As one of the overlords in the Spring and Autumn Period, why didn't Yue live to the end of the Warring States Period?

Gou Jian, the King of Yue, was a very important king at the junction of the Spring and Autumn Period and the Warring States Period, and was also the last king to dominate in the Spring and Autumn Period. Such a king appeared at this node. It is reasonable to say that he should make Yue one of the most powerful countries in the Warring States period.

(stills of Gou Jian, the King of Yue)

The reason is simple. For example, let's hold a sports meeting and have a competitive competition. Those weak people must have been eliminated long ago. The athletes who are the most powerful and play in the final stage will definitely go further.

and in fact, in the whole Spring and Autumn Period, as long as these countries were too hegemonic, they basically became one of the most powerful countries in the Warring States Period. For example, Qi in Qi Huangong, Chu in Chu Zhuangwang and Qin in Qin Mugong. The State of Jin in Jin Wengong is even worse. Although the State of Jin has been divided into three families, namely, Han, Zhao and Wei, these three families have all entered the ranks of the Seven Heroes in the Warring States Period. The only one who was called a tyrant in the Spring and Autumn Period, but not very famous in the Warring States Period, was the State of Song. However, we also know that the hegemony of Song Xianggong in the Song Dynasty was originally a joke. His so-called hegemony, that is, invited several small countries to have a meeting, and then said that he succeeded Qi Huangong and dominated. In the end, King Chu gave him a good lesson and killed him.

Excluding Song Xianggong's Song State, all the vassal states that once dominated in the Spring and Autumn Period really became one of the most important countries in the Warring States Period.

Then, Gou Jian of the State of Yue was at the intersection of the Spring and Autumn Period and the Warring States Period, and he was the last to dominate. Why didn't he become a great power in the Warring States Period?

I think the most important reason is that there is no talent pool in Vietnam.

(Fan Li's stills)

There are two important talents in helping Yue to dominate the country: one is Wen Zi, and the other is Fan Li.

After the defeat of the State of Yue by the State of Wu, Gou Jian was taken to the State of Wu as a slave, and when he crossed the country, he was completely put under the management of Wen Zi. Gou Jian was a slave in the State of Wu for three years. During these three years, Wen Zi accomplished his task in Yue. He didn't let the state of Yue collapse, but also gathered people's hearts. Three years later, when Gou Jian came back, Wen Zi helped him to have a "ten-year reunion, ten-year lessons" and finally became strong and defeated Wu.

The literary genre can help Gou Jian defeat the State of Wu, because he presented him with the "Seven Techniques of Cutting Wu". As a result, Gou Jian defeated Wu with one of the "three techniques". After defeating the State of Wu, Gou Jian said in the most literary style that I only used the "three skills" to defeat the State of Wu, and the "four skills" were not needed. Go underground and tell my father about these "four skills" and let him take revenge.

He Lv, Gou Jian's father, was killed by Fu Cha. What Gou Jian means is to ask Wen Zi to help He Lv to fight Fu Cha again.

This statement was called martyrdom at that time. That is to say, Gou Jian asked Wen Zi to be a martyr to He Lv.

speaking of it, this practice is not original by Gou Jian. In those days, it was actually a very common thing to be buried for our ancestors. Qin Mugong once asked three wise ministers in China to be martyred for him.

However, this practice of Gou Jian is obviously a way to kill the hero. Because the literary genre has established great prestige in Yue State, he was afraid that the literary genre would replace him, so he found an excuse to grant the literary genre a death.

(literary style stills)

Gou Jian's simple and rude approach to literary style makes people of insight all over the world very chilling.

In fact, Fan Li, another important minister of Gou Jian, had left him before Wen Zi was killed. Fan Li accompanied Gou Jian and went to Wu as a slave for three years. He advised Gou Jian and tried his best to help him please Fu Cha carefully. Finally, Fu Cha thought that Gou Jian was a good citizen, so he put him back in China.

However, it was during this day and night companionship that Fan Li understood Gou Jian. Understand that this person can only suffer, not enjoy. If he doesn't wait for Gou Jian to restore the country, he will quickly choose to leave.