The Beginning Shocks the Emperor Wu: Did You Write This Poem?.

Summary

The Chōshū and Satsuma Domains represented opposing feudal powers, with the Chōshū establishing a new army and Satsuma a navy, leading to deep-seated conflicts. The army, comprised of commoners, and the navy, favored by nobility, became increasingly antagonistic. Chen Ping An, a young official, sought to bridge this divide and emphasized the need for merit over noble lineage. He addressed students at the Great Yin Imperial Academy, challenging them to reconsider their motivations for studying and the societal structures that favored aristocrats. His remarks sparked shock and reflection among both commoner and noble students, highlighting the entrenched inequalities in their world.

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