Table of Content: HOW TO RAISE A RESILIENT KID: I AM NOT RIGHT BUT THAT’S OK
The success of Qin Shi Huang to unite China after the Warring State Period was not his sole credit. It was the work of more than 7 generations of noble kings in succession before him; no bad king in between. They have used a kind of leadership strategy called 霸道 (Ba Dao); something similar to hegemony or authoritarianism. However, the Qin Dynasty (221-207 B.C.) only lasted for a short 14 years. The strategy which led to its success also led to its failure. Ba Dao is useful to conquer the world (得天下) but detrimental to the governing of the Empire (治天下). The leadership strategy used by the US has the characteristics of Ba Dao; i.e. the use of force or coercion to portray fake compassion. (孟子说：“以力假仁者霸。以德行仁者王”。) According to Meng Zi, a better strategy is 王道(Wang Dao); i.e. the exercise of benevolence to effect true compassion. The leadership strategy used by China today has the characteristics of Wang Dao. It is gaining supports and popularity. Africa nations, Asia, Russia, Middle-East nations, and now European nations are attracted and voluntarily form affiliations (not necessarily alliances) with China for mutual and multilateral good. Wang Dao is the pull factor; Ba Dao of the US is the push factor. US is increasingly isolating itself and pushing its friends toward the panda hug. It looks like the Warring State Period again when the various States are not permanent friends nor foes but occasionally co-operated to defend themselves against the aggression of the “Qin State”.
The history goes back to a Chancellor of Qin State known as 商鞅 (Shang Yang) around 359 B.C. In his first meeting with king 秦孝公 (Qin Xiao Gong), he advised the king to apply 帝道 (Di Dao); a strategy used by former great kings which eventually gave the people the greatest benevolence such that the people were so self-reliant and they forgot about any benevolence ever coming from the great kings. There was no tax, and the kings doesn’t meddle in the personal lives of the people; therefore, the people has no memory about the benevolence of the kings and never think about the kings in their daily lives. Qin Xiao Gong was not interested in the strategy.
In the second meeting with the king, Shang Yang advised the king to apply Wang Dao; a strategy used by the founding kings of Zhou Dynasty, which has the characteristics of Federalism consisting of a group of states with a central government but independence in internal affairs. Again, the king was not interested.
In the third meeting, Shang Yang advised the king to apply Ba Dao. The king was so interested and continued to listen to Shang Yang’s full lectures about Ba Dao. Finally, the king appointed Shang Yang as the Chancellor of Qin State. The subsequent kings used the same strategy for many generations and led to the rise of Qin State from a small State to a hegemony State which threaten the survival of the six other States.
Ba Dao is all about self-interest. The king will do absolutely everything to “Make Qin Great”. The king lied, cheated, stole, robbed, and conquered other States whenever possible. He instigated the other States to fight between each others and destroyed their alliances. He bribed the Chancellors and ministers of other States to cause chaos in their own States, including coups. The corruptions and decays of the States led to their eventual downfalls. The forming of The United States of China aka Qin Dynasty was not due to the rise of Qin State alone; but mainly due to the weakening of the other States. How similar it is to the strategy used by the US today? If we don’t learn from history, history will rhyme although it doesn’t repeat itself. Unfortunately, the only thing we learnt from history is we learnt nothing; hence, we keep seeing history rhymes.
The use of Wang Dao is how China is affecting the global leadership.
RESILIENT KID 