Wang Gangzhong was a prominent official during the Southern Song Dynasty, when Jin forces frequently raided the border. The imperial court was split into peace and war factions, and Wang was a staunch advocate for war.
During his tenure as an imperial advisor overseeing the Sichuan region, Wang Gangzhong faced a relentless flood of urgent military documents. With calm composure, he sorted each by priority and handled them one by one with precision, never once losing his stride.
Wang Gangzhong treated his subordinates with exceptional kindness and generosity, never deliberately putting on airs to make them feel unapproachable. He balanced authority with benevolence, yet never took credit for his achievements or acted arrogantly. As a result, his men both respected and adored him, holding him in awe while also feeling genuine affection.
Once, when the Jin army invaded Dasan Pass with overwhelming force, everyone panicked. But he, riding alone, covered two hundred li in a single night and burst into General Wu Lin's camp, finding Wu Lin asleep in his tent. He woke Wu Lin and scolded him, "The enemy is at our doorstep, and you still sleep soundly? Get up!"
He then immediately dispatched a messenger to another commander, Zhang Zhengyan, ordering him to coordinate with Wu Lin and launch a pincer attack on the Jin forces, ultimately crushing the enemy in a decisive defeat.
When his subordinates discussed how to report their achievements to the court, he said, "This victory is entirely due to the efforts of the officers and soldiers. What credit do I deserve?" The generals were deeply moved and remarked, "He personally led the battle, won the victory, yet takes no credit for himself. He is truly far better than others."
Wang Gangzhong later rose to become Minister of Rites and an academician of the Duangming Hall, making his own contributions to stabilizing the precarious Southern Song court.
Later, the idiom "pouring in one after another" came to describe matters continuously and disorderly flooding one's way, awaiting attention.
Source: *History of Song*, "Biography of Wang Gangzhong"
Meaning of the Idiom: Later, the Chinese idiom "纷至沓来" came to describe matters continuously and disorderly flooding one's way, awaiting attention.