桃园结义

Toward the end of the Eastern Han Dynasty(25-220), China was war-stricken. After a royal edict（法令，布告） to recruit soldiers in Zhuozhou, three heroes surfaced. One was Liu Bei, a descendent¹ of Liu Sheng, Prince Jin of Zhongshan during the Han Dynasty. Liu Bei was sighing while reading the posted edict when he heard an impatient voice behind, "What use is just sighing, without a man's devotion to his country?"

Then the man introduced himself: "I'm Zhang Fei and my livelihood² is selling wine and slaughtering³ hogs⁴（猪，贪婪者） ."

"I do want to devote myself to the country," Liu explained after telling Zhang his name. "But how can I help if I'm empty handed?"

"You needn't worry," said Zhang. "I'm willing to give up my fortune to build an army and embark⁵ on this new career with you."

While the two talked merrily（愉快地） over cups in a small restaurant, in came a martial⁶ looking, handsome man with a huge build and a red complexion⁷. Liu and Zhang invited him to join them. They learned that the man was named Guan Yu. As he had upheld justice by killing⁸ a local tyrant⁹, he had fled home and wandered（徘徊，漫步） about for many years. During an amiable¹⁰ conversation the three found that they shared a common ambition and the next day in a peach garden they swore brotherhood¹¹ to heaven and earth before lit candles and joss sticks（香） , Liu Bei the eldest¹², Guan Yu the second-oldest and Zhang Fei the youngest. They vowed¹³ devotion to China.

Later, the three sworn brothers had successful career. Liu Bei ascended¹⁴ to the throne of the State of Shu in 221A.D in present-day Sichuan.