The Unparalleled No. 1 Military Genius in History
2008/1/9 15:41:51
Busy tonight — post is done, throwing it up now.
Terribly sorry, but I'm about to deeply disappoint Chairman Mao's fans. The No. 1 military genius and supreme commander in their eyes amounts to nothing compared to this legendary figure.
Everything must be judged by results — everything else is nonsense. So what are the results? This self-made legend, in an unimaginably short span of time, swept across N far more advanced so-called civilizations and N-squared so-called great powers, unleashing upon human history an unprecedented and never-to-be-repeated conquest — with a military force of no more than 200,000.
Without him, the very existence of Russia, now the country with the largest territory, would be a question mark. From the Pacific to the Mediterranean and Atlantic, all peoples across N centuries described this legend in language ranging from the most reverential to the most venomous. Even his name, history, and relics became taboo in N countries for N centuries — taboos that persisted even into the 20th century.
Using human language to describe his achievements is an utterly futile exercise. Without him, even the European Renaissance would have been unimaginable. Europe's ultimate rise owed no small debt to him. The reason his iron cavalry never fully conquered all of Europe boils down to one simple fact: Europe was too poor at the time. Compared to Asia then, Europe was preserved by its very poverty, yet ultimately reaped the benefits of civilizational transmission following the great conquest. Without this, Europe would have been nothing; and without Europe's rise, America would have been even less.
Yes, only those who bury their heads in the sand would deny that China was conquered. This ID is not singing any hymn to the conqueror — it's simply that anyone who dares not face history can never become strong. This ID is merely confronting history head-on.
Civilizations that last too long will fall ill, especially those long-decayed ones. Why could fewer than 200,000 horsemen sweep through so many so-called civilizations? Because those gilded facades were already rotten to the core. A fresh, wild, genius force — why shouldn't it be able to destroy such garbage?
When a civilization has degenerated to the point where it can only cradle its emperor and jump into the sea, shouldn't that civilization take a hit to jolt itself back to life? Of course we need songs of righteous spirit, but righteous songs alone are worth jack. The world needs iron and blood. A civilization without iron and blood will naturally be toyed with and destroyed by history.
This was Chinese civilization's No. 1 genuine conquest in the truest sense, and the conqueror was this historically unparalleled No. 1 military legend. This is historical fact. Refusing to acknowledge it is merely the mark of the weak.
No one can stay strong forever. Getting sick, getting knocked down — none of that is a big deal. What matters is being able to get back up. The reason Chinese civilization has endured so long is that we are ceaselessly regenerative — we fall and we rise again. If we couldn't beat you a hundred years ago, a hundred years later we would still vow to "drive out the barbarians, restore China." Remember: those words came from Zhu Yuanzhang's Northern Expedition proclamation. Sun Yat-sen merely borrowed them.
A sad borrowing indeed — after the first time, a second followed all too quickly. This time, again with 100,000 troops. This time was unforgivable. People still sing praises to the Qing Dynasty today — note well, that too was a conquest. Where was there any ethnic equality? If there was, why were Han Chinese forbidden from freely residing in Beijing throughout the entire Qing Dynasty? That great traitor Liu Luoguo was one of exceedingly few Han lackeys who won his master's favor enough to live in the city.
Let us hope Sun Yat-sen's borrowing was the last.
Only the strong can appreciate the strong, even when that strength once conquered our ancestors. Appreciating the strong does not mean kneeling before them — a kneeling slave has no capacity for appreciation. Appreciation means extracting power from them, uncovering their secrets, and strengthening ourselves to become even stronger.
If this ID had but one wish, this ID would return to his era, wield a three-foot sword, cut off his head amid a million soldiers, and hang it upon the summit of Mount Tai. He is the only person in history for whom this ID would turn back time to claim his head.
Finally, a seven-character regulated verse for this legend.
Genghis Khan
Chán Zhōng Shuō Chán
Heaven-sent hero risen from the wild grass,
Soaring through the six realms, sweeping the mortal world.
Across Eurasia, armies crushed by a hundred thousand riders,
Black and white banners unfurled at a hundred fortified passes.
Iron and blood rouse heaven and earth to new vigor,
Civilization's lifelines at last linked in a chain.
Would that I could wield a sword, born in his age —
Behead him at the Dragon Court, sacrifice his head atop Mount Tai.
缠中说禅 2008/1/10 16:15:31
Spider of the Silk Cave