How Success Correlates with Virtue
Throughout the early dynasties of China, a king’s ability to cultivate virtue is positively correlated with his success. This is seen through the stories of King Wen and Wu, as both kings are able to recognize those with or without virtue. By being able to acknowledge virtue in others, a king can promote virtuous individuals to help cultivate more virtue. This ability allowed King Wen and Wu to end the reign of a corrupt king and establish a long-lasting dynasty afterwards. This is directly contrasted with King Zhou, a ruler who lost sight of his duty as king and promptly lost his position as king because of so. Thus, virtuous rulers are able to create a long, prosperous dynasty by obtaining power from the …show more content…
Before a hunt, King Wen asked his diviner to determine what his catch would be. The diviner said, “What is to be captured is… something far more helpful to a ruler of men. (CP, p. 17)” This prognosis from the diviner reveals that King Wen was blessed by the “mandate of heaven” to be a virtuous ruler by ending the reign of a non-virtuous one. King Wen would do so through the recognition of virtue in a man disguised as a humble commoner. The ability to identify a humble commoner as a great sage is a trait of virtuous kings because evil kings will not be able to see virtue in in those who do not seem elite or powerful. King Wen recognized Tai-gong’s virtue because Tai-gong was so virtuous that when he was fishing there was no need for a fishhook, as the “fish leapt on to the bank, eager to be caught and eaten. (CP, page 17)” King Wen’s ability to promote Jiang Tai-gong to military general allowed for King Wen’s successor to eventually overthrow the last, corrupt king of the Shang, King Zhou. Thus, King Wen’s virtue is seen in Jiang Tai-gong’s promotion, which led to military innovations, such as chariot warfare, which allowed Wu-wang to kill a corrupt
Throughout the early dynasties of China, a king’s ability to cultivate virtue is positively correlated with his success. This is seen through the stories of King Wen and Wu, as both kings are able to recognize those with or without virtue. By being able to acknowledge virtue in others, a king can promote virtuous individuals to help cultivate more virtue. This ability allowed King Wen and Wu to end the reign of a corrupt king and establish a long-lasting dynasty afterwards. This is directly contrasted with King Zhou, a ruler who lost sight of his duty as king and promptly lost his position as king because of so. Thus, virtuous rulers are able to create a long, prosperous dynasty by obtaining power from the …show more content…
Before a hunt, King Wen asked his diviner to determine what his catch would be. The diviner said, “What is to be captured is… something far more helpful to a ruler of men. (CP, p. 17)” This prognosis from the diviner reveals that King Wen was blessed by the “mandate of heaven” to be a virtuous ruler by ending the reign of a non-virtuous one. King Wen would do so through the recognition of virtue in a man disguised as a humble commoner. The ability to identify a humble commoner as a great sage is a trait of virtuous kings because evil kings will not be able to see virtue in in those who do not seem elite or powerful. King Wen recognized Tai-gong’s virtue because Tai-gong was so virtuous that when he was fishing there was no need for a fishhook, as the “fish leapt on to the bank, eager to be caught and eaten. (CP, page 17)” King Wen’s ability to promote Jiang Tai-gong to military general allowed for King Wen’s successor to eventually overthrow the last, corrupt king of the Shang, King Zhou. Thus, King Wen’s virtue is seen in Jiang Tai-gong’s promotion, which led to military innovations, such as chariot warfare, which allowed Wu-wang to kill a corrupt