如火如荼

春秋時代末期，吳國國王夫差連續征服了越國、魯國和齊國，雄心勃勃，又繼續向西北進軍，打算一鼓作氣征服晉國。可正在這個時候，越王勾踐抄了吳王的后路。他帶領軍隊一直打到吳國的國都姑蘇，又派人馬占據淮河，把吳王的退路切斷了。

這消息給吳王夫差當頭潑了一盆冷水，他非常震驚，立即召集文臣武將商量對策。大家說，現在退回去等于兩關打了敗仗，還會兩頭挨打；如果能打敗晉國，就等于在諸候國中當定了霸主，再回去收拾越王勾踐也不算晚。大主意已經拿定，當務之急是盡快征服晉國。考慮再三，決定出奇制勝。

一天傍晚，吳王下達了命令。全軍將士吃得飽飽的，馬也喂足了草料。從全軍中挑出三萬精兵強將。每一萬人擺成一個方陣，共擺三個方陣。每個方陣橫豎都是一百人。每一行排頭的都是軍官司。每十行，也就是一千人，由一個大夫負責。每項一個方陣由一名將軍率領。中間的方陣白盔白甲，白衣服，白旗幟，白弓箭，由吳王自己掌握，稱為中軍；左邊的方陣，紅盔紅甲、紅衣服、紅簡直就像深不可測；右邊的方陣則一水兒黑色。半夜出發，黎明時分到達離晉軍僅有一里路的地方。天色剛剛顯出亮色，吳軍鼓聲大作，歡呼之聲震天動工地。

晉軍從夢中醒來，一看吳軍那三個方陣和聲威氣勢，簡直都驚呆了：那白色方陣,像開滿白花的茅草地；那紅色方陣,像熊熊燃燒的火焰。而那黑色的方陣，簡直就像深不可測的大海。

后來，“如火如荼”就用來形容某事件的發展的勢頭非常旺。

Like Fire and Flowering Rush

In the late stage of the Spring and Autumn Period (春秋 chūn qiū,770 - 221BC), Fu Chai (fū chāi 夫差),ruler of the State of Wu (wú guó 吳國),defeated the states of Yue (yùe guó 越國),Lu (lú guó 魯國) and Chi (qí guó 齊國) consecutively. After the previous overwhelming victories,the ambitious king looked forward to another success-- putting the State of Jin (jìn guó 晉國) into his own pocket. But the timing turned out to be not good,it was when Fu Chai led his self-claimed invincible army to State of Jin,Gou Jian (gōu jiàn 勾踐),king of the State of Yue,attacked him by surprise in the rear. Gou Jian's army fiercely fought their way to Gu Su (gū sū 姑蘇),capital of the State of Wu. What’s more,Gou Jin took whole control of the Huai River (huái hé 淮河) as soon as he arriving Gu Su,thus cutting off Fu Chai's retreat road.

The bad news really took Fu Chai aback since the move taken by Gou Jian was never expected. So Fu Chai immediately called on his brain tank,altogether,to figure out a way to deal with this urgent situation. Once they decided to withdraw from Jin ,they would be assaulted by both the Jin army and the Yue army,putting themselves in a very passive situation. But,if they chose another way around-- defeating the State of Jin firstly,then Fu Chai would become the most powerful leader among all the leaders,at that time,it would be a pice of case for Fu Chai to do with Gou Jian. After a hot debate and comprehensive consideration,Fu Chai made his minds to launch a sudden attack to the State of Jin as quickly as possible.

One day,before the nightfall was coming,Fu Chai issued his instruction. The officers and men of the whole army ate their fill,and the steeds were well fed with fodder. 30,000 officers and men were chosen from the whole army to form three phalanxes,with 10,000officers and men respectively. The solders in the middle phalanx wore white suits of armour,and carried white flags and white bows and arrows,and they were led by king of the State of Wu Fu Chai himself. The other two phalanxes were led by senior generals. The soldiers in the left phalanx wore red suits of armour,and carried red flags and red bows and arrows.

Awakening from their dreams,the solders of the Jin army were totally shocked by the magnificent scenery outside. The white phalanx was like a field covered with flowering rush,the red phalanx was like a burning fire,and the black phalanx was simply like a bottomless sea.Being badly terrified by the large scale army,they surrender to Fu Chai without fighting,just as he munipulated.

Since then,people use the phrase "like fire and flowering rush"to refer to significanlty tremendous momentum of certain event.

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