The net is open and wins the hearts of the people
Shang Tang, also known as Cheng Tang, was a descendant of Qi during the Yao Shun period, the leader of the Shang tribe, and the founding monarch of the Shang Dynasty. He is famous for his kindness and wisdom, and once showed his benevolence in the way of "opening the net", and won the support of the people.
According to the "Records of the Yin Benji", Shang Tang saw a hunter laying nets on all sides of the forest when he was out on a hunting trip, and not only that, but the hunter also knelt on the ground and prayed: "Heaven bless, I hope that everything that flies in the sky and runs underground will fall into my net, thank you." When Shang Tang heard this, he persuaded the hunter, "You will finish killing all the beasts like this, what will you do in the future?" Then he asked the hunter to remove the net on three sides, leaving only one side, and asked him to pray: "If you want to fly to the left, if you want to fly to the left, if you want to run to the right, run to the right, and if you are disobedient, let you drill into my net." When the other princes heard about this, they were all touched by Shang Tang's benevolence. This is the origin of the allusion to the "open side of the net".
Shang Tang's benevolent act not only reflected his compassion for the living beings, but also his reverence for the way of heaven. He believes that all things in heaven and earth have their right to live, and human beings should not greedily possess everything, but should live in harmony with nature and conform to the will of heaven in order to be blessed by heaven. Shang Tang's thinking had a profound impact on later kings and people.
Destroy Xia Jianshang and become a hegemon
Shang Tang's benevolence does not mean that he is weak and incompetent, on the contrary, he is also a wise and decisive politician and military strategist. He successfully defeated the tyrannical Xia Wei, destroyed Xia Jianshang, and became the ruler of the entire Central Plains. His wisdom and courage, as well as his benevolence and open-mindedness, laid a solid foundation for the prosperity of the Shang dynasty.
In the last years of the Xia Dynasty, Xia Wei was arrogant and ruthless, lost the hearts of the people, and caused the rebellion of the princes. Seeing the decline of the Xia Dynasty, Shang Tang was determined to overthrow the Xia Dynasty and establish a new order. He successively conquered the vassal states that did not obey him, weakened the power of the Xia dynasty, and at the same time enlisted the support of other princes, forming a powerful anti-Xia alliance. He also used various tricks, such as undercover investigation, observing the internal situation of the Xia Dynasty, such as unraveling the net and giving benevolence, gaining the support of the people, such as stopping the tribute, testing Xia Ji's strength, and waiting for the time to be ripe.
Finally, in the twenty-ninth year of Xia Wei, Shang Tang led the coalition army and launched the final decisive battle. He defeated the Xia army in Mingtiao (present-day Fengqiudong, Henan), killed Xia Wei, destroyed the Xia Dynasty, and established the Shang Dynasty. He set the capital of Hao (north of present-day Shangqiu, Henan), called himself the "Son of Heaven", and began the first centralized slave dynasty in Chinese history. This move by SenseTime broke the immutable law of the position of the Son of Heaven and ushered in a new era in Chinese history.
After Shang Tang established the Shang Dynasty, it reduced the levies internally, encouraged production, appeased the people, expanded the power of the Shang to the upper reaches of the Yellow River, and conquered the four directions, making the Shang Dynasty a powerful slave dynasty. Shang Tang was the leader of the tribe for 17 years, and after the establishment of Shang, he became king for 13 years, and died of illness. His benevolence and wisdom laid the foundation for the long-term peace and stability of the Shang Dynasty, and also set an example for later generations of kings and people.
Conclusion
Shang Tang's kindness and wisdom are indeed one of the important qualities that he has been celebrated throughout history. His story of "opening the net" reflects his compassion for the people and his reverence for the way of heaven, and has won the support and respect of the people. At the same time, his political and military decisiveness and wisdom were also important factors in the prosperity of the Shang Dynasty.
Shang Tang's benevolence is not weakness, but is based on an understanding of the way of heaven and care for the people. His wisdom is reflected in his political and military decisions and strategies. By uniting other princes, the Xia Dynasty was weakened, and finally succeeded in overthrowing Xia Wei and establishing the Shang Dynasty. His strategic and tactical shrewdness, as well as his judicious handling of internal affairs, laid the foundation for the Shang dynasty's prosperity.
During Shang Tang's reign, he reduced levies and encouraged production, so that the people could live and work in peace and contentment, and at the same time conquered foreign countries and expanded their territory, making the Shang Dynasty a powerful dynasty. His philosophy and policies laid a solid foundation for the long-term stability of the Shang Dynasty.
Therefore, Shang Tang's benevolence and wisdom not only won him personal respect and admiration, but also made immortal contributions to the prosperity and prosperity of the Shang Dynasty, becoming a model and example for future kings and leaders.