When Ban Chao was an envoy to the Western Region, he once went to visit the king of Shanshan with a small entourage of only 36 men. The king treated him with the utmost hospitality, until an envoy from the Xiongnu arrived with a large retinue, whereupon he gave Ban Chao the cold-shoulder. Realizing that [...]

Su Qin was a native of Luoyang during the Warring States Period. He had sought to become an adviser to the rulers of several states, but without success. Returning home in low spirits, he found that his parents treated him coldly, as if he were not their son; his wife sat at the loom and [...]

The story is taken from The Records of the Warring States. In the Warring States Period the states of Han and Wei were at war and locked in a stalemate for a long time. The King of Qin was considering whether to become involved. One of his advisers told him the story of how Bian [...]

The story is taken from Analects of Confucius. Yan Yan, a student of Confucius, was the magistrate of Wucheng. Once when Confucius went there he heard the strains of zithers and the sound of singing. Deeming it extravagant to enact lavish ceremonies in such a small town, he said with a sardonic smile: “why use [...]