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fuyonggu · 4 years

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Cao Jiong’s “Discourse on the Six Dynasties” (Short Version)

This is a shorter version of this post.

Discourse on the Six Dynasties

By Cao Yuanshou

Among the dynasties of ancient times, Xia, Yin (Shang), and Zhou each lasted for dozens of generations, while Qin perished after only two. Why was this? Because the lords of those three dynasties shared control of the people of the realm, thus the lords of the realm saw the sovereign's concerns as their own concerns, while the kings of Qin monopolized control of the people, thus in times of danger and distress no one was willing to come to their aid. Those with whom you share your joys will likewise sympathize with your sorrows; those you make your peers in peace will be your saviors when danger comes. The ancient kings knew that the sovereign who reigned alone could not ensure an orderly realm for long, thus they shared power with others in order to obtain stability; they knew that the ruler who defended the realm alone could not guard it forever, thus they shared responsibility with others in order to attain security. Both their intimate relatives and their distant kinfolk were employed; both members of their clan and outsiders from other surnames were advanced. Those of more or less power worked together to protect each other; those of the same or different blood acted in concert to shield one another. There were neither instances of "total annexation", nor were "traitorous impulses" allowed to fester.

Even when the Zhou dynasty was in decline, Duke Huan of Qi and Duke Wen of Jin still treated the King with respect and acted on his behalf. When the state of Chu refused to present its tribute of grass and thatch to the King, the state of Qi led an army to punish them; when the state of Song refused to help build walls around the King's capital at Chengzhou (Luoyang), the state of Jin executed their minister. Though the King's laws became lax and loose for a time, they were once again enforced; though the feudal lords become arrogant for a season, they were once more reverent.

It was said that "after the age of these two Hegemons (Dukes Huan and Wen), the feudal lords became boorish and remiss". Indeed, the states of Wu and Chu were defiant, trusting in the Yangzi to be their bulwark and the stout square walls of their cities to be their rampart. Yet though in their hearts they sought to "inquire after the Nine Tripods" (as though they had more right to dominion than the King), even then they feared to go so far as to outright threaten or oppress the royal clan. Wicked feelings scattered in the breast; treasonous plots died on the lips. Was it not because the King had trusted and empowered his kinfolk and relatives and employed and used the worthy and able? Don't the branches and the leaves grow great and luxurious because the roots and the stem depend upon them?

But from that time on, incessant fighting broke out between the states. Wu was taken over by Yue, and Jin split into three; Lu was conquered by Chu, and Zheng was annexed into Hann. Although originally most of the families of the feudal lords had come from the royal Ji family, by the time of the Warring States era, most of these royal relatives were long gone, and only in the states of Yan and Wey did they still rule. What was left of the King's domain was small and pathetic, threatened by powerful Qin to the west and menaced by fearsome Qi and Chu to the south; though they sought deliverance from their destruction, there was no one left to take pity on them. And even after King Nan was deposed to become a commoner, still the branches of the state grasped at each other's power, squabbling over an empty title. For more than forty years, the land within the Seas had no master.

The state of Qin occupied a powerful and influential region and was crafty at the arts of lying and deceit. Thus they were successful in their campaigns against the lords east of the mountains and were able to nibble the Nine States down to nothing. And by the time of the First Emperor, the imperial throne was once again filled. Yet when Qin employed force like this and a lack of virtue like that, how could they expect to last? In what sense did they have deep roots or a thick stem, to prevent themselves from being yanked up?

The Book of Changes states, "Though they cry 'perish, perish', he plants himself firm like a mulberry." Zhou was virtuous, and their longevity was because of it; such a verse could well describe them.

When the First Emperor of Qin considered the decline of Zhou, he felt that it was the weakness of the Zhou kings that had caused them to lose power. Thus he abolished the old system of the Five Noble Titles and organized the realm into commandaries and counties instead, and he threw out the methods of teaching the people through music and ritual behavior in favor of imposing stern and harsh government. His younger relatives received not an inch of land as fief, and his accomplished ministers had not a spade of land to call their own. Within, there were no royal relatives who might assist the state, and without, there were no feudal lords who might shield the realm from harm. He did not show a benevolent heart towards his flesh and blood, nor extend any kindness towards those who might have served as his branches and leaves. He was like a person who cuts off their own arms and legs, content to live as a mere torso; he was like a ship which, before crossing a wide river or a deep ocean, throws away its oars. There were many whose hearts turned cold when considering the danger of such a situation. Yet the First Emperor remained serene, believing that the capital area of Guanzhong was such an impenetrable region, a "bastion of golden walls and a thousand li", that his descendants would rule as sovereigns for ten thousand generations. Wasn't it ridiculous?

At the time, Chunyu Yue tried to remonstrate with him. He told the First Emperor, "I have heard that the Kings of Yin and Zhou granted fiefs to their relatives and their accomplished ministers, and their dynasties lasted for more than a thousand years. Now Your Majesty has become lord of all the realm within the Seas, yet your relatives are no more than commoners. Someday our dynasty might face the same threat of usurpation as happened with Tian Chang in Qi or the Six Ministerial Clans in Jin, yet Your Majesty has not provided for any powerful subjects who might help to guide affairs in the capital; who would step in to save the royal family? I have never once heard of any state which failed to heed the teachings of the ancients in these matters and yet long endured."

But the First Emperor dismissed these principles and heeded the advice of Li Si instead. And thus, on the day of his death, there was no one to whom he could entrust the future of the state. The weighty decisions of the realm were left in the hands of a miscreant, and the power to decide who and who would not inherit the throne was left to the words of a wicked subject. People like Zhao Gao were even able to bring about the slaughter and uprooting of the royal family.

Ying Huhai (the Second Emperor) had been instructed in the teachings of severity and oppression since youth, and he honored the philosophies of violent men as an adult. Rather than change the regulations and alter the laws of his father, he continued the models of Shen Buhai and Shang Yang, he consulted and plotted with Zhao Gao, he isolated himself deep within the palace, and he entrusted the governance of the realm to slanderous bandits. When at the last he met his end at Wangyi Palace, though he begged to be spared to live as a commoner, how could he have expected anyone to show him mercy?

Thus were the commandaries and the states alienated from Qin, and the people deserted and rose against them in rebellion; Chen Sheng and Wu Guang were the first to sound the call against them, and Liu Bang and Xiang Yu buried them in the end. If only the First Emperor has accepted the advice of Chunyu Yue and rejected the words of Li Si, if he had carved up the provinces and fiefs, empowered his younger relatives as Princes, granted domains to the descendants of the three dynasties (Xia, Shang, and Zhou), and repaid the deeds of his subjects by rewarding them with their own domains! Then the regions of the realm would have had settled lords and the people familiar masters. Branches and leaves could support one another; the head and the tail could work in tandem. Even if some of the successors of the Son of Heaven went astray, there were no great heroes in those days like Tang of Shang or King Wu of Zhou; the leader of any wicked plan would have been snuffed out before anything could be done, and how could the rabble of people like Chen Sheng or Xiang Yu have gotten anywhere?

When Gaozu of Han (Liu Bang) drew his three-foot sword and led his flock of crows to war, it only took five years before he had completed his imperial enterprise. In all of history, no one was ever able to achieve such a thing as easily as he did. But it was only natural. To chop down a tree with a thick trunk is a difficult undertaking, while to smash a bunch of rotten wood is easily accomplished.

Gaozu reflected upon Qin's mistakes, and he granted fiefs to his younger relatives. Thus when the clan of Empress Lü Zhi monopolized power in the capital and plotted to seize control from the Liu clan, the reason why the realm did not support them or the common people lose faith in the dynasty was because the feudal lords were great and powerful and the foundation of the dynasty was firm and deep. The Marquis of Dongmou (Liu Xingju) and the Marquis of Zhuxu (Liu Zhang) upheld the dynasty from within the capital, while the Princes of Qi (Liu Xiang), Dai, Wu, and Chu acted as guardians without. If Gaozu had followed in the footsteps of Qin and forgotten the systems of the ancient kings, then the realm would have passed from their hands then and there, and the Liu clan would have been supplanted.

Yet in his granting of fiefs and domains, Gaozu went beyond what the ancient kings had done. The greatest of the Princes had territories that straddled provinces and combined regions, while the lesser ones still controlled dozens of cities. There was no distinction between the Emperor and the Princes, for they wielded power on par with that of the royal family. This was what led to the Rebellion of the Seven Princes, Wu and Chu foremost among them. Jia Yi tried to warn of the impending danger, saying, "The feudal lords have become too strong and prosperous, and if the situation continues, turmoil will arise. For those who wish to ensure peace and order in the realm, there can be no greater policy than to multiply the number of the feudal lords while diminishing the power of each one. For when the spread of power within the Seas is like the relation of the arms to the body, or of the fingers to the arms, only then will those below lack hearts of treason or rebellion and those above lack any need to attack or punish the lords." Yet Emperor Wen did not listen to his advice, and his successor Emperor Jing rashly heeded Chao Cuo's plan to directly strip territory from the feudal lords; this only brought about anger and resentment among the close relatives and fear and trembling among the distant ones, and when the Princes of Wu and Chu sounded their call of rebellion, the other five Princes joined them.

What was sown during the reign of Gaozu reached fruition during the reigns of Emperors Wen and Jing; fiefs and domains were granted more generously than had been the case in ancient times, and the attempted solution was too hasty. When the tip is too large, it breaks off; when the tail is too big, it is difficult to move. Even when the tail is proportional to the body, sometimes it is still difficult to make it move; how much more does this apply when the tail has grown beyond all reason?

Emperor Wu of Han followed the strategy of Zhufu Yan, by implementing a policy of "grace", splitting up the inheritance of the feudal lords by distributing their domains among all their sons. Thus the princely fief of Qi was split into seven parts, Zhao into six, Liang and Dai into five, and Huainan was cut into three. And in later years the feudal lords were bullied and cowed, their descendants becoming ever weaker; they only received sufficient pensions and supplies to provide for themselves, but no longer took any hand in governing their fiefs. Some had their territories reduced on charges of failing to provide sacrificial wine and gold; some had their titles abolished when they died without heirs.

By the time of Emperor Cheng, the Wang clan, imperial relatives by marriage, had taken control of court affairs. Liu Xiang remonstrated with Emperor Cheng for allowing the situation to come to such a state, saying, "I have heard that the imperial clan are the branches and leaves of the state. When the branches and leaves have fallen, then the roots and the stem no longer have any support or shade. By now, your relatives of the Liu clan are all distant and remote, while the partisans of your mother's family monopolize control and keep the royal family from power. To leave the royal clan weak and helpless is no way to preserve the altars of state or ensure the succession of the imperial line." But though Emperor Cheng was moved to grief by this plea, still he was unable to implement Liu Xiang's advice.

Thus it was that in the reigns of Emperors Ai and Ping, the Wang clan's control of the court was absolute; Wang Mang passed himself off as a wise regent like the Duke of Zhou, but in truth he was a usurper like Tian Chang. Though presenting a lofty salute, he had his eyes on the throne; in a single morning, he became master of all within the Four Seas. The princes and nobles of the imperial clan all surrendered their seals and handed over their ribbons of office to him and presented tribute to the altars of state. Yet some of them, still worried that they would not be able to save the lives of themselves and their families, went so far as to invent reports of omens approving of Wang Mang's usurpation and even sang his praises to extol his grace and virtue! Was it not pathetic?

Why did these things happen? Not because the members of the imperial clan were loyal and faithful during the reigns of Emperors Hui and Wen and traitors and opportunists during the era of Emperors Ai and Ping, but simply because their power and influence had grown so weak and useless that they no longer had any hopes of securing their positions.

It was thanks to Emperor Guangwu's peerless character and abilities that he was able to destroy the dynasty that Wang Mang had already put into place and restore the severed lineage of the Han dynasty. How else to explain this feat except that it was the work of a scion of the royal clan? Yet Emperor Guangwu failed to reflect upon the mistaken policies which had brought about Qin's downfall or to return to the old system as practiced by Zhou. Thus he trod the path of a doomed state, and he was fortunate that there was no trouble during his own reign.

But by the time of Emperors Huan and Ling, eunuchs manipulated the levers of authority. In the court, there were no servants willing to risk death for the sake of the state, and in the provinces, there were no subjects who saw the interests of the royal family as their own. Above, the sovereign stood alone, while below, his ministers grasped for power. The roots and the branches were unable to work in conjunction; the body and the hands could not help one another. Thus the realm descended into chaos like a roiling cauldron, and villains and wastrels sprang up on every side; the ancestral temples of the imperial clan were burned to ashes, and the palaces became overgrown with weeds and grasses. In all the Nine Provinces (the whole realm) there was not a single place of peace or safety. Was it not lamentable?

The Grand Progenitor of our Wei dynasty, Emperor Wu (Cao Cao), was a man of wise and sage character and possessed divine martial prowess and cunning. He lamented the fact that the sovereign's laws had sunk to such a pitiful state, and he pitied the dire plight of the Han royal family. Rising like a dragon from Qiao and Pei and soaring like a phoenix from Yanzhou and Yuzhou, he purged and swept away the villains and evildoers of the land, and he cut out and annihilated the behemoths and leviathans of the realm. He welcomed the Emperor's arrival from the western capital (Chang'an) and established a new capital at Yingyi (Xu). His virtue impressed Heaven and Earth, and his righteousness touched the people and the spirits. Thus the Han royal family recognized the will of Heaven and abdicated their position to the Wei dynasty.

It has now been twenty-four years since the founding of Wei. Have we not had ample time to consider the factors which led to the rise and fall of the five dynasties before ours? Yet we do not follow the policies which would ensure our longevity. We have seen the carts in front of ours topple and fall, yet we do nothing to change our course. The younger relatives of the imperial clan hold empty titles and only nominally possess their lands, and in no sense do they preside over their people; the imperial relatives only scurry about the streets and lanes, and they are given no voice in how to govern the state. Their authority is no greater than the commoners, and their influence counts for no more than the average person. Within, the state has no deep roots to fortify it against being pulled up; without, it has no foundation of relatives and friends who could help defend it. This is no policy to preserve the altars of state for ten thousand generations.

Furthermore, the Governors of provinces and the Administrators of commandaries in our times have become the modern equivalents of the Border Lords and the feudal nobles of antiquity. They hold sway over territories of a thousand li, and they wield military as well as civil authority. Some of them control regions comparable in size to princely fiefs, and in some instances brothers from the same family all hold such offices simultaneously. At the same time, not a single one of the imperial kinfolk or the younger relatives of the crown hold any position that might check the power of these local leaders or band together to guard against them. This is no way to strengthen the trunk and weaken the branches, or provide against any emergency.

Of the worthy servants of the dynasty from other families, some have reputations so great that they are household names in the capital, and some are commanders of powerful armies. Meanwhile, even those members of the imperial clan who possess civil talents are limited to positions no greater than supervisors of small counties, while even those with martial abilities lead bands of no greater than a hundred soldiers. These are honest and lofty men, and yet their ambitions can rise no higher than to bear a yoke; they are talented and capable fellows, yet they are shamed by being lumped in with those who are not their peers. This is no way to encourage and promote the worthy and able, or praise and distinguish members of the imperial clan with ceremony.

When the spring runs dry, it is because the groundwater has stopped flowing; when the trunk is rotten, it is because the leaves have withered. When the branches are abundant, they shelter the stem; when the twigs fall away, the trunk is left exposed. Thus it is said, "The centipede has its hundred feet; even in death, it does not collapse, for its numerous legs still keep it up." It is a little saying, but it illustrates a great principle.

Furthermore, the foundation of a stout wall cannot be laid all at once, nor can power and legitimacy be established in a single morning. In both cases, these things can be achieved only gradually and secured only over time. It is like a plant or a tree, which requires a great deal of time to grow before the roots extend deep and the trunk becomes strong, and greater still for its branches and leaves to multiply and flourish. Can someone who casts a seed among stones and thickets or beneath the palace gates expect the plant to grow fruitful and tall? Even if they surround it with blackish and rich soil and warm it by the springtime sun, they will not even be able to save it from withering. And what are the imperial relatives but trees sown by the sovereign, and what are the people but the soil which receives them? Unless the relatives be planted among them for a long time, then there will be obstinate below and disdain above. Even in peaceful times, there would still be the prospect of alienation or rebellion; how much moreso when some emergency arises?

The sage ruler does not relax during times of peace, but is always thinking of future dangers. Though their dynasty seems secure, still they make preparations to guard against threats to its destruction. Only then may they have no fear of being uprooted, though the storms and gales may blow; only then may they be assured the state will not collapse, though the realm be full of turmoil.

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thefortyeightlawsofpower-blog · 7 years

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LAW # 15 : CRUSH YOUR ENEMY TOTALLY

JUDGEMENT

All great leaders since Moses have known that a feared enemy must be crushed completely. (Sometimes they have learned this the hard way.) If one ember is left alight, no matter how dimly it smoulders, a fire will eventually break out. More is lost through stopping halfway than through total annihilation: The enemy will recover, and will seek revenge. Crush him, not only in body but in spirit.

TRANSGRESSION OF THE LAW

No rivalry between leaders is more celebrated in Chinese history than the struggle between Hsiang Yu and Liu Pang. These two generals began their careers as friends, fighting on the same side. Hsiang Yu came from the nobility; large and powerful, given to bouts of violence and temper, a bit dull witted, he was yet a mighty warrior who always fought at the head of his troops. Liu Pang came from peasant stock. He had never been much of a soldier, and preferred women and wine to fighting; in fact, he was something of a scoundrel. But he was wily, and he had the ability to recognize the best strategists, keep them as his advisers, and listen to their advice. He had risen in the army through these strengths.

The remnants of an enemy can become active like those of a disease or fire. Hence, these should be exterminated completely.... One should never ignore an enemy, knowing him to be weak. He becomes dangerous in due course, like the spark of fire in a haystack.

KAUTILYA, INDIAN PHILOSOPHER, THIRD CENTURY B.C.

In 208 B.C., the king of Ch‘u sent two massive armies to conquer the powerful kingdom of Ch’in. One army went north, under the generalship of Sung Yi, with Hsiang Yu second in command; the other, led by Liu Pang, headed straight toward Ch’in. The target was the kingdom’s splendid capital, Hsien-yang. And Hsiang Yu, ever violent and impatient, could not stand the idea that Liu Pang would get to Hsien-yang first, and perhaps would assume command of the entire army.

THE TRAP AT SINIGAGLIA

On the day Ramiro was executed, Cesare [Borgia] quit Cesena, leaving the mutilated body on the town square, and marched south. Three days later he arrived at Fano, where he received the envoys of the city of Ancona, who assured him of their loyalty. A messenger from Vitellozzo Vitelli announced that the little Adriatic port of Sinigaglia had surrendered to the condottieri [mercenary soldiers]. Only the citadel, in charge of the Genoese Andrea Doria, still held out, and Doria refused to hand it over to anyone except Cesare himself. [Borgia] sent word that he would arrive the next day, which was just what the condottieri wanted to hear. Once he reached Sinigaglia. Cesare would be an easy prey, caught between the citadel and their forces ringing the town.... The condottieri were sure they had military superiority, believing that the departure of the French troops had lef? Cesare with only a small force.

In fact, according to Machiavelli. [Borgia] had left Cesena with ten thousand infantry-men and three thousand horse, taking pains to split up his men so that they would march along parallel routes before converging on Sinigaglia. The reason for such a large force was that he knew, from a confession extracted from Ramiro de Lorca, what the condottieri had up their sleeve. He therefore decided to turn their own trap against them. This was the masterpiece of trickery that the historian Paolo Giovio later called “the magnificent deceit. ” At dawn on December 31 [1502], Cesare reached the outskirts of Sinigaglia.... Led by Michelotto Corella, Cesare’s advance guard of two hundred lances took up its position on the canal bridge.... This control of the bridge effectively prevented the conspirators’ troops from withdrawing....

Cesare greeted the condottieri effusively and invited them to join him.... Michelotto had prepared the Palazzo Bernardino for Cesare’s use, and the duke invited the condottieri inside.... Once indoors the men were quietly arrested by guards who crept up from the rear.... [Cesare] gave orders for an attack on Vitelli’s and Orsini’s soldiers in the outlying areas.... That night, while their troops were being crushed, Michelotto throttled Oliveretto and Vitelli in the Bernardino palace.... At one fell swoop, [Borgia] had got rid of his former generals and worst enemies.

THE BORGIAS, IVAN CLOULAS, 1989

At one point on the northern front, Hsiang’s commander, Sung Yi, hesitated in sending his troops into battle. Furious, Hsiang entered Sung Yi’s tent, proclaimed him a traitor, cut off his head, and assumed sole command of the army. Without waiting for orders, he left the northern front and marched directly on Hsien-yang. He felt certain he was the better soldier and general than Liu, but, to his utter astonishment, his rival, leading a smaller, swifter army, managed to reach Hsien-yang first. Hsiang had an adviser, Fan Tseng, who warned him, “This village headman [Liu Pang] used to be greedy only for riches and women, but since entering the capital he has not been led astray by wealth, wine, or sex. That shows he is aiming high.”

Fan Tseng urged Hsiang to kill his rival before it was too late. He told the general to invite the wily peasant to a banquet at their camp outside Hsien-yang, and, in the midst of a celebratory sword dance, to have his head cut off. The invitation was sent; Liu fell for the trap, and came to the banquet. But Hsiang hesitated in ordering the sword dance, and by the time he gave the signal, Liu had sensed a trap, and managed to escape. “Bah!” cried Fan Tseng in disgust, seeing that Hsiang had botched the plot. “One cannot plan with a simpleton. Liu Pang will steal your empire yet and make us all his prisoners.”

Realizing his mistake, Hsiang hurriedly marched on Hsien-yang, this time determined to hack off his rival’s head. Liu was never one to fight when the odds were against him, and he abandoned the city. Hsiang captured Hsien-yang, murdered the young prince of Ch’in, and burned the city to the ground. Liu was now Hsiang’s bitter enemy, and he pursued him for many months, finally cornering him in a walled city. Lacking food, his army in disarray, Liu sued for peace.

Again Fan Tseng warned Hsiang, “Crush him now! If you let him go again, you will be sorry later.” But Hsiang decided to be merciful. He wanted to bring Liu back to Ch’u alive, and to force his former friend to acknowledge him as master. But Fan proved right: Liu managed to use the negotiations for his surrender as a distraction, and he escaped with a small army. Hsiang, amazed that he had yet again let his rival slip away, once more set out after Liu, this time with such ferocity that he seemed to have lost his mind. At one point, having captured Liu’s father in battle, Hsiang stood the old man up during the fighting and yelled to Liu across the line of troops, “Surrender now, or I shall boil your father alive!” Liu calmly answered, “But we are sworn brothers. So my father is your father also. If you insist on boiling your own father, send me a bowl of the soup!” Hsiang backed down, and the struggle continued.

A few weeks later, in the thick of the hunt, Hsiang scattered his forces unwisely, and in a surprise attack Liu was able to surround his main garrison. For the first time the tables were turned. Now it was Hsiang who sued for peace. Liu’s top adviser urged him to destroy Hsiang, crush his army, show no mercy. “To let him go would be like rearing a tiger—it will devour you later,” the adviser said. Liu agreed.

Making a false treaty, he lured Hsiang into relaxing his defense, then slaughtered almost all of his army. Hsiang managed to escape. Alone and on foot, knowing that Liu had put a bounty on his head, he came upon a small group of his own retreating soldiers, and cried out, “I hear Liu Pang has offered one thousand pieces of gold and a fief of ten thousand families for my head. Let me do you a favor.” Then he slit his own throat and died.

Interpretation

Hsiang Yu had proven his ruthlessness on many an occasion. He rarely hesitated in doing away with a rival if it served his purposes. But with Liu Pang he acted differently. He respected his rival, and did not want to defeat him through deception; he wanted to prove his superiority on the battlefield, even to force the clever Liu to surrender and to serve him. Every time he had his rival in his hands, something made him hesitate—a fatal sympathy with or respect for the man who, after all, had once been a friend and comrade in arms. But the moment Hsiang made it clear that he intended to do away with Liu, yet failed to accomplish it, he sealed his own doom. Liu would not suffer the same hesitation once the tables were turned.

This is the fate that faces all of us when we sympathize with our enemies, when pity, or the hope of reconciliation, makes us pull back from doing away with them. We only strengthen their fear and hatred of us. We have beaten them, and they are humiliated; yet we nurture these resentful vipers who will one day kill us. Power cannot be dealt with this way. It must be exterminated, crushed, and denied the chance to return to haunt us. This is all the truer with a former friend who has become an enemy. The law governing fatal antagonisms reads: Reconciliation is out of the question. Only one side can win, and it must win totally.

Liu Pang learned this lesson well. After defeating Hsiang Yu, this son of a farmer went on to become supreme commander of the armies of Ch‘u. Crushing his next rival—the king of Ch’u, his own former leader—he crowned himself emperor, defeated everyone in his path, and went down in history as one of the greatest rulers of China, the immortal Han Kao-tsu, founder of the Han Dynasty.

To have ultimate victory, you must be ruthless.

NAPOLEON BONAPARTE, 1769-1821

Those who seek to achieve things should show no mercy.

Kautilya, Indian philosopher third century B.C.

OBSERVANCE OF THE LAW

Wu Chao, born in A.D. 625, was the daughter of a duke, and as a beautiful young woman of many charms, she was accordingly attached to the harem of Emperor T’ai Tsung.

The imperial harem was a dangerous place, full of young concubines vying to become the emperor’s favorite. Wu’s beauty and forceful character quickly won her this battle, but, knowing that an emperor, like other powerful men, is a creature of whim, and that she could easily be replaced, she kept her eye on the future.

Wu managed to seduce the emperor’s dissolute son, Kao Tsung, on the only possible occasion when she could find him alone: while he was relieving himself at the royal urinal. Even so, when the emperor died and Kao Tsung took over the throne, she still suffered the fate to which all wives and concubines of a deceased emperor were bound by tradition and law: Her head shaven, she entered a convent, for what was supposed to be the rest of her life. For seven years Wu schemed to escape. By communicating in secret with the new emperor, and by befriending his wife, the empress, she managed to get a highly unusual royal edict allowing her to return to the palace and to the royal harem. Once there, she fawned on the empress, while still sleeping with the emperor. The empress did not discourage this—she had yet to provide the emperor with an heir, her position was vulnerable, and Wu was a valuable ally.

In 654 Wu Chao gave birth to a child. One day the empress came to visit, and as soon as she had left, Wu smothered the newborn—her own baby. When the murder was discovered, suspicion immediately fell on the empress, who had been on the scene moments earlier, and whose jealous nature was known by all. This was precisely Wu’s plan. Shortly thereafter, the empress was charged with murder and executed. Wu Chao was crowned empress in her place. Her new husband, addicted to his life of pleasure, gladly gave up the reins of government to Wu Chao, who was from then on known as Empress Wu.

Although now in a position of great power, Wu hardly felt secure. There were enemies everywhere; she could not let down her guard for one moment. Indeed, when she was forty-one, she began to fear that her beautiful young niece was becoming the emperor’s favorite. She poisoned the woman with a clay mixed into her food. In 675 her own son, touted as the heir apparent, was poisoned as well. The next-eldest son—illegitimate, but now the crown prince—was exiled a little later on trumped-up charges. And when the emperor died, in 683, Wu managed to have the son after that declared unfit for the throne. All this meant that it was her youngest, most ineffectual son who finally became emperor. In this way she continued to rule.

Over the next five years there were innumerable palace coups. All of them failed, and all of the conspirators were executed. By 688 there was no one left to challenge Wu. She proclaimed herself a divine descendant of Buddha, and in 690 her wishes were finally granted: She was named Holy and Divine “Emperor” of China.

Wu became emperor because there was literally nobody left from the previous T’ang dynasty. And so she ruled unchallenged, for over a decade of relative peace. In 705, at the age of eighty, she was forced to abdicate.

Interpretation

All who knew Empress Wu remarked on her energy and intelligence. At the time, there was no glory available for an ambitious woman beyond a few years in the imperial harem, then a lifetime walled up in a convent. In Wu’s gradual but remarkable rise to the top, she was never naive. She knew that any hesitation, any momentary weakness, would spell her end. If, every time she got rid of a rival a new one appeared, the solution was simple: She had to crush them all or be killed herself. Other emperors before her had followed the same path to the top, but Wu—who, as a woman, had next to no chance to gain power—had to be more ruthless still.

Empress Wu’s forty-year reign was one of the longest in Chinese history. Although the story of her bloody rise to power is well known, in China she is considered one of the period’s most able and effective rulers.

A priest asked the dying Spanish statesman and general Ramón Maria Narváez. (1800-1868), “Does your Excellency forgive all your enemies ? ”I do not have to forgive my enemies,” answered Narváez, ”I have had them all shot. ”

KEYS TO POWER

It is no accident that the two stories illustrating this law come from China: Chinese history abounds with examples of enemies who were left alive and returned to haunt the lenient. “Crush the enemy” is a key strategic tenet of Sun-tzu, the fourth-century-B.C. author of The Art of War. The idea is simple: Your enemies wish you ill. There is nothing they want more than to eliminate you. If, in your struggles with them, you stop halfway or even three quarters of the way, out of mercy or hope of reconciliation, you only make them more determined, more embittered, and they will someday take revenge. They may act friendly for the time being, but this is only because you have defeated them. They have no choice but to bide their time.

The solution: Have no mercy. Crush your enemies as totally as they would crush you. Ultimately the only peace and security you can hope for from your enemies is their disappearance.

Mao Tse-tung, a devoted reader of Sun-tzu and of Chinese history generally, knew the importance of this law. In 1934 the Communist leader and some 75,000 poorly equipped soldiers fled into the desolate mountains of western China to escape Chiang Kai-shek’s much larger army, in what has since been called the Long March.

Chiang was determined to eliminate every last Communist, and by a few years later Mao had less than 10,000 soldiers left. By 1937, in fact, when China was invaded by Japan, Chiang calculated that the Communists were no longer a threat. He chose to give up the chase and concentrate on the Japanese. Ten years later the Communists had recovered enough to rout Chiang’s army. Chiang had forgotten the ancient wisdom of crushing the enemy; Mao had not. Chiang was pursued until he and his entire army fled to the island of Taiwan. Nothing remains of his regime in mainland China to this day.

The wisdom behind “crushing the enemy” is as ancient as the Bible: Its first practitioner may have been Moses, who learned it from God Himself, when He parted the Red Sea for the Jews, then let the water flow back over the pursuing Egyptians so that “not so much as one of them remained.” When Moses returned from Mount Sinai with the Ten Commandments and found his people worshipping the Golden Calf, he had every last offender slaughtered. And just before he died, he told his followers, finally about to enter the Promised Land, that when they had defeated the tribes of Canaan they should “utterly destroy them... make no covenant with them, and show no mercy to them.”

The goal of total victory is an axiom of modern warfare, and was codified as such by Carl von Clausewitz, the premier philosopher of war. Analyzing the campaigns of Napoleon, von Clausewitz wrote, “We do claim that direct annihilation of the enemy’s forces must always be the dominant consideration.... Once a major victory is achieved there must be no talk of rest, of breathing space... but only of the pursuit, going for the enemy again, seizing his capital, attacking his reserves and anything else that might give his country aid and comfort.” The reason for this is that after war come negotiation and the division of territory. If you have only won a partial victory, you will inevitably lose in negotiation what you have gained by war.

The solution is simple: Allow your enemies no options. Annihilate them and their territory is yours to carve. The goal of power is to control your enemies completely, to make them obey your will. You cannot afford to go halfway. If they have no options, they will be forced to do your bidding. This law has applications far beyond the battlefield. Negotiation is the insidious viper that will eat away at your victory, so give your enemies nothing to negotiate, no hope, no room to maneuver. They are crushed and that is that.

Realize this: In your struggle for power you will stir up rivalries and create enemies. There will be people you cannot win over, who will remain your enemies no matter what. But whatever wound you inflicted on them, deliberately or not, do not take their hatred personally. Just recognize that there is no possibility of peace between you, especially as long as you stay in power. If you let them stick around, they will seek revenge, as certainly as night follows day. To wait for them to show their cards is just silly; as Empress Wu understood, by then it will be too late.

Be realistic: With an enemy like this around, you will never be secure. Remember the lessons of history, and the wisdom of Moses and Mao: Never go halfway.

It is not, of course, a question of murder, it is a question of banishment. Sufficiently weakened and then exiled from your court forever, your enemies are rendered harmless. They have no hope of recovering, insinuating themselves and hurting you. And if they cannot be banished, at least understand that they are plotting against you, and pay no heed to whatever friendliness they feign. Your only weapon in such a situation is your own wariness. If you cannot banish them immediately, then plot for the best time to act.

Image: A Viper crushed beneath your foot but left alive, will rear up and bite you with a double dose of venom. An enemy that is left around is like a half-dead viper that you nurse back to health. Time makes the venom grow stronger.

Authority: For it must be noted, that men must either be caressed or else annihilated; they will revenge themselves for small injuries, but cannot do so for great ones; the injury therefore that we do to a man must be such that we need not fear his vengeance. (Niccolò Machiavelli, 1469-1527)

REVERSAL

This law should very rarely be ignored, but it does sometimes happen that it is better to let your enemies destroy themselves, if such a thing is possible, than to make them suffer by your hand. In warfare, for example, a good general knows that if he attacks an army when it is cornered, its soldiers will fight much more fiercely. It is sometimes better, then, to leave them an escape route, a way out. As they retreat, they wear themselves out, and are ultimately more demoralized by the retreat than by any defeat he might inflict on the battlefield. When you have someone on the ropes, then—but only when you are sure they have no chance of recovery—you might let them hang themselves. Let them be the agents of their own destruction. The result will be the same, and you won’t feel half as bad.

Finally, sometimes by crushing an enemy, you embitter them so much that they spend years and years plotting revenge. The Treaty of Versailles had such an effect on the Germans. Some would argue that in the long run it would be better to show some leniency. The problem is, your leniency involves another risk—it may embolden the enemy, which still harbors a grudge, but now has some room to operate. It is almost always wiser to crush your enemy. If they plot revenge years later, do not let your guard down, but simply crush them again.

#business #entrepreneur #power #love #hate #philosophy #books #lit #literature

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itsjaybullme · 6 years

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In Memoriam: Shawn Perine (1966-2017)

On Monday morning, the AMI Fitness Group was dealt a devastating blow—our VP and Editorial Director, colleague, and friend Shawn Perine passed away at the age of 51.

Perine was diagnosed with stage IV lung cancer on September 22, and had remained upbeat and positive throughout his battle. Perine never drank, smoked, or used drugs, which made the diagnosis so unexpected. In fact, he spent the last 38 years of his life eating clean, pushing himself in the gym, and inspiring others through his commitment to health and fitness.

For decades—as a fitness enthusiast, writer, editor, and later Editor-in-Chief and Chief Content Director for Muscle & Fitness, Muscle & Fitness Hers, FLEX and Men’s Fitness—Perine became one of the most authoritative voices in our industry.

As a child growing up in Long Island, NY, Perine’s passion for the sport of bodybuilding was fueled by the 1977 documentary Pumping Iron. By the age of 13 he was tearing through every exercise book he could find, and also hitting the gym five days per week in hopes of carving a physique like Arnold Schwarzenegger, who would later become one of Perine’s trusted friends.

“Shawn Perine was not only a fantastic ambassador for the fitness crusade and a wonderful editor of Muscle & Fitness, he was a dear friend and a great man,” Schwarzenegger tweeted. “I’m heartbroken, and the world just lost an amazing force. My thoughts are with his family and friends.”

Although Perine concluded that his body wasn’t suited for the stage, he began to write fervently about bodybuilding, which led to freelance work at FLEX magazine in the ‘90s. Later, his contributions earned him a full-time position as FLEX’s senior writer in California.

In 2011, Perine moved from California back to New York to start his dream job as Editor-in-Chief of Muscle & Fitness. His mission was to “carry the torch lit by Joe Weider” and work hand-in-hand with AMI CEO David Pecker to “spread the gospel of health and fitness to the world.”

“Shawn was unquestionably the finest fitness journalist I have worked with in the 15 years since AMI acquired all the Weider Publications” said Mr. Pecker. “His knowledge of health, training, nutrition, and the sport of bodybuilding was without equal. He was my colleague, my friend, and an inspiration to the anyone who knew him. The industry will miss him. I will miss him."

Outside of the gym, Perine will be remembered for his love of animals, the environment, paleontology, architecture, and, most important, his huge heart. While the fitness community has lost a valuable member, the AMI family has lost a loyal and dear colleague. May our friend rest in peace.

AMI will distribute information about how to make contributions to the American Cancer Society in memory of Shawn Perine in the near future.

"One thought regarding your heart: follow it. Unlike some of your other muscles, it will never lead you astray." —Shawn Perine

Shawn’s passing has elicited a huge response from the fitness community. We’ll continue to update this post as more quotes surface.

“Today I was shocked and saddened to hear the news that our good friend, Shawn Perine, had succumbed to his battle with cancer. I first met Shawn years ago when he was a writer covering bodybuilding contests for FLEX magazine. I was impressed with his knowledge and passion for every facet of the sport. He knew all the athletes dating back to the very beginning and could tell you the results of every Mr. Olympia. That passion grew even more through the years as he rose up to become editor-in-chief, and then chief content director of Muscle & Fitness, FLEX, and Muscle & Fitness Hers. Shawn loved bodybuilding and was dedicated to the fit lifestyle. He will be sorely missed but never forgotten. Our thoughts and prayers are with his family and friends.” —Jim Manion, IFBB Pro League and NPC President

Shawn Perine was not only a fantastic ambassador for the fitness crusade and a wonderful editor of Muscle & Fitness, he was a dear friend and a great man. I’m heartbroken, and the world just lost an amazing force. My thoughts are with his family and friends.

— Arnold (@Schwarzenegger) December 11, 2017

Shawn Perine wasn’t just a great journalist, he was also a health and fitness enthusiast who shared his knowledge with the world! I was extremely fortunate to have been friends with Shawn and be able to share a lot of laughs. We both loved the movie "Enter the Dragon" so much, I would call him call him Roper and he would call me Williams! I will remember Shawn as the true, kind hearted, genuine, authentic man who was always ripped and could easily make you smile. Thanks Shawn for all the great times and I will see you again brother! — Phil Heath, seven-time Mr. Olympia champion

Rest In Peace @shawnperine. He was an incredible man and editor in chief. @FLEX_Magazine #bodybuilding pic.twitter.com/YlCl1BO3EL

— Lou Ferrigno (@LouFerrigno) December 11, 2017

Shawn aka “Shawn 2.0” as I commonly referred to him, was a mellow yet very cerebral kind of guy. We would match wits when it came to the sport of Bodybuilding, and yet had a strong mutual respect for each other’s role in the Iron Game. I love that he was passionate about not only the athletes, but also the respect that he had for the historical side of the sport. He was very knowledgeable and that impressed me most about him. He knew what we as athletes went through to look the way we did and was able to convey a lot of our personalities to the masses from a perspective unique to his own personal experiences on diets and training in the gym with us. Shawn will be sorely missed, but he left everyone he touched better off by simply knowing him. — Shawn Ray, hall of fame bodybuilder

My thoughts and prayers go out to the family and friends of Shawn Perine. Shawn was such a wonderful, thoughtful, humble and charitable person. He was also an immensely talented writer and editor and a great friend to so many. He truly made the world a better place.

— Duke Castiglione (@DukeCastiglione) December 11, 2017

"Shawn Perine was the ultimate ambassador for the magazines that Joe Weider created. He lived and breathed it. Above all else, he was a great friend and a great man. There's no way to replace a guy like Shawn.” — Joe Wuebben, Contributing writer, Muscle & Fitness, FLEX

Shawn Perine was a great man and a great friend. He was a great writer and a fantastic editor. He had a giant heart and fought relentlessly for what was right. He was always there for me. It saddens me to say goodbye to someone who left the world so much better than he found it.

— Joe Manganiello (@JoeManganiello) December 11, 2017

When I think of kind and passionate…I think of Shawn Perine. I’ve known Shawn for over 10 years and have not met anyone more passionate about the sport he worked and lived in. He would always give me real and spot on advice in my career. Life is far too precious and our time on earth too short…Shawn would want us to remember all the good times and cherish the people closest to us. He will always be remembered and dearly missed. — Steve Kuclo, IFBB pro bodybuilder, Weider athlete

This kind man dedicated his life to bodybuilding and fitness. He supported and featured me when all I had was a full head of hair and a set of abs. And still when I had less hair and smoother abs! Good karma and peace to my friend @shawnperine #RIPShawn pic.twitter.com/1Mcfsau3Ah

— Dave Bautista (@DaveBautista) December 11, 2017

“I met Shawn via his website IronAge in 2002, and not long afterwards we were FLEX writers and fast friends, marveling at all we had in common. We got each other’s arcane references, all of them, from bodybuilding to politics to pop culture. He was the best friend I ever had and more a brother to me than my real brother, but it’s the ultimate tribute to him that there are many who feel the same or something similar. Farewell, my brother.” — Greg Merritt, FLEX senior writer

My heart goes out to the family of @shawnperine - who was truly one of the good guys. He wasn't just a wonderfully talented writer and editor for @muscle_fitness, he was humble above all and always put others first. I will never forget his kindness and friendship. #RIPShawnPerine

— Robert Irvine (@RobertIrvine) December 11, 2017

The fitness industry lost a leader, and the world lost one of its finest. I hope Shawn’s life’s work will remind others to live where your feet are. Enjoy every small blessing. And leave a positive impact on every person you meet, the same as Shawn did. He’ll be sorely missed. — Steve Weatherford, former NFL player

Saddened to hear about the passing of a great friend and great human being, Editor in Chief of Muscle & Fitness, Shawn Perine. My thoughts are with his family and friends. pic.twitter.com/BUy6LQVjDh

— Triple H (@TripleH) December 11, 2017

I could write countless words about Shawn Perine, editorial director at Weider Publications, who passed away last night after a 2 1/2 month battle against cancer. Yes I could write countless words ..... but not today. They will come later. What always impressed me about Shawn was his enthusiasm, and a young at heart energy that was infectious and beguiling. Flex writer Greg Merritt alerted me to Shawn's writing ability back in 2002. I arranged to meet him at the 2003 Arnold Classic and what was scheduled as a 15-minute meeting turned into a rip-roaring three-hour conversation in which we learned we were kindred spirits. He has passed at 51 but he always looked and acted much younger. Thus there's a tragic irony that in passing at 51 he will remain in our memories as forever young. We will never look upon him as old or world weary. Goodbye my beautiful Forever Young friend. — Peter McGough, former Editor in Chief of FLEX

“What can I say about Shawn Perine that hasn’t been said already? He loved bodybuilding. It went beyond passion, he lived for it. I met Shawn in the early 2000s when I first started working on Olympia Weekend and he was a writer for FLEX. I still remember this young, muscular guy, pen and pad in hand, interviewing Ronnie Coleman, Jay Cutler, Dexter Jackson, and all the other guys. He was clearly a fan of the sport. There was an easy back-and-forth rapport when he talked to the athletes because they knew that he understood bodybuilding and what it took to be on that stage. And that was the kind of relationship Shawn had with countless people for nearly two decades, from bodybuilders and fitness athletes, to industry personalities, movie and TV stars, and his co-workers at American Media Inc. He “got” people in way that was both familiar and comforting. Shawn was a genuine nice guy, always smiling and ready with a kind word for everybody. But also a hard-worker, the quintessential writer who put his all into every story he penned. And that drive, coupled with his easy-going nature, took him all the way to the top as he became editorial director of Muscle & Fitness, FLEX, and Muscle & Fitness Hers, bringing this world to the next generation. But through it all, he was always that same young, muscular guy, pen and pad in hand, eager to share all things bodybuilding and fitness with the fans, because in his heart that’s what he was too, a fan. Shawn was taken too soon from us, but he will live on through the work he dedicated himself to. We at American Media Inc and Olympia Weekend send our deepest condolences to his family and friends. And we will remember him always.” — Robin Chang, VP – AMI Events, American Media, Inc.

from Bodybuilding Feed https://www.flexonline.com/general-news/memoriam-shawn-perine via http://www.rssmix.com/

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egooksconnolly · 6 years

Text

In memoriam: Shawn Perine (1966-2017)

On Monday morning, the AMI Fitness Group was dealt a devastating blow—our VP and Editorial Director, colleague, and friend Shawn Perine passed away at the age of 51.

AMI will distribute information about how to make contributions to the American Cancer Society in memory of Shawn Perine in the near future.

"One thought regarding your heart: follow it. Unlike some of your other muscles, it will never lead you astray." —Shawn Perine

Shawn’s passing has elicited a huge response from the fitness community. We’ll continue to update this post as more quotes surface.

— Arnold (@Schwarzenegger) December 11, 2017

Rest In Peace @shawnperine. He was an incredible man and editor in chief. @FLEX_Magazine #bodybuilding pic.twitter.com/YlCl1BO3EL

— Lou Ferrigno (@LouFerrigno) December 11, 2017

— Duke Castiglione (@DukeCastiglione) December 11, 2017

— Joe Manganiello (@JoeManganiello) December 11, 2017

— Dave Bautista (@DaveBautista) December 11, 2017

— Robert Irvine (@RobertIrvine) December 11, 2017

Saddened to hear about the passing of a great friend and great human being, Editor in Chief of Muscle & Fitness, Shawn Perine. My thoughts are with his family and friends. pic.twitter.com/BUy6LQVjDh

— Triple H (@TripleH) December 11, 2017

Shawn, you were a true gentleman and a brother with a kindred spirit and an infinite love for our sport. With you, the legacy of Joe Weider lived on and I only wish you could have stayed a bit longer to see the fruit of your labor and as I think, the best is yet to come. I’m forever grateful for the time you spent with me and honored to have called you my friend. Your spirit, passion, and kindness will be forever missed. Goodbye my friend and rest in peace. — Per Bernal, AMI Staff Photographer & Friend

Ive known Shawn-o for many years, most people know we were very close friends as we both worked for FLEX magazine (along with Greg Merrit (Greg-o), and Dan Solomon (Dan-o) and of course, Peter McGough). We traveled together, put together the Flexy awards, and talked for countless hours about bodybuilding...mostly the old days and Golden era. We met up at the Olympia every year for as far back as I can remember for our annual meal, catching up on life and laughing at our stories and gossip from the industry. I just talked with Shawn-o last week. He was feeling ok and very positive of beating this rare form of lung cancer. We were making plans for me to come see him over the holidays. I'm devastated to know my friend is gone, but promise I, along with the O's, will carry on in his honor all feeling appreciative we had the time with him we did. Love you Shawnooooo! — Bob Cicherillo, IFBB Pro League Bodybuilder, IFBB Pro League Rep, & The Voice of Bodybuilding

The news of Shawn Perine's passing is tough to swallow. For as long as I can remember, Shawn has been such a meaningful part of my life. He was warm, in a gentle, clever, wise sort of way. One of the most gifted writers I've ever known. I can hear his voice. He called me "Dan-o" and to our closest friends, he was "Shawn-o". It was silly, but it never got old. While we grieve, I'm comforted knowing that he made it all the way to the top of his field. He started as a writer (discovered by Greg Merritt) eventually reaching the pinnacle when he was named Editor-in-Chief, the same position once held by his two mentors, Joe Weider and Peter McGough. More importantly, he commanded the respect of all who knew him. Arnold adored him. Just like the rest of us did. His cancer diagnosis shocked all of us. He was always the fittest guy in the room, a physical specimen. Sadly, this is the latest reminder how fragile all of this is. Shawn's favorite place was the gym, but make no mistake about it, his biggest muscle was his heart. I can't believe he's gone. I'm gonna miss him. — Dan Solomon, Publisher/Producer

Shawn Perine was truly one of the kindest guys I have ever met. He loved bodybuilding, loved bodybuilders…I don’t think he can ever ever be replaced. — Steve Weinberger, NPC District Chairman for New York, New England, & New Jersey

Yesterday we said goodbye to a very good friend who lost his battle to cancer. @shawnperine was one of the kindest and most considerate human beings I have known. He was someone that made anyone around him a better person. It was important to Shawn that we all did better as people. That we were kinder and more thoughtful. This world has lost a great person, but his legacy will carry on in life and in fitness. In memory of Shawn, let’s all lead by example and try to do one single thing every day to make this world a better place. See you one day in the Gym of the top floor bud. Until then we are all going to miss you terribly. — Don Saladino

Article source here:Men’s Fitness

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rodrigohyde · 6 years

Text

In memoriam: Shawn Perine (1966-2017)

On Monday morning, the AMI Fitness Group was dealt a devastating blow—our VP and Editorial Director, colleague, and friend Shawn Perine passed away at the age of 51.

AMI will distribute information about how to make contributions to the American Cancer Society in memory of Shawn Perine in the near future.

"One thought regarding your heart: follow it. Unlike some of your other muscles, it will never lead you astray." —Shawn Perine

Shawn’s passing has elicited a huge response from the fitness community. We’ll continue to update this post as more quotes surface.

— Arnold (@Schwarzenegger) December 11, 2017

Rest In Peace @shawnperine. He was an incredible man and editor in chief. @FLEX_Magazine #bodybuilding pic.twitter.com/YlCl1BO3EL

— Lou Ferrigno (@LouFerrigno) December 11, 2017

— Duke Castiglione (@DukeCastiglione) December 11, 2017

— Joe Manganiello (@JoeManganiello) December 11, 2017

— Dave Bautista (@DaveBautista) December 11, 2017

— Robert Irvine (@RobertIrvine) December 11, 2017

Saddened to hear about the passing of a great friend and great human being, Editor in Chief of Muscle & Fitness, Shawn Perine. My thoughts are with his family and friends. pic.twitter.com/BUy6LQVjDh

— Triple H (@TripleH) December 11, 2017

from Men's Fitness https://www.mensfitness.com/training/memoriam-shawn-perine-1966-2017

#Men's Fitness

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