It is said that in the distant Western Zhou Dynasty, there were two feudal states, they were Lu and Qi. You might think that these two countries are on good terms and should be evenly matched. However, in the Spring and Autumn Period, the State of Lu was like a deflated ball, overwhelmed by the State of Qi. What's going on here? Didn't the ancestors of the Lu Kingdom leave anything good?
In fact, the conditions of the Lu State were even better than the Qi State at the beginning. The ancestor of the Lu State is Zhou Gongdan, who was a super hero in the early Western Zhou Dynasty and a close relative of the Zhou royal family! With this relationship, the Zhou royal family naturally favored the Lu State and gave them a lot of privileges. The state of Lu can not only worship King Wen and perform the rites and music of the Son of Heaven, but also bring a group of younger brothers, and walk in the forefront of the vassal states majestically.
As for the Qi State, although there is also a well-known ancestor Jiang Taigong Lu Shang, his political status is a cut worse than that of the Lu State. However, the State of Qi also has a privilege, that is, it can "exercise the power of conquest on behalf of the Son of Heaven". Sounds amazing, right? But in fact, this privilege is like a chicken rib, and it is a pity to discard it if it is tasteless. Because when Zhou Tianzi's words worked, you had to listen to him when you conquered on his behalf; Zhou Tianzi's words don't work, then this privilege will become an ornament, and other vassal states won't buy your account.
In addition to its political status, the state of Lu is also far superior to the state of Qi in terms of strength. With its large territory, good economic conditions, and high population quality, Lu is simply an excellent student with all-round development. As for the Qi country, not to mention the small territory, the land is still seriously salinized, and the agricultural production conditions are terrible. The quality of the population is also uneven, how can the mixture of Dongyi and Zhou people be compared with the "Yin people and six tribes" of Lu State?
But Lu Guo, who had such a good hand, was beaten to pieces in the Spring and Autumn Period. As for the Qi State, it rose to become the first hegemon of the Spring and Autumn Period like a hanging. Why is that?
Actually, the reasons behind this are complicated. But the most important thing is this: the ability and vision of the leader! Although the state of Lu is in good condition, it lacks a strong leader to integrate these resources and maximize their effectiveness. And the State of Qi produced a great monarch - Duke Huan of Qi. He not only worked hard to make the Qi State rise rapidly to become the first hegemon of the Spring and Autumn Period; Moreover, Guan Zhong and other capable people were reused to implement a series of reform measures, which greatly increased the national strength of Qi State! That's the gap!
Furthermore, the state of Lu's over-reliance on the protection of the Zhou royal family was also a fatal wound. When the Zhou royal family was weakened and could no longer protect the Lu state, they fell into a situation of isolation and helplessness. The state of Qi seized the opportunity to actively expand its sphere of influence, make allies, and consolidate its position; Finally became one of the overlords of the Spring and Autumn Period! This has to make people sigh: time is also fate!
Looking back now, if there had been a far-sighted monarch like Duke Huan of Qi in the Lu State; Or they were less dependent on the patronage of the Zhou royal family and were self-reliant; Maybe history will be rewritten, and Lu will be able to continue its glory, right? It's a pity, it's a pity! There are no ifs in history, only results!
But then again, what do you think, judges? If there had really been a wise monarch in the Lu State at the beginning, or if they were self-reliant and did not rely on the Zhou royal family; Will history really be rewritten? Welcome to leave your views and likes in the comment area! Let's take a look at the possibilities of this history!
So, this story tells us a truth: no matter how good the conditions are, there is no guarantee of eternal success; It's all about the human factor! The ability and vision of the leader and the self-reliance and self-improvement of the country are the keys to determining the destiny! Let's hope we can learn from this story and keep working hard!
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