During the reign of Emperor Jing of the Han dynasty, the emperor hosted a banquet to entertain the feudal lords who had come to pay homage from various regions. He asked everyone to dance in celebration.

However, King Ding of Changsha danced very awkwardly, which made others laugh at him.

Emperor Jing asked him if he was unable to dance. King Ding replied, "My state is small and its territory narrow, leaving insufficient room to maneuver."

Emperor Jing understood his implicit meaning, realizing King Ding was subtly asking for more land. Consequently, Emperor Jing granted him three additional territories: Wuling, Lingling, and Guiyang.