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상나라에 삼대 성현-미자微子, 비간比干, 기자箕子-이 있었다. 그중 주왕의 숙부 비간이 주왕을 찾자와 “이제 그만 좀 정신차리시라”고 젊쟎케 권했다. 하지만 이미 이성을 상실한 주왕이었다. 숙부에게 조차 용상을 집어 던지며 화를 냈다.
“오호라, 숙부가 삼대 성인이랬지. 예부터 성인의 심장에 일곱 구멍이 있다는데 내 눈으로 확인해 봐야겠소. 여봐라. 당장 숙부의 심장을 꺼내 봐라.”
그 자리에서 병사들이 비간의 심장을 도려냈다. 왕에게 바른 말만 했다 하면 숙부라도 이런 해악을 당하는데 누가 나설 수 있겠는가? 그때 한 제후가 새 희망으로 떠오른다. 주왕이 서백西伯(서방 제후의 장)으로 책봉한 희창姬昌이었다. 원래 주족周族의 장이었는데 서백이 된 뒤 오랑캐를 잘 막아냈고 백성들을 예의로 대해 인심을 얻고 있었다. 그가 감히 주왕에게 사람을 보내 간청하였다.
“태풍이 불어 거목이 넘어지면 가지와 잎보다 뿌리가 먼저 끊어집니다. 하나라 걸왕을 교훈으로 여기시옵소서.”
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“이놈은 마치 큰 일이 나서 내가 끊어지기를 바라는 것 같구나.”
주왕이 벌컥 화를 내며 당장 희창을 잡아들이도록 했다. 그렇지 않아도 세상 사람들이 주왕과 희창을 악마와 성인으로 비교한다는 소리를 듣고 질투로 부글부글 끓던 참이었다. 곧 바로 희창이 끌려와 감금되었다. 희창의 부하들이 미녀와 명마, 보석을 모아 주왕과 그 측근들에게 바치며 희창의 석방을 위해 노력했지만 주왕은 희창을 풀어 주지 않았다.
<*The following is [the full text] of the English article translated by 'Google Translate'. 'Google Translate' is working hard to improve understanding. It is assumed that there may be errors in the English translation.>
[Novel The Art of War 24]
When a typhoon blows and a giant falls, the roots are uprooted before the branches and leaves.
There were three great sages in the Shang Dynasty - Mi Zi, Bigan, and Gi Zi. Among them, Bigan, the uncle of King Zhou, advised King Zhou to "come to your senses now." However, King Zhou had already lost his senses. He threw a dragon statue at his uncle and got angry.
“Oh, my uncle is said to be one of the three great sages. It has been said since ancient times that a sage's heart has seven holes. I must confirm it with my own eyes. Look. Take out my uncle's heart right now.”
The soldiers cut out Bigan's heart on the spot. He only spoke the truth to the king. Who could stand up when his uncle was also treated like this?
At that time, a vassal emerged as a new hope.
He was Ji Chang, whom the King of Zhou had appointed as the Lord of the West. He was originally the leader of the Zhou tribe, but after becoming the Lord of the West, he successfully defended against barbarians and treated the people with courtesy, winning the hearts of the people. He dared to send a man to the King of Zhou to make a request.
“When a typhoon blows and a large tree falls, the roots break before the branches and leaves. Please take King Jie of Xia as a lesson.”
“This guy seems to want me to be cut down when something big happens.”
The King of Zhou suddenly became angry and ordered Ji Chang to be arrested immediately. He had already been seething with jealousy after hearing that people in the world compared the King of Zhou and Ji Chang to the devil and the saint.
Ji Chang was taken away and imprisoned. Ji Chang’s subordinates gathered beautiful women, famous horses, and jewels and offered them to the King of Zhou and his entourage in an effort to free Ji Chang, but the King of Zhou would not release Ji Chang.
