ExclusiveTraditional Chinese Tales: Liu Bei Did Not Abandon Civilians in Crisis

Liu Bei did not abandon civilians in crisis. In the autumn of the 13th year of Jian'an, in the 8th month, Cao Cao, A.D. 155-220, launched a massive southern invasion into the Kingdom of Pei, leading the Emperor Liu Chong's surrender. Liu Bei, A.D. 161-223, realized that he alone could not withstand Cao Cao's force. He had no choice but to retreat south to Jiangling, hoping to make another plan later. Many civilians from Jinzhou chose to follow Liu Bei in his retreat. Even many of Liu Chong's subordinates willingly joined him, causing their number to grow larger. By the time they reached Dangyang, the group had grown to over 100,000 people, but they were moving too slowly, only a little more than 10 miles a day. Liu Bei's benevolence inspired so many civilians to risk their life to follow him, which deeply touched everyone. However, their movement was too sluggish, especially as Cao Cao dispatched 5,000 elite troops in cavalries to chase them from behind. Racing 300 miles in a day and a night, Cao's group would soon catch up with the slow-moving Liu group. If Cao Cao's force caught up, the consequence would be dire. As the enemy closed in, an advisor urged Liu Bei, We are moving too slowly. We can only abandon the civilians to quickly reach Jiangling and reinforce our defenses. If we keep going with them, we will all face death. Other generals echoed. However, Liu Bei responded, To achieve great missions, one must stand with the people. These civilians follow me out of trust. How can I abandon them for my own safety? The generals felt ashamed in face of Liu Bei's benevolence. They all continued to move slowly south with civilians. Eventually, Cao's army caught up with Liu Bei at Changbanpo. In the end, Liu managed to escape with only a few dozen horsemen, fleeing to Hanjing to reunite with Guan Yu. Though Liu Bei faced repeated setbacks, his benevolence inspired many heroes across China to rally behind him, ultimately paving the way for the establishment of his kingdom. Liu Bei had a profound understanding of benevolence that set him apart from many. He famously stated, Cao operates through violence. I operate through benevolence. Every time I act in contrary to Cao, my success becomes possible. This captures Liu Bei's philosophy of governance and the secret to his success. Isn't this still relevant today? Benevolence remains the most essential moral quality for leaders and a principle everyone shall aspire to uphold.