Zhuge Liang, also known as Khong Minh, nicknamed Ngo Long, was an outstanding public servant, politician, and diplomat in Chinese history. He is hailed as the model of the generals of integrity, the embodiment of outstanding wisdom. In dramas, this character is often depicted with the image of wearing a Bagua shirt, holding a feather fan, sitting on a trolley. These are the two “unbreakable objects”, following the “magic magic of math” Zhuge Liang throughout the big and small wars.
However, the fact that the “magic miracle of math” is in a wheelchair and likes to hold a feather fan is not a fictional creation of the author La Quan Trung, but in fact, in the official history, Zhuge Liang also often used a 4-wheeled vehicle. “wheelchair” and fan when fighting even though the body is not injured or deformed. Many people mistakenly believe that this talented strategist has health problems and cannot walk, but in fact, this is the “strategy” of the magical master when facing the enemy.
1. The mystery behind sitting in a “wheelchair” to fight
In ancient times, horses were the main means of transportation to serve life and were “horses” in the army because of their speed advantage to help increase victory. In addition to being used to attack the enemy, riding a horse in battle was also a “smart retreat” to help the cavalry escape narrowly if in danger. However, Zhuge Liang did not use a horse, but only sat on a wooden cart when leaving the army. This is curious for posterity, but it is the intention of this talented strategist.
Firstly, Zhuge Liang’s choice of this type of transport instead of a horse is to encourage the fighting spirit of the soldiers. The fact that he sat on a cart instead of a horse showed his determination to be ready to die for the battle, not riding to escape but leaving the soldiers.
Moreover, joining the war forced the army to travel long distances. When he was in his forties, Zhuge Liang’s health was not as good as when he was young. He is also not from the military, so using a specialized vehicle instead of riding a horse will help him more. The car with a design like a large chair, with two large rear wheels and two small front wheels feels more solid than riding a horse, and helps him to better adjust the direction.
Third, when participating in war, clearly distinguishing commander ranks in the army will help the arrangement of troops be made more harmonious between generals and soldiers. Therefore, the fact that Zhuge Liang sat in a chariot instead of a horse was also an expression of status, helping soldiers distinguish themselves from other generals.
2. The reason Zhuge Liang always holds a feathered fan in his hand, even when he’s dead
There are many theories put forward to explain why Zhuge Liang always carries a feather fan with him.
The first theory is that Zhuge Liang used a white feather fan to block the wind and avoid dust. Accordingly, in addition to the cooling function, showing the elegant temperament of a strategist, this fan is considered a tool to protect the “miracle magic” from the dust and wind in the field.
After Liu Bei’s death, Zhuge Liang led his troops on several expeditions to the north. Where Zhuge Liang and Sima Yi and other Wei generals fought, there were mainly strong winds and dust, so it was also reasonable for Zhuge Liang to use feather fans to block wind and fly sand.
The second theory is that Zhuge Liang always holds a fan to use for commanding the army to fight. According to historical records and research by historian Chu Nhat Luong (China), because the white feather fan has a pure white color, easy to be recognized by his subordinates, this is the most important reason. During the Wei-Jin-South-North dynasties in this country, white items were also often used by many generals to command the army. So it is very likely that Zhuge Liang is also affected by this.
The third theory is that the white feather fan is a gift from his wife Hoang Nguyet Anh, so Zhuge Liang always carries the fan with him as if to respect his wife’s heart.
From the above reasons, it can be seen that Zhuge Liang riding a wooden cart and holding a fan to the battlefield is actually a calculated, extremely intelligent and wise move of the god. Although the above explanations are not authentic, everyone must admit that the two inseparable objects of Zhuge Liang are the objects associated with the name and career of this famous advisor.
(Compilation: Sohu, 163.com)
