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（苏州）,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,“望之如荼”——像开满白花的茅草地；那红色方阵,“望之如火”——如像熊熊燃烧的火焰；而那黑色的方阵,简直就象深不可测的大海.

　　故事出自《国语·吴语》.成语“如火如荼”,形容某种人群或事物阵容之大,气势之盛.

　　LikeFireandFloweringRush

　　Intheyearsaround480B.C.,ChinawasinthelastphaseoftheSpringandAutumnPeriod.FuChai,KingoftheStateofWu,conqueredthestatesofYue,LuandChioneafteranother.ThenFuChai,overweeninglyambitious,ledhisarmymarchingintotheNorthwestinanattempttoconquertheStateofJininonevigorouseffort.

　　Butjustatthattime,GouJian,kingoftheStateofYue,outflankedFuChaiandattackedhimintherear.GouJian'sarmyfoughtonebattleafteranotherandarrivedinGuSu,capitaloftheStateofWu,atlast,andtookawaythebigboatsoftheStateofWu.GouJinalsosenthistroopstooccupytheHuaiRiverimmediately,thuscuttingoffFuChai'sretreat

　　TheshockingnewsreachedFuChai,kingoftheStateofWu,likeahead-onblowtohim.Sohecalledhiscivilianofficialsandmilitarygeneralsatoncetofindawaytodealwiththisserioussituation.Hiscivilianofficialsandmilitarytheirtroopsnowwouldmeandefeat,andthattheywouldbeattackedbyboththetroopsoftheJinarmyandthetroopsoftheYuearmy.But,iftheycoulddefeattheStateofJin,FuChaiwouldbecomeapowerfulchiefoftheprincesatthattime,anditwouldnotbetoolateforFuChaitosettlewithGouJianafterthat.

　　Havingmadethisdecision,theyknewthatapressingmatterofthemomentwastoconquerthStateofJinasquicklyaspossible.Afterconsideringoverandoveragain,theydecidedtotrytodefeattheJinarmybyasurprisemove.

　　Onedaytowardsevening,thekingoftheStateofWugavehisorders.Theofficersandmenofthewholearmyatetheirfill,andthesteedswerewellfedwithfodder.30,000officersandmenwerechosenfromthewholearmytofromthreephalanxes,with10,000officersandmeneach.Thesoldersinthemiddlephalanxworewhitesuitsofarmour,andcarriedwhiteflagsandwhitebowsandarrows,andtheywereledbykingoftheStateofWuFuChaihimself.Theothertwophalanxeswereledbyseniorgenerals.Thesoldiersintheleftphalanxworeredsuitsofarmour,andcarriedredflagsandredbowsandarrows.Theindealingwiththecase,becausetheempresswouldcertainlyblamehimandpunishhim.Howcouldhesolvetheproblemthen?Heturnedtheproblemoverandoverinhismind,andfinallythoughtouta"brilliantscheme".

　　LaiJunchenhadasumptuousfeastprepared,andinvitedZhouXingtohishome.Thetwoofthemurgedeachothertodrink,andtheytalkedwhiledrinking.Afterthewinehadgoneroundthreetimes,Ioftencomeacrossprisonerswhostubbournlyrefusetoadmittheyareguilty.Iwonderifyouhaveanyeffectivemeasures."Hearingthis,ZhouXingsaid,"Getabigvat,scorchithotwithcha