Nothing discouraged by two unsuccessful visits to the retreat of the sage whose advice he sought to secure, Liu Bei made preparations for a third visit.
His brothers disapproved, and Guan Yu said, "Brother, you have sought him twice. Surely this is showing even too much deference. I do not believe in this fame of his for learning. He is avoiding you and dare not submit to the test. Why so obstinately hold this idea?"
"You are wrong, my brother. In the Spring and Autumn Period Prince Huan of Qi paid five visits to the Eastern Suburb before he got to see Guan Zhong. And my desire to see Zhuge Liang is even greater than his."
"I think you are mistaken," said Zhang Fei. "How can this villager be such a marvel of wisdom? You should not go again and, if he will not come, I will bring him with a hempen rope."
"Have you forgotten the great King Wen's visit to Lu Wang, the old man of the River Wei? If King Wen could show such deference to a wise man, where am I too deferential? If you will not go, your brother and I will go without you," said Liu Bei.
"If you two go, how can I hang back?" said Zhang Fei.
"If you go, then you must be polite."
Zhang Fei said he would not forget himself, and the three set out. When they were a quarter of mile from the little cottage, Liu Bei dismounted, deciding to show his respect by approaching the house on foot. Very soon he met Zhuge Jun, whom he saluted with great deference, inquiring whether his brother was at home.
"He returned last evening. You can see him today, General."
As Zhuge Jun said this, he went off with some swagger.
"Fortune favors me this time," said Liu Bei. "I am going to see the Master."
"That was a rude fellow," said Zhang Fei. "It would not have hurt him to have conducted us to the house. Why did he go off like that?"
"Each one has his own affairs," said Liu Bei. "What power have we over him?"
Soon the three stood at the door, and they knocked. The serving lad came out and asked their business.
Liu Bei said very deferentially, "I would trouble the servant of the genius, gentle page, to inform the Master that Liu Bei wishes to pay his respects to him."
"My master is at home, but he is asleep."
"In that case do not announce me."
Liu Bei bade his two brothers wait at the door quietly, and he himself entered with careful steps. There was the man he sought, lying asleep on the couch, stretched on a simple mat. Liu Bei saluted him with joined hands at a respectful distance.
The time passed and still the sleeper did not wake. The two brothers left without, beginning to feel impatient, also came in, and Zhang Fei was annoyed at seeing his revered elder brother respectfully standing by while another slept.
"What an arrogant fellow is this Master?" said he. "There is our brother waiting, while he sleeps on perfectly carelessly. I will go to the back of the place and let off a bomb and see if that will rouse him."
"No, no! You must do nothing of the kind," whispered Guan Yu, and then Liu Bei told them to go out again.
Just then Liu Bei noticed that the Master moved. He turned over as though about to rise, but, instead, he faced the wall and again fell asleep. The serving lad made as if he would rouse his master, but Liu Bei forbade him to be disturbed, and Liu Bei waited yet another weary hour. Then Zhuge Liang woke up repeating to himself the lines:
"Can any know what fate is his?
Yet have I felt throughout my life,
The day would come at last to quit
The calm retreat for toil and strife."
As he finished, he turned to the lad, saying, "Have any of the usual people come?"
"Liu Bei, the Uncle of the Emperor is here," said the boy. "He has been waiting a long time."
"Why did you not tell me?" said he, rising from the couch. "I must dress."
Saturday, 9 January 2010
Tuesday, 5 January 2010
RTK - Zhuge Liang Part 6: The Second Visit
Again Zhang Fei showed his irritation by remarking, "Why must you go hunting after this villager? Send and tell him to come."
"Silence!" said Liu Bei, "The Teacher Mencius said, 'To try to see the sage without going his way is like barring a door you wish to enter.' Zhuge Liang is the greatest sage of the day. How can I summon him?"
So Liu Bei rode away to make his visit, his two brothers with him as before. It was winter and exceedingly cold. Floating clouds covered the whole sky. Before they had gone far, a bitter wind began to blow in their faces, and the snow began to fly. Soon the mountains were of jade and the trees of silver.
"It is very cold and the earth is frozen hard, no fighting is possible now," said Zhang Fei. "Yet we are going all this way to get advice which will be useless to us. Where is the sense of it? Let us rather get back to Xinye out of the cold."
Liu Bei replied, "I am set upon proving my zeal to Zhuge Liang. But if you, my brother, do not like the cold, you can return."
"I do not fear death: Do you think I care for the cold? But I do care about wasting my brother's energies," said Zhang Fei.
"Say no more," said Liu Bei, and they traveled on.
When they drew near the little wood, they heard singing in a roadside inn and stopped to listen. This was the song:
Although possessed of talent rare,
This man has made no name;
Alas! The day is breaking late
That is to show his fame.
O friends you know the Lu Wang's tale:
The aged man constrained to leave
His cottage by the sea,
To follow in a prince's train
His counselor to be.
Eight hundred feudal chieftains met
Who came with one accord;
The happy omen, that white fish,
That leapt the boat aboard;
The gory field in distant wilds.
Whence flowed a crimson tide,
And him acknowledged chief in war
Whose virtues none denied;
That Zhang Liang, a Gaoyang rustic,
Fond of wine, who left, his native place
And went to serve so faithfully
The man of handsome face;
And one who spoke of ruling chiefs
In tones so bold and free,
But sitting at the festive board
Was full of courtesy;
And one, that was he who laid in dust
Walled cities near four score
But humans of doughty deeds like these
On earth are seen no more.
Now had these humans not found their lord
Would they be known to fame?
Yet having found, they served him well
And so achieved a name.
The song ended, the singer's companion tapping the table sang:
We had a famous founder,
Who drew his shining sword,
Cleansed all the land within the seas
And made himself its lord.
In time his son succeeded him,
And so from son to son
The lordship passed, held firm until
Four hundred years had run.
Then dawned a day of weaklier sons,
The fiery virtue failed,
Then ministers betrayed their trust,
Court intrigues vile prevailed.
The omens came; a serpent
Coiled on the dragon throne,
While in the hall of audience
Unholy haloes shone.
Now bandits swarm in all the land
And noble strives with chief,
The common people, sore perplexed,
Can nowhere find relief.
Let's drown our sorrows in the cup,
Be happy while we may,
Let those who wish run after fame
That is to last for aye.
The two men laughed loud and clapped their hands as the second singer ceased. Liu Bei thought full surely the longed for sage was there, so he dismounted and entered the inn. He saw the two merry-makers sitting opposite each other at a table. One was pale with a long beard; the other had a strikingly refined face.
Liu Bei saluted them and said, "Which of you is Master Sleeping Dragon?"
"Silence!" said Liu Bei, "The Teacher Mencius said, 'To try to see the sage without going his way is like barring a door you wish to enter.' Zhuge Liang is the greatest sage of the day. How can I summon him?"
So Liu Bei rode away to make his visit, his two brothers with him as before. It was winter and exceedingly cold. Floating clouds covered the whole sky. Before they had gone far, a bitter wind began to blow in their faces, and the snow began to fly. Soon the mountains were of jade and the trees of silver.
"It is very cold and the earth is frozen hard, no fighting is possible now," said Zhang Fei. "Yet we are going all this way to get advice which will be useless to us. Where is the sense of it? Let us rather get back to Xinye out of the cold."
Liu Bei replied, "I am set upon proving my zeal to Zhuge Liang. But if you, my brother, do not like the cold, you can return."
"I do not fear death: Do you think I care for the cold? But I do care about wasting my brother's energies," said Zhang Fei.
"Say no more," said Liu Bei, and they traveled on.
When they drew near the little wood, they heard singing in a roadside inn and stopped to listen. This was the song:
Although possessed of talent rare,
This man has made no name;
Alas! The day is breaking late
That is to show his fame.
O friends you know the Lu Wang's tale:
The aged man constrained to leave
His cottage by the sea,
To follow in a prince's train
His counselor to be.
Eight hundred feudal chieftains met
Who came with one accord;
The happy omen, that white fish,
That leapt the boat aboard;
The gory field in distant wilds.
Whence flowed a crimson tide,
And him acknowledged chief in war
Whose virtues none denied;
That Zhang Liang, a Gaoyang rustic,
Fond of wine, who left, his native place
And went to serve so faithfully
The man of handsome face;
And one who spoke of ruling chiefs
In tones so bold and free,
But sitting at the festive board
Was full of courtesy;
And one, that was he who laid in dust
Walled cities near four score
But humans of doughty deeds like these
On earth are seen no more.
Now had these humans not found their lord
Would they be known to fame?
Yet having found, they served him well
And so achieved a name.
The song ended, the singer's companion tapping the table sang:
We had a famous founder,
Who drew his shining sword,
Cleansed all the land within the seas
And made himself its lord.
In time his son succeeded him,
And so from son to son
The lordship passed, held firm until
Four hundred years had run.
Then dawned a day of weaklier sons,
The fiery virtue failed,
Then ministers betrayed their trust,
Court intrigues vile prevailed.
The omens came; a serpent
Coiled on the dragon throne,
While in the hall of audience
Unholy haloes shone.
Now bandits swarm in all the land
And noble strives with chief,
The common people, sore perplexed,
Can nowhere find relief.
Let's drown our sorrows in the cup,
Be happy while we may,
Let those who wish run after fame
That is to last for aye.
The two men laughed loud and clapped their hands as the second singer ceased. Liu Bei thought full surely the longed for sage was there, so he dismounted and entered the inn. He saw the two merry-makers sitting opposite each other at a table. One was pale with a long beard; the other had a strikingly refined face.
Liu Bei saluted them and said, "Which of you is Master Sleeping Dragon?"
Friday, 11 December 2009
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.
"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.
Thursday, 10 December 2009
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?"
"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?"
Tuesday, 8 December 2009
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
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
Sunday, 6 December 2009
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."
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."
Saturday, 5 December 2009
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
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
Thursday, 3 December 2009
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...
[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...
Saturday, 28 November 2009
Red Cliff
An update for US friends if you can't catch Red Cliff in the cinema: 
online or download to one location for a 2 day viewing period.
Red Cliff is recently released in theatres in the US on 20 November 2009.
Zhuge Liang - The Great Military Advisor
I have found some books on Zhuge Liang aka 诸葛亮 that may interest you. Click on this to go straight to Amazon: Zhuge Liang
. He was indeed a true dynasty kingdoms hero!!! I hope this helps! :D
If you are interested, you can join our Facebook fan page dedicated to Zhuge Liang by simply clicking on the facebook link at the right hand side of this blog. We have a lot of discussions about him. You can enjoy yourself and immerse in history while you are there. See you there soon!
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