Book Outside the Three Kingdoms

Author: Wang Tao
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2004-10-01
Features: Excerpt: The Legend of Guan Yu Painting Bamboo to Clarify His Intentions
After Liu, Guan, and Zhang were defeated in Xiaopei, Guan Yu, to protect his sister-in-law, agreed to three conditions and stayed in Cao Cao's camp. Cao Cao, seeing Guan Yu's loyalty, propriety, and sense of honor, grew even more respectful and tried every means to win Guan Yu's favor. One day, Cao Cao invited Guan Yu to a banquet. During the meal, he had someone present a finely crafted brocade robe, asking Guan Yu to change into it. Guan Yu, reluctant to refuse, changed into the robe but still wore his green robe over it.
On a cold, snowy night, Guan Yu returned from a banquet at Cao Cao's. Thinking of Liu Bei and Zhang Fei, who had no news, and Cao Cao's deliberate attempts to keep him, Guan Yu grew resentful. He picked up his Green Dragon Crescent Blade and walked to the bamboo grove in the courtyard, dancing in the wind and snow. After dancing for a while, feeling a surge of heroic spirit, he sheathed his sword and stood still, gazing at the bamboo grove.
In the swirling snow, the bamboo stems stood tall and proud, their trunks like spears and leaves like sharp arrows, defiantly facing the wind and snow, their green leaves shimmering. Guan Yu admired the bamboo's noble and unyielding spirit, reflecting on his own situation and feeling deeply moved. He then returned to his room, spread paper, ground ink, and began to paint.
At this moment, Guan Yu focused intently, his brush flowing effortlessly. In just a few strokes, a magnificent ink bamboo painting emerged. On the painting, several green bamboo stalks grew from the ground, their trunks like iron and leaves like swords. The next day, Guan Yu sent his men to deliver the painting to Cao Cao.
Cao Cao unrolled it and praised it loudly. Upon closer inspection, he was amazed. The sharp leaves in the painting formed a five-character poem in style:
"Not thanking the east wind,
I stand alone in ink and brush.
Do not mock my lone leaf,
For it will never wither."
Cao Cao understood that Guan Yu was using the bamboo to express his intentions—Cao Cao could not hold him. Soon after, Yuan Shao attacked Cao Cao. Guan Yu killed Yan Liang and executed Wen Chou, learned of Liu Bei's whereabouts, and immediately protected his sister-in-law, leaving Xuchang at night. He crossed five passes and beheaded six generals, finally reuniting with his brothers.
When Cao Cao heard that Guan Yu had seized the passes and left, he grew even more of Guan Yu's loyalty and righteousness. He ordered the painting to be carved into a stone tablet. Today, this tablet is in the stele forest of Shaolin Temple on Mount Songshan, and it still bears an inscription of Guan Yu's seal: "The Seal of Marquis of Hanshouting."