Humanity means fidelity to one's integrity, for better of worse; honour means an unchanging heart and mind even if survival is at stake

The phrase above was quoted by Xiahou Ling when Sima Yi tried to marry her off to another man after executing Cao Shuang's half brother Wenshu who was her husband. She refused and cut of her nose and ear in protest.

Too bad in modern world and developed countries, we seldom see these actions anymore.

~sigh~

To sit and discuss the true way is for the three elder lords of the kingdom; to act on a policy is for imperial office holders

The phrase above was quoted by First Secretary Yang Yong from the ancients as he tried to persuade Kongming to take more rest and not overwork himself.

Well, nothing much to say. The phrase above already speaks for itself

Intolerance of trifles ruins great plans

The phrase above was by a sage and quoted by Sima Yi trying to persuade his generals and commanders that combat was not an option despite the repeated taunts of Kongming's troops. This was Kongming's last expedition as he died due to stress and overwork.

The phrase above has various interpretations.

We need to learn the art of working together for a common cause. Unity is very important. As the saying goes, "united we stand, divided we fall".

Debate between Kongming and Wu Officers

Part One



Part Two



Part Three




Pretty Enteratining and Enlightening.

Zhuge Liang's Debut : Battle Of Bowang

Part One



Part Two



Part Three

Conform to Heaven and prosper; oppose it and fall

Tha above phrase was a saying used by Wang Lang in trying to persuade Kongming to surrender. The latter was in an expedition to conquer Wei.



~Go with the flow only when you think it is right. Don't follow for the sake of it~

What works with water doesn't work with fire

The phrase above is a quote from Zhuge Liang trying to explain his manoeuvres to capture Meng Huo for the seventh time. He wanted to burn the rattan army with fire. The background is that the rattan armour can float on water, so it works with water, but it doesn't work with fire as the rattan is processed with oil.

In present times, the quote has many meanings. It means that what may work for this person will not work on another. We need to use differing methods of dialogue and diplomacy in order to properly explain our intentions.

~

Doleful, the notes of a dying bird; precious, the words of a dying man

Catchy phrase of a sage quoted by Xuande just before he perished a few months after the battle of Yiling.

Nothing much to say here. Just put it up for memory's sake.

Broad consultation makes one wise; one-sided consideration makes one blind

The above phrase was part of an answer by Ma Liang when he attempted to persuade Emperor Liu Bei to map the positions of his camps to seek advice from Kongming. Unfortunately, advice from Kongming to change the camping positions came too late and Xuande lost heavily in the battle of Yiling.

At present, the phrase serves to persuade one to accept contructive criticism and be flexible in his thoughts. Being inflexible will hinder one's sight and cause him to not be enlightened, creating unnecessary regrets in the immediate or distant future.

Not even death can make the brave general look for an easy way out or try to survive at the cost of his integrity

The above phrase was said by Pang De after he cut down two generals, Dong Heng and Dong Chao for advocating surrender after Guan Yu flooded their positions. After cutting them down, his troops fought harder, but to no avail. That's when he said the above and caused Cheng He to advance and be killed by a shot from Yunchang. Pang De was still captured in the end by Zhou Cang and executed by Guan Yu in the aftermath of the battle.

The meaning of the aobe phrase can be summed up in one word.

"Honour"

A swift course, an easy fall

The above phrase was lifted from Yu Jin's rebuff of Pang De, who wanted an explanation for the former beating the retreat gongs jus as he was about to finish of Guan Yu after scrupulously shooting an arrow at Yunchang's arm. However, in reality and without Pang De's knowledge, Yu Jin was afraid Pang De's victory over Yunchang would eclipse his own merits and thus rang the gongs out of selfishness.

But, the phrase above can be thought of.

It means that if we do not plan ahead properly, we will not succeed. If we are reckless in our lives, we will fail.

So we must learn the art of planning.

;D

An army is easy to get, a general hard to find

The above phrase was quoted from Guo Huai who protested with success Cao Hong's decision to execute Zhang He ignoring sound advance and attacking, being defeated as a result.

The above quote cannot apply to the army in Singapore (SAF). Imagine losing thirty thousand infantry, officers, tanks crew, etc. with nothing to show for it! Singapore, even if we win the war, will be seriously short of men for marriage. Haha..

No~

In other aspects, the quote may mean that it's easy to find friends, but true friends are hidden and must be figured out.

As the saying goes, "The one who takes your hand but touches your heart is your true friend".
And another one, by Ulysses S. Grant, 18th president of USA, "The friend in my adversity I shall always cherish most. I can better trust those who helped relieve the gloom of my dark hours than those who are so ready to enjoy with me the sunshine of my prosperity."

Effective medicine is bitter to the mouth but remedies disease. Loyal words offend the ear but benefit's one's conduct.

The above sentences were quoted from a protest letter written by Wang Lei who threatened to plunge to his death unless Liu Zhang turned away Xuande and not accept him in the Riverlands.

At present times, the phrase display the requirements of criticism to improve the lives of others. Feedbacks are needed in order to improve one's actions. If we turn a deaf ear to feedback which is constructive and well thought out and pursue our path/s in our own reckless and unproved ways, we will not succeed.

He who get's the rabbit first, wins the chase

The phrase above was quoted from Fa Zheng, who was attempting to persuade Xuande into taking the riverlands from Liu Zhang, lest it falls into other hands.

At present, this quote means that whoever works harder will succeed in the place of those who don't.

There is no time to cover your ears after thunder peals

The phrase above were what Cao Cao used in the description of his strategy which he used to divide his foes Ma Chao and Han Sui, in the end inducing the latter to join his cause against the former.

In present times, the phrase means we must act before it's too late. It doesn't really take a genius to figure this out though. Just thought of putting up this quote here for memory's sake.

Attacking the unprepared, doing the unanticipated

The above phrase was quoted from Kongming who cleverly detected Zhou Yu's ruse to kill Xuande when the former's army was in JingZhou to collect grain and cash. The proposed plan was to conquer the Riverlands in order for Xuande to turn over JingZhou, but the real intention was to abduct and eliminate Xuande when he received the troops as they crossed his territory to 'invade' the Riverlands. This strategy is akin to "passing through on the pretext of conquering Guo".

In present life, the quote above refers to the ability to disinguish between right and wrong, to surprise your enemies and awe your allies. We cannot keep acting conventionally. We cannot act as others percieve us to be.

There are more meanings, but they cannot be put into words.

loyalty and filial devotion are the foundations of personal integrity

he above phrase was a rebuke from Kongming to Xue Zhong during the debate between the two on whether the Southland should submit to Cao Cao or form an alliance with Xuande and resist the Cao onslaught.

Xue Zhong firstly said "The mandate of the Han has devolved from sovereign to sovereign down to this day; now the dynasty's heaven-ordained period draws to it's close. Already, Cao Cao possesses two-thirds of the empire, and all mean tender him allegiance. Lord Liu, however, refuses to recognise the season of history, and in forcing the issue will fail as surely as an egg dashed against a rock."

Zhuge, rebuffing him, said " So, then, you mean to deny both king and father? In man's short like between heaven and earth, loyalty and filial devotion are the foundaions of personal integrity. Since sir, you're a subject of the Han, when you see a man who disavows his duty as a subject, you are pledged to help destroy him-for such is a true subject's obligation. Cao Cao, far from honouring his debt to to the Han for sustaining his forebears in office, bears within him a seditious usurper's heart, to the indignation of all. In tendering allegiance on grounds of 'Heaven-ordained numbers', you deny both king and father and render yourself unfit to speak in the company of men."

Phew.. Such are the harsh words stimulated out of Kongming when Xue Zhong decided to go with the flow and take the traitorous path instead of defending the rightful house of the Han.

The phrase has many meanings, and in the era of increasing affluence and capitalism, much of it has been eroded. The full meaning of the phrase has yet to impact anyone as of yet. Integrity is what many lacks. In Singapore, in spite of what our leaders or cabinet ministers have been telling us, that they are men of integrity, their very spike in salary already defeats their proclamation.

Honour is extremely important in our lives. Even if we fail, we fail with honour. Succeeding with honour is the most difficult task at hand.

Honour loyalty devotion purpose.... what has happened to the actual meanings of these words?

He is to me as water to a fish

Liu Bei said that to Zhang Fei and Guan Yu when the two derided him for putting his trust into Zhuge Liang before even testing him.

This quote, besides the relationship between lord and advisor, has many meanings.

For one, a son, daughter, father, husbanad, cousin, etc., cannot be part of a family if there is no family. That will result in a title without meaning. Families are water in which the member fishes exist in.

For another, the relations between friend or friends. Each cannot make do without the other. This will prove later in the story after Liu Bei dies. Each friend can take the place of the two options in question with no fixed role.

Trying to meet a worthy man in the wrong way is as bad as closing the door on an invited guest

The quote was a saying by the great sage Mencius. Liu Bei used it in response to his uncouth brother Zhang Fei's suggestion to have Zhuge Liang summoned instead of going to him personally.

How I agree with it.

Trying to meet a worthy man in the wrong way is as bad as closing the door on an invited guest

This saying has many meanings, one of which states that we must always be sincere when making requests, however small, however huge. Only then, can we raise the affection and gratification of the one whom we seek.

There are many talented people in this world, but many do not have the courage to show themselves. Leaders, lords, governors, etc., must approach them persanally as only then will they have faith in themselves. Zhuge Liang liked comparing himself to Guan Zhong and Yue Yi, when in fact he surpasses the two in ability and talent. This comparison shows that he lacks the courage display his true colours.

Just before Liu Bei went to look for Zhuge Liang a third time, a poet crafted:

The worthiest have yet to bend the hero's will;
Servility could shake his fighters' confidence


The worthy refers to Zhuge Liang, the hero, Liu Bei and the fighters', Zhang Fei and Guan Yu.
To summarise, both Zhang Fei and Guan Yu were indignant at their elder brother having to throw away his pride simply to entice over a talent. Hence the phrase "Servility could shake his fighters' confidence" Liu Bei has yet to meet Kongming after two demeaning tries but is ready to go for a third one, hence "The worthiest have yet to bend the hero's will".

I believe that this is what everyone needs in this world. One simple word will say everything.

Sincerity

None can deduct from the reckoning, or force what is fated

The above words were quoted by a Cui Zhouping to Liu Bei(Xuande) after the latter's first visit to locate Zhuge Liang(KongMing).

None can deduct from the reckoning, or force what is fated

A very thoughtful quote, in my opinion, but with different interpretations.

My way of interpretating this saying would be that no one knows what is coming to him, no one knows his future, but a person, who is fated to achieve great things, climb the mountains, sail the waterfalls, will get there through his own effort.

This is my interpretation of the saying.

The enemy whom you let get away one day will be endless trouble in the future

The saying above was used by Guo Jia of the Cao Cao trying his best to persuade the latter not to allow Xuande to leave the city as he is an ambitious man sure to be a threat to Cao Cao's own plans.

Well, presently, the saying is rather true. An enemy by your side all those times is akin to a friend who knows you inside out. This will make him more difficult to suppress and overcome. We must NEVER allo our best friends to become our enemies for it will lead to sad days in the remainding or greater part of the two people.

I shall not explain why for fear of inciting nagative thoughts to any external readers other then myself.

It is essential to use the right person for the right cause, if you use a man, don't suspect him

The above phrase was lifted from Sun Ce who was reprimanding his generals for not believing Taishi Ci's word on returning at noon after he was captured and released the day earlier.

Anyway, the above phrase is one that truly emphasises the need for trust between master and servant. For without trust, there'll be no cooperation and without cooperation, nothing can be achieved.