It is said that when Duke Zhao of Chu state was crossing the river, he saw a big red thing touching his boat, making him feel strange. So he sent someone to consult Confucius for it. Confucius replied, "This is the fruit of a kind of lotus, which is auspicious and eatable. Only those who have achieved hegemony can have it." A disciple asked Confucius, "How do you know that?" Confucius said, "I once heard a nursery rhyme in Chen state, which reads ‘the Duke of Chu get the fruit when crossing the river, which is big and red, and tastes sweet'. That's how I know it. And it seems that it was fulfilled on the Duke."