ancient times, confrontations between two armies were always accompanied by victory and defeat. The winning side is hailed as triumphant, while the losing side bears the name of defeat. Why did the ancients choose "defeat" instead of other directions, such as "defeat in the east" and "defeat in the west", to describe failure?
The Mystery of the North. 
This puzzle actually involves the use of a homonym. In ancient Chinese, "bei" not only represents direction, but also has the meaning of "back". In "Shuowen Jie Zi", the explanation of the north clearly states: "North, back also." Therefore, the meaning of the word "defeated" is that the enemy cannot be defeated on the battlefield and is forced to turn around and flee.
In ancient times, the north was often the source of the nomads faced by the Central Plains Dynasty. Since the Spring and Autumn Period and the Warring States Period, the Central Plains Dynasty has been engaged in confrontation with the nomadic forces in the north. Could it be that the word "defeated" is used because of the frequent battles and victories in the North?Actually, it's not. If this is the case, then "defeat" will become "defeat the enemy of the north", which is contrary to our understanding of defeat.
Failure with a back. In the ancient battlefield of cold weapons, the defeated side would inevitably flee with its back to the victorious side. Thus, the "north" gradually formed a symbol of defeat. Although we cannot verify exactly when the "north" began to carry the meaning of "failure", the concept may have appeared as early as the Shang and Zhou dynasties.
One of the earliest texts in history to use the word "north" to describe defeat is the "Sun Tzu Military Affairs", which mentions "do not follow the north", which means that if the enemy pretends to be defeated and flees, he should not rush to pursue, but carefully investigate. Over time, the association between "north" and "defeat" became more and more intimate, hence the term "defeat" that is now popular.
Failure is not in the same direction.
The "north" here does not refer to the direction, so there is no way to talk about "defeating the east" or "defeating the west". In the culture of the ancient military formation, the "north" has been deeply rooted in the meaning of defeat. As "Sun Tzu Military" said: "Don't follow the north", the north has become synonymous with failure. For this phenomenon, we can't help but feel the profound homonym and ingenious use of symbolism in ancient cultures.
Epilogue. The origin of the word "defeat" has a long history and embodies the essence of ancient military culture. The simple direction of North Africa, but synonymous with defeat, carries the humiliation and frustration of the military array immersed in defeat. This term is not only a product of ancient military thought, but also a manifestation of a deep understanding of failure.
In-depth interpretation: the mystery of ancient wars and "defeat".
This article profoundly analyzes the origin and evolution of the term "defeat" in ancient wars, which is thought-provoking. In the ancient military scene, "north" was no longer just a simple direction, but a heavy synonym for carrying defeat. Through the quotation of "Shuowen Jie Zi", the article cleverly reveals the pun meaning of "north", that is, to indicate the direction, and also has the meaning of "back". This interpretation lays a profound linguistic foundation for the "defeat" that follows.
It is worth noting that the article clearly responds to the questions of "defeating the East" and "defeating the West". Through the depiction of the battlefield of cold weapons in ancient times, the article points out that the defeated side often fled with its back to the victorious side, and "north" gradually became synonymous with defeat. This interpretation makes the "defeat of the east" and "defeat of the west" untenable, and further highlights the unique symbolism of the "north". This profound cultural interpretation demonstrates the ancient people's keen insight into defeat and enables us to better understand the connotation of their war culture.
The article also cites the example of the ancient military book "Sun Tzu Military Affairs" to further confirm the connection between "north" and failure. Through the quotation of "don't follow the north", the author explains the strategic idea that it is not advisable to rush to pursue when the enemy is feigning defeat and fleeing. This point of view gives the reader a deeper understanding of the symbolism of the "north", not only the direction, but also the cunning and resourcefulness in the event of failure.
The most fascinating part of the article is the historical origin of the word "defeat". Although it is impossible to verify exactly when the "north" began to carry the meaning of "failure", the article cleverly locates it in the Shang and Zhou dynasties, showing the author's sensitive sense of historical details. This tracing process not only provides a richer cultural heritage for the "defeat", but also stimulates the reader's curiosity about the development process of ancient civilizations.
Overall, through an in-depth interpretation of the word "defeat", this article not only reveals the rich connotation of linguistic symbols in ancient Chinese, but also shows the deep understanding of defeat in ancient war culture. Through the quotation and detailed explanation of historical classics, readers have a more comprehensive understanding of the multiple symbolic meanings of "north". This kind of cultural interpretation not only broadens our understanding of history, but also provides us with useful thinking for understanding ancient war civilizations.
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