Lewis_is_java wrote:
Have you read or heard of Zongwu Li and his book the thick black theory?
No but I looked up the
wikipedia page.
There isn't much to go on from that but his Thick Black Theory that power is obtained through ruthlessness and hypocrisy makes sense. Concealment and Imposition of your own will is a trait of Machiavellianism, there's countless examples throughout history. But I don't agree his views on Cao Cao.
Cao Cao's heart may have been black (using Zongwu's definition) to an extent but everyone could see the Han Dynasty was crumbling. Cao Cao saw that and took the initiative to restore order throughout the land. But the Shu-Han, stuck to the old days, kept obstinance that their ancestral shrines were still strong. People suffered because of this obstinance, not accepting that the times were changing, this is the real black heart. Liu Bei (Shu-Han), though he had capable generals and Zhuge Liang (Kongming), was losing his way when his peach garden oath brothers died but I dare say he was leeching from the start ; using his status as an Imperial Uncle and using people like Liu Zhang while falling under the false pretense of "family".
But I say that Cao Cao when
HISTORY SPOILER he died, he didn't ursurp the Han throne simply because he didn't want to be remembered as an ursurper so that shows shame in his work. He passed the problem of ursurpation to his son Cao Pi. As King of Wei, he should have sealed the problem by removing the weak emperor and declare a new Dynasty since he had the army and strategists - the only problem were the Shu because the Wu did shit all so he could face one front.
In conclusion, Liu Bei was a crying bitch.
"Liu Bei's JiangShan (kingdom) was obtained through his crying."
trueeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee