When told peasants were starving, Emperor Hui of Jin famously asked, 'Why do they not eat meat porridge?'
Laszlo Montgomery explores the Chinese saying 'He Bu Shi Rou Mi' (Why not eat meat porridge?), tracing its origins to Emperor Hui of Jin's oblivious response to famine during the War of the Eight Princes. He connects this historical anecdote to patterns of elite detachment in leadership throughout history.
