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HSK 5 · Chapter 5 · 929 characters · Listen: mandarinthewild.com/library/read/a-thousand-li-alone-three-kingdoms-intermediate-chinese-5

千里走单骑

A Thousand Li Alone

Name: ________________ Date: ________

刘备liúbèi找zhǎo了le个gè机会jīhuì，带dài着zhe人马rénmǎ离开líkāi了le许昌xǔchāng。曹操cáocāo知道zhīdào自己zìjǐ被bèi骗piàn了le，气qì坏huài了le，亲自qīnzì带dài着zhe大军dàjūn来lái打dǎ他tā。刘备liúbèi不是búshì曹操cáocāo的de对手duìshǒu，三sān兄弟xiōngdì也yě被bèi冲散chōngsàn了le：刘备liúbèi逃táo到dào了le袁绍yuánshào那里nàlǐ，张飞zhāngfēi不bù知道zhīdào去qù了le哪里nálǐ，关羽guānyǔ带dài着zhe刘备liúbèi的de两liǎng位wèi夫人fūrén，被bèi曹操cáocāo的de人马rénmǎ围wéi在zài一yí座zuò小山xiǎoshān上shàng。

曹操cáocāo早就zǎojiù想xiǎng让ràng关羽guānyǔ为wèi自己zìjǐ做事zuòshì，就jiù派pài关羽guānyǔ的de老朋友lǎopéngyou张辽上山shàngshān去qù劝quàn他tā。关羽guānyǔ本来běnlái想xiǎng拼死pīnsǐ一战yízhàn，张辽说shuō：“你nǐ这样zhèyàng死sǐ了le容易róngyì，可是kěshì两liǎng位wèi嫂子sǎozi怎么办zěnmebàn？你们nǐmen在zài桃园结义táoyuán-jiéyì的de时候shíhou，说好shuōhǎo了le三sān个gè人rén要yào一起yìqǐ死sǐ，现在xiànzài你nǐ大哥dàgē还hái活着huózhe，你nǐ却què要yào先xiān死sǐ吗ma？”关羽guānyǔ想xiǎng了le很hěn久jiǔ，说shuō：“要我wǒ投降tóuxiáng也yě可以kéyǐ，但是dànshì有yǒu三sān个gè条件tiáojiàn。”

“第一dìyī，我wǒ投降tóuxiáng的de是shì汉朝hàncháo的de皇帝huángdì，不是búshì曹操cáocāo；第二dì’èr，两liǎng位wèi嫂子sǎozi要yào好好háohǎo照顾zhàogù，谁shéi也yě不许bùxǔ进jìn她们tāmen的de门mén；第三dìsān，只要zhǐyào我wǒ知道zhīdào了le哥哥gēge在zài哪里nálǐ，不管bùguǎn多duō远yuǎn，马上mǎshàng就jiù走zǒu。”

前qián两liǎng个gè条件tiáojiàn，曹操cáocāo都dōu痛快tòngkuài地de答应dāying了le。听到tīngdào第dì三sān个gè，他tā犹豫yóuyù了le：“那nà我wǒ养yǎng着zhe他tā有yǒu什么shénme用yòng？”张辽说shuō：“刘备liúbèi对duì关羽guānyǔ，不过búguò是shì好hǎo一点yìdiǎn罢了bàle。丞相chéngxiàng要是yàoshi对duì他tā更gèng好hǎo，还hái怕pà他tā的de心xīn不bù跟着gēnzhe您nín吗ma？”曹操cáocāo这zhè才cái点diǎn了le头tóu。

到dào了le许昌xǔchāng，曹操cáocāo对duì关羽guānyǔ好hǎo得de不得了bùdeliǎo：三sān天tiān一yì小xiǎo宴yàn，五wǔ天tiān一yí大dà宴yàn，又yòu送sòng金银jīnyín，又yòu送sòng美女méinǚ。曹操cáocāo送sòng他tā一yí件jiàn新xīn袍子páozi，关羽guānyǔ把bǎ它tā穿chuān在zài里面lǐmiàn，外面wàimiàn还hái穿chuān着zhe刘备liúbèi给gěi他tā的de旧jiù袍子páozi。他tā说shuō：“这zhè是shì哥哥gēge给gěi我wǒ的de，穿chuān着zhe它tā，就jiù像xiàng见到jiàndào哥哥gēge一样yíyàng。”

有yǒu一yì天tiān，曹操cáocāo看见kànjiàn关羽guānyǔ的de马mǎ很hěn瘦shòu，就jiù送sòng了le他tā一yì匹pǐ红色hóngsè的de好hǎo马mǎ。关羽guānyǔ一yí看kàn，正是zhèngshì吕布lǚbù当年dāngnián骑qí的de赤兔chìtù马mǎ。这zhè一次yícì，他tā高兴gāoxìng地de拜bài了le又yòu拜bài。曹操cáocāo觉得juéde奇怪qíguài：“我wǒ送sòng你nǐ那么nàme多duō金银jīnyín美女méinǚ，你nǐ从来不cóngláibú拜bài，怎么zěnme一yì匹pǐ马mǎ就jiù让ràng你nǐ拜bài了le？”关羽guānyǔ说shuō：“这zhè匹pǐ马mǎ一yì天tiān能néng跑pǎo一千yìqiān里lǐ。以后yǐhòu知道zhīdào了le哥哥gēge在zài哪里nálǐ，我wǒ骑qí着zhe它tā，一天yìtiān就jiù能néng见到jiàndào他tā！”曹操cáocāo听tīng了le，后悔hòuhuǐ得de不得了bùdeliǎo。

关羽guānyǔ知道zhīdào曹操cáocāo对duì他tā好hǎo，一直yìzhí想xiǎng为wèi他tā做zuò点diǎn事shì。后来hòulái，袁绍yuánshào的de大将dàjiàng颜良带兵dàibīng来lái打dǎ白马城，一连yìlián杀shā了le曹操cáocāo的de两liǎng个gè大将dàjiàng，没méi人rén敢gǎn再zài出去chūqù打dǎ。关羽guānyǔ骑qí着zhe赤兔马冲chōng了le过去guòqu，颜良还hái没méi明白míngbai是shì怎么回事zěnme-huíshì，就jiù被bèi他tā一刀yìdāo砍kǎn下马xiàmǎ来lái。关羽guānyǔ带dài着zhe颜良的de头tóu又yòu冲chōng了le回来huílai，好像hǎoxiàng身边shēnbiān一yí个gè人rén也yě没有méiyǒu。

不久bùjiǔ，关羽guānyǔ终于zhōngyú听到tīngdào了le消息xiāoxi：哥哥gēge刘备liúbèi就jiù在zài袁绍yuánshào那里nàlǐ！他tā马上mǎshàng去qù找zhǎo曹操cáocāo告别gàobié，可是kěshì曹操cáocāo故意gùyì不见bújiàn他tā。他tā去qù了le好几háojǐ次cì，大门dàmén都dōu关guān着zhe。

关羽guānyǔ不再búzài等děng了le。他tā把bǎ曹操cáocāo送sòng的de金银jīnyín全部quánbù留下liúxia，一样yíyàng也yě没méi带走dàizǒu，又yòu把bǎ官印guānyìn挂guà了le起来qǐlái，然后ránhòu骑qí上shàng赤兔马，带dài着zhe两liǎng位wèi夫人fūrén上路shànglù了le。

曹操cáocāo听说tīngshuō以后yǐhòu，亲自qīnzì追zhuī了le上来shànglai，不过búguò不是búshì来lái抓zhuā他tā，而是érshì来lái送sòng他tā。曹操cáocāo送sòng他tā一yí件jiàn袍子páozi，关羽guānyǔ怕pà有yǒu危险wēixiǎn，没有méiyǒu下马xiàmǎ，只用zhǐyòng大刀dàdāo的de刀尖dāojiān把bǎ袍子páozi挑了le过来guòlai，说shuō了le一声yìshēng谢谢xièxie，就jiù走zǒu了le。

可是kěshì一路上yílùshàng，每měi到dào一个yígè关口guānkǒu，守shǒu关guān的de将领jiànglǐng都dōu不bú放fàng他tā过去guòqù。关羽guānyǔ一路yílù走zǒu，一路yílù打dǎ，过guò了le五wǔ个gè关口guānkǒu，杀shā了le六liù个gè大将dàjiàng。这zhè就是jiùshì有名yǒumíng的de“过五关斩六将guòwǔguānzhǎnliùjiàng”。

眼看yǎnkàn就要jiùyào见到jiàndào亲人qīnrén了le，前面qiánmiàn出现chūxiàn了le一yí座zuò古城gǔchéng。听说tīngshuō守城shǒuchéng的de正是zhèngshì三sān弟dì张飞zhāngfēi，关羽guānyǔ高兴gāoxìng极了jíle。可是kěshì城门chéngmén打开dǎkāi以后yǐhòu，张飞zhāngfēi拿ná着zhe丈八蛇矛zhàngbā-shémáo，大吼dàhǒu一声yìshēng，直接zhíjiē朝cháo他tā冲chōng了le过来guòlai。

Key words

WordPinyinMeaning
气qìto make angry; to be angry
兄弟xiōngdìbrother; bro (friendly address among men)
座zuòseat
本来běnláioriginally; at first; of course (it goes without saying)
死sǐto die; dead
却quèbut; yet; however (contrary to expectation)
条件tiáojiàncondition; term; requirement
好好háohǎoperfectly good; in good condition
不过búguòbut; however
要是yàoshiif; in case
后悔hòuhuǐto regret
敢gǎnto dare (to)

Lesson plan: 45 minutes (for the teacher)

HSK 5 · A Thousand Li Alone. By the end, students can read it aloud, say what it is about and use 气 and 兄弟 in sentences of their own.

  1. Warm-up 5 min

    Write 千里走单骑 on the board. Ask what the class thinks it is about, then give the English: “A Thousand Li Alone”.

  2. Key words 10 min

    Teach 气 (qì, to make angry; to be angry), 兄弟 (xiōngdì, brother; bro (friendly address among men)), 座 (zuò, seat), 本来 (běnlái, originally; at first; of course (it goes without saying)), 死 (sǐ, to die; dead), 却 (què, but; yet; however (contrary to expectation)). Say each one, the class says it back, then ask for its meaning with the word covered. The rest are in the handout’s table.

  3. Listen 10 min

    Play it read aloud from mandarinthewild.com/library/read/a-thousand-li-alone-three-kingdoms-intermediate-chinese-5: once with the text face down, once reading along. Students tap any word there for its meaning.

  4. Read and check 10 min

    Students read it alone, then tell a partner in two sentences of Chinese what it says.

  5. Use it 10 min

    In pairs, each student writes two sentences of their own, one with 气 and one with 兄弟, and reads one to the class.

Homework. Students read it again at home and Review its words. Put it in a free class (mandarinthewild.com/teachers/class) and you see who read it.

English (for the teacher)

Liu Bei found his chance and left Xuchang with his men. When Cao Cao realised he had been tricked, he was furious and led a great army against Liu Bei himself. Liu Bei was no match for Cao Cao, and the three brothers were scattered: Liu Bei fled to Yuan Shao, no one knew where Zhang Fei had gone, and Guan Yu, with Liu Bei's two wives in his care, was surrounded by Cao Cao's men on a small hill.

Cao Cao had long wanted Guan Yu to serve him, so he sent Guan Yu's old friend Zhang Liao up the hill to talk him round. Guan Yu meant to fight to the death, but Zhang Liao said: "Dying like this is easy, but what will become of your two sisters-in-law? When you swore brotherhood in the Peach Garden, the three of you vowed to die together; your eldest brother is still alive, and you would die first?" Guan Yu thought for a long time, then said: "I'll surrender, but on three conditions."

"First, I surrender to the emperor of the Han, not to Cao Cao; second, my two sisters-in-law must be well looked after, and no one may enter their door; third, the moment I learn where my brother is, I leave at once, however far it is."

Cao Cao readily agreed to the first two conditions. When he heard the third, he hesitated: "Then what's the use of keeping him?" Zhang Liao said: "Liu Bei has only been a little kinder to Guan Yu, that's all. If you treat him even better, my lord, why fear that his heart won't follow you?" Only then did Cao Cao nod.

In Xuchang, Cao Cao treated Guan Yu extraordinarily well: a small banquet every three days and a great banquet every five, gifts of gold and silver, gifts of beautiful women. Cao Cao gave him a new robe, and Guan Yu wore it underneath, with the old robe Liu Bei had given him on top. He said: "This was my brother's gift; wearing it is like seeing my brother."

One day Cao Cao noticed how thin Guan Yu's horse was and gave him a fine red horse. Guan Yu looked, and it was Red Hare, the horse Lü Bu used to ride. This time he bowed his thanks again and again, delighted. Cao Cao found it strange: "I've given you all that gold and silver and all those beauties and you never bowed once, so why does one horse make you bow?" Guan Yu said: "This horse can run a thousand li in a day. When I find out where my brother is, I can ride it and see him within a day!" When Cao Cao heard this, he bitterly regretted the gift.

Guan Yu knew Cao Cao had been good to him, and he had always wanted to do something for him in return. Later, Yuan Shao's general Yan Liang led his army against Baima, killed two of Cao Cao's generals one after the other, and no one dared to go out and fight him. Guan Yu charged out on Red Hare, and before Yan Liang understood what was happening, one stroke of the blade cut him down from his horse. Guan Yu rode back with Yan Liang's head as if there were no one around him at all.

Before long, Guan Yu finally heard the news: his brother Liu Bei was with Yuan Shao! He went at once to Cao Cao to say goodbye, but Cao Cao deliberately refused to see him. He went several times, and each time the gate was shut.

Guan Yu waited no longer. He left behind all the gold and silver Cao Cao had given him, taking not a single piece, hung up his seal of office, then mounted Red Hare and set off with the two wives.

When Cao Cao heard, he rode after Guan Yu himself, not to capture him but to see him off. Cao Cao offered him a robe; fearing a trap, Guan Yu stayed in the saddle, lifted the robe over on the tip of his blade, said thank you and rode away.

But all along the road, at every pass, the general guarding it refused to let him through. Guan Yu fought his way along, through five passes, and killed six generals. This is the famous "crossing five passes and slaying six generals".

He was close to seeing his family again when an old city appeared ahead. Guan Yu heard that it was held by none other than his third brother, Zhang Fei, and he was overjoyed. But when the city gate opened, Zhang Fei came out with his Serpent Spear, gave a great roar and charged straight at him.