吴越同舟 — “Wu and Yue in the same boat”

During the Spring and Autumn period, the states of Wu and Yue were often at war. One day, on a ferry boat on the river at their border, there were more than a dozen Wu and Yue people. Neither side spoke to the other, and the atmosphere was very tense. After leaving the north bank, the boat sailed towards the south bank.

Just as it reached the middle of the river, the sky suddenly changed, and a strong wind began to blow. In an instant, dark clouds filled the sky, heavy rain poured down, and surging waves crashed one after another against the ferry. Two Wu children cried loudly out of fear. An elderly Yue woman stumbled and fell in the cabin. The old helmsman struggled to hold the rudder while loudly calling everyone to quickly get into the cabin. Two other young boatmen quickly ran to the mast to untie the ropes, intending to lower the sail. However, due to the violent rocking of the boat in the wind and waves, they couldn't untie them quickly. If the ropes were not untied quickly and the sail lowered, the boat was likely to capsize; the situation was extremely critical.

At this critical moment, the young passengers, whether from Wu or Yue, rushed to the mast, braving the strong winds and fierce waves, to untie the ropes together. Their actions were as coordinated as a left hand and a right hand. Soon, the sail on the ferry was finally lowered, and the rocking boat became somewhat stable.

The old helmsman looked at the people who had braved the storm together and overcome the danger, and sighed, 'How wonderful it would be if the states of Wu and Yue could always live in harmony!'