My Chinese name is Yi-ming, which means something like "A call that shakes the world". It comes from the story of King Zhuang of the Chu kingdom.
When King Zhuang ascended onto the throne, power was held by a few of his ministers. For his first 3 years as king, he indulged himself in drinks & women all day. He also gave the order that whoever dared to advice him otherwise will be beheaded. 2 of his ministers risked their heads to see him. One of them told him a story intended to poke fun at him, "There is a magnificant bird on the top of the mountains. Unfortunately, that bird is completely useless. For 3 years, it never flew or called. Do you think this bird is sick, Sire?"
The king understood and he revealed his true intentions, "For 3 years it never flew. This is so that its wings can be strong. On it's first flight, it will hit through the sky. For 3 years, it never called. This is so that it can observe, learn, and look for the right opportunity. When it calls, the call will shake the world."
A few months later, when the king judged that the opportunity was right, he seized power and promoted the 2 guys who dared to advice him to senior ministers. Immediately, he started a series of reforms. During his lifetime, the Chu kingdom attained "superpower" status among the warring states.
That's what my name is supposed to mean. A person who seems ordinary, but hides enormous potentials. When he acts, his achievements will shake the world. Looks like I'm going to have to disappoint my name....
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