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WARNING: THE TIMES, THEY ARE A-CHANGIN'. (WELL, NOT REALLY...THEY NEVER REALLY DO. EVER. BUT SOMETIMES I GUESS IT'S NICE TO BE AN OPTIMIST LIKE BOB DYLAN...)
The true significance of Chapter 43 may be lost on some, I suppose. That is to say that in a novel where the martial valor of many of its heroes overshadows just about everything else, it might be a bit easier to overlook the importance of the parts where there's not really any fighting going on. This, of course, would provide a one-sided experience to the story, unfortunately. What would the obstinacy of Achilles have meant if the reader had not previously read that he and Agamemnon had previously had a quarrel in the command tent about the captured Trojan maiden Briseis? Sometimes, it's the battles fought behind the scenes, with words rather than swords, that take on true significance. This chapter's commentary is about the art of the debate in Ancient China, its applications, and how the situation put forth in this chapter compares with the events of our own day.
As you may have guessed, Chapter 43 consists almost completely of debate. The issue at queston: Should the Southland (East Wu, Wu, or the Kingdom of the Sun Family, whichever you prefer..) submit to the authority of the Imperial Throne, which is controlled by the ambitious Minister, Cao Cao? Or should they march off to war to repel the invading army of Cao Cao?
In every era, there will always be proponents for either side of an argument or debate. In the case of Chapter 43 of the novel, though, pretty much all the civil officers and even some of the military officers oppose the course of war, and favor submitting to Cao Cao. Those in the Southland who favor war are very few, as pretty much everyone has vested interests which would be disrupted in the event of war.
Liu Bei, having recently been crushed by Cao Cao and having barely escaped with his life and the lives of his general staff at Chang Ban, is running out of options. In fact, he has but one real option left. Alliance with a stronger power AGAINST Cao Cao. The only force of any significant size, of course, that's left in that part of the country is the Southland. Thus, Liu Bei has an unenviable task to accomplish. Somehow, he's got to convince a Kingdom full of learned, cultured people, who don't really have any intention to rise in rebellion, to throw away their vested interests and rise in rebellion. (As a revolutionary, I feel his pain there...)
Of course, it's a one-sided deal for the Southland. Everyone knows quite well that Liu Bei's offer runs thus, though couched in slightly more diplomatic language:
"Hey, ummm, Sun Quan...old buddy, old pal! How ya been? Hey, listen, I need a really, really, REALLY big favor from you, buddy. There's this guy, right? Cao Cao? Big, nasty, fire-breathing villain...yeah...that's the one. Anyway, he's kinda got a beef with me. Actually, he's coming to kill me. And my whole family! I...uh....kinda doublecrossed him a while back, and he's kinda taking it like some kind of asshole...Anyway, Sun Quan, my old friend (whom I regret to say I have not actually met face to face yet...), can you help a brotha out? Here's what I need you to do. I need you to round up some of your boys, and go stop Cao Cao and that mob of like 10 times more than either one of us could muster if we added together all our crews, you know, the ones that are out to kill me? Please? I'll be your best friend! Thanks!"
What's in it for the Southland? Not a whole lot. And it would seem like the Southland would have to be insane to accept such a raw deal...
And that's where Zhuge Liang comes in. In his first couple battles, Zhuge Liang has demonstrated a shining talent for strategy and battle tactics. Now it's time to send him on another type of mission entirely. For, indeed, Zhuge Liang was the only person in the entire Empire, I think, who could have accomplished the impossible task which presented itself to the dangerously vulnerable forces of the fledgling Shu Kingdom...and it would fall to Zhuge Liang to ensure that the Southland promised their support, despite the lack of benefit to them.
Eventually, thanks to the awesome oratory skills of Zhuge Liang, and the clever, cunning turn of thought which already in the novel is becoming characteristic of Liang, he actually manages to pull off this impossible feat, and secures the aid of the Southland through words alone.
Fast forward almost a couple thousand years, and let us look for a moment at our own Empire, the American Empire. Following the September 11th attacks, our country went to war. There really wasn't much of a debate involved. It was just:
Government: Hey, this guy attacked us. Let's go fuck him and his whole religion up for it!
People: What's his name?
Government: Uh...Osama Bin Laden. Yeah, that's right. Osama Bin Laden. He is the enemy of freedom.
People: Fine. Let's go fuck him up. We love freedom!
Me: But if you love freedom, why are you going over across the world to take it from another country?
People and Government: We're doing this to ensure the spread of Democracy and OUR way of life. Those terrorists hate us and our way of life. Me: Could that possibly be because you're a bunch of greedy assholes?
People and Government: Platitude platitude platitude...
Me: Ahhhhhh. I see. Well, have fun then, guys! If it's all right with you, I'm just going to stay back here in the States and talk shit about what you're doing. Okay? Okay. Thanks, guys!
Government: All right, well, now that we've got that all settled, let's go fuck up Sadaam Hussein and give freedom to the people of Iraq!
People: Wait...you said it was that Osama fellow...in Afghanistan!
Government: No, you are mistaken. We said it was Sadaam Hussein. It's always been Sadaam Hussein. Haven't you been listening? Not listening is Un-American!
Me: Ummm...sorry to interrupt, but I have to point out that in this day and age, not listening is VERY American.
Government: Shut up.
Me: Sigh...fine...
People: Ah well, fuck it. Let's go fuck up Sadaam, then! Capitalism is so great! Because of Capitalism, we get this great job in the army where we make all this money, which we don't make when we work at Kentucky Fried Chicken! Hmmph! The civilians can only make enough money to feed themselves and their families by selling drugs! Hmph! Chumps!
And so the army marches on, and in the words of Padme, "This is how Democracy dies, with thunderous applause"...
There was little debate about going to war. None can argue against that. However, when something comes along which might help people, such as...oh, I don't know...universal, completely socialized healthcare...well, then, there's a huge debate. People talk and talk and talk on that one.
In both cases, those with vested interests in the so-called "Old Order", that is to say, the Status-Quo, attempted to sway the actions of Government to suit their own purposes. And, indeed, in the end, in BOTH ancient China and modern America, those selfish, selfish people won. For indeed, Zhou Yu, whose opinion was to decide the matter of war for the Southland, did not view war with Cao Cao objectively, but went to war with Cao Cao because of Cao Cao's alleged desire to capture Da Qiao and Xiao Qiao, the wives of the late Sun Ce and Zhou Yu, respectively. And in the modern day, you have "men" like Lieberman and Nelson who, as duly elected Senators of the realm, vote their own "conscience" rather than the will of the majority of their constituents. And I'm sure all the people dying from lack of proper medical care can be proud of the moral fiber of our nation's politicians.
Now, don't get me wrong. In the case of Zhou Yu, despite his selfish reasons for going to war, I actually support the fact that he decided for war against Cao Cao, since by doing so he enabled balance to be maintained through the Three Kingdoms system. But it was indeed a selfish reason to go to war. (That's a spoiler by the way. You all should be quite aware of those by now...) The war of the Southland against Cao Cao would only have been justifiable as a defense of their homeland, which in this case, it was indeed. That is the only reason I agree with this particular war. As much as I admire Zhou Yu, I admire Lu Su more, because he was the one, like me, who was representing the voice of reason throughout this chapter and indeed this whole part of the novel. It is he who points out that the politicians are turning their back on duty and pursuing their own selfish interests.
Something that's still going on today....right here in our own country.
There is a danger to endless debate. And here is what that danger is: When one embraces a position, they close their mind to all other possibilities. Which is why we now live in a country where the vast majority of people, though highly dissatisfied with their lot in life, simply cannot envision any other system in place, and thus continue, every 4 years, to participate in their own enslavement.
Makes you think, doesn't it? I certainly hope so, because we don't really need talkers anymore. We need do'ers. Ones that THINK.
At any rate, here is Chapter 43 of the Sanguo Yanyi audiobook, right here at Brookhavenchronicles.com. Did I mention that it's FREE?! That's right. It is. Because I believe in leading by example...and to all you other content-suppliers out there...you may charge for your art, but when you do so, you should be ashamed.