In the final years of the Xia Dynasty, the tyrant King Jie indulged in debauchery and cruelty. To enjoy himself with his two favorite concubines, Wan and Yan, he conscripted countless slaves and laborers to build a lavish jade terrace. Under the scorching sun, starving and exhausted, many of them collapsed and died by the roadside.
The imperial advisor Guan Longfeng was a man of unwavering integrity. Seeing King Jie of Xia indulging in pleasure while treating his people's lives like worthless weeds, he repeatedly admonished the king. King Jie, however, not only refused to listen but cruelly executed him.
During the Xia Dynasty, there was a small vassal state called Shang to its east. Its ruler, Tang, was a wise and virtuous monarch. Seeing the tyrant Jie of Xia cruelly oppressing the people, Tang resolved to overthrow the Xia regime. He secretly allied with other lords, sharpened his weapons and fed his horses, building up his strength, waiting for the right moment to launch a decisive uprising.
To strengthen his governance, King Tang of Shang sent envoys far and wide in search of worthy talent. After two failed attempts with lavish gifts, the sage Yiyin still refused. On the third visit, King Tang went himself, earnestly declaring his sincerity. Deeply moved, Yiyin replied, "Your persistence shows true virtue—I will help you overthrow the Xia dynasty." And so, the partnership that changed history began.
Under Yi Yin's powerful assistance, the Shang state's strength became unprecedentedly formidable, and the time to destroy the Xia was ripe. Before launching the campaign, Shang Tang issued a declaration to the entire army, in which he said:
"The Xia tyrant Jie is guilty of countless crimes; the Heavenly Emperor has decided to destroy him. He has commanded me to summon the great sage Yi Yin, so that we may unite our efforts and govern the realm. You must fight bravely and help me fulfill Heaven's will!"
The battle began, with Shang forces charging like tigers down a mountain, while Xia troops, utterly demoralized, retreated step by step. Seeing the tide turn against him, Jie of Xia fled in panic. The Shang army pursued relentlessly, capturing Jie. Tang of Shang ordered Jie exiled to Nanchao (near present-day Chaohu, Anhui Province). Three years later, Jie died at Tingshan in Nanchao.
With the ruler and minister united in purpose and effort, Shang Tang finally completed the great task of overthrowing the Xia dynasty under the guidance of Yi Yin. After Shang Tang's death, Yi Yin devoted himself wholeheartedly to assisting the subsequent rulers Wai Bing, Zhong Ren, and Tai Jia, thereby consolidating the Shang dynasty's rule.
Later, people used the idiom "Luli Tongxin" to mean working together with one heart.
Source: *Mozi*, Chapter "Honoring the Worthy" In the Warring States period, the philosopher Mozi argued that a ruler's greatest duty was to promote the worthy and dismiss the unworthy, regardless of their background. He illustrated this with a story: "Suppose a ruler has a fine horse that can cover a thousand li in a day. Even if it is a broken-down nag, he will still value it for its speed. But when it comes to selecting officials, he only looks at noble birth, ignoring their actual ability. Is this not like preferring a lame horse over a swift one?" Mozi pressed, "If a farmer can plow a hundred acres, you would hire him. If a weaver can produce fine silk, you would employ her. Why, then, when seeking a minister to govern the state, do you insist on noble lineage alone? A worthy man, even born in a thatched hut, can bring order to the realm." The lesson was clear: true talent, like a thousand-li horse, should be judged by its stride, not its pedigree.
Meaning of the Idiom: Later, the Chinese idiom "戮力同心" came to describe working together with one heart.