如火如荼
如火如荼
春秋时代末期，吴国国王夫差连续征服了越国、鲁国和齐国，雄心勃勃，又继续向西北进军，打算一鼓作气征服晋国。可正在这个时候，越王勾践抄了吴王的后路。他带领军队一直打到吴国的国都姑苏，又派人马占据淮河，把吴王的退路切断了。
这消息给吴王夫差当头泼了一盆冷水，他非常震惊，立即召集文臣武将商量对策。大家说，现在退回去等于两关打了败仗，还会两头挨打；如果能打败晋国，就等于在诸候国中当定了霸主，再回去收拾越王勾践也不算晚。大主意已经拿定，当务之急是尽快征服晋国。考虑再三，决定出奇制胜。
一天傍晚，吴王下达了命令。全军将士吃得饱饱的，马也喂足了草料。从全军中挑出三万精兵强将。每一万人摆成一个方阵，共摆三个方阵。每个方阵横竖都是一百人。每一行排头的都是军官司。每十行，也就是一千人，由一个大夫负责。每项一个方阵由一名将军率领。中间的方阵白盔白甲，白衣服，白旗帜，白弓箭，由吴王自己掌握，称为中军；左边的方阵，红盔红甲、红衣服、红简直就像深不可测；右边的方阵则一水儿黑色。半夜出发，黎明时分到达离晋军仅有一里路的地方。天色刚刚显出亮色，吴军鼓声大作，欢呼之声震天动工地。
晋军从梦中醒来，一看吴军那三个方阵和声威气势，简直都惊呆了：那白色方阵,像开满白花的茅草地；那红色方阵,像熊熊燃烧的火焰。而那黑色的方阵，简直就像深不可测的大海。
后来，“如火如荼”就用来形容某事件的发展的势头非常旺。
Like Fire and Flowering Rush
In the late stage of the Spring and Autumn Period (春秋 chūn qiū,770 - 221BC), Fu Chai (fū chāi 夫差),ruler of the State of Wu (wú guó 吴国),defeated the states of Yue (yùe guó 越国),Lu (lú guó 鲁国) and Chi (qí guó 齐国) consecutively. After the previous overwhelming victories,the ambitious king looked forward to another success-- putting the State of Jin (jìn guó 晋国) into his own pocket. But the timing turned out to be not good,it was when Fu Chai led his self-claimed invincible army to State of Jin,Gou Jian (gōu jiàn 勾践),king of the State of Yue,attacked him by surprise in the rear. Gou Jian's army fiercely fought their way to Gu Su (gū sū 姑苏),capital of the State of Wu. What’s more,Gou Jin took whole control of the Huai River (huái hé 淮河) as soon as he arriving Gu Su,thus cutting off Fu Chai's retreat road.
The bad news really took Fu Chai aback since the move taken by Gou Jian was never expected. So Fu Chai immediately called on his brain tank,altogether,to figure out a way to deal with this urgent situation. Once they decided to withdraw from Jin ,they would be assaulted by both the Jin army and the Yue army,putting themselves in a very passive situation. But,if they chose another way around-- defeating the State of Jin firstly,then Fu Chai would become the most powerful leader among all the leaders,at that time,it would be a pice of case for Fu Chai to do with Gou Jian. After a hot debate and comprehensive consideration,Fu Chai made his minds to launch a sudden attack to the State of Jin as quickly as possible.
One day,before the nightfall was coming,Fu Chai issued his instruction. The officers and men of the whole army ate their fill,and the steeds were well fed with fodder. 30,000 officers and men were chosen from the whole army to form three phalanxes,with 10,000officers and men respectively. The solders in the middle phalanx wore white suits of armour,and carried white flags and white bows and arrows,and they were led by king of the State of Wu Fu Chai himself. The other two phalanxes were led by senior generals. The soldiers in the left phalanx wore red suits of armour,and carried red flags and red bows and arrows.
Awakening from their dreams,the solders of the Jin army were totally shocked by the magnificent scenery outside. The white phalanx was like a field covered with flowering rush,the red phalanx was like a burning fire,and the black phalanx was simply like a bottomless sea.Being badly terrified by the large scale army,they surrender to Fu Chai without fighting,just as he munipulated.
Since then,people use the phrase "like fire and flowering rush"to refer to significanlty tremendous momentum of certain event.
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