Read the Three Kingdoms

Author: Chunfeng
Publisher:
Publish Date: July 1, 2006
Features: Liu Bei once revealed his ambitions. That was when he relied on Liu Biao in Jingzhou. Liu Biao treated Liu Bei very well, and life was comfortable with no recent wars. One day, while talking with Liu Biao in the restroom, he saw his "flesh return to his thighs" and couldn't help but shed tears. Liu Biao asked why, and Liu Bei, inspired, said: "I used to ride without dismounting, and the flesh on my thighs never grew. Now that I haven't ridden for a long time, the flesh has returned. Days and months have passed, and old age is approaching, yet my achievements remain unestablished—this is why I am sad." The two talked at length, and Liu Bei then said with enthusiasm: "If I had a foundation, the mediocre people in the world would be truly nothing to worry about!" He saw this quite clearly—his only path to success was through achievements; without them, there would be no Liu Bei. But this was the only time he nearly brought upon himself danger, and he deeply regretted it afterward. From then on, Liu Bei kept his great ambitions hidden in his heart. The deeper he buried them, the stronger his pursuit became. When Cao Cao called him a hero, Liu Bei thought his plans had been exposed and was startled to drop his chopsticks—this was not surprising. There is a famous Chinese proverb, "When one is under the eaves of a house, one cannot but bow," meaning that when one is in a position of lesser power or opportunity, one must bow and retreat. Liu Bei was a shrewd leader who could assess the situation. Even in situations that seemed humiliating to others, he could handle them with perfection. Losing Xuzhou, he could "endure humiliation to wait for the right moment"; when Cao Cao called him a hero, he could conceal his sharpness and preserve his strength, just as the saying goes: "A great man may transform like a tiger, but the foolish cannot predict it; back then, he seemed quite ordinary." When Liu Bei went to East Wu to seek a marriage alliance, Zhuge Liang "turned a play into reality," and Zhang Zhao, Zhou Yu, and others advised Sun Quan: "Liu Bei started from humble beginnings and has wandered the world, never having enjoyed wealth or luxury. If we let him enjoy grand halls, luxurious mansions, and gold and silk, we can naturally alienate him from Zhuge Liang, Guan Yu, and Zhang Fei. When they are internally divided, won't it be easy to take Jingzhou?" Sun Quan followed the plan. The strategy was to trap Liu Bei in Wu, using beauty and luxury to weaken his will. But when Zhao Yun reported that Cao Cao had mobilized five hundred thousand troops to attack Jingzhou to avenge the Battle of Red Cliffs, the situation became critical. Liu Bei finally convinced Sun Quan's wife and, after overcoming many obstacles, returned to Jingzhou. Without an unwavering pursuit of his ideals, it's hard to imagine a man without great ambitions giving up such a life. Therefore, Liu Bei's success lay in his never-ending drive. Whether favored or humiliated, in triumph or in defeat, he could face it with equanimity and remain steadfast. This aspect of his personality only began to change when he took Sichuan and occupied Hanzhong, as only then did he have the strength to stand tall and speak firmly. Liu Bei was not good at expressing his ambitions through words, but he did so indirectly when he visited Zhuge Liang for the third time, asking for help. On his first visit, when he did not meet Zhuge Liang, he expressed his desire to his friend Cui Zhiping: "The world is in great turmoil, and all directions are in chaos. I wish to meet Zhuge Liang and seek strategies to stabilize the state and restore the Han dynasty." Later, when they met in Longzhong, Zhuge Liang asked: "I would like to hear your general's ambitions." Liu Bei replied with passion: "The Han dynasty is in decline, traitors have seized power, and none measure their strength. I wish to spread great righteousness throughout the world." This shows that Liu Bei's ambition was to demonstrate his talents and stabilize the state during times of chaos. Liu Bei rose to arms at the age of twenty-eight and passed away at sixty-three, never giving up his inner drive for progress under any circumstances. This was the foundation of his success. P25-26