History often portrays BTM as a representative of incompetence and foolishness, but this stereotype is worth re-examining. As one of the longest-reigning monarchs during the Three Kingdoms period, BTM's ruling style may contain deeper wisdom.

Traditional views hold that BTM's incompetence led to Zhuge Liang's failure in the Northern Expeditions and the downfall of Shu Han. However, upon closer examination of history, we find that BTM's 41-year reign was not entirely without merit. His strategy of 'governing by doing nothing' maintained stability in Shu Han to some extent.

After Zhuge Liang's death, BTM did not forcibly intervene in the court affairs but instead relied on virtuous officials like Jiang Wan and Fei Yi to govern the country. This seemingly 'inaction' attitude actually reflects the wisdom of Daoism's 'wu wei'. By moderately decentralizing power, BTM successfully maintained the relative stability of the Shu Han for nearly 30 years, which can be seen as a manifestation of political wisdom.

Faced with the strong advantage of Cao Wei, A Dou ultimately chose to surrender. Although this decision has been criticized by later generations, from another perspective, it avoided unnecessary sacrifices. This survival philosophy of going with the flow coincides with the Daoist thought of 'the weak are the ones who thrive.' In the face of irresistible forces, understanding compromise is not necessarily weakness; rather, it may be a respect for life.

'The idiom '乐不思蜀' originates from BTM, but it perhaps should not be simply understood as a betrayal of one's homeland, but rather as a strategy for survival in a new environment. BTM's life may well illustrate a unique survival wisdom: how to protect oneself while doing everything possible to uphold the interests of the people during turbulent times.

The judgment of history often tends to praise heroes while neglecting the ordinary people struggling to survive in the cracks. The story of BTM reminds us that the truth of history may be more complex than we imagine. By re-examining BTM, we may gain some new insights into survival and governance.