Internal troubles and external threats; difficulties and problems arising both from within and from outside.
Era:
Ancient
Frequency:
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Story:
During the Spring and Autumn Period, the State of Lu was in great turmoil. Power was controlled by the three noble families Ji, Meng, and Shu rendering Duke Ding a mere puppet.
Hearing that Confucius lectured, advocating principles like 'a ruler should act as a ruler, and a subject as a subject' and 'benevolent governance,' Duke Ding summoned him. He analyzed the 'internal troubles and external threats' facing the State of Lu with Confucius.
Confucius advised him to form an alliance with the State of Qi externally and to reassert the ducal authority internally, proposing a series of measures to achieve this.