During the Western Jin Dynasty, two young men named Zu Ti and Liu Kun served as chief clerks in Luoyang. Both were chivalrous, optimistic individuals of high ideals. They were not only skilled writers but also practiced martial arts diligently, aspiring to serve their country meritoriously.
Although the Jin Dynasty nominally controlled the Central Plains, it was internally weak and threatened by foreign invasions. Zu Ti and Liu Kun often discussed the state of the nation late into the night, their conversations filled with passion.
One night, after such a discussion, Liu Kun fell asleep. Zu Ti, too excited to sleep, heard a rooster crowing in the wasteland. He jumped up, woke Liu Kun, and said, "Listen! The rooster's crow is so inspiring. Let's get up and practice on the slope." From that day on, they practiced swordplay vigorously every morning at the first crow of the rooster.
Deeply moved by Zu Ti's patriotic zeal, Liu Kun was determined to devote himself to his homeland. In a letter to his family, he wrote: "At this time of dire peril for our country, I am resolved to dedicate myself to its service. I often fear lagging behind Zu Ti in serving the nation, and indeed, I am behind him..."
The phrase "sleeping with my head pillowed on a spear, waiting for the day to break" vividly captured Liu Kun's resolve to serve his country and fight the enemy at any moment. Later, this set phrase came to mean maintaining sharp vigilance and being ready to fight at all times.