吴市吹箫 — “To beg for alms in public”

During the Spring and Autumn period, King Ping of Chu, misled by slanders, had Wu She, tutor to Crown Prince Jian, and Wu She's eldest son, Wu Shang, killed. He also sent men to apprehend Wu She's second son, Wu Yuan (later known as Wu Zixu), who had fled, and posted Wu Yuan's portraits at all border passes to ensure his capture.

Not far from Zhaoguan Pass, Wu Zixu met an old man named Dong Gao Gong. Deeply sympathetic to Wu Zixu's misfortune, Dong Gao Gong offered him lodging, advising him to wait for an opportune moment to slip through Zhaoguan Pass.

A few days later, Dong Gao Gong found someone who resembled Wu Zixu. He had this person dress in Wu Zixu's clothes and attempt to cross the pass. This look-alike deliberately acted flustered at the checkpoint and was subsequently apprehended by the guards. Believing they had caught Wu Zixu, the soldiers relaxed their vigilance.

At that very moment, Wu Zixu, carrying a large bag of belongings and under Dong Gao Gong's cover, stealthily made his way out of Zhaoguan Pass. By the time the commanding general realized they had caught the wrong person, Wu Zixu was long gone without a trace.

Upon reaching the capital of the State of Wu, he had run out of food. So, he disheveled his hair, bared his upper body, and disguised himself as a beggar. In the bustling marketplace of Wu, he puffed out his cheeks, played the xiao (a vertical flute), and sang, aiming to attract people's attention.

He sang mournfully: "Alas, alas, alas, a monstrous injustice with nowhere to voice my plea. I've fled through Song and Zheng; alone and forlorn, who will help me? My father's great vengeance unfulfilled, how can I face being a noble? Now, playing the xiao and begging, tears streaming down, I must play until a sympathetic soul emerges."