So as never to forget his humiliation, Goujian tasted bitter gall every day.
Tips
culture
His story gave the idiom 卧薪尝胆, 'to sleep on brushwood and taste gall'. A bronze sword inscribed with his name was dug up in Hubei in 1965 and its edge is still sharp.
usage
He is usually named with his title, 越王勾践, King Goujian of Yue. His rival was 夫差 of Wu, and his chief ministers were 范蠡 and 文种.
