The Mystical World of Shennong

Deep in the heart of autumn, the vast Shennong Mountains remained an endless sea of emerald wilderness. Ancient trees towered toward the heavens, their roots gripping the cliffs where hidden waterfalls roared like thunder, sending mist into the air. Narrow pathways carved into the rock face wound through the landscape, barely visible beneath the canopy.

Along one such precarious trail moved two figures: Duke Xiao of Qin, the young ruler of the western state of Qin, and Xuan Qi, a disciple of the Mohist school. The duke, cautious with each step, marveled at the untouched majesty of the mountains—a realm where nature’s grandeur dwarfed human ambition.

Xuan Qi, ever watchful, reminded him: “Beyond this point, silence. Let me speak for us.”

Duke Xiao nodded, stepping behind her. “Such a fortress of nature,” he mused. “No wonder the Mohists thrive here—untouchable, like heaven itself.”

Xuan Qi smiled faintly. “Untouchable? Not quite. Many wish to see us destroyed.”

“Chu? Wei?”

“And perhaps you, my lord?”

The duke laughed, but Xuan Qi hushed him sharply. Ahead loomed the first trial: Hei Ka, the Black Pass.

Trials of the Mohist Path

A massive obsidian boulder jutted over the path like a guardian’s arm. As they approached, an arrow whistled skyward, trailing smoke—a signal to unseen watchers. Xuan Qi stepped forward, answering cryptic challenges with phrases from Mohist texts:

“What is One?”
“One is the circle—equal in all directions.”

“What is Two?”
“Two are opposites, yet they walk as one.”

Satisfied, the sentries allowed them passage. Beyond the boulder, the words “Non-Aggression, Land of Harmony” were carved—visible only to those leaving the mountain, a hidden comfort in the wilderness.

Further on, at Bai Ka (White Pass), another ritual unfolded. A stone pillar shaped like a sword loomed overhead. Arrows clashed midair, erupting in crimson smoke. The voice from above demanded:

“Two enter the garden—do they steal peaches?”
Xuan Qi responded: “Two come to rid heaven of malice.”

With each exchange, the Mohists’ devotion to their creed—universal love, condemnation of war—became clearer. Duke Xiao, though awed, noted the paradox: a philosophy preaching peace, yet defended by lethal secrecy.

The Heart of the Mohist Stronghold

At dusk, they reached the sect’s stronghold—a fortress nestled among peaks, its golden roofs glinting in the fading light. But the scene was marred by a shackled man, whipped by a red-clad monkey as he wailed into the void.

“Is this Mohist justice?” Duke Xiao muttered, grim.

Xuan Qi tensed. “Something is wrong. Wait.”

As Mohist disciples returned from labor, their haunting “Song of Suffering” echoed—a lament for the oppressed, forbidden in ordinary times. The duke’s eyes glistened; even in this sanctuary, despair lingered.

Clash of Ideals: Duke Xiao vs. the Mohists

At the gate, confrontation erupted. When Duke Xiao revealed his identity, swords flashed. “The tyrannical ruler of Qin!” cried the disciples.

Xuan Qi shielded him. “Without the Grand Master’s judgment, you dare kill a king?”

Deng Lingzi, a senior disciple, challenged the duke to a duel. Armed only with a dagger, Duke Xiao outmaneuvered Deng’s famed hook-sword, humiliating the Mohist before his peers. The victory was more than physical—it exposed the sect’s arrogance.

The Grand Master’s Dilemma

Deep in a bamboo pavilion, the aged Mozi pondered the arrival of this bold ruler. Reports of Qin’s reforms troubled him: Was Duke Xiao a tyrant or a visionary?

Summoning Xuan Qi, he listened as she defended the duke: “He is no oppressor. He seeks strength for Qin—not conquest.”

Mozi’s decision would shape more than Qin’s fate. For centuries, Mohists had punished rulers who strayed from their ideals. But Duke Xiao’s defiance—and his willingness to walk unarmed into their lair—demanded reflection.

Legacy of the Encounter

The meeting in Shennong marked a turning point. Duke Xiao’s courage forced the Mohists to confront their rigidity, while Mozi’s eventual tolerance hinted at a fragile truce between power and philosophy.

For Qin, the journey affirmed its ruler’s resolve: to build a state strong enough to survive the Warring States’ chaos. For the Mohists, it was a reminder—even the mightiest ideals must adapt, or risk irrelevance.

In the end, the mountains bore witness not just to a clash of wills, but to the timeless struggle between authority and principle—a struggle that would echo through China’s unification and beyond.