三顾茅庐

English (for the teacher)

A few days later, Liu Bei took Guan Yu and Zhang Fei, prepared gifts and came to Longzhong. The hills there were not high, but beautiful; the water was not deep, but clear. A few thatched huts stood at the foot of a hill.

Liu Bei knocked on the door himself, and a boy came to open it. Liu Bei said: "Please tell your master that Liu Bei, General of the Left of the Han, Marquis of Yicheng, Governor of Yu Province and Imperial Uncle, has come especially to call on him." The boy said: "I can't remember all those names." Liu Bei had to say: "Just tell him Liu Bei has come." The boy said: "The master went out early this morning; I don't know where he's gone, and I don't know when he'll be back." The three brothers had no choice but to go home.

Some time later, Liu Bei heard that Zhuge Liang had returned and set out again. By now it was winter, and heavy snow was falling. Zhang Fei was not happy: "It's so cold even the fighting has stopped; why trek all that way for a man who's no use to anyone?" Liu Bei said: "I want the master to see how sincere I am. If you're afraid of the cold, go back first." Zhang Fei said: "I'm not even afraid of dying; why would I be afraid of the cold? I'm just afraid you'll make the trip for nothing, brother."

The three of them made their way through the wind and snow to the hut and saw a young man sitting inside, singing. Liu Bei thought he was Zhuge Liang and hurried forward to bow, but the man turned out to be Zhuge Liang's younger brother. Zhuge Liang was out again. Liu Bei had no choice but to borrow paper and a brush, leave a letter and head back through the wind and snow.

In the spring of the next year, Liu Bei set out to go a third time. This time even Guan Yu couldn't stand it: "Brother, you've already gone twice; you've shown him far too much respect. I think he has no real ability, and that's why he hides and doesn't dare to see you." Zhang Fei shouted even louder: "He's just a country bumpkin; there's no need for you to go yourself, brother! If he won't come, I'll tie him up with a rope and bring him!" Liu Bei gave Zhang Fei a scolding, and the three of them set off together all the same.

This time the boy said: "The master is at home, but he's taking an afternoon nap." Liu Bei told Guan Yu and Zhang Fei to wait outside the gate, went in quietly by himself and stood below the steps to wait.

He waited a long time, and Zhuge Liang still did not wake. Outside, Zhang Fei was boiling with rage: "This master is outrageous! My brother is standing there waiting, and he's still lying in bed! Watch me go round the back and set the place on fire; let's see if he gets up then!" Only with great effort did Guan Yu hold him back.

Zhuge Liang turned over as if he were about to wake, but then fell asleep again facing the wall. Liu Bei stood a long while more before Zhuge Liang finally woke and asked the boy: "Have any visitors come?" The boy said: "Imperial Uncle Liu has been standing here waiting for a long time." Only then did Zhuge Liang hurry to change his clothes and come out to welcome him.

Liu Bei asked his advice on what he should do next. Zhuge Liang had a map hung up and said: "Cao Cao has a million men and controls the emperor; for now you cannot fight him head on. Sun Quan holds the lands east of the river, full of mountains and rivers and hard to attack, and his people love him; you can only make him your friend, not attack him. Jing Province and Yi Province are the lands heaven has left for you. First take Jing Province, then take Yi Province; join with Sun Quan in the east and stand against Cao Cao in the north. Then the land will be like a ding cauldron standing firm on three legs, and one of those legs will be you."

As Liu Bei listened, it was as if the dark clouds had parted and he suddenly saw blue sky, and he at once asked Zhuge Liang to come out of the hills. But Zhuge Liang said: "I'm used to farming here, and I don't want to go out into the world." Liu Bei said with tears streaming down: "If you don't come out, master, what will become of the common people?" His tears soaked his clothes. Seeing how sincere he was, Zhuge Liang finally agreed.

Back in Xinye, Liu Bei and Zhuge Liang ate together and slept in the same room, and spent all day discussing great affairs. Guan Yu and Zhang Fei were rather unhappy about it. Liu Bei said to them: "Having Kongming is like a fish having water. Say no more about it." This is where the idiom "like a fish in water" comes from.

But Zhuge Liang had not been in Xinye long before bad news arrived: Cao Cao's great army was marching south.