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Kindle Notes & Highlights
The fall of the Han has become the archetype of how justice, morality, stability and wisdom can be threatened by greed, plotting administrators (often here in the guise of eunuchs), ambitious women, audacious men, warlords, abuse and extravagance.
Empires arise from chaos and empires collapse back into chaos. This we have known since time began.
‘You’re wise enough to rule the world and perverse enough to destroy the world.’ ‘Oh good,’ Cao Cao thought.
‘Wise advice can counter the influence of treacherous officials, if and when it is heeded.’
‘The wise bird chooses its own branch; the thoughtful servant chooses his master.’
“Brothers are like one’s own hands and feet, whereas family are like the clothes you wear.” Clothes can be repaired, but who can replace a missing limb?
‘Man schemes, but Heaven decides!’
‘A dead Kong Ming puts a live Sima to flight!’
Four attempts – failure; Fifth attempt – enthusiastic but failure.
Two fires commence; A man will pass. Two warriors compete; Soon death will come.
‘Empires collapse into chaos and empires arises from chaos.’
