RTK - Zhuge Liang Part 5: The First Visit

When they drew near the Sleeping Dragon Ridge, they saw a number of peasants in a field hoeing up the weeds, and as they worked they sang:

"The earth is a checkered board,
And the sky hangs over all,
Under it humans are contending,
Some rise, but a many fall.
For those who succeed this is well,
But for those who go under rough.
There's a dozing dragon hard by,
But his sleep is not deep enough."

Liu Bei and his brothers stopped to listen to the song and, calling up one of the peasants, asked who made it.

"It was made by Master Sleeping Dragon," said the laborer.

"Then he lives hereabout. Where?"

"South of this hill there is a ridge called the Sleeping Dragon, and close by is a sparse wood. In it stands a modest cottage. That is where Master Zhuge Liang takes his repose."

Liu Bei thanked him and the party rode on. Soon they came to the ridge, most aptly named, for indeed it lay wrapped in an atmosphere of calm beauty.

A poet wrote of it thus:

Not far from Xiangyang
There stands, clear cut against the sky,
A lofty ridge, and at its foot
A gentle stream goes gliding by.
The contour, curving up and down,
Although by resting cloud it's marred,
Arrests the eye; and here and there
The flank by waterfalls is scarred.
There, like a sleeping dragon coiled,
Or phoenix hid among thick pines,
You see, secure from prying eyes,
A cot, reed-built on rustic lines.
The rough-joined doors, pushed by the wind,
Swing idly open and disclose
The greatest genius of the world
Enjoying still his calm repose.
The air is full of woodland scents,
Around are hedgerows trim and green,
Close-growing intercrossed bamboos
Replace the painted doorway screen.
But look within and books you see
By every couch, near every chair;
And you may guess that common persons
Are very seldom welcomed there.
The hut seems far from human ken,
So far one might expect to find
Wild forest denizens there, trained
To serve in place of humankind.
Without a hoary crane might stand
As warden of the outer gate;
Within a long-armed gibbon come
To offer fruit upon a plate.
But enter; there refinement reigns;
Brocaded silk the lutes protect,
And burnished weapons on the walls
The green of pines outside reflect.
For he who dwells within that hut
Is talented beyond compare,
Although he lives the simple life
And harvest seems his only care.
He waits until the thunderous call
Shall bid him wake, nor sleep again;
Then will he forth and at his word
Peace over all the land shall reign.

Liu Bei soon arrived at the door of the retreat, dismounted, and knocked at the rough door of the cottage. A youth appeared and asked what he wanted.

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RTK - Zhuge Liang Part 4: The story right before the three visits...

As has been said, Liu Bei prepared gifts to offer to Zhuge Liang on his visit. One day his servants announced a stranger of extraordinary appearance, wearing a lofty headdress and a wide belt.

"Surely this is he," said Liu Bei, and, hastily arranging his dress, he went to welcome the visitor.

But the first glance showed him that it was the recluse of the mountains, Sima Hui. However, Liu Bei was glad to see him and led him into the inner apartment as he would an old friend.

There Liu Bei conducted him to the seat of honor and made his obeisance, saying, "Since leaving you that day in the mountains, I have been overwhelmed with military preparations and so have failed to visit you as courtesy demanded. Now that the brightness has descended upon me, I hope this dereliction of duty may be pardoned."

"I hear Xu Shu is here. I have come expressly to see him," replied Water Mirror bluntly.

"He has lately left for Xuchang. A messenger came with a letter telling of the imprisonment of his mother."

"Then he has just fallen into Cao Cao's trap, for that letter was a forgery. I have known his mother to be a very noble woman. Even if she were imprisoned by Cao Cao, she would not summon her son like that. Certainly the letter was a forgery. If the son did not go, the mother would be safe; if he went, she would be a dead woman."

"But how?" asked Liu Bei dismayed.

"She is a woman of the highest principles, who would be greatly mortified at the sight of her son under such conditions."

Liu Bei said, "Just as your friend was leaving, he mentioned the name of a certain Zhuge Liang. What think you of him?"

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RTK - Zhuge Liang Part 3: Zhuge Liang - Victim or Hero?

Now Liu Bei understood the speech of the hermit Water Mirror, and he woke as one from a drunken sleep. At the head of his officers, he retook the road to the city and having prepared rich gifts set out, with his brothers, for Nanyang.

Under the influence of his emotions at parting, Xu Shu had mentioned the name and betrayed the retreat of his friend. Now he thought of the possibility that Zhuge Liang would be unwilling to play the part of helper in Liu Bei's scheme, so Xu Shu determined to go to visit him. He therefore took his way to Sleeping Dragon Ridge and dismounted at the cottage.

Asked why he had come, Xu Shu replied, "I wished to serve Liu Bei of Yuzhou, but my mother has been imprisoned by Cao Cao, and has sent to call me. Therefore I have had to leave him. At the moment of parting I commended you to him. You may expect him speedily and I hope, Sir, you will not refuse your aid but will consent to use your great talents to help him."

Zhuge Liang showed annoyance and said, "And so you have made me a victim of the world's sacrifice."

So saying, Zhuge Liang shook out his sleeves and left the room. The guest shamefacedly retired, mounted his horse, and hastened on his way to the capital to see his mother.

To help the lord he loved right well,
He summoned the aid of another
When he took the distant homeward way
At the call of a loving mother.

Stay tuned for the next part...the three visits...

Source: http://threekingdoms.com

RTK - Zhuge Liang Part 2: Xu Shu enlightens Liu Bei

Liu Bei: "Can I trouble you to ask him to visit me?"

Xu Shu: "He will not condescend to visit you. You must go to him. But if he consents, you will be as fortunate as the Zhou when they got the aid of Lu Wang, or the Han when Zhang Liang came to help."

Liu Bei: "How does the unknown compare with yourself?"

Xu Shu: "With me? Compared with him I am as a worn-out carthorse to a palomino, an old duck to a phoenix. This man often compares himself with the ancient sages Guan Zhong and Yue Yi but, in my opinion, he is far their superior. He has the talent to measure the heavens and mete the earth. He is a man who overshadows every other in the world."

Liu Bei: "I would know his name."

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RTK - Zhuge Liang Part 1

I will be extracting stories that relate to Zhuge Liang, part by part, in sequence, from the Romance of the Three Kingdoms.

Please let me begin with the first sentence that changes history and the seed that eventually causes us all to be gathered here...


Checking his horse, Xu Shu said, "In the turmoil of my feelings, I forgot to say one word. There is a person of wonderful skill living about seven miles from the city of Xiangyang. Why not seek him?"


Source: http://threekingdoms.com

Chinese Folklore: Zhuge Liang's Cultivation Practice

Author: Fu Zheng
[PureInsight.org] Zhuge Liang was the military strategist for the Han state in the Three Kingdoms period (220-280 A.D.). He was the most famous and ingenious military strategist in Chinese history. He was often pictured wearing a robe and holding a fan made of crane feathers.

When Zhuge Liang was 9 years old, he still was unable to speak. His family was poor. His father asked him to herd the sheep at a nearby hill of a mountain. Up on the mountain there was a Taoist temple where an elderly Taoist with a full head of gray hair resided. The Taoist took a leisurely stroll outside the Taoist temple every day. When he ran into Zhuge Liang, he would try to tease the boy with hand signs. Zhuge Liang also enjoyed "talking" back to the Taoist with hand signs. The Taoist grew very fond of the smart and adorable Zhuge Liang. He started to treat the boy's muteness problem. Before long, Zhuge Liang was able to speak!

Zhuge Liang was delighted when he finally was able to speak. He went up to the Taoist temple...

Continue in the source website here...